This Month in Mormon Literature, October 2014

The Church PR film Meet the Mormons opens to good box-office and mixed reviews, while the film 16 Stones received poor reviews. Chris Crowe’s new YA novel is written entirely in haiku verse. There are also new juvenile/YA novels from Amy Finnegan, Becca Fitzpatrick. Jessica Day George, Shannon Hale and Dean Hale (starred review), Jessica Martinez (starred review), and Robison Wells. Also national novels by Brenda Novak and Brad R. Torgersen. Mormon literary giant Douglas Thayer has a new novel published by Zarahemla, and Paul Edwards’ RLDS mystery is published by Signature. There are lots of contest winners and announcements, and blog posts about Mormon super heroes in Marvel comics, and the Osmonds’ rock phase. Mahonri Stewart has a new play. Keep up on the “Wither AML?” posts on this blog. Mormon humor icon Cal Grondahl earlier this year had his status at the Standard-Examiner change. Please send news and corrections to mormonlit AT gmail DOT com.

News, contests, and contest winners

[I messed this up, misreading a Tribune article from January. I am correcting it, but will leave the discussion of Grondahl’s work.] Utah cartoonist Calvin Grondahl was one of as many as a dozen newspaper staffers let go in January at Ogden’s newspaper The Standard-Examiner, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Since that time Grondahl has continued to contribute two cartoons a week to the paper as a contractor.  The January 2014 article stated, “The layoffs, reportedly affecting news-gathering and support positions, follow deep staffing cuts at The Salt Lake Tribune in September and at the Mormon church-owned Deseret News more than three years ago — all in the face of declining print circulation and advertising revenue. They told me it had nothing to do with the quality of my work,” Grondahl said. “I don’t know what the numbers are but I hear the rumors. They have to make some hard decisions. I can see that.” . . . Known for his mordant caricatures of Utah and Mormon culture and Ogden’s political scene, Grondahl was a popular fixture on the newspaper’s editorial pages . . . Grondahl is also an author and is considered the respected elder of a cadre of Utah cartoonists who trained at Brigham Young University, among them Pulitzer Prize winner Steve Benson at The Arizona Republic and The Tribune’s Pat Bagley.” Grondahl previously was the cartoonist at the BYU Daily Universe and Deseret News, and many of his Mormon-themed cartoons were published in Sunstone over the years. Some of his Deseret News and Sunstone cartoons were published in the collections Freeway to Perfection (1978-AML Award Winner), Faith-Promoting Rumors (1980), and Sunday’s Foyer (1983) (Sunstone Foundation). His cartoons from his early Standard-Examiner years are collected Marketing Proceeds the Miracle (1987), Utah and All That Jazz (1989), Utah Sex and Travel Guide(1993) (Signature Press). He also contributed illustrations to Music and the Broken Word (by Paul Toscano, 1991), His career is discussed at length in this collection of reviews from Signature Books, and this Salt Lake Tribune article on Mormon humor. I grew up with the three Sunstone collections in my home, they set my standard for great Mormon humor.

Meeting of the Myths Short Story Contest. James Goldberg and the Mormon Lit Blitz bring their next short story contest. Deadline: 31 October 2014. Theric gives his view of the contest at Meeting of the Myths.

Announcing the 2nd Annual #MormonPoetrySlam (Tyler). “Since last year’s #MormonPoetrySlam was, by my accounting, a success (peruse the event archive here and review the performances here), I’ve decided to make it an annual event . . . it’s not a live, face-to-face event; there will be no time limits placed on performances; and participants won’t be reading their own poems. But it will be a competition in which individual performances are judged by an audience of the readers’ peers . . . The submission deadline is midnight, November 15, 2014.”

Amy M. Hughes of Bountiful Utah won 2^nd place in the International Writers of the Future Contest 2014-2015 3^rd quarter contest for her story “The Graver”, and her story will be published in Volume 31 of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future.

Jana Reiss announced her personal Mormon essay contest winners, led by the grand prize winner, Eric Facer’s “Pork Belly-Up”.

The 2014 YALSA Teens Top Ten list, voted by teens, named Brandon Sanderson’s The Rithmatist #3, Sanderson’s Steelheart #8, and James Dashner’s The Eye of Minds #10.

The call for entries for the 14^th LDS Film Festival, to be held in March 2015, was announced.

Blog posts

Could a Mormon Super Hero Appear in Captain America 3? (Christopher D. Cunningham, LDS.net). Cunningham goes over the LDS-related characters in the Marvel universe.

Mette Ivie Harrison: Outlining Takes the Fun Out of Writing (Publishers Weekly Fall 2014 fiction preview). “Most murder mysteries are carefully plotted, but Mette Ivie Harrison didn’t know who the murderer was when she started writing her first adult novel. “I wrote the first draft of The Bishop’s Wife in a fever-hot three-day period, often writing more than 10,000 words a day,” says Harrison. “I thought I knew who the murderer was when I started, but I turned out to be wrong.” Though she says she always writes fast, this book was extreme—even for her. Harrison has been a more or less conservative Mormon since her teenage years, and she hopes to reach two audiences with The Bishop’s Wife: a national audience willing to see an older Mormon mother as sympathetic, and a Mormon audience of women who are afraid to ask their own questions about religion. The Bishop’s Wife has all the hallmarks of a twisted murder mystery: a missing wife, dark secrets, and an atmospheric setting. But its characters are Mormons, and Linda, the protagonist, is deeply involved with the church.” [Harrison corrects the article, “I did not write it in 3 days–3 weeks!”]

At A Motley Vision: Marilynne Robinson on writing about faith (William Morris), Mormon narrative art: writers and critics (William Morris), Here. Read a book. #ldsconf (Theric), On the Mormon Vision of Language: Bro. Chadwick and the Power of Words (Tyler Chadwick).

Brad R. Torgersen”What Value the ‘Traditional’ Path?” (Locus Magazine). Torgersen talks about using short fiction to start his SF writing career.

The Osmonds meet Led Zeppelin: A secret history of Mormon heavy metal (Mike McPadden, Death and Taxes). “For two albums—1972’s “Crazy Horses” in 1972 and the following year’s “The Plan”—the devoutly religious, relentlessly clean-living Brothers Osmond transformed from the Jackson 5’s white bread R&B competition into legitimate hard rockers, unleashing thunderous riffs, smoking grooves, and bombastic sonic firepower on par with the era’s heaviest begetters of the devil’s music—to the point that the Osmonds’ metal moment even won them converts among no less an infernal cabal than the mighty Led Zeppelin.”

Magazines, short stories, and podcasts

Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 47:3 Fall 2014, includes Michael Andrew Ellis’ short story “Moving On”, David G. Pace’s “The Postum Table”, Michael Austin’s exploration of the literary heritage of a mid-20^th century ex-Mormon author in “Vardis Fisher’s Mormon Scars: Mapping the Diaspora in the Testament of Man”, and poetry from Mark D. Bennion, Sarah Dunster, and Ronald Wilcox. Dialogue, a Journal of Mormon Thought, seeks an editor for the five-year term that will begin in 2016 and end in 2020.

BYU Studies Quarterly 53.3 (2014). Includes: Jack Harrell. “Toward a Mormon Literary Theory”. “Is there a Mormon literary theory? Jack Harrell, a professor at BYU–Idaho and writer of fiction, suggests that perhaps such a theory does exist, at least implicitly—a de facto Mormon literary theory that is yet to be delineated. This article is an attempt to begin that delineation. Harrell first gives a brief overview of LDS literary criticism, using Eugene England’s four periods of Mormon literature (Foundations, Home Literature, Lost Generation, and Faithful Realism) to set the stage for the parameters he believes should define a Mormon literary theory. This theory should be deeply rooted in LDS theology, reflecting Mormon cosmology, Mormon myths and archetypes, Mormon culture, Mormon understanding of “the Word,” the redemptive power of art, and a Mormon sense of ethics, especially questions of good and evil. A final appeal is that Mormon literary theory cannot reside in postmodernism; instead, it may resonate more with the New Sincerity, or post-postmodernism.”

