Review: Ex Machina V2: Tag

It seems crazy that in 2011 folks all over are still fighting for same-sex marriage rights.  I feel like the things I read most often: fantasy and comics, with the occasional exception, often value escapism over dealing with contemporary issues such as gay rights.  Well, given that Ex Machina is a modern story about a mayor in the city of New York, it is only fitting that the series covers some hot/controversial topics.

In the second volume of this engaging series, Mayor Hundred makes the most controversial decision of his political career, which is sort of saying a lot given his past political dramas.  Thanks to that decision, (legalizing same-sex marriage) Hundred is forced to face tough questions about his own sexual preferences, all while dealing with a strange, possibly supernatural power that plagues the subways.

Someone has been putting up mysterious tags in the subway tunnels that sort of resemble Chinese script.  Mutilated bodies of humans and animals have been found near these tags, and they seem to be somehow connected to the source of Hundred's power, and his past days of heroic adventures.

Once again, Ex Machina features a nice blend of super powered action and political wheeling and dealing.  While that stuff is certainly at the center of this volume, this volume also provides a nice glimpse at the man himself, Mitchel Hundred.  If there is ever a politician I can relate to, it is Hundred.  He truly is a regular guy who simply wanted to do good, and through supernatural forces found himself in the position to actually do some good and make positive changes.  Hundred's approach to politicking resembles his status as a normal person.  He doesn't really follow any party lines, but still plays the political game quite well, and he seems to enjoy his wild card  status.  His mayor gig seems to be a 24/7 type thing, but Hundred does manage squeeze in the time to date a pretty reporter lady; simultaneously pursuing a lady he is interested in while quelling questions about his sexual preferences.  The date scene is quite good as it builds up Hundred's character a bit more, and fleshes out his personality.  It also ends hilariously. 

This volume also provides some more back story, adding in some of Hundred's adventures as the Great Machine, and his early relationship with the American government. I was definitely a little bit confused by the mystery glyphs, and how they connect to Hundred's powers, and his past.  I get the feeling that all that information is going to slowly get leaked over the course of this series.  Due to the slow unraveling of important plot points Ex Machina  is definitely a comic that demands full attention.  Sometimes it can be hard to keep all the flashbacks straight while maintaining a proper time line in my head.  I had to reference the first volume a couple of times to make sure I was getting it all.

Ex Machina is unlike most other comics out there.  It features a nice blend of heroics and political wrangling, but also demands your full attention, all while covering interesting topics that are pertinent to the modern world.  Add to that the fact that this comic is very well written, filled with fantastic characters and absolutely beautiful to look at.  Truly a great piece of engaging, fun, and compelling artistry.

Grade: B+

Review: Song of Susannah

I apologize for the recent dearth of content. Bad plumbing, school, work and football playoffs have all joined forces to suck away my free time.  Fear not, I continue to read and pile up material for the blog.  So, without further time wasted let's take a look at the penultimate Dark Tower novel...


Right after the battle with the Wolves from Thunderclap, Susannah Dean, Gunslinger and member of Roland's ka-tet hightailed it to the Doorway Cave and traveled to the New York City of 1999.  Susannah unfortunately, isn't in complete control of her own body.  She has been possessed by a former demon named Mia.  Mia has made a deal with the Man in Black to give up her eternal life as a demon in exchange for being able to give birth to a baby and raise it for part of its life.  All Mia has to do is deliver Susannah's body to a restaurant called the Dixie Pig, and into the clutches of the Crimson King. 

While Susannah is battling mental demons in the New York City of 1999 the rest of her ka-tet must split up to make two equally important things happen.  The first task is to save Susannah, and the other involves traveling through inter-dimensional doorways to East Stoneham, Maine of 1977 and buy a Manhattan vacant lot from Calvin Tower. 

In a strange twist of fate, Eddie and Roland, who were hoping to rescue Susannah wind up in Maine, while Jake, Oy and temporary ka-tet member Father Callahan find themselves in New York City of 1999.

I read this book over the Holidays thinking it would be a great curl-up-and-read-for-a-day book, but I had a hard time getting fully into this one.  It was a little bit frustrating to see King go back to that whole Susannah-battles-with-split-personalities thing again.  I felt like I was revisiting material that has already been covered.  Roland, easily my favorite character of the series, played a smaller role in this installment, but the shootout he and Eddie get into is easily one of the most memorable and bad-ass scenes of the entire series.  I'm also always intrigued when an author inserts his or herself as a character into a work of fiction.  Reading King write about a 1977 version of himself was pretty cool, and a bit mind-bending given all the cross-world, space-time continuum stuff that goes on in this series.  

