The Angel Of The Grave

The Angel of the Grave by Richard Writhen. Originally published by Goodz Doll$, April 2019. Approx. 171 pages.

Back in December 2017, we were treated to an excerpt from author/awesome friend Richard Writhen's then-upcoming novella, The Angel of the Grave. You can visit that post here. Well, I am happy to announce that the novella has been released (it came out in April). TAOTG serves as a prequel of sorts, a "Book Zero" of his evocative Celestial Ways Saga, of which I've read and reviewed the exceptional The Hiss of the Blade.

Just a quick recap: Writhen's Celestial Ways Saga transpires on the fictional world of Cedron; a world which has benefited immensely from the years Writhen has spent developing and polishing it. Also, Writhen has coined the term "gothdark" to describe his genre, or niche, of writing. Gothdark, as the name implies, is an amalgamation of gothic and grimdark; and it is a fitting name, as these elements are nicely delivered in voice, tone, and subject matter.

Let's take a look at the synopsis first; which is less of a synopsis, and more of a listing of the storylines which will intertwine, overlap, and converge over the body of the work:

"BECOME THE FIRE. An intelligent little girl encounters a talented witch at the local fair and finds out that it's all in the family. Interconnected by dreams, two young orphans embark on the long path to find a bloody revenge. A wealthy lady travels hundreds of miles to become a baroness, but when she consults a diviner, she finds out that she may be in way over her head."

As you can see, instead of stating a thesis, it is more a summary of what shall befall the dramatis personae. Let's take a look at the book itself.

In The Hiss of the Blade, we were treated to a lot of politicking and power plays. There was lovely, visceral violence to be had, as well as hints at magic and sects.

The focus of TAOTG (which, as mentioned, transpires long befor Hiss) is on magic, witchcraft, and divination. In the book, we are introduced to four core characters, within three character arcs. We witness them grow; no, perhaps the best word is 'evolve'. Writhen does a masterful job in not only developing these women as characters, but charting the growth and potency (and ramifications of) their particular powers.

The first story arc focuses on Hilde Sontire. Hilde is a sharp young girl who takes on work, along with her sister and sister's boyfriend, at a traveling carnival caravan. There, she comes across an enigmatic witch (introduced in one of the best transformation scenes I've read). This witch's skill set runs a bit on the, um, sanguine side; and Hilde learns that a talent for it is literally in her blood.

The second story arc introduces us to Sadine and Rebecca, two young girls living in abject poverty. Rebecca is an orphan, taken in by Sadine and her mother. The mother has to do whatever she can to feed herself and the children, including prostitution. One day, her life is snuffed out at the hands of a john. Homeless and alone, the girls travel to the city, becoming Dickensian street urchin cutpurses. Along the way, their inherent talents are noticed by a local magician, who teaches them the art of manipulating fire. However, despite the struggle to survive, despite the learning of the arts, their focus remains on finding the man who murdered their mother, and unleashing retribution upon him.

This segment was especially strong; giving us a nice view of everyday life in one of Cedron's large cities. There is also a fantastic sub-plot involving a brutal cult, which I truly wish got a few more pages dedicated to it.

The third story arc tells the tale of Marissa Wallins, a young, naive woman who travels a great distance to become the wife of a local, powerful baron. As the years start to pass by, and the romantic luster erodes; Marissa becomes aware of a new power manifesting itself within her. While exploring a cavernous storeroom in their mansion, she comes upon a book on the arts of ice magic, and her life is forever changed. She has been chosen, and she will realize her destiny.

There was a lot of character development and evolution in this arc. Perhaps the best way I can describe it is that Writhen does a great job detailing how the 'old' Marissa is deconstructed as the 'new' Marissa blooms. She is a fantastic, compelling character, ultimately serving as the linchpin of the book.

So, those are the basic arcs. I won't go into too much more detail, as it's a short novel and I want to avoid spoilers. 

As for writing style, I will be repeating some of the same points I mentioned in the review for The Hiss of the Blade. Writhen's style is very evocative, and almost poetic. There is a deep, rich voice to the narrative, and it reads as though it is legend being recounted by a sage storyteller. While I enjoyed his prose in Hiss, you can see that his skill has improved over time, become more refined. 

Action scenes are still very solid. Writhen surprises in how well he can realize brutal moments of violence. It is often as ugly and messy as it is in real life. TAOTG also features scenes of violence predicated upon the arts learned by the protagonists. Writhen has given a lot of thought to the logistics of the magics he is introducing, giving them a feel both legitimate and genuine. It's all very organic, never arbitrary.

There you have it: strong, developed characters, a rich setting, and well-thought out magic system. It all combines to a greatly enjoyable read, which I recommend 100%. For sure, check it out.

Get it at Amazon.

86

86 (Volume 1) by Asato Asato. English translation by Roman Lempert. Originally published in the United States by Yen Press, March 2019. Approx. 256 pages.

86 is another of those titles that were on my radar for a while, based on an awesome cover and a decent blurb. What I was hoping for was an entertaining military fiction piece, enhanced by mech action. What I got was a light novel with a lofty premise, the deeper ramifications of which are never truly realized, that in the end remains an entertaining military fiction piece, with solid mech action.

First the blurb, then we dissect:

"A War Without Casualties

The Republic of San Magnolia has long been under attack from the neighboring Giadian Empire's army of unmanned drones known as the Legion. After years of painstaking research, the Republic finally developed autonomous drones of their own, turning the one-sided struggle into a war without casualties-or at least, that's what the government claims.

In truth, there is no such thing as a bloodless war. Beyond the fortified walls protecting the eighty-five Republic territories lies the "nonexistent" Eighty-Sixth Sector. The young men and women of this forsaken land are branded the Eighty-Six and, stripped of their humanity, pilot the "unmanned" weapons into battle..."

