Several very strongly reviewed young adult novels were published this last month. Debut author Jeff Zentner’s The Serpent King is getting starred reviews and raves for its brutally honest portrayal of teen life, its serious and heartfelt takes on both pop culture and traditional Christian faith, and its loving portrayal of the south. Ally Condie’s Summerlost moves her outside of speculative fiction for a heartfelt, poetic contemporary middle grade novel about a friendship forged in the wake of tragedy. Kathryn Purdie’s alternative Tzarist Russian fantasy Burning Glass, Robison Wells’s alien visitors science fiction Dark Energy, and Emily Wing Smith’s childhood illness memoir All Better Now also received generally strong reviews. Emily Bleeker and Jane Redd (Heather Moore) are part of a trend of more books being published directly by Amazon. A new Saturday’s Warrior film opens to fairly strong reviews, and I am Noat a Serial Killer, a film based on Dan Wells’ novel, premiered at SxSW. Mahonri Stewart has two new collections of playscripts published. Jennifer Nii’s new musical Kingdom of Heaven features a Mormon woman who decides to perform in drag, Michael Collings is the Grand Master Award Recipient at the 2016 World Horror Convention. To give me information or corrections, please write to mormonlit AT gmail DOT com.
Awards, news, and blog posts
Michael Collings is the Grand Master Award Recipient at the 2016 World Horror Convention, held in Provo.
The Whitney lifetime achievement awards will be given to Marsha Ward and Laura and Tracy Hickman. The Whitney Awards will be presented on May 7.
Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year includes in the 14 and up category Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani, and in the 12-14 year old category Storyspinner, by Beck Wallace and A Night Didvided by Jennifer A. Nielsen.
Romance Writers of America (RWA), the trade association for romance fiction authors, announces the finalists for the 2016 RITA Awards. They include: Contemporary Romance: Long, “Redemption Bay” by RaeAnne Thayne and “The Secret Sister” by Brenda Novak. Contemporary Romance: Mid-length: “A Cold Creek Christmas Story” by RaeAnne Thayne. Young Adult Romance: “Followed by Frost”, by Charlie N. Holmberg
Disney bought the movie rights to Charlie N. Homberg’s The Paper Magician. Allison Shearmur, who was an executive producer on the Hunger Games movies and a producer on Disney’s well-regarded live-action version of Cinderella as well the upcoming Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, is on board to produce the adaptation.
At A Motley Vision, all by Theric: “Sometimes in the arena you look really stupid.” a report from the Studio C fireside, We Came to Earth to Failthe deluxe Studio C fireside recap, and There and back again—then onward ever onward: a chat with Dendo‘s Brittany Long Olsen.
Some responses to their AML awards: Jennifer Quist and Becky Wallace.
BYU theater professor Berta Heiner, approaching retirement. speaks with the Daily Herald on making difficult art at BYU.
Writ & Vision Bookstore in Provo is pleased to present three of Mormonism’s best and most engaging comics creators: Brittany Long Olsen, Scott Hales, and Stephen Carter. Each artist/writer will be signing copies of their newest works, and they will be joined for a panel discussion on Mormon comics by James Goldberg.
The Mormon Scholars in the Humanities Conference will be held April 7-9, at Utah Valley University (and some at BYU). Literary-related panels include:
FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 10:45–12:15
F2A (CB 101B): “A WORLD WITHOUT WORD: HYMNS, POEMS, AND PARABLES BEYOND BELIEF”
Panel Organizer: Jonathon Penny Panelists: Alex Caldiero, Scott Hales, Bonnie Shiffler-Olsen, Steven Peck, and Merrijane Rice Respondent: Bruce Jorgensen
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 10:45–12:15
S2A (CB 101B): “LITERARY APPROACHES”
Chair: David Paxman (Brigham Young University–Provo)
Shawn Tucker (Elon University) • “Humility, Pride, and Fear (with reference to King Lear)”
William Silverman (Southern Virginia University) • “Tasting the Fruit: Literary Foundations for Latter-day Scriptures”
Tyler Gardner (University of Notre Dame) • “Rejecting Religious Categorization on a Cosmic Scale: Marilynne Robinson as Neither Religious nor Secular”
S2B (CB 416): “READING SCRIPTURE”
Chair: Kim Berkey (Harvard University)
Christopher Blythe (Joseph Smith Papers, Church History Department) • “The Prophetess and Seer at Endor: Reception of 1 Samuel 28 in Nineteenth Century Mormon History”
Erin Kaseda (Brigham Young University–Provo) • “Parable as Performance: Theatre, Theology, and Thought”
Jenny Webb (Independent Scholar) • “Ether 12 and the Unfinished Faith”
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1:45–3:15
S3A (CB 101B): “PHILOSOPHY MEETS FICTION: ADAM MILLER AND DAVID FOSTER WALLACE”
Panel Organizer: Blair Hodges (Brigham Young University–Provo)
Dallin Lewis (Gonzaga University)
Steven Peck (Brigham Young University–Provo)
Adam Miller, respondent (Collin College)
Podcast: Rational Faith’s Mormon Fiction Book Club – Steven Peck’s The Scholar of Moab.
Magazines and Short fiction
Dialogue: A Journel of Mormon Thought. The Winter 2015 (48:4) issue takes readers on a musical journey beginning with guest editor musical historian Michael Hicks’ introduction and concluding with hymns by Christian Asplund. Between the two, Peter McMurray looks at the Book of Mormon as sound, Jake Johnson’s “Mormons, Musical Theater, and the Public Arena of Doubt”, Emily Spencer wonders “Why Mormons Sing in Parts (or don’t) and Jeremy Grimshaw considers “The Lindsey Stirling Effect.” Also find poetry from Lara Candland, a personal essay from Michael Hicks and a round table with Brian Jones, Ellinor Petersen, Aleesa Sutton, Kevin L. Barney, and Brad Kramer.
Jake Cutler. I met Jake at the AML conference, where he talked about the new music video made by the band he manages, The National Parks. I found out he has written essays and short stories. Here are some of his recent work.
“A Story About Snow and People” Iron Horse Literary Review. Fall 2015. Video essay.
“On Precision in History” Elsewhere, May 2015. Short story
“Here’s the Thing” Epiphany. December 2012. Short story.
“The Next Plane Home” Esquire (online). November 2011. Short Story.
“The Best Medicine” Epiphany. December 2012. Short story.
New Books and their reviews
Lisa Bickmore. Flicker. Elixer Books, Jan. 1. Poetry. The winner of the 2014 Elixir Press Antivenom Poetry Award. “Lisa Bickmore gives us a powerful new collection, in which ‘there are two lives, / the tranquil one and the conflagration.’ These are poems rich in both—and in their interplay—where, as the poet says, ‘Wildflower seeds exploded there / with the flicked matches I walked away from.’ What makes the poems in FLICKER such a rich experience is their fierce honesty as they demonstrate a willingness to alchemically enter the fire of one’s life in order to attain tranquility. Bickmore offers generative complexities of transformation, as when the cat in ‘Thaumaturge’ eats a bird, and ‘the bird’s heart [becomes] a power inside her.’ Read these poems with a sincere desire to connect with others and with the world. Taste these poems, savor them, and bring them—most dearly—into the body’s cells. They will reward you and become a power inside you too.”—George Kalamaras, contest judge.
Nancy Tackas, 15 Bytes. “I am drawn to these truthful, soulful poems in Flicker. They are natural in their telling, in a voice that trusts itself, and is wise, although it doesn’t mean to be. The poet tries to transcend grief through repentance, to know what will work, searching for a way, here on the cusp of accepting her two lives: “the tranquil one and the conflagration . . . I am struck by the originality of these poems, by how they lead us to surprising places in the poet’s consciousness, dipping along with her between this world and the worlds of the past, and how through their writing and tender shaping show us how they might be the only peaceful way we have to reconcile the worlds we make. These are poems that readers will want to savor for their astonishing craft, their truth and humility. As Yeats has said of memorable poetry: “Take some line that is quite simple, that gets its beauty from its place in a story, and see how it flickers with the light of the many symbols that have given the story its beauty.””
