Category: Fiction Page 128 of 341

The Wasteland War by Michael R. Underwood: The Genrenauts are (FINALLY) Back—Are They Up for the New Challenges?

By HCNewton

On March 31, 2021

In Genrenauts, Michael R. Underwood, Science Fiction

The Wasteland War

by Michael R. Underwood
Series: Genrenauts, Episode 7

E-Book, 53 pg.
2021

Read: March 26, 2021

The first thing Leah noticed was the dust. It whirled and whorled and danced everywhere. Orange and brown and soot-gray, this place had it all. She pulled the scarf up to cover her nose, holding it in place with her goggles.

She’d felt like a steampunk raver when she’d first put the outfit on, but now it totally made sense, both aesthetically and practically. It was hard to keep your eyes open when they were constantly filled with dust.

What are The Genrenauts?

Many of my readers weren’t reading this blog back in 2015-2016 where it likely seemed I talked about the Genrenauts every couple of weeks (14 posts from November 2015-December 2016, and one the following June), so let me give you a quick idea about the series, taken from the author’s site:

In Genrenauts, our Earth is just one of many in a multiverse. Each other Earth is the home to a familiar narrative genre: Westerns, Fantasy, Romance, Crime, etc. Each world is constantly playing out stories from its genre – archetypes and tale types smashing up against one another making tragedies and happily ever afters. But like any system, sometimes entropy takes hold, and a story breaks down. When that happens, the Genrenauts step in to fix the story.

Because if they don’t, the dissonance from the broken story ripples over and changes Earth on a fundamental level. (Science Fiction world goes off-track and scientific innovation stagnates, exploration halts; Fantasy world goes off-track and xenophobia rises, cultural rifts widen).

Our series starts when Leah Tang, a struggling stand-up comic, is recruited to join the Genrenauts and discovers that her seemingly useless genre savvy is suddenly an essential skill for survival in the story worlds. She arrives just in time, as story breaches have been ramping up – coming faster and causing more ripples.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

What’s The Wasteland War About?

There are two things going on in this brief novella—first, Angstrom King, the AWOL Team Leader, stumbles upon a story breach while he was trying to resupply his stores. He believes that this breach will help him get evidence to support his theory so that he can eventually convince the High Council that he’s right about the rogue Genrenauts—or just that he’ll be able to find a way to stop the rogues himself.

While he’s trying to understand the nature of the breach and find this evidence, his old team arrives—adding a layer of difficulty and danger to everything he’s doing.

That breach is the second storyline—two communities in this wasteland—one a safe haven for those who need one, and a battleship with resources the other needs—had recently formed an alliance sealed by a marriage. And now, a few months later each side is convinced the other is betraying that alliance and are starting to retaliate against the other.

Hey, Where’s Leah?

Leah’s the point-of-entry character for the reader, we came into this world with her and she’s the one we understand things through. She’s largely sidelined during this mission, which makes it a little harder for me to connect with it. We’ve had extended periods where we focus on others in the team before, but Leah still carried the narrative weight of the novel/novella. This novella focuses so much on King and Shirin that there’s not that much time for Leah.

It was absolutely the right way to tell this story, King and Shireen ought to have been the focus of this novella, but I don’t want that to be the case for too long.

There’s another team member who’s even more absent from this mission—but it makes sense story-wise (as fun as it would’ve been to have them around).

The New Guy

Shirin and King exchanged messages…Shirin keeping King updated on the team and how Mendoza was leading—like a man that only has a hammer and therefore sees nothing but nails.

I know we’re not supposed to like the Team Leader brought in to replace Angstrom King, but it’s like Underwood went out of his way to ensure we wouldn’t. He’s proof that King had a very special thing going on, and that the Genrenauts as an organization might not be as great as Leah and the readers might have thought. King assembled a team with a variety of skills, interests, and abilities—and a team that relies on and trusts each other to function. Mendoza doesn’t value that variety and doesn’t care how it functions best, he’s only concerned with how he wants it to function.

I hope Underwood shows us enough about Mendoza so that we can appreciate him, and maybe even see that he’s trying to do the right thing, even if it’s not the way the King would’ve done it.

On the other hand, I don’t mind not liking the guy at all, so if he doesn’t do that, I won’t complain too loudly.

So, what did I think about The Wasteland War?

Entropy had its teeth in every world. But here, they were serrated.

First, it was so, so, so good to be back in this series. The last episode of Season One came out in the Fall of 2016, and I’ve been missing this series since. I’m glad Underwood has been able to pick this up again.

Outside of the short story, There Will Always Be a Max, this is the shortest Genrenauts episode, and while that’s frustrating because of my greed, it’s a great length for this particular story (but I hope it’s not the beginning of a trend). It’s also a great way to get back into this world—we get just enough to remember who the players are, remember the ongoing arc, and are treated to another adventure in the Wasteland.

Post-apocalyptic wastelands in the Mad Max mold are probably never going to be my thing, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy something like this. I actually would’ve liked a little bit more of the Wasteland War story to balance out the larger arc. It felt like it was given short shrift—not quite as much as the Western World story was in The Shootout Solution, but it was close—although that had to establish the series, introduce the characters, and teach us the concept of a Genrenaut.

My gripes aside, this was a good story with plenty of action and a great atmosphere, and it sets up the rest of Season Two. I’m eager to see where things go from here.

3.5 Stars

Animal Instinct by David Rosenfelt: The K Team Gets the Chance to Right an Old Wrong

By HCNewton

On March 31, 2021

In David Rosenfelt, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Animal Instinct

by David Rosenfelt
Series: The K Team, #2

eARC, 304 pg.
Minotaur Books, 2021

Read: March 22-23, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Animal Instinct About?

