Drew McVittie

The Scribblings Review of The Sandman

Revisado: 07-27-20

Comics are fundamentally a visual media, so adapting them to a purely audio format is going to be a challenge. Adapting Neil Gaiman’s award-winning The Sandman series which features Morpheus, the lord of dreams, might be even more so. I’m pleased to say that it’s a challenge that Dirk Maggs and Audible met head-on.

Collecting the first three TPB volumes; Preludes & Nocturnes, The Doll’s House and Dream Country, this audio covers the first two major story arcs of the series. The first arc details the capture and subsequent escape of Morpheus from a coven seeking to stave off death and his question to recover the items taken from him. The second includes his attempts to restore the Dreaming and track down some of the dreams that have gone missing in his absence. Interspersed are a handful of (more or less) stand-alone stories and the narratives range from the England of various eras to Hell, small-town America, sub-Saharan Africa, several varied dreamscapes, and back again.

Since I own and have read the TPB collections multiple times over the years, it was almost impossible for me to listen to this and not bring panels of the artwork to mind. And yet, the narration and descriptions are strong enough that I can easily believe anyone who has not read them would be able to form a strong visual of the events.

One thing this re-read brought home and made me appreciate the overall story more was how much foreshadowing and set-up there was. Many of the characters introduced here will come to greater prominence and events are set in motion that will eventually pay off in future installments. It’s the sort of thing that you don’t appreciate fully the first time through but I can’t imagine only listening to this once.

The voice cast is excellent, with the author providing narration and a multitude of talents acting as the voices of the assorted characters. James McAvoy does a fine job balancing the brooding nature of Morpheus with his occasional moments of whimsicality or pomposity. But the performance I enjoyed most was that of Michael Sheen, whose low-key, personable Lucifer has me really looking forward to the adaptation of Season of Mists.

Since this is more akin to a play, with added narrative descriptions, than a novel, there’s a good chance it won’t be to everyone’s taste. But, for fans of the comic series or just Neil Gaiman’s work in general, this is a must-listen.


5 out of 5 cereal conventions.

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The Scribblings review of The Blood-Tainted Winter

Revisado: 01-01-20

When his father is killed at a meeting to select the new king, Raef Skallagrim swears vengeance. But as various factions begin to vie for power, he finds himself at the mercy of not only the other Lords but of the Gods themselves.

Set in a land populated by the traditions and pantheon of Norse mythology, The Blood Tainted Winter begins with the political horse-trading between lords as to who has enough support to be proclaimed the next king. This is something I always find interesting and, although Raef himself is not part of it, we do get his view of his father’s careful planning.

But when blood is repeatedly shed, either by incident or deliberation, things quickly escalate into a three-way struggle for supremacy. At first, Raef is only interested in seeking revenge for his father’s death but as war quickly engulfs the land he and his companions find themselves pulled in many different directions.

One of the things that I admired was the simple fact that Raef’s exploits often result in either him being out-manoeuvred by older, wiser opponents or having to make deals to placate a superior force. While there are clues early on that Raef can be quite skilled in a one-on-one fight, initially, you get the impression that most of the diplomacy and statecraft expected of him are more or less being made up on the spot. This results in him having to undertake tasks for one Lord, then another; a constantly shifting set of alliances that do lead to him having to mature in a short space of time.

Since the story is told exclusively from Raef’s perspective it is equally easy to both sympathize with his sense of loss and despair at his lack of foresight. The downside is that the supporting characters are given less development, which I hope is remedied in the next part of the trilogy.

The battles, as you might expect from the time period the setting evokes, are fast-paced and brutal with a fitting level of gritty realism. They build from individual fights to skirmishes to a fall scale siege. Similarly, the more fantastical/mythological elements are steadily laid in, culminating in the suggestion that the fabled Ragnarok might finally be on its way.

Recommended for any who enjoy Norse mythology or jut a strong gritty fantasy tale.

4 out of 5 fire cloaks.

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The Scribblings review of Straight Outta Fangton

Revisado: 12-11-19

When a new-born vampire begins her new (undead) life in the bathroom of the convenience store where he works, outcast vampire Peter Stone has to step back into a world of high-powered immortals and their schemes.

One thing to get out of the way first. It seems almost inevitable that this book will be likened to either Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire novels or their TV adaptation, True Blood. While they do share a basic conceit, that vampires and other supernatural beings are now assimilating into everyday society, there are more than enough differences between them for Straight Outta Fangton to hold it’s own.

