The Conqueror's Chalice Review

The Conqueror’s Chalice  

Author: Souya Himaware

Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing

American release date: February 29, 2012

Format/Genre/Length: Manga/Yaoi/219 pages

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Older Teen, 16+

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Prince Masoo and his brother Aoto are the eleventh and twelfth children of their father, the king, and as such not likely to advance inside their own country, having too many siblings ahead of them. So Masoo invades the neighboring country of Tou and defeats its ruler. Afterward, all of the defeated king’s wives and children commit suicide rather than live under his rule—all except for one, whom Masoo saves—Prince Kisame. He takes the young boy under his wing, in an uncharacteristic move, and decides to raise him to be the best man he can be. Even if that means that when Kisame grows up, he might kill him and take back his country.

Synopsis:

Even Aoto is surprised at the relationship between Masoo and Kisame, at the way Masoo makes time for him, for he has never known his brother to be interested in, or show any concern for, a child. Masoo insists that Kisame receive the best education, and has Aoto train him in the ways of the sword, claiming he does not wish to be surrounded by fools. When Kisame wakens in the middle of the night from a bad dream, Masoo permits the child to sleep with him, even kicking out a woman he’d been bedding to make room for Kisame. He teaches him that grown men don’t cry, nothing gets solved by crying, so he must find other way to deal with his tears.

From the beginning, Kisame’s devout desire has always been to receive a cup of wine from his lord’s hand. But he has always been too young…

As Kisame matures, he becomes a very attractive young man—and although he is not of age yet, Masoo invites him to his chambers and offers him a chalice of wine. Of course Kisame accepts. Once he is under the alcohol’s influence, Masoo makes his move. He claims Kisame for his bed, telling him that now he is and shall be his toy. Thus their physical relationship begins, despite Kisame’s protestations that he does not wish it to be so. But he is helpless against Masoo’s insistence.

However, there are still forces that are determined to rid the country of its conqueror, and to see the usurped prince back upon the throne. Once that occurs, what will happen between Kisame and Masoo? Will he take revenge on the man who has treated him as a mere toy? Or does the truth lie somewhere else?

Commentary:

This was a really great story of ancient China, I absolutely loved it! Masoo is handsome and arrogant, and he is very self-centered. But there is more to him than that, and he cannot entirely be blamed for the way he is; it’s how he was raised. His relationship with his brother Aoto and with Kisame show that he is also human, a multi-layered character. Kisame does not understand him, and yet he goes to him, because he is forced to. But is that the whole truth? Or does something more lie underneath?

I could have kept reading this story if it had continued. I think  anyone that loves yaoi will enjoy this tale, and find the ending satisfactory. I enjoyed the artwork. Kisame is pretty and Masoo is very handsome. I’d like to see more from this author.

New review for Unexpected Storm: Forbidden 3

I don't usually post reviews on my writing here, but I just got this one for Unexpected Storm: Forbidden 3, and it couldn't have come at a better time, when RL is running rampant, and I'm trying to focus on my writing and keep on truckin'. So thanks to Hearts on Fire Reviews for keeping that fire burning inside, may it never go out.

Hearts on Fire Reviews

The Unwritten Volume 4 Review

 The Unwritten, Volume 4: Leviathan  

Author/Artist: Mike Carey/Peter Gross

Publisher: Vertigo

American release date: October 25, 2011

Format/Genre/Length: Graphic Novel/Fantasy/144 pages

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: Suggested for Mature readers

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Similar series or titles to check out: Sandman, Lucifer, Hellblazer

Tommy and Lizzie and Savoy find themselves on a tour bus labeled White Whale Tours in Pittsfield. Tommy is insistent that they need to be there. Part of the tour includes the house where Herman Melville wrote his magnus opus. Savoy isn’t doing so good—his skin is crawling like he’s got ants, and the light hurts his eyes; he thinks it’s an allergic reaction to the sun, because he’s British.

Synopsis:

According to the map, the Arrowhead Farm is “the source”, whatever that means. But Tommy won’t move on until he finds it. Searching for a place to stay, Tommy chooses The Spouter Inn, as it has the same name as the inn Ishmael stayed at in Chapter Three of Moby Dick. Meanwhile Mr. Pullman is recruiting the services of an old dollmaker, and tempting her to shed her neutrality by offering her the chance to get the Maanim.

Lizzie remembers something Wilson once said to her about symbols, as she and Tommy sit in his room. Lizzie doesn’t want to be alone, so Tommy tells her to read the book to him, but one thing leads to another… Meanwhile, Savoy’s got his own issues, and things are getting strange. Or stranger, depending on one’s perspective.

