SPSFC Book Review: "Zenith" by Arshad Ahsanuddin
Zenith: The Interscission Project- Book One by Arshad Ahsanuddin
When my group, Team Red Stars, was doing its initial sampling of this book, I was somewhat put off by having it so clearly sell itself as a space opera, when it didn't read like that at all. It went on to my personal "no" stack, but ended up in our quarterfinalists. I'm glad it did, because it has some serious strengths, but it also has some weaknesses that keep it from being great in my opinion.
Zenith is set something like 100 years in the future. For all that, many of the scenes read as if they're domestic scenes from the present day. Whether it's characters casually moving sacks of groceries around, cooking dinner in the same fashion as we do now, or having beds on spaceships that don't seem to have noticeable differences, I admit I felt a constant annoyance at the lack of many contrivances for technology. I get the idea of not innovating for the sake of innovation, but at some point I think that as a reader, I should have had some discernible moments where the book told me "yes, this is the future" with some startling tech. Instead, everything was mundane, as if the next century is going to go on in stasis, with the only real innovations happening in space travel.
Going along with that, the main plot wasn't engaging. A spaceship is developed and a motley crew is assembled to send it on its maiden voyage. Behind the scenes, there's much more to the technology. I was intrigued by finding out more about some of the plot developments, but not enough is revealed in this entry. It's almost as though the author is holding back on the reveals, but doesn't give the readers the insights they need to see where things may be going.
All of this may make it seem like I didn't enjoy the book at all. That would be wrong, because despite the problems I listed, the core character interactions are pretty excellent. There is quite a bit of romance here, and much of it is queer romance. Going along with that, there are genuine moments of true character development for all the main characters, and even a surprisingly thought-provoking take on the differences between physical attraction and love. I wanted to see more of these characters, and if I were to continue the series, they would be the reason why.
Zenith is not at all a bad book. It's just decidedly in the "not for me" category based on the problems I outlined above. That said, it has serious strength in the sense of great characters and some thoughtful moments. Fans of character-driven sci-fi with an interest on queer representation should definitely take a look.
The Self-Published Science Fiction Contest (SPSFC) Hub– Check out all of my posts related to the SPSFC here!
Posted in #SPSFC, Books, Science Fiction
Tagged #SPSFC, Arshad Ahsanuddin, indie books, science fiction, Self Published Science Fiction Contest, SPSFC, Zenith
Presidential Biographies: Herbert Hoover #31
My quest to read (at least) one biography per President continues with Herbert Hoover, the thirty-first President of the United States. My selection process for finding a biography (reading reviews online and utilizing and this website- My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies) was served up Herbert Hoover in the White House by Charles Rappleye.
Here, I'll offer my thoughts on that biography, and proceed to present my official ranking for the DEFINITIVE RANKING OF PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES!!!!!! The full list of the rankings with all the Presidents as well as comments on their careers, updated as I read through this list, may be found here.
Herbert Hoover in the White House by Charles Rappleye
Herbert Hoover evokes images of a dam, the Depression, and an ineffective Presidency–if anyone thinks about him at all. Rappleye states at the beginning of his biography of Hoover that he's looking to draw attention to Hoover's Presidency. Specifically, he seeks to show that Hoover was more effective than he is often portrayed, while also acknowledging the exacerbation of several situations that his personality sometimes led to.
Rappleye focuses little on Hoover's pre-Presidency life, but from other biographies, it is clear that Hoover accomplished quite a bit as, for example, the Director of the United States Food Administration. He ably ran supply chains throughout World War I, and despite being secretary of a fairly minor part of the government, was referenced as a secretary of everything else by those who knew him. He was involved in almost every level of the Wilson administration and decision-making process. After the War, he helped direct relief across Europe, providing food for millions of hungry people across the continent. At no point, so far as I can tell, was he anything but excellent at these jobs, though he certainly ruffled feathers by how involved and even overbearing he could be in offering his opinion forcefully on so many subjects outside his purview.
Hoover leveraged his popularity from his deft administration under Wilson to become President, though he was helped along by a strategy to win Southern states by appealing to anti-Catholicism and fears of the "urbanite" Al Smith to become President (see Rappleye, 38-39). The strategy paid dividends, and certainly has its parallels in the dog whistles of racism in campaigning today.
