Review Category: Books

Review: Sherlock Holmes – The Stuff of Nightmares / Author: James Lovegrove / Publisher: Titan / Release Date: August 30th

Character crossovers are a perennial feature of published fiction as much as they are the engine of fevered playground debate. Who would win in a fight between Superman and the Hulk? What sentence would Judge Dredd give Spider-Man? Would Sherlock Holmes recognise Batman as an ally or regard him as an enemy? Such mash-ups frequently require the use of some handy gubbins to bring the two leads together, often at the cost of suspension of disbelief.

James Lovegrove’s excellent new Sherlock Holmes novel The Stuff of Nightmares deftly negotiates this trap by creating a character who is essentially a nineteenth century superhero. Baron Cauchemar is part Batman, part Iron Man and part Jules Verne-esque scientific adventurer. He stalks London’s East End underworld, apparently righting wrongs and thwarting criminals, but is he connected to the recent wave of bombings? Time for Mr Holmes to dust off the deerstalker.

One of the many gifts that Conan Doyle gave to his inheritors is the series of gaps in the canon. Watson has always been a rather self-effacing and modest biographer who makes no secret of the shortcomings of his accounts, including referring to dates, moments and adventures he has missed or glossed over. Lovegrove inserts his story into one of these liminal spaces, catching up with Holmes and Watson in 1890, between The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventure of the Final Problem. Allusions are made to both, and to other elements of Sherlock lore, making it, like the BBC version, additionally thrilling to eagle-eyed fans.

Of course, none of this would matter if the book, and the adventure it contains, were poor. Fortunately, this is very far from the case and The Stuff of Nightmares is a pacey, exciting thriller that retains everything that makes Sherlock great; the setting, the adventure, the mystery and the central relationship between Holmes and Watson. The steampunk elements are restrained and never used as a substitute for the thrill of mystery and Holmes’ detective skills. When they do appear, they are in the service of, rather than at the expense of, the characters and plot. They do offer the tantalising hint of what would happen if a masked hero appeared in Sherlock’s world and offer an answer to the question of how the great detective would respond.

Lovegrove, an author with a productivity rate that makes Stephen King look positively tardy, displays his well-honed skills on every page. The novel is perfectly structured and characters are introduced with flair and humanity. The overall effect is of a tremendously accomplished thriller which leaves the reader in no doubt that they are in the hands of a confident and skilful craftsman. He is an excellent choice to borrow Conan Doyle’s keys to 221b and the news that he is working on a second Sherlock adventure is most welcome.

Review: Tales – The Art of Christian Alzmann / Author: Christian Alzmann / Publisher: Titan Books / Release Date: Out Now

Christian Alzmann, whilst he is not a household name, is much respected reputation amongst people in the visual effects world. He has contributed to such films as Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Cowboys and Aliens, Terminator Salvation and Van Helsing to name but a few. Tales: The Art of Christian Alzmann brings together the sketches and paintings of a man who has influenced and been influenced by the films and projects that he has worked on.

Tales starts with a collection of sketches which the artist has taken, in his words, “from sketchbooks and off the stacks of Post-it notes” he has to hand in order to flesh out his ideas. These include designs for monsters, pirates, robots and cyborgs; some are just in pencil, some are heightened with colour. The collection then moves onto the paintings that Alzmann has created. These are variations on the themes apparent in his sketches, bringing in nature, cyberpunk and the films that inspired him when he was growing up. Particular favourites of this reviewer include Maintenance which includes the tagline “an aging human/robot hybrid oils his tarnished shell”, and Lab Rat with its tagline “What if Gulliver’s Travels took place in the 1940s?” All of the portraits show the talents of a man who sometimes may only have these taglines to go on and yet be expected to create something phenomenal. Tales is then rounded off with a tutorial section in which he shows the step by step creation of what is a typical design for him.

The resulting book is certainly a must for graphic designers and artists alike. Alzmann’s varied ideas are enough to inspire any budding filmmaker with his take on the Gothic and the fantastical, and they’re just a little bit mischievous for good measure.

