Carmen Ohio: OSU - Michigan 2016

Tar Hollow - Buckeye Trail Run

American Elsewhere (2013). Sci-Fi Fi, Horror, Fantasy.... all of the above and more

American Elsewhere (2013)  Robert Jackson Bennett

Is it Science Fiction?  Yes

Is it Fantasy?  Yes

Is it Horror?  Probably

Is it religious allegory?  I think so.

Is it a love story? Maybe….

What a wonderfully weird book.   Our heroine, Mona Bright,  is terrific.  She is a kick-ass, take no prisoners ex cop who lands in a surreal little New Mexico town where a great night for a couple is for the husband to hook up toasters to the engine of a lime-green Cadillac while his wife stands by holding warm lemonade in high heels until her feet bleeds. 

Mona inherits a house in Wink New Mexico from her late mother after her drunken father dies.  Her first task is to find the town of Wink which is not on any map.  When she finally finds it the mystery deepens.  On the day that her mother killed her self the town of Wink was devastated by a lightening storm and the girl bathing in her old mother’s house was electrocuted. 

While Mona is getting her bearings in this weird place the inhabitants are at war.  Someone is killing off the leading (eldest) interlopers by pairing them up with a rabbit skull that somehow leads them to a supernatural killer – the Wilding.  

The love story comes in between Mr. First and his little friend, Gracie.  How is First going to try and save Gracie from the coming abomination -  MOTHER.  Oh Mother dear.  The question is whose mother is it.  Can this monster somehow be related to Laura Alvarez -  Mona’s mother?  Mona finds that her mother was once a brilliant scientist working in Coburn labs studying dimensional bruising.   Could an entity from beyond have taken over the body of Laura and led to her apparent schizo break and suicide?   Does this malevolent beast want to use Mona’s lost baby to transverse back to Wink and beyond?  Who will help Mona fend this threat off – Mrs. Benjamin?, Mr. Parson?,  Ganymede?,  Gracie?  First?,  the Wilding?  Or will Mona give Mother her pan-dimensional baby as a tribute?  Not a chance!

This book reminds me of Neil Gaiman, Steven King, HP Lovecraft, C.S. Lewis  but mostly the strange and lovely mind of Madeline L’Engle.  In any event enjoy! And when you are done try Bennett’s City of Stairs for something much different.

Leviathan Wakes - Space Zombies or something more?

The beginning of the Expanse series is an interesting story full of space goo and zombie-isa characters that our heroes (Jim Holden et al) must battle and out wit.  I would say that there is a fair amount of politics and tension in this series.   My hope is that the SyFi series will not botch it up by focusing on the monsters and neglecting the character development that highlights the books.

Faller (2016) Will McIntosh

Faller  (2016)  Will McIntosh

A story that violates both physical and biologic laws cannot be all bad. Or can it?  Our hero finds himself on a floating bit of Earth with no memory of how he got there and only a few clues (including a toy paratrooper) to guide him.  Soon he is making his own parachute and the adventure begins.  In it he finds his past and his mistakes and gratefully forgets them again.  He meets the love of his life (multiple times) and learns the truth of his worst enemy.

A perfectly delightful book with a surprisingly, satisfying ending. 

Not usually my piece of cake but I got it and liked it.

Red Rising Trilogy. - Pierce Brown (2014-2016)

Red Rising (2014) Pierce Brown – Book One of the Red Rising Trilogy:  Book Review

Cast

·       Darrow, a Red who is remade into a Gold named "Darrow au Andromedus" to infiltrate and destroy the Society. He is later called "The Reaper" by his classmates, for the sickle-shaped blade he carries as his weapon.

·       Eo, Darrow's wife who’s hanging for treason ignites his desire for revenge against the Golds.

·       Nero au Augustus, the ArchGovernor of Mars who orders Eo's execution.

·       Virginia au Augustus, daughter of the ArchGovernor and leader of House Minerva at the Institute. Initially not knowing her given name, Darrow calls her "Mustang".

·       Adrius au Augustus, Virginia's vicious twin brother, leader of House Pluto at the Institute. His nickname is "The Jackal".

·       Cassius au Bellona, Darrow's former ally and friend in House Mars who later turns on him.

·       Jullian au Bellona, Younger brother of Cassius who is paired with Darrow in “the passage”.

