5 Centimeters Per Second: One More Side

5 Centimeters Per Second: One More Side by Makoto Shinkai; adapted by Arata Kanoh. Translated by Kristi Fernandez. Originally published in the United States by Vertical, February 2019. Approx. 240 pages.

Back in 2007, anime wunderkind Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You) released 5 Centimeters Per Second, a short movie (just over an hour long) comprised of 3 segments, which told the story of Akari and Takaki, a pair of outsiders joined by their developing love, and torn apart by distance (their parents keep moving because of their jobs). Coinciding with the theatrical release, a novel was dropped, as well as a manga adaptation. A few years later, a 'side story' novel was released, penned by Japanese novelist Arata Kanoh. These types of side stories are increasing in popularity and frequency, and they basically retell the same story through the eyes of one of the other characters.

Last year, Vertical dropped this fantastic translation (along with a beautiful cover by the incomparable VOFAN). This side story expands a great, great deal on the material in the movie, yielding a much more heartfelt, poignant experience. Let's take a peak at the summary, and then take it bit by bit:

"A contemporary classic, 5 Centimeters per Second won animator Makoto Shinkai international renown as a rare talent. Indeed, he just might be one of the most powerful bards of romantic longing and thwarted love working today in any medium. This official novelization narrates from the other side—for instance, from the point-of-view of the girl rather than the boy in the legendary first segment, “Cherry Blossoms”—to tell a story that is both deeply engaging for first-timers and astonishingly fresh for fans of the film.

The author of fantasy novels based on the Shining videogame series, Arata Kanoh is best known for his imaginative prose adaptations of the masterpieces of Japan’s hottest animator. Most recently, his take on Your Name was the #1 Kindle bestseller at Amazon Japan."

I want to put something out before I compare the three segments in the movie to those in the novel. I know that I am in a distinct minority here, but honestly, I'm not a big fan of Shinkai, based off of the few titles I've seen by him. They boast stunning visuals, smooth directing tricks, and beautiful character design; yet, they seem manufactured...telegraphed. Painfully heavy metaphors. A sense of self-love rather than genuine affection for the medium/story. It's like biting into a Godiva Easter bunny - decadent chocolate, intricate design...yet hollow inside. Now, don't get me wrong. I love sappy romance - missed opportunities, unrequited love; man, I eat that stuff up. However, Shinkai's technique just isn't for me. Again, just my opinion.

Also, it bears noting that I have not read the original novel which, one assumes, follows the POV's shown in the movie. Here's hoping that original novel finds a home in the States as well, one day.

The first segment of 5 CM is "Cherry Blossoms", and this is the story of Akari and Takaki as kids. The movie maps the period between meeting at a Tokyo elementary school, their bonding and burgeoning love for each other, up to their final meeting on that snowy night in Tochigi.

As mentioned, both of them were nomadic children due to their parents transferring often because of their jobs. They are both somewhat quiet, shy, and guarded - a marriage of natural personality and trained response to their ever-changing environments. They share a love of books - especially fantasy titles. They spend every moment together, cultivating a bond that goes deeper than words can describe.

There's something I want to say here which can be applied through every segment of the book - as much as I was not a huge fan of the movie, I absolutely loved this book. Finally, we get an in-depth look into the minds, hearts, and souls of Takaki and Akari - and what a bittersweet trip it is.

The side story aspect of this book allows for this first segment to be told from Akari's point of view - a recollection of sorts, prompted by her rediscovery of the undelivered letter she had written for Takaki, declaring her love for him. We get to see how the quiet, introverted girl is bounced around in her younger days; until a kind heart finally offered her comforting reassurance.

This first segment is hauntingly beautiful; effectively nailing the varied emotions of those tumultuous formative years.

The second segment is "Cosmonaut"; which, in the movie, chronicled the story of Kanae Sumida, an
earnest girl who carried a torch for Takaki from the moment she laid eyes on him after his move to Tanegashima. Therefore, in this novel adaptation, the segment recounts those times from Takaki's POV. This segment was a mixed-bag in the movie; a bit meandering; although the audience comes to sympathize with Kanae's pure emotions.

The novel bolsters this segment immensely as well. While in the movie, we just see Takaki as, well, not aloof, but definitely distant, a trip inside his head is very welcome. The cosmic scenes shown in the movie are explained as a persistent dream; a reminder of a portion of him which has been lost, which he is truly less than whole without. Meticulous care is also given to bringing the picturesque vistas of Tanegashima to vibrant life. Excellently done.

Finally, we come to the climactic segment of the story, "5 Centimeters per Second". This segment was criminally short in the movie adaptation; which makes the novel handling all the more appreciated. Here, we see snippets of Akari's time in college, her ascension working with a franchise bookseller, and, finally, her meeting the man whom she will eventually marry.

