I have been, and always shall be, your friend. ~Spock, The Wrath of Khan
Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I have encountered in my t
I have been, and always shall be, your friend. ~Spock, The Wrath of Khan
Of my friend, I can only say this: Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most...human. ~Capt. Kirk, The Wrath of Khan
I'm betting the vast majority of readers/listeners finding their way to this book will have been lifelong Trekkies, having come of age watching Star Trek in syndication, waiting with keen anticipation as each motion picture installment was released in the franchise, discovering new things to love about the Trek verse as it expanded/exploded to include The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.
This isn't me. I'm coming to Trek shockingly late -- 50 years after the 1966 premiere of the original series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. For me the paint isn't even dry. It started only last summer with the release of Star Trek: Beyond. I decided I would go see it, but I didn't want to do that until I had watched the first two movies in JJ Abrams reboot (keeping in mind I had never seen an episode of Star Trek -- ANY Star Trek -- in my life, nor any of the movies). As someone who had been raised and steeped in the horror tradition, A LOT of sci-fi nerdy stuff passed me by altogether (yes, including Star Wars). I wasn't interested, and for a long time, I really didn't think any of it was being made for me anyway. None of it felt like my "tribe" so to speak, or anything I was able or willing to relate to.
Fast forward to August 2016. I watch the Abrams movies and LOVE them -- especially Beyond which is my favourite of the three. I loved these movies so much, and fell in love with Pine's and Quinto's portrayals of Kirk and Spock so completely, it triggered an almost immediate overwhelming desire to go back and watch the entire run of the original Star Trek -- yes, even season 3, all of it -- which as any Trekkie reading this knows is an exercise in endurance, patience and frustration at the sharp decline in quality the series would take in its final year.
But it was worth it -- after seeing a new generation of young actors tackle these iconic characters so successfully, I had to go back to the beginning and experience the Shatner/Nimoy dynamic that launched a franchise so big and so far reaching it was still finding people and captivating them five decades later. I needed to see with my own eyes, feel with my own heart, what was so special about this low-budget sci-fi television show from the 60s that would make millions of people from all over the world into lifelong Trekkies.
I came to this project with a lot of skepticism, certain after all these many decades there was no way the show would have the ability to resonate with me now or hold my interest. Too much time had passed. It would seem too old-fashioned, cheap and silly. And for sure, watching those first few episodes I giggled at some of the ridiculous cheesy "special effects", the poorly choreographed fight sequences where no attempt was made to hide the stunt double, and Shatner's chewing up the scenery every chance he got.
But these elements became part of the show's vintage charm for me, and more than that, superficial characteristics of a show that would go on to convince me of its imaginative and thought-provoking storytelling wrapped up in a contagious adventure of the week style. I was hooked. More than that, like millions before me, I was falling in love with Mr. Spock -- the forever logical, keenly observant and emotionally controlled First Officer of Starfleet's USS Enterprise -- a role I can't believe anyone else could have brought to life so vividly or memorably as Leonard Nimoy.
As I made my way through the original TV series (with the help and guidance from a bona fide Trek nerd who shall remain unnamed), I would also begin watching the films. The deeper into the Trek verse I went, the more deeply attached I became to the characters, and began to fully appreciate the unique on-screen chemistry shared between Shatner and Nimoy. The best actors act -- they are paid to feel things they are not really feeling -- but that nebulous, indefinable chemistry cannot be bought and sold, faked or forced. What Shatner and Nimoy share on the screen as Kirk and Spock is something special and precious to behold. It would shape and inform a unique, sometimes difficult and contentious, friendship that would last half a century.
Listening to Shatner read aloud his remembrances of his friendship with such a charismatic, multi-talented, deeply loved man, I came to the conclusion that Shatner is being sincere here. You can hear the respect and unchecked admiration for the man Nimoy was, and the blinding love Shatner held for him (even when his narcissistic tendencies would bring up feelings of competition and jealousy and even resentment). It's sweet, and at times terribly sad. You can detect a note of loneliness in Shatner's words as he confesses to his lack of any lasting friendships with anyone, save for Nimoy who Fate had fused the two men together on this remarkable journey of a lifetime. But even Nimoy -- after decades of sharing his world with Shatner -- would suddenly (and inexplicably from Shatner's viewpoint) end their relationship and cut off all direct contact.
