If These Books Could Talk

 

 

 

This is an extract from my full review, which can be read at If These Books Could Talk

 

It’s 1932 and Sheldon Sampson has lost everything in the infamous Wall Street crash, but while soup kitchens and job lines are forming around him, he’s concentrating on getting to the mysterious island he’s been shown in his dreams. Insistent that it’s discovery will solve all of America’s woes, he assembles a team, including his brother Walter and lover Grace, to sail to the island and find out it’s secrets. What they find makes them superheroes, and as we move to the present day, it’s clear that while they may be heroes to the World they save, they’re not the best at parenting their offspring. Can the children of superheroes learn from their parents mistakes and do they even want to take up their mantels in the first place? Mark Millar (Kick Ass, Civil War, Kingsmen) and artist Frank Quietly ( New X-Men, Multiversity, Absolute Batman and Robin) take the reader across time lines in ‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ with the themes of loyalty and responsibility explored along the way.

 

Make no mistake, ‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ plot is far from original. While the origin of the powers bestowed upon the team may be new, the ensuing betrayal, split factions, sneaking around, and general chaos it all causes is far too reminiscent of previous stories from Millar and others to come across as anything other than corny.

What really makes ‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ really stand out is Frank Quietly’s art. Fabulous colours, great line work, and some great panel placement make the story flow seamlessly. Quietly also uses different colour palettes for each era, with the muted browns, blues and greys representing Depression era America and the teams travels to the mysterious island being the most effective. There’s never any doubt as to what’s occurring in the story either as Quietly keeps his character work distinctive, clean and easily identifiable.

 

‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ is due to be adapted for the big screen, following Millar’s other successes Kick Ass and Kingsmen (also, don’t forget his contribution to the upcoming Captain America 3: Civil War) and I think it could work brilliantly as long as it sticks to a liner time line and works on those characterisations. If you want to be ‘in the know’ before that movie starts production, then I highly recommend checking the collected issues out.

This is an extract from my full review, which can be read at If These Books Could Talk

It’s 1932 and Sheldon Sampson has lost everything in the infamous Wall Street crash, but while soup kitchens and job lines are forming around him, he’s concentrating on getting to the mysterious island he’s been shown in his dreams. Insistent that it’s discovery will solve all of America’s woes, he assembles a team, including his brother Walter and lover Grace, to sail to the island and find out it’s secrets. What they find makes them superheroes, and as we move to the present day, it’s clear that while they may be heroes to the World they save, they’re not the best at parenting their offspring. Can the children of superheroes learn from their parents mistakes and do they even want to take up their mantels in the first place? Mark Millar (Kick Ass, Civil War, Kingsmen) and artist Frank Quietly ( New X-Men, Multiversity, Absolute Batman and Robin) take the reader across time lines in ‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ with the themes of loyalty and responsibility explored along the way.

Make no mistake, ‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ plot is far from original. While the origin of the powers bestowed upon the team may be new, the ensuing betrayal, split factions, sneaking around, and general chaos it all causes is far too reminiscent of previous stories from Millar and others to come across as anything other than corny.

What really makes ‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ really stand out is Frank Quietly’s art. Fabulous colours, great line work, and some great panel placement make the story flow seamlessly. Quietly also uses different colour palettes for each era, with the muted browns, blues and greys representing Depression era America and the teams travels to the mysterious island being the most effective. There’s never any doubt as to what’s occurring in the story either as Quietly keeps his character work distinctive, clean and easily identifiable.

‘Jupiter’s Legacy‘ is due to be adapted for the big screen, following Millar’s other successes Kick Ass and Kingsmen (also, don’t forget his contribution to the upcoming Captain America 3: Civil War) and I think it could work brilliantly as long as it sticks to a liner time line and works on those characterisations. If you want to be ‘in the know’ before that movie starts production, then I highly recommend checking the collected issues out.

For my full review of the novel please visit If These Books Could Talk

Liz Drake has a feeling that something is wrong, and when you have empathic tendencies and the ability to enter Dreamland in your sleep and walk among it’s residents, you tend to act on those ominous thoughts. So when she can’t get hold of her best friend Blake, she travels across Canada to try and find him and ease her fears. Unfortunately, she finds Blake in a Vancouver hospital, comatose, the victim of a mysterious drowning that claimed his lover Alain. Along with her partner Alex, Liz familiarises herself with Blake’s circle of friends, a group of artists with occult leanings, and soon discovers that Blake was manipulated into messing with uncontrollable forces.

