Category: Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction

Categories
Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction STAR TREK-Related

STAR TREK # 47: THE KOBAYASHI MARU

Written by Julia Ecklar

SUMMARY:

Released in 1989 by Pocket Books, Julia Ecklar penned this 254-page paperback, which became the forty-seventh entry in Pocket’s ongoing series. The book’s title is taken from the Starfleet Command simulation depicted in 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. 

Set shortly after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the U.S.S. Enterprise’s latest assignment is to reestablish contact with a research team evidently lost somewhere in the vicinity of the remote planet, Hohweyn VII.  Ongoing cosmic interference prevents the Enterprise from approaching close enough to utilize its transporters. 

The Halley’s shuttlecraft team consists of: Captain James T. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy.  A freak collision with a gravitic mine, however, soon disables the Halley, leaving both Kirk and their pilot, Sulu, injured.

Unable to contact the Enterprise, the Halley’s stranded crew anxiously awaits rescue, with time slowly running out on the craft’s remaining power supply and life support.  Attempting makeshift repairs to stay alive, the shuttlecraft’s crewmates (with the exception of Dr. McCoy) each divulge his own closely guarded experience as a cadet years before facing a similar life-or-death experience.  In turn passing time, they recall Starfleet Command School’s dreaded ‘Kobayashi Maru’ scenario, as the shuttle crew helplessly endures the longest day of their lives.     

  • As only alluded to in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirk reveals the brazen contempt he has for the simulation by defying its seemingly unfair rules. 
  • Having spectacularly failed the simulation, Chekov’s narrative reluctantly divulges his ingenuity and ruthlessness in a subsequent training scenario.  Specifically, inside an abandoned industrial station on Earth, his cadet class must competitively evade elimination by an imaginary assassin where it is every cadet for himself/herself.
  • Anguished by his beloved great-grandfather’s terminal illness, Sulu’s non-confrontational attitude may end his hopes of any future command.
  • Reluctantly attending Command School to appease his family, Scotty‘s umbrage at the simulation’s relentless Klingon assault precipitates a fateful pivot in his destiny.

With evidently no other options left to help Spock find the lost Halley, Kirk’s refusal to succumb to ‘no-win scenarios’ is desperately tested.  As Star Trek fans all know, he doesn’t like to lose.

Notes: This title is also available digitally and as an audiobook.

REVIEW:

Though her set-up for multiple extended flashbacks is ultra-formulaic, writer Julia Ecklar devises a very readable Star Trek adventure.  The intrigue permeating Chekov’s spy games; Sulu’s poignant bond with his great-grandfather; and Scotty’s fuming ‘don’t mess with my ship’ retaliation are all well-played.  As with the flashbacks, the intervals shifting to and from the ongoing Halley crisis contribute plausible layers to each character’s personal depth. 

The only less-than-compelling component is Kirk’s flashback.  Ecklar’s answer explaining his legendary triumph over the seemingly unbeatable test, though amusing, is something of a letdown.  Still, her take on Kirk’s ‘Kobayashi Maru’ test preceded the 2009 Star Trek film’s version by two decades — yet, both depictions are consistent with Kirk’s ego.  If anything, Cadet Kirk’s unique solution is perhaps a Star Trek mystery best left to be satisfied by a reader’s own imagination.

Note: Ecklar’s story implies that, afterwards, Kirk will relate his ‘Kobayashi Maru’ tale once more, (this time, to a curious Spock) for consistency with their subsequent discussion, as depicted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

In spite of its predictable lulls, Ecklar’s novel should be commended for concocting an otherwise worthwhile read for Trekkers.  Specifically, her believable characterizations and low-key sci-fi jargon makes The Kobayashi Maru a welcome find for readers of any age.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There is a single page of the author’s acknowledgements.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   6 Stars

Categories
Anthologies Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Mystery & Suspense Sherlock Holmes-Related

THE IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

SUMMARY:

Released in 2009 by Night Shade Books, editor/journalist John Joseph Adams (with help from David Barr Kirtley) assembled this 454-page paperback. 

Specifically, Adams complied twenty-eight original Sherlock Holmes short stories borrowed from various other anthologies (between 1987 and 2009), each by a different author.  Usually conveyed through Dr. Watson’s traditional point-of-view, these tales explore the iconic British sleuth in an array of genres including science fiction, horror, swashbuckling adventure, and mind-bending fantasy. 

Familiar names, including Irene Adler, Professor Moriarty, Colonel Sebastian Moran, H.G. Wells, and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will resurface.  Two very different interpretations of Holmes’ unexplained Friesland steamship case are explored.  The same also applies to Jack the Ripper.  Some literary team-ups and/or unusual crossovers are also among this anthology’s features.  Adams introduces each author, with an additional brief transition alluding to the story’s particular mechanism or inspiration.    

Notes: These tales are not presented in any chronological order.  This title is also available digitally and in an audiobook format.

  • “The Doctor’s Case” by Stephen King.  With Holmes now long dead, a ninety-year-old Dr. Watson divulges the one instance he unraveled a seemingly perfect crime before his best friend could.  The flashback shifts to a rainy London afternoon in 1899.  Scotland Yard’s Inspector Lestrade retrieves Holmes and Watson from 221b Baker Street to decipher a locked room enigma.  Earlier in the day, decrepit shipping tycoon Albert Hull was found stabbed to death in his study.  The baffling homicide’s prime suspects consist of three resentful adult sons and the victim’s abused wife.  With Holmes largely distracted by his allergic reaction to cats, Watson must step up his deductive game. 

Mini-Review # 1: Stephen King’s impressive writing style can’t hide this tale’s glaring implausibility.  Aside from a ‘shock value’ finish, King contrives that Lestrade (and, by extension, Holmes & Watson) would merely accept the Hull family’s witness statements at face value.  King ought to have conveyed that Lestrade’s hurried investigation included outside corroboration (and, accordingly, allow sufficient transition time — say, push back Holmes & Watson’s entrance from early afternoon to nightfall).  Such peripheral details would have surely boosted his tale’s credibility.  6/10 Stars.   

  • “The Horror of the Many Faces” by Tim Lebbon.  Come one dark London night, Dr. Watson is chilled to witness Holmes gleefully eviscerate an unknown victim in a secluded Baker Street alleyway.  Multiple horrific homicides committed the same way plague London over two nights where eyewitnesses observe different culprits each time.  It’s up to Watson to confront this insidious adversary, who resembles Holmes.  Troubling Watson is near certainty that his best friend has succumbed to a bloodthirsty, psychotic madness. 

Mini-Review # 2: This gory 2003 science fiction/horror ‘what if’ succeeds in the sense that there is no clear-cut finish, let alone any sense of triumph.  Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s works, Tim Lebbon concocts a ghoulish read where Holmes and Watson are seemingly outmatched at their most desperate hour.  Not for the squeamish, but this dark alternate reality is worth a read.  7½/10 Stars.    

Note: For some ‘comparison shopping,’ Geoffrey A. Landis’ “The Singular Habits of Wasps” also explores ghastly sci-fi terrain later in this anthology.

  • “The Case of the Bloodless Sock” by Anne Perry.  During Dr. Watson’s visit to the English countryside, his prosperous friend’s daughter is abducted two consecutive days.  The little girl is then returned home both times at midnight.  Her kidnapper’s taunting note compels the doctor to summon Holmes from London for urgent help.  Holmes concurs with Watson that Professor Moriarty is playing an ominous new game.  

Mini-Review # 3: Anne Perry comes the closest to recapturing the conventional style of a Holmes mystery Conan Doyle might have devised for the Strand Magazine.  Yet, her ‘how-dunnit’ tale ironically rates among this anthology’s dullest and most forgettable stories.  Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot short story, “The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly” comes to mind, comparatively speaking. 

