Dark Faith: Invocations, a Review

A few weeks ago I received a copy of Apex Publications newest anthology, Dark Faith: Invocations.  This book, edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon, is a follow-up to the highly acclaimed DARK FAITH, a book that was nominated for multiple awards within in the genre.  Invocations sets out to “explore the concept of faith in a fantastical setting” through various religious and spiritual viewpoints.  

As the title suggests, most of these viewpoints will stem from the darker side of faith.  I imagined the stories to be heavy, but I had no idea how heavy they would be until I started reading.  It’s like watching the most recent version of Battlestar Galactica, in that each episode (story) is so dramatic and heavy that I can only handle one or two at a time.  And that’s how I read this anthology, taking a story in with my lunch each day. 

My immediate reactions are recorded below for each story.  I’ve remained spoiler-free.  Boldfaced stories are the ones that I can most recommend.  The star ranking follows the GoodReads 5-point scale.

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Subletting God’s Head (Tom Piccirilli) – Did not really like at all.  A jaded and cynical guy rents an apartment that’s located inside God’s head.  Not a great way to start the collection, though it definitely sets the tone for what’s to come.  *

The Cancer Catechism (Jay Lake) – Depressing, but well written and thought-provoking.  I imagine the author is intimately aware of a life stricken with this terrible disease.  Still, very bleak and mostly without a clear conflict (excepting the obvious).  **

The Big Blue Peacock (Nick Mamatas) – I’m not sure I know exactly what happened in this story.  **

Kill the Buddha (Elizabeth Twist) – The first piece that I’ve really liked so far.  This hooked me from the get-go and didn’t let up until the end.  Delightful to read and a unique idea.  The world is infected and attacked, at least according to some.  *****

Robotnik (Lavie Tidhar) – Another delightful and thought-provoking story.  I’d like to see this short turned into a novella or something longer.  The world created by Tidhar leaves me very curious about everything in it.  The melancholic tone was perfectly fitting, too.  Great work.  ***** 

Prometheus Possessed (Matt Cardin) – Eh… That would be my immediate reaction.  What?  That would be my follow-up.  This one reminded me of a cyberpunkish noir story, but told in a format that was very off-putting, kind of a second-person omniscient voice.  Sort of.  Some great imagery, but the overall impact of the story left me scratching my head.  ** 

Night Train (Alma Alexander) – Some nice prose and interesting themes, but this didn’t speak too much to me.  A woman is losing her religion on a train… or finding it.  ***

The Sandfather (Richard Wright) – Oh.  Nice.  Absolutely tragic, but a wonderful little tale.  This is a bleak story that is all too realistic.  The absence of a father leads to an interesting life for a boy.  *****

Sacrifice (Jennifer Pelland) – Wow.  This was a short and entertaining little piece that fans of a What if… scenario should love.  ****

Thou Art God (Tim Waggoner) – Hmm.  A second person POV is always fickle, but Waggoner did a pretty good job with this.  It kept me engaged, though I felt the tale contrived and familiar. ***

Wishflowers (Tim Pratt) – An engrossing little story with a rich world and an interesting premise.  There is a dandelion-like flower that actually grants wishes when blown.  What happens to that kind of world?  This story is the kind of thing I look for in an anthology.  *****

Coin Drop (Richard Dansky) – Now that was rather original.  The office vending machine is not exactly what it seems.  This was a pretty clever piece, with some familiar tropes but a unique perspective.  Fun to read.  ****

Starter Kit (R.J. Sullivan) – Another fun little story that provided some thoughts on a common cliché pertaining to Creation.  I liked this piece.  **** 

A Little Faith (Max Allan Collins & Matthew Clemens) – Not really sure why this story is in this collection.  The subject matter seems fitting, but the overall feeling doesn’t jive well.  A well-written piece that was basically a romp through a waterboarding experience. ***

The Revealed Truth (Mike Resnick) – Started off promising but quickly devolved into something less than I had hoped.  Quasi-amusing but ultimately unsatisfying.  ** 