Shatner doesn't go into too much detail regarding the men's epic falling out. He's playing dumb and seems honestly baffled and hurt why Nimoy would cut him out of his life around the time Shatner was making the documentary The Captains in 2011. Obviously, whether Shatner wants to confront his role in the falling out or not, the saddest part of all of this is that these two men brought together, and held together, by extraordinary circumstances, would not have each other as one faced a terminal illness and death. When Nimoy finally did pass away in February 2015, Shatner chose to appear at a charity fundraiser for the Red Cross and would not make it to Nimoy's funeral, a fact I'm sure some Trekkies will never forgive him for.
I choose to be a little more forgiving and understanding. I feel Shatner's grief and sense of loss are genuine and keenly, sharply experienced. While there is a lot of information presented here that is re-hashing material previously published elsewhere, there is also a new-found humility as Shatner tries to work through some of his feelings of inadequacy, and never quite measuring up to the depth and breadth of talent and integrity that was Leonard Nimoy. It really is a love letter in a lot of important ways, as Shatner attempts to make sense of the wonder of it all and his and Nimoy's place in it as he faces his own inevitable mortality.
I can only hope when it's Shatner's turn to shuffle off this mortal coil, there is some kind of afterlife waiting for all of us, and that he and Nimoy find each other there and find a way back to forgiveness and the special friendship they once shared.
I'm going to end this review by recommending the recent documentary For the Love of Spock. This isn't just mandatory viewing for Trek fans, but is also a poignant and comprehensive look at the life of a remarkable man and the resonating influence of an iconic figure who has come to mean so much to so many. LLAP friends.
What a lovable, enjoyable, adrenalized hoot this was! I still would have preferred to see all the action sequences (of which there were many -- many I What a lovable, enjoyable, adrenalized hoot this was! I still would have preferred to see all the action sequences (of which there were many -- many I tell you) play out on the big screen (sometimes the prose falls a little short of adequately capturing the epic scale and magnificence of the fighting, running, space racing, exploding drama) but overall, for a novelization of two notoriously preeminent comic/cinematic heroes this was a thrill.
Rocket Raccoon and Groot utterly ambushed me in last summer's Marvel blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy completely stealing my heart. I was not expecting to have such a reaction. I had never heard of them, had never read the comics and have been late wading into MCU waters. As I mentioned in another review, my geek sci-fi cred is almost nil, embarrassingly so. But I am committed to making up for past sins and lost time. With Marvel anyway. Doctor Who and Star Wars are gonna have to wait.
But back to my two favorite guys: Rocket and Groot (and by guys you know I mean a talking raccoon and a talking giant tree, right?). They are rogues, badasses, heroes, and sometimes, Guardians of the Galaxy. This is their story, though Gamora has a notable kick-assing role to play. She's a lot fiercer and meaner and scarier in these pages (win!) than the "softer side" we get in the movie. I love her.
But back to Rocket and Groot. By coincidence and accident they cross paths with a Rigellian Recorder (#127) who needs rescuing. It seems everyone in the Galaxy - Multiverse wants their version of hands on this guy. He has "recorded" some very vital information, data that could lead to absolute power over reality itself. I loved 127. In my limited comparison capabilities he reminded me of what little I know of C-3PO. He's SUPER smart containing a trillion Wikipedias, but he's an emotional being, with humor and even desires, developing a crush on Gamora herself and forging a lovely bond with his unlikely allies Rocket and Groot.
So much of this story follows the intrepid heroes (soon joined by Gamora) as they race from planet to planet, escaping the clutches of very many species of races from the Kree to the Nova Corps and Badoons not to mention from the Timely Inc megacorp itself (the ones who stand to gain ALL the power if they should successfully recover 127). Oh yeah, and there's a hired SpaceKnight mercenary in the mix too ready to capture and hand over 127 to Timely Inc.