Emily Bleeker. Wreckage. Lake Union Publishing/Amazon, March 2015. General/thriller. Whitney General Award finalist. Published through Amazon, it was a strong seller through Amazon Prime, reaching #1 at the Kindle Store, and finished the year as the Amazon #91 Best Seller, and GoodReads #149 Best Seller. It has been translated into French and German. “With Wreckage, you’ll find that in a tale about a plane crash and deserted island, the real action lies in the aftermath: the lies the characters tell, how the news/press swarm around them and the relationships formed and broken from such an event.”
Heather Moore: 5 stars. “One of my favorite reads of 2015. I’d had this on my to-read list for months and finally buckled down to read it. Less than 2 days later, and I finished with a sign. Amazing plot and development of characters. I really can’t recommend this book enough! Amazing to think it is a debut novel.”
Cultured Vultures: “I like a good dual-time narrative, it is always nice to have something to make a change from the normal linear narrative. So, Emily Bleeker’s debut novel, Wreckage. Even considering the content of the novel, it felt almost like a holiday. The plane crash/deserted island storyline did slightly put me off flying for a little while, I must admit, but it worked wonders as to grabbing and holding my attention . . . Although Bleeker has managed quite successfully to write a novel that gathers suspense, grabs the readers’ attention, and brings to life very interesting characters, it is her depiction of the role of the news/press and her observations of the life after trauma that makes this novel significant. This isn’t a best-seller crime/mystery novel though. Of course, the reader will not be able to wait to find out exactly happened on the plane, and on the island, but it is her characters that really make this novel a great read. Without giving any spoilers, it is hard to explain why the ending of this novel is both great and a little hard to believe.”
Emily Bleeker. When I’m Gone. Lake Union/Amazon, March 15. General/family.
“Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife of sixteen years, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone. But there’s something he’s not prepared for—a blue envelope with his name scrawled across the front in Natalie’s handwriting, waiting for him on the floor of their suburban Michigan home. The letter inside, written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, turns out to be the first of many. Luke is convinced they’re genuine, but who is delivering them? As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family. But the revelations also point the way toward a future where love goes on—in written words, in memories, and in the promises it’s never too late to keep.”
Rachelle J. Christensen. The Soldier’s Bride. Kindle Scout, March 15. Historical/family.
Ally Condie. Summerlost. Dutton, March 29. Middle grade general.
PW (Starred review): “Condie strikes a deep emotional chord with this coming-of-age story about 12-year-old Cedar, who has moved to Iron Creek, Utah, for the summer with her mother and younger brother, Miles, as the family struggles to regroup after an accident claimed the lives of Cedar’s father and brother Ben. Cedar quickly meets enterprising, offbeat Leo, who gets her a job at Summerlost, the town’s yearly Shakespeare festival. As the new friends team up to give (unofficial) walking tours about the life of legendary actress and hometown hero Lisette, they become captivated by the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death. Condie is at her best in this foray into middle grade fiction, grabbing readers’ interest from the first page while creating memorable characters struggling through deep emotional pain. The thread of Lisette’s mystery is intriguing in itself, but Leo and Cedar’s unlikely friendship steals the show. Their adventures, set against the quirky backdrop of a community of personality-rich theater creators, make for a summer with plenty of good to remember along with the bad.”
Kirkus: “Condie touches everything lightly but deftly with the family’s grief . . . Ben was disabled (maybe autistic), and their relationship was sometimes difficult. Her relationship with Miles is stolid and understatedly touching. Details are careful and never extraneous; there’s a reason it matters, at a certain moment, that “the milk was perfectly cold and the bananas not too ripe” in a bowl of cereal. Despite indicating that Cedar bonds with Leo because they’re both outsiders—she as a biracial Chinese-American, he for vaguer reasons—an explanation for their friendship isn’t necessary. Although Cedar’s narration as a character of color is largely convincing, white is still the default for other characters unless otherwise specified. There’s no monumental grief breakthrough, nor should there be: this is the realistic going on, day by day, after bereavement. Honest, lovely, and sad.”
SLJ: “Miles and her mother are present, and their journey through grief is certainly evident, but more care is given to Cedar and the development of her new relationships through the theater program. Leo is a vibrant secondary character, as are some of the other charming folks Cedar meets throughout her stay in Iron Creek. Have this on hand for readers who enjoy a sweet, heartfelt story. VERDICT A first purchase for middle grade collections, particularly where realistic fiction and coming-of-age stories are in demand.”
Wall Street Journal review. By MEGHAN COX GURDON
“When 12-year-old Cedar arrives at her family’s new vacation home in Ally Condie’s tender, insightful novel “Summerlost”, she feels none of the giddiness that normally attends the start of summer. It has been a year since her dad and troubled younger brother died in a car crash, and, as Cedar explains, she and her mother and surviving brother are still so fragile that they seem like “pencils with the erasers scrubbed down to the end, and the next swipe across the paper [may] tear through the page and make a scree sound across the desk.” Adjusting to her new surroundings in a high desert town, Cedar notices a quaintly dressed boy her age who passes her house each morning on his bike. One day, impulsively, she follows him. Thus begins a time of happy, unexpected companionship. Cedar winds up getting a job alongside the boy, Leo, at the local Summerlost Shakespeare Festival, where the two of them sell concessions and Leo dazzles patrons with his faux English accent. In their off hours, the young friends probe a mystery at the heart of the theater that involves the death of a legendary actress. At the same time, Cedar begins to receive enigmatic gifts on her windowsill—curious objects that remind her of the brother she has lost. Generous and bittersweet, “Summerlost” has the emotional acuity of Ms. Condie’s writing for older teenagers, but it’s pitched just right for readers ages 10-14.”
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (Starred review). “Thoughtful, poetic chapter endings guide readers new to psychological depth toward meaningful connections between plot events and thematic reflections. Along the way, a lovely relationship develops between Leo an Cedar that transcends the expected crush, indicating a more profound way of relating to a friend.”
Larry Correia. Into the Wild. Skull Island eXpeditions, March. Military adventure. “The second book in the Malcontents series, Into the Wild picks up the story begun in Correia’s previous entry in the series, Into the Storm.” Warmachine novel.
John D. Brown. Awful Intent. Self, March 15. Suspense/thriller. Frank Shaw #2. “Frank is an Army Special Forces veteran who screwed up, went to prison, and is now out, trying to go straight. He’s traveling through Southeastern Utah, enjoying the miles and miles of red-rock desert and wilderness when a man is murdered where nobody is supposed to see. Except Frank does see.”
Lauren Winder Farnsworth. Catching Lucas Riley. Cedar Fort/Sweetwater, March 8. Contemporary romance. LDS romance based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.
Lindsay B. Ferguson. By the Stars. Cedar Fort/Bonneville, March 8. World War II adventure/historical romance. A soldier in the Philippines struggles to survive and return to his girl. Debut.
Compass Book Ratings (4 ½ stars): “More than a love story, more than someone’s personal account of World War II, and more than a historical novel, By the Stars is a beautifully written novel that reads almost like a memoir which invokes in the reader feelings of love, loyalty, faith, and hope . . . While the love story between the two characters is beautiful and will leave the reader with a longing to hold dear those they love, it is the added displays of hope and faith that will leave one with the feeling of gratitude and a longing for the good. As a reader, one will be compelled to cheer for Cal, as he faces the atrocities of war, hoping that he will be able to return to the simpler life he left behind and to the love of his life. One will also feel for Kate and want her to know that she deserves his love and that she can be happy with it. Both characters are believable and likeable, probably because of the fact that they are based on real people–which adds to the enjoyment . . . If, as a reader, you are looking for a book that will draw you in and stick with you long after you’ve put the book down, this is surely a novel you will want to pick up. You just might come away believing in true love again–as well as the power of promises made, hope for the future, and faith in the fact that all will work out as it should.”
