Save the Pearls and Weird Tales: Mixed reactions

Hi all! I recently discovered that Save the Pearls came up in the news again recently, although I have to admit that I'm not entirely sure what I think of this turn of events.

If you're not familiar with the controversy surrounding the novel and Foyt, then I can sum it up in about 2-3 sentences: Foyt wrote a book she claimed was an anti-racist novel, yet its content came across as incredibly ignorant and racist to many readers. When faced with criticism over the novel and skepticism over the positive reviews, Foyt tried to defend her book by saying things such as that some of her critics were racist/close-minded, which didn't go over well considering that some of her critics were from various minorities. The result was that the literary world pretty much exploded with the sound of a million readers blogging/reviewing/tweeting their reactions, some defending Foyt and some condemning her.

This brings us to August 20th, when sci-fi pulp magazine Weird Tales announced that they were going to print the first chapter of Save the Pearls in one of their upcoming issues. This went over about as well with the internet about as well as announcing that you're going to be torching nuns on Easter, but one of the editors staunchly defended the book. The reaction: people were going to boycott the magazine, with some authors saying that they'd never publish with WT again if they printed the excerpt. As you'd expect, the blog defending the book was yanked and the magazine nuked their plans to print Foyt's chapter.

Don't get me wrong, I do think that the book read as unintentionally racist and incredibly entitled. (This is only one of many issues with the book though.) But part of me is slightly disappointed by the magazine back tracking and saying that they weren't going to publish the excerpt. I don't think that many would really like this excerpt but I'd really like for the readers to actually, y'know... read the excerpt and make up their own minds. Especially since the next editor that posted about the book ended up saying that they viewed the book as offensive... and hadn't read the novel at all, just looked at everything out there online about the book. This sort of bothers me since I'd rather that they had chosen to pull the excerpt based on their own personal reactions from reading the novel or chapter more so than because the internet threatened to stop buying or writing for the magazine if they decided to print Foyt's work.

I can't help but think that if the first editor hadn't said things like "Racism is an atrocity, and that is the backbone of this book. That is very clear to anyone with an appreciation for irony who reads it" then Weird Tales probably could've gotten away with running the piece as a way of exploring the controversy and allowing readers to make up their own minds. I'm not defending Foyt or the book, mind you, but I'm not sure what I think about the magazine making such a decision without at least having read the book. Do I think that they'd probably have come to the same conclusion? More than likely, but at least they'd have made up their own mind on the manner rather than just base it upon stuff that I or anyone else wrote. That just sort of bugs me in ways that I can't properly vocalize.

The more I think about it, the more I have to admit that I don't see anything 100% wrong with printing the first chapter of Foyt's dubious opus. Why not allow more people to read the book? If anything, perhaps the exposure to a wider audience would finally drive home to Foyt that she wrote a book that came across as racist, that her depictions hurt people, and that maybe, just maybe she's wrong in saying that she couldn't have written something people saw as offensive. I'm just afraid that the only thing this whole scenario will do is just enforce her idea of herself as a martyr since the judgement was entirely made based upon other people's reactions rather than if they'd read the reactions as well as a portion of the novel. I don't know if any of this ramble makes any sense, but hopefully so. If people choose not to print parts of her book, I want it to be their decision, not mine.

UPDATE:

I think I've pinpointed why I'm so disappointed. This is ultimately an empty "victory" because the decision ultimately came about because the publisher wanted to avoid bad press and caved into what they thought the internet wanted. I don't agree with the first editor's remarks or his decision to post a chapter, but I would have liked the decision to be made because they read the book, Foyt's comments, and watched her videos and then made the choice. I wouldn't have boycotted the magazine if they'd run the piece, but I have less respect for the magazine because they didn't do any research to begin with and made the decision based upon public reaction.

I also wanted to post that evidently author Jeff Vandermeer warned WT months ago that posting the chapter would be a terrible idea, yet the magazine went ahead with it anyway. I've posted the link to this at the bottom for you to look through. Evidently this was just one of several incredibly ill thought out decisions by the company lately.

Further reading:
*From Weird Tales and ‘Saving the Pearls’ to ‘All-American Muslim,’ Consume the Content, Not the Hype *Weird Tales Publisher Apologizes for Magazine’s Association with Controversial Novel
*Weird Tales Magazine faces a boycott after endorsing a “thoroughly non-racist book”
*Racism row over SF novel about black 'Coals' and white 'Pearls'
*Weird Tales Goes Back in Time
*Weird Tales Publisher Apologizes for Magazine’s Association with Controversial Novel
*Weird Tales, Ann VanderMeer, and Utter Stupidity

Audio Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1)
Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Narrator: Kevin T Collins
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Release Date: 12/01/2009
ISBN: 1600248462





I know, I know... I'm jumping on the Beautiful Creatures bandwagon a little late, but with the movie adaptation's release looming ever closer I really wanted to get a look at this now before the hype really started up.

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything. 

I started with the print edition of the book, but quickly moved to the audio version after a few pages. Why? Because this was just so slow moving that I was having problems staying interested enough to keep going. I like the basic story of the book as well as the characters and the setting. The number one problem with this novel is that the pacing isn't very good. You have parts of the book that just tend to sag under its own weight because it's so drawn out that you just kind of get irritated and want it to get on with whatever it's going to do. I couldn't help but feel that the book could've been edited down by at least a good 60-100 pages to make this progress a little faster. It's not quite water treading along the lines of Anita Blake, but it just felt slightly unnecessary at times. This was still visible with the audio edition, but the excellent narration made up for it at times.

Speaking of the narration, Collins does an excellent job capturing the Southern drawl of the various characters. From Macon's luxurious drawl to Ethan's "down home" twang, I was captivated by how Collins read the book. I also liked that he didn't give into the temptation to twang up Lena, as I sort of felt that a girl that's travelled all over wouldn't really have a strong Southern accent.

Plot and character-wise, our authors did well. Our main characters are likable enough and I enjoyed the meanness of the townies that were out to get Lena for being a weird outsider. What really steals the show, however, are the side characters. They're fantastic. Sure, you could argue that mean girls Savannah and Emily are one note at this point in time, but they're also entertaining. The character of Macon Ravenwood also steals every scene he's in, and I have to say that during most of this book I was shipping him and the Gatlin librarian Marion, my two most favorite characters of the novel.

Overall this wasn't a bad read. It's just incredibly slow to get into, with much of the action and "OMG KEEP READING" scenes coming more in spurts between periods where not much really happens. I was warned of this ahead of time so I was prepared, but I still want to caution readers that if they're the type of get bored with slow moving books, they'll either want to wait for the movie or pick up the audiobook via their local library. (I checked mine out through the local library's OverDrive system for free, with no fear of late fines.)

3 out of 5 stars

Win a copy of Victoria Foyt's infamous "Save the Pearls: Revealing Eden"

No, not from my blog. Sorry!

I know that there are those of you out there who are genuinely curious as to what this book is like and want to read it for yourselves, but don't want to pay to read it. So if you've been wanting a copy, now's your chance. The giveaway officially started today and Foyt's giving away one copy of her book.

Now don't worry- there's nothing wrong with being curious about this and opting in to get a free copy of her book isn't going to make you a bad person. I fully encourage people to read this book for themselves under their own terms and make up their own minds about everything. This is just an opportunity for a lot of you to do this without the guilt you might've felt at purchasing it.

Click here to go to the Goodreads giveaway

Living Classics: Amazon does Facebook

If you're the social media sort and like Amazon, odds are you've already heard of their foray into facebook games. If you're like me and generally only muck about with a certain set of games, this will be news to you.

The title of the game is Living Classics and it's essentially a spin on the whole picture searching game. Your goal is to not only locate some missing foxes, but you've also got to find which parts of the picture move and click on them. The images don't all move at the same time, so you'll have to watch carefully for movement. Clicking the wrong things will cause you to achieve fewer points, clicking accurately and quickly will get you more. This is actually fairly standard and it's simple to dive into. You don't have to rely on uber-quick reflexes or learn a lot of rules, which is a bonus.

