Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Malice In Ovenland by Micheline Hess

Title: Malice in Ovenland

Author: Micheline Hess

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Kids

Release Date: 17 Aug 2016

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 is an 'all-ages' graphic novel - aimed at kids, but enjoyable for big kids too ;)

I would say this is appropriate for ages 8+, depending on the kid; it's definitely ok for ages 10+.

Premise:

Lily Brown is your typical Brooklyn kid. But she's about to have a big adventure.

Because the simple, everyday, chore of cleaning the oven is about to take Lily to a fantasy land - just not your average fantasy land... this one's a little... greasier.

Best bits:

Lily rocks. She's strong and no-nonsense while still being a relatable hero.

Lily's a normal kid - but one who can rise to the occasion and do what needs to be done. As heroines go, she's pretty great :)

The whole book is fun. There's no two ways about it. I definitely had a grin on my face while reading - just for the whole enjoyable-adventure-ness of it all!

The artwork is fun and bright without seeming condescendingly 'childish' - quite a feat to be honest, artists don't always get the balance right.

And crumb? One of the grease-dwelling fantasy creatures? Weirdly cute!

Not so great bits:

I wasn't a big fan of the gross bits.

Don't get me wrong, kids'll probably love it, because kids are weird gross monsters entertained by gross stuff.

I, being older than 12, could have done without some of the ickier parts that involved grease, vomit, etc.

As we say here in Wales: ych y fi!

Other than that? Not really anything to argue with here.

Verdict:

A strong and relatable heroine, with a fun and light-hearted story. Hess is definitely one to watch out for.

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

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Review! (Graphic Novel Edition!) - Limbo, Volume 1

Title: Limbo, Vol 1

Author: Dan Watters

Artist: Caspar Wijngaard

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy*, Crime*, Horror* (*ish)

Series: Limbo (#1-6)

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 graphic novel sees itself as 'neon-noir' and, well... I just had to find out more!

Premise:

Clay is a private detective. He also can't remember who the hell he actually is.

And, between the femme fatale, the crime-lord, the craziness of Dedande City, and his voodoo priestess room-mate, Clay's going to have a rough couple of days...

Best bits:

This book has a style all its own.

The visuals are really something (and yes, neon-noir is a great way of describing it - think MTV meets Stephen King,) and the whole layers-of-plot, layers-of-being thing? Wow.

Yes, my dearest nerdlets, this gets a bit metaphysical/existentialist. But that's ok.

It's nice to have something with layers of meaning - you gotta love stuff that makes you think.

And it's not pretentious, and does a fair amount of random sh**, just to keep it all interesting! ;)

But back to the visuals - what we have here is the bold touch of monochrome mixed with Las Vegas neons.

I know - it doesn't sound like it makes sense, much less that it should work. It sounds like the epitome of a chocolate teapot.

But it works. Somehow. Someway. It works.

I also like the mix of cultural elements going on here - all of the technology is stuck firmly in the 1980s; I'm talking VHS and cassette tapes, landline phones, y'know - pre-Internet.

Combined with this we have elements of a voodoo-based mythology, and elements of a Day of the Dead style mythology, with a smidge of some other stuff for good luck.

The plot is... well it's certainly unique! Again, I actually really liked the whole layers-upon-layers deal-y going on - levels of meaning and all that jazz!

Not so great bits:

Honesty time - for some people, all of the trippy visuals and bizarre goings-on is going to be just too 'out-there.'

(I wish those people well, but know that I will never be one of them!)

There's also a butt-tonne of swearing, loads of gore/violence, and the odd 'adult' reference. So, y'know, I've done my duty and told you nice folks - up to you what you do with the info.

I did find a little... out of control? loose? - at times. There was just a touch of the sense that the tangles of the plot might be getting out of hand at times.

Largely, with a plot so far-out as this, that isn't much of a problem, though.
(Certainly, if I'd attempted this, it would have devolved into chaos pretty damn quick!)

I also felt like we maybe weren't getting the depth of character required?

