Wednesdays @ West: Refugee Awareness

seekingrefugeJune is World Refugee Awareness Month.  While refugees are very much present in the news lately,  the staggering statistics often obscure the personal stories that the numbers represent.  News stories, photographs and books are the only way many of us will ever know what it’s like to be a refugee.  But for the 24 people per minute who flee their homes because of war, persecution or terrorism, this media reflects their reality.

Currently, the New York Public Library is hosting an exhibit of photographs of refugee children called Where the Children Sleep.  Even if you won’t be stopping by NYPL anytime before July 10th, you can view the exhibit online.

If you are the type of reader who likes to be informed by true stories, there are plenty of good nonfiction titles that will give you some insight into the lives of refugees.

humancargoHuman Cargo: a journey among refugees by Caroline Moorehead takes a truly global perspective on refugees and profiles individuals from (among other places) Liberia, Mexico and the Middle East.  Moorehead also takes a closer look at the different struggles faced by refugees who end up in camps in poverty riddled regions versus those who resettle in wealthier Western countries.

cityofthornsThe civil war in Somalia has displaced enough people to create the the largest refugee camp in the world in Dabaab.  Human Rights Watch researcher, Ben Rawlence, tells the stories of just a few of its residents in City of Thorns: nine lives in the world’s largest refugee camp.

 

childrenofthestoneIn Children of the Stone, Sandy Tolan does not seek to be strictly unbiased, but rather tells the complicated story of a Palestinian refugee who returns to a refugee camp to try to bring the life changing power of music to the children who are growing up there.

 

outcastsunitedFor a tale that is less bleak and more inspiring, there is Outcasts United: the story of a refugee team that changed a town by Warren St John about a female coach, a soccer team comprised of all refugee teenagers and a small town in Georgia.

As so many of the titles in this post reveal, religion often plays a complicated roll both in the  creating the conditions that lead to refugee crises and in the response to these crises.  For a Christian perspective on responding to the current swell of international refugees, keep an eye out for the forthcoming Seeking Refuge: on the shores of the global refugee crisis by Stephen Bauman, which is receiving positive advanced reviews.

If nonfiction isn’t your preferred type of reading material, or if you find that the best way to learn the truth is through fiction, try:

littlebeeLittle Bee by Chris Cleave, which is the story of a sixteen year-old Nigerian refugee whose life becomes entangled with a typical London suburbanite.

 

whatisthewhatWhat is the What by Dave Eggers, which is the novelization of the life story of one of the Lost Boys of Sudan who found asylum in the United States in 2001.

 

dayafternightmorningsinjeninThe years before, during and after World War II produced a staggering number of displaced people.  For two stories of post-war refugees, try Day After Night by Anita Diamant, which shares the story of Jewish refugees held in a detention camp in Palestine in 1945 and Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa, which tells the story of a Palestinian family that becomes refugees in 1948 when Israel became a state.

homeofthebraveWhen it comes to the things of life that can really hard to read about, sometimes children’s’ books are a good entry point.  If you are a sensitive reader (and I freely admit that I am) stories for children, although still heartrending, tend to be lighter on explicit detail.  Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate is an absolutely beautiful story of an African child refugee who finds himself in Minnesota, still desperately hoping to be reunited with his mother.  YA author, Deborah Ellis who has written beautiful fiction childrenofwarabout children living in war-torn Middle Eastern countries, visited Jordan in 2007 and spoke with refugees between the ages of 8 and 19.  Her resulting book Children of War: voices of Iraqi refugees contains their honest and disquieting tales.

It’s the start of summer and book blogs should feature great, fun and light summer reads.  Obviously, this post is not doing that.  We promise we’ll have plenty lighthearted fun to recommend this summer, but in honor of the millions of refugees in the world, perhaps you may want to consider setting aside a place on your summer reading list for a title that will not entertain you on the beach, but might make your understanding of the people of the world a bit more complete.