Perry’s plotting, suffice to say, comes off as almost too imitative of Conan Doyle to make her own unique impression.  That’s why “Bloodless Sock” becomes a blur shortly upon reading far more daring competition by other authors in this collection.  5½/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of The Other Detective” by Bradley H. Sinor.  Returning home one foggy London night, Dr. Watson inexplicably finds himself transported into an alternate reality where his own counterpart has been dead ten years.  Even more shocking is that Baker Street is home to England’s premier consulting detective: Professor James Moriarty. With Dr. Mary Morstan’s help, Watson and Moriarty must thwart a prison break scheme involving Jack the Ripper, Col. Sebastian Moran, and this world’s greatest criminal genius: Sherlock Holmes.  

Mini-Review # 4: Bradley H. Sinor concocts this anthology’s best and arguably most imaginative tale.  Though there are some violent sequences, Sinor doesn’t push actual gore simply because of Jack the Ripper’s presence.  Not only is every fantastic alternate world element well-played, but this story’s plot twists celebrate the unexpected.  Highly recommended!   9/10 Stars.       

Note: For an intriguing comparison, Neil Gaiman’s Lovecraft-influenced “A Study in Emerald” is another alternate reality re-imagining Holmes and Moriarty as perennial adversaries.

  • “A Scandal in Montreal” by Edward D. Hoch.  More than twenty years have elapsed since “A Scandal in Bohemia.”  With a visiting Dr. Watson back at his side, a retired Holmes is unexpectedly summoned from his Sussex bee farm to Montreal by an old acquaintance, now widowed.  Once in Canada, Holmes and Watson must seek out Irene Adler’s elusive college-age son, who has become the prime suspect in the homicide of a romantic rival. 

Mini-Review # 5: Edward D. Hoch’s contribution is among this anthology’s straightest arrows, in terms of storytelling.   Though a few surprises would have been appreciated, at least Hoch doesn’t resort to peddling the ‘long-lost son’ cliché one might expect.  Hoch’s down-to-earth Irene Adler enjoys a platonic friendship with Holmes that makes both of them come off as likably low-key in their middle age.  If anything, Hoch delivers a cozy whodunnit that Conan Doyle fans can appreciate for its faithful homage to the iconic characters.   6/10 Stars.   

  • “The Adventure of the Field Theorems” by Vonda N. McIntyre.  The latest celebrity client for Holmes and Dr. Watson is none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Though privately deriding Doyle’s gullibility for paranormal hoaxes, the Baker Street duo help the physician/author investigate unexplained crop circles found in the Surrey countryside.  Doyle, despite Holmes’ eye-rolling skepticism, is convinced that these otherworldly geometric patterns are the first step towards open communications with either ghosts or even possibly Martians.   

Mini-Review # 6: Loaded with trivial tidbits perusing Conan Doyle’s private interests in the paranormal, Vonda N. McIntyre’s caper has Holmes and his creator teaming up while matching wits.  With McIntyre’s take on Conan Doyle as essentially a naïve buffoon, it’s up to Holmes & Watson to surpass Robert Stack’s Unsolved Mysteries, as far as debunking bizarre crop circles and alien abductions.  One of the story’s best assets is playing up how, like Houdini, an indignant Holmes must defend his skills from ignorant public misassumptions that he is a supernatural phenomenon.     

As a loaded historical in-joke, “Field Theorems” is a delight to read.  Though this tale is hardly wacky, one practically wishes for a wink-wink cameo from Marvin the Martian.   8/10 Stars.   

  • “The Adventure of the Death-Fetch” by Darrell Schweitzer.  Confiding in a family friend’s college-age son, an elderly Dr. Watson reveals a secret case from decades ago that Holmes had vehemently demanded be suppressed from public knowledge.  Per Watson’s flashback, the daughter of a celebrated British explorer desperately seeks out Holmes for help. Hearing her father’s admission of his ominous Southern Asian jungle adventures, Holmes readily senses that evil is afoot.  Yet, the sleuth rejects the idea that a supernatural impersonator is stalking their client. With no time to lose, Holmes must contend with the reoccurrence of this sinister mirror image as the prelude to his client’s imminent and horrific death.   

Mini-Review # 7: While his story’s bookends to the flashback could have been better, Darrell Schweitzer is spot-on conveying a dose of grisly supernatural horror.  Including a gruesome nod to Indiana Jones, the “Death-Fetch” is one of this anthology’s nastiest yet best-devised entries.  8/10 Stars.   

  • “The Shocking Affair of the Dutch Steamship Friesland” by Mary Robinette Kowal.  As told in private correspondence written forty years later, Holmes and Dr. Watson fatefully meet a fellow steamship passenger: a distressed young bride prior to her arranged marriage.  She may be the key to unlocking the sinister truth behind an Italian political couple’s assassination.     

Mini-Review # 8: While Mary Robinette Kowal’s dark tale of political intrigue is kept short, her characters are effectively characterized.  This story is worthy of inclusion in this anthology.   6½/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of the Mummy’s Curse” by H. Paul Jeffers. Holmes, on Watson’s behalf, probes a supposed deadly curse on an Egyptian archaeological expedition that has recently impacted one of the doctor’s old Army buddies. 

Mini-Review # 9: Reminiscent of Hercule Poirot’s case, “The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb” (but not nearly as icky), H. Paul Jeffers teases a supernatural whodunnit.  Yet, its subsequent blandness gives way to a far more conventional and tidy Conan Doyle finish.  Though this tale is worth a read, it’s definitely middle-of-the-pack material.   6/10 Stars.   

  • “The Things That Shall Come Upon Them” by Barbara Roden.  Hired by one half of a married English couple to de-haunt their new home’s study, Holmes and Dr. Watson meet a more unconventional sleuth: Flaxman Low.  Far more experienced with psychic phenomenon, Low, as it turns out, was hired by the couple’s other half for the very same reason.  Despite contrasting viewpoints on the supernatural, these three detectives probe the ominous secret left behind by the estate’s wicked prior owner.  Note: According to the introduction, Conan Doyle was evidently real-life friends with Low’s co-creator: Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard.    

Mini-Review # 10: Pairing an ever-skeptical Holmes with the world’s first fictional occult detective, Low, is Barbara Roden’s ingenious stroke.  Leaving readers to make their own conclusions (still, it’s fairly obvious which way one is supposed to tilt), Roden concocts an effective team-up.  In particular, the British gentlemanly bond established between Low and the Baker Street duo makes for a satisfying read.   8/10 Stars.       

  • “Murder to Music” by Anthony Burgess.  Eyewitnesses Holmes and Dr. Watson probe two homicides amidst the startling assassination of a Spanish classical musician inside a London concert hall.  With high-profile Spanish royalty in London for a high-profile visit, Holmes senses there may be more mayhem in this case still to come.  Meanwhile, Watson repeatedly helps a baffled colleague by consulting on a case where the patient is shifting from one bizarre foreign disease to the next.   

Mini-Review # 11: Suffice to say, it’s a blah and unsatisfying read, including some undercurrents of racism.  Had this 1989 Anthony Burgess tale been penned fifty years before and sufficiently tweaked, its premise would have been ideal for one of Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce’s wartime Sherlock Holmes radio dramas.  Otherwise, this political whodunnit is skippable.   4/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of the Inertial Adjustor” by Stephen Baxter. A young H.G. Wells convinces Holmes and Dr. Watson to help him probe a scientist friend’s recent demise, as the journalist/author suspects foul play. Specifically, the controversial pioneer had been conducting experimental studies of gravity and electricity to accelerate his dream of space travel.  Investigating the grisly incident, Wells, Holmes, and Watson find that two suspects provide similarly tragic eyewitness accounts. Yet, the truth is hidden somewhere within their startlingly different conclusions.    

