Satisfying The Need To Read

The Way of Kings

2010-12-01T11:32:00.003+11:00

Not content with spending his time completing Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series Brandon Sanderson has started his own called The Stormlight Archive. The first book has now been released and it is called The Way of Kings.

And it's a big book. Sanderson is from the 'sweeping detail', 'large cast' school of fantasy writing, but because this is the first book in the series things start of small, (relatively speaking). We are introduced to three main characters who obviously will have a part to play in the unfolding story.

Sanderson is a great writer and knows how to create a believable world, but this book is too long. It's as if Sanderson had all these things he wanted in his story and decided to cram them in to the first volume. As much as I enjoyed reading this, it did become a chore towards the end. (Sometimes authors need an editor who isn't afraid to tell them to make cuts to their baby.) If each book in the series is this long then it is in danger of drowning under the weight of words it will produce.

And lets not mention the cover. Really Golanz you thought this cover would make people buy the book? Lucky that Sanderson is such a great writer, if someone isn't put off by the cover. Hopefully book two is a little shorter, and a new cover art style is used.

Fantasy Saga

2010-11-03T11:20:00.003+11:00

Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of the hardest working men in fantasy fiction. How he is able to produce such high quality books is beyond me. No sooner have you finished the current book in the Shadow of the Apt series than a new one is ready and waiting for you to begin.

The Scarab Path is book five in the series and a lot has happened since it began. The war with the Wasp Empire has ended in a unsatisfying stalemate with implications for both sides. On the Wasp side the first ever Empress is trying to consolidate her [power, while on the other side political machinations look to over-through everything they were fighting for. As well both sides find themselves looking for the forgotten city of Khanaphes which may hold answers to their problems.

This is another great entry in what is becoming a genre-leading series. Tchaikovsky's characters are strong and well written and possess believable motives. As usual there is action, intrigue and enough mystery to ensure that the next volume can't get here quick enough.

Giant Squid

2010-09-27T13:54:00.003+10:00

China Mieville's latest book Kraken revolves around the body of a giant squid or kraken kept in the Natural History Museum in London. But things start to get strange for curator Billy Harrow when the massive creature is stolen.

Harrow finds himself hunted by strange cults that rule the dark places of London because the kraken is seen as a god and some very different groups want the body for their own purposes. And because Harrow worked on the body he is seen as a prophet with a special connection to this god.

Mieville has once again written an astonishing novel. Full of ideas and wonderful concepts Kraken flies along at a cracking pace. From ageless assassins, to origamists who can fold solid objects into letters, to a speaking tattoo Mieville never lets the pace or strangeness slacken for a moment. A great read, and hopefully Mieville will write some more urban fantasy.

The Crimson Fists

2010-09-27T13:20:00.004+10:00

The Crimson Fists are a proud chapter of Space Marines. They have defended humanity from all sorts of dangers. But in Rynn's World we read about the disaster that nearly destroyed them, and left them facing complete destruction.

Rynn's World is the home base of the Crimson Fist Chapter, but becomes the front line when Ork Warlord Snargrod, Arch Arsonist of Charadon lands his massive army to assault the Crimson Fists in their backyard. Chapter Master Pedro Kantor has to dig deep to lead his forces to victory and overcome this terrifying event, while the losses mount as the Chapter waits for relief from Imperial forces.

Steve Parker has written an exciting tale of action and brutality that focuses on the heroic actions of the Space Marines as their backs are against the wall in the worst day of the Chapter's history. Warhammer 40k fans will find inspiration for their battles in this book as well.

A Merciless Place

2010-09-21T10:01:00.002+10:00

I must confess upfront that this book covered a subject I knew little about. Once I had finished however that was far from true. Emma Christopher has written a book called A Merciless Place, and it deals with the British Empire’s attempt to send convicts to West Africa before Australia was colonised.
After the American Revolution, Britain needed somewhere to send its convicts and it settled on West Africa as the place. But the inhospitable terrain and weather, coupled with awful conditions and soldiers and convicts working in the slave-trade, led to disaster.
This is a story of bad decisions and some truly awful human beings leading to even worse outcomes. A Merciless Place chronicles a dark chapter in the history of colonisation, and also sheds new light onto the eventual colonisation of Australia.
Overall this is a great book that is well worth reading. It will shock in places but it will also make you feel pity for the individuals who had no choice but to be caught up in this experiment.

The Big Book of Awesome

2010-08-13T13:19:00.004+10:00

I've just finished looking at the most awesome book ever. It is the Lego Star Wars Visual Dictionary by the good people at DK.

It's Lego and Star Wars. For a geek like me it can't fail. It also just goes to show how many Lego Star Wars kits there are as well. The centrepiece is the Collector's Edition Millennium Falcon which contains 5,195 pieces and is 84cm long. WOW. I want one, though who knows were I'd put it. But that's just a minor detail that can be fixed later.

The pictures are gorgeous and show of the models and minifigs in all there glory. A must for all kids who like Star Wars, even us big ones ...

Short Reviews

2010-08-13T13:07:00.002+10:00

David Wellington - Monster Island The world has been taken over by zombies. Join a UN Weapons Inspector and a team of heavily armed Somalian school girls as they take on the zombie horde in New York City. A great, fun read that flies along. Full of gore, violence and zombie mayhem.
Erich von Manstein - Lost Victories The memoirs of one of Nazi Germany's greatest Field Marshal's. Well written and focuses on the military decisions made by von Manstein. Interesting for what it includes, discussions about Hitler as military leader, and what it leaves out, Manstein's Jewish background and his support for extermination orders in Russia.
Peter H Wilson - Europe's Tragedy. A History of the Thirty Years War Wilson has written a very comprehensive history that shows a depth of scholarship and interest in the subject. This tome is full of detail and can be a little overwhelming in parts. All up though I found it to be an interesting read on a subject I didn't know much about.
Batman: The Wrath This great little series deals with Batman as he fights his opposite self. A cop-killer who is as calculating and well trained as Batman himself, a man known as the Wrath. Great writing and art combine to make this a fine read.

Christianity

2010-07-06T11:17:00.003+10:00

Diarmaid MacCulloch has undertaken a massive task, which is to write a history of Christianity. The result is the large (all 1,161 pages of it) A History of Christianity. While the title may be unimaginative the book itself is very readable.

Like it or not, the history of the Christian Church is the history of the Western World and MacCulloch shows there is a lot to discuss. Especially when your book puts itself forward as a global history of Christianity. MacCulloch discusses the big events in Europe but also looks at Orthodox Christianity, the Church in Africa, the Americas and Asia.

There is a lot to get through in this book but anyone interested in the subject will find a well written book that is a comprehensive look at Christianity. Just don't expect a book that you can just pick up and skim through, the subject and the size does require some effort from the reader.

Short Reviews

2010-06-15T11:17:00.002+10:00

White King and Red Queen - Daniel Johnson. An interesting history of the Cold War played out at international chess tournaments. Looks at how chess became important to the USSR which meant that the USA then had to be good at it as well, international prestige was on the line!
Battle Cry of Freedom - James M McPherson. A great one volume history of the American Civil War. Something of a classic now and highly recommended. Weaves together political, military and economic history.
Nekropolis - Tim Waggoner. Matt Richter is a private eye in the city of Nekropolis. He's also a zombie and the town is run by vampires. While this owes a debt to Simon R Green's Nightside series, there is enough humour and atmosphere to set it apart. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
The Folding Knife - K J Parker. This is the story of a mistake. A mistake made by a great man Bassiano Severus. Parker is a wonderful writer and this story just enforces that fact. Well worth reading.
Senna versus Prost - Malcolm Folley. An interesting look at an intense sporting rivalry. As a kid I loved watching Senna drive and I really enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at these two very different, yet also quite similar, men. For fans of motor sport.
Bad Science - Ben Goldacre. I urge everyone to read this book. Goldacre looks at fads, health scares and pharmaceutical companies. Along the way you will learn a lot about running a proper scientific trial and Goldacre will give you the tools and knowledge to spot bad science for yourself.
Rommel's Desert War - Martin Kitchen. A detailed account of Rommel's campaigns in North Africa in World War II. Marred by the authors problem with the postwar perception of Rommel as a 'military genius'. Goes out of his way to run Rommel down, without taking into account that hindsight is a wonderful thing. Heavily researched and overall well written.
Hannibal - Theodore Agault Dodge. Recounts the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage. Written in 1891 by a veteran of the American Civil War. Fun read even if it is hagiography. Lots of maps and line drawings.

Guadalcanal

2010-05-17T13:53:00.003+10:00

Reading first hand accounts of battles is a two edged sword. On the one hand the author has a unique insight into what went on, but on the other can get bogged down in the minutiae of what they did. Robert Leckie in Challenge For The Pacific. The Bloody Six-Month Battle of Guadalcanal never falls into the second of these problems.

As a marine of the First Marine Division Leckie was in the thick of the fighting on Guadalcanal, but he never lets that overpower his enthralling description of the campaign. Leckie gives equal time to Japanese and American Admirals as well as marines and Japanese infantrymen as he builds his detailed picture of what happened in this crucial campaign of the Pacific War.

Overall this book was an amazing read. Leckie has a deft hand and is able to let the facts speak for themselves but is also not afraid to let a dry humour come through as well. After finishing this book I felt that I had learnt a lot about the battle and now realise why it was such a big deal.

(On a separate note viewers of The Pacific may recognise the name Robert Leckie, or 'Lucky' as he was called by his squad mates, as being one of the main point of view characters in the series.)

Star Wars

2010-05-17T13:30:00.004+10:00

I know what it's like to be a collector. Comics, games, toys, books the list goes on. Though I've always been limited by space and income, but I understand the urge and attraction to needing the latest thing in your collection. Sometimes though you are given access to a collection that just blows your mind. The collection in question is Stephen J Sansweet's Star Wars collection, which part of is shown in the book Star Wars. 1,000 Collectibles, Memorabilia and Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away.

Sansweet has the largest private collection of Star Wars collectibles in the world that he houses in a five thousand foot square converted hen house. At the start of 2009 his collection manager, Anne Neumann, had catalogued 55,352 individual items into the database they are creating, but no one knows what percentage of the collection this represents. (Sansweet thinks its less than half.) WOW! Now that's a collection. The book itself is a series of photos of items in Sansweet's collection with stories to do with how he collected them and sometimes stories about expensive items that got away.

On a personal note it's fun to see items like those I owned as a kid in his collection. Things that came in cereal boxes in Australia as well as action figures and the like. This is a fun book to flick through and just realise how much Star Wars merchandise there really is.

The Ambassador's Mission

2010-05-05T11:42:00.001+10:00

Please don’t be put off by the cover of this book. It’s actually a lot better than the generic fantasy painting of a man-in-a-hooded-cloak would suggest. This is the first book in a new trilogy from Trudi Canavan and takes place after the events of The Black Magicians Trilogy. The story itself is interesting, even if you are not totally familiar with the earlier series, and will keep you turning the pages as the tension mounts and the story unfolds. Expect conspiracies, daring-do, and magic. Canavan is good at pacing her stories and makes sure that the story unfolds while still leaving you wanting more. Also Canavan’s writing style means that the reader is never bombarded by words or events, and the reader is never left drowning beneath pointless descriptions and minute detail. All in all I enjoyed reading this and look forward to the rest of the series.
One for genre fans, I just wish Orbit had put a better cover on it.

Jesus Hates Zombies!

2010-05-03T12:23:00.003+10:00

Stephen Lindsay has written a great series that is a headlong rush of action and historical figures. Jesus Hates Zombies featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves is over-the-top fun in a small package.

The basic premise of the story is this. Jesus is on Earth battling zombies unleashed by Zombie-Gabriel. Jesus is joined by axe wielding Abe Lincoln who has been sent forward in time. Along the way Jesus is joined by shotgun wielding Elvis, foul mouthed Mother Teresa, and the General Lee from The Dukes of Hazard amongst others.

This fun little series is not for the easily offended, otherwise strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. One to look out for.

The Battle of Arnhem

2010-05-03T12:10:00.003+10:00

The battle of Arnhem in 1944 was a bold attempt to end World War Two by Christmas. A carpet of paratroopers would capture major bridges at Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem while the tanks of XXX Corps linked up with them and drove into the Ruhr region of Germany. Unfortunately things did not go to plan and while the paratroopers did their part, XXX Corps could not get past Nijmegen and help the British paratroopers around Arnhem bridge.

The British paratroopers were led by General R E Urquhart who has written an amazing first hand account of the battle called Arnhem. Written with style, good humour and intelligence, Arnhem is a fascinating look at a battle from a major participants point of view. Urquhart describes what was going on around him with an easy to read prose, while also showing that he has thought about the battle by analyzing decisions he made, or incidents that could have gone differently. He is also quick to mention mistakes he made and highlight the bravery of the soldiers around him.

Arnhem is a great read and worth tracking down if you want to know more about this battle and what it was like fighting in it.

