Book Review: The Oracle Year by Charles Soule
Posted on April 12, 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 Oracle Year by Charles Soule
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Harper Perennial (April 3, 2018)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
What a fascinating novel. And to think I almost passed this one up, but every now and then I like to step out of my comfort zone to read something “outside my box”, and books like The Oracle Year make me glad that I do.
The story follows a struggling bassist named Will Dando who wakes up one morning from a dream, his head filled with 108 predictions about the future. Enlisting the help of his friend Hamza, Will proceeds to set up a heavily secured and untraceable website where he begins to release his predictions to the world anonymously, calling himself the Oracle. Pretty soon, he becomes a world-wide sensation when every single one of his prophecies come true. Now everyone wants their future told by the Oracle, from those who think he is some kind of savior to global corporations willing to pay big bucks for any information he can give them.
But not everyone is so enamored with the Oracle. There are those who believe he has too much influence, and that makes him dangerous. From inside the US government, powerful entities are working hard to uncover the real identity of the Oracle, not only to stop him from putting out his predictions, but also to dispatch an unconventional assassin on his tail to silence him forever. Will knows that history has not been kind to its prophets, and that so long his website remains up, his life and those of his friends will always be in danger. It’s only a matter of time before his enemies catch up to him, so in the meantime, the Oracle might as well try to do some good.
Comics fans will be no stranger to Charles Soule, whose name has appeared in the writing credits on some of Marvel and DC’s most popular titles. The Oracle Year is his debut novel, however—one that’s unexpectedly clever and sophisticated. The premise is also refreshingly original, even if it does require a lot to make it convincing. Still, those who can overlook some of the book’s plot holes will undoubtedly appreciate its entertainment value as a kind of “what-if scenario” novel. I always find those to be a lot of fun, and to my delight, this one did not disappoint.
Soule might even have dodged a bullet by staying away from lengthy explanations and giving readers too much detail, as I suspect that would have only hurt the pacing and bog down the narrative. Instead, he makes it clear from the start that it’s better to just go with the flow. Besides, in the whole scheme of things, it hardly matters to the reader how those 108 predictions came to Will in his dreams, or why he was given this gift. What does matter is what our protagonist decides to do with those predictions, and how he chooses to exercise the power that has unexpectedly fallen in his lap. As a person, Will is nobody special—just your average city-dwelling twenty-something millennial trying to make ends meet. His initial response (i.e. setting up a website, cashing in on his predictions) is arguably predictable, but it’s when Will’s life as the Oracle starts spiraling out of control, that’s when the plot matures into something more complex and interesting.
I also think most readers will be able to relate to Will. As the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and in many ways, Soule’s protagonist isn’t too far off from the comic book heroes he’s had plenty of experience writing. Will is very much like a Peter Parker-type character, especially since his true identity must be kept a secret in order to protect those he cares about. Like Spider-Man, he also goes through a brief phase where the fame and money go to his head, until he realizes he can use his website and predictions to bring about positive change instead. At the end of the day, Will is a good guy with a good heart, and the story unfolds in such a way that ensures readers will be firmly in his corner when our protagonist’s life inevitably devolves into utter chaos. The author throws in some cool twists at the end too, saving the most suspenseful surprises for the final act.
All told, The Oracle Year is a captivating novel featuring a quirky premise and a likeable “everyman” protagonist, but be careful not to let those elements fool you into thinking this is a straightforward tale. Sure, the story may utilize some familiar tropes, but author Charles Soule also plays with different ideas to keep readers on their toes and guessing, especially in the second half of the book where the ending could lie in any number of directions. Ultimately, I’m glad I took a chance on this thrilling and fast-paced adventurous debut.
Waiting on Wednesday 04/11/18
Posted on April 11, 2018 17 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
The Corset by Laura Purcell (October 4, 2018 by Raven Books)
After my time with her excellent Gothic horror novel The Silent Companions, I can hardly wait for Laura Purcell’s next book, another Victorian chiller about ghosts. As of now only information from a UK publisher is available, but I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll soon get news about a US release.
“Is prisoner Ruth Butterham mad or a murderer? Victim or villain?
Dorothea and Ruth.
