Showing posts with label christian genre lit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christian genre lit. Show all posts
Sunday, August 8, 2021
Saturday, July 3, 2021
Continuing the Space Trilogy Discussion w/Perelandra!
And, unfortunately, that's all I have ready for this post. But the next should be pretty chock full. In addition to some comic and book reviews, I also plan to share an essay on the abuse of Captain America. Hope you'll stop by on the 17th for the fun!
ETA: The second post of the month has now been pushed back to 7/31. Many apologies!
Saturday, June 19, 2021
One Review, One Advertisement, and Several Streams
Let's open this post with the review: Yesterday, I started - and rapidly finished - Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, which is absolutely outstanding and thus earns my highest recommendation. Indeed, I don't think I've been this excited about a book in quite some time.
How shall we describe the premise of Weir's third novel? Well, I read it as an offspring of a marriage between The Martian (reviewed here) and my favorite first contact narratives (like, for example, James Cambias' A Darkling Sea, reviewed here), .
Like Mark Watney, the protagonist and point-of-view character in Project Hail Mary - Dr. Ryland Grace - is a wise-cracking, super-skilled scientist who must rely on his wits to solve seemingly insurmountable problems. In this case, however, the primary test he faces is not mere survival but an imminent apocalypse: a newly-discovered space-faring unicellular lifeform is syphoning energy off our sun (and off many other stars in our local cluster), and Grace has been sent to Tau Ceti on a fast-tracked suicide mission to find a solution before crop failures and radical climate change destroy the human race.
Interestingly, the above remit is not something Grace realizes right off the bat; interestingly, it is something he has to discover gradually after waking up from an extended medically-induced coma with severe memory loss. And it is this choice to situate the main character in the same condition of ignorance as the reader as to the full context of his predicament that, in part, makes for a riveting story.
The other thing that kept me turning the pages besides Grace's slow-to-resolve amnesia (and, of course, Earth's impending doom) is "Rocky," our second principal character. "Rocky" (dubbed thus by Grace because of his mineral-based exoskeleton) is an ammonia-breathing alien spider from the Eridani system who has come to Tau Ceti to save his own species from the very same invasive organism that is threatening Earth. It is "Rocky" who brings the Darkling Sea elements to the table; after Grace and "Rocky" encounter each other, much of the middle chapters are devoted to their attempts to 1.) recognize each other's sapience, 2.) communicate, and 3.) learn about each other's biology and cultural traditions. I suppose another breed of reader might find such exposition boring, but I don't; on the contrary, I'm attracted to science fiction precisely because it tackles this challenge of mutual comprehension so often.
Plus? "Rocky" is so. damned. likable. Once Grace and "Rocky" learn the basics of each other's languages and it's revealed that they're both the sole survivors of their respective missions, they strike up a genuine, heart-felt friendship that, at several points, moved me to tears. The end of chapter 19 in particular is a stand-out moment. I actually had to stop for a while to collect myself before proceeding to chapter 20.
Bottom line, what we have in Project Hail Mary is a book that brings several positives to the table: 1.) sympathetic characters, 2.) high stakes, and 3.) more than one intellectually engaging mystery. On top of all that, we can add the fact that our main characters do not, as we eventually learn, hail from the cream of the crop. "Rocky" is a workhorse engineer, and Grace -- well, I don't want to spoil the specifics about his history, but suffice it to say that he's not a stellar specimen either. And I like what that says, implicitly, about the heroic capacities of ordinary people. This novel is competence porn -- but it's also Human Wave to the core. A+
Now for the advertisement: If you have the time, I encourage all of you to sign up for the July 3rd Zoom seminar that's been arranged by The Society of Tolkien. Said seminar promises to celebrate Tolkien's works as they were intended to be celebrated: without Current Year nonsense. Because of course, Tolkien was a mid-20th century Catholic fantasy writer who, if he were ported to 2021, would find present-day fixations utterly incomprehensible and bizarre.
(Yes, I'm throwing shade at a certain converged organization that shall remain nameless. And no, I'm not even remotely sorry about that. Authorial intent does matter -- and so does historical context.)
And finally, here are the links to my most recent streams:
This one is our discussion of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.
This one is our regular Iron Man stream, which covered the latest annual, a plot-arc from the early 2000's, and one story from Tales of Suspense.
And this is the one we streamed today on C.S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet.
Hope you enjoy!
Friday, November 13, 2020
Two Recommendations & Iron Man #3
Recommendations:
Carly Vanders has a problem: she's now a superhero, but no one seems to appreciate her -- or even notice that she exists. And if she's perfectly honest with herself, that really sticks in her craw. But does the recognition of adoring crowds actually matter? Or is Carly allowing her envy of an old childhood rival to cloud her view?
Like everything else produced by this artist/writer team, the second volume of Kamen America features bright, adorable manga-inspired art and an entertaining story driven by a powerful - and sadly rare - moral sensibility. Specifically, Lim and Pellegrini take direct aim at the unearned emotional validation and "yass-queen-slay!" cheerleading that is sadly epidemic in mainstream comics featuring female heroes, electing instead to keep their leading lady humble and focused on doing good for its own sake. The result: a book that's a breath of fresh air in a genre otherwise weighed down by tiresome narcissism and political correctness.
The Kickstarter campaign for Kamen America 2 has already ended, sadly, but I've linked to the pre-campaign page for their Indiegogo for anyone who missed the first pass. Do pick this up if you can; I give it my highest recommendation.
