Aquifer

With the growing popularity of dystopic literature for young adults, authors must find a fresh perspective to make their work stand out.  Aquifer by Jonathan Friesen has a government that maintains its power not through subtle mindwashing or social planning, but by control of the world’s remaining freshwater supply.  Given the rising concern about water supplies—even in America,  farms and urban areas dispute water supplies, especially in the barren Southwest—the scenario seems closer to reality than some of the elaborate systems in other dystopias.

However, the water restrictions are minimalized in the novel. If only one freshwater aquifer remains, why aren’t countries attempting desalinization? How is it piped across the world? And how much water are people allowed to use? Wouldn’t the world be on some sort of rationing system?  The author did mention water pirates, but there was no indication that people were suffering from lack of water.

In addition, the “dials” that each member wore felt unnecessary.  While most fictional dystopias restrict emotion, such a restriction didn’t fit with this government. The author seemed uncertain about the mechanics of his dystopia—while harsh, rules-bound societies are the genre norm, this book would have worked better if citizens were permitted an illusion of freedom. 

Fans of dystopian literature will probably enjoy this book, though other readers might be bored.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson’s Booksneeze program in exchange for a free review. 

Divergent: Virtues Gone Mad

The modern world is not evil; in some ways the modern world is far too good. It is full of wild and wasted virtues (...) full of the old Christian virtues gone mad.  The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone. Thus some scientists care only for truth, and their truth is pitiless. Those some humanitarians care only for pity; and their pity (I am sorry to say) is often untruthful.
--Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton (emphasis mine)

This week, I finished reading Allegiant, the third book in Veronica Roth's trilogy. For those who have not yet heard of Divergent  (adaptation in process) and its sequels, it occurs in a vaguely future environment. The main character, Beatrice, grows up  in a city divided into five factions:

1. Candor, the honest
2. Erudite, the scholars
3. Amity, the friendly
4. Abnegation, the self-sacrificing
5. Dauntless, the brave

When Beatrice goes in for her faction test, the results are inconclusive--she is a Divergent, with characteristics of multiple factions. Without spoiling the rest of the books, I will say that each book reveals further flaws of the system, though not as many as I would have liked.

What would a society of people devoted to telling the truth--with no regard to other people's feelings--be like? The Abnegation, for example, don't even share details of their own childhood with their children. because that would be selfish.  And once Dauntless have grown too old to face physical challenges, they are left behind.  

Even though dystopias have reached saturation, the unique set-up of this book provides plenty of food for thought.

Every Waking Moment

Every Waking Moment contains engaging characters and quiet tension with its story of a young girl who has a special gift to engage with the elderly.
Although I generally prefer fantasy novels to realistic fiction, this book held my attention from the beginning to the end. It also made me think about nursing homes and the way we care for the elderly in America. While assisted care facilities provide valuable services, they also enable us to avoid people who need our respect.

One Realm Beyond

One Realm Beyond, the first novel in Donita K. Paul’s Realm Walkers series, invites readers into a series of worlds crafted with imagination and originality.  Young Cantor has desired to be a realm walker, with access to the nine planes, for a long time. When his guardians finally allow him to leave, he looks forward to finding a mor dragon to serve as his constant and explore the worlds. But the first dragon he meets doesn’t quite fit his plans,  fellow traveler Bixby seems to know more than he does, and  the realm walkers might not be the noble order he’s been told.

I enjoyed the author’s previous  DragonKeeper and Valley of the Dragons series, and this new tale is even better. She creates memorable characters and deepens her world by considering the social impact of crossing between worlds.  I’d recommend this book for fantasy fans of various ages, with enough detail for older readers and action for younger fans.

I received a free copy of this book through the Z Street Team program, but was not obligated to write a positive review.

When the Doctor Was Me

My Doctor, my first and favorite, is and always will be Matt Smith. And I'm still not over Time of the Doctor. It doesn't help that my emotions were still amuck from graduating December 20th and extended socialization with Mom's side of the family.*
While I adore Moffat's storytelling, respect Matt's decision, and anticipate Capaldi, I dreaded this episode.  Endings are hard. Change is harder. So I avoided trailers, scrolled past spoilers, and generally tried to avoid thinking about the episode until I sat down to watch it.
Every five minutes, another brick dropped. Gallifrey. Trenzalore. The Papal Mainframe. A crack.  I kept yelling at my laptop until the weight in my chest was too much  to bear. At first, the episode seemed another blockbuster, a grand finale--but a comment on Tumblr also pointed out how intimate the heart of the story was. The Doctor stayed for Christmas--one small town, on one dark planet--because no one else did. Because it had to be protected, because there's no such thing as unimportant.
The only way it could have possibly been better is if River had been there for him. She could have grown old with him, lived a straight line with him, and no need for spoilers. I understand why she wasn't; I hadn't had much hope of it anyway, but I'm still gonna write that fanfic where she does come.
But it boils down to the last ten minutes. I have no issues with the extra regeneration cycle or the use of the energy as a weapon; I was too busy listening for his last words. Big badass boast--that's fine. That's fine.
Except it wasn't. Seeing the clothing on the floor felt like seeing a body, the absent body in every regeneration episode. His young appearance was even worse. It felt like seeing a mirage in the desert; you know it's not real, but you want it so much that you force yourself to believe.

