Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand--This Book-to-Movie Comes to U.S. Theaters Christmas Day, 12-25-14!

[1]

Book Review by:
Sharon Powers.
_______________________

This post is dedicated to LOUIS ZAMPERINI who passed away July 2, 2014, just four short months ago. 

_______________________

     Adolph Hitler looked on as the last lap of the 5,000 meter Olympic race was being run. He saw a young American run the last lap of the race in a scorching 56 seconds. Later, Adolph Hitler requested to meet that young man. Astonished, Louis was brought to Hitler and introduced. Hitler shook Louis's hand and said, "Ah, you're the boy with the fast finish." [2]

     Unclear, is whether Hitler knew that Louis Zamperini shared a room at the 1936 Olympics with Jesse Owens. [3] Or...that after meeting Hitler, Louis was reported as saying, " I was pretty naive about world politics...and thought he looked funny, like something out of a Laurel and Hardy film, especially the way he stamped his feet and slapped his thighs." [2]

[5]

     I suppose young (19 yrs.) Louis thought the Fuhrer was a funny enough guy that he asked some skinny guy to take a picture of him with Hitler. The skinny guy turned out to be Joseph Goebbels. [2] It is, also, not known if Hitler found out that Louis, after meeting him at the Olympics, climbed up a flagpole and stole Hitler's own personal flag. Louis Zamperini kept Hitler's flag and a few years ago was photographed holding the "memento" stolen from right in front of the Fuhrer's nose.  [4] 

     Little did Zamperini know the irony involved in the act, because soon after the Olympics, Zamperini found himself enlisted and flying as a bombardier against Axis forces. Before we delve further into Louis's remarkable life, let's take a look at the synopsis of the book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, REsilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand--the book I am reviewing, today.

A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK:

Louis (left) and Pete (right) Zamperini
brothers. [6]

     Most biographies you read begin with the story of the person's childhood, and so does Louis Zamperini's. Laura Hillenbrand tells of Louis's wild exploits in his childhood and the unique variety of ways he could get himself into trouble. Hillenbrand relates that Louis's older brother got him interested in running in an effort to steer him away from a profligate life. Louis began running and never stopped. Eventually, going to the Olympics in 1936 as a wild-eyed teenage boy, Zamperini, even there, engaged in theft--that of Hitler's personal flag, for a momento.

[7]

     As WW II ramped up, Louis found himself flying as a bombardier, one of the riskier jobs of the war. His number was up when he was called to fly a search mission in The Green Hornet, little more than a bucket of bolts; a plane that had been used for replacement parts for other planes--no one even knew if the critical parts were all there--that, and the plane had a notorious history of trouble. The Green Hornet went down killing all on board except Zamperini and two others.

Louis Zamperini authored
Devil at my Heels, one of
two autobiographies. [8]

     Flinging themselves into two small inflatable life rafts, the three men faced thirst, starvation, shark-infested waters, Japanese aircraft that strafed the rafts, fierce weather, and the eventual death of one of the three men, only to be rescued from death and starvation after forty-seven days on the raft [8], at the hands of the enemy. Ironically, after his internment in a POW camp, Zamperini faced torture and starvation at the hands of his Japanese captors. Zamperini had to call upon his deepest strengths in facing the limits of his endurance. The worst of it, Zamperini reported, was the dehumanazing treatment given POWs. Through it all, Zamperini refused to be broken.

MY FAVORITE PASSAGE:
     The only thing you need to know before you read the following passage is that the "children" referred to are wild and troubled boys (like Louie had been as a youth).

[9]

On a May day in 2008, a car pulled to a stop before Pete's house in San Clemente, and Louie stepped out. He had come to say good-bye to his brother; Pete had melanoma, and it had spread to his brain. Their younger sister Virginia had died a few weeks before; Sylvia and Payton Jordan would follow months later. Cynthia [Louie's wife]...had succumbed to cancer in 2001, drifting off as Louie pressed his face to hers, whispering, "I love you." Louie [saying good-bye to Pete] spoke of what a feral boy he had once been, and all that Pete had done to rescue him. He told of the cascade of good things that had followed Pete's acts of devotion, and the bountiful lives that he and Pete had found in guiding children. All of those kids, Louie said, "are part of you, Pete." Pete's eyes opened and, with sudden clarity, rested on the face of his little brother for the last time. He couldn't speak, but he was beaming. (p. 389)     

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     I chose this passage, first, because it is one of the very few places in the book that is emotive. Obviously, Louis Zamperini had dealt with death and seen it close up throughout his life, and knew how to handle the emotions that would come up because of the loss of someone you would know. Even here, with the deaths of people he loved, he was able to deal with their deaths with dignity and equanimity, respect, and love. This passage made me cry, even after having read all that Louis Zamperini had gone through during his remarkable life.

     I also found that Louis, in recognizing Pete's remarkable gifts to him, would allow Pete to know just how much Louis loved and appreciated Pete and valued what Pete had done for him. Louis was able, in the end, to be the wind beneath Pete's wings, just as Pete had always been for Louis...just so beautiful.