Bloggin’ ‘bout Books: B+. “Inspired by a true story, By the Stars, a debut novel, tells of a sweet romance that blossoms between two ordinary people living in extraordinary times. Although the war chapters get a little gruesome, the tale is, on the whole, a gentle one. It’s a clean, inspiring story that promotes faith, fidelity, and focusing on the good even when surrounded by evil. By the Stars is a timeless tale, the sort you can hand to your teenager or your grandmother without worrying about offending the delicate sensibilities of either one. All the characters in the book are likable, especially our hero and heroine. Both are wholesome, kind-hearted souls; it’s easy to root for their happiness. The thing is, though, it’s a little too easy. Because of the book’s Prologue, we know the answers to most of the questions I posed in the first paragraph of this review before Cal even starts telling his story. This makes the novel feels very predictable, even dull in spots. I kept waiting for twists and turns, a little suspense to throw the couple’s HEA into question, something to make me wonder and worry about their relationship’s future. While the action definitely picks up when Cal ships off to war, the first 200 pages or so of By the Stars really dragged for me. It doesn’t help that Ferguson’s prose is much more tell-y than show-y. Or that the text is liberally peppered with typos, misused words (poignantly and pointedly, for example) and errors. The author assures me all of these will be fixed in the electronic/Kindle version of the novel as well as future print runs, which is good because they are definitely irritating and distracting in a “finished” book. Overall, I think By the Stars has good bones. It really is an endearing tale, especially because it’s based on a real love story. In fact, it reads like a memoir, which may be a better format for it than a novel. To work well as fiction, I think the story needs much more dynamic prose; a focused, less episodic plot; better pacing; and more depth/nuance. For me, as is, it’s just an okay read.“
Megan Grey. Tuesdays With Molakesh and other stories. Garden Ninja Books, March 8. Fantasy short stories.
Jenni James. The Bluestocking and the Dastardly Intolerable Scoundrel. Trifecta, March 9. Regency/historical romance.
Josi S. Kilpack. A Lady’s Favor. Shadow Mountain, March 21. E-Book novella. Regency romance.
Josi S. Kilpack. Forever and Forever. Shadow Mountain, April 5. Historical romance. The Courtship of Henry Longfellow and Fanny Appleton, starting in 1836. Longfellow, a widower, woes Appleton, in Boston and Europe. First in the Proper Historical Romance series.
PW: “Kilpack combines fact and fiction in this well-researched, emotionally charged tale based on the real courtship of Henry Longfellow, America’s first professional poet, and Fanny Appleton, an intelligent Boston heiress. The relationship was rocky and unlikely. When Henry meets Fanny in Europe in 1836, shortly after the death of his first wife, he is immediately impressed by Fanny’s sharp mind, fiery disposition, and inquisitive nature. Fanny is intrigued by his intellectual capabilities and his faith in her abilities, but is put off by their 10-year age difference and his lower station. Henry maintains a friendship with Fanny’s family, and his dogged pursuit of Fanny confuses her; the widower’s ardent attentions don’t jibe with her ideas about love that lasts forever. Henry’s inner turmoil is absolutely heart-wrenching, as his continuing passion finds expression in his writing but meets resistance and even unkindness at times from Fanny and her friends. Kilpack vividly re-creates the era in which the couple lived and constructs a love story that even the pickiest poet would declare fit for the ages.”
Katie W (4 stars): “This story and the background to Henry and Fanny’s romance helped his poetry and words really have more meaning, as I understood the context a lot better. Ms. Kilpack did a fantastic job with the research needed to develop these characters and tell their story. The Afterword had me in tears, as I came to learn what happened. This is a story that will stay with me for awhile.”
Renae Weight Mackley. Secrets of the King’s Daughter. Covenant, March 6. Book of Mormon romance. King Lamoni’s daughter is complicit in the death of her abusive prince husband. Then Ammon arrives.
Shelia, LDSWBR. “I always find it amazing how a writer can weave a scriptural story in with made- up characters and make it so believable. Renae does this so well. I was immediately caught up in this story and the mystery and intrigue that was there. This book is a wonderful combination of action, suspense and romance. The conversion of King Lamoni and his wife was beautifully done as if I was reading the scriptures. Of course there was some liberty taken in dialogue and other happenings to enhance the overall story and plot. Those not familiar with The Book of Mormon will still be able to read this story and be pulled into the stories told from several different POV’s. I liked how each of the stories were seamlessly interwoven, so nothing seemed choppy, but knitted together to make the overall story flow. I’m so impressed that this is the author’s first published book. The writing is so well done and there is a very polished feel while reading this novel.”
Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine. 4 stars. “It’s easy to sympathize with Karlinah. She’s a bright young woman with an independent streak caught up in a manipulative society that gives women almost no rights. She’s a survivor and has learned to protect herself, both physically and to some extent emotionally. Her thoughts and feelings are portrayed well. There is a large cast of characters and most are believable . . . The author’s descriptions of the outdoor areas are the least convincing because they aren’t quite jungle and not quite forest. Secrets of the King’s Daughter is a compelling read with edge of the seat action. It also makes the reader consider questions concerning repentance, forgiveness, and the atonement. It’s a reminder of the differences in the day-to-day life between then and now. Yes, the overall story and many of the characters, including Karlinah are not real, but the author does an excellent job of creating a realistic picture of the people, customs, and prejudices that Ammon and people in general faced two thousand years ago. It’s a story of hope, second chances, and never giving up.”
Jennifer Moore, G.G. Vandagriff, and Nichole Van. Spring in Hyde Park. Mirror Press, March 8. Regency romance novellas. A Timeless Romance Anthology series.
H. (Heather) B. Moore. Deliverance. Covenant, March 1. Historical fiction. The Moses Chronicles #2.
Mindy, LDSWBR. 5 stars. “Every turn of the page brings a new adventure, full of suspense and a great amount of action. The story is constantly moving and the pages turned fast as I was eagerly awaiting what would be next for Moses. The conflicts with the other tribes were intense and suspenseful. This is a very exciting story full of action. I loved the point of view switches between Moses and Zipporah. I enjoyed seeing what each character thought in certain situations. Moses’s character leapt off the pages, as well as Zipporah’s. I loved how she was her own woman, and knew what she wanted. Heather also took great care in writing the supporting characters too. I loved Jethro, Zipproah’s father. He was a wonderful man full of compassion and trust. This book really got my thinking about who Moses really was and what an incredible man he was. Full of faith and strength. I loved his devotion to his new life in the desert, and how he followed the Lord to deliver his people. I am anxiously awaiting the last book in the series.”
Aimee/Getting Your Read On: 5 stars. “This second book was different from the first in that the internal struggle for Moses was less. He is less conflicted and he isn’t fighting against his conscience. This book begins with Moses wandering in the desert after fleeing his home in Egypt. He meets different people and eventually falls in love. He works and builds a new life with the Midianite people. This was more of a love story. It was also the important part where Moses grows up and learns more about his God. It lays a firm foundation for what is to come.”
Jennie Hansen, Meridian Magazine, 5 stars. “Moore has a knack for turning ancient figures known mostly for their pivotal roles in scriptural events and pronouncements into flesh and blood people with the same wants and needs as ourselves and the people around us, both the good and the bad. Moore’s Moses gained his strength and the faith to call down plagues and part the Red Sea through adversity, obedience, love for others, a willingness to serve, and a trust in God that grew bit by bit. Moses is someone readers can relate to more than an unapproachable ancient prophet.”
Brandon Mull. Death Weavers. Aladdin, March 15. Middle Grade speculative. Five Kingdoms #4. “Trapped in a world where magic is powerful and dreams are real, Cole’s epic adventure continues.”
Deseret News: “This book is full of surprises, which Mull is an expert at delivering. Readers, including fans of Mull’s other books, will likely be at the edge of their seats as exciting developments are introduced. Mull’s ability to weave a cohesive, compelling tale that draws the reader in from page one is top-notch. Though he is juggling the complex characteristics of five kingdoms with different cultures, people and nuances, he does it with ease and continues to produce quality literature that keeps readers engaged.”
