Waiting on Wednesday 08/13/14
Posted on August 13, 2014 15 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick:
Legion: Skin Deep by Brandon Sanderson: November 30, 2014 (Subterranean Press)
It doesn’t matter if he writes 1000 pages or 100 pages for a book, it always amazes me what an amazing storyteller Brandon Sanderson is. Sure, I love his epic fantasy novels, but he’s also one of the handful of authors who can get me to connect with his characters even in a limited number of pages, like in his novella Legion about Stephen Leeds, a man whose unique mental condition allows him to generate a multitude of hallucinatory entities with a wide variety of personalities and skills. I’m very much looking forward to seeing more of Stephen in the follow up, Legion: Skin Deep.
“Stephen Leeds, AKA “Legion,” is a man whose unique mental condition allows him to generate a multitude of personae: hallucinatory entities with a wide variety of personal characteristics and a vast array of highly specialized skills. As the new story begins, Leeds and his “aspects” are hired by I3 (Innovative Information Incorporated) to recover a corpse stolen from the local morgue. But there’s a catch. The corpse is that of a pioneer in the field of experimental biotechnology, a man whose work concerned the use of the human body as a massive storage device. He may have embedded something in the cells of his now dead body. And that something might be dangerous…
What follows is a visionary thriller about the potential uses of technology, the mysteries of the human personality, and the ancient human need to believe that death is not the end. Legion: Skin Deep is speculative fiction at it most highly developed. It reaffirms Sanderson’s place as one of contemporary fiction’s most intelligent—and unpredictable—voices.”
Book Review: Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
Posted on August 12, 2014 17 Comments
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Ace Books (1991; originally published in 1962)
Wendy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
I read this because I wanted to grok the meaning of the word grok. I was introduced to the word some time ago, and was recently reminded of it via Dictionary.com’s word of the day. It is a martian word that means to understand so intrinsically that the comprehension becomes as natural as breathing.
This is what Valentine Michael Smith attempts to do when he is brought to earth. Though appearing adult in physical form, Michael is but a child on his home world, and his ignorance of human culture makes him even more so. It paves the way for many people to take advantage of him, especially since, through the circumstances of his birth and relationship to the people who went on the mission to Mars years prior, he owns a lot of rights by human standards, including the rights to Mars itself–and he is entitled to a LOT of money.
Through the shenanigans of a journalist looking to protect Michael from the governmental vultures hounding him, and Gillian, the nurse who unknowingly bonded with him over a cup of water, they manage to get Michael into the hands of the irascible Jubal Harshaw. And this is where the true grokking begins.
The best way to learn how nutty and fascinating one’s own culture and language is, is by trying to teach it to someone else. Michael has a lot to learn, but in the teaching, everyone around him learns too, including the reader. The book takes us on Michael’s journey of growth and exploration, providing wonderful insights from the perspective of one looking in on our world, and offering lots of thought-provoking moments from Jubal, a cynic with a sharp view of the world. I was particularly enthralled by Jubal’s speech on Rodin’s sculpture, She who used to be the beautiful heaulmière:
“Anyone can see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl she used to be. A great artist can look at an old woman, portray her exactly as she is . . . and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be . . . more than that, he can make anyone with the sensitivity of an armadillo see that this lovely young girl is still alive, prisoned inside her ruined body. He can make you feel the quiet, endless tragedy that there was never a girl born who ever grew older than eighteen in her heart . . . no matter what the merciless hours have done. Look at her, Ben. Growing old doesn’t matter to you and me—but it does to them. Look at her!”
One can’t explore our world without touching on the subjects of sexuality and religion. Both are combined in the cult of Foster, which at first seems like it will be an over the top addition to the otherwise down-to-earth story. The cult is an elaborate take on televangelism, with a very bacchanalian twist. Yet, surprisingly, the cult does not become a target of condemnation by Heinlein. Instead, like everything else, he offers a new perspective, forcing the reader to re-evaluate our own ideals and preconceived notions.
This is part of my bucket list reads of influential authors in speculative fiction, and I’ve been paying particular attention to how these authors treat women. Gillian’s introduction is quite impressive, as she sweeps into Michael’s room, cunningly making her way past the guards. She is sexy and aware of how her sex appeal can be used to her advantage, and does not let anyone take advantage of her. Until she gets to Ben’s house. From there, she vacillates between smitten girlfriend and childish young woman, connected by her womanly stupidness. There are other women around, namely those that run Jubal’s household and keep the old man in check. He treats them rudely, though they treat him no less so, and as the story progresses, it’s clear that Jubal respects them as they do him. But they, like all the women are little more than caricatures and love interests.