Library Books in the Wild…

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Illustrations found in a library book last Saturday

Honestly, at this point, it’s no secret that I love books.  I can’t travel without at least two because you never know….you might get trapped on a delayed train (been there), you might get stuck in a 3-hour-long customs line (just survived that, too), you might have to stave off an uprising by reading out loud to soothe the troubled masses (ok, I haven’t done that yet, but I’m not putting it outside the realm of possibility).  And while e-books from Overdrive do, indeed, make a lot of sense for travelers who don’t want to lug a physical book along with them for the duration of their trip, I live in abject terror of batteries dying, which is why I tend to pack both my Kindle and (at least) two physical books (usually from the library) with me whenever I’m gone more than an over night.

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This week, I’m getting some dissertation research done (look for a Postcard Post coming up later in the week), and while I was standing in the afore-mentioned 3-hour-long customs line, a chatty person in line noticed the barcode, while snooping at the title of the book in my hand (which was Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, by Paul Tremblay).

“You take library books on trips with you?”  the Individual said, with incredulous awe.

“Um…yes?”  I said, forcing myself to look up from said book and act nice for a moment.

“But…aren’t you afraid something might happen?” This Individual queried, in the same tone that horror movie characters usually reserve for the question “Did you hear that ominous moaning noise coming from the basement?”

“Umm…”  I said, eloquent as always.

“I would never take a library book so far away with me!”  Said Individual, with mounting righteous indignation.

And this is where the conversation fizzled.

Because that is precisely one of my favorite things about library books–they travel.  They go on adventures.  They get to go to the beach, or to the mountains; they get to go on planes and trains, and in cars, and on boats; they probably log more miles in travel that most of us will in any given year.  And often, they come back with some small story about the journey they’ve taken.

469266344Now, we all love library books, and we all know that taking care of them is a very good thing.  Not letting your library book go swimming, or stay out in the sun too long, or fall down a mountain is always a good idea.  But I can’t tell you how happy it makes me when a book comes back with make-shift bookmark, like a ticket stub, or an airline napkin, or receipt from Far Away, still tucked inside it–or even artwork, like the kind we got last weekend, pictured above, which, I think, depicts a Prince and Princess at the beach, under an umbrella.

Because it means that these books have lived.

56928382759559705bDcdj62EcIt means that you, dear readers, have taken that book out into the wide world, and made it part of your personal history.  You have added to the story of that book (not just the story in the book) by bringing it out into the world with you, and then bringing it back to share with the rest of us.  Those small tokens of travel, adventure, or a lived life that are in those pages are a testament to the power of stories in our lives, as well as to the power of Libraries to bring so many people together in love of those stories.

So, by all means, go and take your books out with you to wherever your adventures take you.  Take good care of them, and good care of yourself, and make lots of memories together.  Trust me, it makes all of us–the books included–better for it.

Six Book Sunday!

Due to some technical difficulties, and my laptop making friends with a cup of tea recently, we were unable to bring you our regular Five Book Friday post as per usual, for which we heartily apologize.  To make it up to you, however, we are moving our previous post to Sunday, and including an extra recommendation for you, in the hopes that it will help your week get started on the right foot.  Here is the post as it should have appeared on Friday, with the additional recommendation at the end of the post.
~Arabella~

And a hearty congratulations to the winners of the 50th annual Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards!  The award, as you can probably tell, is sponsored by our very own Boston Globe, and is recognizes as one of the most prestigious awards for children’s and young adult literature.

bghb_logo_color_270x300The announcements were made a few weeks ago, in preparation for the formal awards ceremony in September.  This year, the award for fiction went to The Lie Tree, a Victorian murder mystery by Frances Hardinge.  The award for nonfiction went to Steve Sheinkin’s Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War, a book which has been getting a good deal of positive attention these days, including receiving an excellence award from the American Library Associatioon.  The top picture book was Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph, by Roxane Orgill, which tells the story, in verse, of one of Esquire magazine’s most iconic photographs of jazz musicians from 1958.

