Review Category: Books

Review: Witches: A Tale of Sorcery, Scandal and Seduction / Author: Tracy Borman / Publisher: Jonathan Cape / Release Date: Out Now

Talking about his disquisition on Jack the Ripper, Alan Moore approvingly cited Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, noting that ‘to solve a crime holistically, you’d need to solve the entire period in which it took place’. Thus, From Hell, less a piece of cheap, cheesy Ripperology and more a lengthy autopsy of the 1880s as a whole.

The nineteenth century was a messy time to be solved, the seventeenth even more so. It was a time of heightened political and religious tension, conspiracy and intrigue. James IV of Scotland had acceded to the throne of England (as James I) and had a vicious welcome to his new role in the form of the Gunpowder Plot. James also had a notorious hatred for ‘witchcraft’, which set the tone for the spirit in the country, and the rest of Europe, for the remainder of his reign.

Far from London, but no distance at all from the superstitions that attended the era, is Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. During the seventeenth century, Belvoir was the seat of the Manners family, a modestly aristocratic set who lived in the castle with a large retinue of servants. Among these were the Flowers, a mother and her two daughters, who were the subject of dark accusations of witchcraft. The allegations found purchase and they are, even today, known as the ‘Belvoir Witches’.

The improbable realities of the occult notwithstanding, the case against them was rather flimsy. They appear to have been unfortunate enough to have become inconvenient at a time when an accusation of witchcraft was literally sufficient to prove guilt. Tracy Borman takes up this coldest of cases and submits it to rational assessment. The result is a historical criticism of the era as a whole. If the accusers of the Flower women have any defence at all, it is that they were simply acting in accordance with the prevailing prejudices of the age.

There are multiple sources of blame – the tendency to place faith in potions and spells, the personal animosity of James I, the mistrust of the ritual elements of religion following the reformation and persecution of Catholics in England and the inability to know what to do with unattached women, either spinsters or widows. It reads, with great justification, as a searing indictment of institutionalised misogyny.

Borman marshals an astonishing range of primary sources to present her case. While this is occasionally digressive and distracting (points are laboured with several examples more than are required to convince the reader), it allows the reader to absorb the feel of the age, with its prejudices and preoccupations laid bare.

That said, the digressive elements actually appear as a strength. The book takes the case of the Belvoir Witches as the spine, but presents an analysis of the era as a whole, encompassing everyone from the lowliest pauper to the wannabe witchfinder on the throne. Chapters take an element of the case and tease them out, offering a hint of more information before widening to take in such subjects as cunning folk, the Reformation and Counter-reformation, the huge financial cost associated with maintaining respectable aristocratic status and the contributions of early sceptics.

Borman’s enthusiasm and diligence keeps the history in place, while the central story, and the mysteries, lies and obfuscations that surround it, add a flavour of the detective novel. Much of the truth of the matter is based on speculation; with the gaps in the historical record, it has to be, but Borman admits this where she has to and offers solid reasoning for her suppositions. The result is a solidly readable history that lifts the skin on a dangerous period.

Book Review: The Greatest Movies You’ll Never See / Editor: Simon Braund / Publisher: Aurum Press / Release Date: November 1st

Over the years, being a film fan one comes across news items and studio pitches which never come to fruition, often leaving oneself wondering, years down the line: “what ever happened to that..” This new book aims to highlight many of these aborted films and attempt to find out what exactly happened.

Divided into decades (although the first chapter covers the twenties to the fifties), this enlightening and compelling book unearths many ‘what ifs’ of cinema. Although pitched at general film fans, there is plenty to interest STARBURST readers. Be it MGM’s original intended animated version of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars, with Bugs Bunny animator Bob Clampett at the helm, Darren (Pi, Black Swan) Aronofsky’s attempt to film Batman: Year One or the Kevin Smith scripted Tim Burton version of Superman Lives.

There are some which are better known than others and some made it past the planning stages and were almost completed. Jerry Lewis’ infamous 1972 concentration camp comedy-drama The Day The Clown Cried, which has only ever been seen by a select few close to Lewis, being one.  Alejandro (Santa Sangre) Jodorowsky’s planned version of Dune which is featured is now the subject of an upcoming documentary. 

