Ray Bradbury - From the Dust Returned (2001)

Sifting through a body of work like Bradbury's is a long but rewarding experience. The man is responsible for a great number of timeless short stories and novels, and any properly organized list of recommendations would involve dozens of titles. But were I to whittle this list down, it might end up at one collection...

Though it was released in 2001, much of the content in From the Dust Returned dates back decades, as far as the 40s. Bradbury wrote many short stories about vampires and other supernatural beings that appealed to a younger core of readers in that period. This book takes a number of such stories and assembles them into a 'fix-up', or a novel that puts together previously unrelated content into a streamlined continuity. This is not the first of Bradbury's collections to do so (see Dandelion Wine, or Green Shadows White Whale).

From the Dust Returned includes a prologue and over twenty tales of the Elliott family, and if they seem a little different, it's because they're vampires, mummies and other supernatural beings. Some of the tales are short stories, some very brief. Some of the characters were co-conceived with Charles Addams, who would later use them as inspiration for his famous Addams Family. The Elliotts have been around for over four millenia, so you can imagine that the 'family get together' takes on an entirely different light, as their concept of history is far removed from our own, more finite existence. Each of these stories is beautiful, but I'll warn you...they're not the kind of vampires or creatures you may be accustomed to. They're a family, with a great love for one another, but they all face doom at the hands of the modernized world, a world of skeptics which no longer finds the time to believe in them. They also face the fear of the local townsfolk.

The stories are woven throughout the Great Event, a homecoming in which the far flung members of the Elliott family converge on the October Country (Illinois). A few examples are "The Traveler", which concerns John the Unjust, the family's 'black sheep', a violent vampire who has cast a great shadow upon them in the eyes of mortals. "The Wandering Witch" involves a 'positive' use of possession. "Make Haste to Live", one of the newer tales, is like an abbreviated version of Benjamin Button, only better.

Through the stories, and the meetup, we are introduced to unforgettable beings like A Thousand Times Great Grandmère, who has existed since the days of Ancient Egypt; Cecy, the eternal sleeper, who visits others through their thoughts, and can possess them; Anuba the cat; Uncle Einar, a winged bat-vampire, and even a pet spider, Arach. Though many of the tales are reprints from earlier stories, the nature of this collection makes it all the better to just read straight through. The prose is often delightful, but plain enough that older children and adults alike can approach it.

From the Dust Returned is only 'horror' in that it encompasses classic elements like ghost stories, and the invovlement of supernatural beings which are often the antagonists of horror films, games, and literature. It lovingly evokes the vibes of autumn and Halloween, coincidentally the best time to 'dust it off' and read it. There are a few 'innocent' sexual moments in the story, so it may not be suited for younger children. It's a wonderful book that you can share with your loved ones, and wonder at the strange congruity between the relationships of both mortal and immortal.

The collection also has a really swank title, possibly the best of any book ever, wouldn't you agree?

Verdict: Epic Win [10/10] ("Now", came the whisper across four thousand years, "here's how it was...")

China Miéville - The City & The City (2009)

When I first read Perdido Street Station, I was both terrified and mystified by the talent of this author. The world of Bas-Lag was a beautiful and ominous dark fantastic steampunk setting, and Miéville had more writing chops and inventive ideas in single chapters than most genre authors can conceive throughout their entire careers. Perdido Street Station is quite possibly the finest dark fantasy I've ever read, a testament to world building which puts so many peers to shame. Embellishing roots fantasy tropes with a dark urban style, ala 'New Weird', it's clear that China is fascinated with cities. Even The Scar, which was set at sea, involved a unique and rag-tag city of various craft and flotilla.

I was personally disheartened when Miéville decided to take a break from Bas-Lag to sample other genres. Un Dun Lun simply wasn't for me, but not at all a bad read for anyone perusing the kid's section for something fresh and inviting. Still, I can understand the man's motivation not to burn himself out. For his new novel, China has delved into the mystery thriller, with that dash of conspiracy that will be familiar to fans of his previous work.

WARNING: This is a very new novel, and there are potential spoilers ahead. Skip to the rating if you plan on reading the book and don't want it spoiled!

