THE JAMES BOND ARCHIVES (SPECTRE EDITION)

Where once upon a time, outside of the reprints of the Ian Fleming novels, books about superspy 007 were scarce, this is the 21st century and with the renewed interest generated by the Daniel Craig era it will come as no surprise that yet another definitive guide, The James Bond Archives, has just been updated to include a section on SPECTRE.

So with a huge number of these definitive tomes on the Eon Bond mythology, and *cough* those other two flicks, should you bother shelling out a considerable sum for this admittedly impressive looking beast? Happily, I can report that Paul Duncan has crafted a very welcome addition due to the genuinely unique coverage and rare photography within. Being a confessed Bond nutter, I have read and devoured pretty much every one of these type of releases yet to my surprise it is literally packed with images I have never seen before. Amazing production photos and unused artwork abound as the stars, and production team tell the story of each movie from their own unique viewpoints and experiences.

It is a compelling read, I do not use that word very often – yet compelling it is. Whether you just dip in and out, or read it cover to cover, there is a mass of fascinating facts, and background stories to be discovered within its behemoth 626 pages. There is also a lack of whitewashing over events that is also refreshing when it comes to the antics of George Lazenby, and the tragic failing of the amazing Timothy Dalton era to take off at the box office. This is where The James Bond Archives earns its keep. Making you feel like the cast and crew have popped round your gaff to tell you how it really was back then. It’s an anecdotal treasure trove that gives you an honest and unparalleled look at the entire series of films from start to finish. Paul Duncan has done an incredible job putting it all together, especially with so many of the crew and cast of the early movies no longer with us.

This is also a very impressive book aesthetically speaking, beautifully bound, with lots of airs and graces. Unfortunately, this approach does not come without its problems, unless you have the gamma powered strength of a certain emerald Avenger! It is massive. It also weighs half a stone (seven pounds to you Yankee types). I stupidly tried to read this in bed and was very nearly castrated when I dropped it on myself. It’s gorgeous, but really high maintenance. You need to decide to have a serious read, and a large table top is a sensible precaution. Whoever came up with the phrase ‘throw the book at them’ – clearly had something like this bad boy in mind!

It is worth the money, though, and if you have a reinforced bookcase it will be one of the jewels in your home library.

THE JAMES BOND ARCHIVES (SPECTRE EDITION) / EDITOR: PAUL DUNCAN / PUBLISHER: TASCHEN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW


 

DOCTOR WHO – LEGENDS OF ASHILDR

Played by Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams, Ashildr, a young Viking girl killed at the end of the Doctor’s encounter with Odin and his Mire warriors at the end of Series Nine’s The Girl Who Died is the latest attempt from Moffat-era Doctor Who to create a popular, crowd pleasing recurring character. Ashildr popped up again at various points in history during the season, not least in the finale Hell Bent, where she ended up as an ersatz companion for the nearly-dead Clara as she wandered off into Space and Time in her own TARDIS. So, we have a reluctant immortal, drifting through Time and bumping into the Doctor occasionally; think John Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness with all the wit, warmth and charisma sucked out and you’re nearly there.

Presumably someone, somewhere, thought that Ashildr/Series Nine were destined to be runaway smash hits with the fans and, as a result, here’s a motley quartet of short(ish) stories chronicling some of Ashildr’s historical adventures when the Doctor wasn’t around, and most specifically between his first and second encounters with her (the series logo features prominently on the cover and there’s a TARDIS on the back as a sort of belt-and-braces exercise). Ashildr’s adventures fit perfectly into the whimsical fairy tale world of Moffat’s Doctor Who and these stories are gossamer-thin romps filed with medieval magical castles, princes, unlikely fanciful  monsters and all the stuff that rarely sits well in Doctor Who’s once-tougher and more muscular and ruthless Universe.

