The Quiddity of Speculation: Great Steampunk Reads

July 30, 2013May 8, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 30, 2013.^***

The Quiddity of Speculation: Great Steampunk Reads

July 30, 2013
11:47 am

HELLO Again, Writers!

Welcome to Part Two of The Quiddity of Speculation: Steampunk 101! Saturday, we talked about the makings of a Steampunk story. In this post, we’ll discuss a few fantastic Steampunk reads. It’s such a rapidly-growing subgenre that I’ve chosen to break this post into sections to give you a little taste of everything. As you read this post, please be aware that there are loads of Steampunk books out there—and more being published all the time—and please don’t let your reading be limited by my choices.

{—SERIES—}

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ONE of my favorite aspects of the Steampunk subgenre is that it often features girls behaving badly, or rather, bucking the conventions set forth for them by society. Gail Carriger is one author who truly shines in this area. Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate Series (Orbit, 2009-2012) consists of five novels about Alexia Tarabotti, a half-Italian spinster born without a soul—all of which complicates her standing in London society. The first book, Soulless (2009), received an Alex Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association and was nominated for a Locus Award for best first novel. In a society where vampires and werewolves and are accepted as members of society, Alexia’s soulless state leaves supernatural beings unable to target her. But when a vampire attacks her and she kills him, she becomes suspected in a rash of vampire disappearances and embroiled in a fun, fast-paced mystery. The Parasol Protectorate is a fabulous, funny blend of Supernatural, Steampunk, and mystery.

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IN 2012, Carriger began a spin-off series set in the same world as The Parasol Protectorate and aimed at young adults. In the first book, Etiquette and Espionage (Little, Brown 2013), we meet Sophronia, a girl from a middle-class Victorian family would rather dismantle a clock than learn to serve a proper tea. Desperate to improve Sophronia’s manners, her mother enrolls her in Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. Mademoiselle Geraldine’s isn’t your typical finishing school, though—along with dining and dancing and etiquette, the girls are taught the fine arts of deception and espionage. This book is rousing fun and the start of a promising series. Carriger follows up with Curtsies and Conspiracies.

**Since this post was first published, two more books in the Finishing School Series were released, shown above, in addition to The Delightfully Deadly Series, which are also set in the Protectorate universe.

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ONE of the classics of the Steampunk subgenre is Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy. Pullman excels in overall world-building in this trilogy, which consists of The Golden Compass [US] / The Northern Lights [UK] (1995), The Subtle Knife (1997), and The Amber Spyglass (2000, all Scholastic). The two main characters, Lyra and Will, live in a world where each person is protected by a personal guardian known as a daemon, the animal embodiment of their innermost being. The trilogy is extremely thought-provoking, drawing inspiration from physics, religion, and other disciplines as well as parallels to classic literature, even taking its title from Milton’s Paradise Lost. With strong religious elements, His Dark Materials often draws criticism for being anti-Christian, but the religious elements are just one of many courses in the banquet of food for thought provided by this wonderful fantasy read.

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MY first exposure to Steampunk—and my favorite to date—was Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan Trilogy. In the first book, Leviathan (Simon and Schuster, 2009), we meet Alek, Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary and son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, on the very night that his parents are assassinated by the Serbs. Alek runs for his life along with two of his tutors as war breaks out between the Clanker (Axis) and Darwinist (Allied) nations. As the world goes to war with huge animal-shaped machines on the Clanker side and the Darwinists’ giant floating ecosystems of genetically engineered creatures, Alek forms an unlikely alliance with Dylan Sharp, a Darwinist fighting in the British Air Service…and gets more than he bargained for when he finds out that Dylan is really a girl named Deryn. The trilogy continues with Behemoth (2010) and Goliath (2011), providing a wonderful Alternate History of World War I from start to finish. All three volumes also feature the art of Keith Thompson, and the illustrations are a treat in their own right and a bonus factor to the well-crafted story. In 2012, Westerfeld and Thompson collaborated once more on The Manual of Aeronautics, further exploring the world of the Leviathan Trilogy and giving a broader stage to Thompson’s artwork.

{—SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS—}

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IN 2011, editors Kelly Link and Gavin J. Grant (wife and husband) teamed up with a host of popular Young Adult authors to produce Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories (Candlewick). This anthology features contributions from Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Cory Doctorow, Holly Black, and many others. Don’t let the Young Adult tag fool you—there’s truly something in this volume for everyone, as it brings Steampunk to such unexpected places as the wild American west and features everything from Time Travel to supercomputers to comic strips.

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Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells (Tor, 2013), edited by Terri Windling and Ellen Datlow, is another fantastic Steampunk short story collection. In addition to containing great short fiction from such familiar names as Gregory Maguire, the introduction to this book contains one of the best definitions of Steampunk I have ever read, as well as an exploration of the popularity of fantasy stories during the Victorian era. If you’re looking for a good way to start exploring Steampunk, Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells is an invaluable resource.

{—NONFICTION BONUS—}

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YES, we’re Speculative Fiction freaks here at The Bearded Scribe…but sometimes our obsession becomes a little too much and must come off the page. SteamDrunks: 101 Steampunk Cocktails and Mixed Drinks by Chris-Rachael Oseland and Vicktoria Riley (Palmyran Rebels, 2012) is a perfect quick read and just the book to throw in your bag for your next con or cosplay event. As its title indicates, SteamDrunks contains recipes for over a hundred cocktails as well as a guide to stocking your bar with period-correct spirits. You don’t have to be a drinker to appreciate this book, either. I’m a teetotaler, but I couldn’t help laughing out loud at some of the instructions that go along with these recipes, such as “toast the fact that your family probably won’t die of river poisoning tonight, and drink until you pass out.” After I laughed my way through this book in one sitting, I bought it for Joshua last Christmas.

