The Great North Road begins as a police procedural, when the body of a rich clone is found in Newcastle. The investigation shows startling similaritie...moreThe Great North Road begins as a police procedural, when the body of a rich clone is found in Newcastle. The investigation shows startling similarities to a murder committed years earlier off world, leading to an exploratory expedition to find and neutralize a deadly alien.
Most of the story is told in parallel, with the police investigation switching back and forth with the alien expedition. Hamilton uses his two primary POV characters to lead us through their respective storylines. Sid Hurst is the lead detective investigating the murder in Newcastle. He’s a career cop, & while a bit flawed (it seems that the entire police department is on the take from someone), he’s a sympathetic character. Angela Tramelo is the POV character for the alien sequences. She’s a convict, found guilty of the earlier murders, who is released after the present day murder takes place. Her own story is one of privilege and betrayal, intrigue and revenge. I found it provided the most insight into Hamilton’s world, and yet Tramelo herself was decidedly less sympathetic than Hurst.
Somehow The Great North Road feels like much more than the sum of its parts. Don’t get me wrong, the parts themselves were enjoyable & well executed, if not the strongest examples of their type. The police procedural was a bit below Stross’ Halting State novels. The alien hunting expedition was often reminiscent of Predator. Still, the detail and thought of these storylines made for a compelling and very enjoyable read.
The Great North Road is a big book. Big in length as well as story. There are numerous flashbacks and subplots to be explored. But if you are willing to put in the work, you’ll find it to be one of the best SF reads of the year. (less)
One of the intriguing things about the early twentieth century is how the history of that time is just tantalizingly out of reach. Often we have only...moreOne of the intriguing things about the early twentieth century is how the history of that time is just tantalizingly out of reach. Often we have only oral histories to inform us, with sound or video documentation coming years later. For fans of American music, these tidbits can be quite tantalizing. How did the early bluesmen sound when they were playing a gig? What were their repertoires really like?
Tiger Rag spends a great deal of time fleshing out one of those mysteries. Buddy Bolden, by all accounts a seminal figure in the early development of jazz, died without ever recording. In the alternate world of Tiger Rag, Buddy did record – but the resulting cylinders were long lost.
Christopher uses two narratives to tell his story. One is set in the past, starting with Bolden’s recording session, & then following the cylinders through time. The other is set in the present day, as a dysfunctional mother and daughter take an impromptu road trip from Miami to New York. Unbeknownst to them, their own family history ties into the fate of the missing Bolden recording.
The strong point of Tiger Rag is Christopher’s ability to make the history of jazz become alive. Recording sessions, gigs, it feels real in a funky visceral sense. There are some bigger names that become tangentially involved in the story, but primarily we are dealing with those on the tangents – sidemen, siblings and spouses.
I was much less interested in the contemporary storyline. While both Devon and Ruby (her mother) were well developed characters, in such stark contrast to the highly entertaining figures in the past, they felt thin. While turn of the century New Orleans felt bold and alive, present day New York seemed pale and skeletal.
That being said, if you have an interest in traditional jazz, or New Orleans in the early twentieth century, you’ll enjoy Tiger Rag. (less)
Trapped is the fifth book of Hearne’s Iron Druid series. Twelve years have passed since the events of Tricked. Atticus is close to completing the trai...moreTrapped is the fifth book of Hearne’s Iron Druid series. Twelve years have passed since the events of Tricked. Atticus is close to completing the training and initiation of Granuaile when their plans are interrupted by debts and vendettas. I won’t go into specifics in order to avoid spoilers, but they travel to various gods’ realms and have to overcome a wide variety of enemies.
If you’ve been keeping up with the series, you’ll find all your favorite elements here: a fast moving plot, with plenty of action; hilarious banter with Atticus and Oberon; inventive characterizations of various deities and mythological figures. As Atticus faces various challenges and enemies, we realize that each situation is a result of his earlier actions. This was perhaps the most impressive part to me: Hearne’s tight plotting extended across multiple books, paying off here.
A more recent development, and most welcome, is the emergence of Granuaile as a more well-rounded character. In Trapped, she seems to come into her own, and is portrayed with quite a bit of agency. This works against the common trope of the assistant or love interest who is essentially one dimensional, there to enable exposition or admiration of the protagonist’s strengths.
