Book Review - Gunpowder by Joe Hill

Gunpowder
By Joe Hill
PS Publishing
2008
ISBN 978-1-848630-14-7
81 pages (Novella - 22,600 words)

Gunpowder is an aptly named unstable planet out on the galactic fringe. It is a cold, bleak, desolate place selected for terraforming. The technicians, however, are not your run-of-the-mill scientists but a group of not-quite-human children who have had their DNA manipulated. They have been created to breathe and live in the atmosphere without mechanical means and, more importantly, they have psychic abilities that will help them achieve their goal. But they are outcasts from Earth and the hope is that they may one day save it from a future devoid of resources.

Then war comes to the galaxy and the boys’ unique psyforming capabilities are enlisted by a mysterious stranger sent by the military. With nothing more than the power of their imaginations they can create the raw materials for missiles powerful enough to destroy moons. They can dream into existence spacecraft strong enough to fly through a supernova without being damaged. They can give the universe a military force so powerful that no one would dare defy it. And the military wants them as weapons. The question is… do they want to become soldiers for a society that has cast them off?

And one child, the deficient boy, without a psyforming ability and with the word VOID imprinted inside his glowing eyes, holds the key. What sacrifice might he make… for love?

Joe Hill’s first published venture into the realm of Science Fiction rates a resounding YES! If Gunpowder is a prologue to more stories set in this same multi-verse I can only hope that they are published soon.

4 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Women of Nell Gwynne’s by Kage Baker

The Women of Nell Gwynne’s
Kage Baker
Subterranean Press
ISBN: 9781596062504
Publication Date: June 30, 2009
122 pages
Illustrated by J. K. Potter

“The Women of Nell Gwynne’s” is a Victorian steampunk murder-mystery with characters and locations reminiscent of a Dickens novel. Nell Gwynne’s is a high-class bordello in London that caters to Parliament, nobility, and the aristocracy. While servicing these distinguished men the women of Nell Gwynne, a highly unusual group of whores, attempt to uncover and collect political secrets for use by their employer the GSS, a super-secret scientific agency that protects the Crown.

While attending a diner party held by a British nobleman, Lady Beatrice and her fellow ladies-of-the-evening, uncover a scheme to sell anti-gravity technology to the highest bidder. After the various groups retire to their bedrooms for a night of frolicking the host is found murdered and the women take it upon themselves to investigate. As well they should. Mrs. Corvey, the madam, and her stable of working girls are no ordinary whores. They are strong, smart, capable, and not above kicking some high-brow ass when needed.

This compact and well-written novella is filled with intrigue, turn-of-the-century dialogue, steampunked technology, murder and mystery and sets up a universe that will hopefully become a recurrent one in Baker’s universe of strange and exciting times and places. An enjoyable, entertaining, and quick read I, for one, hope to see more of “The Women of Nell Gwynne’s” soon.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - The Affinity Bridge - George Mann

The Affinity Bridge
(A Newbury and Hobbes Investigation)
George Mann
Tom Doherty Associates
ISBN: 0-7653-2320-6
334 pages

“The Affinity Bridge” is an action-adventure steampunk mystery of the first order. George Mann combines Victorian era dialogue, a murder mystery, zombies, automata, dark magic, the macabre act of brain switching, and dirigibles to tell a truly interesting and exciting story. In the tradition of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Who, and The Avengers, “The Affinity Bridge” introduces the team of Sir Maurice Newbury and Ms Veronica Hobbes, agents of the Crown (Scotland Yard). Together, they are enlisted by the Queen to discover the cause of an air balloon crash and the unknown identities of the victims. Mann weaves an intricate tale of mystery and adventure whilst visiting the seedier sides of Victorian London and manages to write it in such a way that you believe you’ve traveled to an alternative Victorian history such as you’ve never seen the likes of before. The intrigue, dialogue and plot are first rate and you’ll even be surprised by events a time or two. Well worth the time and money spent!

4 stars out of 5

The Alternative
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey

Santa Olivia - Jacqueline Carey

Format: Trade Paperback, 341 pages
Publisher: Grand Central
Cover Design: Alan Ayers
Release Date: May 29, 2009
ISBN-10: 0-44619817X
ISBN-13: 978-0446198172

Santa Olivia is an urban, post-apocalyptic novel concerning a small community caught in a battle of borders and subsequently set apart from the rest of America by the military. A plague threatens the U.S. and the border with Mexico is sealed. Santa Olivia, a small Texas town, is isolated between the walls of the two paranoid countries. The tale of the Garron family (and the town itself) is a study of human alienation, the loss of technological amenities, and isolation. But it is also one of strength and survival under the most demanding of situations. Carey's strength is by far the modeling of her characters. They become so real that you'll begin to feel their emotions after only a few pages. The story delves into the raw emotion of abandonment (on many different levels) and confronts the issue in a very unique way.

Loup Garron is the child of an incarcerated mother and an “enhanced” father who shows up in the cordoned off city of Santa Olivia. A stranger and “different from other men,” he is befriended and then loved by Loup's mother. As the story unravels we find that Loup’s father was a genetically engineered human who has super strength and that fear has been completely engineered out of him. When Loup is born in the town square under the statue of Santa Olivia many take it as a sign of protection. But a few years later Loup's mother dies from the plague and she and her brother are forced to move to the local orphanage. Loup’s brother, Tommy, begins working at the local boxing gymnasium and realizes that if he becomes a boxer and beats the favored Army boxer he will win freedom for himself and his sister.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

But Tommy dies in a fixed prizefight when his opponent is switched with a twin that is also “enhanced.” Loup picks up the mantle and trains to destroy the man who killed her brother. In the end, she wins the fight but is taken into custody when the military realizes that she too is “enhanced.” She is tortured and beaten but, with the help of an improbable ally, eventually escapes to Mexico.

Note: According to legend, Saint Olivia was the beautiful daughter of a noble family. At the age of thirteen she was kidnapped and taken as a slave. Impressed by her virtue and beauty her abductors permitted her to live in a cave as a hermitess. Later, she began to perform miracle cures on the local sick. Consequently she was imprisoned and tortured. She was sentenced to be burnt to death, but the flames would not touch her. She was finally decapitated. Her sainthood is celebrated on June 10th.

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Death's Head Series by David Gunn

Death’s Head Series
David Gunn


1. Death’s Head (4 ½ stars out of 5)
2. Death’s Head: Maximum Offense (4 stars out of 5)
3. Death’s Head: Day of the Damned (4 stars out of 5)

When it’s time to put down those dusty classics, the recommended high-brow literature and your lengthy summer reading list I suggest you pick up any one of David Gunn’s Death’s Head books. They are the Science Fiction equivalent of the action adventure blockbuster movies you’ve come to know and love. The stories move faster than the speed of light and are quite literally jammed with swearing, shooting and screwing (not necessarily in that order.) Between the three S’s however, you’ll find great storytelling, sharp dialogue and quite a few unique literary inventions. Wait! That just doesn’t give justice to Gunn’s work. There is backstabbing, compassion, evisceration and even a bit of technological tom-foolery. Yes, I said it – tom-foolery. How else do you explain the computer chip resurrection some characters achieve? But take my word for it this is not a cheap sub-plot to play god. There is logic and purpose behind the concept. You’ll feel it before you truly understand it.

