{Put This One on Your TBR List} Book Review: Sworn Soldier Series by T. Kingfisher by Karen S. Wiesner

 

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Book Review: Sworn Soldier Series by T. Kingfisher

by Karen S. Wiesner 

This post contains my 200th

Alien Romances Blog book review!

 

Beware spoilers! 

Sometimes a reader experiences serendipity when she finds an unexpected treasure in an author who fills a hither-to-unknown empty space inside her. T. Kingfisher (the author's grownup--as opposed to "not written specifically for children"--pen name) is the pseudonym of Ursula Vernon, a versatile writer, illustrator, and artist. She came to my attention when I bought an immaculate (used) hardcover book by her called "What Feasts at Night"--without realizing it was the second in a series. The fact that it's a follow-up to an earlier novella was told within a short sentence on the back cover that read "set in the world of "What Moves the Dead". Elsewhere (aka, not on or in the book anywhere), it was described as a sequel to the aforementioned "Dead" book. Sigh! Would it kill publishers to make these things a little more obvious for struggling readers? Honestly, I sometimes think publishers don't really want to sell books. Apparently, it's not widely known that a book that's part of a series is a selling point! Mind you, the fact that this series is actually called "Sworn Soldier" was another thing I only found out on the author's website. This isn't indicated anywhere else useful. Note: When the third book in the series was released, there was finally a reference to it being part of a series on the back cover. 

In any case, I started reading "What Feasts at Night" only to realize a few chapters in--when the protagonist kept referring to an earlier incident the same characters had endured recently--that this must be part of something larger. Although I wasn't very far along, I decided to look up the author on my Libby library app and see what else Kingfisher had to offer. It was then I found out the truth about "What Feasts at Night" (and my faux pas in yet again! reading the second in a series before the first). At this point, I was introduced to an entire world of eclectic stories from this multi-award winning author that I, somehow, had never even heard of before.

Of particular note is that the main character in this series, Alex Easton, hails from a fictional country called Gallacia, where there are several sets of personal pronouns. In addition to the usual, there's a set specifically for religious affiliations (va/var) and another for soldiers (ka/kan), regardless of their sex at birth, among others. As this series is written in the first person from Alex's point of view, I read Book 2 without knowing whether the protagonist was male or female. Book 1 held the explanation that Alex is biologically female but doesn't identify as such (being a soldier, Alex prefers ka and kan). To make it easier in this review, as it was sometimes very difficult to understand exactly what was meant by certain made-up pronouns in the story, I'll always use the name "Alex" in reference to the main character. 

Since I read Book 2 first, I started to review the two books currently available (as of July 2025) in this series in reverse order. Alas, that didn't work well at all. I owned a physical copy of Book 2, but I couldn't find Book 1 anywhere via my library sources. Because I couldn't wait for it to become available at my very, very small brick and mortar library (I might be old and gray by that time), nor as an audiobook or an ebook via my Libby app, I broke down and purchased a brand-new paperback of "What Moves the Dead". Let's face it: I'd probably want to own a copy anyway. (Let's not talk about the fact that I purchased three of the author's other standalone novels at the same time as this one and will review them on this blog soon, nor the fact that I pre-ordered Book 3 of the Sworn Soldier series there and then.) 

"What Moves the Dead" was published July 2022. As an infectious "new spin on classic Gothic horror" (Booklist)--in this case Poe's wonderful "The Fall of the House of Usher"--I could hardly wait to read this one. I love the original and combining the elements of a very specific cause of Madeline's death in this new story in a familiar setting with suspicious fungi sounded brilliant to me. The first story took place around 1890. 

Side note: It's said that Poe's inspiration for "The Fall of the House of Usher" could have been inspired by two probable events: One took place at the Hezekiah Usher House, an actual place constructed in 1684 in downtown modern Boston, Massachusetts. A sailor and the young wife of the older owner were caught in a tryst by her husband and entombed on the very spot. Revenge served cold--and cruel, indeed! Two embracing skeletons were found in the cellar after it was torn down in 1830. Another inspiration could have been from Poe's mother Eliza's friends' Mr. and Mrs. Luke Usher, who took care of Edgar and her other two children while she was sick and eventually died. 

In "What Moves the Dead", retired soldier Alex gets a message from childhood friend Madeline Usher that she's dying. Upon arriving, Alex sees that the Ushers' crumbling ancestral home is surrounded by not only a dark, disturbing tarn (which is a small, steep-banked mountain lake or pool--I guess I never stopped to wonder what a tarn is myself, so, in case you didn't either, there you go) but strange breeds…fungus? Eww. Madeline's twin brother Roderick was once part of Alex's army company but has become nervous and frail in these years while caring for his sibling. Madeline is indeed sick and weird hair is growing on her arms. Other characters include an expert on mycelium, Eugenia Potter, along with a doctor from America, and Alex's army servant (and kind of a protective father figure) Angus. 

I loved everything about this tight (mild) horror, from the atmospheric setting to the witty, compelling characters to unique plot twists in a beloved tale. However (and this may be a spoiler so skip the rest of this paragraph if that bothers you), the author drastically changed Roderick's character in the end of this story. Instead of being a creepy and possibly incestuous madman, he becomes a selfless hero. Wow, I didn't see that coming!  

"What Feasts as Night", published February 2024, has Alex returning home to Gallacia--presumably just after the events of Book 1--accompanied by Angus and Eugenia. Alex and Angus discover that the caretaker of the Alex's family hunting lodge has died. While the daughter points vehemently to a lung inflammation as the cause of death, villagers are convinced it was the work of a moroi, a creature that can take the form of a moth or a woman and steals its victims' breath by sitting on their chests. Like the first, this story was disquieting but not actually scary despite being touted as horror. That said, it was both cunning and clever with a main character that amused and thoroughly delighted me with unique observations and hilarious side comments. 

