Title: Stardust
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 235 pgs

Summary: In the town of Wall there is a young man named Tristran Thorn, and he is in love with a young woman named Victoria Forester. Victoria, young, beautiful, and completely aware of the fact, sends Tristran on a fool's errand: to fetch the fallen star on the horizon. And so, Tristran steps across the border from the everyday to the mystical.

( Excerpts )

Why should you read this book?
Because it's Neil Gaiman, and everyone should read one Gaiman book at some point. This book begged to be read aloud, and I almost wish (now this is a shocker) that I had the audio version. The narration is simple yet intriguing and complex; I want to read it again just to figure out how he was able to convey so much with so little. Which is exactly why you should read this book. Long sentences and over-the-top vocabulary are gimicks easily pointed out...they hide bad plots and expose worse execution. Gaiman's simple narration is a quick read, yet, there are important themes discussed.

Plus, the movie comes out on my birthday. So, read the book before you watch the movie, as the movie is almost never as good as the original.

Title: Posion Study
Author: Maria V Snyder
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 361 pgs

Summary: Yelena has murdered a man. And the punishment for death, for any unnatural death, even accidental, is execution. Luckily, the Commander's food-taster has just died, and Yelena, being the next up for execution, is offered the job by the Commander's right-hand man, Valek. As her tasting and smelling skills improve, Yelena's survival instinct (a droning sound emitting from her mouth) turns out to be a sort of raw magic. And in a land where magic is outlawed, punishable by death, Yelena finds herself facing death from all angles.

Excerpt:
pg 104 - "You remind me of a pretty bird, willing to sit on the windowsill as long as nobody comes too close, but prepared to fly away if somebody does."

Why should you read this book?
It's an entertaining read. I was most intrigued by Valek, who surprises Yelena with the facets of his personality, and therefore the reader. The political intrigue wasn't the most groundbreaking, but then, the story was more a fantasy coming-of-age than anything else, so I can forgive that. I liked it enough to look for the next book, Magic Study, but I have to admit that Yelena's horrible past just didn't really come across with fervency. But once again, that may not have been the point.

Title: A Mankind Witch
Author: Dave Freer
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 352 pgs

Summary: Cair Aiden, one of the Redbeard Raider brothers, a pair of corsair seacaptains, has washed ashore in Norseland and made a thrall (slave) of the Telemark kingdom. This is a new phenomenon for him--Cair has always been master of his own fate, and just because he is now a thrall doesn't make him believe differently. Studying his surroundings and the internal politics of this little kingdom of Telemark, set in the 16th Century, Cair manipulates his way into being the personal thrall of the Princess Signy, who is unknowingly at the center of an immense plot to throw the Christian oath-bearers out of the country and allow dark magics to reign supreme.

( Excerpts )

Why should you read this book?
It reads very much like Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. The beginning is slow, full of slight backstory so we are acquainted with the characters even while watching their present actions. There is a lot of political intrigue. Apparently, it's also part of a three-part story, where two of the main characters are the only main characters in the other two books, or so the narrative in this book leads me to believe. I probably won't be reading those, because I like how this one felt like a stand-alone. So, for you writers, read this book for an authentic feel for setting and history; especially in terms of all these Norse words that the characters use like it's no big deal. It's a big deal to me, I almost put the book down because I felt like I had to learn some other language to understand the story. Luckily, Freer told me what the words meant just as I was getting frustrated, and I read on.

Read this book for a well-planned romance that isn't the main point of the story. Instead, I would say this story is about self-empowerment. For both men and women, really, because all the characters at one point completely believe they will fail. By the end of the book, Freer utilizes the same trick Maguire does, which is to make his chapters shorter, so you feel like you're flying with the characters through this intense action. Overall, a good read. The characters are tangible and funny. The setting is believable and integral to the plot. The plot itself feels original to me, but that might be because I only have a moderate understanding of Norse mythology. I did recognize the villains from what I do know about Norse mythology, and yet, I was still interested. I still don't quite know their motivation behind their actions, except that as dark creatures they want more power, but I suppose that's just another reason to read this book and learn from Freer's mistakes and successes. Give it a try, I've decided I liked this book.

