Review: Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber

It's prom night and Perry just wants to stick to his own plan and finally play a much anticipated gig with his band in the Big Apple. But when his mother makes him take Gobija Zaksauskas, their quiet, geeky Lithuanian exchange student, to the prom, he never expects that his ordinary high school guy life will soon turn on its head. Perry finds that Gobi is on a mission, and Perry has no other choice but to go along for a reckless ride through Manhattan's concrete grid with a trained assassin in Dad's red Jag.

In my mid-teens I suddenly discovered adult thrillers. I have a feeling the first may have been Robert Ludlam's The Bourne Identity, after which I flew through the whole back catalogue of his books, with The Matarese Circle, The Holcroft Covenant and of course The Bourne series emerging as favourites that I would go on to re-read many times in subsequent years. There were several elements that I loved about these books (and also at the time Jeffrey Archer's A Matter of Honour): the level of action (guns, bombs, etc), the complicated, twisting plots and most of all, the 'innocent' man being drawn into a conspiracy and watching how they cope and grow as events spiral out of their control. I do not read anywhere near as many adult thrillers of this ilk these days, nor have I read any of the more recent Jason Bourne books, but reading Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber was like a blast from the past, and brought back many fond memories of my teen years.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick is like a Robert Ludlum thriller for young adults, but with added humour. Lots of humour. It also has guns, bombs, car chases, blood, a hot, totally badass girl on a mission, and of course that 'innocent' man boy pulled kicking and screaming into a the world of crime, violence and assassination. Said 'innocent' then has to very quickly learn how survive and grow in a world that is very, very different from his cosy, although not particularly happy, home life.

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick introduces us to Perry, a teenage boy who is applying for university places, with huge amounts of pressure and expectation being piled on him by his high-earning, demanding father. Perry is saddled with looking after Gobi, a seemingly shy, frumpy Lithuanian girl who is spending some time in the US to study and learn the language. Gobi rarely talks to anyone, and as the day for her departure nears, the only thing Perry is looking forward to more is a gig he has managed to secure for his band at a club in Manhattan. Unfortunately for Perry, the gig is on the same night as the school prom, an event he was intending to miss until Gobi makes it very clear to Perry's parents that she would very much like to spend one of her last nights in the USA as Perry's date at the prom. It isn't long before Perry discovers there is a lot more to Gobi than he and his friends initially thought, and as the action unfolds he finds that he too has hidden depths.

If you want lengthy passages of exposition and detailed character development in your stories then this may not be the book for you. However, I would trade both of those for this kind of wham-bam action story any day of the week, as would the majority of reluctant teen readers I come across at work. Gobi is a great character, and Perry's complete and utter naivety as her true nature is revealed is hilarious, as well as slightly tragic at times. I would love to see this made into a comic, as the violence of the story fits in quite nicely with recent tongue-in-cheek but fill of blood splatter titles such as Jennifer Blood and Kick-Ass.

I can't finish this review without mentioning the cover, as it was this that first brought Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick to my attention. I was at an event organised by the lovely people at Egmont where they were launching their YA imprint, Electric Monkey. Joe Schreiber was not one of the authors they had present that evening, but his book was on display. How could I not be drawn by the great title, and the Kill Bill like cover design of black on yellow, with blood splatters? I asked if I could be added to the list of a review copy and instead one of the display copies was forced into my hand (it didn't take much persuasion). I started reading it on the train on the way home, and it turned into another one of those 'nearly missed my stop' moments as I was completely hooked by the fast pace of the story. When I got home I continued reading it, not wanting to go to sleep until I had reached the end. Fortunately it is quite a lot slimmer than many YA books around at the moment!

My thanks go to Egmont for so kindly allowing me to take a copy away from their event. I'm now impatiently awaiting the sequel, Ciao For Now, Crazy European Chick, due out in October.

Review: BZRK by Michael Grant

These are no ordinary soldiers. This is no ordinary war. Welcome to the nano, where the only battle is for sanity. Losing is not an option when a world of madness is at stake. Time is running out for the good guys. But what happens when you don't know who the good guys really are?