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     Also, it is remarkable that after all the horrible things Louis went through, and all the deaths he had seen, that he was not a hardened man at the end. Louis was gentle, respectful, and caring for those who died in his arms. To me Louis Zamperini will be a great man just for this one simple and caring thing he did for those he saw through death.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY AND BIOGRAPHY:
     Perhaps you don't get biography and autobiography mixed up, but I've spoken with people who do. They've asked me to give them a good definition so they will be better able to understand the difference. The biggest problem are the two different terms, themselves, biography and autobiography. Both words contain "biography," so it is understandable why the mix up.

     An autobiography is what most people think of when they hear either one of the two terms. Looking at the info graphic, here, on the left, you can see the definition laid out for you.If you can remember that "auto" means "self, you have it made. The story you are reading (or writing) is a story by you about your life, OR a story by the author about themselves. [12]

     A few very famous autobiographies are as follows: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank; Meditations by Marcus Aurelius; The Autobiography of St. Theresa of Avila by Theresa of Avila; The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou; The Greatest: My Own Story by Muhammed Ali; and Night by Eli Wiesel. Many, many more autobiographies exist. These few came from the List of Autobiographies, [13] but you can find new autobiographies in virtually every bookstore or online marketplace.

[14]

     The definition of biography can be seen in the info graphic on the right. A biography is still a story about a person's life, but it is not written by the person themselves, it is written by someone else.

     Famous biographies are as follows: The Perfect Hostage: The Life of Aung San Suu Kyi by Justin Wintle; Gandhi: His Life and Message for the World by Louis Fischer; Haunted Heart: The Life and Times of Stephen King by Lisa Rogak; and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. [15] Again, many, many more really good biographies are out there and can be read for free, in many cases, or the newer biographies can be purchased at any book dealer or on-line book purveyor.

     The book I review, today, Unbroken... is a biography, since it is about Louis Zamperini and written by someone else, Laura Hillenbrand. However, Louis Zamperini also wrote about himself in two separate autobiographies; I mentioned one of them, above, Devil at My Heels by Louis Zamperini. So, here is a perfect example of both genres of books on the same subject matter!

THE MOVIE:
     Unbroken, the movie, will open on Christmas Day, December 25, 2014. Directing credits go to Angelina Jolie; writing credits go to Laura Hillenbrand (book), Joel Cohen and Ethen Cohen (screenplay), Richard LaGravenesse, and William Nicholson (screenplay). Starring in the feature will be Jack O'Connell as Louis Zamperini, Alex Russell as Louis's brother Pete Zamperini, Domhnall Gleeson as Phil Phillips, Morgan Griffin as Cynthia Applewhite and numerous other actors and actresses. [*] Please enjoy this trailer courtesy of YouTube. [**]

WHAT I THINK OF THIS BOOK:
     WHAT WORKED:

[16]

     Probably the most wonderful part of the book is the obvious amount of research Laura Hillenbrand put into getting the book together. Not content with paper and on-line information, Hillenbrand often spoke with Louis Zamperini to confirm information, clarify it, or just to have him expand upon it. She was exemplary in her detailed work about Louis Zamperini's life story.

[17]

     In the back of her book, Hillenbrand writes: "I found his story in the memories of Olympians, former POWs and airmen, Japanese veterans, and the family and friends...in diaries, letters, essays, and telegrams...in military documents and hazy photographs; in unpublished memoirs buried in desk drawers; in deep stacks of affidavits and war-crimes trial records; in forgotten papers in archives as far-flung as Oslo and Canberra." Probably no higher praise of her detailed research can be said than by Louis Zamperini, himself: "When I want to know what happened to me in Japan...I call Laura." [Kindle location 6381 of 8669]

[18]

     Additionally, the story is engaging and the subject matter dramatic (Although it cannot be credited to Hillenbrand, but rather to Zamperini and his remarkable life.) Hillenbrand recognized a good story when she saw it--I'll certainly give her credit for that. The story itself is unbelievable! How can one man have gone through so much? I'll never know...suffice to say, the story is extremely remarkable for by the very fact that it really happened.

     Hillenbrand's writing style flows easily on the page and is emminently readable. She logically takes the reader chronologically through the story with no back and forward time shifts--a good writing choice for this biography.

     WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME:

[16]

     This book has been around for a while--since 11-16-10--and has received many positive reviews. Many rate the book at 5 stars out of 5 and averages around a 4.5 average for book reviews. So...I am reluctant to lambaste this book. But if I am to be honest, and give a balanced book review, I must do so. I mean, isn't that the point of doing independent, honest book reviews? So, I will give it my best shot. Here we go:

     Writing in the third person did allow the author some unique perspectives, but left the reader feeling a lack of intimacy with the reading material. First Person Narrative would definitely made the story more compelling and INTIMATE. Perhaps Hillenbrand thought distancing the reader would be best given the horrific nature of many of the events of Zamperini's life. Nonetheless, I found the characters to be rather flat and the reading dry in many places due to the narrative perspective.

[19]

     I also had trouble with Louis's conversion near the end of the book. Hillenbrand describes how Zamperini went to see Billy Graham and eventually underwent a conversion. It is all seen as a third person observer--from a distance. And that's the problem. Here, we need to know Zamperini's thoughts, be privy to his feelings, have access to what moved him to give up alcohol, cigarettes, and turn to serving God.

