The Quatermass Perpetual Book-Reading Blog

[Quatermass]

BOOK 98

Overlord volume 1, by Satoshi Oshio and Hugin Miyama, based on the light novels by Kugane Maruyama.

Having enjoyed the Overlord light novels, it was well past time that I had a look at the manga adaptation, and see what it brought to the table. But how would it do? Let’s find out…

Momonga is the head of Ainz Ooal Gown, one of the most famous guilds in the 22nd century Dive-MMORPG Yggdrasil, set in the Tomb of Nazarick. But the guild is past its glory days, as is the game, which is about to be shut down. In a fit of pique, Momonga stays logged on to the very end…only to find the NPCs of Nazarick coming to life and obeying his orders. Oh, and he’s now an undead skeletal overlord. He has an army at his beck and call. What will he do now that he has been transported to a new world?

While the original story was brilliant, I have to say, this adaptation, while good, does leave out more than a few things. There’s a few scenes here and there that added to the story that were left out of this adaptation, funny scenes that added a little rounding out to the story. They weren’t necessary scenes, but they worked. And while the art style does work for more comedic scenes, it doesn’t seem as superlative as either so-bin’s illustrations for the novels, or Madhouse’s animation for the anime.

That being said, it’s still a good story, and the artwork does work well, even for non-comedy scenes. In addition, there’s a brief short story as a bonus about Albedo, Shalltear and Aura discussing Albedo’s armour in the back of the manga volume. The adaptation is fine enough. I just wish there was more to it.

Overall, this manga adaptation of Overlord was good, but not superlative. A shame, really.


***½


FIRST WORDS: A few days ago-

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 99

Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic, by the British Library.

So, here I am, having a look at a Harry Potter book, one derived from a recent exhibition at the British Library. But how well would I enjoy it? Well, that is the question…

Harry Potter: A Journey Through a History of Magic is a compendium of art and artifacts relating to the famous fantasy franchise. From illustrations of the books, including those by JK Rowling herself, all the way to historic books about magic, this book has much in it. It explores both the roots of the series, as well as where it is going…

Books like this are frequently a triumph of style over substance, and this is one of them where substance is mostly absent. The information is at best meant for kids, and it feels very thin on the ground, especially where many of the illustrations come from Jim Kay’s illustrated books. I have to confess, this was a very disappointing book.

This isn’t to say that this book is wholly without merit. One of the more fascinating aspects were the illustrations Rowling herself did of various characters. And there’s quite a few interesting historic illustrations and books mentioned. It’s just not enough to save this book.

Overall, this feels like a quick cash grab that won’t appeal to any but the most hardcore Harry Potter fan. A shame, really. This had some potential…

**½


FIRST WORDS: On the 26th June 1997 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published.

LAST WORDS: Marking JK Rowling’s screenplay debut and welcoming us to a new era of the Wizarding World.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 100

One-Punch Man volume 2, by One and Yusuke Marata.

So, I’ve gone back to reading One-Punch Man, the superhero manga series. But would the second volume be any good? Here’s hoping…

After being attacked by genetically-engineered monsters from the House of Evolution, Saitama and his protégé Genos must track these villains down. But there ain’t no rest for the wicked, and Saitama finds himself lumped in with the bald villain gang known as the Paradisers, led by Hammerhead. Can Saitama clear this misconception up in time?

Okay, well, it seems like it’s taking too much time for this series to get to the point, frankly. The two storylines, while entertaining enough in their own right, don’t really have enough substance for my liking, which, frankly, is a crying shame. It’s only by the end of this volume that we have the story apparently moving onto something bigger and better. And the Paradisers are, frankly, boring villains.

That being said, the humour is, for the most part, on the mark, and Saitama is a brilliantly hilarious hero. The revelation of exactly how he became so strong is also funny, as is the reaction to it. It’s certainly not a bad series, just lacking so far.

Overall, the latest instalment of One-Punch Man, while not bad, was below the norm I had come to expect. A shame, really…

***

FIRST WORDS: Long ago, there was a young, genius scientist.

