10 August 2014
Book: "The Absolute Sandman, Volume 1"
I don't read a lot of comic books/graphic novels, but I'd heard of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. It's considered a classic of the genre. I loved Gaiman's (regular) book Good Omens (that he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett), but didn't care for his solo novel Neverwhere. Given my ambivalence towards comic books, I wasn't sure I'd like Sandman.
The Volume 1 collection contains the first twenty issues of the series. It took a while to catch my interest, especially since the main character doesn't appear to be the main character until late in the first issue. But once we're properly introduced to him, the story begins to gain traction. It really takes off in Issue 8 ("The Sound of Her Wings") when you meet the main character's sister.
Sandman draws on mythology in some interesting ways. In the course of the book you meet the Fates, Lucifer, a Muse, the Faerie Queen, goblins, and more.
Some issues are "one shots" that tell a single story. Other stories take several issues to tell. The one-shots were nice breathers between the longer stories.
As with most graphic novels, there was more gore than I'd have liked, but the stories and characters were compelling.
Labels: comics, review: book
18 July 2014
Book: "Catching Fire"
All I was doing was trying to keep Peeta and myself alive. Any act of rebellion was purely coincidental.
Catching Fire (by Suzanne Collins) is the sequel to The Hunger Games. I think the writing was better than in the first book, but it's possible that I was more involved in the story and didn't notice the weaknesses.
It does an excellent job of building on the world of the first book. Katniss is still just trying to provide for her sister and mother, but she unwittingly becomes a symbol for a revolution. This expands the story from her survival to the survival of her nation.
We get to see more of the country that she lives in, which is very interesting. Unfortunately, the logical (nit-picky?) part of my brain gets a little confused about the geography and logistics of Panem. A quick google search for Panem map shows a variety of fan ideas of what Panem looked like, since book is ambiguous about the details. And I don't understand how each District has one-and-only-one industry. But I guess they don't all work in the same industry: District 12 is mining, and Peeta's parents own a bakery. But it still seems like a strange system.
Ultimately, the basic structure of the story is the same as the first book, but it feels fresh because the scope is so much larger.
Spoilers:
V ernyyl ybirq gung jr tbg gb xabj zber ivpgbef. Vg jnf zragvbarq va gur svefg obbx gung Unlzvgpu xarj bgure ivpgbef, naq guvf obbx ornef gung bhg. Gur snpg gung gur gevohgrf nyy xabj rnpu bgure punatrf gur qlanzvpf bs gur tnzrf, gbb. Va gur svefg obbx, gur xvqf jrer xvyyvat fgenatref. Va guvf bar, gurl'er (zbfgyl) nqhygf, xvyyvat gurve sevraqf.
Gur snpg gung Xngavff naq Crrgn ner tbvat guebhtu guvf sbe gur frpbaq lrne va n ebj urvtugraf gur grafvba naq qrfcnve. Gurve sehfgengvba vf cnycnoyr. Vg nyfb nssrpgf ubj gurl cynl gur tnzr, orpnhfr gurl xabj zber gur frpbaq gvzr nebhaq.
Catching Fire (by Suzanne Collins) is the sequel to The Hunger Games. I think the writing was better than in the first book, but it's possible that I was more involved in the story and didn't notice the weaknesses.
It does an excellent job of building on the world of the first book. Katniss is still just trying to provide for her sister and mother, but she unwittingly becomes a symbol for a revolution. This expands the story from her survival to the survival of her nation.
We get to see more of the country that she lives in, which is very interesting. Unfortunately, the logical (nit-picky?) part of my brain gets a little confused about the geography and logistics of Panem. A quick google search for Panem map shows a variety of fan ideas of what Panem looked like, since book is ambiguous about the details. And I don't understand how each District has one-and-only-one industry. But I guess they don't all work in the same industry: District 12 is mining, and Peeta's parents own a bakery. But it still seems like a strange system.
Ultimately, the basic structure of the story is the same as the first book, but it feels fresh because the scope is so much larger.
Spoilers:
V ernyyl ybirq gung jr tbg gb xabj zber ivpgbef. Vg jnf zragvbarq va gur svefg obbx gung Unlzvgpu xarj bgure ivpgbef, naq guvf obbx ornef gung bhg. Gur snpg gung gur gevohgrf nyy xabj rnpu bgure punatrf gur qlanzvpf bs gur tnzrf, gbb. Va gur svefg obbx, gur xvqf jrer xvyyvat fgenatref. Va guvf bar, gurl'er (zbfgyl) nqhygf, xvyyvat gurve sevraqf.
