Film Friday: The Mist (2007) Movie Review

Title: The Mist
Genre: Horror
Directed by: Frank Darabont
Written by: Frank Darabont
Starring:
Thomas Jane
Marcia Gay Harden
Laurie Holden
Andre Braugher
Release Date: November 21st, 2007
Rating: 2.5/5

WMZCZZZ7PQF3

Since I wrote a review of The Mist on Monday, I want to primarily talk about the differences between the book and movie.

My main problem with the movie is its need to be...well...cinematic. By that I mean that elements of the novel are translated into film language, to its detriment I think. One thing is the need to A. have the 'jump at you' scares and B. show off the creatures. To address the first complaint, earlier on before you see the creatures, it is more terrifying than when you do because you mind fills in the blanks and creates something far worse than the designers can create. (this is in no way to harp on Berni Wrightson's designs which are, as with all his work, awesome.) But they resort instead to have them jump out of the fog at the audience for cheap thrills rather than creating an atmospheric horror movie like The Thing.

This goes into the next part: showing off the monsters. Part of the terror is not seeing The Thing or the alien in Alien, but knowing it could appear at any moment, to keep you on the edge of your seat. In The Mist  they are all over the place and, as such, when they do attack it is less terrifying and has less of an impact on the audience. In most horror movies, less is more is often a plus, and I feel they could have had less of the monsters with more of an impact.

The ending. I don't want to ruin either the book or movie, but lets just say the movie was extremely maudlin and heavy handed with its ending. I prefer the book's ending myself.

However, what is most important is the characters and their interactions and I think the movie is fairly successful in this regard. Much like the book, the film is very visceral with its characters and you either like the characters or hate them (you only have to look at youtube comments on the trailer to see this). Despite this, I can't get past the ending. I am in the middle of the road on this movie, I like parts, don't like others. So, if you are intrigued by the book, or the trailer, watching the movie adaptation certainly won't hurt.

Book Review: Misery

Misery by Stephen King
Release Date: June 1987
Publisher:Viking (Penguin)
Audience: Adult
Pages: 320
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 5/5









Day five of Stephen King week! Whoo!

*crickets*

Well...I suppose I will talk about another Stephen King novel. Misery is my favorite Stephen King novel. The novel follows successful author Paul Sheldon who, after finishing his last 'Misery' novel, wrecks his car in a snowstorm while drunk. Rescued by loner and former RN Annie Wilkes, Sheldon is taken to her house and slowly nursed back to health. However, he soon finds Wilkes is a huge fan of his books and that he is also, essentially, her prisoner. Finding out that Sheldon kills Misery in his last novel, she demands a new book bringing her back to life, on the threat of his. The book follows Sheldon as he writes the book and attempts to escape his insane fan.

When I say fan, I don't mean the stereotypical nerd, I mean a mentally unstable insane loony toon woman who locks him in a room forcing him to write a book on pain of physical mutilation. This book is extremely claustrophobic as Sheldon is stuck in a wheelchair because he broke both legs in the car crash. Further, he is stuck in a small bedroom in a house in the middle of the mountains during winter. This book is extremely atmospheric and suspenseful because you don't know what Wilkes will do next and part of the allure of this novel is slowly uncovering Wilkes past and psyche along with Sheldon. You are kept on the edge of your seat as Sheldon tries to escape during times when Wilkes goes to town and root for him as he tries subtle things to aid in his escape.

I suppose a bit of a bias review in that I really like this book and recommend it to anyone who likes Stephen King, suspense/horror novels in general, or just enjoy a good read late at night. The movie is also one of the top Stephen King film adaptations and I highly recommend that as well. If you have seen the movie, the book is still worth checking out as the movie doesn't take things as far as the novel does.

She later went on to sell office supplies at Sabre

Warhammer 40k in about a minute

Title says it all. :) If you are interested in reading titles from the 40k universe, this sets you up fairly well.

Book Review: The Eyes of the Dragon

The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King
Release Date: February 1987
Publisher: Viking (now owned by Penguin)
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 384
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 3/5








Day four of Stephen King week!

Today I am going to cheat a little bit and review The Eyes of the Dragon. A departure from most of his oeuvre, this book, while straight fantasy, still harbors that Stephen King flair.

The Eyes of the Dragon follows two brothers, princes, who are to inherit the kingdom. However, the older brother, Peter, is framed for the murder of the King by Flagg (our villain and stereotypical evil advisor) and the younger brother, Thomas, is placed on the throne. Flagg, knowing Thomas is only 12, offers his services and advice and Thomas, not knowing any better, gives him more and more power, despite knowing Flagg framed Peter and killed his father. The brunt of the novel follows both Peter's attempts to escape prison and kill Flagg along with the decay of the kingdom, the throne, and Thomas.

I think the main reason I enjoy this novel is that the novel, while including many tropes from the fantasy genre, focuses not on the kingdom per se but the two brothers. It is interesting to see how Peter and Thomas, through chance and circumstance, become two completely different individuals. By the end of the novel Thomas, under Flagg's influence, has become a obese, dunk, shamble of a man while Peter is almost the complete opposite. For me, the compelling elements of this novel is seeing the passage of time and affects of entropy on the two princes.

However, beyond that you do not get much other than the general plot of: good king replaced by inept king ruled by evil advisor via murder and rightful king is banished. I am sure you all can guess as to the novels outcome from there. Yet again, perhaps not one of his strongest novels, and not a dystopian novel (unless you count the dark potential we all share given the effects of entropy, decay, and the passage of time on the human frame) It is worth checking out from your local library. Stephen King offers nothing new in this book as far as the fantasy genre is concerned, but it somehow feels fresh.

Book Review: The Long Walk

The Long Walk by Stephen King
Release Date: July 1979
Publisher: Signet
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 384
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 3.5/5









Stephen King week continues at Dystopian Reviews!!! Why? Because the world won't end if I include a little horror.

The Long Walk initially published under his Richard Bachman pen name, follows Garraty as he enters into a contest known, as the title implies, only as 'The Long Walk'. One hundred people enter the contest, the winner is the last person still walking. The rules are simple: keep walking at a pace of four miles an hour; fall under that pace, get a warning; while the warnings can be dropped off, if you get three warnings you die. If you win you get The Prize: anything you want for the rest of your life. The book follows Garraty and the friends he makes on 'The Long Walk'.

