Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black
By Marcus Sedgwick and Julian Sedgwick
Illustrated by Alexis Deacon
Walker Books, 2019

Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black is a book that defies categorization, and is one of the most unique and affecting books that I've read this year.

Harry Black is a conscientious objector to the war; he is also an artist. His brother Ellis is a soldier; he is also a writer. They don't see eye-to-eye, however, both risk his their lives for his country. Harry is a firefighter—tasked with responding to the fires that break out during the devastating air raids on the city of London. In a rare wartime opportunity, Harry and his brother meet up for a beer at a London pub. Soon after they separate, the block where the pub stood is bombed to obliteration. Harry finds himself in the hospital in a hazy, surreal state of shock. Ellis' whereabouts are unknown. There is also a curious young German girl in the hospital—Agatha. 

It is in this otherworldly scenario that Harry draws and thinks, and digs to the tune of an unknown musician who plays with great beauty amidst the horrors. The reader has the benefit of understanding the musician's purpose. The story is told in prose, in Harry's sketches, and in the haunting speech of the musician, whose words turn often to song,

I've a story to tell of Harry Black,

who went to the Underworld and how he came back;

of the love for his brother, who'd pushed him away.

Of London by starlight, under attack,

of bombs falling, of people calling

   through darkened streets,

of sirens and wayfarers, of lost souls,

of vicious women and mindless dogs.

These are the things of which I'll sing.

There are many books about WWII, the Kindertransport, the bombing of London. None are like this one. Read it.

My copy of Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black was provided by the publisher.

The Mark of Athena - this and that

Riordan, Rick. 2012. The Heroes of Olympus: The Mark of Athena. New York: Disney Hyperion.

Usually, I listen to Rick Riordan's books, but I read this one instead.  I think I prefer this series in print.


US trailer

UK trailer

The Mark of Athena, in which:

Percy and Annabeth are finally reunited
We don't see nearly enough of Ella (I love that harpy!)
Seven demigods set forth on a quest
Leo is odd man out
The end is a real cliffhanger


Here's the plot, according to Ella,

Wisdom’s daughter walks alone

The Mark of Athena burns through Rome,

Twins snuff out the angel’s breath,

Who holds the key to endless death.

Giant’s bane stands cold and pale,

Won through pain from a woven jail.

Some odds and ends:

• 586 pages or 15 hrs, 9 min in audiobook version
• Read the first chapter of The Mark of Athena here.
• Listen to an audiobook excerpt of The Mark of Athena.
• A Teacher's Guide to Rick Riordan's books is available on his site.
• Fans will love it.
• I'm in the Greek camp.

Next up: The House of Hades, due out in October 2013.

Children's book of Mythical Beasts and Magical Monsters: a review

Dorling Kindersley, Inc. 2011. Children's Book of Mythical Beasts and Magical Monsters: An introduction to fascinating myths and legends from around the world. New York: DK.

Thanks to the prolific writer, Rick Riordan,  kids cannot get enough of mythical beasts and magical monsters.  DK's new book should give them all the background information they need to keep up with Rick Riordan or their favorite fantasy writers.

This book is much more than a mythology book, however.  It is divided into three loosely organized sections, Nature and Nation, Magic and Mayhem, and Quests and Battles.  Each section contains approximately fifteen to thirty different entries covering civilizations from across the globe and spanning all of recorded history.

Nature and Nation features creation and pourquoi stories,  Magic and Mayhem - tall tales, legends, legendary creatures and trickster tales. Quests and Battles is self-explanatory - dragons, Robin Hood, El Dorado, Durga, the Hindu warrior goddess and more.  There are four "types" of pages with the book, each type marked with a color-coded symbol,

• Around the World: Wonder at the similarities and common elements in myths from around the world
• Who's Who: Find out about the relationships between gods of certain cultures and characters that feature in famous legends
• Telling the Tale: Discover the excitement and drama of myths that have been passed down from generation to generation.
• Character Up Close: Take a close-up look at mythological characters, how they are depicted, their role and their adventures.

With a table of contents, usage guide, extensive index, glossary, and acknowledgments for the hundreds of illustrations from museums and libraries, this is more of a reference book than a browsing book, however, its appealing layout and busy pages will likely attract browsers as well.  The Children's Book of Mythical Beasts and Magical Monsters can easily serve as a starting point for school reports. A well-balanced and informative book.

This images of this cover found on the web are not entirely accurate.  The actual colors are much brighter and more garish than portrayed - jarring, to be sure, but most certainly eye-catching!  Kids will pick this one up.

Today's Nonfiction Monday is at True Tales & A Cherry on Top, the blog of writer Jeanne Walker Harvey, who has a new nonfiction book on shelves now:

 My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey.

 Please stop by.

Zeus: King of the Gods

Today's Non-Fiction Monday is an unusual one.  Travis, at 100 Scope Notes, is this week's host, and he has issued a challenge to create "non-traditional" book reviews.

I've answered the call with not one, but two reviews of First Second's Zeus: King of the Gods by George O'Connor.  I was having so much fun that I couldn't stop at just one review! Poetry, Twitter, comics!  I've included them all.

My first review is a poetic tweet of exactly 140 characters.  Check it out!

My second review brings my poetic tweet to life in a comic strip.  Check it out here! 

Enjoy! Thanks to 100 Scope Notes for the challenge! Please, check out all the non-traditional reviews at 100 Scope Notes and vote for your favorite!!

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The Battle of the Labyrinth

Riordan, Rick. 2008. The battle of the labyrinth. New York: Hyperion.

Although I did not read books 2 and 3, I was able to pick up the story line for the Battle of the Labyrinth easily. Of course, being book 4, the novelty of the modern day Olympian has worn off, but the series still has a loyal following. There are the usual jokes and a few plot twists. In this installment, Percy Jackson, half-blood son of the Greek god, Poseidon, embarks on a quest with his friend Annabeth into Daedalus' labyrinth. Some of the plot lines seem familiar - a master weapon being re-forged (Lord of the Rings), a dark lord being re-formed (Harry Potter series), but this just illustrates the timeless nature of the Greek myths. This is another solid entry in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

The upcoming movie, "The Lightning Thief," should spur renewed interest in the entire series. Rick Riordan's website http://www.rickriordan.com/ shows that he is committed to promote reading. He knows how to connect with kids.