A reimagining of today’s Marvel superheros in the year 1602! As a plot description, the novel needs little else, and the exercise is as fun as it sounA reimagining of today’s Marvel superheros in the year 1602! As a plot description, the novel needs little else, and the exercise is as fun as it sounds. There are hundreds of ways this could have turned out, and Gaiman and his team went a fun, thoughtful and darkish route that manages to combine some of the familiar overarching storylines (like the enmity between Professor X and Magneto) with new opportunities that occur because of the time period and the politics and limitations inherent therein. It’s gorgeous throughout, with the covers being particularly outstanding.
There are a couple of things that are worthy of specific note, in my mind:
In the afterword, telling the story of the story - how the comic came to be- Gaiman states
“And then September 11 happened, and while I wasn’t certain what I wanted in there, I suddenly knew what I didn’t want. No planes. No skyscrapers. No bombs. No guns. I didn’t want it to be a war story, and I didn’t want to write a story in which might made right- or in which might made anything.”
That’s a lofty goal in a series containing some of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel universe, but they pull it off well. There’s a certain charm in a story that has conflict aplenty, and minimal bloodshed. There’s actual magic in a story that does it without you missing that violence at all. I appreciate that a lot. It turns out that not all superhero stories have to resolve with bloody smashy-smash and swathes of destruction. (I know there are others! It just doesn’t seem to be the rising trend. Sometimes a story is thoughtful because it because it bucks current convention. )
And the other thing. This is one of my favourite panels in the entire novel:
[image]
This encapsulates a feeling I get from all Gaiman stories. I love it, and the very profound sense of almost spiritual comfort it lends to the idea of Story itself.
I’m delighted to have read this, and to have it in my collection....more
"Emile sits up straight. He nods his encouragement at the bartender who had put down a copy of Don Quixote when Emile came in. If that's not a sign fr"Emile sits up straight. He nods his encouragement at the bartender who had put down a copy of Don Quixote when Emile came in. If that's not a sign from God that this is some sort of idealistic, absurd adventure, Emile thinks, I don't know what is."
A man is brought to a mental institution in Spain, and identifies himself as Christopher Columbus. The story, though presented as the telling (from his own mouth) of how he, the intrepid adventurer, aquired the ships for his great adventure towards the edge of the world, is the mystery of who this man really is and how he came to be at the facility, teetering on the edge of sanity.
There are three characters and three journeys we follow in Waiting For Columbus. In addition to Columbus we join Consuela, the nurse who has been chosen to hear Columbus' story, and Interpol Agent Emile, who is searching for Columbus, following his erratic path around Spain prior to arriving at the Institute.
Each of these journeys is symbolic, for each character, of an overarching quest to aquire something in their own lives; to "adventure" past some tragedy or disappointment to the greener land on the other side of the ocean.
I admit I circled around the first few chapters like a cat staking out a sunbeam, uncertain how comfortably I'd be able to settle in. There is an atmosphere of despondency in this book - the searchers don't necessarily seem to want to find what they are looking for, or even to acknowledge what it is they are journeying away from. It is actually a very real-life feeling, and perhaps that is why I don't enjoy to immerse myself in it.
But the language is beautiful and there is a slow burn sensuality that carries one forward until the mystery of the story takes hold. I did indeed settle in, and once there I was compelled to continue, to follow the plots as they were charted and find out what happens when the story inevitably discovers the unknown....more
My older siblings watched a great deal of sci-fi at a time when my vote for cartoons didn’t count for much, and so I ended up a default but devoted f My older siblings watched a great deal of sci-fi at a time when my vote for cartoons didn’t count for much, and so I ended up a default but devoted fan of most late 70’s and mid 80’s Space-related series. V was one of my favourites.
One of my sisters fan-girled hardcore for a short time, and somehow acquired the Florida Project. The cover -terrified!- me, in the sort of way that makes you go back and sneak looks at it once or twice a week for years! I know I eventually inherited it, or absconded with it, and I know I read it. But what I remember most about the book is all the stories I made up around my dreadful fascination with that damn cover. Those were pants-wetting, 5-star stories, those were.
But the actual book itself? I can’t remember a thing. Is it odd that it’s still one of my favourites, despite that?...more
Some books are just... meh. Not bad. Not poorly written, necessarily. They just don’t stick with you. You are not overwhelmed or sad when you are don Some books are just... meh. Not bad. Not poorly written, necessarily. They just don’t stick with you. You are not overwhelmed or sad when you are done. Not fulfilled, but not angry or disappointed.
