Unwritten: The Wound

The Unwritten, Vol. 7: The Wound Mike Carey and Peter Gross

We start with the Tinker and Pauly-Rabbit hanging out in a wasteland, encountering streams of fictional refugees, streaming from The Wave.

Then we switch to a detective in Australia, who partners up with Danny--the reader from the last issue in Tommy Taylor and the War of Words--to infiltrate the Tommy Taylor cult. Tom and Richie then go hide out and deal with some very real ghosts in Tom’s past.

This is a good “must set up next plot point” volume, but nothing spectacular. EXCEPT that it introduces us to Danny and Didge (the detective), and they are awesome and great additions. (Also, let’s give a shout to Didge, who’s Aboriginal and dyslexic. Turns out dyslexia is a pretty great defense against Pullman’s freaky fiction hand! Also, she’s generally awesome and literally kicks a lot of ass.)

Book Provided by... my local library

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Unwritten: Leviathan

The Unwritten Vol. 4: Leviathan Mike Carey and Peter Gross

Tommy’s been told to go to the source, which is Moby Dick. Yes--they’re off hunting the elusive white whale. Meanwhile, Pullman (and his creepy wooden hand) meet a super-creepy puppet maker. But the real meat of the story is when Tom gets sucked into Moby Dick, which has his dad playing Ahab and Frankenstein’s Monster lurking in the shadows. By the end, Tom has figured out some really big clues to WTF is going on here. And it’s totally awesome (in every sense of the world.)

It ends with some random animals climbing an endless staircase, featuring our favorite surly rabbit from the issue at the end of Inside Man.

I really like the direction this series is going in, and what it says about the importance of story. I'm also impressed how long it took for Carey and Gross to explain this world, and what they were doing. It says a lot about their level of craft that readers have held on for so long without understanding the basic premise of the story. The payoff is definitely worth the wait.

Book Provided by... my local library

Links to Amazon are an affiliate link. You can help support Biblio File by purchasing any item (not just the one linked to!) through these links. Read my full disclosure statement.

Graphic Novel Week: The Unwritten--Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity

Unwritten Vol. 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity Mike Carey and Peter Gross

This is one that’s been on my radar forever. Like since Leila reviewed back in, oh 2012.

I *finally* got around to reading it, and it’s so good! Tom’s father wrote a series of highly popular fantasy novels (think Harry Potter), but made Tommy the lead character (think Christopher Robin.) People have a really hard time realizing that Tom the man and Tommy the fictional character aren’t the same person.

Coupled with this is the fact that when he was younger, his father disappeared without a trace, leaving the series unfinished and his estate was very complicated, making it so Tom can’t get any of the money. Tom makes a living by signing his father’s books and making public appearances-- this doesn’t help people separate the two identities, and it means constant questions about his father’s abandonment.

Only, at this con, a fan points out that Tom Taylor, the real person, doesn’t actually exist--which is how Tom learns that most of his identity is fabricated. Then, as he tries to trace his past he discovers that the line between fiction and reality might be thinner than he ever imagined… maybe there Tom the man and Tommy the character aren’t that different…

This one is obviously a lot of set up for the greater story, which I can’t wait to delve into. I like how the book incorporates a lot of the Tommy Taylor novels, interweaving them with the main story, as well as lots of flashbacks from Tom’s past.

Tom’s father was also very into literary geography-- knowing where people wrote things, the real places that inspired fiction settings, and the trivia behind it all. It’s a slightly annoying party trick of Tom’s-- reciting all of it as he travels, but it’s fun to read and it looks like it’s going to be important to the larger plot, which I find very intriguing.

The next volume is on its way to me-- I can’t wait to read it and see what happens next.

Book Provided by... my local library

Links to Amazon are an affiliate link. You can help support Biblio File by purchasing any item (not just the one linked to!) through these links. Read my full disclosure statement.

One of Our Thursdays is Missing

One of Our Thursdays Is Missing Jasper Fforde

The politics of fiction are never easy, nor are they clean-cut. War is brewing between Racy Novel and Comedy and it may all have to do with geological deposits of Raw Metaphor. There’s only one person who can stop this, but she’s gone missing. Jurisfiction wants the written Thursday (the one who prefers tea to guns) to pretend to be the real Thursday at the peace talks.