If you are new to the Iron Druid series, I would not recommend starting here. So many plot elements depend on action from the previous books that you would be best served by starting at the beginning. For readers familiar with the series, Trapped shows that the Iron Druid series continues to improve. I’m excited to find out what adventures Atticus, Granuaile, and Oberon have next. (less)
The titular Red Knight leads a company of mercenaries who have been hired to find & kill a monster who is on the estate of a large Abbey. As their...moreThe titular Red Knight leads a company of mercenaries who have been hired to find & kill a monster who is on the estate of a large Abbey. As their monster hunt proceeds, they realize that the monster is just the first of many, and what looks to be a simple hunt & kill operation turns into a protracted siege, with the fate of the kingdom at stake. The Red Knight is a remarkable genre debut. Its melding of gritty historical background with magical elements will immediately draw comparisons to George RR Martin. Like Martin, Cameron uses a fictionalized medieval England as the setting for his larger fantastical tale. There is a large cast of characters, with many POVs.
What sets The Red Knight apart from the legion of Martin imitators? Several factors: first is the feeling of historical accuracy given to the equipment and combat sequences. Cameron is apparently a re-enactor, and his personal experience with the historical equipment comes through in his writing. He writes with full awareness of the physicality of the medieval armor & weaponry he discusses. He knows where something is going to chafe, and how your arms feel after swinging heavy weaponry.
The second factor would be his unique magical system. Without delving deeply into spoilers, magic users are divided into two groups; users of the light, representing civilization, and users of the green, representing the Wild. Additionally, he incorporates the ancient practice of memory palaces into the subjective experience of the magic practitioners.
Magic & weaponry aside, Cameron does a great job working with his large cast of characters. He develops distinctive voices for each of his POV characters. We see the mercenaries grow from little more than outlaws into a force fighting for something bigger than them. The fact that they are reluctant heroes makes their story all the more compelling.
Strangely enough, the strong historical spine to this novel may be its biggest drawback. Readers uninterested in medieval siege tactics, the composition of military groupings, or the logistics caravans may be somewhat alienated from a riveting story. Personally I found the detail fascinating and grounding in a fantastical story.
The Red Knight is highly recommended. It is one of the best fantasy debuts I’ve read in many many years. I am very much looking forward to continuing the series. (less)
By now you should know what to expect from the Bel Dame Apocrypha. Bugs. Blood. Betrayal. Success that feels more like failure.
In Rapture, former bel...moreBy now you should know what to expect from the Bel Dame Apocrypha. Bugs. Blood. Betrayal. Success that feels more like failure.
In Rapture, former bel dame Nyx is forced out of retirement in order to do one last job. This time, she has to retrieve a political leader & bring him back to Nasheen alive. As luck would have it, it happens to be someone she thought she had already killed. Her journey to retrieve this man takes her beyond the edges of civilization.
Hurley builds upon the strengths of her earlier novels. The world building, the characterizations, the tense action sequences are all here & even more developed than in the earlier novels. The main complaint about the earlier novels was the plotting. Here Hurley manages several seemingly unconnected storylines that ultimately join in to complete the story.
With the conclusion of the Bel Dame Apocrypha, Hurley may have written the best SF series of the new millennium. If one purpose of speculative fiction is to reflect and comment on present existence, few series tackle the problems of modern life in such an unflinching manner. Examining violence, religious intolerance, sexism and gender roles, and environmental collapse, Hurley deals with the significant issues of our time. (less)
The Forge of Darkness is the first book in the Kharkanas Trilogy. It is a prequel trilogy, taking place hundreds of thousands of years before the imme...moreThe Forge of Darkness is the first book in the Kharkanas Trilogy. It is a prequel trilogy, taking place hundreds of thousands of years before the immense Malazan Books of the Fallen. Its focus will be the splintering of the Tiste people—what happened and why.
Structurally, this seems to be a real change from how Erikson wrote all of the MBoF. In that series, even though there were continuing storylines, each book seemed to be more self-contained, with climaxes built into each volume. So, for example, we got the Chain of Dogs story, which climaxed and had resolution within a single volume, although there were characters and storylines which continued into subsequent volumes. The Forge of Darkness, however, is structured more like the first volume in a traditional fantasy series. When it climaxes, it is rather a setup for the next volume in the series. There is no resolution to the storylines found here; this is buildup to the larger storyline.
In many other ways, this is a typical Steven Erikson novel. There is a massive pool of characters, with revolving POVs from many of them. Even though it is set hundreds of thousands of years before the MBoF, there’s already lots of hazy backstory that we learn about through rumor and speculation. Characters are prone to rumination and philosophizing.