The Death’s Head books are military Science Fiction the way it was intended to be written and the way it must be read. The characters are the meanest, nastiest, toughest survival-types you’ll ever meet and they find themselves in impossible situations under unbelievable odds. Yet, they still manage to stay sane and complete the missions (well, most of them anyway.) Two of my favorite creations are the talking gun (and a smart-ass to boot) and a cognizant, sentient planet. You really have to read them to understand the complexities involved. But believe me when I tell you that it’s absolutely worth it. I’ve been reading the series since the publication of the very first book and I wait impatiently for each next installment to hit the bookstores. (I haven’t done that since Harry Potter!) This is great solid, throw-back military Science Fiction and I assure you that you won’t be wasting your money if you purchase every book in the series.
The Alternative
Southeast, Wisconsin

Book Review - Personal Effects: Dark Arts

Personal Effects: Dark Arts

J C Hutchins and Jordan Weisman

“Personal Effects: Dark Arts” is a bleak, noir story of gruesome multiple murders and the physiatrist assigned to interview the suspected criminal responsible. But there is so much more to this story then I ever expected. It is a dark mystery with a very unusual and highly unique concept. Packaged inside the front cover and included with the purchase is a myriad of physical clues. Included documents, photographs, and personal effects provide minute clues and added enjoyment to the story. The files of ephemera add to the mystery and the unsolved murders. Sticky notes with phone numbers, funeral cards with websites, driver’s license, credit cards, etc. all provide evidence to the actual architect of the numerous heinous crimes committed. The story, in short, might have stood well on its own merits but the addition of the physical evidence made it much more enjoyable for me and is a unique concept that I've never seen before.

The protagonist, Zach Taylor, a psychiatrist who practices art therapy, is given the case of one Martin Grace an ex-CIA operative who has a sordid past. Martin is incarcerated at the Brinkvale Psychiatric Hospital with a case of psychosomatic blindness and accused of multiple murders. Zachary finds himself involved more deeply than he anticipated when he is dragged into the dark world of Grace.The climax is a blend of clues gathered through the narrative with additional help from the included personal effects.

This mystery is highly accessible to even the most novice reader buts hold untold secrets for even the most experienced viral alternative reality gamer.

Good fun and a fun to read especialy for those who love to unravel mysteries by themselves.

4 out of 5 stars
(added points for all the extras)

The Alternative

Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

“Sandman Slim” is by no means a literary masterpiece and thank the demons below and the angels above that it isn’t. It is, however, an extremely dark urban fantasy littered with the dead bodies of angels, demons, humans, magicians, civilians, Kissi, and Hellions, to name just a few. And one Hell of a good read!

The main character, Jimmy “Sandman Slim” Stark is forced by an evil cadre of magicians into Hell where he lives for eleven years fighting demons, monsters and worse in Lucifer’s battle-arena of the macabre. Returning to earth, with the help of a magic amulet, he finds that during his absence the magicians who sent him to the Inferno have also murdered his girlfriend. Bent on revenge and with a little help of his own magic Stark begins an epic search for the men who sent him to Hell and killed the love of his life. Along the way he is befriended by arch-angels, alchemists and monsters and hunted by demons, magicians and police.

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. And to me that’s exactly what made this book spark. How could you not write noir razor-blades about a character this flawed and angry? Besides, if you had to deal with half the bad-asses Stark had to you’d be pissed off too! Beheadings, ritual sacrifice, demon weapons, magic, monsters and gore… just the way I like my back-alley fantasy!

4 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Book review - The Stranger Book One - The Labyrinths of Echo - Max Frei

“The Stranger,” the first book in “The Labyrinths of Echo” series, is comprised of numerous who-dun-it mysteries that are set in a magical new dimension. When Max, the protagonist, leaves his own dimension into Echo he finds himself befriended by a strange Magician named Sir Juffin Hulley, The Most Venerable Head of the Minor Secret Investigative Force. The two men strike up a close friendship after Max is discovered to have magical skills himself. Russian novelist Frei knows how to tell a good story. Every chapter in the book is a new mystery with dark magic running throughout each. From a demon inhabited mirror, to a Grand Magician who is attempting to beat death by murdering innocents, to the creation of a New World (alternative city) by a ‘good’ magician, each story is well told and told well.

“The Stranger” is reminiscent of Susanna Clarke’s “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” and Jasper Fforde’s “Thursday Next” stories but with much more action, “The Stranger” is set in a magical Victorian dream world accessible only via an enchanted trolley. Frei has developed well-rounded, believable characters and places but his real strength is his dialogue and the developing friendships of the characters. I always find it compelling when a new author tells a good story set in an alternative world. Especially when done from a unique and creative angle. This is one of those tales.

Engaging and entertaining this book receives 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

From the book flap:
Max Frei’s novels have been a literary sensation in Russia since their debut in 1996, and have swept the fantasy world over. Presented here in English for the first time, The Stranger will strike a chord with readers of all stripes. Part fantasy, part horror, part philosophy, part dark comedy, the writing is united by a sharp wit and a web of clues that will open up the imagination of every reader.Max Frei was a twenty-something loser-a big sleeper (that is, during the day; at night he can’t sleep a wink), a hardened smoker, and an uncomplicated glutton and loafer. But then he got lucky. He contacts a parallel world in his dreams, where magic is a daily practice. Once a social outcast, he’s now known in his new world as the “unequalled Sir Max.” He’s a member of the Department of Absolute Order, formed by a species of enchanted secret agents; his job is to solve cases more extravagant and unreal than one could imagine-a journey that will take Max down the winding paths of this strange and unhinged universe.

Note: Max Frei (Russian: Макс Фрай) is the fictional narrator of ten Russian fantasy novels which make up the “The Labyrinths of Echo” series (“Лабиринты Eхо”), as well as several other novels. He is also presented as the author of these and other works, although in an additional twist of fantasy, it has been revealed that Max Frei is actually a pen name of Svetlana Martynchik and Igor Stepin the true creators of this literary icon.

Book Reviews – Essential World War II Stories

Five in one book review

The following five stories depict the human condition under the most severe of inhuman circumstances. From various perspectives each novel shares the story of genuine people (if not in reality then in essence) caught under the Fascist boot heels of the Third Reich during and/or after World War II. In Night by Elie Wiesel we are told the true story of Wiesel based on his own experiences as a teenaged Orthodox Jew inside the notorious concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. In Marcus Zusak’s The Book Thief we see life in Germany from the perspective of a loving family caught up in the Nazi stranglehold of nationalism while not truly believing. Art Spiegelman’s Maus: A Survivor's Tale, a graphic novel of superb quality, recounts his father’s experiences of eluding capture by the Nazi’s in war-torn Warsaw. David Benioff’s City of Thieves provides us with an insightful yet gruesome vignette of life in Leningrad during the siege and occupation of rural Russia by German storm troopers. And The Tin Drum by Gunther Grass is a fictional account of the absurdities of life in Danzig, Germany during the war. All five stories capture the duality of humanity amidst the horrors of survival, suffering, and the will to persevere in the harshest of conditions under extreme duress. There is abomination and hatred in every one of these stories, they are, after all, images of World War II, but more than that is the inherent idea that love, tenderness and the human spirit will overcome all odds. I recommend all five highly.

Elie Wiesel – Night
Markus Zusak - The Book Thief

Art Spiegelman - Maus: A Survivor's Tale
David Benioff - City of Thieves
Gunther Grass -The Tin Drum

Elie Wiesel – Night

Night is the hesitantly told story of Elie Wiesel and his family and their experiences in the German concentration camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Wiesel suffered his teenage years as a prisoner in both prison camps and vowed never to speak of his experiences there. In Wiesel’s own words, “To be silent is impossible, to speak forbidden.”

Because of his lost spiritualism and faith in mankind he kept his word for ten years but was persuaded by French novelist Francois Mauriac to complete it for the world. Night exposes Wiesel’s struggles during and after the Holocaust and it is brilliantly written and emotionally charged. This true documentary will upset your sensibilities but the spirit of the man who endured it will most certainly lift yours.

Though not as well-known as The Diary of Anne Frank Elie Wiesel’s Night is just as compelling and heartbreaking and should be on your essential WWII “To Read” list.

