The Sandman by Neil Gaiman (Preludes and Nocturnes)
28 November 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Neil Gaiman, Preludes and Nocturnes, The Sandman
Just read the first of the Sandman (actually I already read No.3 already but I don’t think this adversely affects the storyline as it was almost like a standalone).
The Sandman is really my first foray into graphic novels and I think I’m probably spoiled now!
Preludes and Nocturnes, put basically, sees Dream being captured by a bunch of demon worshippers who were aiming to ensnare Death but miscalculated and instead got Dream. They keep him trapped in a cellar for years and years (basically as they all become victims of their own mortality). Eventually, he escapes, his dream world is ruined and he no longer has the tools of his trade. And, so begins his quest. to regain his throne and restore his dream realm.
This is such a perfect combination. Gaiman, who, lets face it, can do no wrong, lets his wicked imagination run riot and his amazing stories are brought stunningly to life with the most amazing images. Frankly I find myself taking a lot longer to read the stories than I should because I’m totally diverted by the imagery. The graphics are brilliant and are a perfect compliment to Gainman’s wriring. The other thing that really strikes you is that in portraying the story this way there’s probably much more violence and blood than you actually realise – some of it really quite dramatic but it seems more acceptable somehow in this format.
I love the way that we have gods and myths, even aliens, all mixed up with the darker side of human nature. I think I’m going to like Morpheus – he’s an odd character, he’s not perfect is he? For example, he wanted revenge when he broke free from his captors – and who wouldn’t in his circumstances – but it shows a certain side to his character, a bit human really even though he isn’t human. He also didn’t know how to retrieve his ruby from the crazy madman who was trying to cause the end of the world. And we also met his rather quirky sister Death who defies all the stereotypes.
All in all a brilliant start to this series of novels. I think my favourite – and you have to pick one really (it would be rude not to) was the foray into hell. Brilliantly depicted and with the little duelling game at the end of the story where Morpheus takes on the demon who has his mask! (That demon was freaky looking – two mouths, I thought I’d gone cross eyed for a moment there).
Definitely recommend.
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher
26 November 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Jim Butcher, Summer Knight, The Dresden Files
Just finished reading Summer Knight by Jim Butcher. The fourth instalment in The Dresden Files series. I don’t know how he manages to do it but these books just keep getting better and better. This story was really entertaining. Hells Bells – it was brilliant. Beware of spoilers in the text below – they might be unintentional but that makes them no less annoying!
Harry hasn’t been the same since Grave Peril when Susan became infected with a taste for blood. He’s blaming himself and to a certain extent he’s having a bit of a pity party. He’s also on a fast track to being evicted from his home and business and having very few friends left to speak of due to his ill humour and almost reclusive habits. On top of that it appears that everyone seems to be interested in seeing him dead. Assassins seem to be popping out all over the place and going out even for a stroll in the park with your werewolf buddy has become a dangerous business.
However, it’s funny how just as you’re thinking that things can’t get any worse they sink ten feet lower and then they continue to all new record breaking levels of badness. Not only is Harry about to be visited by the White Council and potentially be offered up as a sacrificial lamb, but he’s also going to make a deal with the Winter Queen of Faerie. Making deals with the fey is never recommended, they twist and turn like a twisty turny thing, they talk in riddles, they’re mischevious at best and downright evil at worst and they take pleasure in the perverse. They cannot tell a lie but this doesn’t mean they always speak the truth.
So things are about to get very hairy for Harry – pretty quickly. As usual, he’s a complete sucker for a female in distress therefore not only is he working as the Winter Queen’s emissary and trying to appease the White Council but he’s also taken on a separate job for a bunch of changelings.
There’s so much going on in this novel that it’s difficult to put it down – basically because there’s never a good point to break off. It’s hair tearing and almost maddeningly entertaining. Harry seems to stagger, roll, fall or plain get pushed from one almost death situation to the next gathering clues like moss along the way.
In terms of characters we have the usual appearances from Bob and Murphy, Toot Toot and his mini army also come out to play and we get to meet someone in this story that we’ve only heard about previously.
