Ten Great Steampunk Novels (you might not have heard of) by M.K. Hobson

 I'm delighted to be part of the Warlock's Curse blog tour which is hosted by CBB Book Promotions. Ms. Hobson's debut novel, The Native Star—the first book in her Veneficas Americana series—was nominated for a Nebula award in 2010. She lives in the first city in the United States incorporated west of the Rockies. Her favorite writers are Theodore Dreiser, Sinclair Lewis, Booth Tarkington, Gore Vidal, and William S. Burroughs. The Warlock’s Curse is her third novel. Ms.Hobson is here today to give us her recommendations for ten great steampunk novels we may have not heard before! To make browsing easier for you, I've included book covers from Goodreads and linked the titles to Amazon.

M.K. Hobson's Ten Great Steampunk Novels (you might not have heard of)

With Christmas coming up, I bet many readers of Books In The Spotlight will find gift certificates for books in their stockings. Well, the readers who have been nice, anyway. And those who have been naughty surely have better ways of getting their hands on books than waiting for some fat man in a red suit to slide down the chimney with a gift certificate. So however you get your hands on them, here’s a list of ten great steampunk books you might want to check out in 2013!

Ironskin by Tina Connolly: The elevator pitch for this one—a “steampunk Jane Eyre with fairies”—really doesn’t do justice to this compelling, lyrical tale. Whether you’re a fan of steampunk or Charlotte Bronte, you’ll like this one.









Mechanique by Genevieve Valentine: A powerful tale set under the big top of the magical Circus Tresaulti. It’s simply chock-a-block with beautiful imagery, such as the mechanical wings which lay at the center of a epic power struggle between two fascinatingly damaged characters.









 Heart of Iron by Ekaterina Sedia: This book as intelligent as it is gripping, set in a in a Russia where the Decembrists' rebellion was successful and the Trans-Siberian railroad was completed before 1854. A prime example of steampunk set outside the by-now-somewhat-yawn-worthy streets and alleyways of “foggy London.”








What Lies Beneath the Clock Tower by Margaret Killjoy: A devilishly delightful “choose your own adventure” steampunk novel with colonialist gnomes, indigenous goblins, and no small amount of political consciousness. This one is as intriguing as it is enjoyable.








 The Falling Machine by Andrew P. Mayer: This “steampunk superhero” book takes place in a Victorian New York powered by the discovery of Fortified Steam, a substance that allows ordinary men to wield extraordinary abilities. Super fun, with a strong heroine.







 God Save the Queen by Kate Locke: I like to take my steampunk with a large helping of magic, and there are plenty of magical creatures in this one. I especially like what Locke does with her goblins.








The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming: I am cheating a bit, because I can’t classify this one as purely steampunk, but I think it will hold a lot of appeal to readers who like steampunk. And it has a beautiful love story, which I think everyone likes.







New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear: I don’t think there’s anything Elizabeth Bear *can’t* write—and steampunk is no exception. In this collection of interlocked short stories, hard-boiled sleuth Abigail Irene Garrett contends with Spanish vampires, blood sorcery, and dirigibles in an colonial Victorian America where the Revolutionary War never happened..






The Women of Nell Gwynne’s by Kage Baker: This isn’t really unknown, as it was nominated for several awards, but it’s a novella, so it may have slipped under the radar. The titular women of Nell Gwynne’s not only work at the most exclusive brothel in London—they are also secret agents.







 All Men of Genius by Lev A.C. Rosen: I started this list with a “steampunk Jane Eyre” so it seems only appropriate to end it with a “steampunk Twelfth Night.” I generally go for darker fodder, but this one was sweet and light and fun.








 Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today and giving us new authors and books to discover, Ms. Hobson!

THE YEAR IS 1910. Eighteen-year-old Will Edwards has landed a prestigious apprenticeship at Detroit’s Tesla Industries, the most advanced scientific research center in the United States. It’s a plum prize for a young man who dreams of a career in the new science of Otherwhere Engineering.
But his father doesn’t want him to go. And he won’t tell him why.

Determined to get there by any means necessary, Will finds unexpected support along the way. His old friend Jenny Hansen—daughter of a San Francisco timber baron—is eager to help him for reasons of her own. And so is his estranged brother Ben, who he hasn’t seen in over ten years.