I think what was most frustrating for me in this book was the amount of teasing that went on, and the lack of forward movement towards the Dark Tower.  I don't want to spoil anything for readers who haven't gotten this far in the series yet, but goddamnit, there were some things in this novel that took up a shit load of pages, were a dominant factor in the last novel as well, and still didn't come to a close in this novel despite all signs pointing to that very thing happening.

 In a long series the author must tie up the lose ends so the series can come to a clean, well packaged finale.  It felt like that was one of King's aims here.  Aside from a bloody, fiery shoot-out, the East Stoneham, Maine story thread was a bit dull.  Really, how exciting can you make a real-estate deal?  Yeah, this was probably as exciting as they get, but still, not the best use of Roland and Eddie. 

 Maybe my expectations for the book were too high, but I sort of assumed, given that the goal of this series is to finally arrive at the Dark Tower, and given that the final novel is called The Dark Tower, that the ka-tet would at some point in the penultimate novel, uh, like head in that direction.  Ok, yeah, metaphorically they did make headway, and accomplished some (somewhat) important things, but I feel like less time could have been spent accomplishing the things that did happen, and more time could have been spent moving the story towards the finish line.

My feeling at the end of this was that the book came very close to the edge of a great climax, had the reader riding high on a wave of rising action that promised great things, and then stopped short, delivering a brutal cliffhanger ending that left me 1) cursing Stephen King for being such a damn tease and leaving me on the hook like he did at the end of The Wastelands. 2) Hungry for that final slice of gunslinger pie.  I mean, shit, there's no way I not finish this series now.  I gotta find out what happens next.  Overall, probably the weakest installment in the series, but magically, good enough to leave me thirsting for more.

Grade: C

Review: Everyday Matters

Everyday Matters by Danny Gregory is a tough book to categorize.  It's not a graphic novel, at least not in the traditional panels-with-sequential-art sense.  But it is not really a novel either.  I guess it is better to call it a graphic memoir.

Everyday Matters is a unique book in the sense that it came into fruition during a crossroads in Gregory's life.  The book is a memoir of his wife's paraplegia, the terrible accident that caused it, and how that accident changed every aspect of his life.  The book is also about drawing, and how Gregory discovered the joy in drawing, and how through that practice, he was able to gain new perspective on life, and come to peace with his vastly altered lifestyle.

Gregory's life changed completely one day when his wife tripped and fell beneath an oncoming subway train.  She survived, however every minute detail of their life was altered by that event.  As you might guess, the world didn't seem to have much meaning after that, but one day Gregory decided to take up drawing and the result was a new perspective on life, and a view of the world that was once again filled with meaning. 

Everyday Matters is an incredibly inspiring book.  If you've ever wanted the inspiration to draw, or write for that matter, than Everyday Matters is a book that will inspire you for sure.  Not only is the book filled with eye catching illustrations, but it is also filled with Gregory's insights on life and tips on how to get yourself started as an artist or a writer.  It will also get you to see and appreciate the important things in life which is a rare treat in any book.

It seems fitting to make Everyday Matters my first review of the year.  Lots of people make resolutions this time of year, and this is a book that will certainly fuel your desire to make your life better.   For me it gave me a different perspective on life, and some serious food for thought in regards to how I approach my daily challenges.  It also inspired me to take up drawing again, and to appreciate the positives in my life no matter how big or how small they are.  This is one of those books that could literally be recommended to anyone and it would probably affect them in a positive way.  Do yourself a favor, set aside an hour or so of your life, and read this book.

Grade: A

More "Best Of" linkage

Of course, no sooner do I write up a post linking to various year-end "Best Of" posts from around the blogosphere, a bunch of other bloggers create more "Best Of" lists.  These are worth checking out!

First up is Patrick from the awesomely named, awesomely written, blog Stomping on Yeti.  His list is adamantly not a "Best Of'" list, and is instead a list of books from 2010 that he recommends.  Even still, it is a great resource, and there is a nice variety of Novels, Short Fiction, Young Adult, and Graphic Novels.  Check out the Recommended Reads here. 

The Mad Hatter is back.  This time he delivers a comprehensive list of his favorite reads from 2010 from across the genre.  Its scary just how many of these books I want to read in the near future.

