Rant & Rave- Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, Translated by Julia Meitov Hersey

 Hi All!

Here is the much-anticipated, spoiler free, Rant & Rave for Vita Nostra, by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, and translated by Julia Meitov Hersey.  

Vita Nostra centers around Sasha, a seemingly ordinary sixteen-year old Russian girl who is preparing to attend university.  During the summer break before her senior year, she meets a man who makes several strange requests of her.  When she doesn't comply, bad things happen to people she cares about.  As a reward for completing these strange requests, she receives special coins that later serve as the entrance fee to the Institute of Special Technologies, located in the small town of Torpa.  No one has ever heard of the school, and despite Sasha's objections, the man requests that she attend the school.  She does so, in order to protect her family, although they despise the idea.  The book follows Sasha's first two and a half years at the institute, where she quickly learns that the school is anything but normal.  The books can't be read, the lessons are obscure, and nothing can be memorized. She starts to notice changes in herself, and they aren't all for the better.  Vita Nostra is a dark fantasy novel, using psychological suspense and terror to both humanize and dehumanize Sasha in the eyes of the reader.

Let's get to the raving:

My favorite part of the book, by far, was the transcendental encounters Sasha experiences.  They are perfectly described so the reader can understand what's happening, but the experience is not relatable to real life.  Without giving too much away, there are multiple times when these encounters occur in the books, and each one is given a unique description.  

The prominent characters in the book are are well-written, with quirks and peculiarities that make sense for the character and the situation.  A common example is smoking, but pacing, going for walks or jogs, and cleaning are also used. There aren't many parts in the book that elicit a positive response, but hugging to show relief is utilized quite a bit.  I think the authors did an excellent job of pairing each main character's personality with an appropriate response to a situation.  For example, when Sasha gets into trouble with her teachers, the strict, unfeeling one smokes and yells at Sasha, while the calmer, more emotional one paces the room looking for a solution.   

This book felt almost timeless, as though it could exist in any time and place.  There are some things that restrict it to fairly modern times, such as the fact that cell phones exist or the clothing descriptions, but even these only restrict it to sometime in the last thirty years or so.  Much of the activities and classes are not bound by a specific time.  Torpa is still described as an old fashioned town, and the Institute, even more so.  I think this gives the school a certain amount of credence and mystery.  Overall, I think the timelessness adds to the darkness surrounding the book and ushers in the right psychological thriller vibe.

Finally, I think the translation is excellent.  It goes beyond merely words, to maintain the intended atmosphere throughout the book.  You can tell the book takes place in Russia, and see some Russian foods and customs, but nothing feels "out of place" as a reader from the USA.  This is an issue I've had with some other translated novels, where a custom is named but isn't explained, and therefore doesn't make sense to me without doing some outside research. Vita Nostra doesn't make many culture-specific references, but when it does, Julia Meitov Hersey explains or describes instead of merely translating the words.  

And the ranting:

I, personally, did not like the authors' voice in this novel.  This is 100% personal preference, and might have been influenced by the translation as well, but- It felt disjointed at the paragraph and section level.  Sometimes it would jump from one topic to another, seemingly randomly, or move between transcendental scenes and normal life within one sentence.  Occasionally, this was used well, such as to hint at causality, but most of the time it just felt like the reader is jumping around.  At the sentence level, I often found myself having to reread a sentence because my internal voice or tone didn't sync up with what was on the page.

Another problem I had with the book was that most of the time it felt like a "slice of life."  While this is fine in most cases, it's not what I look for in a fantasy book.  The plot was slow going and, at times, boring.  This was likely designed to build suspense, but I found it functioned in quite the opposite manner- it made me want to put the book down and do something else.  The only thing that kept me going was my own sense of curiosity.  

And, perhaps the biggest problem I had with the book, is that it didn't have much of a conclusion.  My curiosity kept me going for 400 pages, only to find out that there was no satisfying ending.  I was looking for answers, and found none.  

