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A Stormy Greek Marriage by Lynne Graham

Kat — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

A Stormy Greek Marriage by Lynne Graham (The Drakos Baby, Book 2)

Books like this are the reason I stopped reading category romance in my mid-20s. I hope I don’t come across too many more of them in the near future. DNF.

I have five more titles in my Lynne Graham glom pile, but I’m not sure I can bear to go on. On one hand, I knew getting into this book that Graham writes domineering heroes of the 80s alpha kind. I thought I could cope with it, but this book is such a trainwreck I gave up halfway through.

Surprisingly for a category romance, this is part two of a series. (Perhaps Graham should have just written a full length book, did anyone think of that?) The back story is explained well enough to get the gist—I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t be prepared to slog through an entire book to basically learn that Alexei finally slept with his personal assistant, Billie, taking her virginity. She’s pined for him in secret but felt she was no match for the dazzling beauties that naturally flock to her rich, handsome boss.

Unfortunately, Alexei tripped and hit his head and managed to conveniently forget the two nights they were together. More unfortunately for Billie, the oblivious Alexei tried to rekindle a childhood romance as Billie coped with the consequences of their nights together—yes, the old secret baby.

Anyway, back to this book. Billie and Alexei ended up together at the end of book one, but on their wedding night at the start of book two, Alexei magically divines that Billie is no virgin. He’s enraged and walks out on her. Or so she thinks. He doesn’t think it was walking out. More like having a tantrum because she lied. Except she tells him the truth about their child, Nicky, and he thinks it’s a lie. DNA is taken, Alexei realises she was telling the truth, but even then Graham refuses to bestow any sort of power on the heroine.

When Billie threatens to divorce Alexei, he whisks Nicky off to a different country, deliberately making Billie think he’d been kidnapped. Way to go to convince a woman to spend the rest of her life with you and her son. There’s nothing redeeming about a man who lets his wife think he’s kidnapping their son to convince her not to get a divorce.

At that point I put the book down. In many ways, I can see the appeal of Graham’s story to an older generation of women and in women today who are products of different cultures, who may have had to endure marriages rife with infidelity, lies and an enormous imbalance of power. I feel sorry for them, and a book like A Stormy Greek Marriage may be a way to express their frustrations while providing a glimmer of hope that love and dedication and faith might result in a happy ending.

But I’m not from that generation, and Alexei’s actions are abhorrent to me. A man who refuses to listen to someone he purports to love, who puts the principle of honesty before compassion by refusing to listen to her explanations, is not a hero in my mind. He’s an immature bully undeserving of the wealth and power and good looks with which fate—or the author—has gifted him.

Yay or nay?

Books like this are the reason I stopped reading category romance in my mid-20s. I hope I don’t come across too many more of them in the near future. DNF.

Who might enjoy it: Martyrs

Who might not enjoy it: Potential paperweight targets

This book is no longer in print.

Title: A Stormy Greek Marriage
Series: Drakos Baby (Book 2)
Author: Lynne Graham
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon
Australia (Sexy): 9781742787879 (10/2010)
UK (Modern) 9780263878332 (20/4/2010)
US (Presents): 9780373129577 (16/11/2010)

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Ruthless Magnate, Convenient Wife by Lynne Graham

Ruthless Magnate, Convenient Wife by Lynne Graham

Kat — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Ruthless Magnate, Convenient Wife by Lynne Graham (Pregnant Brides, Book 2)

There’s nothing earth-shattering about this story. I didn’t hate the hero or the heroine, but that might be damning with faint praise.

Back in my 20s, I would have loved this book. This may be spoilery to some readers—although if you regularly read in this Mills & Boon line it would amaze me if any of this surprises you—but Ruthless Magnate, Convenient Wife features a tycoon hero who borders on misogyny, a contract marriage, a virgin heroine, an accidental pregnancy and a Small Misunderstanding.

But as far as these things go, Lynne Graham does a decent enough job with the plot. Sergei Antonovich was saved from a troubled childhood by his grandmother, and as she gets older he wants to give her what he knows would make her happy—a grandchild.

As you do when you’re insanely rich but scarred by a money-grubbing first wife and young hotties forever flashing their cleavage in exchange for your wad (of cash, people!), Sergei sets up a business arrangement to acquire a wife and child.

Alissa Bartlett discovers that her identical twin, Alexa, entered an agreement to marry a rich Russian guy—in Alissa’s name. Their mother desperately needs the money, and when Alexa can’t go through with the bargain, Alissa reluctantly agrees to fulfil the obligations of the contract.

Graham tries to give Alissa a little more backbone that your typical mistress-but-for-the-marriage-contract heroine. Despite her attraction to Sergei, she’s indignant when he assumes she’ll just make out—and eventually have sex—with him as he pleases. Unfortunately, Alissa tips into TSTL (too stupid to live) territory when she fails to read the contract that her sister signed. Wouldn’t that be the first thing you do before agreeing to go through with a contract marriage? Heaven help her if she ever decides to take out a mortgage.