Some books you close with a shrug. Dean Koontz tends more often than not to do that for me, but I read him anyway because his stories move along, and someone has to set the standard of generic for all the horror stories floating around in the ether.
I can understand why he’s perfect for some readers. On the odd occasion, he hits the spot for me. ...more
Ok, so if you aren’t hooked by the opening line in this book, the you have no good sense of dark and chilling fun and this book is not for you:
“The grOk, so if you aren’t hooked by the opening line in this book, the you have no good sense of dark and chilling fun and this book is not for you:
“The great gray beast February had eaten Harvey Swick alive.”
The book is classified in the title as a fable; and so it is: a moral fairytale chock full of the eerie ness that abounds in Grimm’s. It is this strange spookiness that makes it quite fantastic, and it highlights the twisted imagination that is its author’s trademark.
Although the very jaded might find the basic storyline a tad mundane, the chilly atmosphere crafted by the well-chosen words (and amplified by the vaguely troubling author-drawn illustrations) demonstrates nicely how much stronger a moral tale can be if you are right properly creeped out while reading it.
Dark and fun and a little disturbing: a great read for the visually imaginative. [and one that I would read to my own children, if I had any. But maybe not right before bed. ]
**i wrote this review 10 years ago. I am a changeable creature with a terrible memory. But I certainly liked this at the time!**...more
I carted this beautiful little book around with me so much for about a year when I was little. It got dropped in the dirt, dropped in the bathtub, proI carted this beautiful little book around with me so much for about a year when I was little. It got dropped in the dirt, dropped in the bathtub, propped up in the fuzzy arms of my (very apropos) stuffed rabbit. It was a sweet story, and the colours and the flowers and the strawberries were so enchanting that I was convinced that if I rubbed the pages hard enough, they most certainly *must* give off even better scents than my favourite scratch n’ sniff stickers. As I wore off the colour on my favourite illustrations (and rubbed deep grooves into the pages), I was certain I could smell the meadow all around me ❤️...more
A delightful little treat. Full of good-natured commentary on smarts, books, friendship, peace and the silliness of society. Something for the gigglinA delightful little treat. Full of good-natured commentary on smarts, books, friendship, peace and the silliness of society. Something for the giggling but thoughtful heart. A stay-at-home trek for the common sense adventurer, with beautiful illustrations and a happy little ending.
Also, this lazy, rambling dragon is my spirit animal....more
"He stood at the foot of the bed and looked at me with solemn eyes. I sat on the side of the bed and looked at him with whatever kind of eyes I had
"He stood at the foot of the bed and looked at me with solemn eyes. I sat on the side of the bed and looked at him with whatever kind of eyes I had at the time. We did this for nearly three minutes."
I have to admit that modern versions of Organised Crime stories are not my, er, flask of Scotch. These gritty, hard-boiled pulps, though. The language and the atmosphere are just so damn swell. Hammett is one of the progenitors of the noir genre, and I can't possibly love his writing more. The story itself is good, but it's all about the style, for me.
I love that the Continental Op has no name. The main character has no name. He's just The Continental Op.
I love that if you are reading Red Harvest in the internal accent that you should, Personville becomes Poisonville almost automatically.
I love that 1920's and 1930's small-city America seems (in these types of novels) to be almost equally populated with innocents and no-goodniks, and everybody's workin' an angle, see?
And I absolutely adore that everyone was more linguistically interesting. Like seriously, check this out:
" 'I'm busted, flat. I know you're a Continental Op, and I got a pretty good hunch what you're up to here. I'm close to a lot that's going on on both sides of things in this burg. There's things I could do for you, being an ex-dick, know the ropes both ways.' 'You want to stool pigeon for me?' He looked me straight in the eye and said evenly: 'There's no sense in a man picking out the worst name he can find for everything!'"
One of the top reviewers for this book, Stephen, said Red Harvest gave him an Noirgasm, and I think that the term is just to apropos to not appropriate it for myself. Such a fun read!
This series has become one of my most reread collections, and this first book has a lot to do with that.
In the big picture, Otherland, book 1, is almoThis series has become one of my most reread collections, and this first book has a lot to do with that.
In the big picture, Otherland, book 1, is almost entirely set up for the main (huge) story-line that follows. Although there is a frustration in coming to the end of it and realizing that the “journey” hasn't even started yet, it remains the most stand-out of all the books – for me, anyway. Perhaps it is because as the true story unfolds in the following installments, the movement and challenges become cyclical and can feel redundant. This first book is masterful in its characterization, and has fewer threads to jump between.
