The Autumnlands V. 1: Tooth & Claw by Kurt Busiek

Excellent introduction to a world where anthropomorphized animals live on cities that float in the sky with the help of a magic that is fading from existence.

To combat this magic shortage, a talented magic user gathers a coalition of wizards to bring a great warrior from the past to the present in order to reawaken the powers.

The warrior is surprising, his summoning has unintended consequences, and the reader, after just a few pages, finds herself quickly caught up in a strange new world.

Highly recommended for adult readers who enjoy fantasy graphic novels.

There is a bunch of graphic violence and full frontal male nudity in here so, head’s up librarians. Make sure to shelve The Autumnlands in the appropriate section.

Some similar graphic novels, though I didn’t enjoy them nearly as much as this book: Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening or Wild’s End, Vol. 1: First Light.

Thanks for reading!

Splintered by A.G. Howard

Alyssa is a descendant of Alice Liddell- the Alice who inspired Carroll to write his tale of white rabbits and fantastical creatures. But, Alyssa has a family secret: the women of her bloodline go insane when they come of age.

She tries to look on the positive side of this: At least one good thing has come out of my inherited insanity. Without the delusions, I might never have found my artistic medium.” pg 10, ebook.

Alyssa is in love with Jeb, a dark and brooding young man with a penchant for grunge clothing and a lip piercing (that she talks about all the time). But, he is dating the most popular girl in Alyssa’s high school class, Taelor (of course).

Things get really exciting when Alyssa starts to hear voices coming from the bugs and plants.

After a brief introduction where the reader learns that Jeb is freakishly controlling and Alyssa’s mother is in an insane asylum, she falls through a mirror and after some trials, finds her way into Wonderland.

I thought this could have been a potentially interesting re-telling of the classic Alice in Wonderland story, but Splintered‘s uniqueness is stifled under a bunch of teen angst and a love triangle.

Granted, I’m not the target audience for this book, but I’d been on a roll lately with awesome fairy tale re-tellings and I thought I’d give it a shot. Oh well.

I actually enjoyed A.G. Howard’s interpretation of Wonderland itself. The characters were familiar but twisted slightly.

Here’s a passage from the tea party- my favorite part: “Now we need to get back to our world. Like yesterday.” “Yesterday, you say?” the hatmaker warbles in his bouncing timbre. “Yesterday is doable.” Guffawing, the hare slaps a knee and adds, “Although two yesterdays would be impossible.” The Door Mouse snickers, slipping back into his uniform. “No, no! You can retrogress as many yesterdays as you please. Simply walk backward the rest of your life.” pg 187, ebook.

See? Howard nailed the classic characterizations, but Carroll’s original creations were far superior to Alyssa, Jeb, and Morpheus, who were her main contributions to the story.

Disregard my opinions on this book if you simply must read any and all fairy tale re-tellings because, at the very least, it is that.

Just be aware what you’re picking up- a young adult romance/coming of age- and if that’s what you’re in the mood for, you may really enjoy it.

I find that my expectations shape my opinion of a book almost as much as the text itself. For example, I think if I had been warned that Alice in Zombieland had really very little to do with the Wonderland story, I may not have disliked it as much as I did.

Splintered actually has a lot of the original Wonderland in it and, if I had to choose between Alice in Zombieland or Splintered, I’d pick this in a heartbeat.

Some highly recommended horror/fairy tale re-tellings (for adults): Alice or All Darling Children.

Thanks for reading!

The Guild: Knights of Good (Guild v. 2) by Felicia Day

A continuation of the first Guild comic. Please watch the show before you enjoy these comics!

If you don’t know what The Guild is about, let me give you a quick recap: Cyd likes to play videogames, specifically MMORPG’s. She spends much of her time avoiding reality and playing a character named Codex.

Codex is a member of an online guild, which is a group of other real life people who are also playing the computer game.

Together, they forge friendships and explore real life issues, online and off. It’s a heart-felt series and perfect for any fans of MMORPG’s or loved ones of computer players who want to understand their partners more.

