Guest Megan from Po(sey) Sessions on more lesser-known dystopian gems

I still have one review (THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin) and my Dystopian February wrap-up, but those will come tomorrow - even though it'll be March already.

I have Megan once again to talk about some lesser known gems she's read recently in the genre. And if you'd like to read her previous post on the subject, here it is.

Here's Megan:

Today I am going to highlight three books that are each the first in a middle grade dystopian series. Middle grade is a great opportunity to introduce children to this subgenre. Even though at moments these books can be dark, they have substance and more themes running through them than Haddix’s Shadow Children series.

The Fire-Us trilogy starts with our introduction to several kids who have banded together in a family unit in the book entitled THE KINDLING. As far as they know a virus has killed off all adults and also made the children forget many aspects of their past. They forget their names and events from their childhood. These children find each other and bond. They survive through their mock family unit and mimicking a normal life. The older children have school and meals for the younger kids. The oldest male goes out and forages through the city for items they need. One day a strange visitor comes. The family cannot tell if he is good or bad, they don’t know what to make of him, but they are curious. Since meeting each other he is the only evidence that anyone else has ever survived.

The Virtual War series is by local Utah author Gloria Skurzynski. The first book in the series is called THE VIRTUAL WAR and we see the world through the eyes of Corgan. He was chosen from a very young age to be one of the ones who will fight a fake or virtual war with the opponents of other countries. In this future the governments have accepted the cruelties of war and have agreed to have them fought virtually through computer simulation. This simulation is then televised as a reminder of how bloody and violent the world used to be. As Corgan meets his two other team members, he begins to find out that his world is very different from what it had always seemed.

The Traces series by Malcolm Rose is probably the lightest of the three even though it directly deals with death. The series follows a teen trained in a futuristic crime scene investigation. The dystopian elements of this first book, FRAMED, are based on governmentally assigned mating matches and other uses of technology to determine one’s future. These dystopian elements are not the main focus of the book. This series is like a futuristic CSI for kids and is based on a murder mystery style. Even though the dystopian elements aren’t the main theme, they run consistently through the book making it an important element to the telling of the story.

Thanks Megan!

Book Review: Exodus by Julie Bertagna

It’s 2100 and Mara’s island home has been steadily shrinking for years with the melting of the polar ice caps and the rising of the oceans – very soon, there will be nothing left. Mara learns of a nearby sky city called New Mungo via her cyber adventures on the “weave” and convinces her fellow islanders to set sail for this beacon of hope. But when they arrive, they are faced with a huge barrier wall, a desperate refugee camp and a police force that brutally shoots at approaching boats. If New Mungo won’t take them in, where will they go?

EXODUS is a very ambitious novel with 3 very distinct and stunningly realized settings: a drowning island in the North Atlantic, the high-tech sky city of New Mungo, and a shadow world beneath New Mungo where a few relics of the past, including a cathedral and a university, still exist.

Mara is the kind of fearless and determined teen necessary for such a novel. She’s a leader wherever she goes, and even the subject of a mysterious prophecy known as “the stone telling” which tells of a girl who leads victims of the rising sea level to salvation.

On the surface, it’s a great action story about surviving at any cost. Dig a little deeper and you are keenly aware of what those costs are. When you can’t save everyone, who do you choose to save? And then, how do you live with your choice? If you are the architects of New Mungo, you do it by banishing the past and living for the “power of now”. If you are a resident of the shadow world, you do it by burying the past, and fervently believing that an outside force will come someday to set things right. And if you are Mara…well, that’s something I’m sure the sequels ZENITH (out now) and AURORA (no set release date) will explore.

EXODUS is available in paperback. Find out more about it and the rest of the series at the author’s website.

My Rating – 4 Zombie Chickens: An Excellent Example of the Dystopian Genre

See Index of all Dystopian Reviews on Presenting Lenore

Guest Rhiannon Hart on YA Dystopias

I'm thrilled to welcome fellow book blogger Rhiannon Hart to Dystopian February. I first became aware of Rhiannon's blog back when she reviewed Carrie Ryan's THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH and I've been eagerly reading her excellent reviews, especially of books in the dystopian genre, ever since. In fact, Rhi was one of my inspirations for Dystopian February via her Dystopia Challenge last summer where she read 22 dystopian novels over the course of four months (read her excellent dystopia challenge wrap-up).