Anyway, she’s in for a very rude shock when she learns that pregnancy is part of the deal. Sergei is equally shocked and angry at being duped, and his only capitulation is to hold off on the baby-making while emphasising the mistress part of the bargain.

It all comes to a head in a big dramatic scene where Alexa goes completely loopy—seriously, I couldn’t believe she and Alissa were related, let alone twins—the Small Misunderstanding is resolved and the epilogue gives everyone what they so clearly deserve, with the possible exception of Alissa’s dad.

All this while I was sitting in a bus, stuck in peak-hour traffic. That’s what category romance is for.

Yay or nay?

There’s nothing earth-shattering about this story. I didn’t hate the hero or the heroine, but that might be damning with faint praise.

Who might enjoy it: Readers who also enjoy daytime soapies

Who might not enjoy it: Family Court solicitors

This book is no longer in print.

Title: Ruthless Magnate, Convenient Wife (excerpt)
Series: Pregnant Brides (Book 2)
Author: Lynne Graham
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon
Australia (Sexy): 9780733598654 (2/2010)
UK (Modern) 9780263877533 (12/2009)
US (Presents): 9780373128921 (2/2010)

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With This Fling… by Kelly Hunter

Kat — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:00:00 +0000

With This Fling... by Kelly Hunter

This book proves that finely tuned character development and emotional honesty can turn even the most maligned clichés in romance fiction not just into an enjoyable read, but a story worth savouring.

The more I read Kelly Hunter’s work, the more I admire how well she’s able to make each couple and each story fresh, interesting and fun.

With This Fling… features what seems to be Hunter’s favourite type of heroine—a rich one. Charlotte Greenstone invents a fiancé to reassure her dying godmother that she won’t be alone. When said fiancé fails to turn up at the funeral, Charlotte concocts a story in which he’s killed in the wilds of Papua New Guinea.

But in series of spectacular coincidences, she finds herself in possession of Grey Tyler’s, well, office. Her fictional fiancé is not only not dead, he’s back from PNG, he’s hot and it seems he may just have need of a fictional girlfriend of his own.

If you’re looking for an elaborate external plot, you’re in for disappointment. With This Fling… is romance distilled. The conflicts in this story are all from within. Even secondary characters only serve to get Charlotte and Grey questioning what it is they truly want and hold dear.

Grey is a biologist whose life is all about pursuing research opportunities all over the world. Charlotte is an archaeologist who grew up travelling all over the world, and she’s determined to put down roots. Knowing their plans for the future are diametrically opposed, Charlotte and Grey agree to a short-term affair. Of course, it gets very complicated very quickly.

Hunter excels in this kind of setup—intense, passionate and with an increasing sense of desperation as the hero and heroine begin to realise what it’ll cost them to let the other go. But even as they go through heartache, their interactions include a certain playfulness that underscores their growing affection for each other.

‘There are benefits to having a man around the house that you haven’t even dreamed of yet,’ he said.

‘Oh, really?’

‘Oh, yes.’

‘We’ll see.’ She leaned against the door, more relaxed than he’d seen her all evening. ‘Do you cook?’

‘Not often, but I hunt and I can gather.’

‘Do you clean?’

‘No, but I do appreciate a tidy house.’

‘Do you iron?’

‘That’s what laundry services are for.’

‘Do you mow?’ she asked silkily.

‘What? And do a groundsman out of his job?’

‘Greyson, you’ve spent the last dozen or so years living out of a suitcase, eating hotel food and answering to no one. You’re not even housebroken. I’d go easy on the promises of domestic bliss if I were you.’

‘If you say so, dear,’ he murmured. ‘Little phrase I picked up picked up from my father. Like it?’

‘Yes, but it’s a little early in the relationship for weary resignation, don’t you think? You need to keep that in reserve.’

There are certain plot points that are, admittedly, a tad contrived, but there’s so much delicious angst in this story that even the most eyeroll-inducing Mills & Boon cliché—hello, accidental pregnancy!—surprised me. (This can’t possibly be a spoiler because it’s right there on the cover.) To Hunter’s credit, she refrains from dragging out the oh-look-she’s-feeling-nauseated-maybe-she-has-a-tummy-bug moment and just forces her characters to face the issue.

I do wonder what the UK Riva cover is about. This book has nothing to do with diamonds and there’s no way a field scientist would ever need to wear as much make-up as that cover model does.

Yay or nay?

This book proves that finely tuned character development and emotional honesty can turn even the most maligned clichés in romance fiction not just into an enjoyable read, but a story worth savouring.