Clair M. Poulson. Silent Sting. Covenant, March 1. Suspense/thriller. “Catastrophe is looming over the Central Valley of California. The honeybees, vital to the economy of this agricultural epicenter, are dying at an unprecedented rate. The U.S. government is desperate for answers, and researchers at the University of California–Riverside are tasked with providing them. But when the professors assigned to the investigation seem to be systematically dying under mysterious circumstances, it becomes clear that there is something sinister at play.”
Jenny Proctor. Love at First Note. Covenant, March 1. Contemporary romance. Violinist and her romance.
Kathryn Purdie. Burning Glass. HarperCollins, March 1, 2016. YA fantasy. Debut. In a world similar to Imperial Russia, 17-year-old Sonya is obliged to use her gift for feeling – and absorbing – the emotions of others to protect her nation’s volatile emperor from anyone seeking to do him harm. If she fails, the penalty is death. Despite her better instincts, however, Sonya becomes entangled with the emperor’s younger brother, whom she suspects may be plotting to usurp the throne. Listed on several “Buzz books of 2016” lists. Debut novel.
SLJ: “Sonya has a rare talent: she can feel, both physically and emotionally, those around her. With this talent brings the responsibility of becoming the Sovereign Auraseer for the Imperial Majesty, Valko . . . Filled with mystery and intrigue, betrayal and passion, Purdie’s political debut will sweep readers away to a world that is not that different from their own. Characters are richly developed, leaving teens with a sense of who they are and where they stand in this well-paced story. The ending comes to a satisfying resolution, with a hint of a further installment. VERDICT For libraries whose patrons clamor for additional high fantasy tales, this start of a new trilogy will fit the bill.”
Kirkus: “The love triangle plays out predictably . . . the political situation likewise plays out without much suspense. Connections to the world-outside-the-book are clear: Riaznin is certainly czarist Russia circa the revolution, while surrounding empires Estengarde, Abdara, and Shengli are analogous to France, Iran, and China, respectively; the Romska Sonya travels with correspond to the Romany, down to their coloring. Unfortunately, this debut is just another first in an epic fantasy trilogy that relies on a love triangle to bring tension to the story.”
Rosalyn Eves (5 stars): “I loved the vivid, lush setting of the book (loosely modeled on imperial Russia). And though I didn’t always like the choices Sonya made, she was a fascinating character struggling against very real odds and I desperately wanted her to succeed. I loved, too, the romantic intrigue (but I won’t spoil it by saying too much about it). Now I just have to wait for book two.”
Jane Redd (Heather B. Moore). Solstice. Kindle Scout/Mirror Press, March 1. YA science fiction/dystopian.
Kirkus: “In a repressive, future world of rising sea levels, a teenage girl must hide her forbidden emotions from all-powerful authorities—and from her questionable friends and classmates. In this slickly told YA sci-fi tale by Redd, a pseudonym of prolific historical fiction author Heather B. Moore, climate change has brought about the world that George Orwell famously predicted, only a century or so behind schedule . . . The story has a timely ecological hook. However, its scope remains confined to sterile, institutional settings and totalitarian-nightmare tropes that have a long history in future shock sci-fi literature. The reign of terror has droplets of conservatism and evangelicalism (note the scriptural character names), but it doesn’t get overly preachy about it. Characterizations tend to be rather stifled, although readers may forgive that, given the chilly, lockdown environment and a fear-ridden narrator whose world (and personality) is largely purged of past history and attachments. The big question of the “generators,” though, remains almost completely unanswered. In the closing chapters, the author finally opens up the fictional world, which brings a breath of fresh air to the material. Redd may explore the dystopian landscape to a greater extent in potential sequels. A solid but slightly suffocating YA tale of a dictatorship, set in a 2099 that parties like it’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.”
Karlene Browning. 4 ½ stars. “I love YA dystopian—but it has to be well-written with interesting characters, a strong plot line, and something new. I loved SOLSTICE! Although the emotion chip is something I’ve seen before, the twist is that there are some who are immune to it . . .Fast-paced plot, high emotions, great themes, and just a little romance. I would feel comfortable letting any teen read this.”
Sheila, LDSWBR. 4 stars. “This novel has many thought-provoking ideas about religion, falling in love and showing feelings which are all illegal in this world. It was refreshing to read a novel that had action, without a lot of violence that is so prevalent in so many novels. The ending has somewhat of a cliffhanger with a nice surprise at the end. This book is perfect for lovers of YA Dystopian stories and those wanting to discover a new world to get excited about”
Emily Wing Smith. All Better Now. Penguin, March 8. YA memoir. “An honest and captivating memoir of the author’s childhood struggles as a result of a brain tumor, only discovered following a near-fatal car accident.”
PW: “Smith’s absorbing memoir provides an uncommon glimpse into the inner world of a girl who has always had trouble functioning. The prologue makes it clear that even in adulthood, with a thriving career as a writer and a happy marriage, she continues to suffer from what she calls “Woo-Head,” a “headache hybrid” that combines dizziness, light-headedness, and trembling. A difficult child from her earliest years, Smith had more than her share of problems, including sexual assault and a car accident, which contributed to her behavioral struggles. The discovery of a brain tumor at 12 seemed to be the explanation for Smith’s condition, but even with its removal, her difficulties remained. Her narrative is interlaced with professionals’ psychological evaluations of her from age six through 16, which offer external perspective on her personal story. Smith unapologetically and honestly delivers all the messy details of her hard-won life and, without striving for sympathy, draws readers firmly to her side to applaud her developing successes.”
SLJ: “Weaving in stories of abuse, disappointments, and successes, Smith creates captivating tales that are disturbing and beautiful, making it clear that her writing saved her life. VERDICT Those who feel different or unsure of how to navigate the awkwardness of youth will appreciate this poignant read.”
Kirkus: “There are some gaping holes: Emily has siblings but barely mentions them; she says she loves and hates Mormonism but explains nothing about the religion or her feelings about it; she’s raped when she’s young but barely skims its emotional aftermath or effects (despite blaming the rape, heartbreakingly, on her self-described weirdness). Instead of depth, the text sticks to rote insistence that Emily’s a good writer. Her tendency to exoticize nonwhites is off-putting. Bland, despite the dramatic medical hook.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. “That’s the really interesting thing about Smith’s memoir: it’s not a story of discovery, cure, and redemption, but a story of struggle whose watershed moment isn’t really that transforming. Instead, Emily clings to the identity that’s remained constant—that she is a writer—and finds that growing older gives her more opportunities to find her niche and understand who she wants to be. That’s a discovery that will resonate with many readers, whether they’ve face physical challenges or not, and Emily’s blossoming will give hope to many kids who’ve been “the weird girl” or boy. However, the episodic nature of the narrative, with titled chapters of only a few pages leaping from subject to subject, makes it hard to gain traction on the overall story; the near-invisibility of Emily’s family is strange and unremarked-on, while other secondary figures and significant events disappear from view without a word. While there’s some authenticity to the jagged fragmentation of experience, it makes for a frustrating read at times and impairs connection with Emily. Nonetheless, the account of her journey to a happy adulthood may give hope to other struggling kids, and young writers-to-be could be heartened by her persistence and success.” Smith’s essay on living with brain injuries at Time Magazine.
Nathan Thatcher. Paco. Mormon Artists Group, Feb. 3. “At the invitation of Glen Nelson of Mormon Artists Group, Nathan Thatcher traveled to Spain and met Francisco Estévez, immersed himself in the composer’s life and music, cataloged his archive, and wrote about the experience. The resulting work is titled, Paco, the composer’s nickname. Estévez was a student of Francisco Calés, Cristóbal Halffter, Gerardo Gombau, Günther Becker, Oliver Messiaen, and Milko Kelemen. Born in Africa (1945) and raised in Spain, he attended the legendary summer New Music Institute at Darmstadt, the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, the Center for Electronic Music at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, and the Conservatorio Superior de Sevilla. A winner of prestigious awards as a composer, Estévez also collaborated with the groundbreaking electronic band, Kraftwerk”
Rick Walton. Girl & Gorilla. Illustrated by Joe Berger. HarperCollins, Jan. 26. Picture book.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “The friendship here is tender as well as funny; Girl is a Christopher Robin figure to the exuberant Gorilla . . . Kids who couldn’t get enough of the topsy-tervy friendship in Ohora’s No Fits, Nilson! will appreciate this best-mate tale.”