While this book isn't one of Stephen Kings' better known books, I still find myself retuning to it every so often to read it. The premise is fairly simple, everyone is walking until only one of them is left alive. However, as the group dynamics begin to emerge and the walkers become disillusioned to a number of things, the book becomes compelling as you wonder who will emerge as the winner, and what each walker can be said to represent. While not specifically stated, it is implied that this takes place in the future and the American government is more despotic, 'The Long Walk' being almost gladiatorial a la Battle Royale or The Hunger Games (though entry in 'The Long Walk' is primarily voluntary).

Stephen King has admitted that this is one of his earliest books, and it is interesting to see the elements and ideas that often come to the fore in his later novels being explored in this book. Perhaps not the best example of Stephen King's oeuvre, I still find it has its own charm and, while not for all, I recommend giving it a chance and walking to your nearest library or bookstore to check it out.

Book Review: The Mist

The Mist by Stephen King
Release Date: 1980;1985;2007
Publisher: Signet
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 240
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 4/5









Stephen King week! Why? Because I can!!! :)

Admittedly, I turned to this novel after watching the movie adaptation and the fact that my friend mentioned that the book ended differently than the movie. In short, The Mist follows David and his son as they becomed trapped in a grocery story with a number of other patrons. They soon find they cannot leave the store as strange creatues abound in the mist, killing those who venture forth from the store. Soon, the patrons, a la The Lord of the Flies or The Drive-In, begin to socially break down. Most end up following a prophet who emerges from the group, a prophet who believes a child sacrafice is needed to save them all: David's son. David, to save his son, must brave the mists.

The Mist is one of those books that, upon completion, you kind of get that 'I hate humans' feeling. In this book, Stephen writes a number of visceral characters that naturally rub against the reader and do a good job of making you hate them. Further, I enjoy the ambiguous nature of the novel, you are never sure exactly what is happening or where these mists came from. Further, you are not exactly sure what will happen next as the grocery store, as time passes, becomes a pressure cooker on the people living inside of it and anything becomes possible.

While the book suffers a little from what I call King-itis (the need for dozens of tertiary characters) it was a decent book with memorable characters. Further (a plus in my experience with Stephen King novels), it is fairly short. This seems to be a nod by King to a number of authors, including Golding, Lovecraft, and others like them. If you are looking for book with some atmosphere or a decent dystopian / horror I recommend checking this book out.

Stephen King Week! 11/22/63

To welcome in Stephen King week here at Dystopian Reviews, I thought I would post a link to an excerpt from his upcoming novel 11/22/63 which involves a time traveler who travels to the past to try and stop the JFK assassination. From the excerpt the book looks promising. However, like many time travel stories, looks to be full of paradoxes and the narrator seems not all too reliable for us readers to take him at his word 100%.

Click here to read an excerpt from 11/22/63

Book Review: The Island of Dr. Moreau

The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells
Release Date: 1896
Publisher: Heinemann, Stone & Kimball
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 209
Read the Book: Project Gutenberg ; Kindle
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 4.5/5








I suppose H.G. Wells has done more to incite my interest both in Anthropology and English than any other author to date. The Island of Dr. Moreau was no different, as it explored the possibilities of science and evolution much like his creation of the Morlocs and Eloi in The Time Machine. Relatively straightforward plot, The Island of Dr. Moreau follows Prendick (thank you for a name this time around Wells), a bourgeoisie victim of a shipwreck who lands on, as the title implies, an island run by a man calling himself Dr. Moreau.  The main brunt of the story follows Prendick as he slowly uncovers the truth of the island, dicussions with Dr. Moreau over what makes one 'human' and, eventually his attempts to escape the island as things turn for the worse.

If you have only seen one, or more, of the movie adaptations, I strongly suggest reading the book as the themes presented in the movies and the themes explored in the book are, while similar, more questioning, ambiguous, and deeper than those presented in the movies, especially the 1996 version, which I think went for shock value more than anything else. What is especially interesting to me is the moments where Prendick is in the village of the beast-men and encounters the Sayer of the Law, and Prendicks own thoughts on the blurring of man and beast and his own place within that spectrum.

Now, I don't want to ruin anything, but where the movies end, the book does not, and the book takes the plot in an interesting direction though, in the case of Wells, less is more. Further, we get a bit of an epilogue with Prendick back in England with the now tired claim that 'men are just animals in suits, etc, etc' but, understandably, was fresher in 1896.

The Island of Dr. Moreau is a shorter book for those on the go and a compelling read. If you have only seen the movies, or, more likely, the 1996 version, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. The movies don't do Wells justice.

Film Friday: The Adjustment Bureau Review

Title: The Adjustment Bureau
Genre: Thriller/Action
Directed by: George Nolfi
Written by: George Nolfi
Starring:
Matt Damon
Emily Blunt
John Slattery
Anthony Mackie
Release Date: March 4th, 2011
Rating: 3.5/5





In The Adjustment Bureau we follow Matt Damon's character, an up and coming politician by the name of David Norris, who stumbles upon a group known as the 'Adjustment Bureau' who 'adjust' an individual when their life veers off the path the Bureau has decided they should take. However, in order to avoid being 'adjusted' himself, Norris must no longer see Emily Blunt's character, Elise. The movie follows Damon's character as he attempts to find Elise once again and escape the Bureau and having both him and Elise 'adjusted'.

What is it with Matt Damon and running away from things? It seems that ever since he did the Bourne Trilogy movie-makers have decided to have him running from people and things in all subsequent movies. Regardless, this movie is a better than average thriller. All of the main actors and secondary actors give good performances, the story's multiple story arcs (Norris's political career, Norris and Elise's love story, dealing with the Bureau, inner politics within the Bureau) are all blended together well, each given enough space to stand alone yet still pertinent to the overall story.