On the other hand, Takaki is still spinning his wheels, mired in a life of feeling incomplete. He's a successful programmer, but feels fettered and dissatisfied. He's been in a long-term relationship, but cannot give all of himself, as he still feels incomplete. There is a confluence of emotions as Akari realizes that she has something to return to Takaki; and Takaki, seeing the progress of a shuttle which launched during his time on Tanegashima, has an epiphany. This all leads to that moment.

In the novel, Takaki's emotion tailspin is heartbreaking; as you see how he is not only damaging himself, but also his long-suffering girlfriend. In the movie, you just see a few scenes before it cuts to the poorly-chosen song which frames the end montage.

And, to cap it all off, in the novel, you actually get to read the two infamous letters - the one Takaki wrote which was blown away in the wind at the station, and Akari's, which she discovered in an old sewing kit in her adulthood. You can choose for yourself whether that aspect was better found out, or left unsaid.

So, in summary, 5 Centimeters per Second: One More Side offers a richer, deeper, and, of course, more heart-wrenching of this story than the pretentious movie could ever have aspired to. Even if you have never seen the movie, I recommend this volume purely on its merits as an intriguing, genuine, love story.

Cover:

Renowned Taiwanese artist VOFAN (the Monogatari series light novels) brings his signature style to capture that moment; that precious lost moment in time. That perfect moment in time.

Excellent cover.

Konosuba: An Explosion On This Wonderful World! Volume 1

Konosuba: An Explosion On This Wonderful World! Volume 1 by Natsume Akatsuki (translation by Kevin Steinbach). Originally published by YenOn, December 2019. Approx. 224 pages.

In my opinion, the best medium for the immensely popular Konosuba's brand of comedy is the animated form. This is not a knock on the light novels or the manga; it's just that the show (at least the first season, that is) juggled that perfect, endearing balance of frenetic lunacy.

However, for a property as significant as Konosuba, side stories are a foregone conclusion. And what better place to start than with the most popular character and top waifu, the Arch Wizard Megumin? This brings us to Megumin's Turn!, Volume 1 of the Explosion on this Wonderful World side story light novel series. Wow, don't they love those long titles?

Let's take a look at the summary, and then talk about how they handled the story itself:

"My name is...
One year before a certain useless goddess and NEET extraordinaire hit the scene, Megumin, the "Greatest Genius of the Crimson Magic Clan," is hard at work. Ever since a life-changing encounter in her youth, the young wizard has dedicated her every waking moment to the pursuit of the ultimate offensive magic, Explosion! (Well...every moment not spent hustling food from her self-proclaimed rival.) And while the big sister's away, the little one will play. On a routine trip into the woods, Megumin's little sister, Komekko, finds a strange black kitten. Little does she know that this cat plays a key role in unsealing a Dark God's tomb..." 

Well, that's pretty much the book in a nutshell. I mean, we knew about that much on Megumin's pre-party life, so this novel just runs with that. It is all harmless fun; chronicling day to day life in the Crimson Magic Village. Day in and day out we're treated to Megumin's one-sided 'rivalry' with Yunyun; as well as mishaps in the magic school. Highlights include witnessing the actual event which sparked Megumin's mission to acquire Explosion magic, as well as seeing her adorable, precocious younger sister (Komekko) follow, in a way, in her footsteps.

All in all, this is no work of art or literature, but it's definitely a lot of fun, bolstered by the fan-favorite lead. Some of the scenarios are generic or mundane; and would be hard pressed to elicit a laugh if it weren't for the beloved players involved.

Characters:

Assuming you're reading this, you know well who Megumin is. If, by some reason you don't, Megumin is a egomaniacal teenaged arch wizard who has dedicated her studies to learning a sole spell - Explosion magic. Explosion is extremely damaging; destroying everything in its path - including the intended target and anything around it. It consumes massive amounts of magic points; usually in excess of the caster's amount, leaving them incapacitated after casting. Megumin is cocky, overdramatic, a consummate chunibyo. Her daily life consists of trying to con her friend/rival Yunyun out of food because her and her little sister live a life of unsupervised, abject poverty courtesy of her ne'er do well parents. Yes, a core aspect of our protagonist is her comedic attempts to stave off childhood starvation.

Yunyun, Megumin's long-standing 'rival', who is actually more of a forced entity in the anime series, actually rises to the occasion in going from background character to lead. She brings her big-busted,
ditzy, heart of gold personality to the fore; making a nice contrast to her scheming, conniving friend.

As you can see in the pic above, we get to meet some of the other students in the magic school. Sadly, for the most part (save for one small arc later on), they are relegated to being little more than window dressing.