{—CONCLUSION—}

THESE titles are just a sampling of what’s available in Steampunk literature, and more is being published every day. Now that I’ve told you about my favorites, won’t you please tell me about yours with a comment on this post?

Until next time, Keep Calm and Scribe On!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

The Quiddity of Speculation: Steampunk 101

July 27, 2013May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 27, 2013.^***

The Quiddity of Speculation: Steampunk 101

July 27, 2013
4:15 pm

GREETINGS, Fellow Writers!

Welcome back to The Quiddity of Speculation, where we dissect the various subgenres of speculative fiction and talk about some spectacular books from each! Today’s Quiddity is a favorite of mine—Steampunk! I love this subgenre for a variety of reasons, but chiefly because it revolves around history and one of my favorite time periods to research. Pull up a chair and a teacup and join me for an airship ride into the wonderful world of Steampunk!

{—BY DEFINITION—}

IN looking for a suitable definition of Steampunk to use for this piece, I ran into a bit of a sticky situation. According to Dictionary.com, it is “a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy featuring advanced machines and other technology based on steam power of the 19th century and taking place in a recognizable historical period or a fantasy world.” Here’s where it turns sticky, though: Within the broad genre of speculative fiction, Steampunk is a veritable Russian nesting doll—a subgenre of a subgenre of a subgenre. In the preface to Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells (Tor, 2013), authors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling inform us that while this type of literature has experienced a surge in popularity of late, it is but one piece of a broader subgenre known as Gaslamp Fantasy, which in turn is a particular type of Historical Fantasy.

HISTORICAL Fantasy may be set during any period of history. Datlow and Windling tell us, “Gaslamp tales can take place at any time during the 1800s, from the Regency years to Queen Victoria’s long reign… The stories may occasionally stray into the Edwardian era, but the genre ends with World War I.” Steampunk in particular, though, is nearly always set during the Victorian era, when technology was advancing with the Industrial Revolution, but the world was still powered by steam.

{—KEYS FOR WRITERS—}

1. Inspect Your Gadgets....

PROBABLY the most recognizable hallmark of Steampunk is the gadgets. If you’re looking to write a steampunk story, ask yourself, “What if steam power had no limitations?” Just how much could be accomplished using gears and copper wiring? What problems might arise from using this technology? Let your imagination have no limits when it comes to gadgetry in steampunk writing. Even if you’re not an accomplished artist, sketch a few key devices out before you write about them. If the writer does not know exactly what a contraption looks like or how it works, neither will the reader. The more elaborate and accomplished your technology is, the better the story will be.

2. KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS...

THE thing that separates steampunk from straight-up science fiction is a recognizable setting, both in terms of location and time period. Although most Steampunk is set in England during the Victorian era, there’s no need to be a slave to those boundaries. As Windling and Datlow told us, Steampunk is a particular breed of Gaslamp Fantasy, and that encompasses a very long time period. The Industrial Revolution makes a convenient backdrop for advancing technology, but it is by no means the only era in which to set a steampunk story. The trick is for the writer to know their setting well enough to insert a believable and technologically advanced storyline.

3. RECONFIGURING THE COGS OF HISTORY...

SO, you know where you are in space and time and you have amazing gadgets at your disposal. Now comes the seriously geeky fun part. Twist up the details that you learned in your history classes! There’s a catch here, though: you’re going to need to do some research. In order to believably twist history, you must first know history. Do your research before you start to write and your job will be infinitely easier. Keep researching as you write and allow details to morph as needed. As you learn, change a few key things. Merge multiple characters into one, kill off an important historical figure, or stage a power struggle. Show off your gadgetry by giving the characters a reason to use it. Have fun with this! Just don’t go overboard—remember that you need to keep the setting recognizable for the reader.

{—Helpful READING—}

I really can’t say enough good things about the preface and introduction to Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling’s Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells (Tor, 2013), which contains a great definition and historical information about the Gaslamp Fantasy subgenre as a whole, and of Steampunk in particular.

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{—CONCLUSION—}

STEAMPUNK is currently surging in popularity in the publishing industry, and it has been said that it may even supplant dystopian and paranormal fiction as the next big thing in publishing. It’s also a perfect canvas for imagination to run wild in both the writer and the reader. Stay tuned for Part Two of this post, where I’ll discuss a few of the Steampunk books I adore!

Mechanically Yours!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

The Quiddity of Speculation: Great Dystopian Novels

October 23, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on October 23, 2012.^***

The Quiddity of Speculation: Great Dystopian Novels

October 23, 2012
11:35 am

WELL met and welcome back, Beardies!

Welcome to the second part of the first post in our new series, The Quiddity of Speculation. In the first part, we discussed the ingredients of a good dystopian novel. Now, in the second part, we’ll be talking about a few books and authors who have done the job spectacularly. As you’re reading this post, please keep in mind that there are scores of great dystopian novels available, and don’t let my choices limit your reading. If you don’t see your favorite on this list, please tell me about it in the comments—I am always looking for suggestions!

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Beauty Queens by Libba Bray (Scholastic, 2011) combines classic dystopian elements with a humorous twist. Lord of the Flies meets Miss Congeniality when the contestants of the Miss Teen Dream Pageant are marooned on an island following a plane crash. Through the humor, Bray develops a quasi-dystopian society along with a scathing indictment of ageism, sexism, consumerism, and reality-TV culture. Although some may not consider this book a true dystopia, I have chosen to include it in this list because it delivers in all three key areas of dystopian fiction—setting, revolutionary thinking, and food for thought—and continued to resonate with me long after the last page.

