Book Release: Department 19 by Will Hill is out in 2 days!

Hey all,

I just wanted to make a post about Will Hill's awesome YA book DEPARTMENT 19 which I reviewed a few weeks back. Well the book (already out in the UK) is due to drop over on our North American shores in two days time.

So get out there, and grab a copy of this amazing and addictive book.

Book Review Archive Added!

Now it is easier than ever to navigate Iceberg Ink's list of reviews....with the new header link above titled "Book Review Archive". We will keep adding to this list now with subsequent reviews. This way if you are looking for an older review it will be very simple to find it.

If you guys think we need anything here on the site, please don't hesitate to leave us your feedback folks!

Comics: Nonplayer by Nate Simpson (AKA the next comic you NEED to buy)

Every now and again a comic comes along and kind of stuns everyone silly. The kind of comic that's art stops you in your tracks and makes you go "Whoa. that is impressive!", and then you read up on what it is about and you think to yourself "Well shit, I HAVE to read that."

Wanna read the synopsis?

Synopsis:

Mid-21st century America doesn't have much to offer Dana Stevens, but there's plenty for her to live for inside Warriors of Jarvath, the world's most popular full-immersion online game. In the real world, she's a tamale delivery girl who still lives with her mom, but inside the game she's an elite assassin. When she gets the drop on King Heremoth, a celebrity non-player character, she thinks she's finally got a shot at fame. But when she slays Queen Fendra, the King's reaction is disconcertingly realistic. Something's amiss in Jarvath, and the effects may reverberate well beyond the boundaries of the game.

Well, that's what happened to me (and the buzz is building) with Nate Simpson's series NONPLAYER, the first issue of which comes out on April 6th. From sweeping gorgeously illustrated vistas for the "within game" stuff, to the urban landscapes of the "real world" stuff the art on this dude's book is absolutely breathtaking.  Like stop the presses we have a new contender for my top fave artist spot (currently held by Joshua Middleton)...like I could sit and stare at these panels all day. Don't want to take MY word for it?

Okay, how about from one of the heavyweights in the comics world:

“This guy’s going to be a big deal... The whole thing is just a fucking stunning piece of illustration.”

-- Warren Ellis

Yeah. That's right! What...another one? Okay.

"Nonplayer's the best new comic I've seen in years."

-- Frank Quitely

Kind words indeed. Though from what I could see of the preview the comic stands to impress and for a breakthrough book like this I am confident that this will put the man on the map. I only begin to worry that it may be so popular I'll be hard pressed to get my hands on it for each issue release. I'll cross my fingers because the minute I saw this I knew I wanted, no NEEDED to read it.

Look out for this one at your local comic stores, and if your local comic store isn't carrying it, then they are silly and you should tell them such and force them to order it.

Personally I can't wait.

Doctor Who: Prequel video to the first episode of Series 6!!

THE IMPOSSIBLE ASTRONAUT, first episode of Series 6 of DOCTOR WHO is less than a month away now, and Moffat and Co. & The BBC have seen fit to give us all a little tease for the first episode in the form of a prequel video. So, without further ado....enjoy!

Quote of the Day

“There exists between them something tenuous and delicate. They can both feel it. Like static in the air. Faint as frost.” ~Patrick Rothfuss WISE MAN’S FEAR

New CAPTAIN AMERICA Trailer

In lieu of a real post, I'll just throw up the new CAPTAIN AMERICA trailer.

Of the three Marvel projects coming to the screen this summer I'd still give the edge to THOR. But this trailer is still pretty damn tasty, despite what I think about a 90 pound weakling having the resonant bass voice of a larger man.

Anyway, I'm fairly certain you can tell where I'm going to be on July 22. (Just in case you were wondering)

Upcoming: LOTR: Extended Edition BluRay Release date!

I think I may have been waiting for this news since I got a BluRay player last year.

LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY: EXTENDED EDITION BluRay set finally has a release date!

JUNE 28th 2011!

For me the Extended Edition is the ultimate version. The theatrical cuts were good, but the Extended Editions are superior in almost every way. This set is for the purist. The people who wants to see Jackson's masterpiece as he really intended. Not to mention in HighDef.

I am super excited and you can actually pre-order for $83! Woot!!

The trailer below is up at the FB site for the set. Check it out!

Book Review: River Marked (Mercy Thompson Book 6) by Patricia Briggs

Title: RIVER MARKED
Author: Patricia Briggs
Page Count: 336 pages

Where I got it: A review copy sent to me from the fine folks at Ace Books (Penguin)

Patricia Briggs does urban fantasy well. While her world is not as big or all-encompassing as other authors, she still writes a damn fine tale. Her latest Mercy Thompson novel (6^th in the series) RIVER MARKED is no exception.

This is a fairly self-contained little story, one which really only includes (from the main cast list) Mercy and her mate/husband/Alpha werewolf Adam. Other main characters appear but only at the beginnig and at the end, but that's okay as we needed a rest from them methinks. Mercy and Adam decide to get married...suddenly...., and then when they go a’honeymoonin’ things of course start to go south. Equal parts supernatural mystery, Mercy’s heritage and her love story, RIVER MARKED, while not a perfect entry in the series is a very fast and fun read.

The story begins with a very simple premise actually. There is something in the river, or near it, that is killing people (the book begins with a couple of news articles about disappearances) and of course that’s right where Mercy and Adam head to relax. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but things ramp up when Mercy and Adam rescue a guy in a boat who is injured, and Mercy is “attacked” by something she thinks is innocuous, but later finds she has been marked by a river monster. The story takes off from there and get's weirder, more exciting and is a heck of a ride.

What’s nice here, for me at least, is that this story FINALLY branches out from the whole Stefan/Marsilia vampire coven feud, werewolf measuring contests, and crazy fae from the reserve stories that have populated the books till now. I’m not saying I disliked those, but I am just glad that Briggs was smart enough to start widening her supernatural world, including more about shifters and the like. Plus, a sea monster is always a nice add.

