Birthright Volume 4: Family History
(The Birthright series)
Joshua Williamson and Andrei Bressan, creators
Skybound
Fiction, YA Fantasy/Graphic Novel
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Wounded and possibly dying, Mikey Rhodes has found unlikely sanctuary with one of the mages he was sworn to kill: Sameal, his estranged grandfather.
The foul Nevermind's grip on him is stronger than ever, but Mikey's family refuses to give up on him, even if it means defying powers the likes of which Earth has never
seen. Besides, Mikey and Sameal aren't the only Rhodes men to have special powers: young Brennan finds magic waking in his own veins.
Meanwhile, Mikey's mother Wendy and his winged lover Rya remain captives of the sorceress Mastema, who reveals more about Terranos and the prophecy that ensnared Mikey than
either want to hear...
REVIEW: The tale continues at a fast pace in this fourth volume of the Birthright saga. With Mikey sidelined for much of the tale, father Aaron and brother
Brennan must step forward, even as fractures in family unity threaten them all. Aaron cannot quite forgive Sameal for abandoning him as a boy, and for not coming forward
when Mikey went missing... but he must also come to terms with his own spotty parenting record, and his lack of faith in Brennan. Meanwhile, the surviving wizards pull
out even more stops in their relentless pursuit of Mikey; they sacrificed Terranos to stop the Nevermind's spread, and aren't about to see Earth fall to the same evil,
no matter the human cost. The women could use a little more dynamic roles at this point, mostly relegated to sitting around as captives talking to Mastema, but otherwise
it's a fairly active story. I do hope there's a conclusion pending in another volume or two, though, as this pace can't be sustained indefinitely.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Stoneheart (Charlie Fletcher) - My Review
The Dark World (Henry Kuttner) - My Review
Birthright Volume 1: Homecoming (Joshua Williamson and Andrei Bressan) - My Review
Monday, August 7, 2017
Friday, August 4, 2017
Scarlet and the Keepers of Light (Brandon Charles West)
Scarlet and the Keepers of Light
(The Scarlet Hopewell series, Volume 1)
Brandon Charles West
Manor Minor Press
Fiction, MG Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: As long as she could remember, Scarlet Hopewell has dreamed of a magical world, a city of light beneath a giant oak, where she and her family are welcomed and honored... but they're just dreams. At least, that's what she always thought. Then, one night, a trio of shadow-wrapped strangers arrive at the Hopewell house - and Dakota, her faithful dog, starts speaking, telling the family to run. Suddenly, somehow, Scarlet's dreams are coming true. She and her family are in a fairy world. But there's a shadow her dreams didn't reveal, a threat that everyone expects her to face - one that endangers not just the magical realm, but her own.
REVIEW: I wavered on the rating for a while. The story starts quickly, and if the setup's a bit familiar, it still managed to draw me in, with an interesting world and intriguing characters. I liked the light magic and other descriptions, and not everything is quite as it seems, lending some refreshing depth to the adventure. But some little issues started nagging at me as I read on. Scarlet's whole family makes the trip with her, but they start to feel thin and, especially in the case of her mother, useless and a touch cliche, with little to do for much of the story (though her firefighter father hovers over her, the sort of protector figure that heroines in middle-grade fantasies generally shouldn't need.) Several elements that started out intriguing became relegated to clutter by the end, actually. For instance, the "dog" Dakota (formerly the Lord of Wolves) manages to teach the family pet Cricket to talk, recruiting him as an ally in defending the Hopewells from the forces of darkness... but very little comes of this lesson, as Cricket becomes a mostly-forgotten footnote. The writing has a way of drifting between characters mid-scene, a subtly distracting irritation. Still, it hooked me into the story, and kept me reading... until it came to an ending that felt like a forced twist for the sake of a cliffhanger, enough so that I'm debating whether I want to continue with the series or leave it hanging on that somewhat unsatisfying note.
