punkPunk

Recently, one of my favorite authors sent me a copy of "punkPunk,"

"punkPunk" is one of the best books to come out of the indie scene that I have ever read. The editing is impeccable, the stories are detail dense and fascinating without dragging. Every story in this collection grabbed me and kept me reading. Highly recommended.

- - -

A Lovely Appetite

I love it when writers I've worked with send me print copies of their books.
This particular one was exceptional!

Alex Aro's "A Lovely Appetite" is a collection of short stories written in a powerful prose style that hits you with all of the elegance and beauty of poetry. Each story punches holes in the mundane with sharp shivs of surreality that leave little of the old world intact by the end of a given piece. What remains hangs in beautiful tatters, like curtains almost stripped away, beyond which the eye can see grand vistas of color, of possibility and the maybe worlds of magic realism.

There's a richness here, not just in the words, but also in the beautiful presentation. The stark contrast between white and black, between sensuality and sadism, between simple kitchen implements and the code they obscure-- it all comes together to create something so much more substantial than any mainstream media book I've ever seen. I didn't expect to be moved to gush as I am, but if any book deserves a glowing recommendation, this one does.

- - -

Axes Of Evil Review

This is an incredible collection. This is 576 pages of bad-ass, gore-soaked heavy metal thunder! I recognized only a few of the names in the table of contents, but every story in this book captures the true essence of metal, of rock and roll, and all of them kept me riveted (always impressive, as far as anthologies are concerned.) Like a killer album, every "track" in Axes of Evil is a single, all strong and well-performed, but here are some of my favorites:

"Battle of the Bands" by Joel Kaplan is an intense vision of a vicious future that makes violently playful dystopian sci-fi like “The Running Man” look like kiddie fare. Think Smash TV with guitar-blades that sound best when stabbing human flesh (and other equally creative, destructive gadgets used to flay grateful fans and the members of other bands alike)

"The Plaster Casters Rise Again" by Charie D. La Marr is a funny, wild, and totally raunchy tale that features a bad ass (and very well endowed) viking rocker named Thor. If you know anything about Cynthia Plaster Caster, you can imagine how this story begins, and it just gets more interesting from there.

Lindsey Beth Goddard's "All The Rage" mixes Lovecraft-style elder-god madness with heavy metal to create a soul-devouring tale of brain-melting music and audience massacre without anyone even touching a blade. Great lines in this one.

"Frygga: Dreams of Fire" by Christine Morgan is as elegant as hell and twice as poetic. I love this piece, and not just because I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Norse mythology. The tale is gripping, powerful and very intriguingly told.

"Before The Ball" by Ray Van Horn, Jr. takes the 80's monster movie concept in a thrilling direction. I love the way this piece is constructed, steeped in the vibe and paraphernalia of the period and saving the big, creepy reveal for a spot near the end. Rock on!


- - -

Undead In Pictures

Artist Stephen Cooney does amazing work. This guy is talented beyond belief, and I am honored to be the editor of this awesome folio of paintings by Stephen and stories which come from some great writers. If you love horror or pictures so terrifying they’ll make you want to climb out of your skin, pick up a copy of this full-color coffee table book from my friends over at Horrified Press.

The link: http://www.lulu.com/shop/horrified-press/tales-of-the-undead-undead-in-pictures/paperback/product-21536107.html






- - -

Dance One

Five Dances With Death: Dance One (Austin Briggs)

If this book had been my introduction to historical fiction (instead of Johnny Tremain) I might have tried to follow in Austin Briggs' footsteps (instead of Asimov's!) Five Dances With Death: Dance One is a fascinating foray into Nahuatl culture (native Mesoamericans) that captures the ritualistic, spiritual and all-pervasive violence of this distant and (to me) mysterious setting.

I can honestly say that from the start, Dance One grabbed me in a way that few books can, filling my mind with Briggs' exquisite details, the lavish way he paints each elegant element of not only “One World” but also the spirit world that binds and effects everyone who treads into or through Nahua lands. At the core of its fast-paced and exciting narrative, Dance One carries a beautiful expression and exploration of an almost unifying spiritual “theory” which sheds light on and captures the mind within a world of omens, spiritual doubles and persistent, hungry gods who tempt mortals and swallow souls in an endless game of evolution and creation. There is a mysticism that clings to everything (even the names) in Briggs' work that is rich and powerful, one that brings to mind the talent of such great authors as Storm Constantine and Neil Gaiman without losing focus on the story, the setting, or the voracious, visceral, animal heart that makes this book so gripping and so intriguing.

