A TOAST TO SIR TERRY

British fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett passed away last week at the age of 66. He was best known and loved for his Discworld series, which started life as a satirical spoof of the fantasy genre but went on to become a work of rich worldbuilding and unique storytelling in its own right. Consisting of over 40 books, the novels were clever, captivating, fresh, poignant -- and always, always funny.

As a massive fantasy fan, the Discworld books were breaths of fresh air to me in my high school and college days. They were fantasy novels that had something new, fascinating, and hilarious to say. It's been years since I've picked up a Discworld novel, but I still remember my fondness for the world and characters that Sir Terry created.

Here are a few of my favorites:



- The Color of Magic

Pratchett fans will often recommend that newcomers not pick up The Color of Magic, the first book in the Discworld series. Indeed, the novel has a much different flavor from future installments in the series, serving as more of a straight-up satire of the fantasy genre than a solid, standalone fantasy tale. Still, if, like me, you're well-versed in the tropes of epic fantasy, this is the satire for you.



- Pyramids

By this, the seventh novel in Pratchett's series, the Discworld had become a unique fantasy realm in its own right. Pratchett still had fun shaking up his stories by drawing on a variety of tropes and influences, however, and here we get a story heavily influenced by Ancient Egyptian culture (and, to a lesser extent, the fairy tales of the Arabian Nights). Teppic is the young prince of Djelibeybi (sound it out, you Doctor Who fans) who has spent the last few years being educated … by the Assassins Guild. When he returns home to reclaim his throne, complications, as can be expected, ensue -- particularly involving the local pyramids, which are magically constructed to control the flow of Time itself.



- Maskerade

This eighteenth entry in the series features the Witches -- Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg -- and newcomer Agnes Nitt, who they hope to make their coven's new protege. But Agnes is off in the town of Lancre for a job at the local Opera House, and promptly finds herself in the middle of a story not so unlike The Phantom of the Opera ... (This one is extra-delightful if you're familiar with that musical; watch especially for Pratchett's take on Christine, who ends all of her sentences with double exclamation points.)



- Monstrous Regiment

Pratchett excelled in writing complex, relatable female characters. Here we're introduced to Polly Perks, who disguises herself as a man and enlists as a soldier to track down her brother (without him, she'll lose all claim on the family business). Luckily for Polly, she's fully accepted by her fellow soldiers -- but it turns out she's not the only one with a secret to hide.



- The Last Hero: A Discworld Fable

Lavishly, beautifully illustrated by Paul Kidby, this Discworld novella stars my favorite character of the series. Rincewind is a wizard (well, actually a "WIZZARD," if his hat is anything to go by). He only knows one spell, and seems to spend the majority of his time running away from all the various people, things, and circumstances that are constantly conspiring to kill him. Reluctantly teaming up with Leonard of Quirm and Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson, Rincewind finds himself on a mission to stop a hoard of elderly barbarians from killing the gods themselves.



- Good Omens

The Apocalypse. Four Horsemen on motorcycles. A misplaced Antichrist (who is kind of fond of the human race). A book of prophecy. An angel and a demon who actually get along. All co-written with Neil Gaiman. It's not Discworld, but it's my favorite Pratchett novel all the same. Don't miss it.



- Interesting Times

… well. Maybe Good Omens is my second-favorite Pratchett read. This story probably takes the true top spot, as we follow Rincewind the Wizzard as he encounters Cohen the Barbarian, meets up with an old tourist friend, and gets involved in a rebellion against an empire being controlled by a villainous Grand Vizier (aren't they always villainous?). He's only on his unlikely mission because he's determined to earn back his title as a right and proper Wizard -- but with Fate and Luck literally playing a game for the rebellion's outcome, Rincewind's got his work cut out for him.

There is a curse. They say:

"May You Live In Interesting Times."

