Book Review: Mister Monday by Garth Nix
Posted on October 14, 2013 Leave a Comment
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Children
Series: The Keys to the Kingdom #1
Publisher: Scholastic Books
Original Publication Date: July 2003
Author Info: www.garthnix.com
Twice I picked this book up from the library, and twice I returned it, unable to get much further than Arthur Penhaligon’s step into the mysterious house. However, because I did like the concept behind the Keys to the Kingdom series, I took advantage of the audiobook and finally managed to get through it. As a result, I can’t say I’m overly impressed, but I am intrigued and am not opposed to continuing the series through the full “week.”
This is a story about The Will of the Architect and its attempt to free itself from the hold of the seven days, each of whom hold a key that binds it. When Mister Monday attempts to exploit a loophole in the Will by giving his key to a dying Arthur, his plans are foiled because, with the help of The Will, Arthur does not succumb to his severe asthma after all. Now the keeper of the lesser key, Arthur becomes a target of Monday’s minions and his neighbourhood falls victim to a strange illness. Arthur must venture into the world of The Will to retrieve the greater key from Monday and get rid of the illness.
Nix has so many wonderful and unique ways of presenting magic and technology in his stories. In his Abhorsen Trilogy, which is where I first came to know the author, necromantic powers were connected to a series of bells. Shade’s Children is technology-based, and A Confusion of Princes combines technology and various psionic abilities. In The Keys to the Kingdom, magic is based on time and words have power. In fact, The Will initially appears as words magically printed in the air and the kingdom beyond is heavily focused on anything and everything to do with writing.
This is all very unique, but Nix sometimes goes too far with it by making it too easy for the characters to solve problems with conveniently written in magical plot devices. The deus ex machina mentality is troubling for me as an adult, but as this is aimed at a much younger audience, I can appreciate and accept the fun results.
So why did I have such trouble getting into the book? Perhaps Arthur was the problem. He’s not a particularly interesting character and his motivations are not keenly defined beyond the typical “no I don’t want to be keeper of the key” and “I’m only doing this to save my family etc.” Perhaps my problem had to do with the fact that a number of interesting characters were introduced that seemed poised to accompany Arthur on his journey, but were repeatedly left behind. Dorothy is a pretty dull character on her own. She needed her entourage for support and I think that was my problem here. Too much Arthur, too much Arthur escaping seemingly dire situations with easy magic, and not enough of the interesting supporting characters.
Still, as I said, the concept of the series in interesting and I’ve grown rather curious about what the other days of the week have in store…
Review Bite(r)s: The Walking Dead
Posted on October 13, 2013 Leave a Comment
October 13, 2013 is an auspicious day, what with the return of The Walking Dead and all. This has also been a pretty happy TWD year for me, what with getting to meet and have photos taken with some of the cast members. And so, in honour of all this, I have been doing a little TWD primer work in preparation for tonight’s premiere…
The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman
Once a book is published, it’s out of the author’s hands, though inevitably, the author will likely see a million things they want to tweak or change or fix. It is rare that an author has the opportunity to retell their tale. Since I’m reading this long after falling in love with the TV series it’s impossible for me to review the source material for the show without comparison. But, keeping in mind that the show is Kirkman’s chance to retell his story, I really enjoyed it.
At the end of issue #1, Kirkman explains that he did not intend this to be a horror story. He intended this to be a survivalist adventure where we get to take the journey with Rick Grimes and see how he changes and grows. I also see it as a journey for Kirkman and can see how he has changed and matured in his writing.
Many of the scenes in the show are lifted almost exactly from the comic, but the show does one thing differently: it makes sure this isn’t just Rick’s journey. From the addition of Morgan’s wife in the show, to the extension and development of Shane’s character, we see humanity at its best and worst, but realize that we may be no better or worse if thrown into such a horrible situation.
Thus far, I don’t think the comics are as good as the show, but I think they are an important read for fans to see the the journey of both character and author.
The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman
The death of his beloved wife years earlier had already ruined Philip Blake’s life, leaving him with a single purpose: to care for and protect his daughter, Penny. This does not change when the zombie apocalypse hits, but his circle of protection expands to include his two best friends, and, unfortunately, his hapless, sickly brother Brian.
