The Alternative

Book Review - A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

2012-02-12T22:04:00.001-05:00

Jennifer Egan
A Visit From the Goon Squad
Alfred Knopf
2011
365 pages (eBook portrait)
ISBN: 0307477479

A Visit From the Goon Squad has been characterized by various critics and reviewers as either a book of short stories or a novel (depending on the day of the week or who you ask) but in this reviewers opinion it hardly matters. A Visit From the Goon Squad is urban fantasy at its finest whether in short or long form. Centered on a self-destructive cast of characters the book is mostly an editorial on aging and how different people cope with the inevitable advance of time and of growing old. Set for the most part in New York, the story centers around an aging rock music executive, his one-time kleptomaniac assistant, and their various odd-ball friends and strange associates.

While the story itself is strong and the plot engaging where Egan excels is with the characters. The flaws, the faults, the inner struggles we all face become fodder for the pen of this exceptional and gifted writer. She displays the conflicts, emotions, and depressing thoughts everyone undergoes when considering the fact that we are all growing older. That she does it with such skill is a testament to how well she understands the human condition and the thoughts that assail us as we grow older. It is not surprising to me that Egan won the Pulitzer for this book. It really is that good (and I do not always agree with all the choices that win.) This is one of those rare books that I recommend for everyone. A must read no matter what genre trips your trigger. A Visit From the Goon Squad has moved into my 100 books to read before you die... so get to it. You won't be disappointed.

4 1/2 out of 5

The Alternative One
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Read an Excerpt

Author Page

First 13 Chapters of the book, apps, and more

Guardian Review

New York Times Review

Time Magazine’s 100 Influential People

Note: A Visit From the Goon Squad won the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, and the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It is currently being adapted by HBO into a television series.

Past Pulitzer Prize Winners for Fiction

Vintage Book Review - World War III by Brian Harris

2012-02-12T21:51:00.001-05:00

World War III
Brian Harris
Publisher: Pocket
Release: January 1, 1982
ISBN-10: 0671442937
ISBN-13: 978-0671442934
261 Pages (portrait view)

World War III by Brian Harris is an altogether realistic portrayal of events that might push the world into global conflict. Wheat shortages in Russia, global depletion of oil resources, and rogue military units come together to bring the world to the brink of global destruction and seconds away from nuclear war. World War III builds up into an exciting though frightening and quite realistic scenario of events that could cause two super-powers to come to blows that force the world into its final conflict. Brian Harris does an excellent job of building up events that could prove the annihilation of the planet but his strong suit is the action scenes. Every time a gun is drawn, a bomb explodes, or someone dies in World War III it is for a purpose. There is no gratuitous violence here and I, for one, found it refreshing that he never strayed from the plot of the book. That he left us hanging was exactly the right way to end the book.

The amazing thing about World War III is that while it was written in 1982 the premise and the story still hold up admirably. I'm not entirely sure if that's because world politics hasn't changed that much in 30 years or because of Harris' skill with a pen. Being a book lover I'd have to side with Harris. This book is recommended for post-apocalyptic fans, military geeks, and action/adventure fanatics of all kinds.

3 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Amazon Page

Book Review - The Lost Diaries of John Smith by Phillip Rhodes

2012-02-12T21:01:00.001-05:00

The Lost Diaries of John Smith
Phillip Rhodes
July 2011
Smashwords Edition
148 pages (portrait)
Novella
ASIN: B0059V8462

The Lost Diaries of John Smith by Phillip Rhodes takes a dark look at a calamity that brings the government of England and all its social and economic institutions to a standstill. It is about survival, and searching for loved ones, and being caught up in events that no one has control over. Told in short, vignette-like chapters and discovered diary fragments The Lost Diaries of John Smith represents a growing interest in post-apocalyptic stories that run the gambit from total destruction of the planet to local isolation due to disaster or unforeseen societal breakdown. The Lost Diaries is a clear example of the later and is very successful in many ways. But the compelling factor, in my opinion, is that the author kept my interest through the entire story (even with some glaring mechanical errors) and I read quickly through the Diary to see what had become of the character named in the title. Throw in a quest motif and a few aliens and you have a solid venture worth reading.

One disconcerting aspect about this book was the unusual number of spelling and editing errors and misused words (plague for plaque, for instance.) I assumed at the time that I was reading an ARC, in which it is common to find many spelling errors, but if this was not an Advance Reader Copy then the author is in serious need of a good copyeditor. About the only other negative thing I can say about it is that it was much too short and I, for one, wish I'd thought of the idea. If you enjoy character-driven post-apocalyptic fiction, quest narratives, or stories of suffering, loss, and redemption then The Lost Diaries of John Smith is for you.

3 out of 5 stars
The Alternative

Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Amazon Page

Author's Blog

Post-Apocalyptic Earth Forum

Book Review - The Magicians by Lev Grossman

2012-02-10T21:21:00.001-05:00

The Magicians
Lev Grossman
Series: The Magicians (1)
Plume
2010
Paperback
416 pages

While perusing some of the prominent book review sites I have seen a lot of reviewers agree that Lev Grossman's The Magicians is comparable to Harry Potter or Narnia. I can see how the comparison is inevitable but I have to respectfully disagree with that assessment. Grossman's work does deal with a school for young magicians and a fantasy land that can be entered through a water fountain but that is where the similarities end. In my estimation, The Magicians is more urban fantasy than either Potter or Narnia and centers on more current issues while being somewhat less juvenile. While Potter is an epic coming of age story and Narnia a cautionary tale of good versus evil The Magicians is more a narrative guidebook for young adults coping with very real adult issues. How will I fit in with the rest of the world when I have to go out into it alone? How do I muddle through a budding new romance and/or the loss of love? How do I cope with my pain, my anger, my social status, or my relationships? And, how do I set my moral compass in a world so corrupt and unfeeling? All these issues and more, I think, are handled expertly and convincingly by Mr. Grossman. And while there may be no real answers to any of those questions Grossman guides us through the landmines of maturity without detonating any of the explosives.

There is another thread of reviews that declare that this story does not paint the various worlds deep enough and that a lot has been withheld but I do not believe those reviewers understand the complexity of creating a series of books or the difficulties of successful world-building. What they are looking for will, I think, be revealed in the upcoming books in the series.

The Magicians is a complex, fascinating, and truly enjoyable read. Mr. Grossman's style is engaging and clear and the plot is solid and the characters truly come alive on the page. I found the book to be everything I had hoped for, not a gap to fill the young adult hole left by the last Potter books, but a unique story unto itself and worth your while. The Magicians is a definite must read and I enjoyed it so much that I purchased the second book in the series so that I could delve back into the world Lev Grossman has created. Add to that the very real teenage characters he's created and brought to life and you have a wonderful and complete urban fantasy about young adults learning to cope in a strange but very authentic world.

This is a gripping, entertaining read that should appeal to all fantasy fans (urban or otherwise), magic lovers, and those who might learn from the trials suffered by most young adults.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast, Wisconsin

The Magicians Series:

1. The Magicians 2009

2. The Magician King 2011

Additional Reading:

Lev Grossman Website

Lev Grossman Wiki Page

Magicians in the News

Village Voice Review

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

2012-02-03T22:13:00.004-05:00

After a month long vacation I am back. Please hold while I connect your party....

New reviews (and lots of them) coming soon.

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review – Twelve by Jasper Kent

2012-01-12T21:16:00.001-05:00

Jasper Kent
Twelve
Series: Danilov Quintet (Book 1)
Pyr Publishing
September 2010
Trade Paperback
447 pages
ISBN 9781616142413
Cover Design by Anne Kragelund
Cover Artwork by Paul Young

Twelve by Jasper Kent is a brilliant example of historical novel combined with elements of horror, fantasy, and suspense. In this case, it is the year 1812 and the Russian army is being forced back towards Moscow by Napoleon’s massive hoard of infantry. Something drastic, desperate, and historic must happen swiftly or all of Russia will soon be overrun by the French army. A small band of Russian freedom fighters, in a desperate attempt to turn the fate of their beloved country, enlist the aid of a small band of vicious mercenaries known as the Oprichniki. Unbeknownst to almost everyone the Oprichniki are, in reality, thirsty nightwalkers. And no one is aware of their true motivation.

One of the many things I found interesting about Twelve is that we do not find out that the mercenaries in the story are actually vampires until about a third of the way into the book. Not that we couldn’t see it coming, there was a nagging sensation of the supernatural about them to begin with, but I, as a reader, was captivated by the suspense created while we waited for the vampires and their predictable conduct to be revealed.

Twelve is an excellent fantasy tale filled with all the ingredients that make great fantasy stories good and right. There is murder, and love, and revenge, and hate, and vampires, and gruesome scenes of warfare and devastation. But inside all of that is a well-written, wonderfully spoken, and clear narrative that was fun to read and which will, in this reviewer’s opinion, stand the test of time. Jasper Kent’s voice is captivating and the story flows with emotion and action and adventure and intrigue and surprises and, well, I think you get the point.

Recommended for fantasy fans, horror buffs, historical fiction enthusiasts, war geeks, and anyone that enjoys a well-written, clearly phrased narrative that entertains and enchants.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Books in the series:

The Danilov Quintet

1. Twelve (2008)

2. Thirteen Years Later (2010)

3. The Third Section (2011)

I absolutely love these covers and had to post them here for your enjoyment. The mystery, a melancholy war motif, and death and destruction ooze off the covers and they drew me to these books like a vampire to a blood bank or to a stumbling drunk woman in a red dress who has lost her way in a dark, wet alley and is just asking to be bit.

Additional Reading:

Jasper Kent Wiki Page

Jasper Kent Official Author Page

Tor.com Twelve Review

Twelve Excerpt (Prologue)

Interview with Jasper Kent

Twelve Splash Video

Book Review - Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman

2012-01-01T23:50:00.001-05:00

Mathew Norman
Domestic Violets
Format: e-book Edition (Kindle)
File Size: 652 KB
Print Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publication Date: August 9, 2011
ASIN: B004NNUX66

Tom Violet’s life train is headed for a disastrous and inevitable derailment and he isn’t even aware of it yet. His job is in jeopardy, his wife is unhappy and worse, and he’s a consummate crack-up who can’t hold his tongue. Add an entire suitcase full of daddy issues and you have an entirely engaging and entertaining work of fiction. But Tom is one of those fortunate people who find that sometimes when life calls for changes you roll with the punches and change. Certain reviews of Domestic Violets have categorized this book as chick-lit but it is far from that. As a matter of fact it isn’t for or about love at all. Pure and simple it is satire of the highest degree. Life, relationships, boring jobs, publishing, sex, drugs, etc. nothing is safe from the critical eye of Matthew Norman.

However, the real reason this story works so well is the amount of clever and witty humor that first appeared on page one and never ended. At times, Norman had me in stitches. At others he had me in tears. And do you know why? Because he understands the human condition and while giving the readers a sense of the absurd he also hit the nail on the head more often than not. He told us in simple terms what people think, and feel, and say when their relationships are in trouble and in an odd way he also told us what they say and think and feel when they need to repair a failing relationship. This is a story to savor. It is well- crafted, funny, down-to-earth, flows quickly, and has that “it” quality I look for in every book; that page turning what-the-heck happens-next-oh-crap-this-is-totally-entertaining-and-wow-am-I-enjoying-myself-quality that you don’t often find in fiction these days.

Anyone reading my reviews for very long would see that this is obviously not my normal bill-of-faire but on the advice of a friend (thanks Lisa) I gave it a try and found myself enjoying every page of this finely crafted novel. Do yourself a favor. Pick up Domestic Violets today. Give it a read and see if you don’t agree.

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Harper Collins Domestic Violets Page

Matthew Norman’s Music Playlist for Domestic Violets

IndieBound Review of Domestic Violets

Mathew Norman Blog

Book Review - Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton

2011-12-19T20:27:00.001-05:00

Nights of Villjamur
Series: Legends of the Red Sun (Book 1)
Mark Charan Newton
Spectra (2011)
Trade Paperback
464 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0345520852

Murder, mystery, and magic ; a deadly combination, to be sure, but in the hands of Mark Charan Newton it becomes something altogether more entertaining then might be expected. And, while the prose, character development, and pace seem to lack perfect clarification the story itself is strong enough, the plot and characters creative enough, and the new concepts introduced intriguing enough to make this a better than average murder/mystery/fantasy. While I enjoyed the story a great deal there were some plot point, character development, and location problems that were somewhat disappointing. The strength of the back-story got lost in places – tell me more about Caveside, and the Garudas, and the banshees, and the coming ice age (winter/freeze) – and some of the characters’ actions were somewhat unexpected and sometimes illogical. For instance, during a visit with a prostitute, the last person to see one of the murder victims alive, an investigator dismisses a major murder scene clue (blue paint) even though he knows that she’s an artist. Another major plot flaw occurs when one characters’ anger over being overlooked for promotion forces him from the role of minor character to major antagonist. But we are told early on in the narrative that the position he envies have always been reserved for members of a particular race and he doesn’t qualify. The mid-story switch in character standpoint didn’t flow enough for me to overlook those failings. Now, with those flaws pointed out I must add that I was definitely entertained by Nights of Villjamur and while the faults are not quite glaring they may turn some readers off but they certainly did not distract me from the story. And, in the spirit of entertainment and in the telling of a good yarn I’d have to say that there are enough unique and creative ideas in the story to keep even the most jaded readers diverted. Fortunately for Mr. Newton, this first story in the cycle has enough fertile ground and potential to develop into a highly acclaimed series. Let’s hope he’s up to the task.

If you’re the type that enjoys dark fantasies filled with strange alien races, unpredictable magic, murder mystery, and light fantasy then Nights of Villjamur is certainly recommended for you.

3 ½ (4 for originality) out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Nights of Villjamur Extract

Fantasy Hotlist Blog Review

Strange Horizons Review

Author Website

The Works of Jack L. Chalker (Classic Science Fiction Book Series)

2011-12-10T12:53:00.001-05:00

In my opinion, one of the most overlooked and under rated Science Fiction writers of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s was Jack L. Chalker. Jack passed away in 2005 after a two-year illness. He was 60 years old and I can’t help but feel that his body of work was cut much too short and that we are missing so many wonderfully creative stories because of his passing. I have been a long-time fan and would like to take a moment to rate the works of his that I’ve read. What I really enjoyed about Jack’s work is that most of his stories contained a long-term vision. Not a single 300 page story but massive, rolling three or four sometimes even five book epics that were fertile and rich in character, with creative worlds, and unique story-lines. His stories are always entertaining and highly creative and you’ll see by my ratings below that not one of his books rates lower than four stars which should tell you how much I value his work.

If you’re in the mood for some wonderful Science Fiction reading and have somehow disregarded this author I suggest you search out any of his novels. It wouldn’t surprise me to find that many of his books are now out of print but if I were you I’d head out to my favorite used book store and browse the shelves. It’ll be worth the quest. I promise. He is, by far, one of the very best Science Fiction authors that deserved to win both the Hugo and the Nebula Award but never did.

The Saga of the Well World Series

1. Midnight at the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1977 (ISBN 0-7434-3522-2) 5 stars (one of my all time favorites)

2. Exiles at the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1978 (ISBN 0-7434-3603-2) 5 stars

3. Quest for the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1978 (ISBN 0-7434-7153-9) 5 stars

4. The Return of Nathan Brazil, Del Rey, 1980 (ISBN 0-345-28367-8) 4 ½ stars

5. Twilight at the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1980 (ISBN 0-345-28368-6) 4 ½ stars

6. The Sea is Full of Stars, December, 1999 (ISBN 0-345-39486-0) 4 ½ stars

7. Ghost of the Well of Souls, 2000 (ISBN 0-345-39485-2) 4 ½ stars

The Watchers at the Well Series

1. Echoes of the Well of Souls, Del Rey, trade paperback, May, 1993 (ISBN 0-345-38686-8) 4 ½ stars

2. Shadow of the Well of Souls, Del Rey Feb. 1994 (ISBN 0-345-36202-0) 4 ½ stars

3. Gods of the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1994 (ISBN 0-345-38850-X) 4 ½ stars

The Four Lords of the Diamond Series

1. Lilith: A Snake in the Grass, Del Rey, 1981 (ISBN 0-345-29369-X) 4 stars

2. Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold, Del Rey, 1982 (ISBN 0-345-31122-1) 4 stars

3. Charon: A Dragon at the Gate, Del Rey, 1982 (ISBN 0-345-29370-3) 4 stars

4. Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail, Del Rey, 1983 (ISBN 0-345-29372-X) 4 stars

The Four Lords of the Diamond, The Science Fiction Book Club (omnibus edition), 1983

The Dancing Gods Series

1. The River of Dancing Gods, Del Rey, 1984 (ISBN 0-345-30892-1) 4 stars

2. Demons of the Dancing Gods, Del Rey, 1984 (ISBN 0-345-30893-X) 4 stars

3. Vengeance of the Dancing Gods, Del Rey, July, 1985 (ISBN 0-345-31549-9) 4 stars

4. Songs of the Dancing Gods, Del Rey, August, 1990 (ISBN 0-345-34799-4) 4 stars

5. Horrors of the Dancing Gods, 1994 (ISBN 0-345-37692-7) 4 stars

The Dancing Gods: Part One, Del Rey, November, 1995 (ISBN 0-345-40246-4)

The Dancing Gods II, Del Rey, September, 1996 (ISBN 0-345-40771-7)

The Soul Rider Series

1. Spirits of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, 1984 (ISBN 0-8125-3320-8) 4 stars

2. Empires of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, 1984 (ISBN 0-8125-3329-1) 4 stars

3. Masters of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, January, 1985 (ISBN 0-8125-3281-3) 4 stars

4. The Birth of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, 1985 (ISBN 0-8125-2292-3) 4 stars

5. Children of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, September, 1986 (ISBN 0-8125-2340-7) 4 stars

The Rings of the Master Series

1. Lords of the Middle Dark Del Rey Books, May, 1986 (ISBN 0-345-32560-5) 4 stars

2. Pirates of the Thunder, Del Rey Books, March, 1987 (ISBN 0-345-32561-3) 4 stars

3. Warriors of the Storm, Del Rey Books, August, 1987 (ISBN 0-345-32562-1) 4 stars

4. Masks of the Martyrs, Del Rey, February, 1988 (ISBN 0-345-34309-3) 4 stars

The G.O.D. Inc Series

1. The Labyrinth of Dreams. Tor Books, March, 1987 (ISBN 0-8125-3306-2) 4 stars

2. The Shadow Dancers, Tor Books, July, 1987 (ISBN 0-812-53308-9) 4 stars

3. The Maze in the Mirror, Tor Books, January, 1989 (ISBN 0-8125-2069-6) 4 stars

The Changewinds Series

1. When the Changewinds Blow, Ace - Putnams, September, 1987 4 stars

2. Riders of the Winds, Ace Books, May, 1988 4 stars

3. War of the Maelstrom, Ace - Putnams, October, 1988 (ISBN 0-441-10268-9) 4 stars

The Quintara Marathon Series

1. The Demons at Rainbow Bridge, Ace-Putnam's, hardcover, September, 1989 (ISBN 0-441-69992-8) 4 stars

2. The Run to Chaos Keep, Ace - Putnams, May, 1991 (ISBN 0-441-69348-2) 4 stars

3. The Ninety Trillion Fausts (a.k.a. 90 Trillion Fausts), Ace - Putnams, October 1991 (ISBN 0-441-58103-X) 4 stars

The Wonderland Gambit Series

1. The Cybernetic Walrus, Del Rey, trade pb in November, 1995 4 stars

2. The March Hare Network, 1996 4 stars

3. The Hot-Wired Dodo, Del Rey, Feb. 1997 4 stars

The Three Kings Series

1. Balshazzar's Serpent, Baen Books 1999 4 stars

2. Melchior's Fire, Baen Books, 2001. 4 stars

3. Kaspar's Box, 2003 4 stars

Stand-alone Novels

A Jungle of Stars, Ballantine, Del Rey, 1976 (ISBN 0-345-28960-9) 4 ½ stars

The Web of the Chozen, Del Rey, 1978 (ISBN 0-345-27376-1) 5 stars

And the Devil Will Drag You Under, Del Rey, 1979 (ISBN 0-345-30504-3) 5 stars

A War of Shadows, Ace: An Analog Book, 1979 4 ½ stars

Dancers in the Afterglow, Del Rey, 1979, 1982 (ISBN 0-345-30493-4) 5 stars

The Devil's Voyage, Doubleday, 1980 4 stars

The Identity Matrix, Timescape: Pocket Books, 1982 (ISBN 0-671-65547-7) 4 stars

Downtiming the Night Side, Tor Books, May, 1985 (ISBN 0-8125-3288-0) 4 ½ stars

The Messiah Choice, St. Martins - Blue Jay, May, 1985 4 stars

The Red Tape War (with Mike Resnick and George Alec Effinger). Tor hardcover, April, 1991 (not read)

Priam's Lens, Del Rey 1997 (ISBN 0-345-40294-4) 4 stars

The Moreau Factor, Del Rey Feb., 2000 4 stars

Chameleon (partially completed at time of death) (not read)

Collections and Anthologies

Dance Band on the Titanic, Del Rey Books, July, 1988 (short stories) 4 stars

Hotel Andromeda [edited by], Ace, 1994 (ISBN 0-441-00010-X) (not read)

Additional Reading:

Jack L. Chalker Wikipedia Entry

NNDB Jack L. Chalker Site

Fantastic Fiction Jack L. Chalker Page

Baen Books Jack L. Chalker Page

Darrell K. Sweet (Artist) Site

Book Reviews - The Morningstar Strain by Z. A. Recht

2011-12-08T23:23:00.001-05:00

The Morningstar Strain Book 1 - Plague of the Dead
Z. A. Recht
Permuted Press
2009
Trade Paperback
303 pages

Plague of the Dead, the first book in the Morningstar Saga by Z. A. Recht, is perhaps, one of the better zombie stories I’ve read in a long time (and I’ve read my share.) Every character is believable, the zombies are both hideous and understated, and the action is mile-a-minute fast and succinctly described. While there are some questionable events – a general stuck in a tree for lack of planning, for instance - the book is a very good read and is reminiscent in some ways and has the same feel as Justin Cronin’s Passage. Not quite an instant classic Plague of the Dead will, nonetheless, entertain.

Two story lines come together in Plague of the Dead to form one cohesive and entertaining story. In the first, a rag tag group of defunct soldiers and civilian survivors of a brutal plague that began in Africa set off on a quest to reach a U. S. Government medical facility in Omaha, Nebraska. In the second, a medical researcher who was studying the Morningstar Strain pre-plague, a journalist who leaked the story, and an FBI agent who detained them both escape a government prison on the east coast and trek west to meet up with the first group. This secret facility, dedicated to researching the plague, is the designated meeting-place where the leader of the soldiers and the doctor believe they may find a cure for the virus that has caused the plague. Unfortunately, the infected victims suffer from symptoms often described as appearing zombie-like and each trek is fraught with danger. Zombies, bandits, and the last remaining government agents make each journey difficult and the losses heavy.

Recommended for post-apocalyptic fiction fans, action-adventure lovers, and zombie phreaks from all shambling walks of life.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

The Morningstar Strain Book 2 - Thunder and Ashes
Z. A. Recht
Permuted Press
2010
Trade Paperback
297 pages

Thunder and Ashes is a continuation of the first book in the series and is every bit as good. The pace is as whirlwind fast as Plague of the Dead and the narrative will keep you turning through action-packed pages to find out what happens next. I enjoyed the two party quest motifs, flipping back and forth from one group of survivors to the other, and was impressed by Recht’s unique two types of zombies - the quick and the dead. Yes, some of the zombies in this series have not completely succumbed to the virus and are as quick and lithe on their feet as normal human beings. The dead zombies? Not so much. They shamble, they crawl, they drag themselves towards humanity as expected but as a force the two zombie groups are as dangerous together as an entire city full of “normal” zombies.

With that said, Thunder and Ashes, lived up to my expectations and in some ways exceeded the story presented in Plague of the Dead. The characters, now familiar, continue their quest and the action is even heavier than the first book. All in all, a very entertaining read.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Note: The third book in the series, Survivors, was left unfinished at the time of Z. A Recht’s death (at the tender age of 26) but is still scheduled for release on May 5, 2012. It will be completed by a ghost writer.

Additional Reading:

Morningstar Website

(Note: Click on “LINKS” at the bottom of the main page to find a short list of other Zombie stories, websites, books, and movies. Highly entertaining Zombie faire to bite in to.)

