Dora Reads

Monday, 11 July 2016

Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening

Title: Monstress, Volume 1: Awakening

Author: Marjorie M Liu

Artist: Sana Takeda

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy

Series: Monstress (#1-6)

Release Date: 19 July

Amazon: UK - USA

A few starting notes:

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

I'd heard a little about this series, and saw the cover and was like: oh, I'll try that.

AND OH MY GOD IT'S SO GOOD!!!!!!!

Premise:

In a matriarchal alternate-1900s-Asia, there are the humans (including the witches,) and there are the Arcanics. (Which hopefully I've spelt right.)

They don't like each other very much.

Maika Halfwolf is an Arcanic... and maybe something a little more.

And between the crazy-a*s witch-nuns, the broody isolationist Arcanic upper-classes, the Arcanic slave camps, and the thing that keeps literally coming out of her, Maika is facing just a few challenges...

Best bits:

OH MY GOD THE AWESOMENESS OF THIS BOOK!!!!!!

Ok, let me explain: this is an intricate art-deco inspired fantasy world with TALKING CATS and monsters.

The artwork is beautiful, the characters are complex, the plot is poignant.

And the little fox-girl is the most adorable freaking thing and I want to rescue her and hug her and adopt her as my little fox-daughter...

(Sorry. My fangirl is showing.)

via GIPHY

In all seriousness though - this book is incredible. Rich and detailed doesn't even begin to explain it to you.

Just trust me, if you like fantasy and/or graphic novels, then you need to read this book.

The depth of this fantasy world, it's history, it's people, is stunning.

And Maika, as a flawed but undoubtedly butt-kicking protagonist, is incredible. I love her.

Everything is exceptionally intricate - down to the detailing on Maika's prosthetic arm. Honestly, the intricacy is... breath-taking. That's the only way to describe it.

Not so great bits:

This book is all about the violence. And the gore. And children being brutally killed.

So yeah, a heads-up on that one.

Oh and there's swearing, and some brief nudity... which I'm guessing won't bother you if the violence doesn't.

Other than that? Honestly? Can't think of anything bad to say about this book. I'm not kidding. It's THAT good.

Verdict:

This book is... wow. Just wow.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Marjorie Liu's Site

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Sunday, 10 July 2016

Nerd Church - We Are All People

I wish this wasn't a post I had to keep writing. Because I have written it. I have written it again and again.

Until things are better, while there is still so very clearly a need for it, I will write these posts speaking out against hatred.

I guess it's just the sort of person I am (can't keep my mouth shut for two minutes, me.)

Let me tell you something that you should've been told by now:

We are all people!

Regardless of race, nationality, sexuality, religion, or any other thing you care to name, WE ARE ALL PEOPLE.

Sure, we have differences; but differences are awesome! It's what makes life so intricate and beautiful. Why can't everyone see that?

Now, I'm not American - the very fact that so many police officers are armed out there in the US is extremely weird to me, because most police officers in the UK aren't armed; probably because there aren't actually all that many guns in public hands either.

The thought that someone can be shot and killed by someone who is supposed to be protecting them (that's what the police are there for, isn't it?) is both bewildering and disgusting to me.

The fact that people's skin colour makes them a target actually makes me feel physically ill.

But hate is not just a US problem. The amount of hate we've seen in the UK since the EU referendum is truly sickening.

People are regularly facing racial abuse on the streets. A Polish family in Plymouth have faced arson.

IT'S NOT RIGHT. WE ARE ALL PEOPLE.

I would've thought that that was obvious, but apparently not to everyone, so I'll keep saying it, until the day when I don't have to say it any more.

Who knows? Maybe that day will actually come... someday.

Nerd Church is a weekly post where I attempt to make the world fall into line by talking about 'issues.' If you liked this post, I'd be uber-happy if you shared it.

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Saturday, 9 July 2016

Review Time! - Thor: Dueling With Giants by Keith R A DeCandido

Title: Thor: Dueling With Giants

Author: Keith R A DeCandido

Genre: Kids, Fantasy, Media Tie-In

Series: Tales of Asgard Trilogy (#1)

Amazon: UK - USA

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.

This novel is a media tie-in to Marvel's Thor, but it's based more on the comics than on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU.)

Now, that doesn't mean there's huge differences between the Thor of the film and the Thor we find here, but there are differences - it's widely accepted that Loki's adopted, and Frigga is not Thor's biological mother, to name a few.

Premise:

Loki is bored. Which of course spells mischief for Asgard and The Mighty Thor.

Prepare for frost-giants, trolls, and a bunch of fighting.