The Archer's Cup, S.D. Smith
This is another addition to Smith's middle-grade Green Ember universe, which I have praised on this blog on multiple occasions for its able storytelling, depth of characterization, and strong themes. Here, Smith follows Emma and archer Jo Shanks as they attempt to recruit Blackstone Citadel to join the fight against the Preylords -- and incidentally stumble into a mystery that's tearing the secret citadel apart. Said mystery is pretty simple - I figured it out quite early on - but Smith's young audience should enjoy it regardless. And the message here - that love is not a passion but an act of an honorable will - is remarkably wise and necessary in a world that elevates lust and shallow sentiment over sacrifice and virtue. A good choice for a read-aloud!
Iron Man #3
So what do I think of this particular issue? Uh. Well. The art remains top-notch (and is the reason why I'm buying these at this point), and the story does dial back somewhat on the obnoxiously overt political commentary, so -- that's a marginal improvement, I guess? On the whole, though, it still isn't what I'm looking for. It still feels like Cantwell, at best, only partially groks Tony on a fundamental level.
Sunday, June 28, 2020
Quick Geeky Recommendations, 6/28/20
Books
Ember's End, S.D. Smith
This is the final novel in the central Green Ember series, and like the other books Smith has penned in this universe (which I discuss here, here, and here), it features some outstanding storytelling, a number of sympathetic characters, and a real moral core. Some may find the ending a little too perfect, but since I understand the underlying Christian worldview in play, I personally thought it was quite appropriate. Indeed, I even cried at least once reading those final, climactic chapters.
Once again, if you have children - and if fairly open religiosity doesn't bother you - please give all of the books in the Green Ember series a try. For children's books, they are extraordinarily well-written, evoking comparisons to C.S. Lewis and other classic tales.
Comics
Iron Age, Various
This is more of a qualified recommendation. The idea behind the story is actually really, really good. In sum: A fading villain destroys the world by pulling the Dark Phoenix forward into the current era (circa 2011), and the resulting conflagration sends an injured and weakened Tony Stark back in time. Bouncing around in the early years of the Marvel Universe, Tony struggles to reassemble the time machine he needs to undo the damage. Along the way, he's forced to confront some of the less comfortable aspects of his own history.
I think people who aren't as obsessively well-versed in this character's canon as I am will find this an interesting, agreeable read. But fair warning: I chafed at some of the subtle rewriting of that aforementioned canon. The creators involved knew enough to joke about the short period of time that Iron Man had a stupid nose -- so why weren't they aware that early Tony Stark actually wasn't an outright asshole? Or that early Tony Stark eventually started drinking to excess because he was stressed and sad, not because he was simply a selfish party-boy? Yes, the Tony Stark of the Silver and Bronze Ages was a flawed hero who made mistakes, but do try to get his motivations surrounding those moments of weakness correct. Grr.
That being said, there's still much in here that even my Tony-Stark-mad butt could whole-heartedly get behind. I loved Tony's crying in the rain over the loss of all his friends (and I loved his repeated pining for said friends as the story continued). I loved the scene in which 2011-era Tony confronts "Deliverance"-era Tony and has that "why are you doing this to yourself/God, I wish I could punch you into sobriety/oh God, I need a drink" moment of angst. I loved Tony's struggle to convince the 1980's-era Avengers that no, he isn't wasted and yes, he actually is from the future. I loved how Tony oh-so-subtly attempts to encourage different characters (like, for example, Hank Pym) in their times of distress without actually messing with the timeline outright. If the writers had recognized that all of this love and capacity for self-criticism has been a feature of Tony Stark from the very beginning, this truly would've been a perfect trade.
Ember's End, S.D. Smith
This is the final novel in the central Green Ember series, and like the other books Smith has penned in this universe (which I discuss here, here, and here), it features some outstanding storytelling, a number of sympathetic characters, and a real moral core. Some may find the ending a little too perfect, but since I understand the underlying Christian worldview in play, I personally thought it was quite appropriate. Indeed, I even cried at least once reading those final, climactic chapters.
Once again, if you have children - and if fairly open religiosity doesn't bother you - please give all of the books in the Green Ember series a try. For children's books, they are extraordinarily well-written, evoking comparisons to C.S. Lewis and other classic tales.
Comics
Iron Age, Various
This is more of a qualified recommendation. The idea behind the story is actually really, really good. In sum: A fading villain destroys the world by pulling the Dark Phoenix forward into the current era (circa 2011), and the resulting conflagration sends an injured and weakened Tony Stark back in time. Bouncing around in the early years of the Marvel Universe, Tony struggles to reassemble the time machine he needs to undo the damage. Along the way, he's forced to confront some of the less comfortable aspects of his own history.
I think people who aren't as obsessively well-versed in this character's canon as I am will find this an interesting, agreeable read. But fair warning: I chafed at some of the subtle rewriting of that aforementioned canon. The creators involved knew enough to joke about the short period of time that Iron Man had a stupid nose -- so why weren't they aware that early Tony Stark actually wasn't an outright asshole? Or that early Tony Stark eventually started drinking to excess because he was stressed and sad, not because he was simply a selfish party-boy? Yes, the Tony Stark of the Silver and Bronze Ages was a flawed hero who made mistakes, but do try to get his motivations surrounding those moments of weakness correct. Grr.
That being said, there's still much in here that even my Tony-Stark-mad butt could whole-heartedly get behind. I loved Tony's crying in the rain over the loss of all his friends (and I loved his repeated pining for said friends as the story continued). I loved the scene in which 2011-era Tony confronts "Deliverance"-era Tony and has that "why are you doing this to yourself/God, I wish I could punch you into sobriety/oh God, I need a drink" moment of angst. I loved Tony's struggle to convince the 1980's-era Avengers that no, he isn't wasted and yes, he actually is from the future. I loved how Tony oh-so-subtly attempts to encourage different characters (like, for example, Hank Pym) in their times of distress without actually messing with the timeline outright. If the writers had recognized that all of this love and capacity for self-criticism has been a feature of Tony Stark from the very beginning, this truly would've been a perfect trade.
