Joint Book Review Discussion: The Predicteds by Christine Seifert

So Michelle of Galleysmith and I thought it would be fun to have a conversational review about a few of my dystopian reads this month. These will be more in-depth than my usual reviews and discuss plot points in a non-spoilery way.  We'll be posting about a different book every Thursday, and this week, THE PREDICTEDS is up.

Here's the official summary:

Daphne is the new girl in town and is having trouble fitting in. At least she has Jesse... sort of. He wants to be more than "just friends," but there's something he's not telling her about his past. Something dangerous. When a female student is brutally attacked, police turn to PROFILE, a new program that can predict a student's capacity for drug use, pregnancy, and violent behavior, to solve the case. As the witch hunt ensues, Daphne is forced to question her feelings for Jesse-and what she will do if her first love turns out to be a killer.

Michelle and I decided to discuss four topics: Genre classification, Believability, Discrimination and Predictability.  The first two we discuss below, the second two we discuss over at Galleysmith.

Genre classification 

LENORE:

Based on the premise, I expected this to be a sort of MINORITY REPORT for teens.  I guess that’s why I thought the prologue was Daphne being arrested by PROFILE police for either aiding and abetting Jesse (her Predicted love interest) or rebellion or something of that nature.  But my expectations were way off.  I don’t think readers should go into this expecting a classic dystopia – if anything this is a very, very limited dystopia.  In fact, I was surprised to discover while reading that PROFILE was available at only one Oklahoma school and was very peripheral to the plot for most of the book.

MICHELLE:

I wouldn't classify this book as dystopian at all.  PROFILE wasn't a government-based initiative and it didn't oppress an entire population.  At first I was thinking it was veering into science fiction but the more I thought on it I'd say this book falls more into the psychological thriller or contemporary genre than anything else.  As you mentioned, the bulk of the plot centralizes around personal relationships and there is quite a bit of attention paid to more ethical issues like bigotry and free-will.    I could see where your thought that it was a limited dystopia based on Daphne's rebellion against PROFILE rings true but that still wasn't enough for me to put it firmly in that classification.

LENORE:

Yeah, I don't think readers should go into this expecting a dystopia, though the potential was definitely there.  It was actually set-up like a typical mystery/thriller, except that it wasn't particularly mysterious.

MICHELLE:  True that on the un-mysterious mystery.

Believability

LENORE:

I really liked that the stakes were upped for Daphne by making her mother the designer of PROFILE  (Predictive Readout of Forseen and Illustrative Life Effects: a computer program that examines a range of psychological data to predict how likely someone is to commit a violent act, become an addict or have social problems).  However, what I don’t understand is why, if Daphne’s mother had moral objections to the program that made her quit the project, she moved many states away to enroll her daughter in the one and only test school. That makes her kind of a pyscho if you ask me …

MICHELLE:

I know right!?  And more than that, if her mother had ethical objections strong enough to quit her job, continue research on her own and move to the place where alpha tests were occurring why wasn't she publicly screaming from the rooftops about PROFILE being bad?  I'd be working the whistle-blower angle all over the place!  I felt like she should have been less focused on being in her office and continuing research as opposed to being some sort of active deterrent to it all.  It made the fact that she finally tried to take limited action later feel hollow and pointless.  I also didn't get why she was so intimidated by the school administration.  These people had no influence on her.

LENORE:

But otherwise, I liked the mother.  She's a kooky scientist type, but there was some nice growth in her relationship with Daphne in the narrative.  

MICHELLE: I liked the mother but it seemed out of place for me.  But I agree the development of their relationship was a high point in the book.  Frankly, I actually found Daphne to be most believable character in the book.  She was relatively reserved and quite self-aware.  She wanted to facilitate change but given her position in the HS hierarchy wasn't too thrilled with the prospect of rocking the boat too far.  It was interesting to see her take the steps she did given the fact that she was on a bit of a roller-coaster ride between the popular crowd and outcasts.

Continue reading our discussion at Galleysmith.

