AUTHOR INFORMATION: By the time Nicholas Pekearo was 28 years old, he had already penned three novels and was well on his way to a terrific career as a writer. Then on March 14, 2007, while volunteering as an NYPD Auxiliary Police Officer, he and his partner, Eugene Marshalik, were killed in the line of duty in the very neighborhood Nicholas grew up in—New York City’s Greenwich Village. “The Wolfman” is Nicholas’ first published novel.
PLOT SUMMARY: Marlowe Higgins is a werewolf. For years he struggled with his affliction, aimlessly wandering the country, fearing for the lives of innocent people who were murdered by the beast within him every full moon. Then he found a way to use his unfortunate curse for good—by only killing really bad people.
Settling at last in the small town of Evelyn, Higgins manages to find a job and even a friend. But one night everything changes. It turns out Marlowe isn’t the only monster lurking in the area. A fiendish serial killer known as the Rose Killer has been brutally murdering young girls across the country and is now terrorizing Evelyn. Higgins targets the killer as his next victim, but on the night of the full moon, things go drastically wrong…
CLASSIFICATION: “The Wolfman” reminded me of Charlie Huston’s Joe Pitt novels . . . that is, if the protagonist was a werewolf instead of a vampire, and if the story was set in a small southern town in the early 90s rather than 21st century Manhattan. Like those novels, horror and supernatural elements are downplayed in favor of crime noir and mystery/thrills, but where Joe Pitt channeled Quentin Tarantino, “The Wolfman” is flavored more by Thomas Harris, and early Dean Koontz/Stephen King…
FORMAT/INFO: Page count is 286 pages divided over twenty-six chapters and a prologue / epilogue. Narration is in the first-person via Marlowe Higgins, but is an accounting of events that have already occurred. “The Wolfman” is a standalone novel, but was planned as an ongoing series. May 13, 2008 marks the North American hardcover publication of “The Wolfman” via Tor Books. Jacket photograph is by Bruce Brown.
ANALYSIS: Vampires versus werewolves? In my mind, there’s no contest. Vampires will always be cooler and more interesting than werewolves. Partly it’s because of the vampire mythos, but it also has a lot to do with the kinds of stories that I was exposed to. Dracula, I Am Legend, Brian Lumley’s Necroscope series, Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, Vampire Hunter D, the Blade movies, the Legacy of Kain videogames . . . these are all great interpretations of the vampire legend. On the other hand, what I remember most about werewolves are movies like Teen Wolf, The Howling, An American Werewolf in Paris, Wolf and Cursed—not exactly storytelling at its finest—and aside from Toby Barlow’s “Sharp Teeth” and the Anita Blake books, I can’t think of any decent werewolf literature that I’ve read. Of course, if there were more books out there like Nicholas Pekearo’s “The Wolfman”, maybe I would have a much higher opinion of werewolves :)
Basically Marlowe Higgins, the protagonist of the book, is cursed: every full moon he changes into a seven-foot-tall werewolf and murders someone, which obviously affects his personal life. So for over twenty years, Marlowe has been drifting from one small town to another, barely scraping by, living under false names, and alternately trying to find someone who can cure his condition or coming up with enough courage to commit suicide. In “The Wolfman” it’s the year 1993, Higgins is forty years-old, and he’s settled down in a town called Evelyn, complete with a job, a friend, and a hooker that he’s in love with. He’s also developed an understanding with the beast residing in him so that only bad people are killed. It’s a system that’s been working, but when a serial killer who mysteriously has no scent comes into town, all hell breaks loose…
The first thing that really stands out in “The Wolfman” is the character of Marlowe Higgins. What makes Marlowe such a great character is his colorful tough-guy attitude, which really comes alive through a spirited narrative style, rough language, and spot-on slang & pop culture references that convincingly evoke the 80s and 90s. Even better, Marlowe is a character with depth as he frequently interjects the main narrative with flashbacks about his curse, what he lost because of his curse, his time in ‘Nam, and numerous other remembrances that flesh out his history.
Secondly, I loved the old-school ambiance of the book, which really made me nostalgic for the early 90s when I used to devour anything by Dean Koontz, Brian Lumley and Robert R. McCammon. “The Wolfman” just possesses that same kind of vibe. But instead of being a straightforward horror novel or supernatural thriller, “The Wolfman” is more of a hard-boiled crime noir with police procedural, a serial killer mystery, and dark humor all mixed in.
