Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
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 Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:52 am Post subject: |
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Book 69...
REVIEW: Doctor Who: The Wages of Sin by David A McIntee
After the Second Doctor story The Highlanders, there was virtually no pure historical Doctor Who stories, stories which delved into history, but the only science fiction element was the Doctor and his companions. The only such television story after The Highlanders was Black Orchid, made fifteen years afterwards. But the original novels published by Virgin and the BBC, along with the Big Finish audios, have managed to continue this tradition. And one of these was The Wages of Sin...
Having just had his exile lifted by the Time Lords, the Doctor invites current companion Jo Grant and former assistant Liz Shaw on a trip in the TARDIS. On Liz's request, he tries to travel to June 30, 1908, for the Tunguska Event, as Liz is fascinated with meteorites. But he gets the time and place wrong, and they emerge in December 1916, in St Petersburg, and after staying the night in a hotel, the TARDIS is stolen. The Doctor and his companions are suspected of being spies, but while the Tsarina, thanks to some allusion to the British Ambassador of the time, welcomes them as allies, some believe them to be spies of Russia's enemies, espeically as they seem to have avoided Russian borders completely. While Liz finds herself getting involved with ballistics expert Kuznetzov, Jo finds herself interested in Rasputin, despite the man's reputation as an evil monster. But who is a friend and who is the foe in Russia on the brink of revolution? The Doctor, Liz, and Jo have found themselves ensnared in history, where preconceptions are challenged, and they may not be able to escape...
I find it a little ironic, considering that Tom Baker himself played Rasputin, that this story deals with him, but it's also interesting to have a story that shows that pre-Revolution Russia was a dangerous place to be in, filled with intrigue and iniquity, though the latter doesn't come through. The Doctor, once more, exhorts his companions to be careful about changing history, though Jo, indirectly, becomes part of it. I feel that the problems the Tsars had caused should have been given more notice, but it is otherwise a fine, decent story, and shows that you don't need aliens in history to make a history-based Doctor Who exciting.
The Doctor, Liz, and Jo seem like they are on TV, although I'm surprised that there isn't more of a clash between Jo, the current companion, and Liz, the former companion, like there was between Sarah and Rose in the new series. But their views of the situation are in line with their characters at least. The other characters do their job, though McIntee's examination of the character of Rasputin is quite good. Rasputin is portrayed not as a monster, but rather as an unconventional, good-hearted healer, albeit one with some unfortunate tendencies and inclinations (he even lusts after Jo, and while he does take no for an answer, the parts written from his viewpoint are a little uncomfortable to read).
The Wages of Sin was an interesting, but average (by Doctor Who standards) work. A nice historical that will make you think a little about historical perspective, it's certainly worth a read if you're a fan of the historical stories.
8.5/10
First words: Burning blue-white, and too bright to be viewed with the naked eye, the cylindrical fire blazed over the village of Nizhne-Karelinsk, passing high to the northwest.
Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers)
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:11 am Post subject: |
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Book 70...
REVIEW: The Books of Magic by Neil Gaiman et al
Having weaned myself on Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series, I eventually moved onto his novels. But eventually, I have come full circle, not back to The Sandman series, but rather to another comic series Gaiman wrote. It is time that I came to look at the comic miniseries that started The Books of Magic...
Tim Hunter is an apparently normal twelve year old living in England, but he has become a person of interest to the various magical beings and mages of the world, and many beyond. Gathered by the Phantom Stranger, a group of mystic adventurers decide to educate him about the world of magic, and the potential Tim has. The Phantom Stranger is to show Tim the perilous past of magic, while John Constantine shows Tim the state of magic in the world today. Doctor Occult gives Tim a tour of Fairyland and the worlds beyond, and the fanatic and puritan Mister E will show Tim the future of magic. But there are many who wish Tim dead, including one of those who intend to teach him...
I'll be utterly frank. Most of my interest in the DC Universe is restricted to Batman. I know of the other comic series, enough to spot some of the references, but it's good that this series doesn't rely on people having foreknowledge of the many characters in the DC Universe, being more of a standalone work. It does help if one is familiar with at least The Sandman, and the story, at times, can be a little too high-concept for the average reader. But it is nonetheless a mature coming-of-age story that looks set to continue, even if it is more like an albeit fictional history book at times.
