E.M. Epps's Blog, page 4
August 3, 2015
Review: "The Goblin Emperor" by Katherine Addison
Thumbs up for The Goblin Emperor
by Katherine Addison. Fantasy.Huh. Well. On page one I ran into a "thee" and a "thou" and almost stopped because oh God fantasy with archaic language just no no no. But, I like being an informed (Hugo) voter so I pressed on. Soon enough I kenned the purpose of the thees and the thous and that eventually became a facet I really liked – the fact that the characters speak in multiple registers, and the choice of being familiar or formal informs their relationships. Overall, though, I'm not sure what I think. It's the story of what happens when half-goblin Maia, a rejected son of the Emperor from one of his lesser wives, becomes Emperor when all of his senior male relatives are wiped out in an airship crash. And it is very much a "what happens" book – it's Maia trying to gain his footing in a strange world. There isn't much of a strong plot or character arc on which I can hang my hat, and as a reader that doesn't suit me terribly well. Don't get me wrong, I did like this book, and I would recommend it if you like novels of court intrigue. But it really is entirely court intrigue – very little action, no appreciable romance, and the mystery aspect (who killed Maia's relatives) is handled from afar.
"Veklevezhek," Min Vechin said. "It is a goblin word, and it means to decide what to do about a prisoner by staking him below the tideline while you argue."
Review: "War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning" by Chris Hedges
Thumbs up for War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning
by Chris Hedges. Philosophy.A beautifully-written book about a horrible subject, by someone who has seen it from a very short distance indeed. Hedges explores what war does to humanity (both in the sense of the human race, and our humane-ness), using stories from his own experience to provide context and structure for his philosophy. The best book about war psychology I've come across so far. It should be required reading for all high-schoolers. It'd disturb the shit out of them, but the world would be a better place for it.
The enduring attraction of war is this: Even with its destruction and carnage it can give us what we long for in life. It can give us purpose, meaning, a reason for living. Only when we are in the midst of conflict does the shallowness and vapidness of much of our lives become apparent. Trivia dominates our conversations and increasingly our airwaves. And war is an enticing elixir. It gives us resolve, a cause. It allows us to be noble. And those who have the least meaning in their lives, the impoverished refugees in Gaza, the disenfranchised North African immigrants in France, even the legions of young who live in the splendid indolence and safety of the industrialized world, are all susceptible to war's appeal.
Review: "Brain Maker" by David Perlmutter
Thumbs up for Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain - for Life
by David Perlmutter. Health.Building on Blaser's Missing Microbes
(my review) with the newest research plus what that book was missing—practical steps to build up and support your microbiome. The kind of important book that I want to beg every one of my friends to read, because it explains so much, so lucidly, and is backed with such well-documented science. It is also readable for the layman (this statement was tested on my mother).One of the overarching themes you'll read throughout this book is the importance of maintaining the integrity of that delicate intestinal wall, which is only one cell thick. It must remain intact while acting as a conduit for signals between the gut bacteria and the immune system's cells right on the other side. In the words of Dr. Alessio Fasano of Harvard – who lectured on the topic at a 2014 conference, which I attended, that was dedicated solely to the science of the microbiome – these immune cells that receive signals from the gut bacteria are the body's "first responders." In turn, the gut bacteria help keep the immune system vigilant but not in full defense mode. They monitor and "educate" the immune system. This ultimately helps prevent your gut's immune system from inappropriately reacting to goods and triggering autoimmune responses. We'll see in upcoming chapters just how critical the gut-associated lymphatic tissue is in preserving your body's overall health. It's your body's military, on the lookout for any threats coming down the intestinal pipeline that can adversely impact the body all the way up to the brain.
August 1, 2015
Fourth of July
It's been way, way too long since I've had travel photos to post here, which is not unrelated to the fact that I haven't had a vacation in way, way too long. My roommate's brother and sister-in-law invited us to join them for the Fourth. They live conveniently (dangerously?) close to Powell's City of Books in Portland, OR.
That had nothing whatsoever to do with my decision to join her. Not a thing.
Somewhat belatedly, a few photos for your enjoyment....
If you're ever in Portland and need some grub at any hour, get thee to The Roxy ASAP and order the Antonio Banderas omelet. Also I discovered that they have CHEESY GRITS. Cheesy, buttery grits. My God.
Onwards to Powell's....
I had forgotten my credit and debit cards so I was forced to restrain myself. But I'm so glad I had enough for this fox water bottle, and this exquisite book, Sketching from the Imagination: Fantasy, which I pored over for the rest of the weekend.