     The difference between hearing someone talking about being a born again Christian and, instead, hearing the personal story of how they were moved, inside themselves, to change the way they see the world, God, and themselves, is HUGE! These kind of conversions are very personal and need intimacy, and we generally only get that with first person narrative.

[20]

     Without intimacy, Louis's conversion seems like so much dialog on the nightly news. So, whether Hillenbrand shied away from feelings because she's not comfortable with them, or because she didn't or couldn't get Zamperini to give them up, or even because she is uncomfortable with religion, doesn't matter. The reader just doesn't get what they need at that point of the book.

[8]

     I found that the Louis Zamperini book, Devil at My Heels to be much more interesting and definitely more personal and intimate than Hillenbrand's book. No, I am not reviewing Louis Zamperini's autobiography, here, today--this is just a simple comparison. Also, the difference in pages is striking; about 175 pages longer is Hillenbrand's book. Why? Zamperini tells the same story in only 322 pages while Hillenbrand's book is nearly 500. I definitely liked Devil at My Heels better than Hillenbrand's book. But, hey!, Hillenbrand was able to parley her story into one that will hit the big screen soon. So...I guess, good for her.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING:

[21]

     Given the nature of the book, WWII and the suffering, torture, and imprisonment of men, I would recommend parental guidance, and I think we can take the movie rating as a guide, here. Since Unbroken is rated PG-13 for war violence including intense sequences of brutality and brief language, parents please go by this guide. Also, I would suggest anyone who is sensitive think about the movie rating before reading the book.

     Given the reasons I have enunciated, above, I rate this book 4.0 stars out of 5.0 stars. The book is a good read and I am not sorry I read it. I did enjoy, Devil at My Heels better than Unbroken, however. In and of itself, I would read the book before seeing the movie. Also, gaining knowledge of this amazing man, Louis Zamparini, and his unbelievable life story is a must for anyone who values knowing more about history, WWII, and how to live a life well.

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     Thank you for joining me today as we looked at an interesting book, the subject, a great man with a remarkable life history. Join me next week as we look at a new book. Please remember to read a little bit every day, and this week I highly recommend reading Unbroken and Devil at My Heels.

Until next time...

This flower is a double white Rose of Sharon. [23]

...many happy pages of reading!

All my love,

Sharon.

________________________________________________________

REFERENCES/SOURCES

[1] "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption." [By Laura Hillenbrand] amazon.com Retrieved 11-05-14.

[2] "Louis Zamperini, Olympian and 'Unbroken' War Survivor, Dies at 97." nytimes.com. Retrieved 11-04-14.

[3] "Louis Zamperini--June, 2011." garycohenrunning.com. Retrieved 11-04-14.

[4] "The Real Unbroken Story: Olympian-turned-POW Who Stole Adolf Hitler's Flag Then Survived Sharks and Torture." mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 11-04-14.

[5] "Louis Zamperini Lives to Talk About Horrific Plane Crash, 47 Days Lost at Sea and POW Camp."  vcstar.com. Retrieved 11-04-14.
[6] "Pete and Louis Zamperini." awesomestories.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[7] "The Flying Coffin." stimulatedboredom.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[8] "Devil at My Heels." [(p.134) by Louis Zampirini] amazon.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[9] "What We Mean When We Say, 'I Love You.'" [Feb. 14, 2011 by Tom Matlack] goodmenproject.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[10] "Death." [Don death ft major metre b] imagarcade.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[11] "Respect." wiganwarriors.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[12] "Autobiography." slideshare.net. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[13] "List of Autobiographies." wikipedia.org. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[14] "Animal Research-Part 10 & Biography Genre Focus." lifein4b.blogspot.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[15] "Shelves>Biography Famous People>Popular Biography Famous People Books." goodreads.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[16] "What Worked." justjessamy.blogspot.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[17] "His Story." portorangehighlands.org. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[18] "Unbelievable." absentmindedguru.blogspot.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[19] "About Billy Graham."  thankyoubilly.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[20] "Point of View Flow Chart."  libertybellrockinreading.wikispaces.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[21] "The History of the PG-13 Rating."  motleyvision.org. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[22] "Movie Review: Planes (2013)." strongchurch.org. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[23] "Pictures From My Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[*] "Unbroken." [IMDb] imdb.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.
[**] "Unbroken." [movie trailer] youtube.com. Retrieved 11-05-14.

The Genome: A Novel by Sergei Lukyanenko--An Exciting New Sci-Fi Book To Be Released For Sale at Bookstands 12-02-14!

[1]

Book Review by:
Sharon Powers.

     "'It is simplicity itself,' said [Sherlock Holmes]; 'my eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out in vile weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of the London slavey.' [...]

     "I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his process of deduction. 'When I hear you give your reasons,' I remarked, 'the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each successive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours'" (Bohemia. 1.12-13). (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.) [2] 

[3]

     In the above-passage, we get to see Watson [Sherlock Holmes' Assistant] react to Holmes' reasoning. The analogy to this vignette is that of someone who having watched a magician perform a wonderful magic trick, cannot fathom how it was done, and so, it seems wondrous to the viewer. 