As mentioned, the scenes with Megumin's sister, Komekko, are well done. It is easy for kids in these stories to teeter into the realm of absolutely annoying; but, being somewhat of a miniature Megumin, Komekko steals the scenes that she is in.


Within the Komekko interludes, there is also a demon named Host, who adds a good deal of levity to the proceedings.

Other characters are simple on deck for plot advancement. But it's ok, since it's Megumin's story anyway.

Writing:
The writing is actually pretty good here. It's not easy to write for situations where the onus is on quick physical responses; shocked faces, exaggerated gestures, etc. However, Akatsuki does a good enough job conveying those scenes as pen on ink.

Again, this is just the long version of historical events we already know about Megumin, combined with some basic situational comedy. It works because it involves Megumin, and becasue of Akatsuki's skilled writing.

Recommended if you're a fan of everyone's favorite Archwizard, and who isn't?

Cover:
Artwork here is provided by Kurone Mishima. The interior is peppered with a fair amount of black and white illustrations, and there are some nice fold-out color pieces at the beginning. What can I say except that the artwork is exceptional? And that cover - simply beautiful. The composition, detail, and color work - all perfect.

See you all next time - in the interim, why not enjoy some explosions?

Magical Girl Raising Project Volume 1

Magical Girl Raising Project Volume 1 by Asari Endou (translated by Alexander Keller-Nelson. Originally published by YenOn, June 2017. Approx 190 pages.

I'll just admit it outright: I unabashedly love Magical Girl animes. About 20 years ago, my main VCD/DVD-R supplier started offering some of the classic Pierrot Magical Girl shows - a bunch of episodes of Creamy Mami, Magical Emi, Pastel Yumi, and Magical Fairy Persia. I just couldn't get enough of them. I've seen a bunch of the shows over the years, and I'd say my top favorites are still Creamy Mami (luckily now streaming on Amazon), Minky Momo, Majokko Megu-chan, and Fancy Lala.

Over the past five decades, magical girl shows have been present. Naturally, every now and then, some titles appear which attempt to subvert the standard tropes. That's fine; the formula is good, and experimentation is good. Especially when it yields admirable results. A few years back, we were treated to the magnificent Madoka Magica (a spin-off is currently airing; haven't had a chance to check it out). Madoka Magica was an amazing show - it retained the purity and hope of classic magical girl shows, yet upped the ante on real danger, drama, and heart-breaking trauma.

However, cruising under the radar was another hard-edged spin on the classical magical girl formula. This one was more of a magical girl plus Battle Royale hybrid. A darker than expected - especially given the character designs - title, this one is known as Magical Girl Raising Project. I loved the 13 episode series - and so I decided to check out the light novels. Turns out, the first one is pretty damn good.

MGRP revolves around a titular mobile phone game - billed as absolutely free- which allows gamers to play as magical girls. Soon, a select few players find themselves receiving an irresistible offer - to become actual magical girls. As magical girls, they'll be expected to do good deeds, and earn the in-game version of currency, candies.

Of course, there's a bump in the road...at a certain point, it turns out the Magic Kingdom has spent too much mana recruiting these magical girls, and so a bit of pruning must be done. An elimination game is set in motion to weed out the least productive magical girls - of course, an in-game elimination results in a real-life one. And so, the game becomes a very real game of survival.

Like every game of survival worth its salt; tenuous alliances are formed, backs are stabbed, etc. And this is where MGRP excels. The character backstories are well done enough; but seem more curated to elicit an optimal emotional response when a magical girl is eliminated. The fight scenes and eliminations, in both the novel and the anime, are excellently done - bloody and brutal.

The characters are brought to vivid life via the ambitious designs of Marui-no. The artist has gone the extra step of creating kawaii 'avatar' style designs, as well as normal ones, used for the interior illustrations.The designs are evocative of the magical girls; effectively capturing the looks and special skills which are granted based upon the player's personality.

Speaking of characters, MGRP also features a devious in-game
mascot akin to that scumbag Kyubei from Madoka Magica (sorry, no better term for that piece of...work). This one's name is Fav; and while he's not as odious as Kyubei, he's still a devious, duplicitous villain.

Comparing the first volume to the anime; I'd have to give the edge to the anime. Unlike other shows, where each novel might correlate to 2-3 episodes, the entirety of the show's run covers the events of the first novel. This allows for a considerably larger margin of character growth; especially for our protagonist, Snow White. It also allows for more dedicated backstory for the other girls, granting a more poignant, visceral gut-punch when they are 'eliminated'.

But don't get me wrong, the writing here is very good. It's a bit simple at times, but the background world is painted effectively enough, and the fight scenes are where the author excels.

