Review Category: Books

In Gavin Chait’s debut novel, an isolated West African community is changed forever when a man falls from the stars, a man more than human. As well as attracting the unwanted attention of local warlords, the silver-skinned Samara must escape the darkness waiting above – the hell in the skies that is the space prison Tartarus…

First of all, Lament for the Fallen is a highly readable novel, and Chait should be applauded for managing that all important trick of getting you to keep turning that page until there aren’t any left. With its use of present tense throughout, the narrative has a real immediacy that makes for snappy, fast-paced prose. Chait is also clearly familiar with the setting and/or has done his research, as the Nigerian landscape and its culture is intricately detailed to the point of being very immersive.

Most importantly, the simple The Man Who Fell to Earth­-esque premise also builds nicely as the book goes along, growing into a much more overtly science fiction tale than you might initially expect. It’s also thematically strong, being ladled with commentary on contemporary affairs (as is much of the best sci-fi) and the importance of storytelling.

On the other hand, however, there are some sizeable flaws with the novel. The author can be quite on the nose with his writing and messages, which lends the book a rather po-faced tone that does mar your enjoyment of the story somewhat. Likewise, despite the plus points of the prose and plot, there isn’t much of a forward momentum to the actual story, as the tone is more contemplative than highly driven (for instance, the frequent interludes detailing a folk tale or fable told by the characters).

Another big issue is that the characters are not explored deep enough. Events occur that should really tug at the heartstrings but it doesn’t feel like we know these people well enough for them to really hit home. Most of the villagers speak in platitudes and are not given much to differentiate them. Samara, on the other hand, is a fascinating character – with his consciousness shared by a symbiotic A.I (like Siri in your head), he can be two completely different personalities.

On the whole, there is much to recommend giving Chait’s novel a read (he has been honing the idea of it since he was twelve years old, apparently), as it is smart, ideas-led science fiction with a literary fiction bent. Unfortunately, however, some annoying problems prevent it from really shooting into the stratosphere.

LAMENT FOR THE FALLEN / AUTHOR: GAVIN CHAIT / PUBLISHER: DOUBLEDAY / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

As author J. Blake Fichera states in his introduction to Scored to Death: Conversations with Some of Horror’s Greatest Composers (out now from Silman-James Press), there have been interview-based books of interviews with film composers, and compilations of essays about horror film scores, but because the twain haven’t met, he wrote Scored to Death, which is the first collection of horror film composer interviews.

The interviews Fichera compiled run the gamut from recent and modern composers like Jeff Grace and Joseph Bishara, as well as legends such as Alan Howarth, John Carpenter, members of Goblin, and Fabio Frizzi – just to name a few. It’s astonishing that Fichera was able to contact and interact with so many of these composers, and to get such fascinating answers.

The interviews with the lesser-knowns or more current composers are a little more illuminating than those who might rightly claim “legend” status, simply because the likes of Harry Manfredini or Alan Howarth have been interviewed enough that they’ve got some pat stories and answers which might’ve already appeared in the pages of this very magazine.

Fichera’s a wonderful interviewer, and his musical background is enough that he’s able to dig deep and ask some wonderful initial and follow-up questions, but he also keeps things understandable for the average reader. Given that Fichera is interviewing the likes of Charles Bernstein, who has written two books on movie music, as well as being a professor, it’s certainly helpful, because he’s able to sort of keep things in context for those of us who aren’t brilliant composers who came up with the theme to A Nightmare on Elm Street.

The most appealing part of Scored to Death are all the threads which appear throughout the fourteen interviews within its pages. Bernard Herrmann and his influence pops up constantly – as well it should, because his music is amazing and wide-ranging – but you also see how many of these composers didn’t initially intend to get into film composing.

Just as many did decide that this was what they wanted to do, but those like Simon Boswell, who just happened into it as part of a different musical path, are almost more interesting, because you see how they had to learn film composition via a totally different skillset. The tactics and techniques they develop are just as fascinating as the theory with which the more traditional composers came up.