Z. A. Recht Interview

Plague of the Dead Review

Z. A. Recht Wikipedia Entry

Z. A. Recht Remembered

Book Review - Low Town by Daniel Polansky

2011-11-18T00:25:00.001-05:00

Low Town
Daniel Polansky
Doubleday (Random House)
August 16, 2011
Hardcover
341 pages

ISBN: 978-0-385-53446-8

The back flyleaf gives a clear description of what you are about to experience when you pick up Low Town the debut novel by writer Daniel Polansky. “Drug dealers, hustlers, brothels, dirty politics, corrupt cops… and sorcery. Welcome to Low Town.” Except the likes of you and I would be most unwelcome within the walls of Low Town. Should you find yourself lost in the streets be sure to hold your purse in one hand and the pommel of your sword with the other because you’ll more than likely end up having to fight your way out or surrender your coin to the countless thieves, con-men, cut-throats, or dirty cops that ply the dark alleys there.

Low Town is a noir dystopian fantasy steeped in dark magic which Polansky has blended nicely into a hard-edged murder mystery with a smattering of Victorian decadence. The main character, Warden, an ex-soldier, ex-cop with a kick-ass attitude and a serious chip on his shoulder finds himself relegated to dealing drugs for a living in Low Town. But his world suddenly changes when he stumbles upon the body of a missing child in the most despicable neighborhood of Low Town. And, since local law enforcement members appear indifferent to the killing, Warden unexpectedly decides to solve the crime himself. Who else but a down-on-his-luck ex-cop would even consider taking a case like this? But the clues left behind quickly uncover a sinister plot that will take him to places he might never otherwise go and Warden quickly discovers that black-hearted sorcery lies at the bottom of numerous abductions and ritualistic murders.

Low Town is an exceptionally strong introductory novel and I see nothing but high-quality stories coming from the pen of this exceptional new author. I suggest you keep an eye out for upcoming novels in the near future. In my opinion, Daniel Polansky is a writer with great potential and hopefully we will all get to read his stories for many years to come. Low Town is recommended for fantasy purists, noir crime fans, murder mystery buffs, and anyone who likes a bit of blood and guts splattered on the pages of their dark fantasy. This is one to devour. I did!

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Official Author Website

Low Town Excerpt (First Seven Chapters)

Fantasy Book Critic Review

New York Journal of Books Review

(UK Cover)

Book Review - The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

2011-11-10T18:28:00.001-05:00

The Eleventh Plague
Jeff Hirsch
Scholastic Press
September 1^st, 2011
Trade Paperback
Advance Reader’s Copy
304 pages

Post-apocalyptic entertainment is all the rage these days. Oryx and Crake, Falling Skies, I Am Legend, The Plague Year, The Road, The Walking Dead, World War Z, etc. standing as prime examples. While all of the named works above are excellent in their own right The Eleventh Plague, a Young Adult novel, has its moments, as well. It is well-written, fast-paced, and should be a favorite among the young-adult readers that manage to happen upon it.

The supporting characters, both children and adults, are sufficiently flawed to be completely believable. As a matter of fact, making mistakes at the most inopportune time seems to be a theme but Hirsch handles them well and the story flows with action. So much so, that I finished it in very short time.

The book is not without flaws but they do not draw away from the story and do not hurt the plot. Most glaringly is the 17 year old protagonist that frequently wishes to run away from just about every difficult situation he comes in contact with rather than face them. That aside, I recommend The Eleventh Plague for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic YA fiction or for those who simply enjoy a fast-paced, well-written end-of-times story.

3 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Jeff Hirsch Official Website

The Eleventh Plague Book review

The Eleventh Plague Video Promo

Book Review - Reamde by Neal Stephenson

2011-11-08T07:35:00.001-05:00

Reamde
Neal Stephenson
William Morrow
September 20, 2011
Hardcover
1056 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0061977961

Some books are sprints, quick easy reads that take the breath away. Others are long distant runs; more complicated, with timing, spacing and strategy integral to crossing the finish line with a specific goal in mind. Reamde by Neal Stephenson is a true long-distance marathon. It is a performance, obviously backed by long practice and training. It is gut wrenching, breath-taking, and ultimately exhilarating. While it is not Science-Fiction in the traditional sense, Reamde is more of a thriller, it tackles elements of near-future business, social media, and Internet gaming aspects and manages to add elements of an international thriller that spans the globe and includes kidnapping, hackers, Islamic extremists, Russian Mafia, massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMO), murder, spies, action, adventure, and intrigue. While not his normal bill-of-fare Reamde is still a very accessible read and should be enjoyed by present fans as well as action-adventure, tech thriller, and murder mystery enthusiasts. With Reamde Stephenson should gather in an entirely new and pleased audience. I wish him well.

Many established fans may not enjoy this work as well as some of Stephenson’s others but Reamde is a high-quality novel. Strong characters, a good plot, interesting locations, and pages of tense action make this a very enjoyable read.

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Neal Stephenson Official Website

Neal Stephenson Wiki Page

Reamde Book Review

Book Review - And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life by Charles J. Shields

2011-11-06T18:47:00.001-05:00

And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life
Charles J. Shields
Henry Holt and Co.
November 8th, 2011
Trade Paperback
Advance Reader’s Edition
494 pages

“And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life” by Charles J. Shields is the definitive biography of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Thoughtful and thought-provoking “And So It Goes” provides genuine insight into the life of one of the world’s truly extraordinary writers. Whether pointing out the negatives regarding the rolls of science and technology in society or finding humor in almost everything that happened to him, Vonnegut has never failed to entertain. And in “And So It Goes” Shield gives us the complexities of Vonnegut’s heavy thought and in the process allows us to see the human lurking beneath the mask of the writer. Vonnegut has been compared to Mark Twain many times, and the level and style of humor both men possessed would validate that comparison, but Vonnegut also had something to say about society and he did so with aplomb. Every aspect of Kurt Vonnegut’s life is studied here. The triumphs, the struggles, the inner turmoil and human faults are all included in great detail but in such a way as to paint a very human picture of one of our finest writers. From childhood to death this is a true study of the life of Kurt Vonnegut.

“And So It Goes” is recommended for biography aficionados, Vonnegut fans, and anyone interested in the writing process (Shield’s gives Vonnegut’s views on writing and includes sage advice to Vonnegut (which still hold true today) from high-level magazine editors of the times.)

Hi Ho!

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Charles J. Shields website

Kurt Vonnegut Official Page

Kurt Vonnegut Wiki Page

Kurt Vonnegut Quotes

Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand.
- Kurt Vonnegut

Book Review - End of Days by Robert Gleason

2011-11-06T18:19:00.001-05:00

End of Days
Robert Gleason
Forge Books
2011
Trade Paperback
Advance Reader’s Copy
496 pages

End of Days by Robert Gleason had all the potential of becoming a very good post-apocalyptic glimpse into a future gone terribly wrong. It contains political intrigue, fairly interesting characters, a good premise, and an excellent explanation of a world on the brink of nuclear destruction. But it suddenly took a turn for the worse when a pair of philosophical-minded rats unexpectedly entered the narrative. They were so out of place in the flow of the story, in fact, that I thought perhaps a portion of another novel had somehow been accidently edited into this one by the publisher. I gave the author the benefit of the doubt and read on but it only got worse and then the story (and the writing) bogged down to a slow crawl and I admit that I was unable to finish the book. I’m still trying to figure out what purpose the rats played in the story and I’m sure Gleason somehow pulled it all together in the end but I really didn’t feel there was a need for the animal-based fantasy to be included in the story. It just didn’t make any sense.

Life is too short to put this one at the top of your reading list. In my opinion, End of Days is pretty much a waste of good reading time. There are plenty of other solid post-apocalyptic stories out there that are much more worthwhile. Scroll down through some of my other reviews and you’ll see what I mean.

2 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

An Appraisal of a Unique and Fascinating Tome - The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities - Edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer

2011-09-25T17:14:00.001-04:00

The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities
Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (Editors)
Harper Voyager
Publication Date: July 12, 2011
Hardcover
320 Pages
ISBN: 9780062004758

A Word Concerning the Discovery

After the death of Dr. Thackery T. Lambshead eight years ago a startling discovery was made at his manor house in Wimpering-on-the-Brook, England. Buried beneath the stacked detritus of antiques and collectibles in the basement of his Victorian-era cottage and nearly reduced to ash by fire was discovered the most remarkable cabinet of curiosities ever encountered. In it was a vast accumulation of extraordinary artifacts and curios. For the first time since that astonishing unearthing a select group of artisans (authors, fantasists, illustrators, and artists – hypnotists all) have assembled together to catalogue and craft to life the oddities recently found in Dr. Lambshead’s Cabinet of Curiosities.

The Curious Contents of the Cabinet (Incorporating Active Uniform Resource Locators)

- The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities

- Introduction:

The Contradictions of a Collection, Dr. Lambshead's Cabinet - The Editors

- Holy Devices and Infernal Duds: The Broadmore Exhibits

The Electrical Neurheographiton - Minister Y. Faust , D. Phil

St. Brendan's Shank - Kelly Barnhill

The Auble Gun – Will Hindmarch

Dacey’s Patent Automatic Nanny – Ted Chiang

- Honoring Lambshead: Stories Inspired by the Cabinet

Threads – Carrie Vaughn

Ambrose and the Ancient Spirits of East and West – Garth Nix

Relic – Jeffrey Ford

Lord Dunsany’s Teapot – Naomi Novik

Lot 558: Shadow of My Nephew by Wells, Charlotte – Holly Black

A Short History of Dunkelblau’s Meistergarten – Tad Williams

- Microbial Alchemy and Demented Machinery: The Mignola Exhibits

Addison Howell and the Clockroach – Cherie Priest

Sir Ranulph Wykeham-Rackham, GBE, a.k.a. Roboticus the All-Knowing – Lev Grossman

Shamalung (The Diminutions) – Michael Moorcock

Pulvadmonitor: The Dust’s Warning – China Mieville

- The Mieville Anomalies

The Very Shoe – Helen Oyeyemi

The Gallows-horse – Reza Negarestani

- Further Oddities

The Thing in the Jar – Michael Cisco

The Singing Fish – Amal El-Mohtar

The Armor of Sir Locust – Stephan Chapman

A Key to the Castleblakeney Key – Caitlin R. Kiernan

Taking the Rats to Riga – Jay Lake

The Book of Categories – Charles Yu

Objects Discovered in a Novel Under Construction – Alan Moore

- Visits and Departures

1929:The Singular Taffy Puller – N. K. Jemisin

1943: A Brief Note Pertaining to the Absence of One Olivaceous Cormorant, Stuffed – Rachel Swirsky

1963: The Argument Against Louis Pasteur – Mur Lafferty

1972: The Lichenologist’s Visit – Ekaterina Sedia

1995: Kneel – Brian Evenson

2000: Dr. Lambshead’s Dark Room – S. J. Chambers

2003: The Pea – Gio Clairval

- A Brief Catalog of Other Items

- -- An Inquisitive Review of Cabinet Curiosities by The Alternative One

Paragraph the First: Being a Failing on the Part of the Critic While Indicating a Certain Genius on the Part of the Editors.

The fault on my part is that due to a set of unfortunate circumstances I had never heard of Thackery T. Lambshead before purchasing a copy of the very unique and satisfying Cabinet of Curiosities. The brilliance of the editors is that for the first 20 pages or so (the entire introduction actually) I firmly believed that there really was a collector of oddities named Thackery T. Lambshead. So much so that I had to conduct a Google search to find that he (and the books about him – however vaguely) are pure fabrication. But oh, what beautiful curiosities I have been witness to here. I was spellbound and entranced from the moment I opened the tome. Unique devices, eerie tales, colossal inventions, peculiar stories, and hypnotic illustrations by the likes of Carrie Vaughn, Greg Broadmore, Garth Nix, Naomi Novik, Tad Williams, Cherie Priest, Lev Grossman, Michael Moorcock, Alan Moore, and China Mieville, among others, make this one of the very best collections of dark ephemera, exhibits, relics, keepsakes, antiques, artifacts, illustrations, things in jars, and curiosities ever brought together under the cover of one beautifully etched and illuminated tome.

Paragraph the Second: Being a Review of the Contents in no Logical or Discerning Order but with an Eye Pointed Squarely at the Most Curious of Oddities.

The Introduction overflows with anecdotal information concerning Dr. Lambshead and his wife Helen. Unfortunately, much of Lambshead’s story is missing at this point. Fortunately, it appears that the remaining stories in the collection are rumored to shed more light on the mysterious doctor and his bevy of curiosities and indeed do not disappoint. Entries of significant import include (in order of personal enjoyment by this critic): Naomi Novik’s captivating Lord Dunsany’s Teapot; Cherie Priest’s (a perennial favorite of mine) Addison Howell and the Clockroach; Michael Moorcock’s addition Shamalung (The Diminutions); China Mieville’s always strange and imaginative Pulvadmonitor: The Dust’s Warning, and Amal El-Mohtar’s The Singing Fish.

Paragraph the Third: In Which a Brief Outline of Indelible Art and Outlandish Illustrations is Revealed.

The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities contains some of the very best Steampunk art you may find. With unforgettable illustrations by the hands of esteemed artists such as Greg Broadmore, Sam Van Ollfen , James A. Owen , Jonathan Nix , and John Coulthart there is steampunk curiosity enough for everyone here. Honestly folks, I would own this book just for the artwork alone, sans stories. Fortunately for all, the text matches the illustrations in beauty and elegance.

Paragraph the Fourth: Recommendations by Variety of Like and Kind.

If you enjoyed Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke , Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs , Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy , or Billy Sunday by Rod Jones then The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities will certainly be an entertaining distraction for you.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Thackery T. Lambshead series:
1. The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric & Discredited Diseases (2005)
2. The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities: Exhibits, Oddities, Images, and Stories from Top Authors and Artists (2011)

Jeff VanderMeer site

The Cabinet of Curiosities

Functional Nerds Review

Harper Voyager Page

SF Signal Review

Book Review - Other Kingdoms by Richard Matheson

2011-09-24T15:32:00.001-04:00

Other Kingdoms
Richard Matheson Trade Paperback
287 Pages
Publisher: Tor/Forge Books
Publication Date: March 1st, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0765327680

Other Kingdoms by Richard Matheson is a darkly entertaining and gripping fantasy and while not his usual bill-of-fare the story is both enjoyable and interesting from many perspectives. Matheson’s stories, usually filled with aspects of fear and horror, have been captivating fans for decades and while Other Kingdoms does come off very dissimilar than most of his past accomplishments it tells a wonderful story, nonetheless. Other Kingdoms is quite definitely a fantasy novel, it contains witches and fairies and things that go bump in the forest for instance, and while not a horror novel per se it contains characteristics of fear and dread that lurk uncomfortably subtle below the surface of almost every page. What sets this particular work apart is that Matheson proves he can write in any genre or style and still be an effective storyteller.

Other Kingdoms is the nostalgic retelling by an elderly author of his experiences as a young man in the years right after his release from World War I. After the death of a comrade in the trenches of France and the discovery of a large lump of pure gold in his belongings he decides to travel to his friends homeland in England in an effort to understand how and why the precious metal came into his possession. It becomes a story of the Fae or Fairy Folk living in the woods of central England and one man’s encounter and interaction with the dark and supernatural creatures of the forest he finds there. Matheson takes on the affectations and prose of a writer born at the turn of the twentieth century (i.e. in the style of H.P. Lovecraft or A. A. Merritt) and it works. When the internal author tells us of his experiences in the trenches during World War I we are spirited away to that time and place. When he interacts with the Faye we are chilled, suffer at the thought of losing our souls, and are distraught by the creatures that dwell in the land of Fairy. Alex, the main character, soon becomes embroiled in a love/hate relationship as the third point of a triangle that also includes a witch and a fairy. Not sure whom to trust and whom to love Alex struggles first, with the fact that the Faye actually exist and second, that he could become involved with them let alone fall in love with one of them.

I'd like to say a few words about the many reviews I've seen of this book and to refute one often repeated critique that has been perpetuated ad infinitum. There are NOT too many parenthesis (asides) in this book, period. There are many, to be sure but Matheson uses them to let the reader hear what the main character is thinking (from his older, wiser perspective), to let us in on his internal jokes, and to give us a better insight into the character’s mental state both through the experiences of the young man and the memory of the elderly one telling the story. That this minor, structural literary device bothered so many readers is puzzling to me. In my opinion, it did not distract from but enhanced the story. The elderly, more jaded, man became more understandable through the parenthetical asides. Mr. Matheson? If you are listening (reading this) please continue to write as you see fit. Your devices have yet to fail you and haven’t this time either. I, for one, will continue to purchase your work and I suspect many, many others will, as well.

Recommended for fans of urban and/or pastoral fantasy, witchcraft, mystery, Victorian fantasy, Fairies, or just plain well-written literature.

Disclaimer: Review copy provided free as part of the Amazon.com Vine Program.

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Richard Matheson Wiki Page

Richard Matheson SCi-Fi Masters Page

Richard Matheson Storyteller

Other Kingdoms Excerpt Other Kingdoms Excerpt

Richard Matheson Biography

Richard Matheson is The New York Times bestselling author of I Am Legend, Hell House, Somewhere in Time, The Incredible Shrinking Man, A Stir of Echoes, The Beardless Warriors, The Path, Seven Steps to Midnight, Now You See It…, and What Dreams May Come, among others. He was named a Grand Master of Horror by the World Horror Convention, and received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement. He has also won the Edgar, the Spur, and the Writer's Guild awards. In 2010, he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. In addition to his novels, Matheson wrote screenplays, and he wrote for several Twilight Zone episodes, including “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” based on his short story. He was born in New Jersey and raised in Brooklyn, and fought in the infantry in World War II. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. He lives in Calabasas, California.

Richard Matheson’s Novels*

Fury on Sunday (1953)
Someone Is Bleeding (1953)
I Am Legend (1954) aka The Omega Man
Woman (1954)
The Shrinking Man (1956) aka Incredible Shrinking Man
A Stir of Echoes (1958)
Ride the Nightmare (1959)
The Beardless Warriors (1960)
Comedy of Terrors (1964) (with Elsie Lee)
Hell House (1971)
The Night Stalker (1972) (with Jeff Rice)
The Night Strangler (1973)
Somewhere in Time (1975) aka Bid Time Return
What Dreams May Come (1978)
Earthbound (1982) (writing as Logan Swanson)
Journal of the Gun Years (1991)
The Gun Fight (1993)
The Path: A New Look at Reality (1993)
7 Steps to Midnight (1993)
Shadow on the Sun (1994)
Now You See It.... (1995)
The Memoirs of Wild Bill Hickok (1996)
Hunger and Thirst (2000)
Passion Play (2000)
Camp Pleasant (2001)
Hunted Past Reason (2002)
Abu and the 7 Marvels (2002)
Come Fygures, Come Shadowes (2003)
The Link (2006)
Richard Matheson's Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (2011)
Other Kingdoms (2011)

* Source: Fantastic Fiction (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/)

Book Review - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

2011-09-04T18:53:00.001-04:00

Ready Player One
Ernest Cline
Publisher: Random House (Crown)
Electronic Book (iBook version)§
530 pages (Portrait View)
eISBN: 978-0-307-88745-0
Trade Paperback
374 pages
ISBN: 978-0-307-887-43-6

Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One is both a brilliant and unusual novel. In the sense that it is immensely creative, compulsively addictive, contains its own element of game-play, and is a highly entertaining read, it’s a very peculiar novel indeed. In addition, it was an extremely likeable story to get caught up in. Reading Cline’s virtual-cyber-world saga I had no trouble transporting myself back to the 1980’s. In fact, it had me reflecting nostalgically back to my 20’s in no time at all. It had me reminiscing over old video systems and games that I hadn’t thought about in years, it had me searching my book collection for 80’s era Science Fiction, it had me hunting through boxes of old VHS and 8-Track tapes, and it had me thinking about the box of old Texas Instruments computer components and game cartridges that I use to keep down in the basement. I can’t remember the last time a novel gave me so much satisfaction and, at the same time, exercise (both mentally and physically.) This book may not be for everyone - well, mostly not for those born after 1990 - but the story itself holds up even without knowing all the pop-culture references, so, maybe after second-thought, it is for everybody. I imagine a sixteen year old reading this today might encounter some of the same feelings I had the first time I stumbled through Dune – the pleasure of being transported to a bizarre other world yet not truly understanding the fullness of the plot and subsequent sub-plots and tropes.

Ready Player One is a rare combination of retro-80’s Cyberpunk combined with themes of futuristic dystopia, over-population, and economic squalor, then heavily blended with a boat-load of virtual reality, and garnished with a hint of thriller. Not to mention that it employs a universal quest motif and contains a love story yet still manages to include an in-book puzzle that millions would kill to uncover. (By universal I mean that almost everyone in the world is involved in the hunt.) The reward? A billion dollar estate bequeathed to the winner by the mad genius that developed the world’s most popular video game/virtual world. To the first person that solves an elaborate three-part virtual quest goes the spoils. Ready Player One is filled with 80’s pop-culture references that both enhance and become integral to the plot. And that’s what makes this story so much fun to read. I dare anyone who lived through that decade to not be entertained by this book. Nix that. I dare anyone at all to not be entertained by this story (even those born post-1990.) It’s that good. Donning Nostradamus’s hat I have only this to say… in the years to come, Ernest Cline will become a household name and Ready Player One, his claim to fame, will be considered a classic work of Science Fiction. I, for one, intend to visit often. Recommended for 80’s buffs, dystopia fans, virtual reality enthusiasts, video game addicts, near-future aficionados, computer geeks, and Science Fiction lovers of all kinds.

P.S. Ready Player One is named after the common message that flashed on-screen in early arcade video and computer games.

Disclaimer: Review copy provided free as part of the Amazon.com Vine Program.

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Author Website

Ready Player One

Huffington Post Review

Random House Page

HitFix Review

Ready Player One Excerpt (First 0003 Chapters)

Ain’t It Cool Review (and more)

Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel Review

Geekiest Book Tour Ever

Adventures in Open Source

A few 80’s Pop-Culture References from the Book

There are countless transparently obvious 80’s references in Ready Player One (See below.) But, there are just as many subtle, hidden references that the diligent researcher may pick up on while reading more closely (See even further below.) It was a lot of fun looking for the hidden 80’s gems Ernest Cline references in the book. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll re-read it again just to spot the plethora of pop-culture references he calls out. The following is a sampling for your retro-80’s pleasure.

“I need to reevaluate my life. Do you have a minute?”*

Some Obvious References
- 1980 (U.S. Release) Mad Max starring Mel Gibson
- 1981 “Lunatic Fringe” by Red Rider (from the motion picture Vision Quest)
- 1982 Family Ties – TV series starring Michael J. Fox
- 1982 Devo – “Oh, No! It's Devo”
- 1982 Knight Rider – TV drama series
- 1983 Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life – motion picture
- 1984 The Return of Godzilla – motion picture
- 1984 The Terminator – motion picture
- 1985 The Transformers – animated TV series
- 1985 Vision Quest – motion picture
- 1986 Bon Jovi – “Livin’ On a Prayer “ - music video
- 1989 (Recorded) “Birdhouse in Your Soul” by They Might Be Giants from the album Flood
- 1989 The Simpsons – TV comedy series

Some Less Obvious References
- 1976 Xyzzy Cluster - Xyzzy is a magic word from the Colossal Cave Adventure computer game, one of the very first text adventure games.
- 1979 “Don’t Panic” is the motto of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Used throughout the novel.
- 1979 “Joe’s Garage” – Frank Zappa rock opera and in-book an “orbital starship repair shop in Sector Ten” (Note: Sector-Ten was a massive Imperial-Faction guild previously played on Chilastra server, Star Wars Galaxies.)
- 1980 The Well of Souls novels by Jack L. Chalker - Cline mentions a virtual world with areas containing levels of magic, technology, etc. which is right out of Chalker’s science fiction novels where whole planets are separated into hexes with different levels of technology (including: non-technological, magical, and highly technological races.)
- 1980 (U.S. release) Mad Max - Wade’s car was “booby trapped Max Rockatansky-style” – Reference is to the first Mad Max movie and the explosive device Max had hooked up to his black Pursuit Special (a limited GT351 version of a 1973 Ford XB Falcon Hardtop.)
- 1980 “Don’t Call me Shirley” from the motion picture Airplane. Found in dialogue between Wade and Aech in the “Basement.”
- 1980’s Gygax – Named for Gary Gygax co-creator of Dungeon and Dragons and generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games - Cline often mentions Gygax as a world in the Virtual Reality of OASIS.
- 1980’s Art3mis – A main character could have origins derived from the following 1980’s references: ARTEMIS - the brand name of a family of software based project planning and management tools developed by Metier Management Systems; Artemis 81 - BBC Science Fiction feature about an epic battle between good and evil; or Artemis, the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt and wild animals, and fertility (the hunt fits this book perfectly)
- 1982 “We Can Dance If We Want To” partial song lyrics to the Safety Dance by Men Without Hats.
- 1980’s Parzival - Parzival (Percival in English) by the poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, in the Middle High German language, is the earliest complete Grail romance in European literature (also an apropos name for an epic quest-driven character.)
- 1984 “Xur and the Ko-Dan Armada” from the motion picture The Last Starfighter. (We once had a cat named Mags.)

