Peter Grant could go grocery shopping and I'd want to read about it. The plot's not bad, but the 5 stars are primarily for style and enjoyment. I just...morePeter Grant could go grocery shopping and I'd want to read about it. The plot's not bad, but the 5 stars are primarily for style and enjoyment. I just love this series.
Oh, and excited that the US publisher has finally decided to go with the UK cover.(less)
About half-way through...I was under the impression that this book contained zombies, but now I'm not so sure. This book hasn't definitively gripped m...moreAbout half-way through...I was under the impression that this book contained zombies, but now I'm not so sure. This book hasn't definitively gripped me yet, but at the same time, I don't really want to put it down. An awkward beginning is giving away to an interesting slow burn of an apocalypse. Slow, but timely, given current events.
Written with a cheeky snarl that got a little tiring. I didn't relate to any of the characters all that much, but still found myself drawn to them and...moreWritten with a cheeky snarl that got a little tiring. I didn't relate to any of the characters all that much, but still found myself drawn to them and the story by the end. Will continue with the series.(less)
While apt, the teenage angst almost overwhelms. But to the novel's credit, the atmospheric setting is creepy, and I love the determined and idealistic...moreWhile apt, the teenage angst almost overwhelms. But to the novel's credit, the atmospheric setting is creepy, and I love the determined and idealistic female protagonist. (less)
I wish this book did not end. I warmed up a bit to Denna as well. Main criticism is that it suffers from Titanic syndrome; i.e., the past was much mor...moreI wish this book did not end. I warmed up a bit to Denna as well. Main criticism is that it suffers from Titanic syndrome; i.e., the past was much more interesting than the present. (less)
The cover art really didn't grab me—as much as the tough-chick thing is cliche, a woman hopelessly grabbing on to her gun-toting man didn't do much fo...moreThe cover art really didn't grab me—as much as the tough-chick thing is cliche, a woman hopelessly grabbing on to her gun-toting man didn't do much for me either. But thanks to the recent slew of good reviews, I finally decided to give this book a go. This was a tightly written science fiction adventure; I enjoyed it immensely.(less)
[Did not finish] Been awhile since I tried to read this book. Couldn't finish it due to what I thought was a terrible portrayal of women. Butchered th...more[Did not finish] Been awhile since I tried to read this book. Couldn't finish it due to what I thought was a terrible portrayal of women. Butchered the spirit behind Mrs. Dalloway.(less)
Wow. To think I almost put this book down at around 40% because of so many time/narrative shifts and my failure to understand the point of these back...moreWow. To think I almost put this book down at around 40% because of so many time/narrative shifts and my failure to understand the point of these back stories. Thank goodness some Goodreads reviewers advised to stick with the book, because, boy, did it pay off.
What an amazingly twisted, dark tale about a damaged soul. (less)
An amazing re-telling of the Cinderella tale...what if Cinderella (here, Ash) had no interest in a prince; no interest in a protective, mysterious, ha...moreAn amazing re-telling of the Cinderella tale...what if Cinderella (here, Ash) had no interest in a prince; no interest in a protective, mysterious, handsome fae; and instead, she found herself in love with the King's huntress? (Not a spoiler given the book description.) Ash's defiance of society's expectations is a bonus, but that's not her goal--her goal is simply to follow her heart. What a beautiful story. (less)
Moon Over Soho is the second book in Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant series, the first being Midnight Riot (U.S.) or Rivers of London (U.K.). In his first adventure, Peter Grant, a magic-wielding constable, investigated a series of crimes tied to the theater. This time around, in Moon Over Soho, Peter takes on jazz: When a part-time jazz musician drops dead from what seems like a heart attack, the jazz notes lingering on his corpse indicate a supernatural cause of death, requiring the investigative work of our charming Mr. Grant.
Read It Fast or Read It Slow I previously noted that Midnight Riot was a “fun and fast read,” but I must clarify. Both Peter Grant books are “fun and fast” thanks to the abundant humor, action, and adventure. But readers seeking something more will also find Aaronovitch’s attention to history, popular culture, geography, and science rewarding.