The City & the City is set in the fictional neighboring city-states of Ul Qoma and Beszel, somewhere in Eastern Europe. The cities became separate during something known as the Cleavage, and through hints in the story we are led to believe that the region was once home to a fascinating civilization with unusual technologies. Much of Ul Qoma and Beszel occupies the same physical space, the cities overlap and thus 'crosshatch'. However, from a very young age the citizens of both are trained to 'unsee' one another, that is to completely ignore the presence of their neighbors, even when using the same public works or buildings. This is a pretty fascinating concept and China stays true to this even through the close of the book. It's the 'New Weird' of this novel.

When someone fails to 'unnotice' a person from the neighboring province, they incur something known as Breach. Breach is basically this almost supernatural law enforcement group (kind of like the CIA) which will silence locals or export foreigners who 'breach'. They can also be invoked by the governments of the cities to investigate particular crimes. Breach is another of the great ideas in the book, but unfortunately it peters out in the climax of the story.

Our protagonist is an investigator from Beszel, named Tyador Borlu, who is investigating the mysterious murder of a Canadian student of Ul Qoma. The investigation leads Borlu into a web of intrigue and conspiracy. A subversive corporate figure and a scheming academic have both set into motion an event which will cause a rebellion of splinter groups who desire the unification of the cities, if only to cover up their own ambitions (for example, the corporation wants to study and 'steal' some of the Pre-Cleavage artifacts and technology). For some strange reason, Breach is not invoked to cover the murder, so eventually Borlu has to take his investigation from Beszel into Ul Qoma, where he is teamed up with an angry but well-meaning cop named Dhatt to get to the bottom of things. Because as long as you have an official visitation pass...you can go to the other city.

And this, unfortunately, is where I nearly lost my mind. The whole idea of these two peoples occupying the same space and 'unseeing' one another is fantastic, but it's excrutiatingly hard for me take seriously when they can simply get official 'papers' to travel to the other, even as a street vendor or delivery man! I get that this is a metaphor for stupid social stratifications, bereaucracy, political boundaries, and so forth, but it wound up truly downplaying one of the key ingredients of the novel. It's that same sort of self-defeating post 1984/Fahrenheit 451 concept which ruins a lot of dystopian fiction (like the Equilibrium film, for example, with it's 'no emotions' society that is constantly expressing emotions by, even when 'not'...). Another thing that irked me here is once Tyador winds up breaching himself and then essentially becomes an agent of Breach, another of the fascinating mysteries of the novel is revealed a little too early, and thus downplayed. Surely, we still can't explain the almost supernatural grace and presence of Breach, but hearing them argue and talk on cellphones kind of dulled things.

As for the rest, it's actually not bad. Tyador is a strong detective character and I like that China fused the characters' dialogue with the doppelganger of an East European English dialect. Once you get past the first 50 or so pages (a rather typical mystery novel opener) into the mysteries of the setting, the book starts to pick up pace. The investigation has the usual twists and turns of a mystery novel, and the presence of what we can't 100% perceive to be supernatural or science fiction, or the mundane really gives it the flavor of a Philip K. Dick book. Some of the side characters like the compulsory, cussing Corwi are fun, but the majority are throwaway. In particular I didn't care for the antagonists, who were cardboard cut outs. There is one very cool interchange between the corporate Croft as he leaves the scene in the end, giving a tongue lashing to the silly way of life, but otherwise none of the villains are at all memorable.

I can't fault any lack of creativity here, but even if I credit him for sticking to it, Miéville's central hook here just fell flat for me, almost like the past few M Night Shyamalan flicks (okay...not that flat). I wanted to love this novel. It started off dull, picked up in strength, then just kind of went 'splat' against the windshield of my attention span. Those hoping for the near suffocating wealth of dark intrique and world building in his Bas-Lag novels will find a bit of a Perdido 'lite' feel to the book, but I'm really hoping he returns to that world within the next few years. Until then, I'll just have to wait and see which genre hop he makes next.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006)

A good fantasy yarn is difficult to come by. I find that few authors have the chops to immerse me in such a work, but Scott Lynch is apparently one of them. That The Lies of Locke Lamora is his first novel is surprising, it has a polish and sophistication which put many more experienced authors to shame.