Who's coming?

 The Doctor. 

But you, you are the Doctor. 

Yep, and I always will be. 

That whole speech leaned on the fourth wall so hard,  and it hurt so much. It said so many things that I was feeling. It glimpsed the future and affirmed the past, took everything that was and everything that will be, and said Remember this. 

And Amelia. Wee Amelia, our Amy Pond, came to say goodnight to her raggedy man. All stories have an end, but make them the best they possibly can be. I didn't even hear what she said the first time I watched the episode--I was too overwhelmed seeing her again, young and happy.  Even if River couldn't be there, she was mentioned, and Amy Pond, the first face he ever saw with this face, was there for the end.

I'm not even going to comment on Capaldi's performance at the moment; it's still too much for me to believe that Smith is gone..
*nice interaction, but still wearing on an introvert.

Merlin's Shadow

Merlin’s Shadow continues the imaginative reworking of Arthurian legend begun in Merlin’s Blade. While it makes no pretense of being a historical account, the cultural background of cultural structure adds depth and a fresh perspective to a familiar tale.  I especially appreciated the tension in Ganieda’s subplot; the author skillfully walks the line between the reader’s expectations and the girl’s devotion to her druid grandfather.

 I was especially impressed by the scenes where druidic powers are used. Magic powers are common in fantasy, but they are most often portrayed as inept or totally under the user’s control—scenarios where the magic overpowers the magician are rather rare in my reading experience, and increase the stakes. If no one knows what the magic can do, then it cannot be used to resolve situations without first making them worse.

Likewise, the conflict between the druids and the Christians avoids flanderizing both sides (though I know less about the Druids), and tries to include honorable characteristics in both leaders.  I also enjoyed seeing the knights of Arthur slowly gather. 

I’d recommend this book not only for YA readers, but also for anyone wanting a new approach to Arthurian legend. 

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

As a veteran of long-distance car trips ever since I can remember,  audio dramas have been a significant part of my life. We’d measure the six-hour drive to my grandparents’ house in Odyssey episodes (twelve episodes long), though I also gathered the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre adaptations of Narnia.

In the past few years, I’ve realized how amazing the format can be. I still own over a dozen Odyssey albums, as well as several Focus on the Family Radio Theatre, a few digital Big FInish albums, and a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of Neverwhere.

When I was in elementary and middle-school, there was a radio station that aired three or so hours of radio dramas on Saturday mornings. So I’d creep out of bed and listen to Children’s Bible Hour, Down Gilead Lane, Ranger Bill: Warrior of the Woodland,  Fables of Faith, A Visit with Mrs. G,  and some other ones I can’t remember. My favorite was Down Gilead Lane, a family drama much like Adventures in Odyssey, but on a lower budget.  

Once I started going to public school, I had less desire to get up early on Saturdays, but I kept listening to Odyssey and keeping up with Radio Theatre. Besides Narnia, I have or have heard At the Back of the North Wind, A Christmas Carol, The Screwtape Letters, Les Miserables, Dietrich Bonhoffer: The Cost of Freedom, and The Hiding Place. I remain particularly impressed with Screwtape, as they took the epistolary format and adapted it into conversations, with Andy Serkis as Screwtape. And it still feels exactly  like the Lewis I know and admire.

But my current audio fixation is the Big Finish line of Doctor Who adventures. Or, more accurately, the lines, as the company lists eighteen ranges under the Doctor Who tab itself, not counting various spinoffs focusing on characters (Sarah Jane Smith, Jago and Lightfoot), locations (Gallifrey) or villains (Cybermen, Davros).  Without the limits of a visual effects budget, settings are scattered across time and space. They also boast a higher diversity of companions than the main series, ranging from an Edwardian adventuress to a senior citizen professor. 

Even BBC Radio adaptations and original dramas offer high quality, with actors like Benedict Cumberbatch lending his voice to the Cabin Pressure series and the Neverwhere adaptation as the Angel Islington. The later is even available on iPlayer and accessible worldwide through the end of the year. 

While the genre may seem old-fashioned, audio dramas are amazing,and still a great way to spend a long drive.