Book Review: One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence
Posted on May 20, 2019 30 Comments
One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1 of Impossible Times
Publisher: 47North (May 1, 2019)
Length: 204 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Having only read Mark Lawrence’s fantasy before this point, I had thought The Book of the Ancestor was a departure for him, but One Word Kill was truly an entirely different beast. It was also a novel I inhaled in about two sittings. Despite it being a world apart from the kinds of books the author is generally known for, and the fact it has time traveling elements (which we all know can be tricky), this was a surprisingly easy and entertaining read.
The story takes place in the 1980s, following 15-year-old protagonist Nick Hayes and his small group of friends who get together every week for their role-playing sessions of Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, other than the love for the game, the teenagers have very little in common between them. First aside from Nick, there’s Elton, a funny guy and a healthy skeptic, who as the game master can always be counted on to bring the geeky humor and banter. Then there’s Simon, an awkward and quiet kid who can sometimes let his emotions get the better of him. Next is John, who is rich, handsome and charming, and even though he only hangs out with his “nerdy” friends in secret, deep down the cocky teenager has a heart of gold. And finally, there’s Mia, the newest member of the group and the only girl. Mia has a complicated past, but she’s cool, she’s smart, and in spite of himself, Nick finds himself completely smitten.
But at the beginning of the book, Nick receives the devastating news that he has terminal cancer, and the consequences and the events following his diagnosis bring them together in solidarity in a way that no one could have possibly imagined. For one thing, shortly after Nick finds out he is dying, he discovers that he is being followed by a stranger, who nonetheless feels familiar to him in a way he can’t explain. This mysterious man, who calls himself Demus, claims to know the future, and that in order to survive the cancer and save his friend Mia from grave danger, Nick and his friends must help him with an extremely difficult and extremely top secret mission—like, we’re talking James Bond spy-level kind of shit. And yet, although everything Demus says sounds crazy, Nick is inclined to believe him. For one thing, the man somehow knows things, things that shouldn’t be possible to know, and if there’s a chance he can beat the cancer, or any chance he can also save Mia from certain death, Nick knows that he has to try.
If you’ve ever taken a gander at Mark Lawrence’s author profile, you probably already know he’s a crazy smart guy—a literal rocket scientist—and he’s also had experience dealing with technology that requires top level government secret clearance. So, I think it’s relatively safe to say he knows his stuff. Perhaps that’s also why, despite all the wild and far out WTFery going on in this book, One World Kill still somehow managed to feel grounded and convincing. The plot and its ideas are also relatively easy to follow, which in my experience isn’t always the case when it comes to time travel stories and the reason why so many can be hit or miss for me. Being geared towards YA though, One World Kill contains all the strangeness and complexity of the time travel subgenre but still comes across very accessible and reader-friendly, a testament to Lawrence’s ability to balance his storytelling and to know the audience he’s writing for.
Due to the setting and the camaraderie between the protagonist and his group of friends, it’s also perhaps inevitable that parallels are drawn to certain books by Stephen King, or to movies and TV shows like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Stranger Things. Indeed, there’s definitely this nostalgic and almost magical aura surrounding One Word Kill, a sense that we are only limited by what we can imagine. As well, this novel doesn’t feel like any time travel story I’ve read before, and honestly, I think it’s because Lawrence never allows the tech and science-y bits to gain the foreground, focusing instead on the human aspects, i.e. the lives of Nick and his friends. As a result, this story plays out like a very personal drama, to the point where pigeonholing it into sci-fi, time travel, or into any kind of category almost feels disingenuous, cheapening the experience. This is because more than anything else, this one’s about the characters, and it makes you care about their wants and dreams.
All told, One Word Kill was very different from what I am used to from the author, but it is now up there with some of my favorites from him. Despite its short length and YA vibes, this book isn’t just all about geeky fun and secret heist action, for it is also a character-first story that packs an emotional punch, combining cheerful sweetness and poignant feeling in equal measure. If this is what we can expect from the next installment, it’s going to be awesome.
YA Weekend Audio: The Haunted by Danielle Vega
Posted on May 19, 2019 12 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Listening Library (June 4, 2019)
Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Holly Linneman
Even though I love reading YA horror, I know enough about the genre conventions to not expect that much in the way of thrills and chills. Still, from an author being promoted as “YA’s answer to Stephen King”, I did originally think The Haunted was going to be a lot more frightening or, at the very least, somewhat spookier. Instead, I was presented with a rather tame paranormal novel about a girl who moves into a haunted house, but most of the plot actually revolved around her social relationships and boys. Not that there’s really anything wrong with that, but I wish I’d had the chance to adjust my expectations before I started.
