Creating the World of Terabu by Special Guest Lauren Salisbury (Discernment Blog Tour)

Today we are thrilled to welcome Lauren Salisbury to Lands Uncharted as part of the blog tour celebrating her new release, Discernment! Discernment is the latest installment in The Legacy Chronicles, a series inspired by the life of Moses and the women around him. Fascinating, right? And Lauren took the time to share about her worldbuilding with us! I'll share more about Discernment and the blog tour below (including a GIVEAWAY!!), but first, here's Lauren!

Creating the World of Terabu

Worldbuilding is my happy place. I love everything about it from flora and fauna to cultural systems and histories. For each new setting in The Legacy Chronicles, I start with one concrete idea and built from there. In book one, U’du needed a harsh environment for the slaves to endure. The space cruiser where the Esarelians lived in book two needed to reflect their cold, unfeeling natures and their focus on advancement and prestige. Terabu needed to be completely different from either of those, and it had to revolve around trade.

The culture of Terabu, I decided, would be vibrant, with many layers to explore. It is partially based on my experiences of living in the Middle East and was so much fun to create. The textures, colours, and scents are big and bold, dazzling in their array, inviting in their warmth. The people are hospitable, traditional, and honourable. The weather is temperate, and the scenery is stunning.

One of the things I loved most about my time in Beirut was the food. Rich, fresh, and flavourful, even the thought of some of those meals makes my mouth water and evokes wonderful memories. I did not insert specific dishes into Discernment, but the overall feel of their food is the same. Lots of stews and salads, spices and dips, fruit eaten fresh from the trees, and a cottage industry around an olive-like plant called roiga.

In terms of the society itself, the first decision I made was to remove money from the equation, creating a stark contrast with the other species in the series. Teraburans use a barter system built on honour, where a man’s word is his bond. This led naturally to an abhorrence for lying that allowed me to put several characters in situations where that could be tested. It also informed some of the colloquialisms used in the novel.

 
“But how did you translate this into a science fiction setting?” you ask. By being extremely creative and by employing my secret weapons—my nieces.

I try to include them in my writing journey because I love feeding their creativity, and they get so excited about seeing their ideas in print. Terabu’s flora and fauna began with a strange plant with black sap called qayk and half-chicken half-octopus type creatures called vevom. Did I mention I went to my youngest nieces for Discernment? That was okay, it provided a challenge, and they got to have fun inventing weird and wonderful things.

Other aspects came from being the quirky individual that I am. I love to play with things, finding unique ways to see them. Graxylan came from wondering how dangerous sloths would be if they could move fast. Duntratha are my answer to how to insert dragons into science fiction—you make them wingless and use them to ride. And space pirates just because.

Adding technology also gave the story a more science fiction feel, though I was careful not to undermine the traditional culture I had created. The Teraburans are no fools. When off-worlders first arrived, they saw the need for defence and the development of more advanced technology. Fortunately, they were able to trade for these things, using their skills with produce and textiles to form partnerships that prevented them being swallowed up by the powerful Esarelians. Now they are the central supplier in the known universe, which means they can live relatively free from interference.

At the end of the day, Discernment is about the people, and no matter where we go and what technology we have, people are the same. We all have dreams, goals, families, cultural values and expectations, and we all want to be seen and accepted for who we are. Discernment, hopefully, deals with that issue. But it’s okay to read it for the space pirates and sekala buns too.

Doesn't this sound amazing?? Now I'm even more excited to get started reading! And Lauren even included a fun recipe for us inspired by the food of Terabu!

In case you want to know more about Discernment, here's the back cover blurb:

In Jiya’s world, the only choice a woman has is who she will marry. When she meets a mysterious off-worlder, she must decide how far she is willing to push the boundaries of Teraburan culture to gain her freedom, and whether that is truly what she wants.

Mahsan has never been accepted for who he is. The sole human raised on an Esarelian cruiser, his attempts to belong led only to disaster and him becoming a fugitive. When he is invited into the home of a Teraburan clan leader, he finds a place where he could finally put down roots. But his past haunts him, and he will need to make peace with it if he wants any kind of future in his new home.

Not everyone approves of Jiya and Mahsan’s friendship, and some will stop at nothing to keep them apart. As the unlikely pair discover their true calling, they will have to confront everything they thought they knew and learn to see themselves as they never have before.

