Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 135

February 7, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog!

My torrid reading year continues apace…

Red Dirt Girl by C.A. Lupton

It’s the late postgenomic era and the loss of habitable landmass has led to severe limits on human birth. In the drive for species perfection, fewer and fewer can breed, and the long-simmering tension between the reproductive ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is coming to the boil.

A young woman’s body is found, and Detective Cooper-Clark (Coop to his friends) thinks it a routine case: yet another victim of the ‘red-dirt cocktail’ of drugs, disease and despair. But when he discovers the female had recently miscarried an illegal pregnancy, the case turns anything but routine.

Convinced the lost baby is the key to the murder, Coop finds himself sucked into the dirty waters of state-sponsored eugenics and to the heart of an existential struggle for control over human reproduction.

My thoughts: This sci-fi noir novel sets up a murder mystery in a dystopian near future where human genetic modification is used to curb population growth and bio-engineer perfection. When the body of a young woman is found, detective Cooper-Clark begins an investigation that reveals some troubling secrets about his ordered community. The author creates an interesting world not all that removed from our own, setting up an intriguing puzzle whose missing pieces end up casting a light on various suspects as well as where we may be headed as a society. There are some interesting twists in the narrative, but I didn’t find the characters engaging enough to make an emotional investment in their varied stories. A good book. Just simply not one that stands out amongst 2022’s many offerings.

3/5

***

Tantalus Depths by Evan Graham

Mary Ketch signed on to the deep space survey mission to Tantalus 13 to get some time and distance between her and her problems at home. It was supposed to be a simple piloting job to help an artificially intelligent, self-constructing factory called SCARAB build a mining base on a barren rock.

That all flew out the airlock when that barren rock turned out to have a solid sheet of pure platinum from pole to pole just under its surface: platinum just a bit too pure and uniform to be natural.What first seemed to be a big pay bonus soon becomes the greatest discovery in human history as Tantalus 13 is revealed not to be a planet at all, but a titanic artificial construct of unknown purpose. However the crew’s sense of achievement dwindles as crewmen begin to experience violent and fatal “accidents,” and Mary suspects the guilty party may be the increasingly deranged SCARAB. But SCARAB may not be acting alone, and Tantalus has only begun to reveal the secrets that lie in its depths…

My thoughts: It’s Ringworld meets Alien by way of 2001: A Space Odyssey in this engrossing novel about a mission to an A.I.-constructed mining base that ends up holding much more than expected. It’s a fantastic set up that builds beautifully as the team discovers that the world they have landed on is composed of pure platinum, and then that beneath the surface of this prized rock lies a dangerous extraterrestrial life form. It becomes clear early on that the A.I., SCARAB may not be wholly trustworthy which is a problem considering its ability to monitor all communications and its operational control over a bevy of killer drones. Following a deadly accident during a deep dive exploration, crew members begin to drop and our protagonist, pilot Mary Ketch, must face off against a formidable opponent who could pose a threat to Earth itself.

I was totally on board for most of this novel and absolutely loved it’s hard sci-fi elements and creeping sense of foreboding throughout that early goings. I was hoping we’d delve more into the backstories and personalities of the crew but, outside of our protagonist, Mary, we don’t really get to know any of them. As a result, their deaths don’t really land with much of an emotional impact. Finally, the ending, doesn’t do justice to the superbly constructed opening, shifting from clever SF mystery to more of an action-driven finale. And while that’s not to say it can’t work, Alien being a perfect example, there are two instances where our protagonist manages to escape free and clear only to make highly dubious decisions that serve no purpose other than to set up a more decisive showdown.

I’d give the first three-quarters of this book 5 stars, while the last crucial quarter gets a 3.

4/5

***

And Then I Woke Up by Malcolm Devlin

In a world reeling from an unusual plague, monsters lurk in the streets while terrified survivors arm themselves and roam the countryside in packs. Or perhaps something very different is happening. When a disease affects how reality is perceived, it’s hard to be certain of anything…

Spence is one of the “cured” living at the Ironside rehabilitation facility. Haunted by guilt, he refuses to face the changed world until a new inmate challenges him to help her find her old crew. But if he can’t tell the truth from the lies, how will he know if he has earned the redemption he dreams of? How will he know he hasn’t just made things worse?