·       Roque, Darrow's friend and ally in House Mars, a self-styled poet.

·       Sevro, Darrow's friend and ally in House Mars, a low Draft with an antisocial attitude.

·       Antonia au Severus, a ruthless Gold in house Mars.

·       Titus au Ladros, a violent and tyrannical member of House Mars.

·       Pax au Telemanus, a massive warrior aligned with Virginia in House Minerva.

·       Tactus au Rath, a duplicitous member of House Diana.

·       Fitchner, Proctor of Mars at the Institute, Sevro's father.

·       Narol, Darrow's paternal uncle, rescues Darrow after his execution and sends him to the Sons of Ares.

·       Dancer, Darrow's mentor in the Sons of Ares who first reveals to him the lies of the Golds.

·       Harmony, Partner of Dancer who helps train Darrow during his carving

·       Mickey, a Violet carver who remakes Darrow's body and physically transforms him into a Gold.

·       Matteo, a Pink who educates Darrow all about the society, its history, politics and arts.

·       Octavia au Lune, the Sovereign of the Society.

Pierce Brown creates a solar system of hierarchal repression reminiscent of The Hunger Games.  The world that Pierce creates is segregated strictly by classes designated by colors.  Yellows are the doctors, blues are the pilots, pinks are the prostitutes and on it goes.  The Golds are the tyrannical leaders (of course).  The hero of this book (first in the Red Rising Trilogy -  Golden Son and Morningstar come next) is Darrow (a Red),  a devil diver, who works (like all reds) far underground on Mars mining helium-3 that can be used to terraform Mars and the rest of the solar system. His wife Eo is a frustrated anarchist and when she and Darrow are arrested for a minor offense she sings a forbidden protest song for everyone, including Nero au Augustus (the Gold ArchGovernor of Mars), who orders her death by hanging.  Darrow then cuts down her body and buries her, which also happens to lead to a death sentence, and he is also hanged.  However, he is saved by his uncle Narel and sent to the rebel group, Son’s of Ares.  Why?  They plan to perform the ultimate plastic surgery and turn him into a Gold with the hope of his working his way into a position to topple the society.

Dance and Harmony are part of the Son’s of Ares and talk Darrow into going through with the carving to become a Gold. Mickey is a violet who is a carver who is on the sleazy side of plastic surgery in this world.  He is also talented.  The description of the carving of Darrow is interesting.  Virtually every bit of his body needs to be modified to achieve the herculean stature of a Gold.  Matteo is a pink who teaches Darrow all of the social  skills necessary to be a Gold.

Following a written test, Darrow enters the institute- one of a thousand.  He is drafted into house Mars along with 99 others.  He meets many of the people that will impact his life moving forward.  Julian and Cassius, Titus, Sevro, Rogue, and Antonia.  The first night in house Mars they are each beaten by Obsidians and taken to a room with one other student.  Finchner (proctor of house Mars) tells them that it is a fight to the death and only one student leaves each room.  Darrow is paired with Julian and after much angst, kills him and joins the survivors.

They are then taken to a castle to enter the project that is the institute.  That is that each house is battling the others for supremacy. Within each house the students fight to be the leader   - Primus.   I think Pierce Brown does a very good job with this section.  He describes the miseries of having bad water or no fire and the results. Darrow becomes for all intents the leader of house Mars with Cassius as his right hand man until Cassius learns, through the Jackal, that Darrow killed his brother Julian in the Passage.  He, seemingly, mortally wounds Darrow in the forest and leaves him to die.   Fortunately for Darrow, Mustang is also a refugee hiding out and nurses him back to health.  Together they band the stragglers and misfits into an army and look to defeat the rest of the houses until they meet the Jackal who, because his father is Nero au Augustus, is getting help from all of the proctors. Darrow takes on the proctors and defeats them and then sends Mustang to bring back the Jackal who has just slipped away.   Finchner then confides to Darrow that Mustang is Virginia au Augustus the daughter of Nero and twin sister of the Jackal.  He needn’t have worried as she faithfully brings the Jackal in and Darrow wins the institute.  He then becomes the apprentice to Nero au Augustus that is the set up for the following book of the trilogy - Golden Son.

Summary

If you like other such books - Hunger games, divergent series, Ender’s Game - you will probably like this.  If you don’t then you probably won’t like Red Rising either.  I liked it.  The next two books are not quite as good without the focus on the institute.  They seem to be rushing for the end that we all know is coming.