Superhero

2010-04-14T15:43:00.004+10:00

Captain Marvel was a boring hero until Jim Starlin killed him. OK, that's not completely true. Starlin wrote big cosmic stories and Captain Marvel was in the middle of them battling Thanos for the Cosmic Cube, which Thanos wanted to impress his true love Death by killing all life in the universe. Yes it sounds completely ridiculous but Starlin made it work

Helping to sell the story was Starlin's impressive art work which played around with perspective and panel size, propelling the story forwards. But what really stood out was how Captain Marvel died. Heroes die glorious deaths fighting their nemesis if they die at all. Not so Captain Marvel. In the end cancer killed him. He did struggle heroically, and he did fight to the end, but he died in bed hooked up to a machine. The great superheroes of the Marvel Universe were unable to save him because the energy source that gave him his powers interfered with the treatment. Starlin showed that heroes can die in bed and still be brave and courageous, still go down swinging, still fight the good fight, still be heroes. And comics were better for having this story told in the way it was. It is also fitting that The Death of Captain Marvel was Marvel Comics first graphic novel.

Graphic Novels I've Enjoyed Recently: The Sequel

2010-03-16T11:04:00.005+11:00

John Constantine Hellblazer: Freezes Over - w: Brian Azzarello a: various. Constantine is snowed in a roadside diner with three desperate criminals. Guess who leaves alive? It's fun watching Constantine manipulate all and sundry.

Afro Samurai 1 - w/a: Takashi Okazaki. A son sees his father killed and grows up seeking vengeance. Get ready for some kick-ass fight scenes.

Dark Entries - w: Ian Rankin a: Werther Dell'Edera. John Constantine in a reality television show set in a haunted mansion. Let the fun begin.

Filthy Rich - w: Brian Azzarello a: Victor Santos. A classic noir tale of lust, money, greed and bad choices. Wonderful atmosphere, and a well told story.

X-Men: Phoenix Endsong - w: Greg Pak a: Greg Land. Interesting story that tries to explain why the Phoenix Force keeps attacking the X-Men. Pak writes a good story but Land's artwork is overly posed and his characters look lifeless.

The Best of Wolverine Volume 1 - w/a: various. Some early Wolverine stories showing why he's the best at what he does.

Captain America: The Man With No Face - w: Ed Brubaker a: various. Bucky Barnes' past catches up with him as old enemies gather for revenge.

Star Wars Omnibus: Rise of the Sith - w/a: various. Stories set before The Phantom Menace involving Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Mace Windu, Aurra Sing and Darth Maul.

Star Wars Omnibus: Emissaries & Assassins - w/a: various. Stories set just after The Phantom Menace starring the usual suspects.

The Big Book of Barry Ween Boy Genius - a/w: Judd Winick. This hilarious graphic novel follows the adventures of Barry and his friend Jeremy. Garth Ennis describes Barry Ween as "Calvin & Hobbes on PCP with a copy of Mein Kampf thrown into the mix." Laugh out loud jokes and pop culture references and a reluctant hero with a very bad mouth is a winning combination.

Quick Reviews

2010-03-12T14:36:00.004+11:00

Here are some books I've enjoyed recently.

Retribution Falls - Chris Wooding. Join the crew of the Ketty Jay as they find themselves up to their eyebrows in trouble. One for Firefly Fans.

Killing Yourself to Live - Chuck Klosterman. Klosterman travels across America visiting the places where rock musicians have died for an article in Spin magazine. Along the way Klosterman tries to understand how a musician dying can be so powerful for people. (Best line in the book: 'as a rock critic, you make a living out of reviewing your mail.')

The Campaigns of Napoleon - David Chandler. This massive book is an amazing in-depth look at how Napoleon fought his battles. Lots of information and lots of maps make this a delight.

The Day of Battle - Rick Atkinson. A very detailed look at the Allied invasion of Italy during WWII. Well researched and well told.

Heart of Veridon - Tim Akers. A strange package leads disgraced pilot Jacob Burn into a mystery. An interesting novel that slowly draws you in and weaves a web around you. Great read.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction - David Michaels. Sure it's a book based on a computer game but it's a fun nights entertainment. Sam Fisher is going rogue, or is he?

The Naming of the Beasts - Mike Carey. I like Felix Castor even though he owes a lot to John Constantine. Castor has to exorcise a demon that is riding shotgun on his best friends soul. As usual Castor will be put through the wringer.

The Second World War - John Keegan. Well written and immensely readable history of WWII. Covers all the theatres of battle in just enough detail for a one volume history.

Winter 1152

2010-03-02T13:31:00.005+11:00

David Petersen's amazing Mouse Guard series continues in Winter 1152, following on from Fall 1152. After the attack of Midnight's traitor mice the Mouse Territories are trying to survive a harsh winter. Mouse Guard patrols have been sent out to gather supplies and the story focuses on the exploits of one of these patrols.

Saxon, Kenzie, Lieam, Sadie and the old greyfur Celanawe find themselves under attack on the way back to Lockhaven carrying much needed medical supplies. We see our heroes separated as Lieam and Celanawe battle an owl, and Saxon, Kenzie and Sadie fight bats underground in an old weasel warren.

After much adventure they return to Lockhaven except for Celawane who falls fighting the owl. But this leads Lieam to find out more about himself as he makes a decision that will have a huge impact on his future.

David Petersen is an amazing artist and storyteller and Winter 1152 is such an atmospheric piece that I urge people to go out and find the Mouse Guard series and have a read for themselves. I can't recommend this any more highly.

Great Cover!

2010-01-27T11:08:00.003+11:00

WOW! A fantasy novel that doesn't have a hooded mysterious fellow holding a sword. This is a great design and made me want to read the novel. And I have to say it lived up to the cover.

Lamentation

2010-01-18T11:46:00.003+11:00

It's always great when you're on holidays to dive into a book and get lost in it. Having just finished Ken Scholes's Lamentation I found myself in just that situation. I was flying through it at top speed needing to read just a little bit more before putting it down.

When the city of Windwir is destroyed in a fiery cataclysm the Named Lands are heading for war. Rudolfo, Lord of the Ninefold Forest Houses and Gypsy King, finds himself at the centre of events. Opposing him is Sethbert the Overseer of the Entrolusian City States who wants to control the Named Lands. Plots develop as nations are drawn into the growing conflict. Alliances develop and collapse and hidden schemes come to light.

It is hard to believe such a great novel is a debut. Written with the assured hand of a veteran writer Scholes takes the reader on an exciting ride full of political scheming and battles. Be prepared for plots within plots and grand schemes that have been developing for centuries. I'm really looking forward to the rest of this series. Well worth finding and reading.

Death Troopers

2009-12-21T17:39:00.003+11:00

Joe Schreiber has been allowed to play in the Star Wars Universe and has written the first Star Wars horror novel. It's good to see the Star Wars brand moving in new directions and showing that there is a lot more to the brand than pure Space Opera.

The story begins with a prison barge that has broken down in a remote section of space but finds itself near a derelict Star Destroyer. A small party crosses over to salvage parts for the prison barge and find the Star Destroyer has been abandoned. Only half the party return and they quickly take sick with a mysterious disease which spreads like wildfire throughout the prison barge. Soon only a handful of survivors are left and they must band together to save themselves. But then the dead start to rise ... and they're hungry.

I enjoyed reading this novel. The tone is set by the great cover artwork, and Schreiber seems to be having fun playing in the Star Wars Sandbox. An efficient horror novel that also fits well into the Star Wars Universe.

Triumff

2009-12-21T17:13:00.003+11:00

It's 2010, Elizabeth XXX is on the throne and Sir Rupert Triumff has returned from his journey in which he discovered Australia. But his return drops him in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens the throne. It's up to Triumff to save the day.

Dan Abnett's Alternative history is a fun romp. Based on the premise that Elizabeth I married Phillip II to create a world spanning empire that ran on 'magick' and alchemy. Because of the presence of magic technology has stalled and even though it is 2010 it is the Elizabethan times technology wise.

The book is a fun read full of gags and characters buckling their swash. There is daring-do and dastardly plots with back-stabbing galore. Abnett has a lot of fun with this setting and that makes it a joy to read. I look forward to visiting this world again.

Kell's Legend

2009-12-16T11:08:00.004+11:00

Now that David Gemmell has past away I need to go elsewhere to get my fix of hard-hitting, action-packed fantasy. Having just finished reading Andy Remic's Kell's Legend my search is over. Remic is quite clear that Gemmell is a huge influence on his writing and it shows.

Remic's hero Kell is an aging warrior who is forced by circumstances to pick up his axe (yes an axe in involved), and fight the invaders. The parallels between Kell and Druss are numerous. Both are aging axemen who carry a famous axe, both a grizzled veterans with surly temperaments and bear-like physiques.

But despite all this I did enjoy Kell's Legend. (It goes without saying I like Gemmell's work as well.) It's bloody and the fights are epic, and I don't mind the hero as crotchety killing machine. While Remic isn't Gemmell this book will fill any Gemmell shaped hole in a fantasy fans life. A fun, fast-paced, action-packed read. Enjoy.

Pro Ball

2009-12-16T10:46:00.004+11:00

The FreeDarko site is a place to find excellent writing about the NBA. A site that believes that basketball is important, and that it can be written about with wit and intelligence. As they set out in their book The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac they also have a manifesto which states amongst other things, "The Citizens who support it (the NBA) affirm their right to be entertained and diverted by the league, no matter what the month" and "we ask: Is there no such thing as a beautiful Loss? A noble Faliure? A compelling Train Wreck? ... We assert our right to be amused by non-Champions."

The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac extols this manifesto as it looks at the styles, stats and stars in today's NBA. Consisting of short biographies of NBA stars each entry is written with a keen eye for the game as well as a sense of fun that energises the whole book. The almanac also contains great artwork that fits seamlessly with the text.

Fans of the NBA will get a kick out of this book. It's a book written by fans for fans and it is clear that the writers care about their subjects. Here's hoping they produce many more books like this.

Gettysburg

2009-11-10T11:29:00.001+11:00

The battle of Gettysburg is one of the decisive battles of the American Civil War. The Confederate forces led by General Lee had marched into Union territory and were threatening Baltimore and Pennsylvania. They would be brought to battle by the Army of the Potomac led by General Meade at a small town called Gettysburg.
Stephen Sears’ book Gettysburg is a detailed look at this important battle and the events leading up to it and after it. Sears describes the three days of hard fighting that took place and the mistakes made by both sides in the heat of battle. The one thing that stands out after reading this account is the amount of times important decisions had to be made with no were near complete information. Many times both sides had no real idea were the enemy forces were located, or if they were fighting how much of the enemy was engaged. The overall impression is of a group of people playing Marco Polo as they stumble around in the dark, and if they collide a battle starts.
Gettysburg is an absorbing read, Sears’ attention to detail comes through in the narrative and I found myself not wanting to put this book down. I feel I know a lot more about this important and bloody battle.

The Great Patriotic War

2009-11-09T16:32:00.005+11:00

The Soviet Union's war with Nazi Germany is probably the most brutal and costly war the world has seen. Both sides committed vicious acts in order to win in a war were surrender was not an option. Chris Bellamy chronicles this struggle in Absolute War: Soviet Russia in the Second World War. With access to the Soviet archives that were opened after the collapse of the USSR, Bellamy is able to bring new light onto this conflict. This is also more than just a military history, it is also a social and political history. Bellamy covers topics as diverse as why the Soviet Union didn't collapse economically in 1942, the role of women in the USSR army, atomic bomb research and diplomatic battles with Great Britain.

It's good to read such a comprehensive study of the country that suffered the longest and did the most to win the Second World War. Bellamy has an easy reading style and this makes this interesting book fly by. Well worth reading.

Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs

2009-11-06T13:16:00.003+11:00

Chuck Klosterman is a man with his finger on the pulse of Pop Culture. He shows this in his collection of essays Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto. This collection shows how he is able to write intelligently on just about anything that takes his fancy, especially if it relates to his understanding of culture, which is pretty much everything.

In this book you will read essays on Billy Joel, Luke Skywalker as a Gen Xer, Soccer, a Guns 'n' Roses tribute band, TV programs, The Sims, Pamela Anderson and many other things. All the essays are written in Klosterman's witty style, and his intelligence leaps of the page. What is also amazing is his depth of Pop Culture knowledge and his ability to link it to all aspects of his life.

This collection is well worth reading. Klosterman can make you laugh, and he can make you think and sometimes both at the same time. But best of all Klosterman can entertain, and that is the best attribute an essayist can have.

Borderlands

2009-11-06T13:00:00.002+11:00

Ah, the sweet lure of loot. More and more loot. I'm addicted to the need to get another item. Whatever will the game give me next. Will this revolver fire bullets that electrocute my enemies, or will this rifle fire rockets. The possibilities are endless.

Welcome to the game Borderlands, which takes place on the planet of Pandora (a real box of tricks it is to.) Drawn to the planet, like many before you, by rumours of a mysterious 'vault' that grants untold power you discover that the planet is a haven for bandits and deadly wildlife. You quickly begin to fight for your life and progress through this strange world. Killing enemies, or finding loot caches, gives you access to guns and this is one of the games highlights. The random generator means that there are literally thousands of combinations of weapons to discover. From pistols to shotguns and all the way up to rocket launchers.

