Carol Evers has a weird medical condition that causes her to drop into a coma that is difficult to distinguish from death. Her husband, Dwight Evers, Carol Evers has a weird medical condition that causes her to drop into a coma that is difficult to distinguish from death. Her husband, Dwight Evers, plots to take advantage of this, bury her alive, and inherit her money. James Moxie, outlaw and Carol’s regretful ex, gets word of the situation and rides to the rescue.
Things I liked: *Fascinating, original concepts: the character Smoke, "the Rot", the premise itself, and the Trail *Sheriff Opal. Funny dialogue and behaves like a detective. *Women who are brave, rescue themselves. *Bit of weird western, bit of steampunk, bit of supernatural
Things I didn’t: *The primal fear of being buried alive was never explored. Felt like false advertising. *There was a lot of awkward, obvious expository or melodramatic dialogue. *Information revealed in one scene was often repeated in the next. Such a waste of time that could have been used expanding more interesting backstory/character. *Worst of all, too much telling rather than showing.
I want to see how/why Carol is so threatening to Dwight’s masculinity. I want to see Carol be likeable to everyone in the town. (view spoiler)[I want to see John Bowie’s murder and Carol’s past interaction with the Rot. We learn how Smoke lost his legs but how did he become a pyromaniac? I want to see Carol struggle with the mechanics that her mother designed for the coffin. Learning of her escape through dialogue and exposition made the ending a bit anticlimactic. (hide spoiler)]
Collection of Western-themed short stories, blended with science fiction/fantasy. Many would fall into the subgenre of Steampunk, which compliments thCollection of Western-themed short stories, blended with science fiction/fantasy. Many would fall into the subgenre of Steampunk, which compliments the Western very well.
They were generally fun to read, mostly action-oriented narratives featuring outlaws or lawmen (and some women). For my taste, they could have been far “weirder� and gone a bit deeper.
Two that stood out to me were:
"Bookkeeper, Narrator, Gunslinger" by Charles Yu, a story that played meta games with the conventions of the “gunslinger� type of charter, and "Alvin and the Apple Tree" by Orson Scott Card, which read like a religious parable. ...more
The Grand Dark has some of the most gorgeous worldbuilding I’ve ever seen.
And if that were enough for me, this would be an incredible book.
Kadrey creaThe Grand Dark has some of the most gorgeous worldbuilding I’ve ever seen.
And if that were enough for me, this would be an incredible book.
Kadrey created a fictional Eastern European city, set it in an alternative reality between the two world wars, and added a heap of steampunk (or maybe I’m supposed to call it diesel punk?) technology.
The young protagonist is a twenty-one-year-old bicycle messenger who grew up in Lower Proszawa and knows the layouts and neighborhoods better than anyone; yet has no idea of anything that goes on in his city.
The postwar atmosphere is dark and gritty but somehow glamorous, filled with smoke, metal, and a contrast of grayness and bright lights. As for the citizens, there is a great divide between rich and poor, groups of war damaged war veterans roaming around in metal masks, and people who indulge in sex and drugs to take their mind off the misery. In addition to the humans, Lower Proszawa’s inhabitants include robotic creations known as Mara, and artificial biological creatures called Chimera.
On top of all of the aesthetics is a constant feel of danger and paranoia, squeezing Largo and other characters between the constant menace of the secret police and the volatile energy of the anarchists.
The details are so compelling. I was optimistic. All of this would be a fabulous playground for some well-rounded characters and a scintillating plot.
The plot never kicks off until two-thirds through. When it finally got going, many possibilities led to dead ends, and opportunities to go deeper into aspects of the city were missed. It came down to a bizarre love triangle that I didn’t care about. (view spoiler)[Which was also possibly incestuous? Remy called the Baron her uncle early on and then later, he revealed his plan was to make her fall in love with him. (hide spoiler)] )
With all the great worldbuilding, I could have endured a weak plot if Kadrey had supplied some fun and distinct characters.
Largo’s major personality trait is cluelessness or being the city's most naive citizen. He’s also a magnet for bullies, such as co-workers, cops, and paranoid anarchists. Most characters either take advantage of him, or warn him about those who would take advantage of him.