A Rich, Alternate London In a sense, all urban fantasy novels are alternate histories, exploring what our world would be like if magic, vampires, werewolves, etc. existed. Where other urban fantasy novels may decide to gloss over this alternate history aspect, Aaronovitch explores it to the series’s credit. For example, in the Peter Grant world, a certain past famous scientist wrote an entire treatise on magic. Contemporary scientists also have genetic theories as to why preternatural beings exist, such as the woman with the vagina dentata, whose victims bleed to death. And when Peter is asked to fix the damage caused by magic with more magic, he explains that doing so may be ineffective; i.e., you use balms and creams to heal a burn, not more fire.
In my review of Midnight Riot, I claimed there was little in common with the Harry Potter series (as noted by a cover blurb), except that Latin words were associated with the casting of spells. What that means for Peter Grant, though, is that he also actually has to study Latin. These small touches that ground the story in reality enhance the magical aspects in return.
A Charming Lead Anchoring all the magic, action, and science is Peter Grant, who provides a strong center for the series, aptly named in his honor. Unrefined as his humor may be (and as expected from a London constable), Peter is nevertheless that charming scoundrel you want not only to hang out with, but also to back you in dangerous situations.
Police Procedural with Insights Part of Aaronovitch’s attention to detail involves insight into forensic investigations, and should appeal to fans of police procedurals. Some examples:
I showed her my warrant card, and she stared at it in confusion. You get that about half the time, mainly because most members of the public have never seen a warrant card close up and have no idea what the hell it is.
“Would you like me to arrest you?” I asked. That’s an old police trick: If you just warn people they often just ignore you, but if you ask them a question then they have to think about it. Once they start to think about the consequences they almost always calm down, unless they’re drunk of course, or stoned, or aged between fourteen and twenty-one, or Glaswegian.
Why Should You Read This Book? Aaronovitch once half-jokingly touted Midnight Riot as a “book that [his family] called the best book ever written by anyone ever in the history of time.” Midnight Riot was a very strong start to the Peter Grant series, but I held back on rating it a full 5 stars in part because I wasn’t sure how the series would progress. While my praise for Moon Over Soho may fall short of the Aaronovitch family’s praise of Midnight Riot, Moon Over Soho cements the Peter Grant series as my favorite urban fantasy series. The humor, the world-building, the action, the magic, the mystery, the procedural—all are top-notch.(less)
A book I admired greatly, but did not love. I started this eagerly in response to the promise of literary steampunk. Very literary and very steampunk...moreA book I admired greatly, but did not love. I started this eagerly in response to the promise of literary steampunk. Very literary and very steampunk it certainly was, but it failed to grow a heart. It was like a Terry Gilliam movie without the boyish glee. Without that glee, the steampunk contraptions and the literary ponderings became more and more grotesque. And while likely intentionally grotesque, the intentionality didn't lessen the blow. But this was a carefully-constructed, well-written book. (less)
I won this book from Goodreads, and I'm very lucky to have won it! I'm not sure I've ever read a book that...moreI'll probably write a fuller review later...
I won this book from Goodreads, and I'm very lucky to have won it! I'm not sure I've ever read a book that was mostly set under the sea; I was completely entranced by the setting. This was the kind of book that almost made me wish there was no inciting incident, so that I could just learn about this world. But it's fun and fast-paced, and you get to learn plenty about the world as the story progresses. Great book!(less)
Some lady cut ahead of me in the library check-out line. This is not something I generally let happen without a few words, but I decided to open this...moreSome lady cut ahead of me in the library check-out line. This is not something I generally let happen without a few words, but I decided to open this book instead. Heck, within paragraphs I was hoping that the lady ahead of me would take longer, so that I could spend more time reading this book before having to drive home.
When I arrived home, I immediately devoured this book. It deals with difficult subject matter, but Onyesonwu, as the protagonist, was such a strong center--she was the one going through the tough times, and yet I felt she was the one calming me with her inner strength.
Things stalled a little during the final journey, but this was still one of the best books I've ever read.(less)
This book begins a great journey that is extremely brutal and laden with difficult choices and stances. I absolutely loved it, and it only gets better...moreThis book begins a great journey that is extremely brutal and laden with difficult choices and stances. I absolutely loved it, and it only gets better (for us, not the characters) in the next two books of the Chaos Walking trilogy.(less)
I don't even know how to begin describing how brilliant this series is. In terms of bringing up challenging ideas about war and terrorism, the first b...moreI don't even know how to begin describing how brilliant this series is. In terms of bringing up challenging ideas about war and terrorism, the first book in the series (The Knife of Never Letting Go) sort of starts out at the same level of Mockingjay, and the rest of the series improves and escalates from there. A must read. (Even though this is "young adult," I would not necessarily recommend to ages 16 and younger.) (less)
Horns is the second standalone novel from Joe Hill, also known for his dark and twisted graphic novel series Locke & Key. Horns follows Ignatius Perrish a.k.a. “Ig.” On the one-year anniversary of his girlfriend Merrin’s rape and murder, Ig finds that he has grown horns on his temples. The horns encourage people around him to uncontrollably confess and act upon their sinful thoughts. It’s not easy to live with people’s unfiltered opinions—after all, almost everyone in town thinks Ig killed Merrin, his childhood sweetheart and true love. But with this newfound power of suggestion, Ig can now conduct his own investigation and seek out Merrin’s killer.