5 stars out of 5

Markus Zusak - The Book Thief

The Book Thief is, in my estimation, an incredible read! From the clipped-quick style to the controversial content this is truly a magnificent story. Zusak relies on the rare ability to entrance the reader and stir emotions long subdued and held in check. He shows us that all people are capable of incredible evil and delicate, heart-rending good. Although labeled Young Adult this is by no means a children’s book. It is the height of World War II, Nazi Germany 1939-1945, and we understand from the outset that an unnatural tragedy is in the making but Zusak surprises and delights us with this powerful tale and while we all know what’s going to happen in the end I couldn’t help myself from turning pages at a furious rate to see how it would all play out. With a creative and unique plot device and a macabre twist Zusack mixes the voice of death as the narrator and the reluctant collector of souls and the enclosed world of pre-teen Liesel, the book thief of the title. Her first stolen book? The Gravediggers Handbook which should give you a pretty good idea of where this story is going to takes us. There is much to love about this book; the characters, plot devices, twists and surprises will keep you entranced throughout.

5 out of 5 stars

Art Spiegelman - Maus: A Survivor's Tale

The strength of this story is the true account of the elder Spiegelman’s struggles to survive the Holocaust as a Polish Jew in Warsaw. It is interspersed with the author’s troubled relationship with his father and the strength of the two to tell the story. The father because he has never before spoken of his experiences and the son to understand the pain and suffering his father endured.

All the characters in this work of art are represented as ethnological animals, an insightful and creative machination on the part of the artist. The Jews, for example, are depicted as scrawny mice (thus Maus, German for “mouse”), the Nazi’s as plump over-fed cats, and the Polish military officers as prodigious pigs. The only humanistic renderings in the book take place during the back story of the suicide of the author’s mother. But these graphic depictions do not distract from the powerful demonstrative story of the struggle to survive not only the worst war of our time but the worst moments in human history. In fact, they serve only to enhance it.

Wonderful storytelling and exceptional art make this a must read for the historians as well as the emotionalists among us. This book is a unique combination of docu-drama, biography, and comic-strip all rolled into one and it works on a grand scale.



5 out of 5 stars

David Benioff - City of Thieves

City of Thieves is a coming-of-age voyage (to find a dozen eggs no less) in the war torn city of Leningrad, Russia. It is the winter of 1941 and the German Army has besieged the city. Rations are non-existent, citizens are dying by the hundreds, and everyone lives in fear of being overrun by the enemy. They have no alternative but to fight for survival. Lev and Kolya, young teen-age Russians, are arrested, Lev for looting a dead paratrooper, and Kolya for desertion. With their arrests both are destined to take a short trip that ends with their backs poised against a wall brushed with blood. But before their execution in the face of a firing squad they are given a reprieve by the city’s acting military commander. They are ordered on a mission to find a dozen eggs for the colonel’s daughter’s wedding cake. They are given less than a week to complete their task and their ration cards are confiscated. Without a means of obtaining food what else can they do but try and fulfill the task. But in a city that has resorted to cannibalism where could they possibly find what they search for? The story develops as the two young men head off in search of the prized components.

Based on the true-life adventures of Benioff’s grandfather we are transported to a city that has fallen on the hardest of times. Starvation, desperation, and self-preservation are the only law in Leningrad and that image of desolation and destruction lays the groundwork for the rest of the story. The quest for eggs takes them to a private whore house in the woods, to Russian partisans in the rural outskirts of the city, and to a German military camp where the final stand-off is played over a chess set. Benioff explores the grief and indifference of the characters while they hide from snipers, infiltrate a line of captured prisoners and eventually find what they were looking for. Peace!

This is a true heart-rending story written with love, care and consideration. Well worth the read.

4 ½ stars out of 5

Gunther Grass – The Tin Drum

By far the oddest of the books reviewed here The Tin Drum is a direct contrast between art and war. The underlying theme is that art has the power to overcome the inhumanities of war in society. The theme of performance, music and art permeates throughout the novel.

The Tin Drum is the fictional autobiography of Oskar Matzerath and is a masterpiece of surrealism and characterization and is an exact counterpoint to City of Thieves. Oskar, at the age of three, voluntarily wills himself not to grow up after receiving a tin drum for his birthday. He develops a strained high-pitched singing voice that he uses in various ways; breaking glass, defending his drum (which he is never without), breaking and entering, tombstone inscribing, and entrancing his audience.

Much like the Russian masters Oskar’s autobiography is also the biography of his family and its history and the book delves into the manic lives of the people who affect his life. His mother, her husband Alfred, his mother’s lover and many others who cross paths are all tragic characters of the first degree.

With convoluted interwoven relationships, extramarital affairs, traveling troupes of dwarf clowns, front line battle antics, criminal anti-establishment youth gangs, jazz music, fortune and fame, tombstone engraving, the Düsseldorf Academy of Art, music recording deals, murder, a dismembered finger, and an insane asylum this story has something for everyone. You must read it to get the full effect… Try as I might, my words could never suffice.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast, Wisconsin

Book Review - The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book has received a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews all over the internet but quite frankly I don't understand why. Perhaps Gaiman's reputation and his previous work accumulated higher marks than the book really deserves. Perhaps only his uber-fans are leaving reviews or they’re using a more liberal grading system than normal. I do think Neil Gaiman is a brilliant writer with a unique style but this particular story falls far short of his other work. After multiple homicides on page one nothing happens (and I mean absolutely nothing) for the next hundred pages or more. Slow and plodding The Graveyard Book does not deliver, in my estimation, and I’m afraid it will not stand the test of time. Even as a children's book it's very weak. You’ll forget about this story ten minutes after you’ve finished reading it.

2 ½ stars of 5

The Alternative

Southeast, Wisconsin

Book Review - Nitt-Witt Ridge by Crash Gordon

Nitt-Witt Ridge (A Big Sur Freak Fable)
Crash Gordon
Three Graces Press
2007
212 pages

A book review (of sorts):

Recipe for a maniacal romp through a Dada-esque Wonderland.

1. One antagonist: A sadistic serial-killing black and chrome lizard-rooster (disguised as an evil mother-in-law or, as a tremendous robotic chicken [and the phallic implications here are legion]) - Check

2. Two unsung and unlikely heroes: Philo the flying wonder owl-boy and his dad, Harley, the absent, tree-habitating naturalist – Check

3. One ancient soul: The sage, unparagoned Captain Nitt-Witt himself, Art Beal - Check

4. A pinch of hallucinogenic wonderment: The smoke from an exploding hamster (inhaled voraciously) and the rare Ecuadorian bonsai papaya tree bud (ingest two only) - Double Check

5. Stir in a mixed bag of offbeat, avant-garde characters: Imagine the combined characters from Cannonball Run, the Island of Doctor Moreau, and the WWF Wrestling Federation and you begin to skim the top - Check

6. Crank up a full portion of mood music: Led Zeppelin IV (preferably on vinyl) - Check

7. Add 4 ozs. of absinthe and a few Carlsberg Elephant malts - Check

Mix them all together in the climax at the Helldorado parade in the dead of summer and…

Viola !!!

Nitt-Witt Ridge

Crash Gordon delivers this unprecedented and extraordinary Zen Koan-like novel with a voice as confident and alluring as the ancient Greek philosophers, but with much more humor. This is a solid offering from a first-time author who has the voice of a more mature writer. Featuring an unpredictable cast of characters this short but bittersweet psychedelic, semi-autobiography is considerably more grassroots and elemental than anything by Richard Brautigan and is hipper, tripier, and trendier than Jakucho Setouchi. Listen… the flaming “crotch-o-lantern” is not the craziest thing you’ll read in this book, nor are the exploding canines, or the befeathered chrome-metallic serial-killer. Did I mention that the story climaxes in a duel between our heroes and a psycho-killer using unlikely weapons like a Husqvarna 268 chainsaw and a carving knife?

On a more serious note I must say that you will discover the entire range of human emotions in this story.

Both the Yin and the Yang are represented here. There is a profound sense of loss and abandonment layered throughout (especially in chapters 22, 23 and the last two). There is angst and anger which is deep and believable but tempered by the promise of the good to come. There is also the tender beauty of earned redemption, found love, new hope and unexplored life. For all of these things and more I think you, yes you, should purchase a copy of Nitt-Witt Ridge today and devour it. In the process you’ll become – something more than you were!