Lastly, I really liked Nicholas’ take on werewolves which is a combination of classic mythology—curse is handed down from one generation to the next, can only transform on the full moon, is almost impossible to kill, et cetera—and fresh ideas. For instance, when the beast kills a person, it doesn’t just take their lives, it takes their spirits. As a result, Marlowe can experience the memories of everyone the beast has ever murdered, and even absorbs some of their traits like certain eating habits or knowing different languages such as French, Greek, Mandarin and Spanish. Another interesting twist is that the werewolf is a separate entity, so Marlowe has no recollection of what happens on a full moon . . . unless the beast decides to share its memories ;)
That all said, “The Wolfman” is not a perfect novel. The pacing sometimes drags because of the frequent flashbacks and Nicholas’ tendency to over-describe things, there are a couple of inconsistencies in the police investigation, and for a crime noir “The Wolfman” amazingly fails to deliver any kind of shocking twist—the identity of the Rose Killer, why the beast can’t scent the serial killer, who the person is behind the threatening phone calls to Marlowe; these subplots are telegraphed so blatantly that it’s impossible not to know the answers long before the author finally reveals them. In spite of these imperfections though, “The Wolfman” is a striking debut, one that I immensely enjoyed, and if Nicholas was still with us, I’m quite positive that every one of his novels would have made it into my book collection :)
CONCLUSION: According to the Editor’s Note, Nicholas Pekearo envisioned “The Wolfman” as the start of a series with Marlowe Higgins encountering all sorts of nasty trouble in the future with ‘neo-Nazi vampires, demented wizards and alchemists.’ Sadly, we’ll never know how those adventures might have turned out, but if “The Wolfman” is any indication, the books would have been visceral, hard-hitting, and entertaining as hell. Regardless, at least readers will always have “The Wolfman”, which apart from a few flaws, is a tremendously satisfying novel, and an unforgettable tribute to what might have been…
Read Reviews of “The Digital Plague” via Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review, Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist + The Bookbag
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Jeff Somers is an American author whose bibliography includes “Lifers” (2001), “The Freaks Are Winning” (2002), “The Electric Church” (2007) and numerous short stories. Jeff is also the creator of the e-zine, The Inner Swine.
PLOT SUMMARY: It’s been a few years since gunner Avery Cates took down Dennis Squalor and The Electric Church, and in that time the assassin-for-hire has established himself as one of the richest and most feared criminals in post-Unification New York City. But right now, Avery Cates is in a world of trouble. Infected with a nanotech plague that is killing everyone around him, betrayed by his closet acquaintances, forced to ally with the hated SSF in hunting down his mysterious enemy, and with every moment bringing the human race closer to extinction, Cates finds himself in the role of both executioner and savior of the entire world…
CLASSIFICATION: Set in a dark and gritty dystopian future, “The Digital Plague” continues Jeff Somers’ violent brand of science fiction which mixes together cyberpunk and hard-boiled crime noir—imagine a cross between Blade Runner, Akira, Richard K. Morgan’s SF novels, and the action/thriller film Crank. So like “The Electric Church”, expect the profanity to be excessive, the humor caustic, and the action bloody & immoral :)
FORMAT/INFO: Page count is 368 pages divided over thirty-nine chapters with the story taking place over ten days. Also includes an Epilogue that leads into the next Avery Cates novel “The Eternal Prison”, an extract from “The Eternal Prison”, and an Appendix featuring Excerpts from the Audio Diary of Tricia Amber Pollock. Narration is once again in the first-person via Avery Cates. Plot is largely self-contained, but draws on many events and characters from “The Electric Church”, so reading that book first is highly advisable.
May 12th + May 15, 2008 marks the North American & UK trade paperback publication of “The Digital Plague” via Orbit Books. Cover art is once again provided by Jae Lee.
ANALYSIS: “The Electric Church” is one of those books that readers either seem to really enjoy, or really hate, and while I can understand some of the reasoning behind the novel’s negative criticisms—the unoriginal setting, lack of character depth & world-building, various deus ex machinas, etc.—for the most part I was of the former opinion. After all, I’m a huge fan of both noir and cyberpunk, so while the book may have suffered from some flaws, I thought overall “The Electric Church” was a pretty solid piece of entertainment. Fortunately, I found Jeff’s sequel “The Digital Plague” even better.
For starters, I loved the setup. Instead of picking up where “The Electric Church” ended, its a few years later and Avery Cates—now one of the richest and most powerful criminals in New York City—finds himself at the mercy of an unknown assailant at the very beginning of “The Digital Plague”: “This is not an execution Avery. This is an assassination. Not yours. But an assassination none the f**king less.” And is then injected with a mysterious substance and left with a ton of questions. So immediately there’s this sense of intrigue and desperation that really intensifies when Avery learns that he’s become the originator of a mechanical plague that is killing everyone around him, starting with his friends. The real hook though is that anyone within a certain radius of Avery will remain unaffected by the infection as long as they stay in that limited range, which leads to some engaging alliances and circumstances ;)
Aside from the initial concept though, there is actually very little to the story in “The Digital Plague”. Essentially, the book is about revenge with a doomsday plot mixed in and a dash of Undersecretaries/System Security Force politics sprinkled on top. That said, the pacing is intense, the action scenes skillfully orchestrated, and Jeff delivers some unexpected surprises along the way. Characterization meanwhile is a mixed bag. Avery Cates’ caustic narration remains a highlight of the book—and is improved upon in my opinion—but he lacks depth and his motives are weak, especially when his morals come into question. Supporting players are much worse however, and it’s hard to care when someone dies, turns betrayer or is at the center of a moral dilemma, but at least Jeff does a much better job with distinguishing a side character’s personality, specifically with newcomers Captain Happling and Colonel Hense. As far as the setting, once again there’s very little info-dumping or world-building involved, which actually reminded me of David Gunn’s Death’s Head novels. But like those books, it’s not really an issue.
