Book Review: Body Work (a Rivers of London graphic novel) by Ben Aaronovitch and others

Rivers of London: Body Work
by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel (writers) and Lee Sullivan (artist) (741.5 Aar + Hoopla Comic Books)

Despite enjoying the novels in the “Rivers of London” series by Ben Aaronovitch, I was somehow unaware that a series of several graphic novels (each a compiled collection of multi-issue comic books) set in the same story continuity have been released over the past few years.

 

Body Work was the first of the graphic novels, compiling a five-part comic book storyline set between the 3rd and 4th books in the series. Young police constable Peter Grant, still relatively new to his position in The Folly (a mysterious department within the British police that focuses on supernatural occurences), is called to offer his expertise on a case in which an automobile seemed to create a fatal accident of its own accord. A bit of investigating by Peter and his boss, Thomas Nightingale (the last authorized British wizard), reveals that a supernatural entity had possessed a car, which was then sold to a junk dealer, who promised to crush it. When he couldn’t bring himself to do so, and instead used parts of the possessed car in repair jobs on other vehicles, those cars also went rogue, endangering lives and property.

 

Teamed up with a young female constable from the “normal” police force, Grant and Nightingale must use their own magical skills to try to stop the demon car’s reign of terror. The artwork in this story is terrific — capturing the physical essences of the “regular” characters from the novels very well, and introducing new, previously unseen characters as well. The story featured some moments of peril that were well-portrayed, and had me thinking of the novel, Christine, by Stephen King, also featuring a car with supernatural abilities.

 

Body Work isn’t necessarily the best “jumping on” spot for readers interested in getting started with the Rivers of London series. But for anyone who already knows these characters, this was a terrific short entry in the series and I do recommended it.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the rest of the Rivers of London series, by Ben Aaronovitch, starting with Rivers of London (UK title, US title was Midnight Riot).)

 

( official Ben Aaronovitch web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: Cursed Luck by Kelley Armstrong

Cursed Luck
by Kelley Armstrong (Armstrong)

Do you like magic, an emotionally intelligent heroine, a hero who is as smart as he is naïve, Greek gods and curses? This novel by Kelley Armstrong will be a must read for you! The heroine (un) weaves curses, the hero can sway luck to his side (and has red hair for anyone who loves little jokes like that!) and this is the story of how they find a mythical object. Fast paced, logical but with enough twists and real human emotions to keep you turning pages well past your bed time.

 

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Lake of Silence by Anne Bishop, Moon Called by Patricia Briggs, Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison, or Skin Walker by Faith Hunter.)

 

( official Cursed Luck series page on the official Kelley Armstrong web site )

 

Recommended by Rio B.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Review: The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig

The Book of Accidents
by Chuck Wendig (Wendig)

My SciFi/Fantasy/Horror book group read this for a book discussion in November 2021, following recommendations of past Wendig titles that some group members had read.

 

I would describe The Book of Accidents as “Stephen King Lite” — it really felt like someone trying to capture the feel and tone of an early King novel — think back to the days of Firestarter, ‘Salem’s Lot, Cujo and The Tommyknockers.

 

The family of Nate Graves, his artist wife Maddie and their slightly autistic son Oliver move to Nate’s childhood home following the death of Nate’s abusive, estranged father and his inheritance of the old rambling house that the father had lived in his entire life. Ollie is a highly-sensitive empath, able to “see” and feel the pain of others, and the hope is that having him in a more remote, less “big-city” location will make Ollie more able to deal with his unfortunate gift. But life isn’t that simple — and not long after the Graves family moves in, odd paranormal things start happening, that both pull the family closer together and simultaneously try to pull them apart.

 

The Book of Accidents features a lot of well-drawn characters, from the new next-door neighbor with a passion for the unexplained, to Nate’s new state field & game partner, to Ollie’s group of D&D misfits. Unfortunately, the “big bads” of this story are portrayed with too broad a stroke, and the supernatural elements seem to be all over the place in terms of making any coherent sense.