With 176 pages, the first in this series was a fairly long novella. The second came in at only 160, but both books had exactly what was needed, no more, no less. I've seldom read an author who doesn't waste the reader's time by making you care what's on a beloved character's grocery list or what they're eating for dinner. In literature, I don't want to be hit over the head with a lot of things I really don't need and perhaps don't even want to know about. Even a character I'm rooting for and therefore I'm invested in isn't someone I care to leave the parameters of legitimate plot development for. Is it fleshing out or really just unnecessary padding? Sometimes it's hard to know and, inevitably, I can't escape the sense that the author is feeling lethargic or particularly enamored with a character, so much so that fawning over his or her every word and deed becomes essential. "Oh, look at Brandon, eating that cheese. Isn't he wonderful?" I'm not the only one who commented on T. Kingfisher's finesse in bringing only what's needed to the table with this series. One reviewer described her writing this way: "every word…feels carefully chosen and deliberately arranged for maximum emotional impact." I also found that to be the case with the previous book I've reviewed of Kingfisher's, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, though (or maybe I should say despite) that one was considerably longer at 320 pages.  

Book 3 in this series, "What Stalks the Deep", came out in hardcover on September 30, 2025. I started reading it immediately when it came. In this 172-page story that takes place two years after "What Moves the Dead", the doctor (Denton) from that  book  contacts Alex asking for help, which means visiting America--West Virginia specifically. Denton's cousin disappeared in an abandoned coal mine there, and the doctor is worried. Along with Angus, Alex gets over an aversion to America and weirdness because, once again, a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do. 

As with previous installments, this book was touted as horror when it was only mildly so. Instead, it was set within the environment of something creepy (a deep, dark, labyrinthine "cave") and one that I have a particular enchantment with, so I was immediately drawn into the story. But tension dissolved into more of stunned intrigue, as twist after twist kept me on edge and on a razor precipice of uncertainty. Not once did anything happen in a way that I could have expected. As usual, Kingfisher's trademark humor and suspense kept the pages turning rapidly. I really enjoyed learning more about the various deadly gases that can inhabit mine shafts. In the acknowledgements at the back of the book, the author said the idea for the story came from the works of Lovecraft. Rather than including a potential spoiler, I'll allow readers to figure out what she meant by that on their own. 

By the way, visit the author's website and really check out the covers of the books in this series. They're amazing! In the "What Feasts at Night" acknowledgements, the author says she's convinced the covers that "grace these books…made them as successful as they have been". Oh, it might be a bit more than that, but the designs certainly helped. I freely admit I purchased "What Feasts at Night" on the basis of its extraordinarily intriguing cover. Additionally, the author herself did the gorgeous endpaper art. Kingfisher as an author is the whole package. Trust me, you don't want to miss her work, this amazing series in particular. I hope more treasures set in this fascinating world are in the offing for the future.

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

Illuminations

From the review in my newsletter back when the book was first released, here's my take on T. Kingfisher's ILLUMINATIONS, reviewed by Karen last week. As she mentioned, this isn't a horror novel, like the books that made Kingfisher one of my new favorite authors, but an alternate-world fantasy for preteens (judging by the age of the protagonist, although readers of any age can enjoy it). It takes place in an alternate nineteenth-century Europe in which the French Revolution, or its local equivalent, seems to have succeeded better than in our history, for the whole continent uses the Revolutionary calendar with its renamed months and days. The heroine, Rosa, dwells in a city resembling Venice, with canals, a Dynast instead of a king, and mostly Italian-sounding names. An orphan, she lives with her eccentric but endearing extended family, one of the most distinguished lineages of illuminators. She’s practicing the art but so far hasn’t graduated to producing actual illuminations. Her favorite things to draw are radishes with fangs. Unfortunately, that image serves no useful purpose. There’s a massive reference tome listing all known illuminations, each of which must be drawn in precise, unvarying detail to be effective. Fanged radishes aren’t among them.

Against the background of a major civic project using illuminations to fix a long-term problem with the city’s sewage disposal, Rosa’s own trouble begins when she finds a mysterious box in the basement. She accidentally releases a creature imprisoned in the box, and a crow painted on the lid comes to life. His information about the history of the box and its connection to one of Rosa’s ancestors seems a bit shady, and he’s easily distracted by the urge to pilfer shiny objects. His insistence that she not tell the rest of the family about him gets her into trouble when the diminutive monster starts vandalizing their home workshop and the illuminations themselves. After the nuisance escalates into danger, though, the crow does come clean with the full truth at last. I don’t want to go into spoilery detail about the family’s fight against the malicious creature and its minions, so I’ll mention only that Rosa’s radishes play a surprising role. Meanwhile, the story nicely balances Rosa’s magical woes with her preteen-girl difficult relationship with her best friend, daughter of another important illuminator family, who’s just enough older than Rosa to start making real illuminations for clients. Like Kingfisher’s A WIZARD’S GUIDE TO DEFENSIVE BAKING, ILLUMINATIONS portrays a young heroine whose odd magical talent turns out to be of vital importance. As usual, Kingfisher writes the protagonist’s viewpoint in an irresistibly witty style.

Margaret L. Carter

Please explore love among the monsters at Carter's Crypt.

Dark and Dirty ... QR

I am naturally suspicious of certain things, such as the honesty of human cold callers who disregard the Do Not Call registry, or obvious recordings over the phone that expect me to believe that the caller is called Olivia and has a pressing interest in how my day is going.

Then, there are the pleasant-voiced male robot-callers who insist that---according to their files--you have been in a recent vehicle accident that wasn't your fault, and haven't been compensated.

If a recording is calling, they are recording your every word.

Just as the craze for "selfies" baffles me and arouses my suspicions, so does the madness of QR codes.  QR is for "Quick Response".Why does everyone promote them and have them? What is the purpose of taking a photographs of something you cannot read in order to avoid typing a url and knowing which website you are visiting?

What other information is hidden in that maze of rectangles? Who benefits? Are there cookies? When you photograph a QR code, what information do you share permanently? And with whom? 

Location, date, time... but your smart phone tells everyone that already. There must be more.

What if the QR code was put wherever it is by a cyber criminal, maybe stuck on top of a legitimate one. How would you know?