“Emma Lou Thayne and the Art of Peace”. Interview conducted by BYU Studies poetry editor Casualene Meyer. Meyer’s interview unfolds the story behind the lyrics for the beloved LDS hymn “Where Can I Turn of Peace?” and explores Thayne’s involvement in international antinuclear conferences and causes, including her receipt in 2013 of the Gandhi Peace Award. Accompanying this interview are two new original poems, “One Will Be Gone: Making the Bed with My Husband, Both 89,” and “Let Me Be Sad.” Also poetry by Marilyn N. Nielson and Emma L. Thayne.

Kenna Blaylock, the Editor in Chief of the speculative fiction magazine Leading Edge, introduces herself.

Steven L. Peck interview at A Thoughtful Faith podcast.

Eric James Stone. “Motivational Story.” Daily Science Fiction. Oct. 13.

Ryan Shoemaker. “Mormon Boys in Cars”. Word Riot. His first published creative nonfiction piece. A sad story about teenage boys spraying unsuspecting people with water.

New poetry and creative non-fiction

Chris Crowe. Death Coming Up the Hill. YA novel written in haiku verse, see the write up in the “New Books” section.

Colin Douglas. First Light, First Water. Waking Lion Press, July 3. Poetry collection. Blurb: “[In this] collection of poems and prose poems . . . words definitely matter, and working in and through the words is a delicate but profound sensibility of the elusive but irreducible reality beyond words. The first section, “A Certain Tree,” explores the relation of man and woman, of God and man, of time and eternity. The second, “Last Night’s Equations,” portrays people and places found only in dreams, at once delightful and disturbing. With poetic influences from the Bible to Rimbaud, from Breton to Rexroth, this stunning collection will leave readers moved and wondering, dreaming dreams of their own.” Douglas has been publishing poetry and Mormon literary criticism since the late 1970s. Here he is on Youtube at a recent poetry reading, at what looks to be the old Sam Wellers’ (what is it called now?)

Eric Freeze. Hemingway on a Bike. University of Nebraska Press, Oct. 1. Collection of creative nonfiction about France, parenting, and odd sports. “A collage-like mash-up of personal anecdote, popular culture, masculinity, sports, and parenting, Hemingway on a Bike takes readers through the many and varied twists and turns of the life and mind of its author, Eric Freeze. Delving into obsessions and experiences, Freeze’s essays display a keen intelligence with insights on topics as diverse as Mormonism and foosball, Angry Birds and professional wrestling, superheroes and free birthing, Ernest Hemingway and Star Trek.”

“This book is so much more than Hemingway on a bike, and thankfully so. In wide-ranging meanders, Eric Freeze takes us around the globe and into experiences both personal and universal, from transporting a foosball table to gutting a fish to growing a patchy beard to witnessing attacks by a barracuda and a British talk-show host. The essays move deftly, pausing to ponder or to play in language; they keep us moving; they move us. What it comes down to is this: the book is wonderful because Freeze’s mind is so unfetteredly interesting.”—Patrick Madden, author of Quotidiana

“Intelligent, curious, and self-effacing, Hemingway on a Bike represents a truly singular work of creative nonfiction. Meditating on an improbably diverse range of subjects—including foosball, superheroes, Mormonism, home birthing, beards, fishing, Vulcans, and professional wrestling—Freeze proves himself to be the kind of writer who knows exactly how to plumb the idiosyncrasies of his own experience, and the results are playful and profound.”—Matthew Vollmer, author of Inscriptions for Headstones

Kimberly Johnson. Uncommon Prayer. Persea, Oct. 3. Poetry. The BYU professor’s third published poetry collection. Blurb: “In this stirring third collection, bursting with spoken and unspoken desire, Kimberly Johnson continues her ecstatic intertwining of the liturgical and the rugged landscape of the American West. Uncommon Prayer is a book about desire, and about the ways in which desire can and cannot be expressed, contained, or controlled by language. Invoking the structural organization of the liturgical hours, the calendar, and the alphabet, Uncommon Prayer explores how external forms might compensate for the incommunicability of human want.” Over the last year Johnson has had two other academic books published:

Before the Door of God: An Anthology of Devotional Poetry. Yale University Press, Nov. 26, 2013. Edited by Joy Hopler and Kimberly Johnson. “[It] traces the development of devotional English-language poetry from its origins in ancient hymnody to its current twenty-first-century incarnations. The poems in this volume demonstrate not only that devotional poetry—poetry that speaks to the divine—remains in vigorous practice, but also that the tradition reaches back to the very origins of poetry in English.”

Made Flesh: Sacrament and Poetics in Post-Reformation England. University of Pennsylvania Press, Jan. 30, 2014. “During the Reformation, the mystery of the Eucharist was the subject of contentious debate and a nexus of concerns over how the material might embody the sublime and how the absent might be made present. For Kimberly Johnson, the question of how exactly Christ can be present in bread and wine is fundamentally an issue of representation, and one that bears directly upon the mechanics of poetry. In Made Flesh, she explores the sacramental conjunction of text with materiality and word with flesh through the peculiar poetic strategies of the seventeenth-century English lyric. Made Flesh examines the ways in which the works of John Donne, George Herbert, Richard Crashaw, Edward Taylor, and other devotional poets explicitly engaged in issues of signification, sacrament, worship, and the ontological value of the material world.”

Other New Books and their Reviews

Legends and Lore: An Anthology of Mythic Proportions. Xchyler Publishing, Oct. 22. Short stories in which contemporary people interact with powers from myths and legends.

Anika Arrington. The Accidental Apprentice. Xchyler Publishing, Oct. 1. Fantasy. A wizard gets flees from a king, finds a new protégé. First novel.

Christy Barritt, Julie Coulter Bellon, Tanya Parker Mills. Too Deep. Mirror Press, Oct. 1. Romantic suspense. Three full length romances. “A Triple Treat Romance”. The Triple Treat Romance Sets will only be available for approximately 6 months after their release date.

Chris Crowe. Death Coming Up the Hill. HMH Books, Oct. 7. YA. Written in haiku stanzas. “It’s 1968, and war is not foreign to seventeen-year-old Ashe. His dogmatic, racist father married his passionate peace-activist mother when she became pregnant with him, and ever since, the couple, like the situation in Vietnam, has been engaged in a “senseless war that could have been prevented.”   When his high school history teacher dares to teach the political realities of the war, Ashe grows to better understand the situation in Vietnam, his family, and the wider world around him. But when a new crisis hits his parents’ marriage, Ashe finds himself trapped, with no options before him but to enter the fray.” Crowe wrote one syllable for each American soldier who was killed in Vietnam in 1968, 16,592.

But when

I thought about the
four hundred seventy-one
guys who died last week,

I knew I’d go to
college to avoid the war,
not prepare for it.

I just hoped the war
ended before I had to
decide, because Dad

didn’t need any
more ammunition to use
against my mother.”

Kirkus Reviews: “Not only is that asking a lot of its diminutive form, but so much happened in 1968: the war, race riots, the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, let alone Ashe’s family life, which resembles a war zone. Haiku stanzas just can’t contain it all, being ill equipped for the depth or context necessary for a rich historical novel. But what transcends contrivance and gimmickry is Ashe’s voice, and haiku are well-suited to carry that. With newspaper headlines, death tolls, and overwhelming world, national and domestic events in the background, one boy’s clear and earnest voice records his life: “I’ll / write what needs to be / remembered and leave it to / you to fill in the gaps.” A memorable / and innovative story / of one wrenching year.”

SLJ: “This structure, while meaningful, somewhat limits the pacing and full development of the story, and the characters, at times, feel like caricatures of the era. Still, Ashe’s emotional struggle is heartbreaking, and his story gives Crowe a thoughtful platform from which to explore issues of family, divorce, patriotism, peace, human compassion, and the tolls of war. It will appeal to fans of novels in verse or to readers with an interest in the Vietnam War, Civil Rights, or American history.”

Booklist: “The unusual narrative style makes this exploration of Vietnam-era politics at home and abroad readily accessible to struggling readers, while fans of poetry may appreciate the eloquence in its brevity.”