So my sum-up of this review is short and sweet: Do I think the book is interesting and am I glad I read it? Yes.  Am I pleased with the culmination of the book? No.  But on a more serious note- the writing of this book reminds me of The Vorrh by Brian Catling.  It is a type of fantasy that focuses more on spiritual and psychological growth than a well-planned plot.  Personally, I prefer an exciting story with a perfect conclusion.  However, I do see the value in books that focus more specifically on character growth, especially in a genre that is dominated by fanciful and ostentatious plots.  

Thanks for reading! Up next is Sweet and Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley, from my witch-themed Owlcrate box.  Let me know what you think of Vita Nostra, or my review, in the comments!

Dana

Rant & Rave- The Prophesy by Phil Asmundson

 Hi Everyone!

I'm here with my spoiler-free Rant & Rave for The Prophesy by Phil Asmundson.  This is the first book in the Tuar Tums Trilogy, and the first book I'm Reviewing for Paper Raven Books!

The Tuar Tums trilogy combines mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. With a basis in southwestern Native American myths, the book follows Alexa and her friends as they attempt to discover what happened to her father.  Jeff, Alexa's father, was a treasure hunter who went missing exploring the desert for treasure twelve years ago.  Early in the book, her father returns, with some notable medical anomalies, prompting Alexa, her best friend Sharon, and her boyfriend Jack, to solve the mystery of where her father has been the last 12 years.

Lets get to the raving:

I think this book had a good balance between time spent on information that is pertinent to the plot, and time spent on parts that are intended for character development or relationship-building.  The book starts out slower, with the reader getting to know Alexa's private life and her unique voice.  This beginning has just enough mystery to keep the reader interested in getting answers.  After this, the book shifts into solving the mystery with a longer plot-heavy section.  Finally, the book jumps into an ending of self discovery and recognition of the antagonists for the trilogy, with an excellent balance between plot-driven and character-driven parts.  Like all stories, the author is tasked with fitting in both plot and character development.  Phil Asmundson does a great job of making sure neither outweighs the other.   Additionally, he ensures that there is more development of both types to be done in the rest of the trilogy.  

Normally, I don't like when a book switches between perspectives with no discernable pattern.  However, The Prophesy utilizes this technique well, ensuring that the reader has just the right amount of information, even when the characters individually don't. That being said, there are parts where it took a few sentences to pick up on which perspective you were reading from, forcing the reader to restart the section after discovering the point of view.  This is particularly common through the last hundred pages or so, when all the characters are in different parts of the desert and scenery differs very little (at least to a northerner like me).

I find that some books in a series end at a point where there is either a concrete conclusion or no conclusion at all.  The Prophesy does an excellent job of concluding in a manner that is both satisfying in a small way, and unsatisfying enough for the reader to want to continue the series.  This is hard to explain without spoilers, but I'm sure other series-readers will understand what I mean by that. 

I love that the book uses real Native American legends as its basis, and the respect it shows for Native American characters, often portraying them as wise and noble! The Tuar Tums are the Hill People in Native American lore, and this book revamps their story, giving it a science fiction twist in addition to its fantastical one. I do wish the original lore was included in the story, perhaps as a poem in the beginning of the book or in parts as a chapter heading. 

This is a short one- the language is easy-to-read and the story doesn't involve too much thinking.  There is very little multilayer plot introduced in this book, although there might be more in the following two novels as it digs deeper into the science fiction side of things.   

Now to the ranting:

By far, the most frustrating thing about this book was how unrealistic the relationships seem.  This may very well be just me and my experiences, but there seems to be a lot of gestures and behaviors that don't seem authentic in The Prophesy.  Some spoiler-free examples include Alexa blowing kisses at everyone and anyone, Jack kissing an old woman he barely knows on the cheek, and Alexa and Jack's entire relationship.  Alexa and Jack get together, after a few brief conversations, with no history, and instantly move into the comfortable stage of a relationship that typically comes much later.  It feels completely rushed and unnatural.  While Alexa's relationship with Sharon is more on point, it still feels abnormal at points throughout the book. 