But Rocket and Groot have decided that's not going to happen. Not on their watch. But it will test every bit of ingenuity and tactical skills that they have to avoid failure and/or a horrible death. It's thrilling, let me tell you, and a ridiculous amount of fun, but it's only made me long even more for the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel (that for the record is still TWO YEARS away). ::sad face::
If it was even possible, I'm fangirling even harder for these two now more than ever. This story is a nice treat, a little gift to help ease the pain of the long wait ahead for the next movie. Abnett needs to write another one stat!!!
The First Rule of Fandom: tell no one about fandom
Well, authors Larsen and Zubernis just blew that rule right out of the water, using the CW Netw
The First Rule of Fandom: tell no one about fandom
Well, authors Larsen and Zubernis just blew that rule right out of the water, using the CW Network show Supernatural to drag Fandom (with a capital 'F') out of the dark, secret corners of the internet into the blinding sun of mainstream Judy Judgmental awareness. I appreciate their heartfelt efforts here to get to the bottom (heh, bottom) of the 'whys' and 'wherefores' of Fandom -- why people do it, who is doing it, and what exactly are they doing when they do it?
This isn't something that started with Supernatural's legions of fangirls -- goodness no. The clannish tribalism and subversive subculture of fanning has been around for a looong time (just ask the Kirk/Spock shippers), but Supernatural does present the perfect opportunity for two brave women to grab the tail of the beast once and for all and showcase the glorious wonders of Fandom -- the good, bad and yes, even ugly, realities (because there is definitely more than one, reality that is).
If it weren't for Supernatural, I probably would have lived the rest of my life utterly clueless that such a thing as Fandom existed. Because really, it takes an extra special push and shove to bring you into its realm. Not just any ole thing is going to open the Fandom door. You grow up, you love bands, you cheer for a sports team, you get movie star crushes, you won't miss an episode of your favorite TV show. That's all great. We all beat our chest when we love something. And that's getting close. But that's not Fandom.
Fandom is a whole other thing unto itself -- an addiction, a compulsion, a consuming force whereby the more you see of it, the more you love it, and the more you love it, the more of it you seek out, willing to look in places that had never once occurred to you before. When you get there, you find out you're not alone, and that brings its own comfort and validation, yet another heady combo to keep you coming back for more. Because really, the very essence of Fandom is community. This isn't something you do by yourself. It's about plugging in, and all the technicolor surround-sound that comes with it - the fanart, the fanfiction, the fanvids - the humor, the drama, the angst, oh so many feels.
So why the big secret? Why the rule of keeping your mouth shut and not talking about it? As the authors very quickly find out, it's the stigma and the embarrassment and sometimes even the shame for starters. The stereotypes are ruthless and unforgiving of the socially retarded Trekkie living in his mom's basement, or the squeeing fangirl -- intellectually challenged, perhaps mentally unbalanced, and overall just sad. Doesn't he/she have anything better to do?
So there's that for starters. One of the things the authors hoped to do with their book is to blow up that stereotype once and for all. To demystify and decloak the average fangirl/fanboy as the person sitting next to you on the bus, the person you work with, maybe even your own sister-in-law. It turns out Supernatural fangirls are moms and lawyers, doctors and librarians, and in the case of the authors themselves, college professors. Regular women with careers and families and responsibilities like everyone else.
But you'll probably never know it. Anonymity is par for the course in Fandom. No one uses their real name and most of the Fandom's reach and activity exists under the radar of 'Real Life'. Rarely do the two intersect and acknowledge each other probably because a lot of what's going on in Fandom is women stretching and redefining their libidos and what they find sexy. Shocking, I know.
The unchecked, full-on female exploration of just about every kink you can think of (and some you can't) is in a very tangible way a sexual revolution. Even the acknowledgement that women can and do objectify men is an impulse that sill leaves many women feeling guilty, that we should somehow rise above such baser instincts and needs. Pfft. Get over it already. It's okay. The world is not going to spin off its axis if you check out some guy's ass (especially if it belongs to Jensen Ackles).