Once upon a time, Lily Tomlin's Ernestine the Telephone Operator was funny and resonated. Someone who wanted to get in touch with someone else spoke into the instrument, told the operator whom they wanted and the operator plugged a male attachment into a female receptor. One trusted that Ernestine did not put you through to the prosecution instead of the defense... assuming one wanted to consult a lawyer.

Now, one has no idea how you get through, or to where you got through.

If there was malware on the QR code, and by photographing it, you also downloaded something malicious, how would you know? Unless of course, it was ransomware. 

You might give a spoofed site your credit card or banking information, or membership details and contact list and saved passwords to an identity thief.

The fake page might charge you fees, and trick you into agreeing to pay, when your intention was to snag a freebie or a coupon and save money, or to order a pizza delivery.

Nicholas Davis  has advice on how to outsmart scammers, but there is effort involved.

To be utterly fanciful, you could also be innocently implicated in a crime, or framed for a crime.  If you happen to have unscrupulous rivals, some career-ending photographs could be inserted into your deleted files (which are usually never deleted entirely).

As with magic, there is always a cost for using it, and what seems fun and convenient may not be all that it seems.

All the best,

Rowena Cherry 

SPACE SNARK™ 

https://www.spacesnark.com/ 

EPIC Award winner, Friend of ePublishing for Crazy Tuesday   

Oldies But Goodies {Put This One on Your TBR List} Book Review of Four Young Adult Children's Fantasy Selections by T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon by Karen S. Wiesner

Oldies But Goodies

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Book Review of Four Young Adult Children's Fantasy Selections by

T. Kingfisher/Ursula Vernon

by Karen S. Wiesner 

Beware: May contain unintended spoilers! 

 

Finding A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking was rapturous serendipity for me! T. Kingfisher (the pen name of Ursula Vernon) is a versatile author, illustrator, and artist. Unbelievably, I'd never heard of her before reading this book, despite all the awards she's won for her eclectic body of work. She came to my attention when I bought an immaculate (used) hardcover book by her called "What Feasts at Night" (which I'll review in the coming weeks). I wasn't very far along before I decided to look up the author on my Libby library app and see what else she had to offer. One of the few audiobooks of hers available immediately was something called A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. Literally, this one had me at the title. 

In this 2020 young adult fantasy novel, a 14-year-old named Mona, who possesses a sly, dry wit and "bread magic", discovers a dead body in her aunt's bakery. It isn't long before she realizes those who possess magic in her town are being targeted. There are other wizards set in this unique fantasy world, but none quite like Mona. When she was younger, she'd created (accidentally in the first case) 1) a sourdough starter "familiar" that eats mice when it can't get flour (really, what bread eaters don't know won't kill them) and 2) animated gingerbread men for the customers to fawn over (move over Shrek's Gingy!). Little did Mona realize her most loyal gingerbread man would soon become the commander-in-chief of a gingerbread army Mona has to bake up in order to save the city from a corrupt wizard and his invading army. And that doesn't even get into having to concoct the right kind of shoes for doughboy golem soldiers. 

One of the selling points of this story for me was the realistic portrayal of those in power who shouldn't necessarily be. In this case, the ruler meant well and was willing to do anything to help her people. Also, the heroine is the last person who might be considered a champion. By virtue of the fact that she had the skills (though she didn't realize it at first, of course) and stepped up to use them, she was able to save the day. I'm probably in the minority as one with no interest in reading about a superhero flying in just in time to rescue the entire city. I tend to root for worthy underdogs, and Mona is appealingly that. 

 

Illuminations was a 2022 release. Ten-year-old Rosa comes from a family of illuminators who are the greatest magic painters in the city, but their fortunes have fallen on hard times. Rosa excels at painting fanged radishes. Unfortunately, this art doesn't seem particularly useful when their studio is known for paintings that keep the city safe and running smoothly. Wanting to find a way to be useful to her relatives, she instead accidently releases a vicious monster and then has to figure out how to put it back in the box she foolishly opened. 

I assume the author, who's also a skilled artist, wondered what it would be like for her work to come to life, just as authors wonder what it would be like to step into a world created within a story. This was a cute and very fun story with a hilarious, three-dimensional heroine searching for her place in the world she's been born into and wanting very badly to join with her own legitimate skill. 

 

I'm reviewing A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking and Illuminations along with Minor Mage. Though all three of these books have like covers, they aren't part of a series. They do, however, share a similar subject matter hinging on young adult protagonists that possess some form of magic they use to change their own world (and possibly the world at large, or at least their section of it). Also, of course, all the books in this trio are written in Ursula Vernon's pseudonym T. Kingfisher. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking and Illuminations wonderfully lended themselves to audiobook "readings"--I'm not sure I would have enjoyed them quite as much as I did if I'd read them as ebooks or paperbacks. Both were available as audiobooks through my two library apps (either Libby or Hoopla); Minor Mage wasn't immediately accessible from either at the time I was writing this review. A month or so later, I managed to gain access to the ebook of Minor Mage. I wish I'd been able to get an audiobook copy. It would have been a bit easier to get through. This isn't saying Minor Mage is bad--not in the least. I just enjoyed the way the previous voice actors read Kingfisher's always off-the-cuff, fun stories so much, it was hard not to miss that aspect in my quiet, uninspired reading of it via ebook. 

In the 2019 Minor Mage, 12-year-old Oliver only knows three spells that he taught himself. His training was sporadic and dicey, to say the least, as his predecessor was very old and decidedly senile and had taken to wearing underwear on his head in his final days. Nevertheless, after the former mage passed a few years ago, the village has mainly accepted Oliver as their community magician. Oliver's managed to find what he needs in books to perform the tasks required of him in the time since then. However, when rain isn't forthcoming at a critical point in the season, he's called upon to fetch rain from the Rainblade Mountains. This is certainly nothing he's had to deal with before and he hasn't received the slightest bit of training in this regard from his mentor. Accompanied by his snarky armadillo familiar (who also has a few point of view scenes), he sets off, hoping he can find a way to do what his duty requires of him, with all those in the village counting on him. No pressure, right? Naturally, the journey is fraught with dangers and unforeseen challenges like ghuls (zombies) and bandits for one with very little practical knowledge of magic combined with frequent self-doubt. 

