Looking Forward – Pan Macmillan 2012

Today I went to the Pan Macmillan Adult Presentation having no idea what to expect, and not really sure if I’d even be able to find my way there, but after traversing the Gautrain and a bus I made it to their offices unscathed and in quite a pleasant mood.

The presentation consisted of two parts, their South African books and their international list so without further ado I present some of the titles you can look forward to from Pan Macmillan in 2012:

South African Non-fiction

Two of the series stood out for me here:

Reverend Frank Chikane’s new book Seven Days in September (March 2012) will give the reader a front row seat to removal of Thabo Mbeki as South African president; it will shed light on what happened during those seven days in September 2008, the build-up to it and Mbeki’s legacy.

Chikane has been signed on for three titles with Pan and the book following Seven Days in September will be Things I Could Not Say to be released in September 2012. His other book No Life of My Own will be rereleased to coincide with Seven Days in September.

The other series I am really looking forward to is The Youngsters Series which will consist of a number of smaller, shorter format books focusing of topical issues for young people in South Africa, all the authors are under 35. The series’ editor is Mandy Weiner who wrote the runaway success Killing Kebble. Pan hopes to attract the youth market with these titles, and I think it looks like a fantastic series. Three titles from the series are set to be released in June 2012.

South African Fiction

Three titles from their RSA fiction presentation stood out for me, namely Entanglement, Sarah House and Redemption Song.

Entanglement (March 2012) by Steven Boykey Sidley is set in the USA, and looks at very sweeping themes in a dark, humourous way. I don’t have that many details but by the presentation I can tell the publishers are passionate about this one and I really look forward to it.

Sarah House (March 2012) is a title found in the ‘slush pile’ which looks to be as though it will be the literary highlight for South African fiction next year. It is written by Ifeanyi Ajaegbo, who is a man who works at an NGO in Nigeria helping victims of human trafficking and providing them with safe houses. The novel tells the story of Nita, ‘a young woman who is kidnapped and sold into a terrifying world of prostitution and human trafficking’. I think this is going to be an emotional but important read, especially considering what a huge problem human trafficking is in the world.

And finally for the South African list we have Redemption Song by Amanda Coetzee which follows Badger, from her first book Bad Blood, to Albania and explores traveller communities even further. This book can be read as a standalone, but it will surely win some new fans for Coetzee.

International Fiction

The Trylle Trilogy is coming to a bookstore near you, Amanda Hocking self-published and self-made millionaire has joined St. Martin’s Press and her Trylle Trilogy is set for release in 2012. And I can tell you the covers look absolutely beautiful, no more depressing black and red, or black and blue covers, these full colour covers come to life and I’m sure will bring a whole new following to Hocking’s story. I have already read Switched, but I am really looking forward to the edited, beautiful version. Also I look forward to her untitled Watersong series coming in September 2012.

Easy Money by Jens Lapidus is the other title coming in 2012, he is said to be the next big Scandinavian -English translation hit and US film rights have already been purchased. The first in a trilogy, this book takes the usual Scandinavian crime and throws it over and has sold more than 1 million copies in Sweden alone. Pan Macmillan gave me a proof copy to read, so I will post my review in the near future.

Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer (Book II in the Clifton Chronicles) is set for release in March 2012, the bigger new than this is that Mr. Archer MIGHT be coming on a South African tour to coincide with the release of this title.

Picador will be celebrating their 40^th birthday and are rejacketing some of their titles. I can tell you they look absolutely stunning and I can’t wait to get by book-nerd hands on them.

The Last Rhino by Lawrence Anthony, author of Elephant Whisperer, is releasing this new title in April 2012 which judging by Elephant Whisperer’s success will follow in its footsteps.

Tigers in Red Weather was described as ‘cocktails, jazz, and suppressed violence’. The book is something for fans of books like The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Carol Shaben’s Into the Abyss (August 2012) sounded like a bad joke when presented to us, a criminal hand-cuffed to a policeman, a politician and a pilot survive a plane crash. It’s a true-life adventure written by the politician’s daughter and I am really looking forward to it.

And lastly Peter F. Hamilton’s A Great North Road (October 2012) is being published and Pan have also signed him up for another three titles.

There were many more titles to look forward to but unfortunately you’d be reading forever if I wrote about them all.

Evermore (The Immortals Book I)

At first I thought The Immortals series was going to be another teen vampire romance. And when the book started off very similar to Twilight I thought I had been drawn into another soppy vampire romance. But fear not dear reader, even though Evermore is a young adult novel with a romance it actually has believable characters which is well… unbelievable.