While this is a work of science fiction by way of space visitors from Mars, this is very down to earth and could be easily appreciated by any reader, no matter their favourite genre.
Scarlet, Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev
Posted on August 11, 2014 7 Comments
Scarlet, Vol. 1 by Brian Michael Bendis
Genre: Crime, Corruption
Publisher: Marvel: (July 2011)
Author Info: www.jinxworld.com
Artist Info: www.maleev.com
Wendy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
A good cover can be all it takes to draw me in. This past month, that’s happened twice for me, first with A Voice in the Dark, Volume 1, and then with Scarlet, both of which feature young female pro/antagonists who demand you turn the pages to learn what lies beyond the cover.
Scarlet surprised me because I’m usually not taken in by the violent bad girl image. Still, Alex Maleev’s gritty style–hard lines contrasted with the muted colours and Scarlet’s vibrant hair, lured me in.
Her very first act when you open the book is Scarlet murdering a police officer. Her role seems pretty straight forward, but wait! You have to stop and listen to why she’s doing what she’s doing.
Because that’s exactly what Scarlet asks you to do.
The majority of the story is not merely told by Scarlet in first person, but it’s told by Scarlet to you, the reader. As she explains her purpose–to expose the kind of dirty cops who abuse their position to harm innocents–she demands that you listen. And though she doesn’t expect you to take up her torch and act as she does, she warns that simply turning away makes you no better.
This style of storytelling treads the dangerous line of becoming too preachy, but Bendis carefully balances Scarlet’s conviction with reality, more so when he later introduces Detective Going. Going was a cop who survived Scarlet’s second act of vengeance, prompting Going to demand to be put on the case. Going has her own ideals, which she too shares with the reader, but she isn’t simply a cop who has it out for the terrorist kid.
As Scarlet’s message gets out into the community, the tension rises as the authorities determine what to do, and Scarlet has to decide how far she’s willing to go and how many lives she’s willing to risk.
I have heard good things about Bendis’ work on mainstream comics such as Daredevil and Ultimate Spiderman, but having little interest in those characters, I haven’t made much effort to read them. Now that I know what kind of work he can do with a character like Scarlet, I’m much more inclined to check them out.
Character Appreciation Post: Ista and The Bastard
Posted on August 10, 2014 3 Comments
In The Curse of Chalion, Ista was the god-touched mother of the young Royina, who had spent much of her years trapped within the madness of sainthood. Though others wrote her mind-fogged babbling off as unfortunate insanity, Cazeril, the main protagonist, recognized that there was something more in her perceptions. Freed from the curse and from sainthood, though not from the guilt of her sins, Ista escaped the confines of royalty under the guise of a religious pilgrimage . The irony is that Ista hates the Five Gods. But the Bastard–son of the Mother and an en-souled demon lord– doesn’t care.
But who are they?
Not often do we get to read about older female protagonists. Ones who have already learned from experience, and perhaps grown bitter because of it. She is unapologetic in thought and spoken word, but in spite–or perhaps because of–her privilege as royalty, Ista gives respect to all who deserve it, no matter their societal status. Ista’s bitterness is not without justification because the Gods of Chalion use their saints hard. The more Ista curses the Gods in her stubbornness, the more the Bastard seems to enjoy it, toying with her dreams as he nudges her along her path.
The Gods of Chalion initially seemed to be just figureheads, as usual, with the Bastard as the typical dark trickster. As the first story progresses, the Gods’ hand in events becomes more and more evident. When Ista’s turn comes, the Bastard’s hand–and his mouth and tongue–is never far behind, especially since one of her companions on her pilgrimage, is a priest of the Bastard.
My interest was piqued the moment the priest began his story of the Paladin of Souls, a demon set to corrupt the soul of a good man, until that man willingly offers his soul, thus corrupting the demon and putting it on the Mother’s path as a warrior against the very thing he once was. From a union between the Paladin and the Mother, the Bastard was born, and to him go all the souls who have no other place in the heavens. The Bastard is not merely a dark god who condemns souls to darkness, but a god who protects them from it.
And when Ista finally relents to his command, they become a formidable force.
