Four Concept Books That Need To Be Awesome

10 May, 2012 Musing Musers 33 comments

When a book first gets signed on and made known to the public, often the only thing selling it until it gets its cover is the concept and the blurb.  And in a sea of interesting blurbs and concepts, occasionally you get ideas so brilliant and full of kickass that there is no way you can’t NOT read that book.  But often the higher the concept, the harder it is to pull off.  So here’s four, as yet released books that NEED to be awesome. Because if they’re not, then I may just weep for the waste of it.

 

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff

Publisher: Tor UK
Publication Date: September 1 2012
Series: The Lotus War #1

Stormdancer (The Lotus War, #1)

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium verges on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshipers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of Shima’s imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger – a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

It’s a JAPANESE STEAMPUNK.  STEAMPUNK.  In FEUDAL JAPAN.  There is a telepathic griffin – like, it totally speaks into your brain.  The flower that powers their steampunk machines is destroying their environment!  There is sword fighting and battles and…and…*faints from the amazeballs*

Look, the actual story may or may not be as original as the actual concept – I don’t know.  I haven’t read it yet.  But this isn’t the sort of idea that you can waste.  Everything about the actual concept screams original and with high potential.

But I have to say, I’m kind of concerned.  Considering there is actually a griffin in this book, when you do an image search on Stormdancer, this is the first image to come up:

What the fuck is Jay Kristoff not telling us?!  I mean, look how satisfied that thing looks with itself!  IT’S SO PROUD!  And why is it all in black and white except for that one…bit?!  Griffin penis was NOT something I expected I would be discussing today!  What are you hiding, Kristoff?!  Cause the Griffin doesn’t seem to mind!

 

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Publisher: Gollanzc
Publication Date: 2013

 

Humans will be the hunted. Love will be tested. Vengeance will be had.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844

18-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron was destined to a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s society events — until a faery killed her mother.

Now, between the seeming endless parties and boring dances, Aileana has a new hobby: she secretly slaughters the fae who prey on humans in the city’s dark alleyways.

Determined to find the faery who murdered her mother, vengeance has become Aileana’s life. . . so she never anticipated her growing attraction to the magnetic Kiaran MacKay, the faery who trained her to kill his own kind. Or that there was a world beyond hers, filled with secrets that affect her past and have the potential to destroy her present.

But when her own world is about revenge, and when she holds Kiaran’s fate in her hands, how far is Aileana prepared to go for retribution?

Part of the appeal to this novel is the fact that I suspect it’s author, Elizabeth May, IS ACTUALLY A FAIRY!  I have proof.  Just read her OWN description of her novel.  Then go to her blog and check out her photography.  Look, this is a Jane Austen-y like society gal taking time out of her busy schedule to slay things that look like this:

Just imagine all the, “Excuse me, Miss Pennywhistle, I am needed in the drawing room.”

“Of course, Lady Kameron.  I shall finish my needlework while I wait.”

(Aileana leaves room.  Grunting, groaning and sounds of struggle come through the closed door.  Alieana returns somewhat disheveled.)

“My goodness, Lady Kameron!  What was that noise I heard?  Are you well?”

“Oh… that was.  That was the dog, Miss Pennywhistle.  It escaped into the drawing room and required removing.”

“I see!  But… is that blood on your dress?”

“As I said, Miss Pennywhistle.  It required… removing.”  *Meaningful glare*

C’mon!  This HAS to live up to the potential.  Elizabeth Bennett with crossbows and hunky fairies?  I need this book now! *Whines*

 

Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: January 2013

Teeth

Hannah Moskowitz’s (author of BREAK and INVINCIBLE SUMMER) TEETH features a sixteen-year-old boy whose family, in an effort to cure his ailing brother, relocates to a remote island where legendary magic fish are said to have healing powers, and he discovers the island has terrible secrets, including a half-teenager, half-fish.

Okay.  Three words for you: Magic. Gay. Fish.

