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Dark/Spark #1
All Those Explosions Were Someone Else's Fault
Monsters are real.
But so are heroes.
Sparks are champions of weird science. Boasting capes and costumes and amazing super-powers that only make sense if you don't think about them too hard, they fight an eternal battle for truth and justice . . . mostly.
Darklings are creatures of myth and magic: ghosts, vampires, were-beasts, and the like. Their very presence warps reality. Doors creak at their approach. Cobwebs gather where they linger.
Kim Lam is an ordinary college student until a freak scientific accident (what else?) transforms Kim and three housemates into Sparks--and drafts them into the never-ending war between the Light and Dark. They struggle to master their new abilities--and (of course) to design cool costumes and come up with great hero-names.
Turns out that "accident" was just the first salvo in a Mad Genius's latest diabolical scheme. Now it's up to four newbie heroes to save the day, before they even have a chance to figure out what their team's name should be!
But so are heroes.
Sparks are champions of weird science. Boasting capes and costumes and amazing super-powers that only make sense if you don't think about them too hard, they fight an eternal battle for truth and justice . . . mostly.
Darklings are creatures of myth and magic: ghosts, vampires, were-beasts, and the like. Their very presence warps reality. Doors creak at their approach. Cobwebs gather where they linger.
Kim Lam is an ordinary college student until a freak scientific accident (what else?) transforms Kim and three housemates into Sparks--and drafts them into the never-ending war between the Light and Dark. They struggle to master their new abilities--and (of course) to design cool costumes and come up with great hero-names.
Turns out that "accident" was just the first salvo in a Mad Genius's latest diabolical scheme. Now it's up to four newbie heroes to save the day, before they even have a chance to figure out what their team's name should be!
382 pages, Paperback
First published November 7, 2017
104 people are currently reading
1879 people want to read
About the author
James Alan Gardner
65 books279 followersRaised in Simcoe and Bradford, Ontario, James Alan Gardner earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Applied Mathematics from the University of Waterloo.
A graduate of the Clarion West Fiction Writers Workshop, Gardner has published science fiction short stories in a range of periodicals, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and Amazing Stories. In 1989, his short story "Children of the Creche" was awarded the Grand Prize in the Writers of the Future contest. Two years later his story "Muffin Explains Teleology to the World at Large" won an Aurora Award; another story, "Three Hearings on the Existence of Snakes in the Human Bloodstream," won an Aurora and was nominated for both the Nebula and Hugo Awards.
He has written a number of novels in a "League of Peoples" universe in which murderers are defined as "dangerous non-sentients" and are killed if they try to leave their solar system by aliens who are so advanced that they think of humans like humans think of bacteria. This precludes the possibility of interstellar wars.
He has also explored themes of gender in his novels, including Commitment Hour in which people change sex every year, and Vigilant in which group marriages are traditional.
Gardner is also an educator and technical writer. His book Learning UNIX is used as a textbook in some Canadian universities.
A Grand Prize winner of the Writers of the Future contest, he lives with his family in Waterloo, Ontario.
A graduate of the Clarion West Fiction Writers Workshop, Gardner has published science fiction short stories in a range of periodicals, including The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and Amazing Stories. In 1989, his short story "Children of the Creche" was awarded the Grand Prize in the Writers of the Future contest. Two years later his story "Muffin Explains Teleology to the World at Large" won an Aurora Award; another story, "Three Hearings on the Existence of Snakes in the Human Bloodstream," won an Aurora and was nominated for both the Nebula and Hugo Awards.
He has written a number of novels in a "League of Peoples" universe in which murderers are defined as "dangerous non-sentients" and are killed if they try to leave their solar system by aliens who are so advanced that they think of humans like humans think of bacteria. This precludes the possibility of interstellar wars.
He has also explored themes of gender in his novels, including Commitment Hour in which people change sex every year, and Vigilant in which group marriages are traditional.
Gardner is also an educator and technical writer. His book Learning UNIX is used as a textbook in some Canadian universities.
A Grand Prize winner of the Writers of the Future contest, he lives with his family in Waterloo, Ontario.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
August 25, 2024
2024 Re-read
Sometimes you've just got to read what's calling your name. I just had to return to the Dark/Spark world. Yes, it's campy and a bit silly, but in such a good way! Having grown up reading superhero comics, this hits the spot for me. Especially since Gardner has updated the idea, having four young women as the centre of attention.
I loved his balance of superhero Sparks, who are created by accident, vs, Darklings, who have paid for the privilege. As Zircon/Kim learns, ordinary people obtain super powers and most often step up to use those powers for good. Of course we all expect Evil Geniuses but in this world we also get Mad Inventors, supplying the Cape Tech with which to battle evil.
I appreciated that the setting was Canadian and that Ninety-Nine became a super hockey player. Gardner used so many Canadian clichés, which made me smile. My only disappointment is that only two books of the series were published. Seriously, Tor, what's up with that? But two books starring Kim and Jools will have to be enough (at least until Gardner chooses the self-publishing route).
Original Review
4.2567891 stars
This was a truly fun book and I am so glad that I will get a chance to hear the author speak next month! I confess that I had never heard of him until he became a keynote speaker for the When Words Collide conference here in Calgary. I am so glad to have discovered him and his Dark/Spark series.
I am a great fan of fantasy, but when I originally read the blurb for this book, I had my doubts whether it was really for me. Once again, I am shown that I shouldn’t judge a book by [what is written on] the cover. I was only a paragraph or two into the novel when I realized that it was going to be a bunch of fun.
I especially appreciated the dialog--both between Kim/Zircon and her compatriots and her inner monologue. Then, there were things like vampires buying blood from human donors--not wanting to call it “blood money,” it becomes known as “trickle down.” Take that Ronald Reagan! So many things made me grin like a looney!
That’s the biggest reason, I think, that I enjoyed this book so thoroughly--I often struggle with written humour, but in this book I just GOT it. Maybe because the author is also Canadian, but I was amused by so many details. Because of course one Canadian hero is going to be a super hockey player and name herself after Wayne Gretzky. Ninety Nine became my favourite character and I am excited to see that she will have a starring role in the next book. And, yes, I have already requested it from the library and hope to have it in my hot little hands next week.
I am so pleased to have discovered this author! I can hardly wait to hear what he has to tell about his creations and his process. Just a month away!
Sometimes you've just got to read what's calling your name. I just had to return to the Dark/Spark world. Yes, it's campy and a bit silly, but in such a good way! Having grown up reading superhero comics, this hits the spot for me. Especially since Gardner has updated the idea, having four young women as the centre of attention.
I loved his balance of superhero Sparks, who are created by accident, vs, Darklings, who have paid for the privilege. As Zircon/Kim learns, ordinary people obtain super powers and most often step up to use those powers for good. Of course we all expect Evil Geniuses but in this world we also get Mad Inventors, supplying the Cape Tech with which to battle evil.
I appreciated that the setting was Canadian and that Ninety-Nine became a super hockey player. Gardner used so many Canadian clichés, which made me smile. My only disappointment is that only two books of the series were published. Seriously, Tor, what's up with that? But two books starring Kim and Jools will have to be enough (at least until Gardner chooses the self-publishing route).
Original Review
4.2567891 stars
This was a truly fun book and I am so glad that I will get a chance to hear the author speak next month! I confess that I had never heard of him until he became a keynote speaker for the When Words Collide conference here in Calgary. I am so glad to have discovered him and his Dark/Spark series.
I am a great fan of fantasy, but when I originally read the blurb for this book, I had my doubts whether it was really for me. Once again, I am shown that I shouldn’t judge a book by [what is written on] the cover. I was only a paragraph or two into the novel when I realized that it was going to be a bunch of fun.
I especially appreciated the dialog--both between Kim/Zircon and her compatriots and her inner monologue. Then, there were things like vampires buying blood from human donors--not wanting to call it “blood money,” it becomes known as “trickle down.” Take that Ronald Reagan! So many things made me grin like a looney!