  Golden Son (2015) Pierce Brown - Book Two of Red Rising Trilogy

·       Darrow, a Red remade into a Gold named "Darrow au Andromedus" (The Reaper) Lancer of House Augustus.

·       Virginia au Augustus, nicknamed "Mustang", daughter of Nero au Augustus and twin sister of Adrius.

·       Adrius au Augustus, Virginia's sociopathic twin brother, called "The Jackal".

·       Nero au Augustus, the ArchGovernor of Mars and father of Virginia and Adrius.

·       Victra au Julii, lancer of House Augustus, half sister to Antonia au Severus.

·       Roque au Fabii, lancer of House Augustus.

·       Tactus au Rath, lancer of House Augustus.

·       Ragnar Volarus, Stained Obsidian

·       Kavax au Telemanus, father of Daxo and the late Pax.

·       Daxo au Telemanus, son of Kavax and Pax's brother.

·       Cassius au Bellona, lancer of House Bellona, brother of Karnus.

·       Karnus au Bellona, lancer of House Bellona, Brother of Cassius.

·       Octavia au Lune, the Sovereign of the Society.

·       Lysander au Lune, grandson and heir of the Sovereign and grandson of Lorn au Arcos.

·       Aja au Grimmus, the Sovereign's Protean Knight.

·       Lorn au Arcos, the former Rage Knight.

·       Fitchner au Barca, former Proctor of Mars at the Institute, father of Sevro.

·       Sevro au Barca, leader of the Howlers, son of Fitchner.

·       Antonia au Severus-Julii, Darrow's ruthless longtime enemy and Victra's half sister.

·       Pliny au Velocitor, Nero's chief of staff.

·       Dancer, Red lieutenant in the Sons of Ares.

·       Harmony, Dancer's Red lieutenant.

·       Mickey, a Violet carver who remade Darrow as a Gold.

·       Evey, a Pink former slave of Mickey.

At the end of Red Rising our hero, Darrow, becomes a Lancer for his enemy, Nero au Augustus.  At the beginning of Golden Son we see Darrow lose a mock space battle to Karnus (Cassius’ old brother).   This loss prompts Nero to tell Darrow that he is going to put his contract up for bid at the next summit of the great houses.    Before the meeting he sees Adrius (the Jackal) who has his own schemes. He also meets Harmony who tells him that Dancer is dead (a lie) and tells him that Ares wants him to be a suicide bomber at the House Summit.  Darrow is about to do this and then has another idea.  He challenges Cassius to a duel.  It turns out that Darrow has been training with Lorn au Arcos (former Rage Knight) and is able to defeat Cassius and is about to kill him when the Sovereign calls of the fight to save him.   Darrow chops off Cassius’ arm in frustration and chaos incuses. 

The Sovereign asks Darrow to join her and has a truth telling contest with him using special scorpion-like creatures called oracles.  Darrow finds out that the sovereign was planning to destroy Augustus and give Mars to Bellona.  Mustang signals Sevro and the Howlers who rescue Darrow and take the Sovereign’s grandson Lysander as a hostage.   As they are escaping Aja crushes Quinn’s head.  On the escape, Adrius (the Jackal) pretends to operate on Quinn but actually (we find out later) kills her.   Now we have war! 

Darrow attacks and takes the largest ship in the Sovereign’ s fleet.  He renames the ship the Pax in honor of his friend from the institute.   Also of note is the appearance of a stained obsidian – Ragnar Volarus.  Ragnar is one of the most interesting characters in the series.  The whole culture of the obsidians is designed to make Golds as god-like figures and prevent the obsidians from uniting.  For if they do they would be a massive force.  Darrow, wisely, gives Ragnar his freedom.  This is not an easy thing and Ragnar rejects freedom but Darrow finally convinces him.  This, of course, makes Ragnar even more loyal to Darrow then before.  He becomes a member of Sevrus’s howlers.   I would really like to see Pierce Brown write a book with an obsidian as it’s main character.  Maybe a prehistory to this when the obsidians fought the Golds (and lost).

