#fantasyrl5

[books4yourkids]

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, 278 pp, RL 5

Artemis Fowl by Irish author Eoin Colfer (first name pronounced Owen) is an impressive series of books that is a mash-up of fantasy, science fiction and spy novels with a twelve-year old genius at it's heart. And, amidst all the spectacular weaponry, reconnaissance gizmos, fairies, trolls, dwarves and centaurs, the characters are truly the heart of the books. Colfer takes such care and precision with the intellects, emotions and motivations of his creations, human or magical, that it is difficult not to be drawn into the stories regardless of your genre preferences. There are so many intricate, interconnected details that it is near impossible to describe this book with a handful of sentences. The short(ish) line that I give at work at the bookstore when trying to hook a reader goes like this: Have you heard that story about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Well, Artemis Fowl is a child genius and he decides that he is going to figure out how to trick the leprechauns and fairies out of their gold. Except, these aren't fairies like Tinker Bell or leprechauns like the Lucky Charms guy. These creatures have an amazing collection of special weapons and magical abilities. And there is a kleptomaniac dwarf who is capable of passing gas with the intensity of a cyclone and most of them, except the trolls, are about three feet tall. The longer description that truly does justice to Colfer's writing is as follows...

Artemis Fowl II comes from a long line of dubious and very wealthy Fowls. His father, hoping to capitalize on the break-up of communist Russia, invested a "huge chunk of the Fowl fortune in establishing new shipping lines to the vast continent. New consumers, he reasoned, would need new consumer goods." Unfortunately, the Russian mafia did not take well to Fowl's plans and launched a stolen missile at the Fowl Star, upon which Artemis Fowl I and his manservant were traveling, along with 250,000 cans of cola. Artemis Fowl I's manservant, Butler, also had a fascinating lineage. In fact, it is believed that the common noun "butler" originated from the unusual arrangement that began when Lord Hugo de Folé contracted Virgil Butler to be his bodyguard, servant and cook for one of the first great Norman Crusades. In present times, Butler children are sent, at age 10, to a special camp in Israel where they are taught the skills (including Cordon Bleu cooking, marksmanship, martial arts, emergency medicine and information technology) needed to guard the latest in the Fowl line. When there is not a Fowl in need of a Butler, they are snapped up by royal personages for work as body guards.

When we first meet Artemis Fowl II and Butler, nephew of the Butler who was on the Fowl Star, they are in Ho Chi Minh City on the trail of one of "The People," a race of magical creatures who have migrated underground as the human population (and general intolerance of those unlike them) encroached. Through internet research and offers of money, Artemis has found someone willing to lead him to a fairy living above ground with the "mud people," as humans are called. He is in search of a fairy because he has decided to rebuild the Fowl fortune by acquiring the archetypal leprechaun pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But, to do this he must first get his hands on (and decipher) the Book of the People, which is the instructions to "their magicks and life rules." Colfer creates his own fairy alphabet and includes a message for readers that runs continuously along the bottom of the pages of all the books in the series. For readers who are not also code breakers, the Artemis Fowl Files, reveals the code, among other cool things related to the series. After exhausting his computer resources, Artemis breaks the code on his own with the use of an X-acto knife and copies of the pages of the Book. From there, his plan is set in motion and his attempt to kidnap and ransom a fairy takes up the rest of the book. The machinations of Artemis's mind and the way that he seems to be able to see all possibilities and prepare for them, even beyond the inimitable abilities of Butler and his extensive training, is a delight. Artemis's plans are his alone to know and the reader witnesses them unfold along with the fairies, never knowing for sure what he has up his sleeve and what might bring him down. If not a rampaging troll, then what?