The art is varied in style in interesting manners, and I have to confess that it's quite good. The characters are also interesting, even to an outsider to the DC Universe. Tim Hunter is both not unlike Harry Potter in respects that include the superficial (young, dark-haired, and glasses) and profound (inquiring and tenacious), but he is ultimately a different creation who has his own good points. The 'Trenchcoat Brigade' are also interesting, although to me, in terms of appearance and manner, the Phantom Stranger and Doctor Occult seem similar, and it says volumes about their idiocy in letting the fanatical Mister E take Tim to the end of time when he had stated an intent to kill him. Constantine, however, is more nuanced and enjoyable as a character.
Overall, I enjoyed The Books of Magic miniseries, and I might consider continuing to read the series, if I feel so inclined. Pretty good, enjoyable, and quite high-concept for a graphic novel.
9/10
First words: I don't want anything to do with it.
Last words: MAGIC!
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 2:26 am Post subject: |
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Book 71...
REVIEW: The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle
Having read the first three Sherlock Holmes novels in previous book-reading blogs, it is well overdue that I should read the fourth and final Holmes novel, The Valley of Fear. But after the high watermark that was The Hound of the Baskervilles, would The Valley of Fear surpass it? Or would it sink without a trace?
Sherlock Holmes is working at a means of attacking the criminal empire of Professor Moriarty, but so far has not had any success. However, that has changed, thanks to an informant called Porlock, who has sent an encoded message revealed to mean that John Douglas of Birlstone House is due to be murdered. Mere moments after deciphering it, Holmes and Watson are visited by Scotland Yard Inspector MacDonald, who is here to deliver the news that John Douglas has indeed been murdered. But taken to investigate, Holmes discovers that what seems to be a clear-cut case of murder is anything but. What does Douglas' wife and his friend, Cecil Barker, have to hide? And what does this have to do with a secret society in a mining community in Pennsylvania? The shadow of the Valley of Fear has long fingers, and they may have just reached out for Douglas...
Now, I noticed while reading it, and had my suspicions confirmed, that this story is basically a re-run in general aspects of the first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. Half of the story is about the crime, and the other half involves a pseudo-religious organisation that causes havoc, and the events of which have a bearing on the Holmes investigation. It's not bad, per se, but it means that The Valley of Fear feels like a bifurcated story, and in fact, the events in Pennsylvania ultimately prove to be far more interesting than the murder investigation, which admittedly has an interesting twist in the middle, but otherwise feels rather flat.
So too do the characters. Again, it is the characters in the Pennsylvania section, the criminals aping the Freemasons, that are far more interesting than those in the crime scene at Birlstone House. Holmes and Watson are already well-established, and Moriarty, while he does not actually appear, at least makes his presence known in an effective manner. But of the newer characters in the investigation sequence, only MacDonald seems to interest me, and even then it is because of his eccentric Scottish mannerisms. The characters in the Pennsylvania section seem, even if grotesque caricatures when it comes to the criminals, to be more engrossing and intriguing, and it is a genuine surprise as to McMurdo's true identity.
The Valley of Fear isn't bad, but I feel that it could have been much better, and it feels extremely average as entertainment. Nice twists and some intriguing stories kept me interested, but seriously, not that good a note to go out on...
7.5/10
First words: "I am inclined to think-" said I.
Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers)
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 4:02 am Post subject: |
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Book 72...
REVIEW: Preacher: Book One by Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon et al
After my experiment with The Boys didn't go anywhere, I could have easily given up on Garth Ennis. But after a chance finding in the library, I decided to give him another chance, by going back to the series which put him on the map, Preacher. But would Preacher turn out to be more of the same gratuitious gore and transgressionistic work? Or would it be something more?
Jesse Custer is a Texan small town reverend with more issues than the average magazine, but everything changes when a bizarre entity bonds to him, wiping out his congregation. Found quite by chance by his old squeeze Tulip O'Hare and the Irish vampire Cassidy, Custer has found out some shocking truths. That the entity that possesses him is the offspring of an angel and a devil, and that it may be as powerful as God Himself. And indeed, God has fled Heaven, leaving the angels in charge, and they have unleashed the Saint of Killers to track Custer down. Custer resolves to track God down, and bring Him to task for what has happened to creation, and he not only has Tulip and Cassidy on his side, but the Word of God, allowing him to control people as he pleases. But it's no small task. A persistent sheriff, angels, a serial killer, and Jesse's own past stands in their way, and they'll have a hard time overcoming these obstacles...
