Everburn Sample

Well, I've wanted to pick out a writing sample from the book I just completed and I think this one is it. Even though this comes much later in the book, this is what I consider the turning point of the story, where the characters finally start to figure out what Wildworth is up to and decide to put aside their differences to stand against him.

Basically, what's happened in the story so far, is the main character, Orel, has discovered that he isn't a human being, but a member of the Aves tribe. The Aves were group of human-like beings with large bird wings that possess the ability to communicate with the spirit world and summon nature spirits. Orel's wings were amputated as a child when he fell from the sky during a storm. He grew up thinking he was a normal human being.

When Wildworth, a railroad baron, buys the coal mine that his town depends on, Orel is blackmailed into working for him in Aston City with the deed to the mine. Orel's best friend, Mika, stows away with him and becomes a mechanic for Wildworth in the process. From the moment they began working for Wildworth, they know that something is wrong. The spirits that Orel summoned for him mysteriously disappear and no one knows why he has his Aves workers summon them in the first place. Orel's steam spirit, Arden believes that somehow Wildworth is using the the other spirits to make his "Everburn" fuel.

In this scene, Mika has just witnessed a very bad fight between Orel and one of the other Aves workers named Flynn. Flynn caused a fight between Mika and Orel the previous night by spreading gossip to Mika about Orel's relationship with one of the other Aves workers. Tension is very high between them anyway, so she leaves him to start her job early. In this scene, Mika finally sees the machine that makes the fuel for the first time, and realizes they have every reason to be suspicious of Wildworth's intentions.


Mika walked down the hall trying not to think about the fight, but images from it kept haunting her, flashing before her eyes as she headed towards the machine shop. She could still see the angry yet satisfied expression on Orel’s face as he punched Flynn in the eye, and the ashamed look that replaced it when he saw her watching them. His face was flicked with blood like freckles on the face of a young boy, and that only added to his childlike expression of being caught and ashamed. Both of the fighters appeared to be in bad shape, but she knew who started it from the moment she saw them.

Mika thought, “I started it. I never should’ve told Orel anything. He thought I left because of Flynn, so he took it out on him. This is my fault entirely, and somehow I’m going to make up for it.”

Mika quickly composed herself as she entered the mechanics’ workshop. The huge warehouse still caught her off guard. It was attached to the Wildworth building and was at least five stories high, but as tall as it was, it was only one floor. The ceiling rose up, like an airplane hanger, but there was a pulley system that would allow the ceiling of the building to open up as well.

“The Everest,” Wildworth’s private zeppelin, sat in the corner, like a large silver buzzard watching them work. Still, there was also more than enough room for the damaged boilers, Wildworth’s steam powered carriage, and even the caboose of Wildworth’s private train, which was waiting to be serviced. There was even a normal propeller powered blimp hanging off to the side on the ceiling called “The Edwin,” named after Jones’ first name.

Something about the drafty, leaky machine shop reminded her of a tomb. Her Father’s workshop always seemed warm and welcoming, despite his presence in it, but here she felt as though the machines themselves were watching, scrutinizing her every move with their clear glossy windows for eyes. The others in the shop seemed to notice it too and the other mechanics often laughed loudly at the most foolish of jokes, if nothing more than to cut through the eerie silence.

The atmosphere around her made Mika feel even worse, but it wouldn’t do for the others to see a vulnerable expression on her face. To gain their trust she was very careful to come across as “just another one of the guys.” So far, it seemed to be working. When she first came in, she was surprised to see that most of the men were human instead of Aves, and they greeted her with catcalls, but the moment she proved herself to be skillful and tough, they accepted her immediately. She was glad to see that she was actually more skilled than many of the men that Wildworth hired. The foreman seemed to know it as well.

He called to Mika, “Hey, Mika, I told you, only one hour for lunch…”

Mika said, “Sorry, Mr. Acres. There was a fight in the hallway, so I stopped to watch. Two Aves were beating the crap out of each other.”

Mr. Acres chuckled and said, “And I missed it? Too bad, that’s always quite a sight and it doesn’t happen very often. Plus, it's always fun to bet on the winner.”

Mika said, “I didn’t know they could move so fast, or hit so hard.”

Mr. Acres said, “Yeah, I certainly wouldn’t want to pick a fight with one.”

One of the few Aves mechanics laughed from the top of the zeppelin and yelled, “Yeah, normally you wouldn’t last a second, but I’ll bet if you hit one of us with that beer belly of yours, you might just win the fight. You do have a lot of weight to throw around…”

There was a roar of approval from the other mechanics.