LAST WORDS: If you don’t brush up quickly, you quickly rot.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 101

The Periodic Table: A Visual Guide to the Elements by Tom Jackson.

I heard about this book quite by accident. This infographic-filled book on the periodic table and the elements oddly appealed to me. But would I enjoy it?

The Periodic Table: A Visual Guide to the Elements takes a look at the elements and chemistry via infographics. From hydrogen to the transfermium elements, there’s an examination of chemistry and atoms. There’s also information on the various elements and their uses in society, both historic and modern…

Okay, let’s get the crappy stuff out of the way. To many, this stuff would be boring, infographics or not. And for all the density of information in here, it feels somewhat lacking, predigested. It just feels a little shallower than it could have been.

But the fact is, it’s still pretty dense in information. Hell, this book could easily be a chemistry textbook, and of a sort people would have less problem reading than a standard text. It’s beautifully presented and written, jampacked full of info that is made interesting, and was less of a chore to read than most chemistry books normally would be.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I can see it replacing chemistry textbooks at a high school level at the least. Hopefully, it could buck things up…

****

FIRST WORDS: The periodic table is the ultimate infographic.

LAST WORDS: We will have to wait and see.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 102

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Part 1: Phantom Blood volume 2, by Hirohiko Araki.

So, at last, I move onto the next volume of the appropriately-named JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. But would this series pick up after the disappointing first volume? Let’s find out…

Dio Brando’s transformation into a vampire leads to him going on a bloody rampage against everyone in his way, and only a desperate gamble by Jonathan stops him, at the cost of heavily injuring Jonathan. But even as he is tended to by the love of his life, Erina Pendleton, who has returned to him after years of self-imposed exile, the threat isn’t over. Dio is still alive, and gathering followers to him. Jonathan’s hope is the eccentric Zeppeli, who has a link to the mask that gave Dio his powers. But will the power of hamon, a power Zeppli has perfected over years of training, be enough to stop Dio?

Now that we’re getting to the meat of the story, it feels a lot better. But there are still plenty of faults, especially the OTT nature of the story and overblown character responses clashing somewhat with the older manga artwork style. Plus, I think a couple of the characters, like Jack the Ripper, are badly underutilised, and that more build-up could have been made of Zeppeli’s training.

That being said, the story is picking up somewhat. Zeppeli’s an intriguing character, as is the concept of hamon, even if it’s also somewhat ridiculous, even compared to the stuff like ki or chakra in later manga titles. And there’s some great lines, including a vampirised Dio, upon being confronted about how many people he consumed to heal himself, responds coolly whether anyone remembers how many slices of bread one has in their life.

Overall, while not great, this volume of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure does manage to be better than the initial one. Maybe I should continue…


***½


FIRST WORDS: F-Father…

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 103

Doctor Who: Dalek: The Astounding Untold Story of the Greatest Enemies of the Universe, by George Mann, Cavan Scott and Justin Richards.


Well, a big huge honking book about the Daleks. A possible also-ran that I am only reading to kill time. But could it be better than that?

This book purports to contain a definitive history about the Daleks and their impact on the universe. From their origins in a thousand year-long war on Skaro, to their battles in the Time War, and beyond, the story of the Daleks is told. Interspersed with the history are also comics and short stories of new adventures involving the Daleks, as well as some behind the scenes facts about their time in Doctor Who.

Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. This stuff has been written about before, time and time again. Not only that, but individual adventures are covered repeatedly within this book from different perspectives in time, the redundancy and repetition proving to be more than a little irritating. And I wanted more behind-the-scenes stuff from the TV show.

And yet, the authors manage to actually write about the history of the Daleks in a way that is surprisingly fresh, filled with references and injokes only the most hardcore fans will get all of. It feels right, like they’re managing to bring together the convoluted timeline of the Daleks into a coherent whole. And the presentation of the book is great, with plenty of quite good artwork to go with the history.

Overall, this book is a well-presented one that I enjoyed. Not perfect by any means, but entertaining and great for Whovians…


****½


FIRST WORDS: The Doctor once described the Daleks as ‘living, bubbling lumps of hate’.


LAST WORDS: “EXTERMINATE!”