CONCLUSION: More or less, “The Digital Plague” offers the same kind of gritty, cold-blooded cyberpunk/futuristic-noir that “The Electric Church” did, including the same strengths and weaknesses. Granted, the book is darker, better executed, the stakes are higher, the body count is off the charts, and Avery is put through nine kinds of hell, but basically if you were a fan of “The Electric Church”, then “The Digital Plague” should be right up your alley. I know I immensely enjoyed the book—even more than “The Electric Church”—and my adrenaline is already pumping for the next Avery Cates adventure…
Watch Chuck Palahniuk’s Interview with Cassie Wright HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Chuck Palahniuk is the bestselling author of eight novels including Rant, Haunted, Diary, Lullaby, Choke, and Fight Club, which was made into a film by director David Fincher starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. An adaptation of Choke will hit theatres August 1, 2008 starring Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston. Palahniuk is also an author of nonfiction including Fugitives and Refugees and the collection Stranger Than Fiction.
PLOT SUMMARY: Cassie Wright, porn priestess, intends to cap her legendary career by breaking the world record for serial fornication on camera with six hundred men. “Snuff” follows three of these men who are waiting to immortalize themselves into pornography history as well as the female wrangler who dictates the order that the ‘dudes’ are filmed. As the three men wait, each starts to divulge their true reasons for wanting to be filmed, as well as discussing the sordid history of Cassie Wright. As backgrounds, secrets, and would-be children emerge, the tensions in the room come to a boiling point and the shocking answers are the last things any of them expected…
CLASSIFICATION: Not unlike Chuck Palahniuk’s other novels, “Snuff” is at times controversial, wickedly funny, disturbing, comprehensively researched, and overflowing with hard-to-believe factoids. Mainly driven by dialogue and character interaction, Palahniuk’s latest is a cross between satire and raunchy dramedy—think Howard Stern meets Jerry Springer :) Surprisingly for a book about porn, there’s not as much sex in the novel as one would expect, but “Snuff” is definitely aimed toward older readers and occasionally ventures into X-rated territory…
FORMAT/INFO: Page count is 208 pages divided over thirty-five chapters. “Snuff” unfolds from the first-person perspectives of four main characters—Mr. 600, Mr. 72, Mr. 137, and Cassie’s personal assistant Sheila. Story is told over the course of a single day and is mostly linear with a few flashback sequences.
May 20, 2008 marks the North American hardcover publication of “Snuff” via Doubleday Books. Book design is by Michael Collica. Jonathan Cape will publish the UK version of “Snuff” (see inset below) on August 7, 2008.
ANALYSIS: My first exposure to Chuck Palahniuk was the movie Fight Club. Before that, I had never even heard of the author, but the film—one of my all-time favorites—completely blew me away and when I learned it was based on a novel, I just had to read it. Since then, I’ve worked through most of the author’s catalog and for me every new Chuck Palahniuk novel has become a must-read. In “Snuff” the author tackles pornography in what may not be one of his best or most popular efforts when all is said and done, but it is certainly one of his most daring novels…
Porn. It’s such a taboo subject that even writing the word feels dirty. Yet, pornography is a billion-dollar industry and I’d be lying if I told you that I’ve never ‘read’ any Playboy or Penthouse, or watched any pornos. In fact, the world is probably full of liars who have said just that ;) So for an industry as successful as porn, it’s surprising that more movies or books haven’t been made about the subject. Because if you think about it, pornography is like this alternate fantasy world existing right next to our own, and it’s just brimming with all these fantastical stories waiting to be told. I guess it just takes a ‘shock writer’ like Chuck Palahniuk to take the plunge and the author definitely lives up to his reputation.