My favourite thing about this book was Ever’s friends, Miles and Haven, firstly this is the first YA book I have read where the main character has a gay friend, which I think is brilliant. Firstly Miles is what I imagine most gay men are like in their teens, if they are “out of the closet”. Haven is the wannabe-moody-goth-girl-I’m-really-just-misunderstood friend who annoys me most of the time, but everyone knew someone like that in high school. And finally we get Damen who luckily is not completely like Edward Cullen in that he is not a goody-two-shoes-have-to-wait-for-marriage stereotype. Damen is a lot more like a teen version Bill Compton.

The story flows quickly and the characters make it an enjoyable ride. Ever is your typical female protagonist who doesn’t really ask too many questions until right at the end when her whole world seems destined to fall apart. A lot of people complain about these types of protagonists, but find me a teenage girl who would ask such things of her new boyfriend or crush and I will tell you know none of them honestly would.

Noel also uses themes such as art, the language of flowers and metaphysics to give depth to her stories which makes this even more enjoyable as these subjects are not generally found in YA lit. The characters are believable teens, concerned with teen issues such as alcohol, tattoos and clubbing. It makes for an enjoying read, which is sure to make you come back for more of The Immortals series. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre, it is one of my favourite YA adult series so far.

Here is the blurb:

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s entire life story by touch. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen.

Damen Auguste is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He’s the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head—wielding a magic so intense, it’s as though he can see straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she’s left with more questions than answers. She has no idea just who he really is—or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is she’s falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

NOTE: I received this as a review copy from Pan Macmillan South Africa however that does not bias my review.

Embassytown

I was lucky to be one of the reviewers who were given the opportunity to review books for Pan Macmillan South Africa. One of the books I was sent to review was Embassytown. I haven’t read proper sci-fi in awhile so here we go:

Embassytown is the sort of book I imagine Noam Chomsky would write if he wrote sci-fi. The intricacy of the politics and its inseparability from language makes this sci-fi very close to what we experience in our own world and even in our own countries and communities. It also touches on other ideas such as drug addiction, relationships, religion and mostly everything involved in life. The world in which Embassytown exists is fascinating and is one of the best worlds I have read about in sci-fi, mainly by the fact that when one thing goes wrong they whole world is affected not just the inhabitant Hosts. Mieville manages to weave together a story that in the beginning won’t make much sense to the reader but in the end it all comes together for a solid ending. It is worth a read however there are some things that detract from the fantastic concept behind Embassytown.

The first thing that I didn’t enjoy about this book was the beginning chapters telling the back story to Avice, the chapters alternate between different times in her life and made for a very muddled beginning, however once you get to the end of the chapters it does all make sense. The other thing that I didn’t enjoy was Avice, I just couldn’t seem to connect with her as a character or understand her motivations. However I think that is the way Mieville wrote her, she was a native of Embassytown but upon her return is viewed as an outsider and she never seems to have a meaningful relationship where you truly believe she is in love or cares about a person more than herself. But as I say I believe there is a reason she was written that way and I do not believe a mushy-gushy character would have suited the concepts behind Embassytown.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book, however keep in mind that it is some serious sci-fi and might not be to everyone’s tastes. Also an understanding of language and how it works will also help you enjoy the story and concepts more. But it is a very good read.

Blurb: In the far future, humans have colonized a distant planet, home to the enigmatic Ariekei, sentient beings famed for a language unique in the universe, one that only a few altered human ambassadors can speak. Avice Benner Cho, a human colonist, has returned to Embassytown after years of deep-space adventure. She cannot speak the Ariekei tongue, but she is an indelible part of it, having long ago been made a figure of speech, a living simile in their language. When distant political machinations deliver a new ambassador to Arieka, the fragile equilibrium between humans and aliens is violently upset. Catastrophe looms, and Avice is torn between competing loyalties—to a husband she no longer loves, to a system she no longer trusts, and to her place in a language she cannot speak yet speaks through her.

South African Books Everyone Should Read

As a South African I am incredibly proud of my heritage. And what I absolutely love is a fantastic home grown book. In my opinion everyone, no matter where you are from should read these books written by astounding South African authors. Their tales of delight, despair and some are just outright strange will keep you glued to the pages.

Here they are:

Zoo City – Lauren Beukes

Winner of the Arthur C. Clarke award I cannot praise this book enough. It brings South African science fiction to the global stage. It is an absolutely beautiful and strange story. Set in Johannesburg it is like someone on Twitter described as a “Jo’burg acid trip”. I loved this book, and I think everyone should read it as it leaves behind the history of South Africa and gives reader’s a glimpse into present South Africa.

Blurb: WHERE NO ONE ELSE DARE VENTURE…
Zinzi has a Sloth on her back, a dirty online 419 scam habit – and a talent for finding lost things. But when her latest client, a little old lady, turns up dead and the cops confiscate her last pay check, she’s forced to take on her least favourite kind of job: missing persons.

