Backwards and Forwards

Trese: Mass Murders
Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo

The sixth child of the sixth child will be a child of paradox and possibilities.

It was a long wait but all worth it just the same. The third compilation of Alexandra Trese's battles with things that go bump in the night here in Metro Manila is here. And my oh my, Budjette Tan and KaJO Baldisimo outdid themselves on this one! Promise!

Constant readers of this blog might be familiar with my two earlier posts on the comicbook Trese. It's local so I doubt if the titles are available outside the Philippines. Some of the earlier stories (Cases 1 to 7) are available online so you could see how awesome they are, and like I said, this third volume is the best of the lot.

Comprising of five inter-related cases that take us back to when Anton Trese, Alexandra's father, was still alive, and then moving forward to the present with Trese and the Kambal facing a War God, this far thicker compilation (as compared to the first two, that is) is more than satisfying. It actually makes you yearn for more. More of Trese in the future! Seriously!

Ok, lest I sound so biased, here's a brief take on each of the five cases:

In A Private Retaliation, we are introduced to a very young Alexandra Trese who is apparently being initiated into the uh, family business: that of protecting the streets of the metro from the creepy, supernatural crawlies. Finally we get a glimpse of Anton Trese, the father. Like Trese herself, he has protectors with him in the form of four shapeshifters. Actually, the four men morph into dogs. Big dogs. More like a pack called The Askals. Investigating a carnage that happened at a local bar, it seems all the victims were all Scout Rangers recently promoted to higher ranks. Their deaths however are obviously caused by a supernatural being.

The case continues with Patient 414 in Mandaluyong as Anton Trese with his daughter investigate a lead that takes them to a patient in a psychiatric ward. Here they learned that a vicious God was summoned to aid the soldiers in their battle against the rebel forces. In these pages we also meet the Kambal for the first time, as very young boys too, and full of blood lust.

The Fort Bonifacio Massacre starts with a heartbreak for the father and daughter team. The story eventually led them to a face-off with a War God named Tagbulasao.

In The Baptism of Alexandra Trese, we're still in the past but Trese has grown a bit since the battle with Tagbulasao and now it's her 18th birthday. It's the year she has to go through trials on her own. This story is where we learn the most about Trese and her family of fighters. We take note of a prophecy told by her own mother regarding her future. And we get to understand her more, like why she takes the responsibility of taking care of the metro on her own shoulders.

Moving forward to the present, in An Act of War, the War God Tagbulasao is back and wants vengeance. Trese and the Kambal had to use all their cunning and skill to try and defeat him, also with the help of some good spirits and enkantos along the way.

Whew.

Don't you find it hard to summarize panels and panels of comics without giving anything away and yet you seriously doubt yourself after?

Dear me, this five-story compilation is the most moving of the three so far. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of action and case-solving. In fact, Trese is as ingenious as ever (so with her father in the flashback four stories). We get a glimpse of Trese's past. During the first two compilations (more particularly with the first one) when Trese's father is mentioned I always assumed that Anton Trese has gone to the uh, dark side. Well yes, you know that he's dead from the way Trese evades talking about him. I just assumed he had a major falling out with his daughter. But the stories behind these cases prove me wrong. That Trese is probably still processing her grief and yet she has to continue fighting the forces of evil as her job. Ooops, I didn't mean to let that out. Hahaha!

I love the kick-ass story of the Kambal! When I first saw them as kids here, goodness, they broke my heart with their lust for killing! Again, thank you KaJO for suggesting to Budjette Tan to write a kick-ass background for the Kambal instead of the original panels submitted. Their origin indeed kicks ass! Ok, enough.

Being Filipino myself, I love the fact that Trese deals with our own local enchanted beings. I love the use of the enkantos, the duendes, the kapres, the tikbalangs, the aswangs and such even from previous compilations. I also adore the fact that these beings have adapted to our modern setting the same way that Trese knows how to use her skills and incantations suited for the present world.

But more than that, I love the stories. I love the panels drawn as well. Who doesn't want to be a heroine, really? I've heard scary stories of enkantos way back when I was a kid. Filipinos are as afraid of kapres and as wary of insulting a nuno sa punso then as now, or at least those of us who were regaled with stories of old. And I loved them from way back even if they made me afraid. Trese's stories bring me back to those days when nights are cold and dark, when the sound of flapping wings outside your window is probably made by a manananggal or a wakwak and you hide yourself more under the blankets wishing it would go away.

I'm glad that this isn't the last book for Trese. Like other fans, I can't wait for the next one!

Other interesting points of view:

Jtmtzrwj: Random Rants
NonSensical Words
Psychocow
Sporky Complex Blog
The Bumper Car
The Cows Abide

Still Out There

The Monster of Florence
Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi

"In Italy, the hatred of your enemy is such that he has to be built up, made into the ultimate adversary, responsible for all evil. The investigators in the Monster case know that behind the simple facts hides a satanic cult, it's tentacles reaching into the highest levels of society. This is what they will prove, no matter what. Woe to the person" - he eyed me significantly - "who disputes their theory because that makes him an accomplice. The more vehemently he denies being involved, the stronger is the proof."

More often than not I read fiction in every kind of genre imaginable to some extent, yet at times I find myself reading a non-fiction book every so often. And when I finally saw a paperback copy of this one last month, I gave in and found myself quite absorbed in this murder mystery. The quite absorbed part revolved into shocked, to dismay (to some extent) at the Florentine justice system, to fear, to belief, to doubt and probably more. Yes, the whole gamut of feelings. And this is a true crime story too which makes it all the more chilling.

This is a story of Florence's own Jack the Ripper, a serial killer who brutally murdered fourteen people between 1974 - 1985. Christened by Florentine journalist Mario Spezi as il Mostro di Firenze (the Monster of Florence), the killer was never exactly found but in the end, the justice system convicted one hailed as the Monster (who was later on acquitted by their version of an Appeals court), promoted a handful of prosecutors to higher government positions, implicated a handful of others and more or less destroyed the lives of many more. This book tells the tale not just of the murders but of the friendship that developed between American writer Douglas Preston with Spezi, their obsession with the Monster, and their eventual unbelievable implication in the Monster's crimes. Sigh.

The book is divided into two parts. First, Mario Spezi's account of the Monster's murders starting from the bodies discovered in 1981 until further investigations led him (and the entire nation) to a much earlier murders as far back as 1974 (or older). Then Douglas Preston became obsessed with the Monster as well when he and his family relocated to Florence in 2000 to write a fictional tale set in the city that never materialized.