I think the most intriguing part of this story is actually the view we finally get into Mercy’s past. Her coyote skinwalker nature comes to the fore and we get to learn a few things. The sea monster/otterkind storyline is kind of icing on that cake to be honest.

The only issues I have are with Mercy and Adam. After this long together and the things they have been through I know they are in love, but they behave sometimes like probing teens firstly awakening to love and sex...and they aren't. Real folk don't act like that ALL the time, only some of the time. I'm probably nitpicking, but it stood out a little to me here. More than it has in previous volumes at any rate. Things like Mercy licking a drop of sweat off Adam’s chest seems rather excessive. I like urban fantasy as much as the rest, but I just hope that Briggs doesn’t descend into vampire/werewolf porn. Are these romance books, or supernatural urban fantasy? That said, so far Briggs has kept the romance to a blissful minimum and the main plotline is normally in the forefront. I just hope it stays that way, because in RIVER MARKED there were a few moments that had me wondering. On the flipside, there is a letter in this book that was probably one of the most poignant things Briggs has ever written about love and that I was fine with and even admired.

Like I said above, a fast read, but one that ends with a kind of breathlessness that makes you wonder about the future and what is next in store for Mercy, Adam and Co. Briggs has crafted a really great tale and one that you can probably get through in one sitting. RIVER MARKED is a real wildfire, page-turner and a well-honed 6^th entry in the Mercy Thompson series. If you enjoyed the previous volumes you will enjoy this one, and in fact I'd even go so far as to wager you'll enjoy it even more. I certainly did.

Cover Art: Star Wars Fate Of The Jedi: Ascension

I'm a big fan of this series, and for the most part I've liked the cover art (the art for the 2nd OMEN is my fave)....

...and I REALLY dig this one!

I've only read up to BACKLASH (will be getting the next few for my Kindle soon), but I assume that is Ben and Vestara on the cover. These covers are nice, not too much, not too little. The tonal values in the colours chosen are just right.

Upcoming: Sanderson's steampunk Mistborn book, Alloy Of Law Cover & Synopsis Emerge!

My affinity for all things Brandon Sanderson does not (as one might assume) derive from his finishing of the end of the WHEEL OF TIME series for Robert Jordan, but rather from his own books. The MISTBORN series is chief among those. It is a stunning trilogy that contains everything that I love about a world, not to mention a series. Unique, thrilling, emotional and action-packed, Sanderson's original books pack a punch!

Well, it is time for that punch to have allomancy and feruchemy to apply to guns. The details on the forthcoming short-story-turned-novella-turned-full steampunk-era Mistborn novel, THE ALLOY OF LAW have surfaced, not to mention a Chris McGrath (I love McGrath’s work TBH) drawn cover. 

I'm so beside myself with excitement for this book, you have NO idea!

PLEASE NOTE: Since some folk may not have read MISTBORN the synopsis may contain spoilers of a type, so I have made it white…swipe it to see it.

So without further brouhaha: (swipe now)

Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.

Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to play a role in this reborn world. Out in the frontier lands known as the Roughs, they are crucial tools for the brave men and women attempting to establish order and justice.

One such is Waxillium Ladrian, a rare Twinborn who can Push on metals with his Allomancy and use Feruchemy to become lighter or heavier at will. After twenty years in the Roughs, Wax has been forced by family tragedy to return to the metropolis of Elendel. Now he must reluctantly put away his guns and assume the duties and dignity incumbent upon the head of a noble house. Or so he thinks, until he learns the hard way that the mansions and elegant tree-lined streets of the city can be even more dangerous than the dusty plains of the Roughs.

Doctor Who: News Roundup II

 

Faster and faster. In just over a month my favourite show returns to the air.

The updates from the world of DOCTOR WHO is starting to ramp up in earnest now. So let’s get to it shall we?

Series 6 has production photos, a couple of episode titles, and set photos that have dropped, some are slightly spoilerific, so if you are inclined to stay completely oblivious then don’t scroll down to the pictures at the bottom. There are some non-spoiler photos to be had though, so…

 

The titles to the opening two-part episode of Series 6 have been revealed. Drum roll please:

THE IMPOSSIBLE ASTRONAUT

DAY OF THE MOON

Cool titles, and this is the two-part episode that was shot in America. You know the one that features Matt Smith wearing that stetson and River Song shooting it off his head, not to mention Amy Pond dressed in a hot plaid western shirt. Methinks that also means those aliens that look like “greys” might feature in it. Only time will tell. The other set pics (which feature the previous posts’ mention of James Corden’s return) that are slightly spoilerific will be at the end of the post. As you can see by the picture header the show has an official airdate on April 23rd 2011, and you know I am nothing but excited!

As to the Red Nose Day (Comic Relief special) that is due to air on Friday night on the BBC, there is a little preview trailer that has a clip from the DW sketch, it’s cool and I like the music. Check that out below.

Now let’s dig into something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. That would be classic WHO. Everyone who knows me is aware that my fave Doctor from my youth is definitely the 5^th, Peter Davison’s Doctor. Young, crazy and dressed in a cricket outfit with celery accoutrement he was always the one I remembered watching (with the 4^th and his Scarf and Jelly Babies second). Well, I’ve been feeling like I’ve not revisited old WHO for a long time. In fact I can’t recall the last time I saw a proper episode (that wasn’t the WHO TV movie that starred the 8^th Doctor)…probably 1989 when the last few episodes of the original show aired. So I’ve been thinking a nostalgia return to shaky sets, bad music and costumes…but GREAT stories is due. Therefore I plan to buy one of two DVD’s of these episodes that have been slowly re-released over the last number of years. My first choice will be either of the following (one featuring the Doctor dealing with a maddened Davros and Daleks, and the other his swansong and arguably the greatest episode of classic WHO ever). When I do watch them you can be sure I’ll drop a post about them and what I think on a re-watch all these years later.

