Elantris

43. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. 492 p. Published May 2005.

Having read Sanderson’s latest works (The Mistborn Series), I really wanted to read his first published foray into fantasy.

Elantris is a city like no other: majestic buildings dwarf any other structure while its citizens use their magic to benefit all the people of the land. The few selected by the mysterious Shoad are transformed into Elantrians, moving to the city and sharing in the godlike splendor of its majesty. But 10 years ago Elantris fell, struck down by a change in the Shoad. The city and people alike are transformed into horrible shadows of their past, and the people rise up in fear to overthrow their fallen gods.

Now Kae, Arelon’s new capital, sits in the shadow of Elantris’s massive walls. Led by it’s merchant king, Kae hopes to prosper while managing their shameful past. Those few still struck by the Shoad become the walking dead, with hearts gone silent and flesh turning gray, and are quietly and quickly quarantined in the ruins of Elantris.

Yet the Shoad has taken someone the people cannot afford to lose – Crown Prince Raoden. Now ‘dead’, the prince is severed from the world, the people believing his sudden demise the sad effect of sudden illness. And Princess Sarene, coming across the sea from Toed, finds that her political marriage to Raoden has turned her into a widow before the wedding had even commenced.

Both Raoden and Sarene are consumed by their new missions. Raoden must come to terms with his new life of pain and savage hunger. Sarene must prepare Arelon for the coming war, for the church of Fjordell has finally grow powerful enough to make a move on Arelon and Toed. As Raoden comes to grips with his existence and seeks to change Elantris for the better, Sarene entangles herself with layers of political intrigue in an effort to outdo Hrathen, a Fjordell priest come to convert Arelon. As the story progresses, the twisting fates of these three protagonists weave together to cast an intricate destiny for Elantris, Arelon, and the world at large.

As with Mistborn, Sanderson has developed a world both beautiful and sad. As the loss of Elantris and its wonders overshadow all their actions, the characters of Elantris dance majestically to his hypnotic prose. Even the side characters, some of which only appear for a few pages, are so intricate and deep, that the reader is helplessly enveloped in Sanderson’s vision.

Honestly, Elantris has it all – touching character development, suspenseful plot, and magnificent detail. Coupled with a bracing ending that still leaves plenty of room for a sequel, this novel heralds the arrival of a truly great author.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Twilight

42. Twilight (The Twilight Saga) by Stephanie Meyer. 498 p. Published September 2006.

Isabella Swan, who prefers to be called Bella, is forcing herself to move from her beloved city of Phoenix, Arizona to the drearily overcast town of Forks, Washington so that her mother will get a chance at happiness. Moving in with her father, the Sheriff of Forks, Bella confronts the hardships of homesickness while acclimating to the different climate and new school.

Bella finds herself making friends fairly easily, but the small group of students sitting by themselves intrigues her to no end. The Cullens and Hales are five statuesque teens who remain separate despite their remarkable beauty. Bella moves on to her next class to find that Edward Cullen is her lab partner, and is shocked to find that he apparently resents her very existence.

Mystified but troubled, Bella does her best to find out more about Edward’s family. But outside of their fabulous wealth and the father’s work at the hospital, the people of Forks don’t give them much attention. Bella finally decides she’s just going to have to manage when an accident leads to an intimate encounter with Edward and his strange abilities. Bella relentlessly hounds Edward to uncover his secret, and clues from her experience and the local Native Americans lead her to confront Edward about his true nature. For Edward, and all his family, are vampires.

Sworn to not feed on humans, Edward and the others live off the local wildlife. But Bella is different, her very scent sending Edward into a near-frenzy. Edward, constantly worried about his self control around the enticing Bella, finally gives in to her advances on the condition they bring their relationship into the open to better protect her. A compromise reached, both revel in the budding relationship. But while meeting Edward’s family, the sudden visit of another coven places Bella at real risk. And when dealing with the nearly invincible vampires, there are no guarantees of safety.

I first bought this for my roommate without reading it myself. Between reviews and prevalence, I had assumed this book would be more exhilarating. What I found was a decent young adult romance. Now, I’m not disappointed with Twilight, as it was a truly great read, but it was not what I had anticipated.

That being said, Meyer pens a decent novel. With top-notch character development and a true gift for encapsuling the world in a young women’s viewpoint, Twilight provides a great story. I’ll admit, the plot-pacing could definitely pick up, but Meyer defends herself well with a unique dedication to storytelling.