My thoughts: Unreliable narrators tell the story of a near future where their fellow citizens are transformed into flesh-eating creatures. OR their fellow citizens are stricken by a disease that makes them imagine others are being transformed into flesh-eating creatures, prompting them to kill these imaginary monsters. There’s an underlying message here about the divisions in our world and how the absolute certainties of our beliefs can rob us of empathy and understanding, and in that respect, this short read is very successful. But from a pure story standpoint, it’s confusing and ultimately frustrating as some of the book’s bigger questions remain unanswered.

3/5

***

The Villa by Clare Boyd

Two weeks in a stunning villa in the South of France was supposed to heal the rifts in this fractured family. Flaky croissants and rich black coffee every morning before long days by the sparkling pool. Balmy candlelit dinners once the kids have gone to bed.

But Nora is shaking as she gathers her family around the large oak table on the terrace at the front of the villa. Her two daughters eye her suspiciously as she tops up her wine and clears her throat to speak. But when she opens her mouth, the secret Nora came here to tell won’t come out…

My thoughts: A family gathers at a villa in the South of France. There, the mother plans to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from her two adult daughters. But, it turns out, it’s not the only secret that will be revealed in his somewhat soapy tale. We’re heavy on the melodrama as mother, Nora, does an absolutely terrible job as matriarch, making some truly questionable decisions that end up driving a wedge between her and her daughters. They also rob the character of some much-needed sympathy especially in the late goings as developments that should pull on the heart-strings feel more firmly unfortunate than sad. Clearly, I’m not the audience for “sentimental fiction” (although the genre has pleasantly surprised me in the past) but, on the other hand, I think that even this book’s target audience might find it a underwhelming.

3/5

***

My Annihilation by Fuminori Nakamura

Turn this page, and you may forfeit your entire life.

With My Annihilation, Fuminori Nakamura, master of literary noir, has constructed a puzzle box of a narrative in the form of a confessional diary that implicates its reader in a heinous crime.

Delving relentlessly into the darkest corners of human consciousness, My Annihilation interrogates the unspeakable thoughts all humans share that can be monstrous when brought to life, revealing with disturbing honesty the psychological motives of a killer.

My thought: My second unreliable in as many days headlines this confusing Japanese thriller that is, at times, a little Memento, at other times, a little Shutter Island, and still at other times a little like that old Fritz Freleng cartoon where Bugs Bunny hypnotizes Elmer Fudd into believing he’s a rabbit. The characters are very surface and secondary as the focus is on the narrative sleight of hand that keeps the reader guessing. There’s an interesting twist or two, but they’re predicated on at least one coincidence that makes the whole feel contrived rather than dramatically satisfying.

3/5

***

The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks

England, 1364: When married off at aged twelve to an elderly farmer, brazen redheaded Eleanor quickly realizes it won’t matter what she says or does, God is not on her side–or any poor woman’s for that matter. But then again, Eleanor was born under the joint signs of Venus and Mars, making her both a lover and a fighter.

Aided by a head for business (and a surprisingly kind husband), Eleanor manages to turn her first marriage into success, and she rises through society from a cast-off farm girl to a woman of fortune who becomes a trusted friend of the social-climbing poet Geoffrey Chaucer. But more marriages follow–some happy, some not–several pilgrimages, many lovers, murder, mayhem, and many turns of fortune’s wheel as Eleanor pursues the one thing that all women want: control of their own lives.