Art Beal, wherever he may be, certainly met a kindred soul in Crash Gordon. I think he'd approve. I know I do!

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast, Wisconsin

Book Review - The City and The City by China Mieville

The City & The City Review
China Mieville
Del Rey
May 26, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0345497512
336 pages

There is no doubt that China Mieville is one of our greatest new urban poets but when I began reading “The City & The City” I became very disappointed. Generally, Mieville requires his readers to work a little harder than most for the payoff and “The City” is no exception. I expected the odd Mieville characters in bizarre settings which is (kind of) what I got. But the language, especially the scenes, dialogue, and conversation was written in such an affected style, (stop... and never finish a thought… and go) that I was left wondering many times what any one character was trying to say to another. I have read all his other work and found them less difficult to decipher then this story. But then, in true Mieville fashion the book hits its stride in the last third and somewhat redeems itself. What could have been a terrible mistake of form becomes less cloudy and a really good murder mystery story begins to emerge. The elements that were difficult to understand early on became somewhat clearer and the story suddenly fell into place. I am concerned that first time readers will be put off by this style but perhaps this novel was written for the established fan and not the neophyte. In either event this turned from a confusing story into a satisfactory murder mystery who-dun-it which kept me guessing (yet somewhat confused) until the last page.

I think a more straightforward approach to this story would have eventually made it a time-honored and respected murder-mystery. As is, I have to rate it slightly better than mediocre.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Genesis by Bernard Beckett

Genesis
Bernard Beckett
Longacre Press
January 2006
ISBN-13: 978-1877361524
150 pages



Are sentient machines destined to displace humans as the next logical progression in the evolutionary chain?

This dystopian, man vs. machine novel is a concise, fast-paced Science Fiction tale told through a series of academic interviews and reveals a very different world then ours in the aftermath of a calamitous plague. There are no spoilers here but I will tell you that the resounding revelation and surprise ending are well worth the price of the book. “Genesis” is a well-written, aptly titled parable that twists an odd philosophy around an intellectual suspense. This much too short piece was a pleasantly surprising and entertaining read.

With components of “1984,” “Lord of the Flies,” and “On the Beach” this inventive mystery renders itself perfectly to any required reading curriculum and the story components lend themselves well to topical discussions of apocalyptic catastrophes, totalitarian governments, rebel resistances, and rigid political and social regimes. At the same time it is great reading for enjoyment, as well.

4 out 5 stars

The Alternative One
Southeast, Wisconsin

Book Review - Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg

Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg
Derek Swannson
Three Graces Press
2007
616 Pages

If I had to describe this book in two words I’d have to say… Absolutely brilliant!!

Fortunately, I’m not bound nor inclined to short descriptions.

“Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” is a uniquely engrossing and entertaining read from the first page to the very last word. In the opening scene we meet our hero, the reincarnated, polymath infant Gordon, who guides us through a fantastic journey of mysticism, intrigue, and conspiracy as he strives toward manhood.

With an incredibly intelligent plot, elegant and gripping phrasing, versant nostalgia and a sprinkling of comedy Swannson proves that he has a unique and distinctive voice. This odd but entertaining novel contains familiar elements of Shea and Wilson’s “Illuminatus! Trilogy,” Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Wolfe’s “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” and the entire catalog of Hunter S. Thompson. I was wholly entertained by every one of the six-hundred plus pages of this epic coming of age story. Swannson allows us to be our almost forgotten adolescent selves again while we tag along with Gordon and friends on their strange journey into adulthood.

If you like smart, literate, and humorous Conspiracy Theories about secret societies, alien manipulation, Freemasonry, narcolepsy, Templar’s and the occasional psychedelic acid trip (and who doesn’t?) then this book is for you! In my estimation, Derek Swannson has created a true masterpiece that will stand the test of time. He weaves intricately patterned characters and scenes with great skill and while the novel is a trifle lengthy there is not a single wasted or misplaced word.

Being of a certain age I identified completely with the pop-culture, drug-related, Rock ‘n Roll references, socio-political movements, and historical moments identified in the book. I have to admit that I couldn’t help but laugh at the adolescent banter, insults and jokes between Crash and his friends. And the nostalgia… ah… Farrell’s Ice Cream Shop and the infamous Pig Trough, Speedos, Quadraphonic stereos, camping, and hellgrammites for fishing. Swannson may have channeled every teenage boy I ever knew.

I’m told that the sequel, “Crash Gordon and the Revelations From Big Sur” is forthcoming. I, for one, can’t wait! Do your self a favor and purchase Swannson’s “Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” and his other previously published novel “Nitt-Witt Ridge.” You certainly won’t be disappointed.

Rating: (The very rare) Six out of Five Stars

Be sure to visit Derek's website http://www.crashgordonbooks.com/ for a better understanding of Crash and his exploits.

The Alternative
June 18th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Red Wolf Conspiracy

The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V. S. Redick
Historical Fiction
Del Rey (2009), Hardcover
464 pages
Advance Readers Copy

The first moment I opened this book I could smell the salty sea spray and feel the snap of the heavy canvas sails in the wind. I could hear the creak of ageless magical timber and twisted hemp and the sound of a thousand activities as sailors scurried the deck of the Chathrand as it plied The Quiet Sea. Not since Raymond Feist’s “The King’s Buccaneer” or C. S. Forester’s “Hornblower” books have I had such fun on the high seas.

I truly enjoyed “The Red Wolf Conspiracy” and was pleasantly surprised and impressed by such a highly imaginative debut novel. I’m looking forward to all his future works. This is an historical seafaring romp with a magical/fantastical twist entwined with political intrigue which kept me turning pages at a furious rate. This is an enjoyable read with intelligently crafted characters, locations and scenes and was undeniably captivating. Best of all, there wasn’t a single misplaced or wasted word. I ask you to recall the first time you read “Lord Valentine’s Castle” or any of the “Pern” stories and you’ll begin to understand how wonderfully immersed in the fantasy I became while reading this tale.

My favorite characters were the tiny Ixhxchr which appear to be loosely based on Ireland’s “Little Folk” and Captain Nilus Rose, the stalwart skipper of the greatest ship to ever sail.

I can’t think of a single negative thing to say about this book. And, after an hour of thought I still can’t seem to find the right words to praise it highly enough.

5 of 5 stars

The Alternative
May 1st, 2009
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - Pureheart

Pureheart
Rita Hsu Syers
Bronwen Publishing (2009)
Hardcover
340 pages
Advance Readers Copy

Tedious, canine “preachy” and much too explanatory this book was very difficult for me to read (and honestly I didn’t get past page 60). The premise is interesting and could have been an action drama filled with interesting pacing and creative characters. But, unfortunately, it was not.

I have news for the author. (And please don’t bash me for not being an animal lover…) Not everyone in the world loves dogs, owns a dog or works with dogs. My word, every human in the book had dogs in common. But in the real world even if everyone you know owns a dog its not THE only thing they ever discuss. I do like animals and thought this story had some promise but the monotony turned me off almost from the start.

1 ½ out of 5 stars

The Alternative
May 1st, 2009
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - Gray Apocalypse

Gray Apocalypse by James Murdoch
Demand Publications
350 pages
Advance Reader Copy

While not a conspiracy theorist myself I can usually suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy a good doomsday yarn. In the case of “Gray Apocalypse” there was no suspension required on my part at all. Murdoch’s prose is gripping and filled with page turning non-stop action and I was hooked after the first few pages. The story is an engrossing SF/alien invasion/X-Files/conspiracy theory meets “Footfall” meets James Rollins adventure which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The protagonist, Michael Kendon, is a Belarusian born secret agent for The Collaboration and is a skilled assassin and infinitely cunning. Kendon has compelling appeal and with a little work could easily become a reoccurring franchise character (i.e. Gabriel Allon, Robert Langdon, Doc Savage, etc.).

