REVIEW: Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Publishing Information: 2001 (first publishing) 2001 (current edition)
Publisher: Roc Fantasy, Mass-Market Paperback, 439 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-45844-5
Series: The Dresden Files Book #3
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back of book): Harry Dresden has faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant Scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you're the only professional wizard in the Chicago-area phone book. But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: The spirit world has gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble - and not just of the door slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone-or something- is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn't figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself....

Given the serialized nature of a series like Dresden, the biggest danger is falling into the formula trap. When an author is producing 1.5 books of a series per year, all somewhere between 380-500 pages, its easy to simply repeat what has been done before and write self-contained novels that don't push a larger story forward. For example, the comfort of watching a popular sitcom on television is that each week you know that characters will be right back where they began at their natural standpoint as if nothing ever happened. This creates a sense of familiarity at the expense of character development.

I sincerely hoped Butcher would not fall into that trap. Butcher could produce a one-shot mystery for us each time without a deeper storyline, but in that case his novels wouldn't have much more substance than Nancy Drew. Thankfully, Grave Peril, Butcher's third novel in the Dresden Files, indicated that it is willing to take the series in new directions. A new partner, by the name of Michael is introduced, a pious and holy cross between a character from Camelot and a character from Highlander. Michael deepens the religious themes in the series, as he constantly cautions Harry against premarital sex and lying. The moral rigidity of Michael adds a nice foil to the rule-bending and brash maverick Harry.

And even better, we begin to explore Harry's past. Apparently, Harry owes some kind of soul-debt to a creepy fairy godmother that pesters him throughout the novel. There is a strange sexual tension between the two characters and this is complicated by Harry's growing affection for reporter Susan Rodriguez. We learn more about vampire politics and the various vampire factions that compose the vampire underworld. These elements enrich the Dresden universe while adding enough intrigue and character development to keep the series fresh....

Still though, this series causes me minor annoyances on many levels. There are constantly monotonous info-drops in every novel, the serve to fill first time readers in on Harry and his modus operandi. Butcher attempts to be clever with quite a bit of the dialogue, but often ends up sounding cornball. The 1st-person Harry has a flare for the dramatic, as he tries to explain his life in the most dramatic way possible, and often ends up sounding like someone with a deeply constructed narcissistic narrative about themselves. Meanwhile, there are knockout femme fatales that make eyes at Harry around every corner, even offering him sexual favors. This charade gets tiresome quickly and makes you wonder if the novel's target audience is teenage boys or Butcher is simply playing out his personal fantasies. More mature readers may roll their eyes during these moments.

Still, there is plenty to like about the Dresden series. It's fun urban fantasy, with a pulp noir and a horror twist and this novel might open the story up a bit for future books.

Plot……….7/10

Characters………6/10

Style……….5.5/10

Overall……….6.5/10

REVIEW: Children of God by Mary Doria Russell

Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
Publishing Information: 1998 (first publishing) 1999 (current edition)
Publisher: Ballantine Books, Trade Paperback, 438 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-449-00483-8
Series: Sequel
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from Goodreads.com): Mary Doria Russell's debut novel, The Sparrow, took us on a journey to a distant planet and into the center of the human soul. A critically acclaimed bestseller, The Sparrow was chosen as one of Entertainment Weekly's Ten Best Books of the Year, a finalist for the Book-of-the-Month Club's First Fiction Prize and the winner of the James M. Tiptree Memorial Award. Now, in Children of God, Russell further establishes herself as one of the most innovative, entertaining and philosophically provocative novelists writing today. The only member of the original mission to the planet Rakhat to return to Earth, Father Emilio Sandoz has barely begun to recover from his ordeal when the So-ciety of Jesus calls upon him for help in preparing for another mission to Alpha Centauri. Despite his objections and fear, he cannot escape his past or the future. Old friends, new discoveries and difficult questions await Emilio as he struggles for inner peace and understanding in a moral universe whose boundaries now extend beyond the solar system and whose future lies with children born in a faraway place. Strikingly original, richly plotted, replete with memorable characters and filled with humanity and humor, Children of God is an unforgettable and uplifting novel that is a potent successor to The Sparrow and a startlingly imaginative adventure for newcomers to Mary Doria Russell's special literary magic.

Mary Doria Russell's books contain a level of maturity that is scarce in speculative fiction. Her books don't try to sell you characters as being "badass". Though there is sex and violence in her books, it is rarely gratuitous. And she likes to tackle those spiritual and philosophical questions that grown-ups care about. "What does it all mean?", "Does God exist?", "Why is there evil in the world?" These sorts of qualities led me to think that my senior citizen father would enjoy her books and I sent him a copy of The Sparrow. Russell is that kind of author - she is not writing sci-fi because she thinks spaceships and aliens are "cool" but rather because she is trying to achieve something quasi-literary and respectable while still incorporating her science background into her work.

In The Sparrow, Children of God's predecessor, Russell had a strong premise: a group of Jesuit missionaries would brave interstellar space travel to another solar system after making contact with an alien race. In the historical tradition of missionaries traveling throughout the globe to unexplored lands, Emilio Sandoz and his ragtag group of holy men and scholars would explore the only planet in the universe that showed signs of intelligent life. I found it a tad farfetched that the Catholic Church would be the ones launching this first mission to an alien world but I can suspend my disbelief long enough to let a story be told - especially when it is a good story. And, the Sparrow was a good story. But then, the story concluded and I didn't ask "where is the rest of the story?" or "what happens next?" I was content to put these characters and storylines to rest.

Russell didn't think so. Children of God feels like an unplanned sequel, and whats worse, it just reads like she is leading us on a worn-out path. What made The Sparrow effective was that it was full of mystery and suspense. Russell showed us the aftermath of a space mission gone bad and I desperately wanted to know what occurred and how things had went so horribly wrong. The relationship between the two alien races that inhabit Rakhat was not fully revealed until the end of the book, and it was bizarre, sadistic, and downright interesting sociological dynamic. There's nothing new that's that interesting here. The story of the Runa aliens and the human survivors from the first novel playing Che Guevara was rushed and told mostly by the characters in retrospect. Russell chose to introduce too many new alien characters and tried to re-tell too many famous stories at once. Children of God is a re-telling of the Old Testament, the Holocaust, and the colonization of the Americas all rolled all into one. I guess Russell figured that she could garner much praise from drawing parallels to history and myth, but she forgot to tell a decent story in the meantime.

