Shadowshaper
(The Shadowshaper Cypher series, Book 1)
Daniel Jose Older
Scholastic
Fiction, YA Fantasy
***+ (Okay/Good)
DESCRIPTION: It started the day Sierra saw a tear fall from the eye of a faded mural, her first hint of a hidden heritage. She always felt close to
her Puerto Rican roots and family, but she had no idea of the hidden depths in her Brooklyn neighborhood, the fading community of shadowshapers, able to infuse
art and song with ancestral spirits... a community once led by her stroke-ridden grandfather and a mysterious figure known as Lucera. Now the shadowshapers are
under assault as an outside force hunts them down - a force that believes Sierra knows how to find the missing Lucera. Facing reanimated corpses and twisted
shadow beasts, Sierra must race to solve a riddle and harness her own shadowshaping gifts before her family and her community are forever destroyed.
REVIEW: This book was a deep plunge into a culture and community I'd never experienced before, New York City's Puerto Rican neighborhoods. Themes of
cultural identity, generation gaps, racism, sexism, and gentrification run through the tale. They find embodiment in the antagonist, the white anthropologist John Wick,
whose research into spiritual traditions around the world twisted his good intentions into a conviction that he alone was capable of safeguarding the future of
someone else's heritage - a heritage he twists, abuses, and defiles in his efforts to preserve it. Once in a while, the themes could get a bit heavy-handed, but
such issues are very much a part of Sierra's world, and need addressing. As for the main plot, it often moves at breakneck speed... almost too fast, as it piles
on names and relationships even as I struggled to find my bearings. Shadowshaping itself is relegated to background texture for a good chunk of the story, particularly as Sierra reflects on what it means to be a Puerto Rican teen in modern Brooklyn (and deals with her first serious boyfriend - a Haitian, to the horror of her aunt Rosa), but
eventually steps into the forefront. Once in a while it grew tiresome how most everyone know about the neighborhood secret but Sierra, holding out even when it's clear she's in direct danger. Something about the way things played out, alongside the character clutter, made me just unsatisfied enough to hold it back
from a four-star rating, but overall it's a nicely different urban fantasy adventure, a refreshing dose of diversity.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Rithmatist (Brandon Sanderson) - My Review
Behind the Canvas (Alexander Vance) - My Review
Monday, August 21, 2017
Friday, August 18, 2017
The City Beyond the Sands (Michael K. Rose)
The City Beyond the Sands
(The Strange Lands Saga, Book 1)
Michael K. Rose
CreateSpace
Fiction, Adventure/Sci-Fi
*** (Okay)
DESCRIPTION: Will doesn't know what happened. One moment, he was watering his tomato plants, and the next he was in the middle of a vast forest, facing down a strange beast the size of a rhinoceros. Finding his way to civilization, such as it is, he learns that he's in a world known as Dushara, a rough approximation of Earth with some key differences... such as prehistoric animals, strange plants, and humans pulled seemingly at random from time. Daniel, his first friend and ersatz guide, came from the 1970's himself; he tells Will that he'd do well to forget his home on Earth and build a new life here. But Will has a son, and will do anything to get back home - even it it means crossing wilderness that even the wide-ranging Arab traders haven't dared enter, in search of a legendary city that may not even exist.
