Book Review: The Clock Man and Other Stories by Eric Lathi

Synopsis: Enter worlds of magic and dragons, martial arts and mayhem 

A woman waits in a plain white room, wondering why she's there and what's about to happen. 

A man and his talking gun hunt the bogeyman. 

A family finds its house is haunted and sets out to trap the ghosts, but what if the ghosts aren't the real problem? 

Far underneath a city, the figure of a man rests. For decades he's remained perfectly motionless. Last night he moved. 

In a world of magic, martial arts, and dragons, one man controls the flow of magic. Now his daughter wants him dead. 

Zapp Blander always dreamed of being a hero. When a man named Jack shows up, Zapp might just get his chance. 

She was designed to choose which slain warriors got to go to Valhalla, but Kara has developed her own ideas. 

The bogeyman of New Mexico is beaten and fed what should be a simple task: Kill the boy.

Review: 

"Like every other senator, Bedfellow feels slightly dirty after intermingling with the people he claims to represent."

- Awaken.

The Clock Man is the key part of a delectable sandwich, a cocktail of explosive tales that are as addictive as they are compelling. Entering the world of this author, especially in this collection, requires perhaps more than one read.That's why my rating is around 4.5 stars. There's enough five star awesomeness in this book to round it up though.

The Clock Man is by far the longest story, almost reading like a mini-novel in itself. I'm glad the author decided to add other gems in here, the David Lynch / Oliver Stone-esue 'Zona Peligrosa' (you can just feel Leonard Cohen and Charlie Weathers eeking out the soundtrack).

I read the stories in order, and the opener 'Exceeds Expectations' certainly does that.

Awaken brings us back into the world of the Henchmen, the author's prior works, and it's a welcome addition. It's like the author is saying 'this story is for everyone who loved Henchmen'.

 "a cocktail of explosive tales that are as addictive as they are compelling"

Near to the close is 'Eve', a nod to one of the major characters in the Henchmen series. I thought this one would be stronger than it turned out to be. Perhaps if you haven't read Henchmen you will enjoy this segment all the more.

There's a poetic quality to this author's writing punctuated with snappy dialogue and a believable narrative. Add to that the author's talent for the descriptive - you have a sense of your surroundings even when you're lost. If I ever find myself in a desert without a compass, I'm bringing Eric Lahti along for the ride.

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Book Review: The Hidden Blade by Sherry Thomas (Heart of Blade Duology, #1)

Synopsis:

In the waning days of the last dynasty, in a quiet, beautiful corner of imperial Peking, a young girl's blissful ignorance is shattered when she learns that she is the illegitimate daughter of an English adventurer and a Chinese courtesan. What future is there for such a girl? But a mysterious figure steps forward and offers to instruct her in the highest forms of martial arts--a path to a life of strength and independence.

Half a world away in England, a young boy's idyllic summer on the Sussex downs implodes with the firing of a single bullet. Torn from his family, he becomes the hostage of a urbanely sadistic uncle. He dreams of escaping to find his beloved friend--but the friend is in China, ten thousand miles away.

The girl trains to be deadly. The boy flees across continents. They do not know it yet, but their lives are already inextricably bound together, and will collide one fateful night when they least expect it.

'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' meets 'Downton Abbey,' this remarkable tale of friendship, danger, and coming of age will stay with you long after you have finished the last page.

A prequel to MY BEAUTIFUL ENEMY.

Review:

I was recommended this book having read the author's Luckiest Lady in London (review to come at some point!) but also because the one recommending it to me knew I had a background in martial arts, to put it mildly.

Sherry Thomas has a writing style that I can only believe creates a sense of sheer wonder for readers, but partial envy for other authors who read her works. Truly, this is an author who can craft a story with such style and panache, that sometimes you have to take a step back from what one has read,

Although not a long book, I read and consumed The Hidden Blade over several days, and I'll admit the martial arts aspect of the tale was a huge draw for me. As part one of a duology, The Hidden Blade works wonderfully as a historical piece that is lighter on romance than one might expect from Miss Thomas. I do expect part two - My Beautiful Enemy to fulfil the wishes of any reader who wanted more romance in this book.

That is not to say the book lacks romance, far from it. Telling the story of young Chinese girl Ying-Ying who is taken under the considerable wing of her teacher Amah, there is a dual story running with a pace-perfect and a seamless narrative, as the story of upper class English gent Leighton goes through many jumps and hoops (not all of them pleasant).

For me, whilst the story of Ying-Ying and Leighton is engaging (but in the best tradition of tales like Brief Encounter, where there is an attraction but barely exploited....and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon..with Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai definitely attracted to each other but restrained by age old customs and beliefs) - the romance is hinted at here, but I expect it will be more craftily developed in the follow-up.

What makes The Hidden Blade an exceptional book....well, where to start. Ying-Ying is cool, and whilst I can understand the nod to wuxia films like CTHD, it is but one of many that were made in China, it just so happens that particular film was made with a Western audience in mind. The martial arts scenes are brilliantly depicted - I especially loved a scene between Ying-Ying and her master where her Chi (Qi) was being developed. 

Contrary to popular Western belief, it's really hard - nigh on impossible in fact, to find a martial arts master of repute in China. It took me seven years to find my current one. But for reasons that the story must move forward, Ying-Ying is introduced to her teacher early on in the story.

As Leighton makes his improbable but necessary journey to the East - no doubt to reckon with his destiny, I am wanting to know how the worlds of a Chinese girl and Western man will collide.

He seems bit down on his luck, unable to catch a break for large parts of the tale. You'll root for him, as I did. But you will also want Ying-Ying to outgrow her master one day, and in this regard, Amah teaches her student (brutally) well. It seems a mis-match to me, which makes it all the more intriguing.

I rarely have such high praise for a book, but it is so well done, if I could give it six stars, I would. Let''s see how the series wraps up with the intriguing title of My Beautiful Enemy.

Rating: Five Jade-coloured stars.

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