You can purchase Discernment HERE, and find the other books in the series HERE. And make sure to connect with the author on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

And I didn't forget about the giveaway!! Enter below, and for extra chances to win make sure to stop by the rest of the stops on the blog tour (find the full schedule HERE) and collect the word and number for each! The number and word for this stop are 14. want. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for visiting today, Lauren, and congratulations on your new release!!

 Story Snippets: The Compound (Katie)

One of the most popular questions I get asked is whether I've ever written any other stories set in the dystopipan world of my Enslaved Series. The answer to that question is yes...but it's never seen the light of day. I've always meant to finish up this other story within that story world, and because I was once again asked about it recently, I thought I'd share a snippet of that story here.

Before we jump into it though, I wonder. Have you ever read the Enslaved trilogy? What about other dystopian stories? Do you like dystopian as a rule?

The Compound

Amelia stood on her tiptoes but it didn’t help. Hammond stood in line in front of her—the big oaf—and she couldn’t see a thing past him. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pants and tucked a wisp of blond hair back into its bun at the nape of her neck. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and her irritation.

It would be different if she hadn’t been waiting her whole life—twelve years—for this moment. Twelve years of living indoors, never seeing outside. No sun, no stars, no fresh air.

But this year she’d reached the mark. She had turned twelve just last week, and that qualified her for this quarter’s new worker assignment ceremony. They waited in line now for their first tours of the outside world and their assignment stations. Life outside the dormitory walls would be amazing. Amelia knew it.

“Can you believe this?” James whispered. “We’ve been waiting our whole lives for this moment.”

Goose bumps prickled Amelia’s arms and she grinned at her very best friend in the compound. “Yeah, but this is different for me. They let you outside last week. Today is my first time.”

James opened his mouth like he would reply, but they were interrupted.

“Amelia, did you have something important to say?” Guard Meyers strolled toward her in the narrow hallway, swinging his electricity stick in a long arc.

Amelia eyed the stick. “Sorry Sir. I’m just excited.”

His gaze hammered her. “Everyone’s excited. Keep quiet, please. We have these rules for a reason.”

“Of course. I mean, yes sir.” Amelia quickly looked away. Her mother had warned her to show more respect to the guards, but especially to Guard Meyers. He’d been her father’s best friend back when her father was alive. Not that she remembered much about her father now, but she did know he’d been close with Guard Meyers. That made Guard Meyers her favorite, and she was his favorite too. Everyone knew it. But if she was caught being too familiar or disrespectful, it would cause trouble. That would be bad, for Amelia and possibly for Guard Meyers.

She craned her neck again to see around Hammond. How far back were they from the door?

Finally, the buzzer sounded and Amelia’s breath caught. This was it! She was about to see sunlight. Smell fresh air. Maybe even feel a breeze on her cheeks.

The doors started their slow crank apart. Amelia pressed her eyes closed and took a deep breath. Would she cry?

Don’t be a baby.

The line inched forward, and Amelia marched in formation toward the doorway. Already the air felt different. Sticky instead of dry.

“Name?”

Amelia glanced at the guard. It was someone she’d never seen before, a woman. She didn’t smile at Amelia, even when Amelia smiled at her. “Amelia Linden, twelve.”

“You are all twelve,” the woman said. “I only asked for your name.”

Amelia gulped. “Sorry.”

The woman typed something into her comp screen. “You may pass,” she said without looking up.

Amelia gulped again and stepped outside. Warm air hit her arms and she grinned. Sunshine. It was sunshine on her arms! She let herself look up toward the sky for the very first time ever. Her breath caught and she paused. A bluebird—something Amelia had only seen in pictures—swooped through the sky and landed on a tree branch. An actual tree!

A large courtyard surrounded the front doors of the compound. Intricately carved bushes and plants lined the concrete walkways, and benches were placed throughout the area.

She could stay here forever.

 

Story Snippets: The PRISM Conpiracy by Mary Schlegel (Sarah)

I'm delighted to welcome speculative fiction author Mary Schlegel to Lands Uncharted today! She's sharing an excerpt from her upcoming science fiction novel, The PRISM Conspiracy.

 

BACK COVER COPY

An incredible job. An exasperating android. An all-too-human secret.