Every retired police officer or PI in fiction (maybe in real life, too, I don’t know), has at least one case, one incident, one moment that haunts them. If only they’d done X, if only they’d been able to solve Y, or stop Z from happening. Corey Douglas has one of those—a few years ago, he responded to a call about domestic violence. He was unable to make any arrests that night, or anything else–he was convinced that the woman had been abused, but she denied it.

Years later, this woman is murdered and Corey’s out to do the one thing he couldn’t do before—get justice for her. He keeps telling himself that he wants the killer arrested, but really, he wants to finally arrest the boyfriend for the murder. Laurie and Marcus, his partners in the private investigator business—as well as his dog, Simon Garfunkel, a retired K-9 officer, join him in this investigation that turns out to be far more than anyone expected. The team needs Laurie’s smarts and ability with people, Marcus’s mysterious abilities (and brute force), Simon Garfunkel’s teeth, and Corey’s determination—and more than a little luck—to get to the bottom of this.

Especially when more murders are committed.

Simon Garfunkel

The collective name for this group of investigators is The K Team, because of their K-9 member, right? So why doesn’t he get more to do? I realize he’s a dog. I’m not suggesting he join Sam in the hacking, or sit on stakeouts with Marcus (although I admit, I would pay good money for 10 pages or so of that). But Corey leaves him home a lot—yes, he retrieves him as quickly as possible and does what he can to spend time with him. But, I think he could do more.

When Simon Garfunkel is given a chance to do something—he’s great. And even when he’s just there for atmosphere, or as a conversational/narrative prop for Corey—he’s a handy addition. I just think we could get some more of him. Bernie Little brings Chet to many more places that Corey tries. Maybe that’s a function of Corey living in New Jersey and not the Southwest, and I think I could accept that as an explanation.

There’s a scene toward the beginning of the novel where Corey takes Simon to the beach for the first time—and like most dogs, Simon loves the water and the sand. It’s his enjoyment of the setting that gets Corey, who’s apathetic at best toward the beach, to embrace the beach. I couldn’t have enjoyed this scene more unless I was on the beach with them.

Corey’s Other Relationship

Of course, the reason that Corey’s at the beach for Simon to enjoy is his girlfriend, Dani. She’s one of the best things about this book.

We’re told in the last book that Corey’s not really had any serious relationships as an adult, he’s always looking for the reason to end things. He just doesn’t want to end things with Dani. Whether it’s because now that he’s retired, he has time in his life for things other than police work; he’s finally found “The One” (or a right one, depending on how you like to think of that); or he’s finally maturing—or any combination of the three. Corey’s letting himself grow, letting himself want things that he hasn’t before—even at his age.

I love a character like that—I want to read about them, they’re inherently interesting. And Rosenfelt is writing this just right—a little sappy and a little realistic.

It helps that Dani’s a pretty fun character—but we could learn a bit more about her. Still, I like the way Corey seems to be changing because of her influence, I like him more than I did when we first met him in the Andy Carpenter series.

My Concern…

This is about The K Team as a series as much as it is about this book specifically.

There’s just too much Andy Carpenter.

Sure, this is a spin-off from that series, and as Andy’s married to Laurie and they largely work out of the Carpenter house, he’s going to be around. I don’t mind, but he has his own series, and gets two books a year lately. Not only do we need more Simon Garfunkel, but we also need more Laurie and Marcus.

I like Andy Carpenter, I’ve read 22 novels about him (some more than once)—and I’m probably going to read at least two novels in that series this year. I thought Animal Instinct was a good way to use Andy, and I’m absolutely glad that I read this book. I just think for The K Team series to have any long-term success, they need to stand on their own feet more and not be propped up by Andy.

The Unexpected Highlight

I don’t know if you typically read Acknowledgments pages/sections. I tend to glance at them, but like many people, I don’t spend that much time with them. So let me draw your attention to the Acknowledgments for this novel—any David Rosenfelt novel, really. You simply must read them. They are the silliest, goofiest writing Rosenfelt ever does (and in some cases, that’s saying something) and never fail to make me smile.

So, what did I think about Animal Instinct?

So I have some long-term concerns with the series and a couple of things I wasn’t crazy about when it comes to Animal Instinct, but I don’t want those to overshadow the central point I have about this book: it’s good*. I had a lot of fun while reading it, and while I was satisfied with the ending, I wish it didn’t end when it did, because that meant it’d be a few months before I got to spend more time with any of the characters in this book.

* I’ve said it on this site before, I’ll say it again: It takes few words to praise something, it takes several to fully explain a concern, problem, or even mild annoyance. As such, they tend to overshadow the praise. I think that’s what is happening here. I don’t mean it to.

David Rosenfelt is one of the most reliably entertaining novelists in Crime Fiction today. Every time I sit down with one of his books, I know I’m in for a good read. Characters you want to spend time with. Animal Instinct is a solid story with some great twists—and well-executed reveals. Corey’s got a great narrative voice and his sense of humor (which isn’t quite the same as Andy Carpenter’s) permeates the book and livens up the text just enough when things are grimmest.