Mr. Acres shouted, “Corbin, I asked you to check the lining of the zeppelin, not gab all day long.”

Corbin said, “Yeah, yeah.”

Mr. Acres said, “Well, I’m glad you’re here, Mika. Mr. Jones told me to pick a mechanic to work on the big machine, and today it’s you. Think of it as your initiation.”

There was something very solemn in his expression that Mika didn’t like.

She said, “The big machine? What’s that?”

Mr. Acres ran a dirty rag across his forehead and said, “It’s the most important machine in the building. It’s where Wildworth produces the Everburn fuel.”

Mika asked, “Oh, so will I get to see how the fuel is made?”

Mr. Acres said, “No, and don’t you ask about it either. Wildworth keeps that secret close to the chest, he does. Everyone here has worked on the machine before, but none of us know how he makes the stuff.”

Mika asked, “Then who makes the fuel?”

Mr. Acres whispered, “I hear Wildworth and Jones make it themselves.”

Mika said, “But Jones is a doctor and Wildworth doesn’t strike me as the type to know much about fuel…”

Mr. Acres said, “From what I know of Wildworth. I think he knows a little bit about everything.”

Mika said, “So what do we repair on the machine?”

Mr. Acres said, “The parts of the machine we work on are the manufacturing parts. Basically, there are several large metal tubs already filled with fuel and the liquid is pumped into storage barrels that run along a conveyor belt beneath it. There’s also another part of the machine that sprays the fuel onto pieces of coal. I’m not sure if it’s the sprayer that’s broken this time or the conveyor belt. Either way, it shouldn’t be hard for you to fix.”

Mika said, “Okay, then I’ll do my best.”

Mr. Acres said, “I know you will. That’s why I picked you. Jones will be along any minute to get you. Now, I want you to be on your best behavior. Don’t ask about how they make the fuel, don’t stare at things that don’t concern your job—get in, get out, no fucking about. Got it?”

Mika said, “Yeah, I’ve got it.”

Mr. Acres mumbled, “Trust me, once you get in that place, you’ll want to get out as fast as you can…”

Mika was about to ask Mr. Acres what he meant when Jones came through the door.

He said, “Mrs. Mika, please follow me.”

Mika followed Jones back into the main building down the familiar hallways and stairwells. As they went, she noticed some of the Aves pointing at her and whispering. She didn’t have to hear them to know what they were whispering about. Now, instead of simply being the only human living among them, she was the girl that Orel had fought with Flynn over. The thought made her feel slightly ill. She wanted her own chance to prove herself to them, but it seemed that her worth was proven for her, and something about the thought didn’t sit well. It made her suddenly very glad that she wasn’t spending another night with Orel.

They turned to a door at the end of the hallway on the first floor. There were two guards with large guns standing in front of it. The guns immediately drew Mika’s eyes. Both guards had what looked like smaller versions of Gatling guns. The firing mechanism was clearly steam powered, as with most guns. It would unleash a full round of bullets with just a pull of the trigger. The young guard stroked his gun suggestively, causing Mika to blush and quickly look away. Jones took a small silver key from a chain around his neck and unlocked the door, revealing a long spiral stairwell that seemed to stretch two floors beneath them.

Jones answered her question before she could ask, “The basement has to be tall to accommodate the machine.”

Mika said, “So this building is more like twelve floors then.”

Jones said, “Thirteen if you count the clock tower.”

As soon as they reached the bottom floor, Mika stopped in her tracks. There were two more guards standing in front of the second door, but this set was wearing what appeared to be metal body armor. Still, from the wires running from one part of the armor to the next, and the metals springs and small pistons she could see, they were mechanized suits meant to enhance the wearer’s strength. There wore the same mini-Gatling guns attached to the armor of their right arms, while the left arm had what appeared to be a large metal gauntlet with a retractable blade built into it. She put her hands up in a helpless motion when they saw her, but Jones waved them away with a gesture.

Jones said, “You’ll have to excuse all of the security. As I’m sure Acres already told you, this is where we make our fuel and there are a lot of companies that would love to know exactly how we do it.”

He pulled the silver key from around his neck and paused before putting it in the lock.

Jones turned to Mika and said, “Before you go in, I need you to swear that you won’t tell a soul what you see in here—I mean that Mika, not a soul.”

Mika said, “From what I hear, I’m not going to see anything.”

