Review - Jamaica Ginger and Other Concoctions by Nalo Hopkinson

 

I had encountered some of Nalo Hopkinson's stories before starting this collection and admired them. So it's with pleasure I can say this is another varied set with which she shows a talent for making strange and thought-provoking tales with concerns including Western and Caribbean cultures, gender, climate change and adaptation and resilience. And cute swimming pigs!

'Broad Dutty Water' is one of the longest and strongest stories. Jacquee is a young female member of a 'taz', an ocean farming cooperative created after a catastrophic climactic flooding process, the Inundation, that has affected the local Caribbean environment. She has received a new 'wetware' cybernetic implant which allows her to bond with and control machines like her ultralight flying craft. Her unpreparedness with the implant is partly what causes her plane to crash on an isolated island, where she must fend for herself. While there, she discovers miraculous 'blob stuff' in a lagoon which may hold the key to preserving endangered species in the face of climate doom. But it is the engaging language and interaction of Jacquee and the other characters in the story which is the most enjoyable.

In 'Jamaica Ginger, we get a 'teslapunk' tale about another young female protagonist in a setting that resembles early 20th century America with many of its racial attitudes. But the usual steampunk cliches are flipped on their head, as the main characters are now poor, disadvantaged people of colour. Plaquette is at the mercy of a master in his workshop, creating mechanical servants or 'Georges', despite that fact that she is the real talent behind his inventions. It's a well-crafted tale with an ending involving a departure to her own personal freedom.

Things take a darkly humourous tone with 'Inselburg', which is an often funny narration by a future Caribbean native tour guide. During his imaginary island tour ride, he also relates startling details about dire flooding and an environment that is surviving despite ecological poisoning and disaster. There are also some wicked jabs about foreign tourists and a stark lack of compassion by the guide, as he passes on his cheeky, deadpan way. 'Repatriation' is another related story, in which a local Caribbean couple must deal with their own feelings when taking part in a tourist cruise, awkwardly finding that all the serving people on the ship are of their own background. But it ends with another burst of hope for the future against climate change.

It might be just my own preference, but the fantasy tale 'San Humanite' is my favourite. It is really just all about a general feeling and aesthetic, which really worked for me. It has the best weird atmosphere in any story this side of H.P Lovecraft. Also 'Whimper' is another tale with a surreal tone, but this time a nightmare.

I would say the parts of this collection that worked best for me were the author's energetic use of Caribbean vernacular, a grasp that is very convincing, at least to an outsider. There's a wide variety in the stories, from slice-of-life ('Waving at Trains'), to blisteringly fast microfiction, to eerie interactions with mysterious creatures ('Child Moon'). Hopkinson's focus on rising sea levels and their effects on island nations is a worthy one. However, her sometimes angry stories may not be for every one - despite how historically racially justified they may be. 'Clap Back' is a story that will get almost any reader feeling indignant, and is a viciously sly satire focused at the misuse of the identity of people from developing countries in Western marketing and fashion. However, I was left wishing there was a bit more balance in the racial approaches in some of the stories.

The author has a great way of telling tales, regardless, and it's clear she has things that are important to tell.

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

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Review - The Fall Is All There Is by C.M Caplan

 

Review - The Fall Is All There Is (Four of Mercies Book 1) by C.M Caplan

In this book, we follow the story of Petre Mercy, a member of a royal family in a setting that resembles a possible future Earth. Petre is part of a family dynasty that was begun by a cruel father, and he and his siblings must find their separate ways forward after the king's death. The story is told in the first person, from the viewpoint of Prince Petre, an authentically portrayed (high-functioning) autistic character, who has run away from his family background. 

The setting is that of a world recovering from several waves of scientific advances then 'annihilations'. Cyborg animals like horses are organically grown, then mechanically implanted with clockwork-style technology. This hybrid, fantastical technology co-exists with a social structure like that of the feudal houses of Europe. The air surrounding recent battles or places of death is possessed by 'gaunts', ghosts that may infect ordinary people. These atmospheric details are some of my favourite parts of the book (although I was left wishing there were more).

The main character, Petre, struggles with his neuro-divergent condition and his own limitations. He tries to resist 'stimming' in order to blend in with others; he is hyper-sensitive and sounds like fingernails drumming make him experience a 'sensory nightmare'; he hyperfocuses on mundane details like a cut on skin; and he must often retreat from too much stimulus. Petre must take regular, chemical injections to increase his reflexes, strength and capabilities and help with 'fitting in'. He is flagrantly bisexual and finds it hard to control and resist his impulses. 

