Series Spotlight: Goong, The Manhwa by So Hee Park

 

Volumes (in Korea): 23, ongoing
Published in English by Yen Press, currently out with 9 volumes

Synopsis:

From Yen Press:
Monarchy ended long ago in Korea, but there are still other countries with Kings, Queens, princes and princesses. What if Korea had continued monarchism? What if all the beautiful palaces which are now only historical relics were actually filled with people? What if the glamorous royal family still maintained the palace customs? Welcome to a world where Korea still has the royal family living their lives! But for Che-Kyung, a high-school girl, this is a tragedy, since she has to marry the prince who turns out to be a total jerk!

Why You Should Read This:

You have to admire a manhwaga (the term for someone who writes/draws manhwa, Korean equivalent for Manga) who recreates the entire country with such exacting detail that the insertion of the monarchy into the society is seamless and not entirely unbelievable. While you are asked to suspend your perceptions of reality when first starting this volume, if you didn’t know better, you would actually believe that the monarchy does exist in contemporary Korea so precise is Ms. Park’s story. And while I know that many people scoff at the graphic novel not having much intellectual value (and sometimes, that’s true but not always), no one would underestimate the amount of work that goes on creating a good series.

I was actually thinking whether writers who simply work with words have it easier or graphic artists who have to work with both art and words to capture audiences? I still haven’t come to a conclusion but if pushed I’d say that it is the graphic artists who have it harder. Anyway, back to Goong.

Goong is the Korean term for Palace. The heroine of the series finds herself in a position, which superficially would provoke envy, of being betrothed to the nation’s Crown Prince. The same Crown Prince who attends the same school she does, the same guy she overheard proposing to his girlfriend (and getting rejected). To say that she’s not thrilled with the idea of getting married to him is…well, an understatement. But things happen, they get married and so begins their married life.

The intrigue that forms the background of what is essentially a love story is impressive. So Hee Park manages to portray the depths of human greed, desire and desperation so convincingly that the reader forgets that it’s a story she’s reading, that these people aren’t real and that no, if she doesn’t find out what happens next, she won’t die. It’s that addictive, guys.

Che-kyung is a spunky heroine. No wishy washy heroine for us. And she’s really not all that princess like. Her journey from the person she was and the person she becomes is full of mistakes, mischief and fun. The prince? Well, let’s just say he got more than he bargained for with Che-kyung.

Yes, the culture differences will surprise you a bit, probably. Especially if you aren’t used to it but it’s so delightful to explore different (and new) cultures. Anyway, this manhwa was made into a television drama series and you should totally check it out if you like the manhwa. :)

 

Series Spotlight: Sweep – Cate Tiernan

This might honestly have been the precursor to all YA Fantasy as we know it. At least I think so. I don’t know how many book blogs were around at the time of its publication (2001) but I do know that if it was released today, it would take the world by storm. I remember bribing my high school librarian to buy all the books in the series so I could read them and when that didn’t work out too well, I bought my own (it took a lot of saving, lemme tell you that). Anyway, the story itself is about this teenager who is sort of blindly weaving through life, wondering why she somehow innately feels that she doesn’t fit when she goes to her first coven meeting. Rather than magic on the menu, the main attraction of the night was Cal – the male witch. When Morgan, the heroine, feels the world drop away from her during the first circle (and then she makes a dead rose come back to life…) well, she ends up with more questions than answers. And it is in the quest for those answers that Tiernan takes us on a journey that spans lifetimes, centuries and magic that is so raw, so wild that it will keep you awake more than half the night trying to finish the series. And God help you if you don’t have them all before you begin. I seriously loved this series. It might have been that I was an impressionable teenager and able to relate to what Morgan feels throughout the book but I believe it was also the fact that Tiernan is so good at what she does. And what she does is tell a good story. Her characters are people you could know, you could pass on the street and never realize how imbued with the mystic, with the magick they are. I love the fact that Tiernan uses scholarly type text that could be real (or not, I’m not sure) but it imbues the book with a solemnity that would otherwise be missing. The narrative is tightly controlled though I will warn that it does falter slightly in the 13th book. The characters, their relationships and chemistry are also well rendered and it might be sentimental, but as I said before, I love this series and recommend it to anyone who wants to read kick ass YA-Fantasy.

Series Spotlight: Kate Daniels by Ilona Andrews

(I haven’t yet read the fourth one in the series but I’m pretty certain it will kick ass as the rest of books do.)

On to the review.

The urban fantasy genre exploded a while ago due to the incredible successes of some of the pioneers in the genre, mainly Laurell K Hamilton who, I might argue, was probably one of the first (and most well known) writers in the genre. But as I said, because the success of some writers in the genre, many (many) others have tried their hand at writing urban fantasy. Particularly romance writers.

