Friday, March 30, 2018

Review: Solider Zero by Stan Lee, Paul Cornell, Javier Pina, Sergio Arino et al. (Volume One)

Synopsis: Having lost the use of his legs during the Afghanistan War, Captain Stewart Trautmann returned stateside with an understandingly negative attitude towards combat and violence - but his convictions are put to the test when a devastating meteor shower brings an alien parasite that transformed him into an ultimate weapon. (from the back of the volume)

Review: After I found this cheap at used bookshop, I picked it up as it looked intriguing. Trautmann suffered the loss of his legs in military, but suffers at home as he adjusts not only to his new life without legs but to the people around him - his brother, his students, the girl he likes - and their varying ability to handle his disability. Into this falls the alien parasite who latches onto him as the host dies. In this form, he is compelled to fight the enemy of the parasite.
To begin, the story handles the disability well, expressing the both the awkwardness, the confusion, the difficulties that both the person and the people around them struggle with. As for Trautmann, he has accepted his new life, but still eagerly reaches for the change to walk again. But the violence it requires, even violence to save others, troubles him.
With bold, bright, dynamic art, strong characters, and a wicked cliff-hanger, this story has all the right elements for intriguing and fantastic story. Sadly, it was canceled after a few volumes, more due to being unable to find a foot in the cluttered world of superheros than to being a sub-par story. Worth reading!

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 9781608860470
Year Published: 2011
Date Finished: 3-14-2018
Pages: 86

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Review: Lazarus: Cull by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark, Sanit Arcas et al (Volume Five) & Lazarus: Poison by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark, Sanit Arcas et al (Volume Four)

Synopsis: As her father lays near death and war rages on two fronts, Forever Carlyle of House Carlyle struggles to understand her place and her origins. Secrets come to light, friends and family turn to enemies, and Forever begins to make choices that will change the fate of the world....

Review: As with the previous story, these are fantastic! Dark and dynamic art compliments strong story arcs and fantastic action. The external struggles Forever face are balanced with her internal confusion, throwing her off balance. Her incredible power and talent clashes with the relative immaturity of her emotions and caused the confusion that drives her personal choices. This creates excellent tension in the plot.
Another aspect that makes this story intriguing is the complex characters. No person is truly good or bad, but a realistic mix of both, as humans usually are.  This gives richness to the narrative, and keeps the reader guessing as far as their true motives. Combined with action and intrigue, this creates a story that moves at a blistering pace.
With a solid female lead character, multiple complex secondary ones, bloody action, twisting plot, and brilliant artwork, this is a must-read for any fans of multifaceted action stories. I’m eager for the next installment.


Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5 (Both)

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-1-63215-523-8 / 978-1-5343-0024-8
Year Published: 2016 / 2017
Date Finished: 3-12-2018
Pages: 132 / 141

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Review: Savvy by Ingrid Law

Synopsis: Thirteen is when a Beaumont’s savvy hits—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and another who creates electricity, Mibs Beaumont is eager to see what she gets. But just before the big day, Poppa is in a terrible accident. And now all Mibs wants is a savvy that will save him. In fact, Mibs is so sure she’ll get a powerful savvy that she sneaks a ride to the hospital on a rickety bus with her sibling and the preacher’s kids in tow. After this extraordinary adventure—full of talking tattoos and a kidnapping—not a soul on board will ever be the same. (from the online description)

Review: Perhaps I am getting older, but this book did not appeal to me. The trope (child’s journey to save a sick parent) is a bit overdone. But I was prepared to overlook that (as any trope can work if handled well) particularly given the idea of the Savvy. The Savvy part of the story was the only good part of the story. Seeing Mibs struggle to accept hers, to “scumble” her Savvy, and to come to terms with the things in life that we can’t change. But the idea of the bus trip boring, the plot is drawn out, and the adults are feel like caricatures of real people and lack the depth of real people.