That’s the biggest reason, I think, that I enjoyed this book so thoroughly--I often struggle with written humour, but in this book I just GOT it. Maybe because the author is also Canadian, but I was amused by so many details. Because of course one Canadian hero is going to be a super hockey player and name herself after Wayne Gretzky. Ninety Nine became my favourite character and I am excited to see that she will have a starring role in the next book. And, yes, I have already requested it from the library and hope to have it in my hot little hands next week.
I am so pleased to have discovered this author! I can hardly wait to hear what he has to tell about his creations and his process. Just a month away!
December 9, 2017
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/12/09/...
I think we can all agree that superheroes are awesome. Like most fans, I love reading about their powers, their adventures, and the lore that surrounds them and their origins—and for a long time, comics have been the go-to for my fix. However, recent years have seen an influx of superhero novels hitting the SFF arena, and while arguably the good ones have been far and few between, that has not stopped me from checking out new ones whenever they come out.
Hence my latest venture into the genre, a quirky novel bearing the equally quirky title of All Those Explosions Were Someone Else’s Fault. The short version of the description is Sparks vs. Darklings—Sparks being akin to traditional superheroes, while monsters are the supernatural creatures of folklore and legend, such as ghosts, vampires, lycanthropes, demons, and the like.
The long version of this story though, begins with an ordinary college student named Kim Lam who attends the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. One night, she and her three roommates Miranda, Shar, and Jools notice a group of Darklings lurking suspiciously around in one of the engineering buildings on campus. Deciding to investigate, they accidentally end up getting caught in a freak scientific explosion, which transforms them all into Sparks. Endowed with amazing new powers, the four friends decide to take it to the next level by donning costumes and giving themselves superhero names.
There’s plenty to like about this book, most notably the world-building. In what is perhaps one the best opening chapters I’ve ever read, James Alan Gardner show us how very different Kim’s world is from our own by offering us a little story about a demon, a were-beast, and a vampire who walk into a bar. Not only does this set the tone for the rest of the novel, it also introduces readers to the Darklings, a cabal of wealthy elites who have managed to buy their way into power and immortal life, becoming reborn as undead creatures through an agreement called the Dark Pact. Sparks, on the other hand, have abilities based on a more complex science-magical system, fueled by a force called the Light.
I also enjoyed the refreshingly diverse cast. Kim, a self-described “short, queer Asian”, is a geology major who has gone through many personas and evolutions of her identity in an attempt to find herself and see where she fits in. We find her still struggling with this even when the story begins, as her narrative gradually reveals a young woman who is emotionally aloof and unsure of how best to express herself. Kim also lives with three other scarily smart women, including Chemistry major Shar, whose fussy ways and talent for baking the most delicious cookies has earned her the role of “mother hen”; Physics major Miranda, who sings with the voice of an angel; and Biology major Jools who loves hockey and worships Wayne Gretzky. Despite the congenial relationships between the four women, readers get the sense at the beginning that Shar, Miranda, and Jools are merely “the people I live with” to Kim, but eventually their shared experiences lead them all to a deeper, more meaningful camaraderie and friendship.
Also, a shout out to the fact that this book takes place in Waterloo. I’m a transplanted Canadian who considers myself a Torontonian at heart, but UoW was one of my old haunts because I had friends who studied there. There was a surprising moment when I found out this story was set there, followed by a rush of nostalgia when I realized how much of the culture Gardner had managed to nail down just right.
And now, for my least favorite part of a review—in which I talk about what I didn’t like. In truth, I would have given this book a 4-star rating or higher, had it not been for a couple of (in my eyes) major flaws. The first of these was the info dumping. There’s too much filler in general, which ruined what could have been an action-packed and fast-paced book. Several dozen pages could have been shaved off, cutting out the bits that didn’t add much to the story, and the pacing and flow would no doubt have been much improved.
The second issue that put a damper on the experience for me was Kim herself. She’s a great character, but like many “new adult” books of this type, the wishy-washiness of the protagonist can sometimes drive me to frustration and rage. Kim managed to kill a lot of the fun by constantly bringing up the past and pining for an old romantic interest. She’s gone as far as to invent new personalities for herself to forget some of the painful memories and unpleasantness—which would have been fine, if not for the fact that she herself is the one dredging up those bad memories in order to relive and obsess over them.
And thus, my search for a great—and not just merely decent, or good—superhero novel continues. That said though, minus my gripes above, All Those Explosions Were Someone Else’s Fault was still a fun superhero novel, and I’m glad I got to read it. I hear a sequel is planned, and while I’m not sure I’ll read it yet, it’s good to know there will be more adventures on the horizon for Kim and her friends.
Audiobook Comments: This audiobook exemplifies top-notch voice acting. In a story where the majority of the characters were young college-aged women, it was still easy to tell who was speaking the dialogue at any given time because narrator Emily Woo Zeller did an excellent job varying her voices, tones, and accents. Overall a great listen.
I think we can all agree that superheroes are awesome. Like most fans, I love reading about their powers, their adventures, and the lore that surrounds them and their origins—and for a long time, comics have been the go-to for my fix. However, recent years have seen an influx of superhero novels hitting the SFF arena, and while arguably the good ones have been far and few between, that has not stopped me from checking out new ones whenever they come out.
Hence my latest venture into the genre, a quirky novel bearing the equally quirky title of All Those Explosions Were Someone Else’s Fault. The short version of the description is Sparks vs. Darklings—Sparks being akin to traditional superheroes, while monsters are the supernatural creatures of folklore and legend, such as ghosts, vampires, lycanthropes, demons, and the like.
The long version of this story though, begins with an ordinary college student named Kim Lam who attends the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. One night, she and her three roommates Miranda, Shar, and Jools notice a group of Darklings lurking suspiciously around in one of the engineering buildings on campus. Deciding to investigate, they accidentally end up getting caught in a freak scientific explosion, which transforms them all into Sparks. Endowed with amazing new powers, the four friends decide to take it to the next level by donning costumes and giving themselves superhero names.
There’s plenty to like about this book, most notably the world-building. In what is perhaps one the best opening chapters I’ve ever read, James Alan Gardner show us how very different Kim’s world is from our own by offering us a little story about a demon, a were-beast, and a vampire who walk into a bar. Not only does this set the tone for the rest of the novel, it also introduces readers to the Darklings, a cabal of wealthy elites who have managed to buy their way into power and immortal life, becoming reborn as undead creatures through an agreement called the Dark Pact. Sparks, on the other hand, have abilities based on a more complex science-magical system, fueled by a force called the Light.
I also enjoyed the refreshingly diverse cast. Kim, a self-described “short, queer Asian”, is a geology major who has gone through many personas and evolutions of her identity in an attempt to find herself and see where she fits in. We find her still struggling with this even when the story begins, as her narrative gradually reveals a young woman who is emotionally aloof and unsure of how best to express herself. Kim also lives with three other scarily smart women, including Chemistry major Shar, whose fussy ways and talent for baking the most delicious cookies has earned her the role of “mother hen”; Physics major Miranda, who sings with the voice of an angel; and Biology major Jools who loves hockey and worships Wayne Gretzky. Despite the congenial relationships between the four women, readers get the sense at the beginning that Shar, Miranda, and Jools are merely “the people I live with” to Kim, but eventually their shared experiences lead them all to a deeper, more meaningful camaraderie and friendship.
Also, a shout out to the fact that this book takes place in Waterloo. I’m a transplanted Canadian who considers myself a Torontonian at heart, but UoW was one of my old haunts because I had friends who studied there. There was a surprising moment when I found out this story was set there, followed by a rush of nostalgia when I realized how much of the culture Gardner had managed to nail down just right.
And now, for my least favorite part of a review—in which I talk about what I didn’t like. In truth, I would have given this book a 4-star rating or higher, had it not been for a couple of (in my eyes) major flaws. The first of these was the info dumping. There’s too much filler in general, which ruined what could have been an action-packed and fast-paced book. Several dozen pages could have been shaved off, cutting out the bits that didn’t add much to the story, and the pacing and flow would no doubt have been much improved.
