Book Review - Dead Iron by Devon Monk

Dead Iron
The Age of Steam Series Book One
Devon Monk
Roc Trade
Publication Date: July 5, 2011
Trade Paperback
352 pages

     Ask any writer, editor, or publisher the one thing they think makes or breaks a good book and nine times out of ten they’ll reply, “The first sentence has to grab you, pull you in, get you invested in the character or the setting or some other aspect of the story. Otherwise, you’ll lose the reader’s interest.” Devon Monk’s Dead Iron: The Age of Steam does just that. As a matter of fact, the first sentence tells a story in itself.

     “Cedar had stared straight into the killing eyes of rabid wolves, hungry bears, and charging bull elk, but Mrs. Horace Small had them all topped.”

     I wouldn’t call this the best first line that I’ve ever read but it certainly does what every good opening sentence is supposed to do. It pulls you in and you want to learn more about the characters, want to see what happens next and once you start reading you’ll find it difficult to put down.

     Cedar Hunt is a frontiersman with a secretive past living in a cabin near the remote village of Hallelujah and that gives him the perfect opportunity to steer clear of other folks. But when supplies run low Cedar must travel into town to replenish them. While in the general store Cedar learns that a four-year-old child has disappeared under mysterious circumstances and he takes it upon himself to track him, find the abductor, and bring them both back dead or alive. His resolve is cemented when he discovers that the mysterious “Strange” is somehow involved in the disappearance. Rose Small is an enigma in town. She’s beautiful but unmarried and at seventeen that’s unusual for these parts. But Rose has a penchant for strange, little “devices” and most town-folk regard her as slightly touched in the head. Rose is unaware that she also harbors a long-lost secret. When Mae Lindsom “feels” her husband’s death the ties that once bound them together are instantly severed. In that moment the call from her coven to return home becomes too strong to resist. But first, she must find a way to destroy her husband’s killer. The antagonist, Shard LeFel, is as slimy as Simon Legree, more cold-hearted than the Grinch, and as vindictive and downright mean as Lemony Snicket’s Count Olaf, and he has something to hide as well. To make matters worse, he’s killed Mae’s husband three times! Busy bringing the railroad through Hallelujah LeFel is in exile looking for a way back to his homeland which, we sense, isn’t even in our universe. The bizarre Madder brothers seem to enter and leave the story at timely, or depending on your perspective untimely, moments and we’re never quite sure of their motives. They’re protecting something. But what? Very early on in the narrative it becomes apparent that time is running out for every one of them.

     In my opinion, Dead Iron should be classified in a genre of its own. With elements of Steampunk, the frontier old west, dark magic, the mysterious “Strange,” lycanthropic heroes, bogeymen, steam-powered “devices” and a surplus of oddball characters, this story seems to reside outside any one genre but pulls in elements from many. I thought to call it “Strange”punk but that sounds awkward and Metalpunk sounds too much like a music genre. SteamWest doesn’t fit well, either. Magicpunk? No. Frontierpunk? Westernpunk? Devicepunk? No, no, and no. But somehow all of them fit in some way.

     If you visit Ms. Monk’s author site you’ll see that at least one other book is scheduled for the series (Tin Swift 2012) and that’s a good thing because I, for one, want to know more about all the characters she’s so skillfully crafted. In a perfect world this would be a series that enjoys a long run and sells tons of copies. I know I’ll be contributing to making the world a little less imperfect by purchasing the future books in the series.

     Dead Iron: The Age of Steam is well-written, fast paced, has a unique and creative premise and is thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining. Recommended if you liked Mike Resnick’s The Buntline Special, Joe R. Lansdale’s Dead in the West, or Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker and best suited for western lovers, Steampunk fans, urban fantasy and magic enthusiasts, and those who simply love to enjoy an engaging read.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Official Author Site

Devon Monk Wiki Page

Dead Iron: The Age of Steam Excerpt

Dead Iron: The Age of Steam Amazon.com Page

“The Ranting Dragon” Book Review

The Age of Steam Series

1. Dead Iron (2011)
2. Tin Swift (Scheduled July 3, 2012)

Book Review – Assassin’s Code (Joe Ledger 04) by Jonathan Maberry

Assassin’s Code
Joe Ledger Series Book Four
Jonathan Maberry
Trade Paperback (Advance Reader’s Copy)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication date: April 10, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-0312552206
432 pages

     Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover.

