Posted by admin on 05 Jul 2010 under books, reviews
Tyler Tichelaar
“Burnished Bridge” is a short novella, but it is big on ideas. In fact, anyone who has read Ray Melnik’s previous novels “The Room” and “To Your Own Self Be True” knows Melnik takes ground-breaking scientific theories and creates impressive, often mind-blowing plots, but not sheerly for the technological magic or special effects, but to explore and develop his characters. Melnik is first and foremost a romantic and a student of the human character, and secondly, a writer of science fiction. His use of science is always integral to the plot and the characters, enhancing and illuminating the situations. If “Sci-Fi Romance” is not already considered a legitimate literary genre, Melnik is well on his way to creating it.
Readers of Melnik’s previous novels will find some cameo appearances of recognizable characters in “Burnished Bridge” but the novella really stands on its own. At its center is Alex Dael, a scientist employed at SciLab, who for seven years has been working on the Glint Project, a new technology that will allow articles to be teleported to other locations. This amazing technology opens up impressive possibilities when a wormhole is discovered in space, through which is found another planet believed to be able to sustain life. Alex and his partner, Elina, instantly have the idea that they will use Glint to teleport objects to the newly discovered planet, including their orangutan, Beatrice. The journey to the distant planet, by using Glint, will only take about 140 minutes as opposed to 40,000 years with a spaceship.
If you’re not into science, don’t worry. Melnik takes it easy on the technical details so the plot is easy to follow, and as I said earlier, the novella is primarily a love story. Alex has recently met a young woman named Janine at a local deli, and since they both go there for lunch each day, they develop a relationship. The problem is that she is much younger than Alex, and she has a boyfriend already. Worse, Alex witnesses her boyfriend mistreat her, but she insists on remaining with him, leaving Alex in a situation he finds unbearable since he cannot be with her.
Torn inside by the love he cannot have, Alex makes a decision that is both nearly unbelievable because of its uncertainty, and yet completely gripping. As occurs in Melnik’s previous novels, science, or rather the mysteries of the universe, intervene to bring about unexpected yet satisfying results in a way I doubt any reader can predict. At the heart of “Burnished Bridge” is the belief that the universe itself continues to evolve and create itself, and that life, and humans, not only evolve but help in that creation. As the back cover states, “Alex believes that because of us, the cosmos comes to know itself. This time it returns the favor.”
Melnik’s books are not big on religious beliefs, but neither are they cold as scientific fact is often interpreted. Instead, the use of scientific theories only adds to the magic, the miracle, and the wonder of everything. The incredible size, power, and unknowable aspects of the universe are beyond the capacity of the human mind to understand, and yet, the universe appears friendly, at least to those who hold love within them. In the novella’s prologue, Melnik quotes Carl Sagan, who sums this situation up by saying, “For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.” I do not know enough about science to determine whether Melnik is correct about how the universe functions, but the universe he envisions is one I hope is real.
If readers will have any disappointment in this book, it is only that it is so short, but Melnik is currently working on his fourth novel, one in which he promises to tie together these first three works. I know his fans will eagerly anticipate it.
Tyler R. Tichelaar holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. from Western Michigan University. His family’s long relationship with Upper Michigan and his avid interest in genealogy inspired Dr. Tichelaar to write his Marquette Trilogy: Iron Pioneers, The Queen City, and Superior Heritage. Dr. Tichelaar is also a professional book reviewer and editor. For more information about Tyler R. Tichelaar, his writing, and his author services, visit: www.MarquetteFiction.com
Article Source: Realistic and Romantic Science Fiction at Its Finest
Posted by admin on 28 Jun 2010 under books, reviews
Paige Mercer
Very few people haven’t heard of author Stephanie Meyer and her wildly popular Twilight books. This four book series details the lives of vampires, werewolves and mere humans in a cleverly spun tale. The books have since been made into extremely popular movies and have attracted a whole new set of fans. But Ms. Meyer has written another book about other worldly creatures, and they aren’t vampires. No, her other book is about aliens, but they are just as intriguing as the Cullen’s!
Stephanie Meyer started out writing her tale of vampires living among humans with the goal to pay off her family’s van. Who knew that a quest to make $10,000 would mushroom into an entire phenomenon! Ms. Meyer’s vampire story is well written and hard to put down. She has created cultures that really don’t exist, but after reading the book you want to believe they do. The same holds true for her book, The Host. Once again she creates a culture and a setting that is so completely believable you wonder if it is really going on around you!