Prison visitor and prisoner. Powerful and powerless.
Dorothea Truelove is young, wealthy and beautiful. Ruth Butterham is young, poor and awaiting trial for murder.
When Dorothea’s charitable work leads her to Oakgate Prison, she is delighted with the chance to explore her fascination with phrenology and test her hypothesis that the shape of a person’s skull can cast a light on their darkest crimes. But when she meets teenage seamstress Ruth, she is faced with another theory: that it is possible to kill with a needle and thread. For Ruth attributes her crimes to a supernatural power inherent in her stitches.
The story Ruth has to tell of her deadly creations – of bitterness and betrayal, of death and dresses – will shake Dorothea’s belief in rationality, and the power of redemption.
Can Ruth be trusted? Is she mad, or a murderer?”
Review: One Way by S.J. Morden
Posted on April 10, 2018 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
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Paperback: Orbit | Audiobook: Hachette Audio (April 10, 2018)
Length: Paperback: 368 pages | Audiobook: 12 hours 3 minutes
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: William Hope
Given the choice between a one-way trip to Mars and life imprisonment, what would you choose? For Frank, who committed murder in order to save his son, he knows that whatever happens he will be getting a raw deal. But rather than rot in jail for the rest of his life, he figures that maybe, just maybe, he can accomplish something before he dies that will help him be remembered, something that will make his kid be proud of his old man. So, when the representatives of a company contracted to build a new Martian base approaches Frank with the offer to send him to space, he said yes.
But just because he’s an astronaut, doesn’t mean he’s not still a prisoner. Frank had known that he and his fellow inmates recruited for the mission would be watched and guarded at all times, but the situation turns out to be much worse than he thought. The construction company in charge of the project has been cutting corners, and using convicts to build their Martian base is just one of a number of shady practices they don’t want anyone to find out about. Mars is already dangerous enough without having to worry about faulty equipment and strained resources or supplies, and it’s just a matter of time before the accidents begin to mount up, resulting in the crew’s first death. But as more of the inmates start dying, Frank begins to suspect foul play. Signs point to a killer among them, and finding out who it is becomes Frank’s only chance for a ticket home.
I enjoyed One Way for the most part. The first half including the introduction was perhaps my favorite section, in which we got to meet Frank, a former architect serving a life sentence for shooting a man in the face in broad daylight. Far from being a cold-blooded killer, however, we discover that our protagonist did what felt he had to do for the sake of his son. While nothing changes the fact that Frank committed a terrible act, the narrative eventually reveals why he felt he had no other choice. Whether or not I felt Frank’s crime was justified, the author did an admirable job helping readers connect with his character and provided a convincing reason why he would agree to sign up for a mission that’s insanely dangerous and possibly fatal.
The novel then segues into the next phase of the story, in which Frank finds himself in a training program to prepare for life on Mars. This section also serves as a reminder of all the things on the Red Planet that can kill you, ensuring readers understand how high the stakes are. Inevitably, there’s going to be a lot of techno-speak as well, going through the science and process of building a state-of-the-art facility on harsh and uninhabitable planet, giving me some serious flashbacks to my time with The Martian. In fact, if you enjoyed the hard sci-fi aspect in Andy Weir’s novel, there’s a good chance you’ll like it here as well in One Way, especially since as an actual rocket scientist, author S.J. Morden knows what he’s talking about.
Where the novel started to falter was when we were introduced to the supporting cast, made up of the other convicts who were offered the same deal to go to Mars, as well as their handler. While Frank was well developed and written, the other team members felt more lightly sketched and stereotypical. I also felt there was a missed opportunity to explore their backstories, as the story seldom went beyond a glossed over description of what each person was in for. As a result, none of the other characters felt all that fleshed out, so when the prisoners started dying, the impact was muted.
Ironically, for a mystery-thriller, the “mystery” and “thrills” part of the equation also felt a bit lacking. The book struggled to build atmosphere and suspense, and while this may have been a side effect of my inability to connect with any of characters other than Frank, I think Morden also made a few missteps in timing. There were several examples of scenes where the plot would be moving along nicely, only to be sidetracked moments later by a bout of techno-jargon. I can appreciate the author wanting to keep his readers abreast of the logistics and complex operations behind the building a Martian base, but at times it would wreak havoc with the pacing.
