4 1/2 Stars - The Irresponsible Reader

Finally, after umpteen drafts, I have something finished. Not in a satisfying (to me, anyway) way. But I’ve covered everything that I want to in a way that doesn’t make me recoil. I’m going to have to call that good enough.

Blood Reunion

by JCM Berne

DETAILS:
Series: Hybrid Helix, Turn 3
Publisher: Gnost Hose
Publication Date: October 17, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 399 pg.
Read Date: August 15-17, 2024

What’s Blood Reunion About?

There’s a nasty, Buffy-Summers-would-be-paralyzed-with-fear level vampire loose on Wistful. Rohan and his friends, some new allies, and a couple of people he’d really not rather work with have to stop it before it kills everyone aboard and countless others when it can escape—or before the Empire obliterates Wistful to achieve the latter end.

’nuff said.

Back to Wistful

I guess some readers complained that the second book in the series took place on Earth, not on Wistful, the sentient space station that Rohan calls home. I didn’t share the sentiment, but I guess I could understand that—it wasn’t just Wistful that we didn’t get that much from, it was most of the other characters that were introduced in the first turn.

Being back on Wistful, however, has me thinking that maybe those people were on to something. Having our hero back on his adoptive home turf—with the advantages and challenges that it brings really adds something to the story. Wistful is an interesting character and a great setting (and we get to see a lot more of both aspects of Wistful here). Having characters like Wei Li and the Ursans on hand is a major plus, too.

I won’t complain about Rohan going to visit Earth—but I’m sure glad to see him home.

Daddy Issues

We met Rohan’s fantastic mother in Return of The Griffin, and now it’s time to meet Dad. Boy, I missed Mom—and this isn’t a knock on Berne’s work introducing us to Dhruv, I think we’re supposed to find hi a problematic character.

He’s got quite the charm about him, do doubt. He’s determined, he’s focused, he’s powerful, he’s wily—things that he clearly passed on to his son. He’s also deceitful, egotistical, stubborn, and unwilling to consider opposing points of view (other things you can see in Rohan, but he’s fighting them).

He and Rohan have a complicated relationship, let’s say.

The addition of Rohan’s mother to the series was fun and mostly sweet. This is fun and…something else. I’m not sure what that something is quite yet. I think we need to see a little more from Dhruv, and I expect we will.

Rohan’s Dilemma

This right here is what draws me to Rohan (well, in addition to the banter, the action, and everything else)—Berne isn’t satisfied to just give us a super powerful, quippy, superhero. Rohan is trying to get away from his past and to live differently.

But…like the man said, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” Rohan can’t get away from his reputation, his status, his errors/crimes, and even his inclinations to act as the Griffin. Not only can he not escape all that—he has to rely on it here. I don’t want to get into details here, but Rohan has to play the Rohan card to keep the il’Drach Empire from coming in making a bad situation worse.

He also has to wrestle with himself—he knows (on some level) and is being told repeatedly by just about everyone—that to save the people on the station (and maybe even beyond it), he has to kill the vampire. But he’s trying not to do that anymore. Also, he thinks there are ways to defeat the vampire without killing him…Rohan just has to figure out what those are. But he’s torn—if he does “the right thing” for him and his morals, what’s the risk/damage to the innocents on Wistful? Should he be willing to even consider that?

Beyond that…Rohan has to let some people jeopardize themselves—and even outright sacrifice themselves so he has a chance to stop the vampire.

I really love that Berne is making Rohan deal with this (it’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last, I trust).

So, what did I think about Blood Reunion?

It’s a JCM Berne book. This means I liked it and I think you should read it. I have two unread JCM Berne books on my TBR shelf—I can tell you now, with 98.732% confidence, that’s what I’m going to say about those. The question here is…what do I say specifically?

The vampires (both kinds we see here) are just cool. Nothing incredibly revolutionary about them—it’s nigh unto impossible to do something new with a vampire, it’s just about how can you make one of the most utilized creature-types feel fresh. Berne pulls it off. They’re even different than the vamps in Return of the Griffin, so that’s a neat trick. I want to say more about this, but that’d violate my spoiler policy.

Dhruv was just great—I mistyped that a second ago as “grate,” but maybe that was a slip of the Freudian-type. Because he can be a little grating, too. By design, I should stress. But I look forward to his return as much as Rohan is apprehensive about it.

The exploration of Wistful was interesting and the promise of finding more layers to her is fantastic. I would’ve liked a bit more of it now though, it’s the one point where I think Berne could’ve improved here. Maybe in the aftermath of this, Wistful and Rohan (or Rohan and Wei Li) can debrief some on this and I’ll feel better about it.

Speaking of Wei Li—if anyone is going to supplant Rohan in my book, it’s going to be Wei Li. Can we get a spinoff novella or seven?

I have to mention the dialogue, not just the bantering (but especially the bantering). Berne has reached Jim Butcher-levels here. I don’t care what the story is, I just want to read his characters talking.

I don’t have anything else to say, really—action, dialogue, great aliens, some good moral dilemmas, and some quality time with characters that are becoming old friends. Blood Reunion is another winner from Berne. Go grab Wistful Ascending and dive in!!

4 1/2 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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

By HCNewton

On October 3, 2024

In Fiction, Science Fiction

The Space Between Worlds

by Micaiah Johnson

DETAILS:
Series: The Space Between Worlds, #1
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Format: Paperback
Length: 320 pg.
Read Date: 9/24/2024   9/28/2024

REASONS I HAVE DIED:

The emperor of the wasteland wanted to make an example of my mother, and started with me.