Along the way, Oliver meets up with a bard mage with the questionable ability to make harps (and the occasional fiddle) from the bones of murder victims. While he's actually had a few grieving people request his services in order to discover who murdered their loved one, even those lacking forethought soon regret it once they're forced to endure the screaming, shrieking harp seeking justice for crimes endured in life. Not surprisingly, Trebastian has few friends and is almost always chased out of every town with pitchforks and threats. Before long, Trebastian becomes Oliver's companion and, later, an unexpected friend. 

Kingfisher's trademark blend of heartfelt humor and grave predicaments buoy every page of this book. As in the previous stories in this set, the underlying theme is that heroism is about much more than possessing extraordinary supernatural powers. Instead, it's in the choices, creativity, determination, and moral fiber of the ones wielding, perhaps, less than spectacular gifts. 

 

Another story written under T. Kingfisher's real name, Ursula Vernon, Castle Hangnail, was instantly obtainable as an audiobook, and it fit the basic motif of this review with a young adult magic user as the protagonist. I suppose Castle Hangnail is intended for children (that assessment is directly from the author on her website) because of the author's amazing illustrations filling the pages. At a whopping 372 pages, it's not what I'd generally consider a children's book. It is, gratefully, presented in the same loquacious, verbose writing style that I've come to love from this author's protagonists. This book would appeal to young adults (8 to 12 years is the recommendation though most reading kids, including those younger, would also be smitten). Like with Shriek, I can't imagine adults enjoying it just as much. 

Twelve-year-old Molly is a witch and she needs a job. Castle Hangnail requires a wicked witch, and, though the staff at the castle is uncertain that polite Molly is right for the job, they agree to give her a shot. What a hoot this story is! When I was very young, my favorite author was Ruth Chew. I loved all her good, useful witch stories. I wish Castle Hangnail had been available then. I would have adored this unique, merry, tongue-in-cheek story with a lively cast of characters you can't help but love and champion. Though the audiobook was fantastic, I did miss seeing Vernon's own amazing illustrations accompanying the story, which I previewed on a book distributor's site. Oh, and there were rumors that Disney with Ellen DeGeneres might be making this into a movie, but I couldn't find any follow-up on the initial announcement. The first thing I was reminded of when I started listening to Castle Hangnail were the Hotel Transylvania movies. Like those, this would make a hilarious, not-necessarily-just-for-kids film. 

~*~

All four of these stories were nothing less than nonstop delight. The voice actors for the first two and Castle Hangnail were exemplary, adding so much to the reading, in retrospect it would have been unimaginable to partake without their talent. It only took me a couple days to finish the audiobooks because I didn't want to turn them off. The ebook of Minor Mage wasn't quite as easy to get through yet proved to be extremely enjoyable. 

You certainly don't need to be a child or young adult to enjoy these entertaining, incredibly well written, and engaging, character-driven adventures. As I hadn't, I doubt too many will have read anything else quite like these irresistible tales. So, that about does it--sign me up! I'm a fan of this author and artist regardless of what the genre is. I expect to post many more reviews of T. Kingfisher (and Ursula Vernon's) selections in the future. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

The Lady of the Shroud

Everybody knows about Bram Stoker’s DRACULA (1897). Few vampire fans, however, much less general readers, are familiar with what might be called Stoker’s “other vampire novel,” THE LADY OF THE SHROUD (1909). Actually (no big spoiler), it’s not a genuine vampire story, but a plot based on a hoax. The hero doesn’t discover the truth until well into the book, though. This novel is an adventure tale with more similarities to THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1894) than DRACULA. A wealthy Englishman unexpectedly leaves his fortune to his world-traveling nephew, Rupert Sent Leger. As a condition of the inheritance, Rupert has to live in a castle in a tiny Balkan country called the Land of the Blue Mountains. The novel follows the typical plot of a Ruritanian romance, in which a dashing foreign hero (English or sometimes American) saves the realm and falls in love with the princess. It's obvious, however, that Stoker also drew on his research for DRACULA in composing this tale.

Like DRACULA, THE LADY OF THE SHROUD has an epistolary narrative structure. It begins with a magazine story about an apparition of a coffin-like boat bearing a woman in a shroud. Most of the book consists of entries from Rupert’s journal, supplemented by letters and other documents. Once settled in the castle, formerly the home of the voivode (ruler) of the country, Rupert receives a visit from a woman of unearthly beauty “wrapped in white graveclothes saturated with water.” In addition to the shroud she wears, other factors such the chill of her skin, her need to be helped over the threshold of his room, and her insistence on fleeing at cockcrow lead him to seriously entertain the possibility that she may be a vampire. During the day he explores an ancient church nearby and finds her in the crypt, lying in a glass-topped coffin like a vampiric Snow White. Because of his many extraordinary experiences in exotic parts of the world, Rupert, like Van Helsing, has an open mind about the preternatural and occult. But unlike any of the characters in DRACULA, Rupert speculates whether the lady, if a vampire, could be redeemed and restored to life. That idea never comes up in the earlier book, where vampires are demonically evil by definition.

The lady turns out to be the voivodin (princess) of the Land of the Blue Mountains, carrying out the vampire masquerade for protection from her enemies. Having fallen into a cataleptic trance (a phenomenon that scholars have often cited as one hypothetical source of vampire beliefs), she had been pronounced dead and interred, a mistake she uses to her advantage. Rupert, of course, saves both the voivodin and her nation, rescuing his beloved and her father from Turkish kidnappers. THE LADY OF THE SHROUD has the distinction of possibly including the first fictional portrayal of aircraft combat, only six years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight.

Although lesser known than DRACULA, this novel and Stoker’s tale of a mummified Egyptian princess trying to return to life, THE JEWEL OF SEVEN STARS (1903), both hold up well as thrilling stories still worth a read today.