The whole series is an interesting mesh of genres. Set in the near future with Virtual Reality as the main vehicle for plot movement, Williams uses this SciFi base as a platform to jump into a true Fantasy Quest Story. My logical brain loves this sort of justification for transporting everyday people into a world of impossibilities and apparent magic.
I have great fondness for ensemble-cast quest stories, and the Otherland series has a huge roster of characters. The time we spend with a smaller handful of them in this first book is almost essential, I think, because as the story evolves and the playing fields get more crowded, it can almost feel like too much to follow. Our grounding with these initial characters keeps the convolution at bay and helps to recenter us when things seems to get aimless.
Although the following books are incredible in their imaginative scope and are densely layered with detailed intrigue, I find the attention that Williams pays to the diverse characterization and real world surroundings are what draw me in, every time, and sell the promise of the story to come....more
I originally posted this review in 2007 on Librarything. I can honestly say that I don’t remember a single thing about this book, now, but it looks asI originally posted this review in 2007 on Librarything. I can honestly say that I don’t remember a single thing about this book, now, but it looks as though I liked it!
“I found this book to be a splendid blend of Alternative History and Science Fiction. Set in the early 1700's, we follow a young Ben Franklin through his early scientific dreaming to his head-first stumbling into a political plot of stunning scope: the destruction of London by a 'comet-tomical' bomb, enginered by King Louis XIV and his band of alchemists and scientists. Young Franklin has unwittingly aided these men, and now must try to stop them. I always hate summarizing plots...it never does a dynamic story-line any justice. The book is good. The main characters are well-crafted (most particularly Ben), the science is quite precise, and the storyline is compelling. The author tells the tale well, and with great care. Is it life-changing fiction? Not so much. Is it worth the read? Without doubt it will entertain you if you are at all a fan of either of the two genres. ”...more
I would recommend the Discworld Series to a fairly large selection of readers:
- fans of fantasty who don't take the genre so seriously that they can' I would recommend the Discworld Series to a fairly large selection of readers:
- fans of fantasty who don't take the genre so seriously that they can't, on occasion, enjoy having some fun poked at their tropes and stereotypes -fans of fantasy who have burned out on the most common questlines and cliches, and tend to poke fun themselves at such things -fans of solid world-building. It may get lost among the flippant presentation over so many novels, but the Discworld is thick with layers of development, from setting to politics to religion to culture -fans of clever, crafty wordplay, brilliant humour and sarcastic footnotes -fans of good-hearted (and over-hopeful) social progress, who agree that we are all kind of idiotic, flawed and selfish but can still, in our brightest moments, choose (or stumble) upon the right thing and actually do it.
The Discworld has been progressing (socially and otherwise) through each of it's novels. Raising Steam (book #40) is another story of its inevitable industrial rising, this time in the form of the steam engine and the very first locamotive. It's main protagonist is Moist-who really seems to be the physical embodiment of Industrial Change on the Disc- but we also get to see quite a few of our favourite old faces along the journey that the train forges throughout the pages. The secondary storyline, really just a catalyst for the necessity of the railway, is a dwarven rebellion initiated by radicals who adhere to extreme interpretations of old dwarven beliefs and want to wrest control from the modern, broader-minded leadership...sound familiar? I admit that I was surprised that these storylines weren't a bit more balanced, especially given the contemporary relevance of the ideological and spiritual conflict in the Dwarf plot. Usually the individual segments of these books are more comprehensive and more deftly intertwined.
On the other hand, I get the sense that Sir Terry was trying to finish up the evolutionary era that his writing carried the Discworld through, and that he needed to focus on the locomotive, and its track toward modernity. From the very first tourist in The Colour Of Magic to the age of Iron in Raising Steam, the Disc has grown up and out of it's creator's hands and will barrel along now on its own steam. Although there is still one more (fantastic) story left after this one, I feel like the Iron Girder, that first Locomotive, really starts its journey on the period at the end of The End.
As my own footnote, I've noticed that people ask if the Discworld novels need to be read in sequence. The answer is no, as each book was theoretically written to stand on it's own. But these last few novels are different - they feel more like gifts to the fans, and a wrapping up of loose ends. It's nice to know a bit about those loose ends before you seem them tidied away. And hindsight tells me that there really is a long, slow evolution of nearly everything over the course of 41 books. So, while it is certainly ok o jump in any point, I think there is a really neat element added by following that evolution right from the beginning....more
For the truest readers, The Logogryph will be a resonant gem: resoundingly familiar, and utterly beautiful to experience.
