I draw my Steampunk Week to a close with a review of Gears of Wonderland by Jason G. Anderson. Jason stopped by my blog Wednesday and if you missed it, check out my interview of him here.
Here's the premise: Wonderland - you know, from Alice in Wonderland - is a real place. Yes, you can go down that rabbit hole. And when Alice went there, her visit changed Wonderland. Enter our protagonist, James. James is an ordinary guy that finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time and ends up going down the rabbit hole. James' trip to Wonderland shows a changed world, one now seen through the eyes of an adult. All the old characters are there: White Rabbit, Caterpiller, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter and the rest. But author Anderson also introduces us to delightful new characters.
Oh, and did I mention it all has a steampunk vibe? So imagine entering Wonderland made over with a Victorian, steampunk twist. Are there corsets you ask? Yes there are. Are there fun gadgets and machines? Yes, the story has those too.
Gears of Wonderland is a page-turning action adventure with a regular guy turned action hero. I found James, the main character, delightful and unassuming. Anderson also introduces us to the Mad Hatter's daughter, Kara, who helps James navigate the world of Wonderland. Kara is a gritty female character and a great counterpoint to James.
For me, while Wonderland was an interesting backdrop for the story and it was fun meeting the C.S. Lewis characters from a new perspective, Anderson's original new characters are what make the story interesting.
Jason Anderson is a gifted author and he wove a delightful tale in Gears of Wonderland. My only complaint with the story is that it seemed to lag for me toward the end. At that point I wanted less description and more action to pull me to the end. But the end itself was satisfying and I think the book ends in such a way that the author has left himself room for additional adventures with the wonderful characters.
Lastly I will say that I've read quite a few self-pubbed books over the past year and Gears of Wonderland stands out as one of the most well-written (and well formatted and edited) self-pubbed books of the Year of the Indie.
If you like Alice in Wonderland, you should definitely read this book. If you like Steampunk, you should definitely read this book.
And if you just want a fun adventure of a story, you should definitely read this book.
This book gets 5 Hawks!
Next week on Natalie Wright's YA -
Writer Chat Wednesday with Addison Moore!!!! YA-Indie-Phenom with news about her story going to the screen!
And here's the video version of this review in case you don't feel like reading ;-)
Welcome to Writer Chat Wednesday! Continuing with Steampunk week, I chat today with Jason G. Anderson, author of Gears of Wonderland, a wonderfully fun steampunk tale set in Wonderland. Jason is an imaginative storyteller and I'm so psyched that he took a moment to visit with me. Come back Friday for my review of Gears of Wonderland.
Natalie
Wright (NW): When and how did you become interested in Steampunk? For anyone
interested in reading books in the Steampunk genre, can you recommend some good
ones that you enjoyed?
JASON
ANDERSON (JA): My initial interest in steampunk came purely from
the visual aspect. The Victorian-but-not clothing, the strange machines, the
bizarre city scenes with airships and other unusual elements in the picture,
etc. Then I read (and watched) various steampunk, or steampunk inspired,
stories, and became hooked.
One book I whole-heartedly recommend is by indie-author SM Reine. It’s a
novella I read over Christmas, titled “The 19 Dragons”. As the name suggests,
the story focuses on 19 dragons, but they all live in a unique steampunk world
that depends on them remaining alive for it to exist. Which isn’t good when
someone starts killing the dragons one by one! The story itself is crafted in a
very unusual way, as it switches viewpoint to each of the dragons in turn to
tell the tale. I loved it, and highly recommend it to everyone remotely interested
in the steampunk genre.
NW: What
inspired you to write Gears of Wonderland?
JA: Back in October 2010 I was getting ready to take part in NaNoWriMo,
planning out the story I was going to write (totally unrelated to Wonderland or
steampunk). Then I saw the SyFy version of Alice, and immediately got struck by
the idea of a Wonderland that had aged and changed along with our world. I
tried to ignore it, and focus on my original story idea, but the thought just
wouldn’t get out of my head. So I began developing the idea further, and it was
the story I wrote for NaNoWriMo.