My thoughts: A feminist retelling of Chaucer’s Wife of Bath’s Tale follows the life of the titular character, from adolescence to old age, through the Black Plague, the Peasants Revolt, and five husbands. Our heroine is an endearing protagonist, whip-smart and determined in the face of enormous obstacles She’s a woman who struggles to make the best of the bad hand dealt her by a male-dominated 14th century society. Yet despite the odds, she enjoys several victories, big and small. The author does not shy away from the more controversial aspects of the original tale, choosing to address issues like child marriage and domestic abuse, and passing harsh judgment on their reality. Despite the rather somber subject matter, the book has plenty of humor, which makes for an immensely entertaining read, at least until the late goings when things take a dark turn following the death of one of the book’s best characters. After that, the story, robbed of the core relationship that propelled the early narrative, loses momentum enroute to a somewhat drawn-out conclusion. Overall, a little too long, but a pretty fine read nonetheless.

4/5

***

The Latinist by Mark Prins

Tessa Templeton has thrived at Oxford University under the tutelage and praise of esteemed classics professor Christopher Eccles. And now, his support is the one thing she can rely on: her job search has yielded nothing, and her devotion to her work has just cost her her boyfriend, Ben. Yet shortly before her thesis defense, Tessa learns that Chris has sabotaged her career—and realizes their relationship is not at all what she believed.

Driven by what he mistakes as love for Tessa, Chris has ensured that no other institution will offer her a position, keeping her at Oxford with him. His tactics grow more invasive as he determines to prove he has her best interests at heart. Meanwhile, Tessa scrambles to undo the damage—and in the process makes a startling discovery about an obscure second-century Latin poet that could launch her into academic stardom, finally freeing her from Chris’s influence.

My thoughts: Tessa Templeton is completing her Doctorate in Philosophy and is looking forward to a bright future – but it all comes undone on the heels of a terrible letter of recommendation written by her mentor, Professor Christopher Eccles. He has apparently sabotaged her career in order to keep her close. She confronts him. He denies. She digs and finds proof. He admits it. Then the bulk of the novel sees Tessa going off to explore an anthropological find while Chris deals with his ailing mother. The narrative is dense and academic and, at times, tough slogging. Chris, as a character, vacillates from detestable to pathetic while Tessa’s behavior is at erratic and baffling. I understand this is a retelling of the Daphne and Apollo myth and that, in itself, is a little baffling given my familiarity with the Greek legend and the way this story plays out. Not exactly a page-turner although it has its moments. Maybe something for fans of scholarly thrillers.

3/5

***

So, what have you been reading?

The post February 7, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

February 6, 2022: Suji Sunday!

Back in 2016, when we adopted Suji, she came with a wheelchair.  Either due to a spine issue, hip dysplasia, or muscular atrophy (or, more likely, a combination of all three), she was unable to walk and got around by dragging her self around on the strength of her front legs.  In time, we got her walking again – first with the help of a sling and then, after plenty of laser, hydrotherapy and massage, on her own.  She was wobbly but determined.  A half block stroll became one.  Then one became two.  And, before we knew it, that wheelchair was a thing of the past as Suji became a pretty damn good walker – not exactly, but quick or her feet whenever in pursuit of any dogs she felt had slighted her.  Over the past couple of months or so, however, she has slowed down.  First, it was a gimpy left hindquarter, that had her veering to the right whenever we went out, thus earning her the nickname Tokyo Drift.  She tired out quicker and was suddenly more vulnerable to those dreaded leg cramps she used to do get when we first adopted her.  Then, a couple of days ago, she stopped walking completely.  Akemi suspects this may have been the result of a recent wipeout on an icy patch during a recent outing, one that possibly sprained her right front paw.  I do notice that she seems uncomfortable putting weight on it and, since her front legs were always stronger than her rear quarters, shifting the weight off her weak paws doesn’t appear to be an option.  There are no strong paws.  And so, hopeful that this is just a temporary setback, we are giving her the opportunity to rest up her paw, not demanding too much from her outside of the occasional assisted carpet run – down the elevators and back – just to keep those muscles spry.  Regular massages and in-home exercises are also twice daily activities she doesn’t seem to mind = but, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to love either.  Hopefully, this time next week, she’ll be on the road to recovery and trying to stumble after other dogs once again.