Browse the works of Terry Pratchett from the Catalog

- ARTICLE: Terry Pratchett's Discworld Might Be the Highest Form of Literature on the Planet

- ARTICLE: Neil Gaiman on Terry Pratchett

- ARTICLE: 50 Terry Pratchett quotes



-- Post by Ms. B 

New Year's Resolutions: 2015 Edition

This Thanksgiving, your faithful MPL bloggers had a lot of fun coming up with a list of the pop culture properties that we are most thankful for. But as the holiday season progressed, and we began looking towards 2015, it got us thinking: what other books, films, shows, and music are out there waiting for us to discover?

So we've decided to make a few resolutions. That book we always meant to read?  The films we never got around to watching?  The song Ms. B has always meant to learn to play on the piano?  (More about that in a bit.) This year, we've decided, is the year we tackle such projects.

We now present our official list of New Year's Pop Culture Resolutions for 2015. Wish us luck!

(We'll be back, as the year progresses, to let you know how we do ...)

TRACY'S RESOLUTIONS: 

- Continue watching Classic Doctor Who

Doctor Who is one of the most popular shows in the world. Its very first episode broadcast over 50 years ago. After a brief hiatus in the 90s, the show returned to television in 2005, and became even stronger and more popular than it had ever been. I have only been watching the rebooted Doctor Who for a few years, but I am a genuine Whovian!

Although I am all caught up on the current show, I have much to catch up on with the classic Doctor Who. If you are not familiar with Doctor Who, it is a show about a time-traveling alien who uses an old English police phone box, known as the TARDIS, as his space ship. Oh, and he's really, really old -- but doesn't always look like it! He regenerates into a different body when his current one is too damaged. So there have been 12 Doctors (or 13, depending on how you count them), each played by a different actor.

Classic Doctor Who covers the adventures of the Doctor through his first eight incarnations. I have watched as many as possible of the first two Doctors, but I've been stuck on the Third Doctor for awhile now. I resolve to continue watching Classic Doctor Who episodes until I am caught up!

Request Doctor Who titles from the Catalog.



- Read a gothic novel

One of my favorite Jane Austen novels is Northanger Abbey. It is a story of Catherine, a young woman who is fascinated by the gothic novels that were so popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This fascination gets her in a bit of a misunderstanding with her new friends.

Jane Austen was a reader of these gothic novels herself and, in Northanger Abbey, she parodies them. Now I want to be able to understand that type of novel better. Several novels were mentioned in Northanger Abbey (known as the "horrid novels"), most notably The Mysteries of Udolpho by Anne Radcliffe. The others are The Italian, also by Radcliffe, and The Castle of Wolfenbach by Eliza Parson.

 I resolve to read at least one, if not all, of these novels!

Request The Mysteries of Udolpho from the Catalog.

Request The Italian from the Catalog.



- Make more geek-related crafts

I love to make crafts for myself and as gifts for my friends and family. Unfortunately, I have not been making as many as I would like. My crafting ability lies mostly in counted cross-stitch, but I am also a decent crocheter. 

Last year I discovered the book Star Trek Cross-Stitch: Explore Strange New Worlds of Crafting. I've already made a few things from it, but I want to make more! And the internet is full of patterns for all kinds of geek-related shows, movies and books. What I really want to make is this Death Star pillow that you see above. It would look great sitting on my couch! So, I resolve to crochet the Death Star pillow in 2015!

Request Star Trek Cross-Stitch: Explore Strange New Worlds of Crafting from the Catalog.

Request Knits for Nerds: 30 Projects: Science Fiction, Comic Books, Fantasy from the Catalog.

Online craft sites to check out:

Geekcrafts and Pinterest are great places to look for geeky craft ideas too.

MS. B'S RESOLUTIONS:


- Read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables

I was a junior in high school when our English Lit class studied the much-beloved musical Les Miserables. Based on the book by Victor Hugo, the musical tells the story of Jean Valjean, a convict imprisoned for nearly twenty years after stealing a loaf of bread for his starving sister and her family. Pursued by the unrelenting police inspector Javert (after Valjean breaks the conditions of his parole), Valjean is soon swept into the events of France's June Rebellion of 1832 (more on that historical event here and here).