But running away turns out to be the easy part. On the first full moon after his eighteenth birthday, Will is stricken by a powerful magic—a devastating curse laid upon his ancestors by the malevolent sangrimancer Aebedel Cowdray. Will must find a way to control the magic that possesses him—or the vengeful warlock’s spirit will destroy everything and everyone he loves.

 Readers, if you would like to know more about Ms. Hobson be sure to check out the links below:

• Book Website
• Amazon Book Page 
• Amazon Author Page 
• M.K. Hobson's blog  
• M.K. Hobson's Facebook page
• M.K. Hobon's on Goodreads
• Twitter  

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Top 10 Tuesday: Favorite Books into Movies

 It's Tuesday and time for another top ten list from the gals over The Broke and the Bookish. Today's topic of choosing our favorite book to movie adaptation was quite hard for me. I tend to either really hate a lot of movies that are based on a book that I have read. I also realized that I really like some movies that are based on books (i.e. The Princess Bride, Ella Enchanted), but I haven't read the book so I can't comment on how faithful it is to its original work.

Top 10 Favorite Books into Movies (in no particular order)

   Clueless is  a modern adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. This is one of those rare cases where I liked the movie much more than the book. Austen's Emma got on my nerves so much that I couldn't enjoy the book. I hated her righteous attitude. When I met Cher, I instantly liked her for being...well so clueless about what was going around her.

   The Joyluck Club by Amy Tan is a book that broke my heart into many pieces with its heart wrenching stories of how mothers sacrfice things for their children. The movie had the same effect of me, my mom, and my sisters. A fabulous cast and screenplay that handled the various stories and different character point of views very well.

   Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. Tolkein- I'm blown away by how much detail Peter Jackson included in his trilogy. I couldn't decide which movie of the three to put on here, so I cheated and included all of the. My favorite book, however, is The Two Towers. The movies really helped me get the various characters, races, and languages straight in my head when I read the books. The movies also introduced me to fabulous actors like Viggo Mortenson who I knew nothing about.

   The Outsiders by SE Hinton- This is probably the most faithful book to movie adaptation that I've ever seen. The actors became the characters. Their comraderie, loyalty, and love for one another leaped off the screen and felt authentic. Out of all the actors, I would say that Matt Dillon's Dallas broke my heart. Looking back at it now, the cast is unbelievable: Patrick Swayze (RIP), Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise (before he went psycho), Ralph Macchio, and Diane Lane amongst the noteables. I still don't understand how all the actors except for C. Thomas Howell, who played Ponyboy,  seemed to make it big in Hollywood.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen- Okay, so technically this is a TV miniseries, but I absolutely loved it. The screenplay is fantastic and hits on the right notes of Austen's social and political points. I watch this yearly during Winter Break and still can't get enough. It's my first introduction to Colin Firth and I have watched almost anything with him every since. To me, Colin Firth will always be Mr. Darcy.



   William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet- I absolutely love everything about this Baz Lurhman's adaptation. It beautifully and creatively captured the spirit and tone of the play while making the film contemporary with its awesome soundtrack, clothing, set, and a terffic, diverse cast. I can watch this film several times and have several different reactions to it everytime I finish it. My VHS copy of this movie is so run down that I have to go and buy the DVD. 



What's Eating Gilbert Grape?  by Peter Hedges- Everyone knows about my obsession over Johnny Depp, but that's not why I liked this movie (well, okay just a little ;) ). What's Eating Gibert Grape is a beautifully shot movie of that transferred the book's tenderness, teen angst, caring and self-awareness of the Grape family. I firmly believe Leonardo was cheated out of getting an Oscar for his portrayal of Arnie. He was phenomenal and solidified him, in my opinion, as an actor. 

   About a Boy is possibly my favorite Nick Hornby novel. It compacts a romantic comedy, family drama, and self awareness all into one. While reading the book, I couldn't think of anyone else to play the despicable yet loveable Will than Hugh Grant. Talk about a role made for an actor! Although the ending is different than the novel, it stays true to the characters and spirit of the book.

