Eleventh Grade Burns: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod (Book IV)

A bit about foreign policies before my regular post. I read The Economist magazine (along with Time, Newsweek, Aviation Week, Rolling Stone, and Entertainment Weekly among others) because I like to read and to be informed about various topics. This one just intrigued me. In India a local non-governmental organisation has invented a new sort of zero sum which, it hopes, will leave everyone better off: the zero-rupee note. What on earth is the point of that? The note is not legal tender. It is simply a piece of paper the colour of a 50-rupee note with a picture of Gandhi on it and a value of nothing. Its aim is to shame corrupt officials into not demanding bribes. A great premise to be sure, but will it work? Read it and see.

Before Thursday's hockey game, I bought and read the latest entry in this excellent series and am hoping it doesn't end with the next tome, Vlad's final year of high school. Each book has been better than the one before it and this one is no exception. Author Heather Brewer is batting 1000 here.  I'm not quite sure where neon orange figures into the cover art, but I feel like I need to comment on every cover. I think it was meant to be orange flame, but instead it's just odd.

We have the same cast of characters as before. Nelly stays in the background and we focus primarily on Vlad and Otis. This is their story, though Joss makes a return with cameos by Eddie Poe and Meredith. I find Meredith just to be irritating. Vlad continues to experience more teenaged vampire angst especially when it comes to new drudge and/or squeeze Snow. But the books is plot driven and is more tightly focused than the others as Vlad becomes more self confident as he deals with his missed relationship with Meredith, his longing to rekindle his friendship with Joss despite the fact Joss still wants to kill him. Otis is on trial with the penalty being death, but there's a bit of a twist with that I don't wish to spoil.

And Auntie Heather is an evil bitch queen for her cliffhanger of an ending that comprises all of one word. I saw everything in the book coming. Everything. Except that. Evil, I say. Evil.

In my review of the previous books I complained that Vlad still cries more than any other male character I've ever met. I doubt it was my advice that caused her to fix it, but he's not so weepy and I'm glad. I really like Vlad -- if he were real, he's the sort of person I'd get along with and be friends with. Not enough Vlads in the world. Vlad appears to be modelled on her own son though I've got no proof of that.

I said before Joss is a fascinating character and I wanted a whole novel about him. In Ms Brewer's blog she sort of said this might happen and I look forward to that with great anticipation. She also endeared herself to me by being a hater of those sparkly-vampire things. 

This story, as I said, is more tightly wound and while it's fast paced she doesn't seem to be in a huge hurry to where it's going. I'm glad, though I still wish she wrote about 100 pages more per novel. Maybe she'll re-do the series in a director's cut. I'd read it again if she did.


Last time I said: Good book. Buy it. Read it. That advice stands.

Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Tenth Grade Bleeds

I bought and read the third tome in this excellent series today. Each book is better than the one before it and this book makes author Heather Brewer three for three. The new book has my least favourite cover but it's the best of the three, so I'll forgive the irritatingly pouty cover.

We have the same cast of characters as before. Nelly falls into the background and we focus primarily on Vlad, Otis, and Henry. Henry becomes, finally, a more complex person, Vlad grows a bit. Otis, well he's just Otis, but that's not a bad things. Meredith still doesn't develop as a character and the surprise ending with her and Vlad makes you feel only for Vlad and not Meredith.

I'll also say I just kept waiting for Vlad to hug Henry. I'm not sure why, but it just felt like they were a little closer than the words on the page were ready to reveal. Eddie Poe appears but is reduced to a mere caricature, which is too bad because he's potentially interesting. We've also got some Goth kids who, in spite of their Gothness, are likeable even though they really don't play prominently in this book; I do suspect we'll see more of them in Eleventh Grade. Vlad still cries more than any other male character I've ever met. I just don't think fifteen year old guys cry so much. Then again he's a vampire, so maybe that's what they do? I really like Vlad -- if he were real, he's the sort of person I'd get along with and be friends with. Not enough Vlads in the world.

Happily, my biggest complaints about the first two novels is resolved. Ms Brewer tells her story and she doesn't seem to be in a hurry to do so. The story gets where it's going and doesn't feel like large gobs of story are left out. It pleases me because a good story -- and hers are good -- shouldn't be rushed.

Good book. Buy it. Read it.

Ninth Grade Slays: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

This review is spoiler free except for mentioning some names of new characters.
(Edit: added three video links)

Some time ago I reviewed Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. It was the first book in a new series by Heather Brewer (known as "Auntie Heather" to her loyal minions*). The new book is out and is entitled Ninth Grade Slays: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.

The new book, like the first, is a fast read. Ms. Brewer is a great writer, producing an engaging story but my complaints about this book are the same as the first: it's too damned short, and she's in a terrible hurry to get everywhere she's going. A plane flight from Siberia to the USA is dealt with in three sentences. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's a good chance to spend some time letting the character talk and getting to know more about them.

And she writes great characters and I do want to know lots more about them. Besides Vlad and Henry, we meet two new characters of import: Joss and Eddie. Eddie's last name is Poe and that made me smirk mightily. We also have more Meredith, but she's still a think character and we need to learn a lot more about her.

Joss, and this will be hard to do without uttering spoilers, is an amazing character and I wanted a whole book just about him. He's complex -- as complex as Vlad, no mean feat. And Ms. Brewer turns a great trick at the end with Joss, making me feel like someone kicked me in the stomach -- that or I'm coming down with the flu. Joss is the sort of character I'd like to spend an hour with over a cup of coffee, just talking.

Eddie, though only a bit player, has potential to be a big character in the next instalment(s). I get this nagging feeling that not only is important, but that one day he'll be a good friend to Vlad despite what we see in this book.

Otis and Nellie are in the book, but consigned to floating in and out of the story. That's not a criticism either. I much would prefer hearing about the kids because they're very interesting. Vlad cries a bit too much, and I think his circumstances have a lot to do with it. He's very Emo without actually being Emo. It makes sense to me, anyway.

Vlad is a great character. He continues to evolve and get more complex. I wish this book was about a hundred pages longer. Vlad continues to show signs of cuteness when he tries to interact with Meredith. And if he knew anyone thought he was showing such signs, he'd certainly cringe. In my previous reviews, I said a reader would want to be friends with Vlad and that remains even more true in this book.

TRAILER FOR THE NINTH GRADE BOOK (FLASH)



TRAILER FOR THE EIGHTH GRADE BOOK (FLASH)


TRAILER FOR THE EIGHTH GRADE BOOK (YouTube)
LIVE ACTION CLIP DONE BY A HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA CLASS

Download it from the school's website.

Tonight's Springsteen concert was cancelled so I was able to stay home and read the book cover to cover in just about two hours. Enjoyable as all hell. Highly recommended. I mean that sincerely. Auntie Heather has a MySpace page, which you should also join because she is very cool -- even though I never win one of her hoodies. I may have to just buy an XL one and be done with it. Hope spring eternal :)

Oh, and the end is a bit of a cliffhanger. Auntie Heather is evil.

(In worse news, on 3 May I was going to see Billy Crystal in concert in Las Vegas. That's been cancelled as well. I guess I should tell Austri....)


* I am proud to consider myself one of them.