Truly a compelling read from the start. I have to say that it's always riveting to read something like this, something real, something that both the authors have gone through. Spezi, as a journalist, covered the murders from 1980 onwards. He was present for most of the crime scenes, interviewing police officers along the way. I understand his frustration and dismay when the investigators appeared and acted foolish in the face of facts staring them in the face or forwarded a truly fantastic idea behind the Monster that made me say out loud "Seriously?" like anyone from the cast of Grey's Anatomy. I understand Spezi's obsession as well. But more than that I recognize that Florence has its own sets of rules, of traditions, of a judicial system that is quite possibly different from ours.

"Dietrologia is the idea that the obvious thing cannot be the truth. There is always something hidden behind, dietro. It isn't quite what you Americans call conspiracy theory. Conspiracy theory implies theory, something uncertain, a possibility. The dietrologist deals only in fact. This is how it really is. Aside from football, dietrologia is the national sport in Italy. Everyone is an expert at what's really going on, even ... how do you American's say it? ... even if they don't know jack shit."

Douglas Prestons starts his tale with a story of the Mud Angels after the River Arno flooded Florence in 1966. He was planning to write a murder mystery with that fateful flash flood as a backdrop. But after Spezi told him the unsolved murder mystery he also became obsessed with uncovering the truth. So much so that his friendship with Spezi naturally became a problem when investigators thereafter linked Spezi with the murders. He became, in the eyes of local police, an accomplice.

As an American, an author and journalist, I had always enjoyed a smug feeling of invulnerability. What could they possibly do to me? Now I wasn't feeling so untouchable.

This book is basically an indictment against the Florentine investigation and prosecutorial system. While you cannot help but be repulsed by the crimes committed, it was the way the investigation was conducted that raised my shackles, so to speak. Of course I was raised watching a lot of crime dramas and appreciated shows such as Criminal Minds and CSI and its many incarnations in some cities of the US to accept that science can and may provide answers unseen by the naked eye. But allegations of corruption, of abuse of power, of using the Monster investigations as a stepping stone to further one's career made me extremely disappointed. I mean, the investigators had everything in their power to cast a net big enough to catch the Monster way back and yet, they failed. All because of their uh, dietrologia.

Funny but I think the monsters in Florence include the investigators as well. For neglecting to uncover every possible truth presented to them, or for sticking to conjured up fantasies, conspiracies worthy of a crime thriller.

The creepy thing too, about the entire tale, is that the two authors had me convinced as to the real identity of the Monster. And I blame myself for watching too much tv again, for agreeing with the profile presented vis-a-vis the person that fits it.

Enough babbling for now. I encourage you to read this. Also, I think Mario Spezi is basically still being hounded by the investigators of the Monster case (I read that in an article by Douglas Preston awhile back).

Other interesting points of view:

Book Chase
Book Reporter
Gouda Buddha Books
Jandy's Reading Room (So Many Books, So Little Time)
Need Coffee
Pajiba
Reading Matters
RickLibrarian
S. Krishna's Books
Whimpulsive

Dr. House as a Spy

The Gun Seller
Hugh Laurie

I used to adore spy thrillers when I was younger, particularly those churned out by Robert Ludlum, Frederick Forsyth and Ken Follett. I think I read John LeCarre way too late, around the time I started focusing on other genres but his books were good too and made me want to read all his older novels. Still, it's a fun genre. Especially at an impressionable age back when the Cold War was oh so real and somehow made me want to be a spy back when I was younger. Hahaha. Now it's rare for me to pick up a spy thriller.

Hugh Laurie is one hell of an actor. Fans of the medical drama House will certainly agree. Dr. House's acerbic with is always spot on. His character is one you'd like to hate and yet can't help but love and admire at the same time. I also caught some appearance of Hugh Laurie on talk shows and he never failed to make me laugh on them. Films? Goodness, he was Geena Davis' husband in those Stuart Little films. Hahaha! Ooops, sorry. I mean I haven't really watched a lot of his films.

But Hugh Laurie is also a writer, apparently. And a good one at that.

I picked up this book because I love the guy and I'm happy to report that this one made me love him all the more.

What is the book all about though? Yes, it's an almost-spy thriller. Actually it's a spoof of the spy thriller and it's one enjoyable romp with the main man named Thomas Lang who turned down a job to assasinate someone only to find out that it was just the start of his misadventures with eh, the guy who hired him. Now the spooks of the Central Intelligence Agency of the USA are after him. Why? Because he learned a potentially damaging fact about a new weapon and why he is now compelled to do everything in his power to uh, stop its use. Even if it means infiltrating a terrorists cell. Or something to that effect.

Despite the apparent seriousness of the plot it's all fun, really. The good thing about this book is Thomas Lang himself. He has this self-deprecating humor not to mention a handful of witty barbs while placed in more than one dire predicament. He sort of reminded me of Harry Dresden except that Thomas Lang is British and well, I can't help it but I like British guys best for their dry humor.

Here are the first few lines of the book:

Imagine that you have to break someone’s arm.

Right or left, doesn’t matter. The point is that you have to break it, because if you don’t . . . well, that doesn’t matter either. Let’s just say bad things will happen if you don’t.

Now, my question goes like this: do you break the arm quickly - snap, whoops, sorry, here let me help you with that improvised splint - or do you drag the whole business out for a good eight minutes, every now and then increasing the pressure in the tiniest of increments, until the pain becomes pink and green and hot and cold and altogether howlingly unbearable?

Well exactly. Of course. The right thing to do, the only thing to do, is to get it over with as quickly as possible. Break the arm, ply the brandy, be a good citizen. There can be no other answer.

Unless.

Unless unless unless.

What if you were to hate the person on the other end of the arm? I mean really, really hate them.

This was a thing I now had to consider.

I say now, meaning then, meaning the moment I am describing; the moment fractionally, oh so bloody fraction­ally, before my wrist reached the back of my neck and my left humerus broke into at least two, very possibly more, floppily joined-together pieces.

The arm we’ve been discussing, you see, is mine. It’s not an abstract, philosopher’s arm. The bone, the skin, the hairs, the small white scar on the point of the elbow, won from the corner of a storage heater at Gateshill Primary School - they all belong to me. And now is the moment when I must consider the possibility that the man standing behind me, gripping my wrist and driving it up my spine with an almost sexual degree of care, hates me. I mean, really, really hates me.

How could you even think of not reading after that? Well if you didn't find that funny and somehow takes a hold of you from the very first page of the book then hey, that's ok too. We obviously have different taste in books. Or at least what makes us laugh.

So yes, you don't read this for the action although there are plenty. You read this for entertainment and it is quite enjoyable. You know, the kind that is written by someone with a finely tuned ear to international politics and its business side, knows his James Bond and goes the other way around in providing the laugh-out loud capers involved in the plot. Yeah, Thomas Lang is like a funnier version of James Bond sans uh, everything - Q, the gadgets, the car, the ladies. Hahaha.