Knocking back bonito flakes…

Tumeric, egg membrane, and mussel soup.  Good for her joints!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hi. I'm Sujiすじ子 (@newoldpugsuji)

Egg yolk.  Good for her belly!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hi. I'm Sujiすじ子 (@newoldpugsuji)

And the reward after a long day of exercising…

 

The post February 6, 2022: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

February 5, 2022: Meanwhile on the home front…

The post February 5, 2022: Meanwhile on the home front… appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

Showrunning 101!

You’ve just landed your first showrunning gig.  Congratulations!  It’s no doubt both an exciting and foreboding time.  But regardless of how well-prepared you think you are let me assure you of this – you will make mistakes, you’ll learn a lot, and you’ll have a great time doing it.

Now before you embark on your epic journey, allow me to offer a few words of wisdom distilled from my own experience.  You may already have a somewhat different game plan in mind and, of course, your mileage may vary.  Still, maybe there’s something here that may prove useful in helping you navigate these uncharted waters.

PREP YOUR WRITERS’ ROOM

The first, and perhaps most controversial, piece of advice I’ll offer is to prep your writers’ room.  Take two weeks before you and your team are scheduled to assemble and come up with your creative game plan.  What will that first episode cover (in the unlikely event you don’t have that pilot), how will your first season end and how will it set up season 2?  What are your narrative arcs?  What are the major plot points and character beats you want to see realized over the course of those 10, 13 or 22 episodes?  Things can change once the spinning begins, but I find it’s always incredibly helpful to have a plan going in.  Heading into Dark Matter’s first season, I had the entire 13 episode arc mapped out in my head complete with individual story ideas.  Admittedly, a bit extreme – but it did result in our breaking all thirteen of those episodes over the course of a three week span.  On Utopia Falls, series creator RT Thorne and I got together and spent two weeks hashing out a fairly concise vision for that first season, crafting a narrative framework our writers were subsequently able to build upon.

FOSTER A POSITIVE WRITERS’ ROOM

Yes, I know it seems obvious, but I feel the need to state this because I’ve heard stories of toxic rooms.  For some, this may be their first show and they may be apprehensive and initially reluctant to share their ideas.  Help them out.  Create a supportive atmosphere.  Make everyone feel welcome.  Invite dissenting opinions.  Have fun.  And don’t overwork your team.  I remember reading that, On Everyone Loves Raymond, the room rarely worked late because the showrunner of the family comedy wanted to ensure the writers got back home at a reasonable hour so that they could spend time with THEIR families.  Again, your circumstances and schedule may vary, but from my experience, keeping things positive and your writers well-rested has always proven a creatively rewarding strategy.

PRODUCE ON THE PAGE (aka WATCH YOUR STRIP COUNT)

By producing on the page, I mean that you should be writing to your budget.  Back on Stargate, nothing killed a freelance pitch faster than an unproducable script.  And nothing bogs down prep – and frustrates a showrunner – like a script that has to be reworked because it doesn’t board, forcing you to trim pages or lose those brilliant scenes because your inspired first draft would require an extra day of shooting the production can’t afford.  Make the most of what you have.  Get your money’s worth by writing to your standing sets.  Excessive strips are the bane of every First A.D. striving to build a schedule.  Set a scene in one location – and that’s a strip.  Move to another another location -and there’s another strip.  Change locations again – and you’ve got another strip.  Aim for a lower scene count to minimize time-consuming moves.

THE MORE PRODUCTION-READY SCRIPTS, THE BETTER

Have as many production-ready scripts as possible when you go TO camera because the production machine is relentless and will chew through those scripts faster than you realize.  On Dark Matter and Utopia Falls, I had most of my scripts done before the commencement of principal photography.  On Stargate, we always had at least a third of our 20-episode order scripted before Day 1.  Don’t be that showrunner prepping off a cocktail napkin or pulling an all-nighter so that your director has something to shoot the next day.  Trust me, absolutely no one on the crew will be enamored of this shoot-from-the-hip eleventh hour approach.  A well-prepared production is a smooth-running production.

