Xpress Reviews—The First Look at New Books, September 24, 2010
Sep 23, 2010Week ending September 24, 2010
Fiction | Nonfiction | Graphic Novels
Fiction
Berry, Steve. The Emperor’s Tomb. Ballantine. Nov. 2010. c.464p. ISBN 9780345505491. $26. F
Berry’s latest Cotton Malone thriller (after The Paris Vendetta) finds the former Justice Department operative trying to get his life back to normal when he clicks onto a website where he sees a live video of Cassiopeia Vitt, a woman who has saved his life more than once, being tortured for something in her possession. Cassiopeia claims Cotton has it. So Cotton heads to a rendezvous with her abductors to give them the object that will save her life. The problem? He has no clue what they are after. Mayhem and chaos ensue, as Cotton’s quest for the item leads him to the tomb of China’s first emperor.
Verdict Berry has a knack for conveying history without slowing down the page-turning suspense. Here, he offers keen insight into the issues dominating American politics and society—oil drilling and the importance of fuel in the world. His biggest-selling book yet; Berry has written another winner. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/10.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.
Butcher, Jim. Side Jobs: Stories from the Dresden Files. ROC: Penguin Group (USA). Oct. 2010. c.432p. ISBN 9780451463654. $25.95. FANTASY
Fantasy short story compilations centered on a theme have become the rage in recent years, leading authors like Butcher and Charlaine Harris to produce a wealth of in-between-the-books shorts that fill in gaps for their famous characters. Last year, Harris released A Touch of Death, the collected stories of psychic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse, and Butcher follows suit here with this anthology about wizard PI Harry Dresden. Die-hard fans who can’t wait for next year’s Ghost Story will want to rush to the final novella, “Aftermath,” starring Harry’s friend Karrin Murphy, but there are many others here worth reading, like “Day Off” from the comic collection Blood Lite, “The Warrior,” from Mean Streets, and an early tale, “Vignette.” Adding value to this title are Butcher’s introductions to each story, filling the reader in on its place in the Dresden-verse time line and offering insight into the author’s intentions.
Verdict Public libraries already investing in the series should buy this; it’s even worth buying for short story fans, as each piece can stand alone.—Stacey Comfort (Rottiers), Dexter Dist. Lib., MI
Carlotto, Massimo. Bandit Love. Europa, dist. by Penguin Group (USA). Oct. 2010. c.192p. tr. from Italian by Antony Shugaar. ISBN 9781933372808. pap. $15. F
Carlotto’s (The Goodbye Kiss, The Fugitive) latest crime novel involves the abduction of the girlfriend of one of PI Marco Buratti’s gangster (bandito) friends and efforts to retrieve her. The kidnapping is revenge for a murder two years earlier, which is linked in turn to the theft of a substantial cache of drugs. The opening surveillance scene is strong, but the ultimate “revenge” of the final chapter is flawed. However, the complicated, multiple subplots are well delineated and develop organically as the arc of the story progresses (to that imperfect ending). Carlotto’s commentary on the corruption in Northeast Italy involving police, indigenous Mafioso, and resurgent gangs from Serbia and Kosovo is insightful, powerful, and thought-provoking. (Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö also used forceful social(ist) commentary in their Martin Beck series).
Verdict Carlotto may be the king of Italian noir but not based on this title. The protagonist drives a Škoda, uses an umbrella (not as a weapon!), and can “be lulled by the king of winds [music].” There is also an absence of urgency, bleakness, and “shadow.” Gritty, hard-boiled crime fiction fans will be happy, but noir aficionados may not. [For a definition of “noir,” see the Q&A: “Otto Penzler on the Best American Noir of the Century,” BookSmack! 9/16/10 http://bit.ly/bwKvPQ.—Ed.]—Seamus Scanlon, Ctr. for Worker Education, City Coll. of New York
Johns, Rebecca. The Countess. Crown Pub. Group. Oct. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 9780307588456. $25. F
In 1611, Countess Erzsébet Báthory (1560–1614), a Hungarian noblewoman, was walled up inside her castle tower for the murders of dozens of her female servants. In the almost four centuries since her death, folktales and myths sprang up around the Blood Countess and inspired films like the 2006 horror movie Stay Alive. This new retelling of the life of the supposed bather in blood and biter of virgins is a more realistic and historically accurate treatment than previous novels like Andrei Codrescu’s The Blood Countess. Author Johns’s solid first novel, Icebergs, thematically demonstrated the depths of human psyches and how little we reveal to one another. In this new book, it’s not surprising that in the Countess, while given her own words written as letters to her son, we see glimpses of the woman but are left to ponder the complexities and make up our own mind about her guilt. The times were brutal, the authority of the nobility was unchallenged, widowhood left even the most wealthy women unprotected from swindlers, and the underclasses were getting just a bit tired of it all, to name just a few of the factors that might have led to the Countess’s downfall.
