Cat's Cradle is a classic by Vonnegut. At it's heart this is a book about human nature. The narrator of the story is trying to write a book about what people were doing the day the A-Bomb was dropped. Through this we meet Felix Hoenikker the guy who developed the bomb. Hoenikker is an eccentric who has no interest in humanity, and only cares to tinker and experiment with his pet projects. Somehow, Hoenikker had three kids, and they play a role in the story as well, as holders of the catastrophic ice-nine. Mix in a sex-queen, a Caribbean dictator, religion controlled by the government, and the end of the world, and you get some great reading.
I loved this book, and it should pretty much be on everyone's bookshelf.
Grade: A
Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck
When Steinbeck was sixty, he decided to take a mega-road trip with his french poodle, Charley. The vehicular mode of transportation for their journey was "Rocinante" a powerful truck equipped with a camper top. Together he and Charley travel to my home state of Maine, then across the US to my adopted home of Seattle, down to Texas, through the south, then back up the Atlantic coast, home to New York. Through the journey Steinbeck tries to "find America".
This book as basically the literary equivalent of my dream. For years I've envisioned a day when I'll hop into an RV, or something similar, and road-trip around the states. Of course, that shit ain't gonna happen any time soon, so for now, Travels with Charley will have to suffice. This is a great summer read, and it is sure to make your feet itch for some exploring.
I don't think I've ever been more relieved to have finished a book.
Who Fears Death is a tough book. It is tough to read. Okorafor pulls absolutely zero punches in this one and delivers scene after scene of intense moments and delivers them with a clarity that often made me feel a sense of discomfort as I read. Okorafor depicts rapes, female circumcision, death, conception, a woman's menstrual period and genocide in this book, and all these moments occur with a visceral "up close and personal" point of view that takes no prisoners. This stylistic approach gives the novel some extremely powerful moments, moments that will live long in my memory. At the same time, for me at least, it was often too much. There were definitely times when the doors to my comfort zone were completely blown open and I was exposed to the raw winds of Okorafor's literary powers. Through some of these scenes, and others throughout the book, Okorafor makes connections from the novel to our world and through this challenged me engage the raw emotions that the novel brought out of me. This was an exciting and unique reading experience for me, and one that I likely will not soon forget.
The overall style of the book is also "tough", the narrative flow has a swagger about it that gives the book and, it's main character, Onyesonwu a distinct personality. Onyesonwu is a strong female lead character, one that is not seen often enough in fantasy literature these days. Okorafor does a good job of fleshing out Onyesonwu and making her believable and realistic. Unfortunately, the same can not be said about any other character in the book. Onyesonwu's quest companions, were never anything more than names to me, as they had very little that allowed the reader to tell them apart. Even the "Evil Lord" was weak, and was apparently just evil for the sake of being evil. This lack of a strong cast of characters greatly reduced my enjoyment of the book. It was difficult and frustrating to read pages and pages of the quest where things were happening to characters I cared absolutely nothing for due to weak characterization.
Another aspect of the book which was a real hang up for me was the dialog. For me this was the weakest part of the book, and a major detractor from my enjoyment. There were a lot of times while reading that I felt like the dialog was straight out of a YA book. The delivery of how the characters spoke to each other felt very juvenile. Okorafor's writing roots are based in YA, so this may be a reason for the dialog sounding like it was aimed at a younger crowd. However, that dialog, juxtaposed against the very heavy adult themes was jarring and out of place in this novel.
So, to go back to that first sentence of this post, my most basic reaction upon finishing this book was, and still is, relief. Yes, some of that relief is just being happy to have the weak characters and lame dialog behind me, but that's not all. This book sports some of the most intense, moments in fantasy history, and upon finishing it, I feel relieved that those intense moments are beyond me. That's why I titled this post a "reaction" not a "review". Who Fears Death, no matter what my personal gripes with nuts and bolts of the book are, is a powerful novel. It is a novel that for me at least, will take some time to completely digest. I knew as soon as I was done reading that I couldn't give this book a proper review, if I did, it would get a shitty grade, like a D minus or something, because I did not like this book. The characters and the dialog were BIG turn-offs...but that grading bullshit, and my opinion don't do justice to this novel, I feel that it transcended my typical reading experience and maybe changed me a little, and for sure changed the way I think.
