Review Category: Books

One of the oddest curios of classic Doctor Who merchandise was The Doctor Who Cookbook. Released in 1985 and written by the unlikely candidate of the show’s production manager at the time (and partner of ‘80s Who boss John Nathan-Turner) Gary Downie, the memorable cover depicted a Cyberman, a Dalek and a Yeti dressed as waiters and chefs. Given the original’s lofty status in the annals of Who tie-in books, then, the brand-new Doctor Who: The Official Cookbook had a lot to live up to. Thankfully, it is an all-round high-quality product.

Subtitled 40 Wibbly-Wobbly, Timey-Wimey Recipes, The Official Cookbook includes a broad range of Who-flavoured cuisine. There are spacey-wacey versions of classic treats (gingerbread Doctors), as well as in-universe favourites (jelly babies and fish custard, obviously) and some dubiously-connected ones (Captain Flapjacks, anyone?). Some might be put off having a go at the recipes as, being based off Doctor Who monsters and the like, most are fairly ambitious makes. Thankfully, Cook’s Tips are inserted throughout and contain some extra advice to ensure things go smoothly. Plus, there are several pages of Timey-Wimey Templates at the back of the book to aid you in getting the scale right.

Writer Joanna Farrow is clearly a big Who fan as well as a foodie, as the book is littered with references and quotes from Doctor Who history. Handily, it allows you to top up your Whoniverse general knowledge while you are waiting for your food to cook. And if you are a connoisseur of puns as well as good grub, you will also find much to love on that front, as the book is full of food-related Who word play. For example, the chapter on cakes is called Egg-Stir-Mix Bake. You just can’t fault that level of punnery.

So whether you are the greatest chef in the galaxy or are yet to make your first (TAR)dish, Doctor Who: The Official Cookbook thoroughly deserves a place on your kitchen shelf. It is gorgeously-made, provides lots of helpful tips and, most importantly, is full of dalek-table treats.

DOCTOR WHO: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK / AUTHOR: JOANNA FARROW / PUBLISHER: BBC BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 11TH

Since that fateful day that aliens cast a dark shadow on the capital cities of the world, everything changed. When Roland Emmerich annihilated the white house in a now iconic clip of action cinema, he revolutionized the scale of the modern blockbuster. And, the hell with what critics say, this year’s sequel followed suit as it went even bigger and barmier (albeit not better) than the original in its preposterously grand scaled destruction. The original may be better remembered; it did after all introduce such scope to popcorn cinema, but for what it is worth the enjoyable follow-up did expand the series backstory (even if the film’s lukewarm domestic takings may ensure the mythos in not followed up). So, with all this said and with the franchise officially celebrating its 20th anniversary, The Art And Making Of Independence Day Resurgence looks to dive further into the war between we humans and these tentacled, exo-skeletal, extra terrestrial foes.

Simon Ward’s collection of 20 years of Independence Day history makes a great companion to the sequel and while not completely perfect, it reminds you of the focal points of the first, while filling in the integral narrative gaps between features. Truth be told, Resurgence implied many things and did not explain everything in detail, as it instead just made a run for the action. However this book alludes to the years of development both on and offscreen of this world. As it takes us both back to the ’96 film and, more prominently, through the construction of this new one. The structure of this book is easily followed and very neat, with David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum’s character in the film) acting as a kind of narrator at the start, middle and end (in an afterword) and you can believe the character wrote these sections, with Goldblum’s trademark deadpan delivery coming to mind as you read through the text.

The coverage of the original film pinpoints the main characters (and includes many of the actors comments on them), as well as covering the infamous White House explosion and fighter pilot design, etc. This section is to the point and informative and very makes for nostalgic reading with some insight into the behind the scenes stuff, with anecdotes of Will Smith making Vivica A. Fox (his onscreen wife) take things seriously, as well as Brent Spiner talking to Goldblum who realised from the off the film would be huge…no point intended. True more stories would have been welcome, as would more insight into the 50s alien invasion flick influences, mentioned only in passing. However this section is just that, a section. The meat of the book really comes in its coverage of Resurgence, which is more in-depth and well led up to by this trip into the past.

