Semi-Perpetual Book-Reading Blog, 2022

[Quatermass]

BOOK 20

Persona 5 volume 4, by Hisato Murasaki, from the video game by Atlus.

So, here we are with the fourth volume of the Persona 5 manga adaptation. This manga marks the end of the Madarame Palace arc, and the beginning of the Kaneshiro Palace arc. But how would it go?

The confrontation between the Phantom Thieves and Madarame is hard-won, but they prevail, ensuring that Madarame confesses his crimes. But now, even as the Phantom Thieves celebrate their victory, other forces have taken notice. Driven and ruthless prosecutor Sae Nijima of the SIU believes there to be a link between the Phantom Thieves and the Mental Shutdowns affecting Japanese citizens. Meanwhile, her boss has coerced the oleaginous Principal Kobayakawa into investigating who the Phantom Thieves may be, something Kobyakawa delegates to Sae’s own sister, Makoto. With the offer of a university recommendation at stake, Makoto must decide between her ambitions and her conscience…

After the Madarame battle, this volume pretty much adapts a transitional stage between story arcs from the game. For that reason, once that battle is over, it’s more about the fallout. In addition, this is the part where Ryuji begins to get increasingly irritating as a character, and it shows.

Still, this stuff is still adapted fairly well. Madarame’s fight has some interesting moments in the adaptation, and Makoto is portrayed significantly more sympathetically from the get-go. And we have the proper debut of Goro Akechi, a pivotal character in the story.

Overall, this was a good adaptation of an excellent game. I’m looking forward to more…


****

 

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BOOK 21

Doctor Who: The Fires of Pompeii by James Moran.

The recent release of a number of new series Doctor Who stories as novelisations has been something I anticipated. But how well would this adaptation of The Fires of Pompeii fare? Let’s find out…

The Doctor and Donna land in Pompeii in the distant past, and soon discover, to their horror, that the infamous eruption of Mt Vesuvius is imminent. But their arguments about the ethics of allowing the inhabitants to die is curtailed when the TARDIS is sold off. And soon, the Doctor and Donna learn of strange miracles of prophecy being foretold by soothsayers and priestesses, all true…but none accepting that Vesuvius’ eruption is nigh. Behind it is a plot by the Pyrovile, a race of volcanic aliens who intend to usurp humanity on this world, and the Doctor and Donna will soon be faced with the ultimate dilemma…

The plot of the original was a touch on the lightweight side, a side effect of the episode being only 45 minutes long, as well as being a mostly-generic story on the whole. Certainly, there’s no significant expansion like there was for the novelisations of Dalek or Rose, which I think could have helped this novelisation immensely. And the coda at the end of the story, after the final televised scene, feels unnecessary.

That being said, it’s still an entertaining yarn with a very poignant moral dilemma, with the Doctor and Donna clashing over the morals and ethics of allowing the inhabitants of Pompeii to die. There’s also some small expansion on the story, giving some further, albeit minuscule, insight into the characters. And certainly, Donna’s POV, while it could easily have been as grating and annoying as the character herself in her debut, actually gives some perspective to one of the most human of the Doctor’s companions.

Overall, this was a pretty good novelisation of a Doctor Who story. Here’s hoping there’s more quality novels around…

****

 

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BOOK 22

Persona 5 volume 5, by Hisato Murasaki, from the video game by Atlus.

Once more, I’ve come to the manga adaptation of Persona 5. But how well would this volume turn out? Let’s find out…

Makoto Nijima is on the tail of the Phantom Thieves. But after learning of a crime boss entrapping students into doing his bidding, she decides to test them. In order to see whether they are just, she blackmails them into discovering who the crime boss is, and giving them a Change of Heart, lest she give evidence to the police. As the Phantom Thieves discover the crime boss’ name to be Junya Kaneshiro, Makoto, spurred by heartless remarks from her sister, takes matters into her own hands. But will she prove to be a liability to the Phantom Thieves, or their greatest asset yet?