One of my mother’s boyfriends wanted to cover up what he did to me.

I was born addicted and my lungs didn’t develop.

I was born addicted and my brain didn’t develop.

I was left alone, and a stranger came along.

The runners came for a neighbor, and I was in the way.

The runners came for my mother, and I was in the way.

The runners came for my mother’s boyfriend, and I was in the way.

The runners came for no one, serving nothing at all but chaos and fear, and I was what they found.

Sometimes, I was just forgotten in the shed where she kept me while she worked or spun out, and in the length of her high and the heat of the sun I fell asleep alone and hungry and forever.

REASONS I HAVE LIVED:

I don’t know, but there are eight.

(that’s how you end a first chapter!)

A Quick Word

I read this to take part in Shared Stories Bookstore’s Sci-Fi Book Club—I’ve never been to a Book Club before, I’m looking forward to doing so again. But that’s not what I’m going to talk about here—but I need to say that some of what I’m going to say about this book has either been shaped/informed by or directly stolen from someone at that meeting. I won’t share their names, because I didn’t get permission, but I wanted it out there that the smarter things I say here comes from them.

What’s The Space Between Worlds About?

This is tricky for a few reasons, some of which I really can’t get into. In a sense there are four stories* in this book and each resolves (pretty much) before the next launches. So obviously, I can’t get into the latter stories. But the first one or two I can sketch out a little bit…

* This is stolen from our discussion leader.

In a pretty distant future world—following some sort of environmental collapse (and maybe some military-induced collapse, but mostly environmental) the world is covered in city-states (that’s actually a guess, we know almost nothing about the rest of the world). There’s a city called Wiley City—which is pretty much everything you think of when you think of a futuristic city—shiny buildings, cool tech, and whatnot. Outside the City is another settlement, called Ashtown. Ashtown is where the poor, the unwanted, the criminal classes live. There are also people who live outside Ashtown and in (or at least spend time in), called Ruralites—who are a strictly religious group and it seems most of the people of Ashtown are (at least nominally) dependent upon their efforts.

Travel between parallel universes is now possible. Maybe for just the residents of one Earth, anyway. The catch is, you cannot travel to a universe in which you exist—and it doesn’t go well for the person entering a world they exist in. This makes the ideal candidate someone on the fringes of society—those who are most likely to live a dangerous life or a life with inadequate resources, so they might die early from natural causes. The more realities that you’re dead in, the more you can travel on behalf of the corporate entity that runs the multiverse technology.

Enter Cara, a resident of Ashtown, who is dead on 372 of the worlds that humans can travel to. She’s largely keeping her head down, just trying to make it through the next few years without losing her job—which will result in her being removed from Wiley City—if she can last long enough, she’ll become a citizen and she can then relax a little. She cuts loose a little in the worlds she visits, but lives a pretty careful life on “Earth Zero.”

She receives word that she’s been assigned to a new world—yet one more version of her has died. When she gets there, things start to go wrong and she really can’t complete her mission. She can, however, by her mere presence, act as a catalyst for some big changes in the leadership of that world’s Ashtown and Wiley City. This will end up having some ramifications on Earth Zero—and maybe elsewhere, too.

The Technology/Its Depiction

This is one of those books that’s filled with all sorts of cool sci-fi technology—especially the traveling between universes, but it’s not limited to that. And Johnson gives us no Asimov-esque explanations for it. Zip. Zilch. Nada. I’ve already given you almost all of the details you’re going to get about the science behind the travel between universes.

And yet, it works. I’d hoped for a little more detail, but I wasn’t bothered by its lack. In fact, I cared so much about Cara and what she was doing—and the people she was surrounded by in the various Earths she went to, I didn’t stop to think about the tech. And when I did…it didn’t matter, really.

It’s there, it does what it’s intended to do. That’s all you need to know.

Spirituality/Religion

We get more of this, really, than the science behind the traveling and other tools they have in Wiley City.

The Ruralites have a hybrid religion with features of Christianity (that’s obvious) and Buddhism (I needed someone to help me see that) and some other things accumulated over the centuries. It’s pretty strict and regimented—but there’s grace and mercy, too.

There’s a burial scene—including a good part of the rituals used. It’s very detailed and tells you as much about the religion as it does the people taking part in it. It is so well done, that you almost want to see more people killed so Johnson will describe it again.*

* Sure, you can just re-read that part. But if she writes it again, she might include new details.

There’s also a superstition—if it’s not a full-blown mini-religion—that has developed among those who travel between worlds. It’s not endorsed by, or encouraged by, the company—but it’s pervasive and has a hold on those travelers. They will tell you there’s a presence, a person of some sort, governing the travel. Someone they can feel and sense between the worlds.

Our culture currently likes to pit science vs. religion/spirituality/whatever. There is no such division for Cara and most (if not all) of the people she knows. They exist side-by-side, informing actions and morality each in their own way.

This is such a good idea for Johnson to introduce and her execution of it—and explanation of both sets of beliefs are just great. We don’t get a creed or even a full idea about the religious tenants of the Ruralites—but we see enough to believe that such a creed exists.

So, what did I think about The Space Between Worlds?

In short, this is really just a stunning book. The back of the book promises “surprise twists” and yeah, there are some, but the book is about more than a twist or five, as skillfully as Johnson executes them. As someone at the book club said, you think the main story is about to wrap up but there’s a whole bunch of more pages to left. None of the storylines feel rushed nor do they feel stretched out. There’s one mini-arc you might want more time in, but that’s just because it’s so pleasant (and given the rest of the book, pleasant is nice).