§ I enjoyed Ready Player One so much that after purchasing an electronic copy I also requested the paper version from the Amazon Vine program. Each had a very different cover which explains the two covers above.

* Mallory Keaton - Family Ties (1982) TV comedy series.

Some (Mostly) 80’s Video Game References found in Ready Player One
Tennis For Two (1958), Colossal Cave Adventure (1976), Zork (1980), Mystery House (1980), Defender (1980), Pac-Man (1980), 3D Monster Maze (1981), Haunted House (1981), Donkey Kong (1981), Battlezone (1981), Wizardry (1981), Jungle King (1982), Zaxxon (1982), Dungeons of Daggorath (1982), Dragon's Lair (1983), Mario Bros. (1983), King's Quest (1984), Super Mario Bros. (1985), The Legend of Zelda (1986), Dragon Warrior (1986), Metroid (1986), Final Fantasy (1987), Street Fighter (1987), Maniac Mansion (1987), Metal Gear (1987), and Prince of Persia (1989) to name only a few. And, of course, Joust (1982) but that’s way too obvious as it was winning this game that allowed Parzival to open the First Gate of the quest and top the leader board.

Author Bio
Ernest Cline has been a short-order cook, fish gutter, plasma donor, elitist video store clerk, and tech support drone. He eventually ditched those careers to express his love of pop culture as a spoken word artist and screenwriter. His 2009 film Fanboys became a cult phenomenon. Ready Player One is his first novel.

Book Review – L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XXVII

2011-08-30T18:24:00.001-04:00

Writers of the Future Volume XXVII
K. D. Wentworth (Editor)
Mass Market Paperback
560 pages
Publisher: Galaxy Press
Publication Date: June 20, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1592128709

The best of the best in new speculative fiction can usually be found in L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future and the 27^th Volume of this unique format does not disappoint. Past Judges of the contest include some of the best Science Fiction writers in the world: Greg Benford (Eon), Orson Scott Card (Ender), Eric Flint (1632), Frank Herbert (Dune) , Anne McCaffrey (Pern), Larry Niven (Ringworld), Andre Norton (Witchworld), Frederik Pohl (Heechee), and Robert Siverberg (Majipoor), to name just a few. Rather than give each of the short stories in this volume a separate score I’ve elected to rate the anthology as a whole. As a concept I love the idea of giving new author’s of short fiction a creative outlet that becomes available to the masses. And, to be chosen by the esteemed judges listed above, among others, we, as readers, are rewarded with some of the best new fiction being written today. Recommended for fans of short form Science Fiction and Fantasy and for those who are addicted to Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, or the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Volume 27 Table of Content (including links):

Ø Introduction by K. D. Wentworth

Ø The Unreachable Voices of Ghosts by Jeffrey Lyman • Illustrated by Nico Photos

Ø Maddy Dune's First and Only Spelling Bee by Patrick O'Sullivan • Illustrated by Meghan Muriel

Ø The Truth, From a Lie of Convenience by Brennan Harvey • Illustrated by Irvin Rodriguez

Ø How to View Art by L. Ron Hubbard

Ø In Apprehension, How Like a God by R. P. L. Johnson • Illustrated by Dustin D. Panzino

Ø An Acolyte of Black Spires by Ryan Harvey • Illustrated by Fred Jordan

Ø The Dualist by Van Aaron Hughes • Illustrated by Frederick Edwards

Ø Making It by Mike Resnick

Ø Bonehouse by Keffy R. M. Kehrli • Illustrated by Vivian Friedel

Ø This Peaceful State of War by Patty Jansen • Illustrated by Scott Frederick Hargrave

Ø Sailing the Sky Sea by Geir Lanesskog • Illustrated by Joey Jordan

Ø Creating Your Own Destiny by Robert Castillo

Ø Unfamiliar Territory by Ben Mann • Illustrated by Erik Jean Solem

Ø Medic! by Adam Perin • Illustrated by Gregory J. Gunther

Ø Vector Victoria by D. A. D'Amico • Illustrated by Ryan Downing

Ø The Sundial by John Arkwright • Illustrated by Irvin Rodriguez

Ø The Year In Contests

Anthology Content: 4 out of 5 stars
Writers of the Future Concept: 5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Writers of the Future Sites

Writers of the Future I – XXVII

Writers of the Future Contest History

Judges Author Sites

Book Review - Sandman Slim 03 - Aloha From Hell by Richard Kadrey

2011-08-21T16:12:00.001-04:00

Sandman Slim 03 - Aloha From Hell
Richard Kadrey
Uncorrected Proof
438 pages
Trade Paperback
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication Date: October 18, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-0061714320
Genre: Urban Pandemonium Fantasy

James Starks (A.K.A. Sandman Slim) demon killer and nephilim* has been to Hell and back… literally. When his fame as a teenage warlock attracted the notice of demons years ago, they snatched him up and sent him off to the underworld, where he spent the next eleven years as a combatant in the Arena fighting demons as entertainment for Satan's spawn. Since escaping Hell (a long story revealed in the first two books) and returning to L.A. he’s been busy killing demons, staking vampires, and preventing a zombie invasion but things of late have been a bit slow and Stark’s is a little off his game.

So what exactly does a half-angel do on his day off? Apparently he attempts to locate and rescue the survivor of a failed exorcism. But the demon possessing this victim knows Sandman Slim intimately and now Starks must descend into Hell to rescue his dead soul mate. But in the land of Nod nothing is at it seems. He must travel through a barren desert then traverse Malchut of Atzilut, Gan Eden, Tartarus, Eleusis, and the suicidal streets of a burning Los Angeles before he can face down the minions of Hell. But first, he’s going to have to take an unexpected side trip back into the Arena as the epic battle between Heaven and Hell threatens to rage out of control.

As reported previously all the books in this series are very quick reads (for those who like their death, destruction, mayhem, and demon-killing cranked up to level 11!) This series is a good starting point for anyone interested in blood and guts urban fantasy.

Disclaimer: Review copy provided free as part of the Amazon.com Vine Program.

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

My favorite quote: “After you’ve been shot, stabbed, slashed, burned, and almost zombified and survived it all, death gets kind of abstract.”

Sandman Slim Series by Richard Kadrey
1. Sandman Slim (2009)
2. Kill the Dead (2010)
3. Aloha from Hell (2011)

Additional Reading:

Richard Kadrey Sandman Slim Website

Richard Kadrey Official Website

Richard Kadrey Wiki Page

Richard Kadrey Interview

Richard Kadrey 7 Question Interview

Rue Morgue Interview

My Past Reviews of the Sandman Slim series:

Sandman Slim 01 – Sandman Slim (4 stars)

Sandman Slim 02 – Kill The Dead (4 stars)

* Nephilim – fallen angels.

Book Giveaway – Escape From Furnace 01 –Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

2011-08-18T19:49:00.001-04:00

To celebrate the release of Alexander Gordon Smith’s Science-Fiction series Escape From Furnace Macmillan Publishing is offering a copy of the first book Lockdown. We’re happy to announce that the publisher has given The Alternative permission to offer one (1) free copy to the readers of this blog. Please privately e-mail me (dharmapoet@wi.rr.com) your name and mailing address for entry into the giveaway. The subject of the e-mail must read “Lockdown Giveaway”

This offer is currently only available to U.S. and Canadian delivery addresses and expires August 31^st @ 12:01 AM CST. The winner will be selected at random and notified by e-mail.

The book ships directly from the publisher after September 5^th, 2011.

More about the 'Escape from Furnace' series:

Beneath Heaven is Hell....Beneath Hell is Furnace! Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world.

Escape from Furnace Series by Alexander Gordon Smith
Includes: Lockdown, Solitary, Death Sentence, Fugitives (Available in 2012), and Execution (Available in 2012).

Trailer URL

Author Website

Become a Facebook Fan

Macmillan Page for Alexander Gordon Smith and Lockdown

Please note that I will be reviewing this book later in the month. So, stay tuned.

Thanks again for your support!

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

NPR’s Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

2011-08-14T12:42:00.001-04:00

On August 11th, NPR published their list of the top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy books/series of all times, which I’ve included here. I’ve read about 75% of the list. How many have you read?

1. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien

2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams

3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card

4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert

5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin

6. 1984, by George Orwell

7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov

9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman

11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman

12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan

13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell

14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson

15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore

16. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov

17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein

18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss

19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut

20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley

21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick

22. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood

23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King

24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke

25. The Stand, by Stephen King

26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson

27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury

28. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut

29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman

30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess

31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein

32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams

33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey

34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein

35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller

36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells

37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne

38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys

39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells

40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny

41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings

42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley

43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson

44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven

45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin

46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien

47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White

48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

49. Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke

50. Contact, by Carl Sagan

51. The Hyperion Cantos, by Dan Simmons

52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman

53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson

54. World War Z, by Max Brooks

55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle

56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman

57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett

58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson

59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold

60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett

61. The Mote In God's Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind

63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy

64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke

65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson

66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist

67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks

68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. Howard

69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb

70. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger

71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson

72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne

73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. Salvatore

74. Old Man's War, by John Scalzi

75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson

76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke

77. The Kushiel's Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey

78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin

79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury

80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire

81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson

82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde

83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks

84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart

85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson

86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher

87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe

88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy Zahn

89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan

90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock

91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury

92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley

93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge

94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov

95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson

96. Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis

98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville

99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony

100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis

Surprising additions? Omissions? I was happy to see Iain M. Banks and Jasper Fforde included but Brandon Sanderson – twice? Hmmm… Octavia Butler and Frederik Pohl missing?

NPR Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

Book Review - The Unit by Terry DeHart

2011-08-06T14:57:00.001-04:00

The Unit
Terry DeHart
Apocalyptic Fiction / Science Fiction
Trade Paperback
307 pages
Publisher: Orbit – Hachette Book Group
Publication Date: July 14, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0316077408

Told through the eyes of five main characters in short, alternating but impactful chapters Terry DeHart’s debut novel, The Unit, is post-apocalyptic fiction at its finest. Where Cormac McCarthy’s The Road centers around two dark, lonely, and desperate characters trudging through the scarred and desolate countryside searching for a home DeHart’s narrative concentrates on the perspectives of a family of four caught in the after-effects of a recent nuclear holocaust. Every chapter is written in a distinctive, sometimes complimentary but often conflicting, voice and is told from the point of view of each member of the Sharpe family (Jerry, Susan, Melanie, and Scott.) DeHart occasionally interrupts the family’s journey by inserting chapters narrated by a gang of barbaric juvenile delinquents who have forgotten what it means to be civilized. When the two groups accidentally meet we see just how savage, loving, brutal, caring, indifferent, and angry humans can be towards each other.

The Unit is much more than a post-apocalyptic romp through the barren hills of charred central California, however. What makes this book special are the profound and complicated yet controversial themes explored through the experiences of each of the five central characters. The conflict of trust during war is common and each character gets caught up at least once with the issue of who is trustworthy and who should be shot on sight. While The Unit certainly covers the subject of survival in difficult times it also manages to explore the deeper realms of faith, morality, family, loyalty, and the psychological impact of survival after a catastrophic breakdown of civilization. The concept of instinctual human survival and the idea of maintaining civilized behavior in the face of horrendous brutality and cruelty is thrown into the face of the audience and we are forced to examine our own principles. What might we do in the same situation? How far would we go to protect our families? Would we throw decency out the window in favor of survival?

Not only does DeHart tell a good story but he also manages to speak with profound wisdom regarding the specific flaws and strengths of our society. Do we retain our sense of morality during societal collapse? Or do we become brute savages? Or, are we something entirely between the two? Are we, under pressure, who we hope we are inside? Good or bad he explores the deepest of human emotions and chronicles the reactions and feelings of very different individuals in one of the most stressful environments ever imagined. And he gets it totally right! Conflicts of trust, thoughts of spirituality and death, human cruelty and violence, love of family, abject hunger, protective instincts, absence of amenities, wariness of strangers, pain and suffering, and post-traumatic stress all fall into this vision of life after the collapse of civilization.

Terry DeHart demonstrates the rare ability to keep the action flowing without it interfering with the plot and he’s not afraid to explore the dark side of survival and the atrocities of conflict and disaster following the breakdown of law and order. In fact, he does an admirable job of describing the heart-rending and complicated range of emotions that might be felt in horrible, even macabre, situations by letting us see them through the diverse perspectives of a handful of characters. There are many disturbing scenes here, and I won’t give away too much for fear of spoiling the story, but the sad reality is that during a society-wide catastrophe some people will revert to barbarism, others will struggle against all odds to survive, and some will surrender to the eventuality of despair. That DeHart gives us concise and emotion-filled depictions of all three is a credit to his skill.

Recommended for fans of post-apocalyptic nuclear war, dystopia, guerilla warfare, fast-paced action, and survival. Read The Unit if you liked The Road; Oryx and Crake; Alas, Babylon ; Burn Down the Sky; Soft Apocalypse; Falling Skies; The Walking Dead; Desolation Road; or Feed .

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

The Unit Series by Terry DeHart
1. The Unit (2010)
2. The Sharpe’s Story (TBD)

Additional Reading:

Official Author Website

Author Website

Grasping for the Wind Review

The Unit – Chapter One

Book Review – The War That Came Early 03 – The Big Switch by Harry Turtledove

2011-08-02T20:04:00.001-04:00

The War That Came Early 03 – The Big Switch
Harry Turtledove
Genre: Alternative History
Publisher: Del Rey
Trade Paperback
418 Pages
Publication Date: July 19^th, 2011
ARC Trade Paperback Uncorrected Proof
ISBN-13: 978-0345491862

How does he do it? Harry Turtledove, the foremost alternate history writer in the world, maintains an instinctive ability to write grand, sweeping novels incorporating larger-than-life historic events such as World War II (albeit alternate and unconventional views of the same) while still managing to compress it into the emotions, daily events, and actions of the least, common man. Master storyteller Harry Turtledove begins this series with an interesting “what if” premise and follows it through to its logical conclusion. “What if U. K. Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, instead of placating Hitler, had defied him by not signing the Munich Agreement in 1938?”

No other author working in the field of speculative fiction today has such an accomplished grasp of narrating the all-encompassing alternate big picture while still retaining the ability to drill down to and explain all the fears, the uncommon bravery, and the irrational behavior of the common soldier, no matter what his nationality or which country he fights for. Mr. Turtledove entwines the alternate world-view with the human condition and continues to hold our attention throughout. And few, if any, can include so many characters in such an extensive, world-wide saga and still manage to draw them all back together. In fact, there are so many characters here that I found it hard to connect with some of them. While all were intriguing some of their stories were less interesting (and satisfying to me) than others, which may be the worst thing I can say about the book.

So, here’s the thing, why I think The War That Came Early is an exceptional work of alternate fiction. If you are not extremely familiar with World War II history you’ll be convinced that things happened exactly as Mr. Turtledove chronicles in The Big Switch. That’s because the stories are stimulating, fascinating, and entirely credible works of alternate history which tend to show how minor changes in the action or inaction by prominent players (and sometimes totally improbable characters) can cause huge changes in historic events. Mr. Turtledove accomplishes this better than anyone else in the genre and tells a great story in the process.

Recommended for history buffs, military strategists, alternate historians, and fans of sprawling, blood-and-guts war fiction.

Review copy provided free as part of the LibraryThing.com Early Reader program.

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

The War That Came Early by Harry Turtledove
1. Hitler's War (2009) 4 stars out of 5
2. West and East (2010) 4 stars out of 5
3. The Big Switch (2011) 4 stars out of 5

Additional Reading:

Harry Turtledove Wiki

Random House Page

Harry Turtledove Website

Harry Turtledove Baen Webscription Page

Tor.com Turtledove Page

TurtleWiki

Book Review - Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis

2011-07-31T20:59:00.001-04:00

Crooked Little Vein
Warren Ellis
eBook Version
300 pages (portrait view)
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: July 24, 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0060723934

If you’re easily offended by rude or ribald language, unconventional sexual fetishes, or buckets of blood* you may want to steer clear of both Crooked Little Vein and this review. Just sayin’… fair warnin’.

Like a violent criminal with a reputation to uphold Crooked Little Vein forced me into a secluded, dark alley and proceeded to cave my head in with the claw end of a one-pound hammer (and silly me enjoyed every second of it.) There’s nothing soft or fuzzy about this debut novel from comic book writer Warren Ellis. On the contrary, it is a blunt force instrument waiting for an audience to beat. And, thankfully, it found me. While prepping for this review (using Google and other implements of mass time annihilation) I conducted a bit of research regarding this novel. It appears that there are only two opinions pertaining to Crooked Little Vein on the Internet. Either the reviewer thoroughly hated it or totally enjoyed it. On a certain level (you know the one – where your parents taught you to be polite and “If you can’t say something nice….”) I can see why some may have disliked it. To paraphrase - Those are not the reviews you’re looking for. There’s a lot of rough, rude, randy, and rash language in Crooked Little Vein, and fetishes that reside a million miles south of main-stream wife-swapping suburbia. In addition, the central character and his beautiful side-kick experience some terribly far-fetched adventures on their way to retrieve a powerful book which contains a secret version of the United States Constitution. The tome is sought after by the White House Chief of Staff who just happens to be a functioning heroin addict with a bottomless checkbook. And he’s willing to pay big money to get the book back. Along the way, the protagonist, down-and-out P.I. Mike McGill, gets into some of the funniest, raciest, counter-cultured situations ever encountered in fiction. In my own twisted assessment all the odd circumstances, bizarre characters, and unusual events are so outlandishly creative that they make this particular work of fiction one of the most remarkable and interesting stories I’ve read in a very long time. Some might call Crooked Little Vein irreverent. Others vulgar. But there’s always room for a story that provides something innovative and curious. And boy, does this deliver. Here’s the strange thing – the principle idea – the detective or P.I. story – is a very old one yet Ellis’ concoction of urban fantasy, unrefined emotion, offensive language, bizarre situations, and out-right crappy luck suffered by the main character and his assistant is enough for me to call this one brilliant piece of neo-noir fiction.

Ellis has a solid grasp of what’s interesting, and cringe-worthy, about the steamy under-belly of America and his sharp, machine-gun style of writing fits this story perfectly. His prose is brutal, honest, tight, and lacks useless frill and decoration. A feat every author should strive to achieve. And although his characters are thrust into some of the strangest situations in modern fiction they are, by far, some of the most emotionally real characters I’ve ever encountered. Their feelings are never hidden, always worn on the sleeve, and they’re by no means afraid to say what they’re thinking or feeling. Surprisingly, beneath the surface of this extraordinary story lies a tender, albeit unorthodox, love story. Perhaps that’s what I found most interesting about the book. It has all the elements of a murder mystery quest, it forces you to realize that there is more to America than baseball, hot dogs and apple pie, and the characters are brutally honest and unexpectedly real. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and if you are one of those readers not easily offended by crude language and bizarre circumstances, or like the works of Richard Kadrey, Carlton Mellick III, or Chuck Palahniuk or agree with the majority of my book-review ratings you’ll probably take pleasure in it, as well.

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Official Author Site

Crooked Little Vein Wiki Page

Crooked Little Vein Chapter One

Crooked Little Vein Chapter Sixteen

Entertainment Weekly Review

* Okay, I know, my review has nothing in the way of ribald language, controversial sexual fetishes, or blood and gore and I apologize for that but I’m willing to bet my opening statement got you to read this far… and for those of you that did, here’s the payoff.

Q. Lewd language, fetish, and bloodshed?

A. Fertilizer, cuttlefish, bazooka.

I’ll let you determine which is which…

Book Review - The Subterrene War 01 - Germline by T. C. McCarthy

2011-07-28T19:27:00.001-04:00

The Subterrene War 01 - Germline
T. C. McCarthy
Orbit Books
373 pages
Publication date: August 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-316-12818-6

Germline, the first installment of The Subterrene War, by T. C. McCarthy is a cautionary urban-warfare epic of enormous scope. Take the HBO series Generation Kill, the blockbuster movie The Terminator, all of World War I & II, and the novel Embedded and blend them together with bio-cyberpunk-genetics, trench/tunnel warfare, and enhanced, futuristic weaponry and you have Science Fiction written for a new generation. In the very near future rare and precious metals are so expensive, so integral to technology, and so isolated by location that they are worth going to war over. In a world running low on natural resources and torn by conflict an embedded journalist from the Stars and Stripes, with heady dreams of winning the Pulitzer Prize, learns first-hand the brutality of war when he’s picked to accompany a military unit to the front lines. Once there he discovers that the war is being fought not only by normal soldiers but by genetically enhanced teen-age girls wearing smart armor and carrying weapons of beautiful design and incredible stopping power. Forced by circumstance to pick up a flechette rifle he transforms from an impartial observer to an unwilling combatant in a matter of seconds. And he knows instantly that no one will come out of this war unaffected by the death and devastation they’re about to experience.

Oscar Wendall, an embedded journalist with hopes that this assignment will propel him to prominence, becomes a combatant when a shortage of soldiers in the moments before an eminent attack leaves him no choice but to pick up a weapon and fight. But Oscar is having trouble writing about the war and his dream seems to be falling further and further from his grasp. The death, destruction, and overabundance of drugs he’s ingested won’t allow him the peace to write his masterpiece, either. In the process, Oscar is transformed from a journalist into a full-fledged civilian soldier with all the stigma that entails. At one point in the book I observed to myself that Oscar was just too damn lucky. Nobody goes through as many battles without suffering a wound as he does. (In reality many soldiers do make it through war without injury but at the time Oscar’s luck appeared almost too uncanny to be real.) He’s the only survivor of at least two battles and suffers no wounds during many fire-fights. But he does carry a lot of mental and emotional (even drug-related) baggage. Hell, he should have been admitted to the hospital a dozen times over. And then about three-fourths through the story Oscar is hit by plasma gas and suffers deep-tissue wounds to both legs. Fortunately, his friends are able to drag him from the front lines to a hospital. Fortunately, modern medicine has progressed enough that Oscar is able to recover from his wounds rather quickly. Unfortunately, the U.S. forces are almost surrounded by the enemy and Oscar still needs to track down the doppelganger of the genetically-engineered soldier he fell in love with on the front.

Germline is a war story, for certain, but not just any simple war story. It is a story of conflict over resources. It is a story of combat in the future and specifically of warfare between genetically enhanced super-warriors and normal soldiers. The war eventually lays waste to vast areas of the earth turning entire cities to scorched and burned ash. Overhead, droids drop shells filled with liquid plasma and below ground, tunnels (the subterrene) are injected with poisoned gas. Germline presents a solitary glimpse into an alternate future that is frighteningly realistic in scale. But, there is a universal theme here that pre-dates the earliest days of man and the first stone thrown in anger. This is a story of war and fear and mental illness and psychological stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and of drug abuse and addiction and the human condition. It is a cautionary tale of the frailty of life and it is nothing short of brilliant. McCarthy captures the emotions, complexities, and cold, hard realities of combat down in the trenches and gives the reader, though they may have never experienced war itself, an in-depth look at the harsh realities of taking life. Germline is an engaging, compelling, and quick read and I wholly recommend it to all fans of military Science Fiction, urban warfare, genetic manipulation, future combat, embedded journalism, and to those who simply wish to be entertained by an exceptional story.

Review copy provided free as part of the Amazon Vine program.

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

The Subterrene War Series by T. C. McCarthy
The Subterrene War 01 - Germline (2011)
The Subterrene War 02 - Exogene (TBA)

Additional Reading:

Germline Cover Information

Exogene Cover Information

Official Author Page

Lou Ander’s Blog Germline Post

The Founding Fields Review of Germline

The Mystery and the Magic (Agent Blog)

Note: I’ve heard that the Subterrene War series will follow the lives of a different character in each book and the cover of the second installment seems to indicate that Exogene will include the story of one of the genetically enhanced female soldiers we first met in Germline. I look forward to keeping up with this intriguing and exciting series.

