New Book Review - Uncanny: The Origins of Fear by Junji Ito

Name - Uncanny: The Origins of Fear

Written by - Junji Ito

Translated by - Jocelyne Allen

Published by - Viz Media LLC

First things first, I got this book from Edelweiss as an ARC, so thank you Edelweiss and Viz Media LLC for this opportunity.

It really is a joy to get under the skin of a creative mind, getting to learn how that brain of their works, seeing what influenced to create their masterpieces, and most of learning about their life and knowing that they are as normal an individual as us in many aspects. 'Uncanny: The Origins of Fear' is such a deep dive into the mind of one of the greatest horror manga artists ever, and it is very enjoyable.

The book has a gorgeous layout with many drawings and layouts from the mangaka, as well as some interesting bits of his life, from his early childhood up to his struggles to make a living, then finally turning into a full-time creator of mangas. It is not an easy path being one of the best, especially when you also have to learn enough to make it all matter, and it is also amazing to see how Junji Ito's mind works in deciphering meaning and ideas out of his everyday experiences.

The author divided the whole thing into five carefully thought out chapters. The first two work like an autobiography, with details from his childhood, his initial work as a dental technician, all the whole trying to write and draw mangas, to finally his breakout into the manga world slowly through his sheer determination and creativity. The most interesting part about these first two chapters is the fact how Ito writes about his various influences and how these moulded him; I really loved this because I am not very learned in Japanese manga history. I gained lots of recommendations from this section to enrich my TBR pile.

Sadly for those who hadn't read much work of Junji Ito, the last three chapters delve into spoiler filled territory, as Ito delves deep into his creation process through numerous examples of his works. These three deal with his exploration of how he gets his ideas, to his points of view and inspiration about some iconic characters he created, ending the last chapter by going into a detailed glimpse into his drawing process with some delightful arts on display.

As a non-fiction book, this was quite enjoyable. This should cater especially to the taste of readers who are already his fans. But that doesn't mean there isn't enough to enjoy for casual readers of him or the people just starting to get into his work. The drawings throughout the book are honestly enough for any enthusiast of manga to collect this one.

A resounding 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Name - The Tainted Cup 

Written by - Robert Jackson Bennett  

Series - Shadow of the Leviathan / Ana & Din Mysteries 

Published by - Del Rey / Hodderscape

Robert Jackson Bennett has reached a new level of accomplishment among current fantasy writers, and thus his writing has been talked about and analyzed so much that it becomes rather difficult tackling a task if reviewing it. And his first entry into the Shadow of the Leviathan series had earned him his first Hugo Award. So, the idea of trying to review it felt like a daunting task. But seeing as how I am currently into the second book and keep thinking about the first one, I decided to do a short review for the first one.

Bennett once again displayed his immense dedication in creating a fantasy setting which had nuances of our modern world despite being so vastly different. He created an entire civilization established just to defend itself from an external existential threat. While its inhabitants used parts or substance obtained from their killed foes to enhance themselves biologically, gaining this novel the moniker of being a rare instance of being a 'bio-punk' genre work.

The author divulges information gracefully and uses his time to develop the characters, world and the murder mystery at a leisurely pace. The prose is very engaging so even the slow sections kind of flow like a pleasant breeze. The obvious homage to Holmes and Watson is done in a very unorthodox and unique manner, adding a level of charm to the overall character dynamics.

As readers of him already knows, Bennett has the knack of creating tortured yet capable characters, who he fleshes out with utmost clarity. Ana and Din are among the finest specimens of his creativity. Ana, with her weirdness and brilliance, obviously is his attempt at giving her a neuro-divergent flavor. And the narrator Din is a struggling protagonist, who seems like a mirror held to the regular working class people with a strong determination and a specific set of dilemmas to keep him on his toes always.

The mystery also was very interesting, the author using elements of his surreal world to create a puzzle that keeps enticing till the end and the glimpses of the kaiju like leviathans make the reader quite eager to look forward to the future of the series.

A resounding 4.5 out of 5 stars, this one is certainly a deserved Hugo Winner.

Graphic Novel Review - The Fables of Erlking Wood

Name: The Fables of Erlking Wood 

Published by: Goats Flying Press

Writer & Artist: Juni Ba

Letterer: Aditya Bidikar

A rather unorthodox piece of modern-influenced folk tale incorporating a healthy dose of humor, sadness, and charm with beautiful design and artwork. That is how I can describe in one sentence this delightful little graphic novel that came literally out of nowhere to hit me in the feels reminding me a bit about my own lonely childhood.

This one is presented as a collection of fables and tales focused on the Erlking Wood of the title, the small bits then coming together in the overarching story of the main characters while creating an atmosphere of magically charged longing and contentment at the same time.

These characters despite being a mixture of animals, humans, and demigods are all quite emotional and relatable, and the author makes the reader care for their journeys of self-discovery and attempts at redemption. 

The art is just a joy to look at, giving another extra dose of magic into the overall mix. The changes in style are quite a unique experience, creating a different realm for the reader to explore.

A delightful read, gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Horror for Weenies by Emily C. Hughes

Name - Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch

Writer - Emily C. Hughes

Published By - Quirk Books

Maybe I do like non-fiction books about other fictional works or maybe I do great research and pick up the best in these kinds of books, but anyways 'Horror for Weenies' is yet another solid entry of referencing book on movies, focusing on great horror films from various subgenres.

Firstly, a warning, if you don't want to know the whole plot about the movie on offer don't read that chapter, as it discusses the whole plot with nice little snippets by the author, which is a great addition if you saw the movie or if you decide to watch it before reading the specific chapter.

The author's prose was quite enjoyable, the 'why it matters' section was simply outstanding and the book recommendations she offered at the end were like the icing on the cake. I really enjoyed reading about her viewpoints and her insight into the movie makings and tidbits.

Someone who was very afraid of horror stuff in childhood (the sound of the X-files theme song was enough to send me hurriedly to bed), but started to love horror as a genre as I grew up due to its versatility and awesome catalogue to enjoy, this book was a very enjoyable experience indeed.

I will give this full marks based on the purpose it was trying to accomplish, 5 out of 5 stars.

Short Story Review - Blood Harvest by Richard Swan

Name -  Blood Harvest 

Writer - Richard Swan 

Series - Warhammer 40k

Published By - Games Workshop/ Black Library 

This was my second read from Richard Swan. My first one was another Black Library short, which I found average and only started this one because this story was related to ' Tears of Raphaela'. This one was certainly much better and I kind of ended up wanting to read more about these characters and this conflict.

This is the story of a planet dealing with the onslaught of a Tyranid wave. We are introduced with some lowly conscripts who seem quite unlikeable at the beginning, then we get introduced with a fearsome warrior who seems to have some hidden agenda about helping the normal humans at first. Then the struggle for survival starts.

The action sequences are quite engrossing, and Tyranids are as fearsome villains as always. Despite the short scope the characters get interesting development, the dialogues are very enjoyable and the ending is quite different from typical 40k short.

All in all, this is one of the best black library short stories of last year in my opinion. 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.