Audiobook Review: The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus
Posted on April 28, 2018 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.
The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Macmillan Audio (March 6, 2018)
Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Jenna Lamia
Described as one half of a “bold two-tiered release”, The Shape of Water is the companion novel to the Guillermo del Toro film of the same name. But what exactly does this mean? Curiosity piqued, I decided to do some digging around, and found out that the idea for a story about a mute woman falling in love with an imprisoned river monster actually came to author Daniel Kraus when he was a teenager. In the years that followed, he continued to incubate the concept, until a meeting with del Toro became the spark that motivated Kraus to finally write the novel. The director also expressed interest in turning the idea into a movie, and so, both projects went forward at the same time while the two creators kept in touch. Eventually though, Kraus decided he wanted to finish his book without knowing any more about the film, so at that point both author and director agreed to each proceed with their own individual interpretation of the story.
As a result, while there are many similarities between the movie and novel, there are quite a few differences as well. The key elements, however, are the same: the setting is 1962 Baltimore, at the height of the Cold War; the protagonist is Elisa Esposito, a woman who has been mute her whole life; and the conflict begins when Elisa, working as a night janitor at the Occam Aerospace Research Center, meets and falls in love with the laboratory’s top secret asset—an amphibious man captured from the Amazon.
From the moment Elisa first laid eyes on him, she was enraptured by his terrifying beauty. He was worshipped as a god where he came from, but now he is a prisoner and an experiment to be studied for Cold War advancements. Day after day, he is tormented by Richard Strickland, the soldier who spent nearly two years hunting rumors of a “fish man” through the South American rainforest before he finally caught up with his prey. At the research center, Elisa is the only person who shows the creature any kind of compassion, secretly teaching him sign language so the two of them can communicate. Later, when Strickland’s plans to dissect the amphibious man come to light, Elisa and her friends risk everything to save her beloved with the help of an impassioned scientist who is also an undercover Russian spy.
I opted to watch the movie before tackling this book—a decision I’m glad I made, because I think it helped me understand and appreciate the story more fully once I experienced both mediums in this order. There are differences between them, but not really so much that calling this one a novelization would be wholly inaccurate, since after all, both film and book follow the same basic plotline and events. And yet, what I got here also turned out to be much more than what I watched on screen. One major difference comes to light right off the bat, with the book opening on Strickland’s POV as he makes his trek through the Amazon jungle trying to capture the river creature. The novel definitely gives us a more well-rounded picture of the story’s villain—not enough to get us to truly sympathize with him perhaps, but these early chapters do go a long way in explaining why he might be so messed up. The second major difference in the book version is the subplot involving Strickland’s wife Lanie, whose character was almost a non-entity in the film. In contrast, she is a powerful presence in the novel, her sections adding a great deal of depth to the story by expanding the narrative beyond the events taking place at Occam.
Other than that, the characters and their roles are generally very similar between both versions. Readers do get to enjoy a few extra perks in prose form, however, namely being able to get into the heads of the characters, thus gaining more insight into their thoughts and emotions. Supporting personalities like Zelda, Giles, and Mr. Hoffstetler were all better developed, and once or twice, we even get brief glimpses into the mind of the amphibian man himself. Since neither he nor Elisa could speak in the film, audiences were limited with regards to the interpretion of what the characters were thinking or feeling, but this was obviously not an issue in the book where readers were actually able to experience the story from their perspectives.
The writing was also beautiful, and there were definitely a few scenes in this tale where only the written format could do them justice. Unfortunately, those were not the love scenes, which, as some other reviewers have already pointed out, were dismally bad. To be fair though, I was never too keen on the romance to begin with; Elisa’s character always struck me as too guileless and practically childlike, while the narrative kept driving home the point that the creature was at his core an animal. With these images in mind, thinking about the two of them together simply became a little too disturbing and off-putting.
Still, narratively speaking, overall The Shape of Water was a fascinating and worthwhile journey. Although I was unable to enjoy the romance on an emotional level, I nonetheless felt a connection with many of the characters, and the premise itself appealed to my sense of wonder and imagination. I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy character-driven stories with a touch of the uncanny and fantastical, or if you are interested in the subgenre many have come to describe as fairy tales for the modern age.