Stone is a survivor. He made it through a tour in Iraq and came home to Detroit, only to find his brother murdered. Rather than go out in a hail of bullets trying to kill those responsible, he accepts an offer from his brother’s employer. He goes from becoming a half-breed servant, then a full-fledged new-born vampire and he finds the strength to keep going despite being dismissed and left to scrabble for a living.

Written in the first-person, it’s very easy to identify with Stone (or maybe that’s just me). His interactions with many of the other characters have the ring of authenticity, whether it’s the banter with his best friend, the mix of respect and antagonism with his former mentor or the unbridled hostility towards his enemies. Also, his frustration with his apparent lack of any specific vampire gift and jealousy regarding the gifts of others feels natural enough. Once his gift does manifest, it actually serves a dual purpose, allowing for back story to be told in a different way as well as being an important tool.

Being part of C.T. Phipps’ United States of Monsters universe, and billed as a comedic vampire novel, it leans heavily into humour and pop culture references. While this is most used for comedic effect, a rather poignant note comes about two-thirds of the way through when another character points out that eventually Stone’s vampire nature will mean that he will potentially out-live his references.

If I do have a complaint, it is that it felt a little too easy to predict where the story was going. But, like so many other things, the joy is as much in the journey and I will be seeking out the next installment.

4 out of 5 Qwik & Shops

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The Scribblings Review of Age of Assassins

Revisado: 09-26-19

Anonymously summoned to Castle Maniyadoc, Girtan Clubfoot and his master, assassin Merela Karn, find themselves trapped and forced into a hunt for another assassin.

Age of Assassins is part mystery and part coming-of-age, wrapped in the trappings of a fantasy novel. The bulk of the story is told in first-person, exclusively through the eyes of Girtan, a young man rescued as a child from slavery and trained as an assassin’s apprentice. From that earlier age, he has had almost no friends or close acquaintances save his master, so when he has to assume the rule of a young noble and join a group of other boys in knightly training, it forces him to acknowledge some of what has been missing from his life.

Complicating matters further is Girtan’s meeting and growing affection for a stable-hand. As Girtan grows to value these friendships it becomes harder for him to be objective about his true purpose; finding the assassin intent on killing the prince. It isn’t made any easier by the prince’s nature; arrogant, cruel, bullying and, having already been shamed by Girtan once, intent to taking any form of revenge he can. Given that he could easily kill most of the other boys, he is often forced to choose between maintaining his cover and the reactions his adolescent hormones demand.

It turns out there are almost as many plots and secrets scattered around the castle as there are people looking to turn the unexpected arrival of a new member of the court to their advantage. While some of these schemes are only tangential to Girtan’s mission, they do act as distractions as he tries to puzzle his way through, and are effectively tied together at the climax, including one which hits a little too close to home for Girtan’s comfort.

One of the advantages the 1st person narrative has is that the reader discovers clues and information at the same time Girtan does, ensuring that the mystery remains foremost. The downside is that is can dilute some of the sense of jeopardy that Girtan faces. But obviously the same does not apply to anyone else and Girtan’s fear for his new friends comes across sharply.

Keeping the action confined to the castle and it’s immediate surrounds also helps amplify the claustrophobic nature of the story as many of the characters, not just Girtan are essentially trapped there. The combat, when it happens, is well handled and the description of Girtan’s fighting style is unique, as he moves in and out of conscious thought, letting his training take over.
Age of Assassins is a very good read and I plan on returning to the Wounded Kingdom in the future.

4.5 out of 5 antlered war mounts.

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The Scribblings Review of Anaerfell

Revisado: 07-07-19

When their father commands them on a seemingly impossible mission, brothers Drast and Tyran have to set aside their own desires in the name of family.

Drast and Tyran share the spotlight, each taking alternating chapters. In this way, we come to understand each of them, if not completely empathise with them. The two are opposites in several ways; Drast the outgoing and frequently reckless older brother to Tyran’s younger but quieter and more introspective sibling. But they also have much in common. Both are very competent warriors (perhaps Tyran more so), proficient in the magical arts of Koldovstvo, and desperate to gain their father’s approval. It’s this last one that forms the crux of the story.

In the cause of their father’s ambition, the brothers take many despicable actions. They may be the protagonists of the novel but they are by no means heroes. In the opening of the novel, Drast considers killing a member of his war party, partly because they are of a rival family but mostly because Drast finds him annoying. Later Drast seemingly befriends another member of the same family only to kill him in a particularly cold-blooded manner. Tyran often laments not having the freedom to make his own decisions but submits to his father’s will more often than not. However, revelations about their past make it easy to see why.

