34.13: NOS4A2, by Joe Hill (2013 hardcover)

I'm a huge fan of Joe Hill's Locke and Key comics, so I picked up his latest novel. Like his father (Stephen King), Hill is a remarkable storyteller--even of stories that are hard to engage in at first contact. I struggled to connect in the first 50 pages, but after that I couldn't stop: creepy but compelling, with great characters and surreal plot. (I'm catching up on my neglected blog, so these are short entries. Post a comment if you read the book--or are interested in doing so--and I'll share more!)

29:13: The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Book 6), by Michael Scott (2012 hardcover)

This is (I'm pretty sure) the sixth book in this teen series, and it continues to interest me. I'm not usually a fan of fantasy involving magic and sorcery, but the historical thread here--featuring immortal humans like Gilgamesh, Joan of Arc, Machiavelli, Shakespeare, Virginia Dare, and Billy the Kid; and Elder gods like Quetzocoatl, Prometheus, and Bastet--make this a fascinating read. Scott is apparently an Irish "authority" on mythology and folklore, and he weaves stories told across centuries and geography together adeptly. I highly recommend the series, which begins with The Alchemyst for those interested in getting started.

23.13: Beyond the Deepwoods (The Edge Chronicles 1), by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddel (1998 hardcover, on loan from Hank Wicklund)

Over the winter break, I set out to catch up on the comic series I neglected in the second half of last year. I've accomplished that task, and, while I have a few new series to take a look at in the coming weeks, I decided it's time to ease back into some (mostly) non-illustrated stories. Lest the shock be too abrupt, I've identified the perfect transition: a TweenLit book I borrowed from a colleague's eight-year-old son in September; it has chapters and lots of words, but it still sports a number of good illustrations. And, I figure that if a cool kid like Hank likes it, there's a good chance I will as well.

And like it, I did. The book is action-packed to say the least, with each chapter including an entire adventure, unusual characters, exciting chases, and new environments. The protagonist driving all this action if Twig, a boy who has always been an outsider among his (?) woodtroll people and is sent into the Deepwoods upon reaching adulthood. His mom thinks it will be the best thing for him to go live with his uncle in another woodtroll village, but Twig does the unthinkable: he steps off the path. And into a world of adventure.

The book is filled with a series of animals and beasts of all sorts: Hover Worms, Slaughterers, Skullpelts, carnivorous Bloodoak trees,  Gyle Goblins, Banderbears, Termagent Trogs, and--the creatures all the preceding are terrified of-- Gloamglozers. With each chapter, Twig encounters a new species--some friend, some foe, but all unexpected. Finally, though, toward the end of the book, the fabled Sky Pirates appear, and Twig's life is changed forever. Or so, I'm assuming readers will learn in book two of The Edge Chronicles.

I'm not certain that I'll be reading on in this series, but not because the first book wasn't good. It's actually excellent, but more appropriate for its intended Tween audience. As I told my sister Sarah, for an adult reader the pace and storyline are almost too exciting. Things happen with great speed and new characters pop up everywhere, and it's a bit too much for this forty-something-year-old reader to deal with. However, if you have a child or work with kids between the ages of 6-10, this series is one you should definitely pick up. It would make for a great read-aloud option, as each chapter is a nice length and tells an entire adventure--perfect for nightly or classroom reading. I think both girls and boys will enjoy it, but it definitely leans toward the male end of things (monsters and pirates, after all) if you're trying to entice boys to read.  

13-15.13: Leviathan, On to Genesis, and Tommy Taylor and the War of Words (The Unwritten Volumes 4, 5, and 6), by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Vince Locke (2011, 2012, and 2012 trade paperbacks)

Vertigo is one of my favorite comic publishers, so I often check out their booth at Comic Con or scan the spines of trades at comic book stores in search of their logo. They generally publish smart comics with excellent stories and art work, and The Unwritten is a good example of what I can expect from their label. I started reading this series early in its inception, but I fell a bit behind after volume three. It was nice to have the time to get caught up again by immersing myself in trades four through six over the winter break.

