The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog 8: Lucky Number for Chinese

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And now, once more, it's time for a new Quatermass Book Reading Marathon Blog.

Regulars to this part of the forum may remember my previous book-reading marathons. This has been around since 2009, with my first such review blog (link here) clocking up 22 books over 46 days. My second (here's a link) clocked up 76 books in 179 days, my third(a link here for the connosieur) clocked up 100 books in 177 days. The fourth (click here if you dare...) clocked up 30 books in 88 days, and the fifth (abandon all hope, ye who enter this link) clocked up 72 books in 139 days. The sixth (and most disappointing, as you'll see here) clocked up only 11 books in 16 days. And the seventh managed to clock up 53 books over a period of 103 days (read all about it here).

The rules are self-imposed, and are as follows:

*The books can be fiction, non-fiction, or graphic novels. However, some non-fiction categories must be excluded, such as games guides and screenplays, unless the latter is within a book that also has other subject material (ie, a 'making of' book). Novelisations and other adaptations are allowed, regardless of whether I have watched the original program. In all cases, I must not have read it all the way through prior to this.

*In the case of graphic novels, it has to be a volume I haven't read in a series, or else a stand-alone graphic novel.

*In all cases, a book that I have started previous to this blog, if I finish it (for the first time) during this, will count. Also, just skimming a book and reading pages randomly doesn't count, actually reading it, even if speed-reading it, does.

*I must write a quick review.

*I must finish at least one book per week. It doesn't matter if I started it more than a week ago, as long as I finish it within a week of the last one finished.

*The blog and time limit will start when I finish my first book.

Keep in mind that this blog is self-imposed to help me expand my reading horizons. I choose the reading material, and I rarely, if at all, take suggestions.

The first review will be of Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw's second book, Jam. Watch this space...

Book 1...

REVIEW: Jam by Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw


I enjoyed Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw's previous endeavour into the world of fiction, Mogworld, which told the story of a MMORPG from the point of view of the non-player characters. But would I enjoy his second book, Jam? After all, it's a very different book with a very different scenario, and it may not end up smelling of roses in the end...

One morning, unemployed slacker Travis wakes up to find the city of Brisbane partially submerged by strawberry jam. And not just any strawberry jam, but a strawberry jam that seems to eat anything organic, including humans. Having happened around rush hour, the jam seems to have consumed most of the population. Deciding to try and figure out what is going on, Travis joins forces with Tim (his roommate, and rather too eager to start over after the apocalypse), journalism student Angela (who is rather obnoxiously eager to turn this story to her benefit), foul-tempered video game designer Don Sunderland, and the suspicious American agents known as X and Y (who take implausible deniability to a whole new level). In their way are the survivors, some holed up in a shopping centre, others in a corporate HQ. And somehow, the survivors may just be even more dangerous than the jam...

Inevitably, comparisons will be made to the Terry Pratchett Prize winner I reviewed earlier this year, Apocalypse Cow, which itself had a similar theme of an apocalyptic scenario and how people react to it (amongst other things), and turning it into a black comedy. Croshaw, however, is already an experienced novelist, and his central conceit of a homicidal jam is so unique and strange, that he makes this more into a study of character and humanity, specifically, to what lows we would stoop to in the apocalypse. He uses Brisbane landmarks (some with the serial numbers sawn off) to great effect, and the story feels a little more real, or at least as real as you can with carnivorous jam. The humour sometimes hits the mark very well, with the revelation of what caused the outbreak in the first place the blackest of black comedy, although I have to say that I did see the villain, or the villain of the climax anyway, coming from a mile off.

The characters aren't quite at the level of those in Mogworld. The protagonist Travis, perhaps deliberately, is rather bland and at times, (albeit as an antidote to the ultra-competent hero of these sorts of stories) rather stupid. Angela is rather irritating with her continuing A Current Affair/Today Tonight-style investigative journalism (one wonders if this was the point), and X and Y are annoying, at least until a key revelation that makes you feel sorry, for X at least. Don Sunderland and Tim are the more interesting ones, and Angela points out in the story that, depending on the story, they could be the protagonist of a post-apocalyptic scenario anyway. Don comes across as a bit too one-note, but otherwise seems to be more sensible than Tim, a survivalist wannabe (once the apocalypse happens, anyway) who seems to relish the apocalypse in a way that is disturbing. The other survivors are okay, but don't really make me want to praise them.