He is so guileless and blank,(view spoiler)[ I wondered if he was not a victim of the “Eugenics� experiments that were making kidnapees docile. Or one the Chimera. (hide spoiler)]
As an actress in gruesome murder plays at the Grand Dark Theater, Remy had potential to be interesting. Yet, her main characteristics are glamor and sexuality and she becomes an object to be rescued. Kadrey never sold me on why she would be interested in Largo. I kept expecting to find out she was using him for something. Maye he has a really good heart but we never see that aspect of their relationship.
Other characters were opaque as seen through Largo; as a reader I never saw any of their layers.
All three stars for the fascinating world Kadrey created. I wouldn’t want to live there but it sure was incredible to read about. ...more
Book of fairy stories taking place in the same world as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. By which I mean, each of the stories features a fairy or faiBook of fairy stories taking place in the same world as Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. By which I mean, each of the stories features a fairy or fairies as characters, though they are “fairy tales� as well. There’s a classic European folklore vibe, even down to the cover art.
Many entertaining characters populate these stories and Clarke uses a fun, sparkling writing style, even when dark events are occurring.
A few of my favorites were "On Lickerish Hill," which I recognize as a retelling of “Rumpelstilskin,� "Mr Simonelli, or the Fairy Widower," which features an entertainingly vain and manipulative narrator, and the title story.
“Ladies of Grace Adieu� features a cameo appearance by Jonathan Strange, that rock star of 19th-century magicians. In this story we find out that women are magic users too, they just keep it a little more low key.
The collection is focused mostly on female characters and their power, though it doesn’t scream out that it’s a feminist statement. ...more
Classic steampunk from an author who originated, not the steampunk style itself, but the term.
The naive narrator, George Dower, inherits a clock and wClassic steampunk from an author who originated, not the steampunk style itself, but the term.
The naive narrator, George Dower, inherits a clock and watch shop from his genius father and tries to make a living with less skill than his father had. A mysterious customer comes into the shop and launches George into an adventure that has steampunk technology, time travel, Lovecraftian human hybrids, automatons, and lots of people trying to kill him for no fault of his own.
There's a lot of humor, especially in the narration, because of George's clueless, guileless nature and how he views the dangerous and weird people he’s gotten involved with, which includes con artists, evangelists, and one megalomaniac.
George is at the center of many storylines as a passive target. I would have liked him to have more drive of his own other than solving the mystery of his father’s life and work. Once he (view spoiler)[ discovered his father's ulterior motives in having a son, the story felt anticlimactic, and not much happened with the answer to that particular question. I expected more of a confrontation between him and his “brother.� (hide spoiler)]
The book was fun overall, action-oriented, and pure entertainment. I enjoyed reading it as an example classic steampunk genre stories. It’s a shame that it shares a title with a more recent and much more popular YA book. I think that makes it harder for new readers to discover this one....more
This is what I hoped the Just One Damned Thing After Another would be: a story about historians using time travel technology to really observe hisThis is what I hoped the Just One Damned Thing After Another would be: a story about historians using time travel technology to really observe history.
Doomsday Book met my expectations much better. I enjoyed the character interactions and watching them try to figure out what had gone wrong with the various technology and epidemic-related disasters. I especially liked Dunworthy’s friendship with Colin and Kivrin’s relationship with the little girls, Agnes and Rosamund.
The kids were well written and entertaining. I also liked the interactions with Dunworthy and his overwhelmed assistant, Finch. These touches gave the book humanity and humor.
The plot moved slowly, with obstacles mostly coming from communication failures, and seemed a bit repetitive at times.
It was charming enough that I will check out other books by Willis....more
Heroic Lawman with magical powers comes out of retirement to stop a band of kidnappers in a Steampunk/Western setting.
I haven’t read the early MistboHeroic Lawman with magical powers comes out of retirement to stop a band of kidnappers in a Steampunk/Western setting.
I haven’t read the early Mistborn books. I don’t think it was a problem. This seems to be a discrete storyline that only references the previous books as a kind of history or mythology. The rules of magic in this world are very well explained so I didn’t feel I missed something.
The magic is known as Allomancy, a way of using metal for various superhuman powers. Sanderson goes into copious detail about these powers throughout the story when the various characters are using them. So much so that at times I felt I was reading instructions in an RPG manual.
The story was pretty good, exciting plot, tons of action and paced just right to hold my attention. It could have been more intense and darker, but that’s just my preference.