The Haunted follows Hendricks Becker-O’Malley, a teenager who is determined to begin her new life with a clean slate in the small town her parents moved them to following an incident back at her old high school. For you see, Hendricks had thought she was dating the perfect guy, until an incident on prom night made him show his true colors. Now she realized she had been moving too fast and had allowed herself to fall in love with someone without knowing them at all—a mistake she vows she was never going to make again. Which is why, at her new high school, Hendricks has decided to lie low and take things slow, even though shortly after her arrival, one of the most popular guys has already started showing interest in asking her out.
From her new circle of friends, Hendricks also learns more about the fixer-upper that her family has recently moved into, called the old Steele House. Apparently, its bloody history has made it something of a local legend, with the townspeople whispering that the house is haunted because of the infamous murder-suicide that took place in it not too long ago. Hendricks, however, not being the type who takes much stock in ghost stories, isn’t too bothered by the rumors—that is, until she starts having these strange visions and hearing the disturbing voices. Not wanting to worry her parents, who already think she’s suffering from post-traumatic stress from what happened with her ex-boyfriend, Hendricks decides to keep what she saw and heard to herself. But then she meets her neighbor Eddie, the town bad boy who has had his own tragic history with the Steele House. After hearing about his experiences, she begins to wonder if her house might be haunted after all, especially when her baby brother suffers a horrific accident in the upstairs bedroom. Together with Eddie, Hendricks must get to the bottom of Steele House’s mystery and find out what its resident ghosts want before more of her loved ones get hurt—or worse.
As a horror novel and a ghost story, I have to say The Haunted was a wide miss for me. Up until maybe the very end, it just wasn’t that scary or even mildly creepy at all. In fact, if you’re an avid fan of horror, this is probably going to feel pretty cheesy and clichéd, presenting the reader with a formulaic plot and an avalanche of familiar genre tropes, such as catching a flash of something that isn’t really there in a mirror, or like all the glass in a room shattering at the same time. In many ways, this felt a lot like the literary version of a B-horror made-for-TV movie—which I guess has its perks, if you’re into that kind of thing. To be sure, stories like that have no shortage of interest and amusement, but then you also have to accept that the overall experience will be fairly predictable and not that deep.
I also wish the author had developed her characters a bit more. To be honest, I didn’t really get the sense that Hendricks was a genuinely well-rounded individual at all, because the story focused so much on her romantic relationships, using them to define her as a person. All we know about her past, for example, is her situation with Grayson, her ex-boyfriend. Similarly, in her new school in the present, most of what occupies her mind is whether or not she should be going out with Connor, the boy who shows interest in her. I just about threw out my back from cringing so hard when she started waxing poetic about missing the feeling of having someone who loves you most in the world. After finishing this book, I also realized I actually had no idea of this girl’s interests, hobbies, or aspirations…well, other than finding love again, that is. I mean, is this really all there is to Hendricks Becker-O’Malley? Apparently so.
Still, from purely an entertainment value standpoint, The Haunted wasn’t too bad. Definitely decent enough, even if it doesn’t set itself too far apart or rise much above the average when it comes to YA. While it didn’t offer me much in the way of horror, if you’re looking for a ghostly read that is light and quick, I think it will do just fine.
Audiobook Comments: Holly Linneman narrates the audiobook for The Haunted, delivering a good performance which added an extra dimension to Hendricks’ character, despite the limited development the author has given her personality. Overall, she was also easy to listen to, which made this book fly by.
Book Review: Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
Posted on May 18, 2019 24 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (April 30, 2019)
Length: 312 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Little Darlings is exactly the type of mystery/thriller I love to read, containing just a touch of the paranormal and enough creepiness to push this one into almost horror territory. Best of all, it features allusions to the changeling myth, the idea that fairies could steal a baby away, leaving behind an altered or possibly evil simulacrum in its place.
This is the story of Lauren Tranter, a new mom to twin boys Morgan and Riley. The birth was difficult with complications, further adding to her exhaustion and frazzled nerves. One night, alone during her recovery at the maternity ward, Lauren is convinced that a strange woman was trying to get into her room and take her babies, even though everyone, from her husband to the hospital staff, are telling her that the experience was all in her mind, a symptom of her overtiredness and trauma. But Lauren knows what she saw, and the memory of the event has made her so anxious and skittish that even after returning home, she is afraid to leave the house or let her boys out of her sight for a second.