I've written reviews of trades two (click here for link) and three (here) in earlier years: my review of trade two is pretty brief, but trade three does a pretty good job filling in the premise, so it's worth reading before continuing. As the saga continues, Tom Taylor and his friends Lizzie and Ricki continue their quest to escape the Cabal--an organization set on controlling and gaining power from the written word--and understand the ways in which Tom is able to tap into that power to enter and create stories himself. Volume four brings an interesting cross-section of stories featuring whales, providing the opportunity for Ahab, Job, Sinbad, and others to meet an interact. Volume five delves into the golden age of comic books to answers to Tom's past--making use of several pulp genres to tell individual tales in single issues. And, in volume six, Tom uncovers enough of his past to take the fight directly to the cabal. What he'll do with what he learns remains to be seen.

All in all, The Unwritten is a great comic for lovers of story and myth and believers in the power of words. If you haven't yet started the series, I highly encourage you to do so. 

9-12.13: Welcome to Lovecraft, Head Games, Crown of Shadows, and Keys to the Kingdom (Locke & Key Volumes 1-4), by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 trade hardcovers)

I picked up the first trade of Locke & Key at one of the first two Comic Cons I attended. Like a lot of my early comics, I started it because my sister Sarah recommended it. I remember finding the series interesting, and I read the first two volumes relatively quickly, but as I picked up more and more comics of my own, this one got side tracked a bit. However, at Comic Con 2012 I encountered Joe Hill, author of the series, when I attended a panel he sat on with Margaret Atwood (my favorite author of all time). I found him funny and interesting, so I decided to attend the panel he and Gabriel Rodroguez were holding and reacquaint myself with Locke and Key. Seeing the dynamic relationship and enthusiasm the pair had for the series--as well as how much the attendees admired the series--resparked my interest in reading it. Just after Christmas, I received a big box of comics I had ordered from Amazon, and volumes 3 and 4 were among them. Since it has been some time since I read the first two volumes, I decided to begin anew and read the series from the beginning.

Locke & Key is a horror comic that tells the story of a family beset by tragedy, beginning with the death of the male head of household. The first volume of the comic sets the premise, wherein a mother and her three children move to the east coast to live in a huge old house, full of mysteries. The mysteries relate to a collection of keys hidden throughout the house that open doors in unexpected ways. For instance, the first key young Bode finds and uses opens the Ghost Door: pass through it, and your ghost leaves your body and can travel unseen just about anywhere; return through the door and into your body. Each volume of the series focuses on a different key, woven within an overall story of magic, horror, violence, intrigue, and everyday life. The tale is extremely well told, and the premise that adults are unable to see and/or accept as real any of the magic created by the keys raises questions about imagination, age, and the line between real and imagined. Rodrigiez's art is beautifully detailed, providing a believable setting for improbable events. I'm happy I reconnected with Locke and Key, and I recommend it to mystery and horror enthusiasts.

8.13: Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, by David Petersen (2009 hardcover)

My sister Sarah introduced me to Mouse Guard at the 2008 Comic Con, when she insisted we visit David Petersen in Artist Alley. I'm happy for her commitment as well, since the Mouse Guard series is one of the most charming and beautifully illustrated comics that I read. We've stopped to see David at every Con we have attended, and he's a nice guy with wonderful stories and products; you can often see me sporting a Mouse Guard t-shirt in my leisure time, and there is a board game for those who might be interested.

Petersen is both author and artist of Mouse Guard, and this goes a long way toward explaining the tightly-interwoven plot and complimentary artwork. Additional strengths are the regular use of songs, legends, and literature created for the mouse world, giving it a rich history and cultural depth. Of all the comic series I read, it's also the only one I would recommend as being suitable for all ages: young kids will love the detailed mouse, weasel, rabbit, bat, and bird characters that populate this world; older readers will further enjoy the tales of struggle and heroicism that the Mouse Guard--a middle-ages-style military force that keeps its citizens safe from external predators and internal intrigue--documents within these seasonal collections. There are two larger collections (Autumn and Winter), as well as two shorter collections of spin-off story lines; all will charm and entertain you.  

5 and 6.13: Conception and Desolation (House of Mysteries, Volume 7/issues 31-35 and Volume 8/issues 38-42), by Matthew Sturges, Luca Rossi, and Werther Dell'Edra/Jose Marzan, Jr. (2011/2012 trade paperbacks)