For example, there’s this one scene where Cassie Wright is training for her record-breaking film World Whore Three when these kegel-exercise stones start falling out of the pornstar’s vagina, which is simultaneously gross and hilarious. In another, Mr. 137 is picking dandruff flakes out of Sheila’s hair and sweater, while holding an intimate conversation with her. Of course the whopper is the novel’s grand finale, which in true Chuck Palahniuk fashion, is offensive and brain-searing…
And let’s not forget about Palahniuk’s trademark factoids. In this case, we have everything from obscure Hollywood trivia—beauty tips, the lengths a movie star will suffer for a role, remarkable deaths/burials—to street gang signs and pornographic tidbits like vaginal embolisms, fluffers, and the following: 1) one of Sylvester Stallone’s first ever starring roles was in a porn film, 2) the electric vibrator was first marketed in the 1890s, a decade before the first vacuum cleaners & irons, and 3) blow-up sex dolls were invented by the Nazis. Whether true or not, Palahniuk’s factoids are always interesting :)
Of course, for all that “Snuff” will appall and gross out the reader, there is actually a very human story at the center of the book, which revolves around five main characters. First we have Mr. 600, or porn actor Branch Bacardi who has just about reached the end of his career and shares a history with porn actress Cassie Wright. Then there’s Mr. 72, a ‘porn baby’ who wants to meet his biological mother, Cassie Wright. Mr. 137 was once the star of a prime-time hit TV series before a messy sex scandal destroyed his reputation. He’s hoping World Whore Three will revive his career. Sheila meanwhile, is Cassie’s personal assistant and through her we’ll get to see the events leading up to the filming of World Whore Three. Finally, there is Cassie Wright herself who wants the film to be her last hurrah and a gift to the child she abandoned. Cassie never actually narrates in the book, so her story is told through the other four characters and her filmography that continuously plays in the ‘dudes’ waiting room. Basically each of the five harbors a dark secret or two, so expect plenty of shocking revelations and dramatic fireworks as the novel reaches its climax ;)
As far as the pornographic setting, “Snuff” is a mixture of fact—real-life pornstars, movies and history are mentioned—and fiction, with Cassie Wright and her filmography all made up, but the marketing team has done a great job of promoting Cassie as an actual actress with her own Myspace Page, and even creating movie trailers for a few of her ‘classics’ including The Wizard of Ass, Chitty Chitty Gang Bang, and The Twilight Bone :) What’s interesting about the porn world depicted in “Snuff” is that it’s not very glamorous or erotic. In fact, it’s downright depressing and kind of revolting, so if you were hoping for lots of hot n’ heavy sex action, you’ll be sorely disappointed. For me, this wasn’t an issue, but I was a little disappointed by the lack of information that readers get about the porn industry. While Palahniuk touches on such topics as porn driving technological advances in popular media, feminism, safety practices, the immortality of pornstar-endorsed sex toys, and economics, these are only passing mentions that could have been explored in greater depth…
CONCLUSION: If you’ve never read a Chuck Palahniuk novel before, I’m not sure “Snuff” is the best place to start. The book can be offensive, vulgar, and unsettling. Then again, it can also be hysterical, informational, and insightful, not to mention it’s really short! Myself, I found “Snuff” to be insanely wild and loved just about every minute that I was reading it :) Definitely recommended to Chuck Palahniuk fans and anyone who’s not afraid of a little debauchery…
Read Reviews of “Kéthani” HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Eric Brown has been a published writer since 1987 with an extensive bibliography that features several novels, five novellas, and seven children’s books as well as over eighty short stories which have won the author two British Science Fiction Awards. His latest works include “Starship Summer” (PS Publishing), “Helix” (Solaris Books) and the upcoming science fiction novel “Necropath”, Book One of The Bengal Station Trilogy. Eric also writes a monthly SF review column for The Guardian.
PLOT SUMMARY: When a mysterious alien race known as the Kéthani make contact with the people of Earth, bringing with them the gift of eternal life, the world is forever changed. Centered on a group of friends in a small West Yorkshire village, “Kéthani” explores how the human race has been changed, not just in their worldviews, religiously and philosophically, but also on a much more personal level, including love, friendship, and humanity. But do the Kéthani have a hidden agenda and will the human race choose to evolve or turn in on itself in the face of this momentous revelation?
CLASSIFICATION: “Kéthani” is best described as ‘soft’ or ‘social science fiction’, meaning there’s very little technology or action involved, with the book mainly concentrating on characterization and the cultural impact that immortality could have on humankind in this day and age. Recommended for readers who like their science fiction low-tech, poignant, and contemplative…
FORMAT/INFO: Page count is 294 pages, divided over ten chapters which are actually short stories that have appeared in previous publications like Interzone, Spectrum and Postscripts with the exception of “Matthew’s Passion” co-written with Tony Ballantyne. Connecting together the ten short stories are a Prelude, Coda and ten Interludes all narrated in the first-person by main protagonist Khalid Azzam. Khalid also narrates two of the short stories, with the others presented by different characters, all in the first-person except for two that are third-person. The stories them selves recount events that occur over a period of twenty years after the Kéthani presented humans with their ‘gift’. Also included in the book is a preview of Eric’s next novel “Necropath” which is slated for release October 2008 via Solaris Books.
