The Murder on the Links

The Murder on the Links – Agatha Christie

The Murder on the Links is the second “Poirot” novel by the famous author Agatha Christie.  It was first published in 1923.  I read the first Poirot mystery last year and I finally acquired and finished this novel.  I think that the novels are both good – but this one is somehow more developed.  For one thing, the most significant development is that Poirot is more vibrant, talkative, and active.  In the previous novel, there are moments when the reader might believe that Christie expected the character Captain Hastings to be the major character, supported by the aloof and quirky Poirot.  In fact, in the first Poirot novel (The Mysterious Affair at Styles), Poirot is not even a really likeable character.

This novel starts off very interestingly – Poirot receives a letter requesting him to come to France under the employ of a man who thinks that his life is in grave danger.  Immediately, the characters are off and running, traveling to France.  One of the things I liked about this novel was that the action, so to speak, was immediate and was continued throughout.  None of the pacing was off.

My main complaint about the novel is that the twists and turns, red herrings and deductions seem a bit overwritten.  I feel that the latter half of the book has too many twists and turns for it to be a perfectly written mystery.  Nevertheless, the twists are explained fairly well and Poirot is always fun to follow around.  Still, I think the mystery was a bit too entangled and there were too many “deltas.”

I also think that the title is a bit deceptive.  This book really has nothing to do with golf whatsoever.  I do not know, really, what a mystery about golf might entail (I’m not really a golf fan), but I do think it would have to involve more than someone dying nearby a golf course that is being constructed.  Maybe even there could be a golf club?  Normally, I do not comment on book titles, but this one probably should have been entitled something different.

However, this is not to say that this is a bad novel.  It is a fast read – the pages fly by and the story is interesting and engaging.  Fast reads are not necessarily good reads, but it doesn’t really speak well of a book if one describes it as tedious or undeveloped.  I mean, honestly, who in 2013 would think that following a goofy detective and his sidekick around in the early part of the 1900s would be engaging?  Let’s face it, for the majority of the book, Hastings and Poirot do a lot of walking back and forth, traveling to and fro, and making general circles in the township.  Nevertheless, I was following right along and actually interested in where characters were walking to next!

Poirot has a little competition in this novel, as well.  Another “star” detective is called to the case.  This detective represents the very detail-oriented empirical approach to detective work. Poirot (as he will remind you endlessly) pays evidence only a fundamental concern, instead focusing on the psychologies involved in the case and working from cause to effect.  The detective, Giraud, is as obnoxious about his method as Poirot is about his own.  Therefore, there is a new twist to Poirot’s interactions, which is a neat counterbalance. I also really dig Poirot’s insistence against “sentimentality” and passion.  Although basing his methods on psychology, Poirot refuses to draw conclusions based on emotion, sentimentality, or passion.

Hastings is a bit of a fool, though one truly believes he has a good heart and really does his best.  This character’s role is to support Poirot, clearly, which sometimes means doubting Poirot.  The dynamic that develops between the two characters is worthwhile reading.

Overall, I am thinking this is not Christie’s greatest novel.  Still, it is a very interesting and charming read. The novel is not perfect, but it is a satisfying read that allows the reader to build their study of one of the most famous detectives.  I would really recommend this to anyone who would like to read a short novel that has wit and charm. It probably is not something a person who likes a chance to figure out the mystery would read – after all, Poirot never gives you all the clues.

4 stars

Locke & Key – Welcome to Lovecraft

Locke & Key Volume 1 – J. Hill, G. Rodriguez; IDW, 2008

I finished reading the first collected volume of graphic novel Locke & Key by writer Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez.  The hardback edition I read is entitled Welcome to Lovecraft and was released in 2008. It collects the first six issues of the comic by the same name published by IDW comic publishers.  One of the decisions that I made going into 2013 was to read more graphic novels and from different publishers than I usually do.  Locke & Key has continued for several volumes and has gotten a lot of praise.  So I figured that I would try it out and see how it goes.  Also, because the author names the location for the story “Lovecraft,” I admit I was intrigued.  If an author invokes that name in his writing, one almost expects creepy, weird, scary stuff – so I was all set to read something well-done.

The story, generally, is about the Locke family and the family’s ancestral home, Keyhouse, a Massachusetts mansion with a fantastic collection of magical keys and doors.  And this story is not for kids.  Some bad language, some gore, some horror, etc.  I do not think it is a foul book (I wouldn’t read that…) but it does have a smattering of bad. After all, this is technically in the “horror” genre.  Anyway, Keyhouse.   This is the main focal point of the story.  This is interesting because usually authors use a character as a focal point and not a setting.  The first issue in the volume starts in media res and fills in some backstory via flashback, however, even at the end of the issue – the reader will have a number of questions about the whole thing.  And this is okay because by the end of the volume many of these are fleshed-out and resolved. Of course, new questions are then presented!

