Waiting on Wednesday 10/02/13
Posted on October 2, 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!
When a group of people capture Penryn’s sister Paige, thinking she’s a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.
Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels’ secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.
Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can’t rejoin the angels, can’t take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?”
October Book Club Read: The Mage’s Daughter by Amelia Sides
Posted on October 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
After years of abuse, a young Mage finds that she has to forge her own way before she can be chained again. Forces from all sides are seeking to use her power and it will be up to her whether or not she fights or runs from her past. It will take all her knowledge and skill to stay alive in this time of war, political intrigue, and magic.
Mage is pulled from the constant travel and abuse from her Uncle when she is summoned to the capital to register as a Mage. She is made an Apprentice to the Master Mage Darius, one of the King’s advisors. Over the course of the next year she gains new abilities and new friends while trying to weather political intrigue and track down the Mage who attacked her as a child. Pulled into a confrontation with her attacker, she is forced to choose between protecting the castle she has come to see as home or capturing the man who destroyed her childhood.
10 Reading/Reading-Related Apps Tiara Can’t Live Without
Posted on September 30, 2013 Leave a Comment
I am a technophile to my core, and this translates into everything I’m passionate about from music to gaming to reading. I thought I’d share my favorite reading and reading related apps. There are probably more than 10 reading apps that I can’t live without, but I’m sticking to the main 10 I use frequently. This list excludes gimmes such as the apps for Kindle, Nook and Kobo because most people already know about those.
Bluefire (Android/iOS) – This is my iOS reading app of choice, but it’s also available for Android. I had some troubles with iBooks not wanting to recognize some of my .epubs, so I looked for other options. Bluefire came highly recommended by a friend. Bluefire features the typical options such as searching books, highlighting, and notes. You can change the text size and margins, switch to night mode, and lock the screen orientation while in app. It will also define highlighted words using Google search, which is a little annoyance of mine (and one that holds true of Aldiko as well). I prefer in-app dictionaries because, even though I am connected to wifi 90% of the time thanks to my phone being able to function as a hotspot, there are times when I’m not whether that’s by my choice or not.
Bluefire can also read Adobe DRM-encrypted books and can sort library books you’ve checked out by expiration date. I tend to get Kindle loans from the library, so I’m not familiar with that option. Like Aldiko, Bluefire offers a few in-app catalog choices powered by Books-A-Million, Feedbooks, and Diesel. Bluefire also appears to reach out to content distributors who may want to have their own branded app to sell their books. [Download: iTunes | Google Play]
Comic Rack (Android) – First things first, if you don’t know this by now, I love comic books. I have always loved comic books. I will always love comic books. The end. I have actually been reading comic books on my PC for years even before it became fashionable to do so. Now, there are better options for reading comics on mobile devices such as tablets and phones with many comic companies and online stores offering apps and first day digital releases of comics. I actually have many comic apps I like, but if Aldiko is my one book reader to rule them all, Comic Rack is my one comic reader to rule them all.
It can switch reading modes and function as a manga reader. It can create a live wallpaper from comics in your library that will actually go to the comic currently displaying on the wallpaper if you double tap. It will tweet your thoughts and screenshots to Twitter, and you can share panels with other services using the share option. The paid version, which is $7.89, eliminates ads and allows wireless sync. And yes, the ad does disappear while you’re reading a comic (so, no view obstruction while reading only when you’re fiddling with options and what not).
Now, I won’t be party to discussion about how to obtain .cbr files. Yes, there are many ways both legally and illegally to do so. However you go about getting your files is of no concern to me. Chaotic neutral always. That was long-winded. I’m not even sorry. [Download: Google Play]
Evernote (Android/iOS) – I use Evernote for many things, but the reason why I’ve listed it here is because I write most of my reviews in Evernote on my devices. Any notes I take or quotes I copy usually go into the application as well. The notes sync across all devices and PCs for easy access. While the app has tons of great features, I’ll stick to mentioning the ones that I find most helpful in regards to this site. (You can read a more comprehensive list of features on the download pages.)