Kirkus: “Walton’s dialogue-rich treatment, with its repetitive structure and simple words, promises double duty as both practice for emergent readers and giggle-inducing read-aloud. Berger’s digital compositions render a retro-hip cityscape; Girl’s bemusement and Gorilla’s roller-coaster emotions come across as both cartoonish and sweetly expressive. Text and art play well together here—just as well as Girl and Gorilla do.”
SLJ: “Girl and Gorilla are friends on a mission to get to the city park. Dramatic and exuberant Gorilla thinks up creative, if a bit ditzy, methods to travel. Some of these methods involve hopscotching, riding elephants, and using his tail to jump rope to the park. Girl has a level head on her shoulders and reminds Gorilla that he doesn’t have a tail. So, they walk and think, until—voila!—they arrive at their destination in no time at all. While at the park, Girl and Gorilla do all the activities they thought about doing to travel to the park. When it is time to go home, the silliness begins again, bringing the story full circle. Illustrations, dominated by blue, orange, yellow, and red, contain just enough city detail to portray a contemporary urban setting. Cartoonish Gorilla wears bright red trunks and a yellow banana shirt, sure to make kids smile. VERDICT Walton has created another lovely book to share aloud and encourage children to use their imaginations and think outside the box, just like Gorilla.”
Jenniffer Wardell. Dreamless. Jolly Fish, March 29.
Kent Larson, Deseret News: : This is a world where magic mirrors are used as cellphones, wraiths are full of sarcasm and people use magic as a part of everyday life. There is humor and romance, but the story does have its serious moments: the betrayal of a sister, the effects of depression and the fear of the unknown. Wardell does an excellent job of making a fairy tale seem plausible and realistic.”
Robison Wells. Dark Energy. Harper Teen, March 29. YA science fiction. Aliens come to the US, told through the eyes of a half-Navajo teen.
Kirkus: “Wells is back with a new sci-fi adventure that comments on U.S. history . . . Wells displays an awareness of the need for ethnic diversity in books for kids. Alice is conscious of the parallels between the aliens’ landing and the arrival of white people in North America; her boyfriend is an Indian kid who’s grown up in the United States. Alice’s breezy narration and short chapters keep the pages flipping. A one-time resident of the Navajo Reservation, Wells discusses the challenges of writing about the First Nations in an author’s note. A highly pertinent, engaging thriller.”
SLJ: “What follows is a fast-paced adventure, filled with action, mystery, and humor. A rushed ending is the only glaring flaw in an otherwise entertaining (if not always believable) plot. The novel’s greatest strength lies in the perfectly timed wit of its young female narrator. The Guides’ inability to understand Alice’s sarcasm and idiomatic expressions makes for some hilarious conversations. But those same sarcastic discussions lead to poignant observations about humans, who, as Alice explains, don’t always treat one another very well and are generally afraid of other people’s differences. In the end, Wells proves that teenagers are smart and resourceful and that their unique perspective might just save the world. VERDICT Witty dialogue, plenty of action, and just a hint of romance make this a perfect selection for any teenage science-fiction fan.”
PW: “Wells has a misfire with this inconsistent tale, which opens after an enormous starship crashes in Iowa and skids hundreds of miles north. Seventeen-year-old Alice Goodwin relocates from Florida to Minnesota when her father, an important NASA official, is assigned to investigate the UFO. The thousands of surviving aliens, who look entirely human, are housed in a shantytown near the ship but, in an effort at interstellar communication, two alien teenagers are enrolled in Alice’s new boarding school, with one of them assigned as her roommate. The novel begins on a somber note with at least 18,000 humans killed in the crash (on top of alien casualties) but quickly veers into lighter banter among Alice and her classmates. Smart, wisecracking Alice realizes that something isn’t quite right with the aliens’ story, and she’s proven right when the Masters, the real owners of the starship, appear. Wells’s Masters are nightmarish but cartoonishly incompetent, and while the novel doesn’t lack for action, neither does it find its footing as it swings uncomfortably between humorous and horrific.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “The novel has a sharp beginning, with the crash and the numbed devastation that follow crisply conveyed. Unfortunately, there’s way too much packed into the book—the Native American connection, the shocking violence of the Masters, the human/alien attempts to relate to each other, the boarding school romance—for any plot point to really land. In addition, Alice is smart but not terribly likable, and the speed with which she judges others and decides her way is generally the best grows quickly wearisome. Even so, readers who can’t get enough extraterrestrial boos may find this a more poignant look than some other tales of alien invasion.”
Deseret News feature story.
Jeff Zentner. The Serpent King. Crown Books/Random House, March 8. General YA. Debut novel. Zentner is a musician.
Kirkus (Starred review): “Forrestville, Tenn., named after Ku Klux Klan founder Nathan Bedford Forrest, isn’t exactly a welcome place for slightly ouside-the-mainstream folks like friends Dillard, Lydia, and Travis. Dill is a high school senior whose snake-handling preacher father is currently incarcerated; Lydia, a successful fashion blogger, plans on attending NYU after graduation; and Travis, large of body and gentle of soul, loses himself (and the pain of his father’s physical and emotional abuse) in a fantasy series called Bloodfall. While Dill finds comfort and beauty in music, Travis’s innate kindness belies his circumstances, and Lydia’s incandescent, gleefully offbeat personality draws them together. As the novel, Zentner’s debut, builds to a shocking act of violence that shatters the friends’ world, this sepia-toned portrait of small-town life serves as a moving testament to love, loyalty, faith, and reaching through the darkness to find light and hope. Zentner explores difficult themes head on—including the desire to escape the sins of the father and the fragility of happiness—while tempering them with the saving grace of enduring friendship.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (Starred review): “With chapters that shift the focus among characters, this novel offers a heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful portrait of three friends and the love/hate relationship they have with the insular community they grew up in. The third-person narration manages to convey distinct flavor for each deeply personal and introspective storyline, so each character emerges as an authentic individual, flawed yet lovable, and readers will find themselves drawn by the heartstrings into their complex lives. The small community is likewise carefully drawn, a mix of the angry, the desperate, and the supportive that avoids drifting into sterotypes. Hand this to fans of Whaley’s Where Things Come Back and readers who want stoires of the rural South crafted with candor and care.”
SLJ: “Zentner offers a contemporary young adult novel that explores many issues common with teenagers today—bullying, life after high school, and the coming together and breaking apart of high school friendships. Thorough characterization and artful prose allow readers to intimately experience the highs and lows of these three friends. VERDICT Recommended for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell.”
Kirkus: “A touching debut chronicles the coming-of-age of three high school seniors, misfits and best friends . . . Writing in third-person chapters that alternate among the three characters, Zentner covers the whole of their senior year, with heartbreak and a hopeful conclusion. Characters, incidents, dialogue, the poverty of the rural South, enduring friendship, a desperate clinging to strange faiths, fear of the unknown, and an awareness of the courage it takes to survive, let alone thrive, are among this fine novel’s strengths. Zentner writes with understanding and grace—a new voice to savor.”
Rosalyn Eves. 5 stars. “This is a remarkable book: characters that stay with you long after the story has ended, a bitter-sweet exploration of friendship and small town life and the indelible affects both past and place have. . . . The plot, as plots go, isn’t high concept or fast paced. But the book has a way of gripping you and not letting go. The prose is gorgeous (probably award-winning), and the characters–in all their flawed, wondrous glory–are heart-breaking and hopeful. I would not be at all surprised to see Zentner go on to astound us.”
Mashable: “6 Different Reasons You Should Read Jeff Zetner’s The Serpent King.”