Who might enjoy it: Scientists and heiresses

Who might not enjoy it: Readers who like heroes in suits

Title: With This Fling… (excerpt)
Author: Kelly Hunter
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon
Australia (Sexy): 9781742907154 (2/2011)
UK (Riva): 9780263883619 (1/2011)
USA (Presents): 9780373528196 (6/2011)

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Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison

Kat — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison (Elder Races, Book 1)

The Elder Races series has become my BDB replacement. It’s totally cracktastic.

After reading Wandergurl’s review and at the urging of Decadence and Kate, I finally picked up the first book in Thea Harrison’s Elder Races series.

I’m hooked.

Pia Giovanni is blackmailed into stealing from Dragos, Wyr (shapeshifter) leader and one of the most powerful creatures in the world. She’s on the run, but he’s determined to find out who stole his…penny.

Dragon Bound gets off to a snappy start, with Dragos’s pursuit of Pia and her attempts to elude him. Dragos’s enemies are determined to bring him down, and Pia is inadvertently swept up in their conflict. Her life has been based on the need to protect herself, but with Dragos refusing to let her go, it seems her secrets may put her in even greater danger than either of them could have anticipated.

Dragos is your typical alpha male, leader of a savage community, whose ruthlessness is suddenly tempered by his fascination with—and later love for—the heroine. Pia is not exactly weak—she has her own skills and resources—but her greatest strength in the relationship is her ability to understand Dragos’s nature and help him be a better person. Species. Wyr. Whatever.

“I am jealous, selfish, acquisitive, territorial and possessive. I have a terrible temper, and I know I can be a cruel son of a bitch.” He cocked his head. “I used to eat people, you know.”

If he meant to shock her out of crying, he succeeded. A snort burst out of her. “That’s awful,” she said. Her nose was clogged. “I mean it, that’s awful. It’s not funny. I’m not laughing.”

He sighed. “It was a long time ago. Thousands of years. Once I really was the beast the Elves call me.”

She closed her eyes, took a deep, shuddering breath and rubbed her fingers along the seam of his T-shirt. “What made you stop?”

“I had a conversation with somebody. It was an epiphany.” His voice was rueful. He rocked her. “From that point on, I swore I would never eat something that could talk.”

If you like sassy heroines, there’s plenty of it in Dragon Bound. One of my favourite scenes is when Pia gets drunk with the PR representative for Dragos’s corporation and they indulge in a bit of girl bonding.

Yes, the writing is sometimes mired in purple prose (‘broad mushroom head’—yes, it’s exactly what you think it is) and the kind of awkward language (‘I’ll pursue that comment later.’ Really? Do people talk like this?) that fans of paranormal romance readers regularly endure—perhaps even enjoy, because who am I to judge?— but Dragon Bound also embodies all that we love about the genre.

Yay or nay?

The Elder Races series has become my BDB replacement. It’s totally cracktastic.

Who might enjoy it: Paranormal romance series fanatics

Who might not enjoy it: People who expect paranormal romance characters to act like normal people

Title: Dragon Bound (excerpts: one, two, three)
Series: Elder Races (Book 1)
Author: Thea Harrison
Publisher: Berkley/Penguin
A format: 9780425241509 (9/6/2011)

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Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts

Kat — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts

A satisfying romantic suspense with a capable heroine. The romance lacks intensity, but a decent mystery plot keeps the pages turning.

The thing about Nora Roberts is that I almost always enjoy her books—just never enough to want to buy her next one and let’s not even contemplate her backlist. Chasing Fire is no exception.

Rowan Tripp is an experienced firefighter with the US equivalent of the rural fire service, but it’s a little different this time. She lost a jump partner in a freak accident the previous season, and it seems someone has put the blame squarely at her feet.

There are a pool potential suspects, even though Rowan isn’t comfortable thinking that any of them could be capable of sabotage and murder. Aside from staff at the base station, there’s her fellow fire fighters, who rely on each other’s trust for survival. There’s also the newest batch of smoke-jumping recruits—firefighters who get flown into a middle of a bush fire.

One of these recruits is Gull Curry—perhaps one of the least romantic names I’ve seen in the genre—who is immediately attracted to Tripp’s ‘package’ and ‘attitude’. Curry’s a nice guy…and remains so throughout the entire book. The romance develops gradually, but it’s not quite central to the story. It’s nice to have, but not essential.

More interesting are the secondary characters, even though there are so many of them it’s sometimes tricky to get them straight. Roberts likes to play around with stereotypes, and this is refreshing to read—the hot blonde who loves shoes but can complete an obstacle course, the sexist redneck who concedes he’s wrong about women smoke-jumpers. There’s a lot of camaraderie in the team, which Roberts captures very well.

After several attempts at reading Roberts’s contemporary novels—including her Chesapeake Bay saga, which seems to be universally recommended by everyone who recommends her work—I think we’ll have to chalk it down to a matter of style and personal taste. She writes gutsy, empowered heroines and heroes who support rather than dominate. I love this; I do. But for some reason, Roberts still fails to move me.