When Scarlet and the Keepers of Light works, it works well... but there are just enough odd bumps and loose parts, magnified by the abrupt and unresolved ending, to barely hold it back from a solid four-star Good rating. Younger readers will likely enjoy it more, though they, too, might wish a little more had come from the talking dogs and other hooks.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Clockwork Fairy Kingdom (Leah R. Cutter) - My Review
The Divide (Elizabeth Kay) - My Review
Shadowbloom (Justin Sullivan and Samuel Sullivan) - My Review
(The Scarlet Hopewell series, Volume 1)
Brandon Charles West
Manor Minor Press
Fiction, MG Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: As long as she could remember, Scarlet Hopewell has dreamed of a magical world, a city of light beneath a giant oak, where she and her family are welcomed and honored... but they're just dreams. At least, that's what she always thought. Then, one night, a trio of shadow-wrapped strangers arrive at the Hopewell house - and Dakota, her faithful dog, starts speaking, telling the family to run. Suddenly, somehow, Scarlet's dreams are coming true. She and her family are in a fairy world. But there's a shadow her dreams didn't reveal, a threat that everyone expects her to face - one that endangers not just the magical realm, but her own.
REVIEW: I wavered on the rating for a while. The story starts quickly, and if the setup's a bit familiar, it still managed to draw me in, with an interesting world and intriguing characters. I liked the light magic and other descriptions, and not everything is quite as it seems, lending some refreshing depth to the adventure. But some little issues started nagging at me as I read on. Scarlet's whole family makes the trip with her, but they start to feel thin and, especially in the case of her mother, useless and a touch cliche, with little to do for much of the story (though her firefighter father hovers over her, the sort of protector figure that heroines in middle-grade fantasies generally shouldn't need.) Several elements that started out intriguing became relegated to clutter by the end, actually. For instance, the "dog" Dakota (formerly the Lord of Wolves) manages to teach the family pet Cricket to talk, recruiting him as an ally in defending the Hopewells from the forces of darkness... but very little comes of this lesson, as Cricket becomes a mostly-forgotten footnote. The writing has a way of drifting between characters mid-scene, a subtly distracting irritation. Still, it hooked me into the story, and kept me reading... until it came to an ending that felt like a forced twist for the sake of a cliffhanger, enough so that I'm debating whether I want to continue with the series or leave it hanging on that somewhat unsatisfying note.
When Scarlet and the Keepers of Light works, it works well... but there are just enough odd bumps and loose parts, magnified by the abrupt and unresolved ending, to barely hold it back from a solid four-star Good rating. Younger readers will likely enjoy it more, though they, too, might wish a little more had come from the talking dogs and other hooks.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Clockwork Fairy Kingdom (Leah R. Cutter) - My Review
The Divide (Elizabeth Kay) - My Review
Shadowbloom (Justin Sullivan and Samuel Sullivan) - My Review
How to Survive Anything (Tim MacWelch)
How to Survive Anything: From Animal Attacks to the End of the World (And Everything In Between)
Tim MacWelch
Weldon Owen
Nonfiction, Survival
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Compared to past centuries, the world is a relatively safe place thanks to the wonders of modern civilization, but no safety can be taken for granted. Natural disasters, earthquakes or storms or wildfires, can still bring devastation. Civil unrest can erupt into riots or worse. New diseases can crop up. Author Tim MacWelch and the editors of Outdoor Life magazine have compiled this collection of tips and tricks to help you and your family plan ahead, survive, and endure numerous scenarios.