Mini-Review # 12: Though its scientific jargon is a bit cumbersome, Stephen Baxter’s whodunnit makes for a good historical fiction read.  Baxter’s story doesn’t overtly criticize the decedent’s animal cruelty, but some readers might cringe at the torturous outcome of his scientific research techniques on animal test subjects.  Still, had this 1997 tale existed a half-century before, it could have been an ideal mystery for a Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce radio drama.   7/10 Stars. 

  • “Mrs. Hudson’s Case” by Laurie R. King.  Would the ever-loyal Mrs. Hudson dare to pull a fast one on her most famous lodger?  With a retired Holmes away assisting international authorities search for two missing children, his college-age apprentice, Mary Russell, intends to find out what the landlady is hiding from them.

Mini-Review #13: Given its charm, Laurie R. King’s cozy caper effectively advertises her own Mary Russell mystery series.  Ms. King’s down-to-earth trifle makes a welcome respite from some of the utterly malevolent plots found elsewhere in this anthology.  6½/10 Stars.               

  • “The Singular Habits of Wasps” by Geoffrey A. Landis. Holmes’ series of unexplained nocturnal absences eerily coincide with Jack the Ripper’s sadistic murder spree in Whitechapel.  A horrified Dr. Watson suspects that Holmes is suffering a psychotic Jekyll-and-Hyde-like split-personality where his friend is both the detective and, unknowingly, the monstrous culprit.  Watson risks his life to find the truth, but an even more ghastly possibility awaits him after dark in Whitechapel.     

Mini-Review # 14: Given their morbid plot similarities, one might assume this sci-fi take on Jack the Ripper is a variation of Tim Lebbon’s “The Horror of Many Faces.”  Yet, Adams gives no indication that these alternate reality tales are deliberately connected.  Devised nearly a decade earlier, Geoffrey A. Landis’ 1994 tale goes even further probing certain horrific aspects that Lebbon’s thriller only alludes to.  As far as macabre storytelling is concerned, Landis imaginatively melds elements of John Carpenter’s The Thing, Men in Black, and Alien into a strange alternative explanation of Jack the Ripper. 

This Landis story, in spite of its shock value details, delivers a spine-tingling read.  Diminishing this story, however, is an instance of Holmes making a vastly condescending racist slur comparing native Africans to modern English civilization.  While Holmes’ context is meant to compare a primitive Earth to far more advanced alien worlds, having him resort to such derogatory phrasing is unnecessary and irrelevant to the plot. 7/10 Stars.   Note: H.G. Wells makes an off-screen cameo appearance.

  • “The Affair of the 46th Birthday” by Amy Myers.  Once more, in flashback, Dr. Watson reveals an international incident from a decade before.  In this instance, Holmes must thwart an ingeniously-devised assassination attempt on the King of Italy during a diplomatic dinner held in the English countryside. 

Mini-Review # 15: This Amy Myers thriller blends historical fiction and political intrigue unto a quick literary cocktail.  Reminiscent of Hercule Poirot-style short stories, there are some inevitable contrivances, but the mystery is still a good read.  “46th Birthday,” in that sense, is of near-equal caliber to Mary Robinette Kowal’s “The Shocking Affair of the Dutch Steamship Friesland” in this same anthology.    6/10 Stars.

  • “The Specter of Tullyfane Abbey” by Peter Tremayne.  Over drinks one night at their Baker Street lodgings, a melancholic Holmes entrusts Watson with a confession of his greatest failure.  In a flashback to Holmes’ college days, his ghost story involves a fateful love triangle, an unsolved disappearance, and the then-amateur detective’s first encounter with one Professor James Moriarty. 

Mini-Review # 16: Peter Tremayne’s retroactive alterations to Holmes’ origin might be condemned by Conan Doyle purists, if only for continuity’s sake.  Still, this gothic whodunnit explores the aloof shrewdness in the sleuth’s classic persona.  One might even consider the tale reminiscent of Casino Royale, as to that plot’s fateful impact on James Bond.  Though many of Tremayne’s plot twists are grimly predictable, he concocts a pitch-black mystery worthy of inclusion.  7/10 Stars.    

“The Vale of the White Horse” by Sharyn McCrumb.  A British aristocrat and his fiancée hire Holmes and Dr. Watson to investigate the murder of his physician brother in the rural English countryside.  The corpse had been found under a crimson cloak on a prehistoric chalked landmark dubbed ‘The White Horse’ atop a secluded hill.  Probing their clients’ family history, Holmes & Watson sense the vexing truth may be hidden closer to home.  Aided by an insightful eyewitness, the elderly Grisel Rountree, Holmes must decipher the decedent’s enigmatic last words to unmask the culprit.   

Mini-Review # 17: Though Sharyn McCrumb telegraphs the plot’s pivotal twist far too much, her story’s interpretation of transgenderism in Victorian England is intriguing. “White Horse” offers a gothic mystery with possibly supernatural undertones making it a solid read.   7/10 Stars. 

“The Adventure of the Dorset Street Lodger” by Michael Moorcock.  Due to necessary renovations to their Baker Street lodgings, Holmes and Dr. Watson must temporarily relocate to another boarding house. Once there, Holmes and Dr. Watson offer to help a visiting American businessman collect an unexpected family legacy.  Yet, the case soon becomes dangerously complicated.

Mini-Review # 18: As with Anne Perry’s “Bloodless Sock,” Michael Moorcock does justice to this homage to Conan Doyle’s style of storytelling.  Yet, there isn’t anything particularly remarkable about “Dorset Street Lodger,” as far as its blend of adventure and mystery. The lengthy plot also could have been tightened to make for a more efficient mystery. 6/10 Stars.

“The Adventure of the Lost World” by Dominic Green.  It’s a sequel of sorts to Conan Doyle’s 1912 science fiction novel, The Lost World.  In the autumn of 1918, Holmes and a skeptical Dr. Watson must pursue a horrific serial killer of London’s street trombonists.  What baffles Watson is that his best friend contends that their massive and evidently reptilian quarry belongs to a long-extinct breed of dinosaur.   

Mini-Review # 19: Undoubtedly, Dominic Green’s crossover between Conan Doyle’s two greatest literary accomplishments sounds like an intriguing sci-fi premise.  The end result of having senior citizens Holmes & Watson play amateur dinosaur hunters, however, is very much a wonky read (as one might imagine).  Even the opening segment of an undercover Holmes recruiting Watson’s help is too unbelievable for its own good.  Green at least offers some makeshift Jurassic Park-style fun, no matter how many eyes will be invariably rolling.   5½/10 Stars.              

  • “The Adventure of the Antiquarian’s Niece” by Barbara Hambly.  At the behest of a wealthy American suitor, Holmes and Dr. Watson agree to help extract his would-be fiancée from her evil British relatives.  The Baker Street duo must first enlist an ally: William Hope Hodgson’s British occult detective, Thomas Carnacki (simply called ‘Carnaki’ here) before they confront a centuries-old supernatural cult out of the works of H.P. Lovecraft.  Even Holmes and Carnaki’s formidable sleuthing might not come in time to save a captive Watson from a human monster specializing in ritual sacrifices.  

Mini-Review # 20: As strange as her plot’s supernatural hokum is, Barbara Hambly’s storytelling admirably sells it to readers.  A considerable grain of salt one must swallow, however, is accepting this Holmes’ lack of skepticism towards dark occult powers and what tactics must be subsequently deployed. 

For instance, the Holmes appearing in either Barbara Roden’s “The Thing That Shall Come Upon Them” or Peter Tremayne’s “The Specter of Tullyfane Abbey” is more aligned with Conan Doyle’s original Holmes, as to the sleuth’s disbelief in occult matters.  Still, for fantasy/horror fans, this Holmes & Watson/Carnacki team-up is hard to pass up.   8/10 Stars.        