Jam is an excellent book, don't get me wrong on that at all, and I'm not sure how Yahtzee could have improved the book beyond fleshing out the characters a little more (though that may have been hard for a dark comedy). I reckon that if he gave up Zero Punctuation and took up writing novels like this full time, he could really take things to the next level...


9/10

First words: I woke up one morning to find that the entire city had been covered in a three-foot layer of man-eating jam.

Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

Book 2...

REVIEW: The New Vampire's Handbook: A Guide for Creatures of the Night by The Vampire Miles Proctor (pseudonym for writing group Action 5)

Of all the books to pick up, one might think it strange that I picked up a copy of The New Vampire's Handbook, a spoof handbook for vampires created by Action 5, a group of comedic writers composed of four writers for The Onion and a former producer of The Daily Show. But the book was dirt cheap, and interesting enough in its premise to justify forking out $3 for. So I decided to buy it, along with other books more worthy of my attention, so now that I have, what can I say about this book?

The New Vampire's Handbook is a satirical handbook detailing the do's, don't's, and don't even think about its of vampire life. Everything from vampire weaknesses to how to feed, and how to keep up with trends during one's immortal life (a surprisingly vital exercise) are covered. All of this, interspersed with advice boxes from the vampire Miles Proctor.

Now, I have to confess, the guide is surprisingly decently researched, with at least one vampire weakness a relatively obscure one in today's media. And it does succeed in being amusing enough of the time. Indeed, there are at least more hits than misses when it comes to the jokes (with jabs at vampire fans, and Twilight fans in particular, being most effective). But unfortunately, this isn't always the case.

I think that part of the problem is it goes into too much detail in some areas, and too little in others. And to be honest, vampire stuff has been done to death so many times, the genre itself is undead. There's precious little original in here, just mildly interesting slants on old material. It's funny, but rarely laugh-out-loud funny.

It's fine enough for the price I got it at, and it is diverting. I just don't think that The New Vampire's Handbook is really blazing trails in the vampire satire field, that's all.


8/10

First words: If you are reading this, you are a vampire.

Last words: I REMAIN ETERNALLY YOURS, THE VAMPIRE MILES PROCTOR.

Book 3...

REVIEW: Redshirts by John Scalzi

Not being a fan of Star Trek, you might forgive me for not knowing what a redshirt was. But I do. I have certainly enjoyed certain postmodern works, where the creators of fiction are visited by their creations: The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse, Red Dwarf: Back to Earth, and Mogworld. And John Scalzi, whose only previous work I have read was the enjoyable Agent to the Stars (about first contact being arranged by a Hollywood agent), has come to both redshirts and postmodernism. But would it work?

The Intrepid. Flagship of the fleet of the Universal Union. Captained by Lucius Abernathy. And home to one of the highest death-rates amongst ensigns and other crew members who seem to have the misfortune on being on an away mission with Abernathy and his officers. Ensign Andrew Dahl had originally thought it a life's dream to work on the Intrepid, but it is soon turning into a nightmare. Between improbable deaths, savvy ensigns either hiding or manipulating other expendables to take their place, and a shocking secret about the true nature of their world, Dahl will be lucky to survive, with or without his sanity...

Okay, as a concept, Redshirts is pretty good, and for a good chunk of the time, is. It also has streaks of perverse humour, and is fairly well written for the most part. But after a certain point, when the story actually ends, there are a number of extended interminable codas that could have done well cut down to a shorter size, and the main story feels a little less fleshed out as well. I feel that a lot more could have been mined from the story.

Another thing is that the characters, while interesting and certainly more developed than the redshirts of Star Trek fame, aren't quite as developed as I would like. They get to be a bit samey to me, even with their backstories, and while this may not be the point, I don't think enough background is given to the designated main characters (of the metastory rather than the novel proper) either.

Redshirts is a good book. But the ending goes for too long, and I'm certain that the concept could have been explored much more. A pity, that.


8.5/10

First words: From the top of the large boulder he sat on, Ensign Tom Davis looked across the expanse of the cave towards Captain Lucius Abernathy, Science Officer Q'eeng and Chief Engineer Paul West perched on a second, larger boulder, and thought, Well, this sucks.

Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

Book 4...

REVIEW: The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy by Jody Duncan Jesser and Janine Pourroy

Probably the most successful comic book film series of all time, Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy is the most critically acclaimed adaptation of Batman to ever hit the silver screen. They certainly rank amongst my favourite movies. But behind all this was a lot of hard work on the part of everyone in the films, cast and crew alike. So, eventually, I would love to come to read this...