God’s Dig (Kelly Eiro) – Oh.  Wow.  That’s a speculative piece, and in few words, too!  This one left me pondering.  A boy hears from God that there’s a present for him buried in the back yard.  ***** 

Divinity Boutique (Brian J. Hatcher) – Hmm.  Reminds me of a Lovecraft bit, honestly, but a little more interesting.  A man is at a curiosity shop in the market for a new, personal god. ***

The Birth of Pegasus (K. Tempest Bradford) – Not entirely sure what just happened here.  Certainly readable, but the impact was lost on me.  ***

All This Pure Light Leaking In (LaShawn M. Wanak) – A beautiful little poem filled with a few biblical errors (or false perceptions of clear biblical facts), we have a story of a few friends deciding to summon an angel.  ****

Fin de Siecle (Gemma Files) – I couldn’t finish this piece.  I read a few pages and had no idea what in the world was going on.  Something about an artist and an angel and not sure.

The Angel Seems (Jeffrey Ford) – Hands down the best story in the collection.  Reads just like an Old English fairy tale with a proclivity toward the macabre.  An angel offers a village its protection in exchange for a small price.  This was very speculative and I enjoyed it very much.  Makes me want to as Mr. Ford how he came up with the tale.  Wow.   ***** 

Magdala Amygdala (Lucy A. Snyder) – Not your typical zombie/vampire SFF story.  In a post-plague world nearly all of humanity is infected with a peculiar disease that progresses through four stages of severity.  Most of the populous is fine, but a select few aren’t so lucky… or maybe they’re the lucky ones.  A fun, if not disgusting, short.  ***

A Strange Form of Life (Laird Barron) – Has a noir feel to it.  Very dark and quite vulgar.  Also quite trippy.  The formatting was a bit confusing on the Kindle, but not too hard to get.  A story about a guard and a lover at a prison with a very dark history.  ***

In Blood and Song (Nisi Shawl & Michael Ehart) – An Arabic infused short story about a fighting ring and the sorcery that goes on around it.  Somewhat confusing at first, but quickly attainable, and then again dropping into confusion for the ending.  There was action aplenty, though.  ***

Little Lies, Dear Leader (Kyle S. Johnson) – This is a fictional story set in a non-fictional place with a non-fictional message about problems in the world.  Quite engrossing, yes, but also terrible and ruthless.  The tragedy is the non-fiction in the fiction.  The concluding paragraphs were jarring and somewhat awkward, but nevertheless appropriate.  This piece seems out of place with this anthology in terms of genre.  **** 

I Inhale the City, the City Exhales Me (Douglas F. Warrick) – This is for the manga lover, Japanese culture lover, video game lover.  The story is both meta and not.  An American man is being chased by a cowboy, while the city of Osaka is quickly changing into something else.  This was a weird piece and kind of misses the “faith” side of the anthology’s purpose. Readable and confusing, but fun.  ***

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So of the twenty-six stories, there were some real treats.  I can’t decide if Jeffrey Ford’s “The Angel Seems” or Kelly Eiro’s “God’s Digs” is my favorite.  Both were really great to read and wonderful in their own way.  I almost felt like “Wishflowers” would fit nicely into the Dark Tower universe.  Elizabeth Twist’s “Kill the Buddha” had a great premise, one that would play out nicely on the big screen.

Dark Faith: Invocations is an interesting anthology.  It’s certainly not for the casual reader or the reader desiring lollipops and roses.  The stories pack a punch.  There are some forgettable works, yes, and some confusing pieces, too, but I’m sure they would resonate with a different reader.  All in all, I can recommend this to a Reader who knows what they’re after.  Weird, dark, and twisted, Dark Faith: Invocations is a crazy little read.


FTC Thingy: I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for a review.  No monies or other goods were exchanged.  No illegal cookie trading going on here.  Move along.  Move along.