Many familiar characters appear here: Gothos, Draconus, Anomander Rake, Silchas Ruin, just to name a few. No, we don’t get POVs from any of these high level characters. That duty falls to numerous other friends, relations, vassals, etc who live and act around these familiar names.
If you’ve made your way through all 10 books of The Malazan Books of the Fallen, then absolutely you’ll want to read this. Most likely you are someone engaged with the complexities of Erikson’s world, and you are used to some of its more difficult aspects. There are so many under explained portions of his creation that there is more than enough room for prequels without falling into the many usual traps of that sort of thing.
If you are new to the Malazan world, should you start here? That probably would not be my recommendation. The Forge of Darkness is no less complex than any of the Malazan books which have preceded it. Without the perspectives of the Malazan soldiers, Erikson’s writing is more opaque than is perhaps usual. His Tiste perspectives given in this book are more detached, and archaic in their speech and manner. It’s an unusual choice, and one that makes it more difficult for new readers than the more modern manner of his Malazans. (less)
1880s Leadville, Colorado: Monster hunters come to a mining town to eliminate a threat. They find more monsters than they expect, and also find out se...more1880s Leadville, Colorado: Monster hunters come to a mining town to eliminate a threat. They find more monsters than they expect, and also find out secrets about themselves.
It’s difficult to summarize the plot of The Dead of Winter without leaping directly into spoiler territory. I think that’s a tribute to the tight plotting that Collins has done here. It’s a relatively small story, but one with serious ramifications for our protagonist.
Your enjoyment of The Dead of Winter will depend heavily on how you react to Cora Oglesby, the protagonist. She reminded me more than a bit of Calamity Jane from Deadwood: hard drinking, argumentative, struggling to be a woman in very nontraditional roles. While she’s clearly a flawed protagonist, she’s not one without a moral center, or one that is not sympathetic.
The world building in The Dead of Winter is rather limited, but that is in keeping with the relatively small scale of the story itself. We don’t know much of the larger world, of the history of the monsters, or any sort of backstory for them. Fortunately we are spared the “but monster X is just a legend” conversation. There’s a bit of disbelief, but it seems to relate more to the proximity of the monster rather than their existence per se. The comparison I would make is this: if someone were to tell me that alligators were in my local park, I wouldn’t be quick to believe them. Not because I don’t believe that alligators exist, but rather because I don’t think that they would be in that location.
But what about the monsters? You can rest easily, they’re not “sparkly”, and they aren’t just misunderstood. They’re predators of humans, who need to be put down. Collins reaches back to Native American mythology and Gothic literature to set the parameters for these killers.
Aside from some awkwardness early on, The Dead of Winter is remarkably tight and confident for a first novel. Collins has a great sense of what works, and focuses on his strengths. Apparently it is the first book in a projected series. I’m looking forward to reading Cora’s further adventures and finding out more about this world. (less)
When the Wylde family invites their father the marshal to live with them, they have no idea that they will be targeted by necromancers & undead ou...moreWhen the Wylde family invites their father the marshal to live with them, they have no idea that they will be targeted by necromancers & undead outlaws. Fortunately, it seems that the Wyldes have a few secrets of their own…
Portlandtown is a fast paced supernatural western. DeBorde does a great job playing with the mixture of horror and western tropes. We have evil outlaws, cursed guns, books of black magic, Native American magic, and some zombies for the kids. The action picks up quickly, & builds towards a climatic confrontation that was hard to put down.
If anything, the sheer number of characters and the pace of the action may work to this novel’s detriment. While all the characters are distinct, & have their own voices, I would have liked to see more development, particularly of our protagonists. Everyone seems to have some secrets, and only a few are revealed.
Somewhat problematic is the characterization of two minor characters, Andre & Naira. They seem at times to be filling the trope of the Magical Negro & the Magical Native American. However, since this is clearly the first book of a series, with many unanswered questions, I’m willing to wait & see how DeBorde develops these characters in following volumes.
Overall, I found Portlandtown to be an incredibly entertaining read. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the story. (less)
In the midst of their voyage, a troubled colony ship encounters a strange object, a bowl shaped structure half-enclosing a star, with a surface area m...moreIn the midst of their voyage, a troubled colony ship encounters a strange object, a bowl shaped structure half-enclosing a star, with a surface area many times that of the Earth. The ship’s crew decides to investigate, both out of curiosity & in hope of restocking their dwindling supplies. Of course the landing party encounters problems, with half being captured while the other half are hunted across the Bowl.