All in all, J. Blake Fichera’s Scored to Death is an excellent book, full of intriguing interviews, and the author’s questions are so much more than a set of rote interrogatories. Fichera gets these composers to open up about their lives and skills, and they share some amazing stories about their techniques and methods, and how it is to work in this genre. By the time you’ve made it through the first interview with Nathan Barr, you’ll be snagging records and CDs off your shelves and pulling things up on Spotify so you can listen along.

SCORED TO DEATH: CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF HORROR’S GREATEST COMPOSERS / AUTHOR: J. BLAKE FICHERA / PUBLISHER: SILMAN-JAMES PRESS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Assassins are an odd focus for fantasy stories. After all, someone who will kill for cash has to be a pretty reprehensible sort of human being. However, fantasy literature does love its mysterious figures, and assassins lurk in shadows professionally.

Jay Kristoff’s Nevernight is the tale of one such hired killer. The book’s main protagonist is Mia Corvere, a young lady who witnessed her father being executed for high treason. Bitter, angry and unable to find anyone who will help or explain why this has come to pass, Mia hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god. Luckily for Mia, she has a gift for the shadows; she can talk to them and they will help her out. This leads her to the Red Church; a faith of blood and death, an assassin’s guild in all but name.

For Mia to join the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder and become the tool of vengeance she needs to be; in order to avenge her father, she has to best her fellow students. Final exams in the church are exactly that. Alas, all is not that ordered in the church. Unsanctioned killing haunts the halls and someone is murdering murderers, making Mia’s job all the harder. It’s a gripping read, though a pretty dense one as well.

Kristoff relies heavily on angst, drama and a broken main character to carry his story forward. He also leaves an awful lot of foot notes. This is a little intimidating at first and almost feels like everything the kitchen sink is being thrown at the reader. Once you get into the rhythm of the thing, however you will be enveloped in the world.

Kristoff is better known for his Young Adult fiction. His science fiction series The Illuminae Files has been optioned for a movie by Brad Pitt’s company, Plan B Entertainment. Nevernight is markedly not aimed at the young; it’s creepy, violent and has some very energetic sex scenes all the way through.  Its tone is markedly adult and informed and Kristoff has clearly thrown all his engines into making this book big in every possible way. It’s long, highly detailed, complicated, is set in a weird world where the sun almost always shines and delves into topics as complex as the moralities of murder and loyalty to church and state. We predict it’s also going to be big with fantasy fans; there’s a lot to this book and many of us will be going on about it for a while.

If you love Robin Hobb or George R. R. Martin, you will adore Jay Kritsoff’s Nevernight. It has similar themes and is very heavy on the world building. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of Hobb’s Farseer trilogy in terms of emotional punch, but Kristoff has delivered a strong and interesting world which readers will find engaging and fun none the less.

NEVERNIGHT / AUTHOR: JAY KRISTOFF / PUBLISHER: HARPER VOYAGER / RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 11TH

 

Red Rover is the blackest of black-op security teams, and its leader, Greg Whitman, will stop at nothing to get the dirty work done. When their latest mission goes bad, his armourer is killed and his compadre Felix is badly wounded, Whitman returns to the United States focused on revenge. Despite his boss’ reservations, he turns to an old associate called Charlie Daou to fill the unexpected vacancy in his team (we would say more about Charlie, but that would spoil the surprise) and Charlie comes complete with a grudge and some pretty unorthodox weaponry. But what Whitman doesn’t realise is that every move he makes has already been anticipated and countered by a nightmare from his past, a bayou sorcerer named Preach who is working with a ruthless Illuminati-like cabal called The Alchemists on an experiment to create an army of zombified super warriors. The Alchemists are everywhere, and NSA chief Luther St Vincent is one of their best operatives. He also has a score to settle with Whitman. When Whitman, Charlie and the newly-recovered Felix decide to go rogue, none of them are aware that Felix has been used as an unwitting guinea-pig for Mobius, the ‘weaponised warrior’ program, nor that the experimental drug coursing through Felix’s veins has some extremely nasty side-effects. And, worse than that, The Alchemists are about to resurrect a subterranean torture facility called the Well, using Felix’s runaway niece Lucy as one of their new ‘death dealers’. Whitman knows the Well intimately – in a past life he would rather forget, he was The Alchemist’s leading torturer and interrogator. Whitman, Preach and The Alchemists are headed for a showdown – black ops versus Preach’s black arts – that none of them may survive.