Margaret L. Carter

Please explore love among the monsters at Carter's Crypt.

Inadmissible Truths

Writers should never admit it if they base a character on a particular actor or actress, or use frame-by-frame viewing of parts of a movie to inspire a description of facial expressions, gestures, fights, lovemaking, and so forth.

There are copyright reasons for not admitting such truths, if truths they are.

I remember a movie in which a hiring decision of a young woman was made based on the contents of her handbag. According to A.I. the movie might have been "Greta" from 2018, but I don't think that's the one because if I were inspired to add life to a character based on the contents of his pockets, that would have had to have been before 2005.

What about patterns of life? Pattern of life is more to do with surveillance and all round creepiness than character building... unless on is crafting something Clancyish. An analyst character might very well want to document the habits of a subject or his community in order to predict likely future behavior, or else to identify anomalous activities that might indicate when a misdeed occurred in the past or might be imminent.

For instance, it is possible for a dedicated reviewer of data to ask, "Show me everyone who goes to a golf range" or "Show me everyone who has suddenly started to visit a golf range."

Again, one would not want to admit to doing the following, but if so inclined for character-building, one could pay as little as a dollar to a data broker and receive a report that might contain voting records, court appearances addresses, phone numbers (not that you would want those), religious affiliations, social media presence, family members, friends, work colleagues, interests, gym memberships, and more.

Or, one could read obituaries.

Most people these days go everywhere with a tracking device in their pocket, purse or in one hand. They use this tracking device to shop; price check; schedule appointments, subscriptions, reservations; call friends and family; play games; report scam robocalls or texts; look up some esoteric information for your work-of-fiction-in-progress; download apps....

Advertisers use this data to try to sell your something that you have already bought, which does not say much for the quality of the product! Law enforcement can also use it. So might head hunters, potential employers, bankers, loan sharks, landlords, insurance companies, political campaigns, and more. 

Use one of the more famous advertising/search engines and look up your own name. You might discover that you are the most interesting pattern for a character in your own next book.

All the best,

Rowena Cherry 

SPACE SNARK™ 

https://www.spacesnark.com/  

https://www.rowenacherry.com

Oldies But Goodies {Put This One on Your TBR List} Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey by Karen S. Wiesner

 

Oldies But Goodies

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

by Karen S. Wiesner 

 

Beware potential spoilers! 

The world was a very different place when Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey was published in 1946. This was a children's novel, not a picture book with questionably well-done art accompanied by a sprinkling of words across the pages. Miss Hickory has 128 pages, 24,000 words. Back then, children were often read to by other people, usually parents. No doubt, many of these books were far beyond the child's own reading level yet the stories were perfectly understandable to them. The current suggested age for this book is 8 to 12, which boggles my mind a bit, and not simply because I can't imagine too many kids these days picking up a complex book like this. Additionally, back then stories like this one seemed to have a higher purpose than simply entertaining readers. 

Miss Hickory was one of the very first books I ever read on my own as a child. With a protagonist who's a living doll made from a forked apple tree twig and a hickory nut for a head, her story was magical to me. Miss Hickory lived in a luxurious corncob house made by her owner Ann. Miss Hickory is used to being spoiled, but now things are changing. Ann is going away, and selfish Squirrel has decided he likes Miss Hickory's comfy house for his own winter home. Crow helps her find a nest where she can live out the winter, but she'll need to be clever and courageous to survive. The author and her husband lived on a farm with an apple orchard, and she drew inspiration for this story from there. 

When I reread this enchanting story again recently, it was to the realization about just how prickly and hard-headed (sorry) Miss Hickory is. She likes to instruct people how best to live their lives but accepting help from others always leaves her irritated. And sometimes she misses out on wonderful things because of her stubbornness. Hilariously, she also likes be very feminine, and we find several chapters with Miss Hickory being a fashionista by making herself new and beautiful clothing out of things like maple leaves and grass and cherry blossoms. I found it interesting that Miss Hickory took the existence of God for granted. There's a Christmas miracle to be seen, but she misses it because she's too pigheaded to listen to anything Squirrel has to say. Does she learn her lesson through the many chapters in which she and her friends live out their lives on the farm? I'm not sure. But she does learn a lot about herself--her own origin, for one. 

This story was told very strangely. Most of the chapters were from Miss Hickory's point of view, which made sense, as this is the compilation of her adventures during the seasons. However, sometimes we're put into the perspective of another (usually animal) character for no other reason I can fathom other than that the author felt she'd started a story with that particular character and needed closure before going back to Miss Hickory. 

Though Squirrel plucks off and takes a bite of Miss Hickory's head (too scary for modern readers in both words and illustration? probably)--his character is suitably drawn with all the complexity needed for readers to find him endearing despite his actions. He's an animal designed for storing up food for himself, yet he can't seem to remember where he's hidden all his nuts from one minute to the next, let alone over the course of a long, harsh winter. And, frankly, wouldn't he much rather just eat it now? Of course he would! It's easy to root for all of these lovable, fully-fleshed out characters. Though the chapters play out in a seemingly random fashion, the story does actually reach full circle by the end. 

I'd be remiss not to mention the lovely illustrations done by Ruth Chrisman Gannett. I found out they were done by a process called lithography, which is a really archaic (though there are still people who do it) means of photocopying something. Apparently, the artist has to be very careful while drawing on the stone (or similar material) as there are no second chances with this method. Either it's drawn right the very first time--or as close as possible--or a whole lot of time, effort, and materials will be wasted. Find out more about the art of this here https://jerwoodvisualarts.org/art-techniques-and-materials-glossary/lithography/ and be sure to watch some YouTube videos of it actually being done. I found it fascinating. Too much work, definitely, but still intriguing as a precursor to modern-day photocopying. 