Finally, her husband Patrick has had enough, persuading Lauren that she has to start going out and seeing people again, which would help get her back into the normal routine of life. Knowing deep down he is right, Lauren takes his advice and takes the now six-week old twins out in their stroller for a walk—a miscalculation that she ends up regretting forever. All it took was a moment of distraction, a few minutes where Lauren’s attention was elsewhere while she rested on a park bench, and suddenly, Morgan and Riley were gone. Thankfully, the police quickly mobilized a search and found the twins by the river before anything could happen, and a person of interest was also taken into custody for the abduction. But rather than the joy of being reunited with her babies, Lauren feels instead a terror and a revulsion when she looks down into the twins’ faces. She knows with a mother’s instincts and every fiber of her being that these are NOT her sons. It is as she feared; the strange woman at the hospital had done what she promised she would do—steal away her babies and replace them with her own unnatural, inhuman spawn. Lauren doesn’t understand why no one else can see this, but everyone thinks that the pressures must have finally gotten to her, that the twin’s brief disappearance was what broke her mind. Only Joanne Harper, a determined Detective Sergeant who had been the original officer to respond to Lauren’s emergency call at the hospital seems willing to consider the possibility that not all is as it seems.
To begin, I have to say that when it comes to books, I don’t really scare that easily. The written word isn’t like the movies; without any physical images, it falls to great writing and a very talented author to generate the same kind of visuals in my mind. I can probably count on one hand the number of books that have managed to truly and genuinely creep me out. Now though, I can add Little Darlings to these exclusive ranks. Seriously, what is it about children and babies that make them such an effectively terrifying trope when it comes to the horror genre? And twins, especially creepy twins! There were scenes in this book that would have made me run screaming from the room if I ever had them happened to me. Reading this one in the dead of night was probably not the best idea, but at the same time I relished in the thrill of being scared, and some parts were just so gripping I could not put the book down even though it was well past my bedtime.
I think one big reason why Little Darlings got to me so much was my ability to relate to Lauren. My heart broke to read about all those complex emotions in her, which transported me back to those uncertain months following the birth of my oldest, when I was a nervous and paranoid wreck. Let’s be clear, there’s no way I could have read this novel when I was a new mom—it’d be too disturbing, and I’d be waaaaay too freaked out. I likely would have been driven to new heights of terror, for there are things in here that are the stuff of nightmares for any parent. I am fine now, but I still remember with uneasy clarity the horrible postpartum anxiety I experienced, the worries and fear that I would fail miserably as a mother and that I was doing everything wrong. And I still spent most of the time reading this book with a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach, and that’s when I wasn’t also getting the heebie-jeebies.
Bottom line, I had a good time reading this book. Little Darlings was chilling and addictive, a fantastic thriller if you want both a touch of horror and some mystery in one neat package. Great characterization, atmosphere and writing in this one! Recommended.
Friday Face-Off: Fantasy Beast
Posted on May 17, 2019 29 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow!”
~ a cover featuring a FANTASY BEAST
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey
The fantasy beast I’ve chosen for the theme is week is…the Wendigo! And what a frightening creature of dread and darkness it is, described as mythical man-eating monster which may appear human-like in its characteristics. Many Native American cultures also portray the cannibalistic Wendigos as the embodiment of insatiable greed and excess, gluttonous but also extremely thin to the point of starvation at the same time. The Curse of the Wendigo is the second Monstrumologist novel by Rick Yancey, following the series’ young narrator Will Henry as he accompanies the eccentric Dr. Warthrop into the heart of the Brutal Canadian wilderness in search of more monsters. Let’s take a look at the covers:
From left to right:
Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers (2010) – Gallery/Saga Press (2015) – Persian Edition (2017)
German Edition (2012) – Korean Edition (2017)
Russian Edition (2012) – Russian Edition (2014) – Indonesian Edition (2017)
Winner:
Lots of creeptastic ones to choose from today, but my favorite might be the German edition because of the really striking image of the Wendigo against the backdrop of the full moon as well as the amazing atmosphere and the cool art style. Though I must say the Indonesian edition is a close second.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Audiobook Review: Outland by Dennis E. Taylor
Posted on May 16, 2019 19 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Apocalyptic
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Audible Studios (May 16, 2019)
Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Ray Porter
Before The Singularity Trap and before the Bobiverse, there was Outland, Dennis E. Taylor’s self-published debut that is now getting a re-issue and making its way to the audio format as an Audible Original. Although the story itself a little rough and unrefined, embedded here are the seeds of the author’s style that would emerge in his later works.