Here's Rhiannon:

We’re in the second golden age of young adult literature and speculative fiction is thriving. Fantasy, science fiction, paranormal and dystopian novels color bookshop shelves with blacks, blood reds and swirling purples. But while paranormal books are now inhabited by cuddly vampires, ghosts are homecoming queens and zombies are boyfriend material, dystopian novels stay dark, grim and harsh. Suzanne Collins’ THE HUNGER GAMES, Scott Westerfeld’s UGLIES trilogy and Mary E. Pearson’s THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX are just some of the most popular recent young adult titles. But the grimness of events depicted in these books have led some to question whether they are suitable reading material for teenagers, and whether the bleakness of YA literature is spiraling out of control.

A dystopia is characterized by oppression, violence and terror. The lives of those within the society are inescapably bleak, and resistance is met with the worst kind of punishment. The setting is usually the not-too-distant future and the writer often reveals how our own world has become their terrifying vision of the future. In THE HUNGER GAMES, Collins describes a totalitarian society called Panem that grew out of the ruins of North America. In THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX, Pearson extrapolates on the future of transplant technology, and how use can quickly become abuse.

In young adult dystopias, it is usually adult authority figures who are the villains, and the persecuted are teenagers. This dynamic is significant as the reader is herself at the whim of parents and teachers, and has a growing awareness of the law and governing bodies. These books tap into teenagers’ feelings of a lack of agency and independence. Reading about characters subject to similar strains, albeit on an often grander and bleaker scale, is undoubtedly soothing.

Societies in these novels don’t go sour on their own. Ironically, it is the pursuit of perfection, whether through medical advancement, total control or standardization of citizens, or religious fanaticism, that causes the disaster. The powerful take their personal ideologies to the extreme and impose them on all. They act in what they perceive is others’ best interests, but their misguided good intentions result in catastrophe, and one they are often blind to. These novels illustrate that striving for perfection is not only foolish, but dangerous. Teenagers are put under immense pressure to succeed. It’s no surprise, then, that a genre that shuns perfection is embraced by them.

Dystopias also help make sense of a complicated world. Things are often black and white in a dystopia: the totalitarian government must be overthrown; nuclear war will bring about the end of life as we know it; it is never right to put children into an arena and make them fight to the death.

A recent Wall Street Journal article by Katie Roiphe (‘It Was, Like, All Dark and Stormy’, June 6, 2009) examines a handful of recent releases and bemoans that ‘Somewhere along the line our teenagers have become connoisseurs of disaster.’ Roiphe believes that the economic crisis and swine ’flu epidemic are responsible for the advent of this ‘new disaster fiction’, as if dystopian novels have sprung up overnight.

Many factors have led to an abundance of ‘disaster’ literature today, but these sorts of books for children are not a new phenomenon. During the Cold War many nuclear apocalyptic titles were written for a young adult audience, such as John Wyndham’s THE CHRYSALIDS (1955), Robert C. O’Brien’s sinister Z FOR ZACHARIAH (1975) and Isobelle Carmody’s immensely popular OBERNEWTYN (1987), all of which have appealed to generations of teenagers. More recently John Marsden has received worldwide acclaim for his invasion dystopia TOMORROW, WHEN THE WAR BEGAN (1993), and the subsequent books in the series.

Roiphe also states that ‘Today’s bestselling authors are careful to infuse the final scenes of these bleak explorations with an element of hope.’ Despite their bleak premise, there is always a strong thread of hope running through dystopian novels for a young adult audience. In the end, the hero either escapes the oppressive society, or they overthrow it. This is true for novels written decades ago, like THE CHRYSALIDS, or titles released more recently. Dystopian novels wouldn’t work without hope. The message to the reader is that things don’t have to turn out for the worst: we can prevent total annihilation of the human race or sinking to the depths of cruelty, as even under the most brutal circumstances, someone will always be fighting for justice and freedom. This is a genre convention, not a last-minute addition by a wary writer.

The dystopias written for today’s teenagers compared with those of previous generations are as grim, and infused with the same hope. While there are many factors at play that have led to their popularity, authors are clearly engaging with themes that resonate with their audience, and this should be interpreted positively rather than with an alarmist knee-jerk reaction.