Age of Iron – J.M. Coetzee

One of the most haunting stories I have ever read Mrs Curren is one of those characters who has stayed with me since I read this book. J.M. Coetzee weaves together a tale as sad as it is enlightening to read in post-Apartheid South Africa. The courage of Mrs Curren to stand up for her fellow South Africans in her dying days will leave you thinking about the atrocities of mankind and the beauty of one brave soul and the difference they can make.

Blurb:  Near death from rapidly advancing cancer, Cape Town resident Mrs. Curren is a retired university professor and political liberal who has always considered herself a “good person” in deploring the government’s obfuscatory and brutal policies, though she has been insulated from the barbarism they produce. When the teenage son of her housekeeper is murdered by the police and his activist friend is also shot by security forces, Mrs. Curren realizes that “now my eyes are open and I can never close them again.” The only person to whom she can communicate her anguished feelings of futility and waste is an alcoholic derelict whom she prevails on to be her messenger after her death, by mailing the packet of her letters to her daughter. In them she records the rising tide of militancy among young blacks; brave, defiant and vengeful, they are a generation whose hearts have turned to iron.

Deadlands – Lily Herne

South African zombie novel (who doesn’t love zombies?) will keep you reading ‘til the wee hours of the morning. Absolutely riveting and the first South African zombie novel I have come across it is a must read. DO IT!

Blurb: Ten years after Cape Town was destroyed in the War with the living dead, zombies ramble free in Cape Town’s suburbs (known as the Deadlands), and the remaining living are either in fenced in on farms or in urban shantytowns. The living are watched over by the mysteriously robed Guardians, a race of humanoid figures who appeared at the end of the War and who keep the living dead at bay, albeit for a steep price. Every year the Guardians stage a human Lottery and select five aspiring teenagers to be whisked out of the enclave for a secret purpose. To be one of the chosen five is a highly sought after and prestigious accolade. No one (yet) knows why it is that the Guardians prize teenage bodies so highly, how they control the zombies or what they look like under the robes that cover their bodies.

Spud – John van de Ruit

I’m not the biggest fan of Spud to be completely honest; however it is one of those books you have to read. It will have you going through all the emotions you can possibly imagine and will leave you much the same as you were before but you will have been entertained.

Blurb: It’s South Africa, 1990. The country still squirms under the iron fist of apartheid. Two major events are about to happen: The release of Nelson Mandela, and more importantly, it’s Spud Milton’s first year at an elite boys only private boarding school. Cursed with parents from well beyond the lunatic fringe, a senile granny, and a dormitory full of strange characters, Spud has to forge a new life for himself in this foreign and sometimes hostile environment. Surrounded by names such as Gecko, Rambo, Rain Man and Mad Dog, Spud takes his first tentative steps along the path towards manhood. (The path, it seems, could be a rather long road.) Armed with only his wits and his diary, Spud takes us from illegal nightswimming to the cricket field, from ghostbusting to teacher baiting. He also invites us into the mind of a boy struggling to come to terms with a strange new world; a boy whose eyes are being opened to love, friendship and complete insanity.

I am Number Four

Synopsis: John Smith is not your average teenager. He regularly moves from small town to small town. He changes his name and identity. He does not put down roots. He cannot tell anyone who or what he really is. If he stops moving those who hunt him will find and kill him. But you can’t run forever. So when he stops in Paradise, Ohio, John decides to try and settle down. To fit in. And for the first time he makes some real friends. People he cares about – and who care about him. Never in John’s short life has there been space for friendship, or even love. But it’s just a matter of time before John’s secret is revealed. He was once one of nine. Three of them have been killed. John is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

Despite the fact that this book is co-written by James Frey, and I seriously detest him. I quite enjoyed it. The characters were pretty solid (except for the girlfriend – she was just annoying as per usual in young adult fiction), I especially liked the Henry character. What I also enjoyed about this book was that it wasn’t vampires, werewolves or other paranormal beings but aliens. And I love a good alien.

It’s a quick read, and entertaining. Something to read while relaxing or on holiday and you want something quick to read that doesn’t require much brain power. The writing isn’t bad, and I can see why Frey managed to sell so many books (despite being featured and then persecuted on Oprah). His writing combined with that of his co-author flows consistently and makes for an enjoyable read.

I loved the world of Lorien and how their world functioned as a stark contrast to our own, but as something to aspire to. The Mogadorians are also quite interesting and the themes that run throughout the novel can be easily identified.

I would definitely recommend this book as a quick read, but do not go watch the movie. It’s awful! I have never seen such a bad adaptation in my entire life. The character of John in the movie is nothing, ABSOLUTELY nothing like the character in the book. The movie took up two hours of my life I will never get back. The only good thing about the movie was Timothy Olyphant and even he couldn’t save it from disaster.

In conclusion: read the book and forget the movie exists.