Gameplay is standard FPS with a RPG engine running underneath it. The story and characters are fun in a wild-west-in-space kind of way. It's a little stereotypical but in the end they're just window dressing and the gameplay's the thing.

The cell-shaded look is also a highlight. Brought about by the artists working on the game getting sick of the generic look it originally had and leading a revolt. Well done, it looks so much better know and the looks suits the gameplay as well.

Overall this is a fun package with many hours of grinding to get through. But enough from me I've got some loot to find.

Unseen Academicals

2009-10-20T15:08:00.003+11:00

I've enjoyed Terry Pratchett's Discworld series for a long time now. I enjoy Pratchett's sense of humour, his characters are fun, the little asides in the footnotes and the banter. Pratchett's latest novel Unseen Academicals doesn't change this formula and that is a good thing. Picking up a Pratchett Discworld novel is like slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes.

In Unseen Academicals Pratchett looks at foot-the-ball in Ankh-Morpork and its effects on the citizens of the great city. When Patrician Vetinari (personally my favourite character in the Discworld series) decides to allow foot-the-ball he wants the wizards of Unseen University to clean the game up. Through circumstances beyond their control, the wizards also find that they have to put a team together as well. Throw in a dwarf fashion show, Glenda and her pies, the beautiful Juliet, a boy who can kick a tin can like nobodies business and the mysterious Mr Nutt.

Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Greece and Rome at War

2009-10-20T14:51:00.005+11:00

I first discovered Peter Connolly as a child. I loved reading about Greek and Roman history, and here were a series of books that talked about their military history. Also the books had amazing artwork by the author that really brought the text to life. Re-reading the books now in the one volume collected edition I find that they are just as good as I remember.
Greece and Rome at War is by Peter Connolly a respected historian who also happens to be an amazing illustrator, and this second talent is what really sells the book. The book begins with the Greek army and talks about hoplites and phalanxs and how Greek military tactics developed. Next is the Roman Republic and its wars with the Carthaginians led famously in the Second Punic War by Hannibal. Finally Connolly discusses the Roman Empire and the role of the legionary. Accompanying these histories are the authors paintings of armour, weapons and maps of battles as well as paintings of various soldiers in their battle gear.

Overall this is a great read. You can marvel at the artwork while learning a lot about the armies of the various time periods described. This book also makes a great reference tool for wargamers trying to get a feel foe the period, or looking for ideas on how to paint their models.

Here's an example of a painting by Connolly showing Greek Hoplites in battle.

Graphic Novels I've Enjoyed Recently

2009-09-28T13:10:00.002+10:00

Here are a bunch of graphic novels I've recently read and enjoyed.

Absolute Superman for Tomorrow. Writer - Brian Azzarello. Artist - Jim Lee. The Absolute format is great for showcasing reprints and this story about Superman's inner search for meaning is a great read.
Punisher War Zone: The Resurrection of Ma Gnucci. Writer - Garth Ennis. Artist - Steve Dillon. Ennis is the perfect Punisher writer with a story that's full of black humour and violence.
Wolverine: SNIKT! Writer/Artist - Tsutomu Nihei. Wolverine travels into the future to do what he does best.
John Constantine Hellblazer: Hard Time. Writer - Brian Azzarello. Artist - Richard Corben. Constantine is in a maximum-security prison and you just know it will end badly for everyone except him.
Ultimate X-Men: Ultimate Collection Book 2. Writer - Mark Millar. Artist - Various. The young team find out some dark secrets about Professor Xavier as they struggle with fulfilling his vision.
Spider-Man/Wolverine. Writer - Brett Matthews. Artist - Vatche Maulian. S.H.I.E.L.D. hire out two heroes to track down rogue agents, which takes them around the world.
Lobster Johnson and the iron Prometheus. Writer - Mike Mignola. Artist - Jason Armstrong. Pure pulp fun with Nazis, mad scientists, weird creations and furious action.
John Constantine Hellblazer: Good Intentions. Writer - Brian Azzarello. Artist - Marcelo Frusin. Constantine goes to Doglick, West Virginia and finds himself up to his neck in all sorts of trouble.

The 13 1/2 lives of Captain Bluebear

2009-09-15T11:05:00.002+10:00

If you're looking for a truly fun read, that will have you laughing out loud and reveling in the sheer chaotic craziness of it all then The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers is for you.

Bluebears have 27 lives and this novel deals with Captain Bluebear's first 13 1/2. Afterall a bear must have his secrets, "they make him seem attractive and mysterious." In this wonderfully told adventure you will also meet the Minipirates, the headless Bollogg, the Bolloggless head, the Rickshaw Demons, the Cogitating Quicksand, Diabolic Elves, Time Snails and the smell of Genff.

This book is just fun on a stick. It is so well written that the reader flies through the chapters with a smile on their face, chuckling at the many adventures that Captain Bluebear manages to have. If you start reading this, you will want to keep going until the end, and it won't disappoint.

Quick Reviews

2009-09-07T17:00:00.002+10:00

Some more quick reviews of books I've enjoyed recently.

The Dwarves by Markus Heitz. What does it mean to be a dwarf when you have never seen your own kind. Tunydil is about to find out as he attempts to save the world.
The Civil War. Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote. The first volume in an epic and gripping retelling of the American Civil War.
Wasteland of Flint by Thomas Harlan. The galaxy spanning Mexica Empire keeps discovering ruins from an ancient civilisation and sends Dr. Gretchen Anderson to find out more. Superior science-fiction.
The Caryatids by Bruce Sterling. In the near future environmental catastrophe has led to the collapse of nearly all nation states. Instead spheres of influence fight for control. As always a thought provoking read.
All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. An action packed novel that doesn't let up. For people who enjoy their science-fiction at full throttle.
Wireless by Charles Stross. A collection of short stories by one of science-fictions shining lights. A great read.
The Spartacus War by Barry Strauss. A very readable and engaging look at the gladiator revolt led by Spartacus.
Ravenor. The Omnibus by Dan Abnett. Join Inquisitor Gideon Ravenor as he battles the enemies of the Imperium. Balls-to-the-wall fun.

Le Tour

2009-09-07T16:34:00.003+10:00

The Tour de France is a great sporting event, but it has had its fair share of cheating, cruelty, tragic deaths and sheer bad luck. Matt Rendell has done a great job of recording this in Blazing Saddles. The Cruel and Unusual History of the Tour de France. The book basically follows every Tour from 1903 until 2007 and gives a brief summary of what happened. It particularly focuses on the things that set this race apart in terms of the unusual and cruel.

The early years of the race were like the wild west riders would travel on cars and trains to get an advantage, nails would be left across the road, mobs of supporters would block the road and beat up or stone competitors that were beating their favourite rider. One rider even organised a line of beer bottles to be set up on a wall on the side of the road on a long and hot stage, and when his competitors stopped to have a drink he rode on by. Now days drugs are the main form of cheating that goes on.

Overall a good little read that fans of the Tour will enjoy as it highlights some of the events that make it so unique.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

2009-09-04T11:45:00.005+10:00

Have you ever wanted to be Batman? Well here's your chance. This amazing game which I'm playing on PS3 puts you in the shoes (or utility belt and cape) of Batman as he battles with the Joker and his minions who have taken over Arkham Asylum. Along the way you also bump into members of Batman's Rogues Gallery like Bane, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc and the Scarecrow. You also get the chance to solve riddles posed by the Riddler as you enter a new area.This game captures perfectly the stealth aspect of Batman as well as his fighting ability and his funky gadgets ie Batarangs, explosives, and Batclaw. Now don't worry, this isn't the movie Batman (with Christian Bale's ridiculous Batman voice), this game is firmly set in the world of the comics. Fans will find lots to like about this game and should have hours of fun capturing the Joker and his goons, before they even start on the challenge rooms.

Special comment must be made of Mark Hamill's great work as the voice of the Joker, a role he played on the animated series of Batman. Overall, a must play.

Quick Reviews

2009-08-25T15:34:00.006+10:00

Here are I bunch of books I've read recently but am to tired to review properly, instead I'll just write up some one line reviews instead.

The Miernik Dossier by Charles McCarry. An engaging and very readable spy novel told as a collection of intelligence reports, surveillance notes, wire taps and transcripts.
The City and the City by China Mieville is an amazing detective novel that defies description. Read it and judge for yourself.
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie is a great story of revenge told by one of the modern masters of the fantasy genre.
The Affinity Bridge by George Mann is a wonderful steampunk detective novel that is a lot of fun to read.
Up a Tree in the Park at Night With a Hedgehog by P Robert Smith is a brilliant debut novel that will make you laugh out loud.
Old Boys by Charles McCarry. When Paul Christopher's supposed ashes are handed to the American consulate in Beijing some of his friends are suspicious and they decide to find out where he is. Another great spy novel from a master storyteller.
The Rise of the Iron Moon by Stephen Hunt. Third volume in a great steampunk adventure series.
The Jackal of Nar by John Marco is the first book in an epic fantasy trilogy. The story covers war, politics, love and loyalty.
Emperor's Mercy by Henry Zou. Chaos forces have invaded the Medina Corridor and it is up to Inquisitor Obodiah Roth to find out why. A fun read.

Game Boys

2009-08-25T10:59:00.003+10:00

Michael Kane has written an interesting book about competitive videogaming, more specifically about the clans that play Counter-Strike in the USA. Game Boys: Triumph, Heartbreak and the Quest for Cash in the Battleground of Competitive Videogaming looks at the bitter rivalry between two of the top US clans 3D and CompLexity as they battle it out to be the top clan. 3D are the reigning champs at the time this book was written, the team with sponsorship and salaries, CompLexity are funded straight out of their managers pocket and need to keep win to maybe get some sponsorship.

It is a cut throat world where dirty tricks aren't unheard of and accusations of cheating are rife. Professional Counter-Strike players only have a relatively short time at the top, like all sportspeople, so they need to make the most of their talents, which can lead to all sorts of anxiety and stress.

A very well written book, Kane doesn't patronise his subjects, nor does he dismiss what they are doing as simply wasting time. By taking them seriously, Kane is able to show the many sides of the members of 3D and CompLexity as well as the other clans he talks to. Overall an intersting read. For more information visit the GotFrag eSports homepage.

Tales of Heresy

2009-08-24T16:06:00.005+10:00

Tales of Heresy is a collection of short stories set during the Horus Heresy.

Blood Games by Dan Abnett takes place on Terra and involves the Custodes as they guard the Emperor's Palace, and Terra, against traitors.

Wolf at the Door by Mike Lee deals with the Space Wolves 13th Company as they liberate the Lammas subsector.

Scions of the Storm by Anthony Reynolds is about the Word Bearers Space Marines.

The Voice by James Swallow concerns the mysterious Sisters of Silence.

Call of the Lion by Gav Thorpe loos at the Dark Angels as they explore system DX-619.

The Last Church by Graham McNeill tells the story of the Church of the Lightning Stone and it's last priest Uriah Olathaine.

After Desh'ea by Matthew Farrer looks at Kharn of the World Eaters Space Marines.

This is a great collection of stories that further expands events taking place during the Horus Heresy. Well worth reading, especially if you have read any of the other Horus Heresy books.

2009-08-24T15:50:00.002+10:00

Here is Grasping the Winds famous SF/F/H Reviewer Linkup Meme 2nd Edition.

All the blogs below review SF, Fantasy and Horror. Click away.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Romanian French Chinese Danish Portuguese German

A

7 Foot Shelves

The Accidental Bard

A Boy Goes on a Journey

A Dribble Of Ink

Adventures in Reading

A Fantasy Reader

The Agony Column

A Hoyden's Look at Literature

All Booked Up

Alexia's Books and Such...

Andromeda Spaceways

The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gent.

Ask Daphne

ask nicola

Audiobook DJ

aurealisXpress

Australia Specfic In Focus

Author 2 Author

AzureScape

B

Barbara Martin

Babbling about Books

Bees (and Books) on the Knob

Best SF

Bewildering Stories

Bibliophile Stalker

Bibliosnark

Big Dumb Object

BillWardWriter.com

The Billion Light-Year Bookshelf

Bitten by Books

The Black Library Blog

Blog, Jvstin Style

Blood of the Muse

The Book Bind

Bookgeeks

Bookrastination

Booksies Blog

Bookslut

The Book Smugglers

Bookspotcentral

The Book Swede

Book View Cafe [Authors Group Blog]

Breeni Books

C

Cheaper Ironies [pro columnist]

Charlotte's Library

Circlet 2.0

Cheryl's Musings

Club Jade

Cranking Plot

Critical Mass

The Crotchety Old Fan

D

Daily Dose - Fantasy and Romance

Damien G. Walter

Danger Gal

It's Dark in the Dark

Dark Parables

Dark Wolf Fantasy Reviews

Darque Reviews

Dave Brendon's Fantasy and Sci-Fi Weblog

Dead Book Darling

Dear Author

The Deckled Edge

The Doctor is In...