As bad as Drast and Tyran become, Dagmar Kaligula is even worse. He has systematically used his sons' affection for each other as a means to break and control them and sees them as little more than tools to be used to further his own ends. He makes limited appearances in the book but when he does, it’s clear he is the true villain of the piece.

Outside of the primary relationships, there is a good deal of impressive world-building. The magical system of Koldovstvo, while not the first to employ the notion of magic requiring life force and ageing its user, is given a history unique to the series. Both brothers use magic in various methods, specific to their skills. There are a number of good fight scenes, ranging from individual duels to full-on battles, the majority of which have them using a combination of magic and traditional arms. The mythology behind this magic and many other aspects of the world are briefly touched on, and perhaps some could have done with a little more exploration. It may have just been me but towards the end, I felt like I was losing track of some of those details.

Anaerfell is both the first book in the Blood of Dragons duology and part of the greater Thrice Nine Legends series, so there is more to Drast & Tyran’s story as well as more of this world still to come.

4.5 out of 5 dragon blood rituals.

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The Scribblings Review of Kings of Paradise

Revisado: 04-01-19

A disfigured orphan plans his revenge on those responsible for the death of his mother & his exile.
A younger prince searches for a way to prove his worth and discovers a power believed lost.
A novice priestess is determined to remake her order as she sees fit.

Kings of Paradise is not for the faint of heart but it does let you know this upfront. Any book where the first paragraph has a main character intent on cannibalizing someone he just killed can’t be accused of not giving you fair warning.

A lot of work has obviously gone into this book, beginning with the world building. Distinct nations, races and locales are well-developed so that each stands out. There is also a great sense of history in the world as well, with lands having their own legends and traditions, some of which the characters either find themselves victims of or look to turn to their advantage.

Each of the three main characters are given chapters from their point of view to advance the story. Ruka is probably the most difficult. Beginning as a child, shunned and cursed by everyone except his mother, he quickly develops into a ruthless killer as well as the above mentioned cannibal. He also seems capable of great mental feats, including his creation of a mental place which echoes the mind palace of another famous cannibal. As the years pass, and he attains his first measure of revenge, his goals begin to change, becoming more enamored with building his own myth and launching conquest.

Kale is the one in the most traditional (and least blood-thirsty) mold. Being the younger son of a king, he has no especially defined role and is put into military service, then later a monastery, in hopes he might find a place (or be out of the way). As he progress, he begins to show both a natural leadership and a strong independent streak.

The third character, Dala, is somewhere between the two. Driven to protect those close to her but equally ruthless to those she considers threats. As she begins to gather influence to herself, both those aspects grow in tandem, as does her ambition.

The characters almost never interact, with only a single (but important) meeting between two of them. It seems as if the majority of that will be saved for future installments which I will be eagerly awaiting based on this. Having said that, it does connect to one of my few problems with the book. The chapters aren’t necessarily distributed evenly, focusing more on completing one story before switching. While I can understand the reasoning, more than once I did find myself wanting to get back to one of the other characters. But that’s only a minor quibble compared to the riches Kings of Paradise offers.

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The Scribblings Review of Wraith Knight

Revisado: 03-12-19

Jacob Riverson was once the foremost knight in the fight against the King Below. But when he awakes centuries after his final battle, he is horrified to discover that he has been co-opted to fight for his enemy as the Wraith Knight of the title.

On one level, Wraith Knight takes a number of familiar fantasy tropes; knights, dragons, quests, etc. but inverts many of them. Many of the knights are revealed to have been brutal in their objectives, the latter quest is not to destroy an evil source of power but to claim one. But on another deeper level, it also examines themes of good and evil, how difficult it can be to tell one from the other and how you can't really have one without the other.

Jacob remembers only fragments of his past but since the story is told in the first person, this works to the book's advantage, since we get to learn the truth about Jacob at the same time he does. The accompanying drawback to this is that it can sometimes be difficult to fully connect with the character. Overall though, he is well enough written to maintain some sympathy. There are relatively few other characters, but each makes an impact on the plot. My favorite was probably the Trickster, a persona of the King Below that exists only in Jacob's mind. Sometimes sarcastic, sometimes creepy but always entertaining.

There has obviously been a great deal of thought put into this world, its empires and race but I was left with the feeling that this book only scratched the surface of what there is to know. Likewise, while the book does finish at an appropriate point, there is still plenty of room for Jacob's story to continue.

I'm looking forward to more.