Audiobook Comments: I was quite impressed with the narration by Jenna Lamia, whose lilting voice made for a good fit with this novel. She brought the tale to life with her pitch-perfect tones, accents, and inflections, adding another layer of personality to the characters. It made for a very rich and enjoyable listening experience.
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Friday Face-Off: Medieval
Posted on April 27, 2018 30 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:
“Those darling byegone times… with their delicious fortresses, and their dear old dungeons, and their delightful places of torture”
~ a cover that is MEDIEVAL
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold
I can’t help it; when I think of the Medieval period, I also always think castles. Hence, this week I decided to feature The Curse of Chalion (one of my favorite books ever), whose covers seem to be chock-full of these symbols of the Middle Ages.
Not surprisingly, since it’s also considered one of Bujold’s most celebrated fantasy novels, there are a LOT of editions. While I’ve already weeded out some of the more unappealing covers, we’re still left with a bunch this week. Here they are:
From left to right, top to bottom:
Eos (2001) – Eos (2006) – Voyager (2003)
HarperTorch (2002) – Blackstone Audio (2004) –Italian Edition (2003)
Bulgarian Edition (2003) – French Edition (2003) – French Edition (2016)
Spanish Edition (2003) – Spanish Edition (2005) – German Edition (2005)
Czech Edition (2005) – Chinese Edition (2007) – Croatian Edition (2013)
Winner:
There are quite a few covers here I hadn’t seen before, and there are several of them I like a lot. But then I wondered, how much of this is because of the novelty? Sure, I may enjoy the art style of the French (2003) edition, or the surrealism of the Croatian (2013) cover. But at the end of the day? While it may be seen as the “safe” choice, there’s no denying that timelessness and classic styles reign supreme.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Audiobook Review: Star Wars: Last Shot by Daniel José Older
Posted on April 26, 2018 20 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: Last Shot by Daniel José Older
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In
Series: Star Wars Canon
Publisher: Random House Audio (April 17, 2018)
Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Marc Thompson, January LaVoy, Daniel José Older
As the time draws nearer for the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story to hit theaters, in true Star Wars merchandising fashion, there’s a media tie-in novel available just in time to prime you for the movie experience. Star Wars: Last Shot is something of a “then and now” story, with the focus on our two favorite scoundrels in the galaxy, Han Solo and Lando Calrissian.
Using the movies as a timeline, this book takes place approximately three years after Return of the Jedi, which means for Han, he’s now married to Leia and the couple has just welcomed little Ben to the family. Despite having lived a life of danger and excitement, however, nothing could have prepared him for the rigors of fatherhood. He’s struggling and not adjusting well at all, and he’s paralyzed with fear by the idea he’s doing everything wrong. Meanwhile, Lando is on Cloud City having his own little “growing up” moment when he finds himself contemplating the idea of settling down with a longtime friend for whom he has been developing deeper feelings. But before this thought can be explored further, the relative peace is shattered by an assassination attempt on his life—by his own trusted protocol droid, no less.
The incident brings Lando fuming to the Solos’ doorstep, demanding explanations for events that happened ten years ago when Han last ran afoul of Fyzen Gor, a mad scientist-like villain who invented a droid-controlling device called a Phylanx Redux Transmitter. Desperately seeking something to take his mind off his situation at home, Han doesn’t need much convincing to pack his things and run off on another adventure with his old friend. The mission: to find the transmitter before Fyzen can use the technology to bend the galaxy to his will. Told with frequent flashbacks to the past, Last Shot chronicles three different eras in our characters’ lives, taking us to a time before the events of Solo (with Lando), as well as the period that occurs between the movie and A New Hope (with Han), before bringing all the threads together in the present storyline.
Even if you’re not a big fan of Star Wars, the words “a Han and Lando story” should make you perk up, and for good reason. Just the mention of these two promises a fun and adventurous experience, which this book delivers. The sections that take place in the past are especially entertaining; here we see our characters as younger and more cocksure men, so full of swagger and confidence. The dialogue is snappy and upbeat, even a little silly in some places, highlighting the “good old days” feel of these flashbacks.