Okay, it’s a Moskowitz novel so you kind of figure it HAS to be badass and awesome.  And maybe the concept, on the surface, doesn’t seem THAT original.  Like mermaids with magical healing powers.  Yeah.  Whatevs.  And maybe the fact that I might be more excited about it because it’s LGBT makes me hypocritical.  Or maybe the fact that LGBT in YA comprises of about 2% novels and I’m perfectly justified in rejoicing in every single one that makes it through.  But whatevs.  This is Moskowitz and this is Magic Gay Fish and so it will be wonderful and I must read it.  This book CAN NOT disappoint me.

I must love it and have it and read it and it must be wonderful.  Because anything that can be summed up to Magic Gay Fish by Hannah Moskowitz is NOT allowed to disappoint me.

 

Dualed by Elsie Chapman

Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: Feb 26, 2013

Dualed

 

Would you live through the ultimate test of survival?

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman’s suspenseful debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

Okay, for all those who need complete plausibility in their story concepts.  Look, this may not sound that plausible but stop and think about the implications here.

YOU WOULD GET TO FIGHT YOURSELF.

Who DOESN’T want to fight themselves?  Hippies, that’s right.  Are you a hippy?!  Then you’re lucky you’re not me!  Because I will defeat me!  I will crush me into the ground with the sole of my boot.

It’s the eternal question that nobody can ever really answer.  Could you beat yourself?  Well, I’m warning myself, that I will not hold back!  I will kick my own ass!  I will kick it so long and so hard!  Annihilation is the only answer!

The only question in the world people ask more is – could you SEDUCE yourself?

And I think I already know the answer to that one.

33 Responses to “Four Concept Books That Need To Be Awesome”

  1. Christina (A Reader of Fictions)

    I love this. All of these are now on my Goodreads. Well, two of them already were, but still.

    Love your images, esp for the last two. As soon as I started reading, I knew that last one would have an Ouran pic. I LOVE that you went there.

  2. Elsie Chapman

    You have officially made my day/week/month–thank you so much for including DUALED on your list of must-be-awesomeness! I’m floored to be mentioned with Jay, Elizabeth, and Hannah, too! Oh, yes, and twincest?? I ADORE you!!

  3. Pocketful of Books

    Pahaha ahh griffin penis. It really attracts the eye.

    I think Falconer sounds AMAZING and the author’s description in pictures is adorable! x

  7. Ali

    ooh, they all sound interesting, but I can’t wait for Dualed to be released 🙂

  9. Mary @ Book Swarm

    I’m so excited about these books I can’t even tell you. WE NEED DIFFERENT–And GOOD different at that. I’m a little concerned about the Griffin and all that but it could SOOOO COOOOOOOLLLLLL!

  10. Katie @ Blook Girl

    Thanks for this, Kat! I added Falconer and Dualed to my GoodReads and now I can’t WAIT ’til they come out! I’ve taken a “wait and see” stance on the other two, but they do sound interesting 🙂

  12. Lexie B.

    Griffin penises, murderous fae, magic gay fish, double selves. Yeah, I’d say those are pretty awesome. If all of these live up to their premises, the literary world will be that much better just from their mere presence.

  14. Jay Kristoff

    As the author of STORMDANCER, I feel it’s my duty to reassure you that, despite Google results to the contrary, there is ABSOLUTELY NO MENTION OF GRIFFIN WIENER ANYWHERE IN THE TEXT.

    One can ASSUME he is fully functional in that regard, if one must put thought into the biomechanics of it all. However, I leave it strictly to reader discretion/imagination.

    Again: NO WIENER.

  15. Lynn K

    Griffin…penis…Oh God…

    Btw, the GR button for The Fal­coner seems to be broken.

  17. Cindy

    Seems about the only time I really read is on vacation. When I’m home I use what time others read to knit or crochet or update blogs, or read blogs, or comment on blogs, etc.
    Sounds like a good book. Got one here a friend sent me about homelessness. I do plan to find some time to read it…

  18. Sandy

    “Because I will defeat me! I will crush me into the ground with the sole of my boot.”

    That right there just cracked me up HAHA.

    In a fight with myself I wouldn’t be able to throw the first kick (because I would KICK) but after the rage fills me it’d be on. No holding back!