Jones said, “Please, don’t make this difficult, Mika…”

Mika said, “I swear.”

Jones motioned to the guards and said, “Good, these men will hold you to that.”

The moment Mika entered the room, she felt as though she walked through a physical cobweb. Energy seemed to tingle through her body and it made her shudder. The temperature in the room was too cool, as though she had walked outside, and yet the room wasn’t drafty. It was entirely enclosed. Every strange feeling she had ever had in town when the spirits were nearby came back to her immediately in a rush that almost made her want to cry. The feeling also made her feel sick to her stomach. It halted her in her tracks and she felt herself rubbing her arms instinctively.

Mika looked around, wary. She felt as though she was being watched, but there was no movement in the corner of her eyes, and the silence was oppressive. The silence, however, wasn’t the only thing that felt oppressive. It was as though the very air around her was heavy, pushing down on her shoulders. The high ceiling was dizzying, and the only thing that kept her on her feet was the unreal sight in front of her.

The machine took up the entire room. She wasn’t sure why, but it seemed radiate an ominous feeling. She wondered if it was haunted, but something about the machine seemed too still and silent for even that. It was as though it sucked away any life and sound, and that everything about it was dead. At one time, the pipes were probably copper, but now they were a corroded green and brown color that surprised her. The machine looked ancient, but from what the other mechanics said, Wildworth had only recently created his fuel. He was still testing the effects of it because his clients were complaining that the fuel was sometimes unstable.

She could see the general layout of the machine. The large basins that were bolted to the walls were what contained the fuel. One half of the machine was devoted to packaging smaller amounts of fuel into steel barrels for transport, while the other side had a hose for spraying fuel onto a conveyor belt of coal. The entire machine was automated. Steam boilers powered the pulleys and conveyor belts, and, there was a pipe to allow steam to escape that ran all the way to the roof as a smokestack. Still, she could see why Wildworth needed his mechanics. If there was ever a catastrophic failure, the entire machine would have to be rebuilt from the ground up.

Jones said, “I know. It’s quite a sight. You get used to it. What we need you to do is work on the spraying nozzle. It’s clogged up. Once you’re done with that, if you wouldn’t mind giving the whole machine a quick look over, I’d really appreciate it. I have a checklist that I usually have the foreman fill out, but if you think you can handle it, I’ll let you give it a try.”

Mika took the checklist absently and said, “Yes, of course.”

Mika tried to take in her surroundings as she walked towards the machine. It seemed there was an elevator leading from another part of the building to the basement floor because there was a small elevator behind her. Still, she knew she hadn’t seen an elevator anywhere else in the building. Then, she saw the outline on the floor. It almost blended into the dark bedrock of the ground, but it was definitely there. There was a pattern carved into the floor and it looked like the biggest summoning circle she had ever seen, circling all around the perimeter of the machine. Still, as she stared at the intricate patterns, she realized it wasn’t a summoning circle at all. She had never seen anything like it before, and she didn’t want to cross it.

Jones asked, “Is something wrong, Mrs. Mika?’

Mika said, “Orel always told me never to step across these lines.”

Jones said, “Not to worry. The circle isn’t active right now.”

Mika cast a furtive glance at Jones but then nodded and crossed the line. The moment she did, once again she got the strange feeling of crossing through an invisible barrier. She noticed her hair became charged with static, strands slowly lifting like puppets on transparent strings. The moment she touched the metal of the machine she got a nasty shock, but that wasn’t what made her gasp in surprise. There was something horrible about it, as though she heard a scream the moment the static charge hit her finger.

Mika thought, “Fast, work fast! I need to get out of here or I’ll lose my mind.”

Mika continued to glance at Jones as she started twisting the nozzle free of the spraying hose, but Jones wasn’t looking at her. He appeared to be glancing at the machine and running through his own personal check list. No, the feeling of being watched wasn’t coming from Jones. Instead, she thought that she knew where it was coming from, somewhere on the opposite wall with the fuel basins. Mika didn’t know why, but she felt like there was an invisible audience of people watching her, not only watching her, but wishing that she would see them.

Mika felt the nozzle come loose from the hose and began to poke around it with her fingers. She felt something smooth with ridges lodged in the nozzle, so she began prying at it with her tools. After a few minutes of fighting with it, she finally pulled the object out. She stared intently at it for a moment, not sure what she was looking at. It was a perfectly round ball of metal, like a ball for a musket, but there were lovely swirling patterns all over it. Someone clearly took time to make the markings, but how did it get in the machine? She examined the rest of the nozzle. There were also metal shavings that clearly came from the small metal ball.

