New Peeps Cover & A Sensational Website Overhaul

Now we all love Scott Westerfeld to pieces, but it gets better. Check out the new peeps cover and his newly made-up steampunk website. Two great reasons to pick up Leviathan & Peeps over your Christmas break if you haven't already done so...

Check out the book trailer for Leviathan on his website too!

Westerfeld on Peeps:

Maybe there are too many vampire novels, I thought. But that was part of the challenge, to see if I could do something that felt new and interesting, while still being full of bitey goodness. (Unsurprising confession: I am a Buffy fan.) So the book had to be original, but also icky, scary, funny, tragic, and (ahem) not sucky.

Besides getting a new take on the sunlight-impaired, my other big concern was that my vampires should actually make some sense as far as science goes. So I started doing some vampire research, reading a bunch of books about rats, parasites, bites and stings, and biology.
After consuming all there was to know on these subjects, I came up with the four important features that any vampire novel (of mine) had to include:
natural selection,
sexual attraction,
parasitic infection,
and Elvis memorabilia.
Okay, I can’t tell you much more without giving the whole thing away. But I’m very happy with the results. And the cover is certainly cool.

New UnLibrarian Pathfinder: Til Depp do us Part

UnLibrarian Pathfinders:
Great tools for Librarians and Patrons!

What is a pathfinder? Pathfinders can be approached in many ways. The basic idea is to lead a patron in the right direction and give them resources on a single topic. They are generally pretty basic and they expect you (the user) to need no prior knowledge of a topic. In the UnLibrarian's case a pathfinder is meant not only to give you resources but it is meant as entertainment as much as it is an infophile's feast! So dig in and ENJOY!

A Clockwork Pathfinder: Have a thing for a time way back when that never existed? Wanna invent new gadgets like something out of an H.G. Wells book? Hoping to run out into Victorian London in your petticoat and goggles and jump into your steampower vessel in a time that never existed? Wondering what the heck I am talking about?


Visit The Escape Artist a pathfinder into all things steam: http://theunlibrarians-steampunk-pathfinder.blogspot.com/


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Johnny Depp & Tim Burton

Who are two people we can't seem to get enough of? From Edward Scissorhands to Alice in Wonderland this pathfinder is the perfect tool to the set you off in the right direction into the truly magical and bizarre world of Tim Burton & his films in collaboration with Johnny Depp.

Til Depp do us Part http://deppandburton-unlibrarian-pathfinder.blogspot.com/



More surely to come, so keep checking back on the UnLibrarian Blog!

Leviathan Update!

• Title: Leviathan
• Author: Scott Westerfeld
• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Simon Pulse (October 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416971734

Leviathan, Scott Westerfeld's yet to be released new steampunk novel has had a visit to "New Pretty Town" for a jacket make-over!

Check out the new Cover. I hate to say it but THIS makes me feel Bubbly. Click here to see the definition of Bubbly & some free Uglies related stuff online. Leviathan before turning 16 (seconds old) and after the Specials had their way with it...I apologize for the Uglies references, but can you blame me? It's an awesome remake!

Notes:

Can't wait for Fall 2009?

There is a Sneak Peak in the new paperback version of the Extras. And yes, it is a different one that was in From Bogus to Bubbly.

Super Extra Fun: Scott Talks Art & Illustration!

The Westerblog: http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/

Pre-Order: http://www.amazon.com/Leviathan-Scott-Westerfeld/dp/1416971734

The Unlibrarian's Steampunk Pathfinder: http://theunlibrarians-steampunk-pathfinder.blogspot.com/

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1, By: Alan Moore

By: Alan Moore

Illustrated By: Kevin O'Neill

Publisher: America's Best Comics; 1st edition 
Publish Date: October 1, 2002
ISBN: 1563898586
Page #:
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Graphic Novel
Age Level: Older Teen/Adult

Series Title: 

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen VOL. 1

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: VOL. 2

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910

Subjects: Literary References, 19th Century England, Steampunk, Graphic Novels, Superheros

Reader's Annotation: Introducing Mina Murray and Alan Quatermain and a host of other literary characters as they fight evil in the sky in 19th Century London. Alan Moore, Creator of the Watchmen and Kevin O'Neill illustrating, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen pays tribute to the league of the imagination.

