Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

 Literature, Reviews  1 Response »
Jan 192012
 

I love quirky and odd books so when I stumbled across the book trailer for the young adult novel “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs I knew I had found another to add to my list. This is Mr. Riggs’ debut novel and Quirk Books has already announced an unnamed sequel. It was also recently announced that Tim Burton will be directing the movie adaptation. After reading the book, I think Tim Burton is the only one who can do it justice.

The book centers on Jacob Portman, the 16 year old son of wealthy parents destined to be railroaded into working in his family’s drug store chain and living inFlorida. Jacob comes to view his life in terms of “Before” and “After”. The “Before” is what he sees as his normal boring life–unremarkable and already planned out for him. He’s your basic angsty, bored and self absorbed teen. On the surface Jacob sounds like an unsympathetic character, but his relationship with his paternal grandfather gives the reader enough of a hint that there is a caring human being (and salvageable character) under that exterior to keep you interested. Initially the only peculiar thing in the novel is the mystery of his Grandfather, Abe Portman. During Jacob’s childhood his grandfather regaled the boy with tales of his world travels, his time in the war (World War II) hunting “monsters” and sharing pictures of the children he’d lived with as a child. His parents had sent him fromPolandto a children’s home on a remote island called Cairnholm off the coast ofWales. It was fairly common, during WWII, for Jewish parents to send their children away fromEuropein an attempt to protect them from the Nazis. On the surface it seemed as though his grandfather had a remarkable life, but it was a life that a number of other people could also lay claim to. The old black and white photographs of the other children at the home were what set Grandpa Abe apart though. There was the levitating girl, the invisible boy, and other oddities that Jacob,as he grew older, came to see as doctored photos—photoshop before there was such a thing. And his Grandfather’s stories of the children’s abilities could only be the stuff of fantasy. Jacob accepted his grandfather as eccentric and possibly psychologically damaged from the horrors he’s seen as a child and as a soldier and went on with his life. The “After” part of his life comes from a life altering event and the words of his Grandfather: “Go to the island. Find the bird, find the loop.” Having no real idea what that means and why his Grandfather insists that Jacob will be safer on “the island”, Jacob sets out on an adventure that bends everything he knows about reality, it tests him and helps him discover who he really is. It also shows the reader that Jacob is a remarkable young man who’s willing to step up and accept his destiny.

I enjoyed this story immensely and was happy to find out there was already a planned sequel—with the ending left the way it was, I couldn’t imagine there wouldn’t be a sequel. Mr. Riggs’ inclusion of unusual photographs to help tell his story took an already engaging novel and cranked it up a notch. He found the photos through collectors—who were thankfully willing to share their found treasures. The characters are fleshed out and the little twists that occur are surprising, but also manage to feel necessary and help explain and keep everything in order. The book is marketed as a young adult fantasy novel, but adults will find an enjoyable read as well. Mr. Riggs explores an urban fantasy setting and mixes in the mysteries of growing up and finding yourself in a dysfunctional family. If you’re looking for something to escape your boring reality, I suggest a visit to Miss Peregrine’s.

 

And All That Jazz: Review of Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

 Literature, Reviews  2 Responses »
Jul 272011
 

Jazz is one of the most magical forms of music. You take a pattern and make variations on it, turning it into an expression of your very own. In this way, every jazz song is different, and every jazz musician has their own variation on the same songs. In Moon Over Soho, Ben Aaronovitch shows his “chops” and follows a variation of his previous book, Midnight Riot, in a remarkable and highly entertaining way. (Speaking of Midnight Riot, if you haven’t read it, stop here and go do so. A couple of spoilers from Peter Grant’s first adventure follow. Moving along…)

The story begins as Peter gets called in to “listen” to a musician who died of an apparent heart attack. Peter recognizes the tune, and begins his search into the heart of Soho, the Jazz center of London. Through the course of his investigation, he finds out that more musicians have died while on stage, all seemingly drained of life by what he calls a “Jazz Vampire.” While investigating this peculiar case, he still is working on the case we left off on in Midnight Riot, working with the Murder Team to find a rather cruel creature who painfully kills single men in a very unpleasant way. All of this adds up to a complete handful for Inspector Grant, who also has to juggle his apprentice magician training, a steamy affair with a possible suspect, and the recovery of a close friend. On top of all of this, this is his first supernatural mission somewhat alone, as Peter’s superior and master, Thomas Nightingale, is also recovering from Peter’s first real case.