I chose this book based on the reputation of Sanderson, who I hear is considered a must-read in Sci-Fi Fantasy. One of the things he’s said to be good at is character/dialogue.
I have to say, I didn’t find Alloy of Law to be much more than average at the above, the two things that I’m looking for the most once I’ve decided I’m interested in a premise.
The dialogue had its moments, mostly when the two characters Wax and Wayne are together. Otherwise, it was all pretty stiff and functional, I presume attempting to complement the faux-18th-century world setting.
The characters are also a bit stiff and a lot of opportunity was wasted. Wax is the usual “hero comes out of retirement when himself/innocent people are threatened� kind.
A point that confused me: early in the book, he talks about his religious belief and how you have to do more good in the world. When wedding guests are attacked he’s clearly moved to help the helpless. Yet, he tells Marisi how he got into this hero thing only for the money. It could have been an interesting inner conflict, but since it isn’t defined it seems sloppy. What changed him from mercenary to genuinely wanting to help? Don’t know.
Wayne is a bit more entertaining because he is funny and irreverent, there to give Wax a push as needed. He isn’t that unique, unfortunately. Nothing to make him stand out from this character type. Some of his tricks are reminiscent of Discworld's Moist Von Lipwig, only Moist was amazing without a need for magic powers.
The women are the biggest bummer. Love interest Marasi’s main characteristic is constant blushing. She’s supposed to be smart and ambitious, but mostly she exists as a recipient of explanations from Wax (and therefore the reader gets to hear ’em too) and is rather bland.
Steris had potential. She is a control freak who offered an extremely detailed contract (right down to rules of acceptable infidelity) to a marriage proposal. I think she would have been fascinating to watch in a dangerous situation because what challenges an organized person more than chaos? But no, (view spoiler)[she disappears less than halfway through, becoming an object to be rescued. (hide spoiler)]
Allomancy powers themselves take away from the story. I like reading about characters using mental and emotional resources to solve problems. Seeing Wax and Wayne figure out how to apply their magic to a rare situation or even watching them develop from the start would have been more engaging than watching two already badass characters fight other badasses.
On the subject of fights, I would have better villains as well. We find out that Miles and Wax have a past. Why Miles is now involved in a kidnapping plot is told, not shown. I would have appreciated a better-developed backstory on this transition and a bit of personality while he’s at it.
This wasn’t a bad read, it moved fast, and had an entertaining premise. There was a pretty good twist at the end, one I didn’t see coming. Only, there was so much wasted potential. I don’t think I'm the audience the writer is aiming for. Cool powers aren’t the way to my heart....more
The original Island of Doctor Moreau (Wells, 1896) book that Moreno-Garcia is borrowing characters and concept from had a title cAll you need is cash.
The original Island of Doctor Moreau (Wells, 1896) book that Moreno-Garcia is borrowing characters and concept from had a title character that was playing God, torturing sentient creatures, and traumatizing the entire cast of characters in the book.
Here, Doctor Moreau is doing the same thing but rather than testing the bounds of science and technology, he just needs money. The central plan is to sell Moreau’s creations to the evil capitalist pig Lizaldes so they can use them for slave labor.
When that isn’t efficient enough, Moreau decides to sell his hot daughter’s hand in marriage to the Lizaldes, just to ensure his financial future.
This cheapens the existential horror potential of the novel. The creatures are reduced to a commodity instead of allowing us to be frightened for, or of them. The author wants them to represent the downtrodden but she doesn’t go very deep. Moreno-Garcia did a better job of bringing out the terror of genetic weirdness and the patriarchal oppression angle in Mexican Gothic.
There's no need to take this seriously, however. This is just a shallow and fast-moving book that is mostly a love triangle with some feminist messaging.
Carlota, the title character, goes from (view spoiler)[obedient daughter and property to liberated superhero (hide spoiler)] in one absurd and melodramatic moment. None of the characters or relationships are developed enough for me to invest in most of the storyline.
My favorite part of the book was the last few chapters, in which the conflict and action heat up and it becomes a bit more of a page-turner.
There is not a lot of science fiction in this one....more
I rarely ever do the audio book thing; I just find them way too hard to focus on, the pace isn’t right for me, etc. This was the only format that put I rarely ever do the audio book thing; I just find them way too hard to focus on, the pace isn’t right for me, etc. This was the only format that put all the Johannes Cabal stories together in one place unfortunately, so I decided to give it a try.