Just like how this book evoked a strong reaction from me, it has also has given me lots to reflect on.
The fifth Preacher volume opens with a violent and hilarious account of Cassidy from his earlier vampire days. In this prelude, Cassidy discovers a fellow vampire in the city of New Orleans. However, this guy is way into the cheesy, gothic, Dracula-esque vampire scene, right down to sleeping in a coffin every night. This wanker, (Cassidy's words, not mine), Eccarius also has a band of followers who fancy themselves Les Enfants du Sang or Children of the Blood. They're a bunch pathetic hangers on, and Cassidy tries to show Eccarius a better way of life: A life of boozing it up and living life to the fullest, of course. Cassidy and Eccarius prove to be too different to see eye to eye, and their short acquaintance comes to a fiery conclusion.
Back in the present course of events, Jesse and Cassidy have arrived back in New York City and have been rejoined by Tulip. She was left behind in France by Jesse back in the third volume, and she finally gets her shot at revenge, and she does not miss. While Jesse is suffering from Tulip's wrath, Tulip meets Cassidy at a pub, and Cassidy confesses his love for her. While it could be seen as drunken confusion, Cassidy insists that it is not, and that his love is for real.
Jesse's quest to confront God must continue though, and the three set out to New Orleans to see a Voodoo priest that can supposedly help Jesse find some answers. Amidst fractured trust, cults hell bent on revenge, and the return of Arseface, Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy need to stick together in order to stay alive.
This fifth volume of the Preacher series sports a return to the main story line, and the three main characters of Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy. While it nice to see Ennis shake things up a bit and create a few fractures in the group, not a lot else occurred in this volume. Normally I praise Ennis' skill at crafting fantastic dialog, but this one had too much dialog and not enough plot movement. The voodoo elements were deliberately cliched, but hopefully provided some direction to Jesse's mission so that the next volume will be more exciting.
Dixie Fried was not all bad though. Many of the side-plot elements were interesting and funny. There is never a dull moment when Arseface is around, and I look forward to tracking his burgeoning singing career. Les Enfants du Sang proved to be entertaining cannon fodder for Tulip and company. If only all shitty, expendable villains were so entertaining.
On the artistic front, Steve Dillon is impressive once again. Dillon has a wonderful ability to draw extremely memorable and graphic scenes. There are a few panels in Dixie Fried that will live long and prosper in my memory. The two Les Enfants impaled on the same samurai sword panel is a winner in my book.
While Dixie Fried isn't as strong as the other Preacher books, it still delivers some good solid entertainment. I'll be honest and say that this was my least favorite of the Preacher books so far, but I'll temper that statement by saying this is still some extremely entertaining stuff, and better than 99% of the capes and tights bullshit out there. Preacher continues to be awesome and I'll be reading more of it soon enough.
Last night, here in Seattle, I attended an author reading/book signing featuring Nnedi Okorafor. Okorafor and her new book, Who Fears Death popped up on my radar a short while ago when Ken from Neth Space wrote a sweet review of the book. Since then I've had my eye out for this one, and I recently came across a used copy, so I scooped it up. Then, late last week, I discovered the author event and thought it would be worth checking out.
As far as author events go, this one was quite different. Usually, these things go one of two ways: 1) The author reads a bit of his or her novel,maybe discusses the creation process of the book, fields questions from the audience, then signs books. 2) The author is interviewed by someone, often a literature critic, people from the audience ask questions, then the author signs books. However, Okorafor played things differently.