 

I liked this one, for some of the scenes and moods it established, but overall it felt like an overfilled mish-mash of too many ideas crammed together without any of them given enough focus to hold up. Too bad…because I really would have enjoyed seeing a tighter, more-streamlined book that focused on the bits that were really good.

 

But…if you’re a fan of early Stephen King, you may enjoy this more than I did.

 

( official The Book of Accidents page on the official Chuck Wendig web site )

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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Book Reviews: Locke & Key Volumes 5 and 6 by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Locke & Key: Volume 5 – Clockworks and Volume 6 – Alpha and Omega
by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (741.5 Hil)

Clockworks and Alpha and Omega are the 5th and 6th (final) entries in the Locke & Key graphic novel series by author Joe Hill (the son of Stephen King) and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. They comprise the final “third act” of a complex story with horror underpinnings. Each graphic novel is, itself, composed of six comic book issues.

The overall storyline is not told in purely chronological order. Though there is a “throughline” set in the current era, there are many flashbacks that help explain the originals of the supernatural threats faced by the contemporary characters…with some scenes set as far back as the U.S. Revolutionary War. At its core, this is the story of the three Locke children — Tyler, Kinsey and Bode — who move to Keyhouse on the Eastern seaboard, with their mother, after their father is brutally murdered. Over the course of the entire series, they discover that Keyhouse sits on a nexus of supernatural power, dating back to the 1700s, and that a series of “magical” keys have been designed that give their users a variety of unusual powers. By the time of Clockworks and Alpha & Omega, the main supernatural threat to our heroes has grown in power and influence and these final two graphic novel volumes build to a deadly conflict between Good and Evil.

Joe Hill, Stephen King’s son, has definitely inherited Dad’s penchant for telling compelling stories. This is a multi-layered and complex tale, with characters that multi-faceted and flawed. Gabriel Rodriguez’ art continues to impress me. There are occasional hiccups, where something doesn’t seem up to his regular quality, but for the most part, the characters all remain consistent, with incredible facial expressions, and the level of details he puts into larger illustrations is tremendous. Because of the nature of the story, there are sometimes rather gruesome imagery.

These two volumes cannot be read on their own. You HAVE to start at the beginning of the series, and carry through to the end of volume 6. This series is appropriate for fans of both comic books and horror. The language used in some scenes would normally have me place it in the realm of “R”-rated films, so that caution is offered to potential readers. [I would give Clockworks an 8 and Alpha & Omega a 10 — it really wraps things up very powerfully. I would probably give the entire Locke & Key series overall either an 8 or 9 rating.]

[ Wikipedia page for Locke & Key ] | [ official Joe Hill web site ] [ official Gabriel Rodriguez web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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New Booklist: The Shirley Jackson Awards

A new booklist has been added to the content of the libraries' BookGuide readers advisory pages -- "Award Winners - The Shirley Jackson Awards". The Shirley Jackson Awards, Inc. were established in 2007 and have been presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic, in honor of the author of "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Lottery".

Check out the master list of current and past winners of the Shirley Jackson Awards, with hotlinks into the library catalog for the titles we own, at the following link: 

Award Winners - The Shirley Jackson Awards

Book Review: Something Wicked by Sarah Dale

Something Wicked
by Sarah Dale (YA Dale)

This is the first book in the “Zodiac Cusp Kids” Young Adult series that will appeal to adults as well. We follow three junior high friends – Angie, Jenny, and David – as they battle the supernatural in 1980’s Lincoln, NE. Think “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” except that our heroes are in junior high (but I’m betting we’ll follow them on into high school).

A well-written, fast-paced story as, in this story, the three teens encounter an otherworldly demon. The reader is quickly pulled into the tale in this page-turner that you can’t put down. No need to be familiar with Lincoln, NE to enjoy the story.