Early in their adventures, a group encounters a large animal emerging from water. Amazed, they realize they are viewing a dinosaur. In a nutshell, that’s my reaction to Bowl of Heaven. For better or worse, it reads much the same as a hard SF novel from 30 or 40 years ago.
The strength of the book is the artifact itself. An immense, self-propelled shipstar (yes, that is the phrase that is used) created from repurposing the mass of a solar system. Extensively modified, it is home of seemingly hundreds of species and ecosystems. Benford & Niven develop the Bowl in great detail and apparent scientific rigor. Fans of SF built around BDOs are sure to enjoy the descriptions.
Benford & Niven provide insight into the people and culture of the Bowl via the use of Memor, an Astronomer of the Folk, as a POV. Memor is tasked with observation and interaction with the captured colonists. We learn about the Folk as she contrasts the colonists with herself and her people.
Given the chase/escape plot of most of this book, the story zips right along. The colonists race from one danger to another, with their explorations providing an opportunity for the reader to discover and explore the strange world of the Bowl along with them. It’s a simple devise, but in this sort of novel, where the location itself is the primary interest, it works wonderfully . Unfortunately, while the object is so loving developed and described, the same cannot be said for our human protagonists. Their side of the story is told primarily through the POVs of 3 crewmembers, Captain Redwing, Cliff Kammash, & Beth Marble, both biologists. All three are little more than thinly constructed pieces of cardboard that function more as plot devices or as opportunities for exposition. Who are they? What are their motivations? By the end of the book they were just as enigmatic as they were at the beginning.
In fact, by the end of the book, I seemed to have as many questions as I did upon the start. Why were there no military or security personnel on the ship? Were all the colonists primarily technicians of one sort or another? Did they really expect to force their way into an alien artifact and not encounter any aliens? Shouldn’t someone have mentioned that at the staff meeting so that they could plan for it?
Your enjoyment of Bowl of Heaven is going to be directly related to how much you enjoy certain types of hard SF as written 30 years ago. Be forewarned, this is only the first half of a duology, with the second portion expected next year. (less)
How do you talk about life in a world that has fundamentally changed? That’s the challenge that faced Doctorow & Stross. Their solution is to prov...moreHow do you talk about life in a world that has fundamentally changed? That’s the challenge that faced Doctorow & Stross. Their solution is to provide us with a luddite protagonist, Huw, who is almost as much of an outsider as the reader. Much like Arthur Dent, Huw is propelled through a series of misadventures that provide Doctorow & Stross with the opportunity to riff on both the singularity and contemporary culture.
There’s a paradox at the heart of this book. While its tone is light and breezy, the density of the ideas presently can make for a challenging read. This book is absolutely not for everyone. Doctorow & Stross take potshots at every sacred cow within range (and they make sure that there are a lot of them), so if you’re a person who is easily offended, you won’t like this. Their prose is packed with allusion and references to a wide variety of topics. Again, this textual density is not something that everyone enjoys.
Why read it then? At its best, The Rapture of the Nerds allows two of the brightest minds in contemporary SF an opportunity to play in a huge sandbox. There are as many ideas on a single page as contained in most entire novels. If you like that sense of immersion in a world of fantastical ideas, you will enjoy the time you spend in this world. (less)
Will Oldham has a reputation for opting out of music industry promotional activities. He just doesn’t do the promotional circuit for each release, wit...moreWill Oldham has a reputation for opting out of music industry promotional activities. He just doesn’t do the promotional circuit for each release, with the obligatory interviews, television appearances, etc etc. That’s why it was a bit of a shock to discover this title.
Alan Licht (a friend and sometimes collaborator) sat down with Oldham for a series of interviews over the course of a week. This book is the result of those interview sessions. It reads less like a typical industry hagiography or personality profile, and more like rambling conversations between friends. That’s why it works.
Yes, the sort of information fans crave is in here: recording session information, discussion of song lyrics, influences, etc etc. But much of the fascinating material is the discussion that emerges at the margins: Oldham’s idiosyncratic views on the music industry, art, film, and how to balance the demands of the commercial and the artistic.