Verdict Readers who liked Susan King’s Lady Macbeth will enjoy this title as well. Its understated treatment of an infamous character offers excellent potential for book club discussion.—Mary K Bird-Guilliams, Wichita P.L., KS
Koomson, Dorothy. Goodnight, Beautiful. Bantam. Oct. 2010. 451p. ISBN 9780385344265. pap. $15. F
If you don’t peruse the jacket copy, this latest novel from Koomson (Marshmallows for Breakfast) will lead you on an emotionally intense path as it slowly reveals its intricate story line. So intricate that present and past mesh and overlap and carom off each other from alternating viewpoints with the mere wisp of a font change. We begin near the end, in fact, as British psychologist Nova Kumalisi sits at the hospital bedside of her comatose eight-year-old son. She shares the vigil with her husband, Keith, but he is not Leo’s biological father. Then that italicized chapter opening brings us back to the young Nova, born of Ghanian parents, sharing a childhood in an uptight community with neighbor Mal (for Malvolio) Wacken. The Kumalisis and the Wackens act in concert as Mal’s mother needs more tending to than her children. Nova and Mal proceed through life’s trials and milestones, including Mal’s marriage to insecure, closet-smoker Steph and Nova’s ignoring her education to run an astral bakery and coffee bar. The richness of the writing keeps readers riveted. Clues to the heart of the tale become apparent but not until readers are biting their nails and crying their eyes out.
Verdict Ultimately, this is a novel about love and friendship and how children are the fulcrum for a multitude of lives. Buy many copies.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
Songs of Love and Death: All-Original Tales of Star-Crossed Love. Gallery: S. & S. Nov. 2010. c.480p. ed. by George R.R. Martin & Gardner Dozois. ISBN 9781439150146. $26. FANTASY
Edited by Hugo Award–winning author Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire) and renowned sf/fantasy anthologist Dozois (The Year’s Best Science Fiction), this excellent anthology is an exploration of star-crossed love. No two tales are alike, and the guy doesn’t always get the girl, but all blur the genre lines between romance and fantasy, sf, or horror. The volume includes new vignettes from popular series by such authors as Jim Butcher (“The Dresden Files”), Jacqueline Carey (“Kushiel’s Legacy”), and Diana Gabaldon (“Outlander”), as well as standouts from familiar and new authors, including Neil Gaiman (Coraline). As with most anthologies, this has many good offerings and a few that are clearly perfection. Look out for relative newcomer M.L.N. Hanover, whose “Hurt Me” is a rare treat.
Verdict This is a wonderful anthology for readers who enjoy crossing the genre lines between fantasy/sf and romance and an excellent introduction to series readers may not have previously tried. With the number of powerhouse authors and popular series represented, all public libraries should consider purchase.—Jennifer Beach, Rice, VA
Nonfiction
Barton, Ruth. Hedy Lamarr: The Most Beautiful Woman in Film. Univ. Pr. of Kentucky. (Screen Classics). 2010. 312p. photogs. filmog. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780813126043. $29.95. FILM
It is Hedy Lamarr’s astonishing beauty for which she is most remembered. What is unusual about Lamarr—and part of the reason, this reviewer suspects, that she is being reevaluated in two separate biographies coming out this year (see also Stephen Michael Shearer’s Beautiful: The Life of Hedy Lamarr)—is that she was also a painter and financier, notorious for her nudity in the 1933 film Ecstasy, scandalous for her many marriages, reclusive in her private life, and the coholder of a patent for torpedo frequency masking during World War II. Here, Barton (Jim Sheridan: Framing the Nation) takes a more conversational tone than Shearer’s, and this biography, while well researched, is lighter and does not shy from the more infamous episodes of Lamarr’s life.