Joyce DiPastena. Loving Lucianna. Sable Tyger Books, Oct. 10. Medieval Romance. Hearts in Autumn #1. A knight and a woman in their middle age find love well after they had given up on it.

Paul M. Edwards. Murder By Sacrament. Signature, October 15. RLDS mystery.

Doug Gibson, Standard Examiner. “Those who yearn for Mormon-themed fiction without the obligatory faith-promoting climax might want to give Toom Taggert the once-over . . . this is the second book featuring Taggert, who plays a somewhat cynical philosophy professor who also heads the education department of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, now known as The Community of Christ. Edwards is a former president of the Mormon History Association and he created Taggert in an image no doubt treasured by most explorers of Mormon history: He’s an unorthodox bureaucrat, coffee-drinking and less impressed by faith than his peers, uncomfortably nested in an environment of church hierarchy bureaucrats and hyperfaith junior members of the church staff. A bit of a loner, with a comatose wife, Toom’s closest friends are a cop buddy named Amos, and Marie, the church’s legal representation. There is romantic tension between Toom and Amos over Marie, who almost married the cop in the past.  The book is set in the RLDS church’s Independence, Mo. headquarters, at the time period just before the RLDS church changed its name. Frankly, with the structure and tensions that Edwards creates, the novel could just as easily be set in LDS headquarters in Salt Lake City. In “Murder by Sacrament,” someone is killing major church donors via poison. The first donor is killed drinking the sacrament in the church’s temple, another is killed sampling chocolates at an expensive church party. Ultimately, the pressures of performing in a highly religious environment play into the murder plot. This is a cerebral novel, with Taggert using his philosophy skills both to try to solve the murders, handle the anal behavior at work, and meander through a love affair he cannot consummate due to his ailing wife . . . The reader can’t help but like Taggert, a man who uses his wit to maintain his faith, a product most would laud, except in an environment filled with certainty. It’s interesting to read a novel that pits faith as the opposite of certainty . . . It’s a well-paced, well thought-out mystery in a Mormon setting and the story builds to a satisfying climax, with a bureaucracy-mandated twist at the very end that leaves a killer with a good legacy.”

Sherry D. Ficklin. Queen of Someday. Clean Teen Publishing, Oct. 7. YA Historical Romance. Stolen Empire #1. Catherine the Great’s early years in 18^th century Russia. “Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophia will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost.”

SLJ: “This historical fiction tale provides a compelling, if fanciful look at the early years of Catherine the Great. A brief author’s note outlines the liberties taken with the story. An entertaining, racy read that will spark an interest in the history of Catherine the Great, about whom not much has been written for this age group previously.”

The Golden Mantle: “What I loved: The writing. I know that is kind of vague, but the prose was so beautifully created that I really felt like I was in Sophia’s head, and in Russian court. Ficklin, drew me in almost immediately and I struggled to step away from the book for even a minute. It was also nice that she did her research! The characters, were real members of Russian court, and the fear of Prussian alliances was also very real . . .What I disliked: I would have liked to see more of the relationship between Empress Elizabeth and Sophia, I felt like it was not fully fleshed out until the end, and perhaps that was because of Sophia’s realizations.I would have liked to see more of the relationship between Empress Elizabeth and Sophia, I felt like it was not fully fleshed out until the end, and perhaps that was because of Sophia’s realizations. Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It was a fresh take on the story of a young Catherine the Great and was not only historically accurate, but also beautiful and engaging. 8.5/10”

Amy Finnegan. Not in the Script. Bloomsbury Children’s, Oct. 7. YA romance. If Only . . . series #3. Teen TV actors maybe fall in love for real. Debut novel. It is #3 in a multi-author series.

Kirkus: “It’s the ultimate chick-lit romp when a teen movie star finds herself cast with two of the hottest young actors around . . . Finnegan divides the chapters between Emma and Jake, keeping the plot moving at a good clip. Emma and Jake come across as attractive not just in looks, but in personality too, and the rest of the cast provides spice. Readers who’ve logged plenty of Disney Channel hours should enjoy this inside look at celebrity life.”

SLJ: “Teens will appreciate the behind-the-the-scenes look at celebrity life and the entertainment industry. The drama between Emma and her childhood best friend Rachel, as well as between the protagonist and her manager mother is realistic and relatable. Although the plot gets slow at points, Emma’s wit and humor will keep readers with her right until the end.”

Deseret News: “A fun, clean romantic read great for a rainy weekend or an end-of-season beach trip. It is very engaging, the plot moves along quickly, surprises lurk around the next page and, of course, a happy ending is guaranteed.”

Jessica Day George. 5 stars. “This book was so fun and fascinating! It was romantic without being insipid. No one grazed anyone’s jaw with their thumb. Emma wasn’t constantly manhandled by guys she just met, except for this one guy, who is known to be inappropriately handsy. (Those are my two pet peeves in romances. The jaw rubbing and the grabbing.) There was humor and drama in spades as well. Finnegan has been on the sets of a number of TV shows, because she has a family member who is an assistant director, and there’s lots of great, insidery details. I normally don’t fall for teen guys in YA books, because I am an old lady, but honestly . . . Jake . . . Oooohhh. I kept thinking of Flynn Ryder in Tangled: You leave me no choice! Here comes the smolder! (So much smolder! But not in a pretentious way!) And Emma was delightful, because she was so real. She’s the kind of person I would like to be friends with: complex, interesting, and fun. I stayed up late reading, because I just had to know what was going to happen next.”

Mindy, LDSWBR: 5 stars. “WOW! This book was so much fun.  I loved it.  Amy does a fantastic job of giving the reader a glimpse of celebrity life.  Emma is a fabulous character.”

Becca Fitzpatrick. Black Ice. Simon & Schuster, Oct. 7. YA romantic thriller. A backpacking young woman is taken hostage by a group of fugitives. Stand-alone novel.

Kirkus: “This wannabe romance remains a thriller at heart . . . Fitzpatrick keeps the focus more on suspense than on the underlying romance, pitching the book to two complementary audiences. Although some of Britt’s reasoning comes across as rather tortured, the story still works as a good thriller. Except for Korbie, effectively drawn as a self-centered, spoiled brat, the characterizations are fairly shallow. Plenty of thrills and some kissing too.”

PW: “An abrupt and disturbingly graphic opener sets the tone for Fitzpatrick’s staccato storytelling and barrage of deadly complications . . . As Britt narrates the tale, she flits between naïve damsel in distress, desperately hoping her outdoorsy ex, Calvin, will come to her rescue and quick-witted young woman who shows resiliency after making the sickening discovery that her captors have killed before. In the vein of Marcus Sedgwick’s Revolver, Fitzpatrick’s novel is rife with psychological twists exploring themes of revenge, misogyny, and familial duty.”

SLJ: “After the heart-poundingly realistic prologue, the rest of the book is a bit frothy, with typical romance plot points. However, the mystery builds with each chapter and the writing is good enough to sustain a sense of foreboding with each page. Despite the unrealistic and saccharine story of the protagonist falling in love with one of her captors, this is a book with inarguable appeal. Britt has realistically complex feelings towards her parents, best friend, and ex-boyfriend, and many teens will enjoy the mix of horror, mystery, and chick lit.”

Jessica Day George. Thursdays with the Crown.Bloomsbury USA Childrens, Oct. 7. Late elementary/Middle grade fantasy. Castle Glower #3.

Kirkus: “Although there’s plenty of action, all the heavy significance rests on ancient history and exposition, dousing the immediacy of the story. When Celie deciphers a truth or hears a big reveal, the actual information often doesn’t end up mattering: Whichever land this is, whatever the Castle’s and the griffins’ histories may be, clearly both wizards are bad, and goals stay the same. George’s characters and griffins still charm, but readers may miss the vital Castle’s larger presence, and the title is, sadly, purely decorative (there’s no pattern of Thursdays). Here’s hoping the next installment (Fridays, coming in fall 2015) will recover the series’ early bounce and zip.”

