Featuring: Dan Abnett, David Annandale, Matthew Farrer, Josh Reynolds, Andy Smillie, Chris Wraight
Sci-Fi
Excerpt: MISTWORLD by Simon R. Green (Open Road)
Mistworld is the first novel in Simon R. Green‘s Twilight of the Empire science fiction series. It was recently released in eBook form via Open Road Media, who have also included it in an end-of-year sale. To celebrate all these things, the publisher has allowed me to share this excerpt. First, though, here’s the synopsis:
An outlaw planet becomes the target of a shadowy, deadly force
Long before the start of a galactic rebellion, Mistworld is just another rebel planet, cut off from the fruits of empire by a punishing blockade. In a spaceport where ships hardly land anymore, and any piece of high tech is worth far more than its weight in gold, a medieval order has imposed itself on this once-rich world: The strong rule, the weak perish, and no one is too rich to steal.
Investigator Topaz is one of the few honest people left on this cutthroat planet. With her husband, Sergeant Michael Gunn, Topaz does what she can to keep the crooks who run Mistworld in check. But when the corrupt Empire devises an unprecedented scheme to attack the ESP shield that guards Mistworld, Topaz is the only one who can save the planet from being overrun. An enemy fleet lurks just off world—but it is the enemies at home whom Topaz and Gunn should fear the most. Continue reading
Quick Reviews: EGOs, THE FUSE, NAILBITER, SHUTTER, SOUTHERN BASTARDS, UMBRAL (Image)
EGOs, Vol.1 — “Quintessence”
Writer: Stuart Moore | Artist: Gus Storms
Far-future action meets midlife crises as an aging hero rebuilds his former team. But to do so, he must cross a line with his wife that cannot be uncrossed.
Collects: EGOs #0-4
This was an interesting comic. It has a lot going for it — big space action, some humour, quirky artwork and design. The colour scheme is, well, very much as you can see on the cover — soft, pastel shades. It’s a big story, touching upon nostalgia (the readers’ and also the characters’) and mashing together super-heroes and space opera. It dragged a bit at times, and the momentum was a little uneven throughout. But, it’s also an out-of-retirement origin story of sorts. By the time the book ends, everything and everyone is in place for a larger, continuing story. I’ll come back for volume two, I’m sure, but of the books reviewed in this post, it was not my favourite.
Still. If you like space opera, weird science and super-heroes, then it’s well worth checking out. There’s a bit of an older Guardians of the Galaxy vibe to it, too.
*
THE FUSE, Vol.1 — “The Russia Shift”
Writer: Antony Johnson | Art & Cover: Justin Greenwood
22,000 MILES UP, THERE IS NO BACKUP.
Working homicide on an orbiting energy platform, in a five mile long jury-rigged steel city stuffed with a half million people, and no help from your so-called colleagues back on earth, is more than tough… it’s murder.
Colletcs: The Fuse #1-6
A crime thriller in space! I rather enjoyed this. It took a little while to sink into the story, however, but once I did I really started to dig the premise and location of the story. It’s Law & Order: Orbital Unit. The detectives are cool and varied (one is a near-retirement woman, which certainly is not your usual protagonist for comic series, regardless of sub-genre). The eventual solution was not what I’d expected. Perhaps a shade over-the-top and implausible, but it nevertheless is successfully executed. A great blend of sci-fi and crime thriller that really works. There’s political and social commentary, and very well-paced storytelling. Definitely recommended.
*
NAILBITER, Vol.1 — “There Will Be Blood”
Writer: Joshua Williamson | Art & Cover: Mike Henderson
“Where do serial killers come from?” and why has Buckaroo, Oregon given birth to sixteen of the most vile serial killers in the world? NSA Agent Nicholas Finch needs to solve that mystery in order to save his friend, and he’ll have to team up with the infamous Edward “Nailbiter” Warren to do it.
Collects: Nailbiter #1-5
I’m not really sure what I was expecting from this series. What I found, though, was superb. A town that has produced a surprisingly high number of serial killers, and an investigating copy has become obsessed with uncovering the mystery of Buckaroo. After he disappears, Finch rolls into town, makes an impression, and starts digging. The most recent, infamous murderer gets drawn into the investigation, as does the local sheriff. Excellent pacing, great storytelling, some wonderfully atmospheric, moody artwork… Nailbiter is really quite excellent. The book ends with some surprises, and some superb promise for the future. Very highly recommended.
*
SHUTTER, Vol.1 — “Wanderlost”
Writer: Joe Keatinge | Art & Cover: Leila Del Duca & Owen Gieni
Kate Kristopher, once the most famous explorer of an Earth far more fantastic than the one we know, is forced to return to the adventurous life she left behind when a family secret threatens to destroy everything she spent her life protecting.