The Governor has been a frightening inclusion in The Walking Dead series, but as with all truly good antagonists, he is not simply mad and/or evil. This trilogy serves to reveal what made the enigmatic leader of Woodbury who he is by first showing us what he was and reminding us just how much of a struggle leadership is, especially when all the rules have gone out of the window. Variations of the phrase “do what you have to do” comes up often and with necessity. Although I figured out the plot twist from the first few pages, the journey was still worthwhile and I’m curious to see where the rest of the trilogy goes.
Interestingly, the book is written in present tense. I’ve seen this done in another book originally intended to be a comic and I wondered if that was the original intention for this. As an audiobook, the tense works well, amplifying the tension of the characters and events.
As an added bonus, a gaming review! I’ve been voting for The Walking Dead game as Game of the Year and recommending it to TWD fans who might not even be gamers, so it was about time I actually got to playing it myself.
The game puts you in the shoes of the character, forcing you to make some increasingly difficult life and death decisions. I’ve only completed episode one, but can confirm that my pre-praise and recommendations have been justified. There are some technical annoyances with the gameplay, and there has been some yelling at the screen because it wouldn’t let me do exactly what I wanted in some places, but otherwise, I have no complaints. Rather, I’m moving into the next episode with trepidation because I know things are going to become more difficult and are going to play hard on my feels…
YA Weekend: Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Posted on October 12, 2013 7 Comments
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Reckoners
Publisher: Delacorte
Date of Publication: September 24, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Everyone I know has been saying such great things about this book, so I’m afraid I can do little more than to add to the praise that’s already out there. In the interest of full disclosure though, I’m a big fan of Brandon Sanderson and he’s one of the handful of writers whose books I will insta-buy without a second thought. On the other hand, it’s also true that I often approach my favorite authors’ work with higher-than-average expectations.
Admittedly, this has also somewhat affected the way I looked at Steelheart, in that I went into it perceiving it as not so much a Young Adult novel, but rather as any other Sanderson novel. As a result, I confess that my expectations for this were at through-the-roof levels even before I started, and yet what’s amazing to me is that even those were met and in some cases exceeded. It also makes me feel more confident in reporting that despite its YA designation, Steelheart can probably be enjoyed and appreciated by a much wider audience.
So even if you have an interest in this book but don’t think you’re a “YA person”, please don’t let that be the only thing stopping you from checking it out! Because while Steelheart has many of the elements common in YA fantasy, Sanderson also brings his own brand of storytelling and amazing ideas to this superhero novel, making it special and stand out. And perhaps, it would actually be more accurate to call this one a “super-villain” novel, given how the people who manifest special powers in Steelheart — the book refers to them as Epics — turn out to be evil.
As such, there are no heroes in David’s world. Ten years ago, his father along with thousands of others died when the Epics took over, with the most powerful one of all who calls himself Steelheart declaring himself Emperor. Now Epics rule regular humans and kill them with impunity, but no one fights back. No one CAN fight back. Steelheart is near-invincible, and nobody can touch him unless his weakness is discovered somehow. David, however, seeks to do just that with the help of an underground group of rebels called the Reckoners. Together, they are determined to see the Epics’ reign end.
Once again, I’m reminded that Brandon Sanderson is a master-builder of worlds for a reason. One of the first things I noticed about the setting of Steelheart is how robust and “complete” it feels. As someone who reads quite a lot of YA, I notice that while books in this genre often present great ideas and feature highly imaginative worlds, many also tend to ignore or gloss over the infrastructure of their post-apocalyptic or dystopian societies. And in extreme cases, there is hardly an adult presence at all, which might make a lot of sense for a novel targeted at young adults, but this also makes a story much less realistic. Sanderson on the other hand seems to realize that even in a messed-up world where Epics have taken over, what’s left of civilization needs a system and a workforce in place to function. He’s included a lot of groundwork for his world that makes it more detailed and conceivable.
What’s more, it’s the same for the characters, who are all distinctive and have memorable personalities. I’m not so used to reading Sanderson books narrated in the first person, so it’s quite the new and refreshing experience to be right in the head of his main protagonist. And David is certainly…interesting. I like him, though I can’t say the same about his hopeless metaphors! Megan also gives me pause. I suppose if there’s one tiny itty-bitty thing I didn’t like too much about this book is how David falls for her. Though, it’s important to note that protagonists being attracted to love interests who treat them like crap is a long-held pet peeve of mine, and not even Sanderson could budge that.