And, best of all, even though there was only one season of the anime, there are at least seven more light novels (so far). Keep an eye out for future write-ups on them.

Cover:
Not a bad cover, but not great. It's a beautiful pic of Snow White, and the black background is understandable for the dark tone of the work. However, the color palette used for Snow White is too muted, and ends up getting swallowed by the darkness she finds herself surrounded by. Oh wait, maybe this cover is actually genius....

Warhammer Reviews on Grimdark Magazine

I've been meaning to make this post for a while now, but something always seems to come up. As long time readers have likely noticed, the number of Warhammer 40K reviews on the blog has dropped precipitously. This is due to two factors: first and foremost, I am simply not reading as much Black Library stuff as I used to. Why not? Many reasons - generally waning interest, drop in overall quality, not much interest in the recent lore, not much interest in most of the recent authors, etc., etc.

The second reason you're not seeing as many reviews here is simple: my Warhammer reviews are now being published at Grimdark Magazine! Yes, that Grimdark Magazine! I seriously suggest you check them out, not only for my reviews, but for the multitude of reviews offered by the crack team of reviewers there.

Here's a list of what I've got so far over there:

The Buried Dagger by James Swallow




Honourbound by Rachael Harrison




Konrad Curze The Night Haunter by Guy Haley




The House of Night and Chain by David Annandale




Valdor: Birth of the Imperium by Chris Wraight




So, why not head over, read 'em, rate 'em, and leave some comments?

Re:Zero Volume 1

Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World Volume 1 by Tappei Nagatsuki (translated by ZephyrRz). Originally published by YenOn, July 2016. Approx. 228 pages.

As much as I love my anime and light novels, I have to admit how far behind the curve I am on newer titles...and by newer, I mean pretty much anything after 2000, when I had to curtail my anime viewing to work extra jobs and raise kids. But, I've been trying to catch up; and luckily, I have a good work friend who comes by every week or so to watch 6 or 8 episodes at a go, of one or two titles at a time. We've knocked out some good titles, and have a bunch in the queue. Sadly, with the current Coronavirus panic, our viewing sessions are on a temporary moratorium. Ergo, I'm taking the time to try and catch up on the every increasing TBR of light novels on my shelf (and in Rubbermaid buckets).

Whew, that was long-winded. Point being, Re:Zero is, I know, a title that is already a few years old (according to Wiki, it was Crunchyroll's most viewed title of 2016). My friend and I have it in the queue, but it's taking forever to get to, so I decided to cheat a little and grab the first volume of the light novel off the shelf.

I'm pretty sure most of you who might be reading my light novel reviews are already familiar with Re:Zero from either the anime or the manga; but still, I will be trying to avoid spoilers as much as possible. Therefore, it might be a bit of a short review, but, I really liked it so I figured I'd put in my two cents.

So, before my quickie review, here's the blurb from the back, which gets as spoiler-y as I'm gonna go with this review:

Subaru Natsuki was just trying to get to the convenience store but wound up summoned to another world. He encounters the usual things--life-threatening situations, silver haired beauties, cat fairies--you know, normal stuff. All that would be bad enough, but he's also gained the most inconvenient magical ability of all--time travel, but he's got to die to use it. How do you repay someone who saved your life when all you can do is die?

Well, that was a bit simplistic, but I suppose you could argue that the story (so far) is pretty simplistic. Re:Zero, at least Volume 1, is another drop in the ocean of isekai stories. However, what distinguishes it is a higher caliber of writing. The prose is engaging and brisk; therefore a lot of credit has to go to the translator. There is a distinct comedic touch to Re:Zero, though it is not the primary focus, a la Konosuba. Also, there is a real grandeur to the action scenes; especially the climactic ones.

As mentioned in the blurb, the basic idea is that a young man, one Subaru Natsuki, magically transports into a prototypical fantasy setting while headinf home form the convenience store. After an unfortunate encounter upon 'landing', he becomes embroiled in the theft of a precious item from a beautiful, mysterious silver-haired girl. Luck is not upon his side as he seeks to return this item; and he finds out that his only superpower is.....tenacity? Resilience?

Subaru is a fun enough protagonist; especially falling under the umbrella of 'snarky, not quite-hikkimori, yet not quite-delinquent, snarky yet not-obnoxious, tracksuit-wearing teen' (hi, Kazuma!). He has enough experience with these types of worlds via video games, manga, and anime; and therefore can grasp the basic gist of what's going on, however, being broke is a severe impediment.

The 'mystery girl' is an interesting enigma - cold and standoffish, brutally honest, yet with some undefinable charm.

The supporting characters are instantly identifiable from similar titles, but still fun enough, due to the better-than-average writing.