Collects: Shutter #1-6
This was… a bit of a disappointment, sadly. It’s a riot of urban fantastical and weird elements, which while very creative and ambitious, is also a bit of a mess. There’s a lot to love about it — the lead character is interesting and the mystery about her father and family is certainly interesting. There are cool secondary characters (Harrington, for example), but there’s so much thrown at the reader that it’s difficult to know what to expect. I’ll check back for volume two, but it’s not a high priority. Maybe this will end up being like Vertigo’s Hinterkind: a disappointing establishing volume, followed by a stellar second collection?
If you like your comics zany and filled with the mad and clashing fantastic, then Shutter should appeal. I usually do, but I think this just goes that little bit too far.
*
SOUTHERN BASTARDS, Vol.1 — “Here Was A Man”
Writer: Jason Aaron | Artist: Jason LaTour
Welcome to Craw County, Alabama, home of Boss BBQ, the state champion Runnin’ Rebs football team… and more bastards than you’ve ever seen. When you’re an angry old man like Earl Tubb, the only way to survive a place like this… is to carry a really big stick.
Collects: Southern Bastards #1-4
This is a pretty grim and gritty series. It’s brutal, gripping, frightening, and absolutely not a tourist pamphlet for the American south… The town is dominated by the high school football coach, who rules with an iron fist and seems to keep crime under control (and profitable for him). When Earl Tubb returns to clear out his recently passed father’s home, he gets tangled up in the injustices of small-town southern America. It does not end on a happy note. It’s a strangely uncomfortable read, in some respects, but it’s good — brutally honest, unvarnished. The artwork is appropriate — at least, that’s how it feels, fits the story and tone very well.
Recommended if you like your comics based more on reality than the fantastical.
*
UMBRAL, Vol.1 — “Out of the Shadows”
Writer: Antony Johnston | Artist & Cover: Christopher Mitten
The young thief called Rascal witnesses the horrific and brutal murder of the royal family— now the world’s dark legends will be relived, and only Rascal even knows it’s happening!
Collects: Umbral #1-6
This was an interesting book. The tone is interesting — there’s a mix of adventure, action, conspiracy, and some amusing, poking-of-fun at the genre. The humour is gentle and there are a fair number of chuckle-worthy asides and quips. The premise is pretty interesting, and the story flows quite well. That being said, I think it started to lose steam towards the end of the collection. There are some surprises, nicely revealed, but also some things that just didn’t progress enough. The world-building is interesting and well-done. The artwork is very good, too — especially for the Umbral (which are nicely creepy and weird).
An opening act, to be sure, with plenty going on. I am interested enough to return for the second collection.
Review: THE FIRE SERMON by Francesca Haig (Gallery/Voyager)
Much-hyped debut fails to sizzle
Four hundred years in the future, the Earth has turned primitive following a nuclear fire that has laid waste to civilization and nature. Though the radiation fallout has ended, for some unknowable reason every person is born with a twin. Of each pair, one is an Alpha — physically perfect in every way; and the other an Omega—burdened with deformity, small or large. With the Council ruling an apartheid-like society, Omegas are branded and ostracized while the Alphas have gathered the world’s sparse resources for themselves. Though proclaiming their superiority, for all their effort Alphas cannot escape one harsh fact: Whenever one twin dies, so does the other.
Cass is a rare Omega, one burdened with psychic foresight. While her twin, Zach, gains power on the Alpha Council, she dares to dream the most dangerous dream of all: equality. For daring to envision a world in which Alphas and Omegas live side-by-side as equals, both the Council and the Resistance have her in their sights.
This novel has been enjoying quite some hype on social media, and the premise does sound like an interesting take on the post-apocalyptic dystopia genre. Dreamworks has already acquired film rights for the novel (which is the first in a trilogy), and the Guardians of the Galaxy co-screenwriter has been hired to write the adaptation. It has been described as a “Potential Heir to the Hunger Games“. This had all the makings of an enjoyable, thought-provoking read, one that would rise about the masses of other dystopian novels that are hitting shelves on a monthly basis. I decided to read it early (I received an eARC via the US publisher and NetGalley). Sad to say, I was thoroughly disappointed.
[Minor spoilers ahead. Some not so minor, perhaps.] Continue reading
Early 2015 Most Wanted: Orbit Books
While browsing Orbit US’s catalogue of upcoming books, I spotted a few I think people should be aware of and check out. Some of them have featured already on the site (at the previous location), but what the hell. I’m really interested in reading them, and ’tis the season for sharing lists and so forth. Here they are, with details…
Featuring: Alex Marshall, Gail Z. Martin, Brian McClellan, Kim Stanley Robinson, Sam Sykes, Jaye Wells Continue reading
Video: Joe Haldeman Discusses THE FOREVER WAR
Here is a video of Joe Haldeman discussing his classic sci-fi novel, The Forever War, courtesy of Open Road Media:
The publisher is in the process of publishing a number of novels in Joe Haldeman’s back catalogue in eBook, including The Forever War, the Worlds trilogy (the first of which I have for review), Tool of the Trade and more.
Short Review: THE FINAL COMPLIANCE OF SIXTY-THREE FOURTEEN by Guy Haley (Black Library)
A great new Horus Heresy short story
As Horus grinds the Imperium beneath his boot, emissaries from the XVIth Legion return to worlds sworn to the Warmaster during the Great Crusade to have them renew their fealty. With the Sons of Horus already at battle readiness over Sixty-Three Fourteen, a grim decision must be made…
As is always the case with short stories, it’s tricky to review them at great length. In short, this is a great short story — it feels like an aside, of sorts, presented from the perspective of an Imperial governor and his aide, as they discuss how to deal with the Warmaster’s request for fealty. Well, “demand” would be a better word.
It’s an interesting story — not exactly essential reading, but I welcomed the different type of story, the alternative perspective, and also the tension at the end. The final paragraph was good, speaking volumes in just a few well-chosen words. If you’re a fan of the series, and want a quick fix to fill a half-hour or so, then this should suit very well.
Excerpt: THE GENOME by Sergei Lukyanenko (Open Road)
Thanks to Open Road Media for allowing CR to share this excerpt from Sergei Lukyanenko’s THE GENOME. Here’s the synopsis…
Five months after the horrific accident that left him near death and worried that he’d never fly again, master-pilot Alex Romanov lands a new job: captaining the sleek passenger vesselMirror. Alex is a spesh — a human who has been genetically modified to perform particular tasks. As a captain and pilot, Alex has a genetic imperative to care for passengers and crew — no matter what the cost.
His first mission aboard Mirror is to ferry two representatives of the alien race Zzygou on a tour of human worlds. His task will not be an easy one, for aboard the craft are several speshes who have reason to hate the Others. Dark pasts, deadly secrets, and a stolen gel-crystal worth more than Alex’s entire ship combine to challenge him at every turn. And as the tension escalates, it becomes apparent that greater forces are at work to bring the captain’s world crashing down.
Read on for Chapter Three… Continue reading
Review: AHRIMAN – EXILE by John French (Black Library)
First in a series, good but didn’t live up to expectations
All is dust… Spurned by his former brothers and his father Magnus the Red, Ahriman is a wanderer, a sorcerer of Tzeentch whose actions condemned an entire Legion to an eternity of damnation. Once a vaunted servant of the Thousand Sons, he is now an outcast, a renegade who resides in the Eye of Terror. Ever scheming, he plots his return to power and the destruction of his enemies, an architect of fate and master of the warp.
After reading and loving Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s The Talon of Horus, I was in the mood to read more fiction about the Traitor Legions. I’ve had Ahriman: Exile for quite some time, but just hadn’t got around to reading it. Talon of Horus is told from the perspective of one of Ahriman’s greatest rivals, and because I enjoyed French’s two Ahriman short stories, this seemed like a perfect next read. It was… good. Unpolished, but good. Continue reading
Upcoming: THE GIRL IN THE ROAD by Monica Byrne (Broadway Books)
So this novel was already published in May 2014 to rave reviews, but on February 17th, 2015, Monica Byrne‘s The Girl In The Road will be released by Broadway Books in paperback with a much better cover (right). I must say I found the original cover a little bland, and not particularly eye-catching. The synopsis is interesting, though:
When Meena finds snakebites on her chest, her worst fears are realized: someone is after her and she must flee India. As she plots her exit, she learns of the Trail, an energy-harvesting bridge spanning the Arabian Sea that has become a refuge for itinerant vagabonds and loners on the run. This is her salvation. Slipping out in the cover of night, with a knapsack full of supplies including a pozit GPS, a scroll reader, and a sealable waterproof pod, she sets off for Ethiopia, the place of her birth.
Meanwhile, Mariama, a young girl in Africa, is forced to flee her home. She joins up with a caravan of misfits heading across the Sahara. She is taken in by Yemaya, a beautiful and enigmatic woman who becomes her protector and confidante. They are trying to reach Addis Abba, Ethiopia, a metropolis swirling with radical politics and rich culture. But Mariama will find a city far different than she ever expected—romantic, turbulent, and dangerous.
As one heads east and the other west, Meena and Mariama’s fates are linked in ways that are mysterious and shocking to the core.
Thanks to Damien Walter for Tweeting the new cover. Hadn’t spotted it before.
Civilian Reader 