Friday, February 28, 2020
Geeky Recommendations, 2/28/20
Books
The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner & The First Fowler, S.D. Smith
These are more side stories in the Green Ember universe. (See here and here for earlier reviews.) Whitson Mariner is the second "Tale of Old Natalia"; it relates the story of a shipwreck and the betrayal that led to it. The First Fowler, meanwhile, takes place within the main Green Ember timeline, picking up Jo Shanks' story where The Last Archer left off.
Both books are beautiful little stories that are as deeply moral as the rest of the novels in this line, covering themes of loyalty, faith, and protection of the innocent. And in Whitson Mariner in particular, I was also struck by the profound respect the title character has for his wife. It's so rare to see traditional femininity treated with such honor!
Please look into this series if you haven't already; if you identify as "human wave" or "superversive," Smith is writing exactly what you're looking for!
Comics
Flash Forward, Scott Lobdell, Brett Booth
As you may have noticed, I don't read much DC. But because I've heard so many good things about this one, I decided to dip in -- and God, was I poleaxed!
This miniseries is out-freakin'-standing. I know eff-all about Wally West beyond hearsay on the nets cursing Tom King, but I was still able to grasp this redemption arc -- and the well of genuine human emotion behind it. This is a testament to the high quality of Scott Lobdell's writing; if you can pull a complete newb in, catch her up, and make her cry over a character she didn't know five minutes ago, you're doing something very, very right.
The link above is for the trade, which is apparently coming out in a few months -- but if you simply can't wait and price for you is no object, the floppies are out now.
X-Men/Fantastic Four, Chip Zdarsky, Terry Dodson
Now back to my usual stomping grounds: Marvel. I violently despise the direction in which Marvel is taking most of its legacy characters -- as does everyone else I follow on YouTube. But there is one blessed gentleman in the Bullpen who seems to be listening to our complaints if panels like this...
The Wreck and Rise of Whitson Mariner & The First Fowler, S.D. Smith
These are more side stories in the Green Ember universe. (See here and here for earlier reviews.) Whitson Mariner is the second "Tale of Old Natalia"; it relates the story of a shipwreck and the betrayal that led to it. The First Fowler, meanwhile, takes place within the main Green Ember timeline, picking up Jo Shanks' story where The Last Archer left off.
Both books are beautiful little stories that are as deeply moral as the rest of the novels in this line, covering themes of loyalty, faith, and protection of the innocent. And in Whitson Mariner in particular, I was also struck by the profound respect the title character has for his wife. It's so rare to see traditional femininity treated with such honor!
Please look into this series if you haven't already; if you identify as "human wave" or "superversive," Smith is writing exactly what you're looking for!
Comics
Flash Forward, Scott Lobdell, Brett Booth
As you may have noticed, I don't read much DC. But because I've heard so many good things about this one, I decided to dip in -- and God, was I poleaxed!
 |
| Click to embiggen. |
This miniseries is out-freakin'-standing. I know eff-all about Wally West beyond hearsay on the nets cursing Tom King, but I was still able to grasp this redemption arc -- and the well of genuine human emotion behind it. This is a testament to the high quality of Scott Lobdell's writing; if you can pull a complete newb in, catch her up, and make her cry over a character she didn't know five minutes ago, you're doing something very, very right.
The link above is for the trade, which is apparently coming out in a few months -- but if you simply can't wait and price for you is no object, the floppies are out now.
X-Men/Fantastic Four, Chip Zdarsky, Terry Dodson
Now back to my usual stomping grounds: Marvel. I violently despise the direction in which Marvel is taking most of its legacy characters -- as does everyone else I follow on YouTube. But there is one blessed gentleman in the Bullpen who seems to be listening to our complaints if panels like this...
 |
| Click to embiggen. |
...are any indication. If you've found Jonathan Hickman's recent take on the X-Men frustrating and/or enraging, then Chip Zdarsky definitely has your back in this miniseries, which allows Sue Storm to say the things we've all been thinking about the supposed utopia of Krakoa.
Again, I've linked to the page for the trade, but issues #1 and #2 (of 4) are out now.
And thus concludeth today's set of capsule reviews!
Friday, November 22, 2019
Geeky Recommendations, 11/22/19
Books
The Adventures of Geraldine Woolkins, Karin Kaufman
This is a cute, wholesome collection of short stories following a young mouse, her family, and her friends as they encounter the joys and dangers of the world in which they live. Though each chapter stands on its own, the tales are linked by several overarching themes, including: that suffering is unavoidable, that bravery is not the same as a lack of fear, and that God (or "Very, Very Big Hands") is always looking out for you no matter where you are. If you have younger children, this is an excellent book to read aloud!
Comics
The Avengers Omnibus, Kurt Busiek, George Pérez
I just finished Kurt Busiek's 1998 run on the Avengers not too long ago, and I loved it! Busiek does an excellent job giving every character in the massive ensemble cool things to do, and the art (by George Pérez and others who tagged in) is consistently high in quality (which is more than I can say for the Avengers comics I've been reading this week - bleh). The link above is to the first omnibus, but every issue is also available on Marvel Unlimited. Go and read!
Strange Planet, Nathan W. Pyle
This guy's comics are posted all over social media, and it's very easy to see why: they may be simple, but they're adorable! The way Pyle injects new wonder into the mundane activities of Earthly living by affecting distance and alien curiosity is something that deserves to be shared -- repeatedly. Catch the orb!
The Adventures of Geraldine Woolkins, Karin Kaufman
This is a cute, wholesome collection of short stories following a young mouse, her family, and her friends as they encounter the joys and dangers of the world in which they live. Though each chapter stands on its own, the tales are linked by several overarching themes, including: that suffering is unavoidable, that bravery is not the same as a lack of fear, and that God (or "Very, Very Big Hands") is always looking out for you no matter where you are. If you have younger children, this is an excellent book to read aloud!