Other interesting points of view:

Book Minx
High Browse Online
Literatureview
Pajiba
Save Ophelia

Journey with Her

Ida B ... and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World
Katherine Hannigan

This is a story of a precocious child on a journey of self-discovery. Oh wait, that's too presumptuous and somehow does not explain the book very well. Let's start again. This is a story about an only child forced to grow up and face the world around her. Hmmm, wait again, that sounds far too grim than it should. How could I even begin to explain Ida B. Applewood of the titular character?

We all know what's it like to be a kid. The normality of everyday routine. Play time. School time. Treats. All that stuff. Ida B takes us back to those early years as we see her go through her daily life, in her eyes. She's a smart kid and loves a lot of stuff - drawing, playing with her dog, eating peanut butter sandwiches, conversing with her parents - again, more of the normal stuff. Except that she's an only child and is used to it. She's also homeschooled. An earlier experiment with the public school system when she was much younger forced her and her parents to take on her education at home. And she loves being homeschooled. The freedom of it not to mention the obvious care and attention given to her by both her parents.

Until the time she was forced back to the public school system because of an illness in the family. That's the time that Ida B had to cope and learn what's it like to live in a much bigger world than her usual circle with her two loving parents living in an apple orchard.

This is a book meant for far younger readers but can be enjoyed by adults in one lovely sitting. For a short read it deals with a lot of emotions that deal with the nature of uh, being a kid like making friends, playing well with others, being mean and selfish, understanding humility and more. Plus, as a kid growing up in an orchard, Ida B shows a lot of love for nature and she understands the responsibility entailed for preserving trees and all that. Again, my words aren't enough to capture the learning curve reached by Ida B in a handful of pages.

I love the fact that it shows the positive side of both homeschooling and the public educational system. I've never been homeschooled but fortunately I never had the sad experience of Ida B the first time she attempted public school. And I understand her very well when she refused to adapt to the public school at the start by merely keeping quiet and refusing to make friends. I mean goodness, we were all selfish and all-knowing once when we were kids, right? Gee, sometimes even upon reaching adulthood!

Lovely, lovely read indeed.

Other interesting point of view:

Book Nut

The Wizarding Life

Today's just another lazy Sunday with a load of books in front of me begging to be reviewed, at least in my head. I've been on a reading binge as a form of procrastination about my life and to help me be less sad about some things I cannot for the life of me control, haha, so here goes another rambling post about three books I've read in the course of the past week. Three books in one post, yay!

This one's supposed to be for my RIP IV but got knocked off along the way when time (and the book slump) prevented me from really delving into the creepy reads of the Halloween season. I'm good enough to read creepy stories anytime of the year so I hauled this and two other almost-neglected Dresden books along the way. The good thing about reading a series that has at least ten books out is that you don't get that feeling of waiting for the next installment, so far. By chalking three books off in a week or so, I think I'm coming dangerously close to that point.

You constant readers (yes, all three of you) already know I adore Harry Dresden, that other wizard advertising himself as such in Chicago. I read the first five books and enjoyed them a lot. I like Harry as a character. I like the fact that none of the books feel like pure cut-and-paste sequels, something I previously droned on and on in this blog for some books I've read. The books themselves are quite easy to read, guilty pleasures especially if you don't normally read whodunits that happen in real-life Chicago with magical elements in it. Plus, the author Jim Butcher has an ear for the funny lines while his characters are knee-deep in trouble. So there. Escape all you want!

I previously posted about the first five Harry Dresden books: Storm Front, Fool Moon, Grave Peril, Summer Knight, and Death Masks. If you haven't read him yet it's better though not necessary to read from the start. Harry himself updates the readers as to what happened previously which is good since this is a long-running series.

Blood Rites starts with fire-throwing monkey demons, lots of it. Harry Dresden is already in the middle of an assignment - to rescue holy puppies taken from monks who live somewhere isolated in Asia - with Thomas, a vampire of the White Court acting as his backup. It's also Thomas who asked for help this time as a friend of his named Arturo, an acclaimed director of skin flicks, is in danger. Hence, our wisecracking wizard now has to pretend to be a production assistant on the set while pretty actresses and hunky actors in various states of undress go at each other in front of the camera. Poor Harry who hasn't had any since Susan left! But as always, things aren't what they seem. Harry has to fight against an entropy curse on the set, a curse so powerful it has killed a couple of people already! Thing is, someone on the set knows that our hero is not really a production assistant!

Add the unfinished Mavra plot in the mix and you get yourself a very down-and-out wizard. Tsk tsk tsk. But he's a wizard, he has to survive for the next book, right?

This book is a major installment in Harry's life and one of the better ones of the series not just because of a major revelation of a kept secret but also, for once, Harry is on the offensive against Mavra and the vampires of the Black Court, enlisting the help of Kincaid as well as his old mentor Morgan in the process. There's also that thing with Murphy. I mean, yes I know that Murphy's been there from the first book and I always thought that she and Harry are good for each other as friends, best friends in fact. This book finally opens up a possibility for either of them to see the other in a different light.

There's also an emotional roller coaster ride with Harry this time which tests his mettle not just as a wizard but as a person trying his damn best to be good when a part of Morgan's life is finally divulged to him.

In the end it is still a whodunit, and the conclusion is as every bit as ingenious as the previous books. Totally satisfying!

Dead Beat starts with a blackmail. After eluding Harry and his friends on the onslaught in the previous book, Mavra the queen of the Black Court vampires decides to blackmail Harry and if he doesn't deliver, Murphy's career in the police force will be jeopardized! Thing is, Mavra's asking for a book, The Word of Kemmler, that is also important for the practitioners of black magic. A book that can cause massive death and destruction to those who know how to use it. So Harry finds himself as a target practice to those powerful beings in search of the book as well! Funny and yet you can't really laugh.

The Denarians also make an appearance. Lasciel, the demon in the Denarian coin that Harry touched in one of the previous books, is also in his brain, tempting him with promises of greatness, with help in times of need, with power. And our poor wizard badly needs all the help he can to get out of this mess alive. Will he give in?

On the side it is also revealed that the magical war between the White Council (where Harry belongs) and the vampires of the Red Court is still on-going and it seems that the good guys are losing. Oh boy, our hero can't get a break!

Lots of zombie action here as practitioners of black magic reanimate corpses to serve their purpose of providing a wall of magical attack and defense against Harry. A handful of wolves as well with Billy and Georgia's group. Although noticeably absent is Murphy who left for Hawaii to be with Kincaid. Which makes Harry oh-so-jealous but he doesn't want to admit it. Hahaha!