Among The People, Julius Root, Holly Short, Foaly and Mulch Diggums are equally as fascinating to watch face the dangerous, above ground situation Artemis has lured them into. Commander Root, a cigar chomping curmudgeon who returns to active duty to lead the team sent in to rescue Holly is an ultimately lovable character, kind of Lou Grant to Holly's Mary Tyler Moore. As the first female officer serving LEPrecon, an elite branch of the Lower Elements Police, Holly Short has a lot to prove and Root holds her to an even higher standard because of this. When she overlooks an important fairy Ritual that is required in order to recharge her magical battery, she puts herself exactly where Artemis wants her, and he couldn't have chosen a better victim. With the help of Foaly, a technological genius, and paranoid centaur who believes that human intelligence agencies are reading his thought and therefore wears a tinfoil hat at all times, Root and his team enter the Fowl estate prepared for a fight they are sure they will win. When things don't go as planned, Mulch Diggums, a dwarf who has allowed his magical abilities to lapse, thus freeing him from arcane fairy rules and rituals and therefore allowing him to enter human homes at will, is allowed a temporary release from prison to assist in the emergency. Mulch tunnels his way to Fowl Manor, performs his task and fakes his death. As the situation continues to spiral out of control for both Artemis and the fairies, a last ditch effort is made at a rescue that puts everyone in grave jeopardy - humans and magical creatures alike, but also puts Artemis in a position to garner empathy - and a wish - from Holly.

I never thought of myself as a lover of action books, but Colfer's combination of intricate characters and plot twists that are impossible to see coming have kept me reading each book in the series from start to finish. My husband and daughter have enjoyed this series as well. I have even found my 12 year old son, who avoids fiction as a rule, listening to book one on audio. Speaking of the audio, the story is brought to life by the British actor Nathaniel Parker, and are definitely worth giving a listen. The series has just been issued new covers and all six titles are available in paperback now. Aside from the great illustrations that grace the covers, the spines now, finally, thankfully, bear NUMBERS so that readers can be sure to tackle them in order, which is as follows...

The Artemis Fowl Series:

Source: Purchased

Don't miss Colfer's new series - W.A.R.P. Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin

[books4yourkids]

Messenger by Lois Lowry, 169pp, RL 5

With Messenger, Lois Lowry completes her trilogy that tells the stories of three different communities and the individuals who make (and remake) them. Matt, the young explorer and rule-breaker from Gathering Blue is now Matty. In the village that he and Kira were born in, age was marked not by years and numbers, but with syllables added to one's name. A person who has lived to earn a four syllable name, such as Annabella, the woman who taught Kira how to make dyes for her threads, is a rarity in their village. Matty now lives with Kira's father Christopher, who, although he is blind, is known as Seer, in the Village, a community that is made up of those who have been rejected by their own people or have fled them for fear of persecution. Life in the Village is truly communal, villagers helping and sharing with each other generously. When their genuine nature, their true worth, is known, they are given a name that reflects their place in the Village, such as Gatherer, Mentor and Stocktender. The Leader of the Village is a young man who arrived almost eight years ago by sled, part of which is enshrined in the Museum, a place that holds many relics of arrival, reminding the Villagers where they came from and what they were leaving.

Communal life in the Village is being threatened as the novel opens. The dense, immense Forrest that surrounds the Village and separates it by several days from the place Matty came from, is becoming more menacing by the day. Scratches, cuts and scrapes that the foliage once inflicted have turned murderous. As a messenger who navigates the Forrest with skill, taking communications from the Village to other communities, Matty is well aware of the changes occurring around him. He is also a bit surprised that the Forrest has not acted against him - yet. Simultaneously, the gentle, generous nature of the inhabitants of the Village seems to be turing sour as well. They are becoming self-centered, even going so far as to suggest closing the borders of the Village so that their resources are not stretched thin. The Trade Mart, a gathering at which the Villagers swap wares and possessions, has become a solemn, foreboding even rather than the boisterous fair that it once was. And, strangely, the Villagers go to the Trade Mart empty handed and return the same way. Somehow, these three occurrences are linked. But, it takes Christopher, the Leader and ultimately Matty to unravel this mystery. The Trade Mart and what the Villagers eventually end up bartering for what they think will make them happy is an interesting commentary on consumerism and capitalism, how we lose a part of our true selves when we desire objects as a means to happiness. The gifts that appeared in The Giver, Jonas' ability to see color and The Giver's ability to hear music, and those from Gathering Blue, Kira's gift with threading and Thomas' with carving, take a mystical turn in Messenger. The Leader reveals that he can "see beyond," he can visualize in his mind what those far away from him are doing. Matty, early on in the novel, discovers his gift as well, one that he keeps secret from everyone except the Leader and one that ultimately affects the climax of the book. While Matty had hoped to be given the name Messenger, his true name is revealed at the end of the book, one that gives perspective to the novel and the character of Matty himself.