On to the context of the comic itself: the first chapter/issue with Vork’s backstory and the story behind Bladezz’s infamous sausage photo were engaging but the rest was so-so.

I felt like all of the other characters were basically re-hashing what happens on the show rather than giving the reader any huge surprises. On the plus side, there are some more panels showing the characters in-game, which is more than we were ever given on screen.

If you’re going to read any of the Guild comic books, I recommend reading The Guild (the first one) and skipping this. Unless you’re a major fan of the show and you have to read every little piece of literature that is out there on it, by all means, borrow this from the nearest library.

Thanks for reading!

The Given World by Marian Palaia

The Given World gave me a headache. Why is it that when “serious” fiction “examines” life that it only focuses on the bad stuff?

Riley is a young girl in Montana who worships her brother. He’s drafted and shipped off to war in Vietnam. It breaks her heart and she systematically begin to ruin her life, because she can’t get past it. She eventually leaves home, gets lost in worlds of drugs, domestic violence, and alcoholics on the California coast. Everyone she meets is as dysfunctional as she is or on their way to dysfunction. Personal opinion here: if society was only composed of people like that, it would have fallen apart a long time ago.

Riley is a character that I tried to like but just couldn’t. She always made the worst decisions and if there was a way to improve her situation, she didn’t choose it. It was like she had blinders on to the possible goodness in life and jumped enthusiastically into the darkness. She turns her back on her family, blames everyone else in life for her problems, and consistently isolates herself from anyone who could possibly lend comfort or stability. In this passage, she’s talking about her father: “The way they smoke, so casually oblivious, reminds me of my father- on the porch, maybe, or out in the yard at night, looking up at the sky, for weather, but it’s not as if he could miss the stars. I hear my name in his voice: “Riley…” Never loud or angry, just gentle reminders: try to grow up with some degree of intentionality and grace; try to believe the world is more benevolent than not. I wonder if he knows I did hear him.” pg 10, ebook. Riley, I don’t think you did.

I did grow to feel sorry for Riley. She didn’t ask for her family to be ripped apart by war. I guess, after experiencing that sort of emotional turmoil at an early age, that it might be almost impossible to put your life on track to begin with. “She reminded him of a deer who knew you weren’t out to shoot it. Like she’d let you get just so close, and then bolt to the edge of the clearing; the forest nearly impenetrable behind her where she knew you couldn’t easily follow.pg 40, ebook. But, I just couldn’t get over the fact that she didn’t use her intimate knowledge of pain to help other people.

Riley’s mother was a hot mess too, but she managed to raise two children fairly successfully. I was surprised that Riley didn’t use her as a role model, even for a moment. In this passage, Riley’s mother writes her a letter, trying to connect with her wayward child: “And lost as you already are these days, or as I think you must be, you still probably understand, maybe better than most, that kids don’t necessarily hold you steady. Even if they do, somehow, hold you in place.” pg 97, ebook.

Rather than continue on in this vein, I will end this review with acknowledging that The Given World was not for me. But, if you enjoy reading coming of age stories with multiple flawed characters and plenty of bad decisions, you may want to pick this one up. Some trigger warnings for sensitive readers: domestic abuse, racially motivated violence, and drug use.

Thanks for reading!

All Darling Children by Katrina Monroe

All Darling Children asks the question: what if something corrupted the ‘boy-who-never-grew-up’?

Peter Pan is one of my favorite fairy tales and it has featured in quite a few beautiful re-tellings. (Tiger Lily is one.)

All Darling Children is a masterful, twisted take on a literary classic. I loved this for its horror filled examination of the spiritual cost of eternal youth and the strong female lead.

From her first moments in Neverland, Madge, the grandaughter of Wendy, can tell that something isn’t right: “Neverland. It seemed a hodgepodge of landscape ripped from a dream. Or maybe a nightmare. On one side, lush forest grew dense with heat and energy. Flowers bloomed in a rainbow of colors. They shuddered as Madge gazed at them, and then, as Pan looked in their direction, shriveled to pale, dry nothings.” loc 525, ebook.