Noah and Sadie: newly initiated to an underground cell so covert that they don't even know each other's names. Here they will learn what it means to fight on a nano level. Soon they will become the deadliest warriors the world has ever seen. Vincent: feels nothing, cares for no one; fighting his own personal battle with Bug Man, the greatest nano warrior alive. The Armstrong Twins: wealthy, privileged, and fanatical. Are they the saviours of mankind or authors of the darkest conspiracy the world has ever seen? The nano is uncharted territory. A terrifying world of discovery. And everything is to play for...

Confession time: I have not yet read any of Michael Grant's Gone books. I have them all, sitting there glaring at me, begging to be picked up and read. And I will read them, at some point, but with so many new books arriving each week it is sometimes difficult to prioritise reading a books that have been out for some time. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Grant at an event held to launch Egmont's teen imprint, Electric Monkey, and I squirmed as I made this similar confession to him, but I think I got away with it by telling him just how great I thought BZRK was.

If you are anything like me then BZRK will blow your mind. That's pretty much all I want to say about this book, as it is almost un-reviewable, in that to give even the slightest amount of information away would definitely spoil your reading experience. I said as much to Michael and he seemed to take this as a great compliment. BZRK is very different from pretty much any YA book out there at the moment, and the closest I can come to expressing how it is continuing to play on my mind almost two weeks later, is to liken it to William Gibson's Neuromancer which had a similar effect on me many years ago. BZRK is a gamechanger for YA literature.

I am going to be very careful with my words from this point in, as I want to give you a feel for the book without spoiling it. A Michael Grant book wouldn't be a Michael grant book if it didn't make the reader feel very uncomfortable at times, and BZRK is no exception to this. The man seems to take great delight from scaring the pants off his teen readers, by drilling deep into their psyches and toying with the things that they fear the most. And we're not talking ghosts and goblins here, were talking about the things that make them wake up terrified in the night, and refuse to go to sleep again until dawn's early light brings some relief from the dark.

BZRK deals with issues such as: identity; control; what it is that makes us independent humans with independent thoughts; and - scariest of all in this book - madness. It is a book where you question the actions of everyone, both good and bad, and find yourself asking whether the good guys are actually just slightly less bad than the villains. For both sides, it is very much a case of the end justifies the means, and in BZRK the means are pretty damn deplorable sometimes. And what makes things even worse is that to many of the bad guys, what they are up to is just a game, albeit infinitely bigger and more extreme than anything produced for your average games console. There is one speech, by a character called Bug Man, that really does leave a bad taste in your mouth.... just as Michael Grant intended, I do suspect. 

If you have a son who is a reluctant reader, but loves computers, gaming, science fiction films and/or The Gadget Show then I strongly recommend that you go out and get them this book. Michael Grant will hook them from the very first chapter, and won't let them go until the last page, at which point they will be begging for the sequel.

  

Oliver Twisted Blog Tour - Interview with Cover Illustrator Craig Phillips

Book cover illustrators and designers are sometimes the unsung heroes of YA and children's books. Even though you should never judge a book by its cover, and stunning cover design can make the difference between a kid picking it from a library or book shop shelf or not. The striking cover of Oliver Twisted by J.D. Sharpe was created by Australian illustrator Craig Phillips. Craig's work to date has included covers for a number of bokos, as well as rock poster art for the likes of Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and DJ Shadow. Craig very kindly agreed to answer a few questions for The Book Zone as part of the Oliver Twisted blog tour.


Hi Craig, please could you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a lover of art, books and comics. I love to draw and paint and also dabble in writing my own stuff. I have been drawing all my life and drawing as a job for the last twelve years or so. I am a dad with two young children and have a lovely wife who is also a professional creative. We live in Australia between the beach and some mountains.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not illustrating?

I swim laps every single morning or surf if the surf is working, between 6 and 8, to stay sane. When I am not illustrating I am mostly parenting and when the kids are all asleep, planning illustrations and creating comics!

How does representing a live show for a band differ from creating a visual motif for a novel? Is it more difficult to draw out a thematic image or aesthetic from music than it is out of a story?

It is not too different really. The process is all much the same. I try hard to pick the strongest possible approach to the job and execute it. With both I am trying to capture some quality of the artists work in a single picture.

Please could you describe the novel in 3 words?

Macabre. Tense. Gripping.

What do you like about the novel? Who was your favorite character?

The novel is a great adventure. The characters are oh so colourful and some of them truly horrible. I think my favourite character is Fagin. And of course Oliver himself.