The artwork for the game is decent enough. I've seen better out there, but it's bright and colorful, which should attract the younger gamers. I'm including a screenshot of the artwork for one of the main characters as well as a sample of some of the artwork from the gameplay.

I have to say that I was slightly disappointed by the game play. It's entertaining enough, but it's not as addicting a time waster as I'd wanted it to be. It's a little too overly easy, which I think might be because Amazon wants to market it to all age groups, including the kids who get on their parents' accounts to play games. (Or just log onto their own. There's no obvious marketing so far, so I don't think that parents will mind overly much.) In all fairness I've only started playing, but it took me almost no time to find all of the foxes.

For Amazon's first game, it's not bad. It's just not really all that enticing either. I'll keep playing a little longer to give it more time to grow on me, but I'm predicting that this might end up getting shelved as a novelty, with newer or more established games taking central focus. Unless you manage to get a foothold on the audience ala Farmville, most people tend to play a game for a little while and then move on to the next new game that catches their attention. 

Further reading:

*Amazon Unveils 'Living Classics' (PC Mag)

Book Review: Carnal: Pride of the Lions by Jason Bergenstock and John Connell

Title: Carnal: Pride of the Lions
Author: Jason Bergenstock
Artist: John Connell
Publisher: Sea Lion Books
Release Date: 01/06/2013
ISBN: 0983613168




If pressed, I'd admit that not all anthropomorphic animal books are my style. It took me a while to get into Carnal because of this, but I have to admit... the artwork kept bringing me back. Why? Because it's freaking amazing. As far as the story goes, it's pretty much Avatar mixed with Lion King mixed with a dystopian-esque world.

The first graphic novel in the Carnal series, Pride of the Lions takes place on the continent of New Africa and focuses on three main species of humanistic animals. After the Great War decades earlier between the hyenas and the lions, the victorious and once united lion prides now lay scattered across the land, torn by civil unrest over territory disputes and food shortages. The hyena clans that survived the war were forced deep into the Earth and now live in a massive underground city under the control of a terrible witch. The buffalo race is indifferent to most other species and have walled themselves off from the rest of the kingdoms. Humans have lost their hold on the African territories long ago and live as a simple, nomadic species. The first book opens with Long Eyes, an old sapphire-eyed lion who is determined to save the lion kingdom and rescue his warrior son, Oron, who has gone missing. Long Eyes believes Oron is the key to uniting the prides. A young lioness tracker named Omi is sent out with the protection of two lion brothers to locate the missing warrior, but what they find is something that may unravel the very foundation of life for all species.

For me, the artwork was one of the best parts of this read. Connell is pretty skilled and his artwork brings a really lovely touch to the story. The animal-people in the story are originally descended from humans and witches, so Connell tries very hard to make them both animal and human-like at the same time. Omi's artwork accomplished this part exceptionally well, and I was reminded of the character Neytiri from Avatar mixed in with a little Julie Bell/Boris Valejo.  (And yes, if you're into hot cat girls, Omi is rather nice looking if you don't mind lion faces.)

Story-wise, it took me a while to get into. There's a lot of jumping between points in time, as characters remember things that are important to them and to the story. It does help, however, that there's a pretty good idea here and there's hints at various story lines and plot points. I'm somewhat convinced that some of the magic mentioned in the story might actually be science, although this is just my own personal theory. I'm rather interested in seeing if this is the case, especially since it means that we might get some nice creepy scenes of various animal/human characters slinking around abandoned medical and scientific facilities. (OK, I admit it, I'm a sucker for anything that explores abandoned places.) Even if it is magic and not science, there's still a chance for this, as humans did and still do exist in this series. 

When I did get hooked into the story, I was fully drawn in. The last part of the story was rather surprising and a little sad, but it did serve to stir up my appetite for the next book. I don't think that I'll love this as desperately as I have Storm Born or Pariah, but this was a darn good story with some freaking great artwork in it. It might not necessarily be my thing, but it's incredibly well done.