In Chasing Fire I can understand why. Much of the book focuses on Rowan’s development and in solving the murder mystery. These are interesting parts of the plot and Roberts doesn’t make it easy to guess the culprit—she throws enough seeds of doubt that you’re kind of almost sure you know who it is, but you kind of maybe think you’re wrong.

So perhaps it’s the romantic suspense subgenre I struggle with. The more I consider this idea, the more it makes sense. But that would require a post of its own.

Yay or nay?

Chasing Fire is a satisfying romantic suspense with a capable heroine. The romance lacks intensity, but a decent mystery plot keeps the pages turning.

Who might enjoy it: Romantic suspense fans who enjoy a strong heroine and a non-domineering hero

Who might not enjoy it: Romance readers who are all about the angst

A review copy of this book was generously provided by Hachette Australia.

Title: Chasing Fire (excerpt — PDF)
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: Hachette Australia
C format: 9780749952181 (4/2011)
Hardback: 9780749952976 (4/2011)

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Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter

Kat — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:00:30 +0000

Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter (The Bennetts, Book 5)

This RITA-nominated book is sexy, angsty and deeply moving—everything we love about modern category romance. Oh, and the heroine? She’s the tycoon. This one’s a keeper.

You may have noticed that I’m in the middle of a Kelly Hunter glom. How I missed this awesome Aussie author boggles my mind, but Red-Hot Renegade (published in the US as Her Singapore Fling) is the book that made me first try Hunter’s work. Nominated for this year’s RITA awards, the book also features an Asian heroine with an Australian hero.

The back story for this novel is set up in the previous books of the series, which features the romances of Jacob Bennett’s siblings. Jacob’s estranged wife Jianne is being stalked and, having run out of options, she reluctantly comes to him for help.

Jacob is a martial arts champion who runs his dojo in Singapore. For reasons neither he nor Jianne want to acknowledge, they’re still officially married even though Jianne walked out on the marriage twelve years ago. What makes this reunion story different is that neither of them blame the other—instead, they remind each other of the guilt they feel about not having fought hard enough to save their relationship.

Jianne practically begs Jacob to let her stay at the dojo—where he also lives—until Zhi Fu, her unwanted suitor, gives up. Jacob practically begs her not to even suggest it, but they both know that it’s the best solution. They’ll pretend to rekindle the relationship, and if Zhi Fu becomes desperate Jacob is more than capable of physically protecting Jianne.

This is the perfect setup for some delicious angst, as Jianne takes over Jacob’s bedroom and both torture themselves with thoughts of what’s keeping the other awake at night. Jianne starts off as an almost helpless heroine, but in Jacob’s presence she’s transformed into a sensual, wicked and deeply emotional partner.

She turned and smiled at him politely, every inch the poised and perfect house guest. No trouble, no trouble at all. Until something flickered in her eyes, something stolen and sensual and altogether familiar. If Jacob wasn’t mistaken, here stood a woman who’d sought sexual satisfaction in the dark of the night. And found it.

What the hell had she been doing in his bed?

Hunter does beautiful things with this couple. Their bedroom scenes are hot and rough and tinged with desperation, and I found them utterly moving. The way Jacob and Jianne work through their guilt and find the courage to claim what they need from the relationship is so subtle it’s bordering on not enough information. I love this.

I haven’t read all the preceding books in the series, but as a standalone read, Red-Hot Renegade focuses almost entirely on Jacob and Jianne’s reunion rather than their first encounter. Even the reason for their estrangement is only hinted at for most of the book. Those who need to understand Jacob and Jianne’s entire back story will be disappointed.

In my review of the book prior to this one, I made much of Hunter’s references to warriors, tigers and Kung Fu Panda. Red-Hot Renegade uses similar references, but for the most part they’re toned down, with the exception of the antagonist’s name. Zhi Fu is close enough to Shifu that I had to suppress a giggle every time his name was mentioned.

Singapore also comes alive a lot more in this book. The non-Western characters feel less clichéd. However, the dialogue has a distinctly non-Asian feel to it. It’s not that I want it to sound Asian, it’s that there are some turns of phrases that just don’t feel suited to the characters. Jianne was born into wealth, so it’s possible she was the product of a Western education or received top-notch language instruction, but the same probably can’t be said for the homeware salesman.

But by far the biggest weakness in the story is the anticlimactic resolution to the stalker plot. Hunter tries to be too clever and it’s more puzzling than satisfying when all the loose ends are tied up in the epilogue.

But…who cares? Any imperfections in the writing or the plot are easily ignored because the emotional layer of the story is just so, so good.

To top it off, this book is really funny. Hunter knows what tickles a romance reader’s sense of humour—the hero trying to distract himself from the sexual tension, the alpha hero’s manly prejudices, the hero’s brothers needling him while he’s suffering from, well, trying to repress the sexual tension. Oh, and the heroine torturing him with yet more sexual tension.