Russell's The Sparrow was interesting and provocative - but my advice is to skip this sequel and not taint your memories of it with a pointless sequel. However, if you still want more resolution concerning the spiritual journey of Sandoz and are endeared to the setting of Rakhat already it may not be a complete waste of time.

Plot……….4.5/10

Characters………5/10

Style……….5/10

Overall……….5/10

REVIEW: It's Superman by Tom De Haven

It's Superman by Tom De Haven
Publishing Information: Paperback; 432 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; 29 August 2006
ISBN 10: 0345493923
ISBN 13: 978-0345493927
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "Coming of age in rural 1930s America with X-ray vision, the power to stop bullets, and the ability to fly isn’t exactly every boy’s story. So just how did Clark Kent, a shy farmer’s son, grow up to be the Man of Steel? Follow young Clark’s whirlwind journey from Kansas to New York City’s Daily Planet–by way Hollywood. This ace reporter is not the only person leading a double life in a teeming metropolis, just the only one able to leap tall buildings in a single bound–a skill that comes in handy when battling powerful criminal masterminds like scheming Lex Luthor and fascist robots. But can Clark’s Midwestern charm save the day and win the heart of stunning, seen-it-all newspaperwoman Lois Lane? Or is it a job for Superman? Look deep into the soul of a pop-culture legend brilliantly reimagined in this novel, which is as inventive and thrilling as it is touching and wise."

Not sure how this book got past my radar when it initially was released but It's Superman is yet another spin on the most famous superhero of them all. Since I missed it when it first came out, I can only imagine that it was released along side the popularity of Smallville. The difference is that Smallville centers on a present day Clark Kent where It's Superman takes us back to the 1930's.

In this origins story we find Clark and his family with no knowledge of his Kryptonian past and that was a minor complaint. Clark and those that encounter his abilities simply assume that he is gifted that he is somehow an anomaly. That the good lord smiled upon him and that is how his powers came to be. I was hoping for some insight into his heritage and came to find that his spacecraft was destroyed upon landing. It was a minor issue but I looking forward to his arrival on earth. Clark and his adopted family cannot explain his gifts and as the novel progresses he adjusts to them in his own way. De Haven also allows Clark to have a much looser moral compass. Throughout It's Superman Clark is constantly going against what we normally see in previous installments of his origin. Clark Kent and his family are ahead of their time when it comes to race issues but Clark is not going to sit idly by and watch racist actions. He uses his heat vision to destroy private property and while he has an anger management issue he knows he is in the wrong but still feels good about his actions. I like the idea of Clark having a troubled past but then again it bothered me as his luck at finding the Kents as his parents were the reason he grew up with such a strong moral compass in the first place and that seemed to get lost in this retelling.

De Haven does a great job of nailing the 1930's. There are a lot of famous events and people that are brought up and intertwined into the story. Lex Luthor is Superman's nemesis in this book and we gain a lot of insight into his beginnings. Instead of having a multi billionaire father this Lex Luthor does everything he can to separate himself from his humble past and make a name for himself by playing both sides of the street. He has political ambitions and uses his ill-gotten gains from his various criminal enterprises to help him politically. While the majority of the book dealt with Clark Kent, Luthor really steals the show as he is constantly juggling both of his personas and still steering towards his future goals. He is seen as cunning, ruthless, and maniacal which made his portions of the book much more enjoyable to read.

Lois Lane is also slightly changed. She is very progressive and she is a very determined individual. There were a few things I did not care fore as far as her new personality. She smokes and drinks and has more than a few men walk through her door. I know that Lois is suppose to be a worldly woman but I had a problem with some of her actions on a personal level. When it came to showing Lois as a reporter was where she really shined. She was all business and very level headed which was how I like to see her portrayed.

It's Superman is interesting since it is told from the 30's so there is a lot more going on besides Clark growing into the man and superhero that he will become. When Lex decides to build robots for every home in the world it quickly becomes obvious that Superman will have to face the mechanical menace before the book reaches it's conclusion. The fight really started out very good but then ended a little to quickly and I would have liked to have seen more of the altercation. Even though the build up was getting there it failed to deliver but the final confrontation between Lex and Superman was well worth the wait.

It's Superman is a slightly different origins story that is not that cut and dry. There is a bit of moral ambiguity built into its story. It was both frustrating and refreshing. There were times when I found myself saying that is not in the spirit of Superman on several occasions and then I would just relax and enjoy this new interpretation. There is not much of Superman until the very end of the story but it is a very well done building up to the final confrontation and it is left open for a sequel if De Haven desired to do so. It's Superman is a more mature look at the Man of Steel and on a fluke I picked it up and I am glad I did. Recommended for Superman fans and those that want a slightly grittier origins story.

I would also like to point out the cover of the novel. I really liked the look of it as it is quite subtle and also nostalgic.

Plot 8
Characters 7.5
Style 7

Overall 7.5/10

REVIEW: The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker

The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker
Publishing Information: 2004 (first publishing) 2005 (current edition)
Publisher: Overlook Press, Trade-Paperback, 607 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-1-59020-119-0
Series: The Prince of Nothing Trilogy Book #2 (The Second Apocalypse)
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back-cover): With his spectacularly powerful debut The Darkness that Comes Before, a fantasy epic that rewrote the conventions of the epic fantasy genre and garnered thunderous praise from reviewers and readers alike, R. Scot Bakker introduced readers to his richly imagined world of myth, violence, and sorcery. In The Warrior Prophet, the thrilling story of the powerful logician-monk Anasurimbor Kellhus and the apocalyptic Holy War continues, as we venture further into the darkly enchanting, horrifyingly threatening battlescape upon which the war will be decided. As the crusade plunged violently southward, struggling with both the enemy and internecine turmoil, the enigmatic Kellhus finds himself ever closer to the elusive goal of meeting his father, while gaining further mastery of the ancient knowledge he will need for the encounter. And amid the brewing apocalypse, his swift-rising career has aroused more than curiosity from his enemies. Boldly imaginative, wickedly suspenseful, tantalizingly adventurous, The Warrior Prophet furthers Bakker's claim to the highest ranks of the fantasy genre.

Bakker's debut, The Darkness that Comes Before had a ton of promise. The setting was intriguing, the characters were complex, and the drama was riveting. However, the book ended abruptly. The first book of the Prince of Nothing trilogy, put simply, was a book full of promises. Bakker had yet to flex his muscle by including major plot turns - instead his debut was merely an exercise in setting the stage for things to come.