Fresh out of art school, Abigail Huntley gets the chance of a lifetime working for Sphinx Architecture. Her remarkable talent has also landed her a remarkable work partner: a cutting-edge android named Rory, who appears so completely human that Abigail struggles to remember he's just a machine. If only his stiff interactions and coldly logical approach to everything didn't stifle her creativity.

But as time goes by, Rory shows subtle changes in his behavior, making Abigail wonder if he has achieved self-awareness. Despite her reservations, she finds herself warming to him, even attracted to him. Then an accident crashes Rory's programming-and leaves him bleeding, with human memories of a medical experiment inflicted by the mysterious organization, PRISM.

And now, here's the sneak peak from the book itself:

After extensive research, Abigail had decided on Dragonfire Grill for dinner. An upscale, East-meets-West establishment, it came with dozens of rave reviews to recommend it. She had made a reservation that morning, and when she and Rory left her car and headed towards the doors, she was glad she had, as there was already a line stretching a good distance down the sidewalk.

A waitress seated them and provided them with glasses of water, menus, and a wine list, then returned a few minutes later to take their orders before disappearing again.

“So,” Abigail said, taking a sip of water, “what are you thinking about, Rory? Or should I say processing?”

“I am thinking about the ugly duckling.”

“Really? What part of it are you thinking about?”

“I am thinking about the meaning you find in the story—about the truth and the lesson that you see. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think you perceive the story to mean that a conclusion regarding an outcome should not be drawn based on the early stages of an incomplete process, if not all of the potential variables in the equation are known. Am I correct?”

Abigail blinked. “Say that again—slower this time.”

Rory repeated it while Abigail lined the pieces up one by one in her head and sorted through them.

“Okay, I think…I think that makes sense,” she said. “Yes, that’s what the story means.” As she said it, though, it dawned on her that Rory’s programming shouldn’t have allowed him to draw such a conclusion. A mindless piece of software running purely on protocols and code should not have been capable of the abstract thought required to apply the message of the story to the real world. How had he done that? Was it just coincidence? Or was she underestimating Rory’s true capacity for learning?

“I have enjoyed spending the day with you today, Abigail,” Rory said.

Abigail shook herself out of her train of thought. “What?”

“I have enjoyed spending today with you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Abigail started to smile, but she was confused. “But…but what does that mean—you ‘enjoyed’ it? Does that just mean it does something good for your programming, or…or what?”

Rory stared at her with the same look he’d had on his face in the park, that look of being just at the edge of feeling something. Abigail found herself unconsciously leaning forward, staring back with equal intensity.

“I…I am…” His expression was strained—almost like he was in pain. “I am having…difficulty…processing that question.”

“Try breaking it into smaller pieces,” Abigail said. “That’s what I do when I get overwhelmed.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, focus on just one aspect of the question. Start with a little piece, and then add another little piece, and once you get enough pieces you can build something big.”

There was a long silence. “I do not understand.”

“Then let’s just try something different. Look at your shirt—you’re wearing your favorite color. Have you ever done that before?”

Rory looked down at his sleeve. “No. I have never worn purple before.”

“Does wearing that feel any different than wearing the blue you usually wear? Or, does it make you think anything different? Send a different message to your programming?”

The look in Rory’s eyes deepened, as though he was searching the very deepest parts of his mind for something.

“Purple…” he whispered. “Purple.”

Abigail waited for him to go on, but he didn’t. “Rory?”

He raised his eyes to hers, and he was actually frowning now. “Why do I like purple?”

“I…I don’t know,” Abigail said. “I asked you that, remember? You said you didn’t have access to that information.”

“But there has to be a reason. My programming is designed to form preferences from highly detailed algorithms…and yet I cannot locate the algorithm process that created my preference for the color purple in my files.”

Abigail narrowed her eyes as she tried to follow his train of thought. He couldn’t locate the algorithm that had created his preference for purple…but what about the algorithms behind the other preferences that he hadn’t been able to explain to her?

“Who is your favorite scientist, Rory?”

“Stephen Hawking.”

“And why do you like him?”

Another long silence. Then, “I cannot find that algorithm either.”

“And your favorite song?”

“Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.”

“How about that algorithm?”

Silence. “I cannot find it.”