Inspired by the incredible artwork in Miss Hickory, I couldn't help wanting to do some sketches from the book myself, which were all done by black and white lithography (although color is possible with the method). I even did one in color, though only the cover of the book has color in the first edition. Does anyone else want an apple now, too? <grin>

  

Miss Hickory Black & White Sketch and Colored Pencil Rendering by @Karen Wiesner

 

Miss Hickory's Corncob House by @Karen Wiesner 

If you do an internet search with the words "Miss Hickory illustrations", you'll see some of Gannett's original designs, including one of Squirrel holding Miss Hickory's still scolding head just before he takes a bite of it. Never fear, Miss Hickory may end up headless, but she's also "heedless, happy" that way. Clearly, her head had been holding her back. 

Children and adults alike will find a timeless, magical world to explore in this well-deserving Newbery Medal Winner. The lesson to be learned (as all these old books had some kind of moral to impart, which I heartily approve) is not to hold yourself back from who you're meant to be--not with the promise of comfort nor with the hurtle of fear of the unknown. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog and her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

Thanksgiving

Happy American Thanksgiving!

On this holiday, many families tend to cling to their traditions. Although my husband, in general, is an adventurous cook, on Thanksgiving our menu never deviates from turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green peas (with butter-sauteed mushrooms), biscuits, and pumpkin pie.

The family of one of our sons, on the other hand, isn't much into turkey dinners. They serve meals that some others might consider a bit far out for the occasion, such as sushi.

This year we're breaking with custom in that we're not cooking dinner at home, with only the two of us in the house now. We've accepted an invitation to dine with one of our other sons. He has promised us leftovers to take home, a major factor in our decision whether not to prepare our own feast. We'll see how it works out.

For several decades, Thanksgiving weekend meant the Darkover con, later renamed ChessieCon, north of Baltimore. Meeting with like-minded fans was one of the high points of the year for me. Alas, the first live gathering after COVID had such disappointing attendance the con committe decided it would be more fitting to let the tradition die a dignified death rather than try to drag it out for a few more years. I miss it. On the other hand, I don't miss the frenzy of rushing around on the day after Thanksgiving to get on the freeway for an hour's drive. It's kind of nice to have a relaxing post-feast-day weekend (and not have to skip the first Sunday of Advent at our church).

Warm holiday wishes to all --

Margaret L. Carter

Please explore love among the monsters at Carter's Crypt.

Samizdat -- Say What?

What is a "right"? From whence do rights come?

A Briton might look back to the enduring clauses from the Magna Carta that promise:

“No free man shall be seized, imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed, exiled or ruined in any way, nor in any way proceeded against, except by the lawful judgement of his peers and the law of the land. 
“To.... no one will we deny or delay right or justice.”

https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/originsofparliament/birthofparliament/overview/magnacarta/magnacartaclauses/

An American might refer to the Declaration of Independence and the assertion that certain rights are endowed by the Creator, and include Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Many overlook "the pursuit" part, and infer that everyone has the right to happiness, however they define "happiness".  Their happiness might require your work, or free access to your property without a contract, without your consent, and without compensation to you.

Cornell Law says: 

"A right is a power or privilege held by the general public, usually as the result of a constitution, statute, regulation, or judicial precedent. Legal rights are enforceable by legal institutions and can be invoked in courts of law."

Cornell discusses rights as legal claims, for instance when two parties enter into a contract, as a result of which, the payor has the right to expect a service, or performance, or goods, and if the vendor defaults, the payor can bring an action at law.

Then, there is Samizdat, which is a Soviet era theory that is it justified for citizens to disobey various laws in the interests of "free speech" or "learning", or perhaps the continuation of an alternative culture.

See "Civil Disobedience of Copyright..." by E.F.F. in which the writer gives the impression of excusing copyright infringement in order that students and scholars have --gratis and without paying the authors or publishers-- the books they need.

The assumption of an alleged book pirate seems to be that it is human nature to share knowledge, and therefore, any author should not object when others appropriate and disseminate any author's written work without the author's consent or compensation to the author.

They go on to suggest that for authors and publishers to set a price on a published work is a global human rights problem. A human right???

This is not far from "information wants to be free".

E.F.F. shares information about how alleged pirates get around copyright law through alleged Russian sites, for those who wish to take the chance. In my experience, course books at schools and universities can be rented, or bought second hand and sold on afterwards.

All the best,

Rowena Cherry 

SPACE SNARK™

https://www.spacesnark.com/ 

Review for The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner Combined with an Original Article: Unique by Karen S. Wiesner

 

Review for The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner

Combined with an Original Article: Unique

by Karen S. Wiesner 

  Beware spoilers! 

Published in 2018, The Sisters of the Winter Wood is the debut novel of literary agent Rena Rossner, who lives in Israel. I really don't know how to categorize this unusual story. It's a blend of magic and reality, fantasy, folklore, cultural history (specifically Jewish mythology). As to whether it's young adult, I'm not certain. Both protagonists are teenage girls, but I don't know if the intention was for it to be read only by young adults. I was looking for a new audiobook and this one came up, promising to be something atmospheric and supernatural. It was both. The narrator, Ana Clements, was the perfect choice for this material, and I'd go so far as to say that no one else could have done it better. 

In this tale, 17-year-old Liba and her 14-year-old sister Laya live with their parents in a remote village. They've been raised in the forest in a very insular way by their Jewish father and converted-but-never-truly-accepted mother. When their parents are forced to leave the girls at home because the roads aren't safe in order to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are thrust into secrets and discoveries they could never have imagined. Liba, like her father, has the ability to transform into a bear. Laya and her mother can become swans. Neither girl ever had a clue about this prior to their parents leaving. Overnight, the entire world changes for them as dark forces gather and the village is plunged into danger. 

In ways, I found it unfortunate that the author chose to reveal the shapeshifting abilities when the girls are teenagers. So much of this book was overwhelmed with the angst and ardor of two young, impressionable girls who long to explore their sensuality, despite the environment they were raised in. While I found the cultural aspects of the story intriguing, these characters were painted as good, responsible daughter (Liba) and stupid, flighty daughter (Laya). Combine that bland ordinary (in my opinion anyway) with the persecution of a people wherever they go, seemingly, and it strongly began to feel like there was a wider agenda being served up in this chill, supernatural setting. I was looking for the extraordinary, so for that reason, I found myself mildly disappointed when the tone of the story seemed to change to something much more mundane, like bigotry. 