In triumphant fashion, Bakker has demonstrated that he is in the same league as the other heavyweights of fantasy, such as Kay or Martin. However the term "fantasy" often doesn't do the series justice. The world of the Second Apocalypse often reads like a black mirror of our own world's darker history, a quality that only adds to the appeal of the series. Dogmatic zealots expend their energies warring with one another while a far more ominous danger looms in the distance. A small group of sorcerers, the only ones who are aware of this apocalyptic peril, are relegated to heathens and pariahs, since sorcery is considered an abomination. Meanwhile, the more sinister forces behind the scenes are manipulating the practitioners of sorcery and holy men against one another to disastrous results.

Even theologically, the world of the Prince of Nothing series is well constructed. The Fanim, the victims of the Holy War hold a staunch and extreme monotheism similar to Islam while the Inrithi who lead the holy war are more akin to the Christians. Anasurimbor Kellhus, a monk from a secret monastic sect, begins to travel with this holy war, and he is trained as a master manipulator. Kellhus slowly endears himself to the holy men, becoming a prophet and savior, hiding his sociopathic nature behind a veil of presumed godliness. The depth of psychology and philosophy injected into the series is implemented so well that Bakker proves that scholars can still write fantasy in the tradition of Tolkien, while still pushing the genre forward. While so many other fantasy authors simply confuse obscurity with depth, Bakker's series genuinely contains authentic richness.

But, Bakker still isn't perfect. Though he does an excellent job in writing a battle scene, the long trek of the Inrithi Holy War begins to get tedious after one to many stops along the way. Meanwhile, readers who are used to indicators of who to love and who to hate will instead only find characters with serious weaknesses and often despicable qualities. To really love any character in this series, you have to forgive some other major character flaw, which some readers will find hard to swallow. Basically, Bakker makes the moral ambiguity in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire look as rigid as the Chronicles of Narnia. However, readers looking for realistic characters will find Esmenet's struggles with identity and promiscuity compelling, and the sorcerer Achamian's conflicts of loyalty and duty absorbing. This is simply because Bakker is talented enough to create interesting characters that reside in an interesting world, a combination that is such a rarity in the genre.


Plot……….8.5/10

Characters………9/10

Style……….9/10

Overall……….8.5/10

REVIEW: Anno Dracula by Kim Newman

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman
First in the Anno Dracula
Paperback: 560 pages
Publisher: Titan Books Ltd; Reprint edition (27 May 2011)
[Originally published 1992]
ISBN-10: 0857680838
ISBN-13: 978-0857680839
Copy: Bought new
Reviewer: Cara

From the back of the book:
A new savage era has arrived...
It is 1888 and Queen Victoria has remarried, taking as her new consort the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. His polluted bloodline spreads through London as its citizens increasingly choose to become vampire.

In the grim backstreets of Whitechapel, a killer known as 'Silver Knife' is cutting down vampire girls. The eternally young vampire Geneviève Dieudonné and Charles Beauregard of the Diogenes Club are drawn together as they both hunt the sadistic killer, bringing them ever closer to England's most bloodthirsty ruler yet.

When I first saw the current edition of Anno Dracula on the shelves of my local bookshop, I thought 'meh, yet another vampire novel' but I was wrong. Very wrong indeed! For this is no 'sparkly vampire' story; instead it is a fully realised alternative history of Victorian London, complete with a large cast of often familiar characters, both real and fictional. The central premise - that Dracula didn't die at the end of Bram Stoker's book - provides the base from which Kim Newman creates a whole new world.

The central plot revolves around the mutilation of vampire prostitutes in Whitechapel. Anyone who knows about Jack the Ripper will immediately recognise the similarities; some of the victims' names, the letters 'From Hell', the left-handed murderer, etc. We know the identity of the killer from the outset and gt his point of view at various stages in the book. Charles Beauregard, agent of the Diogenes Club (a secret society whose purpose is to protect the Crown) is ordered to investigate the murders. In the process of doing so he meets up with Geneviève Dieudonné, a 450-year old vampire from a different bloodline than Dracula. Both characters, original creations of Newman, are fascinating. Beauregard is the epitome of the quintessential English gentleman spy, a forerunner to James Bond. Dieudonné is working as a doctor for sick vampires, products of the corrupted Dracula bloodline. She is a strong elder vampire, well travelled and knowledgeable, yet myseterious; we only get tantalising glimpses into her past experiences. These two are the principle characters through whom we see most of the action. Dracula himself, on the other hand, is often mentioned but not an active character until almost the end of the book. He is, however, well worth waiting for. To say much more would risk a spoiler.

Where Anno Dracula excels is in the creation of an alternative Victorian London. While the physical locations remain familiar, with the Dickensian slums of the east end and the high class Mayfair, it is the social and political environment that has changed significantly. Dracula has insinuated himself and his followers into the upper echelons of British society and by marrying Queen Victoria has consolidated his power base. Leading politicians, members of the aristocracy, industrialists etc have succumbed to the lure of immortality and become vampires. All levels of society are filled with an increasing number of 'new-born', that is newly created vampires, and they all need feeding. Opponents of the new regime, including Sherlock Holmes, Lewis Carroll and Bram Stoker himself, have been rounded up and imprisoned in camps. Rumours abound as to the purpose of these camps...

"How soon would it be before the 'desperate measures' Sir Danvers Carew advocated in Parliament were seriously considered? Carew favoured the penning-up of still more warm [non-vampire humans], not only criminals but any simply healthy specimens, to serve as cattle for the vampires of breeding essential to the governance of the country." [p73]

What sets Anno Dracula apart from other vampire novels is the writing. On the surface the books reads like a good historical murder-mystery with a vampire twist. But there are a large number of references to classic vampire fiction, and to the works of contemporary novellists, particularly Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. Being familiar with Bram Stoker's original Dracula helped me to pick up a lot of references, but there are a few modern ones in there too. This added another dimension to the book and while it was slightly distracting (and sent me off to look stuff up on Wikipedia at times) it was also very cleverly done. The mix of historical and fictional names worked well in this context, particularly with the vampire characters - do Lord Ruthven, Kurt Barlow, or Lestat de Lioncourt ring any bells with you? Luckily, in the new 2011 edition of Anno Dracula, there are some helpful annotations in the accompanying extra end sections.

Overall, Anno Dracula is a fun, though at times gory, read. Mixing two well established themes, in this case  vampires and Jack the Ripper, could have been disastrous, but Kim Newman succeeds with aplomb. The subtle wit running throughout the book lifts it from a good read to a very enjoyable one.

Plot 7
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 8/10

The Thing (2011)

I rarely blog about movies and TV series however sometimes I feel I have to.