You’ve spoken about researching the original artwork for ‘Oliver Twist’. How do you think the man himself would react to your interpretation of one of his best-loved protagonists?

Well, visually I kept Oliver quite similar to original descriptions of the character. I didn't want to go too crazy with character design and costume so I think Dickens would be quite happy with how he looks. It is the world Oliver is wrapped in and the things that happen to him that are a bit of a shock!

If Oliver Twisted was turned into a musical, which musician or band would compose the score?

Oh my, it would have to be Mussorgsky, the man behind Night On Bald Mountain. Gives me the sweats. I love it.

The image is a great representation of the macabre and gore found within the novel – did the image come easily for you?

I did do a few redraws. I think we went through about three different concepts. Then I drew Oliver over and over again until I felt I had hit it. It was actually quite difficult to get this one to a point where I was completely happy with it. I tried loads of different angles and the hard thing with this was not putting too much emphasis on the bowl. It was a little tricky finding a balance in the composition even though it is fairly simple. Once we got it though we were all very happy with it. Sometimes I get a cover in one or two sketches. Sometimes it takes half a dozen sketches!

The skulls took a lot of trawling through macabre piles of skulls on Google. Those searches took me from Vlad the Impaler to Cambodia and to the catacombs. That was a bit depressing! I definitely have to keep this jacket high on my bookshelf away from my kids.

A lot of the work on your website is a lot more mellow and serene, was it a nice change to get to grips with the bloody world of Oliver Twisted?

I tend to try to make my work charming and light, even if I am drawing villains and scary story points. Oliver Twisted is definitely the darkest story I have worked on. So it was a change!

I think there is always a place for the macabre and I do like to work with it, so long as it serves a purpose in the story and it balanced with some light.

Did you have much communication with Oliver Twisted writer J D Sharpe whist you were devising the image?

Actually, none. I did not communicate with the author until after the job was done. I never talk to authors while doing a job. That is the job of the editors and art directors. If there is going to be any feedback from the author it needs to always go through the editor. It keeps the process neat.

Do you take advice or inspiration from your children in the development of your work?

I often wondered why I am not inspired by my kids. It seemed as if all the other artists and writers out there were inspired by their kids to some extent. I never have been. Until now. Now I am starting to find inspiration from them. It must be be an age thing. Now that they are a bit older and reading and becoming excited about stories I am finding inspiration from them. I have this urge now to make stories just for them.

What’s the best bit of advice you have for a budding illustrator, particularly those wanting to break into book illustration?

Draw as often as you can! Draw EVERYTHING around you. Buy a cheap sketchbook and fill every page corner to corner with quick sketches from life. Don't spend too much time on each one, keep it moving. Fill that book and buy another one and fill that. Study people and clothing folds especially. Go to life drawing class if you are old enough. Look at art history. Look at different ways artists have represented what is around them. Find what art you like and ask yourself why you are drawn to it.

Young students often think that they need to make everything up out of their own heads. I can tell you now, and any professional illustrator will tell you, this is utter NONSENSE. It is not a memory test. Refer to the real world to make your art real and tangible.

If you feel like your work is ready to present to the world, get online and into art forums. Learn to accept honest critique. Putting your art out there can be scary but it helps you grow.

When you feel like you are ready to approach publishers and agents, limit your folio to ten solid (finished) pieces. Don't make excuses for anything. If you have to make an excuse for anything in your folio it should not be in there. You can try approaching agents. Agents are always on the lookout for more talent. Look at the type of artists already represented by them and see how you compare and where you might fit. Agents will be very realistic and honest in their appraisals of your work too. If they can sell you they will. If they can't they will also tell you and hopefully with a bit of polite prompting they will tell you why they think you are not ready yet. I got rejected by about five agents and spent a year chipping away at Shannon Associates before they thought I was ready and gave me a job.

Approaching publishers is a little trickier. I am lucky that I now have my agent, who is very well connected, to do talk to publishers on my behalf.

If you do not have an agent, go to the publishers website and look at the submission guidelines and stick to them or your work might end up in the trash unopened. They are very busy people so have little time to go through mountains of unsolicited submissions.

If you really love art and are honest with yourself and work very hard (and smart) I believe you will find work.

What was your favorite book as a child?

I read a lot of books when I was a kid. I loved The Lord of the Rings and adventure books in general. And I loved Asterix and Tintin!

Who is your favorite children’s book illustrator?