The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy is pretty much what it says on the tin. An in-depth look at the conception and production of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, the book shows how choices about storyline, characters, and designs were made, as well as the filming process and problems with key scenes and areas of the production.

Okay, so as far as making-of books go, there's really little new here. This book is big and glossy, rather like the films it is covering, but it breaks little ground, and is far from spectacular in terms of what it is discussing. And in the end, one still feels that it could have covered so much more.

But it's still quite an intriguing book, covering issues of casting, filming, special effects, and marketing. Not only that, but the book bravely, sensitively, and frankly discusses the issues surrounding Heath Ledger's sudden death before the premiere of The Dark Knight instead of sidestepping them, an admirable feat. Certainly, as far as making of books are concerned, this is certainly a cut above the rest in terms of content and execution.

In the end, The Art and Making of The Dark Knight Trilogy will appeal to the fans of these films first and foremost. It's an excellent, if not perfect or outstanding, making-of book.


9/10

First words: Alfred.

Last words: I can't help but smile.

The next book will probably be the sixth volume of The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the War of the Words. Another book on the cards is John Dies at the End. Watch this space...

Book 5...

REVIEW: The Unwritten, volume 6: Tommy Taylor and the War of Words by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and MK Perker


Having begun reading The Unwritten some time ago, I found myself intrigued by this intelligently-written comic series about the blurring of the line between fiction and reality. I knew that things would be coming to a head after the spectacular events of the fifth volume, and at least some questions would be answered. I just didn't know how many...

Tom Taylor's life has been turned upside down by the revelations about his existence: how he has a link not only with his father's fictionalised form of Tom as Tommy Taylor, boy wizard, but also to the human collective subconscious. But the Unwritten, the mysterious cabal who have been making Taylor's life a living hell for the past year or so, have just murdered everyone he knew in life to flush him out of hiding. But that has made Taylor even more determined to fight back. With the help of Lizzie Hexam, a young woman also experimented on by Wilson Taylor, and Richard Savoy, who is determined to use his blog and his growing abilities as a new vampire to help Taylor, Tom makes the decision to take the fight to the Unwritten. But even if he can stop them, there is still Pullman to deal with. Nominally the chief enforcer of the Unwritten, this murderous man may actually be the Unwritten's driving force, an infamous man from before the dawn of civilization, and who has plans for Tom Taylor that may affect all humanity...

Well, this volume of The Unwritten is perhaps the best one of them all, not least because it actually bothers to answer a number of the questions that have been posed over the series. We get to see the origins of three key characters: Wilson Taylor, Rausch, and Pullman, although the latter's origins had already been strongly hinted at in the fourth volume by Rausch, as well as some of the history of the Unwritten cabal itself. Although rather short, Taylor's war against the Unwritten cabal is satisfying to the extreme, and only some elements bring it down. There is also a heartrending ending, and a potential thread for a new storyline for the series.

The regular characters are all given meaty things to do, with Tom having perhaps the most when he evolves into a warrior of words. As mentioned earlier, background is given to Wilson Taylor, Rausch, and Pullman. Taylor's story is perhaps the least interesting and inconclusive, while Rausch's story is the more interesting, though also the most morbid. Pullman's past is an intriguing and fairly original take on a famous Bible story that gives some justification to the reason behind that story, though it doesn't make him much more sympathetic. His goal in the story is a little better in that regard, but even so, he is still very much a villain. We are also introduced, in the aforementioned storyline, a lower-ranked worker within the Unwritten cabal called Daniel Armitage, whose story is okay. And we have the collective unconsciousness of humanity, aka Leviathan, portrayed as an actual character, and as a potentially malevolent, or at the very least ambiguous, presence.

While not perfect, the sixth volume of The Unwritten is just a cut above the previous volumes, and keeps on proving why The Unwritten is one of the best comic series of recent times. It may have been a conclusion, even, except it seems that there is even more to come from the story...


9.5/10

First words: Clear.

Last words: And set my feet where they were meant to go.

Book 6...

REVIEW: John Dies At The End by David Wong (pseudonym for Jason Pargin)


One of the things about trawling TV Tropes and Wikipedia is that you find things that you wouldn't read normally, but decide, some time, to try. One of those is the famous novel John Dies At The End, formerly a webnovel, now a published book that is a perverse horror novel cum black comedy. Having decided to dip my toe into it, I have to wonder how good it really is...