   Hamlet by William Shakespeare-  I've loved all of the adaptations that I have seen so far by Kenneth Branaugh, but I think Hamlet is his best. The movie is shot like an old school epic film like Lawrence of the Arabia, leaving no details untouched. While the movie may be long for some, I was glued to my seat watching how the characters and play unravel. I thought Branaugh's Hamlet had a wide range of emotions instead of the confused, crazed lunatic that is popularly portrayed by most actors. Kate Winslet's Ophelia broke my heart. 



Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier- Not only is the movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, but I think it perfectly captured the creepiness of the novel, especially Mrs. Danvers. Joan Fontaine effortlessly captures the innocence and mannerisms of Mrs. Dewinters.

These are my favorite movies based on books. What are yours?



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Movie News!

   My last post on movie news was back in September of this year. Since then there are numerous upcoming movies that have my caught my eye. All of the movies below are book adaptations, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on who is the director and the cast selected. Nonetheless these films seem impressive and I might give them a shot.

First up, we have another adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece Jane Eyre. It stars Mia Wasikowska (Jane), Michael Fassbender (Rochester) and Madame Judi Dench (Mrs. Fairfax). I really liked Mia Wasikowska in Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland and I think she'll make a great Jane. Jane Eyre is directed by Cary Fukunaga and the screenplay is written by Moira Buffini. The movie is rated PG-13 and will be in theaters in March 2011. As you watch the trailer, notice how the movie has more of a gothic, dark tone to it which I think is unique amongst its many adaptations:

Second up is Adjustment Bureau, which is a movie that is loosely adapting Philip K. Dick's short story, Adjustment Team. When it comes to classic science fiction writers like Dick, sometimes I prefer watching a movie adaptation first and then reading the original in order to get a better grasp of the material. Adjustment Bureau stars Matt Damon (David Norris) and Emily Blunt (Elise Sellas). The director and screenplay writer is George Nolfi, who did one of the Bourne movies. Not only do I love both of these actors, I also love the director too. This should be a pretty good movie. It is rated PG-13 and is coming September 2011. Here is a brief synopsis of the movie: "The affair between a politician and a ballerina is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart." Source: Internet Movie Database. Check out the trailer below:

 

Third up is an interesting adaptation of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. The Tempest is one of the few Shakespeare plays that I have not read. Looks like I have to fix that for next year. The Tempest stars Helen Mirren (Prospera), Russell Brand (Trinculo), Djimon Hounsou (Caliban), and a whole slew of other actors. I never thought I would see a movie that starred Helen Mirren and Russell Brand together, but I guess it works. I think it's pretty interesting that the male lead, Prospero, was changed into Prospera, a woman. The movie is directed and written by Julie Taymor. The Tempest is going to be released December 10, 2010 and it is rated PG-13. See the trailer below:

Fourth is a film adaptation of famous Grimm Fairy Tale The Little Red Riding Hood called Red Riding Hood. The film is set in a medieval village that is haunted by a werewolf and a young girl falls for an orphaned woodcutter, who her family dislikes. The movie stars: Amanda Seyfried (Valerie aka Red Riding Hood), Lukas Haas and Gary Oldman. Wow, I haven't seen Lukas Haas in a movie for a really long time! The movie is directed by Catherine Hardwicke and written by David Johnson. I have to admit that this one made me ponder. I don't care for Catherine Hardwicke's directing, especially after her atrocious Twilight adaptation (seriously, the whole movie is blue!), but I'm glad she is no longer directing Gayle Forman's fabulous novel If I Stay. Despite my own opinions, I think some of you might be interested so I added it to this list. The movie is slated to release March 2011 and it has not been rated. Check out the trailer and let me know what you think:

 

 Last but not least, I'm really hoping there is going to be a Baz Lurhmann adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. There has been lots of talk that the movie will star Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. I think Baz Lurhman is an innovative director who gives a fascinating spin on a lot of stories. i absolutely loved how he handled "Romeo and Juliet". I can watch that movie over and over again and will always find something new. Needless to say that I have watched and enjoyed all of his movies. There's no official word from Lurhmann, but it looks like things are headed in that direction. *Crosses fingers* 

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