     I requested Assassins Code from a group of Advance Reader’s Copies simply because the cover intrigued me. I know, I know, “looks can be deceiving” and “you can’t judge a book by its cover” but in this case I wasn’t disappointed. I have to confess that I've never read any of the other books in the Joe Ledger series and starting with the fourth book is probably not the best way to be introduced to a series but there was absolutely no disconnect in the story for me and I was able to follow it easily without having any of the back story of the first three books. The first compact chapter, only 48 words long, hooked me immediately and the story only got better from there. After reading Assassin’s Code I will definitely pick up the other titles in the series. I admit to having an affinity towards techno-thrillers with strong characters (i.e. Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series) and Assassin’s Code fits into that mold nicely.

     In some ways Joe Ledger reminds me a bit of Cotton Malone, Mac Bolan, and Doc Savage all mixed into one character. All are, or were, government contract operatives, are tough, witty, and sarcastic and their exploits are packed full of action scenes. The only real difference between them is that Joe Ledger is an extremely funny character. No, I take that back. What Joe Ledger thinks and says is often times hilarious. The novels are similar in some respects, as well. The plots are always eventful and conclude effectively and the suspense leading up to the climax is always “edge of the seat” and full of entertaining twists and turns.

     In Assassin’s Code, Joe Ledger and his team are tasked with extricating three American’s from an Iranian prison after they are taken into custody on accusations of spying. In the process, Joe meets a member of the Iranian government that tells him seven black-market Russian nuclear bombs are in the hands of terrorists and that their mere presence threatens both countries. Ledger and his team need to find them and quickly. Mixed into that story line is a clandestine society bent on keeping their secrets hidden and destroying their enemies, namely anyone associated with Ledger and his team. The premise, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” while cliché in some respects, stands up well under the hand of Jonathan Maberry who weaves as suspenseful and thrilling a tale as I’ve read in a very long time.

     Recommended for thriller/suspense buffs, fans of military fiction, enthusiast of character driven suspense, and anyone that enjoys secret government operatives, spies, political intrigue, and secret societies peppered throughout a solid fictional drama.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Assassin’s Code Amazon.com Page

Assassin’s Code Excerpt

Fan Based Joe Ledger Page

Jonathan Maberry’s Big, Scary Blog

Jonathan Maberry Wiki Page

Jonathan Maberry Interview

The Joe Ledger Series
1. Patient Zero (2009)
2. The Dragon Factory (2010)
3. The King of Plagues (2011)
4. Assassin's Code (2012)

Book Review (Poetry) - The Mexican Saga: A Journey Through the 20-Count by Elaine Stirling

Elaine Stirling
The Mexican Saga: A Journey Through the 20-Count
Greyhart Press
Publication Date: December 2011
eBook Edition
42 Pages (portrait view)

     Profoundly influenced by Carlos Castaneda’s Teachings of Don Juan and the collapse of civilization predicted to occur at the end of the Mayan calendar, The Mexican Saga: A Journey Through the 20-Count by Elaine Stirling is a snap-shot reflection of the life of an extraordinarily gifted child as her life-journey takes her from shaman initiate to full Nagual (shape-shifter.) This is a rare, though brief, look into what it may have been like to be a member of the Toltec community and is a true coming of age prose-narrative written from inside a culture that was truly ahead of its time. I’ve always believed that this variety of poetry is one of the most complicated to create but, it is also the most rewarding for the reader, especially if the subject matter is of interest. Thematic poetry can be complex and is often difficult to maintain but Stirling has created an inspiring epic in less than fifty pages. If only every poet could be that succinct. In my opinion, no poetry is ever perfect. Even in the mind of the creator it is ever- evolving, always changing but Elaine Stirling’s voice, rhythm and word choice demonstrates that she is passionate about the subject, has studied it thoroughly, and easily provokes in the reader the unique emotional responses intended. And, that’s what all good poetry is supposed to do.