The father, Rendell Locke is murdered by a high schooler named Sam Lesser.  And though it seems a random murder by a particularly deranged teenager, the connection is Keyhouse.  We are told in flashback that if anything is to happen to Rendell, the family is to go live at Keyhouse with Rendell’s brother, Duncan.  Why? In a cryptic statement Rendell tells his wife that “the house chose Duncan.”  Clearly, Rendell is not oblivious to the mysteries of Keyhouse.  After the murder, the family (mom, older brother, middle sister, young brother) travel from California to MA to live at Keyhouse and everyone is dealing with the loss of Rendell and the change in their lives.

My biggest problem with the artwork is that Duncan and the mother, Nina, look the same age as the kids in the novel.  Assuming the oldest kid, Tyler, is 17 – the mother and the uncle still only look 25 at most.  This kind of didn’t work for me – not that I expected them to be old and haggard or something.  The best part of the artwork is how much the artist seems to mesh with the story and draw scenes which amplify and parallel the writing.  Sometimes a writer’s good idea might fall a bit flat without a diligent, capable artist. No fear of that here.

At the start I was a little confused. Back-and-forth in time was disconcerting – what happened when and where? But I got it all sorted out and reading got a lot better.  Joe Hill did an excellent job developing each character, especially the kids.  Tyler is a compelling character and is written and drawn really well.  Bode is a lot of readers’ favorite character because he’s a curious, intelligent kid who loves his family.  He’s a cute kid.  Kinsey, the girl, is also a strong personality and independent.  Hill’s characterizations are so good that one really is “pulling for” this family.  It is really important to have likeable characters that a reader can sympathize with and follow along with interest.  Without this – this storyline would not be worth reading.   The villain in this volume (Sam Lesser) is exceedingly hateable.  He’s repulsive and deranged and I dislike him a lot. This is also “good” because who wants a villain that is not really a villain?

There are some really cool plot twists – the frame where Bode sends two items down the well is awesome, how Lesser escapes from prison is sharp, and the interconnectivity of characters in Lovecraft adds to the suspense.  In other words, I liked the unfolding of the story and its pacing. After finishing the volume I want to get the next. I have these questions:  what happens next (re: Zack)?  How will the connection Duncan to the house and everything else develop?  How will Tyler and Bode’s relationship change after the events of issue six?

I recommend this book to those who enjoy suspense/horror, good character development, and who are over 18.

4 stars

The Black Beetle #1

The Black Beetle – Francesco Francavilla; Dark Horse Comics; 2013

In 2011, in the anthology series Dark Horse Presents, Francesco Francavilla presented his new character/comic.  In Dark Horse Presents issues #11 – 13, the short storyarc “Night Shift” was serialized.  I hate paying $7.99 for Dark Horse Presents – especially when I am really unsure about some of the items included.  But finally, in September 2012, I found Dark Horse Presents #11 on sale and eagerly read the short Black Beetle stuff.  It was really good.  I never got around to locating and purchasing #12 and #13.  This irked me a little bit, because what little we got in #11 left off on a cliffhanger.  In 2013, though, Dark Horse finally started releasing a volume of The Black Beetle – starting with issue #0, which collected the entire “Night Shift” story from Dark Horse Presents.

What made me so very interested in this new creation by Francavilla?  Simply I think he’s an excellent artist.  I cannot really speak for his writing since I have not read enough to make a good assessment. However, I loved his artwork in the Black Panther volume he did as well as the art for the Captain America issues he did (Captain America & Bucky and Captain America & Black Widow ).   I really like his artwork.  The main reason is that I feel that it is actually artwork – as opposed to perfunctory comic book drawing.  If you read enough comic books, you should get a sense of the different styles of the various artists.  Not all things done by each artist are fantastic – many have a sort of “perfunctory” feel to them.  Filler issues, the burden placed on the writer rather than artist, nothing standout, etc.  However, Francavilla’s art is very clearly his when you see it.  And it looks so good that it makes you want to read whatever the writer is writing.

I am not very good at describing artwork. I can only use the words that seem to fit according to my experience. So, forgive me if any of this is indelicate.  Francavilla’s artwork seems (to me) to not be focused on excessive detail or realism.  He relies on basic framing, understanding of shadows and inks, and his own color palette of favorite colors. Generally, oranges, blacks, blues. Nothing overly colorful and kaleidoscope-y.