While The Host has not received the incredible press attention that the Twilight books have, it is just as well written and intriguing as they are. In this book, Ms. Meyer draws the reader into a world where aliens are taking over the human race. However, they aren’t scary, creepy looking aliens like you would imagine. Instead they are ’souls’ who take over the barbaric human bodies and live among us.
The goal of these alien souls is to leave each planet they conquer a more peaceful place than it was when they arrived. Part of the process is assimilating the role of humans as other members of their race find more human bodies to host the souls. Of course this means killing the human to take possession of their body, but the souls see this as a necessity. As the aliens begin to take over, life becomes more peaceful and calm.
Sounds great right? Well, maybe if you are around to enjoy it! However, the goal of the aliens is to get rid of all the humans. As a result there are people hiding out and trying to survive. That is where the story begins. A human named Melanie is trying to survive when she is taken. An alien soul named Wanderer is implanted in Melanie’s body. But this is where things don’t go as planned. Melanie’s mind is still active and aware.
This story takes you through life with the alien Wanderer trying to come to terms with sharing her host body with its previous occupant. Wanderer has never questioned her role as a soul, but now she is starting to doubt the mission as she feels the human emotions that Melanie shares with her.
Once again Stephanie Meyer has written a book that you will not be able to put down. Her style of writing is so intricate and detailed you will find yourself running through the desert along with the characters. With this book, Stephanie has shown that she is capable of writing about more than vampires. Yet again, she has created a world that is complete fiction but it feels so real.
Paige loves to spend time in reading and spending time outside. She loves to garden and enjoys the beauty of the flowers in her yard. She loves her convenient automatic garden hose reel to keep her garden hoses nice and tidy. She is happy when she finds the best water hose reel for her garden.
Article Source: Stephanie Meyer’s Other Book – The Host
Posted by admin on 20 Jun 2010 under books, reviews
Steph Burkhart
Zoltack expands the kingdom and allows her imagination to shine with “Knight of Flore,” a fantasy romance. Filled with action and adventure, Knight of Glory picks up where Book One left off, with Arnhem at the brink of war with Specia.
Geoffrey of Sivia, a knight for Arnhem, is a close friend to King Caelan and Queen Aislinn. At a royal ball, he meets Celestia, a woman he is attracted to. He finds her beautiful and would like to explore the attraction, but Aislinn sends him on a mission to check on Caelan’s parents.
Geoffrey leaves Celestia and travels with another knight, Jacob, and Raulin, a hawker squire. On their way to Arnhem’s northern border, Geoffrey meets a non-magical sageous, Jenanna, who joins his mission. Jenanna is not a classical beauty, not like Celestia, but she is practical and adventurous. Geoffrey finds himself attracted to those qualities.
Geoffrey encounters a kelpie and has to take his companions through an evil grey mist to reach Caelan’s parents. When they arrive, they learn that Caelan’s mother has passed away. Shortly thereafter, his father departs as well.
On the way back, Aislinn gives Geoffrey a new mission. Arnhem is under attack by Specia. She wants Geoffrey to approach the Darwalis and Haugtrolds to see if they will form an alliance with Arnhem. Celestia soon joins the party and Geoffrey learns she’s a Speican. Still, he accepts her and sets out to accomplish his new task. Along the way they encounter the small people of Darwal and the Haugtrold wine dancers. A shadow rider, magical sageous, and alce also join the story as the Speican/Arnhem war soon encompasses the continent.
As a knight, Geoffrey embodies the idealistic virtues of courtly love. It’s through these eyes he sees Celestia. He sees Jenanna in a more realistic way. Soon, he’ll have to decide which love is the one he wants.
Zoltack’s plot is full of action and adventure as Geoffrey sets out on his quests. Her descriptions are vivid, painting a complete picture of her world. The story’s dialogue captures the authenticity of her world.
The characters are interesting, but as a reader, I was a little disappointed with what happens to Celestia. Geoffrey embodies many knightly virtues, but he would pout and brood when things wouldn’t happen fast enough for him. Jenanna shines throughout. She’s courageous, brave, and not afraid to find her own way.
The story is sweet for romance readers with Geoffrey and Jenanna sharing a kiss or two. “Knight of Glory” is a nice story to curl up with on a rainy Saturday.
Written by: Nicole Zoltack
Desert Breeze Publishing
ISBN: 1-936000-49-0
Ebook Format
4 Stars
Reviewed by: S. Burkhart.
StephB is an author who likes to read many books and a variety of different genres. StephB is an author at http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing.