Title: Once Upon a Marigold
Author: Jean Ferris
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 272 pgs

Summary: The hook on the front cover of this book reads Part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink. This book is actually a young adult fantasy, and I didn't realize that until I found the book in that section of my local library, but hey. I have loved Ferris ever since I read her Rosie & Raider trilogy (Into the Wind, Song of the Sea, and Weather the Storm). ...I can't believe I remembered the characters and titles without looking them up. Seriously, I read these books when I was thirteen. Anyway, Once Upon a Marigold is about Christian, a little boy who runs away to live with a forest troll, and spends his developmental years roaming the forest and reading every book he can "borrow." All the while, Christian uses his foster father's telescope to watch the goings-on in the royal castle across the river, and subsequently, falls in love with the "ugly duckling" Princess Marigold. This is a time when p-mail (aka pidgeon-mail) is modern, when Queen Mab of toothfairy fame is losing control of her business, and when a curse may not be a curse after all.

( Excerpt )

Why should you read this book?
Because it's actually pretty funny, and funny is hard to do in books. It starts a little slow, but the characters are vivid, and interesting, and are people I wouldn't mind knowing in real life. And let me tell you, writing young adult fiction is hard. You have to get the exact amount of detail in there so the reader understands just what you want them to understand, without losing their interest. The plot runs really quickly as soon as Christopher starts to interact with Marigold, and you'll find yourself skimming just to know what happens next. But don't do it. Read it thoroughly and enjoy the pacing and narrative voice, and learn something from it. Once Upon a Marigold is great for anyone wanting to learn how to speed up their story, and to make their characters seem vivid (if a little stereotyped for some of the secondary roles).

Title: The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars
Author: Steven Brust
Genre: Fiction/Folktale
Length: 210 pgs

Summary: This is technically two separate stories about two cocky young men who use their wits to get what they want. The thing is, one is a Hungarian folktale about Csucskari, a young gypsy who puts the sun, the moon, and the stars back where they belong. The other story is a contemporary first-person narrative about Greg, a student painter who dropped out of his junior year of college three years ago to work in a studio with four of his artist friends. There aren't really chapters, just a series of vignettes, and the vignettes switch between the contemporary narrative and the folktale.

( Excerpts )

Why should you read this book?
Because the voice of the first-person narrator, Greg, is pretty good. I decided I didn't like him because he was too cocky, and that's when I took a step back and said, "Bravo, Mr Brust! You got me to hate your character!" I have to applaud anyone who makes me feel anything for their character, especially if it's a first-person narrative. Generally, I tend to just read and wonder what really happened, but by the end of the story I was beginning to see how the folktale narrative was tying in with the first-person narrative. It's an interesting treatment to the stories; had they been written separately, I don't think they would have been interesting enough to carry a book. So, read this book for a different writing treatment, for the character voice, and for a little bit of Hungarian folklore.

Title: Green Rider
Author: Kristen Britain
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 480 pgs

Summary: Karigan G'ladheon has been unfairly kicked from school because she, the daughter of a mere (if rich) merchan, insulted a spoiled heir in a sword fight. Instead of facing the suspension board, Karigan decides to run away from school and make her way home. Seems like a good plan, until a rider dressed in green with two black arrows in his back blocks her path and asks that she finish his mission by sending an important message to the king. Being the spontaneous girl she is, Karigan accepts, and thus begins the typical fantasy story about the journey from being an innocent, ignorant, yet fiesty, schoolgirl to an experienced warrior who may not know what her future holds, but at least knows she has the strength to withstand just about anything.

Why should you read this book?
Ok, I admit it, I picked this book up because it had the word "green" in the title and I basically love all things green. I was actually searching for a different book, one that was actually on my reading list, when I stumbled upon this one. All in all, a good read. Nothing spectacularly interesting, Britain tends to rely on a lot of fantasy cliches. The redeeming factor, thankfully, is the main character. Karigan is a strong female lead in a predominantly male-led genre, and is easy to relate to despite her dangerous path.