Book Review – Orphan’s Legacy 02 - Undercurrents by Robert Buettner

2011-07-16T19:26:00.001-04:00

Orphan’s Legacy 02 – Undercurrents
Robert Buettner
Baen Books
Publication Date: July 1st, 2011
Trade Paperback (Uncorrected Page Proof)
291 pages
ISBN13: 978-1439134498

As stated in my review of the original Orphanage books last year, and by Buettner’s own admission*, the Orphanage and Orphan’s Legacy series are a deliberate homage to Robert A. Heinlein and two of his classic works of military Science Fiction, Starship Troopers and Have Space Suit - Will Travel. Thank you, Mr. Buettner, for acknowledging the deserving roots of your work and for continuing the tradition of brilliant, character-driven, combat-centric Science Fiction. Make no mistake; Robert Buettner’s Orphan books are by no means simple imitations or variations but significant and important additions to the genre in their own right. Without Starship Troopers there could be no Jason Wander or Jazen Parker and without the Orphans the next generation of military Science Fiction would be considerably weaker. The Orphan’s Legacy series is, therefore, a logical and necessary extension of those earlier works.

With that in mind I ask you to set aside the plot and events of Undercurrents for a moment (we’ll get back to them shortly, I promise) and concentrate on the author in general and the tone of his style and his storytelling in particular. Perhaps it’s because I grew up reading military Science Fiction novels and comics in the late-60’s and 70’s that I now find myself gravitating toward books written with that respectful and patriotic military approach. You know the type of story I mean – character-driven war stories filled with rough, weather-beaten, steely-eyed soldiers with chiseled-jaws and battle-scars who won’t take flack from anyone and who know how to survive in the harshest of environments. Undercurrents not only fits that mold but surpasses it. To call Robert Buettner a Master of Military Science Fiction is, in my opinion, an understatement. Not only are his books well-written, the characters are impossible to forget and their attitudes are flashback reminiscent of memorable characters like Captain America, G. I. Joe, and Sergeant Fury. What this does to - and for - me is difficult to express but there’s a certain feeling of nostalgia that I welcome every time I pick up one of his books. Doing so takes me back to a hot summer day in the seventies when I entered the local library and saw Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers on the shelf for the first time. I could tell by the tattered cover that it involved soldiers in space suits and I was hooked instantly (the only thing that might have made it better was if a dinosaur was on the cover as well, but that’s a different trope for a different time.) I must admit that reading Buettner’s stories takes me back to the days when I was just beginning to explore the various realms of Science Fiction and, in the process, stretching my then small but elastic mind. But I digress…

I promised to get back to reviewing the book and so, now, I will.

What happens when your covert operation turns to disaster and you’re forced to switch from battle-ready to survival-mode in less than thirty seconds? If you’re Lt. Jazen Parker you improvise. While free-falling from space Parker sees his jump-partner’s severed head and spinal column dangling from a crumpled helmet as it whizzes past. With that image burned into his memory he knows he’s been dealt a dead man’s hand. His mission? To destroy the tyrannical local government on a planet steeped in fascist politics. But all is jeopardized by two facts – his partner is now shark food and one of his ex-team members has been taken prisoner by the same government he’s been sent to destroy. And their prisoner is not just any ex-team member but one he harbors deep feelings for. Jazen must complete his mission and save his comrade before she is tortured and killed but as the details of the mission unfolds he discovers a sinister plot that might send five-hundred planetary governments into total chaos. Torn between the mission and the rescue Jazen understands that the local political leaders must be eliminated before they carry out their plan but he finds himself in charge of a broken army of rebels complete with out-dated equipment and jaded, morale-strapped soldiers. What no one realizes is just how committed Jazen is and there is no one better suited to begin or finish a war.

After reading Robert Buettner’s newest book I can only repeat, though in somewhat abbreviated form, what I’ve said before; The Orphan books display everything that’s good about exceptional military Science Fiction. Correction. They contain everything that’s good about brilliant fiction, period. Buettner writes characters that you cannot help but care for, plots that are tightly crafted, real, often gritty, dialogue that flows, and he has a true understanding of how to spin tales that are always entertaining. The guns and explosions and battle-hardened soldiers are simply a bonus for the audience. Spending a few hours with these brilliantly written works of mankind at war is time well-spent.

Orphan’s Legacy 02 - Undercurrents is available today in hardcover. Disclosure: The review copy (uncorrected page proof) used for this review was provided free as part of the Amazon Vine program.

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

* See my October 2010 review of the Orphanage Series here

* Official Robert Buettner Site
(See Buettner’s website for additional details concerning his tribute to Robert A. Heinlein.)

Robert Buettner Blog Site

Robert Buettner Wiki Page

Orphan’s Legacy 01 - Overkill Baen Webscription (eBook purchase page – Sample chapters available)

Orphan’s Legacy 02 - Undercurrents Baen Webscription (eBook purchase page – Sample chapters available)

Blog Interview with Robert Buettner

Record Freefall Attempt from Space (as featured in Undercurrents)

Heinlein’s Wiki Starship Trooper Page

Heinlein’s Wiki Have Space Suit – Will Travel Page

About the Author

Robert Buettner was born July 7, 1947 in Manhattan, grew up in Cleveland and eventually slid west to Colorado. He earned a B.A. from the College of Wooster, with Honors in geology, then studied as a National Science Foundation Fellow in Paleontology at the University of Cincinnati, earning a Juris Doctorate. He worked in mining as a rig hand and prospector in the Sonora Desert of Southwest Texas and the mountains of Alaska, and worked his way through law school as a petroleum geologist. He practiced natural resources law while serving out his Army Reserve Intelligence Commission as a Captain. He has been writing fiction since 1994. When not writing, he’s run marathons, climbed mountains, snowboarded and scuba'd. He currently lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge north of Atlanta with his family and more bikes than a grownup needs.

Orphan's Legacy Series
1. Overkill (2011) 4 ½ stars out of 5
2. Undercurrents (2011) 4 ½ stars out of 5

Speculative Fiction is much like a child. We feed it and watch it mature over the years, we recognize and teach it to overcome its weaknesses, we strive to perfect its strengths, we are surprised at how smart it is, and, in the end, we hope it becomes better than us. Most of the time, it does.
- The Alternative, 2011

Live Music Review – Florence and the Machine, The Black Keys, Locksley, Here Come the Mummies, and Michael Franti and Spearhead

2011-07-12T19:29:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, July 6^th, 2011 – Summerfest - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Florence and the Machine

Florence and the Machine opened for The Black Keys tonight and I must say that this was the most evocative and exceptional vocal performance I think I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness. Flo was in near-perfect voice and when she announced early in the show that this was the last stop of their concert tour you could tell the energy was going to hit the roof. And she did not disappoint. Floating across the stage in a beautiful flowing gown and pounding a drum at center stage Florence gave the audience everything they paid for and more. Some might even say she outdid the main act (The Black Keys – review below) but I maintain that the two are so different from each other that it didn’t matter. Anyway, her crisp, clear, haunting vocals make Florence and the Machine the best thing to hit the airwaves in years. So very glad I was able to see them live again.

Florence and the Machine
5 out of 5 stars

The Black Keys

The Black Keys put on a brilliant, sound-charged, and power-fused blues performance this evening before a sold out house. Drummer Patrick Carney exercised his amazing ability to create back- and off- beat fills like no other drummer I’ve ever seen and Guitarist/Vocalist (notice the capital letters here) Dan Auerbach may just be the most talented musician on the entire planet. His guitar work, both nebulous and loaded with fuzzy energy, featured bass riffs, rhythm guitar, and lead runs, often at the same time, plus (and here’s what really blows me away) he’s the singer for cryin’ out loud. They are by far the fullest and most interesting sounding blues duo in rock music today. Noteworthy and memorable selections include: Ten Cent Pistol, Everlasting Light, and Howlin’ For You.

The Black Keys
5 out of 5 stars

Thursday, July 7^th, 2011 – Summerfest – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Locksley

Locksley, hailing from Madison, Wisconsin and as close to a hometown group as you can get in Milwaukee, put on an electrifying and energetic performance this afternoon. This is the second time in a year we’ve seen this group and they simply get better with time. Self-labeled as a “doo-wop punk” band their songwriting is profoundly influenced by early British Invasion bands twisted around Buddy Holly rockabilly while their instrumental style is founded more on early American punk and modern garage rock. They, like the Fratellis, are a band that can write lyrical hooks without words (listen to The Whip and you’ll hear what I mean.) The first time we saw them was at the Verge Festival in June of 2010 and have since purchased their albums and made a concentrated effort to see them at Summerfest this year even though they were one of the TBD bands not found in the printed music guide. They performed songs from their album Be In Love and then a few songs from their newly released album Locksley (available July 12^th, 2011.) All in all, a very enjoyable performance.

Locksley
4 out of 5 stars

Here Come the Mummies

I must admit that before seeing them live tonight I had never heard of Here Come the Mummies. Now that I’ve experienced their live show I have only one word to say – holy-frickin’-truly-amazing-wow!!! Rude, crude, and in the groove this nine piece Rhythm & Blues band is as entertaining as any group I've ever heard or seen, living or dead (pun intended.) This is a must-see live performance because their theatricality and stage presence is almost as entertaining as the quality of the music. With songs like Libido Knievel, Attack of the Weiner Man, and Pants (can you say triple sexual innuendo?) this band will appeal to the thirteen year old in all of us but was created for a much more mature audience. The truly outstanding quality of this band, however, is not the theatrics, or their ribald lyrics, nor their costumes. It is their profound musicality. Their sound is melodious, blood-stirring, harmonious, and perfectly in time to the beat of the audience. It’s rumored that a number of Grammy award winners are members of the group but since they all dress in mummy costumes this is hard to verify. Regardless, they have an exceptional four piece horn section, a funky rhythm section, and harmonious vocals and they entertained me and the rest of the crowd from the moment they hit the stage until the curtain fell. This is a funk/R&B show you won’t want to miss. See them if you can!

P.S. My wife and I enjoyed this show/carnival/concert/presentation so much that we purchased tickets to see them at the House of Blues in Chicago on September 17^th, 2011. Can’t wait!

Here Come the Mummies
6 out of 5 stars

Michael Franti and Spearhead

Blending hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock Michael Franti and Spearhead performed to a large audience of very lucky and highly energetic fans on the Summerfest grounds in Milwaukee tonight. He brought his signature laid-back West Coast sound and his sultry voice to the Midwest without missing a beat. Full of energy, Franti bounced his way barefoot through the first few tunes and then got down to the slower folk-rock ballads he’s known for. At one point, in the middle of the concert, Franti asked a group of young children and a few sixty-something’s to join him on stage to dance to Say Hey (I Love You). The message? Music (and love) cross every barrier of age, race, or economic status. Franti also came out into the crowd at least three times - once to serenade the folks that had to stand in the back. Michael Franti and Spearhead were a perfect exclamation point to an amazing evening of music and entertainment.

Michael Franti and Spearhead
4 ½ stars out of 5

P.S.S. Oh, and if you ever find yourself in the downtown area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin stop in at Carnevor’s for dinner, great steaks, BTW and lunch at Elsa’s on Jefferson. Best hamburgers in the state, IMO.

Additional Reading:

Music:

Florence and the Machine

The Black Keys

Locksley

Here Come the Mummies

Michael Franti and Spearhead

Other Bands of Interest at Summerfest (yes, I attended these concerts as well):

Cage the Elephant
3 ½ stars out of 5

The Mighty Blues Kings
4 out of 5 stars

Dan Rodriguez
4 out of 5 stars

The Air on Everest
3 ½ stars out of 5

Litmus Vinyl
3 stars out of 5

Food (Milwaukee):

Carnevor Steakhouse Moderne
5 out of 5 stars

Elsa’s on the Park
5 out of 5 stars

Summerfest (The World’s Largest Music Festival)
(11 stages – 11 days – over 700 bands)

Summerfest

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - My Favorite Band Does Not Exist by Robert T. Jeschonek

2011-07-11T18:19:00.001-04:00

My Favorite Band Does Not Exist
Robert T. Jeschonek
Clarion Books
Publication Date: July 11, 2011
ARC Trade Paperback Uncorrected Proof
336 pages
ISBN: 054737027X

Robert T. Jeschonek’s My Favorite Band Does Not Exist is a somewhat peculiar, highly enjoyable, and intricate, multi-layered in-book fantasy within a tale within a story. Idea Deity (yes, that’s his name) has created an imaginary band that’s become an overnight, Internet sensation even though they haven’t released a single song to the public yet . Idea’s website includes fictional tour dates, invented member bios, and imaginary lyrics for a band he calls Youforia. In addition, Idea suffers from a rare disorder known as Deity Syndrome, a psychosomatic condition that makes him believe he’s a character created for a novel. To make matters infinitely worse, he’s convinced he’ll meet his demise in the middle of Chapter 64 which he fears is close. Okay, I know this sounds really weird but it gets better(read weirder)…

Elsewhere, introvert musician Reacher Miracle (yes, that’s his name) the actual leader of a band called Youforia can’t understand how someone could post so much inside information about his band, his life, and his songs on the Internet. Constantly on the run there’s no way anyone could gather so many details about the band. Reacher is determined to find the webmaster of this fake but viral website to find out how he knows so much about him and a band that has yet to play a single note in public. (Does Reacher also suffer from Deity Syndrome?)

In-book, both Reacher and Idea happen to be reading the same Swords and Sorcery fantasy novel called Fireskull's Revenant* and since both protagonists are equally invested in the book we get to read portions of the story along with them. The interspersed chapters from Fireskull's Revenant are presented with tattered, worn pages so you know when you’ve breached the in-novel fantasy which chronicles the tale of an epic battle between two superhuman/magical characters.

I must admit a certain curiosity pertaining to the link between the various disparate, in-book stories (which prompted a lot of quick page-turning to be sure) and how the author was going to pull it all together but the chain of events he created knit the different story lines together so well that they flowed into a brilliantly written, effortless, and epic conclusion(s). I was pleasantly surprised at the imaginative technique and singular skill Jeschonek employed to bring all the loose story arcs successfully together.

In some ways My Favorite Band Does Not Exist reminds me of Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series and Bradley Denton’s Wrack and Roll both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. The literary trope of jumping between books (while in-book) exits in Fforde’s work (although it’s a bit more complicated than that) and the out-of-control Rock ‘n Roll theme is prevalent in Denton’s. While My Favorite Band Does Not Exist contains elements of both it’s also rife with character paranoia, tribalism, fantasy, and the absurd which, in my opinion, makes it well worth the time spent reading it.

Naming conventions follow the Thomas Pynchon school of thought where character names contain symbolism (both subtle and obvious) and ultimately help define the attributes and personalities of the main characters. With names like Idea Deity, and his parents Vengeful Deity and Loving Deity, Reacher Mirage, Johnny Without, Lord Fireskull, and Eunice Truant this is evidently “meaningful naming” where the first, last, or full names say something primal about the character, often with multiple layers. In addition, the characters we meet are always more than they seem and symbolism is endemic in every name, occupation, and physical description.

As a debut urban-fantasy novel My Favorite Band Does Not Exist stands out as an ambitious and promising start for author Robert T. Jeschonek who is obviously a talented and creative writer. I, for one, would like to see his sophomore effort. As a reviewer I’m always interested in reading additional works of debut novelists so that I can follow their growth as writers, be it urban fantasy or not. What ever he plans to release next I’ll be tracking it closely.

File Under: Jasper Fforde meets Wrack and Roll meets Uber-urban fantasy meets metafiction meets Swords and Sorcery meets trashed hotel rooms. If you enjoy any of these individually you’ll love My Favorite Band Does Not Exist/ Fireskull's Revenant collectively.

My Favorite Band Does Not Exist is available today, July 11, 2011 in hardcover. Review copy provided free as part of the Amazon Vine program.

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Robert Jeschonek Website

Fireskull’s Revenant Artwork

Accidental Rabbit Tracks Blog Review

IndieBound Page

Additional Books Containing Another Work of Fiction Within Itself:

The Laughing Man (Short Story) by J.D. Salinger

The Dark Tower by C. S. Lewis

The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon

Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco

Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

* Note: I’m not exactly sure how or where I got this impression but I felt that the fantasy novel Fireskull's Revenant was originally written by Mr. Jeschonek as a stand-alone story that eventually got eaten whole by the Idea/Reacher/Youforia novel and churned into the three-way fantasy My Favorite Band Does Not Exist. Then again, I’ve been known to be wrong…

Book Review - Zombie Autopsies by Steven C. Schlozman, M.D.

2011-06-30T20:06:00.001-04:00

Zombie Autopsies (Secret Notebooks From the Apocalypse)
Steven C. Schlozman, M.D.
Illustrated by Andrea Sparacio
Hardcover
208 pages
Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: March 25, 2011
ISBN: 978-0446564663

We've seen our share of zombie survival narratives, zombie war tales, zombie diaries , and even zombie romances, as well as various guides, manuals, and required weapons lists for combating the shambling-dead. Zombie Autopsies (Secret Notebooks From the Apocalypse), on the other hand, is a story that focuses on the clinical aspects of the coming zombie apocalypse. Drawn heavily on medical, scientific, and forensic jargon, exposition, and illustrations Zombie Autopsies relies too much on the quantifiable and too little on the speculative. By that I mean that this book fails to deliver a memorable piece of fiction beneath too much scientific research and medical rationalization.

At the onset I thought the premise of zombie forensics intriguing. It was, for instance, the first time I’d seen this particular living-dead trope and thought, if handled correctly, could be a unique and entertaining story. Most of you already know that I truly do enjoy a good post-apocalyptic zombie yarn but I really had difficulty with Zombie Autopsies. Mixed in with the analytical descriptions, autopsy reports, medical illustrations, and scientific journals is an interesting fictional account of the walking-dead but the plot gets overwhelmed by too much scientific exposition. This story would have been significantly better had the percentages of technical explanation and plot-driven narrative been reversed. In all honesty, the zombie tale itself, when it does surface, is really a pretty good one and the illustrations are interesting and quite graphic but, in my opinion, the story should have guided the medical reporting rather than the other way around. Mr. Schlozman would have had a much better story had he done so.

If you enjoy all the bloody, gory details of actual autopsies, like to view cross-sectioned diagrams of cancerous or diseased organs, or are curious about the anatomical changes that might occur during the process of zombification then this book is for you. Otherwise, I’d look for other, more narrative- and less clinical- driven zombie tales to read.

2 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

List of Zombie Novels

Ten Best Zombie Books

The Essential Zombie Book List

Book Review - Exile’s Blade - Book One - Clearwater Dawn by Scott Fitzgerald Gray

2011-06-24T20:16:00.001-04:00

Exile’s Blade - Book One – Clearwater Dawn
Scott Fitzgerald Gray
Kindle Edition
Publisher: Insane Angel Studios
Publication Date: May 8, 2011
358 Pages (eBook version)
ASIN: B005007GHA

Due to review commitments I do not get to read as much fantasy as I used to, which is really a shame. As a matter of fact the last true “fantasy” review I did was over a year ago. But, thanks to Clearwater Dawn by Scott Fitzgerald Gray I know that I’ll be picking up more in the near future, especially since this is the first book in a planned series. I recall how much fun Raymond E. Feist’s Magician was the first time I read it. That true joy of finding a well-written, creative, and stirring piece of fantasy fiction is hard to replicate. I remember being spellbound by the depth of the characters, the unique and unusual use of magic, the truly original plot, and the new worlds fully created out of nothing more than the imaginations of the author and his audience. Clearwater Dawn had much the same effect on me and, in my opinion, is every bit as good as the stories of the Riftwar series. I cannot pay more of a compliment to Mr. Gray’s work than to compare it with that classic series. The Riftwar books remain one of my all time favorite fantasy series and one of the few that I’ve read more than once. The Exile’s Blade series will be my next.

Clearwater Dawn falls into that category of near-classic fantasy simply waiting for an audience to find it. Indeed, it’s hard to believe that this book is self-published and selling for only .99 in the Kindle store at Amazon and the Nook store at B&N. The story is clearly written by someone well-versed in the world of fantasy creation and a search of Mr. Gray’s past achievements will confirm that he is a long time author of Dungeons & Dragons manuals, campaigns, and narratives. As luck would have it, that previous experience carries over nicely into this novel. The locations are elaborate but not verbosely so and the characters are both believable and down-to-earth (including the princess who should be haughty but isn’t.) There is murder, and court intrigue, and secrets, and quests, and magic, and secret doors, and arranged marriages, and war and all the things you’d expect to find in a first-class fantasy adventure. With that said, the story is, of course, not perfect and the minor clichéd plot of a noble fugitive is trope-worthy but all-in-all the story is written well enough for that insignificant point to go relatively unnoticed. If you’re anything like me the “what’s going to happen on the next page” factor will have you turning pages furiously and the various character relationships will keep you interested until the very end. This was an enjoyable read and I’m happy to say that I’d recommend it to any and all fantasy fans (no matter age, fealty, or coat-of-arms.)

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

About the Author (From Amazon.com)

Scott Fitzgerald Gray is a specially constructed biogenetic simulacrum built around an array of experimental consciousness-sharing techniques -- a product of the finest minds of Canadian science until the grant money ran out. Accidentally set loose during an unauthorized midnight rave at the lab, the S.F. Gray entity is currently at large amongst an unsuspecting populace, where his work as an author, screenwriter, editor, RPG designer, and story editor for feature film keeps him off the streets.

More info on Scott and his work (some of it even occasionally truthful) can be found by reading between the lines at insaneangel.com.

Websites

Clearwater Dawn Excerpt

Publisher Page - Insane Angel

Impressive list of D&D Credits

Kindle Store Link

Barnes & Noble Nook Store Link

FYI (File under “Getting to Know the Blogger”)

Some of my favorite Fantasy books include (in no particular order):

The Riftwar series by Raymond E. Feist
Riftwar Cycle
1. Magician: Apprentice & Magician (1985)
2. Silverthorn (1985)
3. A Darkness at Sethanon (1986)

Mithgar series by Dennis L. McKiernan
The Iron Tower
1. The Dark Tide (1984)
2. Shadows of Doom (1984)
3. The Darkest Day (1984)
The Silver Call
1. Trek to Kraggen-Cor (1986)
2. The Brega Path (1986)

The Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks
The Original Shannara Trilogy
1. The Sword of Shannara (1977)
2. The Elfstones of Shannara (1982)
3. The Wishsong of Shannara (1985)

Thomas Covenant series by Stephen R. Donaldson
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever
1. Lord Foul's Bane (1977)
2. The Illearth War (1978)
3. The Power that Preserves (1979)

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
The Dark Tower
1. The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (1982)
2. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987)
3. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991)
4. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997)
5. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003)
6. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004)
7. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004)

There are others, of course, and these are all works I read as a young adult but I remember them making an impact on me as some of the best books (not just fantasies) that I’d ever read. To be fair, there are many great fantasy works that are much newer than those listed above and are just as entertaining but these I recall making an impression on me as exciting and stimulating works of fiction when I was a young man. For exceptional works of memorable, newer fantasy look for anything by Emma Bull, Cherie Priest, Jacqueline Carey, Stephen Lawhead, George R. R. Martin, Harry Turtledove, S. M. Stirling, Joe Abercrombie, Markus Heitz, Stan Nicholls, Patrick Rothfuss, or China Mieville, to name a few.

Graphic Novel Review – Falling Skies Vols. 1 - 4 by Paul Tobin and Juan Ferreyra

2011-06-21T20:19:00.001-04:00

Writer: Paul Tobin
Artist: Juan Ferreyra
Letterer: Nate Piekos
Colorist: Andrew Dalhouse
Cover Artist: Steve Morris
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Genre: Science-Fiction, Action/Adventure
ISBN-13:978-1-59582-737-1
Electronic Version (Dark Horse for iPad)

Falling Skies, the graphic novel created from the upcoming T.V. series, is the seminal aliens-invade-earth and human-resistance-retaliates story*. Boston - present day. A global alien invasion has destroyed every world government and major city on earth. But a handful of inexperienced freedom- fighters take up arms to combat the invaders and their powerful mechanized robots. College history professor Tom Mason and his sons are just trying to get by, to survive the devastating invasion, when they meet up with the 2^nd Massachusetts Militia, a paramilitary faction determined to wipe out the aliens that have caused so much planetary death and destruction. But the militia’s supplies are running low and the unarmed population continues to grow as stragglers make their way into Boston. Tom must locate an old friend to help equip his team with the guns and ammunition needed to guarantee the survival of the human race. In the mean time, Tom’s young son is missing and disturbing word is out that the aliens are abducting children and outfitting them with strange spinal braces that are either controlling them or turning them into something non-human. Tom and the 2^nd Massachusetts are in a race to both eliminate the alien threat and locate and free the imprisoned children.

In my opinion, what really makes this graphic novel an exceptional effort is the remarkable artwork. While Paul Tobin definitely has a handle on this tried-but-true story arc and knows when to be serious and when to joke around Juan Ferreyra’s art truly makes the story in this particular medium something special. The artwork is both realistic and believable and the characters, human and alien alike, come to life under his very competent hand. What I truly love about Ferreyra’s work is his infinite attention to detail. Every panel contains one or two back- or fore-ground detail drawings (flowers in windowsills, trees losing their leaves, debris and trash scattered in the roads, cracks in walls and sidewalks, etc.) that give the overall image a true sense of realism. Where other artist might wash the background Ferreyra populates his with realism. If you’re the type that’s into comics or graphic novels, appreciates exceptional artwork, and loves Science Fiction then you’ll most certainly enjoy this one.

