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billyjepma's reviews
623 reviews
Golden Son by Pierce Brown
I haven't been this consumed by a book series in years. And it's a weird feeling, both because it's not one I often have, since I tend to favor standalone books over ongoing series, and because I know these particular books aren't of the highest quality, technically speaking. They amount to a unique brand of masculine wish fulfillment, I think, albeit one with firmer politics and empathy than you'd expect from something with that label. Darrow is such an insert character for Brown and his readers, and his tortured nobility amidst a society in need of leveling is the kind of heroic male archetype that will never go out of style despite its limitations. And as rousingly propulsive as Brown's writing is, he continues to be held back by the shallow focus of the masculine ideal he's crafted. The women in this book are richer and sharper than the first, but most of their intrigue comes from how they affect Darrow, another sign of how limited Brown's storytelling can be.
And yet, I love it all to death. Brown's storytelling might be limited, but it reaches the highest peak of that self-imposed ceiling. If this is wish fulfillment, then it's a wish that is not unworthy of fulfillment. Darrow might be a masculine ideal, but he might be an ideal that's actually worth a damn. To Brown's credit, he often practices self-awareness with Darrow's characterization, too, never letting himself or the reader forget that Darrow is condemning himself by engaging in the same deceptions and brutality he's fighting against. That messy, murky morality is the lifeblood of these books—that, and the ever-so-impressive spectacle of its action and the kinetic pace of its plotting, of course. Whenever I felt like the story was growing too fond of itself, there would be a new twist of the knife or complication of an idea to mix things up and muddy the waters even further. I love how cynical it is and how dour its beliefs of humanity are, even as it dares to ponder the beautiful and terrible potential of a better future. It might fall into the dystopia genre, but it has more edges and a far less heroic slant than many of its peers, at least the ones I'm familiar with, and it's all the better for it.
At their core, these books—and this sequel especially—excel at occupying a unique and special place between the pulpy thrills of an 80s action movie and the hard, angry edges of modern political unrest. It's a delicate balance that doesn't always work perfectly, but it's scratching an itch I didn't know I had and definitely didn't know I wanted this bad. It's the perfect story for me to finally read, hot off another horrendous presidential race, full of exhaustion at the prospect of the next four years, and stuck with an aimless, shapeless sort of anger I don't know what to do with. As an outlet for all of those feelings, this series is a bloodydamn miracle.
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
And yet, I love it all to death. Brown's storytelling might be limited, but it reaches the highest peak of that self-imposed ceiling. If this is wish fulfillment, then it's a wish that is not unworthy of fulfillment. Darrow might be a masculine ideal, but he might be an ideal that's actually worth a damn. To Brown's credit, he often practices self-awareness with Darrow's characterization, too, never letting himself or the reader forget that Darrow is condemning himself by engaging in the same deceptions and brutality he's fighting against. That messy, murky morality is the lifeblood of these books—that, and the ever-so-impressive spectacle of its action and the kinetic pace of its plotting, of course. Whenever I felt like the story was growing too fond of itself, there would be a new twist of the knife or complication of an idea to mix things up and muddy the waters even further. I love how cynical it is and how dour its beliefs of humanity are, even as it dares to ponder the beautiful and terrible potential of a better future. It might fall into the dystopia genre, but it has more edges and a far less heroic slant than many of its peers, at least the ones I'm familiar with, and it's all the better for it.
At their core, these books—and this sequel especially—excel at occupying a unique and special place between the pulpy thrills of an 80s action movie and the hard, angry edges of modern political unrest. It's a delicate balance that doesn't always work perfectly, but it's scratching an itch I didn't know I had and definitely didn't know I wanted this bad. It's the perfect story for me to finally read, hot off another horrendous presidential race, full of exhaustion at the prospect of the next four years, and stuck with an aimless, shapeless sort of anger I don't know what to do with. As an outlet for all of those feelings, this series is a bloodydamn miracle.
“That’s what Society does—spread the blame so there is no villain, so it’s futile to even begin to find a villain, to find justice. It’s just machinery. Processes. And it rumbles on, inexorable till a whole generation rises that will throw themselves on the gears.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, War, and Classism
Moderate: Slavery, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There’s a tired trope in the first 50 pages I have so little patience for that I almost called it quits entirely. But I’m really glad I didn’t because the book that followed was a wild hoot and a holler. It’s far from an original story, as even its iterations are more slight than not. It’s essentially a mix of genre staples (The Hunger Games is the easy comparison, but Ender’s Game feels more accurate) that never stray too far from the beats you expect.