I've been a fan of the musical ever since 11th grade, but I've never read the original Victor Hugo novel. Coming in at between 1,200 to 1,400 pages (depending on the edition), and chock-full of historical and political detail, it always seemed like a daunting task -- perhaps too daunting.

But this year, that changes!  I resolve to read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables -- from cover to cover. 

Request Victor Hugo's Les Miserables from the Catalog



- See the '80s Classics

Though I am, technically, a child of the '80s, I was young enough that I missed out almost entirely on the pop culture of the era. And that means I've never watched a number of classic films that came out in that decade.

What films, specifically?  I've had a number of classics on my list for quite some time, including The Goonies, Gremlins, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Labyrinth, Footloose, Ghostbusters, Superman II, The Untouchables, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Fly, and Beverly Hills Cop.

A list that long seems just a little bit intimidating, though (especially since I've got twelve hundred pages of Les Miserables waiting for me). So I hereby resolve to watch at least five '80s films throughout 2015.

Request The Goonies from the Catalog

Request Pretty in Pink from the Catalog

Request Ghostbusters from the Catalog



- Watch Star Trek: Voyager

I've been a Trekkie since before I can remember. And, happily for me, there's been plenty of different flavors of Star Trek for me to enjoy. As a kid, I loved Star Trek: The Next Generation; while in grad school, I became a huge fan of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Over the past few years, director J.J. Abrams's rebooted Star Trek movies have earned a place among my all-time favorite films. I've even started watching the original '60s series.

But for all that, there's one particular Trek that I have no experience with -- and that is Star Trek: Voyager. I've been interested in watching Voyager for years, especially since it remains the only Trek show to have a woman (Captain Kathryn Janeway) in the command chair. But despite hearing about its intriguing premise and great characters, I've never quite gotten around to giving the show a try.

The time has come to remedy this, and so I resolve to watch all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager by the end of the year.

(There's still Star Trek: Enterprise to get through, but we'll worry about that in 2016.)

Request Season One of Star Trek: Voyager from the Catalog



- Play the music of Hans Zimmer

Maybe not in quite this fashion.

As I've mentioned, I'm a huge fan of film scores and soundtracks. I'm also a particular fan of the scores of Hans Zimmer, the composer behind such film soundtracks as Interstellar, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Dark Knight trilogy, and Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes. Considering that list more or less comprises my favorite films, it's been a delight to have Zimmer's fantastic and memorable music show up in these movies to help tell their stories.

It also just so happens that I've been playing the piano (to varying degrees of success) nearly all my life. While I haven't been playing much in recent years, I've decided that this is the time to change that.

So, inspired by the works of Hans Zimmer, I resolve to learn to play at least two Zimmer-penned songs on the piano by this time next year. And if I'm successful, I'll upload a video of my performance.

Fingers (and tentacles) crossed!

Request the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest soundtrack from the Catalog

Request the Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows soundtrack from the Catalog

-- Post by Tracy and Ms. B

Staff Recommendation #35: "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman

Coraline is best explained as a family horror story. By "family horror story," I don't mean it's a horror story about family -- although it certainly is that, too -- but rather that it's a horror story suitable for (older) children as well as adults of all ages.

It doesn't start out like a horror story. When we are first introduced to Coraline, her life is actually quite boring. She and her family have just moved to a new town, taking up residence in an ancient house known as the Pink Palace. They've got plenty of colorful neighbors, but no one that Coraline really feels she can be friends with -- and even her parents are too busy with their own tasks and concerns to pay her any attention.

But then Coraline discovers a tiny door in the wall, a door that takes her to a very different version of the Pink Palace. In this world, Coraline meets her Other Mother, a sweet and mischievous doppelgänger of Coraline's real mom. Unlike her real mom, though, the Other Mother always has time for Coraline, making up games and shows and favorite foods, all for Coraline's amusement. Even the neighbors are better.

The set-up is all very boilerplate, author Neil Gaiman's own fairytale version of Lucy in Narnia or Alice in Wonderland. But then the Other Mother offers Coraline a way to remain in this new, enchanting world forever -- and suddenly, Coraline finds herself no longer living in a dream world, but facing, and fighting, a monster.

