Review Category: Books

In the grand tradition of Phillip Jose Farmer’s Wold Newton family or Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Kim Newman’s fiction frequently draws from a melting pot of other sources (particularly Victorian literature and old movies, as they are in the public domain). His latest novel, Angels of Music, is no different and thankfully makes for another strong instalment into the Newmanverse library.

In Angels of Music, the Phantom of the Opera is not just a disfigured romantic but in fact runs the clandestine Opera Ghost Agency – a team of elite female agents who repeatedly save Paris from diabolical masterminds. It takes a strange mind to retool the famous gothic character as the head of a sort of Victorian spoof of Charlie’s Angels but it results in an ingenious, firmly tongue-in-cheek read.

More of a collection of novellas than a novel, the book comprises five separate adventures that each take place ten years apart, starring a new trio of “Angels” each time – ranging from Sherlock Holmes’ Woman Irene Adler (the Angel of Larceny) to Pygmalion’s Eliza Doolittle (the Angel of Many Voices). With such a big cast, Newman gets the chance to pluck multiple forgotten fictional women from obscurity or give a subversive take on a familiar character. Either that, or return to his own creations from his other works e.g. investigative journalist Kate Reed, previously of his Anno Dracula and Diogenes Club books.

Apart from the Angels, each tale is drawn from a new batch of inspirations. Particularly of note is ‘The Mark of Kane’ which casts Orson Welles’ Charles Foster Kane as a Bond villain, forging an evil alliance with Mr Potter from It’s A Wonderful Life. It’s a great example of the thought gone into Newman’s writing: if all these characters existed in the same world, how would they interact and bounce off each other?

It is to Newman’s credit that he doesn’t lose himself in playing in the toybox of pre-existing characters and remembers to flesh the leads out accordingly. Thankfully, considering the premise of the book, his female characters are all “strong” – which here means that they are kick-ass and highly capable and whatnot, but are also well-rounded human beings with inner life as well. The standout is Irene Adler, who we meet at various stages of her life and get to know as far more than just Holmes’ rival.

On the whole, Angels of Music is a sharp-witted, thrilling and frequently hilarious read that is a must for aficionados of Victorian literature, classic movies or female-led spy fiction.

ANGELS OF MUSIC / AUTHOR: KIM NEWMAN / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

When Victorian city slicker Albie Mirralls receives news that his young cousin has died, he is suitably grieved. After it further transpires that young Lizzie was burned to death in her own home, her husband Albie – under the belief that his wife had been replaced by a fairy changeling- takes it upon himself to travel to the Yorkshire village of Halfoak, solve the crime, and put paid to such ridiculous superstitions once and for all.

Albie exchanges his world of cramped streets and dirty air for wide-open spaces and a summer that shows no signs of ending. The people here are ‘primitive’, steeped in the rituals and folktales passed down through the generations; the village pub even has horseshoes over the door, to prevent access by any supernatural beings. It’s recognisable as an English village, but Alison Littlewood imbues it with an atmosphere that almost makes it another world to her readers as well as the protagonist. 

We’re in Albie’s head throughout the book, and however familiar we may be with rural life, Halfoak is an unsettling place populated by a host of strange people, who avoid cliché by good characterisation; even their dialect is handled well, written in such a way as to evoke the Yorkshire accent without making it tiresome to read. In fact, Littlewood gets us so far in, that it becomes increasingly difficult to see how unhealthy his obsession becomes as the pages turn; his wife, first the source of comfort, becomes cause for concern, and we’re taken on a dangerous ride along with Albie as he eventually discovers a terrible truth. 

Seasoned veterans of this type of story may know what to expect, but it’s journey rather than destination that counts here. Littlewood weaves a plot that’s as complex as any contemporary thriller, made more labyrinthine by the supernatural elements; a tense atmosphere permeates the novel, growing in strength to become more disturbing with each passing chapter. Albie is a flawed and arguably disturbed hero, a man utterly out of his depth in a world he does not understand.

The Hidden People is Alison Littlewood’s first foray into the supernatural, and will hopefully prove to be the solid foundation of a career within the genre. Anyone expecting a gore-fest or a fairy apocalypse will be disappointed, but for those wanting to observe how subtle psychological horror can be, how the deepest fears can be contained in the smallest of actions, and that the gothic novel is still incredibly powerful even in these modern times, this is the book for them.

