Ant-Man
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Monday, 29 February 2016
Monthly Mini-Reviews: February - Ant-Man, Dickensian, Ghosts of Manhattan
Monthly Mini-Reviews is back - in a brand-new format! This month: shrinking superheroes, Dickensian fan-fiction and steampunk vigilantes...
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Ranking The Chronicles of Narnia Books
It's not Christmas without a trip to Narnia in some form so this December I decided to go the whole hog and readthrough the entire septology of The Chronicles of Narnia. And just as I did for the Harry Potter series, I thought I'd give my ranking of the books. Everyone seems to have their own favourite Narnia adventure which I think acts as a testament to the consistency of the writing from CS Lewis and the childlike wonder that each book imbues in the reader, regardless of age. Let's have a look at how I've rated them...
Saturday, 31 October 2015
Scary Books To Read This Hallowe'en
The evenings have drawn in, the leaves are falling from the trees, the shops are already stocking Christmas stuff... it must be Hallowe'en again. So how should you spend your time scaring yourself silly at the witching hour? Gorging on sweets while watching the latest slasher film? Psh! From the Hallowe'en-themed reading I've done this month, might I recommend these four tomes of terror, each guaranteed to give your Goosebumps book collection goosebumps. Read on... if you dare.
Saturday, 1 August 2015
Monthly Scribbles: The BBC, Bond and Robin Hood
Now that July has been and gone (yes, I know, we're now over halfway through the year but hold off on the realisation that your life is dwindling away, all right, this is a light-hearted post) it's time for another sporadic round-up of the month's Scribble Creatures-y news in Monthly Scribbles.
Capaldi's Credentials
July was a busy month for the Big Two - Sherlock and Doctor Who - as tantalising trailers for both were released. But as I've already blabbed about those here and here, I'll look at a less covered item now. Namely, this fun interview that appeared online recently which shows Peter Capaldi at his Who-loving best. Everyone knows Capaldi is a life-long fan of the show but this interview - in which he seemingly can't stop himself from talking about his favourite Who episodes - is a great demonstration of his fan credentials. It's always nice when the Doctor loves Doctor Who just as much as the fans.
The Game is over...
I'm sad to report that Toby Whithouse spy drama The Game has been cancelled. It's a great shame as, despite a couple of criticisms I had, it had a lot of promise. What with the loss of the brilliant In The Flesh earlier this year as well, it seems the Beeb have either gone off their rocker or simply can't afford to take a chance on such shows as they used to (thank you very much, government). Either way, the BBC may make mistakes but we would miss it terribly if it wasn't there. Hint hint: please sign this petition to protect the BBC. It's very worthwhile.
Anyway, now to get off my soapbox...
'Their name is... Spectre.'
Not to be outdone by his fellow British heroes, there was also a trailer for the latest James Bond film Spectre released this month - and it was a whopper. As well as being an effective teaser for the film it is also littered with lovely kisses to the past - Bond and the new M seem to be at odds, suggesting the relationship between 007 and the original Ms, Christoph Waltz is wearing a very Blofeldian nehru jacket and Q is giving Bond a car with gadgets. Not to mention the rousing theme music from On Her Majesty's Secret Service playing throughout. The last film Skyfall somewhat converted me from Bond liker to fledgling fan so I'm eagerly awaiting this instalment, which seems to be a series finale to Craig's Bond films.
Mini-Review of the Month
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Until this month, I had never read nor seen anything to do with Robin Hood (well, except such non-canonical takes as last year's Doctor Who episode and that Disney film with the foxes). After twenty-odd years I finally put that right when I came across a copy of Robert Lancelyn Green's children's novel, which tells the story of the Prince of Thieves' life, drawn from the classical ballads and folk stories. It's written in a charming fairy tale style which brings Sherwood Forest and its inhabitants to storybook life in a way that sends you back to being ten years old, even if like me you weren't familiar with the world at that age. Highlights include the bizarrely supernatural 'The Witch of Paplewick', a Maid Marion who is pleasingly pro-active rather than a damsel-in-distress and - spoiler warning for a 700 year old legend - the surprisingly moving final chapters.
Capaldi's Credentials
July was a busy month for the Big Two - Sherlock and Doctor Who - as tantalising trailers for both were released. But as I've already blabbed about those here and here, I'll look at a less covered item now. Namely, this fun interview that appeared online recently which shows Peter Capaldi at his Who-loving best. Everyone knows Capaldi is a life-long fan of the show but this interview - in which he seemingly can't stop himself from talking about his favourite Who episodes - is a great demonstration of his fan credentials. It's always nice when the Doctor loves Doctor Who just as much as the fans.
The Game is over...
I'm sad to report that Toby Whithouse spy drama The Game has been cancelled. It's a great shame as, despite a couple of criticisms I had, it had a lot of promise. What with the loss of the brilliant In The Flesh earlier this year as well, it seems the Beeb have either gone off their rocker or simply can't afford to take a chance on such shows as they used to (thank you very much, government). Either way, the BBC may make mistakes but we would miss it terribly if it wasn't there. Hint hint: please sign this petition to protect the BBC. It's very worthwhile.
Anyway, now to get off my soapbox...
'Their name is... Spectre.'
Not to be outdone by his fellow British heroes, there was also a trailer for the latest James Bond film Spectre released this month - and it was a whopper. As well as being an effective teaser for the film it is also littered with lovely kisses to the past - Bond and the new M seem to be at odds, suggesting the relationship between 007 and the original Ms, Christoph Waltz is wearing a very Blofeldian nehru jacket and Q is giving Bond a car with gadgets. Not to mention the rousing theme music from On Her Majesty's Secret Service playing throughout. The last film Skyfall somewhat converted me from Bond liker to fledgling fan so I'm eagerly awaiting this instalment, which seems to be a series finale to Craig's Bond films.
Mini-Review of the Month
The Adventures of Robin HoodUntil this month, I had never read nor seen anything to do with Robin Hood (well, except such non-canonical takes as last year's Doctor Who episode and that Disney film with the foxes). After twenty-odd years I finally put that right when I came across a copy of Robert Lancelyn Green's children's novel, which tells the story of the Prince of Thieves' life, drawn from the classical ballads and folk stories. It's written in a charming fairy tale style which brings Sherwood Forest and its inhabitants to storybook life in a way that sends you back to being ten years old, even if like me you weren't familiar with the world at that age. Highlights include the bizarrely supernatural 'The Witch of Paplewick', a Maid Marion who is pleasingly pro-active rather than a damsel-in-distress and - spoiler warning for a 700 year old legend - the surprisingly moving final chapters.
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
Top Five Faceless Villains
While we all enjoy a good villain to boo and hiss at (such as these fearsome females), sometimes it can be more interesting and unsettling to have a more unknowable - faceless - antagonist. In this list I won't be looking at baddies who hid their faces like The Claw from Inspector Gadget but those soulless villains, often corrupt corporations or surveillance states, who conspire against our hero for their own nefarious, and usually nebulous, ends. Evil organisations such as James Bond's SPECTRE aren't eligible as they often have a single leader (in SPECTRE's case, Blofeld) who acts as the hero's nemesis rather than the organisation themselves.
Wolfram & Hart
Appeared in: Angel
Built around the premise 'what if lawyers actually were as evil as people say they are?, Wolfram & Hart are the demon-worshipping law firm that plan to end the world on Buffy spin-off Angel.
We get to know several of the firm's smarmy employees over Angel's five season run but we never meet the mysterious 'Senior Partners' - beings who are basically personifications of evil. An organisation of humans as the evil enemies of our traditional monster hero, W&H are the perfect villains for the more moraly-grey world of Angel.
HYDRA
Appeared in: Marvel comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Originally featuring in The First Avenger, HYDRA were used to a brilliant effect in The Winter Solider. In the Captain America sequel, that niggling doubt about the modern world - that we're all being spied on for evil purposes - turns out to be true and, what's more, the good guys we thought we could trust (namely SHIELD) are in fact controlled by HYDRA, the ex-Nazi terrorist organisation. HYDRA are one of the best faceless villains, as they have no one head person in charge. Quite literally as their catchphrase is 'cut off one head, two more will take its place.' Hail HYDRA!
The 'Listen' Creature
Appeared in: Doctor Who - 'Listen'
Number three on our list is a bit of a different one; rather than a headless organisation this one is an unseen creature. The most ambiguous Doctor Who monster, 'the perfect hider' that the Doctor hunts for in 'Listen' is left unseen, leaving it to the audience to make up for themselves whether such a creature exists. It's a sophisticated twist on the usually front-and-centre Who antagonists - but, come on, that is clearly an alien standing behind Clara...
The Village
Appeared in: The Prisoner
Probably the most nebulous of the villains on this list, we never get any real sense of what the mysterious overseers of the Village in 60s spy series The Prisoner actually want. We know they wish to find out why our nameless hero Number Six resigned from his job but just why it is so important we never find out. Regardless, the ever-changing figure of Number Two, who runs the Village, the unique architecture and the almost-lobotomised residents make the Village one of the most insidious faceless villains in all of fiction. But, as Number Six always asks, who is Number One?
Big Brother
Appeared in: Nineteen Eighty Four
Turning our list on its head is our leader. All Big Brother is is a face - whether he exists or not is never discovered but the image of Big Brother is certainly used by corrupt dictators IngSoc to keep control of the dystopian Britain featured in Orwell's seminal novel. Created in the forties, Big Brother infamously predicts the rise of the surveillance state. If you need proof that Big Brother is the most evil faceless villain on this list it inspired the inexplicably long-lasting Big Brother reality series. It may appear that we are the ones who are watching Big Brother but, in fact, Big Brother is watching you...
Appeared in: Angel
Built around the premise 'what if lawyers actually were as evil as people say they are?, Wolfram & Hart are the demon-worshipping law firm that plan to end the world on Buffy spin-off Angel.
We get to know several of the firm's smarmy employees over Angel's five season run but we never meet the mysterious 'Senior Partners' - beings who are basically personifications of evil. An organisation of humans as the evil enemies of our traditional monster hero, W&H are the perfect villains for the more moraly-grey world of Angel.
HYDRAAppeared in: Marvel comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Originally featuring in The First Avenger, HYDRA were used to a brilliant effect in The Winter Solider. In the Captain America sequel, that niggling doubt about the modern world - that we're all being spied on for evil purposes - turns out to be true and, what's more, the good guys we thought we could trust (namely SHIELD) are in fact controlled by HYDRA, the ex-Nazi terrorist organisation. HYDRA are one of the best faceless villains, as they have no one head person in charge. Quite literally as their catchphrase is 'cut off one head, two more will take its place.' Hail HYDRA!
The 'Listen' CreatureAppeared in: Doctor Who - 'Listen'
Number three on our list is a bit of a different one; rather than a headless organisation this one is an unseen creature. The most ambiguous Doctor Who monster, 'the perfect hider' that the Doctor hunts for in 'Listen' is left unseen, leaving it to the audience to make up for themselves whether such a creature exists. It's a sophisticated twist on the usually front-and-centre Who antagonists - but, come on, that is clearly an alien standing behind Clara...
The VillageAppeared in: The Prisoner
Probably the most nebulous of the villains on this list, we never get any real sense of what the mysterious overseers of the Village in 60s spy series The Prisoner actually want. We know they wish to find out why our nameless hero Number Six resigned from his job but just why it is so important we never find out. Regardless, the ever-changing figure of Number Two, who runs the Village, the unique architecture and the almost-lobotomised residents make the Village one of the most insidious faceless villains in all of fiction. But, as Number Six always asks, who is Number One?
Big BrotherAppeared in: Nineteen Eighty Four
Turning our list on its head is our leader. All Big Brother is is a face - whether he exists or not is never discovered but the image of Big Brother is certainly used by corrupt dictators IngSoc to keep control of the dystopian Britain featured in Orwell's seminal novel. Created in the forties, Big Brother infamously predicts the rise of the surveillance state. If you need proof that Big Brother is the most evil faceless villain on this list it inspired the inexplicably long-lasting Big Brother reality series. It may appear that we are the ones who are watching Big Brother but, in fact, Big Brother is watching you...
Wednesday, 15 July 2015
Review: Trigger Warning
Trigger Warning: this post contains a review of Neil Gaiman's latest short story anthology Trigger Warning.
The title of Neil Gaiman's third short story collection comes from the internet trend for articles to preceded by a warning of what's to come. Apart from allowing the writer in his introduction to muse on if such an idea should be adopted for fiction, it is a perfect title for an anthology of Gaiman's work. Part of the thrill of diving into one of his short stories in particular is that, due to the wide range of genres and tones he adopts, you never know what you are going to get. Be warned, the title tells us, I'm not going to tell you what you should be warned about, but I think you should be on your toes.
In Trigger Warning, Gaiman delivers fairy tales and ghost stories and sci-fi and fantasy adventures, as well as new spins on familiar characters and love letters to the likes of Ray Bradbury and David Bowie. Many of these stories might be familiar to Neil Gaiman devotees, but the quality of each is that you certainly won't mind owning them more than once. Besides, having them tied together with other wildly different pieces brings out something new in them. The twelve micro fictions that make up 'A Calendar of Tales', for example, brilliantly compliment and juxtapose with each other.
Likewise, two of my favourites - now don't say you didn't see this coming - are Gaiman's takes on Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. They represent contrasting takes on famous fictional heroes and their worlds. 'The Case of Death and Honey' is a genre-bending tale which presents an elderly Holmes undertaking the greatest, and the longest, investigation of his career. It is mournful and touching and quite unlike any other Holmes story out there.
'Nothing O'Clock', however, is a fun-loving adventure story that is bouncing with invention, as it sees the Eleventh Doctor and Amy facing a clever new take on the alien invasion. It is fantastic to have another Gaiman-penned entry into the Whoniverse and a must-read for anyone who loved 'The Doctor's Wife' (and thought 'Nightmare in Silver' could have been better).
Yet my absolute favourite is surely 'Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains...', a story as atmospheric and opaque as the mist that surrounds the island that the protagonists journey to. Apparently based on an old Scottish folk tale (as Gaiman's fascinating in-depth story notes tells us), it is a bleaker piece than most of the writer's other work, where death and danger are more often than not met with some light and humour. Nonetheless, it is an engrossing read and showcases Gaiman's storytelling and prose at its peak.
But then my other favourite is the fantastically feminist 'The Sleeper in the Spindle', or perhaps the brilliantly bonkers 'The Return of the Thin White Duke'. Or 'Orange', a tale told entirely through answers to unseen questions. Or the creepy epistolary 'Feminine Endings.' Or maybe 'Black Dog', a new story set in the American Gods universe.
Each story in Trigger Warning is better than the last. That is the only forewarning you need.
The title of Neil Gaiman's third short story collection comes from the internet trend for articles to preceded by a warning of what's to come. Apart from allowing the writer in his introduction to muse on if such an idea should be adopted for fiction, it is a perfect title for an anthology of Gaiman's work. Part of the thrill of diving into one of his short stories in particular is that, due to the wide range of genres and tones he adopts, you never know what you are going to get. Be warned, the title tells us, I'm not going to tell you what you should be warned about, but I think you should be on your toes.
In Trigger Warning, Gaiman delivers fairy tales and ghost stories and sci-fi and fantasy adventures, as well as new spins on familiar characters and love letters to the likes of Ray Bradbury and David Bowie. Many of these stories might be familiar to Neil Gaiman devotees, but the quality of each is that you certainly won't mind owning them more than once. Besides, having them tied together with other wildly different pieces brings out something new in them. The twelve micro fictions that make up 'A Calendar of Tales', for example, brilliantly compliment and juxtapose with each other.
Likewise, two of my favourites - now don't say you didn't see this coming - are Gaiman's takes on Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. They represent contrasting takes on famous fictional heroes and their worlds. 'The Case of Death and Honey' is a genre-bending tale which presents an elderly Holmes undertaking the greatest, and the longest, investigation of his career. It is mournful and touching and quite unlike any other Holmes story out there.
'Nothing O'Clock', however, is a fun-loving adventure story that is bouncing with invention, as it sees the Eleventh Doctor and Amy facing a clever new take on the alien invasion. It is fantastic to have another Gaiman-penned entry into the Whoniverse and a must-read for anyone who loved 'The Doctor's Wife' (and thought 'Nightmare in Silver' could have been better).
Yet my absolute favourite is surely 'Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains...', a story as atmospheric and opaque as the mist that surrounds the island that the protagonists journey to. Apparently based on an old Scottish folk tale (as Gaiman's fascinating in-depth story notes tells us), it is a bleaker piece than most of the writer's other work, where death and danger are more often than not met with some light and humour. Nonetheless, it is an engrossing read and showcases Gaiman's storytelling and prose at its peak.
But then my other favourite is the fantastically feminist 'The Sleeper in the Spindle', or perhaps the brilliantly bonkers 'The Return of the Thin White Duke'. Or 'Orange', a tale told entirely through answers to unseen questions. Or the creepy epistolary 'Feminine Endings.' Or maybe 'Black Dog', a new story set in the American Gods universe.
Each story in Trigger Warning is better than the last. That is the only forewarning you need.
 |
| P.S. Has anyone thought about the potential meaning of the wounded-looking wolf on the cover? Perhaps he has been shot? If so, does he represent the piece of writing, made innocuous by the addition of a trigger warning? |
Friday, 26 June 2015
Ranking the Harry Potter Books and Films
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Book: 5/7
An enchanting beginning chapter of the series. Its whimsical
tone - much more so than other books in the series - means it can sit comfortably
alongside such children's classics as Alice in Wonderland. Film: 6/8
A very faithful rendition of the novel, with great casting choices, including the closer-to-the-text Richard Harris version of Dumbledore and the instantly loveable Hagrid as played by Robbie Coltrane.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Book: 4/7 
Being the first Potter book I ever read probably helps this one jump a few places. That said, I love the device of the haunted diary and it's thanks to this book's magic that I am writing about Harry Potter today. Film: 5/8
Chamber is very much more of the same as the first film - which makes it all the more likeable in retrospect, after the changes the series would take later on. It's close but this one just pips Philosopher to the broomstick.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Most Potter fans I know choose this as their favourite - and it's not hard to see why. The Marauders' backstory and the time travel element in particular proving to be the highlights. Film: 4/8
The most visually striking of all the films, though the stark change from the previous two is jarring. The newly-stylised look - plus the inclusion of werewolves, serial killers and dementors - make it less of a family film and more of a horror fantasy.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Book: 7/7
To me, the story - the Triwizard Tournament
is held at Hogwarts - feels more tangential to the overall arc of the
books than any other, even though of course it results in Lord
Voldemort's return. Film: 7/8
The first film that really struggles to adapt the - admittedly brick-sized - book to the screen and one which makes some annoying deviations. Gambon's Dumbledore in particular is angry and frustrated a lot of the time, a far cry from the always collected headmaster of the novels.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Book: 6/7
The length may be indulgent but it is never a slog to read and effectively raises the stakes for the later books. It also introduces fan-favourite characters like Luna Lovegood and the series most despicable villain. No, not Voldemort... Film: 8/8
The... interesting decision to turn the longest book into the shortest film of the series leaves the story feeling truncated. That said, Imelda Staunton as Umbridge - yep, she's the one I was talking about - is one of the best casting calls of the series and is the saving grace of the film.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
A grim and foreboding novel, but one with humour and romance in it too. Highlights include Voldemort's fascinating backstory and the heart-wrenching ending. Dark times are a-coming... Film: 3/8
An unpopular opinion, but this is one of my favourites of the series. The plot doesn't translate too well (with much of the book's content removed) but the tragi-comic tone and the performances of the three leads - plus Gambon's finest hour - make it one of the stylistically best adaptations of the books.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Book: 1/7
In this case, younger me's assertion that the books got better and better was right. A hugely shocking, entertaining and satisfying finale to the septology that does all you could have wanted it to do. Film(s): Part 1 - 2/8 Part 2 - 1/8
Again, I think I am unusual in liking the slower-paced road trip movie-esque first part almost as much as its energetic sequel. Finally, the films know just how to balance slavishly adapting the novel and intelligently inserting their own material. A brilliant duo to bow out on.
Friday, 1 May 2015
Top Five Immortal Characters
Immortality has always been a popular
trope in all forms of fiction, as it's a perenially fascinating topic.
As such there are many great fictional characters who never shuffled off
this mortal coil - and here are some of my favourites.
To keep things interesting I've banned myself from putting any Doctor Who characters on this list (really, I could fill the whole lot up with Who folks - The Doctor, Captain Jack, the Master, the Cybermen...). So read on for a who's-who-and-also-not-in-Who of immortal characters. Hurry up, before we all die of old age...
Vampires
Fiction is full of vampires tortured by their immortality, so I've bundled them all into one for the sake of variety (and to represent them I've chosen one of the world's more underappreciated vampires; the Count from Sesame Street. Not enough evil undead give their eternal lives to teach young children arithmatic). They come in different groups. Many like to spend eternity causing bloodshed - Dracula. Some like to spend it righting wrongs - Genevieve Dieudonne who fights the aforementioned Prince of Darkness in Anno Dracula. And others like to switch between both - such as TV vampires Hal York and Spike. Whatever the type, though, you can rely on a vampire to spark an interesting discussion on the nature of immortality.
The Hempstock Women
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is really the story of two ancient forces battling each other with a small ordinary boy caught in the middle. While the terrifying Ursula is vehemently on the side of the bad, the Hempstock women serve as the boy's saviours and prove that immortality doesn't have to make you tortured - it can just make you wise. The three Hempstocks (almost personifying the stereotypical three witches) and the nature of their long shelflife is well dealt with; we know they were around at the time of the Domesday Book and beyond but we never really find out who or what they are. The Hempstocks tell us that, yes, we don't understand all the mysteries of the universe but sometimes it's better not to.
Peter Pan
It is an oft-discussed notion if one would choose immortality. Certainly, most of the characters on this list would call it a curse. But Peter Pan, the Boy Who Never Grew Up, chooses to be immortal rather than face the terrors of adulthood. At first, just as Peter does, many of us would love to be carefree children forever but there's tragedy in Peter's decision, as ably presented in the surprisingly good 2003 film and messed about with in Steven Spielberg's Hook, as he cannot do such grown-up things as reciprocate his feelings for Wendy. Ultimately, though, it's up to you whether Peter's life is a blessing or a curse, making him one of the most interesting immortal characters around.
Edward Scissorhands
I was going to put Frankenstein's monster on this list but then remembered that immortality is not really an attribute of Mary Shelley's original creation, more of the films that it spawned. So instead Frankie's gothic cousin Eddie takes his spot on this list. A cross between the monster, the Beast and Tim Burton himself, Edward is an innocent who, just like the monster, is corrupted by the outside world. Unlike Frankie, he's also one half of a doomed romance, partly made impossible by his immortality. Edward serves as a warning that it's no fun to be different.
Tithonus
While others on this list might not have enjoyed their immortality, they at least had the comfort of being frozen in time, never ageing. Unfortunately, Tithonus, one of the unluckiest figures in Greek Mythology, learnt the hard way that your should always check the fine print when wishing for eternal life. After falling in love with this lowly mortal, the goddess Aurora pleaded with Zeus to make him immortal - unfortunately, she forgot to ask for everlasting youth. Thus, Tithonus grows into a withered husk of a man - who his immortal lover eventually grows tired of. Tithonus is the epitome of all immortal fictional characters as he embodies the idea at the heart of all of them; we might all wish for longer lives but you have to be careful what you wish for.
To keep things interesting I've banned myself from putting any Doctor Who characters on this list (really, I could fill the whole lot up with Who folks - The Doctor, Captain Jack, the Master, the Cybermen...). So read on for a who's-who-and-also-not-in-Who of immortal characters. Hurry up, before we all die of old age...
Fiction is full of vampires tortured by their immortality, so I've bundled them all into one for the sake of variety (and to represent them I've chosen one of the world's more underappreciated vampires; the Count from Sesame Street. Not enough evil undead give their eternal lives to teach young children arithmatic). They come in different groups. Many like to spend eternity causing bloodshed - Dracula. Some like to spend it righting wrongs - Genevieve Dieudonne who fights the aforementioned Prince of Darkness in Anno Dracula. And others like to switch between both - such as TV vampires Hal York and Spike. Whatever the type, though, you can rely on a vampire to spark an interesting discussion on the nature of immortality.
The Hempstock WomenThe Ocean at the End of the Lane is really the story of two ancient forces battling each other with a small ordinary boy caught in the middle. While the terrifying Ursula is vehemently on the side of the bad, the Hempstock women serve as the boy's saviours and prove that immortality doesn't have to make you tortured - it can just make you wise. The three Hempstocks (almost personifying the stereotypical three witches) and the nature of their long shelflife is well dealt with; we know they were around at the time of the Domesday Book and beyond but we never really find out who or what they are. The Hempstocks tell us that, yes, we don't understand all the mysteries of the universe but sometimes it's better not to.
It is an oft-discussed notion if one would choose immortality. Certainly, most of the characters on this list would call it a curse. But Peter Pan, the Boy Who Never Grew Up, chooses to be immortal rather than face the terrors of adulthood. At first, just as Peter does, many of us would love to be carefree children forever but there's tragedy in Peter's decision, as ably presented in the surprisingly good 2003 film and messed about with in Steven Spielberg's Hook, as he cannot do such grown-up things as reciprocate his feelings for Wendy. Ultimately, though, it's up to you whether Peter's life is a blessing or a curse, making him one of the most interesting immortal characters around.
Edward Scissorhands I was going to put Frankenstein's monster on this list but then remembered that immortality is not really an attribute of Mary Shelley's original creation, more of the films that it spawned. So instead Frankie's gothic cousin Eddie takes his spot on this list. A cross between the monster, the Beast and Tim Burton himself, Edward is an innocent who, just like the monster, is corrupted by the outside world. Unlike Frankie, he's also one half of a doomed romance, partly made impossible by his immortality. Edward serves as a warning that it's no fun to be different.
Tithonus While others on this list might not have enjoyed their immortality, they at least had the comfort of being frozen in time, never ageing. Unfortunately, Tithonus, one of the unluckiest figures in Greek Mythology, learnt the hard way that your should always check the fine print when wishing for eternal life. After falling in love with this lowly mortal, the goddess Aurora pleaded with Zeus to make him immortal - unfortunately, she forgot to ask for everlasting youth. Thus, Tithonus grows into a withered husk of a man - who his immortal lover eventually grows tired of. Tithonus is the epitome of all immortal fictional characters as he embodies the idea at the heart of all of them; we might all wish for longer lives but you have to be careful what you wish for.
Monday, 9 March 2015
Doctor Who: Other Dimensions - Engines of War
Last month we looked at the birth of the Cybermen in Spare Parts but now we turn to another great chapter in Doctor Who history that wasn't shown on TV - the Last Great Time War...
'No more.'
Ever since it was first mentioned in 2005, Doctor Who fans have been clamouring for a glimpse of the fabled Last Great Time War. We got something in 2010's 'The End of Time' and even more in 'The Day of the Doctor' when we met the War Doctor, a whole new incarnation of our hero. It was thought that was it for that massive period of the Doctor's life but then, to the surprise and excitement of many, George Mann's Engines of War came out - another adventure with the War Doctor! It had better be good...
Thankfully, Engines is a truly commendable achievement. I think every Doctor Who fan would simultaneously jump at and reel away from the chance to properly document such an oft-discussed but hardly seen piece of Who lore. In light of that, Mann does a remarkable job of weaving together most of the strands that we've heard about it alongside every fan's own idea of what it was like to create a very convincing realisation of the Time War. It may leave out some of the tantalising hints we've been told over the years - The Could-Have-Been King and his army of Meanwhiles, anyone? - but we see enough of the horror and the scale to totally believe in it.
Yet there's much more to the novel than merely filling in a gap. It really is a unique piece with a feel very different from any other Who story. It certainly has a much bleaker outlook than most - the notion that everything and everyone is corruptible is a quite a prevalent idea here - yet hope still exists in the form of the leads. The War Doctor and Cinder make for a great partnership - both are jaded, battle-weary soldiers but they still believe there's something better out there than just the War.
The War Doctor as a character is much like we saw on screen - a broken man but still with the Doctor's eccentricities and bravado peeking through - and it's easy to see and hear John Hurt while reading. His companion Cinder - who gets her name from her auburn hair as well as the fact that she was found in the ashes of her family home as a girl - is surely the most memorable one-off companion introduced in a novel. Actually, scratch that, she's probably one of the most memorable of any one-off companions. Thankfully, despite being very much involved in the conflict, she never feels like simply a boring hard-nosed soldier type but a believable person who has had a terrible life but still has a sense of humour and a strong heart - like all the best companions, really.
Completely engaging and satisfying, if a story of the Time War needed to be told I am glad it was this one. Due to its unique angle and fascinating setting, it could even be the best Doctor Who novel out there. It is certainly the most significant. We can but hope that there is more of the War Doctor still to come but if his catchphrase turns out to prescribe his number of appearances at least there is Engines of War.
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| Before the Moment - Engines of War sees the War Doctor at an earlier point in his life. |
Friday, 27 February 2015
Scribble Creatures Spotlight: Lucifer Box
Kicking off last month with Return to Oz, a new regular feature on this blog will look at personal favourites - books, fictional characters, films ETC - which I think go unfortunately under-appreciated in the big wide world. This month, we turn to the exploits of a rather fiendish fellow...
Secret agents are going through something of a renaissance at the moment. On TV, there are shows like Marvel's Agent Carter and Toby Whithouse's The Game and the cinema is chock-a-block with retro, cool spies, such as those in Kingsman and The Man from UNCLE. Something tells me, however, that one retro secret agent you won't be seeing on screen any time soon is Mark Gatiss' debonair, if decadent, Lucifer Box.
Appearing in three novels by the Doctor Who and Sherlock writer, Lucifer Box is apparently a dandified artist - an early 20th century playboy who resides in No 9 Downing Street ('someone's got to live there'). In fact, Lucifer is the top agent of the Royal Academy, the front for Britain's Secret Service.
On the face of it, what with Gatiss being a big name on telly, Lucifer Box's stories seem perfect for an adaptation for a mainstream audience. However, his adventures are far wackier and more eccentric than the average spy thriller. And, even in 2015, possibly too risqué. Lucifer himself, as he carefully puts it, 'travels' on both 'the number 38 bus and the 19.' If you can imagine Captain Jack Harkness crossed with Oscar Wilde you have Lucifer in a nutshell.
Filled to the brim with wit and Gatiss' rich, descriptive writing style, the Box books are, as you would expect, something of a Bond pastiche but only to a certain degree. Unlike many perennial heroes, Lucifer Box ages, with each instalment moving the story forward several decades. The first sees a young Box in Edwardian times, the second a middle-aged Box in the 20s and the finale of the trilogy has Box, now an elder statesman, investigating one final case in the 50s. As such, Gatiss is allowed to unleash a tirade of pastiches, going from Edwardian garden party stories to the pulpy horrors of the 20s and 30s to the spy novels of John Le Carre and Ian Fleming. The books may be, as Gatiss puts it, 'bits of fluff' but that doesn't stop them from being an incredibly quotable, memorable and just genuinely enjoyable novel series.
So while Lucifer Box may deserve to rub shoulders (and probably more, knowing him) with the likes of James Bond and Sherlock Holmes in the Hall of Famous Heroes, I can't see it happening. Still, with a fine trilogy of novels out there as it is, perhaps it is better that way. After all, some Boxes are best left unopened.
The Books
The Vesuvius Club
Lucifer is sent to investigate the disappearance of a number of eminent scientists in Naples - just when he has started courting the lovely Bella Pok. However, aided by his new valet Charlie Jackpot, Lucifer realises he has bigger problems on his finely-manicured hands when he uncovers the sinister machinations of the Vesuvius Club. Can Lucifer use his artistic license to kill to save the planet from a calamity of volcanic proportions?
The Devil in Amber
Lucifer, now feeling his age, is sent to New York to observe the suspicious activities of fascist leader Olympus Mons - but is framed for murder in the process. As resilient as ever, Lucifer escapes to Norfolk where he uncovers a plot to rule the world more diabolical than any he has faced. Is it possible for Lucifer, saviour of the world, to beat Lucifer, prince of darkness?
Black Butterfly
An elderly Lucifer finds himself on his final case when pillars of the establishment keep dying bizarre deaths. The mystery takes him from Soho to Istanbul to Jamaica and back into battle with an old enemy - and into the path of the deadly assassin, Kingdom Kum. Will Lucifer, now well past his prime, survive an embrace by the lethal wings of the Black Butterfly?
Secret agents are going through something of a renaissance at the moment. On TV, there are shows like Marvel's Agent Carter and Toby Whithouse's The Game and the cinema is chock-a-block with retro, cool spies, such as those in Kingsman and The Man from UNCLE. Something tells me, however, that one retro secret agent you won't be seeing on screen any time soon is Mark Gatiss' debonair, if decadent, Lucifer Box.
Appearing in three novels by the Doctor Who and Sherlock writer, Lucifer Box is apparently a dandified artist - an early 20th century playboy who resides in No 9 Downing Street ('someone's got to live there'). In fact, Lucifer is the top agent of the Royal Academy, the front for Britain's Secret Service.
On the face of it, what with Gatiss being a big name on telly, Lucifer Box's stories seem perfect for an adaptation for a mainstream audience. However, his adventures are far wackier and more eccentric than the average spy thriller. And, even in 2015, possibly too risqué. Lucifer himself, as he carefully puts it, 'travels' on both 'the number 38 bus and the 19.' If you can imagine Captain Jack Harkness crossed with Oscar Wilde you have Lucifer in a nutshell.
Filled to the brim with wit and Gatiss' rich, descriptive writing style, the Box books are, as you would expect, something of a Bond pastiche but only to a certain degree. Unlike many perennial heroes, Lucifer Box ages, with each instalment moving the story forward several decades. The first sees a young Box in Edwardian times, the second a middle-aged Box in the 20s and the finale of the trilogy has Box, now an elder statesman, investigating one final case in the 50s. As such, Gatiss is allowed to unleash a tirade of pastiches, going from Edwardian garden party stories to the pulpy horrors of the 20s and 30s to the spy novels of John Le Carre and Ian Fleming. The books may be, as Gatiss puts it, 'bits of fluff' but that doesn't stop them from being an incredibly quotable, memorable and just genuinely enjoyable novel series.
So while Lucifer Box may deserve to rub shoulders (and probably more, knowing him) with the likes of James Bond and Sherlock Holmes in the Hall of Famous Heroes, I can't see it happening. Still, with a fine trilogy of novels out there as it is, perhaps it is better that way. After all, some Boxes are best left unopened.
The Books
Lucifer is sent to investigate the disappearance of a number of eminent scientists in Naples - just when he has started courting the lovely Bella Pok. However, aided by his new valet Charlie Jackpot, Lucifer realises he has bigger problems on his finely-manicured hands when he uncovers the sinister machinations of the Vesuvius Club. Can Lucifer use his artistic license to kill to save the planet from a calamity of volcanic proportions?
The Devil in AmberLucifer, now feeling his age, is sent to New York to observe the suspicious activities of fascist leader Olympus Mons - but is framed for murder in the process. As resilient as ever, Lucifer escapes to Norfolk where he uncovers a plot to rule the world more diabolical than any he has faced. Is it possible for Lucifer, saviour of the world, to beat Lucifer, prince of darkness?
An elderly Lucifer finds himself on his final case when pillars of the establishment keep dying bizarre deaths. The mystery takes him from Soho to Istanbul to Jamaica and back into battle with an old enemy - and into the path of the deadly assassin, Kingdom Kum. Will Lucifer, now well past his prime, survive an embrace by the lethal wings of the Black Butterfly?
Friday, 9 January 2015
Monthly Mini-Reviews: December - Christmas Special
Well, it's that time again. Christmas has come and gone and it's literally only just turned New Year...
Oh, I can't lie. I'm afraid there's been a technical mishap here at Scribble Creatures HQ. This post, my Monthly Mini-Reviews Christmas Special, should have gone out in the first days of January but that doesn't seem to have occurred. I do apologise - I've no idea how that happened. It seems there is a Ghost of Christmas Past in the machine...
And speaking of ghosts in machines:
Black Mirror: White Christmas
It was only natural that Charlie Brooker's techno-paranoia anthology series would get a Christmas special. After all, what says Christmas more than a reminder that the future is just around the corner? Acting as the series' usual trilogy of stories all in one, this feature-length episode serves us three interconnected tales from a chilling near-future (all based around Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall who both give terrific performances). First and foremost, Brooker's writing is once again on top form - the bleakness and the strangeness are cleverly ofset by the razor-sharp wit and satire that runs throughout. The second segment is the weakest and I have to say I saw some of the twists coming but that does not take away from the... enjoyment seems like the wrong word to attach to something so grim. So was it a white Christmas, after all? No, No, it was black. So very black.
Good Omens (radio series)
Following on from the terrific radio series of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere it was a no-brainer to adapt Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's comedy about the end of the world as a festive treat.