Dragons, Heroes and Wizards

Drey's Library

The Discriminating Fangirl

Dusk Before the Dawn

E

Enter the Octopus

Erotic Horizon

Errant Dreams Reviews

Eve's Alexandria

F

Falcata Times

Fan News Denmark [in English]

Fantastic Reviews

Fantastic Reviews Blog

Fantasy Book Banner

Fantasy Book Critic

Fantasy Book Reviews and News

Fantasy By the Tale

Fantasy Cafe

Fantasy Debut

Fantasy Dreamer's Ramblings

Fantasy Literature.com

Fantasy Magazine

Fantasy and Sci-fi Lovin' News and Reviews

Feminist SF - The Blog!

Feybound

Fiction is so Overrated

The Fix

The Foghorn Review

Follow that Raven

Forbidden Planet

Frances Writes

Free SF Reader

From a Sci-Fi Standpoint

From the Heart of Europe

Fruitless Recursion

Fundamentally Alien

The Future Fire

G

The Galaxy Express

Galleycat

Game Couch

The Gamer Rat

Garbled Signals

Genre Reviews

Genreville

Got Schephs

Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

Grasping for the Wind

a GREAT read

The Green Man Review

Gripping Books

H

Hasenpfeffer

Hero Complex

Highlander's Book Reviews

Horrorscope

The Hub Magazine

Hyperpat's Hyper Day

I

I Hope I Didn't Just Give Away The Ending

Ink and Keys

Ink and Paper

The Internet Review of Science Fiction

io9

J

Janicu's Book Blog

Jenn's Bookshelf

Jumpdrives and Cantrips

K

Kat Bryan's Corner

Keeping the Door

King of the Nerds

L

Lair of the Undead Rat

Largehearted Boy

Layers of Thought

League of Reluctant Adults

The Lensman's Children

Library Dad

Libri Touches

Literary Escapism

Literaturely Speaking

ludis inventio

Lundblog: Beautiful Letters

M

Mad Hatter's Bookshelf and Book Review

Mari's Midnight Garden

Mark Freeman's Journal

Mark Lord's Writing Blog

Marooned: Science Fiction Books on Mars

MentatJack

Michele Lee's Book Love

Missions Unknown [Author and Artist Blog Devoted to SF/F/H in San Antonio]

The Mistress of Ancient Revelry

MIT Science Fiction Society

Monster Librarian

More Words, Deeper Hole

Mostly Harmless Books

Multi-Genre Fan

Musings from the Weirdside

My Favourite Books

My Overstuffed Bookshelf

N

Neth Space

The New Book Review

NextRead

Not Free SF Reader

Nuketown

O

OF Blog of the Fallen

The Old Bat's Belfry

ommadawn.dk

Only The Best SciFi/Fantasy

The Ostentatious Ogre

Outside of a Dog

P

Paranormality

Pat's Fantasy Hotlist

Patricia's Vampire Notes

The Persistence of Vision

Piaw's Blog

Pizza's Book Discussion

Poisoned Rationality

Popin's Lair

pornokitsch

Post-Weird Thoughts

Publisher's Weekly

Pussreboots: A Book Review a Day

Q

R

Ramblings of a Raconteur

Random Acts of Mediocrity

Ray Gun Revival

Realms of Speculative Fiction

Reading the Leaves

Review From Here

Reviewer X

Revolution SF

The Road Not Taken

Rob's Blog o' Stuff

Robots and Vamps

S

Sandstorm Reviews

Satisfying the Need to Read

Science Fiction and Fantasy Ethics

Science Fiction Times

ScifiChick

Sci-Fi Blog

SciFiGuy

Sci-Fi Fan Letter

The Sci-Fi Gene

Sci-Fi Songs [Musical Reviews]

SciFi Squad

Scifi UK Reviews

Sci Fi Wire

Self-Publishing Review

The Sequential Rat

Severian's Fantastic Worlds

SF Diplomat

SFFaudio

SFFMedia

SF Gospel

SFReader.com

SF Reviews.net

SF Revu

SF Safari

SF Signal

SF Site

SFF World's Book Reviews

Silver Reviews

Simply Vamptastic

Slice of SciFi

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Solar Flare

Speculative Fiction

Speculative Fiction Junkie

Speculative Horizons

The Specusphere

Spinebreakers

Spiral Galaxy Reviews

Spontaneous Derivation

Sporadic Book Reviews

Stainless Steel Droppings

Starting Fresh

Stella Matutina

Stuff as Dreams are Made on...

The Sudden Curve

The Sword Review

T

Tangent Online

Tehani Wessely

Temple Library Reviews

Tez Says

things mean a lot

Tor.com [also a publisher]

True Science Fiction

U

Ubiquitous Absence

Un:Bound

undeadbydawn

Urban Fantasy Land

V

Vast and Cool and Unsympathetic

Variety SF

W

Walker of Worlds

Wands and Worlds

Wanderings

Wendy Palmer: Reading and Writing Genre Books and ebooks

The Weirdside

The Wertzone

With Intent to Commit Horror

The Wizard of Duke Street

WJ Fantasy Reviews

The Word Nest

Wordsville

The World in a Satin Bag

WriteBlack

The Written World

X

Y

Young Adult Science Fiction

Z

Romanian

Cititor SF [with English Translation]

French

Elbakin.net

Mythologica

Chinese

Foundation of Krantas

The SF Commonwealth Office in Taiwan [with some English essays]

Yenchin's Lair

Danish

Interstellar

Ommadawn.dk

Scifisiden

Portuguese

Aguarras

Fernando Trevisan

Human 2.0

Life and Times of a Talkative Bookworm

Ponto De Convergencia

pÃ³s-estranho

Skavis

German

Fantasy Seiten

Fantasy Buch

Fantasy/SciFi Blog

Literaturschock

Welt der fantasy

Bibliotheka Phantastika

SF Basar

Phantastick News

X-zine

Buchwum

Phantastick Couch

Wetterspitze

Fantasy News

Fantasy Faszination

Fantasy Guide

Zwergen Reich

Fiction Fantasy

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Romanian French Chinese Danish Portuguese German

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2009-08-24T15:36:00.003+10:00

'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.' And so it begins. Seth Grahame-Smith has decided to embellish Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice with zombies and turn the novel into a roller coaster thrill ride where anything goes.

Elizabeth Bennet is a young woman being trained in the martial arts by her father to help fight back against the hoards of undead roaming the countryside. When a handsome, but arrogant, Mr Darcy arrives Elizabeth finds herself distracted as the two spar on the dance floor and on the battlefield. Add to this mix ninjas, romance, comedy, sword fights and zombies and it's a winning formula.

I had lots of fun reading this novel, sure it is a bit of a one-trick pony, but it is still an enjoyable read all the same. This book may not be for everyone, but Austen fans with a sense of humour as well as zombie fans should enjoy it.

Colours in the Steel

2009-08-19T14:49:00.003+10:00

K J Parker is an amazing writer who has a great ability to construct a believable world for her characters to inhabit. Parker writes with a style and humour that makes reading her a joy.

Colours in the Steel is the first volume in Parker's Fencer trilogy which follows fencer-at-law Bardas Loredan. In Perimadeia, the centre of the known world, legal disputes are settled by duels between professional fencers. Loredan, a former soldier, has been doing this for a while now and is starting to grow tired of his life. He dreams of retiring and opening a fencing school, but events intrude upon his dream as Perimadeia finds itself under siege from the vast hordes that live on the plains.

As I said before Parker writes with such a flowing style that you just want to devour her books in one sitting. The world she has created sucks you in. I can't wait to read the rest of this series.

Tales From the Dark Millennium

2009-08-17T10:24:00.004+10:00

Tales From the Dark Millennium is a collection of short stories inspired by the short lived Warhammer 40,000 collectible card game. Set in the Pyrus Reach Sector which is under attack by Chaos, Ork and Eldar forces, it is up to humanity to stem the tide.

The Fall of Marakross by Steve Parker sees Dark Angel space Marines helping defend the city of Scala from a Chaos cult, but the Dark Angel's have their own secret reasons for helping.

Vindicare by C S Goto involves a Vindicare Assassin as she patiently waits to kill an Eldar leader on the planet of Orphean Trine.

The Prisoner by Graham McNeill deals with a visit to the prison on Orina Septimus by Inquisitor Lord Syphax Osorkon who has come with some Grey Knights to see a very dangerous prisoner.

The Invitation by Dan Abnett is about Cannonness Olga Karamanz and her Sister's of Battle and Catcher of Men Lowen Tegget as they hunt the same renegade.

A Balance of Faith by Darren-Jon Ashmore is about Sister Hospitaller Verinas' fight with the forces of Chaos.

Gate of Souls by Mike Lee sees Inquisitor Alabel Santos fight Chaos on the planet of Dirge.

Fates Masters, Destiny's Servants by Matt Keefe follows the Ultramarines on Elysium.

Tears of Blood by C S Goto deals with Eldar in the Tyrine System.

A good collection to dip into, it is also small enough to read in one sitting.

Cruel and Unusual

2009-08-11T14:39:00.002+10:00

Daredevil is one of my favourite superheroes, but I'm glad I don't live his life. Writers seem to spend their time thinking up new ways to put him through the emotional wringer. Ed Brubaker is no different in this regard as he finds more ways to torture Matt Murdoch in Daredevil: Cruel and Unusual.

After Murdoch's wife Milla is put into hospital Murdoch spirals into a world of pain and misery and takes to the streets as Daredevil to beat up on crooks in Hell's Kitchen. An old friend drags Murdoch back to reality by presenting him with a case that sparks his interest. A known criminal has pleaded guilty to a crime he didn't commit and is hiding something. As Murdoch and his friends dig deeper it becomes clear that there are organisations involved that do not want the truth to come out including the CIA, FBI, and a former Mob boss. Murdoch uncovers the truth, but not before another friend is hospitalised because of his actions.

Brubaker is a great writer of Daredevil and really gets the character and his supporting cast. I just wish he could have some fun now and again.

Final Crisis

2009-08-11T14:22:00.003+10:00

WOW! Just WOW! I was always going to wait and read DC's Final Crisis when it was released as a graphic novel collected edition and now that I have I'm glad I did because it was a wild ride.

Grant Morrison always writes big. Everything he does has multiple layers and needs to be read more than once to get the full effect, and Final Crisis is no different. As the heroes of the multiverse fight to save their existence a plot is revealed that could change everything. As the blurb says: "Men of steel, and women of wonder, dark knights and lantern lights, those who ride the lightning and those who call it down - none of them can escape the shadow of the dark side - as it reaches out to extinguish the human flame forever. A hell without exit. A death that is life. An end to all stories. A Final Crisis." I can see that when this finished things in the DC universe would be different as a major hero dies, lives are changed and Superman proves why he is the ultimate superhero.

What a read, it was like having me head filled with amazing ideas and watching scenes rush past at the speed of light. I need to read this again just to take it all in. Morrison has hit it out of the park, WOW!

6th June

2009-08-03T16:22:00.005+10:00

Antony Beevor has written a very readable account of the D-Day landings and the bloody battle for Normandy in his latest book D-Day. You might think that another book about WWII is redundant but Beevor has done a good job of making the material and sources seem fresh as he delves into the experiences of the soldiers and commanders on both sides.

Beevor starts by looking at the planning behind the invasion and the build up of forces before the big day. We are then shown how tough the landings were especially on the American side. The expansion of the beachhead and the gradual advance into the bocage make up the bulk of the narrative as Beevor gives us an insight into the tough and brutal fighting that developed. Beevor also looks at the tensions between commanders on both sides.

I like reading military history and have read I don't know how many books on the battle for Normandy, but I still enjoyed this new book. One for history fans and WWII buffs, or people looking for a very readable introduction to D-Day and what went on after it.

The Flight of the Eisenstein

2009-08-03T16:06:00.003+10:00

Captain Nathanial Garro is a loyal follower of the Emperor and leader of the 7th Company of the Death Guard Space Marines. When Warmaster Horus' treachery is revealed on Istvaan III, Garro takes control of a ship called the Eisenstein and sets of to warn the Emperor about what he has witnessed.
James Swallow tells this story with gusto in The Flight of the Eisenstein, which introduces us to Garro and shows us aspects of his character that lead him to wanting to warn the Emperor about the treachery of Horus, and the threat that Horus is to the Imperium. While the Eisenstein is fleeing from orbit around Istvaan III it is fired on and sustains dangerous amounts of damage, despite this it jumps into the warp where the Chaos Gods begin to play with the ship. Garro and his men must survive if they are going to warn the Emperor, but the longer they stay in the warp the less likely it is that they will be able to.
Swallow does a good job of raising the tension and putting Garro through the wringer. If Garro succeeds maybe the Imperium can defeat Horus, but if the Eisenstein is lost in the warp Horus will most likely win. A good entry in the Horus Heresy series that focuses on the Space Marines themselves rather than the Primarchs for a change.

Black Magic Woman

2009-07-29T11:00:00.003+10:00

I like a good supernatural thriller so I'm very glad that I decided to pick up Black Magic Woman by Justin Gustainis, which deals with investigator Quincey Morris and white witch Libby Chastain.

Morris is called in to help protect a family from a curse that goes back to the Salem Witch Trials and enlists the help of Chastain. Their quest takes them across America all the while the target of a powerful black witch.

Gustainis has a great writing style that skillfully mixes fictional characters with his 'real' world. Quincey Morris for example, is the great grandson of the Quincey Morris who helps Van Helsing defeat Dracula, and other characters from fiction are woven into the narrative.

