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A review by greyscarf
The Crow: Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams by James O'Barr
4.0
3.5 instead of 4. I came across this book as I was searching my library's catalog for stuff by Janny Wurts. This collection contains both stories & art inspired by the character the Crow. While the forward is loaded with plenty of philosophical assertions & mythological discussion, it doesn't really hint at the excellent variety of fiction within. There's some straight-up neo-noir, cyberpunk, historical fiction, fantasy & all manner of genres in-between. All of them are excellent or, at the very least, sound explorations on the themes of vengeance & violence. In fact, there are really only two stories that take place in line with the movie franchise; the rest borrow general elements to craft a unique tale.
Some of the stories that stood-out for me are as listed. Storm Constantine's Paragenesis crossed [b:Imago|60934|Imago (Xenogenesis, #3)|Octavia E. Butler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389478182s/60934.jpg|6589483] & [b:Snow Crash|830|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424472532s/830.jpg|493634] to excellent effect. S.P. Somtow's Red as Jade is a sort-of Chinatown noir by way of Anne Rice, with a spectacular showdown in a Bangkok shopping mall that has to be read to be believed. Caitlin R. Kiernan's King of Birds is a dreamlike elegy to Ireland's numerous troubles, past & present. And finally, Christopher Golden's Lament For the Gunwitch is your typical Western revenge showdown transported into a fully mechanical transhumanist future. In short, many of these stories are genre mash-ups of the best kind: weird, relevant, & full of depth. Even Janny Wurts's Triad is a stylistic exercise that held this reader's rapt attention.
I can't fully give the 4 stars because the portfolio-style of art & text didn't totally work for me. The art is interesting & impressionistic, sure, but there was nothing that really stood out for me or added much to the text. I would probably feel differently if I had read the full-color limited edition, but with this edition I was more captivated by the stories.
Recommended for genre readers who are looking for something bleak but poignant as well as aficionados of the franchise.
Some of the stories that stood-out for me are as listed. Storm Constantine's Paragenesis crossed [b:Imago|60934|Imago (Xenogenesis, #3)|Octavia E. Butler|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389478182s/60934.jpg|6589483] & [b:Snow Crash|830|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1424472532s/830.jpg|493634] to excellent effect. S.P. Somtow's Red as Jade is a sort-of Chinatown noir by way of Anne Rice, with a spectacular showdown in a Bangkok shopping mall that has to be read to be believed. Caitlin R. Kiernan's King of Birds is a dreamlike elegy to Ireland's numerous troubles, past & present. And finally, Christopher Golden's Lament For the Gunwitch is your typical Western revenge showdown transported into a fully mechanical transhumanist future. In short, many of these stories are genre mash-ups of the best kind: weird, relevant, & full of depth. Even Janny Wurts's Triad is a stylistic exercise that held this reader's rapt attention.
I can't fully give the 4 stars because the portfolio-style of art & text didn't totally work for me. The art is interesting & impressionistic, sure, but there was nothing that really stood out for me or added much to the text. I would probably feel differently if I had read the full-color limited edition, but with this edition I was more captivated by the stories.
Recommended for genre readers who are looking for something bleak but poignant as well as aficionados of the franchise.