This is not Disney’s version of Neverland.

Peter and his Lost Boys are dangerous in this world. Immature and wild, they try to force the traditional gender role of ‘mother’ on Madge (because they don’t know how to handle girls otherwise) and she resists: “Outsiders aren’t supposed to know how to find the tree house until they’ve been initiated.” “Initiated?” Madge’s stomach fell. “What’s that mean?” “It means you’re in the club, not that you’d ever get in, being a girl and all.” loc 692.

I never questioned the ‘Father’/’Mother’ roles of Peter and Wendy from the original book but, if the authority of the position was abused… it gets so creepy very quickly.

Madge’s story is told in-between entries from Wendy’s old diary. Here’s one of the passages: “I’ve learned much about (Peter), and while he is erratic and inconsistent in most ways, in one he is steadfast. Predictable. Peter must always be forced to try harder. If one gives in, he loses interest. I will never give in.”loc 921.

The back and forth from the story that the reader thinks she knows that is presented in Wendy’s diary, to the new story that Monroe is weaving with Madge, is awesome. There are enough similar elements drawn in from the original that the whole thing feels chillingly familiar- a mirror version of the classic.

Peter’s bragging about his exploits is presented as charming in Barrie’s version- Monroe takes a far more modern view: “Who wants to hear the story of how I cut off Captain Hook’s hand?” The boys whooped and smacked the table. Madge paled. He’d cut off someone’s hand? What was worse, he was bragging about it? Psycho.” loc 973

If you like twisted fairy tale re-tellings, you may love All Darling Children. I did. Another one that you’ve got to pick up if you liked this is Alice by Christina Henry. It’s an incredible, dark re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland and it’s also amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Red Adept Publishing for a free, digital ARC.

Also thank you to my Goodreads friend, Rosemarie Short, for writing a fantastic review that convinced me that I just had to read All Darling Children. You can see her review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show…

And, thank you for reading!

The Breedling and the City in the Garden by Kimberlee Bastian

Bartholomew is a Breedling- an immortal spirit that guides the souls of the mortal dead to their eternal homes. He is tasked by his masters, the Fates, to find the Creators of the world, who have gone missing. Bartholomew finds the ones he’s seeking, but then refuses to reveal their location and as punishment, he is sealed in a prison until he changes his mind or the end of time, whichever comes first. But, magically, Bartholomew escapes and finds himself in 19th century Chicago in the company of two boys who are named Charlie and Jimmy. Bartholomew must find a certain mortal to bind his spirit to this world or he will end up back in his timeless prison. He also must complete his original quest- to find the Eden Wanderer. But, he must accomplish all of this without the mortals knowing who he really is or what he is really seeking. Will he succeed?

I have some serious reservations about this book. First of all, the plot isn’t nearly as straight forward as my description. The mythology of Bastian’s world is very complex and I felt like I wasn’t given enough background before I was thrown into the thick of it. Multiple characters are mentioned, but never make an appearance and, there was so much implied but not stated, that at times I felt as if I was reading the second book in the series instead of the first. Fantasy is a tricky genre because there’s a fine line between mysteriousness and utter confusion and, unfortunately, I spent much of my time in The Breedling and the City in the Garden trying to understand how everyone was connected.

On the other hand, there is much to enjoy in this debut novel beyond the complex/confusing world building. The young man, Charlie, has a big heart and spends much of his time trying to keep his cousin, Jimmy, safe from the gangs that rove the streets. He was my favorite character: “Are you prepared for the meeting tomorrow?”he asked, referring to the gang dispute Charlie had been asked to mediate, which was a nicer way of saying he was forced. “As ready as I can be, I suppose,” said Charlie. “It’s not as though they gave me a say in the matter.” loc 159, ebook.