Zombie chickens say: We predict mean girls in your future.

THE PREDICTEDS comes out at the end of this month on August 31, 2011.  Find out more about it at the publisher's website.

Song for the Ultimate Dystopian Playlist: The Killer Inside by Better than Ezra.  Sample lyric: "And I hope that she believes. Yes I wonder if she sees the killer inside me."

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

Author Interview: Kate Messner previews Eye of the Storm

For my spotlight on upcoming dystopian/post apocalyptic fiction series, I interviewed over 20 authors with novels coming out in the genre in 2012/13.  These are exclusive first looks at exciting new works.  Enjoy!

Today we have Kate Messner (author of THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z among others) previewing her upper middle grade thriller EYE OF THE STORM due out March 2012 from Walker.


Here's the summary:

In the not-too-distant future, huge tornadoes and monster storms are a part of everyday life. Sent to spend the summer in the heart of storm country with her father in the special StormSafe community his company has developed, Jaden Meggs is excited to reconnect with her dad after he spent years researching storm technology in Russia. She’ll also be attending the exclusive summer science camp, Eye On Tomorrow, that her dad founded. There, Jaden meets Alex, a boy whose passion for science matches hers, and together they discover a horrible truth about her dad’s research that is putting countless lives at risk. As a massive tornado approaches, threatening to destroy everything in its path, Jaden is torn between loyalty to her dad and revealing his secret. Can she find the courage to confront her dad and save everyone from the biggest storm yet?

And it even has a cover already!

Now, onto the interview.

Why do you think people are drawn to "dark" stories?

Well, for starters, dystopian novels are often really exciting, well-paced reads, and I think the suspense is one of the main draws for readers when it comes to this genre.

As far as the darkness, I’m not sure it’s the actual darkness that readers crave so much as the ability of dystopian fiction to ask the question, “What might our world be like, if…?” What might it be like if we let reality television spiral out of control? If we try to make everyone the same? If we don’t pay attention to our environment and our climate? I think some of the most effective dystopian novels challenge readers to think about our world’s modern-day issues by shining a light on worst-case-scenarios.

If EYE OF THE STORM had a theme song, what would it be and why? 

I’d choose “Storm” from Lifehouse’s “Who We Are” album for a couple reasons. First, because it fits the weather theme of EYE OF THE STORM, but more than that, it’s a song about love and about believing. That’s really what’s at the heart of EYE OF THE STORM…how the people who love us can help us find hope and courage even in the darkest times.

What fictional character from another book would Jaden chose as her best friend and why?

Jaden would love Meg Murry from A WRINKLE IN TIME because they’re both scientists and thinkers. And as long as we’re talking about books, I’ve always thought that Jaden would love reading BORROWED NAMES: POEMS ABOUT LAURA INGALLS WILDER, MADAME C.J. WALKER, MARIE CURIE, AND THEIR DAUGHTERS by Jeannine Atkins. Jaden loves poetry, and this book explores the relationships between these moms and daughters in verse. (I think Jaden would love the part about Marie Curie and her daughter most of all!)

What are your top 5 Dystopian lit recs and why? 

Well, the HUNGER GAMES trilogy is a huge favorite, but that’s not exactly an unsung hero in the world of dystopian literature. As far as lesser known books, I think GENESIS by Bernard Beckett is brilliant for YA readers, and for younger dystopia fans, I loved Leslie Connor’s CRUNCH. I blogged about both of those books (and other dystopian favorites) a while back – check it out!

What's on the top of your to-do list before the world ends? (you know, in case it ends next year)

I want to finish my next book! And if the world is ending next year, I’m also going to eat a whole lot of chocolate.

How does your novel stand out from other dystopian/post apocalyptic fiction out there?

EYE OF THE STORM is different in a few ways. First, it’s walking the line between upper middle grade and YA, so it’s great for middle school kids as well as high school. Second, it has a strong focus on meteorology and climate shifts, which is different from the usual oppressive government fare. And third, there’s more of a focus on science as a means to solve problems than I’ve seen in other books, which is something I really loved when I was writing, and I hope it’s an element of the book that readers enjoy, too.