Every time I pick up a new trade of this series, I consider going back to the beginning to read it again--perhaps a bit more carefully. It's complex plot and large cast of characters make it challenging to keep track of of what's happening. When getting screenshots of the cover photos from Amazon to make this entry, I found that my feelings are not unique. Customer reviewer Garietta Falls said, "I really liked this series in the beginning, but I am beginning to wonder what the point is. The story, concerning Fig usually, makes large jumps that are hard to follow." In Volume 7, the story quite literally jumps, as the house lifts off its foundation, leaving everyone but Fig and Cain behind. This provides the opportunity--or, as it so often turns out in House of Mystery, the challenge--of following multiple plot lines within what would more usually be a single story arc. In this case, we alternate between Fig and Cain's struggle through a series of increasingly smaller houses that reveal parts of her earlier life; the choices the characters left behind make in order to occupy their time and continue their lives; the efforts of her (estranged, and possibly dead) brother, father, and grandfather to find (and maybe kill?) their sister/daughter/granddaughter; and the origins of the still bizarre and increasingly confusing, creepy couple called the Conception. It's become equal parts confusing and compelling. Another Amazon customer reviewer, Jason Upton, explained, "The story started strong and now feels like there's no plan. It jumps around without following the stories teased out. I'm hoping the next one is better or I'll have to move on." I'm right there with him.
 

In fact, I'm just starting Volume 8 now, so you'll have to wait a short time to see what I conclude!

Update: It looks like Garietta, John, and I were not alone in our struggles to stay engaged in an increasingly pointless plot. Volume 8 of House of Mystery starts out with a typed summary of all seven previous trade collections, hitting on the main points that create a consistent storyline--but leaving a heck of a lot out. When it gets boiled down this way, it easier to see what the underlying premise is. However, it would have been much simpler to keep that idea at the forefront all along rather than cluttering it up with extraneous side plots. As it turns out, I need not worry about whether or not to continue with the series, as Volume 8 appears to be the end. And, while I can't say that it was tied up nice and neatly, at least there was an effort to conclude in come way that made sense of the whole thing. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this series unless you are a diehard horror comic fan, and even then I'd say you may want to stop after trade 3 or 4--when the ideas are still fresh and interesting but haven;t yet become a tangled mess.

45.12: Wide Awake (Fairest Volume 1, issues 1-7), by Bill Willingham and Phil Jimenez (2012 trade paperback)

In 2012, the comic series Fables (reviewed here and here) did a 6-issue story arc featuring Cinderella (review here). Likely based on its popularity, and (I'd hazard) the increasing number of female comics readers, the women of Fables are going it alone. Well, mostly alone.

The first story arc of Fairest features Briar Rose, with male hero Ali Baba, a bottle imp, the Snow Queen, and a cool collection of powerful women deities. The initial premise was actually established in issue 107 of the Fables series (in trade 16), but you don't need to read it to make sense of the story. After all, most of us know Briar Rose and her story from tales of childhood. If not, here's you chance to catch up now and get in on the ground floor of what promises to be a great new series. 

42-43.12: Super Team (Fables Volume 16, issues 100-107) and Inherit the Wind (Fables Volume 17, issues 108-113), by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, and others (2011 and 2012 trade paperbacks)

These are numbers 16 and 17 in the Fables series, so we're far into the plot by this point. I've provided an overview of the premise in my review of trades 14 and 15, so I'd recommend you check it out first (at this link) to get an overview of the series.

Trade sixteen details the efforts of the Fables living in Haven, a temporary escape from enemy Mister Dark, to develop a super team of fighters to battle against evil. Led by the powerful witch Ozma, with advice about Super Hero mythology from Pinocchio, the team begins training for the confrontation, only to have the need cut short by a sacrifice from unexpected corners.The bonus issue in the collection sets up the premise for the first story arc in the new Fairest series--which will focus on the female fables--with the story of Briar Rose. I've recently finished that first trade, so I'll post my review soon.

Trade seventeen focuses on the children of Bigby Wolf and Snow White--the grandchildren of the North Wind. To continue the family tradition of guarding the north, one of the children must be identified as successor, so a series of trials are held to determine which of the young cubs (actually flying children) will prevail. The bonus issue following this story arc involved Beauty, of Beauty and the Beast fame, so I'm guessing that trade two of Fairest will pick the story up as well.

Of all the comics still in process, the Fables series if my favorite, and it's a great one to start off with if you are considering an investigation of modern adult comics.

36.12: City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments Book 5), by Cassandra Clare (2012 hardcover)

The latest in the series starring Shadowhunter Clary, her Shadowhunter society, nemesis (brother), and love interest (who she once thought was her brother), and her vampire (former love interest) and werewolf friends. Okay, so it sounds a bit cliche, but this is a decent teen series with just enough interesting non-romantic developments to keep me reading. Click on "Clare" in my word cloud to the right to get reviews of the Mortal Instruments books--and the prequel Infernal Devices books that start 100 years before Clary shows up.

