Supreme Power Vol2

Publisher: Marvel Comics (December 27, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0785121331
Hardcover: 264 pages
$29.99

This volume collects Supreme Power issues 13-18 as well as Hyperion issues 1-5 in a lovely hardcover format.

Written by J. Michael Straczynski the first part is illustrated by Gary Frank and the later half is drawn by Dan Jurgens. While the book compiles two different comics, the plot line is pretty well integrated as Hyperion takes place immediately following the end of the Supreme Power series. The change in the artwork I found rather jarring as I loved Frank's work, and Jurgens style is not so much to my liking. I really didn't care for the story line in the Hyperion half either. The first half of the book follows Hyperion, Blur and Nighthawk as they track down a serial killer who is an escaped convict who was subjected to genetic experiments by the government. He essentially was given the same powers as Hyperion. The story itself was OK, but not IMO up to par with the prior storyline in Vol 1. In the Hyperion sub arc, the government upset at Mark leaving "the team" outs him as an alien. They also assemble a team of super humans to bring him back. I was average at best.

I was rather disappointed with this collection. I loved the first volume, but this one certainly is quite the fall off in quality. Combine that with half the book being drawn in a style I didn't care for results in a reader not to bothered by the dropping of this title from the Max line.

5 out of 10

Available from

Amazon

Howard Who?

Publisher : Small Beer Press :Peapod Classics
August 1, 2006
ISBN 1931520186
$14trade paperback
256 pages


Howard Who? is a short story collection by Howard Waldrop with an introduction by George R. R. Martin.

It consists of the following stories.

The Ugly Chickens
This story won the Nebula and the World Fantasy awards as well as being nominated for a Hugo.
It puts forth the question What if the Dodo hadn't been wiped out.

Der Untergang des Abendlandesmenschen
I have no idea what this story was about, but I was never the less tremendously entertained by it.

Ike at the Mike
Did you ever wonder how the world would be different if Eisenhower and Patton had been in a band with Louis Armstrong rather than leading the allies in Europe? Well Me neither, but Howard did, and its a wonderful story.

Dr. Hudson's Secret Gorilla
Classic old school horror movie plot. Or old school bugs bunny cartoon either way .

. . . the World, as we Know't
I don't see the word Phlogiston used enough anymore. This story is a cautionary tale of a science experiment gone bad. Really, Really, horribly bad.

Green Brother
This is the first of two Native American centered stories. I much preferred the next one.

Mary Margaret Road Grader
Or Mad Max meets the county fair. This is a post apocalyptic story where Native American again rule the plains of the US, and they engage in tractor pulls.

"Save A Place in the Lifeboat for Me
Abbot and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, and others are sent to prevent "The day the music died." This was also one of my favorites perhaps because I've been to the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake IA many times.

Horror, We Got
You've got to love a time travel tale crossed with a Zionist conspiracy don't you? I loved this story.

Man-Mountain Gentian
Zen Sumo. 'nuff said.

God's Hooks
Izaak Walton goes fishing for a nightmare.

Heirs of the Perisphere
Another post apocalyptic tale. This time Mickey, Goofy, and Donald are the only survivors and they are trying to figure out why no one is coming to Disneyland.

I enjoyed this collection, but I've found I have a hard time getting into reading short fiction. I have a zone I get into in a book I really like, and short stories are over before I ever get to that point. Its much more of a chore to read short fiction for me. But taking that into account the writing itself is very good. Waldrop is very eclectic, and is certainly a master of the short story.

8 out of 10

buy this book at
Amazon
or
Dreamhaven

Clarkesworld is closing its virtual doors

I was dissapointed to read the below post regarding the closing of Clarkesworld Books.

I had the chance to talk with Neil for awhile at Boskone last year, and he's a very nice guy. Clarkesworld was an outstanding alternative to Amazon and it will be missed. I wish Neil and his family the best in their future endeavors.

Clarkesworld: The Final Chapter

I started Clarkesworld Books seven years ago and each year, it
has outperformed the prior year. I'm the only employee, but the store uses my home as its storage space, so in effect my wife and kids are honorary staff. I couldn't ask for a more supportive team.

A few weeks ago, we found out that we're expecting our third child. Life takes these little unexpected turns every now and then. This particular one requires living space and that space is currently occupied by a bookstore that has nowhere else to go. After much consideration, I'msad to say that I'm going to be closing the store. I've considered all the options and this is the one that makes the most sense for my soon to be expanding family. If you know how much this business has meant to me,
you know this wasn't an easy decision.

I owe a lot to everyone that has supported us over the years. I feel a bit like I'm letting people down, but this is something I have to do. Family comes first. Clarkesworld is not big enough to take on the staff we'd need to continue (babies need time), and I certainly can't afford the cost
of rent here in NJ. My wife will also need my help to keep her (more profitable) business going.

Everyone who has a preorder in with us will receive their books, but I'll probably stop taking more preorders in the next week or so. The website will continue to be maintained and I will take orders for in-stock books for as long as it takes to sell them all off.

