Author Spotlight: Pam Funke

The World at War by Pam Funke
ISBN: 978-1475102260
Publisher: CreateSpace
Softcover (528 pages)

Purchase the book here: Amazon | CreateSpace | Amazon UK

Contact the Author: Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Book blurb:

The second book in the exciting The Apocalypse series.

Join General Alexander Ludlow as he continues on his mission to save the world. At least that is what he thinks that Operation Dark Angel is all about. He is however starting to suspect that this mission is not all that it's cracked up to be. The world is in complete chaos as major nations wage war on each other and the world is on the brink of World War III.

The Group is secretly continuing Operation Dark Angel with much success. Unknown to the rest of the world they are the ones who are behind the strange and devastating attacks on Israel and around the world. What is it that they are really after when they are supposed to be bringing peace to an out of control world?

Italian President Nicolaitanes Balac is steadily gaining political power and recognition. The entire world is watching this one man and wondering if he will be the one to save them from the chaotic spiral that the world is headed towards. Is he really who he appears to be or is he something more sinister? Can he save the world? Do we even want him to? Is this who mankind should rely on for help or will this be the worst mistake that mankind has ever made?

Excerpt:

 Chee Tsang, China’s Chief Executive, gathered the country’s military officials together. He was ready for payback. How dare Israel attack his beloved country? Beijing is now just a smoldering disaster zone. This fact alone both angered and saddened him.

General Baojia Chan stood nearby looking over intelligence and working out a war strategy in his head. First we will attack Israel with missiles then a surprise attack with our massive army.

“General, I want your opinion about something. What will we gain from this? How will this attack on Israel benefit the people of China?” Chee Tsang asked.

General Chan looked back at the papers he was reviewing before looking at Mr. Chee Tsang. “Well, I think that this will only work as long as we contain the element of surprise. We then enter the country from here and here,” Baojia said pointing at the military map.

“I see. But would we not have a greater advantage point from here and here,” Chee asked.

“I have planned for the Immediate Action Unit to drop forces in at those locations,” General Chan replied.

“But I thought that we primarily used them to protect the country from terrorism, riots, and the like. If we use them in our attack, won’t that leave the country defenseless?” Chee asked.

“Yes, the IAU is primarily used for that purpose but as they are extremely good at tactical maneuvers we will be using them to strengthen our military forces. The Snow Leopard Commando Unit will be protecting our country while the military is deployed,” Baojia replied.

“Very well then, how long before we can make this happen?” Chee asked.

“It is being done as we speak sir. In a matter of hours we will have our troops in the air,” Baojia replied.

General Chan has done well, although I wish that he had waited for my approval. Chee turned and faced General Chan. “You are doing a fine job. As I am not needed here I will be off taking care of more pressing issues. Do not disappoint me,” Chee said. He then turned and left the room.

General Chan turned back to his staff. “How much longer before the planes are loaded with the troops and equipment?” he asked.

“Sir, they will be ready for takeoff in approximately two and a half hours,” the young soldier replied.

“Excellent. Now I want you to launch the missiles at Israel. We will start by creating chaos and panic and then the real fun begins,” General Chan ordered.

“Yes sir,” the soldier replied. He then typed in the target locations, the order codes, and hit send.

*****

Meanwhile in Russia, Adolph Christophe, Sergei and Anya Petrov watched as missiles appeared to approach the United States, England, France, and Japan. Adolph watched as the imaginary missile attack from China, Israel, Iraq, Turkey and Canada happened on screen. How is it possible that Sergei was able to achieve this? Won’t each of their security measures in place realize that none of this is real? This is unbelievable. While they watched their monitors and various news feeds on the television nothing seemed to indicate that the current attacks were anything other than real. This puzzled Adolph a little. How are they all being deceived so easily? Well it is of no consequence to me. Although I do wonder how it is being achieved.

Although he knew the truth, various countries were running amuck as they thought that their allies were attacking them. What he wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall and actually witness the panic and confusion going on in these countries.

****

Janet Chu, the current director of The United States’ Homeland Security, was currently in a secret meeting with representatives from each of the 50 states. They were finally going to have a temporary President, Vice President and presidential cabinet as their previous ones had been killed during the attack on Washington D.C. The United States was a little chaotic and definitely needed some guidance. The people of the United States would be given the opportunity to vote for someone more appropriate later.

“Does anyone have any experience that would govern them as a potential Presidential candidate?” Janet asked.