The story has it all with black magic, white magic, voodoo, Zulu magic, demons and succubi. It is also quite brutal, characters die and not in a pretty way either, usually it is quite violent which adds to the gritty nature of the story. An impressive book and I look forward to reading more about this duo.

Crime

2009-07-29T10:44:00.003+10:00

Scandinavian crime novels are almost a subgenre all their own. Every year more and more novelists are being translated into English so that we can enjoy these wonderful stories.

I have just finished Nemesis by Norwegian author Jo Nesbo and starring Detective Harry Hole. Hole is your typical fictional detective, he smokes, is a loner at work, has troubled relationships, is a recovering alcoholic, is a little overweight, and tries to understand the meaning behind evil and why it is committed.

In this novel (number four in the series but the third one translated) Harry is brought in to help a bank robbery investigation where the robber kills the cashier. While this investigation is ongoing an old flame of Harry's arrives in town and they catch up. The next day she is found dead and Harry begins to receive threatening emails. Someone is trying to frame him, and while Harry tries o clear his name the bank robberies continue.

Nesbo has written a great thriller that is full of twists and red herrings. Harry is a great character and the reader wants him to succeed, if only because it will annoy certain people on the police force. Overall an amazing read and I'll look forward to reading more of Nesbo's novels.

Galaxy in Flames

2009-07-28T11:06:00.003+10:00

Horus' treachery is now fully revealed in Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter, as Horus' plan is put into action on Istvaan III. Horus has decided that the Space Marines who will not follow him will be killed in the front line in the invasion of Istvaan III, so that he will then be free to turn on the Emperor and attack Terra.

Again Loken is one of the main characters as we see him struggling to be true to the Emperor as seemingly all around him plot treason at every turn. Loken is sent to the surface of Istvaan III with the other loyal Space Marines and fights the bloody war against the Istvaanians in their capital city.

Other loyal Space Marines are also trying to foil the plans of the Warmaster in their own little way against the large forces turned against them. Also the Cult of the Emperor has grown with the addition of a Saint and an Apostle.

Counter has produced a fast paced read that has to bring together a lot of the threads from the previous two novels. Overall a great read.

Heroes

2009-07-28T10:49:00.004+10:00

Heroes of the Space Marines is a collection of short stories dealing with ... you guessed it, Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines.

The Skull Harvest by Graham McNeill shows how to raise a Chaos raiding party.

Gauntlet Run by Chris Roberson is about Imperial Fist Space Marines vs Orks.

Renegades by Gav Thorpe tells how the third company of the Avenging Sons Chapter became traitors.

Honour Among Friends by Dylan Owen looks at Black Legion Marine Scaevolla and his endless quest to kill Imperial Fist Marines.

Fires of War by Nick Kyme follows the Salamanders as they try and cleanse the city of Cirrion of Chaos cultists.

The Labyrinth by Richard Ford tells of the Sons of Malice.

Headhunted by Steve Parker is about the Deathwatch as they cleanse an Ork ship.

And They Shall Know No Fear ... by Darren Cox deals with Black Templars and their crusade against a Chaos cult.

Nightfall by Peter Feheruari is about Chaos Marines.

One Hate by Aaron Dembski-Bowden deals with the Crimson Fists as they help the Imperial Guard retake the world of Syral from the Orks, or so it seems.

Overall a great collection to dip into and read bit by bit.

Nightside

2009-07-07T14:19:00.003+10:00

My favourite urban fantasy series is easily Simon R Green's Nightside series starring John Taylor. Luckily for me then that he has released the latest one called Just Another Judgement Day.

John Taylor finds himself called in by the new rulers of Nightside who want him to tackle the latest threat they are facing, the Walking Man. The Walking Man is a creation of God, a mortal who has sworn vengeance on all evil things in revenge for a tragedy they suffered and is granted certain powers in return. These powers include invulnerability, the power to open any locked door by touching it and unerring aim with the pistols he carries. It is up to Taylor to work out how he can stop this literal killing machine from wiping out the Nightside.

I enjoy Green's take on noir writing but I did have one small problem with this novel. The Walking Man is too similar to The Saint of Killers from the Preacher comics. Same look, same MO, even a similar background, though I suppose it is probably true that they are based on the same cliches from westerns and popular culture and therefore they are similar. This wasn't enough to stop me from enjoying the roller-coaster Green takes Taylor on though, as Taylor finds himself facing a seemingly impossible task. I can't wait for the next one.

History

2009-07-07T13:54:00.004+10:00

Harriet Harvey Wood has written an interesting and informative book which deals with the lead up to and aftermath of the battle of Hastings in The Battle of Hastings. The Fall of Anglo-Saxon England. Wood documents the events which led to William invading England, and why he won the eventual battle.

This was a complex time period in English history with multiple claims to the English throne after the death of Edward the Confessor, with William and Harold just two of many who believed they had good reason to be crowned king. It must be remembered that at this time England was quite a prize with an established legal system and untold wealth.

Woods writing style is very engaging as she examines different sources and weaves them into an interesting narrative. History buffs should get a kick out of this book, as would anyone hoping to find out more about this important part of English history.

The Road to Chaos ...

2009-07-06T15:41:00.003+10:00

The Soul Drinker Space Marines are loyal to the Emperor who they have served for thousands of years helping to push back the darkness that threatens to engulf the Imperium. While trying to recover an artifact called the Soulspear which is sacred to them, the Soul Drinkers watch it get stolen from under their noses by the Mechanicum who want it so they can study and reverse engineer it. The Soul Drinkers obsession drives them to attack their allies in an effort to retrieve the Soulspear, but they cannot and are forced to flee into the warp.

The Soul Drinkers soon find themselves declared Excommunicate Traitors and all the forces of the Imperium are turned against them. Meanwhile inside the Chapter the Space Marines themselves are changing and showing signs of mutation, and have begun to worship the Architect who they see as the Emperor without the corruption of the Imperium. But things are not as they seem and it is revealed that the God they are worshiping is very different to the one they believe they are following.

Ben Counter's series about these Space Marines who aren't part of the Imperium but refuse to follow the Chaos Gods begins in Soul Drinker and continues with the Chapter trying to regain their lost honour and be welcomed back into the Imperium. I'm interested to see where Counter goes with this series in the future.

On the box

2009-07-03T13:29:00.004+10:00

Watching television for a job would be fun for a little while, but the sheer monotony would eventually get to me. Being a critic for the paper would be a reason to keep watching a little longer, but even then boredom would win out. Despite my problems with this job, A. A. Gill has collected together some of his best writing about television in Paper View: The Best of the Sunday Times Television Columns.

In this book Gill applies his blowtorch wit to such topics as costume dramas, sport, cop shows, soap operas, the news and quiz shows. All the time arguing that what is on television is important and should be treated as such, rather than a vehicle to sell ad breaks. Gill is quick ti identify things he doesn't like, and even quicker to take them down a peg or two. Nothing is safe from his gaze, not even nostalgia which also comes in for a kicking.

Overall this book is a fun read, even if Gill has an unnatural love for the word soporific. I enjoyed dipping in and out of this collection, and had a ball as Gill tore strips of some poor bugger, or sinks the boot into another crap program.

Collected Visions

2009-06-24T14:06:00.010+10:00

The Horus Heresy: Collected Visions by Alan Merrett is a fabulous book that tells the story of the Horus Heresy as well as showing off heaps of amazing artwork. This book is a collection of the art used in the Sabertooth Games collectible card game called Horus Heresy. Merrett was one of the key figures in developing the original timeline for the Heresy for Games Workshop, and here gets to flesh out these events which are now being fleshed out by the Black Library series of novels.
The real star of this book though is the artwork, amazing pictures from artists like Adrian Smith, Wayne England, David Gallagher and many more fill this book. Pictures of space Marines fighting, the Primarchs, and massive tanks are a joy to look at, especially for fans of Warhammer 40k. The book also contains concept art from the very talented John Blanche.

Fans of Warhammer 40k will find masses of background material here, with enough inspiration for hundreds of models, as well as finding out more about the Horus Heresy. Fans of good science-fiction art will also finds lots to enjoy in this book. Now if only I had the time and skill to paint and convert some models for my Warhammer 40k games ...

Below is an example page and some John Blanche concept art:

Scott Pilgrim

2009-06-22T15:43:00.004+10:00

I discovered Scott Pilgrim only recently, but I'm very glad I did. Dripping with pop culture references this graphic novel is influenced by any number of things. visually it owes a lot to manga, it is structured like the video games Scott is always playing, and there is also an undercurrent of music running through the series.

Bryan Lee O'Malley's series tells the story of Scott Pilgrim. Scott is dating Ramona Flowers, but before he can become her boyfriend he has to defeat in combat Ramona's 7 evil ex-boyfriends. This leads to lots of hilarity as Scott battles for his life through fight after fight. Like a computer game each of the evil ex-boyfriends is a level boss and each has a special power and when defeated confer a bonus on to Scott. For example, Todd Ingram has vegan psychic powers, but when Scott beats him Scott gets an extra life. Added to all this Scott's old girlfriends start turning up to complicate things further.

I had a lot of fun reading this series and am looking forward to reading more. Look for the first volume called Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life.

Warrior Monks

2009-06-19T12:45:00.002+10:00

The Grey Knights are the Chamber Militant of the Ordo Malleus. Unknown to most members of the Imperium, the Grey Knights are the front line when it comes to fighting daemonic incursions. shielded in their armour and protected by wards and a hard core of faith in the Emperor, the Grey Knights use their storm-bolters and Nemesis weapons to send the forces of Chaos back into the warp.

Grey Knights by Ben Counter shows the effort these warriors will go to while trying to foil the plans of the demon Ghargatuloth. Following a trail that leads to the planets in the Trail of St Evisser they find a myriad of forces arrayed against them. The Grey Knights soon find themselves fighting for the very survival of the universe.

Counter's fast paced writing style pushes the story along, without pausing to catch its breath. This is a great read that provides a lot of information about these elite warriors of the Warhammer 40K universe.

1984

2009-06-15T12:02:00.004+10:00

The NBA draft of 1984 was probably one of the most talented ever. Four players from this draft would be named in the NBA's fifty greatest players of all time. In his book Tip-Off: How the 1984 Draft changed Basketball Forever Filip Bondy looks at the events that led to the draft, and how it unfolded. Bondy looks at various players taken in the draft, how they performed in college, before and during the draft, and their careers after being drafted.

The book starts with the number one pick Hakeem Olajuwon, the most talented big man in the draft who also had unlimited potential. Discovered in Nigeria, he would be drafted by Houston and would win two championships with them. Next was Sam Bowie who went to Portland at number two. Bowie was the second best big man in the draft, but unfortunately he spent most of his career injured and was never able to show off his talent. Bowie of course become more famous as a trivia question because he was drafted before Michael Jordan. Jordan went at number three to Chicago and the rest is history. little needs to be said about arguably the greatest player of all time. Pick number five was Philadelphia's and they choose Charles Barkley one of the greatest rebounders and scorers to ever play in the NBA. He only stood 6' 4" but regularly outplayed opponents who were up to a foot taller than him. A reporter described his game in college as "Porky Pig going berserk on a trampoline." Finally at pick sixteen the Jazz selected John Stockton who became one of the best pure point guards in the NBA. When he retired he had more assists and steals than any other player.

Bondy has written an interesting and readable book that explores the reasons behind the picks and the individuals that made the decisions, and the players they were deciding on. A great read for any basketball fan, I feel lucky that I was able to watch these players do what they did best.

Blood Angels

2009-06-10T14:07:00.003+10:00

The Blood Angels are just one of the many Space Marine chapters that defend humanity. They also carry a dark secret that they hide from the Imperium. When their Primarch Sanguinius died defending the Emperor from Horus this event leaves a psychic scar on the Blood Angels gene-seed, which is used to create the Space Marines. This psychic scar leaves the Blood Angels prone to reliving this traumatic event, which in turn makes them go mad with rage.
James Swallow in Deus Encarmine and Deus Sanguinius has told the story of these tragic fighters. On the remote cemetery planet of Cybele a group of Blood Angels clash with traitor marines from the Word Bearers. But things are not as straight forward as it first seems, as there are plots within plots as the Chaos forces have their own agenda for engaging the Blood Angels.
Within the Blood Angels events are also happening that threaten to split the whole Chapter. Battle-Brother Arkio performs heroic acts in battle that have his comrades talking about him being blessed by Sanguinius. Arkio's older sibling Rafen believes that something is amiss. This feeling is shared by experienced Battle-Sergeant Koris. Amongst this turmoil the trusted friend of the Blood Angels Inquisitor Stele of the Ordo Hereticus is playing his own game which may or may not relate to what is happening to Arkio.
this series has a slow build up but once it got going it was hard to put down.

The Story Continues ...