Black Beetle frame (issue #1) – Francesco Francavilla, 2013; Dark Horse Comics

Anyway, I picked up issue #1, which starts the 4-part story “No Way Out.”   I am a little icky because I wanted to find #0, but alas.  Anyway, Black Beetle is a style of costumed hero living in Colt City – which is a 1930′s-esque time period urban city on the East Coast.   The whole concept of the story and art is in the tradition of “pulp” vintage crime stuff.  I do not want to give anything away, so I am going to be really brief with the synopsis:  Black Beetle is doing surveillance on Colt City clubs that the gangster families frequent.  Roxy Club, Coco, Spencer’s, etc.  And at one of these, an explosion occurs – Beetle then seeks out the culprit. It is not who he expects to find. And we learn a little bit about the geography of Colt City along the way.

I gave this issue 8/10 stars on the comic book site that I frequent.  For here, I am going to ballpark it at four stars.  I love the art – I’ve already said that.  The story is good – because it does have that true vintage crime pulp feel.  The ads in the issue are minimal (I think there was one? Thank you Dark Horse!).  However, I demand a lot from first issues and I was not in total awe after finishing the issue. I re-read it and felt comfortable with my rating.  Also, I am very interested in pulling the next issue.

4 stars

Shadow Prowler

Shadow Prowler – Alexey Pehov; TOR

Shadow Prowler is the first book in the Chronicles of Siala series by Russian author Alexey Pehov.  It was originally written, in Russian, in 2002, but published by TOR in 2010 under English translation by Andrew Bromfield.  I bought my copy new – paperback – with the cover art by Kekai Kotaki.  It was a random book purchase – I saw it on the shelf and since this is “read Russians” year for me (sort of), I took it to the checkout.

This novel is at once a very good novel and a very bad novel. At 557 pages, it definitely qualifies as a typical epic fantasy novel. Ultimately, this is what is both good and bad about the novel:  typical epic fantasy.  Pehov nails each and every trope, cliché, and imitation found in epic fantasy novels.  So, in some sense, the originality is lacking. Because if you have read the Dragonlance Chronicles series, Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time, Terry Brooks’ Shannara series, and anything by Tolkien, this will seem obvious and derivative. That’s bad, right? Or maybe not. But it could be.

The main character, Harold, is a master thief and is coerced through fate and scheming to embark on a quest that he’d rather not embark on. He’s presented as some sort of honorable thief. An anti-hero hero archetype.  The real reason he gets caught up in all of the trouble is based on some sort of honor code to the god of thieves regarding commissions. That’s a dubious reason to risk life and limb, right? Or is it? Not that this is new or original to any fantasy novel in history.  In fact, I can name at least two recent novels that share some of this archetype:  The Lies of Locke Lamora and Mistborn.   Thief, antihero. Been there, done that?

There are orcs and elves and demons.  And goblins. And dwarves. And gnomes. Yep – the whole gamut of races that one would find in World of Warcraft and EverQuest.  There are magicians and there are also shamen.  And priests.  So do you see how this book really takes the cake at stuffing the usual suspects into the “typical epic fantasy”?  This is a good thing. No, wait, it’s a bad thing. Or what is it?

Most of the characters act and speak precisely how one expects them to. The grizzled magician, the mentor of the main character, the band of rogues that join the quest, the elven royalty, the bad-guys, the tavern keeper:  they are stereotypical and obvious.  Only the main character has any depth, and honestly, he’s somewhat sarcastic and witty on a mild level. The only other character is a goblin who is the king’s jester and who is spunky and obnoxious.  Everyone else is carbon copy fantasy stock character. Which is a bad thing, right? No, no. It’s a good thing. Things do as they be.

The thing is – as derivative and obvious as this novel is (and it is, folks) – it’s also fun and interesting. As discerning, literary readers we can critique it to death regarding all of it’s obvious flaws. However, at the end of the day, I’d be lying to you if I said I did not enjoy it.  In fact, there are parts that were actually really (dare I say it?) gripping and interesting. Overall, this is a very fun novel. And I read novels to have fun and be entertained. For example, the part where the main character goes to the Forbidden Area of the city dabbles in ghostly Lovecraftian-scary stuff. (There are phantoms and zombies!!!!!)  And, honestly, this was a thrilling part of the novel – I could have read just a whole novel of the main character’s exploits in this scenario.  There are several “flashback”/hallucinations that take place that fill in background. And these were fun. I usually dread flashbacks because they tend to bore me. But, I cannot lie, these were actually kind of fun to read. And they did serve the purpose of filling in background. Late in the book, there is a death of a character and I have to admit, I was saddened by it. Silly ridiculous flat character died – but I sure did feel the tug on my Grinch-heart!

Another horrible thing (no! it’s not horrible at all. Yes it is. NO!) is that the storyline is spread out.  Some fantasy novels introduce characters, setup quest, go on quest. This one takes a multitude of “sections” that would be perfect for TV series.  We do not immediately jump out on the quest and head toward the main goal. Instead, the main character has a bunch of challenges and proximate goals to overcome before we even set out on the main storyline quest.  In fact, and here’s the kicker, by the end of the novel – our noble heroes haven’t even made it where they are going to accomplish the big goal! So if you really want to know – you gotta buy book two (and probably book three).  Not that the time in between was wasted or uninteresting, but it was surprising that the author did this. I mean, gutsy move, dude. And I am certain this turned off a lot of readers.