Any Minute Now is a little bit of a disappointment. Eric Van Lustbader, a prolific author who is probably best known for his Nicholas Linnear novels as well as for marshalling Robert Ludlum’s hero Jason Bourne into the 21st century, writes with his usual pace, crackle and gritty authenticity, and the combination of military thriller with a touch of supernatural horror is an appealing mix. The occasional mention of IS and a hefty nod towards real world events also lends the story a nasty sense of ‘could this really happen?’. But here’s the problem: there are too many incidental characters (although, to Lustbader’s credit, they’re all very neatly sketched in – we’re never in any doubt as to who’s who) and Preach’s intriguing santeria-like juju gets lost among all the evil scientists and twisty-turny conspiracy gobbledegook. There’s also a mid-story encounter between a sexually frustrated woman and a charismatic pole dancer that made us want to shout “Van Lustbader, put down the ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ and back off the keyboard!” More than that, the Red Rover scenes – and Whitman’s entire character arc – are disappointingly predictable, and the last half of the novel – entertaining though it is – does have the sense that the author was simply ticking off plot points until the end, and the end feels like the last scene in a really uninspired TV actioner complete with a final line of joint dialogue that is solid cheese.

If Van Lustbader intends this to be a series, he’s badly in need of some magic.

ANY MINUTE NOW / AUTHOR: ERIC VAN LUSTBADER / PUBLISHER: HEAD OF ZEUS / RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 11TH

Despite attracting UK audiences of around 12 million, rave Press notices and boasting guest turns from the cream of the country’s most-respected contemporary character actors – Joan Sims, Bernard Cribbins, Barbara Windsor – Worzel Gummidge is a show which has very much slipped through the cracks of cult TV appreciation. Former Doctor Who Jon Pertwee brought the living scarecrow and his interchangeable heads created by writer Barbara Euphan Todd vividly to life in four gorgeously-realised and atmospheric TV series screened in Britain between 1979 and 1981, a spectacular stage production and two further series filmed in the 1980s in New Zealand. Yet Worzel is never repeated on television and DVD collections of his escapades are now hard to find. Notwithstanding the fact that 21st century kids are now more interested in grim dystopian adventures than Worzel’s quaint brand of farmyard frolicks, it’s hard to understand why the show has become quite so unloved and ignored. Stuart Manning’s lavish, expansive, beautifully-illustrated and designed tome exploring the phenomenon of Worzel Gummidge – and yes, girls and boys, it really was a phenomenon – serves to at least partially redress the balance and, if nothing else, to finally chronicle the history of one of popular fiction’s strangest creations and his sometimes-troubled exploits on both radio and television.

Todd created Worzel and his chums at Scatterbrook Farm in the early 1930s and her manuscripts only found an interested publisher following a successful run on the BBC’s Children’s Hour radio strand in 1935. Worzel was finally up and shuffling and he drifted in and out of fashion (often at the whim of producers and programme controllers) until 1952 when he made his first appearance on TV in a four-part BBC television serial starring Frank Atkinson.

But the story of Worzel’s explosion of popularity – and the meat of Manning’s fine, effortlessly-readable text – really begins in the late 1970s when writers Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall eventually brought Todd’s character to the screen with former Doctor Who Jon Pertwee joyfully seizing the opportunity to create another career-defining role. His passion for the character pretty much defined him for the rest of his professional life and his performances as the naïve, bumbling, well-meaning Worzel were the lynchpin of the series. But once again the industry initially seemed immune to Worzel’s unique charms; with some misgivings Southern TV bankrolled an intended thirteen-part TV series which entered production towards the end of 1978.

