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.
Book Review: A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway
Posted on September 23, 2013 Leave a Comment
A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Romance, Mystery
Series: Book 1 of The Baskerville Affair
Publisher: Del Rey
Date of Publication: September 24, 2013
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Part steampunk historical mystery and part fantasy paranormal romance, I was initially drawn to A Study in Silks for its setting as well as its description of the main character Evelina Cooper as being the niece of the great Sherlock Holmes.
Eveline, however, is not solely defined by her famous uncle, and I liked how Emma Jane Holloway has given her character an exceptional background with which to distinguish herself. Thanks to her Granny Holmes, Evelina was plucked from a childhood of growing up with a traveling circus to be dropped into a world of lords and ladies, and here she must learn to live a life caught between two worlds.
But Sherlock Holmes’ work has clearly also rubbed off on her, given how eagerly she aspires to follow in his footsteps. When a young servant girl is killed at the home of her best friend, Evelina does what she can for the investigation, going as far as to use her gift of the Blood, which allows her to communicate with minor spirits and recruit them to her aid.
At first glance, one would suppose there’s a lot happening in this novel. In fact, one of the most noticeable features of the paperback when it arrived was how remarkably hefty it was. Coming in at more than 500 pages, it’s much longer than I would have expected from a book of this genre and type, and my first assumption was that there would be a lot of world building.
In this, I suppose I was half correct. The setting is ambitious, definitely, in this world of steam barons, demons and devas, clockwork animals and automatons. A little too ambitious, maybe, seeing as I was left wishing more attention could have been given to both the steampunk and magical aspect, putting them in further context. I’d have loved to know more about the deva spirits, for example, beyond simply knowng that Evelina has the power to snare them in her mechanical toys and make them do her bidding.
The fact that A Study in Silks falls more heavily on the “paranormal romance” side of things might have something to do with this. Quite honestly, more emphasis in the story is given to providing juicy details about which character is fancying whom, rather than towards world building and setting up a murder mystery. In truth, if Sherlock Holmes were real he’d probably have a conniption fit over Evelina’s methods. While I love her character, I don’t actually think our heroine makes a good detective, as she often lets her emotional ties get in the way of her objectivity.
My take: The mystery plot spices it up well, but mainly check this book out if you like historical romance with a little fantasy thrown in, and extra bonus if you are a fan of delicious love triangles, which in itself provides a bit of suspense here. The book is definitely not without its merits, especially if you think you might enjoy the look into its elegant world of Victorian steampunk high society, complete with formal balls and debutantes.
Note: A Study in Silks was a book I won from a Goodreads giveaway.
Book Review: Star Wars: Razor’s Edge by Martha Wells
Posted on September 23, 2013 1 Comment
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Star Wars, Empire and Rebellion #1
Publisher: LucasBooks
Date of Publication: September 24, 2013
Author Info: www.marthawells.com
With thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey Spectra for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Speculation continues to fly as news and rumours permeate the internet about the new Star Wars trilogy. Meanwhile, the books and comics have suspiciously returned to the past. The Star Wars expanded universe is vaaaaaaast, yet, surprisingly, very little of it has explored the ins and outs around the original trilogy.
Razor’s Edge takes place shortly after A New Hope with the rebels in desperate need of a new secret base. Leaked information puts their attempt to set up on Hoth in peril, and we find Leia and Han in just such a situation at the beginning of the book when their ship is attacked by Imperials. But there is more to the aftermath of A New Hope that this book addresses: Remember that planet Darth Vader and Moff Tarkin blew up? Well that was Leia Organa’s home and she has taken its destruction entirely onto her own shoulders. And there happen to be other survivors who deal with the destruction of their world in various ways.
That isn’t to say this entire story is about Leia and the displaced Alderaanians going to PTSD meetings, but the weight of their loss remains a strong aspect of the story that the movies didn’t have time to address. Leia is more than irked when she discovers an Alderaanian ship has opted to go pirate rather than join the Alliance and is drawn into conflict with its captain, Metara.
With Leia as the focus, we are reminded of just how strong of a character she is. She is more than just a symbol to her people. She is a born leader and it’s implied that she sometimes has to fight harder with the higher ups to be allowed to lead as opposed to simply be the Alliance poster girl. Proving herself to them means all the more to a perfectionist who hates making mistakes. Her wisdom, intelligence, sense of responsibility, courage and stoicism sometimes make it difficult to remember that she’s barely into her twenties.
Wells introduces some interesting new species, something I expected after reading her world and culture building talents in The Cloud Roads. She also introduces several new characters, but they are not much more than plot devices – red shirts, if you will – who mostly serve as targets for Han’s snark. Even Luke, Chewie and the droids play only a minor role. This isn’t a bad thing though, with the focus so heavily on Leia and subsequently Han. These two are my original OTP so I was quite happy to spend all this time with them and enjoyed their attempts to not admit their mutual attraction.
Beyond or underlying all of the above is typical good old fashioned Star Wars adventure that should please fans.
YA Weekend Book Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee
Posted on September 22, 2013 2 Comments
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy
Series: Book 1 of Penryn and the End of Days
Publisher: Skyscape
Date of Publication: August 28, 2012
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I tend to go into young adult novels of this type with a fair amount of wariness and trepidation, so color me surprised when this turned out to be a book I really enjoyed. Then I discovered it was actually first released as a self-published indie, and that just completely floored me. I am beyond impressed.
Anyway, at first glance, I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. It’s got all the makings of a Young Adult, paranormal, post-apocalyptic-dystopian-type novel starring a teenage female protagonist narrating in the first person present tense, and of course, there’s always the promise of some romance. Though, I suppose there’s something to be said of its “End of Days” scenario with the invasion of warrior angels coming to destroy the world. Even early on, when I barely knew anything about this book, the subject was what made it stand out for me.