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 104

Is This a Zombie? volume 1, by Sacchi, based on the light novels by Shinichi Kimura.

So, yet again, I try out a manga series based on a light novel series. One that is filled with ribald humour and bizarre concepts. But how would it go?

Ayumu Aikawa may seem like a normal high school student, but he’s anything but. Murdered by a serial killer, he is resurrected as a thinking, talking zombie by Eucliwood Hellscythe, a seemingly mute girl in armour who has made herself right at home in his own house. After an encounter with dimension-hopping, chainsaw-wielding Magikewl Girl Haruna, things are about to get even more complicated…

Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. This story has a very disturbing emphasis on sexualising teenaged girls, more so than the norm. It’s not quite as bad as No Game, No Life, as they seem to be about the age or slightly younger than Ayumu if only by association, but even so, it’s a major turn off towards this series. Also, the whole Magikewl Girl thing seems like an unnecessary layer on top of what is already an interesting subject, and it actually feels like the author tried to cram in everything, including the kitchen sink.

That being said, the comedy does tend to be more hit than miss, and the character of Eucliwood Hellscythe is a fascinating one. Her muteness and the reason for it, combined with her generally endearing nature, helps. And there’s also the mystery around Ayumu’s killer, which is interesting enough to make me want to read more in the series.

Overall, while many elements brought it below par, I enjoyed enough of the first volume of Is This a Zombie? to consider reading the next volume. Here’s hoping the next volume has more substance…


***


FIRST WORDS: Can you avoid a falling star?

LAST WORDS: -Huh?

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 105

The Saga of Tanya the Evil volume 1: Deus lo Vult by Carlo Zen.

An anime franchise that I stumbled across quite by accident was Youjo Senki, otherwise known as The Saga of Tanya the Evil. Having heard it was adapted from a light novel series, I thought I’d give it a shot. But I had to wonder, given my latest disappointments with various light novels, whether this would be the same…

After firing a drug addicted-employee, a cold-hearted Japanese HR manager is murdered by the man he fired, only to wake up being confronted by a being who claims to be God. The atheistic manager argues with the entity he dubs ‘Being X’ about the nature of faith. Desperate to make people believe in him again, Being X decides to remove the HR manager from a life of comfort and privilege, reincarnating him as an orphaned girl in a time of war. It is a parallel universe where World War I didn’t start until the Twenties, and is fought with mages, and Tanya Degurechaff, the HR manager’s reincarnation, has magical talent. Being thrown into war at a young age is bad enough, but Being X has a plan to force Tanya to become a faithful acolyte, by hook or by crook. And that’s without going into incompetent military commanders and insane researchers…but Tanya is smart, shrewd, and ruthless enough to try and turn warfare on its head and rise to the top doing so, or die trying…

The premise itself may be somewhat alienating. Tanya is on the side of the Germans, albeit an alternate Germany like that under Kaiser Wilhelm as opposed to the Nazis, and the illustrations are more reminiscent of World War II than World War I. In addition, the way the viewpoints are changed, switching between talking about Tanya in the third and first person amongst other things, is annoying.

That being said, the story is quite a good one, even if, like many a light novel, it finishes despite setting things up for a later story. Tanya herself is fascinating, like a more cold and ruthless version of Flashman or Ciaphas Cain, albeit not without moments of sympathy, while the antagonistic force of Being X is also an intriguing concept. Many dark and complex concepts are woven together, albeit not without some humour at times.

Overall, I have to say I enjoyed the first volume of The Saga of Tanya the Evil. I intend to read the next one when it comes out…


****½


FIRST WORDS: In the beginning, there was only light.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 106

Darkstalkers/Red Earth: Maleficarium, by Mami Itou.

So, here I am, reading another Darkstalkers comic. Namely, a manga made in Japan, integrating elements from both Darkstalkers and another Capcom fighting game, Red Earth. But would I enjoy it?

Two different worlds, linked by a strange fate. In one realm, Morrigan Aensland and Demitri Maximoff fight against the ambitions of Jedah Domah. In another, transformed King Leo must fight to save his kingdom alongside a sexy sorcerologist and other fighters…

Okay, I’ll be honest. I can’t see the point of this manga. Either it was meant to be a continuing series that never eventuated, or else it was meant as a compilation of manga chapters the author did. The story is basically an adaptation of the video games, but there really is no plot, especially to the Darkstalkers elements.

