The Power to Kill: Joint Review

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Ruby's take: Katsa was only eight years old when she killed for the first time. She is one of the "Graced," a person who is distinguished by their eyes, which are different colors. She has the Grace of fighting and is used by her uncle, King Randa, to be his "lady killer," to carry out torture and killings to satisfy any wrongs (right or otherwise) done to him.

In order to bring some good from her Grace, Katsa and her friends form the "Council" to help people throughout the seven kingdoms who have been unjustly punished, imprisoned, or abused. Through this secret council, Katsa rescues an elderly man who turns out to be a prince from a neighboring kingdom. His grandson, Prince Po, comes looking for him in the kingdom of Middluns.

Po is also Graced with superior fighting skills and is a welcome fighting partner for Katsa. The two form a close friendship...which turns into more. Both are pulled into a plot that starts with the kidnapping of Po's grandfather and turns into something far more dangerous. Po and Katsa have to rely on each other and their Graces to survive.

This is one of the best books I've read this year. I had put off reading it, but when I found out that a third book (Book 2 is Fire, and the third is tentatively titled Bitterblue) will be coming out later this year, I had to hurry up and read it. Cashore's writing is fluid, descriptive, and utterly delightful. She really knows how to bring the story to life. All the characters are relatable, but the focus of the story is Katsa, and what a woman! Being graced with the ability to fight while controlling her anger is one of the many challenges she faces, but she does so with great courage and strength. Prince Po is definitely a great match for her, as he respects her abilities and who she is. Best line in the whole book: "If there's anyone I wish to stun at dinner, I'll hit him in the face." All in all, a great first novel.

-Ruby

Jenny's take: My turn! I read Graceling about a year ago and loved it. I'll leave the summary bits out for the most part (since Ruby covered it above), but I will say that a vital part of Katsa's struggle is internal as she comes to terms with not only her grace and how to handle herself but also her response to those around her (including those with other graces). Her physical journey turns into an emotional one as she starts, for the first time, to allow others into her heart and mind. And the best part? She kicks butt the whole time. Think of a female gladiator/Robin Hood/progressive princess/avenger/assassin, and you've got a pretty good vision of Katsa.

Cashore has found a way to combine about a billion genres into one fantastic book: action, fantasy, survival, epic journey, romance, and mystery, to name a few. To cap it all off, she did an amazing and fluid job; her writing style grabbed my attention from the start and kept me captivated all the way through. Fans of The Hunger Games trilogy will enjoy the independent fighter Cashore has created, along with the in-depth and beautiful fantasy world that completes the package.

As a follow-up, read Fire, also by Cashore. It's a prequel of sorts, though there is only one overlap character and the story takes place in a different part of the world with monsters and people of an entirely different nature. It makes for another great read!

-Jenny

Ages 13+

Publisher: Graphia (September 2009)

ISBN: 9780547258300

Also available as an eBook.
Image from www.bn.com

Holding Out for a Hero: Joint Review

Beyonders: A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull (Book 1 Beyonders)

Ruby's Take: Jason Walker lives a very normal life for a 13-year-old boy, but when an event at the hippo exhibit during his volunteer job at the zoo leads him to the land of Lyrian, life is anything but normal. Upon entering this place, he comes across a gathering of people who are watching a suicidal sacrifice of musicians called "The Giddy Nine" on the river and over a very large waterfall. In seeing this, Jason tries to stop it, but may have done more harm than good.

In trying to determine where he is, he stumbles upon the Repository of Learning. He is told by the Loremaster (the librarian) that Jason is a Beyonder. Beyonders are rarely seen in Lyrian, but there still exist portals that connect Jason's world to this one. Hoping for more information, he is forbidden to enter the third floor. Curiosity and the thought that there might be knowledge there that will help him get home leads him to his destiny. In this unused portion of the Repository, he discovers and reads a page, and in particular a syllable that will delay his journey home and set him on another journey. He now has to find all the syllables to a "Word" that will destroy the wizard ruler of Lyrian, Maldor. These syllables are hidden all over Lyrian. With the help of Rachel, a girl from the same place as Jason (although Jason is from California and Rachel is from Washington), they will have to use their wits and each other to piece together the "Word." With Maldor and his minions on their trail, their journey is fraught with peril...from friend and foe alike.

A great new adventure series from the author that gave us Fablehaven. This series has a darker overtone than his previous books, but the adventure is even greater. Jason and Rachel are very likable characters, and I love how stubborn they both are! It will be very hard to wait for Book Two, Seeds of Rebellion, coming out in Spring of 2012, with the final installment in Spring of 2013.

-Ruby

Jenny's Take: I loved this book! I've been a Brandon Mull fan ever since I read the first book in his Fablehaven series--another great adventure series that's good for both boys and girls--and Beyonders exceeded my expectations. Fast-paced and action-packed, Mull creates another world that's full of amazing creatures and sparkling personalities. (And really, any story that starts with a main character getting swallowed by a hippo? Automatically a winner!)

Pulled into Lyrian, a heavy burden falls on both Jason and Rachel as they realize their destinies are tied and they have little hope of survival unless they accept the journey life has thrust upon them. The only surviving wizard, Maldor, rules Lyrian with an iron fist, always increasing his holdings. His only known weakness is a single, six-syllable word, pieces of which are scattered throughout the world in the most dangerous and magical marshes, deserts, and temples. With the support of a fallen royal hero, Galloran, who previously failed the same quest, Jason and Rachel set out to achieve the impossible by piecing together the Word, meeting countless intriguing characters and moral decisions along the way.

If you're looking for strong, stubborn, and interesting characters, look no further. Though their relationship is rocky at first, Jason and Rachel develop a trusting partnership that gets them into trouble and out of it again as they strive to be worthy of the title "hero" in a land not their own.

Full of fun and drama, jokes and tension, Beyonders is a great first-in-series book! I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking for a great read.

-Jenny

Ages 9+

Publisher: Aladdin (March 2011)

ISBN: 9781416997924

Available as an eBook

Image from www.simonandschuster.com