Verdict Fans of Hedy Lamarr are having a banner year. Barton’s well-written biography is appropriate for public libraries and will appeal to anyone interested in European cinema, women in science, and the psychological effects of stardom.—Teri Shiel, Westfield State Univ. Lib., MA
The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2010. Mariner: Houghton Harcourt. Oct. 2010. c.496p. ed. by David Eggers. illus. ISBN 9780547241630. pap. $14.95. LIT
Eggers here obliges the dictates of the “Best American” series—beloved of many public library habitués—with an eclectic mix of entries. The first section includes mostly ironic works, here under goofy headings, e.g., “Best American Patents” and “Best American Lawsuits.” But the contents of “Best American Poems Written in the Last Decade by Soldiers and Citizens Fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan” are moving and well crafted, and their inclusion after such light, mocking fare jars and calls into some doubt Eggers’s probity. The remaining 90 percent of the book contains longer short stories and journalism, and some of the more famous choices, e.g., Sherman Alexie’s funny, wincing account of his father’s hospitalization and Andrew Sean Greer’s retelling of being gay at a NASCAR encampment, are ragingly humorous. George Saunders’s faux-ethnography of life in another kind of encampment, among homeless crackheads in Sacramento, may be the piece that will have the longest shelf life. David Rohde’s story of his abduction by and escape from the Taliban and Evan Ratliff’s Wired assignment to try to disappear in a ubiquitously networked world are celebrated for what they chronicle, not how well they are written.
Verdict Essential for public libraries, but colleges should pass. Readers may not consume this cover to cover, but some lesser-known writers and journals get much-deserved attention.—Scott H. Silverman, Earlham Coll. Lib., Richmond, IN
Grant, R.G. Commanders: History’s Greatest Military Leaders. DK. Sept. 2010. illus. index. ISBN 9780756667368. $40. HIST
Following in the footsteps of his other DK titles, such as Battle and Warrior, Grant gives military history buffs another colorful coffee-table reference book to browse at leisure. Like its predecessors, Commanders is beautiful, with color plates and illustrations on every page. The arrangement is chronological, beginning with leaders of ancient Greece and culminating in post–Cold War commanders Tommy Franks and Osama bin Laden. Each biography provides the name, title, dates of birth and death, key conflicts, key battles, and at least one relevant illustration, with most commanders getting about half a page of text. More famous men, such as Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Robert E. Lee, receive two pages, plus one or two additional two-page layouts describing their most famous battles. A comprehensive index is included.
Verdict Certain to attract the interest of all readers who love studying military history and biography. Especially recommended for high school and public libraries.—Matthew J. Wayman, Penn State Schuylkill Lib.
Hobday, Cara & Jo Denbury. Food Presentation Secrets: Styling Techniques of Professionals. Firefly. 2010. 176p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781554074914. $29.95. COOKING
British cookbook writer Hobday and British journalist Denbury have written an attractive cookbook whose main feature is recipes for over 100 sweet and savory garnishes, with color photographs and clear yet sometimes complex instructions. Time and level of difficulty are listed for each creation—bunched herbs and a pastry hoop are two of the easiest, while chocolate cups and Italian meringue are among the hardest. The recipes include vegetable, fruit, leaf, dairy, sugar , and chocolate garnishes, plus purees and strips, baskets, boxes, and croutes. The “Useful Information” section describes and provides color photos of edible flowers, shoots, and leaves. Since the book was also published in Britain and Canada, metric measurements are also included.
Verdict Recommended for large or specialized culinary collections, this appealing cookbook could be used as a text in culinary schools as well as in the kitchen of the adventurous home cook.—Christine Bulson, SUNY at Oneonta
Jacob, Dianne. Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More. 2d ed. Da Capo Lifelong. 2010. 336p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780738214047. pap. $15.95. COMM
Journalist, writing coach, and cookbook author Jacob (coauthor, Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas) serves up a delicious guide to the world of food writing, contriving to combine her passion for the subject with sober warnings that trying to make one’s living in this way is not for the faint of heart. In this revised and updated edition, she provides detailed, practical advice on such matters as recipe development; how to launch a blog and draw readers, pitch article and book ideas, and refine one’s prose style; and where to go to network or study. Also included are writing exercises, extensive suggestions for further reading, lists of publications and websites that accept freelancers, and perspectives drawn from interviews with dozens of well-known food writers such as Mark Bittman, Deborah Madison, and Calvin Trillin.