THE HIDDEN PEOPLE / AUTHOR: ALISON LITTLEWOOD / PUBLISHER: JO FLETCHER BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

As a reader of this fine magazine, you’ll know beyond any logical doubt that we, the geeks, have indeed inherited the Earth. Our lifestyle is celebrated on TV, the cinema and of course in the accomplishments in the field of science. We are pretty much here to stay.

But one thing lacking is a kind of handbook to help us navigate our sometimes tricky way through the mundane and often confusing trials and tribulations of everyday life. Well, fortunately there IS now such a book. The Geek Guide to Life is precisely what it says. Although written with a clear sense of humour, it isn’t a jokey book pointing the finger of fun at a stereotype, but rather a handy reference book of hints and tips offering solutions to a diverse range of everyday situations that one might encounter.

Subdivided into eight sections: Health and Body, Work and Career, Love and Relationships, At Home, Leisure and Sport, Travel, Money, and of course Technology, there is literally something here to appeal to everybody – and the advice given is actually backed up by hard, proven scientific fact, with studies and sources quoted – thus giving the book a great deal more credence than the normal self help guides.

So, if you want advice on the best way to shake off a bad cold, how to save money in the supermarket, how to win at Monopoly by buying the properties with the most favourable odds of your opponents landing on them, it’s all here. Written in a warm and friendly vein with a touch of humour, this book also advises on geekier matters such as the best placement of your broadband Wi-Fi router to optimise its performance and how to choose the best possible seat at your multiplex to enhance both your viewing and listening experience. (Seriously, how many of us have agonised over that over the years?)

Should you walk, or run in the rain? How do you increase your chances of winning at sports? What colour car should you buy that is statistically safer than the rest? Networking, memory boosting, confidence building, sleeping well – the book contains a staggering amount of common sense, scientifically solid advice, much of it new information to this particular reviewer, who will be adopting some of its principles immediately.

Its only drawback is the Minecraft style computer generated graphics, which may well have looked great on a computer but translate poorly to the printed page. We’re holding back one star on the rating for that.

THE GEEK GUIDE TO LIFE / AUTHORS: COLIN STUART & MUN KEAT LOOI / PUBLISHER: ANDREDEUTSCH / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Publishing imprint Solaris have been knocking it out of the park recently with their range of science fiction stories. You can pretty much guarantee that any book from their range is going to be a slightly odd experience, presenting interesting ideas in new ways, guided by fresh talent.

Savant is a good example of this. Set in a futuristic dystopia that, going against trend, doesn’t need a spunky young revolutionary to save it, Savant explores a very personal journey between two people.  Mankind, it seems, has made too much of a noise in the cosmos, and is afraid that it will attract the attention of some sort of alien threat. Its options are simple; either revert to a pre-technology age or rely on a complicated network of psychically powerful people called ‘Actives’ who can shield mankind with their powers.

The things is, most Actives don’t know that they are. For the shield to work, a network of intensely regimented academics has to exist. The Actives share their ideas and the like through normal channels to others across the world. It all starts to go wrong when a chap called Tobe slowly begins to become unhinged from his routine. Worse still, by doing so, the entire network begins to fail. It’s up to his carer Metoo, to get things back on track. But in a world so tightly controlled, that isn’t exactly easy.

This is a very, very gentle yet constantly engaging read. This is not an action-adventure novel. It’s an exploration about people who think in different ways to the majority and how their perspective changes the world. The world that Abnett has created here is a vivid and intense. The author uses methods as simple as the constant ‘tone’ of people’s schedules to the unusual names of the various house-hold goods the characters use.

As engaging as it is, be warned that Savant does not attempt to explain itself up front. Rather it expects you to dive in and accept the world for what it is. In many ways, the story itself is like meeting someone so utterly different from yourself that you become fascinated. The characters and the world are just strange enough that you simply have to know more.

Savant is definitely a book in which the journey (rather than the ending) is the key factor here. The end doesn’t matter as much as the whole of the tale. It seems that Nik Abnett writes science fiction for those who are excited by the strange, the new and the different, and we enjoyed Savant quite a lot.