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THE publication of The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, 2008-2010) was the beginning of the current YA dystopian fiction craze. In case you’ve been living under a rock (or trapped under one) and have missed the hype surrounding this trilogy, the nation of Panem is divided into twelve districts, each of which must send one girl and one boy each year to participate in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live television. When Katniss Everdeen’s little sister is chosen for the Games, Katniss volunteers to go in her place. In doing so, she sparks a rebellion that will change the world as she knows it. Katniss is, at best, a reluctant heroine, as she wants only to save her sister. The Hunger Games Trilogy perfectly exemplifies that while revolution is a hallmark of dystopian fiction, sometimes the best revolution is the one that starts accidentally.

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AN interesting take on dystopian society is The Chemical Garden Trilogy, by Lauren DeStefano. The first book, Wither (Simon and Schuster, 2011), establishes a world in which a botched attempt to create genetically-perfect children has caused all girls to die at age twenty and all boys to die at age twenty-five. As a result, a teenager’s only job in life is to repopulate the world, which gives rise to widespread polygamy. The protagonist, Rhine, is one of three wives to Linden. The action moves slowly in this dystopia, but it is an excellent example of character-driven literature. DeStefano follows up with Fever (Simon and Schuster, 2012) and Sever (Simon and Schuster, 2013).

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William Golding’s Lord of the Flies (Faber and Faber, 1954) was the first acknowledged dystopian novel. Although not an immediate success, it eventually became a bestseller and is still required reading in many schools. Its plot centers around a group of boys who survive a plane crash and the disaster that ensues when they try to govern themselves.

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The Giver by Lois Lowry (Bantam, 1993) won the Newbery Medal for excellence in children’s literature, becoming the first dystopian novel to win a major literary award. Lowry returned to the world of The Giver with two companion novels, Gathering Blue (2000) and Messenger (2004), and a sequel, Son (2012), all Houghton Mifflin), finishing off The Giver Quartet. Jonas lives in a seemingly perfect world where every family consists of a mother, father, and two children and no one ever feels pain. When Jonas enters the adult world at the age of twelve, he is assigned to be the Receiver of Memory—the person who will carry the memories of the past into the next generation for all of society. In his training with the mysterious man known as the Giver, however, Jonas comes to realize that all is not as perfect as it seems.

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IN Veronica Roth’s Divergent (Katherine Tegen, 2011), Beatrice Prior lives in a future Chicago wherein society is divided into five factions, each of which values a different quality in its members. Beatrice was raised by Abnegation (the selfless), but at the age of sixteen, she will take a test to determine if she should continue in that faction or become a member of Erudite (the intelligent), Amity (the kind), Dauntless (the brave), or Candor (the truthful). Her test results, however, reveal that she is none of the above, but rather Divergent, and thus considered a danger to society. Although this is a stellar novel for many reasons, Roth excels at developing the setting in what remains of Chicago. Beatrice’s story continues in Insurgent (Katherine Tegen, 2012), and Allegiant (Katherine Tegen, 2015), to close out The Divergent Trilogy.

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TALLY YOUNGBLOOD is the heroine of Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies Series (Simon and Schuster, 2005-2007). In the twenty-fourth century, Tally is about to turn sixteen. When she reaches that milestone, she will undergo the Surge, an extensive cosmetic operation that will turn her from an Ugly into a Pretty, the beginning of her adult life. Just before the operation, though, she discovers place called the Smoke and the people who live there, all of whom have chosen not to undergo the Surge. Through the “Smokies,” Tally learns some shocking truths about the effects of the Surge and about her society as a whole.

{—CONCLUSION—}

DYSTOPIAN fiction is currently one of the hottest trends in young-adult publishing, and excellent dystopian novels abound. I hope you will take the time to read a few of these, but please don’t be limited by my choices. I’m looking forward to hearing about your favorites, too—please tell me about them in the comments!

Happy Reading & Happy Scribing!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

The Quiddity of Speculation: Dystopia 101

October 22, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on October 22, 2012.^***

The Quiddity of Speculation: Dystopia 101

October 22, 2012
11:25 pm

G’DAY to you, Beardies, and welcome back!

Any day that I get to write a post for The Bearded Scribe is a good day, and today is no exception. Today, we’re unveiling the first post in a new series we’re calling The Quiddity of Speculation. “Quiddity” is a word to which Joshua introduced me while we were throwing around titles for this series. According to Merriam-Webster, quiddity means “whatever makes something the type that it is.” The quiddity of a thing, then, is its very essence. In this series, we’ll dissect different types of speculative fiction in detail, exploring the definition and distinguishing characteristics of each. I’ve literally been researching this post since I joined the team here. It’s been a long time coming, so without further ado, let’s get to it!

ONE of the most interesting aspects of my job as a librarian is seeing the literary trends as they come and go. Five and a half years ago, when I started my library career, vampires and werewolves were in their heyday. I’ve now witnessed the gradual decline of the paranormal romance, followed by the meteoric rise of dystopian and post-apocalyptic literature triggered by The Hunger Games. Although these sub-genres are usually considered one and the same, I’m choosing to treat them separately, starting with dystopia.

{—BY DEFINITION—}

MERRIAM-WEBSTER defines “dystopia” as “an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives.” First used in about 1950, the word derives from Latin and describes a place that is the opposite of the perfect society (utopia). In literature, dystopia describes a work of speculative fiction about a society that, in trying to be perfect, goes terribly wrong. Dystopia is one type of post-apocalyptic literature, but its keystone is that it features oppression caused by humans, such as police or government agencies, rather than by circumstances beyond human control.

{—KEYS FOR WRITERS—}

1. SETTING...

LIKE any Speculative Fiction, dystopia hinges on world-building. The most important piece of the dystopian world, though, is the setting. In building the dystopian setting, the more detail the writer adds, the better the story will be. Important considerations include not only physical descriptions of the setting, but also political systems, cultural norms, religious beliefs, family structures, even climate and weather patterns. The writer should also think about how the world came to be as it is. War, greed, genetic engineering, failure to conserve natural resources, and good intentions gone wrong are just a few likely catalysts. By definition, though, dystopian societies are created by human error, not natural phenomena.