The second issue that put a damper on the experience for me was Kim herself. She’s a great character, but like many “new adult” books of this type, the wishy-washiness of the protagonist can sometimes drive me to frustration and rage. Kim managed to kill a lot of the fun by constantly bringing up the past and pining for an old romantic interest. She’s gone as far as to invent new personalities for herself to forget some of the painful memories and unpleasantness—which would have been fine, if not for the fact that she herself is the one dredging up those bad memories in order to relive and obsess over them.
And thus, my search for a great—and not just merely decent, or good—superhero novel continues. That said though, minus my gripes above, All Those Explosions Were Someone Else’s Fault was still a fun superhero novel, and I’m glad I got to read it. I hear a sequel is planned, and while I’m not sure I’ll read it yet, it’s good to know there will be more adventures on the horizon for Kim and her friends.
Audiobook Comments: This audiobook exemplifies top-notch voice acting. In a story where the majority of the characters were young college-aged women, it was still easy to tell who was speaking the dialogue at any given time because narrator Emily Woo Zeller did an excellent job varying her voices, tones, and accents. Overall a great listen.
December 28, 2017
Superheroes vs monsters in a story that embraces the ridiculousness of the premise and takes the reader on an action-packed ride with some brand new superheroes as they find their feet.
Kim is a young genderqueer university student in Waterloo, Canada. When a group of friends including Kim gets exposed to the Light, the source of super-powers in this world, they find themselves with a sudden introduction to the superhero world as "Sparks" and almost immediate opposition from Darklings, creatures such as vampires, werecreatures and demons.
This is fun, and it never lets up in terms of action, but I think it needed more work on resolving some of the character issues raised here. Kim's identity as a genderqueer person who used to be Kimee and in love with a boy destined to be a darkling is well explored, as is the thinking around the subtraction of identity that leads to Kim. But when the boy reappears, there isn't enough time given to that relationship. There are also some issues between Kim and one of her teammates that just don’t get resolved.
To sum up, the immediate evil plot is foiled, but we get the barest introduction to an interesting team dynamic both within the team and with potential allies/rivals. Feels like the very early stages of what will need to be a long series.
Kim is a young genderqueer university student in Waterloo, Canada. When a group of friends including Kim gets exposed to the Light, the source of super-powers in this world, they find themselves with a sudden introduction to the superhero world as "Sparks" and almost immediate opposition from Darklings, creatures such as vampires, werecreatures and demons.
This is fun, and it never lets up in terms of action, but I think it needed more work on resolving some of the character issues raised here. Kim's identity as a genderqueer person who used to be Kimee and in love with a boy destined to be a darkling is well explored, as is the thinking around the subtraction of identity that leads to Kim. But when the boy reappears, there isn't enough time given to that relationship. There are also some issues between Kim and one of her teammates that just don’t get resolved.
To sum up, the immediate evil plot is foiled, but we get the barest introduction to an interesting team dynamic both within the team and with potential allies/rivals. Feels like the very early stages of what will need to be a long series.
November 21, 2017
I've read Carrie Vaughn's After The Golden Age, and Seanan McGuire's Velveteen series, and Dreadnought and Sovereign by April Daniels. I've read many of the comics. I've seen all the MCU and DC movies. You don't have to explain superheroes to me. You especially don't have to spend an estimated 50% of the text explaining them to me.
Then I come across this line: "On our way from Red Pine Villa, Ninety-Nine had regaled us with a quick infodump." followed by, you guessed it, an infodump.
With all the filler removed, this book could be the first couple of acts of the novel that's desperately trying to escape from the constant asides.
Still, a fun romp through a superhero origin story, if you can ignore the above.
Then I come across this line: "On our way from Red Pine Villa, Ninety-Nine had regaled us with a quick infodump." followed by, you guessed it, an infodump.
With all the filler removed, this book could be the first couple of acts of the novel that's desperately trying to escape from the constant asides.
Still, a fun romp through a superhero origin story, if you can ignore the above.
November 8, 2017
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Both monsters and superheroes are real. Sparks are the superheroes (the term superhero has already been trademarked) with costumes and awesome super-powers that don't really make a whole lot of sense if you think too hard about them, and they fight for truth and justice - mostly. Darklings are creatures of magic and they warp reality with their presence - doors creak and cobwebs gather. They are creatures you might know as vampires, demons, weres, ghosts, and more. Kim Lam was a regular college student until a freak accident turned her and three friends into Sparks - forcing them into the unending battle between the Light and the Dark - but first they're going to have to master their new powers and come up with cool hero names and costumes. Turns out, though, that the "accident" was the first act in a Mad Genius's latest scheme and now these four newbie superheroes have to save the day - and they haven't even picked their team name yet.
As soon as I heard about this new release from James Alan Gardner, I knew I had to try it - I mean, superheroes and monsters? Yes, please! I have never read a book with a combination quite like this before, but it sounded perfect since I love superhero movies and can't get enough urban fantasy. Luckily, All Those Explosions Were Someone Else's Fault lived up to most of my expectations. I loved watching Kim and her friends figure out their newfound powers and all the bells and whistles. It's so much fun exploring a world in which both superheroes (or should I say Sparks) and monsters exist together. The world-building in this is outstanding and we're thrown right into the mix. The science (80%) and magic (20%) system that controls the world and defines powers and abilities for both Light and Dark creatures. Even though we're dealing with so many sci-fi and fantasy elements mixed together, the story never gets too silly or inconsistent. My favorite part is actually the relatability of Kim, our Spark narrator. Kim is an Asian-Canadian gender-fluid person who is still in the process of self-discovery and reinvention (she mostly uses she/ her pronouns). Her voice is incredibly refreshing and admirable - plus, just the right amount of nerdy. Kim might just be one of my new favorite characters of the year, by the way.
Overall, if you're looking for a sci-fi urban fantasy novel with monsters and superheroes that packs quite a punch and fits in so much in just under four hundred pages. Plus, the formatting is unique and is reminiscent of comic book pages, making you speed through the story that much quicker. If you're a fan of fast-paced adventure, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (this novel is incredibly visual), a strong cast of characters, and can't resist all sorts of urban fantasy worthy creatures, you absolutely need All Those Explosions Were Someone Else's Fault by James Alan Gardner in your life. I will definitely have to check out more of his work in the future.
Thanks again, NetGalley!
Both monsters and superheroes are real. Sparks are the superheroes (the term superhero has already been trademarked) with costumes and awesome super-powers that don't really make a whole lot of sense if you think too hard about them, and they fight for truth and justice - mostly. Darklings are creatures of magic and they warp reality with their presence - doors creak and cobwebs gather. They are creatures you might know as vampires, demons, weres, ghosts, and more. Kim Lam was a regular college student until a freak accident turned her and three friends into Sparks - forcing them into the unending battle between the Light and the Dark - but first they're going to have to master their new powers and come up with cool hero names and costumes. Turns out, though, that the "accident" was the first act in a Mad Genius's latest scheme and now these four newbie superheroes have to save the day - and they haven't even picked their team name yet.
As soon as I heard about this new release from James Alan Gardner, I knew I had to try it - I mean, superheroes and monsters? Yes, please! I have never read a book with a combination quite like this before, but it sounded perfect since I love superhero movies and can't get enough urban fantasy. Luckily, All Those Explosions Were Someone Else's Fault lived up to most of my expectations. I loved watching Kim and her friends figure out their newfound powers and all the bells and whistles. It's so much fun exploring a world in which both superheroes (or should I say Sparks) and monsters exist together. The world-building in this is outstanding and we're thrown right into the mix. The science (80%) and magic (20%) system that controls the world and defines powers and abilities for both Light and Dark creatures. Even though we're dealing with so many sci-fi and fantasy elements mixed together, the story never gets too silly or inconsistent. My favorite part is actually the relatability of Kim, our Spark narrator. Kim is an Asian-Canadian gender-fluid person who is still in the process of self-discovery and reinvention (she mostly uses she/ her pronouns). Her voice is incredibly refreshing and admirable - plus, just the right amount of nerdy. Kim might just be one of my new favorite characters of the year, by the way.