The story has few wasted words or actions and moves along with magnificent pacing. While never one to spoil an ending I will say that Murdoch had me turning pages at a furious rate to reach the climactic reward.

A few minor negatives

Contrived plot devices:
The astronomer whose father was a hypnotist which makes him an accomplished hypnotist how?
Killer/healer – Trained to kill snitches he becomes the world’s biggest whistle-blower.
Healer/killer - A trained operative with healing hands? Can you say experiment! Any good secret agency would have had his DNA sequenced already by the very same agency he worked for.

Clichés:
“I loved you before I ever met you!”

One huge bonus, as far as I’m concerned, was that the author was kind enough to sign my copy of the book (add a half star) and sent a personal letter asking me to review it.

4 of 5 stars

The Alternative
April 28th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Certain Jeopardy

Certain Jeopardy by Jeff Struecker
B&H Books (2009)
Trade Paperback
400 pages
Advance Readers Copy

While the premise and plot were quite interesting the conclusion of this story was a bit predictable. This was a fairly quick read which usually tends to make me want to give the author a higher rating. Perhaps this is because of how hard it is to write something that reads quickly.

But there are elements of this story that seem out of place to me. First, the more overtly religious themes (i.e. prayer, moral choices, etc.) came at odd times and distracted me. Second, there was an obvious effort to gloss over profanities and hard language which in a story of this nature seems unrealistic. And third, there was a faint undertone of being “ministered to,” not exactly what I’m looking for in a story about covert military operations.

The Special Ops themes, military objectives, and action sequences of “Certain Jeopardy” were interesting and entertaining to read. And it is obvious that the author has had military training and has also experienced the most difficult task of war; that of leaving loved ones behind.

The main characters were very believable and nicely drawn from experience and the mission, while not exactly front page news, was plausible if not somewhat far-fetched.

Overall a fairly good read.

3 of 5 stars

The Alternative
April 12th, 2009
Southeastern Wisconsin

Book Review - American Rust

American Rust: A Novel by Philipp Meyer
Trade Paperback
Spiegel and Grau
343 pages
Advanced Reader Copy

“American Rust” is an aptly named novel that spins a tale of restless lives in the depressed steel towns of central Pennsylvania. Mounds of real American rust abound in this entertaining narrative. You will find here the tarnish of abandoned steel mills and mill towns corroded by poverty and despair, the rust of muddy rivers browned by the ravages of steel processing, the corrosion of ancient railroad yards and trains, and the smell of ancient steel, creosote and tailings. And, woven throughout is the rust of rage, violence, blood and death.

When I opened this book a short note on the first page struck me. The publisher likened Philipp Meyer to John Steinbeck! I was astounded and thought it quite a bit premature to compare this first time writer to an exceptional classic novelist. I began reading American Rust with the idea that Meyer had awfully big shoes to fill. Deep down I knew he was being set up to fail and that there was no way he could live up to the praise. But…

Imagine my surprise when I found that there were some very real similarities between Meyer and Steinbeck! They both describe the poignant complexities of the broken heart, especially in damaged or ruined relationships, and there are so many of them in this novel. They both depict scenes of the lost American Dream and move the story along with travelogues; riding the rails and running from inner demons. The human condition is depicted with beautiful prose and the bleak realities of facing forward and taking responsibility for ones own actions is central. They both understand the restlessness of people caught up in depression (both economical and intellectual) and the inertia of lives and actions that have steamrolled out of control. Meyer is dark, bleak and moving; everything Steinbeck was so very good at and his characters are realistically drawn in remarkable prose. They are as human as anyone we know and are both breathtakingly beautiful and tragic at the same time. When you’ve finished reading “American Rust” you will be forced to agree that while the ghost of Steinbeck does not necessarily live in Meyer it haunts him nonetheless.

A few negatives should be addressed here: The pacing is, at times, erratic and jumps from character to character sometimes at the expense of moving the plot forward. The “split personality” tough guy persona of the Kid inside Isaac was, in my opinion, unnecessary. Isaac’s own inner voice of despair and suffering would have sufficed on its own.

This was, overall, a very enjoyable read and I was pleasantly surprised by Meyer’s style and the raw emotion of the story. With these genuine scenes of rusted America you will touch, taste, smell and feel the very human struggle of trying to hold on during the toughest of times.

I give it 4 ½ stars out of 5 stars.

The Alternative
February 28th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Book Thief

The Book Thief
Markus Zusak

Incredible read!

From the clipped-quick style to the controversial content this is a truly magnificent book! Zusack has the rare ability to entrance the reader and stir emotions long subdued. He shows us that people are capable of incredible evil and delicate, heart-rending good. Although labeled Young Adult this is by no means a children’s book. Its Nazi Germany 1939-1945 and we understand at the outset that tragedy is in the making but Zusack surprises and delights us with this powerful tale and while we all know what’s going to happen I couldn’t stop turning pages at a furious rate. And, my word, how many books have you read where death is the narrator? I loved this book… you will too!

5 out of 5 Stars

The Alternative
February 21st, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Year of Wonders

Year of Wonders
Geraldine Brooks

‘Year of Wonders’ is the fictionalized account of the village and denizens of Eyam, Derbyshire, England. The year is 1666 and a number of villagers have died of the Black Death. The community reluctantly decides to undergo a self-imposed quarantine and they restrict travel in and out of the village until the plague can run its course. A sympathetic neighbor delivers food and supplies to a preset location at the boundary of the village for those who survive. But the dead soon outnumber the living.

The narrative follows the lives of some of the prominent villagers and the heart-wrenching struggles in which they find themselves entangled. Well written, with believable characters and emotional on many levels Brooks gives us an historical novel of great power and passion. Painstakingly researched to the most macabre details of death from the plague and life in the 17th century this book is not for the weak of heart but will make your heart weak by the suffering and sacrifice of every single member of the hamlet.

This is what every great historical novel should strive to become; real, human and filled with life… even in death.

5 out of 5 Stars

The Alternative
February 6th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Revelation of Fire

Revelation of Fire by Alla Avilova
The Permanent Press
288 pgs.
Advance Readers Copy

Revelation of Fire is a thoroughly enjoyable read and is, to me, reminiscent of the Russian masters. Like them Avilova has a firm grasp of human nature and an unnatural insight into the soul of the common man. Her characters are compelling, real and absolutely believable and the numerous mysteries kept me turning pages at a furious clip. I have to admit that as a true Science Fiction fan this type of story is not my usual bill of fare but it proved to keep me enthralled throughout and is written with a poetic and masterful hand.

Alla Avilova’s fascinating novel pursues a mystical text, Revelation of Fire, through various historical eras. The book is touched and touches various individuals who perpetuate the spiritual mysteries contained within the book. From sixteenth century monks to cold-war literature experts the books provenance is tracked through history and eventually finds its way to the Russian SCHA library where it rests in obscurity. When a Dutch literature researcher requests the book the curators find that the book has disappeared and the search is on.

Little by little the protagonists, Bert and Nadya, fit many unlikely elements together, revealing a sequence of events and random connections that defy rational explanation. In truth, they build upon small unraveled vignettes of past owners (well, keepers) of the book and in due course locate it but in an attempt too remove it from Moscow they lose it.

The book is partially a mystery with elements of suspense and to a degree a dissertation on spiritualism. If there is anything wrong with this book it is at the 100 page point where the author attempts to explain the spiritualism everyone seems to be chasing. It felt a bit preachy to me but fortunately it is only drawn out for a few pages.

Avilova’s wonderful settings are compelling and she’ll draw you in to the spirit of each location. Russian landscapes, hermitages, cold war apartments, and a 19th century fishing village force the reader to examine each location closely and you are transformed there.

The climax, appeared to be a bit of a let down at the time, and contained no new real mystical teachings but I soon learned that that wasn’t the point. The crucial purpose of the story was the personal revelations of the ordinary people who discovered the Revelation of Fire and were touched by the mysticism within it and how it changed their lives. For this reason alone I suggest you purchase this book today and make it a permanent addition to your collection.