If there are any real good points to it, it’s the various nods to the games. The Red Earth chapters obviously follow part of the game’s story, and are the most coherent parts of this work. And the Darkstalkers chapters are nice enough in that they would be interesting to fans of the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.

This manga is filled with wasted potential, designed to appeal to fans but severely lacking substance. A shame, really…


**½

FIRST WORDS: Hm...

LAST WORDS: I doubt my nightmare will be ending any time soon.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 107

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? volume 1, by Fujino Omori.

Well, yet again, I go for a light novel series from Japan. The rather strangely-titled Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? has been on my radar for a while. Time would tell whether I would actually enjoy it…

The city of Orario, a place where adventurers gather to raid a massive labyrinthine dungeon. In the city are various guilds, called Familias, with deities in physical form as their patrons. The Hestia Familia, sadly, has only one member: the enthusiastic but weak Bell Cranell, whose goal is not fame and glory, but to play hero to damsels in distress, much to the annoyance of Hestia, who has fallen for him. But an encounter with the legendary Aiz Wallenstein of the Loki Familia when she saves Bell’s life leads Bell to a series of dangerous encounters, ones he might not be able to survive even as he strives to win Aiz’s heart…

Once more, I come across another Japanese series with too much ribald humour for its liking. True, it’s not as cringe-inducing as No Game No Life or Highschool DxD, but still. Plus, the story itself is pretty thin on the ground, with no real world-threatening plot, just setting up worldbuilding, presumably, for later instalments of the story.

That being said, what little plot there is works fairly well, even if it is thin on the ground. It’s entertaining and enjoyable, despite some cringe-inducing moments. And Bell, unlike some harem-seeking protagonists, manages to come across as endearing rather than repulsive. Hestia, Loki, and Hephaistos also are intriguing characters.

Overall, while not excellent, I did enjoy Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Let’s hope the series gets better…

***½


FIRST WORDS: Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon?

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 108

Bleach: Volumes 1-2-3, by Tite Kubo.

A long time ago, I tried to get into the shounen supernatural horror series Bleach. At the time, it didn’t quite grab my interest, with my not even really reading through the first volume of the manga. But now, I’ve come back to it, to see whether it would interest me once more…

Ichigo Kurosaki is not your typical 15 year old high school student. His family, especially his father, is eccentric, and Ichigo’s orange hair provokes considerable comment. Oh, and he sees dead people. Yep, he can see ghosts, ever since his mother died. But an encounter with Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki has him fighting monsters known as Hollows, restless souls mutated into horrific beasts. In order to save his family from a Hollow when Rukia is injured, Ichigo is forced to take her powers for himself. Unfortunately, that means stuck with the duty of destroying Hollows, something that gets problematic when the Hollows target his friends and family…

Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. Like any shounen series, there’s more action than plot, and in the early stages, there really isn’t much of an overarching plot anyway. Not only that, but there are times when Rukia and (sometimes) Ichigo rub me the wrong way, and I can’t say I like Ichigo’s father Isshin either.

And yet, for all this, I have to admit it’s pretty good. It’s a refreshing change to have a shounen protagonist who isn’t an obnoxious idiot and with a slightly darker edge, even if Ichigo has more than his fair share of comedy moments, and I had to admit to warming to Rukia. The characters of Chad and Orihime also were intriguing, and the various Hollows had intriguing stories or gimmicks to them. The action is fairly good for the opening stages of a shounen manga, and the comedy is more hit than miss…most of the time.

Overall, I’m glad I came back to Bleach. Maybe this could be interesting…


****


FIRST WORDS: I feel it here...

LAST WORDS: KUROSAKI!!

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 109

Overlord volumes 5 & 6: The Men of the Kingdom, by Kugane Maruyama.

Well, finally, I have embarked on the next story arc of the Overlord light novels. As the story arc takes place over two books, I decided to read them concurrently. But would it make up for the disappointment of the previous volume?

