Redecorating Middle-Earth in Early Lovecraft

Three Things for Hump Day

Wed, 23 May 2012 11:36:55 GMT

1. My latest unabridged narration for StarShipSofa, which is of Storm Constantine's story "The Rust Islands," is now available to stream or download on the newest episode of the podcast. If you listen, I hope you enjoy! (A full list of links to my unabridged dramatic readings is here.)

2. I'll be a guest next weekend at ConCarolinas, and I now have my schedule. I have the delight of sitting on panels with some truly fantastic folks, including Jack McDevitt, David B. Coe, and The Blibbering Humdingers, among others. Here's my lineup:

Friday, June 1
5pm: The Legacy of Harry Potter
7pm: The Hunger Games
9pm: The Hobbit

Saturday, June 2
11am: Sherlock
3pm: Young Adult Genre Literature

3. By the way, I'm continuing to drink my way through the Sherlock Holmes-themed tea blends at Adagio Teas. (You can search for blends by name or by creator here.) My niece and nephew created a monster when they gave me the new teapot for Christmas! In case you're interested, here are my updated amateur "reviews" of the blends I've tried thus far, ranked in order of my enjoyment.

"Must Have" Blends

DI Lestrade by Vanessa Harper
Tea? Definitely my division.
Description: Everyone deserves a holiday now and then; especially the long-suffering, lovable DI Lestrade, whose years of trying not to punch Sherlock have left him understandably (earl) grey around the temples (and, well, the rest of his head too). Even if that holiday is limited to a few blessedly chaos-free moments at his desk, everyone's favorite Met officer (still faintly cinnamon-tan from his recent trip to an undisclosed location in the country) might reach for this blend of traditional earl grey with notes of chocolate, caramel, and a hint of cinnamon both to relax and to be ready for whatever bizarre case next comes his way.
Review: I was so excited to see the Lestrade blend added to Vanessa's Sherlock set - and then it turned out to be BRILLIANT. After one cup, I already knew I'd be ordering more. The Earl Grey is the strongest flavor, but the subtle chocolate and caramel notes from the tiger eye follow and add wonderful depth, and the cinnamon pulls all of it together. It's bold and rich and absolutely perfect without anything added, almost as lovely as the DI himself. This goes straight to the top of my list of favorites.

Sherlock's Eyes by Molly Endries
His eyes have such power.
Description: The mint awakens and piques the senses. The green adds some softness and comfort. The Earl Grey provides a lasting, lingering, and comforting base.
Review: Fantastic! I could stand around all day, just inhaling the smell of this tea. The chocolate and bergamot scents really jump out at me from the bag (and the finished cup). The taste, however is more the clean coolness of the green tea and especially the spearmint. It's wonderfully refreshing and complex, and I immediately want another cup. I'm so glad I took a chance with this blend! I suspect (deduce?) that I'll be buying more.

My Dear Watson by Christa Y
The game's afoot, but first you'd better have a spot of tea.
Description: Bergamot-infused Earl Grey combines with delicious chocolate in this deerstocking-capped blend, together with a tiny hint of cream to round out the flavors.
Review: I'm a big Earl Grey fan, so I was worried about the chocolate becoming overpowering, but I'm also a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, so I had to give this a try. It's ideal! The Earl Grey taste hits first, perfectly clear, and then the dark chocolate follows behind and leaves a haunting, yummy aftertaste. The cream brings it all together. The flavors play off each other so well, and I absolutely love how comforting and complex this is. I'll certainly be buying more.

Watson by Cara McGee
A crack shot and brown as a nut.
Description: Queen and Country traditionalist, but still recounting his days in Afghanistan drinking green tea, John Watson prefers his tea with a bit of cream, no sugar, and just a little warm from a touch of cinnamon.
Review: This is my favorite of Cara McGee's blends (that I've tried thus far). It's downright comforting while at the same time feeling strong and energetic. (Perfect for Dr. Watson, isn't it?) I'm an Earl Grey fan, and this note is clear and dominant; there's an added kick from the Irish Breakfast, and the cinnamon comes across subtly throughout and then wonderfully at the end to round out the flavor in a very satisfying way. I'll need more of this one.

Very, Very Good Blends

The Mind and the Heart by Cara McGee
A perfectly complimentary blend.
Description: 'Spicy and Jammy' with a 'buzzy mouthfeel'. Stir a spoonful of honey into this this subtly fruity tea for a surprisingly sweet pairing.
Review: This is quite lovely. It smells wonderful. The first taste is the tartness of the berries and the warmness of the vanilla, but the cinnamon and ginger follow up for the perfect ending. I love that it's strong and it needs nothing added. My favorite of Cara's Sherlock collection (thus far, at least) remains the Watson blend, but I really love this one, as well.

Mycroft by Vanessa Harper
Add a bit of cream and sugar and it just might be enough to make you forget about the cake that your diet has prohibited.
Description: Vanilla green, almond, and blackberry mingle in this subtle and sophisticated tea worthy of a 'minor member of Her Majesty's government.'
Review: This is a brilliant blend, complex and refined, as befits Mycroft. I taste the almond first, then it's smoothed by the vanilla, and the blackberry comes in last and lingers in a delightful way. Not too sweet, not too tart. I drink it hot without anything added, and it's perfect. I suspect I'll be going through this bag rather quickly. I can't seem to stop drinking it! Here's hoping there will be a Lestrade blend in Vanessa's Sherlock-inspired set soon. This one couldn't be better.

Donovan by Cara McGee
Careful, could be arsenic*. (*It's not.)
Description: Hard working and long suffering, this blend comes off a little strong at first, then mellows out with the taste of vanilla cookies laced with almonds.
Review: I really like this one. It smells amazing - chocolate and spice - but the taste is very subtle and mellow. The chai boldness comes out first, but almost immediately the taste turns smooth, with vanilla and almond as the strongest and most lasting notes. Like Sally at a press conference (and not, for example, persecuting Sherlock), this is calming and capable, with a lot going on just under the surface.

Very Good Blends

The Woman by Vanessa Harper
Irene Adler knows what you'll like; this tea will have you begging for another cup. Twice.
Description: A slap of blood-red raspberry lurks beneath a smooth disguise of vanilla and sinfully spicy chocolate chai.
Review: This tea smells like sin in a bag. The taste lives up to the scent. The chai hits first (the chocolate very subtly, the spices more boldly), and then the vanilla follows and cools it down. The raspberry appears last and lingers longest in a delightful way.

Lestrade by Cara McGee
A great cup of tea. And, if we're very lucky, it might even be a good one.
Description: Smoky traces of gunpowder, aged leather, mellowed with a trace of hazelnut. A distinguished, if tired, blend.
Review: This is such an ideal interpretation of Lestrade's character! Down-to-earth, calm, with hidden depth. I love its smokiness. I prefer to drink my tea plain, with nothing added, and this works wonderfully well that way, but it's even better, I think, with a splash of lemon. Normally hazelnut is a bit too sweet for my taste, but the slight hint of it here perfectly offsets the earthy-bitterness to create a rich, smooth taste.

Moriar-tea by Vanessa Harper
If you don't fall for this cup of tea, I'd be surprised, really I would.
Description: Hidden beneath this deceptively harmless Irish breakfast, notes of blood orange and gingerbread reveal a bloodthirsty, good old-fashioned villain waiting to burn the heart out of you.
Review: This is a great interpretation of Moriarty's character. I love the symbolism of each of the ingredients. The Irish breakfast comes through clearest, with the gingerbread a subtle but persistent undertone, and the blood orange joining in with a bite at the end. It needs a longer steeping time than some others for the flavors to develop fully, but it's well worth the wait. This complex blend won't exactly burn the heart out of you, but it's definitely for when you want a "wake-up call." Of Vanessa's Sherlock set, the DI Lestrade and Mycroft blends are my very favorites (thus far), but this one is quite good.

Meh

Mycroft by Cara McGee
No brother, I have not been eating more cake. I've been drinking it.
Description: Chocolate chip, rooibos vanilla chai, and cream.
Review: This tastes like drinking a weakly-flavored spice cake. The chocolate scent is strong, but the taste is vanilla and spice. It's a very mild taste. It's pleasant, but rather lacking in personality. I've found that mixing half Mycroft and half Lestrade, however, or half Mycroft and half wild strawberry, makes a far more enjoyable blend.

"A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King."
- Emily Dickinson

It's Good To Be A Geek

Tue, 22 May 2012 16:59:22 GMT

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

There are two new nonfiction e-books out of possible interest to Sherlockians, both by professional pastiche authors: scientist Stephanie Osborn's exploration of the rationale behind Holmes's cocaine habit, Sherlock, Sheilas, and the Seven-Percent Solution, and Barbara Roden's collection of Holmesian essays on various topics, I Am Inclined to Think....

In science fiction news, the latest issue of Booklist has the young adult dystopia 1.4 on its cover. I just finished the book (the sequel to Human.4) and recommend it.

I was intrigued by Booklist's "Top Ten SF/Fantasy for Youth" list. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who was underwhelmed by Paolo Bacigalupi's Ship Breaker. Lest I sound like a curmudgeon, I should say that I was delighted to see that Delia Sherman's The Freedom Maze won this year's Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. Well deserved!

In other news...

In the last day or so, a number of videos have appeared on YouTube from past meetings of PhreakNIC: Technology and Culture Exposition, the largest U.S. "hacker con" east of the Mississippi River. Several of these from the years 2003-2006 are my... well, not formal presentations exactly, but very informal talks. (These aren't professional videos like my other YouTube films; originally these simply were shown throughout the con hotel on closed-circuit TV.) It was fun reliving some terrific memories. I miss my "Got Jedi?" shirt! Ha.

"Rights Under Attack: The Captain Power Story" (PhreakNIC 10, 2006)

"Still Big Brother After All These Years: Totalitarianism in Science Fiction" (PhreakNIC 9, 2005)

"The King of SF’s Golden Age: How Robert A. Heinlein Earned the Crown" (PhreakNIC 8, 2004)

"Computers and the Rise of the Cerebral Hero in TV Drama" (PhreakNIC 8, 2004)

"A Quick-and-Dirty History of Science Fiction" (PhreakNIC 7, 2003) <- This is the only one without an accompanying PowerPoint.

"…nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff… Nerds are allowed to love stuff, like jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can’t-control-yourself love it. Hank, when people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is ‘you like stuff.’ Which is just not a good insult at all. Like, ‘you are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness’.”
- John Green

"Being a geek is all about being honest about what you enjoy and not being afraid to demonstrate that affection. It means never having to play it cool about how much you like something. It’s basically a license to proudly emote on a somewhat childish level rather than behave like a supposed adult. Being a geek is extremely liberating."
- Simon Pegg

A Study in Chalk

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:03:19 GMT

A good friend and colleague of mine just wandered across this while in Oxford. Good man, he took a photo and sent it my way. I had to share.

The truth is out there, and the game is on!

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:53:25 GMT

Hey there! Remember me? I'm back from a fantastic and thought-provoking colloquium in DC, rather tired, but in a good way. My final lecture for my spring classes is done, I've celebrated our seventeenth anniversary with my best friend and true love, and now I'm turning my attention to my as-yet-incomplete writing projects before the beginning of the summer term.

Happy early birthday wishes to lexie_marie, jalara, theladyrose, elvenjoy, gondoriangirl, vivien529, and senket. May all of you enjoy many happy returns of the day!

In other news, my sold-out "Sherlock and Science Fiction" Webinar, hosted last February by StarShipSofa's "HoloDeck Workshops," is now available for purchase as a video and audio download, including the question/answer session. Here is more information. It was terrific fun, and I'm grateful to StarShipSofa for making it available to those who might be interested.

This mashup of The X-Files and Sherlock made my day. (Thanks to killerweasel.)

“Hi guys. My name’s Martin Crieff, the Captain, and I’m the guy in charge of flying you today. On behalf of the rest of the guys on my team and the guys back on the ground, let me give you guys one hell of a big MJN welcome on board today. Now, before we go right ahead and fly some plane, I’m going to ask you to pay attention to this short safety demonstration. Hey, I know guys. Big yawn, eh? But you know what? It might just save your life... A-a-although of course an air accident is statistically incredibly unlikely. See you on the flip side of the safety demonstration. Ciao!”
- Martin Crieff, "Rotterdam," Cabin Pressure <- I now hear this in my head before takeoff every time I fly!

A General Update, Huzzah

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:19:58 GMT

Whew! My final grades are in for one course ("Native American Film, Fiction, and Myth"), and I have one lecture remaining in my other one ("Taking Harry Seriously: The Artistry and Meanings of the Harry Potter Saga"). Now to think about my summer classes!

At the moment I'm packing to go to Washington, DC, where I'll be for the next several days leading a series of roundtable discussions on “The Bourgeois Virtue in Film and Fiction” with a group of think-tank specialists and policy folks. (We'll be talking about several scholarly articles as well as Gaskell's North and South, Trollope's The Way We Live Now - both remarkably timely and relevant works - along with Lodge's Nice Work, the film King Rat, and other fascinating texts.)

