Book Review: Claws and Saucers by David Goldweber

Pros: covers a LOT of movies, lots of cross-referencing, lots of interesting information about the films, directors, actors and DVD extras, spoiler warnings

Cons: limited commentary on famous films, mentions a lot of personal stories

Claws and Saucers: Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film 1902-1982 is a 680 page self-published movie guide covering a huge number of films.

Unlike most books, I did not read this through cover to cover.  After reading the introduction and the interesting films by decade feature, I started by reading reviews of films I've seen to get an idea of how the author approaches reviews and how my tastes/opinions matched his.  After that, I randomly flipped through the book and came away with so many movie suggestions I was afraid I'd miss interesting films, and so started at the beginning.  I then read reviews at random throughout the whole book.  And created a large list of movies to watch and short stories to read.

The book covers a LOT of movies.  There are over 1500 entries.  The author mentions a few adventure films (like the 1932 The Most Dangerous Game) but not Disney films, James Bond films or others that stray too far from the genre lines.  He gives a good explanation of what is in and out of the book at the beginning.

The author defers commentary on famous films, assuming the reader knows something about them, or is willing to look elsewhere for information if he/she doesn't.  Instead, for those films he often give stories - when he first saw the film, how he felt about it then vs now.  For example, with Jaws he gives some facts about great white sharks.

In other cases, the information he gives is fantastic.  For example, King Kong.  He sets the film in its place historically, critiques it with regards to other works (the score, the special effects), mentions the features worth watching on the bonus DVD, facts about the director, etc..  He also mentions when the movie is based on or has a connection to a short story (like Aliens' connection to the short story "The Black Destroyer" by A. E. Van Vogt), or comics that would appeal to people who like particular movies.

Despite the negatives, the book is fantastic value given all the movies it mentions.  The paperback is available through Lulu and priced at $45.95, which sounds like a lot until you consider its size.  Don't want to pay that much, then get the ebook for only $8.95 on Lulu (epub format) or 7.99 at the iTunes store.  (The author's website states that the book will be available from Amazon, but I was unable to find listings for it there.)

Want to check out the guide for yourself before you buy it?  The author's put up the entire "C" listing on his website. 

Out June 20th.

Genre News

I've had some interesting notifications recently, which I thought I'd pass on.

First up, Angry Robot Books has opened their online bookstore, the Robot Trading Company, to other publishers (in ebook format, DRM free).  Currently those other publishers are Anarchy Books and Infinity Plus Books.

What we hope to do long-term is stock ebooks from as many genre fiction (and non-fiction) publishers as we possibly can. And we'll only be stocking genre-interest titles; no mainstream literary stuff, no chick-lit rom-coms, no home-gourmet cook books and definitely no z-list celebrity biogs. In short: we're aiming for an independent genre-only ebook webstore, run by genre fans, for genre fans.

They're asking for help spreading the word by:

1) Visiting www.robottradingcompany.com and browsing our catalogue to see what catches your eye or takes your fancy…
2) Signing up for the Robot Trading Company Mailing List, so we can keep you up-to-date with details of new releases, special offers, competitions and more.
3) Liking the Robot Trading Company on Facebook or following the Robot Trading Company Twitter Feed.
4) Telling your quality-genre-fiction-loving friends about us, too. 

In other news, Kelley Armstrong is releasing her first eSpecial in honour of publishing her final Otherworld book, Thirteen.  The eSpecial, available tomorrow for $1.99, includes two short stories, "Stalked" and "Off-Duty Angel", and an exclusive look at what's to come in Thirteen.  From the press release:

Most honeymoons are all strawberries and champagne, Elena Michaels and Clayton Danvers, two of the most powerful the world, a run-of-the-mill romantic retreat is out of the Stalked, Elena and Clay are the picture of a classic honeymoon when a non-pack werewolf appears on the scene, clearly tracking intention of letting him spoil their vacation, even if that means on his own. Originally part of an anthology of supernatural the perfect action-packed interlude for fans not quite ready to say goodbye to the two characters who started it all.