The Radical Question & A Radical Idea, a Review

 

This review is long overdue.  I received David Platt’s The Radical Question and A Radical Idea back in November, right in the midst of my selling my house and various other things.  As such, the book disappeared from my mind.  Really a shame when you consider the importance of this little work.

Platt is best known for his challenging book Radical, a book which I’ve perused but never fully read.  The book is essentially a message to each and every person that calls themselves a Christian.  The message is simple to hear, but incredibly difficult to follow.  The message? 

Well that’s what The Radical Question* addresses.  How much is Jesus really worth?  Is he worth everything?  The Bible makes that a mandate, quite clearly, and Platt expounds on this for the 21^st century Christian. There are practical examples established, though following those examples takes true commitment.

If you’ve never read any of Platt’s works (or listened to the man preach) then you’re missing out.  His heart is in his message, and the gospel of Jesus is nothing to shy away from.  The Radical Question and A Radical Idea is a great introduction to David Platt’s writing, but only should be read for the uninitiated into his catalog.  For those familiar you won’t find anything new here.  A quick little book definitely worth the message. 

FTC Thingy: Free book to me for review, even if late. No cookies still.  Sorry.  No coercion, either.

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*Note: The Radical Question is essentially the first chapter of Radical with some modifications, making it a succinct little message book that’s the perfect size for a gift (especially graduates).

2013 in on Cat's Feet

I find myself writing as a twenty-seven year old, stomping my feet to a Counting Crows' cover of Pure Prairie League's "Amie," reflecting on the hundreds of blue words I just had directed in my general direction, cold from below freezing temperatures and warmed from a rugged Carhartt.  Life, it seems, is treating me better than I deserve.

Heading off to HazMat training for the next few days.  Gonna be holed up in a ultra fancy, sleek, swanky, modern hotel, learning about hazardous waste and how to correctly (i.e. safely) manage it.  Ever a student, I really enjoy going to classes and workshops and things.

Well, there's Matchbox Twenty on shuffle.  They were a favorite back in high school, and I suppose I still can dig it. 

Settling into the new house (still unnamed).  Furnace has finally been replaced.  Only out four grand from the start.  Quite disappointing to not have followed the inspector's suggestion at getting the furnace further examined.  Nevertheless, I learn. 

On a creative writing note, I've done hardly a thing.  A few ideas scribbled in haste, but nothing more than that.  I've had a fundamental shift of focus on writing and it's kind of restrictive.

And well, it's my birthday, so really I guess that's about it.  Journaling's prominent flames are now reduced to embers.  Poor, neglected Rememorandom.  Looks like I may shift the blog to a more focused thing, too, using it only as a collection for reviews and little more.  Makes sense, honestly.  Makes me a bit sad, too.  We'll see.

My Reading List: 2012 Edition

Ah, 2012, what a most crazy year it was.  My reading list was subject to the almighty 2012 Manifesto (see the tab above, or click here) and the rules established therein.  Overall, it was a (surprising) success.  Roughly 150 books were on the list as of December 31, 2011.  By the end of 2012, I had the list down to 79 books.  Not too shabby.  Additionally, a goal was to utilize the library more and to decrease book spending, and the fact that I spent less than $10* last year on books is astounding.

My actual books read hit 67 for 2012, a 43% increase from the previous year.  Page numbers were almost identical, with only a 4% increase for this year, although to be fair, my audio book consumption was more for 2012, too.

As always, the monster spreadsheet is available here for your perusal if you're so inclined.  I still very much enjoy the statistical analysis of my books, and I'm ever disappointed with the failures of the system.  Still, I press on.  Enjoy.

