Review: The Deep

The Deep by Rivers Solomon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's unfair to compare books, even by the same author. A writer isn't required, nor inclined, to write the same thing over and over for your amusement. However, it isn't just important to understand what we read, but understand why we read it. Solomon's previous book, "An Unkindness of Ghosts", was my favorite of 2018. It might even be my favorite of the decade. I had spent the last few years reading so much mediocre pandering to their subgenre bullshit that it was amazing to read something from a new author that had genuine talent. It was such a great read that my socks are still smoldering. It's why I picked up her latest, "The Deep". While I won't compare the two, it is important in the frame of this review for me to establish context.

First off, I didn't expect it to be a novella. I suppose the 176-page count should have clued me in, but I made my purchase without so much as glancing over the cover. Novellas are not only shorter, they are also framed differently. They focus more on the initial idea than an expansive novel would. It's like the difference between a forest and a large tree. A novel isn't one big idea. It's thousands of smaller ideas trying to work together. A novella is that one big idea that branches out into a wider form. "The Deep" has a great big idea but being a novella subverted my expectations. That's not anyone's fault but mine, but it doesn't change the fact that is what happened.

As a novella with that big idea, it tilts far more towards world-building than things like plot or characters. For what it is, it has great world-building, but I couldn't help feel that spending another year working on this would have produced a novel well worth the effort. Further thinking this was a missed opportunity. A great concept with more fleshed out characters and a layered plot would have helped me love this book even more. Plus, I would have been able to spend more time in this watery world.

The prose was easily the best part of this book. Solomon is such a raw talent I fell in love with almost every sentence that was written. There is also a careful consideration of the use of pronouns that makes you stand up and take notice (or at least it should). It's done in a way that it isn't jarring and easily made me even more immersive in this world. Once again, something I wish was drawn out more into a full novel.

"The Deep" is a genuine work of art. You personally might not like it. You might not conceptually get it. And that's okay. This book, or Solomon's work in general, isn't for everyone. But sandblasting every paragraph grey until the most amount of people relate to a middling boring book has long been apart of the fucking problem. While I take issue with its briefness or lack of a focused plot, I can't help love with how it made me feel. My only legitimate strike against it is that this feeling didn't last as long as I wanted it to.

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Before the Binge

Disclaimer: 99% of this entry was written before November. Also, it will mostly outline my plan of attack for the event NaNoWriMo. Also, I use the term 'shitty' more than once, but it's been that kind of month.

I was hoping to begin querying my first novel this past month, but alas it was not to be. I was going to use the Writer's Market as a resource and spam every corner of the literary world. Problem is that the Deluxe Edition I ordered was scheduled for October 8th never arrived. The book mostly disappeared or was labeled 'Out of Stock' by every place on the planet that sales books. The whole reason I paid extra for the 'Deluxe Edition' was to start querying right away. I ended up canceling my order and had to put querying on hold until after the first of the year. The standard version is scheduled to come out in early November and, even if that remains to be true, the holidays are a shitty time to query people. Plus, I have a book to write.

That book is currently titled 'Thermal Kings'. There's an eighty percent chance that will change by the time I'm done with it, but it is what it is for now. There are, of course, some days I won't be able to write. To be honest, November is kind of a shitty month to host this event. Thanksgiving being the chief reason among them. With that holiday and other obligations, I currently calculate that I have twenty-six days worth of writing. That means I need to write just under two thousand words a day to reach the fifty thousand word goal. However, I'm setting a daily goal of twenty-five hundred words a day so I can be, at least, mostly done before the week of Thanksgiving. Follow me on Twitter (@LesAbernathy) if you want plenty of word count shitposting.

Since I'm the ML, it's up to me to encourage people to keep writing so they'll forget everything dies and gets forgotten. I scheduled a NaNoWriMo kickoff event for Sunday at a local coffee shop. Because of course I did. I want to meet every Sunday, but let me meet these people and see if I want to keep meeting them. Since the event is in the future, we'll both have to wait to find out how it goes.

Not much else to say. There was some shitty stuff going on at work this month, but I've gotten as much as I can off my plate as I can before the big month. I'm ready, but I don't feel ready. If that makes sense. I hope to get into the flow of things and become unstoppable. Like I usually do. The trick is just to get started in the first place.

Until next time, and at all times, be kind.

P.S. Free Hong Kong.

Be Kind

Warning: Don't read the first two paragraphs. There is no news/information here. It is simply me getting something off my chest.

I was originally going to start this entry off with a rant. Then, as my anger cooled, it turned into more of a well-worded, but hostile, examination. Being more of an observer of humanity than a member, I started to notice something. The thing I was going to rant against has mostly good people involved. Like a charity that spends too much money on donuts. You don't want to call them out for wasting money because you'll look like an ass for criticizing a good charity. Even though that money could be put to better use. Even though I'm right. I saw people defending the good while shooting down any idea of the fact the system is flawed and requires reform. They were being nice. Which led me to something even worse than a rant: A lecture.

I highly value kindness. It's a rare resource or at least rarer than it should be, and it genuinely makes the world a better place. The thing is, I also highly value honesty. And, when you value honesty, you learn the difference between being kind and being nice. Imagine, if you will, that you have a good friend that's currently in a toxic relationship. Being kind is telling your friend to dump that loser. Even though it will hurt. Even though speaking up might jeopardize your friendship. You still need to do it. Because they're your friend and they deserve better. On the other hand, being nice is pretending you like your friend's loser partner despite everything. Sure, you'll be there for your friend when the relationship comes crashing down, but you probably should have spoken up earlier. Being kind requires honesty. Courage. Being nice just requires your presence. Don't be nice. Be better. Be kind.

Now that I've gotten the toxin out of my system, on to the news.

The biggest news, that doesn't involve moving, is that I finally finished the latest round of edits on my novel. I'm expecting to start querying it again in the next week and even entered it into the Pitch Wars contest. I don't expect it get very far since I'm a cynical asshole because I no self-esteem. Or I have no self-esteem because I'm a cynical asshole, depending on who you ask. Still, I march on. Let's hope I can sell this book before I'm dead.

I already mentioned that I'm the ML for my region when NaNoWriMo begins next month. Though, I haven't done too much about it. I've been holding off on planning the writing event because I've been too damn busy. Even as I type this, I'm waiting on the final task so I can complete the fiscal year-end at work. Step one will be to formulate a calendar/attack plan for the event and establish meetups with anyone will to listen to me talk about failing at writing for an hour or so. NaNoWriMo: spring break for writers.

Last bit for now. I finally got the results for the third quarter of the Writer of the Future contest. Another honorable mention. It's better than an outright rejection, but I still won't see my work published in any form. It's a so close, and yet, so far kind of feeling. The damnest thing is that I had a great idea for a short story in the middle of the night just last night. I didn't bother to write it down and now it's lost to the void. Just like my novel.

Until next time, and at all times, be kind.

Review: The Testaments

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

There is a downside to high expectations. Mostly in the fairly obvious way that it prevents you from enjoying something for what it is rather than what you expect it to be. I try not to go into something with such forethought, but sometimes it can't be helped. You, dear reader, might be able to do better than I. But I doubt it. Not with as something as expectantly loaded as 'The Testaments'.