I really like Harry. He’s not perfect but he does the right thing. He’s not a wuss. He gets stuck in and he keeps his sense of humour in the face of terrible odds.
On top of this I love the way that Butcher is building up this whole world of other beings around Harry. With each new instalment his world expands and we have different tie ins from previous stories.
Without a question of doubt for me each of these books has got better, I don’t see how that can continue – it seems against the odds doesn’t it? But, I’m willing to suspend my disbelief here.
Surprisingly I don’t think I have any criticisms at all for this one. It was downright good fun. Thoroughly entertaining and a definite must read.
I’m really falling for this series and the good thing about this is that there’s plenty more to look forward to.
Wolfsbane by Gillian Philip
20 November 2012
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Gillian Philip, Rebel Angel series, Wolfsbane
Just finished reading Wolfsbane, the third instalment of Gillian Philip’s rebel angels series. In case you haven’t read the other bookss pay a visit to Firebrand and Bloodstone and be aware that this review may contain spoilers.
Firebrand brought to us a new sithe world. Much harsher than we’d seen before. A world separated from ours by a veil. A world of strained loyalties and clans and uncompromising warriors. The sithe world is threatened however by the ambitions of the Queen.
In this latest edition life seems to actually be going well for Seth’s clan. Everything appears calm, apart from his son Rory who is starting to rebel himself against the level of restrictions placed upon him and the careful scrutiny he is constantly under. But this is just the calm before the storm.
The Queen is still plotting, she hasn’t forgotten Seth or the Bloodstone but she’s playing the long game. Meticulous planning and the careful planting of seeds of discontent in the fertile soil of a few bitter minds are about to cause havoc to the lives of Seth and his clan. Things are about to get messy.
I don’t want to over elaborate on the plot so lets focus on other things.
The characters – have moved on again. Rory is now a teenager with a mind of his own who doesn’t realise in what danger he is in and how his life is constantly under threat. He desperately wants to impress Seth but more than that he wants a friend, a distraction, and he’s about to find one in Hannah. Hannah is a new edition to the series. I like her. She’s not all fearless and kick ass – she’s somewhat more realistic. She doesn’t like heights, she’s afraid of the dark, but she’s part sithe and she’s about to come over and spend some time with Seth’s clan.
Finn has returned – much to the displeasure of some of the Sithe – not everybody is willing to forgive and forget after all. And then we have Seth who after hundreds of years seems to finally have grown up – or at least he’s found a whole new sense of responsibility in terms of his son and what comes with that is a whole new world of fear, one that he isn’t used to.
I thought this was a great instalment to the series. We get to spend time in both worlds as the Sithe play hide and seek with each other. We have the new edition of a really great, bloodthirsty and lacking in any sort of sympathy baddie and on top of that we have Seth. I can’t deny that Seth is a guilty indulgent pleasure. Written personally for me! Like Hannah, I’m no lover of heights but I think I would also scale down a cliff also if he was watching out for me (or more to the point catch me when I fall).
This was a great third book – no third book syndrome. Plenty of action, although – tiny criticism – it does take a little time to kick in – but come on, give Seth’s clan a break after all. They can’t always be killing baddies and suffering all out war (otherwise there’d be very few of them left).
And, yes, this book is also not without casualties. The drama escalates to a thrilling hunt topped off with a bloody battle. And, the end…. another long wait while we see what Seth can do now. It’s no longer just about the clan – Seth has to protect his son after all.
The Yard by Alex Grecian
Just finished reading The Yard by Alex Grecian. This is almost the last of my RIP pick ups! The story starts in the 1890s just after The Ripper has disappeared mysteriously off the scene. Public confidence is at an all time low and this is evidenced further when one of The Yard’s own detectives is found dead in a trunk at the train station – a nasty murder, with the victim’s eyes and mouth sewn shut.
