Listmas 2022 – Best Comics

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Even during the height of the pandemic, comics were one media that managed to carry on with little disruption. Thanks to the way they’re produced, they were able to keep up a pre-pandemic release schedule whilst other mediums faced some difficulty. Coupled with the ever increasing popularity for the characters and properties thanks to film, TV, and video game adaptations, comics have attracted a lot of new readers over the last few years. Here are ten series that we’ve been reading in 2022 that have been our favourites.

Superman: Son of Kal-El – Tom Taylor

It may come as a surprise to those not reading comics on a regular basis, but there are actually two people with the name Superman at the moment. One is the mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent, the other is is teenage son, Jonathan. In 2021 Clark set out into space to help the people on a distant planet, leaving Jon to take care of Earth and carry the name Superman. Superman: Son of Kal-El charts his various adventures in the absence of his father.

The series followed Jon as he went from Superboy to Superman, having to step up and become a symbol of hope and peace. Across the series readers get to see Jon tackle important issues, fight giant monsters, and learn about the delicate line Superman has to walk. The series also told the story of him finding love with a powered revolutionary, Jay Nakamura. This was the first time readers have ever had a queer Superman, and it became a core part of the series, with the book treating it no differently than it would a heterosexual relationship. One of the best issues of the comic dealt with this story too, when Clark returned from space and his son tells him that he’s bisexual. Perhaps one of the most well written and deeply heartfelt scenes in comics in 2022, I’m not afraid to say that issue made me cry a lot.

If you’re looking to read a Superman book but are afraid of the masses of Clark Kent stories, this series offers a great introduction to the mythos. Whilst the series has come to an end this month, Jon is set to continue his time as Superman in Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent next year.

DC vs Vampires – Matthew Rosenberg & James Tynion IV

Set in an alternate universe outside of the main DC continuity, DC vs Vampires began as a horror-mystery story that soon turned into a post-apocalypse horror. Readers learn very quickly in the first issue that the vampires which live in the fringes of the DC Universe have decided they no longer want to skulk in the shadows, wishing to rule the world. They’ve infiltrated the Justice League, having turned at least one of the team, and are spreading. Batman discovers this and, unsure of whom to trust, begins to gather his troops and prepare for war.

Unfortunately, not even Batman can stop everything, and soon the vampires take over most of the world’s heroes and villains, populating their ranks with the super powered. The vampires now rule the world, with humans having become a hunted species. A small group of survivors battle to save humanity, but hope is in short supply.

The beauty of DC vs Vampires is that it’s set in another universe, so when characters are in danger in this story there’s no guarantee that they’re going to make it out alive. And the series makes a point of this, by brutally murdering some pretty big name figures. Heroes become monsters, villains step up to save the world, and beloved characters die in brutal, bloody ways. If you like horror this series will appeal to you; there’s always a sense of tension when reading it, and with one issue left (at time of writing) I honestly can’t tell you if the heroes are even going to survive, let alone win. A brutal, but brilliant series.

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest – Mark Waid

Batman and Superman go together well, and comics are littered with team-ups between the two of them. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest is all about those team-ups, and takes readers back to the past to read adventures with the titular heroes in their youth. Together with Dick Grayson’s Robin and occasionally Supergirl, the two find themselves dealing with a variety of foes, such as ancient demons out to take over the planet, low-level Justice League villains with mysterious boosts in power, and even the Joker. The latest story even introduces us to Superman’s own side-kick, Boy Thunder, and tells us the untold story of what happened to him, and why you’ve never heard of him before.

Whilst the series is set in the past, and you know nothing truly bad or world changing can happen, the series manages to still have an impact on the wider DC Universe. The demon that Bruce and Clark fight in their first arc reappears in the current event series Batman vs Robin, for example. And whilst the series can’t make you worry that its characters are in any real danger it instead fills its pages with some of the best written interaction between its leads. Superman and Batman feel like firm friends here, and they have tons of charisma; something that is sometimes lacking in other team-ups.

If you’re a big fan of the two characters and want something that feels a bit lighter, a bit more focused on having fun and telling decent character focused stories, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest might just be for you.

Nightwing – Tom Taylor

Another series written by Tom Taylor (he’s just that good!) worth a read is Nightwing, which charts the adventures of Dick Grayson (the original Robin) in the city of Bludhaven. Following the tragic death of Alfred Pennyworth, Dick finds himself receiving a fortune in inheritance, and decides to use it to help the people of Bludhaven, founding the Alfred Pennyworth Foundation. However, his attempts to help the people of the city lead Nightwing into conflict with some of the worst criminals around.

This series charts his efforts to make his city a better place, whilst also reigniting his relationship with Barbara Gordon (Batgirl). What makes this different from being just another Batman type book? Well, Dick has a lot of friends, and isn’t afraid to call on them for help. The series features appearances from Wally West’s Flash, the Teen Titans, Jon Kent’s Superman (who Dick is helping to mentor), the Bat-Family, and more. Every person who makes an appearance feels natural, and their connection to Dick justifies it. The book also walks a fine line of throwing in these other heroes yet making Dick fully competent and not needing the help because he’s poor at the job.

This series feels like a celebration of Dick Grayson, a character who’s kind of the heart and soul of the DC Universe. It also gives him a three legged puppy to care for and look after; and anyone who resists little Bite-Wing has to have a heart made of stone.

Dark Knights of Steel – Tom Taylor

Taylor keeps on making hit series, and Dark Knights of Steel might be one of the most ambitious on this list. Set on its own strand of the DC multiverse, this series sees the infant Kal-El brought to Earth by his parents, arriving on a world that has evolved at a slower pace, and finds itself in medieval times. Fast forwarding a few decades, we’re introduced to a world where the Els rule a kingdom where magic (one of the few things that can harm them) is outlawed. They maintain a delicate peace with neighbouring kingdoms, but soon find themselves on the brink of war when Jor-El becomes the target of an assassin.

If you’ve ever wondered what DC characters would look like in medieval times this is the book for you. There’s Batman in full knightly armour, Harley Quinn as a literal court jester, Constantine as a court wizard, the Robins as a gang of rogues, and Wonder Woman as… well, she’s pretty much the same to be fair. Taylor does a fantastic job of reimagining the characters fans know and love, and not only makes them work in this new setting, but gives them some awesome new designs too. Plus, there are some twists to certain characters that are absolutely genius.

With political and court intrigue which could rival that of Game of Thrones, this is the perfect book for superhero fans who’re starting to get bored of seeing the same kind of thing over and over, and need something new.

Robin – Joshua Williamson

There have been a number of Robins at this point, with five characters to have worn the title. The latest of them is Damian Wayne, the biological son of Bruce Wayne. Raised by assassins before finding his father, he’s always had a bit of an edge to him, but he has mellowed somewhat over the years. In this solo series, Damian is summoned to a remote island to take part in the Lazarus Tournament, where young warriors fight to the death. Thanks to the magic on the island they get to come back to life until they die a set number of times. Still grieving over the loss of Alfred Pennyworth, Damian enters the tournament determined to find out who’s behind it.

Damian seems to be one of those characters who can either be fantastic, or the rudest and most annoying person around depending on who’s writing him. Luckily, Joshua Williamson seems to know how to write the perfect Damian. The Damian in this series has depth; he’s mourning the loss of his grandfather, he’s fighting against his old killer ways, he’s trying to be a better person, and he even finds romance. This could have been a very grim and serious series, but it manages to have a lot of heart, humour, and fun, giving us one of the most human Damians we’ve ever had. It also introduces one of the best new characters of the year, Flatline.