There is a handful of movies that scared the hell out of me when I was young and John Carpenter's The Thing was one of them. In the movie, an alien life-form infiltrated an Antarctic research station and started to kill everyone. But what added to the paranoia of the staff was that the extraterrestrial organism was capable of imitating them. It was a brilliant movie and I was absolutely delighted to hear that a prequel is going to be released very soon, on 14 Oct 2011.

John Carpenter's movie started with an Alaskan Malamute that was trying to evade a Norwegian helicopter with an on-board sniper frantically trying to kill it. Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.'s The Thing takes place right before the first movie, following the exploits of the Norwegian and American scientists who originally discovered the alien.

I realize that it's going to be almost impossible to match or surpass Carpenter's movie but nonetheless I'm still very excited about it:

Dark Knight Rises Official Trailer

Many people have already seen it but here it is, the Dark Knight Rises official teaser trailer:



Personally, as far as trailers go, this one is a little weak. However, I will be there as I have enjoyed all of Nolan's films so far.

REVIEW: Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist

Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist
Publishing information: Paperback; 499 pages
Publisher: Spectra; 1 December 1993
ISBN 10: 0553564935
ISBN 13: 978-0553564938
Series: Book 2 in the Riftwar saga
Copy: Out of pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "He held the fate of two worlds in his hands...
Once he was an orphan called Pug, apprenticed to a sorcerer of the enchanted land of Midkemia.. Then he was captured and enslaved by the Tsurani, a strange, warlike race of invaders from another world.

There, in the exotic Empire of Kelewan, he earned a new name--Milamber. He learned to tame the unnimagined powers that lay withing him. And he took his place in an ancient struggle against an evil Enemy older than time itself."

A few days ago I reviewed the first book in the Riftwar saga, Magician:Apprentice and absolutely loved it. I am happy to say the sequel (although they are really one book) is just as good.

As you read Magician:Master you meet a few new individuals, a few of the enemies take on a more important role, and we have a few new friends as well. Only a few of them are well fleshed out. Many of the Great Ones or magicians that help guide Pug, or Milamber as he is now called, are well developed and Laurie Pug's friend since his capture are brought to life. A few other supporting characters are also introduced, but the one that stands out is the cutthroat/buccaneer/pirate Amos Trask. His character was enjoyable to read but unfortunately in the later chapters he ends up taking a backseat until the final moments of the book. Overall the characters were just as enjoyable this time around as well.

By the end of Magician:Master the series could be considered over and it makes me wonder what is in store for our heroes as there are two more books in the saga. I unfortunately have had to order them so it will be some time before I am able to get to them. I will say that if you enjoyed Magician:Apprentice then you should have no problem with Magician:Master as they were meant to be one novel and the second half is much quicker and the pacing is a notch slightly about the first book.

Plot 8
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 8/10

Movies and Video Games

Captain America Shield Action:

More Captain America: The First Avenger Videos

Cookie Monster Quality Control:


Alien Beach Massacre:

REVIEW: Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist

Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist
Publishing information: Paperback; 512 pages
Publisher: Spectra; 4th edition; 1 December 1993
ISBN 10: 0553564943
ISBN 13: 978-0553564945
Series: Book 1 (of 4) of the Riftwar Saga
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan Pug came to study with the master magician Kulgan. But though his courage won him a place at court and the heart of a lovely Princess, he was ill at ease with the normal ways of wizardry. Yet Pug's strange sort of magic would one day change forever the fates of two worlds. For dark beings from another world had opened a rift in the fabric of spacetime to being again the age-old battle between the forces of Order and Chaos."

I have a confession, before this book, I had never read Feist. It was for that reason that I got off my duff and decided to see if I would enjoy the author. Add to it that a lot of forums like to discuss just who the heck is the most powerful magician and Pugs name comes up time and time again.

The first thing you should know about Magician:Apprentice is that it is only half a book. The second half of the novel Magician:Master were meant to be one novel but, due to its length were split in twain. As you read Magician:Apprentice you may come to the end of the book and wonder just why it stops when most of the story is really getting good. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

Magician:Apprentice is a lot of fun and luckily I purchased both books at the same time so I could continue the series right after I finished the first part. While I enjoy learning about Pug, we also get a lot of rich supporting characters who I found I actually cared about. His best friend, Tomas is also well crafted. As are most of the royalty that surround our hero. Even the enemies that come from a separate plane are well thought out and are more than just 'EVIL,' they have a reason for being there and are built up just as well as the society we enter the story with.

Pug is your typical hero. He is an orphan and when chance comes around, Kulgan, the royal magician takes notice of him and in no time he is struggling with his new position and responsibilities. I have a lot of things I enjoyed with the development of Pug and his friend Tomas. In the beginning the book takes them slow and progress is steady. Later on, there are parts that seemed rushed. It seemed to make the read a little forced at times.

The concept of the book is entertaining as we have a basic medieval times and then a rift opens up and has a who new culture descend on the inhabitants. The reason that they are there is uncertain and their customs are even stranger. I found the enemies of the realm just as interesting as the main characters.

While Magician:Apprentice has less action then Magician:Master, I did not mind. I think the reason I enjoyed it so much is the fact that the dialogue seemed appropriate. There was a lot of times where I smiled at what I had read as I imagined the exchange taking place. It had a real feel to it and it made the read all that more enjoyable. While I am a huge reader and find myself reading whenever I have a free minute, I found myself creating more time to finish this book. As soon as I completed it I jumped right into the second book in the series and ordered the two remaining books in the saga. Magician:Apprentice is a great way to discover Feist.

Plot 8
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 8/10

PRESS RELEASE Aspiring Writers

Jordan Reyne, New Zealand's premiere

bloodthirsty Celtic rock and machine sounds superhero,

has teamed up with Anarchy Books to bring you a dazzling

short story writing competition!

Jordan Reyne's new album, Children of a Factory Nation, is being released September 2011 and follows a family who lived in Wales in the late 1800s during the Industrial Revolution. Like many alive in their time, they faced problems relating to difficult working conditions, poverty, and the tyranny of circumstance. This album constructs stories from facts known about Johnathan, Mary, their children Molly & Thomas, and grandchild Wynne.