Sadly, this is the first Newbery that I didn’t enjoy. Not that I think it’s bad or immoral, just not a good. However, I can see why people would enjoy it and I would not dissuade anyone from reading it. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 4

Awards: Newbery Honor (2009)

ISBN: 978-0-8037-3306-0
Year Published: 2008
Date Finished: 3-11-2018
Pages: 342

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Synopsis: In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. (from the back of the book)

Review: Rife with more nerd references than I ever thought possible, Ready Player One tells a story both terrifying and creative. An energy crisis leaves most of the world living in dire poverty with the only escape a virtual world synonymous with the Internet, called the Oasis. A world where you can be and do anything you want, where you can live your favorite books or movies, and look anyway you want. In this world, creator James Halliday left a puzzle - and the prize is control of the Oasis. Wade Watts has spent years learning about Halliday and his obsession with the 80s - enough that he finds the first clue. Finding the clue sets in motion deadly events as powerful people seek the prize as well.
Cline’s creates a likeable character in Watts, someone we could all be. It is his journey, as a person, that gives the story it’s depth. As the external adventure takes him through dangers, we see how he grows as a person. He finds courage, love, and the life that truly matters. Along with all the other aspects of this fun story, it is this part that made it for me.
With complex characters, fast-paced action, edge-of-seat mysteries, and fantastic world-building, Ready Player One is one giant nerd-gasm. Worth reading for anyone who lived in the 80s!

Bookmarks: 4.5 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-0-307-88744-3
Year Published: 2011
Date Finished: 3-9-2018
Pages: 374

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Review: More Women of Wonder ed. by Pamela Sargent

Synopsis: The second collection gathered by Pamela Sargent showcasing women writing science fiction about women. Includes seven stories plus Sargent's introduction about women authors and the portrayal of women in science fiction.

Review: As with the previous collection (Women of Wonder, pub. 1974) this collection contains a wide range of stories, both science fiction and fantasy.

Stories Included:

Jirel Meets Magic by C. L. Moore
The Lake of Gone Forever by Leigh Brackett
The Second Inquisition by Joanne Russ
The Power of Time by Josephine Sexton
The Funeral by Kate Wilhelm
Tin Solider by Joan D. Vinge
The Day Before the Revolution by Ursula K. Le Guin

The story concerning Jirel is part of Moore's collection involving the red-haired barbarian queen and had a fun sword and sorcery feel. Brackett's story has a male central character but the story had a dark, somber, tone. I didn't particularly like the female characters, but Bracket is noted for her pulp-fiction stereotypes. As for the Russ and the Sexton, I admit I didn't understand or enjoy either. Both had a time-travel flair and a esoteric depth that did not appeal to me. The Funeral had an almost Handmaid's Tale feel to it, with a unique dystopian world and social structure. The ending is vague and suites the story. Tin Solider was my favorite; a bittersweet romance, layered world, and complex characters. A close second was Le Guin's story, as a favorite. Set during a day near the end of the life of a famous revolutionary, we see the difference between why she wrote her ideas and why people think she did.

Overall, this collection is worth reading, not only for the stories but for the snapshot it captures of women in science fiction and fantasy at this time. But aside from the stories, the most valuable (and dangerous) part of the book is the two short pages in the back titled Further Reading. A list of anthologies, novels, and non-fiction books written by women, about women, is set out before you like a tantalizing menu of fantastic reads.

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 0-394-71876-3
Year Published: 1976
Date Finished: 3-8-2018
Pages: 305

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Review: Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori (Volume Two)

Synopsis: One day, Haruhi, a scholarship student at exclusive Ouran High School, breaks an $80,000 vase that belongs to the 'Host Club', a mysterious campus group consisting of six super-rich (and gorgeous) guys. To pay back the damages, she is forced to work for the club, and it's there that she discovers just how wealthy the boys are and how different they are from everybody else. (from the online description) 

Review: The next installment of the Ouran High School Host Club is just as fun, light, comforting, with a touching depth and heart. We follow the Host Club on several more zanny adventures, and we learn more about each member, why they joined and where they come from. The art, as always, is brisk and clean, with fun notes and clear pictures. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the Anime or who wants light and fun manga.