My favourite illustrators of books for children are mostly from the turn of the century. I love Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielson and Arthur Rakham. I also love Lizbeth Zwerger and Sheilah Beckett. I really love comics. And some of my favourite creators that are also great for children are Hergé (Tintin) and Jeff Smith (Bone).

~~~

Huge thanks to Craig for taking the time to answer these questions. If you want to see more of Craig's stunning illustrations then you really should head on over to  http://www.craigphillips.com.au 

Review: Oliver Twisted by JD Sharpe (and Charles Dickens)

"Flesh," the woe-begotten moaned at Oliver, baring teeth which were ragged and black. "Flesh" came another moan, and he turned to see two more behind. They began to shuffle towards him, barefoot.

The world according to Oliver Twisted is simple. Vampyres feed on the defenceless, orphans are sacrificed to hungry gods and if a woe-begotten catches your scent it will hunt you forever. On the advice of a corpse, Oliver flees his ghastly orphan life to seek his destiny in the dark streets of old London Town, despite the perils of the woe-begotten zombie-infested journey. There he meets the shadowy Dodger, the evil old soul-stealer Fagin, and the menacing Bill Sikes, who is more beast than man. But will Oliver Twisted be the world's salvation, or its downfall?!

Confession #1: I am not a particularly big fan of Charles Dickens books. I know that by admitting that I run the risk of being burned as a heretic, but I have to be true to myself and my readers.

Confession #2: The only Dickens book I have read is Oliver Twist. I have read this one and a half times. The half was the abridged version when I was at school (Year 8 or Year 9 I believe); the other time was as an adult. I think I much preferred the abridged version.

Despite it being a great story, with many fantastic characters that have become an integral part of our national culture, I simply did not enjoy the reading experience. It was simply far too wordy for my liking, and having slogged through it I didn’t have the motivation to try another of his many books. I’m sure it is to my loss, but c’est la vie.

If you are still reading this and haven’t closed your browser in disgust then please now let me tell you about Oliver Twisted, a book I found hugely enjoyable. I first heard about the book last year when I was at a bloggers’ event held by OUP. Jasmine Richards (aka JD Sharpe), one of their senior editors, told me about one of her own books due out in 2012, and I was sold on the idea immediately. Oliver Twist with vampires and zombies? Of course it appealed to me.

If you are a Dickens fan, and you are still reading this, perhaps now feeling more than a little horrified that someone has ‘messed’ with yet another classic by doing a “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” on Dickens’ much loved story then have no fear. I gave up on P&P&Z after only a couple of chapters – Oliver Twisted is infinitely better. First of all JD Sharpe is herself a huge, huge fan of the works of Charles Dickens and this is evident from the way she treats the well known characters that given a new lease of life (or in some cases death) in her version of the story.

Secondly, unlike P&P&Z where Jane Austen’s original words are used with various changes and additions, this is a rewrite of the Oliver Twist story. By this I mean that Ms Sharpe has taken the basic plot of the original Dickens story and turned it into an action horror story to rival the likes of Darren Shan and David Gatward. In this story Oliver’s mother dies shortly after giving birth to him, but her death is far from natural – she takes her own life rather than give into the change that she faces having been bitten by a woe-begotten (Victorian for zombie). We then see Oliver progress through orphanage, onto workhouse, and then into the employ of Mr Sowerberry before finally running away to London, with each of these episodes in his life twisted to make the storyline far more horrific than the original. Once Oliver arrives in London he goes on to meet all the familiarly named characters, although some of them are as you have never seen them before.

I’m not going to go into any more detail as I don’t want to spoil the reading experience for anyone. Part of the enjoyment of this richly imagined story is each discovery of what the author has done to tweak a well known character to make them fit her new vampire and werewolf populated Victorian world. To call the story a mash-up would be doing a great disservice to the author; I feel that she has managed to fuse the original story with her own twisted take on Victorian England in a way that Seth Grahame-Smith never even came close to, and in doing so has created a story that will have appeal to adult lovers of the original, and young readers who are yet to pick up a Charles Dickens novel for the first time. I am looking forward to passing this on to the English staff at school to see their reactions to it.

Oliver Twisted is published today and my thanks go to the good people at Electric Monkey for sending me a copy of the book to review. You can also head on over to http://www.olivertwisted.co.uk/ and read an extract of the book.