Some of us, including myself, had not seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Unfortunately I still can't say that I've seen it - I fell asleep halfway through.
And even I will say that little kids are cute when they are ecstatically excited about fireworks.
Now to catch up on my mile-deep list of book reviews...expect a flurry of activity here for the next week or two!
That had nothing whatsoever to do with my decision to join her. Not a thing.
Somewhat belatedly, a few photos for your enjoyment....
If you're ever in Portland and need some grub at any hour, get thee to The Roxy ASAP and order the Antonio Banderas omelet. Also I discovered that they have CHEESY GRITS. Cheesy, buttery grits. My God.
Onwards to Powell's....
I had forgotten my credit and debit cards so I was forced to restrain myself. But I'm so glad I had enough for this fox water bottle, and this exquisite book, Sketching from the Imagination: Fantasy, which I pored over for the rest of the weekend.
Some of us, including myself, had not seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Unfortunately I still can't say that I've seen it - I fell asleep halfway through.
And even I will say that little kids are cute when they are ecstatically excited about fireworks.
Now to catch up on my mile-deep list of book reviews...expect a flurry of activity here for the next week or two!
May 21, 2015
Review: "Ghost World" by Daniel Clowes
Thumbs down for Ghost World by Daniel Clowes. Graphic novel.
There are very few times when I'll say that the movie was better. This is one of them. In a nutshell, the girls in the movie are bitchy and entertaining. The girls in the graphic novel are depressed, bitchy and very far from entertaining.
Review: "The Complete Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi
Thumbs up for The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Memoir/graphic novel.
Interesting and informative look at a young Iranian woman's early life.
"I'm happy to see you so well-settled here. Now you must make an effort, you must become somebody. I don't care what you do later, only try to be the best. Even if you become a cabaret dancer, better that you dance at the Lido than in a hole in the wall." — The narrator's mother
May 18, 2015
Guest review: "The Very Best of Tad Williams" by Tad Williams
Guest blogger and reviewer Veronica here for my first time post. Because Emma can't have the time to read EVERYthing. Though she comes pretty darn close.
(Emma: I wish!)
Thumbs up for The Very Best of Tad Williams by Tad Williams. Fantasy short stories.
I'm not a scary stalker rabid fangirl who knows everything about an author's personal life outside of their books. I'm more of a rabid fangirl who will read anything with an author's name on it if I know I will never, ever, ever be disappointed by that writer. And Tad Williams is one of those who has never, ever, in any genre, disappointed me. I fell in love ages ago with the high fantasy trilogy Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. Then was intrigued, yet reserved about his science fiction Otherland books, till they sucked me into that world as well. Even enjoyed some of the scattered individual novels whenever they crossed my path, and then back to high fantasy with the Shadowmarch series. Recently I came across the Bobby Dollar novels and was blown away yet again by the complete change of genre, but the retained mastery over every word. Ok, so I'm a bit of a fangirl.
But this review isn't about those. It's about me coming across more Tad Williams, not knowing a thing about this new endeavor, and going, "Huh, short stories, hmm? Well, why not?" And again being blown away.
Every single story is either delightful, frightful, thoughtful, or downright fanciful.
We do get some slightly familiar items in this collection, "Child of an Ancient City" which has previously been released as a stand alone volume. And "The Boy Detective of Oz: An Otherland Story." Which, as advertised is an Otherland story. Then there's some of the aforementioned fanciful, and some chilling as well. And then there's my favorite category in this collection. The thought experiments drawn out almost purely for the sake of the writer's own curiosity of, "Hmm, what would happen if...?" or even, "I wonder if I could get away with...?" The answer to that last question, is yes. He gets away with, carries away with, and generally has a fine romp through some very intriguing ways of thinking about what counts as a story, how stories are told, and possibly a general thumb-bite towards what may be blandly called "conventional storytelling" or merely "conformity."
There's the not-what-you-expected tale of "Three Duets for Virgin and Nosehorn." Where I was expecting humor and possibly parody (and maybe music?), instead we are delivered a series of tales with a much older feel that are both sweet and thought provoking. Then the terrifying, funny, fast-paced story/thought-experiment carried out through an online message board, "Not with a Whimper, Either." And the adventures of a little girl let loose while the Universe is being Created, and makes some very interesting creative decisions, which in later literature are all credited to her father anyway.