The two core ideas I had was the Knave of Hearts taking over Wonderland,
and that the land had gone down the steampunk route (since the original stories
were written in the Victorian period). Everything else came later. The final
published version isn’t too different to what I had at the end of NaNoWriMo. I
reworked parts of the first quarter of the story, and added a few extra scenes
throughout the rest, but it didn’t end up changing much at all.
Actually, I lie. The first draft of Gears didn’t have the White Rabbit
in the story at all. That was a real head-slap moment for me when I realized –
how can you have a story about Wonderland that doesn’t have the White Rabbit?
So he got worked into the story during the revision.
Another thing that changed was the title. My original working title was
Wonderland in Darkness, but I figured it was rather uninspiring, and didn’t
convey the steampunk aspect. So I changed it to the current title as I approached
the end of the first draft.
NW: Laura,
James' girlfriend, is such a -- difficult -- woman. I was happy when James,
early on, had an opportunity to get a break from her! Is the Laura character
based on any real life girlfriend(s)?
JA: “Difficult” is one word to describe her! No, Laura isn’t based on
anyone I know. Some nasty people have claimed that I must be writing about my
wife, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I wanted the opening scenes
of the novel, with James’s boss and Laura, to show how submissive James was at
this point in his life. He was unwilling to fight for the things he wanted, or
even consider ‘rocking the boat’, no matter how bad their demands became.
Wonderland becomes a chance for him to leave those habits (mostly) behind, and
grow in confidence.
NW: Will you
write a sequel to Gears of Wonderland?
JA: That is my current plan. I didn’t set out to write a series originally,
but I had a lot of fun working with the characters as I was revising the book
into its final form that I’d like to go back to the setting. A few people have
also asked about a sequel, so it seems to have struck a chord with a few
readers at least.
I have a few ideas floating around in my mind on what the sequel could
be about (the fallout from what happened at the end of the novel, and Kara’s
search for her mother), but nothing solid yet. I’ve got to survive my current
WIP first!
NW: Why did
you choose to self-publish? And are you interested in pursuing a traditional
publishing contract?
JA: To be honest, I decided to self-publish because I couldn’t imagine
being a traditionally published author!
I’ve always been a fan of having full control over whatever I create.
Back when I went to university, I wrote software for Apple computers that I
sold online as “shareware” (basically you download the program to try it out
first, and if you like it you buy it from the author). More recently, I wrote
several small roleplay gaming supplements, that I sold as PDF.
When the urge to write novels became too large to
ignore, being an indie author didn’t seem much different to what I’d done
before. That’s not to say that I’d never accept a traditional publishing
contract. But they would have to offer me much better than their “standard”
terms to entice me. And whatever they offered would have to not screw over my
current readers (unlike a current indie-turned-traditional author that my wife
was a fan of, who signed a deal that blocks sales of their current & future
books outside of the US).
NW: You live
in Tasmania, which is so far away from so many places! Have you always lived
there? And does your environment inspire your writing at all?
JA: We’re not that far away from the rest of the world :)
Yep, I was born in Tasmania, although at the opposite end of the state
(Devonport). I moved to Hobart, the state capital, to attend university. After
I graduated I managed to find a job down here, so I stayed. I also met my
future wife at university, which was another reason not to move back to my
parents place!
I don’t really know that I could say the environment has inspired my
writing that much. I guess because Tasmania doesn’t have the level of
development, or the large cities, that other places have, I tend to think more in
terms of open spaces and green surrounds (which featured in Gears). I can’t say
that it’s helped with my post-apocalyptic short stories though :)
NW: Will you
write more books in the Steampunk genre? And/or what other genres do you write
in?
JA: Other than the sequel to Gears, I’m not sure if I’ll write more in the
steampunk genre, at least in the near-future. While it’s not the wisest idea to
spread yourself over different genres, the next few ideas I have for books are
in the sci-fi and urban fantasy genres. Plus I have my Atomic Wasteland series
of short stories, which are all set in a post-apocalyptic world.