Meet David Wong and his friend John Cheese. Employed at a local video store, they find themselves drawn into a terrifying and horrific world they never knew existed when they partake of an unusual drug nicknamed 'soy sauce'. But the drug causes them to see things which are really there, horrifying things, and when they fight back, they draw the attention of something vast and evil, something called Korrok...

John Dies At The End falls down somewhat because, at times, it's a little hard to follow. That may be due somewhat to my own idiosyncratic reading style. Not to mention that the stories seem, for the most part, unconnected, save for the enemy of Korrok. And it seems to have trouble remembering whether it is a full-blown horror novel or a dark comedy, which is a shame, as it's still fairly good, if flawed.

The characters seem normal, or at least as normal as one can be with being put through so much crap. But they also feel somewhat flat, and even Korrok, the main villain, while he has his moments, is nonetheless not quite as menacing as I would have liked him to be. Maybe I missed quite a few things, but there you go.

John Dies At The End was okay, but it didn't quite do it for me, unfortunately. So there you go.


8/10

First words: Solving the following riddle will reveal the awful secret behind the universe, assuming you do not go utterly mad in the attempt.

Last words: I said,

Book 7...

REVIEW: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, volume 2 by Nagaru Tanigawa and Gaku Tsugano


Having already read the first volume of the manga version of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, I found myself taken with this strange series, about a girl who wishes to meet aliens, espers, and time travellers. Okay, so Haruhi Suzumiya is basically a sociopath in many regards, but the story itself was intriguing enough for me to want more. So now I finally come to the next volume in the series, but how would I find it?

Haruhi Suzumiya is getting bored. And that's dangerous when she is unaware of her own ability to warp reality as she sees fit. Kyon is tutored in some of the strange phenomena around Suzumiya by a future version of shy time traveller and schoolmate Mikuru Asahina, the esper Itsuki Koizumi, and the enigmatic alien-created artificial human Yuki Nagato. But when he is trapped in another dimension with Suzumiya, a reality that she is unconciously trying to make the true reality, he may need to do something drastic to stop it...

I think that, while this story is a little thinner of plot, it nonetheless works a little better, if only because Haruhi Suzumiya's mildly sociopathic nature is a little less to the fore, and the story relies less on cringe comedy and more on the drama of a reality-warping teenager. Here, the real threat that Suzumiya poses (beyond forcing Mikuru into bunny-girl costumes or a maid costume and being frankly a b***h) is revealed, with some intriguing concepts and a rather frightening sequence taking place within another reality.

Another benefit of this volume is that Haruhi's character is expanded, and, self-centred and mildly sociopathic as she is, we also get to understand her better, which is a good thing. We also get to see some further development from Yuki (who we begin to see, through Kyon, expressions other than emotionless) and Itsuki (whose nature as an esper is further clarified).

While not great, the second volume of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is nonetheless an entertaining read, and a decent continuation of an intriguing story.


8.5/10

First words: This isn't a sci-fi novel!

Last words: ...in your dreams.

Book 8...

REVIEW: Harry Potter: Page to Screen, The Complete Filmmaking Journey by Bob McCabe

I have to confess, I haven't watched the Harry Potter films beyond the second one. It was probably because, at about the same time, my own interest in the boy wizard waned sharply after the release of the fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Even so, I am fascinated, as always, by the film-making process, and eventually, I decided to read this book, about the making of the films...

This book is a general making of of all eight adaptations of the Harry Potter books, with interviews from cast and crew. In addition, there is significant detail about the design and artwork that went into the costumes, sets, creatures and props that figure thoughout the film series.

Now, unfortunately, most of the actual making of is rather thin, partly because it has to discuss eight films. And I feel that, fascinating though the production artwork is, it merely adds gloss to a book which I feel needs a tad more substance, and already has very good production values. Less art, more anecdotes about the filming is my opinion.

But this doesn't detract from the book badly. Indeed, it does give some interesting insights into the film series. Some I didn't know, like that Daniel Radcliffe almost didn't audition for the role, or that Richard Harris was fooled into thinking Fawkes the phoenix was a trained bird. And even with less time than I would like spent on each film, there's still many informative passages that convey the amount of effort required to bring the Harry Potter books to the screen.