Hovernote (Android) – When I’m reading on my Nexus 7, I take tons of notes about what I’m reading from random thoughts to jotting down memorable quotes I want to keep. I can take notes in my reading apps, but the notes I make, especially something I think I’ll use in a review, I usually want to save somewhere like Evernote. I can’t have Evernote and my reading app open at the same time, and the switching back and forth can be a bit tedious. That’s where Hovernote comes in handy.Hovernote hovers (no pun intended) over whatever I’m currently using. It allows me to type and/or copy and paste notes into it. It’s resizeable and easy to move around. I can save my notes in the app or have it to export my notes to other apps like Evernote, Dropbox, Gmail, Twitter, etc. [Download: Google Play]
Dropbox (Android/iOS) – I use many cloud storage options, Dropbox is what I mainly use. It works across all my devices and on my PCs. As I mentioned, I have a ton of .epubs files. Instead of loading all of them on my devices, which would cause quite a clutter, I upload them to Dropbox and then download the ones I want to read to my devices. When I’m done, I remove them. If I ever want to add them again, I just snag them from Dropbox again. It’s as simple as that. No muss, no fuss. [Download: iTunes | Google Play]
Book Review: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Posted on September 27, 2013 5 Comments
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 1
Publisher: Orbit
Date of Publication: October 1, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
There are so many things I want to say about this debut novel by Ann Leckie, but first I just have to express my awe and admiration for some of the themes and concepts in this book. I went into Ancillary Justice after having heard a lot of praise for its originality and imaginative ideas, and now that I’ve finished it, I can only echo those sentiments.
The book follows Breq, a soldier who is more (and, I suppose, also less) than she seems. An “Ancillary”, Breq was formerly one of many corpse soldiers all linked up with an artificial intelligence as part of a massive starship called the Justice of Toren. So in a sense, she is the Justice of Toren. Breq as well as all the other corpse soldier “segments” who were treated as appendages connected to the Justice of Toren were collectively considered part of the ship. It’s a complex but incredibly elaborate concept to wrap my head around, but reading about it made me exultant.
Anyway, after an act of treachery, Breq was the only one who made it out of the subsequent disaster, making her the last surviving remnant of the Justice of Toren, left alone and isolated in a human body. Now she sets herself on a path of vengeance to track down and kill Anaander Mianaai, the multi-bodied and near-immortal Lord of the Radch who was responsible.
As I said, I think the ideas here are very inventive and original, and the way they are executed is also quite clever, if confusing at times. Breq’s narration reflects the fact that she is a part of a ship, a bigger whole. In chapters where she is linked up to the rest of the Justice of Toren, we see through the eyes of multiple Ancillaries, which in essence are all one entity. Because the ship’s Ancillaries are everywhere, the narrator is aware of things happening around all her different segments who are in different places at the same time. This “omniscient effect” is no doubt a challenge to write, and I think Leckie did as well as anyone possibly could.
There were many times, though, where this book made me feel completely out of my depth. The style of the narration I described above is one reason, but also because of other factors such as Breq’s approach to using only the female pronoun to refer to other characters. This gender ambiguity is another point to the innovation and cleverness of this book (and since we humans refer to our ships and other vessels as female, seeing it happen the other way around is so deliciously apropos!) but it also made reading this book a slow and purposeful experience, since I did not want to risk missing anything in the writing.
Added to this is the skipping back and forth in time, as well as the massive amount of information piled upon the reader in the first part of the book. To be fair, lengthy explanations and commentary are probably unavoidable given a book with a premise like this, and a part of me also wonders if Ancillary Justice might be better suited for readers with more experience with science fiction, who’d be better able to adapt to the peculiar pacing. I love this genre, and the details don’t get too overly technical here, but I still couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed and out of my comfort zone at times.
As such, it wasn’t until deep into the later chapters that I finally felt settled into the rhythm of the book. Once the time switches come to an end and the plot moves forward, I found myself a lot more engaged with the story. And indeed, this is a compelling novel, and it raises some interesting questions and themes about freedom, identity, independence and choice.
I think I would have liked this book a lot more if I didn’t hit so many speed bumps in the beginning, but working my way through to the end was worth it. The finale was pure action and suspense, and as a character, Breq has certainly made herself memorable. The ideas in this book will stay with me for a long time, and this is overall a great debut.
Comic Review Bites: The NetGalley Haul
Posted on September 26, 2013 Leave a Comment
With thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read advanced copies of these graphic novels in exchange for honest reviews.