Bookmarks: 4 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-1591-1699-01
Year Published: 2005
Date Finished: 2-28-2018
Pages: 185

Monday, March 5, 2018

Review: Demon Angel by Meljean Brooks (The Guardians, Book One)

Synopsis: Lilith, a demon, has spent 2,000 years tempting men and guaranteeing their eventual damnation. That is, until she meets her greatest temptation: the man whose life mission has been to kill her.  (from the online description)

Review: Set across 800 years of history, the story follows Lilith, a demon enslaved to Lucifer, and Hugh, once human, then a Guardian of Heaven, as they battle for the souls of mortals. But their attraction to each other complicated their respective orders. They share a twisted courtship of blood, banter, and bartered kisses, that creates excellent sexual tension.
Brooks created an intriguing world, populated by a complex hierarchy of demon and angelic characters. Several of her secondary characters here appear as primary in later books, which mean they are more well-rounded than your average secondary characters. While the plot kept me interested and the characters had depth, the story, over all, was disappointing. Plot twists are good, but this story had so many, it became cluttered and the world-building details got lost. The resolution seemed forced and didn’t match the build-up. While the main characters end up together (naturally) but the ending wasn’t satisfactory, as the questions and mysteries about how the world worked remained hidden by the muddled plot twists.
Good dialogue and unique secondary characters kept me reading until the end, but didn’t help the story rise above mediocre. Sadly, I won’t be reading the remainder of the series.
Prude Note: There is a LOT of graphic sex in this book. It doesn’t take place until the last fourth, but then it seems that the main characters don’t talk unless there is sex involved. Since so much important dialogue takes places in the context of sex, it isn’t possible to skip the sex scenes without missing important plot points. 

Bookmarks: 3 of 5

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-0-425-21347-6
Year Published: 2007
Date Finished: 2-26-2018
Pages: 412

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Review: Lazarus: Family, Lazarus: Lift, Lazarus: Conclave by Greg Rucka, Michael Lark, Sanit Arcas et al (Volumes 1-3)

Synopsis: In a dystopian near-future, the world is ruled by sixteen families, dividing the land into territories. If you aren’t family, you are serf, bound to the family, or you are waste, scrounging for food and water in a dangerous and barren world.
The families war among themselves, behind the scenes and sometimes outright, for power, resources, and knowledge. Each family has a Lazarus, a champion for house.  Forever Carlyle is the Lazarus for House Carlyle, and as such, she defends her family's holdings through deception and force as their protector. But even as she dies and is reborn over and over for her family, their she begins to question her origins and the things she’s been told as truth…

Review: I purchased Volume One on the recommendation of some Bookstagram friends. I read one page, ran to Amazon, and purchased Volume Two and Three. Then I read all three in one sitting, then went out and bought Volume Four and Five.
With a intriguing mixture of power, strength, and vulnerability, Forever Carlyle defends her family with a single-minded devotion. But she can’t ignore the mystery of her origins, or the tangled struggle for power both inside her family and between her family and the others that rule the world.
Gritty art, realistic color, and deft design bring to life a grim world, with complex characters and rules. We follow not just Forever, but her siblings, her serfs, her rivals, her lover, and the Waste as they struggle to survive. People die. People suffer. People are cruel and mean and they lie. And they love. Forever, for all her strength, is still young of mind, almost naive. The plot concerns her exploration of the world and her place (coming of age) as she faces dangers both inside and outside her family. The writers don’t shy away from dark topics and this gives the story a riveting tension.
If you enjoy stories with strong female characters, twisting plots, dark and dynamic art, gritty world-building, and blood, then this is the  story for you. 

Bookmarks: 4 of 5 (All)

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-1-60706-809-9 / 978-1-60706-817-6 / 978-1-63215-225-1
Year Published: 2014 / 2014 / 2015
Date Finished: 2-25-2018
Pages: 132 / 120 / 115