Messenger brings satisfying closure to the somewhat loosely linked stories of Jonas, Kira and Matty. All three are young people who face challenges, both physical, emotional and intellectual, that affect the lives of those around them profoundly. While Jonas chooses to flee his Community, believing he will bring about positive change nonetheless, Kira stays where she is, effecting change that is hinted at in Messenger. Matty, a bright and spirited boy in Gathering Blue, grows into a thoughtful, perceptive young man who is faced with the ultimate choice. Although there were so many real-world improbabilities in The Giver, I found the similarities to the world I live in added weight to the themes she explored. While the themes touched on in Gathering Blue and Messenger are equally important, the metaphors and fictional attributes of the characters and setting made the impact of the books seem a bit less jarring than that of The Giver.

[books4yourkids]

Charmed Life (Chrestomanci Series #1) by Diana Wynne Jones, 263 pp, RL 5

Born in England in 1934, Diana Wynne Jones has written over sixty books and is one of the most distinguished, awarded writers in the field of fantasy - in the UK, anyway. Her writing career spanned five decades before she died in 2011. She has influenced the likes of Neil Gaiman (they have dedicated books to each other) and, of course, the brilliant Japanese writer and director, Hayao Miyazaki. In America she is best known as the author of the book that Miyazaki turned into an animated movie, Howl's Moving Castle, nominated for Best Animated Feature in 2005, on the heels of a Best Animated Feature win in 2002 with Spirited Away. Published in 1977, Charmed Life, the first book in the Chrestomanci Series is currently available only as a two-in-one book with book two, The Lives of Christopher Chant and retitled The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Volume One. Volume Two includes The Magicians of Caprona and Witch Week and Volume Three consists of Conrad's Fate and the Pinhoe Egg. While I have read them all in this order over the last ten years, I just learned that it is best to read Conrad's Fate afterVolume 1 and Pinhoe Egg last. Mixed Magics is a collection of short stories from the world of Chrestomanci published between 1982 and 2000. So, if you are new to the series, take that into consideration.

Much like Patricia Wrede, who transports readers to a magical Frontier America in the first book in her trilogy, Thirteenth Child, Diana Wynne Jones creates a complete, inhabitable world(s) effortlessly, whether it is set in the present or the past. Readers will feel immediately transported - as though you can almost smell the magic, which, in the world of Diana Wynne Jones leaves a distinct, potent smell after a spell has been cast. In this particular instance, Diana Wynne Jones has invented a world in which there are multiple parallel universes. a number of which have been visited. Those which are "best known have been divided into sets, called series, according to the events in History which were the same in them." So, all twelve worlds in a series may have the American Revolutionary war as part of their past, but in each world the outcome of the war will be different. Thus, in one world the Americans won their independence, in another they lost, in another they won but were colonized by the French and so on. And, it was "very uncommon for a people not to have at least one exact double in a world of the same series - usually people had a whole string of doubles." The titular word Chrestomanci refers to a very unique and powerful enchanter who is born with nine lives. Chrestomancis are "very important and very rare. They only happens when, for one reason or another, there are no counterparts of them living in any other world. Then the lives that would have been spread out over a whole set of worlds get concentrated in one person. And so do all the talents those eight other people might have had." It is the job of the Chrestomanci to preside over all other worlds and the magic practiced within them and "control all these magic-users" so that ordinary people do not "have a horrible time and end up as slaves." To this end, the "government appoints the very strongest enchanter there is to make sure that no one misuses magic." Although this may seem to be a lengthy and complicated description, this information is revealed in bits and pieces throughout the novel as young Cat Chant discovers who he is.

