Kireth

Really great self-contained read. Not only did I learn a lot about Nadia Van Dyne as a Marvel character, but Scott joins her (forces her to join him?) on a journey through the microverse that is both fun and emotionally consistent. After an introduction with the Nova Corps commonly associated with the Guardians of the Galaxy, the creative team embrace all the weirdness of this otherworld - creating awesome creatures and psychedelic designs, and then backing it up with some actual quantum physics theories and ideas. Dalen is the best Marvel side-character I've read about in a single issue yet. And I can't stress how great it is to have a comic book story that is completed in one volume, whilst leaving the door slightly ajar for later issues.

The Sleepwalker continues the CHERUB tradition of an A and B-plot, but this time ties both together much better than previous entries with the throughline of family abuse. Opening with an exciting campus training exercise, Lauren is able to prove herself as an experienced agent which creates an entertaining dynamic with her mission partner, the young and over-eager Jake. I appreciate how this was differentiated with an ‘open-approach', and Muchamore explains how the agents' spying technology actually works. James finally gets a bit of poor luck, with even the characters acknowledging how ‘jammy' he is, which allows for refreshing character development with Kerry away from action (mostly). I also can't ignore the interweaved plane crash chapters at the beginning, which were truly heartbreaking. The unexpected conclusions involving Jake, the plane crash and the Fahim character all add to the increasingly grey morality in the CHERUB series, which I am appreciating as a reader.

So there's a loose connection to Divine Madness here but the way I see it this really short story's events could have taken place anywhere in the CHERUB series timeline. Basically, we meet James's real father who decides to reveal the truth about his past relationship with Gwen Choke (the Adams siblings' mother) to his new fiance across 6 pages. It's interesting, adds some criminal and mathematical backstory to James's character, but that's pretty much it. Would have beeen nice if this tied in to the series in a greater capacity.

The General feels like a large-scale version of the various training exercises we've seen CHERUB agents undergo on campus throughout the series. However, the complete upturning of rules and excitement of stakes between the government and vengeful Kazakov (who is developed much better as a character in this entry) makes this a wildly fun read. The book opens with the Adams siblings each undergoing an interesting mission - James getting caught up in an anarchist group and Lauren leading a team to test security at a new airport location - with both facing unexpected twists for the characters to overcome. There's also a casino/ blackjack subplot which actually racks up the tension, and unlike other CHERUB books doesn't feel like a messy addition and instead acts as a more personal challenge for James's character. The other agents taken to Nevada and the USA include Lauren, Bethany, Kevin, Jake and Rat, and each are given moments that further cement their characteristics. Additionally, James's relationship life takes a few surprising turns, although I would've liked to see how Dana developed to make the choices she does in this book.

This was a big step-up in the series for me - the first third in particular being excellent spy novel material. The snowy Russian setting, shadowy characters surrounding James with undecipherable motivations and slow and fast-paced action made for an entertaining read. The remainder of the book returns to CHERUB campus and makes the story feel a bit smaller, even though it's introducing a conspiracy. There are definitely a few characters who get more depth and backstory added to them, but it just doesn't feel as good as the first half. Lauren gets her first solo mission linked to the exciting self-contained opening chapter. It definitely ends in grim circumstances, with the novel briefly but effectively touching on human trafficking. Whilst James initially has to deal with social issues, the book's ending was unexpected in this aspect and is one of many reasons to read the next CHERUB novel.

A very quick (and uninteresting) read that shows us Kerry's uneventful first mission. The plot is rushed, with very little development given as we experience the whirlwind of events through Kerry's eyes. The short story does however give us an insight into yet another type of mission CHERUB agents can uniquely perform, and provides a little backstory between the books.

Very short collection of sweet CHERUB stories around campus during Christmas time. James visits his old haunt with Bruce who shows some compassion, Lauren and Kyle are carrying out punishment duties from their actions during the ‘Class A' novel, Kerry misses her friends at home whilst on her Japan mission, James has to complete his Russian homework, Meryl Streep is doing a reality TV show interview following her past sprinting career success and Gabrielle is giving a retired agent a campus tour. There's definitely a warm undercurrent to each chapter, with a mix of the slang, language and tough teenage attitude that is to be expected of this series, but it's a bit all over the place.

The twins start this story fighting over a personal issue, and as it goes on they do get a few sweet moments but overall don't develop that much. The whole short story revolves around a really cool moment towards the end of the mission that utilises the unique capabilities of twin child agents. The character McEwan makes an appearance and it is nice to see consistency in characters popping up across the series. Moving past these good things, Callum and Connor's speech really makes you stop to think how all CHERUB agents talk and whether it's appropriate for their age group!