Rating: 3 out of 5

When the Devil Dances

41. When the Devil Dances (Legacy of the Aldenata) by John Ringo. 494 p. Published 2002.

 This third installment in the Legacy of Aldenata series begins 5 years after the events in Gust Front, and the invasion of Earth is in full swing. Australia, China, Russia, Japan, and the Middle East – all have fallen to the Posleen hordes. Humanity has retreated back to the colder area, leaving only token resistance in the mountain ranges of Europe and Asia. Only North America - or what remains of it -stands uniformly against the alien menace. With defensive lines in the Rockies and the Apalachian Mountains, what remains of the American and Fleet forces is stretched thin while the rest of the population seeks shelter in large underground cities.

When the Devil Dances follows many of the same heroes as Gust Front. O’Neal now commands what is left of Fleet Strike, and the stresses of a command he was never trained to occupy are begining to take their toll. When word comes in of Posleen forces making a push in Virginia, O’Neal and his troops are called off a well-deserved leave to seal the inevitable hole in the defense line.

While O’Neal and the cavalry gear up to ship out, our focus shifts to areas on the front line. We follow Elgars, our previously comatose sniper, Wendy, and Shari -survivors from Fredericksburg – as they meet our other protagonists – Mosovich, Cally, and Papa O’Niel. Each of these heroes brings their own story – Elgars, Wendy, and Shari live in the Franklin Sub-Urb, one of the oldest underground cities, and the one closest to the fighting. Mosovich is running recon all over the Apalachians, but his recent venture has brought worrying news of a change in Posleen tactics. And Cally and Papa O’Niel remain on the family farm, waiting for the world to end. The mix of these characters as they meet and seperate provides a truly encompassing view of the war against the Posleen, covering every angle.

But When the Devil Dances also introduces Commanders Chan and Mitchell. Chan leads a group of “Screeming Meemies,” tanks equiped with Metalstorm technology in an attempt to threaten Posleen ships. Mitchell commands SheVa Nine – aka ”BunBun” – the final version of anti-lander combat. SheVas are large – 7 stories tall is-that-mountain-moving large - tracked vehicles which bear a very big cannon. SheVa Nine also happens to have a very deadly webcomic bunny painted on the side. Through these two and a few other characters we get a detailed and exhilirating depiction of frontline combat in the Apalachians.

Of course, we also have a few Posleen viewpoints in When the Devil Dances, but these serve mainly to hint at the changes in how the Posleen are combating the humans.

When the Devil Dances is a decent action-packed sci-fi thriller on it’s own. With wit and wonder a-plenty, each page is a joy to flip. But the true essence of this book seems to lean towards something else – paving the way for the next book, when O’Niel and the rest of the Armored Triple Nickles enter the arena. With an interweaving plot, enjoyable characters, and mezmirizing sci-fi combat, Ringo keeps the reader hungry for more.

A free online version of this book is available by the publisher.

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Sandman: A Game of You

GN 18. The Sandman Vol. 5: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Shawn McManus. 192 p. Published September 1993.

A Game of You is the first volume of Sandman that follows a protagonist other than Morpheus. Instead we follow Barbie, a young woman living in New York. Surrounded by her friends, Barbie believes she has little to worry about. But she is wrong, for the Cuckoo is after her and manages to trap her in a distant part of the Dreamworld.

Brittany’s friends from both this world and the dreamworld gather to protect her and defeat the Cuckoo, but sudden betrayal and a meteorological twist bring tragedy to Barbie’s world. Even after Morpheus appears to complete his duty as Dream of the Endless, Barbie must confront the loss of something quite precious.

In this fifth volume of Sandman, Gaiman begins to depict something unique – the state of the world as it revolves around the protagonist without him actually being present. Even as Dream takes a backseat in the plot, A Game of You shows the world as it flows with and is warped by the Dreamworld. While sometimes confusing, this intricate story brings as much depth into Sandman as any before it.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Empowered^2

GN 17. Empowered Vol. 2 by Adam Warren. 203 p. Published September 2007.

The first volume of Empowered introduced us to “Empowered,” our trouble-prone heroine, her ex-henchman boyfriend Thugboy, and best-friend Ninjette. These three are joined by the “Caged Demonwolf,” a cosmic beast of destruction trapped in some alien-tech bondage gear, and The “Superhomeys” – the group of superheroes that routinely save Emp.

In Volume 2, we join Emp as she continues down the brave path of accident-prone heroine. And while some Superhomeys are coming to recognize her bravery, the majority of Heroes and Villains remain stubborn in their despise. Eventually both Demonwolf and Ninjette are fed up, and Ninjette dons Emp’s Supersuit in an effort to boost her reputation.

Meanwhile, Thugboy continues to sweat as dreams of his past threaten the happy life he’s found with Emp. Oblivious to Thugboy’s distress, Emp continues to dive in the line of fire. In the final chapter, “Fruity Flakes,” we learn a bit more about why Emp chose the superhero’s path after personal tragedy.