If you have no idea who Andy Carpenter, Corey Douglas, Simon Garfunkel, or the rest are? Don’t let that stop you from trying this, it absolutely works as a jumping-on point—both to this series and the books it’s spun off from. I’m in this series for the long haul, and I think you’ll want to be, too.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this opportunity and the fun read.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald: These Amateur Detectives Start to Look a Little Less Amateur

By HCNewton

On March 29, 2021

In Book Tour, Chris McDonald/Frost, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, The Stonebridge Mysteries

Dead in the Water

by Chris McDonald
Series: The Stonebridge Mysteries, #2

eARC, 105 pg.
Red Dog Press, 2021

Read: March 25, 2021

What’s Dead in the Water About?

Rivalries between small towns are nothing new, and when they can find their focus in a small—and relatively meaningless—athletic competition, they can take on an intensity that belies their significance. Add a cash award on top of a long-standing rivalry? All bets are off. That’s exactly what happened between the neighboring towns of Stonebridge and Meadowfield with the annual Stonebridge Regatta.

Things get a little tenser this particular year when the captain of the Stonebridge team (who was not particularly liked by his team, but he still was one of their own) is found dead in the water. The authorities concluded it was an accidental drowning, but his widow doesn’t accept that conclusion. Matthew Henderson was far too cautious around the water for something like that to happen.

Elena Henderson is an old friend of Adam Whyte’s mother, and like many people in Stonebridge was familiar with his recent success in finding the murderer of his friend. She asks him to look into her husband’s death for her. So Adam recruits his friend Colin to come along for another adventure and the two see if they can find that kind of success again.

Too Much Character Growth?

Part of the charm of The Curious Dispatch of Daniel Costello was how much Adam’s confidence exceeded his (and Colin’s) ability, and yet they somehow blundered onto the solution. They’re clever obviously, but they’re amateurs and they acted that way.

In the ensuing month, their success and fleeting local fame were the push that Adam needed to get off his mother’s couch and get serious about life (for at least a while). Not only that, but when approached by the widow, Adam’s reflexive reaction was to know that he wasn’t qualified. He feels bad for her and wants to help, so he agrees to look into it. While that may really be the right reaction, the realistic reaction, but we don’t turn to this kind of thing for realism, do we? A month of personal growth is enough to banish his overconfidence?

Now, these are things I thought of when sitting down to write this post, and not things that came up when I was reading. In the moment, I was just curious about finding out who killed Henderson and enjoying Adam and Colin. That’s the important part—it worked while reading, and only made me wonder in retrospect. Also, I’m not opposed to these two growing up—I just wonder about the pacing of it.

And also, Adam’s still a clueless and self-focused twerp when it comes to dealing with his mother, so, it’s not like he’s suddenly grown up—and there are plenty of ways his maturity can stumble in future installments if McDonald doesn’t want him to be well-adjusted.

The Sherlock/Watson-ish nature of the relationship that Adam foisted on Colin is pretty much gone—at least in the typical Holmes feel. To stick with those two as exemplars, in this novella, Adam and Colin function largely like Holmes and Watson in the last couple of Elementary seasons. Not quite equals, but close to it—Adam’s still expected to do the big thinking, but the labor and thinking pretty equally divided. It’s easier to see the two being friends this way, rather than Colin being pushed around by Adam like it frequently seemed in the previous adventure.

So, what did I think about Dead in the Water?

Like its predecessor Dead in the Water is a quick and enjoyable read, not quite as comic this time—but there were plenty of grins and chuckles to be found. Colin’s undercover work on the rival town’s rowing team, in particular, comes to mind there, as does a tip of the cap to one of McDonald’s podcast co-hosts (Adam has a comic highlight—with a bonus Narnia quip that I probably laughed out loud at—but I can’t even allude to it without ruining it).

I guessed the killer pretty quickly, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment that much. It was a well-constructed whodunit that provided plenty of opportunities for the reader to pick up on things that Adam missed (and vice versa).

One of the advantages of the novella-length is that McDonald has no opportunity to let “dull parts” step in. Everything that happens propels the story forward or gives us what we need for the characters. Lean prose and not a wasted word keep things moving for the reader and help to keep this as pure fun. I’m absolutely ready to return to Stonebridge to see if these two can find yet another murder in this small town.

4 Stars

My thanks to Red Dog Press for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novella) provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Dead in the Water (Stonebridge #2) by Chris McDonald

By HCNewton

On March 29, 2021

In Book Tour, Chris McDonald/Frost, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, The Stonebridge Mysteries

I’m excited to welcome the Book Tour for the second installment in The Stonebridge Mysteries, Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald this morning. Check back next hour for my take on the novella, but for now, let’s start by learning a little about this book, okay?

Book Details:

Book Title: Dead in the Water by Chris McDonald
Series: The Stonebridge Mysteries
Publisher: Red Dog Press
Release date: March 27, 2021
Format: Paperback/Ebook
Length: 105 pages

Book Blurb:

The Stonebridge Regatta is looming. The town’s annual face-off against neighbouring Meadowfield is usually a weekend filled with sunshine, laughter and camaraderie.

This year is different.

A week before the race, the body of Stonebridge team captain Matthew Henderson is found dead in the water. The police file his passing as a tragic accident however, his grieving widow disagrees and suspects foul play is involved. She enlists the help of Adam and Colin, the town’s amateur (self-proclaimed) private detectives to unearth the truth.

Did Matthew simply slip and fall into the water, or is there more to his death below the surface?

About Chris McDonald:

Originally hailing from the north coast of Northern Ireland and now residing in South Manchester, Chris McDonald has always been a reader. At primary school, The Hardy Boys inspired his love of adventure before his reading world was opened up by Chuck Palahniuk and the gritty world of crime. A Wash of Black is his first attempt at writing a book. He came up with the initial idea whilst feeding his baby in the middle of the night, which may not be the best thing to admit, considering the content. He is a fan of 5-a-side football, heavy metal and dogs. Whispers in the Dark is the second installment in the DI Erika Piper series, and Chris is currently working on his latest series, The Stonebridge Mysteries, to be published by Red Dog Press in 2021.