As I stated before, Aaronovitch writes this one with a variation to how he wrote Midnight Riot. Where the previous book was heavy police procedural with magic and local history thrown in, this one is high on magic and history (jazz history) with bits of procedural writing to keep things together. It works out quite well, as the plot pushes you from chapter to chapter rather quickly. This book took me no time to read, but it had my attention the entire time.

If there’s one thing negative I could say about the second Peter Grant novel, it’s that you really need to read Midnight Riot first. Character connections have already been built, and plot devices have already been set by the time you begin Moon Over Soho, so things can be a bit confusing if you don’t already know what’s going on. Certain things and characters (Molly for example) are described in much more detail in the first book, so reading them out of order would be much less enjoyable.

Aaronovitch definitely did his research for these two books, and it seriously pays off. His next book in the Peter Grant series, Whispers Under Ground, will be available January, 2012, and I for one can’t wait. Midnight Riot hooked me on this series, but Moon Over Soho reeled me in. If you like urban fantasy, you will love this series. If you don’t like urban fantasy, pick up Midnight Riot and Moon Over Soho anyway. They are great “gateway” books.

[tags]reviews, Ben Aaronovitch, Peter Grant, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Magician[/tags]

Rob Thurman’s Blackout: A Clash of the Cals

 Literature, Reviews  2 Responses »
Jun 202011
 

I’ve been a fan of Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series since before I knew that “Rob” was actually of the female persuasion (Yeah, I was a little shocked in an awesome sort of way). In the series, she takes well known myths and legends and turns them on their heads, painting them with a much darker, more terrifying brush. Each book in the series is full of these twisted fairy tales, as well as action, guns, sexual innuendo, and lots of foul language from the lead character, half-auphe Cal Leandros. The action movie aspect is one of the greatest appeals of the series, but Blackout does not fall into the usual niche dug out by the rest of the series. Thurman delves into foreign territory in this one, but manages to pull it off in the end.

Right out of the gate, things are different than the normal Cal Leandros book. Cal is alone and has lost his memory. It’s not until a few chapters in that two mainstays of the series, Niko and Robin, appear. As the story progresses, an apprehensive Cal learns about the relationships he’s made throughout his life, and learns a horrible truth that is barely hidden behind a veil of denial and ignorance: there be monsters here. Even more terrifying to Cal, he starts to realize that he is one of the worst monsters to ever walk the Earth.

Most of this realization has been visited in the previous parts of the series, but this time we get to see how someone who has no real understanding of “the truth” handles that kind of knowledge. Cal is still a trained killer and definitely an antisocial misanthrope, but without his memory he is missing another part of himself: the monster.

There’s talk of the story’s antagonist, an ancient evil making life hard on the supernatural community in New York by eating the hearts of the most powerful, but it’s not until the second half of the book that the creature makes its first appearance. This is mainly because the story isn’t about the conflict between the Leandros brothers and the thing out to kill them, as it is in the other books. This story is mainly about the conflict within Cal.

Thurman still throws in the usual amount of twists and turns, although they are rather transparent to anyone who has read the rest of the series. The twists are meant more for Cal than they are the reader. Cal’s reactions to the twists are what’s important to the story, not the twists themselves.

Style wise, this book is lacking a little than the rest of them. There are several times when I had to go back and reread certain passages to make sure I followed what was happening. One of the more annoying things was the inconsistent references to Niko. Cal calls him Leandros while he is without his memory, but there are several times when he slips and calls him “Niko.” This could be an attempt at a clever way of showing Cal’s memories returning, but it’s somewhat out of context and can be confusing.