This is probably not for the uninitiated. No effort is made to bring readers up to speed. There are no references to reviews or any attempts to contextualize Oldham’s recording history. However, for those familiar with his catalog, it provides a fascinating glimpse into this idiosyncratic artist. (less)
For many readers a trip to an old fashioned bookstore is an opportunity to indulge in certain childhood fantasies. It is an opportunity to enter a wor...moreFor many readers a trip to an old fashioned bookstore is an opportunity to indulge in certain childhood fantasies. It is an opportunity to enter a world of wonder and opportunity, to find that book you’ve been searching for, or the one that you never knew that you desperately needed.
Shelf Life manages to capture that feeling. Originally published in 2002, it contains 15 short stories focusing on books and wondrous bookstores. Like a good collection of fairy tales, the stories themselves are sometimes comforting and sometimes dark and scary. Ketter has collected tales from top grade talent, including Gene Wolfe, Ramsey Campbell, Charles de Lint, and Harlan Ellison.
As with an anthology, you may find that some stories resonate with you more strongly than others. Personally, I felt that the weaker stories were entertaining at worst, and the best stories seem to have stayed with me. (less)
It’s hard to get a handle on the 33 1/3 series. Its rather free form structure means that you never know what to expect from any particular title. The...moreIt’s hard to get a handle on the 33 1/3 series. Its rather free form structure means that you never know what to expect from any particular title. The approaches range from detailed studio notes to memoir to more abstract critique. In my own experience, I’ve found that my relationship to the music itself bears little relation to my enjoyment of a particular title.
The Greatest Hits is a way around this problem. Volume 1 contains selections from each of the first 20 books in the series. (For a full list, consult the publisher’s website.) While the first 20 titles do skew a tad towards the classic rock canon, there are appearances by The Smiths, James Brown, Prince, ABBA, & Radiohead.
I enjoyed having samples of each of these titles. In some cases, I plan on reading the entire volume, while in others I know that a particular author’s approach simply isn’t for me. As with a buffet, the parts you prefer may be different from mine, but there’s sure to be something here to fill your belly. (less)
Clementine is a short novel that takes place in Priest’s Clockwork Century universe. Since these are all more shared worlds novels than continuing sto...moreClementine is a short novel that takes place in Priest’s Clockwork Century universe. Since these are all more shared worlds novels than continuing storylines, it is not necessary to have read the other novels in order to understand Clementine. That being said, the world building of the other novels does add to the enjoyment of this one.
Clementine is a lean, mean adventure novel. While there is a small supporting cast, Priest focuses on two main characters. Pirate Croggon Hainey is determined to get his airship back. He’s willing to undertake a violent cross-country chase if that’s what it takes. Belle Boyd, former Confederate spy turned Pinkerton agent, is assigned to stop him and make sure that the ship’s cargo arrives in Kentucky.
Priest’s narrow focus means that the short length of this novel does not work to its detriment. She develops the two protagonists and has plenty of room for their fast paced adventures. The plot moves swiftly, & is surprisingly compelling given its simplicity.
While not as significant as Priest’s other Clockwork Century novels, Clementine is an entertaining read and adds more depth & texture to the world she has created. (less)
The Constantine Affliction is wide tapestry of story elements: mystery, horror, Lovecraft, steampunk. It’s an examination of gender roles, of hubris &...moreThe Constantine Affliction is wide tapestry of story elements: mystery, horror, Lovecraft, steampunk. It’s an examination of gender roles, of hubris & technology, of Victorian literature and pulp entertainments. It’s also a whole lot of fun.
Gentleman detective Pembroke “Pimm” Halliday is invited to consult on a series of murders involving prostitutes. Simultaneously, reporter Ellie “E Skye” Skyler is investigating the clockwork women who are working as prostitutes in London. It turns out that the stories are intertwined, & they find themselves working to save the Throne.
Payton does an excellent job juggling a lot of characters and plot without ever sacrificing pace. We have a fairly large cast of characters, but they all feel distinct and consistent. Similarly, there are multiple disparate plots that all advance and seem solid. Somehow along the way he makes time for digressions on the fantastical technology of his Victorian London. (less)
Marius don Hellespont is a liar, thief, pickpocket, corpse robber. He’s not a nice man. He’s given the task of finding a king by the angry dead. This...moreMarius don Hellespont is a liar, thief, pickpocket, corpse robber. He’s not a nice man. He’s given the task of finding a king by the angry dead. This is his story as he tries to escape this quest and the curse that the dead have laid upon him.