But... the Men in Plaid seem to want her dead, the series is suffering from very low read rates, and she’s been assigned a case that should be a no-brainer but is very dodgy indeed. Not to mention--- where exactly is the real Thursday?

More madcap zaniness from the king of intellectual prat-falls. I loved the closer look at fiction and how genres blend into each other. I thought the journey into Fan Fiction was rather hilarious and how can one not love a cameo from Richard Scarry’s Lowly Worm? I also really liked Sprocket, the robotic butler. But, at the same time, I really missed Swindon and the politics of of Goliath and cheese smuggling. There was just a little bit of it, but not enough to leave me satisfied.

I do continue to love this series and have started the torturous wait for more.

Book Provided by... my wallet

Links to Amazon are an affiliate link. You can help support Biblio File by purchasing any item (not just the one linked to!) through these links. Read my full disclosure statement.

Humpty Dumpty, Jr.: Hardboiled Detective

Holy Cow! Did you see this post about Holly Black's hidden library? Don't you want one?!

Also, did you see Sherman Alexie on Colbert last night? (Interview starts at the 2nd black mark in the time bar, around 15:50). Hilarious!

Also, I am like, a month behind on blog reading. I keep trying to catch up and then y'all keep posting and I fall further behind. I feel out of the loop.

Um, and you should know my dog is the bestest dog ever. (Sorry, she's sitting next to me on the couch, looking unbelievably adorable. I needed to share because she's making puppy dog eyes at me, the ones that say "Mommy, stop blogging. Scratch my ears!")

But, blog on I shall.

The Case of the Fiendish Flapjack Flop Nate Evans, Paul Hindman, and Vince Evans

In the first of the Humpty Dumpty Jr. series, our egg is on the case when Patty of Patty Cake bakery goes missing, with quite a struggle. He has unwanted help in the form of a street urchin named Rat. Plus, the notorious villain Johnny Cakes has escaped from jail. He may not get along with the boys in blue downtown, but Humpty is on the Case.

Excellent illustrations that add much to the book (including a random Harry Potter reference.) Overall, this is a book for kids, not for kids and adults. Full of bad puns, references to noir cliches, and nursery rhyme and book characters, this is a fun series that the kids, especially the boys, will enjoy.

The Mystery of Merlin and the Gruesome Ghost Nate Evans, Paul Hindman, and Vince Evans

Rat has to go to school, which isn't something he's ok with. But, when he finds out there's a wizard school that's being haunted, he might be ok with that. Humpty is posing as the janitor while Merlin keeps denying the ghosts exsistence. Lots of references with King Arthur.

If you liked the first, you'll like this. I won't say they're high literature or going to win any awards but they're super fun. I probably wouldn't recommend it to adult fans of kidlit BUT if you have a 3rd-4th grade boy looking for some fun books, here's your series. I know several kids at the library who will like this. (I'm thinking the same kids who like Wiley and Grampa's Creature Features will eat this up.)

Full Disclosure: both titles provided by publisher

In Case My Recommendations Aren't Enough

Now Reading: Madame Chiang Kai-shek: China's Eternal First Lady
Just Finished: Clay, Thumb on a Diamond

Well, in case you need some good recommendations on what to read, may I suggest two most excellent books by Nancy Pearl (aka the Librarian Action Figure )?
Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason and More Book Lust are filled with annotated book lists of books to read and enjoy. Most of my favorites were there and some were missing, but the Ms. Pearl, the rockstar librarian, encourages the rest of us write in with our additions. (Also, check out her book wiki.)

So, these books offer lists with such topics as "Africa: Yesterday and Today" and "Quirky Science" she introduces the topic and writes a sentence or two about the books she lists, giving just enough to make you want to read them.

Read these books with paper and pencil, because your "To Read" list will expand exponentially-- I think I added 9 pages to mine with these books! Despite my innate fear of writing in books, I'm taking a pencil to mine, putting little check marks by the books I've read.

I can't wait for the April release of Book Crush: For Kids and Teens-Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Interest.

PS- Can you believe that no one has yet given me a librarian action figure with automatic shushing action?