Solid premise. In fact, it barely glosses over what Asato Asato posits in the work. In a move which he admits draws from historical actions/positions in WWII, the people of the 86th Sector are interred, robbed of their agency and positions, and relegated to "less-than-human" status. These people represent the ethnic minorities of the Republic of San Magnolia.

However, why exactly this happens is not explored to a satisfactory extent. The story picks up after the invasion of the Giadian Empire, so we are observing the militarily inefficient Republic on the defensive. What we do not have any exposition into is 'why' the Empire invaded, what was their motivation, etc. This becomes problematic in that the internment of the ethnic minorities (Colorata) is predicated upon a flagrantly false accusation of sympathy to same Empire. However, it would've been nice to have a clue as to what these supposed horrid values were. 

It's fairly obvious that the digs are made at America during WWII (the author claims in the afterword that he based the Republic and the Empire on an Axis and an Ally power). The order which inters the Colorata is a none-too-subtle dig at Executive Order 9066 (which is an odious blemish on our history). This is fine and all. In my opinion, though, it does bear mentioning that a lot of the atrocities committed by the Republic are crimes perpetrated by all contributors in the War. But, let's not nit-pick. This is speculative fiction, after all. The real question is; was it entertaining? Gripping? Fun?

For the most part, yes. This is not the deepest book, by far. It doesn't need to be. It's a light novel. How do the various parts stack up?

Characters: 

This should've been a home run. Asato has created a compelling dramatis personae. It isn't too sprawling, since it primarily focuses on a singular group of 86, and their "Handler" on the San Magnolia side, Lena. (quick mention: the Handler and the soldiers share a connection via Sensory Resonance, which allows for communication, etc. However, since it links the subconscious of all participants, it also leaves the window open for some compelling emotional side effects)

We are first introduced to the cast via fold-out illustrations in the beginning of the book. They are an interesting group, beautifully realized by the fantastic illustrator Shirabii. 

Yet, in the book itself, they are terribly underutilized. A few of them get shining moments, but most are relegated to a singular mood, or viewpoint, and are, as such, consigned to it. Excellent conception, mediocre execution.

The main focus throughout remains on our core protagonists; Shin, aka Undertaker, the leader of Spearhead Squadron, and Lena, the earnest, open-minded Handler assigned to them. Lena possesses a dramatically different moral compass than most of the Alba (the pale, silver-haired "master race" of the Republic), and wants to be the best commander she can for her charges. In this position, she finds herself hopelessly sandwiched between an uncaring military and the derision of those under her.

Shin and Lena are both handled well, as is the evolution of their relationship with each other. Although Shin learns to open up a bit over the course of the narrative, he is for the most part, relegated to the role of 'taciturn survivor'. His character arc involves, but isn't really advanced by, a subplot involving his estranged brother. This whole sequence reads more as an add-on to introduce the whole "vestiges" notion (not going to spoil it here), and while it is interesting, it isn't particularly compelling.

Lena, on the other hand, is given the most fulfilling character arc and advancement, as she has to adapt, overcome, and survive, all while swimming upstream.

Worldbuilding:

Herein lies the greatest flaw of 86. I've already mentioned some of the aspects that did not make sense. Again, the hatred of the Colorata makes no sense, as we are shown nothing upon which it is predicated. At one point, everybody lived together happily, and then suddenly, all of the Alba viewed them as sub-human. There are no logical parallels. The ethnic internment in the States, as well as the slaughter of Jews in Germany, were not done arbitrarily. There were intensive propaganda campaigns to paint them as villains and cultivate the distrust, and then hatred, of them. Simply saying a mysterious Empire attacked, and then we said the Colorata was in with them, and so they gotta go, is lazy writing.

Therefore, it makes no sense to sell to your public that the drones are unmanned, even though the 86ers are piloting them. Would the average Alba really care if someone they considered less-than-human was being the bullet sponge that saved their own rear ends? Likely not.

Well, actually, what did the average Alba on the street think about the Colorata and the way they were treated? As the story progresses , we learn about some heroic Alba who tried to protect the perpetrated, but a few snapshots of what average people thought would have been a real boon. Instead of repeating, for the umpteenth millionth time, what was done to the Colorata, why not show how people really felt, and then the reader can truly gauge how messed up things are?

Action:

Action saves the day here. It isn't easy to detail mech action in a book, but Asato does it here. This aspect is boosted a great deal by the excellent contributions of mech illustrator I-IV. The Legion unmanned drones of the Empire are given 'life' via rich, organic designs; sleek and terrifying. The Republic get a cool-looking standard drone; woefully under-armored, and under-powered, yet utterly lethal in the hands of a competent pilot.

Here's what it is:

86, in the end, is very good. Not great, very good. It has compelling characters that should've been paid attention to more, great action, and some lofty aspirations for cultural commentary that fall short of hitting any discernible mark.

After chugging along for the first half or so, it really takes off, heading for a satisfying finish. The ending works perfectly to make this a self-contained story. Of course, they left the door open a bit, and so we have at least two more volumes coming in the near future.

However much it seems I was nit-picking, I still recommend this light novel. Check it out.

Get it:

Amazon

RightStuf

Cover:

As mentioned, the cover is a huge part of what sold me on pre-ordering this way back; it goes without saying that I like it. I really dig Shirabii's style. The interior illustrations are a mixed bag; the fold-out color pic in the beginning is amazing, as are I-IV's mech designs. Then, there are a few character pics by Shirabii throughout. These are nicely done, but there's something light, and, I don't know, unfinished (?) about them. Still good though.