Thank you Kate - sounds fab!

Visit Kate's website

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Add EYE OF THE STORM to your GoodReads wishlist

Book Review and Giveaway: All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

In 2083, chocolate and caffeine are illegal and Anya’s family has grown rich and powerful due to their criminal chocolate dealings.  Orphaned due to mob violence, Anya has her hands full taking care of her siblings and bedridden grandmother.  But things get even more complicated when poisoned chocolate enters the supply chain and Anya begins a forbidden relationship with the new District Attorney’s son Win.

I liked Anya immediately. She feels very responsible for her family, and has promised God that she’ll be a good girl if nothing bad happens to them. Even though is narrative is first person, the way the story is told, it’s almost like a much older Anya is reminiscing about her misspent youth to her own grandchildren in a distant future.  (Here and there she weaves in some meta-fiction techniques like mentioning when she is foreshadowing, etc.)

I should say that it’s not necessarily dystopian to live in a society where chocolate is outlawed, but Zevin does a really great job of showing us a crumbling future New York City which is on the brink of total collapse.  Museums are long gone, replaced by underground nightclubs.  People pay high fees for every liter of water they run out of their taps.  And juvenile detention is rife with torture and corruption.

Many early reviews have stated that this installment of the trilogy seems to be all set-up and no action – and I assume they mean in regards to Anya’s crime family and the fact that she’s not yet at the helm of it.  I was quite satisfied by the plot that pitted Anya against both Win’s father (who makes a deal with her regarding dating his son) and enemies within her own family who may or may not be trying to bring the whole chocolate empire down so that foreign concerns can get more market share.

That said, how well you like it may depend on how enchanted you are with Anya’s voice.  And oh how I was …

Zombie chickens say: Don’t miss this one, but be careful what you eat.

ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE will be published in just one month on September 6, 2011. It’s the first book of the Birthright Trilogy. Find out more about it, read a 30 page excerpt and see a behind the scenes video at the publisher's website.  Add it to your GoodReads wishlist.

Song for the Ultimate Dystopian Playlist: Chocolate by Snow Patrol. Sample lyric: “What have I done? It's too late for that. What have I become? Truth is nothing yet. A simple mistake starts the hardest time. I promise I'll do anything you ask...this time.”

Macmillan is sponsoring a giveaway of a prize pack that includes an ARC of the book as well as a package of chocolate-covered espresso beans. For a chance to win, fill out this form by August 13^th at 11:59 pm CST.  US and Canada only.  

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

Author Interview: Jay Kristoff previews Stormdancer

For my spotlight on upcoming dystopian/post apocalyptic fiction series, I interviewed over 20 authors with novels coming out in the genre in 2012/13.  These are exclusive first looks at exciting new works.  Enjoy!

Raise the roof for debut author Jay Kristoff! STORMDANCER is due Spring 2012 from St. Martins Press (US)/Tor (UK).

Here's the fab summary:

A dystopian fantasy set in steampunk feudal Japan. The Shima Isles are verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork mechanization and toxic pollution. Sixteen-year-old Yukiko is the daughter of the Shogun's Hunt Master, gifted with the ability to speak telepathically to animals, but forced to hide her talent for fear of the murderous Lotus Guild and their campaign against "impurity". Befriending the last griffin alive on the islands, Yukiko pits herself against the Shogun and the Guild in the hope of seeing her homeland saved, her family freed and the crippled griffin fly again.

Dystopian steampunk set in Japan? I'm so there!  Now let's get onto Jay's witty answers to my interview questions.

Why do you think people are drawn to "dark" stories?

I’ve been thinking about that a lot recently. It could be something as innocent as the “horror movie” instinct. The same impulse that makes us climb aboard roller-coasters or take one step closer to the edge of a really tall building and look down into that drop. I think part of us likes to be scared, to embrace that impulse inside us, because it makes us feel alive.