However, unlike Taylor’s spacefaring novels, Outland takes place in the present day or in the near future, and the theme is apocalyptic. Following an experiment gone wrong, a group of students in a university physics lab accidentally stumbles across a new technology allowing them to open portals to other dimensions. As it turns out, one of these dimensions is an alternate Earth very similar to our own, except in this particular timeline, humans never evolved. Students being students though, rather than take their discovery public, the group decides instead to use their newfound portal technology in a get-rich-quick scheme, coming up with a harebrained plan to pan for gold on this pristine and uninhabited Earth. It would be easy money, after all, as there is enough gold in some parts of the Black Hills that would make each and every one of them a millionaire overnight.
But meanwhile, disturbing reports are coming out of Yellowstone National Park about the area’s increased volcanic activity and tectonic actions, and soon it becomes clear that an eruption of its supervolcano is all but inevitable. It has long been hypothesized than an eruption that big would end civilization in the United States as we know it, and indeed, the amount of ash alone would be enough to bury large swaths of the country under three feet of the stuff, not to mention the way it would block out the sun and cause damage to all kinds of infrastructure and equipment. Soon enough, the situation proves even more devastating, and our protagonists are forced to abandon their gold panning ventures in Outland, the name they’ve given to the wild version of Earth they’ve discovered. Refocusing their efforts on saving lives, they only have a small window of time to bring as many survivors as they can through the portal and gather enough supplies to hunker down for the long haul.
Kind of like We Are Legion (We Are Bob), the narrative style of Outland somewhat resembles an extended and episodic world-building exercise where the most interesting things actually happen after a crucial event earlier on in the story. In this case, it’s the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, making this one both an apocalyptic tale as well as one of survival. From that standpoint, things don’t get any better than this. There are sci-fi elements too, of course, but these are light, serving more as a backdrop for what truly matters, i.e. what the characters actually do to stay alive and speculation as to what would happen to the Earth and human populations around the world if such a major natural disaster did take place. That said, I wouldn’t into his one expecting the thrills of a disaster movie nor too much detail when it comes to the science and technology behind the premise, but at the very least, the story is convincing enough to sustain a high level of tension and an immediate sense of danger.
The humor also makes this one supremely readable. Dennis E. Taylor definitely falls into the category of geek writers which includes authors like Andy Weir or Ernest Cline, as evidenced by the profusion of nerdy jokes and pop-culture references littering the pages of Outland. Despite all the destruction, chaos and mass death, the book still had me chuckling in places, and whether you view it as a weakness or not, what we have here is a light, popcorn-y read. This means yes, the plot can be a little clichéd at times, and the characters a bit cookie-cutter and the dialogue a bit cheesy. Admittedly, there’s nothing too emotionally deep or complicated here, but there’s no denying it’s a lot of fun.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for a good mix of humor and danger in your apocalyptic fiction, consider checking out Outland. While it’s nothing mind-blowing, I did enjoy the colony building aspects and all the “what if” scenarios. I’m glad to hear there will be a follow-up, as I’m curious to keep reading to find out what happens next.
Audiobook Comments: As always, Dennis E. Taylor and Ray Porter make a great team, with the latter’s narration perfectly complementing the former’s writing style. Not only did Porter’s amazing voices and accents bring our characters to life, his performance also transported listeners to a world in which one feels fully immersed. If you’re looking for an addictive and compelling audiobook to listen to, Outland is one I would highly recommend.
Waiting on Wednesday 05/15/19
Posted on May 15, 2019 18 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
Anyone by Charles Soule (December 3, 2019 by Harper Perennial)
Can’t say I’m a big fan of the cover, but when I learned that Charles Soule, the comic book writer who released his novel debut The Oracle Year last year was going to have a new book coming out in late 2019, it went immediately onto my wishlist. Anyone is a brand new story, and I hope that it will follow in the footsteps of The Oracle Year to become another awesome “outside my box” read.