I thought gee, Blood Rites was really, really good but this one is even better! Emotionally, Blood Rites is heavier since a lot is handed on Harry's plate that tested him. But here in Dead Beat his resolve is all the more obvious you can't help but cheer for him and still give some of the hardheaded leaders of the White Council the finger in the process. I find it realistic that Harry is getting help and approval as well from normal, everyday people like Butters (the medical examiner) and wizards as well like Luccio. Considering however that the series is getting more entangled into the war, into a big fight between the forces of good and evil as well as the gray areas in between, Harry needs all the help he can get. So yes, this is better than satisfying. And gee, that zombie dinosaur really made me laugh out loud! Ooops, sorry!

Which brings me to the third book in this post, Proven Guilty. It's starts off with a death, no wait it's much grim than that, an execution even. And Harry just watched, he had to, because it wasn't up to him to stop it. Because it's an execution fully sanctioned by the White Council against a very young man who practiced very evil magic. And his presence there is required as a Warden. It's portentous to say the least. The blood skimming off the cloaks of the wardens and yet it was only Harry who felt bad about it all. And then, just after leaving the warehouse someone tried to run Harry off the road!

Plus, Harry is reeled in to Michael's life yet again because Michael's daughter Molly needs help. For a couple of books now Michael's out of the picture but obviously, God's angel has to make an appearance somehow no matter how brief.

The Ladies of both Summer and Winter make an appearance here, as well as a brief yet dangerous trip to the Nevernever. And then there's this horror convention where movie villains come to life attacking the audience and you have one hell of a book!

Among the three books here this is the one I liked the least, not because it's not good. It's is, alright but I get the feeling that this one is more like an introductory plot for the darker days to come to Harry with a handful of unanswered questions or events along the way. And it looks like the future is really, really bad. Like he has come full circle already; placed in a position similar to his status in the first book. Which I think is cue for me to stop reading the series for now and wait until my feelings of dread and despair for that wizard and his lovely bunch of friends and allies have dissipated. For now I'd like him to remain in that preparatory mode - teacher, brother, friend, wizard - and hope that in the succeeding book he gets a break. Or at least a love life. Hahaha!

So there. The Dresden Files is really a charming collection of books that are both funny and serious, engaging, with a lead character that is utterly loveable yet crafty at the same time. Eight books down and I'm still looking forward to reading it as well as rereading some previous books too. Hell's bells it's more than good, guilty pleasure be damned. Hahaha!

Other interesting points of view:

Bitten by Books on Blood Rites
Love Vampires on Blood Rites
NextRead on Blood Rites

Love Vampires on Dead Beat
NextRead on Dead Beat

NextRead on Proven Guilty

David is Goliath (Or Something to that Effect)

Fables: War and Pieces
Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, et al.

Once upon a time there was a man who had a dream. A dream to share his lonesome life with someone, anyone. With the use of his own skills he carved himself a son. And as the story goes, the Blue Fairy made him a real boy. That's all we know from the tales. But here's the thing: the man, the boy and the Blue Fairy are real. And the man had other dreams apparently unknown to us all.

Once upon a time there was a dream. A dream that turned into an ambition. An ambition that revolved into something else, something evil, which forced more than a handful of our favorite fairy tale characters into our world. We now know their stories as we traveled through Fabletown the past ten volumes of this fantastical place located in the heart of New York City. But now we watch as the Fables themselves take up arms against the forces of the Adversary and reclaim their rightful place back in the Homelands.

War and Pieces, the eleventh compilation, is the culmination of years of planning to get back at the Adversary. Years that brought both tears of sadness and of joy to those of us who follow the tales spun by Bill Willingham and artfully rendered by a host of creative artists such as Mark Buckingham, Steve Leiloha and Lan Medina, not to mention gorgeous covers by James Jean. As the final nail on the Adversary's coffin descends, we also prepare ourselves for the war upon us. Because we're all bound to get hurt.

In Kingdom Come, we get a taste of the leaders of Fabletown meeting for one last time as a group before they leave for their respective assignments for the war. And a blossoming almost-love affair goes Pffft!

Then there's the two-part Skulduggery where our favorite off-the-books spy Cinderella goes to Argentina and then to Chile to rescue a traitor escaping the Homelands. Thing is, there are evil minions after her as well and they know how dangerous she can be.

And finally the main chapter called War and Pieces where the cunning plans for the war are revealed and executed by our favorite Fables on different fronts against the Emperor and a horde of soldiers. Given that the Emperor's forces were greatly decimated by the effects of King Ambrose's brave front in the previous compilation, it seems the battle is one-sided. Yes but then again, not quite. And I'll stop there. For now.

This compilation is on one hand a fitting end to a well-crafted plan called "Jack Ketch" which basically ensures that the Empire is left floundering like a fish out of a bowl, gasping for breath. And yet it felt like it ended abruptly. No I don't mean I wanted a long, drawn-out war, something that Fabletown won't be able to endure believe me, but it sure looked like the Adversary got away with it in the end. Yes, even if Fabletown won.

Allow me to nitpick even if I hate doing it. Kidding. Short of saying if you haven't read this yet please stop reading now.

I don't have any qualms with the execution of the plan, really and I even applaud it to bits. Our favorite Fables prepared well and hard for this and they deserve the win more than ever. And heck, I expected big losses along the way (and please don't make me start with his death which I won't ever, ever accept, which in hindsight made me realized I'm such a romantic). But some things do bother me.

Like that uber-magical arrow meant to kill its target and yet failing. No of course I didn't want the target to die, are you kidding? Of course I wanted that final confrontation with the Emperor! But still, an uber-magical arrow, an arrow of dire fate!

"It will always hit a mortal spot and always slay what it hits, no matter the armor or spells protecting the target."

And it failed. The only major bad mojo in the pages and it failed. This without any of Frau Totenkinder's interference to make it fail, as far as the pages seem.

Short of saying I wanted Fabletown to win uh, judiciously. Those panels felt like deus ex machina to me and it didn't feel right.

Funny really. I actually find my reaction funny. I wanted the arrow to be truthful to its purpose and yet I couldn't accept a death of another. I myself could even justify the failure of the arrow to work, but I won't. But still, an uber-magical arrow that falls short of its purpose should be called an arrow of almost-dire fate.

Oh and asylum should be granted only to those who seek it in the first place.

But a win is a win and I'm glad that the reign of the Emperor, I mean the Adversary is over. Better prepare ourselves for the next major villain in the succeeding installments. And I'm still looking forward to Kevin Thorn's story in the future.

Other interesting points of view:

Casual Dread
Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing
Encephalo Ray
Extremely Graphic
Fyrefly's Book Blog
Gutter Geek
Justin's on GoodReads
Mint Condition Publishing
Scott William Foley
Stella Matutina
Things from Another World
Things Mean A Lot

All Hail Prince Ambrose!

