Review: Titanborn

Titanborn by Rhett C. Bruno
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After three decades as a Pervenio Corporation Collector, chasing wanted offworlders and extinguishing protests throughout the solar system, Malcolm Graves doesn't bother asking questions. So long as the pay is right, he's the man for the job. But his latest assignment doesn't afford him that luxury.

A high-profile bombing on Earth has the men who sign Malcolm's paychecks clamoring for answers. They force him to team up with a strange, augmented partner who's more interested in statistics than instinct, and ship them both off to Titan to hunt down a suspected group of extremists: Titanborn rebels who will go to any length to free their home from the tyranny of Earth's corporations.

Heading into hostile territory, Malcolm will have to use everything he's learned to stay alive. But he soon realizes the situation on the ground is much more complex than he anticipated...and much more personal.

While Titanborn at first glance feels very derivative of James S.A. Corey's Expanse series it's actually more a detective noir with sci-fi trappings. I found the characters to be well rounded for the most part and the story intriguing. I'll probably try to get hold of the next book in the series before I make a final decision on it's worth as a whole but I have to say I enjoyed this book and R.C. Bray and his no nonsense gravelly voice were a delight as usual.

Amazon Link

Audible Link

Review: Skeleton Crew

Skeleton Crew by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The master at his scarifying best! From heart-pounding terror to the eeriest of whimsy - tales from the outer limits of one of the greatest imaginations of our time!

In The Mist, a supermarket becomes the last bastion of humanity as a peril beyond dimension invades the earth

Touch The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands, and say your prayers.

There are some things in attics that are better left alone - things like The Monkey.

The most sublime woman driver on earth offers a man Mrs. Todd's Shortcut> to paradise.

A boy's sanity is pushed to the edge when he's left alone with the odious corpse of Gramma.

If you were stunned by Gremlins, the Fornits of The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet will knock your socks off.

Trucks that punish and beautiful teen demons who seduce a young man to massacre; curses whose malevolence grows through the years; obscene presences and angels of grace - here, indeed, is a night-blooming bouquet of chills and thrills.

Skeleton Crew probably isn't the best of Stephen King's short story anthologies, nor is it my personal favourite but it does contain two of (in my opinion) his best, these being Mrs Todd's Shortcut and The Reach.

I love the daring and love once lost in the sci-fi of the first. Not to mention the obvious connections with King's epic Gunslinger series. In the second I love the feeling of a community so close it's almost like family and the satisfaction from staying in one place for your entire life, something I never managed myself.

I can recommend this both as a book to read and hold and the audiobook to listen to on a rainy train journey.

Physical copy

Audible audiobook

View all my reviews

Review: Greetings from Bury Park

Greetings from Bury Park by Sarfraz Manzoor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarfraz Manzoor was two years old when, in 1974, he emigrated from Pakistan to Britain with his mother, brother, and sister. Sarfraz spent his teenage years in a constant battle, trying to reconcile being both British and Muslim, trying to fit in at school and at home. But it was when his best friend introduced him to the music of Bruce Springsteen that his life changed completely. From the age of sixteen on, after the moment he heard the harmonica and opening lines to "The River," Springsteen became his personal muse, a lens through which he was able to view the rest of his life. Both a tribute to Springsteen and a story of personal discovery, Greetings from Bury Park is a warm, irreverent, and exceptionally perceptive memoir about how music transcends religion and race.

After watching "Blinded by the Light" I made an effort to find Greetings from Bury Park and I have to say I wasn't disappointed at all. Sarfraz's autobiography tells a story that I as a white guy growing up around the same time (I'm a year or two older) found enlightening in a way I didn't expect. While I was aware of the growth of movements like the National Front (other racist bigots are available sadly) I could never place myself in the position of an immigrant to this country suffering under their torment. The way he found connection and solace through the music of Springsteen was an absolute delight.

Highly recommended, read it if you can.

Blided by the light: https://amzn.to/3p8QhbR

Greetings from Bury Park: https://amzn.to/3p3S4yJ

Review: Locke & Key

Locke & Key by Joe Hill

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Based on the best-selling, award-winning graphic novel series Locke & Key - written by acclaimed suspense novelist Joe Hill (NOS4A2, Horns) and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez - this multi-cast, fully dramatized audio production brings the images and words to life.

A brutal and tragic event drives the Locke family from their home in California to the relative safety of their ancestral estate in Lovecraft, Massachusetts, an old house with powerful keys and fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them. As siblings Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke discover the secrets of the old house, they also find that it's home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all....