That being said, I think that Nolfi should have allowed the Adjustment Bureau to remain more ambiguous. He is pretty heavy handed with the interpretation of what the Bureau is (essentially telling the audience) and I think that if more ambiguity was kept in the movie as to exactly what the Bureau is, their motives, and what these agents really are would have added more atmosphere to the movie, added to the thrill, and made for an overall darker tone. As it is, the movies' tone seems to clash with itself as there are some very dark moments in the movie, but once you learn what the Agents are, in addition to the ending of the movie, these dark moments seem out of place. I would have preferred a darker movie, but that's just me.

All in all, The Adjustment Bureau is a interesting thriller in the same neighborhood as Inception (or at least tries to be) but I think that some of the directorial decisions regarding the plot keep this movie from reaching its full potential. But, if you are wanting to rent a good, if not exceptional, thriller where Matt Damon runs from things, I recommend checking this out.

What's with the hat, Damon?

Book Review: The Last Oracle

The Last Oracle by James Czajkowski (James Rollins)
Release Date: June 2008
Publisher: Harper Collins
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 448
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 2/5
JamesRollins.com








A bit of a hiatus for a couple of days my loyal non-existent readers. Anywho, The Last Oracle is the fifth in James's series which follows a group of soldier/scholars known as the Sigma Force. In this book Gray and his group of solder/scholars are not only following the bloodline and  historical trail of the Greek Oracle's of Delphi but also slowly uncovering a plot by a covert Russian group which threatens to destroy Europe and kill millions.


In this book there are four storylines, two main ones (Gray and his group in America/India & Monk and several Russian children escaping the covert Russian group) and two minor plotlines and my main complaint is that these storylines do not meld with one another, its like reading two separate stories that pass like two ships in the night. It wasn't until about 250 pages in or more that the connection between the two plots becomes apparent. Even after that, the main characters in the main storylines get thrown together only in the last 30 or so pages of a 400+ page novel. Further, I felt that the use of deus ex machina in the novel was a bit heavy handed as well.

Also, the 'archaeology' in the book just didn't work for me. Sure, yes, supernatural elements have exists in the genre since its inception, but I just didn't find the claims made in this book to be feasible. While this is a work of fiction, it is set in the real world and the fact that the author is putting me vis-a-vis the preternatural elements in the novel only serves to pull me away from the book.

Those elements aside, I commend him for actually doing fairly extensive research for the novel and, as far as building a story arc and likable characters, he is quite successful in this and other Sigma Force novels. However, I felt that the overall book was one of his weaker offerings. If you like all his novels, sure, give it a shot (I picked it up cheap with multiple discounts when Borders went out of business) but, otherwise, I would skip it as you aren't missing anything as far as the multi-book story arc of the Sigma Force is concerned (save two things that I am sure are recapped in his next book in the series).

Album Review: Earth - Hex, or Printing in the Infernal Method

Hex, or Printing in the Infernal Method by Earth
Release Date: October 2005
Length: 46:29 (61:35 on vinyl)
Label: Southern Lord
Buy the Album: Amazon
Album Rating: 5/5






As I just saw Earth play live in Nashville Saturday (which was amazing) I thought I would put up a review of one of my favorite albums by them. (I was going to review it eventually, but why not now?)

After a long hiatus Earth comes back onto the scene with a new album and direction. Where previously their music was heavy metal/drone, their new album, while keeping elements of drone (long notes, slightly minimalistic, no vocals), has a distinct western flair and the guitar is less sludgy, along with the inclusion of drums, traditional instruments, and experimentation.

While I was initially turned onto the drone genre by SunnO))) I later discovered Earth through this album and it has consistently stayed in my album rotation and is one of my top albums. The best way I can describe this album is that if a ghost town from the 1840s in the middle of Kansas had a soundtrack, this album would be it. This album reminds me of an Ennio Morricone soundtrack for a revisionist western. Haunting at times, this album mixes complex guitar work, ambiance, and traditional drone into a compelling album.

I highly recommend checking this album out. The link below is perhaps not the best playlist to listen to the album as all the tracks are shortened, but they are enough to get a good idea about their music if you want to investigate further. Which, if you do, I don't think you will be disappointed. This album was supposedly influenced by Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian and would perhaps be apropos to listen to this while reading that, though I think this album is great background music while reading in general.


Hex, or Printing in the Infernal Method Youtube Playlist

Book Review: Deathlands 65: Hellbenders

Deathlands 65: Hellbenders by Andy Boot
Release Date: March 2004
Publisher: Worldwide Library / Gold Eagle
Audience: Mature
Pages: 352  [<- the redoubt code, coincidence?]
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 2/5
Buy the Audiobook: Graphic Audio
Audiobook Rating: 3/5







Deathlands Hellbenders is the next in the ongoing series following Ryan Cawdor and his travelling companions as they venture across the nuke blasted landscape of 22nd century America. In this book Ryan and his group jump into a redoubt that is occupied by a group of vengeful survivors known as the Hellbenders. With each and every member of the Hellbenders physically or mentally tortued by the barons from two villes, yet still alive, they are hell-bent (hence their name) on destroying the towns. When a trade is planned between the two, it is the perfect time for revenge. Ryan and his friends, stuck in bed with the Hellbenders, must wage a war that is not their own.

If you want the short review, this book is boring, sloppy at times, and unimaginative. I would recommend skipping it as nothing of note happens in this book. The only interesting thing mentioned is that the CD they got from Silas back in TN they are still trying to access. This book glosses over logistical problems. For example, somehow the Hellbenders got into the redoubt but its not explained. If they guessed the code really quick, howcome all the redoubts are not run over by people? The book is very muddled; we see bits and pieces of Charity (one of the villes) but the barons aren't introduced until the final pages and are shortly killed off.

Honestly, this book was pretty bland and even the main story arc is not all that interesting. The shootout with 3 convoys of people along with military wags is somehow made boring. There is this whole subplot about Dean and old technology that really doesn't pan out also. I could go on, but I would be citing other reasons why this book is boring. Even the audiobook, though well done as usual, seems to be a lazy effort by the voice actors, changing their voices slightly to be different characters.

All in all, I recommend skipping this novel in the series unless you're a completionist. You aren't missing anything.