Especially as this is a home-grown award, we’re thrilled to congratulate the winners of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards!  You can read all about the award, and more about this year’s winners at the award site.

Hey, and speaking of good books…let’s turn our attention away from the wearying world for a bit, and take a look at all the super-terrific tomes that have climbed up onto our shelves this week for your delectation:

Five Books

3737339Disappearance at Devil’s RockStephen King said of Paul Tremblay’s first book “A Head Full of Ghosts scared the living hell out of me, and I’m pretty hard to scare”, which may be my favorite endorsement of the decade.  Now, Tremblay has returned with another book guaranteed to have you sleeping with a nightlight.  When Elizabeth Sanderson learns that her thirteen-year-old son has gone missing, she knows she is facing every mother’s worst fear.  But then, reports begin coming in that people are seeing shadows of her son around, and pages from his journal, which appear without reason, begin pointing to dark rituals, ancient superstitious, and horrible secrets that all originate at the last place Tommy was seen–Devil’s Rock.  Kirkus Reviews loved this eerie nightmare of a tale, saying “Tremblay expertly ratchets up the suspense until the tension is almost at its breaking point.”

3726204Security: If this trippy little maze of a cover doesn’t draw you in, the highly imaginative, utterly quirky, and deeply literary nature of the description might just do the trick.  Gina Wohlsdorf gives us a new version of Manderely (those of you who have read Daphne DuMaurier’s classic will know precisely the baggage this name carries) in the shape of a glittering 20-story California hotel, about to open to the richest and most privileged of clientele, reading to offer them the absolute heights of luxury and security.  But someone inside Manderley is determined to see its doors never open, watching the staff through the ultra-modern security system.  And picking them off one by one, leaving the hotel’s manager, Tessa, to fight for her life, as the opulence of Manderely descends into a house of terror.  Booklist gave Wohlsdorf’s debut a starred review, declaring it full of “twists aplenty – oh, get ready for the twists. Security is perfectly tuned for blockbuster status: scary, gory, kinky, and experimental enough to push readers’ envelopes without going so far as to lose mainstream appeal. They don’t make a hotel big enough to house all the people who will want to read this…”

3757337The Suicide Motor ClubApparently, it’s Scary Books Week at the Library, because Christopher Buehlman is a leading light of Scary Stuff, and his books always claim our attention here.  This book unfolds along America’s highways, following the rusted, dented cars that travel in the twilight.  We’ve all seen them…but there are none who live to remember meeting the drivers.  Until now.  After escaping the mangled wreck that killed her family, one woman is on the hunt, her thirst for revenge so powerful that it has become something otherwordly.  And her vengeance will become legendary.  Buehlman is already a darling of the horror/Amerian gothic genres, which the Boston Herald summed up perfectly in their review, calling this book “Beautifully written…with a cast of Southern characters so real you can almost see the sweat roll down the page.”

3758419Melville in LoveOn to something a bit lighter, shall we?  From acclaimed biographer Michael Shelden comes the story of Herman Melville, up until very recently, an author who had received surprisingly little biographical attention (which is due in large part to his own reticence).  Sheldon, apparently, was able to dig around in the archives, unearthing new information on Moby Dicks‘s creator, and reveling a “secret affair” between Melville and a married woman named Sarah Morewood–and affair which, according to Shelden, gave him the courage and conviction to move away from the sensationalist novels he had been writing, and move towards writing what may well be the most famous American novel ever penned.  I’m always really skeptical about biographies with “shocking new discoveries” in them, as it’s exceptionally easy to sensationalize and aggrandize, especially when the person in question isn’t around to answer your accusations, but the reviews for Sheldon’s book have, thus far, been generally positive, with Kirkus saying that it “offers a provocative portrait of the canonical writer and his world.”