Go on, take a look, I'm not going to judge you for it.
[image]
A delightful surprise upon reading this was discovering how aware most of the Supernatural crew is concerning all the internet shenanigans going on around them and how much of a sense of humor they have about it, even how much some of them relate to and understand the compulsion. Jim Beaver (Bobby Singer) offered up a lot of insight in his interview responses that spoke volumes of his sensitivity, curiosity and respect. Even Jensen Ackles -- the super-straight, seemingly good ol' boy from Texas -- concedes that the controversial slash pairing of himself with his co-star Jared Padalecki (otherwise known as J2) is "a hot fantasy". Series creator Eric Kripke has certainly milked Fandom for inside jokes and meta-material, even including references on the show to Wincest.
Despite its best intentions the book does tend to blather and meander in places, and gets a bit repetitive at times, but this in no way detracted from my overall enjoyment and deep appreciation. Did I find myself in some of these pages? Absolutely. Was I living vicariously through the authors many bumbling, costly adventures as they exhausted their bank accounts in order to be front and center at the big conferences? You bet. Did I cheer when they finally breached the inner sanctum and scored one-on-one interviews with co-stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles? Hells yeah. Was I green with envy? Sick with it.
This is a sweet, funny story with a triumphant happy ending despite many trials and doubts. Who doesn't love one of those every now and then? For the curious and uninitiated, it's also a small peek into Fandom life. A small peek. If you really want to know, you're just going to have to go look where it lives. Be careful though, you just might like what you find.
A free copy was provided through Netgalley for an honest review
If you haven't read Rot & Ruin (the first of the Benny Imura books) I highly recommend that you do. This is shaping up to be a spectacular series with If you haven't read Rot & Ruin (the first of the Benny Imura books) I highly recommend that you do. This is shaping up to be a spectacular series with a lot of heart. Love the writing, love the world-building, love the characters -- especially Benny's older brother Tom (be still my heart). Book 3 Flesh & Bone is coming in September, and to my utmost, fangirl delight -- it's been confirmed that there will be a Book 4 next year, Fire & Ash. *happy dance* The series definitely has its fans, but I still don't think it's getting nearly the attention it deserves, and I really want to play my small part in changing that.
This short story is set between Books 1 and 2 and it has been such a delight to re-visit Benny's world (and Tom!!!!!!) In the Land of the Dead is a series of vignettes woven together describing various aspects of life inside the fences protected from the Rot and Ruin. Whatever you do, DON'T read this story first because it is majorly spoilery for Book 1. For fans of the series, it is a gracious treat easily savored.
Benny's hilarious exchange with best friend Lou Chong made me laugh as they both stress and fret over the troubled young women they each have feelings for. It is a tender moment of innocence and normalcy in a world that has become an abomination sparsely populated with traumatized survivors, choked with fear and grief.
Another scene which delighted me to my toes has Tom continuing his combat and self-defense training of Benny and his circle of friends. Here, Benny is mercilessly teased by everyone when he screams "like a ten year old girl". Benny claims it is his warrior's cry sure to intimidate his enemies.
“It wasn’t a scream,” insisted Benny. “It was a high-pitched yell.” “Uh huh,” said Chong. “A hunting call.” “Right,” said Nix. “Like eagles use.” “Sure,” said Tom. “It was a battle cry--.” “Dude,” said Morgie, who sat on the bench, his shaved head still bandaged. “You screamed like a little girl. I’m kind of embarrassed to know you.”
Ah Benny. Still so much to learn young grasshopper.
So what are you waiting for??? This series is all kinds of awesome. If you start now you'll be all ready for Book 3 come September. How much do I love? Let me count the ways....more
This book flirted with three stars a few times along the way. I found myself getting frustrated at certain points and harrumphing or sighing in exaspe This book flirted with three stars a few times along the way. I found myself getting frustrated at certain points and harrumphing or sighing in exasperation. (view spoiler)[I am still grieving for Tom and have not made up my mind if his death was the best choice for the series. I appreciate why Maberry did it, but I don't have to like it. Tom's presence made the first two books so rich and strong and dynamic. His chemistry with Benny -- the bond that they shared as brothers -- was special and defined the books for me, in the way that the Winchester brother bond defines Supernatural. I can't imagine Sam without Dean and I'm having a helluva time reading about Benny without Tom.