“There is something to be said about real sets that have substance”, says Karl Walter Lindenlaub (director of photography) in describing the construction of the White House set in the first film…only for them to blow it up. “People can hardly believe when I tell them that 80% of the visual effects they see onscreen are model-miniatures” Volker Engel (visual effects supervisor) later says and it is interesting how these comments and discussions on effects really lead up to the talk of blue screen and advanced technology in the new film. At one point designer Mark Yang’s comments on Emmerich insisting they keep going bigger, much bigger and that is certainly felt in this sequel. The stunning collection of concept artwork is beautifully placed- especially that covering the film’s ridiculously huge alien mothership arrival and the resulting destruction. There are so many gorgeously realized images here that it really is fascinating seeing how some of these ideas did transpire onscreen.

Also great is how David Levinson’s character memoirs section explains the face of Will Smith’s Steven Hiller, his on and off wife “Connie” (Margaret Colin in the first film) and some insight into our advancing world thanks to the alien technology. That final point being especially expanded across the following pages, which are chock full of artwork and excessive looks at the sets, vehicles and bases in the new movie. Also great is how you get a better look at the aliens themselves, especially the 200ft queen from the new film, which allows you to appreciate the work that went into their design and as Emmerich says in his foreword of this neat collection of Independence Day history, “I hope this book shows our filmmaking process, our journey but also our passion and enthusiasm for this world”. It does just that and while some areas could have been developed even more than they already are, it is hard to imagine fans feeling short changed by this hefty and well assembled look at the franchise and especially the fun new film.

THE ART AND MAKING OF INDEPENDENCE DAY RESURGENCE / AUTHOR: SIMON WARD / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

In this day and age, it’s rare for a television series to be able to sustain itself – let alone stay fresh – for a couple of seasons, but the Winchester family business of saving people and hunting things is thriving in Supernatural. One of the most popular horror-themed television shows of all time, the fact that it is about to enter its 12th season is a testament to the appeal of the characters and the writing. Speaking of which, the success of Supernatural has expanded beyond the small screen with the brothers’ escapades littering the pages of a series of novelisations – mirroring the run of books about the boys by Carver Edlund in the show.

In Mythmaker, a girl’s drawings of the gods she dreams about on a nightly basis are coming to life and performing ‘miracles’ in her small native town of Corinth, Illinois. When Sam and Dean Winchester come to town to investigate the phenomena, these new gods are performing on the residents in exchange for their allegiance, a battle for supremacy and followship breaks out. As their war for servants escalates, the gods will destroy each other and eliminate the town’s population until only one is left standing.

Tie-in novels don’t get the credit they deserve. Often, they’re dismissed in literary circles as commercial memorabilia, with no other merits. If you aren’t a fan of the TV series, then Mythmaker won’t have much to offer you, nor will it convert you. Tim Waggoner understands the fan base he’s catering to and doesn’t try to pretend otherwise. That being said, if you are a fan, then Mythmaker has plenty to offer in the way of another entertaining Winchester adventure – especially if you’re looking for something to fill the void as you wait for the brand new season to arrive. It’s an extremely well written novel too, and the story is on par with the best to come out of the Supernatural franchise to-date. Fans of religious – especially Greek – mythology will especially enjoy seeing many of the classic figures within these legends appear.

While Mythmaker isn’t going to win any prestigious literary prizes, it makes for some enjoyable light reading to pass the time on a Sunday afternoon. It does the brothers proud, and fans will love it, though it probably won’t attract new followers to the series like the ancient gods within its pages.

SUPERNATURAL – MYTHMAKER / AUTHOR: TIM WAGGONER / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: 26TH JULY

Sherlock Holmes is one of those characters that writers simply can’t resist reinventing. As nice as it is to see how different writers’ takes on the quintessential detective, it seems the shelves of your local independent bookshop are rammed full with clever reinventions of the well-loved hero.