Now, I know there was hints of a lot of backstory. But we were left with very little idea of what the backstory was by the end, which, along with the lack of all that much character development, left that side of things a little under-done.

Still, there's the potential for that to improve in future instalments, so s'all good :)

Verdict:

This is... well, there's no two ways about it: this is impressive.

It's ambitious, unique, highly stylised... and I can't wait to read more!

Buy Now UK – Buy Now USA – Goodreads

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Nerd Church - Sometimes You Need A Sense of Perspective

The Olympics is great. I said as much last week when I talked about how inspiring it can be.

But there's another side of it.

When Sir Philip Craven announced that Russia would be banned from the Paralympics, he said this:

"...The Russian government has catastrophically failed its para-athletes. Their 'medals over morals' mentality disgusts me. The complete corruption of the anti-doping system is contrary to the rules and strikes at the very heart of the spirit of Paralympic sport.

It shows a blatant disregard for the health and wellbeing of athletes and, quite simply, has no place in Paralympic sport..."





Now, I'm not here to debate the rights and wrongs of the ban, or whether the Olympics should've done the same, or the whole Russian doping controversy, or whatever.

No, what I'm here to talk about is 'medals over morals.'






Because the reason doping happens (and I'm sorry, but it has to be said,) is because people put winning a medal over everything else.

Focus is good. Ambition is good. But, to me, there seems to be no sense of perspective in sport. And athletes desperately need that back.

Someone will always come last. It's physically impossible for everyone to come first.






The reason you are competing should not be to win a medal - as crazy as that may sound. The reason you compete should be to show the possibilities of human achievement - to do the best that you can. And to be proud, whether you come in 1st or 50th.

The problem doesn't just come from the athletes - but from the countries they come from. People like to prove that their country is 'better' - and yes, it's always nice to win medals.

But, in the grand scheme of things, it's not worth the risk to your health of cheating... or the risk to your health of carrying on when you're hurt (something which is permitted, and even admired, when it is oh so stupid.)

If you drop out with injury today, there will still be other races, other matches, other competitions. If you carry on, and do yourself permanent damage (or, heaven forbid, worse,) then you are actually shortening your career, or even your life.

And there are some sports which should be looking after their athletes more generally: boxing being a prime example. Constant blows to the head will cause long-term brain damage.

Blows to the head can kill you. So why, when cyclists wear helmets, don't boxers do the same? Because it's less exciting? Is that really a reason to risk all the damage than can be done?

Long endurance events, if done often enough, can actually damage your heart. Yet we seem to encourage people to do marathons over and over again. When did reaching for the stars start to mean burning your hands?






Yes, yes, yes - we've all heard 'no pain, no gain' and similarly reductionist mantras. I'm not saying we shouldn't try to achieve, to get fit, etc. - of course we should.

What I'm saying is that this loss of perspective - the fact, for example, that we've forgotten that an Olympic medal is not worth your health - is what's led to the corruption and doping in sport.






And this is what needs to be changed if the problem is ever to go away. We have to stop with the at-any-cost 'medals over morals' mentality. It's ok to come last - someone has to.

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The 'Lympic Dweam (A Guest Post By Xena-Cat*)

*as interpreted by the hooman who knows which buttons are atchally sposed to be hit on the keyboard.... Oh, and cuddles me and feeds me and stuff.

[Note from the mentioned hooman: thanks for that Xe-Xe.]

My dweam was to be a 'Lympic athlete. I never made any secret of my ambitions. All that twaining! All of that running up and down the stairs at 3 in the mornin'! Wasted!

I hurted my leg (or possibly my paw... I like to keep the hoomans guessing) about a week ago now. No-one is sadder than me 'bout dis. My little dweams of Rio are dashed! And there are sooooo many birds in Brazil! It's not fair!





I'm not even allowed outside into my own garden - because the vet is a big meanie who said I have to stay in until my sprain heals. My husband - Jango - he's allowed out. And he doesn't even know how to play propers without me!

