A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, 1996 Bantam Spectra

     When Eddard "Ned" Stark the Lord of Winterfell is called upon to exact justice on a deserter of the Night's Watch he brings his sons to witness their future duty. On their return the boys find a pack of direwolf pups, just enough of them for each of the Stark children, legitimate and bastard alike. The direwolf is the sigil of the House of Stark and each wolf connects with its child to mirror his or her traits.
     The King Robert Baratheon visits Winterfell to ask his longtime friend to be his Hand, the second in command to the king. Ned  is hesitant, but accepts the post, despite the mysterious death of the previous Hand. He promises his wife, Catelyn, to look into the possibility the queen Cersi's family Lannister could have poisoned the former King's Hand. Bran, the fourth legitimate Stark child, witnesses Queen Cersi cavorting with her twin brother Jaime Lannister, and is shoved from the windowsill. He falls and is paralyzed, and Jaime sends an assassin to keep the secret. However, Catelyn and Bran's direwolf are there to protect him. Catelyn goes to the capitol to discover the treachery that dared invade her home and to warn her husband of his danger.
     Bran stays at Winterfell with his older brother Robb and his younger brother Rickon, while his sisters Sansa and Arya journey with their father, and the oldest, illegitimate son, Jon Snow joins the Night Watch. With the Stark children go their direwolves: Ghost, Grey Wind, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, and Shaggy Dog.
     When the king is killed during a hunt, the people in power scramble for power. Queen Cersi grasps the throne through her son, Ned and the rest of the King's Council move in their own directions, the lords of the land bicker and break apart taking their properties and armies with them, Robb goes to war and claims the title King of the North.
     Away from Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms and the chaos of a regime change Danerys Targaryen, the granddaughter of Robert Baratheon's predecessor, and her brother attempt to make a new life for themselves. Viserys sells his sister to the roaming Dothraki in exchange for the promise of Westeros under his control. When her brother is killed Danerys takes over his dream. She convinces her husband to unite the wandering Dothraki and capture her homeland for her when an assassin attempts to kill both Danerys and her unborn child.
     When her husband dies, Danerys discovers her destiny as the Mother of Dragons. Her Dothraki clansmen swear allegiance to the western woman; as the story ends Danerys is just beginning her journey back to the country her family ruled for centuries and she hadn't returned to since her infancy.
     A Game of Thrones is an adult novel fraught with violence and political stratagem. A simple story of a family who puts duty before all else becomes the tale of governments and politics. The story is told from several different points of view, ranging from Ned Stark to Queen Cersi to Danerys Targaryen. The world is changing and chaos reigns in this first installment of A Song of Ice and Fire.

A Ring of Endless Light

A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle, 1980 Farrar, Straus & Giroux

     Vicky Austin and her family are spending the summer with her grandfather on Seven Bay Island at his home. Grandfather Eaton is dying of leukemia and the Austins are spending as much time with him as they can. At the beginning of their visit, though, Commander Rodney of the Coast Guard--a family friend--dies saving a kid who went sailing during a summer storm.
     After the funeral she discovers Zachary, her boyfriend from the previous summer, was the kid Commander Rodney saved and indirectly caused his death. Zachary was attempting to kill himself, and Vicky begins to see death everywhere from the publicity of the newspaper to the privacy of her family. Zachary wants Vicky to help him keep his grip on reality, to center and anchor him as the world sways around him.
     Commander Rodney's son, Leo, tries to get over his father's death by immersing himself in his friendship with Vicky. At first his friendship is easily acceptable, a continuation of their childhood camaraderie. But as time goes on Leo wants more than Vicky can give.
     Leo and Zachary aren't the only young men vying for Vicky's attention, her new acquaintance is an intern at the research lab on Seven Bay Island. Adam Eddington worked with Commander Rodney on his dolphin project. When Vicky meets his dolphin companions she is stunned at their joyful personalities and the relationships they develop with Adam and each other.
     As the summer progresses Vicky wavers between the three young men and how they each influence her. Death seems to surround her, and though life presents its distractions there is nothing to stop the darkness from swallowing her. When she does fall into the darkness it isn't Leo's friendship or Zachary's flair that bring her out of the depths. Adam's persistence, wholesome concern, and understanding of what makes Vicky tick bring her back from the darkness.
     In A Ring of Endless Light readers get to know and understand Vicky as she learns more about herself, what she wants from a relationship, and the frustrations of mortality. L'Engle deals with one of the biggest difficulties of growing up in a manner appropriate for teens and older children. The book is targeted at teens but has elements that appeal to readers of all ages.