The book was published in 2002, and went on to win both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novella. It was also released as a film in 2009, directed by Henry Selick (the director behind The Nightmare Before Christmas), and it was as a film that I first experienced the story. It's not a bad place to start; the movie is both a gorgeously-rendered (and brilliantly-acted) film in its own right, while also being spectacularly faithful to the book it's based on.

But however you choose to approach the story, what makes it so special is not the spine-chilling horror elements in and of themselves. Instead, it is in watching Coraline find the courage, determination, and resourcefulness necessary to defeat the darkness. It transforms Coraline from a heartless horror story into a Hero's Journey about facing the monsters and finding your courage. To borrow the quote that opened the book, observed by G.K. Chesterton (as paraphrased by Neil Gaiman):

"Fairy tales are more than true -- not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten."

-- Request Coraline from the Catalog

-- Request the Coraline audiobook from the Catalog

-- Request the Coraline film from the Catalog

-- Request the Coraline film soundtrack

-- Request the Coraline musical soundtrack

-- Post by Ms. B 

Five Reasons Why Percy Jackson Tops Harry Potter

Teens with magical powers, surrounded by fantastical monsters and sinister bad guys, who are on a quest to save the world. The description is equally fitting -- for both J.K. Rowling's famous Harry Potter series, and for Rick Riordan's bestselling Heroes of Olympus books.

You don't have to be a fan to know that Harry Potter is a boy wizard who attends a magical boarding school called Hogwarts and finds himself locked in battle with the evil Lord Voldemort. But you may not have heard of Percy Jackson, star of both Percy Jackson and the Olympians, as well as the follow-up series Heroes of Olympus. Percy thinks he's just a normal kid -- that is, until he discovers his dad is actually one of the mythical Greek gods (Poseidon, to be exact.) In between his normal mortal life, and his time at Camp Half-Blood (training to be a demigod), Percy always seems to find a way to get into trouble -- and to save the world while he's at it. At least he's got a good sense of humor about it all ...

After releasing five books in the original Percy Jackson series, author Riordan went on to write a sequel series, Heroes of Olympus, which introduced an even greater threat than anything Percy had ever faced before. Luckily, this time, Percy has a whole bunch of new characters to help him out!  The final book in the series, The Blood of Olympus, was released just a few weeks ago, and I found it to be a fantastic, heartbreaking, wholly satisfying ending to the story.

I may be a long-time Potter fan, but I know where my loyalties lie. Read on for a highly subjective list of why the Percy Jackson series may just top that boy wizard ...



-- Hogwarts vs. Camp Half-Blood

Sure, Hogwarts has a lot going for it. Magical staircases, classes in spell-casting, ghost professors, and fantastic extracurricular activities like Quidditch and the Yule Ball.

But Camp Half-Blood -- the summer camp where young demigods go to train their skills and hone their powers -- is nothing to sneeze at, either. There's an archery field, a sword-fighting arena, a fantastic armory, and a dining pavilion that always has your favorite foods on hand. And if you need to travel, you can always borrow a pegasus -- or even the mechanical dragon, if Festus is feeling up to it.

But to me, the appeal of Camp Half-Blood is that campers remain there only for the summer -- giving the demigods a chance to put their skills to use in the real world. As demigod Annabeth Chase observes:

"At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not." 



-- Houses vs. Cabins

Are you brave like a Gryffindor, or cunning like a Slytherin?  Smart like a Ravenclaw, or loyal like a Hufflepuff?  There are four different House dormitories in the Harry Potter books, and each student is selected (or chooses for themselves) which House they'll join when they first arrive at Hogwarts. Part of the fun of the Potter books is watching each character be Sorted into their respective Houses, and imagining which House you might be if you were in their shoes.

But on the whole, I prefer Camp Half-Blood's method, where campers are assigned to the cabin of their godly parent. The reason is simple: your Olympian cabin has nothing to do with the type of person you are. No one is divided up into groups based on a single personality trait. Instead, campers share cabins with their brothers and sisters -- while deciding for themselves what kind of person they're going to be like. And while there's still some competition from cabin to cabin, the lack of prestige for any one cabin makes it easier for the whole camp to band together when the chips are down.