Spera vol.3 by Josh Tierney: Spera began as an online comic that is now on its third volume. It tells the story of two exiled princesses, Lono and Pira, who’ve escaped into the world of Spera. Working as adventurers, the friends and their companions, a cat, a fire spirit and Adel, go where adventure takes them! Adventure involves being trailed by members of Lono’s court who blame her for betraying and abandoning her people in the face of war, and later, in trying to reignite a fire spirit.
The princesses initially seem like the typical princess and the princess who wants to defy the princess stereotypes, but there is so much more to them. My daughters and I were smitten/grossed out when the princesses attempted to eat bugs and anything else they could find like proper adventurers. Their quests play on RPGs and the entire main story is filled with a lot of quirkiness and heart. The artwork is also really impressive, particularly since there is a different artist for each section. The girls and I really enjoyed reading this and think this would make a fascinating cartoon.
My Little Pony – Pony Tales: I did say I wanted more Pinkie Pie and I definitely got lots with an entire story dedicated just to her – along with stories spotlighting each of the mane (lol) team. The moral of each story comes down to friendship, as per the apparent requirements of a series with “friendship is magic” as the subtitle. Unlike the other MLP comics I’ve read with the girls, the ponies don’t use magical friendship to solve these problems. They use actual friendship, from Rarity helping out the hippies to Twilight Sparkle inspiring a recluse.
Once again a fun time spent reading this with my daughters. The MLP comics have proven to be fun for all three of us.
Cyborg 009: This is a re-imagining of Shotaro Ishinomori’s original manga classic. I have not read the original, but this re-imagining seems to hold to the simplistic roots, while updating the story with more modern and mature art. This is about a cyborg named Joe to find his body worked over with technology and no memories of his past. His first test is to kill his predecessors, 001 through 008, but they have plans of their own and take him along on their escape from the evil company seeking to dominate the world with cyborg super soldiers.
This was a good introduction to the major players and plot of good versus evil, adding a bit of emotion and motivation by way of Joe pursuing his life after his memories return. It sets up for a promising story, while paying homage to its source.
Bandette vol.1: Presto by Paul Tobin: Bandette is a fun, charming Robin Hood-esque criminal who is as much a bane to the police as to the criminals she sometimes helps them apprehend. Bandette is a cat burglar with a love for art and literature but her heart lies with her “urchins,” various groups of young people within the city whom she can summon to her aid as the perfect distractions. Everyone but the bad guys and the inspector she continuously foils loves Bandette, including the handsome Danny, whom she elegantly strings along.
This was a cute and campy read that continuously brought a smile to my face. Her banter was cute and I especially appreciated the technical pages at the end describing the process from word to image.
East of West vol.1: The Promise by Jonathan Hickman: The horsemen of the apocalypse are reborn only to find that one of their number is missing. Where oh where could Death be? Well, he’s busy wreaking unholy vengeance on those who wronged him of course! But this isn’t simply a tale of brutal violence. Death has a very valid purpose to his onslaught, and the revelation and the heights that revelation takes the story to is one of the amazing things about this graphic novel. Meanwhile, the remaining horsemen, in the form of very frightening children, are searching for him, and the Chosen are working to bring about the end of the world, as promised in The Message.
This is an alternate history that deviates ’round about the US civil war because of The Message and its contents. Initially, things are wonderfully unclear, with the mystery slowly teased out with some truly shocking reveals, none of which I could possibly expect. Needless to say, I am in definite need of more…
Mogsy’s Fall Reading List
Posted on September 26, 2013 Leave a Comment
Well, it’s been officially autumn for a few days now, and I’ve been stockpiling books to read for the next three months the way a squirrel would be hoarding nuts for the season.
Back in June I made a summer reading list for myself to keep track of my books, and I thought that was a decent success. No, really! It actually helped me stay on course and focus my reading, and I hit 25 of the 35 books I’d planned on tackling. Some titles I just didn’t manage to get to because my budget was totally blown, and of course there was also much adding to the list as I “leapfrogged” a whole lot of other books into the pile as well. But overall, I’d say a 70%+ completion rate of the original pile of books is awesome (and in case you can’t tell already with all these lists and number crunching, I’m a goal-oriented person with borderline obsessive-compulsive issues)!
This fall, there will be books I need to review which aren’t going to be included below, but I also want to take the coming few months to enjoy some personal reading. I have a lot of great books that I don’t want to wait for anymore! November is also going to be a light month for this blog due to my co-bloggers and I participating in NaNoWriMo, so I was not so ambitious with my list this time.