Film Friday: Priest (2011) Review

Title: Priest
Genre: Action/Supernatural
Directed by: Scott Stewart
Written by: Cory Goodman
Starring:
Paul Bettany
Karl Urban
Cam Gigandet
Lily Collins
Release Date: May 13, 2011
Rating: 2.5/5





No sparkly vampires in this movie.

Priest takes place in an unspecified time in the future in an alternate timeline where humans and vampires are separate species and have battled against one another over the centuries. Humanities greatest weapon--the warrior priests--are believed to have conquered the vampire menace.

Despite this, Priest learns of his nieces disappearance and the death of his brother in a vampire attack. The Church, maintaining all vampires are dead, refuse to believe the story and refuse to let Priest search for his niece. Priest goes against the Church and the movie follows him as he searches for his niece and for the vampires. The Church, learning of this, sends out Priest's of their own to capture him. However, the vampires are doing things never before seen and all of humanity is threatened. Only Priest (oh...and some side characters) stand in the way of mankind's utter annihilation.

Where Priest succeeds most is its setting. Part western, part 1984, part Blade Runner, the backdrops in which the characters fight are panoramic and larger than life. But we only get glimpses of the city and a few shots of it from a distance when Priest is leaving the city on his motorcycle. The same amount of attention is paid to the various hives and the desert. These larger than life settings also house actions scenes of a similar caliber. For example, when Priest is chasing the train he suspects his niece to be on and when an entire town is destroyed by vampires.

However, I felt like the entire plot served as a prologue to a larger storyline and, as it stands, the plot is extremely weak and seems like a poor attempt to stretch the franchise. Granted, I haven't read the comics the movie draws from, but I felt that the movie tries to be too many things at once and, as a result, doesn't focus on anything. To greater and lesser degrees, much of what the movie introduces us to matters very little and often has little bearing on the plot. Further, despite the movie rushing through most things, it takes a long time to reach the climax of the movie,and then, after a minute or so of battling, its all over (about as quick as the battle between Captain America and the Red Skull).

Most of the actors in this movie seem to be here for a paycheck. Karl Urban (as Black Hat, our villian) seems to be the only one having fun with his role in the movie, for what little screen time he gets.

'scuse me while I blow up this town

This also reflects on the characters as well, because none of them are particularly interesting and are characters we have seen time and time again in other movies where they are better executed.

Priest is a nice looking movie, but I don't think that's enough to save the plot or bland characters. I would avoid buying the dvd, but it is still at redbox at the moment for those interested.

Book Review: The Supernaturalist

The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
Release Date: October 2004
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Audience: Young Adult/Everyone
Pages: 267
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 3/5









While I have not read the Artemis Fowl series (me not being part of its intended demographic) I have at least heard of it and, by accident, I picked this book up at Goodwill while trawling for books to read and review on this blog. I got home, noticed the scholastic logo on it, said 'whoops', and read it regardless. Hey, I paid 0.50 for this book. Don't tread on me!

ANYWAY,  this book takes place in the 3000s in North America (neither are specifically stated) and follows the adventures of Cosmo Hill and a group he unexpectedly joins: The Supernaturalists. Cosmo Hill, a orphan in an institute that tests various military, health, and beauty products, escapes the institute when a car the orphans are travelling in wrecks on the highway. Despite his escape, Cosmo is horribly injured. Comso's near death experience allows him to see blue creatures (dubbed 'Parasites') which seem to feed upon human life energies. The rest of the novel follows Cosmo and the group as they try to eradicate the Parasites to save human lives while trying to eek out an existence of their own.

For me, one of my main problems with this novel is its lack of description. A lot of the scenes and the city in general are given very vague descriptions. Yes, this is a young adult novel, I don't expect it to be bogged down in detail, but I have little understanding where buildings sit in relation to one another, their layout, and what they look like. However, on the flip side, when introducing something to the reader (rust mites for example) he only does so once, assuming the reader was paying attention. It was nice to see an author not holding the readers hand then entire time.

My other problem was with the characters. Much like the city, character descriptions are quite vague, save a few tertiary characters. Further, I felt that many of the characters, especially Stefan, were more caricatures than characters; with one dimensional personalities or little character growth, I felt the main characters, save Ditto and Cosmo, were pretty bland. That being said, the book does keep ones attention.

For the adult readers of this blog I would say pass on it unless you find it for $1 or something. Other than some cool aspects of the future, there is nothing new here and the main characters lack depth. But, if you have a younger reader in the household, I suppose this is worth checking out at your local library.

Book Review: The War of the Worlds

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Release Date: 1898
Publisher: William Heinemann
Audience: Everyone
Pages 303
Read the Book: Project Gutenberg
Buy the Book: Amazon ; (Compilation) Amazon
Book Rating: 5/5








I was introduced to many books by the Moby Illustrated Classics, small books with truncated versions of classic novels with comic book frames on each page illustrating the novel as it progressed. These books often made an impression on me as a child and I have returned to many of them as an adult to read the original books to reread the books but also see how they differed (often a great deal) from the Moby books. Tangent aside, The War of the Worlds was one of the books I had from the series and, since then, have read the actual book a fair amount of times.

Spare some change?

For those who are not familiar with the plot, the unnamed narrator (as Wells was wont to do) is at the center of an invasion from Mars as the martians land on Earth, hungry for our resources...including MAN! The narrator gets separated from his wife and the story focuses part on his quest to find his wife and part on the invasion and the narrators attempts to come to terms with both.

Like many of Wells novels, a great deal of the novel is given over to the narrators introspection to what is happening around them but it does not affect the pace of the novel (as often occurs with heavy handed authors in the 19th century) Not quite a epistolary narrative (such as Dracula or Frankenstein) the book is nevertheless a journal by the narrator narrating the events as they happen to him.

The book, regardless of its science fiction trappings, still stays within the science of the times to a reasonable degree. H.G. Wells, an advocate of Darwinism, saw the usurpation of mankind's place on Earth as inevitable, be it by other races, species, or aliens. Much like my recommendation in regards to The Time Machine modern science fiction and its offshoots owe much to H.G. Wells, and The War of the Worlds should be on everyone's list of must read sci-fi.