Another thing I disliked in this book was that there were some grammatical errors.  I understand that things sometimes get missed in the editing stage, and I would only mention this if there were several errors.  The nature of the errors in The Prophesy ranged from missing periods to missing entire words. While I realize that this is a little nitpicky, I felt like some of the errors were significant enough to slow the reader down, and therefore are worthy of mention.

Finally (and again, I'm being nitpicky), the book describes the Richter Scale as ending at ten.  While it's true that the most powerful earthquake has only clocked in at about an 8.9, the scale is logarithmic with no end. I understand not wanting to go into elaborate scientific details as it would take away from the story, but I firmly believe that, at the very least, the information given needs to be true.  Plus, in this case, one additional sentence or even a restructure of the current sentence could give the same dire sense using information that is actually accurate. 

So those ae my thoughts on the first book of the Tuar Tums Trilogy, The Prophesy, by Phil Asmundson.  Up next will be Vita Nostra, by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, translated by Julia Meitov Hersey.  So far its been interesting and mysterious, so I can't wait to share it with everyone!

As always, feel free to read along and to share your thoughts in the comments!

Dana

A Quick Post About Me (and an update on my reading list)

 Hi all! 

Since it's been a couple years since I first started this blog, I figured I'd give a personal update along with information about my next couple books.  

I still work in a lab as a certified asphalt binder technician, and I am in training to become a laboratory manager in the next couple years. On the home front, I have a wonderful boyfriend (who leaves supportive comments on here without realizing I know it's him), a superb group of friends, and of course my two favorite kitties, Magpie and Calley.  

In my free time, besides reading, I enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons, MTG and Legends of Runeterra (when I'm in the right mood), and cooperative board games.  I also appreciate a weekly yoga class and jog a couple times a week, although I'm not sure I would say that I "enjoy" jogging.  Streaming services and the occasional video game are another way I spend my free time.  This past year I coached a youth cheer and dance team as well, and that was exciting because it gave me an opportunity to do something I love- choreographing dance routines- as well as help teach values and self-worth to promising young women. 

 But, back to the topic at hand- reading.  I am currently reading a book I will be reviewing for Paper Raven Books called The Prophesy.  It is the first book in the Tuar Tums Trilogy by Phil Asmundson. It is a cross between sci-fi, mystery, and fantasy.  You can expect to see a Rant & Rave about it in the next week or so. After that, I will be reading Vita Nostra by Mariana and Sergey Dyachenko, and translated (from Russian) by Julia Meitov Hersey.  This book has excellent reviews, and has been described as "dark Harry Potter on steroids with a hefty dose of metaphysics."  Honestly, with that description, who wouldn't want to read it?  That Rant & Rave will be further out, and the book may even inspire a full analysis post.

As always, feel free to read along with me if you think a book sounds interesting and share your thoughts in the comments! 

Dana

Rant & Rave- The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

 Hi Everyone!

This is the promised, spoiler-free, Rant & Rave for The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna.

I got this book in my March 2021 Owlcrate box, along with some other sweet goodies. (I can't wait to see what April's box brings!) It is a young adult book centered around the adventures of Deka, a young woman coming of age in a patriarchal society called Otera.  She, like all other women, must endure a purity ritual, where she is cut open to see the color of her blood.  Women of pure blood bleed red, while those of impure blood bleed gold. Not surprisingly, the purity ritual doesn't go according to plan, and  Deka finds herself recruited to an army of the impure gathered to fight off deathshrieks, monsters that increasingly plague Otera. Her only other option is to be another victim of the death mandate, the law that allows priests to kill the impure. She has a difficult road ahead to become a fearsome warrior, a road that might make her wish she had succumbed to the death mandate instead.  

So lets start with the raving:

I think the plot of this novel is intriguing- simultaneously unique and a classic of the fantasy genre. By this, I mean that Deka's struggle is one seen by many main characters- fighting against a patriarchy to prove one's worth to be equal to that of a man.  However, the plot of this book goes beyond that to try to change society with an entire cast of strong female leads, whose contributions can't be disputed.  I won't elaborate because I promised to be spoiler-free, but just trust me when I say that this novel goes above and beyond the classic fantasy trope. 