And now, find below a couple of those spoilerific pics, which feature…



Cybermats, as apparently the Cybermen are going to be all over the new series and I hope (crosses fingers) that like the Daleks redesign by Moffat & Co., that these will be some form of the oldschool Mondasian Cybermen and not RTD’s Cybus versions. No offense to the new ones but the classic ones are scarier. Anywho, have a look.

 

 

 

Movies: Super 8: A Study in Nostalgia and Style.

My parents didn’t take me to see E.T. The Extraterrestrial in the theatre. They took my sister, but felt that at the tender age of five in 1982 I was too young and it would scare me. I still remember my mother coming home after the film and apologizing to me and saying it was not too scary and they should have brought me. I ended up getting to see it a few years later (though I can’t recall how, I think it might have been a repeat screening on the big screen downtown) and I was spellbound. That was my first Spielberg flick, and I think it started me on the road to fandom for not only the director, but the type of clever family fare he could deliver.

It’s kind of hard to find that sort of movie magic these days. I mean yeah, INCEPTION is brilliant, AVATAR is a visual feast, THE DARK KNIGHT is an incredible crime thriller, the HARRY POTTER films are excellently done, and LORD OF THE RINGS was a triumph of movie-making and storytelling…but do any of those give you that warm feeling that some films of the 1970’s and 1980’s did? I mean one could argue I am being nostalgic for a different time of movies and more importantly my own youth…but I don’t think so. While they are few and far between there have been a FEW films in the last 15 years or so that made me feel something akin to what E.T. did, just not oodles. So in fact I think it has more to do with style and filmmaking skill. For example, while I feel that for the most part Spielberg’s latest Indy flick THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL was an awful entry in the series and a really BAD film (An issue that I place squarely in the lap of writer George Lucas rather than director Spielberg)…there are still hints within it of the movie-magic that captured me as a kid. That was one reason I knew it was stil possible to make a film like this. You know, where there are sweeping suburbia shots, purple-y orange twilight vistas, the night dark is always dark gray or navy (never black), and kids still are kids.

Well, J.J. Abrams, the man who gave us ALIAS, LOST, FRINGE and even the STAR TREK remake and MI:III, it would seem, has made this sort of film. Abrams apparently grew up shooting films as a youth on Super 8 film camera’s (just as Spielberg did) and has made a film revolving around that premise. A bunch of kids who make home made monster movies with Super 8 cameras accidentally film the beginning of something much bigger and more real invading their sleepy hometown. If you can watch the below trailer without summoning up nostalgic E.T. and late 70’s early 80’s style filmmaking I’ll eat my hat. Here you have a film director capturing that magic that made those Spielberg (and his contemporaries) films so great. It’s family fare, but there is nothing here that will make you feel that you are having to “sit through” something your kids want to watch. This is REAL “let’s take the kids” family enjoyment where the whole family will benefit.

Now, Spielberg is producer and Abrams and he both came up with the concept, so it makes sense it would look like this, but what impresses me about Abrams is he knows how to ape film styles. STAR TREK had a “look” and so did MI:III, and as such so does SUPER 8. Abrams is a force to be reckoned with already in my eyes, and if he pulls off this movie with the magic I feel from the trailer, then he will have jumped up a few more spots in the “director” hierarchy within Hollywood elite. Concepting a story with someone like Spielberg is a start.

The film stars Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka, and Kyle Chandler, and is due to be released on June 10, 2011. See the latest trailer below.

Shiny: HBO's GAME OF THRONES poster

Sorry, this needed a post cause it's effing bloody awesome.
That is all. Enjoy.

Comic book reviews for the week of March 9th in six sentences (or less)

Best of the Week

Ultimate Spider-man #155
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Chris Samnee

Peter Parker needs a job and J. Jonah Jameson wants to give him one. The only problem is Jameson knows that Peter is actually Spider-man. So begins one of the best Ultimate comics I have ever read.

This, this issue is what the ultimate universe is/was supposed to be all about. Rebooting familiar characters, freeing them from the shackles of continuity and adding depth to characters who are too often dismissed as two dimensional stereotypes.

Long dismissed as a running gag in the Marvel 616 Jameson was reduced to being an over animated punchline, who’s only real value was to provide comic relief whenever Spider-man acted out. But in this issue Bendis has completed the rehabilitation of the character in a poignant way without ever betraying his core beliefs. Although Jameson feels compelled to help because of the heroism he witnessed during Ultimatum and being saved by Peter from the Chameleon twins, he still has lingering doubts from his time as the leader of the anti Spider-man lobby.

What follows is a traditional Bendisesque heavy dialogue piece that instantly managed to portray an unsympathetic character in a completely different light. Suddenly Jameson wasn’t a joke, he was a fully realized character whose motivations and behaviour made a lot of sense. He wasn’t a foil to be laughed at, he was a fully realized person.

I know the great Ultimate experiment seems to slowly coming to an end. Long past its heyday Ultimate Spider-man is the only title to exhibit any real staying power. And its issues like this that demonstrate just why that is. After 155 issues Ultimate Spider-man is far from stale, its a comic book clinic that shows off how the tights and fights genre can transcend its more self destructive aspects and still be entertaining and engaging.

Batman and Robin #21
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciller: Patrick Gleason

Someone is killing the relatives of Arkham Asylum inmates. Dubbed the White Knight this misguided soul is drugging his victims and dressing them up as angels in the misguided hope that in death he can absolve them of their dark familial connections.

Tomasi has absolutely nailed the affectionate, biting humour of this Batman and Robin. Although very much a second tier Bat-book, freed, for now, from the overarching meta-continuity imposed by DC uber-writer Grant Morrison this is Batman (and Robin) done right. The book strips the B&R mythology down to its roots, solving crimes, kicking ass, hanging out with Alfred and friendly verbal sparring. It’s everything you want in a Batman, minus the constant whinging emo-angst of losing ones parents.