Book Review: Space Wolf

Space Wolf by William King
Release Date: November 2003
Publisher: Black Library
Audience: Everyone/Adult
Pages: 416
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 4/5









The Warhammer 40k universe is tied to the Warhammer universe but, as the title implies, 40,000 years in the future. So, the elements that exist in Warhammer often continue on into the future in various permutations. The Space Wolves, a Space Marine Legion, are the 40k's answer to werewolves basically. By passing a series of initiations, a prospective Space Wolf will drink from the Cup of Wulfen (along with gene seed) and essentially gain power from both, but, like werewolves, have the animal inside threatening to take over.

Space Wolf follows the initiation of one of the legends of the Space Wolves, Ragnar Blackmane. As all Space Wolves are chosen from the best warriors their home planet, Fenris, can provide, the first part of the book follows Ragnar's life amongst his tribe. However, after proving himself in battle, Ragnar is chosen as a prospective initiate in the Space Wolves chapter. The second half of the book follows Ragnar as he is initiated, trained, and tested to prove himself worthy of the Space Wolves. However, Ragnar, despite his training, finds himself unexpectedly tested when he stumbles across the agents of Chaos on Fenris, a test where losing means death.

Granted, I don't play the tabletop and have not read the extensive codexes on the Warhammer 40k universe, but I feel that this novel does extremely well to introduce the reader to the Space Marines and Chaos, with especial attention paid to the many levels of initiation required to become a Space Marine, and also the various forces and technology that exists for the Space Marines. While the book has a good story arc, I felt that the climax of the novel did not entirely meet the standards of the novel, nor for a book of this length. That, and occasionally the novel would drag for ten or so pages. And a not so serious beef me and my friend have with William King: his extensive use of the phrase 'blood and sinew'.

If you are looking for good books to introduce you to 40k, or already are a fan of 40k, I recommend you check this series out (the amazon link leads to the first omnibus, $10 for three books ain't bad). However, if you are looking for a space opera or straight up sci-fi, I would look somewhere else or at other offerings by the Black Library, because this book doesn't leave the home world of Fenris, and most of that is in the chapter's stronghold. But subsequent novels in this series do go into space, so...

Album Review: Coil - Time Machines

Time Machines by Coil
Release Date: January 1998
Length: 73:32
Tracks: 4
Label: Eskaton
Rating: 4.5/5









This will be one of the occasional album reviews on this blog and I should state a few things before I continue with the review. The point of many of these albums is to try and review albums that could serve as background music while reading a novel, or, justified as 'dystopic' by my twisted logic. I would make the argument that probably a large majority of people will not like the music, as it is often soundscape, drone, or otherwise (arguably) repetitive or questionable as music as its traditionally understood. I like drone as it serves as white noise in a way for me, to keep that part of my mind easily distracted by other things ...well... distracted and I can focus on reading or, as is most often the case, writing.

Time Machines is a electronic drone album by Coil, a leading band in industrial drone and experimental music. The album consists primarily of differing levels of synthesizer drones that oscillate at differing rates. Supposedly the concept behind this album is to facilitate time travel, should the process ever come about. Regardless of all that, the tracks do seem to provide the soundtrack to what one would witness should they time travel as seen in the time machine films.

Other than I suppose the general categorization as electronic drone music to build a layered wall of sound, I can't think of much else to describe it. The electronic music is not the harsh tones seen in a lot of techno music, rather a unrelenting thrumming tones that last for minutes upon minutes.

Definitely I would categorize this as background music and it definitely isn't for everyone. My personal favorite is track four. The CD is OOP but I will put links up to the tracks on you tube for those interested.

Track 1: 7-Methoxy-ß-Carboline: (Telepathine)
Track 2: 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Ethyl-Amphetamine: (DOET/Hecate)
Track 3: 5-Methoxy-N, N-Dimethyltryptamine: (5-MeO-DMT)
Track 4: 4-Indolol, 3-[2-(Dimethylamino)Ethyl], Phosphate Ester: (Psilocybin)

Genre Study 1: What is Dystopia?

Over the past week or so I have published a number of reivews on books that technically aren't 'dystopian' insofar as it is commonly understood. Often if you ask someone what dystopia is you will get answers that I would boil down into two general categories: 1. 1984 Orwellsian Big Brother or 2. Mad Maxian post-apocalypse barbaric wasteland. And, generally, most "dystopian literature" falls under these categories to greater and lesser degrees. However a quick look at the definitions of dystopia may help.

 

• The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘Dystopia’ as, “an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one,” and Merriam-Webster similarly defines ‘Dystopia’ as, “an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives.”

Book Review: Seven Deadly Wonders

Seven Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly
 Release Date: December 2006
Publisher: Pocket Books
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 576
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 4/5









Okay, I guess I should state that this book doesn't fall under the category of dystopian literature, or even apocalypse literature. Well, I retract that last part. The book is about the apocalypse, but is in the tradition of those archaeological thrillers where a group, often military or paramilitary, set out to prevent Armageddon. A...'Preventapocalypse' book if you will. Ha! Worked around that loophole! Onto the review!

Seven Deadly Wonders, in a nutshell, follows Jack West Jr. and his group of scholars and soldiers as they attempt to locate the seven lost wonders of the ancient world to find and recover the golden capstone for the great pyramid at Giza. Why? Because according to an ancient sun cult, if a ritual is preformed in the capstone at a specific time and date, the nation that preforms the ritual will become the most powerful entity on the globe. However, Jack West Jr. faces opposition from other groups also seeking the capstone as countries and organizations band together to take over the world.

For a thriller, this book does very well at keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Also, the pseudo-archaeology and alterna-history in this book is well researched and well put together. Further, Imhotep V is the ancient world's Macgyver and passed his time making ever more elaborate traps, mazes, and puzzles to foil any attempt at finding the capstone, usually killing said fortune hunters in horrible ways. Further, Reilly creates a cast of colorful and unique characters.

My main complaint about this book is the length. This book is loooong. Not that it doesn't pass quickly, but a large portion of the book is sitting down the reader in front of the author, the author explaining everything to you (even so far as giving you maps and sketches), asking you if you understand everything he explained and then, once you understand the implications of whats about to happen, lets it happen, then sits you down again and recaps the events that just happened again in case you were confused the first time around. That, and you really need to check your sense of disbelief at the door. Hidden macguffins be everywhere.

