Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books, December 3, 2010
Dec 2, 2010Week ending December 3, 2010
FICTION | NONFICTION | GRAPHIC NOVELS
FICTION
Armstrong, Lori. Mercy Kill: A Mystery. Touchstone: S. & S. Jan. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9781416590972. pap. $15. F
Ex-Army Ranger Mercy Gunderson owes her life to Jason Hawley, and when he is murdered on her watch, her hair-trigger reaction launches this briskly paced, immensely satisfying mystery. Both had been struggling with postmilitary adjustment to civilian life. Jason worked for the hated oil company that wants to build a pipeline through Mercy's South Dakota county, while she tends bar, worries about the family ranch, and carries on a clandestine affair with Sheriff Dawson. Angered by the sheriff's seeming indifference to the case, Mercy decides to run against him in the upcoming election, using the ruse of campaigning to sniff out potential murder suspects. Add to this volatile mixture the arrival of Mercy's Army buddy Anna, who just happened to be Jason's lover. All signs point toward the drug-dealing element on the nearby Indian reservation, but Mercy learns more about her beloved home—and herself—than she expected on this mission.
Verdict With a gutsy heroine, sharp humor, and a strong sense of place, Armstrong has created a winning series (No Mercy). The female veteran perspective is particularly fresh—not unlike a young V.I. Warshawski gone rural. Craig Johnson and C.J. Box fans should like it, too. Highly recommended.—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., Fairfield, CA
Dray, Stephanie. Lily of the Nile: A Novel of Cleopatra's Daughter. Berkley: Penguin Group (USA). Jan. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9780425238554. pap. $15. F
As Michelle Moran did in Cleopatra's Daughter, Dray chose to explore a lesser-known Egyptian royal in this, her first book in a trilogy about Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Antony and Cleopatra. The novel follows Selene's story from her parents' suicides, through the years that she and her brothers, Alexander and Philadelphus, were wards of Octavian, living in his sister's home until her betrothal to Juba II. Unlike Moran, who portrayed Selene as a fiery young girl who became an astute co-ruler of Mauretania with Juba, Dray has her Selene initially seem to be both more passive and victimized as a captive of Octavian, emperor of Rome. It isn't until she begins to manifest magical abilities of prophecy and healing through the goddess Isis that Selene's true character emerges, and she learns to manipulate people and situations to her benefit.
Verdict Dray imbues her work with meticulously researched details of Roman life, historical figures, and political upheaval. Add magical realism and controversial goddess-worship, and you have a novel that will appeal to readers on many levels.—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage P.L., AK
The Greatest Russian Stories of Crime and Suspense. Pegasus. Dec. 2010. c.366p. ed. by Otto Penzzler. ISBN 9781605981352. $25. MYSTERY
Owing to the long-oppressive nature of its government, Russian crime and suspense fiction, writes editor Penzler in his introduction, is vastly different from the American/British version to which readers are accustomed. There are no PIs to solve the mystery and nail the bad guys because it's not how their system worked. The stories collected here are more dark psychological tales rather than whodunits with twisty endings. Penzler culls from the likes of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy, Vladimir Nabokov, Boris Akunin, Nicolai Gogol, and Maxim Gorky, among others. Some authors have contributed multiple stories, e.g., Chekhov is represented four times. The text also includes brief biographies for each author and details of where and when the stories originally appeared.
Verdict Those looking for a different take on Russian literature and hardcore mystery hounds will most appreciate this volume.—Mike Rogers, Library Journal
Griffin, W.E.B. & William E. Butterworth IV. The Outlaws: A Presidential Agent Novel. Putnam. Jan. 2011. c.432p. ISBN 9780399156830. $27.95. F
Charley Castillo is no longer employed by the government, but neither he nor his pals are out of work. The super antiterrorist expert, last seen in Black Ops, has formed his own privately funded unit of experts. This time they have to find a deadly biological weapon they'd all thought had been destroyed. To make matters worse, Charley's enemies and rivals from years and novels past are coming out of the woodwork, thanks, in part, to an inept new president who is furious that secrets had been kept from him. He wants Charley crushed even though this places the country in jeopardy.