It wasn’t so bad. Nicholas Guy Smith has a wonderful voice, really easy on the ears, and he did a fantastic job giving life to Cabal and the other supporting characters. He sounds a bit like Jude Law I think.
The stories were fun and added some details to the series, mostly pitting Cabal against other necromancers. My favorites were "The Ereshkigal Working" and “The House of Gears.� They are not necessary for enjoying the longer novels but it didn’t feel like a waste of time to read them, especially as a fan of this character. As a bonus, the author gives a little introduction where he talks about his appreciation for the short-story format.
Having said all that, will I be switching to audiobooks going forward? Probably not. I’m sure I will have to make exceptions but regular text works best for me. I hope I can find this collection as a regular book at some point. I would snap it up in a second. ...more
There was some bad news and good news for me with The Brothers Cabal. The bad news: there’s not a lot of Johannes in this book. The good news: Horst iThere was some bad news and good news for me with The Brothers Cabal. The bad news: there’s not a lot of Johannes in this book. The good news: Horst is back and the first three quarters of the story revolves around him.
It was great fun to see the story from Horst’s point of view. It’s an omniscient POV as the meta-narrative points out, but we get Horst’s thoughts, see his insecurities and inner conflict with his vampiric nature, instead of him just playing a contrast to Johannes. In Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, we learned that he is attractive and charming enough to incite Johannes' envy, and empathetic and caring enough to conflict with Johannes' cold and pragmatic nature.
In The Brothers Cabal, Horst gets a handle on what it means to be a vampire. He struggles with the way he sees himself and the supporting characters who view him, whether friend or foe, as a monster. He also fights with an “inner voice� telling him to be a vicious predator(you know like, an actual vampire). Johannes, in contrast, holds himself apart from most people and could care less how they see him.
All of Horst’s inner turmoil is occurring alongside lots of action; The Brothers Cabal might be the most fast-paced of the series thus far. He allies himself with a monster/supernatural hunting society and an all-female flying circus. There are several chase scenes and monster battle scenes with were-creatures and cosmic horrors. Eventually this all leads to Horst getting Johannes involved.
I had mixed feelings about the brother's nemesis. I like that she’s a call back to Johannes Cabal the Detective, but from what we saw of her, I’m not convinced of her transformation to a worthy opponent in such a short time. Maybe tragedy can focus the mind, but the spoiled and vacuous person we saw would have had a long way to go.
As always, the Johannes Cabal series has a lot of humor and homage/reference to other pop culture, but there was one moment in here that especially tickled me: “It’s in the trees! It’s coming�
Probably a reference to the British 1957 horror film Night of the Demon but I’m choosing to think it also refers to the intro to Kate Bush’s song, "The Hounds of Love," which samples the line from the movie.
It’s the little things.
The Johannes Cabal series continues to be my new favorite escapist entertainment....more
The plot is like a Lovecraft-inspired video game. There's NPC's giving Cabal information, tasks that have to be performed, and boss battles. Even his The plot is like a Lovecraft-inspired video game. There's NPC's giving Cabal information, tasks that have to be performed, and boss battles. Even his traveling companions could be looked at as extra lives/cannon fodder. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I see that the author wrote for video games so that may have put it in my mind.
There was an unexpected twist at the end that was nicely done. Like the first two Cabal books, it's very witty and entertaining. Never a dull moment....more
Let’s start with the title character, Cabal himself. Not exactly likeable or relatable--but so much fun. First of all,Witty and fun Steampunk fantasy.
Let’s start with the title character, Cabal himself. Not exactly likeable or relatable--but so much fun. First of all, he’s very cold, superior, manipulative. As the plot takes off I wasn’t actually sure if I wanted to root for this guy to win or see him fall on his face. Of course his nemesis was the devil himself, so as unpleasant and badass as Cabal may be, he’s still the underdog in the competition. Howard absolutely brings this guy to life. I can imagine his appearance, voice, facial expressions. He carries himself with such gravity that when incidents occur to thwart him or even just humiliate him, it creates a lot of humor. For Discworld fans, (like myself) he brought to mind both Vetinari and Moist; an odd combination but it works.