The Flash – Jeremy Adams

Out of all the comics picked for this year’s list, The Flash might be the most disjointed out of all of them. The other series are either all self contained, or have pretty tightly structured arcs. The Flash, on the other hand, has done a lot this year; but then he is the fastest man alive, so he can fit it all in. This year saw Wally West head off to Gem World to fight powerful magic users, get involved in the ‘War For Earth-3’, attempt to save Barry Allen in a Dark Crisis tie-in, and try out a spot of multi-dimensional wrestling. And that’s not even everything! The one thing that is consistent throughout all of these adventures, however, has been his family. Wally’s family has become a big part of the book, and him being a husband and father is as much a part of the series as him being a hero.

The Flash doesn’t just have him living a normal family life, though. His twin kids have powers and are wanting to get involved in the adventuring life, and his wife Linda develops her own speedster powers when she becomes pregnant again. Readers get an entire family of superheroes, and the stories being told with them are often incredibly delightful. The series also gave us some of the best, and most important, tie-ins for Dark Crisis. Wally West might not be the first man to wear the title of Flash, but he’s one of the best, and this series seems to love showing why by giving him wonderful stories.

Deathstroke Inc. – Joshua Williamson & Ed Brisson

Series focused on villains can be a bit of a gamble. It can take away their mystique, it can humanise them a bit too much, and you run the risk of making them into a hero. Deathstroke Inc., which focuses on the masked mercenary Slade Wilson, felt a bit like that worst-case scenario to start with. When the series began he was going on missions with Black Canary, and seemed to perhaps be leading to a place where he could do some good. But, during the crossover event ‘Shadow War’, he very much reminded readers that he was a villain, and did some pretty bad stuff. Come the end of that he gets taken over by some kind of dark entity and leads an army of evil for the start of Dark Crisis.

But that’s only the first half of his series. What about the second half? Does it chart his actions during the big universe-wide event? No, Deathstroke Inc. went through a slight reinvention when Dark Crisis began, and took readers back to Slade’s past, showing us how he became the mercenary killer. And this was perhaps the best move that the series could make. Whilst it had been a pretty solid series up to that point, his origin story is where this became a must read. The series gave new life and depth to the character, and did it all without sacrificing any of his villainous qualities.

Even if you only pick up this series for the ‘Year One’ arc, you should. You might not be interested in seeing his current day missions, but learning how he became who he is, in some of the best written scenes the character has been in, with amazing action, has to be a must.

Batman – Joshua Williamson & Chip Zdarsky

2022’s Batman title a pretty decent series whilst Williamson was at the helm. It had a storyline that saw the Caped Crusader go up against a new foe which pushed him, setting up for the new Batman Incorporated series, and it featured the ‘Shadow War’ crossover event. But the series went through a big shift with issue #125, where a new creative team came onto the book, led by writer Chip Zdarsky. And this is what gets Batman onto this list.

The first issue of the new creative team saw Batman being framed for the Penguin’s death when the villain faked his own death and made it appear like Batman killed him (no one really knows he’s still alive at this point). This resulted in the public thinking Batman had broken his one rule, becoming a killer, and activated a device within the Batcave, a dangerous robot called Failsafe, designed with one purpose in mind: to stop Batman if he ever became a killer. Built by Bruce, then having that knowledge removed from his mind, Failsafe knows all of his moves, how to fight all of his allies (including the Justice League), and won’t stop until Batman is dead.

The Failsafe story basically gives readers a Batman vs Terminator-style conflict, and it’s absolutely fantastic. From Failsafe’s first introduction where he brushes aside the Bat-Family, to him bringing down Superman with little effort, his every appearance keeps building the tension to deliver one of the most engaging and exciting Batman stories in a while.

Dark Crisis – Joshua Williamson

DC is known for its big events, especially the ones with ‘Crisis’ in the title. If a book is a Crisis, it’s going to be big and it’s going to change the DC Universe. Dark Crisis is no exception. Picking up after the events of Justice League #75, where the heroes seem to die, Dark Crisis puts the reader in a world where the icons are dead and the remaining heroes are having to stand up against a world in chaos. It’s in this chaos that Deathstroke, infected by some cosmic darkness, leads an assault against the world’s heroes, turning villains and heroes to his cause.

Despite the best efforts of heroes like Nightwing and Jon Kent’s Superman, the world is on the brink; and all of that is just the prelude. A figure from the past of DC, from the very first Crisis event is returning, and is determined to remake the universe as he sees fit. Even if it means the destruction of Earth-0. As the series progresses, and is renamed Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, it becomes clear that this is a huge game-changing book and will have a lasting impact on everything that comes next. Universes will be remade, universes will die. Heroes will return, heroes will be lost. DC will never be the same after this.

Dark Crisis is a book for those who love the DC Universe, it’s history, and its characters, and will have you shocked, awed, and cheering throughout.

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The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken – Throwback 10

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

The early 2010s was an era where if you walked into a book shop and headed over to the teen section you were guaranteed to find one of two things: paranormal romance stories, and dystopian fiction. Both were big business thanks to the headliners of each genre, Twilight, and The Hunger Games respectively, and there were a lot of imitators trying to become the next big thing, and to make their series a must have. The Darkest Minds is a sci-fi dystopia book that might not have done as well as The Hunger Games, but certainly did well for itself.

The story deals with a not too distant future where the world has been ravaged by a new disease, Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration (IAAN), which kills 90% of children and teens. Those that survive the disease awaken with new powers and abilities. When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday with her own abilities to read minds, her parents lock her away in their garage whilst they wait for the authorities to arrive, fearing their own daughter. Ruby is quickly arrested, and is taken to one of the specialist prison camps scattered around the US designed to contain and control the surviving children.

Six years pass, with Ruby a prisoner in the Thurmond facility along with other powered kids. Tired of living as a prisoner of the government, Ruby escapes and sets out to find somewhere safe for kids like her. Along the way she meets a group of powered children who escaped from another facility. Together the group heads towards a camp they believe will bring them safety – but nothing is as it first appears.

On the surface, The Darkest Minds will probably remind a lot of people of the X-Men franchise. Once kids reach a certain age they go through a physical change that grants them super powers, ranging through electrical manipulation, telepathy, telekinesis, and control of fire to name a few. And much like the X-Men, those in power fear the newly changed people. They’re put into camps; they’re experimented on; they’re controlled.

And for the first portion of the book Alexandra Bracken creates a believably grim world. The descriptions of the plague, the effect that it has on people, the conditions in the ‘re-education’ camps are frighteningly plausible. We’ve seen enough through our own history, and the current day, to know that this kind of thing can happen. The US keeps migrant children in cages, and they’d absolutely do it to their own kids if they suddenly believed that they were a threat and could other them to the public.

Unfortunately, once Ruby escapes the facility and hits the road The Darkest Minds does little to make itself stand apart from other books in this genre. The novel essentially becomes a long road trip, with much of the action, much of the drama, and much of the character interactions coming in a car on the road. There are occasional car chases to help break up the monotony, but these do little to improve the overall quality. There’s a romance subplot thrown in, where Ruby finds herself attracted to the leader of the group she meets up with, but it mostly feels like it’s been included because it’s expected that these books have some teen romance in them. It adds little to the plot.

Despite this, The Darkest Minds proved to be a successful novel, and not only did it sell well to its target audience, but the book would go on to spawn a series of sequels, with the main series getting three follow-ups, as well as a couple of short story compilations. There was also a film adaptation in 2018, around the time the final book in the series was released. The film, directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, failed to do well with critics, earning mostly negative reviews, and didn’t earn a huge amount at the box office, resulting in the rest of the series not being adapted.

If you’re a big fan of sci-fi dystopia books with teen protagonists and haven’t read The Darkest Minds yet, it’s one that you should give a go, as it does have a dedicated fan base. But if you’re not too sure on the genre there are probably some stronger examples out there to try first.