Despite the frequent, popular portrayal of the man, Hoover wasn't a President who rode the country into the ground, flailing as he watched the Great Depression plunge the world into darkness. Even before his inauguration, he convinced Coolidge to allow him to take some of the reins of the Federal Reserve and other financial movers within the government to try to take action against what he saw as a coming financial crisis. He was proactive in attempting to forestall the Depression, and favored policies that interfered with the market instead of simply letting the financial bubble burst and then collapse. Coolidge's laissez-faire approach had set the country up for financial disaster, and Hoover swiftly attempted to move to stabilize pricing throughout various markets even as the bubble that had built under Coolidge was bursting.
The main problem with Hoover's Presidency wasn't inaction and flailing about without purpose as it is so often portrayed. Instead, it was a kind of self-obsession that refused to share insights with advisors and increasing paranoia that cut Hoover off from potential supporters. Hoover was so insular during his Presidency, in fact, that he didn't even publicly take credit for some of his great accomplishments, such as feeding the hungry. This latter fact was due to his aversion to government spending, causing embarrassment over his apparent personal torn loyalties to lowering government spending while also trying to care for the hungry (243-245). Hoover also appeared particularly heartless at some points in the Dpression, such as when he refused to provide direct food to farmers, instead providing seed and working to stabilize pricing on grain. Hoover's motivations for such policy seem, in retrospect, not actually mistaken, but his unwillingness to be open about his decision-making (and his alienation of the Press) led to his popularity plummeting.
Indeed, it was Hoover who ultimately made the banks solvent through his Herculean efforts creating the NCC and additional policies, even though it is Franklin Delano Roosevelt who typically gets the credit for this (286-288; 459-461). Hoover was effective in righting the ship in many ways from the Depression, but his combative, paranoid personality ultimately lost him credit for much of it. FDR's extreme aversion to Hoover didn't help his legacy either, though Hoover did get some rehabilitation of image under Truman.
Rappleye doesn't look very closely at Hoover's foreign policy or Civil Rights record. He does note that Hoover's lily-white strategy was favored by some African American leaders at the time who thought it a way to keep policies working in their favor even if it involved removing black Americans from positions of power. But this historical compromise hardly speaks well of Hoover's record regarding Civil Rights, especially given the hearty opposition of many black leaders to this same policy. During his Presidency, Hoover was much more occupied with domestic issues than foreign ones.
Herbert Hoover in the White House is a superb look at a long-overlooked President. Rappleye does not overstate his case, though he does reform Hoover's legacy in much-need ways. Hoover himself, had he trusted his advisors more and been willing to publicly discuss policy more frequently, could have been more effective. The moves he made were, largely, the right ones, but too often they were too little and too late. They were too late by perhaps a decade, however, so it is difficult to hold that against him. He was a fascinating leader in an incredibly difficult time.
Calvin Coolidge's Original Ranking in THE DEFINITIVE RANKING OF PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES (Full and Updated List Here)
Herbert Hoover (31st President – Original Ranking #17)- Hoover was not as ineffective as he is often portrayed–a blundering idiot unable or unwilling to take decisive action to slow down or stop the ravaging of the economy. He, in fact, did take such decisive action and should be credited with helping right the ship, even if that had only begun under his Presidency. His active intervention in the economy often goes unnoted due to his own reticence to do the exact thing circumstances had forced him to do. Hoover was no champion of Civil Rights, though his policies were favored by some minority leaders in his own time. He held his cards close to his chest, and due to his almost paranoid nature, some of his best moments remained secret during his Presidency. He's worth investigating further by any interested in the history of the United States. Hoover was a flawed but important President who fought against a tide of darkness greater than many others in United States history.
Posted in Books, History, Presidential Biographies
Tagged Herbert Hoover, history, President of the United States, Presidential Biographies, United States history
SPSFC Book Review: "Eye of the Storm" by R.K. King
Eye of the Storm by R.K. King
Humanity exists in the eye of a truly massive superstorm in the aptly named Eye of the Storm by R.K. King. This one didn't make it past my group's first round of cuts in the Self-Published Science Fiction Contest, but I had hugely enjoyed the first sample I'd read, and decided to keep on going. I am glad I did, because what I discovered was a gripping look at a cool post-apocalyptic wasteland.