Book Review: Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

Gaia Stone is a midwife outside the walled Enclave, and she and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three babies per month to its rulers. When Gaia’s mother and father are taken away to be questioned about their written baby records and subsequently thrown in prison, Gaia begins to question her loyalty to her brutal oppressor. Soon, she too is captured and forced to solve her parents’ mysterious baby code.

From the very first chapter, the fascinating world building, foreboding atmosphere and characters hooked me and had me wondering what the heck was going on (in a good way!). BIRTHMARKED is set far in the future, north of “unlake” Superior, and the Enclave seems to be the only settlement in a region dominated by a scorched, post-apocalyptic landscape. Those who live outside the wall depend on the Enclave for their livelihood and in return, the Enclave takes their healthiest children and brings them up inside. Both Gaia’s older brothers were taken, but she was not, due to a burn on her face she suffered before her first birthday.

While I was very entertained by the narrative – really there’s never a dull moment – I have to admit that I found the ultimate explanation of the Enclave’s “sinister” deeds to be rather tame. No doubt the man in charge is ruthless (and tends towards overreaction), but I never got the feeling that his iron fist was all that solid, and I kept wondering why the populace didn’t just kick his butt to the curb already. I also didn’t get what was sooooo special about the baby code that Gaia’s parents felt the need to protect it with their lives, unless as some sort of symbolic gesture of rebellion. Also? Sgt. Grey’s “dark secret” was so lifted from a soap opera I had to chuckle, although I guess it did fit very well with the particular strain of paranoia the culture was rife with.

BIRTHMARKED is due March 30th in hardcover. Find out more about it at the author’s website.

My Rating - 3 Zombie Chickens: Well Worth Reading

See Index of All Dystopian Reviews on Presenting Lenore

Author Interview and European Giveaway: Kat Falls discusses Dark Life

I reviewed DARK LIFE today, and now I'm very pleased to welcome Author Kat Falls to Dystopian February.

Hi Kat! So what are some of your favorite dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels, if any? Did they influence you at all in the writing of Dark Life?
I love sci-fi, so anything even vaguely dystopian or post-apocalyptic will always catch my attention whether a book or film. I think the first novel I read that falls into the niche was Stephen King’s The Stand, followed by Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend (because in an interview King mentioned that it was his favorite book.) Both kept my imagination buzzing long after I’d finished them. Others that I’ve loved since then: Enders Game, The Handmaiden’s Tale, Feed, The House of the Scorpion, the Uglies series, and of course, The Hunger Games & Catching Fire.

They didn't consciously influence me. However, I’ve been an avid fan of dystopian films since childhood – Planet of the Apes, Logan’s Run, Blade Runner, The Road Warrior, 12 Monkeys, 28 Days Later, Children of Men, Sunshine… just to name a few favorites. So I know those images seep into my writing. But the funny thing is I never thought of Dark Life as a dystopia while I was working on it. My conscious influence was the Western. I was trying to capture the courage and vitality of the old west pioneers and the feelings of wonder and fear that they must have experienced, living in the wilderness. One of the recurring themes in Dark Life is that the survival of the group depends on their willingness to accept one another and work together. It’s a theme straight out of Stagecoach.

Dark Life is planned as a series. Why did you choose this format over a standalone novel? And what can we expect from the rest of the series?
Actually the premise for Dark Life came to me during a writing exercise – as a stand-alone book. I’d set myself the task of combining three things that my son loved to read about into one story – pioneers, the ocean and the X-men. But once I started designing the world, I kept coming up other adventures for my characters. I realized it was going to take more than one book to explore all the fun and freaky things that could happen to subsea pioneers.

As in the first book, the maturation of the territory will continue to parallel Ty’s personal growth as both try to achieve some measure of independence.

Let’s say climate change does cause the catastrophic conditions described in Dark Life. What would you personally miss the most? Is there anything at all you’d actually like better about that world?
Ugh, I’d hate living on the Topside in Dark Life. The loss of the forests and wildlife would devastate me. But, if governments and corporations worldwide were intensely committed to funding the research and development of clean energy alternatives – I’d see that as an improvement over our situation today.

Congrats on Dark Life being optioned for film. Have you had any fantasy casting sessions? Who would make an ideal Ty and Gemma?
Thanks! Honestly, I haven’t. Though my 10 y.o. daughter would like the producer to put the project on hold until she’s old enough to play Gemma.