So I've finally finished the original CHERUB series. Shadow Wave surprisingly picks up from where Brigands MC left off, with James and Kerry trying to put a final arrest on ‘The Fuhrer'. There's a wedding on-campus as the characters return, which was a neat way to bring back past familiar faces from the series. This includes fan-favourite Kyle Blueman, whose past intertwines with James's last and seemingly routine mission. Whilst there was a feeling of James being worried about his future and post-CHERUB life during the first fifth of the book, when Kyle arrives to provide mission-centric backstory the spotlight is definitely taken by him until we're past the halfway mark. Whilst this was entertaining reading, surprisingly tying in with the short story ‘Cherub at Christmas' and developing the moral issue of the book on commercial tourism development versus original land rights, I definitely felt James and Lauren weren't given enough focus in what is their final installment. The action picks up in the last section, and whilst things are resolved much neater compared to past entries as James makes moral choices, the epilogue was what really brought back that ‘finale' feeling.

Would have been a 4/5 with more context. Batman has formed a team called the Outsiders whilst he acts as a Gandalf-like mentor, wandering in and out of the story with reasons of his own. Black Lightning seems to be the focus as leader, with Katana dealing with some marriage issues regarding her dead husband/ blade, and Duke/ Signal and Cassandra/ Spoiler facing issues relating to fear and trust. The artwork is definitely great and there is some really nice cross-cutting between locations and scenes adding suspense to certain panels. The story itself is all a bit paranoid and features some, well, powerful characters acting like “Gods”. Ends on a semi-frustrating cliffhanger then has a short epilogue story featuring two of the Outsiders, but despite the decent read overall I am less inclined to read the follow-up.

WHY: Having pretty much immersed myself in Clone Wars TV show at this point, I am going for the full chronological experience. With a half-length Season 6 prematurely ending the show (until being revived for a proper finale in Season 7 that aired at the beginning of 2020), quite a few episode scripts were turned into the Dark Disciple novel. This short story is the prequel to that book.
STORY: Amazingly, this was like a condensed episode from the Clone Wars show, following reformed Bounty Hunter Asajj Ventress and a new ally Lassa Rhayme as they dealt with Weequay pirate Jiro and his boss Hondo on the well-established Florrum hideout. There is a small personal stake for Ventress, with one of the job's protected items making for a more impactful ending.
WRITING: Detailed enough to capture all the expressions and backstory you would expect from an episode of the TV series. Since I read this from a digital archive of the Star Wars Insider Magazine from September 2015, there was some fantastic artwork of the truly evolved character and her yellow lightsaber.
WHO: Whilst I'm unsure of Kindred Spirits exact link to Dark Disciple, it was definitely a fun read and I can whole-heartedly recommend the extremely short read to any Clone Wars fans curious about the character of Ventress after Season 6.

4.5/5
World-renowned mathematics professor Renee attempts suicide after proving that arithmetic is inconsistent, and in-turn realising the field has no meaning for reality. Her husband Carl is a survivor and this short intrusion into their married life is a spectacularly haunting short piece of fiction about identity. It is tied together by a structure which provides mathematical history at the beginning of each section, before 1a and 1b end in 9a = 9b.

This graphic novel has a lot going on, but wisely focuses on three main characters, one of which is a direct link to Ender's Game. The art presents a plausible futuristic world where scavengers mine asteroids and explore the frontiers of space, whilst Earth becomes highly commodified and driven by corporations. The incoming aliens create great tension that only increases as they approach Earth, and battle tactics are smart with a few really cool character showcases - and some surprisingly emotional moments, credit to the relationships established by the writing. A definite read if you're into alien invasions/ horror, or an advanced but gritty and realistic sci-fi Earth.

5/5
I found this to be an excellent discourse around both the personal and societal notions of beauty in a digital age. The basic premise is calliagnosia, a new non-invasive medical procedure that stops individuals from seeing the features that define a face as pretty or ugly. The story is told through blog-like messages from various key players in the debate around callignosia as it is to be implemented for all students at Pembleton Collge.

Arguments for include the predisposed advantage of good looks in work and life generally, as well as the ability to judge people by their internal charm. Arguments against cover the individual right to maintain bodily autonomy and take responsibility for avoiding bias/ distractions rather than being coddled and having it done for you. The way each idea was explored, attached to a human voice or story (such as when corporations get involved) make it that much more of an interesting read. And as if this all wasn't enough, Chiang throws in some more feasible-in-the-near-future technologies such as spex and personalised ads that definitely attempt to leverage an individual's perception and decision-making beyond what the brain has naturally grown to control. This all makes for an educative, reflective and exciting read!

A hauntingly grim representation of the real issues within India. Desai smartly explores the the corrupting effects of the patriarchy and culture whilst adhering to hard-boiled detective tropes. Simran Singh is a lonely, cynical alcoholic who becomes surrounded by a web of characters with intriguing motives and backstories, all whilst the plot trods along in discovering the truth behind a family murder with the sole survivor being a fourteen year-old girl. The chapters felt dense, particularly because each opened with a diary entry from Durga and concluded with an email correspondence. Whilst the writing did feel overbearing at times, the harsh realness of the content matter cannot be denied and the shadowy, conspiratorial way the story wraps itself around the reader was dangerously exciting.