Mika looked over at Jones. He was still glancing at the other side of the machine. Mika quickly put the small object in the pocket of her mechanic uniform and continued her work. There were more metal shavings inside of the tube and some very strange residue. For a moment, in the dim light, she thought the residue glowed green on her fingertips, but then it seemed nothing more than nasty grime created by moldy water.

Jones asked, “Did you find the blockage?”

Mika said, “Yes, some odd metal shavings and some residue. I’m guessing they came from the inside of the basins, but I don’t know what could’ve caused them.”

Jones said, “Ah, we’ve had that sort of thing happen before. I’ll check on it personally later. We’ll have a test of the nozzle and then you can get to the checklist.”

Mika said, “Thank you, Sir.”

Jones twisted a lever and steam billowed through the pipes, powering the machine. For a moment Mika forgot her fear, awestruck by the design. She had never seen a totally automated machine before. It was as though the parts of the machine had their own rhythm, twisting and pulling in time with one another. Still, suddenly she heard a shrill screeching sound, like the sound of an animal in pain, or a child crying. She put her hands over her ears.

Jones shouted, “That sound is one of the traits of Everburn fuel, kind of like a side effect of the process. Don’t worry about it.”

Mika nodded and hesitantly forced her hands away from her ears. Whether it was a natural sound or not, it sounded so much like a real scream it tugged on the empathetic parts of her mind, making her want to do anything to stop it. She followed the path of the steam with her mind, noticing a release valve on one of the large tubs of fuel in front of her. The valve rotated just enough for a hose full of fuel and then closed back up, awaiting the next burst of steam for the next rotation. The nozzle lifted up with the pressure of the fuel behind it, and began spraying a small stack of coal, lashing back and forth like the tail of a hungry lion.

Jones said, “Excellent work, Mika. Now, while the machine is running, please complete your checklist.”

Mika went through the checklist, trying to imagine herself as a part of the machine, trying desperately to separate her conflicting emotions from her professional attitude. She still felt dizzy and slightly nauseated, and something about the entire process made her feel dirty. She couldn’t place anything wrong with the machine or the fuel itself, but there was definitely something wrong with that summoning circle.

Mika thought, “Prematurely corroded pipes, check, and elaborate cable pulley system, check. There’s a loose portion on the conveyor belt where one of the barrels might eventually tip over if not straightened out—I’d better write that one down, but God please don’t let me have to fix it…”

Mika didn’t even notice Jones was looking over her shoulder. His voice made her jump.

Jones said, “You noticed the loose conveyor belt. I’m impressed. You’ve already written a very thorough report, and you’ve had one of the fastest times fixing the machine. I think we’ve found our new machine mechanic.”

Mika said, “Oh, not me. I’m not nearly as experienced as some of the others.”

Jones said, “Don’t be so modest. This is the highest paying job in the entire facility, and I think you’re the right one for it.”

Mika thought, “I can’t say yes, there’s no way I could do this almost every day. But, if I say no, Jones will be suspicious, and I already owe him my life for taking care of my wounds and for allowing me to stay here…”

Mika said, “I don’t know how to explain it, Mr. Jones, but this floor really unnerves me. Ever since I came down here, I feel very out of my element.”

Jones said, “I thought you might. I felt that way the first time I came down here as well.”

Mika asked, “Really?”

Jones said, “It might be the fumes from the fuel, or just the fact we’re so far below ground, but it makes you feel trapped and nervous. Don’t worry. Those feelings eventually pass. I’ll understand if you don’t like the responsibility of being the primary mechanic of this machine, but please, don’t pass up a good opportunity just because you have goose bumps.”

Mika chuckled. She could tell it was a nervous chuckle, but Jones seemed to think it was legitimate.

Mika said, “I wouldn’t pass up such a good opportunity because of that. I just, well, it’s like you said, that’s a lot of responsibility, and I just started working here.”

Jones said, “That’s true, you did only just start working last night—and, goodness, it’s already three o’clock. You must be exhausted, especially with your injuries. Why don’t you take tomorrow off and maybe the next day? That way, you can take your time making the decision, and I’ll be sure that a nice hot meal is sent to your room tonight.”

Mika said, “Thank you, Mr. Jones.”

Mr. Jones said, “No, thank you. And, take care, but remember your promise.”