Accompanying each entry is a mock-up film poster by two fantastic artists, Akiko Stehrenberger and Heath Killern whose work between them has promoted such films as Funny Games and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Some of the pieces on display in the book are simply beautiful.

It’s a fascinating read, and what with Christmas looming on the horizon, would also make a fabulous present for that film buff in your life.

Review: Sick / Author: Tom Leveen / Publisher: Amulet / Release Date: October 1st

A bunch of swaggering, cocky American teens find themselves trapped in the drama department of their High School when a nasty viral outbreak turns friends and colleagues into ferocious, calcium-hungry zombie-monsters whose flesh is turning into crystal even as spinal corruption causes them to double up and run about like carnivorous killer monkeys. Young Brian Murphy, trapped with his terrified chums, determines to rescue his young sister and his estranged girlfriend, lost and separated in the chaos of the outbreak…

It’s interesting to note how teen horror fiction, having taken the bite out of vampires and pretty much tamed werewolves, has turned its attention to zombies to provide some grisly thrills for the youngsters. And whilst this is resolutely ‘young adult’ stuff – the violence is bloody and gory and the kids’ language is ripe – there’s no real attempt to humanise the zombies (beyond the idea that the virus could be curable and the infected returned to normal, generally a forlorn hope) or turn them into pallid, romanticised fantasy figures. Sick’s ‘zombies’ are ruthless and deadly killing machines; they take no prisoners and, in the end, Brian and his gang have little choice but to slice and dice when the chips are down.

Sick is a loud and proud adventure romp. None of its lead characters are especially likeable – their dialogue rarely rises above the level of ‘freaking awesome, dude’, ‘douche bag’ and ‘asshat’ which is initially vaguely irritating – but, by the time the story proper kicks in (and it doesn’t take long), all bets are off. The kids are trapped inside a locked-down high school and the tension becomes palpable as the survivors try to understand what’s going on and how the hell they’re going to get out. Sick has no ambitions other than to tell a rattling, page-turning modern horror story and Leveen’s prose is fast, no-nonsense stuff packed with edge-of-the-seat action and populated by irritating smart-ass American kids. Great literature it ain’t, but then that’s hardly the intention. This is a whip-crack speedy read that you’ll get through in two quick sittings and is actually quite likely to leave you hungry for more – and there’s certainly plenty of potential for a ’what happens next?’ sequel. Guilty pleasure fun.

Review: A Once Upon a Time Tale – Reawakened / Author: Odette Beane / Publisher: Titan / Release Date: Out Now

A question to all you fairy tale fans – what came first, the pumpkin or the glass coach?

Reawakened is loosely based on Season 1 of the hugely successful American fairy tale television drama show Once Upon a Time. The ABC show, which first aired in 2011, is now into its third season in conjunction with its spin-off show, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. Therefore, in some ways it is difficult to review this book purely on its own merits.

For those not in the know, both the novel and the television show tell the tale of Emma Swan, a beautiful blonde bail bond agent. Emma (unbeknownst to her at the onset of this contemporary fairy tale) is caught between two worlds – modern day American and the world she was born into, which was populated by well known fairy tale characters.

On the eve of her 28th birthday, Emma’s life is transformed by the unexpected arrival at her apartment of the child she gave up for adoption ten years ago, Henry. Henry persuades Emma to drive him back to his adopted mother’s home in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke. On the journey there, Henry begins to confide to Emma that all is not what it seems in Storybrooke. He alleges that the townsfolk are fairy tale characters trapped in present day America who have no memory of their true identifies. Henry claims that only Emma can break the evil curse which has beset the residents of Storybrooke. Should Emma believe her son Henry or ignore his plea for help?

Reawakened is a novel with a significant female bias. Emma (who is alleged to be the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming), Regina (the evil Queen) and Mary-Margaret (Snow White) to name but three. It uses a primary storyline (Emma’s world) and a secondary storyline which tells the tale of the past events in the lives of key characters prior to the evil Queen’s curse. It thus weaves a somewhat complex tale of past and present. The reader (through Emma’s gradual encounters with residents of Storybrooke) is required to piece together who is who in relation to the fairy tale characters.