Darrow plans an “iron rain” and to take Mars from the Bellona for Nero au Augustus.  First he needs more ships and men and seeks these with his teacher Lorn au Arcos who is forced to join Darrow when the Sovereign’s forces turn up to kill his family and Darrow saves them.  Darrow’s former friend Tactus escapes Darrows first trap and is in position to kill Lorn’s family.  Darrow convinces him to come back to him.  A very positive moment which is very short when Lorn kills Tactus for threatening his family.  Second Chances seems to be a theme for Darrow which occasionally gets him in trouble.  I think it humanizes him and makes him a much more believable character.   

With Lorn’s forces they initiate the battle for Mars.  In the fight he is rescued at one point by Fitchner who reveals himself to be Ares.  Turns out that his wife (Sevrus’ mother) was a red who was put to death.  Sevro had already told Darrow that he knew his secret.  He tells Mustang his secret and she considers killing him until Ragnar intercedes.

As Sevro becomes closer to Darrow, Rogue is pulling away.  He blames Quinn’s death on Darrow (as Cassius blames him for killing Julian).   So it is not a big surprise when at a victory feast he stabs Darrow with a tranquilizer.  They present him with a box containing Fitchner’s head (Cassius killed him) and Adrius  (the Jackal) kills his father, Nero.  Rogue, Cassius and Adrius are in a plot with the Sovereign Octavia.  Antonia shoots here half-sister Victra in the back.  They know Darrow’s secret and plan to dissect him to find out how it was done -  we will see what that means. Probably torture and eventual death for Darrow (and Eo’s dream).  

Why would Rogue betray Darrow?  He blames Darrow for Quinn’s death. The sovereign ordered Aja to kill Quinn and Adrius finished the job.  Well maybe to maintain the Gold’s way of life.   But if Rogue didn’t betray Darrow then what would be the plot of the third book?  Sort of an odd plot twist that didn’t make good sense to me.  I could see Rogue fighting against Darrow but not betraying him.

Remaining Questions:

Will Darrow give Rogue and Cassius another chance to get on the right side?

Where is Mustang?

Are the Son’s of Ares gone?

How will Ragnar and Sevrus fit in?

Where is Darrow and how is he going to escape and lead the revolt to victory?

Next up:  Morning Star

Morning Star (2016) Pierce Brown, Book Three of the Red Rising Trilogy

·       Darrow of Lykos, a Red physically remade into a Gold to infiltrate and destroy the Society, (The Reaper).

·       Virginia au Augustus, nicknamed "Mustang", daughter of Nero, the former ArchGovernor of Mars.

·       Adrius au Augustus, Virginia's twin brother, the sociopathic ArchGovernor of Mars, also known as "The Jackal".

·       Victra au Julii, Darrow's loyal lieutenant, half sister of Antonia au Severus-Julii.

·       Sevro au Barca, Darrow's best friend and second-in-command, acting leader of the Sons of Ares.

·       Cassius au Bellona, the Sovereign's Morning Knight, Darrow's nemesis and former friend.

·       Roque au Fabii, Imperator of the Sovereign's Sword Armada, Darrow's former ally and friend.

·       Antonia au Severus-Julii, Praetor of the Fifth and Sixth Legions, Victra's half-sister.

·       Octavia au Lune, the Sovereign of the Society.

·       Lysander au Lune, grandson and heir of the Sovereign.

·       Aja au Grimmus, the Protean Knight and the Sovereign's bodyguard.

·       Ragnar Volarus, Darrow's Obsidian lieutenant.

·       Sefi the Quiet, Ragnar's sister and leader of the Valkyries.

·       Holiday ti Nakamura, a Gray Legionnaire secretly working for the Sons of Ares, and Darrow's deputy.

·       Regulus ag Sun, nicknamed "Quicksilver", a Silver and the richest man in the Society through ownership of the helium-3 refineries on Phobos.

·       Dancer, Darrow's mentor in the Sons of Ares and later the Sons' liaison for the Reds.

·       Mickey, a Violet carver who remade Darrow as a Gold.

·       Lilath, Gold, captain of The Jackal’s bonerider’s (personal killers)

Morning Star begins with our hero Darrow being tortured in a box.  This has been te case for about a year.  Victra has been tortured by her half sister Antonia. Everyone in the solar system thinks Darrow is dead because the Sovereign stages a mock execution of some poor slob made up like Darrow.  Everyone but Sevro -  who never stopped believing.  He is possibly the most interesting character in the books.  Sevro sends Holiday and Trigg ti Nakamura to rescue Darrow and they get Victra as well but Trigg is lost in the battle – killed by Aja – She is a beast.