The competition is to write a short story surrounding any character or sets of characters from Children of a Factory Nation using Jordan Reyne's lyrics or the facts about their real life counterparts as a starting point. The competition will be judged by Andy Remic, SFF author and co-owner of Anarchy Books, John Jarrold, esteemed agent with decades of experience in the publishing industry as both editor and agent, David Bradley, editor of the fabulous SFX magazine, Lee Harris, editor at Angry Robot Books, James Lovegrove, SFF New York Times bestselling author, Gary McMahon, rising star of the Horror Genre (and all-round nice-guy beer drinker), Jared Shurin of popular online magazine Pornokitsch, and the incredible Hugo award winner Ellen Datlow, veteran editor in horror and SFF fields.

First prize is publication in the album's accompanying magazine and on the website, £100, a t-shirt, signed copy of the album Children of a Factory Nation, and the first three Anarchy Books ebook releases, in all digital formats. Three runners up will receive a signed copy of Jordan Reyne's new album.

Stories should be no longer than 3000 words, and submitted digitally in a single file (either .doc, .rtf or .pdf)

Deadline for final entries is Sunday 14th August. The winner(s) will be announced on Sunday 28th August. Authors must be willing to give 6 months exclusivity on the story (from the time of publication) if they win the competition. Happy writing!!

ENTER NOW

ANARCHY BOOKS

ANARCHY BOOKS, part of ANARCHY MEDIA, is a radical new publishing company. Our focus is on multi-strand publishing projects, concepts which combine different media to present a wider experience for the entertainment junkie. Our first project, SERIAL KILLERS INCORPORATED, is a thriller novel by ANDY REMIC, genre author of SPIRAL, QUAKE, WARHEAD, WAR MACHINE, BIOHELL, HARDCORE, CLONEWORLD, KELL'S LEGEND, SOUL STEALERS and VAMPIRE WARLORDS, with the music album provided by TH3 M1SS1NG and short film created by GRUNGE FILMS. The novel and album were released April 2011. Our second novel is THE OFFICE OF LOST AND FOUND by Vincent Holland-Keen, a homage to Douglas Adams, and we have many more upcoming titles by popular authors such as Eric Brown, James Lovegrove, Jeffrey Thomas, Tony Ballantyne and Neal Asher, to name but a few.

Run from the UK and publishing worldwide, ANARCHY BOOKS aims to move forward the ever-expanding publishing boundaries of digital media with energy, originality, multi-strand projects and anarchy. Like the explosive punk movement of the 70s, ANARCHY BOOKS is detonating with a view to the future of rapidly accelerating digital concept media.

Long live ANARCHY in the UK!!

www.anarchy-books.com 

ENTER NOW

First Photo for Total Recall Reboot

Total Recall will hit theaters 3 August 2012.

SuperHarmony

Even Superheroes get lonely:

REVIEW: The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King
Publishing Information: 1987 (first publishing) 2003 (current edition)
Publisher: Signet, Mass-Market Paperback, 464 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-21085-2
Series: The Dark Tower Book 2 (of 7)
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from inside-cover): While pursuing a quest for the Dark Tower through a world that is a nightmarishly distorted mirror image of our own, Roland is drawn through a mysterious door that brings him into contemporary America. Here he links forces with defiant young Eddie Dean and the beautiful, brilliant, and brave Odetta Holmes in a savage struggle against underworld evil and otherworldly enemies. Once again, Stephen King has masterfully interwoven dark evocative fantasy, and icy realism.


When I reviewed Book 1 of The Dark Tower, I was left with feelings of skepticism and confusion. The first installment, though it had a deeply promising premise and main character, was the work of an uncertain author, stumbling blindly into whatever environments his mind happened to conjure up. The story introduced parallel universes, but the link between them and the explanation of it was tenuous at best. The story was oddly vague - much too vague to have me itching to read the next book. There was no indication what direction the series would be taking, and though the mythic journey of the Gunslinger tracking the dastardly devilish Man in Black was poetic and provocative, it seemed more like a murky dream from King than the beginning of a well planned narrative.

But really, King needed to grow up as a writer. Where The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger showed hints of pretension and a young writer still trying too hard to be enigmatic, The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three is the work of a confident storyteller who can provoke excitement without manipulating the reader's emotions too much. King writes suspenseful scenes with a masterful hand, as Roland, the last gunslinger, hobbles sickly along a coast populated with eerie scavengers resembling giant lobsters.

Scattered across the beach are three doors, isolated in thin air that Roland must seek out. Each doorway is an entranceway into a consciousness from a parallel world, as Roland trespasses into the minds of those that will become his companions. These new characters are all deeply disturbed in their own ways, and the unlikely fellowship formed is one reminiscent of the unwilling participants thrown together in King's own The Stand or George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead. Though at times King's continuous pop-culture references seem a sleazy way to ingratiate himself to a mainstream audience, twenty-five years later they transform into treasured artifacts something that reads like a 1980's retro period-piece that anyone nostalgic about the eighties should appreciate.

In the book, the destination of the Dark Tower is no longer just a "quest-to-be-named-later" once King figures out what he is actually writing about. Though the nature of it the tower just as mysterious as ever, it now seems more like an elusive holy grail or a monumental Moby Dick, a symbolic image etched in the mind of an uncompromising character on a quixotic journey. With book two of the Dark Tower, King took what was at best a story that was a minor curiosity and penned it into what has the potential to be part of a modern classic.



Plot……….9/10

Characters………9/10

Style……….8/10

Overall……….9/10

REVIEW: Finder's Keepers by Russ Colchamiro

Finder's Keepers by Russ Colchamiro
Publishing information: Paperback; 301 pages
Publisher: 3 Fingers Press; 8 October 2010
ISBN 10: 0979480140
ISBN 13: 978-0979480140
Standalone
Copy: Sent by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "FINDERS KEEPERS is not your typical story, which was my point from the very beginning. As an agent said of my work, it is strange and ambitious ... and fun. It started out with my wanting to put to paper a bizarre, and in many ways, life changing experience I had, and it wound up morphing into a hybrid tale that is part road trip, part cosmic lunacy.

On a backpacking trip through Europe, Jason Medley and Theo Barnes stumble through hash bars and hangovers; religious zealots and stalkers; food poisoning and thunderstorms; cute girls, overnight trains, fever-pitch hallucinations--and the spectre of adult repsonsibility!

But when a jar containing the Universe's DNA falls from the land of Eternity to the caverns of New Zealand, these new friends find their loyalties put to the test—unaware that a motley crew from another realm is chasing them across the globe, with the fate of the Milky Way hanging in the balance."

At first glance Finder's Keepers is a novel similar to something Chris Moore or Sir Terry Pratchett would write, a zany and twisted adventure where all heck is breaking loose. But Colchamiro has found his own voice and humor in his debut novel.

