World-Building: A Writer's Guide to Constructing Star Systems and Life-Supporting Planets by Steve Gillett, 1996, Writer's Digest Books, $16.99, hardbound, 198 pages. Category/Genre: writing reference. Cover: atmospheric and appropriate. Where we got it: bought it. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble.
The purpose of this book is to help you create a sense of wonder in your speculative fiction by using real science. Gillett begins by delving into the astronomical, such as variables (like season change and tidal action) that affect planets, and some of the differences between stars and planets. He also helps the reader understand and calculate astronomical scales. He goes into the details of creating a planet, and here provides some variations, as well. He also takes a look at the Earth and some possible variations, and here he includes information on a planet's colors, the atmosphere, the ocean, plate tectonics, and more.
In addition, Gillett discusses Earth's earlier days, other planets, suns and stars, and more exotic possibilities for the planets you create. Also in the book are references and a resources guide.
An interesting book. If you want to write science fiction set on different planets, World-Building is a great way to get you started.
If you like this one, try: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card, The Writer's Guide to Creating a Science Fiction Universe by George Ochoa and Jeffrey Osier, Space Travel: A Writer's Guide to the Science of Interplanetary and Interstellar Travel by Ben Bova with Anthony R. Lewis, and Aliens and Alien Societies by Stanley Schmidt.
Aliens and Alien Societies by Stanley Schmidt, 1995, Writer's Digest Books, $17.99, hardbound, 226 pages. Category/Genre: writing reference. Cover: evocative. Nice artwork. Makes you want to open the book. Where we got it: bought it. Where you can get it: Amazon.
This book covers just about everything you might want to know about creating aliens and alien societies. It starts with a couple of basic questions (what are aliens, and why would you want to write about them?), then moves on to achieving plausibility in your writing. Astronomical and biochemical essentials are explored, as well as the importance of making your aliens fit their environments, creating alien cultures and languages, and how aliens might interact with humans.
Schmidt also goes into alien motivations, and gives some samples for the reader to study. He closes the book with a discussion of more exotic possibilities before giving an extensive list of references and a glossary. Schmidt peppers the text with examples from both his own and others' writing, and whets the reader's interest for more. If you want to write about aliens, you'll want this on your bookshelf.
If you like this one, try: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card, World-Building: A Writer's Guide to Constructing Star Systems and Life-Supporting Planets by Steve Gillett, The Writer's Guide to Creating a Science Fiction Universe by George Ochoa and Jeffrey Osier, and Space Travel: A Writer's Guide to the Science of Interplanetary and Interstellar Travel by Ben Bova with Anthony R. Lewis.
Let Them Eat Stake, by Sarah Zettel, 2012, Obsidian, $7.99, softbound, 308 pages. Category/Genre: mystery/paranormal. Cover: quirky. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.
This is the second in a series about chef Charlotte Caine and her Manhattan restaurant, Nightlife. Charlotte caters to both 'daybloods' (humans) and 'nightbloods' (vampires); human herself, she's dating Brendan Maddox, a warlock, and is binterested in vampire Anatole Sevarin.
But Charlotte's love life isn't the only thing that's complicated. She's catering the first witch/vampire wedding she's ever heard of, and her executive chef, Oscar, is not only refusing to work for the wedding, he won't let any of his staff work for the wedding, either.
Then Oscar is discovered dead. Charlotte takes it upon herself to find out who's responsible, and puts herself in harm's way in the process. One thing she is sure of: the possession of a certain powerful artifact may be at the heart of what's going on.
This is a good book, and we look forward to trying the rest of the series. There's some humour, and the characters are interesting; what's more, the combination of vampires and chefs is an unusual pairing for a mystery.
If you like this one, try: A Taste of the Nightlife, by Sarah Zettel.
The Iron King, by Julie Kagawa, 2010, Harlequin Teen, $9.99, softbound, 363 pages. Category/Genre: fantasy. Cover: cool. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.
This book is the first in a series about a teenage girl named Meghan Chase, whose four-and-a-half year old brother, Ethan, is kidnapped by the fey and replaced with a changeling. Meghan, along with her best friend, Robbie (who is not what he seems) sets out to find her lost brother, travelling to Faeryland, also known as Nevernever.
Along the way, Meghan travels through the treacherous Wyldwood, which is disappearing due to human disbelief. She also meets Grimalkin, a Cait Sidhe who comes to her aid in return for an unnamed favour. It is dangerous, Meghan learns, to owe the fey anything . . .
There are two Courts of fey: the Seelie and Unseelie; the Seelie are the Summer Court and are ruled by King Oberon and Queen Titania. The Unseelie are the Winter Court and are ruled by Queen Mab. Mab's youngest son, Ash, has hunted Meghan, but the two of them are attracted to each other.
Then Meghan discovers there's a third Court of fey, the Iron Fey, and things really start to get interesting . . .
This promises to be a good series, and the idea of the Iron Fey is intriguing and unusual, bringing the world of Faery into the modern age.
Note: strong language.
If you like this one, try: The Iron Daughter, by Julie Kagawa.