     In The Mexican Saga Elaine Stirling has created prose-verse that blends ancient Toltec with contemporary Mexico and manages to successfully provoke considerable thought and image employing a compact and concise approach. She becomes the voice of an Indio shaman and her readers willing pupils. Mix two parts early spirituality, one part supernatural, and one part key, elegant phrasing and you’ll begin to appreciate the subtle nuances of The Mexican Saga. But this is not a re-telling in prose of the ideals and leanings of Castaneda or Don Juan. Rather, Ms. Stirling brings distinctive, creative, and clever ideas of her own to the table that draw you back to old Mexico where you can taste the flavors, hear the sounds, and experience the life of the high-desert philosophy as she traces the life of an emergent initiate. The only real complaint I have about this tightly woven book of poetry is that it was over well before I wanted it to.

My favorite passage:
"You own only two things in life:
Your death, he held up one finger,
Spooled around me,
And perception, held up another."

     Recommended for poetry lovers, anyone interested in shamanism, those attracted to the works of Carlos Castaneda, anybody mystified or fascinated by the Mayan calendar or the Toltec culture, and those who truly appreciate exceptional thematic poetry.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Greyhart Press site

Elaine Stirling Site

Amazon.com site

The Mexican Saga

Nagual Wiki Page

Toltec Culture Wiki Page

 

Book Review - The Walking Dead Compendium, Volume One (Graphic Novel)

The Walking Dead Compendium, Volume One (Graphic Novel)
Robert Kirkman (Author)
Charlie Adlard (Illustrator)
Cliff Rathburn (Illustrator)
Tony Moore (Illustrator)
Trade Paperback
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication date: 5/6/2009
ISBN-13: 9781607060765
1088 Pages

      If you’ve spent any length of time reading this book review blog you can’t help but notice that I’ve reviewed my fair share of post-apocalyptic and zombie novels over the years (i.e. Patrick Cronin's The Passage, Mira Grant's Feed, Z.A. Recht's Plague of the Dead and Thunder and Ashes, to name but a few.) The reason for this is because I believe the two compliment each other in many ways and, being devoted to both, I just can’t seem to get enough of either. It should come as no surprise then that I'm a fervent fan of the AMC TV series The Walking Dead. This particular review will contain elements of both the Graphic Novel and the AMC TV series but primarily focuses on the graphic novel and why I think it's better than the TV show, although the show gets a few well-deserved compliments, as well.

The Graphic Novel

     1) The zombies in the graphic novel are infinitely more frightening to me than those in the TV show. And, not for the reasons you might think. The TV series depicts the zombies in all their gruesome glory and they are disgusting and hyper-ugly (and totally freakin’ awesome, BTW) but the illustrations in the graphic novels treat the zombies in a way the TV show can't. The graphic novel artists have created zombies that somehow seem slightly more human than zombie and there is an emotional severing that takes place when they are destroyed. And that freaks. the. daylights. out of me. The zombies on TV, on the other hand, are obviously monsters that have lost all humanity and putting a bullet (or any other metal object) into their heads feels justified and necessary, like putting down a rabid animal before it hurts someone. [The only real exception to this idea was the deeply emotional demise of a zombiefied Sophia a few episodes ago.] The artwork in the graphic novel is compelling and poignant and makes zombie killing feel more like murder than an act of mercy or compassion. It’s not just a chore that needs to be done and there is a perceived sympathy depicted in the body language and facial expressions of the characters after each zombie slaying. (All bets are off during a zombie mob attack, though.) You’ll see that the dichotomy of these opinions and feelings mirror those of two main characters; Herschel, who saw the zombies as people who might eventually be cured, and Rick, who knows better.

     2) The deaths of a few of the main characters in the graphic novel feel more logical and better spaced than in the TV series. In one case it took much too long for a certain character to be red-shirted. Now, this might simply be a matter of having read the book first and may be influenced by the events of the graphic novel but I feel the TV show might have flowed better had they followed similar arcs. But again, that's clearly only my opinion.