A couple of hands went up. Janet rubbed her forehead in frustration. How are we going to fill all the positions? “Okay, let’s do this. Those of you that raised your hands a moment ago, I want you to give us a brief description of your qualifications—a mini campaign if you will. Then after each of you has had your turn, we will vote for the position of acting President, acting Vice President, et cetera,” Janet said sitting down.

“Okay,” they replied in unison.

Approximately ten people stood up each giving their mini campaign in turn before returning to their seats. Janet had to admit that she was very impressed with a few of them; it was going to be difficult to vote.

“Now before we vote, I want to remind you that it is imperative that we be fair and think before we vote,” Janet said.

Before they could even start casting their ballots, multiple alarms went off across the room. Everyone in the room tensed up; no one said a single word. Janet got up from her chair trying to remain calm and walked over to the computer monitors. She looked at the radar screens then at the man sitting before the computer.

“Tell me that is not what I think it is,” Janet said.

“Ma’am, I really wish that I could. But we have ten missiles flying into our airspace,” Joe Hogan said panicky.

“Quickly deploy the interceptor missiles,” Janet replied.

Joe looked pale. “I did ma’am, they had absolutely no effect,” Joe replied.

“Where did they come from Joe?” Janet asked.

Joe looked like he was ready to pass out. “Iraq and Canada,” Joe replied shaking.

“Are you telling me that those missiles came from our own allies?” Janet yelled pointing at the screen.

Joe was almost afraid to answer, “Yes ma’am, I’m afraid that they have.”

Janet looked back at the representatives; they all had the same expression on their faces. Janet hesitated for only a moment, “Joe, I want you to return fire immediately. Defend our country.” Within minutes real missiles were now being launched by the United States targeting Canada and Iraq.

 

The Amulet, by Alison Pensy

This modern fairy story by Alison Pensy is adorable! Faedra Bennett, who lives with her father in an English cottage, discovers something life-changing about herself on her eighteenth birthday, including the fact that her best friend--a dog that arrived during her mother's wake eleven years ago--is not an ordinary dog! He's her shape-shifting guardian, Faen. And yes, he's sexy, strong, and honorable and already knows Faedra inside and out by the time he reveals himself to her. Now it's her turn to get to know him and her new role as custodian to an important object that is the key to saving her world and Faen's. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher

Jay Asher's debut novel was brilliantly conceived. I can't say enough good things about the idea of having a teen boy (Clay) listening to the last thoughts of a girl (Hannah) who, by the opening of the novel, has already killed herself. Like Clay, we can't wait to find out how different people and events contributed to Hannah's decision. The book is hard to put down. In the beginning, the use of audio tapes threw me off, because I couldn't imagine how a twenty-first-century teen would have access to such an outmoded form of technology. Nor did I have confidence that the subsequent teens in the tapes would have access to a machine they could use to listen to them. Asher gets around this by having Tony's story, which I won't divulge here, but it still required a leap of faith on my part. The language of Hannah and Clay compensated for my leap of faith, pulling me into realistic teen drama, teen thoughts, and teen emotions. There was never a moment while reading from either Hannah or Clay's points of view that I didn't hear and imagine a real teen. In spite of the realness of the teen voices, I still didn't always get a full sense of the characters, which took something away from the ending, since I couldn't recall Skye. Although I appreciated this clear sign that Clay had indeed been transformed by the tapes, I still would have liked more. I was disappointed not to see Clay encounter the others in the tapes. Over all, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend it to everyone, teens and adults alike.

The Infernal Devices, by Cassandra Clare

When a seventeen-year-old Tessa leaves New York to find her older brother in London after their aunt dies, she's abducted by the dark sisters and tortured into learning about a power she never knew she had. Little does she know that a terrifying mastermind plans to use her power to destroy the entire race of Shadow Hunters, known as the Nephilim. I absolutely loved this trilogy. The setting, the plot, the narrative style, and the characters were brilliantly done. I especially loved the characters, which were amazingly distinct despite a large cast. My favorite characters were Tessa, Will, and Jem. They were all three so good, that you couldn't help but love them. All three books also continued to add new twists and turns to the story. Even the Epilogue of the last book has a surprising twist, and I loved it! I highly recommend this series to young and old alike.

Audiobook Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of the audiobook edition of The Gatekeeper's Sons, I'm holding a giveaway. Enter to win a $20 Itunes giftcard, a $30 Amazon giftcard, and a free copy of the audiobook. The contest ends in one week, on June 17th.