The book starts six weeks after the angels of the apocalypse have descended, demolishing civilization as we know it. Penryn carries the responsibility of taking care of her mother, who has schizophrenia, as well as her little sister Paige whose legs are paralyzed and she needs a wheelchair to get around. When an angel steals Paige and carries her off, Penryn will do anything to get her back, including allying herself with the enemy. She forms a tentative agreement with Raffe, a warrior angel whom she rescues after finding him bloodied and lying in the street, beaten and broken with his wings cut off.
I’ll admit that I started this book with a skeptical mindset, unconvinced it would win me over, even with all the great stuff being said about it. I love reading YA novels, but I also can’t help but hold them to a higher standard, mostly because the genre is so over-saturated and it takes a lot for one to really stand out for me. And at first, I found that I liked Penryn, liked the introduction of Raffe, and liked the direction of the story…but still nothing made me truly love it.
That changed somewhere along the way, and I don’t even know when it happened. Maybe it’s because at no point did I find this book boring; the plot is constantly driving forward, and even when there’s no action happening on the page, there’s still plenty of tension to keep you interested in the story.
Penryn, too, sets herself apart as a strong heroine, who takes the weight of the world upon her underfed shoulders. Having your troubled mother and disabled sister depend on you when the world is crumbling before your eyes can’t be easy, but she handles it with grace and maturity and none of the angst or dramatics. She’s quick-witted and thinks on her feet, even if her plans don’t always work out perfectly. My favorite scene is when she decks a chauvinist meathead for making lewd comments at her, with the expectation that potential allies would come to her aid, only to find herself fighting alone. But she ends up winning! Nice job, Penryn.
The climax and ending were also really well done. I’m amazed at how everything came together, since very often at this point of a book I will find myself spotting plot holes or picking apart illogical points in the story, ultimately just resigning myself to go with the flow. And yet, I really don’t recall doing a lot of that here, but maybe it’s because I was just so completely focused on the twists and surprising developments that I wasn’t concentrating on thinking about much else.
And finally, how I really know this book made an impression on me? The fact that as soon as I finished, I quickly went online to find the next book…only to discover it’s not coming out until November. Hey, well, something to look forward to.
Audiobook Review: Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey
Posted on September 21, 2013 Leave a Comment
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopia
Series: Silo #1 (collecting Wool #1-5)
Publisher: Broad Reach Publishing
Publication Date: January 2012
Author Info: www.hughhowey.com
Wool Omnibus is a collection of novellas that began as a short story that quietly became more popular than the author expected. Since then, Howey has followed through with further stories about the people of this distant, post-apocalyptic dystopia with Shift and finally, Dust. Initially available only in ebook format on Amazon, Wool is now available in print and audiobook, is part of Kindle Worlds and apparently has even been optioned for film. I’m sure some credit goes to Wool #1 being in the right place at the right time and a lot goes to the author’s excellent storytelling and character building. But overall, Wool should serve as motivation for all writers to get on out there and tell your story. You never know what might happen!
Wool begins with the resigned death walk of Sheriff Holston, who is heading outside the silo for “cleaning.” This is the punishment for all those who harbour thoughts of the outside. Ironically, cleaning takes place outside, meaning the criminals actually get their wish. Wrapped in suits that can only protect them from the harsh elements for so long, cleaners are tasked with cleaning the screens to the outside world, reminding everyone inside of its horrors and why no one should ever want to leave the safety of the silo.
I can see why this initial short story captured people’s attention. It is a compelling read filled with questions and emotions and a clear backstory that makes a reader demand more. Fortunately, listening to the complete omnibus meant I didn’t have to wait to meet the other people living within the silo and eventually learn the reason behind Holston’s punishment and that of his wife before him.
One of the really striking things about the Silo Saga is that, unlike many of the other post-apocalyptic stories that I’ve read, it takes place so far into the future that the people within the silo have no idea that there ever was a world outside of their home in the immense underground structure. I liked the way Howey made this evident through little things that we take for granted. Phrases such as “a bull in a China shop” hold immediate meaning for us now, but to the people of the silo, a bull is practically a mythical creature and a china shop would not exist at all. This is symptomatic of the ignorance that the people are kept in in order to protect them from the outside world and subsequently prevent uprisings. Inevitably, information will slip out here and there, and an idea will start to fester and grow.
Hoslton’s death leaves the position of sheriff open and in the next story, the mayor and deputy go on a mission to find the right candidate for the job. Jahns and Marnes are a lovely, elderly couple who are honest and good folk who care for their people and want to do their job well. I loved the way their journey through the many floors brings them closer together, while simultaneously introducing the intricate layers of the silo, complete with its politics, mechanical functions and the lives of the people who live there. Howey has a gift for character building, endearing important characters to you before moving on.
Following the selection of Juliette as the new sheriff, the story settles in with her as the main character as she susses out Holston’s mystery. This inevitably leads to trouble that dominates the rest of the series. Here the focus gradually moves away from the more personal character developments to deal with the new struggles. Other characters and their point of views are introduced, though I didn’t come to care for these characters as much as I did with the previously introduced ones.
By the end of Wool, a whole world is opened up, while the mystery of the past remains, enticing me to learn all there is to know through Shift and Dust.
Finally, In terms of the audiobook, Amanda Sayle did a reasonably good job, however, I had a hard time dealing with her male voices. Some were very annoying and did not do the particular characters justice.
The BiblioSanctum 