Monday, April 16, 2012

What is Richard Harland reading?

The current featured contributor at Writers Read: Richard Harland, author of Worldshaker, Liberator, and many other fantasy, horror, and science fiction novels for young readers.

His entry begins:
Right now I'm reading A Darkling Plain, which is number four in Phillip Reeve's "Mortal Engines" series. Great steampunk fantasy (or steampunk science fiction, whichever you like to call it), especially for anyone who's read the three previous novels. Airships, predatory mobile cities, underwater limpets, Stalkers—A Darkling Plain brings together all the best elements of the series; plus Tom, Wren, Anna Fang, Fishcake and even Hester coming back on stage. Maybe it wouldn't be so great for a reader who didn't know the world from the previous, but I love that world and I just want to keep reading more and more of it.

To be honest, I love it now, but I hated it when I first read book number one, Mortal Engines. Not because it was so bad but because...[read on]
About Liberator, from the publisher:
Equality remains elusive in this stunning steampunk sequel to Worldshaker.

In the aftermath of the events of Worldshaker, the Filthies control the massive juggernaut, now called Liberator. Many members of the former upper class, called Swanks, have remained behind to help teach them how to operate the juggernaut and to build a new society together. But all is not idyllic aboard Liberator.

A saboteur seems determined to drive up anti-Swank sentiment among the more volatile Filthy factions. And the Swanks are finding that their best efforts to work with the Filthies are being tossed aside. Even Col, who thought his relationship with Riff was rock solid, is starting to see their friendship crumbling before him. As tensions run high and coal supplies run low, Liberator is on the verge of a crisis. Can Col and Riff unify their divided people before disaster strikes?
Learn more about the book and author at Richard Harland's website.

Writers Read: Richard Harland.

--Marshal Zeringue