‘Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell’ stands out from the crowd by being one of the more interesting remixes of Conan Doyle’s classic. It’s pits both Watson and Holmes against another iconic figure; namely Clive Barker’s Cenobites, better known to some as the demons from The Hellraiser movies.  It’s a surprisingly powerful mix, but it makes a lot of sense.  Holmes’s greatest power is his insatiable curiosity, and the infamous puzzle box is designed to lure all sorts of hungers into Hell.

The story begins with the great detective attempting to solve a most mysterious disappearance of a chap called Frank Cotton. A locked room, a vanished person and the only clues are a small amount of blood, the feint smell of vanilla and a box shaped space on the floor. Sherlock’s Victorian world provides a perfect sort of backdrop for the world of Hellraiser. The unspoken sense that scandal is just around the corner suits Barker’s monsters perfectly; Kane manages to create both a credible Holmes mystery, and yet at the same time captures the horror of Hellraiser perfectly. 

This shouldn’t be a huge surprise; Kane is one of the leading authorities on all things Hellraiser, and a very well regarded horror novelist. The book is littered with many recognisable references to both worlds, and it’s a delight to be able to join the dots between the two. The author’s enthusiasm does become a little obvious at points as it dives deeply into the Hellraiser mythos, but this simply adds to both the horror and joy of the work.

‘Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell’ is a fun and rapid read. If you like horror, and enjoy the Hellraiser films, this will likely make you lick your lips in anticipation. It’s a horror B-movie of a book, filled with leather, chains and angst.  Beautifully bloody fun, with just enough mystery to be delicious. 

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SERVANTS OF HELL / AUTHOR: PAUL KANE / PUBLISHER: SOLARIS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Over the years, Gene Rodenberry has taken on an almost mythical status in the eyes of Star Trek fans, as not only the creator of the much beloved franchise, but also as a pioneer who contributed towards bringing televised science fiction to a mainstream audience. Stories of his alleged womanising, controlling attitude and shameless self-promotion run parallel to the belief that he was an idealist who dreamt romantically of a utopian future that could only exist in the stars. Now, on the 50th anniversary of the series that made Rodenberry’s name, Lance Parkin presents a (unauthorised) biography that is as insightful as it is entertaining.

Wisely avoiding probing too deeply into Rodenberry’s childhood, Parkin instead begins with his subject’s first attempts at launching a career as a screenwriter, while working as a police officer for the LAPD. His early successes writing episodes of long forgotten series are referenced before we get onto the good stuff; the launch of the original Star Trek series in 1966.

We’re treated to plenty of behind the scenes backstory (particularly in regards to Rodenberry’s relationship with NBC) brought to life using a chronology of events supported with extracts and quotes from autobiographies of the actors behind Trek’s most well known characters. Most interesting is the tussle over creative control, the yearning for a world filled with racial equality, and the revelation that Rodenberry became distant from the original series once ratings started to fall, only to return later once his other pursuits in film and television had failed. Many fans may know the story of how Star Trek: The Motion Picture was originally conceived as a fourth series, but this biography delves deeper into the reasons for the slow decline of Rodenberry’s involvement as the film series continued.

Though not an exposé of scandal by any means, the book also sheds some light on the causes behind some of Rodenberry’s more notable feuds, including that with Leonard Nimoy. As with most Hollywood stories, drink and drugs act as a catalyst towards a downward spiral, and no biography is complete without a nod to love affairs: Rodenberry’s marriage to Majel Barrett (Christine Chapel/ Lwaxana Troi and the voice of the ship’s computer) is also featured, though in a non-intrusive manner respectful to the ‘First Lady of Star Trek’.

‘The Impossible Has Happened’ is as much a history of the Star Trek franchise as it is of the man who created it; a well researched and unbiased analysis told through the eyes of a self confessed fan that allows the reader to make up their own mind as to how history will remember the undeniably inspirational creator of a series that has spanned five decades.