SAVANT / AUTHOR: NIK ABNETT / PUBLISHER: SOLARIS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The First World War is raging. On the muddy battlefield of Passchendaele, a soldier murders his senior officer and cuts off his hand. The murderer is a thief, and he intends to transform the hand into a ‘hand of glory’, a sinister keepsake that – according to mythology – can open any lock. After absconding from the battlefield and joining forces with a young French girl who, posing as a medium, exploits the grief of families whose loved ones died in the war, the thief uses the hand of glory to full effect. But when the thief returns to his old hometown, he doesn’t suspect that his past is (quite literally) about to haunt him… Captain Giles Hardy, who was trapped on barbed wire when the hand was taken, saw everything. More than that, the thief also murdered Hardy’s best friend in a bungled robbery attempt, and now the ghost of that friend is urging Hardy to track his killer down and bring him to justice. Hardy knows that only by ending the thief’s reign of terror will the spectres of Passchendaele be free, and yet how can he do that, and who will believe him? As more people die, and as the menace draws closer, Hardy and the woman he loves are destined to become the hand of glory’s next victims…

This isn’t really a tale of the supernatural, although the sequences describing the hand of glory are very well put together. This is a novel about war and its after-effects, as seen through the eyes of several very different characters. It’s also a novel about the nature of grief, and of the way soldiers were treated when they returned home from the front line. These were men who would never completely be able to return to ‘normal’ society, whose physical and mental scars would pursue them forever. Susan Boulton tells their stories very well – the scenes on the battlefield are especially convincing – and her characters, despite being the familiar stereotypes, are nicely colourful creations. Even the melodramatic climax works, although it feels so much like a 1930’s cops ’n robbers movie you can almost hear the ‘Devil’s Galop’ (the stock chase music that was the ‘Dick Barton – Special Agent’ theme) while you’re reading the final chapter.

Unfortunately, it’s all a little too mannered (which, in fairness, reflects the period within which it’s set) and lacking in genuine surprises.

HAND OF GLORY / AUTHOR: SUSAN BOULTON / PUBLISHER: PENMORE PRESS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Written by Sean T. Page from the “Ministry of Zombies” in London, the Zombie Survival Manual informs us in its (not entirely serious) introduction that in a recent international survey, more than 63% of people believed that within the next ten years the world will face a zombie apocalypse and humanity will be overwhelmed. We all love a good, bad or even indifferent zombie movie and The Walking Dead is still on our ‘series link’, but the Zombie Survival Manual seriously tests our tolerance for all things undead and, despite running to just over a hundred lively, colourful pages, it’s a book best dipped into as its relentlessly simplistic lowbrow humour, however well-meant, can quickly get a bit wearing.

But if you genuinely are worried about the possibility of an outbreak of what the book calls “zombic behaviour” (and we’re not here to judge you) then Sean T. Page’s daft book is probably the one you’ll be wanting to get your hands on. It covers, with commendable enthusiasm if not searing wit, just about everything you could reasonably want to know about how to survive a zombie apocalypse, detailing the different types of zombie you might encounter, how best to dispatch them (the ‘head bash’ is still the best recommended technique) and all points in between and thereabouts. The science of zombiology is considered in some depth (we will admit to smirking at a description of ‘the four stages of transformation’ where we’re told that by stage three – clinical death – symptoms will include slow heart beat and the cessation of pulse and respiration and the observation that ‘Facebook activity will tail off.’) Sadly, most of the humour which characterises the book isn’t quite as sharp and you’re more likely to find yourself rolling your eyes and groaning like one of the undead at the thudding gags and clumsily-worded comedy which ooze through the pages like congealed blood.

The Zombie Survival Manual is nothing if not comprehensive, though. Page covers accounts of (alleged) historical zombie risings, how to become a survivalist, home preparation and defence, weapons and tactics and offers hope to the disabled and the aged with illustrations of a souped-up, machine-gun bedecked wheelchair and walking sticks and zimmer frames turned into handy anti-zombie implements. Poor taste? Yeah, very probably…

Achingly silly and utterly fatuous, the Zombie Survival Manual is a nicely-designed and illustrated volume but it’s not really sharp enough or funny enough to work as a comedy book and as a ‘survival’ guide it’s not really likely to come in especially handy. Books don’t come much more throwaway than this one but, after due consideration, we’ll probably just slip it onto our bookshelves out of harm’s way. You know, just in case…

ZOMBIE SURVIVAL MANUAL / AUTHOR: SEAN T. PAGE / ILLUSTRATOR: IAN MOORES / PUBLISHER: J H HAYNES & CO / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

As Jim Henson’s iconic Labyrinth celebrates its 30th anniversary, Titan Books has given fans the simply outstanding Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History. What we have here is something that is the very definition of definitive, and something that any and all fans of the movie should be making room for on their bookshelves.