Back to the writing, Nagatsuki puts a lot of focus on descriptions; from ever aspect of Subaru's thought process to every facet of his overly-dramatic physical responses.

I'm guessing that a huge reason this review is going to be short is because the entirety of the novel revolves around a) Subaru wrapping his head around what is going on, and b) trying to get the girl's item back. That's really it. Like I said, I haven't watched the anime, so I'm wagering that this entire novel likely fit into one, two episodes tops.

So there you have it. I'll definitely be going back for Volume 2; however, Amazon is not delivering anything until late April, so we'll have to wait and see.

Cover:
Shinichirou Otsuka's cover and interior illustrations are beautiful, evocative, cute, and well-constructed, effectively bringing Nagatsuki's vision to life.

SCP Foundation: Iris Through The Looking Glass

SCP Foundation: Iris Through the Looking Glass by Akira. Originally published in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, January 2020. Approx. 330 pages.

When I had first seen this title pop up for pre-order a few months ago, I was filled with a slight glimmer of hope. As we all know, I am a huge fan of light novels. Also, I find the whole SCP genre fascinating. I won't claim even the slightest pedigree of knowledge on the subject; however, my kids were pretty heavy into it, and I watched a few videos with them. I think it's great; very imaginative and more in-depth than the hackneyed ghost stories and urban legends I grew up on. Given that, I couldn't pass up on a title that combined these two genres.

My hopes were up.

Reminds me of my favorite Warhammer quote: "Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment."

Novel 1 in the SCP Foundation light novel series is a mess; actually, it is an amalgamation of messes. It's going to take a bit to pinpoint everything that went wrong with the novel. We'll start with the blurb, and then break it down in the review itself:

"An ordinary boy encounters the paranormal when a photo of the same girl starts inexplicably showing up in every book he opens. One day, the girl reaches out and pulls him into the photo to her location: a cell in a top-secret facility belonging to the SCP Foundation, an organization dedicated to the research and containment of people, objects and phenomena that defy reality! Even worse: they’ve deemed him a threat to be contained, and he’s going to have to work with them if he ever wants to see the outside world again!"

Okay, let me preface this takedown with a reminder that I am in no way an authority on SCP lore. Therefore, I cannot attest to the amount of liberties taken with any SCP objects present in the narrative.

This novel is told in the first person perspective of the nameless (actually, name redacted) protagonist (designation SCP-105-C), who, as the summary tells us, is pulled through a photo into an SCP Foundation location. Prior to this, he'd seen an identical picture in every book he opened: that of a beautiful young blonde girl cradling a vintage Polaroid camera. This turns out to be Iris Thompson (SCP-105) and her camera (SCP-105-B). The boy has no idea what his connection to this mysterious girl is; and his life is turned upside-down as he attempts to unravel this mystery; all while contending with running across other SCP objects at the facility, and being subjected to 'research' conducted on him by the enigmatic Dr. Bright (don't know what the existing lore on him/her/they was, but I wonder if it involved him being a hard-core otaku with a fidget spinner).

With a basic premise like that, there is hypothetically a lot of wiggle room to make a fun story. You can try and balance drama, horror, and levity, which would likely be the best recipe for the subject matter.

It's way too bad that the final result is more of a patchwork mess.

What went wrong?

I'm not sure how this novel was conceived, but I'm fairly certain I am correct in guessing that it was written in installments on a message board. While some very successful light novel series have started in this fashion (especially in the isekai genre), such is not the case here. SCP Foundation comes off as lightly warmed-over fan-fiction. I have no issue with the fact that the structure is essentially an anthology of interconnected vignettes; however, each section has multiple breaks, giving off a feel of serialized installments. There is no fluidity.

Next, let's talk about writing style. Sadly, there isn't much of one. There is no attempt made to cultivate or evoke mood or emotion. Every situation in the book is composed of one small percentage statement and exposition, and the rest is padding and repetition. For, say, every SCP object the protagonist meets, the same formula is used:

1. State what is going on ("The thing before me was half a cat")
2. Repeat the fact in disbelief ("I could not believe that a being that was half a cat was in front of me. But it was there, so it had to be real.")
3. Attribute it to current life status ("I guess such things as half-cats are a way of life in this bizarre facility, where these amazing objects and their myriad powers exist.")

Rinse. Repeat. Recycle.

Next, we move on to characters. Sadly, the characters here are fairly bland cardboard cutouts. Our protagonist is another nondescript, unassuming Japanese high school boy. His kind are legion. He has budding emotions for Iris, which of course aren't developed upon. Iris is a fun, flirty gaijin girl; and of course it is impossible to get a bead on her romantic interest. Dr. Bright is the epitome of the obnoxious comedy relief. There aren't many other cast members. Dr. Selkie and Dr. Goldman appear briefly to redefine cringe. The dramatis personae of SCP objects present get treatment akin to lip

service. Everybody deserved better.

