Scooter Chronicles

Welcome to the 11th Edition of the Bookworm Carnival!!

This month’s theme is Urban / Contemporary Fantasy.

So what is urban and/or contemporary fantasy? Glad you asked. It is essentially fantastical things that happen to people in modern settings. Whether it’s fairy tale characters living in your neighborhood, or strange happenings that would not be considered “normal”. Hidden societies that live “underground”, or finding out that those strange sisters that you went to school with are actually witches that practice magic. There are many books that could fall under this theme.

Usually when the word fantasy is used with the word fiction, one starts thinking of swords and sorcerers, dragons and magical items (rings, chalices, etc.), beautiful princesses, handsome kings, wise wizards, and wicked lords. This is all that I wanted to stay away from. It’s interesting and fun to read, but I find it more interesting to read about someone dealing with things out of the ordinary in modern society. That’s what this edition is all about.

My submissions will kick off the Carnival.

First there is “The Good Fairies of New York” by Martin Millar. A great mix of humor and fantasy, and it turned out differently then what I expected. Then there is “The Tooth Fairy” by Graham Joyce. A rather dark fantasy novel, and even considered horror, but a great look at a different side of urban fantasy.

Rebecca at Adventures in Reading was surprised by how good “Vurt” by Jeff Noon, a rather complex book that mixed “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” with “Blade Runner”. Now the trouble is locating a copy.

Ana at Things Mean A Lot tells us about the subtle magic, both figuratively and literally, of “Voice of Our Shadow” by Jonathan Carroll.

Becky talks about one of my favorite books, “Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman, on her site Becky’s Book Reviews. And though it didn’t capture her imagination like it did mine, she still sees the magic and passion in Gaiman’s voice.

Sarah at Puss Reboots also contemplates “Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman. She also tells us of the humor AND horror of “So You Want to be a Wizard” by Diane Duane.

Melissa of Book Nut brings us two books. First she compares “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman to Korean food. (Seriously folks, after you read the review, and the book, it makes sense.) The she tells us of “Into the Wild” by Sarah Beth Durst, where Rapunzel and other fairy tale characters have to deal with the wild taking over their town. (And why I haven’t heard of this book before, I’ll never know.)

Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf tells us of her hesitant (at first) adventures stepping into the world of The Sandman with the first of the series, “Preludes and Nocturnes” by Neil Gaiman.

Stephanie posts at her blog, Stephanie’s Confessions of a Book-A-Holic, about “Memory and Dream” by Charles de Lint and the genius of his intertwining themes and storytelling prowess.

Misa at This Redhead Reads posted a review at PaperSpine of the “soon-to-be” young adult classic “Un Lun Dun” by China Mieville.

Gautami at My Own Little Reading Room tells us of three books. First there is “Kafka on the Shore” by Haruki Murakami, and how it reminds us to find the answers in all we see. Next up is “The Solitaire Mystery” by Jostein Gaarder and how it unified philosophy, reality, and fantasy. Finally, we are told of the challenging, but rewarding “Yellowknife” by Steve Zipp, though it may not be for everyone.

Eva at A Striped Armchair tells us of the old world magic that endears her to “Enchantment” by Orson Scott Card.

At Joy’s Blog, she tells us of her enjoyment in reading “Practical Magic” by Alice Hoffman, though it may not be “everyone’s cup of chamomile.”

Marg at Reading Adventures leads us into the world of Kelley Armstrong. Here she reviews a septet of her books.

The last entry is the most interesting, mostly due to it’s concept. John at The Book Mine Set posted updates throughout his reading of a book, letting readers of his site in on how he thought it was progressing. Though rarely a fantasy reader, he found “The Dying Days” by Shannon Patrick Sullivan a solid read.

Thanks again to all that participated! The next Bookworm Carnival will be hosted by Nymeth. The theme will be Fairy Tales. You have until June 13th to get you submissions in. Any questions or submissions can be emailed to untuneric at gmail dot com.