Nerd Church! - Four Tales of Incredible Courage

I think we could all do with some courage (no, not the Dutch kind - shh!) How about you? You want some courage? These four books (in my humble opinion,) have characters who show real courage, in the most difficult of times.

The Courage of Friendship and Compassion

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

This a beautiful book, and I will always, always, always recommend it - to anyone, at any time. And Liesel, to me, is courage.

A girl growing up in Hitler's Germany, Liesel is trying to wind her way through the challenges of her life and times. Things are about to be made ever more complicated by the actions of her foster father, Hans, in hiding the Jewish son of an old friend.

Liesel never lets the challenging circumstances make her any less than who she is. Her friendship and kindness are more courageous than any bullet.

Buy now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads - Author's Facebook Page

The Courage of Survival

Blood Red, Snow White by Marcus Sedgwick

This is a book that I haven't read in years - but that I still think of as something truly memorable and remarkable.

Written by Marcus Sedgwick, this is a YA book with no teenage characters. All of the characters are, in fact, adult.

Set in the Russian Revolution of 1917, this book follows the true story of Arthur Ransome - the author of Swallows and Amazons - who acted as a double-agent at the heart of the new Communist regime. Such a double-agent, in fact, that no-one actually knew for sure which side he was on.

I loved the way this book tried to show the human story, and to portray the way that Ransome was an ordinary man, trapped by truly extraordinary circumstances, and just trying to survive in a world that had turned upside-down.

Certainly, if you're into spy stories, history, or both, then this book is worth the read.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads - Author's Website

The Courage to Endure

Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

This memoir of the life of a man kidnapped into slavery in the US is made all the more incredible and poignant by the fact that it is non-fiction.

Solomon Northup writes beautifully and with dignity, and as far as I'm concerned this should be required reading on anyone's list.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads - Full Review

The Courage of Love and Sacrifice

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A true 19th Century classic, this is a novel of the French Revolution. Featuring some of the most beautiful lines in English literature, this is Dickens (as far as I'm concerned,) at his best.

True, I disliked the character of Lucie - a bit two-dimensional in my opinion - but overall, this is a stunning book.

Without giving away any spoilers, I can tell you that Dickens brings the French Revolution, and the terror it brought with it, to life. But this is fundamentally a tale of love and sacrifice. It is honestly worth reading just for the beautiful tragedy it reveals.

Buy Now UK - Buy Now USA - Goodreads

The Writer Diaries (Or NaBloPoMo, Week 3, Re-Cap)

Luckily, I haven't found this week so difficult as last week in terms of blogging. Sure, it's still been tricky on times, but it's certainly been less of a struggle.

Only a week (plus a few days,) left to go of NaBloPoMo November 2015 - and I reckon that I can do this :)

So, Week 3 looked a little something like this:

(A reminder that I use the British/European date format of dd/mm/yy.)

Sunday, 15/11/15
Nerd Church - A Little Bit of Hope


Monday, 16/11/15
What Makes a Good Book Review?


Tuesday, 17/11/15
Reviewing the Evidence! - The First Man by Gavin Frankle


Wednesday, 18/11/15
Are Target Audiences Holding Books Back?


Thursday, 19/11/15
Comics Wrap Up - The Line Between Hero and Villain


Friday, 20/11/15
Friday Fics Fix! - In Which There is Randomness and Ice

Friday Fics Fix! - In Which There is Randomness and Ice

I promised you something half-way respectable after last Friday's foray into shamelessness. So this week's fic is sex-free (woo!) - it is however pretty damned bonkers all the same. Because that's the way fan-fiction rolls - it's all pretty demented in some form, you just have to pick your poison.

I've introduced you all to the world of Avengers crack fics before now (I'm sorry, if it makes even the slightest bit of a difference at this point, I am sorry.) This week's fic is another piece of Avengers crack.

Crack fiction, if you need the reminder, is fan-fiction which is so random and/or out of character, that you wonder what the author was on when they wrote it. True, you could apply this to much fan-fiction which is not crack, but crack usually has a pretty damned random sense of humour - I mean, like what would happen when you combine the Internet with Monty Python. Getting the picture? Good.

This week's dose of fan-fiction is -

Loki is Cool by Convenient Alias.

Basically, the Avengers in this fic are stuck in the middle of a heat-wave with no air conditioning. Thor happens to mention that Loki is capable of conjuring ice... and chaos ensues courtesy of Tony Stark's subsequent attempts to get Loki to make them some.

Occasionally the writing trips over itself, but there are some fantastic verbal spats between characters, and some witty one-liners. It will make you smile if you're in the mood for Avengers-based silliness - I guarantee it.

Meanwhile, with my vow to be somewhat respectable and lay low on the smut all wrapped up and dealt with, I have a new vow for next week: I will try to find fan-fiction that is not Marvel-based to recommend to you! The key word here is 'try' - because Marvel-based (and especially Avengers-based,) fan-fiction is what I mainly find myself reading.

