The Collected Literary Obsessions of a Living-Impaired Rodent

“How ironic, Tony! Trying to rid the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever! And now, I’m going to kill you with it.”

The super hero Iron Man makes the leap from comic book to movie.

TITLE:

IRON MAN

Director:

Jon Favreau

Writer:

Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby
Art Marcum and Matt Holloway

GENRE:

Adventure, Thriller, Super Hero, Fantasy,

DESCRIPTORS:

Iron Man, Iron Monger, Tony Stark, Industrialist, Afghanistan, Military, Terrorists, Betrayal, Greed, Arrogance, Genius,

RATING:

Rated PG-13

SUMMARY:

Tony Stark is an engineering genius with a flair for developing weapons systems. As President of Stark Industries, he and his father’s partner Obadiah Stane have made billions.

We’re iron mongers, we make weapons.

While in Afghanistan to show off his latest weapon, his truck is captured and he is mortally wounded. Taken hostage by Raza, a terrorist, he is operated on by another hostage, a brilliant surgeon who uses a car battery to power a magnet to keep shrapnel in play that was too dangerously close to the heart to remove.

Raza demands that Tony make missiles for him. What Stark does is to make a suit of iron to both hold the shrapnel at bay and allow him to escape. It works but by the time Tony returns to the United States, his is a man with a changed agenda. No one is more surprised by this change than Tony’s second-in-command, Obadiah Stane.

As Tony remakes the Iron Man armor, forces behind the scene begin to move against him. Raza finds and assembles to remains of the broken original armor. Unfortunately the suit finds it way into the hands of the only other person able to capitalize and improve upon what Tony started.

The big battle between Iron Man and Iron Monger at the end is exciting and ends the movie with a bang. Hands down, this is one of the best movies based on Marvel comics since Spider-man.

APPEAL:

In my youth, I was a big comics nerd and one thing you get used to after reading thousands of them is the retelling and revamping of the super hero origin story. This movie updates the origin while remaining true to the essentials of the story. There is a lot of humor without being campy and the sort of funny quips/trash talk during a battle that you expect from super heroes. It is in every way worthy of the best the Iron Man comic book had to offer.

So you’re a man who has everything, but nothing.

Robert Downey Jr., did an excellent job of making Tony Stark both an arrogant genius and a hero. Becoming a hero does not automatically make his character flaws go away. He even looks like Tony Stark. Jeff bridges impressed me as Obadiah Stane, Tony’s second-in-command at Stake Industries turned villain who takes the Iron Man specs and creates the Iron Monger Battle Suit. Bald with a goatee, it took me half the movie to realize who was playing Stane.

The special effects were top notch. They didn’t drown out the actors in the movie and, something that I was concerned about, they made the armor look real.

NOTES:

Watch the ending and the credits. I didn’t and I seem to have missed an appearance of Samuel L. Jackson playing a very important character in the Iron Man stories. It alludes to future movies.

WATCHALIKES:

If you like Iron Man, try the three Spider-Man movies directed by Sam Raimi. Raimi takes more liberties with the origin story but still turns in movies that are faithful to the spirit of the many Spider-Man comic books.

Give me a scotch. I’m starving.

If Iron Man shows you what it would be like to be a powerful armored juggernaut, Spider-Man will take you web-slinging from building to building in scenes you’ll never forget.

You can order this and other movies through the Heights Library web catalog or order by phone by calling the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library.

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For the month of December we have the trailer for Tom Piccirilli’s novel The Midnight Road. See it there? To the right. Yes, there. Click on the arrow in the center to play it.

You can reserve your copy of The Midnight Road at the Heights Libraries by clicking on the book cover below. Remember you will need your library card. You can also call the Celeveland Heights-University Heights Public Library at 216-932-3600 and place a request over the phone.

What do you think? Are these book trailers working for you or should I just got to rotating pictures similiar to the old rotating banners I used to have? Let me know in comments.