The trait I find recurrent (and perhaps most important) in quality fantasy is world building. Some schools of thought shun this in favor of pure character development, but the very best fantasy evokes a rich sense of place. You'll find this in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, or China Mieville's 'New Crobuzon' novels. Even Tolkien was excellent at re-packaging old Europe into a finely tuned fiction, and Lynch is no exception. The novel is set in the city-state of Camorr, a retread of early Venice, divided by waterways into a great many districts against the backdrop of the enigmatic Elderglass towers, left behind by an ancient race. Camorr is given much attention in the novel, and we learn about its various districts through the exploits of the primary characters, a troupe of thieves and confidence men known as the Gentleman Bastards.

The story centers on the garrista (street boss) of the Gentleman Bastards, who operates by the name Locke Lamora (named for the Final Fantasy VI character, according to Lynch). Numerous chapters detail the boy's origin and the events leading to his current situation, though Lynch has wisely left a few holes where further stories might be set. While 'flashback' or out of sequence chapters can occasionally annoy or distract, these are paced perfectly throughout the current events of the book. Lamora and his gang are thrust into a deadly tale of revenge between the current criminal overlord Capa Barsavi and a mystery assassin known as the Gray King. In addition to some entertaining stories of Lamora's various schemes, this is a tale of murder and betrayal. Without spoiling much, I will tell you here that the plot is for the most part reasonable and satisfying. There may be a bit of Hollywood in the various close escapes of the main characters, but not as tactlessly plotted as you would find many inferior fantasy works.

Locke isn't a disagreeable character, but he does feel outclassed by much of the supporting cast. In particular, I enjoyed the boastful 'Eyeless Priest', the scornful sorcerer known as 'The Falconer', and Don Salvara's henchman Conté. All colorful folks that one might populate his or her D&D campaigns with. Lynch has admitted he's an avid gamer, a fact which is apparent through this richness of setting. The most IMPORTANT character, however, is the city of Camorr. Beautifully realized, from the Italian-derived language to its geographical layout. The wonder of its noble-inhabited Elderglass spires to the seedy underbelly of its criminal underground, where traitors are fed to various sea creatures. Not only is the city fleshed out well, but plenty of hints are dropped towards the world at large. Karthain. Tel Varrar. This is a world we want to explore. A world we WILL explore (Lynch has already published the 2nd novel, Red Seas Under Red Skies, and promises 5 more in this saga...with the possibility of a second 7-book series ... no shortage of ambition.)

The action is taut and sufficiently brutal. The prose is well developed if not too lyrical. The cussing and street talk of the characters highlights the immediacy of their situation, the thread of fate they all hang from. There are a few surprises and hints at ominous future rivalries with a rather deadly caste of villains. This is relatively low-fantasy, comparable to Martin's saga. Sorcery and alchemy exist but they are performed by few, and in many cases for cosmetics, herbs and lighting fixtures. I have few gripes at all. I'm not a huge fan of the central character, I feel he's one of those hero types who gets beaten on endlessly but always manages to turn the fight around. The end of the novel isn't quite the best it could have been, feeling mildly rushed, especially after such a labour of love in building up this setting.

It's pretty much a given that readers of urban centric fantasies like Perdido Street Station or the surreal City of Saints & Madmen will enjoy this, but it might also be fun for historical or crime fiction addicts. I am eager to get started on the second novel, and this is the type of fantasy world I'd like to explore further. Lynch is a young talent. I admit a little envy here, but the good kind.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10] (I can choke all day if I have to.)

http://www.scottlynch.us/

Alan Moore, J.H. Williams III, Mick Gray, Charles Vess - Promethea (Book 1) (2001)

One thing I've learned over the years: anything Alan Moore touches is gold.

He has several amazing runs under his belt (Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, From Hell, etc.) and is credited for single-handedly bringing literary merit to the comics genre. In my experience there's nobody that comes close to him as a writer in the field.

Now that the fellatio is out of the way, let me tell you, Promethea is no exception to any of those aforementioned comics. The story is fantastic: the main character, Sophie Bangs, an everyday girl from a neon-overloaded and dysfunctional New York City in 1999 is investigating a peculiar comic book character for an essay.