Speaking of which, Justin (on Goodreads and the blogger of Staffer’s Book Review) wrote this “Review” after giving this book one star. I agree with most of his complaints about the novel. Go ahead and read his commentary – because he’s correct and I think potential readers should read a variety of opinions.  But, and I daresay Justin might agree with me, it was a giggling-ly entertaining puff to read. And if I was so entertained, how can I give the novel one star?  I totally should not like this book as much as I did. And I should also not eat french fries, Taco Bell, or so much pizza………

So what should I rate this book? I am giving it four stars. It is stuffed with the obvious and is extremely derivative. But it’s still so much fun, I just kept turning the pages and I knew it was pulpy and stereotypical – but I was having fun reading it.  So, I totally agree with every one of the criticisms levied against this novel. But I still had a great time reading it. Shame on me: I enjoyed a silly “typical epic fantasy” novel.  And I went and bought book two. Russians gotta do what Russians gotta do….

4 stars

Prince of Thorns

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence; ACE

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence was first published in 2011. It’s book one of The Broken Empire; I actually don’t know (yet) how long the series is. I would assume a trilogy, but then A Wheel of Time reminds me that some series can go on forever.  I feel like there has been a pile of new fantasy novels/series that have been released in the last two or three years. I have been in the middle of The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (2007) for about a year and a half. I’m also stalled out in Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (2008).  However, I did finish Peter V. Brett’s The Warded Man (2009) and I absolutely loved that one.   The point is, I feel like I buy and am interested in reading a lot more fantasy novels than I actually sit down and read.

Part of the allure of this novel was that it was “short.” 319 pages is something a bit rare in the fantasy novel world. But look, it works; because I finished the thing in two weeks and am writing a review of it now!  The cover helped, too, because this piece by Jason Chan looks interesting. It’s not too busy and it works well for the story.

From the back cover:

When he was nine, he watched as his mother and brother were killed before him. At thirteen, he led a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king…
It’s time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what’s rightfully his. Since the day he hung pinned on the thorns of a briar patch and watched Count Renar’s men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him—and he has nothing left to lose. But treachery awaits him in his father’s castle. Treachery and dark magic.

The back cover blurb gives a sense of a young kid on a revenge mission. He seems ambitious and intense.  Also, there is not a heavy emphasis on magic or the traditional fantasy elements.  This sets the novel a bit apart from some of the more overtly magic-driven, demon-involved epic fantasy novels.

It’s told from the perspective of the main character, Jorg.  We meet him on the road with his band of brigands and rabble as they are burning a village. And right away the reader discovers that this kid is mean as spit.  I lost track of just how old he was, but from 12-15 years old, he really does wreck havoc on the land. Seems really unlikely, right? How does a young teenager garner the loyalty of thugs, soldiers, and criminals?  How does he have such great strategy, luck, and skill?  Well, he is definitely a unique character – even if these obvious questions run through the reader’s mind while going through the book.  And the author gives us hints and options for how Jorg operates and why throughout.  At the end the question is almost answered. It’s better to say that an answer is provided, but the answer is only a sufficient cause and not the sole cause.

The author writes very well.  This is not high literary stuff, though.  Direct sentences, never any purple prose, no overworking of anything.  The writing style suits the ruthless and direct manner of the main character perfectly. However, it can be a turn off for any readers who enjoy descriptive paragraphs, developed settings, and poetic renderings.  The writing style is crisp and clean and means business. There are plenty of killings and pillagings in the novel – and you read about them hard and fast just like they happen.  Because I think the best part of the author’s main concept for the novel is the de-pretty-ifying of epic fantasy and medieval combat. (Crossbows are cool!)  If you want to read about glorious battles and the conflicted hearts of heroes there are dozens of other novels that can provide that. Here, the author (by way of Jorg) keeps it real.  Jorg does not mince words, he doesn’t second guess, and he does not fall prey to all of those annoying flaws in characters like:  didn’t completely kill the bad guy or is indecisive and lost. Jorg handles his business – and it’s rarely pretty.

Although the impetus for the character is the deaths of his mother and brother followed by the cavalier attitude of his father (the king), the reader will not be swept up into any moping overemotive wallowing by Jorg.  There’s no demand placed on the reader for sympathy/empathy.  Simply, Jorg is a mean little snake and he is not asking for any pity or compassion – because he sure won’t show any, either. All of this is. . . .  “refreshing” . . . in a fantasy novel. I suppose refreshing is a bit of an odd word choice to describe this ruthless little kid, but this novel is refreshing because it never ever gets bogged down in emotive turmoil and meandering indecisive characters. Jorg, for better or worse, makes things happen. He will always think it’s better to act than to do nothing – even if the act is extreme.