It feels like the pace has gotten bogged down somewhat in this volume. I feel more than a few scenes could have been abridged a little. In addition, as noted before, Morgana’s Metaverse form’s design in this manga isn’t that great, and I feel that Sae is shown as too cold and not sympathetic enough, as she was in the game.

However, the character moments present in the game are still mostly present here. Makoto is portrayed more sympathetically from the get-go, her smug nature in the game reduced. Her Persona Awakening is portrayed with all the gravitas and awesomeness required.

Overall, this was a good volume of a good adaptation. Here’s looking forward to more…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 23

Dr Who & The Daleks: The Official Story of the Films, by John Walsh.


The irony is, I actually watched the movie adaptations of the first two Dalek stories from Doctor Who long before I watched the TV serials themselves. While the movies are still controversial in the fandom to some degree, they are also remembered fondly by many. So, how would this book work out?

1965, and Dalekmania was at its height. The movie industry has taken notice of the Daleks, and of Doctor Who. An ambitious attempt at adapting the first Dalek serial is undertaken, starring Peter Cushing as Dr Who, with a second film later adapted. This, then, is the story of those films…

I’ll be honest, I was somewhat disappointed. I thought there’d be way more anecdotes about the filming of these two films, as well as comparing them to the original serials and discussing those original serials. Instead, it felt somewhat like everything was glossed over and abridged, with this book more about the gloss than the substance.

Still, this book is very well-presented, and what information there is is good. We have insight into the films via interviews not only with the cast and crew (including the late, great Peter Cushing), but also with Jason Flemyng, the actor son of film director Gordon Flemyng. And we do have some acknowledgement of the source material and how it was adapted.

Overall, this was a decent book, but a disappointing one. A shame, really, as the tale of these films should be told…

***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 24

Persona 5 volume 6, by Hisato Murasaki, from the video game by Atlus.

So, here we are with the sixth volume of the Persona 5 manga. But how would this new volume of this video game adaptation stack up? Let’s find out…

Having gained the power of a Persona and newfound confidence in herself, Makoto Nijima opts to join the Phantom Thieves in earnest to stop Junya Kaneshiro. But tangling with a crime boss won’t be easy, especially when his Palace is a bank with all sorts of security protocols. Can they give this vicious crime lord a Change of Heart?

As before, this volume has a few issues. As mentioned before, Morgana’s Metaverse form seems out of whack, and he is joined by Kaneshiro’s Shadow after he transforms, the effect no doubt intended to look grotesque, but instead seemingly too comic. And the pacing issues mentioned before come into play, with the rest of Kaneshiro’s Palace feeling a touch rushed.

However, it’s still a very enjoyable volume. The fight against Kaneshiro and his Piggytron mecha translates surprisingly well to the printed page, and the All-Out Attack finishing the fight off also manages to translate well enough. It also showcases more of Makoto’s character arc in this part of the story, and to her benefit.

Overall, this was still quite an enjoyable volume of an enjoyable adaptation. I look forward to more…

****

 

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BOOK 25

Doctor Who: The Androids of Tara by David Fisher.

As mentioned before, David Fisher went back and wrote special novelisations of two of his Doctor Who stories, previously adapted by Terrance Dicks, for audiobooks. These audiobooks have since been published as new novelisations. The Stones of Blood was disappointing, but how would The Androids of Tara work out?

The next segment of the Key to Time is on Tara, a world where the feudal system exists side by side with androids created by the lower classes. The Doctor intends to do a spot of fishing, while Romana is confident she will find the next segment with no trouble at all. Unfortunately, both get unwillingly embroiled in the politics of Tara, with Romana kidnapped by Count Grendel of Gracht for her resemblance to Princess Strella, while the Doctor is forcibly conscripted into helping Prince Reynart and his guards fix an android double. Can the Doctor and Romana disentangle themselves from this web of intrigue?

The story is still something of a lightweight one, and fairly obvious a pastiche of The Prisoner of Zenda. I also noticed that David Fisher, rather unnecessarily in my opinion, trimmed or abridged various pieces of dialogue. And I feel the Doctor and Romana could have done more in this adaptation to address the inequalities of Tara, even if it was only by persuading the royals after all is said and done.

