Annihilation Classic edited by Mark D. Beazley

I have found that the so-called “cosmic comics” of Marvel Comics have looked ever so neat, yet I hadn’t stepped into that world. They found a new resurgence of popularity with the Annihilation event, which spawned a number of new books. In preparation for jumping into these excellent-looking books, I am stepping back, and taking a look at what came before, starting with Annihilation Classic, a collection of early stories, many origin tales, of the characters that play a part in Marvel’s current cosmic epics. Below follows a story by story review, followed by the complete collection review.

“Apples & Origins” by Todd Dezago: A tale meant to combine humor and action, Bug chases Annihilus across both space and time, as he tries to prevent a universe-altering cataclysm. Dezago creates a light tale that is fun, but feels without substance.

“I Challenged…Groot! The Monster From Planet X” by Stan Lee & Larry Lieber: A very fun harkening back to the early science fiction comics published by Marvel, Leslie Evans stands up to the evil Groot, a tree monster from Planet X that plans to conquer the planet while stripping it of wood. It will be interesting to see how this bit character, who meets a very certain ending, works into Annihilation and beyond.

“Nova” by Marv Wolfman: The first of a number of origin stories, this one follows Rich Rider as he struggles with his life, and is blessed with a dying alien’s powers. This story actual deals with major issues like depression and bullying, and creates a character that is both exciting and intriguing.

“The Price of Power” by Mark Gruenwald: Another origin tale, Wendell Vaughn is a candidate for a high-level government position, but he lacks the killer’s edge, and doesn’t get what he had hoped. However, could his pacifist streak prove the salvation of his father, when he falls into the hands of terrorists? Another solid tale.

Rocket Raccoon by Bill Mantlo: The longest tale in the book by quite a bit, the story of Ranger Rocket Raccoon is far deeper than it initially seems. The light tale of anthropomorphized animals becomes one of global intrigue, economic war, and greed, all with the dark undertones of mental insanity. This story just got better as it went along, surprising me with its depth.

“The Saga of Star-Lord” by Doug Moench: A rather mystic tale of a man destined to be the protector of earth (a common theme in this book), this one loses itself a bit with its selfish character, but regains momentum at the end.

“The Final Flower!” by Scott Edelman: A very short tale with a science fictional bend to it at the end, well worth reading. If you changed the names of the main characters, and removed the pictures, this could have worked as a solid science fiction piece in any magazine today.

“And Men Shall Call Him…Warlock!” by Roy Thomas: A story that at times soared, and at others mired itself, this one just seemed to struggle with great things but fall short, which is a shame as the ideas were wonderful.

Overall, this book was a lot of fun, especially for its nostalgic look back to the past of comics, and the trends that saw the beginning of so many famous “cosmic” heroes. It felt odd that so many cosmic heroes fated to protect Earth never ran into each other before, but it is all a build up for when they do, which I can accept. This is a collection well-worth the price for fans of comics, especially of the “cosmic” variety, and a very nice primer to remind the veteran, and show the new reader, who all of these characters are.

8/10

Jim Baen’s Universe Closing

It is sad news indeed: e-magazine giant Jim Baen’s Universe is closing. See here for the full story, from editor Eric Flint.

Bad Things Happen by Harry Dolan

Harry Dolan’s first book is not one that I normally would pick up. It didn’t seem to be something I would find all that awfully interesting. So when I received a copy, I began it with some trepidation. However, I could not have been more wrong about my original fears of the novel.

David Loogan is a mystery. He arrives in Ann Arbour, Michigan, and doesn’t speak much of his past. After arriving there, he writes a story and begins a friendship with Tom, the editor of the magazine Gray Streets. And the one night, David gets a call from Tom, asking for a favor. Tom has a dead body on his hands, and needs help disposing of it. Yet this is far from the last death, as only days later Tom dies too. As the murders pile up, David becomes more and more of a suspect, as all of the deaths involve him and Gray Streets. On the run, David pieces together the clues to solve the chain of mysteries, and prove that he is innocent. As he tries to prove it, however, we learn that his past isn’t as free of taint as one might expect.