May 6, 2008 marks the North American and UK paperback publication of “Kéthani” (Solaris Books). Cover art is provided by John Harris.
ANALYSIS: Originally I was going to look at all ten short stories individually, but then decided against it, mainly because I didn’t want to spoil anything for the reader. You see, each short story is like a mystery that examines different aspects of humanity, so if I were to give out the details it would probably ruin the surprises or lessen the emotional impact that each tale has to offer.
All you really need to know is that a benevolent alien race known as the Kéthani has landed on Earth offering immortality to humankind. As far as the process of resurrection which includes implants, nanotechnology, and a six-month instruction period on the planet Kéthan; the reason for the aliens’ gift—the official statement is so humans can work as ambassadors in bringing the word of the Kéthani to other races & planets—and the Kéthani themselves; very little is revealed with the book focusing instead on the sociological effect that immortality has on mankind.
In particular, “Kéthani” revolves around a group of friends—including a doctor, police officer, academic, high school teacher, professional cornet player, a Catholic priest, dry-stone waller, ferryman, and a writer—who hang out at a local pub in Oxenworth, England and the personal impact that the aliens have had on their lives with death, marriage and love the most prominent themes, although religion and philosophy are also represented.
From these stories, Eric Brown offers a deeply emotional and unforgettable glimpse at how the world might be changed if immortality, especially the Kéthani’s version of eternal life—people not only live forever, but come back healthier, younger and more humane with the allure of the stars at their fingertips—was suddenly in our grasp. Think about it. A world where the specter of death is banished, where suicide means a whole new beginning, where criminals and the terminally/mentally ill can have a second chance, where faith and the afterlife are challenged, and where maxims like “time heals all wounds” and “true love lasts forever” are given new perspectives…
It’s just an incredibly fascinating scenario and Eric does a spectacular job of exploring this concept in-depth, although I was left with several questions. For instance, after resurrection do you still grow old—I was just wondering because at least one resurrectee does—can you get injured or ill, and if you come back more humane so that crime is no longer an issue, wouldn’t you stop engaging in such destructive habits as drinking?
Writing-wise, Eric’s experience as an award-winning author is on full display in this book. The prose is graceful; the characters—with the exception of the narrative voices all sounding strangely the same—are rich and emotive; the storytelling is crafty and powerful; and even though “Kéthani” is essentially a series of old short stories linked together by a framing device, the novel flows along smoothly and ends on a high note, while teasing the reader with possibilities of another Kéthani tale :)
CONCLUSION: Last year I overlooked Eric Brown’s “Helix” and vowed not to make that same mistake with “Kéthani”. In return, I was rewarded with a brilliantly conceived and written novel about humanity that I’m going to be thinking about for a very long time. Utterly compelling, wonderfully thought-provoking and deeply moving, Eric Brown's "Kéthani" is a must-read...
Read An Excerpt HERE
Reviewed by Liviu C. Suciu:
INTRODUCTION: “Napoleon's Pyramids” and “The Rosetta Key” by William Dietrich are two historical thrillers with a touch of the supernatural, the second being the direct follow-up of the first. A copy of “Napoleon's Pyramids” got in my hands by chance and I got hooked immediately, so the second volume became a buy on publication book. I will try not to give too many spoilers for “Napoleon's Pyramids” in talking about “The Rosetta Key”, but some will be inevitable so reader beware.
SETTING: Both books are set at the end of the 18th century, from 1798 to 1799. France's revolutionary fervor has been spent under the guillotine and now Paris is a city of decadence, excesses, uncertainty and plots. The weak five men ruling Directorate is trying to keep foreign conquests going on so the plunder for them and the mob keeps coming, but also to keep ambitious and popular generals like the Corsican Napoleon Bonaparte from plotting against them. So for plunder, glory and immortality, and encouraged by the Directorate to be as far from France as feasible, Bonaparte is leading an expedition to Egypt and later to the Holy Land. He brings with him an army of savants to decipher the mysteries of Egypt. Our hero, American adventurer and Benjamin Franklin protégée, Ethan Gage, joins the expedition as do some mysterious and unsavory characters like Count Silano, a sinister Cagliostro-like adventurer and reputed sorcerer. Since I am a history buff, I get very annoyed by sloppy research and famous persons portrayed completely out of historically-based character. Therefore, I am happy to say that these books have excellent research with reasonably accurate descriptions of real events and with pitch-perfect characterization for both Napoleon—he is fascinatingly intelligent, charismatic and repulsively megalomaniac—and our alter-ego hero Ethan Gage.
