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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