The story - a distinctly British way of approaching the apocalypse - transitions well to the medium, ably helped by the drama's amazing cast. Comedians Peter Serafinowicz and Mark Heap are great choices for the roles of angel/demon partnership Aziraphale and Crowley (though I imagine many are still holding out for Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston if the story ever makes it to film) and are well supported by Merlin's Colin Morgan, Paterson Joseph and Louise Brealey amongst others. Overall, I may have preferred Neverwhere but this was still a wonderful slice of alternative Christmas entertainment. Well, you can't get more 'alternative Christmas' than the Antichrist.
The Golden Compass
I've been avoiding The Golden Compass for years now due to its lacklustre reputation for being a poor adaptation of Phillip Pullman's popular His Dark Materials books. This Christmas, however, I gave in and gave it a go. Sadly the general consensus is right. Clearly made in an attempt to create another Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter franchise, the film has neither the flair nor confidence of those films and on top of that struggles to adapt Pullman's plot to the screen. That said, there are some pluses- if the script and direction are a bit lacking the visuals are terrific as Lyra's alternate world is brought to life with a vivid psuedo-Steampunk feel. Likewise, Nicole Kidman exudes icy evil as Miss Coulter and Dakota Blue Richards makes for quite a good Lyra. Despite these successes, though, The Golden Compass is not quite pointing in the right direction.
The Sleeper and the Spindle
Leaving behind the Christmas viewing, we turn to something I was lucky enough to get for Christmas - Neil Gaiman's latest book! In it, Gaiman weaves together two traditional tales to form an original feminist fairy tale. As the book's blurb says 'no one is waiting for a prince to appear on his trusty steed here' - it is a queen who risks life and limb to save the sleeping beauty in this story. Gaiman's prose is as crisp and as evocative as ever but in truth the book belongs to both author and illustrator as Chris Riddell's illustrations, beautifully rendered in monochrome and gold, are as equally impressive as the writing. I have been a fan of Riddell since reading The Edge Chronicles when I was younger so am over the moon he is now Neil Gaiman's resident illustrator. A true piece of art, The Sleeper and the Spindle is a proper old-fashioned storybook that takes us back to once upon a time...
Oh, I can't lie. I'm afraid there's been a technical mishap here at Scribble Creatures HQ. This post, my Monthly Mini-Reviews Christmas Special, should have gone out in the first days of January but that doesn't seem to have occurred. I do apologise - I've no idea how that happened. It seems there is a Ghost of Christmas Past in the machine...
And speaking of ghosts in machines:
Black Mirror: White ChristmasIt was only natural that Charlie Brooker's techno-paranoia anthology series would get a Christmas special. After all, what says Christmas more than a reminder that the future is just around the corner? Acting as the series' usual trilogy of stories all in one, this feature-length episode serves us three interconnected tales from a chilling near-future (all based around Jon Hamm and Rafe Spall who both give terrific performances). First and foremost, Brooker's writing is once again on top form - the bleakness and the strangeness are cleverly ofset by the razor-sharp wit and satire that runs throughout. The second segment is the weakest and I have to say I saw some of the twists coming but that does not take away from the... enjoyment seems like the wrong word to attach to something so grim. So was it a white Christmas, after all? No, No, it was black. So very black.
Good Omens (radio series)Following on from the terrific radio series of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere it was a no-brainer to adapt Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's comedy about the end of the world as a festive treat.
The story - a distinctly British way of approaching the apocalypse - transitions well to the medium, ably helped by the drama's amazing cast. Comedians Peter Serafinowicz and Mark Heap are great choices for the roles of angel/demon partnership Aziraphale and Crowley (though I imagine many are still holding out for Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston if the story ever makes it to film) and are well supported by Merlin's Colin Morgan, Paterson Joseph and Louise Brealey amongst others. Overall, I may have preferred Neverwhere but this was still a wonderful slice of alternative Christmas entertainment. Well, you can't get more 'alternative Christmas' than the Antichrist.
I've been avoiding The Golden Compass for years now due to its lacklustre reputation for being a poor adaptation of Phillip Pullman's popular His Dark Materials books. This Christmas, however, I gave in and gave it a go. Sadly the general consensus is right. Clearly made in an attempt to create another Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter franchise, the film has neither the flair nor confidence of those films and on top of that struggles to adapt Pullman's plot to the screen. That said, there are some pluses- if the script and direction are a bit lacking the visuals are terrific as Lyra's alternate world is brought to life with a vivid psuedo-Steampunk feel. Likewise, Nicole Kidman exudes icy evil as Miss Coulter and Dakota Blue Richards makes for quite a good Lyra. Despite these successes, though, The Golden Compass is not quite pointing in the right direction.
The Sleeper and the SpindleLeaving behind the Christmas viewing, we turn to something I was lucky enough to get for Christmas - Neil Gaiman's latest book! In it, Gaiman weaves together two traditional tales to form an original feminist fairy tale. As the book's blurb says 'no one is waiting for a prince to appear on his trusty steed here' - it is a queen who risks life and limb to save the sleeping beauty in this story. Gaiman's prose is as crisp and as evocative as ever but in truth the book belongs to both author and illustrator as Chris Riddell's illustrations, beautifully rendered in monochrome and gold, are as equally impressive as the writing. I have been a fan of Riddell since reading The Edge Chronicles when I was younger so am over the moon he is now Neil Gaiman's resident illustrator. A true piece of art, The Sleeper and the Spindle is a proper old-fashioned storybook that takes us back to once upon a time...
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