Data

     Oldest book: The Children of Odin, by Padraic Colum, 1920
     Audio books: 10
     E-books: 15
     Library books: 20
     Books actually published in 2012: 6
     Books forsaken: 2 (The Brothers Karamazov & The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft)
     Books from publishers, et. al received: 11
     Books from publishers, et. al reviewed: 8
     Most popular author: Brian Michael Bendis
     Most popular publisher: Marvel Comics
     Busiest reading month: January
     Total Page Numbers: 16172
     Average Book Score: 3.45
     Weighted Average Book Score: 3.44
     Female/Male Ratio: 2/33

Much of the early part of the year was spent reading through a giant stack of Daredevil comics that my buddy Adam let me borrow.  Truly, it was the entire run of Volume 2, which took over 120 issues to complete.  This was an excellent series to read and it showed me how wonderful Brian Michael Bendis is when he's behind a pen.  Another point of interest is how close the average book score is to the weighted average, meaning that my (somewhat arbitrary) enjoyment was correlated with page count.  And most staggering of all is the embarrassingly low F/M ratio.  I really want this number to go up, but sadly my genres of choice are mostly dominated by male authors.  Regardless, there are plenty of female authors on my radar (and my TBR), and I hope to get to some in 2013.

The sub-genre breakdown is much the same as previous years.  Not much need for explanation here but to note the sub-genres that are missing from previous years.  (It's also interesting to me to see how my mind seems to jump to classifying a genre and sub-genre, and I wonder if when I look at this list again if my opinions will change.)

Favorites

This year had three standout fiction books that really were wonderful stories, one non-fiction work, and a run of comics.  All of these earned 5 stars on my GoodReads scale.  (Reviews are linked.)

     The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch
     Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
     The Reapers Are the Angels, by Alden Bell
     The Hole in Our Gospel, by Richard Stearns
     Daredevil Volume 2: Assorted TPBs (from Volume 4 through Volume 13), by Bendis

To pick a favorite from this list would be based on mood and whim.  Lies was twisted and insanely fun.  Stardust brought a smile to my lips and I read is basically twice.  Reapers blew me away and took a piece of my heart with it, giving me one of the best protagonists I've read in ages.  Hole was matter-of-fact with the current situation in the world, of how many people die annually of stupid stuff, of how many children suffer needlessly, and this book helped shape me.  And Daredevil, as I've already mentioned, was a fun (and merciless) set of comics, especially BMB's section.

Other Things of Note

Since my new commute is longer I've been listening to a lot of audio books.  I expect my numbers for next year to be even higher in this category, assuming my cd player keeps up.  I'm really enjoying The Wheel of Time in this manner, whereas when I tried to read the physical books I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy looking at a dirty bowl.  I may try Jim Butcher's Dresden Files this way, too.

A tragedy that my new house is in a new county with an impoverished library.  How I miss my old one.

The 2012 manifesto was a fun thing to try.  I like looking at that tab and seeing all the crossed off books.  While I'm thankful to have done it (and stuck with it!), I'm glad to have more freedom now if I so desire.

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*See the actual manifesto for a more thorough explanation

A Tragic Christmas Worth Remembering

On Friday, December 21, the Stewart family moved into our new residence.  We were pretty sure that we wouldn't be in before Christmas, but through tireless efforts from our realtor and our lender, and through the providence of a caring Father, we did.  The home is beautiful and far beyond what we hoped for.  A ranch style spread sitting on 1.5 acres--with trees!  Hardwood flooring throughout.  An attached garage with an almost finished out attic.  A plot for a garden.  Lots of stuff, and we love it.

On Saturday, December 22, we spent the entire day unloading boxes and putting stuff up and together.  A long day, but not unpleasant.  Many thanks to all those who were able to help.

On Sunday, December 23, we heard a sermon on the birth of Jesus.  How His birth, His life, His death, and His resurrection--the Gospel, His gift of grace--is the ultimate present to unwrap on Christmas.  How so much God loves the world that He extends to us grace and redemption when we don't deserve it.  And that night, as every year on December 23, the entire extended family gathered together in Bremen to enjoy one each other's company.  This has always been so as long as I can remember.  Coming together as a family.  It's a unique experience, as I come from a family where love is apparent and obvious, where people honestly care about one another, where the backbiting and gossiping is relatively minuscule and non-existent.  My family may not have much in the realm of materialism, but we're over-abundant when it comes to love.  That's how we are. 