SLJ: “Filled with magnificent griffins and mysteries about the true history of the land and the Castle, fans of the series will eagerly devour this latest installment. The stakes are higher than ever before and the well-paced narrative keeps readers engaged throughout. Supporting characters such as Lulath are more fully fleshed out in this title and while circumstances often separate members of the group, the perspective always stays with Celie, so readers share her confusion and skepticism as she hears conflicting stories about the Castle and the kingdom. Like the protagonist, readers will come away with the valuable lesson that there are multiple sides to every story and that there isn’t always a clear right or wrong side in a conflict between groups of people. Though this part of Celie’s tale concludes, fans will be delighted at the hints of her next adventure in the final paragraphs.”

Karen Jones Gowen. Afraid of Everything. WiDo Publishing, Oct. 7. Contemporary fantasy. “Helena Carr is afraid of everything. After a crisis at work, she quits her job and feels lost. It’s time for a serious change, to beat the extreme anxiety that has plagued her since childhood. Something different, unplanned and radical. Sell her house, move to a foreign location, turn her life upside down in an effort to end the emotionally paralyzing fear. Before Helena can act on her options, however, she has a terrible accident on a Southern California freeway. Instead of going on an exotic vacation, she is in a hospital, in a coma, traveling to strange worlds in another dimension, meeting people who seem to know more about her than she knows about herself.”

Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. The Princess in Black. Candlewick Press, Oct. 14. The first in an early chapter book series by Hale and her husband, Dean, and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. For ages 5-8. A prim princess has a secret identity as a superhero.

Kirkus (Starred review): “The rounded, cartoony illustrations featuring chubby characters keep the fight sequence soft and comical. The gently ironic text will amuse readers (including adults reading the book aloud). The large print and illustrations expand the book to a longish-yet-manageable length, giving newly independent readers a sense of accomplishment. Action, clever humor, delightful illustrations and expectation-defying secret identities—when does the next one come out?”

PW: “The Hales drop narrative breadcrumbs throughout the story, setting up subsequent titles in the planned series, and they build comic tension by alternating scenes of the masked princess’s monster-fighting with ones starring Duchess Wigtower, who Princess Magnolia has left waiting back at her castle, and who has a fondness for uncovering secrets. “The Princess in Black hoped the duchess would not snoop,” ends chapter six, as the heroine is seen tying up a furry blue monster. “The duchess began to snoop,” begins chapter seven. Pham (A Piece of Cake) offers little jolts of energy and wit on every page, with full-page and spot illustrations that have the vivaciousness and irreverence of contemporary animation.”

Booklist (Starred review): “The authors successfully turn the treacly princess genre on its ear, offering beginning readers a clever, adventurous, and self-reliant heroine who is equally at home in black or pink. Pham’s watercolor-and-ink illustrations, rendered in the style of the Disney classics, effectively contrast Magnolia’s identities and emphasize the text’s humor. Clever details (Duff and his goats eat popcorn on the sidelines as they watch the PIB do her thing) and short manageable sentences make for a promising, and sure to be wildly popular, new series debut.”

SLJ: “The colorful illustrations on each page help move readers through the story as the heroic princess saves the day. The action-packed text in this beginner chapter book will enthrall and is ideal for independent reading or reading aloud. The ending leaves readers with just enough of a wink to hint at a future installment.”

Michele Paige Holmes. Saving Grace. Mirror Press, Oct. 15. Historical romance. A Duke’s daughter and her suitors.

Mindy, LDSWBR: 5 stars. “Oh my goodness, this book is perfect.  I loved it!  The characters are brilliant and enjoyable.  I loved Grace in an instant . . . This is an excellent, clean romance that will have you quickly turning pages.  I have always enjoyed Michele’s books, but I have to say, this one is my favorite.”

Heather Horrocks, Janette Rallison, Cindy Roland Anderson. Just Kissed. Mirror Press, Oct. 1. Contemporary Romance. Three full-length novels. “A Triple Treat Romance”. The Triple Treat Romance Sets will only be available for approximately 6 months after their release date.

Melanie Jacobson. Painting Kisses. Covenant, Oct. 2. Contemporary romance. An artist has to leave NYC and return to Salt Lake to waitress and help her sister. She finds love, and a new spark of artistic inspiration. No specific LDS content.

Jenni James. The Little Mermaid. StoneHouse Ink, Oct. 14. Young Adult Fantasy, novella. Faerie Tale Collection #11.

Jenni James. Rapunzel. StoneHouse Ink, Oct. 3. Young Adult Fantasy novella. Faerie Tale Collection #10.

Paula Kremser. Sophia. Sweetwater/Cedar Fort, Oct. 14. Historical (Regency) romance. A small-town English girl is excited to find herself in London’s high society. But when she is caught napping in a gentleman’s room, she may be forced into an engagement to protect her reputation. Debut novel.

Literary Time Out: “I was pulled into this book right away, but oddly enough, not because I liked Sophia. I kind of found her spoiled, selfish, and immature. However, by the end of the book I liked her a lot better. She grew a lot in this novel . . . If you are looking for a quick (it was only about 200 pages) light, clean, regency era romance, Sophia is worth the few hours it will take you to read it.”

Jessica Martinez. Kiss Kill Vanish. Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins, Oct. 7. YA/New-adult thriller. After her father and boyfriend conspire to murder someone, Jessica leaves her privileged Miami family and goes on the lamb.

PW (Starred Review): “Martinez skillfully develops the contrast between Valentina’s expectations, instilled by a privileged childhood, and her desperate circumstances . . . Valentina’s decision making is sometimes opaque, but her strong voice, full of sensory imagery, and her exquisitely drawn relationships with Emilio, Marcel, and her father make this a memorable thriller.”

Kirkus: “This latest novel from Martinez, whose work features and speaks to the recently emancipated teen, offers evidence that the new-adult literary niche is more than a marketing gimmick . . . Valentina engages readers’ sympathy through each surprising plot twist, although that someone so bright and observant could remain wholly ignorant of her father’s true profession isn’t entirely plausible. Happily, such lapses in logic are few and easily ignored. Compelling characters and a fast-paced, unpredictable plot make this thriller a genuine joy ride.”

SLJ: “What proceeds is a whirlwind of intrigue and romance that, aided by Lucien’s troubled, but far humbler brother, involves a yacht fire, an FBI bust, a standoff at gunpoint, and a helicopter rescue. From the heat of Miami to the cold streets of Montreal, Martinez’s modern-day film noir is a wild ride for romance and thriller fans alike.”

Brenda Novak. A Matter of Grave Concern. Montlake Romance, Oct. 7. Historical romance/suspense. Set in 1830s London, the action revolves around a gang which robs graves and sells the corpses to medical schools, who badly need them to train their students.

PW: “Novak expertly weaves powerful characters into a complex plot set in a skillfully crafted 1830s London underworld. Nobleman Max Wilder is so determined to locate his estranged half-sister Madeline that he infiltrates a gang of body-snatching “resurrection men,” who rob London’s graves in order to supply its medical schools with fresh cadavers. Madeline’s last known association was with the gang’s leader, Big Jack Hurtsill, but no one’s seen her for months. When young Miss Abigail Hale puts herself in harm’s way as the self-appointed procurer of bodies for the Aldersgate School of Medicine, she runs afoul of Max, who tries to teach her a lesson by fleecing her of the school’s entire cash reserves. The always reliable Novak smartly combines romance and crime in this entertaining page-turner.”

RT Book Reviews. 4.5 stars. “Novak draws on actual events to create her remarkable account of the London Supply Company, who obtained bodies by whatever means necessary to meet the constant needs of teaching schools. She flawlessly weaves mystery and romance into this excellent narrative as Abby and Max make difficult decisions that almost cost them their life together.”

Kelly Oram. Cinder and Ella. Bluefields, Oct. 1. YA romance. “It’s been almost a year since eighteen-year-old Ella Rodriguez was in a car accident that left her crippled, scarred, and without a mother. After a very difficult recovery, she’s been uprooted across the country and forced into the custody of a father that abandoned her when she was a young child. If Ella wants to escape her father’s home and her awful new stepfamily, she must convince her doctors that she’s capable, both physically and emotionally, of living on her own. The problem is, she’s not ready yet. The only way she can think of to start healing is by reconnecting with the one person left in the world who’s ever meant anything to her—her anonymous Internet best friend, Cinder.”