This book isn't a sequel to 'The Handmaid's Tale'. Nor is it a prequel. Nor any other type of 'quel' you can imagine. It is more of a companion. By expanding the lore by a few inches, it manages to carve out another story from the sad state of Gilead. While almost as depressing and poignant as the first novel, it has a larger scope and importance to the overall lore. Trying to answer questions about the old world nation-state while keeping the perspective on two seemingly inconsequential players. Like trying to tell the entire history of Battle of the Bulge from a single private in the 101st Airborne. You get a first-hand account. Lacking a better term, it's from the trenches. The problem being that you don't get a sense of scope while things are happening and the ending plays off as a little too overly dramatic because you never learn why things are important until after the fact.

For the most part, I'm happy I read this book. I doubt I would have been content with myself otherwise. It's just a fact that I didn't walk away impressed. It has problems with its narrative structure and a number of smaller things that kind of add up over time. However, I think its biggest problem is that it doesn't really have anything new to say. 'The Handmaid's Tale' is sometimes lumped in with science fiction because it answers one of Heinlein's big three questions: What if this goes on? Over the years since Handmaid was published, radicalized religion has gotten worse, not better, and the book's foreboding tale rings louder today than it did yesterday. With that in mind, it's nearly impossible to read a companion to that book and not expect something new out of it. I just didn't find it.

I know I've given better reviews to worse books, but I can't recommend Testaments beyond being in the know of its place in literature. And FOMO is a shitty reason to read a book. Not only does this book have a loaded expectation from its source material, but also has a high bar to climb in regards of who wrote it. There is no escapism here, and nor should there be. I know it might be unfair, but books have different standards for different reasons. Literature is placed not just by what is written, but why is it written. With 'The Testaments', its reasons just weren't good enough for me.

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Review: Gideon Falls, Vol. 1: The Black Barn

Gideon Falls, Vol. 1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All you need to know is that this is a good intro story into something much larger than what it is showing. That, and you'll probably love or hate it. As a first volume, it's intelligent but slow. You either go in for the long haul or you bail early. This is one you marry, not fool around with. I fully recommend you at least read this first volume. You'll finish with more questions than answers, but that isn't the point. It's all a matter if you care enough to keep digging and find out how far the rabbit hole goes.

The writing is good but can be a little uneven. Like I said before, it's slow. The main problem is that the book is trying to tell two stories at the same time, and they aren't equal in terms of pacing. In one story, you have almost entirely setup. Six issues in, and we're still wandering around looking for clues like the opening chapter of a grand novel. In the other story, the action is more immediate but still feels like a tease. There's more of an arc to the second story, which isn't a bad thing, but it's the contrast with the first that feels muddling.

In other news, the art is where it's at. At first, I wasn't sold on it. There's a graininess to it that can be off-putting at first glance. But behind the scratchy nature of it, you start to see patterns to make it some of the best art I've seen in a comic. What sucks about ninety percent of comics is that they're basically bad short stories with pictures. Going from panel to panel without any real interest in using visual art to help tell a story. Gideon doesn't do that. It instead fully invests the time and brainpower to utilize the art form. It might not always make sense, but it sure is refreshing.

I was originally going to give this book three stars. The opening issues spend too much time talking and not enough digging into the lore. It definitely has its pacing problems, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good book. It wants you to stick around but isn't willing to lower itself with cheap tricks in order to do it. Just make it to the end of the volume, you'll be pulled in and you're not going to want to come up for air.

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Review: Trail of Lightning

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Somewhere throughout reading this book, I came across the idea that this was the author's first novel. I double-checked to make sure I was right, as one should always do, and I was. As I usually am. There were just too many first author mistakes made that showcased such an aspect. Tendencies that more experienced authors would hopefully grow out of. A key example, several chapters end on a strong almost cliffhanger sort of note. The kind you would see on Star Trek right before they cut to commercial. The problem is that this was almost always followed by a short chapter to finish the conversation the characters were having right before the chapter break rudely interrupted them. Writing tip: Don't do that.

I could give several more examples of first-timer mistakes, but I don't want to sound like a writing professor. No one wants that. I'll refocus on the quality of the novel, which is best summed up as average at its best. The prose is decent, serviceable. Perhaps what it does best is world-building. Giving you just enough to maintain interest, but doesn't vomit out the entire history in the first third of the book. However, that maintenance to the pacing might be because there is plenty of room in later books due to this being a series. Because everything has to be a series these days.

This might also be due to this being a first novel, but there's a vagueness to the book. I don't mean in the prose. If anything the dialogue and descriptions is too precise. I mean in terms of the thread of the plot. Not in so much what is happening but rather in why is it happening. The main character, Maggie, is mostly led by the nose from plot point to plot point with things happening to her rather than because of her. The vehicle is moving, but Maggie isn't the one behind the wheel. There's only one part of the book, about 2/3rds of the way in, where she takes control. But then the book promptly hands her ass back to her and she returns to the passenger seat where she remains for the rest of the story.

Despite its problems, it's a decent book. Especially for a first novel. I did start to get bored by the end, mostly because another problem is it doesn't do a good job raising the stakes, but I was able to finish it without feeling I was wasting my time. There's a cultural element to it that I found refreshing, but I also can't comment if it's good or bad in its portrayal. This is mostly because I'm not qualified to do so and it would be foolish of me to pretend otherwise. That being said, you might enjoy this book if its issues don't stand out as much with you. It's a good light read, to say the least.

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Moving Pictures

Moving sucks. Good news is that we've set a goal for September 21st as the big moving day. It won't be the end of it, but at least we'll actually be living in the new house after that point. Assuming we can keep that date. The only writing news is that I've been named the municipal liaison for NaNoWriMo in my area. I'm stilling editing and waiting on all other fronts. Everything else is moving related.

For something completely different, I finished painting my room and here is the end result:

The big mural.

How this started was that I was staring at the blank wall wondering what the hell I was doing with my life. I had already resigned myself to doing a large mural but had yet to design it. I had recently seen Rembrandt's "Night Watch" and it had left an impact. Several thoughts later, I had the mural compulsively designed in my mind. The end product is 90% of what I envisioned. So proud of all my hard work I even initialed the damn thing.

Corners



The Door

Above the Shelf. I didn't paint the shelf.

 

The far side of the wall.

 





Window Wall. The latter is not a part of the art.

Squares. Ignore the Ethernet cables.

Well, that's my room. What sucks is that most of this will be covered by shelves, desks, and bookcases. But that's life. If you happen to run across this and have any questions/comments/praise/hatred, the comment box is below. It was fun to paint, but it took a hellish long time. Maybe by the time we move next I'll have forgotten how hard it was to do.

Review: Valley of Genius: The Uncensored History of Silicon Valley

Valley of Genius: The Uncensored History of Silicon Valley by Adam Fisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oral history books might sound like an easy book to write. Lazily copying and pasting the interviews into a readable format. However, once you dive into the final product, it becomes less clear as to the level of difficulty that was involved. The writer obviously has to interview someone. Just type out a transcript of an important person and call it a day. Though this book doesn't interview someone. It interviews everyone. Think of a name that's important to the history of Silicon Valley, and he/she/they are in here. How much it matters is up to you.

Genius does a good job sectioning the interviews by subject and timeline. For example, the interview with Steve Jobs appears throughout the book because it's cut up among the various topic and places in time he was involved in. The book more or less starts with Atari where most of the early figures of Silicon Valley, including Jobs, got their first tech jobs. Each chapter does a thorough run-through and history of each subject. Doing an excellent job of using interviews to tell an actual story. Which is where the book really shines. Using the voices of the people that were there to explain the beginning, middle, and end of a point in the valley's history.

The only real downside to a book of this format is the length. I couldn't help feeling this book would have been only half as long if the interviews were summed up rather than directly transcribed. Keep in mind I don't view the format as a bad thing. It's more of a point of order for someone else who is thinking of reading it. It might not be for everyone.

My only real complaint is the people in the book can be a little self-serving at times. It's not the book's fault, it's just holding up a mirror, but that doesn't change the fact it's there. In particular, the 'epilogue' had a lot of people smelling their own farts. As someone who has already used their smartphone three times since starting to type this, I really can't argue that Silicon Valley has been really important to our culture and history. But there was too much taking credit for the good while ignoring responsibility for the bad.

All in all, if you're the least bit interested in history and/or Silicon Valley, I would say this book is a must. It's extremely well put together and everyone who was someone is here. It even has Lars Ulrich.

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Review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've done a lot of re-reading this year. Some have held up, some have revealed themselves to lack plot. And this might be the fourth time I've read THGttG. Does it still hold up? Yes. Why would you even ask that? I'll get into why a little later down, but just know that I can probably read this book a thousand times and still laugh like no one is watching.

Since I'm a negative person, I tend to gravitate to what is wrong with something. So I'll start what's bad about this book. One, it's British. British authors tend to write as if only British culture exists. You can travel a million lightyears across the galaxy and the aliens there will still serve afternoon tea. Cognitive bias is more of a human flaw than a British one, but it's still there. Two, sometimes the cleverness is undermined by the absurdity. For example, the Improbability Drive and how it's first used might be one of the cleverest ideas in literature. I could write every clever idea I ever have throughout my life and never have an idea that good. But then the characters turn into penguins and stuff for no other reason than to be absurd. It's kind of how a joke is ruined by a heckler. Except here, the heckler and comedian are the same person.

Good Omens, the one by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, doesn't have much a plot to it. It's funny and well written but doesn't hold up to multiple reads. The reason I bring that up is because I had the same worry for THGttG. The thing is, the opposite is true for this book. Hitchhiker has a fairly layered plot that moves along at a breakneck pace. I would even say maybe a little too quickly. It's a rather short book and might be helped by expanding it somewhat. Still, it doesn't waste my time and deliveries an exciting adventure. Which is about eighty percent of what I ask for in a good book.

Now, why does THGttG hold up? I want to call the reason micro-humor. There are so many little jokes throughout that the book keeps you laughing regardless of how well you think you remember it. Sure, everyone remembers 42 and Thanks for All the Fish, but it's all the wittiness in between that keeps it fresh. THGttG is an absolute must if you've never read it before, but, what makes it truly great, is it stays an absolute must even after you've done so.

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Review: The Poppy War

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first question I had come to mind while reading 'The Poppy War' is if it would be classified as YA. At first, I was thinking that answer to be a soft no. Especially in the beginning, it has elements associated with YA. Lots of training, young female protagonist, a poor oppressive upbringing. There is also the danger of this book simply being classified as YA. The publishing industry tends to put books written by female authors, especially if the main character is young, in YA regardless if it belongs there or not. By the middle of the book, my answer changed to more of a hard no. Then, by the latter third of the book, my answer changed to another question: Why the hell did I ever ask myself that?

The biggest asset to this novel is that gradual change. Not from YAish to full-on adult, but more of the change of the character and the nature of the world around her. Think the first Godfather film. Michael going from a decent guy to the worst of all the mob bosses. I won't say if Rin goes to the dark side or not, but it's more of the comparison of hard decisions and comprises she has to make. The person who you start with isn't the same by the end. I know character development shouldn't sound like a mind-blowing topic, but you'd be surprised by how few books actually have it.

There's also the prose. When I first starting reading, I dug into how well and engaging it was written. And it never really loses momentum. I've been stuck reading a book that had really strong first few chapters but quickly loses its sense of polish. You won't find that here. My only problem writing-wise is the characters aren't as varied as I'd like. They don't all sound the same, but I feel most of them are singing the same song at different notes.

My only criticisms are small nitpicks. It's a little longer than need be and I wasn't as enthused with the book by the end as I was in the beginning. Also, it's written in the third person without me really understanding why. We spend 95% of the narration with Rin and could have easily been told in her first-person. Though this more of a matter of personal style and taste. I still really loved it but felt worn by the closing chapters. So I say read it as soon as possible. You just might want to pack a snack.

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Review: Shades of Magic Vol. 1: The Steel Prince

Shades of Magic Vol. 1: The Steel Prince by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Is it possible for a story to have too fast of a pace? Of course it is. If something isn't given enough time to be explained or analyzed or even cooked, it can appear to be underdeveloped. It can be the result of limited space or time or being the prequel to another story. Having the context exist, but not in the actual story you're telling. Ultimately, leaving everyone with a sense that the story needed more room to be flushed out. Like asking a question and answering it without fully exploring its meaning.

I read 'A Darker Shade of Magic' a few years ago and felt I probably should have binged on the entire series before reading this. I enjoyed the novel but wasn't quite sure how to feel about its comic cousin. I almost felt bad that I wasn't fully invested in this story. That maybe it was me or the story just doesn't fully translate well into a graphic form. But that's bullshit. Each story needs to justify itself on its own terms. Not by another story you may or may not remember super well. Even if it's written by the same person.

The dialogue is written well enough. The story itself though feels like it should have been six issues instead of four. There isn't enough characterization to understand why most people are doing much of anything. Why does the prince have any beef with the pirate queen? I know she's kind of a bitch and laying pipe on his turf, but there isn't any reason for him to go after her beyond the plot demanding it. We're only given one backstory and its fairly generic. Editing not only involves taking bad stuff out but also putting good stuff in.

The art is serviceable. It has a nice consistency to it, which I liked, but it's a little dark and some of the characters don't stand out as well as they should. Also, the covers are better than the interiors. Something that always annoys me. Comic books should always put as much work on the inside as the outside. I know it costs time and money, but a half-assed job is forever.

I think that there was too much of a focus on getting fans invested in the story so they would continue reading. A little introductory tale before the main quest. The problem is that this story goes by too fast to understand why you're even there in the first place. It's like a meal that doesn't fill you up. It wants you to order seconds, but I'd rather have something that satisfies me the first time.

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What's Up?

I don't have much to update on writing-wise, so I'll try to be brief. Moving is going slowly, but we're making progress. I hope to do a separate blog entry on the painting designs I'm doing, so keep an eye out for that. I haven't been taking pictures of my progress because there aren't enough people who pay attention for me to put in the effort. You will, however, see the finished product once I'm done. Might be as early as this weekend. End of August at the latest.

Writing stuff, there isn't much to report. I've scheduled a short-form writing time on Sundays, but I have yet to keep it. To be fair, I have a good excuse. Might have to wait until all the moving is done before I can dive back in. I'm still editing Variant War, entering the final arc of the novel. I'm keeping track of who POVs each chapter because I need to go back and edit Snyder's chapters. If I keep this up, I should be done soon.

I put in an application to manage my local region for NaNoWriMo. I'm still planning on doing it even though I have yet to plot out the novel. I still have three months. Editing and moving have just gotten in the way. Plus work keeps throwing me curveballs. That's never fun.

In other uninteresting news, I completed reading my Heinlein collection. Had some oddball short stories and a collection of speeches that had alluded me until now. I want to do a podcast to do a deep dive into his work, but it's not like I have time for that. Also, I can't think of anyone who would want to listen to my voice.

Still nothing from Writers of the Future for the third quarter, but I'm not expecting anything until September. As I understand it, they haven't finished doing the second quarter. We'll see.

That's pretty much it for now. I know it's pretty much reviews at the moment, but that's what pointless blogs are for.

Review: Storm Glass

Storm Glass by Jeff Wheeler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Storm Glass might be the most unimpressive book I've ever read. It's not bad in any real way, it just doesn't excite me even in the faintest sense of the term. I can't even say it's boring as I was able to finish it without feeling I wasted the last week. Everything was just so middle of the road and clumpy that it was just good enough to read, but not good enough to like.

If you're into world-building porn, this book might be your jam. Because the only thing that had the slightest sense of creative investment was the world-building. The prose and characters were too weak for the case to be otherwise. I'll give the book props for laying out the world without creating a sense of being in the middle of an exposition dump. The problem, however, is that there is so little investment into why any of it matters. A great big world, with lots of moving parts, loses its sense of wonder when it's restricted behind the narrative's limited scope. The book never crosses the threshold of building a world and making the reader care about it.

In other news, the social-political intrigue is too petty and small scale to maintain interest. Too much of the book plays out like a super long episode of 'Downton Abbey'. Just without Maggie Smith. Or any interesting characters for that matter. The dynamics are just too cliched and none it really matters by the everything-fits-neatly-in-a-box ending.

Mild spoiler. This book is really about poverty. Why is it about poverty? Reasons. Is it a good commentary about poverty? No. No, it isn't. I could probably write a five million world essay as to why, but here's the gist: For there to be an effective commentary on an issue, there needs to be an underlining real-world connection and understanding of the institutionalized aspects of the problem. At no time did I feel like the author was holding up a mirror to the issues the book cared about. Not unless it was a funhouse mirror.

I've read books before where nothing really happens. The industry normally calls those books award winners. However, this isn't the case for Storm Glass. Stuff happens. Lots of stuff. Most of it is explaining something about the world, but at least it's something. But from the beginning, to middle, to end, there doesn't seem to be any sense of highs or lows. It's just a very monotone pace throughout. Like a decently worded output of white noise. It's not bad. It's just there.

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Review: Vessel

Vessel by Lisa A. Nichols
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Can writers write smart characters if they themselves aren't also smart? A loaded question to be sure but still somehow begs to be asked. It repeatedly came to mind as I read this novel, Vessel by Lisa A. Nichols. Not that this book is dumb, far from it, but it falls more into the range of above average. This novel uses its brain, which I liked, but the problem is that we have a bunch of characters that work at NASA who don't seem qualified for the positions they hold. I'm not saying you have to be a rocket scientist to write rocket scientists, but it helps.

It starts off well enough, with a strong you-can't-go-home-again feel to it. If it remained a character study about someone returning home after spending years in space than I probably would have liked it a lot more. However, the actual plot that surrounds our characters isn't as strong as the characters themselves. It's more drab and predictable than it otherwise pretends to be. Most of the book sticks with the lead character and her returning to Earth troubles, which is its strength, but every few chapters it has to remind us that it has a half baked plot cooking in the background.

I would say Vessel's worst problem is that it gets less interesting the more it goes on. It doesn't fall apart by the end, I would have hated this book otherwise, but it rather just of fizzles out. By the latter third of the book, it's just not convincing. The secondary characters aren't allowed enough insight, so their actions just seem rather idiotic. At first, I thought something sinister was going on, but no, they were just being stupid.

There is also a secondary narration that feels pretty useless until the closing chapters. It takes away the focus from the main character and it doesn't provide enough insight into the plot to justify it. I know the resolution to the ending conflict was more practical by having someone other than the main character solve it, it just makes for bad storytelling.

Ultimately, I would say this book is flawed but otherwise worthy to be read. So I would recommend Vessel but with an asterisk. It's mostly good, it's mostly smart. It just isn't as good or as smart as something like The Martian.

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Review: Captain America: Sam Wilson, Vol. 1: Not My Captain America

Captain America: Sam Wilson, Vol. 1: Not My Captain America by Nick Spencer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is strictly a middle of the road comic. If you're a die-hard Captain America fan, you could do worse. If you're more of a general comic book fan that'll read anything as long as it's good, you can do better. In a weird way, I hate things that are middling. I can't tear into it without feeling bad, but I also can't praise it. Almost like an annoying talkative guy who sits next to you on an airplane or bus. Sure, you want him to shut up, but, if you hit him, you'll be arrested. And there were plenty of times I wanted to smack this book.

The biggest problem was the writing. Especially the dialogue. While not garbage, the text was highly inefficient. Each character needed to spew out several paragraphs worth of nearly meaningless dialogue when one line could do. Very rarely is this book ever concise and to the point. For example, there is a part in issue 2 where Sam is holding a guy upside down in the air. Even then, in most non-talkative situation someone could ever possibly be in, entire pages of dialogue are exchanged. Then Sam's trained bird, Red Wing, holds him up by the pant leg. And anyone who's seen Monty Python knows that's impossible.

There's also a weird werewolf thing that is used strictly to tell a number of lame jokes that gets really old really fast. Despite spending several days as a literal dog, there is zero character development for Sam or anyone else. Which is another problem this book has.

The art is a mixed bag. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's average. Obviously, this book had several people work on it so it could stay on schedule. If this was an independent publisher, I would honestly give it more slack, but, if Marvel has enough money to hire A-list actors to play minor roles in their movies, they can afford to spend more money on art.

I don't want to trash this book, but I also want to tell you to avoid it. It's not very good. Keeping track of what is going on with the Captain America character is literally to only reason you would want to read it. And that isn't a very good reason.

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I just flew back from Europe and boy are my arms tired.

Actually, I've been back for a few weeks now, but this is the first blog entry since being across the pond. Europe was great in case anyone cares. I was half expecting some kind of revelation when I was over there, but it was just enjoyable and not some kind of other worldly experience. The only place we visited that I thought would be a good place to live in was Amsterdam. Seriously, legal pot is the least interesting thing about the place. But more on that later.

Mostly it's been a struggle to get back on track since the honeymoon ended. I spent most of June just catching up on stuff. Then, almost as soon as I felt things were back to normal, we had to start moving into the new house. Good news is that we're not in a hurry. Bad news is that the process eats up all my free time. I'm still editing The Variant War, a process that should be done before October. Speaking of October, the 2020 version of the Writer's Market book comes out on the eighth. I've decided to hold off on query letters until then. Just need to focus on personal stuff so I can be ready for what's ahead of me.

Have my other writing projects gotten any love? Not really. I hope to spend the next few months doing prep work for Thermal Kings to be ready for NaNoWriMo in November. I also put in an application to be the regional dude for the event. It will feel good to finally get to do some actual writing again. I also have a new short-form project, but it hasn't gotten as much attention as it probably should. The best solution here would be to schedule two hours every week to work on it. But, you know, personal stuff.

I finally got the Honorable Mention certificate in the mail. I will hang it up in my new office when we move. Wifey has been calling it the 'L. Ron Hubbard certificate', which has jokingly been taken out of context.  Hilarious. I also entered another short story for the third quarter. I won't hear back from them until around September. There has been a new story swimming around in my head, but it will stay in the notes phase until next year. Like most things apparently.

I had to look at the last entry before I realized that I hadn't made an update to the conference. Short version: It was a waste of time and money. There is no long version. I still might go back, but I'll be more careful with who I pitch to. That's all I have to say on the subject.

To end on a more positive note, I visited the Rijksmuseum while in Amsterdam. They had a Rembrandt exhibit but we were unable to get in. It was the last weekend and the viewing was a madhouse. However, they kept Night Watch in its proper place as the centerpiece of the museum. Words don't do it justice, so I won't even try. All I can do is ask a question. If you don't have seeing Night Watch on your bucket list, do you even want to live?

Review: The Lathe of Heaven

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As an opening shot in the era known as New Wave Science Fiction, it's not bad. As a novel you're trying to enjoy today, it doesn't hold up as well as Le Guin's other works. It spends so much time being art that it actually forgets it was supposed to be a book. Instead of worrying about plot and character, it plays out more like expanding on a concept that should have been confined to a short story. If you're like me, you hold Le Guin in very high regard, but that still doesn't mean I can give a full recommendation to this novel.

If you do decide to read Heaven, I would say that the first thing you need to do is research New Wave Science Fiction. The short version is that Harlan Ellison wrote stories that borderline on insane and it kicked off an entire genre in that fame. However, what Ellison did right was that he kept all those crazy concepts in short story form. They don't work as well when stretched out into a novel format. I'm the first person to say it's okay to be strange and not easy to understand, but I'm also the first to say that being strange doesn't automatically mean it's good.

Heaven just has too many problems with structure to make it enjoyable. Even though it's below average in length, it still takes too long to really get started. Also, the inherent flaw of the concept means the narrative has to world build over and over again. It's intriguing on a certain level, but it also creates a lack of investment. How do you care about a world that's just going to change by the next chapter? That's just it, you don't.

If you haven't read anything from Le Guin or New Wave before, you should certainly not start here. While well-received in its time, both Le Guin and New Wave has much better works for you to do a deep dive on. If you've already built a shrine around your copy of "Left Hand of Darkness" then this book might be an interesting read even if it doesn't satisfy like you would normally want a novel to do so.

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Review: Illegal

Illegal by Eoin Colfer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story deserved better. I'll say that upfront. There's nothing particularly wrong with this book, but there isn't anything great about it either. The book makes a well-intentioned, but underwhelming, attempt to humanize refugees making their way to Europe. While I don't necessarily disagree with it, the book does little to actually understand or explore the geopolitical aspects of the issue. The book is titled "Illegal", but the narrative only brings it up once and does nothing to further examine the plight of refugees beyond their localized perspective. Concerning itself more with the poverty of Ebo's home country and the hardship of traveling to Europe. To break it down another way, this book is convincing but not persuasive.

The writing isn't terrible. I've seen much worse. But I've also seen much better. The actual dialogue and narration are fine enough, but it has major problems concerning structure. The story flips back and forth between present day Ebo on a boat in the middle of the Mediterranean, and barely in the past Ebo searching for his brother across Niger and Libya. The structure would work if it was a "how did they get here" dynamic, but it seems to follow this pattern for no real reason. We know exactly how they got on that boat and knowing that Ebo made it that far ruins any tension of the first half. Also, much of what happens feels contrived. Plot enforced events, both good and bad, seemingly happen for no better reason than because the story demands it. The entire story feels like it's on autopilot.

The art. It's fine. I like it to a good degree, there is talent here, but it also doesn't do anything to warrant spectacular praise. The art is fine.

I'm a heartless monster, so I don't feel bad about walking away feeling meh about this book. It has a very simple message that refugees can't be illegal because humans can't be illegal. I don't disagree, but there seems to be an expectation of an automated response that I simply didn't have. Maybe that was just me (remember how I'm a heartless monster?) but I feel this book should have had more to say. The thing is, it doesn't.

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Review: Mister Miracle

Mister Miracle by Tom King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm literally going to get "Darkseid is." tattooed on my arm. No joke. I get a new tattoo every year, and this is going to be my next one. I already love Tom King's work so much I want to have his babies, but I do not mince words with I say Mister Miracle is a crowning achievement. Not only is it deep and emotional, but it also opens the mind to what comic books can be. It's that f%&@ing good.

Since nitpicking is my strong suit, I'll start there. If I can at least. I bounced possible complaints in my head, but there were soundly defeated by the positive vibes I feel for this book. The only one that stood up to this fairly one-sided mental battle was the bits involving Metron. It was a little too obscure and not fully fleshed out as far as explaining what he is even doing in this book. The cliffhanger at the end of issue #11 has no real resolution to it in regards to that singular plot point. I'm not saying #12 makes for a bad ending, it doesn't, but his involvement leads too much into fan theory territory. And I hate fan theories.

Besides that singular issue, the writing is God tier good. Seriously, one of the best books I've ever read. Well, the best within the last several years at least. The best comparison I can make is the movie Vertigo. Where everything is just so nuanced and layered. Grappling with issues like suicide and depression in a way that connects with whatever you call a soul. It also maintains a thorough plot with each issue laying out every point in express detail. I seriously don't know where Tom King goes from here.

The art is awesome. It matches perfectly with the story and conveys each aspect in the way comic books were meant to. Mitch Gerads and Tom King as a true dream team. I honestly think I'm running out of ways to say this book is great.

I try not to fanboy, it leads down a path of liking things that aren't genuinely good. Or worse, justifying things you would consider mediocre otherwise. Like saying Bumblebee is the best Transformers movie while ignoring how a legless pug could jump over that bar. The worst, of course, is not being able to like something that is great because some aspect of fandom tells you not to. I'm looking at you Star Wars fans. Regardless, I try not to love this book because I'm a fan of Tom King. I am a fan, but I would hate if I loved something that wasn't actually good. I still think this book is great, and you should too, but I pray to the New Gods that I never become that person.

Darkseid is.

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FML and an Honorable Mention

You should never write when you're under the heavy influence of either anger or depression. But my two fans won't be able to sleep tonight if I don't update them on the Atlanta conference that I just got back from. So, which negative emotion is coursing through my veins? Read and find out.

Disclaimer: The bit about the conference is towards the end. Not that you should skip to the end, but I don't want you to feel I'm burying the lede.

First up we have the Alabama Book Festival. To be honest, it felt like an off year. Even the food vendors were lacking. Which is a shame because I was really looking forward to a hot dog. Usually, it's an all-day affair for me, a holy day even. But, this year, I didn't show up until late in the morning (which is actually good because it was also Record Store Day). The first event I wanted to do was a poetry workshop. I was glad I decided to go because it was well worth attending. After that though, I should have left. There were no interesting guests and the book store was almost entirely travel, history, or true crime related. Even Christian literature had trouble showing up that particular Saturday. The next event of note was the comic book panel with the creators of Tuskegee Heirs. It was a good panel, but the lack of food had me more than a little tired. Then a massive wasp came into the room and everyone was super alert.  I wanted to stay for an indie publishing workshop at the end of the day, but I just didn't have the energy. So I left with no new books in hand. On the bright side, my to-read shelf is still only slightly overflowing.

I spoke last month about entering a short story contest, but that ended in failure. Well, at least sort of. I just decided to not enter because it turns out it had an entry fee. Unless the fee is something small to cover the use of a third party form service, the fees are usually bullshit. At least my work on the short story wasn't a waste of time because I will enter it into the Writers of the Future contest after I give it one last go through.

Speaking of Hubbardville, I'm getting an honorable mention for my first quarter entry. I know it's just one small step above a rejection, but it's a start. I should probably shop the story around. If you're reading this and know someone meaningful that publishes urban fantasy, comment below.

Now, the main event. The Atlanta Writer's Conference. Truth, I'm not totally sure I want to talk about it. It's still too early to say if anything will come out of it, but I have serious doubts. The highlight is that an editor really liked my sample, but she doesn't take unagented manuscripts. I could probably do an entire post on what is wrong with that, but I'll leave it be as it will not solve anything. The good news, I have a lead if I get an agent. The bad news is that I'm not likely to get an agent any time soon. Later this month I am sending two query letters to agents I met at the conference, so not all is lost. If anything, I learned that I should be more picky about who I pitch to instead of just throwing at everyone with their mitt out. Especially if I have to pay a butt load of money just to get in the room.

Plus side, I reacquainted myself with a couple of cool guys who are in the same boat as me. Or the same peas in the same pod. Which ever cliché suits you.

I could go further into detail about the conference, but I won't waste the time. My life, at least currently, isn't a zero sum game. In fact, it's going pretty well. We're moving into a bigger house later this year. My wife is super hot. Will probably start having kids by year's end. My friends are better than your friends. It just feels the lack of progress on my writing tips the scales into the negative. I know it's not true, that my life is awesome. Well, at least better than most. What am I feeling? Hopeful. It's just mixed with being angry and depressed. You know, how being alive is supposed to feel like.

Last note, I'm going on my honeymoon at the end of May, so it's unlikely I will do a blog entry at the beginning of June. If anything important happens, I'll be sure to like you know. If not, I'll catch you in July. I might do one before I leave, but, if you don't hear from me by May 31st, I'm too busy drinking German beer and trying to impregnate my wife.

Comment below if that was TMI.

Progress with a Side of Failure

Pitmad was a failure. I'll just start off there. It's also probably my last attempt to follow through with that event. I've found that it's heavily skewed towards YA, which shouldn't be that much of a surprise since the event takes place on Twitter. I personally wasn't expecting much, but what bothered me was that I saw people with really good pitches gain almost no traction because their stuff was adult. It's also a breeding ground for "publishing" companies that don't do much better than if you just put it out there yourself. If their only releases are anthologies with a book cover that is just a stock photo overlaid with some text, they aren't a real publishing firm. I know this sounds like a rant (because it kind of is), but the whole thing left me sour. If you couldn't tell.

In better news, I turned in the samples for the writing conference. I suppose I should get used to deadlines if I want to succeed in this writing thing. I won't know what the editors think until the conference in May, but I think I've put my best foot forward. I'm not likely to do another blog entry until after the event, so I should be able to at least give my first impressions of how things went next time you hear from me.

I should really keep notes on what happened during the month so I can reflect more easily. All of this is just off the top of my head and that's not a good way to maintain a blog. I know I'm screaming into the void, but that's no reason to be terrible at it.

After I turned in the sample, I resumed editing my first book. It's mostly just small changes, but it has to be done. I'm also re-working a short story for a contest. The contest isn't science fiction-centric, but I'll try anyway. If anything, if I get rejected, I can always try the Writers of the Future contest. Speaking of which, they still haven't announced the winners for the first quarter. There's a whole heap of drama around that, but I won't get into it. I just hate refreshing my email for rejection letters.

And then there's poetry. I entered a random piece of work in a contest of its own. Didn't win. Not that I'm surprised. My poetry is trash. It's slowly getting to the point of readability, but it's not there yet. A good friend of mine introduced me to a poetry/spoken word weekly event, but there is no way I'm reading my garbage in there. I might try to do some spoken word stuff. I have a few pieces I could dust off. But it'll have to wait until after the conference. Everything is waiting until after the conference.

I know I said last month that I needed to get started on my newer projects. No real progress was made on that front. I just don't have the time while things that could actually be published within a year take precedent. My goal for Thermal Kings is to have the narrative, setting, and outline fully planned out by the end of October. I should probably work on that first thing after the conference. After I get the short story turned in, I need to work on my actual pitch for the agents/editors. Talking to people has never been my strong suit, which might explain why I write.

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Review: Blacksad

Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was going to try to open this review with a cat pun of some sorts, but I couldn't come up with anything. I just didn't leave this book with enough emotional investment to try as hard as I possibly could. This book is serviceable, even likable in some parts, but doesn't really convince me that it's worth more than a single pass. Bottom line, it's okay.

I wasn't completely sold on the idea on a noir cat story walking into this, and that's on me, but the book doesn't do a super great job selling it once you're in. The writing is just a little too standard for my tastes. It isn't bad but doesn't do well enough to fully engage me. There are sparks, but no ignition. For example, the opening to issue three is clever as all hell, but it isn't that good throughout the entire book. Plus, the narration can be nonsensical at times, which might be on par for the noir genre but is still annoying.

Probably my biggest problem with the writing was the lack of world building. It just borrows too many ideas from real-world events to create its world and characters. It mostly takes generic concepts about racism and dames to blend together with anthropomorphic characters. The thing is, if so much of this book is taken from the real world, why even bother with animal-like characters? With a little more creative world building and slightly tighter writing, I probably would have enjoyed this book a lot more.

Art-wise, I will say is fan-fucking-tasic. It's perfect for what intended purpose of the comic and is just great art in general. Some of the direction and paneling is uncreative, but that criticism is coming from a guy whose favorite method is nine perfectly same rectangles. If I graded this book purely on the art, I would have given it five stars.

If I was to sum up this book in one phrase, it would be: It's almost good. Which sucks. Because, despite popular belief, I want all books to be good. Instead, what I got was only okay. It's coke zero when I wanted a coke. I can see people loving this book, and that's okay. Blacksad isn't trash, but I wouldn't read it again on purpose.

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Review: Dune

Dune by Frank Herbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Despite the rabid nature of love that I pour onto this book, I will fully admit that it isn't for everyone. It was barely published in its time, and would never have a chance of being successful today. It violates so many rules of storytelling that I'm surprised Hemingway hasn't risen from his grave and thrown a yellow flag in protest. It treats every detail evenly, both important and mundane. It practically tells you word for word what is going to happen from the very beginning, leaving almost nothing for surprise. It's written in third person omniscient, which is a death curse to most regardless of the quality of the prose. And, perhaps most troublesome of all, it's dense. Far denser than it needs to be, requiring a hundred ten percent of your attention span.

The question must be asked: If Dune has so many fundamental problems, why do uber nerds like me love it so? The answer: It's complicated. Literally. Dune is so layered in its complexity that it's near impossible to write a proper review without going into deep philosophical analysis. It touches so many bases on religion, politics, ecology, and even invents some new subjects we didn't even know we needed. Much of the book could be taken apart and examined deeper for unexpressed meanings. And, unlike a David Lynch film, will actually have them.

That's the gift and curse of Dune. It can't just be read, it has to be absorbed. If you walk into this thinking its a cool read about deserts and giant adorable sandworms, you'll be sadly mistaken. It does have that, vast plains of sand and the cutest invertebrates in literature, but those are merely backdrops to a deep narrative of message and warning. That's the good news. The bad news is that most of that depth is buried between the lines.

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Review: POS: Piece of Sh*t

POS: Piece of Sh*t by Pierre Paquet
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It's difficult to rate a book that has unlikable characters. Even if the character is a jerk or just plain evil, they can still be likable in an engaging sense. It's even more difficult with this particular book because the unlikable character is unlikable by design rather than just shitty writing. So I tried to examine this book by other aspects than just the character. It was then that I discovered it wasn't just the main character that was unlikable.

Perhaps the biggest problem with this book is the plot structure. It seems to have a habit of focusing on a specific story aspect and jumps from subplot to subplot without much connection or organic flow. Basically, it reads like this: something happens then, four or five days later, something completely unrelated happens. It's not really a story but rather a sequence of scenes that aren't tied together very well. It's so bad that the epilogue is used to conclude a common story thread rather than be an afterthought side story like it should be.

Like I said before, the main character is unlikable by design, but that doesn't change the fact he is unlikable. What probably bothers me the most is that a good deal of the shit that happens to him is his own fault. If anyone says, "How hard can (pretty much anything) be?", don't get into business with them. It's not just a comment against the book, but general life advice you should take to heart.

The art is serviceable, but I didn't care much for it. It tells the story well enough, but this book was obviously done on a budget. I'm not saying only big-budget books should get noticed, but poverty isn't an excuse for a lack of talent. That being said, my biggest problems are still with the writing, so I still would have liked this book if the art was the same but had a better handle on its structural issues.

I can't really recommend this book. Obviously. I'm generally a negative person, so I'll seemly shit on a book I actually like. But, that is merely nitpicking without taking in the overwhelmingly positive nature of it. This book, however, has serious problems with its ability to tell a story. I get its point, but, like a bad joke, just because you get it doesn't mean it's funny.

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So Many Frying Pans, So Little Fire

Did I get stuff done during the month of February? Kind of. The number one thing on my to-do list, at least as far as writing is concerned, is the writing sample for the conference in May. The due date is April 3rd and it's not 100% just yet. The query letter is in a good place, but the synopsis needs to be completely redone. There is also the first nineteen pages in which contains the first two and a half scenes. I did the first scene this past week for reasons I'll get to in a moment.

The first Pitmad event of 2019 is next week. For those who don't know, Pitmad is a writing event on Twitter where you use a single tweet to pitch your completed book. Agents use the hashtags to keep an eye out for tweets that interest them. Considering most people can't get a solid argument down in 280 characters, I don't understand how you properly convey an entire novel in that length, but it might be a good opportunity to hook up with an agent. I've already written the tweet I'm going to use, and it should be good enough to spark something. After an agent likes the tweet, I send them a query letter and/or a sample of my book. I'll probably never hear from them again, but who the fuck knows. Side note, I might do a separate blog entry if it's eventful enough to warrant it.

As part of the writing conference, an editor went through the sample before I send it off to the big wigs. Basically, the feedback was to completely redo the query letter and synopsis plus some notes to help the flow of my novel. The reason I did the first scene was there's going to be a meeting, unrelated to the conference, on the first page of my novel on April 6th. Since it's on the far side of Atlanta, I'm not a 100% sure that I'm going, but I needed to send my first page by today (March 3rd). Honestly, the editor's notes weren't super helpful. He had a bunch of stuff he wanted to take out, but doing so would have made my novel tone deaf. After editing that first scene, I might have used about 40% of his notes. That's a failing grade in most schools. Still, I shouldn't complain about anything that makes my novel at least a little bit better.

The new book(s) are on hold until I get that conference package ready to go. I also plan to start sending out queries again once it's finished. Most agents ask for the things that are in my sample, so I can't query until it's done. Once the package is done, and I start querying again, I'm still going to work on editing my first book. As for my third book project, tentatively titled "Thermal Kings", I will continue to write and rewrite that first chapter. I will also plot out the book and hope to have the entire thing planned out by NaNoWriMo. I'm not getting married this year, so I shouldn't have anything holding me back from doing it this year.

Poetry. Fucking poetry. It's gotten better but still isn't good enough for human consumption. I might have said that last month, but it's the truth. I still need a good rhythming rule. It's a process. I plan to release the entire thing once I get a few hundred poems done. I can't guarantee it'll be worth reading though.

Starting this coming month I really need to get back into my newer projects. It's been a while since I've actually worked on them. I've been stuck in editor mode for too long. Once I get the synopsis done, the rest of the package should be easy peasy. Colony Earth is going on hold until Variant War's next round of edits is done, but I'm really itching to get back into it. So that leaves Thermal Kings as the project in which I will actually write something. Here's to having something to report by the end of March.

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Review: The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This wasn't a book I liked, as much as I just tolerated until its end. It's not bad by any strong measure, but rather it just wasn't creative or interesting enough to warrant my approval. I'm sure there are people out there more familiar with the mystery genre that will eat this book up, and more power to ya, but it was just too average and long for me to really like. It's just another British book in the seemingly endless stacks of British books in the market today (or any day within the last two hundred years).

In a lot of ways, it tries to be unique with its narrative structure. But, if you peel back the superficial layers, you'll find it doesn't have that much going for it. It tries too much to the 'hosts' that the narrator doesn't act out as an actual character, but instead deludes a multiple perspective narration by keeping the voice in the first person. The book literally locks the narrator down in several parts by telling himself that he can't act outside the framework of the host body he is in. Rather than have a character take multiple views, it has multiple characters pretending to be one person. This book could have been completely rewritten as having normal multiple characters third-person narration, and very little would have been lost in the process.

(mild spoilers ahead, but most of it you learn in the first few chapters or in the book's dust jacket)

Maybe my problem with this book was that too much of it was contrived rather than creative. The narrator has eight different lives to solve a mystery. Why eight lives? Because that's how many lives the author created to fit the narrative into. There isn't a single mechanic/reason why it's eight. It could be three or twelve or five thousand and it wouldn't make a difference. It's eight because that was the scope of the author's vision. No more nor less. And having something that inorganic of a plot structure bothered me. Sorry.

Like I said before, this book isn't bad. The dialogue is serviceable, the secondary characters aren't too annoying, and the pacing is practical. It does get exposition heavy by the end. Though, since most books of this type do that, I can forgive it. It just isn't as entertaining nor enlightening as I normally hope for. The host body mechanic is a neat idea in and of itself, but it's just poorly used. Imagine having a cool mech suit that can fight giant monsters and dive deep beneath the ocean, but you only use it to commute to and from work. It's like that, except you just replace the monsters with people who would murder over rich white people problems. Bad isn't the word, it's just shallower than it pretends to be.

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January Was a Hell of a Year

January was such a long month that I actually went back to my last entry to see what the hell was going on. Now that the month is over, it feels like I'm doing the first real update of the year. Not that I have much to really report, but this blog is more for me than it's for you. A blog for someone who can't afford a shrink.

For the update portion, I've made some progress. Finished the first chapter of the new book. Well, finished is a strong word. Maybe saying that I have more than just a vague concept is more accurate. I sent the draft out to a few friends and actually got some feedback. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with said draft, but I know I need to pin down the narrative before I spend a year or two writing out a whole book. It wouldn't be good if I put the book before the voice.

In the book-already-completed department, I got the professional critique back on the first 19 pages along with the query materials. Long story short, he liked the actual novel, but I need to improve talking about my novel. I haven't gone through all of the material yet, but I have until April 3rd. I feel like I need to get it done, but also I have to time to do it right.

Poetry. Fucking poetry. I got a rhyming dictionary last week to help with this particular project. Maybe when I'm happier with the process, I'll talk more about it, but right not all you need to know is that its garbage. Hence the dictionary. I already have some ideas on how to use it, so maybe by March, my poems will be passible.

As always, I have a ton of personal stuff going on, but I don't use this blog to talk about them. I'm mainly seeking focus on my writing. With all the shit that goes down on a daily basis, it's easy to lose something you love to do. And, what I really would love to do, is become a successful author. That requires focus. Hence the blog and self-deprecation.

Also, for the two whom actually read this, what do you guy(s) think about the reviews. If I find the time, I might expand reviews into movies. We'll see.

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Review: The Vision, Volume 2: Little Better than a Beast

The Vision, Volume 2: Little Better than a Beast by Tom King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You probably already know this, but I'm stating it anyway. The Vision is one solid book divided into two volumes. Sure, there is probably a complete hardcover out there, but the two paperbacks is how I read it. There is a divide in the narrative, where the person who directs the story in Volume 1 isn't the same as who does so in Volume 2. But, you should still read 1 before 2. You have been warned.

The first thing I noticed about The Vision, Volume 2 is that it's much more plot driven than Volume 1. Where as 1 is mainly setup and the day-to-day life of Vision and his family, 2 concentrates on the plot of their downfall. Only one character is introduced in all of volume 2, which is a staunch contrast from the first. While this new character is given an entire issue for background and characterization, there is simply too much forward flow of the plot to stop and make room for anyone else. Mind you, this isn't a complaint. It's merely an observation as to the lack of balance between the two volumes and only further supports my comments on how both volumes are one solid story.

As conclusions go, it's very strong. The spiral that began all the way back in issue one just continues to get deeper and darker. For a while, you wonder how Tom King is going to write himself out of this mess. Most writers who corner themselves like this would rely on surprise or some insane coincidence. Instead, we get something well thought out, bittersweet, but, ultimately, satisfying. The structure and the callbacks work so well on both a narrative and emotional level. It shows a writer who is a true master of the craft.

If you have read volume 1 first, and I think I've made it clear by now you should have, than you'll see that the art is pretty much on par with each other. If you liked the art in volume 1, you'll like it in volume 2. There was a different art style employed in volume 1 during flashbacks, but, since volume 2 is so much more forward moving plot wise, that changing in style is far more sporadic. Everything done in that regard is professional and no corners were noticeably cut to get it out by Hanukkah.

If you couldn't tell by the five star rating, I loved this book. Tom King is one of, if not the, best writers in comics right now. His style of writing works perfectly with the comic book format and The Vision shows his deep love and knowledge of the art. A clear example of what happens when a writer focuses on story and characters instead of pomp and circumstance. It also has the advantage of being a limited series comic that can maintain it's own story without worrying about effecting the canon. A crux that ruins so many good comics that shy just under greatness.

Bottom line. Read it. If you're anything like me, you'll find yourself picking it up again for a second or third go around in just a few months.

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Review: The Vision, Volume 1: Little Worse Than A Man

The Vision, Volume 1: Little Worse Than A Man by Tom King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, a couple of disclaimers. This my second read through for The Vision. I don't normally read books a second time, but I'm making an exception for a multitude of reasons. I don't mind though, it's an awesome book. Also, I didn't really know Tom King's work when this first came out, but he has quickly become one of my favorite writers. So please excuse me if I gush all over this review.

Different writers use different techniques in order to deliver their stories to their audience. Some use a strong main character or a clever plot idea. There is also good old fashioned shock, gore, and explosions. But, while this might not be good for a lasting narrative, these latter means always seem to be reliable for sales. However, if I had to truncate the technique used in this book down into one word, it would be: Engagement. The narrative takes a tone as if it's talking to you. Slowly building into its detailed lecture on the humanities. Fully engaging you every step of the way on what it has to say. And, almost by default, makes you care about the characters and plot along with it.

This means of storytelling is helped by it being a graphic novel. This book can tell a story and lecture you on the construction of a vase at the same time. The narration doesn't always seem to be in sync with the action of the panels, but it always finds a creative link even if it sometimes takes the long way around. Also, there is a reason for this story being told the way that it is, as if the telling of it and the happening of it doesn't seem to be one and the same. If this is your first time reading it, I won't spoil it, but the final pages of volume 1 will hit you like a hammer. Most writers don't have the will to wait halfway into their story for such a reveal. Most who do try to fail, but here, it works like nothing I've ever read before.

On a more technical note with a comic book lean, the art is great. Gabriel Hernandez Walta works well with King's writing style and the story flows from panel to panel with no problem. If there is one gripe, it's that the lettering is either too small in most cases or the font isn't working as well as it should. Maybe it's the black words on the dark purple background, maybe this book is wordier than most of King's works, or maybe I'm just getting old and need some reading glasses.

One final note as I wrap things up. Issue #5 is my favorite of the volume. Maybe of the entire 12-issue run. Even though only one thing really happens in terms of plot development, it truly speaks to King's strengths to storytelling. Also with how well he paces the book from issue to issue. I read it a second time before finishing the volume with issue #6. It's that damn good.

While the ending of volume 1 leaves you wanting to dive head first into the second and final book, I say wait for a moment. The Vision isn't something to binge on a free weekend. It's something to savor and think about. Let the words muster like your brain is a slow cooker. I know that's a terrible analogy, but I do my best. If you want great writing, read something by Tom King.

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New Home, Same Rules

For the two people who follow me, I deleted my Wordpress website. There were several reasons, but I mostly just put the cart before the horse. I need a website if I take the plunge into self-publishing, but I don't have a book that's 100% just yet. The website just fell into the space of being a pointless blog that was only ever visited by other Wordpress users. And they would only follow my site in the hopes I would follow them back. It became a waste of time and money. Hence the deletion.

I still feel the need for a blog, so I created this. I doubt anyone will really visit it, but who knows. I just really needed to do a monthly update on my senseless shit. Given my tone of cynicism and self-deprecating humor, there was only one logical choice for this site. The Flog.

For the update part, there isn't much to update. I started a new book a couple weeks ago, but I haven't gotten very far. My plan is to complete the first full chapter and pass it around to a few people to get some feedback. The narrative is experimental, to say the least, so I need someone to tell me if I'm on the right track or if I'm just crazy. At least before I spend the next couple of years writing an entire book that way.

I also have another writing project on the side. Poetry. Yeah, I know, it's probably a bad idea, but I think I have a method to my madness. For the time being, I intend to write a poem a week. That is unless I find a means to expedite the process I'm currently using. I completed my first poem just before writing this entry, and it took me almost two hours. Can't afford to do something like that every day. Not unless I do it during my office hours. Of course, I would never do that. Honest.

As for the future, I have a writing conference to go in May. I sent off a sample of my novel to someone who is going to critique it before I send it off to the people who will actually consider it. It's the most important item on my writing agenda. I don't know it will result in an actual career, but it's better than nothing.

For a note about the blog, I also intend to post reviews of random things I've consumed. Books, movies, and whatever I find the time for. Something to fill up the page in between the monthly updates. A way to keep the juices flowing as it were.

Until the next time.

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