Walking Dead #82
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Penciller: Charlie Adlard

Rick’s band of merry men is in danger of being overrun by a herd of zombies who are pouring through a gap in the compound wall. Fighting a running battle, the group retreats into the deserted houses, powerless to stop the horde.

As much as I love this series, the formulaic nature of its ups and downs is starting to become increasingly unsatisfying. It’s like having the same great meal every day, eventually endless repetition will turn the juiciest steak into sawdust.

The problem is that the central narrative of THE WALKING DEAD has never achieved a stable status quo. Which is good, because a comic book that’s only fighting to maintain the status quo is one that’s apeing the worst qualities of the mainstream superhero set. On the other hand, this series has fallen into a predictable story arc whose tropes are becoming increasingly well worn.

Find shelter. Introduce new characters. Conflict. Zombies. Group splits up. And repeat.

In a world where the writer is trying to create a realistic vision of the zombie apocalypse, WD is increasingly bumping up against the restrictions of its medium. Every time the protagonists achieve some measure of safety Kirkman knocks over the table and starts the whole cycle over again. It’s a problem with any series that’s been around for as long as this one has. It becomes harder to keep things fresh as continuity starts to pile up on you.

Wonder Woman #608
Writer: Phil Hester
Penciller: Geraldo Borges

The Amazonian remnants continue to fight off the bloodthirsty minions of The Morrigan. Diana’s cohorts are slowly being picked off and the Amazon Princess is forced to fight for her life against dark incarnations of her former sisters.

The more I read this the more I like where this is going. This reboot-Diana embodies the best of the Wonder Woman mythology with the added bonus of getting to redefine the essentials of what the character is about. My only complaint is how this storyline comes complete with a magical get out of jail card. Hester is telegraphing a return to ‘normal’ so much that I’m hoping this whole thing is giant red herring and DC will show the cojones to see this reboot go a little longer. After all, if they can play around Batman, the company’s number one money maker, then surely they can take a flyer on Wondie. Are there really a horde of fans clamouring for the old Wonder Woman? Do they just fear change that much or can they only enjoy their superheroines when they’re scantily clad?

(As a completely selfish aside, I wish Hester was drawing this title instead of just writing it. After all, if Finch can write and draw his own Batman title then surely there’s room to let a fantastic artist like Hester have complete control of the book.)

Through the Door: Lookie what came today!

Ah, you gotta love mail, and review copies.

Penguin Canada was nice enough to send me these two, and I look forward to reading them!

Book Review: The Breach by Patrick Lee

 

Thirty years ago, in a facility buried beneath a vast Wyoming emptiness, an experiment gone awry accidentally opened a door.

It is the world's best-kept secret—and its most terrifying.

Trying to regain his life in the Alaskan wilds, ex-con/ex-cop Travis Chase stumbles upon an impossible scene: a crashed 747 passenger jet filled with the murdered dead, including the wife of the President of the United States. Though a nightmare of monumental proportions, it pales before the terror to come, as Chase is dragged into a battle for the future that revolves around an amazing artifact.

Allied with a beautiful covert operative whose life he saved, Chase must now play the role he's been destined for—a pawn of incomprehensible forces or humankind's final hope—as the race toward Apocalypse begins in earnest.

Because something is loose in the world.

And doomsday is not only possible . . . it is inevitable.

To start this review I need to do one of my example phrases. You know in the first HELLBOY movie where they are walking through BPRD HQ and Professor Broom is explaining to the newbie that they hold a number of strange, wonderful, and dangerous artifacts there and that they “bump back” against things that bump in the night? Well, when I watched the movie I always thought to myself how very cool it would be to get to stop at each item, and find out its history, purpose ect.

Now guess what Patrick Lee’s thriller novel THE BREACH is about.

Yup. You guessed it. Recently it is like these author’s are weaving tales aimed directly at me with everything I like in a story written on the pages.

THE BREACH, as a premise is super cool:

Basically ex-con Travis Chase gets out of prison and decides to go north to the Alaskan wilderness, to mountains, snow and clean slates. While hiking in the mountains he comes across a downed 747 with no markings. His curiosity bests him and he investigates, finding a plane full of dead people (including the wife of the president of the United States), en empty steel chamber that looked like it fit a cue ball-sized sphere, and a note that says this object, called “Whisper”(a Breach Entity), has been taken by hostiles. It goes on to say that the poeple who took it and the people they kidnapped from the plane should all be killed (even the hostages), and Whisper needs to be recovered. These events start a race which brings Travis into contact with a secret organization called Tangent, the daughter of one of its founders, Paige Campbell, whom he rescues from torture and death at the hands of said hostiles. That’s only the beginning and then the shit really starts to go down. I’ll hazard not telling you much else as to not spoil such a thrilling book. Sufficed to say, in this book nothing is as it seems, The Breach itself, its history, Tangents’ history and personnel are all riddles and clever stories.

THE BREACH in execution is excellence in thriller writing. I think that Lee could probably teach a class. I was completely rapt from page one. There is so much meaty story that will hold every single ounce of your interest here that I can’t even properly explain it to you. I read this book in two sittings. The pace does not stop. It is unbelievably relentless and the ride is rather exhilarating. Travis’ story is very interesting, as sprinkled throughout the book are little side passages that explain how Travis got to be in prison and why. Again, I really like this plot device as it reveals just enough each time to keep you wondering. Those passages aren’t full chapters, but rather feel like two or three page interludes and as such they very much work. Travis and Paige are the only ones who are really fleshed out in front of you, but they are the only ones who need to be as you are foremost with them for the entirety of the novel. Both are well defined, interesting and fun characters to read and the little bits of insight we get into their pasts over the course of the book just keeps adding to their filling out.