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Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester - Book Review

 

'There’s something out there that’s killing. Known only as The Cur, he leaves no traces, save for the torn bodies of girls, on the verge of becoming women, who are known as trouble-makers; those who refuse to conform, to know their place. Girls who don’t know when to shut up.

'2019: Thirteen-year-old Lila Sawyer has secrets she can’t share with anyone. Not the school psychologist she’s seeing. Not her father, who has a new wife, and a new baby. And not her mother—the infamous Caroline Sawyer, a unique artist whose eerie sculptures, made from bent twigs and crimped leaves, have made her a local celebrity. But soon Lila feels haunted from within, terrorised by a delicious evil that shows her how to find her voice—until she is punished for using it.

'2004: Caroline Sawyer hears dogs everywhere. Snarling, barking, teeth snapping that no one else seems to notice. At first, she blames the phantom sounds on her insomnia and her acute stress in caring for her ailing father. But then the delusions begin to take shape—both in her waking hours, and in the violent, visceral sculptures she creates while in a trance-like state. Her fiancé is convinced she needs help. Her new psychiatrist waves her “problem” away with pills. But Caroline’s past is a dark cellar, filled with repressed memories and a lurking horror that the men around her can’t understand.

'As past demons become a present threat, both Caroline and Lila must chase the source of this unrelenting, oppressive power to its malignant core. Brilliantly paced, unsettling to the bone, and unapologetically fierce, Such a Pretty Smile is a powerful allegory for what it can mean to be a woman, and an untamed rallying cry for anyone ever told to sit down, shut up, and smile pretty.'

Such a Pretty Smile tells the story of a mother and her daughter, Caroline and Lila, and how their lives forever change when a series of killings begin to plague their lives.

Lila is young, barely in her teens and trying to find her place at her new school. She's never really been one of the popular girls, and most of the time feels like a bit of an outsider. Fortunately for her her best friend, Macie, is popular enough for the both of them, and has elevated Lila's status somewhat. Unfortunately, though, Lila is secretly in love with Macie, and desperately wants to tell her how she feels. She's barely keeping her life together with her secret love, and her father being focused on his new baby with his wife across the country, but when a series of killings of young girls her age begins to happen it starts to shift her careful existence.

The killer, called The Cur, is taking young girls and leaving them broken and slashed apart, their genitals mutilated, their bodies almost looking like they've been feasted on. Everyone is on edge; especially her mother, Caroline. Lila learns that her mother has a connection to The Cur in her past, something that has left her shaken. But Caroline doesn't want to share her secrets, and Lila is left on her own to figure out what the strange visions she's seeing, and the sounds of howling she keeps hearing means. As Lila begins to change and act more aggressive, Caroline fears that she may soon lose her daughter.

Such a Pretty Smile is a book that is filled with atmosphere. It likes to take its time and build tension over the course of the book, only occasionally giving the audience a break be either showing us a moment of happiness, or by going full horror. Kristi DeMeester has crafted a story that just keeps on building and building, creating this huge sense of dread in the reader as we learn more.

Whilst the story is a horror thriller it's also a mystery. When the book begins The Cur has already claimed a number of victims, and tensions are high amongst the affected community. But we don't know who he is, or why he's doing these terrible things. As the book goes on we start to get hints that there's more to this than a simple string of killings; though this book being sold as a horror story does kind of give that away before you even begin. But, we realise that strange things are afoot when Lila starts to see a mysterious figure watching her from the darkness, cold, yellow eyes staring at her, and the sound of wolves howling in the night.

As things progress Lila starts to act strange, and whilst those around her blame it on mental health issues, it's clear that there's something exerting some kind of influence over her; getting in her head and trying to make her act differently. She becomes vicious, downright nasty towards the people in her life. Whatever is out there watching her has plans for her.

But the mystery deepens when we flash back to events fifteen years prior, when her mother was living in New Orleans. Dealing with the impending death of her father, and having to put her art career on hold in order to try and find work that will give her enough money to pay for her fathers hospice care, she almost doesn't pay attention to the killings that are happening in the city. A killer called The Cur. When her father lets slip in his pain and drug induced state that something happened to Caroline as a girl she begins to look into her past, and learns that she went missing during a spate of killings when she was a girl; and that she was the only girl to return alive.

Caroline begins to experience the same kinds of visions and hallucinations that her daughter will in the future, and starts trying to dig into why. These two stories, unfolding at the same time for the reader build upon each other, giving hints to us, who can experience both, yet keeping things from both Lila and Caroline who never really learn enough to figure everything out.

And this is how much of the book manages to keep you hooked, by giving you a mystery that has no rational solution, no grounding in reality. We know that there has to be other forces at work here, and that something truly dark and evil is behind things. And then the book builds to a conclusion that is horrific in a lot of ways. And because DeMeester spends so long building up both characters, allowing the reader to get into their heads and see what makes them tick, when it comes to a scenario where there's no guarantee either of them will live through it, it makes for a tense conclusion.

My one criticism of the book, however, would be the very end. I won't spoil what happens, but over the course of the book we've been given hints as to what's happening and why. There are theories and possible reasons presented that lead you to a point where you can come to a pretty solid conclusion. But then a new character turns up for the last dozen pages to outline exactly what it all is, why it happened, why these girls were targeted, what it all means. It's almost like the author decided that either the audience wasn't going to be able to figure it all out themselves, or they didn't want people to come to any conclusion other than the one they had in mind. I felt like this choice kind of let the book down somewhat. It was a great book, and it got its message across well and was clever enough to not need to hold your hand along the way, then it went and gave you all the explanations. 

The very end aside, Such a Pretty Smile was an enjoyable and at times disturbing book. It messes with your head and plays with expectations. The characters feel pretty decently crafted and aren't just two-dimensional monster fodder. It has some dark and twisted imagery, and I loved how its themes were tied to feminism, to the violence that people experience at the hands of the patriarchy, and how certain expectations and demands are made of women and femme people. If you're looking for something a bit different than the normal horror book Such a Pretty Smile is worth considering.

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Listmas 2022 – Best Books

 

Originally published on Set The Tape

Deciding on ten books to call the best reads of 2022 has been a hard experience, not least because having read 241 books at the time of writing (249 at the time of publication), picking out just ten to call the best is no easy feat. There have been some truly great books released this year, in all genres, and whilst your favourite book might not appear on this list this is only one person’s opinion, but it’s a list I’m excited to share, to help you discover some fantastic new reads.

All The White Spaces – Ally Wilkes (Titan Books)

All The White Spaces is a historical horror story set in the darkness and sub-zero temperatures of Antarctica just after the First Word War. Centred on the character of Jonathan Morgan, a young man who missed out on going to war, and had to learn that his two older brothers would never be returning. A trans man, Jonathan has been forced to act like someone he’s not his entire life, and is facing the prospect of being sent to a finishing school for young women.

With the help of his brother’s friend, Harry, he leaves home and manages to sneak on board a polar explorer ship that Harry has found work on. Having idolised the polar explorers his entire life, Jonathan hopes to be able to connect better to the memory of his brothers by going on the journey they always wanted to do. But when the ship arrives at Antarctica and finds itself in trouble, Jonathan and the rest of the crew are forced to try to survive in an environment designed to kill them – with something sinister lurking in the darkness.

All The White Spaces is a wonderfully paced and well written tale that focuses so much on character that you almost forget it’s a horror story. You become so engrossed in this meticulously researched tale of polar exploration that when the sinister forces begin to make their presence known it takes you by surprise and chills you to your core. Filed with genuinely frightening horror, a wonderfully well told trans story, and characters that feel real, it’s a must-read story.