Story - 3 stars out of 5
Art work – 5 out of 5 stars
Total – 4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading

Falling Skies

Falling Skies Webcomics (1)

Falling Skies Webcomics (2)

Falling Skies TV Series Preview

Falling Skies TV Series Wiki Page

Falling Skies TV Series IMDB Page

The Creators

Juan Ferreyra Art

Paul Tobin Interview

Dark Horse Comics

Dark Horse Comics

Alien Invasion Examples *

The War of the World (H.G. Wells) Free download

The War of the Worlds Radio Drama Wiki Page

Independence Day

Battle: Los Angeles IMDb Page

The Puppet Masters (Robert A. Heinlein)

Invasion From Mars IMDb Page

(John Carpenter’s) They Live!

Book Review - Burn Down the Sky by James Jaros

2011-06-17T22:52:00.001-04:00

Burn Down the Sky
James Jaros*
Harper Voyager
2011
Mass Market Paperback
336 pages
Advance Uncorrected Proof

A recent incident has forced the world into post-apocalyptic regression. Most of the planet is now a vast, barren, and burnt-out wasteland. We are never told the specifics of this event though it’s implied that global warming is, for the most part, at fault. Acts of barbarism are at an all-time high. Civilized humans struggle to survive but fight a losing battle. Cults, cannibals, and crazies roam this harsh, lawless environment. The civilized build protective walls around pockets of attainable water, tend wilted crops, and scrape out the most basic existence imaginable. The uncivilized simply take whatever they want; take what others have worked so hard to keep. The continued survival of the human race appears bleak and the back-breaking work of day-to-day subsistence is the only future anyone has to look forward to. Amidst all this turmoil, and to add insult to planetary injury, a sexually-transmitted virus one thousand times deadlier and faster than AIDS has turned sex into a painful, gruesome death-sentence. However, girls who have experienced their first menstrual period in the past twelve months are immune from the plague and are therefore highly desirable to marauders and other men of ill-repute. Rather than protected as saviors of the human race they are abducted from their homes and traded to the most powerful as playthings or as simple vessels of progeny. The stakes grow when a small, struggling community comes under attack by raiders and a group of young, pre-menstrual girls is kidnapped. The mother and sister of one of the abducted girls will stop at nothing to follow the kidnappers and secure her safe return.

To be honest, when I first read the premise in the opening chapter of Burn Down the Sky I thought, That’s a very weak assertion to base a novel on. Biology just doesn’t work that way, does it? Sex deadly? Well, yes, it can be, so wear protection. Oh yeah, the world has stopped production of everything. No more condoms. Wait, what about all those in grocery and convenience stores? Oh, the cities have all been burned to the ground during the food riots. However weak the original plot device might have felt in my mind it was long-forgotten before I was half-way through chapter two. The story became so immediately interesting to me that my questions were quickly forgotten. And then, to my surprise, all my objections were logically addressed and promptly answered in the course of the next few chapters. In some ways I felt the author knew these objections were obvious and that they would quickly occur to the audience. That Mr. Jaros recognized and addressed them early made my reading of the story that much more enjoyable.

You should know up-front that this story is not for the weak or faint of heart. There are quite a few gruesome, shocking, even grotesque moments in the pages of this book and there’s a lot of action and many scenes of intense violence. There’s death by fire and by explosion, there’s dismemberment, torture, death by gun shot and by beheading. Worse, there is life after rape, life after disfigurement, and life filled with unmitigated fear. Parents with young girls are strongly cautioned. Really bad things happen to some of the children in this story. (Some good things happen, as well, but telling you more would spoil things.) In a genre that is usually top-heavy with male characters I enjoyed seeing the woman’s perspective here and Jaros does a great job of creating strong, believable women role-models with real emotions. But, I also must say that combined with the violence and despair there are some very well-written scenes of redemption, perseverance and, of course, love. The atmosphere of Burn Down the Sky is somewhat reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road but only in the sense that each of the worlds have been turned into wastelands and scenes from Mad Max are also recognizable in that the marauders are mostly viscous, cruel, violent, and a bit “touched in the head.” In the end I really could not put this book down. Fortunately for me, since I otherwise would have suffered a few more sleepless nights, it’s a rather quick read. Burn Down the Sky is a fun, well-written, post-apocalyptic quest story that entertains and I strongly recommended it for fans of Stephen King’s The Stand, the Mad Max films, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, or Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Author Interview – Burn Down the Sky

Burn Down the Sky Sample

Official Author Site

Author Blog Page

A Word From the Author

* James Jaros is the pen name used by journalist and author Mark Nykanen.

Website Review – TVTropes.org

2011-06-15T18:26:00.001-04:00

Website Review
TVTropes.org
Fiction Writing Help Guide
(and so much more)

TVTropes.org

Want to write good fiction? Want to write, research your subject, and be entertained while doing so? Then head on over to TVTropes.org and get lost for a week or two browsing the immense catalog of available tropes. What is TVTropes.org, you ask? Simply put it’s an encyclopedic index of the “tricks of the trade” for writing fiction. It’s a guide for “what not to do, what to do, what to look out for, and what to avoid” when you’re writing and researching your work of fiction. (Note, according to the site: “Tropes are devices and conventions that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members' minds and expectations.”) All will become very clear once you start delving into this amazing site. And, don’t be put off by the name either, while it’s called “TV Tropes” the site covers and lists examples from every branch of entertainment you could possibly name, including: anime and manga, comic books, fan fic, literature, film, live-action TV, music, webcomics, video games, Western animation, and even Real Life. Want to know about the clichés concerning ammunition or weapons, the worst plot devices, gods or deities, specific apocalypse types, alien classes, or any other subject under the sun? Then this is the place for you. I really can’t remember ever finding such a useful, humorous, intelligent, and complete writing tool as this website. And, this is by no means an exaggeration!

Specifically, I suggest you check out the “Speculative Fiction” category of the site (left-hand sidebar near the bottom). You’ll find hundreds of subjects including tropes on Area 51, Alien Autopsy, Benevolent Alien Invasion, Captain's Log, Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu? , and The End of the World as We Know It, to name just a few. This single list alone will keep you busy for many, many days. Not only will you become educated in the myriad ways Area 51 has been used in entertainment but you’ll also learn why Every Bullet is a Tracer and why All Myths Are True. There’s even an entire catalog of Discovery Channel Mythbusters tropes found here.

Some of my favorite Speculative Fiction topics include: The Grand List of Overused Science Fiction Clichés , The Turkey City Lexicon , Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy , Did Not Do the Research (which includes hundreds of sub-tropes), and Apocalypse How (which defines the various categories of apocalyptic devastation.)

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time you’ll know that in the five years I’ve been posting to Blogger I’ve never reviewed a website before. That alone makes TVTropes.org very special. I spend a lot of time reading and writing book reviews, my true passion, that I sometimes forget to note some of the more interesting things I’ve found. Not this time! When I found this site I knew I had share it with you. So, here’s me telling you with complete confidence that I have never, ever run across a subject-dedicated website as entertaining, fascinating, and informative as this. TVTropes.org is a fantastic tool for fiction writers and an entertaining place for anyone interested in the written word. There truly is something for everyone here. Trust me, you’ll get lost in its pages for days and thank me for it later. After visiting TVTropes.org I dare you to come back here and not post something positive about TV Tropes in the comments…

6 freakin’ awesome stars out of 6

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

The website can be found here: TVTropes.org

Book Review - The Graduate Student by James Polster

2011-06-07T18:33:00.006-04:00

James Polster
The Graduate Student
AmazonEncore
Publication Date: June 21, 2011
Trade Paperback
360 pages
ISBN: 9781935597537
Advance Reader’s Copy – Uncorrected Proof

When the rainforest slams head-first into Hollywood and neuro-robotics take over where anthropology ends… well, you know something unusual is bound to happen. And, in this case, what happens is not only outlandish but amusing as well. The Graduate Student follows the chaotic antics of Blackwell James as his life takes an unexpected and improbable twist. From near-destitute, almost unemployable, jungle-trekking grad student to overnight Hollywood movie producer and director of a scientific project Blackwell is thrust into two worlds totally beyond his experience. But Blackwell has an uncanny knack of landing on his feet and then stumbling his way into success. Or so it would seem. James Polster navigates through the machinations of Hollyweird and the tricky business of advanced academics and in the process treats us to a comical view of the bizarre worlds of movie producing and graduate studies. Indeed, his main character manages to inadvertently meet Sylvester Stallone, Steven Spielberg, and Henry Winkler and green-light a movie script penned by a UCLA-based computer using cheap software and a database of action movies that have previously made boat-loads of cash. What could possibly go wrong?

The novel is broken down into three fast-paced, near-equal parts. The first section, Blackwell, introduces the reader to the main character. Loosely based on the author’s own experiences this segment reveals a detailed glimpse of the life of the highly unusual and very funny gypsy-like character, Blackwell James. The second element, aptly named Odyssey, is the recounting of a hallucinogenic ménage-a-traipsing through the mind of one of the characters - a psychopath, no less. It recounts, after ingestion of a concoction made from two sacred Amazonian vines, the trip one character takes to find a lost soul who has wandered too deep into the mind of an unstable and impatient movie producer/scientist who’s crimes have been uncovered by the trespass. In part three, Hogeye, the antagonist comes to understand that his crimes (identity theft, larceny, and multiple murders) have been uncovered and he and his wife scheme to destroy the one man who can reveal his unlawful activities to the authorities.

James Polster has, in my opinion, a home-spun blue-collar humor that reminds me of some throw-back Kurt Vonnegut/Hunter Thompson/Carl Hiaasen construct. He takes turns at being subtly and blatantly humorous with both high-brow twists and guttural turns - sometimes, in the same scene. Once you read his bio page you’ll ask yourself if art, in this case, isn’t imitating life. (It is, BTW since Polster actually travelled the Amazon River basin, lived the life of a grad student, and worked for a major television station.) I found a certain underlying level of comfort in Polster’s writing style. By that I mean he creates an intelligent story that is easy to read, contains fast-paced language, and is both clever and humorous. However, The Graduate Student is not a laugh-out-loud belly romp but rather is filled with delightful servings of understated, intelligent, thinking-man humor.

For those who enjoy long, sprawling narratives that take hours to read and unravel be warned. There’s none of that here. In fact, some of the chapters are less than two pages in length. But Polster uses lean, impactful chapters to tell his story and spread a little humor, as well. There’s something to be said about concise, crisp writing – like, “I wish I’d written that!” And Polster has developed the incredibly rare skill of succinctly putting down what he means and then quickly moving on to the next comical scene. You don’t read this story as much as become immersed in it. It’s hard to explain how truly difficult a feat it is to fully draw a reader in but I can tell you this, The Graduate Student is a highly accessible and amusing story that both entrances and amuses the audience. We don’t just get to tag along but are jerked by the shirt collar on this remarkable ride. This one is a no-brainer, folks. Buy it, read it, be entertained by it and then come back here so I can tell you that I told you so…

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:
James Polster Wiki Page
James Polster Interview
The Graduate Student Amazon Page
James Polster News Story

Book Review - The Meowmorphosis by Franz Kafka and Coleridge Cook

2011-06-03T23:19:00.001-04:00

The Meowmorphosis
Franz Kafka and Coleridge Cook
Quirk Publishing
Trade Paperback
208 Pages
Published Date: 05.10.2011
ISBN: 9781594745034

The Meowmorphosis is a literary mash-up* or blend similar in technique to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies or Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters and is produced by the same publishing house, Quirk. This story, however, does not embrace vampires or zombies or even sea monsters or robots. Instead, it re-vamps Franz Kafka’s dark classic The Metamorphosis and replaces the insects with cats. For the most part, large portions of this book are word-for-word redrafts of the original text, modified slightly with the words “kitten/cat” substituted for “insect/beetle” and references to meowing, pawing, and playful kitten antics replacing all things insect-like. And that’s the real problem with this rewritten mash-up. There’s really nothing new or creative or disturbing or frightening about this work and the substitution of the cats for insects diminishes greatly from the dark and foreboding nature of the original. It suffers under this conversion and all its Kafkaesque is lost. While on the outside a substitution mash-up of The Metamorphosis might appear to be a winning combination this narrative is nowhere near as strong as the other works mentioned above. Franz Kafka sometimes wrote absurd, distorted, often sinister stories and those peculiarities do not carry over well in this type of mash-up. I think the romantic period comedies are better suited for this style. Zombies in Victorian England? Well, that just makes all kinds of sense. But supplanting kittens for cockroaches? To me that’s just plain weird. Seriously though, waking up as an unclean, much-maligned, and disease-ridden insect can never compare to the same transformation as a cuddly, soft, warm kitty. The ramifications are nowhere near as astonishing or fear-inducing. The entire “creep factor” is lost when this replacement is made. And believe me when I tell you that the underlying dreadfulness of the morphed insect is the best thing about The Metamorphosis. In Kafka’s original story transforming into an insect becomes a social commentary on alienation, about being set apart from humanity. By substituting a cat for an insect the important distinction of fear and estrangement is less impactful in my mind’s eye. The Meowmorphosis comes off considerably more adorable than creepy, more charming than dark, and more familiar than alienating. On the surface, transforming The Metamorphosis into a mash-up probably seemed like a good idea at the time. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it just doesn’t work and probably should have been left alone.

3 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

More mash-ups I’d like to see (or maybe not):
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Cthulhu
A Connecticut Werewolf in King Arthur’s Court
Jane Eyre Vampire Slayer
Little Women of the Apocalypse
War and Pieces – A Zombie Tale
Alice’s Adventures in Flatland
Oliver Twist and the Cannibals
Westward Lo!
The Merchant of Hades
The Wonderful Wizard of Claws
Romeo and Dracula – A Modern Love Story
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Fever
Much Ado About Zombies
Orcs and Crake
(Anyone have any other suggestions?)

Additional Reading:

Quirk’s The Meowmorphosis Page

The Meowmorphosis Book Trailer

Take Five with Coleridge Cook

Note: For a better mash-up of The Metamorphosis (and to see where this idea probably came from) I recommend Peter Capaldi’s Oscar-winning short film Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life. The plot of the film has the author trying to write the opening line of The Metamorphosis and experimenting with various things that Gregor might turn into, such as a banana or a kangaroo. The film is also notable for a number of Kafkaesque moments.

* The literary mash-up is basically, a classic work of literature (e.g., War and Peace ), with added elements of current pop culture (zombies or vampires or robots ) with the resulting work an updated version of the original literary classic (War and Pieces – A Zombie Tale.)

Book Review - Soft Apocalypse by Will McIntosh

2011-05-31T20:02:00.001-04:00

Soft Apocalypse
Will McIntosh
eBook (Nook)
218 pages
Publisher: Night Shade Books
Publication Date: March 29, 2011
ISBN-13: 978-1597802765
ASIN: 159780276X

“This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper”
- T.S. Eliot, The Hollow Men

Have you ever wondered what the end of the world might look like if the actual events leading up to it happened slowly, over years or decades? Will McIntosh’s Soft Apocalypse is an unusual end-of-days story in that the devastating changes that force the collapse of modern civilization do not happen over-night in a tragic flash of all-out nuclear war or global pandemic disease but in a slow, some would say, glacial, multi-layered sequence of events. Unemployment is estimated at a staggering 60%. There are the destitute, the sometimes poor, the always poor, and, as in every age throughout history, the filthy rich. But the jobless middle class has become a mobile nation. Tribes of those who were once office workers, film makers, artists, accountants, or secretaries have lost their positions in The Last Great Depression and now roam the country-side freely. They subsist only on what they can find in the wild or by what they can barter with neighboring tribes for drugs, alcohol, sex, or energy. Outbreaks of designer viruses and the spread of bio-engineered super-bamboo erupt where least expected. Some of the most deadly viruses are neurologic, others flesh eating, and still others cause zombie-like symptoms. Strange things – gases, diseases, pollutants, industrial wastes and whatnots - are rumored to be floating in the air making the gas mask the newest fashion accessory. In Soft Apocalypse we see something completely unusual in a story of this nature - the end of the world is coming but its many miles down the road and moving rather slowly. We’re able to take a step back and sneak a bird’s-eye-view at it and while we can’t stop it we can contemplate the events that lead up to it.

In my opinion, and for what it’s worth, I believe that the Soft Apocalypse may be a more realistic and authentic finale to our way of life than the so-called big bang. I think McIntosh’s idea of a lumbering catastrophe that takes years to develop is a brilliantly creative departure from the formulaic tried-and-true cataclysm story. The suggestion that the end of the civilization will culminate in a slow, erosional collapse rather than a quick “wow-look-at-all-those-bombs-falling” event is an intriguing notion. So, in his version of the apocalypse the world does not end in a single, major tragic event but, over time, in a slow, many-fingered, multi-causal string of unfortunate incidents that force almost every aspect of society to fail.

Soft Apocalypse is, in my estimation, an excellent debut novel. It is well-written, fast-paced, and the amount of detail McIntosh has included concerning his vision of a disintegrating society is disturbing. One could almost say he’s founded a new and creative genre of post-apocalyptic story - the Slow-pocalypse or the Decline-ageddon or, better yet, the Soft Apocalypse. Whereas past writers of this form typically resort to the immediate or near instantaneous destruction of civilization Soft Apocalypse depicts a sluggish yet steady decline as society morphs from the norm in measured increments. There are other works that give us the feeling of this slow death (Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood and Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delaney come to mind) but this is the first time I’ve actually read an account of the gradual deterioration fully fleshed out in all its gruesome and morose phases. It proves that in the right hands an interesting concept that’s become almost cliché can be re-written from a fresh, original, and imaginative perspective.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading

Will McIntosh Author Home Page

Will McIntosh Audio Interview

Soft Apocalypse Short Story

Tor.com Review of Soft Apocalypse

The Alternative’s Book Review Rant

Album Review - On Our Own by Secret Season

2011-05-28T13:42:00.002-04:00

On Our Own
Secret Season
The American Studio
2011

In an ever-expanding search for alternative music that is both diverse and unusual, that skirts the mundane, that lives outside the boundaries of the generic, I was introduced to the Secret Season (Mark Moogalian and Isabelle Risacher). On Our Own is their debut album and, in my estimation, it is well worth the price of admission. While admittedly not for everyone On Our Own overflows with haunting, moving guitar work and features a sultry-voiced lead singer (Moogalian) that somehow manages to channel both a young Lou Reed and a mature Joe Strummer at one and the same time. The background vocals by Isabelle Risacher are evocative and ethereal and everything that features her voice is full, smooth, and suggestive of Aimee Mann, Thao, or Hannah Georgas - especially on Sight Seein’ and Lost and Found.

The Secret Season has an Indie/Alternative-pop-minimal sound and the more I listened to the album the more enjoyable I found it. The addition of a really good bass player might help expand their sound but that’s only a minor flaw. What could push this band into greatness, in my opinion, is that it might not be a bad idea to hand over the lead vocals to Isabelle Risacher for a song or two. I just couldn’t get enough of her haunting voice and a lead vocal or two by Isabelle won’t hurt the cause (but, then again, I am partial to female lead vocalists.)

The guitar work on All the Money Says is reminiscent of the lead guitars of the Allman Brothers and the vocals on Till Tomorrow cross over into a swirling, psychedelic Beatle-esque-ness. The hook from Sight Seein’ will keep you humming it in your head for days and the title song On Our Own is a haunting reminder that we are all alone. It also has a nice, but too-short, 70’s guitar rift on the back end. The best songs on the album are Sight Seeing’, All the Money Says, Till Tomorrow, and Dusk Till Dawn.

In the end On Our Own is a decidedly solid debut album from a new band that has yet to hit full stride though I think they will in the not too distant future. I look forward to their sophomore release.

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

On Our Own Track Titles:
Mr. Farride 0:34
Patience 2:57
Sight Seein’ 3:44
All the Money Says 4:44
Lost and Found 3:35
You Only Keep the Love 3:33
Be Still 2:54
Till Tomorrow 3:43
On Our Own 2:54
Dusk Till Dawn 3:26
Sometimes I wonder 3:59
Total 35:19

Secret Season is -

Mark Moogalian : voice, guitars, percussion, edrumz

Isabelle Risacher : voice, keyboards, flute

Album blurb:

SECRET SEASON

Franco American alternative music duo with pop, rock and blues influences. The lyrics are original, poetic, the melodies are rhythmic and airy: eclectic guitars, sober and mysterious keyboards, beautiful vocal harmonies.

Additional Reading /Listening:

Secret Season on iTunes

On Our Own samples

ReverbNation Page

Book Review - Blood of the Reich by William Dietrich

2011-05-21T08:42:00.001-04:00

Blood of the Reich
William Dietrich
Trade Paperback
Uncorrected Proof
432 pages
Publisher: Harper
Expected Release Date: June 28, 2011
ISBN: 978-0061989186

Sometimes a book is published at exactly the right moment in time and Blood of the Reich may have hit the jackpot in the way of timing. By that I mean that it may eventually sell a lot of copies due to its timely publication in correlation to the World War II Nazi stories that currently inundate the news. The Associated Press published an emotional article this past week about the grandchildren of high-profile members of the Nazi Party. Also, this week, an Ohio autoworker, John Demjanjuk, was found guilty of 28,060 counts of accessory to murder, one for each of the Jews exterminated during the six months that he worked as a guard at the Sobibor death camp in Poland. This may well be the last Holocaust war crime to capture the public’s attention. The timing may ultimately also help sales of Blood of the Reich.

I enjoy historical fiction and World War II is especially fascinating to me, a child of a WWII veteran. Throw in some action and a little suspense and you have something that piques my interest. However, while Blood of the Reich has its moments, especially the intriguing pre-WWII story line, it fails to pull all the sub-plots back together into a neatly-bundled conclusion. Some suspense/action writers (Steve Berry and James Rollins, for instance) have the remarkable talent of putting us at the edge of our seats and then, as the story concludes, drawing all the sub-plot arcs together into a compact, complete, and satisfying climax. While Dietrich tells a good story and makes a descent attempt at bringing it all together I think it could have been done much better. Indeed, the closer to the finale I got the more hurried it felt. I suspect this had more to do with publication pressure rather than actual writing skill but since I have never read anything by Mr. Dietrich before this is only a guess. However, it felt to me like a book that was forced too soon out of the writer’s hands. On the other hand, perhaps Blood of the Reich might have been more impactful and my opinion less negative had the story not already been told so well by Spielberg, Lucas, and company in the Indian Jones saga. Still, for the die-hard WWII suspense fanatics out there, you should probably check this one out for yourselves.

3 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

William Dietrich

William Dietrich’s Official Website

William Dietrich Wiki Page

William Dietrich Interview

Blood of the Reich

Blood of the Reich Amazon Pre-order Page

Blood of the Reich Review

Current News

Associated Press “Crimes of the Fathers” Story

New York Times Demjanjuk Coverage

Book Review - Embassytown by China Mieville

2011-05-17T08:16:00.001-04:00

Embassytown
China Mieville
Trade Paperback
(Advance Uncorrected Proof w/ generic cover)
Genre: Science Fiction
368 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Scheduled Release: May 17, 2011
ISBN: 978-0345524492

I was beyond delighted to obtain an early copy of China Mieville’s new novel Embassytown. I can tell you with the utmost confidence that this book is an exceptional read in every respect. It is, in fact, China Mieville’s most important work to date. Not only should it be instantly promoted to Science Fiction classic status but it will forevermore be compared to the great works from the past. Embassytown is an extraordinary feat of fiction and a brilliant work of artistic expression. Its concepts evoke the SF New Wave period but with its own New Weird twist and a Hard Science Fiction edge. The aliens are truly outside of our understanding; their Language doubly so, making them so different from us as to be totally, absolutely unknowable. We may scratch the surface of the Ariekei, or the Hosts as they’re known in Embassytown, but they are so xeno-singular that we could never truly comprehend their race. Mieville’s in-story language is stunning, visual, and conceptual but more than that the entire storyline is language-centric. That it’s not our form of verbal communication and is almost impossible to understand (it’s spoken from two mouths simultaneously) only makes this narrative more intriguing.

The story takes place on the planet of Arieka, in the city of Embassytown. Avice Benner Cho, an Immerser (an extraordinary human able to endure the severe physical and mental effects of travelling through the sub-reality arcs of the universe), has returned home to Embassytown, a melting pot of Hosts, humans, and exotics that share the Ariekie’s home planet. Only genetically manipulated humans, known as Ambassadors, are able to understand and communicate with the Ariekie. But then a new, unexpected Ambassador arrives and the delicate cultural and diplomatic balance of the entire planet is tipped.