Worzel Gummidge was an enormous, popular hit. But throughout its run it was devilled by bad luck and misfortune. Every year the planned run of episodes was reduced for reasons usually entirely beyond the control of the production with the infamous ITV strike in 1979 shut down filming for months. Yet despite the exigencies of its making, Worzel was an instant success and the character – alongside bizarre supporting characters cast which included the mean-spirited Aunt Sally (Una Stubbs), the wily Crowman (Geoffrey Bayldon) and the busty Saucy Nancy (Barbara Windsor) – quickly became part of Britain’s cultural currency. Southern TV lost its franchise to TVS after the fourth series and Worzel promptly disappeared. But by now he had become so established that his return was in many ways inevitable. A planned relaunch in Ireland collapsed but Worzel and Aunt Sally finally made their way to New Zealand for two new series (21 episodes) airing in the UK in 1987 and 1989 on a clearly-disinterested Channel 4 which had co-financed the series but chose to air it in a graveyard Sunday morning slot. But the magic wasn’t quite the same (despite some scripts for later episodes written by Fran Lord of the Rings Walsh) and Worzel slipped quietly off our screens again and drifted away into our collective TV memory bank.

Whether you’re an ageing fan of Worzel in any of his incarnations or if, like this reviewer, you found the whole concept of the character a little creepy and macabre, The Worzel Book will tell you everything you could ever have wanted to know about the history of Worzel Gummidge. Manning’s research is absolutely meticulous; he’s spoken to virtually everyone still alive who worked on the radio and TV series and sitting alongside in-depth analyses of every episode are details of unearthed unfilmed scripts, the true story behind the aborted reboot set in Ireland (the plug was pulled just a handful of days before filming was due to start) and pretty much all points in between. A terrific book in its own right, this is one to sit back and enjoy whilst wearing your reading ‘ead and with a cup o’tea and a slice o’cake at your side.

THE WORZEL BOOK / AUTHOR: STUART MANNING / PUBLISHER: MIWK / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Sometimes you want a science fiction tale to explore great new ideas or delve into cerebral topics. At others you just want a good old fashioned raygun tale. Guess which this one is. Behind the Throne explores one question: What would happen if a ne’er-do-well smuggler became ruler of the galaxy? Not willingly of course, but out of necessity, requiring all the tricks of Hail Bristol’s trade to bend rules, occasionally break them; all whilst surviving the assassins which murdered her family.

This is the kind of book which promises non-stop action and deliver wholeheartedly; with the prose structured to fit a fast flowing plot and focus primarily upon distinct singular actions or brief quips of dialogue. This makes it a breeze to look through, and that benefits the story as a whole, as despite the moments of drama it’s almost an affectionate parody of traditionalist sci-fi swashbuckling stories.

There’s rarely a moment which goes by without something exciting happening, and that’s largely thanks to Bristol herself. While the blurb hypes up her abilities, there’s no denying she’s the highlight of the book, with half the events are mostly an opportunity for her to snark at while doing something awesome. With some obvious influence from the likes of Jenny Sparks and Indiana Jones, every sequence is brought to life thanks to her personal quips, commentary and actions. Events flow easily around her inner thoughts and first person tense, and this is one of the few books to truly nail such an invasive view of a character.

Unfortunately, while Bristol is the high point, the story tends to wither away when not focused upon her. Behind the Throne’s actual story offers few real surprises on the whole, thanks to sticking to tried and tested storytelling devices. There’s nothing innately wrong with this of course, but a times you can predict the twists in your sleep. Similarly, the world-building was ill conceived. While there was an obvious attempt to hit the ground running with a short, sharp moment of action followed by a rapid introduction, the universe as a whole seemed extremely nebulous. You’re never given a sense of the baseline rules or true laws of the setting.

Behind the Throne is one of those books which honestly would have been more effective as a comic. The structure, characters, presentation and opening scenes look as if they would fit a more visual tale better than a literary one, and this is ultimately what holds it back. That said, the slick dialogue, snarky tone and Bristol’s larger than life personality carry it through to the end. Grab it if you’re after a fun if a little forgettable outing, but one with an excellent protagonist.