In terms of character development, I love that this book doesn't shy away from character flaws.  Even though Deka doesn't always have the knowledge she needs or wants, she is forced to make decisions she isn't intellectually prepared for, often making what she eventually considers the wrong choice.  Instead of always justifying these incorrect decisions or having them be "for the best" in the long run, like many books, the novel sometimes allows Deka to (realistically) stew on her poor choices.  She readily admits that she is not the most talented or powerful warrior (with the exception of her special gift).   While I love Deka as a character, I hope that future books focus on other characters that are just as great.  I feel like this novel is a good summation of Deka's story, but that she has fulfilled her purpose in the history of Otera. 

The world building in this book was great! I think it accurately portrayed an early patriarchal society, but also showed cultural diversity in different regions.  The complexity of the world is sufficient, but not so complex as to add confusion.  I do hope that, should Namina Forna write other books in this world, they will focus more on other parts of Otera, or even Otera's relationships with other kingdoms.

I absolutely love how this book flirts with dark and horrible topics without sliding into a horrifying novel itself.  The message is always one of hope and betterment, but it never shies away from the terrible things that can, in this scenario, lead to growth and empowerment.  Whenever a dark topic comes up, the bright side is always the focus, even when it seems like there shouldn't be a bright side.  

 

And now the ranting:

I do wish that the book went into more detail about other characters besides Deka. We get a very basic history for most of the female leads, but it would be interesting to know more about their strengths and weaknesses as warriors, and to get more information about the male characters as well. I think in future novels, more time should be dedicated to developing side characters and their relationships to the main character, and potentially less time in the main character's own head as they process every small detail and overanalyze every situation.  I think the relationship the reader has with the main character is important, but after a few chapters, once the reader is able to "get in their head," we no longer need to read through their processing of everyday situations that don't really add to the plot.  That time could be utilized helping the reader build a similar relationship to other important characters.  

I feel like I should preface this paragraph by mentioning that I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon, Western sub-Saharan Africa, so that is where a lot of my experience with Africa comes from.  Otera is based on West Africa, but a lot of the regions and main characters seem more like westerners.  In fact, the only characters that seem to be African are shrouded in mystery for almost the entire book.  This might be because of Namina Forna's experience living in the United States, as opposed to Africa, or minimal/poor research on her part. Alternatively, this could just be an effort to appeal more to a younger and primarily western audience. This is definitely not a criticism, but I feel like claiming that Otera is based on West Africa could be misconstrued.  The southern part of Otera is heavily based on West Africa, and I support that claim wholeheartedly.  However, only a couple of the main characters are from the southern regions, and even Deka herself, though ethnically southern, was raised in the north.  The southern regions of Otera are not very well-known in the book, and it is even said that priests don't really live there and the people are kind of secretive.  In addition, what little details we do get about southern Otera are vague and could apply to many parts of the world, not specifically Africa. I do hope that another book will reveal more about this region of Otera, since there was so little about it in this novel. 

Lastly, like many young adult fantasy novels, I think this book introduces unnecessary love interests.  We are following Deka, a badass female lead that is beautiful, wise, curious, an outsider, and on top of all that, she emerges early as a leader and a fighter. She fights her naivety, the patriarchy, deathshrieks, and her own insecurities. She has more important things to think about than boys.  Namina Forna does eventually include the love interest in the plot, instead of their love just being a side story, which is commendable, but I still think that there is one too many love interests in this book. 

So overall, I really enjoyed this book.  Although I had a few issues with it, I definitely hope to see more of Namina Forna's work, and learn more about Oteran culture.  As I previously mentioned, the things I'm looking for in the next book are: 

• A different perspective- While Deka's story is interesting and captivating, I feel like the most significant part of her story has been told, and anything else will be overshadowed by what is already written.
• More worldbuilding- So far, I think the nation of Otera is sufficiently complex for a first book, but if more books are released, I would expect readers to be interested in learning the intricacies of the country.  This book rightfully focused on the details necessary for the plot, but another book will need more information, especially as the nation is re-shaped and reformed after the events of this novel.  
• A strong female lead WITHOUT a love interest- Or, alternatively, a strong female lead with a strong female love interest.
• A more concrete relationship to West Africa- While there is a small correlation to West Africa in this novel, I think a future book should cement the relationship by being more direct and clear about the details that make West Africa a unique and interesting culture. 