Still, unlike the new adaptation of The Stones of Blood, this novelisation actually manages to be quite the improvement over the original adaptation. Fisher actually takes the opportunity to expand on the lore of Tara and its culture, as well as the history of Grendel, Strella, and Lamia, giving some much-needed texture to these characters. What’s more, despite the lightweight plot, it’s still a fairly entertaining story.

Overall, this was a good adaptation, a marked improvement not only over the original novelisation, but over The Stones of Blood. Not great, but entertaining enough…

****

 

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BOOK 26

Invincible Ultimate Collection volume 1, by Robert Kirkman et al.

I had been aware of the comic series Invincible for some time, but I’d never gotten around to reading it. With the advent of the recent animated series, it seemed like as good as time as any to begin actually reading it. But would it do well?

Mark Grayson is the son of Nolan Grayson, aka Omni-Man, the world’s most powerful superhero. Omni-Man is a Viltrumite who has chosen to defend Earth from all kinds of threats, fighting alongside many other superheroes. Mark, meanwhile, is stuck in a part-time job, the hazards of high school, and fumbling through attempts at romance, the trials and travails of being a teenager. Of course, when his powers finally kick in, this changes. Mark begins revelling in his new powers, using them to stop crime and help others. But even as Mark enjoys being a teenaged superhero, he not only has to deal with new threats, but a dark secret his father has been hiding for years…

I have to admit, in some ways, Invincible was a touch disappointing. Some of the characters weren’t as developed as I had been hoping, especially Debbie Grayson, the mother of the titular character and the wife of Omni-Man. I also think more could have been done to flesh out the Guardians of the Globe, who get one chapter to themselves before being unceremoniously killed off, and I feel the plot could have been a bit more dense.

Yet there’s no denying that this book was an enjoyable one. The relationship between Mark and Nolan in particular is the highlight of the volume, and the twist around Nolan’s true purpose on Earth, even knowing it’s coming, still hits with a hammerblow. Other characters like Eve and Cecil are interesting too, and I’m glad that the story isn’t just about the darker corners of superheroism, but also about some of the lighter stuff as well.

Overall, while not as great as I had hoped, this volume of Invincible was a very promising start to the series. Here’s hoping it goes from strength to strength…


****

 

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BOOK 27

If Only They Could Talk, by James Herriot.


I pick up my book-reading blog after a long hiatus with one of the cornerstones of English literature. James Herriot, the pseudonym of James Alfred Wright, became famous for his books of anecdotes about veterinary work, which was adapted into a film and two TV series under the title of All Creatures Great and Small. But would I enjoy this, the first of his anecdotal works?

The year is 1937. James Herriot, having just gained his qualifications as a vet, joins Siegfried Farnon at his practise in the Yorkshire Dales. There, he deals with the trials and travails, ranging from the various illnesses of animals, the mercurial nature of Siegfried, the problems caused by Siegfried’s brother Tristan, and the various eccentric or belligerent locals…

I have to confess, this book didn’t grab me as much as it did. I do enjoy reading anecdotal books, true, but this one, perhaps due to the style it was written in, felt a touch dry, and some of the anecdotes didn’t do it for me. And the less said about the mercurial and hypocritical Siegfried Farnon, the better.

Yet the anecdotes all have their moments of charm. They’re mostly quite interesting and/or entertaining, and despite the dry writing style of the era, they go down well for the most part. And Herriot writes with an undeniable feeling of humanity and relatability.

Overall, this book was enjoyable enough. I wish it was a bit more entertaining, but never mind that…


***½

 

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BOOK 28

The Witcher: A Grain of Truth by Jacek Rembis et al, from the short story by Andrzej Sapkowski.

A long time ago, I read the first Witcher book, a short story anthology called The Last Wish. One of the stories to stick out in that collection was A Grain of Truth, a dark take on Beauty and the Beast. But how would this comic adaptation fare?

