Tag Archives: speculative fiction

BOOKS: “Sweet Tooth, Vol. 5: Unnatural Habitats” by Jeff Lemire

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Sweet Tooth, Vol. 5: Unnatural HabitatsSweet Tooth, Vol. 5: Unnatural Habitats by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher Site

This volume carries out two story arcs. The first is a self-contained flashback that offers the reader new insight into the central strangeness of this series (i.e. a plague on humanity and the development of various human-animal hybrids.) The second is the conclusion of the Volume 4 storyline in which Gus, Jepperd, and their human and hybrid traveling companions find an apparent safe haven that splits the group between those who wish to stay and those who want to continue on their original path to Alaska.

Both arcs are visceral and engaging. This is a very satisfying volume. It’s a pity that publishers are so constrained by page count because Volumes 4 and 5 combined together would be a phenomenal book (whereas Vol. 4 – as it stands – is kind of a lackluster read.) Anyone whose been to a movie in India and is familiar with the random intermission placed right in the middle of the runtime (regardless of what is going on in the story at the time) can grasp what I’m saying. It’s a little mean to break the momentum of a good story in progress. However, this volume offers all the satisfaction of resolution and conclusion — while leaving open clear routes for advancing the story overall.

I’d highly recommend this volume and that one read it closely back-to-back with Volume 4.

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BOOKS: “Dark Demon Rising” by Tunku Halim

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Dark demon risingDark demon rising by Tunku Halim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Author Site

On one level this is a folklore-based tale of horror, but – on another level – it is a commentary on tribal village life versus modern life in the super-tribal metropole.

The lead character, Shazral, comes from a long line of Shaman — medicine men. However, in the opening chapter we find that he has moved to the big city, Kuala Lumpur, and has become a successful lawyer. He has a nice office, a big salary, and a fashionable sportscar. He thinks he has it all. Then he’s called to return to the village to see his dying father. Son and father haven’t been on speaking terms because the father wanted Shazral to continue the Shamanic line, but Shazral wanted to escape the village and the strained familial situation that existed since his mother died during his youth. His return sets events in motion, events that will both show his beloved city life isn’t all it seems, as well as drawing him into the family business.

I enjoyed the story and think it was well-crafted and evocative. The backstory provides powerful motive, and the characters are distinctive and worthy of the reader’s consideration. There were a number of typos in the edition that I read (none were detrimental to understanding the story, but they could break the flow of reading.)

I’d recommend this book for readers interested in tales of horror rooted in folklore (in this case Malaysian folklore) and shamanism.

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BOOKS: “Sweet Tooth, Vol. 4: Endangered Species” by Jeff Lemire

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Sweet Tooth, Vol. 4: Endangered SpeciesSweet Tooth, Vol. 4: Endangered Species by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Publisher Site: DC Vertigo

Heading north to solve the mystery of Gus (the titular deer-boy “hybrid” that some call Sweet Tooth, the first-known hybrid child and one who Dr. Singh believes may be integral to understanding the disease that swept through humanity at the same time hybrids started being born,) the ragtag group of hybrid kids and human chaperones runs into its first snag. The group stumbles upon a place that may offer the security and resources needed to live comfortably (i.e. for a post mega-pandemic wasteland.) This threatens to split up the group, most of which longs for the safety and sustainability that this place appears to provide. But the reader is presented crumbs of unease about this place. It feels like this sanctuary might harbor a dirty secret.

I continue to enjoy this series. I didn’t find the arc as satisfying as some of the volumes. It is a thriller, and we are given crucial new information by the book’s end, but the central question of the story arc remains unanswered. That said, the story does a fantastic job of building up internal tension as well as creating unease in the reader. If you’ve enjoyed the story so far, you will want to continue onward.

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BOOKS: “American Vampire, Vol. 5” by Scott Snyder

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American Vampire, Vol. 5American Vampire, Vol. 5 by Scott Snyder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher Site — DC Comics

This collection contains two separate story arcs. The first, entitled “Lord of Nightmares,” takes place in Europe and features Felicia Book reluctantly being drawn back into Vampire fighting to protect her son, Gus, from a threat created by an ominous rising force. The second, entitled “The Blacklist,” takes place in California and also centers on a woman being drawn into Vampire hunting. In this case that woman is Pearl Jones — whose husband, Henry, is in a coma, and Pearl concludes they can never be safe until the coven that is after them has been eliminated. Despite the commonalities of the two arcs, they both feel quite distinct. The first being more a slick tale of intrigue and the second one being more Hollywood noir.

There is a single-issue at the end that sets up the continuing story.

I continue to like this series. The story arcs are satisfying and action-packed. I would recommend it for comic book readers who aren’t averse to a bit of horror.

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BOOKS: “Meschugge” by Benni Bodker

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Meschugge: Le Labyrinthe du fouMeschugge: Le Labyrinthe du fou by Benni Bødker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Seller Site

This graphic novel reminded me of “The Alienist” TV series (based — itself — on a popular novel,) particularly the Sara Howard (Dakota Fanning) arc in which a young, upper-class woman becomes a detective in the (turn of the 20th century) world which sees women as too delicate to be subjected to such horrors.