Overall, if you're looking for a sci-fi urban fantasy novel with monsters and superheroes that packs quite a punch and fits in so much in just under four hundred pages. Plus, the formatting is unique and is reminiscent of comic book pages, making you speed through the story that much quicker. If you're a fan of fast-paced adventure, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (this novel is incredibly visual), a strong cast of characters, and can't resist all sorts of urban fantasy worthy creatures, you absolutely need All Those Explosions Were Someone Else's Fault by James Alan Gardner in your life. I will definitely have to check out more of his work in the future.
Thanks again, NetGalley!
May 16, 2019
3.5 stars
This is part of the emerging genre of superhero-based novels. I recommend it for anyone who likes superhero comics.
A freak explosion gives four roommates super powers, and soon it’s up to them to save their college town in Ontario. There are a lot of explosions in this book. The new heroes experience three long showdowns with dark forces. These sequences are well done with action that is creative and easy to picture. Sometimes action scenes in books are based off of movies, which doesn’t work because they just turn into a blow-by-blow account that reads like a technical manual. This author avoided that trap.
Still, I’d haved like to see more down-time for our heroes; see them as students and see them interacting without an immediate life-or-death crisis going on.
The four roommates are each studying a difference field of science. Our main character is a geologist, and seeing them nerd out over rocks was super cute. The book also acknowledges the BS science that goes into super powers and the crazy costumes.
If you enjoy this, definitely check out The Supes ( review here), an indie book that I actually liked more.
This is part of the emerging genre of superhero-based novels. I recommend it for anyone who likes superhero comics.
A freak explosion gives four roommates super powers, and soon it’s up to them to save their college town in Ontario. There are a lot of explosions in this book. The new heroes experience three long showdowns with dark forces. These sequences are well done with action that is creative and easy to picture. Sometimes action scenes in books are based off of movies, which doesn’t work because they just turn into a blow-by-blow account that reads like a technical manual. This author avoided that trap.
Still, I’d haved like to see more down-time for our heroes; see them as students and see them interacting without an immediate life-or-death crisis going on.
The four roommates are each studying a difference field of science. Our main character is a geologist, and seeing them nerd out over rocks was super cute. The book also acknowledges the BS science that goes into super powers and the crazy costumes.
If you enjoy this, definitely check out The Supes ( review here), an indie book that I actually liked more.
September 26, 2018
Kim and her friends are transformed into superheroes in a freak lab accident. Superheroes are well known in this particular reality, so they're more enthused than freaked out by their newfound powers. But of course with great power comes great responsibility, and within moments of getting psychic, sonic, ultimate human ability, or size-changing powers, they are embroiled in a fight against the forces of darkness.
I liked the thoughtful, imaginative ways everyone used their powers. I liked that the main characters were all women or gender non conforming. I really liked 99, who's basically like Captain America crossed with Casey Jones. But the tone and style of this book rankled at me. Every paragraph begins with a sentence in bold, which probably seemed like a cute idea at first but really wore out its welcome 400 pages in. There's endless infodumping; even in the last chapter, the main character is still explaining things to the reader in paragraph form. And there's just something about the way the story is told that felt smarmy and self-satisfied.
I liked the thoughtful, imaginative ways everyone used their powers. I liked that the main characters were all women or gender non conforming. I really liked 99, who's basically like Captain America crossed with Casey Jones. But the tone and style of this book rankled at me. Every paragraph begins with a sentence in bold, which probably seemed like a cute idea at first but really wore out its welcome 400 pages in. There's endless infodumping; even in the last chapter, the main character is still explaining things to the reader in paragraph form. And there's just something about the way the story is told that felt smarmy and self-satisfied.
April 29, 2018
Entertaining story, but way too much with the infodumps.
Also, this was very similar to the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson. It just added a dose of magic.
I'm not sure if I'll read the next book.
Also, this was very similar to the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson. It just added a dose of magic.
I'm not sure if I'll read the next book.
October 28, 2017
I've been known to complain that supers novels are often not very good.
I'm going to have to start easing back on that complaint. I've read several excellent supers novels lately, and this is one of them.
Four college roommates end up with superpowers thanks to a brush with a supervillain's plot, in a world where the wealthy and powerful elites have mostly become "darklings" - vampires, weres, and demons - for the sake of the longevity and the power. Only the advent of "sparks" (the word "superhero" has been trademarked by some darkling trademark troll) is keeping them in check.
I have one and a half complaints. My one complaint is that a world, even a Canada, ruled by a dark supernatural elite should maybe seem more dystopian than this, though goodness knows wealthy elites are pretty dystopic already, and we seem to manage. My half a complaint is that the protagonists are just a touch too powerful - though given what they have to face that's understandable, and they certainly use their powers with intelligence, not just whaling away at their adversaries.
Apart from those small niggles, this is a thrill-ride of tension and cool set-pieces that aren't just meaningless action, told with verve and cleverness in an appealing voice. Bonus points for showing us a pair of people who are clearly recognisable as DC canon characters without ever using their exact names, the name of their town, or even the name of the state; and for lampshading the aversion of the trope where someone pointlessly conceals important information and is killed or captured before they can pass it on.
I also have to admire any author who's capable of this passage: "On a scale of ambition from one to ten, where one was a doorknob and ten was a great white shark, Elaine would use the doorknob to beat the shark to death."
Superhero novels can easily be cheesy, trope-ridden, overly derivative, filled with dull slug-fests, or just amateurish in their execution. None of those things apply here. The narrator (a genderqueer character of Asian ancestry) and the other three main characters ring true, bicker realistically, are appropriately nerdy, and display interesting and original superpowers (itself quite an achievement). Based on the sample at the end, the next book will be narrated by a different member of the group, the one who's human maximum at everything, and it'll be interesting to see how the author keeps that from being boring, makes the character still relatable, and maintains the tension. I have every confidence that the author of this book is capable of pulling off that difficult feat.
The editing is, in general, good (apart from an occasional "may" that should really be "might").
I received a review copy via Netgalley.
I'm going to have to start easing back on that complaint. I've read several excellent supers novels lately, and this is one of them.
Four college roommates end up with superpowers thanks to a brush with a supervillain's plot, in a world where the wealthy and powerful elites have mostly become "darklings" - vampires, weres, and demons - for the sake of the longevity and the power. Only the advent of "sparks" (the word "superhero" has been trademarked by some darkling trademark troll) is keeping them in check.
I have one and a half complaints. My one complaint is that a world, even a Canada, ruled by a dark supernatural elite should maybe seem more dystopian than this, though goodness knows wealthy elites are pretty dystopic already, and we seem to manage. My half a complaint is that the protagonists are just a touch too powerful - though given what they have to face that's understandable, and they certainly use their powers with intelligence, not just whaling away at their adversaries.
Apart from those small niggles, this is a thrill-ride of tension and cool set-pieces that aren't just meaningless action, told with verve and cleverness in an appealing voice. Bonus points for showing us a pair of people who are clearly recognisable as DC canon characters without ever using their exact names, the name of their town, or even the name of the state; and for lampshading the aversion of the trope where someone pointlessly conceals important information and is killed or captured before they can pass it on.
I also have to admire any author who's capable of this passage: "On a scale of ambition from one to ten, where one was a doorknob and ten was a great white shark, Elaine would use the doorknob to beat the shark to death."
Superhero novels can easily be cheesy, trope-ridden, overly derivative, filled with dull slug-fests, or just amateurish in their execution. None of those things apply here. The narrator (a genderqueer character of Asian ancestry) and the other three main characters ring true, bicker realistically, are appropriately nerdy, and display interesting and original superpowers (itself quite an achievement). Based on the sample at the end, the next book will be narrated by a different member of the group, the one who's human maximum at everything, and it'll be interesting to see how the author keeps that from being boring, makes the character still relatable, and maintains the tension. I have every confidence that the author of this book is capable of pulling off that difficult feat.
