Can I give this 6 stars? Lords of Uncreation is an absolutely perfect conclusion to an already incredible series. Small things fit together in ways I Can I give this 6 stars? Lords of Uncreation is an absolutely perfect conclusion to an already incredible series. Small things fit together in ways I never would have expected, the setting and characters continue to be some of the most unique and memorable I've seen in a sci-fi universe in a long time, and the climax is just about the most bombastic, exhilarating, satisfying one I've ever read. This is a book that had me crying over the fate of a nest of cybernetic insects, and exulting the machinations of a giant alien clam. Because these characters feel real, with their own drives, and fears, and sometimes batshit-crazy cultures with their own rules and norms. And seeing damn near everyone who's still alive by the end come together and fight their damnedest in whatever way they can in the final confrontation was unbelievably cool.
I'm actually sad that this is the last book in the series, despite how good it is--because I want more of this universe, these aliens, these characters I've grown to know and love during the course of this trilogy. The Final Architecture as a whole is why I read sci-fi. Tchaikovsky takes ideas that are completely insane on the surface and makes them accessible and believable, while weaving in very grounded themes of xenophobia, expansionism, greed, courage, and so many more. Lords of Uncreation is the crown jewel in a masterpiece of a space opera, and I think it just might be my new favorite book of all time....more
As is tradition, I'll be rating each story here, with a brief synopsis so you'll know what you're in for.
"Alley" - 3 stars The title story in this collAs is tradition, I'll be rating each story here, with a brief synopsis so you'll know what you're in for.
"Alley" - 3 stars The title story in this collection makes for a decent enough start. A man rents a room in a house off an alley. He starts to hear mysterious voices at night, that seem to be coming from behind a walled off section with barbed wire over the top of it, and the story centers around what happened there. Decently creepy, but nothing awe-inspiring.
"Descent" - 1 star This one is kind of a mess. Young people start inexplicably wandering off into the night, claiming a "change" is coming to their town. Others have committed suicide. But after awhile, a bunch of them disappear, with only the protagonist's wife, who was found caught in a tree. In short order, weird things start happening to her, and the others begin reappearing in disastrous fashion. The problem is, none of it comes together. The only "change" that happens to the town is the eventual fate of the people who disappeared, and what happens to them doesn't ever get any sort of explanation either. And ambivalence can work in horror, but this just feels like several unrelated ideas just crammed into one story, with no real payoff.
"The Ward" - 4 stars This one gets back to the weird, otherworldly visuals that Ito's known for. A woman gets into a car crash, and ends up in a hospital where something weird is going on. And that sense of isolation and helplessness really works here, as something terrible keeps closing in on our protagonist, the longer she's stuck there.
"The Inn" - 4 stars A man has a dream that his ancestors told him to turn his home into an inn, and dig up a hot spring in the middle of his floor. As he keeps digging without finding anything, eventually his wife gets fed up, takes his daughter, and leaves. Ten years later, the daughter tells her boyfriend the story, and he decides to see what became of her father, with very creepy, phantasmagoric results. Great art, and the ending of this one is a perfect example of unanswered questions done right.
"Blessing" - 4 stars This one seemed like it was going to be a fairly straightforward story of a jilted lover, but it ended up being something a bit more interesting. On the surface, it's about a guy trying (unsuccessfully) to get the approval of his girlfriend's father to marry her. As the years go on, the story takes several twists, and the final one is pretty haunting.
"Smoker's Club" - 1 star And we're back to a half-baked idea that looks kinda cool, but isn't fleshed out. It's about super-addictive, supernatural(?) tobacco. That's it. No explanation, no resolution, no real sense to it.
"Mold" - 3 stars Excellent body horror in this one...at least visually. The story is flimsy, but it's mostly coherent, and the atmosphere is solid. A man has recently had his dream home built, but shortly afterward, has to take an extended business trip overseas. He begrudgingly agrees to rent the place out while he's gone, but comes home to something terrible. It strains credulity that he doesn't go stay somewhere else for awhile, after seeing how bad things are, but watching the ensuing events unfold is still a squicky good time.