Featuring performances by Haley Joel Osment (Entourage, The Sixth Sense), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Kate Mulgrew (Orange Is the New Black, Star Trek: Voyager), Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Stephen King (The Stand, 11-22-63), as well as a cast of more than 50 voice actors, this audio production preserves the heart-stopping impact of the graphic novel's astounding artwork through the use of richly imagined sound design and a powerful original score.

Well this book was a real slog for me. I've never read Joe Hills' original comic books but I did find the Netflix adaptation engaging and so decided to give this a try.

It's not that the story is bad, it isn't, it's way more that the characters are bad and their portrayal in this full-cast audiobook is dire to say the least.

View all my reviews

Review: Raybearer

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nothing is more important than loyalty.

But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of eleven. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.

I was made aware of Raybearer through Dominic Noble's YouTube channel and as I understand it Jordan Ifueko was inspired to write the book due to not seeing much, if any, fantasy fiction where the protagonist was like her and was intrigued to say the least and I can understand why a publisher jumped on it sadly for me though it didn't work. I think it's mainly to do with this being Ifueko's debut novel and what I found to be a bit of a "and then, and then, and then" style. I can see massive potential in both the story and Ifueko's writing so will probably at least check out the next stories in the series where I hope the writing style develops into something I can really get my teeth into.

Talking about the story I did find two aspects of it rather on the disturbing side: Tarisai's conception and the night time activities rules of the council (to put it delicately). I understand that having a protagonist conceived through coercion can be a powerful image and I've read stories where sexual assault has been used in this way (looking at you Stephen Donaldson) but it's a bit out of place in a YA novel to my mind. Likewise the you can only boink the Emperor rule for the council.

As I read the Audible edition I would like to heap a little praise on the narrator, Weruche Opia was sublime and really brought the book to life... even the singing bits... there's quite a few singing bits by the way and if you're like me reading Lord of the Rings you'll be tempted to skip them... don't

If you like fantasy give it a try, maybe get it from the library first though because I'm not going to be responsible for you spending cash on a book I didn't much enjoy personally

View all my reviews

Review: Descent of Angels

Descent of Angels by Mitchel Scanlon

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Well here we are volume six of the Horus Heresy and the introduction of the Dark Angels Legio Astartes (or Space Marines to the rest of us). Descent of Angels deals with the childhood of Lion El'Johnson the genetically engineered Primarch of the Dark Angels Legion from his finding, lost, on the medival style planet of Caliban to the first signs of cracks in the Legion's loyalty.

What can I say that others haven't already said about this (at time of writing) thirteen year old novel. Well firstly I think I'm going to be forced to echo the complaint laid by so many at its door. This novel is poor... really poor... Where we should have a swashbuckling, rip-roaring, sci-fi adventure featuring warrior monks fighting eldritch horrors from the darkest recesses of the human mind we get... exposition followed by some more exposition only interrupted by a little exposition and dialogue an eight year old would call "a bit forced". Even Gareth Armstrong's narration feels sleepy and uninterested. I'm really not sure how you can take a story from Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 universe and make it so dammed boring, in fact this is the first time I've almost nodded off while listening to a story since I was a toddler. Luckily for you, dear reader, this adds nothing to the story so far, and if I recall my 40k lore, nothing to the continuing tale.

Do yourself a favour and just *skip this novel

*Skip in this case means miss out but the option to throw in a skip is still there...

View all my reviews

Review: What Abigail Did That Summer

What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ghost hunter, fox whisperer, troublemaker.

 It is the summer of 2013, and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake. While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged the teens return home—unharmed but vague about where they've been. Aided only by her friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real and a posse of talking foxes that think they're spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and importantly—why?

Set during Peter's sojourn to Herefordshire (see Foxglove Summer) we find that while the furore of the missing children there is ongoing there's a lesser mystery occurring in Hampstead. Children are going missing only to return with no memory of where they've been... Abigail is intrigued to say the least.

I found What Abigail Did That Summer to be a lovely if a little short jump into the life of one of the more interesting side characters of the series. Abigail is presented as a smart, caring and, most of all, capable protagonist. Possibly a little too capable for a very inexperienced teenager... mind you the arrogance of youth and all that. Abigail is aided in this adventure by Simon, who I think won't be much of a recurring character and one of the wonderful talking foxes first seen in the graphic novel Cry Fox. I really enjoyed this Audible version of the story although I found Shvorne Marks' the tiniest bit off-putting with her not using Abigail's dialect (know what I mean bruv innit) as written by Aaronovitch, not a deal breaker by any means but a touch off.