Still, overall I loved Steelheart! I honestly cannot identify any “slow parts” in this novel, as it kept me interested the whole way through with its tension and foreshadowing. The level of suspense is kept at a constant high with the Reckoners racing against time to unravel the mystery of Steelheart’s weakness so that they can assassinate him. The action scenes are also phenomenal, and the many twists and surprises in the plot will definitely keep you guessing. This was the most fun I’ve had with a book in ages.
Wonderfully Wicked Read-a-thon (#WWReadathon) October 11-20, 2013
Posted on October 11, 2013 Leave a Comment
Our friends at My Shelf Confessions are hosting the 6th annual Wonderfully Wicked Read-a-Thon to encourage readers to get through those great big to-read piles! Look out for our posts tagged #WWReadathon to see what books are keeping us entertained.
Visit My Shelf Confessions to sign up.
Graphic Novel Review: Lazarus vol.1 Family by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark
Posted on October 11, 2013 Leave a Comment
Lazarus, Vol. 1: Family by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark
Genre: Dystopian Future, Science Fiction
Series: Collecting Lazarus #1-4 and the Preview
Publisher: Image Comics
Expected Publication Date: October 22, 2013
Author Info: gregrucka.com
Artist Info: Goodreads Profile
In Greg Rucka’s dystopian future, money is power and those without it are Waste. The Families are the ones with power and Forever Carlyle is a Lazarus, a Family member trained and augmented to serve and protect the family’s needs. As the codename implies, there is a lot of death involved in her life, but we quickly learn that, because of how much she understands physical death, there are a lot of unresolved emotions connected to killing that Forever should not be having. For now, she does her job to protect the Family, but her increasing empathy is probably going to be problematic.
Initially, this seemed like a cold-hearted killer with a warming heart story, but as I suspected, Rucka quickly brought in the heavy emotional content. With four other questionably loyal children to his name, Frank Carlyle increasingly turns to the one the siblings think the least of to handle conflicts. Forever serves willingly and with a smile, certain of her father’s love. This is where Forever’s Pinocchio story really struck me. How far will a child willingly go when she believes the commands are given out of love?
Forever is at the heart of this story, and surrounding her are the politics of the Families, the plight of the Wastes, the treachery and conflict between the Carlyle siblings and the technology of the Lazaruses and their connection to each other. All together, it makes for a gritty, tantalizing story, brought to life by the dark, confident lines of Michael Lark.
With thanks to Netgalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
Audiobook Review: Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Posted on October 10, 2013 Leave a Comment
Genre: Science Fiction
Publication Date: 1961
After listening to METAtropolis and really enjoying Alessandro Juliani‘s narration of John Scalzi short story, I vowed to find more. Delving into my consciousness as Amazon usually does, it presented me with Solaris as an Audible Daily Deal just a week later. I’m used to Amazon, Google and Steam tripping into my thoughts and tempting me with my desires, but listening to Solaris gave me pause…
Kris Kelvin arrives on the station above the planet Solaris where a strange phenomenon has perplexed scientists and philosophers for years. The planet is covered in an “ocean,” but upon closer inspection, that ocean appears to actually be a living organism. Experimentation is difficult as the organism does not respond in any predictable way and no experiment can be successfully duplicated. One particularly illegal experiment leads to what could well be the entity beginning its own experimentation on its observers by delving into their memories. The result is the recreation of disturbingly real loved ones.
Not long into the audiobook, Juliani had successfully wiped all traces of George Clooney from my mind and I settled in to enjoy the bittersweet story that so smoothly combines science and emotion. There is a LOT of science in this book. Sometimes dauntingly so, but it is not so daunting that I completely zoned out or even failed to understand any of it. The scientific discussions and theories existed in and around Kelvin’s interactions with the small crew, and with his long dead lover.
This story could easily have gone down a dark, even horror-based path, considering the insanity that infects his colleagues as a result of dealing with their personal memories brought back to life, but the book really surprised me with the touching and even practical way it dealt with the intense emotions.
This is, by far, one of the better alien encounter stories I’ve enjoyed, possibly because it actually gives us a very alien alien, rather than a human in an alien body. The ocean and its descriptions are fascinating, as is the entire concept of it learning about humanity in this manner.
Waiting on Wednesday 10/09/13
Posted on October 9, 2013 Leave a Comment
“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!
Chonrad, Lord of Barle, comes to the fortified temple of Heartwood for the Congressus peace talks, which Heartwood’s holy knights have called in an attempt to stave off war in Anguis. But the Arbor, Heartwood’s holy tree, is failing, and because the land and its people are one, it is imperative the nations try to make peace.
