Rot & Ruin: Jonathan Maberry (Rot & Ruin - Book 1)

Rot & Ruin is the first book in a series of 3 (maybe 4?) books set post-zombie apocalypse.

The novel(s) follow(s) Benny Imura, younger brother of 'zombie slayer' Tom Imura, who is in desperate need of an occupation to which he can actually commit.

He ends up apprenticing with his older brother, but he has a lot to learn over the course of the novel. Fortunately for us, he does seem to figure out how to grow the fuck up. I mean, he's only 14 (I believe) so it's not like it's that unreasonable that he'd be immature, but nonetheless.

Quite frankly, although there are a lot of things that I could say about this book, there's really only one that I particularly want to--the reason that I'm reviewing the novel at all:

I thoroughly appreciate the way that Maberry has worked his zombies and such. It is a disease, but they don't know what it is or what caused it, but literally anybody who dies at this point will reawaken a zombie unless 'silenced', which is a practice of taking a metal pin thing and shoving it into the spinal column in the back of the neck to sever the nerves, etc. Also, they kind of just stand in place without anything to stimulate their senses. They have to hear noise or see movement in order to "animate." Going out into the wilderness is still dangerous, of course, but that at least makes it a little easier.

However. My main criticism of this novel is simply that it's aimed at such a young audience. This book is aimed at males ages 10-15 approx. Obviously I'm a 21 year old female and therefore not the intended audience, but that isn't the point. Maberry's prose is so hollow; there's so much that he could be doing with this series, so many things that could be really delved into deeply, but aren't because of the intended audience. Don't get me wrong, it's done very well as is, but I just really feel like it could be so much better if it was aimed at an older audience.

So. By all means go read it, but buyer beware: Unless you tend to rather enjoy tween lit, you'll feel a little disenchanted.


Unrelated: I got my boyfriend to read this and the sequel, Dust & Decay, because he'd been complaining about not really reading anymore and I wanted to fix that. He read each of them in about a day and a half I think, and he is intending to order the 3rd through Amazon so that he can finish (theoretically) the series. He, like me, hates to leave things unfinished. Plus, the second one ends on one helluva cliffhanger.


Until next time,
--Emily

Soulless: Gail Carriger (The Parasol Protectorate - Book 1)

CONTAINS SPOILERS. BE ON YOUR GUARD.

Soulless is the first novel in a series of 5 by Gail Carriger, a writer who is both hilarious and brilliant, and unquestionably has my loyalty after just this one novel.

I read it in the span of about a day and a half, just purely because I was so into it. And I was putting off my homework. As per usual. So sue me. (Don't, please, I beg you.)

Although the common mythology is that vampires and werewolves lack souls because they're "undead" if you will, Carriger has flipped this concept around, instead claiming that they have an excess of soul, which is what allows them to be supernatural in the first place. Alexia Tarabotti, our heroine, is what they refer to as a preternatural, or an otherwise normal human being who has been born without a soul. What this means is that she counteracts all supernatural-ness; coming into contact with a supe causes an immediate reversion to humanity for the werewolf/vampire/ghost in question, which is particularly interesting and, at times, sort of dangerous. This soullessness is, in fact, hereditary, and she got the trait from her Italian father, a heritage she and her family are most embarrassed about because they are, after all, British in the nineteenth century. (From my studies, I've gathered that this disdain of foreigners was a pretty solid thing for these people; whether or not it still holds is up in the air.)

Because supernaturals are "public," if you will, there had to be some manipulation of history in order to account for it all. It's actually quite genius, the way that things are perfectly accounted for and addressed. I wasn't even expecting such interesting developments. Also, there is an overseeing organization called BUR--an acronym I've unfortunately forgotten at the moment, and my novel is across the room, and I'm naked and in bed, so I'm not getting it to tell you. Suck it--headed by one Lord Maccon, the 20-years new Alpha of the Woolsey pack.

Alexia is particularly bold and educated in the sciences, etc. Her father is dead and has been for quite awhile, and her mother remarried a proper Brit and had two more daughters--and I'll be the first to tell you that Alexia's entire immediate family is a group of bloody twits.

Anyway. The plot of this novel is that roves (independent vampires not connected to a Hive--as opposed to a coven) are going missing, and new, uneducated vampires are randomly showing up. Not only that, but Alexia's being targeted and followed and such. Drama and hilarity ensue, and untoward romance sparks between Alexia--considered a spinster at age 26--and Lord Maccon, which is also bloody hilarious, I should mention.

The remainder of the plot and such is certainly worth discussion, but I'm not going to thrill you with it because it simply won't do to elaborate on the entire plot, now, will it? What would be the point in ruining it? Regardless, it's definitely worth a read.

I've begun reading the second book--because, true to my nature, I bought all 5 of them at the same time. Dangerous practice to get into, but usually worth it. At least for me. (= --aaaaand it's just as brilliant as the first. And I'm not even a full chapter into it yet. lol. So worth it.

I'll get back to you when I have more to offer. (=


Until next time,
--Emily