But then there are also the heavier moments scattered throughout the novel. The differences between the present Han and Lando and their younger selves are quite stark, for one, when you consider how the intervening years have affected them both. Han’s struggle with fatherhood is especially heartbreaking, in light of how things turned out with him and Leia and their son, and I can’t help but think what we’re seeing here is a brief glimpse of that rift starting to form as Han’s first instinct is to run away in response to his fear of failure. This version of Han—who loves his family but is nonetheless overwhelmed by the crushing responsibility of being a husband and father—is parsecs away from the young starry-eyed Han with his idealistic notions of romance, as seen in his flirtatious pursuit of Sana. The effect is similar with Lando, whose transition from smooth-talking charmer to someone who thinks he may have finally found “the one” to settle down with is truly quite surprising, even speaking as a reader who has seen the character go through many evolutions going back to the old expanded universe days.
Personally, this aspect of juxtaposing the past and present versions of Han and Lando—showing the different people they’ve become while still staying true to the core of their characters—was my favorite aspect of the novel. I also liked how the story’s conflict raises a lot of interesting issues, many of which have philosophical value or ethical implications, such as the role of droids in the Star Wars universe. By any reasonable definition, droids are people—they have distinct personalities, can form memories, and possess a sense of self-awareness and volition—but they’re not always treated as such, or at least the portrayal of the relationship between droid and organic has not always been consistent. Perhaps, the themes and events in Last Shot will finally set the record straight, as a part of the story focuses on the plight of L3-37, a navigator droid who dreams of rights and freedom for her kind.
But then, there are the things I didn’t like so much about the book. First off, I’m not the biggest fan of flashbacks, and the way this story was structured reminded me exactly why. The constant jumping around can get confusing, not to mention it played havoc with the pacing. As much as I enjoy Daniel José Older’s writing, I also confess I was a bit skeptical when I found out he was working on this book. I’m a fan of the author’s urban fantasy because his style is very well suited to the genre, but I worried that it would not be a good fit for a Star Wars novel. Indeed, in some places, I felt that the prose was far too modern and “real world”, which seriously messed with the immersion. Coming across certain contemporary sayings or slang in the dialogue was extremely cringe-y, and occasionally, the downright goofiness of the writing style would also kill the mood and remove a lot of the gravity from the book’s serious themes.
As such, I would probably put Last Shot in the middle of the scale: nowhere close to the level of my favorite Star Wars reads, but it’s also far from poor. Without a doubt, it’s one of the more entertaining books to come out of the new canon lately, compared to examples like Catalyst (the super dry Rogue One prequel) or Phasma (which didn’t really live up to my expectations). But let’s face it—with Han and Lando at the helm, it’s impossible to have a boring book. The thrilling action and adventure make this one an approachable read for everyone, whether you’re into the Star Wars universe or not, but I for one am now pumped for Solo.
Audiobook Comments: I enjoyed the audiobook of Last Shot, which is narrated by Marc Thompson, January Lavoy, and Daniel José Older. With respect to the author though, he probably should have sat this one out. Not only was it somewhat distracting to have multiple narrators, Marc Thompson is a god when it comes to Star Wars audiobook narration, and to be honest, Older reading the sections featuring young Han just could not compare. His voice felt wrong for the character, and he also made everyone sound the same. At least the case could be made for January LaVoy (another veteran Star Wars audiobook narrator) reading the parts featuring young Lando since those sections heavily feature the POV of L3-37, but the decision to bring on a third person for the Han flashback chapters just didn’t really make sense to me. Other than that though, this was a decent listen.
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Waiting on Wednesday 04/25/18
Posted on April 25, 2018 22 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
Dragonshadow: A Heartstone Novel by Elle Katharine White (November 20, 2018 by Harper Voyager)
Heartstone came out last year to pretty high praise, but I think many readers (including myself) were keen to know more about the novel’s magical world beyond the Jane Austen elements. I don’t think anyone truly expected a sequel, which is why I was excited to learn about Dragonshadow, which I’m hoping will develop the characters and story a little beyond Pride & Prejudice. I’m also looking forward to more of the author’s incredible world-building and more dragons!
“The author of Heartstone once again infuses elements of Jane Austen’s beloved novel with her own brand of magic in this addictive fantasy that brings back sparring lovers Aliza and Alastair: fierce warriors who match wits, charm, and swords as they fight an epic war to save their world.