This is what my TBR looks like with the awesome ebooks, physical books, and audiobooks I’ve been saving up for the chilly months, with a good mix of authors, genres, both adult and YA, all of which I have on hand or available to borrow at the library. Who knows, maybe some of these would be of interest to you too. Like I said, I didn’t go overboard (um, that much) this time, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading all or most of these this season!
Book Review: Autumn Bones by Jacqueline Carey
Posted on September 25, 2013 Leave a Comment
Autumn Bones by Jacqueline Carey
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 2 of Agent of Hel
Publisher: Roc
Date of Publication: October 1, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: “Jacqueline Carey and Urban Fantasy? Yes, please!” Being a big fan of Ms. Carey’s epic Kushiel Universe, it didn’t take much convincing for me to dive into the first Agent of Hel novel when I found out she was working on this new UF series. And I was not disappointed; the first book called Dark Currents can stand on its own next to all of the great urban fantasy and paranormal titles I’ve ever read, and in many ways it even sets itself apart.
Now comes the sequel Autumn Bones, and in my opinion it is even better than the first. I loved returning to our half-demon protagonist Daisy Johanssen and revisiting her role as an agent of Hel, the Norse goddess who presides over an eldritch underworld located in the quaint Midwestern resort town of Pemkowet. As ever, Daisy is busy with her duties as the liaison between the local police department and the supernatural community, but at the moment her love life is proving even more complicated than keeping faeries, hobgoblins and vampires in line.
Thinking it would be nice to settle down into a normal relationship for once, Daisy is shocked when it turns out her new beau Sinclair Palmer is more than he seems. Descended from a long line of Obeah sorcerers, Sinclair has been keeping his past and his family a secret, but it all blows apart when his twin sister breezes into town bent on making her brother leave Pemkowet and come home to Jamaica with her. Emmeline Palmer badly wants Sinclair to take up his rightful role in their family, so badly that threatening Daisy and her beloved town is only the first step.
Apart from this main story line, there are also many other sub plots, and I like how something crazy is always happening in Daisy’s life but she juggles everything from supernatural disasters to personal dramas without missing a beat. Her half-demon background and the dire consequences that would result if she ever gave in to the temptation to claim her birthright is a constant worry that hangs above her head, but this aspect of Daisy is also a point of uniqueness about her and served as a main interest for me as a reader.
Strangely enough, though, while Daisy struggles hard every day not to fall prey to any of the seven deadly sins, the one vice she does not seem too concerned about is lust! Still, the potential suitors for Daisy are all equally fascinating, sexy, well-written and fun to read about, and there’s a powerful yet effective undercurrent of romance and sexual tension in this series which makes me think it would be an awesome choice for fans of paranormal romances. Even I was a bit addicted to this book, and I’m generally ambivalent towards romantic drama in my urban fantasy.
But of course, the best things about Jacqueline Carey’s books are her characters and world-building. I adore Daisy, who is wonderfully flawed and all too human, despite her dodgy demonic heritage. Her personality annoys me sometimes, but I also feel her naivete, inexperience, and the fact she’s prone to distraction and self-doubt only serve to emphasize her internal conflict to be a good person and stay on the right path. As well, she’s surrounded by a diverse cast of friends and family, making these books not just about her, but actually the whole living, breathing eldritch community in Hel’s domain and Pemkowet. Using a cozy little tourist town as a setting gives these books a whole different flavor than other series that take place in big cities, not to mention Carey has always been great at writing fantasy worlds, blending history, mythology, and eschatology (yes, I did as the book said and looked it up!) while doing it. Her unique take on the genre first impressed me in Dark Currents with the introduction of her version of ghouls, or the Outcast, and I’m happy to see her unconventional yet intriguing ideas continue in Autumn Bones.
A very enjoyable, fast-paced and action-filled read overall, and exactly what I’d been looking for when I picked this up. I think Jacqueline Carey is on the right track with this series, and I have a feeling she has a lot more planned for it just based on how much is already currently happening in these books. I thought pacing was an issue in the first book, but with this sequel I see her getting more into the urban fantasy rhythm of things, and I’m amazed at her versatility.
and world-building to urban fantasy in this fun, action-filled sequel”
Waiting On Wednesday 9/25/13
Posted on September 25, 2013 Leave a Comment
Something More Than Night by Ian Tregillis: December 3, 2013 (Tor Books)
Ian Tregillis first caught my attention with his masterful storytelling in the Milkweed Triptych, so now he’s got me interested in checking out everything else he does. This book’s description drew me in right away, it sounds so amazing!