Off-Duty Angel is an original new story, exclusive to this eSpecial, that features dark witch,
half-demon, and afterlife angel Eve Levine. Desperate for entertainment while her lover, Kristof Nash, is detained in court, Eve stumbles upon a mission of her own—to trail a shaman that might prove useful in Kristof’s court case. Following her target is a breeze at first, but when he inadvertently steers Eve into a secret alternate dimension, she stumbles upon a far more enticing puzzle—one with a much greater danger lurking at the end. Packed with suspense and surprising twists, Off-Duty Angel reveals fascinating insight into a beloved character.

Finally, THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED will leave readers with just a taste of what’s to come in Thirteen, with an exclusive excerpt from the grand finale. Once again, Kelley Armstrong reminds us all that even thirteen novels in the Otherworld just isn’t enough.

Author Interview: Ryan Oakley

Novels: Technicolor Ultra Mall

Website: thegrumpyowl.com

Voted by Toronto Life as one of city's 12 Most Stylish People.


> What is Technicolor Ultra Mall about? 

It's about capitalism and violence. About how the two intersect. How either might be versions of the other. And how all this effects our relationships.

There's also a very human story at its heart. About a young man trying to get out of the situation life has dealt him and be a better person.

It's about people and how we dehumanize them and ourselves when we view them as products or as means to an end.

> How would you categorize your book? 

It's probably easiest to call it a dystopia though I view it as a satire and a love story with a large dose of black comedy. It's about our world.

The politics of the thing are pretty front and centre but, as a writer, I see politics as incidental. I'm more interested in characters.

Having said that, one of the things I enjoy about speculative fiction is that it allows the setting to be a character. I try to take full advantage of this.

People do tend to view the world I've created as being a villain, and the book, therefore, as dystopian but that's a matter of perspective. Some people in Technicolor Ultra Mall's world are doing quite well. Others are not. Some people in our world would trade places with any of them.

>Would you change places with any of your characters?

Doing so is how I wrote it. I wouldn't do it again.

> What made you want to be a writer?

I want to write. Being a writer is a side effect.

I have different reasons for wanting to write. Usually, there's a question. Or an unbeckoned image that I need to explore. Sometimes, just a need to subvert. Often, it's a combination.

I also have this weird fear of losing my memories. It's similar to the sense one has after waking from a dream. When you reach for the notebook.

That feeling, more than anything, is probably what started me.

> How does it feel, having your book nominated for the Prix Aurora Award?

I never expected anyone to even publish Technicolor Ultra Mall. To find it nominated for an award is startling. I almost feel like I did something wrong or have been misunderstood in some important way.

> What were your literary influences for Technicolor Ultra Mall?

I was strongly influenced by the Situationists, particularly their concept of détournement – that is, putting existing work in a new context with the goal of undermining it-- and by John Dos Passos by way of John Brunner.

The main influence was anti-literary. It was the act of watching television.

> What's the first novel (published or unpublished) that you wrote and how long did it take to write it?

The first novel I wrote was in highschool. It took me a few months to write it. But it was terrible. At least, I assume it was. I threw it out without looking at it.

Technicolor Ultra Mall is my first published book but my fourth or fifth novel. It took me about nine months to finish the first draft and about three months of rewrites before it was submitted.

> What was the hardest scene for you to write?

To answer this without spoilers, I'll try to make an educated guess about the reader's response to my work.

The hardest scene to read in the book was the hardest for me to write. To this day, I don't know if I handled it well or if it could have been handled well. People have told me they felt physically ill while reading it. Others have put the book down. I felt that way writing it.

I threw up, lost weight and could not sleep.

All I can say is, I really think that if that scene was not there, the entire meaning of my book would have not only been lost but reversed. It would've been some third rate celebration of the violence I detest. The book would've been that which it purports to despise. I sometimes wonder if it is.

> When and where do you write?

I write in what we call the Brown Room. It's a brown room.

Because I have a wife, a roommate, two cats and a dog, I do most of my writing between three and seven in the morning. That's about the only time I get to myself and I had to negotiate it.

> What’s the best/worst thing about writing?

The best thing about writing is the sense of remembering something that has never happened. The worst is when it happens.

> What is something you didn’t know about the publishing industry before you had your first book published?

I had no idea that it was all run by a secret cabal that initiates people with a blood ritual. Had I known that, I would've brought a change of pants.

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

Write the books you want to write. And pay no attention to trends or what you think people are buying. Also ignore all those folks who talk to you about branding. One day, you're going to die. And I doubt you'll be thinking 'I wish I spent more time branding myself.'