There is a difference between Urban Fantasy and Romance. That much should be clear from the very beginning. While urban fantasy does contain elements that are common in romance novels, authors need to realize that the romance is a secondary plot device. Otherwise it would be a novel in the Paranormal Romance genre – which is something else entirely. In a good (I define good as something I like and that obviously changes with other people and their tastes) urban fantasy novel, there is a strong, likable heroine and a gripping plot. Once we have those two, everything else just sort of falls in.

Which is really the case with the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. I hesitated for a long time before reading this because i had been disappointed more than once – actually enough times that I decided not to read anything new in this genre by authors I didn’t know. But oh I was proven a fool for waiting so long and I was quite happily to be proven so. Kate Daniels is interesting. Smart, brave and real. She has her flaws and she has her weaknesses. She is no Mary Sue and for that I really am grateful. The future Atlanta that Andrews has created is fleshed out and exquisitely detailed. Her side characters are interesting and give the dynamic the edge necessary to make exchanges memorable. The romantic elements are there and they are sweet but they do not subsume the entirety of the story.  Andrews makes the romance more effective by doling it out in small doses. It keeps things fresh and lets the story develop on its own without falling into a degenerative pattern that so many other books are guilty off.

What’s more impressive is the beautiful manner in which Andrews wields the language considering English is her second language and one learned at 15. I think this fact gives her prose an interesting spice that makes reading her stories a pleasure. If you like strong heroines, fun characters and gripping plots, make sure to check out this series. It’s ranks right up there with Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan and Patricia Briggs’s Mercedes Thompson.

Series Spotlight: Cat Royal – Julia Golding

Currently 6 in the series. More planned.

This is one of my favourite series simply because of the irrepressible nature of its heroine. If you are into spunky heroines who get into a load of trouble, then this is for you. Cat Royal, named by the proprietor of the theater she grew up in, is brave, talented and has a propensity for trouble. The series gives you a first class view into her journey as traverses countries, risks everything for people she loves and lets go of the one she perhaps loves the most. Insouciant and bold, Cat’s narrative voice is a pleasure to read. While it is true that her troubles have a way of working out, the conclusions are not neatly reached. There is suffering but that side of reality is distanced just a smidgen. The characters and their dynamic is a pleasure to read and each new book brings with it new developments in the hurricane that is Cat Royal. I recommend this if you like good books and fun reads.

Series Spotlight: Gakuen Alice – Higuchi Tachibana

So I know that many of you might not read Manga for whatever reasons but if you ever do get an urge to pick one up, I suggest Gakuen Alice (which translates to Alice Academy). I hesitated for quite a long time before I started this because hello, it’s about grade school kids and how interesting could their lives be? Turns out, very. Think about Harry Potter and, if possible, just make it a bit more complicated, a bit bloodier and a bit more interesting (God will spite me saying that, haha).

Mikan, the main character of this series, is seriously attached to her best friend Hotaru. She’s so attached that when Hotaru transfers to this strange new school called Alice Academy, Mikan follows. At Alice Academy all kids have special abilities that are called their Alices and it turns out that Mikan has one as well. Only she has no idea what it could be. But this Alice gets her admitted to the Academy where she can at last be with her beloved Hotaru. Or so that was the plan. She has to initially prove her worth and find out about her Alice and gain the approval of her entire class. Her class which revolves around the surly presence of Natsume and his best friend, the gentle Ruka. Oh the shenanigans that occur when the two meet (Natsume and Mikan) will be enough to have you giggling for a while.

The strength of the Manga lies not just in the art but in the complexity of the story. The story is so well created, so well plotted that most of the time you will be left impressed by the Mangaka. The characters are another wonderful part of the series. They are all such individuals and have been so finely delineated that you only need to read the dialogue to know who it is that is speaking. And then the relationships.

I like how the Mangaka is careful to maintain the relationship at a level appropriate to the age of her characters. This is not to say that the relationships are superficial or flimsy, nothing could be further from the truth. She gives her characters this adult like comprehension and situations, as though they have been aged far more than they ought to be because of what they’ve seen and been through in their shorts lives but she retains that sort of immaturity where liking each other is concerned. The immaturity that is so characteristic of children at the ages she portrays them.

I really do recommend this to you, any of you who are interested in reading a story about loss, survival, self-discovery. About falling in love without knowing that you are. It’s like a revisit to your childhood (with super powers and danger but still). I wanted to think about a Hollywood remake of this but I shudder to think how they’d butcher it so I hope they leave it well alone. I don’t think it could translate cultures all that well.

But anyway, if you like Manga or even if you have been thinking about trying one, read this.