BEHIND THE THRONE / AUTHOR: K.B. WAGERS / PUBLISHER: ORBIT BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 4TH

Following directly on from the events in Alice, the first book in this series, Alice and Hatcher have escaped the Old City only to discover that the lush green fields they were expecting to find are actually a ruined landscape blasted into ash and littered with bodies. With the nightmares of the past behind her, Alice is shocked to discover new threats await that are equally as deadly; an enchanted village where trespassers are, quite literally, eaten alive; a hideous goblin with the power to turn everything into a diabolical illusion; a cruel Black King, twisted by fate, intent on destroying everybody in his path; and, most terrifying of all, the mad White Queen who has robbed a village of its children so that she can draw upon their lifeforce. But at least Alice can rely on Hatcher who, despite being a dangerously unpredictable psychotic axe-man, would never leave her side and would definitely never ever turn on her… would he?

There is a lot to admire about Red Queen. To begin with, you don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy this one, which makes a refreshing change (although, after reading this, you will want to read the first book because Christina Henry’s writing is so good you’ll want to stay in this world as long as possible). Secondly, if you’re a fan of Lewis Carroll’s original stories, you’ll enjoy the way Henry has updated his characters, especially the authentic inner voice she gives Alice. Some of our heroine’s asides are so on-the-button that you’d think Carroll had written them himself. In fact, the best way to describe this book is, well, it’s like a collision between Lewis Carroll and Angela Carter. Henry has done for Alice what Carter did for fairy tales in her excellent The Bloody Chamber (aka The Company of Wolves) – taking what we love and are comfortably familiar with and updating it into something dark and adult while still essentially remaining true to the spirit of the original conception. Die-hard fans of Carroll’s work will no doubt appreciate the care and attention she’s given to his universe, even if there’s the occasional moment when a slight Wizard of Oz tone sneaks in. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

If there’s a weakness, it’s in the ending. Although everything is very neatly tied up (with a third adventure obviously on the horizon) and the resolution does work within the rules of the story, it still felt as though something was missing. We can’t say what without giving some major plot spoilers away, but when the story ends it leaves the reader with a strange sense that the climax doesn’t really match the power of the rest of the book.

But, having said that, we still can’t wait for the next one – Red Queen is definitely worth slaying a Jabberwocky for!

RED QUEEN / AUTHOR: CHRISTINA HENRY / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Where
else could you find tales of time travellers partying till the end of time
alongside magical horses and invading worm-like aliens; Michael Swanwick’s
latest collection of short stories brings together a delightfully unusual
selection of tales, taking you on an endless journey across weary worlds and
dystopian futuristic landscapes.

“Not
so much, said the cat”
is the latest in author Michael Swanwick’s collections of fantasy stories,
following on from his previous works by bringing together another eclectic mix
of tales making for a delightful read that you can pick up at anytime.

With
stories from far flung worlds and alternate futures, we’re taken on an unusual
journey across wild and wonderful landscapes, to the picturesque countryside of
Russia, and even hell itself, as we meet a savvy teenager who decides to take
on the devil.

Each
story is as compelling as the last, from a calculus problem that proves to be
much more than meets the eye, to literary characters with self awareness who
decide to weave their own tales. Within this intriguing collection of short
stories we’re taken on a journey around several worlds where your never quite
sure what to expect, with plenty of twists and turns to take in along the way.

With
plenty of stories to dip and out of with ease, whatever genre you prefer in the
fantasy realm your bound to find several tales that entertain amongst this
collection of short stories, and some that will certainly surprise you.

An
entertaining read from beginning to end, with plenty of tales to amuse, making
for a great collection of short stories. Besides, who wouldn’t want to spend
some time with a sly seductive circus performer, some con artists and a robotic
scarecrow with a conscious, and all without leaving the comfort of your sofa!

NOT SO MUCH, SAID THE CAT / AUTHOR: MICHAEL SWANWICK / PUBLISHER: TACHYON PUBLICATIONS / RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 25TH

New from Fantagraphics Books, Tony
Millionaire’s award-winning comic strip Maakies is now collected in this
beautifully put together hardcover, Drinky Crow Drinks Again.

Maakies is one of the longest-running
underground comic strips to be published, making its first appearance in 1994.
Since then, the vaudevillian misadventures of Uncle Gabby (a drunk Irish
monkey) and Drinky Crow have spawned animated appearances and sought-after
merchandise.