“Instructing you, sweet Ista, would be like teaching a falcon to walk up to its prey. It might with great effort be done, but one would end with a very footsore and cranky bird, and a tedious wait for dinner. With a wingspan like yours, it’s ever so much easier just to shake you from my wrist and let you fly.” “Plummet,” Ista growled. “No. Not you. Granted, you tumble and complain halfway down the abyss, but eventually you do spread your wings and soar.” “Not always.” Her voice went lower. “Not the first time.” He tilted his head in a sliver of acknowledgment. “But I was not your falconer then. We do suit, you know.”
Falcon flying by Alexander Kuchar
Lootz: Mogsy’s Book Haul
Posted on August 9, 2014 19 Comments
The Bloodbound – Courtesy of Ace/Penguin, I’m really excited about this fantasy romance that I’ll be reading in a few weeks. So keep an eye out for the review and giveaway of this book at the beginning of fall!
Lock In – I was really happy to receive an ARC of this book from Tor, as I’m a big fan of Scalzi. I always look forward to reading his stuff.
Full Fathom Five – It was a pleasant surprise when this book arrived, but I haven’t read the second book yet. Now more than ever I should get cracking on Two Serpents Rise! My thanks to Tor.
Return of the Discontinued Man – My thanks to Pyr for sending over a finished copy. I’d never read or heard of this series before, but it looks like a really interesting steampunk alternate history time travel sci-fi novel.
Kaiju Rising – At last my goodies from the Kaiju Rising Kickstarter has arrived! Along with bookmarks and a wicked mini poster came this physical copy of the anthology. I had received the ebook reward months before, but nothing beats holding the actual book in your hands, and this gorgeous tome is a monster (no pun intended).
Archetype and Prototype – Big thanks to my book blog buddy Tabitha from NotYetRead for these beauties! Archetype is on my reading list for this summer and now I have these awesome copies!
Sinner – One final goodie in my care package from Tabitha is this standalone companion to Maggie Stiefvater’s The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. Eee, so excited to read this one! I enjoyed those books, and Sinner is about a couple of supporting characters from the original series that I thought deserved way more attention. I can’t wait to dive into this.
Book Review: The King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Posted on August 8, 2014 18 Comments
King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic
Series: The Broken Empire #2
Publisher: Ace Books (August 2012)
Author Info: mark—lawrence.blogspot.ca/
Wendy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
“Whatever you look into can look back into you.”
I recently read a piece of writing advice about how to properly write violence and death by always making it count. Be it the character committing the act, the victim, or the observer, violence has to have a price. Gratuitous violence is just too easy.
My thoughts went immediately to The Broken Empire series and it’s antagonist, King Jorg Ancrath. Violence in his past shaped child into man by breaking him and letting the darkness we all harbour within ooze out. The article made me further appreciate Lawrence’s character and those around him, particularly his Brothers. They are all killers–psychopaths and sociopaths of varying degrees. Some of them love the kill, while others might mourn each life taken, but Lawrence writes each killer and each act of violence with such care. In fact, what I really enjoy about Lawrence’s writing is that he writes the words that need to be written. No character or action is gratuitous or wasted.
For Jorg, the ghosts of his past have literally come back to haunt him, released by the necromancy he stole in the previous book. I was concerned that regret was going to eventually give us a kinder, gentler Jorg, but Lawrence does not disappoint by having Jorg walk the heavily trodden path of redemption. Jorg does gain wisdom as he grows from boy to man, prince to king, but Lawrence doesn’t cop out with the character’s darkness. There is nothing Jorg does that is worthy of forgiveness, and even his acts of kindness come with a calculation of the costs.
As king, Jorg finds himself faced with the challenge of a rival, the Prince of Arrow, who would take his kingdom and go on to gather all the kingdoms under his benevolent rule as emperor. Jorg doesn’t care much for anyone telling him what to do, and with his original quest for vengeance satisfied, perhaps the emperor’s throne wouldn’t be a bad idea for a new goal as well. But of course there are problems. The Prince of Arrow is the better man in all ways and Jorg has no allies, the dream-witch, Sageous, is still pulling Jorg’s strings in indiscernible directions, and the Princess Katherine haunts Jorg just as much as the dead do. Trailing these torments, Jorg crosses the land in search of a way to stand against the Prince of Arrow and claim the Imperial Throne himself.