2009-06-01T13:43:00.003+10:00

Graham McNeill's False Gods continues the story of the Horus Heresy, and what a story it is turning into. Picking up shortly after Horus Rising finished, we are once again shown events through the eyes of Garviel Loken as Horus's crusade begins to change direction and evolve into something else all together.
We are also introduced to Angron, Primarch of the World Eaters, and Fulgrim, Primarch of the Emperor's Children, and we get to see how different to Horus they are. Angron, barbaric and bloodthirsty and Fulgrim, proud and patrician. And of course we see Horus as he begins to question the Emperor's plans for the Imperium, and how Horus is now beginning to think that he should play a larger role in the Imperium's future. Loken, meanwhile, is caught between his duty as a Space Marine, and his feelings that something very wrong is going on.
In the final part Horus begins to make his move against the Emperor and enlists the help of some fellow Primarchs and the Mechanicum and so the die is cast. As Horus states, 'I will set the Emperor's Imperium ablaze and from the ashes will arise a new Master of Mankind.'
I'm very much looking forward to reading the next part of the story. Great read.

Teen Titans

2009-05-27T13:02:00.003+10:00

Geoff Johns reboot of the Teen Titans is a great run, and shows what a great writer he is. It is hard to take a team of sidekicks and make them interesting in their own right, but this is what Johns does. He makes the characters three dimensional and people who you care about. Sure Tim Drake as Robin is pretty fleshed out, and so is even Superboy to a certain degree, but Johns gives these guys enough of the spotlight to show that they hate living in the shadow of their adult mentors and namesakes, just like others on the team.

This run is as much about growing up as about anything else, and what it means to be a hero. I really enjoyed reading these comics, and it just further reinforced my belief that Johns is one of the greats when it comes to writing comic books.

The Magician's Apprentice

2009-05-22T11:43:00.002+10:00

Trudi Canavan writes big fantasy novels. Inside you will find war, magic, family conflict and a quest, and The Magician’s Apprentice is no different. Set hundreds of years before Canavan’s best selling The Black Magician trilogy we follow Tessia as she tries to find her place in the world.
Tessia wants to be a healer like her father, but her mother and society would rather she settled down. A chance visit to the local magician changes everything when it is discovered that Tessia has magical ability. She then becomes his apprentice and a whole new world opens up before her, one she never dreamed possible. While this is going on, events in the outside world are coming to a head and they will have far reaching consequences for everyone, and Tessia finds herself in the middle of it all.
The Magician’s Apprentice is good solid fantasy and should appeal to genre readers, and fans of Canavan’s previous books. Don’t be put of by the large size of the book as the pages quickly go by as the story builds.

Clones

2009-05-19T13:57:00.007+10:00

Karen Traviss knows how to write military science fiction, and this is very evident in the Star Wars Republic Commando series. While these books take place within the official Star Wars timeline the books stay away from the well known characters and this is to their benefit. Instead we get to know these overlooked characters from the movies, the foot soldiers. While not as wild as ARC (Advanced Recon Commando) troopers, the clone commandos are more skilled than regular clone troopers.

Doing the work deemed to hard for ordinary clone troopers, the clone commandos come to the rescue. We follow Niner, Darman, Fi and Atin as they get a chance to display their unique talents for battle, courtesy of their genetic father Jango Fett, and the special training from Fett's hand-picked associates.

The books also look at the human side of the clones, and tries to show what is going through the minds of individuals grown for one purpose only, to fight and die.

Well worth picking up and reading if you are a Star Wars fan or like military science fiction.

So it begins ...

2009-05-18T13:43:00.005+10:00

The Horus Heresy is the biggest event in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and Games Workshop are now telling the full story of how this happened. The story begins in Horus Rising by Dan Abnett and is told through the eyes of one of Horus' loyal Captains Garviel Loken, leader of the 10th Company of the Lunar Wolves. We follow the Lunar wolves as they continue the Great Crusade the Emperor has sent all the Adeptus Astartes (Space Marines) and their Primarchs, like Horus, on.

Horus has just been named Warmaster as the Emperor has decided to return to Terra (Earth) to let Horus prosecute the Great Crusade as he sees fit. But this new found power and prestige has started to change Horus as his idealism begins to be slowly warped.

As the short preface states:

"The vast armies of the Emperor of Earth have conquered the galaxy in a Great Crusade - the myriad alien races have been smashed by the Emperor's elite warriors ... First and foremost amongst these are the primarchs, superheroic beings who have led the Emperor's armies of Space Marines in victory after victory. They are unstoppable and magnificent, the pinnacle of the Emperor's genetic experimentation. The space Marines are the mightiest human warriors the galaxy has ever known, each capable of besting a hundred normal men or more in combat ... Chief amongst the primarchs is Horus, called the Glorious, the Brightest Star, favourite of the Emperor, and like a son unto him. He is the Warmaster."

The parallels with Milton's Paradise Lost are very evident, but Abnett does a good job of not making it seem like a simple retelling.

Overall Horus Rising is a pacy story that left me wanting to read the rest of the books in the series. Fans of Warhammer 40,000 will enjoy the background material these books contain, and fans of military science fiction will also get a kick from this book.

New Links

2009-05-11T17:25:00.002+10:00

As you can see from my sidebar I've been adding links to more than just book sites as this blog begins to also reflect my other interests and hobbies.
I've played Warhammer 40k on and of for years now collecting various armies but usually enjoying my Dark Angels or Orks.
I got into Warmachine recently and have wanted to begin collecting a Khadorian force.
I also play wargames and board games in general, so occasionally I will talk about these things as well as my book reviews.

Derring do

2009-05-06T15:41:00.004+10:00

Ed Greenwood wears his role playing background on his sleeve in his Band of Four novels. The Band of Four comprises a thief, a warrior, a sorceress and a healer, and it is their job to save the land of Aglirta from whatever happens to be threatening it.

Greenwood is famous for being half of the creative team that invented the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set for AD&D, and this shows in these novels. Overall the novels are a fun romp, with political intrigue, action, magic, combat and nasty villains. I enjoyed them a lot, but at the back of my mind was the feeling I was reading about some one's role playing campaign, and if it isn't it wouldn't be hard to turn the books into a successful campaign.

The books in the series are :

The Kingless Land

The Vacant Throne

A Dragon's Ascension

The Dragon's Doom

The Silent House

Recommended for fans of epic quest fantasy.

War against Chaos

2009-05-05T13:13:00.005+10:00

Ian Watson understands one thing about the Warhammer 40,000 universe and that is the fact that the universe is baroque. The only thing standing between humans and their complete destruction are brave individuals who root out the insidious influences of Chaos.

The Inquisition War deals with one such individual in Inquisitor Jaq Draco and his brave companions who help in this endless fight against the ruinous powers. Draco finds himself travelling across the Imperium of Man as he tries to end a conspiracy that threatens everyone with complete enslavement.

Watson is a wonderful writer, and he really brings out the gibbering nature of the followers of Chaos, and the constant threat to humans from them. In fact role players who are playing Dark Heresy could use this wonderful collection to find many ideas for their own campaigns.

I'll let Draco speak for himself:

"What does the name of inquisitor mean? Many people would answer: destroyer of mutants, hammer of heretics, scourge of aliens, with-hunter, torturer. Yet really the answer is: a seeker of truth, however terrible the truth may be. As a member of the Ordo Malleus I am already a secret inquisitor. Yet the truth I must disclose involves the revelation of an even deeper, more sinister secrets than those known to members of our covert order."

A fun read, especially if you know anything about the Warhammer 40,000 universe and setting.

Conan the Barbarian

2009-04-29T11:30:00.003+10:00

Conan is one of my favourite fantasy characters, and as I have mentioned before I have always enjoyed the stories of Robert E Howard. Recently I decided to read my way through the Dark Horse reprints of Roy Thomas' run on the Chronicles of Conan for Marvel. Thomas was assisted by some of the greatest artists of the period, but the two which the series is most famous for are Barry Windsor-Smith and John Buscema.

These comics were a lot of fun, and Thomas quickly grasped what he needed to write to make the stories work. Windsor-Smith and Buscema contribute amazing art and make the whole package sing. I had a lot of fun reading these comics, and each volume has a conclusion written by Thomas informing the reader about little details in the stories, where they came from and any other information he feels like sharing. Overall a lot of fun and fans of fantasy will not be disappointed.

Family Life

2009-04-14T15:58:00.003+10:00

Families are complicated, and Bruce & Me is a great example of this. The book follows Oren Siedler’s attempts to understand her family through the many road trips she took with her father Bruce across the United States. Not long into the book Siedler’s hippie mother leaves Bruce and runs away to Australia with her new partner. Once Bruce finds out where they are he asks to see Siedler, and she is sent back to the United States to spend time with him. After arriving she quickly discovers that Bruce runs credit card scams and performs identity theft as well as engaging in other criminal acts. Bruce might be living on the wrong side of the law, but it was always interesting being around him, though as Bruce spends more and more time behind bars, this spell breaks.
Bruce & Me is a wonderfully told memoir that reminds the reader that love is a powerful force as Siedler tries to unravel the tangled web that is her father with humour and insight. Bruce & Me is hard to put down and goes to show that families are a law unto themselves.

What the Dickens?

2009-04-07T13:31:00.010+10:00

Drood by Dan Simmons is an amazing novel that will keep you enthralled right until the end. The novel deals with the last five years of Charles Dickens life, and is told through the eyes of his friend and author Wilkie Collins. After surviving the massive train accident Dickens becomes obsessed with a strange figure he meets at the crash site known as Drood.

The book takes us through the underbelly of Victorian London and is a vivid picture of these times. The book is also helped by the voice of the narrator, Wilkie Collins, as he also is drawn into Dicken's obsession and he begins to swing between admiration and resentment for Dickens.

Simmons also references a lot of the novels written by Dickens and Collins and this only helps to set the scene further, especially if you are familiar with either of the authors.

Guillermo del Toro is quoted on the cover and I can only dream about him filming a version of this wonderful book.

In the end this book is a masterpiece of storytelling, and I urge everyone to read it.

This book is huuuuuge!

2009-03-27T14:21:00.004+11:00

Stephen Brusatte may have written the biggest book I have ever struggled to hold. Dinosaurs is a physically big book that takes a lot of muscle to hold and read. But it is perfect for laying on the floor and reading. The book itself is beautiful, with large drawings of dinosaurs and text about them it appealed to the nine year old in me. It also includes a lot of the latest research into Dinosaurs so that T. Rex has feathers and Velociraptor is completely covered in them!

A great book to just flick through and enjoy the amazing art work. If you like Dinosaurs then this is the book for you. Just be aware the it is physically big (44cm x 37cm 224 pages), but lay it on the floor or table and prepare to be blown away.

My blog is fabulous you say?

2009-03-17T13:58:00.003+11:00

Profuse thanks to Highlander for nominating me for this award. As per the rules I have to nominate 5 things I can't live without and then 5 blogs to give the award to. So here goes

1. My wife. She has to put up with a lot from me especially piles of books, comics, games and other tripping hazards all over the house.

2. Books. As a librarian I have access to a large number of books, certainly cheaper than buying them. And my blog is full of book reviews you do the math.

3. Public Libraries. They give you books, for FREE. WOW that's never going to catch on. And if you don't like them you take them back FOR NO COST. Even when I didn't work in one I was a member of a number.

4. My PS3. Gives me a chance to relax and calm down after dealing with the public.

5. Basketball. While I will watch just about any sport, basketball is the one I play regularly.

THE FIVE BLOGS I NOMINATE:

1. A Dribble of Ink

2. Fantasy Book Critic

3. Neth Space

4. The Wertzone

5. Realms of Speculative Fiction

Thanks again to Highlander!

Historical Horror

2009-03-10T14:16:00.003+11:00

I have just finished reading Jasper Kent's Twelve, and enjoyed myself immensely. The novel follows Captain Aleksei Ivanovich Danilov and he fights in the Russian Army against Napoleon's invasion in 1812. Tasked with fighting a guerrilla style campaign he finds himself fighting beside twelve mercenary strangers from the borders of the Christian world who claim that they can win the war for the Russians.

As the novel builds we discover that the twelve strangers, named after the apostles, are more than human, and very capable of fulfilling their promise and so much more.

This book was a lot of fun, if I had any criticisms at all I would say it was just a tad too long for the story. Other than that I recommend people read it.

Joker

2009-03-02T16:44:00.003+11:00

Brian Azzarello's Joker is a wonderful little crime piece that really captures the madness inherent in the character. While owing a visual nod to the Joker Heath Ledger portrayed, Azzarello has added his own touches to the character.

The story starts with the Joker being released from Arkham Asylum, and he quickly discovers that others have taken over his territory. Moving quickly we see the Joker begin to take back what he believes is his, in his own violent and twisted fashion. We even get to see Azzarello's take on the eternal battle between Batman and the Joker.

A quick read, this is a great noir tale that Azzarello tells so well, the characters would not seem out of place in 100 Bullets. Well worth reading.

Buddha

2009-02-10T14:09:00.003+11:00

Reading Osamu Tezuka's 8 volume masterpiece Buddha is amazing. Mixing fiction with history Tezuka has written an outstanding account of the life of one of the worlds great religious figures. The black and white illustrations can look simple, but convey a lot of information and show why Tezuka is one of the masters of the comic world.

Tezuka isn't preaching in this collection, he isn't trying to convert people to Buddhism, but he is investigating how Buddhism came about, and what were the influences on the life of Buddha. The collection looks at the caste system, philosophy, the role of violence in the world, and why people suffer.