5 of 5 stars

The Alternative One
January 22nd, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Why the Long Face? Stories

Why the Long Face? Stories
Ron MacLean
Swank Books
210 pages
Review Copy

Something happened to me while I was reading this book of short stories and I’m certain it will happen to you too. About half-way through the book I realized that MacLean is one of those rare authors who truly understand the human condition. His stories, while well constructed and tightly plotted, were not really about the narrative but about the people. MacLean’s characters are incredibly drawn; full, flawed and absolutely as real as you or I. They fill each story with reality and define what it means to be human. Some of the characters you’ll meet include Gertrude Stein, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, an immoral Mayor, an unfaithful husband whose mistress is the Internet, a man with a spike driven through his head and the curator of the Museum of Toast. The list of characters alone should drive you to purchase this book immediately.

For that reason alone I’ve given his book the rare 5 of 5 stars.

The Alternative
December 30th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Archangel Project

The Archangel Project
C. S Graham
Harper (2008), Mass Market Paperback384 pages
Advance Reader Copy

During a paranormal case study, October Guinness uses her unusual gift of remote viewing to accidentally uncover a government conspiracy. When people around her begin to die, including the administrator of the test and then others that were close or connected to her, she is forced to a life on the run. Jax Alexander, an operative from a non-respected branch of the CIA, is sent to investigate October’s disappearance and uncovers an intricate plot to assassinate the Vice President. Together, using October’s gift and Jax’s skills as an agent the two must work together to unravel and stop the assassination.

I liked the idea of remote viewing as a plot device and this appealed to me as both a unique and interesting inclusion. I also enjoyed the idea of a conspiracy spawned by a branch of the government. All of which made this book a very fast and rather enjoyable read for me. The plot was, however, a bit predictable and there were points when too many characters were introduced in short choppy chapters that slowed up the flow of the story. Nota as tight as some stories of this genre that I’ve read but certainly worth the two or three nights it’ll take you to read.

3 ½ out of 5 Stars

The Alternative
November 30th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Any Given Doomsday (The Phoenix Chronicles)

Any Given Doomsday (The Phoenix Chronicles)
Lori Handeland
Not my usual fare and not really up to par. If you’re looking for the occult, vampires, werewolves, etc. I'd stick to Charlane Harris.

2 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
October 17th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Fire

The Fire: A Novel
Katherine Neville
Ballantine Books (2008)
464 pages
Advance Readers Copy

This book is an ARC that I received in the mail unexpectedly from Ballantine Books. I was thrilled to be able to add it to my paper collection. It was free and unsolicited which made it that much better! For sending an extra ARC book that I did not even request Ballantine and LibraryThing.com get 5 out of 5 stars!

It seems obvious by the many reviews of this book posted at LibraryThing.com and elsewhere that you cannot mention it without talking about “The Eight” which is the first book in the series. I have to admit that I have never read “The Eight” but have seen a lot of positive remarks about it on the net. It seems to have had many good reviews over the years. With that information in mind I began reading “The Fire” the sequel.
The story flowed well and I finished it rather quickly and enjoyed parts of it. However, there were some obvious failings that bothered me. Some of the history was blatantly incorrect. (For example on Page 70 Ali Pasha was supplied repeating rifles designed for Lord Byron in America in 1822! This weapon wasn’t even invented until the late 1840’s and the first true patent wasn’t awarded until 1860!) There were other inconsistencies but this one stood out.

Second, the clues were “presented” rather than “allowed” to be uncovered through the writing. (Gosh, I wish I had the black queen, oh look, I’ve found the black queen. And since when does LX mean Luxury Car?? Page 40.) The reader wasn’t allowed the luxury to figure out the clue but was handed them prematurely. They were, perhaps, given up too freely.

Third, the pop-culture clichés and sayings bantered between the main character and her friend seemed very misplaced, awkward and ill-timed to me. They probably should have been left out completely as they did nothing to move the story forward.
The characters were well drawn as were most of the locations. And I enjoyed many of the scenes, especially those of a historic nature but the author probably should have spent a little more time on this before submitting for publication.

2 ½ stars out of 5

P.S. I did purchase “The Eight” after receiving the ARC sequel because I’ve heard only good things about it. With that said I intend to read them both back to back to see if my opinion of the sequel changes for the better.

The Alternative
September 28th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - American Gods

American Gods
Neil Gaiman

The mythology of the world comes alive on the roads of America. This novel is a road trip Baedeker, an examination of the psyche, a prelude to Armageddon, and a page turner all in one. What more could you ask for in urban fantasy?

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
May 5, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Flounder

The Flounder
Gunter Grass

Comparable stories of the battle of the sexes told by an immortal talking flounder, (yes, really) whose subtle guidance to men through the ages leads to the destruction of a once influential matriarchal society and the ascendance of patriarchy.

Hmmm, well, almost every review I've seen of this book has some negative critique or another. I, on the other hand, found it a fabulous piece of fiction. This reincarnation creation myth is quite entertaining and serves as Grass' definitive statement concerning history, feminism and yes, love. I'll leave it up to you to discover the rest.

The Alternative
Apr 7, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights : From the Winchester Mss. of Thomas Malory and Other Sources…
John Steinbeck

The very best modern retelling of the Arthurian Legend. If you've read Malory's version of the myth then this is your next stop. Steinbeck brings the legend back to life. The only thing wrong with this book is that his untimely death left it unfinished. Each story is an entertaining tale, full of insight about the art of chivalry, women, war, and the concepts of honor and dignity.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Apr 6, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - 100 selected poems

100 selected poems
e. e. cummings

No one plays with words as well as cummings. He is imaginative and intelligent and 100 Selected Poems proves it. Beware of those who call his poetry "verbal gimmicks." They have read the poetry but not felt it. For those who don't get it the answer is simple: read it again!

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Apr 6, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Underground

Underground
Suelette Dreyfus

Hacking, madness and obsession on the electronic frontier

http://www.underground-book.com/

The Alternative
Apr 2, 2007
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - 1776

1776
David McCullough

All you ever wanted to know about 1776 is here. The history of one year in the very early days of our country is aptly portrayed by historian David McCullough.

5 out of 5 stars

The Alternative
Dec 29, 2006
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg

Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg
Derek Swannson
Three Graces Press
2007
616 Pages

If I had to describe this book in two words I’d have to say… Absolutely brilliant!!

Fortunately, I’m not bound nor inclined to short descriptions.

“Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” is a uniquely engrossing and entertaining read from the first page to the very last word. In the opening scene we meet our hero, the reincarnated, polymath infant Gordon, who guides us through a fantastic journey of mysticism, intrigue, and conspiracy as he strives toward manhood.

With an incredibly intelligent plot, elegant and gripping phrasing, versant nostalgia and a sprinkling of comedy Swannson proves that he has a unique and distinctive voice. This odd but entertaining novel contains familiar elements of Shea and Wilson’s “Illuminatus! Trilogy,” Kerouac’s “On the Road,” Wolfe’s “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test,” and the entire catalog of Hunter S. Thompson. I was wholly entertained by every one of the six-hundred plus pages of this epic coming of age story. Swannson allows us to be our almost forgotten adolescent selves again while we tag along with Gordon and friends on their strange journey into adulthood.

If you like smart, literate, and humorous Conspiracy Theories about secret societies, alien manipulation, Freemasonry, narcolepsy, Templar’s and the occasional psychedelic acid trip (and who doesn’t?) then this book is for you! In my estimation, Derek Swannson has created a true masterpiece that will stand the test of time. He weaves intricately patterned characters and scenes with great skill and while the novel is a trifle lengthy there is not a single wasted or misplaced word.

Being of a certain age I identified completely with the pop-culture, drug-related, Rock ‘n Roll references, socio-political movements, and historical moments identified in the book. I have to admit that I couldn’t help but laugh at the adolescent banter, insults and jokes between Crash and his friends. And the nostalgia… ah… Farrell’s Ice Cream Shop and the infamous Pig Trough, Speedos, Quadraphonic stereos, camping, and hellgrammites for fishing. Swannson may have channeled every teenage boy I ever knew.