“Well, is it—I mean, I don’t know much about how programming and stuff works, but—but is it possible that your programmers just gave you preferences like that with no real reason? Like, maybe the programmer admired Stephen Hawking, so he made him your favorite too, with no real reason, no algorithm, behind it.”

“That is not possible.”

“Why not?”

“Because there are extensive regulations that PRISM programmers are required to follow, one of which is that they are not allowed to impart any of their own personality to an artificial intelligence of any form. Arbitrarily granting preferences to an android is strictly prohibited.”

“So, either someone at PRISM did some big-time rule breaking, or…” Abigail trailed off and watched Rory, hoping that maybe he could fill in some other option she couldn’t think of.

“My system must have spontaneously deleted the files,” he said. “It must have happened before the last time my programmers defragmented my software, but I have not found any evidence of such a glitch in any of my diagnostic scans.”

At the word “glitch,” Abigail suddenly remembered all of the “glitches” that Rory had had over the last week, when he just sat or stood there, frozen. He never seemed to have any memory of those incidents. Was it possible that he had some kind of severe glitch or virus that was randomly deleting files from his brain, and erasing his memory with them? He was a prototype, after all, the first of his kind to be introduced into human society as a free agent. There were bound to be a few bugs in his system.

“Maybe…” She didn’t want to overreact or worry him without reason, but that did seem kind of serious. “Maybe the next time your programmers do that defragmenting thing, you should talk to them about it.”

“If I have not been able to locate the files before then, I certainly will.”

“Good.”

And then came the awkward silence. Abigail groaned inwardly. She had hoped maybe they were getting past having those. But then, of course, how in the world were they supposed to follow up a conversation like that?

“I have made you uncomfortable,” Rory said.

Abigail looked at him, startled. “What?”

“You are uncomfortable,” he repeated. “I am sorry.”

“No, no, don’t apologize, it’s…it’s not that I’m uncomfortable, it’s just…I just don’t quite know what to say next.”

“You should tell me about something you like,” Rory said.

Abigail reached for her glass and took another sip of water. “And why is that?”

“Because when you talk about things you care about, you smile.”

“Yeah…so?”

“I like it when you smile.”

She lowered her glass to the table slowly. “You do?”

“Yes, I do.”

She wrapped her fingers around the glass’s stem and squeezed, knowing she shouldn’t ask but unable to resist the temptation. “And…is that algorithm missing too?”

“No, that one is securely accounted for. I like it when you smile because it means that you are happy. I like it when you are happy because I like you. I like you because you are kind to me, because you treat me like a human rather than a machine, because you treat me like a human who is your friend, because you have taken the time to teach me how to behave more like a human, because you challenge me, and because you are irrational and illogical.”

Abigail felt like her face was about to explode from blushing so much, but she still snickered a little at that last one. “You like the fact that I’m illogical and irrational? That doesn’t drive you crazy or mess up your algorithms or something?”

Rory shook his head. “No, as I said, it challenges me. I believe you have shown me the truth that is at the core of what it means to be human.”

“And…” Abigail’s voice quivered as she spoke. “And what is that truth?”

“Freedom. You are free to be illogical. You are free to make decisions based on feelings and sensations and emotions rather than merely on protocols and algorithms and programming and facts.”

“And that’s a good thing?”

Rory leaned forward just slightly…and smiled.

“Yes, Abigail, that is a good thing.”

Abigail stared at him, wide-eyed, unable to move. He had smiled. He had smiled! In the entire week she’d known him she had never seen him smile before—ever. Seeing it now for the first time sent warmth swirling around her heart, and she found herself instinctively reaching across the table for his hand…

And suddenly she realized that she had feelings for him.

Feelings. For Rory.

For a robot.

She jerked her hand back, barely noticing as her water glass shattered on the floor beside their table.

What have I done?!

***

I want to keep reading...what about you? The PRISM Conspiracy releases September 22, 2020, but if you enjoyed this excerpt, you can pre-order now.

And if you'd like to hear more from Mary, I invite you to visit her website or Facebook page. Thanks for sharing today, Mary!

Weekend Reads: Random Walk by Rachel Lulich (Lizzie)

I occasionally read out of my normal genres, and a recent excursion brought me to the hard science fiction novel Random Walk (Fractured Galaxy Book 1) by Rachel Lulich. I would classify the read as a very thrilling and enjoyable trip. One clear out of the solar system. :) Basically, it's a modern day Apollo 13 with a black hole instead of the dark side of the moon. Enough said, right?