Verdict An engaging, informative handbook for hobbyists and aspiring professionals. Worth purchasing even if you have the first edition.—Lisa Richmond, Wheaton Coll. Lib., IL
Kent, Nick. Apathy for the Devil: A Seventies Memoir. Da Capo. 2010. c.416p. photogs. index. discog. ISBN 9780306819155. pap. $17.95. MUSIC
Kent (The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings on Pop Music), longtime journalist for the UK’s seminal rock rag New Musical Express, has written a candid, graphic, and fascinating memoir of his 1970s. In 1969, at age 18, he dropped out of college and began writing for rock magazines, quickly finding that he had a gift. Soon he was hanging out with and befriending some of the most important rock acts of all time, including the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and (later on) the Sex Pistols. As the decade progressed, Kent became an eager participant in the’n’roll culture of the time and developed an addiction to heroin. There are amazing true stories on every page here. Kent lived for a few months with Chrissie Hynde, who was soon-to-be of the Pretenders. In his darkest days, he shot up with Sid (Vicious) and Nancy (Spungen) just before their infamous parting. He was temporarily a member of the Sex Pistols before being humiliated by Vicious with a bike chain in front of 100 spectators.
Verdict Highly recommended for anyone interested in the dark days of rock and in British rock journalism.—Todd Spires, Bradley Univ. Lib., Peoria, IL
Miller, Neil. Banned in Boston: The Watch and Ward Society's Crusade Against Books, Burlesque, and the Social Evil. Beacon, dist. by Random. Sept. 2010. c.240p. index. ISBN 9780807051122. $26.95. HIST
Miller (journalism, Tufts Univ.; Out of the Past: Gay and Lesbian History from 1869 to the Present) supplies considerable detail on the New England Watch and Ward Society. From its foundation in 1878 as a branch of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice into the 1960s (albeit under a variety of names), this organization attempted to ensure the regional cultural hegemony of Boston’s upper class by suppressing gambling, drugs, houses of prostitution, and suggestive dance and by censoring books and plays. Since Boston was a center of American education and social reform, the country noticed what happened there, although the stifling titular phrase was more a selling point for those censored. Using archival, periodical, and secondary sources, Miller traces how Watch and Ward displayed nativist sympathies and, paradoxically, worked within a reformist tradition that included abolitionism and prison amelioration. Its methods were often hidden and discreet, suppressing local reviews and discouraging the supply of works by such authors as Walt Whitman, Boccaccio, and Rabelais, while also openly facilitating raids on brothels and gambling halls.
Verdict Boston aficionados may well find this methodical book a revelation as they learn about the city’s past. Also a good choice for American social history collections.—Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress
Paetro, Maxine (text) & Giff Crosby (illus.). How To Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising. rev. ed. Norton. 2010. 256p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780393732856. pap. $32.95. CAREERS
Originally published as The Copy Workshop and in print for over 30 years, this guide has been newly revised and updated by Paetro, author of several books, a former creative department executive, and recruiter for some of the top advertising agencies in New York. The previous editions are considered essential for the target audience, and this update promises to continue the tradition. The book is divided into three main parts. Part 1 focuses on the process of creating and editing your book; Part 2 examines résumés, the job search, and interviewing; and Part 3 consists of short articles about various topics in the advertising industry, such as salary negotiation, dealing with headhunters, and handling rejection, and other topics, all written by experts in the field. An extensive list of further resources and an index are included at the end of the book. Throughout, the writing is accessible yet informative.
Verdict An outstanding resource for anyone interested in a career in the advertising business. Academic libraries supporting programs associated with advertising (i.e., business, art, communication) should purchase multiple copies. It would also be a valuable addition to the collection of larger public libraries.—Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY
Graphic Novels
Brandon, Ivan (text) & Nic Klein (illus.). Viking: The Long, Cold Fire. Image Comics. 2010. c.144p. ISBN 9781607061700. $29.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Finn and Egil, two rugged, blood-stained Viking brothers, are attempting to hack and slash their way to the top of the criminal food chain in the first volume of this distinctive crime story set in the ninth century. Their master plan? Kidnap the daughter of King Bram the Quiet and see what happens. Finn’s a little more stable than kill-now-ask-questions-later Egil, and often the story relies heavily on their personality clashes. Along the way, we’re introduced to a hulkish cast of stereotypically Viking characters—read: huge, drunk, and bearded—who become indistinguishable. Klein’s artwork jumps jarringly among styles.