Why do you think dystopian fiction has such a following these days? What’s the attraction?
It does seem to be gathering momentum, doesn’t it? But then, I’ll bet that’s true of speculative fiction across the board.

My humble theory -- our technology changes so fast these days and many people (especially young adults) are adept at learning how to incorporate those changes. Therefore there isn’t much market resistance when a new version of something comes out, especially if it seems like an improvement. I think the interest in dystopian fiction might stem from people’s desire to consider how new technologies and trends could play out in worst-case scenarios. Dystopian stories usually come embedded with a warning, which is why the best are so chilling. For example, it never even occurred to me that the Internet might bring on the apocalypse and then I read M.T. Anderson’s Feed…

Thank you Kat! Find out more about Kat Falls at the publisher's website.

Thanks to the UK publisher, I have 2 copies of DARK LIFE to give away to residents of Europe. Just tell me in your comment what most appeals to you about DARK LIFE and you're entered! I'd appreciate it too if you'd tweet a link or post a link in your sidebar, thanks! This contest will remain open for 2 weeks, until March 10th at 11:59 PM CST.

Book Review: Dark Life by Kat Falls

After the oceans rose and earthquakes caused whole regions to fall into the deep, humans live packed into stack cities, hardly going outside because sunlight can cause 3rd degree burns. As a result, some pioneers staked out a living on the ocean floor. Ty was born and raised in the deep, so he’s none too pleased to hear the whole experiment may fail due to a gang of outlaws that has been pirating supply ships and attacking homesteads. Can the outlaws be stopped? And will it take Ty’s use of his secret dark gift to save everyone he loves?

In my Incarceron review, I mentioned how varied the genres can be within dystopian fiction. Well, here’s a first for me: a western! And very untypically for a dystopia, Ty is not suffering under a repressive regime. In fact, he and his family are doing just fine under the sea, thank you very much. But Ty knows things back on land are not so peachy, and this fact is made clear by his chance meeting with a Topsider, Gemma, on the search for her older brother.

Gemma is a ward of the commonwealth, where “stealing space” (for example, making use of a spacious game room without paying) is a capital offense. She’s escaped from her boarding house, and never wants to go back – a great reason to help Ty.

Ty and Gemma are caught up in a new, dangerous adventure seemingly every chapter, so this is a perfect book for those who like a lot of action. As someone fascinated with the ocean, I also very much appreciated the world building and the undersea setting. The exploration of dark gifts – paranormal talents developed by children and teens who spend time under water - was particularly fun.

DARK LIFE comes out April 29th in the UK and May 1st in the US. It’s the first book in a planned series, though this installment feels complete (no cliffhanger).

My Rating – 3 Zombie Chickens: Well Worth Reading (especially for action fans) + an extra half chicken for the very clever final showdown!

Come back later today for an interview with Author Kat Falls and a book giveaway!

See Index of all Dystopian Reviews on Presenting Lenore

Waiting On Wednesday (42) Upcoming Dystopian Fiction (Non-Sequels)

I'm lucky to have gotten my hands on quite a few upcoming dystopian novels already (The Line & Inside Out which I reviewed this week - and Dark Life, Birthmarked, and The Passage which are still to come this month). The following are titles I'd fight a pack of zombie chickens to read:

Upcoming in 2010

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (Little, Brown, May 1, 2010). Set initially in a future shanty town in America's Gulf Coast region, where grounded oil tankers are being dissembled for parts by a rag tag group of workers, we meet Nailer, a teenage boy working the light crew, searching for copper wiring to make quota and live another day. The harsh realities of this life, from his abusive father, to his hand to mouth existence, echo the worst poverty in the present day third world.

When an accident leads Nailer to discover an exquisite clipper ship beached during a recent hurricane, and the lone survivor, a beautiful and wealthy girl, Nailer finds himself at a crossroads. Should he strip the ship and live a life of relative wealth, or rescue the girl, Nita, at great risk to himself and hope she'll lead him to a better life. This is a novel that illuminates a world where oil has been replaced by necessity, and where the gap between the haves and have-nots is now an abyss. Yet amidst the shadows of degradation, hope lies ahead.

I am super excited about this one, especially after reading this rave review by Ashley at Book Nerding.