  • “Dynamics of a Hanging” by Tony Pi.  Months after Holmes and Professor Moriarty had evidently perished at Reichenbach Falls, Dr. Watson is contacted by Reverend Charles Dodgson (aka author Lewis Carroll).  The two of them attempt to decode one of the late Moriarty’s notebooks to find definitive evidence of his criminal activities.  Mostly told by Dodgson in flashback, he and his then-academic associate, Moriarty, had teamed years ago to probe the suspicious death of the professor’s new protégé.  Carroll is now determined to finally verify the chilling truth behind what (or perhaps whom) killed a promising medical student by the name of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Mini-Review # 21: Though Holmes’ presence is confined to inspiring Watson’s deductive logic, this Tony Pi mystery is both a mathematical code-breaking puzzle and a nifty whodunnit.  Pi devises a neat idea to have Lewis Carroll (and, to a degree, Moriarty) fill in for Holmes, but Watson’s minor yet pivotal role is a boon to the iconic sidekick.   7/10 Stars.     

  • “Merridew of Abominable Memory” by Chris Roberson.  Residing in a sanitarium to seek treatment for his present-day memory loss, an elderly Dr. Watson relays a spine-chilling flashback to his therapist.  It involves a Jack the Ripper-like monster, a series of baffling financial thefts, and a man of utterly impeccable memory.  Hired by a businessman expecting to be the thief’s next target, Holmes & Watson must simultaneously hunt a bloodthirsty serial killer.     

Mini-Review # 22: While Chris Roberson devises a unique title character, his mystery’s plot twists become increasingly contrived to make all of its puzzle pieces fit together – too perfectly.  Further, among this anthology’s grisly mysteries, “Merridew” arguably packs the most stomach-churning imagery.  It overwhelms (and frankly squanders) the tale’s thoughtful bookends contemplating dementia vs. the sheer power of human memory. 

Roberson’s story, for the sake of good taste, unfortunately, isn’t one to recommend to others.    3/10 Stars.       

  • “Commonplaces” by Naomi Novik.  After receiving news of Holmes’ demise at Reichenbach Falls, a now-married Irene Adler Norton restlessly departs for Paris to find herself again.  Awaiting her is a forbidden love affair with a lonely man she instinctively knows is still alive in more than just her heart.

Mini-Review # 23: Naomi Novik’s speculation as to why an undercover Holmes chose not to tell Dr. Watson that he had faked his death will raise some eyebrows.  Further, her tale’s romantic poignancy echoes shades of the 1970 film, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, regarding what complex sexual undercurrents motivate Holmes. 

If anything, “Commonplaces” presents an instance of sophisticated Sherlockian storytelling where the lingering mystery doesn’t involve crime, except perhaps for adultery.  Standing out most in Novik’s romance (it’s the anthology’s shortest inclusion) is that this Holmes isn’t the only one who can make ingenious deductions anticipating another’s shadowy moves.  8/10 Stars.       

  • “The Adventure of the Pirates of Devil’s Cape” by Rob Rogers.  Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Inspector Lestrade probe an ultra-grisly massacre by pirates aboard the Dutch steamship, Friesland.  Seeking the whereabouts of missing twin brothers, Holmes and Watson subsequently venture to New Orleans for a showdown with the world’s deadliest cutthroat and his mercenary crew of thugs.    

Mini-Review # 24: Crossing over from his Devil’s Cape saga, Rogers conjures up a mostly solid mystery-adventure caper highlighted by the action of an extensive shootout/swordfight.  Apart from excessively gory shipboard inferences, the other caveat is a ridiculous Lestrade plot twist.  Rogers deploys a similar contrivance to one of his own characters (that works fine), but to also supply Lestrade a convenient American cousin in the Louisiana Bayous pushes the ‘distant relative’ gimmick too far. 

Otherwise, Rogers delivers this anthology’s best combination of action-adventure, suspense, and originality.  8/10 Stars.          

  • “The Adventure of the Green Skull” by Mark Valentine.  The Baker Street duo’s new adversary is a hooded serial killer, who is purportedly a phantom with a glowing green skull stalking victims after nightfall.  Reminiscent of sensationalistic pulp stories, the villain’s calling card is leaving a match in each victim’s hand.  Yet, all isn’t what it seems.  

Mini-Review # 25: Adams’ introduction to Mark Valentine’s story frankly spoils the culprit’s motive.  Further, Valentine doesn’t elaborate enough as to how Holmes deduces where to conduct a fateful stakeout, either.  Despite this structural flaw, the “Green Skull” mystery makes for a relatively good read.   6/10 Stars.

  • “The Human Mystery” by Tanith Lee.  Holmes takes on the enigmatic case of a lonely heiress, who is desperate to break a family curse that may kill her during the Christmas holidays.  Yet, is there an ulterior motive in play that blindsides even Holmes?

Mini-Review # 26: Tanith Lee’s tale proving that an ever-gallant Holmes can be humiliated into a seething rage makes for an intriguing notion.  Even this story isn’t a must-read, it effectively explores whether Holmes’ misogynistic nature can be exploited, let alone be potentially seduced, by someone other than Irene Adler.   7/10 Stars.    

Notes: Lee dedicated this tale to actor Jeremy Brett’s memory.  Per artist David Palumbo, Brett’s Sherlock Holmes likeness appears on this anthology’s front cover.

  • “A Study in Emerald” by Neil Gaiman.  In an alternate universe where H.P. Lovecraft’s demonic creations have long ruled the world, “A Study in Scarlet” is darkly re-imagined. 

Mini-Review # 27: Though mostly retelling a familiar mystery, Neil Gaiman cleverly flips the script on readers.  There are sufficient hints to deduce Gaiman’s enigmatic sleuth before the end, but his best twist is saved for last.  It’s the equivalent of experiencing the story through the eyes of whom you assume the narrator is … that is, until a mirror (or, in this instance, a letter) reveals a twist finish.  Hence, Gaiman’s story could make for an intriguing live-action film.   8/10 Stars. 

Note: For some comparison shopping, one might read this one before or after Bradley H. Sinor’s “The Adventure of The Other Detective.” 

  • “You See But You Do Not Observe” by Robert J. Sawyer.  In 2096, an enigmatic scientist with an eerily familiar name abducts Holmes and Dr. Watson out of time from 1899 to join him in the late 21st Century.  He subsequently assigns the world’s greatest sleuth perhaps the ultimate mission: to determine why Earth hasn’t been contacted by aliens.  The elusive answer makes a fateful impact on Holmes and Watson: past, present, and future.       

Mini-Review # 28: It’s like reading a Sherlock Holmes mystery, as if were written by H.G. Wells.   In spite of this intriguing scenario, Robert J. Sawyer’s convoluted storytelling sabotages itself in order to set up a fitting conclusion.  Along with virtual reality technology far more akin to Star Trek: The Next Generation, this story’s time travel paradoxes will likely bewilder some readers.  And perhaps the less said about its preposterously thin line connecting reality to fiction (i.e. Watson as an unacknowledged Conan Doyle’s proxy) the better.         

Sawyer, in that sense, has concocted a sci-fi homage to Conan Doyle’s lasting resentment over reviving Holmes to merely placate immense public demand.  Though this story’s end packs a wistful tinge, the plot becomes too mind-bending (and self-serving) to make for a satisfying read.  5½/10 Stars.  

RECOMMENDATION:

For Conan Doyle afficionados, this anthology is either a mixed bag or a veritable treasure trove.  Regardless, in terms of its sheer quantity, readers most definitely get their money’s worth. 

Some tales supply innocuous sequels (i.e. “A Scandal in Montreal”) or offer speculations as to Sherlockian mysteries that Conan Doyle had merely teased.  Though most of these stories imitate his narrative style, the ones that may grab a reader’s imagination are ones taking worthwhile risks.  The flip side is an excess of déjà vu: certain themes (i.e. supernatural gore, international politics, etc.) reoccur making one inevitably compare authors, as to whom presents the better read.         