The Midnight Road

The Midnight Road Author: Piccirilli, Tom Format: Mass Market Paperback Type: Novel Page Count: 352pp. Pub. Date: June 26, 2007 Publisher: Bantam. Links: Epitaphs: The Tom Piccirilli Website.

From the moment he saw the girl in the snowstorm, Flynn had less than an hour to live. But he’ll remember his last fifty minutes long after he’s dead. As an investigator for Suffolk County Child Protective Services, Flynn has seen more than his share of misery, but nothing could prepare him for the nightmare inside the Shepards’ million-dollar Long Island home. In less than an hour, that nightmare will send him plunging into a frozen harbor — and awaken him to a reality even more terrifying. They’ve nicknamed Flynn “The Miracle Man” because few have ever been resuscitated after being dead so long. But a determined homicide detective and a beautiful, inquisitive reporter have questions about what really happened at the Shepard house — and why the people around Flynn are suddenly being murdered. Flynn has questions of his own, especially when one of the victims dies while handing him a note: THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT. Flynn has returned from the Midnight Road — and someone wants to send him back.

You can view a larger picture of the book cover below. Neat huh?

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Today I have a guest blog from thriller writer Sean Chercover. If you love books and your local book sellers, you need to read this. Thank you for reading and thank you to Sean for letting me repost this message.

All I want for Christmas. . .

by Sean Chercover

“But it’s too early to blog about Christmas,” I hear you say. “We haven’t even reached Thanksgiving!”

True, but we are living in desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. Surely you’ve seen the news, and you know just how desperate. You’ve heard the cries from Washington and Wall Street and Detroit. It’s a Global Economic Meltdown(TM), and just in time for the Holiday Shopping Season(TM).

Run and hide!

Okay, I know that we’re all in for some serious belt-tightening, but here’s the thing: You will probably buy a few Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa gifts for your loved ones this year. You may not be as lavish as in years past, but you’ll probably buy something, right?

Right. So please, make that something a book.

Doesn’t have to be my book (although I have no objection to that), just any book will do. Fiction, preferably. But as I said, any book will do. Fiction, non-fiction, hardcover, paperback, frontlist, backlist. Just so long as you give books.

Maybe give a book that had a big impact on the way you see the world, or simply a book that made you smile. A book is a beautiful, thoughtful, personal gift. And a book can be burned for heat when the entire economy collapses and we are all left freezing in the dark.

Really, there’s no better gift this year.

Those of you who read the publishing trades know that I’m not kidding around. Share prices of the largest book retailer in America just hit an all-time low. Some other bookstore chains and many independents may not survive the winter. Even the most optimistic economists project no economic growth until next spring. And that will be too late for many bookstores.

It’s that serious, kids.

Of course, if you’re so broke that you’re considering roasting the family pet for Christmas dinner, you get a free pass. But for the rest of us . . . for those who are going to buy something to give our loved ones this Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa. . .

Please, give a book.

About The Author:

This article was originally posted in The Outfit: A Collective of Chicago Crime Writers. Sean Chercover is the author of the Ray Dudgeon Series which starts with Big City, Bad Blood and continues in Trigger City You can find Sean Chercover at his website.

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“I’m so scared of you my spine has turned to jelly, it’s just that I’m suffering from an overdose of terror right now. I mean, when I’ve got over that then I’ll have time to be decently frightened of you.”

The wizard Rincewind and Twoflower, Discworld’s first tourist, set out on high adventure with the cowardly wizard screaming all the way.

TITLE:

THE COLOR OF MAGIC

WRITER:

by Terry Pratchett

SERIES:

The Discworld Series #1

GENRE:

Fantasy, Humor, Adventure

DESCRIPTORS:

Discworld, Death, Wizards, Spells, Dragons, Bandits, Trolls, City On Fire, Travel, Magic,

SUMMARY:

Rincewind is not having a good day. Actually, Rincewind never has a good day. He’s an inept wizard, kicked out of the Unseen University when he read a tome that implanted one of the eight spells of the Creator — a spell so powerful he cannot learn another for there is no reason for it. Its a spell that occasionally tries to get itself spoken. A spell so mysterious that no one knows exactly what it does.