"Town of No Roads" - 4 stars This one almost falls into the "it's a mess" category, but the second half more than saves it. Our protagonist is a girl who, through a really weird series of events, discovers she has a stalker. In the aftermath of the discovery, her family starts being weirdly protective of her--to the point where she decides to go live with her aunt in another town...only to find that the road into that town has a house built over it. And then things get really freaking weird in the best way. Stories like this are why I read Junji Ito, and the shaky opening act is the only thing that keeps it from being 5 stars.
"Memory" - 3 stars This one's pretty simple in the end, but somehow that makes it work. A girl has amnesia for a sizable span of her life, apart from one hazy memory, where she swears she used to look different from how she currently does. But the few family photos of her from that time show her looking like she does now. Is her memory faulty, or is something else going on? The reveal isn't all that special, but it works, and provides a nice palette-cleanser from the previous story.
"Ice Cream Bus" - 2 stars A creepy ice cream bus makes the rounds of a certain town every Sunday, offering the children (and only the children) rides around town while they eat their treats. Creepy enough on its own, but then there's hints at mounds of ice cream just heaped up in the back that the kids lick during the rides. Our protagonist is a divorced dad who has custody of his son, and while he's leery of the bus, he wants to stay on his son's good side, so he eventually caves and lets the boy take a ride... The setup is really better than the execution, and despite some cool art, the reveal at the end could've been a bit more creative than what it is.
You get a double-cross! And you get a double-cross! Betrayals for everyone!
I don't want to go into much more detail than that, because this really desYou get a double-cross! And you get a double-cross! Betrayals for everyone!
I don't want to go into much more detail than that, because this really deserves to play out at its own pace. Some of the twists had been building up for awhile, while others were more shocking--or even surprisingly cathartic. Things have spiraled so far out of control by this point that Sato seems to be the only player left with a cohesive plan. And the fact that everyone else is scrambling to play catch-up is keeping the tension pretty damn high. Another excellent volume in an excellent series, and I can't wait to see how the final stage of Sato's scheme continues to play out....more
This is a slower volume, and that's okay. A breather from all the action gives the story a chance to land some significant emotional blows. We find ouThis is a slower volume, and that's okay. A breather from all the action gives the story a chance to land some significant emotional blows. We find out more about Sato's past, Tosaki's life goes even more off the rails, and we get a better look at Kei's family--though with regards to the latter, I don't necessarily buy his mother's assessment that Kei isn't "cold" just because he's rational. The kid is still kind of an asshole, whether he's pragmatic or not. I do kinda like his tirade about impossible odds at one point though: even if it seems like there's no chance of winning, you don't know until you try. Especially when you've got nothing left to lose.
Meanwhile, in the background, Sato's plan is moving toward its final stage. And with the way Ajin has played out so far, I know that whatever I might be expecting, it's going to fall short of whatever mad genius Sakurai has actually penned. Solid volume, and I think it's going to be a "calm before the storm" installment....more
The fight in the Forge building finally comes to an end, and things appear pretty bleak. There are some developments with Tanaka that might be a ray oThe fight in the Forge building finally comes to an end, and things appear pretty bleak. There are some developments with Tanaka that might be a ray of hope, but Sato continues to be a force to be reckoned with, Kei has turned (reverted?) into a coward, and a lot of people have died. Ko seems to be the only one with any fight left in him, and this situation has him in over his head. This is a sobering volume, but another good one, which balances the action with existential musings and questions of morality. I don't quite know where the story is going to go from here, but I'd like to think all hope isn't lost quite yet....more
I probably never would have read this, if it hadn't been shelved under the sci-fi/fantasy/horror section of my local used bookstore. I'm a little irkeI probably never would have read this, if it hadn't been shelved under the sci-fi/fantasy/horror section of my local used bookstore. I'm a little irked about that, but at least I got it used. And I can enjoy a good noir-ish mystery if it's done right, with or without supernatural elements. The Little Sleep is not done right.
Of this book's problems, the worst is the protagonist, Mark. He's an insufferable little shit who acts like the world owes him something because he got into a drunken car accident years ago, and ended up with narcolepsy from it. He's terrible to everyone he meets, including his mother, who provides him his apartment and the office for his half-assed detective business, rent-free. But Mark is more than just an awful person--he's an awful person who just does not shut up. Ever.