Bastian paints a pretty picture of Chicago: “For miles, rooftops stretched in every direction. Smokestacks stood proudly as a testament to the modern age of industry. The calls of trains answered each other from east to west. To the north, the distant shrills of tugboats and barges floating along the river thundered through the air. The dark sky above blanketed every inch as far as the eye could see, the city lights hiding the stars.” loc 476, ebook

There is certainly a feeling of danger throughout the story- both for the success of the Breedling’s quest but also for the souls of the mortals who travel with him:“If Charlie were to uncover his secret, it would lift the veil of ignorance that blinded him to the truth about the supernatural elements in Eden (Earth). And for enlightened mortals, it never ended well. Their souls earmarked in the afterlife by the Mistress of Heaven or the Master of Hell.” loc 1321, ebook. “The Mistress of Heaven” is a tantalizing name for a character but Bastian never really gives the backstory for her- I wish she had.

I also liked the personal responsibility theme that cropped up again and again in this story: “…a man who runs has no life at all. He merely survives on the fringes and finds only regret. You leave here, now, like this, I swear to you there will be nowhere far enough for you to run. You will become miserable and reckless and in the end you’ll die alone, a world away, wishing you could take this moment back.” loc 3069. I’m a big believer in taking responsibility for one’s life rather than blaming it on fate or destiny. It seems like Bastian is too.

Recommended for readers who can tolerate a lot of unknown elements in the story and for people who enjoy urban fantasy. I think that Bastian shows a lot of promise and this series is only going to improve as she reveals more of the complex world she has created. Other fantasy debut recommendations: The Interminables, Funeral Games, or Chasing Embers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for a free digital copy of this book. And, thank you for reading!

Robota by Doug Chiang

Robota, like The Sleeper and the Spindle, is a story with extraordinary artwork accompanying the narrative. The prologue introduces the reader to a world that has been conquered by robots from the stars. Humankind had developed tools and machines, but nothing that equaled the alien invaders. Subdued and forced into hiding, humans fight a losing battle against an unstoppable robotic force. In the first chapter, a man awakens in an alien ship- he can’t remember his name or his past. He is encouraged out of the ship and deeper into the forest by a talking monkey named Rend. Together, they go to recover not only his memory but also his forgotten past, which may be more extraordinary than he ever imagined.

The story by Orson Scott Card is good but the artwork by Doug Chiang is astonishing. This book was originally published in 2003, but the edition I read is a 2016 re-print with a new foreword and additional concept art wasn’t released the first time around. Doug Chiang worked at LucasFilm on Star Wars: Episodes 1 & 2 and, more recently, The Force Awakens. You can really see those efforts in his art- the robot army from Episode 1 is all over this book.

My one (kind of silly) beef with Robota is the title. The story says that the robots took over Earth and renamed it “Robota” but what sort of robots would do that? I think they’d be far more likely to call it 1010010011111 or something in binary code. But, maybe I’m just biased against robots.

There was also an interesting side plot about magical jewels that gave animals on Earth the ability to talk and reason: “Once it changes an animal, it breeds true- all its offspring have speech as well. It brought a golden age to the world. It made the robots jealous, and the king of the robots, Font Prime, sent out Kaantur-Set and his hunters to destroy all the jewels. They think when the jewels are gone, we’ll all become dumb beasts again.” pg 45, ebook. The over-arching plot is nature vs machine, but Robota also asks the question: what makes life worth living?

Or what really makes a machine live?: “When there’s a living mind telling the machine what to do, it’s not a robot,” said Juomes. “Where there’s life, then the machine remains a tool.” “So a fungus with a stick is better than Font Prime,” asked Elyseo. “Probably not better at mathematics,” said Caps. No one was amused.” pg 68

Recommended for ages 14+: Robota is a feast for the eyes and may be a science fiction/fantasy that appeals to more reluctant readers. Some further reading: The Sleeper and the Spindle, Peter & Max, or Descender, Volume 1: Tin Stars (for 16+ for some disturbing images).

Thank you to NetGalley and Dover Publications for a free digital copy of this book! And, thank you for reading.

