This was an interesting book on many levels. It introduced a magic system based on translation. It also featured several people of color attending OxfThis was an interesting book on many levels. It introduced a magic system based on translation. It also featured several people of color attending Oxford in the early 19th Century. Perhaps my favorite part was all the information on language and where words come from.
The story follows Robin Swift, a boy from China, who is brought to England to join the Translation School at Oxford (aka Babel). The themes of colonialism, racism, sexism, capitalism, power dynamics, and many others are explored through the book.
I think the book is excellent, but it also is heavy at times. I never take three weeks to read a book, but I certainly did this time as I had to be in the right frame of mind to go back to it after a certain point.
The ending of the book is a bit rough for me. Choices were made by the protagonist that I don't necessarily agree with, but also realize I possess white privilege. I don't have to agree with their actions, but I do try to understand their motivations.
This is a collection of short stories of the weird west. Some excellent stories are presented here. Below are my notes on the stories. I did not take This is a collection of short stories of the weird west. Some excellent stories are presented here. Below are my notes on the stories. I did not take notes on a couple of stories and couldn't well recall my thoughts when I got back to my notes a couple weeks later.
The Red-Headed Dead by Joe Lansdale (5 stars) is what this anthology is all about. I’ve read a number of Reverend Mercer stories and plenty of other Wierd West stuff by Joe Lansdale (The Magic Wagon, Jonah Hex, etc). This was solid.
The Old Slow Man and his Gold Gun from Space by Ben H. Winters (4 stars) had a good twist at the end.
Hellfire on the High Frontier by David Farland (5 stars) is my kind of setting with mysterious entities, clockwork gamblers, skinwalkers, Thunderbirds, airships, preachers calling rain, and a city in the clouds. What a great little story. My only issue with it is that there isn’t an entire series of books in this setting.
The Hell-Bound Stage Coach by Mike Resnick (3 stars) - a bit predictable, but decent. Liked the resolution.
Stingers and Strangers by Seanan McGuire (4 stars) - I really liked the characters and am happy to find they have other adventures in some short stories in front Seanan McGuire’s Cryptid series.
Bookkeeper, Narrator, Gunslinger by Charles Yu (4 stars) - Good writing and an interesting take on gunfighters.
Holy Jingle: A Mad Amos Malone Tale by Alan Dean Foster (4 stars) I read a collection of stories about Mad Amos Malone many years ago and enjoyed it. This one was a good one.
The Man with No Heart by Beth Revis (5 stars) This one put the weird in Weird West and I was totally down for it.
Second Hand (A Card Sharp Story) by Rajan Khanna (4 stars) - I don’t like the magic card card trope in weird west stuff, but this was much better than I expected and seems like a good start to a magic system.
Alvin and the Apple Maker by Orson Scott Card (4 stars) - I’ve not read Orson Scott Card, but was really pleasantly surprised by this story. Alvin seems an interesting character and the story was a bit preachy, but solid.
Madam Damnable’s Sewing Circle by Elizabeth Bear (5 stars) - Loved this. The “Sewing Circle” is a bordello and the use of sewing terms along those lines was fun. I liked the characters and would read novels for this setting.
Strong Medicine by Tad Williams (3.5 stars) - I’ve never read Tad Williams before this. This is pretty solid weird west entry with strange science, dinosaurs, and a solid ending.
Red Dreams by Jonathan Maberry (2.5 stars) - Can a weird west story be typical? I guess so.
Bamboozled by Kelley Armstrong (3.5 stars) - Good story with a twist. Sundown by Tobias S. Buckell (4 stars) - This was really good.
La Madre del Oro by Jeffrey Ford (4 stars) - Really good “western” characters and the turn to horror was low-key. Felt like Bone Tomahawk a bit.
What I Assume, You Shall Assume by Ken Liu (4 stars) - Good story. I really like that we are getting a very diverse segment of writers and characters. Ken Liu brings the Chinese perspective.
The Devil’s Jack (A Story of the Devil’s West) by Laura Anne Gilman (3.5 stars) - I’m intrigued that there appear to be novels and novels for this setting. Good short story - gave me a Hellblazer vibe in a western setting.
The Golden Age by Walter Jon Williams (5 stars) - I’m not surprised that Walter Jon Williams, who I know from Wild Cards, wrote a weird west superhero story. It is written from the supervillain’s perspective and was a joy to read.
Neversleeps by Fred Van Lente (3 stars) - Decent story. Throws in a relative of Tesla and establishes a world where magic is legal and technology is criminal.
Dead Man’s Hand by Christie Yant (2 stars) - Variations on Wild Bill Hickock’s end and final hand. ...more
This was a wonderful mix of dinosaurs, Nazis, a ninja, a femme fatale, a super soldier, and crazy adventure. The art was pretty good and the story wasThis was a wonderful mix of dinosaurs, Nazis, a ninja, a femme fatale, a super soldier, and crazy adventure. The art was pretty good and the story was good and lots of fun. ...more
Jade City is an interesting and unique setting. I absolutely love the mix of martial arts, jade powers, culture, and crime. I was pleasantly caught ofJade City is an interesting and unique setting. I absolutely love the mix of martial arts, jade powers, culture, and crime. I was pleasantly caught off guard by it being set in a modern era.
The characters are engaging. Shae is likely my favorite. Hilo grew on me through the story. Anden was fantastic. Lan was great. Wen was a surprisingly good character. The clan's opponents were also quite good, if not as well fleshed out.
The plot and story were good. I felt it dragged a bit in second quarter of the book, but built up in the latter half of the book.
I really enjoyed the TV show True Blood, but the books were something I didn't care for. I don't care for overly romantic storylines or whiny characteI really enjoyed the TV show True Blood, but the books were something I didn't care for. I don't care for overly romantic storylines or whiny characters.
I wanted to read this one for the setting as much as anything. FDR is assassinated and the USA fractures into several countries. The original colonies (except Georgia) request backing from Great Britain, Georgia and much of the Southeast become Dixie. Oklahoma and Texas become Texhoma, the displaced Romanovs come to the west coast and gain control of it calling it the Holy Russian Empire. Mexico expands north a bit and the remaining US (minus a little taken by Canada) becomes New America.
The main character is a young lady who is a "gunnie", a hired gun who provides protection. She's the result of a rape from a traveling "Grigori" (wizard) from the Holy Russian Empire. She doesn't like Grigoris very much.
The crew Gunnie Rose is with gets wiped out and she somehow survives and avenges them. Further, she completes the job they had signed on for. After getting back home she is approached by two Grigoris looking for a gunnie to travel with them into Mexico.
More is revealed about her past and some interesting secrets of the Holy Russian Empire along the way. I enjoyed the book, the writing, and the characters. ...more
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