Jenny Proctor. Mountains Between Us. Covenant, Sept. 2. Contemporary romance. An LDS woman takes a position as a clinical counselor at a boarding school for troubled youth. She discovers the English teacher Henry Jacobson is also LDS. Coldness, then romance, ensues.

Deseret News review. “Proctor does a great job of creating a story that draws readers in. The story comes to life so well it’s more like watching a movie. Both Eliza and Henry have enough complexity to make the storyline believable, but not so much that the novel has dark undertones.”

Douglas Thayer. Will Wonders Never Cease: A Hopeful Novel for Mormon Mothers and Their Teenage Sons. Zarahemla Books, October. General. “Weeks away from turning sixteen . . . Kyle wants more freedom in his Colorado Mormon life, including the freedom to date any number of lovelies, as he calls them. His mother, Lucille, a part-time trauma nurse and a devoted Mormon mom, wants Kyle to get serious about school and preparing for his mission.” Trapped in an avalanche, “Exhausted, starving, freezing, he begins to understand what his mother has been trying to teach him about the need for faith.”

Paige Timothy. For Love Or Money. Trifecta Books, Sept. 29. Contemporary romance. Main Street Merchants #2. “Paige Timothy” is Tristi Pinkston. The Main Street Merchants series is a collection of short romance novels—all featuring a business located on Main Street in the fictional town of Aspen Ridge, Colorado. The Main Street Merchants series is part of the Sweet & Clean Romance Collection from Trifecta Books.

Brad R. Torgersen. The Chaplain’s War. Baen, Oct. 7. Science Fiction. “A chaplain serving in Earth’s space fleet is trapped behind enemy lines where he struggles for both personal survival and humanity’s future.” An expansion of two earlier shorter works.

MySF Short Reviews: 5 stars. “I really liked the format of the story. Torgersen alternated between one chapter in the story’s present and one in the past throughout most of the book, which worked amazingly well to slowly reveal information in the story. Even though this novel is based on two previous short works, they are blended so seamlessly that those who haven’t read the previous works will never be able to tell . . . The topic of religion and beliefs is not often (anymore) discussed in science fiction, but Torgersen incorporates this exploration in a wonderful way which doesn’t preach and yet delves deeply into why people hold their beliefs and how people come into their beliefs. It is especially interesting from the point of view of the Mantes, as their culture has no such beliefs for comparison. I was extremely satisfied at the end of The Chaplain’s War, which doesn’t often happen. How the issues and conflicts were resolved left me wanting more because I cared about the characters and found the world they inhabited to be fascinating. Torgersen is going to be an author to watch in the coming years.”

Attack of the Books: 4 stars. Science Fiction as the Best Social Fiction of Our Time. “[It is] a tale that is both exciting and thought-provoking, fresh even while harking back to a time when science fiction was less about the political agendas and more about the fantastic possibility and wonder that the future holds. He aims for broad appeal, not the narrow “diversity” crowd of science fiction literati struggling to find readers among the average Joes just looking for a good story. This isn’t to say that Torgersen shies away from the controversial. Indeed, his story–that one man for peace can be as powerful as a whole armada of space going warships–may be controversial in itself. This is especially notable when you consider that movie audiences are flocking to see superhumans and lovable scoundrels (think Man of Steel, Thor, Captain America, or Guardians of the Galaxy) duke it out with the enemies of liberty, justice, and the American way, saving humanity by violence and destruction writ large. Torgersen’s implicit question, never directly addressed, but clearly central to the solution, is whether violence is necessary. But he doesn’t leave it at that. Torgersen weaves in themes on faith and technology, using the cyborg-insect alien menace to raise questions about the existence of deity, providence, and a divine guiding hand, both in the universe and in the individual lives of all sentient beings. Even though his title character is a chaplain, he is by no means a believer. Belief in God is a bridge too far for him, and yet, it is his role as the chaplain’s assistant that thrusts him into his place as a mediator between two enemy races. There are scenes that seem reminiscent of Enemy Mine, but Torgersen takes a more existential and transcendent approach and walks his readers through the process of how an unbeliever might begin to believe, even while trying to survive to live through another day . . . . And yet, his message–if there is one–is not a heavy-handed paean to religion. Rather, his approach seems to be a new spin on an oft addressed question: are we alone in the universe?”

Ilima Todd. Remake. Shadow Mountain, Oct. 14. YA dystopian science fiction. Debut novel. A dystopian future where a virus has killed millions of people. In order to avoid overpopulation the survivors create a society called Freedom where families no longer exist. Every month, a Batch of children — 10 girls and 10 boys — is made. The children grow up together and are kept equal and androgynous by the use of hormone suppressants and haircuts until they turn 17. At this point, they have a Remake Day where they choose their gender, looks, a Trade, a name and everything they want to personalize themselves for the rest of their lives.

PW: “A familiar duality forms the basis of Todd’s dystopian debut: sterile technology versus gritty, back-to-the-earth primitivism . . . Todd does little to complicate the simplicity of this opposition or substantively explore the issues of gender identity she raises, but Nine is still an endearing character, endlessly questioning the existential choices she confronts.”

Jana Stocks Brown, Deseret News. “The story is focused on Nine’s emotional journey, and the details of the world are frustratingly ambiguous. There are many common-sense issues that are ignored, and Nine is rarely a driving force. Instead, coincidence and circumstance continually make her choices seem obvious and scripted. Opportunities for real conflict seem to be overlooked, and it takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to remain firmly in the world.

The Brothers Washburn (Berk and Andy). Mojave Green.Jolly Fish Press, Oct. 7. YA Fantasy/Horror.

Kirkus: “Cal Jones and Camm Smith may have left their hometown of Trona, but the spooks and ghouls sure haven’t. Camm is off at Yale, and Cal is attending Florida State. Both are making new friends while keeping an ear out for any unusual occurrences back home. Sure enough, something weird happens: A young boy named Dylan has gone missing, and that’s all the duo needs to reconnect and head back to Trona and investigate. The ensuing adventure is a solid mixture of scares and action, supplying readers with plenty of reasons to keep turning pages well past bedtime. The interpersonal drama between Cal and Camm works all on its own, highlighting a friendship built to endure across dimensions, let alone several hundred miles. The horrors and creatures weave around a few flashbacks to the previous book, Pitch Green, and there are a few sprinkled seeds preparing readers for future installments. The book ends on a cliffhanger, which is maddening but also to be expected, given the series’ ambitions. Creative bits of humor and stylization set it apart from other cookie-cutter series entries, making this one to watch and be hopeful for. Scary, fun and cool.”

Paranormal Romance Guild: “Mojave Green surprised me with how good it is. It reads like a horror book for adults, except without the adult contents, cussing, and such. The monsters are horrible, the different groups are trying to keep information away from the other groups. And Camm, Cal, Martha, and Lenny are very believable characters. Even Lenny, who could very easily been a 2-dimensional caricature was wonderfully written.”

Robison Wells. Dead Zone. HarperTeen, Sept. 30. YA science fiction. Blackout #2.

Kirkus: “Wells continues to look at the impact of terrorism and the morality of war. The United States is under attack, with Russia landing troops in the Pacific Northwest and saboteurs striking without warning . . . Amid the action, Wells raises deep questions. As Aubrey struggles to understand why killing enemy soldiers isn’t murder, Jack and their platoon mates (other “lambdas” like themselves) struggle to understand why the burden of warfare is being thrust on their young shoulders. Jack and Aubrey wrestle with these issues and more as the story races to a satisfying conclusion. This thoughtful, considered action-adventure will have readers pondering even after they’ve closed the book.”

SLJ: “While the previous entry followed American teens and Russian terrorists, Dead Zone focuses on Aubrey and Jack, with chapters from other characters’ points of view revealing information the protagonists do not have, piling on the tension as the teens are surrounded by dangers known and unknown to them. The ethical issues here—what it means to be a soldier but to have one’s own moral code—are still only given cursory treatment, but Wells explores more extensively the interplay between the lambdas’ powers and what they’re capable of as a team. A solid duology for teens who like their sci-fi heavy on action but light on backstory and social commentary.”