In other personal news, my Achilles tendon continues to improve slowly but surely, thanks in large part to intensive physical therapy I've been receiving three to four times a week from the fantastic faculty and staff members at Lenoir-Rhyne's Athletic Training Program, who are more than awesome, and to whom I'm deeply indebted. I can see quite a difference already, and I have more to go. (Patience, Grasshopper...)

***
In case anyone is interested, here is the final lineup of films we viewed in the "Native American Film" portion of my "Film, Fiction, and Myth" seminar. I highly recommend them all.
Reel Injun (2009, documentary)
Smoke Signals (1998)
Four Sheets to the Wind (2007)
"Our Spirits Don't Speak English": Indian Boarding School (2008, documentary)
Older Than America (2008)
Standing Silent Nation (2006, documentary)
Barking Water (2009)

Each of the graduate students also chose another film to watch/analyze independently, such as Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001) and Skins (2002), among others.

***
Speaking of classes, this clever fan film came up in discussion as we were studying transformational works and participatory culture in the "Taking Harry Seriously" class. It's framed as a documentary about the Battle of Hogwarts, filmed twenty years after the fact (and including "interviews" with some of the participants). It's well worth watching.

The rest is as follows:
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5

"Given a strong feeling of independence in every Darkshire man, have I any right to obtrude my views, of the manner in which he shall act, upon another (hating it as I should do most vehemently myself), merely because he has labour to sell and I capital to buy?"
- Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South

Happy Star Wars Day!

Fri, 04 May 2012 19:42:43 GMT

Sherlock... and Tea

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:43:54 GMT

A friendly reminder to my friends in the USA: for three straight Sunday nights beginning on May 6, PBS will be running the second season of Sherlock. Here's the PBS trailer:

In addition, PBS will be livestreaming tonight's Sherlock Q&A with Benedict Cumberbatch, Sue Vertue, and Steven Moffat at 8:15pm EST. Here's the link!

On a related note, I'm continuing to drink my way through the Sherlock Holmes-themed tea blends at Adagio Teas. My niece and nephew created a monster when they gave me the new teapot for Christmas! In case you're interested, here are my updated amateur "reviews" of the blends I've tried thus far, ranked in order of my enjoyment.

"Must Have" Blends

Watson by Cara McGee
A crack shot and brown as a nut.
Description: Queen and Country traditionalist, but still recounting his days in Afghanistan drinking green tea, John Watson prefers his tea with a bit of cream, no sugar, and just a little warm from a touch of cinnamon.
Review: This is my favorite of Cara McGee's blends (that I've tried thus far). It's downright comforting while at the same time feeling strong and energetic. (Perfect for Dr. Watson, isn't it?) I'm an Earl Grey fan, and this note is clear and dominant; there's an added kick from the Irish Breakfast, and the cinnamon comes across subtly throughout and then wonderfully at the end to round out the flavor in a very satisfying way. I'll need more of this one.

Sherlock's Eyes by Molly Endries
His eyes have such power.
Description: The mint awakens and piques the senses. The green adds some softness and comfort. The early grey provides a lasting, lingering, and comforting base.
Review: Fantastic! I could stand around all day, just inhaling the smell of this tea. The chocolate and bergamot scents really jump out at me from the bag (and the finished cup). The taste, however is more the clean coolness of the green tea and especially the spearmint. It's wonderfully refreshing and complex, and I immediately want another cup. I'm so glad I took a chance with this blend! I suspect (deduce?) that I'll be buying more.

My Dear Watson by Christa Y
The game's afoot, but first you'd better have a spot of tea.
Description: Bergamot-infused Earl Grey combines with delicious chocolate in this deerstocking-capped blend, together with a tiny hint of cream to round out the flavors.
Review: I'm a big Earl Grey fan, so I was worried about the chocolate becoming overpowering, but I'm also a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, so I had to give this a try. It's ideal! The Earl Grey taste hits first, perfectly clear, and then the dark chocolate follows behind and leaves a haunting, yummy aftertaste. The cream brings it all together. The flavors play off each other so well, and I absolutely love how comforting and complex this is. I'll certainly be buying more.

Very, Very Good Blends

The Mind and the Heart by Cara McGee
A perfectly complimentary blend.
Description: 'Spicy and Jammy' with a 'buzzy mouthfeel'. Stir a spoonful of honey into this this subtly fruity tea for a surprisingly sweet pairing.
Review: This is quite lovely. It smells wonderful. The first taste is the tartness of the berries and the warmness of the vanilla, but the cinnamon and ginger follow up for the perfect ending. I love that it's strong and it needs nothing added. My favorite of this Sherlock collection (thus far, at least) remains the Watson blend, but I really love this one, as well.

Mycroft by Vanessa Harper
Add a bit of cream and sugar and it just might be enough to make you forget about the cake that your diet has prohibited.
Description: Vanilla green, almond, and blackberry mingle in this subtle and sophisticated tea worthy of a 'minor member of Her Majesty's government.'
Review: This is a brilliant blend, complex and refined, as befits Mycroft. I taste the almond first, then it's smoothed by the vanilla, and the blackberry comes in last and lingers in a delightful way. Not too sweet, not too tart. I drink it hot without anything added, and it's perfect. I suspect I'll be going through this bag rather quickly. I can't seem to stop drinking it! Here's hoping there will be a Lestrade blend in Vanessa's Sherlock-inspired set soon. This one couldn't be better.

Very Good Blends

Donovan by Cara McGee
Careful, could be arsenic*. (*It's not.)
Description: Hard working and long suffering, this blend comes off a little strong at first, then mellows out with the taste of vanilla cookies and laced with almonds
Review: I really like this one. It smells amazing - chocolate and spice - but the taste is very subtle and mellow. The chai boldness comes out first, but almost immediately the taste turns smooth, with vanilla and almond as the strongest and most lasting notes. Like Sally at a press conference (and not, for example, persecuting Sherlock), this is calming and capable, with a lot going on just under the surface.

Lestrade by Cara McGee
A great cup of tea. And, if we're very lucky, it might even be a good one.
Description: Smoky traces of gunpowder, aged leather, mellowed with a trace of hazelnut. A distinguished, if tired, blend.
Review: This is such an ideal interpretation of Lestrade's character! Down-to-earth, calm, with hidden depth. I love its smokiness. I prefer to drink my tea plain, with nothing added, and this works wonderfully well that way, but it's even better, I think, with a splash of lemon. Normally hazelnut is a bit too sweet for my taste, but the slight hint of it here perfectly offsets the earthy-bitterness to create a rich, smooth taste.

Meh

Mycroft by Cara McGee
No brother, I have not been eating more cake. I've been drinking it.
Description: Chocolate chip, rooibos vanilla chai, and cream.
Review: This tastes like drinking a weakly-flavored spice cake. The chocolate scent is strong, but the taste is vanilla and spice. It's a very mild taste. It's pleasant, but rather lacking in personality. I've found that mixing half Mycroft and half Lestrade, however, or half Mycroft and half wild strawberry, makes a far more enjoyable blend.

“I’m really annoyed by pigeonholes and categories and labels. I view them as iniquitous to the spirit of play and of experimentation and of storytelling. The fact at a bookstore, the fiction is divided into fiction and mystery and science fiction, I don’t understand why it has to be that way. To me it’s all fiction, and I think the best science fiction, the best mystery fiction, the best horror fiction ought to be put on par with the best quote-unquote ‘literary fiction.’”
- Michael Chabon

A-Harry Pottering We Will Go

Tue, 01 May 2012 16:53:08 GMT

My summer "professorial plans" are complete. Beyond teaching "The Hunger Games and Worlds Gone Wrong: The Dystopian Tradition" for Belmont University, I'll also be teaching "Hogwarts 101: Exploring Harry Potter, Years 1-3" for the newly-created Mythgard Academy.

The Academy is an online, intensive, three-week literature and writing program designed for rising high-school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students in Academy courses will engage in live, interactive classes with college professors (such as yours truly), delving into the works of fantasy that they love and respect most. The Academy provides all students with personal writing instructors who will hold individual tutorial sessions every week to discuss students’ writing. The Academy also will offer something unique: an optional on-campus experience at Washington College during Mythgard Summer Camp.

You can read more about my Harry Potter course here. This semester's experience with my graduate Harry Potter class has been exceptional, and I'm delighted to be working with the Mythgard Institute again!

And now, for your amusement:

see more Set Phasers To Lol

Speaking of mashups, I'm still waiting for someone to use The Weasel King's glorious song "Through and Through," about Harry Potter's loyalty to Albus Dumbledore, for either a songvid or a fan fiction story about post-Reichenbach John Watson.
"Is this goodbye? Is this farewell to you?
I'm still your man, through and through."

Happy Sunday!

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:14:43 GMT

Hello and happy Sunday, my friends!

Good news all around...

1. Earlier I failed to post about my latest "Looking Back on Genre History" segment for StarShipSofa, which is a tribute to the great author John Christopher, who died in February 2012. You can listen or download it here. An updated list of all of my podcast appearances (with links) is available here.

2. This mashup of Sherlock and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. put a big grin on my face.

3. So many upcoming birthdays! Happy early birthday wishes to angelinehawkes, idwoman, pseudoanorexic, vyrdolak, lyria_theringer, and bistokidsfan77. May you all enjoy a wonderful day and a fantastic year to come.

4. I've accepted invitations to speak this fall at The McConnell Center at the University of Louisville and next spring at StellarCon 37. My updated speaking schedule is here.

5. Fringe has been renewed for a fifth and final season.

And there's already a trailer... Feel the chills?

“Fringe is a remarkably creative series that has set the bar as one of television’s most imaginative dramas... Bringing it back for a final 13 allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve. The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter.”
- Fox President Kevin Reilly

I'm back!

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:14:53 GMT

I'm back from a fantastic time at the Duke University symposium. Thanks to everyone involved! I'm grateful for the wonderful attendance at and reception of my presentation, and for the terrific conversations and talks I enjoyed.

In other news, my unabridged narration of Peter Crowther's moving story "Jewels in the Dust" is now available on the latest episode of the Tales to Terrify podcast.

I love this Doctor Who 50th anniversary trailer, "The Tale of a Madman in a Box." The sense of history it captures gives me chills.

Bibliography for Duke Symposium, Part 2 of 2: Secondary Sources

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:08:28 GMT

I'm reposting this list of secondary sources about young adult dystopian novels for the "Utopia, Dystopia, and the Problem of Technology" Symposium at Duke University.

The first part of this list covering the novels themselves is available here.

A Select Bibliography of Works About Young Adult Dystopias

Ahtezak, Janice. "The Visions of H.M. Hoover." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 10 (1985): 73-76.

Applebaum, Noga. Representations of Technology in Science Fiction for Young People: Control Shift. New York: Routledge, 2009.

Bacigalupi, Paolo. "The Dark Side of Young Adult Fiction. The New York Times (December 27, 2010). Online here.

Bethune, Brian. "The Hunger Games: Your Kids Are Angrier Than You Think. Macleans. (April 2, 2012). Online here.

Braithewaite, Elizabeth. "'When I Was a Child I Thought as a Child…': The Importance of Memory in Constructions of Childhood and Social Order in a Selection of Post-Disaster Fictions." Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature. 15:2 (September 2005): 50 (8).

Brians, Paul. "Nuclear War Fiction for Young Readers: A Commentary and Annotated Bibliography." Science Fiction, Social Conflict and War. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1990. 132-150.

Butts, Dennis. "The Adventure Story." Stories and Society: Children's Literature in Its Social Context. Dennis Butts, ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1992. 65-83.

Clements, Andrew. "What Poe's Publishers Could Not Imagine." The New York Times (December 26, 2010). Online here.

Crew, Hilary S. "Not So Brave a World: The Representation of Human Cloning in Science Fiction for Young Adults." The Lion and the Unicorn. 28 (2004) 203-221.

Deane, Paul. "Science and Technology in the Children's Fiction Series." Lamar Journal of the Humanities. 16:1. (1990): 20-32.

Esmonde, Margaret. "After Armageddon: The Post Cataclysmic Novel for Young Readers." Children's Literature: The Annual of the Modern Language Association Group on Children's Literature and the Children's Literature Association. Philadelphia: 1977. 211-220.

Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. "The Comfort of Darkness." The New York Times (December 26, 2010). Online here.

Gates, Jaym. "The Relevance of YA for Adults": The Harry Potter Effect." Apex Book Company Blog. December 19, 2010. Online here.

Hintz, Carrie. "Monica Hughes, Lois Lowry, and Young Adult Dystopias." The Lion and the Unicorn. 26 (2002) 254-264.

Hintz, Carrie and Elaine Ostry, eds. Utopian and Dystopian Writing Children and Young Adults. New York: Routledge, 2003.

James, Kathryn. Death, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Adolescent Culture. New York: Routledge, 2009.

Kennan, Patricia. "'Belonging' in Young Adult Dystopian Fiction: New Communities Created by Children." Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature. 15:2 (September 2005) 40(10).

