The Looking Glass Wars: Book Promo

This is my first attempt at my contribution to Beetstro.com suggestion list, preview list, teaser list, whatever list – this isn't a full review, but rather a promotion of a book to get people interested or at least aware. I will be attempting one of these a month, more if able – if the book I choose is terrible, I'll likely chose another one, unless it's a popular title that also happens to be terrible and needs to be taken down a few notches.

As my first book submission, I give you The Looking Glass Wars By Frank Beddor.



Original stories are somewhat difficult to come by, as remakes or copycats run rampant – But, to recreate the classic story of Alice in Wonderland from a very original angle, I became interested. Imagine if Alice in Wonderland was actually the backward version of a little girls struggle for someone to believe her tale of a real Wonderland - anyone not quite satisfied with the suggestion that Wonderland is pure nonsense may like to have a go with this one.

Recommended for; Teen +
ISBN product number: 0142409413

This version is the tale of Wonderland's plight of the four suits in the Queendom (Heart, Spade, Diamond and Club families) and the evil plotting of the feared Redd (known better as “The Red Queen”) to battle for ultimate power. The struggle of good versus evil, light versus dark, and Black imagination versus White imagination. Alyss Heart, young heir to the throne, has just had her 7th birthday, and will be in training in White imagination to rule the kingdom from that day forward...

The beginning of the story captivates one with the lore of Wonderland. Each person has special powers based on their White Imagination – with imagination being the key to their civilization, children have more power there, than they do in our world. Alyss has one of the strongest White Imaginations in Wonderland, with ability to imagine things into existence, and alter things as she chooses, but she could never imagine the horrors her terrible Aunt Redd would reign down on her future kingdom.

During an ambush attack by Redd and her army of transforming playing cards, Alyss is forced to flee the kingdom through the Pool of Tears with her mothers bodyguard, Hatter Madigan. They are separated, and she is left bewildered in London, England, while the distressed Hatter searches for her from Paris, France. Learn how poor Princess Alyss Heart is laughed at while trying to explain her life, get back home to Wonderland, and left abandoned in an orphanage where her imagination is drained.

Familiar characters take on different appearances in The Looking Glass Wars, as the Mad Hatter is transformed into a royal body guard with a rather unique battle-ready hat, the Caterpillar is a wise prophet for the Queen, and the Cheshire Cat is a deadly assassin with nine lives.

I personally enjoyed the little details and personality quirks in this tale – such as; Hatter Maddigan uses Wonderland logic while dealing with the Parisian citizens, and trusts only people wearing hats,the Cheshire Cats use of deception (as a cute, cuddly kitten) to sneak past guards unnoticed, and all of the little explanations that brought this classic tale back in to my head. I look forward to the second book in the series; Seeing Redd, and eventually the conclusion to the trilogy which has yet to be released.



If you like things like this, check out The Looking Glass Wars' Hatter M in graphic novel form; adapted by Liz Cavalier, and illustrated by Ben Templesmith. Available in Trade paperback (ISBN: 0981873707).