3712752The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest war in American History: Felix Ward was a half-Irish, half-Mexican adopted Apache, re-named Mickey Free, who was able to go between American soldiers attempting to police the south-western lands on which they intended to settle (current day Arizona and New Mexico, generally speaking), and the Native tribes who had lived there for generations–though often with mixed results.  In this sprawling and very-well researched work, Paul Andrew Hutton, Distinguished Professor of History at the University of New Mexico, provides not only Mickey Free’s remarkable adventures, but the American-Apache Wars, which began with his kidnapping, and lasted until nearly the turn of the twentieth century.  Hutton revels in details and personalities, bringing legends like Geronimo and the Apache Kid to life in a way that is both enormously informative and genuinely enthralling.  This book has been getting good reviews from academics and reviewers alike, with Pubisher’s Weekly calling it a “fascinating tale of conflict in the late 19th-century American southwest…Hutton moves beyond standard descriptions of battles between Apache warriors and American troops (though there are plenty of those) to paint a larger, more detailed picture of Southwestern life.”

Six Book Sunday Selection:

3723548InfomocracyFor political junkies and those so weary of elections that they want to hide under the bed comes Malka Older’s debut novel about elections, technology, power, and corruption, set in a distant, but all-too-familiar future.  The book opens two decades after Information, a powerful search engine monopoly that brought an end to the age of nation-states, and reconfigured society into micro-states of 100,000 people.  And while this shift was intended to bring peace and harmony, during a particularly high-stakes election, Mishima, an informant for Information, begins to realize that there are plenty of powers working behind the scenes, eager and willing to do whatever it might take to rig the elections in their favor.  Older is not only a great story-teller, she is also a deeply insightful social critic, and this book could not come at a better time.  Her observations are spot-on, and her characters are wonderfully compelling, making for a first novel that works on a number of levels.  The website Electric Literature agreed, saying “With roots in noir and heels firmly planted in the present, Infomocracy shows a world that really isn’t too different from today. Malka Older has created a thrilling, breakneck novel with fully human characters. And it asks tough questions.”

Until next week, beloved patrons–happy reading!

Saturdays @ the South: Literary Day-Tripping

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As the facilitator of the Wanderlust Book Discussion Group, it’s no surprise I’m a big fan of travel both local and far-flung. As a book-lover, I’m also a fan of literary travel. Not necessarily traveling by book (though you already know I’m a huge fan of that). I’m talking about visiting places with literary connections. I’ve been to literary sites as close as The House of the Seven Gables and as far-flung as Edinburgh, Scotland, (the *entire city* is a UNESCO World-Heritage site for literature; my kind of place!). It’s a particular passion of mine to get my geek on in places were great authors have lived or that have inspired some of my favorite books.

We’re very fortunate here in Massachusetts to have many literary connections and places that have preserved (or are in the process of preserving) the sites where some of our state’s great literary magic have happened. Which basically means that during the summer, “staycations” are within easy reach and there’s no dearth of options to choose from. Here are some options should you like to take a road trip to some of our awesome literary sites:

1955906Make Way for Ducklings

A mere train ride away lies the statue commemorating Robert McCloskey’s immortal tale inspired by true events in the Boston Public Gardens. This is a great, free way to spend part or all of a day and maybe make some duckling friends of your own.
2262409Walden Pond

The site of Henry David Thoreau’s experiment in simplified living in a tiny-house, long before it became the rage on HGTV and where he composed much of his eponymous book.

2224659Jack Kerouac Park

A short ride North, this relatively new commemorative park celebrates one of the most famous Beatniks and Lowell, MA native. You can also pay your respects to the “On the Road” author at the Edsom Cemetery, where he’s buried.

6121995102173dfe7378c90aadbee9d5Edward Gorey House

Edward Gorey holds a place in my heart for being the illustrator of the John Bellairs books I so loved as a child and for being a cat lover. His illustrations are still widely seen (most notably on Masterpiece Mystery) and his house is now a well-maintained museum on Cape Cod.