Finder's Keeper is a very quick read. At just over 300 pages and each chapter averaging only two or three pages, you just can not stop reading until the book reaches its conclusion. There are four main characters. Donald and Danielle are two low level designers for the galaxy. Between all of the love making on the newly created Earth, they manage to misplace some of the universe's DNA. They are two interesting characters and their dialogue with each other was humorous. Theo and Jason are the other two characters who find the DNA and as they work their way around the world find themselves in one misadventure after another.

The beginning of the novel was a little muddled as prospectives and time shift from chapter to chapter. Once you catch up with everyone and everything going on, the novel does a great job of coming together and showing off the authors ability for laughs. There are many situations and dialogue that had me chuckling. Finder's Keeper is a humor book for anyone who has traveled into the unexpected or gone backpacking abroad. The novel does a fine job of showing what most backpackers and travelers experience at least once in their lives only this time it has universal implications.

While I did enjoy much of what Colchamiro wrote and the characters finally started to take shape in my mind, I just never really found a connection with any of them. The book took a while for me to really get into it and by that time it was nearly half-way done. While I don't think it would have benefited from more filler, it would have been nice if the editor touched up the beginning. I would like to read his future novels and see how he improves. Hopefully, the characters will make a return in later novels. My final assessment is that if you like Chris Moore or Pratchett, give Colchamiro's Finder's Keepers a shot. Why not start with his first novel and follow his career? He shows great promise and it is nice to have a new voice in the humor/science fiction section of the book store.

Plot 7/10
Characters 6/10
Style 7/10

Overall 7/10

First Dark Knight Rises Poster Released

The first promotional movie poster for the third Batman installment has just been released:

REVIEW: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susana Clarke

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell by Susana Clarke
Publishing Information: Paperback, 846 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury; 30 August 2005
ISBN 10: 1582346038
ISBN 13: 9781582346038
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "BOOK SENSE BOOK OF THE YEAR A PEOPLE MAGAZINE "TOP TEN" BOOK WINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD WINNER OF THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD


Ravishing…Combines the dark mythology of fantasy with the delicious social comedy of Jane Austen into a masterpiece of the genre that rivals Tolkien."—Time


At the dawn of the nineteenth century, two very different magicians emerge to change England's history. In the year 1806, with the Napoleonic Wars raging on land and sea, most people believe magic to be long dead in England—until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers, and becomes a celebrity overnight.


Soon, another practicing magician comes forth: the young, handsome, and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's student, and they join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic, straining his partnership with Norrell, and putting at risk everything else he holds dear."

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a huge undertaking. It comes in at just under 850 pages and is chock full of details.

Susana Clark's novel is the story of two rival magicians that eventually join forces to undertake a major task of bringing magic back from a historical and theoretical sense to having a presence in Victorian England. They must also tackle a mysterious and ancient power that works against them. Nearly everything in this novel is richly detailed. The backgrounds of all of the major players as well as many of the lesser characters. Each person you encounter in this novel has a finely crafted background and history that will impress you.

The world is also very detailed. The history of magic and England is presented in detail. From other books that exist in the world Clarke has created to large footnotes. Nearly every other page contains a footnote of some distinction and the footnotes are a massive undertaking as they provide a story of their own. Some of which are quite humorous and others are very informative.

The plot revolves around the two magicians (Norrell and Strange) and an ancient and mythical magician known as the Raven King. As the story progresses the two magicians become engrossed in an ancient mystery that they themselves have started and must see it to its conclusion. I do not want to get into to much detail because it would take forever and I feel that it would spoil it for anyone that is interested in this novel. Suffice it to say the journey that the two main characters engage in is well worth the journey but it takes a lot and roundabout way to get there.

In fact that is the biggest complaint with the novel. It meanders (for a reason) and takes a very long time to get to any of the points of action. There is a lot of dialogue and inaction contained in the pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell where you wonder whether or not to continue reading the novel. Between the inaction and the volumes of footnotes it takes a very long time for anything major to happen. When something does it is worth it but if you are looking for a action filled novel this is one of the last places to look. The story is also told in a Victorian way. There are parties and protocols to attend to and that takes up a lot of time in the novel.

In the end, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a very different book from one I am used to reading. The magic that was found in England has been forgotten and the two must find a way to bring it back from the brink of extinction. There is not a lot of action and plenty of dialogue and footnotes which propel the story along. There are some witty moments which to add to the richness of the novel. With all this in mind, it is a book worth checking out but if you have a short attention span when action is not present very often it will be a challenging novel for you to undertake but it is worth the read.

Plot 8
Characters 8
Style 9.5

Overall 7.5/10

Steph Swainston Calls it Quits

A sad bit of news from the Independant. Fantasy author Steph Swainston is leaving the writer's world to become a Chemistry instructor.

"There's just too much stress on authors," says the 37-year-old Swainston. She lives near Reading now, but grew up in West Yorkshire and she hasn't lost her gentle accent. "The business model seems to be that publishers want a book a year. I wanted to spend time on my novels, but that isn't economically viable."

What to you think, do publishers and fans constant push for a new novel affect the quality of the books? Should the pressure from constant deadlines and fan complaints be a reason to leave the business? Or do you applaud Swainston's career choice?

While I am not a huge fan of her work, it is always sad when you lose such a strong and gifted female voice in the genre. SBR wishes her luck in her new endeavor.

REVIEW: Whitechapel Gods by S.M. Peters

Whitechapel Gods by S.M. Peters
Publishing Information: 2008 (first publishing) 2008 (current edition)
Publisher: Roc Fantasy, Mass-Market Paperback, 374 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-46193-3
Series: Standalone
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back cover): In Victorian London, the Whitechapel section has been cut off, enclosed by an impassable wall, and is now ruled by two mysterious mechanical gods. Mama Engine is the goddess of sentiment, a mother to her believers. Grandfather Clock represents logic and precision.

A few years have passed since the Uprising, when humans fought the gold cloaks, and even the vicious Boiler Men, the brutal police force responsible for keeping humans in check. Today, Whitechapel is a mechanized, steam-driven hell. But a few brave veterans of the Uprising have formed a new resistance, and they are gathering for another attack. For now they have a secret weapon that may finally free them…..or kill them.