The story is, as you'd expect, much less police procedural and more Famous Five meets Sapphire and Steel which i found to be very refreshing.

I think we'll be seeing Abigail and her foxy friends a lot more in the future and that's no bad thing.

View all my reviews

Review: Artemis

Artemis by Andy Weir

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Ever had a bad day?

Try having one on the moon...

WELCOME TO ARTEMIS. The first city on the moon. Population 2,000. Mostly tourists. Some criminals.

Jazz Bashara is one of the criminals. She lives in a poor area of Artemis and subsidises her work as a porter with smuggling contraband onto the moon. But it's not enough. So when she's offered the chance to make a lot of money she jumps at it.

But though planning a crime in 1/6th gravity may be more fun, it's a lot more dangerous.

So, where to start? Well firstly Artemis does have a good plot, piss poorly executed, but good. The main problem for me is that our protagonist, Jazz Bashara, is supposed to be a Saudi, Muslim woman brought up in Artemis who works as a part-time porter and full time smuggler yet her inner voice (and outer voice for that matter) sound exactly like Mark Watney the white, American, male, science dude from Weir's previous novel, The Martian. Secondly the story is written in the same manner as The Martian, understandable as it's the same author, but it really doesn't work for what is at its essence a heist story.

Anyway enough about the story, Rosario Dawson, (Ahsoka Tano in The Madalorian and Claire Temple/Night Nurse in the Netflix Marvel series) narrates the story. As far as I can tell this is her first outing as an audiobook narrator and to some extent it shows. Her reading of the story is competent enough but a little dry for some of the high octane action scenes. It's the dialogue where she shines as is only to be expected of an actress of her quality.

Honestly I didn't enjoy this book but looking at the reviews on Goodreads many others have. If my opinion is important to you I'd say give it a miss but I'll let you decide.

View all my reviews

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

You can’t stop the future.

You can’t rewind the past.

The only way to learn the secret... is to press play.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush, who committed suicide two weeks earlier. Hannah's voice tells him that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out why.

Clay spends the night crisscrossing his town with Hannah as his guide. He becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah's pain, and as he follows Hannah’s recorded words throughout his town, what he discovers changes his life forever.

Like many I first became aware of the novel through the Netflix series and being of a curious mind I decided to give it a read. Firstly I'd like to point out that I really don't think I'm the target audience for this story which to my mind can only be a good thing... more on this later...

I'd like to address the two central characters first, Clay Jensen and Hannah Baker. Well as I said I'm not the desired audience for this and found one to be a super earnest, weight of the world on my sixteen year old shoulders type while the other is a everything is awful and someone else's fault type. Neither of these characters is much more than a vehicle for a "woe is me" narrative. Am I being unfair? Yeah, probably but it's my review and if you don't like it click away dear friend.

Now on to the story itself; while competently written I feel that it while not glorifying suicide per se doesn't make any effort at all to say that there just may be different options. If just one of the characters given a voice said anything, anything at all, about this I might feel differently about the story... but they don't. I was actually a little surprised to find that the author, Jay Asher is a middle-aged guy and not an angst ridden tween.

The only ray of light I can offer in this negative review is that the narrators on the Audible version are very good and both give a sterling performance

So, there you have it, my review. As you may be able to discern from my oh so subtle hints I didn't like this book, not one little bit. Read it if you want to, I'm not your Mum, but I really do not recommend it.

View all my reviews

Review: Chalk

Chalk by Paul Cornell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Paul Cornell plumbs the depths of magic and despair in Chalk, a brutal exploration of bullying in 80s England.

Andrew Waggoner has always hung around with his fellow losers at school, desperately hoping each day that the school bullies, led by Drake, will pass him by in search of other prey. But one day they force him into the woods, and the bullying escalates into something more; something unforgivable; something unthinkable.

Broken, both physically and emotionally, something dies in Waggoner, and something else is born in its place.

In the hills of the West Country a chalk horse stands vigil over a site of ancient power, and there Waggoner finds in himself a reflection of rage and vengeance, a power and persona to topple those who would bring him low.