Mika said, “I will. Mr. Jones, may I please leave the facility to buy some supplies?”

Mr. Jones sighed and said, “I’m sorry, Mika. The rules specifically state that none of our workers can leave the building. The rule is mostly just to keep people from knowing about the amount of Aves working here, but I can’t make any exceptions.”

Mika tried not to show the disappointment she felt on her face. She needed an escape, anything to forget about the terrible machine. Then, it came to her. There was a way that she could apologize to Flynn and Orel, and a way for her to forget her problems at the same time.

Mika asked, “Then, will you please do something for me?”

Mr. Jones said, “Anything. What do you need?”

Mika said, “I want a sketchpad and some charcoal pencils. I’d also like a bottle of the best vintage wine that my wages can buy and a bottle of the best whiskey I can buy…”

Mr. Jones pulled out a notepad and Mika waited until he finished writing to continue.

“A cube of lightweight wood good for carving and a knife for whittling. Also, a set of small watchmaker’s tools, normal tools, and gears and springs of varying sizes for watches. Oh yes, and some paint of varying colors, the faster it dries, the better.”

Mr. Jones said, “Your wages should cover most of it, though probably not the watchmaking tools. Still, I’m sure I can work out a payment schedule and go ahead and purchase them, but may I ask why?”

Mika said, “My favorite hobby back home was to make mechanical toys. The wood is for the body of the toy, and the gears and springs are for the interior to make it move. I can craft metal toys too, but I don’t think I have the money to buy the kind of tools I would need for that. The watch tools and regular tools are for putting it together, the paints are to decorate it, and the two bottles of liquor are gifts. The sketchpad is one of the few things I left behind that I’m wishing I took with me.”

Mr. Jones said, “They’ll be delivered with your meal tonight. For now, get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As Mika left the room, she desperately fought off the urge to run. She could still hear the sound of gears and pulleys grinding and thumping behind her. She had never noticed the sound before, but now that she had heard it, she could hear it in the very floor beneath her feet. Still, the worst sound by far was the sound of the Everburn fuel itself, screeching like a person in pain, screaming for anyone to help. The sound wasn’t natural, not natural at all. As soon as she reached the deserted Aves hallways, she burst into tears and began to run for her room.

What's Happening...

Well, this is just going to be a short entry. There isn't much to say about this week. I finished "Fool Moon," Book 2 of the Dresden Files. It was very good and, like I said, I'll write a review of the series once I finish. From what I understand the books keep getting better and better, and so far I really enjoyed the first two, so I'm looking forward to the others.

Tomorrow, we're going to Spartanburg to do a little ghost hunting. I'm excited about it. Hopefully we'll have more luck than usual, but even if not, it should be fun. We're checking out an eerie old cemetery and possibly one or two other places while we're there. We're borrowing an infrared camera this time, so at least we have better equipment than usual. Wish us luck.

As for the writing, I still am brainstorming about a horror novel. I'm trying not to stress over it. The idea will eventually come to me.

It is Finished...

This is just a short blog entry to let you know that "Everburn" is finished.

While I really enjoyed writing this story, I got snagged on the ending for a little while. By the time I finished entirely, I was getting a little tired of my setting. I always have this problem. Even though I love Steampunk, after writing a full book in the genre, I need a little break. So, long story short I'm taking a little break from writing this week, proofing the book next week, then having my husband read it for content afterward. And now, it's time to change genres. (I say this in the Mad Hatter voice, like changing seats at the tea party.) Even though I do fully intend to make this book into a trilogy, and have the notes to start the second book, I just really need a break. I love Steampunk too much to burn myself out on it.

I think, for the next novel, I'm going back to horror. I've written many horror stories and they are really what I consider myself best at writing. Still, I've never been able to come up with a concept for a book. (I do have a Lovecraftian novel that's almost finished, but right now I'm referring to traditional horror.) Most of my horror stories are pretty long. I think the longest one was about thirty pages, but I've never tried to write that style of novel. It should be a challenge, and I like challenges.

So, I'll keep you posted on how it's going. I might even add a writing sample from it later, and possibly a sneak peak at Everburn after I'm done proofing. In the meantime, keep reading and writing. And, based on what I've read of the first and second book, I highly recommend "The Dresden Files." (I'll try to write a review of that later.)

Curse of the Eight Ball...

This is just an update of what's been going on lately.

In writing news, I'm very very close to being finished with my "Everburn" book. I'm probably two short chapters from the end, but unfortunately I've run into some unexpected writer's block. I really should have learned this was coming by now, but for some reason it still takes me by surprise.