-- Camping vs. Adventure

Some Potter fans have argued that J.K. Rowling could've used a more forceful editor for the last few books of the series. While I don't think a book needs to be edited simply because it's long, I did find the pace to be dragging in a few of the later books -- particularly in the final installment of the series, where the high action and dire stakes were often interrupted by long stretches of pages of the characters hiding in the woods. (Really!)

While I've no interest in a story that is non-stop action and leaves no time for character development, I found the pacing of the Heroes of Olympus to be much more satisfying, always balancing the character with the action and, as often as not, intertwining them both to create more rewarding scenes. Characters in the Olympus books face off against a variety of challenges, often ones that are intensely personal, and come out of their battles changed as who they are. It makes for a more rip-roaring read -- and one that feels richer.



-- Epilogue vs. Epilogue

Not gonna spoil this one, for those of you who haven't read it. Let's just say that the sacrifice is a little more demanding in The Blood of Olympus than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I also liked the Olympus ending far better than Deathly Hallows. With Harry Potter, we flash-forward nineteen years and discover everything has been wrapped up, leaving little to the imagination. I far prefer the final chapter in Olympus, that, while answering some of our questions, still leaves us with a more open-ended ending that is far fuller of possibilities.



-- The Chosen One vs. Seven Halfbloods

It's not really fair to complain that Harry Potter is the star of the Harry Potter series. In fact, it's not really a complaint at all; Harry was always my favorite character of the series (well, apart from Professor Lupin), and it made for a more fun, more insightful story to spend our time from his point of view.

But in Heroes of Olympus, we are treated to not one, not two, but seven main characters (stretching to nine by the final installment of the series). And far from making the plotlines overcrowded, it instead offers a unique way of exploring the story, with each character possessing their own flaws, strengths, challenges, and triumphs. There's Frank, a guy who's big and strong but whose secret vulnerability leaves him struggling to find his path; Piper, who no one ever takes seriously (always hard to manage when your mom is Aphrodite), but who soon finds herself taking on challenges of sacrifice and self-discovery; and Leo, my personal favorite, the tongue-in-cheek mechanic who always finds a way to fix things -- even if it costs him.

These teens may be superpowered -- but, like Harry Potter, it's their all-too-understandable struggles to help each other, and find themselves, that makes the story utterly engaging and deeply worthwhile. So if you've already read Harry Potter, give Percy Jackson and his friends a try. You won't be disappointed.

Just watch out for the dragon.


-- Request The Blood of Olympus from the Catalog



-- Post by Ms. B

There and Back Again

July 19th is the 60th anniversary of the first publication of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. Part of the Lord of the Rings fantasy trilogy, these outrageously popular books (and now films) are an undeniable cultural phenomenon in their own right.

But Tolkien's trilogy is responsible for something else, as well: the ushering in of the modern epic fantasy genre. Eager fans finished the Rings trilogy but weren't satisfied with a mere three books, allowing other authors to step in and tell their own tales of grand high fantasy -- many of which were, it has to be said, clear copycats of Tolkien's original.

But there are plenty of epic fantasy novels that, while wholly original, still owe a debt to Tolkien for kickstarting a modern-day interest in the fantasy genre that persists to this day. So in honor of the anniversary, read on for some recommendations of our own fantasy favorites:




-- Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

One of the (understandably) biggest complaints about trying an epic fantasy novel is that, generally speaking, you're kicking off a major reading commitment. Most fantasy novels aren't standalone stories; rather, they're the first book in a three or six or ten-part series, requiring you to devote some serious reading time to get through them.

Warbreaker is that rarest of epic fantasy animals: a standalone novel. There's no sequel, no prequel, no "companion volume" -- just one complete story, told in a single book.