Overall this is a great read, and I'm looking forward to reading all 8 volumes. Highly recommended.

The Walking Dead

2009-02-09T12:10:00.003+11:00

Robert Kirkman is adding his own chapter to zombie lore with The Walking Dead series of comics. Following a band of survivors after the majority of the population of the USA is turned into zombies, we watch people placed under incredible strain. The survivors stumble onto a prison which provides the perfect sanctuary from the hordes outside the walls, but also creates its own problems inside as personalities start to crack and relationships strain under the exceptional circumstances everyone finds themselves in. At times the books asks what would you do in similar circumstances? What rules would you enforce, and which would you let slide?

Well worth reading, I found the start to be slow but once the story picked up I found myself caring about the characters and what happens to them.

Guardian List

2009-02-03T14:15:00.004+11:00

The Guardian released a list of 1000 novels everyone must read, and here are the 131 science fiction and fantasy books that were selected. Titles in bold are ones I have read. Interesting list and has led to much debate about what made it and what didn't.

1. Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979)
2. Brian W Aldiss: Non-Stop (1958)
3. Isaac Asimov: Foundation (1951)
4. Margaret Atwood: The Blind Assassin (2000)
5. Paul Auster: In the Country of Last Things (1987)
6. JG Ballard: The Drowned World (1962)
7. JG Ballard: Crash (1973)
8. Iain Banks: The Wasp Factory (1984)
9. Iain M Banks: Consider Phlebas (1987)
10. Clive Barker: Weaveworld (1987)
11. Nicola Barker: Darkmans (2007)
12. Stephen Baxter: The Time Ships (1995)
13. Greg Bear: Darwin's Radio (1999)
14. Alfred Bester: The Stars My Destination (1956)
15. Poppy Z Brite: Lost Souls (1992)
16. Algis Budrys: Rogue Moon (1960)
17. Mikhail Bulgakov: The Master and Margarita (1966)
18. Edward Bulwer-Lytton: The Coming Race (1871)
19. Anthony Burgess: A Clockwork Orange (1960)
20. Anthony Burgess: The End of the World News (1982)
21. Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars (1912)
22. William Burroughs: Naked Lunch (1959)
23. Octavia Butler: Kindred (1979)
24. Samuel Butler: Erewhon (1872)
25. Italo Calvino: The Baron in the Trees (1957)
26. Ramsey Campbell: The Influence (1988)
27. Lewis Carroll: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865)
28. Lewis Carroll: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871)
29. Angela Carter: Nights at the Circus (1984)
30. Michael Chabon: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (2000)
31. Arthur C Clarke: Childhood's End (1953)
32. GK Chesterton: The Man Who Was Thursday (1908)
33. Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (2004)
34. Michael G Coney: Hello Summer, Goodbye (1975)
35. Douglas Coupland: Girlfriend in a Coma (1998)
36. Mark Danielewski: House of Leaves (2000)
37. Marie Darrieussecq: Pig Tales (1996)
38. Samuel R Delaney: The Einstein Intersection (1967)
39. Philip K Dick: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968)
40. Philip K Dick: The Man in the High Castle (1962)
41. Umberto Eco: Foucault's Pendulum (1988)
42. Michel Faber: Under the Skin (2000)
43. John Fowles: The Magus (1966)
44. Neil Gaiman: American Gods (2001)
45. Alan Garner: Red Shift (1973)
46. William Gibson: Neuromancer (1984)
47. Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Herland (1915)
48. William Golding: Lord of the Flies (1954)
49. Joe Haldeman The Forever War (1974)
50. M John Harrison: Light (2002)
51. Robert A Heinlein: Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)
52. Frank Herbert: Dune (1965)
53. Hermann Hesse: The Glass Bead Game (1943)
54. Russell Hoban: Riddley Walker (1980)
55. James Hogg: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824)
56. Michel Houellebecq: Atomised (1998)
57. Aldous Huxley: Brave New World (1932)
58. Kazuo Ishiguro: The Unconsoled (1995)
59. Shirley Jackson: The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
60. Henry James: The Turn of the Screw (1898)
61. PD James: The Children of Men (1992)
62. Richard Jefferies: After London; Or, Wild England (1885)
63. Gwyneth Jones: Bold as Love (2001)
64. Franz Kafka: The Trial (1925)
65. Daniel Keyes: Flowers for Algernon (1966)
66. Stephen King: The Shining (1977)
67. Marghanita Laski: The Victorian Chaise-longue (1953)
68. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu: Uncle Silas (1864)
69. Stanislaw Lem: Solaris (1961)
70. Doris Lessing: Memoirs of a Survivor (1974)
71. David Lindsay: A Voyage to Arcturus (1920)
72. Ken MacLeod: The Night Sessions (2008)
73. C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia (1950-56)
74. Hilary Mantel: Beyond Black (2005)
75. Michael Marshall Smith: Only Forward (1994)
76. Richard Matheson: I Am Legend (1954)
77. Charles Maturin: Melmoth the Wanderer (1820)
78. Patrick McCabe: The Butcher Boy (1992)
79. Cormac McCarthy: The Road (2006)
80. Jed Mercurio: Ascent (2007)
81. China Miéville: The Scar (2002)
82. Andrew Miller: Ingenious Pain (1997)
83. Walter M Miller Jr: A Canticle for Leibowitz (1960)
84. David Mitchell: Cloud Atlas (2004)
85. Michael Moorcock: Mother London (1988)
86. William Morris: News From Nowhere (1890)
87. Toni Morrison: Beloved (1987)
88. Haruki Murakami: The Wind-up Bird Chronicle (1995)
89. Vladimir Nabokov: Ada or Ardor (1969)
90. Audrey Niffenegger: The Time Traveler's Wife (2003)
91. Larry Niven: Ringworld (1970)
92. Jeff Noon: Vurt (1993)
93. Flann O'Brien: The Third Policeman (1967)
94. Ben Okri: The Famished Road (1991)
95. Chuck Palahniuk: Fight Club (1996)
96. Thomas Love Peacock: Nightmare Abbey (1818)
97. Mervyn Peake: Titus Groan (1946)
98. John Cowper Powys: A Glastonbury Romance (1932)
99. Terry Pratchett: The Discworld Series (1983- )
100. Christopher Priest: The Prestige (1995)
101. Phillip Pullman: His Dark Materials (1995-2000)
102. François Rabelais: Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532-34)
103. Ann Radcliffe: The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794)
104. Alastair Reynolds: Revelation Space (2000)
105. Kim Stanley Robinson: The Years of Rice and Salt (2002)
106. JK Rowling: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997)
107. Salman Rushdie: The Satanic Verses (1988)
108. Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry: The Little Prince (1943)
109. José Saramago: Blindness (1995)
110. Will Self: How the Dead Live (2000)
111. Mary Shelley: Frankenstein (1818)
112. Dan Simmons: Hyperion (1989)
113. Olaf Stapledon: Star Maker (1937)
114. Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash (1992)
115. Robert Louis Stevenson: The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886)
116. Bram Stoker: Dracula (1897)
117. Rupert Thomson: The Insult (1996)
118. JRR Tolkien: The Hobbit (1937)
119. JRR Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings (1954-55)
120. Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court (1889)
121. Kurt Vonnegut: Sirens of Titan (1959)
122. Robert Walser: Institute Benjamenta (1909)
123. Sylvia Townsend Warner: Lolly Willowes (1926)
124. Sarah Waters: Affinity (1999)
125. HG Wells: The Time Machine (1895)
126. HG Wells: The War of the Worlds (1898)
127. TH White: The Sword in the Stone (1938)
128. Gene Wolfe: The Book of the New Sun (1980-83)
129. John Wyndham: Day of the Triffids (1951)
130. John Wyndham: The Midwich Cuckoos (1957)
131. Yevgeny Zamyatin: We (1924)

Grant Morrison's Batman

2009-02-02T16:02:00.003+11:00

I have been following Grant Morrison's run on Batman with interest. He always writes a great story, even if you can't always follow it the first time. Now that we have reached the end of Batman RIP we can look at the run as a whole, and admire the work that Morrison has managed to put into this run. Anyone who can write Batmite into a story is to be commended.

Sure at times Morrison's invention is hard to follow, but as a whole the story is fairly mind blowing. Sure DC were never going to allow Batman to be to changed by the end, but Morrison sure took him on a roller-coaster ride to get there.

I encourage people to read this run and sit back and just enjoy the ride. Morrison will not let you down.

Fun read

2009-01-19T16:20:00.004+11:00

Neal Asher's book Prador Moon is a fun space opera novel that leaves you wanting more. Part of this is helped by the fact that the novel itself is only about 200 pages long, and this short space allows Asher's prose to zing, as we see the Polity encounter the first ever space faring alien species. And what a species they turn out to be, massive crab-like creatures who are nearly indestructible and called the Prador.

Sure it is full of Asher's trademark violence, and tough characters, but it also manages to make both sides of this conflict real, as we have different narrators, Prador and Human. As always Asher will raise issues with the reader, but then gives his reader's space to think about it in their own time without preaching to them if they so choose. Or they can concentrate on the many characters getting gutted in various vicious ways.

Overall another great read, from an author who never fails to deliver.

Alias

2009-01-13T15:00:00.004+11:00

I've been reading my way through Brian Michael Bendis' run on Alias and realising how much I enjoy his writing when he is in tune with a character. His stories of Jessica Jones as a private detective are wonderfully constructed and we see Jessica deal with her cases and her personal life, ex-superhero, single woman etc.

Rather than trying to run massive company wide crossovers, Bendis is much better off telling small stories with a noir twist and allowing big name superheroes to make cameos. As he tells his story of power and the responsibility that comes with it, and how having superpowers impacts on your life (to a lesser degree).

Find the TPB and start reading, and you will discover why so many people rate this series.

Back to work

2009-01-12T15:14:00.003+11:00

Now that my holidays are over I can look back at the mountain of books I tried to read and shake my head. I must be mad ...
Anyway here are some of my favourites that I did finish,

R. Scott Bakker - The Darkness That Comes Before. Wow, really enjoyed this, the world he describes is vivid and the characters are interesting, can't wait to read the rest.
Kristin Cashore - Graceling. Quick, fun read that left me wanting more.
Nick Stone - King of Swords. Thriller set in 1980s Miami.
Jack Kirby - Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol 1. Mind blowing comics from one of the best.

Just a quick glimpse at what I've been reading, I'll be back with proper reviews soon.

Basketball God

2008-12-08T11:24:00.005+11:00

I love playing and watching basketball, and I also love reading about players and coaches as well. I have just finished Robert Cherry's Wilt. Larger Than Life and I must say it was a great read.

It is always hard to say who the greatest basketballer was, or is, different eras played in different ways, and it is more than just comparing statistics and championships. But some players are always going to stand out, Jerry West, Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robinson and the list goes on. One name who would be near the top of most lists is Wilt Chamberlain.

Cherry's book does a great job of exploring this complex individual, while also highlighting the amazing things he could do on a basketball court. Some of the records he holds will never be broken, and it is rare to find someone of his height 7'1" who was so athletic.

Some of his stats:

Career average of 30.1 points per game (equal first)

Career average of 22.9 rebounds per game (first)

Career average of 45.8 minutes per game (first)

Only player to score 100 points in a game

Only player to grab 55 rebounds in a game

Only centre to lead the league in assists

4 time league MVP

Won Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year ('59-'60)

A book for all fans of the game.

A bit of history

2008-11-28T13:49:00.004+11:00

If you're a fan of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels then Mark Urban's Rifles is for you. Instead of being fiction, Urban follows the 95th through six years of war, and puts you in the shoes of these legendary fighters.

The book mainly focuses on the campaign in Spain, and finishes with the battle of Waterloo. Using the letters, diaries and other writings of the soldiers themselves, Urban does a good job of showing the reader what it would have been like to fight with these men. The book also shows just how hard life in the ranks was, were casual brutality and a lack of proper provisions was the least of your worries.

Well worth picking up if you are interested in the Napoleonic Wars or want to know more about the inspiration for Sharpe.

Right Man for the Job

2008-11-19T13:19:00.003+11:00

Garth Ennis's run on The Punisher is a great read and adds an extra element to this often one-dimensional character. Instead of confining Frank Castle to the USA, and especially New York, Ennis has him in Russia, Afghanistan and other places, as Frank's war on crime comes to include international criminals.

Ennis has an eye for tough guy characters, and is suited to writing the story of this iconic character. Sure the violence is over the top, as Castle blasts his way through masses of bad guys, and how many times can he be wounded and get up and continue the fight. But the story flows, and adding the international angle with the expected amounts of politics, dirty deals and corrupt individuals helps to show Frank's moral core, and unwavering belief in what he is doing is right.

Look for the trade paperbacks as each one collects a storyline and break the run up into chapters.

Also Ennis's version of Fury is a lot of fun as he is in pure bad-ass mode.

For the love of books ...