China Mieville’s world-building prose makes the reader work harder than most writers. I repeat, everything he writes challenges the reader. His choice of language requires you to think, to understand, to grasp, before proceeding. But the pay-off for your hard work as a reader is worth every minute spent in concentration. This story reminds me very much of other demanding works by past masters. It’s suggestive of Gordon R. Dickson’s Dorsai project, Frank Herbert’s Dune and Whipping Star, Mervin Peake’s Titus Groan, Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow, and Samuel R. Delaney’s Dhalgren which in my estimation are also challenging but valuable reads. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not calling Embassytown difficult. It simply demands more of the reader’s attention than most Science Fiction. It may be hard at first to decipher some of the terminology but once you get the hang of it, it grows on you. Mieville’s Embassytown slang is inventive and some readers may feel disappointed that the novel did not come pre-packaged with “The Mieville Lexicon.”

Speaking of inventive, as in some of his earlier works Mieville creates a bizarre alternate-world full of machines, buildings, weapons, vehicles, furniture, ships, and robots. But those found in Embassytown differ from objects in his other works because unlike them we know exactly where these are made. They are grown by the Hosts using advance methods of bio-technology. There’s furniture with skeletons and internal organs and vehicles that breathe and contain body fluids. Houses made of skin with antibodies scurrying about the house on the prowl for intruders. Even the Hosts themselves are described as insect-like and equine, with sharp hooves and antler-like eyes. From those of us who’ve read China Mieville before we’ve come to expect these strange creatures/constructs at least once in each of his stories but Embassytown is full of them adding to the artistry of the world he has built.

While Embassytown is, on the surface, a Science Fiction novel with all the elements of the genre – sub-reality space flight, alien contact, terra-forming, bio-engineering, etc. it is mostly a work of language. Particularly that part of language that allows the lie, the fib, the… untruth. It appears that the Ariekie suffer from a racial oddity. They crave “that which is not” or what we call the lie. Who better to teach the Hosts the art of telling a lie than humans? But this misuse of their language is a drug to them. It is addictive and intoxicating and its dependency may ultimately destroy their entire culture.

I suggest you head out to your local book store this morning and purchase your copy of Embassytown. You’ll definitely want this one in your library and you certainly won’t be disappointed with your choice.

6 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Author:

Official Mieville Page

China Mieville Wiki Page

China Mieville Author Page Amazon.com

Unofficial Mieville Website

Embassytown:

Embassytown Wiki Page

Embassytown Publisher Page

Embassytown Excerpt

Book Review - The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry

2011-05-15T10:13:00.001-04:00

The Jefferson Key
(Cotton Malone 07)
Steve Berry
Trade Paperback
462 pages
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Scheduled Release Date: May 17, 2011
Advance Readers Copy – Amazon Vine
ISBN: 978-0345505514

Disclaimer – The copy used to review Steve Berry’s The Jefferson Key was received as an ARC from the Amazon.com Vine Program. In addition, I’d like to mention that I currently own all seven of the books and have been a fan since the first installment (see complete list below for the books in the series.) I’ve enjoyed reading every one of the Cotton Malone books and have previously given either four or four-and-a-half star ratings to each of the six previous volumes. So you know what’s coming…

But first, a short word regarding the main character, Cotton Malone.

In my estimation, Cotton Malone should go down in history as the literary equivalent of such heroic champions as James Bond, Mack Bolan, and Doc Savage. Mr. Berry’s ex-Justice Department operative retains many of the same attributes as the other three but he is also something more. He is the quintessential male action-adventure character with a suave and sophisticated persona but is also thoughtful and dignified and, more importantly, extremely likeable, even to the most pedestrian or casual of readers. He is described as possessing great physical strength and endurance, is sharp-witted with an eidetic memory, and holds a mastery of everything related to working undercover. To those who love exemplary thrillers he is the perfect protagonist. He has a sixth sense for side-stepping trouble and is always one step ahead of his pursuers (even when he appears not to be.) In my opinion, he should be considered one of the most memorable characters of our time. Whether that happens or not is up to the masses to decide. Cotton Malone, however, is important enough in the pantheon of outstanding secret agents to be mentioned separately from the book here and to be included with the other greats of the genre. And, so I have.

And… on to the book review.

An assassination plot against the President of the United States has been discovered and Cotton Malone, unwittingly lured to the scene of the crime, races to stop it. But, along the way, he unearths chilling evidence that links all four past Presidential murders, Lincoln in 1865, Garfield in 1881, McKinley in 1901, and Kennedy in 1963 to a group known simply as The Commonwealth, a secret society of pirates first assembled during the American Revolution. Their work unfinished, they have targeted the President for elimination. Even more disturbing than the attack on the most powerful man in the world is the secret buried in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution that might provide the Commonwealth unlimited power.

With as memorable, fast-paced, and exciting an opening as I’ve ever read The Jefferson Key is another excellent example of a clever plot filled with mystery, intrigue, and action. Berry has the uncanny ability to pull you into the story and not let you back out until the last word. Add an intriguing main character, questionable government activity, loads of action, and a self-serving secret society and you have all the elements of a perfectly crafted thriller. I like to read to escape and most of what I read does just that. With Mr. Berry’s work, however, I also seem to be completely entertained throughout my escapism. Bonus, for me… and for you too. I recommend Steve Berry for mature readers of all ages and genres.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

The complete Cotton Malone collection consists of the following seven books and one short story:
0. The Devil’s Due (2006) Short Story (as part of James Patterson’s Thriller
1. The Templar Legacy (2006)
2. The Alexandria Link (2007)
3. The Venetian Betrayal (2007)
4. The Charlemagne Pursuit (2008)
5. The Paris Vendetta (2009)
6. The Emperor's Tomb (2010)
7. The Jefferson Key (2011)

Additional Reading:

Steve Berry

Official Author Page

Author Wiki Page

The Jefferson Key

The Jefferson Key Amazon.com Page

Author’s Book Page

Bonus material - Cotton Malone Dossier

The Jefferson Key Excerpt

Book Review and Bonus Interview - Wearing the Cape by Marion G. Harmon

2011-05-11T18:46:00.000-04:00

Wearing the Cape
Marion G. Harmon
Kindle Edition (eBook)
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B004XRCC1G
Cover by Jorge Velasquez

When Hope Corrigan is almost crushed beneath the collapsed expanse of a bombed out Chicago Interstate she realizes that her life has taken a dramatic turn. To be sure, cement dust, crushed cars, leaking gasoline and oil, and the haunting screams of the injured and dying still surround her and have barely settled when she finds that she has suddenly been physically altered. In the midst of her trauma an unexpected superhuman transformation has taken place and Astra, a new, “breakthrough superhero,” emerges from the rubble in her place. Due to the distress of the bombing Astra (Hope’s superhero persona) is now able to lift heavy objects, rapidly heal her own wounds, and fly to great heights at great speed. Her future has abruptly and unequivocally been derailed. But life as a “cape” is not all it’s cracked up to be. Public expectations have gone through the roof and superhero privacy is almost non-existent. Not to mention the target she’ll become if she chooses superhero-dom over the mundane activities of a college freshman. Hope/Astra must now make a decision that will affect the rest of her life.

Wearing the Cape is a magnificent blend of diverse superhero mediums. It contains aspects of the Watchmen (graphic novel), The Avengers (cartoon), Superman (the movie), Iron Man (comic), and Dr. Horribles’ Sing-Along Blog (webisodes) all mixed into a unique alternate reality and then rolled up into one incredibly fast-paced and well-defined narrative of superhero goodness. And, here’s the best part for you the reader. Harmon’s prose is appetizing, succinct, and precise. Where other writers might take paragraphs to write a scene or two Mr. Harmon does the same in a single sentence. There are no long expositions or unneeded descriptions, no monotonous monologues, and no drawn out paragraphs that go nowhere. Here’s an example:

“The honey light of the sunrise behind us painted the city with warm colors and long shadows. A brisk wind off Lake Michigan worked its magic to clear the air, leaving the sky a jewel-like, perfect blue unblemished by clouds.”

I don’t know about you but when I read this I fell perfectly into that moment. Early. Sunrise. Long shadows of morning. Pristine, cloudless sky. And, remarkably, the same precision is used to describe the superheroes, the villains, the battles, and pretty much everything else in the story.

One exceptionally appealing concept here is the integration, the inter-weaving, if you will, of alternate pop-culture aspects into the background of the story. What would a newly made superhero think? What would they do? Would they worry about their choice of costume? Their super-name? Would they read Barlow’s Guide to Superhumans cover to cover? Would they be curious as to who’s on the cover of Hero Beat or Power Week or what’s going to happen on the next episode of Protectors? Of course, the answer is… yes, to all of the above.

The main antagonist is comparatively unique and intriguing, as well. He’s dubbed the Teatime Anarchist because of his vaguely British sound and his published manifesto accusing the US government of conspiring to cheat citizens out of their civil liberties. His activities begin as nonlethal pranks but they soon escalate to Interstate bombings and the murders of lawmakers, politicians, and civilians. But who is the “real” Teatime Anarchist and what is his agenda?

Marion G. Harmon’s Wearing the Cape is not only a wonderful and surprising read but his concise writing style and the interesting twists and turns of the plot kept me swiping pages on my iPad post-haste (and well past midnight on a few nights.) In short, Wearing the Cape is fun, diverting, enchanting and highly entertaining. Recommended to geeks, techies, Trekies, Science Fiction, Superhero, and comic book fans of all ages.

Oh, and one last but very important word about this book. As some of you may have guessed by now my reading list is very, very long. (Trust me, the three six-foot-tall stacks of “to-be-read” novels never seems to get any smaller.) So, I didn’t expect to get to this one for at least four weeks but when I opened the eBook and started reading I simply couldn’t put it down. Wearing the Cape muscled its way to the top of my reading heap and I’m happy it did. Kudos to Mr. Harmon for catching my attention in the first few pages of his book and keeping it till the last. It’ll do the same to you.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Amazon Kindle Page

Marion G. Harmon on Writing “Wearing the Cape”

Marion G. Harmon Bio Page

Wearing the Cape Excerpt

Wearing the Cape Page

Exclusive Interview with the Author:

Q. Being a huge fan of graphic novels myself I certainly understand the desire to tell a story about superheroes and evil villains. What inspired you to write Wearing the Cape?

A. The whole thing began with the thought "How would the real world deal with superheroes?" Just to ask the question is to come up with a lot of fun themes; for one thing we'd regulate the hell out of them (agencies, certification, insurance, psychiatric evaluation, after-action reports...). And of course we'd make huge celebrities out of them, a whole other can of worms. Not all of it would be good--kids killing themselves trying to achieve "breakthrough," for example, is a statement on the human cost our own fame-and-beauty obsessed culture.

Q. Do you have plans for developing other stories set in this same universe? Is a sequel in the making?

A. I am currently writing the second book, Villains Inc., to be published in October. Behind that is at least one more sequel, and two more books (a piece of science-fiction humor, Worst Contact, and a YA adventure story, Tales from Sitka-By-The-Sea).

Q. Is the character Hope (A.K.A. Astra) based on someone you know?

A. Hope is more of a composite of culturally influential Action Girls--I confess that when I began writing her I was almost certainly heavily influenced by Veronica Mars and Buffy Summers; both examples of why you should Fear The Cute Ones. But we all know somebody who doesn't normally look or act confident or competent, who turns around and surprises everybody when it all hits the fan.

Q. How much time did you spend on research? And what specific sources, if any, did you consult for Wearing the Cape?

A. While I'm not a huge comic-book collector, I have been reading them all my life. In Wearing the Cape I set out to break or twist as many of the traditional superhero-tropes as possible, but this didn't require research--just rereading my favorite titles. One resource I discovered in the course of writing WtC, which I recommend to anybody who wants to consider Deep Questions of superheroes and morality is Superheroes and Philosophy (Truth, Justice, and the Socratic Way), edited by Tom and Matt Morris.

Q. Where are you from? County, City, State… Where were you educated?

A. Another planet. Actually I was an Air Force brat who grew up all over. I finally settled in Las Vegas, where I got my masters in history before going into financial planning.

Q. When and why did you begin writing? Is it something you’ve always known you wanted to do? Or did it creep up on you?

A. I've been writing for myself all my life; if the internet had come along just a bit sooner I'd probably have become a compulsive writer of fanfic.

Q. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

A. The day I decided on a self-imposed deadline for WtC.

Q. Tell us a little about your publishing experience. Did you expend a lot of effort to have your book published? What are the pitfalls? The rewards?

A. This could fill an essay. In 2010 I submitted query letters to nearly one hundred literary agencies. In early 2011 I decided to self-publish so that I could move on to the next book. I'm still discovering the pitfalls and rewards.

Q. Outside of the good versus evil motif is there a particular message in Wearing the Cape that you want readers to understand?

A. I really just wanted to tell a good story. As I wrote it other themes emerged, but I didn't write WtC with a "message" in mind.

Q. What book(s) are you reading now? Which books have most influenced your life?

A. Food for another essay. As a kid I discovered The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, and those two sets of books inspired my love of fantasy stories and told me what heroes should look like. I am currently reading Bridge of Birds, an epic (and hilarious) adventure in Chinese fantasy by Barry Hughart.

Q. Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

A. Choose One? Terry Pratchett; he tells beautiful stories of grand adventure and human drama with incredible humor.

Q. What was the hardest part of writing your book? Conversely, what was the easiest?

A. Ideas were the easiest bit. Knowing when I was finished was the hardest.

Q. Do you have any advice for other writers, especially new writers?

A. First, get a reading group, locally or online; without people who will tell you when your writing stinks, you'll never be any good. Second, don't wait to publish until your writing is perfect.

Q. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

A. Yes. Comments are welcome.

The Alternative would like to thank Mr. Harmon for his time.

P.S. One of the decidedly worst things about blogger is that you have to have a PHD in HTML to get spacing to work properly on the website. Obviously, I only have a GED.

Book Review - The Silent Land by Graham Joyce

2011-05-09T18:56:00.001-04:00

The Silent Land: A Novel
Graham Joyce
Doubleday
2011
Hardcover
262 pages
ISBN: 978-0-385-53380-5

*** NOTE: This review contains THE SPOILER for this novel – Read no further if you have not finished or intend on reading this book. ***

I wanted to like this book. I really did. Graham Joyce is a very good writer, has an elegant voice, and has written some very entertaining stories (i.e. “The Tooth Fairy” and “Requiem” among others.) But this one I just don’t “get.” Everywhere I look I see four and five star reviews for it. On Amazon.com, LibraryThing.com, and many independent blogs I see the same lofty praise. High-profile writers esteem its virtues publically. Write praiseworthy reviews. But, is this book truly deserving of all the admiration? Unfortunately, in my opinion, I have to say no. The Silent Land is a mediocre read, at best. The climax, which builds from the opening scene, does not deliver the surprise and shock that it should. While Joyce’s final message is a powerful, even spiritual, one it’s also belabored and the delivery method, rather than flowing with prose, drags the plot along. The central idea, the “surprise” ending, is in itself as cliché now as the phrase “I see dead people!”

Here are some of the reasons why I think this story fails.

A. Too much orchestration. By that I mean many of the scenes are dramatic enactments pre-staged to make the final payoff more spectacular. To give it that “wow” factor. Sadly, most readers will figure out at least half the ending by page fifty. It doesn’t help much that the reader is often sent on a tangent to deflect from the book’s conclusion which to me ends up reading more like a bad Hallmark movie than a suspenseful thriller.

B. Giving the pay-off away (over and over again). Subtle vignettes of death abound in this story. Towards the end of the book the story takes a step sideways as the final days of the main characters father’s are recounted. While powerful stories in themselves I have to wonder why they needed to be added here. Joyce flirts with the “shocking” climax of the story over and over again which makes it anything but impactful when we finally do reach it.

C. Inaccurate advertising. The book is billed as “intrigue,” that will “thrill readers” and is a “dark suspense novel.” I found little intrigue and even less suspense in this book. As a matter of fact it felt more like a love story than a thriller to me. I believe Joyce was attempting to build tension and suspense as the story progressed but it never quite came to fruition. The story lagged (and I lost interest) in a few places and the plot suffered because of it.

D. The two main characters are somewhat one-dimensional, banal, and under-developed.

There is very little that is new, unique, or exceptionally creative here so the best I can rate The Silent Land by Graham Joyce is a low three. And so I shall.

“Near perfect?” “Tour De Force?” These are just a few of the venerable notes I’ve seen in reviews for The Silent Land.

Scratching my head in amazement, I have to wonder why.

Perhaps I should stick to SF&F Speculative Fiction…

3 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Author’s Website

Author Wiki Page

Author Page on Worlds Without End

Book Review - Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding

2011-05-01T21:35:00.001-04:00

Retribution Falls
Chris Wooding
Spectra (Ballantine Books)
June 2009
Trade Paperback
461 pages
ISBN: 978-0575085152
Cover Art by Stephan Martiniere

With a cast of characters seemingly drawn from the scripts of Firefly, Star Wars, and Pirates of the Caribbean and a story that plots like an action-adventure video game Chris Wooding has created a superb new series and, in the process, has fashioned an enjoyable sub-genre with the publication of Retribution Falls. Wooding has invented an innovative and fresh style of speculative fiction that I like to call “PiratePunk.” (Yes, I said it, arrrggghhh, PiratePunk. So keelhaul me.)This story contains elements of the high seas, steampunk, magic, buccaneers, phantasmagoria, science fiction, mutiny, adventure, mystery, fantasy, political intrigue, and a whole lot of swashbuckling for good measure. (Or would that be Swashpunkling?) The flying machines in this story are not slow-moving dirigibles or hot-air balloons but quick, aggressive machines with as much attitude as altitude. And much like the works cited above the ships are almost as famous as the stories themselves (Serenity, The Millennium Falcon, and The Black Pearl, to mention a few.) So to, Wooding has produced the Ketty Jay, a formidable air ship with its own pair of fighter jets that act, in essence, as characters themselves.

The crew of the Ketty Jay, a motley band of brigands, pirates and cut-throats at best, include a daemonologist, a tortured man with a price on his head, a nine-foot tall golem, a gung-ho fighter pilot, and a ghost of a woman who may be transforming into something, well, not quite human. (You have to read the story to get the whole picture.) Early in the narrative the crew is forced to discover why they were deceived into destroying an airship that killed more than a dozen passengers, one of whom was the son of a high-ranking nobleman of the kingdom. At least three of the seven (nine including Bess, the golem, and Slag, the cat) crew members are hiding something tragic from their pasts, or so we are led to believe. And the Captain, Darian Frey, is a complex, multifaceted character with a tragic past that, and again I use the above mentioned stories as an example, bends morals like Captain Malcolm Reynolds of Firefly and has similar physical attributes, is extremely likeable like the blockade runner Han Solo from Star Wars, with perhaps the confidence and bravery of Indiana Jones and the irreverence for authority of Captain Jack Sparrow.

An interesting afterthought occurred to me after I finished reading Retribution Falls which was reinforced when I read the Torque Control review below. This story cries out for treatment by the film media. I know, I know. You’ve probably heard this all before about other stories you’ve read. But this one truly has it all. Gun- and sword fights, magic, Pirate- and Swash-punk settings, golems, fistfights, card games, lost love, torture, politics, murder, dog-fights, religion, betrayal, revenge, and the fast-paced flow of gripping entertainment. Add elements of video game play, anime, and the blockbuster action-adventure which is scattered methodically through-out the narrative and it would parse well as an action film (IMHO). Retribution Falls was a fast, fun read that kept me up a few nights in a row turning pages and I enjoyed it so much that I’ve ordered the next book in the series Black Lung Captain as well as Wooding’s Fade, which I’ve heard is also a pretty good read (but not part of this particular series.)

All in all, Retribution Falls is one of the most pleasurable books I’ve read so far this year and I recommend it for those who enjoy Firefly, steampunk, adventure, magic, Star Wars, swordplay, fantasy, and gun fights. Did I mention Joss Whedon?

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional reading:

Official Author Website

Strange Horizons Review

Fantasy Book Critic Review

Torque Control review

Joe Abercrombie’s Review

Ketty Jay Logbook Very nice addition to the Ketty Jay world is this logbook kept on-line and posted to by Captain Frey. Enjoy!

Excerpt of Retribution Falls

Books in the Series:

Tales of the Ketty Jay
1. Retribution Falls (2009)
2. The Black Lung Captain (July 2010)
3. The Iron Jackal (July 2011)
4. “Unnamed 4th Book” (2012)

The Crew of the Ketty Jay (Wickfield ironclad-class cargo-combat hybrid)

Darian Frey – Captain and owner of Ketty Jay
Gratharian Crake – Daemonologist
Jez – Navigator and a transforming Mane
Silo – Engineer/Mechanic
Malvery – Doctor/Medic
Pinn – Fighter Pilot
Harkins – Fighter Pilot
Bess – Golem and watchdog and…
Slag – Ship’s cat and rat catcher

Last word: Almost every review of Retribution Falls that I’ve read offers some comparison to Joss Whedon’s Firefly. Indeed, I’ve done it here myself and that’s before I ever read another review. Most espouse that the resemblance is not a bad thing (or is a good thing) and it is an apt judgment, but only as it applies to the general plot and concept. Yes, the crew is similar. They skirt the law, have scrupulous associates, take questionable work, have chip-on-shoulder attitudes, and find themselves in trouble more often than not. But really, those are the only similarities. ;-) Being a confirmed Browncoat I happen to love the idea of a book that resembles Firefly and a ship that lives and breathes like Serenity and perhaps that swayed my opinion when rating it, though I’d like to think that my reviews are based on the merit of the story and not because of similar familiar work that has come before. Regardless, Retribution Falls manages to stand well on its own and had Firefly never been born the comparisons to Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean would still be made. You know why? Because good art is recognizable but is often difficult to find and define. But, those who do see it recognize it for what it is, a rarity waiting for its moment to shine. Retribution Falls does just that.

Book Review – Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield

2011-04-24T20:45:00.001-04:00

Aftertime
Sophie Littlefield
Luna
2011
Trade Paperback
375 pages
ISBN: 9780373803361

Anyone who has read this book review blog for long knows that I really enjoy a good post-apocalyptic zombie story every once in a while (actually find them hard to resist) and that’s exactly what Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield is, a very good zombie book. Forget the Beaters (zombies) for a moment and why they’ve changed into crazed flesh-eaters. Put aside the fact that the world has pretty much come to an abrupt and disappointing end. What carries this narrative is the character development and quest motif. Littlefield’s characters are fully fleshed out (pun intended) and real. Some are mysterious, others evil and self-serving, most are flawed and a few even resemble people I know. Which is what makes them so compelling. Everyone who’s ever loved a child will understand the motive driving the main character. That it occurs in a savage, wasted land makes it that much more interesting. There’s nothing inherently unique about this particular zombie story but because it reads so quickly and the plot is so compelling you won’t want to put it down. An enjoyable time away from the mundane this novel is a recommended for all the zombie and post-apocalyptic fans out there. (You know who you are!)

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

* The Alternative Blog

Book Review - Millennial Mythmaking by John Perlich and David Whitt

2011-04-20T17:46:00.001-04:00

Millennial Mythmaking: Essays on the Power of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, Films and Games
John Perlich and David Whitt
McFarland
2009
Trade Paperback
202 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7864-4562-20

Perhaps because of a misunderstanding on my part I originally believed this book of essays would be a comfortably written, easily readable, and pedestrian collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy themes. (Think Stephen King’s On Writing.)I’m not entirely sure where I got that impression but it turns out that Millennial Mythmaking is more of a college textbook or scholarly master thesis than a compilation of soft essays on the subject of SF&F myths. And while that isn’t at all bad it really wasn’t what I expected. Putting my obtuseness aside if you’re the type that loves an in-depth analysis of contemporary Science Fiction and Fantasy then you’ll definitely enjoy this book. However, through all the studied rationalizations, numerous footnotes and references, and in some cases, over-analytical rhetoric, much of the message of each essay will be lost to the casual reader. If you are a college-level student studying the myths of current fiction or enjoy the detailed and often subtle underpinnings of Science Fiction and Fantasy then I recommend this collection of essays for you.

One slightly irritating theme I encountered was the constant homage and mention of Joseph Campbell. Every essay held an element dealing with or concerning Campbell or his work and almost every reference cited Campbell and Moyer’s The Power of Myth. It seemed the deck was stacked with a pat hand. In other words, the editors may have only solicited essays relative to Joseph Campbell as the common denominator which isn’t a bad thing overall but should have probably been mentioned up front if that was the intention. (I can’t imagine this was coincidental.) On a positive note, and I’d like to end this review on an optimistic note if I may, the subject matter included more modern SF&F examples then many other works of this genre (i.e. Harry Potter, Wicked Witch of the West, Doctor Who, Star Trek, etc.) This gives Millennial Mythmaking an advantage over many other essay collections published in the past few years.