Gwendolyn and Eric, nicknamed Cat, Chant are very young they and their parents are enjoying a Sunday afternoon on a very crowded, very old steamer that sinks. They survive, but their parents do not. Taken in by Mrs Sharp, a certified (but not accredited) witch, their lives are as good as can be expected. Gwendolyn proves to be a very talented witch and progresses rapidly in her lessons, paid for by family heirlooms and three letters with the Chrestomanci's signature on them - useful for casting spells. Gwendolyn, however, has a quick temper and plans of her own and has no problem using Cat and those around her to get what she wants. Soon, a letter has been sent to Chrestomanci and they children are taken to his estate where Gwendolyn thinks she will live a luxurious life and progress in her magical education. While she finds Chrestomanci's estate to be sprawling and well appointed, she is relegated to the school room for lessons with his very plain children Roger and Julia. And, she is not taught or allowed to use magic. This enrages her so completely that she begins to plot again. All the while, no matter what horrible thing she does, Cat stands by her, defends her and aides her without asking a single question. His unyielding loyalty to his sister is by turns frustrating and incomprehensible but, from the moment he flung his arms around her neck as the steamer sank beside them (witches float and, knowing this, Cat knew she could save him) he seems to be at her beck and call.

As the story unfolds and Gwendolyn's magical attempts to get a rise out of Chrestomanci and her tutor, Mr Saunders, grow more and more outrageous, bits and pieces of Cat's personality and importance are revealed as are the severity of Gwendolyn's actions. When she performs an act of magic that sends her to another world, a very difficult feat, her double, Janet, is pulled into Cat's world and Cat struggles to keep her real identity a secret, protecting Gwendolyn to the end. There is much more to the story, including the regal, distant, well dressed character of Chrestomanci, who's name is Christopher Chant, and the rest of his family and staff as well as a spectacularly stages magical showdown at the end of the book. All of the characters, from the kindhearted Millie, Chrestomanci's wife, to Roger, Julia and the housekeeper, Mrs Bessamer, to the wicked and self-interested Mr Nostrum and Mr Baslam are intriguing and often funny. The practice of magic and the place it plays in the world of Chrestomanci is fascinating also.

The second book in the series, The Lives of Christopher Chant, tells the story of how Chrestomanci discovered that he had nine lives and is equally, if not more interesting than Cat's story.

Howl's Moving Castle Trilogy

  The Tough Guide to Fantasyland

Published in 1996 and revised in 2006, this very funny, faux travel guide that takes the reader through all the common tropes found in fantasy writing.

A few more wonderful books from Diana Wynne Jones

[books4yourkids]

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, 278 pp, RL 5

Artemis Fowl by Irish author Eoin Colfer (first name pronounced Owen) is an impressive series of books that is a mash-up of fantasy, science fiction and spy novels with a twelve-year old genius at it's heart. And, amidst all the spectacular weaponry, reconnaissance gizmos, fairies, trolls, dwarves and centaurs, the characters are truly the heart of the books. Colfer takes such care and precision with the intellects, emotions and motivations of his creations, human or magical, that it is difficult not to be drawn into the stories regardless of your genre preferences. There are so many intricate, interconnected details that it is near impossible to describe this book with a handful of sentences. The short(ish) line that I give at work at the bookstore when trying to hook a reader goes like this: Have you heard that story about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Well, Artemis Fowl is a child genius and he decides that he is going to figure out how to trick the leprechauns and fairies out of their gold. Except, these aren't fairies like Tinker Bell or leprechauns like the Lucky Charms guy. These creatures have an amazing collection of special weapons and magical abilities. And there is a kleptomaniac dwarf who is capable of passing gas with the intensity of a cyclone and most of them, except the trolls, are about three feet tall. The longer description that truly does justice to Colfer's writing is as follows...

Artemis Fowl II comes from a long line of dubious and very wealthy Fowls. His father, hoping to capitalize on the break-up of communist Russia, invested a "huge chunk of the Fowl fortune in establishing new shipping lines to the vast continent. New consumers, he reasoned, would need new consumer goods." Unfortunately, the Russian mafia did not take well to Fowl's plans and launched a stolen missile at the Fowl Star, upon which Artemis Fowl I and his manservant were traveling, along with 250,000 cans of cola. Artemis Fowl I's manservant, Butler, also had a fascinating lineage. In fact, it is believed that the common noun "butler" originated from the unusual arrangement that began when Lord Hugo de Folé contracted Virgil Butler to be his bodyguard, servant and cook for one of the first great Norman Crusades. In present times, Butler children are sent, at age 10, to a special camp in Israel where they are taught the skills (including Cordon Bleu cooking, marksmanship, martial arts, emergency medicine and information technology) needed to guard the latest in the Fowl line. When there is not a Fowl in need of a Butler, they are snapped up by royal personages for work as body guards.