Verdict As always with the recent thrillers by Griffin and his son, so much is spent on reprising and explaining old characters that much of the action, such as it is, is lost. The authors' fans will find this latest installment of the "Presidential Agent" series comfortable and enjoyable, while potential newer readers are likely to be turned off by the slow-moving, tedious, and complex tale. Outlaws is a thriller without thrills or action. Purchase where there is demand.—Robert Conroy, Warren, MI
Hoag, Tami. Secrets to the Grave. Dutton. Jan. 2011. c.464p. ISBN 9780525951926. $26.95. F
In her sequel to Deeper Than the Dead, Hoag returns to the fictional California town of Oak Knoll circa 1986. Former FBI profiler Vince Leone has remained in the area and is asked by protégé Tony Mendez in the sheriff's office to help out when a single mother is murdered and her four-year-old daughter left for dead. The killing of Marissa Fordham was particularly brutal, and the little girl's call to 911 reported only that "my daddy hurt my mommy." The problem is that little Haley's dad is unknown, and she is too traumatized to provide any further information. Though Vince's new wife, Anne, a child psychologist in training, is helping with Haley, the police have both too many suspects and none who exactly fit the bill. As with the first book in this microseries (the publisher's term), the mid-1980s setting means that the cops can't rely on DNA or computers or any of the new-fangled technologies used by 21st-century detectives. This authorial choice serves the novel well as it gives a solid footing to the police procedural aspects of this thriller.
Verdict While the plotting is sometimes a little overworked, Hoag's characterizations remain spot on, and her writing is as exciting as ever. For fans of Lisa Gardner and Tess Gerritsen.—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI
McKee, Laurel. Duchess of Sin. Forever: Grand Central. (Daughters of Erin). Dec. 2010. 351p. ISBN 9780446544764. pap. $7.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Lady Anna Blacknall appears to be the featherbrained middle sister of her Irish family, but memories of the Uprising just two years ago have made the 18 year old strong and wise beyond her years. Yet she can't resist the lure of Dublin's scandalous private Olympian Club and its masked bacchanal. Could the tall, dark stranger who entices her into his arms be the Duke of Adair, whom she met during those brutal days of 1798? Conlan McTeer isn't your everyday duke, even here in Ireland. He remembers his encounter with Anna following a bloody Uprising battle, but his sights now are set on opposing union with England, and the beautiful and chameleonlike Anna is not part of his plan. Unfortunately, his body and heart are in opposition here, too.
Verdict The second title in McKee's trilogy (following Countess of Scandal) continues the story of the Blacknalls and their tumultuous Irish heritage. Intrigue, attempted murder, union vs. an independent Ireland, and a sensual love story are at the core of this distinctive tale, unusual for recounting those seminal years in Ireland's history. Anna sometimes seems larger than life, though allowances can be made for drama's sake. An additional May-December romance might be a bit de trop. Lady of Seduction, about bluestocking sibling Caroline, is due in June 2011. Worthwhile for all romance collections.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
Todd, Charles. A Lonely Death: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery. Morrow. Jan. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780061726194. $24.99. M
Revenge is a dish best served with a garrote. Todd's (The Red Door) 13th post-World War I Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery finds Rutledge in Sussex looking into the murders of three local men. Rutledge discovers that although the murders took place on different nights, the victims were all slain by the same killer. The murderer used the same weapon, a garrote, and also placed small identification discs of WWI soldiers in the victims' mouths. Thinking the crime relates to the victims' military service during the war, Rutledge begins his investigation. But things are seldom what they seem, and Rutledge's nemesis is as calculating as he is cold. Todd's intriguing revenge tale will keep the reader turning the pages, but the major draw remains Rutledge, the relentless inspector haunted by the voice of a Scotsman he executed on the battlefield for disobeying an order.
Verdict Highly recommended for all aficionados of British postwar historical mysteries such as Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series.—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L., MD
NONFICTION
Abbott, Karen. American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare; The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee. Random. Jan. 2011. c.448p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781400066919. $26. BIOG
Abbott (Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America's Soul) follows the life of Gypsy Rose Lee, best known for revolutionizing 1930s burlesque. Abbott realistically depicts details, including some that were skewed in Lee's 1957 memoir and the musical that followed. The insightful narrative is helped by interviews with Lee's sister, actress June Havoc, and her son, Erik. The book is strongest when it presents details about Lee's humanity outside the persona she created—her thriftiness and her whims and what she endured during her rise to fame. Direct quotes and rarely seen photos lead the reader into a time and place long forgotten.