This character is Promethea, who is the reincarnation of sorts of the daughter of a 5th century Hermetic scholar and magician in Roman Egypt. In dying at the hands of a Christian mob, the gods intervene and wist his daughter into the Immateria, their realm of myth and imagination. From here the dream-concept of this girl wanders into the minds of various mortals who can in fact channel the character onto themselves or others.

I won't say more, lest I possibly spoil the story, but rest assured it's a typical Moore yarn: very accessible, yet heady and complex. The story is highly experimental, as is the art, which draws references from everything from film noir posters of the 1920s to M.C. Escher, to World War I poster artist J.C. Leyendecker.

Story-wise, Moore's interest in magic comes through, while featuring superhero action as well as metaphysical and psychedelic concepts prominently. For example, one part of the comic has two characters moving through a nightmarish, corrupted section of the Immateria: the ground as far as the eye can see is skulls, while bloody torsos hang from trees. A giant crow is in the distance, as are several launched warheads, and the sky adorned with roses that drip seemingly like blood. Trippy.

I knew after a bit of investigation that this would be an intensely interesting comic, if nothing else, but overall it's extremely compelling, and all the bizarre concepts mesh nicely without bogging down the heart of the story. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the collections. Check this out.

Verdict: Epic Win

Max Brooks - World War Z (2006)

Root beer?

I must admit that I have a very slim working knowledge of the zombie in any fictional work of length. I realize they are a common component in fantasy and even some science fiction literature, but as a genre unto themselves I am only accustomed to seeing them on the screen. Thus, Max Brooks has written the only zombie novels I've actually been exposed to. His 2003 Zombie Survival Guide is the perfect set-up for this fictional undead holocaust, and provides much of the groundwork and advice you will see many of the characters following throughout.

World War Z is presented as a series of interviews with civilians, military personnel, scientists, economic figures and even a mercenary turned bodyguard. These interviews were conducted throughout and in the wake of the Great Panic, the Zombie War, in which a mass outbreak of the undead infected the world (supposedly starting in China) and destroyed what I'm guessing to be roughly 2/3rds of the world's population. What Max Brooks does really well here is presenting a wide range of perspectives on the social and moral implications of this nightmare. The political commentary which is presented throughout the novel is hardly subtle, many of the points hit home and could apply to our own global situation today.

The spotlight here is on the characters interviewed. The horror of the living dead is revealed rather piecemeal through their tales, but accurately portrayed as an antagonist of juggernaut proportions for the initially unprepared world. These zombies are hardly original, clearly based in the mythology of Romero and other films. But Brooks does add some fascinating touches. The zombies 'moan' to hone in on prey and alert other zombies. There are living humans who suffer a sort of Stockhold Syndrome derivative, in which they become 'quislings', those who have psychologically condemned themselves to exist as their tormentors, the zombies. Pretty cool, no? I also enjoyed the LaMoEs (Last Man on Earth syndrome) survivors who were also mentioned, a witty pop reference with an actual realistic application in the universe of World War Z.

It is clear Brooks put a large amount of research into this. Characters and settings from around the globe are accurately depicted. There are only a few nagging stereotypes which I didn't enjoy, primarily the 'samurai revival' of Japan (i.e. Shield Society). But much of the fiction is hyper realistic, this COULD damn well be a real zombie post-holocaust. From the technology to the very believable progress of the undead and realistic reaction of civilization, to the technology developed and the eventual strategies used to take the planet back. Writing this tale from such a complete world perspective was a wonderful idea and forced it to stand out from its film peers, which generally tend to focus on the isolation of only one region.

The language is adequate, the interviews are organized into solid pseudo-chronological arcs which cover the outbreak, the war and the aftermath. There are many cross-references within, which only add to the realism of the scenarios. I did feel that too many of the characters possessed the same 'voice' as they were being interviewed, but this may have been intentional to relay the grimness of the situation.

At any rate, how many other successful zombie novels have you people read? Do any others of note even exist? If so, I haven't read them, and for that reason I'd say everyone should check this out. It's not quite a masterpiece, and I may never read it again, but all horror, disaster and in particular zombie purists would be remiss in not giving it a read.

Verdict: Win [8/10] (a lot more goes into making root beer than you'd think)

http://maxbrooks.com/