Comics
The Avengers Omnibus, Kurt Busiek, George Pérez
I just finished Kurt Busiek's 1998 run on the Avengers not too long ago, and I loved it! Busiek does an excellent job giving every character in the massive ensemble cool things to do, and the art (by George Pérez and others who tagged in) is consistently high in quality (which is more than I can say for the Avengers comics I've been reading this week - bleh). The link above is to the first omnibus, but every issue is also available on Marvel Unlimited. Go and read!
Strange Planet, Nathan W. Pyle
This guy's comics are posted all over social media, and it's very easy to see why: they may be simple, but they're adorable! The way Pyle injects new wonder into the mundane activities of Earthly living by affecting distance and alien curiosity is something that deserves to be shared -- repeatedly. Catch the orb!
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Geeky Recommendations, 9/18/19 (+ Another IM Vid)
Books
Warrior of the Kizan, by Ann Margaret Lewis
Full disclosure: Ann was one of my roomies at Dragon Con this year. But I'm pretty sure I would've enjoyed this book anyway even if I hadn't met the author. Why? Because it "attacks" me personally on several levels. One: it's science fiction that deals explicitly with religious themes. (If you've been following me long enough, you know my Canticle for Leibowitz-loving butt lurves it when spiritual stuff gets sprinkled into my sci-fi/fantasy.) The aliens in Ann's world are descendants of the biblical Nephilim who were transported off-planet before the Flood. Said aliens are explicitly guided by an angel and therefore have a far more direct relationship with God -- a reality whose consequences Ann handles well. Two: one lead is a soldier with suggested PTSD. (Ahem. You have noticed that this blog has been taken over by my love for another character with PTSD, yes?) Three: another significant character is the son of the big bad and is consequently torn between his familial loyalties and his sense of right and wrong. (Conflicted characters are another of my hot buttons.) (And don't think I don't See What You Did There, Ann, in naming that character Saul.) Thanks to these features - and to that final chapter - I'm eager to see where the rest of the planned trilogy goes from here.
Comics (Sad/Unresolved Angst)
At this point, I've read every Iron Man comic published between 2004 and 2007 (which necessitated my reading Civil War and two other crossover events because Marvel's 21st century money-grabbing strategies are annoying AF). Would I personally recommend anything released in this era? I -- don't know. I have so. many. reservations re: how Tony is handled -- reservations I'm still trying to process and put into words. As of now, what I can do is tell you which issues/arcs elicited a powerful emotional response beyond paralyzing doubt:
Execute Program, Daniel Knauf, Charlie Knauf, et. al.
I talked about this arc briefly before I left for Dragon Con. Suffice it to say that any story that ends with Tony dramatically sacrificing himself generally gets Steph's Seal of Approval.
Civil War: Casualties of War: Captain America/Iron Man, Christos N. Gage, et. al.
Once again, I have so. many. reservations when it comes to Civil War as a whole. But this particular tie-in? This one gets me good and hard. As soon as they start weaving in - and then expanding - the sparring scene from "Demon in a Bottle," I dissolve into a puddle of tears. "You gave me a home." "I've got his back." "He would say the same." STOP I LITERALLY CAN'T.
Haunted, Daniel Knauf, Charles Knauf, et. al.
I screamed at the end of this Mandarin arc, so that counts for something. Also? Tony is slowly going crazy -- to the point that he's hallucinating dead people and living in his armor 24/7. If that sort of angst is your cuppa the way it is mine, this one's for you.
Comics (Happy/Humorous/Resolved Angst)
While reading all of the above, I often had to take breaks to consume lighter fare. The following are my discoveries in this realm:
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers, by Jeff Parker, Manuel Garcia
Marvel Adventures: Iron Man, by Fred Van Lente, James Cordeiro
Captain America: The Fighting Avenger, by Brian Clevinger, et. al.
These are all years-old children's comics, and they are absolutely precious. Indeed, words are inadequate to express exactly how adorable they are. I cannot. stop. smiling just thinking of them. If only the grown-up comics were written with the same sense of fun!
Captain America/Iron Man Annual 1998
The story in this revolves around a serious, substantive dispute between the titular characters, but it belongs in the happy column because Tony and Steve eventually find a way to make peace with each other and get shit done.
Avengers: Prime, by Brian Michael Bendis, Alan Davis
Yes, I know, Bendis. I'm sorry, but I can't help but laugh out loud when Tony decides to cope with being stripped naked by joking that he's come up with a new, high-tech see-through armor. And, like the '98 annual, this mini-series is also good for your Tony-and-Steve-fight-like-cats-and-dogs-but-ultimately-work-it-out needs.
Avengers: Millennium, by Mike Costa, et. al.
This is an "infinite comic" available on Comixology featuring a decent time travel adventure and a blessedly functional Avengers team. If you're sick of the Avengers' constant warring with each other in recent comics, this might be a good miniseries in which to set up camp.
And lastly, before I close for the night, have another YouTube video:
Warrior of the Kizan, by Ann Margaret Lewis
Full disclosure: Ann was one of my roomies at Dragon Con this year. But I'm pretty sure I would've enjoyed this book anyway even if I hadn't met the author. Why? Because it "attacks" me personally on several levels. One: it's science fiction that deals explicitly with religious themes. (If you've been following me long enough, you know my Canticle for Leibowitz-loving butt lurves it when spiritual stuff gets sprinkled into my sci-fi/fantasy.) The aliens in Ann's world are descendants of the biblical Nephilim who were transported off-planet before the Flood. Said aliens are explicitly guided by an angel and therefore have a far more direct relationship with God -- a reality whose consequences Ann handles well. Two: one lead is a soldier with suggested PTSD. (Ahem. You have noticed that this blog has been taken over by my love for another character with PTSD, yes?) Three: another significant character is the son of the big bad and is consequently torn between his familial loyalties and his sense of right and wrong. (Conflicted characters are another of my hot buttons.) (And don't think I don't See What You Did There, Ann, in naming that character Saul.) Thanks to these features - and to that final chapter - I'm eager to see where the rest of the planned trilogy goes from here.