An engrossing mystery Horns is a supernatural murder mystery, but it is also an emotional mystery in that people’s intentions unfold in many unexpected ways. We start the journey when Ig discovers his horns, but then we also go back in time to see how Ig and Merrin first met and later fell in love. We are also introduced to the people in Ig’s life, and when those people later start confessing their thoughts (thanks to Ig’s horns), we’re in for a hell of a ride.
Romance for the twisted Nothing about Ig and Merrin’s relationship is twisted, but Horns is the kind of book that really appeals to my romantic side in the vein of Twelve Monkeys—dark, gritty, but powered by love. Merrin was the one thing that Ig ever fought for; the rest of his life was unremarkable while Merrin was alive. Ig was devoted to Merrin, but he also let her down when she needed him the most. Horns is complicated—it challenges both the idea of a pure and true love and its disbelievers.
Challenging material For those with delicate sensibilities, there are a few later chapters told from the killer’s perspective, which is an extremely chilling point of view—powerful, but disturbing. I mentioned earlier that Merrin was raped and killed, and that scene gets a visceral first-person treatment.
As for those with delicate ideological sensibilities, Horns also throws out the idea that given all the bad and the evil in the world, the devil may bring more justice than God. Horns leads you to feel that revenge may be justified. But if revenge is the moral high ground, isn’t the devil a good guy?
I’m not providing these warnings to scare people away; rather, I hope that those who otherwise may be unpleasantly surprised with the subject matter be forewarned and approach Horns prepared. This is a book that begs to be read.
Why should you read this book? Horns is on the Locus recommended reading list as one of the best fantasy novels of the year 2010 for good reason—it’s entertaining and thought-provoking at the same time. Not only does Joe Hill have his father’s talent (his father is Stephen King), I’m hoping he will be just as—if not more—prolific.
(I received a review copy from the publisher.)(less)
After all these years, I'm still in love with zombies, and books like Feed help keep the love alive.
I loved the intricate post-post-apocalyptic world...moreAfter all these years, I'm still in love with zombies, and books like Feed help keep the love alive.
I loved the intricate post-post-apocalyptic world-building--very few zombie books seem to be set so far after the initial outbreak, so this was fresh. (I also loved the shout-out to the eccentrics in Berkeley; go Berkeley!) The technology wasn't as advanced as I'd peg 2040 tech to be, but then again rebuilding would have set things back. The explanations for the virus, the procedures that people go through--these were very well-researched, and I appreciated the attention to detail. Of course, I also loved the blogging angle.
I cared for the characters, but didn't really buy the whole conspiracy angle. The protagonists were smart and resourceful, but I could hardly believe that they were the only ones highly suspicious of certain events and willing to further investigate. The "villain," when revealed, was also cartoonish enough such that he/she/it did not fit in this otherwise grounded world. Given how insightful the novel could be about certain things, I was disappointed that the politicians and politics were not more fully developed, or at least more nuanced.
That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and would heartily recommend.
The Samaritan begins when Dale Sampson is in the sixth grade. Girls don’t talk to him. And when the school baseball star, Mack, decides to befriend Dale, Dale earns an air of mystique—but he remains luckless when it comes to the opposite sex. Later in high school, when Dale is about to graduate, when it seems he may finally win the girl of his dreams, those dreams are shattered.
So when he discovers that he can regenerate his body parts, he decides that if he can’t improve his own life, he’ll put his regenerative powers to save others—starting with the twin sister of his dream girl, the sister who married an abusive husband.