[4]

    Then when the viewer has had the magician's slight of hand described to him with all the secrets revealed about how it was concocted, it seems so very simple a child could understand how it was done. Hence, Watson's being so baffled as to why he did not see what was right before his eyes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle uses this trope many times throughout his writing to keep reminding the reader that Holmes is brilliant and ever many, many steps ahead of the reader. [2]       

     What does Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes have to do with Sergei Lukyanenko's, The Genome? Let's connect the dots and get our first clues by taking a look at the synopsis of the book.

BOOK SYNOPSIS: The Genome: A Novel:

     Alex Romanov walked out of the hospital, recovered from a horrible accident that nearly caused his death. Alex, worried that he would never be able to fly again as a master-pilot, and nearly out of money, walked out of the hospital with no place to go, no job, and no apartment. 

     With only enough money to rent a room for the day, he checks in and then looks through the want ads. Alex answers an ad to pilot a passenger spacecraft called, the Mirror. The pay is really good, and he can pick his own crew. The question is, is this offer, too good to be true? Alex wonders what the catch is. 

     Alex is confident of his abilities because he has been genetically modified to be able to do all the tasks required of a master-pilot, including being genetically altered to protect and care for his crew and the ship's passengers. The genetic code has been modified to be carried out, without regard to what it would cost him--even his life. Alex interviews potential crew members and eventually fills each post--albeit with a rather strange assortment of crew members who have also been genetically altered (once altered, they are called, "speshes"). 

     Alex boards his ship, takes command, and the crew members arrive. The Mirror leaves port with a precious cargo on board, two high representatives of a strange alien race (The Zzygou), often, called, "The Others," with whom he is tasked to take on an expedition of the worlds that humans inhabit. 

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     Unfortunately, Master-pilot Alex Romanov won't have a very easy cruise--among his crew are speshes who hate "The Others." Which of the crew hides a dark past, which guards a deadly secret, and who has a stolen a mysterious "gel-crystal"? A near-fatal collision, increasing tensions, sexual liasons, and unseen hands manipulating events behind the scene cause Master-pilot Alex Romanov to use every bit of his skill as a master-pilot spesh to save the Mirror and it's passengers. If he doesn't save the ship, something even more ominous threatens to annihilate not only the ship, but multiple races and planets. 

     All this and then...someone new shows up. Someone by the name of Peter C-the-Forty-Fourth Valke, AKA Sherlock Holmes, the greatest detective of all time. He is, of course, a clone. What shocking turn of events will happen next?

WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK:

     Lukyanenko crafted an enjoyable and intriguing opening to his science fiction novel, The Genome: A Novel. Seeing Alex Romanov coming out of the hospital, having recovered from a near-death accident made me wonder just what kind of accident he had had. Lukyanenko had me thinking from the very beginning. So...I liked his opening very much. And, it just kept on growing in intrigue for me as he met and saved a fourteen-year-old girl and was propelled forward into a situation seemingly beyond his control.

     Ah, then there is one of my favorite things about the book. I really love the plot. The story examines what it is like to be fully human--and not. With the genetic changes made to humans, turning them into "speshes," the question naturally arises about whether the altered have becomes slaves...slaves tied by DNA chains that force them to serve. An echo of this theme is seen in "The Others" (The Zzygou) who call humans, servants, and while offensive to human beings we can only wonder if the Zzygou are correct.

     Tangentially, within the questions arising about being human is the consideration of human emotion. What is love? Does love survive the dramatic changes thrust upon the humans altered by genetic change? Do the "speshes" really have a choice or are they slaves to their own coding?

Cloning is just one of the issues in
Sergei Lukyanenko's, The Genome:
A Novel. [6]

     Thirdly, issues of cloning and multiple cloning also arises. Bias and hatred for clones also come to the fore of the story, as does a rather gruesome type of capital punishment, why it was outlawed in certain political planet's systems but not in others. It seems Lukyanenko touches the very core of the ethics of cloning, genetic alteration, capital punishment, murder, slavery, humanity, love and loyalty, the right to choose, war and pretense for war, bias and xenophobia, sexuality, and of course, the ethics involved in all these fields. Magnificent, and monumental questions that go to the very heart of what it means to be fully human.

     Another real positive is that the book is eminently readable. No complicated jargon or convoluted scientific explanations mar the story. You need not know anything about genomes, DNA, scientific method, or other science-related material. Just sit back and enjoy a good sci-fi story that becomes a murder mystery.

     Without going into any depth, I have to say I also liked the character development--notably Alex Romanov. I also really liked the world Lukyanenko created as the setting for his story. Likewise, the plot takes a simple mystery, and as the story progresses, so does the mystery. How far down the rabbit hole does the plot wind? And finally, I just simply enjoyed the story...'nuf said.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK FOR ME:

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     Let's start out with what bothered me the most. At about 66% of the way through the book, the apparent sci-fi story took a dramatic turn and became a murder mystery. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the murder mystery. The problem was the transition from sci-fi to murder mystery. 