Random Walk tells the story of three US Air Force Space Command astronauts, Derek Williams, Jacob Mendez, and Vicky Abrams, as they test an experimental engine on a flight to Mars. Things go wrong, of course, and they travel much farther than they thought possible, or wanted to go.

The book started a little slow for me, but then I wasn't used to hard science fiction, but once I got used to all the detail, I began to enjoy it. The research was spectacular, and I feel like I know what it's really like to be an astronaut or to be in mission control (this part really made me think of Apollo 13 and Hidden Figures).

I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid, and have always been a science nerd, so I enjoyed the realism and science of it. I also like the diverse array of characters, the clever solutions, the awe of being in space. There was tension with the troubles they found themselves in, a realistic amount of interpersonal getting-on-one-another's-nerves (which we can all relate to, especially during quarantine) but nothing overly dramatic, and some exciting danger. I don't want to say too much so I don't spoil anything, but I've very much looking forward to the next book.

If you like hard science fiction or want to branch out and read something different, check out Random Walk (Fractured Galaxy Book 1) by Rachel Lulich.

Weekend Reads: Space Drifters: The Emerald Enigma (Lizzie)

Is it a bad morning when your spaceship is surrounded by star pirates and then captured by a bounty hunter--all before you've had a chance to change out of your pajamas? Captain Glint Starcrost thinks so. But while it's unpleasant for him, it's rather entertaining for me.

I don't usually read science fiction. It's not that I dislike it; I just usually go for the genres I am already familiar with. But Space Drifters: The Emerald Enigma has a catchy cover and was said to be funny, so I decided to give it a try. Verdict: It's well worth the foray into science fiction. In short, if you like Guardians of the Galaxy, you'll like Space Drifters. Glint Starcrost has a similar immature but lovable adventurer-playboy personality as Chris Pratt's character.

The Emerald Enigma is a humorous adventure story that follows Glint's quest for the Emerald Enigma (a gem stone said to grant wishes). Only the quest also involves escaping bounty hunters and old space academy rivals. To add to the enjoyment, Glint has a fun group of fellow travelers, including the super-intelligent, talented, and (currently) peaceable reptilian warrior Blix; the time-traveling teen from the past Nevlan; the passive-aggressive ship's computer Iris; and the beautiful bounty hunter Jasette. 

This is an Enclave book, so it's clean. It also has an interesting Christian thread to it in that the time-traveling teen has a Bible in his backpack when he shows up on ship, and Blix, like the others of his kind, are compulsive book stealers/readers. I'm curious to see how that plays out, and to know if Glint ever matures... There are three books in the series, and I'm looking forward to reading those too, so I'll have to see what happens.

Have you ever read Space Drifters? How often do you branch out from your usual genres?

Top 3 Man-Made Characters (Laurie)

I had trouble coming up with the right title for this post because I wasn't quite sure how to describe these characters. For a fantasy reader such as myself, "Non-Human" is way too broad a term because it would bring lots of my favorite fantasy creatures into the mix. And they're not all robots, exactly, since one is a computer system...

Anyway, what I'm trying to get at today are favorite characters who are mechanical or man-made. They aren't even truly alive, but somehow the authors gave them so much personality that they made significant impacts on their respective books and have stayed with me long after I finished reading. Although I don't tend to read a lot of science fiction in general, I had lots of fun coming up with this Top 3 list :) Enjoy!



3. Iko from The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Cinder's lovable android in The Lunar Chronicles just jumps up from the page in every single scene she's in. Bursting with energy and spunk, she never fails to bring comic relief, though her over-the-top flirtatiousness and obsession with fashion did make me roll my eyes a few times. But despite her tendency to be a bit ridiculous, I really appreciated her self-confidence despite androids' low societal status and most of all, her extreme loyalty to Cinder.








