Bow, Erin. The Scorpion Rules.

Bow, Erin.  The Scorpion Rules.  Simon & Schuster/McElderry Books  2015  384p  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-4814-4271-8  hs  Science fiction  VG-BN   

     

In this fascinating story of love, war, and humanity, in which the world is ruled by the AI Tallis, the children of world leaders are kept hostage against their peaceful behavior, but when war is threatened these “children of peace” must take matters into their own hands.  Coming on the heels of “Hunger Games fever”, this story might suffer from being mis-classified.  It is almost nothing like the Hunger Games except for the idea of child hostages.  However, these young hostages are allies, hoping for peace, and when peace seems possible, and therefore their lives are threatened, they act to protect each other, bringing to light serious questions about identity, self-sacrifice, and what -- and who -- is worth dying for.  There is a romantic subplot that is both beautiful and unexpected, rather like the solution protagonist Greta comes up with to stay her own execution and the destruction of entire nations when Tallis becomes personally involved.  Tallis, by the way, will be absolutely delightful to millennials and younger readers, who are far more likely to enjoy this book than their parents, who may be uncomfortable with the casual approach to sexuality beyond the heterosexual norm.  This was a genuinely fun read, and the ending will leave readers wondering what else is in store for Greta and her companions.

Summary: In this fascinating story of love, war, and humanity, the children of world leaders are held hostage against their peaceful behavior, but when war is threatened these “children of peace” must take matters into their own hands.                    

Hostages-Fiction, Peace-Fiction, Artificial intelligence-Fiction

--Bethany Geleskie

Bow, Erin. Sorrow’s Knot.

Bow, Erin.  Sorrow’s Knot.  Scholastic/Arthur Levine  2013  342p  $17.99      ISBN 978-0-545-16666-9    hs  Fantasy  E-BN     

Otter must find a way to stop the White Hands or become one herself.    Three friends, a Storyteller, a Hunter, and a Binder, live in a village that is surrounded by ghosts.  An ordinary Binder can deal with most ghosts, but White Hands devour the spirits of the living, and it takes a Binder with legendary skills to successfully contain a White Hand.  When the village is confronted by a White Hand that had once been a Binder, the three friends must journey to the dawn of legends to seek a solution.

Erin Bow has created an eerie, atmospheric novel in the style of a Native American folk tale.  In the process, her superb world-building provides a rich backdrop to the exploration of profound questions about sacrifice, freedom, love, life, grief, and death.  Each character is fully rounded and developed, providing glimpses of humanity that readers will recognize in themselves and others.

Delicate and spine-chilling, this book will keep readers up late at night, haunting them long after they’ve turned the final page.

Summary: Otter must find a way to stop the White Hands or become one herself.

Ghosts-Fiction, Horror-Fiction                              --Hilary Welliver