Restoring Harmony by Joëlle Anthony (Putnam, May 13, 2010). The year is 2041, and Molly McClure was only six when the Collapse of ’31 happened, ending life as the world’s population knew it. When she is forced to leave the comfort of her small B.C. island to travel down to Oregon, Molly discovers how hard the Collapse has been on the rest of the world. What starts out as a quick trip to the U.S. to convince her grandfather to return to Canada and be the island’s doctor, becomes a rescue mission. How much will she have to compromise to succeed in getting back home?

Sounds promising, especially when you read this rave review by Lauren at I Was A Teenage Book Geek.

The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen (Feiwel and Friends, May 25, 2010). Mason has never known his father, but longs to. All he has of him is a DVD of a man whose face is never seen, reading a children’s book. One day, on a whim, he plays the DVD for a group of comatose teens at the nursing home where his mother works. One of them, a beautiful girl, responds. Mason learns she is part of a horrible experiment intended to render teenagers into autotrophs—genetically engineered, self-sustaining life-forms who don’t need food or water to survive. And before he knows it, Mason is on the run with the girl, and wanted, dead or alive, by the mysterious mastermind of this gruesome plan, who is simply called the Gardener.

Eeeek! Chilling premise! And it has postive reviews on GoodReads so far.

For the Win by Cory Doctorow (Tor Teen, May 2010). I couldn't find much info about this one, but it seems to be about virtual gambling. I really enjoyed Doctorow's Little Brother, so looking forward to this one too.

Nomansland by Lesley Hauge (Henry Holt, June 22, 2010). Sometime in the future, a lonely, windswept island is populated solely by women. Among these women is a group of teenaged Trackers—expert equestrians and archers—whose job is to protect their shores from the enemy. The enemy, they’ve been told, is men. When these girls come upon a partially buried home from the distant past, they are fascinated by the strange objects—high-heeled shoes, teen magazines, make-up—found there. What are they to make of these mysterious things? And what does it mean for their strict society where friendship is forbidden and rules must be obeyed—at all costs?

I like that they find teen magazines and high heels!

Empty by Suzanne Weyn (Scholastic Press, Sept. 2010). I couldn't find much info on this one either, but it looks like another story about a world without gasoline.

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz (HarperCollins, Oct. 2010). Kid knows her school’s corporate sponsors not-so-secretly monitor her friendships and activities for market research. It’s all a part of the Game; the alternative education system designed to use the addictive kick from video games to encourage academic learning. Everyday, a captive audience of students ages 13-17 enter the nationwide chain store-like Game locations to play.

When a group calling themselves the Unidentified simulates a suicide to protest the power structure of their school, Kid’s investigation into their pranks attracts unwanted attention from the sponsors. As Kid finds out she doesn't have rights to her ideas, her privacy, or identity, she and her friends look for a way to revolt in a place where all acts of rebellion are just spun into the next new ad campaign.

Rae is a tenner! YAY! And I love books about advertising, so mixed with dystopia, this has to be a winner.

Matched by Allyson Condie (Dutton, Nov 30, 2010). So this one is about a 17-year-old falling in love with someone she's not supposed to in a world with arranged marriages. I'm there!
Upcoming in 2011

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher (Sourcebooks, Jan. 2011). This seems to be a book about problems caused by the scarcity of water - something very plausible scarily enough.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (HarperTeen, spring 2011). "Love, the deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it, and when you don't."

Lena Tiddle is looking forward to having the procedure on her eighteenth birthday that will keep her forever safe from amor deliria nervosa, the world's deadliest disease--commonly known as love. After she is cured, she will be assigned a job, and paired with a boy chosen for her, and she will live happily and peacefully forever, undisturbed by feelings of passion, temptation, or desire.

In three short months, Lena will be safe, and she can't wait. But love always finds you when you least expect it...

It's no secret I LOVE Lauren's debut Before I Fall, so I was estatic to hear she has written a dystopia. I begged for more details, hence the never-before-seen summary above! I may have to hang around Lauren's trash can to get a sneak peek at this one ;)

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann (S&S/Aladdin, fall 2011) This is a dystopian fantasy about a society where strength and intelligence are rewarded in 13 year olds and creativity is punished by death. Alexander Stowe is an unwanted and is “purged” from his community.