Cara is a wonderfully complex character. When we meet her, she seems fully realized—like one of those characters that’s going to remain largely the same person at the end of the novel as she was at the beginning. But that’s not it at all—she goes through a great period of personal growth, of changing the way she sees the world and people in it. Her motivations behind her choices on Earth Zero get pushed to the limit, and she is going to be faced with some major changes in that reality (as well as others).

I don’t want to overlook the other characters…at least some versions of them. There are some truly despicable characters (one’s despicable on every world we see him on, one is despicable—vile actually—on most worlds—which makes it hard on the other to accept him (for Cara and the reader)). There’s an evil mastermind who is pretty chilling. There’s some criminal types who show more honor than anyone else in the book. There are some characters that are likable, admirable, and even loveable (depending on the world). It’s a rich, rich world full of wonderful people (that you meet several versions of).

I need to talk about the prose, and yet I don’t know how to adequately express how much I was blown away by it. You could almost open up to any random page and find something worthy of quoting, of meditating on, or marinating in. Johnson has this ability to take a benign, everyday, or plain sentence and turn on a dime and make it bleak, gutting, or even hopeful (that’s the less-popular option.) Cara does have some grit to her, she is a wiseacre. The book isn’t a doom and gloom, I frequently smiled. But her world is a harsh one, particularly outside the walls of Wiley City, and Johnson’s language reflects that.

Apparently, there’s a sequel. It didn’t feel like the first in a series—and can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. This is one of the best written books I’ve read this year—and the story is really compelling. With twists you won’t be able to guess most things that happen over the course of the novel. It’s a very SF novel, but it’s also the kind of SF that people who aren’t super-into SF can get into (like one person at the book club). I’m at the point where I’m just running in circles—so I’ll shut up, you go get the book. Deal?

4 1/2 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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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REPOSTING JUST CUZ: Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne: This Atypical UF is full of Action and Laughs (and Deadly Raisins)

By HCNewton

On September 10, 2024

In Kevin Hearne, Urban Fantasy

Ink & Sigil

by Kevin Hearne
Series: Ink & Sigil, #1

eARC, 336 pg.
Del Rey, 2020

Read: August 12-14, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

The biggest challenge to writing about this book is choosing what not to talk about, I really feel like I could go on and on and on about it. Then the pendulum swings to the point I don’t say much at all…

What’s Ink & Sigil About?

Aloysius MacBharrais is a Sigil Agent—one of five on the Earth. They’re tasked with preserving the various treaties that supernatural creatures had set up throughout the world to keep the peace and govern the activities of the various pantheons on the mortal plane. They’ve been equipped with the barest magical tools necessary to get the job done—largely by Brighid of the Tuatha Dé Dannan to make up for the work that her Druid wasn’t doing when he was hiding for centuries on end.* There’s more to it, but that’ll work for starters.

* See everything that Atticus O’Sullivan was doing before the first of the Iron Druid Chronicles.

Al has horrible luck when it comes to apprentices, they keep falling prey to accidental death. The most recent is Gordie, who died after choking on a raisin scone. Before I get into things, can I say how wonderful it is to have a magic-user—even an apprentice—die by such mundane means (and you have never, I mean ever, come across this many jokes about raisins or scones in your life)? As Al goes to Gordie’s house to clean up all traces of his magic tools, he discovers that Gordie’s been up to some pretty dark and criminal stuff right under his nose.

This book takes Al and his associates around Scotland and even to the U.S. finding out just what Gordie was into and trying to set it right.

A New Kind of UF

There are outliers, but largely, Urban Fantasy series deal in variations on a theme—I’m not complaining, I’m into most of them. But basically, you’ve got a wizard (or something like that), a vampire, and/or a werewolf doing a P.I./Private Security/Hunter thing. There are different kinds of magic users, or vampire types, or were-species, but really, that’s about it. Lately, some variations have come from using different kinds of protagonists, like whatever Nell Ingram is or…(I had another example when I started this paragraph), but you get the point.

Here our variation comes in the type of mage—he uses sigils, particular designs in particular (and strange) inks which give a temporary effect to the bearer or beholder. Also, Al’s an elderly Scot who wears a derby and has an immaculately-styled mustache. He’s about as far from the grizzled hero in a leather jacket/trenchcoat as you can get. Outside of supporting characters or Marley Jacobs from A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark, you don’t see that (outside of characters who are supernaturally old, but appear young) .

Al’s associates aren’t standard either, but I’m going to resist using 3-4 paragraphs talking about them. I’m just going to say I enjoyed them all and can’t wait to spend more time with them.

Iron Druid Tie-in

As indicated above, this takes place in the same universe as The Iron Druid Chronicles, sometime after Scourged and contains references to some of the series’ events and characters. Al himself shows up in a short story in Besieged as a minor character.

There’s a brief appearance by Atticus and Oberon, and a longer one with Brighid. Both were a lot of fun, and the Atticus one was pretty sweet. I enjoyed seeing Brighid from someone else’s point of view. The door is open for more IDC characters to show up, but it’s not necessary, which I appreciate.

You do not have to have read the IDC to get into this, and not catching all the allusions/references/cross-overs will not diminish anything for you. It’s a spin-off, but isn’t dependent on the original.

Did Hearne Regret this Choice?