I get that Tremblay was trying to hit that stylish noir atmosphere of dames with legs that never quit, walking into this office out of all the offices in the world, and all that. But even the most hardboiled private eye needs to stop the internal monologuing now and then to let the story breathe. Mark doesn't do that; it's nonstop, and it's exhausting.
All of which might've been more tolerable if the mystery was engaging at least...but yeah, you probably see where this is going. I just didn't feel invested in any of this at all. Someone drops off a pair of revealing photographs to Mark, only the person he thinks gave them to him claims to have never met him before. And for 80% of the book, that's...it. I don't think a couple of relatively tame, yet revealing photos of someone--even someone famous--is really that big of a deal, in the age of the Internet, and deepfakes, and all that. Yet it's enough to make Mark crash his way ahead with all the tact of a drunken rhinoceros, acting like he has to be right about absolutely everything, even though he has trouble discerning between dreams and reality.
Let's talk a bit about that, too. Mark's narcolepsy isn't exactly the selling point Tremblay intended it to be. It could have helped make Mark a sympathetic character...if he didn't act like it makes him entitled to everything. And if it wasn't his own damn fault he ended up that way. But given Mark's unbelievable woe-is-me narcissism, I found myself actively rooting for characters like the goons, and the ornery old cab driver who were collectively over Mark's bullshit.
Which brings me to the fact that somehow, despite all of this book's shortcomings, The Little Sleep is somehow the first book in a series, according to Goodreads. (Also according to Goodreads, the title is apparently "LITT SLEEP," which is weird.) You would have to pay me to read more of the inept bumblings of this character. And while I truly disliked this book, I have to give it two stars instead of one, because there are occasional turns of phrase that are artfully done, instead of overwrought and tiresome. Beyond that, it's a meandering story full of unlikable characters, with a mystery that's hard to care about and a payoff that is nowhere near worth it....more
I'm always up for a story where the protagonist isn't human. And while I'm not usually one for romance, when it's done well, I can enjoy it; see for eI'm always up for a story where the protagonist isn't human. And while I'm not usually one for romance, when it's done well, I can enjoy it; see for example, The Elder Sister-Like One, a manga (though admittedly a fanservice-y manga), that actually treads a lot of the same ground as Someone You Can Build a Nest In. I really enjoy that series, because Chiyo, the love interest, really does feel like an inhuman creature, trying to figure out human social norms. That...isn't always the sense I get from Shesheshen in this book.
Shesheshen, the shapeshifter, was abandoned from the time she hatched, had to fight/eat her siblings to survive, and has lived most of her life alone, save for the companionship of a blue bear. And while some human things like eating cooked food and talking perplex her, she somehow has an intuitive grasp of abusive relationships. Like, you grew up with no family at all, and you had to eat the few relatives you knew before they ate you--if anything, human siblings/parents hurting each other should seem downright normal. There are nods toward her inhuman nature, but as a whole, Shesheshen often doesn't feel monstrous enough for what she is. She also spends most of the book too malnourished and weak to be anything aside from codependent on Homily, the human love interest, which doesn't help.
Neither does the fact that Shesheshen sometimes doesn't seem terribly bright. (view spoiler)[There's one section where it's revealed there's another monster in the isthmus where Shesheshen lives, and she's agonizing over what it could be. Despite the fact that it has amorphous gray skin, and incorporates bones from other animals as well as tree limbs into itself for stability--you know, exactly like Shesheshen, herself. But instead of realizing, "oh shit, there's another shapeshifter out here!" she starts wondering if it's some kind of creature from the sea, or one of the gods the humans pray to. (hide spoiler)] I mean, seriously? If such a thing is that obvious to the reader, it should've been doubly-clear to Shesheshen, herself, given she'd be even more familiar with all of that. It makes it hard to root for a character when they're that willfully obtuse.
It also makes it hard to stay invested in a story, when there are people walking around with names like Kleptocracy, Aristocracy, and Plutocracy, while other people have normal, ostensibly serious names. It's almost like the author is trying to be Marvel-witty at times, but these attempts just feel wildly out of place and immersion-breaking.
All of that said, there are still the bones of an okay fantasy romance, here. Watching Shesheshen and Homily gradually get closer to one another felt believable overall (Shesheshen's hard to swallow acquaintance with human family inter-relations aside); some of the side characters were memorable; and the reveal of the true threat at hand provided a decent counterpoint to all the hand-wringing romantic angst. Someone You Can Build a Nest In isn't bad by any means, but some some questionable prose and narrative choices keep it from being great....more
So that'd be yer friend in da wood chipper den, eh?