She began by reading the first chapter of Who Fears Death, then proceeded to read other sections from deeper within the novel. I'm sure this was a pleasure for those in the audience who had read the book, as Okorafor's reading covered some pivotal moments in the novel, yet for me it was somewhat torturous as I had not read the novel yet, and her reading was speckled with plot spoilers. Okorafor read for an hour, at which time it was announced the store was closing, so only a few people lined up for autographs, and it was over. No question/answer session and a handful of spoilers for those in the audience who had not had the opportunity to read the novel yet.
I'll admit, after Okorafor's reading I was somewhat frustrated, because I felt that some of the mystery of the novel had been taken away, but then it hit me that I had also been given something pretty special: Okorafor had shared parts of her novel that she felt strongly about, and read them in her voice, the way they were intended to be read, and that is a rare thing for a reader to experience. I began the book today, and I know that having heard Okorafor read the first chapter, that I had a stronger sense of the narrator's voice thanks to her reading. I'm sure this effect will carry through for the other sections I heard, and will hopefully continue to enrich the reading experience.
I was one of the few who stuck around for autographs, and I was rewarded with a cool personalization by Okorafor, so that was a nice cap to an interesting evening.
Yikes! It's been about ten days since I last wrote a blog post, and on top of that: only three posts since June 10th...Why? Well, for good reason really. The World Cup started June 11th, and I've been following it quite closely. My beloved Mexicans did well, but were no match for those pesky Argentines.
To those select, and lucky few who actually do read Battle Hymns, there should be an up-tick in content starting immediately. There is only one more match to watch, (I wont be watching the third place game), so my free time should once again be dedicated to blogging. I have a fairly hefty back-log of stuffs to cover, so be on your toes and be ready.
Chew: International Flavor is the second graphic novel collection of the Chew series. In this one Tony Chu, FDA agent, and "cibopath" gets a new partner...his old partner from his police days, John Colby, a guy who caught a meat cleaver to the face in the last graphic novel. Through some clever play acting, they trick Chu's asshole boss into partnering them up. Chu and Colby make a good team and with some solid detective work they quickly make a bust on some illegal chicken trafficking mofos. The bust leads to Chu and Colby finding out about a new fruit, one that tastes remarkably like chicken. After one bite, using his cibopathic skills that give him psychic impressions, Chu is able to trace the origin of this new fruit back to a tiny Pacific island.
Chu, going it alone, decides to follow up on the lead, and travels to Yamapalu, the island where the fruit came from, to figure some things out. Along with Chu on the journey is his celebrity chef brother who has been hired by the Yamapalu government to open a fancy new restaurant there. The mission proves to be a tricksy one, as Chu has to contend with local thugs, militia, an incompetent local police force, a rooster named Poyo, a big boobied USDA ninja chick and her rat "Jellybean", and a skethcy Russian vampire. To top it all off, Chu might also have to rescue the girl that he likes from the clutches of evil...
This second Chew graphic novel is another instant classic. The writer-illustrator team of John Layman and Rob Guillory has proven once again that they're a dynamic duo. Layman's writing is clever and often very funny. He definitely has a skill for keeping the reader entertained, while also presenting a very interesting story arc, and adding great new intriguing developments. For me, Layman's writing and pacing is near perfect. I find it hard to put Chew down once I pick it up.
The other half of the duo, Rob Guillory, delivers on the art front once again. He has a very unique illustration style. It is somewhat on the cartoony side, compared to some of the near photo-realistic art seen in a lot comics these days, and the art goes a long way to helping define the personalities of the individual characters. His art really brings out the humor of Chew. There are many panels, where small details give me a chuckle, then others where the entire panel is completely hilarious.
The writing and art of Chew truly complement each other well, but there is another aspect of Chew that I think is a standout. On top of his writing duties, Layman also handles lettering duties. This may sound like a little thing, but it adds quite a bit to the work load. I hope Layman knows it is worth the effort though. The fact that Layman does the lettering means that there is no disconnect between his vision for the story and the way the dialog is presented. Layman has a great knack for giving the reader a great sense of inflection and temperament with the lettering and it really adds to the overall quality of the graphic novel.