2188287Emily Dickinson Homestead

Further west, you’ll find the reclusive poet’s home no longer closed off. It is open to the public as a museum, (which has put its manuscripts of Dickinson’s poetry online!) and the gardens are being restored to their former glory with heirloom varieties that were grown by the Dickinsons.

Here at the South Branch, we offer several Massachsetts and New England travel guides so that even if your travel tastes don’t trend towards the literary the way mine do, you’re sure to find something locally to enjoy these warm summer days:

3661147Inns and Adventures by Michael J. Tougias and Alison O’Leary

Tougias is best known for his historical writings such as Ten Hours Till Dawn and So Close to Home, but he has co-authored this New England guide with travel writer O’Leary to find some great hikes and out-of-the way inns that are worth the trip. We had O’Leary come to the South Branch to talk about this book last September and believe me when I tell you, she knows her stuff. Anyone who enjoys hiking, the outdoors or resting in a cozy B&B is bound to find some great nuggets of info here that will get them packing the car.

2280131Off the Beaten Path: Massachusetts by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers and Stillman Rogers

This guide is as-advertised, offering locations that are hidden gems amidst even some of the most popular, well-known areas. Broken down by sections of the State (North Shore, South Shore, Pioneer Valley, Cape Cod, etc.), this book is also easy to plan from so you won’t be looking at hidden gems on opposite ends of the state on the same page.

366114650 Great Bed & Breakfasts and Inns: New England by Susan Sulich

All hail Susan Sulich who had the brilliant idea to find fantastic B&Bs across New England and not only put information about why they’re great into a book, she also found out what dishes they’re famous for and put those recipes in the book. This is perfect companion to discover a great getaway and have a fantastic memento to remind you of your trip that you can make over and over again. They say sense memory creates the strongest recall, so you’re sure to make some delicious memories with this book.

2023328Main Streets and Back Roads of New England by Susan Sloane, Chris Stirling and the Chronicle Staff

The perennially popular TV show Chronicle published a book a while back based on their popular segment: Main Streets & Back Roads. What resulted was this compendium of people and places distinct and worth visiting in their own unique ways.

Till next week, dear readers, whether the weekend takes you far afield or only as far as your favorite reading spot, I hope you enjoy it!

Summer Reading: Staff Picks!

Summer-Reading-Guide-HERO

With another Thursday comes another opportunity for those of us here at the Library to bring you some of our recommendations for summer reading!

The weather seems to be cooperating (finally….for now…), and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed hearing all the details about our Patrons’ many plans for summer getaways, adventures, and staycations, and all the books that you are planning on bringing along with you.  For those who are still casting about for some reading material to aid in your rest or relaxations–or excitement and excursions–here are some of our selections.  This week, we’re aiming to bring you some series, both fiction and non-fiction, to help you plan for those long, lazy summer days:

 

From the South Branch:

3200247The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater:

This is a series of 4 YA books, the final one just came out a couple of months ago. I’m not usually a YA reader, but this series was definitely something special. It is a magical, breathless series of books with complex characters and a surprising level of great, dry humor that punctuates the nearly ceaseless action with a welcome chortle to break the tension. The stories are balanced and cinematic in their plotting and movement. I devoured them and the final one quite literally left me panting for breath. Highly recommended for a great, fast-paced summer read. A word of caution, though, if you start reading them, you won’t want to stop, so you might just want to put them all on hold so you can read them all together.

From Upstairs at the Main:

3583094Bill Nye Series: For some of us, Bill Nye will always be The Science Guy, and thus, we are all enormously grateful that he has kept teaching us as we grew up.  Within the past two years, we’ve had the good fortune to have two books: Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, which not only deals with the theory of evolution, but also tackles the un-reality of race, the development of genetically-modified food, and the potential for alien life-forms; and Unstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the Worldin which Nye issues a new “call to greatness”, challenging people to harness their incredible potential to discover new sources of power, and new energy-efficient machines.  In both books, all that infectious energy and joyful curiosity that so many came to love is on full display, making for books that are as fun and engaging as they are informative.