Graeme from Graeme's Fantasy Book Review has been at the blogging game for years now, and has been one of my favorite blogs for years.  He's provided me with plenty of reading inspiration and his reviews have been a good guide for my reading endeavors.  His "It's the End of the Year.." post  focuses not only on his best reads of the year, but he also mentions some of the bigger titles that he did not read this year.

Next up is Pat from the Fantasy Hotlist.  The Hotties, his year-end award post is worth a look.  Like it or not, they guy is pretty much the blogger with the best hook-ups.  He gets sweet books for free, nets interviews with the big-named authors, and plenty of other perks.  I'm pretty much insanely jealous.  The thing is, if anyone has his/her finger on the pulse of the Sf/F world, it is Pat, so The Hotties are worth taking a look at.

Aidan from Dribble of Ink is another blogger who I've followed closely for a few years.  We have similar tastes so I'm usually keen to see what he's been reading.  His Favourite Books post only covers four books, but they're interesting choices. 

Lastly, is Rob from the aptly named Rob's Blog o' Stuff.  Rob delivers an detailed list of his Reading Year in Review, complete with some reading stats for the nerds number lovers out there. Plus, you get to see pictures of his super cute dog. 

Ok, I think that might be all of them.  I'm sure someone else will post up another vital year-end list soon after I put this up on the blog.  Hopefully these links will help people make great 2011 reading decisions. 

Blogiversary!

Its hard to believe that a year ago I started this blog. I'm pretty proud of the work I've put in on the site in the course of the year. At the time I started this thing I'd never even written a review before, I just wanted a place where I could put down my ideas, thoughts and reflections on the things I read and listen to in a fun, interactive way.

I gotta say the blogging experience has blown away even my wildest expectations. I get more traffic than I ever expected to get, I've gotten occasional comments from friends, followers and authors whose works I've reviewed, which helps to inspire and give me the desire to keep plugging away. I've also discovered some new blogs/bloggers I admire through the experience. The coolest thing that has come out of the blog so far is that I'm now the comics review writer for SFF World, a gig that is extra special to me given how huge of a role the forums there have played in helping me make reading choices and given me another place to learn about, and discuss the things I love: comics, fantasy, and music.

Some tasty snacks made by my lovely lady!

Its been a trip to feel like I'm a part of the sf/f blogosphere, yes, a rather small and somewhat insignificant part, but a part all the same. Its been sweet to follow other blogs more closely and read hundreds of reviews, congratulate the bloggers when they have kids, or move on to bigger and better things. I look forward to another year of meeting new people and sharing my love for all things fantasy/comic/music related.

Also, I wanna thank everyone who stops by this little corner of the internet. It always brings a smile to my face to read your comments...that fact that people actually read the things I write is still a bit unbelievable to me. Anyway, thanks! I hope I give you plenty of reason to keep stopping by in 2011.

Books of the Year

2010 was a pretty good year of reading for me. I managed to read a total of 35 books, which is a decent number for me, especially considering that I also read 50 graphic novels. The quality of the books I read was pretty solid, but nothing was completely mind blowing...On the other hand, there weren't too many books that were flat out terrible either. I don't normally get to read too many new releases, and this year was no different, as I only managed two 2010 releases, one that pops up on the list here, and Who Fears Death being the other. Looking back at a year's worth of reading makes me excited for reading in the new year. I hope to expand my tastes, and experience some new authors. Until then, my Top 5 reads from 2010:


#1: The Lions of Al-Rassan: Reading a Guy Gavriel Kay novel has become sort of a special event for me at this point. Before I even open the cover, I know that inside there will be a rich, imaginative world that isn't so unlike our own. I know that the story will be populated with memorable characters who come to life through strong writing and skilled character building. I also know that the story will likely capture my imagination and have me thinking about it even when I'm not actively reading the book. I really enjoy the immersion experience I get when reading a Kay novel. Then I start reading, and it is all those things and often more.

The Lions of Al-Rassan not only featured Kay's sharp writing skills, but what stood out for me was the setting. The lands of Al-Rassan represent the real-life Iberian Peninsula and Kay does a wonderful job placing the reader there. I guess you could argue that he's not creating an alternate world like other fantasy authors, so his job is easier, but he still needs to make a guy like me who's getting constantly drizzled on in Seattle feel like he's breathing fresh mountain air, or dumping desert sand out of his shoe. Kay did that for me here, and that true feeling of escapism is one of the great things about reading.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Kay at an author event in May, and I'm happy to say that he's a kind, intelligent and friendly guy (pun intended). It's always a bonus to know that that author you're reading is a good person.