Al’s a Glaswegian and most of the book takes place in and around Glasgow. Hearne made the choice to write all the dialogue (and even Al’s first-person narration) in the dialect. Most authors wouldn’t have gone this far, and I have to wonder how often Hearne questioned this choice as he wrote—talk about making things hard on yourself. I enjoyed it—and it really helped me “hear” Al and everyone.

So, what did I think about Ink & Sigil?

While the IDC contained more than it’s share of laughs (and even The Seven Kennings had amusing moments), this seemed like a better merging of jokes and story. It feels like a natural outgrowth of The Tales of Pell (but not as humor-focused as those). For sheer enjoyment value, this was fantastic.

The story was pretty strong, too. But a lot of space was devoted to introducing us to this particular corner of the world and the cast of characters. I’d like to see what Hearne does with a novel where he doesn’t have to do that.

The world is familiar, yet Hearne’s doing something new in it. The characters are just not what you’re used to seeing in the genre. The plot was great—and speaks clearly to our current situation. And I laughed a lot. There’s little to complain about here and a lot to commend. I had a blast and I think most readers will, too. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 Stars

REPOSTING JUST CUZ: The Holy Spirit: An Introduction by Fred Sanders: A Vital and Needed Work

By HCNewton

On September 8, 2024

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Holy Spirit:
An Introduction

by Fred Sanders

DETAILS:
Series: Short Studies in Systematic Theology
Publisher: Crossway
Publication Date: October 3, 2023
Format: Paperback
Length: 157 pg. 
Read Date: October 15-November 12, 2023

This book introduces Christians to the Holy Spirit, which is a cheeky thing to do.

By definition, every Christian must already know the Holy Spirit in the most important way, since “anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Rom. 8:9). So to publish a book for Christian readers under the title The Holy Spirit: An Introduction is to take on a peculiar project: introducing readers to somebody they already know. That is exactly what this book does. It presupposes that its readers are already engaged with the reality of the Holy Spirit and invites them to a theological encounter with that person.

What’s The Holy Spirit: An Introduction About?

It’s kind of summarized there in that last sentence: it’s an introductory work on the theology of the Holy Spirit assuming that the reader knows Him already, but needs to understand Him, His identity, and His work more fully.

As it’s an Introduction (like all the books in this series), and therefore accessible which is nice—but it does a thorough job of talking about things like the Doctrine of the Trinity and how it is informed by and informs our Theology of the Spirit.

Sanders’ Approach

Rather than try to paraphrase or summarize Sanders, let me just let him describe the design of the book:

But my approach in this book is, as I said above, indirect, which is why I began by highlighting the paradoxical character of studying the Holy Spirit. I hope to treat the paradoxical character of pneumatology not as a hindrance to be lamented but as a help to be cherished. If knowledge of the Holy Spirit is, in the ways described above, deflective, reflexive, and connective, then an introduction to the Holy Spirit might deliver a great deal of insight by arranging itself in a corresponding way. Think of the implications that follow from the work of the Spirit being deflective, reflexive, and connective. Deflective means that when you try to think about the Spirit, you find the Spirit himself changing the subject to the Father and the Son. Reflexive means that when you try to think about the Spirit, you find the Spirit himself requiring you to think about yourself and about thinking. Connective means that when you try to think about the Spirit, the Spirit himself draws you out into the full scope of all theology. But these things are all beneficial! To study the Holy Spirit according to his own characteristic way of working means to be personally engaged in a total Trinitarian encounter with the truth of God, We will engage the deflective character of pneumatology.

Many books about Him focus on things like how the Spirit acts in the world today, the gifts of the Spirit—what that phrase means and how one obtains them—the role of Pentecost and how it can/if it can be duplicated today, and so on. Sanders eschews that—focusing on more primary issues (which isn’t to say he doesn’t get into some of that). He starts looking at the Trinity, then he considers the Spirit in relation to the Father—and how by doing so we can gain a better understanding of them both. Then he moves on to the Spirit in relation to the Son—how that’s similar and how that relationship is different than the previous. The final chapter considers the Spirit Himself—yes, addressing some of the same information, but from a different angle.

Bonus Material

As with many (sadly, not all) of this series, this comes with a nifty-looking Further Reading list—one I fully intend to use.

But the additional material I want to talk about is the Appendix, “Rules for Thinking Well about the Holy Spirit.” These are 27 brief rules that so usefully summarize the material in the book—and related ideas—for believers to bear in mind as we read Scripture or theology while working through doctrines/ideas about the Spirit. These rules are the kind of thing that students would do well to pin a copy of onto their wall/somewhere in easy reach.

So, what did I think about The Holy Spirit: An Introduction?

The Holy Spirit makes himself known to us in a way that is better than we could have expected or imagined for ourselves. He is the prevenient person, always already at work, never Father-free or Sonless in his being or in his work, closer to us than our own breath, and making known to us in the depths of our selves the deep things of God.

This is definitely one of my top 3 books in this series—possibly the best thing in it so far.

Sanders’s tone is certainly engaging—he never loses sight of the importance of what he’s talking about, and the necessary reverence. But he’s okay with being chatty and a little witty with the reader. He’s able to break down some complicated and technical points in a way that the reader can find them understandable and compelling.

I really appreciated his approach—both in the way he focused on what he chose to and those things he didn’t seem that interested in writing about. I’m sure others would disagree with me, but it looks like he majored on the major issues and didn’t bother with the minor ones.