You may be familiar with Whitechapel as the district of London where Jack the Ripper terrorized prostitutes in the late 19th century, or as the seedy neighborhood where the Elephant Man Joseph Merrick was exploited on display in a shop before rescued and moved to a hospital across the street. Today, Whitechapel has a prominent music scene and is the mecca for a great deal of activism and various left-wing political organization. In S.M. Peters, Whitechapel Gods, Whitechapel is re-imagined in the Victorian Age as being home to a steam driven totalitarian hell, seceded from British Rule. as two tyrant gods have risen to power. Peters has kept the spirit of Whitechapel alive in this creative reinvention of the Whitechapel setting, as subversive revolutionaries aspire to overthrow the oppressive gods that cast their dark shadow over their home.

The characters here are interesting enough to keep most readers' attentions. The german Bergen, newly arrived from Africa, is a product of his time spent in the jungles of Africa and has a Heart of Darkness type kind of appeal, while the former child prostitute turned deadly assassin-seductress Missy is the perfect Victorian coquette, putting on a veneer of prudishness as she tries to manipulate and seduce the apathetic yet still big-hearted failed-revolutionary Oliver. Peters has a firm handle on Victorian archetypes and late 19th-century banter while creating a hostile and violent world seething with unsavory rakes and harsh steam-driven lessons.

Regrettably though, much of the plot progression fails to thrill. So many chapters repetitively feature incognito spying with unclear character motivations resulting in some sort of back alley shootout. Often characters die and return to life followed by very thin explanations of how this has occurred. Other times character remain only half-alive as they haunt a metaphysical realm between life and death. This may sound intriguing up front but really all these minor threads became tangled in a mess that I did not even care to untie. The explanations offered about the dichotomy between the logic and order loving Grandfather Clock and the hot-blooded and emotional Mama Engine are certainly ostentatious but quite shallow and artificial as the book is all gloss and style without much substance.

Still, hardcore fans of the clockpunk or steampunk settings may appreciate this one more than I did. If not taken too seriously there is a kind of B-movie quality aesthetic coolness to this book. Personally though, I found myself bored and struggling to finish it.

Plot……….2/10

Characters………5/10

Style………..6.5/10

Overall……….3/10

Ewan Lightsaber Interview

Ewan McGregor discussing lightsabers.

Metal Gear Office Worker

Metal Gear Office Worker:

Metal Gear Office from Blue Core Studios on Vimeo.

Plot Device: The Movie

Plot Device from Red Giant on Vimeo.

REVIEW: Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper

Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper
The Wild Hunt Trilogy, book 1
Trade paperback: 467 pages
Publisher: Gollancz; (16 June 2011)
ISBN-10: 0575096152
ISBN-13: 978-0575096158
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Bought in bookshop

From the back of the book:
 
Gair is under a death sentence.
He can hear music – music with power – and in the Holy City that means only one thing: he’s a witch, and he’s going to be burnt at the stake. Even if he could escape, the Church Knights and their withfinder would be hot on his heels while his burgeoning power threatens to tear him apart from within.   
There is no hope…
…none, but a secretive order, themselves persecuted almost to destruction. If Gair can escape, if he can master his own growing, dangerous abilities, if he can find the Guardians of the Veil, then maybe he will be safe.

Or maybe he’ll discover that the fight has only just begun.

There was considerable talk about Elspeth Cooper’s debut novel, Songs of the Earth, at Eastercon this year, so much so that I wondered if it could live up to the hype. Well, after spending the best part of a sunny weekend totally engrossed in reading it, I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who enjoys well written, character driven fantasy.

While there are several familiar archetypes; the orphan hero destined for greater things, a magic academy, the elderly benign mentor, a hidden world that threatens to break through, a hidebound and cruel religious organisation for example; Songs of the Earth manages to breathe fresh life into the fantasy tropes and move beyond them. As the first in The Wild Hunt Trilogy, Songs of the Earth sets the scene for as yet unknown future events.

For her first novel, Elspeth Cooper has produced a book that is strong in plot and characterisation. It cracks along at a fair pace and doesn’t flag mid-way through. Intercut with the main story of Gair is that of Masen, the Gatekeeper, who is concerned that the Veil between the worlds is weakening. Through him we get glimpses into the Hidden Kingdom. As those who still accept and practice the magic refer to themselves as Guardians of the Veil, it is a fair guess that what is contained in the hidden world will not be good… Another minor plot strand involves Preceptor Ansel, the head of the Endirion Church, who is trying to find some hidden history within the library of banned books, the Index, something which may cause conflict within the Church if found and made public. It is a fair guess that these strands will connect at some future point.

Elspeth Cooper has created an intriguing magic system that has music as its source – the Songs of the Earth of the title – and has a range of uses, from healing and shapeshifting to generating protective shields and creating powerful violent storms.

“Gair reached inside himself to the Song. It rose up to greet him, exuberant as a puppy, filling every part of him with energy. Quickly he sought out the whispery music of flame and stretched out his hand. A small yellow flame bobbed over his palm, pulsing with his heartbeat. He steadied it then left it floating in the air in front of him.” [p139]

I enjoyed the natural feel of the magic. There were no wands or spells to distract from the power of the music and I found it a refreshing change. I haven’t encountered magic like this before so do not know if it is unique, but it certainly felt new and exciting as its presence grew alongside Gair’s control of his own abilities.

As with any fantasy world, there has to be some background and history for it to have any resonance with the reader. I felt that Songs of the Earth managed to convey this without resorting to lengthy infodumps, a pet irritation of mine. Much of the history of the Church and how it came to be the repressive institution that tortured and branded Gair was related through conversation, which, in the context, seemed natural and unforced. It allowed the back story to show how the present situation came about and hinted at possible future events. This, I thought was cleverly done. And it wasn’t just the history. Descriptions during Gair’s journey made it clear this was not an alternative earth but somewhere completely new.

“Above him, stars glittered like holes in the curtains of heaven. He counted the constellations he knew, from east to west: the Pilgrim, rising now – by midwinter he would be gone; the Chariot; Amarada on her throne; the Huntsman and his Three Hounds; Slaine’s Sword with the Pole Star on the cross-hilts, bright as a diamond. The first moon, Miriel, fat and golden, hung low on the shoulder of the Archen Mountains. Behind her, the tail of the Dragon was just visible above the luminous peaks as he chased the remains of the day.” [p54]

Through descriptions of the landscapes and cities, we get a feel for this world and its people. By discussing their differing theologies, Gair and Alderan give us insight into the past of this world and show us how history can be twisted and corrupted to suit the ruling powers.

I found very little to criticise in Songs of the Earth. I enjoyed the writing style, which was full of dialogue and enhanced the characterisation. As already mentioned, there were familiar tropes and archetypes, however, the characters were strong and well-rounded people, and I found them realistic not stereotypical. No-one was perfect and flawless. One of my favourites was Aysha. She was a somewhat idiosyncratic and strong independent woman.