Some of you are probably wondering what this will do to Clarkesworld Magazine. None of the reasons for closing the store apply to the magazine. I have every intention of keeping the magazine going and quite probably taking advantage of a few other related opportunities that are presenting themselves.

Running the store has been a personally rewarding experience. I've met many new friends over the years and never ceased to be amazed by how good some people were to us. Thanks to all of you from all of us.

Take care,
-Neil
Neil Clarke

February 10, 2007

Move Under Ground

Nick Mamatas has released his novel Move Under Ground online under the Creative Commons License.

Download it for FREE here.

http://www.moveunderground.org/

This book has been sitting on my shelves for awhile. I really need to move it up the queue, as I've heard great things about it.

“It’s Kerouac vs. Cthulhu as the most human of writers tangles with the
most inhuman horror. Move Under Ground is a wild, weird ride, and Nick Mamatas
shows awesome chops as well as some sad and funky soul.”—Stewart O’Nan.

Infoquake

Publisher : Pyr
400pp
ISBN: 1-59102-442-0
Trade Paperback (6" x 9")
$15
July 2006
Cover Illustration and Design: ©2006 David Stevenson

"Hack the body and the mind will follow."

Infoquake, the debut novel by David Louis Edelman, is the first volume of the Jump 225 trilogy. Its a financial thriller in a cyberpunk setting. Infoquake takes place several hundred years in the future, mankind has emerged from the decimation of the autonomous revolution thanks to the work of Sheldon Surina. Surina is the father of bio/logics, digital programs that work through nanobots, or OCHRES, which are spread throughout the bodies of most humans. Competition to create and sell new bio/logic programs is fierce, and Natch is one of , if not the best in the business.

The story starts out with Natch unveiling a Machiavellian plot to ascend to the top spot on Primo's list, the Fortune 500 of the bio/logic biz. This stunt works and even earns him the notice of Margaret Surina, the descendant of Sheldon. She presents Natch with the opportunity of a lifetime. She wants him to finish and sell MultiReal a bio/logic program capable of creating a near infinite number of alternate realities. The catch is that not only does every other Fiefcorp want to get their hands on this program, so does the shadowy High Executive of the Defense and Wellness Council, Len Borda.

The book is fast paced from the start, although the action is much more cerebral than physical. Plots and intrigues abound. Edelman creates a very interesting character in Natch. He has few redeeming qualities but the reader is drawn to him none the less. The supporting cast is very strong as well. I particularly enjoyed Jara, one of Natches apprentices. Edelman creates a rich narrative of a future earth. The back of the book is chock full of appendixes, which includes, a glossary, a time line, and in depth explanations of some of the most prevalent technologies. He is clearly a master at fleshing out his concepts. The story drew me in from the start, and I'm eagerly anticipating the forthcoming volumes.

8.5 out of 10

A sample chapter can be read here

You can purchase this book at Amazon

The Left Hand of Darkness

The Left Hand of Darkness is the Hugo and Nebula Winning novel by Ursula K. LeGuin, and is widely considered to be her finest work. It is a novel of first contact on the surface, but its deeper purpose was in exploring gender roles in society. It tells the story of Genly Ai, a human representative of the Ekumen, a loose confederation of planets. Genly is tasked with extending an invitation to the world of Gethen to join the Ekumen. His ally in this is the Prime Minister of Karhide, Lord Estraven.

In a political shift, Estraven is ousted and must flee to the neighboring nation of Orgoreyn. Genly is rebuffed in his mission by the King of Karhide, so he then decides to take his offer to the government of Orgoreyn. Orgoreyn , however is esentially a communist oligarchy, and Genly is caught in between opposed factions here as well.

The plot struck me as rather mediocre. The characters outside of Estraven and Ai were rather dull as well. World building is the strength of this novel. The novel is considered a major work of feminist science fiction. I'm not sure I agree with that. The key element of the story is the nature of the Gethenian people themselves. They are androgynes, a people possessing the potential to manifest either sex, but normally they are nueters. For 2 days every month they go into a state called kemmer, in which they take on sexual characteristics of one of the genders, and more or less go into heat. The result is Gethenians can both sire and bear children. Because of this traditional gender roles such as developed on Earth are not present on Gethen. Its a very interesting concept, but not one that I really look for in my SF reading. LeGuin also inserts several short chapters in which the mythology of Gethen is explored.

This book wasn't to my liking. I found it very hard to get interested in. Not until the last third of the book did I find myself enjoying it. Combine that with an uninspiring plot, a mostly bland cast of characters, and the fact that the only truely groundbreaking element of the story was a commentary on gender roles, I was underwhelmed. I certainly see why people hold the book in high regard, but personally, it didn't do much for me. I will stick with the Earthsea trilogy as the signature LeGuin work.