That said, I ultimately found One Way to be an entertaining read. Could it have been better? Yes, though the book’s issues didn’t take much away from my enjoyment. I understand a sequel will be forthcoming, and I look forward to what’s next in store for Frank.
Audiobook Comments: William Hope’s narration was satisfactory, though there were times when his reading would be fairly bland and I would find myself wishing for more emotion in his performance. It could have helped add more tension to the story, though his dialogue delivery was decent and he was also able to make the more technical sections sound fascinating and thus easy to listen to.
*** Originally reviewed at The Speculative Herald ***
Book Review: Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman
Posted on April 9, 2018 23 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: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Del Rey (April 10, 2018)
Length: 384 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
A solid 3.5 star read. Had I been in the right mood, my feelings towards Unbury Carol might have been even more positive, but I had a hard time finding my footing when it came to this book, and I think its peculiar mix of genre elements might have been a contributing factor.
At the center of this story is a woman named Carol Evers, a woman with a very strange condition. Ever since she was a little girl, she has suffered from spells that send her collapsing into a coma-like state, except these comas are virtually indistinguishable from death and they can last for days. During her visits to Howltown—the name young Carol gave to these eerie episodes—she would be awake and aware inside her mind, despite her physical body lying inert. It is her deepest, darkest secret that only a few people other than Carol herself know the truth about, and after the deaths of her mother Hattie and her good friend John Bowie, only two remained. One was her husband, Dwight, an ambitious and conniving man who married Carol for her family’s fortune, and the second person was James Moxie, an old flame of Carol’s who went on to become one of the land’s most notorious outlaws.
However, since the last time Carol saw Moxie was more than twenty years ago, she begins to grow worried that should she lapse into another one of her death-like comas, only Dwight would know the truth of what was really happening to her. Her concerns came a bit too late though, as in fact her husband had been waiting patiently all these years for this exact moment. The next time Carol falls into Howltown, that’s when Dwight decides to strike, carrying out his plot to declare her dead and bury her as quickly as possible, even knowing full well she would be alive. Only through sheer luck does James Moxie manage to catch word of the impending funeral, and knowing what he does about Carol’s condition, it’s a race against time to save his lost love from a terrible fate.
I should have been all over this one: a paranormal Western featuring an outlaw Prince Charming who rides gallantly forth to rescue his Sleeping Beauty? But it actually took several false starts before I was drawn into the story, which opens with a focus on Carol but then over time gradually shifts to focus more on Moxie. The first quarter of the book was also bogged down by abstract descriptions of Howltown, convenient and not-too-convincing plot points, and hasty introductions to the characters that left me feeling neither here nor there about them. On top of this, there were the many flashbacks to contend with, and these would appear erratically throughout the narrative. With Josh Malerman at the helm, I also expected this to be a horror novel, but it’s really not. Instead, it feels more like a mix of dark fantasy combined with the supernatural set in a vaguely historical context with a bit of a Western flavor, but because all of this is so haphazardly thrown together in the intro, I had a tough time pinning down the book’s tone and picturing the setting—at least in the beginning.
Fortunately, things improve once we get into the meat of the story, especially with James Moxie’s chapters coming to the forefront. A lot of important information is also revealed in the later flashback sections, filling in gaps in the characters’ personalities and motivations. There’s also the added factor of Smoke, a shadowy assassin dispatched to stop Moxie before he can reach Carol, as well as the demon-like antagonist known as Rot, who haunts our protagonists and pulls the strings from behind the scenes. Just as Moxie’s chapters held more action and agency than Carol’s, making him a lot more interesting to read about, Smoke and Rot were also more effective villains than Dwight, increasing the plot’s intensity once they entered the picture and the race against the clock got under way.
In the end, it’s Moxie’s adventures on “The Trail” that saved this book for me. Between the cat-and-mouse chase between him and Smoke and the fascinating personalities he meets while on his journey, Unbury Carol finally became something more than just a story about saving a damsel in distress. A part of me still wishes that Malerman had given the book’s titular character a little more power to influence the plot, but nonetheless I became invested in the story once I accepted the new direction.