> Any tips against writers block?

Enjoy it while it lasts.

> How do you discipline yourself to write?

I force myself to sit and listen. If I'm lucky, the ghosts have something to say.

> How many rejection letters did you get for your first novel or story?

Not many. I've always been really lazy about submitting. Hearing about other people's stacks of rejection letters always makes me uneasy. 

Movie Review: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920)

Director: John S. Robertson, 1920

IMDb listing

Pros: good Jekyll and Hyde swtiches, interesting reason for Jekyll's experiment

Cons: music, much longer than it needed to be

This version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is nothing remarkable.  The acting is similar to that of other silent films - over done with grand gestures and expressions.  The story is well told, if longer than necessary.  John Barrymore does a great performance in the titular roles.

The music track (which may differ from version to version since it would have been played live in the theatre) was surprisingly bad.  It consisted of mostly organ music, with little care for what was happening in the film.  So, for example, cheery music played while Hyde beat up on people.  At no point was the music employed to create fear or tension.

I found the inclusion of a reason for Hyde's creation interesting.  Jekyll is portrayed as a too perfect man.  A man with no vices.  So his perspective father in law suggests that he live a little, taste temptation and takes him to a bar.  Intrigued, Jekyll wonders if there's a way to split himself, so he can wallow in depravity while leaving his soul intact.  And creates the potion that destroys his life.

As with the 1913 version (directed by Herbert Brenon), the film includes a love story, though here it is more advanced.  And the subsequent irony and horror of Hyde's existence becomes apparent to the man who temped Jekyll in the first place.  

All told, if you're going to see a silent version of this film, stick to the 1913.  It's shorter and contains all the important elements of the story.  

In retrospect I should have skipped this version and seen the 1931 version instead.

Short Film: Vacuity

A short film directed by Michael Matzur, Vacuity tells the story of a man, trapped in an airlock, who must decide between saving his own life of the lives of his crew members.  It's quite intense.

Visit the film's website here.

Manga Review: Neko Ramen vol. 1 by Kenji Sonishi

Note:  I wrote this review sometime last year.  Tokyopop, who published this, has since shut down, so you might have trouble finding a copy.

Pros: quirky, cute cats

Cons: Western readers may not get the Japanese humour

Art: comic strip style, quickly drawn

Taisho is a cat running a ramen shop.  Tanaka-san is his best (and often only) customer.  In this first volume of 4-panel comic strips, we learn how Taisho started his ramen shop, why his noodles taste odd, witness his experiments to better his shop and hire good workers.

The comics are short and quirky, examining problems a cat would have running a food shop (like trying to make rice balls where fur sticks to the rice).  Some of the humour is very Japanese, however, which some Western readers may not understand (both because they reference Japanese society or because people from other countries find different things humourous).

Still, if you're interested in Japan or just like cats, check this out.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Coming in July 2012

As usual, this list is compiled from the Indigo website.  The Carina ebooks are the only ones I mention, as their site has release dates (I'm keeping track of some other sites, which mention upcoming books but not dates as of yet).  My apologies for any books missing (there's always something).  Mention them in comments if you know any that were left off this list.  And please remember that this list reflects Canadian release dates.


Hardcover:

Iron Gray Sea – Taylor Anderson

Thirteen – Kelley Armstrong

Myth-Fortunes – Robert Asprin & Jody Lynn Nye

Queen's Hunt – Beth Bernobich

Orion and King Arthur – Ben Bove

Earth Unaware – Orson Scott Card

The Strangers Magic – Max Frei

The Thousand Emperors – Gary Gibson

Heaven's War – David Goyer

Blood of the Emperor – Tracy Hickman

Thieftaker – D. B. Jackson

Energized – Edward Lerner

Lovecraft Library Vol 2: The Call of Cthulhu and Other Mythos Tales – H. P. Lovecraft

Reaper – K. D. McEntire

The World of Poo – Terry Pratchett

Elfhome – Wen Spencer

The Apocalypse Codex – Charles Stross

Advent – James Treadwell

The Coldest War – Ian Tregillis

Coup D'Etat – Harry Turtledove

War Maid's Choice – David Weber

Trade Paperback:

Other Worlds Than These – John Joseph Adams. Ed.