The Battle of North Fields is over—or so Aliza Bentaine, now a Daired, fervently wants to believe. But rumors are spreading of an unseen monster ravaging the isolated Castle Selwyn on the northern border of the kingdom. When she and Alastair are summoned from their honeymoon by the mysterious Lord Selwyn, they must travel with their dragon Akarra through the Tekari-infested Old Wilds of Arle to answer his call.
And they are not alone on this treacherous journey. Shadowing the dragonriders is an ancient evil, a harbinger of a dark danger of which the Worm was only a foretaste. And soon Aliza realizes the terrible truth: the real war is only beginning.”
Book Review: Head On by John Scalzi
Posted on April 23, 2018 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.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 of Lock In
Publisher: Tor (April 17, 2018)
Length: 336 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’m a huge fan of John Scalzi, having read almost all his novels, and when Lock In came out a few years ago it quickly became one of my favorite books by the author. It was therefore with great excitement that I picked up Head On, which is described as its standalone sequel. And indeed, you may choose to read this without having read the first book, but personally I feel you will be missing out on the subtler nuances of the series if you skipped right to this one. The world of Lock In and Head On is a very complex place and, as I will explain later in my review, reading both books will give you a fuller view of the picture.
Once more, readers follow Chris Shane, the series’ rookie FBI agent protagonist. Chris is also a Haden, the name given to those individuals whose minds are “locked in” as the result of a devastating flu that swept across the globe several decades ago. This disease killed many in the first stage of the infection, but a percentage went on to survive only to suffer acute meningitis, which affected the victim’s brain and caused them to become trapped in a state of being fully awake and aware but having no control over their voluntary nervous systems. A cure for this condition (dubbed Haden’s Syndrome after the then president’s wife who was the most famous person to be affected at the time) was given the highest priority, though none was ever found. Instead, scientists created humanoid personal transports called “Threeps” into which locked in individuals were able to link their minds remotely, allowing them to interact with their world even as their physical bodies remained immobile.
By the time this series takes place, personal transport technology has become much more developed and advanced. It has even permeated into the world of professional sports, in which Hadens pilot specialized Threeps in a fast and furious game known as Hilketa. Though the sport itself is extremely violent, involving the lopping off of heads with swords and war hammers, no one technically gets hurt because the only “bodies” getting battered and broken on the field are the robot-like Threeps. However, during a high-profile special exhibition game, an up-and-coming player named Duane Chapman suddenly dies in the middle of a match meant to attract new investors to the North American Hilketa League, his vitals disappearing off the boards for all to see. NAHL officials are quick to cover up the incident, leading Chris, who was present in the skybox during the fatal match, to suspect there’s more to Chapman’s death than meets the eye.
Like its predecessor, Head On reads like a sci-fi mystery thriller, following FBI agents Chris Shane and Leslie Vann as they sniff out clues and hunt down the perpetrators in Haden-related crimes. But unlike the previous installment, it dispenses with much of the social commentary and focus on topical themes, putting the emphasis on investigative procedures the actual crime solving. Happily, the culprit also wasn’t as obvious this time compared to Lock In. As a result, I felt that this sequel was more exciting in terms of pacing and levels of suspense, especially since the trail to find Duane Chapman’s murderer subsequently leads Chris to all kinds of strange personalities and bizarre happenings related to the dark underbelly of the Hilketa industry. Uncovering everything from backroom deals to sordid affairs, our protagonist winds up being caught up in series of harrowing events that include arson, assassination, and a whole pile of destroyed Threeps. Needless to say, this novel ended up being a very quick read, since all that intensity and action made it hard to put down.
That said, the book also lost much of its cerebral and philosophical bite due to the diminished exploration into social themes like disability, ethics in medicine, and other discussion-worthy subjects related to a world in which a significant percentage of the population suffer from an expensive and life-altering condition. While Head On lightly touches upon some of these issues, such as government funding for individuals with Haden Syndrome or the social perceptions of them in public, in this particular arena, Lock In still holds the edge. This isn’t really a dig at Head On, however; after all, you can only expound upon these themes beyond the first book to a certain extent before it starts becoming repetitive. As such, this is why I think it would be a good idea to read the two books in order; you’ll get the insightful commentary in the first one and the action and suspense in the second—the best of both worlds.