The story switches between a number of different perspectives, which whilst interesting, definitely remove the mystery element of the book – I didn’t mind this. One of the perspectives is that of the killer and it’s obvious fairly early on in the story who this is. So, be warned that this is not a murder mystery or typical detective story. Alongside the main crime is a separate murder story which at first is in danger of becoming entangled, and actually does become a bit so. And on top of this we seem to be taking a look at the birth of forensics and the crime scene – although whether this actually bears any resemblance to the real developments I really couldn’t say.
I enjoyed this book. It’s a bit grisly in parts. It certainly depicts a rather gruesome and brutal side of London for that particular era and takes a good look at the underbelly. I liked that it explored this issue of the impact that the Ripper had on society. Like he awakened this new beast in certain people who now began to look at their own dark sides – he gave to them the serial killer. Again, I don’t know how reflective of reality that actually is but it was an interesting idea.
I thought the two main characters, Day, newly arrived from Devon and now in charge of the case and Dr Kingsley who is the police doctor were both interesting characters and quite well developed.
In terms of criticism, I’m not going to say I didn’t have any. To be honest, I could have probably done without the secondary murder plot which for me felt a little forced and quite often with too many convenient coincidences to be anything other than a little bit silly. I mean, London is a big place and yet the same characters have a funny knack of running into each other quite often. I also thought the storyline with the family and the chimney sweep was a bit odd and not totally resolved satisfactorily.
On top of this – if you want your book to be truly representative then you’ll probably be disappointed. The dialogue is definitely not from the era and the description of London I thought could have been pretty much anywhere.
And yet, in spite of those criticisms I did like this. It was a gory spectacle, there was an element of racing against time as the identity of the killer was gradually unveiled and somehow it just felt like a bit of an indulgent read – does that sound a little odd given the murders. I’m not sure how else to put it. It wasn’t historically accurate but it was entertaining.
Blacklands by Belinda Bauer
Just finished reading Blacklands. This is another recommendation picked up from Stainless Steel Droppings RIP event and I have no regrets about picking it up. It was a gripping read.
Blacklands is primarily about Steven Lamb. Steven’s uncle was murdered by a serial killer before Steven was born. His gran has never got over the loss and spends each day sat at the living room window – she never really thought her son was a victim because his body was never found and the killer, Avery, could not be convicted for those children whose bodies were never found. Life is a bit grim for Steven and his family. His mother, struggling to cope alone with two children has moved back into the family home. She works as a cleaner barely scraping together enough money to makes ends meet. Steven is hardly the popular boy. I suppose turning up at school in pants that are too short, smelling of mildew and with fish paste sandwiches and a home haircut don’t do anything to raise popularity. He’s also invisible to a lot of people It’s as though people are afraid to be associated – his family have been touched by unhappiness and other people are afraid of the potential to be infected with the same curse. Yes, they’ve survivors but they’re barely living.
Steven, has very few friends, in fact he has only one and he has a fairly miserable existence. He’s convinced that if he uncovers the body of his lost uncle everything will be okay and he will be the hero of the day and the love of his family will be restored. So,he spends most days on the moor digging – trying to uncover anything. Basically, we have a story of loss and the devastating effects that the loss of a child has on the remaining family members.
On top of this Bauer takes us into the mind of the killer and gives us a bit of an insight into his disturbing thoughts.
This isn’t a horror story. It isn’t a thriller and it isn’t a detective murder mystery. We already know who the killer is, he’s in prison. The crimes that he committed are horrifying but they’re not primarily what the novel is about. It’s more about the coming to terms. It’s psychological and it’s about a young boy’s perception of how to right wrongs and his innocent and naive attempts to make the family a unit again.
This is a really gripping read. The style of writing flows well and pulls you into Steven’s world in a very dramatic way.
What was particularly scary about this read and makes it much more chilling than a regular horror is the fact that this is so real. It could happen, it’s like our worst nightmare and the reason for that is because it’s tangible. Coming from the North of England it’s all too easy to remember the Moors murderers and the horrible crimes they committed.
In terms of criticisms – there was one particular part of the story towards the end (concerning a shooting range – and I won’t say more because of spoilers) that I thought could be left out – it was a bit too convenient.
Other than that, I thought this was a really good read and would definitely recommend.