While Lizzie’s in the shower, Tommy glimpses a great white whale from the window of the inn. He leaves Lizzie a terse note and off he goes after it. Lizzie grabs Savoy and chases after him, but they’re just a little too late, and Tommy finds himself aboard the Pequod, facing its too familiar and obsessive master. The Toymaker is alerted to the presence of the trio in Pittsfield, and Savoy tells Lizzie about the new development in his situation, as well as his theory as to how the heck this happened

At the end of this volume is Stairway to Heaven, in which we meet our friend Pauly again.

 Commentary:

The fourth volume of the Unwritten series takes us deeper and deeper into the belly of the beast—in more ways than one. This one is no less gripping than its predecessors as Tommy and his friends continue their literary journey to find the truth. We run into old friends in the form of Frankenstein’s monster and Mingus, as Tommy works his way through understanding what is going on, especially once he finds himself in the belly of the whale. Can Savoy be what he really thinks he’s becoming? And from a fictional character such as Count Ambrosio? Or is the written word more powerful than anyone suspects?

I can’t say enough about this series. The artwork is fabulous, the writing amazing.  Mike Carey and Peter Gross must be great guys to hang out with; I love how their minds work. Just when you think you have things figured out, something else happens and you realize you don’t know shit. Can’t wait to read volume five.

A Modern Twist on a classic tale: Jekyll - a Review

Jekyll  
Starring: James Nesbitt, Gina Bellman, Denis Lawson
Director/Studio/Author: Matt Kinsey, Douglas McKinnon/BBC Worldwide/Steven Moffat
American release date: September 18, 2007
Format/Genre/Length: DVD/Horror/360 minutes
Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★


Tom Jackman (James Nesbitt) has a bit of a problem. On the surface, he seems to have everything he could possibly want—a beautiful wife, Claire (Gina Bellman) who adores him and a set of twin sons that he loves to death. But Tom’s problem lies beneath the surface. He’s just discovered that someone else is sharing his personal space, and this someone else is more than just a facet of Tom’s personality, he’s an entity all of his own that happens to also inhabit Tom’s body. And he’s a psychopath.


Synopsis:

Tom leaves his family, for their own protection, but doesn’t offer a reason, and takes a sleazy flat where he installs a chair with a wicked containment system, and a psychiatric nurse, Katherine (Michelle Ryan) to help him keep an eye on things. She helps him keep track of the comings and goings of his alter ego, who is basically an overgrown child as well as devilishly charming. He calls himself Mr. Hyde, after the character in the Robert Louis Stevenson story. Tom sets rules for him, and non-obedience has its consequences, primarily being restrained for long periods of time, which Hyde abhors. He communicates with Hyde by means of a Dictaphone which he always carries with him.

A distraught Claire hires a detective, Miranda, to follow Tom, who reports back that he isn’t having an affair, as she feared. But Miranda doesn’t tell Claire all that she’s found out. Claire confronts Tom, demanding to know what’s going on. He traces the photographs back to Miranda and her pregnant partner, Min. He tells her he knows she’s been following him, he’s seen the big black van. While Miranda admits to her surveillance, she tells him he has other problems—she doesn’t own a big black van.

In searching for the truth, Tom begins to wonder if somehow he is related to Stevenson’s original Dr. Jekyll, and that maybe the story wasn’t the piece of fiction everyone believes it to be. All roads lead to Rome, and what he learns threatens the lives of everyone around him, as a hundred year old plot is uncovered. The lines between good and evil become blurred, and it’s hard to tell which side is which, and which side will emerge victorious.


Commentary:

The entirety of Jekyll is six short episodes, which is a travesty. I could have kept watching for a lot longer, I was so intrigued by the characters. But the BBC, in its infinite wisdom, stopped there, for its own reasons. The series was penned by veteran Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat. Quite the pedigree, eh? Interestingly, when David Tennant announced his departure from that long-running series, apparently James Nesbitt was mentioned as a possible replacement, but he declined the role, saying he could not follow in the footsteps of Tennant and Eccleston. But I digress.

This show will pull you in from the beginning, from the first image of the chair in the flat. It’ll keep you guessing and speculating and trying to keep ahead of what’s going on trying to second-guess the truth. But chances are you’ll still be wrong.

James Nesbitt is brilliant as Tom Jackman/Hyde. He plays both roles to perfection, and at times you forget that they aren’t two different men. They look different, sound different, move differently and act differently. Hyde is a hedonist, an amoral child who does what he wants, when he wants, and has no interest in the consequences.  He is also quite charming, and fascinating to watch.