This time Rincewind finds himself compelled to guide and protect Discworld’s very first tourist — Twoflower — and his magic indestructible chest of luggage made of sentient pearwood (and it travels on hundreds of tiny feet).

Over the four sections in The Color of Magic, the pair burn down all of Ank-Morpork. They meet the hideous Bel-Shamharoth. They’re captured by the Dragonriders and Liessa. During all that time and more, Rincewind screams for his life and Twoflower has the time of her life.

APPEAL:

All through the book, Pratchett parodies Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, the Cthulhu mythos, and the Dragonriders of Pern among other stories. He pokes fun at many of the fantasy conventions and tells an entertaining story in the process.

Rincewind is the quintessential coward who gets in over his head but somehow escapes. Even Death seems unable to claim him — although it tries to from time to time.

The story is told in third person, omniscient — the tense and point of view that is typical of most novels and probably the only typical thing in this book.

If you like British humor, you’ll love Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. Even if you don’t enjoy British humor, you’ll at least appreciate the parodies on other fantasy stories and the sheer inventiveness that went into Discworld and the ever-popular, ever-cowardly Rincewind.

READALIKES:

If you enjoy The Color of Magic, you might want to try the sequel The Light Fantastic. There are an additional 34 volumes in the Discworld series. If you like Terry Pratchett’s style of humor, try Douglas Adam’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series.

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From the RATS family to you,

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving Day.

–The Undead Rat

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“Ok-Ok, Just don’t go postal on me again.”

David Gold has come back to Cleveland after ten years to get his son. But Billy’s mother is Lauren Bacall, owner of the Club Cinderella and well-connected vice lord of Cleveland who despises David and never gives up anything that is hers, even if she hates it — including her son.

TITLE:

GOLDFISH

WRITER:

by Brian Michael Bendis

ARTISTS:

by Brian Michael Bendis (illustrator)

SERIES:

A. K. A. Goldfish mini-series.

PUBLISHER:

Image Comics

GENRE:

Graphic Novel (collection), Crime Fiction, Noir Crime

DESCRIPTORS:

Crime, Hustle, 3 Card Monte, Grifter, Rescue Mission, Games, Poker, Betrayal, Murder

SUMMARY:

David Gold has come back to Cleveland after ten years to get his son. But Billy’s mother is Lauren Bacall, owner of the Club Cinderella and well-connected vice lord of Cleveland who hates David and never gives up anything that is hers, even if she hates it — including her son. Billy wants out of this abusive life and David, who only recently found out about his son’s existence, will do whatever it takes to rescue the boy, even if it means destroying Lauren’s world.

David is a small time hustler with a stellar game of 3 card Monte with no plan on how he is going to bring down Lauren and most of the connections he had in Cleveland either work for Lauren or work for the cops, like Izzy.

The first thing David decides to do is scope out Lauren’s business and he “convinces” and old acquaintance named Visa to get him into Wednesday’s card game at the Club Cinderella. Then he runs into his old partner-in-crime, Izzy who is now a police detective. Izzy tries to warn David but gets frustrated and leaves with a cryptic message that things are no longer black and white.

Visa takes David to the poker game and he charms Wednesday and wins a pile of money as the evening goes on but little does he know that he has been spotted by Max, Lauren’s right hand man who sets Goldfish up to be captured. David escapes and later meets Lauren at the dancing fountain (the fountain in the belly of Terminal Tower). David asks for Billy and Lauren refuses. They part with threats, both are startle to see that Izzy has been spying on them.

David spins his games out. His fact finding poker game gives him weaknesses that he exploits, bringing his conning abilities to bear. But life is not a game of 3 card Monte, and David is about to learn he cannot play people the way he plays the cards.

APPEAL:

Brisk pacing keeps the plot moving but former Clevelander, Brian Michael Bendis is not afraid to leave plot elements dangling only to pick it up later. Things that seem to be a diversion at first, such as David berating Gena for being a bad parent, comes back later to play an important part in the story.