Verdict Abbott does well to provide new glimpses into Lee's life, particularly of her notorious mother. The narrative is sometimes bogged down with unrelated content, and the chronology is somewhat hard to follow, but the beautifully crafted descriptions will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Recommended, especially where there has been interest in Noralee Frankel's Stripping Gypsy and Rachel Shteir's Gypsy.—Karen McCoy, Fort Lewis Coll. Lib., Durango, CO
Agarwal, Jay, M.D. & Leigh Neumayer, M.D. (text) & Anne Vinsel (photogs.). Meet Virginia: Biography of a Breast. www.meetvirginiabook.com. 2010. 176p. ISBN 9780615382203. $39.95. MED
Surgeons Agarwal and Neumayer (Huntsman Cancer Hosp., Salt Lake City) have created what they consider a unique volume for breast cancer patients and their doctors to use when weighing surgical options. After a very brief introduction to the disease, the book presents a photographic and minutely detailed depiction of the removal/reconstruction of patient Shauna Smith's cancerous breast, referred to as "Virginia." Smith's own comments complement the authors' descriptive text.
Verdict This is a scary book, despite the positive results for Smith. Though a glossary is included, the graphic nature of the photos will likely discourage most women from extending their surgeries to reconstruction, if it doesn't make them want to forgo therapeutic surgery altogether. A superior pictorial volume on breast cancer is Annabel Clark and Lynn Redgrave's Journal: A Mother and Daughter's Recovery from Breast Cancer. Meet Virginia will be most useful to academic and medical libraries serving surgical studies departments.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
Benvie, Niall. Outdoor Photography Masterclass. Photographers' Inst., dist. by Sterling. 2010. 176p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781861086792. pap. $22.95. ART INSTRUCTION
Organized into three broad sections—Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3—this title from professional photographer Benvie (founding fellow, Intl. League of Conservation Photographers; Creative Landscape Photography; The Art of Nature Photography) introduces readers to the joys and challenges of nature photography. Day 1 covers everything from camera preparation to "images from the edge" in several short chapters. Day 2 discusses the art of composition, critiquing outdoor photography, and a variety of practical subjects. Day 3 moves on to the field studio and preparing files for print, among other topics. Benvie also addresses the technical challenges of digital photography in becoming the perfect nature photographer. Writing in a conversational style, he also shares much of his personal philosophy in making lovely nature photos. The text is generously illustrated with many exquisite color images and includes a helpful glossary.
Verdict This book will be appreciated by anyone interested in learning more about photography, especially serious amateur and professional photographers.—Raymond Bial, First Light Photography, IL
Best Music Writing 2010. Da Capo. 2010. c.352p. ed. by Ann Powers. ISBN 9780306819254. pap. $15.95. MUSIC
Mirroring the heterogeneous music landscape, this 11th annual collection, guest edited by Los Angeles Times chief pop critic Powers, ranges from rock, pop, indie, and hip-hop to classical and jazz. Powers collects pieces from print journalism (e.g., Rolling Stone, The New Yorker) and a wide array of quality online music writing (e.g., Pitchfork, Slate), creating a microcosm of the music world's varied styles, voices, and personalities. "You're music writing, too," writes Powers in her introduction, stressing the relationship between music and the listener. Jason King's appreciation of Michael Jackson, Jason Fine's in-depth profile of Merle Haggard, and Nitsuh Abebe's review of the decade in indie rock are some of the highlights; others write on well-known artists Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga as well as more esoteric subjects like Beth Ditto and a State Department-sponsored outreach tour by Ozomatli.
Verdict While a few of the essays deal with the ephemera of music news of the past year, most transcend the trends of the moment and will be appreciated by listeners with a range of tastes looking for new musical avenues to explore.—Jim Collins, Morristown–Morris Twp. Lib., NJ
Bried, Erin. How To Build a Fire: And Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew. Ballantine. Dec. 2010. c.320p. illus. ISBN 9780345525093. pap. $15. HOME ECON
Using the same format as her 2009 book, How To Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew, Bried shares the advice she gleaned from ten diverse gentlemen of the "Greatest Generation." The result is another succinct life-skills book filled with humor and wisdom. Though some of the tips (like those related to appearing dapper) are specific to men, most of the book is useful for both men and women. It covers topics as mundane as car repair and as poignant as bravery. Advice on business and rough-and-tumble games is included, but the softer side of life is also well represented in chapters about loving, bonding with others, and hosting celebrations.