Head On, though, is still in every sense a Scalzi novel. It has his signature style all over it: in the clever premise, the slick sense of humor, the quippy lines of dialogue. It’s also interesting to note, while the author is careful not to reveal the gender of the series protagonist, in my mind I still picture Chris Shane as male because Scalzi can’t ever seem to write a convincing enough female POV (see examples Zoe’s Tale or The Sagan Diary). However, that’s just my personal opinion and ultimately a non-issue, since it didn’t distract or take away from my overall enjoyment of this particular novel, whose pages I devoured while loving every moment of the story.
In the end, I think I enjoyed this book just as much as Lock In, even though its tone may have shifted slightly more to a traditional mystery thriller narrative—which can be a good thing, depending on the type of reader you are. For me, Scalzi’s stories are always a delight because of how clever, witty, and approachable they are, and this one was no exception. I had a smashing good time with Head On, and whether you are new to the author or a long-time fan, I think you will too.
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Book Review: Glimpse by Jonathan Maberry
Posted on April 22, 2018 17 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: Horror, Paranormal
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (March 27, 2018)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Glimpse is my second book by Jonathan Maberry, and I felt like I was taking a little bit of a chance because several years ago my attempt to read his book Patient Zero did not go so well. However, the premise simply sounded too good, and in the end I’m glad I overcame my hesitation to give this one a try because I really enjoyed it. In addition to being a blend of horror and the paranormal, this chilling story also has an element of otherworldly suspense that I think will make it appeal to fans of Joe Hill or Dean Koontz.
Glimpse follows recovering junkie Rain Thomas, a twenty-something young woman who has struggled to overcome tragedy and loss to build a life for herself in New York City. At age sixteen, she became pregnant and was forced to give her child up for adoption after Noah, her first love, was deployed to Iraq and killed in an IED attack before he even found out about the baby. An embarrassment to her upper crust family, Rain was essentially left to fend for herself after she succumbed to her grief and fell into of life of drug addiction.
Now three years clean, Rain is trying her best to stay that way, attending her support group meetings and trying to find steady employment. However, on the day of a big job interview, strange and disturbing things start happening around her. First, it was the malevolent presence she felt in the bathroom as she was getting ready that morning, then on the train heading into Brooklyn, an old woman gives Rain a pair of broken reading glasses before vanishing like she was never there. But what shakes Rain to her core is the sight of a little boy she catches through the cracked lens of the borrowed glasses, a boy who looks so much like her dead boyfriend Noah that she can’t help but think she is seeing a vision of the child she gave up almost ten years ago. With terror, Rain also believes she can sometimes recognize another figure in these creepy glimpses through the lens. Known only to her as “Doctor Nine”, he is a cruel and evil man who has been haunting her dreams, and now Rain fears that this creature out of nightmare may have her son.
Hands down, my favorite thing about this book was Rain, who was in every way my kind of protagonist—a tragic heroine, to be sure, but also a fighter and a survivor who has managed to pick herself up and out of the darkest time of her life. Maberry did a great job exploring and developing her personality because I found her to be very convincing; she’s just so genuine, so flawed, and so undeniably and deeply human that my heart really went out to her. There’s also a charm about her that I found strangely endearing, an almost protective feeling I developed for her character even though Rain has proven time and time again that she is strong enough to hold her own in the face of the most difficult or terrifying situations.
Rain’s past is also complex and well developed, revealed mostly through her intimate confessions at group therapy. These moments were woven seamlessly into the narrative, helping readers grow closer to the protagonist without resorting to awkward and sterile flashbacks to her childhood or teenage years. In fact, these interludes quickly became some of my favorite sections of the novel because of the way they made the story feel much more immediate, even if many of them were heartbreaking to read. I was affected in a way I rarely feel with a lot of horror fiction, and certainly, I felt much more here than I did with the author’s first Joe Ledger book, which mostly just left me feeling disconnected and bored.
Glimpse, on the other hand, is a much more elaborate and elegant novel. It’s incredibly atmospheric, for a start, dialing up the creep factor to 11. We also have a fantastic villain in Doctor Nine, who reminds me very much of a Charles Manx-like creature from Joe Hill’s N0S4R2, a predator who is able to slip in and out of a secret world that exists alongside ours in order to stalk his young victims. As well, Glimpse is made up many different components, including the POVs of a handful of other characters besides Rain, plus plenty of snippets from the past that are integrated into the present. There’s also an abstract element involving the bending and twisting of time and reality, which might not come across too clearly at first, but in the end, I was quite happy with how it all came together.