The first impression one gets from the book is that it's a kind of Mad Max world set in a storm. That's… not wrong. It's not all of the premise, though. There are various clans who live and move around in this storm, from the Pathfinders, known for mapping out the direction the storm will move, to the Dogs, who collect and cobble together machines like cars. As the storm moves across the land, these clans stay inside, sheltered within the Eye from the awfulness of a storm that seems to encompass the whole world. They fight each other for the meager resources they encounter and scavenge along the way, each clan looking out for its own, while still being force to barter and interact with the others to get some of the things they need.
The Eye of the storm must be quite large, based on the actions that take place therein, but it's never really spelled out in the book. Aiden, a Pathfinder, eventually stumbles upon a young woman he calls Nemo, and together they venture into the heart of the storm itself, looking to see what might be out there in the world.
Our view of the world comes through the eyes of the characters. There's very little side exposition here. Mostly, readers are just thrown into the action and ride along. It's a great way to tell a story like this, and certainly keeps the plot moving. When the plot picks up as Nemo and Aiden venture forth with a small band and a Stormwalker, the pace is relentless in a very good way. I found myself churning through the pages throughout the night and didn't stop until I got to the end.
There's something to be said for science fiction that is mostly about the ride along the way. This novel is the kind of book one can sit back, enjoy the ride, and set down with a feeling of fulfillment and wonder. It's just a good, fun read that doesn't make you think very hard. That's not to say there's no development of characters or story. King moves the plot forward with the characters growing in somewhat predictable ways. The world itself is revealed in small chunks as readers follow the characters, ultimately getting some big moments that certainly set up what I hope are some great sequels to come. There is romance among the characters, and it was fairly predictable, though I was never upset by it. The one thing I would say as a detractor for the characters was how easily they shrugged off major losses. While some major scenes of mourning occur, it was almost like other characters didn't give any emotional weight to the plot. It was a minor thing for my overall enjoyment, though.
Eye of the Storm is an intensely fun read that doesn't let off the gas. It's intense from end-to-end, and weaves an action-packed narrative about a post-apocalyptic world.
Score (a score out of 10 is required for the SPSFC Rules to help us determine which books are moving on): 8/10
Tagged #SPSFC, indie books, Self Published Science Fiction Contest, SPSFC
Babylon 5 Related Work: "Becoming Superman" by J. Michael Straczynski
There is no question that J. Michael Straczynski is the one who made Babylon 5 happen. He wrote it, he came up with the concept, he helped steer the story even in all the related works. Becoming Superman is his autobiography, telling the awful story of his childhood, his dreams, and his accomplishments, all of which intertwine in a compelling tale. I am going to post SPOILERS from the book in this review.
Straczynski is ever the storyteller, and it's clear even reading his autobiography that he intentionally frames it in a way that engages the reader more than a simple A-B-C progression. Throughout most of the book, Straczynski teases readers with revelations about his family background. His family was stuck behind German lines in Russia until the end of World War II. His father and grandmother, though, apparently were much more collaborators than they liked to portray. Though Straczynski only confirmed this much later in his life, it is clear that his father's obsession with Nazi ideology and awful abuse of all around him deeply influenced Straczynski's writing career.
In Becoming Superman, we see how Straczynski discovered Superman and used the facade of the Man of Steel to get past the trauma in his own life. The toughness of this adopted persona impacts how Straczynski writes about trauma, as well. His comments about being a "victim" are particularly strong:
To be a victim is to be forever frozen in amber by that person's actions at that moment. Victimization only looks backward, never forward, which is why my family was incapable of moving on or redefining themselves. If I allowed myself to be defined by what my father did to me, it would put him at the center of my identity. (110)
These comments about victimhood are intensely personal to Straczynski, but as a reader I wondered if this is his commentary on victimization in general, given the generalized way he comments that it "looks backward, never forward…" If so, I disagree fairly strongly with this assessment. One aspect of declaring oneself a victim is acknowledgement that wrong has occurred which demands justice and rehabilitation. To be a victim does not necessitate redefining oneself in those terms, but it does define the actions of the other–the aggressor–towards oneself. I am not an expert in the psychology of this topic, so I don't feel comfortable making stronger comments, but I do think we should read Straczynski's words here as a personal comment that helped him through a particularly difficult time, rather than normative for all who have been abused.