Where the novel is lacking is in the sort of detail that will help you to visualise the characters and settings. However, the complexity of the storylines is enjoyable, and if you’re intrigued by the TV show but missed season one, then this novel would definitely serve as a decent introduction.

Review: Elysium – The Art of the Film / Author: Mark Salisbury / Publisher: Titan Books / Release Date: Out Now

In the foreword to this sleekly designed art book, director Neill Blomkamp asserts that he is primarily a visual artist, a sentiment that rings true throughout this companion piece for his latest creation Elysium. Crammed full of stunning production stills, art designs from the celebrated Weta Workshop and closer looks at props you may have missed, this book serves as the ideal complement to Blomkamp’s latest sci-fi thriller.

It isn’t a fluke that has led critics to deliver unanimous praise for Elysium’s visual aesthetic. The weaponry, robot characters and vehicles have been created with such intricate detail that general assertions like “it looks pretty good” begin to feel like a patronising pat on the head. Every last detail has been constructed to tell you something interesting or special about the landscape (even down to the tattoos on lead Matt Damon) and this book does an excellent job of feeding across Blomkamp’s love for building these fantastic futuristic worlds.

Unfortunately, given that this is an art book, there’s not a whole lot in terms of text. So if it’s a meaty read packed full of facts and figures you want, this won’t be for you. However, if what you crave is a well-designed, glossy and impressive book spilling over with stunning Elysium art work, something that will serve as an attractive piece of memorabilia, then look no further. A collection ideal for film buffs, sci-fi enthusiasts and those who like to intensely gaze at Matt Damon.

Review: About Time – The Unauthorized Guide to Doctor Who, Volume 7 / Author: Tat Wood / Publisher: Mad Norwegian Press / Release Date: 10th September

In 2005, Lawrence Miles and Tat Wood began a massive project, a reference guide that would cover the entirety of televised Doctor Who in great depth. Six volumes later, with everything from Hartnell to McGann explored, About Time was complete – except Doctor Who had come back on telly, so it was immediately incomplete again.

After a much-deserved rest, the series is back. Wood is the main writer of this latest volume, which covers 2005 to 2006 – the Christopher Eccleston year and David Tennant’s first series. This is a shorter time period than each earlier volume covered, allowing the book to be remarkably comprehensive. After all, there’s a lot to be discussed regarding Russell T. Davies’ resurrection of the show.

Really, there’s a lot of information in here and reading it will quite comfortably fill up the time from now until the fiftieth anniversary finally comes. Every story, even Children in Need’s eight-minute Pudsey Cutaway, gets a good chunk of pages. For each episode, there’s a well-argued critique. There’s ‘The Bigger Picture’, looking at surrounding political issues. There are impressive continuity notes, profiling each character and monster’s part in the story (and going as far as to speculate on Raxacoricofallopatorian blood pressure). There are behind-the-scenes facts (including at least one not already publicly known per episode), and there are ‘Things That Don’t Make Sense’, which is always a popular subject (though I’m not a fan – knowing all the plot holes ruins the fun).

In addition to all of this, most episodes are accompanied by an essay which takes something from the episode as a starting point and extrapolates this into a very interesting exploration of some aspect of Whodom. For example, The Girl in the Fireplace is accompanied by ‘Is Arthur the horse a companion?’, which takes the episode’s equine guest star and spins off into an exploration of what it actually takes to be classed as the Doctor’s fellow traveller. Also covered are ‘Did Eccleston fall or was he pushed?’, ‘How many Cyber-races are there?’, and ‘Was series 2 meant to be like this?’, among much more.

It really is a diverse read, but with over 460 pages of deep and complex analysis, with constant linking of classic and new stories, it may be too complex a read for casual Whovians. What really helps, though, is the sense of humour and lightness of touch with which Wood writes. He’s a talented writer – his jokes elicit laughs and his passion for Who really shines through.

In a world with more Doctor Who guidebooks than actual episodes (probably), About Time won’t appeal to everybody, but it’s a remarkably intelligent and ambitious project, and if you know your Who, you’ll love it.