From the Circulation Desk:

3644849The Ravenels Series: Lisa Kleypas

Kleypas was one of the authors who made historical romances into the wonderful genre–and undying staple of the romance industry–that it is today.  Now, after a number of years focusing on contemporaries, she has returned to her roots, and is in the process of creating a series that is just as steamy, just as endearing, and just as compelling as any she has ever written.  In Cold Hearted RakeDevon Ravenel has recently inherited an earldom–and also a house mired in debt, and inhabited by three young ladies and Kathleen, Lady Trenear, a beautiful young widow who challenges Devon in ways he never before imagined.  In Marrying Winterborne, which I am currently adoring, ruthless tyconn Rhys Winterborne and the innocent, utterly unique Lady Helen Ravenel marry for business purposes, but discover a passion together neither expect.  But as Rhys’ business enemies begin to hover around them, they both realize that true love takes far more than passion to create a happily-ever-after.

Safe travels, beloved patrons, and happy reading!

Wednesdays @ West: 10 Ways to Explore The Boston Girl

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bostongirlThe patrons, staff and members of the afternoon book group at the West Branch have a wide variety of opinions about The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant.  Some liked it, some hated it.  Personally, I fell into the like category.  Maybe it’s because I listened to it on audio and the narrator really nailed the “grandmother telling stories to her granddaughter” aspect.  Maybe it’s because I a fascination with settlement houses (I like to think that today’s public libraries serve some of the same functions).  Maybe it’s because I like stories of immigrants.  Maybe it’s because I relish historical fiction where women buck familial or societal expectations.  In any case, I found it to be an enjoyable story, with just the right amount of local, historical and sociological interest for a Ten Ways to Explore a Book post.  So here we go:

  1. Addie relishes telling her life story to her granddaughter.  Research tells us that knowing your family’s stories is important.  Take the time to interview an older relative about his/her life.  Storycorps can help you get started with questions to ask and tips to make the process smoother.  You can also download their app to record your interview.
  2. Learn about settlement houses and how they influenced the lives of countless women, children and immigrants.  For the definitive work on settlement houses, check out Jane Addams’ Twenty Years at Hull House.
  3. One of the major functions of settlement houses was to help immigrants learn English and improve their language skills.  Miss Chevalier would be proud if you carried on this important work by volunteering to lead an English Conversation Circle at the library.
  4. The North End that Addie describes is a far cry from what we see today.  Take a walk down the North End (no one will blame you if you stop for a cappuccino and cannoli) and try to imagine what it looked like in the early part of the last century when Addie lived there.
  5. Addie says, “How did I get to be the woman I am today?  It started in that library, in the reading club.  That’s where I started to be own person.”  Reading and discussing books can be a powerful way to learn about ourselves.  To tap into that power, consider joining one of the library’s book clubs.
  6. Memorizing poetry has gone a bit out of fashion, but there’s still something special about knowing a piece of literature “by heart.”  Memorize the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and recite it to whoever will listen.
  7. Visit Rockport.  Try to see the natural beauty through the eyes of a poor urban teenager.
  8.  Channel your inner Filomena and take an art class.  Check out the library events calendar to see if we’re offering a free art class in the near future.
  9. The characters in The Boston Girl lived and learned about the major social issues of their day: immigration, Prohibition, women’s suffrage, lynching, child labor.  Do some research on a social issue (your choice) of our time.  Discuss what you’ve learned with your friends over sandwiches and coffee (not tea or tea cakes).
  10. When you are ready to move on, Novelist can help you find lots of read-a-likes for The Boston Girl, but if you want my suggestion read (or re-read!), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.