In the capital of Re-Estize, events are coming to a head. Captain Gazef Stronoff comes across his former rival Brain Unglaus, a broken man since his run-in with the vampire Shalltear Bloodfallen. Climb, a former street kid turned bodyguard to Princess Renner, works hard to be worthy to his charge, unaware that the beautiful princess hides her true self. The criminal organisation known as the Eight Fingers reels from Renner’s attacks through the law, and through the adventurers group known as the Blue Roses, with whom she has connections. And Sebas Tian, while on his mission for Ainz Ooal Gown, saves the life of a discarded prostitute, only to find out that no good deed goes unpunished, and that his actions may be seen as treachery by his master. All of these forces will converge, and the aftermath will be bloody…

Now, I don’t really have many complaints about these volumes. It’s certainly a marked improvement on the previous instalment. True, Ainz’s decreasing humanity is disturbing, as is the cruel test of loyalty he puts Sebas through, I feel that the Eight Fingers and their enforcers, the Six Arms, weren’t used as well as they could have been, given what happens to them.

That being said, the above are minor quibbles, and everything else is spot-on. The new (beyond cameos and mentions in previous books) characters, like Renner, Climb, and the Blue Roses, are all very well-used, with Renner’s hidden sociopathy chillingly well-used and Evileye’s at turns stoic and childish personality (the latter not coming out to play until the second volume) amusing. Tsuare’s character is also one of the most tragic, with her being the sister of Ninya from the second book, and it’s nice to see some small resolution of that. The old characters are also used very well, with Sebas getting some strong development, and Ainz, Demiurge, and Entoma in particular showing what they can do, and Brain Unglaus starting on a road to redemption, of sorts. The Eight Fingers and the Six Arms are still enjoyable, despite the hiccups of them coming up against overpowered characters.

The fifth and sixth volumes of Overlord together prove to be not only a return to form since the fourth book, but surpassing expectations. A brilliant read.


*****


FIRST WORDS: Looking up, he saw the dark clouds, which had covered the sky since early morning, begin spitting a light rain as if unable to resist the urge any longer.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 110

The Saga of Tanya the Evil volume 1, by Chika Tojo, based on the light novels by Carlo Zen.

The first volume of The Saga of Tanya the Evil light novels was very enjoyable. So I decided to give the manga adaptation a shot. But would I enjoy it?

It’s 1923, and an alternate version of Europe is on the verge of war, against the Empire, a version of Kaiser Wilhelm’s Germany. This will be a war fought by mages, mages who are conscripted very young. One of these mages is Tanya Degurechaff, who has a dark secret. She is the reincarnation of an HR manager from modern day Japan, but when murdered by an employee he fired, he was confronted by an entity claiming to be God, but which the lifelong atheist calls Being X. The ensuing argument means that Tanya is now in a dangerous life, one where Being X intends to force her to show faith to them…or die trying…

Given the short amount of space in the manga, it’s understandable that some things go by the wayside. That being said, I wish they didn’t cram so much of the annotations into the story itself. A reasonably educated person would be able to get at least a third of the references, and be able to look up most, if not all, of the rest. In addition, the themes may be disturbing to many, and the sociopathic nature of the protagonist may be offputting.

And yet, it was still enjoyable, with it helping to clarify some scenes that the constant switches in POV hampered. The artwork is excellent at portraying the battle scenes and characters alike, ranging from the hilarious (Tanya frolicking at the thought of getting to the rear, and thus safety) to the disquieting (Being X’s ‘conference’ of various deities) and the horrific (Tanya’s attempt at a suicide attack against enemy soldiers). And many of the annotations, when they’re not being intrusive, are at least informative.

Overall, I enjoyed this manga adaptation of The Saga of Tanya the Evil. It’s not quite as good as the novel, but it certainly does many things right…

****


FIRST WORDS: Fairy 08 to Norden Control.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 111

Doctor Who: The Book of Whoniversal Records, by Simon Guerrier.