There is some language in the novel that some sensitive readers may not approve of. Not cussing or gory graphic words, but the characters are somewhat sacrilegious and blasphemous. Readers who dislike this should take note before buying, because I can see where some people would not like this aspect.  But a cool thing about what the author is doing is that the world of Jorg is like ours – like an alternate reality. For example, there is The Church with a Pope (who is female). Jorg, as a youth, studied the philosophers (to include Plato, Plutarch, Russell, Nietzsche, etc.) And it’s really surprising and odd when you find that the author has worked in real elements of the real world into his fantasy novel.  Especially for me, a philosopher, to read about a character who references philosophers. It’s cool and I am actually surprised at how well it works and that it has not been done more in other books. Thumbs up, Mark Lawrence!  Overall, I can see this book being either two stars or four stars depending on your views toward the writing and the language. I am giving it four stars for uniqueness, surprising-ness, and brevity. Book two is available currently in hardback . . . .

4 stars

Fulgrim

Fulgrim – Graham McNeill; Black Library

Fulgrim by Graham McNeill is the fifth novel in the Warhammer 40k Horus Heresy series.  It’s also the largest of the first five – running just over 500 pages.  It was published in 2007 and the cover artist was, again, Neil Roberts.  McNeill is the author of the second Horus Heresy novel as well as a few others in the Warhammer 40k collection.

The Warhammer 40k universe is one of my favorites. I am an absolute sucker for science fiction, fantasy, and battles of good versus evil. I like vast armies, huge dramatic storylines, and futuristic settings. A lot of “classy” readers probably would disdain most of Warhammer 40k because it isn’t great literature and is usually derivative of any number of archetypes in the genre.  However, I just love the universe and the characters and the stories.  It’s fun and interesting.  And yes, it is melodramatic.  And yes, in some books the writing is somewhat more juvenile or action-descriptive.  But it’s so much dang fun!

I’m obviously a science fiction fanatic.  And I love reading the classics of science fiction – good, quality, heady stuff for sure.  But really nothing is so deliciously engrossing as a Horus Heresy novel.  I am a big proponent of readers enjoying the books they are reading. If I am reading for entertainment, I want to be entertained.  There is also plenty of room for thought-provoking or challenging. Alter the paradigms, show the parallax, explore conceptual edifices – but let me still have my fun!

Fulgrim is not the best of the first five Horus Heresy novels. I do think in some places the story stalls and the characters chase their tails a bit.  In other words, yeah, this novel could have been whittled down to, say, 420 pages.   And while some novels desperately need to be chopped and halved, since this is Warhammer 40k and I am insanely in love with it, I do not really mind the stuffing.  The first two books of the series were awesome. Without a doubt.  Books four and five kind of circle back around to the events in book three – showing us the events from a different perspective, involving different characters, etc.  Some readers might not like this re-telling of events.  However, in both books, the storyline does move forward.  In Fulgrim, the last quarter of the book deals with the situation on Isstvan V – where the primarchs and their legions engaged in knowing, violent combat over the purpose and goal of the Great Crusade.

In the first half of the novel, the reader learns about the Primarch Fulgrim.  I like learning about each of the primarchs, though Fulgrim himself is not one I’m a real fan of.  He is so prissy and fancy.  He is still a formidable warrior, but his obsession with the concept of perfection and the appearance of his legion is obnoxious.  In other words, it’s easy to hate him and easy to see how he was pulled into the Horus Heresy. There are several neat things that the author does to this character to demonstrate the changes in him and how it affects the Emperor’s Children (his legion of space marines).  Most of them are interesting and reasonable grounding for the character’s actions.  Some are just a little flat or perhaps they are a little too obvious.

Fulgrim – the book and the character – develops from the author’s usage of concepts of aesthetics.  Art appreciation, perfection in art, working to create art, etc. Some of this might seem a bit silly to readers who want warfare in the distant future, but actually I was impressed that the author chose to utilize this stuff.  For example, I really do encourage any fans of the series to read William Blake’s The Book of Urizen either before or after reading Fulgrim.  It’s interesting and contextualizes. It’s also kind of fun to see Blake-ian concepts utilized in pulp science fiction!  I haven’t read The Book of Urizen since…. 1997?…. so I am actually looking forward to just flipping through that again.

Of note, Fulgrim contains some of the more “graphic” scenes in the series so far.  There are not any “bad words,” but the imagery can be a bit intense.  So, if you are really drawn into the book and have a good imagination, the latter half of the book has some scenes dealing with xenos/chaos forces that might be a bit ugly to imagine. The descriptions, though, do border slightly on the purple prose sort of structure in places.  It is not necessarily there for shock value – it does play into the plotline.  Either way, be advised to expect this. I liked elements of this section and disliked elements, as well. For example, there is something both really cool and really silly about the concept of auditory chaos, discordance, and atonal effects being used by/on space marines.