DRAGONS! A Game of Thrones If/Then Post

Courtesy of The Guardian: www.guardian.co.uk
Courtesy of The Guardian: www.guardian.co.uk

As I mentioned a little while back, when I’m not hanging out with the books, I teach at A Local University.  And, as it happens, all my students are obsessed (seriously…obsessed) with HBO’s Game of Thrones.  To the point where we make Game of Thrones analogies in class to help them better understand the History of the British Empire.  To the point where we had to delay class for ten minutes today so that everyone could finish venting, speculating, wondering, and lamenting what was, apparently, a stellar episode.

For the record, I love when students bring their outside lives to class, because 1) It means they are comfortable enough in class to bring their whole selves, 2) It means they are engaged with their other students, 3) It gives me ideas for blog posts to listen to them talk.

Episode 6 scene 20

As many of you may have heard, George R.R. Martin, the author of Song of Ice and Fire series (the first of which is titled A Game of Thrones) had always intended the books to be ahead of the series, so that readers would know in advance what was going to happen (to the extent that the show and the books aligned).  Lately, however, life has gotten in the way, and Martin missed the deadline for the seventh book in the series, The Winds of Wintermeaning that, for the first time, the show was ahead of the book in term of “what happens next” (sources report, however, that we may see the book by the end of this year, or early in 2017).  While this was certainly a blow to readers, who adore Martin’s detailed prose, his insanely complex world-building, and the sheer grandeur and goriness of his books, it’s made this season of Game of Thrones as much of a surprise for long-time fans as it is for those who discovered the series through HBO’s adaptations.

It turns out, my students fall into both categories.  Many are just discovering the addicting power of Martin’s work, but there are a number of students who are casting around for something to keep them going through the long, dragon-less days ahead.  And so for them, especially (and for you, of course!), I started putting together a list of other epic fantasy series that will tide even the most devoted Game of Thrones fan until the next scintillating episode, or series installment….

If you enjoy/enjoyed Game of ThronesThen be sure to try:

2255985The Darkness that Comes BeforeR. Scott Bakker’s The Prince of Nothing novels are perhaps a bit more philosophical than Martin’s books, as it focuses on a world undergoing a Second Apocalypse and all the holy men, crusaders, magicians, and prophets that herald its coming, but it does have that sense of dark foreboding that makes Martin’s work so compelling.  Bakker also does an impressive job balancing the epic scope of his fiction world, known as Eärwa, its armies and teeming streets, with court intrigue, love affairs, and personal interactions, making this book a page-turner on a number of levels.  There are two other books in the Prince of Nothing series, all of which have been published, so you won’t have to wait to find out what happens next.

51LyGnWecTL._SX330_BO1,204,203,200_Chronicles of the Black Company: For those whose favorite parts of Game of Thrones are the scenes on the Wall with the Night Watch, then this book is definitely for you.  The men of the Black Company wander their shadowy world, doing the work that no others are brave enough–or foolhardy enough–to do.  But as rumors of the White Rose begin to filter into their camps, the promise of a source of good in their bleak days, the world as they know it begins to change.  Glen Cook brings the world of epic fantasy down to the individual in these books, and the relationships and interactions between the men of the Black Company is what makes this book such a success.  As before, this the the beginning of a full series, so you can enjoy all their exploits without worry.

3613007The City Stained Red: For what it’s worth, Sam Sykes is my favorite author on this list, not only because I love the world that he has created in his Bring Down Heaven series, but also because his books are delightfully funny, his characters quirky, and its evident he is having so much fun creating this world that its impossible to not have fun while reading.  In these books, a rag-tag band of adventurers, lead by Lenk,(a man whose past is in itself the stuff of legends) must somehow defeat an ancient god who is tearing the city of Cier’Djaal apart at the seams.  Their quest will bring them into the heart of a deeply complex city, and up against the might of two frighteningly powerful armies, with plenty of action and some great plot twists to keep things interesting.  The adventures continue, and the stakes grow even higher, in the recently released The Mortal Tally.