Plus, I can't hit (or kiss) his butt if he's outside and I'm stuck in here. (My man has the bestest butt - it's one of the reasons I love him.) But we have got lots of practice at playing Romeo and Juliet through the window.

Jango's really handsome, he's the bestest Romeo there is.






Anyways, cos of I gots lots of time on my paws, I bin watchin' 'Lympics. I wish I was there, but I can at least critique the silly hoomans who think they're better than me (they're not; as well as an athlete, I'm also a ninja-cat! I cannot be seen in the dark! I has all the twaining!)

I think that the bestest events are the ones with balls. Balls are awesome, and you can watch them going back and fore. Balls are the bestest. Much better than the hoomans - and maybe even better than Jango... but not better than Jango's butt.

The athletics is good cos of people running - and I likes running. But they're not as fast as me!!!!!!!! [Hooman note: Xena likes to run around like an idiot, even though she's still limping (sigh)]






I like the gymnastics - but they don't have enough scratching posts or trees. I mean, silly people, how can you be proper gymnast without trees and garage roofs?

The rowing is good to watch because they have sticks! STICKS! STICKS THAT MOVEEEE!!!!!! I likes sticks >.< [Hooman note: Xena's favourite prey is in fact pieces of plants. To date she has brought home various sticks, and leaves, a berry, and a catkin. Jango is the one who brings dead things; and then she flirts with him and tells him how manly he is.]







Anyhows, all of the events would be bettererer with kitties. Especially me! I may have missed my chance this time, but I'll only be 7 in 2020. Bring it on Tokyo! Meow!

About Xena

Xena is an ex-Cats Protection tortoiseshell cat with a heart of gold and a mind full of mischief. She is the mother of one son, who found his new home before she found hers. She is a sweet little girl who loves to play and kiss her husband, Jango, the love of her life. She's one half of the best pair of cats a nerdgirl could hope for.

Her hobbies include bringing in pieces of trees, 'twaining for the 'Lympics' and blaming Jango when she doesn't get her way.

This is the only time she's ever written a blogpost. The jury is out on whether she'll be allowed to do so again.

Friday Fics Fix - Pure Comfort (With Some Randomness)

If you are a) a human bean and b) old enough to use the computer by yourself, then at some point in your life you will've had the misfortune of having a cold.

(If you're not old enough to use the computer by yourself  then you're definitely too young to read fanfiction. RUN.)

So, this week I've had the misfortune of having a horrible cold - you know the kind that feels like about a hundred hangovers? Yeah, all the pain with none of the fun of doing the actual drinking.

(I blame all the blogging, reading, troll-hunting, and ninja-assassin-princess-ing I was doing last week.

Exhaustion let's viruses in the back-door while the guards are snoozing or relieving themselves around a corner someplace.)

Luckily, when life hands you sh*tty colds, fandom hands you a sick fic.

As I've mentioned before, sick fics are basically pure comfort. They're essentially the fangirling equivalent of a teddy bear and a cup of hot chocolate in front of your favourite film.

Sick fics are when one character in the fanfiction is ill, and basically has to be looked after and waited on hand-and-foot (usually by a hunky dude. See? Perfect wish-fulfilment.)

(Why do fictional characters get all the hunky nurse-maids? Not fair!)

via GIPHY

This sick-fic is a leeettle bit different though ;)

There's still the self-indulgence of a sick fic, but there's also a bunch of superhero-ing and magic gone awry!

And there's a Loki/Avengers love-triangle. Which is awesome, because it is a) awkward and b) well done.

And this definitely verges on crack everywhere in places.

(Fangirling note:

'Crack fics' are pieces of fanfiction with an element of randomness. As in, 'Man, were you on crack?' or 'You'd have to be on crack to come up with that,' or 'Dude, how much crack did you take before writing this?')

Fear not non-fans of crack! There's enough other stuff going on here for you too (and it's actually funny, unlike a lot of crack, which is just disturbing.)

This week's fic then, is:
The Loki Problem by elizamechanicka





...In which Loki catches a cold, his magic goes mental, and chaos ensues.