Mickey (the carver) is brought back to fix Darrow and Victra.  I was disappointed that Mickey’s character was not developed more as he is the key to this whole saga.  Oh well.  Once they are well they set off to kidnap Quicksilver (a rich gray).  They arrive to find Mustang, Antonia, and Cassius in a peace conference with Quicksilver.  After a battle, they capture Quicksilver and find out that he was a co-founder (with Fitchner) of the Son’s of Ares. Next up -  Sevro and the howlers serve up a distraction on Phobos while Darrow and Ragnar head to Ragnar’s home to try and enlist the Obsidians in their battle.  Along the way they are met by Mustang who joins them.  Aja and Cassius follow them and both ships crash land.  Darrow and Mustang caputure Cassius.  Aja kills Ragnar (hard to believe) and then escapes. 

Darrow and Mustang then convince Ragnar’s sister Sefi to join their cause.  They do this by unmasking the Gold’s in the temple who are pretending to be gods.  Sefi beheads her mother, Alia Snowsparrow, when she disagrees with Sefi.  There are a lot of themes about parent and child relationships in this series.  Mostly bad ones.

Next they convince Romulus au Raa, one of the moon lords of Jupitor, to align with them over a counter offer by Rogue representing the Sovereign.  So the big space battle commences.  Pierce Brown is no Alistair Reynolds when it comes to space battles but this one is interesting.  Darrow suckers Rogue in close thinking he has won and then Darrow and a team of reds take clawdrills across and tear straight to the bridge of Rogues ship (helped by Rogue’s Pink).  Antonia escapes leaving Rogues fleet exposed.  Rogue sees that all is lost and despite Darrow’s pleas for his to comeback to his side.  Rogue commits suicide.  Noble and poetic to the end.  Victra captures Antonia. Sevro stops an uprising of the obsidians who are hanging every Gold in sight.  He does this by first hanging Cassius for killing his father (Fitchner) and then (dramatically) hanging himself for his various murders.  Sefi cuts them both down and unites the obsidians (once again) under Darrow.  Sevro and Victra are married.  Their kids will be demons.

Before the final battle Darrow suggests letting Cassius go as someone is bound to kill him.  As he and Sevro and Mustang are doing this Cassius steals Sevro’s gun and kills him.  He lets Antonia go and they steal a shuttle and take Darrow, Mustang, and Sevro’s body (why?) to the Sovereign Octavia who is there with her grandson and Adrius (the Jackal).  Octavia orders Darrow’s right hand to be cut off.  This is done. Octavia orders Aja to kill Antonia because she fled the battle and left Rogue outflanked.  Adrius plans to kill Darrow with Sevro’s gun (why?) and discovers that it is full of blanks.  Cassius then reveals that he is actually on Darrow’s side after all. They fight Aja until they get in position to awaken Sevro (right Sevro is not really dead – big surprise).  Together they are able to defeat Aja and kill the Sovereign.

Then Adrius (that Jackal) has one more curve.  There are 100 nukes on Luna and he will set them off one by one unless Darrow commits suicide and Mustang and Cassius let him assume the throne.   Lilath is the button pusher in her space ship.  Instead of killing himself Darrow punches Adrius in the throat and rips out is tongue (Sefi is envious) .  With the help of the Ash Lord they pummel Lilath and prevent her from setting off all of the Nukes. 

Mustang becomes the sovereign and Darrow is her consort? Husband?  Cassius takes Lysander off to explore the solar system.  Sefi is off to unite all of the obsidians (trouble brewing).  Everything tied up very nice if you ask me  - but wait.  What was Mustang doing during that year that Darrow was being tortured in a box?  Having a baby apparently.  She introduces Darrow to his son – Pax. Now everything is tied up nice and pretty.  I think Eo would be happy – Bear the Chains.

Summary:

A good book along the lines of Hunger Games.  A much bigger geography with the whole solar system.  While not many space battles there are some terrific moments such as when Darrow and the Reds take the clawdrills into Rogues ship.  A lot of vicious politics, which is fun. Some of the situations escape belief but that is nature of these sorts of novels.  I liked it a lot and recommend it.