“Inside a barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a scientist searching for an Alzheimer’s cure throws a switch—and finds herself mysteriously transported into her husband’s body. What begins as a botched experiment will change her life—and the world—forever…
Over two decades later, all across the planet, “flash” technology allows individuals the ability to transfer their consciousness into other bodies for specified periods, paid, registered and legal. Society has been utterly transformed by the process, from travel to warfare to entertainment; “Be anyone with Anyone” the tagline of the company offering this ultimate out-of-body experience. But beyond the reach of the law and government regulators is a sordid black market called the darkshare, where desperate “vessels” anonymously rent out their bodies, no questions asked for any purpose – sex, drugs, crime… or worse.
Anyone masterfully interweaves the present-day story of the discovery and development of the flash with the gritty tale of one woman’s crusade to put an end to the darkness it has brought to the world twenty-five years after its creation. Like Blade Runner crossed with Get Out, Charles Soule’s thought-provoking work of speculative fiction takes us to a world where identity, morality, and technology collide.”
Audiobook Review: I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney
Posted on May 14, 2019 21 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (April 23, 2019)
Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Stephanie Racine
I’ve been on a thriller kick lately, and maybe that’s why, after reading a lot of the same-old-same-old, I found I Know Who You Are to be entertaining but it did not really wow me. That said, it if you enjoy a good psychological suspense-thriller, it is completely serviceable and shouldn’t disappoint.
Told in alternating chapters, I Know Who You Are is a novel featuring two narrative threads. One is about Aimee Sinclair, an up-and-coming actress who recently landed the leading role in a major film. But her success is precarious; any kind of scandal or negative press would be enough to put an end to her career before it even begins. One day, during a break in filming, Aimee returns home to find her house empty, her husband Ben nowhere to be found even though he should be waiting for her. Most disconcerting of all is that his cellphone and wallet had been left behind, and Aimee knows Ben would never go anywhere without them. Worried, she calls the police, but when they show up, their investigation only leads to even more questions. Worse, Aimee becomes a suspect herself, which would ruin her if the press ever gets wind of her husband’s disappearance.
The other narrative thread takes place in the past, following a little girl who is abducted by a disturbed couple and raised as their own. This is Aimee’s childhood—she was given a new name, a new life, and told to never speak of her time with her real family ever again. Over the next few years, Aimee was subjected to many abuses and traumas that no child should ever have to experience, and yet, she could not help but love her kidnappers, who still took care of her and loved her in their own sick, twisted way.
More than this I will not reveal, given how this genre thrives surprises and the unexpected. Needless to say though, by the end of the book, all the connections will be made, questions will be answered, and what happens will probably shock you. Personally, I thought the ending was completely insane and loved the bombshells dropped on us in the final chapters, despite some of the revelations straining my ability to suspend disbelief. Still, as one can argue this is par for the course when it comes to thrillers, I was more than willing to overlook the more outrageous and absurd plot points in the conclusion. Instead, most of the things I did not like about this novel had more to do with what happened in the lead-up and middle sections.
For one, things felt a little too drawn out. While the two alternating storylines created tension and intrigue, eventually this back-and-forth began to wear on my nerves. Following the life of young Aimee became my favorite part of the book, whereas the present Aimee chapters became somewhat tiresome and repetitive. The author utilized short chapters and switched frequently, probably intending to give both timelines the same amount of attention. Instead, I felt that too much time was spent puttering about the insecurities and uncertainties of older Aimee’s life when all I wanted was for the book to go back to focus on poor little younger Aimee, whose day-to-day existence was both fascinating and horrific to read about.
Which brings me to my second issue with this novel, which is namely its heavy reliance on purposefully shocking the reader, using some methods that are more blatant than others. Again, this is not so unusual for the genre (and normally not something I would even point out as a flaw) except that the shock factor felt so imbalanced. Like I said, the middle parts of the book were just okay in terms of engaging my interest, and it almost felt like the author was trying to overcompensate with the ending, throwing in something so crazy and over-the-top in the hopes of “making up for it.”
Still, I did enjoy this book, even if I didn’t think it was anything too special. If you read a lot of thrillers, some of the plot points may feel familiar (a missing spouse, the unreliable narrator, some ambiguity surrounding memory, etc.) but the ending will likely get a strong reaction, and ultimately it’s why I felt this book was worth my time, despite its flaws. I Know Who You Are might not be the best I’ve read in this genre, but there’s good entertainment value.
Audiobook Comments: I thought narrator Stephanie Racine could have varied her voices a little more, but she was an excellent reader and had a good feel for Aimee, especially in the childhood chapters where getting the character’s emotions across was so important. Overall, I felt she delivered a good performance.