Despite that, as the kiss of winter begins making itself known in my area of the world along with the promise of Thanksgiving and Christmas, like the unmistakable scent of cinnamon and pine needles in the air, I couldn't stop thinking about the deeper issues this story undergirds and makes haunting with its icy refrain. 

"UNIQUE" 

Liba and Laya live in a world that isn't all that different from the one you and I inhabit. That world and this one seems to want to put everyone in little boxes that may not fit and then persecute those deemed undesirable while they're there. Just like Dr. Seuss's Sneetches story, this is one of the things in this life that should never be. Inside those shackled boxes, we learn the horrors of judging, racism, prejudice, genocide… The list of monstrous behaviors is endless for those who see themselves as superior to all others, so much so that they commit atrocities on other human beings. When people begin to think of themselves as special--even chosen by God (why is it that so many madmen in the history of the world believe that?)--sometimes they view this as permission to do terrible things to others who they see as different from them. 

We all share similar origin--whatever color our skin is, whatever the culture or community or religion or gender we're raised in. We're also all born with a predetermined appearance (based on what our parents impart to us genetically), and there's very little we can actually do about what we're given in an external sense. Physical attractiveness is little more than subjectivity anyway. Two people will never agree on what makes anyone beautiful, so why are we so fixed on the outside shell of a human being? Frankly, it's all stupid. Make no mistake--the "ugly" and the "lovely" are both given these things at birth; no one chose them or can claim that they had anything to do with their own fortune or curse in that regard. While it's important to take care of ourselves so we're healthy and fit and as attractive as we can be externally, in truth we should simply be more accepting of each other's exterior appearance, our race, our culture--and our own--yet we're not! No generation ever really learns from this fatal flaw in our thinking that seems to be a factory reset from one age to the next. It's completely senseless how human beings create innate separations in classes, races, genders, and religions. What a celebration it could be if only we could rejoice over the differences that make each of us unique! 

It takes a tremendous amount of grace and character to accept our differences. Twice as much to accept others with the same equanimity! That's why it's so important to put the majority of our focus into what can be controlled, what can be changed, what can be built and bloomed and become--the internal aspect of who we are, the person inside, the being we want to be more than anything. That's where true beauty can be refined. The interesting part about that is that inner beauty can transform the outer shell. A person so remarkable and loving can be physically astounding, even if realistically the outer package may not suggest it can be so. True inner beauty is also the lasting part of a person's identity. Inner beauty transforms every aspect of our being, including our perspective of the world around us. 

I don't believe I'm unique in that I want to be remembered for the person I was in life, for inner beauty and goodness. That's all that really matters in the end. Those are lasting things that can live on even when I'm gone. We can actually make a mark on this world in that way. But it requires us to let go of vanity and accept who we are, where we come from and how we were raised, even what we look like. It requires not seeing ourselves as superior to all others and to instead see everyone as unique and worthwhile. 

Focused on what matters, build a life that has purpose and meaning. It will outlive you, I promise. You'll never regret that part, and it is what will give you joy, satisfaction, and ultimately contentment. The only person you have to give an accounting to while in this life is yourself. So be the inner person you want to be without shame or regret. It will reflect on the exterior. That is something no one can take away from you. 

Never mind the irony that I'm suggesting that you read The Sisters of the Winter Wood (a very Jewish story, at least on the surface) at this time of year--whether the Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday--when most hearts turn to being mindful of what we have. During this time, we seem to reflect more on the things that matter. To seeing the good in ourselves and in others, to being the hope, benevolence, and goodwill that we want to spread to all. Ultimately, this story I'm reviewing this week will make you realize the heart of what's important in life and the role each of us play in the outcome of good and evil. Our choices can impact everything in and around us. Be a change and influence for good. Be the goodwill and benevolence you want to see. Be unique. Above all, remember that the differences in each of us can become the very celebrations that make life worthwhile. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/

Shattered Glass

Elaine Bergstrom's richly detailed "vampire as alien" series begins with SHATTERED GLASS (1989), first published although not first in its internal chronology. In this novel and its prequels and sequels, she creates vampires of extraterrestrial origin but with such long-term residence on Earth that they consider this planet their home. Though clearly superior to Homo sapiens, most of them respect humanity. Like other more or less benign fictional vampires, Bergstrom's vampire clan, the Austras, balance their predation with service to the host species. The Austras contribute to humanity's long-term welfare through the products of their genius under the cover of their corporation, AustraGlass, whose creations in stained glass have adorned human architecture since the Middle Ages. Just as their empathic connection to their donors compensates for the blood they drink, their contributions to human culture balance (if not atone for) the killings some of them have committed over the centuries. Their weaknesses -- particularly their reproductive difficulties -- offset their superhuman powers. Not only do they take blood from human prey (as well as lower animals), they also need the human race to revitalize their gene pool. Austra females usually die in childbirth, typically producing twins or triplets. After her vampire nature is awakened by blood-sharing with Stephen Austra, Helen, the human-alien hybrid of SHATTERED GLASS, offers the promise of birth without inevitable sacrifice of the mother.

Stephen's twin, Charles, unlike his brother, feeds on pain and terror instead of the positive emotions that constitute the Austras' more usual nourishment. Charles yearns for death. Because these vampires' instinct for self-preservation makes them practically incapable of taking their own lives, Charles goes on a murderous rampage in the city where Stephen has settled, hoping to get his brother to kill him in the vampiric equivalent of "suicide by cop." Not surprisingly, to attract Stephen's attention he threatens Helen and her family.