Like I said, I don’t want to spoil anything, but the third act of this book will have you literally gasping with excitement and interest. I can’t imagine anyone being able to put this book down in the third act, I sure couldn’t. Lee keeps the tension and secrets going till the last two pages (literally, not figuratively) and the end of the book left me feeling kind of exhilarated and salivating for the second book. Thankfully I already have the second book GHOST COUNTRY on my shelf to read!

Lee is a master of the supernatural thriller. The quote on the back cover is by one of my other fave thriller author’s James Rollins and he wasn’t lying, this book is amazingly accomplished and one hell of a thrill-ride. A novel that is as smart as it is exciting and mysterious. It has all the right bells and whistles in the right spots. Patrick Lee has crafted a book that would be a welcome addition to anyone’s shelf. For me, Lee has successfully (with one book) jumped to the top of my must-read list. Fantastic stuff!

Book Review: BETRAYER OF WORLDS by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner

Strung out and hopelessly addicted to painkillers, Louis Wu has just been drafted.

Nessus, the infamous puppeteer scout, needs Wu to help him figure out a way to save his planet(s), the Fleet of Worlds. The Fleet is searching for a new place to call home, racing ahead of a supernova explosion from the centre of the galaxy. The only problem is that directly in their path is a race of alien starfish called the Gw’oth, who have a good reason to distrust the Puppeteers.

Nessus is hoping the Gw’oth will let the Fleet pass unmolested, but he knows he can’t rely on their goodwill. Achilles, a murderously insane puppeteer, is fermenting trouble behind the scenes, using the Gw’oth as a convenient scapegoat in a bid to manoeuvre himself into leading the Puppeteer people.

A collision seems eminent as these two cultures get closer and closer to waging an all out war and Louis is powerless to do anything to prevent it.

BETRAYER OF WORLDS (BOW) is the latest entry in the influential Ringworld series. It serves as a direct prequel to RINGWORLD, which was first published in 1970. Although Niven and his works may not be as popular, or as well known, as some of his contemporaries it is important to note that his fingerprints are all over the modern face of science fiction. (You don’t get the uber-popular video game HALO without liberally borrowing a couple pages from Niven.)

Which is why BOW is so disappointing. I don’t think I’ve ever been as let down in the expansion of a fictional universe as I have been with this book. This isn’t meant as a commentary on the quality of the writing here, but rather a criticism of the way the writers have chosen to extricate themselves from some of the larger binding continuity issues.

With the success of the HALO franchise I can empathize with wanting to get new Ringworld books into print. There’s a natural resonance between the two properties and an opportunity for the Ringworld books to make a little bank.

But you can’t do a Ringworld story without Louis Wu and, if possible, a Puppeteer or two to boot. And that’s a problem, because Wu and company have already come to the natural end of the central Ringworld storyline and it would get increasingly complicated to spin that particular tale out any further. A prequel gives the writers a clean(ish) slate to work from and allows them to use characters that would otherwise be off-limits.

But the Gordian knot in this scenario is finding a reasonable explanation for why Wu has no memories of his pre-RINGWORLD adventuring when he’s clearly traversing half the known galaxy playing kingmaker. Niven and Lerner’s solution to this problem is to have Wu willingly erase his memory at the end of BOW. A solution as misguided as it is insulting.

Wiping Wu’s memory removes cause and effect from the novel and essentially turns BETRAYER into authorized fan fiction. And, like almost all fanfic, BOW falls prey to the medium’s many weaknesses. The authors are free to use Wu in any way they see fit, even if that way causes him to act against type, because his action will all be nullified in the end. And, if Wu’s actions don’t matter, if there are no consequences to his decisions, then why use the character at all?

It’s like being stuck in that episode of THE SIMPSONS where the gathered nerd fandom is attempting to pick apart the plotlines to XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS only to be told their efforts are wasted because, “A wizard did it.”

A memory wipe is sloppy and insulting and taints the rest of the series by relying more on fan nostalgia then adding anything significant to the shared history of the world.

In fact, I got the distinct impression the authors were more interested in playing around with the popular characters of the Ringworld universe, and demonstrating the depth and breadth of their knowledge of its inhabitants, then they were in crafting a story that develops and further explore this unique fictional playground.

Niven and Lerner introduce a host of interesting concepts and ideas, such as the hyper development of the Gw’oth or the intricacies of Puppeteer politics, only to chuck the finished product into the blast furnace and tell readers that ‘it didn’t really matter’.

If you just want to read about the Ringworld universe then I don’t think you’ll have too many problems with this book. It’s short, sweet and both writers do a perfectly acceptable job in creating something thats easy to read. If you’re looking for something that honours what came before and expands on its achievements, I'd give this a rethink.

Continuity is a fickle thing. It can be a crutch for the unimaginative or a boon to the inspired. And many good authors have bent themselves into a pretzel trying to tell a story ‘their way’ while remaining true to the original material, the best authors know how to use continuity to add flavour and dimension to their work without treating previous stories as obstacles to be overcome.

BETRAYER OF WORLD is a good idea, poorly executed. Pass.

Doctor Who: News Roundup

 

 As we get closer to the debut of the latest 6^th series of everyone’s favourite show (you know it is…even if it isn’t…yet. It will be.) DOCTOR WHO there is more and more interesting developments in the world of WHO, and I intend to bring ‘em to you.

I have a blog now. Blogs are cool.

A few tidbits about the show itself. The forthcoming series will now include the return of James Corden’s character (Craig Owens) from series 5 episode THE LODGER. An episode that always felt totally fun (showcasing a zany Doctor living with a roommate), THE LODGER was one of those breather episodes where the baddie was less important than the human element of the story. I’ll be happy to see him return.