The Corpse-Rat King is exciting, horrific, and at times hilarious. Battersby does an excellent job embracing both the horror elements inherent in the story as well as the turning this quest into a series of comic misadventures.
There’s a sense of fairytale logic to Marius’ story. We aren’t sure exactly what the dead do to Marius, or how it works. He can eat, but doesn’t seem to need to breathe. He doesn’t seem to decay, yet is recognized as one of the living dead by those to see him. He can communicate with the dead, but there’s no explanation of how or why this works.
Your reaction to Marius’ story may depend on what you look for in a protagonist. For me, it’s difficult when I don’t see any redeemable features to a character. Grey hats are fine, and often preferable, but they need to have a spark of “good” for me to be really interested. Marius just wasn’t compelling for me. I kept waiting for him to show some signs of personal growth through his troubles, but that moment never came. I realized that I didn’t care if he was tortured by the angry dead. (less)
In Spin the Sky, Stauber transforms the bones of the Odyssey into near space opera. Cesar Vaquero leaves home to fight in the Spacer War, only to spen...moreIn Spin the Sky, Stauber transforms the bones of the Odyssey into near space opera. Cesar Vaquero leaves home to fight in the Spacer War, only to spend 15 years wandering before returning home. His wife Penelope is running the family ranch and fending off suitors as best she can. Homer’s islands are now orbitals, each one stranger and potentially more deadly than the last.
A couple of things really stand out. First, the character development is excellent. While this book has a fairly large cast of characters, they feel fleshed out and developed. Minor characters feel more enigmatic than underdeveloped. There’s a sense of mystery with them (Asia, for example) where you’d love to see more of their own stories. Secondly, the universe of Spin the Sky is a fascinating place. The orbitals are diverse and wondrous places. Again, there’s a sense that other fantastic tales of this universe could be told.
***minor spoilers*** My major gripe is that a couple of plot points seemed forced, rather than to come naturally from the characters. Why exactly did Cesar have to travel for 15 years before he could return home? Why did the black hats need the Vaqueros’ cattle?
I’m no classics scholar, but I had a lot of fun making the connections between Cesar’s misadventures and those of brave Ulysses. (less)
In the midst of the Dark Ages, seven strangers are forced to work together to defend a village from an advancing army. Of course, since this is a DC c...moreIn the midst of the Dark Ages, seven strangers are forced to work together to defend a village from an advancing army. Of course, since this is a DC comic, & a supernatural one at that, the strangers are more than perhaps meets the eye. We have a demon, a sorceress, an amazon, an immortal, & several others who are more than normal humans.
Demon Knights gives Cornell an opportunity to play with a variety of comic & fantasy tropes. Our protagonists are more grey hats than white hats, each working for his or her own motivation, which are not necessarily for the greater good. The villains of the piece do not have the same subtlety. They are pure black hats, willing to pillage & kill for their own gain.
While not as grim or nihilistic as some modern age comics, Dark Knights does feature quite a bit of graphic violence. Our Dark Age protagonists do not have any Silver Age prohibitions about killing, & often this is depicted in graphic ways.
If one goal of the “New 52” was to make DC’s titles more accessible to new readers, then Demon Knights has succeeded admirably. Cornell balances information and mystery well, giving enough information to allow for characterization, yet allowing for questions yet to be answered. Additionally, as a standalone piece, this first volume works well as a complete story arc. (less)
The story begins simply enough. A man attends the funeral of his reclusive godfather. After the funeral, he meets a beautiful mysterious woman named J...moreThe story begins simply enough. A man attends the funeral of his reclusive godfather. After the funeral, he meets a beautiful mysterious woman named Jo. Jo saves his life, and he finds himself enmeshed in a decades long conflict that is clearly out of his league.
Brubaker uses flashbacks to tease out the backstory on Jo, Hank (the godfather), and this conflict. Slowly as the story progresses, we discover that the noir story becomes one of Lovecraftian horror instead.
Brubaker is widely acknowledged as a writer who is very skilled in the tropes of noir. That all comes to play here. The storyline is a classic, on par with James M Cain et al. What is perhaps surprising is his deft touch at the horror elements. While in this first installment the horror tropes are secondary to the noir, he works the horrific elements into the solid foundation of his everyday world.
Likewise Sean Phillips does an excellent job handling the art duties. The preponderance of the book look & feel appropriate for a hardboiled tale, yet he handles the creepy Lovecraftian horrors protruding into this world easily. The contrast makes the emerging horrific elements even more striking.