Drinky Crow Drinks Again features Tony
Millionaire’s work from the past five years, showcasing the two drunkards in
over 200 strips, mixed in with some truly magnificent illustrations from the
talented creator.

The new book has been praised by the likes
of the great Pendleton Ward (Adventure Time) and Bob Odenkirk (Better Call
Saul), and there’s no surprise as to why it’s garnered so much love from
different creators and comedians.

Maakies has a unique brand of humour, which
is unashamedly immature in places. There’s a reliance on poop jokes throughout
Millionaire’s strips, with themes often focusing on Drinky Crow’s absurd desire
for alcohol along with the sordid escapades of Uncle Gabby. Together they’re a
great mix, resulting in some hilarious gags.

There’s little to no continuity found
between most of Millionaire’s strips, but there’s no need for it. Each comic
strip in Drinky Crow Drinks Again oozes with Millionaire’s unrestrained wit,
and the laughs keep on coming throughout.

Maakies strips are also accompanied with a
topper; a much smaller secondary strip below the main one. Despite the smaller
scale that Millionaire works with, he still manages to make those just as
amusing as the main strip.

It’s a delightful little book, and if
Maakies’ style of humour doesn’t hit the right notes with some readers, then at
least they can admire Millionaire’s incredible line work. Sections of comic
strips are split up with the addition of big illustrations, showcasing Drinky
Crow, Uncle Gabby and maritime ships in all their glory.

It is hard to place Tony Millionaire’s art
style within the industry, as it’s so refreshingly different. There’s a slight
hint of Robert Crumb found here, with Millionaire’s inspiration harking back to
much earlier comic strip artists.

For fans of Maakies, then Drinky Crow
Drinks Again is a must-buy. His strips from the past five years are lavishly
produced in this new hardcover, and they’re all presented in the correct
format. For those who haven’t experienced Tony Millionaire’s beautiful drawings
and absurdist humour, this book is a fine place to discover one of the
industry’s best underground creators.

DRINKY CROW DRINKS AGAIN / AUTHOR: TOBY MILLIONAIRE / PUBLISHER: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS/ RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
 

Gideon Tau is no ordinary cop. He works for Delphic Division, the occult investigative unit of the South African Police Service, dealing with the supernatural crimes committed in the city of Durban and its environs. Like all good literary detectives, he’s a tortured soul still coming to grips with the events of his past, specifically the loss of a child. When his latest case reveals that his daughter’s killer is involved, Gideon must make a tough choice; pursue his need for revenge, or take his place in a titanic battle against evil?

Poison City kicks off with a killer first line, starting at a relentless pace. Initially, it feels like an early Tarantino version of an urban fantasy, with some outrageous banter between Gideon and the dog that is not only his spirit guide but an unruly drunk to boot. As Gideon’s investigation proceeds, it drags him deeper into what proves to be an epic conflict between good and evil; there are angels, demons, bad language, violence and gore, but author Paul Crilley never loses sight of the humanity, imbuing Gideon with faults and desires that are all too recognisable. He’s damaged goods, but sympathetic, bringing a tone of wry cynicism to the entire novel that helps set him apart from the inevitable comparison.

The book maintains its pace throughout, insisting to be read in the minimum number of sittings. Sometimes, this can be to its detriment as the emotional scenes may not linger as much as they possibly should. Even the moments when Gideon is looking at information on a computer or inspecting a crime scene possess the same taut prose, the short sentences that make it like a literary version of a high-octane ‘80s movies.

If that is a sign of an author eager to tell his story, who can blame him? It’s an absolute cracker, one that has a satisfying number of twists, a supporting cast that are as well-realised as the narrator, and a conclusion that not only whets the appetite for the second book in the series, but pays off everything that has gone before to leave the reader satisfied. Poison City is Crilley’s début adult novel, a book that isn’t for the easily-offended and, while it can be challenging at times, is ultimately rewarding and entertaining. The war is coming, says the cover; given this first battle, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

POISON CITY / AUTHOR: PAUL CRILLEY / PUBLISHER: HODDER & STOUGHTON / RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 11TH