Article Source: Book Review For “Knight of Glory”
Posted by admin on 18 Jun 2010 under books, movies, television
Tracy Falbe
I read many types of books, both fiction and nonfiction, but the fantasy genre always stays at the top of my reading pile. Many of the elements of fantasy that perpetually attract me are:
1. Sword fights
Some critics might label them juvenile, but the thought of defending myself from death and dismemberment is undeniably exciting. Swinging the blade along with a hero or heroine sweetly satisfies because it lets the civilized mind explore the properly forbidden realm of violence. As a reader, I am also attracted to the power represented by the sword. This ancient weapon meant for war and not hunting is a potent symbol, forged from the ores of the Earth and given deadly force by the strength of flesh. These ancient truths resonate with me.
2. Magical Races
Magic is an essential element for fantasy literature. It can come in many forms, but I prefer the magic to be exclusive to a special race. I enjoy thinking about a race apart from humanity that has an expanded command of the forces of the universe.
3. Pre-industrial societies
Most, but not all, fantasy novels are set in a world that is pre-industrial. It usually has technology similar to that of the ancient world or Medieval times. I think this setting is attractive to me because there are no cars. I’ll admit it. I like horses. Better yet, how about riding a dragon?
4. High stakes
By this I mean that the plot is usually driven by the need to save the world, save the kingdom, save the princess, etc. It is something very important that matters to humanity, or elves, or fairies, or whoever. General fiction stories set in my real world simply don’t captivate me nearly as often. I want to think big and get away from my little life.
5. Political intrigue
Many fantasy books include characters who are among the elite of society. Kings, priests, scholars, generals, warriors. Such characters are usually trying to maintain their political power and are under attack from scheming rivals. It is fun to read about people facing such problems in which failure can mean assassination, execution, or exile. I guess I enjoy fantasizing about being in charge.
6. Social commentary
Although fantasy tends to focus on hereditary aristocratic elites, the storylines often include other segments of society. Slavery, racial prejudice, gender oppression, religious fanaticism, and child labor frequently are examined within the fictional contexts of fantasy literature. I like fiction that tackles weighty themes that trouble our real world, and fantasy books can sometimes critically illuminate social ills.
7. Mythic scope
The events and characters in fantasy often operate on the level of legends and the shaping of worlds. This is very appealing because it adds to the impact of the story. The story is about something that mattered to the world, to its history and maybe even its creation.
8. Heroes
This is the genre that delivers good old fashioned sword-swinging heroes who will take on the bad guys. Such raw elemental displays of bravery make good reading.
9. Quests
The characters usually have to endure long dangerous journeys. They have to go here and get this magic amulet. They have to go there and build an alliance and gain an army. Quests are a very effective plot device, and I like the straightforwardness of it.
10. Taverns
Quests inevitably involve stopping somewhere for the night, getting a drink and dinner, and probably hiring a mercenary. Anyone who has been on a road trip can appreciate that feeling of wary excitement when entering a strange watering hole. Tavern scenes serve as a great way to bind the mythic and heroic characters to the readers by putting them in such an intimate and familiar situation.
11. Monsters
All manner of vicious beasts, undead, dragons, and tentacle-waving horrors assault the adventurers, and it often makes for thrilling action. I like these metaphorical battles that represent my fears of the overwhelming force of Nature, and, beyond that, the supernatural. Fighting monsters resonates with something deep in humanity that once struggled through a truly threatening and primeval world.
This rich and varied genre lets me enjoy my imagination and draw upon the deep experiences of humanity through the ages. I invite readers to discover my four-part fantasy series The Rys Chronicles by downloading Union of Renegades at http://www.braveluck.com
Article Source: 11 Things I Love About the Fantasy Genre
Posted by admin on 10 Jun 2010 under books, business
Lisa Sliwa
If you are an avid reader who is passionate about books, why not open a bookshop? If you’ve ever thought that owning a book store is something you would like to do, this may be the right time to begin to explore just what it would take to run a successful bookstore business.
The details may seem a little overwhelming at first. You’ll need to write a business plan, including a mission statement, which will serve as the skeleton of your new venture. It will keep you focused on where you are headed as you flesh out each step and will help to turn your dream into a reality. You will also need a business plan if you will be applying for outside financing.
Whether you’re online or bricks-and-mortar, you’ll need to set up a merchant account with a reputable company for credit card processing services. Merchant Account Guide is a great starting place.