Often times Jorg seemingly pulls himself out of situations by the seat if his pants, usually at great cost to those who have bound their lives to him. In pivotal moments, when it seems almost impossible for Jorg to win without the hand of God, Jorg always manages in the mist spectacular way possible. Usually with a plan that Jorg reveals in that moment. Some might find this story telling plot solution too easy, but the further I sink into the Broken Empire and Jorg himself, I’ve come to accept that this is Jorg’s story and he will tell it as he damn well wishes. Telling a story in first person is not often done well, especially when flashbacks are tossed into the mix, but I think Lawrence has found the key through this character by revealing Jorg’s inner workings and his flaws, including pride. What story teller doesn’t take pride in saving and then savouring the big reveal? Moreover, these big moments are not without set up. Lawrence carefully presents all the pieces for the reader to put together as Jorg’s gathers his tools, forming a spectacular tapestry of pain, violence and darkness when he unleashes his denouement.
Surrounding Jorg’s elaborate schemes and antics are a few interesting mysteries about the world itself. The ancient Builders have left behind many devices that will be recognizable to readers, but remain a mystery to the characters. This world is obviously grounded in our own, but Lawrence only teases us with the connection, while parceling out the magic that turns this from merely a secret post-apocalyptic tale into one of true fantasy. Will we ever learn the connection?
My step into The Broken Empire was long overdue, but now that I am here, I am enjoying every moment, especially with my hard copy reading enhanced by the incredible narration of James Clamp.
Panels: Amazon
Posted on August 7, 2014 2 Comments
In the late 90s, Marvel and DC came together to make a line of comics called the Amalgams that crossed over their popular heroes and imagined them as one hero. Here we have Princess Ororo Munroe of Themiscyra, an amalgam of Wonder Woman and Storm, as written and drawn by John Byrne. Original source.
Tough Traveling: Quest Objects
Posted on August 7, 2014 16 Comments
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan of Review Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information. Compulsive list-maker that I am, I’m very excited to take part!
This week’s tour topic is: Quest Objects
QUEST OBJECTS can be various, but are quite strictly defined by the Rules. They are:
1. Material Objects. CUPS, JEWELS, ORBS, RINGS, SCEPTRES, STONES, and SWORDS.
2. Places. HIDDEN KINGDOMS, ISLANDS, OLD RUINED CITIES, POOLS of enchantment, STONES, TEMPLES, VALLEYS, and, less frequently, Fountains (which may double as Fountains of Youth)
3. Persons. See APPRENTICES, HARDSHIP, and PRINCES.
4. Knowledge. Usually for BIRTHRIGHT or MAGIC or both.
5. Most rarely of all, SELF-KNOWLEDGE
I love this week’s theme. You can’t read fantasy without tripping over a quest object, so I’m hoping today to use some titles I haven’t had a chance to feature before:
The Barrow by Mark Smylie
Swords as quest objects is a big thing in fantasy. Mark Smylie’s dark fantasy adventure novel The Barrow follows the classic quest narrative: to find the sword (not just any sword! A fabled sword which belonged to a long-dead wizard), unearth the Barrow. To unearth the Barrow, follow the map.
The Magician King by Lev Grossman
Keys are another popular quest object. Seven golden keys are at the center of Quentin’s quest in The Magician King, when he stumbles upon a fairy tale mentioning them while on a journey to the Outer Island. The tale grows more complicated and dire when he discovers grave consequences for magic and magic users everywhere if these keys aren’t found.
Heartwood by Freya Robertson
Another classic quest narrative, following a group of warriors on an epic adventure to retrieve the heart of the Arbor, the essence of the great tree that binds all the land and its people. But five nodes located in five different hallowed sites must be activated first in order for the sacred tree to heal.
Rain Wild Chronicles by Robin Hobb
Quest objects can indeed be places. The four books in this series follows a group of dragon keepers and their dragons on an extraordinary odyssey along the Rain Wild River in the hopes of rediscovering the ancient Elderling city of Kelsingra, the magical lost haven for dragons and Elderlings alike.
The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes
Hey, quest objects in heist stories are merely regular quest objects that you have to steal, along with a bunch of your lock-picking, safe-cracking, shape-shifting and acrobatically gifted friends! In this case, Loch and her team are hoping to retrieve a priceless elven manuscript that was stolen from her family. I featured this book’s sequel in my WoW yesterday, which got a bit of interest so I figured I’d take this opportunity to pimp this great book.