After the Veriditas, or annual Greening Ceremony, the Congressus takes place. The talks do not go well and tempers are rising when an army of warriors emerges from the river. After a fierce battle, the Heartwood knights discover that the water warriors have stolen the Arbor’s heart. For the first time in history, its leaves begin to fall…
The knights divide into seven groups and begin an epic quest to retrieve the Arbor, and save the land.”
Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone: October 24, 2013 (Tor)
Book Review: The Diamond Deep by Brenda Cooper
Posted on October 8, 2013 Leave a Comment
The Diamond Deep by Brenda Cooper
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 of Ruby’s Song
Publisher: Pyr
Date of Publication: October 8, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
fiction with elements of action and suspense, featuring an
interesting protagonist”
The Diamond Deep was a very pleasant surprise, one of those books that I have a feeling should deserve a lot more attention than it gets. Nevertheless, I’ll admit I knew very little about the book when it first came into my possession, and for that reason, I almost relegated it to the “save-for-later” pile. Boy, am I so very glad I didn’t.
It was reading the first page containing the Author’s Note that first transformed my mild curiosity into awed interest. There, Brenda Cooper writes that Evita, the musical about Eva Perón, was the main inspiration for the book’s story. Something about this struck me, made me want to know more and read the book right away. Cooper further writes, though, that The Diamond Deep is simply the story Evita’s legend teased out of her. And knowing what I do about Eva Perón, I could definitely see how her life and legacy inspired this novel, but the story is also a very fascinating piece of social-science-fiction, a class-oriented space opera with elements of action and suspense.
The book’s main protagonist, Ruby Martin, is a very strong and complex character, much like the historical figure she was based on. She and the inhabitants of their discovery ship are heading home from a multi-generational journey, and from the sound of it, things haven’t been easy. I have not read the first book of the Ruby’s Song series, The Creative Fire, but it is clear that there’d been a rigidly divided social structure on the ship, before a movement spearheaded by Ruby and others brought a change.
Just as Evita had been an actress before becoming First Lady of Argentina and a political leader in her own right, Ruby started off as a robot repair assistant and a singer before becoming partners with the ship’s leader Joel North. And just like Evita during her short life, Ruby’s character is controversial, as adored as she is hated by her crew. When they finally reach their destination, her leadership is further tested when it turns out their new home is nothing like any of them expected.
After being away for so long, they are immediately dismissed as primitive and naive, given no status, voice or power. Having just rid their own society of inequality, they arrive at The Diamond Deep space station only to be treated like beggars and slaves, the lowest of the low. They are used and manipulated by parties who deliberately and shamelessly keep them in the dark, knowing that there’s nothing they can do about it. As with most fiction concerning sociological speculation, this book is a reflection of some of the current issues in our own contemporary societies, and it can be quite upsetting and infuriating to read about Ruby and her crew’s situation.
Ruby herself is an interesting protagonist. She has a very dominant and energetic personality, but her love for her people is boundless. She can also be a tad vain and wrapped up in her own self-importance, but perhaps that’s the point the author is trying to make about Ruby and her leadership — that even strong characters are flawed and fallible, and that they can make mistakes and cause pain unwittingly even when they have good intentions or think they are doing the best for others. Ruby cares too much, perhaps, unwilling to accept that she can’t be everywhere at once and do everything for everyone at the same time.
I think my appreciation for her character also increased after I finished this book and began researching more into the life of Eva Perón, which opened my eyes to more parallels made by the author. Moreover, though, I liked this book for its themes, which explore matters such as power, poverty, and the responsibilities of a society to its members. It is a very compelling story of revolution, and one woman’s journey to fight for her people’s voices to be heard.
Wendy’s Favourite Romance Book
Posted on October 8, 2013 Leave a Comment
For me, the best romance books are the ones that you don’t realize are romances. That happened with The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord where, coincidentally, the lead character, Grace Delarua, didn’t realize it either.
Audiobook Review: Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson
Posted on October 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
Thieftaker by D.B. Jackson
Genre: Historical Fiction, Urban Fantasy
This book marks the first book I’ve completed using Audible’s Whispersync, which allows readers to switch between listening and reading (the Kindle version) without losing their place. It’s a great feature to have and one that is particularly useful for people like me who often end up leaving the audiobook to read the book. This gives me an incentive to come back to the audiobook, though, since it saves my place, which means I can listen to it when I can’t read the book or just feel like listening and then resume the book when I’m ready.