Overall, four stars – because I am a Warhammer 40k fan addict. Three stars if you are judging based on everything else. (Again, my blog, my prerogative!)

4 stars

X-O Manowar #1 (2012)

X-O Manowar #1; Valiant Entertainment (2012)

X-O Manowar is a comics character that was created in 1992 by Jim Shooter, Bob Layton, and Joe Quesada. If you are unfamiliar with those names – they are some of the big Marvel creators in the 1970s and 1980s.  I could bore you with details about company properties within and without Marvel Comics and Valiant Entertainment. Somehow, though, I feel that would deflate any excitement over the actual comic book – so let’s just move onward.

X-O Manowar is science fiction – and is a really good fix for someone who is a big science fiction fan.  On Free Comic Book Day 2012, I got the preview by Valiant comics that featured X-O Manowar.  I was excited, of course, because the cover art looks fantastic. I added it to my pull list at my local comic book store.  Well, it took forever for my issues to come in (don’t ask….).  In my travels I found a clean copy of X-O Manowar #0 from 1993 for $1.  And then one weekend at my comic book store – all of the first four issues of the current run of the title arrived!

I read the 1993 issue and enjoyed it. The cover is a glossy-foil cover by Quesada and Jim Palmiotti and shows X-O Manowar in front of an explosion in space.  It looks like early 1990s cover art – but it should catch the eye of any science fiction fan. Space. Lasers. Armor. Finally I read the first issue of the 2012 volume.  This is another really awesome cover. I say that because it has such a science fiction feeling to it – and the coloring, which highlights only X-O Manowar – makes the cover really eye-catching, I think.

X-O Manowar #0; Valiant 1993

This newest issue keeps, more or less, to the same overall storyline as presented in the old #0 1993 issue.   Aric Dacia is a Visigoth. He, and all the men in his clan, fight the Romans.  Generally, the Visigoths get walloped by the Romans.  In the 1993 version Aric’s father Rolf dies in single combat as Roman troops have entered his home. In the 2012 version, Rolf is wounded on the battlefield, Aric brings him home, but Rolf dies in his bunk.  Either way, the son is enraged and develops an even more acute desire for vengeance.

That night, the Visigoths discover a “Roman transport” and Roman troops. What has happened is the Visigoths mistake aliens for Romans. Led by the emotional and rash Aric, the Visigoths attack the alien ship and are (no surprise here) defeated.  The aliens haul the surviving Visigoths onboard and take off into space.  From the moment Aric regains consciousness, his thoughts are on escape and vengeance.  He’s still a bit muddled about who he is actually fighting – but that does not matter too much to him.  Frankly, I prefer the setup in the 2012 version a bit more than the 1993, but both are good science fiction fun.  The 1993 issue takes the storyline a bit further in the first issue, but I think the 2012 ends at a good stopping point for the issue.

Now, that is a really choppy data-dump sort of introduction to X-O Manowar.  But what I feel readers should take away from my review here is that X-O Manowar fills this little niche in comic books that exists between the superhero and the soap opera drama in comic books.  There are not too many true science fiction comics out there.  Marvel Comics publishes a group of titles that they refer to as their cosmic titles. These include things like Guardians of the Galaxy, Nova, and Quasar.  However, none of these titles are currently running. Some of the trouble with those titles is that they are contained within the overarching Marvel Universe – so a great deal of familiarity with the Marvel Universe makes them more readable, hence more enjoyable.  But sometimes, too, superheroes show up within the pages.

I like X-O Manowar because it is also fun – there is a rambunctious Visigoth who is kidnapped by aliens and who bonds with their special power armor – which can only be worn by “the worthy.”  Let me cash this out for you a bit further:  a barbarian, who is fighting Roman soldiers, is taken into space by aliens and acquires power armor. If you do not like that last phrase I typed there….. I cannot help you. You are not truly a science fiction fanatic.   Sure, this might not be literature, but this sure is fun and it makes me happy! Enjoy your sci-fi!

4 stars

The Mysterious Affair at Styles

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie; Bantam 1974

Here is my copy of Agatha Christie’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles.  This is the Bantam 1974 edition.  This is actually Agatha Christie’s first published novel (1920) and it also introduces the famous Hercule Poirot. In 1990, an episode based on this novel was aired as part of the Agatha Christie’s Poirot series in the UK.

All things considered, this is a really good first novel.  I mean, let’s face it, some writers published dozens of books nowadays and never reach this level of novel.  Not that this is a great novel, by any means, but there is an inherent quality to it that seems almost lacking in a lot of the mass-marketed novels.  I am not trying to be overly critical, but I really can appreciate the efforts of Christie in this novel.