Review: The Legend of Korra – The Art of the Animated Series, Book 1 – Air / Author: Michael Dante, DiMartino Bryan Konietzko/ Publisher: Dark Horse / Release Date: Out Now

One of the things that makes The Legend of Korra such a fun show to watch is the fact that not only does it look beautiful, but that every single element is designed to create a coherent and believable world. With such attention to detail, The Legend of Korra:The Art of the Animated Series makes not only an interesting read, but a very pretty one as well.

For those who’ve never seen it, The Legend of Korra is a sequel of sorts to the Nickleodeon TV series Avatar: The Last Air Bender. It’s set a generation after Avatar, and it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into working out how the feudal Chinese stylings of the first show has evolved into the Art Deco chic of The Legend of Korra. The book is almost worth it solely for the drawings of the cast of Airbender as adults.

This is a coffee-table style book, filled with initial character sketches, design ideas and other artwork. Enough effort has been made with the text to allow a casual fan to make sense of the pictures, bur this is a book that’s all about the pretty drawings. Not only does it display the design process in an interesting way, it’s a handy reference for the sort of fan who loves to make or draw cool things.

Review: Broken Homes / Author: Ben Aaronovitch / Publisher: Gollancz / Release Date: Out Now

With Broken Homes, Ben Aaronovitch gives us the fourth Rivers of London book featuring PC Peter Grant, a policeman specialising in magic and the supernatural. At some point in any large series (we predict a total of 7 books) the author is generally very familiar with their creation and sometimes the level of innovation drops before picking up for the end of the series (we’re looking at you, Harry Potter). Would this be the title that was merely good rather than great?

At an early stage of the book we are treated to a fair on the South Bank of the Thames. This gives Ben Aaronovitch a chance to drop in many of the characters and themes from the first three books including the River gods, his family, jazz and the many (and varied) characters that inhabit this London so close to our own. At this stage the story is like a favourite jacket – we are comfortable with it, like wearing it but have become used the where the pockets are and what shirt to wear with it.

The story then emerges from an apparently haphazard landscape of deaths and murders as we are introduced to the world of early 20th century architecture and a tower block near the Elephant and Castle. As Peter and Lesley investigate they also continue to learn about magic at the Folly under the supervision of Nightingale and throughout the book Peter’s magical skills continue to improve, albeit slowly.

Of course the real enemy is the Faceless Man and we are treated to a confrontation between him and Peter and a plot twist that will surprise most readers and lifts this book up a notch in my estimation and makes me keen for the next instalment.

Being slightly picky, at times the text seemed to need a bit more editing (and the author has asked people to provide edits via twitter) and almost turns into a text book with the volume of material it imparts with regards architectural best practice. The bottom line is that if you’ve read the first three books you have probably already bought this; if the urban fantasy world of Peter Grant is new to you then go out, get the first book (Rivers of London) and dive in.

Review: Space Monsters #1 / Release Date: Out Now

If you like monsters from space, you’ll love Space Monsters, the new fan magazine edited by Richard (‘Cyberschizoid’) Gladman, the man behind the Classic Horror Campaign. Space Monsters combines science fiction and horror to celebrate the darker side of sci-fi and the classic monster movies of yesteryear. Issue 1 features The Green Slime, King Kong and Godzilla, Space 1999, Doctor Who, giant bug movies and Star Trek. There’s also an appreciation of extra-terrestrial beauty in the form of Maya, the space babe from Space 1999.

Space Monsters is simply gorgeous to look at. Produced by many of the same team who brought us the recent We Belong Dead, issue one has dozens of great stills from Steve Kirkham and the wonderful Hemlock Books, including some rare lobby cards and posters for films like The Giant Claw, and some rare behind the scenes stills of Space 1999; Woody Welch contributes great artwork throughout; and designer Kirkham and editor Gladman pull it all together beautifully.

As in We Belong Dead, the writing is top notch: editor Gladman looks at the scarier moments in Gerry Anderson’s Space 1999; WBD editor Eric McNaughton contributes fascinating retrospectives of Them! and The Giant Claw; the ever-reliable Ernie Magnota offers golden memories of classic 1950s double-bill Godzilla Vs Megalon and Beware! The Blob; Trevor Talbot looks at Sinbad movies through the eyes of childhood and contributes a rundown of his top ten giant bug movies; David Brilliance takes a nostalgic look at Stark Trek, the original TV series, while Brian Gregory offers an in-depth article on the continuing influence of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone on television and film.