Bad Things Happen reads nothing like a first novel. Dolan slowly fleshes out characters, leading the reader along without much information, and delivering each character trait and the time when it will do the most for the story. The mystery he creates is complex and intricate, and each time you think the case is solved, you are given one more key fact that tears it all down again.

Forcing David to run, Dolan adds strong thriller elements to his powerful mystery, and touches of humor even manage to find their way into the tale. Dolan proves to be adept at creating believable characters, as well as playing out the plot to each and every nuanced piece. Far from being something I feared I wouldn’t like, Bad Things Happen convinced me that I should read more like this. Harry Dolan is an author to watch, and if the rest of his novels measure up to this one, he has a brilliant career ahead of him. Look for this novel to be on the shortlist for all of the major awards for mystery fiction. It is that good.

9/10

Interview with Ridley Pearson

Ridley Pearson has popped up on Luke Reviews a couple of times now, first with The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red (see review) and then just a week ago with his brand new novel, Killer Summer (see review). I was a fan of both books, and when I got the chance to talk with Ridley and ask him a few questions, I was thrilled.

Ridley, thank you for the interview!

First, I'd just like to congratulate you on a wonderful new novel. Killer Summer was particularly engrossing, in part due to the vast array of subject matter covered, from airplane flying terminology to wine, fly fishing to police work. For a novel like this, how much research is required on your part?

I believe in putting as much fact as possible into my fiction to keep it believable. The research is basically never ending.

Do the topics covered generally focus on areas you are familiar with, or do you touch on subjects outside of your normal realm?

Both. Whatever the story requires. If I don't know it, I turn to those who do. More often than not, this is the case!

What were the big influences on Killer Summer, and the whole series following Walt Fleming?

The influence is place: The Wood River Valley (Sun Valley, Hailey, Bellevue, Idaho). There are crimes here, situations here, that are unique to the both the landscape and degree of wealth (and poverty). It's an interesting locale to write about.

I know this is a long step back, but Luke Reviews contains a review of another of your novels, The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red. What was it like working on a media tie-in project, especially one attached to a big name like Stephen King?

Stephen and I play in an all-author rock band together, so I'm privileged to count him as a friend. When a publisher proposed a book tied-in to Steve's Rose Red (mini-series) they suggested a coffee table architectural book. I countered with Ellen's diary, and Stephen loved the idea. I then wrote a first-person account from the point of view of a nineteen year old woman in 1906 Seattle. It was a tremendous thrill.

In October you and Dave Barry have a new novel for kids coming out, Peter and the Sword of Mercy. Do you find it hard switching between adult crime novels to young adult fantasy novels, or do the two help feed the creative push for each other? Do you find your novels for younger audiences easier or harder to write than your adult books?

Story is story. Dave and I don't "write down" to our younger readers. Hopefully everything I do is exciting, fast paced, and has characters you care about. That's the challenge. I enjoy switching, often on a daily basis, between various projects.

Finally, what can we expect in the future from Walt Fleming and Ridley Pearson?

My next Walt Fleming book is completed -- it's a true "mystery" novel, my first in over a decade (as opposed to suspense thriller, although incorporates aspects of both sub-genres, I think.) I wanted a vehicle to explore the relationship between Fiona Kenshaw and Walt Fleming--and there's nothing like a dead body to stir things up, don't you think?

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

After the events of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, I was more than a little excited to take the next step, and return to the world of Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, as my re-reading of the first four books in route to finishing reading the whole series continues on its way. J. K. Rowling wrote a fun first step in the series, and I was looking for a sequel just as enjoyable.

Following the events of the first book, Harry Potter is back with the Dursley’s, wondering if the summer will ever come to an end so he can return to Hogwarts and the happier parts of his life. He is saddened by the fact that his friends seem to have forgotten him, and aren’t writing, but he maintains hope that he will soon return to his beloved school. However, as more and more things go wrong, Harry’s fate seems far from certain.

Yet, as things are their darkest, Harry is saved by his friends and returns to Hogwarts, albeit in an unusual fashion. Once he finally arrives, the year begins on an up note, despite the self-centered new instructor, Gilderoy Lockhart. But things take a turn for the worst when students start to be attacked, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione set out to save Hogwarts from the clutches of evil yet again.

