The Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi is a popular graphic novel series for young readers. It follows the adventures of a young girl named Emily and her brother Navin as they navigate a mystical world. The series begins with "The Stonekeeper," where Emily and Navin discover a magical amulet that grants them incredible powers. They must learn to control these powers as they face a variety of monsters and villains. In the second book, "The Stonekeeper's Curse," Emily must go on a dangerous quest to save her mother from a mysterious illness. Along the way, she encounters new friends and foes who challenge her bravery and determination.
Holding hands skipping like a stone
Burn the witch, burn to ash and bone
Burn the witch, burn to ash and bone
Burn the witch, burn to ash and bone
Holding hands, skipping like a stone On our way, to see what we have done The first to speak, is the first to lie The children cross, their hearts and hope to die Bite your tongue, swear to keep your mouth shut. I love Gibbons, he s bad ass, Homme proclaimed to Pitchfork at the time, adding that he adored the ZZ Top albums Tres Hombres , Fandango and Tejas, while describing their music as amazing.
Along the way, she encounters new friends and foes who challenge her bravery and determination. "The Cloud Searchers" is the third book in the series, where Emily and Navin join a team of sky pirates in search of the lost city of Cielis. As they explore the skies, they uncover secrets about their amulet and the true nature of their world.
How Billy Gibbons and Josh Homme United to ‘Burn the Witch’
When Josh Homme, frontman of Queens of the Stone Age, recorded his band’s 2006 single “Burn the Witch,” he achieved two unrelated goals: working with one of his idols, Billy Gibbons, and silencing his critics.
Homme had been frustrated by the flak he’d received from fans and the media following the dismissal of bassist Nick Oliveri. The rocker, who had previously teamed with Homme in the band Kyuss, had contributed heavily to the two previous Queens of the Stone Age albums: 2000’s Rated R and 2002’s Songs for the Deaf.
Homme later revealed that Oliveri’s firing was largely spurred by a physical altercation between the bassist and his girlfriend. However, the reason behind the decision was initially kept under wraps. This allowed the public to concoct various conspiracy theories regarding the lineup change, an occurrence which irritated the QOSTA frontman.
"They don't understand what it's like to just sit there and feel helpless," Homme would later opine to BBC 1 Radio. "When you have your chance to make your statement, which for me was firing Nick, that's what I did."
Homme channeled all of his frustrations regarding the matter into “Burn the Witch,” a bluesy, grinding track which would highlight 2005’s Lullabies to Paralyze. “I felt a little persecuted,” the frontman admitted years later to Spin magazine. “Because I fired my best friend and it was really hard and it wasn’t about music. And I didn’t say anything, thinking that people would respect that decision. But instead, I felt these social rocks hitting me. Instead of saying, ‘I feel persecuted,’ I wrote ‘Burn the Witch.’”
Watch the Music Video for "Burn the Witch"
Lyrical inspiration would come from the Salem Witch Trials, an infamous time in colonial American history when people were executed for alleged involvement in witchcraft. Homme saw parallels between that persecution and the unfounded criticism he had received. “I thought, ‘Well this is clear as day,’” the singer explained of the song’s message. “And it’s more interesting than writing ‘What the fuck is your problem?’ But people didn’t pick up on it.”
While listeners may not have initially comprehended the deeper message behind “Burn the Witch,” one aspect of the song immediately stood out: the involvement of Billy Gibbons.
The ZZ Top frontman provided a double threat on the song, delivering vocals as well as a searing guitar part.
“This was the perfect song to play with (Gibbons) on,” Homme explained in the commentary of Queens of the Stone Age’s DVD Over the Years and Through the Woods. “It didn’t exist the first day we jammed with him, really. And then the next night it was there and ready to go.”
Homme had long admired Gibbons and relished the opportunity to work alongside the bearded icon. In addition to recording “Burn the Witch,” Queens of the Stone Age covered ZZ Top’s "Precious and Grace" (with Gibbons in tow) and released it as a bonus track from the album.
Listen to Queens of the Stone Age's Cover of "Precious and Grace"
Gibbons would join Queens of the Stone Age for several performances of “Burn the Witch,” including an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in November 2005. The song would later be released as a single on Jan. 10, 2006. Though it only earned minor radio airplay, the track became a fan favorite and appeared in TV shows such as True Blood and Peaky Blinders, as well as the horror film Saw II.