The main problem with Ashildr is that – immortality notwithstanding – she’s just not a hugely interesting character to read about, and whilst the authors have done their best, the flat, bland performances by Maisie Williams on TV have really given them very little to work with in terms of injecting the character with any excitement or vivacity. Of the four stories, Justin Richards’ Arabian Knights-style romp is not without its charm, whilst David Llewellyn’s romping story sees ‘Ash’ join the crew of a rogue vessel setting out to find a mythical land of gold. Colgan’s story is set in London during the time of the Black Death and ties up TV series continuity by explaining on-screen references during her second encounter with the Doctor in The Woman Who Lived to the death of Ashildr’s children and in The Ghosts of Branscombe Wood, set shortly before her second encounter with the Doctor, Ashildr has become more of a detached loner as she investigates mysterious apparitions in a forest at dead of night.

Modern Doctor Who has often excelled in expanding the backstory of many of its more interesting supporting characters and, in theory, there might have been expected to have been a lot of mileage in and some enthusiasm for the ‘untold’ adventures of the Doctor’s latest acquaintance. But with most of Series Nine having fallen on stony ground and Ashildr having been received with little more than indifference and disinterest from the general audience, it’s hard to imagine who but the determined hardcore are likely to find much entertainment value in the mundane adventures of a very run-of-the-mill secondary character who, hopefully, we’ll not be troubled by again on TV or any other medium.

DOCTOR WHO – LEGENDS OF ASHILDR / AUTHORS: JUSTIN RICHARDS, DAVID LLEWELLYN, JAMES GOSS, JT COLGAN / PUBLISHER: BBC BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

THE ART OF STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

One of the joys of a good ‘art of the movie’ book is seeing the creative process behind the whole thing. Any motion picture is a massive undertaking, and The Force Awakens was always going to be an epic effort. The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a mere glimpse of the truly daunting and impressive work that went into this world-conquering blockbuster.

The art itself is quite frankly amazing. Each piece is lovingly presented, and we get everything from the expected pictures of TIE fighters on fire, to the weirder, more esoteric items such as prototype lightsabres and a beardy version of Yoda. This is the sort of thing we expect from an ‘Art of’ book; basic sketches and designs that evoke the final project. What The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens does very well is not only remind of us of things that made us fall in love with Star Wars in the first place, but also tantalise us with the possibilities for the future. Much like the actual movie, in fact.

More interesting are the glimpses into the movie that could have been. Everything from Jedi hunting horrors, Darth Vader’s lost castle, space pirates and a sunken Death Star were considered during the development process. The original names of the new characters from the movie are also enlightening. Rey was going to be called Kira and Poe Dameron went by the name of John Doe in earlier drafts. This give us some idea as to what they were thinking when coming up with the script.

The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a bit of a treasure. It’s packed with notes and artwork from the production of a spectacular film. If you can’t wait for the home release to come out and you can’t quite bring yourself to go to the cinema to see the movie for the ninth time, then this book will let you relive the experience in new, exciting and very geeky ways. A must for a certain sort of fan, and who isn’t a fan of Star Wars these days?

THE ART OF STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS / EDITOR: PHIL: SZOSTAK / AUTHOR: ABRAMS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

THE GEOMANCER: VAMPIRE EMPIRE

Geomancer: Vampire Empire is marketed as “the first Gareth and Adele novel”, and is actually a continuation of Clay Griffith’s Vampire Empire series. This means that newcomers to the world of Vampire Empire are in for a tough ride. This is not really a jumping-on point, despite what it may say on the back of the book.

The Vampire Empire books are set in a fantasy and steampunk-style world. The setting itself is approximately the modern day, but human development has stagnated thanks to the proliferation of vampire clans. Humanity has zeppelins, clever clockwork widgets and the usual trappings of a steampunk setting. As the novel begins, the bloodsuckers have been driven out of England, thanks in part to Adele, the titular Geomancer who can use her magical powers to blow up vampires. Of course, her friend and lover Gareth is a Vampire Prince, but one on the side of the angels. Or something.

With their very existence at stake, the vampire forces have begun to plot and plan ways to topple Adele and her consort, recruiting those who can foil magic. As humanity starts to find freedom, the ancient enemy begins to find a way back to the top of food chain, and it’s up to the powerful Adele and her pet monster to stop them.