The pertinent question becomes: how far can one really stray from traditional Sherlockian storytelling before audiences hit their limit?  In several instances, shifting Holmes and Watson to different locales and sometimes far-off genres carries a timeless and strangely satisfying appeal.  Such results (at least, when taken in small doses) will make an intriguing experience for adult armchair sleuths. 

Among these twenty-eight tales, there are some dynamite must-reads (i.e. “The Adventure of The Other Detective”).  With thankfully few exceptions, the remainder aren’t anywhere close to dreadful.  However, two of them should be identified, if only as a heads-up.  Though several tales resort to potentially offensive gore, “Merridew of Abominable Memory,” presents an implausible flashback too flawed to justify its repulsively wicked details.  Artistically condescending, “Murder to Music” is another misadventure where readers will likely find themselves wishing they were somewhere else than with Holmes and Watson.   

Considering the impressive ratio of good-to-bad, credit must go to John Joseph Adams for assembling a welcome variety.  For casual readers, this literary experiment-by-committee is indeed worth perusing, though it’s not necessarily a keeper.  Perhaps a library rental makes the most practical sense.  If anything, one may be compelled to rediscover Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original literary magic.         

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

After the table of contents, Adams’ introduction is followed by another: Christopher Roden’s “A Sherlockiana Primer” to further whet readers’ appetites.  Afterwards, Adams provides his acknowledgements.  More insightful is the bibliography revealing each story’s original anthology source.  The last entry is Adams’ single-page biography.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                            7 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Independent Hardcovers & Trade Paperbacks Independent Publishers (Comic Books & Graphic Novels)

THE HOLLOWS: BLOOD WORK (DEL REY Books)

Written by Kim Harrison.

Art by Pedro Maia; Gemma Magno; Emam Casallos; Jan Michael T. Aldeguer; Jezreel Rojales; P.C. Siqeira; Mae Hao; & Zach Matheny.

Cover Illustration by Juliana Kolesova. Flap & Back Jacket Illustration by Pedro Maia.

SUMMARY:

Released by Del Rey Books in 2011, this 170-page hardcover graphic novel is a seven-chapter prequel to Kim Harrison’s The Hollows urban fantasy-horror series.  In an alternate-reality Cincinnati, Inderland Security (I.S.) polices the decadent  supernatural community.  As the I.S. equivalent of a plainclothes street cop, jaded vampire Ivy Tamwood is begrudgingly assigned as the senior partner of free-spirited witch Rachel Morgan. 

The twenty-something duo instantly clash over basic methodology, as they probe a werewolf’s ominous homicide.  Ivy is gradually impressed by Rachel’s investigative instincts, as their teamwork draws them closer to the deceptive truth. Yet, Rachel’s rebellious, good-natured allure triggers an underlying sexual current/blood lust from Ivy. 

Ominously, having arranged the duo’s I.S. partnership, others may share Ivy’s ulterior agenda to someday control Rachel’s destiny.   

REVIEW:

Blood Work isn’t necessarily a huge disappointment, but it still falls far short of impressive.  Though the style is reminiscent of Marvel’s Anita Blake adaptations, neither Blood Work’s rudimentary visuals nor Kim Harrison’s inconclusive plotting deliver much of anything worthwhile.  A semi-naïve Rachel Morgan is marginally likable; otherwise, Harrison’s one-dimensional cast provides minimal incentive to finish reading this storyline. 

More suggestive than flat-out gross as several of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake stories are, Blood Work’s premise occasionally presents glimmers of potential.  The problem is that this supernatural-cop murder-mystery concocts an utterly blah read. To give Blood Work the comparative benefit of the doubt, trying one of Harrison’s Hollows novels first makes the most sense. 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Harrison presents a single-page introduction.  Brief bios on Harrison & artist Pedro Maia are provided.  Maia’s eleven-page project sketchbook explores the visual look he created for Blood Work’s pivotal characters (under Harrison’s supervision).  A three-page guide delves into Blood Work’s production.  Lastly, there’s a three-page Del Rey interview with Harrison.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           3½ Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Marvel Comics MARVEL's Hardcovers & Paperbacks

ANITA BLAKE: THE FIRST DEATH (MARVEL Comics)

Anita Blake: The First Death  Written by Laurell K. Hamilton & Jonathon Green.  Art by Wellington Alves; Color Dojo; & Bill Tortolini.

Anita Blake: Guilty Pleasures Handbook  Written by Stuart Vandal; Ronald Byrd; Michael Hoskin; Chris Biggs; & Ave Cullen.  Art by Brett Booth & Imaginary Friends.

Compilation Cover Art & Original Covers by Brett Booth & Ron Lim.

SUMMARY:

Released by Marvel Comics in 2008, this 128-page hardcover reprints the two-part First Death, which is supplemented by Anita Blake’s Guilty Pleasures Handbook (in the style of Official Handbooks of the Marvel Universe).  The original issues were first released in 2007-08.  Co-writing the franchise prequel with her husband, Laurell K. Hamilton’s First Death explores one of Anita Blake’s supernatural cases prior to the events occurring in Guilty Pleasures. 

Consulting for the St. Louis police on a vampire gang’s serial killing spree, Anita can barely stomach viewing the latest grisly corpse.  It’s confirmed that one ghastly culprit’s preference is preying upon pre-teen boys.  Probing a potential suspect’s alibi, she warily visits the Guilty Pleasures nightclub for the first time.  Several of the franchise’s initial supporting characters are ‘introduced,’ including homicide cop, Sgt. Dolph Storr. 

Meeting Jean-Claude, Anita must later team with the ruthless hitman, Edward, and her mentor, Manny, in a fateful showdown against possibly the most sickening adversaries she’s ever faced.  Come the end, Anita won’t be the same vampire hunter she was before. 

Extremely detailed, the Guilty Pleasures handbook consists of the following biographical profiles:

  • Anita’s World;
  • Vampire Murders;
  • Animators, Inc.;
  • Aubrey;
  • Anita Blake;
  • Burchard;
  • Church of Eternal Life;
  • Dead Dave’s;
  • Edward;
  • Freak Parties;
  • Ghouls;
  • Guilty Pleasures;
  • Jean-Claude;
  • Malcolm;
  • Willie McCoy;
  • Nikolaos;
  • Phillip;
  • Regional Preternatural Investigation Team;
  • Robert;
  • Ronnie Sims;
  • Theresa;
  • Valentine;
  • Vampires;
  • Bert Vaughn;
  • Wererats;
  • Winter;
  • Zachary;
  • Zombies;
  • Bruce;
  • Buzz;
  • Beverly Chin;
  • Circus of the Damned;
  • Jamison Clarke;
  • The District;
  • Irving Griswold;
  • Hav;
  • Luther;
  • Catherine Maison;
  • Rebecca Miles;
  • Edith Pringle;
  • Rafael;
  • Sigmund/Penguins;
  • Sgt, Dolph Storr;
  • Monica Vespucci; &
  • Other Dramatis Personae (three pages profiling minor characters).

Note: This title is also available in paperback.  The handbook readily acknowledges that pivotal details of Guilty Pleasures are revealed.

REVIEW:

Meant for hardcore Anita Blake fans, the unsavory First Death should satisfy them, but it won’t likely retain newcomers.  Impressively, the visuals live up to prior Marvel adaptations of Hamilton’s Anita Blake novels.  One still has to balance this consistent asset against a gross storyline posing as gothic horror/fantasy entertainment.  Details revealing a less cynical, inexperienced Anita present an intriguing prospect; yet, First Death’s icky plot doesn’t necessarily make this story a keeper. 

As for the Guilty Pleasures handbook, it’s impressively well-produced in terms of both text and artwork (lifted from Marvel’s faithful adaptation).  For readers seeking clarifications in Marvel’s version (let alone Hamilton’s erotic source novel), the handbook offers an ideal reference.  In particular, Anita Blake’s own profile is top-caliber.  The flip side, however, is that virtually everything from Guilty Pleasures is explained ad nauseum multiple times, leaving few mysteries to the reader’s imagination. 