IDENTIFY THE SPIRIT OF THE NOTE

You’ll receive notes from your broadcaster and your producer.  Most, of course, will be brilliant and change the script for the better.  A few, however, will leave you bewildered and convinced they will actually make the script worse.  Faced with situations like this, my former partner writing partner would always advise me to “Look for the spirit of the note”.  In other words, suss out the issue is at the heart of the note.  Identify the problem and come up with an alternate solution that will hopefully address the executive’s concern while also  preserving your vision of the scene or intent of the dialogue.

DELEGATE

Hire the best people, then trust them to do their jobs. As a showrunner, you’ll be involved in every facet of production, from casting to costumes, props to visual effects, but you need to resist the temptation to micro-manage.  It’s a mistake a lot of newbies make that ends up thoroughly exhausting them and, ultimately, hurting the end product.

HIRE A GREAT LIEUTENANT

Once production begins, you’ll have your hands full attending prep meetings and rewriting scripts.  As much as you”d love to go to set, your other commitments will make this next to impossible.  And that’s why you need to have a great lieutenant, someone who will be your eyes and ears on set while you’re locked away in your office furiously rewriting away.  This individual should be someone who was there from the beginning, in the writers’ room with you – someone who knows the scripts and what the director will need to get: specific shots, moments big and small.  On both Dark Matter and Utopia Falls, Ivon Bartok was that guy for me, ensuring I got what I needed so that when I sat down in the editing suite, there were no surprises.

DO YOUR READ-THROUGH’S AND KEEP AN OPEN OFFICE

Some showrunners will tell you they like to do read-through’s to find out what works and what doesn’t in a script.  I mean, sure.  There’s that.  But the reason I like read-throughs is because they ensure: a) everyone reads the script and b) any problems are flagged early rather than on the day they’re shooting.  a) may seem like utter nonsense, but having worked with someone who only read and studied their own dialogue, often resulting in odd deliveries completely detached from the spoken ebb and flow of the other characters, I can tell you better safe than sorry.  As for b) – your days are packed and the last thing you need is a long drawn-out debate over character motivation or dialogue.  The second to last thing you need is to come up with a script change to address any concerns while the crew impatiently awaits.

Actor Roger Cross was always great about dropping by my office on the heels of every read-through for a discuss about his character.  Other cast members took a few days to process the script and then reached out, always well before production, giving me plenty of time to address their concerns.  They always knew my office was open if they ever wanted to discuss.

LTS

In my first season on Stargate, we were spitballing possible guest stars for an upcoming episode.  When I suggested one actor, showrunner Brad Wright replied: “LTS”.  LTS, I discovered, stood for Life’s Too Short.  Specifically, Life’s Too Short to work with assholes.  Nothing deflates cast and crew morale like a toxic entity on set.  Do your due diligence.  Ask around.  Find out what this individual you’re about to hire was like to work with on previous projects.  And, in the unfortunate event a problematic personality manages to slip through, deal withthemt immediately.  A nice, honest talk in your office to let them know you won’t stand for it.  Protect your cast and crew!

GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

Congratulations.  You’ve produced a series.  But you didn’t do it alone.  A LOT of people helped.  Let them know you appreciate them.  Let the public know you appreciate them and their incredible work.

***

And that’s it, more or less.  Good luck with your new show.

And let me know if you need someone to write that mid-season two-partner.

The post Showrunning 101! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

February 3, 2022: My Lunar New Year Celebrations!

Lunar New Year’s Eve feast compliments of Chef Eva Chin in collaboration with Avling Kitchen (via Dr. BlackJack).  BC wild stripe shrimp toast, turnip cake, lo her rolls with root befits, wontons in bone broth (My favorite!), eight treasure congee, ling cod, roast duck, lunar rice cake, and sweet malted barley tonic.

For dessert: Kyoto Matcha Yuzu Cake from Bloom Cafe.

Then, for Lunar New Year’s Day lunch, we went to Lai Wah Heen for Peking duck.