I can now happily say that I am caught up on the Chew series. From here on out I am reading the individual issues, which means no more waiting around for trades to come out. Instead I can get my fix on a monthly basis. For those who want to do the same, now is the time, Chew: Taster's Choice collects the first five issues, and Chew: International Flavor collects issues six through ten. Issue eleven is in your local comic shop now, so get out there and get your hands on these books, and enjoy!
I've been a Megadeth fan for years now, but I started to lose interest in the band's new material after the Risk album. They sounded too "alternative" on that album, and I decided to be content with the collection of great albums they had made up until that point. However, I've heard that in the last few years, Megadeth has had a bit of a revival, or a return to early form. Despite these rumors, I still stayed away, still hurting from that piss-poor Risk album. The local library is truly a wonderful thing, especially when they have Megadeth albums, so when I cast my eyes upon United Abominations, Megadeth's 11th album, I figured I'd check it out, it'd at least make an interesting blog post. So here goes, my United Abominations first listen:
Sleepwalker: The album kicks off with a pretty awesome intro and opening riff. Mustaine's snarl is back, but it sounds like there's been some post recording tweaks on it to make it sound better. The lyrics are pretty cheesy for this one, but musically it is thrashy and fast with some tight solos. Not a great start though...
Washington is Next!: Another sweet into/opening riff. This is the kind of stuff that made me love Megadeth back in the day. Not surprisingly, Megadeth is best when their material has a political lean. This song is definitely reminiscent of their classic material. Awesome solos, this is a real headbanger. Great Song.
Never Walk Alone...A Call to Arms: the "..." of the title makes me wonder if this is a two part song a la Holy Wars...The Punishment Due which is one of my all time favorite Megadeth songs. This song is another solid effort. There is no doubting their musical talent. Mustaine has done a great job acquiring skilled musicians for this album. They just need to stay away from cheesy choruses like the one on this song.
United Abominations: Title track time! I always have high hopes for the title track, it should be good, the band went to the trouble of naming the album after the song, so that should say something about the quality. The intro hearkens back to songs like Architecture of Agression and Countdown to Extinction. Once agian, political rantings equal an awesome song. Mustaine uses news broadcast style spoken word to deliver many of the lyrics, and it makes for an interesting compliment to the drums and guitars. Another good song.
Gears of War: I'm already skeptical of this song, seeing as it shares the same title of a video game, and was used on that very game's soundtrack. Damn, musically this is a fucking sweet song, but the lyrics are bad, cheesy lyrical content, mixed with a delivery that is not great. *sigh* Next.
Blessed are the Dead: Great song title. I'm not feeling this one from the get-go though. This song is lacking the energy of some of the other tracks and Megadeth is best when they play fast and furious.
Pray for Blood: This track starts out strongly with a catchy riff and some punchy drumming. This song lacks any depth beyond the surface polish though, and once again, I find myself cringing at some of the lyrics.
A Tout Le Monde (Set Me Free): I guess this is a re-make of the song that was on the Youthanasia album. That was a pretty sweet song, but I'm skeptical about the remix...The beginning sounds much like the original, but with slightly different music. A glance at the album's liner notes shows that the lyrics are the same, but this one features some dueting with Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil. Not necessarily awesome. This sped up, revamped version just doesn't do it for me.
Amerikhastan: This is a first for the album: The lyrics are better than the music on this track. I still don't love it though.
You're Dead: I'm starting to feel like a broken record: instrumentally this song is cool and interesting, but lyrically it is on the cheesy side.
Burnt Ice: The songs on the album are starting to run together. I appreciate the tasty riffs and the great solos, but for the most part, that is about all the album has to stand up on. The lyrics are so-so at best, and ending on a song about drugs just about breaks the album's back.
In summary, there are about two great songs and the rest are pretty much forgettable. Dave Mustaine put together a skilled line up of musicians for this album, but it still is lacking when compared to their older "classic" stuff. The song writing needs some work, Mustaine's lyrics often come across as cheesy.