NOTE: MAJOR SPOILER ALERT AHEAD - If you have not had a chance to view the second to last episode of Season 2 “Better Angels” (Air Date 3/11/12) please read no further. A major spoiler will be revealed in 10, 9, 8… Last chance… 7, 6, 5… Turn back now… 4, 3, 2… You’ve been warned.

     3) The front cover of Compendium One is a brilliant and a significant depiction of the entire essence of the story. If you look closely enough you'll see mirror images of the same people both as humans (on the top) and as zombies (beneath.) So, this tells me that either everyone in the story becomes a zombie at some point or... everyone in the story is already infected and doomed to become a zombie when they die. With Shane dying at Rick’s hands and then coming back as a zombie without being bit it's a sure sign that everyone will soon find out that they carry the strain of the plague within them that will, after their death, turn them into zombies.

     4) What the graphic novel does with dialogue is very clever. It’s short and concise and there are no wasted words. I suspect that’s because saving space in comics is key. There are many long scenes in the TV show where extended dialogue has to take place to tell the back story or to set up future events but the graphic novel does this with much less dialogue (thus the hefty 1088 pages and more art.) Chalk it up to the skills of the writer and illustrators for telling the story better through the use of more illustrated panels than wasted dialogue.

     Now that I’ve discussed why the graphic novel is better here are a few elements where I think the TV show surpasses the graphic novel.

The AMC TV Series

     1) The TV show has a nice flowing storyline with somewhat long, easy to follow scenes while the graphic novel jumps from perspectives and story-lines rather quickly, sometimes within a page or two. If you’re not paying attention it can trip you up a little and get confusing.

     2) The make-up and special effects in the TV show are excellent and many of the zombies are so gruesome and the zombie killing scenes so gross that the 12 year old boy in me jumps with joy every time a zombie head gets splattered to mush or staved in by an axe. More brains, please…

     3) Like the TV series Lost, the creators of The Walking Dead are not afraid to kill off a main character or two just to push the plot along or intensify the suspense elements of the show. For instance, while both Shane and Dale die in the graphic novels they do so under very different circumstances than the TV show. Watching the series then has provided surprise elements that I could not predict and are therefore surprising to me when they happen even though I’ve read the graphic novels. And, I like surprises.

     4) Since the graphic novel is completely rendered in black and white it fails to take advantage of the shock and awe of full-color zombie head shots, dropped body parts, sloughing skin and dangling eyeballs. The TV show capitalizes on this with an occasional scene bursting (bad pun intended) with full-color gore, blood, guts, and, of course, more brains.

     The Walking Dead Compendium, Volume One - Graphic Novel - should appeal to zombie lit lovers, Social Science Fiction fans, post-apocalyptic genre readers, drama enthusiasts, those who expect gore galore in their graphic novels, comic book devotees, horror fans, and 12 to 112 year-old boys and girls (but not the squeamish.)

     Oh, and, for what it’s worth, stay out of the barn and the prison barber shop.

The Walking Dead – Compendium, Volume One – Graphic Novel
5 out of 5 stars

The Walking Dead – AMC TV Series
5 out of 5 Stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

AMC The Walking Dead Site

Image Comics Site

Robert Kirkman Site

The Walking Dead Wiki

The Walking Dead (TV series) Wikipedia Page

Artist Sites:

Charlie Adlard (Illustrator)

Cliff Rathburn (Illustrator)

Tony Moore (Illustrator)

*****

For your entertainment…

Inspired by the hit AMC TV show “The Walking Dead” and the Graphic Novel of the same name and sung to the tune “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads, The Alternative presents the following original parody.