From Tom Brown's School Days to Carrie via Lord of the Flies children casually inflicting horrors on each other has been a mainstay of literature for a long, long, time. Chalk takes this and weave a gripping tale of magic and vengeance. Our protagonist is Andrew Waggoner, one of those kids destined to be seen as a punching bag by the school's bullies, who after a particularly terrible attack leaves him disfigured finds he can't go to the ineffective adults of the story... after all snitches get stitches as the saying goes.

In pain, fear, and desperation Waggoner calls out to a much older, darker power who surprisingly answers. It's from here that Chalk really hits its stride.

The calm, almost matter of fact way Johnathan Broadbent narrates the story only makes Cornell's horror the more riveting. For me it was this dry, emotionless delivery that really made the story hit home. This isn't a mile a minute kind of story so when the action does ramp up and get a bit frenetic it makes it all the more effective. Anyway I'm finding it tough to put into words exactly what I liked about this so I'll wrap up. Read this book, better yet get the audio version like I did and have a man with a mellow Wiltshire accent tell you one of the most horrific stories I've ever heard.

View all my reviews

Review: Half a War

Half a War by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Half a War is the final instalment of the Shattered Sea trilogy.

Words are weapons

Princess Skara has seen all she loved made blood and ashes. She is left with only words. But the right words can be as deadly as any blade. She must conquer her fears and sharpen her wits to a lethal edge if she is to reclaim her birthright.

Only half a war is fought with swords

The deep-cunning Father Yarvi has walked a long road from crippled slave to king’s minister. He has made allies of old foes and stitched together an uneasy peace. But now the ruthless Grandmother Wexen has raised the greatest army since the elves made war on God, and put Bright Yilling at its head – a man who worships no god but Death.

Sometimes one must fight evil with evil

Some – like Thorn Bathu and the sword-bearer Raith – are born to fight, perhaps to die. Others – like Brand the smith and Koll the wood-carver – would rather stand in the light. But when Mother War spreads her iron wings, she may cast the whole Shattered Sea into darkness.

Abercrombie follows his established method for the Shattered Sea and introduces us to new point of view characters for this third volume. To my mind this time they're not quite as strong as in previous entries. The almost caricatured naivety of Skara is just plain annoying but she does develop thankfully. This is only exacerbated by the the stereotypes that are Raith (cock sure warrior) and Koll (cocky minister in training). Again they do receive development but for me it was too late as I'd already made my decision on them. Maybe I'm being unfair to Abercrombie and these characters because the protagonists in the other books were, and are, so strong but hey-ho.

Right, on to the story, as the title and synopsis say "only half a war is fought with swords". The other half is fought with politics, so much politics, all the politics. Don't misunderstand it wasn't boring, there was just so much of it. Mind you there was enough fighting for even the most blood thirsty reader to get their fill.

I particularly enjoyed that the grey rather than black and white morality was explored more in this book. Decisions were made and outcomes were unexpected to both the reader and the characters. Plans are made that do not go as expected, outcomes once seen as a win become more dubious as time goes on. There's a quite a bit of talk about the greater good (and by extension the lesser evil) in this book and you just know anyone who talks like that is in for a world of pain when the dust settles.

I think this is probably the weakest of the three novels in the trilogy but it is by no means a bad book. Over all I would say it's the best ending any of the characters could expect even if it's not what they deserve. Read the whole trilogy you won't be disappointed.

View all my reviews

Review: Ready Player Two

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Ready Player Two is the sequel to the popular Ready Player One

Days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday's contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything.

Hidden within Halliday's vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous... and addictive... than even Wade dreamed possible.

With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest, a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize.

And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who'll kill millions to get what he wants.

Wade's life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

So... it turns out Halliday added another stupid treasure hunt competition to his OASIS. One that only "An heir of Halliday" can unlock (I hope JK Rowling is listening to this bit). Also there's now an evil AI Halliday loose in the OASIS (I hope Avengers: Age of Ultron is listening to this bit). So it's now two years after the original story and Earnest Cline has managed to walk back every bit of character development he could. In fact the only things he didn't walk back are Aech turning out to be a woman and Daito being dead and I'm sure if he could've worked them in he would have. The new characters aren't anything to write home about either; they're either written so one dimensionally they may as well be a straight line or they are so utterly forgettable you need to constantly go back to remember who the hell they are.

The story isn't anything to write home about either...

It's not only predictable it's boring to boot. There is zero originality in this story... zero... and as Cline said himself back in 2017 he only wrote it as a cash in on the movie. So, yeah it ain't good peeps.