CLASSIFICATION/INFO: Both novels are historical thrillers so do not expect deep characterization or deep meaning, but a fun romp that you do not want to put down, and at the end of which you ask for more. Both books are first-person, present tense narratives by Ethan Gage with occasional recollections—especially in “The Rosetta Key” to give backstory for the events that occurred in “Napoleon's Pyramids”. They stand at around 350-400 pages each. To get a satisfactory ending you should read both since “Napoleon's Pyramids” ends on a literal “balloon-hanger” with almost nothing resolved. “The Rosetta Key” though ends quite satisfactorily, wrapping up almost everything of interest but leaving scope for more. And I want more!!!
PLOT HINTS AND COMMENTS: In 1798 Ethan Gage—an early thirties American, adventurer, gambler, mason and former employee and protégée of Ben Franklin—is living by his wits and luck at the card table in the decadent Paris of the Directorate age, just after the end of the Terror and before the age of Napoleon when uncertainty and corruption ruled the day. One day his luck turns—though it is unclear if it was for good or bad—when he wins a strange Egyptian medallion at a card game. Immediately a mysterious Count Silano offers him a nice price to buy it, but Gage does not like the count so he refuses, and then he is attacked in the street, framed for murder and thrown in jail.
However he receives an offer of pardon if he joins a mysterious expedition under the leadership of the current darling of the French people, the Corsican general Bonaparte, who is journeying to a mysterious destination at both his and the Directorate rulers behest. For the Directorate, the goal is glory, plunder and ridding France of a popular general who could be dangerous. Bonaparte takes lots of scientists, mathematicians, journalists, artists with him, and the destination is of course Egypt. Ethan is to be the expedition expert on that new hot thing that Franklin, now sadly dead, started taming—electricity—while we learn later that Napoleon has ulterior motives.
Ethan joins the gang with his friend, the journalist Talma, and strange things start to happen on the way to Toulon where they embark, with the famous English spy and adventurer Sidney Smith, recently escaped from a French prison, saving Ethan's life from an ambush.
Ethan participates at some of the most memorable events of the campaign: the capture of Malta; the two battles of Abukir; the battle of Cairo; he gets in, out, in, out of Bonaparte's favor; he meets Nelson; he visits the Pyramids; finds love with a beautiful mysterious woman; finds treacherous and cruel enemies; and makes and loses friends. The medallion, so badly wanted by various parties, may lead to books of ancient wisdom which would give their owners amazing powers. Gage is determined to find and destroy, or even better . . . hide those books, while the other parties look for them for their own purposes.
There are also some brilliant cameos, especially by the famous “black” general Dumas, the son of a French aristocrat and a black slave who was a leading general of the revolution before being eclipsed by Napoleon and then was the commander of the French cavalry in Egypt before parting ways with Bonaparte and dying in obscurity several years later. Of course his main claim to fame is that after he returned from Egypt he became the father of Alexandre Dumas.
In a clear homage to Dumas, the author has the main villain Count Silano having a Cagliostro scene with General Dumas, in which Silano challenges the general to a strange duel involving eating a pig—called Cagliostro's duel after the mysterious charlatan/sorcerer that figures so prominently in many Dumas novels. After Bonaparte forbids a classical duel with guns or swords and the general declines, storming from the room, Count Silano exclaims: “he was wise to refuse, this way he will get back to France and have a son who will become very famous”.
“Napoleon's Pyramids” ends with Bonaparte in shaky charge of Egypt after the English fleet under Nelson sank the French fleet at 2nd Abukir leaving the French conquerors stranded in Egypt and encouraging the locals to revolt. After one more out from Napoleon's favor and on the run, Gage steals a meteorological balloon from a French scientist and together with his lady love, the mysterious Egyptian Astiza, and hotly pursued by Silano and the French, tries to get away...
“The Rosetta Key” takes off pretty much where the first book leaves, though it starts dramatically with Ethan Gage awaiting execution as a spy, with roughly 4000 Ottoman soldiers captured by Napoleon at Jaffa and executed en masse in one of those rare Napoleonic moments of outright cruelty though done with some political purpose in mind. In this case to frighten the Ottoman soldiers and rulers of Syria to surrender to Napoleon who, with about 15k soldiers, wanted to emulate Alexander and conquer all lands all the way to India since the English navy is blocking the way to France. Of course it does not work, but that's only because the Syrians have a ruler they fear more than Napoleon—Djezzar The Butcher.
Ethan recounts the story of how he got there starting from his journey on the British ship he landed on at the end of the first book where he cleaned the sailors at cards—which later led to his current fate—to Jerusalem where he met another interesting girl, and to his capture by the French. His lover Astiza is still missing. The mysterious books are still wanted by everybody and Silano is still the odds on favorite to get them unless Gage finds them first.
Then after Gage escapes the mass execution, the story moves forward to the siege of Acre, where Djezzar, helped by the British and some French noblemen, fights Napoleon, and then to various places in the Holy Land, then Egypt, and it ends on a quite satisfying note in Paris.