We love a tortured hero.

Yay or nay?

Sexy, angsty and deeply moving, this story is everything we love about category romance. Oh, and the heroine? She’s the tycoon. This one’s a keeper.

Who might enjoy it: Readers who like to read between the lines

Who might not enjoy it: Readers who need a fully fledged backstory

This book was published in the US as Her Singapore Fling.

Title: Red-Hot Renegade (excerpt)
Series: The Bennetts (Book 5)
Author: Kelly Hunter
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon
Australia (Sexy): 9781742787947 (10/2010)
UK (Modern Heat): 9780263877434 (8/2010)
USA (Presents): 9780373528073 (3/2011)

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The Man She Loves To Hate by Kelly Hunter

Kat — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:00:00 +0000

The Man She Loves To Hate by Kelly Hunter

Mills & Boon conventions aside—yes, he’s a tycoon, she’s totally hot and they don’t use a condom—the heroine and hero of this book are rarely predictable. I only wish it could have been longer.

I don’t know why I didn’t discover Australian author Kelly Hunter sooner because she writes bloody good books.

Jolie Tanner has just removed all of her mother’s possessions from her mother’s recently deceased lover’s hideaway, when she’s caught in an avalanche with the dead lover’s son, Cole. Cole and Jolie used to be friends, but when news of his father’s dalliance with her mother became public ten years ago, Jolie was shunned and she’s borne the stigma of being a mistress’s daughter ever since.

As you do in a blizzard, Jolie and Cole share quite a bit of body heat, and what’s supposed to be a we’re-half-asleep-and-aroused-so-let’s-just-take-the-edge-off kiss ends up in unprotected sex that’s only partially mitigated by the fact that Cole isn’t a shirker and Jolie isn’t stupid enough to have sex without any form of birth control.

Before I go on, let me say that it puzzles—nay, pains—me to read that ‘hot seed spilled deep inside’ the heroine at the climax of a sex scene, and then two pages later, when she’s having second thoughts, to learn that ‘her panties [were] wet with [the hero's] semen’. I’m uncertain of the rules for when one ought to expect euphemisms in a Mills & Boon novel. Is ‘semen’ considered more sordid than ‘seed’?

Anyway. Moving on.

Cole and Jolie aren’t complete idiots, and despite the hash their parents made of their relationships, they continue to see and enjoy each other in secret. Eventually, though, they have to see if they can be together in the real world. Cole’s family is incensed and his mother takes drastic measures to manipulate Cole into ending the affair.

What makes Hunter a fabulous Mills & Boon author is that she refuses to let Jolie play the martyr. Jolie’s shyness is the reason she can’t cope with her mother’s—and by extension her—notoriety, but she does well enough to stand up for herself in front of one or two people.

Hunter also avoids the Big Misunderstanding cliché. Cole and Jolie know in their hearts that their relationship is special, and even when they’re derailed by a judgemental housekeeper or a needy sister, they fight for their right to that relationship. It’s really quite wonderful.

I wish this had been a full-length novel, because many of the secondary characters’ conflicts and relationships are interesting, too; instead, Hunter compromises by making the secondary characters less nuanced than they could have been.

And is it just me, or does Hunter loves the warrior hero? Cole’s not a martial arts expert and the story is set in New Zealand’s South Island, but somehow Hunter manages to evoke the fierce warrior without it sounding too uncool or out of place. Much.

Hunter’s prose isn’t always smooth, but at times I was moved so deeply by this book. There’s a particular moment when, for a few seconds, I was reminded of my favourite author. I was a little stunned.

‘Ask me what I dream of, Jolie. Ask me where I go when I close my eyes at night.’

‘I’m not sure I want to know.’

Wary, and so she should be, given the chaos she caused in him. Cole stepped in close and bent his head so that his lips brushed the hair at her temple. ‘…just for the record, when I close my eyes at night I think of greedy lips and silken skin and blinding passion the likes of which I’ve never felt before. Ask me where I go each night, Red.’

Grey eyes, wide and startled. A mouth made for kisses; not one kiss but more.

‘Where?’ she whispered and it was a supplicant’s murmur and it magnified the heat deep inside him a hundredfold.

‘I come to you.’

Delish.

One last thing. I love the look and feel of the Riva line (check out the cover below). The actual book feels lovely, too.

Yay or nay?

Who might enjoy it: Readers who expect their heroes and heroines to act like adults

Who might not enjoy it: Sticklers for safe sex

Title: The Man She Loves To Hate (excerpt)
Author: Kelly Hunter
Publisher: Mills & Boon
Australia (Sexy): 9781742907444 (5/2011)
UK (Riva): 9780263883732 (4/2011)
US (Presents): 9780373881918 (8/2011)

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Twilight: The Graphic Novel (Volume 1) by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim

Jen — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Twilight: The Graphic Novel (Volume 1) by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim (Twilight Saga)

Twilight lends itself to the shoujo manga format much better than in prose or in film. Young Kim’s renditions of the characters are disarmingly gorgeous, but even they can’t redeem Stephenie Meyer’s story of destructive co-dependency. And then there’s the font.