So there you have it!  Those are my, admittedly harsh, judgements of Namina Forna's The Gilded Ones.  Despite how negative this review sounds, (I know, I've read through it a couple times) I can't give this book enough credit for the things it does right (at least not without giving away the plot).  It is a great example of noblebright fantasy, with positive messages imbued throughout the story, even when things and characters seem at their darkest.  I hope this Rant & Rave was interesting, useful, and fun for everyone.  Let me know what you think of the Rant & Rave and/or the book in the comments. I can't wait to hear what others liked and disliked about the book! Until next time!

Dana

I'm Back! (Hopefully for good this time!)

 Hey all! 

I wanted to check in (a couple years late, I know).  I have some big news: I've been chosen as an amateur book reviewer by Paper Raven Books.  A few days ago, my grandmother and I were talking about my latest book (The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna, if anyone is wondering), and she told me that I should be a book reviewer.  This was, I'm sure, a polite way of saying that she doesn't need to hear from me every time I finish a book, or at least not for the ones she wouldn't also enjoy.  Anyway, that got me thinking- I am a pretty opinionated person, an avid reader, and a fan of getting free books.  So I applied to be a book reviewer for Paper Raven Books Review Team.  I just found out that I've been accepted!  

So what does that have to do with this blog?

Well, the primary platform for my reviews will be the Amazon Kindle webpage.  However, I've decided to revamp this blog as well.  In addition to the in-depth analyses I've been writing, I will also be writing a short and sweet new segment called "Rant & Rave," where I will discuss what I loved and hated about each book I read.  These segments will be spoiler free- so no need to read the book before you read them.  For most books, the Rant & Rave review will be enough coverage, but if I feel like a book needs (or deserves) more detailed coverage, I'll also write a detailed analysis for the book. As always, the detailed analyses will have spoilers.

That being said, my first Rant & Rave will be The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna. Expect to see that in the next week or so (potentially as early as tonight). Talk to you soon! 

Dana

Dr. Greta Helsing Series by Vivian Shaw (Books1-2)

Hi guys!
So today I will be discussing (read: spoiling) the first two books of the Dr. Greta Helsing series, Strange Practice and Dreadful Company.  As anyone that has already talked to me about them knows, I liked Dreadful Company, the second book, far more than Strange Practice, number one (the book, not pee).  I thought the plot was better, and the side characters were more well-developed. In each paragraph, I will start out with a basic summary of the book, followed by my thoughts on the plot and characters.

In the spirit of synchronicity, I will start with Strange Practice.  In this book, we meet Dr. Greta Helsing, a medical doctor specializing in supernatural undead beings, such as vampires, demons, werewolves, mummies, and ghouls.  While these beings are mainly hidden amongst the rest of London, some choose to hide in plain sight like vampires, while others prefer to stay completely out of sight, such as ghouls that hide in the extensive tunnels under the city.  The book takes place in London, but it is heavily implied (and possibly stated; I don't remember every word of the book) that they exist all over the world.  This is later confirmed in the second book.  In her normal life, Greta runs a small clinic fixing up diseased and injured supernaturals.  She inherited the desire for this work, as well as many of her clients, from her father, a well-respected doctor to all manner of beings, That is, until the events of this book take place. Her main friends/patients in this book are Lord Edmund Ruthven (vampire), Fastitocalon (demon), Sir Francis Varney (vampyre, a vampire that reincarnates every full moon), and August Cranswell (a mere mortal).  Ruthven is an old-fashioned man with impeccable manners, a beautiful home, and good taste in coffee.  Varney is a darker, more mysterious character that is slowly falling in love with Dr. Helsing.  Fastitocalon has been a friend of Greta's family for years, and has been her protector ever since her father died.  In this book, human monks start attacking supernaturals, although there is no evidence that they are aware that they are supernaturals when they are assaulting them.  The first concern was that someone had figured out that they exist, and was trying to eliminate them, but this was disproven fairly early in the scheme of the book.  Dr. Helsing is attacked, after she begins to question what is going on.  She can sense evil lurking beneath the city, but spends the majority of the novel trying to discover what is going on.  As it turns out, the disturbance is a UV blue light that possesses the human monks to do its bidding.  It is eventually stopped by Greta and her friends, with the help of Samael (the real life devil).  Soooo... the characters get better developed in the second book, but in this book there is just enough character development, humor and compatibility to convince you to read the next book.  As for the plot, I thought the ending could have been something more than "a blue light made me do it."  Moreover, if the blue light possessed human minds in the sewers and tunnels, why didn't it effect the ghouls living there? The cop out answer might be that the ghouls don't like light, so they wouldn't go close enough to it to become entranced, but the book never really addresses it (that I remember).