REVIEW: While not terribly in-depth, this book gets marks for covering a very broad variety of disasters, offering (mostly) practical advice without venturing into fringe survivalist territory, debunking some common myths and misconceptions on the way. (No, drinking urine in the desert isn't an ideal hydration option, nor is a car sufficient insulation from a lightning strike.) The disasters are ranked from relatively minor and likely issues, like floods or getting lost in the wilderness, to less likely, longer-term disasters, such as a downed power grid, major meteor strike, or pandemic, ending with the obligatory "zombie apocalypse" chapter. As I mentioned earlier, what it lacks in depth and detail, it makes up for in overall range, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Survival 101 (Marcus Duke) - My Review
Field Guide to the Apocalypse (Meghann Marco) - My Review
Hatchet (Gary Paulsen) - My Review
Tim MacWelch
Weldon Owen
Nonfiction, Survival
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Compared to past centuries, the world is a relatively safe place thanks to the wonders of modern civilization, but no safety can be taken for granted. Natural disasters, earthquakes or storms or wildfires, can still bring devastation. Civil unrest can erupt into riots or worse. New diseases can crop up. Author Tim MacWelch and the editors of Outdoor Life magazine have compiled this collection of tips and tricks to help you and your family plan ahead, survive, and endure numerous scenarios.
REVIEW: While not terribly in-depth, this book gets marks for covering a very broad variety of disasters, offering (mostly) practical advice without venturing into fringe survivalist territory, debunking some common myths and misconceptions on the way. (No, drinking urine in the desert isn't an ideal hydration option, nor is a car sufficient insulation from a lightning strike.) The disasters are ranked from relatively minor and likely issues, like floods or getting lost in the wilderness, to less likely, longer-term disasters, such as a downed power grid, major meteor strike, or pandemic, ending with the obligatory "zombie apocalypse" chapter. As I mentioned earlier, what it lacks in depth and detail, it makes up for in overall range, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Survival 101 (Marcus Duke) - My Review
Field Guide to the Apocalypse (Meghann Marco) - My Review
Hatchet (Gary Paulsen) - My Review
Thursday, August 3, 2017
A Tale of Sand (Jim Henson)
A Tale of Sand
Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl, authors; Stephen Christy, editor; illustrations by Ramon K. Perez and Ian Herring
Boom Entertainment
Fiction, Action/Fantasy/Graphic Novel
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: In a graphic novel adaptation of an unfilmed screenplay by the late Jim Henson, a man finds himself caught in a strange and desperate race through the desert to the dubious sanctuary of Eagle Mountain.
REVIEW: Though perhaps most remembered for his achievements in puppetry, Jim Henson was a storyteller at heart, with numerous screenplays to his name. This project never made it to film, despite Henson and co-creators tinkering with it for years. It's a surreal journey, with moments of danger and humor playing out with minimal dialog. The hero, Mac, is caught up in a deadly chase, threatened and saved by the strangest turns of fate. (Being pursued by a bloodthirsty Arab, a quarterback tackles the man out of nowhere - only for both to turn on Mac.) A patch-eyed figure serves as the main antagonist, though his motives are as unknowable as the rules of the race. It would've been interesting to see it brought to life in film, but this graphic novel adaptation does a decent job. It's intriguing for what it is, but not my cup of cocoa; my tolerance for surreality for surreality's sake is a little too low to fully appreciate it, unfortunately. Fans of Henson's more obscure work, and of surreal cinema or storytelling, will likely enjoy it more than I did.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Dragons (Daniel Bayliss, et al.) - My Review
Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl, authors; Stephen Christy, editor; illustrations by Ramon K. Perez and Ian Herring
Boom Entertainment
Fiction, Action/Fantasy/Graphic Novel
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: In a graphic novel adaptation of an unfilmed screenplay by the late Jim Henson, a man finds himself caught in a strange and desperate race through the desert to the dubious sanctuary of Eagle Mountain.