May, Jill and Perry Nodelman. "The Perils of Generalizing about Children's Science Fiction." Science Fiction Studies. 13:2: "Nuclear War and Science Fiction." (July 1986) 225-229.

Meadows, Foz. "Dystopia and the Ferris Wheel Effect." Shattersnipe: Malcontent and Rainbows. 6 March, 2012. Online here.

Mendlesohn, Farah. "The Campaign for Shiny Futures." The Horn Book Magazine. (March/April 2009) Online here.

___. The Inter-Galactic Playground: A Critical Study of Children's and Teens' Science Fiction. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2009.

Miller, Laura. "Fresh Hell: What's Behind the Boom in Dystopian Novels for Young Readers?" The New Yorker (June 14, 2010). Online here.

Milner, Joseph O. "Oathkeepers and Vagrants: Meliorist and Reactive World Views in Science Fiction." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 10 (1985): 71-73.

Muller, Al. "Doomsday Fiction and the YA Reader." The ALAN Review. 16:1 (Fall 1988): 42-45.

Nikolajeva, Maria. Power, Voice and Subjectivity in Literature for Young Readers. New York: Routledge, 2010.

Nodelman, Perry. "Out There in Children's Science Fiction: Forward into the Past." Science Fiction Studies. 12: 3 (November 1985) 285-296.

Ostry, Elaine. "'Is He Still Human? Are You?': Young Adult Science Fiction in the Posthuman Age." The Lion and the Unicorn. 28 (2004) 222-246.

Parini, Jay. "Feeling 'Gamed.'" The New York Times (December 27, 2010). Online here.

Paul, Pamela. "The Kids' Books Are All Right." The New York Times (Online) 6 August, 2010. Online here.

Reeve, Philip. "The Worst Is Yet to Come: Dystopias are grim, humorless, and hopeless—and incredibly appealing to today’s teens." School Library Journal 1 August, 2011. Online here.

Reber, Lauren L. Negotiating Hope and Honesty: A Rhetorical Criticism of Young Adult Dystopian Literature. M.A. Thesis, Department of English: Brigham Young University, 2005.

Sambell, Kay. "Carnivalizing the Future: A New Approach to Theorizing Childhood and Adulthood in Science Fiction for Young Readers." The Lion and the Unicorn. 28 (2004) 247-267.

Springen, Karen. "Apocalypse Now: Teens Turn to Dystopian Novels," Publisher's Weekly (Online), 15 February, 2010. Online here.

Sullivan III, C.W., ed. Science Fiction for Young Readers. Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Number 56. C.W. Sullivan III, ed. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1993.

___. Young Adult Science Fiction. Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Number 79. C.W. Sullivan III, ed. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999.

Stiefvater, Maggie. "Pure Escapism for Young Adults." The New York Times (January 11, 2011). Online here.

Svilpis, Jānis. "Authority, Autonomy, and Adventure in Juvenile Science Fiction." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 8 (Fall 1983): 22-26.

Walton, Jo. "The Dystopic Earths of Heinlein's Juveniles." Tor.com. 5 August, 2008. Online here.

Wehmeyer, Lillian B. Images in a Crystal Ball: World Futures in Novels for Young People. Littleton: Libraries Unlimited, 1981.

Westerfeld, Scott. "Breaking Down the 'System'." The New York Times (December 27, 2010). Online here.

Yoke, Carl B. Phoenix from the Ashes: The Literature of the Remade World. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1987.

Zipes, Jack. "The Age of Commodified Fantasticism: Reflections of Children's Literature and the Fantastic." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 9 (Fall 1984-1985): 187-190.

Bibliography for Duke Symposium, Part 1 of 2: The Novels

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:04:48 GMT

I'm reposting this list of young adult dystopian novels for the "Utopia, Dystopia, and the Problem of Technology" Symposium at Duke University.

If you have any recommendations or suggestions for me, I'd be most grateful! Thanks so much. (Note: If you follow/bookmark this link, you'll always be directed to the most recent iteration of this list.)

Note: I am intentionally casting a wide net by defining "dystopian" works as those that imply a warning by describing a world gone wrong: utopias that took a bad turn, worst-case scenario post-apocalyptic societies, post-disaster tales that focus more on the undesirable communities that develop after the disasters than on the disasters themselves, etc.

Or, to put it another way (quoting The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition), "dys·to·pi·a (dĭs-tō'pē-ə): 1.An imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror."

I am defining YA as books specifically written and marketed for young adult readers.

I welcome any and all suggestions for additions to this list.

More Than Half a Century of English-Language Young Adult Dystopias

1960s
The Time Quintet by Madeleine L'Engle (1962-1989) (original trilogy counted: dystopian elements)
The City Underground (a.k.a. Surreal 3000) by Suzanne Martel (1963)
Legend of Lost Earth by Hope Campbell (1963)
The Changes Trilogy by Peter Dickinson (1968-1970)
Dark Piper by Andre Norton (1968)
The Tripods Series by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1968-1988)
The Day of the Drones by A.M. Lightner (1969)

1970s
Earth Times Two by Pamela Reynolds (1970)
The Hydronauts Series by Carl L. Biemiller (1970-1974)
The Incredible Tide by Alexander Key (1970)
The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1970-1972)
Andra by Louise Lawrence (1971)
The Far Side of Evil by Sylvia Engdahl (1971, revised edition 2003)
The Guardians by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1971)
Out There by Adrien Stoutenburg (1971)
Sleep Two, Three, Four! A Political Thriller by John Neufeld (1971)
Time Gate by John Jakes (1972)
The Endless Pavement by Jacqueline Jackson and William Perlmutter (1973)
Momo (also published as The Grey Gentleman) by Michael Ende (1973)
The Morrow Duology by H.M. Hoover (1973, 1976)
House of Stairs by William Sleator (1974)
Outside by Andre Norton (1974)
The Pale Invaders by G.R. Crosher (as G.R. Kestavan) (1974)
Wild Jack by by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1974)
Conversations by Barry Malzberg (1975)
The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson (1975)
No Man's Land by Simon Watson (1975)
No Night Without Stars by Andre Norton (1975)
Noah's Castle by John Rowe Townsend (1975)
Odyssey from River Bend by Tom McGowan (1975)
Ransome Revisited and The Travelling Man by Elisabeth Mace (1975, 1976)
Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien (1975)
The Borrible Trilogy by Michael de Larrabeiti (1976-1986)
City of Darkness by Ben Bova (1976)
Kennaquhair by Ruth Hooker (1976)
The Missing Person's League by Frank Bonham (1976)
The Delikon by H.M. Hoover (1977)
Empty World by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1977)
I Am The Cheese by Robert Cormier (1977)
The Shadow of the Gloom-World by Roger Eldridge (1977)
Survival Planet: A Novel of the Future by Arthur Tofte (1977)
The Ennead by Jan Mark (1978)
Jack-in-the-Box Planet by Robert Hoskins (1978)
The Justice Trilogy by Virginia Hamilton (1978-1981)
Keep Calm (a.k.a. When the City Stopped) by Joan Phipson (1978)
The Tomorrow City by Monica Hughes (1978)
A Quest for Orion and Tower of the Stars by Rosemary Harris (1978, 1980)
The Awakening Water by G.R. Crosher (as G.R. Kesteven) (1979)
Beyond the Dark River by Monica Hughes (1979)
Dark Wing by Carl West and Katherine MacLean (1979)
The Forever Formula by Frank Bonham (1979)

1980s
The Creatures (a.k.a. King Creature, Come) by John Rowe Townsend (1980)
A Rag, A Bone, and Hank of Hair by Nicholas Fisk (1980)
Red Zone by Tom Browne (1980)
This Time of Darkness by H.M. Hoover (1980)
The Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh (1981)
The S.I.L.V.E.R. Series by Tanith Lee (1981, 2005)
The Voyage Begun by Nancy Bond (1981)
The Vandal by Ann Schlee (1981)
An Alien Music by Annabel and Edgar Johnson (1982)
The DNA Dimension, Fusion Factor (also published as It's Up to Us), Zanu, and Me, Myself & I by Carol Matas (1982, 1986, 1987)
The Huntsman Trilogy by Douglas Hill (1982-1984)
The Last Children of Schewenborn (also spelled Schevenborn) by Gudrun Pausewang (1983)
Waiting for the End of the World by Lee Harding (1983)
After the Bomb and Week One by Gloria Miklowitz (1984, 1987)
Brother in the Land by Robert Swindells (1984)
The Colsec Series by Douglas Hill (1984-1985)
The Danger Quotient by Annabel and Edgar Johnson (1984)
The Devil on My Back and The Dream Catcher by Monica Hughes (1984, 1986)
Futuretrack 5 by Robert Westall (1984)
Guardians of Time by Peter Baltensperger (1984)
The Shepherd Moon by H.M. Hoover (1984)
Beyond the Future by Johanne Masse (1985)
Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence (1985)
Earthchange by Clare Cooper (1985)
Quest Beyond Time by Tony Morphett (1985)
Strange Tomorrow by Jean E. Karl (1985)
The Time Keeper Trilogy by Barbara Bartholomew (1985)
The Winter Trilogy by Pamela F. Service (1985-2008)
Wolf of Shadows by Whitley Strieber (1985)
The Keeper by Barry Faville (1986)
The Others by Alison Prince (1986)
Taronga by Victor Kelleher (1986)
The Fire Brats Series by Barbara Siegel, Scott Siegel, and Barbara Steiner (1987-1988)
The Makers by Victor Kelleher (1987)
Orvis (a.k.a. Journey Through the Empty) by H.M. Hoover (1987)
The Paperchaser and The Catalyst by Penny Hall (1987, 1989)
The Sword and the Dream Duology by Janice Elliott (1987, 1988)
The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody (1987-2012, ongoing)
Cityscape by Frances Thomas (1988)
Escape to the Overworld by Nicole Luiken (1988)
Eva by Peter Dickinson (1988)
The Lake at the End of the World by Caroline Macdonald (1988)
Children of Time by Deborah Moulton (1989)
The Glimpses by Laurence Staig (1989)
I Feel Like the Morning Star by Gregory Maguire (1989)
The Last War by Martyn Godfrey (1989)
Plague 99 (a.k.a. Plague) and Come Lucky April (a.k.a. After the Plague) by Jean Ure (1989, 1992)
Why Weeps the Brogan? by Hugh Scott (1989)

1990s
Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes (1990)
Smart Rats by Thomas Baird (1990)
The Survival Squad by Floyd Priddle (1990)
A Time of Darkness by Sherryl Jordan (1990)
The Eye Witness by Caroline Macdonald (1991)
Scatterlings by Isobelle Carmody (1991)
The Crystal Drop by Monica Hughes (1992)
The Dark Future Series by Laurence James (1992)
Dead Water Zone by Kenneth Oppel (1992)
Future Thaw by Audrey O'Hearn (1992)
River Rats by Caroline Stevermer (1992)
The Baby and the Fly Pie by Melvin Burgess (1993)
Guardian of the Dark by Beverley Spencer (1993)
The Giver Trilogy by Lois Lowry (1993-2004)
The Last Oasis by Sue Pace (1993)
Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan (1993)
The Disinherited (a.k.a. The Patchwork People) by Louise Lawrence (1994)
The Electric Kid by Garry Kilworth (1994)
The Parkland Series by Victor Kelleher (1994-1996)
Time Ghost by Welwyn Wilton Katz (1994)
The Tomorrow Series by John Marsden (1994-1999) and The Ellie Chronicles (2003-2006)
The His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman (1995-2000) (dystopian elements)
Fall-Out by Gudrun Pausewang (1995)
Foundling (a.k.a. Found) by June Oldham (1995)
Galax-Arena and Terra-Farma by Gillian Rubenstein (1995, 2001)
Waterbound by Jane Stemp (1995)
Cave Rats by Kerry Greenwood (1997)
The Scavenger's Tale by Rachel Anderson (1997)
Shade's Children by Garth Nix (1997)
The Virtual War Chronologs by Gloria Skurzynski (1997-2006)
The Ark Trilogy by Stephanie S. Tolan (1998-ongoing)
The Denials of Kow-Ten by Jenny Robson (1998)
Evan's Voice by Sallie Lowenstein (1998)
Forbidden Memories by Jamila Gavin (1998)
Off the Road by Nina Bawden (1998)
Originator by Claire Carmichael (1998)
The Shadow Children Sequence by Margaret Peterson Haddix (1998-2006)
Bloodtide and Bloodsong by Melvin Burgess (1999, 2005)
Cloning Miranda, The Second Clone, and The Dark Clone by Carol Matas (1999, 2001, 2005)
The Copper Elephant by Adam Rapp (1999)
The Cure by Sonia Levitin (1999)
Fabricant by Claire Carmichael (1999)
The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler (1999)
Star Split by Kathryn Lasky (1999)