2. REVOLUTIONARY THINKING...

DYSTOPIA is all about the conflict of protagonist versus society. While the setting is key, the action builds in the form of a revolution against the setting and those who control it. To incite such a conflict, an author need only plant one seed in the mind of one character. Such a seed need not even start out as an intention to start a rebellion. Side conflicts may develop as the character’s “unconventional” way of thinking causes him or her to run afoul of authorities or even other characters who resist change. In developing the conflict, the writer should consider the impact of the protagonist’s thoughts or actions on every other aspect of the society, so that an intricate web of conflicts is woven.

3. FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

ONE of the articles I read while researching this post talked about the evolution of dystopian literature. The first recognized dystopian novel was William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, published in 1954. Early dystopias featured settings that were far-fetched, with technology that was beyond belief for the times—frighteningly resonant perhaps, but not necessarily possible. More recent dystopias take the fads and problems of our current society to new levels, leaving the reader to wonder if such things as, for example, the reality-television crazed culture of The Hunger Games can be so terribly far away. In any generation, though, a good dystopia leaves the reader with plenty to think about.

{—Helpful READING—}

AS stated above, I’ve literally been researching this post since the day that I joined The Bearded Scribe’s team. I found the following two articles to be especially helpful.

“Teenage Wasteland: What’s Wrong with YA Sci-Fi These Days?” by Ashley Belanger, originally appeared in the Orlando Weekly on August 15, 2012. I read it when it was reprinted in the September 5-11, 2012 issue of Detroit’s MetroTimes. The full text of the article is available online by clicking the link above.
“The Other Side of Dark,” by Linda A. Gann and Karen Gavigan, appeared in the August 2012 issue of VOYA (Volume 35, Issue 3, pp. 234-238). Unfortunately, VOYA is only digitally archived through subscription-based services. If you are interested in reading this article, your local librarian should be able to help you obtain a copy.

And so, Beardies, we reach the end of this first edition of The Quiddity of Speculation. Please stay tuned for my next post, which will include a list of my favorite dystopian fiction. If there is a specific type of speculative fiction that you would like me to explore in a future post, please feel free to comment with your suggestions!

As Always, Happy Scribing!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

Book Spotlight: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series by Kenneth Oppel

September 30, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 30, 2012.^***

Book Spotlight: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series by Kenneth Oppel

September 30, 2012
6:02 pm

GOOD EVENING, Beardies,

Call me indecisive if you will, but making “Best of the Best” lists is my own personal brand of librarian kryptonite. I just can’t decide! Usually, the best book I’ve read this year is the one I’m reading right now. So, instead of making my own list, most of the time I read the books that are on everyone else’s lists.

This Dark Endeavor, the first book of Kenneth Oppel’s The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series, was on a 2011 list from one of my librarian idols, Lynn Rutan. Along with colleague Cindy Dobrez, Lynn writes a blog called Bookends that I follow religiously. She called This Dark Endeavor “a steampunky Frankenstein retelling,” and from that description alone, I was hooked. Everything Lynn promised, the book delivered, and when the second book came out in August, the series skyrocketed to the top of my “Books to Spotlight” pile.

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{—PREMISE—}

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Victor Frankenstein lives the typical life of a young gentleman of privilege in eighteenth-century Geneva. Victor idolizes his twin brother, Konrad, and the two are virtually inseparable. One day, exploring in Chateau Frankenstein with their cousin Elizabeth and best friend, Henry Clerval, they discover a secret room filled with arcane tomes—the Dark Library that once belonged to their ancestor Wilhelm Frankenstein. Victor is intrigued by the contents of the Dark Library, but his father makes him promise never to return there. Then, Konrad becomes gravely ill, and even the best physicians in Europe seem unable to help him. Heartsick and desperate, Victor returns to the Dark Library in search of a cure, embarking on a quest to brew the Elixir of Life and save his beloved brother from certain death.

{DISCLAIMER: Normally, when doing a Spotlight on a series, I would include the premise of the second book, too, but doing so would spoil the ending of the first. You’ll just have to read it for yourself.}

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. CLASSIC INSPIRATION...

THE retelling of archetypal and classic stories is currently one of the most popular trends in young adult publishing. While retelling is one of my favorite literary techniques, I always approach these books with some wariness because so much can go so very wrong. Kenneth Oppel does everything right in his reimagining of the classic story of Frankenstein. All the hallmarks and the spirit of the original story are present, but the retelling breathes new life into the classic. The portrayal of Frankenstein as a teenager makes the old story accessible to a new generation, and hopefully, more readers will discover the original through the retelling.

2. FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

ONE of the things I love about retellings is how they make me think about familiar material in new ways. Although I am quite familiar with the story of Frankenstein, this is the first time that I’ve really connected with the protagonist. When it comes to saving a loved one, how far is too far? Is it ever okay for humans to play God? These are just a few of the questions with which the teenage Frankenstein grapples, and somehow, by putting them into the mind of a teenager, Kenneth Oppel made them resonate with me even more deeply. There are, of course, no easy answers for either Frankenstein or the reader, so the book continues to echo long after the last page.

3. CHARACTERIZATION...

AS stated, though this was far from my first exposure to the story of Frankenstein, it was the first time I have been truly able to connect with the protagonist. This connection is, in part, due to Oppel’s outstanding characterization, which humanizes the protagonist. The teenage Victor Frankenstein has a brash, larger-than-life personality. His emotions run deep, particularly his love of his twin brother, and though he sometimes makes the wrong decisions, he always does so for the right reasons. Based on past experience, I never expected to love this character, but I found myself viewing him as a much-loved but highly-exasperating younger sibling, wanting to strangle him one moment and loving him to pieces the next.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

IN The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series, Kenneth Oppel tackles an old subject in a new way, portraying a familiar protagonist in a new light and leaving the reader with many lasting questions. This portrayal makes a classic accessible to a whole new generation. The first two books of this planned series are a treat for speculative readers and I can’t wait for the next installment.