But that impulse has always been there, and stories about the end of the world have never been more popular. So I think the truth is a little less simple. I think the truth is that there’s something wrong with this place we’ve built, and deep down inside, we know it. The western empire in which we dwell is built on such a tenuous premise. Our economies only work if they’re constantly expanding. The machines that drive us are fuelled by a finite resource, becoming more and more difficult to obtain. We chop down 1.5 hectares of rain forest every second. Animal species are disappearing at a rate of somewhere between 30 to 150 every day. And this is the world in which teenagers are growing up. Would I be scared if I stood to inherit this place? Jesus, I’d be terrified.

So, I think we like dark stories because they help us deal with fear we feel every day. I think we write stories about the end of the world because we can see one on the horizon. But most importantly, we like to read stories about one person’s power to change that future - to believe that all of us have the ability to do something positive about it. That no matter how bad things get, it’s not too late. It’s never too late.

If STORMDANCER had a theme song, what would it be and why? 

Wow. Really hard question. Music is so important to the writing process for me. I get ideas for whole books from lyrics.

If you forced me to pick one song (you are sooooo mean) I’d pick Guerrilla Radio by Rage Against the Machine. It’s about defiance in the shadow of a corrupt regime, speaking the truth no matter what the cost, and most importantly, that change can start with one voice. That’s STORMDANCER in a nutshell:

“It has to start somewhere.

It has to start sometime.

What better place than here?

What better time than now?”

What fictional character from another book would Yukiko chose as her best friend and why?

Katniss from the Hunger Games, probably. Katniss and Yukiko are both courageous, self-determined, and have crappy taste in boys. JBuckbeak from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban would rate an honorable mention (though he’s a hippogriff, not a griffin). He’s fierce and loyal, and has the air of slight unpredictability that comes with being a wild animal.

What are your top 5 Dystopian lit recs and why? 

1984 – George Orwell. This is kinda the ultimate dystopian, probably the first one I ever read. Censorship/information control is a subject very close to my heart. I’m also a sucker or tragic endings, and they don’t get much more tragic than this.

The Windup Girl – Paolo Bacigalupi. Beautifully, beautifully written story of a post-collapse world set in South East Asia. Never seen it done before, and it’s amazing.

A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess. Again, wonderfully written. Alex is a great character - thoroughly deplorable and yet somehow still sympathetic. The way Burgess writes the slang of the future (Nadsat) is just ripping.

V for Vendetta – Alan Moore. Subversion. Rebellion. The power of one to change the world. Yes, comics can be literature, people!

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins. Comes back to what I was talking about above – the idea that one person really can make a difference, even in a world that’s gone totally dark. And because Katniss kicks mucho ass. 

I also need to give a shout out to Divergent. I’m only half way through it atm, but it’s 100% worthy of the hype. So nice to see a new wave of kick ass female heroines, as opposed to a pack of Bella Swans.

What's on the top of your to-do list before the world ends? (you know, in case it ends next year)

Publish my damn book! Lol. I feel so extraordinarily lucky to be working with such an amazing group of people right now – my editors, my agent, his assistant, none of it reals quite real. I keep feeling like this is a dream that I’m going to wake up from any minute now. I just want to hold the damn thing in my hand so I know all this actually happened. J

How does your novel stand out from other dystopian/post apocalyptic fiction out there?

STORMDANCER is a collision between dystopian and steampunk fiction, and I wanted to see if I could break the rules for both. One of the golden rules of dystopian fiction seems to be that it needs to be set in a dark future. STORMDANCER is actually set in a dark past - it's a kind of historical end of the world novel, I guess. And of course the book has steampunk elements and more "traditional fantasy" elements mixed in that you don't usually see in a dystopia. No laser guns or computer networks here, folks. We've got griffins and samurai in suits of combustion-powered armor. :P

There's this unspoken rule in steampunk that says your book has to be set in Victorian England or Colonial America. So I said "why not set a steampunk novel in feudal Japan?" Likewise, there seems to be this 'rose-colored glasses' (or should that be goggles) aspect in steampunk; a lot of SP writers hearken back to Victorian times as some kind of utopia, where the world was filled with the spirit of adventure and techonology made anything possible. So I said "why not make this steampunk novel set in a dystopia, where the wondrous technology has actually screwed everything up? Where the machine isn't the savior, it's the enemy."