33.12 : False Memory, by Dan Krokos (2012 Advance reader paperback)

I picked up this advance proof in the free box at my local bookstore, Northtown Books, some time ago, so it wasn't really on my radar. When I read the author bio before starting the book, my expectations weren't too high, as this is the first novel published by 26-year-old Krokos. Despite this inauspicious start, the book proved to be interesting enough that I read it over the course of two evenings, staying up until 1:00 am on the second night to finish it. (If you know me at all, you know that's late for me.) It's a solid TeenLit read, of the we're-being-experimented-on/-used for-nefarious-purposes genre of teen books. Okay, so that may not be an official literary genre, but if you read enough TeenLit, you certainly can recognize it as a clear type.

The novel begins with Miranda gaining consciousness in an Ohio shopping mall with no memory other than her name. She quickly learns that she is not the typical teen, however, as her confusion and fear lead her to start a panicked stampede in the mall that results in the deaths of several people. She does this, a boy named Peter who has tracked her to this mall informs her, with her brainwaves. Unable to doscount this fact due to a loss of memory, and the all-too-clear evidence of trampled bodies, she accepts Peter's word and heads "home" with him.

Home ends up being an underground bunker in rural Ohio, where Miranda learns that she is a Rose--a genetically altered teen whose purpose will be to avoid violent bloodshed. Or so she and the three other Roses (called such because they can detect each other's brainwaves by the scent of roses) have been raised to believe. Since I already told you the genre we're working with, you know just how likely that peaceful scenario is.

Although it's a new twist on a common theme, replete with handsome love interests, the sciency nature of the premise--as well as some good action and plot turns--make this a good read. I'll keep my eyes out for future Krokos books, which will likely include the sequel this obviously set up.

28.12: 1Q84, by Haruki Murakami (2011 handcover)

This is a HUGE book, and I'm a little over half way finished. I'm posting the entry now to encourage me to finish it. (It's too big to travel with, so it's not the best choice for my summer-traveling schedule!) So far I like the book and Muakami's writing, and am deterred only by said bulk, so let me know what you think if you've read it. A bit of a pep talk--without spoilers, please-- will help to spur me on. If you decide to read it, I highly recommend the e-version or the paperback, which was recently released in a three-volume set.

7/30 update: I forgot to grab this off the nightstand before my recent travels, and I've yet to get back to it. I will resume my reading soon, however: I want to both see how it concludes and get the massive volume off my bedside table. 

I did finally finish this--sometime in September, I believe. Interesting but odd, and very Japanese, if that makes sense to you. I'll have to read another Murakami book before I decide whether or not I like him. 

27.12: The Wind Through the Keyhole (A Dark Tower book), by Stephen King (Published 2012, iBook edition)

If you follow this blog, you know that I'm a Stephen King fan. For more on this--and for reviews of King books I've read since January 2011--simply click on the King tag in the right-hand column of my blog and you can catch up with my King fandom. 

Now that you are caught up, I'll have to say that I may love Stephen King books, but it's his Dark Tower series that I love the most.  Interestingly, the seven novels that make up King's original Gunslinger tales are likely the least known of his books. He's much more popular for his horror novels, and, while I'm a fan of those books as well, the Dark Tower series is superior for those who like books about fantasy worlds, such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or Pulling's His Dark Materials series. Since the books were published between 1974 and 2004 (Yep, that's a 30-year span, but you're a lucky reader because you won't have to wait for the next book to come out as I did!), I haven't reviewed them here, so let me provide you with a summary borrowed by the Official Dark Tower website: "The Dark Tower series tells the story of Roland Deschain, Mid-World’s last gunslinger, who is traveling southeast across Mid-World’s post-apocalyptic landscape, searching for the powerful but elusive magical edifice known as The Dark Tower. Located in the fey region of End-World, amid a sea of singing red roses, the Dark Tower is the nexus point of the time-space continuum.  It is the heart of all worlds, but it is also under threat. Someone, or something, is using the evil technology of the Great Old Ones to destroy it." If that intrigues you, click this link to visit the site for more details about the books, their inspiration (Browning and Tolkien), etc.