During his travels, Geralt of Rivia, the monster-hunting Witcher, stumbles across a mutilated corpse and a mysterious waif. Soon afterwards, he comes to the estate of the bestial Nivellen, who, after a brief confrontation, relates his story to Geralt. But can Geralt lift Nivellen’s curse?

Given that the adapters were adapting a short story, and a fairly short one at that, there’s not much time for a complex or notable story. We certainly don’t get much time for character development, and it feels too short. And the darkness of the story would put many off.

Yet for all its issues, it does well enough adapting the story. The art is suitably moody and dark, portraying both the drama and the action well. In addition, the story and characters, despite the short length, are interesting.

Overall, this was a decent adaptation of one of the many stories from The Witcher. A shame it wasn’t more substantial…


***½

 

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BOOK 29

The Land Before Avocado, by Richard Glover.

It’s a fact of life that many of us look back on the past with rose-tinted glasses. Nostalgia has become a past-time for many. And yet, Australian author and radio comedian Richard Glover has decided to peel away those rose-tinted glasses, and show what even the recent past was like…

Can you imagine a land before avocado? Before no-fault divorce and mandatory seatbelts in cars? Many people look fondly on the past, but the truth was, in some ways, it was far worse than we think it was. Australia of the 60s and 70s was a darker and more bizarre place to live in than some people remember, and this book shows why…

I’ll be perfectly honest, for a book written by a comedian, I felt that many of the anecdotes, particularly in the first couple of chapters, were more funny peculiar than funny humorous. It’s actually quite depressing how things were different, and not for the better, in the past. And it also feels like Glover merely scratched the surface.

Still, once Glover got into his stride, The Land Before Avocado has plenty of interesting and sometimes amusing anecdotes. He looks at the various foibles and faults and peccadilloes of yesteryear with an incisive and satirical eye, and managed to make me laugh a few times, despite my not having lived through the years in question. In the end, it manages to be a rare work that entertains as much as it educates.

Overall, The Land Before Avocado, while not quite as funny as it could have been, is nonetheless a sharp look at nostalgia, and what yesteryear was like. Required reading for Boomers and the younger generation alike, just to clarify what the ‘good old days’ really entailed…

****

 

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BOOK 30

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom manga omnibus volume 1 by Satoshi Ueda, from the novels by Dojyomaru.

Not so long ago, I started reading the light novel series How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom, a novel take on the isekai genre. Having read the first couple of light novels, and watched much of the anime adaptation, it was past time I read the manga adaptation. But how would that fare?

Kazuya Souma is not the sort of person you would expect to be summoned to another world and become a hero. But this university student and would-be civil servant undergoes this very fate, ending up in the Kingdom of Elfrieden. Faced with either being sent to the Gran Chaos Empire or helping the Kingdom find the money needed for the Empire’s tribute to fight a demonic army, Kazuya manages to figure out a plan not only to get the money needed, but to improve Elfrieden. Impressed, the royals cede the throne to him. But the road to reform is not an easy one…

I have to say, even as an omnibus, some elements feel like they’ve been snipped out, a contrast to the anime, whose adaptation of this part of the story was a little overly reliant on exposition. It still feels a touch slow-paced, regardless. In addition, there’s a rather irritating emphasis on the busts of a few of the female characters, something a little more downplayed in the anime.

And yet, everything that made this story so attractive in the first place is still present. Kazuya is a far cry from the usual OP isekai hero in that he uses his brain and his charisma to solve his problems, and his fellow cast members are mostly interesting. The art manages to give a sense of energy to what could potentially be a more dull series, given the slant of the subject matter.

Overall, this was a good manga adaptation of a good series. Here’s hoping the next one improves…


****

 

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BOOK 31

The Eminence in Shadow volume 1, by Daisuke Aizawa.

Isekai is one of those genres that is ridiculously overpopulated in Japanese literature. One of them, The Eminence in Shadow, is, in some regards, a satire of the genre. But how would it work out?