It all depends how strong the idea for the story is when it comes time
for me to start a new book I guess!
NW: What are
you working on now? Can we look forward to any new titles from you soon?
JA: I’m currently working on a sci-fi thriller titled “On Ice”. It’s about
a group of scientists who are studying the polar region of an uninhabited alien
planet. They become cut off from the main base of the (planet-wide) expedition,
and have to deal with a situation that goes from bad to worse very quickly. As
people start dying, they begin to realize that there may be a reason the planet
is uninhabited!
The novel in part is inspired by my own work. I work in the Antarctic
science field (as an assistant, not a scientist), and wanted to write about
something that was ice-related. Setting it in modern-day Antarctica didn’t
appeal, but putting it in the future did. I’ve been able to talk with a few
people who have spent time “in the field”, to get a feel of what it’s like to
work in that sort of environment. Hopefully I won’t mess up too much of what
they told me! :)
I’m frantically working on the book now, and hope to have it out
sometime in April.
Thanks Jason for stopping by. I'm looking forward to reading On Ice and hope you'll stop back then to chat about it.
Bio: Jason G. Anderson lives in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia with his wife and several cats. During the day, he helps Antarctic scientists manage the vast quantities of data they collect. At night, he dreams of other worlds and realities much different to our own. His writing interests include sci-fi, urban fantasy, post-apocalyptic and steampunk.
Welcome to Steampunk week on Natalie Wright's YA blog! This week is all about Victorian fashion, gears, rivets and steam powered machines. And in today's post I present a Steampunk primer for those of you reading this that don't know what the heck I'm talking about when I say steampunk.
Is steampunk a sub-genre of fiction? A fashion? A philosophy? Or a subculture?
The short answer: It's all of those things.
First and foremost, steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy fiction. Steampunk fiction generally includes social, fashion and technology of the last 19th century (think Victorian era) but with some kind of rebellion against at least parts of it. Put these two ideas together and you get steampunk. But of course once we define the genre, you'll be able to find scads of books that defy the definition I've just given and still end up being steampunk. The genre grows and morphs and branches out in yet still more subgenres so we now have steampunk romance, steampunk erotica and steampunk young adult fiction. And steampunk can take place in the future or on other planets. So maybe the best way to define steampunk is to look at the visuals that go with it.
A Steampunk Wedding Cake
Steampunk has bloomed into much more than just a sub-genre of fantasy fiction. Steampunk has emerged as a bonafide fashion culture as well. Steampunk is what happens when you take Victorian clothes and merge them with gears and gadgets and goggles - always the goggles. If you play World of Warcraft, the gnomes and their world are definitely steampunk! As a fashion, it's about modifying the clothes yourself to create something that may merge old and new. Oh, and corsets. I have to mention corsets. Take goggles, a corset and throw in a top hat and you're on your way to a steampunk look.
Steampunk isn't just for wearing though. People who like to tinker and build find creative outlet by taking new, modern objects and injecting an old-world feel through layering on steampunk materials - wood, brass and gears especially. The result are things like a steampunk mouse or keyboard or laptop. Check out this steampunk spider. How creepy and cool is this?
Like many great things that start out in fiction and make their way to the collective, steampunk has become synonymous with more than just fiction or fashion. Steampunk has become, for some, a way of life. It's not just about how they dress or fashion their modern tools. Steampunk has come to represent for some a way to re-think how we live in our modern age. It's like a forward thinking but backward looking philosophy.
Okay, for some it's just fashion, not philosophy.
Even if you have never heard the term steampunk before, you've probably seen it all around you. If you watch movies, you've seen steampunk fashion and vision. The Lilliputians in the movie Gulliver's Travels with Jack Black - they were steampunk. And recently I saw The Three Musketeers (an awful movie by the way), but it had a steam-powered flying ship. That was steampunk. Though I have not yet read it, the covers of Clockwork Prince certainly looks steampunk. If you've read it, leave me a comment and let me know if I'm right or wrong about that.