Beginning as a downtrodden hero story introduced by a comprehensive collection of opening notes that translate and explain various terms, names and places mentioned within the story, Dance One starts with action and finishes with action as the main character (Wasp) struggles to get his enslaved daughter back first from the cocky villain (Talon) and later from the clutches of another who is not above using her as a bargaining chip against Wasp and his nation. The invasion of the conquistadors that occurs in the midst of Dance One swells as the story does to become not just as a physical event, but one that has spiritual concequences as well. In the end, the whole thing rolls and swirls into a stirring and profound conclusion that highlights a struggle of ideals-- should Wasp risk the loss of the gods and spirituality of his nation to ally with the untrustworthy “outlanders” (conquistadors) against his sworn enemies, the Mexica (as others have done) or should he instead face the unknown and stand tall, apart from all those who would cast aside their gods or trample the lives of others? To say that Dance One is an incredible work is not to do it full justice. Five Dances with Death: Dance One is a masterpiece, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Do yourself a favor and pick it up over at Amazon today! http://amzn.to/reM8UZ

- - - 

Company Man

I generally avoid books I see in the supermarket just on principle. This book was the exception. I honestly can't remember why I bought it. Maybe I was in a weird mood or I needed change for a parking meter or maybe I was bored or something.

Anyway, I'm glad I did.

I used to think that if a book got on the New York Times bestseller list, it would probably suck. I'm proud to admit that I was wrong, at least in this case. As a thriller, this book rocked. It was awesome, well written, strong, firmly grounded in a way that gave me (as the reader) firm footing to collapse headfirst into the craziness that ensues and just utterly changes the main character's life. And the ending-- man. Now there is a bit of literature that really sticks to your ribs. It's almost six hundred pages, but trust me, you won't be able to put it down.


Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Company-Man-Joseph-Finder/dp/0312939426/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279244779&sr=8-1

Echelon

My favorite thing about this book is that it is like the novelization of that game Deus Ex, and that game was bad ass.

Okay, so it's a little different storywise from Deus Ex, but not by much. What's even more awesome is that, while Deus Ex was deep and full of some rocking secrets and lore, Echelon has just that much more to enjoy-- and its a book! (Some might consider the lack of interactivity to be a con as opposed to a pro.) It also has some definitively James Bond type action in it (as well as a woman who is almost a Bond girl) and a lot of gray goo (nanotechnology.) As far as post-cyberpunk sci-fi lit goes, Echelon is probably one of the better pieces, and it even has a sequel! As for my rating-- Five out of five. Good, strong, easy to read and capable of hooking you. Solid. Well done, Josh.

Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Echelon-Josh-Conviser/dp/0345485025/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279250303&sr=8-2-spell

Separate War

I have to admit that I bought this book solely for the first story. What can I say? I'm a huge fan of Haldeman's Forever War (I think it's the best book he's ever written and an awesome contribution to the genre of Sci-fi) and the promise of delving back into that universe tantalized me so much that I jumped at the chance to shell out eight bucks for this paperback.

I wasn't really disappointed, per se, but I wasn't exactly impressed all that much either. Haldeman is a competent storyteller and he does well in smaller works (like the short story,) but nothing I read of his ever really seems to stand up to the greatness of Forever War. There are a lot of great pieces here that give fun and interesting visions of the future, (and its better than some of the anthologies I've read of other writers,) but I guess I was just left wanting more. an almost reluctant four out of five stars.

Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Separate-War-Other-Stories/dp/0441015174/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279234929&sr=8-8

Front Lines

This little anthology edited by Denise Little jumped out at me last time I ended up wandering around Barnes and Noble, looking for something a little different to read. I couldn't help it-- the cover just snagged me. Two star-fighter looking ships cruising over dramatic and cloud-greyed urban sky with some magenta-clad reporter-type standing there looking at them. I figured hey, what the heck, right? It's been a long time since I've read any military sci-fi, and this book promises 21 all new installments of it!

But then I started reading it. . .

Read the rest of the review here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Front-Lines

The Hollow Earth

What if Edgar Allan Poe journeyed to the center of the Earth with a farm boy, a slave named Otho, a dog named Arf and a mule named Dammit? What if he encountered there such wonders as mile-wide technicolor flowers, giant, floating, light tentacled brain jellyfish, pig-whales and ebon gods who speak through telepathy? This book is like the tall tales of the gold rush on some serious hallucinogens.