This book, while probably not as definitive as I think it should be, is still a good book. Expensive though it is, fans of the film series will love it, and it still provides an interesting insight into the making of one of the most popular film franchises of all time.


9/10

First words: In early 1997, no one had any idea that J.K Rowling's epic series of books about a boy wizard would become the unprecedented publishing phenomenon it did.

Last words: "It was a real celebration of everyone involved in these films and a wonderful acknowledgement and expression of how this amazing experience was coming to an end."

Book 9...

REVIEW: Witch Doctor, volume 1: Under the Knife by Brandon Seifert and Lukas Ketner

It is very rare that I will pick up and read a book just because it is there and it appeals to me. Usually, I do some research first. But in the case of Witch Doctor, somehow, I found myself drawn to this bizarre horror-comedy-medical drama comic series because I happened to notice it at the library. So how good could it be?

Meet Dr Vincent Morrow, a 'witch doctor', or more correctly, a specialist in supernatural medicine. Eccentric, forceful, and quixotic, he treats and cures supernatural diseases ranging from demonic possession to elven cuckoos, sometimes with the finesse of a surgeon, other times with the crudeness of a warrior. With former paramedic Eric Gast and the possessed college student Penny Dreadful, Morrow takes on a variety of tricky cases of both clinical cases and medical research. But he has a destiny that will come calling sooner or later, and it might just mean the end of the world...

The premise of Witch Doctor is an intriguing one, and while I don't know whether it has been done before, it's certainly as close to an original concept as we can get nowadays. Originality, however, does not necessarily mean quality, and there is a certain amount of wallowing in dark and horrific concepts that makes the series feel more morbid. Which is a pity. There are strong elements of black comedy, and the discussion of medical terminology is actually quite thought-provoking.

The characters, while not fully developed in this volume, are nonetheless intriguing enough. According to Cory Doctorow, Vincent Morrow comes across as the bastard offspring of the Doctor from Doctor Who and Spider Jerusalem of Transmetropolitan fame, a partly accurate analogy, given Morrow's volatile, eccentric, unconventional and brilliant demeanour. Eric seems to be a rather more generic character, and Penny Dreadful's character is rather flat, though given her semi-zombie like state, this isn't surprising.

It's not a bad work, but it's still slightly disappointing for a concept that has great potential. Nonetheless, the first volume of Witch Doctor might turn out to have legs after all.


8/10

First words: Arkham, Oregon.

Last words: Maybe I should take lessons...

Book 10...

REVIEW: The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling


Having read the entirety of the Harry Potter book series, I had thought that my involvement with the series was now over. However, I decided to try the spinoff book JK Rowling wrote, The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Although mentioned in the final book, with one of the stories within key to the events of The Deathly Hallows, I didn't know whether I should look at it or not. But now, I have...

The Tales of Beedle the Bard are a collection of five stories for children of magical families, said to be based on a new translation by Hermione Granger, and with notes by JK Rowling and (written some time before his death) Albus Dumbledore. Not just the tales are presented, but commentary on their historical context, like bowdlerization of the tales, attempts to ban tales over blood purity issues, and the truth about the Deathly Hallows...

Okay, well, the biggest complaint is a fairly obvious one, and part of the problem with the genre Rowling wrote. Considering that these are (fictionalised) kid's stories, the book itself is short, as are the stories. Indeed, the stories are less interesting (though still fairly interesting) than the commentary and annotations 'provided' by Dumbledore.

Short though they are, the stories are nonetheless fairly original variants on the fables that form part of Western culture, and are enjoyable enough. Some don't seem like the sort of thing you should read to your children (The Warlock's Hairy Heart is a rather egregious example), but others have a good moral that makes this as much an interesting story book as a supplement to the Harry Potter world.

Overall, while not great, this book is nonetheless a welcome addition to the Harry Potter mythos. I think it's the brevity more than anything that brings it down, but what do you expect out of a book designed for younger kiddies?


8.5/10

First words: The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of stories written for young wizards and witches.

Last words: Even I, Albus Dumbledore, would find it easiest to refuse the Invisibility Cloak; which only goes to show that, clever as I am, I remain just as big a fool as everyone else.

Book 11...

REVIEW: Neon Genesis Evangelion, volume 13 by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, translated by John Werry


The delays in the installments of the manga version of Neon Genesis Evangelion have become almost as legendary as the anime series it was derived from. Even so, it is slowly but surely reaching the end. While this volume (unfortunately) is far from the last of the series, it nonetheless covers some of the key events for the series, as it continues its own variation of the dark events from the infamous movie The End of Evangelion...