“Zombie Killer”

I can't seem to find my favorite axe
There’s zombies everywhere and I
Can't relax
I can't sleep 'cause there’s zombies in this place
Always tryin’ to bite off my face

Zombie Killer
Brains, you say?
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra raw brains
Can’t find a shotgun? Run run run away

Zombie Killer
Brains, you say?
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra raw brains
Don’t have a blowtorch? Run run run away

You start a food run they get in the way
So many walkers you gotta’ make ‘em pay
They’re always following me and droppin’ their parts
Better to shoot ‘em than to chainsaw ‘em apart

Zombie Killer
Brains, you say?
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra raw brains
Can’t find a tire iron? Run run run away

Zombie Killer
Brains, you say?
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra raw brains
Don’t have a crossbow? Run run run away

I saw a zombie
Crawling in the grass
I got my shotgun
And shot him in the… head OK
Walkin’ hungry without any souls
I hate zombies when they're not full of holes

Zombie Killer
Brains, you say?
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra raw brains
Can’t find a .45? Run run run away

Zombie Killer
Brains, you say?
ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra raw brains
Don’t have a bowie knife? Run run run away

oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh....

I think I’ve been bit…

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Hatha Yoga Asanas (Pocket Guide for Personal Practice)

Hatha Yoga Asanas
(Pocket Guide for Personal Practice)
Daniel DiTuro and Ingrid Yang
Human Kinetics
Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-4504-1485-2
174 Pages

     Hatha Yoga Asanas by Daniel DiTuro and Ingrid Yang is the perfect companion to any Yoga practice. With over 150 asana poses in beautiful full-color photographs this quick reference guide will be useful for the beginner as well as the seasoned practitioner. Each asana begins with a clearly defined difficulty level, which range from levels 1 through 8, followed by a starting position and the page it can be found on, the directions on how to successfully achieve each position, and a full color photograph of the successful pose. As a beginner I was intrigued by the higher difficulty levels (but not tempted enough to try them) and was surprised by the quality of the photographs in the book.

     Hatha Yoga Asanas is a must have for those studying Yoga on an individual or personal level, whether a beginner or an instructor, and I was happy to add this supplemental, easy to use reference guide to the Healthy Living / Fitness section of my home library.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Human Kinetics Site

Hatha Yoga Asanas Site

Amazon.com Page

Book Review - Among Others by Jo Walton

Book Review - Among Others by Jo Walton
Among Others
Jo Walton
Tor Books
January 18th, 2011
eBook
360 pages (Portrait View)
ISBN-13: 978-07653-2153-4

     It’s not often I get excited about an urban fantasy novel featuring reluctant Fairies, of all things, but Jo Walton’s Among Others gives me good reason to be thrilled. The story evolves around fifteen year old Morwenna Phelps, Mori to her friends, who is an avid Science Fiction fan(atic) and a voracious reader. After a terrible car accident, Mori is farmed out by her family to her long-absent father and is forced, under protest and duress, to attend a prestigious, all-girl private high school. To make matters worse her estranged mother, who she believes is a witch, appears to be hatching a plot to gain control over the most powerful of all magic. Did I mention that Mori can see and speak to Fairies and ghosts? And, as hard as that is to believe, it gets even better as the story develops.

     We are shown, through first person narrative in the form of diary entries, Mori’s experiences at the private prep-school where she is the ultimate outsider. New to the school, disabled in the car accident, and incredibly smart and well-read for her age Mori is shunned by the popular kids and searches for friendship among the other outcasts. The back-story, hinted at in the prologue, is slowly revealed as the story unfolds. We discover that Mori’s twin sister died in the car accident that disabled her and that she believes her mother is an evil witch who was responsible for the accident and is now prepping to become an all-powerful magical queen. Much of the story is revealed during dialogue between Mori, her outcast school friends, and members of the book club she’s found at the local library where she happily settles in among other like-minded thinkers who also happen to be Science Fiction fans.

     Among Others is a perfectly paced, wonderfully crafted and imaginative tale that should appeal to the casual reader as well as to the genre specific fantasy reader. It has all the elements great stories need to thrive; identifiable characters, a unique plot, a dark layer that occasionally rises to the surface, engrossing dialogue, and an underlying mystery that is slowly exposed as the story reaches its climax. Add to that the many references to works by some of the greatest Science Fiction writers that have ever put pen to paper and you have a highly entertaining novel.