To give a full insight into this new release, here we have a book that brings together absolutely everything you could ever want to know about Jim Henson’s utterly fabulous film. The movie itself? Well surely you’re all up to speed on that by now, but, in its most basic terms, Henson’s 1986 film told the story of Jennifer Connolly’s Sarah on a quest through an otherworldly maze as she looks to rescue her infant brother from the hands of David Bowie’s Jareth, the Goblin King. Full of puppets and lavish landscapes, the film brought a charm and uniqueness that has seen it remain a favourite of many to this very day, despite ultimately flopping during its initial cinema release.

With The Ultimate Visual History, Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann have delivered something truly special. Complete with a foreword by Toby Froud (Labyrinth’s kidnapped infant) and an introduction by Brian Henson (son of the legendary Jim, and someone who worked as a puppeteer on the film himself), there’s so much information here to take in that, a little like Sarah in the movie, you’ll initially feel overwhelmed at what lies ahead of you.

Crammed in this mesmerising and beautiful book is just so much detail, with every Labyrinth topic imaginable covered in incomparable depth. And as well as quotes and interviews from all of the film’s key players, from Jim Henson to designer Brian Froud (father of the aforementioned Toby) to David Bowie to Jennifer Connolly, there’s a look back at the film and its concepts from the very foundations and initial ideas and sketches that would go on to ultimately give us the iconic Labyrinth. Then, and arguably the finest element of this flawless release, there are the inserts dotted throughout the book that are copies of Henson’s original notes, production documents, and blueprints and artwork that would eventually come to life on the big screen. The images and illustrations that hold the book together make this release something that is easy to pick up and be inspired by, but there’s also such substance in the text that this is a book that you will never get bored of delving into, with a new nugget of information always waiting around the corner (such as that the likes of Mick Jagger, Prince, Roger Daltrey and Michael Jackson were also considered for the role of Jareth).

Quite simply, this book is a must-have for anybody with even a passing interest in Labyrinth, and it’s a staggering piece of memorabilia that will keep you coming back for more as well as reigniting the love and affection that you have for Jim Henson’s cult classic movie.

JIM HENSON’S LABYRINTH: THE ULTIMATE VISUAL HISTORY / AUTHOR: PAULA M. BLOCK, TERRY J. ERDMANN / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 10TH

The latest luxurious book from the wonderful publishers Fab Press is the perfect entry level to anyone looking to expand their viewing horizons from the mainstream as FrightFest co-director and all-around genre authority Alan Jones takes us through the murky world of exploitation films.

It’s a catch-all phrase used too often – a little like ‘cult’ – but Jones has selected a grand assortment of titles that cover all aspects of what we label exploitation, from the very early days of cinema to the heady days of the VHS revolution, the time Jones uses as a cut-off point due to the effect home entertainment was having on people actually leaving the house to see a film (thus causing closures of many if not all of the grindhouse-type venues that were these film’s bread and butter.

The first quarter of this stunningly illustrated tome is dedicated to a beginners’ A to Z of some of the things to know about exploitation cinema. This covers the history, some important titles, common themes and various sub-genres that the term covers. What some people often get confused about when thinking of exploitation is whether the movies are any good – there have been some genuine masterpieces that are pure exploitation, and it’s certainly not a label that anyone should be ashamed of. Remember, the very act of advertising something is exploiting it. But, of course, that isn’t the purpose of this work; oh no, we’re here to find out about those seedy and sordid flicks that often filled the screens on 42nd Street and played at drive-ins up and down the USA.

The bulk of the book is the joy for most fans who already know the difference between pinku and giallo. Here, we have a little more information (although by no means in depth) on a brilliant selection of films, many truly obscure. There are some proper gems to read about for true connoisseurs of sleaze and crazy cinema, which are nestled up against the more obvious entries such as I Spit on Your Grave or Maniac. This section is presented in chronological order, so one can really chart the progression of what was deemed exploitative, and ironically see that by the time we get to the mid-eighties, when we’re given relatively mainstream fare as Re-Animator and American Ninja, the power to shock has certainly diminished, despite the improved effects or moderately bigger budgets. The choices in the earlier years are perfect; a great mix of non-obvious movies that have rarely seen the inside of video player, let alone a cinema. There are a few oddities in the mix – whether Hammer’s The Curse of the Werewolf should qualify as exploitation is certainly open to debate, and there may be one or two too many women in prison flicks included (surely a couple is enough to show the variety?). These films are an acquired taste, though, and although many are not very well made, they all have something that makes them worth tracking down.