A strong, honest voice The Samaritan is written from the first-person perspective, and Dale lays out his life and feelings with such raw and brutal honesty that even if you don’t like him, you understand him, you trust him, you sympathize with him. So when Dale thinks the unthinkable, instead of believing him a villain, you instead see what dark thoughts can result from the hope of love after a long lack of human contact. And you forgive him because sometimes even your own mind can betray you. Forgiveness is more than Dale can grant himself, however, so he decides to seek redemption.
A difficult journey The Samaritan captures small town life—the friendships that grow from self-congratulation that end up holding together because of self-pity, the dreams that turn into hopelessness, the great beyond revealing itself as nothing more than another trapped existence. Then there’s life, of course, that pitcher who won’t stop throwing curve balls. As much as Dale knows he’s never going to be normal, he keeps striving to be special on his own terms. But life has other plans.
A story about human connections For a loner like Dale, his supernatural power is the only thread connecting him to others. As he exploits this connection, he manages to distance himself even further. His journey, which consists of effort after effort to claw his way back from the dark pit of guilt and despair, is a fascinating and powerful one, but it is not for the faint of heart—I must warn readers that this book does contain a violent rape scene.
Why should you read this book? This is an extremely strong debut, and with Venturini’s insights into human nature and smart writing style, it’s easy to see why the budding Blank Slate Press chose Venturini as one of its flagship authors. Who knows how many books it will take for Venturini to garner the attention he deserves, but why not say you knew him when? Pick up a copy of The Samaritan and find out for yourself.
Benni received a review copy courtesy of Blank Slate Press and TLC Book Tours.(less)
Vegas Knights is a standalone novel, described on the cover as “Ocean’s Eleven meets Harry Potter as two student wizards try to scam a Vegas casino…using magic!” Harry Potter is the go-to cover blurb shorthand for wizardry nowadays, and while in Vegas Knights we follow students of magic, the similarities to Harry Potter end there. Vegas Knights reads more like a supernatural Bringing Down the House.
The aforementioned students of magic, Jackson and Bill, are earning secret degrees in magic studies (publicly titled “trans-quantum postulating”) at University of Michigan’s Residential College. The boys are interested in putting their studies to practical use, however, and decide to spend spring break in Vegas. Since they have magical powers that can alter the faces of cards, they plan on winning big at card games. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t pay enough attention in their Magical Logic 101 class, where they should have learned that (1) if they have magic powers, so must others, and (2) if they can bet on anything, it’s that other wizards must have dreamed up the same get-rich-quick schemes. When they learn these lessons the hard way, Jackson and Bill will have to figure out how to escape Sin City alive.
Fast-paced action The action sequences in Vegas Knights put to shame even the highest-budgeted action movies. Where directors need millions of dollars in special effects and stunts, Forbeck uses language to much greater effect. Forbeck, rather than plucking words from the dictionary like the rest of us, forms his language from distilling the most potent shots of adrenaline. I have held my breath before; I have felt my heartbeat rise before; but never have I physically shaken from the rush generated from the action contained in a book until I read Vegas Knights. When the Author’s Note at the end of the book mentioned that Forbeck once tried to develop this concept as a movie, the only surprising fact was that he never got far.
Never-ending excitement Even when the action stops, the excitement never abates. I enjoyed the Mojo Poker showdown, and even yearned to have my own copy of Mojo Poker: The Game and the Rules. Without spoiling too much, Vegas Knights pleasantly surprises with its incorporation of real life magic lore and figures, as well as gaming references.
Little character development Just as you don’t walk into the theater expecting in-depth character development from The Fast and the Furious, don’t expect too much character development in Vegas Knights. The characters are a little one-note—for example, Jackson is the hero whose powers are greater than he could have imagined, and Bill is the sidekick who gets distracted by the glitz and the glamor. The emotions rely more on paradigmatic relationships—that is, we can relate to a mother loving her son without much explanation—than the author’s careful construction. But this is a book where the story and the action take the front seat—and what story and action they are!
Why should you read this book? If you’re craving a fast-paced action adventure, skip a movie and grab a copy of Vegas Knights instead. If you don’t mind characters that never break their archetypal molds, you’ll savor the magic rocket ride that is Vegas Knights and its action in spades. This is popcorn fantasy at its best.
Benni received a review copy of this book courtesy of Angry Robot.(less)
This review contains minor spoilers for the previous volumes in The Iron Fey series.