Chains – Jon Richter (Bloodhound Books)

Chains opens with the murder of a local businessman – a shady fellow with his fingers in a lot of pies and connections to important local politicians – at the retirement home he owns on the eve of a big press event. What looks like a simple stabbing soon turns into something more complex, as local police and private investigators start to search for answers. But as the web of lies and criminal activities is discovered it soon becomes apparent that it connects to the whole of the small town it lies at the heart of.

Chains is a murder-mystery story. It begins simply enough with a body found in the middle of the night, stabbed to death. What makes this book different from most others in the genre, however, is that it contains multiple points of view. This isn’t a book that skips between a couple of investigators and a killer though, each and every chapter is told from a new perspective; a new person entering the story and building up this world. We’re introduced to the story by the first police officer who arrives on the scene. From here, we then learn more from the politician’s aid, who arrived at the home for his meeting, but stayed to chat with his father who’s a resident there. We then follow the carer who found his body. Then her boyfriend who works on a building site. Then the supervisor there. Then her partner who works in a restaurant. Each new stage of the story moves from person to person as they intersect with another character with another tiny piece of the puzzle.

Each new link in the chain, each new insight made reveals another part of the mystery, and makes the small town feel more alive than most others. It feels like everyone has their own stories, their own goals and desires; we merely intersect with them for a short time. Chains tires to do something different, and the result is one of the more unique reading experiences of the year.

Nettle & Bone – T. Kingfisher (Titan Books)

Nettle & Bone is a fantasy story set in a small kingdom, where we focus on the daughters of the royal family. Marra, the youngest of the three daughters, watches as her older sister dies after marrying the prince of another kingdom, with the middle daughter going to take her place soon after. The marriage needs to work for peace to reign, but Marra fears for her older sister and her safety. Sent to live in a convent, in case she’s needed to marry the prince too, Mara begins to plot for a way to help her sister and save her from the prince’s abuse. Using dark magic, and accompanied by a group that includes a living skeleton dog, a former knight, a witch who can talk to the dead, her fairy godmother, and a demon possessing a chicken, she sets out on her mission.

I’ve already written in detail about why this book is so good, and there’s not much more that I can say about it other than the fact that Kingfisher is able to perfectly capture the feel of a dark fantasy story. Kingfisher’s horror stories have been some fantastic reads, and also appeared on my 2020 book list, and the shift from horror to dark fantasy seems to have been easy for her. The story that is told her is so wonderfully crafted and so delightfully twisted that you find yourself wanting more and more of it.

If horror is too intense for you, and you’ve been too afraid to pick up Kingfisher’s work because of that, this book might be the perfect gateway into her writing. It’s dark, and it’s got some pretty scary moments, but it never strays into the same kind of fear that her other books do. It has some astonishingly fun and fantastical moments too, and will appeal to those that like fantasy with a bit of a twisted edge to it.

Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith – Adam Christopher (Del Rey)

It’s not controversial to say that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was divisive; perhaps more so than the series’ previous entry. Fans came out of the film upset, they were angry with the way the story went. I’ll admit, even I came out of my first viewing unhappy with it. The sudden return of Palpatine felt like it had come out of nowhere, and it seems like the Star Wars story group have been tying to fill in those blanks since. And as someone who reads the books and the comics, I feel they’ve been doing a good job at explaining it and fleshing out the Sith world of Exegol to the point where my opinion of the film has changed a lot. But none do it as well, and as much, as Star Wars: Shadows of the Sith.

Set during the time between the original and sequel trilogies, Shadow of the Sith introduces us to Luke Skywalker whilst his Jedi temple is up and running, with students learning the ways of the Force (including his nephew). Luke is researching into the Force, and the Dark Side, and begins to feel whispers through the Force of something dark somewhere in the galaxy. Meanwhile, Lando Calrisian overhears a Sith assassin in a bar, recruiting a crew to hunt down a family on the run. Still reeling from the loss of his own daughter, Lando goes to Luke for help, and the two of them set out to save the family before it’s too late.

The family that this book deals with, that Luke and Lando are trying to save, are Miramir and Dathan, and their daughter, Rey. This is the story about Rey’s parents, a story that we know ends in tragedy. The book tells us a lot about the Sith, features several amazing moments that left my jaw hanging, and resulted in me crying for characters more than once. It also makes that scene in The Rise of Skywalker where we see Rey’s parents die hit all the harder, because they’re real, fleshed out people now. This book might not make you love The Rise of Skywalker, but it will be the best Star Wars book you’ll read this year.

A Magic Steeped In Poison – Judy I. Lin (Titan Books)

A Magic Steeped In Poison is a fantasy court intrigue novel set in a universe where magic is real, but where magic works differently to any other story you’ve ever read. Inspired by Chinese history, myths, and legends, the book introduces readers to a young woman named Ning, who leaves her family home in a small village and travels to the capital in order to try and find help for her dying sister. Her sister has been poisoned, and having just watched her mother die from the same thing Ning is determined to save her life. She travels to the capital to enter a competition, a contest to find the new Shennong-shi, someone who uses tea making to craft magics. Determined to use the skills taught to her by her mother, Ning enters the contest, but finds more than she bargained for waiting for her.

A Magic Steeped In Poison is what you’d get if you combined a competition style game show like The Apprentice or America’s Next Top Model with the politics and court intrigue of A Song of Ice and Fire then wrapped it in a package inspired by Chinese culture. Judy I. Lin takes a lot of inspiration from real places, yet manages to craft her own world here, complete with rival leaders, political intrigue, unique creatures, and a magic system that feels wholly its own. And the magic system is where the book really shines. There are no wizards with staffs, no waving of wands and shouting of magic words. Instead, when magic needs to be done it’s done by the brewing of tea, the selecting of certain ingredients, and the crafting of the perfect cup to drink. This book offers something incredibly different, something that will quickly draw you in and have you wanting more; so it’s handy that it’s the first part, and that the sequel novel is coming very soon.

The Calculations of Rational Men – Daniel Godfrey (Self Published)

The 1960s were a time of fear, a constant looming threat of nuclear war. People were always afraid that something would happen, that the Cold War would suddenly turn hot, and that we’d all die in nuclear fire. Luckily that never happened; but The Calculations of Rational Men asks the question of what would have happened if it had. Set at a prison in the UK, the book follows doctor Joseph Marr, a man sent to prison for murder when he tried to help a drowning woman and failed to save her life (his use of mouth to mouth and chest compression having him labelled a degenerate). When the prisoners are pulled out of their cells in the middle of the night they witness a massive explosion in the distance, and are ushered into the specially made bunker beneath the building.

With hundreds of prisoners locked together underground, Marr is tasked with keeping them in good health as the only medically trained man there. Stuck between the prisoners and the staff, not one of either, Marr finds himself in a situation where all lives may depend on him; and where he can witness the breakdown of order as fear sets in. The Calculations of Rational Men is an intense book that puts its cast of characters in an extreme position, and lets you see what happens when they begin to break. Godfrey crafts an increasingly intriguing narrative filled with twists and turns and drama that you’ll find hard to put down. You may need to do some digging to find a copy of this self published novel, but it’s absolutely worth the effort.

The Siege of X-41 – Tristan Palmgren (Aconyte Books)

Often when comic stories are adapted to novel form it struggles to work well, due in part to the original story not being designed for that format. But when written for prose, superheroes can work exceptionally well, and The Siege of X-41 is a prime example of that. Set in the Marvel universe, the book follows a group of young students from the New Charles Xavier Institute sent on a team bonding mission. The mission takes the small group of teen mutants and their adult teacher deep beneath the waves to the ocean floor where they have to perform maintenance on a deep sea facility.