Verdict The brevity of entries makes this a good alternative to Thomas Fink's text-dense The Man's Book, which does cover more topics in more detail. In an age when many grow up without solid male role models in their lives, this book is a quick, useful guide with a touch of nostalgia. [Library marketing.]—Bonnie Poquette, Milwaukee
Friedwald, Will. A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers. Pantheon. 2010. c.832p. ISBN 9780375421495. $45. MUSIC/REF
Friedwald (Stardust Melodies: A Biography of Twelve of America's Most Popular Songs) presents a thorough, detailed reference work devoted to a diverse collection of vocalists. All of the usual suspects, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, and Billie Holiday, are included. This 832-page single volume, though, also finds room for more recent figures like Harry Connick Jr. and Natalie Cole as well as folk and pop singers better known for other contributions to the entertainment industry, e.g., Jack Cassidy, Aretha Franklin, Woody Herman, and Noël Coward. Friedwald covers well over 200 singers and includes biographical detail and information about their importance and legacy.
Verdict Friedwald freely shares his opinions—he is dismissive of some recordings and praises others effusively. Although several of the articles might rankle die-hard fans of some of the performers, Friedwald is generally spot-on if a bit hyperbolic in his assessments. Fans of jazz and pop music of the 20th century (precious little rock here, though) will find this a feast. Essential for all public libraries.—James E. Perone, Univ. of Mount Union, Alliance, OH
The Great Explorers. Thames & Hudson, dist. by Norton. 2010. 304p. ed. by Robin Hanbury-Tenison. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780500251690. $39.95. HIST
The urge to explore the unknown is probably as old as humankind itself. Explorer, author, and filmmaker Hanbury-Tenison has adeptly edited a compilation of biographical stories written by various travel writers and historians on the lives and journeys of those he considers the 40 foremost explorers of the last 500 years. The eclectic and courageous individuals profiled range from Christopher Columbus to Yuri Gagarin, the Russian who was the first man in space. Book sections are organized thematically, grouping those persons together who undertook similar types of explorations—including sea voyages, land expeditions in remote areas, scientific study, and, finally, newer frontiers, such as in outer space, under the sea, and in deep caves. Each biography is thorough but concise, providing basic facts about each explorer's life, personality, and discoveries in a way that does not overwhelm the reader. Numerous black-and-white and color photographs, paintings, and maps greatly enhance the text. Beginning each chapter with a short quotation from the writings or journals of the explorer being profiled introduces the context and provides a nice touch.
Verdict A well-written lay reader's guide to some of Western civilization's greatest explorers. Recommended for all history and adventure travel enthusiasts.—Elizabeth Salt, Otterbein Univ. Lib., Westerville, OH
Greenblatt, Stephen. Shakespeare's Freedom. Univ. of Chicago. (Rice Univ. Campbell Lectures). 2010. 152p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780226306667. $24. LIT
In this articulate and insightful book based on his guest lectures at Rice University, Greenblatt (John Cogan University Professor of the Humanities, Harvard; Will in the World) explores Shakespeare's relation to his era's view on the absolute, vis à vis beauty, hatred of the other, the ethics of authority, and autonomy. Thus against a Renaissance ideal of pure form, Shakespeare played extensively with bodily defects or blemishes to create characters, whether playing against the Petrarchian conceit in Love's Labour's Lost, or in his treatment of Richard III. Shakespeare rubbed up against autonomy, both in the sense of being self-made or above the law, as in Coriolanus, and in the sense of being a poet creating at one's will, as in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and always showing skeptical fascination. Greenblatt writes with authority, leavened with narrative skill, ranging over the whole body of Shakespeare's work.
Verdict Shakespeare's Freedom offers stimulating and sophisticated textual readings for scholars, while written in a manner profitable for the committed general reader. Highly recommended for both.—T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah, GA
Jones, Clarence B. & Stuart Connelly. Behind the Dream: The Making of the Speech That Transformed a Nation. Palgrave Macmillan. Jan. 2011. c.224p. photogs. ISBN 9780230103689. $22. HIST
Clarence Jones (scholar-in-residence, Martin Luther King Jr. Inst., Stanford Univ.) was counsel and speechwriter to Martin Luther King Jr. and here relates the organizing efforts and events that led to the 1963 March on Washington and King's historic "I have a dream" speech. Jones describes the internal debates among the march organizers and captures both the excitement and the perils of such organizing in 1960s America. He describes the illegal wiretapping efforts of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI generally in surveillance of King and the Civil Rights Movement and recounts John F. Kennedy's role in the movement. Jones provides firsthand accounts of such historic moments as receiving from King the "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" scrawled on toilet paper. He also explains how the dream speech was ultimately improvised by King, who was inspired by Mahalia Jackson to eschew his prepared speech in favor of "the dream." Jones ends his work by linking the past with the present, including the significance of Barack Obama's presidency.