Altogether it’s a great mix, hugely enjoyable, and brimming with love for these movies and television shows. It is going to be interesting to see where Richard Gladman and his contributors take this. Invitations are open for submissions. Next issue (available in print and digital editions) is a ‘Space Vampires Special’, with an intriguing mix of pieces on It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958), Lifeforce (1985), Queen of Blood (1966), Planet of the Vampires (1965) and The Astrozombies (1968).

Review: Punch Drunk Moustache / Author: Various / Publisher: Titan Books / Release Date: Out Now

Punch Drunk Moustache is an anthology which has allowed eight prominent animation artists to come together and put out a collection of offbeat, visually interesting examples of storytelling through art. We begin with Amy Beth Christenson’s From Chickens to Victory which retells the consequences of letting humans develop and play with super serums. Next, we have Hyunwoo Lim’s Insatiable Desires, which storyboards the scene and characters of an allegorical struggle for the elements that existence holds so dear. Jeff Sangalli’s Creature Hunter lays the foundations of a story of a little girl who collides with Jim Henson-style creatures, whilst John-Paul Balmet’s Drifting follows a road trip which takes a rather unexpected turn. Next, onto Will Nichols’ Mo-Su-Te-Su; this follows a robot’s return trip to Earth to see a vastly changed existence for himself. Nate Watson’s XB3 shows us, as he puts it, a ‘woman running away from monsters’. Penultimately, Sean Pando’s Phylo’s Rite of Passage tells a story of potentially legendary proportions … using frogs! And finally, Chris Voy’s Rainmaker explores how water can be expanded into a creative story.

Punch Drunk Moustache is a wonderfully abstract collection by designers of the highest calibre; bringing together experience from such institutions as Lucasfilms, Sony Entertainment as well as more independent firms such as Thrillbent and consequently this collection simply oozes quality. Each story, though many of them remain in their infancy, are so well drawn and stylised in their own unique way that it is no wonder all of the artists are of such esteemed reputations. They bring different tastes, so whether you are looking at the more classic science-fiction flavour of Chickens to Victory, or the manga influence of Mo-Su-Te-Su, you are certain to find work that suits your own palette while also discovering something new.

It’s worth stressing that these are incomplete pieces of work. Punch Drunk Moustache is an anthology of ‘works in progress’ and the potential for these works to go places is infinite; one hopes that this is only the first volume of an anthology series that could have a bright future ahead for it.

Review: Jaunt – An Unauthorized Guide to The Tomorrow People / Author: Andy Davidson / Publisher: Miwk Publishing / Release Date: August 21st

With the all-new glossy American reboot of The Tomorrow People looming over the horizon, Andy Davidson’s comprehensive look at the original 1970s kid’s TV series – often dubbed “ITV’s answer to Doctor Who” – and its associated remakes and comic strips is nothing if not timely. The original series, chronicling the adventures of a group of ‘homo superior’ teenagers, the next stage in human evolution with special powers of telepathy, telekinesis and teleportation (or ‘jaunting’ as they themselves referred to it – hence the name of the book) ran for 79 episodes between 1973 and 1979 and yet was never beloved or cherished by its makers at Thames Television. The show was underfunded and often underwritten (all but four of the episodes were the work of the show’s ambitious creator, Roger Price) and the show, resolutely aimed at children thanks to its weekday teatime timeslot, was never able to achieve the acclaim or popularity of the BBC show it had been created to challenge. But despite creaky special effects and even creakier acting from its often experienced young cast, The Tomorrow People the show was a massive success beyond even Price’s wildest dreams.

The secret of the show’s popularity and its enduring appeal (and the catalyst for its reinventions) is surely in the wish-fulfilment promise it offers its audience. The Tomorrow People, ordinary kids like its viewers, were instantly identifiable and relatable and their abilities and adventures reflected the dreams and fantasies of imaginative 1970s children. The viewers wanted to be heroes, they wanted to be able to do a amazing things, they wanted to stand up against authority and right wrongs on an often cosmic scale. Whereas 21st century teenagers are obsessed with getting the thumbs-up from Simon Cowell or marrying a footballer, the children of The Tomorrow People generation, especially those who felt they were different or just didn‘t fit in with their contemporaries, could take comfort in the adventures of an entire group of outsiders who always made good in the end and whose exploits encouraged even the most socially adrift of viewers that they could eventually find their place in the scheme of things.