In the pitch black, at a pressure where the slightest accident could kill them, they’re already on edge, but when vicious, vampiric creatures begin to assault the facility the group ends up having to fight for their survival in an environment designed to kill them. The Siege of X-41 might be an X-Men story, but at its heart it’s a horror tale; one that is more closely connected to Lovecraftian horror than anything else with its deep sea setting, awful monsters, and a slumbering ancient evil. This is the kind of book that shows the versatility of superheroes, and how they can work in completely different kinds of stories. You don’t have to be a big comic fan to enjoy this, and no knowledge of the X-Men is needed, just a desire to read an intense, often frightening story.

Sherlock Holmes & Mr Hyde – Christian Klaver (Titan Books)

Sherlock Homes & Mr Hyde is a sequel to a novel that played around with the Sherlock Holmes mythos quite a bit. In the previous book, vampires came to London, and Holmes & Watson end up caught in the middle of their machinations. Watson is transformed into a vampire himself and, with the help of Count Dracula and his wife Mina, the two of them are able to defeat the vampire Moriarty. This book picks up a while later, with the two detectives settled into their new life, and the knowledge that the supernatural exists. However, when the infamous Whitechapel killings start once again, hinting at the return of Jack the Ripper, the two are dragged into another mystery; one that surrounds the unusual Mr Hyde.

The Classified Dossier series does an exceptionally good job at combining the characters and the world of the grounded Sherlock Holmes stories with those of other Victorian era characters, particularly the horror ones. We’ve already included vampires and Lovecraftian monsters, but this story builds upon that with the inclusion of Jack the Ripper, Jekyll and Hyde, and the Invisible Man. The world that Klaver creates with these books feels fantastical, yet works incredibly well with the rational Holmes and his views of the world. Marrying the supernatural with a character who has no time for the paranormal should be an impossible combination, but this series does it perfectly. If you like your Victorian era literature this series is one that you might want to give a try.

The Secret Life of Fungi – Aliyah Whiteley (Pegasus Books)

The only book on this list that’s non-fiction, The Secret Life of Fungi is a fairly short read that ended up being one of the more intriguing and interesting books of the year. Written by fiction author Aliyah Whiteley, the book deals with fungi, fungus, and mushrooms. But it’s not a text book, it’s not a science journal, instead, it’s the author telling you stories about how they fell in love with fungi, and the interesting things that they’ve learned about them over the years.

Written in a way that feels like you’re having a conversation, or listening to someone do a talk about a subject that’s a hobby, Whiteley manages to make the topic feel accessible to all. It never gets bogged down in the science of things, it doesn’t feel the need to list facts and figures or bombard you with Latin names. You simply get to read interesting anecdotes, stories about different types of fungi and the things that they can do, and the reasons why they’re more interesting that you’ve probably ever considered. My interest in the topic definitely went up after reading this, and it feels like a gateway book, something that’s there to get me interested in fungi enough that I’ll want to go out and learn more. Whether you’re interested in the topic or not, it might just pique your interest and make you reconsider these wonderful forms of life.

Reign of the Devourer – David Annandale (Aconyte Books)

Another novel that combines the world of Marvel comics with horror, Reign of the Devourer is the second entry in a series that takes a look at the villainous Doctor Doom. Whilst this might not seem that interesting, the series has done a fantastic job og humanising him, and showing that the people in his home nation really do love him for the improvements he’s made. Having taken down evil dictators, brought wealth to the nation, and given equality to all (Doctor Doom supports trans rights!), he’s made Latveria a place his people feel safe in. However, when an ancient evil awakens and begins turning the populace into monstrous vampires, Doom must find a way to stop them before all is lost.

Reign of the Devourer feels a lot closer to The Strain than most other vampire stories, with its truly monstrous creatures that can infect others with frightening ease. The book embraces the horror aspects of the story, and delivers some truly chilling scenes where the monsters destroy entire villages, hunting down anyone alive. This may feature one of the more iconic villains in Marvel, but this book will probably have you cheering him on to win long before the end.

Honourable Mentions for those that almost made it into the Top 10: Zachareth by Robbie MacNiven, Gallant by V.E. Schwab, The Haunting of Las Lágrimas by W.M. Cleese, Pennyblade by J.L Worrad, The Shadow Glass by Josh Winning, Planet Havoc by Tim Waggoner, A Fractured Infinity by Nathan Traveres, Age of the Undead by C.L. Werner, Secrets in Scarlet short story anthology, AVP: Ultimate Prey short story anthology.

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Frankenstein: A Reteling by Tanya Landman - Book Review

 

'On a dreary night in November my work came to its conclusion. It was one in the morning. Rain pattered against the windowpanes and my candle was nearly burnt out when I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open...

'Victor Frankenstein intended to create a beautiful being. But the moment it breathes, he sees he has given life to a hideous monster. Creature and Creator are soon locked in a deadly struggle. But which of them is the real monster?

'A thrilling Gothic tale of hubris gone badly wrong. A young man’s search for the secret of the spark of life leads him to a horrific experiment in which he creates a gigantic creature from dismembered body parts. Rejected by his creator, the initially gentle creature turns monstrous when his desire to find companionship and love are thwarted. Tanya Landman revisits Mary Shelley’s classic Gothic horror story, bringing to life Dr Frankenstein and his monstrous creation in an accessible format that more readers can enjoy.'

It can be hard to read some of the classics. Certain works get built up as some of the greatest books ever written, and with the changes of language and style over the decades (or centuries) it can be difficult to read for some readers; especially younger readers. Barrington Stoke have produced some wonderful retellings of some of the most celebrated novels ever made, designed to be more accessible for all readers, and Frankenstein is their latest addition to the catalogue.

Frankenstein has continued to exist for as long as it has because of the quality of the story. At a base level reading its an entertaining science fiction horror story, but its also able to be analysed and upon deeper dives there are a lot of interesting themes and ideas hiding underneath the surface that you can really sink your teeth into. With that in mind, one of the biggest questions would have to be 'does it lose any of this in this retelling?'. No, absolutely not.

Tanya Landman does an incredibly good job at cutting content, in condensing down, and managing to keep the story working. Not just from the point of view of the plot and characters still making sense, but the entire feel and theme of the story still remaining intact. I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of things remain in the book, things that other versions and retellings quickly get rid of. There have been so many versions of Frankenstein over the years that most people's first experience with the characters end up becoming incredibly far removed from what they're supposed to be (just the name Frankenstein will often conjure images of the Universal Monsters version of the character for many people, which is nothing like the original).

This retelling manages to retain so much of the original that I often found myself surprised that things were still there. Landman seemed to know which parts were the most important, things that I'd kind of expected to vanish, and kept them. Passages like Victor seeing the rotting face of his mother in his dream. This is something that isn't a huge plot point, that some might consider to be the first thing that needs to be cut in a children's version of the book thanks to its surprisingly horrific imagery; but Landman included it, put emphasis on it, and it made the book feel more alive because of it. You could feel the horror and the revulsion, and it sent the message that this is a horror story still, not a sanitised plot summary.

This version of Frankenstein manages to hold true to the original whilst condensing and simplifying much of the book. The characters feel the same, the themes are familiar, and it doesn't lose any of the things that made the original one of the most important books ever written. To do all of that isn't just impressive, it's kind of amazing. And the beauty of this new version is that whilst it's been written to allow younger readers to experience the story it's by no means excluding anyone else. It's been simplified for accessibility, but it's not been dumbed-down. A reader of any age can pick up and enjoy this book without worry. So whether you've always wanted to read Frankenstein but have been put off by the style or language, or if you're looking for a version for a kid with an interest in the classics, this is a book that you don't want to miss out on.