Review: Chain Saw Confidential – How We Made America’s Most Notorious Horror Movie / Author: Gunnar Hansen / Publisher: Chronicle Books / Release Date: October 1st

In an industry where hyperbole is the norm, little is ever what it is said to be. Take The Texas Chain Saw Massacre for instance, reviled and vilified at the time of its intended UK release and ultimately refused a certificate by the BBFC. The tales of making this film have long since entered the realm of urban legend, as indeed has the film itself with many people believing that the film is, to all intents and purposes, documented fact and that it all really happened. Case in point, the Texas Prison Museum had, at one point, a notice on their website confirming once and for all that Leatherface was NOT incarcerated in any of the facilities of the Texas Department of Corrections.

A film that has managed to creep that deeply under the skin of the audience’s consciousness MUST have had a truly warped and strange gestation and creation, and finally the truth can be told, by someone who was actually there at the time. Not a friend’s cousin, not a second-hand account from a third party, but an honest to goodness eye witness. The actor behind the role of Leatherface, Gunnar Hansen, a sensitive and gentle writer of poetry, has penned a complete account of the filming of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and believe us it is a riveting and stunningly well written book.

TCSM fans world-wide should certainly be clamouring to read this true, highly detailed story of the trials and tribulations behind the camera. To his credit, Hansen has contacted the cast and crew of the movie and conducted extensive interviews with them, covering every piece of minutiae about the shared experience of bringing this tale to the screen, so in a way, it’s a collective experience that Hansen is relating.

The story is of independent/guerilla filmmaking at its best – or worst if you were a cast member. Imagine having to film indoors during a hot Texan summer where the heat was approaching 120 degrees and having to spend literally hours under Leatherface’s mask. Imagine being actress Marilyn Burns, who suffered all too literally for her art, being beaten for real in the garage before being taken back to the Chain Saw family home, and then actually having her finger cut open so the “grandpa” could suckle. Her distress during the long chase with Leatherface was all too real as Hansen was chasing her with a real chain saw. Marvel at the notion that the stunt stand-in would take a dive through the ground floor window – a fall of three feet, but to show Burns actually landing amid the shards of sugar glass, the actress herself had to dive from a six foot scaffold!

But of course, the filming – which takes up the bulk of the book – is only a part of the story. There’s the hostile reaction to the film when it was released, the several countries (including ours) who banned it outright. And then there are the crazed fans who claim to have been on set, or who swear they know exactly which wing in which Texas prison the real, actual Leatherface is presently held under armed guard.

And then there’s the money, bad distribution deals and shady share distribution that led to the cast and crew being paid peanuts despite the film raking in millions on its initial release. Hansen himself has often been portrayed as an enigmatic and mysterious figure, but here he tells us exactly why he dropped from the spotlight for years after TCSM. It’s a strange tale of drugs, creativity, suffering and a determination to get the job done by an inexperienced crew and raw, young actors who in that summer of 1973 embarked on a journey that is as compelling as the story they would tell on the screen. Starburst can’t recommend this highly enough. Chain Saw Confidential is an absolute MUST read for any horror or independent film fan.

Review: The Mad Goblin / Author: Philip José Farmer / Publisher: Titan Books / Release Date: Out Now

One of the more common observations that we’ve heard in regard to Philip José Farmer’s work is that he’s at his best when he’s been let in the sandbox to play with somebody else’s toys. Such proves to be the case with The Mad Goblin, the third in his Secrets Of The Nine trilogy.

For the uninitiated, the trilogy is about the adventures of Lord Grandrith and Doc Caliban (his take on Tarzan and Doc Savage respectively), servants of the immortal Nine who control much of the world from behind the scenes and have lived since the Stone Age. Enemies at first, the two eventually decide that enough is enough and decide to overthrow their masters. There, that’s pretty much covered it.

This particular adventure follows Doc Caliban, while Lord Grandrith does other things (as seen in the second book, Lord of the Trees). For whatever reason, Farmer decided to write this one in the third person. This is a shame as it would’ve been nice to get a handle on how a guy like Doc Caliban thinks (“’bitchin’’ I thought, as I broke some guy’s neck like a twig”) but this isn’t essential to the enjoyment of the book.

Also not essential to the enjoyment of the book, but appreciated all the same, is the new content that Titan have added to the reprint of this book. They’ve included an afterword and a guide to the pertinent events of the universe in which this takes place. However, having this new material is a bit of a double-edged sword as it shows how convoluted this mythology got after a while (especially when it takes into account a book that was never finished; there is an extant outline but it’s not included with this book). It’s probably for the best that Farmer left it where it was, but it would’ve been nice if he’d given some sense of closure rather than ending the tales on a cliffhanger.