I am aware, though, that a lot of people are not dedicated Marvel fans, so I'll try to rustle up something else for a change - wish me luck!

Comics Wrap Up - The Line Between Hero and Villain

This week, my comic reading seems to have gone along in a sort-of theme. Maybe it's just me, and what I've been reading into things, but it seems like all the comics that I've read this week have been focussed in some way on the line between heroes and villains - and the uber-fuzziness of said line.

Maybe it's just Marvel in the modern age (and we all know I love me some Marvel,) trying to draw attention to the complex moral issues (woo! go Marvel! gotta love complex moral issues!)

So, this week, I read a Panini-published UK compendium (under their Essential X-men title;) this collected Uncanny X-men #19 (USA) and #20 (USA) (of the modern, Marvel Now run,) with Guardians of the Galaxy #13 (USA.)

These are very good comics - but my God, when we start faffing around with multiple disrupted timelines, two of several characters running around, and Jean Grey having a whole Phoenix/wtf-is-going-on? moment again, even seasoned Marvel girls like myself can get a little in over their heads.

If you do want to take a running leap at these ones, then just accept the madness and move on. It's just easier that way.

I personally think the whole direction that Marvel have recently taken regarding Cyclops and the battle for mutant rights is quite brave - Cyclops has, after all, been labelled a terrorist, and Mystique and the brotherhood et al. (in these comics at least,) are faffing about in a newly-established Mutant state in Madripoor (and my God, are there moral issues to burn here.)

Taking a step back in X-men history, this week I also read X-men Unlimited #40 (US link.) This is a 00's comic with stand-alone X-men stories from a variety of artists. This issue has villain stories - featuring Mystique, Sabre-tooth, and Juggernaut.

They're great - with a beautiful set of artwork and some really thought-provoking story lines. Though I have to say, I wasn't a fan of 'Slam,' the last story in the issue, which kind of felt like a filler story/what the hell is going on? story.

On the non-mutant side of life, Daredevil: End of Days #1 of 8 (USA,) is simply sublime. The artwork is fantastic - almost painterly, with a twist of the noir for flavour. Matt Murdock, the Daredevil, is dead. But what happened? And has he taken one more secret along with him?

This comic asks a lot of pertinent questions - not least when a hero stops being a hero, and the role of the media in news events. And isn't that what comics have always done? They take the world, and they reflect it back at us. They make us ask the questions of ourselves that we don't want to ask, and they do it with style.

Are Target Audiences Holding Books Back?

It plays to the favour of the folks in the publishing industry, as well as, of course, the retailers and the authors, to have a definite audience in mind when they're busy flogging the latest bestseller. But does this favour the reader? Or does it limit the sort of book we end up buying, reading, and, ultimately, enjoying?

The Covers

We've all heard the saying 'you can't judge a book by its cover.' But we do, don't we? Because a lot of the time, you can.

If the cover is bright pink, has a bit of glitter, and some sort of fashion accessory or woman's silhouette, then it's likely to be chick-lit. If the people on the cover have no or very little clothing (and this is particularly true of books where the man has a shirtless torso and/or no face,) there is likely to be a lot of sex. If there's a foreboding mountain and a tank, then it's about soldiers and/or war, and likely to be aimed primarily at middle-aged men.

I can think of absolutely tons of books that take advantage of their attractive covers to reel in readers (Twilight, anyone?) A popular book instantly spawns a flurry of copycat covers, and slogans like 'if you liked x you'll love y!'

And all of this is designed to control our spending habits - with the knock-on effect, of course, of controlling our reading habits.

The Internet Recommendations

We're used to the Internet choosing our books for us: Goodreads, Amazon, even the targeted ad banners. As soon as we let the all-seeing net know what books we've enjoyed in the past, we're bombarded by suggestions from hungry publishers and book-sellers.

But does that narrow our reading? If we're only given suggestions based on what we've already read, surely there's a chance that we'll fall into the trap of only reading books of a particular type or genre.

How are we going to read widely, and experience all that the written word has to offer, if we aren't aware of what books are out there?

The Stereotyping/Social Pressure

Where is it written that a straight man can't enjoy reading Jilly Cooper or Sophie Kinsella? Yet I honestly wish well any such person who has the gall to read chick-lit books - frilly covers and all - on the train (or any other public place.) If I were in their position, I'm not sure I'd be brave enough.

Because, while we shouldn't give a sh** about what people think, you can't help but notice when people are judging you. I should know, some of the looks I get at my esoteric library selections are quite unnerving.

But I love Wolverine. If there is a f**king Wolverine graphic novel that I want to read, I will add it to my selection of crime, historical fiction, paranormal romances, and whatever else has caught my eye that day - regardless of the snooty looks I get when I'm checking out.