Fables: The Good Prince
Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, et al.

I never really noticed Flycatcher that much in the pages of Fables before not until I read Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall and made me wish that somehow, someday his story will end happily. Or at least a semblance of conclusion. To say that he played just a minor character from the very first few compilations of the series is absolutely, utterly true. I mean he's the janitor of Fabletown for goodness' sake! The guy who ran after Snow White to give her cane back. The guy who had a crush on Sleeping Beauty. The guy who likes the company of Boy Blue and Pinocchio. You know, just one of the blokes. But once you read that tale titled A Frog's-Eye View, you start rooting for the guy. Something to that effect. And this arc, the tenth so far, is probably a long time coming.

The Good Prince is the main and only chapter of this thick compilation. Way thicker than the other volumes so far. We're now back in Fabletown and in the midst of war preparations and Flycatcher, also known as (Prince) Ambrose back in the day, is still depressed, better yet nearly destroyed after recovering his memories of his slain family in the Homelands. Until the ghost of the Forsworn Knight appeared and started redirecting those feelings of anguish in Ambrose into something more productive. I say that like it's simple to do but it's not. You see, the ghost is none other than Lancelot. Yep, that Lancelot of the Round Table. And gee, if you have him as a guide then life wouldn't be simple.

It's one long journey from a seemingly purposeless life in depression into acceptance of a fate greater than anyone could have ever imagined. And it starts with a simple thing really, for Ambrose to believe. Awww, that sounds so melodramatic but it's true. The lovely thing about the whole arc is that while Ambrose takes on the Emperor's hordes and hordes of soldiers, this isn't exactly Fabletown's battle. This is Ambrose's battle - with himself, with his past - and ultimately reclaiming his future. In doing so he's helping Fabletown as well. Of course with a nudge here and there from a very powerful witch. Can I just say that I love Frau Totenkinder!

Let me put it this way, I like stories a lot obviously since this is a book blog. There are stories that pull you in because the characters are so strong and irresistible. There are plots that are tricky and yet ultimately satisfying. Of course there are negative sides to that. But then there are characters that steadfastly remain true to their selves and I like them all the more for it. This is true with Flycatcher. He has always been a good Fable. And it's far more difficult to imagine a story that would remain true to what he is in spite of everything that has happened to him. And for this I am continually awed by his growth and yet utterly charmed by his sense of self. He knows who he is, he realizes what he can do with all that has been laid in front of him but he remains to be gee, the guy who'll probably run after Snow if and when she leaves her cane behind again.

So I'm a bit awed with this arc. Whew.

Oh there's also this nice short story titled The Birthday Secret in which the cubs learn that their parents, Snow and Bigby, have been hiding something, rather someone, from their very eyes ever since they moved to Wolf Manor. I like the art in this one, so cute! I like the kids a lot although I've yet to memorize all their names. I know and can identify Ambrose, Darien and Winter. Therese too. The rest is still a jumble of interchangeable names and faces. Oh wait, that means the other boy is Connor. What's the name of the other girl? Hahaha! To think I love Snow and Bigby to bits!

One final arc in the story of The Adversary left! Off to war then!

Other interesting points of view:

Bookgasm
Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing
Fyrefly's Book Blog
Stella Matutina
Things Mean A Lot
Warren Peace Sings the Blues

Into the Woods

Fables: Sons of Empire
Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, et al.

The ninth volume of Fables finally features the other side of the impending war and it's a bit on the creepy side actually to sit and listen to their plans to annihilate Fabletown and well, the rest of us. You think the Adversary is evil? Meet his cohorts! The cover alone makes me want to shy away from the story - in a good way - because it's highly likely I wouldn't like their plans against my much-loved Fabletown characters. But read on I must and face the war as well!

Where to start? Here's a short take on the main chapters:

In Sons of Empire we meet the darker side of fairy tales as Geppetto gathers his allies to discuss reprisals against Fabletown for the destruction of the magical grove as well as his workshop. We see the Snow Queen, the Nome King, the head of the Honorable Knight called Bright Day, Hansel also referred to as an Inquisitor General, and Rodney Greenwood - the same Rodney Greenwood of that beautiful, haunting story titled The Ballad of Rodney and June a couple of volumes back. Pinocchio is also present and inadvertently provided vital information concerning possible flaws in the planned war against Fabletown. If you think Prince Charming is cunning, crafty, masterful strategist of Fabletown (I do, I do) then the present (actual) ruler of the Homelands can and do plan to turn this world upside down with a mind like his, probably as calculating as Fabletown's mayor.

Jiminy Christmas tells the tale of Santa Claus. Santa Claus is here and we see the cubs of Bigby and Snow with this tale about a child's curiosity. In a beautifully imagined story, Willingham was able to pull off a feat of placing Santa Claus within the ranks of the Fables, being philosophical without appearing to be so in the face of a child's innocent question, and paving the way for the that magical, unbelievable tenth volume of this series. Hahaha!

While in Father and Son, Ambrose (one of the cubs of Snow and Bigby) tells the story of the whole family's first visit to the North Wind's kingdom. Yes, this is about Bigby and his father. And no, this is not just about Bigby and his father. Hahaha!

This compilation is darker than previous volumes so far, except of course Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers when Fabletown was under siege. But no worries, the chapters are interspersed with very short and very enlightening stories on Rapunzel, the Three Blind Mice, Jack Horner and other Fables. Kevin Thorn, the mundy who appeared in the earlier volumes also makes an appearance here and is still observing Fabletown from afar. Also, I loved the fact that there are panels devoted to some questions raised by the fans! Hilarious!

The back blurb says it all, this one is more of the calm before the storm. In a twist from the previous volumes we now see how the Adversary works, something that will be better explained in the next installment. We quiver in fear for the backstories learned and the apparent impending doom of Fabletown and the mundane world as well.

The lines are drawn. The allies of both sides are preparing for battle. Nine volumes so far and the stories are getting more colorful, more imaginative, the characters more endearing (at least those we don't hate, hahaha). The covers too! Lovely, creepy paintings. Makes me sad remembering that James Jean stopped doing the covers for Fables after the eleventh compilation. Ah well.

Other interesting points of view:

A High and Hidden Place
Bookgasm
Fyrefly's Book Blog

Bigby's Back!

Fables: Wolves
Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, et al.

The last time I posted about Fables was close to a year ago. It's time to reminisce about the previous volumes as I prepare myself the task of finally posting about my Read-A-Thon favorite not to mention the ending of The Adversary's arc. Yes, I've finished the eleventh volume of the series already. And I can't talk about them unless and until I go back and start posting about Wolves.

Oh and remind me to do the same with Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Season 8 not to mention Angel: After the Fall and Angel: Aftermath. Whew! Thing with comics is that once I let them pile up, they do pile up. Hahaha.