After watching Lisa read an excerpt at I Heart Monster, I am itching to get my hands on this and find out what happens when Alex gets on the death bus!

So these are some of the upcoming dystopian novels I'm most excited about. You can read about even more at this PW article. Are there any I missed that you are super excited about? You know I need to add to my list!

Book Review and Giveaway: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Trella is a scrub, just one of the thousands packed in like sardines in the lower levels who keep Inside clean. Because of her penchant for roaming the miles of pipes around Inside to steal moments of peace for herself, Trella is known as Queen of the Pipes. And her superior knowledge of getting around comes in handy when she inadvertently starts a rebellion against the ruling Upper family of Inside and their brutal Pop Cops.

I don’t often get fangirly in my reviews, but OMG does this book make me giddy! I’ve been thinking about it non-stop since I finished it last night, and I am excited to share what made me enjoy it so (spoiler-free of course).

This dystopia has a very sci-fi feel, especially when you realize that everyone Uppers and scrubs alike are essentially trapped within a very large, self-sustaining cube. It gets you spinning theories as to how they got there, why they’re there, and who controls “gateway” (the way out all scrubs are hoping really does exist).

This cube setting was difficult for me to imagine initially. Trella does A LOT of crawling through the pipes from one sector to the next, so it made things much simpler once I drew a diagram (there’s a detailed description in the first 10 pages that starts you out) to help me imagine the distances and locations of everything.

Speaking of Trella... She’s hard to like at first. She’s a stubborn, skeptical loner with a prickly, sarcastic personality. But as the story progresses, and she starts to let her guard down, your heart goes out to her as you realize it’s the divide and conquer techniques of the rulers that have molded and manipulated her (and everyone else).

And boy are the rulers messed up. Seems they seized control from a more democratic initial leadership, and make sure nobody is in the know except for them. Anyone who doesn’t conform to their 10 hour on, ten hour off shifts, who asks questions, or forms noticeable friendships is fed to the Chomper. They have a strict one child policy for the Uppers and encourage pregnancy in scrubs (but take the children away). There’s a lot of food for thought here on eugenics, class warfare, and such but it’s worked so well into the plot and action, you never feel like you are getting an info dump.

The plot kept me engaged throughout with its clever twists and turns. Along the way we get to know a great cast of characters, all of whom felt real to me (even the rat guy who was only given one page of face time).

My absolute favorite character was Riley, the Upper boy who becomes Trella’s ally and romantic interest. He is so YUM, I want to create a button that says “Team Riley” (though there’s no other team to be on really in this book) and post in my sidebar right under my “Team Peeta” button. I loved his and Trella’s scenes together, and how his silly sweetness really draws her out.

Ok, now that this is officially my longest review ever, I’ll wrap it up by saying the ending packed a punch. I thought it concludes this chapter of life Inside very nicely (the story arc feels complete, no cliffhanger), but still makes you eager to read further adventures when they come out. I just hope the next installment, OUTSIDE IN, due in 2011, has lots and lots of Riley!

INSIDE OUT is due in paperback original on April 1st. Find out more about it on the author’s website.

My Rating: 5 Zombie Chickens – The Ultimate Dystopian Experience

Thanks to the publisher, I have two finished copies of INSIDE OUT to give away to residents of the US and Canada. Just tell me in your comment what most appeals to you about INSIDE OUT and you're entered! I'd appreciate it too if you'd tweet a link or post a link in your sidebar, thanks! This contest will remain open for 2 weeks, until March 8th at 11:59 PM CST.

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

Tuesday (94) = Picture of Emmy, Dystopia Style

Imagine a dystopia where humans have to carry their cat overlords around in bags all the time. And give in to their every whim when they call - whether it is giving them fancy food and treats, playing with them, or lying down in bed to be used as a pillow.



Welcome to my life ;) (And yes, the eagle eyed among you will notice that BOTH cats are indeed in the bag)

In cat contest news, Emmy and Finn conceeded defeat to Magellen and Penelope in the categories of beautiful baby and cutest cats (though they are secure in the knowledge that they are the cutest cats in the world despite what anyone else thinks). They are, however, in a tie-breaker for cutest couple with none other than....Magellen and Penelope.

If you feel the urge the vote in the tie-breaker, vote here. If not, it's ok too.