David Gold has a soft spot for children and a real anger towards people he considers to be bad parents. He uses people and then callously throws them away. He views life as a hustle. For Lauren, everything and everyone is a possession or potential possession. She has a powerfully strong code — you don’t take from her and you never lie to her. Characterization drives the plot and makes for a several fascinating characters, especially Izzy who is mysterious until the end when he stands revealed.

The story starts just after David has hit Cleveland and he gives Billy one last chance to back out before he goes up against Lauren. Then proceeds forward with occasional flashbacks to pivotal times in David’s and Lauren’s relationship. Mostly told in standard comic book form, there are spots where the images are put aside and the narration and dialog run as if in a novel. It is a little jarring to encounter one of those changes but it conserves paper (those passages would be many pages longer if they were put in graphic form).

At the end of the book are examples of earlier versions of Goldfish (one where David looks like a sleazy state senator and one where David and Lauren have big hair and pouty lips) and a couple of short-short stories that were used to advertise the series.

Readalikes:

If you liked Goldfish you’ll probably enjoy the sequel Jinx which also stars David Gold. Bendis has also written Torso about the Cleveland serial killer, the “torso murders” and Fire. You might also enjoy Andrew Vachss’ Hard Looks, a graphic novel collection of his short stories rendered in comic form. For a prose narrative, try Vachss’ Burke series starting with Flood. Burke is an outlaw who also has a soft spot for children in danger. It is a very hard boiled gritty series that pulls no punches.

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Mary Doria Russell is a local Cleveland author who frequently visits the Cleveland Heights University Heights Public Libraries. In fact she gave Noble Library a wonderful thanks in the acknowledgements page at the end of her first book The Sparrow.

Dreamers of the Day is her latest book which is out in hardback and soon to be in trade paperback.

In Dreamers of the Day, the ghost of Cleveland teacher Alice Shanklin tells the story of her life, which focuses on her trip to Cairo in 1921 — a piviol life experience in many ways. But the novel is as much about the time between World Wars as it is about Alice.

It is also a novel about our times. . . .

Osama bin Laden said that the attacks on 9/11 were in part “to avenge the catastrophe of 80 years ago” — the 1921 Cairo Conference!

The quote is from an interview Mary gave explaining where the idea for Dreamers came from. The Cairo Conference created artificial states out of the Middle East for British interests which would have disasterous ramifications for the present — for our times.

Click here to read an excerpt where Alice describes what life was like after World War I.

To the right is a sneak peak at the new cover for the soon-to-be-released trade paperback version:

Order a copy of Dreamers of the Day now from the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library.

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“Aleph, this is Miranda Zero, and I’m afraid you’re on the Global Frequency. And not in a good way. Global Frequency Central Operations has been compromised.”

I finished one book this week but it was horror . . . well horror comedy. I’ll be writing about it on The Lair’s sister site. Anyway, I didn’t get to read a non-horror book this week so we’ll take a look at a graphic novel — the second and probably last collection of Global Frequency.

This second collection of Global Frequency finishes the all too short run of this series. Each story is another thrilling adventure my favorite story where Aleph, the operator/remote coordinator, wakes up to her own Global Frequency call — Miranda’s warning that the ops base where Aleph works and lives has just been invaded.

TITLE:

GLOBAL FREQUENCY: DETONATION RADIO

WRITER:

by Warren Ellis

ARTISTS:

by Simon Bisley, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, Lee Bermejo,

Tomm Coker, Jason Pearson, Gene Ha and David Baron (art)

SERIES:

Global Frequency #2
Originally published as Global Frequency# 7-12.