So, here goes.

Wolves is a two-apart arc concerning Mowgli's continuing search for Bigby and this time he succeeds even if it means fighting over the leadership of a wolf pack somewhere in Russia to obtain information. When Mowgli comes face to face with the still-heartbroken Bigby, he also met the rebound-girl Sarah who apparently has fallen for our Big Bad Wolf.

Happily Ever After shows us the ingenious plan of Prince Charming, Fabletown's Mayor, of infiltrating the Homelands using Bigby on an almost-suicide mission. But seriously, who would worry about Bigby? This is the main story for this compilation: the secret mission and its eventual execution. Since the action is focused on how Bigby dealt a major blow on Geppetto and his campaign of destruction, my hats off again to the utterly cunning Prince Charming for crafting it altogether. Ok so yes, I'm back to loving him again after his disastrous kiss with Beauty in the previous volume. Hahaha!

I'm so glad I'm cheering for Bigby said this:

Every time you hurt us we're going to damage you much worse in return. It will always happen. Always. You're the only one who can end the cycle. And keep this in mind, you have a huge empire to protect. Guard the ten million most likely targets and there will still be a hundred million ripe, unprotected targets we can hit.

If I were Geppetto then I would've quaked in fear and dissolved into tears. Then again, Geppetto is made of much evil stuff than I am.

And of course, the title of this arc refers to both Snow and Bigby. Finally. Goodness, who doesn't want a fairy tale ending for the Big Bad Wolf and Snow White? The arc covers their eventual reunion, the kids finally meeting their father, and a grand wedding within the territory of Wolf Valley. Awww, how sweet. I like this couple a lot. Hahaha! I mean all roads lead to this conclusion anyway. It's obvious that the two are meant to be together from the very first compilation.

Big and Small tells the tale of how Cinderella, Fabletown's off-the-books spy, managed to get the king of the Cloud Kingdom allied with the forces of Fabletown.

There's less of character developments here, a pretty much action-packed unfolding of the plot that paves the way for the war with the Adversary and his minions. At this point it is quite inevitable with the destruction of the magical grove where the source of the wooden soldiers are harvested. But we can only surmise that with the evil gleam in Geppetto's eyes and his seeming nonchalance. Or something.

I laughed at Bigby though. He can be a gruff, old wolf but I never thought I'd see him quiver in uh, nervousness over something. The drawings made me laugh so hard!

Oh and can I just say this now? Prince Charming must have loved Snow White so, so dearly. Maybe that's just me but that's all I see right now.

Oh well. One down. Can't wait for the war, really.

Other interesting points of view:

Fyrefly's Book Blog
The Written World
Tripping Towards Lucidity

Choices

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tales of the Vampire - The Thrill
Becky Cloonan, Vasilis Lolos

I am stumped today. My brain is not working. I can't find words to express whatever it is simmering in my gray cells. I jump from one blog to the next hoping for some inspiration, some spark of connectedness to the real world out there but I end up with me back in front of the PC trying to find words, words and more words and yet finding nothing. It seems I have nothing to say.

So instead I'll post on something easy.

This story is a standalone issue ocurring in the timeline of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, just about after Harmony's issue on her reality show. The world, Buffy's world I mean is slowly changing. Vampires have come out of their coffins and enjoy acceptance and respectability by the adoring people in general. Slayers are driven underground, seen as criminals or worse.

In this setting we meet Jacob. Just another ordinary highschool guy whose main thing in his life is his purposelessness. He spends his time playing video games and not bothering with his classes. He likes a dark haired girl named Alex but that's about it. And like any other guy his age he looks for something to make him feel alive. Ergo, he spends time as Sebastian's main source of eh, food. You see, Sebastian is a vampire. And when he feeds on Jacob, the latter feels alive.

But one night, one thing goes horribly wrong and Jacob was rescued by another creature of the night named May and his life takes on a different turn.

You don't exactly expect me to tell you the rest of the story now, do you?

It's a far darker turn in the series altogether because the story is removed from Buffy's immediate realm. It's not easy to like primarily because the world as we know it is turned upside-down and inside-out where people sympathize with vampires. Goodness. I like me my vampire fiction but still, my favorite vampires are Champions (Spike and Angel) and don't drink human blood. But that's just me. Hahaha! So yeah, I'm pretty much into the heroes of vampire fiction.

They say a story is effective if it can bother you to bits. This one did. I never had much liking for people like Jacob but there are probably millions like him in this world and I recognize that. To some extent I feel like him at times, that feeling of aimlessness, so who am I to judge him, right? And in the end, all of us want to feel alive, right? But man, the choices he made baffles me but then again, that's what free will is all about.

Oh well, I know it's just a story.

The cover art is lovely indeed and the pomegranate seeds are ominous. The drawings also lend an idea of Jacob's soul, at least to me, that of being unpolished, crude and ultimately raw. I'm not familiar with Lolos but he sure did put up amazing panels for the story that is fitting to the text. I don't usually like drawings such as his but the tale matches the panels so I can't complain really.

I read this during the Read-A-Thon a couple of weeks back.

Other interesting points of view:

Behind My Byline
Buffyverse Comic Reviews
Comicbook Resources
Naked Thoughts
TV Lover

Dawn's Story

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Living Doll
Doug Petrie

Been stalking the pages of Dark Horse Comics months and months and months back and when they featured the first two or three pages of this issue I couldn't wait for my copy. Well, technically I could as I had other things to do and had to put off reading this until the Read-A-Thon a couple of weeks back but finally get my sigh of relief after turning the last page.

If you're not a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and haven't been following the eighth season resurrected through the comics form then better stop reading now. If you're a fan and haven't read the latest TPB compilation titled Predators and Prey I also advice you to look another way. Because I adore the series and I probably would let in slip a thing or two I mentioned (and not) in my previous posts about Season 8. Fair enough?

But before that, apologies for not posting reviews for a handful of issues. I was reminded of it when Memory put up her review for Predators and Prey and realized I totally neglected why I'm starting to hate Riley. Ooops.

Ok now back to #25.

This is actually Dawn's story, a brief respite in the war against Twilight and the Slayers. Dawn as we all know has been transformed into a giant first, a centaur after and lately a porcelain doll in this installment. And when Buffy realized that Dawn is missing and not carousing with other four-legged animals in the wild, she and Xander went out into the woods to search (and obviously) rescue her if need be. Because that's what a sister would do, right? Especially so if the older sister on a rescue mission is the Slayer at that.

The thing I like about the relationship between Dawn and Buffy is that it has become real. Remember the outcry when Dawn was initially introduced? How we all screamed and worried about Joss Whedon having amnesia for forgetting Buffy doesn't have a sister? Blah blah blah. And then he turned and pulled the rug out from under all of us when it was revealed who or what Dawn was? I think it was the time I told myself to never ever doubt Joss ever again.