When we first meet Artemis Fowl II and Butler, nephew of the Butler who was on the Fowl Star, they are in Ho Chi Minh City on the trail of one of "The People," a race of magical creatures who have migrated underground as the human population (and general intolerance of those unlike them) encroached. Through internet research and offers of money, Artemis has found someone willing to lead him to a fairy living above ground with the "mud people," as humans are called. He is in search of a fairy because he has decided to rebuild the Fowl fortune by acquiring the archetypal leprechaun pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But, to do this he must first get his hands on (and decipher) the Book of the People, which is the instructions to "their magicks and life rules." Colfer creates his own fairy alphabet and includes a message for readers that runs continuously along the bottom of the pages of all the books in the series. For readers who are not also code breakers, the Artemis Fowl Files, reveals the code, among other cool things related to the series. After exhausting his computer resources, Artemis breaks the code on his own with the use of an X-acto knife and copies of the pages of the Book. From there, his plan is set in motion and his attempt to kidnap and ransom a fairy takes up the rest of the book. The machinations of Artemis's mind and the way that he seems to be able to see all possibilities and prepare for them, even beyond the inimitable abilities of Butler and his extensive training, is a delight. Artemis's plans are his alone to know and the reader witnesses them unfold along with the fairies, never knowing for sure what he has up his sleeve and what might bring him down. If not a rampaging troll, then what?

Among The People, Julius Root, Holly Short, Foaly and Mulch Diggums are equally as fascinating to watch face the dangerous, above ground situation Artemis has lured them into. Commander Root, a cigar chomping curmudgeon who returns to active duty to lead the team sent in to rescue Holly is an ultimately lovable character, kind of Lou Grant to Holly's Mary Tyler Moore. As the first female officer serving LEPrecon, an elite branch of the Lower Elements Police, Holly Short has a lot to prove and Root holds her to an even higher standard because of this. When she overlooks an important fairy Ritual that is required in order to recharge her magical battery, she puts herself exactly where Artemis wants her, and he couldn't have chosen a better victim. With the help of Foaly, a technological genius, and paranoid centaur who believes that human intelligence agencies are reading his thought and therefore wears a tinfoil hat at all times, Root and his team enter the Fowl estate prepared for a fight they are sure they will win. When things don't go as planned, Mulch Diggums, a dwarf who has allowed his magical abilities to lapse, thus freeing him from arcane fairy rules and rituals and therefore allowing him to enter human homes at will, is allowed a temporary release from prison to assist in the emergency. Mulch tunnels his way to Fowl Manor, performs his task and fakes his death. As the situation continues to spiral out of control for both Artemis and the fairies, a last ditch effort is made at a rescue that puts everyone in grave jeopardy - humans and magical creatures alike, but also puts Artemis in a position to garner empathy - and a wish - from Holly.

I never thought of myself as a lover of action books, but Colfer's combination of intricate characters and plot twists that are impossible to see coming have kept me reading each book in the series from start to finish. My husband and daughter have enjoyed this series as well. I have even found my 12 year old son, who avoids fiction as a rule, listening to book one on audio. Speaking of the audio, the story is brought to life by the British actor Nathaniel Parker, and are definitely worth giving a listen. The series has just been issued new covers and all six titles are available in paperback now. Aside from the great illustrations that grace the covers, the spines now, finally, thankfully, bear NUMBERS so that readers can be sure to tackle them in order, which is as follows...

The Artemis Fowl Series:

Source: Purchased

Don't miss Colfer's new series - W.A.R.P. Book 1: The Reluctant Assassin

[books4yourkids]

Messenger by Lois Lowry, 169pp, RL 5

With Messenger, Lois Lowry completes her trilogy that tells the stories of three different communities and the individuals who make (and remake) them. Matt, the young explorer and rule-breaker from Gathering Blue is now Matty. In the village that he and Kira were born in, age was marked not by years and numbers, but with syllables added to one's name. A person who has lived to earn a four syllable name, such as Annabella, the woman who taught Kira how to make dyes for her threads, is a rarity in their village. Matty now lives with Kira's father Christopher, who, although he is blind, is known as Seer, in the Village, a community that is made up of those who have been rejected by their own people or have fled them for fear of persecution. Life in the Village is truly communal, villagers helping and sharing with each other generously. When their genuine nature, their true worth, is known, they are given a name that reflects their place in the Village, such as Gatherer, Mentor and Stocktender. The Leader of the Village is a young man who arrived almost eight years ago by sled, part of which is enshrined in the Museum, a place that holds many relics of arrival, reminding the Villagers where they came from and what they were leaving.