In truth, Unbury Carol is a lot more than a Weird Western meets a twisted fairytale retelling, but I guess I’ll just go with that for lack of a better description. The story took its time getting off the ground, but personally speaking, sticking with it was an investment that paid off in the end. It certainly hasn’t put me off from reading more of Josh Malerman’s work, and I look forward to checking out more of his books in the future.
Book Review: Blood of the Four by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Posted on April 8, 2018 16 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Blood of the Four by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Harper Voyager (March 6, 2018)
Length: 480 pages
Author Information: Christopher Golden | Tim Lebbon
As much as I enjoy standalone fantasy epics, a part of me feels Blood of the Four would have been better served had the authors not tried to cram everything in this ambitious endeavor into one single volume. I had very mixed feelings about this one, due in part to the wild swings between the highs and the lows. At times, the story would have me gripped in moments of frenzied action and intensity, while at others I would find myself almost lulled to sleep by some of the slower and more tedious sections.
At the heart of this novel is a kingdom torn apart by power struggles and slavery. Once peaceful and prosperous, Quandis has become a nation divided, ruled by a queen whose drug addiction has left her mind addled and unable to control the dangerous magic she dabbles in. One night, while in a state of drug-induced stupor, she accidentally lets it slip to her paramour that she has been attempting to seize the magical power of the Four for herself, drawing upon the forces said to belong to the four ancient sorcerers who founded the kingdom. The queen’s lover, however, was not the only one to hear this confession; Princess Phela, who likes to wander the castle’s hidden passages listening to whispered secrets, was able to overhear her mother’s heresy and decides to use this nugget of information to her own advantage.
After seizing the throne for herself though, Phela is lured by the same power that doomed her mother. Unfortunately for Quandis, the new queen also has a cruel streak, and her lofty ambitions are proving far more disastrous. With a plan to install herself as the kingdom’s divine ruler, Phela sets about murdering, banishing, or enslaving anyone who gets in her way. Demos Kallistrate, son of a disgraced nobleman whose entire family was sold into slavery, now seeks to put a stop to her tyranny, seeking out other allies to his cause. Among them is Princess Myrinne, the younger sister of Phela herself, who despairs at what is happening to Quandis. Then there’s Blane, a member of the Bajuman slave caste who joined the priesthood to gain access to the magic with which he hopes to one day free his people. His sister Daria, whom Blane long thought was dead, also ends up being part of this effort, having escaped slavery and is currently living in disguise as an admiral in the navy.
As I said, there were moments where this book worked spectacularly well for me, but also others that just fell disappointingly flat. The structure of having multiple points-of-view is in keeping with the tradition of an epic fantasy, but in spite of that, the experience felt rather shallow. It’s not easy to balance so many perspectives in the first place, and having only one book to tell an elaborate story meant trying to fit in all your plot development while simultaneously needing to explore character motivations and relationships. Things wound up a little messy, and ultimately I didn’t even get to form much of a connection with any of the protagonists. In the end my favorite POV was probably Daria because she had the most fascinating backstory, not to mention my soft spot for female ship captains (though Daria’s an admiral to boot) and her chapters also featured some top-notch maritime action.
As Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon are both known for their work in dark fantasy, horror, and thriller genres, you can expect Blood of the Four to harbor some pretty grim tones as well. Certainly, there’s plenty here that will make the grimdark fan feel right at home. Occasionally, however, the darkness and brutality have a gratuitous feel to them, possibly because of the shaky emotional connection I have towards the story and characters, making some of the scenes of sex and violence feel forced or like they were employed for the sole purpose of shock value.
Despite some of its more dubious moments though, there’s a lot to like. Golden and Lebbon have created a rich world and a complex society, serving as the perfect backdrop to the epic narrative they set out to tell. While none of the world-building ideas are all admittedly that original, the authors have nonetheless transformed some of the elements with their own take on things, lending the setting more depth than I’d anticipated. And then there’s the action I’d mentioned, which, when it really gets going, can blow your mind and I daresay these scenes almost make up for some of the novel’s slower parts. A good example is the ending, with the final few chapters bringing on a powerful and exhilarating finale.