All these things aside; perhaps the biggest complaint with the book is its lack of a core theme. One could safely assume that one of two storylines would be the focus here: either exploring the interconnected relationship between the SCP-105 entities, or using the protagonist's odd circumstance to experience other SCP objects first hand (kind of a play on Alice Through the Looking Glass, which is referenced in the title). Heck, I would even have accepted an honest attempt to do both. However, we get neither; simply more repetition and padding.

Whatever the reasons for their connection, whatever possible utilization of implementation of their joint skill might have occurred, it isn't explored or revealed. The majority of the book chronicles their lives as roommates, without ever really delving into any of the circumstances that brought them together. Was this trip really necessary?

Towards the end, you can also tell that the author (or perhaps authors, who can tell) had no idea how to wrap this tale up. There is an instance; when the protagonist is wondering as to whether he is missed or not back home, which is answered in such a nonsensical way that it is insulting. Then, as if to backpedal over it, the book culminates with an uber-convenient ending; again, straining credibility and plausibility to levels they shouldn't be stretched to.

Was there anything good about this book?

Hmmmm....honestly, not too much. It is still readable; and the translation isn't the worst I've read. There are some noticeable typos, which are always an eyesore (proofread, people). I mean, you keep turning pages, hoping it'll gain traction, hoping that the characters will be given something, some angle, to endear themselves to you. It doesn't really pan out, though. Recommended only if the novelty of having an SCP-themed light novel on your shelf is your cup of tea.

Cover:

The cover, by Sidu, isn't bad. It's fun to revisit it after appearances by Josie and Builder Bear. The interior illustrations aren't too shabby, but have a basic, manga feel to them.

Goblin Slayer Side Story: Year One

Goblin Slayer Side Story: Year One, by Kumo Kagyu. Originally published in the U.S. by Yen Press, October 2018. Approx. pages.

HachiSnax Note: I first started reading the Goblin Slayer light novel series back in 2018, right before the anime was announced. It has been a lingering regret that I have not reviewed the novels themselves in a timely order. RightStuf took forever to get my copy of Vol. 8 to me, around when Vol. 9 was about to drop, so in the interim, I dug up my copy of this, the first volume of the prequel story.

Ideally, I had wanted to do concurrent reviews of the original light novels as I read them, as well as the anime and the manga (although I'm only up to Vol. 4 of the manga, as I'm borrowing them from the library). Each of the various Goblin Slayer incarnations have their own strong points; the light novels have a real nostalgic, homage feel for the pen and paper RPG's of yore. The original mangas, with art by Kousuke Kurose, were amazingly illustrated, and gave a real hard, dark edge to the series. And the anime, directed by Takaharu Ozaki (of Girl's Last Tour), provided the joy of seeing the characters brought to life and given perfect-fit vocal talent. It also re-ordered some of the events of the first two light novels; giving it a better feel. Of course, each medium had its own weakness - the light novels can get very repetitive (like goblin slaying! I guess that's the point), and the writing (or translation) isn't always that great. The anime gets hobbled by some bad CGI scenes (not Berserk
bad, but still bad), and the manga, in its focus on the 'hardness', loses some of the...umm, 'softness', I guess? Not going to lie, the manga was pretty damn strong.

Ok, on to the review... Til next time! ~Hach

What could one expect out of a prequel story centering on everyone's favorite, methodically myopic, goblin-killing adventurer? Goblin Slayer's modus operandi is a formula that has worked for nine novels already. Kumo Kagyu has made some inroads in developing the evolving story around his single-minded warrior - that the uptick in goblin population ties in to re-evolving demonic forces in the world, that actions are being taken to port over the little critters as shock troops of sorts to disrupt local populaces, etc. It's slow going at times, but it's always fun to see the new and inventive ways the pragmatic G.S. comes up with to dispatch these hated vermin. Also, while there is not a lot of evolution regarding the backup cast - the party of adventurers re-uses the same jokes over and over, Cow Girl and Guild Girl are just perennial members of his ever-growing harem, etc. - it stays fun, if not fresh, because we've come to care about the characters.

So, again, what to expect from a backstory? I mean, of course it is fun to see developed, bad-ass characters way back when they were getting started, but what else? Would we see more of the traumatic event (the devastation of the village Goblin Slayer grew up in; the rape and murder of his sister before his eyes) that formed him into the reticent killing machine he is now? Would we see more of the training with the abusive old rhea (the series' version of a halfling) who took him in and trained him?