The Iron Queen is the third book in Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey series. Having previously defeated Virus, one of the false Iron King’s minions, Meghan Chase is called back to NeverNever to finish off the false Iron King himself. Even though iron can be deadly to both Summer and Winter fey, Queen Mab, leader of the Unseelie (Winter) Court, has figured out a way to craft protective amulets for Ash, Puck, and Grimalkin, so that these trusty companions can aid Meghan in her quest.
A slow start Meghan mostly relies on her wit in the first two books to defeat her enemies, but in The Iron Queen, she decides to train physically and magically. While interesting, the training spans the first one-third of the book, and there’s something off-putting about extensive training scenes for a protagonist so late in the series. Additionally, once the adventure begins, The Iron Queen never quite matches the momentum of the first two books, even though it features one of the largest battle scenes yet. Further, as discussed below, the fun quotient drops as the characters argue amongst themselves.
Can’t we all just get along? Despite Meghan’s efforts in the first two books, NeverNever is still in danger. This plight and the explosive tension built up from the love triangle inevitably lead to high stress. But the characters seem particularly impatient with each other, becoming unreasonably angered by any slight. Meghan is angry at Puck for lying to her, even though Meghan should know that Puck’s actions actually resulted in the best situation possible. Ash is angry at Meghan for saying things that are offensive to a fey, even though Ash should know that Meghan is actually looking out for him. Meghan is angry at Grimalkin for providing the ingredients for the amulets, even though Meghan should know that no trust was betrayed and the amulets are essential for her consorts. Meghan even yells at a gremlin for failing to follow an order, right before discovering that the gremlin actually did follow her order. While NeverNever remains as magical as ever, Meghan’s moodiness affected my enjoyment of this book.
Creepy old men I understand that both Puck and Ash love Meghan, even though both are much, much older than she is. Puck’s age did not bother me in the past, since he’s a trickster who will always be young at heart. Ash’s age also did not bother me, since no matter how old he gets, he’s still always seen as the youngest son. But as the plot progresses and the romantic relationships grow more serious in The Iron Daughter, I find myself bothered by the age differences. Perhaps this struck me when Puck revealed that he has always been in love with Meghan (who is only seventeen), which necessarily implies he was in love with her even at an elementary-school age. Or this may have struck me when Ash delved into additional detail about his long, long past. Whatever it was, I definitely felt a slight increase in the “ick” factor. To Kagawa’s credit, however, she’s got a strong enough handle on the prose and the story to overcome any obstacle.
Why should you read this book? While this review emphasized my qualms, I nevertheless enjoyed reading The Iron Queen and spending time with characters I loved, even if they were crankier. Also, we’re given a preview for book four, The Iron Knight, told from Ash’s point of view; if the preview is any indication, The Iron Knight is not to be missed. To prepare for the next installment in this imaginative series, you’ll have to read The Iron Queen.
Benni received a review copy courtesy of Harlequin Teen.(less)
This review contains very minor spoilers for The Iron King, Book #1 in The Iron Fey series.
The Iron Daughter is the second book in Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey series. For centuries, the Seelie (Summer) Court and the Unseelie (Winter) Court have maintained an uneasy alliance to avoid costly wars. As part of a treaty, during each human year, both courts get a chance to hold the Scepter of the Seasons, the source of power in the fairyland, NeverNever. But when the Iron Fey steal the scepter from the Winter Court and frame the Summer Court, it’s up to our heroine Meghan Chase to retrieve the scepter, set the record straight, and keep the tenuous Winter-Summer truce from collapsing.
Less focused than the first book Even though there is a clear quest to retrieve the scepter, The Iron Daughter seems less focused than the first book in the series, The Iron King. The characters embark in more side journeys, meet more characters, and get further acquainted with minor characters from the first book. The side journeys are enjoyable, as are all the new supporting characters: Leanesidhe, who takes in various half-feys; Ironhorse, who now swears allegiance to Meghan; and Virus, a formidable foe who works for the false Iron king. As enjoyable as these side journeys and characters are, NeverNever is already a saturated world, and for the first time in the series, we see a glimpse of how there can be too much of a good thing. It is still much preferable to not enough, however, and The Iron Daughter remains an exciting adventure.
A love triangle resolved too soon Even though both Puck and Ash get a chance to woo Meghan, by the middle of The Iron Daughter, it seems obvious who has won Meghan’s heart for good. There’s no point in drawing out a love triangle for the sake of drama, but I still felt this decision came a little too soon in the series. Well, okay, I admit I may just be a little upset that Meghan made the wrong choice. If I sound like a petulant fangirl, that’s what The Iron Fey series can do to you; it’s so lovable that you cannot help but become invested in all the characters and the relationships.