On the surface, Glimpse may be billed as a novel of paranormal horror and suspense. But dig a little deeper, and you will also find a tale of redemption and recovery, a story about confronting the demons of the past—both the figurative and literal ones. Simply put, it was a great read, with the plot holding my attention captive from beginning to end. I would love to read more like this from Jonathan Maberry.
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Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on April 21, 2018 23 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! For more details and full descriptions of the books, be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages.
Thank you Clarion Books and the kind folks at Wunderkind for sending me Hiding by Henry Turner, which according to Goodreads is a Young Adult psychological thriller about a teenager who breaks into his ex-girlfriend’s house and apparently discovers more about her than he bargained for. This one was new to me, but I’m curious.
I was also surprised this week with a finished copy of Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel. This is the third (and I think final) book of the Themis Files series, a journey that first began when a piece of a giant robot was discovered in the ground just outside Deadwood, South Dakota. I’ve been following the story since book one, so I’m excited to see what will happen next. With thanks to Del Rey!
And courtesy of Subterranean Press, who are always keeping me supplied with fascinating new finds, I received two more amazing ARCs: A Voice in the Night by Jack McDevitt is a collection of stories described as a mysterious ride into “odd places”, and it even includes a couple episodes starring Priscilla Hutchins from the author’s Academy series. And next up, Rock Manning Goes for Broke by Charlie Jane Anders is a quirky looking novella which I still know very little about at this point, but the first line of the book’s blurb is “Viking vs. Steampunks!” so at least I know it’s going to be interesting.
I was also super excited with the arrival of this ARC of Devil Sharks by Chris Jameson. This book is pretty high up my list of most anticipated releases for the summer, and I already know I’m going to get a good read since I enjoyed the author’s Shark Island last year. That’s some perfect beach reading right there, with thanks to St. Martin’s Press.
We have a smaller batch of new arrivals this week, so rounding things up today is this finished copy of Verdict on Crimson Fields by M.C. Planck, with thanks to the awesome team at Pyr Books. I am so behind on this series, which is already on its fourth installment, but that cover is seriously to die for. I really wish I knew what was going on there! Maybe one day I’ll finally catch up.
I’m really trying to cut down on all requests, so I only have three digital acquisitions this week. In the audiobook pile is Star Wars: Last Shot by Daniel José Older, a story of Han Solo and Lando Calrissian from their younger days. I’m really excited for this one in anticipation for the Solo movie next month. With thanks to Random House Audio for the listening copy.
With thanks also to William Morrow for these e-galleys: All the Ever Afters by Danielle Teller is being touted as the untold story of Cinderella’s stepmother, and you all know how I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings especially from the villain’s point of view. And finally, I was thrilled when my request was approved for Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough. I’m a huge fan of the author and was glad to see the US release date (September) isn’t going to be too far behind the UK (May) and that I won’t have to wait at all now to read it.
Reviews
A summary of my reviews since the last update:
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (5 of 5 stars)
Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence (4 of 5 stars)
The Oracle Year by Charles Soule (4 of 5 stars)
Noir by Christopher Moore (3.5 of 5 stars)
One Way by S.J. Morden (3.5 of 5 stars)
Impostor Syndrome by Mishell Baker (3.5 of 5 stars)
Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman (3.5 of 5 stars)
Blood of the Four by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Here’s what I’ve managed to “unstack” from the TBR in the last two weeks. I’m actually behind on reviews! I’ve gotten about half of these posted already, and more are incoming, so be sure to stay tuned.

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!
Friday Face-Off: Smoke
Posted on April 20, 2018 26 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:
“Where there’s fire there’s…”
~ a cover featuring SMOKE
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Infernal Battalion by Django Wexler
This week, I thought I would keep things simple with an old-fashioned head to head. The Infernal Battalion is the final book of The Shadow Campaigns series. Wexler is in his element as this novel shifts the focus back to the chaos and violence of the frontlines, making this one an action-packed (and yes, smoke-filled) installment.