Purchase Links:

Amazon ~ Red Dog Press

My thanks to Red Dog Press for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novella) provided.

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding: BOOK XVII., ix. – BOOK XVIII., iii.

By HCNewton

On March 26, 2021

In Fiction, Fridays with The Foundling, General Fiction/Literature

Fridays with the Foundling
Nightingale spends a couple of days hunting for something to exonerate Tom, but when he finds two of the witnesses, it’s not good news. He found two of the men who were with Fitzgerald, but were so far away during the altercation to hear what happened. They stress, however, that Tom struck first.

Nightingale’s faith in Tom is staggered, but Tom wins him back, just as Mrs. Miller arrives and reports her utter lack of success, too. While those two are still there, Tom gets news that a lady wishes to speak with him. He has no idea who it could be, but wants to see whoever it might be. Mrs. Miller and Nigthingale leave so she could be shown in.

It’s Tom’s, um, acquaintance, Mrs. Waters from Chapter 9. She’d spent a lot of time with Fitzgerald, both on the road and after the fight with Tom. She’s more than confident that he’s about to recover, and she continues,

“By the most extraordinary accident in the world I lodge at the same house; and have seen the gentleman, and I promise you he doth you justice, and says, whatever be the consequence, that he was entirely the aggressor, and that you was not in the least to blame.”

Which sounds pretty good for TOm, right?

Thus the melancholy occasioned by the report of Mr Nightingale was pretty well effaced; but the dejection into which Mrs Miller had thrown him still continued. The account she gave so well tallied with the words of Sophia herself in her letter, that he made not the least doubt but that she had disclosed his letter to her aunt, and had taken a fixed resolution to abandon him. The torments this thought gave him were to be equalled only by a piece of news which fortune had yet in store for him, and which we shall communicate in the second chapter of the ensuing book.

And so we turn to the last Book of the novel, and Fielding bids his readers good-bye.

We are now, reader, arrived at the last stage of our long journey. As we have, therefore, travelled together through so many pages, let us behave to one another like fellow-travellers in a stage coach, who have passed several days in the company of each other; and who, notwithstanding any bickerings or little animosities which may have occurred on the road, generally make all up at last, and mount, for the last time, into their vehicle with chearfulness and good humour; since after this one stage, it may possibly happen to us, as it commonly happens to them, never to meet more.

As we are so close to the end, it’s straight-narrative now. No more asides, clever little observations, or anything—we’re just going to wrap things up and get all the story told.

Which is a shame, because I’d have truly loved a few paragraphs of digression after the revelation of Chapter 2 sets in. After Mrs. Waters leaves, Partridge comes in and confesses he overheard most of their conversation, then asks if it’s true that Tom and Mrs. Waters actually went to bed together. Tom admits it to be true but doesn’t see why Partridge is so upset.

I have not breath enough left to tell you now, but what I have said is most certainly true.—That woman who now went out is your own mother. How unlucky was it for you, sir, that I did not happen to see her at that time, to have prevented it! Sure the devil himself must have contrived to bring about this wickedness.”

Yup. Partridge recognized Mrs. Waters, Jenny Jones herself.

Tom reacts the way almost everyone would to find out he slept with his mother—he’s horrified. Partridge isn’t much better—if only he’d seen her earlier he could have saved Tom. While they’re in shock, Tom gets a letter from Mrs. Waters, saying she has “learned something concerning you which greatly surprizes and affects me”—undoubtedly, she’s learned the same thing as Tom, he assumes. She also assures him that Fitzpatrick will live.

Black George decides that this is the time to drop by. He offers Tom help or money, but Tom declines, his problems are far bigger than that. George describes that Sophia and her father have reconciled, mostly due to the wedge driving between Sophia and her aunt. This pleases Tom, immensely, but does him little good.

Mrs. Miller and Allworthy are on better terms, and Mrs. Miller continues to defend and promote Tom in his eyes. They receive news that Fitzpatrick is recovering nicely and has claimed he started the altercation, leaving Tom utterly free.

Allworthy then gets a letter from Mr. Square, and it upsets him greatly we won’t find out what it said until the next chapter, however.

Great plot movement, make no mistake, and we’re clearly in the end game when it comes to plot. But I missed the fun of Fielding’s prose, being straightforward like he is being, takes away some of the charm of the book.

Still…wow. A whole lot happened—and a whole lot more needs to in the next couple of seeks. I just hope we get past the incest stage, but I have no idea how Tom’s going to get out.

Calculated Risks by Seanan McGuire: Toto, I Have A Feeling They’re Not In Kansas Anymore

By HCNewton

On March 25, 2021

In Fiction, InCryptid, Seanan McGuire, Urban Fantasy

I had more I wanted to say about this novel, but I’ve lost track of where I was going with a few of the paragraphs I started. Which is annoying. I could spend another two weeks to figure out what those points were going to be and get further behind, or I could post this with a lot of what I wanted to talk about and be able to move on with my To Write list.

Calculated Risks

by Seanan McGuire
Series: InCryptid, #10

Mass Market Paperback, 353 pg.
DAW, 2021

Read: February 26-March 3, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

“I have so many knives,” said Annie. “I am the Costco of having knives. You really want to provoke me right now, cuckoo-boy?”