For adults who covet Marvel’s Anita Blake adaptations, this First Death compilation should solidify their collection.  Still, other consumers perusing First Death may justifiably deem Hamilton’s blood-soaked plot (not to mention the handbook’s explicit details) as repulsive. 

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

Including First Death # 2’s variant, all four covers appear in full-page format.  Accompanied by an image of Anita Blake, there’s a single-page glossary.  Lastly, Booth provides his cover pencil sketch for The First Death # 1.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    5½ Stars

Categories
Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS (LEGENDS): SCOUNDRELS

Written by Timothy Zahn

Cover Illustration by Paul Youll

SUMMARY:

Released by Del Rey Books in 2013, this 512-page paperback is set several weeks after Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope.  With their hard-earned reward recently stolen by pirates, Han Solo & Chewbacca are laying low from the Rebellion, not to mention Jabba the Hutt’s well-publicized bounty.  Desperate for a big score, their new gig is collecting an aggrieved client’s enormous stash of credits from a mobster’s impregnable vault

Solo & Chewbacca recruit a crew of eight other mercenaries: twin sisters Tavia & Bink Kitik (high-tech burglars aka ‘ghost thieves’); surly Dozer Creed (ship thief); Zerba Cher’dak (sleight-of-hand expert); super-efficient Rachele Ree (intel & acquisitions); Kell Tainer (explosives); Winter (surveillance & a perfect memory); and their agitated client, Eanjer Kunarazti, who is funding the job.  Joining them is Lando Calrissian, who still sports lingering doubts re: the brash Corellian smuggler’s judgment from their past team-ups.  Still, assuming all goes well, they’ll be equally splitting the take as if it’s a mega-millions lottery ticket. 

Complicating their seemingly impossible heist are the nefarious Black Sun crime syndicate, Imperial intelligence, and who- knows-who-else with their own covert stakes in this ruthless game.  As it’s revealed, another invaluable prize is sequestered in the same vault that others will gladly kill for.  Worse yet for Solo’s Scoundrels is that somebody close may really be a double-agent with an ulterior motive that Han & Chewbacca will never see coming.

REVIEW:

Timothy Zahn’s obvious arithmetic is adding Star Wars and Ocean’s Eleven together.  Hence, it’s no coincidence that Han Solo’s magic number is eleven ‘Scoundrels.’  Slowly building up this audacious heist, Zahn develops his cast with deliberate care, i.e. Solo is far more the cool Danny Ocean here than A New Hope’s impulsive hero-for-hire.  The same applies to exploring Lando & Han’s wary friendship, as subtle hints towards The Empire Strikes Back are winked.  For the most part, readers get a well-played Star Wars caper, complete with a jaw-dropping twist reminiscent of The Usual Suspects.  

The flip-side is Zahn’s overindulgence for depth.  For instance, there’s far too many sequences where Han’s cronies are holed up in their hotel suite updating various logistics.  This unnecessary slog becomes increasingly tiresome, especially after the fifth or sixth time this scenario happens.  Yet, for all the time Han’s crew spends in their suite, Zahn offers minimal insight re: the Corellian rogue’s savviness for devising such complex schemes and contingency plans. 

Even Zahn has Han acknowledge that he’s a smuggler and not some world-class burglar, which is at least consistent with the reckless character George Lucas created.  Hence, it’s difficult to reconcile Scoundrels’ ‘elite strategist’ take on Han with the improvised, not-so-bright bravado he displays in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi … that is, aside from an ultra-obvious homage to ‘who-shot-first?’ in a shady cantina early on.   

Further bogging down the storyline’s pace are multiple criminal underworld sub-plots where the Empire is ironically construed as the galaxy’s ‘law-and-order.’  Hence, Scoundrels’ surprising density plays far more to hardcore fans familiar with Star Wars’ galactic mob rivalries (the Empire, the Black Sun syndicate, the Hutts, etc.) than to casual readers.  Zahn, at least, inserts enough understandable heist lingo to help justify his plotting excesses.  For instance, it’s a welcome help when grasping his descriptions of various items of alien technology. 

In Scoundrels’ better moments, though, one can readily visualize this double-crossing and even triple-crossing storyline as a live-action series co-starring Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams, & Peter Mayhew.  Zahn certainly knows how to make Han & Chewbacca’s gang of thieves come off as likably greedy and fun to ride along with.  By this reckoning, for Han Solo fans, Scoundrels is an anything-goes, get-rich-quick scheme worthy of his legendary exploits.          

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

A standard Star Wars novel chronology is included.  There’s a short list of characters, so readers will mostly know who’s who without a scorecard.  Included as another solid read is Zahn’s 2012 sixty-seven page prequel novella, Loser Takes All, starring Lando Calrissian.  During a high-stakes sabacc tournament, Lando partners with three other future Scoundrels (Tavia, Bink, & Zerba) on their own Mission: Impossible-like heist.      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 7 Stars

Note: Recommended is another fun Han Solo adventure: Empire and Rebellion – Honor Among Thieves, which follows after Scoundrels.  Its plot is about as close as one gets to ‘Indiana Solo.’   

Categories
Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction STAR WARS-Related

STAR WARS (LEGENDS): EMPIRE AND REBELLION – HONOR AMONG THIEVES

Written by James S.A. Corey

SUMMARY:

Released by Del Rey in April 2015, this 367-page mass market paperback was co-written by Daniel Abraham & Ty Franck (under the pen name of James S.A. Corey).  Set several months after A New Hope, the Rebellion is exploring its few options for a new secret base.  Han Solo & Chewbacca are once again desperately low on credits.  Hence, they’re willing to take the Millennium Falcon on a potential suicide run to retrieve a Rebel spy, Scarlet Hark, trapped deep within Imperial territory on the planet Cioran. 

Unbeknownst to Han & Chewbacca, an old crony, Baasen Rey, and his mercenary crew seek to ambush them for Jabba the Hutt’s sizable bounty.  Even if Han locates the elusive Scarlet, the odds of the Falcon’s crew escaping Cioran alive are dwindling fast.

Reuniting with Princess Leia at a hush-hush diplomatic conference on planet Kiamurr, Han discovers that the vital tech secret up for sale on the black market is a map to the galaxy’s greatest power: a means of controlling hyperspace.  With the Empire bent on obliterating anything in its way to seize this technology, Han & Leia lead a makeshift team into a dangerous jungle world in the Seymarti system.  An ancient alien temple laden with unpredictable booby traps awaits them. 

The Falcon must also locate Luke Skywalker’s short-handed X-Wing squadron, as it’s now the quarry of an Imperial Star Destroyer.  As two planets die around him, Han Solo has a million-to-one shot at potentially ending the Galactic War – will he take it?     

Note: This title was first published in hardcover in 2014.  It’s also part of the “Empire and Rebellion” trilogy in the Star Wars Legends series.

REVIEW:

For Han Solo aficionados, it’s a welcome return to a style reminiscent of Brian Daley’s Han Solo Adventures trilogy pitching the Corellian flyboy adventurer at his roguish best.  Not nearly the impulsive dolt he sometimes is in A New Hope, this savvy (and articulate) Han Solo conveys surprising depth.  Not always shooting first and saving questions for later, Han is shown conscientiously thinking and improvising more like a certain 1930’s archaeologist. 

Depicted as the Rebellion’s unlikely best option for high-risk jobs, ‘The Han Solo Show’ dominates this book’s screen time, including his Old West-like gunslinging feud with Baasen Rey.  Meanwhile, Chewbacca is conveniently sent off-screen multiple times guarding/repairing the battered Falcon while Han performs the ultra-dangerous fieldwork. 