In many ways this is a better book, more polished than the first one, the main historical characters are still memorable. For instance, when Napoleon arrives before Acre, Djezzar, a very feared 75 years old, climbs the wall and yells at the French, “I killed more men and bedded more women than Napoleon and I will ### him too”.
The one-liners are very funny:
Silano, “Gage don't they teach you classics on the frontier?”
Gage, “On the frontier classics make excellent fire-starters.”
The only weak moments that irritated me after a while were the repetition of Napoleon ordering Ethan's execution for some reason or another, Ethan escaping, and then coming back to Bonaparte for some reason or another.
In the end, “Napoleon's Pyramids” and “The Rosetta Key” are highly recommended romps that you do not want to put down once you start them, and if new Ethan Gage adventures get published I will read them for sure…
Read Fantasy Book Critic’s REVIEW of “The Society of S”
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Susan Hubbard is the author of “The Society of S”, two chick-lit novels, and two short story collections including “Blue Money”, winner of the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize. Susan is also an award-winning Professor of English at the University of Central Florida, and is an advocate for animal rights, social justice, academic etiquette, and literacy.
PLOT SUMMARY: Picking up the story of 14-year-old Ariella Montero, a half-human, half-vampire crossbreed, “The Year of Disappearances” finds Ari living with her mother in Homosassa Springs, Florida, and navigating the emotional torrents of an adolescence made all the more complicated by her secret vampirism. Over the course of a dramatic year, Ari will learn more about her heritage, encounter abduction and murder, leave for college, and be immersed in a new world of political engagement with international implications…
CLASSIFICATION: Like “The Society of S”, “The Year of Disappearances” is not your typical vampire tale. So readers hoping for scares, gore, or eroticism will have to look elsewhere. Instead, “The Year of Disappearances” offers a mystery-thriller twisted up inside a literary coming-of-age tale that covers such diverse topics as environmentalism, presidential politics, society integration, educational philosophies, the disappearances of teens, mythology, and so on…
FORMAT/INFO: Page count is 286 pages divided over three ‘Parts’ and eighteen chapters. Narration is in the first-person via Ariella Montero, but is past-tense. “The Year of Disappearances” is a direct sequel to “The Society of S”, and since there is little recapping in the book, it’s recommended that readers finish “The Society of S” first. And like “The Society of S”, “The Year of Disappearances” concludes with many threads left unresolved that will hopefully be explored in future volumes…
May 6, 2008 marks the North American hardcover publication for “The Year of Disappearances” via Simon & Schuster. The wonderful cover art is designed by Patti Ratchford with the photo taken by Jeffrey Coolidge.
ANALYSIS: In “The Society of S”, Susan Hubbard really impressed me with her wonderful prose and intelligence, the charming character of Ari, and I especially loved the author’s original take on vampires: their different societies—there’s a chart on Page 54 :)—that range from celibate ethicists/environmentalists to bloodsuckers; emutation (invisibility); the way they can see words in color; how they suffer from periodic sensory overload syndrome (SOS); and how sunlight only causes sunburn, among many other unique distinctions. Unfortunately, even though the prose remains wonderful, we get to learn more about Susan’s vampires, and the book is another smart and relevant offering from the author, “The Year of Disappearances” just did not have the same impact on me…
Basically, it all comes down to one problem: there is way too much going on in the book. I mean between Ari trying to act like a normal teenager—she’s half-vampire and half-human, making new friends, thinking about sex, going to college, and all of the additional subplots involving the mysterious death of honeybees, her father getting sick, the disappearance or murder of her friends, brain-altering drugs, a vampire running for president, sasas—spiritual power that inhabits a person or animal as a demon—harbingers, confronting her nemesis Malcolm Lynch, contaminated drinking water, and so forth . . . it’s just overload, especially for a book that is only 286 pages long. As a result, many of the ideas are underdeveloped and fail to make a lasting impression, which is a shame because Susan comes up with some really neat stuff like Vunderworld (Vampire Underworld), COVE (Council on Vampire Ethics), vampire sex, sasas, and the measures that vampires undertake to coexist with humans; concepts that deserved much greater attention than they received.
Additionally, the chaotic mixture of ideas caused problems with the pacing, namely how jarring it was, while the novel’s conclusion was inexplicably sudden, convenient, and unsatisfying. Then there’s the characterization of Ari who seemed to lose a lot of the charm and personality that made her so appealing in “The Society of S”. Part of it I think has to do with the novel covering such a vast array of topics, but also there’s something a little unsettling about a 14-year-old girl who can pass for a 21-year-old with ease, while being sexually attracted to men that are significantly older than she is.