#2 Little Brother: This book faced two difficult, uphill challenges before I even started reading it. The first challenge was that I don't normally read sci-fi. For some reason, I never find the imagined future that the author presents to be anything other than depressing. I hate reading a book and feeling like the future is going to suck. The second challenge is that I don't normally read Young Adult titles. No real reason there, just that I tend to stick to books written for an adult audience. Luckily, this book smashed through those obstacles like it was the Hulk. It helps that the book essentially takes place now and is has a techno-thriller feel to it. Second, it never once felt like it was a book aimed at a younger audience. This is most definitely a book that anyone can enjoy.

Little Brother does a fantastic job of being timely. The plot, which centers around a terrorist attack in San Francisco, is believable and scary. The results of the terrorist attack, the way the government reacts to it, the way it changes civilian life, and the way it changes the characters was very fitting given the circumstances. The book also struck on a common American narrative theme, that "if you put your mind to it you can do anything" ideal came into play as the main character, Marcus pitted himself against the Department of Homeland Security. The book is also is perfectly paced and very well written. The fact that it overcame my predilections and managed to add a few surprises make it a lock for the number two spot.



#3 The Judging Eye: (I'm counting this as a 2010 Release since that's when the TPB version I own came out.)
After fully loving the Prince of Nothing trilogy, I had high hopes for the first installment in the follow up series. This book didn't disappoint. The novel followed three main threads, and while each was compelling its own way, I was most intrigued by Achamian and the events of his story. Achamian is one of the only likable characters in the story, but what is amazing is that even though the other characters all inspire my hatred, they are skillfully written and great characters despite their lack of redeeming qualities. Bakker has a strong knack for putting the reader into the minds of his characters and giving the reader an idea of their motivations and desires. The result is that I get a bit creeped out by what I find there...but in a good way.

This book would probably make the list based solely on the strength of the Black Halls scene which is a modern homage to Tolkien's Mines of Moria. I knew at some point the shit would hit the fan, yet when it did, Bakker still managed to rock my socks off. Hands down my favorite reading moment of the year.


#4 Fevre Dream: I thought I was totally sick of vampires, but I found myself in need of a late Autumn horror read and I just happened to have this GRRM title sitting on my shelf. That it was a vampire novel, and that it was a non-A Song of Ice and Fire GRRM novel made me doubly skeptical, but Martin easily erased that skepticism in the early pages. The skills that make Martin a favorite author of mine are on display in this, one of his earlier novels. Robust characters, and expert world building brought the Mississippi riverboat life of the mid 1800's vibrantly to life. Add in a healthy dose of the supernatural where vampires aren't wearing eye-liner, and you've got a great vampire story.

The only thing keeping this from a higher ranking is that it was a bit lacking in Martin's trademark unpredictability that highlights the plots of his fantasy material. Still, a great read if you find yourself hurting for some GRRM while waiting, and waiting and waiting...


#5 The Wastelands: Stephen King's Dark Tower books were a very big part of my life in 2010. I read four of the seven novels this past year (Song of Susannah review forthcoming) and the series becomes more of a favorite with each installment I read. Looking back at my reviews, I noticed that even though I love each book, the grades they receive on my highly "consistent" grading scale don't necessarily reflect that love. Because I love this series so much, I think I hold the individual novels to a higher standard, and despite the series' strong, yet not overwhelming GPA, my Books of the Year list would be sadly lacking if I didn't include one Dark Tower novel.

Of the three I've reviewed, The Wastelands gets the nod here. In this novel the stalwart characters of the series, Roland, Eddie, Susannah and Jake come to the forefront. I've come to love each of these characters, flaws and all, and I can't wait, though I'm a little scared, to see what King has in store for them in the finale. Aside from fantastic characters, this book features a battle with a giant bear, more travel between parallel universes, and a deathly ride aboard a psychotic train. This novel is well written and a feat of sheer fantastic imagination.