Bottom line for me, Blood of the Four had the feel of a book trying to capture the sweeping sense of scope and narrative richness of a multi-volume series in a single 500-page novel. It would be a good choice for fans of the authors’ books from other genres who might be curious to try some epic fantasy, or even for seasoned epic fantasy readers who are looking to kick back with something a little lighter. At the end of the day though, I felt that the goal of a standalone was perhaps too restrictive for this story to reach its full potential.
Mogsy’s Bookshelf Roundup: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on April 7, 2018 36 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.
Kicking us off this week is a big batch from the amazing team at Tor Books: The Night Dahlia by R.S. Belcher is the second Nightwise novel and I’m excited to continue the series. Also thanks to the author for dropping by earlier in the week with a guest post for our part in the book’s blog tour! I also received a finished copy of The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton, described as being inspired by both Game of Thrones and Shakespeare’s King Lear. Mere words cannot describer how badly I’ve been craving this novel. Next up is another book I’m super excited about, Head On by John Scalzi which is the stand-alone follow up to Lock In. I’m sure I’ll be reading this one soon. I also received a gorgeous finished copy of Fire Dance by Ilana C. Myer, a stand-alone set in the same world as the author’s previous novel, Last Song Before Night. I didn’t get a chance to read that one, so I’m thrilled at another opportunity to check out her work.
With thanks to Titan Books, I also received The Folded Land by Tim Lebbon from participating in the book’s blog tour last month, and the publisher also threw in the first book Relics, which that was awesome of them! I hadn’t read it yet, and I always prefer to start at the beginning of a series if I can, so this was perfect.
Huge thanks to Pyr books for an ARC of The Last Sun by K.D. Edwards, which has recently landed on my radar (and I’ve been seeing it pop up in a lot of other anticipated lists as well). It’s the start of a new fantasy mystery series and it also looks to be one of the publisher’s big upcoming titles, so I’m curious to see what it’s all about.
From the kind folks at Ace/Roc/DAW, I also received the following new arrivals: From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris was a book I actually featured once for Waiting on Wednesday, so I was overjoyed when a finished copy showed up. I’m also jumping up and down about Before Mars by Emma Newman, the third installment in her Planetfall sequence. It appears to be a standalone like the previous novels, so it’ll be interesting to see what new stories and characters the author has in store for us. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into this one.
Next up, a couple of cool surprises from Orbit! This mysterious looking ARC is Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski, the highly anticipated English translation of The Witcher prequel which was originally published in Polish in 2013. I love this series! Traditionally, I’ve always done these books in audio though, so maybe when the time comes I’ll both read and listen to this one. Another unsolicited but very welcome arrival is One of Us by Craig DiLouie, a fantasy set in an alternate 80’s which appears to have a strong horror element and some heavy social themes. It certainly sounds interesting, so I might give it a try.
Last but not least, my thanks to Simon & Schuster for rounding out this week’s physical book batch with a finished copy of School for Psychics by K.C. Archer. I still can’t believe the release date is here already, meaning I’m super behind, but I still have hopes to fit this one into my reading schedule for April.
On to the digital book haul, my thanks to Tor.com Publishing for once again filling up my inbox with pure awesomeness. The Descent of Monsters by J.Y. Yang is the third installment of the Tensorate series which I’m sad to say I haven’t started yet, but every time I see these gorgeous covers I’m reminded that I should really a jump on these books. And it’s finally here, it’s finally here! Er, well, the eARC of Artificial Condition by Martha Wells is, at least. It definitely won’t be long until I dive into this second installment of the Murderbot Diaries, it feels like I’ve been waiting forever to read it. Deep Roots by Ruthanna Emrys is also a sequel, book two in The Innsmouth Legacy, a Lovecraftian horror series. And finally, The Million by Karl Schroeder is a sci-fi novella I’ve only recently found out about, and hopefully it’ll live up to its fascinating premise.
And I’ve been pretty good lately, only one NetGalley acquisition this week, but it’s one that I could hardly not request. Yep, it’s Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. Thanks, Del Rey!
Earlier this week I was also contacted by the Apex Book Company with a pitch for Aetherchrist by Kirk Jones. It was the first time I’d ever heard about it, but wow, after reading the description I’m definitely intrigued.