2. Hart from the Nyssa Glass series by H.L. Burke

As much as I enjoyed Nyssa's character in this series, it was Hart's first appearance that totally got me hooked. You'd never guess a house's central computer system could have so much personality, but Hart had such a delightful playfulness, complete with shy flirtations and an array of jokes - sometimes funny, sometimes adorably lame. The way he came to care for Nyssa made me absolutely melt. Never before (and probably never again!) have I ever wished I could hug a computer program :)






1. Dominic from The Electrical Menagerie by Mollie E. Reeder

I recently finished The Electrical Menagerie, and Dominic was the inspiration for this entire post! Dominic was so wonderfully robotic, and yet not, that he managed to stand out even amid a cast of fun, intriguing human characters. I loved the way he cared so much for Carthage, his creator / master, but also poked fun at his human absurdities. He had so many fabulous one-liners where his robotic understanding of situations turned into pure comedy. And yet he also shared some of the deepest wisdom in the book, in a scene that may or may not have made me cry... (By the way, be on the lookout for my full review of this book later this summer!)





I have to give an honorable mention to Tegan, the AI in Jebraun Clifford's story "Beyond the Stars, Past the Moons" in the Encircled anthology. He doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he still manages to make an impression with his snarky attitude and memorable quotes!


So now I want to hear from YOU! Who are some of your favorite "man-made" characters? Have you read any of these books?


Thanks for reading!
Laurie

Top Three TBR Middle Grade Books With Green Covers (KaLyn)

How about a little festive book fun, since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day?

Green is not the most common color for a book cover, but some great reads that do feature it in an eye-catching fashion. Here are three middle-grade books with green covers from my to-be-read pile that may interest you.

NICK NEWTON: THE HIGHEST BIDDER

by S.E.M. Ishida

You may recall seeing Nick Newton on Lands Uncharted before. I posted a review of the first book, Nick Newton is not a Genius, back in November. Nick Newton: The Highest Bidder is the second book in the series. The upbeat, fun, and compassionate heart of the first book enticed me to add the second book to my list.

About Nick Newton: The Highest Bidder

Nick, a merely average boy from the country of Thauma, has learned that one doesn't need to be a genius or wealthy to have amazing adventures. All one needs is to keep going. When Solomon decides to put Elizabeth the android back together, Nick promises to help in any way that he can. He learns many important lessons, like the value of a speck, and to dodge mechanical baby strollers, fencing sisters, and auction bids. If all goes well, he might even make a few new friends too.

SENT

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Sent is the second book in The Missing series. You can find a review of the first book, Found, on my blog. Found began with the government cover-up of an event involving thirty-four babies who were put up for adoption, and then mysteriously drawn to investigate the incident thirteen years later. I enjoyed reading the first book enough to pick up the second, but it was the twist in the final reveal that had me splurge to pick up the whole series.

About Sent

Jonah, Katherine, Chip, and another boy, Alex, have no preparation before they are sent back to 1483 at the Tower of London, with the promise that they can return to the present if they can repair history. They quickly discover that Chip and Alex’s true identities are the 13-year-old King Edward V and his 10-year-old brother, Richard, Duke of York. But before Chip can enjoy being the king of England, they discover that they are virtually prisoners—and that their uncle wants them dead. How can the kids repair time and return home when according to history, Chip and Alex were murdered?

SKY JUMPERS

by Peggy Eddleman

I came across Sky Jumpers a few years ago, when I was putting my first book proposal together. A courageous, base-jumping heroine from a town of inventors was hard to resist. But, to be honest, I forgot about the book until I began writing this post. It got buried in my wildly, out of control to-be-read-pile. Maybe it's time to reprioritize the stack and move Sky Jumpers up towards the top?

About Sky Jumpers

Twelve-year-old Hope lives in White Rock, a town of inventors struggling to recover from World War III. But adventurous Hope is terrible at inventing. She would much rather sneak off to cliff dive into the Bomb’s Breath, the deadly band of air that surrounds the town.

When bandits invade White Rock to steal its greatest invention—priceless antibiotics—the town is left with a heartbreaking choice: hand over the medicine and die from disease, or die fighting the bandits. Help lies in a neighboring town, but the bandits count everyone fourteen and older each hour. Now Hope and her friends Aaren and Brock are only ones who can escape through the Bomb’s Breath.

For once, the daring and rebelliousness that usually get Hope into trouble might just save them all.

What green books would you recommend?

Portal Time: Your Turn (Julie)

Alright readers, let's have some fun. If books were portals, which book would you love to be sucked in to for a day? 

Are you a sci-fi geek and want to end up in a story like Ender's Game or War of the Worlds entrenched in high tech gadgets or fighting aliens?

Maybe you prefer the fantasy realm? Learning magic at Hogwarts, live in an underwater community, setting foot in Hobbiton, or hanging out with the fairy tale characters we all know and love?

Or perhaps you want to experience our world in the future like in Scythe or The Hunger Games?

This is a momentously hard question for me to answer. One book for one day?? Right now it's a tie between Harry Potter and Fablehaven. Two of my favorite series. I mean who wouldn't want to roam around Hogwarts and sit in on Professor McGonagall's class? Or learn how to fly a broomstick? Then again, who wouldn't want to visit a magical creatures's preserve and meet all those exciting magic beings? Both would be jammed packed with adventures and cool characters. 

But then again to travel over Middle Earth!!! *Sigh* too many. But now that I've had to chose, what about you? What book calls to you?

The Dark Life (Julie)

Ocean lovers, this one is for you. Or really, anyone who enjoys an adventure with likable characters and cool technology.  The Dark Life, by Kat Falls, is classified sci-fi but could also fall into the dystopian category.  The story is set sometime in the future where the ocean has swallowed up much of the land, making it scarce. What is different about this one is that it doesn't go into a lot of details about how the catastrophe happened and the subsequent change afterwards. The author gives just enough clues but doesn't make that the story focus.

What it does focus on is the underwater world and the lives of the people trying to get by. Ty, 15 years old, is the first baby born subsea in the experimental, underwater settlement, Benthic. There on the ocean floor are flexible houses shaped like sea creatures totally built to sustain life. It's hard work for the pioneers, but the ability to have space is worth it for them.

Ty spends his days helping his family and exploring dark places where dangers lurk, to the chagrin of his parents. Ty is also hiding a secret called a Dark Gift. I won't spoil the gift, but it's pretty cool. As useful as the gift is, Ty refuses to acknowledge it because he is worried people will consider him a freak. He already looks a bit different-his skin glows from eating a lot of bio luminescent fish. Topsiders, those who reside above water, already think the settlers are crazy and assume the water pressure is messing with their brains.

On one of his unauthorized explorations, Ty comes across a derelict sub and meets an orphaned topsider named Geema. While inspecting the sub, a feared group of outlaws come to take the sub away. Ty and Geema escape, but the event sends them into dangerous and

shocking adventure that threatens the survival of Benthic and possibly Ty himself.

Overall, I loved the book and just bought book 2. Ty and Geema are both strong but have distinct weaknesses that give them depth and make them more relate-able. I enjoyed the relationship between the two and how it is blossoming into a sweet, clean romance.

The world building with all the underwater gadgets and technology, especially the houses, is pretty cool.

But don't just take my word for it, check it out for yourself:)

Your Turn: Gadgets and Gizmos (KaLyn)

It's no secret that science fiction has introduced many gadgets and gizmos long before they were a reality: cell phones, in-ear headphones, virtual reality games, electric cars, etc. (If you're curious to discover more, check out Gizmodo's infographic covering the various ideas that went from science fiction to science fact.)

Of course, there are also those that have yet to become a reality despite the best efforts of many - like the hoverboards in Back to the Future. While the hoverboards on the market currently are fun to ride, they still don't actually hover above the ground.

Personally, I'm waiting on teleporters to become a part of everyday living. There are some intriguing prospects out there in the field of quantum mechanics, but it'll be awhile yet before anyone can walk into their living room and say "Beem me up, Scotty."

What about you, any science fiction inventions you're hoping will become a reality?

Top 3 Sci-fi Books with Movies in 2018 (KaLyn)

Many of my books are still in boxes from moving over New Year's, so Maze Runner is not pictured here.

Books and movies are two of my favorite forms of entertainment. Although a movie, by nature, can't provide the same level of depth as a book, they do provide a visual treat - carving beloved characters from between the pages.

Here are three sci-fi books with movies coming out this year.

1) Maze Runner: The Death Cure by James Dashner (Movie released January 26th)
The Death Cure is the final book in the series. However, the story has continued with two prequels (the most recent released in 2016).  As for the movies, this year's is reported to be the last Maze Runner film. They've been well-done and entertaining. However, I can't compare them to the books because the books are still on my to-be-read pile. One day... one day...