Finally, instead of the setting being post-apocalypse - a world or a nation in ruins - the apocalyptic collapse is actually unfolding throughout the book. STORMDANCER is set in a country that's teetering on the brink of total ruin, and it falls to one young woman to take the first step in pulling things back from the edge.

Thank you Jay! We can't wait!

Visit's Jay's blog

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Add STORMDANCER to your Goodreads wishlist

Jay is also a part of the group blog Brave New Words.  Check it out!

Book Review: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Annah has been fending for herself in the dark city since Elias left her to join the Recruiters. Finally she realizes he’s probably not coming back and sets off to see if she can find her old village in the Forest of Hands and Teeth.  On her way, she thinks she sees her long lost sister and meets Catcher – who tells her the horde is on the way and the city is no longer safe.

It’s funny, because until this installment, I always thought these books were set on the west coast.  Guess I was wrong!

Of the three protagonists in this series, Annah’s had it the hardest.  Not only did she grow up as an orphan, she also had an accident that physically scarred her for life. (An aside – apparently even in a world overrun by zombies, people still think looks matter.)  She spends a lot of the book moping that no one could possibly love her because she’s broken, and comparing herself to her perfect sister Gabry (who is much less annoying now that we are not inside her head).

This has always been a series where you have to suspend disbelief, but I had the most believability issues with THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES.  My main point of contention is with the portrayal of the recruiters, a whole group of selfish, sadistic and stupid men who never once show the slightest bit of compassion (either out of strategy or decency).  I find it hard to believe that every last one of them is rotten through and through.  Then there’s the Annah/Catcher romance.  Catcher didn’t deem himself good enough for Gabry, but since Annah’s scarred, she’s fair game?  Curious. (Though despite this, I did think they were very tender and sweet with each other).  And finally, the escape scene towards the end is inventive and gorgeous, but wildly implausible.

What I did love was that we got a look at the state of the rest of the world, and that, as always, Ryan knows how to turn a phrase.  Despite unimaginable odds, there were still people who longed to live a life instead of merely trying to survive another day.  That's an awesome takeaway, I'd say.    

Zombie chickens say: Live life to the fullest - even if the zombie hordes are beating down your door.


Series order: 
THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH (read my review) 
THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES (read my review)
THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES (available now)

Find out more about the series at the author's website. 


Song for the Ultimate Dystopian Playlist: Conversation 16 by The National. Sample lyrics: "I think they kids are in trouble, do not know what their troubles are for. Give them ice for their fevers, you're the only thing I ever want anymore." (scene where Gabry & Elias are sick) "I was afraid, I'd eat your brains." (Catcher - definitely!)


See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

Author Interview: Diana Peterfreund previews For Darkness Shows the Stars

For my spotlight on upcoming dystopian/post apocalyptic fiction series, I interviewed over 20 authors with novels coming out in the genre in 2012/13. These are exclusive first looks at exciting new works. Enjoy!

Today I am thrilled to welcome Diana Peterfreund (author of the SECRET SOCIETY GIRL series and RAMPANT, among others) who is previewing her YA post-apocalytpic PERSUASION retelling FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS, due out Summer 2012 from Balzer & Bray (HarperCollins).

Diana is letting me world premiere the full summary:

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.

But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

How excited am I? VERY.

ETA the cover:

Now onto the interview questions.

Why do you think people are drawn to "dark" stories?
Dark stories allow people to have a cathartic emotional experience without the corresponding real life suffering. It could be a "there but for the Grace of God go I" thing, or perhaps a mirror or an outlet for something they're dealing with in their real lives. Or maybe it's just entertainment.