Another bit of creative word-fun comes in "A Stark and Wormy Knight." Which is both a fun story, and simply fun to read with a lot of inventive vocabulary and grammar. A lovely example from the very beginning as a Mother dragon admonishes her young, "Hungry? Told you not to swallow that farm tot so swift. A soiled and feisty little thing it was, but would you stop the chew carefulish? Oh, no, no. You're not hungry, child, you've simpledy gobbled too fast and dazzled your eatpipes. Be grateful that you've only got one head to sleepify, unbelike some of your knobful ancestors, and go back and shove yourself snorewise."
Yup. I desperately want to incorporate "eatpipes" and "snorewise" into my vocabulary.
Closer to the horror category, there's the play or screenplay format of "Black Sunshine" which would be fascinating to see represented visually, but frankly doesn't need to be at all. It's all in the stage direction.
"And Ministers of Grace" has a more "traditional" format, and is also among my favorites in this collection as I dearly hope it is a world that Williams will explore further. One of the reasons I have come to prefer science fiction over other genres is because it offers a way to both distance ourselves from, and bring terrifyingly close, the problems and issues of the current day. Whichever day is current at the time. Cloaked in the guise of "other" a sci-fi writer can play with ideas, and offer the reader a way to examine elements of history and humanity, abstracted, augmented, and taken to galactic proportions, and limitations. This story is intense, and sad, and hopeful, but best of all, thoroughly thought-provoking.
One of the bits that made me laugh out loud was a little bit of exposition from the narrator, allowing a little of the author to shine through amusingly.
"Partly out of pity, we took Nagy to the 24-hour coffee shop across the street and bought him a Grand Slam Breakfast. (There is no time in places like that, so you might as well eat breakfast. Actually, there is time, but only the waitresses experience it, which is why they're all about a hundred and four years old. I've always thought someone should write a science fiction book about this paradox.)"
Well, maybe one day Mr. Williams should do just that. He seems to have built fascinating narratives from less.
All in all, I'd have to say that The Very Best of Tad Wiliams is an aptly named collection. But then again, I think everything I've read of his deserves that title too. But that would be redundant and not nearly as creatively interesting. As many thumbs as I'm legally allowed to have are all firmly in the "up" position.
Disclaimer: We received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted section HAS NOT been checked against the final print edition because...we don't have a copy.
(Emma: I wish!)
Thumbs up for The Very Best of Tad Williams by Tad Williams. Fantasy short stories.
I'm not a scary stalker rabid fangirl who knows everything about an author's personal life outside of their books. I'm more of a rabid fangirl who will read anything with an author's name on it if I know I will never, ever, ever be disappointed by that writer. And Tad Williams is one of those who has never, ever, in any genre, disappointed me. I fell in love ages ago with the high fantasy trilogy Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. Then was intrigued, yet reserved about his science fiction Otherland books, till they sucked me into that world as well. Even enjoyed some of the scattered individual novels whenever they crossed my path, and then back to high fantasy with the Shadowmarch series. Recently I came across the Bobby Dollar novels and was blown away yet again by the complete change of genre, but the retained mastery over every word. Ok, so I'm a bit of a fangirl.
But this review isn't about those. It's about me coming across more Tad Williams, not knowing a thing about this new endeavor, and going, "Huh, short stories, hmm? Well, why not?" And again being blown away.
Every single story is either delightful, frightful, thoughtful, or downright fanciful.
We do get some slightly familiar items in this collection, "Child of an Ancient City" which has previously been released as a stand alone volume. And "The Boy Detective of Oz: An Otherland Story." Which, as advertised is an Otherland story. Then there's some of the aforementioned fanciful, and some chilling as well. And then there's my favorite category in this collection. The thought experiments drawn out almost purely for the sake of the writer's own curiosity of, "Hmm, what would happen if...?" or even, "I wonder if I could get away with...?" The answer to that last question, is yes. He gets away with, carries away with, and generally has a fine romp through some very intriguing ways of thinking about what counts as a story, how stories are told, and possibly a general thumb-bite towards what may be blandly called "conventional storytelling" or merely "conformity."
There's the not-what-you-expected tale of "Three Duets for Virgin and Nosehorn." Where I was expecting humor and possibly parody (and maybe music?), instead we are delivered a series of tales with a much older feel that are both sweet and thought provoking. Then the terrifying, funny, fast-paced story/thought-experiment carried out through an online message board, "Not with a Whimper, Either." And the adventures of a little girl let loose while the Universe is being Created, and makes some very interesting creative decisions, which in later literature are all credited to her father anyway.