This second volume of Empowered shows Warren’s gift for taking a throw-away erotica character and developing a deep and lovable character. This volume develops Empowered and her world into an intriguing parallel of super-heroism. Embracing her (many) flaws, Emp exhibits a level of innocence and bravery rare among the Superhero genre. At the same time, her emotional investment in everything she does has gathered around her a cadre of reliable and dedicated friends who look up to her.

As with the first volume, this book is marked for Explicit Content.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Legends in Exile

GN 16. Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham. Illustrated by Lan Medina and Steve Leialoha. 128 p. Published December 2002.

In Legends in Exile, the first TPB of the Fables series, we are introduced to a different New York City. One where the characters of our childhood stories have come to live in secret. In an effort to maintain their way of life, they have established Fabletown with Old King Cole as its mayor and Snow White as his administrative workhorse.

Jack (of Beanstalk fame) runs to Fabletown’s Sheriff Big Bad Wolf, restrained in the guise of a human. Jack reports that Rose Red, his on-again-off-again girlfriend, may have been murdered. Wolf takes Jack, a known troublemaker, into custody and tells Snow White that her sister may be dead. The two go to investigate, and find a ransacked apartment covered in blood with “No More Happily Ever After” scrawled on the wall.

Wolf and White follow a twisting line of clues, rumors, and suppositions, taking the reader on a journey through Fabletown and revealing its inhabitants. Along the way we learn that these few legends are all that remain after the armies of The Adversary forced them from their old-world homes. As they gather in their yearly rememberance of that tragic event, Wolf conducts his ‘big reveal’ regarding the mystery of Rose Red.

This first book of Fables is truly intriguing. In answering the question ‘what has become of our childhood characters?’, Willingham brings a realistic humanity to these tragic heroes. Furthermore, by tarnishing these legends with age, sorrow, and modern life, Willingham brings an added dimension of appeal to each character.

While enjoyable, I found Legends in Exile burdened as many first books are with world building and character generation. I’ve been told that the series really picks up as it continues, and its popularity supports that conclusion. What I did find fascinating was a short story printed in the backmatter of Legends in Exile. Entitled “A Wolf in the Fold,” this story reveals how Big Bad Wolf, a character usually portrayed as evil, has wound up among the good and innocent of Fabletown.

Rating: 3 out of 5

No Future for You

GN 15. Buffy the Vampire Slayer: No Future for You (Season Eight, Volume 2) by Brian K. Vaughan. Illustrated by Georges Jeantry. 120 p. Published June 2008.

Following The Long Way Home, this second volume continues Season Eight (issues #6-10) by finally sheding light on the threat facing the Slayers.

We open with Faith, the long tormented slayer. Faith now works with the Slayer organization, killing those vampires the other squads find too emotionally difficult (like children). She is contacted by Giles, who requests that she do something no one else can: assasinate a rogue slayer. Genevieve is part of the British upperclass, and is being groomed by Roden, a mage, to take over the Slayer organization by killing Buffy. Giles must train Faith to do the impossible – blend in with the upper class.

Meanwhile, Buffy is trying to decifer “Twilight” while Willow begins to help Dawn confront the events leading to her magical mishap. Suddenly Buffy is transported, to find herself confronting Genevieve in a fight for supremacy. Faith jumps in to Buffy’s aid, revealing her secret to Genevieve. When Buffy, who believes herself betrayed – again – by Faith, is teleported back by her own Slayers, it leaves Faith to deal with Genevieve and Roden – both of whom are very angry.

Finally, Buffy and Willow go on a journey to determine what “Twilight” truly infers. They confront Sephrilian, an ancient demon confined to a pocket reality, who reveals that “Twilight” heralds the inevitable death of all magic.

I found this volume far more enjoyable that the first. Both the character interaction and plot flowed far smoother this time around, leading to a seemless and enjoyable read. Admittedly, the prevalent use of Faith, my favorite buffyverse character, may have also played a role in how much I enjoyed reading No Future for You.

I think bringing Vaughan in as a writer was one of the best things Whedon could have done for the series. Not that Whedon’s writing isn’t great, but he’s always been a much better Director, and Vaughan simply thrives when it comes to material as rich as this.

The revelation of Twilight’s true purpose connects with some of what I’ve been hearing. It looks like Whedon begins to transition the Buffyverse towards Fray, who I believe makes an appearance herself in the next trade.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Gust Front

40. Gust Front (Legacy of the Aldenata) by John Ringo. 736 p. Published April 2002.

This is the second book in the Legacy of the Aldenata (a.k.a. Posleen Wars) series. Five years have passed since the events in A Hymn Before Battle. During that time, Mankind has prepared for invasion. Armies have been conscripted, weapons manufactured, and defensive structures and shelters established. Well, mostly. Because nothing has really gone perfectly. Rioting and desertion have plagued the American armed forces. Galactic weapons and supplies have not been making quota. Shelters and defense stations are all incomplete. And politics and old-school thinking is hampering what little progress has been made.