Maberry tries to alleviate some of this horrible vacuum by having Benny hear Tom's calm, wise voice in his head. But it's not the same and just rubbed salt in the wound, for me at least. I did tear up at Benny's dream (vision?) when he talks to Tom, asks if he can go with him, tells him he loves him and lets him go. That was nicely done, but doesn't let you off the hook Maberry. It doesn't make me feel any better about Tom's absence.
I also DID NOT APPRECIATE how Joe Ledger arrives into the story with Lilah mistaking him for Tom. There was a part of me that FELL FOR IT. I was ready to scream in sheer joy. Instead, I ended up wanting to throw the book across the room in crushing disappointment. I felt toyed with. Cruelly so. I wouldn't have cared how improbable or unrealistic Tom's reappearance would be. Do you hear me, Maberry? I wouldn't care one whit. In a land of reanimates, all bets are off, and if you really wanted to bring him back, you could. (hide spoiler)]
This is a book about grieving and loss. I get that. Benny's group have lost so much and experienced unspeakable tragedies. In a very real way, this is the story of them coming to terms with that loss, facing up to it, learning to let their loved ones go and make the conscious choice to move forward. Benny, Nix, Lilah and Chong all express their grief and the lingering effects of trauma in different ways, but Nix is perhaps having the hardest time finding herself again, or put another way, discovering who she has become. Benny must learn this along with her, and it is a painful and confusing lesson for them both.
There is a new threat introduced in the guise of a menacing cult known as 'reapers', founded and controlled by bona-fide psychopath Saint John of the Knife. John has a power-hungry and ruthless rival in Mother Rose. It took most of the book for me to warm up to the idea of this group and get on board with the threat they represent and where their ambitions are taking the story. For a good long while I resented their presence and how much time and dialogue Maberry gives them. I did arrive at begrudging acceptance by the end however, and their existence does add an interesting layer to life post-apocalypse.
I resisted warming up to the introduction of Joe Ledger as well. (view spoiler)[Right away, I couldn't help but think he was brought in to take Tom's place in the story as the older, experienced veteran, spouting advice and looking out for the kids. Fair or not, I resented him immediately simply for not being Tom. (hide spoiler)]. But by the end I had come to grudgingly like him and turned the last page hoping to see more of him in Book 4.
We learn much more about life in the Rot & Ruin in this installment and just how insulated Mountainside residents are from any knowledge, and as Tom suspected all along, how determined the townspeople are to hold on to their ignorance at any cost. So while this book flirted several times with three stars, I am giving it four because I love the characters Maberry has created and this series has really found its way into my heart. I'm also chomping at the bit to see where this story goes in Fire and Ash, always a good sign. Finally, Maberry dedicates this book to "librarians everywhere" which pleased me muchly. What can I say? Flattery will get you everywhere :)...more
MABERRY, YOU BASTARD!!! I knew you would do this to me!! ::sobbity sob::
Review to follow when anger and choking tears subside.
In the first book Rot & MABERRY, YOU BASTARD!!! I knew you would do this to me!! ::sobbity sob::
Review to follow when anger and choking tears subside.
In the first book Rot & Ruin, Maberry spends a lot of time putting us into the world as it exists almost 15 years after a zombie apocalypse. We need to know about how things are now, how people live and how they relate to one another. This is Benny's world. Maberry also spends a lot of time and care developing a cast of characters he wants us to fall in love with before he puts any of them in peril. In this he shows a keen talent for details. I know I fell in love almost immediately, and when peril does descend I was sick with anxiety for everyone's safety and survival.