The Aughts
Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick (2000)
The Heaven and Earth Trilogy by Richard Harland (2000-2003)
Incognito by Claire Carmichael (2000)
The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick (2000)
Songs of Power by Hilari Bell (2000)
The White Fox Chronicles by Gary Paulsen (2000)
Hole in the Sky by Pete Hautman (2001)
Memory Boy by Will Weaver (2001)
Mortal Engines Quartet and two prequels (a.k.a. The Hungry City Chronicles) by Philip Reeve (2001-2006, 2009, 2011)
The Noughts and Crosses Series by Malorie Blackman (2001-2008)
The Remnants Series by K.A. Applegate (2001-2003)
This Side of Paradise by Steven L. Layne (2001)
Violet Eyes and Silver Eyes (sequel Angel Eyes pending) by Nicole Luiken (2001)
The Wintering Trilogy by Stephen Bowkett (2001-2002)
Bootleg by Alex Shearer (2002)
Feed by M.T. Anderson (2002)
The Fire-Us Trilogy by Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher (2002-2003)
Green Boy by Susan Cooper (2002)
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (2002)
The Books of Ember by Jeanne Duprau (2003-2008, ongoing)
The Dirt Eaters by Dennis Foon (2003)
Green Angel and Green Witch by Alice Hoffman (2003, 2010)
The Lionboy Trilogy by Zizou Corder (2003-2006)
The Silver Sequence by Cliff McNish (2003-2005)
Annals of the Western Shore Trilogy by Ursula K. Le Guin (2004-2007)
The Bar Code Tattoo and The Bar Code Rebellion by Suzanne Weyn (2004, 2006)
The Big Empty Series by J.B. Stephens (2004-2005)
Bringing Reuben Home by Glenda Millard (2004)
Epic and Saga by Conor Kostick (2004, 2006)
The Galahad Series (The Comet's Curse, The Web of Titan, and The Cassini Code) by Dom Testa (2004-2007)
Flux and Fixed by Beth Goobie (2004, 2005)
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (2004)
The Pack by Tom Pow (2004)
Sharp North and Blown Away by Patrick Cave (2004, 2005)
Sleepwalking by Nicola Morgan (2004)
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer (2004)
Thinner Than Thou by Kit Reed (2004)
The Truesight Trilogy by David Stahler, Jr. (2004-2007)
Useful Idiots by Jan Mark (2004)
The Destiny of Linus Hoppe and The Second Life of Linus Hoppe by Anne-Laure Bondoux (2005)
The Diary of Pelly D and Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington (2005, 2007)
The Goodness Gene by Sonia Levitin (2005)
The Hunted by Alex Shearer (2005)
Maddigan's Fantasia by Margaret Mahy (2005)
The Pagan Mars Trilogy by Susan Price (2005-2008)
Pure by Karen Krossing (2005)
Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White (2005)
The Secret Under My Skin and The Raintree Rebellion by Janet McNaughton (2005, 2006)
Siberia by Ann Halam (2005)
Stolen Voices by Ellen Dee Davidson (2005)
The Traces Series by Malcolm Rose (2005-2o08, ongoing)
The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld (2005-2007)
GemX by Nicky Singer (2006)
Ads R Us (a.k.a. Leaving Simplicity) by Claire Carmichael (2006)
The Caretaker Trilogy by David Klass (2006, 2008, ongoing)
Life As We Knew It, The Dead and the Gone, and This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer (2006, 2008, 2010)
Mergers by Steven L. Layne (2006)
Rash by Pete Hautman (2006)
The Six of Hearts Series by Jack Heath (2006-ongoing)
Winter Song (also released as Winter's End by Jean-Claude Mourlevat (2006)
The Atherton Trilogy by Patrick Carman (2007-2009)
The Declaration, The Resistance, and The Legacy by Gemma Malley (2007, 2008, 2011)
Escape from Genopolis and Fearless by T.E. Berry-Hart (2007, 2009)
Fearless by Tim Lott (2007)
First Light by Rebecca Stead (2007)
Hybrids by David Thorpe (2007)
Incarceron and Sapphique by Catherine Fisher (2007, 2008)
The Inferior and The Deserter by Peadar ó Guilín (2007, 2011)
The Rule of Claw by John Brindley (2007)
The Silenced by James DeVita (2007)
Silverhorse by Lene Kaaberbøl (2007)
Titanic 2020: Cannibal City by Colin Bateman (2007)
Tug of War by Catherine Forde (2007)
Unwind and Unwholly by Neal Shusterman (2007, 2012)
The Witness by James Jauncey (2007)
The Adoration of Jenna Fox and The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson (2008, 2011)
After the Flood by L.S. Matthews (2008)
Bad Faith by Gillian Philip (2008)
The Carbon Diaries 2015 and The Carbon Diaries 2017 by Saci Lloyd (2008, 2010)
The Cure by Michael Coleman (2008)
The Compound by S.A. Bodeen (2008)
Daylight Runner by Oisín McGann (2008)
Exodus, Zenith, and Aurora by Julie Bertagna (2008, 2009, third book pending)
Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague, Fear, and Light by Michael Grant (2008-2013)
The Grassland Trilogy by David Ward (2008-2010)
The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (2008-2010)
In the Company of Whispers by Sallie Lowenstein (2008)
The Chaos Walking Trilogy (The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men) by Patrick Ness (2008, 2009)
The Last Free Cat by Jon Blake (2008)
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (2008)
The Lost Art by Simon Morden (2008)
Neptune's Children by Bonnie Dobkin (2008)
The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman (2008)
Reavers Ransom (also released as Flood Child and Raiders Ransom) and Flood and Fire by Emily Diamand (2008, 2010)
The Roar and The Whisper by Emma Clayton (2008, 2009)
Shift by Charlotte Agell (2008)
The Sky Inside and The Walls Have Eyes by Clare B. Dunkle (2008, 2009)
Streams of Babel and Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci (2008, 2010)
Test by William Sleator (2008)
Truancy, Truancy: Origins, and Truancy City by Isamu Fukui (2008-2010)
Bones of Faerie and Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner (2009, 2011)
Candor by Pam Bachorz (2009)
The Enemy and The Dead by Charlie Higson (2009, 2010)
The Farwalker's Quest by Joni Sensel (2009)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (2009-2011)
Furnace: Lockdown, Furnace: Solitary, Furnace: Death Sentence, Furnace: Fugitives, and Furnace: Execution (a.k.a. The Escape from Furnace Series) by Alexander Gordon Smith (2009-2011)
Genesis by Bernard Beckett (2009)
Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines (2009)
Legend by John Brindley (2009)
Libyrinth and The Boy from Ilysies by Pearl North (2009, 2010)
Lifegame by Alison Allen-Gray (2009)
The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (2009, 2010)
Pastworld by Ian Beck (2009)
Skinned, Crashed, and Wired by Robin Wasserman (2009-2010)
A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard (2009)
Vulture’s Gate (also released as Vulture's Wake) by Kirsty Murray (2009)
Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet (2009)
X-isle by Steve Augarde (2009)

Contemporary
Birthmarked, Prized, and Promised by Caragh O'Brien (2010, 2011, 2012)
Black Hole Sun and Invisible Sun by David Macinnis Gill (2010, 2012)
Blackout by Sam Mills (2010)
The Blending Time by Michael Kinch (2010)
Brain Jack by Brian Falkner (2010)
The Clone Codes by Patricia C. McKissack, Frederick L. McKissack, and John McKissack (2010)
Dark Life and Rip Tide by Kat Falls (2010, 2011)
Empty by Suzanne Weyn (2010)
The End by Nora Olsen (2010)
Epitaph Road by David Patneaude (2010)
For the Win by Cory Doctorow (2010)
The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen (2010)
Grace by Elizabeth Scott (2010)
iBoy by Kevin Brooks (2010)
Inside Out and Outside In by Maria V. Snyder (2010, 2011)
The Limit by Kristen Landon (2010)
The Line and Away by Teri Hall (2010, 2011)
Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie (2010, 2011)
Nomansland by Lesley Hauge (2010)
The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones (2010)
Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony (2010)
Rot and Ruin, Dust and Decay, and Flesh and Bone by Jonathan Maberry (2010, 2011, 2012)
Salvation City by Sigrid Nunez (2010)
Saving Sky by Diane Stanley (2010)
Ship Breaker and The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi (2010, 2012)
The Unidentified by Rae Mariz (2010)
We by John Dickinson (2010)
The Academie by Amy Joy (2011)
Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and Shades of Earth by Beth Revis (2011, 2012, 2013)
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin (2011)
Ashes and Shadows by Ilsa Bick (2011, 2012)
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari (2011)
All These Things I've Done and Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin (2011, 2012)
The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix (2011)
America Pacifica by Anna North (2011)
Article 5 by Kirsten Simmons (2011)
Ashfall and Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin (2011, 2012)
Awaken and Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky (2011, 2012)
Behind the Gates, Run for Cover, With the Enemy, and Set Me Free by Eva Gray (2011)
Blood Red Road and Rebel Heart by Moira Young (2011, 2012)
Bumped and Thumped by Megan McCafferety (2011, 2012)
Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres (2011)
The Dark Inside and Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts (2011, 2012)
Dark Parties by by Sara Grant (2011)
Delirium, Hana, Pandemonium, and Requiem by Lauren Oliver (2011, 2012, 2013)
The Demon Trappers Daughter (also published as Forsaken), Soul Thief (also published as Forbidden), and Forgiven by Jana Oliver (2011, 2012)
Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth (2011, 2012)
Drought by Pam Bachorz (2011)
Dry Souls by Denise Getson (2011)
Eden by Keary Taylor (2011)
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch (2011)
Enclave and Outpost by Ann Aguirre (2011, 2012)
Eve and Once by Anna Carey (2011, 2012)
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (2011)
The Fire Wars by Kailin Gow (2011)
Human.4 (also published as 0.4) and 1.4 by Mike A. Lancaster (2011, 2012)
Larkstorm by Dawn Rae Miller (2011)
Legend and Patriot by Marie Lu (2011, 2012)
Memento Nora and The Forgetting Curve by Angie Smibert (2011, 2012)
The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer (2011)
Open Minds and Closed Hearts by Susan Kaye Quinn (2011)
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting (2011)
Possession and Surrender by Elana Johnson (2011, 2012)
The Predicteds by Christine Seifert (2011)
Program 13 by Nicole Sobon (2011)
Scored by Lauren McLaughlin (2011)
Shatter Me and Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (2011, 2013)
The Shore of Monsters and Fall of Darkness by David J. Nix (2011, 2012)
Solstice by P.J. Hoover (2011)
Tankborn by Karen Sandler (2011)
Those That Wake by Jesse Karp (2011)
20 Years Later by E.J. Newman (2011)
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann (2011)
Variant and Feedback by Robinson Wells (2011, 2012)
The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher (2011)
XVI and Truth by Julia Karr (2011, 2012)
Wither and Fever by Lauren DeStefano (2011, 2012)
Above by Leah Bobet (2012)
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett (2012)
Altered by Jennifer Rush (2012)
Arena One: Slaverunners by Morgan Rice (2012)
Article 5 by Kirsten Simmons (2012)
Ashes of Twilight by Cassie Taylor (2012)
Beta by Rachel Cohn (2012)
Black City by Elizabeth Richards (2012)
Breathe by Sarah Crossan (2012)
Crewel by Gennifer Albin (2012)
Cybernetic by Laura Riken (2012)
Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London (2012)
Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen (2012)
Defiance by C.J. Redwine (2012)
Elemental by Antony John (2012)
Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner (2012)
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (2012)
Green Heart by Alice Hoffman (2012)
The Glimpse by Claire Merle (2012)
Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (2012)
Hollow by Richard Denney (2012)
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (2012)
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (2012)
The Killables by Gemma Malley (2012)
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (2012)
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne (2012)
The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker (2012)
Partials and Fragments by Dan Wells (2012, 2013)
Perfect by Peter Lerangis (2012)
Pure and Fuse by Julianna Baggott (2012, 2013)
Renegade by J.A. Souders (2012)
The Selection by Kiera Cass (2012)
Shadows Cast By Stars by Catherine Knutsson (2012)
Slated by Teri Terry (2012)
Starters and Enders by Lissa Price (2012)
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth (2012)
This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers (2012)
Tomorrow Land by Mari Mancusi (2012)
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (2012)
The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe (2012)
The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker (2012)
Acid by Emma Pass (2013)
Coda by Emma Trevayne (2013)
The Fountain by Lydia Kang (2013)
The Hatchery by Tom Isbell (2013)
Level Two by Lenore Appelhans (2013)
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau (2013)
The Torch Keeper by Steven dos Santos (2013)

Note:
Books translated into English are listed by the original date published in language of origin.

Noteworthy Books That Don't Quite Fit My Parameters But Are Relevant to This List

Between Planets by Robert Heinlein (1951)
Star Man's Son, 2250 A.D. (a.k.a. Daybreak, 2250 A.D.) by Andre Norton (1952)
Vault of the Ages by Poul Anderson (1952)
Starman Jones by Robert Heinlein (1953)
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (1955)
Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert Heinlein (1957)
Mary's Country by Harold Mead (1957)
The Future Took Us by David Severn (1958)
The Four-BEE Duology by Tanith Lee (1976, 1977)
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1985)
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (1993)
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland (1996)
Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (1999)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005)
The Never Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack (2009)
The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers (2011)
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (2011)

book and film news

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:11:57 GMT

I'll be off tomorrow to speak at the Spring 2012 Political Theory Symposium at Duke University on "Utopia, Dystopia, and the Problem of Technology."