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

***This Dark Endeavor (2011) and Such Wicked Intent (2012) by Kenneth Oppel are published by and copyright Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Book Spotlight: Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 3) by Kristin Cashore

September 8, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 8, 2012.^***
Since this post was published, two more books—Winterkeep (2021) and Seasparrow (2022)—were released, and the 5-book series was re-released as The Graceling Realm Series.

Book Spotlight: Bitterblue (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 3) by Kristin Cashore

September 8, 2012
10:24 am

WELCOME back, Beardies!

Thank you for sticking with me through a week of posts about the Seven Kingdoms Trilogy! I hope you have enjoyed the posts as much as I enjoyed reading the books—and then dissecting them from a writer’s standpoint! Today we reach the final installment of Seven Kingdoms, Bitterblue, which is the sequel to Graceling, set eight years after the conclusion of that book and forty-eight years after the end of Fire.

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{—PREMISE—}

EIGHT years ago, Princess Bitterblue and her mother, Queen Ashen, escaped the evil clutches of her father, King Leck of Monsea in the Seven Kingdoms. Ashen was killed in the escape attempt, but Bitterblue survived and went on to assume the throne of Monsea at age ten. Now, though, Bitterblue is Queen of a nation with many problems. Leck was a tyrannical, sadistic ruler and had the Grace, or supernatural talent, of deception. During his thirty-five years as King, Leck’s Grace forced his subjects to accept every word he spoke as truth, rendering them completely unable to think for themselves. Bitterblue wants to set things right, but her advisers seem determined to drown her in useless tasks, refusing to answer her questions about Leck’s reign or even allow her to make amends for his wrongdoing. Frustration leads Bitterblue to devise her own way to seek the truth, and she discovers that Leck’s cruelty went far beyond her wildest dreams. Not only that, there are those in Bitterblue’s court who would rather see her killed than expose the truth about her father.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. MAPS...

MAPPING is an important part of world-building. It keeps the writer from geographical inconsistencies–and the need to edit for those inconsistencies! Maps also help the reader visualize the setting. Kristin Cashore‘s mapping is second to none, with double-page maps of Bitterblue’s castle and rooms, Leck’s rooms, the East City, the Seven Kingdoms as a whole, and more. I am a huge fan of maps in fantasy books, and when I purchased my copy of Bitterblue, I spent an hour in the Barnes & Noble café just ogling the maps. Ironically, on that same day, Joshua did a great post on world-building and maps. If you haven’t already, please take a minute to go check it out!

2. CHARACTERIZATION...

I have loved the characterization in these novels from the beginning, but it is especially well-done in Bitterblue. The last time the reader saw Bitterblue, she was an immature girl of ten years, on the run from her cruel father, and she acted like it. In this volume, the reader sees how her memories were distorted by her father. She feels this distortion acutely, which makes her a sympathetic heroine. In the beginning of this story, Bitterblue is in many ways still a child and very naive. By the end, however, she has grown into a remarkable young woman and a good monarch, able to see that not all cruelty is intentional and that sometimes the best way to make amends for the past is to offer hope for the future.

3. GRACES...

AT the center of Kristen Cashore‘s fantasy world are the Gracelings, each with a unique, supernatural talent known as a Grace. Not every character is Graced, and the previous books only explored Graces in major characters. Bitterblue, however, contains several Graced minor characters, many of whom work in the castle. Queen Bitterblue employs a kitchen hand Graced with the ability to tell by the look and smell of a person what they would most like to eat at any given time, and a servant Graced with absolute fearlessness. Perhaps my favorite Grace of all, though, belong’s to Bitterblue‘s librarian, Death (whose name rhymes with “teeth”). Death’s Grace is speed-reading, with perfect recall of everything that he reads. The descriptions of the Graces keep the reader interested in characters that would otherwise simply fade into the background.

4. love IN MANY FORMS...

SOMETIMES I feel like writers forget that love comes in other forms than just romance. Even worse, I have read many books where a romance seems to be forced into the plot. Thankfully, Kristen Cashore avoids both of these pitfalls. Confused and afraid, Bitterblue is constantly surrounded by people who love her. She has friends to laugh with, shoulders to cry on, and people to give her advice. Bitterblue never finds lasting, romantic love, but love is not missing from the story. I also truly enjoy the portrayal of homosexual characters in this trilogy. They simply exist in these pages as a matter of course, and, for the most part, are accepted by all. I only wish the same held true in our world, and I applaud Kristen Cashore for celebrating love in so many forms.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

IN The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Kristin Cashore has built a world that is complete and real, populated it with characters I would love to have as my real-life friends, and made me eager to visit it time and again. In Bitterblue, Cashore leaves the characters in a place where I am content to let them go, bringing the trilogy to a satisfying close—though, if she ever did write another book, I would read it gladly.

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

***Bitterblue (2012), by Kristin Cashore, is published by and copyright Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Book Spotlight: Fire (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 2) by Kristin Cashore

September 7, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 7, 2012.^***
Since this post was published, two more books—Winterkeep (2021) and Seasparrow (2022)—were released, and the 5-book series was re-released as The Graceling Realm Series.

Book Spotlight: Fire (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 2) by Kristin Cashore

September 7, 2012
10:24 am

WELCOME back, Beardies!