Gur snpg gung Xngavff naq Crrgn ner tbvat guebhtu guvf sbe gur frpbaq lrne va n ebj urvtugraf gur grafvba naq qrfcnve. Gurve sehfgengvba vf cnycnoyr. Vg nyfb nssrpgf ubj gurl cynl gur tnzr, orpnhfr gurl xabj zber gur frpbaq gvzr nebhaq.
Labels: review: book, The Hunger Games
13 July 2014
Book: "The Jigsaw Woman"
I was born in a cross fire of hurricanes. Or electrons, electrodes. Something. I don't remember much about the beginning. Fuzzies. Flashes of stainless steel and white light. Was I at a butcher's shop or a hospital?
The Jigsaw Woman (by Kim Antieau) begins as a retelling of the story of Frankenstein's monster, with the creation of a beautiful woman from the body parts of three separate women. Rather quickly, however, it veers off into a completely different story. The first half of the book is at a breakneck pace, caroming all over the place. I enjoyed the unpredictability of it.
But the in the second half of the book the plot slowed down considerably, as the main character jumped into different past-lives and lived in each for a little while. I did enjoy seeing the various characters and how they showed up in each past life.
Overall it seemed like watered down Joanna Russ. It was more coherent, but less profound, than The Female Man.
In summary: interesting enough to finish, but not enjoyable enough to re-read.
The Jigsaw Woman (by Kim Antieau) begins as a retelling of the story of Frankenstein's monster, with the creation of a beautiful woman from the body parts of three separate women. Rather quickly, however, it veers off into a completely different story. The first half of the book is at a breakneck pace, caroming all over the place. I enjoyed the unpredictability of it.
But the in the second half of the book the plot slowed down considerably, as the main character jumped into different past-lives and lived in each for a little while. I did enjoy seeing the various characters and how they showed up in each past life.
Overall it seemed like watered down Joanna Russ. It was more coherent, but less profound, than The Female Man.
In summary: interesting enough to finish, but not enjoyable enough to re-read.
Labels: review: book, scifi/fantasy
02 July 2014
Book: "Friday"
As I left the Kenya Beanstalk capsule he was right on my heels. He followed me through the door leading to Customs, Health, and Immigration. As the door contracted behind him I killed him.
I have never liked riding the Beanstalk. My distaste was full-blown even before the disaster to the Quito Skyhook. A cable that goes up into the sky with nothing to hold it up smells too much of magic. But the only other way to reach Ell-Five takes too long and costs too much; my orders and expense account did not cover it.
So I had been edgy even before I left the shuttle from Ell-Five at Stationary Station to board the Beanstalk capsule... but, damn it, being edgy isn't a reason to kill a man.
That is how the book begins, and it's one of my absolute favorite starts to a book.
Friday isn't the best book in the world, and isn't even the best book by Robert Heinlein. (That would be The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.) But it's a book I read over and over again. Some books are "comfort food" for me: A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia, Tisha, and Friday.
I think what brings me back to it is that it's just a simple, well-told adventure story. There is a damaged-but-badass main character, who meets lots of people and does lots of stuff, in a crazy somewhat-dystopian future.
As I've gotten older, I've started to have some issues with the way he portrays women -- some sexism at work, I think -- but it doesn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.
p.s. This is the book where he accurately describes the internet. In 1982.
I have never liked riding the Beanstalk. My distaste was full-blown even before the disaster to the Quito Skyhook. A cable that goes up into the sky with nothing to hold it up smells too much of magic. But the only other way to reach Ell-Five takes too long and costs too much; my orders and expense account did not cover it.
So I had been edgy even before I left the shuttle from Ell-Five at Stationary Station to board the Beanstalk capsule... but, damn it, being edgy isn't a reason to kill a man.
That is how the book begins, and it's one of my absolute favorite starts to a book.
Friday isn't the best book in the world, and isn't even the best book by Robert Heinlein. (That would be The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.) But it's a book I read over and over again. Some books are "comfort food" for me: A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia, Tisha, and Friday.
I think what brings me back to it is that it's just a simple, well-told adventure story. There is a damaged-but-badass main character, who meets lots of people and does lots of stuff, in a crazy somewhat-dystopian future.
As I've gotten older, I've started to have some issues with the way he portrays women -- some sexism at work, I think -- but it doesn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.
p.s. This is the book where he accurately describes the internet. In 1982.
Labels: review: book, scifi/fantasy
24 June 2014
Book: "The Hunger Games"
"I volunteer!" I gasp. "I volunteer as tribute!" There's some confusion on the stage. District 12 hasn't had a volunteer in decades and the protocol has become rusty. [...] In some districts, in which winning the reaping is a great honor, people are eager to risk their lives, the volunteering is complicated. But in District 12, where the word 'tribute' is pretty much synonymous with the word 'corpse', volunteers are all but extinct.