I’m told that the sequel, “Crash Gordon and the Revelations From Big Sur” is forthcoming. I, for one, can’t wait! Do your self a favor and purchase Swannson’s “Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg” and his other previously published novel “Nitt-Witt Ridge.” You certainly won’t be disappointed.

Rating: (The very rare) Six out of Five Stars

The Alternative
Southeast Wisconsin

Science Fiction Lists

A few Science Fiction websites worth viewing:

1. Sci-Fi List Top 100

2. Science-Fiction Book Club - Top 50

3. Top 10 Mind Blowing Science Fiction

4. Listology - David Pringle's Top 100

5. Internet Top 100 SF/Fantasy

6. Best (and Worst) SF/Fantasy Book Covers

7. Best 10 Obscure but Superb Science-Fiction

8. 10 Most Influential Sci-Fi Writers

9. 10 Free Science Fiction Novels Online

10. Top 12 Dystopian Novels

12. The Hugo Awards

13. The Nebula Awards (Note: Includes Andre Norton Award by year)

14. John W. Campbell Award

15. Ultra-Condensed SF/F Books

My Top 10 (in no particular order):

Book Review - The Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner

The Journal of Curious Letters (Book One of The 13th Reality Series)… by James Dashner

The Journal of Curious Letters
(Book One of The13th Reality Series)
By James Dashner
(Advanced Reader Copy)

What do Quantum Physics, the Bermuda Triangle and cemeteries have in common?
The 13th Realty holds the answer to that question…

Thirteen year old chess and science geek Atticus Higginbottom (Tick, to his friends) is drawn into a life and death struggle between the influences of good and evil among alternate universes. When twelve mysterious letters are delivered to Tick that will reveal a supernatural and secret ritual to “save the lives of many people” he sets out to unravel the mysteries hidden in the clues which will send him on a journey rife with peril. Along the way Tick meets and befriends three other teenagers who have also committed to the cause. An eight foot tall woman named Mothball and Rutger, a short, rotund man with a mischievous sense of humor serve as both tutor and vanguard to Tick and his friends. Guiding them all is the mysterious Master George.

The Journal of Curious Letters is a unique story for both children and adults young at heart and has all the markings of a strong series. It is full of high adventure and the pace quickens considerably once the initial plot and characters have been fleshed out. There is enough action interspersed throughout to balance the plot with the antagonists and protagonists and the last few chapters overflow with conflict and exploration. While I could complain about character development and exposition I won’t, simply because I’m absolutely sure most of us could not create and write what James Dashner has accomplished here.

After reading the back cover blurb I wanted to believe that this book could be the next “Harry Potter” or “His Dark Materials.” It isn’t, of course, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing since the distinctiveness of this tale makes me look forward to reading the next book in the series. In my humble estimation this book should rest on the same bookshelf next to the above named children’s books as an equal in its own tradition.

I look forward to learning more about Master George, Mistress Jane and “The 13th Realty” which is why I will put up my hard earned cash for the next installment when it becomes available.

Four stars for the legend and a half star for the exceptionally creative idea.

The Alternative One
Southeastern Wisconsin
Feb 14, 2008

Book Review - Dies the Fire by S. M. Stirling

Dies the Fire (Roc Science Fiction) by S.M. Stirling
Alternate History at its best...

S. M. Stirling delivers an engrossing story of post-apocalyptic America, New Age witches and desperate cannibals. “Dies the Fire” recounts the back-to-the-earth hand-to-mouth conflict of civilization to survive "The Change," a global incident that alters the physical laws of the world to make all modern technology worthless.

The novel follows the civilization building actions of Mike Havel, a former Marine pilot, and Juniper Mackenzie, a New Age Wiccan priestess and Celtic songwriter as they build separate but cooperative communities in the American Northwest.

4 and ½ of 5 stars

Other Books of the Change

Island in the Sea of Time
1. Island in the Sea of Time (1997)
2. Against the Tide of Years (1998)
3. On the Oceans of Eternity (2000)

Dies the Fire
1. Dies the Fire (2004)
2. The Protector's War (2005)
3. A Meeting at Corvallis (2006)

Change
1. The Sunrise Lands (2007)
2. The Scourge of God (2008)

The Alternative One
Southeastern Wisconsin
April 6, 2008

Book Review - The Last Oracle by James Rollins

The Last Oracle
by James Rollins
(Advance Reader’s Edition)

The Last Oracle is a Sigma Force adventure that combines elements of Theodore Sturgeon’s More Than Human (the gestalt of remarkable children), Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (a mystery enveloped in adventure), autistic savants (empaths, sensitives and precognitives) and the history of the Oracle of Delphi.

This book relies slightly on the story that preceded it (Judas Strain) but reading the earlier books in the series is not required to enjoy this story.

A Russian agency has bred Gypsy children and manipulated their DNA for half a century in an effort to create modern day precognitives (or oracles.) They plan to murder a consortium of world leaders and destroy the earth in a “blaze of fire” and, with ten mind-controlled and -altered “oracle” pawns, rule what remains. One precognitive in particular, a little girl named Sasha with undreamed of abilities and potential, is abducted while traveling in the United States and the race to save the world begins.

Enter Sigma Force… Commander Gray Pierce is a seasoned veteran of this “elite team of ex-Special Forces soldiers who had been retrained in scientific fields…” Their quest to avert the apocalypse begins when Pierce witnesses a murder on the Mall in Washington, DC. In an effort to uncover the mystery surrounding the murder Pierce and a cadre of operatives move around the globe from Washington to the Punjab region of India to Chernobyl, Ukraine following clues left behind by the dead man. Sigma Force uncovers the plot and must work to prevent the annihilation of the world and destroy the Russian faction and its cohorts.

Monk, a member of the Sigma Force whose memory has been erased by the Russians, helps three of the “special” children and a chimpanzee escape from the compound known as The Warren in the Ukraine. Chased by soldiers, wolves and tigers the group must survive the radioactive fields and lakes of the Ural Mountains and the pursuit of their captors to help bring a stop to Armageddon.

In true Rollins fashion the many diverse characters, groups and sub-plots coalesce and combine together in an astonishing action-filled finale.

Inconsistencies in the story:

1. On page 330 we find the following sentence: “Archibald Polk had died of acute radiation poisoning, possibly exposed here.” but on page 21 we are told that Archibald was shot on the Mall in Washington, D.C. We later learn that the radiation levels in his body were so high that they would have killed him within weeks. But Archibald Polk died of gunshot wounds and not radiation. This is a minor inconsistency, but one that should be fixed prior to mass publication.

2. On page 335 when Gray is chasing Nicolas he gets pinned down by gunfire from Elena. Then… “Gray checked his watch. Ten minutes.” Since Gray is not part of the conspiracy and arrived on the scene late how would he know that there were ten minutes left? And ten minutes to what? He has no knowledge at this point that any event is going to happen yet he seems to know the time frame. I found these two sentences out of place and used probably only for dramatic purpose. Note: There are also a number of typographical errors in the ARC which usually get fixed before mass publication.

The Sigma Force Series
1. Sandstorm (2004)
2. Map of Bones (2005)
3. Black Order (2006)
4. Judas Strain (2007)
5. The Last Oracle (2008)

A word about James Rollins – After reading a number of his other novels (Subterranean, Excavation and Amazonia) I’ve come to respect Rollin’s work because of his ability to create stories that contain multiple layers and sub-plots that keep the reader interested in the story until the last word. He has that rare talent of orchestrating three or more story lines and characters that interweave together fluidly. His novels are quick reads – not because their simple but simply because you’ll relentlessly turn pages in an excited frenzy to find out what happens next. The highest compliment I could pay him is that if they ever made a movie of one of his stories I’d shell out the $8.00 to see that too (even though I know how it’d end.)