Thanks for joining me for the second installment in my series of posts on Kristin Cashore’s Seven Kingdoms Trilogy. Today, we’re discussing Fire, the second book in the trilogy. First published in 2009, Fire is a prequel set forty years before the events of Graceling, in a neighboring kingdom called the Dells. Fire has only one character in common with Graceling, but as unorthodox as this may seem, it is a stroke of genius for the trilogy as a whole.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

ACROSS an impassible mountain range from the Seven Kingdoms lies the Dells, a kingdom populated by both humans and monsters. Fire is the last of her kind, a human-shaped monster, arrestingly beautiful, skilled in archery and music, but taught to hate and fear herself by her father. Like all monsters, Fire can read and control the thoughts of others, but she finds the ability repulsive and uses it as little as possible. The Dells, however, stands on the brink of civil war, and the King’s men arrive to take Fire to King City to serve as a spy and interrogator. On her journey, she forms unlikely alliances that allow her to reconcile her human and monstrous natures and explore feelings she never knew she had.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. RACES...

THE monster races are the centerpiece of Fire. Nearly every species in our world has a monster counterpart. These creatures all look more or less the same in our world, except gloriously colorful. All monsters are physically attractive and have the power to control minds. From bugs to birds to fish and even a human, the various monster species are described in perfect detail, bringing them beautifully to life. Among humans, monsters are as despised for their bloodthirstiness and mind control abilities as they are in demand for their beautiful pelts and feathers, which are used as decorations in the homes and clothing of the wealthy. Fire is proof positive that fantasy isn’t all vampires and zombies—unconventional races make for unforgettable world-building. For more on races, please check out Joshua’s post on this topic.

2. CONFLICT...

CONFLICT is the core of any story, and a great story will contain not just one conflict, but rather a series of conflicts that play off each other like ripples in a pond, driving the plot forward. Kristin Cashore weaves an intricate web of conflict in Fire. Fire is the last of her kind and her father taught her to hate herself and fear her powers, so the human side of her is constantly at war with her monstrous nature. As civil unrest grows in the Dells, however, the King demands Fire’s services, forcing her to use the powers she so despises. Further conflict arises when Fire begins to fall for the commander of the Army, Prince Brigan, who may die in the looming war.

3. SETTING & CULTURE...

PHYSICAL description of setting is important, but for world-building to be solid, cultural norms within a fantasy world must also be explained. Kristin Cashore fully explores the culture of the Dells. Culture is a vital part of Dellian life. Fire is revered for her skill with the violin, and the reader learns that medicine in the Dells is highly advanced. Other cultural norms such as funeral customs are also established, and the frontispiece of the book contains a Dellian mourning poem. Descriptions of culture help to establish the setting, but also allow the reader to be fully immersed in the lives of the characters.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

KRISTIN CASHORE continues spectacular world-building in Fire, adding unforgettable characters and expanding her setting. Though it does not continue the story as started in Graceling in a conventional sense, Fire is a welcome addition to the trilogy and leaves the reader eager to return to the world of The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy.

Happy Reading and Happy Scribing!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

***Fire (2009), by Kristin Cashore, is published by and copyright Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Book Spotlight: Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 1) by Kristin Cashore

September 6, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on September 6, 2012.^***
Since this post was published, two more books—Winterkeep (2021) and Seasparrow (2022)—were released, and the 5-book series was re-released as The Graceling Realm Series.

Book Spotlight: Graceling (The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 1) by Kristin Cashore

September 6, 2012
10:24 am

WELCOME back, Beardies!

Back at the beginning of May, Joshua asked me for a list of titles I’d like to feature for Book Spotlight. Bitterblue, the final installment in Kristin Cashore’s Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, had just come out, and the trilogy as a whole topped the list. I even owned all the books and had already read the first two. Because of all the reading I have to do for my job, though, often the books that I own fall to the bottom of the pile because I have all the time in the world, rather than the three weeks allowed by a library checkout, to read them. Thus, months passed, and a Spotlight on Seven Kingdoms never came. Then, one night, I asked Joshua for my weekly assignment, and he specifically asked me to read Bitterblue. Turns out, in his words, he’d “been waiting for that Spotlight with white knuckles.” Well, what could I do but oblige him?

Originally, I set out to do just one post on The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, but quickly realized that the trilogy simply had too many strong points and too much depth for one post to do it justice. So, at Joshua’s encouragement, I have decided to cover this trilogy in three separate posts. The first installment of the trilogy, Graceling, hit shelves in 2008 with immediate success, bagging tons of literary hardware. It was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association; was a finalist for the William C. Morris Award for best young adult debut novel that year; and also snagged the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

IN the Seven Kingdoms, sometimes a child is born with a supernatural talent known as a Grace. A Grace can be anything from mind-reading or weather prediction to the ability to climb any tree in creation. Katsa has a frightening Grace: She’s been able to kill people with her bare hands since she the age of eight. Katsa’s uncle, King Randa, has used her as an enforcer and thug for years, sending her to kill or maim subjects who don’t obey his every whim. Tired of being used, Katsa takes matters into her own hands, forming a group called the Council that operates undercover to prevent her from having to do Randa’s bidding. Then a Council mission leads her to a new friend, a young princess in grave danger, and a sadistic ruler with a secret even more deadly than her Grace.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. HEROINE AS ARTFORM...

KATSA is a heroine for the ages and truly stars in her role as Graceling’s protagonist. Her character arc is complete and realistic. In the beginning she is only able to see herself as the Graced thug that her uncle has made her to be, but the moment when she has the courage to take matters into her own hands makes the reader want to stand up and cheer. By the end of the book, she sees herself as far more than just King Randa’s enforcer, and her process of self-discovery is beautifully done. This stellar piece of characterization landed Graceling on the Amelia Bloomer Project List of best feminist literature for young adults in 2009.