Verdict This book will appeal to a wide audience interested in the legacy of American civil rights and 20th-century history.—Karen Okamoto, John Jay Coll. of Criminal Justice Lib., New York
McGowan, William. Gray Lady Down: What the Decline and Fall of the New York Times Means for America. Encounter. 2010. c.300p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781594034862. $25.95. COMM
"The Gray Lady" focuses too much on gay, immigrant, and racial issues and is unpatriotic in its war coverage, contends McGowan (Coloring the News: How Political Correctness Has Corrupted American Journalism). Continuing his sophomoric thesis that the media are excessively enamored of diversity, he turns his attention to the New York Times and what he considers flaws in its hard news reporting ever since Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. became publisher in 1992. He provides a laundry list of why favoring "multicultural" and "anti-American" stories has led to serious problems with its reporters (e.g., Jayson Blair's plagiarism; Judith Miller's involvement in the Valerie Plame case) and to omitting certain stories (e.g., Glenn Beck's reporting on the alleged ACORN voting scandal).
Verdict McGowan's attempt to reveal the Times's biases is itself slanted with a Fox News–brand of conservatism and contributes nothing to the current cultural debate.-Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Miner, Craig. A Most Magnificent Machine: America Adopts the Railroad, 1825–1862. Univ. Pr. of Kansas. 2010. 354p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780700617555. $34.95. HIST
In this social history, railroad historian Miner (Willard Garvey Distinguished Professor of Business History, Wichita State Univ.) examines the American attitude toward railroads during their initial decades of development. He presents the words of period writers as they admired, feared, and, ultimately, adapted to the changes wrought by the rail transportation revolution. An Ohio editor proclaimed in wonder that we "have reached the twentieth century at the middle of the nineteenth." Another writer, in contrast, described a particularly horrific accident as "the climax of similar sacrifices of life, less in extent, not in culpability, which are constantly occurring." Miner gives special attention to the positive attitudes exhibited by Southerners and the economic challenges of the panics of 1837 and 1857. He searched 185 newspapers and some 3000 books and pamphlets to compile the accounts that he weaves into his text.
Verdict Though scholarly, Miner's work is readable and fascinating. It will appeal to both academic and popular rail audiences.—Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., PA
Pozner, Jennifer L. Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV. Seal, dist. by PGW. 2010. c.374p. ISBN 9781580052658. pap. $16.95. TV
This eye-opening book delves deep into the patterns, philosophies, and behind-the-scenes details surrounding a large number of reality television shows that viewers perceive as harmless entertainment and diversion. Pozner (founder & executive director, Women in Media & News) illustrates how these popular shows—from Extreme Makeover to Bridezillas to Joe Millionaire—send disturbing and demeaning gender, racial, and sexual messages that can be harmful to viewers, especially young people. She takes aim at the money-driven corporate machines that have little regard for the damaging stereotypical portrayal of women and minorities and the inappropriate, often cruel treatment of them on-screen—the ripple effects of which subtly manipulate consumer and social trends as well as cultural standards. Her point-by-point analyses of the shows and specific episodes are amazingly on-target. Pozner goes beyond merely presenting this grim dose of reality to offer concrete, practical suggestions for initiating positive change.
Verdict This work is packed with incisive commentary about reality TV programming along with a wealth of in-depth research to back it up. Pozner writes in an engaging, shoot-from-the-hip style that adds additional impact to the excellent material she presents. An essential read.—Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Costa, Ben. Pàng, the Wandering Shàolín Monk. Vol. 1: Refuge of the Heart. Iron Crotch Univ. Pr. (Xeric Series). 2010. 192p. illus. ISBN 9780984501304. $19.95. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Shì Lóng Pàng is an innocent abroad. His Shàolín temple has been destroyed, and most of the monks have been killed. Now Pàng is a lone outlaw, searching for other survivors. He looks harmless: young, rotund, wide-eyed, and naïve. But Pàng's fighting skills are as strong as his sense of justice—and a good thing, too, since his principles will constantly get him in trouble. Winner of the 2009 Xeric Award for this comic, Costa has thoroughly researched the era and skillfully blends history with legend to create a well-paced action adventure with a convincing historical setting and characters. Pàng is an appealing underdog whose good intentions and heroic abilities are balanced by his human failings. Beautifully detailed full-color art with fluid layouts and shifting perspectives serves the story well.