Before then, a couple of news items:

* My completed essay "From Both Sides Now: Lois McMaster Bujold and the Fan Fiction Phenomenon" has been accepted officially for Forward Momentum: The Science Fiction and Fantasy of Lois McMaster Bujold, edited by Janet B. Croft and due out from McFarland later this year.

* Another of my film shorts sponsored by the Institute for Humane Studies and produced by Ozymandius Media has debuted on YouTube. This one includes a dramatic reading. Ralph Waldo Emerson love! Here 'tis...

My others in this series are as follows:
* The Trail of Tears: They Knew It Was Wrong
* Forgotten Rebellion: Black Seminoles and the Largest Slave Revolt in U.S. History
* Andrew Jackson: The First Imperial President

"However feeble the sufferer and however great the oppressor, it is in the nature of things that the blow should recoil upon the oppressor."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson to President Martin Van Buren

Happy Friday the 13th!

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:15:33 GMT

Happy Friday the 13th!

Beginning in June, National Theatre Live is showing encore screenings of 2011's amazing production of Nick Dear's Frankenstein with both starring performances: Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller as, alternately, the Creature and Victor Frankenstein. (You can read my review from last year here). I've got tickets for both versions, and I can't wait! To see if there's a venue near you (in the USA, UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand), check this list.

And here's the trailer:

In other news, the publishers have released more detailed information about J.K. Rowling's new novel.

"Paradise Lost excited different and far deeper emotions. I read it, as I had read the other volumes which had fallen into my hands, as a true history. It moved every feeling of wonder and awe that the picture of an omnipotent God warring with his creatures was capable of exciting. I often referred the several situations, as their similarity struck me, to my own. Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence; but his state was far different from mine in every other respect. He had come forth from the hands of God a perfect creature, happy and prosperous, guarded by the especial care of his Creator; he was allowed to converse with and acquire knowledge from beings of a superior nature, but I was wretched, helpless, and alone."
- Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus

Happy Happy! Joy Joy! Pass the Chocolate Chai!

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:09:03 GMT

Good things:

* The nominees for the 2012 Hugo Award have been announced. I'm thrilled that StarShipSofa is a finalist, and I'm grateful to everyone who listens to and supports the podcast. Special congrats to my friends at the wonderful Apex Magazine for their nomination, as well!

* In honor of the second series of Sherlock coming to the US next month, the brilliant folks at DarkCargo (who are always up to something interesting) are hosting a "Sherlock! a-long!" for reading (or re-reading) the stories that correspond to the episodes.

* My appreciation for the Hunger Games film, which already was quite high, only increased after seeing it a second time. It definitely rewards multiple viewings.

* Speaking of The Hunger Games, have you seen the new Katniss Barbie? I can't quite decide if I'm horrified, amused, or pleased by this development. (After all, this may be the first one since the Dana Scully Barbie that actually represents a positive role model!)

* The first official shirt for The Hobbit makes me smile with glee. I can't wait to see Martin Freeman's performance.

* Now that Justified's season is over, there's Breaking Bad to anticipate. Of course, I'd be even more excited if this happened:

see more Set Phasers To Lol

* Happy early birthday wishes to prettybirdy979, cherylmmorgan, muuranker, izhilzha, and justicemuffins. May each of you enjoy a wonderful day and a brilliant year to come!

It doesn't feel cruel here; this morning it was 38 degrees and glorious! Oh, summer, never come...

“April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.”
- T.S. Eliot

It's Me Again! A New Film...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:28:15 GMT

Hi everyone! Happy Tuesday!

I'm deep in lecture notes at the moment, so this is just a quick post to say the third of my mini-films for the Institute for Humane Studies has now hit the web. This one is The Trail of Tears: They Knew It Was Wrong. ("People of the time knew it was wrong. People of the time knew it was illegal. People of the time knew it was unconstitutional. And it happened anyway.") Again, tremendous thanks to Ozymandius Media for putting this together with style and loving care.

Here 'tis!

The two shorts of mine in this series that already have been released are as follows:
* Forgotten Rebellion: Black Seminoles and the Largest Slave Revolt in U.S. History
* Andrew Jackson: The First Imperial President

-- In other quick news, here's an interesting (not to mention somewhat problematic) article on the young adult dystopian phenomenon by Brian Bethune: "The Hunger Games: Your Kids Are Angrier Than You Think."

-- I still owe a few emails/replies; I'll be catching up very shortly!

"Sir, does this government think that the people of the United States are become savage and mad?"
- Ralph Waldo Emerson to President Martin Van Buren

YA Dystopias List, Part 2: Some Secondary Sources

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:54:15 GMT

For Part 1, my working list of YA Dystopian Novels, go here.

A Select Bibliography of Works About Young Adult Dystopias

Ahtezak, Janice. "The Visions of H.M. Hoover." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 10 (1985): 73-76.

Applebaum, Noga. Representations of Technology in Science Fiction for Young People: Control Shift. New York: Routledge, 2009.

Bacigalupi, Paolo. "The Dark Side of Young Adult Fiction. The New York Times (December 27, 2010). Online here.

Bethune, Brian. "The Hunger Games: Your Kids Are Angrier Than You Think. Macleans. (April 2, 2012). Online here.

Braithewaite, Elizabeth. "'When I Was a Child I Thought as a Child…': The Importance of Memory in Constructions of Childhood and Social Order in a Selection of Post-Disaster Fictions." Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature. 15:2 (September 2005): 50 (8).

Brians, Paul. "Nuclear War Fiction for Young Readers: A Commentary and Annotated Bibliography." Science Fiction, Social Conflict and War. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1990. 132-150.

Butts, Dennis. "The Adventure Story." Stories and Society: Children's Literature in Its Social Context. Dennis Butts, ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1992. 65-83.

Clements, Andrew. "What Poe's Publishers Could Not Imagine." The New York Times (December 26, 2010). Online here.

Crew, Hilary S. "Not So Brave a World: The Representation of Human Cloning in Science Fiction for Young Adults." The Lion and the Unicorn. 28 (2004) 203-221.

Deane, Paul. "Science and Technology in the Children's Fiction Series." Lamar Journal of the Humanities. 16:1. (1990): 20-32.

Esmonde, Margaret. "After Armageddon: The Post Cataclysmic Novel for Young Readers." Children's Literature: The Annual of the Modern Language Association Group on Children's Literature and the Children's Literature Association. Philadelphia: 1977. 211-220.

Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. "The Comfort of Darkness." The New York Times (December 26, 2010). Online here.

Gates, Jaym. "The Relevance of YA for Adults": The Harry Potter Effect." Apex Book Company Blog. December 19, 2010. Online here.

Hintz, Carrie. "Monica Hughes, Lois Lowry, and Young Adult Dystopias." The Lion and the Unicorn. 26 (2002) 254-264.

Hintz, Carrie and Elaine Ostry, eds. Utopian and Dystopian Writing Children and Young Adults. New York: Routledge, 2003.

James, Kathryn. Death, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Adolescent Culture. New York: Routledge, 2009.

Kennan, Patricia. "'Belonging' in Young Adult Dystopian Fiction: New Communities Created by Children." Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature. 15:2 (September 2005) 40(10).

May, Jill and Perry Nodelman. "The Perils of Generalizing about Children's Science Fiction." Science Fiction Studies. 13:2: "Nuclear War and Science Fiction." (July 1986) 225-229.

Meadows, Foz. "Dystopia and the Ferris Wheel Effect." Shattersnipe: Malcontent and Rainbows. 6 March, 2012. Online here.

Mendlesohn, Farah. "The Campaign for Shiny Futures." The Horn Book Magazine. (March/April 2009) Online here.

___. The Inter-Galactic Playground: A Critical Study of Children's and Teens' Science Fiction. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2009.

Miller, Laura. "Fresh Hell: What's Behind the Boom in Dystopian Novels for Young Readers?" The New Yorker (June 14, 2010). Online here.

Milner, Joseph O. "Oathkeepers and Vagrants: Meliorist and Reactive World Views in Science Fiction." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 10 (1985): 71-73.

Muller, Al. "Doomsday Fiction and the YA Reader." The ALAN Review. 16:1 (Fall 1988): 42-45.

Nikolajeva, Maria. Power, Voice and Subjectivity in Literature for Young Readers. New York: Routledge, 2010.

Nodelman, Perry. "Out There in Children's Science Fiction: Forward into the Past." Science Fiction Studies. 12: 3 (November 1985) 285-296.

Ostry, Elaine. "'Is He Still Human? Are You?': Young Adult Science Fiction in the Posthuman Age." The Lion and the Unicorn. 28 (2004) 222-246.

Parini, Jay. "Feeling 'Gamed.'" The New York Times (December 27, 2010). Online here.

Paul, Pamela. "The Kids' Books Are All Right." The New York Times (Online) 6 August, 2010. Online here.

Reeve, Philip. "The Worst Is Yet to Come: Dystopias are grim, humorless, and hopeless—and incredibly appealing to today’s teens." School Library Journal 1 August, 2011. Online here.

Reber, Lauren L. Negotiating Hope and Honesty: A Rhetorical Criticism of Young Adult Dystopian Literature. M.A. Thesis, Department of English: Brigham Young University, 2005.

Sambell, Kay. "Carnivalizing the Future: A New Approach to Theorizing Childhood and Adulthood in Science Fiction for Young Readers." The Lion and the Unicorn. 28 (2004) 247-267.

Springen, Karen. "Apocalypse Now: Teens Turn to Dystopian Novels," Publisher's Weekly (Online), 15 February, 2010. Online here.

Sullivan III, C.W., ed. Science Fiction for Young Readers. Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Number 56. C.W. Sullivan III, ed. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1993.

___. Young Adult Science Fiction. Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy, Number 79. C.W. Sullivan III, ed. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1999.

Stiefvater, Maggie. "Pure Escapism for Young Adults." The New York Times (January 11, 2011). Online here.

Svilpis, Jānis. "Authority, Autonomy, and Adventure in Juvenile Science Fiction." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 8 (Fall 1983): 22-26.

Walton, Jo. "The Dystopic Earths of Heinlein's Juveniles." Tor.com. 5 August, 2008. Online here.

Wehmeyer, Lillian B. Images in a Crystal Ball: World Futures in Novels for Young People. Littleton: Libraries Unlimited, 1981.

Westerfeld, Scott. "Breaking Down the 'System'." The New York Times (December 27, 2010). Online here.

Yoke, Carl B. Phoenix from the Ashes: The Literature of the Remade World. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1987.

Zipes, Jack. "The Age of Commodified Fantasticism: Reflections of Children's Literature and the Fantastic." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 9 (Fall 1984-1985): 187-190.

YA Dystopias List, Part 1: The Novels

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:53:41 GMT

Once again, while doing research, I've greatly expanded my Young Adult Dystopian Novels List (especially the forthcoming 2012 and 2013 publications). This list is now too large to pair with other content, so I'm posting it by itself in two parts.

If you have any recommendations or suggestions for me, I'd be most grateful! Thanks so much. (Note: If you follow/bookmark this link, you'll always be directed to the most recent iteration of this list.)

Note: I am intentionally casting a wide net by defining "dystopian" works as those that imply a warning by describing a world gone wrong: utopias that took a bad turn, worst-case scenario post-apocalyptic societies, post-disaster tales that focus more on the undesirable communities that develop after the disasters than on the disasters themselves, etc.

Or, to put it another way (quoting The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition), "dys·to·pi·a (dĭs-tō'pē-ə): 1.An imaginary place or state in which the condition of life is extremely bad, as from deprivation, oppression, or terror."

I am defining YA as books specifically written and marketed for young adult readers.

I welcome any and all suggestions for additions to this list.

