Now those of you who have read the Sookie Stackhouse novels or watched True Blood have already had the pleasure of getting to know a Maenad that little bit better. For those who haven’t, here’s a crash course that will hopefully save your skin should you ever stumble upon one.

Maenads can trace their roots back to Greek mythology and were consorts of that fun-loving, ruckus raising god, Dionysus. Now good old Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine; and, just to add a little adventure to his immortal life, he also scored the gig of god of ritual madness and ecstasy.  See, I told you he was a “fun” guy. Maenads were his fervent female worshippers or “wives”.

Maenads were taken to a state of ecstatic frenzy thanks to more than generous amounts of alcohol and frantic ritual dancing. Sounds like just a bit of fun right? Well if it hadn’t led to uncontrolled “adult” behaviour and donning the old fawn skin to hunt and consume animal and human flesh alike-which according to some myth variations gave them a form of immortality-they probably would have gone down in history as the original party girls rather than vicious monsters.

Surprisingly though, it wasn’t till dear old “hubby” disappeared that Maenads became truly frightening. Desperate to both maintain their fragile grip on immortality (usually at the expense of some poor guy becoming lunch) and reunite with their beloved, the hunt really began. It became legend that the sacrifice of another Supe (especially Shifters and Fae) could harness enough of a power punch to bring Dionysus back from the nether world.

Now for many a poor victim who had never come across a Maenad before (which was most thanks to the fact most who tussled with them never lived to tell the tale), chances of killing them were slim. There is in fact only one way to put a Maenad at rest and it isn’t pretty. One must remove their blackened, dead heart and crush it to dust. Now no one knows just who spilled the beans on ending the big bad, but one thing is for sure–the gross factor sure outweighs becoming lunch.

So if you ever find yourself at the mercy of a Maenad (though thankfully it is mainly believed they are now all laid to rest) pray you have the mad skills of True Blood’s Sam or that you can run–fast.

To enjoy some Maenad adventures safely from the reading chair you can catch some of their exploits, not only in the Sookie series but also in Neil Gaiman’s  “The Sandman” comic series and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel “Go Ask Malice: A Slayers Diary“.

The Dark and Hollow Places is the second companion book to Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth. That story was told from Mary’s point of view, and the follow-up companion, The Dead Tossed Waves from that of her daughter, Gabry. This time around, we get to go inside the mind of Annah – Gabry’s long lost twin sister.

Many years ago, a too-young-to-know-better Annah and Elias left her sister alone in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, not realising they’d be lost never find her again. We already know from the second book what the outcome for Gabry was; but what happened to Annah? Well, she never got over it. The Dark and Hollow Places picks up with a grown Annah, alone in the Dark City for three years after Elias joins the Protectorate, hoping to secure a better future for both of them. The guilt of leaving her twin to the mobs of the Unconsecrated, alone and unprotected has taken its toll on her, to the point where her self-loathing is tangible.  Every moment in the City is life threatening; the constant moans of the undead never far away, and lawlessness prevails for those still living. Due to her street smarts and the scars from a childhood accident, Annah manages to keep her head down, surviving alone, not speaking to anyone and with no friends or acquaintances. Only survival matters… and the hope that Elias will one day come home.

One day, tired of her non-existence, Annah decides to leave the city. It’s only on her way out that she sees a girl in the distance with her own face – a face free from scars. She knows there’s only one person it could possibly be – her long-lost sister.

This series has got better and better with each instalment. I’ve mentioned before (in my review of Dead Tossed Waves) that I didn’t enjoy The Forest of Hands and Teeth at all, though the second book really grabbed me. This time around, the story did more than that. Annah’s voice is so crisp and clear, that her skewed view of the world around her is perfectly understandable, and that’s without the zombie-factor. This is a story about a person who is broken, both inside and out, and the strength she manages to dig from deep inside. The Dark and Hollow Places is certainly the darkest of the three books, but in many ways also the most enlightening. It addresses the heartbreak of rejection, love and loss from a completely honest point of view, as well as the guilt that comes from one of the most destructive emotions of all – jealousy. Annah could be so easy to dislike, yet her ability and tenacity and sheer will to learn to love again makes her a very special character who will stay with you for a very long time.

Admittedly, I felt there were some pacing problems with this book, it could get a little frustrating and slow in places, but it’s absolutely worth preserving. Carrie Ryan wraps up this series very neatly with a knock-out finale that leaves you contemplating what if? long after the final page is turned.

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Published by Gollanz

ISBN – 978 0 575 09484 0

Paperback, 376 pages.

If you live on the South Side of Brisbane or don’t mind a commute to Logan, the Logan North Library is once again celebrating Science Fiction and Fantasy over the month of August.

Let you geek flag fly whilst making a Star Wars Badge, or finger puppet. Whack the crap out of a mate in the light Sabre challenge, attend a sci fi & fantasy trivia night; decorate cupcakes to look like zombies or some other gruesome being and take in the skill involved with the game of Triad.

The event culminates into a brilliant closing day, which includes a book sale, sausage sizzle, and Writers panel. This year the panel is epic in proportion and some of Queensland’s best authors in sci fi/ Fantasy are reporting for duty.

Rowena Cory Daniels, A.A. Bell, Trent Jamieson, Kylie Chan, Louise Cussack, Kevin Webb and our very own Marianne de Pierres, discuss what goes on behind the scenes when writers write – the music they play, the way they research, the pictures and stories they collect – all the things that contribute towards the final book and help to shape the book trailer and cover/s.

This event as a whole is small but very well thought out. I’ve been along to this for the last 3 years, and I can tell you it is getting better every year.

Some events require bookings so check with the program for more details http://libevents.logan.qld.gov.au/eventcalendar.asp?ln=2

We’d love to hear from you if you’ve had a great time at any of the events this year.

Don’t miss this fantastic vlog from Priscilla with hints on how to deliver good  video reviews and who are some of the great vloggers she loves to watch! Priscilla has 3, 300 subscribers to her channel. You can also visit her at tumblr

We’re very excited that Burn Bright was mentioned in the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards judges report.

“A shortlist of just three titles cannot fully represent the developments and tensions within the broad field of Australian young adult fiction. We therefore note the following titles as important achievements in a year of quality writing and lament that that the shortlist is just that  …  Marianne de Pierres’ novel Burn Bright tells a dark, dramatic story with arresting literary skill.”

One of the judges, Andrew McDonald, also blogs about his experience having to choose from 70 novels in the YA category, and the healthy state of Aussie YA,

Congrats to everyone mentioned and those on the shortlist! And everyone writing great YA in Ozzie, including my friends Richard Harland, Margo Lanagan, Karen Brooks, and online peeps, Nansi Kunze, Rhiannon Hart and Kate Gordon . We’re making a mark!