Audiobook Review: Star Wars: Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott
Posted on May 13, 2019 18 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Star Wars: Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In
Series: Star Wars Canon
Publisher: Random House Audio (April 30, 2019)
Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Full Cast
Star Wars audiobooks are always a treat to listen to, but audio dramas are on a whole other level. Performed by a full cast and available only as an audiobook, Star Wars: Dooku: Jedi Lost is an immersive experience that puts your right in the middle of the action and makes you feel like you are in a Star Wars movie, watching all the events and action play out around you.
Since the release of the prequels and the character’s first appearance in Attack of the Clones, the origins of Count Dooku AKA Darth Tyranus has been shrouded in mystery and plagued with questions. We know that he was a former Jedi and a Padawan of Yoda’s before he became the Count of Serenno and the Leader of the Separatists. But what happened in between? What was his childhood like, and how did he fall out with the Jedi leading him down the path to the dark side?
Dooku: Jedi Lost seeks to address all of that, by taking listeners all the way to the beginning when our main character was just a boy at the Jedi Temple, where he is just one of many younglings brought to Coruscant by seekers scouring the galaxy for force-sensitives. He hasn’t even been chosen as an apprentice by Yoda this point, but while on an excursion with his fellow students to the planet of Serenno as part of a cultural exchange presentation, Dooku discovers something about his personal history that will forever change the way he views the Jedi and himself.
I should also mention that all of these past events are told in flashback because Dooku: Jedi Lost is a frame story which places us some time during the Clone Wars when Dathomir Nightsister and dark Jedi Asajj Ventress was still an acolyte to Count Dooku, working as his assassin. Chafing under the Sith lord and tortured with visions and voices in her head, Ventress is given a new assignment to track down a new target—someone close to the Count’s own heart. As she makes her way to Serenno to fulfill her task, Ventress learns more about Dooku and catches glimpses of the most defining moments of his life with the Jedi.
Along with the recently released Star Wars: Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray, new canon offerings like this one are proving to be a blessing for fans who want to know more about prequel era. Clocking in at a mere six hours and twenty-one minutes, this audio drama is nowhere near as long as the series’ typical novels, but it still packs a lot of content. Besides the emotional decisions and the political ramifications that led Dooku to turn his back on the Jedi and take up the mantle of his forebears, this audio drama also delves deeper into his personal relationships including that of his close friendship with Sifo-Dyas as well as his apprenticeship with the famed Yoda. Eventually, of course, Dooku also reaches the rank of Master Jedi and becomes master himself to a hot-headed young Padawan, Qui-Gon Jinn.
Written by Cavan Scott, the story is well-plotted and developed. However, as entertaining was it was, I can’t really see the history of Count Dooku being all that exciting to anyone but the most hardcore of fans. Luckily though, the story isn’t the only reason why people pick up audio dramas. After all, the best and most notable aspects of this format are the audiobook production values and technical qualities, as well as the incredible performances. And I’m pleased to say that in this area, the creators of Dooku: Jedi Lost went all out. Sounds are used to great effect, and musical snippets from John Williams’ brilliant score inject another emotional layer to the experience. Then there’s the incredible talent of all the voice actors and actresses. Compared to regular audiobooks, audio dramas typically demand a lot more acting from their narrators because there is less descriptive text, and so every spoken line has to contain a lot more information in the way it is delivered. For the most part, I feel the cast gave a spectacular performance.
All I can say is, yes please to more Star Wars audio dramas! I can see so much potential for future tales that will work great for this format. Dooku: Jedi Lost is worth checking out for the exquisite audio experience alone, and fans also get a surprisingly in-depth study into one of more enigmatic characters of the Star Wars universe.
Audiobook Comments: If you’re not familiar with audio dramas, some time may be needed to ease into the format. Narrated by a cast of twelve, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, but each voice is distinct enough thanks to the talented readers. Although everyone gave a strong performance, some were better than others. Ironically, Euan Morton’s performance as Dooku was pretty average, though to be fair, he’s portraying a younger version of the character in addition to trying to fill the shoes of some very big names including Christopher Lee and Corey Burton who voiced the character in The Clone Wars and various other Star Wars projects. But standouts in this audio drama include Orlagh Cassidy as Asajj Ventress, Sean Kenin as Sifo-Dyas, Carol Monda as Lene Kostana, Saskia Maarleveld as Jenza, Jonathan Davis as Qui-Gon Jinn, and Marc Thompson as Yoda.
Book Review: Finder by Suzanne Palmer
Posted on May 12, 2019 27 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1/Stand Alone
Publisher: DAW (April 2, 2019)
Length: 400 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
If you’re ever in need of something to brighten your day or give you a nice shot of energy after you find that a string of heavier, ponderous books has sapped your all your motivation, Finder by Suzanne Palmer is exactly the kind of pick-me-up the situation calls for. It’s nothing too deep or fancy, but it sure as hell gets the job done.
This is a tale set in the far-flung future, following the escapades of our protagonist Fergus Ferguson. A self-described finder, it’s his job to chase down some of the galaxy’s most notorious criminals to retrieve lost or stolen items, a position which hasn’t earned him much popularity, though the same cannot be said about the number of his enemies. His latest gig is a mission to steal back a spaceship from a egomaniacal ex-nobleman turned crime lord named Arum Gilger, who has been making a big splash lately with his ever expanding sphere or influence and power. However, as Fergus makes his way to the remote system called Cernee where he has located Gilger and the stolen ship, the cable car he was traveling in is attacked. Fergus barely escapes with his life, but his fellow passenger, a kind and pleasant older lady with whom he had established a friendly rapport in the introduction to the novel, does not make it.
Little does he know, that brief connection they shared will lead to much deeper and wide-spread consequences. Recovering from the attack, Fergus finds himself tangled up with the locals and their plight. Cernee is now plunged into a civil war, and our protagonist will have no choice but to fight alongside his newfound allies against Gilger and his dastardly plans to seize control over their colony. Meanwhile, the fight is further complicated by the emergence of a mysterious alien species that was long thought to be a myth, adding another layer of action and intrigue to an already compelling mix.
Finder was a boatload of fun, no other description really required. It’s the kind of book where you can let your thinking mind take a backseat while you break out the popcorn and indulge in a breakneck, high-octane space adventure. But most impressively, despite all the nonstop action, Palmer still manages to set aside some time for world-building and character development, creating in Fergus Ferguson a well-rounded and likeable protagonist you just can’t help but root for. Although he was born on Earth (hailing from Scotland, naturally), Fergus blew off the earth at a young age and has been bouncing around the galaxy ever since, making a name for himself as a kind of space repo man. As far as sci-fi scoundrels go, I love the direction the author has chosen with our main character, and his personalities traits and life experiences are as interesting as you’d expect.
Then, there’s the humor. Featuring a mixed bag of genuinely laugh-out-loud comedy combined with a healthy dose of groan-worthy jokes and cheesy slapstick, this novel is guaranteed to have something for everyone. The lightness also keeps this one from becoming too gritty and dark amidst all the explosive violence and action. Fergus has a talent for getting himself into tight situations again and again, but tensions are lessened by the slick dialogue and the story’s easy ability to make you laugh.
Fergus’ interactions with the other characters also deserve a mention. No matter how endearing or charismatic they are, few characters can carry a story on their own, and to be sure, much of the entertainment I derived from Finder was thanks to Fergus’ personality and background being bound up in the lives of the other supporting characters he meets. The people of Cernee felt real, and so did their problems. Palmer’s world-building skills are on full display here, when you consider the sheer effort that must have gone into the creation of this intricate little community and their role in the wider network of systems beyond. The emotional connection I felt towards Fergus’ new friends came very naturally, and consequently their relationship dynamics and interactions also felt well-written and believable.
All told, Suzanne Palmer has brought to life a surprisingly developed and well-layered space adventure, considering how strong the emphasis was on delivering fast-paced action and thrills. A novel debut for her, Finder clearly shows that making the jump from short stories to long form fiction is not a problem for the author. While you won’t be getting anything too deep or sophisticated with this one, there’s no denying that it’s a lot of fun.
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on May 11, 2019 30 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every other weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I round up what I’ve read since the last update and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
My thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a copy of The Gameshouse by Claire North, the omnibus collecting books 1-3 in the author’s series of the same name. This is a trilogy of novellas I’ve been meaning to check out for a while now, so I’m looking forward to diving in.
With thanks to the publicity team at Berkley and Ace/Roc/DAW for sending along a finished copy of A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay. It’s been a long time since I last picked up something by Kay, and a new book coming out from the author is definitely cause to celebrate. Also newly arrived is a finished copy of Pariah by W. Michael Gear, the third and final installment of the incredibly addictive colonization sci-fi Donovan trilogy. I can’t wait to see how it ends!