Series Spotlight: The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson – Louise Rennison

 

If you haven’t read these books yet, what in the world are you waiting for? Yeah fine there are no sparkly vampires and oh we are spared the odd demon baby but there are SEX GODS! You hear me, sex gods who sparkle and crackle in more than one electric way – if you get what I mean. Georgia Nicolson is highly irreverent and as loony as they come. She’s also British which should explain a lot but if it doesn’t, you should read the book. The books are laugh-out-loudly-in-a-public-place-and-get-people-looking-at-you-as-thought-you-are-weird funny. Seriously. Angus, the mad Cat and Libby the toddler make up the great cast of this very original, very funny series. The truest purpose of this series is to entertain. Simply, pure entertainment and whatever “lessons” you may come away with is…well, is yours. The slang (which is always explained at the end in a highly amusing glossary) is almost a language unto itself. I really enjoyed this series, you guys and if I haven’t convinced you to pick up the first book by now, my loquaciousness is clearly lacking.

Series Spotlight + Review: Fever – Karen Marie Moning

Urban Fantasy Series. Dealing with Sidhe – Seelie and UnSeelie.

First Three books in the Series:

Fourth Book:

My Review (of the series and the latest book):

The premise of the series, the first book, is not by any means a strong opener to the series. The main character is infinitely annoying with her superficiality and shallowness. The male counterparts are interesting but not so much that you want to continue the book. So, you may ask me, why in the world did (do?) I continue reading the series. I don’t know. I don’t know why exactly I refused to give up on this and after reading the latest book I’m glad I didn’t. While the writing is still sometimes unnecessarily melodramatic and the author’s attempts at lyrical poetry in prose form does not quite have the intended effect, I believe that the author has hit her rhythm with the pacing and the characterization. The writing itself has improved in bounds and leaps and the writer’s thoughts and internal monologues as expressed through MacKayla are thought provoking and intelligent – this serves to add depth to MacKayla’s character and makes the reader forgive her the earlier gaffes. I love how Ms. Moning has shown the evolution of her characters – an almost visible internal path MacKayla traveled to become who she is by the end of the fourth book. I liked it – not wholly – there were some jarring bits that you wrinkled your nose at – but at the end of it, you are left wondering when the next book will be released and if you can wait till then.

Series Spotlight: The Keys to The Kingdom – Garth Nix

The Books

The Website

The Synopsis of the First Book: Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world — where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets.

My review: Garth Nix has been a favourite ever since I read his Abhorsen trilogy but we’ll get to that series later. In the Keys of the Kingdom, the entire universe has been created by the ruler of The House, which is a dimension that is completely different from Earth. This House (and by proxy, the entire world) is ruled by the seven days of the week. Nix personifies the days as stern, saturnine, morbid, greedy, complex and calculating. Arthur, the protagonist of the series, is also the Heir to the House, he is the one to whom the Will of the Architect will manifest itself. (The Will itself is a living creature that has been torn (broken?) into seven pieces and hidden all over the House in different days. The Architect is the being who created the House and the World in the first place.) Nix creates a world rich with details and history. A world which has tottered at the edge of war for a long while and a war which has crossed over from being just inevitable into reality with the appearance of Arthur. The characters are original individuals who are likable (well, most of them) and realistic, even considering the setting.

This series does begin as one for younger readers but by the time the conclusion comes around, it has developed into something much more complicated than the average book for the young reader. The subjects it deals with, the thoughts it raises takes it for granted that the reader is a thoughtful one and intelligent enough to grasp, if not in entirety, than the general idea of it. Beautifully composed and brilliantly executed.

I give it 5 stars.

Series Spotlight

This section will spotlight a particular series that I have read (and liked) and wish to recommend. Today the Spotlight Falls on:

The Chronicles of Elantra – Michelle Sagara

I recommend these to you because these books are awesome. Now why they’re so awesome will require more than one sentence so let’s break it down.

The characters are all vibrantly hued – complex and traverse off the pages and into your mind with an ease that will make you sit back and wonder. The relationships are complicated enough that they cannot be summed up in a book but are rather constantly evolving. Kaylin, the protagonist is likable and her actions are understandable. The side characters – the Hawks, the Dragons, the Elves – the narrative is rich in history and detail and this imbues the entire book with a superiority that sets it apart from the rest.

The plot is gripping. Honestly, the series is one where you read the first book and immediately die for the next one. While there are no major cliff hangers, the story is compelling enough that you want to immerse yourself continuously in the world Sagara has created. The writing is beautiful and in the way of all great storytellers, moves you forward to the completion of the story without interrupting your focus on it by recurring irregularities in the way the story is composed. In fact, you forget you are reading. It’s like you’re wearing 3d glasses and sitting in a theater watching the story unfurl around you.

The romance. While it is not explicit and not complicated in the way other things are in the story, the hints of it that are present are so satisfyingly spicy that you forgive the author for teasing. I know that the author will probably have to discuss the romantic relationships brewing eventually but until then, I am satisfied by the sweet ambiguity between the main players.

If you like urban fantasy, you will love this. Though this is set in a different world – an alternate universe – it reads very much like an urban fantasy novel.

The entire series receives 5 resounding stars from me.