Reviews of older books
Orson Scott Card. Folk of the Fringe (Theric). “Perhaps it’s the weight of great expectations that explains why I don’t love it like I’m supposed to. After all, not only is this allegedly the Best Mormon Book ever, it’s also short stories from one of my all-time favorite short-story writers. That’s a lot of expectations to be saddled with. Anyway, I don’t have specific complaints. Stories range from the thrilling to the provocative to the familial, and Card’s evocation of character and place are as strong as ever. Were I to write a serious review, I would mostly discuss what was great about these stories. But this isn’t a review I’m writing—it’s a personal response, and that response is disappointment in not being blown away. Perhaps this feeling is representative of how far the field has come in 30 years. Perhaps 30 years ago, being unprecedented, this book stood so far above its (nonexistent) competition that it was like Chimney Rock. Now it’s more like Bryce Amphitheater. Again: I’m not knocking this book at all. It’s only failure is not being as unique as once it was. Perhaps that should be chalked up as another of its successes.”
Colin B. Douglas. First Light, First Water (Dennis Clark, AML). “This is a marvelous book, and any review of it is overdue.”
Scott Hales. Mormon Shorts Vol. 1 (Ardis E. Parshall, Keepapitchininin). “Scott Hales [is] the cartoonist for this generation, who gets us like no one else does . . . In addition to Enid, Scott’s productions include “Mormon Shorts” – single comics outside the world of Enid, sometimes with recurring characters of their own. There are the two fathers caring for their infants in the Father’s Lounge at Church, so like each other in their fatherhood and Mormon-ness, but so unlike each other in ways that Mormon readers recognize in fellow Church members. There are jokes about scriptures, about beard cards, about man buns, about the Bloggernacle, about the Arnold Fribourg style, about Primary songs taken too literally . . . Mormon Shorts is different from every other collection of Mormon comics I have ever read. These comics do more than illustrate contemporary Mormon culture, or our quirks or foibles. They call for more than an awareness of Mormon history. Earlier cartoonists – Cal Grondahl, Pat Bagley, all the others – were and are insiders who have all the punchlines and know where all the bodies are buried — but Scott Hales does more than display insider knowledge. What makes Mormon Shorts different – what is different about them, and about Enid (who, I hope, will soon make an appearance in a collection of her own) — is that beyond the cultural surface is the Mormon heart. The artist and storyteller here cannot help but invest these impossibly brief stories and impossibly pointed comics with a spark that leaps from the page to the hearts of believing readers. This artist and storyteller knows.”
Lindsey Leavitt. The Pages Between Us (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books): “The novel the readers hold in their hands is the notebook the girls create, complete with alternating handwriting, drafts of notes to crushes, and supplemental ephemera in an invitingly browsable format. However, the necessary conflict takes quite some time to manifest, so there’s a lot to wade through in the mean time, and the girls have a preternatural maturity when it comes to identifying and solving their problems that doesn’t ring true. Still, Leavitt and Mellom have made the girls’ challenges—with each other, with their peers, with their families, and with themselves—relatable to those readers struggling to navigate the changes that middle school brings”
Martine Leavitt. Calvin (Bloggin’ ‘bout Books) A. “True originality is not a quality often found in contemporary YA literature. That’s one of the reasons Calvin by Martine Leavitt is such a gem. With a unique premise, an otherworldly setting, and an intriguing blend of adventure, humor, and psychological thriller, it’s definitely different from the norm. Which is a good thing. A very, very good thing. At less than 200 pages, it’s a quick read but a surprisingly complex one. Both tender and touching, Calvin is appealing, absorbing, and absolutely unforgettable. Destined to be a sleeper hit, this is one contemporary YA novel you don’t want to miss.”
Sheila A. Neilson. Shadow in the Sea (Reading for Sanity) 2 ½ stars. “Well. I really wanted to like this book. A lot. I had such high hopes, you see, because I really enjoyed the first one, Forbidden Sea. I, like you, I’m sure, have read and heard about a ton of paranormal romance novels featuring all kinds of mythical creatures—vampires, werewolves, ghosts, elves, fairies, etc., and a whole plethora of made up creatures as well. No stone has been left unturned when it comes to mythical creatures and their goings-on in YA fic. Some of these books have been decent, others have been lamelamelamelamelame. You know what I’m talking about. When I read Forbidden Sea, I hadn’t read a mermaid book yet. There are since some other ones I’ve seen (but not read), but this was the maiden voyage (see what I did there?). It was interesting, I really liked the folkloric aspect of it, and I appreciated the nods to the many diverse cultures that have mermaids or mer-creatures and their fun stories that come with it. That was cool. Now we come to Shadow in the Sea. First of all, I hate the cover. It’s stupid. I can’t decide if that Kristen Stewart lookalike is supposed to be in the ocean or just drowning in her own sorrows in a bathtub. I’m thinking the latter. But we don’t judge a book by its cover now, do we? [I do.] But I was willing to give it a chance. The story itself was okay, and it had some compelling bits in it, but really, it was just a lot of hyped-up teenage drama and angst with the main character being all ‘It’s all my fault and no one should love me and they’re all blaming me and I can never live up to that mythical creature’s beauty and he’s my destiiiinnnnnyyyy and there’s so much greatness in His world I reaaaallllllyyyyy want to be a part of but I would rather just give up and drown in a bathtub so now I’m just going to go sacrifice myself and endanger everybody else at the same time cause I’m young and probably just stupid.’
I think I could stop there. That would probably sum it up. But I’ll go on.
It is entirely possible that I am just super curmudgeonly and not really into paranormal romance as someone, say, half my age. But that’s just it—I’ve read a lot of paranormal romance and some of it I might even admit to enjoying.(Look, I admitted to liking the first book.) But this seemed really, really cheesy. And the drama was just way over the top, and not in a fun way. It was in a whiny way in which you start thinking the main character really does deserve all the badness that she’s claiming for herself. It surprised me that Nielson’s writing went downhill as compared to the first one. I thought I could rely on her to not get all over-the-top and teenage angsty on me, but I guess not. Also, the names in the book were so stupid it was killing me every time I read a new one. The mer-people names were especially lame.”
John Russell. The Mormoness (Jenny Webb, AML). “Overall the text is highly usable. The fresh transcription of the text itself is quite clean, and the inclusion of the original publication’s pagination enclosed in brackets throughout works quite well. Austin and Parshall’s historical contextualization and analysis provides an excellent entry for any interested in this text. And Russell’s narrative continues to resonate in an America that is still struggling in many ways to come to terms with the realities demanded by political and ethical ideals of equality, justice, and freedom. For Russell, the question may have been how to see the Christianity in a new and theologically disruptive religion; for us, the greater question of how to see the humanity of our neighbors makes this somewhat obscure, historical text surprisingly relevant today in multiple ways. Highly recommended for those interested in the cultural history of America, the West, and Mormonism, as well as those who simply wish to reflect on the way questions of inclusion and exclusion inform our history and, potentially, our future.”
A. L. Sowards. The Spider and the Sparrow (Jennie Hansen) 5 stars. “Sowards’s characters are a mixture of strength and flaws that make them real and allows the reader to share their emotions and fears. Their conversation and the social mores of the time period lend to their realism and evidence the author’s attention to research. The settings and background of this story are well done. I could almost feel and taste the mud of those rain filled trenches along the French/German border. There are two romances that take place. They are important elements of the story, but do not dominate it. Violence is a necessary part of a war story, but is not overdone or overly graphic. There are no direct mentions of the LDS Church, but reading between the lines, one can surmise that Flynn’s family is LDS . . . A gradual low key search for, then discovery, of faith in God, is the strongest religious aspect of the novel. Terrible sacrifices are asked of the characters in this story as in the all too real war a hundred years ago, but though it was a terrible time and included horrible events, the overall story leaves the reader with a sense of hope and faith.”
Dan Wells. Bluescrren Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (Starred review): “This gripping cyberpunk thriller reads like an homage to Neal Stephenson’s genre-defining Snow Crash, but Wells mixes well-extrapolated world building and nuanced storytelling into something convincingly fresh and original. The plot builds slowly, adding layers of tension with bursts of adrenaline-fueled action. The narration is likewise thematically strong, raising awareness of economic and social issues without being preachy. Most notable, though, is the richly diverse cast, including an international crew of tech-savvy girlfriends and a Latino female narrator with a prosthetic arm and an abundance of talent and attitude. A few unresolved mysteries and lingering questions about Mari’s online ally/nemesis set up planned seqels, which should trhill readers who enjoy intense, intelligent cyber-fare like Anderson’s Feed and Doctrow’s Little Brother.”