At first, I really didn’t like Tom’s wife Claire, and her poor me I want my husband back brand of sniveling. But as the series progressed, I saw her in a different light, and came to appreciate her as a person. By the end, I saw her as a worthy mate to Tom, and the perfect foil for Mr. Hyde. An interesting side note on the actor who plays Tom’s best friend, Peter Syme – he played a pilot in the Star Wars film, and inspired his nephew to go into acting also, and years later he too played in Star Wars films. The nephew’s name, by the way, was Ewan McGregor.

The acting is superb, the writing quick-witted and fascinating. There is never a dull moment, especially not when Mr. Hyde is around. It’s only six hours long, but it’s a fascinating six hours, and a journey I heartily recommend. In the hierarchy of films that deal with the infamous case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I place this series at the top. If you enjoy this, find the soundtrack to the musical version of Jekyll and Hyde, as sung by Robert Cuccioli. But be warned not to bother with the DVD, for that contains David Hasselhoff in the title role and is to be avoided at all costs because oh my God, he can neither sing nor act. Just saying.

Side note: I find it interesting and sometimes amusing when British actors take on an American accent. I imagine the British feel the same way when Americans attempt theirs.

Ouran High School Host Club Volume 11 Review

Ouran High School is about to hold its first sports festival! Tamaki and Kyoya are on opposing teams, a highly unusual situation. Which one will prevail? And what effect will it have on their friendship. Kyoya is the strategist, while Tamaki operates on sheer emotion. Will Kyoya over think the situation, or has he pegged his friend perfectly? But what other forces are in play that might have a hand in what is happening?

Hikaru and Kaoru are also on opposite teams, which makes them uncomfortable with keeping secrets from one another. But there’s more to their estrangement then that, if only they could put their finger on what that something is. Or is it someone?

By the time the first half of the festival is over, Tamaki’s Red Team has proven itself to be its own worst enemy, and it seems that the White Team will handily take the day. Is there any way to turn things around?

When it comes down to the relay race, Tamaki and Kyoya make a private wager between themselves—if Tamaki wins, he gets a free year-round use of Kyoya’s kotatsu passport, but if Kyoya emerges triumphant, then Tamaki  has to greet customers the following week wearing only a fundoshi.

The Host Club is wearing kilts—all except Tamaki, who’s in his fundoshi and complaining about it (although the customers certainly aren’t). Haruhi buys him a superball to keep him occupied; it works a little too well, leading to the discovery of a mischievous tanuki whose behavior becomes a bit extreme.

The class trip is coming up, and the destination is France. Tamaki doesn’t let on to the others, but he confides in Kyoya that he isn’t going. Meanwhile, the twins are discovering new things about themselves.

In a bonus story, we get a look at Hunny’s brother, Chika as he fights against his attraction to cute cuddly animals.

There’s a lot going on in this volume, and we get some real indepth looks into the characters and their motivations, although Haruhi’s appearances are rather minimal. It’s more about the relationship between Tamaki and Kyoya, and Hikaru and Kaoru.  The sports festival stories are enjoyable and fun. In one episode, Ranka and Misuzu and Mei make a brief appearance.  I wish there’d been a host club in my high school. How much fun would that have been?

Another great volume of Host Club, can’t wait to see more!

Refugees Review

Refugees   

Author: SL Danielson

Publisher: SL Danielson

American release date: November 16, 2011

Format/Genre/Length: Novel/M/M Romance/254 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

David and Robert’s lives have taken a turn for the worse. Each has been dumped by his lover. What they don’t know is that their exes are now together—and their own paths are about to cross. Fate or Karma? You decide.

Synopsis:

David returns one night to the home he shares with Andrew, only to discover his lover and almost fiancé gone, along with his small daughter. Stressed out, David finds life in the ER a bit too much to handle, so his understanding boss and friend finds him a spot as a physical therapist in a quiet office.

Robert loves Phillip with all his heart, but he knows that he’s never had Phillip’s heart, so it’s no surprise when he leaves, although it still hurts. So much so that while trying to take out his aggressions on a punching bag, he hurts his hand, and his sister takes him to get help.

David and Robert meet, although each is unaware of who the other is. At first David is taciturn and not very forthcoming, but Robert works on him until he begins to talk, and then they discover, to their amazement, that they have more in common than they’d realized.

Bound in mutual misery, they become friends, commiserating together over the men who broke their hearts. They’re both lonely and unhappy, and it seems logical that they should live together. There’s an attraction between them, but will they be able to act on it? Or will the spectre of love lost hang between them forever?