On to Dreadful Company! In this novel, Greta is at a conference in Paris, and gets kidnapped by a new vampire (vampires that don't really follow the old rules) coven trying to get back at Ruthven for hurting their leader, Corvin.  This book addresses the unofficial vampire code of conduct.  For example, if you turn someone, you are supposed to train them how to be a vampire: how to feed, vampiric diseases, etc.  This comes into play when Greta learns that her captors have been turning people without explaining anything to them, expecting them to simply do as the leader of the coven says.  These vampires are the vampires of story, who kidnap people to throw elaborate parties where they suck them dry and then dispose of the bodies in the morning.  Unless Corvin likes one of them, in which case they get involuntarily turned into the latest member of the coven (breaking another vampire rule, stating that the person must want to be turned into a vampire).  One of these new vampires called Sophira amongst the coven (who have all changed their names to more vampiric ones per Covin's wishes), learns of these vampire rules from Dr. Helsing while she is in captivity. Many of these rules had been broken as they concern her, so Greta teaches her how to be a vampire.  Initially, she seems fairly weak, innocent, and subservient, but her strength of will grows throughout the book.  When one of the other vampires parties a little too hard, Greta is willing to help, despite the fact that they have been holding her captive for a few days at that point.  This vast amount of care for people other than herself helps Grisaille, Corvin's right hand man, to have second thoughts about what the coven has been doing.  Grisaille is portrayed at first as a dark, confident, and (in my opinion) sexy vampire, and as you learn more about him, you see that he is a better person than he initially appeared.  Ruthven and Varney come looking for Greta (Fatitocalon still being on break in Hell after the first book), but she is already well on her way to escape when they finally find her.  Of course they still want to get rid of the coven that has been plaguing Paris from the Catacombs under the city, so they release a hoarde of ghosts to help them fight the vampires.  Side plot time: These ghosts have been displaced from their resting grounds by the grave robbing of Lilith (the previously mentioned sick vampire that Greta helped), who was robbing graves in order to perform a summoning spell to summon supernatural pets to keep her company while Corvin mostly ignored her affections.  So time for the super satisfying resolution...  Dr. Helsing escapes the Parisian Catacombs right into the arms of her boyfriend Varney (yea, they got together) and St. Germain (the werewolf guardian of Paris' supernatural beings), and much to her surprise, Grisaille, who had been leading them to the back entrance to the lair in order to help her.  Of course, they still decide to go after the coven, and that's when the ghosts come in.  Greta makes sure Sophira, who's real name is Emily, gets out safely.  She also tries to help Grisaille with a terrifying wound after Corvin stabbed him in the back (literally).  Meanwhile the others are all fighting Corvin and his minions, while Fastitocalon helps get the ghost attack plan to work.  In the end, Grisaille survives, and is given the option to move in with Ruthven while he recovers, and seems to be planning to stay considerably longer than that in the epilogue.  Emily, who has shown an aptitude for Dr. Greta's work while helping Grisaille, becomes the head of a breeding program for the magical pets summoned by Lilith back in the barn at Varney's house in England.  Like, I said, super satisfying ending, and I would love to see the two new additions to the team in the next book, but I don't have high hopes for it, since the next book takes place at a mummy retreat outside Marseille. 