The plot of the story mainly revolves around Petre's dealings with his siblings. Edgar is shown to be a shady, manipulative, Machiavellian character who tries to lure Petre into his custody. The split between Petre and his brother is a shocking one in the early part of the book. Anoise is the new heir to the throne, the oldest, and is trying to find a way past her own inexperience and cautious nature and to retain her grip on newfound power. Desmon is the diplomat, and ultimately proves himself courageous in a difficult journey with his brother.

We see how the others around Petre deal with him and his condition. Some treat it as something to step around; Edgar falsely offers to embrace Petre's nature; while his mother is cold and critical. He relates how she would 'get scornful and start talking about the autism. The way she wished that she could cure it, the way it was hurting everyone around me'. This was a convincing and sympathetic portrayal of family life for someone with a disorder.

Some parts of the novel did not work for me: I thought a lot of the long, drawn-out dialogues had a sensational tone (although this probably again reflects overly Petre's sensitive nature). The author himself, with the story, shows some of the traits of the main character: indulgently focusing on some things (like descriptions of rats in the dark), and an impulse to keep holding up the awkwardness of prolonged dialogue.

However, these are small things and it's overall a promising book. The last quarter of the book has a gripping journey, a wicked betrayal and begins development of the military conflict. If the next book can carry out the kind of tight story of that quarter, I'll look forward to the next volume.

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐

Review - Tomorrow's Children by Daniel Polansky

 

Review - Tomorrow's Children by Daniel Polansky

I quite enjoyed this book as something different, edgy and fast paced. In a near-future New York, one of its main islands has become separated by an ever-present supernatural fog ('the funk') from the rest of the world. Because of this isolation, over time its own distinct society has developed, structured around gang-like clans held in a balance of power, homebrew religious sects and a need to survive. This strange location is disrupted by the arrival of an outsider, and what follows is a violent, often amusing, rapidly paced romp filled with lots of action and snappy dialogue.

The story begins with the death of a local clan boss and many of his followers, which disrupts the power balance. A hardened veteran, Gillian, is chosen as the Sheriff to investigate the disturbance. We are also introduced to a varied group of characters during the course of her investigations and manipulations. The Kid is a chain-smoking, tough but mysterious hitman and soldier, whose relationship with Gillian is eventually revealed. Swan is a virtually blinded, drunken samurai-type fighter, who despite his weaknesses and world-weariness is nevertheless seemingly invincible. Maryland Slim is an extravagantly portrayed underworld figure, probably the strongest in the novel. He is lecherous, scheming and overweight, but also a telepath who can wage psychic war on others. There are a number of other interesting side characters, including Nelly the cat lady, who can use the viewpoints of cats' eyes for spying, and Dade and Ariadne the tunnel dwellers, whose own society is vividly imagined. And Ael is another swordsman, whose ridiculous obsession with becoming the very best sparks one of the most rollicking sequences in the book.

One of the religious groups, the Honey Swallowers, is framed for wrongdoing and a climactic battle ensues. While this is developing, Gillian and The Kid must deal with the King of TriBeCa, a mysterious leader of mutants who also wields strange powers over the funk. This fading King is trying to acquire a young boy, Newton, who he believes is the heir to his powers. Meanwhile, the outsider, Mr Simpson, who has been pulling strings behind the scenes, tries to kidnap several of the psychically talented people of the island in a violent attack.

The story is strongest when its merely enjoyed as violent, fast paced romp. It is darkly funny at times and many of the goings-on are coldly absurdist in tone, which certain readers will enjoy. The social norms, dialects and odd vocabulary of the island's residents are elaborately imagined. There are many startling incidents you'll encounter while reading (which is definitely a worthy achievement in any current book). The chapters are short and are structured with small sections within them. This is a neat example of "show me, don't tell me" storytelling, and once you can piece together the connections between the sections and the story being told, you can appreciate some clever achievements. 

I didn't really mind the use of emoji symbols in the text. Perhaps it has a deeper meaning, regarding the degeneration of future people's language. But I did ask myself: if there's not much electricity available, how would anyone use emojis to communicate with each other on a powered device?

I could also see some influences or similarities between this book with other works: the kind of amoral "ultraviolence" like in A Clockwork Orange; a weird future with unusual residents like in the Viriconium series; and the future street culture with its mannerisms as Gibson's Sprawl trilogy. And action scenes reminiscent of what you'd see in the Mad Max movies, or any pumped-up Hollywood blockbuster.

There were a few things that didn't quite settle in the mix, however. Like some other readers, I found the beginning difficult to get into, with the many characters we're introduced to and the unfamiliar slang to understand. The dystopian story with its characters inclined to instant violence lacks an emotional heart; it's not a world I could imagine really living in. And some of the female characters weren't rounded or that convincing; I found them a bit too tough and unemotional. But all these flaws can be set aside, as mentioned, if you take the story for what it is: a darkly amusing tale with much action, as long as you don't think about it too deeply.

Thanks to Angry Robot books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

 

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

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