The only redeeming feature of this is Wil Wheaton's performance as narrator.

Do not buy this book.

View all my reviews

Review: The Devil All the Time

The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set in rural southern Ohio and West Virginia, The Devil All the Time follows a cast of characters from the end of World War II to the 1960s. There’s Willard Russell, tormented veteran of the carnage in the South Pacific, who can’t save his beautiful wife, Charlotte, from an agonizing death by cancer no matter how much sacrifi­cial blood he pours on his “prayer log.” There’s Carl and Sandy Henderson, a husband-and-wife team of serial kill­ers, who troll America’s highways searching for suitable models to photograph and exterminate. There’s the spider-handling preacher Roy and his crippled virtuoso-guitar-playing sidekick, Theodore, running from the law. And caught in the middle of all this is Arvin Eugene Russell, Willard and Charlotte’s orphaned son, who grows up to be a good but also violent man in his own right.

Bleak does not begin to describe this book. Full of awful people doing despicable things to each other this book destroys the usual cutesy, American dream, we are so used to seeing in book set in this era. I would say that with the exception of Arvin and one or two other minor characters there is not one single person in the whole book with a redeeming quality. This book is vicious and unrelenting in its violence and setting with crimes being committed with the casualness of ordering coffee. I loved it by the way...

That's not all it is though. there's small town desperation and the frustration of being "stuck". There's the grim smallness of absent ambition. Best illustrated by the character who feels eating a hot dog at a baseball stadium would be life changing.

Now I suppose we need to talk about the darkness, the murder, the animal sacrifice, the rape, the suicide, the prostitution, the sheer awfulness of people. Like I said this book is bleak, real bleak, and desperate. There are no excuses presented for the character's actions beyond the terrible grimness of crappy lives and desperation.

But that's The Devil all the Time, grim desperation occasionally illuminated by fleeting acts of kindness.

View all my reviews

Review: Half the World

Half the World by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Half the World is volume two of the Shattered Sea trilogy.

Sometimes a girl is touched by mother war

Thorn is such a girl. Desperate to avenge her dead father, she lives to fight. But she has been named murderer by the very man who trained her to kill.

Sometimes a woman becomes a warrior

Fate traps her in the schemes – and on the ship – of the deep-cunning minister Father Yarvi. Crossing half the world to find allies against the ruthless High King, she learns harsh lessons of blood and deceit.

Sometimes a warrior becomes a weapon

Beside her on her gruelling journey is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. A failure in his eyes and hers, he has one chance at redemption.

And weapons are made for one purpose

Will Thorn forever be a tool in the hands of the powerful or can she carve her own path? Is there a place beyond legend for a woman with a blade?

Continuing on from where Half a King left off Half a World, but not really, introduces us to two new point of view characters, Thorn Bathu, a woman born to fight who but is denied, and Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill. I think you cold probably jump straight into this book without ever reading Half a King but what kind of crazy person would deny themselves reading the works of Joe Abercrombie, Lord Grimdark himself.

I enjoyed this book a lot, the characters and story were again detailed and interesting with Abercrombie's usual unpredictability, savagery and humour helping to instil a feeling they were real. While I did enjoy the story it was a little, not much just the tiniest bit, jarring to have brand new point of view character take the lead (or in this case two characters) bur overall I think it worked, mainly due to their likeability.

Beyond giving this book my highest recommendation there's not a great deal left to say here so I'll let you go find a copy and read it yourself.

View all my reviews

Review: Half a King

Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Half a King is volume one of the Shattered Sea trilogy.

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains, and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

The deceived will become the deceiver. Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

The betrayed will become the betrayer. Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

Will the usurped become the usurper? But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi finds his path may end as it began—in twists, and traps, and tragedy.

Often described at Joe Abercrombie's attempt to bring the grim-dark he's famous for to a young adult audience Half a King is ultimately the story of a young man with a disfigured and almost useless hand thrust in to a world he's neither ready nor fit for. Yarvi's disability makes him singularly unfit for the role fate has decreed for him, the warrior king of a savage country. As such he must use such gifts as he has, a formidable mind, to achieve his goals.

I've read Some of Abercrombie's other books, most notably his First Law series, and this story doesn't feel like it's aimed at a younger, less mature, audience it reads like his other works. I liked the story and found it to be engaging and fun, I'd like to say unputdownable but I'm not sure that's a real word. I found the characters to be believable and more than the two dimensional caricatures we sometimes see in YA fiction (side note to authors: kids aren't stupid my dude, they can see right through lazy writing). The settings in the Shattered Sea are breathtakingly described with each country and region having a life of its own. While the plot is pretty standard "dispossessed prince must regain kingdom" fare it's handled in a way that doesn't feel old and the surprise twist worked very well.