Nine books are planned in this series with the third one just recently published. Start with this title then follow in order Something Haunted and Something Lost.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Niceville, by Carsten Stroud, the first in a trilogy. Note, this is a more intense novel of the supernatural but a page-turner as well]

[ official Sarah Dale Author Facebook page ] | [ official Sarah Dale Author Twitter feed ]

Recommended by Charlotte M.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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The Backstagers, Vol. 1: Rebels Without Applause by James Tynion IV and Rian Sygh

The Backstagers, Vol. 1: Rebels Without Applause
by James Tynion IV (writer), Rian Sygh (artist) and Walter Baiamonte (colorist) [YA PB Tynion]

Being active in the local community theater culture, this youth graphic novel caught my eye on a library book display. The “Backstagers” are a group of oddballs and misfits who serve as the backstage crew for theatrical productions at an all-boys private high school. This first graphic novel follows new transfer Jory, as he looks for an after-school group he could potentially join. The on-stage Drama Club isn’t a good fit, but he immediately bonds with the quirky gang who build the sets, create the props, and run both sound and light for the shows.

If that were all that this story were going to cover, it would have been enough — “introverted loner finds group of fellow quirky oddballs that he can belong to”. However, this is also a storyline with a strong dark fantasy element to it. The doors at the back of the crew area lead to a series of tunnels, storerooms, and, ultimately, other doors to other dimensions. The tunnels and rooms change their configuration every time you enter them — sometimes even while you’re in them! In fact, an entire backstage crew from the late 1980s disappeared in the tunnels and was never heard from again.
While newcomer Jory is the central protagonist, every member of the Backstagers gang is a well-rounded character, and has a moment to shine — Hunter (the whiz with power tools), Aziz, Sasha, and Beckett (the light/sound board operator who’s created his own little fiefdom, powered by an energy crystal taken from one of the alternate dimensions in the tunnel labyrinth. This “Volume 1” paperback compiles four comic book issues, and the storyline continues/concludes in “Volume 2”. The art is pretty good, but the character of diminutive Sasha is drawn as if it stepped out of a cross-breed between big-eyed Disney animation and Japanese manga. That’s one element I didn’t care for.
Overall, this was an entertaining read, though the heavier the dark fantasy element became, the less I cared for the story. Your mileage may vary. I look forward to reading the rest of the story when the libraries add the second volume as a paperback.

[ official The Backstagers web site ] | [ official James Tynion IV web site ] [ official Rian Sygh web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: Omnibus 1 - a graphic novel

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files: Omnibus 1
by Jim Butcher, with art by Adrian Syaf, Brett Booth, Chase Conley and Kevin Mellon

I’ve been a huge fan of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels, urban fantasy novels featuring Chicago private investigator Harry Dresden, who is also a practicising wizard. The series began with Storm Front in 2000 and has turned into a huge success, spawning a short-lived television series (on the SciFi channel) and 15 novels (and a whole lot of short stories) to-date. Comics publisher Dynamite began a Dresden Files comic book a few years ago, and has adapted several of Butcher’s novels into the graphical format, as well as telling some all-original stories in the comic books as well. Most stories run several issues — as many as 7 or 8 — and are then later compiled into a graphic novel with all the issues of that storyline together. This particular book — Omnibus 1 — gathers the original story “Welcome to the Jungle” (previously reviewed on BookGuide) with adaptations of the first two novels, “Storm Front” and “Fool Moon”, followed by another 10-page original, “Restoration of Faith”. These graphic novels are an excellent introduction to the character and storylines of Harry Dresden, nicely capturing both his wry, sarcastic sense of humor, and the complex, sometimes violent cases he gets mixed up in. The art in these stories is by various artists, including Adrian Syaf, Brett Booth, Chase Conley and Kevin Mellon. I found Syaf’s art to be gorgeous and highly detailed, while the art by the others tended to be a bit more abstract and/or grotesque. The coloring is beautiful. Having read both “Storm Front” and “Fool Moon” when they originally came out, I felt the comic adaptation did a tremendous job, hitting all the major plot points without loosing anything in translation.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the actual Dresden Files novels by Jim Butcher, or the audiobook versions read by James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer!)] [ Publisher’s official Dresden Files Omnibus Vol. 1 web page ] | [ official Jim Butcher web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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The Haunted Looking Glass

