For the Win by Cory Doctorow YP FIC DOCTOROW

In the future gaming is serious business. Like multinational corporations and the economies of nations depending on it kind of serious business. Kids in poor countries around the world work in dank factories playing games for days at a time to level up, mine materials, and find loot in game worlds to sell it on the black market to gamers that want a quick win. Large corporations have hidden their wealth within the games’ economies to avoid taxes and regulations. The story follows several teens from around the world connected by games and their yearning for better treatment for all workers, but when they start to join an online union movement they find themselves in very REAL danger. They’ll have to crash the system if they can ever hope to win.

Did you know that globalization, economic justice, unionization, and economics were fascinating? Neither did I till I read For the Win. Heck, I didn’t even know what a lot of them were! Doctorow does an admirable job of taking very complicated real world problems and making a fictional world around them. He did the same for issues of personal freedoms and individual liberty in his previous book Little Brother. This one is a good deal bigger in both size and scope them Little Brother, which is both good and bad. It’s good because this is a huge story tackling huge issues, and for the most part it works great. It’s bad that at times there are so many characters and smaller plots that some readers will get lost. This is a complicated and deep book, but it is usually very fun. I loved the game worlds that Doctorow came up with. Since he sets it in a near future everything is familiar, but the games are way cooler. If you like online gaming, then I think you will really be drawn into this book. If you want something that is exciting but will also make you think, pick this one up.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel by Seth Grahame Smith and Jane Austen, Adapted by Tony Lee and Illustrated by Cliff Richards FIC GR

Jane Austen’s classic romance of the bright and beautiful Elizabeth Bennet and the arrogant and cold Mr. Darcy’s love that defied social expectations is given bold new life with the addition of the undead. Can Elizabeth save her fractured family from destitution and land a husband whilst fighting off the zombie hordes? A touching story of true love and how society’s petty concerns with class, appearance, and manners try to stand in its way…and zombies.

If you haven’t read the hilarious novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies this is a great way to enjoy the zaniness of adding ninja assassins and brain eating monsters to classic Jane Austen. I will say that I enjoyed the novel more because it is closer to Austen’s original novel than a graphic novel can ever be, but the plus side is the art is excellent and makes the gory fight scenes even better than the novel. However, the gore is sort of strong in places so this one is not for the squeamish at all. All and all this is a good read for fans of the book, fans of zombie romance comics, and even Jane Austen fans.

Tekkon Kinkreet = Black & White by Taiyo Matsumoto FIC MATSUMOT

Black and White, two wild street kids that are beyond rules and law (even the Law of Gravity) rule Treasure Town and the Yakuza and police better not forget it. When Chinese criminals start buying up land and trying to change Treasure Town forever Black decides to declare war, but when White gets caught in the crossfire they may be split apart for good. What will happen to Black without White. Without the balance all Treasure Town could be destroyed.

This is maybe my favorite stand alone manga of all time. Black and White are tough and hilarious and take on hardened criminals and cops without batting an eye. The action and adventure are absolutely topnotch but the real prize is the excellent characters. Black is fearless and hides an inner rage while White is a hopelessly innocent space case. Their relationship is the core of the book and ends up being genuinely touching (a rare feat in comics). Even the supporting characters are great. Rat an aging Yakuza, Gramps a drunken homeless philosopher, the deliciously evil Serpent, and several more all have their own motivations and inner world that keep it from being just an adventure story. The lat part of the book when Black and White are separated gets more abstract and symbolic, but I think careful readers will enjoy that. The art is perfect and is as hip and edgy as Black and White themselves. Matsumoto uses detailed backgrounds but with rough lines and odd angles and perspective. The whole effect is dizzying and totally unique. This is a must for older comics readers that like deep and challenging graphic novels.

Poisoned Honey: A Story of Mary Magdalene by Beatrice Gormley YP FIC GORMLEY

Everything changed with the fall of a sparrow. Mari of Magdala (known as Mary Magdalene today) had a strange childhood filled with visions she kept secret from everyone; starting with a talking sparrow. She tried ignoring them until plague took her parents and fiancé and she was forced to marry a controlling and cruel man. An Egyptian mystic teaches sees she has gifts and teaches her magic forbidden to Hebrews. This gives Mari power, but soon dark voices start to speak to her more and more. It is only when she meets Yeshua (Jesus) that she again hopes for a new future, one in which her gifts can be of service not harm.

This was a wonderful novel. Mari is an amazing character and her descent into madness is frightening as it is fascinating. Also interesting are the occasional chapters that tell the story of Matthew, a money-lender’s son (therefore looked down on in those times) that eventually becomes a disciple of Yeshua. Maybe the best part of the novel is Gormley’s take on Yeshua. He is a warm, funny, and wise character and we see him through Mari’s eyes. Mary Magdalene has always been a figure of mystery and controversy. Since the 6^th century she has been considered a reformed prostitute by the church, but modern biblical scholars often disagree with this view. Many scholars now look at Mary as one of the most important women figures in the New Testament, so this book isn’t as controversial as it could look at first glance. It is always tricky to see representations of biblical figures in fiction, but Yeshua is wonderfully represented and I think would be liked by people regardless of their beliefs. I really think that this is a unique and intelligent work of Christian fiction that can be appreciated by readers of any faith.

A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee YP FIC LEE

Mary Quinn was a 12 year old pickpocket sentenced to die by hanging (England in the 1800s was STRICT!), but is given a last minute reprieve and sent to Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls. There she learns to be a proper lady and eventually is hired as a teacher at 17. The life of a teacher bores her, but adventure finds her when she is chosen to join a secret spy society that works through the school calling themselves the Academy. Her first mission is to solve the mystery of missing cargos ships by pretending to be a lady’s companion in a wealthy merchant’s home. Soon the mystery deepens and Mary must face serious peril to uncover the truth, uncover a murder, and discover secrets of her own past.

First impression: It’s like a Jane Austen murder/spy mystery! This turns out to be a very good thing. Mary is a wonderful character; she is resourceful, bright, and tough without seeming entirely out of place with her time. The mystery has plenty of twist, but at times seemed a bit dry. Fortunately the romantic subplot is very well done and reminded me of the previously mentioned Jane Austen. I would say it is a good read for mystery fans, but mainly for fans of character driven mystery books. It is also a great read for historical fiction fans because the author has impeccably recreated Victorian, London with both high and low society represented. So if you are looking for some romance, danger, and intrigue this is your book.

Personal Beef: The cover! Why does it have “The Agency” in much larger print than the book’s actual title A Spy in the House? And it also has “A Mary Quinn Mystery” up top! Which is the title of the series “The Agency” or “Mary Quinn Mysteries”? Maybe I’m just easily confused, but I had to look up what the real title was.