Shinji Ikari and Evangelion Unit 01 arrive just in time to save Asuka's life from being taken by the Mass Produced Evangelions, but his struggles are only just beginning. For SEELE's creations are more than just run-of-the-mill Evangelions. And worse, Gendo Ikari is determined to carry out his own version of Third Impact, using Rei Ayanami as his tool. Can Shinji stop the Mass Produced Eva Series? Who will betray Gendo at a critical juncture? And what will happen when Third Impact truly starts? The end of the world is beginning, and what happens next is up to the increasingly unstable Shinji Ikari...

Anyone who has watched The End of Evangelion will know the broad flow of events here, but there are a number of key differences so far, including (believe it or not) the survival of Asuka. It is still frustrating to have the graphic novel end at a critical juncture, when Third Impact is occurring, but even so, this version of the events of The End of Evangelion are looking far more promising than in that bleaker work. Asuka is alive, and Shinji isn't completely a psychological mess. What's more, we have a more satisfying end for Ritsuko, who manages to go out with a rather violent rebuke to Gendo.

Shinji and Asuka have shown, by now, how improved they are to their original counterparts, with Asuka berating Shinji for being late, but with the most affectionate of smiles on her face, a far cry from her usual attitude. Gendo and Ritsuko get some small development in what may be their final bow in the series, though most of the others really do little but be a Greek chorus commenting on what is happening, and Rei, well, she has a large (pun intended) role to play, but it's rather monolithic.

Not perfect by any means, the thirteenth volume of the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga is nonetheless an excellent continuation of the series that is moving, slowly but inexorably, towards its conclusion.


9.5/10

First words: Eva Unit-01...?!

Last words: ...she disappeared.

Book 12...

REVIEW: Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

I am familiar with the works of Ben Aaronovitch through his work on Doctor Who. Writing the critically acclaimed TV story Remembrance of the Daleks and the less acclaimed but still distinctive Battlefield, he also wrote several spin-off books, like Transit, The Also People, and, with Kate Orman, So Vile A Sin. However, until recently, I was unaware that he had also written an urban fantasy series, and so, because I knew Aaronovitch was a fairly good writer, I thought I would give the first book in the series, Rivers of London, a shot...

Meet Police Constable Peter Grant. Unlike his friend, Lesley May, he is about to be shuffled aside into the Case Progession Unit of the London Metropolitan Police, not the most exciting of careers. But after seeing something he shouldn't, Grant is recruited by Detective Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the head and, until now, the only member of the Folly, the section of the London Metropolitan Police that deals with crimes of a magical and supernatural flavour. And it's no piece of cake, as Grant will learn how to cast spells, stop vampires, negotiate between the warring deities of the River Thames, and stop a supernatural murderer who is a puppet master in more ways than one...

Of all the faults of Rivers of London, the main one is that technically speaking, the concept is far from original. While the cover quote by Diana Gabaldon about the book being 'what would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the Fuzz' is something of an exaggeration, this book does take many similar archetypes, though I am more likely to compare it to the not dissimilar Laundry series by Charles Stross. What matters more than anything else, then, are the differences. Certainly, the culprit behind the main conflict in the book is a startlingly original one that I didn't see coming, and there is a lovely, semi-sardonic tone throughout, though it's not quite at the level of Stross' Laundry series. Part of the problem, too, is that I am not as familiar with London as more of Aaronovitch's audience will be.

Even so, the characters are fine enough, with Peter Grant being a good, if not excellent, narrator, and Lesley a decent friend character. Nightingale is a fairly standard mentor type, though the character of Molly, the Folly's maid, is rather more intriguing. So too are the deities of Mama Thames and Father Thames, not to mention the bitchy Lady Ty. However, of the other characters, only the main villain seems truly interesting enough to engage and hold my attention, simply because who and, more to the point, what they are is so surprisingly and startlingly original.

In the end, while not spectacular, Rivers of London was good enough for me to continue with the series. So, once I get further books off my plate, who knows?

8.5/10

First words: It started at one thorty on a cold Tuesday morning in January when Martin Turner, street performer and, in his own words, apprentice gigolo, tripped over a body in front of the West Portico of St Paul's at Covent Garden.