PUBLISHER:

Wildstorm Productions

GENRE:

Graphic Novel (collection), Science Fiction, Adventure

DESCRIPTORS:

Serial Killer, Police Detectives, Kidnappings, Interrogations, Murder, Saving the World, Scientists, Torture, Terrorism, Death, Insanity, Drugs, Plagues, Weird Science, Unexplained Phenemenon, Military Satellites, Astronauts, Rockets

SUMMARY:

Miranda Zero and a pair of her scarier agents on the Global Frequency must stop a madman who believes war is necessary for evolution and our birthright, from starting a third world war between England and Germany.

Then Miranda Zero has been kidnapped. Her kidnapper demands the name of every GF agent in exchange for her life. The agents would be executed setting Global Frequency back a few years or she can be executed, probably killing the organization entirely. Global Frequency less than an hour to rescue her before she is killed. Can Aleph spearhead a hastily brought together taskforce to deduce what happened, locate and then rescue Ms. Zero in time?

In a powerful story, Takashi Sato was retired until Aleph reactives him and sends him into a medical facility. There he finds the surgeons have all gone insane from a deadly mixture of chemicals and mutilated and mutated the bodies of the patients within. It is a rescue from Hell with very permanent consequences.

Lionel Wellfare is a serial killer who has used biofeedback to teach himself pain control. He is once more on the move and Miranda sends in her best super violence expert — The Frenchman.

A pack of murderous infiltrators compromise Global Frequency Central Operations, which puts Aleph, for the first time, on the Global Frequency. She is trapped, without any outside help. Miranda urges her to sneak out and move to the back-up OPs in Zurich but Aleph won’t hear of it. Untrained and without any field experience, she decides to stay and defend her center, even if it means her death.

“‘Die-Back’ means reducing the human race to a manageable population.”

The Die-Back Doctrine: the doctrine reducing the human race to a manageable population. One old star wars weapon satellite receives orders to aim it’s payload, kinetic harpoons, at Chicago. The entire Global Frequency force is mobilized to stop it because if they fail, millions will die.

APPEAL:

I enjoyed these stories. This is a collection of six issues of the Global Frequency comic and each issue was designed to be a stand-alone story so you get six short stories, each with a different artist.

The pacing was rapid with a little time for characterization. The dialog is sometimes held down to a minimum or sometime abundant depending on the demands of the story and the amount of information needed to be conveyed. The illustrations usually convey much of the action and give you an idea of what is going on inside the character.

The stories are told 3rd person omniscient from multiple viewpoints. There is no reliance on captions except for an occasional time and place indicator and even those are rare.

Warren Ellis sometimes gives you intense plot pieces in these stories. They are often stories of ideas instead of stories about people but a few of them are as much action stories, too.

Readalikes:

Like the best science fiction writers, Warren Ellis takes scientific theory or even little known facts and extrapolates to a logical conclusion. In comics no one writes quite like Warren. One series that Warren wrote, Fell: Feral City is a noir police detective series where the stories are contained in one issue, although there is character development through the span of several stories.

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The wovel, that great online episodic novel where you the reader get to decide what happens next, has return while I was asleep.

Kealan Patrick Burked wrapped up his wovel The Living and now horror author and comic book editor Jemiah Jefferson has stepped up with her slipstream/cyberpunk offering called Firstworld.

She’s already posted the second chapter but if you hurry you can still cast your vote to influence the third chapter, today.

Here is a recap for those of you who don’t know what a wovel is: Started by Underland Press on their website, each Monday the author posts a new segment of story. Monday through Thursday you can read it and vote on it. Thursday the voting ends and the author takes the result and writes the next segment of the story which gets posted the following Monday. Then the audience reads and casts another vote.

If you miss a segment or two, Underland Press keeps the previously published segments available here. Click here, read from the beginning and then have fun voting.

You can view comments here. And it’s not just reader comments but Ms. Jefferson left a footnote/comment giving readers a link to where they could find a real life article about some of the future tech she employs in her story.

So you get to read the story, shape the story and now talk to the author about the story.

It’s a new online experience and well worth checking out.

Meanwhile check out the Jemiah Jefferson book list and her erotic vampire Voice of the Blood Series.

You can check out what fledgling small press Underland Press is up to these day here in their blog.

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