The editing is, in general, good (apart from an occasional "may" that should really be "might").
I received a review copy via Netgalley.
January 3, 2021
Exciting to be reminded of this author... looking forward to this just based on what I know of his other works!
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Done. Not disappointed, as my expectations based on content were low.
I'm rating the book 3/5, because I know almost nothing about superheroes and didn't need to; rather it was just a fun read with some neat ideas. I see another reviewer who is a fan thought that there was way too much infodump... but I disagree, because the info. was more about how *this* world works. But I suppose if you're already a big fan this book might not be good. The highest ratings are probably from ppl who do read some comics/watch some movies, but are just casual fans. So yeah, for me, 3.5 rounded down because I'm not interested in the sequel (though I am mildly curious about Nicholas, the Goblin, and the team name).
I very much love the annotated list of things that make our mc happy, p.238-9 of the paperback. Now I have to try Cherry Garcia ice cream to see if it really is that special. :)
---
Done. Not disappointed, as my expectations based on content were low.
I'm rating the book 3/5, because I know almost nothing about superheroes and didn't need to; rather it was just a fun read with some neat ideas. I see another reviewer who is a fan thought that there was way too much infodump... but I disagree, because the info. was more about how *this* world works. But I suppose if you're already a big fan this book might not be good. The highest ratings are probably from ppl who do read some comics/watch some movies, but are just casual fans. So yeah, for me, 3.5 rounded down because I'm not interested in the sequel (though I am mildly curious about Nicholas, the Goblin, and the team name).
I very much love the annotated list of things that make our mc happy, p.238-9 of the paperback. Now I have to try Cherry Garcia ice cream to see if it really is that special. :)
January 24, 2020
I feel the strong SJW vibe here. It is not that strong at the start, but it is better to drop on 20%, than on 57%.
And it starts pretty stupid.
First of all, that doesn't make a lot of sense. But most importantly the cardinality of real numbers is the same as for complex numbers.
Then "The set of all possible Earths is a gnarly, twisted, unordered thing—so contorted and uncountably infinite" - yeah, like reals. Set of real numbers is uncountably infinite.
And I assume that "fractals" are used because it sounds cool, and fractals are cool, but not in this context.
And it starts pretty stupid.
There’s this strange idea that Earths can be numbered, starting at 1 then up through the integers. It’s not true. The integers don’t work, nor do the reals, nor even the complex numbers. The set of all possible Earths is a gnarly, twisted, unordered thing—so contorted and uncountably infinite, not even the word “fractal” does it justice.
First of all, that doesn't make a lot of sense. But most importantly the cardinality of real numbers is the same as for complex numbers.
Then "The set of all possible Earths is a gnarly, twisted, unordered thing—so contorted and uncountably infinite" - yeah, like reals. Set of real numbers is uncountably infinite.
And I assume that "fractals" are used because it sounds cool, and fractals are cool, but not in this context.
July 9, 2018
Really fun. Once I actually carved out some time to read this it zipped right along. A combination of urban fantasy and superhero wish fulfillment I loved that it was set in Kitchener/Waterloo. I’ve been to the Farmers market a few times so this added to my enjoyment!! I’ve always liked James Alan Garner, I really enjoyed his Expendable series and this did not disappoint me.
November 7, 2017
This is a spoiler-free review
Read on In The Sheets
All Those Explosions is the first book published under Tor by Canadian author James Alan Gardner.
I wanna start by saying this book is bizarre, but in the best possible way. It takes place on an alternate earth where superheros or "Sparks" are possible, and the rich can sell their souls to be super-powered demons and ghouls and were-beasts known as Darklings.
The book takes place in Waterloo around the University of Waterloo campus and some other familiar locations in the region. It's very unusual for a book to take place here and was very surreal to read considering I live in Waterloo. It's like seeing a movie that was filmed in your city except it also takes place in your city, and it's filled with demons and superheroes and destruction.
The way the book is formatted is super (no pun intended) unique and really gives it a comic book feel while still remaining a fun novel.
ATEWSEF follows a very diverse and well represented group of 4 UW students who accidentally become sparks and set out to protect Waterloo Region. Which by itself is hilarious to type. This is a hell of an origin story.
I really enjoyed the book, it's totally worth a read, and I can't wait to hear what other people have to say about it.
Read on In The Sheets
All Those Explosions is the first book published under Tor by Canadian author James Alan Gardner.
I wanna start by saying this book is bizarre, but in the best possible way. It takes place on an alternate earth where superheros or "Sparks" are possible, and the rich can sell their souls to be super-powered demons and ghouls and were-beasts known as Darklings.
The book takes place in Waterloo around the University of Waterloo campus and some other familiar locations in the region. It's very unusual for a book to take place here and was very surreal to read considering I live in Waterloo. It's like seeing a movie that was filmed in your city except it also takes place in your city, and it's filled with demons and superheroes and destruction.
The way the book is formatted is super (no pun intended) unique and really gives it a comic book feel while still remaining a fun novel.
ATEWSEF follows a very diverse and well represented group of 4 UW students who accidentally become sparks and set out to protect Waterloo Region. Which by itself is hilarious to type. This is a hell of an origin story.
I really enjoyed the book, it's totally worth a read, and I can't wait to hear what other people have to say about it.
March 13, 2019
Tired of space operas and grimdark battles? Go here.
This is a silly book of cartoony nonsense, and it's great fun. Also set at my alma mater.
It still follows the basic rule of SF/F, that authors can posit whatever starting rules they want, but then they have to work out the consequences without adding further rules. Gardner does that well here.
As an older white male, I have no weight to an opinion about Kim/Kimmi/whatever as a character, but I have to give Gardner marks for trying. And there's no doubt that he has addressed the situation as providing personal growth for K.
He also manages to have baddies who are very powerful without being over-the-top, an issue that just caused me to abandon a Judith Tarr book because it became obvious that one of the characters could do absolutely anything without limit. Poof, there goes the drama.
It's fun, and Canadians wil perhaps enjoy it a little more. Or hockey fans from anywhere.
This is a silly book of cartoony nonsense, and it's great fun. Also set at my alma mater.
It still follows the basic rule of SF/F, that authors can posit whatever starting rules they want, but then they have to work out the consequences without adding further rules. Gardner does that well here.
As an older white male, I have no weight to an opinion about Kim/Kimmi/whatever as a character, but I have to give Gardner marks for trying. And there's no doubt that he has addressed the situation as providing personal growth for K.
He also manages to have baddies who are very powerful without being over-the-top, an issue that just caused me to abandon a Judith Tarr book because it became obvious that one of the characters could do absolutely anything without limit. Poof, there goes the drama.
It's fun, and Canadians wil perhaps enjoy it a little more. Or hockey fans from anywhere.
November 14, 2017
Amazing!
I have waited 13 long years for a new Gardner book and literally screamed with joy when one of my now hopeless scans found this one! His plots are always imaginative, but even better is his unique ability to depict the interior dialogue that convey the strengths and damage that his characters carry. I am so truly happy to read this book. Who would have thought a story of super heroes would rise above pulp. Thank you Mr Gardner. I hope the book sales are stupendous. I will still miss festina Ramos and that universe, however, from your previous series.
I have waited 13 long years for a new Gardner book and literally screamed with joy when one of my now hopeless scans found this one! His plots are always imaginative, but even better is his unique ability to depict the interior dialogue that convey the strengths and damage that his characters carry. I am so truly happy to read this book. Who would have thought a story of super heroes would rise above pulp. Thank you Mr Gardner. I hope the book sales are stupendous. I will still miss festina Ramos and that universe, however, from your previous series.
April 27, 2019
SO MUCH FUN!!!