The novel starts of a bit slow, taking a while for things to get up to speed, which they do around the time Harry returns to Hogwarts. Once there, Rowling returns to her comfort zone, writing great scenes in the magical world and playing the three main characters off each other brilliantly. The mysterious voices that Harry begins to hear throughout the castle, as well as the shocking attacks, weave a mystery through the book that is a very nice way to build suspense and keep the story going.

The characters continue to be well-done, with each staying true to what Rowling had previously created, while showing new sides of themselves, and developing and growing in front of the reader. The ending is satisfying, closing this chapter of Harry Potter’s times at Hogwarts with a complete ending that also leaves some issues unresolved, and questions about Voldemort’s fall from power are compelling.

Rowling continues to show that she is an excellent storyteller with a great story to tell, and does so in a very engaging and exciting manner. She has left me chomping at the bit to move on to the third book in the series.

8/10

Dork Covenant: The Collected Dork Tower, Volume 1 by John Kovalic

John Kovalic has been gradually making a name for himself among the gaming crowds with his comic Dork Tower, but his influence is spreading out. From his thrice-weekly comics at his website to his bi-monthly comic, Kovalic is sharing his tale of dorks with the world.

Based around a few characters, Dork Tower follows the exploits of Matt, Ken, Igor, and Carson, gamers and dorks of the highest level. The first volume of the Collected Dork Tower, Dork Covenant, contains the first six issues of Kovalic’s comic, as we get to know all of our characters, as well as their haunts and hobbies. Kovalic fills each story, from the eight or ten page features to the one and two page shorts, with bright humor and witty illustration. In a very short amount of time the characters feel real, and remind you of people you know. The real power of the strip is that, gamer or not, not only will you find it funny, but it will remind you of your own life and hobbies. Far from the total nerd stereotype, we are presented with the fun, sometimes manic, lives of four adult male nerds. And it couldn’t be funnier.

There isn’t much in the way of a long story. Dork Covenant is just filled with short, moments in the life of the major characters. While a longer story might be nice in the future, as a way of starting out this one was wonderful. I can’t wait to check out the second volume.

8/10

The Dangerous Days of Daniel X by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

James Patterson is well known for his thrillers, from his Alex Cross series to his stand-alone shots of mystery and suspense, but a far more recent addition to his canon is thrillers for the young adult market, which he calls Page Turners, first with his Maximum Ride series, and now with his new series following Daniel X, Alien Hunter. Based on the extra material in the back of the book, Patterson is working very hard to create books to get young adults, in particular boys, reading. This is a very worthy goal, and one that has been a gap needing to be filled for quite a while, so it is great to see a well-known, successful author tackling it. I entered into it with very high hopes, both for my own enjoyment as well as for the need of a good book to help his cause. After reading The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, I think that Patterson is definitely on the right track.

Daniel is an orphan, having witnessed his parents’ murder at the age of three. A very dangerous alien, called The Prayer, comes looking for The List, and murders them in his quest to find it. However, Daniel is in possession of great abilities, to include the power to create. He escapes, and uses his life from that moment on as an Alien Hunter, continuing his parents work and hoping to one day be strong enough to avenge their murder. As the book begins, Daniel has worked his way up his list of most dangerous aliens, arriving in the top twenty. However, after his current threat, he moves to the alien listed as number 6 on his most dangerous list, and heads to L.A., where he starts high school, falls in love, and learns the value of friendship.

The novel contains a couple of contradictions, from actions that Daniel does that are instantly shown as being bad so that the young adult audience doesn’t mimic them, to his knowledge of a certain animal being from his planet, when he says a few pages earlier he thinks, not knows, that he might be an alien. Also unexplained is Daniel’s limitless money supply, as he can rent houses, buy food, and have fun without needing a job.

Yet, despite these shortcomings, the book is fun. It isn’t necessarily deep, but it maintains a very light, enjoyable tone throughout, one that I know I would have loved as a kid. Daniel has action-packed adventures and travels the cosmos, and he never goes out of character. The book moves fast. This seems to be a great step in Patterson’s plan to get kids reading, and I applaud him. I look forward to Daniel’s next adventure.

8/10