Fact books relating to the Whoniverse are less substantial and more glossy than those of yesteryear. So, would this book be any different? Let’s find out…

The Book of Whoniversal Records is a reference guide to various records relating to Doctor Who. From the earliest-born actor to appear in the series, all the way to the largest size the TARDIS ever gets, it’s a record of extremes, firsts, latests and the like. Everything a Whovian could want for fun facts…

I’ll be frank, though. A major reference book, this ain’t. Like many others of its kind, it’s style triumphing over substance, and a lot of this stuff would be known to most Whovians already. It’s also a pale shade, I’m sure, of the Guinness books that it’s trying to ape.

That being said, there’s a surprisingly large amount of fresh, or at least freshly-presented, material, and there’s plenty of emphasis on stuff from the classic series, and is frequently interesting. The presentation is pretty well-done, and there’s an enjoyable balance on emphasis between the fictional aspects of the show, and the behind-the-scenes aspects of it. It certainly works more often than not.

While not perfect, and not as satisfying as I would like, this book was still quite enjoyable. Hopefully it will be enjoyed by Whovians who buy it…

****


FIRST WORDS: ‘I’ve travelled with a lot of people, but you’re setting new records for jeopardy friendly.’

LAST WORDS: Each Doctor’s greatest adventures- depending how you measure them.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 112

Persona 3: Chapitre Un, by Shuji Sogabe, based on the video game by Atlus.

Having heard much about the Persona video games, I thought I’d give the manga adaptation of the third game a try. But how would I find it? Let’s find out…

Minato Arisato, a quiet teenaged orphan, has transferred to Gekkoukan High School, moving into the local dorms, unaware that his fellow students share a dark secret. For a mysterious period of time, the Dark Hour, exists between the interstices of the chimes of midnight, and mysterious entities known as Shadows prey on the minds of those unable to resist its effects. But there are those who can resist its effects, including Minato himself, and he is soon drawn into a battle against the encroaching darkness…

Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. This manga is frankly about as easy to comprehend as the average David Lynch film. While it’s clear a lot of stuff is being set up to be explained later, it makes it hard to get into the story and be engaged by it, and it does alienate me somewhat, especially as there appears to be precious little story thus far, and what there is is frustratingly obscure and overly enigmatic.

That aside, it’s not too bad for what it is. The artwork is beautiful and moody, and the concepts presented are actually quite intriguing. And the story does have intriguing elements when it isn’t being obscure.

Overall, while confusing and overly enigmatic, this adaptation of Persona 3 does have some small promise. Time will tell if it’s enough for me to want to read more of it…


***


FIRST WORDS: Time does not wait.

LAST WORDS: YOU ARE.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 113

Doctor Who: The Whoniverse: The Untold History of Space and Time, by George Mann, and Justin Richards.

So, here I come to yet another Whoniverse book. Hell, it’s in the title. But would this big, glossy book be worth reading?

The Whoniverse is an attempt to lay out the convoluted and even contradictory of the universe of Doctor Who. From the Big Bang to the heat death of the universe, we see the rise of humanity, the Time Lords, the Daleks, and the Cybermen. Tales of the prehistory of Earth, of the colonisation of the galaxy, and the Time War abound…

Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. This is frankly one of those books that, as I often say, is a triumph of style over substance. I personally think it’s overpriced, and unlike the Dalek book I read not too long ago, it doesn’t really have any behind-the-scenes stuff to liven things up. And while it tries to retell the history of the Whoniverse in a fresh way, it doesn’t have the same impact as said Dalek book.

That being said, the presentation is top-notch, with lots of beautiful artworks. And the prose is quite good for the most part. Indeed, the writers did a fairly good job of weaving the disparate threads of Whoniverse history together.

Overall, though, while not bad, and certainly well-done, this was something of a disappointment for me. Good for Whovians looking for a collector’s item, true, and good for what it is, but not as good as it could have been…


***½


FIRST WORDS: ‘Homo sapiens.’

LAST WORDS: Watching, waiting and ready.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 114

Lady Killer volume 1, by Joëlle Jones and Jamie S Rich.

Sometimes, I just decide to read something on a whim. Lady Killer, for a bizarre reason, caught my eye, and so, I decided to give this macabre series a shot. But how would it go?