Last words: 'Only with more people.'

Book 13...

REVIEW: Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots by Project Itoh (pseudonym for Satoshi Ito), from the story by Hideo Kojima and Shuyo Murata, translated by Nathan Collins


Although I have read previous novelisations of the Metal Gear games, they have been, to date, western-written novelisations. Not that this is a bad thing, but it is interesting that the novelisation of the latest numbered Metal Gear Solid game was written by a Japanese author, the late Satoshi Ito, aka Project Itoh. Metal Gear Solid 4's ratio of cutscenes to gameplay is rather infamous now, but would that translate well to a novel?

Nine years have passed since the events on Shadow Moses, and five years since those events on the Big Shell. Solid Snake, the embittered special operative who save the world from the menace of Metal Gear so many times over, is dying, his body, a clone of his father Big Boss, rapidly aging. He'll be dead within a year at most, but his old friends Hal 'Otacon' Emmerich and Roy Campbell have one final mission, one that Snake willingly accepts: the assassination of Ocelot, who seems to have been completely possessed by the ghost of Solid Snake's twin, Liquid Snake. Liquid Ocelot is taking advantage of the booming war economy to prepare a coup against the mysterious and nebulous Patriots, whose past is inextricably linked with Snake's own. With friends and enemies old and new, Snake must fight on to stop Liquid. But can Liquid be stopped? Given that his foe is also that of Snake, should he be stopped? And what new threat to the world flows through Snake's very veins?

With the exception of some trimmed dialogue and the removal of the Beauty and Beast Corps subplots, this book is a fairly faithful rendition of the game's story. But this isn't a good thing, considering that the previous Metal Gear novelisation I read, Raymond Benson's adaptation of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, was too close to the game's story and dialogue with precious little added. However, Itoh manages to sweeten the deal with some at times overly poetic language, and the rather more welcome narration by Hal 'Otacon' Emmerich. The story is enrichened by this, not to perfection, but certainly above the norm.

The characters are all as they are in the game, with added perspective given to Snake as his aged body struggles with the demands of the mission, and Otacon, whose perspective on the events is a good one, and sheds new light on some of the events. Certainly, we get more sympathy for characters like Raiden or Meryl, whose actions in the game are easily annoying, but given a better layer of understanding here. A bit more exploration of Ocelot and Sunny, not to mention Johnny 'Akiba' Sasaki wouldn't have gone astray, though.

In the end, Metal Gear Solid: Guns of the Patriots is not only a good novelisation, but a good tribute to the man who wrote it, the late Satoshi Ito. A fitting denoument to the lives of the fictional Solid Snake, and the real writer Project Itoh.


9/10

First words: Let me tell you a story about a grave.

Last words: This world is an aggregate of such modest stories.

Book 14...

REVIEW: The Walking Dead volume 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore


Sometimes, I hear about new things through TV Tropes, and others through general pop-culture osmosis, and yet others, my eye happens to fall across in the library. The Walking Dead is in the second group, as I had heard of both the comic series and the TV series. So now, finally, I come to the first volume of this tale of a zombie apocalypse, an oft-told tale that maybe even more undead than the zombies that inhabit it...

After being shot by a fugitive, police officer Rick Grimes wakes up from a coma a long time later, only to find the hospital, and much of his hometown, overrun with zombies. After an encounter with friendly survivors, Rick heads to Atlanta, Georgia, hoping to find his family amongst the survivors. He soon does, along with his colleague Shane, and finds that the small group are continually under threat by zombies. But as egos and personalities begin to clash, Rick has to wonder whether the worst enemies are the zombies, or his fellow humans...

Okay, to be perfectly honest, this is a pretty standard zombie apocalypse story. Seriously, the opening is like 28 Days Later, and I'm sure that other movies and books have been used as the basis here. But this doesn't make the story bad, and if written just a tad better, it would have been great. As it is, it feels average by my standards, but entertaining and with some good story moments, including the shocking ending to this volume.

The characters feel a little stock standard, though. But Frank Grimes is, at least, a better protagonist as a trained police officer than the usual everyman character, and I'm guessing that character development for him comes later in the series. The artwork, staying in black and white the whole time, is a striking choice for the series, and one that works better for the tone.

While not great, the first volume of The Walking Dead is nonetheless good enough. Maybe I should continue with the series, and it may become great.


8.5/10

First words: This is NOT good.

Last words: It never should be.