Bergstrom's very sensual vampires exert an irresistible magnetism over human beings, especially when the vampires crave blood. Also, because they possess telepathy, they can shape their behavior to satisfy the human partner's inmost desires. Beyond sexual union, the Austras use telepathy to satisfy the human yearning to know the Other. For the reader, they fulfill in fantasy the otherwise unattainable wish to plumb the depths of another's mind. While drinking a human donor's blood (and sometimes even without blood-sharing), the vampire can share his or her memories with the donor in a reenactment so vivid it seems actually to be happening. Other novels in the series move backward in history or forward to Stephen and Helen's married life and the birth of their children, concluding with a book set in the near future, BEYOND SUNDOWN. Some short stories about the Austras have also been published, such as "The Ghost of St. Mark's" in THE TIME OF THE VAMPIRES, an anthology of historical vampire fiction, and "Ebb Tide" in the anthology VAMPIRES: DRACULA AND THE UNDEAD LEGIONS. I'm honored to mention that the latter, an outtake from SHATTERED GLASS, was originally published in the first issue of my fanzine, THE VAMPIRE'S CRYPT, back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. You can find links to information about the zine (all issues are available free on DropBox) on my website:

Carter's Crypt

Margaret L. Carter

{Put This One on Your TBR List} Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel) by Suzanne Collins by Karen S. Wiesner

 

{Put This One on Your TBR List}

Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel) by Suzanne Collins

by Karen S. Wiesner 

  Beware spoilers! 

Read my previous review that contains a summary of the gist of this series here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2024/02/karen-s-wiesner-hit-list-young-adult.html 

What fresh hell is President Snow about to unleash during the 50th Hunger Games, which took place 24 years before the events of the original The Hunger Games novels? Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel) was released March 2025, another "prequel" to the dystopian series The Hunger Games. 

Haymitch lives in District 12 with his poor but upbeat and commendable family--his mother and younger brother Sid. His best friend is Burdock Everdeen--Katniss and Prim's father and a distant cousin of Haymitch's girlfriend. Haymitch and Burdock's friendship isn't given a whole lot of on-screen time. Burdock's future wife Asterid March (mother of Katniss and Prim) is also mentioned in this novel. Haymitch illegally distills moonshine, kind of a foreshadowing of the drunk he's to become in the original series. The Second Quarter Quell has everyone anxious because, this year, twice as many tributes are to be selected from each district. Because he's put his name in the running to compete more times in order to improve his family's lot, he genuinely worries he'll be chosen. But if means helping and eventually saving his family and the girl he loves, Lenore Dove, he's willing. Though his name isn't originally drawn, a series of unfortunate events forces him to compete. Several familiar faces make appearances in this book, including Plutarch Heavensbee, Mags, Wiress, and Effie (and probably others I've forgotten between readings). 

Haymitch Abernathy was a favorite character of mine from the original trilogy. As a 16-year-old, he's brash, funny, charming, and a natural born leader who's willing to sacrifice whatever he has to in order to protect those he loves and cares about. His stand on the side of justice is without question--which isn't something that we might have believed when we were first introduced to him in the initial novel, The Hunger Games. Instead, we wondered there how this drunk could possibly have won the games in his time. Rather than trying to win, Haymitch does everything in his power to shut down The Hunger Games once and for all. Even when he repeatedly fails, he keeps trying. For that, President Snow punishes him and continues to do so until Haymitch is broken seemingly beyond repair. 

After the last release in this series, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I was ready to be disappointed. I felt like that prequel posed far more questions than it actually answered, ones that I might never get illumination or closure on. I didn't purchase Sunrise on the Reaping when it first came out because I wasn't sure whether it was worth continuing to follow the series, but when I discovered it was available in audiobook from one of my library apps, I thought I should give it a listen. Fortunately, I believe Sunrise on the Reaping actually clarified a few things for me that cropped up in Ballad (more later on that). Jefferson White, an actor that a lot of people have no doubt heard of but I hadn't, narrated the audiobook. He has a very strange voice, and I worried I wouldn't enjoy his reading because of that, but he actually did a fantastic job and made the story both memorable and thrilling. 

I was very glad to witness Haymitch's side of the story, as well as to get a peek at the pasts' of other familiar characters from previous books. Haymitch's story was fully fleshed out and really made me understand who he was, where he came from, what he'd lost and all the vicious ways Snow destroyed him (no doubt under that psycho's misdirected heading of cruel to be kind), justifying Haymitch's broken and mostly-but-not-quite-defeated personality in the original books. 

Feel free to skip this paragraph if you're worried about spoilers: As I said, I left Ballad with more questions than answers about why President Snow became the monster he was. The author never made it entirely clear there how he could have been working to effect change and then turned back and became twice the son of hell he originally was. Because of the connections made in Haymitch's story, I feel I understand better what shaped Snow was Lucy Gray's betrayal (which was just bewilderingly confusing in Ballad). See my previous review about this for specifics. It seemed nearly the whole of that novel that Snow was beginning to turn around and realize that The Hunger Games had to be stopped at all cost. But, after Lucy Gray betrayed him (had she been working with the revolutionaries all along and made him believe she really loved him in order to turn him toward their plight?--that seems the only logical conclusion), he threw himself headlong into gaining revenge. From start to finish in this series, Snow never really learned the lessons taught by two wise men: "Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves" (Confucius) and "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind". (Mahatma Gandhi) 

Haymitch, however, is cunning, clever, and compassionate--all the hallmarks of a hero. Throughout the first three books in this series, he played his role amazingly, making everyone believe he was nothing more than a lush who couldn't be counted on to lift his head from his latest bottle let alone be instrumental in a revolution. The epilogue is devoted to bridging the gap between the past Haymitch, Hunger Games 50th winner, and the drunkard who became Katniss's District 12 mentor. 

Oh, and the filming for this movie began in July 2025, set for a November 2026 release. Yes, I fully intend to watch it, though I think I will miss the fantastic Woody Harrelson playing Haymitch. Not logical on my part, since, of course he'd be far too old to play a 16-year-old. (Joseph Zada, another actor I've never heard of, will be doing that.) 

If you're a fan of The Hunger Games, this one is well worth your time. If you're not, don't delay. This series stands the test of time and keeps being compelling with each new installment. 

Karen Wiesner is an award-winning, multi-genre author of over 150 titles and 16 series.

Visit her website and blog here: https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/

and https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/karens-quill-blog

Visit her publisher here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/Karen-Wiesner/