The Haunted Looking Glass
by Edward Gorey [823.08 Gor]

The Haunted Looking Glass is a collection of ghost stories chosen and lightly illustrated by the dark writer and artist Edward Gorey. Originally published in 1959, Gorey's collection includes his favorite creepy stories. The collection exhibits such heavy hitters as: Algernon Blackwood, "The Empty House"; W.F. Harvey, "August Heat"; Charles Dickens, "The Signalman"; L.P. Hartley, "A Visitor from Down Under"; R.H. Malden, "The Thirteenth Tree"; Robert Louis Stevenson, "The Body-Snatcher"; E. Nesbit, "Man-Size in Marble"; Bram Stoker, "The Judge's House"; Tom HoodD, "The Shadow of a Shade"; W.W. Jacobs, "The Monkey's Paw"; Wilkie Collins, "The Dream Woman"; and M.R. James, "Casting the Runes".

For those not familiar with Gorey, this Windy City native (February 22, 1925 ? April 15, 2000 RIP), is infamous in both the literary and art world for his macabre illustrations and writing. Gorey's books are often a play on children's literature structured as picture books, but with a twist. Gorey's black and white pen and ink drawings illustrate in detail the exotic to grotesque characters and stories of his imagination. The Haunted Looking Glass is a great read for the seasoned Gorey reader. Gorey's selections are a great insight into the literary works that have inspired his own stories and art. For those new to Gorey, The Gashlycrumb Tinies is a first must read (available through InterLibrary Loan). The Gashlycrumb Tinies follows the alphabet through Goreys poems including, "A is for Amy who fell down the stairs. B is for Basil assaulted by bears. C is for Clara who wasted away. D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh..." Edward Gorey is an October must read -- checkout any one of the Gorey titles available through Lincoln City Libraries here-->! [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Ascending Peculiarity by Edward Gorey 741.6 Gor, The world of Edward Gorey 741.6 Ros, Amphigorey by Edward Gorey 741.973 qGor, The drum, the doll, and the zombie by John Bellairs j Bellairs, Red Riding Hood by DeRegniers, Beatrice Schenk ; Gorey, Edward j419 DeR.] -- recommended by Glory B. - Bennett Martin Public Library


[ Wikipedia page for Edward Gorey ] | [ official Edward Gorey House and Trust web site ]

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Time After Time

Time After Time
[DVD Time]

Time After Time is a marvelously inventive film -- part science fiction, part fantasy, part romance, part thriller, and filled with terrific performances. Directed, and with a screenplay, by Nicholas Meyer (Star Trek II, The Seven Percent Solution), Time After Time posits that H.G. Wells is not only the writer behind The Time Machine, but that he's actually invented a working model. One of Wells' group of 1890s associates turns out to be Jack the Ripper, and must quickly disappear once the authorities start tracking him down. Having seen Wells' working model of the time machine, "Jack" steals it, and travels to 1979. Wells, guilt-stricken at having allowed his former friend to get away, follows. The rest of the film is a psychological thriller, as both men adjust to late-20th century San Francisco and a pretty young banker becomes a pawn in a menacing game of cat-and-mouse between the two time travelers. Malcolm McDowell makes a great flawed hero, and Mary Steenbergen is nice as the modern woman who falls for him. But David Warner steals the show as the legendary Jack the Ripper transplanted into a new killing ground. Absolutely terrific and entertaining film! Note: This DVD version features a commentary track with McDowell and Meyer. Fun to listen to! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