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Expats, by Chris Pavone

Expats, by Chris Pavone, is about an American family in which the wife and husband have careers they keep secret from one another until everything comes to a head in Europe. Shortly after resigning from her CIA agent position, Kate is surprised when her husband, Dexter, says his job requires them to move to Luxembourg. With two little boys, Kate agrees to make the move only to find intrigue follows. Unsure whether her suspicious nature is making her paranoid or if her snooping is warranted, she nevertheless snoops to uncover one secret after another.

I truly enjoyed watching Kate unravel the mystery surrounding her and found the book difficult to put down, especially during the second half. The author does a remarkable job of making what would seem an unbelievable tale believable by crafting consistent characters with realistic motives. Although I sometimes was jarred by the movement in time and felt the ending was abrupt, I loved the story and would recommend it.

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

It took time for me to warm up to the narrator (Death) and his habit of stopping the story to ruminate and make comments. I even had a bad dream that he had pinned me down and was forcing me to listen to his tale as he lay on top of me in my bed. But at some point, he became endearing, like the hot-mouthed Rosa. I fell in love with the characters and was enthralled with their joys and sorrows. I miss them now that I've finished their story.

The narrator's descriptions were also a pleasure, and I felt the author found a way to infuse originality into a story humanity has needed to tell over and over since the Second World War.

The Book Thief is a beautiful testament to the power of words--to their ability to kill and to save lives. It is also a beautiful testament to human beings in exactly the same way.

The Hunger Games Trilogy, by Suzanne Collins

I recently included the first book of this trilogy in my Young Adult Literature class at the University of Texas at San Antonio because I truly admire the world and complexities created by Collins. The characters are multidimensional and believable and their futuristic dystopian society has just enough similarities to our own with its use of television and propaganda, class striation, and exploitation of the poor to be relatable.

I know many parents have criticized the level of violence in this series, but the ultimate message is similar to the one in Jonathon's Swift's Modest Proposal: We need to stop sacrificing our children in our political conflicts. It's no accident that Katniss is seventeen years old when many soldiers in our country and others recruit that age so that they are prime for enlisting by age eighteen. And families who pride themselves on serving their nation for generations in the armed forces are not unlike the career tributes.

Collins's trilogy is anti-war in the same vein as Small Soldiers, a partially animated movie in which technologically advanced toys go to war with one another. But it is also fatalistic in that the rebellion and the Capitol soon become indistinguishable from one another in the same way as Orwell's men and pigs in Animal Farm.

I highly recommend this heart-wrenching, fast-paced series to young and old alike.

Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

I enjoyed a great deal about this novel. I loved the concept and have never read anything like it, which is saying something because I've read a lot of books. I was also amazed by the author's imagination. Her descriptions of the circus, the clothing, the setting, the rooms, and even the books were so vivid that they felt tangible. I truly was carried away during the scenes at the circus, feeling like a reveur.

I gave the book three stars because, for me, the heart and soul of a good story comes from its characters, and Morgenstern's, though unusual and distinct and memorable, were not developed adequately enough to make me invested in their journeys. There were times when I had to force myself to continue because I didn't care enough to feel compelled to finish their stories.
So was it interesting? Yes! Imaginative? Absolutely! At times, breath-takingly beautiful? No doubt. But a compelling read it was not. Not for me, anyway.

The Host, by Stephenie Meyer

Wow. Talk about a wild ride. You get on and there's no getting off. You can't even stop to breathe! The tension is unrelenting. You have to keep going till the end.

I loved the concept of alien parastites taking over humans for "the greater good," at first emphasizing the tendency for humans to be violent and unreasonable, and later defending us as the most desirable companions in the universe.

I also loved the concept of two enemies sharing the same body, forced to get to know one another and eventually coming to love one another. I loved how the two identies occupying the same body have distinct personalities, which is underscored by their being in love with different men. The conflict of the two men both wanting the same body but being in love with two different persons is brilliant.

The ending might have gone on a little too long, but that's my only complaint about this exciting, interesting, and moving read that has made its way up to one of my top picks!

The Next Big Thing

The beautiful Stefania Mattana, from http://dailypinner.eraniapinnera.com/the-next-big-thing-and-chase-novels/, contacted me last week, inviting me to participate in a world-wide movement known as The Next Big Thing, an author relay in which one author answers a series of interview questions and then passes the baton onto another. Thank you, Stefania, for choosing me!

 

1. What is the title of your book?

The Gatekeeper's Challenge, The Gatekeeper's Trilogy #2

 

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
I've loved Greek mythology since the eighth grade, when I read Edith Hamilton's Mythology. After reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, I wondered what would happen if something similar ocurred between a girl and a Greek god.