“Something More Than Night is a Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler-inspired murder mystery set in Thomas Aquinas’s vision of Heaven. It’s a noir detective story starring fallen angels, the heavenly choir, nightclub stigmatics, a priest with a dirty secret, a femme fatale, and the Voice of God.
Somebody has murdered the angel Gabriel. Worse, the Jericho Trumpet has gone missing, putting Heaven on the brink of a truly cosmic crisis. But the twisty plot that unfolds from the murder investigation leads to something much bigger: a con job one billion years in the making.
Because this is no mere murder. A small band of angels has decided to break out of heaven, but they need a human patsy to make their plan work.
Much of the story is told from the point of view of Bayliss, a cynical fallen angel who has modeled himself on Philip Marlowe. The yarn he spins follows the progression of a Marlowe novel — the mysterious dame who needs his help, getting grilled by the bulls, finding a stiff, getting slipped a mickey
Angels and gunsels, dames with eyes like fire, and a grand maguffin, Something More Than Night is a murder mystery for the cosmos.”
Fearie Tales by various authors: October 24, 2013 (Jo Fletcher Books)
A beautiful cover by Alan Lee and fairy tales re-imagined by some of my favourite authors…
In 1884 Margaret Hunt’s translation of the Brothers Grimm’s Kinder- und Hausmärchen was published as Grimm’s Household Tales – and since that day those stories have inspired writers, artists, poets, songwriters, playwrights and movie-makers the world over.
Now, following in the grand tradition of the Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm, some of today’s finest fantasy and horror writers have created their own brand-new fairy tales – but with a decidedly darker twist.
Fearie Tales is a fantastical mix of spellbinding retellings of classic stories such as ‘Cinderella’, ‘Rapunzel’, ‘Hansel and Gretel’ and ‘Rumpelstiltskin’, amongst others, along with unsettling tales inspired by other childhood classics, all interspersed with the sources of their inspiration: the timeless stories first collected by the Brothers Grimm.
These modern masterpieces of the macabre by Neil Gaiman, Garth Nix, Ramsey Campbell, Joanne Harris, Markus Heitz, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Angela Slatter, Michael Marshall Smith and many others, are illuminated by Oscar-winning artist Alan Lee, who has also provided the magnificent cover painting.
But be warned: this stunning volume of frightening fables is definitely not suitable for children!
Book Review: The Scroll of Years by Chris Willrich
Posted on September 24, 2013 Leave a Comment
The Scroll of Years by Chris Willrich
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Gaunt and Bone
Publisher: Pyr
Date of Publication: September 24, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The Scroll of Years sees Chris Willrich taking his characters Persimmon Gaunt and Imago Bone into new territory, in more ways than one. To date, the pair of adventurers have appeared in a handful of short stories (and the first one is actually included in the back of this volume) but now the two of them are starring in their own full-length novel.
A dynamic dual and partners in crime, Gaunt and Bone are also lovers expecting their first child. Caught up in some trouble with Night Auditor assassins at the beginning of this book, the pair flee across the ocean to Qiangguo, a land very much inspired by ancient Imperial China. To protect themselves from enemies and other factions who already have designs on their unborn child, they will need all the help they can get, and allies apparently can come from the most unexpected of places.
There is much to be said about Chris Willrich’s ability to make me feel so connected to his main protagonists, since I have not read the short stories and The Scroll of Years is my first introduction to Gaunt and Bone. Already, the two are in love and starting a family, which offers a very interesting kind of dynamic you usually don’t find when picking up the first book of a series. It’s not often that one gets a chance to read a fantasy novel from the perspective of a couple of parents-to-be, after all.
Quite frankly, it gave me positive feelings towards this book and its main characters right away, especially since the emotional nuances are always so close to surface whenever Gaunt or Bone find themselves in a quandary. On a personal level, Persimmon Gaunt’s experiences as an expectant woman and then a new mother were humorous at times, and tugged at my heartstrings at others. Overall, these characters have a lot of depth and are just written so well.