Basically, a good analogy of what I'm going through usually happens to me when I'm playing a good game of pool. I could be running the table for the entire game, but when I get to the eight ball, inevitably I'll either scratch or call the wrong pocket. When I get to the end of a book, unfortunately sometimes my writing style starts to go downhill. It's like I feel the pressure to finish but for some reason I can't get myself to do it. Eventually I'll work my way through it and come up with something good, but for now I've hit that point again where I'm not "feeling it." I'm hoping to finish my book by the end of the week, but I'm not going to force it. Still, I think I'll feel much happier when I do.

When I finish the book, I decided that I'm going to take a week or two off of writing to relax and brainstorm. I'm trying to decide if I want to work on the next book of this series or start on something totally new. Normally, I would continue with the series, but, the problem is, I don't want to burn myself out on the steampunk genre. I like it too much to do that. So, I'm thinking of maybe turning my attentions back to the horror genre for a little while. I've always had trouble coming up with a novel length horror story, but from what I understand, my short horror stories are usually stellar. (My very first attempt at a horror story to submit to an anthology was accepted right away.)

Speaking of horror stories (and that one specifically), "Courting Morpheus" is finally finished. I got my first copy of it in the mail about a week ago. I have to admit, I'm glad to finally see that it came to fruition, and it looks pretty darn good. "Hemophobia" is the first story that I wrote specifically to submit to an anthology. That was nearly four years ago, so seeing it in print is kind of like seeing an old friend again, dressed for success. I've read most of the stories in "Courting Morpheus" already and enjoyed them. Please, show your support and pick up a copy. It's worth it.

Anyway, that's what's been going on right now. I guess it's back into the fray. I've got a book ending to try to write, chores to do, and a party to plan for my husband.

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Last week I just finished reading "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire. I've been curious about this book for a long time, mostly because fairy tales and different takes on classic fairy tales interest me. And, even though the Wizard of Oz probably isn't classified as a fairy tale per se, it fits close enough to captivate my attention. Also, I heard good things about the musical "Wicked" so I wanted to see what the book was about.

What to say about this book...interesting. Yes, interesting is the best word I can use to describe it. I can't say it was exciting. In fact, I'd probably say it was pretty dull for the most part. The most exciting part of the story is at the beginning when Melena is giving birth to her baby, Elphaba, who will one day be the Wicked Witch of the West. The beginning was intriguing because of the mysterious nature of the Witch's birth.

The Munchkinlanders are being led astray from their unionist religion and their moral standards by a large clockwork magical device called "The Clock of the Time Dragon." Frex, Melena's husband and the preacher of the town, goes to try to lead the Muchkins away from the device. Through a perverse puppet show, Frex is made to seem like a corrupt religious leader and the people of the town turn against him. He manages to escape by the kindness of a widow, but that leads the villagers towards his home where his wife is trying to deliver her child. His wife is taken away from the home into the nearby cemetery, and actually gives birth inside of the Clock of the Time Dragon that was being hidden there. As though by a curse, her baby is born green with sharp teeth like those of a shark. Melena eventually finds solace in an affair with a Quadling (another race of people in Oz), and later gives birth to another girl who has no arms with normal skin, named Nessarose, and a boy named Shell.

Most of the book takes place in Shiz University, where Elphaba meets Glinda and they form a friendship. However, I thought from the cover of the book and from some of the scenes I saw from that musical that they were supposed to be best friends. Perhaps they were, but if so, the book didn't convey it very well. Glinda seems mostly ashamed to be around her through most of the book and doesn't seem to take up the mantle of the things that are important to Elphaba. They are friends, but don't seem close. Elphaba spends a great deal of time advocating rights for talking animals (known as Animals with a capital A). The Wizard of Oz is taking rights away from the Animals, little by little, and eventually has them shipped off to farms to live like normal animals for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, Glinda is learning sorcery and hanging out with the social elite of the school.

In this book the "Wicked Witch of the East (Nessarose)" and the "Wicked Witch of the West" are not evil at all. They never became evil and the harsh way that Elphaba treats Dorothy at the end seems uncharacteristic of her. The Wizard in this book mirrors the worst dictators in history and is the only real villain. I think at the very end of the book, he's also supposed to be a bit of a sympathetic character because you get to see glimpses of his harsh past, but he's been so cruel and ruthless throughout the whole book there's no way to paint him in a rose tinted light enough to even redeem him slightly.