Jen, graphic designer extraordinaire and pop culture aficionado, generously agreed to do a guest review of this graphic novel. You can read more of her writing at Evening Hour.

Ah, Twilight, the stuff that dreams are made on. It’s not every day that one book, whose very premise was born out of a dream—so its creator, Stephenie Meyer, says—can reduce the time-honoured traits of popular culture’s great vampires to glittering giftwrap in the sunlight. When Kat offered the comic for me to review, who was I to refuse the chance to return to all the loltastic awfulness that encompasses Twilight?

These days, comic book adaptations serve as extended editions in a sea of franchise fodder. Often poor and hurried productions, they’re an easy marketing tactic to gain revenue on the side and to appease the voracious and loyal consumer. For the disinclined readers among us, comics can be a great alternative to absorb a self-contained story without sifting through the boring bits, like watching the film version in one sitting.

Unfortunately, no fast-food serving of Twilight could possibly make me hungry for more.

Yet, despite the frequent jibes I make at the popular YA book, this first volume of the graphic novel is mostly successful. It reminds me of the story’s immediate appeal to impressionable readers, but it also reminds me exactly why I eventually abandoned the series. What most stands out is how much better the story lends itself to the shoujo manga (girls comics) format than it ever has in prose or on film.

The book itself is quite beautiful: black hardcover binding, smooth glossy jacket with the title printed in silver foil, a compelling illustration of Bella, her face looking longingly at what is Edward, who appears on the second volume. It holds nicely in the hand, weighty but comfortable enough to flick through, and stands well on a bookshelf. Paper stock is a good grade. So far, so good—at least the print production values are on par with a typical graphic novel.

Korean artist Young Kim takes on the gargantuan task of adapting and visualising Twilight’s characters and locations. As I pledge no allegiance to any of them and only have a fuzzy recollection of their descriptions, I take no issue with how they look. Hey, I’m not going to complain that Bella and Edward look far more aesthetically pleasing than their live action counterparts. Occasionally I was bothered by how similar some characters looked to each other; it was a bit confusing, but Kim’s practice in character design shows—no one has looked more uniformly beautiful. This is a very good thing given that the dialogue and monologues, no matter how condensed, remain painfully silly.

The illustrations are rendered almost entirely in black and white—a thoughtful decision in this case: colour is sparsely applied to great effect, accentuating mood and tone. The town of Forks is appropriately dreary in neutral greys, while Bella’s dream sequences are pitch black with splashes of vivid reds and greens. And the eyes, those dazzling pools of liquid gold…

(Click on the images to see the full size.)

Then of course there is the infamous meadow scene, awash in lush gold, blue and green hues. I very much enjoyed the moment when Edward revealed his true self to Bella. It’s a lot more subtle than the movie’s version.

Maybe he's born with it, maybe it's Glitterine

Did I mention it’s subtle?*

Kim’s disarmingly gorgeous renditions of people are dazzling, but even she can’t redeem the disturbing nature of the original story. Underlying the innocent and restrained art is one creepy relationship, involving two individuals leading a life of destructive co-dependency. One oversteps the border of protection and concealed violence to the point of suffocation, while the other ‘irrevocably’ lusts in obsession over that which she cannot have—the ultimate forbidden fruit.

To her credit, Kim composes some dynamic layouts for such repeatedly banal and saccharine scenes. Twilight is foremost a slow, restrained romance, not an action-packed thriller, so there are pages and pages of Bella’s wounded and longing gaze (it alternates) or Edward’s fierce sideways glare and smile (this also alternates to more comedic effect). Kim salvages a lot of what is wrong with Meyer’s story and writing sheerly by way of visual distraction.

So INTENSE

While Kim’s drawings are beautiful, they are poorly complemented by shoddy backgrounds and textures, which suspiciously look like photographs gone through a few default Photoshop filters or three (you know there is a problem when you recognise all the default Photoshop brushes). This juxtaposition is quite common in Asian comics, not so much Japanese manga, but I have observed this technique used in Chinese manhua and Korean manhwa. I don’t know if it’s because the artists prefer to focus on their characters, have a restrictive budget, or are just cutting corners, but I don’t think it does them any favours doing a job by halves.

What ultimately ruins the book is something seemingly inconsequential: the lettering.

Good lettering in a comic is like good inking or colouring—it blends with the other core elements and does its duty in not disturbing the reading experience. I wasn’t so horrified to see that the lettering wasn’t hand-rendered but actually set in a default cursive font, Monotype Corsiva, and curse of all font creations, Times New Roman (considered by many as the worst font in the world)!