Dawn isn't easy to like as a character. I myself don't have a younger sister (though I am the Dawn of my older sister, hahaha). I can understand how I can be pretty annoying to my sibling. And vice-versa. Add the drama that your older sister is the Slayer, plus the hundreds of Slayers in tow training under her not to mention a magical war then it's easy to get lost in all that stuff. Attention-seeking, probably. But in the end family is still family and that's what this issue is all about. At least we see Dawn growing up a little and Buffy being the sister that she promised to be.

Oh and we get to see the Thricewise. Yes, that's him on the cover. Plus a Gepetto for porcelain dolls living in the magical woods. Funny but that part reminded me of Fables, which again I've neglected reviewing for a long time now.

All in all a good respite to the war considering that the succeeding issues I read for the Read-A-Thon aren't fun. I mean it's war now and trust me, war in whatever form isn't fun.


Other interesting points of view:

Buffyverse Comic Reviews
Stella Matutina

Another Disappointment

Dexter by Design
Jeff Lindsay

I was a bit surprised to find a new Dexter book out in the market. I vividly recalled how disappointed I was with the third book but I needed this guilty pleasure. Yes, weird right? I miss my lovable serial killer. I need to delve into the mind of a serial killer as a break from my other reads not to mention posting slump.

Maybe I shouldn't have picked this.

Let me say this out now, I find it better than the third book but even that isn't saying much since I didn't like the third book. Why oh why? Let me count the ways.

It starts off in Paris with Rita on their honeymoon. Yes, after all the wedding preparations and mishaps of the third book Rita finally gets her Paris trip with her monster of a hubby (and I say that affectionately). While I conjured images in my head of Dexter killing a Parisian monster, the brief interlude of a honeymoon is merely that - an interlude - and then they go back to Miami and our dashing not-quite hero waits for bodies. I need not remind you that he is a blood spatter analyst so waiting for bodies or more like crime scenes is part of his job. Hahaha. Welcome the Big Bad of the book. Bodies are found not quite artfully decorated on the streets of Miami and Dexter, not to mention his sister Deborah are on the lookout for the killer.

When Deborah became a victim of the attack Dexter is now on vengeance mode full-swing, except that the Big Bad knows him and our vengeful not-quite hero is his next target.

As far as quick-fix reads this is indeed a swift one. It's nice to hear Dexter's old voice back and not the fearful, panicking one of the third book. But while the Dark Passenger is back it seemed that dealing with Moloch in the third book left him a bit less of a monster this time. I mean I didn't expect Dexter to hesitate. Or to be one-upped by the Big Bad in almost every scene. It's one thing to read that in the first book when his nemesis turned out to be his murdering older brother but this time, an amateur killer outwitting our hero? No, no, no!

I think the main problem of the book is me. I expected more and now I'm jaded. I don't need convenient resolutions in the end. Well of course I'd like to see Dexter live another day sans the shackles of the law placing him in prison and all that. And surely, next book we'll probably see a lot more people in the police force focusing on Dexter, but I still think that the ending is convenient. It's like having fate clean up Dexter's mess. I pretty much skimmed through from the time Dexter refused to recognize alarm bells in his own thoughts. Compare that with Dexter of the first two books and you'll be disappointed with him as well.

Ah well, that should teach me a lesson next time. For now I'd like to watch the TV show. I've seen the first few episodes of the first season of Dexter awhile back when a cable channel had a marathon airing of the first two or three seasons. Too bad I was also preparing for an exam that time so I never got to the season enders. Hahaha. And the voice of Dexter in the show is faithful to the book, that much I can say. Besides, Michael C. Hall feels like Dexter. A charming, ordinary guy with an extraordinary secret.



I'm so envious of those enjoying the fourth season already. Hahaha!

Oh Artemis!

Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel
Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano

I have a penchant for villains. I love well-written evil characters. When Cordelia muttered "What is it about evil that jacks up the IQ points " during an episode of Angel, I can only nod in assent.

But it took sometime for me to really love Artemis Fowl. Sure, he was this little boy with a brilliant mind; brilliant enough to sway a faerie to divulge its deepest secret to a human like him in the first book. Don't get me wrong, I like the evil Artemis. His calculating brain, his utmost disregard for the faeries' way of life so long as he gets his gold, his ability to analyze his enemies, his apparent cold, cold heart. I mean, what's not to like in a villain and yet the titular character of a series, right?

When I read the first book, Artemis Fowl way, way back I fell for the faeries more than Artemis. Oh yeah, I liked Artemis and he does villainy so good I savored every triumph he had over Holly Short in the first book. But love never entered the picture. I mean, me loving him as a character. Way back then I knew he had some growing up to do.

Reading the graphic novel of the first book brings to mind those early memories of Artemis Fowl. Given that I've read all six (or was it seven) books altogether I had to see him again in his gloriously cold self. Sans the coded words at the bottom of every page this time. Hahaha.

So yes, the graphic novel is merely an adaptation of the first book. Was it as good as book itself? Hmmm, let me think. Not quite. I like the text better, maybe because I've read it first. But the thing with graphic novels is eh, the medium. The art gives life to Artemis Fowl and the entire Fowl Manor. There's Butler, Holly Short, Mulch Diggums and the rest of the LEP. Thing is, I have an image in my head for the characters and seeing them interacting in the comics jarred my brain somewhat. Though of course it helps seeing the artist's imagination of the LEP squad underground and all the trolls and such.

Oh I haven't really mentioned the story, right? Artemis Fowl is the only son of an Irish Mafia boss. His father is currently missing and his mother is depressed as hell. He's also an evil genius, mastermind, ingenue, whatever. Through his own devious machinations, he was able to acquire the secret book of the faeries (in the first book, this is practically the coded message running through the bottom of the pages). He then plans on kidnapping (eh, faerie-napping?) one in exchange for gold. For a very rich kid why does he need more gold? Tsk tsk tsk, like that would stop an evil genius from acquiring more huh? Too bad he kidnapped Holly Short, an officer of the LEP. This is the start of their story.

I understand why some friends of mine don't even like Artemis. In the first book he really was just an evil genius. You see very little of his, dare I say it, human side. It's like circumstances prevented him from being an ordinary boy and he sure took the cudgels for his father's disappearance like any heir to a business (no matter how evil) should. And he was still a boy back then. To me that was his charm. That's why I looked forward to succeeding books. If in the first book and obviously in this graphic novelization he was just a boy too immature to be loved yet too cunning to be ignored, succeeding books will plant seeds of eh, humanity and funnily enough he learned them through his interaction with the faeries. But those things occurred after this book. Or comics. Oh well.