San Francisco Book Review: 4 stars. “Wells has created a realistic and plausible end-world scenario without melodrama. While the relationship between Aubrey and Jack was forced in Blackout, their co-dependence makes more sense as they go off to war in Dead Zone. Through this relationship, Wells not only explores typical teenage emotions and reactions, but also introduces elements requiring deep deliberation such as whether killing during war is murder, how and why teenagers become soldiers, and how individuals resolve their deep conflicts over their actions in combat. The intersection of a teenage perspective with non-idealistic combat descriptions lends itself well to a thoughtful read.”

Reviews of older books

Rachelle J. Christensen. Diamond Rings are Deadly Things (Jennie Hansen, Meridian). 3 stars. “The Sun Valley location is portrayed well and provides a varied background. Some of the secondary characters’ situations are left incomplete, but they may be used in future stories in the series. I didn’t dislike any of the major characters, but I never felt an attachment or identified with them either. The plot felt like I was jumping into the story mid tale and I kept checking to see if there was a prior book, but didn’t find one. Eventually the back story was brought in. This series will, I suspect, appeal to a limited group of readers, those dreaming of or planning a wedding and their mothers. Those who are into crafts will find it appealing too. Romance readers will find it a fast, fun read. Others may want to skip all the italicized craft instructions, dress descriptions, and menu suggestions.”

Larry Correia. Monster Hunter International (MySF Short Short Reviews). 4.5 stars. “Correia draws on Lovecraft, campy horror movies, and other similar sources as he puts his own twist on all of them and serves it up fresh for your enjoyment. He even draws on various religious sources, though those aren’t as noticeable in this book as in some of the later books in the series. The pacing is spot-on, with a perfect blend of action, monster killing, and humor. Each of the characters is unique, and each has his/her own voice, making for a very believable interaction between characters. For those that care about such things, his characters are a veritable rainbow of cultural, religious, and ethnic diversity.

Bree Despain. The Savage Grace (MySF Short Short Reviews). 3.5 stars. “Despite the aggressive plot, I had problems with the first two fifths of the book. Something about the voice and narrative felt off to me. There were good scenes, like when Gabriel and Grace discussed how Grace blamed God for her troubles, but there were other scenes where new werewolf details would pop off the page then be explained by Grace thinking, “Oh, yeah. I’ve read about this before”. I wonder if there may have been too many lose ends from the second book to tie up in the beginning of this book. Overall, the story and writing were slow to find their stride in the beginning. Those are minor details, however, that might not bother everybody. I felt the real problem with the story in the beginning was that the story didn’t work well with Grace playing opposite a furry Daniel. Grace needed Daniel as a human. Grace and Daniel weren’t just a cute couple; they were the core of the story. They worked and flirted together. They worried and felt pain together. They plotted and schemed together. They moved the story forward as a unit . . . One aspect of this final book in the trilogy that I enjoyed very much was the use of religion as a positive force. Grace used religion, prayer, and worship as her center without the story being preachy. One would expect prayer to be critical to a Hound of Heaven’s spirituality. I have to caution readers, however, that the idea of Grace and Daniel as angels of God is often compromised by their language. This installation in the series seemed more potty-mouthed than the others. Will you enjoy this series? I believe it has a lot going for it. Its spicy dialog, intrigue, and good world building are notable. The theme of redemption runs like a river throughout the books, giving the story arc more strength than other paranormal YA stories I’ve read.”

Sarah M. Eden. For Elise (Jennie Hansen, Meridian). 5 stars. “Just when I thought I couldn’t take one more Regency novel, Sarah M. Eden’s For Elise was released and I loved it. Eden writes within the historical parameters of the Regency period, but doesn’t limit herself to the balls and social rules of that era. Instead she paints a broader picture of that time period than is usually found in Regency Romances. In addition she turns this Regency into a murder mystery . . . Eden creates strong characters that are distinct individuals. Even her secondary characters stand out as real people. There is a definite growth or maturing element in her major characters. They’re not perfect people, but their faults are those the reader can identify with. The plot is compelling and if it has a fault it would merely be that the middle portion is stretched out a little too long. The clues for solving the mystery are there, but the reader must be on his/her toes to find them. The author researched this era well, making elements of this time and place an integral part of the novel.”

Ann Dee Ellis. The End or Something Like That (Hikari Loftus). “I loved the voice in this book. I loved Ellis’ writing style. I loved how random some of the passages were in Emmy’s train of thought. It was totally my kind of humor, and it was awesome reading . . . I didn’t think that Emmy had a very good growth arc, but maybe she wasn’t meant to have one. This story is about Emmy’s grief, and just in the last couple pages do we see the glimmer of hope and change. I don’t know that the book is meant to make you super hopeful. I think it does an amazing job of portraying real teenage grief, awkwardness, and hurt. I think it was honest and awesome. I just wish she left the other dead people out of it.”

Richard Paul Evans. Michael Vey, 4: Hunt for Jade Dragon (Hikari Loftus, Deseret News). “While the action, plotlines and story are fast-paced and interesting, Evans’ writing can be confusing. His writing style and dialogue are a better fit for a middle-grade audience, but the romance and evil characters committing dark deeds are a better fit for young adult readers or older, making an unsatisfying combination. Despite a monumental mission to rescue Jade Dragon, very little is actually said about Jade Dragon herself. Even so, Evans takes readers on an action-packed journey into Taiwan with a cliffhanger ending that catapults readers into book five without asking questions.”

Terryl and Fiona Givens. The Crucible of Doubt (Scott Hales). “The Givens are revolutionaries, but not in any radical sense. As you would expect from authors published through Deseret Book, their tone towards the institutional church is always positive and affirming. This accounts probably for their popularity with readers, including me, who are easily wearied by disillusioned critics of the institution; yet, I think it also strikes a chord with readers for the honest, earnest way it offers hope to those who struggle with faith, who recognize within themselves an encroaching disillusionment.”

Chris Harline. Way Below the Angels (Rachel, The Exponent). “Harline does a fairly good job pointing out when women’s stories, voices, and presence are forgotten . . . I recommend reading this book. It is both more funny, and more thoughtful than I know how to describe, and the themes it considers are important for anyone, missionary or not. If you have served a mission, memories will flood back, in beautiful, and perhaps painful ways. If you are preparing to serve a mission, it more accurately describes what makes a mission hard than anything I have previously read. It also describes what can make one good, for an individual missionary, and how missions as a whole could be made better (hint: more Real service).”

Bryce Moore. Vodnik (My SF Short Short Reviews). “The story was very interesting, and the pacing was generally quite smooth and consistent. A decent portion of the prose was spent on Tomas dealing with the prejudices against the Roma (or Gypsies), but Moore does it in a way which works within the story, so I never felt like it was preaching. The characters also did a good job of resolving the issues in a realistic manner . . . One thing I especially enjoyed (and for which I won’t give spoilers) is how one of the plot threads was resolved without the entire story being told. This thread actually surprised me a little bit, as the story never really hinted that it would resolve this way. I think it worked out well, however, because going into that plot thread more than the author did would have weakened the tightness of the story. It left an opening for a possible sequel, too . . . It is a strong story, appropriate for any age, with interesting characters and an interesting setting. I recommend Vodník as a great read.”

Paul Mark Tag.How Much Do You Love Me? (Kirkus). “Tag successfully combines the story of James and Keiko’s romance with a compelling mystery. The parallel narrative skillfully weaves Kazuko’s modern-day story with Keiko’s experiences in the early 1940s, resulting in a fully realized portrait of both women and their families. The tale is further enriched by its well-developed supporting characters, including Keiko’s parents, Akemi and Isamu; and Takeo Sato, Misaki’s fiancé at Tule Lake. Tag handles the central theme of the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II in a forthright, sensitive manner, presenting a variety of viewpoints on the moral and ethical issues involved. The Tanaka, Armstrong and Sato families have very different responses to life in the camps, and as the story develops, Tag shows how the children are affected by their parents’ points of view. A poignant romance anchored by a rich cast of characters and detailed setting, which will likely appeal to fans of historical fiction.”

