Review: Upgrade Soul

Upgrade Soul by Ezra Claytan Daniels
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book might be the most worthwhile read I've ever come across. It hits just shy of being on any favorite lists, but its depth and design smash all of my art nerd buttons. I'll, of course, go more in-depth in a minute, but I want to just say that anyone who is even remotely interested in comics, or literature in general, should check it out. Whether or not you actually like it will depend on you as a person, but there is no doubt in my mind that everyone should at least read it.

First things first, you need to go into this thing cold. I won't waste your time with a plot summary and you shouldn't waste your time reading any. The book is so firmly built around keeping you in the dark that you probably will hate most of it if you already know what's going on. In fact, you should stop reading this review, read "Upgrade Soul", and then come back and read my thoughts.

An issue some might have is that it can be a little hard to follow. The story isn't told linearly and there aren't any ques beyond visual changes in the characters. Normally, bouncing around bugs the shit out me, but that is because it is typically done by the incompetent. But here, every turn is done for a particular purpose as we dive deeper into a character. The bad news is that this structure forces you to pay any extra bit of attention. The good news is that this book earns that attention.

The art serves the book well. The style perfectly fits the story and themes thereof. If it's a turn off for you then you probably won't enjoy the book as a whole regardless. The frames and flow are also well designed so it properly deliveries the intended emotional impact. I didn't encounter a single panel where I thought the art wasn't purposeful or underdeveloped. Just good art all around.

There is a deeper meaning to this book about examining someone as their true self. Coming to terms with who and what you really are if your body was no longer a confinement and you shed every social norm. This deeper layer might mean different things to different people. That's kind of how deeper layers work. But it should profoundly touch you as long as you open yourself up just enough to let it.

Just read the fucking book already.

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Review: The Ten Thousand Doors of January

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Almost good. I think that best sums it up. There's a strong voice with excellent prose and interesting characters, but there's just a lacking in structure and plot that brings it down. I think the best way to describe my issue with it is that there is a very strong sense of being in the moment, but very little sense of what is actually going on in a meta sort of way. There isn't a strong threat or thread that ties everything together. The main character travels from world to world with little reasoning and much of the actual plot seems to just happen to her. Excellent colorful writing but no through-line. Like it keeps walking through a door into another world and forgetting why it came in here in the first place.

Also, much of the book is written like a narrative memoir. Something I still haven't decided is good or bad. The book-within-a-book structure is charming for about a hundred pages before it gets annoying. Both aspects might be more appealing to another reader, but it mostly didn't click for me after a while. I knew there was a problem when I started to feel like I was reading a lengthy novel when it is, in fact, rather short.

If you like books that are almost good, then you'll probably have a great time. There's a lot to like here and I look forward to reading more from Harrow if some of the structural problems are realized and worked on. In fact, I fully recommend you check this novel out. Just because I didn't connect with it, because I have a heart of dark slug, doesn't mean you won't.

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Review: The Dragon Republic

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first book in this series, "The Poppy War", was my favorite book of 2019. Granted it was a lackluster year, but that still doesn't change the fact I was amazed by it. Now the sequel, "The Dragon Republic", is here to allow me the chance to be fully disappointed by it. So, did it? Review spoiler, it did not. I wouldn't go out of my way to say it's better or worse than the first, mostly because it's really just more of the same. Which, for once, is a very good thing.

The good news is that the same well-written characters and prose are still here. Kuang has an extremely strong voice and it flows easily into every word she writes. The book isn't only entertaining, but rich in both characters and plot. Not only satisfying but good for you too. Also, as a sequel, it jumps right into the heart of the story without having to spend a lot of time in school. Teaching us valuable lessons in character introduction.

I do have issues, but they are small and didn't detract terribly from my experience. My biggest issue is some of the pacing. There's a spot about two-thirds of the way in that lingers too long. It's important but should have been trimmed down for the sake of flow. It also hangs around after the story is over to set up the next book. Ninety percent of the story is firmly contained within the bounds of the text, but the last couple of chapters should have been saved for the third novel. It's not a cliffhanger per se, but it colors outside the lines of what the novel should be for the sake of being a tease and ending on a more dramatic note.

There also aren't any new characters to enjoy. There are actual new characters of course, but they are merely there because the shifting plot demands it. Making them more important to the plot rather than to the story. If that makes sense.

There's one last thing, and this might be a deal-breaker for some readers. Rin, our main heroin (get it?), isn't a likable character. And I don't mean in an antihero person-you-love-to-hate kind of way. She's rash, rude, disrespects everyone, easily falls into traps, a drug addict, and will kill tons of innocent people for simple revenge. The book is even aware of this as it readily admits her faults as side characters call her things like 'impulsive'. Here's the thing though, I still love the shit out of her. I don't know if its the breaking of the mold or refusing to abide by certain character rules, but I still love reading about Rin despite everything. It just might not be for everyone.

I loved the first book in this series, and the sequel lives up to its promise. If you liked "The Poppy War", I don't see why you can't also like its follow up. Not a perfect book. But, besides Dune, what is?

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Review: The Lady of the Lake

The Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

All I have are general thoughts. After reading two collections of short stories and five novels, it's difficult to separate my thoughts into a focused attempt to review this book. Every reviewed sentence is in someway a generalization on the series itself instead of a singular critique. But I'll do the best I can.