It's funny you ask this. I actually think of For Darkness Shows the Stars as a much more optimistic book than my other young adult titles. The characters are trying to rebuild the world -- that's not dark. It's beautiful! Though the society in the novel truly does leave a lot to be desired, I tend to think of it more as "post-apocalyptic" than classic dystopian. There is an expectation, I think, that post-apocalyptic has to show the depths of the aftermath, such as in Jo Treggiari's Ashes, Ashes, or Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth. But there are also shiny post-apocalyptic stories, like Scott Westerfeld's Uglies.

(However, I have written a truly "dystopian" story, the near-future "Foundlings" that will be out this winter in the anthology BRAVE NEW LOVE. The proceeds from the anthology are being donated to the Ali Forney Center, which provides housing to homeless LGBT youth.)

If FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS had a theme song, what would it be and why?
Sting's "Ghost Story". It's a plaintive, wintry ballad about the memories that consume you after a lost love, and contains so much that maps exactly to the characters and motifs in my book. To avoid sharing every lyric, I'll just point out two of my favorite lines: "this indifference was my invention, when everything I did sought your attention" and "you were my compass star, you were my measure."

What fictional character from another book would Elliot choose as her best friend and why?
Anne Elliot from Persuasion, since Anne was my inspiration for Elliot. And though For Darkness Shows the Stars is a retelling, they are not exactly the same people -- Elliot has a lot more responsibility than Anne was ever allowed, and it's changed her in certain ways. But they are both smart, long-suffering, shy, deeply passionate, and yearn for lives they weren't born into.

Kai, the other main character, would probably kill to be friends with any inventor from an HG Wells novel (especially the narrator of the Time Machine, another dystopian classic).

What are your top 5 Dystopian lit recs and why? 
Picking five is problematic. I already recommend any book I've mentioned in this interview, especially UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld. I can't imagine that there are many people who haven't read it, but if not, then WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? (Especially now that they have the snazzy new covers.)



It was one of the first books I read during my rediscovery of YA, and I went out and bought his entire backlist. I know Lenore agrees with me on this one (Lenore's note: I do!) -- I would not be here right now were it not for the cover of Uglies calling to me from across a crowded Barnes & Noble. I'm so excited about the recent movie news.






FEED by M.T. Anderson is a fantastic book published before the current "craze" that blew me away. The voice is stunning.





ORYX AND CRAKE by Margaret Atwood. When I was younger, women the generation older than me would always talk about how scary The Handmaid's Tale was. I read it, but I never got that "ack" sensation. Then I read Oryx & Crake -- it was a dystopia for my generation, one that spoke to the things that scared ME -- terrorism, genetic engineering, internet anonymity, the ascendance of corporate culture... I don't think I slept for weeks after finishing it.





LOST HORIZON by James Hilton. Some might argue this is a "utopian" rather than "dystopian" novel, but I think dystopia is in the eye of the beholder. There are things about Shangri-La that are horrifying. (I wrote my college thesis on this novel, so I'm a little obsessed.)





And..... ugh. Can. Not. Pick. Okay: SKIN HUNGER by Kathleen Duey. It's great because it's a fantasy dystopia, and you don't see that often. Also it's pitch dark and painfully beautiful.

How does your novel stand out from other dystopian/post apocalyptic fiction out there?
I actually don't know anyone else doing a post-apocalyptic retelling of a regency-era classic (original-text mashups like Pride & Prejudice and Zombies don't count). If you find any, let me know!

Thanks Diana!


Visit Diana's website
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Book Review and Giveaway: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Saba loves her brother more than anything else in her bleak world, so when bandits kidnap him and kill her father, Saba sets off to save him with her younger sister Emmi.

Despite having read good early reviews, I had a hard time getting into BLOOD RED ROAD.  Saba is uneducated and so the book is written in a dialect that I found grating at first.  After 50 pages, I was still wondering what all the fuss was about. But then, sometime around Saba’s debut as a cage fighter, I was fully immersed and didn’t put the novel down again until I was finished.