I've read the Wizard of Oz as a child, but I haven't read many of Frank Baum's other works on Oz. I think for a fair review of how to compare and contrast this book to them I would need to do a bit more research. Still, I do know some things were changed to make this book a reality. So, I'll just say, in conclusion, this was a very odd book and, while I'm glad that I satiated my curiosity about it, I'm ready to move on to "The Dresden Files." If you enjoyed The Wizard of Oz, or other books that depict Oz, then you would probably enjoy this as a different take on the story. Still, you might be a bit disappointed by the necessary changes that had to be made to the storyline to create it. Overall, I did enjoy the book, but it is very odd and a little slow.

The Stand (Complete and Uncut)

Well, after over three weeks of reading, I'm finally finished with "The Stand." This is the complete and uncut version, and the book is basically three books rolled into one. It was one thousand, one hundred, and forty-one pages long. I have to admit, this book definitely felt like an epic adventure (it would have to for me to spend nearly a month reading it).

First of all, let me begin this entry by saying I don't typically like post apocalyptic stories. But, since I'm trying to read almost all of Stephen King's novels, particularly stories that are related to "The Dark Tower" series, I decided I needed to read this one as well. I bought the book when I was in high school and never got around to reading it, mostly due to it's length. I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment that I finished this book despite my preconceived ideas about post apocalyptic fiction, and I did mostly enjoy it.

For those of you who don't know, "The Stand" is about the aftermath of a biologically engineered plague from the United States, a very horrible mutating version of the flu. By a freak accident, this biological weapon is set loose on the world, starting with the US. The first book introduces us to the main characters (a small group of people whose later actions will ensure the survival or the downfall of society), and the immediate aftermath of what's going on; the chaos, the gore, the lawlessness, and the eerie quiet caused by most of the population dying.

The second book is about the journey of these people. They start having strange dreams about a kind old woman called Mother Abigail that is telling them to come and meet her first in Nebraska and later in Boulder, Colorado, and a terrifying man, Randall Flagg, who causes them nightmares and is clearly starting a settlement in the West at what remains of Las Vegas. All of the survivors of the plague are drawn to either Mother Abigail or Randall Flagg depending on what they value. Most of the survivors form a large settlement in Boulder, Colorado, while, meanwhile, most of those drawn to Randall Flagg are collecting weapons to unleash on Mother Abigail's settlement to kill off the survivors.

The third book is about the four main characters compelled by fate to meet Flagg head on, to make a stand against him.

As you can see, I tried very hard not to leave any spoilers in my plot summary, though, I did spoil the fact that Randall Flagg is involved. My apologies, but that seemed important and it is a, 'Oh wow!' moment to figure out that he's such an integral character in the plot. Truthfully, though, I didn't really get into the book until about book two when he first emerged, so I'm hoping this ahead of time knowledge will get you to read it as well. I also tried to be as brief as possible. I could go into the lives of each and every character, but that would take far longer than you'd care to read. (There are at least twenty one important characters in this book, also several less important characters as well.) The point is, I don't feel I need to do that to tell you the pluses and minuses of this book.

One of the best things about this book was each of the characters changed throughout the story. Some of the main characters weren't very likable when they started out, but got much better as the book progressed. Likewise, some of the "bad guys" in the story were sympathetic characters by the end of the book. Also, some likable characters in the beginning eventually became less sympathetic. One of Stephen King's strong points is the way he creates believable, dynamic, characters. And, once again, he didn't disappoint about that aspect in this book.

One of the things I didn't like about the story, however, was that it did drag on too long. Even though I understand why he put so much detail into the story's setting, obviously to paint a picture of a post-apocalyptic world, it actually bored me. There was one chapter about people who randomly died after the plague (things like accidentally shooting themselves, a child falling down a well, etc.). And, while again I understand the reasoning behind the chapter (this was to show that the plague wasn't the only thing that killed people and there was a great deal of random death afterward), I nearly put the book down at that point. The book was so depressing as it was that hearing about more random death didn't do anything for me and I became bored with the concept, sort of like a person turning off the news when they hear nothing but bad news for too long.

Still, I don't attribute the fact that I was reading the uncut version to why the story felt like it was droning on. I think it was just the way it was written. There was just too much detail. After you see one highway clogged with cars that have become coffins for the dead passengers inside of them, you feel like you've seen them all--wow, that's a strange concept, but true. He describes many scenes that just seem the exact same as the scene before it. The eeriness of going through a totally dark tunnel is explored in one particular scene early in the book, so when this happens again, I don't need a recap. It was things like that that made the book seem longer than it actually was.