As I'm reviewing the Audible edition of this book I should say something about Ben Elliot's narration. I found that his understated, almost quiet storytelling style worked very well for this story and I'm pleased to see he's the narrator of the other books in the trilogy. Elliot does very well in voicing the characters in the book also, each one is distinct and needs no indicators other than his voice acting to tell who's speaking.

All together I would recommend this book to any fan of Abercrombie's or indeed grim-dark fantasy. Additionally I would say this is a great introduction volume to them too.

View all my reviews

Review: The Sandman

The Sandman by Dirk Maggs

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Sandman is a full cast adaptation of the comic book / graphic novel series by Neil Gaiman. This Audible Original edition covers the events of the first three volumes: Preludes & Nocturnes, The Doll House, and Dream Country

Torn from his realm, The Sandman - Morpheus, the immortal king of dreams, stories and the imagination – was imprisoned on earth for decades. On escaping he must restore his power, descend into hell to face Lucifer, chase rogue nightmares, visit a serial killer convention and cross paths with characters from DC comic books, ancient myths, and real-world history.

Audible and DC present the first in a series of audio adaptations of Neil Gaiman’s best-selling graphic novels, adapted and directed by multi-award-winner Dirk Maggs, performed by an ensemble cast with James McAvoy in the title role, and accompanied by an original score by James Hannigan. As narrator, Neil Gaiman will lead you through this dark, literary world in a twisting fantasy journey of myth, imagination and terror.

I really liked this, like a lot. After that I'm not sure there's much to say so gimmie a minute...

...right I've had a bit of a think and I've come up with some specific things I liked and one that took me out of the narrative for a second but really isn't a big deal.

First off I liked just how little had been changed for the audio play. As far as I can recall there wasn't a single thing (except that thing I alluded to before). Not one of the cast sounded like they were phoning it in or just there for the cheque and each voice was spot on. The effort each and everyone one of them put in for an audio play speaks volumes for their talent and dedication. The soundtrack and incidental music were just right though a small number of the louder, higher pitched sounds were distinctly unfriendly to headphones users.

Now on to that one teeny, tiny, niggle...

...they gender swapped Lucien. I'm only raising it as an issue because otherwise I just come off as a frothing fanboy and I'll admit it did take me out of the story in a "huh, Lucien as a woman. Never thought of that" kind of way.

If you're a fan of The Sandman, Gaiman in general or just like good quality listening materiel I cannot recommend this enough. If on the other hand you're a philistine give it a miss.

View all my reviews

Review: Doctor Who - The Lost Stories - The Fourth Doctor Box Set

Doctor Who - The Lost Stories - The Fourth Doctor Box Set by Robert Banks Stewart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Doctor Who: The Lost Stories: Fourth Doctor Box Set is a full cast audio from Big Finish Productions featuring two stories, The Foe From the Future and The Valley of Death, from the Fourth Doctor and companion Leela.

The Foe from the Future

The Grange is haunted, so they say. This stately home in the depths of Devon has been the site of many an apparition. And now people are turning up dead. The ghosts are wild in the forest. But the Doctor doesn’t believe in ghosts.

The TARDIS follows a twist in the vortex to the village of Staffham in 1977 and discovers something is very wrong with time. But spectral highwaymen and cavaliers are the least of the Doctor’s worries.

For the Grange is owned by the sinister Jalnik, and Jalnik has a scheme two thousand years in the making. Only the Doctor and Leela stand between him and the destruction of history itself. It’s the biggest adventure of their lives – but do they have the time?

The Valley of Death

A century after his Great-Grandfather Cornelius vanished in the Amazon rainforest, Edward Perkins is journeying to the depths of the jungle to find out what became of his ancestor’s lost expedition. Intrigued by what appears to be a description of a crashed spacecraft in the diaries of that first voyage, the Doctor and Leela join him on his quest. But when their plane runs into trouble and ends up crash landing, everyone gets more than they bargained for.

The jungle is filled with giant creatures and angry tribesmen, all ready to attack. But in the famed lost city of the Maygor tribe, something far, far worse is lurking. Something with an offer to make to mankind. Who are the Lurons and can they be trusted? Will the Doctor defeat the plans of the malevolent Godrin or will he become just another victim of the legendary Valley of Death?

