Fiction
Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country: In the mid-20th century, African-Americans who wanted to travel had to use guides to find places that would let them eat and sleep. Ruff’s protagonists are part of a family that publishes such a guide; it turns out that one member is the last direct lineal descendant of a powerful sorceror, and thus highly in demand for various rituals. Except that this is Jim Crow America, so racism is at least as much a threat to them as the mystical machinations of the white sorcerors who are trying to manipulate Lovecraftian forces, which the white sorcerors exploit but never fully understand. Ruff is a good writer and I found myself very eager to find out what would happen next, though this is less a novel than a series of connected stories.
Stephen King, End of Watch: Third in King’s trilogy about the Mercedes killer and the small group of misfits who stopped his second massacre, this time adding in a bunch more supernatural elements, in the form of a Firestarter-like experimental drug that lets the killer hop into the bodies of people who are in a suggestible state. A bit padded at times; serviceable King but not memorable.
Sophie Goldstein, The Oven: Graphic novella (I guess) about a young het couple in a future that strictly controls reproduction; they come to a place where the sun is so strong that it’s dangerous and there’s limited tech, but at least they can have kids together. But there are other temptations, and living rough isn’t as fun as it sounds at first. It’s a tale as old as time, but not Disneyfied; better tech doesn’t mean people make better choices.
Seth Grahame-Smith, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Sigh. I wanted to enjoy this as a transformative work, but it’s hampered by being in the same medium as the Austen; you seek to kill a queen, you best not miss, and Grahame-Smith isn’t anywhere near the kind of writer who could pull this off. My favorite bit of the movie-the exact circumstances under which Darcy notices Lizzy’s very fine eyes-isn’t exactly in here, and while the movie makes other changes that make the narrative even more confusingly incoherent, it’s definitely easier on the eyes.
Dessa Lux, The Beta’s Test: Hot werewolf m/m (and more) action where the attraction and respect between the two sexy men occurs immediately, and the obstacles to happily ever after are PTSD-based, with an assist from an external threat to the pack. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then you should like this.
comments on DW | reply there. I have invites or you can use OpenID.
Stephen King, End of Watch: Third in King’s trilogy about the Mercedes killer and the small group of misfits who stopped his second massacre, this time adding in a bunch more supernatural elements, in the form of a Firestarter-like experimental drug that lets the killer hop into the bodies of people who are in a suggestible state. A bit padded at times; serviceable King but not memorable.
Sophie Goldstein, The Oven: Graphic novella (I guess) about a young het couple in a future that strictly controls reproduction; they come to a place where the sun is so strong that it’s dangerous and there’s limited tech, but at least they can have kids together. But there are other temptations, and living rough isn’t as fun as it sounds at first. It’s a tale as old as time, but not Disneyfied; better tech doesn’t mean people make better choices.
Seth Grahame-Smith, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Sigh. I wanted to enjoy this as a transformative work, but it’s hampered by being in the same medium as the Austen; you seek to kill a queen, you best not miss, and Grahame-Smith isn’t anywhere near the kind of writer who could pull this off. My favorite bit of the movie-the exact circumstances under which Darcy notices Lizzy’s very fine eyes-isn’t exactly in here, and while the movie makes other changes that make the narrative even more confusingly incoherent, it’s definitely easier on the eyes.
Dessa Lux, The Beta’s Test: Hot werewolf m/m (and more) action where the attraction and respect between the two sexy men occurs immediately, and the obstacles to happily ever after are PTSD-based, with an assist from an external threat to the pack. If that sounds like your kind of thing, then you should like this.
comments on DW | reply there. I have invites or you can use OpenID.