Minoru Kageno had a deranged fantasy of becoming a mastermind of a shadowy organisation. However, he died before he could get to implement any of that…except, upon being reincarnated in a medieval fantasy world as minor noble Cid Kagenou, he gets a second chance to do that. He becomes the mysterious Shadow, head of the Shadow Garden, a clandestine organisation whose goal is to stop the malevolent Cult of Diablos. To him, the Cult of Diablos was an imaginary enemy to take on…but they are very real indeed. Can a delusional teenager and his loyal underlings save the world?

As with many isekai stories, this one suffers from, well, having many of the cliches involved. Reincarnation, a harem, and the main character being somewhat overpowered. And then, there’s the lack of proper plot, and worldbuilding to boot, and it brings down the quality a little.

And yet, the story is still quite enjoyable. Cid Kagenou is absolutely and gloriously insane, and in an entertaining way. Shadow Garden’s minions are also interesting, if underdeveloped so far. The story also seems completely aware of the clichés it is spouting, and half the fun of reading this book is simply going along with them.

Overall, while deeply flawed, the first volume of The Eminence in Shadow makes up for it in sheer entertainment value. Hopefully, the next volume picks up somewhat…

****

 

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BOOK 32

Spy x Family volume 1, by Tatsuya Endo.

One of the many new manga series out of late is the action-comedy series Spy x Family. But how well would it do? Let’s find out…

The rival nations of Westalis and Ostania are locked in a cold war. One of Westalis’ top spies, Twilight, is given what may be his toughest assignment yet: to infiltrate a boarding school run by a reclusive and important figure of the Ostanian government. Taking on the identity of Loid Forger, he adopts a child, and has to find a willing woman to be his wife, despite his reservations. Unbeknownst to him, the child he adopts, Anya, is a mind-reader, and the woman he falls in with, Yor Briar, is a notorious assassin known as the Thorn Princess. So of course, his new mission will be far from boring…

As with often the case in a manga series like this, a lot of the story is taken up not with plot, but with incident and worldbuilding, as well as establishing the characters. I certainly feel like more than a few things feel unbelievable, even for a spy-fi series, and the worldbuilding doesn’t quite gel together. And it takes a while for Twilight/Loid to show any decency.

And yet, the manga is off to a rip-roaring start. The three main characters show themselves capable of both dramatic and comedic moments, and the action scenes are well done. Most of the comedy is also done fairly well, though sometimes it gets ridiculous. And there’s quite a few heartwarming bits too.

Overall, this series is off to a good start. Time will tell if that continues…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 33

Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside volume 1, by Zappon.

While not an isekai work, Banished from the Hero’s Party, like many works in that genre, deconstructs a number of fantasy fiction tropes. But how would this work out? Let’s find out…

In a world filled with Divine Blessings that can be curses, Ruti Ragnason has been made the Chosen Hero, and her brother, Gideon, has been by her side in her party to stop the Demon Lord. But Gideon’s own blessing prevents him from becoming any stronger than a set amount, and the party’s sage Ares banishes him from the party. Gideon then opts to retire to become an apothecary in frontier town of Zoltan, known only as ‘Red’. But a quiet life may escape him, not just because of his skills in combat and healing, but also because an acquaintance, the Adventurer known as Rit, actually Princess Rizlet of Loggervia, has come to see him…

While not being an isekai novel, this does have many of the trappings and clichés of one, such as the needless titillation and some fairly stock standard characters and fantasy tropes. And in all honesty, while slow fantasy can be a novel change, it doesn’t work if the stories don’t have some actual excitement, and while there is some here and there, it doesn’t feel like quite enough. There’s no real plot so far, just incident after incident with no real overarching story arc.

Still, Gideon/Red is a fairly interesting protagonist, and his sister Ruti, the Chosen Hero, is a tragic deconstruction of what people would be if they were forced to be a chosen hero. Indeed, one of the draws of this story is the ruthless deconstruction of many fantasy tropes, particularly from games, where the consequences of being inclined towards certain careers or roles from birth are examined. And the slow fantasy story is still somewhat novel, despite the lack of high-stakes excitement.