Paul Mark Tag. How Much Do You Love Me? (Jennie Hansen, Meridian). 4 stars. “The characters are interesting and it’s easy to feel great compassion for them. There isn’t a lot of growth shown in most of them and some have some sadly misguided values. There’s neither a lot of character development or plot and at times the narrative reads like a history book rather than a novel. Nonetheless, it’s a fascinating read that will not be easily forgotten or dismissed. Bouncing back and forth between various time periods detracts from the story and lessens the reader’s emotional involvement. The ending involving the big family secret is an emotional let down, even though it is expected. Right up to the end I hoped a character I’d come to care about and respect for her integrity and grit would not ignore the moral ramifications of her selfishness. Her choice was supposedly some great act of love, but it ignored the rights of others involved and was as great a betrayal of their rights as was the internment of American citizens of Japanese descent.”

Dan Wells. “I.E.Demon.” (Mashiara Sedai, Dragonmount). “This story was hilarious.  It is the first piece I’ve read by Dan Wells, and I will say I’ll read more.  His style was quick paced and always exciting.  The dialogue and character’s thoughts were sharp and witty.  The amount of gruesome horror was glossed over a bit, but the humor was pretty dark; I can see how Wells is considered to be a master in the horror genre. This story was fantastic.  There was never a dull moment.  The characters were so compelling.  The plot line ridiculous, but completely believable.  The conclusion was very satisfying.  I loved everything about this.”

David J. West Weird Tales of Horror (Amazing Stories). “David has a fresh voice and isn’t afraid to do things that are unusual. His work reminds me a bit of the early work of Henry Kuttner, when Kuttner was trying to branch out and attempted a number of ambitious stories in a variety of genres. Stories that provided training for the classics that followed such as “The Proud Robot”, “Mimsy Were the Borogoves”, “Happy Ending”, “The Twonky”, and Mutant. David is doing a similar thing with his work, although I have no idea if he’s intentionally following Kuttner’s example or not. What he is doing is stretching himself as a writer, tackling various subgenres and genre mashups, challenging himself to grow and improve. The stories here range from some of the more traditional types of horror, such things in ancient tombs that are best left undisturbed (“The Dig”) to Lovecraftian horrors in outer space (“Gods in Darkness”) to demon jackalopes in the Old West (“Tangle Crowned Devil”). n fact, three of the stories here deal with a bounty hunter named Porter Rockwell. In addition to the forementioned “Tangle Crowned Devil”, there’s “Fangs of the Dragon” and “Garden of Legion”. The former is a tale Native American magic and a lake monster. The latter concerns demon possessed tumble weeds. (I think we have a few of those where I live.) Porter Rockwell is a bounty hunter who doesn’t limit himself to ordinary criminals. The Weird Western is making a comeback these days, and the Porter Rockwell series is a worthy addition to that subgenre. I suspect (and hope) we haven’t seen the last of Porter Rockwell . . . If you like weird fiction and are looking for new authors to try out, give David J. West a try”

Film

16 Stones. October 1. Brian Brough, director. Brittany Wiscombe, writer. Stars Mason Davis (Granite Flats, The Cokeville Miracle). Set in 1838 Missouri, the film centers around a young Mormon convert who goes searching for the sixteen stones “touched by the Hand of the Lord” from the Book of Mormon. Opened on 24 screens in Utah on Oct. 1. Only in 3 by Oct. 16. Then opens at 28 theaters outside of Utah on Oct. 24.

Salt Lake Tribune review (Sean P. Means). 2 stars. “The Mormon-centric adventure drama “16 Stones” is strictly for the faithful, especially those who subscribe to the doctrines of forgiveness . . . Director Brian Brough and his screenwriting wife, Brittany Wiscombe, lay a heavy spiritual message onto a simple, and simplistic, chase narrative that moves at an aggravating stop-and-start pace.”

LDS Cinema Online review (Kevin Burtt). C. “[The film] is set in 1838 but addresses an issue relevant today: the modern debate often framed as ‘science vs. religion’, ‘belief vs. reason’, or ‘faith vs. evidence’. Unfortunately, 16 Stones has weak characters and an over-the-top story that prevent it from being a compelling vehicle to explore that theme.  The Brough/Wiscombe filmmaking team has been admirably consistent in producing workmanlike LDS films over the past decade, but 16 Stones is still several steps below other LDS period pieces like 17 Miracles or The Work & Glory series . . . The premise of the film — James and company chasing after an Indian acquaintance who might know the location of the lost Jaredite stones from thousands of years ago — is admittedly ridiculous . . . All of which could have been a campy LDS take on The Da Vinci Code, although the writing isn’t nearly sophisticated enough to justify the ridiculous events of James’s journey.  The three main characters are blank slates and unmemorable.  Their “character growth” comes from themselves saying they’ve grown in faith and character without demonstrating any obvious change to the viewer.   The film also features two thieves who track the trio from state to state hoping to nab the ‘treasure’ they’re looking for, and whom the film can’t decide if it wants to be menacing or slapstick-level incompetent . . . The film suggests at the end that even if James (or Joseph Smith) showed a real-life Jaredite stone to the world, it wouldn’t change anything as “people would still choose not to believe.”  16 Stones contends that prayer and a divine witness are the only true measures for developing faith . . . James’s quest to “prove” the Book of Mormon true was inevitably going to be meaningless no matter what he found.” [Burtt then writes an interesting discussion of how the gospel does not support the fallacy of prioritizing “faith” in something over any and all kinds of “evidence”.]

Eric Samuelsen: “[It’s] not the silliest premise I’ve ever seen for a movie . . . But National Treasure and Raiders of the Lost Ark are fun. They’re entertaining because they don’t either of them take themselves very seriously, and because they feature rollicking action sequences and plenty of humor. 16 Stones, on the other hand, is painfully, excruciatingly earnest. Earnestness isn’t a bad thing. It’s not, however, very aesthetically enjoyable . . . What follows is not so much a plot as a string of increasingly preposterous coincidences . . . And this leads to one of the film’s biggest problems. Isaacs, Davis and Reynolds, the three leads, do a nice job with their badly under-written heroic roles. Davis is asked to play James as alternatively stalwart and doubting, and he handles both well, though he never does quite manage to turn those contradictions into a fully-realized dramatic character . . . But the poor actors forced to play bad guys in the film (and their numbers are legion) are uniformly dreadful, painting every Missouri bounder as both ferocious and dumb. The result was not just a film without nuance, it was a film that depicted most of its dramatic characters as subhuman . . . [There is] amateur clumsiness on display. The movie never could seem to keep straight who had guns or how many of them, let alone nuances like what sorts of guns the characters might plausibly have owned in 1838, or how likely those guns might be to misfire . . . And it turns out the point of the whole journey was to teach James a Valuable Life Lesson. Not Proving the Gospel True. Fair enough. But that’s actually the point of the entire movie. The whole reason for making the movie is to not just to bear testimony, but to Prove the Gospel True . . . I tended to consign 16 Stones to a brand new category–”movies sort of like National Treasure, but nowhere near as fun.”  I did not find the sincere expressions of testimony made by these characters risible. I cannot say that about the film in which they appeared.”

Salt Lake Weekly/Fox 13 (Scott Renshaw). “Earnest cinema-as-pudding . . . plodding . . . doesn’t have a lot of energy.”

Deseret News feature story.

Meet the Mormons. Oct. 10. Feature-length documentary, presented by the Church. Blair Treu, writer/director. Jeff Roberts, producer. Originally planned for the Legacy theater, once it was made they decided to release it widely. Opening on 317 screens in 45 states. One report said it was distributed by the Church-owned Excel Entertainment, while another said they “went with an outside distributor, Purdie Entertainment, which released last year’s LDS missionary drama “The Saratov Approach.” Maybe Excel just handled the Utah distribution.