I will say, however, that this book felt long. It was interesting, but I put it down a couple times because Karigan's "wild ride" lasted almost half the length of the book. By the time Karigan reaches her destination, there's a lot left to happen and I inwardly groaned at where my bookmark sat in the pages. Read this if you're looking for a strong female lead who has more on her mind than the usual stereotypic schoolgirl, and be as confused as I am that a "mere schoolgirl" still apparently attracts kings and lords and dark elves. How old is Karigan, anyway? And why can't we have stand-alone fantasies anymore? I hear the sequel is even longer than this was, which has me thinking twice about reading it. A respectable read, but nothing to inspire the writing muse, in my mind.

Stuck in a rut? Want to begin a new novel (since NaNoWriMo is coming up)? I find that I love fairy tales, and that they have the best themes to make the backbone of any good draft. Tired of the Disney versions? Don't worry, they are by no means the only and official version of these stories.

Tales of Wonder: folk and fairy tales from around the world.
National Geographic's Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales: 12 "unvarnished" tales based off a 1914 translation.
Encyclopedia Mythica: focused on the folklore, mythology, and religion from around the world. Split up by region and then by genre.

Title: Firebird
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 384 pgs

Summary: Mercedes Lackey is one of the best fantasy writers out there. Her Elemental Masters quartet is one of MANY reasons to read her. This book, Firebird, is a departure from her usual fantasy series, though. It is a stand-alone novel set in Old Russia, and heavily draws on Russian fairytales and magic. If you've read Enchantment by Orson Scott Card, you will feel right at home with this book.

Why should you read this book?
I almost suggest reading Enchantment before Firebird, however, because in my opinion, Enchantment just seems more...earthy? Compelling? Ilya, the main character in Firebird, tends to think a lot. There is a lot of family description at the beginning of this book that isn't entirely needed. For instance, Lackey likes to tell us that Ilya's father, Ivan, is a mean man. His actions alone tell us that, so why be so blatant? I also thought the ending was slightly rushed. But that's just me.

Read this book for clear description, interesting characters, and a well-written retelling of the generic fairy-tale about heroes who magically learn to speak to animals and save beautiful women from scary sorcerers.

Title: Deerskin
Author: Robin McKinley
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Length: 309 pgs

Summary: Deerskin by Robin McKinley is fantasy only in its setting: a generic kingdom with a handsome king and a queen more beautiful than any before, and more beautiful than any queen to come. This is the story of their daughter, Lissa Lissar, largely ignored, and therefore unused to people. It is with the death of her mother that her father finally notices her, and with that notice comes a danger that I, for one, was not expecting.

Why should you read this book?
This was, I believe, McKinley's first major foray into adult fantasy. And while Lissa's character is very well developed (this is an extremely introspective book with little dialogue), I wouldn't suggest this as your first McKinley reading. If you are working on character development, and the treatment of delicate, controversial subjects, and the emotional/mental/physical repercussions of said subjects, this is an excellent book to read.

That said, Deerskin is not light reading. I will admit to taking a break from it, because I was slightly bothered by some of the imagery, though the imagery is highly symbolic. I would say, only because this is a fantasy, and there are elements of magic and mystery, that McKinley successfully works with adult subjects.

Once again, if this is your first McKinley reading, wait a while. Try Beauty, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Or, better yet, my favorite McKinley prose: Spindle's End, an earthy, organic and unique retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

Title: Winter Rose
Author: Patricia McKillip
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 272 pgs

The lyrical prose of Winter Rose by Patricia McKillip made this book a delightful read. This story, told like a fairy tale (most likely because it basically is a fairy tale, of McKillip's making), is about two sisters: Laurel and Rois. Laurel is proper and beautiful, the perfect dutiful daughter; Rois loves the wood: she runs around barefoot, has twigs in her hair, and sees beautiful men walk out from beams of light. This man who seemingly appeared out of nowhere is Corbet Lynn, and his appearance is the hook of this story. His beauty entraps Laurel, the mystery of his past, Rois. This is a story of personal identity, of losing oneself and the journey to understanding oneself again.

( Excerpt )

Why should you read this book?
I recommend this book for a simple, fast, yet intriguing, read. The prose, like I said, is lyrical. For anyone attempting to make thier prose simple yet beautiful, important yet not pretentious, read this book. The simple mystery of Corbet, again, is a great example for writers attempting to bring a little mystery to their story, which really, all stories need. Give it a try.