I started hearing about "The Hunger Games" (by Suzanne Collins) many years ago, before the movies came out. It sounded interesting (A trilogy set in a dystopian* future with a female hero? Sign me up!) but when I started the first book, I quickly became annoyed with the writing style. A couple of years later I rented the first movie (and by "rented", I mean checked out from the library) and I absolutely loved it. So when I found the book at the library sale for 25ยข, I decided to give it another try.
This time I pushed on, and -- even though I knew what was going to happen -- became engrossed enough in the book that the writing only occasionally bothered me. And it is a fantastic book. The world is great, the characters are great, the story is great.... I just wish the writing was a teensy bit better.
The world-building is excellent, and the story moves at a such a quick pace that you just want to keep reading and reading. But the best part is the main character. I've often said that my favorite characters are badass smart-asses, and Katniss definitely qualifies. But I also love the idea of her: It's rather uncommon to have a female lead be prickly. (Veronica Mars is the only other example that comes to mind.) She's not mean or cruel, she's just had to survive a difficult life, and closing herself off from everyone but her sister and best friend is how she has protected herself. I also love that her skills come from years of practice. I mean, I love Buffy and Friday and Xena and other superheroes-with-special-powers, but sometimes it's nice to see regular people be awesome because of their hard work.
Spoilers:
Yrg'f gnyx n yvggyr zber nobhg Xngavff orvat cevpxyl. Bar bs zl snibevgr fprarf vf jura ure zragbe Unlzvgpu vf gelvat gb cerc ure sbe ure GI vagreivrj, naq gurl pna'g svther bhg ubj gb cerfrag ure va gur orfg yvtug. Svefg gurl gel purrel ("Lbh pbzr npebff zber nf fhyyra naq ubfgvyr."). Gura gurl gel uhzoyr. Gura... "Gur arkg ubhef ner ntbavmvat. Ng bapr vg'f pyrne V pnaabg thfu. Jr gel zr cynlvat pbpxl, ohg V whfg qba'g unir gur neebtnapr. Nccneragyl V'z gbb 'ihyarenoyr' sbe srebpvgl. V'z abg jvggl. Shaal. Frkl. Be zlfgrevbhf. Ol gur raq bs gur frffvba, V nz ab bar ng nyy. Unlzvgpu fgnegrq qevaxvat fbzrjurer nebhaq jvggl, naq n anfgl rqtr unf percg vagb uvf ibvpr. 'V tvir hc, fjrrgurneg. Whfg nafjre gur dhrfgvbaf naq gel abg gb yrg gur nhqvrapr frr ubj bcrayl lbh qrfcvfr gurz.'"
Ohg V ybir guvf. V ybir gung fur'f fb ubarfg. Gung fur fgehttyrf gb cynl gurve tnzr, rira gubhtu fur xabjf ubj vzcbegnag vg vf. Fur qbrf yrnea, gubhtu, orpnhfr fur unf na rnfvre gvzr cynlvat sbe gur pnzrenf nsgre fur naq Crrgn unir jba. Fur fgvyy fgehttyrf, ohg fur unf vzcebirq.
Bar bs zl bgure snibevgr guvatf nobhg guvf obbx, naq ubj Xngavff vf cbegenlrq, vf gur ebznapr nfcrpg. Vg'f Crrgn jub vf ybirfvpx sbe ure, abg gur bgure jnl nebhaq. Xngavff tebjf gb yvxr Crrgn, ohg fur vf sne gbb ohfl fheivivat gur neran (naq yngre, gur cbyvgvpf) gb ernyyl guvax nobhg uvz yvxr gung. Ntnva, gung'f na hahfhny naq vagrerfgvat pubvpr. Naq -- zbfg vzcbegnagyl -- vg svgf jvgu gur jub fur vf naq jvgu jung ure yvsr unf orra yvxr. Sebz n lbhat ntr fur jnf erfcbafvoyr sbe srrqvat ure zbgure naq lbhatre fvfgre. Fur'q orra va fheiviny zbqr sbe lrnef, naq gung nyybjrq ure gb sbphf ba fheivivat gur neran.
Svanyyl, V ybir gung fur naq Crrgn jva orpnhfr bs guerr guvatf: 1) Fur bhgfznegf gur tnzr-znxref, 2) Crrgn gehfgf ure, naq 3) Fur naq Crrgn ner oenir.