CONCLUSION: Compared to “The Society of S”, “The Year of Disappearances” was a disappointment, not because it was a bad book, but because it was an uneven one. In other words, “The Year of Disappearances” may be teeming with a wealth of intelligent and thought-provoking concepts, but because none of the ideas are developed to their fullest potential, the novel suffers from a distinctive lack of identity, not to mention the story and characterization being overwhelmed by everything else. Personally, I think if Susan had concentrated on just two or three core ideas and further developed them rather than trying to fit in so much, the book would have been much stronger. That said, there’s no denying that Susan Hubbard is a really talented author and I just hope that her next offering will be more to my liking…
BONUS FEATURE — Susan Hubbard Author Q&A:
Q: Following two acclaimed short story collections and two chick lit novels, you wrote “The Society of S” which is basically a coming-of-age tale, just with vampires. In an interview I read, you distinctly stated that “The Society of S” is not a vampire novel; it just had characters in it who happened to be vampires and I can see that. Nevertheless, the inclusion of vampires definitely added a unique dimension to your book. So what made you decide to use vampires in “The Society of S” and what are your thoughts on vampires in general, particularly their popularity and peoples' fascination with the mythology?
Susan: Traditionally, vampires are others: outsiders, children of the night. I think it's easy to identify with them. American mainstream culture seems so contrived and stagnant right now. And realism, accordingly, is not all that appealing. Who wants to be part of a dead culture when you can affiliate with the undead? 
But a good deal of vampire fiction also strikes me as contrived and stagnant, with predictable plots and two-dimensional characters, and a lot of pandering to readers who want gore and garish sex scenes. I wanted to use my vampires in a more subtle, less formulaic kind of story, with themes that went beyond good vs. evil. The readers who like my books say they find them intellectually provocative as well as entertaining. The readers who don't like my books tend to crave more blood-sucking and bodice-ripping than I care to write about.
Q: Staying on this subject, your take on vampires is quite unique with scientifically-grounded abilities (hypnosis, emutation, etc) and different hierarchies like Colonists, Reformers, Nebulists, and Environmentalists. Could you tell us a bit more these different societies, where you got the inspiration for your vision of vampires?
Susan: Colonists are vampires who cultivate and harvest humans as crops, and they consume human blood. Sanguinists, on the other hand, believe in equal rights for vampires and mortals; they're environmentalists. They don't eat meat, and they subsist on special sera and artificial blood. Nebulists are harder to pin down; some vampires think they're extremists who want to eliminate the human race, while others think they're visionaries. Nebulists are proponents of vampire rights. And Reformers are a splinter group of the Nebulists, prone to preaching the superiority of vampires in evangelical style. I mentioned them in the first book, but didn't include them in the second. The new book goes into greater detail about the other sects, particularly the Nebulists.
My vision of vampire societies reflects contemporary Western culture to some extent. If you look analytically at American and British political parties, for instance, you'll see certain parallels among their ideologies and those of my vampires.
Q: Politics play a big role in your new book “The Year of Disappearances” which is timely because of the Presidential Election. Were you trying to make any kind of political statement with this subplot, and what other themes does your novel explore?
Susan: The influence of third parties on more established political groups has always intrigued me, and I let myself create a third-party caucus in the book to explore that. And in creating a college that reflects some of my own pedagogical preferences, I was able to involve students in the political process, as well as satirize academic politics.
A central question of the book is identity: what makes you what you are? And by what criteria are you perceived and judged by others?
Q: Does “The Year of Disappearances” complete the story of Ariella 'Ari' Montero that began in "The Society of S"?
Susan: No, I don't think “The Year of Disappearances” completes Ari's story. At the moment I'm in the early stages of researching a book about identity theft; I haven't decided yet whether Ari will be the central character.
Q: You're a professor of English at the University of Central Florida; have received teaching awards from Syracuse University, Cornell University, UCF, and the South Atlantic Administrators of Departments of English; and, as mentioned earlier, you've written short fiction. Does your profession, having a degree and writing in different formats make a difference in the way you write and if so, how?
Susan: Studying and teaching creative writing probably makes a writer more self-conscious of craft. I know the conventions of fiction, and if I break the rules, I do it on purpose. But I think my essential style and sensibility were formed long before I went to a university. I think that teaching makes me a better person and a better writer, because it's taught me how to listen. And students can be so helpful in terms of bringing me new perspectives and ideas. Right now I'm on a book tour, and today I discussed writing with high school students in San Diego who gave me some great ideas for future writing.
Q: Lastly, with technology advancing at an astonishing rate, how do you think the print format will be affected in the near future and is this a positive or negative thing for writers & publishers?
Susan: So many people tell me that print is on its way out, and if they're right, its disappearance will be positive for people who care about saving trees and hard for traditionalists who love books as physical objects. And it will hardest for people like me, who fall into both categories. I like the way books feel and smell and look. I love bookstores. And I'm not eager to bring yet another “essential” piece of technology into my life, no matter how useful it is. But I'm trying to keep an open mind until I've thought through all the implications of going digital.