It’s 1962 in the USA. Josie Schuller may seem like the average housewife and mother, but things are not what they seem. She works as an assassin, unbeknownst to her family. Unfortunately, her desire to prioritise raising her family over her contract killings has aroused the concern of her employers, employers who have decided they no longer have need of her services…

Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. This story is pretty clichéd for what it is. An assassin getting betrayed by their employers because they get qualms? Yeah, it’s been done before, and better, and the plot and most of the characters aren’t much to speak of either.

That being said, the main draw of the series is the dark comedy, and this story has it in spades. Josie is the most interesting character of the bunch (and given that she’s the main character, that should be a given), and there are tantalising hints of other elements. I certainly enjoyed it, brief and clichéd though it was.

Overall, Lady Killer’s first volume was enjoyable enough. Not great, but at least decent enough for killing time.


***


FIRST WORDS: Avon calling!

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

Okay, from now on, there'll be some changes to this. Not that you guys read this or anything.

Firstly, I'm getting rid of the 'first words' and 'last words' thing. I put that on reviews to prove I read the books.

Secondly, after a certain point in this round of reading and reviews, I'm going to stop doing the 'one book per week' binging. Instead, I will read and review books wholly at my own pace.

Anyway, watch this space for more reviews coming soon...

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 115

Londonopolis: A Curious History of London, by Martin Latham.

So, here I am, beginning a new set of reviews. The book I begin with is one of lore about the history and culture of London. Let’s see if it’s any good…

Londonpolis is a digest of anecdotes about the history and lore of London. From prehistoric times all the way to the modern day, it shines a light on some corners of history that are forgotten, as well as new angles on known history. From lost Tube stations to the strange people who built the city’s famous landmarks, this book has some interesting stories.

Let’s face the facts: this book is pretty abridged from what it could be, being basically predigested factoids. After all, there’s a number of interesting anecdotes about London and its history that weren’t in there, I’m sure (I’m surprised nothing was said, for example, about Jack the Ripper, or the Great Fire of London). And I’m disturbed a little about the attitude the author has to some elements of history and philosophy.

That being said, the anecdotes are almost invariably interesting. Some of them are as obscure as they are interesting, too. The writing style is certainly highly entertaining, and so too is the information, so while it’s not exactly an eccentric tourist’s travelogue, it’s still something of interest to go around London with.

Overall, a quite interesting book, for both trivia buffs and students of strange history. A shame it isn’t a bit more substantial, but hey, it’s still good…


****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 116

Homestuck Book 1: Acts 1 & 2, by Andrew Hussie.

I debated with myself whether to read and review this new re-issuing of the hardcopy version of the webcomic Homestuck. After all, I hadn’t done the same with the print versions of Girl Genius (novelisations aside). However, after considerable debate, I finally decided to read and review it, if only because the Homestuck hardcopies have commentary from Andrew Hussie. But would I enjoy it?

It’s the thirteenth birthday of John Egbert, who is eager to play the beta of a hyped game called SBURB. But after some antics, when he finally does get to play, he soon learns that SBURB will cause the end of the world…and he can’t do a thing about it. With the help of his friends, including the erudite Rose Lalonde and the ultra-cool Dave Strider, John must find out what the goal of the game truly is…

Given that the original webcomic was a multimedia presentation, with a number of animated sequences, some with music, along with game-like interactive sequences, it was inevitable that this print version lost something in translation, and some of the animated sequences certainly don’t work well on the printed page, with things not made clear. In addition, the pacing of these first parts of the story is pretty appalling, with a lot of time devoted to gags around the inventory system of the characters and not enough time getting to the point. The art style too would take some getting used to for newcomers.

That being said, the series is actually quite charming once you get past these obstacles, with some satire and some clever foreshadowing of later events in the comic. There’s clever references and misdirections too, and I have to say, Andrew Hussie’s commentary on the pages help clarify some points that weren’t clear, even in the original webcomic version. And quite a bit of the humour is on key, even if some parts do get tired after a while.

Overall, the first volume of Homestuck’s print version, while not spectacular, nonetheless is somewhat promising. I hope to see more of it…

***½