Graphic Novels of the Year

2010 was the year of the graphic novel for me. I read 50 graphic novels in all, and had to retrain myself from reading more. After some serious flirting in 2009, I definitely fell in love with the comics medium this year. After a year of reading widely across the medium, I feel like I've covered many of the comics bases quite well. I read a few super hero tiles, I read works from the big names like Ellis, Ennis, and Moore, and I read some lesser known indie titles as well. Each read taught me a bit more about comics in general, while my interest in the medium mounted, my tastes became more refined. There's a mountain of comics reading ahead of me in 2011, but for now,I give you my Top 5 Graphic Novels of 2010


#1 Preacher: Until the End of the World: Such an easy pick for the top spot in my Graphic Novels reads. The second volume in Garth Ennis' masterwork is amazing on all levels. At the heart of this volume is the love story between Jesse and Tulip. Ennis does a great job portraying their shared love. There are some seriously lovey-dovey lines that might come across as extremely cheesy in any other setting, but somehow coming from the mouth of a tough-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside Texan it just sounds right, and genuine. These soft and somewhat sentimental moments only make the rest of the book better.

The graphic novel would fall flat if it only had a love story to stand on. Luckily, there is a great conflict as well. Is there a great conflict than battling the demons of your past? For Jesse these demons are flesh and blood. Jody and T.C. are their names, and they are just about the two most evil, sinful, despicable fuckers in the history of the world, and they want nothing more than to make Jesse's life as miserable as possible. The result is a story that is literally mind blowing and amazing. I'm a softy for a believable love story and a sucker for jaw dropping moments, and this graphic novel delivers both with style.


#2 Scott Pilgrim volumes 1-6:
For a week back in August, Scott Pilgrim took over my life. I had recently given up on a book I was reading, and needed something easy to get into. I picked up Precious Little Life and there was no looking back from there. Sometimes a book just strikes all the right chords with me, and that was the case here. The right graphic novels at precisely the right time.

It isn't just that I see a lot of myself in Scott Pilgrim, but to deny that would be a lie. Scott Pilgrim and I are similar in some alarming ways, which caused an instant connection to the character and the books. But, I was also able to relate to many of the other characters that populate these stories as well, and because of that I was able to connect to these books as a whole, and the themes represented in the story. In the end, the six part story was extremely engaging, and gave me things to think about and analyze about myself, which I think is part of the magic of reading.


#3 All Star Superman: As a kid Superman was always my least favorite hero. The guy was just too good, and too powerful. I'd take a darker more conflicted character like Batman, who relied on his own smarts to get by, over Superman any day. As an adult, I still think Superman is pretty lame. His character is just so boring and he pretty much represents everything I dislike about capes and tights comics. So what the hell is this title doing on my Graphic Novels of the Year list? Well, I guess miracles do happen every now and then.

It helps that this is a Superman story written by Grant Morrison who breathes new life into the character, takes a guy who is probably the most complex, loneliest, most difficult to understand person on the planet and uses those qualities to make Superman sympathetic, and a character the average reader can relate to. Not only that but Morrison creates a Superman story that you might care about reading. To add to the stellar writing, is the absolutely beautiful artwork by Frank Quitely. All Star Superman is lovely to behold. The artwork is great, and combines with the story seamlessly. This is really a beautiful package and my surprise read of the year.



#4 Street Angel: This is a graphic novel that is just sheer fun. First off, it stars a homeless 12 year old girl who is a bad-ass skater and kung-fu master...instantly different than anything else on the shelf. Street Angel also features some memorable bad-guys like Dr. Pangea, MegaPute, and hordes of ninja gangs. To make it all the more sweet, there's a character named Afrodesiac...he's pretty much how you are picturing him in your head: totally awesome.

Compared to some the other titles on this list, Street Angel isn't as flashy, or fancy to look at, but it has a bit of a diamond in the rough quality to it. The story telling is quick paced, and snappy, the stories are funny with a healthy dose of action and violence mixed in, and the characters are hilarious. Reading should be fun, life should be fun, and Street Angel is just that: lots of fun.


#5 Top 10: I had the first volume of Ex Machina lined up to go in this final spot, and then I remembered that I read Top 10 this year.

Top 10 features the perfect harmony of great writing and great art. The magical thing about this graphic novel is the cast of Police Officers that work at Top 10. Moore had a pretty large cast for this story, and instead of focusing in on one of two cops, he gave equal treatment to each, or more accurately, focused on characters when the story demanded it, as they reacted and interacted with the plot and the events of the overlying story. I thought this was a unique way to go about telling a story but it really worked out well.

There are some cool sci-fi elements at play in the story as well, and having it all take place in a city where every citizen has some type of super-power actually made it even more interesting. As far as police dramas go, this is a great story; add in the other elements like the superheroes and parallel universes, and you get something even better. It helps that it is expertly written and has some beautiful art.