When I did my Science Fiction Reading List in 2005-2008, there really was no viable market for self-published books. Now, there is. In my search for a fantasy author with a last name starting with "E," I tripped on this book. It is really stunning, my favorite new book actually, since John Crowley's "Aegypt Quartet" from last year. I'm not the only one who has noticed, either: this book is currently #5 on Amazon UK, and is doing MULTI-LANGUAGE releases.
It's about an Angel-born Apocalypse (the way the Apocalype is supposed to be, forget you, you stupid zombies), and although it is both marketed and, probably more importantly, paced as a YA novel, this is in fact an adult book. The protagonist Penryn (named for the exit off Highway 50 from Sacramento to Reno, and inadvertently a Welsh name that is part of the township I was married in (Portmeirion is in Penryndeudrath)) has a 7 year old sister in a wheelchair and a schizophrenic mother who possibly maimed the little sister and may very well murder both of them -- teenage Penryn makes herself responsible to protect both of them from murderous Angels and the roving gangs of desperate Humans left in their wake.
It's a really fabulous book, and I am a little nuts that I have to wait until November for the sequel. The author was a lawyer, but obviously her first love is science fiction and fantasy: this book reminds me of the best of Holly Black and my very favorite author, Emma Bull. One of my favorite lines: When you're small enough to have to look up at everyone around you, there's no such thing as a dirty fight.
Lessons for writers: pacing tells the reader what to expect. Make your pacing match your story. Respect pacing. Oh, and make every sentence earn its keep. Did I mention this is a really great book?
It's about an Angel-born Apocalypse (the way the Apocalype is supposed to be, forget you, you stupid zombies), and although it is both marketed and, probably more importantly, paced as a YA novel, this is in fact an adult book. The protagonist Penryn (named for the exit off Highway 50 from Sacramento to Reno, and inadvertently a Welsh name that is part of the township I was married in (Portmeirion is in Penryndeudrath)) has a 7 year old sister in a wheelchair and a schizophrenic mother who possibly maimed the little sister and may very well murder both of them -- teenage Penryn makes herself responsible to protect both of them from murderous Angels and the roving gangs of desperate Humans left in their wake.
It's a really fabulous book, and I am a little nuts that I have to wait until November for the sequel. The author was a lawyer, but obviously her first love is science fiction and fantasy: this book reminds me of the best of Holly Black and my very favorite author, Emma Bull. One of my favorite lines: When you're small enough to have to look up at everyone around you, there's no such thing as a dirty fight.
Lessons for writers: pacing tells the reader what to expect. Make your pacing match your story. Respect pacing. Oh, and make every sentence earn its keep. Did I mention this is a really great book?
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