What’s really remarkable about Jaunt is the fact that no one’s done it before. Davidson explains the background to the series and its creation, the aspirations of Price as he struggled to bring the show to the screen against initial apathy from the ITV Network, and the struggle to launch a high-concept science fiction adventure series which was never shy of going to places its budget couldn’t properly realise on little more than TV loose change. The meat of Jaunt is the author’s examinations of the show’s mythology; his chatty prose (which has a tendency towards repetition – some anecdotes and pieces of information see the light of day on several occasions) covers the main beats of each of the televised stories, followed up by trivia comments and observations and his own ‘review’ of each story. The storylines themselves aren’t presented in huge detail, so those unfamiliar with the series might find themselves a bit lost (although the book seems designed as a companion-piece to a marathon re-watch of the entire series – imagine that!), but Davidson is to be commended for his determination for completism in examining each of the 34 comic strip adventures printed in the Look-In, the ‘Junior TV Times’ magazine of the era, and the books and novels based on the series. Davidson is rightly dismissive of the short-lived 1990s reboot which ditched much of the mythology of the original show and his examination of the Big Finish audio series, abruptly terminated when Fremantle, the show’s copyright owners, withdrew the company’s licence, reveals a Tomorrow People series horribly misinterpreted, replacing lively and imaginative sci-fi adventures with angst-ridden character drama and relationship turmoil. Roger Price could surely have never approved.

Jaunt is worlds away from the style of some of the academic tomes written about Doctor Who, Star Trek, The Prisoner and dozens of other better-regarded fantasy series. But then The Tomorrow People neither requires or deserves such attention; the book’s a heady, invigorating and occasionally fascinating look (the entire script for an unfilmed adventure, Mystery Moon, is presented) at a show often dismissed as cheap and childish but which may yet, if the new CW series can hold its nerve and not betray the show’s endlessly enthralling premise, carve out a respectable niche for itself in the history of sci-fi TV.

Review: Age of Godpunk / Author: James Lovegrove / Publisher: Solaris Books / Release Date: September 12th

Age of Godpunk is a collection of three novellas, all set in a world in which long forgotten deities continue to interfere with the affairs of man. Minor mythic beings messing about with mortal affairs has been a mainstay of the urban fantasy genre for quite some time, but Lovegrove’s approach to this sort of storyline always makes the relationship adversarial.

The first story is Age of Anansi. A highly successful barrister finds himself striking an unlikely bargain with the infamous African trickster god, and is coerced into competing in an annual competition with representatives of all the other trickster gods from other cultures. It’s the lightest story of the three, and it’s a compelling and enjoyable read. Much of the fun comes from the various tricksters trying to one-up each other, and they’re handled rather beautifully. Loki is particularly fun, and this is a great (though dark) tale of cunning, foolishness and knowing when to quit whilst you’re ahead.

We reviewed Age of Satan when it came out on its own in eBook only format; its inclusion in this compilation means you can now own a copy that will fit neatly on a shelf and that doesn’t need batteries. This short tale of madness, malevolence and manifestos sits perfectly in the collection; it’s much darker than the previous tale but also sets the scene nicely for the final story.

Age of Gaia is a bit of an odd tale, featuring an arrogant CEO of a global power generation company who tries to reform his ‘green’ image. Though part of it is clearly a polemic against the close-minded and arrogant on both sides of the environmental debate, it’s also a tale filled with fear and confusion, and it’s hard to tell if all of this is entirely intentional. It’s also, in part, a parody of recent publishing trends. (It’s tempting to call it 50 Shades of Gaia, put it that way). Of all of the stories in this set, this one suffers from being slightly too long to deliver a short, sharp shock, but also too brief to actually explore the full potential of its themes.