The fascinating story of Straczynski's time in the television, comic, and film industry is detailed over most of the book, and it is an incredible journey. I haven't read much from writers in this field, but this seems one of the more honest and perceptive looks at the industry. Intermingled with this are such details as Angela Lansbury's appreciation for his writing on Murder, She Wrote. That's one of my all-time favorite shows, and I was shocked to see the maker of Babylon 5 was involved on one of its best seasons, as well. Sporadic details about Babylon 5, background story about how Star Trek: Deep Space 9 may have stolen from its concept, and more are found throughout this chapter of his life. Having only recently discovered Babylon 5 (see my journey through the series here), it was wonderful having these details from the show reported.
Becoming Superman is a great read, as one would expect from a writer as talented as Straczynski. For readers interested in learning more about the brain behind Babylon 5, it's a must-read. It's clear that so many elements of Straczynski's life appear in the show.
Babylon 5 Hub– Find all my Babylon 5-related posts and content here.
Posted in Babylon 5, Books, Television
Tagged Babylon 5, Becoming Superman, biography, J. Michael Straczynski
The Wheel of Time Season 1, Episode 7 "The Dark Along the Ways" Review
The Wheel of Time is one of the biggest fantasy blockbusters of all time, and I have read and loved the fantasy novels for decades. I was beyond thrilled to see that an adaptation was coming to Prime TV, and now that it's here, it's time to offer weekly reviews!
The Dark Along the Ways
Best cold open in the series so far. I can't describe how awesome it was to see our first Aiel in action, and to unite that with the birth of the Dragon Reborn was a great move. It's a fantastic scene that set the stage nicely for more epic-ness with the Aiel. Can't wait.
I appreciated the abbreviated stay in the Ways. Readers of the books know they were in there for a while, but it could easily have felt like a depressing, too-long stretch of time. I almost think it was too easy getting out, but as we've seen in the series so far, the writers are not slowing down for anything. Take it or leave it. The scenes we did get in there were good, and I'll be interested to know if they incorporate it more.
I loved basically all of Fal Dara. The feel of it, the look as a desert fortress. I loved Uno and the others at Fal Dara as well. It had the right feel. I hope we get to see it again. The look of the Blight surprised me, but it's been quite a while since I've read its description in the books. I'm not sure what I expected, to be honest, but I know that the look I saw wasn't it. I'm not saying it felt wrong or anything–just different.
Min was interesting, too. I always imagined her as very slight and probably younger, but that could be a disconnect between my own vision and the actual descriptions in the books. I did enjoy the very brief glimpses we got of her visions, though it makes me want more badly.
Also, it looks like we may know who the Dragon Reborn is, as far as the show is concerned now! I can't wait for the final episode of Season 1. I'll be eagerly anticipating Season 2.
Spoiler-y discussion for speculating RE books
It's becoming clear that they're going to be changing a lot. I mean, we all knew that going in. There's no real way to turn 14 massive books into a 6-8 season TV show and not lose anything. Frankly, I'm impressed with the decisions they've made so far. Accelerating the Nynaeve/Lan romance is one that definitely makes sense for the sake of viewers, and they've dropped enough hints at this point that it didn't feel abrupt.
I am wondering if they're just going to cut entire huge things out of the story. I'm not saying this with trepidation. There are some pretty big things in the books that could fairly easily be cut without losing much. The Great Hunt for the horn, for example, feels at times like it gets completely dropped from importance after the fact. I'll be interested to see what things we miss.
I also wonder if Mat is missing at this point because he left the show or something happened. I haven't been able to find any official story of why his actor is gone, but obviously he's re-cast. You can't drop Mat as a character. He might actually be my favorite of them all in the books by the end. I'm bummed they had to re-cast him here because I thought he was played quite well.