 

3. What genre does your book fall under?
Contemporary young adult fantasy.

4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I have no idea.

 

5. What is the one sentence synopsis for your book?
In order to be with Thanatos, the god of death and the love of her life, sixteen-year-old Therese Mills must complete a set of five challenges designed by Hades, who hopes to see her fail.

6. Will your book be self-published or through an agency?
Self-published.

 

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Nine months.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
 The Goddess Test, Oh My Gods, Solstice, Starcrossed, and The Percy Jackson series.

 

9. Who or what inspired you to write this story?
See my answer to number 2.

 

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I'm holding a contest for my readers from January 1, 2013 through October 1, 2013. The winner will recieve a one-of-a-kind locket (resembling the one Athena gives to Therese in my first book) with this inscription from Alice Walker: "The most common way people give up their power is by believing they have none." The winner will also receive a solid brass apple with this engraved: "Hera's golden apple of immortality from the garden of the Hesperides." With parental permission, the winner's photo and brief bio will be published in the final book of the trilogy. Details can be found here: http://www.evapohler.com/contest.

 

11. Which other writers would you like to tag to tell us about their Next Big Thing? Please go check out my good friend, fellow writer, and Texan, Valerie Chandler, at www.vpchandler.com.

Author Spotlight

Please meet the fabulous E.G. Gaddess, young adult author of Victorian fiction. Soon I will review her debut novel, Dhampyr Heritage. Go here to learn more: http://www.eggaddess.com/books/

Available now!
It is 1909.
Four years ago, Gideon's best friend - Christian - died. It was not a pleasant death. Gideon was the only witness.
Gideon was sent to Portugal - to his grandmother's home - to be safe.
But the danger has followed him, and he is not the only one in danger. So, it is time to return to England - for Gideon to face his family, Christian's family, and the truth of Christian's death.
However, Christian does not just haunt Gideon's memories, he's flesh and bone - and still 12 years old - a vampyr.
And then, there is Zola, a new friend, with her smile and strange words, whose guardian just may be the one responsible for Christian's current existence.

Starters, by Lissa Price

Starters is a dystopian novel about a war-torn society in which unclaimed minors struggle to survive without getting caught by marshals, who want to institutionalize them. Because most of the middle-aged citizens were wiped out in the spore wars, the society consists of minors and the elderly. A power-hungry entrepreneur has developed a company called Prime Destinations at which impoverished minors, also called starters, can make money by renting their bodies out to elderly folks referred to as enders. Callie, desperate to help her sick younger brother, becomes a renter when things go wrong. The person renting her body pulls her into an investigation of Prime Destinations and she gets caught in the crossfire where she can't always tell who her friends are.

There were a lot of things I loved about this book. I loved the concept, and thought Price did an excellent job making the technology believable. Other areas weren't quite as believable, in my opinion, and at times I felt like some of the language describing emotional scenes was a bit heavy-handed, but the logistics of switching bodies was well presented. The plot was also compelling. There was never a dull moment.

Overall, I would recommend this story and look forward to the sequel.

Goodreads Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to these fifteen winners of the Goodreads giveaway of the second book in the Gatekeeper's Trilogy, The Gatekeeper's Challenge. In addition to receiving signed paperback editions of the second book, they will also receive free ebook editions of the first book, The Gatekeeper's Sons. Here are the winners:

Bhavika Mehta

Shannon MacDonald

Karin Ulik

Jeremy Hibbs

Penni Freels

Heather Murphy

Yasmin Abner

Martha Campos

John Snyder

Toby Scheerschmidt

Mercedes Manley

Melanie Sosa

Doreen Alba

Mona Lebdeh

Sarah Martin

Insurgent, by Veronica Roth

 I just finished the second book in Veronica Roth's dystopian Divergent trilogy, Insurgent, about a society divided into five factions, each based on a particular value. Among the society, there exist the factionless, most of whom have minds different from the others, minds that are more flexible, that can see value in more than one faction. Those people with more flexible minds are called the divergent. In book two, a group has arisen to resist the efforts of one faction to dominate the others, but the motives on either side of the war aren't as black and white as they seem.

The compelling plot had me on edge for the entire read. Although the fast-paced plot was sometimes exhausting, I felt like Beatrice, the main character, unwilling to rest.

At times, I doubted twists in the plot and worried I was being manipulated and would come to the end, disenchanted and upset. But the ending brought all of the plot points together in a way that overcame my doubts and reinstilled my confidence in the saga, and now I'm eager for the next book. Hurry up, Veronica Roth!