2. PLOTTING & PACING...

The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy as a whole is a fine example of complex plotting, and this first volume sets the stage. Graceling is perfectly paced. It hits the ground running with Katsa’s dramatic rescue of a kidnapped prince, and it never looks back. The action is nonstop, but also organic, never feeling forced or contrived. There are enough quiet moments to allow the reader to catch their breath, but the plot doesn’t drag down. The ending, too, leaves the reader content, with plenty of room for a sequel.

3. WORLD BUILDING & CULTURAL VIEWS...

KRISTIN CASHORE’s Gracelings are so realistically drawn, it takes an effort not to look for them in real life, but what really resonates with me is the way that Gracelings are treated by society—and the way that Cashore builds this flawlessly into her world. A Graced person has eyes of two different colors, so they are easy to pick out from a crowd. In most of the Seven Kingdoms, Gracelings are feared or reviled. All Graceling children are given to the King as soon as their eyes “settle” into two different colors. If the child’s Grace is useful to the King (such as Katsa’s killing), the child becomes the property of the King; if not, the child is sent home in disgrace and usually lives as an outcast for the rest of their life.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

Graceling is the perfect blend of solid world-building, fast-paced adventure, and phenomenal characterization. It stands alone easily, but also leaves the reader eager for more stories about these characters. While I don’t often agree with award selection committees, I do agree that Graceling has all the makings of a modern classic and is a feast for readers and writers alike. I hope you’ll join me in the next few days for my Book Spotlights on Fire and Bitterblue.

Happy Reading & Happy Scribing!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

***Graceling (2008) by Kristin Cashore, are published by and copyright Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Book Spotlight: Saving Mars (Saving Mars, Book 1) by Cidney Swanson

August 4, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on August 4, 2012.^***

Book Spotlight: Saving Mars (Saving Mars, Book 1) by Cidney Swanson

August 4, 2012
10:24 pm

SALUTATIONS, Beardies!

Last weekend, I was in a state of bliss, enjoying a rare, quiet evening visiting my parents, watching the Olympics and looking forward to an uneventful week to come. My tranquility was shattered, however, by the arrival of the following text from Joshua.

Joshua: Would you like an assignment? Just forwarded you an e-mail I received from Cidney with a proposal.

The e-mail contained not an assignment, but a mission that—should I choose to accept it—would spell the end of my uneventful week.

Tomorrow our friend, Cidney Swanson, author of The Ripple Trilogy, celebrates the publication of her fourth novel, Saving Mars. The e-mail to which Joshua referred contained an invitation to be a first reviewer! The catch: I had only one week to read the book and write the review—a short deadline; a perilous mission. I thought about respectfully declining, but in the end I couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring you this very special Book Spotlight.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

JESS and her family live in Mars Colonial, a human settlement on Mars that began as an initiative on the planet of Terra. The Terrans believe Mars Colonial failed years ago and have no idea that it still exists, and the Marsians intend to keep it that way despite the constant Terran surveillance. Jess can pilot any craft with wings and she dreams of becoming a raider like her late grandfather, flying missions to Terra to get the ration bars that keep the Marsians alive. Then, a mistake on a flight leaves her in disgrace and suspended from the skies. But when Mars’ food supply is compromised, Jess’ alter-abled brother, Ethan, is chosen to go on an emergency raid to get rations. Jess knows that the trip will be devastating to Ethan with his alter-abilities, and figures out a way to join him. Then, when everything about the mission is going wrong, Jess is faced with a terrible choice: Save her brother and her crewmates, or save her planet.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. WORLD BUILDING...

YOU knew I’d start with that, right? Cidney Swanson has a rare gift for world-building. Some writers do all their world-building in the first chapter and then throw the reader in headfirst and expect them to remember all the details. Swanson, on the other hand, builds her world slowly, brick by brick, in fine detail. From the political system of Mars Colonial, to the practice of celebrating one’s birthday twice each year because Mars takes twice as long as Earth to orbit the sun, to the extensive list of ingredients in a Marsian ration bar, everything is in place and well thought-out. When the book ends, the world is gloriously complete and real, and the reader is eager to return to it again and again.

2. CHARACTERIZATION...

EVERY one of these characters is fully realized, and all undergo growth and transformation through the course of the book. Jess’s character arc is especially well done, particularly her relationship with Ethan. She is a spunky and lovable heroine, ever the daredevil, fiercely protective of her brother, and determined to do anything to get back to flying after making a huge mistake. By the end of the book, she is just as headstrong, but has learned to see things from others’ perspectives and put the safety of others—and the survival of her planet—above her own desires.

3. SETTING & CULTURE...

ALTHOUGH she admits in her author’s note that she is no astrophysicist, Cidney Swanson obviously did her research about life on Mars and what it would take to sustain a human colony there. The setting is described in vivid detail, not only physically but also culturally. Marsians (“Martians” being an offensive, Terran term) can only go outside in high-tech suits to protect them from the temperature extremes and drink water only twice per day. Beyond those two daily “wet rations,” the use of water for anything, including tears, is considered wasteful. The old are treated with great respect, and a person’s first wrinkle is cause for celebration as it means they have survived. All of these cultural details, even more than the physical description of the setting, make the world of the Marsians that much more believable.

4. ALTER-ABILITIES...

JESS’s brother, Ethan, is what the Marsians consider “alter-abled.” He is an expert computer hacker, but in our world would probably be diagnosed with autism or Asperger syndrome. The portrayal of this condition is respectful, tender, and beautiful; it is an integral part of his character. For the most part, the Marsians respect Ethan for his hacking skills and brilliant inventions, rather than ostracizing him for his differences. I only wish the same held true on Earth for all who live with this condition, and I applaud Cidney Swanson for tackling this timely issue with such finesse.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

ALTHOUGH that text from Joshua and my subsequent decision to take on this mission destroyed my hopes of an uneventful week, it was worth every minute! I cannot wait to hear more from these characters and hope that you, too, will take the time to read this book. Better yet, click over to Cidney’s blog—she’s doing a giveaway of a signed copy plus some nifty Mars-related swag. Go show her some love, and tell her The Bearded Scribe sent you!