The Good, the Bad, and the Undead

The Good, the Bad, and the Undead by Kim Harrison, 2005 HarperTorch

     After agreeing to help the FIB to keep her roommate from being arrested, Rachel receives a call. The FIB needs her help with a missing persons report. Rachel is paired up with the inderland specialist, Detective Glenn Edden (Cheif Edden's stepson), and they go in search of the missing witch.
     When they go back to the church to prepare Glenn insults Ivy and nearly gets himself eaten. The vampire insists on joining them when they finally begin to question the missing man's former co-workers at Piscary's pizza. Piscary uses Rachel's scar to manipulate both women, and tries to convince Ivy to bind Rachel to her.
     Rachel meets with a former professor, who is offended when people believe she is the one killing other ley-line witches to whittle down the competition, Dr. Anders believes Rachel is in her class to accuse her of the deaths. Anders's class is only one of the connections between the dead witches: they have all associated with Trent Kalamack.
     When Edden won't let her investigate Trent, Rachel takes her anger out in a sparring session with Ivy. Things get out of control when Ivy starts to play on her unclaimed scar under the guise of protecting her. Rachel rejects the offer and Ivy takes it personally requiring Nick to knock her out while they run. Rachel, Nick and Jenks visit Rachel's mother's home and, while going through photo albums in a stereotypical parent way, Rachel discovers she was genetically manipulated at a summer camp Trent's father ran.
     The trio returns to the church. Rachel and Nick attempt to create a familiar bond with Rachel's fish, but things go wrong when the demon Algaliarept shows up and tries to kill them again. When she brings the fish into Anders's class the next day, Rachel discovers she didn't bind the fish; she bound Nick as her familiar! Anders is appalled and admits to failing Rachel because her father had requested it--for the safety of the other students.
     When Glenn calls to tell Rachel that Dr. Anders is dead and they have a warrant to search the Kalamack Estate Rachel tags along. She discovers a ley-line running through Trent's office and realizes he can use it narrowing the list of species he could be. Using a spell she finds the corpse of the missing witch, but nothing to indicate Anders's body. When Rachel begins to accuse Trent of murder she is evicted from the crime scene and taken off the FIB payroll.
     Trent hires Rachel to discover the real murderer, knowing she'd find him on her own. The clues lead to Piscary who admits to summoning Algaliarept to kill both Rachel and Trent, and any ley-line witches working for Trent. The demon returns and Rachel barely survives the encounter, yet manages to get herself into a temporary lull in the threats against her.
     Rachel is persistent and while she questions her values as she is pushed into steadily grayer and grayer situations she fights to remain who she always has been. Her foray into ley-line magic gives her power to protect the ones she loves, but she must still weigh the pros and cons of using magic that could easily become black. Rachel fights for justice while trying to just live her life, despite the forces fighting against her. While younger readers may enjoy the fantasy aspect of The Good, the Bad, and the Undead it is more appropriate for older teen and adult readers.

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene, 1974 Grosset & Dunlap

     When Nancy visits the circus traveling through River Heights she meets an Indian boy working with the Indian Elephants. Rishi, the boy, flees his abusive guardian and follows Nancy home to the Drew household.
     Nancy, Bess and George agree to investigate property owned by a mysterious Mrs. Allison soon after Rishi takes up residence in the Drew home. They discover several incongruous elements to the property and a connection to the circus and Rishi's guardian.
     Mr. Drew helps the girls with their investigations and they discover a kidnapping plot involving the boy and a secret surrounding an ivory charm he gifts to Nancy.
     Nancy's penchant for helping people in need leads her to another new friend in the thirteenth installment of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories.