The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Alive?

[Quatermass]

I'm not going to bother doing any humorous comment here, so let's get on with the preamble.

The rules, as mentioned before, are simple:

*I must read, and/or finish, at least one new book that I haven't read each week. A week is defined as being the same named day after the last day I read and reviewed a book, regardless of the time (as long as it is the same day at my time, AEST). That is, if my last book reviewed and read was on a Saturday, my next book must be finished and reviewed by the end of the next Saturday.

*If I have started, but not finished, a book prior to starting this thread, then I may include it, as long as I have not read it all the way through at any stage.

*I must write a review.

*The book has to be relatively substantial. That is, I will not read an individual issue of a comic or manga (though an individual collected volume is fine), or a screenplay, unless said screenplay is accompanied by a making-of book, or a children's picture book. In addition, I will not be reviewing webcomics (unless available in printed form) or fanfiction.

Now, some caveats...

*I will NOT take reading suggestions. Anyone who does so will find themselves being given a very rude answer. However, comments and dissenting opinions (NOT reviews: this is MY review thread) are welcome, as long as they are decent and well-thought out.

*One of the unofficial rules, albeit one I might break (as it is an unofficial rule) is that I don't review two things of the same sort back to back. That is, I don't read two graphic novels back to back, two Doctor Who books back to back...you get the idea. I may break it on rare occasion, depending on circumstances...

*I used to have a very skewed scoring system. A few of you may remember said system when I started a similar thread going back over the Discworld novels, as well as the dispute that followed. After some consideration, I have adopted a new, still skewed but far less so, scoring system based on five stars. The scores are still my business. Dispute with the scoring system at your peril. In this thread, I am Stephen Fry on QI, and you really don't want to be klaxoned.

 

[Quatermass]

Re: The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Ali

BOOK 1

Naruto volume 12: The Great Flight, by Masashi Kishimoto.

Well, I have no pithy comments to make regarding this. So, let’s get on with the review…

In the third and final part of the Chunin Exams, the first round is Naruto versus Neji Hyuga. Vowing to avenge Neji nearly killing Hinata, Naruto finds himself at a disadvantage, given Neji’s mastery not only of the Gentle Fist, but also of other devastating moves. But Neji’s cruelty and bitterness is rooted in an injustice that damns much of the Hyuga clan, and Naruto will be hardpressed to prevail. And when Sasuke proves to be absent, his match is delayed. When Suna shinobi Kankuro withdraws from his match, his ruthless sister Temari moves into her own match, against the lazy and apathetic Shikamaru Nara. But Nara is a strategic genius, and Temari’s victory may yet be far from assured…

The story is certainly a good one, with the fights between Neji and Naruto, as well as Temari and Shikamaru being some of the best in the series so far. What’s more, we have some explanation of the rancour Neji holds towards Hinata. My main beef with this volume is how readily Neji seems to be forgiven for his actions. That and, as with any shounen manga, there is more action than plot, though events in this volume suggest much for the future.

Neji gets significant character development in this chapter, with an explanation for his attitude. I just wish, as mentioned above, more was done to call him out on his brutal actions and murderous attitude. And we get some more development of Shikamaru, nominally a very bland character, whose fight with Temari reveals his true colours.

Overall, this volume of Naruto was better than the norm, and was certainly enjoyable. But the Chunin Exams arc is far from over…



****


FIRST WORDS: You won’t be able to win with a fart this time, Naruto.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

Re: The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Ali

BOOK 2

Doctor Who: Time Lord Fairy Tales, by Justin Richards.


Doctor Who has a rich tapestry of mythology, just ripe for harvesting. In fact, many a story takes a cue from the annals of myth, and even fairy tales. So it’s not surprising that a book of ‘fairy tales’, so to speak, would be written. But how would it fare?

Time Lord Fairy Tales presents 15 stories, passed down through generations of Time Lords. Dark and elegant, these stories range from the Wirrn-infested Frozen Beauty, all the way to the dark designs of The Grief Collector.

Now, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. Most of the stories are based on fairy tales and myths that are very well known, so most of these stories are hardly original. In fact, there’s only four stories that I don’t recognise the source material, assuming these ones have one. They are also short and rather unsatisfying, if one is looking for substantial fare.

And yet, this book still manages to entertain. Although written by Justin Richards, it has the feel of being written by Neil Gaiman, for many of the stories, despite being based on fairy tales, also feel darker than certainly the sanitised versions that kids hear (though they’re probably not far from the darker original tales). Despite the short length of the stories, Richards manages to infuse them with interesting prose and characters, and even gives some standard fairy tales interesting twists, like putting the Wirrn into a version of Sleeping Beauty, or the Nimon into a version of Jack and the Beanstalk. Certainly Richards makes an effort to mix in elements from the classic series as well as the new series.

Overall, while nowhere near perfect, Time Lord Fairy Tales was certainly very enjoyable and interesting. Give it a whirl if you’re a Whovian. Or even if you’re not.



****


FIRST WORDS: Once upon a time, there was a house at the edge of a town.

LAST WORDS: Just like one of the stars amongst which the warrior lived.

 

[Quatermass]

Re: The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Ali

BOOK 3

Naruto volume 13: The Chunin Exam, Concluded…!!, by Masashi Kishimoto.


Again, I’ve got no pithy thing to say about Naruto. So, with that in mind, let’s get on with the review, shall we?

After Shikamaru’s shocking forfeit, a decision that ironically may get him a chunin rank, the time approaches for Sasuke and Gaara’s match to begin. At the last moment, Sasuke and Kakashi arrive, and none too soon, for Gaara intends to slake his bloodlust by killing Sasuke. Even with his new skills, though, and the power of the Chidori attack, Sasuke may not be able to win. And soon, the exams become a moot point, for Oto and Suna begin their invasion. Their purpose? To destroy Konoha and its people, and it will lead to many confrontations, including between the Hokage, and his former student, the vile Orochimaru…

As usual, this volume suffers from the shounen blight of style over substance. Lots of action and one-upmanship, along with more than a few arsepulls, but in the end, popcorn entertainment. Nothing really deep, especially after the character exploration in the previous volume.

But there are some excellent twists and the long-awaited fight between Sasuke and Gaara, while with a slightly abrupt end, is still quite good. We also have the beginning of an event hinted at in previous volumes: an invasion of Konoha by joint forces of Oto and Suna. And the beginning of that, along with a fight to the death between the Hokage and Orochimaru is promising.

Overall, I enjoyed this volume of Naruto, despite the unlucky number. Here’s hoping for the future, eh?


****


FIRST WORDS: VICTOR, TEMARI!!

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

Re: The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Ali

BOOK 4

The Absolute Sandman Volume 1, by Neil Gaiman et al.

I’m not a comic book fan, normally, at least not as die-hard as some. So buying the very expensive Absolute Editions of various graphic novels is not something I’d normally do. However, for a series like The Sandman, Neil Gaiman’s magnum opus, I would certainly make an exception. But how does the first volume of The Absolute Sandman measure up?

In 1916, an ambitious head of an occult society, Roderick Burgess, attempts to entrap no less an entity than Death. However, his ritual only serves to ensnare Dream, causing chaos across the world. 70 years later, Dream escapes, and sets out on a quest to rebuild his demesne, as well as retrieve both his stolen tools, and wayward residents of the Dreamworld. It is a journey that will take him literally to Hell and back, and things are complicated by the appearance of a dangerous Dream Vortex embodied in a teenager, as well as the scheming of Dream’s sibling, Desire. But there is more to Dream than just this, like his rescue of the Muse Calliope, or his sponsoring William Shakespeare to give a performance to the Fair Folk…

While I have read the entirety of the series before reading this, it’s enjoyable to go back, particularly to storylines well-loved. Not only that, but the colouring of the artwork has been given an overhaul, so while the art style is still very much of the era (late 80s and early 90s), it feels fresher. The storylines are dark, and I have to confess that the arc portrayed in the original second graphic novel volume, The Doll’s House, is not that much of a favourite, though its quality is still higher than the norm. Neil Gaiman is a master wordsmith and storyteller, even on his off days.

While I am not completely convinced that the price tag is wholly justified, there is no denying that this is a gorgeously presented book. Leaving aside the newly-coloured artwork, the binding and slipcase are well done, giving further credence to this series being a work of literature in comic format, and it feels less like a graphic novel and more like a tome of eldritch lore and ancient mythology, if you’ll forgive the hyperbole. In addition, it has some special features, including Gaiman’s original proposal for the series, as well as a summary of the first few issues that adds clarity, not to mention his original script for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where Shakespeare performs the eponymous play for an audience of Fair Folk, along with the original line drawings.

Overall, while I’m not so sure about the price tag, the truth is that this is an excellent presentation of an excellent series.


****½


FIRST WORDS: Where does storytelling end and mythology begin?

LAST WORDS: But very late.

 

[Quatermass]

Re: The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Ali

BOOK 5

Dali and Disney: Destino: The Story, Artwork and Friendship Behind the Legendary Film, by David A Bossert.



There are some combinations that you wouldn’t think work well together. One of them would be Salvador Dali and Walt Disney. And yet, the two collaborated on a film back in the 40s. So I found myself intrigued enough about a book on the abortive making of Destino to read it…

Dali and Disney: Destino tells the story of how two apparently disparate artists came to become friends and collaborators. It tells the tale of how an attempt to make a short film helmed by Dali came to an end when it was considered commercially unviable. And it tells the story of the afterlife and rebirth of the film over five decades since the original attempt…

If there is one problem to this book, it is that it is short and lacking in substance. While this is not truly a bad thing, considering that it is all about a single short film, it also means that the book is less satisfying than it could have been. There’s more pictures than actual story.

But one cannot deny the presentation that went into this. The pictures look glossy and vibrant, and the story itself is of immense interest anyway. I mean, Salvador Dali and Walt Disney collaborating. It sounds like a really bad fanfic crossover. And yet, it’s also fascinating too, because they did become friends.

Overall, this book was an intriguing and interesting one. A shame it didn’t have more substance, really.


****


FIRST WORDS: In 1998, when I first listened to the original, early 1940s Dora Luz recording of “My Destiny of Love”, it sounded horrible.

LAST WORDS: “It’s important that we keep remembering that.”

 

[Quatermass]

Re: The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Ali

BOOK 6

Naruto volume 14: Hokage VS Hokage!!, by Masashi Kishimoto.

Finally, the tedium of the Chunin Exams are over. But a new story sequence in Naruto has started with the previous volume, of an invasion of Konoha. Even so, it may be that this part of the story manages to retain interest…

The insane Gaara and his two siblings are fleeing the arena, with a number of young Konoha ninja following in hot pursuit, though it will be a pursuit into danger. Meanwhile, the Hokage faces off against his old student, the vile Orochimaru, who uses a vile technique to resurrect the Hokage’s predecessors to fight. In order to stop Orochimaru and his undead slaves, the Hokage must use a technique that will probably cost him his life…

Having moved on from the Chunin Exams, the action in Naruto is heating up. But while it still suffers from the shounen manga blight of style and action over substance, it still manages to remain interesting. The focus in this volume in particular is the fight between the Third Hokage, and Orochimaru, as well as the First and Second Hokages Orochimaru revives. We get more insight into Orochimaru’s motives and villainy.

We also have a good fight scene, and while it is a disappointing one in a few regards, with the Third Hokage being batted around most of the time, it’s also justified in story standards. We also have a fight between Shino and Kankuro. We also have intriguing glimpses of Konoha’s past, as viewed through the Hokage’s eyes.

Overall, this was a good volume of Naruto. I just hope it continues to keep to this standard…


****


FIRST WORDS: …

LAST WORDS: …Uchiha Sasuke…!!

 

[Quatermass]

Re: The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog TP5: Number Five is Ali

BOOK 7

The Big Finish Companion Volume 1, by Richard Dinnick.

While fans of Doctor Who are well aware of the TV series and the books, more than a few are unaware of the vast amount of audio stories for the program. The vast majority of these audio stories, many of which are better than anything done on TV, have been produced by a company called Big Finish. And now, I have a behind-the-scenes book about that company and its output.

The Big Finish Companion Volume 1 is a coffee table-sized guidebook detailing the output of Big Finish. Not just the Doctor Who audios, but also for series like Sapphire and Steel, Robin Hood, and Highlander. It is the self-proclaimed definitive guide for any fan of Big Finish.

Of course, for claiming itself to be definitive, it isn’t quite that. It only follows the first 75 main range Doctor Who releases, deliberately keeping the next 75 aside for the next volume of this companion book, as it does with some of the other ranges it covers. And for a coffee table-sized book, it’s lacking a little in the presentation stakes: you half-expect the pages to be printed on glossy paper with colour photos occasionally, especially for the price tag.

Despite this, it evokes the feeling of the various programme guides for Doctor Who over the years, like the Discontinuity Guide, and others. Interesting facts and trivia are given, along with quotes from the making of, and interviews with key personnel, especially those actors who played new companions for Doctor Who. The sheer info inside does help make up for the shortcomings of this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, even if I was left frustrated and wanting more. I’ll have to get the next volume before long…


****


FIRST WORDS: When my ‘Abrupt Finish’ terminated my tenure as the Doctor in 1986, I thought that was it.

LAST WORDS: I hope what I’ve said above helps explain why they might ask that question.