Mission Accomplished!

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

***Saving Mars (2012) by Cidney Swanson, are published by and copyright Williams Press.

***Per FTC Regulations: I received a free Advance Reading Copy (ARC) from the author herself and was not compensated in any way, monetarily or otherwise, for this review.

Book Spotlight: The Curse Workers Trilogy by Holly Black

July 21, 2012May 5, 2024 Elizabeth J. Norton

^***Originally posted on The Bearded Scribe on July 21, 2012.

Book Spotlight: The Curse Workers Trilogy by Holly Black

July 21, 2012
10:47 pm

HELLO Beardies,

Welcome back to Book Spotlight! It’s been far too long since I wrote one of these posts, but I’m glad to be back at it.

Tonight’s Book Spotlight is a trilogy that had me captivated from its first installment in 2010. Part fantasy, part crime thriller, with a strong shot of humor and a tie to a French fairy tale, this trilogy made me a believer in urban fantasy. Shortly after reading the first book, I spent an inordinate amount of time in a signing line to meet Holly Black at the ALA conference, and my autographed copy of White Cat is still among my treasured possessions. When the final book came out this spring, I couldn’t wait to tell you about this trilogy.

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—PREMISE—}

CASSEL SHARPE is just a normal guy…and in his world, that’s not a good thing. Curse work—the ability to control another person’s memories, emotions, dreams, luck, or even life through the simple touch of a finger—runs in his family. Curse work is also illegal, but it’s highly available on the black market, and the black market is controlled by a magical Mafia of sorts, made up of powerful families of “workers” like Cassel’s. Since he’s not a worker, Cassel is an outsider in his own family. He tries his best to stay away from the family business, but a series of bizarre events prove that Cassel’s life is not what he thought, and far from being an outsider, he’s right in the middle and is perhaps the most powerful player of all.

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. RULES OF MAGIC...

IN a well-established fantasy world, magic will have boundaries. (If you haven’t already, please go check out Joshua’s fantastic World Building post on this topic!) Holly Black’s rules of magic are well established and thought-provoking. In the world of the Curse Workers, magic is not only illegal, but to wield it means personal consequences known as “blowback”—a sort of instant magical karma—for the worker. Each worker can perform only one type of curse, and the blowback is directly related to the curses they perform. For example, Cassel’s mother, an emotion worker, is emotionally unstable from years of working her targets. His grandfather, a death worker, loses a finger each time he performs a curse, and knows that one too many curses will stop his own heart. To perform curse work, a worker must be aware of and willing to accept the consequences.

2. WORLD BUILDING...

EVEN if you choose to set your speculative fiction story in a real city, a fantasy world still needs to be built within it. The Curse Workers Trilogy takes place in New York City and the surrounding area; the world is similar to ours, but Holly Black does a stellar job of building new norms into a realistic setting. Since curse work can only be performed through skin-to-skin contact, everyone wears gloves at all times. The government wants to mandate testing so that they know the whereabouts of all curse workers (ostensibly to protect them), and that is as divisive an issue as any political debate in our world.

3. FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

FOR me, the most unforgettable stories are the ones that leave me with something to think about. Holly Black packs a lot of food for thought and social commentary into this trilogy. The political climate in the world of the curse workers is unstable, hinging on the issue of mandatory testing so the government will know who and where all the workers are. Cassel and his friends attend rallies for worker rights that echo of the civil rights movement, the labor movement, and other great protests we can read about in our history books. Cassel is also in a unique position that places him directly in the middle of his family and the government, and many times he finds himself thinking about what makes a family and to whom he owes his allegiance—the family that treats him as an outsider or the government that would jail every last one of his family members. All of this food for thought has left these books embedded deep in my memory. And hungry for more.

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

WELL, Beardies, we’ve reached the end of another edition of Book Spotlight. I hope you’ll take the time to check out at least one—if not all—of these fantastic books!

Until next time…

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

***White Cat (2010), Red Glove (2011), and Black Heart (2012) by Holly Black, are published by and copyright Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Bearded Scribe Press

Discovering Tomorrow's Top Speculative Fiction Authors Today

The Bearded Scribe Press

Discovering Tomorrow's Top Speculative Fiction Authors Today

The Quiddity of Speculation: Great Steampunk Reads

{—SERIES—}

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{—SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS—}

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{—NONFICTION BONUS—}

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{—CONCLUSION—}

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

The Quiddity of Speculation: Steampunk 101

{—BY DEFINITION—}

{—KEYS FOR WRITERS—}

1. Inspect Your Gadgets....

2. KNOW YOUR SURROUNDINGS...

3. RECONFIGURING THE COGS OF HISTORY...

{—Helpful READING—}

PURCHASE FROM ONE OF OUR #affiliatelinks BELOW:

{—CONCLUSION—}

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

The Quiddity of Speculation: Great Dystopian Novels

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{—CONCLUSION—}

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

The Quiddity of Speculation: Dystopia 101

{—BY DEFINITION—}

{—KEYS FOR WRITERS—}

1. SETTING...

2. REVOLUTIONARY THINKING...

3. FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

{—Helpful READING—}

ELIZABETH J. NORTON

Book Spotlight: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein Series by Kenneth Oppel

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{—PREMISE—}

{—GEMS FOR WRITERS—}

1. CLASSIC INSPIRATION...

2. FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

3. CHARACTERIZATION...

{—RATING—}

{—CONCLUSION—}

ELIZABETH J. NORTON