Rot & Ruin has its moments of high octane action, but it is primarily an emotional story about two estranged brothers who must learn to bridge the gulf of misunderstanding that separates them. In a lot of ways it is a coming-of-age story focused on 15 year old Benny as he learns about the world around him and what it is that his brother does out there in the Rot and Ruin beyond the safety of the fences. Benny discovers nothing is what it seems – cowards become heroes and heroes reveal themselves as villains. And zombies aren’t nearly as monstrous as living men
Because Maberry did such a fantastic job in the first book creating a convincing world peopled with convincing characters, he is able to let loose and go full throttle with Dust & Decay, which is dizzying in its action sequences. It is a white-knuckle read through and through, peril at every corner, imminent death sitting on the shoulders of every character we’ve come to know and love. I was an absolute MESS reading this. I just knew something horrible would happen, I just didn’t know what and how bad it would be. The very few quiet or tender moments in this installment work because they are in such stark contrast to the otherwise absolute chaos.
Dust & Decay has a very Western feel; the lawless and perilous Rot and Ruin is very much reminiscent of the American Wild West where heroes are made and villains thrive. The vast, emptied landscape is the backdrop for a battle waged among the good, the bad and the ugly. It is nail-biting, nerve-wracking stuff -- dramatic, cinematic, and totally epic.
Maberry still has a lot of story left to tell, and I’m definitely looking forward to that, but I will never, EVER, be able to forgive him (view spoiler)[for killing my Tom – NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! Why oh why? (hide spoiler)]
For a tie-in novel, this one is pretty damn good. It turned out to be an excellent choice for my October reads. It's chock full of schlock, B-movie hoFor a tie-in novel, this one is pretty damn good. It turned out to be an excellent choice for my October reads. It's chock full of schlock, B-movie horror monsters and there are a few scenes that had me cringing and gagging (view spoiler)[The lady with a belly full of bugs who had them crawling up her throat and out of her mouth just about did me in. The attack of the rats scene was sublimely bloody and creepy. (hide spoiler)]
The writers for Supernatural the TV show are masters when it comes to presenting a ghoulish, creepy Monster of the Week. Author Passarella takes that formula and runs with it, giving readers a real monster-mash of just about every monster you could think of -- including Nazi zombies!!! I heard a spoilery rumor recently that this season may feature Nazi zombies, which makes me wonder if this tie-in novel will actually get adapted. I think it would make an awesome episode (who doesn't want to see Nazi zombies??? I do! I do!)
The one drawback for the book is that there just wasn't enough Winchester brothers, and what there is felt a little forced and stale. Still a great bit of fun though!
Dean had never quite imagined his life might end like this. Naked in a Tijuana brothel with an eighty-year-old woman dressed like Janine from Spina
Dean had never quite imagined his life might end like this. Naked in a Tijuana brothel with an eighty-year-old woman dressed like Janine from Spinal Tap sizing up his junk and looking distinctly unimpressed. He really wished the room wasn't so heavily air-conditioned.
Oh my god, what a fun ride! This was such unexpected, unadulterated pleasure. I cannot stress that enough. Finally a tie-in novel that doesn’t suck donkey ass! I’ve been so disappointed with previous efforts, but like any true addict I keep coming back for more. Christa Faust is an accomplished novelist in her own right and that’s in evidence here on almost every page. The story is multi-layered and infused with Aztec lore and mythology making it totally engrossing. It’s hard to tell where established mythology ends and Faust’s imagination begins. It’s a seamless marriage (unless you happen to hold a doctorate degree in Aztec monsters and legends).
Faust sets this story mid Season 6, taking full advantage of the show’s rich story line to this point, letting no opportunity pass her by to channel inside jokes and mine emotional terrain. Her voices for Sam and Dean are spot on; I especially appreciate the fact that she is writing for soulless!Sam. Dean’s response to his baby brother sans conscience is funny and heartbreaking. Sam used to be the emotional one, the brother with the impeccable moral compass, now Dean’s soul has to fly right enough for two to make up for Sam’s emptiness. One scene that had me laughing out loud is when Dean is in danger of becoming the Aztec equivalent of a zombie.
”Sammy, you’re not going to let that happen to me are you? If it comes to that, you’ll take care of it, right?” “Of course,” Sam said. “I’ll take care of it.” “You weren’t supposed to answer that so quickly,” Dean said.“So that’s it? We just sit here and wait for me to Romero out so Dexter here can pop a cap in my rotten brain and put me out of my misery?”