I’m not sure that this will supplant Ferguson’s The Holy Spirit in my own use and reference when it comes to pneumatology—but I can’t see me looking into Ferguson’s without looking into this next.

Get your hands on it, and be introduced to Someone you’re already close to.

4 1/2 Stars

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Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow by Peter David: A Tale of Friendship, Devotion, Bravery and Heart

By HCNewton

On September 5, 2024

In Fantasy, Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow

by Peter David

DETAILS:
Publication Date: August 22, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 168 pg.
Read Date: September 2, 2024

What’s Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow About?

Buddy the Knight is a teddy bear. A valiant teddy bear, devoted to protecting his Person from the monsters from The Realm-Under-The-Bed. He’s a knight and has spent years defending a little girl named Mieya from these fearsome foes. He’s frequently assisted by his companion, a stuffed tamarin—a mandolin-playing bard. Esteban not only fights at Buddy’s side, but his songs frequently tell the tales of Buddy’s victories.

One night before Buddy can dispatch it, a monster inscribes a rune over Mieya—one that will bring her certain doom unless Buddy can defeat the monster’s master—the Queen of Sorrows. Buddy is given an enchanted googly eye to guide him and Esteban as they journey to the heart of The Realm-Under-The-Bed to find this Queen. There are countless enemies and obstacles along the way, but they have until dawn breaks to complete their quest, so they will have to be quick as well as brave.

The Cover

I don’t do this enough, but I need to call out the cover here. Candice Broersma knocked it out of the park with this one. I just love this cover. It’s one that you want to have on your shelf/eReader.

Also, I’d buy a print if Broersma/David were to make them available.

A Little Treat

There’s a reference at one point to a series of books that Mieya read. I hope, hope, hope that kids who read this have their curiousity piqued and go ask someone (like a librarian or bookseller) what it might be a reference to and then read those books. They’ll be in for (another) treat if they do.

Just seeing the reference was enough for me.

There are other nods to fiction and movies, too—cleverly hidden throughout, and just enough to make the grown-ups reading this smile (the Captain Shakespeare/Captain Johannas Alberic nod was particularly well done). None of them made me quite as happy as the series of books she read, but that’s me. You (if you’re above the age of 15), will likely have other favorites—but you’ll enjoy all that you catch.

So, what did I think about Buddy the Knight and The Queen of Sorrow?

I know that many people think that Paladins are boring characters. I’m not one of them—just think of Sturm Brightblade, Superman, Michael Carpenter, or Paksenarrion and tell me they aren’t great to read (okay, some people have made Supes a little boring—but not all of them). Buddy the Knight is yet another entry in the Great Paladin Characters list I should get around to compiling sometime.

Esteban is one of the better comic relief sidekicks with a lot of heart, too. As funny and heartfelt as Shrek‘s Donkey with the devotion of Samwise Gamgee. The other allies and people—including the sentient magic sword—who help Buddy out are really well done, too.

The monsters, other antagonists, and (of course) the Queen of Sorrows are equally well depicted—but unlike the above, you really don’t want to spend time with them. They’re all drawn from types we’ve all seen before, but given a twist to make them feel new—and the reason we’ve all seen them before anyway is that they’re just about always compelling, and with David’s twist? They’re just what this book needed.

Throughout the book—either in flashbacks that Buddy has to his maker’s lessons or in the things the characters say to motivate each other or themselves—the reader is going to get a lot of slogans, life lessons, or morals thrown at them. I appreciated reading them—and I expect that readers 40 years (plus or minus a couple) younger than me will, too. Coming from stuffed animals probably makes them more palatable and somehow less corny than they’d be coming from an authority figure (in fiction or real life). It’s likely that some of these will get lodged in the back of a young reader’s mind and will prove beneficial later in life.

The story itself is a pretty straightforward Fantasy tale—the hero and his allies (some picked up along the way) are on a journey with a deadline to fight a powerful in order to rescue someone. As always, it too, is effective.

There’s a lightness to the prose, but it’s not a comedy—it comes across as whimsical and fantastical. It will charm you as it draws you in. We don’t really see Mieya in action and don’t get to know her, but we want her safe, we worry for her, because Buddy, Esteban, and the others are so devoted to her. We care about her because we care about the bear and the tamarin, and anything they think is important we think is important.

This is the kind of book that 10 year-old me would’ve curled up with and read and re-read. It’s also the kind of thing that my kids would’ve loved—and I’d have had a blast reading to them. And 51 year-old me was just about as captivated with it as my younger self would’ve been. I strongly recommend this to those young at heart and those young readers you happen to buy books for.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this eARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 1/2 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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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PUB DAY REPOST: Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History by Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson: They Riffed, so the Internet Could Snark

By HCNewton

On August 20, 2024

In Non-Fiction

Mystery Science Theater 3000:
A Cultural History

by Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson

DETAILS:
Series: The Cultural History of Television
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publication Date: August 20, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 182 pgs.
Read Date: August 6-8, 2024

What’s Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History About?

This is a retrospective of the show—its history, development (highs and lows), spin-offs, and latest formats. It’s also an examination and consideration of the impact the show has made to its viewers and on the industry of entertainment, and the ripple effects it has had on pop culture.

It looks at how MST3K was shaped by the upbringing of its cast and writers—focusing on the tone and style of the hosts—as well as the network (or lack thereof) that brought the show to the audience.

It wraps up with an Appendix listing twenty episodes that best capture the show for new viewers—between the riffs, the movies themselves, and hosting segments—with each host being represented. They truly picked some gems—good for new viewers and established fans to go back and revisit some highlights.