When David sees a news story about an assault and realizes it involves his ex, he can’t help but be concerned, and he and Robert fly to lend their support. This is the first time the four men have been together in one room and awkwardness ensues, but also some clearing of the air.

David and Robert take their relationship to the next level, and all should be well. Except it’s not, and ghosts are still getting in the way. Will they ever be free? Is their love real? Or is it just a pale imitation of what came before? Are they both just refugees? Forgotten and unloved?

Commentary:

Refugees is the sequel to Ms. Danielson’s, For the Heart of Phillip, which I reviewed previously. It’s basically a love story about picking up the pieces and moving on, not being afraid of getting hurt again, and taking chances. Both David and Robert feel as if they’ve been thrown away, like refuse, so it’s hard to be able to trust anyone with their hearts again. Ironic that Fate has brought them together, united in their joint misery.

You can read this volume without having read the first one, but I don’t recommend it. The first one explains a lot, and you see how the obsessions begin, whether you understand them or not. Especially the one concerning Phillip, but I ranted enough about that in the first review.

Ms. Danielson’s style is unique in its sparseness. She doesn’t waste words, but gets down to brass tacks quickly. Those people who eschew lengthy descriptions—or almost any descriptions at all—will enjoy this brevity on the author’s part.

She delves down to the heart of the matter, to the feelings of her characters, and draws them out, sometimes almost painfully. Her men are not stereotype beauties often found in m/m novels. They have hairy legs, and sometimes they need to lose weight, and they do have bodily functions.

However, in this novel especially, I find that these men do not stick out in my mind individually, and I often cannot remember one from another. They are almost interchangeable, with nothing giving particular definition or any defining characteristics.

Sometimes there are lapses in continuity or in common sense, things that make me scratch my head and say huh? A real wtf moment, for me, occurs late in the book. Okay, the law of probability is somewhat bent that Robert and David get together, considering that their exes are together, but putting that aside, there is a scene in which Robert and David, while at the mall, run into two other of their exes (one of whom is English and was in England), and these two exes are….. wait for it…. Together? Seriously? This defies odds, for me. Just unbelievable.

Also, her men cry at the drop of a hat. People, not just men, don’t cry as much as these guys, who turn on the waterworks whenever they’re thwarted, crossed, or frustrated. Got on my nerves. Also the interfering father who threatened to cold cock Phillip. For God’s sake, these men are way too old for parental inference, either one. Grow a backbone, boy.

Notwithstanding, her fans will enjoy it. It’s an interesting read, although I have to say that the cover is a little creepy. My daughter, while I was reading it, insisted I turn it over. The men on the cover look like zombie Sims. I think Castaways would be a more fitting title; they look like they’ve been languishing on Gilligan’s Island before the picture was taken.

Ms. Danielson certainly has her fans. I would recommend this as a light read, for anyone who finds flowery words too much to bear, and simply wants to get to it. Bare emotions, albeit sometimes illogical and confusing.

Serial Killer Sunday - Red Dragon Review

My favorite fictional serial killer is Hannibal Lecter. This was  his debut, Thomas Harris' Red Dragon.

Red Dragon  

Author: Thomas Harris

Publisher: Berkley (reprint, originally Dell)

American release date: January 6, 2009

Format/Genre/Length: Novel/Thriller/464 pages

Publisher/Industry Age Rating: NR

Overall Personal Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Similar series or titles to check out: Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, Hannibal Rising

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what FBI agent Jack Crawford wants of Will Graham—especially with the headlines blaring about the two murders; one in Atlanta, the other in Birmingham. More than enough reason for Crawford to come down to Florida, to get the consultant’s take on the killer. The choice of locale is deliberate—when he shows Will the photos of the deceased families, children included, he can’t help but contrast that with his own wife and stepson. How can he refuse to help catch someone who hurts children?

Synopsis:

Will hasn’t been with the FBI since before he met Molly, leaving the Bureau after his unfortunate encounter with a particular serial killer by the name of Hannibal Lecter—an encounter he almost didn’t survive. Nonetheless, and against Molly’s wishes, he agrees to help the FBI find the killer the media has dubbed the Tooth Fairy. First he travels to Atlanta, to the house the Leeds family had lived in. Everything is still in place, waiting for them, as if expecting them home at any moment. Will looks at their life, in situ, trying to piece together what happened to them so he can determine what sort of person did this and create a profile for the FBI to use in order to look for him.

It’s the little things that speak to him, cause him to ask questions. He tries to make sense of the bloodstains, figure out what happened when. Why did the killer move the family around? Was there a purpose to his madness? And by any chance when he did, did he leave a fingerprint behind?