Comics (Sad/Unresolved Angst)
At this point, I've read every Iron Man comic published between 2004 and 2007 (which necessitated my reading Civil War and two other crossover events because Marvel's 21st century money-grabbing strategies are annoying AF). Would I personally recommend anything released in this era? I -- don't know. I have so. many. reservations re: how Tony is handled -- reservations I'm still trying to process and put into words. As of now, what I can do is tell you which issues/arcs elicited a powerful emotional response beyond paralyzing doubt:
Execute Program, Daniel Knauf, Charlie Knauf, et. al.
I talked about this arc briefly before I left for Dragon Con. Suffice it to say that any story that ends with Tony dramatically sacrificing himself generally gets Steph's Seal of Approval.
Civil War: Casualties of War: Captain America/Iron Man, Christos N. Gage, et. al.
Once again, I have so. many. reservations when it comes to Civil War as a whole. But this particular tie-in? This one gets me good and hard. As soon as they start weaving in - and then expanding - the sparring scene from "Demon in a Bottle," I dissolve into a puddle of tears. "You gave me a home." "I've got his back." "He would say the same." STOP I LITERALLY CAN'T.
Haunted, Daniel Knauf, Charles Knauf, et. al.
I screamed at the end of this Mandarin arc, so that counts for something. Also? Tony is slowly going crazy -- to the point that he's hallucinating dead people and living in his armor 24/7. If that sort of angst is your cuppa the way it is mine, this one's for you.
Comics (Happy/Humorous/Resolved Angst)
While reading all of the above, I often had to take breaks to consume lighter fare. The following are my discoveries in this realm:
Marvel Adventures: The Avengers, by Jeff Parker, Manuel Garcia
Marvel Adventures: Iron Man, by Fred Van Lente, James Cordeiro
Captain America: The Fighting Avenger, by Brian Clevinger, et. al.
These are all years-old children's comics, and they are absolutely precious. Indeed, words are inadequate to express exactly how adorable they are. I cannot. stop. smiling just thinking of them. If only the grown-up comics were written with the same sense of fun!
Captain America/Iron Man Annual 1998
The story in this revolves around a serious, substantive dispute between the titular characters, but it belongs in the happy column because Tony and Steve eventually find a way to make peace with each other and get shit done.
Avengers: Prime, by Brian Michael Bendis, Alan Davis
Yes, I know, Bendis. I'm sorry, but I can't help but laugh out loud when Tony decides to cope with being stripped naked by joking that he's come up with a new, high-tech see-through armor. And, like the '98 annual, this mini-series is also good for your Tony-and-Steve-fight-like-cats-and-dogs-but-ultimately-work-it-out needs.
Avengers: Millennium, by Mike Costa, et. al.
This is an "infinite comic" available on Comixology featuring a decent time travel adventure and a blessedly functional Avengers team. If you're sick of the Avengers' constant warring with each other in recent comics, this might be a good miniseries in which to set up camp.
And lastly, before I close for the night, have another YouTube video:
Monday, October 26, 2015
Book Reviews: Kenton Kilgore's Lost Dogs & Daniella Bova's The Notice
'Tis time for me to catch up on some quick indy book reviews I owe friends on Facebook!
*****
First up is Kenton Kilgore's Lost Dogs
. Set in lower Southern Maryland, Lost Dogs is written from the perspective of several house pets who've been abandoned in the wake of an apocalypse that has decimated the human population of the earth. It may take a minute or two for you, the reader, to grok the unusual point of view, but once you do, prepare to be completely sucked in.
Let's be frank: I'm an inveterate cat lover whose feelings regarding our canine friends are basically indifferent. And yet - and yet - even I found this novel absorbing. Because the main characters are dogs and are consequently limited in their comprehension, the central mystery - "What happened to the people?" - takes on a keener edge. I really had trouble putting this book down to attend to mundane responsibilities because all the unanswered questions were, in a good way, driving me nuts!
Final Verdict: Recommended for any dog lover -- or any lover of mysteries.
*****
Secondly, we have Daniella Bova's The Notice
. The Notice is the second book in Daniella's Storms of Transformation series and is a direct follow up to Tears Of Paradox
, which my brother ably reviewed on our old site here.
What does Daniella get very right? The people. Her main characters are extraordinarily well-crafted and sympathetic. I was especially impressed with how she tackled Jason's temptations to resort to violence and his struggles to be faithful and obedient. I happen to be very stiff-necked myself, so all of that felt very real to me. I connected less with Michelle, meanwhile, but I consider that more the fault of my own admittedly weak Marian devotion than a consequence of the writing itself.
And the plot? Well, I have a dilemma here. On the one hand, the many flashbacks Daniella folds into her narrative do help us to understand her characters on a deeper level. On the other hand, I can also see why the occasional "talky-ness" and the constant telescoping would make the main thread hard to follow. This book may indeed take more patience than some readers are willing to invest -- though I personally found it quite rewarding.
Like its predecessor, The Notice is a near-future dystopia. The parameters of that dystopia may not work for those readers who are not already committed Christians and political conservatives, as it is heavily influenced by our worst nightmares regarding recent challenges to our religious liberty. But if you are not a Christian conservative and yet sincerely wish to understand what we fear, this is a very good place to start.