Fantasy Hub– I have a post collecting all of my fantasy-related posts into one place!
The Wheel of Time– Read all my posts on the series from a Christian worldview perspective, both the books and the TV show.
SPSFC Book Review: "The Shepherd Protocol"
The Shepherd Protocol was a read I was on the fence about when we went through our initial impressions. It ended up in a battle royale against two other books. At that point, I still felt on the fence, ready to push it into my top 10 if I didn't find other books were to my liking. That didn't end up being the case, but, happily, the novel ended up in our group's quarterfinalists, giving me the chance to dive in even more deeply.
The Shepherd Protocol follows Melody Clay, an AI who inhabits a synethetic body. There is much anti-"synth" sentiment on Earth, and Clay ends up in Boston trying to figure out how to stop or prevent the Decay, a shutdown protocol that's been killing synths. As she investigates, more players show up, whether it's people hunting synths for parts, a near military state police force, or others in on the action. There's a sense of mystery throughout, along with a kind of haunting doom for Clay.
What I hugely struggled with for this book was getting into it. Melody Clay and the other synths didn't have that feeling of "otherness" that is almost necessary for books like this to work. Because of that, it reads more like a mystery set in the future, but even that future doesn't have the world-building to back it up as feeling very… futuristic. The book ends up reading more like a mystery set in Boston with just a few modifications. There's not much by way of developing the world, so readers are left with the main plot, and that, again, is unfulfilling.
The last 15% or so has some twists in it that make some of the earlier points feel like they finally have a payoff, but it reads a bit as too little, too late. At that point, it's nice to see wider impact happening, but it would have been even better to have had those impactful moments earlier in the book, where they could help carry along a plot that otherwise feels lethargic at times.
The frustrating thing for me is that the book checks off so many of my boxes. One of my favorite subgenres of sci-fi is that of the sci-fi/mystery mashup. I also hugely enjoy robots and AIs. The Shepherd Protocol may just be one of those cases where it didn't hit me the same as it does others. Check it out if you like any of those sub-genres I mentioned.
Posted in #SPSFC, Science Fiction
Tagged #SPSFC, Fowler Brown, indie books, science fiction, Self Published Science Fiction Contest, SPSFC, The Shepherd Protocol
"Empire of the Vampire" by Jay Kristoff- A superb dark epic fantasy
I found out about Empire of the Vampire some time ago on Twitter, but I forgot for a bit and didn't think to pick it up until I saw it locally. I grabbed a copy based on the internal flap. I haven't read a lot of vampire fiction, so the thought of fighting against a Vampire Empire sounded kind of cool. Little did I know that I'd be diving in to one of my favorite books of the year.
The story-within-a-story follows Gabriel de Leon, a vampire hunter known as a Silversaint, who uses the combination of silver tattoos and vampiric powers to take the battle to the undead as he tells his story to a servant of the Vampire Empire itself. The autobiographical story takes place across several different timelines, and Gabriel picks and chooses which parts of the story he's telling at different times, in part to spar with his vampiric opponent/recorder. Thus, the sparring between Gabriel de Leon and the vampire historian Jean-François comprises the "present day" storyline that is almost entirely composed of vignettes of them talking over how to tell the story, what drinks to have, and a few other intermissions while Gabriel tells the rest of the story.
Through this lens we see Gabriel's early life, his entry into the Silversaints as a vampire hunter, and his search for the Grail in order to end the eternal night known as daysdeath and possibly bring an end to the ever-expanding reign of the vampires. Each of these stories has its own set of characters, some of whom recur in the others. Readers aren't presented them in entirely orderly fashion, either. While the individual strands of story are largely told front-to-back, Gabriel skips from one strand to the other throughout his long night of discussions with Jean-François. Each of the strands of story is utterly compelling in its own way, such that I never minded when the thread was changed because I knew that I would be diving into another grim yet fantastic story.