So? At least it’s not Comic Sans, or Zephyr! you might say, but there you’ve missed the point: to pick default is to demonstrate no forethought for subject or context. Granted, the original novel is set in Times New Roman, but it is a ghastly choice for the graphic format. For one thing, Times New Roman’s very default-ness detracts from Kim’s lovely art. Even if the setter (who I strongly suspect isn’t being paid enough or has absolutely no idea about typography and layout) intended to echo the novel, he or she only succeeded in highlighting Meyer’s awkward prose; not to mention the Photoshopped speech bubbles thoroughly drown pages with their unnecessarily chunky sizes and inconsistent white and transparent backgrounds.

There is just so much that’s wrong with the lettering. Look, they’ve even covered up beautiful Edward! BLASPHEMY!

SO.

MANY.

UGLY.

BALLOONS.

As a result the entire graphic novel is reduced to looking unprofessional and cheap, which is a shame. I can forgive the Photoshopped background paintings; I can forgive panels filled with Bella’s asinine introspection; I can forgive even the mind-numbing plot, but I cannot forgive the haphazard way in which the writing has been presented. A story without any text would be fine—preferable, even—but to see an element so integral to visual storytelling displayed in the most amateur fashion is an insult to both the readers and the creators. I find it very difficult to believe this was Kim’s doing; Meyer also carefully oversaw each panel, yet I’m incredulous at the fact that such thoughtless consideration for the lettering was accepted for print by Hachette. Certainly not all comics have the luxury of being hand lettered, but I would imagine for something as massive and lucrative as Twilight, hiring a letterer or even a typesetter or designer would not have been a financial setback at all.

The art of lettering, especially in a comic, is a craft that takes years to develop and master—it essentially shapes the way we read; it emphasises tone and pace, which makes it so critical to a solid reading experience. Twilight reads like a monotonous beginner lecturer in a dull as hell seminar. It lacks rhythm, it has no emotion—it’s boring and unsightly. Logically organising text flow and choosing suitable fonts would have elevated Twilight’s mediocre story into something more durable, evoking a depth and poignancy that would be impossible in the written novel. As it is, I can’t recommend the graphic novel as something worth looking at, let alone reading. I lament that a fantastic opportunity to offer invested fans a treat while providing an opener to readers new to graphic novels is ultimately sullied by a few bad decisions.

Why do I still say it’s successful? While the graphic novel in no way endears me to the written one—indeed no medium on this earth could ever make Meyer’s story good—this is as good as it’s going to get. The sad fact is that this book will sell really well no matter the quality (when Twilight toilet paper actually exists, there is something fundamentally wrong about the world). Over 66,000 copies were snapped up in the first week of release in the US alone, which doesn’t come as a surprise.

If there is one thing I have learnt from Twilight, it’s that there is nothing so awful that can’t be improved with a bit of sparkle. You can’t imagine how that feels.

SO

MUCH

SPARKLE

(Perversely, I hope there is some interactive iPad book version that includes functions like ‘Choose Edward’s Level of Sparkle! Seizure-Inducing, Dazzling, Incandescent grades available!’)

Yay or nay?

Twilight fans will delight in the graphic novel’s faithful depiction of the story and its characters, likely glossing over the god-awful lettering and all that’s disturbing about the story. So long as they’re happy. As for the remainder of us outside the target audience, let’s just say it’s a lot more tolerable than watching KStew’s and RPatz’s vapid faces for two hours.

Who might enjoy it: Twihards and people too afraid to touch the written novel but are still curious may want to try their hand at the comic book instead

Who might not enjoy it: Times New Roman haters, newcomers to comics and graphic novels, and anyone looking for a prime example of a quality comic today

*All additional sparkles added by me and trusty Photoshop. I take no responsibility for any excessive dazzlement. If pain persists, please refer to any Dr Seuss picture book for immediate relief.

A review copy of this book was generously provided by Hachette Australia. The local hardback edition is available, and the B format edition will be released in February 2012.

Title: Twilight: The Graphic Novel (Volume 1)
Series: Twilight Saga
Author: Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Hardback: 9781905654666 (3/2010)
B format: 9781907411526 (2/2012)

More at Book Thingo:

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

Kat — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Children of Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus, Book 2)

Not quite as compelling as the first book and the romance is underdeveloped, but still a satisfying conclusion to the Scarabaeus duology.

When Edie is recaptured by the Crib, she discovers they’ve been grooming four Talasi children to become cyphertecks for her former mentor’s pet project, Project Ardra. Edie is torn between her freedom, her obligation to free Finn, her desire to save the children, and as she learns the motives behind Project Ardra, to find a way of preventing colonised planets turning into uninhabitable mush.

This book is a continuation of the events in Song of Scarabaeus, and it’s best to read the books in order. Unlike its predecessor, Children of Scarabaeus relies on a series of smaller arcs and plots to keep the momentum going. The pacing isn’t as strong, nor are the conflicts as compelling. There are a lot of antagonists, and they’re not all well developed enough to be interesting.