Since the overall story is as yet unfinished, it’s impossible to fully judge the plotting or storytelling. However, this first installment is compelling & leaves me eagerly awaiting the next volume. (less)
Yesterday’s Hero picks up where No Hero has left off. After saving the Earth from the Lovecraftian horrors of the first book, Arthur Wallace & the...moreYesterday’s Hero picks up where No Hero has left off. After saving the Earth from the Lovecraftian horrors of the first book, Arthur Wallace & the team from MI37 must now stop time travelers from the Soviet Union who are attempting to change the time stream in order to achieve Soviet supremacy.
If you haven’t yet read No Hero, that would be recommended before trying Yesterday’s Hero. Wood does very little to bring new readers up to speed. I think that you would probably be a bit lost.
It’s impossible to evaluate series titles without reference to the other books in the series. In this case, I have to feel that Yesterday’s Hero comes out rather poorly. While there were some issues with character development in No Hero, I felt that it was rather excusable considering that it was the first book in the series. Unfortunately, rather than delve more deeply into the characters already introduced, Wood introduces more than a few new characters. The effect is that now we have a large number of underdeveloped characters, rather than a deepening relationship with any of the characters in the series.
Additionally, the change in focus on the villains of the piece changed the tone considerably. While the Lovecraftian horrors of the first book provided a nice horror element, the Soviets of Yesterday’s Hero seemed rather toothless in comparison. In fact, the entire premise of the villains struck me as rather hilarious. I found myself wishing that Wood had played up the comical nature of this threat.
Still, many of the strengths of No Hero do carry over into this second title. The pacing was first rate, with action & intrigue propelling the reader through the story. The bureaucratic horrors of government work are further explored, and Wood does still provide the wit that was so charming in the No Hero. (less)
This is a fun romp through standard, if well used urban fantasy tropes. Police detective Arthur Wallace stumbles into a secret world of magic & Lo...moreThis is a fun romp through standard, if well used urban fantasy tropes. Police detective Arthur Wallace stumbles into a secret world of magic & Lovecraftian horror. He’s enlisted in the super-secret MI37, whose mission is to protect our reality. While all his fellow agents have special abilities or skills, he’s just a copper with a job to do.
The pacing is excellent, with intrigue and action propelling you along. There’s a generous dose of humor used to cut the action and horror.
While utterly entertaining, I found myself wishing that there was something a bit more original here. Tropes can be great fun, but when the roadmap is followed so closely, it is a bit disappointing. (less)
When superhero Steve Clarke (aka Reaver) is defeated by Octagon & his band of evil henchmen, rather than killing him on the spot, he is given two...moreWhen superhero Steve Clarke (aka Reaver) is defeated by Octagon & his band of evil henchmen, rather than killing him on the spot, he is given two weeks to live. We follow Steve as he attempts to complete his modest bucket list, which primarily consists of unfinished business from his life before he became a superhero.
Clarke’s world is clearly post Miller & Moore. The heroes are burdened by their abilities and the consequences of their actions. The villains are very very evil. There are less wacky bank jobs and more burning schoolchildren alive. Clarke himself is a big dumb lug of a hero. Thanks to the silver age origin story, he goes from being a sexually repressed teenager to a beefy guy who hits things.
The pacing and use of superhero tropes is excellent. Tobin’s use of flashbacks allows us to learn about the history of the Reaver. His encounters with other heroes and villains propel the story forward even as they flesh out the world.
Somewhat problematic is Tobin’s treatment of women and sexuality. Female characters are consistently underdeveloped, and over sexualized. And while I have not done a head count, the feeling is that more female characters are villainous than not. Some of this is attributable to the story being told from Clarke’s POV. He is after all, a superbro. Still, I would have liked to see more three dimensional characterization of some female characters (in particular Adele).
***slight spoiler*** The ending was wonderful. After wallowing in the grimgritty world of the Reaver, Tobin shows that the answer is to uphold classic heroic values. Why? Because the world needs the symbol of heroes, even if the reality does not truly match that symbol. Even if imperfect, I applaud the effort to meld a realistic tone with the idealism of past generations. (less)
Are you a fan of genre tropes? If so, this is a book that you will love. It loves steampunk tropes even more than you do. It wallows in them, rejoicin...moreAre you a fan of genre tropes? If so, this is a book that you will love. It loves steampunk tropes even more than you do. It wallows in them, rejoicing as it shouts “yes, may I have another!”