Overall, this book was a decent enough one, though it needs to show more for me to really get into it. A shame, that…


***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 34

Berserk Deluxe Edition volume 12, by Kentaro Miura.

Once more, I come to the dark fantasy series Berserk. Indeed, I am now beginning to come up to the point where Kentaro Miura got up to before his untimely and tragic death. But how would this new volume fare?

Emperor Ganishka, in his desperation, has transformed into a massive, destructive and insane entity that is as much a danger to his own army as it is to others. Griffith, with the unwitting help of the Skeleton Knight and his blade, slays Ganishka, and unleashes a wave across the world that brings fantasy creatures into reality…and the Godhand’s mysterious plans a step closer to fruition. Meanwhile, Guts and his allies encounter a tenacious pirate crew who have been taken over by sinister creatures…and on a remote island, they encounter the creatures’ source…and an eccentric fishergirl called Isma…

Once more, my standard caveat for Berserk applies. While there’s thankfully very little of the sexual squick (though Isma’s casual nudism could be off-putting) this time around, the violence is very much there. In addition, this is more of a transitory arc of the plot, one serialised over years which led to the famous fan joke that Guts and his allies’ greatest adversary was a boat.

Still, there’s much to commend. Isma is charming and has a wonderful twist, and the pirates taken over by the Sea God’s tendrils are entertaining too. The Sea God itself is one of the most intimidating foes Guts has faced yet, though the implications of Fantasia and Griffith’s plans are disturbing. And, of course, the action scenes are all excellent too, but that is to be expected.

Overall, this was a great instalment of Berserk. A shame it will be coming to an end soon…

****½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 35

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves- The Druid’s Call, by EK Johnston.

Having enjoyed the recent Dungeons & Dragons film, I had to admit that, despite her somewhat flat emotions, Doric the Tiefling druid was one of my favourite characters. Her outcast mentality and her power made her interesting despite her comparatively understated portrayal. So when I heard of a prequel novel focusing on her, I thought, why not?

Born to human parents who abandoned her at a young age, young Tiefling Doric has struggled to find her way in the world, even when she has seemingly been accepted by a family of Wood Elves in the Neverwinter Wood. But then, she learns she may have potential as a Druid, and so, heads to the Emerald Enclave to learn how to become one. But will this power help her find acceptance?

I have to admit to feeling a touch disappointed. I was expecting something a little more epic. Instead, I got a fairly simplistic coming of age story with characters that were mostly forgettable. In addition, I think that the author wasted a lot of potential with the meetings between Doric and Simon, with their interactions not fitting the feel of what happened in the movie.

That being said, the story was by no means bad, and showed how Doric became the guarded, stoic Druid she is in the film. It’s certainly a decent enough coming of age story, and it explains how she came by her skills and powers, as well as explaining her past. Plus, there’s at least one nod to the film’s plot in the form of an anecdote about Edgin and Holga’s misadventures.

Overall, this was a decent coming of age story, but one that could have been so much more, with more potential realised. A shame, really…


***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 36

Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun! volume 1, by Osamu Nishi.

Of the various manga and anime series to make a splash lately, one of the more famous is Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun! But how would I enjoy this manga? Let’s find out…

Iruma Suzuki has had a rather hard life, due to a combination of a passive, eager-to-please attitude, and parents willing to exploit him. But they sink to a new low when they sell him to the Demon Sullivan in exchange for a fortune. But Sullivan turns out to be a surprisingly decent guy, if somewhat eccentric. However, Iruma’s educational needs must be addressed, and so, he’s off to demon school, where he must pretend to be a demon, or be eaten…

To be honest, this wasn’t that great. The manga clearly takes a leaf from the concept of Rosario + Vampire, and unlike that manga, it doesn’t treat things at all seriously. The characters are mostly comical stereotypes too, and somewhat shallow, bringing down the quality of the story.

Still, for all that, the comedic elements have their own charm. The lack of seriousness does work in its favour, and Iruma needs all the hugs. The other characters, despite being stereotypes, do have enough charm to be enjoyable.