And it's quite a story. Foregoing the usual epic-fantasy traps of long quests for magical talismans, Warbreaker instead revolves around two sisters with an unusual magical power. Though eldest sister Vivenna is the one who originally finds herself betrothed to the God King, it's her flighty and impetuous younger sibling who ends up fulfilling the arrangement. Determined to save her sister, Vivenna promptly follows after her into the city -- only to find herself enmeshed in a world of thieves, immortals, and a god who doesn't believe in his own religion.

The book's twist-filled plot, original magic system, and rich character development make Warbreaker one of my very favorites.

Brandon Sanderson in the Catalog:

-- Warbreaker

Mistborn Trilogy
-- The Final Empire
-- The Well of Ascension
-- The Hero of Ages

Stormlight Archive
-- The Way of Kings
-- Words of Radiance




-- Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb

As a big fan of pirate tales, I'm always on the lookout for fantasy reads that have a few nautical elements to them. In my experience, however, fantasy books with ships and sailors are few and far between.

So I was delighted when I stumbled across Ship of Magic. The first book in a trilogy, it gives you everything you could ask for in a nautical fantasy: ships, sailors, sea serpents, and even a handful of the requisite pirates.

Merchant's daughter Althea Vestrit is determined to do whatever it takes to rescue her father's ship from her ruthless brother-in-law. Young priest-in-training, Wintrow, just wants to find his way back home. And Captain Kennit, the would-be Pirate King, is (like all good pirates) on the lookout for ways to seize as much power as possible. And on an ocean where ship's figureheads are sometimes known to spring to life, nothing will be as simple as it seems.

Robin Hobb in the Catalog:

The Liveship Traders
-- Ship of Magic
-- Mad Ship
-- Ship of Destiny

Farseer Trilogy
-- Assassin's Apprentice 
-- Royal Assassin
-- Assassin's Quest

Tawny Man Trilogy
-- Fool's Errand
-- The Golden Fool
-- Fool's Fate 




-- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

He's been an innkeeper, swordfighter, magician, thief, musician ... and assassin. Our hero, Kvothe, is already a legend -- but the Chronicler who is determined to write down the true story of his exploits quickly finds himself peeling back the layers to find the man behind the myth.

The Name of the Wind kicks off with Kvothe's early days. ("I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in," as he blithely explains.) As the story unfolds for the Chronicler, so too does the truth behind Kvothe's life come into sharp relief. With another uniquely-written system of magic, and plenty of complex characters, this series has quickly become a go-to favorite for many fantasy fans.

Patrick Rothfuss in the Catalog:

Kingkiller Chronicle
-- The Name of the Wind
-- The Wise Man's Fear




-- Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett

There is a curse. They say:
"May you live in interesting times."

The Discworld series started life as a parody of epic fantasy and went on to become, in the course of forty installments, something else entirely. (Don't be scared off by the quantity; each volume is written as a standalone story.) While the intensely wry (and altogether delightful) humor has always remained a constant, the Discworld series has become a complex fantasy universe in its own right, with as delightful a cast of characters as one could ever ask for.

This particular offering stars my favorite character of the series -- Rincewind the wizard, who is so inept that he only knows one spell (and it's not a very useful one). He's also an outrageous coward, although given the number of times someone or something seems hell-bent on killing him, it's rather hard to blame him.

When the Unseen University receives a request for a "Great Wizzard" to be sent to the Counterweight Continent, the faculty decides Rincewind is the only man for the job. What follows is a whirlwind adventure that sees Rincewind running into the likes of  Cohen the Barbarian and his Silver Horde of Warriors (everyone's a bit older now), a villainous Grand Vizier, a well-meaning army -- and Rincewind's old traveling companion, Twoflower. It's exactly the kind of "interesting" adventure that Rincewind so dreads -- and that makes for such delightful, hilarious, and surprisingly poignant reading.

Terry Pratchett in the Catalog:

-- Interesting Times
-- The Colour of Magic
-- Mort
-- Wyrd Sisters
-- Maskerade
-- Guards! Guards!
-- Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman)

"Luck is my middle name. Mind you, my first name is Bad."

