[REVIEW] Machine Man – Max Barry

Max Barry
Machine Man
Random House Vintage (US & CA: 9th August 2011); Scribe (AU: August 2011)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Comparisons with Eric Garcia’s The Repossession Mambo (republished as Repo Men) are inevitable, but Max Barry’s Machine Man is a different beast. Dr. Charles Neumann’s leg is amputated in a workplace accident, and he’s less than impressed with the prostheses on offer – though he rather fancies the prosthetist, Lola Shanks.

Charlie designs a better prosthetic leg, so good that his remaining human one seems ridiculously inefficient. And so he recreates the initial accident to amputate his human leg.

Machine Man shows that there is a very thin line between self-mutilation and self-improvement, and it’s all objective. Max Barry excels in creating excellent female characters, and fans will be cheering for Charlie and Lola to work things out.

The dialogue is smart and snappy, exampled by this from Lola: “But I don’t think there’s a way for people to fall in love that isn’t weird.” So true. There’s also a meta section discussing a novel’s cover art. Quote Charlie: “Why would they make the cover wrong like that?” My theory is that publishers depict what they WANT a novel to be, rather than what it IS, though that should be worked out in editing…

But I digress. Machine Man is a great read, up until the point where the military becomes involved and I lost interest a bit, but it’s still well worth picking up. I still love Eric Garcia’s The Repossession Mambo so much more, though – that book has my heart.

6 New Covers (Bosworth, Jones, O’Brien, Smibert, Turner, Vincent)

September 2011 Releases

Finished August 2011 Releases? Here are September 2011 Releases. To see further titles, check Reading Wishlist.

[REVIEW] Cold Kiss – Amy Garvey

Amy Garvey
Cold Kiss
HarperCollins Teen (AU: 1st September 2011; CA: 6th September 2011; US: 20th September 2011)
Buy (US) Buy (UK) Buy (CA) Buy (Worldwide)

Relax, readers: this isn’t another YA paranormal romance that’s as emo as emo can get, though it initially seems like that. Cold Kiss actually has some humour, the kind that’s funny without trying to be, so there’s a natural ease. Yes, there’s a heroine with a “special” name (Wren), sort of a love triangle (undead Danny and somewhat-sorcerer Gabriel), and family secrets (using energy), but the author is clever enough to keep the story from falling into overdone territory.

We don’t get into the details of how Wren and Danny fell in love, but people in love can do the stupidest and selfish things – like resurrect from the grave a boyfriend and keeping him in a neighbour’s garage. As Danny clings tighter to Wren, our narrator realises she made a terrible mistake, but is dead-set on solving the problem alone. Yes, I know we’re supposed to keep adults out of YA fiction, but Wren has several opportunities to ask her mother for help, and it would be smart to. Might even be a nice mother-daughter bonding experience. Alas, she doesn’t.

And Wren’s a bit contradictory when it comes to her friends: “…even when Danny was alive, I didn’t abandon them, not completely, the way some girls do as soon as they have a boyfriend.” Yeah, but after Danny dies and is “brought back”, Wren spends all her time with him, blowing off her friends. She claims she really wants to get back in their good books, but instead she’s off with new pal and potential love interest Gabriel. But they forgive her.

Amy Garvey crafts a different kind of zombie novel with an odd shot of whimsy. Cold Kiss contains magic, family secrets, and more than just a little Weekend at Bernie‘s vibe. It’s kind of fun, and works really well as a stand-alone. And I hope it is – it doesn’t need a series. Though runaway zombies make for a rather entertaining read.

7 New Deals (Coley, Haines, Knight, Metcalf, Pearce, Schmidt & Shepherd)

Liz Coley‘s Pretty Girl 13 to Katherine Tegen Books (World English) for publication in 2012. About a girl abducted at 13, returned at 16, with no memory of the missing years but with a host of alternate personalities who have kept her sane.

Lise Haines‘s 2009 novel Girl in the Arena optioned by Charlize Theron’s production company. Features gladiator fighting & a forced engagement between Lyn & her family’s enemy.

Karsten Knight‘s next 2 books that continue the dangerous story of a fiery volcano demigoddess, to Simon & Schuster Children’s (World).

Dawn Metcalf‘s Indelible Ink in a 2-book deal to Harlequin Teen (World). Features a heroine who is accidentally marked by a mysterious boy, which places her in the midst of a dangerous, otherworldly plot to end the Age of Man.

Jackson Pearce‘s Fathomless. A young mermaid wants to leave the sisterhood of dark, soulless creatures & regain her humanity, which she can only do by convincing a mortal to love her & stealing his soul.

Victoria Lynn Schmidt‘s 2nd edition of the popular Writer’s Digest book 45 Master Characters. Releasing in 2012, the book will help aspiring authors learn how to create characters with unique personalities by using well-known archetypes.

Megan Shepherd‘s The Madman’s Daughter to Balzer & Bray (NA) in a 3-book deal for publication in 2013. A Gothic thriller trilogy pitched as loosely inspired by H. G. Wells’ classic THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU, in which Dr. Moreau’s 16-year-old daughter travels to her estranged father’s island & finds murder, madness, & a love triangle with an enigmatic castaway & her father’s handsome young assistant.

Authors, Genre Cats & Servals

Readers, I’ve forgotten to post some stuff on the blog! Let’s play catch-up.

A few months ago I started Genre Cats, a Tumblr dedicated to authors photographed with their cats. All photos are submitted by the authors, not just random stuff found on the Internet. Authors include M. J. Scott, Kate Gordon, Teri Hall, Marissa Meyer, Jeff Hirsch, Gretchen Hirsch, Laura Bickle/Alayna Williams, Merrie Destefano and Mike Mullin. Authors, would you and your cats like to be featured on Genre Cats? Here‘s how

I went to Werribee Open Range Zoo for my birthday treat. The highlight was of course the African Cat Encounter, which was $70 to meet the zoo’s servals, learn about them, and watch them train. You can see my photos of various animals on Facebook.

I saw The Hives at The Palace as a second birthday treat. They played three new songs, and some old favourites. They’re the best band to see live, with such elegant attire, quirky humour, and high-energy songs

And just this Thursday, I met author Maria V. Snyder at the Target Centre

4 New Covers (Keaton, Lang, Rossi & Winnacker)

5 New Covers (DeStefano, Etienne, Lu, Meyer & Wiggins)