Verdict This manages to mash a ninth-century Viking setting with an organized crime theme à la The Godfather. Although the result is enjoyable, at times the story gets bogged down in the characterizations. This reviewer is interested in seeing where the creators take this tale in future volumes.—Justin Hoenke, Portland P.L., ME
Card, Orson Scott (text) & Andy Kubert & Pasqual Ferry (illus.). Ultimate Iron Man: Ultimate Collection. Marvel. 2010. c.256p. ISBN 9780785146414. pap. $29.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Like the other titles in Marvel’s Ultimate universe, Ultimate Iron Man, penned by sf legend Card, takes a longstanding Marvel character and reimagines him. This title is a shining example of how a character birthed during the Red Scare, with decades of continuity, can be given new life while still retaining his soul. Tony Stark is still a genius with a daredevil streak, but he is now an inexperienced child (and later, teenager), and instead of fighting Communists, he’s up against government agents of questionable scruples, fanatical terrorists, and vicious corporate entities that will stop at nothing to get ahead in the financial game. Drawn in bold, strong fashion by Kubert, the book offers enough action and intrigue to satisfy a broad spectrum of readers.
Verdict Fans of Card’s “Ender” series (which also features a young boy in extraordinary circumstances), military sf, or corporate espionage will find lots to love in this book, as long as they don’t mind a few scenes of graphic violence.—M. Brandon Robbins, Wayne Cty. P.L., Goldsboro, NC
O'Donnell, Peter (text) & Neville Colvin (illus.). Modesty Blaise: Death in Slow Motion. Titan. 2010. c.104p. ISBN 9781848561083. pap. $19.95. GRAPHIC NOVELS
True, this isn’t the first compendium of Modesty Blaise comic strips (more like the 17th), but after reading this one you might wonder, “Why the hell wasn’t I aware of Ms. Blaise before?” This fetching British spy is much more engaging and sexy than her Hollywood-born peers. What makes the book so compelling is storytelling that flows like good prose despite the staccato presentation in daily three-panel comic strips. Writer O’Donnell and artist Colvin combine plot and pencilwork perfectly to craft story lines that still feel relevant today—even though the three stories in this collection were written in the 1980s—and ready-made for theatrical presentation. Blaise is the ultimate leading lady—confident, calm, and crafty—while her sometimes boyfriend Willie Garvin seems to show up only to save the day—or for an afternoon delight. They’re characters you feel as though you’ve been cheering on for years, even if you were just introduced minutes ago.
Verdict Fictional espionage addicts and soap opera snobs who like a little danger with their drama will love Modesty Blaise, even if they’re not regular comic strip readers.—Robert Morast, Fargo, ND
Raicht, Mike & Brian Smith (text) & Charles Paul Wilson III (illus.). The Stuff of Legend. Bk. 1: The Dark. Villard: Random. 2010. c.128p. ISBN 9780345521002. pap. $13. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Brooklyn, 1944: a boy sleeps in his lamp-lit bedroom, dog at his feet. But the closet door is open, and the dog begins to bark at the darkness beyond. Moments later, the black tentacles of the Boogeyman have snatched the boy away, and it is up to an intrepid band of toys—and the dog—to rescue him. This stylish series opener explores a dark corner in the landscape of childhood, like a twisted version of The Wizard of Oz. Beautifully detailed sepia-toned illustrations make effective use of shadow and light, capturing both the nostalgia of the story’s real-world beginning and the menace of the Boogeyman’s closet realm. The visual transformation of the toys into darker, more realistic characters is fascinating—and slightly disturbing.
Verdict Playful yet creepy, this trip into the sinister side of childhood fantasy has a similar feel to Bill Willingham’s Fables, but it is accessible to a broader audience, from middle school and up. Let’s hope the next installment is not far off. Recommended.—Julia Cox, Penticton P.L., BC
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