And the not-so-confident reader? How are they feeling, as they clutch something that is considered inappropriate for their age group, gender, sexual orientation, race, class, or any other factor?

But, I hear you cry, Cee, what has this to do with the marketing of the book? Surely that's society's fault, not the marketers?

Well, yes and no. Sure, there's a hell of a lot to blame society for here. But there's also a lot to blame the marketers and retailers etc. for. They perpetuate stereotypes to the point where they end up creating the stereotypes. They manipulate consumer behaviour to produce sales, with little concern as to where that behaviour leads. But narrow-minded marketing, in the end, can only lead to people staying in the boxes pre-established for them - and both individuals and society miss out on the benefits of a wide range of books in the process.

Reviewing the Evidence! - The First Man by Gavin Frankle

Title: The First Man. (US Link.)
Author: Gavin Frankle.
Genre: sci-fi, fantasy.

A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.

I'm a bit of a rebel me. So a novella (it's just a touch too short to call a novel,) with as bold a premise as this was always going to catch my eye - and I'm kind of glad that it did.

Hold on tight folks, I've got a lot of ground to cover.

Premise:

You think you know about Adam and Eve? The truth of the serpent and the tree? What you know is a lie. Eden was a prison, and Adam escaped.

World-weary, and close to immortal, Adam spends his modern-day life trying to avoid contact with the humans he created. But his past is about to catch up with him, in the form of someone he hoped never to see again.

Best bits:

It is undeniable that Mr Frankle has talent. He adopts a confident and impressive tone, and makes use of sharp and sparse prose (and my regular readers will know how much I love me some well-done sparse prose.)

For all the flaws of this book (discussed in just a sec,) Frankle can write. It flows exceptionally well, and there are hints of that spark - that rhythm, lilt, and weave of words - that only a writer of real talent can evoke. There is something here - something that's worth bringing out into the light.

And of course, anyone who has the gumption and bravery to take on such a bold and ambitious concept is well worthy of my praise - push the boundaries folks!

This book is also great for discussion - I guarantee that everyone will have something to say about it (Lord knows that I'm rabbiting on enough about various talking points,) and that can only be a good thing.

Oh, and I love the character of Kaliyah - he just rocks. End of.

Not so great bits:

It probably goes without saying that this book is going to be offensive to a lot of people. You start messing around with Bible stories, and people get p**sed off pretty quickly; this is not your book if you are a devoted Jew, Christian, or Muslim, and/or are easily offended. I will remind people however that this is a work of fiction - it's an exploration of an idea: not an attack on your personal beliefs.

There's a lot of blood and unpleasantness in places that some readers won't like.

There are references to, and sort-of-scenes of, rape - not overly graphic, but will be distressing to some readers all the same. And there are references to child abuse.

I also have to mention the poop. Frankle has a thing about poop. I get that sh** is a metaphor - but, really? I got the point - you don't have to keep repeating it!

An argument can be made that the plot doesn't always seem to fully be in Mr Frankle's control (I still have no idea what the sentinels and scions were really about.) Granted, this is always a danger when being ambitious.

 

The characters feel a touch underdeveloped - not least Eve (I understand that she's batsh** crazy, but after centuries I would expect some level of in-depth motivation, or maybe just a hobby.) Adam though, while relatable, is also more than slightly immature for an immortal(ish) fella.

Verdict:

OK, so it has some issues. But there is something about this book - some undefinable thing that makes you read on, and think about what you're reading. For that reason, I refuse to dismiss it out of hand. This is one to get the brain cells whirring.

What Makes a Good Book Review?

It's a tricky question, that of reviews. The thoughts swishing around my brain suggest that if you have a books blog, reviews are like the foundation stones. A lot of people may disagree with me. And that's fine. I'm an open-minded kind of gal, and one of these days I may change my mind on a whole host of things.

But what makes a good review?

I actually really like reading reviews which are well-written, sometimes humorous, and/or thought-provoking.

A good review is readable, as far as I'm concerned, for its own sake, whether or not you have any real interest in the book that's being reviewed. That, in itself, means that I might consider a book, after reading a review, that I wouldn't have considered previously. And that's pretty awesome.

I also like reviews to do a little more than just give me a synopsis, a blurb, a plot-line, whatever. I can flip the book over and read the back for that. I can get hold of it on any number of websites - Goodreads, Amazon, whatever - what I want is a review.

If I'm going to read 250+ words about a book, then you need to write well.

You need to mention the good points, the bad points, and the points up for discussion.

In short, I need to feel like I'm getting your honest opinions about what's going on between front and back covers. I don't want you to just repeat what everyone else has said, or provide extracts that take up more than half the post. If you want to provide an extract, that's fine - but one or two paragraphs is plenty.

But, as with everything in this world, this is just one opinion (in this instance, mine.)

Just like there's no one-size-fits-all book, there's no one-size-fits-all book review. I just hope that some of the reviews you enjoy reading are mine ;)