On March 19^th, for this years Children In Need special, as usual the Doctor will have a short episode (8 minutes total, two 4 minute pieces according to Moffat), which will feature, amongst other things, THREE Amy Ponds, and a version of the TARDIS materializing within itself. Very excited. These little Children In Need specials are always fun, and the last one written by Moffat had the Tenth Doctor meeting the Fifth (Peter Davison returned to play the role again!) and it is probably one of my fave moments with Ten.

In TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY news: Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson has been added to the cast. I’m sure Ernie will do a bang up job. Hell, ANYTHING is better than the man’s role in Dragonball: Evolution. Also added is C. Thomas Howell (24, Southland) to the list and while I know his work less than Hudson, I am still sure he was chosen for skill. It’s nice to see such a rounded out cast for the latest TORCHWOOD series, and I kind of hope this will mean that it will catch on this side of the pond as much as DW has. Only time will tell.

In sadder news, Actor Nicholas Courtney (1929-2011) who for many years played Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart on DOCTOR WHO passed away. A fan favourite character (I only remember smatterings of him myself but he was always fun) the actor will be missed by many and was eulogized on social networks by a huge number of people who knew him and worked with him. He’ll be missed.

The Doctor Who Experience opened in London a few weeks back and has been a fairly big draw I hear. If I lived in the UK, I would have already been there opening day. Filled with memorabilia, sets, costumes and fun, not to mention a huge store worth of merchandise and a replication of the inside of the TARDIS you can go into. This can only spell win across the board. I convinced my gf and friends to make a trip to Florida in April of 2010 to go to THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER in Orlando….how much effort could it take to do the same for the UK?

Last, but certainly not least, it appears that the world of DOCTOR WHO is going to be turned into a MMORPG! I never got too far into WoW, nor Guild Wars, or even DC Universe Online…but a Doctor Who MMORPG?! I am SO F***ing there! Sign me up. Right now. It will be called WORLDS OF TIME and will be a flash-based game. From San Francisco game company Three Rings (Puzzle Pirates), the game will consist of you trying to help the Doctor fight threats to any number of worlds. It will be free, require no downloading and will debut later this year. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with this.

That’s all for now DW fans. Stay tuned, as I’ll have at least one more update before the show starts and we start our weekly reviews of this series.

I'll leave you all with a great video that shows 5th Doctor Peter Davison's entrance video to fan convention Gallifrey 22, which includes awesome appearances by both Freema Agyeman and David Tennant amongst others, and is basically the story of Davison attempting to get a flight to the convention and missing it...leading him to search for "other avenues". Enjoy!

Malazan Re-Read: Dust Of Dreams by Steven Erikson

 

NOTE: If you haven't read the previous 8 books in the series and plan to do so....this post contains EYE-BLEEDING SPOILERS. Be aware. You have be duly warned.





I attempted this a few weeks back when I finished my re-read of the ninth Tale Of The Malazan Book Of The Fallen DUST OF DREAMS, but it got entirely away from me and became a five page rambling mess, which I promptly deleted and wrote up something else instead. Well, since the tenth book is taking it’s time arriving from the UK (What in the five hells is wrong with the Canadian Postal Service when they get a package from amazon.co.uk?!), I’ve decided to try again, and this time I plan to break up the different plot threads in the book into sections as I think it might come across as more organized. Let’s give ‘er a shot. Still, this is less a review as a kind of synopsis/mish-mashed discussion and rumination.

DUST OF DREAMS picks up mostly where 7^th book REAPERS GALE left off (since the 8^th book TOLL THE HOUNDS mostly concerned happenings on the continent of Genebackis) on the continent of Lether:

-Tavore Paran and her dissident, betrayed, and exiled Malazan army, The Bonehunters have come to Letheras and helped unseat the ruling Tiste Edur empire (though they had less to do with the destruction of twisted, previously-unkillable emperor Rhulad).

-Beddict brother (and revolutionary mastermind) Tehol now rules as king in Letheras with Manservant/Royal treasurer/Ceda/Elder god (Mael) Bugg at his side.

-Acquitor Seren Pedac is quietly living in Letheras and is pregnant with the child of exiled Edur warrior Trull Sengar.

-The Khundryl Burned Tears are marching north from their landing as are the Perish Grey Helms in a union to help the Bonehunters in their quest to march east into the Wastelands.

-Yan Tovis, Yedan Derryg and the rest of The Shake are dealing with the fallout of the events of REAPERS GALE and where their destiny should take them.

-The Barghast led by recently “enlivened” warrior (who used to be T’Lan Imass undead) Onos Toolan, and his wife Hetan attempt to keep control of an ever-widening gyre of divided tribal strife.

-Tiste Andii Silchas Ruin, 3^rd son of Mother Dark, is in the Refugium with Udinaas, his son Rud Elalle, and the Imass.

-Half-Jaghut warrior Icarium Lifestealer, when last we saw him, disappeared underneath Letheras into a machine he built ages ago.

Phew. That’s a lot of plot threads to keep an eye on. Thankfully, nine books into the series, I find it fairly easy to keep track. So off we go.

The book starts with Tavore and The Bonehunters in Letheras and the soldiers are beginning to stagnate and one thing you don’t want soldiers to have too much time on their hands as they may start to get other ideas and look at desertion. Tavore wants Fiddler to do one of his ridiculously injuring readings of the Deck Of Dragons so that she can have a little more insight into what it is they are marching into in the East. This first section is pretty funny as it has various Bonehunters laying a convoluted trap to drag Fiddler to the Adjunct for the reading (which he hates doing).  The Bonehunters storyline consists mostly of posturing and politicking within the city of Letheras for half the book. None of that is boring though, as the characters that make up the different squads are always entertaining. I think that is what HOUSE OF CHAINS and THE BONEHUNTERS did for this army. With the Bridgeburners in GARDENS OF THE MOON and MEMORIES OF ICE, it was like we were all seeing the tail end of a tried and true assemblage of soldiers who were formed years previously. We didn’t know all that much about them at first, but we liked them. The fact that The Bridgeburners are now either dead or spread all over the place in various stages of retirement shows us Erikson planned to give us our own. He gave us The Bonehunters. Our own army of soldiers and we got to watch them grow, work together, love each other, hate each other, fight beside each other ect. We got our crew from the start. So I think that as much as we grew to love the Bridgeburners, our affinity with The Bonehunters must go deeper. I love that aspect and I think that is why in the first half of this book, when they all are sitting around going stir crazy and pondering their futures it’s not only interesting but enthralling. In the second half of the book all hell breaks loose. The Bonehunters are travelling (with Brys Beddict and his Letherii soldiers as escort) through hostile territory and attempting to make their way east to the other side of the continent and Kolanse. I’d rather not spoil anything, but they kind of get sandwiched in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nuff said.