An odd couple work for a secretive government agency. They are battling a variety of evil secret organizations. Over the course of the book we have dirigibles, mad scientists, assassins, robots (& robot armies), orgies, duels, exotic weaponry, fantastical inventions, mysterious libraries, street urchins, asylums, & more!
At this point you may be thinking that this sounds like the most derivative thing you’ve ever heard of. It’s not. The reason is that these tropes haven’t been used because of laziness. They all are used in a fun knowing way (try to identify & count the references to Victorian or SF literature). It may not be the deepest novel you read this year, but by Jove, it’s fun. (less)
By now you should know what to expect from a Laundry novel. Bob gets called in to investigate a strange situation, it all goes horribly awry, & he...moreBy now you should know what to expect from a Laundry novel. Bob gets called in to investigate a strange situation, it all goes horribly awry, & he finds himself outnumbered and outgunned. And the fate of the world is on the line.
This time around, Bob goes to America to look into an “Evangelical” minister. One of those guys with a megachurch & whathaveyou. He’s there in a supervisory context, on loan to the Externals department (yeah, Bob hadn’t heard of those guys either). As you can probably guess, the minister is in fact trying to summon Lovecraftian horrors. And Bob & his “externals” have to stop the threat.
If you haven’t read any earlier Laundry novels, this is NOT the place to start. Stross doesn’t slow down to explain the workings of the Laundry universe or the Laundry itself. You will be confused & lost. It’s better to read the series from the beginning.
I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t spend much time with some of the usual supporting characters, but very much enjoyed the introduction of new characters. Hopefully they’ll be back, perhaps even with some spinoff stories of their own.
Given that the villain of the piece is nominally an Evangelical, I’m not surprised to see that there’s been a bit of a backlash to the discussion of religion in the book. Whatever Stross’ personal beliefs, he seemed to deal with religion in a way that is consistent with the rules of the Laundry universe. It is a dark, godless universe where the “One True Religion” exists to summon back Eldrich horrors. If you have personal problems with this Lovecraftian take on existence, then this probably isn’t the book for you. (less)
Existence is a big book. Not just in page count, though at 500+ pages, it certainly qualifies as a door stopper. But big in ideas, scope, and ambition...moreExistence is a big book. Not just in page count, though at 500+ pages, it certainly qualifies as a door stopper. But big in ideas, scope, and ambition. It was reportedly a decade or so in the making, and the work shows in the result.
The setup is quite simple. Later in the 21st century, a space garbage man stumbles across an alien artifact. The exact nature of this artifact and its ramifications are impossible to get into without major spoilers. Suffice it to say that this is the springboard that Brin uses to launch into examinations of space exploration, politics, information technology, genetics, and just about every other sort of scientific related issue that you can imagine. Both the amount and scope of the ideas examined in this novel were truly amazing. Almost every page was stuffed with more ideas than fit into an average SF novel.
Brin tackles head-on the current malaise and sense of stumbling into a dystopian future. In fact, this sense of pessimism and failure of ambition are called out to task as our ultimate dangers. His belief is that only a sense of optimism and continued forward progress can solve our current (and future) problems. We must find our strength in diversity and continue forward rather than meekly await some dismal future. (less)
Night of Knives is the first of Esslemont’s novels set in the Malazan universe, which he co-created with Steven Erikson. It is a much smaller novel th...moreNight of Knives is the first of Esslemont’s novels set in the Malazan universe, which he co-created with Steven Erikson. It is a much smaller novel than those of Erikson, using only 2 POV characters and all set within a 24 hour timeframe.
I found it impossible to judge this book entirely on its own merit, comparison to Erikson’s work seems to be inescapable. NoK is a much more modest novel, seeking more to fill in gaps than to extend the Malazan mythos. The events surrounding the Ascention of Shadowthrone & Cotillion have been alluded to in Erikson’s books, here ICE gives the reader the details (or in true Malazan fashion, one version of those details) of what happened. ICE’s approach is much more action oriented than what you may expect from a Malazan novel. In fact, it may be helpful to think of this as a sword & sorcery ancillary to the epic tales from the Malazan Book of the Fallen.
NoK functions well as a standalone novel. That being said, I would recommend that it be read by readers somewhat familiar with Erikson’s much longer series. ICE references concepts and characters from the Malazan universe without much explanation. My suspicion is that readers unfamiliar with these characters or concepts would quickly find themselves lost. (less)
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