Amanda Downum doesn’t mess around. Right from the first chapter we’re flung into a bizarre, almost hypnotic world of unscrupulous art gallery owners, nasty dealers, and strange goings on among the shadows. Unfortunately, as brilliant as Downums world building is, ultimately, ‘Dreams Of Shreds And Tatters‘ is a bit of a let down. To start with, Downum clearly has a vast vocabulary and an imaginative way with words, but for every evocative passage that works, there are several that jar or just take too long to portray the simplest action.

I presume this is the first of a series as the novel ends with many plot aspects unresolved. At least I hope it is, or you can add that to several appalling continuity errors as aspects that really should have been picked up by the editor.

An obviously personal story for Remender, executed in his usual deep and intense style. Such a shame that Tocchini's art is overly fussy and indistinguishable, with a limited, albeit bright, colour palette.
Full review to follow

A fabulous book that really communicates Malala's struggles to a young audience with feeling sensationalised or ever scary. Yes, there is threat, and the moments of the shooting are well handled, but the illustrations never veer towards gruesome.
Beautifully illustrated, with manageable language and tone for any reader 8+, although some assistance may be needed for some names.

Read my full 5* review at If These Books Could Talk

Ben Chambers has little to do in life. Left a tidy inheritance after his parent’s death, including the house he lives in and his clapped out car, he sees no need to do much more than be there for his successful, highly motivated, barrister wife Amy. So when he wakes one morning to discover an old battered robot sitting in his garden, gazing lovingly at horses in the paddock close-by, he takes it upon himself to track down it’s previous owner. Much to his wife’s dismay, he loads up a backpack and with ‘Tang’ heads off to California on the first leg of a continent-crossing adventure, discovering that he’s actually a far better human-being than he’d ever been led to believe.

And what an adventure it is! Install has created an immediately loveable character in the form of ‘Tang’ the robot. Named by Ben as it’s one of the few words he can say to begin with, Tang develops a formidable personality; determined, cheeky, manipulative, insightful, it’s clear his artificial intelligence is sentient and he’s slowly learning from Ben. As with the plot, Tang surreptitiously drives the narrative, never overwhelming it, in much the same way as his actions push Ben towards the major decisions he needs to take in his life. Often, where a main character is non-human, their human counterpart tends to suffer, but in ‘A Robot In The Garden‘ Ben is just as strong. You feel sympathy for him from the beginning as he’s clearly dominated by his ambitious wife and has always been over-shadowed by his dominant, over-bearing older sister Bryony, who also happens to be Amy’s best friend. So when Amy announces early on that she’s divorcing Ben and going to live with Bryony until she’s sorted, you not only feel for the guy, but also have that sense of ‘good riddance’ as you know that this means Ben can get on with finding out the truth about Tang.

I really can not recommend ‘A Robot In The Garden‘ highly enough, and it’s already a strong contender for my book of the year. Combining the wit, turn of phrase and eye for an absurd situation of the master Terry Pratchett while hitching a ride on Pixar’s emotional rollercoaster, Deborah Install is going to be one to watch. Transworld/Doubleday have a star in the making right here.

I received my copy of this book through Netgalley in return for a fair and unbiased review.

Kirkman is the master of dragging out a storyline, and his latest is no exception. The storyline overdoses on irony while the art does nothing to improve the drearyness. It's not an uplifting story in any way, and you're told this on almost every page.
Full review to follow

3.5* Missing the nuances provided by the vocal talent on the TV series, this collection goes from mildly giggle worthy to just 'meh'. Only a few stories really stand out, and the art only really shines in the alternate covers and pin-up.
Full review to follow

This is an excerpt of the full review which can be seen here at If These Books Could Talk

Dyer-Seeley’s second extreme sports based mystery is a cracking read that never flags in pace and is far from predictable. A well-rounded cast of characters surround Meg, each with a purpose to serve, be it the handsome boss, her artistic best friend, the nightmare bridzilla, the cross Sheriff, or the concerned Grandmother who also acts as Meg’s inner conscience, they all mingle with the plot without feeling superfluous.

The real star here though is the scenery and Dyer-Seeley’s ability to set a scene. Don’t be put off by the extreme sports background as it’s just a means to an end. Wallow instead in some glorious locations beautifully described one-minute, and terrifyingly claustrophobic the next as the power of a strong blizzard really comes to the fore. Dyer-Seeley references Kubrick’s The Shining here and she’s clever to do so as once you have that image in your head of being locked-in with nothing but snow, ice, and wind surrounding you, it ramps up the tension perfectly.

If you like your mysteries to be a bit more ‘extreme’ than cosy then this series is the one for you.