The Barghast. Sigh. The Barghast storyline is one of those plot threads that you wonder about for so long. The tribes are all fighting, and not accomplishing any of the things they came to Lether to do. It’s really rather slow, and at some points seems almost boring. Where the genius lies though, is in the execution. Erikson had plans for this race of people from the outset and let me tell you it ain’t pretty, it ain’t pretty at all. The whole slower storyline builds, and builds. It builds so much that when the bow actually breaks it is with crushing surrealism, horrific scenery and some of the most emotionally charged passages in the series. The fate of Tool, Hetan and her children, and every other Barghast is something folk talk of, and they will remember it…though I can’t imagine they enjoy remembering it. Remember seeing “Requiem for a Dream” and thinking, wow that’s a good movie...that I don’t ever want to watch again cause it depressed the shit out of me? Yeah. That.

Seren Pedac’s portion in the book only happens at the beginning, on the evening of the Deck Of Dragons reading Bugg/Mael goes to her and with two other ascendants (or elder gods, not sure) in attendance, they protect her from the twisted machinations of Elder God The Errant who wants to kill her and her unborn child, who is the son of Knight of High House Shadow Trull Sengar and a threat.

The Snake. This is probably one of the most-discussed parts of the book solely for its rather strange nature and tone. Basically it’s the story of a long train of children refugees from that eastern continental place called Kolanse, where it seems death, starvation and destruction rule. It is told from the POV of a few of these kids, and in my first read it was difficult to get what was being put across. Upon a re-read I discovered that this plotline is meant to be told from children who are trying to survive a harsh landscape without having the skills to do so (think Lord of the Flies) and the resultant mishmash of chaos, death and the like. It also becomes apparent that they are being hunted by some Forkrul Assail as well. It actually works FAR better on a re-read as I hated it the first time round and on my re-read I found it to be MUCH more palatable.

I’ll refer to the following thread as The Ghost, Taxilian, Sheb, Breath, Last, Asine, Rautos & Nappet one. This is the story of a number of characters who are either dead (or unknown) making their presence…odd to say the least. The passages alternate between being told by the Ghost (who can see things happening that the crew doesn’t) and then by each member in turn. They wandering the wastes and come upon a wrecked K’Chain Che’Malle dragon-shaped keep and attempt to get it running again while trying not to kill one another. This plotline gives us one of the more satisfying conclusions within the book as it explains something in a very roundabout way that makes you thunk your head and go “Duh! That makes sense.”

Kaylyth and the K’Chain Che’Malle. Within the walls of another keep, called Ampelas Rooted, a matron sends her scouts, only daughter, assassin spy and a human from Kolanse to find her a shield anvil and mortal sword for a forthcoming conflict. This is a nice plotthread as it not only gives us heavy insight into the raptor-like Che’Malle race, but also into an adult from the very same place as the kids from The Snake hail from. This one builds and then twists into  both the Ghost crew plotline and the Bonehunters one as well.

The Shake. Yan Tovis (also called Twilight, Queen of the Shake) and her brother Yedan Derryg with a ragtag band of shake and prisoners make their way onto the Road of Gallan, which unknowingly leads in Kurald Galain and the realms of Darkness. The revelations that await them there (about both their past and their future) are rather staggering and heartfelt. I loved this plotline.

All the characters you love are here. All the humour, cleverness and thrall of a Malazan volume. I loved this book. Like flat out loved it. This probably ranks as my 3^rd fave in the whole series behind MOI and DG. It has everything I wanted it to, and really acts as an opening to the final act. It has a lot of cliffhangers at the end and that’s the first time that’s happened yet as Erikson prefaces the book by saying that this book and the final one are one volume split in two.

Erikson shows us in this book that there is method to his madness and things I have wondered about for years are answered while others are still left tantalizingly hanging. I usually can pick out a favourite character in each book who stood out especially well. Like Beak in REAPERS GALE who probably remains one of my fave characters in the whole series. In this one I’d actually have to give the best character moniker to two characters at once. Stormy and Gesler have always made for interesting and fun plotlines, but in this book they get to shine like never before. Again, I won’t spoil anything, but sufficed to say they are "the badass".

In the penultimate volume in ten years work I think Erikson can be VERY proud of his creation. Something with so much depth and emotion that I am unendingly attached to. I am very connected to these characters and I will be very sad to see the series end. I’ll miss them all.

There are two other trilogies planned by Erikson, one about the Tiste Andii city of Kharkanas and one about the Toblakai (which I expect will concern Karsa and Ublala’s army), so there is definitely more to look forward to, just not the main series.

I know this seems more like synopsis and rambling, but if I approached this from any other way or even from a more review-like standpoint it would be 20 pages long. As is evident from the TOR.com re-read you can make notes, upon notes, upon notes about this series.

Sufficed to say, if you struggled a bit with TOLL THE HOUNDS slower pace, then this book will appease you.

Great volume.

Bring on THE CRIPPLED GOD!