Werewolves – Kelley Armstrong (omnibus edition includes Bitten, Stolen and Beginnings)

Adamtine – Hannah Berry

Wake of the Bloody Angel – Alex Bledsoe

The Wanderers – Paula Brandon

The Hollow Earth: At the Earth's Core & Pellucidar – Edgar Rice Burroughs (reprint)

Flow My Tears, The Police Man Said – Philip K. Dick (reprint)

Gather Yourselves Together – Philip K. Dick (reprint)

The Cosmic Puppets – Philip K. Dick (reprint)

Poison Belt – Arthur Conan Doyle

The Circle – Sara Elfgren

A Guile of Dragons – James Enge

Lord Tyger – Philip Jose Farmer

The Stranger's Woes – Max Frei

Final Days – Gary Gibson

The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror 2012 – Paula Guran, Ed.

Glimmering – Elizabeth Hand

Secrets of the Wolves – Dorothy Hearst

Assignment in Eternity – Robert Heinlein (reprint)

The Legend of Jig Dragonslayer – Jim Hines (omnibus edition)

Report From Planet Midnight – Nalo Hopkinson

The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2012 – Rich Horton, Ed.

The Dragon Reborn – Robert Jordan (reprint)

Aloha From Hell – Richard Kadrey

Aleron – Kane

The Unincorporated Woman – Dani Kollin & Eytan Kollin

Technomancer – B. V. Larson

Tempting the Gods: Selected Stories of Tanith Lee – Tanith Lee

The Immortality Engine – George Mann

Darksiders: The Abomination Vault – Ari Marmell

The Time Engine – Sean McMullen

The Legend of Sigmar – Graham McNeill (omnibus edition)

Star Wars: Lost Tribes of the Sith – John Jackson Miller (collected ebook stories)

Tin Swift: The Age of Steal – Devon Monk

House of Shadows – Rachel Neumeier

Spin the Sky – Katy Stauber

The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities – Ann & Jeff Vandermeer

The Soul Consortium – Simon West-Bulford

The Emperor's Knife – Mazarkis Williams

Daylight On Iron Mountain – David Wingrove

Mass Market Paperback:

Gunmetal Magic – Ilona Andrews

vN – Madeline Ashby

The Measure of the Magic – Terry Brooks

Stands a Shadow – Col Buchanan

Wings of Creation – Brenda Cooper

Exile – Rowena Cory Daniells

Shadows Before the Sun – Kelly Gay

Burden of Proof – John Hemry (aka Jack Campbell)

Citadels of the Lost – Tracy Hickman

Darklands – Nancy Holzner

Fighting Fantasy: Curse of the Mummy – Steve Jackson

Carry the Flame – James Jaros

An Officer's Duty – Jean Johnson

Dragon Rule – E. E. Knight

Imperium – Keith Laumer

Prince of Thorns – Mark Lawrence

Ghost Ship – Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Star Trek: Titan: Falling Gods – Michael Martin

Chimera – T. C. McCarthy

Sin's Dark Caress – Tracey O'Hara

Snuff – Terry Pratchett

Grave Memory – Kalayna Price

Downpour – Kat Richardson

Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues – Diana Rowland

Forgotten Realms: Neverwinter – R. A. Salvatore

The Gilded Rune – Lisa Smedman

The Crown of the Usurper – Gav Thorpe

Blood and Silver – James Tuck

Kitty Steals the Show – Carrie Vaughn

How Firm a Foundation – David Weber

Carina E-books:

Eliza's Awakening – Zaide Bishop

Liar's Game – Kait Gamble

The Ravenous Dead – Natasha Hoar

Rogue's Pawn – Jeffe Kennedy

Monster in my Closet – R. L. Naquin

YA Fiction:

Mayhem – Artist Arthur

Texas Gothic – Rosemary Clement-Moore

Wolfsbane – Andrea Cremer

Original Sin – Lisa Desrochers

Relic Master: The Hidden Coronet – Catherine Fisher

Alex Van Helsing: Triumph of Death – Jason Henderson

Wildfire – Karsten Knight

Conspiracies – Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill

Exile – Rebecca Lim

Luminous – Dawn Metcalf

The Eternal Ones – Kirsten Miller

Undercurrent – Tricia Rayburn

Fat Vampire – Adam Rex

Eternal – Gillian Shields

Forever – Maggie Stiefvater