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Time and Again

Time and Again
by Jack Finney

This is a fascinating time travel novel, by a master fantasist. Artist Si Morley gets involved in a secret government project to prove that someone can be sent backwards in time and then return to the present day. The "science" is hokey -- using hypnosis and the environmental equivalent of a sensory deprivation chamber -- and the novel only remotely deals with potential time travel paradoxes. However, this book is a love poem to Victoriana -- Finney's extremely detailed descriptions of everything the characters encounter in the novel give a real sense of place, and the reader can easily find themselves falling in love with 1880s New York. This novel, in many ways, inspired the Jane Seymour/Christopher Reeve time-travel romance film, Somewhere in Time (even though that was written by Richard Matheson). If you liked that film, you'll probably enjoy this novel, too. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Wikipedia page for Time and Again ] | [ Wikipedia page for Jack Finney ]


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If You Like...the Harry Potter series

Interest in books like the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling remains pretty high, even though it has now been three years since the final volume came out!

If you're a fantasy reader who's reached the end of Harry's story, or you've got a young fantasy reader in the family who'll soon be looking for similar reads, may we suggest checking out our Readalike list entitled...

If You Like...the Harry Potter series !

Click the link to explore over 30 other series or standalone novels that should appeal to Harry's fans!

Declare

Declare
by Tim Powers

What do you get when you cross John LeCarre and Len Deighton with H.P. Lovecraft and Auguest Derleth? Well, that would be Tim Powers' magnificent fantasy/horror/espionage novel, Declare. This impressive novel focuses on the intelligence community, and a 1960s attempt to fix a mission that went horribly awry on Mount Ararat during WWII. The espionage elements of Declare truly feel like reading the best of LeCarre, Deighton, Follett or any of the other "spy" thriller writers. A review of this book is hard to write without giving too much of the intricate and complicated plot away...however, Powers manages to insert the supernatural into this spy story very effectively. His descriptions of ordinary soldiers and intelligence offices' encounters with otherworldly beings is truly terrifying. Powers' research into the real-world people he includes in this book is detailed, and Declare is very dense with seemingly minor historical details...which may put off some readers. However, I recommend you stick with it -- this one is a tremendous read! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Declare page on Wikipedia ] | [ official Tim Powers web site ]

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The Essential Ellison

The Essential Ellison
by Harlan Ellison [818 Ell]

This collection is, quite simply, one of my favorite story collections of all time. Harlan Ellison is most frequently associated with the science fiction and fantasy genres, despite his desire to be considered a mainstream writer. In the real world, Ellison has a reputation for being feisty and acerbic and for taking "nothing from nobody". That "angry" attitude frequently comes through in his short fiction. Some of the stories in this collection pack the emotional punch of a pile driver, while others are merely whimsical or wry in nature. Ellison can, at times, be something of an acquired taste. But if you've never sampled his works before, I highly recommend that you give this collection your undivided attention. I dare any reader not to be touched in some way by "One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty" or "Paladin of the Last Hour". In addition to many of his most classic short stories or novellas, several of of Ellison's essays and/or columns also appear in this volume, and are excellent examples of his work in those formats. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Harlan Ellison web site ]

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The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman's latest -- a current Hugo Award nominee for best novel -- is ostensibly a "young adult" title, but can be appreciated by readers of most ages. As usual with Gaiman, this is a modern-fantasy work, set in our traditional world, but with elements of the fantastic woven throughout the fabric of the novel. The novel begins some time ago, as a mysterious killer attempts to assassinate the members of a small British family. Unbeknownst to the killer, a toddler has escape from his crib and wandered out of the house...into a graveyard down the street. The ghosts inhabiting the graveyard recognize the threat to the child and, knowing his parents are dead, adopt the lab -- naming him Nobody Owens, or "Bod" for short. Bod grows up in the graveyard, receiving his life lessons from the dead, and guarded by the mysterious Silas, a man who is neither living nor dead. As Bod grows up, the threats to him from the outside world continue, and the wonders he experiences in his odd world continue to amaze the reader...with both elements culminating in a dark confrontation before the book concludes. Overall, I found this Newbery Award winning book to be an interesting read, though not quite as enjoyable as Gaiman's previous youth book -- Coraline. But, still definitely worth reading to keep up with one of today's master fantasists. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Graveyard Book web site ] [ official Neil Gaiman web site ]

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The Hero of Ages

The Hero of Ages

by Brandon Sanderson

This is third book in the Mistborn trilogy. It will appeal to readers of fantasy that love original worlds and mythologies. It is written by an author who was born in Lincoln, NE and recently was named as the successor to the Robert Jordan series. Fast-paced and full of clever insights into what it takes to lead and follow an apparently un-winnable campaign. -- recommended by Sean S. - Virtual Services Dept.