Music: Saviors of the Music Industry - a Rant-ish

For me, the last few years of mainstream music has been either a serious saturation glut of some decent (but mostly bad) pop, R&B and sad bastard emo crap, nuvo-punk (that original punk rockers would rail against) and even metal has been suffering under a yoke of boredom and sameness. My iPod has been filled with music that I like, but the additions to it for the last few years have been few and far between. That’s simply because I’ve been so annoyed and frustrated with music recently. The only good stuff I was hearing was electronic (Above & Beyond, Morgan Page, Tiesto ect.), but everything else was descending into this vile pit of commercially produced pabulum being spoon-fed to the masses one remixed 80’s riff at a time. Now, this isn’t to say that there weren’t songs (and singles) I enjoyed and picked up on iTunes. Lady Gaga, Lonely Island, K’naan, Martin Solveig ect. The problem was where are the whole albums to enjoy? Where were the artists who were pushing to bring us something new and save the music industry from stagnating? I make it a point every time I see my teenage niece to mention songs and music that I think are unique and off the beaten path in the hopes that her (and hopefully her friends) iPods won’t be filled with over-produced crap. 

This is just my personal preference, but I feel that quite a lot of the music that has come out and been popular so far this century is rehashed, formulaic and ultimately boring in the long run. Ask yourself why we all cling to old stuff like The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones ect.. We have even started to cling to stuff we heard in the 90’s (music was still trying to be fairly original and defined back then, though to a much lesser extent I admit). It’s because there are very few bands or singers that are coming out and are memorable. I’m not talking about: you remember them and their songs nostalgically. I am talking about you remember them, love them, and would step over anyone to get a ticket to their show.

Think about the bands or artists you currently like. Now think about how many of them came out in 2000-2010 as fresh faces and have stayed around. What’s the ratio between that and something older you like still? I’d wager it’s not a close race in most cases. So what the hell right? Why does the music industry keep churning out catchy-yet-ultimately forgettable pop into the mainstream? Singles have become much bigger money-wise since the dawn of the digital age of music and albums sell less as a whole methinks. People like a single, and they buy it. It’s only if they like two or three singles that they will drop the funds on a whole album. What does a single need to be? Catchy. What doesn’t fit into that quick-cash for the recording company pockets paradigm? Something new or unique doesn’t qualify.

So here we are…the proper start of a new decade. What do I start to see, either discovery of bands that are relatively new and unique and awesome dropping into the forefront, barging their way into the spotlight come hell of high water or older bands/artists doing something new and unique and interesting. I’m kind of astonished recently at how quickly the industry is starting to change and embrace new things. Yeah, the radio countdowns and video countdowns are still dominated by the overproduced crap…but there is light…and this new infusion of fresh music into the scene is slowly, but like a juggernaut pushing it’s way forward. One song at a time, one new album with 5 star reviews at a time. The masses have started to say enough is enough and are fighting back and saying we won’t be spoon-fed this crap any longer. Where are OUR bands to remember?

So, this post would be annoying if I didn’t write up some of these artists that have started to turn the tide for me and reinvigorated my iPod with new music. Here are some suggestions, some of which you have probably heard of, some maybe not. All are worth looking into.

-The Streets – Mike Skinner has released his 5^th and final album and while he has been around a while this last album is arguably his best work. Unique hooks and vocals, melodies and lyrics with purpose this band is going to be one to remember.

-Florence & The Machine – Now this one most of you will have heard of as she has a few songs that have busted into the charts and been rather successful. I stumbled across her quite by accident in 2009 and have loved her ever since.

-Meaghan Smith – From the East Coast of Canada originally, Meaghan brings us 20’s inspired pop that is flavored with sweet vocals, interesting instruments and ultimately unforgettable harmonies.

-Mumford & Sons – I am totally new to the Mumford & Sons bandwagon, but the second I heard these guys I knew I was listening to something utterly unique and special. I’ve also seen the reinfusion of the banjo into mainstream music. Can’t stop listening.

-Ellie Goulding – Young, and fresh is how I would describe Ellie. Bringing a Florence & The Machine/Imogen Heap vibe to her music doesn’t hurt her at all and in fact makes for a very listenable first album. She’s been bigger in the UK until recently, but her first show in Canada sold out so fast and there was such a clamoring for tix that they switched venues to a bigger one to accommodate the influx of requests.

Radiohead – Here’s a 90’s band that was part of the original alternative brit pop scene, then they got annoyed and went way off the beaten path with Kid A and Amnesiac and while I never really got into those CD’s, the newest CD by them titled King Of Limbs is probably one of their best efforts since The Bends.

Lissie – From Illinois, folksy, raspy Lissie brings a fresh aspect to the folk genre by infusing it with subtle beats, some crunching guitars and even synths to produce something wholly unique and very listenable.

KT Tunstall – Yeah, I know what you’re going to say. That Scottish lass who did “Black Horse & Cherry Tree” and the overplayed “Suddenly I See” right? Wrong. That first album doesn’t even get into the same category as her newest effort Tiger Suit. The songs on it are clever, thoughtful and interesting. The guitar work is just this side of incredible, and her live show is probably one of the best I’ve been to ever. Not to be missed.

Elbow – these guys opened for Coldplay when I saw them and as I stood in line (skipping the opening act as I am wont to do) for drinks for the main event I heard them playing. I heard a gruff, Manchester-accented lead singer; I heard cool guitars…and violins. Well, the violins sold me. Here is a rather quieter band, but one that is nonetheless doing something different and again I am impressed.

There are a lot of other bands that fit this category. I think The Arcade Fire, Metric, The Stars and their ilk were the bands that carried this torch of freshness through the last decade amongst the crap and should be applauded for always sticking to their guns and giving us something new to listen to. I would also like to say that country music has also held that torch for a time and there are indeed fresh artists coming out of that scene as well, so I don't want to leave them out.

Give these bands/artists a listen. If you, like me, were getting annoyed by the current status of music, perhaps these choices might help you see that there is light on the horizon.