The main problem with all this is that a lot of it makes very little sense if you haven’t read the previous books. Our emotional investment in the pair of them pretty much depends on us having cared about them previously. Add to this clunky dialogue and poorly realised relationships, and the whole thing is a bit dull. The vampires are villainous and unlikeable, of course, but that’s what they’re for. Without any grounding in the world, everything feels forced and mechanical. Those looking for some pleasing steampunk fantasy with vampires and a modern day twist may want to consider checking out Kim Newman’s work instead.

THE GEOMANCER: VAMPIRE EMPIRE / AUTHOR: CLAY GRIFFITH, SUSAN GRIFFITH / PUBLISHER: PYR / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

TRUTHWITCH

There is a growing subgenre of Young Adult fantasy fiction that runs across fairly specific lines. Broadly, we meet a young female protagonist who lives in a world where magic is a thing, but not necessarily a good thing. Then it turns out that this young woman has a unique and different magic power that not only marks her out as different and dangerous, but also means that her personal relationships are spectacularly complex.

Truthwitch follows along this well established line of storytelling. The Witchlands is a place that enjoys a fragile peace. The thing that’s keeping everything from descending into war are the various witches. Most witches have one specific talent (more of a superpower than magic) and these include controlling the wind, sending messages long distance, being hard to kill and so on. The rarer your power, the more valuable you are. The main character, Safiya, is a Truthwitch. In short, she knows if you’re lying. Her best friend, Iseult, is a Threadwitch; she can see the complex bonds of fate and consequence between people. Given that they are both teenage girls with a distinctive edge when it comes to social interaction, wackiness ensues. Unfortunately for the pair, more than a few people would like to control a Truthwitch, and as the fragile peace begins to crack, the duo find that they have to work very hard to keep their freedom.

Despite its formulaic trappings, Truthwitch is a steady and highly engaging read. Of course, we know that the main character is going to fall for some powerful young man, and yes, at some point we expect one of the lead characters’ special abilities to be more trouble than it’s worth. The fact that we know these beats are coming doesn’t make it any less of an enjoyable experience. Dennard breathes life into her protagonists, and it’s the relationships between these heroes that keep us turning the page. The dialogue is strong, clever and sweet, and though the world is nothing special, we care so much about the characters that we want to know more. Truthwitch is as good as it gets, and well worth a look.

TRUTHWITCH / AUTHOR: SUSAN DENNARD / PUBLISHER: TOR / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 14TH (HARDCOVER), AUGUST 11TH (PAPERBACK)

 

THE LAST WAR

Sometimes, the purpose of science fiction is to provide a full-on, action-fuelled romp that will take the reader on an impossible journey. Other times, its purpose is to hold up a mirror to the real world by using strange ideas and elaborate metaphors to make the reader think. Alex Davis’s The Last War is firmly in the latter category, and this makes it a leisurely yet engaging read.

The central plot is one that feels more like a parable than a science fiction story. Davis introduces us to an alien race called the Noukari. They are an intelligent, rational species who are a very much still a developing culture. Every resource they have is precious and any project they undertake can have far reaching implications for their continued survival. They also have some level of telepathic power, though as a developing culture they’ve yet to codify or fully realise their abilities.

Some of the Noukari believe that their far and distant creators, a race called the Apex, are gods and should be worshipped. Others maintain that this is an enormous waste of precious time and energy, especially as it is impossible to prove if the Apex exist. Over time, the two groups grow apart and, of course, blame each other when things go wrong. What begins with mutual suspicion and energetic debate ends in something far darker and far too familiar to anyone who has ever picked up a newspaper.

The Last War is slow, character-driven fiction which features heroes that are mostly defined by their relationships with other characters as well as their conflicting opinions. None of the protagonists are particularly sympathetic, but the story itself is intriguing. Davis writes in a relaxed and gentle style, taking the time to slowly expand on his story and draw the reader in. Engaging stuff and worth your time.