Another huge win for this installment is the introduction of Xochi Cazadora (a kick-ass hybrid of Salma Hayek and Rhona Mitra). We’ve had some high octane warrior women (demon, angel and human) grace the show over the years – Xochi could hold her own up against any of them. She is AWESOME. Faust already has at her disposal an entire canon of material to use when writing for Sam and Dean, but Xochi she creates out of thin air. I would be delirious if she actually showed up in a real episode. I totally bought how Dean reacts to her and that in many ways he has met his match. Faust doesn’t cheat on their chemistry; it’s earned with good writing and character development.
The target audience for this book is definitely fans of the show, and to all of you I say READ IT!
My boys how I love you ... these knock-off, tie-in novels not so much. If the publishers behind these books had any sense, they would mine some of theMy boys how I love you ... these knock-off, tie-in novels not so much. If the publishers behind these books had any sense, they would mine some of the stellar fanfiction that exists out there for this series: yeah, some fanfiction is painful and embarrassing dreck but there's an impressive amount that's written with love, passion and talent. Those stories are so much more there. They don't feel forced or gimmicky but natural and real. There's depth and emotion (inspired by what show delivers on a consistent basis). By comparison, these sanctioned "official" novels feel like a bad imitation, like a weak pastiche.
I can't help myself though, I keep coming back for more. These are the desperate measures taken when show is on summer hiatus. September 25th can't get here fast enough. And why oh why do these books have to be so very PG-13???? C'mon, it's a book ... do you still have to worry about advertisers and censors? Boo! The day this show moves from the CW to HBO I will die a happy woman. I watch it for the plot (of course!), but a little full-frontal is a beautiful thing.
What snagged this book 2 stars (SPOILERS FOR SE06):
(view spoiler)[1) a quick peek into Dean's attempt to "go suburban soccer dad" with Lisa and Ben (and why that could never work). I know there are Lisa fans out there but I just couldn't wait for that plot line to close.
2) Robo!Sam (a.k.a Sammy without his soul) This is a great snapshot of Sam post-Hell. He's cold, efficient, without empathy and just plain "off". He suspects something is different about him, and Samuel is creeped out by Sam's obvious unplugged detachment, but neither has figured out what's really wrong. Sam sans soul is awesome, terrifying and sexy in a "that's so wrong it's right" way. HBO where are you? (hide spoiler)]...more
I have been on a zombie reading frenzy lately – I see a zombie book and I must read it, I can’t help myself. And the books are coming fast and furiousI have been on a zombie reading frenzy lately – I see a zombie book and I must read it, I can’t help myself. And the books are coming fast and furious, especially in the YA area. Some are good, some are awful, and some are outstanding. Jonathan Maberry’s Rot and Ruin falls somewhere just shy of outstanding. It reeks of EPIC WIN.
So yeah, I love this book and before I go all fangirl over Tom Imura and squee my head off let me highlight why you should start this series:
1) It is very well-written -- that’s not always a given, even from talented authors -- see my review of David Moody’s Autumn: The City. Moody is the man, but even he can write a zombie novel that sucks. Maberry has already established his reputation in the horror genre (his Ghost Road Blues snagged him a Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel). This is his YA debut and I’m impressed to say the least.
2) It is a highly charged, emotional story where some heavy shit goes down and you really fucking care who it’s happening to. This comes back to the all-important character development. I don’t scare if I don’t care, and I cared plenty here (even about the zombies!!!) Through the eyes of 15 yr old Benny Imura, we come to understand that zombies are not just mindless monsters out to gouge and consume humans. We see the tragedy of what they’ve become. Benny’s older brother Tom forces him to confront who they used to be:
Look at that woman. She was, what? Eighteen years old when she died. Might have been pretty. Those rags she’s wearing might have been a waitress’s uniform once….She had people at home who loved her….People who worried when she was late getting home.