Don't get me wrong-- I think Rudy Rucker has some charm when it comes to his writing, but some of the things that come out of his brain swing by and slam you right out of left field. On the whole, this piece was good, impressive in its own right, and very, very weird, even if it did drag a little in places. The biggest detractor to the awesomeness of this book is probably also its most impressive attribute-- its intelligence, the way that it steeps the reader thoroughly in the Virginia of 1836 to set the tone. Too bad almost half of the book is set-up and only the second half is the actual journey through the hollow earth.

But don't let that detract you from picking up a copy. Rucker's work is interesting and definitely worth a read. Fans of Steampunk will find some interest in this piece, but don't expect any industrial-techno-retro marvels. This one is straight up 1830's.

All in all, four stars out of five.

Get your copy here

Ishmael

What would you do if a giant telepathic gorilla slowly explained the entire history of your species and then told you (1.) where all the problems of today stem from and (2.) that you need to slow down?

That's pretty much this book in a nutshell.

It's interesting, deep, well constructed and hard to put down, but it is also very strange. Like Catcher in the Rye, I think this one is wholly about the message contained within it, almost as if the story would really be about nothing at all if it wasn't for the very important and very pointed message pinned to the pages. If you haven't read it, I definitely recommend it. It's one of those books that should probably be required in high school but likely never will be because its obscure and the main character is a giant, telepathic gorilla telling the reader to slow down and not be so darn productive. All in all, I give it just over four stars out of five because it is strong, even if it's bizarre.

Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Ishmael-Adventure-Spirit-Daniel-Quinn/dp/0553375407/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279250314&sr=8-1

Zodiac

I can't believe I read this one in the bathtub. There should probably be a law against that. Any book that talks about rampant killer industrial pollution corrupting the water should probably be read as far from any kind of water as you can manage it.

Especially if you're sick and sunburned (I was) and the symptoms for exposure to the toxins approach what you're feeling pretty closely.

Other than that, I thoroughly loved this book. I'd never read an "eco-thriller" before, but I was definitely impressed by this one. It's like James Bond had a kid with Macguyver and that kid became a professional eco-terrorist, hunted by the government and everything. At the very least, it's definitely worth a read for the action. At the most, you'll love Stephenson's solid style, powerful story and fair approach to environmental issues. Five out of five stars.

Get your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/Zodiac-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0802143156/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279236986&sr=1-1

Blade Dancer

I admit it, Viehl is one of my favorite authors, so I am most definitely biased. That said, this book was. . . decent.

Okay, so it was better than Bio Rescue, and the ending was pretty killer (especially the way Viehl ties it into her awesome Stardoc series) but it could have been less klingonesque and more. . . I don't know, anything other than Star Trek. Viehl has a strong writing style, and her work has that same open, awesome, memorable vibe that Star Trek: The Next Generation does (literally the same vibe) without any of the camp or cheese that you get from Trek adaptations and bad episodes. If Trek was a dull blade, Viehl's works would be the razor-edged analog.

All the same, Blade Dancer is fast-paced and powerful. The storyline is strong for a sci-fi leaning romance paperback, but not as good as say, Shockball (one of the Stardoc novels.) Regardless, it pushes into a four stars out of five by a nose (or the tip of a blade, as it were. Go out there and get it.

Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Blade-Dancer-S-L-Viehl/dp/B0002Y13DW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279241751&sr=1-1

Looking Glass

This book should read: 40 year old, wheelchair-bound bad ass kicks some serious butt in the matrix-- she thinks. I really, really enjoyed this firmly cyberpunk piece of science fiction-- it's interesting, well written, fast paced and definitely hard to put down. When you're first introduced to the main character, you don't expect the story to be that action-packed, but you're quickly surprised when the first network attack goes down and people's brains start melting. It's got this great flow to it that carries you along and keeps you guessing, lost in the labyrinthine passages of the mind, but it never really loses you. The execution of this particular mindfrak is perfect. Kudos to Strickland-- eighty thumbs way up.

It's rare that I get so into a book that I read it in a day, but dang. This one most definitely got me. A solid five out of five stars with the motivation to push into a sixth star, if only the scale had one.

Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Glass-James-R-Strickland/dp/0979588901/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279241744&sr=8-2

Inherit The Stars

As far as archaic sci-fi goes, this book is awesome. Sure, it has its fair amount of scientists smoking cigars and saying "you know very well that. . ." etc. while flying around in their rocket ships, but when you move past that, you end up with a novel that has a real solid concept and story at its core that you unearth while the scientists piece together humanity's forgotten past. It's very Chariots of the Gods and may have been inspired by that work, but it's also a compelling read. Definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone who is into sci-fi or enjoys a little conspiracy tantalizing here and there. James P. Hogan earns a solid five out of five stars with this piece and has left me interested enough to seek out the rest of the trilogy.

Get your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/Giants-Novels-Inherit-Gentle-Ganymede/dp/0345388852/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279238592&sr=1-2

I read this? Ugh.

An old book lover I used to know once said "there are no bad books" but David Ward has proven that wrong in a single installment. How this mess ever became a series, I'll never know.

Okay, let me say in my own defense that I was forced to read this one in college for a juvenile lit class and it immediately left a sour taste in my mouth. It's like a poorly written Mormon tract set in a bizarre future full of cliche villains and space stations with secret corridors that even the people working there don't know about. Want to learn how to convert people in space while bad guys twist their black mustaches and cackle like morons over their vengeful plans to gain power and fame? If you answered yes, then this book is for you. Otherwise, trust my rating of half a star out of five. That's as low as it goes for me. Toilet paper and Twilight have more literary merit than this waste of trees.


Click here to order a copy (if you want it:) http://www.amazon.com/Misenberg-Accelerator-Perimeter-One-Adventures/dp/0840792352/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279238045&sr=1-1

All Tomorrow's Parties

Gibson is either a genius, or he has us all snowed. I tend to hold with the former, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out someday to be the latter. Maybe I just don't read close enough, but the older he gets, the less comprehensible his work is to me. I know there's some point besides the minimal action (there has to be, right?) but I honestly couldn't tell you what it is. His work just seems kind of brilliantly lost to me.

One thing this book definitely has going for it is that it goes down smooth. Gibson tells a story that slides in as easily as it slides out-- like a vivid dream, you just kind of live through it and are haunted by the patterns that linger afterward. Do I recommend it? Yeah, definitely. Maybe you'll have better luck figuring out what is going on than I did. Four out of five stars (because he's done better work in the past, like Count Zero.)

Get your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/All-Tomorrows-Parties-William-Gibson/dp/0425190447/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279237066&sr=1-1

Space 1889

Martian liftwood groves, Venusian dinosaurs and swarms of intelligent insect colonies hiding beneath the lunar surface, Space 1889 has it all! Following the vien of the subgenre known in literary circles as Steampunk, Space 1889 takes the technology and ideas of the industrial revolution that much farther with solar-powered boilerships that plow through the heavens and send the people of an increasingly expansionist British Empire, their allies and their enemies into the untapped depths of the solar system. The stakes? . . .

Read the rest of the review here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Space-1889

Altered Carbon

Imagine a world where the mind has been digitized,

where every man, woman and child in the universe has been downloaded into a "cortical stack" that sits in the spine and runs whatever body it's attached to, whether it be the body a person was born in, a genetically-engineered and boosted custom form-- or someone else's body entirely.

In the world of Richard K. Morgan's "Altered Carbon", Takeshi Kovacs is an ex-envoy (think well respected super-soldier) that ends up caught in the web of a massive conspiracy. . .

Read the rest of the review here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Altered-Carbon

Space suit

I'm just going to come out and say it: This book was juvenile. Maybe I've been spoiled by the power and depth of Starship Troopers and Stranger in a Strange Land, but dang. I have to say that I was expecting more.

Okay, so it wasn't bad, not really. It was. . . unimpressive enough that I put it down a few times and almost didn't pick it up again, but I still got through it and got something out of it, didn't I? I like to think so.

Heinlein writes a firm story, but this one drags and drags and embraces a ton of cliches. There's also the introduction of strange characters who you get the feeling were important to the author but in fact do very little for the story. Even the ending is cliche. Maybe I'm just being hard on this piece because, as far as sci-fi goes, it's archaic. (1956). It reads like something written for teenagers of the Flash Gordon era, only the starships are saucers instead of rockets (holy cow!)

Rating-wise, I give it a wishy-washy two point five stars out of five. Just short of average.