“I am not a good place to store your knives,” he said. “I don’t know how many times I need to tell you this, but sticking knives in living people just because they say something you don’t like is the reason no one likes you or the rest of your fucked-up family.”

What’s Calculated Risks About?

So, the cliffhanger ending of Imaginary Numbers led to Sarah Zellaby transporting herself, her adopted cousins Artie, Annie, James, and a fellow cuckoo, Mark, to an alternate universe. Part of that transporting resulted in Sarah being deleted from their memories.

Which is a pretty inconvenient thing to do. Sarah has to spend a lot of time convincing the Prices (and friends) to not kill her. And then she has to earn their trust. Just so they can all survive long enough to allow her to attempt to return them to their home dimension.

Of course, they have to learn how magic works in this reality, find ways to survive the indigenous flora and fauna, and try to keep the humans that were dragged along with them alive, without breaking their minds by realizing where they are.

The Mice!

You can’t talk about an InCryptid novel without talking about the Aeslin Mice. As usual, they were a delight. But better than that, their presence is important for the plot. But not important enough—they almost vanish for most of the book, but what they do at the beginning of the novel allows everything else to happen (and is frequently invoked), so it’s hard to complain. But I’d have like to see them a bit more.

Nature vs. Nurture

One of the givens of this world is that the Johrlac (aka cuckoo) are nasty, territorial, apex predators that must be killed. With the exception of Sarah and Angela Baker. And now, Mark. Something about their circumstances has allowed them to not fall into the mind-controlling sociopath mold that every other one has been fit into.

So…why? What’s made them different? It can’t be something inherent in them, as we’re told time after time after time, the various members of this species are so similar that they’re practically interchangeable. So is it something in their environment? Or are they just individuals like humans, gorgons, or dragons? And as such, shouldn’t the Prices abandon their stab first-ask questions later approach to these? Sarah starts to ask questions like this in this novel, and I’m hoping it’s revisited soon.

So, what did I think about Calculated Risks?

I hate it when people tell me not to be afraid. They never do that when something awesome is aout to happen. No one says “dont’ be afraid” and hands you an ice cream cone, or a kitten, or tickets to Comic-Con.

This was a fun adventure—making up for whatever reservations I had about Imaginary Numbers—and together they serve as a good follow-up to the Annie-trilogy that preceded it.

The last chapter was a perfect way to end it, a great mix of magic, hope, and heart. My heart didn’t grow three sizes or anything, but it was certainly warmed.

I have no idea where this series is headed, and I don’t care, I’m eager to find out. There’s nothing like this in Urban Fantasy, McGuire tells different stories with this series, the kind that show what the genre is capable of when it breaks outside the typical mold (nothing against that mold, I love it).

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Invincible TPBs One-Three by Kirkman/Walker/Ottley: Prepping for the TV Series by Looking at this Dynamite Start

By HCNewton

On March 25, 2021

In Comics, Fiction, Science Fiction

Back in 2007-2008ish, on Free Comic Book Day, I got a sampler of a few titles, I only remember one of them, for this thing called Invincible. Don’t ask me what the story was, but there was something about the art, the characters, and the tone that made me sit up and take notice. A week or so later, I picked up the first Trade Paperback Collection and I was hooked. Every couple of weeks, I’d grab the next one and read it a few times, until I could go back to the shop and get the next. At a point, I caught up and started buying the single issues. New issues were a highlight of the month.

Somewhere around issue 90, I got to the point where I had to cut my comic reading for financial reasons—it was an easy choice, really. But Incinvicible? That hurt. For years now, I’ve wanted to pick it up and finish the series, but haven’t gotten around to it. But then Amazon announced they were adapting the comics into an animated series. That sounded promising. Then I saw the trailer—wow. That looks like they captured the comics almost slavishly.

This led me to two things—1. I’ve resumed getting the TPBs, I’m going to see where things went after I stopped reading. and 2. I had to re-read the first three collections—the basis for Season 1. I figured I might as well, talk about those a little, here, right?

Volume One: Family Matters

by Robert Kirkman, Corey Walker (Artist)
Series: Invincible TPB #1
Trade Paperback, 120 pg.
Image Comics, 2004
Read: March 13, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
Mark Grayson is the son of a human mother and an alien-Superman-esque super-hero, Omni-Man. He’s been waiting most of his life for his powers to kick in (and has been fearing that they won’t). During his senior year, they do. Suddenly, he can fly, has super-strength, invulnerability, and so on. Naturally, he gets some training and guidance from his father (who also introduces him to the man who handles his costumes), teams up with the Teen Team, defeats an alien invasion, and handles a mad scientist with a penchant for turning people into living bombs.

That seems like a whole lot of story for 120 pages—and it is. The comic will continue in that vein, too. And almost always, it doesn’t feel rushed. It’s just the way Kirkman, Walker, and (later) Ottley tell this story.

The book is filled with the kind of joie de vivre that characterizes the Sam Raimi Spider-Man or Shazam movie—or the early Ultimate Spider-Man comics from Bendis and Bagley. Mark learning to use his powers, his reactions to meeting the Teen Team, etc.—it’s the same feel as the above. At the same time, when it’s time to be a super-hero, Invincible steps up and gets it done.

Possibly my favorite part of this book (and it continues for quite a while) is the family interaction between Mark and his parents, Nolan and Deborah. There’s a warmth and an awareness of the ridiculousness of their lives. While “it’s all in a day’s work” for Mark and Nolan, it takes a toll on Deborah. And it shows (not that Deborah lets them see it). I thought that was a great touch, and something we need more of in comics.