After the get-together was over we stopped by Mamaw's house to pick up Stella and to check on her.  She left the gathering early.  She hadn't been feeling to good.  So we stopped and spent a good hour-and-a-half there, just talking and chiding Mamaw's stubbornness.  She didn't want to spend Christmas in the hospital, she said.  She'd go after Christmas.  So I took her trash outside for her and Keisha offered to take some of the food home with us and prepare it so she wouldn't have to.  Mostly we just sat around and talked and watched Avonlea play with Mamaw's water bottle and eyeglasses.  Hilarious stuff, really. 

Mom spent the night with Mamaw and we left to go to our new home.

At 3:54am on December 24, Mom called and told me that Mamaw didn't have a pulse.  She passed away not long after.

On Monday, December 24, we went to the funeral home and went through all the routine stuff.  Questions, answers, coffin room.  We were all stunned.  Christmas at Keisha's grandmothers that night to try normalcy, but my heart and mind were elsewhere.  All I can think about is how fulfilled my relationship was with Mamaw, how much I loved her and how much she loved me.  I spent the formative years of my life living with Mamaw, and my relationship was incredibly deep.  Many nights I spent down her house and she'd wake up early to take me and Jake home before going to work.  How I always opened her fridge and freezer just to see what she had available or if the ice box needed seeing to.  How I called her each week just to talk on the phone and see what was up.  How funny Avonlea looked playing with Mamaw's glasses, how Mamaw laughed. 

I think of the few unfinished things in my life that Mamaw missed: she won't get to see my new house, she won't get to meet the new baby when he comes around, and a few others.  But mostly I think about how full her life was, how much love was there between us.  All four of us grandkids loved her intensely, and her love was reciprocated.  She was without a doubt the best grandmother I could have hoped for, and I miss her very much.

On Tuesday, Christmas Day, December 25, we all gathered at Mamaw's house that night as planned.  We didn't get to eat her delicious cheese dip or sausage balls or barbecue, nor did anyone feel too much like eating, but we managed.  We sat around the tree and looked through photo albums, each of us quietly reflecting in our own way.  We passed out the gifts we had for one another.  My heart lurched at opening the ones from Mamaw.  Her absence was so noticed, and yet her presence was felt.  Love never ends, even if this life is temporary.

So I grieve and miss my Mamaw, but I think only happy thoughts on her memory.  I have the assurance that I will see her again, and until that day I'll go on living my life knowing that she has helped shape me into the person that I am today.

I love you, Mamaw.

Six Mini-Reviews

Between packing a house, driving extra distance to work, playing with a toddler, searching (and finding) a new home, dealing with a six-month-pregnant bride, and sundried other things, I’ve not had much time for reading, let alone writing reviews.  However, I have read a few things and am offering some short, concise reviews/impressions.

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The Great Hunt, by Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time #2) – I read this book a year ago and mocked it the whole time.  It was trite and uninteresting and I abandoned the WoT series for naught.  On a whim while perusing the audio section at the library I decided to pick up the book and try again.  And wouldn’t you know that the thing captured me this time.  The two narrators did a great job and helped make my commute time much more enjoyable.  I actually found myself wondering about the world when I wasn’t in the vehicle.  Still clichéd and somewhat juvenile, but there is plenty within to enjoy.

The Dragon Reborn, by Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time #3) – After enjoying the audio of The Great Hunt, I happily picked up the third book in the massive WoT series.  The audio was still working for me, and the plot was still keeping me interested.  Rand, Mat, Perrin,  Egwene, and Nynaeve all are woven into the pattern for different purposes, and The Dragon Reborn continues exploring the world when an ancient darkness is threatening to spill out and blot the light.  I'll definitely be moving to the next book.