Blackout is definitely not what you expect out of a Cal book, but it’s still worth the read. The struggle between Cal’s human and auphe halves has been present since book one and this seems to be the climax between the two. Cal has to decide what’s more important, being a good person or being a good brother. Although a different read, Blackout seems necessary in maturing Cal from his angst filled teenager personality. If you’re a fan of the series, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re looking for the typical raucous adventure and monster death associated with the rest of the series, it’s there, but be warned, this is a much more introspective trip.

To check out the other books in the Cal Leandros series (complete with excerpts from each), check this out.

Riots and Rivers: A review of Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

 Literature  2 Responses »
May 182011
 

Midnight Riot (or Rivers of London, if you have the UK version) is a wild ride for an urban fantasy/police procedural, with stops all around London. Ben Aaronovitch is known for doing work with BBC’s Doctor Who, and brings his experience as a screen writer along with his sense of humor to the table on this one. His realistic characters, style, and innovative use of London mythology make Midnight Riot a refreshing and enjoyable read for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy.

The story begins as Peter Grant, a mixed race Probationary Constable, is about to end his probation period and be assigned his position in one of the different branches of the Met. Because of a chance encounter with a cockney ghost while watching over a crime scene, he is eventually introduced to the mysterious Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who also happens to be a wizard. From there, Peter begins down his path of apprenticeship with DCI Nightingale; a winding path that will take him all the way from irate puppets to beautiful river spirits, and even maybe to something more fulfilling than doing data entry for the “real coppers.”

Peter is a truly well developed character, with realistic flaws and attributes, and a very likeable hero for the series. His constant striving to be more than a “valuable contribution” to the Met, only slightly masking his desire to drive cool cars and wave important badges, makes Peter feel like “just another one of the guys,” and provides a better connection to the reader. He’s believable. Combined with a supporting cast that runs the gamut of personalities and temperaments, Aaronovitch easily draws you into his own version of London.

Throughout the book, Peter narrates the story from a definite police perspective. Whether describing the events of a brutal murder, or an encounter with an ages old god, the procedural feel is constantly there. It’s definitely more pronounced when Peter is on the case and describing a specific crime, which was a change of pace for me at the beginning. I’m not used to reading something so heavily procedural, especially with terms and titles I’m unfamiliar with since I’m not British, but it didn’t take long for me to fall into the current and ride the flow of the book. Aaronovitch clearly lays out everything for you through context or straight explanation, so there never was a need for me to put down the book and look up something I was completely lost on.

One of the truly refreshing aspects of the book was Aaronovitch’s take on magic. He blends scientific method and natural philosophy with the traditional ideas of magic in an interesting way. Some of the workings behind magic can be explained much like science, but a good portion is still unknown and mysterious. This is also the case with the myths and legends surrounding London. Vampires, werewolves and ghosts exist, but only a select few know that. These few have more than just a knowledge of their existence; they have a basic knowledge (or at least theories) on how they can do what they do. Still, though, how they do it, and why they exist, is unknown, leaving these creatures and their abilities firmly grounded in fantasy.

The two titles, US and UK, both approach the major themes within the book, but from two different perspectives. Either way you look at it, Aaronovitch creates a compelling and very enjoyable story by blending real characters, a superb style, and a rich mythology. Whichever version you pick (both versions are the same book) you’re going to love the book all the way through.

[tags]reviews, literature, fantasy,Urban Fantasy[/tags]

White Witch Dark Curse, or As the Witch Turns

 Literature  2 Responses »
May 052009
 

Don’t get me wrong, I liked White Witch, Black Curse.  It’s every bit as entertaining as the first six books in the Hollows series.  Kim Harrison has managed that rare feat in urban fantasy writing; creating a believable fantasy world that is true to what we expect from vampires and werewolves and witches, yet unique on its own terms.  The problem I have is that the farther into the series I get the more I read it like I do the recent rash of expanded universe Star Wars novels, more from a connection to the characters and the setting than any literary interest in the story.  Too put it simply, Star Wars has gone from Space Opera to Soap Opera and the Hollows is dangerously close to following suit.

First though, a bit of introduction for those of you unfamiliar with the series.  Have you heard of Watson and Crick?  The guys who discovered DNA back in the 50′s?  In the alternate universe of the Hollows Rosalind Franklin worked much more closely with the two, (She really did have a major part in the discovery, even if she doesn’t get much credit) resulting in genetic engineering being made viable quickly.  Unfortunately this leads to a genetically modified tomato picking up a virus that wipes out a full quarter of the human population.  This became a problem for the populations of non-humans living among them who suddenly found themselves having to answer why they weren’t getting sick.  In the end the combined races of non-humans (called inderlanders in the novels) came out of the figurative closet and took their place alongside the humans in a vastly different world order.

That was 40 years ago.  Now two rival police organizations try and keep the races from going to war (or protecting the status quo as the case may be) The I.S., made up entirely of inderlanders policing their own, and the FIB, humans struggling to keep tabs on their less understood and often dangerous neighbors.

Rachel Morgan used to be a runner (sort of like a US Marshal or Bounty Hunter) for the I.S., quitting in the first part of the series to set up shop as an independent operative, along with her backup Jenks a minscule pixie, and Ivy, a ‘living’ vampire who has some of the strengths and none of the weaknesses of the true undead, but who also will becomes a full vampire upon death.(losing her soul in the process)  Adding to all the posibilities of these three very different people working (and living) out of an old chapel is the fact that Rachel is a hero very much in the mold of Harry Dresden or Philip Marlowe, someone trying to do the right thing, but not concerned with who they piss off or make enemies of.  It’s damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead, but not without getting Rachel and her friends into many dangerous situations.

If that was all there was to the series I wouldn’t be complaining.  The problem lies in that the list of enemies Rachel makes just keeps growing, along with the sometimes ludicrous lengths she must go to in order to get out of her problems, not to mention her steadily worsening personal life.  By book seven’s opening (Spoiler Warning) she has worked herself into debt with a demon for a full two-thirds of her soul, become his apprentice, risked addiction to the vampiric bite repeatedly, upset the balance of power for the entire city and potentially the world in not one but four of the major races of inderlanders, alientated almost the entire witch community, and burned all her bridges with the I.S.  All that and I could stilll go on.  (Spoler Warning)

I still really enjoy the series, and hopefully soon some of these ongoing problems will be solved, even if they are only replaced by others.  I know its weird to be talking about a fantasy series stretching credulity too much, but I guess I just like some reality in my fiction.  Even with these problems the Hollows is still one of the better fantasy series out there right now, certainly good enough to get me to read White Witch, Black Curse in a single sitting after getting home from work exhausted at 9pm.  The first book is called Dead Witch Walking, give it a try, even if you don’t ultimately like the series it won’t be time wasted.

[tags]Kim Harrison, The Hollows, Rachel Morgan, Ubran Fantasy[/tags]

Red-Headed Stepchild is a Decent Debut for Jaye Wells

 Literature  1 Response »
Apr 202009
 

Writing reviews on an author’s debut novel is a tricky thing.  The writer’s first book is almost universally their worst, for the simple fact that they are just starting their career, and have nowhere to go but up.  Even the giants of literature like J.R.R. Tolkien have this problem: I doubt you will find anyone arguing that the Hobbit is superior to the Lord of the Rings, we just don’t think about because the ‘inferior’ Hobbit is still better than the vast majority of all fantasy ever written.  So the question is how critical to be of the work of fiction.  You can’t be too hard, because then you fail to recognize the potential of the author, and it isn’t fair to sour potential reader’s based on a rookie work only.  Then again, potential is all it is.  The next novel might be greatly improved, the same, or even, rarely, worse.  Too glowing a review sets up the audience for later disappointments, which only abuses the trust they put in the reviewer’s judgment.

Knowing myself, I have to admit that I will likely favor mercy towards the novel, my irrepressible optimism combining with my own experiences with over-harsh critics.  So, take this review with a grain of salt.

In any case, the debut novel in question here is Red-Headed Stepchild, the offspring of writer Jaye Wells, first in the series titled simply “Sabine Kane” after the protagonist. And yes, THAT Kane.

No, NO, not the bald terrorist, the biblical figure.  Honestly. (But give yourself twenty geek points for recognizing the Command and Conquer reference)

Joking aside the biblical story of Cain (as well as the legends surrounding him) forms the basis for the fantasy world Wells has created.  Cain being the father of vampires isn’t a new concept (Vampire: the Masquerade springs to mind) but then it is nigh impossible to craft a unique urban fantasy/horror realm while remaining true to the core elements of vampire lore. What is interesting here is the fact that Cain is basically a footnote, merely the reason all vampires have red hair, hair that darkens as they age.  The important figure in Well’s mythology is Lilith, Cain’s brief consort and mother of vampire kind.  Lilith is in fact believed to be the progenitor of not only the vampires, but all the various races of supernatural beings: Mages, Fairies, Demons, etc.  Cain is father only of the vampires, however, vampires who reject everyone else’s claim to decent from Lilith.  With such a warped creation story (essentially all the races are cousins, even humans [Adamites] though Cain) one has to wonder how they cope with a Matriarchal figure that got around so much.

As intriguing as the basic premise is, the novel’s world feels incomplete, as if the author only mapped out the parts necessary for the plot of this book, leaving nothing but a great big “Here there be monsters” on the rest of the world. Vampires feel the most fleshed out, but even their characteristics have a few holes, not helped by the fact that anything that strictly follows vampire stereotypes is left unsaid but assumed.  It is admittedly difficult to explain why kills vampires to an audience that has read it dozens of times before, but it can be done.  Assuming they know is sloppy craftsmanship and a dangerous assumption, especially given plenty of vampire mythos where even sunlight does not harm the monster.  For example some of the vampires in the Dresden Files have no fear of sunlight, nor does Stoker’s Count Dracula for that matter, the originator of the whole literary archetype.  This lack of definition in the fantasy world is most glaring in the protagonist’s dealings with non-vampires.  Early in the novel a demon is summoned directly into her apartment by a mage (It having already been established that mages and vampires do not get along and are in a state of near cold war) and we are asked to believe that Sabina, top assassin for some of the most powerful vampires in the world, has no preparation for fighting a demon, or indeed, any idea how to kill one.  It just feels that Jaye Wells has no idea how to kill a demon, so neither does her character.

As annoying as an incomplete world can be, it is a very common sin of first novels, especially in fantasy and science-fiction, because let’s face it.   Creating an entire world with its own rules and dangers isn’t just hard work; it’s a massive amount of work.  Even great sci-fi worlds like Star Wars or Star Trek are guilty of this crime, so in the end, I can overlook it.  There is one major issue I cannot overlook, that of characterization.   Take the protagonist, Sabina Kane.  The book opens as she is digging a grave to hide the body or the drug dealer she has drained and killed.  Obviously, she is a vampire and needs to drink blood, but the book makes it abundantly clear there is a blood substitute available (even if it tastes terrible) and vampires don’t have to kill to feed.  Before she’s even done with that she’s assassinated a childhood friend (albeit on the orders of her superiors) without even giving him a chance to explain himself.  Now, as a starting point for a character that’s designed to grow and improve over the course of several novels, it’s not a bad place to start.  The problem lies in that almost immediately the reader will intensely dislike if not hate the protagonist.  Having a character improve and grow only works if the audience sticks around long enough to see it.  If disliking the protagonist wasn’t enough, her personality seems somewhat bi-polar as well.  Through the course of the novel Sabina befriends people (things?) totally outside of what seems normal for the character. (Remember, the book opens with her killing her closest friend of nearly a half century)  My complaint isn’t so much that she makes these odd friends; it’s that the text doesn’t seem to justify such behavior.  It almost feels like we are missing pages, that something has happened when we weren’t watching to bond these characters.