[ Mistborn trilogy page on the official Brandon Sanderson web site ]

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The History of the Hobbit

The History of the Hobbit

by John D. Rateliff [823 TolYr]

Those who have enjoyed Christopher Tolkien's "History of Middle Earth" series will also enjoy this book. Rateliff employs a similar format to present the extant drafts and stage-by-stage revisions made by J.R.R. Tolkien as he developed "The Hobbit". Along the way, he also offers insights into the amazingly diverse sources Tolkien drew on in creating his own secondary world, and demonstrates that this work has substantial merit in its own right, apart from being a preliminary to "The Lord of the Rings." Particularly interesting are parts of vol. 2, describing how Tolkien began (post-LOTR) a complete rewrite of "The Hobbit" which was later abandoned. This book can be challenging to read because of its format, with much crucial information relegated to extensive endnotes (many of which also have their own footnotes), but the rewards of working through it all are great. -- recommended by Peter J. - Virtual Services Dept.

[ History of the Hobbit page at Tolkienlibrary.net ] [ John Rateliff page at Tolkiengateway.net ]

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The Spiderwick Chronicles - The Field Guide

The Spiderwick Chronicles
by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi [jC DiTerlizzi]

The Spiderwick Chronicles is an enchanting set of stories about the Grace family. Recently divorced, Mrs. Grace takes her children to live in an ancient Victorian house owned by an aunt who lives in an insane asylum. The children discover a world of fairies and goblins that co-exists with their own. The authors have created a world that is not only unpleasant but dangerous as well. The books give the reader the opportunity to see how each member of this disfunctional family deals with the realities that they must face as they grow closer to one another in this fight against the creatures that would like to see them gone forever. -- recommended by Kim J. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available: Spiderwick Chronicles series heading.][ official Spiderwick Chronicles web site ]

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Don't Panic!

...or Do, depending on how strongly you feel about Douglas Adam's popular Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series. Still referred to, humorously, as the Hitchhiker's Trilogy, Douglas actually put out five volumes in his satirical science fiction series before his death in 2001.

Now, Douglas' wife, June Belson, and publisher have contracted with Eoin Colfer, author of the hugely successful Artemis Fowl juvenile fantasy series, to bring out a completely new sixth volume in the Hitchhikers series.

For the full story visit the following links:

Coverage in The Guardian
Announcement on Colfer's web site

Staff Recommendation - Moon Called

Moon Called

by Patricia Briggs

This is the first volume in a relatively new "urban fantasy" series focusing on Mercedes Thompson. Mercedes, or "Mercy" for short, is a "walker," or skinwalker -- a shapeshifter from Native American folklore. She was raised by a clan of werewolves, and despite a desire to live a normal life as a VW mechanic in the Tri-Cities in Washington State, she can't quite escape the paranormal world. Her next-door neighbor is the local Alpha (leader of the werewolve pack), she does repair work on a vampire friend's van, and she bought her garage from a member of the fae (a gremlin). This first volume is action-packed, but its greatest strength is the well-drawn characters. Mercy and her associates all feel "real", in spite of the fantastical nature of her world. The dialog also shines in this series -- very snappy. The only drawback for me, and it is for Mercy's character too, is the strong emphasis on the werewolves' dominance/submissiveness relationships, that place females in a very submissive role. However, despite laboring under this weakness, Mercy manages to be an extremely strong character. I recommend this series as a good example of contemporary urban fantasy, and for fans of paranormal novels who are tired of the vampires getting all the glory. -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Patricia Briggs web site ]

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