Synopsis:  According to Moore the League is to start a "Justice League of Victorian England" but as his work progressed it became something more. Moore said, in relation to literary characters and the importance of imagination, that "The planet of the imagination is as old as we are. It has been humanity's constant companion with all of its fictional locations, like Mount Olympus and the gods, and since we first came down from the trees, basically. It seems very important, otherwise, we wouldn't have it." In the league of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Moore create an ode to that world. He introduces us to a cast of literary characters/heros. Meet Alan Quatermain, (the main character of H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines), Mina Murray (the heroine of Stoker's Dracula, now divorced and dishonored by her unfortunate undead adventures with the prince of darkness & now donning her independent unmarried name Murray instead of Harker), Captain Nemo (Captain Nemo from Jules Verne's novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island) , Henry Jekyll (and his beastly alter personality) and Hawley Griffin (the Invisible Man), and Professor James Moriarty  the nemesis of  Sherlock Holmes in the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Together they fight the Fu Manchu (threatening a potential evil in the sky as they strive to create the ultimate airship) of which London alone doesn't have the ability to protect itself from. 

Notes: Although not well received, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was made into a film in 2003.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311429/ 

Stars: 5

Extras: Author Fan Site: http://www.alanmoorefansite.com/

Article on CENTURY: 1910 http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20197

The Watchmen Movie Official http://watchmenmovie.warnerbros.com/ 

(Extreme Content Warning)

Trailer for LXG movie (For a justice league theme, I don't believe the film does it "justice"):  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VS10s8l-Eg

The Golden Compass (FILM), Film By Chris Weitz, Book By: Philip Pullman

Director: Chris Weitz
Actors: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliot, & Dakota Blue Richards
Film Company: New Line Cinema
Release Date: December 2007
Length: 113 min
Classification: Drama, Family Films (Book: Fiction)
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: PG-13
Age Level: Teen
Series Title: Movie based on the series "His Dark Materials" though no more films have been made yet to date.
Subjects: Religion, Alternate Universes,

Reader's Annotation: In a alternate reality, Lyra Belacqua go to the far North to help her friend & other kidnapped kids from hideous testings by a dark, deadly, & mysterious administration.

Synopsis: The Golden Compass is the movie version of the book by the same. The first installment in Phillip Pullman's His Dark Material Series. The story centralizes itself around Lyra. An orphaned young girl who lives at Oxford with her uncle (played by Daniel Craig). The plot is set into motion after an assassination attempt on her uncle and the overhearing of a dubious and dark mysterium called "The Dust." In Lyra's universe, the Magisterium (a religious group threatening to take over her world), she is lurred to the North with Mrs. Coulter (played by a scarily goddess-like Nicole Kidman) with the golden compass in her possession. Children are missing, one of which is Lyra's friend. The golden compass (or alethiometer), is said to tell the truth of things. Can it help Lyra figure out how to save disappearing children and solve the mystery of "the dust"? In a world of animal souls and shape shifters, Weitz translate this adventure into a special effects triumph.

Fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia will enjoy this film (but love the series). Fans who don't usually watch fantasy films may enjoy this regardless. This is a series that has a little bit of something for everyone and the movie delivers a faithful (however faithful any two hour movie could be to any book). I had a hard time with the film so I can not enthusiastically endorse it however I am not fully slamming it either. Fans of the book will be the most disappointed audience.

Notes: There is no nudity or bad language in this film. Parents should be more aware of violence and philosophical and religious provocations (in case religion is an issue). Personally, I didn't find it overly provocative, however I have gotten this feedback from religiously conservation parents and thought it appropriate to mention.

Other Notables of Interest: Director Chris Weitz is currently directing the teen film "New Moon" sequel to the immensely popular Twilight film. It is based on the book(s) by Stephenie Meyer.

Extras: Official New Line Movie Site
Book Series Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/pullman/
Video Game (10 & up) for PSP, Wii, PS2, Xbox 360, & PC Computer, Check it out Here: Trailer

Rhetoric on religious backfire (Note: This does not reflect the view of Courtney in either direction.)