More Than Half a Century of English-Language Young Adult Dystopias

1960s
The Time Quintet by Madeleine L'Engle (1962-1989) (original trilogy counted: dystopian elements)
The City Underground (a.k.a. Surreal 3000) by Suzanne Martel (1963)
Legend of Lost Earth by Hope Campbell (1963)
The Changes Trilogy by Peter Dickinson (1968-1970)
Dark Piper by Andre Norton (1968)
The Tripods Series by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1968-1988)
The Day of the Drones by A.M. Lightner (1969)

1970s
Earth Times Two by Pamela Reynolds (1970)
The Hydronauts Series by Carl L. Biemiller (1970-1974)
The Incredible Tide by Alexander Key (1970)
The Sword of the Spirits Trilogy by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1970-1972)
Andra by Louise Lawrence (1971)
The Far Side of Evil by Sylvia Engdahl (1971, revised edition 2003)
The Guardians by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1971)
Out There by Adrien Stoutenburg (1971)
Sleep Two, Three, Four! A Political Thriller by John Neufeld (1971)
Time Gate by John Jakes (1972)
The Endless Pavement by Jacqueline Jackson and William Perlmutter (1973)
Momo (also published as The Grey Gentleman) by Michael Ende (1973)
The Morrow Duology by H.M. Hoover (1973, 1976)
House of Stairs by William Sleator (1974)
Outside by Andre Norton (1974)
The Pale Invaders by G.R. Crosher (as G.R. Kestavan) (1974)
Wild Jack by by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1974)
Conversations by Barry Malzberg (1975)
The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson (1975)
No Man's Land by Simon Watson (1975)
No Night Without Stars by Andre Norton (1975)
Noah's Castle by John Rowe Townsend (1975)
Odyssey from River Bend by Tom McGowan (1975)
Ransome Revisited and The Travelling Man by Elisabeth Mace (1975, 1976)
Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O'Brien (1975)
The Borrible Trilogy by Michael de Larrabeiti (1976-1986)
City of Darkness by Ben Bova (1976)
Kennaquhair by Ruth Hooker (1976)
The Missing Person's League by Frank Bonham (1976)
The Delikon by H.M. Hoover (1977)
Empty World by Samuel Youd (as John Christopher) (1977)
I Am The Cheese by Robert Cormier (1977)
The Shadow of the Gloom-World by Roger Eldridge (1977)
Survival Planet: A Novel of the Future by Arthur Tofte (1977)
The Ennead by Jan Mark (1978)
Jack-in-the-Box Planet by Robert Hoskins (1978)
The Justice Trilogy by Virginia Hamilton (1978-1981)
Keep Calm (a.k.a. When the City Stopped) by Joan Phipson (1978)
The Tomorrow City by Monica Hughes (1978)
A Quest for Orion and Tower of the Stars by Rosemary Harris (1978, 1980)
The Awakening Water by G.R. Crosher (as G.R. Kesteven) (1979)
Beyond the Dark River by Monica Hughes (1979)
Dark Wing by Carl West and Katherine MacLean (1979)
The Forever Formula by Frank Bonham (1979)

1980s
The Creatures (a.k.a. King Creature, Come) by John Rowe Townsend (1980)
A Rag, A Bone, and Hank of Hair by Nicholas Fisk (1980)
Red Zone by Tom Browne (1980)
This Time of Darkness by H.M. Hoover (1980)
The Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh (1981)
The S.I.L.V.E.R. Series by Tanith Lee (1981, 2005)
The Voyage Begun by Nancy Bond (1981)
The Vandal by Ann Schlee (1981)
An Alien Music by Annabel and Edgar Johnson (1982)
The DNA Dimension, Fusion Factor (also published as It's Up to Us), Zanu, and Me, Myself & I by Carol Matas (1982, 1986, 1987)
The Huntsman Trilogy by Douglas Hill (1982-1984)
The Last Children of Schewenborn (also spelled Schevenborn) by Gudrun Pausewang (1983)
Waiting for the End of the World by Lee Harding (1983)
After the Bomb and Week One by Gloria Miklowitz (1984, 1987)
Brother in the Land by Robert Swindells (1984)
The Colsec Series by Douglas Hill (1984-1985)
The Danger Quotient by Annabel and Edgar Johnson (1984)
The Devil on My Back and The Dream Catcher by Monica Hughes (1984, 1986)
Futuretrack 5 by Robert Westall (1984)
Guardians of Time by Peter Baltensperger (1984)
The Shepherd Moon by H.M. Hoover (1984)
Beyond the Future by Johanne Masse (1985)
Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence (1985)
Earthchange by Clare Cooper (1985)
Quest Beyond Time by Tony Morphett (1985)
Strange Tomorrow by Jean E. Karl (1985)
The Time Keeper Trilogy by Barbara Bartholomew (1985)
The Winter Trilogy by Pamela F. Service (1985-2008)
Wolf of Shadows by Whitley Strieber (1985)
The Keeper by Barry Faville (1986)
The Others by Alison Prince (1986)
Taronga by Victor Kelleher (1986)
The Fire Brats Series by Barbara Siegel, Scott Siegel, and Barbara Steiner (1987-1988)
The Makers by Victor Kelleher (1987)
Orvis (a.k.a. Journey Through the Empty) by H.M. Hoover (1987)
The Paperchaser and The Catalyst by Penny Hall (1987, 1989)
The Sword and the Dream Duology by Janice Elliott (1987, 1988)
The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody (1987-2012, ongoing)
Cityscape by Frances Thomas (1988)
Escape to the Overworld by Nicole Luiken (1988)
Eva by Peter Dickinson (1988)
The Lake at the End of the World by Caroline Macdonald (1988)
Children of Time by Deborah Moulton (1989)
The Glimpses by Laurence Staig (1989)
I Feel Like the Morning Star by Gregory Maguire (1989)
The Last War by Martyn Godfrey (1989)
Plague 99 (a.k.a. Plague) and Come Lucky April (a.k.a. After the Plague) by Jean Ure (1989, 1992)
Why Weeps the Brogan? by Hugh Scott (1989)

1990s
Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes (1990)
Smart Rats by Thomas Baird (1990)
The Survival Squad by Floyd Priddle (1990)
A Time of Darkness by Sherryl Jordan (1990)
The Eye Witness by Caroline Macdonald (1991)
Scatterlings by Isobelle Carmody (1991)
The Crystal Drop by Monica Hughes (1992)
The Dark Future Series by Laurence James (1992)
Dead Water Zone by Kenneth Oppel (1992)
Future Thaw by Audrey O'Hearn (1992)
River Rats by Caroline Stevermer (1992)
The Baby and the Fly Pie by Melvin Burgess (1993)
Guardian of the Dark by Beverley Spencer (1993)
The Giver Trilogy by Lois Lowry (1993-2004)
The Last Oasis by Sue Pace (1993)
Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan (1993)
The Disinherited (a.k.a. The Patchwork People) by Louise Lawrence (1994)
The Electric Kid by Garry Kilworth (1994)
The Parkland Series by Victor Kelleher (1994-1996)
Time Ghost by Welwyn Wilton Katz (1994)
The Tomorrow Series by John Marsden (1994-1999) and The Ellie Chronicles (2003-2006)
The His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman (1995-2000) (dystopian elements)
Fall-Out by Gudrun Pausewang (1995)
Foundling (a.k.a. Found) by June Oldham (1995)
Galax-Arena and Terra-Farma by Gillian Rubenstein (1995, 2001)
Waterbound by Jane Stemp (1995)
Cave Rats by Kerry Greenwood (1997)
The Scavenger's Tale by Rachel Anderson (1997)
Shade's Children by Garth Nix (1997)
The Virtual War Chronologs by Gloria Skurzynski (1997-2006)
The Ark Trilogy by Stephanie S. Tolan (1998-ongoing)
The Denials of Kow-Ten by Jenny Robson (1998)
Evan's Voice by Sallie Lowenstein (1998)
Forbidden Memories by Jamila Gavin (1998)
Off the Road by Nina Bawden (1998)
Originator by Claire Carmichael (1998)
The Shadow Children Sequence by Margaret Peterson Haddix (1998-2006)
Bloodtide and Bloodsong by Melvin Burgess (1999, 2005)
Cloning Miranda, The Second Clone, and The Dark Clone by Carol Matas (1999, 2001, 2005)
The Copper Elephant by Adam Rapp (1999)
The Cure by Sonia Levitin (1999)
Fabricant by Claire Carmichael (1999)
The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler (1999)
Star Split by Kathryn Lasky (1999)

The Aughts
Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick (2000)
The Heaven and Earth Trilogy by Richard Harland (2000-2003)
Incognito by Claire Carmichael (2000)
The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick (2000)
Songs of Power by Hilari Bell (2000)
The White Fox Chronicles by Gary Paulsen (2000)
Hole in the Sky by Pete Hautman (2001)
Memory Boy by Will Weaver (2001)
Mortal Engines Quartet and two prequels (a.k.a. The Hungry City Chronicles) by Philip Reeve (2001-2006, 2009, 2011)
The Noughts and Crosses Series by Malorie Blackman (2001-2008)
The Remnants Series by K.A. Applegate (2001-2003)
This Side of Paradise by Steven L. Layne (2001)
Violet Eyes and Silver Eyes (sequel Angel Eyes pending) by Nicole Luiken (2001)
The Wintering Trilogy by Stephen Bowkett (2001-2002)
Bootleg by Alex Shearer (2002)
Feed by M.T. Anderson (2002)
The Fire-Us Trilogy by Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher (2002-2003)
Green Boy by Susan Cooper (2002)
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (2002)
The Books of Ember by Jeanne Duprau (2003-2008, ongoing)
The Dirt Eaters by Dennis Foon (2003)
Green Angel and Green Witch by Alice Hoffman (2003, 2010)
The Lionboy Trilogy by Zizou Corder (2003-2006)
The Silver Sequence by Cliff McNish (2003-2005)
Annals of the Western Shore Trilogy by Ursula K. Le Guin (2004-2007)
The Bar Code Tattoo and The Bar Code Rebellion by Suzanne Weyn (2004, 2006)
The Big Empty Series by J.B. Stephens (2004-2005)
Bringing Reuben Home by Glenda Millard (2004)
Epic and Saga by Conor Kostick (2004, 2006)
The Galahad Series (The Comet's Curse, The Web of Titan, and The Cassini Code) by Dom Testa (2004-2007)
Flux and Fixed by Beth Goobie (2004, 2005)
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (2004)
The Pack by Tom Pow (2004)
Sharp North and Blown Away by Patrick Cave (2004, 2005)
Sleepwalking by Nicola Morgan (2004)
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer (2004)
Thinner Than Thou by Kit Reed (2004)
The Truesight Trilogy by David Stahler, Jr. (2004-2007)
Useful Idiots by Jan Mark (2004)
The Destiny of Linus Hoppe and The Second Life of Linus Hoppe by Anne-Laure Bondoux (2005)
The Diary of Pelly D and Cherry Heaven by L.J. Adlington (2005, 2007)
The Goodness Gene by Sonia Levitin (2005)
The Hunted by Alex Shearer (2005)
Maddigan's Fantasia by Margaret Mahy (2005)
The Pagan Mars Trilogy by Susan Price (2005-2008)
Pure by Karen Krossing (2005)
Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White (2005)
The Secret Under My Skin and The Raintree Rebellion by Janet McNaughton (2005, 2006)
Siberia by Ann Halam (2005)
Stolen Voices by Ellen Dee Davidson (2005)
The Traces Series by Malcolm Rose (2005-2o08, ongoing)
The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld (2005-2007)
GemX by Nicky Singer (2006)
Ads R Us (a.k.a. Leaving Simplicity) by Claire Carmichael (2006)
The Caretaker Trilogy by David Klass (2006, 2008, ongoing)
Life As We Knew It, The Dead and the Gone, and This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer (2006, 2008, 2010)
Mergers by Steven L. Layne (2006)
Rash by Pete Hautman (2006)
The Six of Hearts Series by Jack Heath (2006-ongoing)
Winter Song (also released as Winter's End by Jean-Claude Mourlevat (2006)
The Atherton Trilogy by Patrick Carman (2007-2009)
The Declaration, The Resistance, and The Legacy by Gemma Malley (2007, 2008, 2011)
Escape from Genopolis and Fearless by T.E. Berry-Hart (2007, 2009)
Fearless by Tim Lott (2007)
First Light by Rebecca Stead (2007)
Hybrids by David Thorpe (2007)
Incarceron and Sapphique by Catherine Fisher (2007, 2008)
The Inferior and The Deserter by Peadar ó Guilín (2007, 2011)
The Rule of Claw by John Brindley (2007)
The Silenced by James DeVita (2007)
Silverhorse by Lene Kaaberbøl (2007)
Titanic 2020: Cannibal City by Colin Bateman (2007)
Tug of War by Catherine Forde (2007)
Unwind and Unwholly by Neal Shusterman (2007, 2012)
The Witness by James Jauncey (2007)
The Adoration of Jenna Fox and The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson (2008, 2011)
After the Flood by L.S. Matthews (2008)
Bad Faith by Gillian Philip (2008)
The Carbon Diaries 2015 and The Carbon Diaries 2017 by Saci Lloyd (2008, 2010)
The Cure by Michael Coleman (2008)
The Compound by S.A. Bodeen (2008)
Daylight Runner by Oisín McGann (2008)
Exodus, Zenith, and Aurora by Julie Bertagna (2008, 2009, third book pending)
Gone, Hunger, Lies, Plague, Fear, and Light by Michael Grant (2008-2013)
The Grassland Trilogy by David Ward (2008-2010)
The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (2008-2010)
In the Company of Whispers by Sallie Lowenstein (2008)
The Chaos Walking Trilogy (The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and the Answer, and Monsters of Men) by Patrick Ness (2008, 2009)
The Last Free Cat by Jon Blake (2008)
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (2008)
The Lost Art by Simon Morden (2008)
Neptune's Children by Bonnie Dobkin (2008)
The Other Side of the Island by Allegra Goodman (2008)
Reavers Ransom (also released as Flood Child and Raiders Ransom) and Flood and Fire by Emily Diamand (2008, 2010)
The Roar and The Whisper by Emma Clayton (2008, 2009)
Shift by Charlotte Agell (2008)
The Sky Inside and The Walls Have Eyes by Clare B. Dunkle (2008, 2009)
Streams of Babel and Fire Will Fall by Carol Plum-Ucci (2008, 2010)
Test by William Sleator (2008)
Truancy, Truancy: Origins, and Truancy City by Isamu Fukui (2008-2010)
Bones of Faerie and Faerie Winter by Janni Lee Simner (2009, 2011)
Candor by Pam Bachorz (2009)
The Enemy and The Dead by Charlie Higson (2009, 2010)
The Farwalker's Quest by Joni Sensel (2009)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (2009-2011)
Furnace: Lockdown, Furnace: Solitary, Furnace: Death Sentence, Furnace: Fugitives, and Furnace: Execution (a.k.a. The Escape from Furnace Series) by Alexander Gordon Smith (2009-2011)
Genesis by Bernard Beckett (2009)
Girl in the Arena by Lise Haines (2009)
Legend by John Brindley (2009)
Libyrinth and The Boy from Ilysies by Pearl North (2009, 2010)
Lifegame by Alison Allen-Gray (2009)
The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (2009, 2010)
Pastworld by Ian Beck (2009)
Skinned, Crashed, and Wired by Robin Wasserman (2009-2010)
A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard (2009)
Vulture’s Gate (also released as Vulture's Wake) by Kirsty Murray (2009)
Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet (2009)
X-isle by Steve Augarde (2009)

Contemporary
Birthmarked, Prized, and Promised by Caragh O'Brien (2010, 2011, 2012)
Black Hole Sun and Invisible Sun by David Macinnis Gill (2010, 2012)
Blackout by Sam Mills (2010)
The Blending Time by Michael Kinch (2010)
Brain Jack by Brian Falkner (2010)
The Clone Codes by Patricia C. McKissack, Frederick L. McKissack, and John McKissack (2010)
Dark Life and Rip Tide by Kat Falls (2010, 2011)
Empty by Suzanne Weyn (2010)
The End by Nora Olsen (2010)
Epitaph Road by David Patneaude (2010)
For the Win by Cory Doctorow (2010)
The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen (2010)
Grace by Elizabeth Scott (2010)
iBoy by Kevin Brooks (2010)
Inside Out and Outside In by Maria V. Snyder (2010, 2011)
The Limit by Kristen Landon (2010)
The Line and Away by Teri Hall (2010, 2011)
Matched and Crossed by Ally Condie (2010, 2011)
Nomansland by Lesley Hauge (2010)
The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien-Jones (2010)
Restoring Harmony by Joelle Anthony (2010)
Rot and Ruin, Dust and Decay, and Flesh and Bone by Jonathan Maberry (2010, 2011, 2012)
Salvation City by Sigrid Nunez (2010)
Saving Sky by Diane Stanley (2010)
Ship Breaker and The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi (2010, 2012)
The Unidentified by Rae Mariz (2010)
We by John Dickinson (2010)
The Academie by Amy Joy (2011)
Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and Shades of Earth by Beth Revis (2011, 2012, 2013)
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin (2011)
Ashes and Shadows by Ilsa Bick (2011, 2012)
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari (2011)
All These Things I've Done and Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin (2011, 2012)
The Always War by Margaret Peterson Haddix (2011)
America Pacifica by Anna North (2011)
Article 5 by Kirsten Simmons (2011)
Ashfall and Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin (2011, 2012)
Awaken and Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky (2011, 2012)
Behind the Gates, Run for Cover, With the Enemy, and Set Me Free by Eva Gray (2011)
Blood Red Road and Rebel Heart by Moira Young (2011, 2012)
Bumped and Thumped by Megan McCafferety (2011, 2012)
Burn Bright by Marianne de Pierres (2011)
The Dark Inside and Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts (2011, 2012)
Dark Parties by by Sara Grant (2011)
Delirium, Hana, Pandemonium, and Requiem by Lauren Oliver (2011, 2012, 2013)
The Demon Trappers Daughter (also published as Forsaken), Soul Thief (also published as Forbidden), and Forgiven by Jana Oliver (2011, 2012)
Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth (2011, 2012)
Drought by Pam Bachorz (2011)
Dry Souls by Denise Getson (2011)
Eden by Keary Taylor (2011)
The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch (2011)
Enclave and Outpost by Ann Aguirre (2011, 2012)
Eve and Once by Anna Carey (2011, 2012)
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (2011)
The Fire Wars by Kailin Gow (2011)
Human.4 (also published as 0.4) and 1.4 by Mike A. Lancaster (2011, 2012)
Larkstorm by Dawn Rae Miller (2011)
Legend and Patriot by Marie Lu (2011, 2012)
Memento Nora and The Forgetting Curve by Angie Smibert (2011, 2012)
The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer (2011)
Open Minds and Closed Hearts by Susan Kaye Quinn (2011)
The Pledge by Kimberly Derting (2011)
Possession and Surrender by Elana Johnson (2011, 2012)
The Predicteds by Christine Seifert (2011)
Program 13 by Nicole Sobon (2011)
Scored by Lauren McLaughlin (2011)
Shatter Me and Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (2011, 2013)
The Shore of Monsters and Fall of Darkness by David J. Nix (2011, 2012)
Solstice by P.J. Hoover (2011)
Tankborn by Karen Sandler (2011)
Those That Wake by Jesse Karp (2011)
20 Years Later by E.J. Newman (2011)
The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann (2011)
Variant and Feedback by Robinson Wells (2011, 2012)
The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher (2011)
XVI and Truth by Julia Karr (2011, 2012)
Wither and Fever by Lauren DeStefano (2011, 2012)
Above by Leah Bobet (2012)
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett (2012)
Altered by Jennifer Rush (2012)
Arena One: Slaverunners by Morgan Rice (2012)
Article 5 by Kirsten Simmons (2012)
Ashes of Twilight by Cassie Taylor (2012)
Beta by Rachel Cohn (2012)
Black City by Elizabeth Richards (2012)
Breathe by Sarah Crossan (2012)
Crewel by Gennifer Albin (2012)
Cybernetic by Laura Riken (2012)
Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London (2012)
Darkness Falls by Jessica Sorensen (2012)
Defiance by C.J. Redwine (2012)
Elemental by Antony John (2012)
Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner (2012)
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (2012)
Green Heart by Alice Hoffman (2012)
The Glimpse by Claire Merle (2012)
Glitch by Heather Anastasiu (2012)
Hollow by Richard Denney (2012)
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (2012)
Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (2012)
The Killables by Gemma Malley (2012)
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin (2012)
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne (2012)
The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker (2012)
Partials and Fragments by Dan Wells (2012, 2013)
Perfect by Peter Lerangis (2012)
Pure and Fuse by Julianna Baggott (2012, 2013)
Renegade by J.A. Souders (2012)
The Selection by Kiera Cass (2012)
Shadows Cast By Stars by Catherine Knutsson (2012)
Slated by Teri Terry (2012)
Starters and Enders by Lissa Price (2012)
Struck by Jennifer Bosworth (2012)
This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers (2012)
Tomorrow Land by Mari Mancusi (2012)
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (2012)
The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe (2012)
The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker (2012)
Acid by Emma Pass (2013)
Coda by Emma Trevayne (2013)
The Fountain by Lydia Kang (2013)
The Hatchery by Tom Isbell (2013)
Level Two by Lenore Appelhans (2013)
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau (2013)
The Torch Keeper by Steven dos Santos (2013)

Note:
Books translated into English are listed by the original date published in language of origin.

Noteworthy Books That Don't Quite Fit My Parameters But Are Relevant to This List

Between Planets by Robert Heinlein (1951)
Star Man's Son, 2250 A.D. (a.k.a. Daybreak, 2250 A.D.) by Andre Norton (1952)
Vault of the Ages by Poul Anderson (1952)
Starman Jones by Robert Heinlein (1953)
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham (1955)
Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert Heinlein (1957)
Mary's Country by Harold Mead (1957)
The Future Took Us by David Severn (1958)
The Four-BEE Duology by Tanith Lee (1976, 1977)
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1985)
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (1993)
Into the Forest by Jean Hegland (1996)
Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (1999)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005)
The Never Ending Sacrifice by Una McCormack (2009)
The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers (2011)
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (2011)

Where I'll Be When... and Tea

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:49:11 GMT

* Tremendous thanks to those of you who have checked out my new short film "Forgotten Rebellion." I really appreciate it!

* I'm continuing my exploration of the Sherlock Holmes-themed blends at Adagio teas. I'll admit that I don't have the most sophisticated palate for tea in the world (I'm more of a coffee snob by nature and experience), but in case you're interested, my amateur "reviews" of four of the blends (Watson, Lestrade, The Mind and the Heart, and Sherlock's Eyes) are below the cut.

Watson by Cara McGee
A crack shot and brown as a nut.
Description: Queen and Country traditionalist, but still recounting his days in Afghanistan drinking green tea, John Watson prefers his tea with a bit of cream, no sugar, and just a little warm from a touch of cinnamon.
Review: This is my favorite of Cara McGee's blends (that I've tried thus far). It's downright comforting while at the same time feeling strong and energetic. (Perfect for Dr. Watson, isn't it?) I'm an Earl Grey fan, and this note is clear and dominant; there's an added kick from the Irish Breakfast, and the cinnamon comes across subtly throughout and then wonderfully at the end to round out the flavor in a very satisfying way. I'll need more of this one.

Lestrade by Cara McGee
A great cup of tea. And, if we're very lucky, it might even be a good one.
Description: Smoky traces of gunpowder, aged leather, mellowed with a trace of hazelnut. A distinguished, if tired, blend.
Review: This is such an ideal interpretation of Lestrade's character! Down-to-earth, calm, with hidden depth. I love its smokiness. I prefer to drink my tea plain, with nothing added, and this works wonderfully well that way, but it's even better, I think, with a splash of lemon. Normally hazelnut is a bit too sweet for my taste, but the slight hint of it here perfectly offsets the earthy-bitterness to create a rich, smooth taste.

The Mind and the Heart by Cara McGee
A perfectly complimentary blend.
Description: 'Spicy and Jammy' with a 'buzzy mouthfeel'. Stir a spoonful of honey into this this subtly fruity tea for a surprisingly sweet pairing.
Review: This is quite lovely. It smells wonderful. The first taste is the tartness of the berries and the warmness of the vanilla, but the cinnamon and ginger follow up for the perfect ending. I love that it's strong and it needs nothing added. My favorite of this Sherlock collection (thus far, at least) remains the Watson blend, but I really love this one, as well.

Sherlock's Eyes by Molly Endries
His eyes have such power.
Description: The mint awakens and piques the senses. The green adds some softness and comfort. The early grey provides a lasting, lingering, and comforting base.
Review: Fantastic! I could stand around all day, just inhaling the smell of this tea. The chocolate and bergamot scents really jump out at me from the bag (and the finished cup). The taste, however is more the clean coolness of the green tea and especially the spearmint. It's wonderfully refreshing and complex, and I immediately want another cup. I'm so glad I took a chance with this blend! I suspect (deduce?) that I'll be buying more.

* Happy early birthday wishes to sarah531, vg_ford, tunes84, captnofmyheart, wildviolet4, savagedoc45, lalam, silveraspen, and prettybirdy979. May all of you enjoy a fantastic day and a wonderful year to come!

The following is probably of interest only to me, but it will help me feel more organized, so here goes...

My Upcoming Spring/Summer Appearances

April
“Dystopia and the Problem of Technology” Conference sponsored by The Working Group on Political Theory at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina (as Guest Speaker)

May
“The Bourgeois Virtue in Film and Fiction” Colloquium in Washington, DC (as Discussion Leader)

June
- ConCarolinas in Charlotte, North Carolina (as Author Guest)

- “Liberty and Society” Seminar sponsored by the Institute for Humane Studies at Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (as Guest Faculty)

July
Live Event for "Hogwarts 101: Exploring Harry Potter, Years 1-3" for Mythgard Academy at Signum University, hosted by Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland (as Faculty)

August
Cato University Summer Seminar on Political Economy sponsored by the Cato Institute in Washington, DC (as Faculty)

My Upcoming Teaching
(I'm still working out some of the details, so this list is incomplete.)

Summer 2012
- "The Hunger Games and Worlds Gone Wrong" seminar for Belmont University

- "Hogwarts 101: Exploring Harry Potter, Years 1-3" course for Mythgard Summer Academy at Signum University

Fall 2012
"100 Years of Literature about Same-Gender Worlds" seminar for Lenoir-Rhyne University

“March comes in with an adder's head, and goes out with a peacock's tail.”
- Richard Lawson

The Forgotten Rebellion

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 18:23:11 GMT

The second of the videos I filmed for The Institute for Humane Studies is now online. Many thanks to Ozymandius Media for producing/editing this. I'm really pleased with the final look of the piece. This one means a lot to me.