Up next we have the first two books of the Memoirs of Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan, A Natural History of Dragons and In the Tropic of Serpents.  See you soon-ish. Feel free to leave any comments/questions/thoughts/book ideas in the comments!
Dana

Change of Plans- Dead Boys by Gabriel Squailia

Hi all!
So a couple of my friends pointed out to me that putting a list of 10 books and saying meet back here in a week or two might be a little ambitious (who knew?), so this week I'm going to do a post on a single book that I doubt anyone on here would be particularly interested in.  It's called Dead Boys, by Gabriel Squailia.  It's a book primarily targeted at young men, that I happened to come across during a routine visit to Barnes & Noble.  The book's premise caught my interest: a few fairly young, dead men (their ages range quite a bit, but generally they died before 50) in the afterlife are seeking a way back to the world of the living.  Now, for the interesting parts...

So I want to talk about the three different afterlife cultures represented in the book.  The first group is the population of Dead City.  These people are portrayed as ordinary people who waste away for eternity, mostly gambling and drinking.  There are two things I want to discuss about Dead City and its inhabitants (these are the two reasons I was initially drawn to the book).  The first is the idea of time, which each individual has an infinite amount of, being used as currency.  For example you bet 5 years of your afterlife.  If you lose, you owe 5 years of service to the person or organization you lost the bet to.  This comes into play because some of the characters are debtors (someone that owes time to the primary ruling organization).  However, there is no real good way to tell time, as the realm of the dead is mainly comprised of layers of ruins from the previous generation of deceased (who are actually still living there), and receives most of its goods and members through a river from the world of the living that caries trash and dead bodies.  As you can imagine, a handsome sum of time is given by the ruling organization to anyone that can bring in working watches or pocket watches, and/or batteries for these implements.  The reward, of course, is being served by a debtor (the debtor is usually used to pay off a debt you owe to someone else, so you don't have to serve that time yourself).  There is also a hefty fine for anyone that steals timekeeping implements, which is why one of the main characters is pursued throughout the book.  Another interesting concept exclusive to Dead City is the idea of preservation.  People that can afford it will have what's left of their bodies preserved or what is degraded reproduced, in order to look more lifelike.  Being lifelike in Dead City is similar to looking young in the world of the living, everyone wants it, but only the rich can afford it.  The main character is a well-known preservationist.

The second population is the population of the Plains of War.  There is some mythology regarding the Plains of War, which has evolved into the idea of the "last man standing."  The people here fight to the incapacity (get it, since they're already dead they can only be incapacitated) for the chance to be the last man standing, who is believed to be returned to the land of the living.  People spend their entire afterlives slaving away on the plains, just for a diminishing shot at being returned to the world of the living.  Their chances decrease significantly as they age, because the longer you are dead, the slower you become.  These are the people that are desperate to get back to the land of the living because they have left something dear to them behind.

The third population is the citizens of White City.  These people are portrayed as sage monks that have accepted their position as dead.  While the other two groups try to be, or at least reminisce about being, alive, the people of White City try to make the best of being dead.  They go out into sandstorms to remove all of the flesh from their bones, and it is therapeutic to them.  They have even discovered how to maintain full mobility after death, an ability unheard of amongst other groups.  While it might seem like this is the place to be, it is very difficult to get there.  One must leave Dead City, which appears to be the main drop-off point for dead bodies, raft up the river, and survive either the sandstorms of the desert or the battles of the plains.  I believe the difficulty of this journey is meant to parallel the grief and acceptance suffered by loved ones still in the land of the living.  The drinking and gambling of Dead City represents the grief that immediately follows the death.  The Plains of War represent remembrance for the dead and the importance of memories (after all, they are fighting due to memories of loved ones they left behind).  White City represents the eventual acceptance of the loss and moving on with your life.

So that's my take on Gabriel Squailia's Dead Boys. Let me know what you think, or if you have something to add, feel free to put it in the comments.  Up next will be the first two books of the Dr. Greta Helsing series by Vivian Shaw.  Read up if you don't want the books to be spoiled for you.  See you next week(ish)!
Dana