This was one of those library finds. Took it home for husband to read, who highly recommended it, so I read it too. Bad news is that there's a second book, NOT in my library system, and too new to request through interlibrary loan. Sigh. Might have to break down and buy it ;-)
This was one of those library finds. Took it home for husband to read, who highly recommended it, so I read it too. Bad news is that there's a second book, NOT in my library system, and too new to request through interlibrary loan. Sigh. Might have to break down and buy it ;-)
July 19, 2019
This is such a great book! Gardner doubles down on all the wacky tropes associated with comic book superheroes and yet manages to create a world full of surprises. Can we please get a Dark/Spark movie instead of yet another Batman adaptation?
February 13, 2022
Comic book superheroes vs oligarch vampires and werewolves and demons.
Four Canadian STEM students blunder into a Science Splosion at a university laboratory. As is custom, they find themselves riddled with superpowers instead of chemical burns and compound fractures. Fate drafts them into the eternal battle against the forces of Darkness.
Dark, here, means virtually the entirety of the international billionaire class, who began using their wealth in the 1980s to purchase power and immortality from the world’s monsters. Which means that the world governments aren’t just run by the wealthy, they’re run by literal vampires. (At this point I expected to be saturated in social commentary, but apart from that on-the-nose 1%er metaphor there’s virtually none.)
I like the author’s wit, and the four main characters are well drawn. There are lots of fun moments.
But the plotting and superhero elements are groanworthy.
--The girls could add superpowers to their repertoire by saying them out loud. “I can do sonar!” and boom, she can navigate by echolocation.
--Ridiculous mix of abilities. One girl turns to stone, and can see everything around her, and can shrink and fly. Another is human-maximum in all human skills—judo, blacksmithing, baking, everything—and regenerates like Wolverine and dresses like a hockey player. Thematic chaos.
--The plot is driven by massive coincidence after massive coincidence, each one conveniently dramatic. The author lampshades the hell out of these dramatic contrivances but it doesn’t help. Too much stupid, and with Fate pulling everyone's strings the characters have no agency. There's a reason Fate is a punchline in The Tick.
--
ATEWSEF (man, that title clanks) could have been so much better if it had ditched the comic book tropes it purports to be skewering. Missed opportunity.
Four Canadian STEM students blunder into a Science Splosion at a university laboratory. As is custom, they find themselves riddled with superpowers instead of chemical burns and compound fractures. Fate drafts them into the eternal battle against the forces of Darkness.
Dark, here, means virtually the entirety of the international billionaire class, who began using their wealth in the 1980s to purchase power and immortality from the world’s monsters. Which means that the world governments aren’t just run by the wealthy, they’re run by literal vampires. (At this point I expected to be saturated in social commentary, but apart from that on-the-nose 1%er metaphor there’s virtually none.)
I like the author’s wit, and the four main characters are well drawn. There are lots of fun moments.
But the plotting and superhero elements are groanworthy.
--The girls could add superpowers to their repertoire by saying them out loud. “I can do sonar!” and boom, she can navigate by echolocation.
--Ridiculous mix of abilities. One girl turns to stone, and can see everything around her, and can shrink and fly. Another is human-maximum in all human skills—judo, blacksmithing, baking, everything—and regenerates like Wolverine and dresses like a hockey player. Thematic chaos.
--The plot is driven by massive coincidence after massive coincidence, each one conveniently dramatic. The author lampshades the hell out of these dramatic contrivances but it doesn’t help. Too much stupid, and with Fate pulling everyone's strings the characters have no agency. There's a reason Fate is a punchline in The Tick.
--
ATEWSEF (man, that title clanks) could have been so much better if it had ditched the comic book tropes it purports to be skewering. Missed opportunity.
March 26, 2018
There's just too much to enjoy in this long-awaited next novel from James Gardner.
The wry voice, the self-reflective and self-mocking approach to a world filled with superheroes, the multi-leveled diverse and inclusive factors of the book (it embraces both science fiction and fantasy elements the way the main character embraces multiple aspects of her own sexuality - both subtle yet present elements that are weaved into the story) make it stand out and memorable, much like the title. The fact that it is set in Waterloo, Ontario, with characters battling on the campus of the University of Waterloo and at nearby St. Jacobs market is an additional bonus.
The origin of the monsters and the "bad-guys" vs those who become the good guys (the heroes are called Sparks, in a very tongue-in-cheek reference to the trademarking of variations of the name "superhero" by Marvel and DC) is also intriguing and, like good science-fiction, holds up a mirror to the real world and provides an underlying social commentary.
This is a fun rump through a unique world with interesting characters that I enjoyed spending time with and I'm definitely looking forward to hanging out with them again in the next book in this series.
The wry voice, the self-reflective and self-mocking approach to a world filled with superheroes, the multi-leveled diverse and inclusive factors of the book (it embraces both science fiction and fantasy elements the way the main character embraces multiple aspects of her own sexuality - both subtle yet present elements that are weaved into the story) make it stand out and memorable, much like the title. The fact that it is set in Waterloo, Ontario, with characters battling on the campus of the University of Waterloo and at nearby St. Jacobs market is an additional bonus.
The origin of the monsters and the "bad-guys" vs those who become the good guys (the heroes are called Sparks, in a very tongue-in-cheek reference to the trademarking of variations of the name "superhero" by Marvel and DC) is also intriguing and, like good science-fiction, holds up a mirror to the real world and provides an underlying social commentary.
This is a fun rump through a unique world with interesting characters that I enjoyed spending time with and I'm definitely looking forward to hanging out with them again in the next book in this series.
December 17, 2019
Despite over-explaining the rules superheroes (and supervillains) had to follow, this book was a fun superhero origin story with some witty dialog (though somewhat less than I was expecting). A portrait was painted of each of the major characters including some backstory and personality traits, but it would have benefitted from more character interaction that forced the characters to emotionally adapt.
Yes, I just asked for more interpersonal depth in a pulpy super-hero adventure novel. I can dream, can't I?
This book reminded me a lot of Redshirts which I liked a little better. In both books, the narrative itself is in some ways the protagonist. Scalzi's book is Star Trek, not superheroes, but it one-upped itself several times before the end.
Yes, I just asked for more interpersonal depth in a pulpy super-hero adventure novel. I can dream, can't I?
This book reminded me a lot of Redshirts which I liked a little better. In both books, the narrative itself is in some ways the protagonist. Scalzi's book is Star Trek, not superheroes, but it one-upped itself several times before the end.
August 6, 2018
A fun read ... maybe not as thoughtful as Gardner’s League of Peoples novels, but still good - and bottom line, great to see him writing again.
October 17, 2018
Give me genderqueer superpowered geologists and I'm a happy camper. Give me that and a great story told with extremely personable and funny tone and I'm moving out to live in the woods.
November 22, 2018
This was a fun read. Not quite "League of Peoples" good, but good enough that I want to read the sequel.
January 12, 2018
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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Let's start with the title, shall we? Straight off you know this book is going to be action-oriented, heavy on the explosions and most likely offbeat in style.
This is one of those books that it almost doesn't matter how good the novel itself is, because the set-up is so good. Thankfully, let me hasten to say, the book lives up to the setup. So here's the setup: it's a parallel universe to ours, exactly like it (down to the certainty of the existence of Elton John), but in the 1980s Vampires, Werewolves, etc. admit their existence and sell their services -- what services? Being turned, in exchange for exorbitant rates, so that the newly supernatural could enjoy their riches and powers for extended lifespans. Before long, the 1% are essentially all monsters in some way (literally so, not just depicted as monsters in print, on film or in song). The haves are supernatural, the have-nots are human -- literally, these groups are two different species.
Yeah, the imagery isn't subtle. It's not supposed to be.
A couple of decades later, Sparks show up -- Sparks are, for lack of a better term super heroes. They battle the forces of Darkness, so are obviously called Light (both groups have a tendency to be a little on the nose). There's a pseudo-scientific explanation/excuse fr the way their powers work (contrasted to the magic of the other side). Fast-forward to the present, four college students/housemates are in an almost-deserted engineering lab building on campus when one of the labs blows up. This results in these four being turned into Sparks and they are immediately compelled to defend their city and combat a scheme launched and directed by Darks.