However, the real pleasure in the book is the illustrations. Each page is a visual treat, with vintage advertising posters, lobby cards (ask your parents), and stills that sell the films more than any words can do. The subject matter of the movies may have been there to shock and titillate audiences, but it’s these glorious images that made they pay their money at the box office and drew them in. And it continues to do so now, as once can’t help but be enraptured by the lurid artwork for the likes of From Ear to Ear or intrigued by Poor Albert and Little Annie. Not only do they not make them like that anymore, but they don’t advertise them that way, either.

A great introduction to a bygone age of filmmaking that leaves one longing for a time machine.

THE FRIGHTFEST GUIDE TO EXPLOITATION MOVIES (THE DARK HEART OF CINEMA) / AUTHOR: ALAN JONES / PUBLISHER: FAB PRESS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

Apparently, the genesis for This Twisted Earth came from a class when Polak was a child. Asked to write about literally anything that came to mind, the youthful brain choked and an entire universe attempted to get onto the paper at once. The end result can now be seen here in this anthology.

In-universe, Earth’s timeline has been mashed together as the result of a horrible cataclysm. We’ve seen the concept in films and TV before, to be sure, but it never feels quite as fleshed out as it does here. The idea of different historical cultures combining is here taken to its logical extreme and the consequences are fully explored in stories that span a variety of genres. Thought and care has clearly gone into the book as well, as the first story is extremely well chosen and helps to explain the premise in a few pages. Really, this idea would make for a fantastic television miniseries.

When reviewing a book like this, it’s usually hard to point out any specific highlights. But the standout work is easily Matt Lewis’ story, The Ghost in Michelle. It’s properly funny and we chuckled again when rereading it for this review. Lewis is one to watch; you will want to read more from a mind that can produce lines like: “There was Uncle Roger, of course. He had bled to death after he put his thumb in the wrong place on a Doberman.”

Mind you, some of the language can get a bit… flowery. It’s definitely a matter of personal preference and it’s at least partially just the kind of wondrous tone the book is going for.

As this is laying the groundwork for an ongoing story in a way that few anthologies do, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on. When Volume 2 comes out, you know we’ll be on board.

THIS TWISTED EARTH / AUTHOR: VARIOUS / PUBLISHER: CREATESPACE INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING PLATFORM / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

As fans of the series will know, the Elder Scrolls games have a history of relaying information and stories through in-game books, letters, and manuals. Titan Books have published collections of such materials that can be found in the most recent Elder Scrolls game. Vol. III: The Arcane is the most recent such collection, and contains writings relating to the magical aspects of the Elder Scrolls world.

Each book in the Skyrim library has taken on the appearance of the sort of old tome that you might find in the game itself. Very little information is printed on the cover itself, only the logo and the title of the book. The book comes with a small sleeve, but this doesn’t provide much more in terms of details; there isn’t a blurb to be found. Inside, some of the paragraphs have been illustrated in the same manner that was popular among books written hundreds of years ago. The overall effect is that this book feels like it belongs in the world it depicts.

The main bulk of the book is a series of writings which are separated into four main categories and punctuated with illustrations. The nature of these illustrations varies; they range from character sketches, to drawings of beautiful scenery from the land of Skyrim. The book is 231 pages long, but due to it being a compilation each individual entry only takes a few pages at most. This means that you can spend all afternoon reading it if you want to or elect to read it in short bursts.

What you get from this book depends on what you want it for. Skyrim Library Vol. III is a collection of stories, letters, and essays written as if they had been about real world, academic subjects. This shouldn’t be read as an indication that this book is dull. Not only can it draw you deeper into the world that Bethesda has created, it can also be funny. Even the parts that are supposed to be manuals can be funny. Bethesda was always good at making their RPGs feel like they took place in actual fleshed-out worlds and it shows in this book.

The Skyrim Library Vol. III is like an encyclopedia for all things magical in the world of the Elder Scrolls. As such, its primary appeal is to the players who found themselves invested in the extra reading they found while playing the game. It helps if you come to this book already familiar with Skyrim – the book is designed with this in mind, after all – but it isn’t essential that you’re a fan of fantastical worlds to enjoy this release.

THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM – THE SKYRIM LIBRARY VOL. III: THE ARCANE/ AUTHOR: VARIOUS / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW