The book glut continues, as I desperately try to
catch up not only on my reading, but on my ratings. J I’ve been pretty happy
recently—all of my favourite authors are publishing and my biggest nitpick is
“Um, could we spread these out a bit?” Seriously, why must we go in packs? I can only read so many books so fast guys,
and my budget isn’t endless either. How
‘bout the justice department investigates that, eh? ANYway, oh with the show!
By Mark Wellingham et al
A+
Fables is pretty much unanimously
considered the best thing out there in graphic novel land (currently in
publication, that is) and it deserves every accolade it gets. However, the damn thing is so massive that it
can be daunting to actually get started.
The first book in the series is good, and required reading, but
honestly, if you’re looking to dip your toe in these deep waters, I recommend
you start with this one. This is a part
of the Fables cycle, but not at all tied into the mainline, so its super
accessible, and requires that you know all of NOTHING about the characters and/or
plot to dive in, though if you do it’s that much sweeter. It’s basically a hijacking of the 1001
Arabian Nights structure to tell vignettes and shorts stories about the Fables
we’ve come to know & love/loathe.
Since they’re set prior to the start of the series, you can do a meet
and greet without worrying about spoilers.
And as a bonus, the art work is just gorgeous throughout. Some of the stories are fun, and some are a
little heart breaking, but it’s like the story itself in that it’s an excellent
mix of tart, sweet, and bitter. A great
place to give it a try! And, swoon, those James Jean covers; hubba hubba.
By Diana Rowland
A-
Frankly, just, hats off to this series. With each book, I see the author getting
better and better at her craft. And in
this case, she seems to not only have weathered a change of publishers, but come
out all the better for it. I’d initially
discounted these because of the slutty covers (I know, I know, but hey, I’ve
got to narrow the field somehow,
right?) now we have covers that are a far more accurate reflection of the
inside bits, and those inside bits are tastier than ever. For this installment, the writing is crisp,
the plot mostly makes sense and carries its own weight-yay!-and the characters
try to interact with each other like grownups rather than Shonda Rhimes cutouts.
But. WARNING: Cliffhangers ahead. Just when things looked good, interesting,
and going to fun places, an absolute game changer pops up from left field. Which isn’t a deal breaker, but it is a bit
of a bitch to wait so long for a resolution.
But hey, I’m waiting eagerly, so it can’t be all bad, right? All and all, proof that the series is headed
in a good direction and I’m willing to stick with it and see if it keeps taking
me to better and better places.
By Diana Rowland
B+
While still fairly predictable, the plot actually makes
sense this time, and our characters no longer waste time and garner irritation
by angsting about sexual activity as much.
The whole Ryan thing, frankly, is a side show I could do without, but it’s
not into GO AWAY territory by any means.
The book picks up sharply by mid pt and carries through to the end at a
pace almost brisk enough to mask some really bizarre police procedure/plot
tricks. Almost. But getting much better
Bennedict Jacka
A-
So, I found this book in a Hastings (yes, they still
exist; no don’t ask what I was doing in one) and read the 1st two
chapters before I was called away for dinner.
I was in such a hurry to go eat crappy Mexican that I didn’t buy it then
and there, but I was interested enough to rectify that as soon as I got back
home. It’s about a diviner in London who
gets forced back into the game (of magic-k-k-k) he abandoned years ago when it
screwed him over. The back story is uber
similar to that of our unreliable narrator in Kate Griffen’s Matthew Swift
books, but this narrator is totally different and the plot less dense, more
straight forward. It’s basically a quest
to see who can retrieve a magical doohickey first, but the good guys and bad
guys rapidly turn into murky assholes and there are no guarantees that even
allies have our lead’s best interests at heart.
This reads quickly, the plot gels nicely, and the side characters are
solidly crafted and entertaining enough for me to want to see more of
them. I felt that the author handled the
tricksey plot point of how a guy who can see the future might get into trouble
nicely, and I will make a point of grabbing the next in the series.
By Marissa Meyer
B+
This book is so . . . almost cool. It’s a re-telling(ish) of Cinderella set in
far future China and stars a human who’s been cybernetically enhanced, which is
a stigma. She’s also the best robotic
mechanic in the city, and she ends up meeting the prince through her work. There is also a plague that is decimating the
populace, a possibly evil and certainly Dr. Meingela-esq doctor trying to find
a cure, a foreign dignitary on the prowl, and a step-mother from hell. The plot is brisk, and the descriptions of
new Beijing are great, but something just feels a little lacking. Maybe it’s because we know some elements of
the story too well? Not sure, but I will say that I figured the ‘big secret’
from the word go. And that made a lot of
the buildup irritating. Also, I’m a wee
bit pissy that this is a trilogy. It just
felt like it could have been streamlined, but wasn’t because, hey, trilogies
are the way to go. On the whole, I would
say pick it up in paperback when the next one comes out. Because what have we learned today? That sometimes things get better as they go
along.
A note on Grading: on my Scale
A=I might buy the hardback; B=pay trade cover price; C=get it used or from the
bargain bin; D=used if you’re in to self flagellation; F=what, are you stupid?