Book Review, Author Interview and Giveaway: The Line by Teri Hall

Rachel lives with her mother Vivian on the property of old Mrs. Moore. It lies right next to The Line, an invisible physical barrier that separates the US from the Away – a hastily abandoned part of the country that was subsequently attacked by enemy forces using a banned weapon. Despite their proximity to Away, which is rumored to harbor mutants, Rachel and her mother live a quiet life, trying never to attract attention. Until the day that Rachel finds a recording from the Away asking for help.

It’s not often you have three strong female leads in a novel, especially in a work of dystopian fiction. And while the teen character, Rachel, is the main agent in setting up the action of the story, you can take her character at face value – overprotected, naïve, impetuous, and daring. It’s Vivian and stern Mrs. Moore (who I totally imagine as Judi Dench) who provide the secret backgrounds and satisfying twists.

The politics and regulations of this new US (Unified States rather than United States – though the change was so subtle, I admit I didn’t even notice it, see interview below) are brutal and show clearly what might happen if an entity like Homeland Security should ever take over and throw out The Bill of Rights. While I definitely appreciated the back story and world building, too much of it happened up front and in the form of exposition which threw off the pacing. What you have now is a slow build in the first half (a less patient reader might snark that the first half is dominated by tons of talk and orchid cultivating in the greenhouse) before the action picks up dramatically in the second half after a chilling visit into town.

THE LINE is due out in hardcover March 4th and its sequel (Yes, there’s a pretty evil cliffhanger) THE AWAY is due in 2011. Find out more about the books and read the first chapter of THE LINE at the author's website.

My Rating - 3 Zombie Chickens: Well Worth Reading


And now a warm welcome to author Teri Hall!

What are some of your favorite dystopian novels, if any? Did they influence you at all in the writing of THE LINE?
The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Giver by Lois Lowry, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro are three that I love. And while I would not say that they influenced me while I was writing The Line, I would say that they inspired me, and still inspire me.

In THE LINE, the US is the only country that isn’t given a made-up name. Is there a particular reason for that?
Actually the U.S. is called the Unified States in the book, not the United States. I wanted to suggest the idea that while now we have (or at least think we have) a group of states united together, with certain sovereign rights preserved, to form the U.S., in the world of The Line the states have been unified—they are all under the control of one governing body and there are no individual state rights, nor does the constitution limit the power of the government in any real way over states or individuals.

I thought a very subtle change in the name could convey this, while at the same time also conveying the notion that often, it is very subtle changes over time which add up to the loss of freedom. We don’t notice the day to day adjustments to our rules and regulations, until one day we wake up and we are required by law to possess special papers if we wish to leave our own country. (Sound familiar to anyone?)

As far as the other country names, they are all based on something about existing countries or how existing countries might change and combine over time to become new countries.

Throwing out the Bill of Rights in the name of National Security is something that almost seems plausible given some of the current political rhetoric. Is a world like what exists in THE LINE in our future?
I don’t know. But I wanted to ask that question and others (Why do we fear what is different? How can we overcome that fear and learn to embrace what is essential about persons, and ensure that we all enjoy the same rights and freedoms? What exactly do we include in our definition of persons? Can we come up with a better definition?). Encouraging discussion was one of the things I hoped for—I have had some wonderful responses from teachers about using The Line as a discussion tool in class rooms and I think that is exciting.

When Rachel surfs her version of the Internet, she reads rumors of sheep-cats and other mutations. What is the strangest thing you’ve ever read on the Internet?
Um, wow. Too many things to mention.

Why do you think dystopian fiction is so hot right now? What’s the attraction?
I really think dystopian fiction never goes out of style. Some people like it because it’s a little frightening, some because it really allows one to escape into another world entirely. There is a fabulous list of dystopias dating from the 1960s to the present, compiled by Dr. Amy H. Sturgis, at http://eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com/262872.html. Great titles that show a long fascination with this genre.


Thanks Teri!

I have 3 hardcover copies of THE LINE up for grabs to residents of the US and Canada. Just tell me in your comment one of the strangest things you ever read on the Internet and you're entered! I'd appreciate it too if you'd tweet a link or post a link in your sidebar, thanks! This contest will remain open for 2 weeks, until March 8th at 11:59 PM CST.

See Index of all Dystopian Reviews on Presenting Lenore