*Why does spellcheck not recognize "dystopia" or "dystopian"? Or, as I've noted before, "spellcheck"?
I started hearing about "The Hunger Games" (by Suzanne Collins) many years ago, before the movies came out. It sounded interesting (A trilogy set in a dystopian* future with a female hero? Sign me up!) but when I started the first book, I quickly became annoyed with the writing style. A couple of years later I rented the first movie (and by "rented", I mean checked out from the library) and I absolutely loved it. So when I found the book at the library sale for 25ยข, I decided to give it another try.
This time I pushed on, and -- even though I knew what was going to happen -- became engrossed enough in the book that the writing only occasionally bothered me. And it is a fantastic book. The world is great, the characters are great, the story is great.... I just wish the writing was a teensy bit better.
The world-building is excellent, and the story moves at a such a quick pace that you just want to keep reading and reading. But the best part is the main character. I've often said that my favorite characters are badass smart-asses, and Katniss definitely qualifies. But I also love the idea of her: It's rather uncommon to have a female lead be prickly. (Veronica Mars is the only other example that comes to mind.) She's not mean or cruel, she's just had to survive a difficult life, and closing herself off from everyone but her sister and best friend is how she has protected herself. I also love that her skills come from years of practice. I mean, I love Buffy and Friday and Xena and other superheroes-with-special-powers, but sometimes it's nice to see regular people be awesome because of their hard work.
Spoilers:
Yrg'f gnyx n yvggyr zber nobhg Xngavff orvat cevpxyl. Bar bs zl snibevgr fprarf vf jura ure zragbe Unlzvgpu vf gelvat gb cerc ure sbe ure GI vagreivrj, naq gurl pna'g svther bhg ubj gb cerfrag ure va gur orfg yvtug. Svefg gurl gel purrel ("Lbh pbzr npebff zber nf fhyyra naq ubfgvyr."). Gura gurl gel uhzoyr. Gura... "Gur arkg ubhef ner ntbavmvat. Ng bapr vg'f pyrne V pnaabg thfu. Jr gel zr cynlvat pbpxl, ohg V whfg qba'g unir gur neebtnapr. Nccneragyl V'z gbb 'ihyarenoyr' sbe srebpvgl. V'z abg jvggl. Shaal. Frkl. Be zlfgrevbhf. Ol gur raq bs gur frffvba, V nz ab bar ng nyy. Unlzvgpu fgnegrq qevaxvat fbzrjurer nebhaq jvggl, naq n anfgl rqtr unf percg vagb uvf ibvpr. 'V tvir hc, fjrrgurneg. Whfg nafjre gur dhrfgvbaf naq gel abg gb yrg gur nhqvrapr frr ubj bcrayl lbh qrfcvfr gurz.'"
Ohg V ybir guvf. V ybir gung fur'f fb ubarfg. Gung fur fgehttyrf gb cynl gurve tnzr, rira gubhtu fur xabjf ubj vzcbegnag vg vf. Fur qbrf yrnea, gubhtu, orpnhfr fur unf na rnfvre gvzr cynlvat sbe gur pnzrenf nsgre fur naq Crrgn unir jba. Fur fgvyy fgehttyrf, ohg fur unf vzcebirq.
Bar bs zl bgure snibevgr guvatf nobhg guvf obbx, naq ubj Xngavff vf cbegenlrq, vf gur ebznapr nfcrpg. Vg'f Crrgn jub vf ybirfvpx sbe ure, abg gur bgure jnl nebhaq. Xngavff tebjf gb yvxr Crrgn, ohg fur vf sne gbb ohfl fheivivat gur neran (naq yngre, gur cbyvgvpf) gb ernyyl guvax nobhg uvz yvxr gung. Ntnva, gung'f na hahfhny naq vagrerfgvat pubvpr. Naq -- zbfg vzcbegnagyl -- vg svgf jvgu gur jub fur vf naq jvgu jung ure yvsr unf orra yvxr. Sebz n lbhat ntr fur jnf erfcbafvoyr sbe srrqvat ure zbgure naq lbhatre fvfgre. Fur'q orra va fheiviny zbqr sbe lrnef, naq gung nyybjrq ure gb sbphf ba fheivivat gur neran.
Svanyyl, V ybir gung fur naq Crrgn jva orpnhfr bs guerr guvatf: 1) Fur bhgfznegf gur tnzr-znxref, 2) Crrgn gehfgf ure, naq 3) Fur naq Crrgn ner oenir.
*Why does spellcheck not recognize "dystopia" or "dystopian"? Or, as I've noted before, "spellcheck"?
Labels: review: book, The Hunger Games