There's also much swearing, and a bunch of references to sexy-times.






And dude, it made me feel so much better. (Cos my cold's never turned anyone into a guinea pig #Brightside.)

via GIPHY

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Comics Wrap Up - Gallons of the Stuff

TV Trailers


Here's Netflix's trailer for their adaptation of Marvel's Luke Cage:

Looks pretty cool. Unfortunately, I still don't have Netflix.

And before everyone starts going 'it's only x-pounds per month' let me remind you that I don't have a lot of money. And the money I do have goes on books. 

Luckily, since I live in my parents' house, I mooch off of their Sky+ a lot ;)

Graphic Novels

This week I read Vertigo's First Offenses (UK - US) which is more an anthology of single issues than a graphic novel, but I'm totally putting it in this section (because I feel like it dammit!)

So, like I said, this is made up of single issues. 5 series starters from Vertigo's versatile range of devil-may-care comics:

• The Invisibles #1
• Fables #1
• Preacher #1
• Sandman Mystery Theatre #1
• Lucifer #1

My favourites had to be... Preacher #1 and Lucifer #1.

Both are kind of based in subverted religious iconography - so I really don't know what that says about me! But they were pretty damned good, and I may read more of these series in the future.

All in all, a good little selection - and it really shows the quality of the Vertigo imprint :)

Other Stuff

I've just finished an excellent essay collection - Last Night, A Superhero Saved My Life (UK - US) - edited by Liesa Mignona, about how superheroes make a difference to every-day life. It's great.

I'll be reviewing it soon :)

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I also kind of binge-read all of Linda Sejic's Blood Stain series on DeviantArt - not as convenient as waiting for the collected volume (read my review of vol 1 here) but like the crazy-a*s fangirl dedicated reader that I am, I read the whole thing :)

I also managed to scare my cat (the fluffy white boy-cat, Jango, in case you're familiar with my cats) by laughing at it at a random moment.

And I managed to succeed in being exceptionally awkward and tagging a random instead of Linda on Twitter! (I need the Coffee God now Linda... please?)

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Mini-Review! - Switched by Amanda Hocking

Title: Switched

Author: Amanda Hocking

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal* (*ish)

Series: Trylle Trilogy #1

Amazon: UK - USA

Verdict:

This book is nuttier than a squirrel's hoard.

OK, so we have mademoiselle-YA-heroine Wendy. Who is completely unlikeable and pretty abrasive. When she's not whining, she's making truly stupid decisions.

But then, she's a YA heroine, and these things happen.

Then Wendy finds out she's a troll (I know - what?!) and a changeling-child t'boot.

She moves in with the other trolls, and we find out that she's about the nicest and least whiny of all of the trolls - who knew?

Everyone continues to make stupid-a*s decisions, although there is a ray of intelligence at the end - which I can't go into, cos, y'know, it'd get spoiler-y.

Sometimes I questioned why I was still reading it but... I just couldn't seem to help myself.

You know when you see an accident? And you know you shouldn't stare, but you can't look away? It's that feeling.

I shouldn't've wanted to keep reading... but I did.

Oh and those of you who hate/love/love-to-hate/hate-to-love love triangles?

Yeah, this book actually has more of a love rectangle/multi-sided shape... comprised mainly of Wendy and countless broody mystery-dudes. (There are a lot of them. Turns out teenage trolls are naturally pi*sy.)

Other girls also fancy various members of the broody-dude-troop. See? Multi-sided love-shape. (I don't even know.)

There's some violence, and eternally-thwarted sexy-times of one type and another. (Troll society is one massive chastity belt as far as Wendy's concerned.)

There might be swearing... but I honestly can't remember, so if there was it passed me by. It's possible that there was the odd 'cr*p' in there, I really don't know.

If you read this, you will enjoy it... you just won't necessarily want to enjoy it.

*Shrugs* - sometimes you need some absolutely crackers YA, if you love it, go for it.

I liked it. I really don't know why.

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

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