Actually, while those events are referenced briefly, Goblin Slayer Year One plays out like most of the other novels....same formula, just hit the Rewind button. It's Kumo Kagyu playing it safe, but it's still good stuff.

Year One traces from G.S.'s first registering at the Guild, and follows him on his first few quests. That is, that is the core focus of his aspect of the book. The rest of the book serves as a year one for
our beloved secondary cast as well. It's fun to see those initial awkward reactions to this young, oddball adventures; and, of course, the best parts are watching him learn via trial and error during the quests themselves. Here he learns about the importance of sword lengths, weapons durability, importance of mobility over straight protection in armor, etc. We see his iconic helmet in its original form; with two awkward horns that made it more trouble than it was worth (although it had a cool, Dragon Quest aesthetic).

Another change in this new series is a new artist for cover/interior illustrations. Where the original series was handled masterfully by Noboru Kannatuki, the Year One light novel series enlists the deft hand of Shingo Adachi. Adachi does a fine job, employs a masterful color palette, and offers us poignant younger portrayals of the characters.

 It's really hard to find things to knock in a series that utilizes a formula solidified via a successful track record. If anything, I could say I wanted something more, something daring.

Also, while we expect to see the snippets of the other background characters in their younger forms, a large chunk of this novel is dedicated to what I'll call the 'Rock Eater' segment. While done well; featuring the emotional powerhouse moment of the novel, let's be honest; it was superfluous to the origin of Goblin Slayer himself. Still, it was a strong vignette in its own right.

And there you have it. The writing is engaging as always, if not powerful. Kamo Kagyu has a distinctive style; and if you've liked one of his novels, you can enjoy them all.

You can argue that the Year One series isn't completely necessary, but it's fun nonetheless. Let's see how Volume 2 pans out.


Cover:

Not bad at all; but no offense to the cute-as-a-button Cow Girl, young Goblin Slayer should be at the fore of this volume.

Now, as much as I like this cover, when I pre-ordered it, they were showing this as the potential cover. And, wow, holy cow why didn't they use this cover???

And this was being shown as the cover for Volume 2:

Yeah, that's young Sword Maiden and the party she rolled with when they defeated the Demon Lord (part of this tale appears in the novel as well). Now that's a great cover.

A Fortress In Shadow (Dread Empire)

A Fortress in Shadow (Dread Empire Omnibus 2) by Glen Cook. Omnibus edition published by Night Shade, August 2008. Approx. 368 pages.

Before The Black Company, there was the Dread Empire.

So the blurbs often go; however, there are precious few parallels between Glen Cook's early dark fantasy series and his iconic mercenary series.

Reviewing the Dread Empire series is a bit of a tough job; I actually read the first three installments (bundled together in the A Cruel Wind omni) a few years back, but was never able to pen a proper review. I liked them; quite a bit in fact, but yeah, they're kind of odd. As early works, there're issues with pacing, direction, and cohesion of narrative.

However, before getting into the two installments included here (which, by the way, are actually prequel books to the original three), we should touch base a little with the series so far.

Apologizing in advance; I've forgotten a lot of what's transpired already. A lot. Ugh, sorry. Bear with me.

With the Dread Empire series, Cook did something he really seems to enjoy doing; basing stories off of areas from different historical points, and adding influences such as magic, and/or deities into the mix. From this template, he extrudes a compelling narrative. The titular Dread Empire serves as a stand-in for Eastern Asian expansion, while the Western kingdoms are our Europe proxy. Smack dab in the middle (or thereabouts, remember Cook eschews the inclusion of maps) lays the series' version of the Middle East, Hammad al Nakir (or is that just one of the regions? I can never remember, the name onslaught never ends...).

The first trilogy details geopolitical tumult and power moves in the Western Regions as the Dread Empire amasses power and prepares for conquering moves in the East. At the center of this is a trio of friends; Bragi (a Trolledyngjan, the series' Norse equivalent), Mocker, a scheming thief/trickster, and Haroun bin Yousif, the King Without a Throne, the vagabond king of al Nakir, and victor of the El Murid Wars. This trio are former friends and adventurers, and their paths continually cross, overlap, and intertwine as events unfold.

While that sounds pretty straightforward; as I mentioned, the first book of the series, A Shadow of All Night Falling, seems to have trouble figuring out where it wants to go. A large portion of the narrative focuses on the history and current plight of the wizard Varthlokkur, and that's great. But then, along the way, Bragi gets introduced; and in a fairly minor capacity. This is odd as he is, overall, the central character in the series. Hell, in this book, Mocker gets much more page time than him; and that doesn't really work, as Mocker is an extremely annoying character (at first, he gets better as Cook's writing got better). Haroun features barely at all.