Along the way, you’ll have lots of choices to make. You’ll need to decide on a location, and you’ll need to determine what kind of bookstore to open. If you are looking to open a bookshop in an area already served by one of the mega-bookstores like Barnes and Noble, you may want to target a sector of the market that is often overlooked, such as the rare or used book market, or possibly set up a specialty store like a Christian book store or a store specializing in mystery novels.
You’ll need to find inventory, and you’ll want to choose fixtures and furnishings that reflect the atmosphere you’ve chosen for your shop. You also may want to consider how you can best become a valued part of the community; through offering special programs like book clubs, poetry readings, creative writing classes, guest artists and speakers, and of course, providing story tellers and special events for children, your shop may become a favorite neighborhood destination! This could be a crucial factor to the success of your business, for the more people who visit your shop, the more books you are likely to sell and the more repeat customers you are likely to gain.
If starting a bookstore business is something you are just beginning to look into, you may find it useful to consider pointers from someone who has already profitably accomplished this. For more tips and some great first hand advice about how to open a bookstore, Why Not Open A Bookshop is a wonderful resource which can point you in the right direction for success.
Article Source: Starting a Bookstore – Initial Steps For Success
Posted by admin on 28 May 2010 under books, reviews
Johnnie Rico
I have to say, this is my favorite science fiction book ever. Just last week I reread it for what must have been the fifth time. The way that the author takes a central idea, which in this case is nanotechnology, and projects it so completely into the story, is just breathtaking. Everything in the story just makes sense-it is true science fiction that takes everything that is happening in society and science today and projects it 100 years into the future. The excellent execution of hard science technology is enjoyable, but what makes the book truly thought-provoking are the characters.
The subtitle of the book is “a Young Lady’s illustrated Primer,” and one of the reasons that I go back and read this book, is so I can think through the ideas of how I raise my own daughters. I have three girls, ages ten, five, and three. Just as in every Neal Stephenson book, there is major cataclysmic societal change during the course of the novel, and the book makes me think how I want to prepare my daughters in case something like this ever happens. Furthermore, the story follows along through the growth and development of one of the main characters, Nell, from an impoverished young girl growing up in the ghetto, to a remarkably capable person who accomplishes great things. I have always loved books about inspirational characters who overcome hardship to claim their place in the world, and in this story is remarkably well done.
I also really enjoyed the travails of the other main character, who is a nanotechnology engineer, and doesn’t really fit into any society. He, however, through his hard work, and intense focus on accomplishing tasks by using his main strengths, succeeds beyond his wildest dreams. I have personally taken the lessons of focused and concentrating on strengths and applied them to my life with excellent results. As an electrical engineer, of course I identify strongly with this character.
The science of nanotechnology is not just a sidelight in the story. It is truly woven into the fabric of society. The author demonstrates how things would be different in daily life through the use of nanotechnology, and also in the scary application of nano-scale machines interacting with people brains.
This is a follow-on book to Neal Stephenson’s best-selling book Snow crash; careful readers of the diamond age will note that one of the characters makes a reappearance, which is enjoyable.
I don’t want to spoil any enjoyment of this book for you if you haven’t read it. It may also surprise you that I’m writing review of a book that was published in 1995. Neal Stephenson is such an excellent author that nothing that has happened in the world in the intervening 15 years since the book’s publication has changed any of the validity of the predictions. The story is as enjoyable and believable today as when it was first published.
Author: Johnnie Rico at posted at Priority Queue
Article Source: Review – The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
Posted by admin on 10 May 2010 under books, reviews
Adam Krause
With pop culture’s insatiable love for seeing the flesh eating undead on the big screen, it was really only a matter of time before zombies invaded classic literature as well. When I first came across Seth Grahame-Smith’s “rendition” of Jane Austen’s beloved romance novel Pride and Prejudice, I immediately purchased the book onsite. And I’m not a big reader of books and certainly not a big collector.
The title was simple and yet to the point. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Freaking genius! It was the first time I experienced the whole “couldn’t put it down” syndrome while reading a book and I literally finished it in one day.
Released in the spring of last year, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies didn’t take long to find itself on the New York Times Best Sellers List. Published by Quirk Books, the novel has gone on to inspire a new niche in the world of literature. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Seth Grahame-Smith’s follow up) are just two of the countless titles that have used the same formula.
With a Hollywood film on the way starring Natalie Portman as well as the recently released prequel novel Dawn of the Dreadfuls picking up steam, it’s safe to say that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a certified hit among American literature.
And now, to expand the audience base of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies even more, Quirk Books has teamed up with Del Rey Publishing to refashion Seth Grahame-Smith’s story into a graphic novel, a format I feel is much more suited to the novel’s violent and campy attributes.
The graphic novel is adapted by writer Tony Lee and stays very faithful to Grahame-Smith’s novel, using much of the dialogue verbatim. Like Jane Austen’s story, we follow Elizabeth Bennet and her family as she deals with issues of love and social standings in her aristocratic surroundings.
The only difference is that England has been ravaged by a plague of zombies, or “unmentionables” as they are referred to in the story. Oh yeah, and Elizabeth’s father has trained her by the way of the ninja to be a deadly, ass-kicking zombie killer. Pretty cool, hey?
Just like the book, the graphic novel of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a thoroughly enjoyable read and is sure to entertain anyone who is enthralled by the title and subject matter.
My only gripe with it is that the illustrations are at times scribbled and come off as uninspired. Drawn by Cliff Richards, they are presented in black and white in a style that at times gives the impression of unfinished storyboards. I’m sure the decision to present the graphic novel this way was an attempt to relate the material more to its time period and setting.
But I feel the creators missed a great opportunity to breath stunning, visualized life into this story by not illustrating it with color and more detail. I thought the handful of illustrations that appeared randomly throughout the original Pride and Prejudice and Zombies book from artist Philip Smiley had more bite than those of the graphic novel.
Believe it or not, I have now actually read both the book and the graphic novel of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies as well as Jane Austen’s original Pride and Prejudice (Women’s Literature class in college; thought it would get me some action… it didn’t) and I can safely say that incorporating “dreadful” flesh eaters is the best thing that could have ever happened to this story and these characters. I’m sure if Ms. Austen were alive today, she’d be ninja-kicking herself for not thinking of it first.
Adam Krause is a huge film buff. If he is not watching a movie, he is most likely writing one or about them. To read film reviews, blog posts and more articles like this one, please visit adamkrause.webs.com. Or visit www.staticmultimedia.com, a website that Adam writes for that thoroughly covers film, television, comics and music for all of your entertainment needs.
Article Source: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – The Graphic Novel
Posted by admin on 15 Apr 2010 under books, reviews
Jerran Wolf
I recently read I, Robot, a collection of short stories written by Isaac Asimov in 1950’s. The movie that came out a few years ago with the same title was loosely based upon some of the themes from the stories, but did not follow any particular plot in the stories. While I did enjoy the movie, it failed, in my opinion, to capture the depth of the original writing and and themes Asimov was trying to communicate. Asimov’s body of work is considered a pillar of science fiction, and his Robot Series is some of his best work. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend that you do. And if you don’t want me to spoil it for you, stop reading now.
I, Robot tells the story of the creation of a robotic race, for lack of a better term, created initially as a work force for people, and the problems that arise as this race integrates into humanity. For safety, every robot is programmed with three basic laws,
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law
The overall plot of the stories explore how various robots, as they become more advanced, interpret these Laws, and how those interpretations affect the world. As the stories near the end, a handful of humans realize robots have assumed more and more control over the world, politically and economically. Everything has become more efficient. Better rules. Less poverty. The world is truly a better place, because robots have become far more advanced, and are less corrupt than humans. In one of the last scenes, it is revealed that the robots have done this on purpose, for the sole purpose of fulfilling the First Law. They have taken control because they know humans are better off in their hands than our own. However, they go to great lengths to hide the fact that they have taken control, because our awareness of our loss of control would injure us emotionally, and that would be a violation of the First Law. In essence, humans could never know they were not in control.
This is why Asimov is a genius. He understood something profound about humanity. It seems we would rather run our own lives, even if we know its not the best life possible.
If you’re a parent, you’ve probably used the phrase “This is for your own good”. This phrase is normally followed by the parent making the child do something they do not want to do, like eating vegetables. The child probably understands that the parent is right, even if they don’t understand why. But they will fight as long as they can. Why? Because they are being made to do it. They are fighting for control, even if keeping that control means facing otherwise avoidable pain and difficulty later.
In many ways, we never grow up. I still find this theme in my own life. I grasp for control and fight to understand things that are often completely beyond me. I know I don’t have the wisdom or knowledge to call the shots in my own life, but keep doing it anyway. I know what it means to trust and see when doing so would benefit my life, but still find it hard to bring myself to do it. I tend to be much more willing to do something when it is my idea.
This is what made Asimov great. In these stories, he chose to use robots to examine the human condition. He wove creativity and insight into extremely fascinating, entertaining stories that challenged us to think.