The last complaint I have is a minor one. My favorite character died like a chump (in other words, in a quick and pointless way) at least three hundred pages from the end. I won't spoil anything by telling you who, but I will say most of the main characters do die by the end of this book. In fact, I was disappointed by the ones who survived because oddly, most of them were my least favorite. There was one that was one of my favorites that survived too, but when you're attached to four or five characters, and all of them but one die, it's kind of a downer. It also makes the rest of the book seem slow because you don't care as much about the characters that made it. I'm just telling you so that you are prepared when you read it, for the sacrifices at the end.

Other than that, this was a very good book. Like I said, since I don't like post-apocalyptic fiction typically, you know it has to be good to keep my attention to the end. By the end of this book I felt like I had walked in the character's shoes and knew all of the characters very well. This was probably the most satisfying story that I've ever read because almost all of the loose ends were tied up and it didn't leave me wondering much, and it was so long that finishing it felt literally like finishing a journey, which is very appropriate for this story.

Still, the story does end on a huge down note, since (and I'm not spoiling anything by saying this if you are a Stephen King fan) Randall Flagg survives. Also, I hated the last line about "Do you think...do you think people ever learn anything," when the remaining character is asking if people will basically learn not to pollute the earth again since the earth is "recovering" from mankind's influence. It was so environmentally PC that it made me throw up in my mouth a little. Plus, the line came out of nowhere to me because the book mostly up until this point seemed to be about people killing other people, rather than the impact of man on the environment. But still, like I said, this is a good book and if you've got the time, you should read it. It starts out a little slow, but by the end you won't be able to put it down.

How to Train Your Dragon

Sorry this review is so late. I'm trying to keep up with this blog, but there's a lot to do.

I've got to say this movie took me by surprise. I heard it was good from some of my friends, but the hype made me doubt that it would be good at all. I've noticed a trend with movies lately; usually whenever a movie is the subject of many commercials, McDonald's happy meals, special offers, and Superbowl advertisements, it always leaves something to be desired. I'm pleased to say that this movie breaks that rule.

"How to Train Your Dragon" is about a young Viking named "Hiccup" who has always wanted to slay a dragon. Still, unlike the other Vikings, he's small and scrawny and whenever he tries to fight dragons, he fails miserably and it ends in disaster. His Father, is the leader of the clan and the two of them have very little in common. Then, one day, Hiccup manages to wound the most dangerous of all dragons, a Nightfury, and when he tracks it down, he finds he can't kill it. Instead he forges a strong friendship with the creature, learns to ride it, and it teaches him a great deal about all dragons. Once he realizes he doesn't want to slay dragons, his Father finally grants his original wish and makes him join the other Vikings his age to learn how to slay dragons. He uses what he's learned to "fake" his way through dragon training. Once his Father finds out, he uses the information to track down the dragon's nest. Hiccup and his friends must fight to save the dragons, the other Vikings, and stop the terrible creature that is about to be unleashed.

The humor in this movie is very good and some of it is geared towards gamers (which I liked very much). There were some scenes that actually made me laugh out loud, which was refreshing. The main character is sarcastic and smarmy, but he's also very likable. He's basically the underdog, and you really want him to succeed in what he wants to accomplish. There are many funny jokes that you might miss the first time around, such as the Viking that is missing an arm has a beer mug attachment and an ax attachment as well.

The dragons in the movie are very catlike. This seemed very appropriate because I've always thought if dragons didn't talk they would have more catlike features, being very aloof and a bit snobby. (Perhaps appraising you and finding you wanting, etc...) It's also funny because it makes the dragons slightly unpredictable, giving them attitude and personality, particularly "Toothless," Hiccup's dragon.

The special effects in this movie are very good. I like the textures on the dragons' scales. You can almost imagine what they would feel like. The animation is caricature with enough realism to lose yourself in the movie. Basically the animation was very cool.

I'm trying to think of complaints for this movie, but I really don't have any. I am kind of biased because I've always loved dragons and have always thought Vikings were cool so the thought of Vikings riding dragons warms my heart. It would be a concept worthy of an RPG. Who knows, maybe someone will run a game like that one day. Anyway, I enjoyed the movie and I highly suggest you see it. It may be too late for some theaters, but even if it is, at least rent it. It's definitely worth watching.