Yes, the world is grim. Gabriel himself seems to have lost his faith, he's foul-mouthed, and there's plenty of blood, gore, and sex mixed in. The book is very much not for anyone who doesn't want lots of cussing, violence, and sex in their books. I'm not personally all about those things in my books, but they don't bother me. I enjoyed the grimdark story. How can the world not be grim, though, when humanity is a dying species and the dead are closing in on all sides? Gabriel is joined by a cast of characters that largely reflects his own interests–nuns, other warriors, and his sword each has a role to play. The large book manages to give each character plenty of screen (page?) time, so readers interested in deep characterization will be pleased. While I saw several of the plot twists regarding major characters coming, there are enough twists that I was outpaced by several of them. Additionally, the character development that happens through the book feels utterly realistic. When a character makes a major change, it's earned such that as a reader you know it makes sense.
There are several other things that set this book apart in my mind. One is Kristoff's alternate theology and vampirology. While the trappings of high church are familiar to many–either due to reading enough fantasy with similar themes or just being familiar with it because of being associated with a churches or theology (as am I)–Kristoff takes a spin on all of it by inventing his own theology. Each part of it is like a twist on Christian theology, with a Redeemer who is slain for others (on a wheel, flayed), its orders of monks and nuns, and its relics. As someone interested in theology, I found the brief asides about what could be considered sinful, what it means to be sinful, and more to be great spins on wider real-world theology discussions. I don't want to spoil too much, but even smaller things like heretical beliefs are incorporated and changed with Kristoff's own spin on things. It's a fascinating look at theology in an alternate world. Another way this book is set apart is the fairly diverse representation of love.
Kristoff also developed an interesting way to diversify vampiric powers, both based upon the age of the vampire and upon which bloodline from which they sprung. This gives the bad guys more diversity than they may otherwise have had, and, because of how the plot works, does the same for the "good guys." Finally, it's set apart in its prose. While it's not the strongest prose I've read in a fantasy novel, the way Gabriel talks has its own voice that got into my head and wouldn't let me stop. I read the book in a marathon, unable to put it down in between necessary tasks for several days until I finished it.
Huge Spoilers this paragraph. One thing I did feel somewhat let down by was how swiftly Gabriel went from defending Dior to being willing to battle his own lifelong friends in order to do so. I think it may become more clear on a re-read, but that's the one aspect that as a reader I didn't think we got the necessary buy-in before Kristoff made the twist happen. I'll be hugely curious to see what happens in the aftermath of the last 100 pages or so of this book. End huge spoilers.
Empire of the Vampire is one of my favorite books of the year. I know I'll be picking up the next one when it comes out, as I eagerly anticipate diving back into this rich world and knowing more about its superb characters. I highly recommend it to you, dear readers.
Posted in Books, Fantasy
Tagged Empire of the Vampire, Epic Fantasy, fantasy books, grimdark, Jay Kristoff, vampires
The Wheel of Time Season 1 Episode 6 "The Flame of Tar Valon" Review
The Wheel of Time is one of the biggest fantasy blockbusters of all time, and I have read and loved the fantasy novels for decades. I was beyond thrilled to see that an adaptation was coming to Prime TV, and now that it's here, it's time to offer weekly reviews! Be sure to also check out my theology site for my look at the show and books from a Christian perspective.
The Flame of Tar Valon
I have a lot to think about after watching this episode.
First, Siuan Sanche's background origin story was beautifully done. Having Berden get humanized so early on was a wonderful way to do it, and I admit as he sent Siuan off I had tears welling in my eyes. I also appreciate having representation of people with disabilities that aren't automatically evil, which happens far too often in pop culture (see, for example, the countless examples of motivations for "evil scientist" type villains being driven by trying to "fix" disabilities). Overall, this scene was one of the strongest in the show so far.
I also was a huge fan of how they handled the Siuan/Moiraine perceived rivalry and then turning it into being love. The two are hinted at as pillow friends, if I recall correctly, in the books, and this just makes it much more explicit.
Moiraine and Loial's brief interactions were also highlights of the episode. I loved how Moiraine approached Loial and sort of skipped ahead of all of his objections in their conversations. Truly, the casting in the show across the board is excellent, and there are several highlights of dialogue throughout already.
The continued hints at layers upon layers of intrigue in the Tower are necessary and certainly well done, especially in light of what readers of the books know is going on. I also think that the many set pieces we've seen are beautiful. I loved the Amyrlin Seat, and on reflection I enjoyed how they showed the shawl of the Amyrlin as well. It's much more subtle than I expected, but from what I understand, it's a nod to the many fan depictions that have shown it with similar themes.
