Jason
UPDATE: 2.5 stars
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Read for my work's book club. I didn't love it, but I also think I need to discuss it before I can give it a rating
The Walking Dead + Black Science + Black Hammer.
That's Oblivion Song.
I had not heard anything about Kirkman's newest title until I was lucky enough to get my hands on an Advance Reader Edition TPB, featuring the first six issues. From the synopsis alone, I knew it was right up my alley, and honestly, it was as good as I'd hoped it would be.
In Oblivion Song, Kirkman creates a new sci-fi world filled of monsters that immediately sucks you into the mystery surrounding the Oblivion event. What caused it? Will it happen again? It's big science fiction, but it's really the characters that draw you in. Take the main character, Nathan Cole, for instance. He's a scientist on a very personal quest to try and rescue those stranded in Oblivion, but there's more to it than just wanting to bring back those that have been displaced. It's clear there is more to his story and you can't help but want to follow along.
Helping Kirkman bring these monsters and characters to life are Italian artists Lorenzo De Felici and Annalisa Leoni. De Felici does the linework, while Leoni does the colors. The art is beautiful while still gritty enough to meet the demands on this story.
I would highly recommend you check this one out upon its release.
Wow. It's been a few months since a book took me on such a journey. Beautifully written and though a bit slow in the beginning, by the time it sunk its hooks into me, it was full speed ahead. That said, I definitely had some questions about the science and overly-complex “ending”, but they didn't detract from my overall enjoyment.
For more insight on this novella, listen to my interview with author Olivia Waite on the Shit We've Read podcast here.
While the overall story is perhaps worthy of 4 stars, especially as an epilogue to his Robot series, the syereotypes and depictions of gender make this only a 3.5 read.
I'm really feeling bad for rating the Foundation novels so low, but while I absolutely loved Asimov's Robot series, I'm realizing I just don't care for books heavy on politics; of which his Empire and Foundation books definitely are.
3.25 stars
4.5 stars. Maybe even 5, but I'll have to sit with it for a bit. It's amazing how well it connects to the Sandman Universe, although some of those connections felt just a little too easy/fan service-y.