And in the audiobook pile, my thanks to Audible for Last Dragon Standing by Rachel Aaron. I can’t wait to listen to this finale of the Heartstrikers series, I have a feeling it’s going to be great. Thanks also to Hachette Audio for a review copy of Defy the Worlds by Claudia Gray, I’m sure I’ll be listening to this sequel to Defy the Stars very soon. And finally, with thanks to Harper Audio publicity, I received Dread Nation by Justina Ireland. Civil War and zombies? Sign me up.
Reviews
A summary of reviews I’ve posted since the last update:
The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell (4.5 of 5 stars)
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (3.5 of 5 stars)
ReMade: Season 2 created by Matthew Cody (3.5 of 5 stars)
Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe by Marshall Ryan Maresca (3.5 of 5 stars)
Dayfall by Michael David Ares (3 of 5 stars)
The Feed by Nick Clark Windo (3 of 5 stars)
Wonderblood by Julia Whicker (2 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
Interviews & Guest Posts
A huge thanks to the authors who stopped by The BiblioSanctum this week!
Guest Post: “The Bastard in the Mirror” by R.S. Belcher
An Interview with RJ Barker, Author of The Wounded Kingdom Trilogy
What I’ve Read Since the Last Update
Lately I’ve been juggling reading with my other great passion, which is gaming. If you’re into multiplayer or online games, you’ve probably heard of a big release last month called Sea of Thieves, an action-adventure shared world game in which players can take on the role of pirates, sailing in crews of up to four. For the last two weeks, my husband and I and a couple of people in our gaming circle have been sailing around in a galleon chasing chickens, killing skeletons, hunting for treasure, and taking on other player crews in insane ship-to-ship battles. While the current content is a bit lacking and the quests become repetitive after a while, there’s no denying it’s a lot of fun especially if you’ve got a group of friends to play with (and let’s face it, who can say no to being a pirate?)
Admittedly, the game has been eating into my reading time, but I still managed to finish a good number of books since my last update. Audiobooks have been a convenient option for me too, for the times when I’m playing solo and I find myself in a lull while traveling between islands with no sails sighted on the horizon. Those calmer moments are the perfect opportunity to get some listening time in. Here’s what I ended up “unstacking” from my shelves, and you should see reviews posted soon if they aren’t up already.
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: Family
Posted on April 6, 2018 17 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:
“After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.”
~ a cover featuring a FAMILY
Mogsy’s Pick:
Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory
What do you get when you mix clairvoyance and psychokinesis with Cold War secret agents, the Chicago mob, shady con artists, and a dysfunctional family undergoing a crisis of zany proportions? You get Spoonbenders, a wildly original, humorous, and unexpectedly heartwarming tale of paranormal drama.
For a book that has everything though, the covers are surprisingly unimaginative, even if they are bright and colorful. Let’s take a look at them now:
From left to right, top to bottom:
Knopf Publishing Group (2017) – riverrun (2017)
Spanish Edition (2018) – German Edition (2018) – Polish Edition (2018)
Winner:
I’m really not crazy for the “pictures on the wall” theme here, so naturally, my choice would have to be the riverrun edition. In spite of myself, I’m also enjoying the cheesy retro vibe I get from this cover; of all the choices here, it’s probably the one that best fits the quirky tone of the story.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Book Review: Wonderblood by Julia Whicker
Posted on April 5, 2018 15 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: 2 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Series: Book 1
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (April 3, 2018)
Length: 304 pages
Author Information: Website
It pains me greatly to admit I couldn’t get into Wonderblood, the latest entry into the flourishing genre of literary dystopian fiction. Debut author Julia Whicker writes beautifully, with her haunting—and haunted—world and characters enticing readers into a realm filled with harsh wonders and mysteries, where one can easily become lost in the cracks and crevices of time and place. Ultimately though, it came down to a matter of taste; I found the book too unsettling and strange, and coupled with the slow and dense plot, I had a very difficult time connecting with any of the characters or their motivations.