     Lukyanenko had the long slow build-up in preparation for what would be the most exciting parts of the book. That's fine. But as a reader, I just felt that suddenly I was thrust from a sci-fi story into the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, Sherlock Holmes' stories. Even the clone/detective/investigator was named Sherlock Holmes. At that point, the reader followed Sherlock and Alex around the ship as they searched for the clues to the murder of      ?         (name withheld). Never mind that because of the murder, the ship was parked on the brink of destruction (and following that, even bigger, badder consequences--again, I withhold that info.). 

[8]

     Some readers might object to the open sexuality in the book, for example, fourteen-year-old girls being trained in the sexual arts as well as assassination; clones having the responsibility of sexual service to aliens; multiple sexual partners and apparent agreement amongst all involved; the undercurrent of homosexuality, etc. Although I don't have a problem with the sex in the book, I wanted to give readers notice of its content. The sex included in the book was not gratuitous.

[1] and [9]

     Although I liked that the story had a somewhat upbeat ending for Alex, after the major problems he faced in the book, the ending seemed a bit contrived, again, without adequate set-up for the hasty ending.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING:

     Given all the reasons I have given, above, have to say, this novel is not for children or young readers, nor for those of a sensitive nature. However, all adult readers of sci-fi and murder mysteries will find the story engaging and enjoyable. I would, therefore, recommend this book to all adult readers of those genres.

[10]

     For all the reasons I have stated, above, I, therefore, award this wonderful book a rating of 4.0 stars out of 5.0 stars. Congratulations to Sergei Lukyanenko for his completion of this wonderful new sci-fi book. I look forward to reading many more of Lukyanenko's books.

     Thank you for joining me this week as we were privileged to delve into the world of sci-fi (and, murder most foul!). Please join me next week as we will get to look at, yet, another interesting and exciting book. 

     Take some time this week to appreciate all the people and good things in your life--remember we only have one life. We only have one day. We only have the moment in which we are living to enjoy and appreciate the precious gift of life. And, don't forget, read a little bit every day, you will be the better for it.

Until next time...

This flower is a double white Rose of Sharon. [11]

...many happy pages of reading!

All my love,

Sharon.

_________________________________________________________

REFERENCES/SOURCES
[1] "Genome." amazon.com. Retrieved 10-15-14.
[2] "Cunning and Cleverness Quotes Page 1." schmoop.com. Retrieved 10-20-14.
[3] "No Suit, Sherlock: Doyle Estate is Embroiled in Public Domain Legal Battle." gawker.com. Retrieved 10-20-14.
[4] "First Clue." twitter.com. Retrieved 10-20-14.
[5] "Deadly Secret." figment.com. Retrieved 10-20-14.
[6] "Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer IS Human Cloning." lifenews.com. Retrieved 10-21-14.
[7] "Library Murder Mystery." durhamlibrary.org. Retrieved d10-21-14.
[8] "The Science of Sexuality." scienceworld.ca. Retrieved 10-21-14.
[9] "GoodReads Author: Author Profile--Sergei Lukyanenko." goodreads.com. Retrieved 10-21-14.
[10] "Mediabridge Products, LLC." bulbszone.com. Retrieved 10-21-14.
[11] "Pictures From My Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 10-21-14.
[*] "NetGalley Disclaimer." netgalley.com. Retrieved 10-20-14.
[**] "We Have a $1,000 Geonome. Now What?" vectorblog.org.; "What is a Genome?" ghr.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 10-20-14.

GRAPHIC NOVELS: An Exciting New Graphic Novel --A New Original Story! by Jim Butcher, THE DRESDEN FILES: WAR CRY

[1]

Book Review by:
Sharon Powers.

     You're in trouble and need a private eye. Looking in the newspaper want ad section you spot an advertisement for a private eye--oddly enough, it is not in the private eye section of the paper. Instead, this private eye is listed under "Wizards." Should you call this, Harry Dresden?

    You consider for a moment whether or not you should call; you look and see that the advertisement says that the rates are reasonable and that he offers "consulting & advice." That sounds good, and you also notice that he conducts "paranormal investigations." That is definitely a plus. You make up your mind to call this Dresden fellow...then, in the middle of dialing Dresden's number you see it. Well, shoot. Maybe he'll do it anyway...the phone rings and is picked up. You introduce yourself and ask him, "Mr. Dresden, my wife and I would like to book you for my grandmother's birthday celebration--she's turning 95, you know."

[2]

     There's silence on the other end of the phone, so nervously, you continue, "We'd like you to hold a seance to contact her husband who passed away 4 years ago." You hear a long sigh on the other end of the phone...then silence...then a click. Well, heck, back to looking at the want ads. You can't give up now...you'll be in deep trouble with your wife if you don't find someone.  

     No, Harry Dresden doesn't do "parties or other entertainment." He does, however fill the bill for action when it comes to paranormal baddies who intrude into the Chicago scene. You see, he earns a living from his paranormal private eye business, as well as occasionally consulting for the Chicago police. Eventually, Dresden becomes a "Warden" for the White Council which gives him a substantial boost in income. We will get to see Dresden as a Warden in the book we are reviewing today, a big jump in prestige as well as income and power for Harry. So, now that we know that, let's get right to the book synopsis, shall we?