REVIEW: It was discounted, and it looked like a fairly quick adventure tale. In its favor, that's about what it is. The story is clearly inspired by old-school pulp novels, the sort of yarns H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and others wrote. Indeed, Daniel makes his living as a writer, his adventure tales (inspired as much by a youthful love of pulp novels as the peculiar wonders of Dushara) making him a minor celebrity in a world with minimal widespread literary traditions. The world itself has potential, a mish-mash of misplaced cultures founded by temporal refugees, facing dangers from ancient Earth (and possibly elsewhere, as some things seem to have followed a different evolutionary path.) Unfortunately, it also was apparently inspired by the flaws in those old pulp novels, the ones that sometimes make them feel dated. Will and Daniel are the Great White American Hopes of Dushara; one character even explicitly tells them that their unique mindsets are crucial to preserving the "soul" of the people of the land, who too often lapse into barbarism and savagery. (Because, of course, no other culture could rise above superstition or rudimentary scientific principles...) Despite coming from a modern world and having no real training in self defense, Will quickly proves himself a fighting prodigy, and his convenient lifelong fascination with history marks him as equal (and often superior) to local intellectuals. Sidekick natives exist mostly to further Will's quest to find a way back home - even the one black character in the book, a spear-wielding native of 1902 Africa. (There is also one, and only one, woman character - naturally gorgeous, naturally talented, and naturally existing for one of the characters to fall in love with... because that's about the only reason women appear in these stories.) The cultures encountered are quick-sketch caricatures, with little sense of depth; the Arabs are the caravan traders, the Greeks live in fishing villages, the Mongols raid on horseback... all resembling popular culture impressions, which don't tend to hold up when one does deeper research. As for the journey, it's mostly setups for attacks, followed by the expected attacks, the expected survival of key characters, and then wandering on to the next plot point destination. For instance, shortly after Will turns up, signs are found of local barbarian raiders - preceding an attack on the town where he takes refuge. Later, they're warned of "ape men" in the mountains. They travel into the mountains - and the ape-men can't wait to attack. Another leg warns of Mongols... You probably get the pattern by now. At some point, it started feeling like a game, a map loaded with beasts and beings whose sole purpose for existing is attacking the heroes - but never in overwhelming enough numbers to do more than allow them to gain experience points and level up in combat. As for the titular "city beyond the sands"... well, without spoilers, I can only say I was rather underwhelmed by it, especially given the hype. Then the ending offers little conclusion, setting up the next novel in the series.
If you're a fan of old-school adventure novels, and don't mind the formula of such tales, I expect you'll enjoy this story. As for me, I'm afraid it's just not my cup of cocoa. Despite the promise and some moments of imagination, I just never felt it lived up to its potential, or pushed itself beyond its pulp roots.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Saber Tooth (Lou Cadle) - My Review
King Solomon's Mines (H. Rider Haggard) - My Review
Island in the Sea of Time (S. M. Stirling) - My Review
(The Strange Lands Saga, Book 1)
Michael K. Rose
CreateSpace
Fiction, Adventure/Sci-Fi
*** (Okay)
DESCRIPTION: Will doesn't know what happened. One moment, he was watering his tomato plants, and the next he was in the middle of a vast forest, facing down a strange beast the size of a rhinoceros. Finding his way to civilization, such as it is, he learns that he's in a world known as Dushara, a rough approximation of Earth with some key differences... such as prehistoric animals, strange plants, and humans pulled seemingly at random from time. Daniel, his first friend and ersatz guide, came from the 1970's himself; he tells Will that he'd do well to forget his home on Earth and build a new life here. But Will has a son, and will do anything to get back home - even it it means crossing wilderness that even the wide-ranging Arab traders haven't dared enter, in search of a legendary city that may not even exist.
REVIEW: It was discounted, and it looked like a fairly quick adventure tale. In its favor, that's about what it is. The story is clearly inspired by old-school pulp novels, the sort of yarns H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and others wrote. Indeed, Daniel makes his living as a writer, his adventure tales (inspired as much by a youthful love of pulp novels as the peculiar wonders of Dushara) making him a minor celebrity in a world with minimal widespread literary traditions. The world itself has potential, a mish-mash of misplaced cultures founded by temporal refugees, facing dangers from ancient Earth (and possibly elsewhere, as some things seem to have followed a different evolutionary path.) Unfortunately, it also was apparently inspired by the flaws in those old pulp novels, the ones that sometimes make them feel dated. Will and Daniel are the Great White American Hopes of Dushara; one character even explicitly tells them that their unique mindsets are crucial to preserving the "soul" of the people of the land, who too often lapse into barbarism and savagery. (Because, of course, no other culture could rise above superstition or rudimentary scientific principles...) Despite coming from a modern world and having no real training in self defense, Will quickly proves himself a fighting prodigy, and his convenient lifelong fascination with history marks him as equal (and often superior) to local intellectuals. Sidekick natives exist mostly to further Will's quest to find a way back home - even the one black character in the book, a spear-wielding native of 1902 Africa. (There is also one, and only one, woman character - naturally gorgeous, naturally talented, and naturally existing for one of the characters to fall in love with... because that's about the only reason women appear in these stories.) The cultures encountered are quick-sketch caricatures, with little sense of depth; the Arabs are the caravan traders, the Greeks live in fishing villages, the Mongols raid on horseback... all resembling popular culture impressions, which don't tend to hold up when one does deeper research. As for the journey, it's mostly setups for attacks, followed by the expected attacks, the expected survival of key characters, and then wandering on to the next plot point destination. For instance, shortly after Will turns up, signs are found of local barbarian raiders - preceding an attack on the town where he takes refuge. Later, they're warned of "ape men" in the mountains. They travel into the mountains - and the ape-men can't wait to attack. Another leg warns of Mongols... You probably get the pattern by now. At some point, it started feeling like a game, a map loaded with beasts and beings whose sole purpose for existing is attacking the heroes - but never in overwhelming enough numbers to do more than allow them to gain experience points and level up in combat. As for the titular "city beyond the sands"... well, without spoilers, I can only say I was rather underwhelmed by it, especially given the hype. Then the ending offers little conclusion, setting up the next novel in the series.