The Worst We Can Find

“Hey, wait a second, H.C.,” I can hear some of you thinking, “you talked about this book last July.” Well, no. But I can understand the confusion. That was actually the book, The Worst We Can Find: MST3K, RiffTrax, and the History of Heckling at the Movies by Dale Sherman.

I haven’t done this a lot, but every now and then I read a book that is someone taking all/part of their doctoral dissertation and reworking it/part of it for a wider/popular audience. In many ways, that’s what this felt like—Foy and Olson’s work was the technical/academic book for those of a more scholarly persuasion, and Sherman’s was the version for the wider audience. Except that Sherman’s was longer, and it usually goes the other way.

This is not a criticism of either book—at all. They both over their respective emphases and quirks. They’re both dependent on interviews and articles produced by others; both are written by fans who’ve dedicated a good deal of time to both the research and production of the book—propelled by a greater deal of time developing an appreciation of MST3K; and both are the kind of things that die-hard fans will sink their teeth into. One’s just a bit more highbrow than the other.

Dissecting Some Frogs

Analysts have had their go at humor, and I have read some of this interpretative literature, but without being greatly instructed. Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the purely scientific mind.

The idea has been variously ascribed, but it seems that E. B. White and Katharine S. White first put it into print. Whoever said it first, the idea floated through the back of my mind at more than one point while reading this book.

There were repeated explanations of various jokes throughout the book—and not one of them was necessary (if you ask me, anyway). Maybe one or two of them will help younger readers who are not familiar with the pop culture of the 90s or earlier, but I think context alone will take care of the questions a reader will have. And you understand the authors’ impulse to explain them and maybe even admire their attempt while rolling your eyes at the outcome.

Flirting With Semantic Satiation

The term Intertexuality appears so often in this book, that you can imagine Tom Servo and Crow riffing on it. But it’s not like there are a lot of synonyms available, and it’s a real focus of the authors and a strong point of the book. Still, the SOL crews would hammer them on it.

The consideration of how MST3K has trained a couple of generations in approaching intertextuality, media consumption, and responses to them is the intellectual core of this book. The show, in all its various incarnations, has shaped both the viewers and other shows, internet content, and general internet discussion in ways that are larger than the show’s ratings may suggest. The cultural footprint is oversized given viewership (the tapes did keep circulating, at least metaphorically).

I, for one, had given this very little thought until Fry and Olson pointed it out—along with their discussion of MST3K and its spin-off projects being at the forefront of newer delivery systems for media and programming. Given their humble beginnings, it’s really quite remarkable.

So, what did I think about Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History?

I’ve read two other books in this series (and keep meaning to read others), Friends and Gilmore Girls, comparing this to those, I’d say it captures the strengths of both and avoids what I recall as the shortcomings of the Friends volume and the spirit of the Gilmore Girls book. If nothing else, the diversity in these three installments demonstrates a strength of the series. You’re not going to get cookie-cutter approaches to the various series in consideration. Each author/team of authors is going to approach the show in question differently, reflecting the preferences and focus of the authors.

The only shortcoming I can think of (outside the attempted academic explanations of humor) is the lack of space given to Emily’s hosting/riffing style compared to the other hosts. I’m certain that this is a function of how few episodes she has appeared in, but it would’ve been nice to get a little more about her.

I was entertained by the book—both due to the authors’ style and the memories it conjured. I thought about the show and its legacy in ways I hadn’t before. I kicked myself for not taking part in the crowdfunding efforts I didn’t participate in. I was inspired to watch a couple of episodes I’d somehow missed—and just to make time for the show in general. Mostly this was an exercise in getting to know more about old friends, and seeing them in a different light.

I’m a sucker for anything MST3K related, so you know this worked for me. Do I know if you’ll appreciate this book if you’re not a fan or a media studies student? I doubt it’s for you. But if you’re either of those things—you’ll get something out of it.

What do you think, sirs?

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Rowman & Littlefield via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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PUB DAY REPOST: The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston: You Will Sit Up and Say, “Yippee-ki-yay”

By HCNewton

On August 13, 2024

In Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Last Shield

by Cameron Johnston

DETAILS:
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: July 31-August 2, 2024

What’s The Last Shield About?

Briar is the commander of the Shield, the Royal Guard protecting the soon-to-be-King; his uncle, the Lord Regent; and the castle that serves as the capital for the realm of Sunweald. She’s been in the post for several years, also serving as the personal bodyguard and confidant of the regent.

There are two neighboring kingdoms that would like to take over Sunweald, as well as to loot the castle’s vault, which, according to legend, contains the kind of magical weaponry that can remake the world. Keeping that vault safe, secure, and unmolested is one of Briar’s primary responsibilities.

The prince is set to take over in just a couple of years, and Kester is the prototypical spoiled, indolent, and irresponsible royal who no one can imagine can/should assume the throne. Maybe, if he grows up a lot before becoming an adult, but that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, the realm is in the incredibly capable and wise hands of his uncle Alaric

During a seasonal religious rite, an attack against the royal family leaves several guards dead and Briar near death, they have foiled the attempt, but at a great cost. After a long convalescence she’s recovered enough to move around a little bit, but not fit to return to active duty. After half a year of waiting and plotting, the survivors and some mercenary allies attack the castle from within—taking Alaric and some of the staff hostage, and killing others. Briar and Kester happen to be in just the right place and escape the sweep that collected so many. It’s up to them, each in their own way, to use Briar’s knowledge of the castle (and hidden passageways) to mount a rescue mission and to take down the small force who have taken over.