The murders each took place during the full moon, which surely isn’t coincidence, and which means they only have less than a month til the next one. Before the next full moon, they not only have to figure out who this guy is but who his next victims will be, before it’s too late. Will gets more and more engrossed in the chase, while somewhere in the Midwest a man is planning his next move—and his Becoming. Will decides he needs to consult with someone, the only person he knows that can shed some light on this killer—Dr. Hannibal Lecter himself. Will this encounter end better than the last one? And will the good doctor deign to cooperate?

Add to the mix a sleazy tabloid reporter with a penchant for stirring the shit so it hits the fan, and a killer with a deep seated admiration for Dr. Lecter—you’ve got a sure fire recipe for death and mayhem!

Commentary:

In this first volume of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal series, we get a glimpse of his extraordinary character, Dr. Lecter. I think he is undoubtedly one of the greatest characters ever created, with a great deal of depth and far more to him than meets the eye. There are things we won’t even learn about him in this volume; it’s just a teaser for what comes later. This book is Will Graham’s story and how he deals with having met Hannibal in the past and his need to consult him in the present. It’s about his desire to preserve his way of life balanced against the desire to save innocent lives from a deranged madman. Which side will win?

It’s brilliantly written, fast paced and well executed. The character of Francis Dolarhyde is well drawn, and not above eliciting sympathy for what he cannot help. His unraveling is fascinating to behold—and he does not go down alone.

This is a must read introduction to the world of Hannibal Lecter—it sets the stage and sets it well for what comes after. Not to be missed at any price.

The Submission Review

The Submission  

Author: Amy Waldman

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

American release date: August 16, 2011

Format/Genre/Length: Novel/Political/Current Events/320 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

Two years after the devastating events of September 11^th, a nation still grieves. In an attempt to offer some surcease of sorrow to the country, and to those who lost loved ones on that terrible day, a memorial has been proposed, and a blind competition held to pick the best design for the memorial. Now the jury who will make the final recommendation is down to two names, but when they choose, and realize that the winning architect is a Muslim, can they uphold this choice, or will it destroy not only them, but the memorial, and divide a grieving nation?

Synopsis:

Among the members of the jury is Claire Burwell, the sole representative of the families. She lost her husband, her two children their father. It is she who fought for the Garden design, unknowing of its origins, as being most soothing and healing to the families, as well as to the nation. Opposing her is Ariana Montagu, leaving the head of the jury, Paul Rubin, to play peacemaker and voice of reason. The design that Ariana promotes is far more bleaker than the simple, lovely garden. When Claire’s eloquence prevails, the discovery is made that the designer, Mohammad Khan, is a Muslim. Now what are they to do?

Commentary:

The Submission deals with some very important issues, questions that dig deep into the psyche of a nation. Mohammad, or Mo, as he prefers to be known, is an American, with little interest in or ties to his religion. But he resents that he is being pegged because of the fact that he was born a Muslim. When Claire presses him for answers, he refuses to give them on the grounds that the questions should not have been asked, nor would they be asked of anyone else. In that respect, The Submission reminds me of The Contender, in which a woman senator is being investigated because she has been proposed as the next Vice President of the United States. Some very race photos alleging to be of this woman, taken during her college years, have surfaced, causing quite the scandal. But when asked to confirm or deny that these photos are of her, she says she will not answer, on the grounds that were she a man, no one would have even asked the question.

Is the design suspect because proposed by a Muslim? Does that change what the design is, what it says? This was the purpose of the blind competition, was it not? To prevent the personality of the entrant to interfere with the choice of the design, as being two separate entities, and not relevant one to the other. Where does art begin and politics end? Is this a beautiful American garden? Or was it designed with Islam in mind?

The Submission is filled with memorable characters on both sides, not the least of which is Asma, whose husband died also on that terrible day. The difference in her situation and Claire’s is that Asma and her husband are from Bangladesh, and he was an illegal immigrant.

Many profound questions are explored in this tale. It is Amy Waldman’s first novel, and quite the debut. The only criticism I can make, and this is just my own opinion, is that I get no real feeling for the story, by which I mean it’s told in an almost cold, distant manner. Maybe that’s what she intended. Maybe that’s a means of keeping an objective perspective.  I’m not saying she needed to take sides, or anything of that nature. But I would have liked to have seen more warmth in the people as people.

Regardless, it’s well done, and a provocative look at the nature of America and Americans. A real eye-opener. I’d like to see what else Ms. Waldman can do.