Earlier this month I also received a couple surprises from the kind folks at Harper Voyager and Wunderkind PR. I’ve never heard of the Antasy series before, but the name of it makes me smile. The first book Prophets of the Ghost Ants by Clark Thomas Carlton and its sequel The Prophet of the Termite God unexpected landed on my doorstep last week, and I’m still debating whether to check it out as time is pretty tight this spring/summer and my reading list is already pretty packed. Still, this series just looks so damn cool!
Thanks also to Tor Teen for a surprise ARC of Stormrise by Jillian Boehme, a book I only learned of recently when I caught the cover reveal on the publisher’s blog earlier this spring. I still don’t know a lot about it, but the book’s description calls it an epic YA fantasy inspired by Twelfth Night and it has dragons, so that’s already a whole bunch of reasons for me to check it out!
In case you missed it, earlier this week we took part in a tour celebrating the release of Snakeskins by Tim Major and the publisher Titan Books also sent along a review copy. I love this cover so much, as it really sets the tone for a sci-fi thriller about cloning and rejuvenation tech. Next up, the publisher also sent me a review copy of Warlock Holmes: The Sign of Nine by G.S. Denning. As you know I’m a huge fan of this series, which was why I was so surprised I hadn’t heard there was going to be a fourth book until the release date of it was practically upon us! This is great news though, and I’m excited to get back into the shenanigans of Warlock and Watson in this humorous paranormal homage to Sherlock Holmes.
Speaking of excitement: courtesy of Saga Press, I received ARCs to a couple of books releasing later this summer that I’m very interested in checking out! The UK release date of Do You Dream of Terra-Two by Temi Oh actually happened a couple months ago, and already the book has been making some big waves and is garnering high praise. Needless to say, my interest in reading it grows by the day and it is definitely going on my July/August TBR! The second book, This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone is pretty high on my summer reading list too, even though time travel can be tricky. Still, I trust Max Gladstone to tell a good story, and I’m also curious to discover the work of Amal El-Mohtar.
And get an eyeful of these gorgeous hardcover editions of The Forgetting Moon and The Blackest Heart by Brian Lee Durfee! I’ve had this series on my radar for quite some time now, so when I received a message from the author asking if I would be interested in reviewing the books, I said definitely count me in! Huge thanks to Brian for sending these lovely beauties my way, and they’re signed and personalized too! Hoping to start the first book soon.
On to the digital pile, I want to give shout outs to a few more authors who sent eARCs my way this week. I nabbed a NetGalley widget of The Resurrectionist of Caligo by Wendy Trimboli and Alicia Zaloga, with thanks to the authors and Angry Robot for the opportunity! And look at this adorable cover of A Collection of Obsessions by Michael R. Fletcher, designed by the author’s own daughter! But knowing a fair bit about Fletcher’s dark and gritty writing style though, I gather what’s inside the book might be a little different. This is a collection of the author’s short stories, ranging from cyberpunk to tales related to his Manifest Delusions series, so as a fan I definitely want to check it out.
Also thanks to Entangled: Teen for an invite to read 8 Souls by Rachel Rust. I can never resist a YA horror, and I’m getting some major creepy vibes from the description and cover of this one. Crossing my fingers that it will deliver!
In the audiobook haul, with thanks to Macmillan Audio for listening copies of We Are Mayhem by Michael Moreci, the sequel to the rollick space adventure Black Star Renegades; The Pandora Room by Christopher Golden, second book in the Ben Walker series and follow-up to Ararat; and I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney, a psychological mystery thriller that I’m listening to right now and it’s pretty interesting so far. Finally, from Random House Audio I received a review copy of Star Wars: Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott, an audio drama that I’ve already finished listening to (and it was AWESOME); as well as The Haunted by Danielle Vega, a ghostly horror novel from Listening Library.
Reviews
Here is a quick summary of my reviews posted since the last update:
Star Wars: Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray (4.5 of 5 stars)
The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala (4 of 5 stars)
Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky (4 of 5 stars)
Kin by Snorri Kristjansson (4 of 5 stars)
Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (4 of 5 stars)
Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs (3.5 of 5 stars)
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan (2.5 of 5 stars)
Interviews & Guest Posts
A shout out to the authors who stopped by The BiblioSanctum these last two weeks!
Guest Post: “A Snakeskins Book Soundtrack” by Tim Major
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Here’s what I’ve managed to “unstack” from the TBR since the last update. More reviews coming soon!
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
The BiblioSanctum 