Shields

I’m talking literal shields here, not Briar and her guard.

Growing up, the only way I saw shields used was defensively—to block arrows or swords—until someone had to valiantly discard them because their dominant hand/arm was injured and they had to desperately use their shield arm to wield a sword, obviously. The only exception to this was Captain America (and a DC clone or two) and his implausible use of his.

And that’s pretty much how I saw the objects until now. But Clay Cooper and Briar have got me thinking about them as offensive weapons now. Their shields are very different in terms of size and material—but they’re both effectively used as a weapon. Briar does use her defensively, of course, but both prior to her time as a guerrilla fighter and now, she shows that a shield can be a potent weapon.

So my questions are: Have I missed how people use these things offensively all along? (either by reading the wrong things or not remembering anything but the swordplay, archery, and/or magic) Or have we entered an age where authors are embracing the full range of these objects strapped to an arm?

The Die Hard-Ness of it All

The Publisher’s description of this novel starts off with, “A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle.” And that’s absolutely what the book is—is that description reductionistic? Yes. Is it apt? Also, yes. But it’s also so much more than that summary. (but what a great elevator, pitch, right?)

I do not know if Johnston set out to write this as a Fantasy Die Hard, but at some point, he had to realize that’s what he was doing and (if you ask me) leaned into it. There are just too many similarities for me to believe anything else. But really, there’s one paragraph that seals the deal—I won’t give you details (but you’ll recognize it), but it is borrowing/appropriating/stealing an indelible image from the film. After reading that I knew it wasn’t just some ingenious marketer at Angry Robot who tagged it as “A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle,” as I half-way wondered, but it was Johnston’s intention. There’s just no way he does that.

I should stress that just because it’s a version of a movie that you likely know very well—do not think you know how this book is going to go. There’s plenty of suspense for the reader, as well as magical creatures that might have sent John McClane running for the hills.

Would I have been thoroughly entertained by The Last Shield without all the parallels to one of my all-time favorite movies? Yes. But being able to watch Johnston’s take on McClane, Nakatomi Tower, and the rest? It’s just an extra layer of frosting on an already delicious cake.

I do wish we’d gotten a Thornberg/William Atherton-esque character (should that get a spoiler warning), a non-villain that you despise almost as much as (if not more than) Gruber/his crew. Not because the novel was lacking anything, it’s just satisfying to see them get their comeuppance.

So, what did I think about The Last Shield?

This is a heckuva thrill-ride. Like its cinematic predecessor, the action in this novel is top-notch. It’s not non-stop, there are moments of reflection, of exhaustion, of trying to figure out how to survive—much less succeed against this force. The set-up to the main action also takes longer than you might think (but you should really just relax and let Johnston do his thing, it’s all important and helps establish what comes later). I was hooked almost immediately—and while I wondered when the “Die Hard” part of the book would kick in, I really didn’t care. I was having a good enough time with Briar, Alaric, and the rest.

But, boy howdy, when the action kicked in? What was a perfectly enjoyable book got so much better. Johnston can write an action scene—whether the action is hand-to-hand, bladed weapon against something else, supernatural-based…you name it, he can handle it with panache and aplomb. It’s well paced—with just enough downtime between fight scenes for you and the characters to be ready for the next. Once the book builds up enough steam, forget it—you’re not going to willingly put it down.

It’s not all about swords, shields, axes, and spells, however. Briar dealing with her injuries and recovery—both before the “Hans Gruber” moment and afterward—is done to almost perfection. There’s real growth—and real injury (and not just physical)—to be seen in several other characters. No one survives this time unscathed in one way or another.

The noted attorney and political operative Ainsley Hayes, noted, “they’re all about duty” when discussing the work of Gilbert and Sullivan.* This book, at its core, is just as much about duty as The Pirates of Penzance or H.M.S. Pinafore. Briar, ready to give her life fighting when she’s unfit for battle; Alaric, giving up decades of his life to step in as Lord Regent and govern; Kester figuring out what his obligations are to those he rules; several servants, guests, and others in the castle during the takeover carrying out their duties in what limited capacities they can as hostages—and the utter abandonment of duty by others. The Last Shield doesn’t have to be thought of in terms of good vs. evil (while it applies, it’s problematic when it comes to some characters). Instead, I suggest that it’s better seen whether these people live up to their duty/obligation or do they abandon that for selfish gain.**

And, there is something incredibly appealing to that way of thinking in our incredibly polarized and me-centric time. All sorts of people considering the cost and putting aside their wants/desires/lives in favor do doing what they’re supposed to do anyway.

* Yes, there’s no need to bring Ainsely into this, but I can’t help thinking of her and that line—or Leo, or Lionel Tribbey, etc.—when I think about duty.
** There are one or two characters who took over the castle that you could put forward against my claim, but I think I could make a strong (spoiler-filled) case in my defense, so I won’t do that pre-emptively.

I should probably talk a little about the three magic systems at work in this world—but this thing is going on too long already. But I really like seeing that diversity at work.

It wasn’t until I was preparing this post that I realized that Johnston wrote The Maleficent Seven, a book I’ve been meaning to get around to for ages. Now I’m even more motivated to do that (The Traitor God, too, come to think of it).

But that’s for another day, for today, I just want to revel in the near-perfection of this roller-coaster of a novel. I had such a good time with this novel and I’ve been telling everyone I know about it (I even think I sold the manager of a local bookstore on it, hopefully, he continues that chain). I was ready to read it again as soon as I was done.