Where Brown carves his own path is in the momentum he gives those familiar trappings. This is an angry book, written in shades of sharpness and rage that teeters on becoming overwrought yet never crosses that line. All its themes and tempos might be models of things that came before, but its spirit has more edges, more knotty bits of complicated morality, and ugly humanity that kept me ravenously turning the pages. I tore through this in essentially 36 hours, which is partially due to the start of my holiday vacation—I haven’t moved off this couch in hours—but also on account of how quick and relentless a pace Brown writes with. I try to avoid getting enabled with longer series—and this one having an entire second trilogy after the first doesn’t bode terribly well for me—but I’m absolutely tearing into the next book tomorrow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, and Slavery
Minor: Excrement and Cannibalism
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
This wasn’t quite what I expected/hoped, but May’s thoughtful, often lovely writing and empathetic voice were still something I have very much enjoyed over the last month. It’s more of a diary (a travelogue of the self, maybe) than something with a thesis or specific arc, though. As specific as the book’s insights are to May’s life and circumstances, she does an admirable job of extracting and spotlighting meaningful takeaways a broader audience (i.e., me) could find comfort or connection in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Medical trauma
Moderate: Mental illness
X-Men: Hellfire Gala - Immortal by Kris Anka, Gerry Duggan, Steve Foxe, CF Villa, Zeb Wells, Russell Dauterman, Matteo Lolli, Tini Howard
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
The Hellfire Gala itself was solid, and had enough of the superhero-politicking I love this era of the series for to feel interesting and meaningful. But the tie-ins in the back half ranged from forgettable to tiresome, and I almost bailed on them entirely because I had so little connection to or interest in anything going on.
Tales of Light and Life by Tessa Gratton, Justina Ireland, Charles Soule, Lydia Kang, Cavan Scott, Claudia Gray, Zoraida Córdova, George Mann, Daniel José Older
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A real solid little collection of short stories to bridge the gap between Phases 2 and 3 of The High Republic. I question the decision to relegate some of these stories a to “missable” anthology—the one about Bell and Burryaga comes to mind immediately—but the quality is here for the majority of the pages. Some of the stories are slight, as can be expected, but the ones that hit are great. Special shoutouts to Gratton, Soules, and Kang’s stories, which were my easy favorites.
Overall, this was a welcome way to get me back on the series’ wavelength and eager to get back to the characters I’m invested in, especially after being mixed on a lot of the choices made for Phase 2.
Overall, this was a welcome way to get me back on the series’ wavelength and eager to get back to the characters I’m invested in, especially after being mixed on a lot of the choices made for Phase 2.
Star Wars: the High Republic - Shadows of Starlight by Marika Cresta, Charles Soule, Jethro Morales, David Messina, Ibraim Roberson
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
emotional
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
It feels trite to call this book a warm cup of tea, considering tea is an essential part of the story, but that’s just what it is—warm, comfortable, and lingering, like the way your skin holds the sun. As a story, it’s maybe a little slighter than I expected, but as a travelogue through another type of world and a fable on what it means to just exist, it’s pretty damn lovely.
I technically read this in two sittings, but only because I didn’t want it to end. But I’m glad I saved the last 40ish pages for tonight because they gave me the flicker of peace I needed and something that might’ve resembled hope that a better future can be possible. I’ll definitely be reading the follow-up novella before the year is over.
The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I've never actually picked up an Arthur Conan Doyle story before, but this one—with its adventure-heavy focus and occasional dinosaur—is so up my alley that it seemed like a great place to start. And it was! As dated as this is (and believe me, it's dated), I'm surprised by how much fun I had with it. I can't say it's a riveting story, as the pace and general plotting prioritize steady build-ups over thrills. But there are the occasional thrills, and the sense of discovery, while muted than our modern expectations would lead us to expect, still carries enough genuine excitement to make the journey worth taking. Professor Challenger is a fantastically hatable character, too, and is so far up his own ass that his unceasing arrogance becomes a farcical delight instead of a total annoyance. He feels like the antithesis of Sherlock Holmes, with his burly physique and fiery temper giving his untapped ego and intellect a wholly different vibe than the one Holmes is famous for. He's definitely a character I loved to hate and hated to love.
The characters are a mixed bag overall, but the core adventurers have enough variety in their quirks that I never disliked anyone (well, not more than intended, anyway). It's too bad the POV character is the weakest link, as his empty personality and iffy-at-best opinion of women tested my patience more than once. There are other areas of friction, though, as the book is a relic of the era and, as can be expected, is littered with unsubtle racism, sexism, and a general air of Western Exceptionalism that's so pervasive it feels almost parodic. I knew to expect all that going in and had my guard up and ready for those less-than-pleasant aspects, which helped me power through to get to the parts I liked. I can't say it's a book I can heartily recommend, but I enjoyed my time with it (although I wish my audiobook had a better narrator) and am glad I took the time to give it a go.