Four and a half stars of five

The Alternative
April 12th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

People of the Book
by Geraldine Brooks

Pulitzer Prize winner Brooks has created an historical-based and insightful story that will both entertain and enlighten and integrates a thought-provoking and emotional plot with imperfect, yet very human, characters.

Reminiscent of The Red Violin, People of the Book takes us on a journey that trails an illuminated Haggadah, or Hebrew prayer book, throughout history and tells the stories of the people involved in its creation and protection. This voyage takes us into the dungeons of the Church during the Spanish Inquisition, through the seizure of art and the censorship and burning of books by the Nazis in World War II and then to the salvation of the book from destruction during the unrest in Sarajevo. Each of these stories, and others, gives the reader a glimpse into the history of the acts of construction and preservation of a humble yet significant book.

Hanna Heath, a manuscript conservationist, is asked to preserve a prayer book by the museum in Bosnia that holds it. In doing so she uncovers a number of mundane yet historical artifacts that have lain buried in the vellum and crevices of the pages for hundreds of years. Each found item reveals a significant portion of the complete story. A piece of a butterfly wing, tiny fragments of sea salt, wine and blood spots and an unidentified white hair provide flashbacks to historical times and places that unravel the mysteries of the painstaking art of manufacturing and the struggle to protect this ancient manuscript. Each item traces a few moments in the lives of people associated with the book and uncovers a piece of the puzzle explaining its existence and survival. (The story of Lola and the people in her life is an exceptionally emotional one which will bring you to tears.)

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mystery, intrigue, history or just a great story.

For more information concerning this book see Brooks’ Readers Guide here: http://www.geraldinebrooks.com/people.html

Five out of five stars

The Alternative
April 30th, 2008
Southeast Wisconsin

Book Review - Time Bandit by Andy and Jonathan Hillstrand

Time Bandit
(Two Brothers, The Bearing Sea, and One of the World’s Deadliest Jobs)
By Andy and Jonathan Hillstrand, with Malcolm MacPherson
Ballantyne Books
Copyright 2008; 230 pages
Advance Uncorrected Proof

“Time Bandit” recounts the adventures of the Hillstrand Brothers, Andy and Jonathan, captains of the fishing vessel of the same name which is highlighted on the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch.” Written as a memoir, the book chronicles in detail the adventures of the two brothers and their crew when they are not out fishing for crab in the Bering Sea. Not surprisingly, that includes more fishing, drinking, womanizing, fishing, a bit of ranching and a little more fishing. The most interesting thing about the book is, in fact, the two brothers. They are, without a doubt, characters which even the best fiction writers could not duplicate. They are real people with real faults doing the deadliest job on the planet and that is what appeals to me.

While not high literature “Time Bandit” does give us an insight into a vanishing way of life. This is a social commentary on a particular vanishing breed of men and their profession. While reading the book I was reminded of other professions that were lost in similar fashion. The small farms of one hundred years ago no longer exist today. Most have been swallowed up by vast conglomerate farming corporations. And tuna fishing has changed drastically, too. No more do muscular men wrangle and struggle to land huge tuna onto a boat with a pole and line. The difference here is that this lifestyle, which will someday disappear, has been documented and we are lucky enough to view it first hand.

In some ways I liked this book more for what it was not than what it was. It is not a glitzy Hollywood remake of the Perfect Storm or a recount of every fight and brawl experienced. It is about the brave men who work in the most dangerous of places, who love what they do and do not complain about their lot in life. Most of us could learn a lesson from that…

Three and a half stars out of five

The Alternative
Southeastern Wisconsin
May 17th, 2008

Book Review - Bikeman by Thomas F. Flynn

Bikeman (An Epic Poem)
By Thomas F. Flynn
Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC
Copyright 2008; 76 pages
LibraryThing.com Early Review

Close proximity to any event of historic significance must give one a more profound view and enhanced understanding of it than those outside its perimeter. I cannot imagine the sense of loss, disorientation, panic and grief suffered on that day in September when the World Trade buildings fell. I retain my own feelings regarding 911 but they cannot match the intensity of emotions of those living in New York at the time.

Through his poetry Thomas F. Flynn attempts to reveal a ground level glimpse of his actions, and more importantly his emotions, on that tragic day. His prose is both genuine and insightful and like any good writer he has the ability to turn a phrase that the reader will remember. It did not, however, have the impact I expected. It did not jar me to my knees in sorrow or bring me to tears as I thought it might. Rather, more subtle emotions were at play here. His poetry reports the swift changes that took place from the mundane of the day-to-day to extraordinary feats of bravery and sacrifice to destruction, incomprehension, and loss of life.

In my opinion, Flynn’s poetry fails to match the degree of magnitude and portray the intense and painful sorrow the events expressed. But, then again, few mortals, let alone poets, can. I imagine this work was in some ways as difficult to write as the experience itself. How many of us would be brave enough to dredge up those memories and re-live them for the entire world to see? For that reason alone this work demands our respect.

Bikeman is a fine epic poem of many dimensions with several different components. Save the first, which is a soliloquy of his emotional experience, each describes an event that Flynn endured on that fateful day. It is literally full of grit, and grief and raw emotion. While not my idea of exceptional poetry it should be read for its historic value and it’s first hand account of one of the most tragic episodes in American history. It is, in small measure, a single piece of the total chaotic story that none of us will ever forget and few of us could impart so well.

Three out of five stars

The Alternative
Southeastern Wisconsin
June 1st, 2008

Book Review - The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry

The Charlemagne Pursuit
Steve Berry
Ballantine Books
Copyright 2008; 509 pages
Advance Reader’s Edition

Cotton Malone’s most personal adventure to date pits him in league and at odds with sisters Dorothea and Christl Oberhauser. In 1971 a nameless, super-secret United States nuclear submarine is lost in Antarctica. Aboard is Cotton’s father, Forrest, Officer-in-Charge, and Dietz Oberhauser, mission Field Specialist and the patriarch of the Oberhauser fortune. The assignment and the submarine are so secret that its existence and the incident are hidden from the public for over 40 years. When Cotton is approached by the sisters, who search for answers concerning the death of their father and that ill-fated mysterious journey, he reluctantly joins them in their quest which parallels his investigation of his father’s disappearance.

The mystery grows when secrets from the reign of the Emperor Charlemagne are revealed and the plot then entwines elements of rogue foreign intelligence officers, a corrupt Navy officer bent on becoming the next Vice-President, deranged racial Nazi philosophy, a strange manuscript from Charlemagne’s tomb and the mystery of an ancient hidden civilization. The manuscript, which has never been translated, the architecture of Charlemagne’s Chapel, historical characters from the Holy Roman Empire and the hint of a pre-historic advanced civilization deepen the mystery and provide an intriguing thriller filled with unforgettable characters and an exciting sense of action.

Yes, Berry finds a way to bring all these elements together in a satisfactory and entertaining climax.

Cotton Malone is a very interesting and memorable character. Part Doc Savage, part Indiana Jones mixed with a bit of Mack Bolan he is the epitome of the macho secret agent; intelligent enough to crack difficult puzzles, ruthless enough to kill when necessary and, as a rare book dealer, has an extremely erudite grasp of world history. All of which make him a difficult and formidable opponent.

This is the third Cotton Malone novel I’ve had the pleasure to read and Berry never fails to keep my interest.

Note: The mysterious manuscript used throughout the book is known as the Voynich Manuscript which is an actual illustrated book of unknown origin written in an indecipherable text between 1450 and 1520 AD. It plays a pivotal role in the book and I was very excited to see it used as a plot device. The author, script, and language of the manuscript remain unknown to this day. Not a single word from this document has ever been deciphered.

Four out of five stars.

Books in the Cotton Malone Series:
1. The Templar Legacy (2006)
2. The Alexandria Link (2007)
3. The Venetian Betrayal (2007)
4. The Charlemagne Pursuit (2008)