Pamela S. Williams. See You in the Morning (Jennie Hansen) 4 stars. “The author uses a stream-of-conscious style rather than following a plot arc. This style works fine for this story which is a love story, but not a Romance. The only time I found it confusing was when references were made without explanation to characters from the previous two books. . . . Though this story can’t be labeled preachy, it does give a great deal of information concerning the views of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints concerning death and the continuation of marriage and families after this life.”
Theater
Zarahemla simultaneously publishes two volumes of Mahonri’s plays, one group of “enchanted” plays, the other of religious-themed plays.
Mahonri Stewart. Evening Eucalyptus and Other Enchanted Plays. Zarahemla, March 16. A self-exiled man finds himself in a mythical Australia. A Victorian woman has closeted herself in her home to hide herself from an ancient secret. A woman stumbles into a shop whose glassware contains more than she bargained for. The Greek Eurydice wakes up on a boat with a mysterious man. The Lady of Shallot is discovered in an ancient castle by a ragtag group of adventurers. A trio of post-apocalyptic survivors faces a changed world that contains sphinxes, fairies, griffins, goddesses, and the fearsome Emperor Wolf. In these plays, national-award-winning playwright Mahonri Stewart explores his enchanted side.
Mahonri Stewart. A Roof Overhead and Other Plays. Zarahemla, March 16. Stewart continues to explore the contours of spirituality in an increasingly complicated world. This volume includes:
- A Roof Overhead—The Fielding family’s Mormon values conflict with their tenant’s atheistic beliefs. Can mutual tolerance be found, or will tragedy ruin their chances for finding common ground?
- Friends of God—This play dramatizes the history of Joseph Smith’s martyrdom and the controversies and dangers that led up to it.
- “White Mountain” and “The Prince’s House”—These two short plays explore the light and dark sides of the spiritual world.
- Yeshua—The New Testament Gospels are explored in new and beautiful ways.
Kingdom of Heaven. Book & lyrics by Jenifer Nii, music & lyrics by David Evanoff. Plan-B Theatre, Salt Lake City, March 31-April 10. Plan-B’s first original musical is a quest for self-acceptance in a culture focused on perfection and one Mormon housewife’s desire to do it in drag. Marriage, motherhood, and faith were enough for MaryJane (Jeanette Puhich)—until one day she opens her mouth to sing and finds her true self. Now her newfound direction threatens to alienate her husband (David Hanson) and closest friend (Susanna Florence) and destroy the life she’s worked so hard to build. A poignant portrait of one woman who realizes her true nature and has the courage to give it a voice. Directed by Jerry Rapier. Essay by Jenifer Nii.
Review by Ann Poone, 15 Bytes. “There is one topic du jour that seems repetitive: devout Mormons, lapsed Mormons, non-Mormons, all appear concerned lately (belatedly) with LGBT rights in the LDS Church. Books like the Mormon mystery His Right Hand by Mette Ivie Harrison, so many newspaper articles and letters to the editor, and now the first original musical at Plan-B Theatre Company, “Kingdom of Heaven,” deal abundantly with this subject. Thursday night, it was Plan-B on the docket and an entertaining evening of singing and dancing it turned out to be, intentionally, it seemed, just like a Mormon roadshow of old — along with the topical stuff, of course. (Much of it confusing to non-LDS types, but all of this gets a bit easier to understand with practice, or so this reviewer has found.) . . . Gender identity and the church are revealed to be at the core of the play and some touching scenes (and surprising ones) ensue, accompanied, of course, by lovely and often amusing lyrics. MJ ultimately will perform a song called “Drag!” at a place called The Pleather Club – a name which seems a little “focused” for your average gay bar in Salt Lake City. And “I Love You the Way You Are” gets an unexpected performance as “I Like You the Way You Are.” Wait for it.”
Troy: The Musical. By Jon English & David Mackay, in collaboration with Christopher Higbee and others. BYU, March 31. BYU’s interdisciplinary Music Dance Theatre program presents a staged reading of a new musical. Higbee, a Mormon, has been working on a new version of this play, which originated in a 1990 concept album, and a 2003 production. Jon English & David Mackay are Australian musicians, and English just passed away last month.
Film
The new theatrical version of Saturday’s Warrior opened in nine theaters in Utah on April 1. See the fairly good reviews here. Michael Buster, the director, was the screenwriter and a lead actor in the film Out of Step, and played the rebellious Elder Kinegar in God’s Army. It is written by Michael Buster, Heather Ravarino, Lex de Azevedo (the original composer), with a screenplay by Michael Buster and Heather Ravarino. De Azevedo and two of his daughters, Emilie de Azevedo Brown and Rachel Coleman, are producers, along with Ravarino and Jarrod Phillips. Doug Stewart, the original 1974 play’s book writer, does not appear to be directly involved.
I Am Not a Serial Killer. Directed by Billy O’Brien. Based on the novel by Dan Wells. Stars Christopher Lloyd and Max Records. Premiered at the SxSW film festival in Austin, March 13.
Variety. “Suzanne Collins famously stumbled on her inspiration for “The Hunger Games” trilogy while channel surfing between newscasts of war zones and reality competition shows. In the case of “I Am Not a Serial Killer,” based on the first book in Dan Wells’ YA series, it’s not hard to imagine its author slipping into a similar fever dream after binge-watching all of “Dexter,” “Fargo” and “Six Feet Under” in one go. The tale of a likable teenager, raised by a mortician family, whose own nascent sociopathic tendencies make him a perfect amateur sleuth when a serial killer strikes his folksy Midwestern town, director Billy O’Brien’s film adaptation strikes a tone that’s far more unique and endearing than that premise might imply, helped in no small part by a sharp-witted performance from former child star Max Records. A strange, clumsily handled third-act turn undoes some of its charm, however, and while it could entice a cult viewership on VOD, the film is likely too dark and odd to kickstart even a minor franchise . . . For its first two acts, “I Am Not a Serial Killer” locks into a compatible rhythm, balanced on the precarious intersection of quirky and creepy. John’s obsessions come in useful when a crazed serial killer begins stalking the town, stealing body parts from each of his victims and leaving a puddle of tar at each murder scene. As John trudges through town looking for clues in his bulky winter wear, the effect is less “The Young Dexter Chronicles” than “Encyclopedia Berkowitz,” and O’Brien maintains a half-comic, almost sweet mood even as the bodies pile up. It doesn’t take too long for John to find the killer, and the film starts to lose bits of its idiosyncratic flair as the slayings come closer to home, tipping further and further into straight horror before losing its bearings completely in the final reel. Though vaguely hinted at earlier, the pic’s full plunge into the supernatural realm comes out of nowhere toward the end, and the full explanation for this twist — like a number of the film’s subplots — seems to have been set aside for future installments that may or may not see the light of day. Even when the story hits some snags, the film, nicely shot on 16mm by Robbie Ryan, retains a winningly unique look. O’Brien conjures an infectious sense of place on a small budget: dark but never dreary, haunting but oddly cheerful.”
Hollywood Reporter. “Blending genres with somewhat inconsistent results, I Am Not a Serial Killer wants to be a forensic procedural, horror movie and black comedy all at once. Chiefly it’s an understated thriller about the evil lurking beneath the skin of the American heartland, where so many psychopaths have preyed upon the populace over the decades. Genre fans should respond if the film eventually turns up on VOD, following assured appearances at like-minded film festivals . . . This inconsistency of tone isn’t nearly as distracting as the plotlines and characters that are impulsively introduced and then swiftly neglected. Although John’s psychological quirks are examined in detail, many other characters are barely sketched in. Records, who’s matured into a teenager since his childhood roles in The Brothers Bloom and Where the Wild Things Are, exhibits a certain persuasive sensitivity that engenders more empathy than the writers’ heavy-handed abnormal-psych characterizations. Lloyd digs deep into a dimensional role that only reaches full potential late in the film, revealing a gratifyingly physical performance underpinned by complex motivational factors. U.K.-based Irish director O’Brien, whose previous features Isolation and The Hybrid play on more explicit types of body-horror than the psychological self-repulsion John experiences here, displays a better command of visual style than narrative tone. Shepherding the shoot through a snowy Midwestern winter (the film is actually an Ireland-U.K. co-production), O’Brien converts the nondescript town into a menacingly lit labyrinth as John attempts to track and trap the mysterious killer, pursued by a frequently prowling camera. The special effects are consistently satisfying for a low-budget feature, reaching a surprising level of accomplishment in the final scenes.”