Overall, this is a great little treat for fans of the urban fantasy genre, and it should satisfy those who like their horror thrillers short, snappy and filled with interesting ideas.

Review: Niceville / Author: Carsten Stroud / Publisher: Arrow Books / Release Date: Out Now

Welcome to Niceville. A haunting town enveloped by ominous dread and riddled with unanswered questions. It’s the backdrop for Carsten Stroud’s first novel in a promised trilogy which brings together tales of bizarre disappearances, disturbing criminal activity and the town’s troublesome history. Flashing with moments of brilliance but wobbling under its own ambition, Niceville is a frustrating case where less would have been considerably more.

It begins with the disappearance of Rainey Teague, a young boy who somehow reappears under almost impossible circumstances. As he rests deep in a coma, an investigation into the mystery is led by officer Nick Kavanaugh, an officer renowned for his efficiency, but one whose inner demons are triggered by the ongoing horrors in Niceville. Running parallel to this investigation is the hunt for a murderous sniper that results in a slew of murdered cops, and there are also supernatural forces causing a ruckus with the town’s inhabitants. Apparently just your average day in Niceville.

The main issue with these separate strands is they’re all very different tonally. One chapter can read like an excerpt from a long-lost Stephen King novel, whereas the next delivers a crime thriller with oddly likeable murderers and elaborate weaponry lingo. Which might sound okay, but the horror-orientated side of Niceville is simply more involving and interesting to read. A fact made particularly apparent during the novels muddled and bloated midsection, which makes the reader crave a thrust towards Rainey’s disappearance over the much less captivating bank heist crime caper interspersed throughout.

It can be frustrating because Stroud’s prose is fantastic in building up tension. His bleak imagery creates a foreboding stillness to Niceville that is genuinely creepy, turning a location into one of the book’s most interesting characters. Had the narrative stuck closer to this unnerving home it might have been a truly gripping tale. Sadly, padding and an unsatisfying close make Niceville hard to recommend despite its truly great moments.

Review: Vulkan Lives / Author: Nick Kyme / Publisher: Black Library / Release Date: Direct Only from Games Workshop until December 3rd

Vulkan Lives is the 26th book in the Horus Heresy series, a sequence of novels set during a galactic civil war being fought between god-like leaders and their demigod-like troops. This particular novel focuses on the Salamanders, a legion of warriors forged in molten lava and who have a thoroughly fiery and dragon-like aspect to them. We’ve been drip-fed stories about this particular faction thus far, but the last time we saw their leader, the Primarch Vulkan, he was facing almost certain doom surrounded by enemies. Fans of the series know he survives, but the tale as to how that played out has been one for which we’ve been made to wait for over twenty books now.

Unfortunately Vulkan Lives does not quite live up to its promise. On the one hand it’s highly accessible (and a good dipping-in point for casual readers), it’s filled to the brim with action, and it carries the ongoing narrative of the series very well. However it lacks the wow factor that has been present in the likes of previous books such as Legion, Betrayer or Angel Exterminatus, and at this stage in the series, it’s this level of quality we’ve come to expect. Kyme puts in a strong effort to reach this standard, but it doesn’t quite make it. Alas, what’s really needed is strong characterisation for the titular character, Vulkan, and it simply isn’t there. He’s bland and weak, with no narrative hook. Betrayer made us feel sorry for an utter monster and Angel Exterminatus made us admire the galaxy’s most arrogant man; this novel simply doesn’t give its central character the pathos that’s required.

The villains of this piece are the Night Lords, and these monsters have appeared in the series before, always written by popular novelist Aaron Dembski-Bowden. Kyme doesn’t have the same sort of flair for these brutish and pragmatic soldiers as the other fellow, and this does slow down the narrative substantially. However, his handling of Konrad Curze is spot on; this could have almost been Curze’s story, rather than that of Vulkan.

Kyme comes into his own with the action sequences, and this is a very rapid read; those who delight in plenty of shooty-death-kill in space are well served here. Yet you can’t escape the feeling that this is more of speed bump in the ongoing journey that is the Horus Heresy than the major highlight it should have been. Still, those looking for a fun read which isn’t too intense (and is filled with Space Marines) should find this just the thing they’re looking for.