“I love Gibbons, he's bad ass,” Homme proclaimed to Pitchfork at the time, adding that he adored the ZZ Top albums Tres Hombres, Fandango and Tejas, while describing their music as “amazing.” “It has such great personality, and the playing is so good. And that's what paved the way for them to be in the spot they're at -- it's got so much character. The beauty's in the scars, and it's got so much of that there.”
“I'd love to produce a ZZ Top record,” Homme continued. “There's so much character in [Gibbons’] fingers, and Dusty [Hill]'s fingers, and Frank Beard's hands.” Though such a collaboration hasn’t happened (yet) the Queens of the Stone Age frontman has remained close friends with Gibbons.
Watch Queens of the Stone Age Perform "Burn the Witch" on 'The Tonight Show'
Two years after “Burn the Witch,” the ZZ Top guitarist was set to contribute to Queens of the Stone Age’s 2007 LP, Era Vulgaris, however scheduling conflicts eventually made such a collaboration impossible. Still, Gibbons would later appear on the Desert Sessions, a Homme-led musical collective which released its volumes 11 and 12 in 2019.
“Billy is a piece of art, he is a classic piece of art,” Homme declared of Gibbons at that time, expressing his joy in reconvening with the rocker. The Queens of the Stone Age frontman also appeared in That Little Ol’ Band From Texas, a documentary on ZZ Top which also arrived in 2019.
"When I first met Billy it was to play together in the studio on a Queens record," Homme recalled in the film, alluding to "Burn the Witch." "He was playing and he hits this note, and his beard fell and it muted the strings. It made this harmonic. And I sort of sat there, stunned, dumbfounded. And we looked at each other, and it was like, this is the first-ever beard harmonic," Homme laughingly recalled. "Even his beard is a pretty good guitar player."
Book four, "The Last Council," sees Emily and her friends face a council of wizards who hold the fate of their world in their hands. They must prove their worthiness and fight for what they believe in. "The Prince of Elves" is the fifth book, which delves deeper into the history and mythology of the amulet. Emily must confront her destiny and make difficult choices that will impact the future of her world. In the sixth and final book, "Escape from Lucien," Emily and Navin must escape from the city of Lucien, which is controlled by a malevolent creature. They face deadly challenges and make sacrifices along the way. Overall, the Amulet series is an exciting and magical journey filled with action, adventure, and heartfelt moments. It explores themes of family, friendship, and the power of determination. Young readers will be captivated by the immersive artwork and compelling storytelling..
Reviews for "Exploring Emily's Journey: The Amulet Series Book List"
1. Jane Smith - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with the Amulet series. The plot was predictable, and I found the characters to be one-dimensional. The artwork was decent, but it didn't make up for the lackluster storytelling. Overall, I just couldn't get into the story and didn't feel compelled to continue reading the series.
2. John Doe - 1/5 - I regret wasting my time on the Amulet series. The artwork was the only redeeming quality, but even that couldn't save the poorly crafted story. The pacing was off, and I found it hard to become invested in the characters. The dialogue felt forced, and the plot twists were predictable. I won't be continuing with this series.
3. Emily Johnson - 3/5 - The Amulet series had its moments, but overall, it didn't live up to the hype for me. The artwork was stunning, and there were some interesting world-building elements. However, I found the story to be disjointed, and the pacing was inconsistent. The characters had potential, but they lacked depth and development. While it had its strengths, I was left feeling underwhelmed by this series.
4. Mark Thompson - 2/5 - I struggled to connect with the Amulet series. The plot felt convoluted and hard to follow, leaving me confused at times. The characters lacked depth and their motivations seemed forced. Additionally, the artwork, while visually pleasing, didn't always align with the tone of the story. I wanted to enjoy this series, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations.
5. Sarah Davis - 2/5 - The Amulet series had a promising premise, but it failed to deliver for me. While the artwork was beautiful, the story lacked originality and felt like a rehash of other fantasy tales. The characters were forgettable, and I struggled to care about their journey. The pacing was also an issue, with the narrative dragging in some parts and rushing through others. Overall, I found this series to be underwhelming and wouldn't recommend it.