Now, despite all these concerns and annoyances, I must say I really enjoyed Red-Headed Stepchild.  The plot is innovative, surprising the reader by not only playing off of the clichés and conventions, defying the reader’s expectations, but then occasionally obeying the stereotype, surprising in its lack of surprise.  I talked earlier about the uncertain nature of potential, but the book shows it in abundance. The characters are likeable yet flawed, once I got past my distaste for the protagonist’s beginning moral standing, and the book’s ending serves as the starting point for an even more interesting sequel.  The novel’s not groundbreaking or high literature (but then, that’s probably a good thing as so much high literature tends to be unfathomable and unentertaining) and people who aren’t fans of the genre are not likely to enjoy it especially, but it is a good solid example of urban fantasy/horror, a pleasant read with promises of better stories to follow.

[tags]Urban Fantasy, Sabina Kane, Jaye Wells[/tags]

Turn Coat a Real Page Turner in the Dresden Series

 Literature  1 Response »
Apr 132009
 

Turn Coat, the newly released 11th book in the Dresden Files, is a major turning point for the series, both in terms of the overarching plot as well as thematically.  Jim Butcher is as masterful a writer as always, balancing deftly humor and horror, black and white morality coexisting paradoxically with dark philosophical quandaries.

Of course those of you who have read the series hardly need to be told how engaging Harry Dresden’s exploits are.  Scenes like Harry’s romp through Chicago riding a zombie T-Rex comes immediately to mind, but it is far from alone in the “freaking awesome” category of Dresden’s adventures.  For those who haven’t read the series I offer this description of Harry, given by his half-brother Thomas in the novella Backup:

Harry’s a wizard.  A genuine, honest-to-goodness wizard.  He’s Gandalf on crack and an IV of Red Bull, with a big leather coat and a .44 revolver in his pocket.  He’ll spit in the eye of gods and demons alike if he thinks it needs to be done, and to hell with the consequences—and yet somehow my little brother manages to remain a decent human being.

Urban fantasies have become one of the biggest sub-genres of fantasy recently, steadily growing in popularity since the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice.  So take it as no small feat when I say that Dresden is, in my opinion, the best urban fantasy series out there.  The stories are believable, (even when recounting the utterly fantastic) the characters likable but humanly limited and flawed.

Turn Coat wastes no time in ramping up the action.  The very first page has Warden Morgan (all around jerk and nemesis of Dresden) showing up on Dresden’s doorstep, wanted for murder and on the run.  Dresden has no reason to help Morgan, especially after all the years Morgan spent persecuting Dresden, but unfortunately Dresden knows Morgan is a jerk, not a traitor.  As a whodunit story it’s fairly straightforward, but well executed.  My only complaint is that it was a bit too easy to figure out who the real killer is, but then again the focus of the story is different than it would be as a pure mystery.

Spoiler Warning: From here on in I talk about the book’s impact on the series as a whole, so there will be some spoilers.

I spoke of this being a turning point for the series and it is in many ways.  Harry’s suspicions about a “Black Council” of wizards working from the shadows has been hinted at and theorized about in several of the earlier books, but never actually seen.  Turn Coat is where that finally changes, and the first open moves by the Black Council are made.  Their goals and size remain a mystery, but after this their existence is no longer in doubt.  The novel is also the darkest of the series, reflecting something of the maturing process Dresden himself has gone through.  Dresden can no longer afford to be naïve, convincing himself that all will turn out just fine or ignoring the fact that his world is getting worse.  People he cares about die, wrongs aren’t righted, matters and relationships worsen.  This is not a book with a rosy ending.   But Dresden goes on.  That is the key to the whole series.  Whether he is facing down fallen angels with millennia of experience, fighting skin-walkers with magnitudes of power over him, or enduring being mistaken for his brother’s gay partner, Dresden never stops.  Dresden’s open grave (a ‘gift’ from a vampire) proclaims that Harry, “Died doing the right thing.”  Of course, that vampire hadn’t planned on the grave being empty for long, but it doesn’t matter.  That is who Dresden is.  No matter how bad things get, how uncertain or grey, Harry Dresden will do the right thing.

[tags]The Dresden Files, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy Books, literature[/tags]