4 1/2 Stars

Volume Two:Eight is Enough

by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker (Artist), Ryan Ottley (Artist)
Series: Invincible TPB #2
Trade Paperback, 128 pg.
Image Comics, 2004
Read: March 20, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
These issues seem to cram even more story in them than the previous collection managed. I swear, Invincible comics are like the TARDIS—bigger on the inside. We start with Invincible going head-to-head with an alien, Allen. Omni-Man has faced off with Allen before, but Invincible does something his father never has accomplished. Allen will come back, which is great, he’s one of my favorite characters.

Later, Mark and his best friend take a college tour, and Nolan and Deborah enjoy some time without him at home. Naturally, a little super-heroing has to happen at the campus, but not much. The next issue, however, is one that I really don’t remember reading before—and I have this reaction almost every time I read it. Until the last page and then it all comes back to me. It’s a ridiculous game that my subconscious plays with me.

The last half of this collection is proof that no matter how much fun this series has/will have—when it gets serious, it gets serious. There are so many super-hero guest stars and so many super-hero deaths that if this was a DC property, it’d be a 6-12 part mini-series with the word “Crisis” in the title But for Invincible? It’s two issues.

I enjoyed the first 1.5 collections, but the last half of this one made me stand up and pay attention to this series.
4 1/2 Stars

Volume Three: Perfect Strangers

by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley (Artist)
Series: Invincible TPB #3
Trade Paperback, 144 pg.
Image Comics, 2004
Read: March 23, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

(the official blurb)
The first issue and a half or so of this collection is heavy on the humor and entertainment front. We start with more Allen the Alien—and get a The Next Generation parody at the same time. Then we see Mark doing stuff at school and with his friends—he even gets some comics signed (there’s a great joke about comic art in there).

Of course, all that light-heartedness has taught us that another shoe is going to fall. And fall it does. We find out what was behind the giant events of the last collection, and Invincible is in for the biggest—by far—fight of his career to date. It’s just brutal, leaving killing more civilians than Man of Steel and pushing Invincible to his breaking point. It’s huge and almost flawlessly executed.

What’s more, this collection basically sets the arc of the entire run of Invincible (I’m guessing). We continue to have the light moments, the personal stories, the typical super-hero stuff, but there’s a shadow cast over it all by what these issues set in motion.

5 Stars

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from any of them, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Born in a Burial Gown by M. W. Craven: Before Washington Poe, There was Avison Fluke.

By HCNewton

On March 23, 2021

In M. W. Craven, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Born in a Burial Gown

by M. W. Craven
Series: Avison Fluke, #1

Paperback, 331 pg.
Constable, 2020 (revised and updated edition)

Read: March 12-16, 2021

Find out how the victim lived and you’ll find out how they died.

Here We Go Again

You may be asking yourself, is this just another instance of The Irresponsible Reader raving about a book by M. W. Craven? Yup. This is the fourth novel that I’ve read (of the five published to date), and I’m not sure there’s another acceptable response to his books.

What’s Born in a Burial Gown About?

I have no idea if that sentiment about how the victim lived would be shared by actual detectives, but it works pretty well for Detective Inspector Avison Fluke and his team—which is why Fluke keeps repeating it.

In this particular case, a homeless drug-addict sees someone burying a golf bag at the construction site that he’s using as a temporary shelter. He leaves a note for the construction manager and bugs out. When Fluke and the other police arrive, they find a woman in a golf bag, buried in a way that will soon be covered by the construction. If it hadn’t been for the unexpected witness, no one would even know there’d been a body left there.

What’s worse, she has no identification on her. Then during the autopsy, it’s discovered that she’s had major cosmetic surgery to the extent that it’s impossible to know what she really looked like. So, no ID, no reliable way to describe her to anyone who knows her, nothing to tie her to a residence or employer. Before the team can really figure out who killed her, they have to figure out who she was. Put in the terms of Fluke’s motto—they have to find out how she lived to find out who she was so they can find out how she died. No easy task.

Throw in mounting pressures from some of the things in Fluke’s life—and you have a ticking time clock on this beyond the need to close the case quickly. And almost everything they learn about this woman makes the rest of the investigation more difficult.

Meet Avison Fluke

Some detectives tried to keep things impersonal so they could maintain objectivity. For Fluke, it was the opposite. He worked at his best when he made a personal connection with the victim.

She’d been tossed away like garbage, he thought. He could feel the anger building in his stomach.

I assumed going in that I was going to like Fluke, but you never know, do you? Often a new character from an author you love just doesn’t work. But on page 16, Fluke gets a belligerent and grumbling construction manager to stop his ranting and help out by lying to him and saying they could be out of his hair and let construction resume in “maybe an hour.” Right then, I knew that I was going to like this guy.

Like your typical Detective Protagonist, Fluke has issues. Not that long ago, he was undergoing aggressive treatment for a rare form of cancer, which has taken its toll on his health and vigor. Still, he’s back to work (for his own sanity, if nothing else), even if he had to cut a corner or two to get there. The city is on the verge of kicking him out of his freshly-built house because he cut a corner to get it built. He and his Detective Chief Inspector don’t get along and don’t seem to respect each other much. Professional Standards are sniffing around him. Oh, and early on in this book, his girlfriend dumps him.

Okay, that last one isn’t an issue, it’s a blessing, really.