It was fun looking back at Artemis' life with this version during the Read-A-Thon. I'm not sure if I'll get the graphic novel of the second book as I can simply reread my copy of the second book (and the third, the fourth and so on). What I actually want is the reissue of all the titles - niftier covers and all for all Artemis Fowl books nowadays! Then again it's not like the stories between the pages are different. Hahaha!

Like I said, not quite as good as the original book but it's fun seeing the characters in comic form.

Other interesting points of view:

Beth Fish Reads
Book Dweeb

Browncoats Forever

Captain Mal will always be my captain. With that I'm obviously proclaiming my allegiance to him and his little plundering group flying in that reliable (at times not quite) piece of almost-shit, Firefly-class ship Serenity. And I say that with much love and affection. I am a fangirl and proud of it.

So far there are two spin-off graphic novels from the (axed-too-early) tv show Firefly: Better Days and Those Left Behind. I read both during the Read-A-Thon a couple or so weeks back. I quiver in my seat because I'm not worthy to review this. I can't be objective. Because, because, because. I am a fangirl and proud of it.

Kidding. About being objective, I mean. Not about the last stuff. I am a fangirl and proud of it.

Enough!

Better Days tells the tale of a hunter, a soldier during the war looking for so-called Dust Devils or in local lingo nowadays more like terrorists. Better yet, mercenaries. And his eyes are set on our beloved Captain Mal for some infractions committed during the war of long ago.

Unfortunately for our ruggedly handsome hero, the soldier isn't the only one searching for him with vengeance on the agenda. Not that that's something new really. I mean every episode of Firefly not to mention the film Serenity, half the time you see someone or something chasing Mal. But this one is different. You see, Mal and the group just stole (eh) a powerful piece of machinery that is vaunted to be the latest piece of security available for the Alliance. And when Mal finally delivered the piece to his client he and the group were paid handsomely. Handsomely. Like they are now rich. As in RICH! And that's a major thing for this group who had to scrape by for the better part of the years after the war.

What follows is both a hilarious take on their hopes and dreams not to mention the resolution against the soldier dead set on revenge and the creator of that piece of equipment stolen by the group.

Of course I imagined ever panel in my head with all the actors spilling their lines with deadpan seriousness. Well, Captain Mal at least. I can feel Kaylee's enthusiasm, Jayne's uh gruff manners softening with the thought of fulfilling his dreams, and of course the almost-happiness of Simon of hoping to have a relatively easier life and hopefully able to help River come to terms with herself.

Made me miss the show even more. Boo hoo hoo!

And then there's the other title: Those Left Behind.

Set at a time prior to the events of the film Serenity, this isn't as fun as the first one. I don't mean it isn't good, it's just serious. Serious and bittersweet. For those who've seen the film, this three-part series tells the tale of why Shepherd and Inara aren't on board Serenity anymore. And it also features those blue-gloved men searching for River in the entire run of the show Firefly. Of course there's also a former soldier searching for Malcolm Reynolds. So what else is new?

Agent Dobson is the former soldier searching for Mal, seeking revenge as always. He's blind in one eye, apparently due to Mal's fault when the latter shot him and left him for dead during the war. He made arrangements with the Blue-Gloved Men searching for River Tam and her brother Simon (who are on board Serenity). The duel or so takes place in space familiar to Mal and Zoe - a place where both soldiers of the now-Alliance and Independents died. And it is here where the not-so pleasant surprise for Mal is waiting amidst dead bodies floating in space.

The real action in the story however occurs internally. Inara with her obvious affection for Mal. Mal feeling the same for Inara. Shepherd Book trying to come to terms with the plundering life of the crew as well as his beliefs. And River, deteriorating right in front of our eyes. Reading this you know you just have to pop in and watch Serenity after. It would hurt too, knowing how the film ends. But still you won't be able to help yourself. Because you don't want to see them like this: bullish against each other and yet not knowing how to reconcile. Aaah, I get so worked up with fictional characters in my head!

I am a fangirl and proud of it.

Specifically recommended for fans of Firefly and Serenity in particular or Joss Whedon in general. He's the man!

Other interesting points of view:

J. Kaye's Book Blog
Multi-Genre Fan
Once Upon A Bookshelf

Keeping It Together

I Had Brain Surgery, What's Your Excuse?
Suzy Becker

This is one of those books that demands your attention at your favorite bookstore - the title is funny, then the cover picture makes you laugh a bit even more. Add the fact that it's at the bargain bin then I happily picked it up with a thought at the back of my mind that I've seen this title before somewhere. True enough, it's one of my sister's recommended reads for sometime now. Well, I could have borrowed her copy except that she lives in a different time zone than mine. Hahaha!

I started this during the Read-A-Thon but stopped after reaching about a third into the book. I finally finished it a few days after that but was without internet for the better part of two weeks so I do have a backlog of posts (to write). I'll chalk one off that list tonight.

The title of the book says it all: the author had to go through brain surgery to remove a mass found in her brain. It wasn't cancer as a biopsy after the fact revealed it to be benign but that's not exactly the point. Brain surgery is probably the scariest surgery there is. It's not a walk in the park even to the most skillful surgeon. A simply mistake may mean a thousand memories and learned skills disappearing down the drain. And that's the fear that the author went through upon hearing the diagnosis. A fear that persisted after when she couldn't even speak properly much less draw. You see, Suzy Becker is an author and cartoonist. Brain surgery is the last thing she needs except that the mass is causing her seizures every so often.

I like the book because you feel for Suzy (oh goodness, let's pretend I'm on a first-name basis with the author). She's funny. She vividly recollects those moments prior to her seizures, its effects, the scary part of the diagnosis, the surgery and her eventual recovery. Plus, she draws those wickedly cheery or cheerily wicked cartoons around the text. My favorite drawing is The Hat (and some of the thoughts kept thereunder). It pops up every so often when writing about instances where she kept quiet while people fuss (or not) around her.

If I keep comparing, reminding myself how I used to sound or be, I'll never feel like doing anything again.

But the book is obviously more on her recovery after the surgery. She had a lot on her plate - fellowship at Radcliffe College, Ride for AIDS Resources, cartoons to submit, a book to write - and her good humor not to mention the support she received from friends, family and loved ones pulled her through. Oh goodness, did I just summarize ten or so chapters with that? Thing is, she made her tales an effortless read! Flipping through the pages you feel that she had as much difficulty going through her experience and yet her spunk and courage, not to mention her humorous way of presenting herself that made the text flow by freely and you realize that you're close to finishing the book and now it's months after the surgery!

My biggest frustration remains when my mouth won't say or my hands won't type or write what I'm thinking.

Recommended reading even if you haven't had brain surgery.