Holy crap. Just when I think I've seen the extent of the sheer brutal creativity this series has toSo that'd be yer friend in da wood chipper den, eh?
Holy crap. Just when I think I've seen the extent of the sheer brutal creativity this series has to offer, Sakurai comes up with something that shocks me. Volume 8 is almost all top-notch action, as various combatants use their resources in fantastically inventive ways. I don't really know what more I can say that wouldn't spoil things--the way I opened this review is almost saying too much--but Ajin continues to have some of the best-written and -drawn action sequences I've ever seen in a manga. Incredible stuff!...more
As if Tosaki wasn't already operating covertly, the minister makes a potentially disastrous decision that forces the anti-demi squad to go all in. AndAs if Tosaki wasn't already operating covertly, the minister makes a potentially disastrous decision that forces the anti-demi squad to go all in. And actually, breakdowns in the chain of command seem to be the theme of this volume, because on the other side, Sato is making some pretty questionable decisions of his own. The showdown that results that results is still ongoing, but I'm consistently impressed by how the various sides go about circumventing each other's defenses.
Another solid volume, with tons of intrigue, some great action, and the growing sense that events are slipping out of control for both sides....more
I lamented in an earlier review how difficult it is to find the original TPBs of this series, and how the omnibus collections rearrange things--but thI lamented in an earlier review how difficult it is to find the original TPBs of this series, and how the omnibus collections rearrange things--but then there was a Humble Bundle for the entire original run of B.P.R.D., which solved my dilemma. Even if the volumes are .pdfs.
I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole Lobster Johnson/Johann connection, but it's led to one hell of a confrontation. The team manages to track down Martin Gilfryd/Memnan Saa, in their search for Liz, and what transpires...well, they might have doomed the world. Gilfryd was working on something, and depending on how much trust you place in an admittedly shady character, the B.P.R.D.'s meddling may have cost the world its best chance against the frogs.
Time will tell, but the battle that ensues, and the moral ambiguity that permeates it all is one hell of a fun read. The stakes keep getting higher, and it's anyone's guess how much time is left on the proverbial doomsday clock. What a ride!...more
This volume takes something of a break from all the action we've focused on recently, and there's nothing wrong with that. Kei & Ko start working in eThis volume takes something of a break from all the action we've focused on recently, and there's nothing wrong with that. Kei & Ko start working in earnest with Tosaki, and we get a closer look at each of them, psychologically. We finally learn more about Izumi, and her past is even more grim than I expected. And toward the end, we find out what happened to Kaito as he tries to befriend a guy named Kotobuki, another demi-human, in prison.
It's a slower volume, and one that focuses a lot on intra- and interpersonal character development. Don't let the 3-star rating dissuade you; volume 6 is still a good read. It's just not the spectacular tour de force that we've gotten in a few of these other volumes. And that's okay. Taking a bit of a reprieve gives the reader a chance to breathe, and get to know the characters more. It's a pretty strong cast, and it's nice to see them outside of life-threatening situations every now and then....more
Much like the story's antagonist, this book ends up not quite being what it seems at first. Wild Bolts Electric starts out as a mystery with supernatuMuch like the story's antagonist, this book ends up not quite being what it seems at first. Wild Bolts Electric starts out as a mystery with supernatural elements--if not an outright horror story--but by the end, it turns into a much more poignant tale of love, loss, and the importance of the time we have with the people we care about. The journey we take to get to that point isn't without a few hiccups along the way, and that's the only reason this isn't a five-star review. Well, that and the fact that after chapter 15 or so, James suddenly becomes an insufferable prick for most of the rest of the book.
Wild Bolts Electric does a lot of things right, though. The initial introduction, and subsequent visitations of the mysterious stranger, are really quite weird and unsettling. When the tone shifts toward the end to something much more sentimental, the sense of sadness really comes through. But when we get to some of the things the stranger can do, and the explanation of just where they came from, that's the part that didn't fully work for me. Still, there's a lot of heart here, and the parts that do work really work quite well....more
Loading...