The Walking Dead Volumes 14 - 16, by Robert Kirkman – I’ve grown rather tired of this series.  The story has stalled and I feel like certain plots are being rehashed over and over again.  I’m ready for something more than what I’m getting.  Volume 16 takes the Reader up through Issue #96 of the series.  If Volume 17 does nothing absolutely brilliant and game changing, then I might just quit.

Batman: Arkham Asylum, by Grant Morrison – Dave McKean illustrated this.  My first exposure to him was through Gaiman’s Sandman series.  Because of that, I can’t help but feel like I’m reading a Vertigo imprint of the Bat as opposed to DC.  The dark themes also seem more Vertigo than DC.  Regardless, Arkham Asylum is like looking inside the mind of someone who’s gone crazy.   The panels, text, drawings, colors, and fonts all add to the illusion.  The story is jumbled and largely left up for interpretation.  Loosely, all the inmates of Arkham Asylum have escaped their cells and are holding the place captive, demanding Batman come in and join them.  I found the book readable, but mostly as a work of art as opposed to a coherent story.  This is apparently a landmark Batman title, but it’s just another Batman book to me.

Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster – I read Foster’s Celebration of Discipline as part of the weekly Coffee Talk group read.  Foster, a Quaker, writes with passion and eloquence.  His words are challenging, and his practical advice for living a life as Jesus’s disciple is very applicable.  This book is a great read for those wanting to grow in their faith through discipleship and following Christ.

The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer - This is another Coffee Talk book.  Written by the famous Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran who stood up to Hitler during the height of the dictator's power, Bonhoeffer's words read almost as if they were written this year.  His examples and illustrations are perfectly applicable, and his insight was particularly beneficial to me.  The book is definitely not for the faint of heart, nor the feeble minded, as Bonhoeffer was a professor as a German seminary and writes like one.  While I theologically disagreed on some of his teachings (i.e., the sacrament chapters towards the end), I very much enjoyed the challenge of this book. 

The Complete Works of H.P. Lovecraft, by H.P. Lovecraft – This book is available for free from CthuluChick.com.  Collecting all the works of Lovecraft in chronological order, I started this book during RIP.  I read the first nine stories and enjoyed two – “The Tomb” and “Beyond the Wall of Sleep.”  The problem is that Lovecraft uses the exact same structure for nearly every one of these stories.  A guy is retelling a story about some horror he witnessed and is now going crazy.  The POV needs to change occasionally, or the passive verbs need to capture my attention more or something.  I abandoned the book and may or may not try it again down the road.

The Twelve, a (Spoiler-Free) Review

Justin Cronin’s The Passage (my review here) was a tour de force. (I just wanted to use that phrase.) It was incredibly fast-paced, horrific in all the right places, and had a cast of characters that I could really get behind. There was no doubt that I would be reading the follow-up, and when the library informed me that I could check it out, I happily obliged.

The Twelve picks up a few years after the events in The Passage. Well, after the majority of the events, in any case, since that book was told in three separate eras. The Twelve continues with the three eras, still choosing to focus primarily on the year 97 A.V. and the people there. There is a hefty chunk of exposition beforehand, just like The Passage spent several hundred pages building up Wolgast and the virus.

Peter, Amy, and Alicia are the major POVs for The Twelve, but Cronin gives us more insights when the occasion warrants it. The Twelve introduces several new characters to the mix, many of whom made this Reader’s skin crawl. Post-apocalyptic America is a tough place in which to live, and Cronin does not hold anything back.

I devoured The Twelve (I had to; I couldn’t renew it.) and am already waiting for the concluding volume to hit the shelves. There were parts of this book that seemed without purpose, but I trust that Cronin is simply focusing on the journey and not the End Game. This book was a bit more gruesome than The Passage, but nothing too shocking.

If you’ve read (and enjoyed) The Passage then you’ll read (and enjoy) The Twelve. If not, and you want to read a very entertaining and deeply thought-provoking speculative fiction novel, I definitely recommend picking up The Passage. Cronin is a heck of a story teller. He’s able to make the Reader actually care about the characters and their choices, even after the pages run out.