All things considered, it can’t be a coincidence that, late in the game, Han is practically ‘Indiana Solo,’ as he deftly navigates a deadly alien jungle into Star Wars’ version of a ‘Temple of Doom.’  Giving Han some terrific support are Princess Leia, and guest stars Scarlet Hark & Baasen Rey, along with Chewbacca’s reliable contributions. 

Reduced to a minor role as Han’s surrogate little brother, Luke Skywalker is now a daring X-Wing rookie under Wedge Antilles’s command.  Curiously, The Force isn’t depicted (other than Han occasionally thanking his ever-so-lucky stars), so Luke doesn’t resort to any lightsaber heroics this time.  Instead, it’s mostly up to Captain Solo’s world-weary expertise, hotshot piloting, and trusty blaster to save the galaxy time and again. 

In that regard, despite the vastly outnumbered Rebels improbably thumping wave after wave of Imperial stormtroopers, the author ensures that Honor Among Thieves is a solidly-paced thriller.  It leaves one pondering, if Han’s commanding presence had been structured more like this in Episodes IV-VI, maybe Harrison Ford would have better appreciated his iconic role.             

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

The usual Star Wars Legends chronology of book titles is provided.  The author offers an eleven-page Scarlet Hark short story entitled “Silver and Scarlet,” as another of her undercover capers is revealed.  The last supplement is an eighteen-page preview of Paul S. Kemp’s novel: Star Wars: Lords of the Sith, as Darth Vader personally leads an assault strike on a stolen Imperial freight carrier.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8 Stars

Note: Another terrific post-New Hope, Han Solo title is Timothy Zahn’s novel: Star Wars: Scoundrels, which chronologically occurs before Honor Among Thieves.  Think ‘Han Solo + Ocean’s 11,’ and you’ll get the idea.

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Anthologies Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Mystery & Suspense

THE LAST SÉANCE: TALES OF THE SUPERNATURAL

Written by Agatha Christie

SUMMARY:

Released in 2019 by William Morrow (a HarperCollins imprint), this 362-page paperback anthology compiles twenty Agatha Christie short stories mostly attuned to paranormal/horror themes.  Among them is the obscure “The Wife of the Kenite,” appearing in its first U.S. publication.  The specific stories (and their historical debuts) are:

  1. The Last Séance (magazine: (U.S.) 1926) and (U.K.) 1927)/anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1961). A frail French medium is pressured into initiating one final contact between an enigmatic client and her young child’s restless spirit.  
  2. In A Glass Darkly (magazine: (U.K.) 1934/anthology: (U.S.) 1939 and (U.K.) 1979).  A war veteran’s premonition of a woman’s brutal homicide has unsettling consequences.
  3. S.O.S.: (magazine: (U.K.) 1926 and (U.S.) 1947/anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1948).  Stranded in the remote English countryside, a motorist grows increasingly suspicious of  his overnight host family. 
  4. Hercule Poirot: The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb (magazine: 1923 (U.K.) and 1924 (U.S.)/anthology: 1924 (U.K.) and 1925 (U.S.).  Poirot & Captain Hastings probe a series of deaths linked to an archaeological expedition in the Egyptian desert.   
  5. The Fourth Man (magazine: (U.K.) 1925 and (U.S.) 1947/anthology: (U.K.) 1925 and (U.S.) 1948).  Aboard an overnight British commuter train, four passengers discuss a bizarre split-personality case linked to two deaths. 
  6. Miss Marple: The Idol House of Astarte (magazine: (U.K.) 1928 and (U.S.) 1928/anthology: (U.K.) 1932 and (U.S.) 1933). Miss Marple contemplates an aristocrat’s mysterious death years ago during a costume party.     
  7. The Gipsy (anthology: (U.K.) 1933 (U.S.) 1971).  In a gothic love story, an alluring gypsy and her enigmatic warnings impact the romances of two sisters. 
  8. Philomel Cottage (magazine: (U.K.) 1924/anthology: (U.K.) 1934 and (U.S.) 1948).  In a quiet village, a newlywed British couple’s bliss is tainted by suspicions of the husband’s possibly dark past.
  9. The Lamp (anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1971). A family gradually realizes that their new home is haunted by the spirit of a lonely little boy.
  10. Hercule Poirot: The Dream (magazine: (U.K.) 1938 and (U.S.) 1937/anthology: (U.S.) 1939 and (U.K.) 1960).  An eccentric tycoon consults Poirot re: a recurring nightmarish premonition. 
  11. Wireless (magazine: (U.K. and U.S.) 1926/anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1948).  A frail, elderly widow becomes convinced that her late husband’s ghost is summoning her through the radio.
  12. The Wife of the Kenite (magazine: (Australia) 1922/anthology: (U.K.) 2018 and (U.S.) 2019).  Grim biblical irony catches up to a German war criminal hiding out in the farm country outside Johannesburg. 
  13. The Mystery of the Blue Jar (magazine: (U.K. and U.S.) 1924/anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1948).  A young golfer seeks professional help upon repeatedly hearing ghostly pleas for help.
  14. The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael (anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1971).  Two doctors are bewildered by a young man’s unexplained metamorphosis.
  15. Miss Marple: The Blue Geranium (magazine: (U.K.) 1929 and (U.S.) 1930/anthology: (U.K.) 1932 and (U.S.) 1933).  Miss Marple hears about a hypochondriac wife’s strange demise foretold months before by a gypsy fortune teller.
  16. The Call of Wings (anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1971).  A wealthy businessman experiences an odd epiphany through his dreams. 
  17. Hercule Poirot: The Flock of Geryon (magazine: (U.K.) 1940 and (U.S.) 1940/anthology: (U.K. and U.S.) 1947).  Among his ongoing Labours, Poirot relies upon an unlikely ally to go undercover probing a religious cult.
  18. The Red Signal (magazine: (U.K.) 1924 and (U.S.) 1947/anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1948).  A dinner party’s séance is the prelude to a vengeful homicide.
  19. The Dressmaker’s Doll (magazine: (Canada & U.K.) 1958 and (U.S.) 1959/anthology: (U.S.) 1961 and (U.K.) 1979). An upscale London dress shop’s proprietors are perplexed by a doll seemingly haunting their boutique.
  20. The Hound of Death (anthology: (U.K.) 1933 and (U.S.) 1971).  In a secluded English village, a visitor is leery of the local doctor’s interest in a Belgian refugee’s catastrophic psychic visions.      

Notes: Both Poirot tales were faithfully adapted for the David Suchet TV series.  The title of “The Blue Geranium” was used for (and partially inspired) a Marple 5th Season TV episode starring Julia McKenzie.  Also, “The Red Signal,” “The Fourth Man,” “In a Glass Darkly,” and “The Mystery of the Blue Jar” were filmed in 1982 for British TV’s short-lived Agatha Christie Hour.

REVIEW:

As one can surmise, there isn’t light-hearted relief exploring Christie’s interests in supernatural and/or macabre fare.  With few exceptions, this anthology is reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and Tales from The Crypt. 

Of this assortment, only “The Strange Case of Sir Arthur Carmichael” is marred by racist stereotyping, which frankly ruins an otherwise intriguing story.  In terms of horror content, there’s more implied gore than expected – particularly, in the title story and the rare “Wife of the Kenite.”  Even long-time Christie fans shouldn’t be blamed for skipping a tale or two that could be construed as perhaps too grisly.    

The Last Séance’s line-up of familiar fare and far more obscure tales at least holds steady in a literary middle ground.  In that regard, there’s aren’t any indisputable masterpieces, but none are exceedingly awful, either.  What fluctuates is the quality of detail.  Case in point: “The Dressmaker’s Doll” and the much-shorter (and underrated)“Lamp” both effectively convey ghost stories with sufficient depth. 