Final Verdict: Recommended for the Christian and/or open-minded.
*****
First up is Kenton Kilgore's Lost Dogs
. Set in lower Southern Maryland, Lost Dogs is written from the perspective of several house pets who've been abandoned in the wake of an apocalypse that has decimated the human population of the earth. It may take a minute or two for you, the reader, to grok the unusual point of view, but once you do, prepare to be completely sucked in.Let's be frank: I'm an inveterate cat lover whose feelings regarding our canine friends are basically indifferent. And yet - and yet - even I found this novel absorbing. Because the main characters are dogs and are consequently limited in their comprehension, the central mystery - "What happened to the people?" - takes on a keener edge. I really had trouble putting this book down to attend to mundane responsibilities because all the unanswered questions were, in a good way, driving me nuts!
Final Verdict: Recommended for any dog lover -- or any lover of mysteries.
*****
Secondly, we have Daniella Bova's The Notice
. The Notice is the second book in Daniella's Storms of Transformation series and is a direct follow up to Tears Of Paradox, which my brother ably reviewed on our old site here.What does Daniella get very right? The people. Her main characters are extraordinarily well-crafted and sympathetic. I was especially impressed with how she tackled Jason's temptations to resort to violence and his struggles to be faithful and obedient. I happen to be very stiff-necked myself, so all of that felt very real to me. I connected less with Michelle, meanwhile, but I consider that more the fault of my own admittedly weak Marian devotion than a consequence of the writing itself.
And the plot? Well, I have a dilemma here. On the one hand, the many flashbacks Daniella folds into her narrative do help us to understand her characters on a deeper level. On the other hand, I can also see why the occasional "talky-ness" and the constant telescoping would make the main thread hard to follow. This book may indeed take more patience than some readers are willing to invest -- though I personally found it quite rewarding.
Like its predecessor, The Notice is a near-future dystopia. The parameters of that dystopia may not work for those readers who are not already committed Christians and political conservatives, as it is heavily influenced by our worst nightmares regarding recent challenges to our religious liberty. But if you are not a Christian conservative and yet sincerely wish to understand what we fear, this is a very good place to start.
Final Verdict: Recommended for the Christian and/or open-minded.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Indy Review - Tears of Paradox (Daniella Bova)
Written by Matthew S.
While my sister recovers from getting blasted by fifteen kids trying to pass the SATs or apply for colleges (yes...it's that time of year again!) - I will step in and offer my own attempt at a lit review. I've just finished reading Daniella Bova's first publication - and its quite a window into the process of honing one's craft as a writer (and an excellent reason why independent publishing is neither the end of great literature, nor an easy thing to do). I'll explain what I mean in a moment.
First a brief synopsis (without giving too much away - her Amazon link is here)
Tears of Paradox takes place in the not-too-distant future in suburban Philadelphia (roughly 2025-2030) and depicts a sort of 'worst case scenario' unwinding of the Constitution as viewed by ordinary people whose primary concerns are raising families and living ordinary lives unmolested by the powers that be. It follows Jason Wallace and his wife Michelle through their courtship, marriage, and hardships as an increasingly heavy-handed federal healthcare bureaucracy chisels away at their prosperity, security, and even their very lives and the lives of their families. If you're a member of the intelligentsia, you probably won't recognize these characters, but if you spent time around military personnel, blue collar workers, or farmers, you'll instantly know exactly about whom you're reading. Jason and his close friend and brother and law Brad spend their high school and college days blissfully unaware of anything in the world at large beyond their latest escapades with the ladies or their next fishing trip. But as they each fall for the love of their lives and discover the responsibilities of marriage and family, the encroachment of aggressive federal power sets off in each of them an internal struggle between their desire to do right by their families, and their desire to fight back against the waning of their freedoms.
As a character study, this is a powerful tome - albeit, incomplete (for reasons I've discussed with the author herself). Daniella has, without any formal study, intuitively grasped word choice and characterization so well that within the first several pages of 'Tears', I was hooked, and I stayed hooked despite the unconventional (and some would say flawed) plot construction, enduring a mighty eyestrain headache to finish the book in about 8 hours of reading over a weekend. I cared immensely for these people almost instantly. It is a credit to her, that the author managed to make a Tolstoy-esque "deconstruction" story into a bit of a page turner despite the notable lack of car chases and shootouts. :) This is a deeply introspective, philosophical work, but it is propelled along by truly inspiring characters and a tone that perfectly captures the feeling of liberty-minded Americans today...a creeping sense of dread.
By the way, this is also a distinctly Catholic story - many of the characters come to their faith more and more as society crumbles, but it all revolves around Michelle's faith and the influence of that faith on her loved ones, especially her husband. Daniella gets the spiritual messages just right, IMHO, and I strongly identify with Jason's struggle to remain true to his emerging Catholicism despite the constant temptation to lash out at those who would strip him of his right to worship.
Impressive that I considered this a page-turner 95% of the time I was reading it despite the fact that the very nature of this story is for it to be a soul-crushing GRIND. I kid you not when I say that things just get harder and harder and HARDER to push through for the characters, and you, as a reader, will absolutely feel that.
I think the story could have done with some aggressive editing for flow, plot construction, and pacing. It lacks a beginning/middle/end, and key turning points for the characters thus wind up feeling like just another scene when they really shouldn't. There are also sections of the narrative that are a bit "nested" - you start following one scene and then the character digresses into another related memory...and from there into another, and you want to follow them all, because they all offer something important, but there were a few places where this nested delivery made me put the book down for a minute to think. On top of that, you read through the story expecting things to build to a dramatic climax and that never really happens. And many things that are built up during Michelle's telling of her story from the future perspective are not paid off. This is evidently because the original draft included events from this first book and the second - which will be released in December of 2014 (pending any delays she might encounter). I think the story itself could be a slam-dunk best seller if some hard choices were made as to which memories and anecdotes were crucial to the plot and which were just 'nice to have' - and if the plot was ordered in an easier-to-follow classic dramatic sequence, but for a first-time effort, I was nonetheless impressed with the level of world-building and character insight Daniella possessed.