The plot is really kind of lame – especially in 2012.  But it is necessary for the reader to at least try to keep in mind that the setting and culture of Christie’s novel is very different from our own.  This novel takes place at Styles Court.  This is a manor house on a large property.  Again, not something that many Americans in 2012 have a referent for.  It takes place during the time of WWI, which does not overweigh the novel, but hints of the effects of the war pepper the novel nicely.

The novel is narrated by the main character, Arthur Hastings.  He is invited to spend time at Styles Court by his friend John Cavendish.  And this whole part of the novel seems really strange and foreign.  Inviting people to stay – for almost an entire summer – at one’s house is rare.  Particularly if these people are not even close family.  And then, after a murder occurs (or any like tragedy) for those houseguests to stay onward and not leave also seems odd by today’s standards.  I feel a lot more awkwardness and discomfort would be called for.  But being a houseguest at a country manor during WWI is not exactly something I have experience with.

We are introduced to Christie’s famous detective, Hercule Poirot – and he is enigmatic, weird, and arrogant.  He also comes across in this novel as loveable, intelligent, and quirky.  He’s actually quite loveable as a character.  And often Hastings gets frustrated with Poirot, but remains drawn to this Belgian eccentric because Hastings, too, has a mind and heart for the detective scenarios. Poirot is probably the descendent of Sherlock Holmes – the odd, brilliant, English detective – but there’s no fun in comparing the two at this point.  Poirot and his Belgian-French are a whole lot of fun and though the reader, too, is frustrated with Poirot’s antics (he constantly hints and misdirects, but never really unfolds all of his ideas) the reader also learns to cherish the character’s exuberance.

As I mentioned above, the plot is lame.  And the whole thing is a bit convoluted.  Poirot is frustrating.  And there’s really no way the reader can guess early on who is the murderer and why.  So why am I giving this four stars?  Because the writing is so erudite – Christie’s prose leaps from the page.  The writing is beautiful – not stilted or cluttered.  There are no unnecessary pages of descriptions, purple prose, or filler chapters.  The author’s actual use of language is very good.  None of this seems carbon copy from “How to Write a Novel in a Month,” so to speak.  In laymen’s terms:  it’s just a really charming read.  And now, it’s actually kind of become a classic in it’s own right.  I recommend this to everyone. It’s short enough that it won’t tax anyone, nor put them off whatever else they are reading. Don’t fret too much about the details of the case, but relish the novel as a cool vintage enjoyment.

4 stars

Berserker

Berserker – F. Saberhagen;

Berserker is a collection of pseudo-short stories.  It was published first in 1967 after collecting the stories which were mostly published in Worlds of If magazine.  I read the 1984 Ace edition.  The cover for my edition was done by Boris Vallejo.

It is difficult to simply refer to the contents of the book as short stories.  To say that takes away all the connectivity and linear timeline that is actually present in the book.  Although the stories are individual and standalone to an extent, they must be read in order and to cherry-pick out of the book would ruin much of it.

On first look, the cover and title probably make one suspect the contents are juvenile man versus brainless aliens.  Something similar to the movie Starship Troopers or any high-explosion, scarce plot story.  I admit I kind of expected such a story – and maybe even hoped for that style just a little bit.  Surprise, surprise – the stories are far from juvenile.  The stories pose political, ethical, and scientific questions.  Each story is written as if it is one facet in the war against the berserkers – one facet because the war is not simply a war.  The war is a dynamic evolving event that changes based on, of course, location and time, and with the obvious variable:  who is fighting it.

One of the most interesting outcomes is the character development throughout the novel.  The characters readers meet in one story carry-through to another story, wherein their situation may be different, but they are still congruent characters.

Berserkers are machines.  I really see them as the true ancestors of Cylons, Borg, and Terminators. The machines were built – a very long time ago by some alien race of which we know nothing.  The Berserkers only have one goal:  destroy life.  Life – which is a bit more expansive than the typical mandate to destroy mankind.  These machines did not name themselves berserkers, in the course of the wars mankind dubbed the machines berserkers.

Berserkers are self-aware.  This means that though they are unaltering in their goal, they can “learn” and “adapt.”  For example, throughout the stories, the berserkers adjust their methods for achieving their goals.  They recognize life-units (particularly mankind) are crafty and emotional.  Therefore, the berserkers develop tactics that can overcome what the humans do.

Of course, humans still have all the usual character flaws – division, greed, lust, deception, selfishness, etc.  So, the berserkers can sometimes play on the foibles of humans.  But sometimes, the scale moves and humans are selfless, brave, and faithful which is unexpected and can often catch berserkers off-guard.