The main thing that put me off Big Finish and their output before is, well, they're kind of pricey. That is pricey if they're not on Audible and you don't have a credit to spare but hey ho here we go. Anyway when I saw this one as part of a two-for-one sale I couldn't resist as I've wanted to listen to some of the Eighth Doctor plays for a while now but back to the review

Both stories are pretty strong, standard, stuff for classic era Who. The Doctor and companion arrive, shenanigans ensue, Doctor fixes it, ta-da. I found the acting to be very good and no-one felt like the "phoned it in" or was just there for the cheque. While the sound effects helped the atmosphere of the stories there were a couple of times it wasn't headphone friendly which was a little off putting (and the only reason I dropped a star).

All things being equal I think I will probably get a few more of these, most likely McGann's Eighth Doctor at first, as this one was a good listen and I've not heard much dissent about any of Big Finish's other productions

View all my reviews

Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The tale Charlie, the eponymous wallflower, and his freshman year at high school. Through a series of letter written to an unnamed stranger as he navigates his way through the uncharted waters between childhood and adulthood. Charlie finds friendship, love and acceptance over the course of his year. Along the way he also finds a deeply hidden secret from his own past.

I genuinely found this novel funny, touching and poignant in equal measure and for a debut novel it's certainly making me want to try others of Chbosky's oeuvre.

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: The Fey and the Furious

Rivers of London Volume 8: The Fey and the Furious by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rivers of London: The Fey and the Furious is the eighth collected volume of the Rivers of London comic book. This volume is made up of four issues of the comic book.

Set immediately after Lies Sleeping, The Fey and the Furious begins with DC Peter Grant still on suspension from the Met and a young Essex boy racer found dead in a Dutch dyke (No... stop it! Filthy mind you have!) with cargo of illicit produce in his boot. Peter and the Muslim Ninja, Sahra Guleed, are despatched off to Essex to infiltrate local street racing rings. Things soon take a turn for the "weird bollocks" when the race route goes through fairyland...

I want to start this review with my congratulations on the pun title, great work, now stop it or I'm calling the police. This story only missing a Vin Diesel character to be The Fast and the Furious with fairies and I love it. This one has just the right balance of call backs and returning characters to give the new thing a place to breathe. Beverley Brook is also given more to do in this than just being Peter's girlfriend (I know she gets more of a role in the main series) which is good.

I know I've said this before for others in the series but this one really is the best one so far. Read it, read it now!

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: Action at a Distance

Rivers of London Volume 7: Action at a Distance by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rivers of London: Action at a Distance is the seventh collected volume of the Rivers of London comic book. This volume is made up of four issues of the comic book.

In a Harry Dresden meets Springheel Jack tale Nightingale mourns the loss of a friend while Peter reads of them pursuing the nefarious Fischer from Windscale to London and back again.

At last a story where Nightingale is the protagonist! I've been waiting for this for a while now and was not disappointed. Nightingale as a protagonist is witty, charming, ruthless and has more tricks up his sleeve than Paul Daniels.

I liked this a lot, in fact it's fair to say this is probably my favourite RoL graphic novel so far. We're also treated to a new artist for this volume with Brian Williamson doing the honours.

Like the others this isn't essential reading but it is a ripping good yarn.

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: Water Weed

Rivers of London Volume 6: Water Weed by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rivers of London: Water Weed is the sixth collected volume of the Rivers of London comic book taking place between The Hanging Tree and Lies Sleeping. This volume comprises of four issues of the comic book.

After two of the less well-behaved River goddesses, Chelsea and Olympia, decide to "tax" a drugs mule using the Thames as a highway, Peter Grant and Beverley Brook find themselves drawn into a cannabis smuggling operation with weird magical connotations.

While I liked the story I found the sexualisation of the younger goddesses a bit off putting and the sex scene was just unnecessary. That being said the "police procedural" aspects of the story were as good as any you'll see on TV with and interesting and unexpected antagonist.

If you can look past the parts mentioned this is a good story but I'm afraid they're there and pretty in your face.

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: Cry Fox

Rivers of London: Cry Fox: Volume 5 by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rivers of London: Cry Fox is the fifth collected volume of the Rivers of London comic book. This volume carries on the trend of consisting of four collected issues of the comic book.