Just enough mystery to keep you wanting more, and some beautiful colouring work by Elizabeth Breitweiser makes this more than simply a 'film-noir on paper'.
Full review to follow

Some gorgeous artwork and clever placement take a basic 'out of body' story full of clichéd character types to another level. Not sure how long the series can sustain the plot.

With all of Lois' trademark intuition and forwardness, this is a taster of a new novel chronicling her pre-Daily Planet life.
Unfortunately, wrapping up a case in one chapter doesn't really give you a fair idea of what the real novel is like.

A great new addition to the Princess Diaries collection of books. Adored by my 9 yr old daughter who loved the characters, plot (especially the twists and turns) and humour. A great start to a new series.
Recommended for capable readers aged 8+

A fantastic thriller that not only keeps you guessing but asks all the right moral questions at the same time. Believable and in no way sugar-coated, Humber Boy B is a heart-breaking tale of loss brought about by shocking neglect, both in the past and in the present.

This is an edited version of the review, previously published at If These Books Could Talk

Told from multiple perspectives in the present day, and a flashback to the time of the crime simply (and effectively) titled ‘The Day Of’, Ruth Dugdall has created in ‘Humber Boy B’ a tense and chilling moral tale that questions everything from penal reform to neighbourly and community responsibility. What sets her novel apart from other similar titles is that although her professional background is obvious (Ruth previously worked in the probation service) her writing tone is never overly technical or condescending; we’re allowed to get involved in the procedural elements without feeling like an outsider and credibility is never stretched.

The pace of ‘Humber Boy B’ is consistent and fast-paced, only occasionally taking breaks as Cate deals with her home life. Her relationship with her daughter and revelations from her long-lost sister draw clever parallels with the facts behind her current case, and although some elements are obviously carried over from previous stories, there’s no sense of missing essential bits of back-story. Although the characters in Cate’s life don’t feel as well-rounded as those in Ben’s, there’s every chance that will be remedied in the next novel, especially her relationship with Oliver, the French detective who gets involved with Ben’s case and later on with Cate herself.

‘Humber Boy B’ is not an easy read, particularly if you remember the real-life Jamie Bulger case, but it’s never gruesome. In less professional hands, this novel would come across as exploitative and sensationalised, but by implementing clever narrative techniques, characters with questionable motives and a tense, chilling plot, Ruth Dugdall has produced a thriller that deserves to be mentioned in the same breathe as Lynda La Plant and Minette Walters.

Too often in the urban fantasy genre, the ‘discovery of real identity’ trope is concluded too easily; often, within a few chapters, the protagonist has shrugged, accepted their lot and gone off to fight the bad guys. Thankfully, in the wonderful ‘The Intergalactic Adventures of Queen Bea’ we’re treated to a realistic portrayal of out-and-out denial about the main character’s situation, and it’s a refreshing joy.

‘The Intergalactic Adventures Of Queen Bea’ is the first in a series, and although it doesn’t end on a complete cliffhanger, there’s certainly enough left unresolved to warrant more books, and I’m really excited to see what happens next.

Full review here: http://ifthesebookscouldtalk.com/2015/02/27/the-intergalactic-adventures-of-queen-bea/

This is the edited version of the full review which can be found at If These Books Could Talk


I always feel that reading a book should feel like a marathon, not a sprint; you want to set off at a nice leisurely pace, settling down into a deep narrative and plot that will keep you going for the 3-400 pages. What you don’t want is the equivalent of Usain Bolt, zooming off at the sound of the starter’s pistol, and getting exhausted by the first turn. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what you get with Carrie Patel’s début novel ‘The Buried Life’.

Patel starts off right in the middle of the action, and it really doesn’t let up, which makes the slump it hits about half-way even more annoying; it’s almost as if she had all the ideas, World-building, and characterisation (which are all superb) mapped out, but only for the first half, after which she completely loses momentum. Characters start making stupid decisions that make no sense and go against what’s been established, the World building suffers from too much superlative descriptions and the plot seems to just go off on a tangent.

Patel also falls foul of way too many narrative tropes – ‘What-If?’ scenarios, shock silly reveals, and an open ending (naturally paving the way for the second book) that really make you wonder how much of a hand the editor had in this. Along with the constant superlatives (honestly, sometimes less is more) and the forced, unnatural language style it’s hard to believe that someone at some point didn’t say “Look…You’re suffocating the characters and diluting the plot!”

The second book in the ‘Buried Life’ series is due out in July 2015 (yes…that quickly) and I will probably give it a look as I was genuinely fascinated by the world Patel had created, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I find that the two books together, if edited down, made one really good book. I really wanted to like this, but it ended up being just incredibly frustrating.