[3]

BOOK SYNOPSIS:

     A war between the Red Court (vampires) and the White Council (of wizards) has been raging for a while. At first, a stalemate, now the wizards are losing. They've had a catastrophic loss of wardens during one horrible battle with the Red Court and its allies. Now, at wit's end, the Council is desperate to get more wardens to fill their dwindling ranks. They are so desperate that they call up Harry Dresden, wizard-for-hire, and make him a Warden; they also activate young and inexperienced wizards and send them with Dresden on an assignment, that in reality, should only have been given to experienced and practiced wizards. They are cast into the deep end of the pool.     

BIANCA
Bianca of the Red Court
Vampires (from The Dres-
den Files TV series). [4]

     A small, elite, handful of mortals have been targeted by the vampires of the Red Court. Harry is given little information about them, but he knows he must rescue them. When he arrives at the location and the mortals refuse to leave, Harry knows something is up. The young wizards and Harry fight to protect the small house in which the mortals are staying. Stretched to their limits, they keep finding ways to keep the Red Court out of the house--but for how long? Can they make it through the night and to the morning's dawning? Will they be able to battle back Red Court forces through the long hours of the dark night until sunlight banishes all the vampires? Soon enough, Dresden learns about the deep, dark secret the mortals are striving to protect. But how do the vampires even know about the secret?

JIM BUTCHER'S DRESDEN FILES: WAR CRY, A GRAPHIC NOVEL:

     Jim Butcher's graphic novel collects the "critically acclaimed" series consisting of five issues into this one book, The Dresden Files: War Cry. So, if the book is the collected works of five previously published issues of The Dresden Files, how can it be called a graphic novel? To find out if the book actually qualifies as a graphic novel, let's take a look at the elements of a graphic novel.

     Some reviewers and experts (especially some in the comics industry) believe that there is no such thing as a graphic novel, that all such publications are merely cartoons or comics; they believe the term "graphic novel" is pretentious and inaccurate. Other experts accept as true that graphic novels exist, but disagree on what elements make up a graphic novel. I will not be exploring these aspects of the graphic novel controversy, today. These topics would require at least one whole blog post to begin to do them justice. I, therefore, will be approaching graphic novels from the viewpoint that they exist. I also will be utilizing the elements of graphic novels that the greater number of experts agree upon as being included in this (graphic novel) publication format.

[5]

Story Arc:    Generally, the consensus is that the most important feature of graphic novels is that, like novels, graphic novels utilize a story arc in their composition. They have a beginning, a middle, and an end. In other words, a story opens with an inciting incident and tension builds (a crisis or multiple crises happen), leading to the climax, followed by the denouement (falling action) and end of the story.

Note: Topics in graphic novels may include non-fiction, biography, anthologies, collections, politics, drama, romance and, of course fiction. So, the topic of the graphic novel may be almost anything, as long as the sequential art creates a story, today, combined with words.

Episodic v. Single Publication:

[7]

  To help determine whether or not the publication contains a complete story arc with a beginning, middle and end, look to see if the publication is a "single work" or whether it is "episodic" in nature. Multiple issues with a series of different stories, contain volume and issue numbers, such as comic books do (see image on left).[6]

[7]

Character Growth:     Comic books may contain two, three, or even four stories in one issue, while graphic novels contain only one story. These graphic novel stories have the same characters throughout the story where comics might or might not have the same characters. In the graphic novel the protagonist grows and changes whereas in comics the characters tend to be more static.

Paper:     Episodic publications (comic books) tend to be published on inexpensive bulk (or pulp) paper while graphic novels tend to be published on more expensive paper, sometimes, even heavy, glossy paper. Some graphic novels I've seen are truly beautiful. Again, this may not be dispositive, as I've seen a few comic book collections published on nice paper, as well.

These are my Dresden Files Graphic Novels including: Storm
Front (Vol. 1 & 2); Fool Moon (Vol. 1 & 2); Welcome to the
Jungle; and Ghoul Goblin (a new original story) by Jim
Butcher, from Dynamite Entertainment. Wonderful,
wonderful publishers and top notch books!

Publication Covers: 

      Comic books tend to have paper covers while graphic novels can be either a type of cardstock or hardbound. This is not dispositive, however, because modernly, we can see collected comic book issues placed in hard bound book covers. Of course, e-books have digital covers and pages, so the sections on physical books do not apply to the e-books.

How is the Publication Bound?

This graphic novel fell apart in my hands as I read it the very
first time. It was merely glued together and the glue didn't
hold the pages at all. See my review of  Steve Moore's,
 Hercules: The Thracian Wars.

     As you may already know, comic books are bound together with staples. Graphic novels, being somewhat larger are usually bound the way books are bound. I've seen some stitched and then glued to card stock, and I've also seen some inexpensively bound graphic novels merely glued--often with disastrous results. I have a couple graphic novels that have literally fallen apart in my hands because of poor construction methods and/or cheap materials.

What is the Size of the Publication?   