Thieftaker starts in 1765, eight years before the Boston Tea Party and eleven years before the Revolutionary War. Civil unrest is stirring, growing from a mewl to a roar, as the colonies begin to rebel against the taxes forced on them by the British crown.
The story centers around the thieftaker Ethan Kaille. As a thieftaker, Ethan is tasked with finding the stolen property of others in exchange for payment. Ethan’s true power rests in his ability to conjure spells–a power that damned him in his former life as a sailor, but has aided him in his current profession as a thieftaker.
During one of the late-night riots against the crown that are starting to plague the city, a wealthy businessman’s daughter is found dead in the streets without a mark on her, and a brooch is taken from her possession. While “witchcraft” is frowned on, Abner Berson, the businessman, is well aware that his daughter’s death is probably magical in nature and requires Ethan’s talents to find his daughter’s missing brooch and her murderer.
Finding the culprit proves to be quite the challenge as Ethan realizes he’s up against a conjurer of immense talent paired with the fact that a powerful rival thieftaker named Sephira Pryce has it out for him.
Could one book hold any more things that I love than this one? It’s a historical fiction, but wait, it’s also an urban fantasy set in historical Boston. Why don’t we just throw in a little alternate history to sweeten the pot?
As a history nerd, I liked that the story is set around factual historical events. Ethan may not be real, but his profession is seeded in historical fact. Jackson uses the events leading up to the Revolutionary War as the backdrop for his story, so there are cameos by people such Samuel Adams and James Otis, Jr.
Ethan’s case itself is tied heavily to the politics plaguing the city. Even though he tries not to get mired into politics himself, he’s finding it hard to avoid as his investigation seems to move deeper and deeper into politics. One thing I really enjoyed about the political aspects of this story of this story is that Ethan’s opinion of the historical events around him are very gray.
The history isn’t painted with a patriotic slant, if that makes sense. Ethan considers himself a servant of the crown, but he does understand the plight of the people in the colonies. The activities of Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty aren’t assumed to be correct and aren’t written to make a heart bleed red, white, and blue with all the patriotism. Instead it focuses more on the everyday man’s outlook and how it does or doesn’t affect his life.
Jackson also does a commendable job with combining the magic and history. He’s managed to make the magic feel believable without falling prey to some of the pitfalls of other stories that have taken a similar approach. It doesn’t feel forced or trite in contrast to its setting, which can often happens when trying to base a magical story around actual historical fact. Usually, I find with books like this that the magic feels out of place in the story, but that wasn’t a problem here.
This book features a colorful cast of characters, and I really liked Ethan whose trying to do the best he can after living a very hard life prior to returning to Boston. One thing that I’m often guilty of is giving male characters in an urban fantasy setting the “Harry Dresden” test and making unjust comparisons. I think part of this reason is because so many male urban fantasy leads have similar qualities that make it so easy to compare and contrast (and this is true of many female urban fantasy characters, too). I didn’t do this so much with Ethan because after a while he felt like a different breed of male protagonist. His experiences, his views on his own magic, really made his character feel a bit distinct. Jonathan Davis, who recently made it to my favorite narrators list, did a wonderful job of bringing Ethan to life with his narration, so that might’ve helped my view.
Some of the other supporting characters felt a little flimsy and really only served one purpose to the story, but they were mostly likable, just not the type of characters who’d stick with you with a few exceptions. While I’m on supporting characters, I should get a complaint out the way. Sephira’s role in the story started getting on my nerves a little after a while. Sephira is definitely a character that you love to hate, but her motivations after a while just felt a little weak. I think she’s a great antagonist and rival to Ethan, but her involvement in his investigation after a while just made me raise my eyebrow even after her explanation.
As ubiquitous as her presence and influence is in this story, it felt like she was a little too involved with the matter and her impact started to kind of diminish when she kept showing up to try to dominate Ethan’s life or whatever. Her motivations seemed rather flaky and conflicting. However, I am interested to see how she further complicates Ethan’s adventures, and that really is a minor complaint for an otherwise engaging story.
In short, I thought this was an excellent historical urban fantasy that managed to meld the magic and history in a way that felt realistic. The magic isn’t so fantastic and in-your-face that it doesn’t mesh weld with the gritty world its set. Ethan is a wonderfully interesting character whose flaws run a bit deeper than a self-deprecating self-view hidden behind quirky humor. I’ll definitely be reading the next book soon.
The BiblioSanctum 