This book is just the first in the berserker series.  The stories here build upon each other and I suspect much of this carries forth into the other Berserker novels. I’m giving this collection fours stars because it had much more depth than I expected, I love these ancestors of so many science fiction machine-enemies, and it was a quick read that did not drone on and on. I definitely want to read the rest of the Berserker stuff.  This is the first Saberhagen I’ve read and I am quite impressed.

• “Without a Thought”  – interesting, but probably should not come first in the collection.
• “Goodlife” – essential reading in Berserker universe; first appearance of Hemphill and the term “goodlife”
• “Patron of the Arts” – unique facet
• “The Peacemaker” – unique facet
• “Stone Place” – necessary and essential story
• “What T and I Did” – disturbing horror-esque facet
• “Mr. Jester” – very creative
• “Masque of the Red Shift” – necessary reading
• “Sign of the Wolf” – probably the weakest of the bunch
• “In the Temple of Mars” – awesome story, connects with all the rest
• “The Face of the Deep” – excellent ending, connects with “Patron of the Arts” and “Stone Place” and “Masque of the Red Shift”

4 stars

The Black Company

The Black Company by Glen Cook

Glen Cook’s The Black Company was first published in 1984.  It is the first in the series of books about the “Black Company.” The cover art was done by Keith Berdak and was taken from a description within the text.  The art is also some of the coolest, most gripping art of the 1980′s novels. Let’s face it; how do you see this cover in 1984 and pass it by?

The Black Company is a very odd and difficult read.  For the first 150 pages of the novel, I was generously going to give it no more than three-stars as a rating, and I spent the whole time marveling at the fact that so many readers have given it four or five-star ratings. This novel is the epitome of “character-driven” and “no detail.”  In fact, the plot itself is a bit challenging to discern until the reader is somewhere over page 220.

The difference, I think, between this character-driven novel and others, is that The Black Company is almost episodic in its structure and the characters do not really develop or change or move the storyline forward. Things happen to the characters.  The characters are perpetually caught in the current of the river that is the plot – but, that very same river is unnamed and unfamiliar to the reader, too.  The first 100 pages are easy to breeze through – except I found them aggravating and frustrating because I had no idea what was happening. Literally, no idea because it all seemed completely disconnected, random, and confused.

Yes, for the most part of this novel, the novel itself seems confused.  Not that it is confusing, but that it itself is confused. Disjointed and disconnected.  Okay, we all like mysterious plotlines once in awhile, but in the first 200 pages it definitely seems like there are some really basic, necessary points that the author has left out.  It’s like he is writing a story without writing a story at all. It does seem mad and confused.

Which is why if you are going to tackle reading this one – you have to force yourself to remain calm and keep reading.  At least until page 200.  Everything after page 200 (a mere 114 pages more) makes everything before it more sensible, reasonable, and palatable.  But can readers push themselves to read nearly 200 pages of randomized confused – HEY, I think the author LEFT SOME STUFF OUT – sort of reading?

This novel is told in the first person by the main character, Croaker.  He is a veteran medic and soldier in the mercenary troops of the Black Company.  Croaker also has the additional duty of being the Company’s Annalist.  This means he is their historian – so he is frequently called upon to witness and record events, battles, moments within the Company.  However, the novel itself is not the annals that Croaker writes.  It’s more like his in media res commentary of life within the Company – which is always punctuated by the antics of the other soldiers, the battles the Company is dispatched to fight, and the incidents that happen to the Company.

It needs to be mentioned, unlike most military/fantasy military novels, we are never ever given descriptions of anything.  I mean, you won’t learn what their uniforms look like or what gear they carry.  Readers do not discover what sorts of weapons are used or which character is most proficient in particular arms.  The end fifty pages of the novel actually depict a location under siege, which is done very well and the author deserves praise for this intense writing.  However, nowhere in the novel are there lines like: “… and then he punched him, while swooping his sword arm; but his opponent ducked and thrust his dagger forward. The clang of the dagger on his shield distracted him, so that he failed to counter with a blow from his war-anvil.”   This is decidedly not the standard “military-fantasy” that can be seen in sections of Brandon Sanderson or Steven Erikson novels.

And there are wizards and magic carpets and people get killed, brought back from the dead – trained as zombie-wizards and get to be patrons of battalions. Yes. Indeed.

So, I am giving this novel four stars because it started off as in media res randomized nothing and then got me addicted.  And it aggravated me and was confusing.  And then all of a sudden, I really was interested in what was happening and how the characters fared – although I really wasn’t entirely sure how the story had gotten to where it had. And after finishing it, I really miss the characters and the story and, though I have no solid idea about the setting whatsoever, I really want to read the next in the series. This writing style is very odd and unique.  The whole thing – whatever it may be – thoroughly grew on me, so to speak, by the end of the novel.  And now, I totally understand why so many readers rated it so highly.  Getting readers past those first 150 pages before they give up is gonna be tough!

4 stars