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The Terror of Hilltop House by Dan Smith - Book Review

 

'When Pete, Krish, and Nancy read a story in the local paper about missing sheep and weird gunk found in a field near Hilltop House, they're sure that there's a mystery to be investigated. The research farm at Hilltop is working on the creation of new bio-fuels, but when a storm knocks out the power in the local area something escapes from the farm, it's clear that the research has gone horribly wrong... Can the brave trio save their village from a truly terrifying threat?'

The Crooked Oaks Mysteries series returns for a fourth spooky outing this week, as a mysterious experiment on the outskirts of town threatens everyone in the village; and forces the three young heroes to throw themselves into danger to save the day.

Having somehow only managing to be able to read the even numbered books in the series (someday I'll catch up on book one and three!) I was excited to see what new adventures awaited within these pages. The Beast of Harwood Forest was a delightfully spooky story, and Dan Smith himself was a wonderfully kind and delightful man to talk to. And I wasn't dissapointed.

The story beings with Nancy lamenting the lack of interesting news in the local paper. However, later that day she, Pete, and Krish learn about a huge storm that's supposed to be hitting the area soon, as well as a sheep that have gone missing. What makes missing sheep interesting? The odd puddles of gunk with pieces of bone and wool in them that are found are the interesting part. Learning that the strange incident happened up near Hilltop House, an old manor that has been bought to turn into a research centre. Their interest piqued, the trio set out to find out a bit more about what's going on up at the house; but discover a secret that could soon put their home in danger.

One of the things that I really like about this series, that took me a bit by surprise when I first read one of the books, was that this isn't a series where the kids are convinced something supernatural or monstrous happens but are proven wrong. No, monsters are real in these books. And the kids end up in situations that are genuinely dangerous and scary. They remind me of the Goosebumps books in that way; but unlike those there does feel like there's a chance for something bad to happen to the lead characters, and there's always a decent explanation to things. No last minute twists that make no sense here.

This book deals with genetic experiments that leads to some pretty nasty plant creatures coming into existence. The monsters in this book pose a pretty real threat, and there are some points in the book where it's very heavily implied that people have died a greusome death. It's done off the page, and whilst its obvious what's happened it's not shoved in your face. This feels like a book where parents might want to vet it a little first, just to make sure your kid is old enough to handle everything that happens here. However, if your child is a bit older, has a love for horror and monsters, this is the book for them.

But it's also a book that I think can appeal to some older readers too. Yes, it's quick and simple to read, and most adults will get through it one sitting, but there's still a lot of fun to be found here; especially if you go through it trying to spot all of the fun references to other horror stories. Ones that I picked up on immediately would be Nancy perhaps being a nod to A Nightmare on Elm Street (she does also live on Elm Street), Pete Brundle being a nod to Seth Brundle in The Fly, and Krish Shyamalan being a reference to M. Night Shyamalan. But the book also has others like Storm Carrie (Stephen King's Carrie), the Spencer Institute (Resident Evil), Miss Wan (horror director James Wan), Campbell Street (Bruce Capbell from The Evil Dead series), Variant 42 for the plant monsters (Plant 42 was a plant monster in Resident Evil), and one of the scientists being called Ada Valentine (for both Ada Wong and Jill Valentine from Resident Evil), and those are just the ones I remember off the top of my head. I'm sure spotting the references could be made into a fun game.

There's a lot to enjoy with The Terror of Hilltop House for readers of all ages. If you or your younger readers have a love of horror this is a book that will definitely appeal.

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Tom Clancy's The Division: Compromised by Thomas Parrott - Book Review

 

'Ever since the Green Poison epidemic transformed the United States, the Division has worked tirelessly to push the nation back from the brink of collapse. The new food infrastructure brings hope… until Division agent Maira Kanhai finds an alarming disruption in the critical Texan oil refineries: a group of environmental extremists set on keeping the transformed world free from fossil fuels. When Maira’s Division cell is dispatched to secure the area, they discover a private military outfit acting as warlords of the hurricane-ravaged communities. As tensions between the factions come to a head, an old enemy emerges intending to destroy the Division, forcing Maira into a choice that will make her a hero or villain, and question what the Division stands for.'

The first book in the new series of The Division novels, The Division: Recruited, introduced readers to the world of the popular video game where much of humanity has been wiped out by a deadly virus; as well as the series protagonist Maira Kanhai. Following the events of that book, which our group of heroes barely managed to survive, we return once again as Maira gets sent out on an even more dangerous mission; one that could have repercussions for thousands of survivors.

Following the event of the last book things have begun to get better for the survivors of the Green Poison pandemic. The rogue Division agents have been neutralised, and the fighting between the bandit groups and the Freighties has died down, allowing the altruistic Freighties to use their trucks to deliver much needed food and supplies to survivor communities around the country. However, when Maira learns that there's a growing disruption to fuel supplied in Texas, she and her new team are tasked with travelling there and securing the much needed fuel.

Alongside Maira is Leo, who worked with her in her cell since she was recruited into the Division, as well as former military medic Colin, and sniper Yeong-Ja, Maira sets out to find out what's causing the issues with the fuel. However, when the team arrive in Texas they find allies under siege, a military group trying to bring peace through force and control, and environmental extremists wanting to return society to simpler times. As the team try to prevent all out war they end up stuck in the middle, and fighting against another threat lurking in the shadows.

The first book in the series was an enjoyable read, one that introduced those who hadn't played the game to this world, and did its best to establish some interesting characters. And whilst it was a good read, this book is probably a better one. Perhaps it's the benefit of it being a sequel, so some of the characters have had a chance to settle in a bit, or maybe the story just works better than the first; whatever the reason, The Division: Compromised is pretty much everything that I could have wanted from the sequel.

The characters that I liked from the first book returned, and whilst one of them was relegated to a support position because of injuries they sustained in the previous entry, Maira and Leo were good characters to bring back. They had an easy rapport with each other, and the focus on Leo in this book was a really clever move for building on the one one character from the first book that was probably served least there. The new characters were also welcome additions. Yeong-Ja was almost a bit too much like Leo to begin with, a character to didn't speak much, but as the book went on and we saw more of her it was clear that she was a very different kind of person; one whose quiet exterior was hiding a bit of a joker. Colin, as well as becoming the teams medic, became our secondary protagonist, and several of the chapters were written from his point of view. Adding this new POV was interesting, and it gave us some insight into important characters and events that would hold a lot of weight for the rest of the book. It also could make the next book in the series (if there is one) more interesting to have two POV characters based on how this one ends.

As well as a better focus on characters the action in this book felt a lot tighter than the first. There was less of it, and the times where the characters were forced to pick up their weapons and take lives were given more importance in the story. The first book had the team being assaulted from all directions multiple times, but here the team are more proactive, and often end up choosing to go into battle, rather than having it thrust upon them. They get to choose the fields of battle, they get to make the sudden strikes, and whilst it doesn't always mean that they win it does give it a very different feel.

As mentioned before, the book has an interesting ending. I'm not going to go into that for spoiler reasons, but I will say based upon how things wrap up at the end of this book any future book is quite possibly going to be the most intriguing yet. Having very much enjoyed both books in the series I'm hoping that we do get at least one more.

Whether you've played the games or not, or whether you've read the first book or not, The Division: Compromised is a entertaining and enjoyable read that people are going to love. It works brilliantly as an addition to the games, and as a sequel to the first book, but if you're coming to this completely fresh it stands well enough on its own to keep you entertained throughout.