It’s a brutal vision of a Mad Max-like future with a crackpot despot, tough fighters and bounty hunters, chaal (drug) addicts and a host of desperate poor.  But for all its action and high-stakes plot, BLOOD RED ROAD is not without heart, thanks to the decency Saba brings to her interactions with her infuriating younger sister Emmi, fellow cage fighters and even a love interest.  The whole heartstone thing was kinda cheesy, but I loved it.  If only we all had one of those ...

Zombie chickens say:  "We highly recommend this one - but beware of sandstorms!" (Explanation of zombie chicken ratings)

BLOOD RED ROAD is the first book in the Dustlands trilogy and is available in hardcover now.  Find out more about it at the official website. Watch the trailer. Add it to GoodReads.

Song for the Ultimate Dystopian Playlist:  Ready to Start by Arcade Fire. Sample lyric: "All the kids have always known, that the emperor wears no clothes.  But they bow down to him anyway, it's better than being alone."


Simon & Schuster is sponsoring a giveaway of 5 copies of the BLOOD RED ROAD hardcover.  For a chance to win, fill out this form by August 6, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST.  Open US and Canada only.


See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

Dystopian August 2011 Kick-off

It's here: the 4th in a row of dystopian theme months that began in Feb 2010 to spotlight dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction.  If you plan to participate with me this month, grab the Dystopian August button from my sidebar and put it on your blog, linking to this kick-off post.

Now I'm pretty inclusive in my definition of dystopia/post-apocalyptic lit, so you'll find a wide range of books, including some occasional books with very limited dystopias.  Thanks to the explosion in popularity of the genre, publishers often market books as dystopias which really aren't - in which case I will alert you to that fact in my review.

UPDATE:
Click for a recap of week one!
Click for a recap of week two!
Click for a recap of week three!
Click for a recap of week four!
Click for a recap of week five + final wrap-up.

So what's in store this month?

Reviews of over 20 dystopian novels, past, present and future. (Refer to my index of dystopian reviews for latest updates and past reads)  Every Thursday, I'll do an in-depth joint review of a book with Michelle from Galleysmith.  NOTE: In a policy change, I will only be giving Zombie Chicken Ratings of 4 and 5 this month.  Read why here: What's up with the Zombie Chickens?


Interviews with over 25 authors releasing a dystopian in 2012 which give you an exclusive preview of these upcoming books.  Each author answered the same six questions and shared a song that we'll add to the Ultimate Dystopian Playlist I will premiere at the end of the month.  I'll also answer my own interview questions about my forthcoming book LEVEL TWO.


Plus - book giveaways, lists of dystopian resources, guest posts and weekend round-up posts to catch you up on anything you might have missed.


Speaking of giveaways, Simon & Schuster US has generously donated two  prize packs of dystopian YA books. All you have to do to enter to win is read and review at least one dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel during the month of August and then link to your review via a google form below (if you review it on your blog) or via the comments (if you review it on a review site such as GoodReads because you don't have a blog). Challenge and contest is open worldwide, so get reading!


Here are the books you could win:

Blood Red Road by Moira Young (hardcover) (add on GoodReads)
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting (ARC) (add on GoodReads)
Wither by Lauren DeStefano (*signed* hardcover) (add on GoodReads) (read my review)
Fever by Lauren DeStefano (ARC) (add on GoodReads)
Possession by Elana Johnson (hardcover) (add on GoodReads)
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann (ARC) (add on GoodReads)


+ special non-dystopian bonus: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (ARC) (add on GoodReads)

Enter links to your dystopian reviews in August here.

The above link takes you to a google form.

See links to other dystopian reviews here.

The above link takes you to a google spreadsheet.

With all this content this month, I'll be posting twice a day, once at midnight (Central European Time) and once at noon (CET).  If you don't want to miss anything, consider following my blog or subscribing via a feedreader.  Thanks!  I hope you enjoy this month as much as I am enjoying putting it together!


Tweet me! The official twitter hashtag is:  #dystopianaugust  Let's talk dystopian :)