Our contenders:
Ace Books (2018) vs. Head of Zeus (2018)
Winner:
This week’s a tough one. Even though I’ve always been quite partial to the US (Ace Books) covers, the UK (Head of Zeus) edition for this particular volume is gorgeous, with the castle in the background and the bright flames jumping out from the smokey grey. As a bonus, we even have the heavy artillery. On the other hand, I tend to prefer covers that feature central characters, and I also love the rich red tones of the Ace edition. At the end of the day, loyalty wins out, but both choices are so strong this week that it really could have come down to a coin toss.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Review: Noir by Christopher Moore
Posted on April 19, 2018 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 (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Humor, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Hardcover: William Morrow | Audiobook: HarperAudio (April 17, 2018)
Length: Hardcover: 352 pages | Audiobook: 9 hrs and 3 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Johnny Heller
Noir was my first experience with the writing of humorist Christopher Moore, and I was not disappointed. In fact, it’s been a few days since I finished reading the book, and every now and then I still catch myself chuckling at the memory of some of the wild and whacky things that happened in it. Although I’m unable to comment on the way this novel compares with the author’s other work (I’ve come across some reviews from longtime fans that mention that it feels different), l can nonetheless understand why many readers find his stories entertaining.
The book opens in San Francisco, 1947. Protagonist Sammy “Two Toes” Tiffin is working as a bartender at Sal’s Saloon, when a beautiful blonde named Stilton (like “the Cheese”, which is henceforth how she will be known to Sammy) breezes in through the door and captures his heart. However, the romance will have to wait, because soon afterwards, Sammy’s boss puts him in contact with an Air Force general who desperately needs his help. Certain “goods and services” are required at an upcoming function being held at the Bohemian Club, and Sammy, with his street smarts and connections, is in the perfect position to make it all happen.
But then, the Cheese disappears, and Sammy grows worried. More troubles also begin mounting as some of his other harebrained schemes proceed to spiral out of control, resulting in poisonous vipers, dead bodies, and the arrival of black-suited government men bedecked in dark sunglasses. Subsequently, when Sammy sets out on his search for the Cheese, he inadvertently stumbles into a loony conspiracy involving a mysterious flying object spotted over Mount Rainer, topped off by an unexplained plane crash in the desert near a town called Roswell, New Mexico.
Part satire and part homage, this novel feels like a zany, breathless love letter to the noir genre. Its influence can be seen everything, from the cover to the dialogue, attitudes, and mannerisms of the characters. It’s a bit like being transported straight into a 1950s classic noir film, with the tone and style of the writing giving the story’s post-war San Francisco an authentic flavor. Moore also provides fascinating commentary on the inspiration for his setting, as well as some of his experiences and the research he did into the culture, history, and environment of the city’s vibrant Chinatown.
That being said, Noir also has the feel of a tongue-in-cheek satire, which apparently is something of a specialty for the author. Certain elements are done in an over-the-top way to emphasize or poke fun at some of the genre’s more distinctive features, including larger-than-life heroes and coquettish femme fatales. As a result, rather than dark and tense, the atmosphere has been replaced by an eccentric, madcap energy that pervades the whole book, so that you have whacky things like chapters written from the perspective of an all-knowing snake, space aliens being smuggled away in rumble seats in the dead of night, and sexy beautiful women with nicknames like “the Cheese”. Noir is not really “noir” as such, in that it doesn’t really fit the style or the tone of the genre, and yet, the overall mood is still very much there, featuring a strong undercurrent of conflict and despondency in spite of some of the sillier themes.
At the end of the day, I suppose what really matters is that I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot. Humor being such a subjective beast, I wasn’t sure if my tastes would mesh well with Christopher Moore’s style, but it appears I no longer have to be concerned on that front. If it means getting more of the same laughs and cleverness I found in Noir, I’m definitely on board to read more of the author’s work.
Audiobook Comments: Johnny Heller has a voice well-suited to a book like this. The gruff raspiness of it might be jarring in any other story, but it turned out to be a good match for a lot of the characters in Noir, especially for Sammy, a slick and somewhat jaded protagonist with a lot of shady connections. More importantly, the humor also comes out in Heller’s performance, as he delivers the satire and lines of snappy dialogue with instinctual timing and flair.
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