The world in which the story takes place is also beautifully crafted, achieved without overt info-dumping. I have a great interest in Far East traditions, and to my delight the author has taken some Chinese myths and legends and incorporated them into this story, also creating some of his own at times to add to the richness of Qiangguo. Clearly, a lot of care was taken to blend fantasy, history, and his own research and knowledge, as evidenced by some of the stories and poetry found in this book, and even by simple things like the name given to this land of the Heavenwalls (“Qiang” meaning “Wall”, “Guo” meaning “Nation”).
The writing is also something I feel I have to remark upon, because the prose is definitely not of a typical style. Even so, this makes it no less beautiful or impressive in my eyes. It did take me a lot longer than expected to read this book, but only because Chris Willrich’s style was something I felt really needed to be taken in slowly and savored. Because a certain level of attention is required to do so, this might make The Scroll of Years a difficult book to get into, but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded by many subtle surprises in the writing. For example, I for one was not expecting much humor in this novel, but there were actually quite a few funny moments that came out of nowhere and made me laugh out loud.
All in all, I can safely say I cannot remember the last time I came across a book like this. Highly recommended for readers of fantasy who love a good action-adventure tale, especially those who might be on the lookout for something a bit different with an elegant and subtle touch.
Character Appreciation Post: Modesty Blaise
Posted on September 23, 2013 5 Comments
Who is Modesty Blaise?
After writing he-man type stories and squishy romances, Peter O’Donnell decided to write about a strong, resourceful woman and so, in 1963, Modesty Blaise was born. She began her career in British comic strips with art by Jim Holdaway, moving into novels and radio dramas and finally, some films that I’ll pretend never happened.
But who is she?
Before the age of about 12, she knew nothing, not even her name. An almost feral orphan wandering the Middle East, she crossed paths with a former professor, now a refugee, named Lob, who educated her and gave her the name “Modesty.” She named herself “Blaise” after the wizard who tutored Merlin. Lob soon died and Modesty was once again forced to survive on her own. Armed with knowledge and her fierce will, she became involved with a gang in Tangier run by Henri Louche, working her way to the top until she herself was in charge. “The Network” worked in various vices, but Modesty strictly forbade dealings in drugs and human trafficking. When The Network reached its pinnacle, the young woman married and divorced a British man, thus allowing her to retire comfortably in Britain, a place she had carefully avoided in her illegal dealings. But the sophisticated life of the aristocracy proved a bit boring for Modesty. And Sir Gerald Tarrant, senior official of the Special Intelligence Section of the British Foreign Office specializing in international espionage, was not about to leave her alone.
Why do I love her?
Modesty Blaise has been there from the beginning, modestly doing her thing. For me, she is the epitome of a sexy, independent, strong, confident woman who doesn’t need an anthem to proclaim any of that. Her personality is far more subtle. Modesty simply is who she is and has neither need nor desire to proclaim her strength and independence or prove anything to anyone. She is beautiful, and true to her name in spirit. She is deadly, brilliant, loyal, feminine, determined, and her mere presence commands respect without her ever having to say a word.
She is completely comfortable with her body and embraces her femininity and her sexuality, whether she is lounging post-coitus with a lover, posing nude for the blind sculptor examining the scars across her skin, or stepping topless into a room full of armed thugs, before taking them down with her Colt .32 and her kongo.
The Nailer.
O’Donnell decided that Modesty should have a sidekick named Willie Garvin. Don’t assume that this meant O’Donnell felt a woman required a man. When Modesty found Willie, he was a feral, broken creature. She saw the potential in him and raised him up to surpass it. He not only serves as her right hand man, but as her best friend. He fights by her side, encourages her interests, dresses her wounds. They can talk about anything and when no one else is around, he is the shoulder she can cry on when the stress of a caper has taken its toll. And the most beautiful part? Their relationship is platonic perfection:
“It’s refreshing to see the portrayal of different kind of close relationship and one that doesn’t interfere with the overall story (or become the overall story). Instead we just have two people who are fiercely loyal to each other kicking bad-guy arse.”
I have always admired Modesty Blaise. She is one of my idols; a woman who knows what she wants and doesn’t let her fears and weaknesses stand in the way of obtaining it. She is not perfect, and doesn’t try to be. But she manages to be so anyway.
As far as princesses go, she’s the one and only.
The BiblioSanctum 