There’s a bit of deus ex machina in the resolution, which is disappointing given that, for the most part, it wasn’t easy to predict how the story would go. The world building in this book also becomes mired in twists and complications.

The romance between Edie and Finn is properly resolved in this book. Creasy isn’t writing a romance novel here, and that’s obvious. The romantic tension between these two characters sometimes comes across as shallow, and the consummation of their relationship isn’t as thrilling as I was anticipating. The lack of insight into Finn’s point of view weakens the romantic arc noticeably.

Nevertheless, Children of Scarabaeus is a satisfying conclusion to the Scarabeus duology. Creasy has plenty of scope for future books with the remaining cast of characters, and it’ll be interesting to see what she comes up with next.

Yay or nay?

Not quite as compelling as the first book and the romance is underdeveloped, but still a satisfying conclusion to the Scarabaeus duology.

Who might enjoy it: Readers who need to know if Edie and Finn get their happy ending

Who might not enjoy it: Sticklers for hard science fiction

Title: Children of Scarabaeus (excerpt – Flash)
Series: Scarabaeus (Book 2)
Author: Sara Creasy
Publisher: Eos/HarperCollins
A format: 9780061934742 (29/3/2011)
Ebook: 9780062078728 (29/3/2011)

More at Book Thingo:

Song of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook

Kat — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:00:00 +0000

Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook (Iron Seas, Book 2)

It’s rare in romance to find an uncompromisingly strong heroine and even rarer to find a hero who understands how to love such a woman. This book gets it just right.

Although Meljean Brook is one of my autobuy authors, I was hugely disappointed by her first Iron Seas novel, The Iron Duke. I found Rhys Trahaearn unheroic, rapish and generally irritating. I hadn’t planned to read any more of this series, except I forgot to tell the bookshop, and they put aside a copy of Heart of Steel for me.

This is fortunate, because Heart of Steel is everything I love about Brook’s writing. Adventurer Archimedes Fox and Captain Yasmeen, who appeared in the first book, remind me of Hugh and Lilith from Brook’s The Guardians series. Their romance is cheeky but filled with subtext and things left unsaid that make it just that much more thrilling.

Archimedes Fox is presumed dead and Yasmeen makes a bargain with his sister to sell off a valuable Da Vinci sketch in exchange for a portion of the proceeds. But there are complications. Word seems to have got out, and some people are not above a bit of murder to get their hands on it. The sketch is stolen. Oh, and Fox isn’t actually dead.

Soon, Yasmeen has her own very personal reasons for wanting to find who is after the sketch. Fox, for reasons of his own, has decided to fall deeply, tragically, romantically in love with Yasmeen as they pursue treasures, mercenaries and assassins.

It’s a testament to Brook that she can create a character like Archimedes Fox, who treads a precarious line between roguish charm and utter ridiculousness, and find the perfect heroine for him—one who is unbowed and unyielding. Fox is the heart of this story, but Yasmeen is its strength.

There’s a lot of world building in this book, some of which follows on from The Iron Duke. It’s possible to read this as a stand alone novel, but it may be more satisfying to read the series in order. It does gets a bit dense in parts, so if you’re an impatient romance reader like me, you might find yourself skimming through the political and historical background, even though they’re crucial to understanding how the plot comes together.

The romance in Heart of Steel is relatively understated. Fox is determined to prolong his romantic agony. Yasmeen, of course, tells him he’s being ridiculous, but Fox has his reasons. Brook could have developed this aspect of his character more, but Fox is so much fun that it hardly matters.

Yay or nay?

It’s rare in romance to find an uncompromisingly strong heroine and even rarer to find a hero who understands how to love such a woman. Heart of Steel gets it just right.

Who might enjoy it: Steampunk romance enthusiasts

Who might not enjoy it: Acrophobics

Title: Heart of Steel (excerpt)
Series: Iron Seas (Book 2)
Author: Meljean Brook
Publisher: Berkley/Penguin
B format: 9780425243305 (1/11/2011)
PDF: 9781101542798 (1/11/2011)
ePub: 9781101545676 (1/11/2011)

More at Book Thingo:

Book Thingo » Reviews

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Yay or nay?

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Yay or nay?

With This Fling… by Kelly Hunter

Yay or nay?

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison

Yay or nay?

Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts

Yay or nay?

Red-Hot Renegade by Kelly Hunter

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The Man She Loves To Hate by Kelly Hunter

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Twilight: The Graphic Novel (Volume 1) by Stephenie Meyer and Young Kim

SO.

MANY.

UGLY.

BALLOONS.

*SO*

*MUCH*

*SPARKLE*

Yay or nay?

Children of Scarabaeus by Sara Creasy

Yay or nay?

Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook

Yay or nay?

SO

MUCH

SPARKLE