-- Rincewind the Wizard

-- Post by Ms. B

Abracadabra

March 24th was master illusionist Harry Houdini's 140th birthday. In honor of the occasion, allow me to recommend some tales and tricks regarding a few fictional -- and real-life! -- magicians:


1. Now You See Me [DVD]

Four talented magicians have been hired by a shadowy employer to perform a different kind of slight-of-hand: the grandest cat-burgling heists that the world has ever seen. To say more would give away much of the plot-twisting fun of this quirky, unique film -- which ended up being a surprise blockbuster last summer.



2. The Prestige [DVD]

Set in Victorian London, two stage magicians are locked in a bitter rivalry to create the perfect illusion. Enlisting the help of assistants, doubles, and even the engineer Nikola Tesla, the magicians race to unlock each other's secrets -- with horrifying results. Based on the book by Christopher Priest, this film was directed and co-written by the director of the Dark Knight trilogy -- Christopher Nolan.



3. Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear by Jim Steinmeyer [NON-FICTION]

The golden age of magicians (1890s-1930s) took place in a time when there was a curious mixing of skepticism and superstition, of science and the supernatural. In this book, Steinmeyer doesn't just reveal the tricks behind the illusions from some of history's best magicians -- he also takes a look at the culture of magic itself. The title is a reference to Harry Houdini, unraveling the "magic" behind his famous 1918 illusion of making Jennie the elephant disappear.



4. Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold [novel]

Set in the "golden age" of magic, this novel stars Carter the Great, a hapless magician who is under suspicion when President Warren Harding turns up dead just hours after appearing beside Carter on stage. What follows is a historical tale that blends mystery, fantasy, and romance, and proved to be a bestseller for the debut author.



5. Half Magic by Edward Eager [novel]

This charming children's book allows four children to become magicians of sorts when they discover a magical charm with the power to grant wishes. There's just one catch: whatever wish you make, it only comes half true. The story is set in the early twentieth century -- but its appeal is timeless.

The Great Illusionist, Harry Houdini

Other magical stories you may like:

-- The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett

-- Magic by William Goldman

-- The Magicians by Lev Grossman

-- The Magician series by Raymond E. Feist

-- Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

-- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

-- The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner

-- The Tempest by William Shakespeare

-- The Illusionist [DVD]

-- Post by Ms. B

We're All Chosen Ones

"Chosen Ones" are a dime a dozen. Be it Frodo Baggins, Luke Skywalker, or Harry Potter, the story of the unsuspecting everyman called to undergo a dangerous but world-altering quest is a familiar fantasy tale. It's a story we all seem to respond to on a human level, and so it's one that is told time and time again.

But despite so many fantasy stories centering on an "everyman" -- that is, a character that theoretically represents all of us -- the role is rarely filled by a woman. So when you're a girl like me, who loves the fantasy genre, finding a rare female "Chosen One" who's every bit as complex, layered, and downright fun as her male counterparts is kind of a big deal.

Hence, Buffy Summers.

She's made of pure Awesome.

The television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer first premiered 17 years ago this week. In the first episode, we're introduced to Buffy Summers, who is the Slayer -- a girl destined to fight vampires, demons, and the other evil creatures that prey on the unsuspecting humans of the world. Armed with super-strength, inhuman reflexes, and a whole lot of wooden stakes, Buffy and her friends spent seven seasons fighting the forces of darkness, while also trying to navigator the even-more-treacherous waters of adolescence. (It's a toss-up which was the tougher job.)

Read any list of kick-butt female characters, and Buffy invariably merits a spot on the list -- as well she should. There are few female heroes as tough, layered, and inspiring as Buffy Summers. Emphasis, in fact, on "inspiring." So in honor of her 17th anniversary, let's take a look at just five of the ways that Buffy shows us gals that we can all be Chosen Ones:



-- She's just an ordinary girl.

She's got ONE quick little errand to run before the Spring Fling dance.

Okay, so she happens to be the one girl in her generation destined by fate to slay vampires. But she's still your typical teenager: trying out for the cheerleading squad, hanging out with her friends at the local club, checking out the latest fashions, pouring over homework assignments.