THE IMPOSSIBLE HAS HAPPENED: THE LIFE AND WORK OF GENE RODDENBERRY, CREATOR OF STAR TREK / AUTHOR: LAMCE PARKIN / PUBLISHER: AURUM PRESS LTD. / RELEASE DATE: 21ST JULY 
 

Twin Peaks was the creative child of the twin talents of Nick Frost and David Lynch. They were the perfect combination to bring to life this bizarre, yet gripping story, of Agent Cooper’s (Kyle MacLachlan) investigation of who killed Laura Palmer.

Lynch’s career as a maverick film director (The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet) coupled with scriptwriter Frost’s TV experience, with shows like the groundbreaking Hill Street Blues on his CV, made them a dream team to create something unusual and challenging.

On its first release in 1990 it was an immediate hit with the critics and public. Like, Agent Cooper, we are fascinated by the characters who populate Twin Peaks and by the off-the-wall situations and dialogue. Agent Cooper asks, ‘Who’s the lady with the log?’ Answer from  Sheriff Truman ‘We call her the Log Lady.’ On speaking to her she tells Cooper he should talk to the log, which even he finds discomfiting.

Twin Peaks was heavily promoted as a murder mystery so when the mystery was solved it lost its motive for viewing  – much like the fate of the second series of Broadchurch. Yet, Twin Peaks was not about who killed Laura Palmer, instead it was an excuse to explore the psyche and mythology of small town USA. Agent Cooper is more of a shaman than lawman, who explores this psychological landscape through dreams, intuition and the paranormal. For mainstream audiences it just got too weird, and even those who stayed for the journey got lost in this mystical view of the world that the log Lady eloquently tells us is a ‘magical smoke screen’.

This book provides the origins of Twin Peaks, the main characters, the music, themes, timeline, episode guides, memorable moments, homages,  and its subsequent impact on TV and other media. This comes at a time when a new series is being written by Frost and Lynch, and directed by Lynch, so a reappraisal (and re-viewing) of Twin Peaks is certainly worthwhile to appreciate returning to the odd/crazy/fascinating world of this Washington township.

TWIN PEAKS FAQ / AUTHOR: DAVID BUSHMAN AND ARTHUR SMITH / PUBLISHER: APPLAUSE THEATRE & CINEMA BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: 22 JULY 2016

 

The Root: A Novel of the Wraith and Athenaeum is the debut novel from Na’amen Gobert Tilahun and the first in a planned trilogy of urban fantasy fare.  The book focuses on two troubled teenagers tasked with the arduous task of saving their worlds as they encounter secret government agencies, the forces of magic and a host of supernatural wonders and mythological beings.  Erik is an ex-child star whose celebrity career has taken a complicated turn following a scandal which resulted in his ex-boyfriend being imprisoned.  To make matters worse, he also learns that he’s a descendant of the gods – a being known as a Blooded – and a corrupt government agency is selling off his kind to an inhuman organization in an alternate dimension.

Elsewhere – in said alternate dimension – Lil is an orphan investigating the mysterious death of her parents, which is connected to a dark history those in power would rather keep hidden.  She’s an outsider, segregated in a world where she’s viewed as a lesser being because of her societal status.  However, just like her otherworldly counterpart Erik, she must stand up to a looming threat with the power to destroy each of their universes.

As a sprawling fantasy, The Root is a grandiose feat of imagination and cross-dimensional storytelling.  It provides the escapist thrills and chills the fantasy genre is built on, and it’s bound tickle the fantasies of those who read stories of this ilk to immerse themselves in mystical adventures.  That being said, it’s also a story that’s firmly rooted in human drama, exploring themes such as the nature of race, celebrity, the media and society’s perceptions of sexual orientation, gender and class division.  On one hand, it’ll titillate readers who love conspiracy thrillers, epic fantasies and action-packed entertainment; but it’ll also connect with those who have ever felt shunned because they don’t fit in with the status quo.  In both regards, The Root is a triumph.