Frankly, while this book claims to be a stand-alone volume, a supplement that would fall somewhere between volumes four and five in the series timeline, I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't familiar with the Gunslinger and his ka-tet--Eddie, Susannah, and Jake--and their billy-bumbler companion named Oy. While King goes to some pains to explain these characters (and the entire series premise) in a foreword, it seems to me that the world within the pages of this book would be much paler and shallow without the knowledge of the kingdom of Gilead and its demise that are explored in the earlier books. If you're looking for a great new world of adventure, I'd certainly start by reading the first four books in the Dark Tower series and adding this as volume 4.5. 

Now! Read them now! (Really, I highly recommend the series and am a bit jealous that you have the chance to encounter them for the first time.)

One caution: While I compared the Gunslinger books to Tolkien and Pullman--both with series read by younger audiences--King's books are for more mature readers. While they are by no means overly graphic, they do contain references to sex, drugs, and violence, and the characters swear just about as much as do a good number of humans you know. I'd say that these books are most appropriate for the teens and mature 'tweens of parents who understand that kids can read literature with adult themes and benefit accordingly.

23-24.12: The Final Warning and Max (Book 4 and 5 of the Maximum Ride series), by James Patterson (iBook, originally published 2008 and 2009)

I really enjoyed hearing James Patterson speak about kids and reading during a luncheon at the 2011 NCTE Convention, and I think his Read Kiddo Read website offers amazing resources for young readers and parents. These things have made me check out a couple of his book series for Tween and Teen youth, and the Maximum Ride series--about a flock of mutant bird kids who were experimented on in labs--is one of the more interesting. They have good story lines for both boys and girls, with both romance and fart jokes mixed in, as well as strong good-versus-evil plots and exposure to contemporary issues. In these two books in the series, for instance, global warming becomes the focus.

Considering the huge number of books Patterson is publishing annually, in both the adult and youth categories, he either gets no sleep or has a full cadre of ghost writers assisting him. In either case, his work is engaging if not brilliant, and these books are sure to be a hit with young readers.

15.12: The Rook, by Daniel O'Malley (iBook, Pub 2012)

Downloaded in SFO, read on way back from NYC in March.

14.12: The Demi-Monde: Winter (Book 1 of the Demi-Monde Saga), by Rod Rees

Downloaded in SFO and read on flight to and in NYC in March.

8.12: Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor (2011 hardcover)

I've been seeing this book on reading lists since it came out last September, and it has (literally) looked down at me from the shelves of bookstores. In the spirit of my read-the-books-on-my-shelves-and-only-buy-new-ones-that-continue-a-series-I-started pledge, however, I resisted the desire to buy it for four months. Then I stopped by Northtown Books a couple weeks back to get a few new volumes in some series I'm reading, and I added this to the pile as well. 

I have mixed feelings about the book, and not just because it was the book that led me to break my pledge. I'm realistic enough to know that was an inevitable event, and I'm a bit surprised I went as long as I did. Baby steps, and all that.  Rather than stemming from book-buying angst, my mixed emotions come from the fact that I really wanted to like the book and only sort of liked it. It has a lot of my favorite elements: good and evil, warrior angels, a battle between supernatural beings going on right outside human sight--chimera, in this case. Alas, what it also has--in spades--is romance. 

Per usual, the romance involves a teen (apparently) girl who is on the edge of society, in this case because she is an orphaned human (apparently) raised by chimera--beings of mixed human and animal traits. Of course, there's more to this odd picture than even Karou knows, and the truth begins to unfold when she encounters Akiva, a warrior angel. That in itself isn't a bad thing, but the ensuing focus on the love between Karou and Akiva is a bit too formulaic--even for someone who generally tolerates the teen romance formula to get some good fantasy/SciFi. It's the same complaint I made in my recent discussion of Cassandra Clare's newest book, and I'm wondering if it's simply time to take a bit of a break from TeenLit for a while. There's a sequel in store, of course, and we'll see if I've recovered from romance overload before it's released.  

7.12: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, Book Two), but Cassandra Clare (2012 hardcover)

Cassandra Clare has a skill for creating a rich fantasy world, replete with angel protectors, vampires, werewolves, demons, warlocks, and just about any supernatural being you can imagine. It's interesting packaging for her novels, which essentially boil down to teen romances. In theory, the supernatural/combat layer may be of interest to male teens, but I suspect that her readership is predominantly teen girls--with middle aged women like myself thrown in for good measure--all the better to brood over the stunningly handsome teen boys involved. 