With that in mind, your milage may vary as to whether you find the tale frustrating or engaging (it was a little of both for me, but I plan to stick with it through book 2 because of the characters...they're that real and likable to me).
Now, what did I mean at the start of this review? Like Jason in the book, not everyone is built to prefer formal education as their way of learning new skills, and not every writer is going to find their voice and master their craft by sitting and listening to professors pontificate as to what is "story". Often, the best way to learn is to just sit down and do it, and then get feedback from your would-be audience. Indy publishing offers aspiring authors the chance to have their material read by critical eyes and start the process of maximizing their potential, and it produces books like these that would be turned down by publishing houses without major revisions, but that are a window into a major talent...a talent that is far more likely to grow and produce something truly memorable and astounding through independent publication and feedback than through classroom education or no-feedback rejections by publishing houses that are necessarily focused on maintaining classic narrative structure and selling books in the here and now, rather than developing talent. And, of course, if you are going to self-publish, you have to be willing to accept criticism and keep developing, which, I assure you, is not an easy thing to do. I sincerely hope Daniella keeps writing - I believe she has something amazing to offer us if she sticks with it and masters her craft.
Final Verdict: Personally recommended, but your milage may vary
While my sister recovers from getting blasted by fifteen kids trying to pass the SATs or apply for colleges (yes...it's that time of year again!) - I will step in and offer my own attempt at a lit review. I've just finished reading Daniella Bova's first publication - and its quite a window into the process of honing one's craft as a writer (and an excellent reason why independent publishing is neither the end of great literature, nor an easy thing to do). I'll explain what I mean in a moment.
First a brief synopsis (without giving too much away - her Amazon link is here)
Tears of Paradox takes place in the not-too-distant future in suburban Philadelphia (roughly 2025-2030) and depicts a sort of 'worst case scenario' unwinding of the Constitution as viewed by ordinary people whose primary concerns are raising families and living ordinary lives unmolested by the powers that be. It follows Jason Wallace and his wife Michelle through their courtship, marriage, and hardships as an increasingly heavy-handed federal healthcare bureaucracy chisels away at their prosperity, security, and even their very lives and the lives of their families. If you're a member of the intelligentsia, you probably won't recognize these characters, but if you spent time around military personnel, blue collar workers, or farmers, you'll instantly know exactly about whom you're reading. Jason and his close friend and brother and law Brad spend their high school and college days blissfully unaware of anything in the world at large beyond their latest escapades with the ladies or their next fishing trip. But as they each fall for the love of their lives and discover the responsibilities of marriage and family, the encroachment of aggressive federal power sets off in each of them an internal struggle between their desire to do right by their families, and their desire to fight back against the waning of their freedoms.
As a character study, this is a powerful tome - albeit, incomplete (for reasons I've discussed with the author herself). Daniella has, without any formal study, intuitively grasped word choice and characterization so well that within the first several pages of 'Tears', I was hooked, and I stayed hooked despite the unconventional (and some would say flawed) plot construction, enduring a mighty eyestrain headache to finish the book in about 8 hours of reading over a weekend. I cared immensely for these people almost instantly. It is a credit to her, that the author managed to make a Tolstoy-esque "deconstruction" story into a bit of a page turner despite the notable lack of car chases and shootouts. :) This is a deeply introspective, philosophical work, but it is propelled along by truly inspiring characters and a tone that perfectly captures the feeling of liberty-minded Americans today...a creeping sense of dread.
By the way, this is also a distinctly Catholic story - many of the characters come to their faith more and more as society crumbles, but it all revolves around Michelle's faith and the influence of that faith on her loved ones, especially her husband. Daniella gets the spiritual messages just right, IMHO, and I strongly identify with Jason's struggle to remain true to his emerging Catholicism despite the constant temptation to lash out at those who would strip him of his right to worship.
Impressive that I considered this a page-turner 95% of the time I was reading it despite the fact that the very nature of this story is for it to be a soul-crushing GRIND. I kid you not when I say that things just get harder and harder and HARDER to push through for the characters, and you, as a reader, will absolutely feel that.
I think the story could have done with some aggressive editing for flow, plot construction, and pacing. It lacks a beginning/middle/end, and key turning points for the characters thus wind up feeling like just another scene when they really shouldn't. There are also sections of the narrative that are a bit "nested" - you start following one scene and then the character digresses into another related memory...and from there into another, and you want to follow them all, because they all offer something important, but there were a few places where this nested delivery made me put the book down for a minute to think. On top of that, you read through the story expecting things to build to a dramatic climax and that never really happens. And many things that are built up during Michelle's telling of her story from the future perspective are not paid off. This is evidently because the original draft included events from this first book and the second - which will be released in December of 2014 (pending any delays she might encounter). I think the story itself could be a slam-dunk best seller if some hard choices were made as to which memories and anecdotes were crucial to the plot and which were just 'nice to have' - and if the plot was ordered in an easier-to-follow classic dramatic sequence, but for a first-time effort, I was nonetheless impressed with the level of world-building and character insight Daniella possessed.
With that in mind, your milage may vary as to whether you find the tale frustrating or engaging (it was a little of both for me, but I plan to stick with it through book 2 because of the characters...they're that real and likable to me).