Verdict Cinematic drama and humor should give this award-winning web comic translated to print broad appeal for teens and adults who like their kung fu action with historical oomph. Highly recommended.—Julia Cox, Penticton P.L., BC
Kindt, Matt. Revolver. Vertigo: DC. 2010. 192p. illus. ISBN 9781401222413. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Kindt (Pistolwhip; Super Spy) returns with an apocalypse story—on the way to work, Sam encounters catastrophe when a dirty bomb destroys his office building. Bodies tumble from the sky, and he rushes into his office, attempting to rescue his girlfriend, Maria. Sam ends up rescuing his boss, Jan, and in the parking garage they bump into her jealous boyfriend, whom Sam kills in a violent fight. Later, Jan and Sam fall asleep; when Sam awakes, he has returned to a "normal" world, where he and Maria shop for expensive couches, pottery, and clothes. Every night thereafter, Sam falls asleep knowing he will wake up in the "other" world from the one he currently inhabits. Sam is forced to forge an alliance with Jan and confront harrowing, life-threatening situations in the "disaster world." A motivational speaker named P.K. Verve in the normal world turns into a terrorist-like figure in the postbomb world. Sam learns key facts in his normal world that he uses in the disaster world, and vice versa.
Verdict Kindt's two-color art is simple, plain, stark, and direct. Including complex themes and commentary on current trends and events in Western society, the dark and brooding script keeps readers guessing. For mature audiences.—Jeff Hunter, Royal Oak, MI
Miller, Frank (text) & Dave Gibbons (illus.). The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the Twenty-First Century. Dark Horse. 2010. 600p. ed. by Diana Schutz. illus. ISBN 9781595824820. pap. $29.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
The Watchmen and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns are two books held as benchmarks of mainstream comics. They also resulted in something of a lasting sea change for the medium by creating a rash of imitators who transformed their own comics from mythical wonderment to more realistic grim and gritty landscapes that eventually became a parody unto themselves. This is relevant because Martha Washington features collaboration between Miller, the creator of The Dark Knight, and British artist Gibbons, illustrator of The Watchmen. But what sounds like an effective pairing proves something far less ideal. Martha is essentially a futuristic freedom fighter who serves as a platform for Miller's usual tropes relating to government fascism and compromised liberty. He assembles a familiar cast of corrupt politicians, slithery social climbers, and hyperviolent militants. It's often loony enough to be entertaining, and given the size of this collection, Gibbons's Herculean effort in illustrating it must be noted. But it's also impossible to deny that Miller's dialog is continually ham-fisted and clichéd, with the political elements serving as something of a red herring regarding more serious subject matter.
Verdict At 600 pages, this volume proves that girth doesn't always equal excellence. Yet Gibbons's art is coldly effective, and Miller's heavy-handed obsessions are all here in one convenient volume.—Robert Young, The Comics Interpreter, Charleston, SC
Rucka, Greg (text) & J.H. Williams III. Batwoman: Elegy Deluxe Edition. DC. 2010. 192p. ed. by Anton Kawasaki. illus. ISBN 9781401226923. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
There have been jokes about Batman and Robin's veiled homosexuality longer than many of us have been alive. It makes sense, then, that DC's most prominent gay character these days is fighting crime dressed like a bat. And in a medium dominated by male fantasies, it makes a lot more sense that it's a lesbian Batwoman representing the rainbow brigade. Fortunately, DC didn't draft her as a stereotype. Sure, she has a thing for military fashion. And, yes, she's attracted to female cops. But in Elegy, writer Rucka presents the superhero's sexuality as a nuance of her character development—it's not cheap or predictable but real and sympathetic. To boot, it doesn't get in the way of a compelling, and startling, crime mystery originally told in issues 854–860 of "Detective Comics." Still, gay sensationalism sells, which is why this deluxe hardcover opens with Rachel Maddow, the MSNBC talk show host and outspoken lesbian, praising the realism of Batwoman's lesbian lifestyle. Maddow's observations are spot-on, but did we really need her to tell us that?
Verdict Get past the gay buzz, and this is a gripping crime story with beautiful art that feels cinematic at times. Fans of Batman and crime novels should check it out.—Robert Morast, Fargo, ND