Meanwhile, Michael O’Neal, hero of Deas, is doing what he can to bring Fleet Strike up to combat standards. And he’s succeeding well enough that a few friends among the armed forces have pulled strings to get leave time for both Michael and his wife, who’s serving as XO on one of the few frigates patrolling Earth’s spacefront. The two collect their daughter Cally from Michael O’Neal Senior and go on a vacation to the Florida Keys. While there they witness the shortages and hardships caused by the war and do what they can to help.

But while everyone expects the invasion to begin in a few months, the Posleen have come to visit much sooner. A Landing in Virginia brings all the defenses of the eastern seaboard to alert, and Michael has to rush to catch up with his squad before the counter offensive begins.

The second half of the novel is completely engaged with the fight against the Posleen. From the heroics of Fredericksburg, ground zero for the invasion, to the defense of Washington D.C., each page is packed with touching stories and individual accounts of the horrible war. Among these varied accounts are those of Cally and Papa O’Neal, Michael’s father, as they defend their farm from unexpected enemies. And as the Posleen overwhelm the defenses and mankind prepares to hold their ground, only one thing is certain: life on earth will never be the same.

Gust Front serves as the a perfect second book in this military-SF series. While filling his pages with action and tactical intrigue, Ringo maintains the humor, anguish, and stubborness that makes his characters come alive. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of the few chapters done in Posleen perspective, but I an understand their utility and appreciate the depth they provide.

I have to  admit, this novel pulled me along by the nose. I was reading every chance I had, whether late at night when I couldn’t sleep, or at work, or in the movie theatre waiting for Hellboy 2 to start. This book  kept me excited till the very end as only a few others have managed. I’ve already started the next book, When the Devil Dances.

A free online version of this book is available by the publisher.

Rating: 4 out of 5

The Sandman: Season of Mists

GN 14. The Sandman Vol. 4: Season of Mists by Neil Gaiman. Illustrated by Kelley Jones and Mike Dringenberg. 224 p. Published January 1994.

This fourth volume of Sandman opens with Destiny calling a conclave of the other Endless. So assembles Desire, Despair, Delerium (once Delight), Dream, and Death to dine together and reshape the world. Only Destruction (who goes unnamed) is missing, having gone into seclusion. While Destiny keeps the purpose of the meeting a secret, Desire’s prodding of Dream over his treatment of Nada, the Nubian princess he condemned to hell after refusing his love, spurs him to action.

As Dream girds himself to return to Hell and face Lucifer Morningtar, who once vowed to kill Morpheus, Lucifer makes plans of his own. Morpheus arrives to find the pits of Hell empty and Lucifer greeting him alone. And Lucifer has a surprise. For he has abdicated his throne, released the damned and demonkind back to Earth, and grants the Key to Hell to Morpheus.

Now Dream must determine what to do with the most valued psychical property in existence as emissaries from various shades of reality petition for its control. At the same time, he is tormented by his failure to free Nada and must come to terms with the necessities of his office. Meanwhile, humanity must confront the return of the damned.

Season on Mists continues to build a world of fantastic mystery and depth.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Empowered

GN 13. Empowered Vol. 1 by Adam Warren. 246 p. Published March 2007.

The first volume of Empowered introduces “Empowered”, a superhero crippled by the fact that her power-granting super-suit is not only extremely revealing, but very damage prone. When whole, Emp’s suit gives her the strength of ten men. Tear it a little, and she’s rendered harmless. This happens far more often than anyone is happy about. But Emp keeps going, fighting crime and the occasional eccentric villain (and typically ending up as their hostage).

but just when Emp is getting sick of being ridiculed as the super-failure of the city, she makes a few friends to help her get by; a former henchman and a ninja assassin. With witty comments by the demon lord caged in her living room to add flavor, Emp’s social life begins to fuel her professional drive.

By the end of Empowered, Warren’s unique satire of the superhero genre becomes a witty and insightful account of heroism. From the conception as a scantily clad throw-away character, Empowered catalogs the creation and evolution of an amazing character. Coupled with Warren’s manga-inspired artwork (many consider this OEL Manga and it is found in the manga section), this first volume provides a stunningly raw vision to entrance the reader.

Oh, but a warning: every volume of this series is rated for Mature Content. With out-of-frame sex acts and conversations that frequently stray into similar realms, this one isn’t for your children.

Rating: 3 out of 5