Following on from the story in Night Witch vengeful Russian mobsters are looking to hire members of London's demi-monde (the umofficial society consisting of minor magic users and supernatural creatures) to bring bloody retribution down on the witch Varvara Sidorovna Tamonina. However, the ex-Soviet sorcerer is under the protective wing of London's own wizarding cop, DC Peter Grant, and to get the attention of Grant and his colleagues, the the daughter of a prominent Russian oligarch is kidnapped by parties unknown but possibly fox-like. What makes it worse is that Peter is going to have to leave his beloved London and go out into the countryside.

Cry Fox features one of slimiest gits to ever grace the page, Reynard Fossman, as the main antagonist. What with his sociopathic tendencies and serious paedo vibes I just can't abide this character... but then again I'm not supposed to. I was expecting Abigail to be a little more present in the story, possibly even the protagonist, after all the hints in the main novel series but alas she was somewhat relegated to a secondary character. I did like the not very well hidden twist but it was so obviously flagged as to be none existent as a twist.

Again with these graphic novels it adds to the mythos without being essential reading. Do you need to read it? No, as I've said it's not essential. Should you read it if you like RoL? Bloody right you should.

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: Detective Stories

Rivers of London, Volume 4: Detective Stories by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rivers of London: Detective Stories is the fourth collected volume of the Rivers of London comic book. This volume collects four issues unlike the previous three that were five issues each.

The framing device for this volume is PC Peter Grant's detective exam with each comic book detailing a different story... so a volume of one shots if you will.

Do these stories add to the Rivers of London mythos / lore? Well... yeah they do.

Are they any good? they're ok... and that's the rub. They're only ok, not great, not bad, just ok. Still we can't expect earthshattering genius in every story right? Right?

The art work remains of the highest quality and as I've skimmed through the other volumes where the quality doesn't change I don't think I'll mention it again... unless there's a dip...

Knowing there's a small dip in story quality would I recommend this volume to a friend? All in all I think I would, if only for completionist reasons. Is it essential reading? No, but none of these graphic novel / comic book adventures are.

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: Black Mould

Rivers of London: Black Mould by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rivers of London Black Mould is the third volume of the collected Rivers of London comic book. This volume consists of five collected issues of the comic book.

Set between Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree Black Mould tells the tale of Peter's colleague, Muslim ninja and possible trusty sidekick, Sahra Guleed, discovering a mould problem in the house of a friend. But what at first seems just a virulent fungus takes a far darker turn when the mould attacks Guleed, piquing Peter's interest and suggesting something far more dangerous...

Now this is more like it! Black Mould is probably the first of these graphic novels to really capture the feel of the main novels. Aaronovitch and Cartmel seem to have hit their stride here and I for one could not be happier. With echoes of Marvel's Venom this is the best of the graphic novels so far.. miss this one at your peril.

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: Night Witch

Rivers of London: Night Witch by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rivers of London: Night Witch is the second of seven (at time of writing) collected volumes of the Rivers of London comic book. This time we're treated to some fleshing out of one of the more interesting side-characters, Varvara Sidorovna Tamonina, the Russian magic user first seen in Whispers Under Ground.

The plot of the volume covers the daughter of Russian tycoon Nestor Yakunin being kidnapped, apparently by a Leshy, a creature from the forests of his homeland - a long way from Kent where the kidnapping occurred.

Aaronovitch and Cartmel have succeeded in their endeavour to flesh out the world of PC Peter Grant with an engaging tale enhanced by the art work from Lee Sullivan.

As before it's not necessary to read this volume but it will make your experience of the River of London somewhat deeper.

View all my reviews

Review: Rivers of London: Body Work

Rivers of London: Body Work by Ben Aaronovitch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ever wonder what would happen if Christine ended up in a breakers yard?

Ever wondered just how Constable Guleed got involved with the Folly (or "weird bollocks" as our friend DCI Alexander Seawoll would say)?

Well wonder no longer for all this and more is in Rivers of London: Body Work

Rivers of London: Body Work is the collected volume of the five part comic series and fills in some (oh I hate this word) lore or background in a short side story.

The art work in this volume is delightful as is the main story. I particularly liked the Tales From the Folly shorts at the end where we're treated to some very funny stuff

I think the comic book / graphic novel format suits Rivers of London very well for these shorter tales and as I've mentioned the art style here is perfect for the tone. All in all this (and I'm assuming the other volumes) are maybe not essential to fans of Peter Grant but they are a delightful addition filling in a few gaps.

View all my reviews