Ben Imura needs a job or his rations will be cut. Sadly, the only job available that doesn't completely suck is to work with his brother, zombie-kille...moreBen Imura needs a job or his rations will be cut. Sadly, the only job available that doesn't completely suck is to work with his brother, zombie-killer and "closure specialist," Tom. Tom seems pretty awesome, but due to childhood prejudice and adolescent arrogance, Ben hates his guts. Their trips into the Rot and Ruin start to change Ben's mind about his brother...and a lot of things. But when very human monsters threaten Ben's friends, will both brothers make it through the trial to come?
For a book that I tagged "horror" this is not very horrific. In fact, it's kind of the Tom Clancy novel of zombie books -- glibly action-oriented without a real emotional center to actually create tension. Ben's irrational hatred of Tom just doesn't ring true - and, since that is the main source of tension for the first half of the book, it kind of sets the tone. If, as a reader, you can accept the emotions of the characters just because the author tells you they are there, you'll love this book. If you can't, read "The Forest of Hands and Teeth."
Bridget Liu hears voices -- specifically, the voices of demons. With the help of Monsignor Renault, she can even banish them back to the netherworld....moreBridget Liu hears voices -- specifically, the voices of demons. With the help of Monsignor Renault, she can even banish them back to the netherworld. When a demon gives Bridget a message that seems to come from her murdered father -- "Don't trust the priest" -- it throws Bridget's life into turmoil. Her family, her friends, her new relationship and her very life are all at risk.
This book started out very well. The author is good at creating an atmosphere of tension balanced with adolescent angst. The details of Catholic stuff were alomst entirely un-wrong. But the end totally dragged an otherwise solid three-star book down into the twos. The emotions in the ending should be more intense -- yet they are completely flat, even though Bridget has made some really life-shattering discoveries! And also the completely random subplot in which one of Bridget's classmates ends up being of demonic lineage is a total wtf? moment. I can only shake my head and say "what might have been."
Recommended for fans of: Blue Exorcist The Ghost and the Goth The Demon's Lexicon(less)
After the Collapse civilization fell apart due to war and a virulent plague called P-11. In this bleak setting, Stephen has been traveling with his fa...moreAfter the Collapse civilization fell apart due to war and a virulent plague called P-11. In this bleak setting, Stephen has been traveling with his father and grandfather, scavenging useful items and trading them to surviving settlements -- trying to avoid slavers and bandits. When Stephen's grandfather dies and his father is terribly injured in an accident, he ends up being taken in by one of the settlements. Can he make a home there? Or will he light the fuse to tear the settlement apart?
At first this book came across as a far less depressing version of "The Road," which might have actually been pretty cool. But then it firmly rooted itself in the settlement and its stock cast of characters -- the Bible-quoting megalomaniac, the rebellious girl, the bland friend -- and my interest nose-dived. The book pays lip service to the tenuous uncertainty of a post-apocalyptic settlement -- but unlike "The Road" or "The Forest of Hands and Teeth," it doesn't really back that up with actual, narrative tension. Also, our protagonist, Stephen doesn't have enough of a personality to make me interested in what happens to him.
Recommended for fans of:
Rot & Ruin Tomorrow, When the War Began The Fire-Us Series (less)
When the Chinese forces pulled out of the Drowned Cities, Mahlia lost her mother and her right hand to the squabbling warlords. Now she lives in a vil...moreWhen the Chinese forces pulled out of the Drowned Cities, Mahlia lost her mother and her right hand to the squabbling warlords. Now she lives in a village with Mouse, her best friend, who saved her life, and Mafouz, the doctor who took her in and taught her medicine. There, they are safe, if not entirely accepted. One day, Mouse and Mahlia find an injured half-man in the jungle, a half-man, who, just by exisiting, will bring down a vengeful army on the village. Does Mahlia have what it takes to return to the Drowned Cities and save the boy who saved her?
What I love most about this book is how real it feels. A lot of dystopias suffer from fundamentally unrealistic premises, but The Drowned Cities, like Ship Breaker, really feels like it could happen --because what happens in this book; war, child soldiers, casual cruelty, and senseless violence; happens all over the world, all the time. I loved Mahlia as a protagonist. She is at once a very strong and a very flawed character, and both her flaws and her strengths are well-founded in her background and circumstances. Ocho, a child soldier and 'sargeant' who tries to balance his humanity with the harsh necessity of his situation, is also a great, well-executed character.
The one odd element in this story was Tool the half-man. His perspective was interesting, as an inhuman creature literally built for war, but I thought he was too much of a "noble savage." He was extremely articulate and philosophical for a dog/man/tiger/hyena who was made to rip people's arms off, and that stretched my credibility. Overall, though, this book is very exciting and has a great blend of action and heart.
Recommended for fans of: DMZ The Chaos Walking Series The Dark and Hollow Places Now Is the Time for Running(less)
Half of the time, Kali is a normal human girl, going to school, trying to stay off the radar, and navigating a very strained relationship with her fat...moreHalf of the time, Kali is a normal human girl, going to school, trying to stay off the radar, and navigating a very strained relationship with her father. But every other day, Kali becomes something more than human. She doesn't feel pain, or hunger, or fear. She can heal from incredible injuries. And she has a burning need to hunt the preternatural creatures that stalk the night. That all changes when she notices a mark on popular girl Bethany -- a mark that means she'll die if Kali doesn't do something. In helping Bethany, Kali opens herself up to friendship, romance, and the secrets of her past.
First of all, I'd like to give this book props for having a female person of color as a protagonist. I've been reading a lot about the diversity - or lack thereof - in genre fiction, and it's great to have an example of a fantasy with an Indian/American main character. As far as reimaginings of the vampire concept go, I think I like this one the best. Yes, imagining the government being okay with homicidal hellhounds and zombies roaming the streets is a little silly, but in the end the world-building made some kind of sense. (I'm trying desperately not to spoil!)
Overall, the characters were not very deep, but it was still fun to see them do their thing, especially Kali, who was remarkably angst-free for someone in her situation in a teen paranormal-romance book. Speaking of that, the romance was very understated, for the most part the involved characters didn't even see each other, and that worked just fine. I would have liked a bit more depth to the friendships, which were, after all, big motivators to this plot line. If shallow, this book is a fun, light, action-packed take on the paranormal/vampire genre that is worth picking up.
Recommended for fans of: Paranormalcy Buffy the Vampire Slayer(less)
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