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay
Quest objects can be animals, too. 250 prized Sardian horses were gifted to Shen Tai by the Taguran empress, a former Kitan princess, as a reward for a noble task. Of course, the empress doesn’t realize that her extravagant gift has immediately made this humble man an attractive target to thieves, assassins, and politicians, not to mention other dangers (royalty, they just don’t consider such things). Shen devises a plan to keep himself alive in order to travel to the capital and deliver the valuable horses to the Kitan Empire.
Waiting on Wedneday 08/06/14
Posted on August 6, 2014 22 Comments
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Prophecy Con by Patrick Weekes: September 23, 2014 (47North)
Patrick Weekes might be better known to gamers as a BioWare writer, having worked on games like Mass Effect and the latest novel of the Dragon Age franchise. But I also loved his book The Palace Job so I was practically beside myself when I saw this. The theme, the cover style and other little factors made it seem The Prophecy Con would be a follow-up or another novel set in the same world. Either way, I WANTED IT. And now it’s been confirmed that it will indeed be the second book to the series (called Rogues of the Republic) and I’m so excited that it will feature at least some of our old friends from book one! Oh man, I hope the talking unicorn comes back too.
“Who would h
ave thought a book of naughty poems by elves could mean the difference between war and peace? But if stealing the precious volume will keep the Republic and the Empire from tearing out each other’s throats, rogue soldier Isafesira de Lochenville—“Loch” to friends and foes alike—is willing to do the dishonest honors. With her motley crew of magic-makers, law-breakers, and a talking warhammer, she’ll match wits and weapons with dutiful dwarves, mercenary knights, golems, daemons, an arrogant elf, and a sorcerous princess.
But getting their hands on the prize—while keeping their heads attached to their necks—means Loch and company must battle their way from a booby-trapped museum to a monster-infested library, and from a temple full of furious monks to a speeding train besieged by assassins. And for what? Are a few pages of bawdy verse worth waging war over? Or does something far more sinister lurk between the lines?”
Comic Review: Banshee Origins by Jonathan Tropper
Posted on August 6, 2014 1 Comment
Banshee Origins by Jonathan Tropper
Genre: Crime, Drama
Publisher: IDW Publishing (January 2013)
Wendy’s Rating – 2 of 5 stars
Banshee is a television show about a criminal, recently released from prison, who, after a series of unfortunate events, takes on the guise of a new sheriff and makes himself comfortable in the titular town. The love of his life and former partner in crime also happens to live there, but she has changed her identity and is now living happily with her husband and two children. But the threat of her father, the Ukrainian mob boss, Rabbit, still looms over both of them, along with the problem of some stolen diamonds.
If this description is enough to entice you to watch it, then I am happy. Because I love Banshee for so many reasons. And if you watch it, then I will tell you to skip this comic, because it is entirely unnecessary—which is often the trouble with origin stories. They either tell you stuff you’ve already figured out, or you learn things you don’t want or need to know.
The thing is, Banshee already has origin stories. These come in the form of vignettes, barely five minutes long, that tease just enough…
The beauty of the TV show is that it is mired in mystery. It doesn’t feel the need to give you context for every single thing, but if you pay attention, you’ll be able to put all the pieces together just fine. As a result, this comic serves only to tie those pieces up in a single, neat package, but it reveals nothing you wouldn’t have already figured out already.
I suppose if you haven’t watched the show and are curious, this comic might work, but then, it really just tells a very basic story that is not likely to impress. A huge part of the magic of Banshee is in the storytelling choices. The way its scenes are intercut and juxtaposed in such meaningful ways that blend the past and the present, the actual and the desired. And it is acted with such depth of raw emotion, with a strong understanding of the power of silence. A look. A touch. A moment.
None of that comes across in this very linear and simplistic story. And worse, it gives you very two-dimensional characters that you’ll probably recognize from a million other stories. All of which simply does not do any justice to the show.
So my final verdict is this: If you watch and love Banshee, this comic is a waste of your time. If you want to know about Banshee, don’t read this comic—just watch the show and love it or hate it for what the show truly is.
{UPDATE: Since originally writing this review, I have watched the second season finale and discovered that this entire episode is based, almost panel perfect, on this origin comic. Since the show moves much like a comic, it does an excellent job and then some. This origin story was actually written to coincide with the pilot of the series, which aired in January 2013. I still hold to my belief that the comic was an unnecessary accompaniment. The show’s method of carefully handing out details on a need to know basis, saving all of this for this origin story for the finale, when it really, really counts.]
The BiblioSanctum 