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Road of Bones by Christopher Golden - Book Review

 

'Kolyma Highway, otherwise known as the Road of Bones, is a 1200 mile stretch of Siberian road where winter temperatures can drop as low as sixty degrees below zero. Under Stalin, at least eighty Soviet gulags were built along the route to supply the USSR with a readily available workforce, and over time hundreds of thousands of prisoners died in the midst of their labors. Their bodies were buried where they fell, plowed under the permafrost, underneath the road.

'Felix Teigland, or "Teig," is a documentary producer, and when he learns about the Road of Bones, he realizes he's stumbled upon untapped potential. Accompanied by his camera operator, Teig hires a local Yakut guide to take them to Oymyakon, the coldest settlement on Earth. Teig is fascinated by the culture along the Road of Bones, and encounters strange characters on the way to the Oymyakon, but when the team arrives, they find the village mysteriously abandoned apart from a mysterious 9-year-old girl. Then, chaos ensues.

'A malignant, animistic shaman and the forest spirits he commands pursues them as they flee the abandoned town and barrel across miles of deserted permafrost. As the chase continues along this road paved with the suffering of angry ghosts, what form will the echoes of their anguish take? Teig and the others will have to find the answers if they want to survive the Road of Bones.'

There are some locations that just seem tailor made for horror stories, places in the world that when you hear of them you go 'yeah, that's haunted'; even if you don't really believe in ghosts. The Kolyma Highway is absolutely one of those places, and whilst I'd not heard of it before reading this book it's one that I've ended up reading up on now; and have been chilled by the history connected to it. With anywhere between 250,000 and 1,000,000 people having died during its construction, with their bodies most often just left where they fell, it's one of the most eerie sounding things ever built, and has more than earned its name of the Road of Bones. A name that this book uses.

Whilst the road itself is real this book isn't a history of its construction, or a telling of the real life ghost stories connected to it. Instead, Christopher Golden has crafted his own frightening tale set on this lonely, deadly road.

Road of Bones tells the story of Teig, a documentary filmmaker who's going through something of a dry spell in terms of creativity. Having worked on a few fairly well received shows in the past, he's trying to find the next big thing that will land him a hit series and make him some money. Thus, he sets out on his latest venture, to create a demo reel for a show about the Kolyma Highway, one of the most dangerous roads in the world. Joining him on this trip is one of his closest friends, Prentiss, who's there to help film their adventure, and to make sure that Teig finally pays him back the money he owes.

Their adventure starts off normally enough, with the two of them taking shifts to drive along the miles of ahead of them, in an environment where if they even just turn off their engine they could end up trapped and frozen to death. They pick up a local guide to help them communicate with the locals, and to add some flavour to their footage. The trio spend some time getting used to each other, and even stop off at a local roadhouse for drinks and burgers. Everything seems fine, if not a little extremely cold. However, it's after they pick up a woman in a broken down car and take her to the nearest small village that things begin to go wrong for the group.

They find every building in town deserted, the doors open, with barefoot tracks leading from the homes to the nearby forest. Before they can investigate far, however, strange figures emerge from the trees, dark shadows, weird amalgams of animal and humans, and large, viscous wolves that make the visitors their targets. The group are forced to flee, heading down the long, winding highway to try and find shelter and help; but the dark things from the frozen forests are coming after them, and won't stop until they're dead.

Road of Bones is something of a chase story. It starts normally enough, introducing readers to the characters and the setting, and we get some small build-up of tension as they realise that something is wrong in the isolated village; but most of the book's focus, and the tension, comes once the strange creatures come after our characters and start chasing them. This essentially begins a huge chase sequence, where the characters spend their time moving from one location to another, trying their best to avoid dangers, whilst driving in their truck. 

Whilst this does add a great deal of tension, as there's almost never a moment to stop and relax for the characters or the readers, it does make the book feel incredibly oppressive at times. There's always tension, there's always danger, the threat is never really gone. The result is a book that feels quite dense, despite it's relatively short length. This made it harder to read at times, because you wanted something to happen, you wanted the bad thing that was just out of sight to finally attack because the wait for it was getting too much. Compared to a lot of horror books, where things can take place over multiple days, slowly building and using a slight increase in fear, Road of Bones felt much more cinematic in tone and style; it'd be easy to see the book be made into a film thanks to how Golden has crafted it. I do also wonder if his history with writing TV and film adaptations has helped with this, and if that kind of faster, more intense style has come across to this book because of that.

Despite the fast paced moments and the characters constantly being on the run there's still time to get to know the people involved, and Golden does a good job at building booth Teig and Prentiss into characters with a decent amount of depth. Teig gets the lions share of this, and thanks to the dives into his past and the way that he thinks he ends up being a bit of a flawed hero; someone who I at times kind of hated because he seemed like a bit of a flake, a bit of a chancer. Despite that, he ended up being a decent and likeable protagonist for us to follow.

Road of Bones is a decent horror story with some interesting ideas and a location that instantly stands out as different. Even if you come away not one hundred percent liking the story or the characters the location, an the way Golden makes it come to life on the page will make this a book that you'll remember.

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Star Wars: Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray - Audio Book Review

 

'A Jedi must be a fearless warrior, a guardian of justice, and a scholar in the ways of the Force. But perhaps a Jedi’s most essential duty is to pass on what they have learned. Master Yoda trained Dooku; Dooku trained Qui-Gon Jinn; and now Qui-Gon has a Padawan of his own. But while Qui-Gon has faced all manner of threats and danger as a Jedi, nothing has ever scared him like the thought of failing his apprentice.

'Obi-Wan Kenobi has deep respect for his Master, but struggles to understand him. Why must Qui-Gon so often disregard the laws that bind the Jedi? Why is Qui-Gon drawn to ancient Jedi prophecies instead of more practical concerns? And why wasn’t Obi-Wan told that Qui-Gon is considering an invitation to join the Jedi Council—knowing it would mean the end of their partnership? The simple answer scares him: Obi-Wan has failed his Master.

'When Jedi Rael Averross, another former student of Dooku, requests their assistance with a political dispute, Jinn and Kenobi travel to the royal court of Pijal for what may be their final mission together. What should be a simple assignment quickly becomes clouded by deceit, and by visions of violent disaster that take hold in Qui-Gon’s mind. As Qui-Gon’s faith in prophecy grows, Obi-Wan’s faith in him is tested—just as a threat surfaces that will demand that Master and apprentice come together as never before, or be divided forever.'

The prequel era was explored quite heavily in the Legends canon, with many books covering the early years of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his time training with his master, Qui-Gon Jinn. So when it was relegated to Legends with the Disney acquisition fans were left waiting for the new timeline to cover the same era, to go back and tell us what really happened in that time. Star Wars: Master & Apprentice is one of the first real looks into a young Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, as it explores a difficult time in their past, gives them both a dangerous mission, and even tells us more about the lost Jedi Knight, Dooku.

The main bulk of the story is set around a decade before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, with Obi-Wan being in his early to mid teens. At this point in time he doesn't really get on well with his master. The two of them aren't the well oiled machine we see them as in the first film, and Obi-Wan feels like his training isn't really going anywhere. Similarly, Qui-Gon is trying his best to make things work with his student, but doesn't really seem to be able to connect with him. But, this difficulty might be coming to an end, as the Jedi Council has extended an invitation to Qui-Gon to join them. If he accepted, he'd be able to give Obi-Wan over to another Jedi, allowing the two of them to part ways without either party feeling like they've failed.

However, before Qui-Gon is able to make a decision as to whether this is the right path for him, the two of them get assigned to a special mission. Their presence has been requested by the regent of the planet Pijal, a world where their future queen is still too young to take the throne, and the planets rule falls under her tutor and protector; Jedi Knight Rael Averross. Another former student of Dooku, Rael and Qui-Gon know each other well, and he specifically asks for Qui-Gon's presence to help with mounting rebel attacks and unease as the planet gets closer to signing an agreement with a powerful company that could alter Pijal's fate forever.