“Her bearing made her appear taller than she was, but her frame looked oddly proportioned, longer above the waist than below. Then he realised what was wrong. She was leaning on two canes, as if her legs were to weak to support her for long. She saw him looking and stared back fiercely, daring him to pity her, refusing his compassion.” [p141]

Others, such as Darin, Gair’s friend in the academy and Ansel, for example, have distinct and realistic personalities that fit their roles in the book. If there is any fault, it is that Songs of the Earth gives us only a shadow of the ‘bad guy’. My guess is that this is a deliberate ploy, setting us up for the next book in the trilogy, Trinity Moon.Certainly Elspeth Cooper is a name to watch as, for a debut novel, she has produced an accomplished piece of work. I am eagerly awaiting book two.

Plot: 8
Characters: 9
Style: 9

Overall rating 9/10

Game of Thrones Violin Style

History of the Doctor Who Opening

REVIEW: MultiReal (Book 2 of the Jump 225 Trilogy) by David Louis Edelman

MultiReal by David Louis Edelman
Publishing Information: Kindle Edition; 522 Pages
Publisher: Pyr; 3 July 2008
ISBN 10: 1591026474
ISBN 13: 978-1591026471
ASIN: B002DGRRNM
Series: Book 2 in the Jump 225 Trilogy
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "David Louis Edelman's debut novel "Infoquake" was called "the love child of Donald Trump and Vernor Vinge" and hailed as the best science fiction debut of 2006. The story continues with "MultiReal", the stunning second book in the Jump 225 trilogy. Natch has just won his first battle with the Defense and Wellness Council for control of MultiReal technology. But now the Council has unleashed the ruthless cunning of Lieutenant Executive Magan Kai Lee. Lee decides that if Natch's company can't be destroyed from without, it must be destroyed from within. As black code continues to eat away at Natch's sanity, he faces a mutiny from his own apprentices, a legal onslaught from the government, and the return of enemies old and new.In desperation, the entrepreneur turns to some unlikely allies: a radical politician with an agenda of his own, and a childhood enemy to whom he has done a terrible wrong. Natch's struggle will take him from the halls of power in Melbourne to the ruined cities of the diss. Hanging in the balance is the fate of MultiReal, a technology that could end the tyranny of the Council forever."

When I read the first book in the Jump 225 Trilogy, Infoquake, I was blown away. I am not a huge Science Fiction reader as I tend to prefer Fantasy but I knew I had to get back to this series as soon as I could. In MultiReal we return just a few weeks after the events in Infoquake and this time around it is a darker and grittier scene. I do caution you if you have not read the first book in the series as their may be some minor spoilers in this review that may ruin your reading experience if you want to get into it. I will try to keep them at a minimum.

The majority of players are back for this installment of the series and we have a few other additions but they are mainly minor characters that round out the cast. Because of the events that unfolded in the first novel, Natch, is not at his peak performance and is having a hard time focusing on his business as the black code is interfering with his life and is creating a rift between all of his co-workers and his mentality. Jara on the other hand becomes a much larger character this time around. We see a lot of her development and she has several scenes that have her grow. I must admit that in Infoquake she was a lot of fun and in MultiReal she makes a few decisions that have me cringe and want to yell at her but that just makes the ride that much more fun. Edelman does a great job of handling the villains in this book as well, as they are so well written it is hard to not like them. They are fully fleshed out and seem very real.

The world building is not as well crafted in MultiReal but then again you do not really have to build the world up this time around as it was well done in the first book. However, Edelman does bring old Chicago into the mix and we see how the people, or Diss as they are called live when they reject living with the internet or Data Sea inserted into their heads. While this is a new addition to the story and the history the author has created in his world, I would have liked to have seen more of it and perhaps I will once I get to the final installment of the series which I plan to do soon. Even though I did not get to see the way in which the Diss live it was interesting that Chicago was not rebuilt and incorporated into the world that Edelman envisioned.

My biggest complaint regarding this novel is a formatting issue. While reading this book on the Amazon Kindle there are all kinds of errors that make the read a bit of a hassle. The middle of a paragraph will be split up and start a new one. The spacing will sometimes allow ten words per line and other times it will be more like one or two words. Not sure how they port some of the books to the Amazon Kindle but there has to be a better version of it out there than the one I was reading. Not sure if Edelman will read this review but if he has any way of changing the way the book is formatted for the Kindle it needs to be done. Some of the things I saw were ridiculous and should have been corrected before it went to publication. I do not think it is the fault of the author but perhaps it was something the publisher or Amazon did that made certain parts of this book less than enjoyable to read do to various formatting errors. I have the third installment on the Kindle as well and hope that this problem is not found when I read it.

MultiReal is a similar to Empire Strikes Back in that everything that could go wrong for Natch and his company does. Despair is par for the course. While I am told that the end to the third book is amazing I am curious to see just how Natch and his cohorts will dig themselves out of the ditch they have found themselves in. A great sequel even though it was not as strong as the first installment but I am definitely hanging on for the final chapter.

Plot 8
Characters 9
Style 8

Overall 8/10

Thor 2 is a GO!

Thor 2 is officially a go and has been set for release on July 26th, 2013. Now all the movie needs is a director.

According to Deadline, Thor director Kenneth Branagh will not return behind the camera for the sequel. No reason was given for him not coming back to direct, although the parting with Marvel Studios was said to be "mutual and amicable." He'll probably still get a producing credit on the new movie, which is the usual consolation prize when a director is not asked to shoot the next film in a successful franchise.

Chris Hemsworth—who's currently working on the set of The Avengers—is locked to come back for a third time as the God of Thunder, although it is not known whether any of the other cast members from the first film will be back. The biggest question is whether Natalie Portman will reprise her role as Jane Foster, now that she's won an Oscar and is enjoying motherhood and all that.

The other question is which villain Thor will face. With Loki the main antagonist in The Avengers, it seems unlikely that Marvel would bring the God of Mischief back for a third straight face-off with his adopted brother.

Meanwhile, the jockeying for the director's chair starts now. With $437 million worldwide already in the bank for Thor, a lot of filmmakers will want to bring Thor 2 to the screen and get a piece of that action.

The movie will come out just two and a half months after Iron Man 3 hits screens on May 3rd, 2013, so it looks like Marvel will keep doubling down two summers from now, just like it's doing this year withThor and Captain America.