Unicorn Booty. “Director Billy O’Brien implicates his viewers in the act: most of us see everyday killings all around us — in foreign wars, under-funded hospitals and urban streets — and very few of us do anything to stop them; we call it life, we call it Earth. But the true horror in O’Brien’s comic-thriller doesn’t come from its murderous culprit, it comes from the harms we inflict on each other every day, the relationships we sever and the many small deaths that slowly turn people into legendary killers.
Twitch. “I Am Not a Serial Killer morphs comfortably from teen fiction to a murder mystery to a cagey thriller, all with a wry sense of humor. It’s modest and fully engaging, and smart enough not to overplay its hand.
The Austin Chronicle. “Based on the first in Dan Wells’ genre-bending series of novels about the twisted young protagonist, Irish director Billy O’Brien’s adaptation keeps the original’s small town roots. His decision to shoot on 16mm gives it a gritty yet dreamlike noir feel, reminiscent of 1986’s River’s Edge. Much like Tim Hunter’s strange ensemble classic, it’s an opportunity for strange diversions, as this quirky little community fails to grasp what’s happening.
That makes Records, and his studied blank grin, the through line that adds drifting motion to the narrative, even when the already twisted events take a lurching turn into unexpected territories. He makes Cleaver unpredictable without relying on quirks, the menace present but unstated, and yet still makes him the most unlikely hero.
O’Brien doesn’t just create an engrossing, perturbing, and oddly cheery character study. He proves that there is a way to cinematically adapt the new wave of literary horror spearheaded by Wells and Daryl Gregory (We Are all Completely Fine), catching their cerebral carnage. If we’re all lucky, they’ll be as breathtakingly innovative, delightfully ghoulish, and insightfully unconventional as what we can only hope is the beginning of the cinematic misadventures of John Wayne Cleaver.”
Eric D. Snider (tweet). “Semi-humorous, horror-ish. Sociopathic teen stumbles across killer. Spins its wheels, but ends up ok. Might be the only movie I’ve seen with probable R-rated gore but no profanity.”
Dan Wells’ take of the SxSW debut.
Dudes and Dragons. Was Dragon Warriors, a comic fantasy film written and directed by Maclain Nelson (Once I was a Beehive) and Stephen Shimek, and starring James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Luke Perry (90210), and Adam Johnson. Crowdfunded thorugh Kickstarter. Had an October 10, 2015 preview at the Megaplex Theaters Gateway, SLC. The movie won “Best Film” at Dragon Con in Atlanta in September. DVD, VOD, etc release on March 1, 2016.
Sinful Celluloid. “This movie was fantastic! Just a damn fun time! It doesn’t take itself too seriously which is nice because this is not a serious movie, it has moments but you will regain your breath. Everyone did a great job from acting to effects which were a delight. There was a good amount of CGI but for a fair budget movie they were amazing and it was mostly for the Dragon so you can’t really get mad about having a CGI Dragon, I mean c’mon it’s a dragon! The setting is absolutely stunning and beautiful it really feels like ye old times! There are some monsters but they only show up in a wonderful slow mo fight scene.”
Film Inquiry. “I’m going to be honest and admit that 15 minutes into this film I didn’t want to watch any more. Which is strange, because usually I’m a glutton for punishment when it comes to films I don’t necessarily enjoy. I’ll quite happily sit through to the end, hoping for a change in direction or a ‘bigger picture’ reveal. But the first 15 minutes of Dudes & Dragons were just confusing, and not in a ‘this is making me think’ kind of way. That being said, I am so glad I kept watching . . . A few scenes in the first act of Dudes & Dragons were too long, making it feel labored . . . But it was at the end of the latter scene that I began to change my mind about the film. What’s more, there is a dragonfly messenger/Princess Leia-esque projection that you would have to be made of stone not to get on board with . . . Not only is over 90% of the film shot on a green screen, but on a green screen that they built themselves in a warehouse. The budget was so tight that director Maclain Nelson himself had to don the fetching green morph suit and wave a giant dragon head around. Yes, you are aware that the film was made on green screen throughout the film’s duration, but by doing so the team behind it were able to cut down costs and simplify resources. And throughout its 1 hour and 58 minutes I did probably see more fake fire than I have seen in my entire lifetime of watching films and television -excluding 00’s pop music videos which have got quite a lot to answer for – but it was great fun!” . . . If I’m honest I’ve fallen a little bit in love with Dudes & Dragons and the story of how it was made. From my possibly slightly overindulgent research I have watched bloopers, cast and crew interviews and Comic-Con panels, and I still want to see more. This is a film made by a group of people that all really care about what they’re doing and this really comes across in the final piece.”
Some of the LDS-connected winners of the Utah Film Awards, presented on March 28:
Best Feature Film
Freetown
Best Produced Screenplay – Feature
Once I Was A Beehive
Best Supporting Actor in a Short/Series
Jon Heder (Wildlife)
Best Actor Under 18
Jacob Buster (Just Let Go)
Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film
Sam Sorbo (Just Let Go)
Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film
Michael Attram ( Freetown)
Best Lead Actress in a Feature Film
Paris Warner – (Once I Was A Beehive)
Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film
Henry Ian Cusick (Just Let Go)
Best Editing – Feature
Mythica: The Darkspore
Best Sound – Feature
Mythica: The Darkspore
Best Visual Effects – Feature
Mythica: The Darkspore
Best Music Score – Feature
Mythica: The Darkspore (Nathaniel Drew)
Best MakeUp – Feature
Mythica: The Darkspore
Alex Boye, the BYU Men’s Chorus and Philharonic perform in a new video of Baba Yetu (The Lord’s Prayer in Swaheli), The video was directed by Jeff Parkin.
Bestsellers
March 13, 20, 27, April 3, 10
Christine Feehan. Dark Promises
USA Today: x, x, x, #3, #82 (2 weeks)
PW Hardcover: x, x, x, #3, #9 (2 weeks). 9826, 4409 units. 14,235 total.
NYT Hardcover: x, x, x, #9, x (1 week)
Brandon Mull. Death Weavers (Five Kingdoms)
USA Today: x, x, x, #26, x (1 week)
PW Children’s: x, x, x, #3, #21 (2 weeks). 9221, 3980 units. 13,201 total.
NYT Children’s Series: x, x, x, #5, x (2 weeks total)
Brandon Sanderson. Calamity
USA Today: #82, #127, x, x (3 weeks)
PW Children’s: #11, #21, x, x (3 weeks). 4362, 2822 units. 21,115 total.
NYT Children’s Series: #5, #5, #4, x, x (4 weeks)
Brandon Sanderson. Bands of Mourning
PW Fantasy: #2
RaeAnne Thayne. Country Bride
USA Today: #118, #61, #86, #140, x (4 weeks)
PW Mass-Market: #7, #6, #7, #8, #9 (5 weeks). 10,379, 11,310, 8583, 6300, 6556 units. 43,278 total.
NYT Mass-Market: #11, #14, x, x, x (2 weeks)
Shannon and Dean Hale. Princess in Black series
NYT Children’s Series: x, x, x, x, #9 (2 weeks total)
James Dashner. The Maze Runner series
NYT Children’s Series: x, x, x, x, #10 (176 weeks total)
Ann Perry. Treachery at Lancaster Gate
USA Today: x, x, x, x, #122 (1 week)
You’re amazing, Andrew. Thank you for putting everything in one place so that we can keep up with what’s happening–such exciting stuff!