So, what’s on the plus side? He’s smart. He’s determined. He has a team of loyal detectives—whose skills are frequently underestimated. Fluke’s approach to interviewing suspects is pretty interesting, and I wonder how well it works in reality. As a fictional character, Craven has taken all of what I’ve enumerated, a few things I forgot to list, mixed it together, and uses it to fuel his deeply personal need to find the killer—to take that connection that he made and dodge all the obstacles that are thrown at him so he can find a target for that anger. He’s just fun to read, too. Something about the chemical reaction that Craven produces from the mixture of these elements just makes Fluke an entertaining character.

Also, he has heterochromia. Which is an odd thing to give a character. If this were SF or Fantasy, you could pretend that’s a sign of X ability. Or in a visual medium, I could see doing something like that to make an impression. But in print, I’m not sure I see the point, it doesn’t seem to be all that helpful in creating a character. Craven gets some interesting use out of it, so what do I know?

And We Shouldn’t Forget Fluke’s Team

Like any good procedural, the investigative team is vital to get right. Craven does that for sure. There’s DS Towler, Fluke’s right-hand man and close friend—he’s a little on the wild and violent side, but seems to be careful about that and uses it safely. There’s the computer expert who’s on an UK/China exchange program—brilliant and has a very strange hobby. Also, the Ph.D. student working on forensic entomology—who is vital to making a couple of early deductions (you don’t introduce a forensic entomologist and not make them pivotal). And several more, and you get an efficient and effective team—great for police work, and just quirky enough to be great for entertainment.

Throw in Fluke’s doctor and a few other people in his personal life and…it’s a perfectly winning cast.

So, what did I think about Born in a Burial Gown?

‘She was born in a burial gown,’ he said.

He didn’t expand and Fluke didn’t need him to. He was right. It was a term he’d heard once or twice in the Marines, referring to who seemed to have a death wish. Someone who relished doing the things other people were terrified of. They were the first through the door and the last one to take cover. They appeared fearless, even reckless. And maybe they were.

Born in a burial gown seems to apply to many of the characters in this novel, not just the victim. Fluke, certainly; the killer, too; at least one of the suspects seems to fit the bill, too—even Fluke’s task force, collectively speaking, seems to fit this. This quotation comes pretty late in the novel, but once I read it, the ways that this applies to so made the book’s title resonate, and helped me think about the characters and some of their actions.

In case there was much confusion after the first paragraph. I just loved this book. The prose just sings, the novel’s well-paced and cleverly put together. The characters (major and minor), the killer, the motive, the victim, the reveals (both in the way they were handled and what was revealed), the fairly satisfying (by design) ending, the sweet and then very satisfying denouement—and anything else I didn’t mention—it’s all just as good as you could hope for.

I’m clearly just a raving Craven fanboy at this point, so let me just leave it like this—go buy this. Go buy anything you see his name on—you won’t be disappointed. Born in a Burial Gown is my favorite read of the year*, and I bet it’ll rank pretty high for everyone who reads it.

* So far, anyway, it’s early enough in the year that I figure a few new upcoming releases—including Craven’s—will make a case for that spot.

One last note—if you happen to have a contact in the US publishing industry, get him a deal over here, so I don’t have to pay so much for shipping, will you?

5 Stars

PUB DAY REPOST: What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch: Peter Grant’s Cousin Searches for Missing Kids

By HCNewton

On March 18, 2021

In Ben Aaronovitch, Rivers of London (Peter Grant), Urban Fantasy

What Abigail Did That Summer

by Ben Aaronovitch
Series: The Rivers of London, #5.7 (or so, I’m not sure how it’ll get numbered)

eARC, 232 pg.
Subterranean Press, 2021

Read: March 1, 2021

There are a few, uh, provisos, a, a couple of quid pro quos.

I almost feel like I need to go back and do a lot of re-reading before writing much about this book. I’d have thought that Abigail’s involvement with the Folly and Peter wasn’t this developed until later in the series.

Also, I know there’s a connection between Abigail and the talking foxes, but I don’t remember exactly when it comes about and how much of this book is Aaronovich filling in the backstory that he just breezes past in one of the novels.

I didn’t feel at a loss for context while reading the book, but I tell you what, I’m feeling it as I try to talk about the novella. So, I guess I’m saying, be nice and forgive any lapses in what’s to come:

What’s What Abigail Did That Summer About?

This novella is set during the events of Foxglove Summer and Peter’s not in London. But never fear, Abigail does talk to Nightingale a couple of times.

Abigail has a strange interaction with someone she used to know and sees someone else acting slightly strangely. She starts, not really investigating, but taking a close look around at everything. Then when the police start asking questions of kids in the park, showing pictures of those same people, she knows something’s up.

Not that she tells the police that, because they’re not going to believe her. She’s told that these children (and others) have gone missing, but then reappear at home, with fuzzy memories of the last couple of days. If Abigail, she thinks, with the help of some of the local talking foxes, can figure out what’s going on, she can point Nightingale in the right direction—which might help convince him that she’s ready for training.

But mostly, Abigail’s curious about what’s happening and has to figure it out.

Postmartin’s Contribution

Abigail’s first-person account is littered with footnotes by the Folly’s archivist, Harold Postmartin. Largely, these footnotes are to explain some of the more slang-y terms Abigail uses (although sometimes it’s a more technical note). He seems to go to great lengths to make sure that American readers can get what she’s saying. I halfway wonder if in UK editions those notes have differences.

I think I could’ve worked out the terms I wasn’t already familiar with, but the footnotes were entertaining enough that it doesn’t matter if I could’ve. This was a better way to deal with it.

So, what did I think about What Abigail Did That Summer?