Queen of Love: The Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Christopher Nicole

Eleanor of Aquitaine blows my mind.

So, this lovely lady lived in the 1100’s, when women were property, but somehow, she managed to become one of the most powerful people of her time.

Granted, she was born into a privileged position, was one of the largest landholders in France, and, by all accounts, was absolutely gorgeous. I’m sure that helped.

But, imagine the social and political acumen she had to possess to make it all work.

This historical fiction is written as a first-person memoir of the time period after her marriage to the King of France was annulled and she was forced into marriage with Henry, the soon to be, King of England and the narrative continues until her death.

I understand that the first person point-of-view doesn’t work for everyone, but I loved it. Then again, there are few historical fictions that I don’t enjoy, so take my review with a grain of salt.

Historical fiction is literary candy for me. When I need to escape reality, I jump into the past, usually with royalty because, let’s face it, the life of a peasant was probably nothing to write home about.

The manner in which Henry acquired the most eligible woman in Europe for his bride was rather questionable. In essence, he kidnapped her, raped her, and then insisted on the match.

She forgave him because, frankly, she could have made worse matches and wasn’t really in a position to bargain.

Here are her thoughts about the man: “… the aspect of Henry which most strikes one is his energy. It was such as almost to make one believe the tales of a devilish ancestor. From the moment my new husband rose in the morning until the moment he collapsed exhausted in bed at night, he never rested either his body or his brain for a moment.” loc 81, ebook.

Henry was known for his energy and fiery temper. I didn’t mark the passage, but Eleanor relates how, when the King became angry, he would throw himself to the floor and eat the rushes.

For modern folks who may not know what rushes are- these are essentially plants that were used to keep the floor clean, sort of like throw away rugs. Remember, floors were pretty disgusting back then as transportation was done mainly by horse and certain things were tracked in on people’s boots.

The King of England would get so mad that he ate poop-covered rushes! In the modern age, that would so not fly. I can just see the covers of the tabloid mags.

I completely forgot that it was Eleanor’s husband who had the infamous disagreement with Thomas Becket. “The quarrel thus commenced dragged on for some time. It was fairly well known, and i do not propose to go into details about it- during this period I had a fair number of problems of my own, and while I felt sorry for Thomas, placed in such a dilemma as having to choose between King and Church, I am bound to admit that he made life unnecessarily difficult for himself.” loc 880, ebook.

That seemed to be Eleanor’s way- go with the flow of what happens, but don’t forget what happened and strike back when you’re in a place of power.

In this passage, Eleanor is fretting over turning 40, which, had she only known it, wasn’t even halfway through her life: “I should point out that in the summer of 1162 I reached my fortieth birthday. This is a most depressing milestone, for anyone, but more I think for a woman than a man, and most of all for a woman once accounted the most beautiful of her time. At forty there could be no disguising the fact that I was growing old, and that even my beauty was fading. In addition, forty brings with it the approach of the dreaded end of fertility, and what has a woman got left?” pg 915.

She had ten kids, how many more does a woman need? And, although much of her power was based in her beauty and fertility, she was still a formidable spirit. I mean, the lady was locked up by her husband for over a decade and yet, she manages to come back from it! Talk about aging gracefully…

Here, Eleanor is holding her own after being defeated in battle with the King of England, her husband. (She went to war against him for her sons- how hardcore is that!): “I would say that it is fairly well established that you have recently been in arms against your king.” “I acted as Duchess of Aquitaine,” I pointed out. “As we are now in Aquitaine, you are an invader, and I am a prisoner-of-war.” “I am the ruler of Aquitaine,” he argued. “In my name,” I riposted. “I have now withdrawn that privilege from you.” “Madame, your effrontery is startling.” “I am Eleanor of Aquitaine.” loc 1988. Boom.

If you like historical fiction about strong women, The Queen of Love may be something that you really enjoy. Some other suggestions: Margaret the First, Isabella: Braveheart of France, The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand, or Pope Joan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Endeavour Press for a free digital copy of this book! And, thank you for reading.