Communal life in the Village is being threatened as the novel opens. The dense, immense Forrest that surrounds the Village and separates it by several days from the place Matty came from, is becoming more menacing by the day. Scratches, cuts and scrapes that the foliage once inflicted have turned murderous. As a messenger who navigates the Forrest with skill, taking communications from the Village to other communities, Matty is well aware of the changes occurring around him. He is also a bit surprised that the Forrest has not acted against him - yet. Simultaneously, the gentle, generous nature of the inhabitants of the Village seems to be turing sour as well. They are becoming self-centered, even going so far as to suggest closing the borders of the Village so that their resources are not stretched thin. The Trade Mart, a gathering at which the Villagers swap wares and possessions, has become a solemn, foreboding even rather than the boisterous fair that it once was. And, strangely, the Villagers go to the Trade Mart empty handed and return the same way. Somehow, these three occurrences are linked. But, it takes Christopher, the Leader and ultimately Matty to unravel this mystery. The Trade Mart and what the Villagers eventually end up bartering for what they think will make them happy is an interesting commentary on consumerism and capitalism, how we lose a part of our true selves when we desire objects as a means to happiness. The gifts that appeared in The Giver, Jonas' ability to see color and The Giver's ability to hear music, and those from Gathering Blue, Kira's gift with threading and Thomas' with carving, take a mystical turn in Messenger. The Leader reveals that he can "see beyond," he can visualize in his mind what those far away from him are doing. Matty, early on in the novel, discovers his gift as well, one that he keeps secret from everyone except the Leader and one that ultimately affects the climax of the book. While Matty had hoped to be given the name Messenger, his true name is revealed at the end of the book, one that gives perspective to the novel and the character of Matty himself.

Messenger brings satisfying closure to the somewhat loosely linked stories of Jonas, Kira and Matty. All three are young people who face challenges, both physical, emotional and intellectual, that affect the lives of those around them profoundly. While Jonas chooses to flee his Community, believing he will bring about positive change nonetheless, Kira stays where she is, effecting change that is hinted at in Messenger. Matty, a bright and spirited boy in Gathering Blue, grows into a thoughtful, perceptive young man who is faced with the ultimate choice. Although there were so many real-world improbabilities in The Giver, I found the similarities to the world I live in added weight to the themes she explored. While the themes touched on in Gathering Blue and Messenger are equally important, the metaphors and fictional attributes of the characters and setting made the impact of the books seem a bit less jarring than that of The Giver.

[books4yourkids]

Charmed Life (Chrestomanci Series #1) by Diana Wynne Jones, 263 pp, RL 5

Born in England in 1934, Diana Wynne Jones has written over sixty books and is one of the most distinguished, awarded writers in the field of fantasy - in the UK, anyway. Her writing career spanned five decades before she died in 2011. She has influenced the likes of Neil Gaiman (they have dedicated books to each other) and, of course, the brilliant Japanese writer and director, Hayao Miyazaki. In America she is best known as the author of the book that Miyazaki turned into an animated movie, Howl's Moving Castle, nominated for Best Animated Feature in 2005, on the heels of a Best Animated Feature win in 2002 with Spirited Away. Published in 1977, Charmed Life, the first book in the Chrestomanci Series is currently available only as a two-in-one book with book two, The Lives of Christopher Chant and retitled The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Volume One. Volume Two includes The Magicians of Caprona and Witch Week and Volume Three consists of Conrad's Fate and the Pinhoe Egg. While I have read them all in this order over the last ten years, I just learned that it is best to read Conrad's Fate afterVolume 1 and Pinhoe Egg last. Mixed Magics is a collection of short stories from the world of Chrestomanci published between 1982 and 2000. So, if you are new to the series, take that into consideration.