With this novel, Tilahun has laid the foundations for a very promising trilogy.  The world building is mightily impressive, but more importantly, its world is inhabited by characters you’ll want to embark on future journeys with.  All in all, it’s highly recommended for fans of young adult fiction first and foremost, but you can never be too old to appreciate storytelling this marvellous.  If you want excitement and fun, it has it; but it also leaves you with some food for thought to ponder should you choose to.  At times dark and gritty, at others uplifting, this is a multi-layered story worth checking out.

THE ROOT: A NOVEL OF THE WRAITH AND ATHENAEUM / AUTHOR: NA’AMEN GOBERT TILAHUN / ARTIST: CHARLIE BOWATER / NIGHT SHADE BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

“Go deep enough into the forest, and you’ll find the dark places where the Small Gods lurk.  Billions of them, chattering away like mad, never being worshipped by anything larger than small bacteria”

In the land of Omnia, Brutha has no idea that he is the Chosen One, the eighth prophet of the Great God Om. The thing is, Brutha is a simple young gardener with an impressive memory, and the Great and Powerful Om is currently manifested in the form of a small, bad-tempered, tortoise.  Not far from Brutha’s garden are the Furnaces of Righteous Piety (read: torture chamber) where Deacon Vorbis, the head of the Quisition (read: grand-high torturer) is a fundamentalist who disbelieves in the true make-up of the Discworld and orchestrates murder and war in the name of Om.  Vorbis has his sights set on the infidels of Ephebe, a country of arguing philosophers and theologians who are trying to spread the message that the Discworld is not round!

Brutha’s true faith in Om means that he is the only person who can hear him and experience his – rather cute – tortoisey fire-breathing wrath.  Recognising Brutha as illiterate yet faithful, and spotting his uncanny ability to memorise minutiae, Vorbis recruits Brutha in his mission to destroy Ephebe.  What follows is what happens when human faith is set off like rocket fuel by a tiny spark: perpetual, scrapping over whose God is the right god and a bloody war over faith and reason.

Can Brutha save the day and bring peace?  And will Om ever be able to transcend his Small God status?  (Shhh to those back there who’ve read the book.)

Pratchett’s Discworld –  a flat circular “plate” carried on the back of four elephants on a giant turtle floating through space – has always been a place where science, philosophy, theology, and cultural and historical events are clever, satirical reflections of our own spinning blue orb.  This graphic novel is not the first time the Discworld has been captured by ink, cartoonist Ray Friesen’s re-imagining of Terry Pratchett’s 1992 novel features endearing angular characters and gorgeous watercolour swirls.  Friesen successfully portrays Everyman Brutha’s deceptive simplicity and, as with the 1992 Discworld novel, the ending will hit you right in the heart. Compassion is all and that’s something always worth fighting for in troubling times.

SMALL GODS: A DISCWORLD GRAPHIC NOVEL / AUTHOR: TERRY PRATCHETT / ARTIST: RAY FRIESEN / PUBLISHER: TRANSWORLD / RELEASE DATE: 28TH JULY

 

It’s fairly obvious to most of us that the revival of the Star Wars franchise has been a carefully managed affair. Disney’s control of a galaxy far, far away has been extremely pleasing so far, with all of the major steps being carefully considered ones. This explains why the indomitable and intrepid Chuck Wendig was given the grand task of writing the books set between Return of The Jedi and The Force Awakens. The shift in canon and style was never going to please everyone, but Wendig is proving to be very good at navigating the brave new Star Wars world.

Like many, we rather liked his first Star Wars book, Aftermath, but it had a bit of a rough ride with a sub-section of the fans. Some didn’t particularly like the idea that the old Thrawn novels weren’t canon anymore (not that they every really were).  Others simply didn’t like Wendig’s darker, grittier style . Both made their displeasure felt on social media.   Those readers, alas, will continue to be disappointed with the latest instalment, Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt.  This is excellent news for the rest of us, because it builds on the momentum of the highly enjoyable previous novel to deliver the goods.

Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt is an action adventure novel with some key thriller style elements carefully laid through. The bulk of the drama focuses on a little team of misfits lead by Rebel pilot Norra Wexley.  They’re an odd bunch; Norra’s son, Temmin, is a technical genius who regards his rather frightening and heavily modified pet battle-droid, Mr Bones, to be his closest friend. They’re assisted by a former Imperial interrogator (and supplier of sarcasm) Sinjir Rath Velus. We also have a conflicted bounty hunter and hardcore soldier on the team. These misfits throw the ‘war’ aspect of the Star Wars universe into sharp focus. They’re the sort of team that has plenty of soul searching to do, but always gets the job done.

Which is probably why Princess Leia comes along and recruits them to help out her husband, Han Solo.  It seems that the old smuggler has rather messed up an attempt to free Kashyyyk, with Chewie in Imperial custody and Han barely escaping with his life.  Meanwhile, the Empire is still licking its wounds. A conspiracy grows, and those with the real power are building up to something very sinister indeed.  Wendig leaves the big revelations for just the right moment, delivering some rather powerful punches along the way.

Chuck’s writing style is rapid and accessible; the pace is steady and accelerates at a good page, making this a pretty quick read. The tone is darker than some of the previous Star Wars books, but that’s not a bad thing; the setting is flexible enough to cope with more than a little blood and some of the darker moments are very well played.

Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt is a great addition to the growing body of work that forms the new Star Wars world, and is full of some delicious hints about the future of the franchise.  Great fun.

STAR WARS AFTERMATH: LIFE DEBT / AUTHOR: CHUCK WENDIG / ARTIST: CHRISTOPHER M. ZUCKER / PUBLISHER: DEL RAY BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
 

Neil Gaiman’s debut novel tells the story of Richard Mayhew who, after an act of kindness on the streets of London, finds himself drawn down into the depths of the mysterious world that lurks beneath the city. It’s a place full of the memorable characters that Gaiman is so good at bringing to life; it is intelligent without losing any of its charm, and remains emotional while being technically brilliant.

Gaiman’s prose is like a whisper in the ear, enticing the reader to continue until that final page is finished. He’s able to get us into Richard’s head right from the opening line, creating sympathy and then empathy as he works his way through the twists and turns of the plot, making sure we feel all of the protagonist’s fear, doubt and wonder; the latter especially, as the fantastical becomes more acceptable, making our own world appear strange and somewhat unappealing. It’s a book with a message, one that says we’re all special in some way, and that you cannot judge by appearances, nor should we take for granted those who go unnoticed by society. Every life is, and should be, precious.

This new edition from publishers Headline is a compact hardback, roughly the dimensions of a paperback and, as well as the bonus tale How The Marquis Got His Coat Back, features brand new illustrations from Chris Riddell. While they may not entirely match the visions of the characters formed in the reader’s head (after all, they’re another person’s interpretation of them) they don’t distract from the story. Far from it; as well as full pages, there are fragments of drawings that curl around or frame the text Lewis, giving it an otherworldly beauty as words and pictures complement each other.

It says something about the strength of the story that it’s crossed multiple forms of telling (TV, book, graphic novel and the latest audio drama) and, given the favourable reviews of the latter, there’s probably not a better time to release this beautiful new addition. It’s a volume for existing fans to cherish, possibly to replace a battered paperback version, while for those who are yet to read the book, it’s an opportunity to take that enviable first step into London Below and join Richard on his quest, and discover that, even twenty years ago, Gaiman was one of literature’s great fantasists.

NEVERWHERE / AUTHOR: NEIL GAIMAN / ARTIST: CHRIS RIDDELL / PUBLISHER: HEADLINE / RELEASE DATE: JULY 14TH