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

Axl and Beatrice are an aging married couple in the time of King Arthur. They’re on a quest to visit their son and face otherworldly threats like ogres and pixies as well as more regular dangers like Saxons on the road. They meet a boy named Edwin, who has a secret, and a warrior named Wistan, who is on a quest of his own.

Making matters even more difficult, there’s a mind-fogging mist covering the land that makes people forget things that just happened to them moments ago and the past is a puzzling blank. Axl and Beatrice would also like to solve the mystery of this mist, but first, they need to remember where their son lives.

This fantasy novel tackles the themes of love, forgiveness, and war- but, be warned, this is a ‘love it or hate it’ kind of read and will not appeal to everyone.

This is the first book I’ve read by Ishiguro and my feelings about it are complicated.

At first, I hated it because of the plodding pace and the fact that, although the author hinted at plenty of magical creatures and cryptic places, he didn’t do anything with them. But then, Ishiguro layered the themes on each other and brought the novel to a conclusion that I can’t stop thinking about… so I’m torn.

Depending on where I was in the book, this was either a one star or a five star- so I’m going to come down right in the middle with three.

The mist is so pervasive throughout this story that it almost a character all of its own: “It’s queer the way the world’s forgetting people and things from only yesterday and the day before that. Like a sickness come over us all.” … She had said this while looking away into the mist-layered distance, but now she looked straight at him and he could see her eyes were filled with sadness and yearning.”pg 21, ebook.

A life lived without memories makes day-to-day living more simple, but remembering and appreciating the good times, almost impossible.

Throughout this story, I was cheering for Axl and Beatrice to remember their shared past. They’re my favorite characters in this tale.

“Yet are you so certain, good mistress, you wish to be free of this mist? Is it not better some things remain hidden from our minds?” “It may be so for some, father, but not for us. Axl and I wish to have again the happy moments we shared together. To be robbed of them is as if a thief came in the night and took what’s most precious from us.” pg 113, ebook

Wistan is a Saxon warrior beyond compare, but he does not love Britons: “It was Britons under Arthur slaughtered our kind. … We’ve a duty to hate every man, woman and child of their blood. So promise me this. Should I fall before I pass to you my skills, promise me you’ll tend well this hatred in your heart. And should it ever flicker or threaten to die, shield it with care till the flame takes hold again.”pg 172, ebook.

Despite his efforts to remain detached, he develops a soft spot for Axl and Beatrice (Britons). Perhaps if he didn’t label people under blanket terms like “Britons” then he’d feel more kindly disposed towards them. Blind hate softens when you get to know someone and understand who they are. I think that is part of Ishiguro’s point… maybe.

There were plenty of confusing moments in The Buried Giant for me.

What’s with the old lady slaughtering small animals in that ruin? What’s with the island where people go to live entirely by themselves? (Metaphor for death or a trip to fairyland?) What’s with Edwin’s memories? Or the priests who feed themselves to the vicious birds for things they can’t remember?

Or that ending? (Geez, that ending!)

I can see how this would make an excellent book club choice because there is so much that can be interpreted different ways and discussed.

Picking read alikes for this novel was tricky because the tone, pacing, and complexity of this book is so unique.

The Last Unicorn is a fairy tale with layers, like this read, but for young adults. Mythago Wood might be another solid choice, but it takes place in the modern era rather than the distant past. Or you could try: Suldrun’s Garden. I read that a long time ago and didn’t like it much, but it is a classic fantasy book set close to the same time as The Buried Giant.

Thanks for reading!

The Help Desk

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Category: Fiction

The Autumnlands V. 1: Tooth & Claw by Kurt Busiek

Splintered by A.G. Howard

The Guild: Knights of Good (Guild v. 2) by Felicia Day

The Given World by Marian Palaia

All Darling Children by Katrina Monroe

The Breedling and the City in the Garden by Kimberlee Bastian

Robota by Doug Chiang

Queen of Love: The Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Christopher Nicole

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

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