It describes its own essence For the truest readers, The Logogryph will be a resonant gem: resoundingly familiar, and utterly beautiful to experience.
It describes its own essence many times in its excerpts, far more enticingly than I possibly can: (This, of the snow eagles who build giant, ever-changing nests from the unending supply of discarded, printed paper)
" The eagles, they say, mate with the black-blooded lions of the interior. And their offspring is the Logogryph, the fabulous creature that flies on wings made of ribbons and shreds of ink-dappled paper.
Should you dare to ride this dreadful beast, you would awaken later as if from a deep sleep, with some of these printed scraps clutched in your hands. Fragments that would hint at ideal books, impossible books, books that you have always longed to read"
This is, indeed, a collection of fragments - snippets of book love, in various display. It may feel discordant and confusing at first, until you realise that YOU, as a reader - but as a TRUE reader - are the first and longest thread connecting these bits. There are other threads wending their own way, rest assured, and if you are patient you'll catch glimpses of them. How everything comes together in the end is really quite brilliantly impactive. But you, as the reader, should just enjoy being woven along with them. Take your time, and linger after each few pages. There is so much to connect with, so very much that a bibliophile will recognize and feel echoed back from their own bookish heart. At turns it is quirky, and sad, full of yearning and magic, silliness and seriousness, and all so eloquently stated.
I, as the reader, found that I could pull so many things from these excerpts that vibrated at my same frequency. So many that, ultimately, I see that they are all just best exactly where they are. This is the kind of book that it is hard to do justice to, because any review or reaction is just so very dependant on the person reading it, and it's true and acceptable that someone else may find this to be just so much meandering tripe. I mean, I will think they are wrong , and not actually true readers- not readers at heart, because this book spoke to the part inside of me that is forever curled up in some comfy chair, surrounded by mountainous, endless stacks of books that I will tirelessly be questing to make my through.
I did actually read this once before, about 13 years ago, and it clearly did not strike me the same way then. I came into this reading with no recollection of what was inside these pages. So, perhaps my advice might be this: Secure yourself a copy of this book right now. If you can, find the lovely little bound edition with a slipcase, illustrations and delicious paper. Then put it on your shelf and let it sit there while you read your way through your own mountain of books. Stew in the juices of those other books, and let their fun and flavour and sadness and adventure seep into your very marrow. Do this for a very long time. I think it is the best way to prepare yourself for a ride on the back of the Logogryph. ...more
A journal entry that I wrote at least 12 years ago says that this is:
....a somewhat untidy historical mystery set in 1846 New York, involving grisly A journal entry that I wrote at least 12 years ago says that this is:
....a somewhat untidy historical mystery set in 1846 New York, involving grisly murders, international intrigue and the number 13. Technically, the writing is acceptable but contextually it all feels a bit weak. Meyer tells us that his main characters are nicely dynamic, but he doesn’t actually show us that they are. Poe, we hear, is a lascivious, strange, drug-addled troublemaker, who is also damned smart and deductive. What we see instead is a self conscious poor man who adds little in terms of aid. The book quotes his work, but as the story itself is not really macabre the quotes seem out of place.
The story itself is not too bad, but may have fared better as a straight forward murder mystery. There is a small, one page-ish intro which speaks of high intrigue, which is then disregarded until the last chapter. This adds not so much a surprising twist, and more a “Wtf, mate?”
I like mystery, and I like history, and I love Poe. This had all of that, so I can’t be too terribly sad about having read it. I honestly did enjoy it, but I’ll likely not go back for a second run-through. ...more
It’s charming and positive and in my memory the illustrations are delightfully odd-ish. It was on a bookshelf right at bedside height for years, so I It’s charming and positive and in my memory the illustrations are delightfully odd-ish. It was on a bookshelf right at bedside height for years, so I let my nostalgia choose the rating. One of the much-thumbed books that shaped me 😊...more
Abner Marsh (and how can you not love a name like that?) is a down-on-his-luck riverboat captain in the late 1850’s. When he is approached by Joshua YAbner Marsh (and how can you not love a name like that?) is a down-on-his-luck riverboat captain in the late 1850’s. When he is approached by Joshua York, he’s puzzled as to why this wealthy aristocrat would want to invest scads of money into a failing steamboat company. He shrugs off his curiosity though, to except York’s offer: partnership investment and enough funding to build a lavish new boat – large enough to transport cargo to get the company back on it’s feet, grand enough to attract the wealthiest of passengers, and most importantly, fleet enough to outrun the Eclipse, currently the fastest steamboat on the Mississippi. Marsh accepts, and there begins an odd and mysterious partnership; for Abner Marsh is a proud captain spurred by dreams of riverboat immortality and Joshua York is (cue dramatic music) ... a Vampire.