While the lead in this book bears striking resemblance to Sara Howard and the settings are quite similar, the book also features major differences that make it its own unique story. First of all, Kabbalistic Judaism plays a central role in the crimes in this book. Secondly, this story creates the impression that the supernatural might be involved. I don’t believe it is unambiguously supernatural, one could explain things in a rational way as well, but “The Alienist” takes a clear rationalist approach.

I enjoyed the story, and it kept me reading. There were a couple points in the story that didn’t make sense to me, particularly an occurrence in which a character is being pursued and seems to be in a dire situation, and then suddenly is free. This mechanism is sometimes used with characters who’ve been established as being extremely capable individuals because it is as if to say, “I don’t even need to show you this person getting out of this spot because it’s not a big enough trouble to fuss about,” (it’s also often done in poor TV and movies for budget reasons,) but this character is not a master escape artist (being out of her depths is part of what creates such great tension throughout the story.)

An exciting premise and interesting characters, but with a few rough edges in plotting.

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BOOKS: “Sweet Tooth, Vol. 3: Animal Armies” by Jeff Lemire

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Sweet Tooth, Vol. 3: Animal ArmiesSweet Tooth, Vol. 3: Animal Armies by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher Site – DC Comics

This is an action-packed entry in Sweet Tooth saga. It’s also a very satisfying story arc for a serialized comic book such as this. We see important events in the character development of Jepperd as well as a secondary character, Johnny (brother to Abbot — the lead antagonist.) Dr. Singh gains some important information as well, though that largely serves to advance the story and extend the mystery, rather than to conclude this segment of the story. That said, this episode is brought to a solid conclusion while leaving one waiting to see what happens next.

I’d highly recommend this series for comic book readers.

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“American Vampire, Vol. 4” by Scott Snyder

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American Vampire, Vol. 4American Vampire, Vol. 4 by Scott Snyder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher’s Site

The American Vampire saga enters the 1950’s, at least with two of the three storylines presented in this volume. The central arc takes place in Glendale, California in 1954 and features Fonzi-like vampire hunter, Travis Kidd, against the series’ central villain — Skinner Sweat. But the main story is bookended by two shorter stories. The opener is a cowboys v. indians tale, set in New Mexico Territory in 1871, that provides backstory on Skinner Sweat and James Book. The closing story is also set in 1954 but takes place in Alabama and features a black vampire hunter in the Deep South.

I found all three stories to be compelling and have greatly enjoyed this series.

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BOOKS: “The Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream Country” by Neil Gaiman

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The Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream CountryThe Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

DC Site

If you love a good story, you really can’t go wrong with Gaiman. This volume consists of four standalone pieces of short fiction set in the Sandman universe.

“Calliope,” like Greek Mythology, envisions an anthropomorphized muse, but takes the idea into a dark and modern twist as said muse is held captive and violated.

“A Dream of a Thousand Cats” imagines dreams do shape the real world and asks what if animals dreamt as big as humans.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is built around the premise that Shakespeare had a patron, none other than Morpheus, a.k.a. Dream, himself.

“Facade” is about a supernatural woman who can only go out in public by taking risky measures to look “normal,” and explores her lonely existence.

All of these stories are clever and compelling, and I’d highly recommend this collection for readers of speculative fiction.

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BOOKS: “DC vs. Vampires, Vol. 1” by James Tynion IV & Matthew Rosenberg

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DC vs. Vampires, Vol. 1DC vs. Vampires, Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Publisher’s Site

In this opening volume in a series that pits a set of the DC pantheon of superheroes against a shadowy vampire cabal, we learn that the vampires are preparing for attack and that they’ve infiltrated all levels of society to degrees unknown — even the Justice League. This volume focuses heavily on the extended “Bat-Family” along with Oliver Queen’s smaller Green Arrow team, but includes many more superpowered characters in varied roles. Though it also ignores some of the most powerful characters, a big risk for such a huge ensemble cast. (One wants to save some big guns, but it begs the question of whether Superman is fiddling while the world burns.)

I like how tension was built in this story, and how information is revealed to the reader, allowing one to be gripped by questions of how the characters will learn what one already knows and with what consequences. The volume ends with a big reveal, though not with any kind of resolution. So, it’s not a standalone story in my view.

I found the volume engaging, but feel it suffers from the unavoidable problems of having too many characters, particularly characters of the god-tier variety.

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BOOKS: “Sweet Tooth, Vol. 2: In Captivity” by Jeff Lemire

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Sweet Tooth, Vol. 2: In CaptivitySweet Tooth, Vol. 2: In Captivity by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Publisher’s Site

This volume interweaves the continuing stories of Gus and Jepperd, separated at the end of the debut volume. As outlandish as this story might seem, human-animal hybrid babies and all, the basic forces that drive the story are straightforward and relatable. Jepperd’s is essentially a love story as he attempts to do right by his wife in a post-pandemic dystopian world. Gus, having been motivated by a desire for new adventure in the first volume, just wants to get home now that he has confronted the fundamental crumminess of the human world.

While this volume is largely filling in the backstories of the two main characters, it does so skillfully through a mix of flashback and current timeline events that advance the story. It certainly has me hooked to learn more about these characters.

I found this story to be emotionally moving and compelling and would highly recommend it for comic book readers.

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