     On a personal note I’d like to add that I identified closely with this story as soon as the main character began discussing the Science Fiction books that she’d read. Her list included a veritable Who’s Who of the most prominent Science Fiction authors of the last seventy five years. Robert Silverberg, Ursula le Guin, J. R. R Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Robert Heinlein, Roger Zelazny, Isaac Asimov, Anne McCaffrey, Samuel R. Delaney, and many others are mentioned by name as are the titles of their most prominent works. Ms. Walton, who obviously knows and understands the subject matter, excels at weaving the themes and messages from those books into Among Others. (What a unique and novel idea. I secretly wish I’d thought of it.) One of the most fascinating things about this book is that the main characters’ list of books and authors is suspiciously familiar to me. Jo Walton’s Science Fiction reading list is so similar to mine, in fact, that I think she must have travelled back in time to peak over my shoulder when I was developing it. Since most of the story takes place in 1979, when I was 20, there’s no wonder our lists match so closely.

     I’ve read somewhere that Among Others is semi-autobiographical and as an avid long-time Science Fiction fan myself I see no reason to dispute that. It makes perfect sense and I love the way many of the themes from classic Science Fiction stories were integrated into this story. There is a lesson to be learned here; we are what we read. I for one, wish everyone could devour Among Others and the classic Science Fiction novels mentioned in it. The world would be a much better place for it. That Jo Walton has a gift for language and an incredible imagination goes without saying but it is her unusual voice, her grasp of timing, and the images she paints with her words that are most memorable to me. Her dialogue is always interesting, her descriptions of scenes and events compelling, and her plot, sub-plots, and characters are tightly woven, subtly human in every respect, and whole.

      I recommended Among Others for those who enjoy a little Fairy dust sprinkled on their stories, Urban Fantasy enthusiasts, Science Fiction fans (and fanatics), those who love a good story, YA followers, aficionados of good literature, young adults, old adults, and anyone with an uncommonly good reading sense.

5 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Jo Walton Wiki Page

John Scalzi / Jo Walton Interview

Among Others Washington Post Review

Among Others Amazon.com Page

Among Others Excerpt

2011 Nebula Nominees

Book Review - Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby

Wonder Show
Hannah Barnaby
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
March 20^th, 2012
Trade Paperback
Advance Reading Copy – Uncorrected Proof
274 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0547599809
Jacket Art: Evan B. Harris

     Every once in a while I stumble across a book that totally surprises and engages me and is interesting enough to keep my attention through one sitting. Wonder Show, the debut novel, by Hannah Barnaby is just such a book. It is a quick read and, while labeled a children’s book, it contains many adult themes and views yet is perfectly suitable for children and adults of all ages. Wonder Show does not fit neatly into any one genre but, in my opinion, crosses over into many. It is a Young Adult book with aspects of a coming of age transformation but reads like a gothic, urban fantasy. Add a minor mystery, some suspense, and a surprise ending and you’ll begin to understand what I mean by crossing genres. There is a quest; the main character, Portia Remini, searches for both her father and her freedom after running away from a Home For Wayward Girls to join the circus. There is also a mystery. Why are Portia’s files kept secret by the proprietor of the Home she’s been sentenced to? And, finally, it crosses social boundaries (but, I might add, with great care) by referring to the “freaks” and “normals” found in the Wonder Show which is, in essence, a traveling circus.

     Wonder Show, however, is not a tale about the differences between the circus freaks, those who make their livings as side-show attractions, and the so-called normal people who travel with them and those that come to gawk at them. Instead it is about the similarities and the feelings and emotions of everyone regardless of their physical disposition. Hannah Barnaby handles this delicate issue with concern, aplomb, and the elegance the subject deserves as she slowly transforms the freaks into real people with the most normal and endearing of human feelings.

     Told from the points of view of numerous characters Wonder Show is a tightly written account set during the Great Depression about a young girl who is in search of adulthood, fights to achieve her own independence, and attempts to break free from the traps of loneliness and abandonment. I personally enjoyed every minute of this story and recommend it for young adults, old adults, those fascinated by the circus and side-show performers, anyone who enjoys a good coming of age story, those looking for a quick read, and all urban or gothic fantasy enthusiasts.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Official Author Webpage

Wonder Show LibraryThing.com Page

Wonder Show Amazon.com Page

Wonder Show Google Books Page

Jacket Art by Evan B. Harris