While doing this, they need to come to grips with this new reality for them, their news powers, their new identities, and so on -- not to mention coming up with costumes.
This book features THE (triple underscore) best explanation of/justification for simple masks being an adequate disguise and/or the efficacy of removing a pair of eyeglasses to hide a superheroes identity.
The writing is crisp, the characters are fully fleshed out and the kind of people you want to spend more time with. I'm not going to get more into it than that, because you really need to experience the relationships (and many other things) by yourself.
This looked like a fun read, and it is a blast (no pun intended, but fully embraced), but it's more -- there's heart, humor, some meta-narrative, and strong super-heroic and magical action. I really liked this one -- it's one of the best super-hero novels I've read in the last few years and the sequel can't get here fast enough. Grab a copy today and thank me tomorrow.
---
...paranoia is our friend. Paranoia is our sunscreen, our condom, our duct tape. Paranoia tells the truth nine times out of ten, and the tenth time is when you weren't paranoid enough. We will never correctly anticipate what flavor of shit will hit the fan, but we can calculate the trajectory and attempt to avoid the splatter.
Let's start with the title, shall we? Straight off you know this book is going to be action-oriented, heavy on the explosions and most likely offbeat in style.
This is one of those books that it almost doesn't matter how good the novel itself is, because the set-up is so good. Thankfully, let me hasten to say, the book lives up to the setup. So here's the setup: it's a parallel universe to ours, exactly like it (down to the certainty of the existence of Elton John), but in the 1980s Vampires, Werewolves, etc. admit their existence and sell their services -- what services? Being turned, in exchange for exorbitant rates, so that the newly supernatural could enjoy their riches and powers for extended lifespans. Before long, the 1% are essentially all monsters in some way (literally so, not just depicted as monsters in print, on film or in song). The haves are supernatural, the have-nots are human -- literally, these groups are two different species.
Yeah, the imagery isn't subtle. It's not supposed to be.
A couple of decades later, Sparks show up -- Sparks are, for lack of a better term super heroes. They battle the forces of Darkness, so are obviously called Light (both groups have a tendency to be a little on the nose). There's a pseudo-scientific explanation/excuse fr the way their powers work (contrasted to the magic of the other side). Fast-forward to the present, four college students/housemates are in an almost-deserted engineering lab building on campus when one of the labs blows up. This results in these four being turned into Sparks and they are immediately compelled to defend their city and combat a scheme launched and directed by Darks.
While doing this, they need to come to grips with this new reality for them, their news powers, their new identities, and so on -- not to mention coming up with costumes.
This book features THE (triple underscore) best explanation of/justification for simple masks being an adequate disguise and/or the efficacy of removing a pair of eyeglasses to hide a superheroes identity.
The writing is crisp, the characters are fully fleshed out and the kind of people you want to spend more time with. I'm not going to get more into it than that, because you really need to experience the relationships (and many other things) by yourself.
This looked like a fun read, and it is a blast (no pun intended, but fully embraced), but it's more -- there's heart, humor, some meta-narrative, and strong super-heroic and magical action. I really liked this one -- it's one of the best super-hero novels I've read in the last few years and the sequel can't get here fast enough. Grab a copy today and thank me tomorrow.
January 12, 2023
When I found out about this book, I was intrigued: Canadian author, Canadian superheroes, a world in which the supernatural/paranormal of all kinds exists at the same time as superheroes. I was certain it hadn't been done before (at the very least, I haven't encountered another book that does so). When I began reading the book, I got even more excited because the main character, Kim, is queer. The only thing it's missing is that it's not horror, but I accept the superhero thing in its place.
Then as I got farther into the book, I started to cringe. The characters are enjoyable and I think I kept reading mostly for them. Though I confess that Kim, being a first person narrator, takes a rather observatory role in the story. Granted, Kim's powers basically make them the perfect movie camera, but it defacto keeps them watching the action instead of contributing. As a character, Kim is cool, and I really liked the nerdy geology offshoots. But as a superhero, Kim felt lacking. They pulled off what they needed to when it counted, but most of the book felt like I was watching Kim watching everyone else, and the remove was awkward and pretty boring.
The other thing that made me a bit eye twitchy was the whole thing about luck and coincidence. In terms of the actual story, I don't know that it occurred all that often, but it was mentioned multiple times how Sparks (and Darklings) effect things like odds, chances, coincidences, etc. The Light and Dark craves chaos, ergo coincidences and luck are much more likely to occur for them. While this, to a degree, feels like a poke at the various superhero tropes (villains being defeated by dumb things, deus ex machina endings, people showing up to save you in the nick of time, etc), it was also embraced as a "Law" within the world of the novel. That in itself is fine, but the way it was worded and the number of times it was brought up just felt cheap, like lazy writing or at the very least a cop out--characters literally tell each other "don't think about it too hard" because physics means it shouldn't be happening but somehow it still is and it somehow isn't magic because only Darklings can magic.
Given how often that applies in other superhero stories, I was willing to accept that. But then the super powers/abilities (Sparks and Darklings alike) kept piling on and/or revealing themselves at perfectly convenient times (that luck/coincidence thing I mentioned?) and it got a little ridiculous. It felt silly, more so than the already light tone of the book would have you expect. I couldn't tell if the whole thing is supposed to be somewhat of a parody, or if the powers were meant to be relatively serious.
All that said, I liked it well enough to finish it and it holds up alright in the combat and originality departments. It's one of those books where the concept it sprang from is ingenious but the result isn't quite what you expected. This is actually the first book in a series, but I think I'm going to have to stop at this one if the remaining books are anything like this one. It's a good single dose, I don't know if I could handle more of it.
Then as I got farther into the book, I started to cringe. The characters are enjoyable and I think I kept reading mostly for them. Though I confess that Kim, being a first person narrator, takes a rather observatory role in the story. Granted, Kim's powers basically make them the perfect movie camera, but it defacto keeps them watching the action instead of contributing. As a character, Kim is cool, and I really liked the nerdy geology offshoots. But as a superhero, Kim felt lacking. They pulled off what they needed to when it counted, but most of the book felt like I was watching Kim watching everyone else, and the remove was awkward and pretty boring.
The other thing that made me a bit eye twitchy was the whole thing about luck and coincidence. In terms of the actual story, I don't know that it occurred all that often, but it was mentioned multiple times how Sparks (and Darklings) effect things like odds, chances, coincidences, etc. The Light and Dark craves chaos, ergo coincidences and luck are much more likely to occur for them. While this, to a degree, feels like a poke at the various superhero tropes (villains being defeated by dumb things, deus ex machina endings, people showing up to save you in the nick of time, etc), it was also embraced as a "Law" within the world of the novel. That in itself is fine, but the way it was worded and the number of times it was brought up just felt cheap, like lazy writing or at the very least a cop out--characters literally tell each other "don't think about it too hard" because physics means it shouldn't be happening but somehow it still is and it somehow isn't magic because only Darklings can magic.
Given how often that applies in other superhero stories, I was willing to accept that. But then the super powers/abilities (Sparks and Darklings alike) kept piling on and/or revealing themselves at perfectly convenient times (that luck/coincidence thing I mentioned?) and it got a little ridiculous. It felt silly, more so than the already light tone of the book would have you expect. I couldn't tell if the whole thing is supposed to be somewhat of a parody, or if the powers were meant to be relatively serious.
All that said, I liked it well enough to finish it and it holds up alright in the combat and originality departments. It's one of those books where the concept it sprang from is ingenious but the result isn't quite what you expected. This is actually the first book in a series, but I think I'm going to have to stop at this one if the remaining books are anything like this one. It's a good single dose, I don't know if I could handle more of it.