Two courses.  Crispy skin with green onion, cucumber, and hoisin.

And duck meat in lettuce wraps.

And of course, what would dim sum be without chicken feet?

Recent purchase.  Despite the fact that Akemi has threatened to throw away all of my expired hot sauces, I picked up a few more.  According to Akemi, I can’t open them until I finish the bottles in the fridge…but how’s she gonna know?

We went to our local liquor store in search of sake only to discover nothing outside of a local brand.  Supply chain issues, no doubt.  Rather than go home empty-handed, I picked up these two bottles.  I’ve had the Basil Hayden before.  An excellent bourbon.  This will be my first armagnac.

So, how did you all celebrate?

The post February 3, 2022: My Lunar New Year Celebrations! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

February 2, 2022: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Nita Hawes’ Nightmare Blog #4 – cover art by Jason Shawn Alexander

The Marvels #8 – cover art by Alex Ross

One-Star Squadron #3 – cover art by Steve Lieber

Vengeance of Vampirella #25 – cover art by Ben Oliver

Sandman Book 5 – cover art by Michael William Kaluta

So, which were YOUR favorites?

The post February 2, 2022: Amazing Covers! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

February 1, 2022: Burger Bang Bang Bang!

Yesterday, I met up with my old friend John Stead – director, stunt coordinator, and hunter of bears.  We’d planned to meet up for a long overdue lunch, but it being the first day of the post-lockdown era (for now), I wasn’t sure which restaurants would be doing indoor dining.  So I suggested we meet in Kensington Market at the corner of Nassau and Augusta, steps away from three different burger joints.  We could just walk over and see what was open.  As it turned out – all three.  We started at Top Gun Burger where we both went with the Bobcat (beef patty, fresh onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles and top gun aioli).

“Wow. This is a really good burger,”said. John after his first bite.  And he was right.  I, as always, especially appreciated the crispy end bits.

Once we were done, I suggested we could do a Bang Bang.  A Bang Bang is a term coined by Louis C.K. that refers to the act of having two dinners.  Enjoy a meal at one restaurant, then head over to another for a second meal.  Yes, like a hobbit.  It’s usually dinner, but I’m sure lunches still apply.  John was game so we headed over to another military-themed burger joint – Burgernator.  Service here was effusively friendly and all around exceptional.  We did the Commander Burger (all beef patty, cheddar cheese, Burgernator sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickles).

John took a bite and marveled: “Wow.  This is a great burger too.”  It was!

Once we were done, I asked him: “Still hungry.”  “No,”he said, perhaps owing to the chocolate shake he’d ordered.  “You?”he asked.

To be honest, I wasn’t super hungry, but I could pass up the opportunity at my first Burger Bang Bang Bang.  And so, shortly after, we found ourselves at Ozzy’s Burgers where I ordered the Cheeseburger (beef patty, Canadian cheddar, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and Ozzy’s special sauce).

Although he wasn’t hungry, that didn’t stop John from snapping out his trusty hunting knife and cutting himself a piece.  “Wow, this is a totally different taste,”he remarked after the first bite.  “But also really good.”  And he was right.  It was!

It was great to see John.  You can catch his most recent directing and stunt coordinating work on the latest season of Pretty Hard Cases.

Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebrate – like Akemi and I who are doing so with the assistance of our friend Dr. Blackjack!

Kung Her Fat Choy!

The post February 1, 2022: Burger Bang Bang Bang! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

January 31, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog!

What I read this week…

Seasonal Work by Laura Lippman

The award-winning master of psychological suspense is in top form in this collection of diverse and diabolically clever stories.

In the never-before-published “Just One More,” a married couple–longing for that old romantic spark–creates a playful diversion that comes with unexpected consequences.

Lippman’s beloved Baltimore PI Tess Monaghan keeps a watchful eye on a criminally resourceful single father in “Seasonal Work,” while her mother, Judith, realizes that the life of “The Everyday Housewife” is an excellent cover for all kinds of secrets.