I enjoyed the story too. Cabal had forfeited his soul to the Devil but finds he needs it back for professional rather than spiritual reasons. His deal with the devil--to get one hundred souls to replace his own--is off and running. Cabal goes after his goal mercilessly as you’d expect, and this is the point where I wondered if I really wanted to see him succeed. A plot that offers a little conflict in the reader is a fine thing. The other characters that balance Cabal (his brother, the retired police chief) give the book a moral center. Ironically, his undead vampire brother has a lot more warmth than Cabal. He at least didn’t want Cabal to win at the expense of the innocent.
I had a little trouble getting oriented to the time the story took place. It felt sort of Victorian, but then the styles, technology, culture, and so on were more advanced. It’s definitely a fantasy world where necromancers, demons, and so on exist. It has a pulp adventure type of vibe. Steampunk-pulp-fantasy is a good way to describe Cabal’s world. (The follow-up book, Johannes Cabal, Detective solidifies the Steampunk vibe for me.)
There were a lot of influences present from other classic works. Lovecraft, Through the Looking Glass, Faust, and Something Wicked This Way Comes all come to mind along with a nice dose of Discworld-style humor. Not to say I don’t think this is original; all those allusions and resonances of other stories made this even more enticing.
“Cabal dimly recalled that the musical genius who'd decided to put on Necronomicon: The Musical had got everything he deserved: money, fame, and torn to pieces by an invisible monster.�
Johannes Cabal is one of my favorite finds of the year and I anticipate with pleasure reading the rest of the series....more
Angelmaker was a joy to read, so much fun. As with Harkaway's previous book The Gone-Away World, it’s a big epic story, a bit over the top but not purAngelmaker was a joy to read, so much fun. As with Harkaway's previous book The Gone-Away World, it’s a big epic story, a bit over the top but not pure fantasy. Speculative fiction might be a good term but Angelmaker is unique.
The focus is on Joe, a clockmaker trying to avoid falling into the same path as his professional criminal father, Matthew. His circumstances change greatly when he’s asked to repair a mysterious device and finds himself part of an apocalyptic conspiracy. There’s an exhilarating backstory with Edie, best described as a super spy, who was the first hero to face the master villain of Angelmaker, a dictator, drug lord, and scientific genius in his own way.
The backstory and character development were handled very well. Harkaway’s style is so entertaining you would miss out if you didn’t read all the little details. He’s got a way with words, something we hope all authors have but it isn’t unfortunately always the case. Every one of the rabbit holes he goes down pays off; no bit of history is wasted.
Angelmaker has elements of action, pulp fiction, steampunk, family drama and romance. Harkaway writes with wit and adds humorous dialogue. He reminds me of two favorites, Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, but he’s not a pale imitation; definitely has his own unique take. It’s a bit sexier than either of those two for sure.
As with Goneaway World, Harkaway uses a Doomsday device as a method of touching on themes of identity, bravery, and friendship. There’s also the idea of Uncertainty and what it means to us as human beings, the role it plays in keeping life alive (so to speak) and worth living.
Every character strikes me as having a kind of magic. Not as in “magical powers� but the magic of being so good at what they do. Part of the journey for Joe is learning to find his whole self, and all of the things he can do, not just what he’s decided is acceptable....more
A Christopher Moore book is always good for a few laughs. Mostly, the writer is a lot of fun if you’re looking for an easily readable story with lightA Christopher Moore book is always good for a few laughs. Mostly, the writer is a lot of fun if you’re looking for an easily readable story with light but entertaining characters.
This is a nimble Shakespeare-inspired adventure with a brave, underdog antagonist, the titular Fool. Like a Shakespeare play there’s lots of intrigue, violence, and sex (TONS of sex) and a little bit of clever wordplay. It’s a tribute to pretty much all of Shakespeare, not just King Lear.
It was a page-turner for sure. I was dying to see just how Fool was going to get things to work out for his friends and allies. There was a lot of dark stuff, torture, murder, attempted suicides, maiming--you name it. Fitting for the Shakespeare theme.
I would have liked more creativity in the wit and fewer sex jokes, but maybe I’m not the intended audience for this. Nothing wrong with it, except that after a while it’s not as funny. Subtle and/or unexpected use of dirty jokes is more effective because you either have to think about it for a bit, or it jolts you into laughter.
I can’t help but compare this to my favorite comical Shakespeare tribute, Wyrd Sisters (Discworld). Fans of that book might enjoy this one as well, and vice-versa. ...more
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