Salt Lake Tribune (Sean P. Means). 2.5 stars. “There are a lot of issues raised by the existence of “Meet the Mormons,” a documentary backed by the public-relations arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. None of those issues are tackled, or even mentioned, within the film itself. The movie is simply a string of vignettes, all nicely told by director Blair Treu, telling the stories of six members of the LDS Church whose lives and work are influenced by their Mormon faith . . . The six are strong, photogenic, positive representatives of the Mormon faith and a model of the church’s diversity. Treu finds small moments of authentic grace and humanity in each, as he tells their stories in the style similar to the “up close and personal” profiles one sees on TV during the Olympics . . . The movie, like the church’s “I’m a Mormon” ad campaign that it resembles, is great at presenting its six subjects as just regular folks who credit their faith for giving their lives foundation. Nothing wrong with that, except there’s little that differentiates Mormonism from other denominations. There are fleeting mentions of doctrine in Jones’ narration — like the Book of Mormon or the fact that Mormons don’t drink. But there’s nothing in the movie about Mormon history, and no discussion of the unique aspects of LDS doctrine about which non-Mormons tend to be the most curious. So “Meet the Mormons” isn’t a definitive look at people of the LDS faith. It’s not a documentary but an informercial, meant less to inform than to introduce a sales pitch.”

LDS Cinema Online: “Yes, Meet The Mormons is a PR piece, albeit one that is well-produced and entertaining . . . What’s interesting are the elements in the documentary that are missing.   There’s no mention of Joseph Smith or any modern leader.  The Book of Mormon is mentioned once by name, but no mention of specific scriptures or messages from within the Book of Mormon that someone found meaningful.   The Word of Wisdom is mentioned in passing, but no other LDS-specific doctrine (baptism for the dead, eternal marriage, temple worship, etc…) is cited as a source of faith or blessings . . . A more ‘unofficial’ documentary may have had more freedom to ask questions like these — explore the participants’ true experiences being Mormon (both good and bad) without skipping over the details.    Meet The Mormons is pleasant and the individual stories are entertaining enough, but it’s not going to be the catalyst to awakening investigator interest or answering common concerns about modern Mormon life.”

The Village Voice: “It’s like selling Scientology by touting that faith’s Hollywood connections — and the fodder it might offer for future memoirs. Aimed at nonbelievers, Meet the Mormons isn’t substantial enough to screen on the first day of LDS 101; the church’s most basic tenets — and controversial aspects — are elided completely. Instead, the focus is on the just-swell lives of six members, with a conspicuous emphasis on ethnic and cultural diversity, possibly to paper over the church’s racist past . . . [The mother’s] openness makes it the only compelling moment in the film, the rest of which could learn a thing or two about the complexity of the human experience from Coca-Cola commercials.”

The Cultural Hall review: “The movie is definitely a high-quality documentary. The HD looked great, and the cinematic and production value was emphasized in this film. This isn’t your mother’s hokey “Families are Forever” pass-along video, or a video that was obviously filmed in a back-lot of BYU. This took time, money, and foresight to find the right locations to film, and to get the correct shots. The people come across as very real, their stories authentic, and the vignettes and filming very well done . . . [The opening’s] lighthearted approach really did a good job of setting the viewer at ease, almost as if Treu and the Church were saying “Yes, we know who we are. We’re not going to take ourselves too seriously. . . . The stories are quite well done, but part of me wonders if there’s anything uniquely Mormon about them. Perhaps that was the point of the film . . . All movies do have their downsides, or things that I think could have been done better. For example, while Jenna was a great lead-in for the movie, there were a few times that her voice (and over-peppiness) seemed to distract me from the movie. For a lighthearted approach in the beginning, she was a perfect lead-in. I’m not sure who (or what kind of voice) I would have used to replace her during the film, but I did find that it was jarring a few scenes to be reminded “Oh, this is Jenna narrating again.””

Robert Kirby, SL Tribune. “One star for effort. The film is more of a showcase of Mormon wholesomeness than a candid look at the real us. While it’s nice to have my people portrayed as so blissfully positive, I came away wondering if I had been raised in a completely different church . . . The trouble for me is that each of the stories is framed in that proper 1950s and ’60’s “Father Knows Best” or “Leave it to Beaver” format. Everyone is perfectly groomed. Any real frustration or natural craziness is hinted at rather than highlighted . . . Mercifully, there were some good parts. I particularly enjoyed the segments featuring the black bishop in Atlanta and the kickboxing champion sister in Costa Rica.

New York Times: “One subject’s discussion of his efforts to “put the Lord first” exemplifies how the film preaches to the converted. The narration promises surprises (“This story may challenge what you think you know about the roles men and women play in Mormon homes”), but the movie might have started by examining its straw-man conception of the audience.”

The Hollywood Reporter, the industry trade paper, reported on its website Sunday that “Meet the Mormons” made an estimated $3 million over the weekend, taking 10th place. However, Box Office Mojo, a number-crunching site popular among Hollywood observers, reported the documentary’s weekend haul at $2,509,808, putting it in 11th place behind the Christian-themed thriller “Left Behind.” That was still a high total for the small number of screens it played on. Currently the film has made $3,952,235. It is notable that attendance was nearly nil on Sunday, showing that Mormons or Mormons taking their friends were the main audience. The box office total, Kevin Burtt notes, puts it ahead of every “LDS Cinema” film except for The Other Side of Heaven in terms of box-office.

No Ordinary Shepherd. Oct 1, 2014 (DVD). John Lyde, director/writer., Mainstay Productions/Covenant Communications. A 23 minute film about a crippled shepherd boy who meets the adult Jesus. Stars Jason Buster, Jacque Grey (God’s Army), and Darin Southam (Ephraim’s Rescue) as Jesus.

Wayward: The Prodigal Son. Rob Diamond, director/writer. LDS FF, Feb. 2014. Modern retelling. Cedar Fort Entertainment release. Oct. 15, 22 screenings in South Jordan and Irvine. Nov. 7 “national release”.

Theater

Mahonri Stewart. Evening Eucalyptus. Echo Theater, Provo, November 7-15. “Set in Australia during the early 20th century. Arthur Stevenson has returned to Australia after a tragedy in England. There his new housekeeper Abigail Baker and his old Aboriginal friend Pindari help him heal. However, the arrival of two “swag men” (one of which is a woman) brings new conflict into Arthur’s life. He must confront both the old and new demons in his life, or break underneath their weight.

Ender’s Game. A theatrical production in Finland. I have no idea when or where.

Bestsellers

Oct. 12, 19, 26

James Dashner. The Maze Runner

USA Today: #3, #8, #7 (46 weeks)

USA Today: (full series) #34, #58, #69 (6 weeks)

PW Children’s: #2, #3, #4 (10 weeks). 18,750, 15,375, 13,161 units. 137,201 total.

NYT Children’s Series: #1, #1, #2 (105 weeks)

James Dashner. The Scorch Trials

USA Today: #10, #17, #20 (31 weeks)

James Dashner. The Death Cure

USA Today: #17, #23, #35 (33 weeks)

James Dashner. The Kill Order

USA Today: #60, #82, #89 (9 weeks)

PW Children’s: #7, #8, #9 (25 weeks). 9102, 8555, 7803 units. 143,848 total.

James Dashner. The Rule of Thoughts

NYT Young Adult: #13, #14, x

Richard Paul Evans. Michael Vey 4: Hunt for Jade Dragon

USA Today: #74, x, x (2 weeks)

PW Children’s: #10, #16, #22 (4 weeks). 7763, 5063, 4310 units. 38,190 total.

NYT Children’s Series: #7, x, x (4 weeks)

Shannon Hale. Ever After High: A Wonderlandiful World

PW Children’s: #19, #17, #23 (7 weeks) 5031, 4593, 4113 units. 41,224 total.

Various Authors (including Brandon Mull and Shannon Hale). Spirit Animals Series

NYT Children’s Series: x, #5, #10 (4 weeks)

Sherryl Woods and RaeAnne Thayne. Safe Harbor/ A Cold Creek Homecoming.

PW Mass Market: #16, x (5 weeks). 3918 units. 32,661 total

Orson Scott Card. Ender’s Game

NYT Mass Market Paperback: #20, x, x

PW Sci-Fi: #1