In “Slow Burner,” a husband’s secret cell phone proves to be a dicey temptation for a suspicious wife.

A father’s hidden past piques the curiosity of a young snoop in “The Last of Sheila-Locke Holmes.”

Plus seven other brilliantly crafted stories of deception, murder, dangerous games, and love gone wrong–irrefutable evidence that Laura Lippman’s riveting fiction will more than satisfy any crime reader.

My thoughts: I very much enjoyed Laura Lippman’s Sunburn, so I jumped at the opportunity to check out this collection. These stories have been described as “domestic horror”, but I’d argue “domestic thrillers” would be more appropriate. While unsettling in many instances, their focus is on the psychology underlying our relationships, and the strange, occasionally baffling choices it can trigger. The opening tale is a perfect example of this, how a simple misunderstanding snowballs into an emotionally destructive lie fueled by unspoken familial pressures. Another, “Five Fires”, is a terrific character piece that demonstrates how social pressures and the need to belong can skew a young mind. Other stories are more akin to the author’s longer suspense novels in tone and conceit: a couple tries to spice things up with an online dating app, a wife discovers her husband’s secret burner phone, a con man may have finally met his match in his young daughter. Each sets up an intriguing scenario that pays of in surprising fashion. Who doesn’t love a good twist ending?

As with any anthology, your mileage may vary. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. While I love praline, someone else may prefer mint cream. But, in the end, there’s something here for everyone.

4/5

***

You Only Find Them When They’re Dead, volume 1 by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo

Captain Malik and the crew of the spaceship the Vihaan II are in search of the only resources that matter—and can only be found by harvesting the giant corpses of alien gods that are found on the edge of human space. While other autopsy ships and explorers race to salvage the meat, minerals, and metals that sustain the human race, Malik sees an opportunity to finally break free from this system: by being the first to find a living god.

But Malik’s obsession with the gods will push his crew into the darkest reaches of space, bringing them face to face with a threat unlike anything they ever imagined, unless the rogue agent on their trail can stop them first…

My thoughts: The four-person crew of the Vihaan II autopsy ship explores the outer reaches of space in search of the corpses of gods, free-floating giants from parts unknown. Their flesh commands a high price on the open market and the Vihaan II has done well for itself, but for its determined Captain, it’s not enough. Driven by a desire to find the greatest prize of all – a living god – he presses his crew onwards while an equally obsessive individual from his past follows, in search of revenge. This book is wild if not a little confusing, an intergalactic Moby Dick with a visual style reminiscent of the kaleidoscope anime of the 90’s. It’s got a great look and a fascinating set-up yet, for now, offers little in the way of answers to the origins of these mysterious gods. In all fairness, however, it’s early still.

Rating pending series conclusion.

***

Red Milk by Sjón (translated by Victoria Cribb)

In England in 1962, an Icelandic man is found dead on a train bound for Cheltenham Spa. In his possession, policemen find a map on which a swastika has been drawn with a red pen. Who was he, and where was he going?

In a novel that reads as both biography and mystery, the internationally celebrated novelist Sjón tells the story of Gunnar Kampen, the founder of Iceland’s anti-Semitic nationalist party, with ties to a burgeoning network of neo-Nazi groups across the globe. Told in a series of scenes and letters spanning Kampen’s lifetime–from his childhood in Reyjavík during the Second World War, in a household strongly opposed to Hitler and his views, through his education, political radicalization, and his final clandestine mission to England–Red Milk urges readers to confront the international legacy of twentieth-century fascism and the often unknowable forces that drive some people to extremism.

My thoughts: This short novel opens with the discovery of a dead man on a train. Then, in a series of flashbacks, it tells the story of said victim, Gunnar Kampen, from his early years as an impressionable young boy through his rise in an Icelandic new-Nazi group, to the fateful journey that ends his life. It’s an interesting study of the allure of nationalism, but it’s not very successful in giving us a sense of WHY young Gunnar is drawn to this ideology. And I really feel this should be at the core of this personal tale, an understanding (or even a hint!) of why our protagonist does what he does. To be fair, this lack of character depth or introspection may be characteristic of Icelandic literature in which case I simply may not be the audience for this type of book. Provocative yet, ultimately, unsatisfying.