Much like Patricia Wrede, who transports readers to a magical Frontier America in the first book in her trilogy, Thirteenth Child, Diana Wynne Jones creates a complete, inhabitable world(s) effortlessly, whether it is set in the present or the past. Readers will feel immediately transported - as though you can almost smell the magic, which, in the world of Diana Wynne Jones leaves a distinct, potent smell after a spell has been cast. In this particular instance, Diana Wynne Jones has invented a world in which there are multiple parallel universes. a number of which have been visited. Those which are "best known have been divided into sets, called series, according to the events in History which were the same in them." So, all twelve worlds in a series may have the American Revolutionary war as part of their past, but in each world the outcome of the war will be different. Thus, in one world the Americans won their independence, in another they lost, in another they won but were colonized by the French and so on. And, it was "very uncommon for a people not to have at least one exact double in a world of the same series - usually people had a whole string of doubles." The titular word Chrestomanci refers to a very unique and powerful enchanter who is born with nine lives. Chrestomancis are "very important and very rare. They only happens when, for one reason or another, there are no counterparts of them living in any other world. Then the lives that would have been spread out over a whole set of worlds get concentrated in one person. And so do all the talents those eight other people might have had." It is the job of the Chrestomanci to preside over all other worlds and the magic practiced within them and "control all these magic-users" so that ordinary people do not "have a horrible time and end up as slaves." To this end, the "government appoints the very strongest enchanter there is to make sure that no one misuses magic." Although this may seem to be a lengthy and complicated description, this information is revealed in bits and pieces throughout the novel as young Cat Chant discovers who he is.

Gwendolyn and Eric, nicknamed Cat, Chant are very young they and their parents are enjoying a Sunday afternoon on a very crowded, very old steamer that sinks. They survive, but their parents do not. Taken in by Mrs Sharp, a certified (but not accredited) witch, their lives are as good as can be expected. Gwendolyn proves to be a very talented witch and progresses rapidly in her lessons, paid for by family heirlooms and three letters with the Chrestomanci's signature on them - useful for casting spells. Gwendolyn, however, has a quick temper and plans of her own and has no problem using Cat and those around her to get what she wants. Soon, a letter has been sent to Chrestomanci and they children are taken to his estate where Gwendolyn thinks she will live a luxurious life and progress in her magical education. While she finds Chrestomanci's estate to be sprawling and well appointed, she is relegated to the school room for lessons with his very plain children Roger and Julia. And, she is not taught or allowed to use magic. This enrages her so completely that she begins to plot again. All the while, no matter what horrible thing she does, Cat stands by her, defends her and aides her without asking a single question. His unyielding loyalty to his sister is by turns frustrating and incomprehensible but, from the moment he flung his arms around her neck as the steamer sank beside them (witches float and, knowing this, Cat knew she could save him) he seems to be at her beck and call.

As the story unfolds and Gwendolyn's magical attempts to get a rise out of Chrestomanci and her tutor, Mr Saunders, grow more and more outrageous, bits and pieces of Cat's personality and importance are revealed as are the severity of Gwendolyn's actions. When she performs an act of magic that sends her to another world, a very difficult feat, her double, Janet, is pulled into Cat's world and Cat struggles to keep her real identity a secret, protecting Gwendolyn to the end. There is much more to the story, including the regal, distant, well dressed character of Chrestomanci, who's name is Christopher Chant, and the rest of his family and staff as well as a spectacularly stages magical showdown at the end of the book. All of the characters, from the kindhearted Millie, Chrestomanci's wife, to Roger, Julia and the housekeeper, Mrs Bessamer, to the wicked and self-interested Mr Nostrum and Mr Baslam are intriguing and often funny. The practice of magic and the place it plays in the world of Chrestomanci is fascinating also.

The second book in the series, The Lives of Christopher Chant, tells the story of how Chrestomanci discovered that he had nine lives and is equally, if not more interesting than Cat's story.

Howl's Moving Castle Trilogy

  The Tough Guide to Fantasyland

Published in 1996 and revised in 2006, this very funny, faux travel guide that takes the reader through all the common tropes found in fantasy writing.

A few more wonderful books from Diana Wynne Jones

[books4yourkids]

The Keepers: The Box and the Dragonfly by Ted Sanders, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, 544 pp, RL 5

[books4yourkids]

Great Ball of Light by Evan Kuhlman, illustrated by Jeremy Holmes, 287 pp, RL 5