3 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Stephen Hunt (SF Crows Nest) Review

Perlich’s College Site

Author Interview

Book Review - Nebador - Book One – The Test by J. Z. Colby

2011-04-07T08:24:00.001-04:00

Nebador - Book One – The Test
J. Z. Colby
Nebador Archives (Self-Published)
ISBN 978-936253-02-9
292 pages
Review copy via Librarything.com

Nebador Book One: The Test is an entertaining young adult narrative set in a medieval kingdom where the institution of slavery is an integral part of society. Enter Ilika, a ship captain from the mysterious land of Nebador who is looking for crew members to man his vessel. It is revealed that Ilika is on a quest and one of his major tests is to recruit his own crew. What he doesn’t know is that the only eligible young men and women that fit his recruitment criteria are slaves. The story develops as the young ship captain purchases, manumits, and then educates ten teenaged slaves as possible crewmembers. “The Test” of the title manages to work on two levels. Ilika’s test is to find and train a competent crew for his ship and the test for each slave is to learn enough to be chosen as a crewmember. We get the feeling, though are never really told, that Ilika is no ordinary captain and that his ship is no ordinary craft. Indeed we are told via subtle inference that the vessel is so unusual that is it not a “ship” in the traditional sense at all. I’m sure you can see where this is going…

The first chapter of this book could have been stronger structurally, in my opinion, but the mystery of the strange ship captain was interesting enough to keep me reading the narrative. A stronger introduction to the main character might have given the story a better, less confusing, start. For instance, Ilika unnecessarily talking to animals to introduce himself was to me a bit confusing. Is this a fantasy about a young man that can talk to animals? Or is he just psychotic? No, it was just an awkward way to introduce the reader to the character. An encounter with a fellow traveler or a local farmer might have set up the opening a little better. However, once past that minor fault the book picks up in both pace and plot and I found it to be an enjoyable read.

As a reviewer of a certain age, over 50 but under dead, I feel well-qualified to comment on the plot and content of this young adult narrative which I found to be entertaining, educational, and nostalgic. Entertaining in the fact that the plot was well-written, the characters believable and real, and the premise was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end of the story. When I say that I found the book educational I mean in the sense that it contains elements of basic math and logic intended to educate the young reader (a rare occurrence these days in most young adult fiction.) More often than not we are riddled with YA stories that contain only emotional and relationship driven narratives. Nebador does indeed include relationship building but it is more in the line of binding a team together rather than focusing on romantic alliances although there are elements of romance found in the story. As for why I felt the book nostalgic I have only two words for you, Andre Norton. Yes, the prolific YA and science fiction author. I recall to this day that warm afternoon in the early 70’s when I first opened a borrowed copy of Witch World. I was completely drawn into and enthralled by that story. In fact, I wanted to go and write similar stories. Though I never did get around to writing those tales the important thing was that it made me want to and, in some ways, that experience turned me into a voracious reader. I read more because of it in my search to find books written in a similar style with parallel content. I hope that this book does the same for the young readers that come in contact with it. Hopefully, there are those who will read this in jaw-dropping wonder and begin a long life of reading Science Fiction for the pure pleasure of it. Of course, I am no longer a doe-eyed young adult looking to be blown away by a Science Fiction story (though I often am) and I remember fondly what it feels like and I believe that Nebador has the potential to cause that same type of wonderment in a new generation of young adults.

3 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Official Nebador site

Author page at Goodreads.com

BookReview.com review

Book Review – In This Hospitable Land by Lynmar Brock, Jr.

2011-04-05T22:13:00.001-04:00

In This Hospitable Land
Lynmar Brock, Jr.
Publisher: AmazonEncore
On Sale: April 26, 2011
ISBN-10: 9781935597469
Trade Paperback
AmazonVine Program - ARC – Uncorrected Proof
414 pages

In This Hospitable Land is based on the factual account of a Jewish family forced from their home in Belgium during the Nazi invasion of Europe in World War II. Members of the Severin family ultimately settled in the Cevennes area of rural southern France only to find themselves caught between occupied German soldiers, suspicious townsfolk, and the local pro-Nazi Vichy government. The family, trapped in the middle of this chaos, is forced to depend upon already wary neighbors to hide them from possible capture by the Nazis. It is a remarkable story of perseverance, paranoia, brotherhood, and survival.

Thoughtfully researched and carefully studied In This Hospitable Land is an informative work of historical fiction but unfortunately suffers from a number of conspicuous weaknesses and inconsistencies. It is more than evident that the author has supplemented actual conversations with additional exposition which, in the main, is overformal and wooden and, at times, hard to follow and often illogical. The style is awkward and the explanations and details drone on in places and I found myself drifting away from the story during some of the longer explanations.

Fortunately, the strong suit of this novel lies in its plot and the heart-rending story of suffering and survival and I recommend it for fans of historical or war fiction and those wishing to educate themselves concerning this little-known account of the Holocaust. No matter the shortcomings In This Hospitable Land deserves high praise for its subject matter. Stories like this warrant publication because the message they contain is always more important than the mechanics used to create them. Otherwise we never would have heard the names Elie and Shlomo Wiesel, Oscar and Emilie Schindler, Art and Vladek Spiegelman, or Tuvia and Zus Bielski and learned of their exceptional stories. Without them we might never have known the suffering endured or the strength of heart our fellow men experienced during those chaotic times. With many of the key figures that lived through these times reaching the end of their lives we risk losing these stories forever. They are integral to our growth as a race and should not be lost to obscurity.

3 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Art Spiegelman Wiki site

Art Spiegelman Maus site

Oskar Schindler Wiki site

Schindler’s List movie at IMDB

Schindler Article The first magazine article about Schindler (written 1949 unpublished until 1994)

Elie Wiesel Wiki site

Elie Wiesel Book Night

Tuvia and Zus Bielski (The Bielski Partisans) Wiki site

Defiance movie at IMDB

P.S. For five informative reviews concerning excellent Holocaust literature please see my post Book Reviews - Essential World War II Stories from a July 2009 post.

Book Review - The Ballad of Bob Dylan: A Portrait by Daniel Mark Epstein

2011-04-04T19:13:00.001-04:00

The Ballad of Bob Dylan: A Portrait
Daniel Mark Epstein
On Sale: May 3^rd, 2011
Trade Paperback
Amazon Vine Program ARC – Uncorrected Proof

You might ask why we need another biography of one of the most iconic songwriters and lyricists of our time. And you’d be within your right to ask it. After all, there are currently dozens of well-written books already published about (some even by) Bob Dylan. Here’s the short answer as to why I feel this one is necessary - should, in fact, be near the top of the list. Simply put, I found The Ballad of Bob Dylan (A Portrait) unlike most personal accounts of Dylan’s life because it is written not by a commentator per se but by an obvious fan of both Dylan and the folk genre in general. Whereas a biographer researches and collects the most important facts of a subject’s life and delivers what he’s found Mr. Epstein takes that concept twenty steps further. He disseminates four important concerts and reports back to us as if he were Elizabeth Barrett Browning writing, “… let me count the ways…” He takes us back stage behind the scenes and revisits the honky-tonks and dives of the 60’s and 70’s forging a nostalgia that even the youngest reader will appreciate. He interviews many of the most influential stars that have ever practiced the art of folk music and writes with such intuitive attention to detail that you can feel the historic longing of those he’s consulted. Most importantly, Daniel Mark Epstein knows and loves his subject matter.

This book is divided by four significant concerts from various stages of Dylan’s career spanning more than forty-five years - all of which Epstein attended. The first, held at the small venue of the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C. on December 14^th, 1963 was Epstein’s first Dylan concert. He was thirteen years old. The second, Dylan’s (with The Band) Madison Square Garden appearance on January 31^st, 1974, was, by all accounts, a cultural phenomenon. In some cases the U.S. Post Office had to set up extra mailboxes for ticket orders in many major cities. Over five million paid mail orders were reportedly sent in for the 650,000 tickets available over the course of the tour, making them the most in-demand ticket in the history of rock music. The third concert, part of “The Never- Ending Tour,” was held at the Tanglewood Music Shed, Lenox, Massachusetts on August 4^th, 1997 with special guest Ani DiFranco. The fourth concert was held at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Maryland on July 24^th, 2009. Special guest stars were Willie Nelson and John Mellancamp. Through these rare live experiences the author delivers a song by song and decade to decade analysis of Dylan’s live shows and on-stage behavior. Epstein’s familiarity with Bob Dylan, the music, the lyrics, and the core personalities who performed them is glaringly evident. This author is no poser. Epstein really knows his folk history!

Along with the concert attendance and resulting personal notes the biography is built on comprehensive examination of the roots of folk music and its lyrics, a lifelong study of the subject, and personal interviews with a wide range of legendary folk notables including: Eric Andersen (folk celebrity and Dylan contemporary), Tom Paxton (legendary folk singer/songwriter), Nora Guthrie (Woody Guthrie’s daughter), Ramblin’ Jack Elliott (noted American folk singer), Pete Seeger (iconic folk musician and storyteller), Maria Muldaur (folk-blues singer), and John P. Hammond (blues singer/guitarist).

Interestingly enough the only real flaw I could find with the book actually occurs on the front cover. Mr. Epstein sub-titled this biography “A Portrait.” As you know a portrait can be interpreted as simply a snapshot, static image, or vision frozen in time. The Ballad of Bob Dylan: A Portrait, on the other hand, is far from singular. It does not focus on a single event or a stationary moment but envelops many of the most important moments in the life of one of the most influential song-writers the world has ever seen. The Ballad of Bob Dylan is, in short, a fluid, brilliant, and astute portrayal of one of the most prolific and significant artists of our time and well worth the price of admission.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

For Bob Dylan fans:

Bob Dylan Wiki site

Official Bob Dylan site

Expecting Rain (A Dylan website)

Bob Dylan on IMDB

One of the first Bob Dylan sites on the internet

A listing of Bob Dylan books and resources

For Folk Music fans in general:

Official Eric Andersen site

Official Tom Paxton site

Official Woody Guthrie site

Official Ramblin’ Jack Elliott site

Official Pete Seeger site

Official Maria Muldaur site

Book Review - Of Blood and Honey (A Book of the Fey and The Fallen) by Stina Leicht

2011-04-02T21:41:00.001-04:00

Of Blood and Honey
Stina Leicht
Night Shade Books
Urban/Historic Fantasy
296 pages
Trade paperback edition
(ARC ePub ebook from Night Shade Books Editor In Chief)
Cover art by Min Yum
ISBN: 978-1597802130

Inference and subtlety, in my opinion, has become somewhat of a lost art in literature. While this talent hasn’t disappeared entirely and some writers continue to maintain the proficiency of suggestive narrative I’ve noticed a decline in its use. What surprised me then was the skill in which Stina Leicht, a first time novelist, uses the ability of suggestion and nuance in her debut urban fantasy Of Blood and Honey. The literary foreplay leading up to the violent, traumatic sexual assault of the main character, Liam, for instance, is handled with a great deal of subtlety – more the fodder for our imaginations and more effective than a straight telling of the incident which, by the way, never happens. And the first time Liam unwittingly allows the otherworld beast inside him to escape we are shown more than told of that transformation. Because of the competence employed utilizing the art of supposition Ms. Leicht makes us a better audience. We are allowed to use our imagination to fill in the subtle nooks and crannies that remain unwritten but which are obviously present.

Of course, Of Blood and Honey is not a perfect urban fantasy but, then again, none really are*. What I feel missing from this tale was the intricately woven account connecting the Fey and human worlds. In truth, and perhaps in defense of this omission, I was under the distinct impression during reading - and here again is the subtleness of inference at play - that the Fey would become more prevalent in later books. Additional works would certainly offer the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of Fey and meld it with that of the commonplace home of humanity. On this point only time (and the publication of additional volumes in the series) will tell but the author would do well to bring the compelling world of Bran and Redcap** to the forefront in at least one subsequent story. I also found a number of very dark moments scattered throughout this novel which may offend some readers. I, on the other hand, felt that those sobering flashes provided a certain “punch” and the “hard edge” moments made it more emotional, therefore more enjoyable to me. And giving a novel sentiment and mood is what every writer strives for, or should. While the unimaginative and angry step-father cliché has been overdone those scenes were crafted skillfully enough that I could appreciate the struggle between the love and duty suffered by Liam’s mother and the emotional tug-of-war she endured. Fortunately, the step-father character is only found in a few scenes for abbreviated stretches of time.

Some of Ms. Leicht’s strengths are simply a result of blood, sweat, and hard work. The time period and politics of 1970’s Ireland and the clash between the Irish Republican Army and the British Army has been meticulously researched and she reveals to us the enviable ability to construct entire worlds in just a few short but concise paragraphs. Mingling Irish folklore and the mundane and then throwing a mystery into the mix is a stroke of genius. Every one of her characters are elaborate and intricate, even those that are flawed, secondary, or cliché and she reveals surprises in delightfully proportioned servings. The worlds she’s created are foreboding and rough and magical and dark and we are fortunate to be able to visit there, if only for a short while. The Fey and The Fallen is a series I’ll be following closely. If you enjoy finely crafted fantasy then you should too.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Author site

SF Reviews.Net review

Fantasy Book Critic Review

The Big Idea: Stina Leicht

Author’s LiveJournal site

(P.S. While you’re visiting Leicht’s LiveJournal site be sure to click on the link HOW TO STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST (AND 9 OTHER THINGS NOBODY TOLD ME – Pay special attention to “#10 Creativity is Subtraction” then read my first paragraph above again. ‘Nuf said.)

* Samuel R. Delaney’s Dhalgren comes very close to perfect and I’d rally behind just about any of Emma Bull’s urban fantasies or Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim books, but I digress.

** More on Redcap

*** More on the Fae

Book Review – Dustlands Book One - Blood Red Road by Moira Young

2011-03-24T23:22:00.000-04:00

Blood Red Road
(Dustlands Book One)
Moira Young
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Scheduled Release Date: June 7, 2011
Trade Paperback
ISBN: 9781442431386
(Review copy: ARC uncorrected proof direct from publisher.)
498 pages
Tags: Young Adult (YA); Dystopian Fiction, Action-Adventure, Quest Fiction

Blood Red Road, a Young Adult dystopian title scheduled for release June 7^th, 2011, is a fast paced action-adventure filled with dark, post-apocalyptic settings and truly likable characters on a quest. Written in the first person perspective with the voice of an illiterate, but not unintelligent, main character the narrative is presented entirely in the dialect of the uneducated. While it may take some readers a while to get beyond the trimmed-down minimalistic language the quaintness of the dialogue holds a certain sui generis charm and is what really made this book an exceptional read for me. It was unusual enough to catch and hold my interest from the start and once it had my attention I was hooked. In some ways this novel reminded me a little of Cormac McCarthy’s works Outer Dark and Suttree which contain their own flavor of dialect and Blood Red Road will inevitably be compared to The Road for its murky settings, ruined landscapes, and quest motifs. Another remarkable thing about this book is that while it is admittedly aimed at the 14+ crowd of young adults there is no doubt that it will appeal to almost every age group. Take it from someone who’s been in almost every age group. It’s a catchy, well-written story and I still find it hard to believe it’s a debut novel. The author’s narrative voice, lurking beneath the dialect, is a surprisingly mature one. Add the fact that it can be read almost overnight (it really is that fast-paced and readable) and you’ll find that Moira Young has created a decidedly fresh and enjoyable novel that will not disappoint.

Somewhat predictable (the deaths of two main characters, a heated, young romance, and somewhat clichéd characters) Blood Red Road never-the-less kept me entertained throughout with its many unique and uncommon elements. The crow that thinks and acts as if it is human is a wonderful, inventive character that tends to steal the show whenever in scene. Jack, the mysterious thief, embraces untold secrets which we hope to see revealed in the later books of the series. The dark and foreboding ninja-like Tontons have yet to show their dark side and there is a mystifying familiarity between Saba, the main character, and the Tonton leader DeMalo. There are some really nasty and evil antagonists as well, especially The King and Miz Pinch. Far be it for me to reveal any spoilers here but there’s a lot of potential in this series and I for one can’t wait to read and review the future exploits of this band of survivors.

Blood Red Road is the first book in the planned Dustlands trilogy but even so Moira Young does a great job of making the book stand alone without resorting to one of those aggravating cliff-hanger endings that have become so prominent in serial novels. I truly enjoyed this read and finished the book in only a few nights. As a result I will definitely make note to purchase the remaining books in the series when they’re released.

At its heart, Blood Red Road is an old story of new love, loss, and friendship in a world where survival seems next to impossible. And perhaps that’s why it’s so interesting to me. I am, after all, a huge fan of post-apocalyptic narratives and this one mixes the very best elements of familiar stories like City of Ember, Mad Max, Desolation Road, and 70’s spaghetti westerns and turns it upside down. I should also mention that the film rights were optioned by Ridley Scott (Black Hawk Down, Kingdom of Heaven, etc.) It’ll be interesting to see what Scott makes of it and, of course, I’ll also make a mental note to look for the movie in the coming years.

Blood Red Road is a fast paced, intelligent, and fun read.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional reading:

The Story

Excerpt of Blood Red Road

Short GalleyCat Article

Review of Blood Red Road at Dark Fairie Tales.com

Purchase at Amazon.com

Goodreads Review

Snarky Mama Blog Review

The Author

About Moira Young

Official Publishers Page for Moira Young

Author Interview (Video)

Book Review - Contra Alliance Book One – Shadows of the Past by Tom Kolega

2011-03-22T23:23:00.002-04:00

Contra Alliance Book One – Shadows of the Past

Tom Kolega

BCH Fulfillment & Distribution (2010)

Edition: 1st Edition

Hardcover

376 pages

2035 A.D. The United States has lost status as a world-dominating superpower. A global struggle for supremacy, hybrid high-tech warfare, and rogue genetic laboratories on two continents has split America’s focus from maintaining world order to combating insurrection. If that’s not enough chaos for one planet there’s also the looming threat of global warming, the mass depletion of natural resources, and a mysterious faction known as The Revolution that has only one goal – total world domination. But that’s just the tip of the action iceberg in Tom Kolega’s debut novel Shadows of the Past. In the midst of this turmoil the worst of the Earth’s problems are just beginning to come to light. A specialized group of NATO freedom-fighters known as CONTRA has just uncovered a conspiracy that apparently began out in the void of space. Could the Contra Strike Force be the catalyst that starts a galactic war?

One of the many things I found particularly fascinating about this book and its entire accompanying concept is the obvious amount of time, preparation, and meticulous attention to detail taken in creating it. The characters are wholly fleshed out in narrative form and have been beautifully illustrated by renowned comic artist Joe Benitez (Lisa Mechanika, Weapon Zero, and G.I. Joe.) in the cover art. The members of each faction (The Revolution, The Nerrial, and the Contra Strike Forces) have been painstakingly illustrated each with their own unique physical features, wardrobes, and weapons. [See media guide P.R. kit here: http://www.contraalliance.com/contraalliance/prkit/prkit.pdf ] It would also appear that a monthly comic, Contra Alliance # 0 adapted from the novels, is set for release in late 2011. The worlds and galaxies Tom Kolega has created here are in-depth and thoroughly studied. The events leading up to the so-called “Revolution” are uncannily believable, hopelessly frightening, and entirely plausible. To believe that the United States, a leading world power for over 100 years, could fall apart so quickly becomes even more frightening as recent real-world events unfold in Japan. (A sobering thought indeed.)

The only real critique I have concerning this book, and it’s a minor one at best, is that there are a lot of acronyms and government agency names sprinkled throughout the narrative which slightly bogged down the pace of the story for me. Fortunately, while Mr. Kolega seemed to understand the need to include them for clarification’s sake he more importantly knew when to transition back to the narrative which is done smoothly and effortlessly.

The Contra Alliance universe will be issued in two separate but related trilogies. The first, Contra Alliance, consists of Book I: Book of Shadows, Book II: Blue Star, and Book III: Return of the Starforce. The second trilogy is a prequel called War of the Stars and consists of Book I: Time of Legend, Book II: Union of Adena, and Book III: Rise of the Alliance. Contra Alliance # 0 is the much-anticipated comic book.

Apparently Kolega has been working on this for almost ten years and his dedication and hard-work has paid off. This is a great story with an imaginative premise and a promising future. I recommend this to every fan of X-Men, future world politics, superhero comics, Star Trek, high-tech war, Space Opera, Star Wars, genetic manipulation, or general Science Fiction. I, for one, totally enjoyed this book cover to cover and will be purchasing all the upcoming releases, including the comic.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative

Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Contra Alliance website (Feel free to explore this site. It’s packed with lots of information and you can download a preview of the first few chapters.)

Contra Alliance Blog site

Market Watch Review

Review at Sci-Fi Fan Letter

Contra Alliance # 0 – The Comic

Save These Books

2011-03-21T22:53:00.002-04:00

If you had to leave your house in a hurry, and you could only grab five volumes off your shelf, which five would they be and why?

We answered that question over at Grasping For The Wind a Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog we follow.

Here’s my 2 cents worth but there are a lot of other blogs represented there. Please visit by clicking the link above and perusing the list. Its eclectic and catholic in scope.

The Alternative @ The Alternative One: The five books I’d have to take if fleeing a fire are (in no particular order):

Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany (fantasy and poetry – just can’t beat that combination)
The Stand [Complete and Uncut version] by Stephen King (because, you know, it’s 1150 pages and like 4 books long)
Gateway by Fredrik Pohl (one of my all-time favorites)
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi (great story –well worth re-reading over and over again)
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood (ditto)

If I could squeeze in five more I’d take:

Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker
Mindbridge or The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Which books would you take?

Music Reviews – Six in One Album Reviews

2011-03-19T09:18:00.001-04:00

Music Review #1 – Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars
Album: Barton Hollow
Genre: Alternative/Punk
Style: Folk Singer-Songwriter, Singer-Songwriter, Contemporary Folk
Label: sensibility music LLC / TuneCore

The Swell Season’s lyrical American cousin but with more bluegrass/folk undertones. Astounding harmonies, perfect pitch, and beautiful lyrics make this duo’s performance a must for your music collection. The first track, 20 Years, and the title track, Barton Hollow, stand out but the entire album is a solid collection of great songs. Also, Poison and Wine may be the most haunting love/hate song ever scored.

5 stars out of 5

01. 20 Years 3:02
02. I've Got This Friend 3:24
03. C'est la Mort 2:30
04. To Whom It May Concern 3:31
05. Poison & Wine 3:40
06. My Father's Father 3:21
07. Barton Hollow 3:26
08. The Violet Hour 3:25
09. Girl With the Red Balloon 3:50
10. Falling 3:58
11. Forget Me Not 2:57
12. Birds of a Feather 3:09
13. I Want You Back (Bonus) 3:15
14. Dance Me to the End of Love (Bonus) 3:05

The Civil Wars Official Website

Music Review #2 – All Alone In An Empty House by Lost In The Trees

Lost In the Trees
Album: All Alone In An Empty House
Genre: Rock/Pop
Style: Alternative, Indie Rock, Commercial Alternative
Label: Anti/Epitaph

Classic/Alternative/Orchestral combination of highly lyrical music by songwriter Ari Picker. Evidently, the lyrics from the title track are bits and pieces taken from arguments Picker's parents had when he was growing up. But that’s not to say that the album is an indictment of despair and depression. For all that the album is packed with optimism and courage. Oh, it also has lots of stringed instruments. Check out Mvt. I Sketch and Mvt. II Sketch for a glimpse of what Mozart might be doing today (had he lived that long.) Don’t get the wrong idea though in my comparison to Mozart… this is not your father’s classical music.

4 ½ stars out of 5

01. All Alone In An Empty House 5:44
02. Walk Around the Lake 2:57
03. Mvt. I Sketch 3:12
04. Song for the Painter 3:20
05. Fireplace 3:32
06. Love on My Side 3:25
07. Wooden Walls of this Forest Church 1:51
08. A Room where your Paintings Hang 3:25
09. We Burn the Leaves 2:44
10. Mvt. II Sketch 5:35
11. For Leah and Chloe 2:03

Lost in the Trees Official Website

Music Review #3 – The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Aeroplain

Aeroplain
Album: The Wind-up Bird Chronicles

Inspired by the literary works of Haruki Murakami and found on his website Aeroplain’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles is an interesting contrast between classical/jazz/electronica music and the literary works of an exceptional writer. Each tune corresponds to a different section of Muakami’s book of the same name, but of course, you don’t have to read the book in order to enjoy the music.