And, vampires aside, she's got all the usual teen trials and tribulations to deal with, too: school, parents, troublesome boyfriends, snotty cliques, and grown-ups who just don't understand.

Series creator Joss Whedon always intended to make Buffy the Vampire Slayer a metaphor for high school. (Sunnydale High is positioned right atop the gates of Hell -- what high school student can't relate to that?) So it makes sense that the story's hero would have the same interests, problems, and character growth that every teenager must go through. But it's precisely her ordinary problems that make Buffy all the more relatable -- and all the more inspiring.

-- She is, no doubt about it, kick-ass.

Maybe they can let her turn her homework in late, just this one time.

An argument's been made (and it's not without merit) that Buffy Summers is a superhero -- and as such, she's even got the superpowers. She's been supernaturally gifted with super-strength and super-reflexes, making her job as a Slayer just a bit easier. Of course, even with those abilities, she still has to train like any other athlete (or vampire slayer) to keep her abilities sharp and her power focused. 

The origin of Buffy's character is an ironic twist on the horror-film trope of the evil monster and the helpless girl. Buffy turns that cliché on its head through sheer force of will and strength -- and, of course, Buffy's power is not merely physical. She is the gold standard of a strong female character: courageous, resourceful, determined, and, in many ways, resolutely optimistic. She's also got flaws to battle through, the same as anyone else -- which makes it all the more rewarding when she overcomes them. In the process, she's a reminder to her female fans that we can be just as tough and strong when we need to be. 

-- She surrounds herself with great friends.

High school: the toughest years of your life with or without vampires.

Buffy starts off the first season of her show at a brand-new high school. Once there, she's quickly given the opportunity to choose a new group of friends: the cliquey popular girls, led by queen bee Cordelia Chase; or the resident "nerds," Xander and Willow.

For Buffy, it's a no-brainer: she'll take the kind and good-hearted nerds over the "mean girls" any day. It kicks off a theme that continues throughout the show's run, as Buffy continues to recruit further allies: Angel, Oz, Tara, Anya, Dawn, and even Cordelia herself (the "queen bee" eventually comes around). As the seasons progress, Buffy continues to beat the odds as one of the longest-living Slayers of all time, and the reason is simple: she doesn't fight her battles alone. She has her friends. It makes for the perfect reminder that good friends can make you stronger.



-- She knows the importance of knowledge.

Buffy and her right-hand Librarian, Giles.

The librarian at Sunnydale High, Mr. Giles, has a most unusual part-time job: he's a Watcher. That is, he's the official mentor to the Slayer, on hand to help Buffy train, fight, and, most of all, learn everything she needs to know to do her job.

So it's fitting that Buffy and her pals spend so much time in the Sunnydale High library. Understanding the importance of the old saying "know thy enemy," the gang can often be found researching the best methods to put a stop to whatever monster the Hellmouth may be throwing their way that week.

While Buffy's super-strength and fighting abilities are clearly an invaluable tool in her vampire throw-downs, there's no getting around the fact that another of her best weapons is knowledge itself. Without the research, demon slaying would be a whole lot harder. (But, of course, we all already know about the importance of libraries!)



-- She's not just an ordinary girl.

Like all great heroes, though, it's not her superpowers or her destiny that make Buffy special. It's because of the choices she makes: to stand by her friends, to fight for something important, to help the people who need it. She's a hero not because of her talents, but because of what she chooses to use them for -- and that's the kind of hero that any gal (or guy!) can aspire to be.

Brava, Buffy Summers.

In closing: click here to view the YouTube video, "Buffy vs Edward" -- 

a truly delightful fan-made Buffy/Twilight mash-up.

From the Catalog:

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- season one [DVD]

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- season two [DVD]

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- season three [DVD]

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- season four [DVD]

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- season five [DVD]

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- season six [DVD]

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- season seven [DVD]


- Buffy the Vampire Slayer -- the Season Eight Graphic Novel series

- Other Buffy Graphic Novels

-- Post by Ms. B