Ah well, it is what it is: a finely honed tribute to the pulp novels of Farmer’s own youth that taps into that desire to believe in larger-than-life heroes and the hope that there are men like Doc Caliban out there. Maybe there are, maybe there will be. But for now, we must be content with reading their escapades in novels like this.

Review: Lords of Mars / Author: Graham McNeil / Publisher: Black Library / Release Date: August 29^th

Lords of Mars is the latest novel by Graham McNeil, and the eagerly anticipated sequel to Priests of Mars, which delighted fans by being very different to other Warhammer 40,000 books. It deals with one of the least examined aspects of that franchise, namely the Adeptus Mechanicus, a branch of mankind that worships technology. The plot follows on from Priests of Mars; an expeditionary force has set out to the edge of the galaxy, not only to recover possibly galaxy-shattering tools left behind by a previous expedition, but also to see what is out there.

This makes the series somewhat unique; the 40K milieu is one of decline and looking back, the glory of humanity long gone. In Lords of Mars, we see through the eyes of the Adeptus Mechanicus that there is still a tiny spark of curiosity that has not yet been snuffed out by the cruel and dark realities of the setting. Though there is plenty of action here (including massive tanks, big siege engines and giant robot killing machines known as Titans), the combat does not lead the story, which makes for a very refreshing change of pace.

For a franchise that has very few characters that are instantly recognisable by the casual fan, 40K sure has a lot of character-driven novels written for it and Lords of Mars is no exception. The ensemble cast includes a microcosm of the broader setting; we have Space Marines, tech-priests, brave imperial guard soldiers, cowards, serfs, fools and far stranger things.

McNeil tells his tale on multiple levels; the circumstances of one character serve as a metaphor for the problems of another and this draws the reader in, making it hard to pull away from the narrative until the story is told. There isn’t a single character who isn’t engaging or interesting, though more than a few are quite unlikeable. The pace is gentle, punctuated with sequences of rapid action and incredible violence.

Lords of Mars does suffer slightly from being the middle book in a series; it doesn’t so much start, rather it simply continues and the conclusion is mostly set-up for the next novel, which won’t come out for another year. This makes it seem slightly incomplete and arguably certain story arcs could have been ended earlier to give the work a more satisfactory closure. Overall, though, this is a novel that uses the least human Imperial faction in the Warhammer 40,000 setting to explore the nature of humanity in the 41st millennium, and does so in a way that includes plenty to delight action-junkies and drama-llamas alike.

Review: Super Graphic – A Visual Guide to the Comic Book Universe / Author: Tim Leong / Publisher: Chronicle Books / Release Date: September 1st

Say hello to the geekiest book you’re ever going to buy. A book that is crammed to the hilt with page upon page of bar graphs, pie charts and timelines may not sound like something we’d promote, but when you consider that the subjects of every one of those statistical presentations are characters from comic books, you may find that your interest is somewhat piqued.

The book never strays far from knowing that it’s pretty ludicrous to put facts and figures of our super – and other not-so-super – heroes into this kind of format, but that’s what makes this a great book. Instead of pages of text and canonical history to wade through and bog yourself down with, the author has instead decided to provide the reader with colourful, easy to digest visualisations of things that, as a fan, you should already know as well as other things that you probably didn’t.

For example, there are breakdowns of how long heroes and villains have stayed dead for after their comic book demises; there is more than one exhibition of what happens in The Walking Dead universe; there is even a section devoted to superhero influences in the rap music genre.

Pleasantly, it is not just our caped crusaders that get a look in though. There are such diverse inclusions as Charlie Brown, Death Note and Comic-Con. Even cosplaying is covered in one way or another.

It’s instantly forgettable due to its devil-may-care layout and yet, that’s what makes it a must buy. You’ll find yourself revisiting it time and time again, looking for that one nerd fact that will help you win an argument or just finding yourself smiling at the way it’s all aimed at anyone who could care, regardless of how deeply they are steeped in the history of comics. It’s cool to be a geek now, so embrace it. This is your new easy reference Bible.