P.S. Free download at the site: http://aeroplain.interiority.com/

4 stars out of 5

1. the wind-up bird theme 6:32
2. quiet 6:17
3. mr. wind-up bird 5:48
4. kumiko 3:04
5. music of words (the creta kano song) 6:11
6. reunion 4:43
7. the well 4:36
8. jellyfish from all around the world 5:43
9. a dangerous place 7:00
10. goodbye, may kasahara 6:08

Music Review #4 – Hunger and Thirst by Typhoon

Typhoon
Album: Hunger and Thirst
Genre: Alternative/Punk
Style: Indie Rock
Label: Tender Loving Empire / IODA

Fertile instrumentation (horns/strings/guitars) and soulful vocals by front-man Kyle Morton make this an exceptional album and one I listen to over and over again. There’s a hint of Bright Eyes to their sound but only a hint. This is truly unique and fun. My favorite cut is the poignant Old Haunts, New Cities. Great harmonies, haunting guitars, and a story (for a change). P.S. Also, Typhoon had a song on the American re-make of the BBC program Being Human, which is where I first heard them (using the Shazam app on my iPhone).

5 out of 5 stars

01. Starting Over (Bad Habits) 3:33
02. White Liars 4:46
03. CPR / Claws Pt. 2 6:59
04. Ghost Train 2:58
05. Body of Love 3:52
06. Intermission 1:13
07. Happy People 4:08
08. Old Haunts, New Cities 4:39
09. Mouth of the Cave 0:44
10. Belly of the Cavern 7:11
11. The Sickness Unto Death 3:20

Typhoon Official Website

Music Review #5 – Alexander by Alexander

Alexander
Album: Alexander
Genre: Rock/Pop
Style: Alternative
Label: Community Music

Perhaps the oddest sound of the six bands listed here Alexander may also be my new favorite. Its quirkiness alone demands attention. This album is Beatlesque-Dylanesque-Clashesque (from their fun years), lyrical, nostalgic, playful, full of pop hooks, and totally endearing and amusing. Alexander is that rare combination of songs that both sound great and entertain at the same time.

5 out of 5 stars

01. Let's Win! 2:57
02. Awake My Body 5:04
03. Truth 4:21
04. In The Twilight 3:14
05. Bad Bad Love 3:29
06. Old Friend 5:02
07. A Million Years 4:51
08. Remember Our Heart 3:17
09. Glimpses 5:40
10. Lets Make A Deal To Not Make A Deal 3:15

Alexander @ MySpace

Music Review #6 – Brothers by The Black Keys

The Black Keys
Album: Brothers
Genre: Rock/Pop
Style: Alternative, Commercial Alternative, Indie Rock
Label: Nonesuch

All I can say about this album is “Freakin’ Awesome!” Okay, that’s not all I can say about it. How about this: This is an exceptional album that A) sounds better every time you listen to it, B) every song on the playlist is better than the last, C) is a smoky, haunting blues album that will last the test of time, D) has some of the best lead guitar work I’ve heard in a very long time, E) has great bass rifts (probably because they’re performed by the lead guitarist), F) should be on every iPod, MP3 player, and computer in the world, G) has no contemporary comparison, H) did I mention it’s freakin’ awesome!, and I) this is a duo (unbelievable!). My favorite cuts are “Ten Cent Pistol” and “I’m Not the One” but that may change later today when I listen to this for the third time. Locate it, download it, listen - find bliss!

5 out of 5 stars

01. Everlasting Light 3:24
02. Next Girl 3:18
03. Tighten Up 3:31
04. Howlin' For You 3:12
05. She's Long Gone 3:06
06. Black Mud 2:10
07. The Only One 5:00
08. Too Afraid To Love You 3:25
09. Ten Cent Pistol 4:29
10. Sinister Kid 3:45
11. The Go Getter 3:37
12. I'm Not The One 3:49
13. Unknown Brother 4:00
14. Never Gonna Give You Up 3:39
15. These Days 5:12

The Black Keys Official Website

The Alternative

Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review – The Vampire Federation – Uprising by Sean McCabe (Scott Mariani)

2011-03-16T19:37:00.002-04:00

· The Vampire Federation – Uprising

· Sean McCabe (Scott Mariani writing as Sean McCabe)

· Paperback: 480 pages

· Publisher: Avon (10 Jun 2010)

· ISBN-10: 1847562124

· ISBN-13: 978-1847562128

The Three Laws of the Vampire Federation:
1. A vampire must never harm a human
2. A vampire must never turn a human
3. A vampire must never love a human

With a system of bylaws like that you just know they’re all going to get broken…

If you are looking for two-hundred year old vampires full of angst pretending to be teenagers or glowing, angelic creatures who want to better mankind, or romantic walkers of the night pining for their human lovers then I suggest you take your reading proclivities elsewhere. You’ll find none of that here. In fact, what you will discover in Uprising are vampires on both sides of the law (those who abide by the three laws and those who don’t) who’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. And when they meet you know it’s going to get damn bloody. As a result, a war that could jeopardize the peaceful co-existence between the vampires of the Federation and humans by those who wish to cultivate human-kind as a food supply becomes more and more of a reality.

In my opinion the beginning of The Vampire Federation – Uprising suffers from the introduction of too many characters too quickly in too many too short chapters. (Yes, that’s exactly how I felt [at first].) However, after the swift introductions are over the story develops rather well into a fast paced urban fantasy thriller that just happens to contain vampires. Mr. McCabe manages to deliver an adventure story that reads like a Hollywood blockbuster. As a matter of fact, it took very little imagination to visualize the all-to-vivid scenes being played out on the big screen in my head as I read this. There are a lot of surprises, some unconventional vampire thinking (drugs to walk in daylight, etc.), and lengthy scenes of heartless, plot-provoking violence. Finally, here be vampires with bite (pardon the pun.)

I rather enjoyed the character development, interaction, and dialogue that McCabe created in this story but was absolutely fascinated and captivated by his descriptive, action-packed scenes of violence. (I’m a guy – what can I say! And McCabe certainly knows his audience.) Gabriel Stone, the main antagonist in this story is, to me, quite the evil character and while Joel, the human detective and Alex, the vampire agent, struggle with their own emotional baggage we find that their problems are those many of us struggle with ourselves. There’s plenty of page-turning action here and more then a few thrilling exploits that make up for some of the obvious plot twists and re-cycled devices but there are some surprises thrown in for good measure, as well. One of the more interesting scenarios involves a sleazy politician who more-or-less sells his soul to a vampire and then, realizing the price he’ll have to pay, attempts to redeem himself in an unconventional manner.

Fast-paced and fun.

3 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative

Southeast Wisconsin

Additional Reading:

Vampire News

Scott Mariani Uprising site

(Note: Sample Chapters can be downloaded from this site.)

LibraryThing.com book site

Author's website (Scott Mariani)

Blog Review

Please report broken links.

Book Review–Two-Fisted Tweets by James Hutchings

2011-03-12T22:41:00.001-05:00

Two-Fisted Tweets
James Hutchings
EBook
Smashwords
February 2011

I’ve never really read much flash fiction before but in my opinion James Hutchings has crafted thirty short, remarkably humorous, entertaining, and thought-provoking micro-fiction stories in this much, too-brief anthology. The brevity of these stories forces the author to tell us as much in what isn’t written as what is. And Hutchings does this wonderfully. While Two-Fisted Tweets fits into the category of sudden, micro, or short-short-fiction it is so very much more. Structured to be less than 140 characters in length these thirty mini-stories were created to fit within the parameters of a Tweet, which in and of itself is quite a unique notion. I’m not sure if they were ever sent as actual Tweets but if they were Mr. Hutchings followers are certainly an entertained bunch.

Some might scoff at this type of fiction, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect either when first approached with a request to review it but you might be surprised to learn that flash fiction has roots that are as old as Aesop’s Fables and that some of the world’s leading writers practiced the skill. Among them Anton Chekhov, O. Henry, Franz Kafka, H.P. Lovecraft, Ernest Hemingway, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and Fredric Brown, to name a few. Perhaps the most famous was reportedly penned by Hemmingway in the example. “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

One sample from the book which might give you an idea of the creativity involved and which made me chuckle out loud is this one:

“Rotting hands reached from the darkness. At last, someone was attracted to her for her brains.”

And here’s one of my own:

Two–Fisted Tweets by James Hutchings, in short, is a unique, humorous and satisfying, though too brief (puns intended), read.

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

P.S. In addition, the author has graciously agreed to give away 10 copies to the loyal readers of this blog. The first 10 readers to send me an e-mail with a request and format choice will receive a free electronic copy of the book direct from the author. For everyone else, the book can be found at Smashwords for .99. Two-Fisted Tweets

(Note: My e-mail address can be found in my profile at the top right sidebar.)

Additional Reading:

Flash Fiction entry at Wiki

Evidently, Flash Fiction is even more popular than I thought. Here are a few websites dedicated to the craft. Some are actual flash writing while others are informational blogs and others are tutorials. I had no idea…

ZenVirus.com Flash-Fiction

Percontra.net Flash Fiction

R Jane Flash Fiction Blog

S Joan Popek.com

Flash Fiction Forums

Book Review - Equinox- Six Declinations by Richard S. Freeland

2011-03-02T18:14:00.000-05:00

Equinox- Six Declinations
Richard S. Freeland
Short Story Collection
Dragonlyre
125 pages

Book Contents

Equinox
Family Tradition
Anomalies
The Last Angel
Garbage Man
Bygones

Equinox – Six Declinations is a solid collection of six short stories generally categorized as horror, fantasy, suspense, or the macabre. But don’t let the genre tags mislead you. This is one complex and unique anthology containing superior stories that should appeal to just about everyone. Forget that they’re listed as horror stories. All you really need to know is that each story is highly creative, tightly woven with strong, unforgettable dialogue, and has that unique “hook” ending (or segue) that so many short stories lack these days. If you like your macabre fiction complete with twists, turns, and a slightly off-kilter bite than Richard S. Freeland’s Equinox – Six Declinations is a short story collection just waiting for you. In one way or another each of the stories presented here reminded me a bit of Stephen King’s early works. The characters all live in the real world, have that working-man’s mentality, speak not like characters in a novel but like genuine people, and will frequently be subjected to the worst terror of their short lives.

“Equinox,” the title story, was nostalgic for me personally in the sense that it brought back memories of the classic vampire movies I used to watch as a kid. Don’t get me wrong, this is a modern tale not an old classic but taking a tired cliché like “Look into my eyes!” and making it fresh is always a difficult task yet Freeland manages to do just that with exceptional skill. The seduction inherent in Vampire films literally jumps off the page in this story (even though we’re never really sure that the antagonist is actually a vampire at all) and the depiction of the victim’s disorientation by supernatural hypnosis is chilling.

“Family Tradition,” the second story, is a cautionary tale of poaching in the wrong place and time. It’s also an uncommon rite-of-passage fairy-tale with a unique and lycanthropic surprise ending. You’ll never hunt on your neighbor’s land again…

“Anomalies” is by far the strangest story in the collection yet is remarkably amusing and decidedly entertaining. The residents of Booster’s Roost, an eclectic lot if ever there was one, experience a very strange and fantasy-filled day. Fire-and lightning-storms, nano-bots, and a boulder with a mind of its own blend with the characters and round out the action. The strong suit of this particular yarn is the punch ending and the smooth and believable dialogue leading up to it. In fact, Freeland’s strongest asset is, in my opinion, his use of free-flowing dialogue which reeks of realism and sounds, in my head, like people I know speaking to each other.

“The Last Angel” is the very best of the stories here and in my opinion really deserves to be more completely fleshed out and written into a full length novel (or even a series – wink to Mr. Freeland.) Set in a post-apocalyptic America this is a haunting quest story of heroic proportions with an unlikely mission. I’ve always loved post-apocalyptic tales that delve into the differences between our world today and the new world forced upon our descendants after a devastating environmental change. The Last Angel does not disappoint. The story left me eager to learn more about the ravaged, dying land. What happened to the world so many years before that turned it backward? Who or what is the angel? Where is it from? Where is it going to? Hopefully, Freeland will see fit some day to tell us more of this story. I, for one, can’t wait.

In “Garbage Man,” Henry Hatcher is a garbage man and an unlikely serial killer who can hear the voices of those wrongly murdered. Watch him take vengeance on their behalf. (Warning: This is not a story for the squeamish or faint of heart. Reader beware. There is a tragic scene here that will be heart-rending to those of you with small children.)

“Bygones,” the last story in the collection, deals with mortality, regret, and fear. After his oldest and closest friend dies of a stroke in a nursing home an elderly man confronts the denizens of a crack house as he rushes head-long to meet his own fate.

Equinox – Six Declinations is an engaging and compelling collection and I thoroughly enjoyed each of the six stories included in the anthology. The only real criticism I have is that the book lacked only one thing - another ten or twelve stories for me to enjoy.

Highly recommended.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional reading:

Author’s website

Preview of Freeland’s upcoming novel Seed

Author site at AuthorDen.com

Book Review - Kill the Dead by Richard Kadrey

2011-02-14T21:13:00.001-05:00

Kill the Dead

Richard Kadrey

Publisher: Eos (2010)

Hardcover

448 pages

Demon Hunter extraordinaire, escaped Nephilim from Hell, and all-around bad-ass Sandman Slim is back in action and hot on the trail of yet another underworld killer. This time, however, he has to quell a major zombie infestation shambling out of the bowels of Los Angeles, join forces with a zombie-slaying porn star, and interact with the strangest cast of characters since The Wizard of Oz met Lord of the Rings. And even then you still couldn’t touch the zany antics of this son-of-a-fallen-angel, James Stark, aka Sandman Slim. Intrigued yet? Well, you should be. Kadrey’s second Sandman Slim novel is grittier, more guttural, and ultimately more satisfying than the first. And that’s something that just doesn’t happen too often!

In my earlier review of Sandman Slim, the first book in the series (see August 2009 post) I said, “Kadrey definitely knows how to spin a dark tale. His language, while offensive to some, fits the character of the story perfectly. Gritty, dark, angst-ridden and graphic the dialogue and fight scenes are coarse, bloody, and down-right mean-spirited.” Kill the Dead is doubly so.

Kadrey’s story treaties with demon-killing and the required weapons needed to do so and with the pre-requisites necessary to become the Devil’s bodyguard and with three different “types” of zombies and with the ability to walk away from earth into shadows and with fallen angels and father issues and gruesome, blood-splattering annihilation. So, why then do I find this macabre story so fascinatingly entertaining and downright funny? Because Kadrey is as compelling and comedic a writer as you'll ever come across. And I mean that in the best possible way. While the supernatural aspects drive the story the twisted/sick humor kept me reading page after page. And believe me when I tell you that the grisly humor is not gratuitous in any way but necessary to make the whole thing work. Because even gruesome needs a break before it crawls into the sewer forever and Kadrey instinctively understands exactly when to sprinkle in those lighter moments. His dialogue and banter knows no equal and his characters, the dregs of the earth, are painfully fun to watch. The bikers, two- dollar whores, meth addicts, murderers, hexed ghouls, and numerous nasties living right around the corner - seen but unnoticed - help drive this story and the zombies make you want to run like hell as fast as you can in the other direction. Which might explain why I associated with them in my head as I read Kill the Dead and perhaps tells you more about me personally then I usually divulge. But Sandman Slim was really an entertaining and fun read for me and many a scene of dialogue made me laugh out loud. I’m certain this book isn’t for everyone but for me it’s right there… dark, macabre, grisly, and hilarious.

Opening line:

Imagine shoving a cattle prod up a rhino’s ass, shouting “April Fool!”, and hoping the rhino thinks its funny. That’s about how much fun it is hunting a vampire.

Favorite quote:

"The universe is a meat grinder and we're just pork in designer shoes, keeping busy so we can pretend we're not all headed for the sausage factory."

Dialogue banter:

"Marshall Wells said you liked to talk."

"I'm a people person."

"Is that before or after you cut people's heads off?"

"I only cut off my enemies' heads. I break my friends' hearts."

"So, that's, what, zero hearts broken?"

"The night's still young."

Additional reading:

Google Books excerpt of Kill the Dead

Kill the Dead Review

Kadrey’s Wikipedia Entry

Author Website

Harper/Collins Site for Kill the Dead

Blog Review

Cory Doctorow’s Review

Oh, and one other thing regarding the actual composition of this book. In an unusual editorial decision Richard Kadrey wrote Kill the Dead with no obvious chapters and very few breaks in the action (or perhaps the entire book is one huge 430 page chapter, hard to tell.) When the reader wants to set the book aside Kadrey gives them no hints as to where to leave the bookmark. That fact didn't really bother me much, but I can see how it might be irritating to some. So, if that’s the kind of thing that bugs you then be forewarned.

By the way... Kill the Dead is also a very quick read (for those who like their death and destruction cranked up to level 11!)

Buy it. Read it. You won’t be dissatisfied.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative

Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review – "The Breach" and "Ghost Country" by Patrick Lee

2011-01-19T19:02:00.003-05:00

Travis Chase Series
Patrick Lee
1. The Breach (2009)
2. Ghost Country (2011)

The Breach
Patrick Lee
Harper
Format: Mass Market Paperback
ISBN: 9780061584459
384 pp.
Publication Date: December 2009

The other day I received Ghost Country, the second book in the Travis Chase series, as an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for a review. (Shout out to the Early Readers program at LibraryThing.com for the opportunity.) Looking through my “to read” pile, which is more of a wall than a heap, I noticed that I already owned a copy of The Breach, the first book in this series, and it was in queue to be read soon. Needless to say it went to the top of the pile. I had to read the series in order, you see. I’m delighted to report that both books were a pleasure to read. The Breach, Patrick Lee’s debut novel and the first book in the series, is a fascinating and engrossing read from start to finish and the premise is decidedly unique and vastly creative.

Thirty years ago, in a buried government think-tank beneath the wastelands of Wyoming, an experiment went terribly wrong. During the process a mysterious fissure opened into an impossible unknown. Is there an incredibly distant alien universe on the other side? Or is the breach a conduit from one section of space to another? No one is sure but what they do know is that mysterious gadgets and scientific anomalies have begun to appear through the rift. They range from the mundane to the improbable. Medical guns that cure disease and injury with a touch, foot-long dishrags that weigh 25,000 pounds and defy the laws of nature, and other items so dangerous a secret organization is developed to hide and protect them. But, when Travis Chase, an ex-con with a checkered past, stumbles upon the wreckage of a crashed aircraft the world he once knew is changed forever and he begins to understand how dangerous the breach may be. When Travis rescues a breach operative being tortured near the plane crash he is pulled into the secret world of a conspiracy like no other.

Patrick Lee has an uncanny ability for building great Science Fiction stories. Period. That he incorporates elements of conspiracy theory, murder mystery, spy thrillers, intrigue, and future/alien technology into the mix is pure bonus for the reader. (Note: I’m not convinced the technology is alien or from our own future yet. There are other possibilities which I hope will be explained in later installments.) That Lee’s premises and plot twists are eerily believable and skirt the edge of our own technological advances borders on the genius and his story will keep the average reader not only engrossed but totally entertained. You’ll be on the edge of your seat anticipating the “what’s next” surprise through the entire story. And that’s not even the best part…

What’s really intriguing to me are the possibilities Lee presents and the places The Breach may ultimately take us. What or who is on the other side of the breach and why are they sending bits and pieces of their technology through it? Are the artifacts alien? Or are they from our own distant future? Are we depositing our treasures to preserve them from eminent collapse? Hopefully, Mr. Lee will eventually explain it to us all… ten or twelve books from now. This is, for me, a captivating series full of credible technological advancements that are just half-a-step out of synch from our own. Ideas like these are the reason we have micro-wave ovens, lasers, and communication satellites. They are the reason we advance scientifically. Keep up the great work Mr. Lee and I’ll keep spreading the good word to anyone who’ll listen.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Ghost Country
Patrick Lee
Harper
Format: Mass Market Paperback
ISBN 9780061584442
384pp.
Publication Date: January 2011

It’s not often that the second book in a series exceeds the first but in this case Patrick Lee has outdone himself. Ghost Country is every bit as good as its predecessor and exceeds it on a number of different levels. Foremost, I have to mention that the plot twist to this story is both mind-blowing and immeasurably intelligent and the main reason that I give the second book a higher rating then the first.

Curious technology has passed through the breach into our world for decades. The most recent device is an artifact (hole-punching flashlight) that opens a fissure seventy years into our own future. [Think of it as Breach².] The only problem is that once you stick your head in and glimpse the future you come back scared out of your mind. Everything on the other side is dead. Buildings are crumbling, wild animals roam the streets, and mankind has disappeared. Worse, newspaper accounts found on the dead side of the hole reveal that Bleak December, the time when the entire world begins to unravel, is only two months away [in real time.] Travis Chase along with Tangent operatives Paige and Bethany must head into that dead world and unravel the mystery to what happened to the world this coming December.

Again, this is a solid performance by Patrick Lee and the premise is both captivating and frightening in its complexity and realism. My hat goes off to Patrick Lee who’s created and delivered a sophomore story that surpasses his debut. If you haven’t read The Breach or Ghost Country yet I highly recommend that you do so. If you’re anything like me you’ll be a fan in fewer than five pages.

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Additional reading:

Author Sites

Patrick Lee Biography

Author Website

The Breach

SF Signal Review (The Breach)

John Scalzi’s “Whatever” on The Breach

YouTube Book Trailer

Tor.com Review of The Breach

Patrick Lee Interview

Ghost Country

Harper/Collins Ghost Country Page

SF Signal Review (Ghost Country)

Buried Under Books Review

Book Review - Feed by Mira Grant

2011-01-10T18:22:00.000-05:00

Feed

Mira Grant

Orbit (2010)

Mass Market Paperback

608 pages

I’d like to make one thing perfectly clear… I love zombie books. Always have, always will. Zombie movies? Not so much. Walking Dead? Twelve thumbs up. (‘Cause, you know, zombies need lots of finger food.) Seriously though… I have, in the past few months, read and reviewed two other zombie books: The Passage by Patrick Cronin and The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell. All are well written and received high marks from me. Feed may well be the best of them.

As a long-time blogger I found my interest piqued by a number of the concepts covered in Feed. First, and perhaps last, make no mistake, this is a damn good zombie book. Maybe one of the best I’ve ever encountered. Especially those scenes when the zombies are on the attack. Grant understands on a base level what it must feel like to live in the middle of a zombie invasion and all the harsh realities that might go with it. But Feed is so much more than a simple horror genre novel. Here is what really got me thinking about the intricacies below the surface of the narrative. When the zombapocalypse occurs blogging, for obvious reasons, has become the standard form of journalism across the world. People are afraid to leave their homes but have news to impart. What do you do? Post it to your blog-site, that’s what. This, to me, is an intriguing concept. Will the world be forced to go viral when it all, well, goes viral? In other words, what changes would a near-future, world-wide natural or unnatural disaster cause us to make? Would the way we deliver and receive our news change? Probably so, and that makes this not only a zombie novel but social commentary, as well. Whether it was designed as such makes no difference. It was enough to get me thinking about what other changes might occur after a world-wide disaster. Farming and food distribution? Gun training and safety? Medical evaluation in the field? These ideas, and many more are explored by Grant and with a unique and creative eye. So, if you are interested in a zombie story with benefits, then this is it.

Feed could, in many respects, be a book that you don’t discuss in polite company. You know, politics, religion, and zombies. But here’s the thing, the book really isn’t about zombies at all (notice the flip-flop waffling from my first paragraph.) It’s about political intrigue and religious zealots. It’s about good and evil. It’s about mankind’s folly and unimaginable plague. It’s about science and our ignorance of same. It’s about the evolution of gun control and journalism. And it’s about struggle and survival. Yes, there are zombies in this book but there is oh, so much more. If you’ve read and liked my other 4 star rated and reviewed books then do yourself a favor and read Feed. You won’t be disappointed.

My one and only complaint? [Spoiler Alert – Avert your eyes now!] Ms. Grant, why did you feel the need to kill off Georgia? It’s a waste of a great character, in my estimation, and a dreadful loss to the series. [Spoiler Alert off!] When an intriguing and well-written central character is lost in the first book of a trilogy one can only hope that the plans for better, larger-than-life characters to replace them are in the pipeline. If that’s the case then we’re all in for one hell of a ride and my objection becomes moot.

Feed is the first book in the Newsflesh trilogy which includes Feed, Deadline, and Blackout with book two, Deadline, scheduled for release in May of this year and book three, Blackout, scheduled for release in May of 2012.

4 ½ stars out of 5

The Alternative

Southeast Wisconsin

Q. What did the zombie say to his friend while they were slurping down clown brains?

A. Does this taste funny to you?

Additional reading:

Mira Grant Author site

Seanan McGuire Author site

The FeedBook review

Author Wikipedia site

Author’s Livejournal blog site

Author profile

Google Books excerpt of Feed

Coming soon!