The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where much of the United States has become vast swaths of barren wasteland. In Cape Canaveral, Florida, a king and his circle of royal elites preside over the faithful who live among the crumbling ruins of NASA’s facilities and defunct shuttles. There, they await the return of their ancestors in “the Rockets”, an event prophesied to be their salvation. Meanwhile, across the south, the roving tribal bands called carnivals continue to do their bloody work based on the doctrine of Wonderblood, which directs its followers to carry out killings and beheadings—lots and lots of beheadings—in order to cleanse the land of its disease.
In one of these carnivals, a girl known only as Aurora is captured by Mr. Capulatio, the leader of a rival carnival who foresaw her role in his campaign to overthrow the king. Believing her to be pivotal to his rise to the throne, Mr. Capulatio keeps Aurora alive and makes her his new bride despite the anger and protestations from his first wife, the prophetess Orchid. Their sacred texts say that the Rockets will only return once the True King reigns at Cape Canaveral, so when two bright spots suddenly appear in the sky, Mr. Capulatio and his legions see it as a sign to start laying siege to the city. The royals on the other hand are mystified and unnerved by the outlaw carnival amassing outside their gates, the king sending his head hierophant and astrologers scrambling to interpret the appearance of the stella novae. No one knows for sure whether they are the long-awaited shuttles carrying their forebears, but most are convinced they are a harbinger for violent changes to come.
First, what I liked: Whicker’s prose is intensely rich and evocative, painting a stunning yet stark view of the dystopian future which serves as the backdrop to her grim tale. A strong sense pervades the reader that civilization has become a ruin for so long that the world’s real history has become virtually inseparable from myth. Some of these accounts include blood and viscera raining from the heavens and poisoning the land, resulting a deadly mad-cow like disease known as “Bent Head” which killed millions and mutated animals into monstrous creatures. The people’s understanding of science and religion has also been distorted and in some cases these concepts have been corrupted and combined, giving rise to certain bizarre social or cultural practices, like keeping shrunken heads as charms and worshipping space shuttles.
However, in spite of these fascinating elements, there were still a lot of holes in the world-building. Many of them are due to the limited perspectives of our characters, many of whom have insular outlooks and are operating within their own spheres of influence, presenting few opportunities to really expand and explore the world. Their voices also feel very aloof and detached, like Aurora, who doesn’t seem to possess any kind of drive or agency to affect her situation beyond the capacity of the space she’s thrust into. While a rough life of sexual assault and abuse at her own brother’s hands may have led to this acquiescent personality, it also meant that Aurora remained rather static and undeveloped throughout the story. Things didn’t go much better with the other characters either, and some of chapters taking place within the king’s court were a downright struggle to read because I didn’t feel like they did much to advance the plot or characters. The pacing would slow to a crawl in these sections so that it seemed like even after we hit the three-quarters mark, barely anything has happened at all.
Others might also find the book’s topics and themes disturbing. There’s no glossing over this dystopian nightmare, where the credo is kill or be killed. Rival carnivals fight for territory amidst this chaos and lawlessness reminiscent of a Mad Max-type world, and the winners are driven by religious zeal to capture and behead as many of their enemies as they can because of Wonderblood. The character Aurora also experiences rape and abuse, first from her older brother and then from Capulatio, who manipulates her by keeping her imprisoned and unaware of her fate. It’s a cruel and merciless world, so if you’re uncomfortable with the idea then it might be wise to stay away.
In sum, Wonderblood offers a uniquely imagined dystopian future replete with violent and dark themes. Julia Whicker can write well, as evidenced by her gorgeous prose, but unfortunately, the plot’s slow pacing and the lack of development and depth to the characters ultimately made this one an unsatisfying read. The lack of closure was also disappointing, with the open-ended nature of the conclusion making me suspect that a sequel will be forthcoming, though at this point I’m not sure I’ll continue because I’m just not feeling the story or the characters.
Waiting on Wednesday 04/04/18
Posted on April 4, 2018 13 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
Heresy by Melissa Lenhardt (October 2, 2018 by Redhook)
Not the kind of book I usually feature, but as you know I am a huge fan of the author’s Sawbones trilogy, and I was hopping up and down with excitement when I found ot she was writing another Western about an all-female gang of outlaws tearing it up across the the American frontier.
“The Parker-LaCour Gang. The first and only all-female band of outlaws in the American West. Ignored during their time. Written out of history.