THE LAST WAR / AUTHOR: ALEX DAVIS / PUBLISHER: TICKETY BOO PRESS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

STAR WARS: REY’S SURVIVAL GUIDE

Star Wars has seen a major resurgence in its lore books over the past few years. With the success of Daniel Wallace’s books on the Sith, Empire, Bounty Hunter’s Guild and Jedi, it was only natural that we would see something tying into the new generation. With the new forces of the First Order and Resistance introduced and so many new worlds to explore, Rey’s Survival Guide had a ready-made audience awaiting new stories. Unfortunately, this probably isn’t the book fans were hoping for, and it’s baffling an author as talented as Jason Fry didn’t produce something truly stellar here.

Written as an in-universe work, the Survival Guide has been pieced together by Rey (AKA the Luke Skywalker successor of the new trilogy) as she struggled to make a living on Jakku. It records her past experiences on a world littered with the hardware of long dead armies, offering insight into both.  The problem is that, unlike its predecessors, the book only starts to touch on these elements rather than truly delving into them.

We sadly learn very little about Rey herself save for one or two charming bits about her childhood, and despite its unique environment Jakku itself seems unremarkable. We learn little of the vehicles (save for which bits make profitable sales) or inner workings of any society, and that’s largely thanks to Rey herself. It tries to keep things toned down, to focus upon how she understandably either doesn’t know or has the time to fully cover these, but that just makes for an extremely shallow experience. It leaves the book relying upon the reader’s investment in Rey, but there’s little personality or real flourish to her writing style. This could have easily been overcome by having her inherit the guide from prior owners, but the only push for more flavour text comes in the form of a few fliers. These moments are where the book really shines as it gives something for the writing to truly work with, but they’re few and far between.

Perhaps the biggest casualty here is the artwork, as the book tries to emulate the sketches of an everyday person. Understandable, but it means it pales in comparison to the glorious illustrations of The Jedi Path and others, and it’s often visually dull at best.

While Rey’s Survival Guide isn’t bad, it’s bland and fairly unremarkable, which is a problem when it’s following several smash hits like Book of Sith. If you truly want to see more of The Force Awakens it’s not a bad option, but you would do better to look into the author’s vastly better works like The Essential Guide to Warfare.

STAR WARS: REY’S SURVIVAL GUIDE / WRITER: JASON FRY / PUBLISHER: STUDIO FUN INTERNATIONAL / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

 

STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS ACTIVITY BOOKS

Do you hate your children? Are you currently looking for presents for them, even though Christmas has been and gone? You could do a lot worse than Egmont’s Star Wars offerings: the Poster Activity Book, Colouring Book and the papercraft Build a Droid book.

All three are cheap (nothing more than a tenner), inoffensive, and likely to keep your child quiet on a rainy day. We certainly remember this tactic working on us when we were children. It’s also a good way to get children on board with the new characters if they weren’t already. The Poster Activity Book combines removable posters with word searches, maze puzzles and even a simplified form of Sudoku. Y’know, traditional puzzles. As for the colouring book… well, there’s not much to say about the colouring book. It’s a book. With Star Wars drawings. That you colour in. (Three years at the Academy for Arts Reviewers for this?)

The most interesting product here is the Build a Droid book. It’s designed to get youngsters thinking all crafty in an effort to build one or all of C-3PO, R2-D2 and BB-8 out of thickened card and making use of instructions. The instructions are very bare bones, so be prepared to actually get involved when your children are making these. Best let them do the actual assembly though as it requires small hands and might be a bit too fiddly for adults. It was certainly too fiddly for us – we gave up after another sodding tab snapped off R2’s stupid cylinder body. At least the resulting head is small enough to chuck out of the window in frustration.

It is, if nothing else, a decent selection of products. None of these would be a beloved present handed down for generations, but then nobody was expecting them to be. Great to keep your kids quiet, or to give to a nephew you are ambivalent about.

STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS BUILD A DROID / STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS COLOURING BOOK / STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS POSTER ACTIVITY BOOK / PUBLISHER: EGMONT / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

(Each sold separately)

 

2001: A SPACE ODE & DITTY

When first approaching Colin J. Davies’ book 2001: A Space Ode & Ditty, an open mind is essential. The cover declares it “A fandom drama of memoirs and poetry”, but this offers little real insight into what you might find inside. Venture in though and Davies’ witty anecdotes and observations will very quickly hook you, and at less than 80 pages it will all then be over far too quickly.

Developed from a spoken word show first performed in November 2014, this book is a nostalgic trip that documents the spiritual journey of a self-confessed geek; a man so enamoured with pop culture and nerd-dom that every key event in his life is notable by the references that surround it. Perhaps this is what may prove to be slightly divisive. If you lived through the same experiences, enjoyed the same films for the first time, and coveted the same merchandise, then Davies’ book will resonate deep within your soul. If you didn’t then perhaps it may prove a little too indulgent in places, but the humour and intelligent writing are still deeply engaging.

Whatever your preferences, this is a book worth picking up and one unlike anything you have probably read before. It’s also worth returning to that cover line, but with a little embellishment. In Davies’ book, the memoirs are rich and entertaining and the poetry is both funny and poignant, and also very accessible. But more than that this is simply a thoroughly entertaining read, albeit a brief one.

2001: A SPACE ODE & DITTY / AUTHOR: COLIN J. DAVIES / PUBLISHER: WORDRABBIT / PUBLISHER: OUT NOW

 

70S MONSTER MEMORIES

Many books have been written on the seventies as horror’s golden age; few convey as well as this one does, what it was actually like to grow up as a horror movie fan in that era, a time before DVD, digital downloads and Netflix, when actually getting to see horror films was often quite difficult, as they were usually limited to a few late night showings on TV (back when there were only three channels) or occasional repertory screenings at the local Odeon (usually on a Sunday afternoon). Often deprived of the actual movies themselves, seventies Monster Kids (like this reviewer) indulged their passion in reading about horror films instead: magazines like House of Hammer and Famous Monsters kept the flame burning as did horror film picture books by such luminaries as Denis Gifford and Alan Frank. The Monster Kids worshipped at the shrine of the Aurora model kit, and swapped trading cards and comics, and poured over movie tie-in novels; anything to get their fix in the long,  agonising wait between movies.

Eric (We Belong Dead) McNaughton’s 70s Monster Memories captures the whole experience in a mammoth 400 pages covering every aspect of what it was to be a horror fan back then. With over seventy contributors writing on a diversity of horror peripherals from BBC Death and Horror Sound Effects LPs, to Geoff Love and his Orchestra soundtracks, to poster magazines, creature feature cards, Scooby Doo, and Dracula Lives!, this is makes for a fascinating look at the many faces of horror fandom.

Although aimed squarely at those who partook in those times (for whom the sight of Horror Top Trumps and Wall’s Dracula’s Secret ice lollies is guaranteed to stir up more than a few childhood memories) there is plenty here for horror fans of all ages. The articles are well researched and informative. Many (such as Tony Earnshaw’s interview with Dez Skinn about the story of House of Hammer magazine) take us behind the scenes of legendary TV shows, comics and fanzines. There’s stuff on British and American television horror and much more besides.

More than a just nostalgia fest, then, 70’s Monster Memories records a very special era in horror fandom, one which ultimately gave rise to the horror community that we know today. “What amazes me from talking to others over the years is the shared experiences,” McNaughton writes in his introduction. “We thought we were the only ones, but there were hundreds, if not thousands, of us across the globe, all experiencing the same thing, being influenced by the same books and magazines.” It is exactly this sense of shared experience that 70s Monster Memories captures so vividly; making the book not just a hugely enjoyable document of 70s horror ephemera, but a testament to horror fandom in all its multifaceted glory.

70S MONSTER MEMORIES / EDITOR: ERIC MCNAUGHTON/ PUBLISHER: BUZZY KROTECK PRODUCTIONS / RELEASE DATE: DECEMBER 20TH 2015