Here's the book blurb from Amazon:

WICKED has taken everything from Thomas: his life, his memories, and now his only friends—the Gladers. But it’s finally over. The trials are complete, after one final test.

What WICKED doesn’t know is that Thomas remembers far more than they think. And it’s enough to prove that he can’t believe a word of what they say.

Thomas beat the Maze. He survived the Scorch. He’ll risk anything to save his friends. But the truth might be what ends it all.

The time for lies is over.

2) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (Movie releasing March 9th)
A Wrinkle in Time is an award-winning, classic tale of good vs evil combining science fiction and fantasy, physics and Shakespear. Fun fact #1: This book is the origin of the opening line, "It was a dark and stormy night." Fun fact #2: Author Madeleine L'Engle came up with the idea for "A Wrinkle in Time" after reading about particle physics and quantum mechanics (you can read more in the interview transcript on Scholastic's website here). The interesting thing about quantum mechanics is that the underlying math is based on probability theory. Naturally providing for lots of writing possibilities with spooky science.

Here's the book blurb from Amazon:

It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

"Wild nights are my glory," the unearthly stranger told them. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of ways, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."

A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book. A Wrinkle in Time, winner of the Newbery Medal in 1963, is the story of the adventures in space and time of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin O'Keefe (athlete, student, and one of the most popular boys in high school). They are in search of Meg's father, a scientist who disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government on the tesseract problem.

3) Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (Moving releasing December 14th)
Mortal Engines delivers a dystopian steampunk adventure where cities are mobile and little is known or understood about our present existence and technology. Interestingly, the book's opening line brings to mind A Wrinkle in Time: "It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing a small mining town across the dried-out bed of the old North Sea."

Here's the book blurb from Amazon:

London is hunting again. Emerging from its hiding place in the hills, the great Traction City is chasing a terrified little town across the wastelands. Soon, London will feed.

In the attack, Tom Natsworthy is flung from the speeding city with a murderous scar-faced girl. They must run for their lives through the wreckage -- and face a terrifying new weapon that threatens the future of the world.

Out of the three, I am most looking forward to A Wrinkle in Time. Which one are you most excited about?

Top 3 Most Anticipated Books of 2017 (Jill)

Summer is upon us. My kids are in their last few days of school, and dreams of a relaxing summer vacation are almost a reality.  In an effort to get some serious writing time in June (and hopefully finish a first draft), I'll be establishing a designated reading time for the kiddos. Once I type "The End," I'll join them with a book from my To Be Read pile. While there are quite a few books on my To Be Read list, every month more are added. So I wanted to share my Top 3 Most Anticipated Books for 2017.

3. Ending Fear by Deanna Fugett

I'm not sure what it is about dystopian novels. Maybe it's the fact I can't write them, but I always enjoy reading them. This one deals with the fear that can become an intrinsic part of our personality.
Fear, the heroine, has faced a lot in her young life. But after finding a new, loving family, she's forced to act when her young sister Happy is kidnapped. Throw in floating cities, hoverpods, and a ranch for throwaway children, this book begs to be read as summer winds down. This YA dystopian debut novel is scheduled for a mid-July release.

 2. The  Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber
While Mary Weber's Storm Siren Trilogy was pure fantasy, this book is more science fiction based. Amazon's blurb makes me think of The Hunger Games meets The Lunar Chronicles.
 Sofi's brother Shilo is forced to compete in Earth's Fantasy Fighting arena. When a bomb goes off at the arena, Sofi is the only one who believes he's still alive and was taken to the ice-planet. The bomb has also affected Miguel, Earth's Ambassador to the ice-planet. He's now being blackmailed. Either he helps the blackmailers or loses everything.  This book will be released on June 6.

 1. Renegades by Marissa Meyer
I loved Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. I've become a big devotee of this author. Her newest story, Renegades, is about superheroes, humans with extraordinary abilities, who saved their society by establishing peace and order. The only people who aren't happy about that? The villains they ousted. So when a girl who wants vengeance meets a boy who wants justice, loyalties clash.
Since The Incredibles is one of my favorite movies, I'm looking forward to reading this story. It is a stand-alone (you can read about it here) and will be released November 7, 2017.



 What about you? What is on your reading list for the summer? What books are you eagerly waiting for this year? Share with us in the comments below -- and happy reading!