3/5

***

Invisible Kingdom, volume 1 by G. Willow Wilson and Christian Ward

In a distant galaxy, two women discover an inconceivable conspiracy between the world’s most dominant religion and an all-powerful mega corporation.

Suddenly the prey in a desperate interstellar chase, they’re faced with a life-or-death decision: reveal the truth or risk plunging their worlds into anarchy.

My thoughts: The (literally) colorful crew of a transport ship runs afoul of their corporate overlords, and compounds the problem by throwing in with a rogue space nun. There’s some nice world-building here and some very interesting characters but the plot to take down the church and corporatocracy feels like a bit of a buy given that, today, politicians, bankers, and insider traders commit brazen crimes yet face few repercussions from a disinterested public. Christian Ward’s art is, always, gorgeous. A solid opening chapter to what promises to be a fun sci-fi adventure.

Unrated pending completion of series.

***

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on.

What Tom doesn’t tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They’re the universe’s largest and most dangerous panda and they’re in trouble.

It’s not just the Kaiju Preservation Society that’s found its way to the alternate world. Others have, too–and their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

My thoughts: I know the title seems kind of crazy but that’s only because the novel itself is kind of crazy. But that’s John Scalzi for you in all of his snarky, lunatic glory. And yet despite the fanciful premise involving giant lizards with nuclear cores that occasional go critical and explode, this novel is grounded by the friendships at the heart of it. Our young protagonists are tasked with protecting these majestic beasts and yet, despite the overwhelming odds, they come together to banter and banter and banter some more on the way to…no, that would be spoiling it for you. A fun, spirited read.4/5***

The post January 31, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

January 30, 2022: Suji Sunday!

Okay.  She’s listening.

Arctic explorer.

Staking claim to the couch.

Not-so-cold-out walking sweater.

Excess tongue.

Chowing down on chicken congee…

The post January 30, 2022: Suji Sunday! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.

January 29, 2022: my most challenging script, my early plans for that Travelers set, and how Rodney almost became a dad.

Yozo!  How goes?  How did you spend the first part of your weekend?  I did a little reading, a (very) little writing, some stock research (finding value plays and checking their Price to Earnings, Price to Sales, and Long Term Debt to Capital).  Also, sat down (In truth, I was at my standing desk) and chatted with David Read for the latest installment of his Dial the Gate series wherein we discussed Stargate: Atlantis season 4 and specifically my most challenging script, my early plans for that Travelers set, and how Rodney almost became a dad.

Just click on the pic of me throwing you a displeased look and you will automatically be taken to our discussion.

"We need complete data transparency for all studies, we need it in the public interest, and we need it now." – British Medical Journal
Would love to hear any counter-arguments. Pfizer? Moderna? Anyone?
Data, we want it all https://t.co/C79ji22scT via @YouTube

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) January 29, 2022

Meanwhile in Canada…

Trudeau flees to secret location as protestors arrive in nation’s capital

It’s funny because, just the other day, he announced he was close contact with someone who had Covid and, thus, had to isolate, conveniently taking himself out of the public eye – even though Ontario Health regulations do not necessitate someone who is asymptomatic to isolate.  I”m sure his wife and kids will let him know when the coast is clear.

What film have you watched more than 7 times? Reply only with gifs. https://t.co/Sb3Q3fOU4i pic.twitter.com/E2OJXRns19

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) January 29, 2022

Today’s Yes/No…

Mustard Soda? Yes/No https://t.co/TTQBtzb4W0

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) January 29, 2022

At first, I thought it was a gag.  But then I researched and discovered – nope – it’s real!

Today, I found the following gift in my mailbox…

But there was no accompanying card or return address!  Mysterious, no?

 

The post January 29, 2022: my most challenging script, my early plans for that Travelers set, and how Rodney almost became a dad. appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.