"The Lady of the Lake" is a good end to a decent book series. As with the other novels, the prose and characters are colorful and well defined, but it has serious structural problems. As an example, Geralt spends the first half of the novel on vacation. Undermining any sense of progression and serves more as colorful filler than anything else. The book is then sectioned by a fabulous, exceeding long, chapter that contains ninety percent of the plot progression for the entire book series. Then is concluded by actions with no real build-up and the resolution feels non sequitur. Like I said, structure problems.

Overall the Witcher series has a healthy dose of influences that range from fairy tales to Norse mythology but has enough original ideas to keep it from feeling like a ripoff. The writing is good but can feel a little full of itself. With enough edits to reduce the filler and wandering around, this could have easily been a far more satisfying trilogy. It wasn't so much that I felt like the author was wasting my time, more so that I felt like he was wasting the time of the characters.

One last thing. Like many, I became involved with this universe through the video game series. The world and characters dragged me in over a decade ago and I haven't been able to leave since. I read the book merely to bring myself fully involved in the universe. Here's the thing, and it might inflame some people, the writing in the games is better. The dialogue is punchy and consistently clever. It takes the world-building and characters of the novels and crafts a far more engaging story. It even resolves some of the more loose plot threads of the books with better ideas. An argument can be made that the games are serviced by a more visual media, but I don't think that's the case. I think they just took a dim jewel, added some talented polish, and made it shine.

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The Nothing

I'm just going to assume anyone reading my blog has read the one from the month before. The good news is that I have selected an editor to help polish my book. The bad news is that it'll probably have to wait until after I sell the house. I haven't reached out for a quote just yet, but it'll probably cost me three to four thousand dollars. As long as my budget is stretched across two houses, I haven't been able to save any real amount of money. So if anyone wants to drop the money in my lap, feel free to do so.

I'm still slowly going through the edit of Colony Earth. The changes I'm making are minor, but it's letting me get familiar once again with my characters. There's an upcoming chapter that will require larger changes, but I haven't crossed that bridge just yet.

I know no one reads my book reviews, but I did finish the Witcher series. The review for the final book and overall thoughts are coming soon.

That's pretty much it. I keep meaning to schedule some time for my bad poetry, but something keeps coming up. Like video games.

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

Review: Metro 2033

Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Metro 2033 feels more like a tour than a story. A well-realized world that is equally well written, but lacks certain quantities. The previous statement being what is good about the novel, but I'm also about to break down what issues it has in much further detail. Because me.

I noticed, pretty much in the beginning, that there was a lack of overarching plot. Sure, there is the threat of the 'Dark Ones', but the foil to a plot isn't the same as a plot. Our main character, Artyom, just kind of goes from place to place getting into trouble while having no real goal. Imagine if Frodo and Sam left the Shire and had no ring to destroy. There would still be plenty of adventure and world-building, but little purpose behind it.

Then, by the end of the novel, I started to notice how Artyom isn't really a character. He has a little bit of back story, but no real personality to speak of. He is mostly just an observer thrown from dangerous scenario to scenario. Taking us on a tour of the Metro. Any traits he exhibits are just vague reactions to whatever is happening to him at that moment. I didn't dislike the character, but that was mostly because there wasn't anything to attach to.

I will say the characters Artyom meets are far more interesting. But they have the innate flaw of being a part of the world-building. A novel can't live off of secondary characters alone. They also all have a similar I've-been-down-here-too-long vibe. The religious nut character also rambles on for too long, but I suppose that's typical of zealots.

Good writing and great world-building. Sadly, there isn't much else to it. The book does a lot of things right by the end, but you can't wait for wrapping things up to exhibit things like plot and character. It's paced well enough that I enjoyed myself to the last page, but I probably not going to revisit the Metro any time soon.

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Do It Like Montresor

I've made a decision. It seems pretty insignificant considering everything that's been going on. You know, the world coming to an end. But, I feel it has to be done. And there's no talking me out of it either. It is like I've walked through a door, closed it behind me, and then bricked it up like Montresor. And, for the love of God, I don't even care if it blows up in my face.

I'm going to self-publish. I could go into a rant about the publishing industry but I would just sound like a jaded neckbeard. I've just come to my last breaking point with not being a published author. I know there's a good chance that only a hand full of people will read my book if I self-publish. And most of them will be my friends and family. But, fuck it, I have to try.

That's all I really have to say this month. I've been a daze for the last couple of months as Earth spirals down the uncaring universal drain. Just hoping there's a flipside of this. Humans, for all our faults, are crafty little shits. We'll probably be alright. 

All cynicism punctuated with vague optimism aside, the daze is why I've been silent the last couple of months. Still doing book reviews as I'm still reading. But it feels mostly out of habit and self-therapy than anything else. Step one to getting self-published is finding myself an editor to work with. It'll cost money and might take a few tries to find someone. Time and money always find a way to include themselves in any equation.

On the actual writing side of things, I've picked up my Colony Earth project again as I slowly comb over the tome. Just something to do as I wait for responses from the leads I'm chasing down. Once I finish editing and familiarizing myself with what I've already written, it'll finally be time to start new work. I've been trying to sell Variant War for so long hopefully I'll remember how it's done. Either way, it's been a long time coming.

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