One downside is that the series continues to clip along at a frenetic pace, which is the main thing that has taken me out of the show so far. The Wheel of Time books are very clearly not oriented towards being quick reads or fast-paced action-fests. Due to the format of the show–only 8 episodes this season!–the creators are cramming each episode so full of events that it starts to feel like whiplash at times. Even when characters do try to slow things down, we move so quickly past the events that it seems we don't get to reflect on the events. For example, Moiraine's exile goes from her discussion with Siuan ahead of time to a meeting of the Aes Sedai to Siuan saying she's banished and then immediately pulling out the Oath Rod (!!!) to make Moraine swear to abide by the ruling and then leaving. I was surprised to see there was no pause anywhere in this chain of events.
Full Book SPOILERS section and theorizing
Speaking of the Oath Rod–I was taken aback to see them decide to use it that way. The problem with a major piece like the Oath Rod is that if you use it too frequently, it becomes a prop more than an epic artifact. Indeed, one of the insidious things about the Broken Tower in the books is when the White Tower tries to use the Oath Rod to force people to swear fealty to the Amyrlin Seat. Weirdly, the scene in this episode skirts right along that border to the point that it felt kind of "yucky" as a fan of the books.
On the flip side, I can see the decision-making process for the showrunners, because featuring the Oath Rod prominently early on allows them to make a big deal about other revelations related to it later, such as the Black Ajah and others. Thus, I'm kind of torn on that scene.
I appreciated how they depicted the drawing of the darkness from the dagger out of Mat. While we viewers could see the weaves, Rand makes it clear all he could see was a bit of the darkness, which gives viewers the hint that others can't see the weaving other than its effects.
Overall, I was a fan of this episode, apart from the caveats I mentioned. The series continues to offer a strong epic fantasy look at the Wheel of Time world, and the flavors it has from the book series make it feel much more unique than some of the other epic fantasy series out there. I am eagerly anticipating the rest of the season.
Posted in Television, Wheel of Time
Tagged Moiraine, Siuan Sanche, The Flame of Tar Valon, The Wheel of Time, The Wheel of Time TV, Wheel of Time
Fantasy Hub
Links to my fantasy-related content as well as other major hubs may be found here. Let me know what you think!
Fantasy Book Reviews
"The Wheel of Time" Episodes 1-3 "Leavetaking," "Shadows Waiting," and "A Place of Safety"– I review the first three episodes of The Wheel of Time.
The Wheel of Time Episode 4 "The Dragon Reborn"– The best episode yet has a ton of changes from the books, but I talk about why so many of these make sense and why the episode was so enjoyable.
The Wheel of Time Episode 5 "Blood Calls Blood"– We meet Loial!
The Wheel of Time Hub– On my theology blog, I have a great deal of posts analyzing The Wheel of Time books and TV show from a Christian worldview perspective.
These posts are a series in which I read through and review every single Hugo Award Winner and Nominee. I also pick my own winner out of the batch, which doesn't always align.
1953– There's only one book, so is it a surprise that I picked it for my winner?
1954- No winner for Best Novel.
1955– This year's winner is widely considered the worst book to ever win a Hugo.
1956– Red scare of the best kind.
1958– Only once choice again, but this one was great.
1959– A few contenders, but I picked one that got me thinking.
1960– How could anyone have picked anything but space pirates? I mean really.
1961– The voters got it right on a fantastic novel this year.
1962– The rise of Heinlein. Also, Plato's Cave.
1963– I dusted off a classic here. (Sorry.)
1964– Easy to pick a winner this go-round.
1965– The voters were perhaps most wrong this year of all the years so far. My goodness, they voted for a yawner over an intense, wild classic.
1966– It's not fair that these other books had to compete against Dune, because there were some good'ns.
1967– I cried a lot over my choice of winner here.
1968– Space poetry written by Zelazny.
1969– I get hooked on Lafferty.
1970– Not the strongest year, but it does feature an all-time classic.
1971– A strong demonstration of why I choose to read lists, as I discover a mostly-forgotten classic!