Can I get my heart back? No, I’m not talking about either Puck or Ash. Instead, I’m referring to Grimalkin, the cat-like cait sith who has cemented his spot in my heart as the best sidekick ever (though he would be very upset to hear me refer to him as a sidekick). He disappears and reappears at critical junctures, provides solutions to obstacles, and prevents characters from kissing too much. And when asked how he does what he does, he answers simply: “I’m a cat.” He’s absolutely purr-fect, even for a dog lover like me.
Why should you read this book? Despite some minor shortcomings in The Iron Daughter, The Iron Fey is still one of the best young adult fantasy series out there, and Kagawa one of the best storytellers.(less)
The Iron King is the first book in Julie Kagawa’s The Iron Fey series. The Iron King follows Meghan Chase, a perfectly ordinary high school teenager, who just wants some attention from the cutest guy in school, Scott Waldron. Unfortunately for Meghan, she’s just a poor farm girl, and the only two people who acknowledge her existence are her four-year-old half-brother Ethan and her neighbor and best friend, Robbie Goodfell.
As Meghan turns sixteen, however, she discovers that she is half-fey; she is the daughter of Oberon, King of the Seelie (or Summer) Court. When faeries kidnap Ethan and replace him with a vicious changeling, Meghan is forced to venture into the fairy-land of NeverNever to rescue him.
Tribute to everything fantastic The Iron King draws on many sources. The Seelie court is loosely based on characters from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Oberon is king, Titania is queen, and Meghan’s best friend Robbie is actually Robin “Puck” Goodfellow, trickster and knave to Oberon. The closet entrance to NeverNever is reminiscent of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and Grimalkin the cait sith is a mysterious and unconventially-helpful guide like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. Since NeverNever is fueled by human imagination, it makes sense that everything is at once fantastic but familiar. And now that human lives are so dominated by technology, these new technological fantasies have spawned a new power—the Iron King. Even though combining all of these eclectic elements may sound hodgepodge, Kagawa blends this all together seamlessly and in the process creates her own unique world inspired by a love of all things fantastic.
Team Puck v. Team Ash Somehow in the first three paragraphs above, I managed to leave out a major love interest, the youngest prince of the Unseelie (or Winter) Court, Prince Ash. Both Ash and Puck vie for Meghan’s love, setting up the biggest showdown since Edward and Jacob fought over Bella in the Twilight series. This setup may be tired in the hands of a less capable author, but Kagawa has the uncanny ability to infuse clichés with freshness. I suspect I may be rooting for the losing team, but both love interests possess enough winning qualities to keep fangirls on both sides swooning.
Effortless read Kagawa writes in a breezy style that keeps the reader turning the pages. Though some may find this book to be a fast read, everyone will get a lot of entertainment in return. The Iron King has a strong storyline accompanied by a compelling cast of characters, lead and supporting alike.
Why should you read this book? The Iron King is an exceptionally well-written book that deserves the kind of attention showered upon Twilight. Twilight fans will definitely enjoy The Iron King—but so will the Twilight detractors! Kagawa’s love for fantasy really shines through the obligatory teenage angst, and she covers the spectrum from genuinely scary moments to fairy-land fun, making The Iron King a delightful romp for the readers.(less)
Zoo City is a standalone novel set in a fictional Johannesburg, South Africa. In Zoo City, if you commit a felonious sin, the Undertow comes for you and marks you with first an animal companion that serves as a manifestation of your sin, and second a supernatural talent. Both the animal and the talent are called “mashavi.” The sinners are called “aposymbiots,” and are relegated to living in a slum known as Zoo City.
Zinzi December is an aposymbiot: her animal is a sloth named Sloth, and her talent is tracking lost things. While she prefers not to track lost persons, money is tight. So when she’s offered a sizeable sum for locating a missing young pop star, she accepts. Zinzi finds out, however, that with big money comes big risk.
Great dialogue Zoo City captures a textured, living world, where even the minor characters are vivid. In part, this is due to great dialogue—not the kind of highly stylistic dialogue where everyone sounds clever or cool, à la Elmore Leonard, but one that lends a verisimilitude to this breathing world. Each person sounds distinct enough to convey his or her personality, yet similar enough to constitute communities. Zoo City is written in the first person from the perspective of the articulate Zinzi. Zinzi’s observations and the rhythms of the dialogue together serve as the heartbeat of Zoo City.