Overall, this was a decent start to an intriguing series, albeit one I’m not quite sure lives up to the potential I’ve heard it has. Time will tell if that is the case…


***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 37

Lovecraft Country, by Matt Ruff.

For all that HP Lovecraft was a key figure in horror literature, there is no getting away from the fact that he was also a horribly racist person. So, how does one address that in a meaningful way? Matt Ruff had an interesting slant on it, to make Lovecraftian horror a key part of a story set during the 50s in the US, during the time of the so-called Jim Crow Laws…

Atticus Turner is a veteran of the Korean War, a fan of pulp fiction…and an African-American in a time when racial segregation and xenophobia was rampant in the USA. When he learns that his estranged father has been abducted, Atticus sets off with his uncle and childhood friend to rescue him. This is but the first step on a dark journey where racism is as dangerous as the more supernatural horrors they face, and where their families are embroiled in plots of magic users who desire more power over the world…

I had to admit, I was somewhat horrified by how truly real the history was in this book, like a travel guide needed for African-Americans to safely travel, even outside of the Southern States. Things like this can make the novel a bit hard to read. And it certainly doesn’t feel quite as Lovecraftian as the premise suggests, even for Lovecraft Lite, and the magic in this story is a little glossed-over.

Yet these are minor quibbles. The protagonists are all engaging and fleshed-out, especially Atticus Turner and Hippolyta Berry, and the main antagonist, Caleb Braithwaite, is intriguing and morally complex. The atmosphere, while not quite Lovecraftian, is still heavy and tense, mixing perfectly the supernatural occurrences with the more mundane and depressing horrors of Jim Crow America.

Overall, this was a brilliant book, if a hard one to read. I’m still glad I read through it, though…

*****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 38

Persona 5 volume 7, by Hisato Murasaki, from the video game by Atlus.

Now, I’m on to the seventh volume of the Persona 5 manga. This begins my personal favourite story arc from the game, around Futaba Sakura. But how would it go?

The Phantom Thieves are still riding high on their success with Kaneshiro. A new counsellor at their school, Maruki, might prove to help with their psychological problems, and Akira makes friends with Kasumi Yoshizawa, a student on a scholarship. But then, the Phantom Thieves are challenged by Medjed, a hacktivist group who demands that they disband…or they will launch a massive cyberattack on Japan. Their only hope is with the mysterious hacker Alibaba, who will help them stop Medjed…in exchange for causing a Change of Heart in the reclusive Futaba Sakura…

For the most part, this volume is something of a transitory one. In other words, much of the volume is filler using parts of the Royal content that didn’t make it into the manga yet, and honestly, I am not a fan of Kasumi’s character. The chat format in the manga is also a bit hard to read at times.

Yet it still has the beginnings of my favourite arc from the game. The moment when the Phantom Thieves meet Futaba is as atmospheric and hilarious as it is in the game, and we have Sojiro’s explanation. Maruki gets a good debut, and we have Sae turning up the heat in her own investigation.

Overall, this was a good adaptation of a great game. Here’s hoping that the next volume is as good, if not better…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 39

The Art and Making of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, by Eleni Roussos.

Having watched the film of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, I was interested in how they created it. And, of course, there was a making-of book of the film. But how would it turn out?

Dungeons & Dragons has been turned into films before, but Honor Among Thieves was perhaps the most ambitious. Filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, trying to stay true to the lore of the franchise while being a fun take on said franchise…there were many trials and travails to getting it right. This book, then, tells that story…

Making-of books, as I have said before, are triumphs of style over substance, and this book is no exception. There could have been more, not just on the making of the film, but also a little more of an in-depth look at the game that inspired it to explain some of the background. Instead, what I got was somewhat disappointing and insubstantial.

However, the book was still very well-presented, with plenty of interesting behind the scenes photos and art. In addition, many of the anecdotes by the filmmakers and the actors were enjoyable and intriguing. In fact, some of the rationale behind their choices were interesting.

Overall, this was a decent but somewhat dissatisfying book. A shame, that, as it had more potential for a making-of book…

***½