At first glance, Preacher seems almost every bit as grotesque and gratuitious as The Boys did. There is violence of an extremely grotesque kind, there's far more profanity than anyone would use in their entire life, and it is frankly a work darker than the event horizon of a black hole. I would certainly not recommend it to anyone with a weak stomach, or gentler sensibilities, as Ennis pushes everything to the extreme here, and if you shudder at violence and/or horror in TV, movies, or comics, then I will give you fair warning: DO NOT READ IT. But if one looks beyond the grotesquery on display, and can stomach the violence and nastiness, it is written far more intelligently than The Boys, or at least is constructed better. This is a morality tale made for misotheists, where God-fearing folk can often be as evil and vile, and even worse so, than the worst serial killers. And there's even some heartwarming pieces too, like how the hapless police detective Tool manages to win fame and a temporary respite from his bad luck, or the fact that Jesse, despite what has been done to him, is still a decent guy.
The characters range from the normal to the 'divine' to the grotesque. Jesse Custer is an excellent hero: flawed, but ultimately good, despite what was done to him in his childhood, and also trying not to abuse the power Genesis has granted him. Tulip and Cassidy are both interesting supporting characters, both extremely flawed, but still capable of being protagonists. The characters of the various angels, as well as God himself, show Ennis' misotheism, with the Adephi being sympathetically portrayed because they do the hard work in Heaven. The other characters range from being sympathetic (such as the unfortunately named A***face, named due to a facial injury caused by a failed suicide attempt), to the repulsive (Jesse's grandmother and her clan), and some are more intriguing than others. It's more of the fact that it seems to be a little too gratuitious with the grotesquery here that the series gets marked down.
Preacher was a surprise. Dunno whether I could call it a pleasant one, given how unpleasant it was to read at times, and I would not recommend it for everyone. There's too much violence and horrific things to let me do so in good conscience, and it certainly has stronger violence at times than Transmetropolitan. But if you like your comics dark, adult, and relatively intelligently written, then give it a try. Just make sure that you prepare yourself for a journey into darkness. Let the reader beware...
8/10
First words: It was the time of the preacher...
Last words: I don't give a good goddamn.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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It looks like I'm going to stop this particular book-reading blog after this book. However, I will be picking it up later in the year, when my motivation comes back up.
72 books, though...pretty damn good achievement.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:19 am Post subject: |
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I probably won't start the next book-reading blog until April, at the earliest. However, I still have plenty of books lined up to read. Motivation is the problem.
Here's some of the books I hope to read during the next book-reading blog:
Doctor Who: Shada by Gareth Roberts, based on the story by Douglas Adams
A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin
'Salem's Lot and Bag of Bones by Stephen King
Tom-All-Alone's by Lynn Shepherd
Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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BTW, just out of interest, I've read in these book-reading blogs 300 books, since July 2009. In other words, I have read, on average, about 100 books a year over the past three years, and that's not counting the ones I read between book-reading blogs. 
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Jory
Always in the wrong place at the wrong time
Joined: Jun 03, 2011
Age: 29
Posts: 6293
Location: Tornado Alley
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| Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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A hundred books a year? That's roughly two a week. 
There are books on my shelf with bookmarks in them that have been sitting like that for over two years. |
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Jory wrote: | A hundred books a year? That's roughly two a week.
There are books on my shelf with bookmarks in them that have been sitting like that for over two years. |
I know. Impressive, innit? And that's not counting books I didn't read in the blogs.
I have a number of books like that on my shelves and in storage boxes, part-read. Many of them are Doctor Who, but I also have bookmarks in A Feast for Crows, Heretics of Dune, and Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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Quatermass
I believe the appropriate phrase is, 'Boo-yah'.
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 21098
Location: Right behind you...
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| Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2012 2:19 am Post subject: |
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Watch this space. The next book-reading blog may be coming before long. It may not be a long one this time, but that depends on many factors.
The first book will be, in all likelihood, Doctor Who: Shada, by Gareth Roberts, based on the scripts by Douglas Adams.
_________________
Yami: Wait, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?
Kaiba: Yeah, so?
Yami: That's against the rules!
Seto Kaiba: Screw the Rules, I Have Money!!
-Yu-Gi-Oh The Abridged Series
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