This was inspired by my Reason article "Florida's Forgotten Rebels: Rediscovering the most successful slave revolt in American history," which, to my surprise and delight, received a shout-out from the 50th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards in 2008.

Thanks so much for letting me share this with you!

Initial Thoughts on the Hunger Games Film

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:05:14 GMT

I've seen the Hunger Games film. What follows is a quick-and-dirty list of some of my initial reactions. The spoiler-free nutshell version is this: two thumbs up!

In no apparent order...

1. It's very apparent that Suzanne Collins was involved in fashioning the screenplay. The changes that had to be made to the story in order to adapt it to the "big screen" make sense and hold true to the spirit of the books.

A few of those changes are...

-- The origin of the mockingjay pin has changed. Katniss picks it up in The Hob as a good luck charm for Prim, because Prim is frightened of The Reaping. Prim in turn gives it back to Katniss for her protection once Katniss volunteers as tribute.

-- After Katniss brings the flowers to Rue, the people of District 11 salute her, but they don't send bread. This is one of my favorite moments in the novel, so I was waiting for it, but I ended up being thoroughly satisfied by what substitutes in its place: a chilling glimpse of the riots as they begin in District 11. I understand why this was done, and it is extremely effective.

-- The muttations in the arena no longer have the faces of individual tributes. Believe me, I was grateful. There's plenty of violence to make this feel gritty and desperate, and the film gives us several "behind the scenes with Seneca Crane" glimpses into how manipulated and intentional the dangers are, so it would've been rather redundant. Furthermore, after Amandla Stenberg's brief but unforgettable turn as Rue, I really, really didn't want to see her face on one of those creatures.

-- Peeta's leg injury is dire mostly due to infection, but it's mostly healed by the medicine Katniss picks up at The Feast. He doesn't end up losing it.

2. There are some lovely additions that set the stage for the next film, most of which are short, intense scenes with either/both Seneca Crane or/and President Snow. Donald Sutherland's performance in particular looms large over the picture. Perfect casting there.

Speaking of casting...
3. I can't criticize any of it. Josh Hutcherson is Peeta down to the last breath. Although I originally cast Brendan Gleeson in my head as Haymitch when I read the books, Woody Harrelson completely won me over. Jennifer Lawrence is subtle, understated, and just right. Stanley Tucci steals every scene in which he appears. I initially had reservations about Lenny Kravitz's ability to project the warmth necessary for Cinna, but I shouldn't have worried. And Amandla Stenberg is everything she needed to be.

4. I'd read reviews that suggested the director (or someone, at least) was "Team Gale," and Katniss and Peeta have no chemistry. I disagree. Liam Hemsworth is not at all the man I pictured when I read about Gale, and I'm still not entirely convinced of him as a black-market hunter/trader, but his Gale does have undeniable sparks with Katniss (and a great relationship with little Prim, too). That said, I was sold on the genuineness of Peeta's feelings, as well. The lack of immediate connection between Peeta and Katniss seems absolutely spot-on, considering the fact they are - or, at least, Katniss is - negotiating a tricky "performance" for the spectators and potential donors, always aware of being watched and uncertain of how much from the other is feigned and how much is genuine. The Katniss-Peeta "dance" feels quite authentic.

5. The action isn't sanitized, but it's also not glorified or overdone. I was in a packed theater filled with people who obviously knew the book, and still there were audible gasps at several of the deaths, these scenes were done so well and shockingly. I don't think the film loses dramatic potency for being edited down from the R rating to a PG-13.

6. I wouldn't want to meet Clove in a dark alley. I'm just sayin'.

7. The Orwellian imagery throughout (including President Snow's propaganda film shown before the Reaping and the omnipresence of the Peacekeepers) strongly complements the political themes of the story.

8. I only have a couple of minor complaints:

-- The "shaky cam" phenomenon (to which I'm usually immune - I had no trouble with The Blair Witch Project or Cloverfield) was over the top at the beginning of the film, to the point I wanted to close my eyes. Fortunately, the camera work became friendlier as the film progressed.

-- At several times during scenes in the Capitol (specifically the chariot scene and the tribute interviews), there was quite an obvious discrepancy between the wide CGI-enhanced shots (wow, look at all of those people in that wide-open space!) and the close shots (wow, there are only a couple of hundred extras jammed onto a set!).

On the whole, I'm quite impressed with the movie. I'm anxious to see it again soon.

I'd be interested to hear other reactions to and thoughts about the film!

PS. The Songs from District 12 and Beyond album is quite good!

A New Video and Other News

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:09:07 GMT

First, a few quick links of note:
1. From the BBC News Magazine: "H.P. Lovecraft: The Man Who Haunted Horror Fans." (Thanks to wellinghall!)
2. From CNN: "Will the Mystery of Amelia Earhart Be Solved?"
3. Newspaper Rock has several new articles reacting to the forthcoming Lone Ranger film and updates about Johnny Depp's portrayal of Tonto.

As a "sneak peek" into my "Taking Harry Potter Seriously" course at The Mythgard Institute, the entirety of my third lecture is now online at YouTube.

This lecture is on "Harry Potter, The British Schooldays Novel, and The Chamber of Secrets."

“Are you the Bully, the Pride of the School, or the Boy who takes to drink and is led astray in Chapter Sixteen?”
-P.G. Wodehouse, Mike and Psmith

'Tis Wednesday!

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:29:17 GMT

Hello there, my friends!

Here are two Calls for Papers that I thought some of you might find of interest.

--
CFP: Female Rebellion in Young Adult Dystopian Fiction, Proposed Anthology, Due May 1, 2012
Sara K. Day, Miranda Green-Barteet, and Amy L. Montz
yadystopianfiction@gmail.com

In the last decade, stories of dystopian societies have become increasingly prevalent in young adult fiction, and almost all question young people’s places within such societies. Works such as Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, Lauren Oliver’s Delirium, Ally Condi’s Matched, Veronica Roth’s Divergent, and Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone are particularly concerned with how their adolescent female protagonists’ navigation of social mores and structures give them virtually no control over the outcome of their lives. For example, in The Hunger Games Trilogy, Katniss Everdeen has learned from growing up in Panem, a country that willingly sacrifices its children to maintain control of their parents, that masking emotion is key to survival. Other protagonists, such as Matched’s Cassia and Delirium’s Lena, directly confront experiences of love and desire in societies that have eradicated such feelings.

While these female protagonists challenge the audience’s preconceptions of what it means to be a young woman--someone who is preoccupied with consumer culture, dating dilemmas, and high school cliques--the use of the dystopian genre raises the stakes of adolescent struggles regarding identity, agency, and community. These authors specifically place female protagonists in settings where they must rebel against society to take any control over their own lives and to improve the societies in which they live. Thus, through the realm of dystopian fiction, these authors argue that rebellion against authority allows young women to defy both social and gender expectations in order to become active agents in their own lives, rather than being passive recipients of social mores.

This proposed anthology seeks papers that consider how female protagonists are represented in contemporary young adult dystopian fiction. How are the authors of young adult dystopian fiction consciously (or unconsciously) reinforcing or challenging stereotypical characterizations of female protagonists?

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

•young women as rebels, leaders, or instigators
•young women as the head of the family
•war and its impact on young women
•young women who reject/question socially-constructed feminine virtues
•young women who challenge what it means to be a young women in their individual societies
•role of environment and circumstance in YA dystopian fiction
•claiming female agency in a dystopian society
•female protagonists in YA dystopians compared to female protagonists in more conventional YA novels (i.e., Gossip Girl, The It Girl, or Uglies)
•adolescent female rebellion in YA fiction

We are currently seeking a book contract for this anthology. Please submit a 500-word abstract and a brief CV by May 1, 2012 to: Sara K. Day, Miranda Green-Barteet, and Amy L. Montz at yadystopianfiction@gmail.com.

--

Ender’s Game and Philosophy
Edited by Kevin S. Decker
The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series

Please circulate and post widely.

To propose ideas for future volumes in the Blackwell series please contact the Series Editor, William Irwin, at williamirwin@kings.edu

If you have comments or criticisms for the series, please read “Fancy Taking a Pop?” at http://www.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/55564/fancy-taking-pop.pdf

Abstracts and subsequent essays should be philosophically substantial but accessible, written to engage the intelligent lay reader. Contributors of accepted essays will receive an honorarium.

Possible themes and topics might include, but are not limited to, the following: Possible themes and topics might include, but are not limited to, the following: “A Childhood Deferred?”: the ethics of hyper-specialized training for the very young; “The Military and their Monitors”: issues of privacy and civil rights during wartime; “All-Out War”: just war theory and the ethics of total mobilization of Earth society against the buggers; “We Know What You Think”: how and why monitors could be used to keep track of individuals’ inmost thoughts and desires; “They Aren’t Normal; They Act Like—History”: Hegel and the cunning of reason in history and future wars; “The Hook and the Raft”: does the I.F. “System” colonize the human and bugger “Lifeworlds”?; “The Giant’s Drink”; Ender’s training is a simulation, but are we living in one?; “Know Your Enemy”: the strategic philosophies of Sun-Tzu and Ender Wiggin; “Ender’s Game and the Problem of Dirty Hands”; “Constructing Subjects in Space”; Foucault and Ender’s military leaders; “Bugger All!”: when cultural incommensurability turns into conflict; “Wiggin’ the Dog”: ethical and political dimensions of stage-managed wars; “Down with the Warsaw Pact!”: the epistemology of blogging; “Locke and Demosthenes”: ‘virtual’ politics with false personas; “Of Bachelard and Battlerooms”: philosophy of bodies in space; “Peter’s in the Mirror Again”: virtual simulations and artificial intelligence; “Valentine’s Day”; philosophy of emotion in Ender’s Game; “Like a Gun”: is Ender responsible for the terrible consequences of his actions, or has he been a pawn for the I.F.?

Submission Guidelines:

1. Submission deadline for abstracts (100-500 words) and CV(s): March 19, 2012.

2. Submission deadline for drafts of accepted papers: June 18, 2012.

Kindly submit by e-mail (with or without Word attachment) to: Kevin S. Decker at kdecker@ewu.edu

Check out the series website: http://andphilosophy.com/

Speaking of science fiction, Librivox has just added an unabridged reading of Edmond Hamilton's classic The City at World's End.

Is everyone ready for The Hunger Games? Here I am, in front of the Mellarks' bakery (or the film set for it, at least). I waited and waited, but no baker's son ever threw me any bread. Ah, well...

I highly recommend Delia Sherman's new novel The Freedom Maze (you can read my review here). It's the source of my quote for the day:
"Why didn't any of the books mention that adventures were like taking a test you hadn't studied for?"

Happy Saturday!

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:59:40 GMT

Happy belated birthday to jasonbsizemore, dannyboy8406, and snitchbitch. Happy birthday to killerweasel, ashesngolddust, and dracschick. Happy early birthday to wellinghall, nrlymrtl, bellatook, thepirateship, rosieb328, and supervillainess. May all of you enjoy a fantastic year to come!

Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes regarding my Achilles tendon woes. It's slowly feeling better, and I have hopes of being less lame (well, literally, if not metaphorically, haha) soon.

In my last post I included the "Sci-Fi Film Alphabet" by Steven Wildish. Here's my attempt at naming the titles (compiled with help on a few of them). What do you think?

Abyss
Blade Runner
Cube
Dune
Empire Strikes Back
The Fly
Godzilla
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
I Am Legend
Judge Dredd
King Kong
The Last Starfighter
Moon
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Omega Man
Planet of the Apes
Quatermass 2
Running Man
Solaris
Tron
Universal Soldier
V
War of the Worlds
X-Men
Yor
Zardoz

We made another visit to the Henry River Mill Village (which serves as District 12 in the film adaptation of The Hunger Games), and I've posted some new pictures here.

“Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Ouch! So there's that...

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:47 GMT

I'm back from participating in a fantastic colloquium on the political writings of the U.S. anti-slavery movement, which provided me terrific insights and much food for thought.

I stayed at the hotel where the conference was held, an establishment that first opened in 1931 and now is a National Historic Landmark. It was a study in art deco loveliness.

Unfortunately, all of the time I was supposed to spend catching up today was spent in doctors' offices and labs, because something over the weekend went awry with my Achilles tendon, and now it's definitely the wrong size/shape and decidedly less than comfortable in the bargain. Besides taking medication in the short term, it looks like I'll be wearing specially-designed footware for a month (!!!) to see if the tendon decides to behave. Unexpected, inexplicable, and bizarre. Not to mention inconvenient.

I think I owe every human being on the planet*** an email; I'll be catching up very soon, I promise!

As a parting thought, here's the "Sci-Fi Film Alphabet" by Steven Wildish. How many movies can you name?

see more Set Phasers To Lol

*** Only a minor overstatement.

“They have assumed the names and gestures of their enemies, but have held on to their own, secret souls; and in this there is a resistance and an overcoming, a long outwaiting.”
- N. Scott Momaday, House Made of Dawn