6.5 out of 10

Available from Amazon

Lies of Locke Lamora : limited edition

The cover art for the LoLL ltd ed.
Very pretty.
I have pre ordered my copy from Clarkesworld. It can be purchased directly from Subterranean press also.

Here is the author's blurb on this. *note it actually is scheduled for May release.

In March or April, Subterranean Press will be releasing a high-quality limited edition of The Lies of Locke Lamora.

I believe the run will be 500 Merely Rockin' Limited Edition hardcovers and 15 Ultra Fucking Rad Super Rockin' Edition versions. Obviously those aren't the 'official' descriptions, but what could be better than Ultra Fucking Rad? The answer is nothing. Nothing's better.

This edition of TLOLL will have an original color cover and four color interior illustrations by Edward Miller (http://www.lesedwards.com), and every single one will be signed by yours truly.

If they sell, Bill at SubPress rubs his hands with glee* at the thought of producing a subsequent collector's edition of each book in the Gentleman Bastard sequence. So you know what you need to do-- skip that next meal, ignore your pressing medical concerns, and default on your rent, baby, because there's fresh, pipin' hot books to be had.

*I, of course, do not so much rub my hands together as generate an invisible electromagnetic Glee Field strong enough to knock migrating birds out of the sky.

I went for the merely rockin' edition. I believe the Ultra Rad editions are sold out. I don't normally buy special editions, but I loved this book so much I made an exception.

A Song of Ice and Fire : The Series

From Variety:


HBO has acquired the rights to turn George R.R. Martin's bestselling fantasy series "A Song of Fire and Ice" into a dramatic series to be written and exec produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
"Fire" is the first TV project for Benioff ("Troy") and Weiss ("Halo") and will shoot in Europe or New Zealand. Benioff and Weiss will write every episode of each season together save one, which the author (a former TV writer) will script.
The series will begin with the 1996 first book, "A Game of Thrones," and the intention is for each novel (they average 1,000 pages each) to fuel a season's worth of episodes. Martin has nearly finished the fifth installment, but won't complete the seven-book cycle until 2011.
The author will co-exec produce the series along with Management 360's Guymon Casady and Created By's Vince Gerardis.
Martin's series has drawn comparisons to J.R.R. Tolkien, because both are period epics set in imagined lands. But Martin has eschewed Tolkien's good-vs.-evil theme in favor of flawed characters from seven noble families.
The book has a decidedly adult bent, with sex and violence comparable to series like "Rome" and "Deadwood."
"They tried for 50 years to make 'Lord of the Rings' as one movie before Peter Jackson found success making three," Martin said. "My books are bigger and more complicated, and would require 18 movies. Otherwise, you'd have to choose one or two characters."
Aside from writing the most recent draft of "Halo," Weiss recently adapted the William Gibson novel "Pattern Recognition" for WB and director Peter Weir.
Benioff and Weiss were repped by CAA and Management 360.

Please let this happen and be good. I'm totally excited about this. HBO has a damn good track record in developing cutting edge television series. I'm not familiar with Beinoff and Weiss. Tray, while a bit disappointed was visually entertaining. Plus with George's background in tv, I think this is a great fit, feature films would never work.

Free Verse: Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean

I attended an event last night at the Walker Art Center put on in conjunction with Rain Taxi, a local literary review magazine. It was part of the Free Verse series of readings, and discussions and starred frequent collaborators Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. They are probably best know for their work on The Sandman, but they have been working together more or less for over 20 years, and have created such books as Coraline, Wolves in the Walls, The Day I Swapped my Dad for Two Goldfish, and Mirrormask.

The evening started out with Dave showing some short clips of his animation, and then moving on to his wider portfolio which includes comics, novels, cd, posters, and movies. He gave a very interesting commentary as the presentation unfolded.

Neil, followed Dave, and proceeded to let the packed audience of 350 people in on the fact that he had just planned on winging things until he found out that Dave had actually prepared. So he interspersed readings from his latest book Fragile Things, in between his recap of his relationship with Dave. Most of the key points in their partnership can be found in this essay.

After their individual presentations, they say down together for a some joint reminiscing before taking some questions from the audience. The whole event lasted right at two hours.

This is the 4th time, I've gotten to see Neil , and its always a delight. He is extremely engaging, and possesses a voice that just pulls you into his readings. It was, however, the first time I'd seen Mr. McKean, and while not quite and outgoing as Neil, Dave had a tremendous wit, to go along with his amazing artistry. I can see why they have prospered so well together. They were introduced as England's greatest artistic duo since Lennon and McCartney. That's not too far off the mark in my opinion.

The event was carried live on the web, and should soon be available to view here

Nebula Ballot

The preliminary ballot for this year's Nebula awards is out.

The Nebulas have an odd calender year, eligiblity is work released from March of 2005 thru Feb of 2006.
The canidates for Best Novel are ok, there might be a couple I'd rather see on there, but as I've not read most of these, I'll not argue.
Nebula Awards weekend is May 11-13 in NY, with James Gunn to be named Grandmaster.