If you're a fan of old-school adventure novels, and don't mind the formula of such tales, I expect you'll enjoy this story. As for me, I'm afraid it's just not my cup of cocoa. Despite the promise and some moments of imagination, I just never felt it lived up to its potential, or pushed itself beyond its pulp roots.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Saber Tooth (Lou Cadle) - My Review
King Solomon's Mines (H. Rider Haggard) - My Review
Island in the Sea of Time (S. M. Stirling) - My Review
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Paper Girls Volume 3 (Brian K. Vaughan)
Paper Girls Volume 3
(The Paper Girls series)
Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang
Image Comics
Fiction, YA Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: The four paper girls from 1988 Stony Stream have finally reunited... but just where, or when, they have no idea. A primeval forest full of beasts surrounds them - but is it the future, or the past? The discovery of a primitive girl and a futuristic scientist further complicate matters, as the polluted timestream once more threatens the lives of everyone and everything.
REVIEW: The paper girls are in entirely foreign territory, quite literally, through this volume, stuck in the distant past with a young woman who may be pivotal to the future of the human race - but even the past has been corrupted by the "foldings," the temporal rifts that have caused so much havoc everywhere and everywhen the girls end up. They have hopes for answers from Doctor Quanta, the time traveler from a future not too far from their own, only to find more questions and more problems. The characters continue to develop nicely, and the story remains interesting. The ending leaves me eager for the next installment, whenever it appears on Hoopla.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Sky Coyote (Kage Baker) - My Review
Saturday, the Twelfth of October (Norma Fox Mazer) - My Review
The Transall Saga (Gary Paulsen) - My Review
(The Paper Girls series)
Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang
Image Comics
Fiction, YA Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: The four paper girls from 1988 Stony Stream have finally reunited... but just where, or when, they have no idea. A primeval forest full of beasts surrounds them - but is it the future, or the past? The discovery of a primitive girl and a futuristic scientist further complicate matters, as the polluted timestream once more threatens the lives of everyone and everything.
REVIEW: The paper girls are in entirely foreign territory, quite literally, through this volume, stuck in the distant past with a young woman who may be pivotal to the future of the human race - but even the past has been corrupted by the "foldings," the temporal rifts that have caused so much havoc everywhere and everywhen the girls end up. They have hopes for answers from Doctor Quanta, the time traveler from a future not too far from their own, only to find more questions and more problems. The characters continue to develop nicely, and the story remains interesting. The ending leaves me eager for the next installment, whenever it appears on Hoopla.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Sky Coyote (Kage Baker) - My Review
Saturday, the Twelfth of October (Norma Fox Mazer) - My Review
The Transall Saga (Gary Paulsen) - My Review
Paper Girls Volume 2 (Brian K. Vaughan)
Paper Girls Volume 2
(The Paper Girls series)
Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang
Image Comics
Fiction, YA Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: Paper girls Mac, Tiffany, and Erin just escaped the strange nightmare enveloping 1988 Cleveland - only to land in 2016, right in front of a car driven by a grown-up Erin. As younger Erin and older Erin struggle to deal with each other, the question of what happened to KJ remains... and it's not long before time-traveling pursuers turn up, along with more terrible monsters. What's going on? Who can be trusted? And why are the four girls seemingly at the heart of it all?
REVIEW: This second volume sees the paper girls split up; KJ is missing, while the other three contend with the wonders and dangers of the future, not to mention the ongoing threat from the time-travelers. They each react differently. Erin is disappointed to see that she never got out of Stony Stream, while Tiffany can't help being fascinated by 2016, and tomboy Mac faces a devastating revelation about her own family and probable future. Meanwhile, older Erin confronts her past self and the dreams she lost on the way to growing up. The extra levels of character development underlay the main plot threads, which continue to race along at a brisk pace. It remains intriguing enough to keep me reading through the third volume.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Flight (Sherman Alexie) - My Review
Found (Margaret Peterson Haddix) - My Review
The Time Machine (H. G. Wells) - My Review
(The Paper Girls series)
Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang
Image Comics
Fiction, YA Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi
****+ (Good/Great)
DESCRIPTION: Paper girls Mac, Tiffany, and Erin just escaped the strange nightmare enveloping 1988 Cleveland - only to land in 2016, right in front of a car driven by a grown-up Erin. As younger Erin and older Erin struggle to deal with each other, the question of what happened to KJ remains... and it's not long before time-traveling pursuers turn up, along with more terrible monsters. What's going on? Who can be trusted? And why are the four girls seemingly at the heart of it all?
REVIEW: This second volume sees the paper girls split up; KJ is missing, while the other three contend with the wonders and dangers of the future, not to mention the ongoing threat from the time-travelers. They each react differently. Erin is disappointed to see that she never got out of Stony Stream, while Tiffany can't help being fascinated by 2016, and tomboy Mac faces a devastating revelation about her own family and probable future. Meanwhile, older Erin confronts her past self and the dreams she lost on the way to growing up. The extra levels of character development underlay the main plot threads, which continue to race along at a brisk pace. It remains intriguing enough to keep me reading through the third volume.
You Might Also Enjoy:
Flight (Sherman Alexie) - My Review
Found (Margaret Peterson Haddix) - My Review
The Time Machine (H. G. Wells) - My Review
Paper Girls Volume 1 (Brian K. Vaughan)
Paper Girls Volume 1
(The Paper Girls series)
Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang
Image Comics
Fiction, YA Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: In the wee morning hours after Halloween in 1988, paper girl Erin runs afoul of a trio of teenage bullies - only to be saved by three other paper girls. Tiffany, KJ, and Mac invite her to join their group, saying there's safety in numbers. Usually, they're just up against the odd thief or rowdy. This morning, however, they find themselves up against something stranger - and much more dangerous. Suddenly, most of the people in the neighborhood have disappeared and the skies fill with pteranodon-like beasts. What is going on... and why does Erin feel it's somehow familiar, like the nightmares that have been plaguing her?
REVIEW: This award-winning graphic novel begins the journey of four young teen girls from a small Cleveland suburb, thrusting them into a bizarre and dangerous adventure. Distrust of grown-ups takes on a whole new meaning when visitors from the future begin decimating the past... and, somehow, the four girls are caught right in the middle, pivotal players in a temporal nightmare. It's a fast-paced adventure with interesting, distinctive characters.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Time Keeper (Barbara Bartholomew)- My Review
The Dragon Quartet (Marjorie B. Kellogg) - My Review
Serpent of Time (Eugene Woodbury)- My Review
(The Paper Girls series)
Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang
Image Comics
Fiction, YA Graphic Novel/Sci-Fi
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: In the wee morning hours after Halloween in 1988, paper girl Erin runs afoul of a trio of teenage bullies - only to be saved by three other paper girls. Tiffany, KJ, and Mac invite her to join their group, saying there's safety in numbers. Usually, they're just up against the odd thief or rowdy. This morning, however, they find themselves up against something stranger - and much more dangerous. Suddenly, most of the people in the neighborhood have disappeared and the skies fill with pteranodon-like beasts. What is going on... and why does Erin feel it's somehow familiar, like the nightmares that have been plaguing her?
REVIEW: This award-winning graphic novel begins the journey of four young teen girls from a small Cleveland suburb, thrusting them into a bizarre and dangerous adventure. Distrust of grown-ups takes on a whole new meaning when visitors from the future begin decimating the past... and, somehow, the four girls are caught right in the middle, pivotal players in a temporal nightmare. It's a fast-paced adventure with interesting, distinctive characters.
You Might Also Enjoy:
The Time Keeper (Barbara Bartholomew)- My Review
The Dragon Quartet (Marjorie B. Kellogg) - My Review
Serpent of Time (Eugene Woodbury)- My Review
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