This is absolutely a Folly-story, one that belongs in this series, but there’s no way that Peter Grant was the right character to use for this story, Aaronovich needed to use someone like Abigail to tell this, conveniently enough, there she was. She has a different way of thinking than Peter—and while there’s humor to her narration, it’s not the same as Peter’s (even if it’s occasionally similar). Seeing things from her perspective, it’s a great way to see how she’s similar to her cousin, while very much being her own person.

Frequently, with novellas, I walk away wondering why couldn’t we get a full novel out of it? This isn’t one of those times—the story is as long as it needs to be—it’s complex and satisfying. Also, we get a lot of development out of Abigail and get a better degree of understanding of her than we’ve had before.

That said, there are just so many things I want to know more about, but just making this novel-length wouldn’t take care of it. For example, we learn right off the bat that there’s something…different…about Simon’s mom—and Aaronovich teases us with a couple of more things. I want more of this. I want to know just what it is that Abigail’s doing for her. I want more adventures with Abigail and the foxes.

I’ve always wanted to see more Abigail in the novels—this underscores that for me.

In short, this was a fun story—a strange one at times, but fun—that makes me more curious about a character I already enjoyed, but now I want more of her—both on her own (like this) or in the main novels. I had a similar reaction to the novella The October Man, too. Although that probably is my reaction to anything in this universe (at least so far)—”I enjoyed that, can I have more like it?”

This would be an interesting jumping-on point for the whole series—I’m not sure I’d recommend it, but it might be enough to convince you to dive into the rest.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Subterranean Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

3.5 Stars

Burying the Newspaper Man by Curtis Ippolito: A Young Police Officer’s Past Comes Back to Haunt Him

By HCNewton

On March 16, 2021

In Book Tour, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Burying The Newspaper Man

by Curtis Ippolito

eARC, 244 pg.
Red Dog Press, 2021

Read: March 10-11, 2021

What’s Burying The Newspaper Man About?

I’m going to lean heavily on the Publisher’s Description here, because this is one of those books that I’m afraid to say anything about. “This is a book about a police officer who finds something that disturbs him. This officer used to be a child and things happened. Now he has to deal with his life.” Just doesn’t sound all that interesting, right?

Marcus Kemp is a beat cop in San Diego who has a knack for discovering stolen cars. The book opens with him discovering his fortieth of the year—a record-setting pace that should crush his previous record. It’s a fairly upbeat opening that should make anyone worried—in this car he discovers a dead body. Decades ago, when he was growing up in Texas, the man in the car trunk repeatedly sexually abused Marcus.

Marcus knows he should inform the detectives who come to the scene that he knows who the victim is, that there’s a tie between them—and that he can possibly point at a motive for the killing. But he doesn’t do that. Instead, he starts an off-the-books investigation of his own into finding the killer. Not to bring the killer to justice, but to help him avoid arrest.

He ends up lying to his lieutenant, abuses his office, breaks I don’t know how many laws (he loses count, too)—putting his career and his freedom at risk—for the opportunity to aid and abet this man’s killer.

A Matter of Focus

In a book that ostensibly is about a cop hunting a murderer, the novel isn’t all that interested in the killer. It’s primarily interested in one of the cops hunting for the killer. The emphasis is on both what happened to Marcus as a child and how he’s dealing with it in the shadow of his abuser’s killer. We get a long look at the events leading up to the abuse—Marcus’s already troubled home life, his friends, and then choices that put him in repeated contact with the abuser.

The other emphasis is what Marcus goes through after finding the body. In the intervening years, he’d stopped thinking about the abuse. But once he recognized the body, he can’t stop thinking about it. He begins to see how so many of his choices are made because of the abuse, what it’s done to the way he thinks, the way he acts, and his relationships now.

This isn’t to say that Marcus’s hunt for the killer is unimportant, but it’s of tertiary importance at best. Thanks to a lucky break or two—scratch that, thanks to Marcus taking advantage of a lucky break or two, it’s a fairly uncomplicated hunt. But that’s the only thing lacking complication in the novel. As Marcus isn’t officially investigating or looking for an arrest, he doesn’t have to adhere to a typical protocol (even the curtailed protocol we let fictional heroes get away with). It’s striking how little we learn about the killer throughout the novel. It’s not a typical choice, but it works really well in these circumstances.

So, what did I think about Burying The Newspaper Man?

This isn’t at all what I expected from the novel. It’s richer, it’s deeper, and better realized than I expected (whether or not that’s fair, it’s true). Yes, there’s a lot of psychological trauma and depictions of Marcus’ trying to cope—but there’s some great action, too.

Aside from that, there are some great descriptions of life in San Diego—you can feel the atmosphere around the beach, in Marcus’s neighborhood. Ippolito gave us enough local character to ground the action—and a little extra, too. There’s even a nice flashback to a San Diego Comic-Con to further establish the setting and show us a non-professional side of Marcus beyond the abuse survivor.

I fear Ippolito rushed through the denouement, it could’ve easily lasted 3-4x as long as it did while holding the audience’s attention. But that’s not the style of Burying the Newspaper Man. Ippolito isn’t about answering all our questions, he focuses on what he thinks is most important, and if you agree with him, all the better.

There are enough “atypical Crime Fiction” elements to this book to appeal to readers that don’t usually touch Crime Fiction. There are enough “typical Crime Fiction” elements to appeal to die-hard fans of the genre. It’s the former that adds depth to this novel that you’re not used to, but that serves to make this more emotionally satisfying, and possibly genre-expanding.

Whichever camp you fall into—Crime Fiction reader or not, I recommend this novel to you—ignore the genre and just enjoy something well done.

4 Stars

My thanks to Red Dog Press for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novella) provided.