The second book, October's Baby, was mostly battle reports (excellently done). And the third book, All Darkness Met, sees the series really hitting its stride;

with the battles and intrigue intensifying, the stakes continually getting raised, and the espionage/spy angles really being played up.

Short take: once the series really gets rolling, it's amazing. Lovers of The Black Company will of course miss the laconic, sardonic wit of a narrator like Croaker. However, they'll also be amazed by Cook's ability to turn extremely bare bones, sparse descriptions and dialogue into compelling scenes and characters. Huge battles are resolved in mere sentences. Major characters die off-screen. There is very little time spent in their heads, and yet, you still get to

know these characters well. But that's why he's such a great author.

Now, back to these prequel books. These were released around the time the first Black Company book came out. Safe to say, this is when Cook was at the top of his game, and it really shows. The writing here is top-notch Cook, and he has a clear vision for how he wants these books to play out.

The two books contained in this omni are The Fire in His Hands (1985) and With Mercy Toward None (1985), keeping up his tradition of absolutely amazing book titles. As was fairly typical of the mid-80's, these books are fairly short; coming in at about 180 pages each, making this omnibus about the size of a normal, modern book at about 370 pages.

The core thesis of the duology is as a chronicle of the El Murid Wars mentioned earlier in the series; and which forged our core trio of characters into the men they are. The primary focus is on El Murid

himself; born Micah, the son of a salt merchant (whose caravan was slaughtered by bandits), who is charged by the Star Rider (that shadowy, omnipresent interloper seen in the first books) with becoming a true Disciple of the Lord. He gifts Micah with the name El Murid, as well as a magic wrist amulet which can literally call down the power of the Heavens.

El Murid soon finds, however, that entrenched power structures are quite adverse to usurpation. El Murid must secure and grow his base of followers; then raise armies and take lands. The "Lord" has charged him with taking the religion to the lands of the non-believers, but he finds it hard going just unifying the lands of his own people. The majority of the first book deals with these actions/battles.

Also interspersed throughout the first book are the introductory backstories for Bragi (and his brother Haaken), and Haroun (which gives us an invaluable insight into the Royalists, who support the establishment over the upstart El Murid).

The second book focuses on the actual taking of the Word to the lands of the infidels. By this point, El Murid has amassed a massive army, with the Royalists reduced to a few scattered bands. By rules of lineage, Haroun is technically king, but he is stranded, on the run.

On the Western front, we see the moves, maneuvers, and power grabs/consolidations which transpire in the wake of the invading forces. There are countless battles, and positions of power shift at the drop of a hat.

Book 2 also introduces Mocker into the mix; showing him as an invaluable asset as a spy an covert ops specialist.

There isn't much else to say on this prequel duology. As already stated, even within the sparse prose; the myriad landscapes are richly envisioned and detailed. The battles effectively convey their horror, magnitude, and significance. And the characters are rich and real. El Murid, the eye of the storm in corporeal form; is an immensely deep, and tragically flawed character. He is no zealot of iron resolve. He has desires; personal desires, sexual desires, desires for power, for revenge, and even desires to grow his Empire into a verdant utopia, rather than subjugate infidels by the sword.

But life does not bend to accommodate our desires. Few authors hammer that sobering message home better than Cook.

So, are there any problems? With the story we get, not really. It's solid. Cook obviously had a vision, and he served it up. There are some questions, though. The main question is....why? Why do we have/need a prequel duology focusing on the El Murid Wars? The Dread Empire, you know that massive evil institution that serves as the primary antagonist for the series, as well as giving it its name? Yeah, them. They don't figure in these two books....at all. El Murid's jihad does not take his forces to their lands.We don't get snippets of what is transpiring in these lands when the forces of the Disciple hit the Western kingdoms (and, we know well from the first books, they're always watching).

Also, although you may have liked Haroun in the first books, and may have grown to like (tolerate) Mocker, perhaps we didn't need to see so much focus on them, especially Haroun. Compelling as his tale is; if you're reading these books, you likely remember that Haroun's tale came to a close in the third book. Mocker's too.

As you can see, the "why?"'s are no deterrent, and these books are great. You also get the added bonus of a heartfelt introduction by Steven Erikson, telling his history with Glen Cook's books. Jeff Vandermeer penned an intimate intro for the first, Cruel Wind omnibus.

So there you have it. Grab these first two omnibus volumes and enjoy some early Cook. See what a brilliant mind this natural strategist has. I'll be moving on to the final book in the series soon, hopefully.

Cover:

Night Shade has always gotten Raymond Swanland to do some of his best work ever for the Cook releases. This one is no exception. What an eye-catching cover, look at that dynamic posing.