Definitely not a fantasy, and not quite Gothic horror, Fevre Dream actually reads mostly like detailed historical fiction, with Vapirism thrown in as an acceptable oddity. The humid, rushing Mississippi adds a unique atmosphere to the tale.
As each of the partners pursue their own aims, they form an intense friendship and eventually embrace each other’s goals as their own.
Engrossing, intriguing and subtlety haunting (and yes, more descriptive than anyone can possibly appreciate), it was well worth the night awake I spent reading it, and is another trophy on Martin’s shelf of good writing.
(Review written after initial reading at least 10 years ago and reproduced here!)...more
I love other people's excitement about things. I find it delightful, and engaging. When that passion turns into an insistence that I will love thoseI love other people's excitement about things. I find it delightful, and engaging. When that passion turns into an insistence that I will love those things, that I must love those things, I get obstinately, irrationally resistant. I jokingly ascribe this to my trip through the 90's - that time of angsty music, angry plaid and baggy Levi's so weighted with indifference that they could hardly be bothered to hold onto our hipbones. The truth is, though (despite a lingering love of plaid), that I was never angsty, rarely angry, and enjoy being able to walk quickly without mooning anyone. What I am is consistently, habitually, nearly instinctually contrarian. It's honestly a problem, (albeit a fun one), and I've been working really hard at taming the urge, a little.
I was introduced to Moorcock by a rabid fan many years ago, and his persistent insistence that Elric was THE shit, that it would be heresy to call myself a fantasy fan if I didn't enjoy it...well, this pretty much guaranteed that I would read it with as much indifference or scathing disdain as I could muster. And so I did, and thought it just so much melodramatic tripe.
I was wrong.
This really is seminal sword and sorcery. The sheer imaginative power of the story is tremendous. I first read this coming off a rip of Martin, Jordan, and Goodkind, and the difference in worldbuilding is honestly remarkable. With grand but stark language, Moorcock manages to convey a richly envisioned world using only about 20% of the words that those other Purple Prosers use, and the reader is thrown in without elaborate explanations of how everything works. ( Though, there are some quirks in Elric, too - "The Warrior Priest Of Phum drew a red kerchief from within his tunic and blew his nose for some time. When he had finished he put down a hand, helped Elric to his feet, and began to walk along the rim of the marsh, keeping the black monument ever in sight" Wtf? I giggled a lot over this.)
It has the feel, often, of a fable or an oral tale, and the tone in which it is told stands up well despite the 45 years that have passed since it was first written.
I'm really glad I gave Elric another try, and wasn't purposefully resistant. I'm curious to see where his story goes from here....more
I originally posted this review in 2008 on Librarything. I understand a bit better, now, why it wasn’t a stellar book, given the author’s illness, butI originally posted this review in 2008 on Librarything. I understand a bit better, now, why it wasn’t a stellar book, given the author’s illness, but I suspect that it wouldn’t change my opinion of the book itself, were I to reread:
“I’ve been unabashedly in love with this series since I first began to read it, and I still am...though I figure anyone who's not a devoted fan should give this particular volume a miss.
I admit to a pretty blunt disappointment. This book just doesn't seem to make any sense...I mean, it's a mystery. Clearly it's a mystery: all the other books in the series have been, and the genre printed on the spine SAYS it's a mystery. And although, as per usual, strange hijinks abound (the burning down of a couple of town buildings, and the murder ? of a young lady,) there is absolutely no resolution at all. Really, there doesn't seem to be any actual INTEREST in the strange things that are going on. One of the buildings that burn is, in fact, the main character's treasured and "world-famous" barn...but he seems to have no reaction to it at all...doesn't even go to see it, or inquire about it.
Honestly, if Ms. Braun had a history of carrying her main storylines over from novel to novel I'd be the first to jump to her defense. But the truth is that each center plot line has always been standalone, so I can't imagine there being any follow-up. And, I must admit that my defense would be quite weak; the book stinks, in technical quality as well as in content.
I STILL love the series, and I STILL look forward to further installments. The earlier books are so much fun, and so lovely to read. But strangers to the Cat Who books be warned...this is not the place to begin. Or bother with at all. “...more
Michelle F
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