The characters are a mixed bag overall, but the core adventurers have enough variety in their quirks that I never disliked anyone (well, not more than intended, anyway). It's too bad the POV character is the weakest link, as his empty personality and iffy-at-best opinion of women tested my patience more than once. There are other areas of friction, though, as the book is a relic of the era and, as can be expected, is littered with unsubtle racism, sexism, and a general air of Western Exceptionalism that's so pervasive it feels almost parodic. I knew to expect all that going in and had my guard up and ready for those less-than-pleasant aspects, which helped me power through to get to the parts I liked. I can't say it's a book I can heartily recommend, but I enjoyed my time with it (although I wish my audiobook had a better narrator) and am glad I took the time to give it a go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, and Colonisation
Something is Killing the Children Vol. 6 by James Tynion IV
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A very solid series continues to be a very, very solid series. Despite being one of the less "big push" books that Tynion has/is putting out, I think it's becoming his best ongoing work. The plotting is so strong, the worldbuilding is growing at the perfect tempo, and I'm surprisingly into Erica Slaughter as a character despite starting the series ambivalent toward her. This particular arc having a slightly larger ensemble also works for me, especially since it gives an intentionally obtuse character like Erica some other personalities to play off of. I know Tynion likes his large casts, but I think he's at his best when they're on a smaller scale like this. My one gripe is how abruptly each volume ends—the 15-issue story arc structure works narratively, but as a release strategy, it chops up the pacing. I'm not sure what the solution is, but right now, I usually wait over a year for all the issues in an arc to come out before I read any of them.
But hey, I'm not opposed to the series being a yearly treat I can look forward to because it really is a fun, pulpy, exciting book to pick up. Dell'Edera's art is only getting better, too. He's doing some of my favorite layouts in an ongoing series right now, and I love how cinematic he frames each scene. Everything from action to horror to dialogue has a visual tempo that makes the pages fly by. I feel similarly about Muerto's colors, which have received a major boost from the daytime setting of these last several volumes. The darker pages are good, but I love some sunlit horror, and this book has the goods in that category.
But hey, I'm not opposed to the series being a yearly treat I can look forward to because it really is a fun, pulpy, exciting book to pick up. Dell'Edera's art is only getting better, too. He's doing some of my favorite layouts in an ongoing series right now, and I love how cinematic he frames each scene. Everything from action to horror to dialogue has a visual tempo that makes the pages fly by. I feel similarly about Muerto's colors, which have received a major boost from the daytime setting of these last several volumes. The darker pages are good, but I love some sunlit horror, and this book has the goods in that category.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Lesbophobia
Paper Girls: The Complete Story by Matt Wilson, Cliff Chiang, Brian K. Vaughan
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
If you can imagine something that combines the vibes of drinking Mountain Dew at a sleepover with the feeling of starting a new grade at school, you'll have a pretty solid idea of what to expect from Paper Girls.
It's as messy as any time travel story, and like most of them, it doesn't have the most satisfying ending to tie up all the timey-wimey threads that crisscross the millenniums. However, it is a vibrant, wonderfully realized coming-of-age adventure filled with just as much pulpy genre shenanigans as it is heartfelt interpersonal drama around self-actualization and all the anxieties associated with it. Big feelings, sensational colors, rich relationships—yeah, of course I loved it.
I still don't love Vaughan's writing quite as much as I want to, but this might be some of the better plotting I've seen from him. Every issue has a great hook, whether a new twist, bit of characterization, or amazing artwork (Chiang is so good, it's unreal), and the zippy pacing helps each escalation go down smoothly, no matter how ambitious it is. Even Vaughan's penchant for shock-and-awe pays off since the time travel aspects let him loop back around the timeline and give early twists more depth after the fact.
And most importantly, I really love the characters. You can raise an eyebrow at the entire creative team being men—and you'd be valid in doing so—but the characterizations feel rich and lived-in. Their various quirks and bouts of irreverence (which any reader of Vaughan's will recognize) come off as authentic to adolescents dealing with shit they don't understand, and I appreciate how Vaughan doesn't shy away from giving the story a sappy heart of gold underneath its exciting antics. Chiang's expressive art carries it all across the finish line, with colors and reactions that make every page a joy to read. He kills it with the spectacle, but it's his subtler character work that ultimately made me fall in love with the book's punk-rock nostalgia and neon-colored sentimentalities.
It's as messy as any time travel story, and like most of them, it doesn't have the most satisfying ending to tie up all the timey-wimey threads that crisscross the millenniums. However, it is a vibrant, wonderfully realized coming-of-age adventure filled with just as much pulpy genre shenanigans as it is heartfelt interpersonal drama around self-actualization and all the anxieties associated with it. Big feelings, sensational colors, rich relationships—yeah, of course I loved it.
I still don't love Vaughan's writing quite as much as I want to, but this might be some of the better plotting I've seen from him. Every issue has a great hook, whether a new twist, bit of characterization, or amazing artwork (Chiang is so good, it's unreal), and the zippy pacing helps each escalation go down smoothly, no matter how ambitious it is. Even Vaughan's penchant for shock-and-awe pays off since the time travel aspects let him loop back around the timeline and give early twists more depth after the fact.
And most importantly, I really love the characters. You can raise an eyebrow at the entire creative team being men—and you'd be valid in doing so—but the characterizations feel rich and lived-in. Their various quirks and bouts of irreverence (which any reader of Vaughan's will recognize) come off as authentic to adolescents dealing with shit they don't understand, and I appreciate how Vaughan doesn't shy away from giving the story a sappy heart of gold underneath its exciting antics. Chiang's expressive art carries it all across the finish line, with colors and reactions that make every page a joy to read. He kills it with the spectacle, but it's his subtler character work that ultimately made me fall in love with the book's punk-rock nostalgia and neon-colored sentimentalities.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Rape