Divergent, by Veronica Roth

 

At first, I didn't think I was going to enjoy this novel, because the choosing ceremony reminded me too much of Lois Lowry's The Giver, but it didn't take long for me to change my mind. I was quickly drawn into the action, into Beatrice's dilemma, and into her relationships with the people around her.

I appreciated how the author represented all five factions without favoritism. All five had positive and negative traits, allowing readers to decide which faction best represented their values. I found myself contemplating which faction I would choose. My initial thought was Euridite, because I love seeking knowledge, but I wonder if my love for peace is greater, putting me in Amity. I would definitely not choose Abnegation or Dauntless! Not sure about Candor, either.

Although the action was gripping, the relationships between the characters are what kept me reading. Roth really knows how to draw her characters and make them real. In fact, as much as I loved The Hunger Games, I think I enjoyed this story more because of that, and I can't wait to read Insurgent.

Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Wein

This story, about two young women, a Scottish spy and an English pilot during World War II Nazi-occupied France, pulled me in, yanked me around, and left me feeling breathless. The narrative begins in Queenie's point of view, as she writes to literally save her life as a prisoner of war in a French hotel that's been converted into a place of torture by the Nazis. Queenie oscillates between recalling what she knows of the wireless operators working for the resistence and Ally forces--including their codes, locations, and activities--and details about her torment as a prisoner. As a once refined, uperclass student at Oxford, Queenie employs literary devices to dramatize her story for her captors, writing more than required. She also needs to write, to help her deal with her terrifying situation and to return to a time when she was still with her best friend, Maddie.

Maddie, the English pilot, is not refined. At a time when women were discouraged from flying--used only as a last resort--she just wanted the opportunity. Raised by grandparents who own a motorbike store, Maddie has her own motorbike (and independence) and quickly learns how to work on engines. Once her talents are recognized, she quickly becomes the go-to pilot for a French resistence unit flying by moonlight on secret airfields getting people in and out of the country, not far from where her best friend is being held captive.

I don't want to give too much away, but the story continually surprises to the very end while it simultaneously pulls at your heartstrings. The attention to detail--historical, geographical, and mechanical--was sometimes difficult for me to follow, and I would think a teen would have even greater difficulty. I also worry the details about torture might be hard on some teen readers. I often thought while reading that the novel may be more suitable for adults. But maybe I'm not giving young people enough credit.

Poison Princess, by Kresley Cole

This post-apocalptic fantasy novel based on the arcana of the Tarot cards pulled me in with riveting action and compelling characters. I grew to really care about Evie, the main character, and fell in love with Jackson, the sexy eighteen-year-old Cajun boy who protects her through much of the story.

As much as I loved the book, I was confused as to why Evie was telling her story to Arthur and couldn't believe she would tell this stranger such intimate details. The ending explains why,but I wish the novel would have hinted to this explanation from the beginning. The whole time I kept thinking, "The author didn't need this frame around Evie's narrative. Why did she even include it?"

As wowed as I was by the revelations at the end of the book, I was disconcerted by the many unanswered questions. Because this is the first book of a series, I guess I'll defer my judgment until I finish it, which I definitely plan to do!

Sabriel, by Garth Nix

I'm glad I read this story. Initially I didn't like it. Nix started the story off with lots of action, but did little to make me connect with and care for the main character, Sabriel. I pushed onward anyway, and became intrigued by the author's creativity, especially with the necromancer's use of bells. LOVED that. The charter marks and sendings were also interesting, as were the paper flyers. The world, in general, was captivating, and by the last half of the story, Sabriel's character began to shine. I also enjoyed the relationship that developed between Sabriel and Touchstone.

The empowerment of females is a major theme that made me love this book.

Unbroken: A World War II Story, by Laura Hillenbrand

Lovers of history and stories of survival will love this true account of Olympic gold medal winner, Louis Zamperini, and his horrific experiences when he becomes a pilot and bombardier during World War II.

The beginning was slow for me, but I don't blame the author, who had so much information to cover, that it only made sense to summarize Louis's early life, since what happened during and after the war must be told in greater detail. But once Zamperini's plane goes down in the Pacific and he and two other men struggle against starvation, thirst, and the constant threat of sharks, the book takes hold of you to the very end.

Hillenbrand demonstrates a wealth of research as she recounts Zamperini's years as a POW in various Japanese camps, and the people involved come to life on the page. This book made me grateful for my life and the luxuries and conveniences I often take for granted.