Here is one of the bound collections of comic books that I re-
ferred to in the text, above. This is the X-Men Comics
collection including Days of Future Past. This
bound collection is NOT a graphic novel. [8]

     In the United States, comic books are generally 6 5/8" x 10 1/4" (Trade paperbacks: 5.32" x 8.51", and Digests: from 5 3/8" to 5 1/2" x 7 1/2' to 8 3/8"). Keep in mind, however, with international trade you may see publications from other countries. European publishers have different standards and practices and traditions than U.S. publish- ers. For example, there the graphic novel is called, "an album." I will not be covering, here, the European practices and editions. Another tangential aspect I will not be covering is the "Manga" publications--which, in and of themselves can be quite wonderful. [6]

How Many Pages Does the Publication Have? and, 
Does the Publication Contain Advertising?

Top quality construction methods result in a sturdy, well-crafted
graphic novel. This is a close up of Ghoul Goblin cover. Dyna-
mite Entertainment is my favorite graphic novel publisher.

      Early comic books (1940s) had approximately 64-96 pages. Modern comics total about 32 pages: 22 pages for comics and another 10 pages for ads. Graphic novels are approximately three times the size of a comic book or about 100 pages. Many graphic novels I've seen have been 150-165 pages, and of course, no advertising. Comic books contain a lot of advertising, graphic novels, none. [6]

What is the Price?     Comics started out costing $.10 and modernly might cost $4.00 more or less. Graphic novels, on the other hand can start at about $9.99 and run to $25.00 (or more if they are large or deluxe gift editions). So, the disparity in the price of comics and graphic novels are great.[6]

    

WHAT IS THE INTENT OF THE AUTHOR/PUBLISHERS?
GRAPHIC NOVEL OR OTHER?

Here is a picture of my Ghoul Goblin
graphic novel with the hardcover on
 the right and the dust jacket on the left.

     Does the author and/or publishers intend the work to be a comic or a graphic novel? Is the publication advertised as a graphic novel? Although the answers to these questions are not 100% dispositive as to whether or not the publication is a novel, they can go a long way in helping to determine it.

AFTER YOU DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE PUBLICATION IS A GRAPHIC NOVEL ASK: Is the publication a good graphic novel? What is the quality of the publication? Is the book well constructed? Is the art well done? How good is the story line? Is the cover art pleasing? What is the overall appearance of the graphic novel? Are the dialog bubbles, captions, panes, colors, artwork and other content appropriate to the story (well adapted), and professional? Basically, what is the quality of the graphic novel?

The quintessential
Harry Dresden. [9]

JIM BUTCHER'S THE DRESDEN FILES: WAR CRY--WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK:
     Does War Cry have a complete story arc, a beginning, a middle, and an end? Since we've already looked at the synopsis at the top of the blog post, we already know that an inciting incident occurred to propel Harry Dresden, Warden, into the war with the Red Court vampires. He is sent to protect some ordinary humans. Complications occur and the group of wizards battle all night to keep their charges alive. A climax occurs, the deep dark secret is revealed, and eventually, we come to the end of the story (without revealing to you just what that is). So this element is a definite, yes.

[1]

     Is War Cry episodic in nature, or one complete story? While the author and publishers have originally published the series in five parts, we might be tempted to say the story is episodic. But the intent of the author seems to be to create one complete story with a beginning, middle and end, even if it is broken up into five parts. It is not episodic in nature with five different stories. Moreover, the five published issues do not have volume and issue numbers as do comic books. So, the collected five issues are indeed one story broken up into what could be called five chapters of one story.


  This publication has one story with one set of characters, not different ones as do comic books. Although, in the story, the time frame is approximately one day (or night), the characters do come away having learned things from their time together and their encounters with each other and the Red Court vampires.

[10]

   Since the publication I viewed was an e-book from NetGalley, no paper was involved, no cover (hardcover or cardstock), so I can- not comment on what the physical edition of War Cry will be like. That having been said, since I own other Dresden Files hardcover graphic novels, and since I know the high quality of Dynamite Entertainment's books, I had no hesitation in ordering a special Signed Limited Edition of this graphic novel.

 Harry Dresden's beloved
Blue Beetle...unfortunate-
ly, it was crushed and
destroyed.[11]

    Although I have not examined the physical edition of War Cry, information provided by the publisher indicates the size is as 10.2" x 6.8" x 0.5"; and the shipping weight is reported as 1.7 pounds; I've already told you that the Publisher is Dynamite Entertainment, the release date is 11-11-14, and the language is English.

     War Cry contains only one ad for Ghoul Goblin at the end of the book; no other advertising is in the book. And since the hardcover edition has 144 pages the page requirement is met for a graphic novel, as well. Moreover, the book is advertised as a graphic novel, indicating that the intent is to market the book as a graphic novel. Prices may vary, but currently, Amazon lists the price as $20.48 (Since I ordered a signed limited edition, my book was purchased for $28.06.).

[12]

CONCLUSION: With all of the expected elements of the graphic novel having been met, the conclusion is that the book is definitely, a graphic novel. The final question to ask is whether or not the graphic novel is a good graphic novel.