2008-11-17T18:37:00.003+11:00

Sometimes libraries surprise you with the books you can borrow from them. I put a hold on Twenty Years After by Dumas and waited for the only copy in our extended service to show up. And what a beauty it turned out to be.
The book was catalogued by the owning library in 1924 and is a beautiful leather bound edition which is slowly falling apart but still retains enough charm to make you want to just hold it. Yes the binding is going, and the pages starting to fall out, but this is a book built to last. I doubt many paperbacks will still be gracing our shelves in 80 years time.
Reading it is a pleasure as you turn the whisper thin pages, and peer at the small type.
I am enjoying reading this immensely and the age of the book is adding to the enjoyment as well.

More Fantasy

2008-10-28T13:50:00.003+11:00

My recent spate of reading fantasy novels continues as I have just finished another great read in Adrian Tchaikovsky's Empire in Black and Gold. This novel, first in a trilogy, expertly sets out the intriguing world that these books are set in.

The Lowlands are home to many kinden, humans who share characteristics with different types of insects. There are beetle-kinden who are short and stout and are inventors, mantis-kinden who are excellent duellists and fighters, ant-kinden who are great soldiers due to there hive-mind, spider-kinden who are able to climb any surface and so on. And then we have the wasp-kinden who are the empire mentioned in the title. Their special ability is that they can create a 'sting' to attack their enemies as well as all wasp-kinden being warriors who use slaves to make their society function.

As the wasp empire begins to encroach on the Lowlands one beetle-kinden, Stenwold, has for years been warning about this coming threat but no one has paid him any mind. Therefore he must send off a small group of operatives to try and protect the world from the growing darkness.

This inventive premise is wonderfully used by Tchaikovsky to tell a great story that will leave you hanging out for the next book, Dragonfly Falling.

More great fantasy

2008-10-27T12:04:00.003+11:00

Richard Morgan has branched out into fantasy with his latest novel The Steel Remains. Like all of Morgan's books his characters live in a dangerous world and they respond to this danger with violence. The characters in The Steel Remains are no different.

Morgan has always been a great writer though and his characters are always intriguing. Maybe not the sort of people you would want as your friends but they certainly are good art what they do. The world Morgan describes is very visceral with sex, violence and death ever present. And in something of a change it is only 340 pages long which is good in this world were editors seem to think that fantasy novels need to be six hundred pages long.

I recommend that people give this book a go, especially fantasy fans. I feel I must quickly warn people that the book does contain lots of violence and swearing, as well as graphic gay sex. But don't let that put you off it really is a great read.

Patrick Rothfuss

2008-10-27T11:32:00.003+11:00

If you are a fan of fantasy literature than you should be reading Patrick Rothfuss, if you haven't already. His novel The Name of the Wind is a knock-out read that will keep you interested until the last page, and then you will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the trilogy.

The book is about Kvothe a hero in his thirties who has left the limelight and now runs a bar in a small town under an assumed name. When a story-teller passes through town and recognises Kvothe he convinces him to tell his story.

We are then treated to various flash backs as Kvothe begins to tell of the events that led him to the bar he is now running. As the book goes on we begin to see that Kvothe is carrying some mental scars from his experiences.

This is a great novel, and the author's light touch makes it a joy to read. Look out for the next book in the trilogy called The Wise Man's Fear due for release next year.

I'll finish by letting our main character introduce himself.

"I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.

My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me."

A fun read

2008-10-21T14:28:00.003+11:00

The Warhammer world is a grim place, but also a fun place to visit. William King's series of books about two characters who inhabit this world are proof of that. His Slayer series deals with the adventures of Gotrek and Felix who battle the forces of evil at every turn.

Gotrek is a Trollslayer, a dwarf who has so shamed himself that he has shaved his head into a Mohawk and is seeking death in battle to redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow dwarves. This means you will find him wherever the fighting is thickest. Felix is the son of a rich merchant who is trying to escape his family and drunkenly promises to write an epic based on Gotrek's deeds. Therefore he is forced to follow Gotrek from battle to battle and the pair develop a bond as they quash various evil plots around the Warhammer world.

The series starts with Trollslayer and builds from there, like I said before a fun read.

Hollywood is a strange place

2008-10-21T14:13:00.005+11:00

David Hughes has written a great little book called The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made. The book takes us on a tour of the development hell that can surround a project in Tinseltown, and the obscene amounts of money that can be wasted on a project that doesn't get made.

Imagine if you will for a moment these following films that never saw the light of day.

Stanley Kubrick's Childhood's End

Philip Kaufman's Star Trek: Planet of the Titans

Kevin Smith's Six Million Dollar Man

Tim Burton's Superman Lives

James Cameron's Spider-Man

Terry Gilliam's Watchmen

Ridley Scott's I Am Legend

I would pay money to see any of them. But this book details why I can't see them, as well as looking at the troubled creation of some films that did get made like Dune and Alien3.

Avoid like the plague

2008-10-21T13:56:00.003+11:00

WARNING WARNING WARNING

The following book is guaranteed to make you throw it away in disgust as another fantasy cliche jumps from the page and slowly bludgeons you into insensibility. The Wanderer's Tale by David Bilsborough is a load of old tripe. Badly plotted, overly long and without an original sentence to redeem it Bilsborough was better of taking up another profession if he thinks he has what it takes to be a writer.

It is hard to like this book, especially a fan like myself who knows how great good fantasy can be. Take for example Bilborough's inability to create a name that isn't ridiculous or laugh out loud funny or unpronounceable. Here are a few to get you started, Methuselech Xiluafloese, Odf Uglekort, a vilian called Drauglir (I assume Bram Stoker is spinning like a top), the Ogghain-Yddiaw and when your heroes are called Gapp and Bolldhe it's hard to keep a straight face.

Bilsborough should be forced to repeat his characters names out loud as punishment for inflicting them on us.

There is a sequel but why anyone would bother after being subjected to this steaming pile is any one's guess.

Angel and Louis

2008-09-30T13:23:00.004+10:00

The Reapers by John Connolly is an enjoyable read and continues my admiration for the way this man writes, and the stories he tells. This book focuses on Angel and Louis, specifically Louis, and the world they inhabit. When you're a consummate, suave killer like Louis you are bound to lead a special lifestyle, especially when your partner is a man of very specific talents like Angel.

Connolly is a great atmospheric writer, and his novels are told in a particular style almost mystical noir, and The Reapers is no different. The Reapers of the title are the nickname for the worlds greatest killers, of which Louis is one, and we discover how Louis became what he is, and why someone wants him dead.

I can't say enough that more people should be reading Connolly's novels, especially if they enjoy their thrillers to have a little twist into the mythical in them. I should also state now that I think Angel and Louis are one of the best couples in fiction, definitely the deadliest.

What a read

2008-09-30T13:08:00.003+10:00

Anyone looking for an intelligent fantasy novel, that is a great read can do no wrong if they pick up Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself. First in a trilogy The Blade Itself kicks of the story by introducing us to the main characters and setting up the world that the books will take place in.

We meet Logan Ninefingers (or the Bloody Nine as he is sometimes called), a great barbarian warrior from the north who is running away from his homelands. We have the selfish army officer Jezal dan Luthor who is trying to make it as a duellist by doing as little as possible, and finally Inquisitor Glokta, a torturer who is hideously deformed after being tortured himself, who is investigating a large conspiracy that seems to go deep into the government. The stories of these three characters become intertwined as events unfold, and the reader discovers that there is a lot going on in this world.

Abercrombie juggles these various plot lines with skill and builds up a detailed picture of the wider world. With well written dialogue, and heroes who aren't afraid to do questionable things The Blade Itself will make you want to finish the trilogy just to find out what happens to these great characters.

Orcs is 'ere

2008-09-29T15:13:00.004+10:00

I have always had a thing for orcs. When I played Warhammer the first army I collected was an Orc and Gobbo one, and since then I have sympathised with the greenskins. Therefore I approached this book with feelings of glee and Orcs by Stan Nicholls did not let me down. As you can probably imagine from the title the main characters of these books are orcs.

Nicholls takes us into the world of the Wolverines an orc warband lead by Stryke as they try and survive the various factions out to destroy them. Orcs is a great fast paced read, that flies along from battle to battle as we all know orcs love a good fight. It's nice to see humans as the invader and destroyer for a change as the orcs try to stop them eating the magic of the elder races.

The books in this omnibus collection reminded my of Glen Cook's Black Company series with its focus on the foot soldiers rather than the generals. Nicholls also does a great job of fleshing out his characters and giving them motivations and feelings. And like Cook, Nicholls characters have very distinctive voices.

Overall Orcs is a great read and something that any fantasy fan should pick up.

I heard it on the grapevine ...

2008-09-26T15:43:00.004+10:00

While reading Feminist SF - the blog! I saw a feature they had on there top ten obscure science fiction novels. Some of them caught my eye so I decided to read some and see what I thought.

The first one was Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner. I do not know this book or author so I sat down not quite sure what to expect. The cover quotation by George R R Martin filled me with hope, so I began to read.

Having now finished it I can't describe how much I enjoyed reading this novel. I loved the setting, and I loved the characters. The plot was interesting and Kushner's prose kept me coming back for more.

In the suburb of Riverside Richard St Vier is something of a rock star, a highly sought after duellist who fights for which ever rich patron pays him, while his partner Alec helps him negotiate the politics of the city, and is drawn to the violence in Richard.

A wonderful novel, Kushner describes a vibrant city and Riverside comes to life through its inhabitants. Well worth reading if you can find a copy.

Evergence

2008-09-17T11:21:00.003+10:00

Sean Williams and Shane Dix's Evergence series is well worth reading. Set in a far future it is full of action and intrigue, space opera with ideas. Williams and Dix aren't afraid of mixing interesting concepts with their action scenes, and the series never becomes a race from one fire-fight to the next. They will continually throw something thought provoking or interesting in your way.

The main characters we meet are Morgan, Cane and The Box. Morgan is a intelligence officer on a special and secret mission that involves various powers in the universe. In her care is The Box, a portable A. I. who is being hunted, and who seems to have an important roll in the future of humanity. Finally Cane is a mystery man found floating in space, who has no memory of his past but has skills and abilities beyond normal.

The three books in the series are a great read, and would be enjoyed by any fans of science fiction.

The Monarchies of God

2008-09-03T12:56:00.006+10:00

I picked up Hawkood's Voyage by Paul Kearney on a whim and I must say I wish I had more whims like this. I didn't know what to expect from this novel and thought that the blurb had sounded interesting with the usual things, war, political intrigue and adventuring to be had.

Well, once I started I found it difficult to stop. Kearney's style would be familiar to fans of David Gemmell but there is still enough to make his writing unique to him. Like Gemmell, Kearney's characters are living and breathing in the world he has created for them. Also like Gemmell there is a gritty feel to the world Kearney describes. Decisions have consequences, and they aren't always pleasant. Also fights are presented in a real style, where people can be seriously injured or killed, rather than feeling that the main characters will escape without a scratch.

Enough about that though, lets have a look at the story itself. Kearney's world is one beset by enemies within, and without. From the east the Marduks (think Saracens) are slowly invading the Western Kingdoms (think Christian Europe), while the Inceptine's (think Inquisition) are rooting out heretics within the Kingdoms. Into this mess one King decides to support a voyage to cross the Great Western Ocean and see what is on the other side.

Kearney drops you into the middle of the action, and it doesn't let up, whether it's political scheming or adventuring. There is so much to like about this book, and I hope the rest of the series (called The Monarchies of God) manages to continue in the same vein. I'm looking forward to finishing it, and then reading more by Kearney.

Immortals

2008-09-01T17:02:00.004+10:00

Jennifer Fallon's fantasy series called The Tide Lords has just come to my attention. I have enjoyed immensely reading this series, and hope that Fallon continues to write in this world.

In this series the world of humans is served by the Crasii, animal slaves that walk and talk like humans. The world was run by the Tide Lords who are immortal but disappeared from human affairs. The Tide (forces of magic) is coming in though and the Tide Lords are beginning to appear, and they want to return to the way things were before which is spooking the humans. And then there is the Immortal Prince who just wants to die.

The series is full of political machinations, action and good dialogue, and is well worth getting in to especially those who like a little political intrigue with their fantasy fiction.

Cortes the Killer

2008-09-01T16:54:00.005+10:00

The Conquest of Mexico by Hugh Thomas is a doorstop of a book. But don't be put of by this, as he is a great writer who will make the pages fly by.

This particular book deals with the history of the Aztecs, and the coming of the Spanish and what happened after they landed. It is packed with detail, and shows the amount of research that Thomas undertook to write it.

The history of Mexico that this book covers is full of evocative names like Montezuma, Cortes, and El Dorado. This is a book full of sweeping history, told in a readable style.

Faceless drones.

2008-09-01T16:44:00.004+10:00

Douglas Copeland's JPod is set in a world of moral greys. Our main character is one of six game programmers (the JPod of the title), who work for a large game design company. Like other books by Copeland he writes about large faceless corporations and their effect on the individuals who work for them.

Copeland likes to poke fun at modern society, and he continues this trend in JPod. Gamers and people who work in computer software will get many of the jokes he throws around. While these jokes are never laugh-out-loud funny they do hit their mark, and the book does have its moments.

Reader's could be confronted by Copeland's use of pages of binary, and pages without punctuation but if they stick with it they will be rewarded.