In contrast, the characters inhabiting “The Last Séance” are so vaguely written that readers are left scratching to fill in the blanks (i.e. the identity of the black-veiled client — frankly, Christie could have tried a little harder).  There’s also a likelihood of contemporary audiences sensing imminent plot twists in, for instance, “The Red Signal” and “Wireless,” mostly because they’ve since become genre clichés.  Still, Christie’s storytelling tricks make up much of the difference.     

The one inexplicable aspect of this anthology pertains to what’s not included.  Shockingly, there are no Harley Quin tales  — i.e. reprinting “The Harlequin’s Tea Set” would have made perfect sense.  Poirot’s unremarkable “The Flock of Geryon” could have been easily replaced by the appropriately wicked Poirot tale: “Tragedy at Marsdon Manor.” The same applies to a different challenge amongst Poirot’s Labours of Hercules: “The Cretan Bull,” as it’s in a similar vein as the “Arthur Carmichael” tale. 

Among Christie’s lesser-known material, the only odd exclusion is “The House of Dreams,” as its morose, cerebral themes certainly fits this anthology’s vibe. Had the publisher sought a lightweight tale for more variety, “The Lonely God” would have worked. The only caveat with that tale is that Christie’s mushy dialogue diminishes a decent romantic premise.

If anything, this collection sports dual appeal: not only should most Christie fans appreciate it, The Last Séance is a solid prelude to the horror genre that Stephen King’s generation inherited decades later.  Though the bulk of these stories are innocuous by today’s standards, a few are definitely mature audience-only reads. 

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There is a table of contents.  The bibliography spells out each story’s source/historical debut(s).       

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:             7½ Stars

Notes: Also available in this same anthology format is Midwinter Murder: Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery. For a full-length Christie novel pertaining to the supernatural, The Pale Horse is a worthwhile read.   

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Marvel Comics

LAURELL K. HAMILTON’S ANITA BLAKE – VAMPIRE HUNTER: CIRCUS OF THE DAMNED – THE INGENUE # 1 (2011 MARVEL Comics)

Written by Laurell K. Hamilton & Adapted by Jess Ruffner

Art by Ron Lim; Laura Villari; Bill Tortolini; & Mayela Gutierrez

Cover Art by Brett Booth & Andrew Dalhouse

SUMMARY:

Published by Marvel Comics for March 2011, it’s the lead-off for a five-part mini-series adapting another portion of Laurell K. Hamilton’s novel, Circus of the Damned.  Examining a nude female corpse in an isolated park, Anita Blake and the St. Louis police realize they have found their vampire serial killer’s second victim.  Chillingly, Anita concludes that her prior determination re: the first victim was wrong — victim Calvin Rupert will rise as a vampire that very night. 

Racing to a heavily-secured St. Louis hospital morgue, Anita and the police carefully conduct an interior search that leads them to two ultra-grisly corpses and a trail of bloody footprints.  Joined by Anita’s associate, John Burke, Anita and the four cops face an assault from a seemingly unstoppable vampire.

REVIEW:

This issue certainly earns its ‘mature content’ label for profanity, suggestive content re: the second victim’s deviant manner of death, and plenty of gory visuals.  Despite the grisly artwork (including the cover image), this issue’s overall art content is an excellent effort. 

The writing, however, becomes a bit confusing and even monotonous. For instance, Anita must explain the different reasons why this newest vampire is more dangerous than her previous adversaries.  Beyond that, this issue doesn’t accomplish much, though the morgue sequence is generally suspenseful. 

For Anita Blake fans, this issue should make at least make a decent read.     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The first page summarizes federal vampire hunter & police consultant Anita Blake and her current storyline (i.e. the prior installment, The Charmer).  There is a full-page cover reveal for the next issue.  Also, a six-page promo of the Age of X series includes some team portraits and a full-page interview with writer Mike Carey.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:         6 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Marvel Comics

LAURELL K. HAMILTON’S ANITA BLAKE – VAMPIRE HUNTER: CIRCUS OF THE DAMNED – THE CHARMER # 5 (2010 MARVEL Comics)

Written by Laurell K. Hamilton & Jess Ruffner

Art by Ron Lim; Laura Villari; & Bill Tortolini

Cover Art by Brett Booth & Andrew Dalhouse

SUMMARY:

Adapting Laurell K. Hamilton’s 1995 horror-fantasy novel as a trio of five-issue mini-series, Marvel Comics concluded the first one for December 2010.  Late at night, a weary Anita returns to her St. Louis apartment, only to be confronted by vampire eliminator Edward to reveal the identity of the city’s new master vampire.  Troubled by a nightmare tampered with by Jean-Claude, Anita and best friend Veronica (aka Ronnie) hit the gym and compare case notes re: a recent homicide.  Anita later reluctantly convinces her new boyfriend, Richard, to be her date at a friend’s Halloween costume party.          

Notes: The second and third portions of Marvel’s adaptation are entitled The Ingenue and The Scoundrel.  Including The Charmer, the adaptations were released separately as hardcovers and/or trade paperbacks.   

REVIEW:

This transitional issue mostly consists of three dialogue-laden sequences, and that’s it.  Aside from Marvel’s interpretation of a cynical Anita Blake visualizing Laurell K. Hamilton’s creation, the only other creative element worth mentioning is the solid, contemporary gothic artwork (including the cover image).  Otherwise, adult readers aren’t missing much by skipping over this less-than-pivotal finish to The Charmer.     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The first page summarizes the plot to date.  At the end is a full-page (and gory) cover reveal for the Ingenue opener.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:         4 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Independent Publishers (Comic Books & Graphic Novels)

DEAN KOONTZ’S FRANKENSTEIN: PRODIGAL SON # 2 (2008 DABEL BROTHERS Productions)

Written by Chuck Dixon (Adapted from Dean Koontz & Kevin J. Anderson’s Novel)

Art by Brett Booth; Color Dojo; & Bill Tortolini

‘Regular’ Cover Art by Brett Booth & Udon Studios

SUMMARY:

Published by Dabel Brothers for June 2008, this five-issue mini-series adaptation pertains to Dean Koontz’s first Frankenstein novel.  The untitled second issue has an isolated Randall Six in his ‘cell’ somewhere in New Orleans.  Evidently one of Victor Helios’ younger creations, he is fixated on local police detective Carson O’Connor autistic twelve-year old brother, Arnie.  At Jelly Biggs’ theater, a fuming Deucalion ruminates over the late Ben’s discovery that New Orleans philanthropist-CEO Victor Helios and the supposedly long-dead 19th Century scientist, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, are one and the same. 

New Orleans police detectives O’Connor and Maddison investigate the latest bizarre homicide by the serial killer they’ve dubbed as “The Surgeon,” who efficiently steals body parts from victims.  Searching victim Bobby Allwine’s freakish residence, the partners ponder if Allwine knew his murderer and willingly submitted to a gruesome death.  Preparing for an evening gala, Victor’s dominance over his present wife, Erica Four, is readily apparent.    

Note: The inside front cover hints that there may be a variant cover(s).  If so, neither the variant(s) nor the artist(s) are identified.

REVIEW:

Putting the gross elements of this sci-fi/horror storyline aside, writer Chuck Dixon does solid work conveying these characters in motion, even if the plot doesn’t progress much.  Instead, this intriguing issue helps readers familiarize themselves with the story’s major players.  Dixon is ably supported by artist Brett Booth’s team (including their spot-on cover image).  For fans of Dean Koontz’s re-imagining of Shelley’s Frankenstein novel, this macabre comic adaptation is well worth the read.  

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

The inside front cover helpfully provides a summary of the storyline to date.  Thumbnail portraits of Detectives Carson O’Connor & Michael Maddison; Jelly Biggs; Deucalion (The Monster); Randall Six; and the “Unknown Killer” (aka “The Surgeon”) are also included.  A full page advertises the cover reveal for Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son # 3.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                                       7 Stars