Jerran Wolf is a science fiction author and a fan of all types of sci-fi. Visit http://jerranwolf.com to read more of his thoughts on science fiction books and movies.
Article Source: Science Fiction Book Review – Themes From Asimov’s Robot Series
Posted by admin on 15 Mar 2010 under books, business
Frank Florence
Books are said to be man’s best friend as they impart knowledge. The type of content in the book ranges over many a categories, it may be a sci-fi or plain fiction, romantic or travel books. Most of the book readers like to own them. However, what happens after you buy these knowledge treasures. Well you just read them once or twice and they then get added on to your book shelf pile. They might get referred back if you remember that it has important information. Still most of the books you buy just lie around in your homes.
Now comes to you a better option to deal with these over-stuffed books in your closets. You can actually sell them off to some one who might just be searching for them. If your books are in a good state they might just get the correct price. This is a new trend that has evolved on the internet and that is selling and buying books through an online used bookstore. If you look back in times possibly doing something of this sort was impossible, but now it is all easy and accessible. This could help any one make some more money out of this.
There’s a special type of merchant account designed for online business that may be the best choice for you. Be sure to weigh the technical considerations versus the benefits before deciding who should handle your credit card processing.
However, how can you achieve the selling of books using the net? There are some steps that you can follow to build your own shop cart to sell your books online. Or else you can decide to sell your used books collection on Amazon or eBay. To sell your books on the Amazon or eBay all you have to do is register online as a used bookseller by simply following their steps. On these websites, you need to submit some of your information like your name, your address and other contact details like phone number, valid email ID, along with user name and password.
Once your registration is done then you need to create a list of the books you would be selling.
To list on the online used bookstore you might even have to add the estimated price of the books, the condition they are in, the type of payment you would like receive and how are you going to be shipping them to the buyer. You also have to guarantee that the books are in a very good state, with neat covers and in a readable state.
Well you have to keep you shop running, so you will have to create an inventory for your online bookstore. To do that you will have to collect such used books possibly from garage sales or buy them from your friends and neighbors. Remember one thing when you are creating an inventory for your store that buy books at a lower cost.
To learn more about online bookselling, please visit: http://www.CreativeBookSourcing.com
Article Source: Online Used Bookstore – Renewal of the Book’s Life
Posted by admin on 03 Mar 2010 under books, writing
Simon Rose
Editors, teachers, librarians and critics may scrutinize the imaginary science in your science fiction story and the same applies to historical facts in time travel stories. Just as the scientific equipment has to be in working order, the historical details have to be well researched for the story to remain credible. In The Sorcerer’s Letterbox, Jack discovers a letter in a drawer and finds himself corresponding with Edward V, one of the princes imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1483. After penning a reply, Jack finds himself trapped in late medieval England.
While it was not overly important to explore the political complexities of England in the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses, facts had to be checked and rechecked. Some of this naturally involved research into the clothing of the era, everyday life, maps of medieval London and so on, but some aspects of the novel required more attention. The language of the scroll Jack finds had to be appropriate for the time period and be written in both the style and the alphabet of Middle English, as it was spoken in 1483. Real characters are also used in the book, such as Richard III, so that their exact location at the time described in the story had to be accurate. Research focused on the Tower of London, such as which buildings existed within the complex in 1483 and the layout of the grounds, plus many other aspects related to the historical background of the novel, featuring who was who in late medieval England, Richard III, Edward V, the Wars of the Roses, the mystery of the Princes in the Tower, pretenders and imposters, medieval maps, the history of the English language and links to various websites about the time period depicted in the story.
Simon Rose is the author of science fiction and fantasy novels for children, including The Alchemist’s Portrait, The Sorcerer’s Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy, The Emerald Curse and The Heretic’s Tomb. He offers a wide variety of workshops, presentations and Author in Residence programs for schools and libraries around the world, covering such topics as where ideas come from, story structure, editing and revision, character development, time travel stories, history and research and more. He is also available for presentations, workshops and public speaking engagements with a wide range of adult audiences, offers creative services designed for writers, including editing, critiquing and manuscript evaluation and also freelance writing services, including website content and copywriting, for the business community. Details of school and library programs, plus online readings, excerpts from his books, reviews, and reader, student and teacher comments may be found at http://www.simon-rose.com/ You may also visit his blog at http://simon-rose.blogspot.com/
Article Source: Science Fiction and Fantasy For Younger Readers – Part Four – Historical Research