World building through literature I also enjoyed glimpses into this world via its literature. Between certain chapters, we are presented with excerpts of writing: Zinzi’s 419 scam e-mails (if I ever got such eloquently written scam e-mails, I’d probably frame them), interviews with aposymbiotic prisoners (including one whose mashavi is a butterfly suggestive of Chuang-Tzu’s butterfly), and movie reviews of a documentary featuring the first known aposymbiot, a film student turned warlord whose animal was a penguin and talent was psychic torture. I really liked this approach to world-building; it educates and entertains.
Unique fantasy Even though the mashavi animals are partly reminiscent of Philip Pullman’s daemons from His Dark Materials trilogy, Beukes’s version is highly original. The animals are in part an embarrassment as a mark of sin, but there are also those humans who adopt real animals for “street cred.” For the aposymbiots who don’t get to choose their animals, however, life can be difficult if your animal is perceived as wimpy. As the Butterfly prisoner explains, “Don’t matter what you did, you got a bad-ass animal in here, you’re a bad-ass too. And it don’t matter how many people you killed, you got a Chipmunk or a Squirrel, you’re gonna be a bitch. Way it is.”
Why should you read this book? Zoo City is one of the most original and captivating books I have read; I was hooked in five pages. Zinzi is also one of my all-time favorite heroines—she’s spunky, difficult, articulate, emotional, tough, intelligent, and repentant. If you don’t read Zoo City, you’re missing out on one of the best modern books in and outside the fantasy genre.(less)
The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood is the first in the Vampire Assassin Trilogy, set in an alternate history Venice circa 1407. Since the city ruler, Duke Marco IV, is a simpleton and figurehead, the Duke’s Uncle, Prince Alonzo, rules in his stead. Alonzo’s ambitions, in turn, are tempered by the schemes of the Duke’s widowed mother, Duchess Alexa. The book opens as the Duke’s young cousin, Lady Giulietta, runs away from home, trying to escape an arranged marriage to the elderly King Janus of Cyprus. Atilo, the Duke’s chief assassin, retrieves Giulietta and saves her from the werewolves roaming the night.
Before she is wed, however, Giulietta vanishes again. This time, retrieving Giulietta proves difficult; the only fruitful find proves to be a boy chained and bound to a ship. This boy, Tycho, possesses superhuman strength and speed, feeds on blood, and reviles the sunlight. Atilo immediately recruits Tycho as an assassin-in-training who will aid in the search for the missing girl.
Misleading cover The cover for The Fallen Blade is beautiful but somewhat misleading. Tycho looks clean and well-dressed. He stands tall, resembling the love child of Edward Cullen and the Vampire Lestat, redone in 1407 Venice style. But The Fallen Blade is gritty, dirty, and coarse. Not even the noblewomen in this book are so pristine as to escape the visceral reaction of soiling their underpants when the situation calls for it. Think Underworld’s vampire-werewolf rivalry meets The Tudors’ political intrigue—then toss in all the dirt and grime from The Road and Children of Men.
Revitalizing the vampire genre Just as Batman Begins revitalized the Batman franchise, Grimwood revitalizes the vampire genre with The Fallen Blade. As Tycho adjusts to the year 1407, he realizes that his last memory is from one century earlier. Because he may very well be history’s first vampire, he has no idea what he is, nor how he became that way. He has help developing his assassin skills, but he has no mentor to decipher his vampiric abilities. While it may be obvious to the reader what Tycho is, the lack of vampiric precedence in this world makes us question some of our preconceived notions about vampires and sets the stage for fresh parameters to be further defined by the next two books. Since the werewolves are not examined in detail this time around, I also hope that the next two books will reveal the inner workings of the Wolf Brothers, who in this book are led by the German Prince Leopold.
The only minor complaint I have with The Fallen Blade is that while stylishly written, the prose can sometimes be downright dense, leading me to reread passages where I’ve lost track of the speaker, the setting, or both.
Why should you read this book? Grimwood is a wizard who brings this world alive. Not only will you walk through 1407 Venice, you’ll smell the urine on the streets, taste the salt water in the air, rock along with the boats, and roam across the rooftops. That all this is done while an intriguing fantasy storyline unfolds is nothing less than impressive.
Benni received a review copy of this book courtesy of Orbit.(less)
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