4 out of 5 stars

(e-copy provided by Sea Lion Books)


Further Reading/Viewing:

*Carnal Knowledge - Interview with John Connell (ComicBooked.com)


This won't be out until next year, but until then you have this lovely trailer to whet your appetite!

More Save the Pearls drama: NOT COOL

I didn't think I would post anything else about the whole Foyt thing, but I'm posting this now.

DO NOT POST ANY OF VICTORIA FOYT'S PERSONAL INFORMATION ONLINE!!

Someone is going around posting Foyt's personal information on various blogs. This is not cool. Posting someone's personal information (which included her address and phone number) encourages harassment in various different formats. It doesn't matter what Foyt has said or done: there is no excuse for putting out her personal information and putting her and her family at risk. Even if the most that happens is that someone sends her fifty pizzas, that's emotional distress you have no right to put her through. That is harassment and it's not cool.

I don't care if you have decided that you don't like the author. I don't care if you view her book as racist. I don't care if you think that her book is going to cause the downfall of all humanity. (PROTIP: It won't, give us some credit.) There is no excuse for posting someone's personal information online in any way, shape, or form.

PR: King, Hill, and Matheson Experience Road Rage, Out This Week in Hardcover

(Note: I reviewed this back in June.)

First collaboration by father and son presented in graphic novel form, along with the original inspirational source material San Diego, CA (August 7, 2012) – IDW Publishing is proud to release the hardcover comic book collection of ROAD RAGE, available tomorrow in comic book stores throughout North America. Renowned author Stephen King and Eisner-winner Joe Hill collaborated for the first time in Throttle, a story that paid tribute to RichardMatheson’s classic tale of suspense Duel. Now, ROAD RAGE presents the four-issue compilation of the comic-book tellings of both stories. Adapting the story alongside Hill and King is Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer, and editor of Hill’s New York Times best-selling graphic novel series, Locke & Key. The respective artists on the two stories wereNelson Daniel and Rafa Garres. Available on Wednesday, ROAD RAGE will feature all-new introductions by King and Hill, as well as an all-new wraparound cover by Zach Howard and Daniel, and additional sketches and character designs from Daniel. “Talk about ‘riding with kings’,” said Chris Ryall, “getting to work directly with Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Richard Matheson was enough of a thrill, but then to have the finished stories so beautifully illustrated by talents like Nelson and Rafa made this all even more of a special project for me, and hopefully for readers, too.” The first part of the series, Throttle, tells the story of a motorcycle gang pursued by an unseen assailant in a big rig, but as might be expected knowing the talent involved, things aren’t exactly as they seem.Daniel, whose own collaboration with Hill and artist Howard, THE CAPE, was nominated for a 2011 Eisner Award, handles full art and colors for this portion. Afterwards, Duel presents the adaptation of the Matheson story that inspired Throttle, with artist Garra providing visuals for this thrilling conclusion. Road Rage has received much acclaim thus far. Geeks of Doom praised issue #1 saying, “Full of suspense, with the appropriate touch of horror-style gore, a bit of action, and a whole load of drama, it is a damn entertaining read, and an absolute page turner.” Comic Book Resources commended the final issue saying, “At their best, Ryall and Garres wonderfully put to the comic book medium to great use.” ROAD RAGE ($24.99, 120 pages, full color) will be available August 8, 2012 in comic stores throughout North America. Visit IDWPublishing.com to sign up for updates and learn more about the company and its top-selling books.

About IDW Publishing IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. Renowned for its diverse catalog of licensed and independent titles, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry, including: Hasbro’s The TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE, Paramount’s Star Trek; HBO’s True Blood; the BBC’s DOCTOR WHO; Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Toho’s Godzilla; Wizards of the Coasts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons; and the Eisner-Award winning Locke & Key series, created by best-selling author Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez. IDW is also home to the Library of American Comics imprint, which publishes classic comic reprints, and Yoe! Books, a partnership with Yoe! Studio. IDW’s critically- and fan-acclaimed series are continually moving into new mediums. Currently, Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Disney are creating a feature film based on World War Robot, while Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes and Sony are bringing Zombies vs. Robots to film.