And in case you missed it, steampunk has been co-opted by the Mr. Hairdo himself, Justin Bieber, in his video for the song Santa Claus is Coming to Town. If you can't stand to listen, just turn down the sound but look at the fashion and props - it's steampunk.
If Bieber is going steampunk, does that mean it's no longer a sub-culture?
If you want to learn more, check out the site Steampunk.com. It's a well-done site with lots of great information.
And stay tuned here on Natalie Wright's YA for more of Steampunk Week. Wednesday, I'll interview author Jason G. Anderson and discuss his first steampunk novel, Gears of Wonderland. And Friday I'll review said book.
I love to hear from you so post a comment. Are you steampunk? If you have photos of steampunk fashion or gear you'd like to share, post it here or on my Facebook author page.
This week's Friday review - The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern.
The Night Circus is a wholly original novel, unlike anything I've read before. While I enjoyed it very much (so much in fact that I initially borrowed it from the library but decided to buy the hardcover because I know I'll read it again), this book is not for everyone. I'll tell you what I liked about it and what wasn't so hot too. I'll also share with you some thoughts from friends of mine who have read it who didn't love it as much as me so you have some perspective on it before you buy it or commit the time to read it.
First, What I Loved About The Night Circus:
An original, imaginiative place - the night circus. This book is like Harry Potter for adults. J.K. Rowling gave kids Hogwarts. Erin Morgenstern has given adults the night circus. For people who love magic and mystery, Morgenstern created an adult world where magic is real and the mysterious is displayed for the visitor to the night circus. Morgenstern created a world that feels so complete - down to the smells of the foods served - that the reader begins to believe that she could actually go visit it. I want to go to the night circus! If you enjoy becoming immersed in a magical realm, then The Night Circus may be for you.
A beautiful love story that does not feel like a romance novel. I enjoy a romance novel from time to time, but I prefer my romance to come organically out of a story rather than be formulaic. If you like a great lovestory but don't enjoy romance novels per se, then the Night Circus may be for you. There are scenes between Marco and Celia that are so beautiful and so descriptive, you feel like you are right there with them. The whole scene that takes place between them in the house and with the pillow room - outstanding.
There are other things to commend The Night Circus, but for me these were the two highlights. Above all, it is a story that immerses you into a very fun, magical, intriguing and wholly original world. Not since I read the first Harry Potter book have I read a book more imaginative than this one.
Now, for what could have been improved and/or what's not so hot:
Lack of plot. Okay, there is a plot. Sort of. But the plot is the weak spot of the book. I had the opportunity to hear Erin Morgenstern do an interview on NPR about this book and I know that for a long time during the process, she just had pages and pages of description about the circus but no real plot. Efforts were made to create a plot, including the lovestory between Celia and Marco, but the plot still feels like an add-on. In a group discussion on this book, we all agreed that the best parts were the parts where the author described the circus, written in 2nd person. So if you are someone who can't stand to read a book that's not strong on plot, then this may not work for you.
Another complaint that I heard raised about the book was that it lacked depth of meaning or theme. For at least one reader I discussed this book with, she felt that it was just a lovely description of a circus and a bit of a lovestory with not much else. I think that's a valid point to raise. Frankly when I read it I was just enjoying being a voyeur of the circus so much, the lack of strong plot and/or lack of well developed theme didn't bother me at all.
So bottom line, I loved it and consider it one of my top reads of 2011. If you want to read a book that takes you on a fun ride to another world, then check out The Night Circus.
5 Hawks for The Night Circus
NEXT WEEK - Steampunk Week here on Natalie Wright's YA
Don't Miss It - Total Awesomeness!!!
Monday - A Steampunk Primer
Wednesday - Interview with Jason G. Anderson, author of the steampunk novel Gears of Wonderland
I draw my Steampunk Week to a close with a review of Gears of Wonderland
by Jason G. Anderson. Jason stopped by my blog Wednesday and if you missed it, check out my interview of him here.