Star Wars: Master & Apprentice is a book that probably isn't going to heavily appeal to those who like a lot of action in their Star Wars books. If that's what you're after try Star Wars: Lords of the Sith or Star Wars Battlefront: Twilight Company instead. It's also probably not going to be a ton of fun for those odd people who hate the prequel era. But, if you like the prequel times, and enjoy learning more about the Jedi and seeing characters interact in interesting ways, this book is one that you're going to love.

The mission that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan get sent on isn't really that important, it's more of a vehicle for them to explore their relationship and the way that they interact with each other; as well as an excuse for introducing us to an important new character for Qui-Gon's past. Up to this point we've been left to assume that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan have always gotten on well, that Obi's training was pretty smooth, and that they'd always been the well oiled machine we see in the film. But this book adds some wrinkles to that, as we begin the story by seeing two people who just can't connect. The two of them don't know how to communicate, Obi doesn't know what his mast wants from him or how to work with him in the field. It's rough to see, and if it wasn't for the fact that we know that the two of them are still master and apprentice by the time of Episode One you'd be expecting them to part ways in this book.

Personally, I really like the idea that they were kind of a terrible match to begin with. It makes sense considering what we see in the movie with a Padawan that wants to follow rules and regulations, and a master whose whole deal seems to be 'fuck it, I'll do what I think the Force wants'. Getting to see the two of them realise that they're not perfect together, and choosing to work through that instead of giving up is a genuine delight. I also loved the fact that the Jedi knew that Obi-Wan was something of a rebel (hard to believe, I know!) and chose to put him with someone who flouts the rules and regulations and does what he wants so that the only way Obi could rebel against that would be to become the most by the book, perfect Jedi possible. The moment they both realise that they'd been played that way by the council was a delightful moment, and made their relationship click perfectly into place.

The book also explored Qui-Gon's past with the prophecies, and important part of his character, and the entire reason why Anakin is brought into the Jedi. We get to see more about the prophecies, actually hearing a few of them; and we see where they come from. The ancient holocron of prophecy is an interesting thing, and something that I'd genuinely like to see more of in future stories. The fact that Dooku was also interested in it hopefully means that it's something that could be explored with more of his backstory too. I really enjoyed getting to hear a couple of the prophecies, and seeing how they could be interpreted in different ways. The one about the birth of darkness, 'She who will be born to darkness will give birth to darkness.' is a good example of this, as Qui-Gon gave one possibility, but t could also perhaps be interpreted as referring to Shmi Sywalker, or perhaps Leia. It demonstrates how dangerous the prophecies are, and how Qui-Gon needs to be careful when holding a belief in them.

Also from Qui-Gon's past is Rael, Dooku's first apprentice, and a kind of big brother figure for Qui-Gon. Rael is one of the more interesting and unique Jedi around. Not only is his assignment to be the ruler of a planet until the true queen comes of age, but he's also messy, dirty, like to drink, has sex, and generally acts more like a scoundrel than a Jedi. He feels like the polar opposite to both Dooku and Qui-Gon, and injecting him into their past makes for some interesting new additions to their histories. What we see of him makes him one of the more unique Jedi, and there were times where I was left wondering if perhaps he was being built up as being so different and so un-Jedi-like because he was going to be set up as an antagonist. Thankfully, Gray didn't go down the more obvious path, and didn't have him turn to the dark side or anything like that. That being said, the scene in which he and Qui-Gon spar is one of the better lightsaber fights in a Star Wars book.

There are some great moments to be found in this book, with some interesting developments for the histories of characters we know quite well, as well as several new characters that are very enjoyable additions to the canon. There are several connections to other books, and the films, that feel very natural and help to flesh out the universe a little more. The final scene, which takes place further in the future at the funeral of Qui-Gon, is worth the admission alone, and fans of these characters will find it difficult not to end the book with a tear or two in their eyes. 

The audio book is read really well, and Jonathan Davis does a great job at capturing the feel of the characters that we know. He does a decent Qui-Gon impression, and his young Obi-Wan is really good too. Rael is perhaps the best character here, and part of that is down to the way that Davis plays him and brings him to life.

If you like the prequel era and want to see more of the Jedi from that time, Star Wars: Master & Apprentice is a fantastic way to do that.

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Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla – Throwback 20

Originally published on Set The Tape

There’s a trend for protagonists to get villains that are twisted reflections of themselves. Superman has Bizarro, Spider-Man has Venom, and Godzilla has Mechagodzilla. Over the years the mechanical version of the giant lizard has gone through a number of redesigns and re-imaginings to fit with each revamped origin, but none stand out as being as interesting as 2002’s Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla.

Despite having appeared in a number of films before, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla represents the first appearance of the mechanical monstrosity in the new Millennium continuity; a series that covers the Godzilla films released between 1999 and 2004.

This new continuity counted some of the older films, such as the original Godzilla film, but discounted much of the rest, and used this to craft its own tale. The film begins in 1999, 45 years after the appearance of the first Godzilla creature that was eventually killed. During an attack from a new Godzilla, members of the Anti-Special Creature Self Defence Forces are killed in the attack, due in part to the actions of Lieutenant Akane Yashiro (Yumiko Shaku).

After the disastrous attack it’s decided that conventional weapons are no longer a viable defence against the giant monster, and a special project is begun. Using the remains of the original Godzilla creature, scientists create a mechanised creature capable of going toe to toe with Godzilla. With the remains of the former creature inside the machine, this cyborg monstrosity, named Kiryu, can be piloted by humans and taken into battle. Given a new chance at fighting Godzilla, Akane is assigned to pilot Kiryu. Years later, when Godzilla re-emerges, Kiryu is deployed against it.

One of the things that immediately makes this version of Mechagodzilla different to those that came before it is that this isn’t a machine. Or at least, not a purely robotic machine. Instead, this new weapon is a cyborg creation, a suit of armour built around the skeleton of a defeated Godzilla. This is Godzilla given the RoboCop treatment, or Godzilla if the Cybermen got hold of him. The film’s opening title even reflects the fact that this is a different version of the creature, as it begins with the words ‘Godzilla vs Godzilla’ before ‘Mecha’ fades onto the screen, changing the name.

And this wasn’t done just to give the monster a new origin, as it also impacts the story when during the first fight with the living Godzilla its roar somehow triggers off some kind of genetic sense memory within the remains, sending the un-dead cyborg off on a rampage. This entire set-up would go on to be used again, with a slight tweak, in the Monsterverse movie Godzilla vs Kong, where that version of Mechagodzilla is made using one of the skulls from King Ghidorah, and latent memories and psychic powers allow the dead creature to take over its new, metal body. But when you’ve got a great idea, why not use it again?

Mechagodzilla didn’t just get a revamped origin, however, as the monster also got an updated design. Less chunky and clunky looking than previous versions, and sporting massive canons on his shoulders, this version more closely resembled the creature that he was supposed to be fighting. And speaking of fighting, the monster scenes in this film make for some amazing moments. The opening sequence features Godzilla in a typhoon, coming out of the rain, stalking towards his enemy in a moment that looks truly phenomenal, and might be his best entrance in any movie. The final fight of the movie manages to land well too, and has some fast paced action aided by some pretty decent CGI work that complements the suit effects and miniature work nicely.

Whilst the film was released in Japan in December, where it did well in the box office, it also had a one night only screening in the US in November in select theatres. Despite not receiving much advertisement, the movie managed to pull $335,000 for the single day. The film ended up being received well, with many Godzilla fans claiming it as one of the best entries in the Millennium series.

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