WHY: I saw this on the bookshelves at QBD in February this year, and it fits with my concerted effort to read various sport biographies/ autobiographies for personal interest. Having grown up in Australia, the NRL has been a constant presence in the media but apart from some outdoor classroom activities and lunchtime games when I was younger I've never tried to fully understand the game or its key players. There was no better place to start than with a legend of the modern game, Cameron Smith.
CONTENT: Smith does an excellent job of covering his entire professional playing career, from junior rugby in Logan, QLD to the NRL competition from 2002 to 2020, the year of publication (he ended up announcing his retirement from the game in March 10 2021). I learnt a lot about the coaching staff, styles of play and key opposition members from the Melbourne Storm, QLD Maroons all the way to the Australian team. Conversely, there aren't a lot of private moments or funny teammate stories in here - The Storm Within sticks to recapping Smith's key games and career, as well as providing his perspective on the controversies that arise with being an elite sports star.
WRITING: The chapters were laid out chronologically, and each one was a good digestible length. Smith gives the reader enough information on the sport, personalities and contextual details like the weather to help you envision the atmosphere surrounding an event. He also provides a few thoughts on the reasons behind his individual and team's success, although this isn't designed to be an inspiring or mental guide book, but more an personally approved playing life summary. Smith goes beyond this however by reflecting on the changing nature of the NRL with technology, sensationalism and evolving trends within society. The one personal thing that is clear about his personality and lifestyle is that Smith is strongly loyal to his teammates and club, and prioritises family even higher. The evidence of his on-field mannerisms (his conversations with referees, lack of involvement in fights) and recognition of the sacrifices made by his wife Barbara made me appreciate his voice, and assisted in framing him as an honest and humble country bloke.
WHO: If you've been a massive fan of rugby, I feel like this isn't the book for you - there just isn't enough material on the actual sport itself to warrant a read. If you're a) a massive fan of Cameron Smith or the Melbourne Storm, b) want a recap or introduction into his playing career, or c) are curious as to how an elite athlete's life is impacted by the media, you'll definitely get something from this read.

4/5
A mind-melting mix of semantic jargon that explores the notions of free will, causality versus teleology and parenthood. While the twist is made clear far earlier in the novella when compared to the film Arrival, this gave Chiang space to dive deeper into both the scientific and emotional ramifications of the two-dimensional Heptapod B language. For this reason I do think Villeneuve's movie leaves a far more powerful impact on its audience, despite being more scientifically shallow than that of the short story.

With Stories of Your Life being less focused on having a momentum-driven plot with exciting visual conflict however readers are given more spaced out, non-linear glimpses of how linguist Dr. Louise Banks raises her child. It really does feel like stepping inside captured moments which summarise a mother-daughter relationship, and properly explains the inevitability of knowing the future.

3/5

This was a difficult one to complete and rate, simply because to me the conclusion felt like Chiang's message of support for atheism. Obviously this then becomes a deeply personal read that will likely be a different experience from reader to reader.

The plot is rather straightforward as archeologist Dorothea Morrell shares her experiences at the end of each day in prayer/ conversation with God. On an Earth with Chicagou among other places creationism is scientifically proven through the growth rings in trees and lack of navels in the mummified preservations of primordial humans. However when a profound paper is published in astrology, a field long thought to be completely exhausted, Dorothea among other devout religious individuals are left to question their creator's grand design, and whether they are even a central part of it.

In an almost inversion of Hell is the Absence of God, Chiang effectively justifies an atheist worldview by discarding a universal creator and instead stating that volition (free will) is evidence of our own individual divinity, free from a plan. This was my reading of the story, though I would be curious to hear others as articles online range from agreeance to seeing that Chiang is more widely criticising anyone who believes in there being no free will. Despite all this, I appreciate Chiang's efforts to push different ways of thinking forward in his texts that could be seen to contradict one another but from a wider view just ensure that he has a story for every person out there. The question is, is this one right for you?

WHY: Whilst I had always heard about Kobe Bryant in the periphery of pop culture, I resolved to better understand what “The Mamba Mentality” was after his tragic passing last year. Basketball as a sport is something I'm slowly gaining more interest in, and I've also been reading various sport biographies/ autobiographies for personal interest.
CONTENT: Unlike other non-fiction books, there were countless short (1-page) chapters preceded by an image from Kobe's playing career, sometimes with handwritten notes on the photograph. Whilst I initially found these bite-sized gems of raw information refreshing, it became monotonous after a while, especially with the lack of timeline structure. Interestingly, there were a lot of features on specific coaches, teammates and opposition players.
WRITING: A great foreword, and then Bryant has a very clear, easy-to-understand voice throughout the text.
WHO: I would have given this a 4/5 if I was a basketball player/ fan, especially during the second section “Craft”. Honestly, I got a lot of surface-level knowledge on the sport of basketball and its characters during Kobe's era, but some of the terminology flew past me, and I felt as if I had to create my own understanding of “The Mamba Mentality” from the disparate headings.