Now, what did I mean at the start of this review? Like Jason in the book, not everyone is built to prefer formal education as their way of learning new skills, and not every writer is going to find their voice and master their craft by sitting and listening to professors pontificate as to what is "story". Often, the best way to learn is to just sit down and do it, and then get feedback from your would-be audience. Indy publishing offers aspiring authors the chance to have their material read by critical eyes and start the process of maximizing their potential, and it produces books like these that would be turned down by publishing houses without major revisions, but that are a window into a major talent...a talent that is far more likely to grow and produce something truly memorable and astounding through independent publication and feedback than through classroom education or no-feedback rejections by publishing houses that are necessarily focused on maintaining classic narrative structure and selling books in the here and now, rather than developing talent. And, of course, if you are going to self-publish, you have to be willing to accept criticism and keep developing, which, I assure you, is not an easy thing to do. I sincerely hope Daniella keeps writing - I believe she has something amazing to offer us if she sticks with it and masters her craft.
Final Verdict: Personally recommended, but your milage may vary
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Christian Genre Lit: Infinite Space, Infinite God Vol. I (Karina & Robert Fabian, ed.)
Why is the military a dominant presence in many stories of space exploration?
This was a question discussed at a panel at Dragon Con a few years ago -- and in the end, we boiled the explanation down to history and practicality. The military is often featured in science fiction because, in the real world, our earliest astronauts were pulled from the armed forces -- and our earliest astronauts were pulled from the armed forces because they already had the training and emotional wiring required to undertake those crazy-dangerous first missions.
Space is perilous and unforgiving; consequently, anyone in the vanguard of, say, a colonization effort would have to have either an above-average love of risk or a personal ethic that places certain greater goods above the instinct for self-preservation. Pioneer groups would also have to be highly disciplined and tightly-knit to overcome the initial challenges presented by a new world; in an environment that could kill the inattentive, it would hardly do to waste time bickering. Considering these specifications, the military is a natural fit.
But is the military the only extant organization that can handle the challenges outlined above? Are there other groups that fit the same bill? Indeed yes! Self-abnegation, discipline and unity of purpose are also the key identifying features of monastic orders. Is it any wonder, then, that since that panel, I've been harboring a strong desire to see monks and nuns in space?
When a conversation at CPAC reminded me of the aforementioned desire a few months ago, I published a general request for works that combine science-fictional ideas with religious traditionalism -- and that is how Karina and Robert Fabian's Infinite Space, Infinite God
came to my attention. Infinite Space is an anthology of science fiction stories that specifically tackle Catholic themes; if, like me, you are fascinated by that particular juxtaposition, you should give Infinite Space a try.
I will be honest, though: not all of the stories in this collection impressed me equally. Some of the selections felt clunky and amateur, either because they failed to convey the necessary background information in a graceful manner or because their messages overwhelmed other critical elements of storytelling, which is a sin even when my side does it (see also: my previous post). At the same time, however, this anthology also contains many stories that are absolutely wonderful and wholly worthy. I immediately connected to the missionaries and the world depicted in Colleen Drippe's Brother John, for instance -- and Our Daily Bread (by Karina and Robert Fabian) depicts a Eucharistic miracle in an admirably balanced way and is neither maudlin nor heavy-handed.
When I discussed this anthology with my father the other day, he reminded me of Sturgeon's Law: "Ninety percent of anything is crap." Well, Infinite Space, even with its flaws, still beats these odds by a comfortable margin. That makes it a pretty good collection on the whole -- even if there's still room for improvement.
Final Verdict: Recommended, But With Notes.
This was a question discussed at a panel at Dragon Con a few years ago -- and in the end, we boiled the explanation down to history and practicality. The military is often featured in science fiction because, in the real world, our earliest astronauts were pulled from the armed forces -- and our earliest astronauts were pulled from the armed forces because they already had the training and emotional wiring required to undertake those crazy-dangerous first missions.
Space is perilous and unforgiving; consequently, anyone in the vanguard of, say, a colonization effort would have to have either an above-average love of risk or a personal ethic that places certain greater goods above the instinct for self-preservation. Pioneer groups would also have to be highly disciplined and tightly-knit to overcome the initial challenges presented by a new world; in an environment that could kill the inattentive, it would hardly do to waste time bickering. Considering these specifications, the military is a natural fit.
But is the military the only extant organization that can handle the challenges outlined above? Are there other groups that fit the same bill? Indeed yes! Self-abnegation, discipline and unity of purpose are also the key identifying features of monastic orders. Is it any wonder, then, that since that panel, I've been harboring a strong desire to see monks and nuns in space?
When a conversation at CPAC reminded me of the aforementioned desire a few months ago, I published a general request for works that combine science-fictional ideas with religious traditionalism -- and that is how Karina and Robert Fabian's Infinite Space, Infinite God
came to my attention. Infinite Space is an anthology of science fiction stories that specifically tackle Catholic themes; if, like me, you are fascinated by that particular juxtaposition, you should give Infinite Space a try.I will be honest, though: not all of the stories in this collection impressed me equally. Some of the selections felt clunky and amateur, either because they failed to convey the necessary background information in a graceful manner or because their messages overwhelmed other critical elements of storytelling, which is a sin even when my side does it (see also: my previous post). At the same time, however, this anthology also contains many stories that are absolutely wonderful and wholly worthy. I immediately connected to the missionaries and the world depicted in Colleen Drippe's Brother John, for instance -- and Our Daily Bread (by Karina and Robert Fabian) depicts a Eucharistic miracle in an admirably balanced way and is neither maudlin nor heavy-handed.
When I discussed this anthology with my father the other day, he reminded me of Sturgeon's Law: "Ninety percent of anything is crap." Well, Infinite Space, even with its flaws, still beats these odds by a comfortable margin. That makes it a pretty good collection on the whole -- even if there's still room for improvement.
Final Verdict: Recommended, But With Notes.
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