April 6, 2024
The way I found the hardest part of the book to believe was that it's set in Waterloo. My brain went: yes, I can suspend my belief for superheroes and villains and powers and vampires but not for Waterloo.
I really enjoyed this book and that bumps my rating up a bit. I think the characters and relationships are interesting with lots to explore in future books and the humor made me, if not laugh, smile. I liked the exploration of what makes someone a superhero versus what makes someone a villain and how the characters struggled to hold on to their moral boundaries at times. Also, I've never read about a genderqueer superhero before, and the topic of dressing up and becoming that superhero and feeling for at ease in your body was nicely explored. It was very easy for me to read and I devoured it in a way I haven't done in a while.
In terms of actual quality and whatnot, it's more like a 3 stars - I think the idea is there, but the execution could be better. While a benefit of having lots of combat scenes means that the plot is fast-paced, I didn't get to know the characters and their lives as well. I also feel like the emotional aspects of the characters lives were handled a little clumsily, and as a result the story suffered. The world building is ok - a lot of things are just explained away with "coincidences are just more likely for superheroes and villains because of the laws of the universe (don't think to deeply or else powers go away)".
That being said, will definitely read the second book and I'm happy I read this one.
I really enjoyed this book and that bumps my rating up a bit. I think the characters and relationships are interesting with lots to explore in future books and the humor made me, if not laugh, smile. I liked the exploration of what makes someone a superhero versus what makes someone a villain and how the characters struggled to hold on to their moral boundaries at times. Also, I've never read about a genderqueer superhero before, and the topic of dressing up and becoming that superhero and feeling for at ease in your body was nicely explored. It was very easy for me to read and I devoured it in a way I haven't done in a while.
In terms of actual quality and whatnot, it's more like a 3 stars - I think the idea is there, but the execution could be better. While a benefit of having lots of combat scenes means that the plot is fast-paced, I didn't get to know the characters and their lives as well. I also feel like the emotional aspects of the characters lives were handled a little clumsily, and as a result the story suffered. The world building is ok - a lot of things are just explained away with "coincidences are just more likely for superheroes and villains because of the laws of the universe (don't think to deeply or else powers go away)".
That being said, will definitely read the second book and I'm happy I read this one.
November 15, 2018
A romp through my old stomping grounds. Okay, maybe a parallel romp since there doesn't seem to be magic in my world, but there is the University of Waterloo and it's neighbourhoods. Author James Alan Gardner has set his book in an area he knows well, though he's tweaked it a bit and added some rather cool stuff.
Kim, her three roommates and one boyfriend are at the University of Waterloo (UW) on a stealth mission. When Kim spies six darklings entering a lab, her curiosity is aroused. Shortly afterwards an explosion ripples through campus and the four women go to investigate. They enter the devastated lab and become encircled/invaded by something that effects changes in themselves. They are transformed to sparks, essentially the good or light ones who counter the darklings. Did I mention the campus police?
This sets the four off on a series of adventures while they seek to understand what has happened to them.
There is so much wonderful stuff that happens in this book that I can't even begin to explain. I can tell you that this was a lot of fun to read and experience. It was discussed at my book club, and we all enjoyed it and most of us plan to read the next instalment. We couldn't put any labels on this book as it's most unique in plot. Yes, there is dark and light but there is a lot of fuzzy as well. Suspend disbelief and just go with the story line and enjoy.
I loved that this book is set in a location that I am very familiar with. I attended UW some years ago and it was great to re-visit sites that I have a variety of memories of.
#IndigoEmployee
Kim, her three roommates and one boyfriend are at the University of Waterloo (UW) on a stealth mission. When Kim spies six darklings entering a lab, her curiosity is aroused. Shortly afterwards an explosion ripples through campus and the four women go to investigate. They enter the devastated lab and become encircled/invaded by something that effects changes in themselves. They are transformed to sparks, essentially the good or light ones who counter the darklings. Did I mention the campus police?
This sets the four off on a series of adventures while they seek to understand what has happened to them.
There is so much wonderful stuff that happens in this book that I can't even begin to explain. I can tell you that this was a lot of fun to read and experience. It was discussed at my book club, and we all enjoyed it and most of us plan to read the next instalment. We couldn't put any labels on this book as it's most unique in plot. Yes, there is dark and light but there is a lot of fuzzy as well. Suspend disbelief and just go with the story line and enjoy.
I loved that this book is set in a location that I am very familiar with. I attended UW some years ago and it was great to re-visit sites that I have a variety of memories of.
#IndigoEmployee
July 14, 2018
This book is nominated for a Prix Aurora Award. Out of the six nominees in the Novel Category, I read this one first because of the title, and I wasn't disappointed. Like the title, the voice within the novel is casual, fresh, and fun to read.
So basically, what we have here is monsters versus superheroes, in a world very much like our own. Vampires, werewolves and a host of other evil types started appearing after a classified ad offered to make the very rich immortal a few decades ago. Things turn pretty cruel until superheroes start popping up. This is the story of how four college roommates gain superpowers and try to fend off a series of horrendous attacks.
The main character doesn't care to be gender-labeled, and has supportive friends. Also lots of powerful women, and some believable baddies. All of those work for me, so why just four stars? Well, I like underdogs more than superheroes, and I sometimes felt that the hero's powers provided pat solutions when the characters were in trouble. But if you enjoy superhero tales, you might love this book.
Pick it up for the crazy title, read it for the entertaining style.
So basically, what we have here is monsters versus superheroes, in a world very much like our own. Vampires, werewolves and a host of other evil types started appearing after a classified ad offered to make the very rich immortal a few decades ago. Things turn pretty cruel until superheroes start popping up. This is the story of how four college roommates gain superpowers and try to fend off a series of horrendous attacks.
The main character doesn't care to be gender-labeled, and has supportive friends. Also lots of powerful women, and some believable baddies. All of those work for me, so why just four stars? Well, I like underdogs more than superheroes, and I sometimes felt that the hero's powers provided pat solutions when the characters were in trouble. But if you enjoy superhero tales, you might love this book.
Pick it up for the crazy title, read it for the entertaining style.
January 15, 2019
If I was the type of person to say "THIS WAS A ROLLICKING TOUR DE FORCE" I would. But man, I *hate* when somebody is unoriginal enough to use those words in that order. So. This was hugely fun. The world is ridiculous, and super interesting. I liked the main characters, they had real people thoughts and real people problems, and acted like real people in a ridiculous situation. I stayed up way to late to finish this. The whole thing is just ridiculous. Plus it doesn't take itself seriously. There's no "yes, be serious now, the world is serious and has serious things to say". No, screw that. It says "LLALALALALA I JUST WANT SUPER HEROES TO FIGHT MONNNNNNNNNNSTERSSSSSSSSSSSSSS" and that's a-ok.
December 29, 2020
Action driven page turner. It's modern superhero fiction in a world filled monsters and superheroes who sometimes find themselves, predictably, at odds. It's set in a world where the vampires are CEOs and the superheroes are sometimes just random college students. I liked the protagonist and their friends, who I found relatable and easy to root for.
The first chapter is amazing, the few chapters after that have a bit of infodump, and the second half is great. I'm definitely going to read the second book, and I hope Gardner writes more.
Surprisingly, my main criticism of this book is that it's almost too compact. There's a lot going on, and we quickly learn a lot about the characters and their world. Also, the rules of magic are a bit soft which enables some mildly lazy plotting, but overall the plot held together well. When "it's too fast paced" is my biggest complaint, that's a compliment in this genre. The book this most reminded me of was Worm.
The first chapter is amazing, the few chapters after that have a bit of infodump, and the second half is great. I'm definitely going to read the second book, and I hope Gardner writes more.
Surprisingly, my main criticism of this book is that it's almost too compact. There's a lot going on, and we quickly learn a lot about the characters and their world. Also, the rules of magic are a bit soft which enables some mildly lazy plotting, but overall the plot held together well. When "it's too fast paced" is my biggest complaint, that's a compliment in this genre. The book this most reminded me of was Worm.
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