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The Scribblings Review of Red Sister

Revisado: 03-09-19

Nona is about to be hanged as a killer when Abbess Glass intervenes, taking the nine-year-old girl away from prison to the comparative safety of the Convent of Sweet Mercy. As she is trained in the use of her gifts, Nona struggles to adapt to her new way of life, even as others plot to see her dead.

Told almost exclusively through Nona’s eyes, Red Sister takes place in a declining empire. One where the phrase “he who has the gold, makes the rules.” seems to prevail and where ancient bloodlines sometimes come to the fore, giving Nona and several of her new sisters speed, strength or magical abilities.

A lot of time is spent on Nona’s varying lessons, ranging from unarmed combat to spiritual enlightenment, and the way she gradually comes to befriend and open up to some of her classmates. A lot of this may seem familiar but it’s very well done, especially the gradual reveal, as Nona tells two different versions before finally confessing the truth of her past.

Despite the fact that the plot rarely leaves the convent, we still learn a surprising amount about the world outside it. Never in any great detail but there enough hints to keep us wanting more. There are mentions of demons, a world where the available land has shrunk between huge ice fields, buried starships; certainly more than enough to have me wanting to read the next instalment.

There’s plenty of blood and violence in this book so someone picking it up with the impression that since the main character is as young as she is, it must be for younger kids, would no doubt be in for a shock.

But fortunately the opening sentence, probably the best I’ve read this year, should make things clear pretty quickly.

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The Scribblings Review of Kings Of The Wyld

Revisado: 03-09-19

All Clay Cooper wanted to do was settle down, raise a family and try to put the past behind him. For ten years, he’d been doing just that. But when his old comrade in arms turns up at his door, asking for help, Clay can’t do anything other than help his friend save his daughter, save a city and maybe even save the world.

At its core, Kings of the Wyld has a very simple premise: what if the groups of mercenaries or adventurers common to many fantasy novels were treated like rock bands?

Fortunately, it’s an idea that works very well. Groups are described as taking tours of the wilderness to establish their monster killing credentials, they have agents to book their jobs & the like and, in the case of Clay & the other members of Saga, the repeated refrain is ‘getting the band back together’.

Far from resting on this basic conceit, Kings of the Wyld offers a number of other pleasures. The camaraderie between Saga’s members is at times foul-mouthed, bantering or poignant, but always rings true to the characters. And speaking of true to life characters, it’s refreshing to have one major character in this type of group be gay without it being a major plot point and another who discovers that rising to become a king isn’t the fix-all for some other stories would have it be.

The world-building is also a lot of fun, with hints about the history of the characters, their acquaintances and the places they visit dropped into the narrative, enough to keep the story moving but not too much to risk the dreaded infodump. Everything moves a goodly pace from beginning to end, with hardly any slow points to let things drag.

All in all, it’s a fun action-packed romp, with a fresh view on some fantasy tropes and some great dialogue along the way.

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The Scribblings Review of Senlin Ascends

Revisado: 03-09-19

Newly-weds Thomas and Marya Senlin have decided to spend their honeymoon at the Tower of Babel. But when Marya vanishes shortly after their arrival, Thomas must make his way through various levels of the tower in search of his missing wife. Some levels are strange, some are peaceful but each has its own unique dangers.

Shortly after I first finished Senlin Ascends, I commented that it was the sort of book that both impressed and depressed me in equal measure. That might sound like a back-handed compliment but that wasn’t how I intended it. I was looking at it through the dual eyes of both reader and writer. The writer in me was depressed because it made me wonder if I could ever be that good. The reader in me was impressed because it is that good.

The interior of the tower is one of the most fascinating aspects of the book. Each level is virtually a city-state, with its own laws and customs, government, people and pitfalls. Each of these is described with loving care and detail, enough that even the most unusual of them can be clearly visualized. Only a fraction of these ‘ringdoms‘ are explored during this installment which leaves plenty of ground for further books.

The other fascinating part of the novel is the character of its protagonist, Thomas Senlin. Beginning as a man who could be described almost as a bystander to his own life, he gets a rude awakening when Marya disappears. As he climbs the tower in search of her, he has to force himself to adapt from the shy intellectual headmaster and become at times an actor, a conman & thief, a businessman and an insurrectionist. And yet, despite the changes he goes through, the core character is written so strongly that none of these new careers seems that great a step for him.

Senlin Ascends is a wonderful read; vibrant, imaginative and stunningly well written. The prose is beautiful in and of itself, but when combined with the creativeness of the settings it becomes truly a work of art. I don’t think I can give it a higher recommendation than that.

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