1972– Yet another year Silverberg should have won the Hugo.
1973– Guess who should have won this year? Yep, and this may have been the biggest miss on SIlverberg so far.
1974– Honestly I thought this year was a pretty mediocre year. My winner didn't even break into the "A" grade range.
1975– One of the most singular, fantastic science fiction books of all time won this year's award. It's a strong batch, overall.
1976– A weaker year, but I had one fun, hilarious read stand out from the pack.
2020– A fantastic mix of genres and authors, and the first year I'm officially a Hugo voter!
Vintage Fantasy
Other Hubs
Horus Heresy and Warhammer/40K Hub– All my reviews related to Warhammer/40K/Horus Heresy fiction can be found here. Read grimdark to your heart's content!
Babylon 5 Hub– My links to all my reviews related to the world of Babylon 5. I started with the television show and plan to work through all the novels and comics as well.
Star Wars Hub– Reviews of many Star Wars: Expanded Universe novels are here, along with a few reviews of the new "canon" novels.
Star Trek posts (I have not yet created a Hub for Star Trek)- I've reviewed many episodes of Star Trek TNG and DS9, and this link will let you explore those.
The Self-Published Science Fiction Contest (SPSFC) Hub– Want more indie sci-fi? Check out my hub for this exciting contest collecting all my posts related to these self-published science fiction books.
Tagged fantasy, fantasy books, fantasy movie, fantasy TV, The Wheel of Time
SPSFC Book Review: "Of Cinder and Bone" by Kyoko M.
Of Cinder and Bone was one of only three books that my group unanimously selected to go into our round of full reads. The group was intrigued by its strong, fun characters and hints of a dragon plot mixed with some sci-fi. I personally thought it was a kind of Jurassic Park with dragons and stronger characters scenario and was all in from the get-go.
Now I've finished the book, and I think the strengths that were clear at the beginning didn't let me down. The characters in the novel are real, living people that you want to root for or smack upside the head by turns. Even minor characters get significant development, with a few of them almost supplanting the core three characters to take over the story. That last bit hints at my main problem with the novel, but more on that later.
The main story follows Jack and Kamala, two scientists struggling to bring back the long-lost dragons from the grave. Alongside them is Faye, a fireball of a woman who carries the plot in every scene in which she appears. Although she's "just Kamala's roommate," she steals the show time and again as her interactions with the others move the character development in sometimes surprising ways. The scientists manage to get a dragon in a very Jurassic Park-esque manner, but then it's promptly stolen, thrusting our mains into a dark world of Yakuza and more to figure out what's going on.
This is where I have a minor gripe–the story gets pretty drawn out at times in this major middle section, as Jack, Kamala, Faye, and many, many side characters hop in to create a sometimes dizzying narrative of hard science fantasy, dragons, and corporate intrigue. It becomes necessary to truly slow down and concentrate on the flow of the story for fear of missing major plot points. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it did detract from my personal enjoyment as the novel moved from an expected fun, easy-to-read romp to a jungle of names, locations, and people each with their own motivations. Some of the major points about dragons that were raised early on disappeared into the background until they were suddenly thrust at readers again towards the end. I found myself almost experiencing whiplash with how quickly big movements happened in the last quarter. All of this is to say, don't let the first fun impressions fool you–this book requires some thinking and effort. But lighthearted humor and great moments are found all the way through.
The bulk of the enjoyment comes, again, from the characters and their interactions. Yes, dragons are cool. Yes, there's some hard sci-fi and made up history of dragons thrown in there. I honestly wanted way more fake paleontology related to dragons. I would have eaten that up. But the core of the novel's strength is in these characters, and there are some major side characters who direct the plot along. These feel like real people, with some true development happening between chapters. I loved them.
Kyoko M. has created a truly fascinating alternate now that is carried by some of the strongest characters I've encountered in this contest. While it didn't maintain the tone I personally hoped for all the way through, the plot was satisfying and the conclusion has me wanting more. Of Cinder and Bone is a great story with fantastic characters.
Tagged #SPSFC, Kyoko M., Of Cinder and Bone, science fiction, Self Published Science Fiction Contest, SPSFC