Clockwork Prince is the second in a prequel series published after Clare's City of Bones books (The fourth of which I reviewed in Entry 35) were under way. Set in Victorian England, Infernal Devices  series readers are introduced to the fact that the battle between good and evil has been waged for a long time (as measured in teen years, at least), and provided the opportunity to explore the mores and clothing of the Victorian era along the way. I reviewed the first in the prequel series in Entry 7, so you can check out the premise there. In this second volume, Tessa's search for who she is--and who she loves--continues. Is she a warlock or something closer to her angelic friends? Will she end up with the angry, brooding, gorgeous angel or the kind, ill, gorgeous angel? Decisions, decisions...

5 and 6.12: The Fulminate Blade and The End (Jack of Fables Volumes 8 and 9), by Willinham, Sturges, Akins, Fern/Braun, Pepoy (2011 trade paperbacks, issues 41-45 and 46-50)

 It's the end of the road for our hero Jack of Fables, the charming bad-boy featured in a 50 issue spin off of Bill Willingham's fantastic Fables series. I did a relatively lengthy write up for a combined posting of trades 5-7, so you can check out some of the back story there to learn what it's all about.

The raucous tales of Jack--and his son Jack Frost--gallop over these final pages, complete with favorite characters and a few new ones as well. Fare thee well, Jack. See you between the pages of your many fairytales.

4.12: 11/22/63, by Stephen King (2011 hardcover, borrowed from Tracy D.)

In posts 46 (American Vampire) and 92.11 (Full Dark, No Stars), I expressed my admiration for Stephen King's storytelling skill. I have, I believe, read every book King has written, and at times I find myself defending my devotion. When I recently told a friend I was reading 11/22/63, he exclaimed skeptically, "Stephen King? Really?" Really.

I think many of my contemporaries read Carrie and The Shining, and even more saw the movies, but fewer have followed the rest of King's career. I took a 15 to 20-year break myself, until I stumbled upon The Dark Tower series King started in 1982 at age 19 and took 22 years to finish  (publishing additional volumes in 1987, 1991, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2004). It's claimed that King intentionally set out to write his own Lord of the Rings epic, and the alternative reality established in The Dark Tower books is just as compelling as anything by Tolkien--although a bit darker, as one might expect of King. The books, inspired by Spaghetti Westerns and borrowing from Robert Browning's poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came," follow the tales of Roland Deschain of Gilead (The Gunslinger) as he pursues the man in black (No, not Johnny Cash, alas.) who sets him on a journey to the Dark Tower. This review isn't about the Dark Tower, of course, so I won't go further into it, but what did come out of my reading the series was a new love of King's writing. Add the fact that he managed to weave in story threads from his previous novels--which I was then compelled to go back and read--and I was smitten.

While the Dark Tower series was King's venture into a completely different world/time, the majority of his books are set in contemporary American society. There's a great familiarity to events, people, and places--but with a twist of the unreal, unlikely, or downright insane. 11/22/63 starts off in a familiar 2011, with an average high school English teacher doing typical things. When Jake Epping steps sideways, though, into another time--1958--we're in the realm of Stephen King.  There's a lot to this realm, evidenced by the 842 pages it covers, but the main premise is that Jake sets off with the goal of stopping the assassination of JFK, armed with the meticulous notes of a man who set off to do the same but was unable to complete his mission once cancer and age caught up with him. The possibility of taking on a task such as saving Kennedy exists due to the particular characteristics of King's time portal--no matter how much time is spent on the other side, when Jake returns to this side, only two minutes will have elapsed. And, when he travels back, he arrives in the exact same place and time in 1958 as before, essentially resting anything he did during the previous visit.

King always does a remarkable job of making the impossible seem entirely normal, and that holds true in this book as well, mainly because the majority of things that happen are just so average--eating and traveling and driving cars and falling in love. Like Jake, who must live in an alternate time for five years after arriving in America at the end of the 1950s (14 years before he was born) in order to change the history books, readers are immersed in the time period. The past is obdurate, we learn with Jake, and resists change. And, if Jake can change events, what would ultimately come of a world where a watershed moment is remarkably altered? Would saving JFK also save Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, as Jake and his predecessor hope? Would the Vietnam War be avoided, saving thousands of American lives? What of the Civil Rights movement?

Jake spends most of the book pondering these thoughts, which allows readers the same opportunity. It's exhilarating, and difficult, and a bit scary. It's King at his enduring best.