Ted Chiang's best short story yet. A powerful cross-cultural examination of many facets of the human condition. The Truth of Fact, The Truth of Feeling is actually made up of two concurrent stories. The first occurs in the near-future where a journalist is questioning the effects of an additional technology to the “lifelogs” that most people wear - instead of just recording moments from your life, Remem allows individuals to search and automatically locate specific moments from their lengthy video volumes. At first discussing its effects on wider society, his usage of Remem causes the article to be entangled with his personal life, especially his relationship with his daughter. In an almost opposite manner, Jijingi is a young Tiv man with close personal ties who begins learning how to write when European missionaries arrive in his village. As he grows he comes to understand the differences between written details and oral tales, and which is better for his people.

Chiang explores a vast range of themes, smartly using them to unify the two disparate tales as he alternates perspective. The clearest idea being explored is the truth of our memories; as humans we attempt to chop, change and highlight a certain range of moments from our past, sometimes without realising it. Whether they are truthful or not, we are drawn to the notion of storytelling and therefore our personal history tends to fit a narrative structure, making me realise how incredibly vain we can be (even with good intentions). Extrapolating from this, Chiang explores what makes a good story - is it the consistency of the words, intonation of a speaker or a combination of both? And perhaps most importantly, what happens when we sacrifice or prioritise the truth?

The use of different time periods and settings accentuates the fact that these are universal aspects of the human condition. Chiang describes common childhood situation, relationship disputes (especially between married couples, and parents and children), corporations and religious institutions, all the while respecting the African culture depicted. These do not just act as examples for the psychological discussion he puts forward on searchable lifelogging, but are actively explored through the believable characters he has written.

Overall, it is hard to pick between this and Liking What You See: A Documentary as my favourites from Chiang's works. Both explore a collective social issue due highlighted through a new technology in smart and nuanced ways, and with great writing of perspectives to boot. However, I still have three stories left in the Exhalation collection, so this brace may be added to!

2.5/5

A story about the Arecibo message and non-human intelligence from the perspective of parrots. These intelligent beings quite rightfully highlight that they not only have their own communication methods but are capable of more abstract thinking, and cannot fathom why humans are so obsessed with the great “graveyard” of extraterrestrial life when such extraordinary wonders exist naturally on Earth. For me the main takeaway was to appreciate and further study the flora and fauna that is soon to go extinct here and now, rather than observing another time or place.

4.5/5

A fantastic exploration of a world in which we could view and interact with alternate versions of ourselves who made different choices at key moments in our lives. Well, that's a bit of a simplification of a story that is rooted in complicated quantum mechanics and computer “pads” with limited lifetimes - but it makes for a fascinating read nonetheless.

We follow Nat, one half of a “data broker” duo with her partner Morris, and an experienced young therapist Dana. Both characters have issues in the past that they are yet to properly confront, but their existing lifestyles propagate them through each day without much challenge. This changes when the more financially opportunistic (see: shady) Morris tries to raise money for their suffering branch, concocting a scheme that involves two halves of a celebrity couple grieving after a car crash kills their partner.

Whilst the plot may sound simple, there is a lot of great world-building done between each story point, including realistic scientific experiments and a look at how this invention affects wider society. The Prism is one of those inventions that just upon hearing of it one can imagine how radically it can change our entire world, and further how unhinged it would be to have constant access to what are effectively our alternate lives. The group therapy mechanism and mental health discussion was the right avenue to approach this idea, yet Chiang does not forget about the real-world traumas that push people to these places such as drugs and violence.

The conclusion of the story is highly satisfactory, uplifting and realistic. Chiang postulates that our character is not made of moments in isolation, but rather the continual choices we make each day that push us in one direction or another. It not only perfectly cleared my conscience of the slight distress this story was causing, but tied up all the plot points from the story itself.

2/5

A short-lived but interesting tale. Reginald Dacey is a mathematician committed to developing his entrepreneurial “teaching robots”, which he then transforms into nannies upon becoming a single father. Despite making sales using negative marketing against human nannies, an accidental death causes the invention to be forgotten. We then follow his son Lionel Dacey, who without knowing raises his father's illegitimate child using the robotic nanny technology in an attempt to show the worth of the creation, and the psychological institute that becomes involved in the child-raising process.

Whilst the sweet ending means to highlight the positive and necessary presence of a human parent, the lack of compassionate characterisation within the Dacey family reduces the overall story impact.