REVIEW: Though perhaps most remembered for his achievements in puppetry, Jim Henson was a storyteller at heart, with numerous screenplays to his name. This project never made it to film, despite Henson and co-creators tinkering with it for years. It's a surreal journey, with moments of danger and humor playing out with minimal dialog. The hero, Mac, is caught up in a deadly chase, threatened and saved by the strangest turns of fate. (Being pursued by a bloodthirsty Arab, a quarterback tackles the man out of nowhere - only for both to turn on Mac.) A patch-eyed figure serves as the main antagonist, though his motives are as unknowable as the rules of the race. It would've been interesting to see it brought to life in film, but this graphic novel adaptation does a decent job. It's intriguing for what it is, but not my cup of cocoa; my tolerance for surreality for surreality's sake is a little too low to fully appreciate it, unfortunately. Fans of Henson's more obscure work, and of surreal cinema or storytelling, will likely enjoy it more than I did.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Dragons (Daniel Bayliss, et al.) - My Review
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
I Hate Fairyland Volume 1 (Skottie Young)
I Hate Fairyland Volume 1: Madly Ever After
(The I Hate Fairyland series, Issues 1 - 5)
Skottie Young
Image Comics
Fiction, Fantasy/Graphic Novel/Humor
*** (Okay)
DESCRIPTION: When six-year-old Gertrude wished to visit a magical world, she never expected it to come true! Here, after a rather rough landing, she's promised a magical adventure as she searches for the key that will let her return home.
That was almost thirty years ago.
The jaded, cynical, increasingly unstable Gert may still look like a cute, curly-haired little girl on the outside, but inside she's aged every day. She and her corrupted bug-man guide still search for the lost key, relying far more on axes and curses than riddles and rainbows. As she cuts a bloody swath through Fairyland, the Queen searches for a way to stop her - even if she is forbidden to directly harm a hair on Gert's head.
REVIEW: Another entry in the growing field of fairyland adventure twists, I Hate Fairyland has some fun (if crude) moments and lines, but never rises above its basic premise to become much more. Gert's understandably jaded, but her violence borders on psychopathic, and I really couldn't care about her... or about anyone else. The fairy queen isn't much better; it's been clear for years that something went wrong with the quest, or with the girl, yet she evidently didn't bother to interfere long before things reached their current state - and seems to blame Gert for her own corruption. The gore quickly becomes mere background dressing, losing its shock value within a few pages. It's not terrible, but it comes across rather flat, with not much more to it than the initial gimmick and no promise of anything changing enough to bother delving into Volume 2.
You Might Also Enjoy:
King: The Graphic Novel (Joshua Hale Fialkov) - My Review
The War of the Flowers (Tad Williams) - My Review
Birthright Volume 1: Homecoming (Joshua Williamson and Andre Bressan) - My Review
(The I Hate Fairyland series, Issues 1 - 5)
Skottie Young
Image Comics
Fiction, Fantasy/Graphic Novel/Humor
*** (Okay)
DESCRIPTION: When six-year-old Gertrude wished to visit a magical world, she never expected it to come true! Here, after a rather rough landing, she's promised a magical adventure as she searches for the key that will let her return home.
That was almost thirty years ago.
The jaded, cynical, increasingly unstable Gert may still look like a cute, curly-haired little girl on the outside, but inside she's aged every day. She and her corrupted bug-man guide still search for the lost key, relying far more on axes and curses than riddles and rainbows. As she cuts a bloody swath through Fairyland, the Queen searches for a way to stop her - even if she is forbidden to directly harm a hair on Gert's head.
REVIEW: Another entry in the growing field of fairyland adventure twists, I Hate Fairyland has some fun (if crude) moments and lines, but never rises above its basic premise to become much more. Gert's understandably jaded, but her violence borders on psychopathic, and I really couldn't care about her... or about anyone else. The fairy queen isn't much better; it's been clear for years that something went wrong with the quest, or with the girl, yet she evidently didn't bother to interfere long before things reached their current state - and seems to blame Gert for her own corruption. The gore quickly becomes mere background dressing, losing its shock value within a few pages. It's not terrible, but it comes across rather flat, with not much more to it than the initial gimmick and no promise of anything changing enough to bother delving into Volume 2.
You Might Also Enjoy:
King: The Graphic Novel (Joshua Hale Fialkov) - My Review
The War of the Flowers (Tad Williams) - My Review
Birthright Volume 1: Homecoming (Joshua Williamson and Andre Bressan) - My Review
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