So the zombies are not just plot devices or mere window dressing here; they serve a real purpose and are an important part of the story.
3) It’s a fascinating examination of what fear does to people. Just imagine a world that survives an actual zombie apocalypse. As groups of survivors ban together in fenced enclaves to try and eke out a semi-normal existence, who will these people become? How will they interact with each other, with the world that’s left to them? I know it’s a personal bias of mine, but I figure a zombie novel hasn’t done its job if it doesn’t convincingly show that humans can be the real monsters. Maberry hits that out of the park and I want to smooch him for it.
They held each other and wept as the night closed its fist around their tiny shelter, and the world below them seethed with killers both living and dead.
4) Tom Imura – squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! It’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited over a character from a book and reading as much YA as I do, most male protagonists are still battling hormones and attitude. But not Tom. Tom is in his 30s. He is a survivor. He is a specialist. He has been forged in battle and now is as strong and unbending as his katana - (no, not that! ... the Japanese long sword he uses). In a world that's been plunged into Hell and lived to tell about it Tom has retained his humanity. He is deep and soulful and will kick your ass in 2 seconds flat. He’s a mix of Master Li Mu Bai from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Morpheus from The Matrix, and my beloved Dean Winchester from Supernatural. How could a girl NOT fall in love?
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I was going to put my sober, hyper-critical hat on and give this four stars, but piss on that. For all the reasons described above and more, I'm happy to give this book five, fat fearsome stars. ...more
2.5 Stars. Okay let me get this out of the way first -- I'm a huge fan of this show which -- over the course of six seasons and counting -- has consis2.5 Stars. Okay let me get this out of the way first -- I'm a huge fan of this show which -- over the course of six seasons and counting -- has consistently offered so much more than cheap, dime-store, cotton-candy thrills. The writing is truly exceptional, the story arc original and perfectly paced, the scares are truly scary, and the humor side-splitting. Ghosts, monsters, demons, archangels, Lucifer, the Apocalypse – this show has everything! What more can you ask for from network TV?
And then there's Dean Winchester (be still my heart), the guy that caring writers have taken the time to carve into an iconic yet flawed character definitely worth 10,000 watts of fangirl adoration. Because this Winchester brother is much more than a pretty boy with a voracious appetite for sex, pie and mullet rock; he is a man of integrity and devotion, fierce loyalty and a golden heart. He might not always say the right thing, but when the chips are down, he will always do the right thing -- or die trying. I have become addicted to his acerbic, smart-alecky, movie referencing ways, his uncomplicated, deeply appreciative approach to food, sex and music and his fierce loyalty to his brother that guides every decision he ever makes.
I usually turn to these pulpy series novels when the show has wrapped up for another season, and there's that long stretch of Winchester-less summer before me until September. This latest installment - War of the Sons - is okay for a quick fun read. But just okay. Building on Season 5 canon, the story is rich in inside jokes and benefits from being able to draw upon the Apocalypse story arc. The time-travel twist is interesting, although I thought that so much more could have been done with the brothers in 1950s New York. I didn't like the love interest for Dean in this one either; it just felt forced and contrived. Some of the action sequences went on a little too long as well, and I found myself skimming more than reading several times.
Overall, these knock-off books used to promote the series are just that -- cheap knock-offs. They certainly could never be used to attract new fans, that's for sure. They are a poor substitute for the real thing. ...more
So it's definitely not the show, but it was okay to read. The writer (who as far as I can tell has no affiliation with Supernatural) did his homework So it's definitely not the show, but it was okay to read. The writer (who as far as I can tell has no affiliation with Supernatural) did his homework because he had the voices of Bobby, Dean and Sam nearly nailed... almost overdoes it though in certain scenes where the boys sound like caricatures of themselves.
The emotional complexity of the brothers' devotion to one another is overwrought and superficial and here on the page falls flat. The plot is fairly ho-hum and the ending predictable. The story does not offer any new insights or anything to fans of the show ... what you already knew when you start this book is what you will know when you finish it. Now if Eric Kripke ever decides to start publishing Supernatural novels ... that's something that would get my attention real fast....more
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