Fantasy readers and action-adventure readers alike will dig this one. Go get your orders in now, unless you’re reading this on or after August 13—in that case, run down to your local indie bookstore and pick it up.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Angry Robot Books via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History by Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson: They Riffed, so the Internet Could Snark

By HCNewton

On August 12, 2024

In Non-Fiction

Mystery Science Theater 3000:
A Cultural History

by Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson

DETAILS:
Series: The Cultural History of Television
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publication Date: August 20, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 182 pgs.
Read Date: August 6-8, 2024

What’s Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History About?

This is a retrospective of the show—its history, development (highs and lows), spin-offs, and latest formats. It’s also an examination and consideration of the impact the show has made to its viewers and on the industry of entertainment, and the ripple effects it has had on pop culture.

It looks at how MST3K was shaped by the upbringing of its cast and writers—focusing on the tone and style of the hosts—as well as the network (or lack thereof) that brought the show to the audience.

It wraps up with an Appendix listing twenty episodes that best capture the show for new viewers—between the riffs, the movies themselves, and hosting segments—with each host being represented. They truly picked some gems—good for new viewers and established fans to go back and revisit some highlights.

The Worst We Can Find

“Hey, wait a second, H.C.,” I can hear some of you thinking, “you talked about this book last July.” Well, no. But I can understand the confusion. That was actually the book, The Worst We Can Find: MST3K, RiffTrax, and the History of Heckling at the Movies by Dale Sherman.

I haven’t done this a lot, but every now and then I read a book that is someone taking all/part of their doctoral dissertation and reworking it/part of it for a wider/popular audience. In many ways, that’s what this felt like—Foy and Olson’s work was the technical/academic book for those of a more scholarly persuasion, and Sherman’s was the version for the wider audience. Except that Sherman’s was longer, and it usually goes the other way.

This is not a criticism of either book—at all. They both over their respective emphases and quirks. They’re both dependent on interviews and articles produced by others; both are written by fans who’ve dedicated a good deal of time to both the research and production of the book—propelled by a greater deal of time developing an appreciation of MST3K; and both are the kind of things that die-hard fans will sink their teeth into. One’s just a bit more highbrow than the other.

Dissecting Some Frogs

Analysts have had their go at humor, and I have read some of this interpretative literature, but without being greatly instructed. Humor can be dissected, as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the purely scientific mind.

The idea has been variously ascribed, but it seems that E. B. White and Katharine S. White first put it into print. Whoever said it first, the idea floated through the back of my mind at more than one point while reading this book.

There were repeated explanations of various jokes throughout the book—and not one of them was necessary (if you ask me, anyway). Maybe one or two of them will help younger readers who are not familiar with the pop culture of the 90s or earlier, but I think context alone will take care of the questions a reader will have. And you understand the authors’ impulse to explain them and maybe even admire their attempt while rolling your eyes at the outcome.

Flirting With Semantic Satiation

The term Intertexuality appears so often in this book, that you can imagine Tom Servo and Crow riffing on it. But it’s not like there are a lot of synonyms available, and it’s a real focus of the authors and a strong point of the book. Still, the SOL crews would hammer them on it.

The consideration of how MST3K has trained a couple of generations in approaching intertextuality, media consumption, and responses to them is the intellectual core of this book. The show, in all its various incarnations, has shaped both the viewers and other shows, internet content, and general internet discussion in ways that are larger than the show’s ratings may suggest. The cultural footprint is oversized given viewership (the tapes did keep circulating, at least metaphorically).

I, for one, had given this very little thought until Fry and Olson pointed it out—along with their discussion of MST3K and its spin-off projects being at the forefront of newer delivery systems for media and programming. Given their humble beginnings, it’s really quite remarkable.

So, what did I think about Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History?

I’ve read two other books in this series (and keep meaning to read others), Friends and Gilmore Girls, comparing this to those, I’d say it captures the strengths of both and avoids what I recall as the shortcomings of the Friends volume and the spirit of the Gilmore Girls book. If nothing else, the diversity in these three installments demonstrates a strength of the series. You’re not going to get cookie-cutter approaches to the various series in consideration. Each author/team of authors is going to approach the show in question differently, reflecting the preferences and focus of the authors.

The only shortcoming I can think of (outside the attempted academic explanations of humor) is the lack of space given to Emily’s hosting/riffing style compared to the other hosts. I’m certain that this is a function of how few episodes she has appeared in, but it would’ve been nice to get a little more about her.

I was entertained by the book—both due to the authors’ style and the memories it conjured. I thought about the show and its legacy in ways I hadn’t before. I kicked myself for not taking part in the crowdfunding efforts I didn’t participate in. I was inspired to watch a couple of episodes I’d somehow missed—and just to make time for the show in general. Mostly this was an exercise in getting to know more about old friends, and seeing them in a different light.

I’m a sucker for anything MST3K related, so you know this worked for me. Do I know if you’ll appreciate this book if you’re not a fan or a media studies student? I doubt it’s for you. But if you’re either of those things—you’ll get something out of it.

What do you think, sirs?

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Rowman & Littlefield via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

4 1/2 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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston: You Will Sit Up and Say, “Yippee-ki-yay”

By HCNewton

On August 8, 2024

In Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Last Shield

by Cameron Johnston

DETAILS:
Publisher: Angry Robot
Publication Date: August 13, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: July 31-August 2, 2024