Best bits:

This is one of those books for when you just want some derring-do and stabby action.

(And who doesn't want some stabby action occasionally?)

Loki manages to steal the show (again!) and add just a dash of emotional heartache/feels parental-wise (again!)

This is a skill that Loki has.

This book may be handy for tempting the reluctant aged-9-or-10-plus reader (especially boys, given that it can often be a struggle to get them to read) into reading.

Because we all know that the little ~~monsters~~ angels like some ~~stabby action~~ adventure.

And 10 year old me was a stabby-books kinda gal. I would've loved this book as a kid.

LOOK AT HIS MAJESTIC PLASTIC COUNTENANCE MORTALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Note to self: less coffee.)

Not so great bits:

In places, the level of language and vocabulary felt maybe a little advanced for the target audience.

I think maybe the author struggled with the balance between a formal Asgardian dialect, and the audience, and while it's largely OK, it does slip in places.

Also - the women in this book? Either saintly mothers, and a stand in for damsels-in-distress when needed, or Sif - who is essentially 'one of the boys' and resents any reference to her being, y'know, (*whispers*) female.

While I understand that Norse mythology (where all the Asgard Marvel stuff essentially stems from) isn't exactly resplendent with complex female characters, I would've liked gender stereotypes to be just a little less rigid here.

And, of course, some parents will never be OK with violence and battles and the like (though the kids will love it!)

Verdict:

I would've liked more Loki and less gender stereotypes, but I can't lie (unlike a certain trickster,): I enjoyed the hell out of this book!

(Yay stabby-ness!)

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads – Author's Site

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Comics Wrap Up - It's Much Better To Face These Kinds Of Things...

Friday, 8 July 2016

Friday Fics Fix - Gotham City

This week, dear nerdlets, I have something a li'l creepy and very cool to recommend to you.

Do you know, my dearest nerdlets, of the TV show Gotham?

If you don't then GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW.

You want reasons? Cheeky b**gers.

via GIPHY

OK - it's Batman before Batman. Gotham while Bruce Wayne was just a kid.

Jim Gordon and the Gotham police department fight familiar and unfamiliar villains and criminals, and try not to sell their souls in the process.

It's like a cop show hybridised with a superhero show... and then given a fair old slap of gangsters and gothic-ness for good luck.

IT'S AMAZING!!!!!!!

In case, you haven't figured it out (but I haven't exactly been subtle,) today's fic is from the Gotham fandom.

And it's 18+ only... because clearly fandom cannot resist the sexy-times. And there's much violence because... Gotham.

via GIPHY

It features Penguin (aka Oswald Cobblepot) in a relationship with Ed Nygma.

(*Mild spoiler*) They actually shared an apartment in canon at one point (and it was freaking hilarious.)

And I totally ship the thing.

(Fangirling note:

'I ship the thing' means I want Penguin and Ed to be in a relationship... mainly because the apartment thing was, as I said, FREAKING HILARIOUS.

I would actually settle for platonic bromance if they can just share the apartment again.)

via GIPHY

This week's fic my dears, complete with creepy plot which actually made me want to read more of this fic-series, and randomly included sexy-times, is:

Fingerprints in the Dust by HarveyWallbanger

So, I will see you soon for more fanfiction-style demented goodness.

Meanwhile - go watch Gotham. Go on. WATCH IT. XD

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Thursday, 7 July 2016

Comics Wrap Up - What's That Coming Over The Hill?

Graphic Novels

This week I've reviewed two pretty cool (and fairly different to each other,) graphic novels.

Disney's Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Vol 1 (also available in a 2 volume collected edition) by Jun Abe is a manga graphic novel from Tokyopop. Alice fans will love it.

Check out my review here.

Luna the Vampire: Grumpy Space by Yasmin Sheikh is full of a quirky and off-beat sense of humour that suited me down to the ground (or should that be 'up to space'...?)

You can check out my review of Luna's wacky adventures here.

I also read Monstress, Vol 1: The Awakening and IT'S SOOOOO GOOD!

I'll be ~~fangirling over it~~ writing a review of it soon. But... WOW! Really. Wow.

Other Stuff

Michelle @ Tea & Titles wrote a fab post about 'The Cutest Comics of Ever: Part 1' which included comics that I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for from now on :)

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Patrick Lenton ~~wrote a fab article on why we should #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend - and I totally agree!~~

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Tom Felton - Draco Malfoy to a generation of people - is joining the cast of The Flash (*does a li'l embarrassing fangirl dance*)

I'm so chuffed! TOM'S GONNA BE IN THE FLASH!!!! fjngoeirnyheouh!!!!