Another bit of creative word-fun comes in "A Stark and Wormy Knight." Which is both a fun story, and simply fun to read with a lot of inventive vocabulary and grammar. A lovely example from the very beginning as a Mother dragon admonishes her young, "Hungry? Told you not to swallow that farm tot so swift. A soiled and feisty little thing it was, but would you stop the chew carefulish? Oh, no, no. You're not hungry, child, you've simpledy gobbled too fast and dazzled your eatpipes. Be grateful that you've only got one head to sleepify, unbelike some of your knobful ancestors, and go back and shove yourself snorewise."
Yup. I desperately want to incorporate "eatpipes" and "snorewise" into my vocabulary.
Closer to the horror category, there's the play or screenplay format of "Black Sunshine" which would be fascinating to see represented visually, but frankly doesn't need to be at all. It's all in the stage direction.
"And Ministers of Grace" has a more "traditional" format, and is also among my favorites in this collection as I dearly hope it is a world that Williams will explore further. One of the reasons I have come to prefer science fiction over other genres is because it offers a way to both distance ourselves from, and bring terrifyingly close, the problems and issues of the current day. Whichever day is current at the time. Cloaked in the guise of "other" a sci-fi writer can play with ideas, and offer the reader a way to examine elements of history and humanity, abstracted, augmented, and taken to galactic proportions, and limitations. This story is intense, and sad, and hopeful, but best of all, thoroughly thought-provoking.
One of the bits that made me laugh out loud was a little bit of exposition from the narrator, allowing a little of the author to shine through amusingly.
"Partly out of pity, we took Nagy to the 24-hour coffee shop across the street and bought him a Grand Slam Breakfast. (There is no time in places like that, so you might as well eat breakfast. Actually, there is time, but only the waitresses experience it, which is why they're all about a hundred and four years old. I've always thought someone should write a science fiction book about this paradox.)"
Well, maybe one day Mr. Williams should do just that. He seems to have built fascinating narratives from less.
All in all, I'd have to say that The Very Best of Tad Wiliams is an aptly named collection. But then again, I think everything I've read of his deserves that title too. But that would be redundant and not nearly as creatively interesting. As many thumbs as I'm legally allowed to have are all firmly in the "up" position.
Disclaimer: We received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted section HAS NOT been checked against the final print edition because...we don't have a copy.
May 17, 2015
"Saga Vols. 1-4" by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Thumbs up for Saga, Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, and Vol. 4 by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples. Fantasy/graphic novel.
My reactions to finally getting a copy of the first volume of Saga: 1. Ooh, cool art! 2. Ew, it starts with a childbirth scene. 3. Is that spell in...Esperanto?! Wait what.........Long pause. 4. WHERE THE HELL IS THE NEXT VOLUME. So, if you're not familiar, let's call it Romeo & Juliet in space, if Juliet is an ass-kicking soldier gone AWOL, and Romeo is a sort-of-pacifist magic user from the other side of the war. Oh, and they are toting their baby daughter along, who is incidentally narrating the story. And, bonus! Bounty hunters with complicated feelings, jilted lovers, political maneuverings, plenty of sex, a tree spaceship, half of a ghost, an awesome grandma, and the cheesy romance novel that started everything. I'm sorry it took me so long to get my hands on these, because they really are everything they've been cracked up to be.
"Would one of you overgrown condom failures kindly remove the dead fucking dragon from my runway?" — Countess Robot X
"What If?" by Randall Munroe
Thumbs up for What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe. Humor/science.
I love Randall Munroe's webcomic xkcd so very much. If you are even slightly nerdy and have not read it I am going to gently shoo you in that direction. Okay? We good? Well, his book—which is, exactly as billed, serious scientific answers to absurd hypothetical questions—had me in stitches. I'm not sure which section was my favorite: possibly the "Periodic Wall of the Elements" (examining what would happen if you tried to build a wall in the form of the periodic table with each block actually made from its element). Spoiler: you would destroy a large chunk of the world. Bigger spoiler: the world gets destroyed a lot in this book. You need this for your coffee table. If you don't have a coffee table, just place the book gently in the center of your floor.
There's no material safety data sheet for astatine. If there were, it would just be the word "NO" scrawled over and over in charred blood.
Review: "Black Science Vol. 1" by Rick Remender
Thumbs up for Black Science Volume 1: How to Fall Forever by Rick Remender et al. Science fiction/graphic novel.
This was recommended to me by multiple people when I asked my friends for Hugo nominee suggestions. I enjoyed it, and will certainly read future volumes if they come my way, but the characters and situations didn't really stick with me as have some other things I've read recently.