For all that, Seven Deadly Wonders is a fun read, and a bit of a guilty pleasure for me as I enjoy archaeology (so much so I have a BA in it, well, social anthropology with a emphasis therein, but you get the point). If you want a book that doesn't require heavy thinking and is well put together and deals with pyramids, the hanging gardens of Babylon, firefights, explosions etc, etc, then this is a book you certainly will enjoy. If you enjoy the slapdash archaeology of Indiana Jones, you will like this book.

Book Review: Oryx and Crake

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Release Date: March 2004
Publisher: Doubleday
Audience: Everyone/Adult
Pages: 378
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 4/5









Oryx and Crake is centered around a man called Jimmy from upper society. The story follows two distinct storylines 1. The 'present' where civilization has collapsed years prior and Jimmy (now known only as Snowman) is an old hermit and 2. A series of flashbacks of Jimmy's life from early childhood up to and including the apocalypse.

The story is primarily concerned with the relationship between the three main charcters: Jimmy, his best friend and genius Glenn, and the love interest between the two only known as Oryx. However, it also examines a number of societal issues generally focused around the notion of a immoral and desensitized civilization and what could become of the world should social, moral and ethical restrains become lifted (child pronography, live executions on television, extensive genetic tinkering with plants and animals, etc) Further, both Jimmy and Glenn are from the upper echelons of society (geneticists and their families are protected and given all the luxuries) while Oryx and the rest of the world try to survive, serve the needs to the massive genetic companies, and, to a large extent, consume and buy the products the companies tell them they should.

However, Glenn aka Crake soon becomes dissatisfied and then resentful of the society he lives in and humanity in general and starts genetically engineering a species of human he believes was the intended end result of our evolution, not human beings as we known them today. However, Jimmy is not only in competition with Glenn for Oryx's attentions, but also in a continuing debate between the two over what makes us human, ideas about civilization, and, ultimately, if mankind should survive.

While this book includes a lot of social commentary it is not heavy handed and comes across naturally in the book as the two almost opposites (Jimmy and Glenn) take each side of the argument throughout the book. The book is structured extremely well and keeps the reader wondering as to what happens next both in the books 'present' and in the past. Atwood has engineered an fascinating world in this book that explores the possibilities of science and society without restriction, and the dangers thereof. A good book and I recommend checking it out if you get the chance.

Film Friday: Skyline Review

Title: Skyline
Genre: Horror/Sci-fi
Directed by: Greg and Colin Strause

• Written by: Joshua Cordes & Liam O'Donnell
• Starring: 

• Eric Balfour
• Scottie Thompson
• Brittany Daniel
• Donald Faison
• Release Date: November 12th, 2010
• Rating: 1/5

What a piece of crap. There. Review is done.

...fine


You know those horror movies where the main characters are shallow, selfish a-holes and, so you could A. care less about the characters and B. don't care when they die and actually are cheering for the opposing side a little? Imagine that, but instead of a slasher flick it is an alien invasion.

The movie follows a group of partiers in LA (what is it about LA and aliens?) who, after a night of revelry, soon find themselves and city under siege from an unknown alien race abducting humanity and killing all who oppose them. The group tries to escape the huge condo building they are in through a variety of ways but end up trying to wait out the attack and pray the military arrives in time.

While I suppose the movie does take up the notion that not everyone is the alien fighting hero and looks at what would happen when a group of (arguably) everyday people are faced with an alien invasion. However, as I said, they are all people I could care less about and the fact that the movie tries hard to make me empathize with them and feel sorry about character deaths is insulting given the fact they previously made it clear these people are selfish a-holes.

Like a slasher flick, there is little plot and even less character development and, just when the movie starts to get interesting (the last 3 minutes of the movie) the credits start to roll, giving the viewer, had they stuck with the movie so long, the finger one last time. The only thing operating in this film's favor is the fact that it is strongly suggested that humanity loses, that we are conquered and the aliens take over the planet and harvest the resource they came here for: human brains. That, and its fun to see Turk from Scrubs get eaten.

I suggest avoiding this movie and, if you want to watch a movie where alien invaders attack and destroy LA, watch Battle: LA or, better yet, ID4.

Don't let the trailer fool you, this movie is horrible.

Book Review: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
Release Date: 1968
Publisher: Doubleday
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 210
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 2/5









As I am a big fan of Blade Runner I have always been interested in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which is the book the movie draws from. However, upon reading it, despite going into it knowing it was quite different from the movie, I found the book to be rather flat.

The book follows Deckard, a bounty hunter working for the police, as he tracks down six androids who have escaped to earth. Deckard must not only destroy six dangerous robots, but also come to terms with his own humanity, and the apparent humanity the androids seem to exhibit. This problem comes to the fore for Deckard as he encounters Rachel. Rachel, a representative for the Rosen Corporation (the company that makes the androids) is an androids herself and Deckard must either come to terms with his empathy for androids, or destroy that empathy along with the androids themselves.

My main problem with the book is that it seems to just flounder around, giving over little time to any one thing. This results in many of the issues being explored by the author to be explored only skin deep. You have Deckard's relationship with his wife, with the few people left on the planet, with Rachel, with Mercerism (the religion), his own concerns about his humanity, the android's mission to prove human empathy is a myth, and several other issues all crammed into a relatively short story. At the end of the story I felt that there was little resolution to any of the issues raised in the story. While the floundering of the story and the lack of resolution can be said to reflect the main characters own failings in living a successful/happy life, I'm not buying it.

Another example of the Dying Earth genre (both earth and mars are near barren wastelands with few people living on either planet, entropy and decay slowly destroying everything.) this book, despite being the book that created Blade Runner, is just, well, ok. While I did put my expectations at the door when picking this up, it just seems the quantity of issues was chosen over quality and depth of those issues. I can't particularly say I would recommend it, but I will give a hesitant recommendation to check it out if you are a fan of the movie.

Book Review: The Time Machine

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Release Date: 1895
Publisher: William Heinemann
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 250 Pages
Read the Book Here: Project Gutenberg
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 5/5








Since I have been discussing 19th Century Dystopian Literature, I can't neglect discussing H.G.Wells who, perhaps, is one of the most influential authors in the science fiction genre, and the Dystopian genre as well. The Time Machine follows a scientist (known only as the traveler) as he, after inventing a time machine, tests it and goes hundreds of thousands of years into the future. When he arrives 800,000 years in the future mankind has already reached the apex of civilization millenia ago and now exists in a fallen state. Further, it is revealed that humans have split into two distinct species, known as the morloc and the eloi. The traveler faces a bleak future as he soon discovers his time machine has been stolen by the morloc's and he must not only try to understand how the world has arrived at such a dark state, but recover his time machine and either travel farther into the future, or, return home.

One of the first science fiction books I read when I was younger, I was fascinated by the potential of mankind when evolution is combined with the passage of time. This concept, I think, has driven not only my search for similar books (Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut as a quick example) but also in my own writing as well, and my interest in anthropology. The idea that mankind, given different environmental conditions would create such distinct end results as the morloc and the eloi has always fascinated me. That, and much like the traveler, being witness to the passing of all civilization and viewing the end of humanity. 

This novel is one of the earlier examples of the Dying Earth genre, a genre where the author explores a specific type of apocalypse: the utter exhaustion of the earth, sun, life, the universe, and everything (sorry, couldn't resist). Or, to put it simply: entropy. This is seen in The Time Machine as the traveler goes to the very end of time itself.

Much like Frankenstein, apocalypse and post-apocalypse fiction owes much to H.G. Wells and, specifically, The Time Machine. For fans of The Road, Deathlands, and others like them, pay homage to those who created the series and give this book a read.

Short Story: The Birthmark

The Birthmark by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Release Date: March 1843
Publisher: The Pioneer
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 19
Read the Story Here: The Birthmark
Story Rating: 3.5/5







What was it with the 19th century and mad scientists bent upon the perfection of the human body? We had perhaps the most famous of all mad scientists-Dr. Frankenstein-create a monster in search of bodily perfection, and now we have Aylmer who, believing that the birthmark upon his wife's face represents the imperfections of nature, sets out to remove it using the technology of man.

Hawthorne, not one to skimp on symbolism in his tales (See "Young Goodman Brown") also packs a lot of symbolism into the three main characters: Aylmer (our resident mad scientist), Georgiana (his wife), and Aminadab (Aylmer's assistant). Further, how these characters are described, what they say, how they play off one another and, ultimately, their fate in the story have lead to multiple modes of interpretation and analysis of this story.

However, that aside, this short story is a good read insofar as watching Aylmer's descent from loving husband to almost brute dictator over his wife in his attempts to remove the birthmark and the extremes he will go to to remove it, proving man's superiority over nature. Much like Dr. Frankenstein, what starts out as an attempt towards perfection soon turns the opposite way and the bright future envisioned by Aylmer becomes dark indeed.

I recommend a read, I mean, its only 19 pages and if you have a little time between stops, this is a good short story to check out. If you are interested in something less digital, Hawthorne did publish this short story in Mosses from an Old Manse in 1846 and the collection also includes "Young Goodman Brown", another excellent short story from Hawthorne. Check it out on Amazon.

Book Review: The Last Man

The Last Man by Mary Shelley
Release Date: February 1826
Publisher: Henry Colburn
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 432
Read the Book Here: Project Gutenberg
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 2.5/5









A lesser known title by Mary Shelley and regarded as one of her weaker works, The Last Man follows a group of individuals (generally understood to operate as roman à cléf for Shelley and her circle of literary friends) as they flee across Europe to escape a plague that is wiping out mankind.

This book also fits the definition of dystopian literature in that Mary Shelley sets her novel in the year 2100. If one could make a definitive argument that Frankenstein is not a dystopian novel, they would be hard pressed to make a similar argument about this novel. You have social order breaking apart, with new social groups emerging as they react to the plague and attempt to survive, and, well, you have a clearly defined apocalypse. Much like a natural disaster movie in the same vein, you follow a group of people as they navigate a crumbling world and try to make sense of it all.

I have only read this book once as I have somehow misplaced my copy of The Last Man and, to be honest, it took me awhile to get through it as it moves much slower than Frankenstein and I sat it aside a couple times to read something else as well. I think the problem is sometimes it gets mired down in details of day to day and, in all honesty, extensive monologues reflecting upon the apocalypse cast in 19th century language can get tedious at times. Not to mention the blood and chaos we typically think of if the apocalypse occurred today isn't there in The Last Man. Yes, you do have some of it, and it has been several years since I read it, but I just don't recall much other than the group traveling from place to place with people dying en masse across Europe.

For those who read contemporary dystopian literature, the offerings of the 19th century are a fascinating departure from today's offerings in that ideas concerning the end of the world 100+ years ago and the general mindset was quite different. There was a lot of exploration of the idea of the end of the world and the 19th century is really worth an exploration of to see what is has to offer. As far as The Last Man is concerned, I would recommend checking your local library to check it out or, if you see it for a couple bucks, it can't hurt to pick it up, but it takes it time telling its story (to the detriment of the novel I feel) and it may lose the readers attention.

Book Review: Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Release Date: March 1818
Publisher: Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor & Jones
Audience: Everyone
Pages: 280 (322 in OWC)
Read the Book Here: Project Gutenberg
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 5/5







The question of precisely when dystopian literature reared its head in the literary world is debatable, with many scholars leaning towards the latter end of the 19th century, usually citing H.G. Wells oeuvre as the beginnings of the genre. However, I disagree with that as I feel that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is probably one of the earliest examples of the genre. In the next week or so, I will discuss more about this topic and the concept of 'Dystopian' in my first post examining the genre. Onto the review!

If you have not read the novel, and have only gone by the popular depictions of a shambling brute monster, you will be surprised by the fact that the monster (as it is only known by that name) is intelligent, learns several languages, and engages Dr. Frankenstein in a battle of wits that takes them across the globe and eventually intro the arctic. The monster even demands a wife from Dr. Frankenstein by rights as Dr. Frankenstein has created him and must take responsibility for his actions. However, Dr. Frankenstein, seeing the monstrous end result of his aspirations to create a new human race, refuses to do so, fearing the eventual extinction of human beings across the globe.

If I could sum up this book in one word, that word would be obsession. Dr. Frankenstein's obsession to create the perfect human being, the monsters obsession with destroying Dr. Frankenstein, and Walton's obsession with finding the north pole. With numerous frames and epistolary narratives, Frankenstein explores both creator and creation and how they understand the world around them. The latter half of the novel involves the cat and mouse games between the monster and the Doctor as they try to destroy the other.

Regarded as one of the earliest examples of science fiction, I argue it is one of the earliest examples of dystopian literature. While it does move slow at some points, this is a must read for any fan of the dystopian genre, and outside of the genres it rests in, Frankenstein is a classic and should be read by everyone. It can be picked up for super cheap and is worth the money. I put the 1818 edition up as I used it in a class and the introductory materials give a lot of background on the story and author and gives a lot of perspective on the novel and is a good edition to pick up if you are wanting to toss down more than a few bucks.

Book Review: Storm of Iron

Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill
Release Date: July 2002
Publisher: Black Library
Audience: Everyone/Mature
Pages: 288
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 5/5









This book was the first entry in the Warhammer 40,000 (or simply 40k) universe that I read and, man, did it get me hooked on the books from Black Library and Warhammer 40k in general (though I have as of yet to look into the tabletop game, as I have neither the time, money, or inclination). And, from a few people I have talked to and perusing the internet, this book seems to be the first novel many people read in the 40k series, much like Ninja Scroll for anime (at least, 10-15 years ago anyway before the massive influx of anime on western shores).

The book follows a group of Iron Warriors laying siege to a Imperial stronghold to access the treasure inside that may shift the war in Chaos' favor and create a force that is the equal of the Imperial Space Marines. The story follows a number of higher ups in the Iron Warriors as they A. vie with Imperial forces for control of the stronghold and B. vie with one another for control of the campaign.

This book is long, bloody, full of battles and explosions, and a good read. I think McNeill does a really good job introducing the various elements of both sides (the Imperial forces and Chaos forces), the weapons they use, and their general socio-political organization. McNeill, while he focuses on the Iron Warriors, he also gives a decent amount of space for the Imperial officers who are protecting the stronghold. I really can't say too much more without ruining anything but this was a pivotal novel in the 40k universe, is extremely well written, and is highly recommended. If you like war and battles and some intrigue, you will like this book.

Film Friday - Battle: Los Angeles Review

Title: Battle: Los Angeles
Genre: Action/Sci-fi/War
Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
Written by: Chris Bertolini
Starring:
Aaron Eckhart
Michelle Rodriguez
Ramon Rodriguez
Bridget Moynahan
Release Date: March 11th, 2011
Rating: 3.5/5






Battle: LA follows a group of marines during an alien invasion as the battle for the control of LA. Or, more specifically, Battle: LA follows a group of marines as they first attempt to rescue civilians then, later, escape LA and try to find a way to defeat the alien menace.

Battle: LA seems to follow the tropes of the natural disaster genre  and war movies moreso than an alien invasion. You get the main character who is somewhat dissatisfied with their life, you get the inital introduction of the characters to personify them and make the audience care, destruction of urban areas, people running around screaming, explosions, etc etc. except, instead of a volcano or earthquake, you have aliens. As far as the storyline goes, its pretty typical, aliens are invading to get our resources. That's it. The other storyline, the characters, is somewhat succeful in that no, I didn't get attached to any of the characters other than Aaron Eckhart's character but there were times I was wondering if they would ultimately succeed or fail.

The aliens in this are pretty cool and are something I haven't seen before in alien movies, which was a pleasant surprise, although their ships were pretty bland-more connected piles of scrap metal than actual ships. Another surprise is that the aliens and humans are on pretty even terms as far as combat technology and warfare. Yes, they do have superior technology, but it has weaknesses that the marines exploit, which makes the aliens feel more believable. CGI is pretty good too.

One thing I didn't care for was the shaky gureilla handycam style filming. Yes, during the fighting it works, but in stationary shots the camera keeps moving a zooming in and out needlessly and its really distracting.

Battle: LA, for what it is, executes it pretty well and makes a decent movie. That, and twoface is in it. I recommend checking it out.

Book Review: Deathlands 64 - Bloodfire

Deathlands 64 - Bloodfire by Nick Pollotta
Release Date: December 2003
Publisher: Worldwide LIbrary/ Gold Eagle
Audience: Mature
Pages: 352
Buy the Book: Amazon
Book Rating: 5/5
GraphicAudio Length: 7 hours
Buy the Audiobook: GraphicAudio
Audiobook Rating: 5/5






This is one of the better Deathlands book in quite a while. After destroying Rockpoint Ryan and his band leave across the desert to the nearest Redoubt. Also, Ryan, receiving word that the Trader has started operations again, hopes to meet up with him again as well. However, unexpectedly, J.B. uncovers a city hidden and preserved since skydark. However, hitting the motherload proves a curse as the city full of the dead and sec-hunter droids soon becomes a charnel house as every mutant and faction within 100 miles heads to the city to feast upon the dead and living alike and loot the city of its treasures. Did I mention the city is on fire? And an acid rainstorm is on the way? Blue Kool-Aid? And more?

I think the main reason I enjoy this book a lot is because of the city. Much like the book with the arena in the sunken city in Las Vegas and the city in the Islands in the Pacific, the majority of the book takes place in a city that has survived since the nuclear holocaust and includes a large amount of urban warfare and it is cool to see the various ways Ryan and his crew both utilize the city's resources to survive, and the tactics they use fighting various enemies.

As far as the storyline goes in regards to the Trader, it is a bit of a letdown, I won't spoil anything, but while the story arc is good, it just doesn't have much to do with the plotline that goes through these two books. Other than the fact that they are at war with Baron Gaza, they really have no bearing on the plot. While Deathlands novels tend to be somewhat formulaic at times, I enjoy the novels that have actual bearing on the overall plot of the Deathlands series more. This and book 63 fall in the middle of those two ends, more than just another novel in the series, but not too much more.

In short, 64 is one of the better novels in the series, and you really don't need to read 63 to enjoy 64.