Margaret Parker and Hattie LaCour never intended to turn outlaw.
After being run off their ranch by a greedy cattleman, their family is left destitute. As women alone they have few choices: marriage, lying on their backs for money, or holding a gun. For Margaret and Hattie the choice is easy. With their small makeshift family, the gang pulls off a series of heists across the West.
Though the newspapers refuse to give the female gang credit, their exploits don’t go unnoticed. Pinkertons are on their trail, a rival male gang is determined to destroy them, and secrets among the group threaten to tear them apart. Now, Margaret and Hattie must find a way to protect their family, finish one last job, and avoid the hangman’s noose.”
Book Review: The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
Posted on April 3, 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 Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
Mogsy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Penguin Books (March 6, 2018)
Length: 320 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
For fans of atmospheric Gothic horror, it doesn’t get much better than this. The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell is the kind of book that sneaks up on you like a cold draft. Soon after snaking its chilly tendrils down your collar and sending shivers down your spine, it’ll send you scurrying under the covers and make you want to stay there until the sun is up and the house is bright and warm and safe again. This is most definitely a story you’ll want to read in the light of day, when there are no shadows in which the things that go bump in the night can hide.
Set in 1865, the novel follows protagonist Elsie Bainbridge, owner of a London-based match factory that she co-manages with her younger brother. While her engagement to the heir of the distinguished Bainbridge family did cause a mild stir among the members of the gentry who felt she was marrying above her station, Elsie didn’t care—she was happy, in love, and relieved to be saved from the fate of spinsterhood. Mere months after the wedding, however, her husband Rupert dies under mysterious circumstances while making preparations at The Bridge, his family’s deteriorating estate out in the country. It was where the couple had hoped to welcome their first child.
Now instead of looking forward to a new life with Rupert, Elsie arrives at The Bridge grieving and pregnant, accompanied by Sarah, her husband’s peculiar cousin. The village is unwelcoming, her servants are rude and untrained, and the place is practically falling apart. At night, a strange hissing sound comes from the garret behind a closed door that won’t unlock to any key, but one day it suddenly opens to Elsie, revealing Bainbridge relics that have sat hidden for generations. Among them are a couple diaries dated from the 1600s, as well as a painted wooden figure of a little girl that looks so disturbingly lifelike that at first glance she could have been mistaken for the real thing.
After finishing this book, I went and did some googling, finding out tons of interesting information about these flat wooden oil-painted trompe l’oeil figures, known as “silent companions” or “dummy boards”, which were all the rage among aristocrats from the 17th through to the 19th century. Their exact purpose is still unknown, though everything from decorative use to security application by making potential burglars think someone is home has been floated by historians. Whatever the case, I find the concept behind them creepy as hell and reading this novel has not helped one bit. My skin still crawls from the memory of the spookier moments, and why anyone would want these wooden figures in their house with their unsettling gazes staring back at you is beyond me.
Needless to say, The Silent Companions was an intensely eerie and atmospheric read. It’s a bit of a slow-burner to start, as the story establishes itself because it is told in two timelines—one follows Elsie in the present as she is convalescing at an asylum following a series of tragic events, while the other is presented as a written account to her doctor about what she remembers happening to her. Interspersed throughout both narratives is also a third voice, taken from the diaries found in the garret. As the story unfolds, secrets within all three perspectives are gradually revealed, completing the full picture. One quickly learns not to take anything at face value when it comes to this book, with my own experience involving several complete reevaluations of everything I thought I knew about the situation and characters—which was pretty much every time a new surprise or revelation came to light. What’s even more impressive is that despite all the twist and turns, every piece of the puzzle ended up coming together seamlessly—planned and executed to perfection.
Time to put The Silent Companions on your wishlists, folks, for this is one Victorian ghost story you won’t want to miss. It’s portentous and gloomy, written in a subtle way that makes the dread creep slowly into your mind. It’s the type of scary that makes you feel on edge and nervous for the characters, and yet it’s impossible to tear your eyes away even when things become too terrible and tragic to watch. If you love horror fiction, especially books about hauntings, I just can’t recommend this one enough.
The BiblioSanctum 