     I like the cover design. To start with, on the cover, we get to see the major players in the story, the characters who are seen consistently throughout the story. The use of color is vibrant and the artwork is amazing. Just take a look at the graphic image to the left, here. It is just beautiful. My digital image as viewed on my computer showed the colors to be vibrant and the artwork detailed and precise. I also liked, very much, the captions and dialog--they were easy to read, the lettering neat, succinct, and accurately conveyed dialog and information.

Back Up features Harry and his
brother Thomas Raith. [13]

     The story, as we've already discussed, has a beginning, middle, and end. But that just doesn't tell you how good the story is--does it? Well, I have to say that I was so excited to know that the story was an original story to the Dresden series. I loved to read about the conflicts between Harry, his newbie wizards and the Red Court Vampires, the twists and turns and exciting climax. I also LOVE that Jim Butcher saw fit to bring back one of my favorite characters: Harry's bro, Thomas Raith of the White Court. I love that Thomas is back and hope Jim Butcher continues to keep him in his novels. Thank you, Mr. Butcher.

     With the new graphic novel, Jim Butcher also includes a "bonus section with the original story outline, sketchbook artwork from Carlos Gomez, cover gallery with roughs from Stjepan Sejic, and...Commentary from Jim Butcher." [10]

MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING:

     Well, obviously, with the themes of vampires, fighting, and killing supernatural creatures, this book is not for the very young or sensitive person. The book is, undoubtedly, going to be loved by those in the target audience, and is appropriate reading for anyone who loves Jim Butcher's work, fantasy, or graphic novels, in general.

     For all the reasons I've given above about the high quality of Dynamite Entertainment's books, Jim Butcher's excellent writing, and the pure enjoyment and entertainment value of the book, I rate this beautiful book 5.0 stars out of 5.0.



     I highly recommend this book. I would buy this book as a gift to family or friends. I have already preordered a hardcover copy for myself.
       

     Thank you for joining me, today, as we covered an awful lot of material! Whew! I know this was a big post, but I think it is important for all of you to know what goes into making a truly good graphic novel. And then, of course, I wanted to show you all a great example of a graphic novel--Jim Butcher's, The Dresden Files: War Cry. Please join me, again, next week as we will jump genres and be looking at an upcoming new sci-fi publication. Please read a little bit every day, and be kind to others in your life. 

OTHER GRAPHIC NOVELS I'VE REVIEWED:
     If you are interested in seeing other graphic novels I've reviewed, here are the links to those pages:

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning;
Hercules: The Thracian Wars by Steve Moore (book-to-movie);
Edge of Tomorrow (book) and graphic novel, All You Need Is Kill from book, by Hiroshi Sakurazaka; 
X-Men: Days of Future Past [1 graphic novel & 2 books reviewed];
Captain America: Winter Soldier [A Graphic Novel] by Marvel Comics;
Vampire Academy, Book 1, and Vampire Academy the Graphic Novel by Richelle Mead;
 Thor: The Dark World Prelude [A Graphic Novel] by Marvel Comics; Illustrator: Lan Medina.

Until next time...many happy pages of reading!

Please keep this beautiful, precious, new soul and her beautiful
mother in your prayers. Happy Birthday, my Darling Girl!
I send my love and joy to you all, Sharon.

All my love,

Sharon.

I dedicate this blog post to my new, beautiful, granddaught- er, Sharon Ele'a V. Powers (my namesake) and her beautiful, intelligent, loving mother (my daughter), Mary- am Powers. Baby Sharon was born on October 7, 2014 at 8:16 a.m. was 8 lbs., 13 oz., and 20" long. 

_________________________________________________________
REFERENCES/SOURCES
[1] "Title Details (Page): Dresden Files: War Cry." [by Jim Butcher and Carlos Gomez] netgalley.com. Retrieved 10-12-14.
[2] "Harry Dresden." [newspaper ad] vk.com/harry.dresden. Retrieved 10-13-14.
[3] "Synopsis." cookiesbookclub.blogspot.com. Retrieved 10-14-14.
[4] "DVD Review - THE DRESDEN FILES - The First Season." [Bianca] collider.com. Retrieved 10-14-14.
[5] "Some More Writing Advice--Beginning, Middle, End." hannasteenbock.wordpress.com. Retrieved 10-14-14.
[6] "How to Distinguish Between a Comic Book and a Graphic Novel." wikihow.com. Retrieved 10-14-14.
[7] "Homenaje. Wolverine 1 de Frank Miller y Chris Claremont (ensenando las garras)." imakinarium.net. Retrieved 10-14-14.
[8] "Analyzing Character Growth Throughout a Text." literacymathideas.blogspot.com. Retrieved 10-14-14. 
[9] "Dovahkiin (Dragonborn) vs Harry Dresden." comicvine.com. Retrieved 10-14-14.
[10] "Dresden Files: War Cry." amazon.com. Retrieved 10-15-14.
[11] "What's Your Dream Car?" sodahead.com. Retrieved 10-15-14.
[12] "Dresden Files: War Cry." amazon.com. Retrieved 10-15-14.
[13] "Backup." [by Jim Butcher] amazon.com. Retrieved 10-15-14.
[14] "Tower of Hanoi." puz.ca. Retrieved 10-15-14.
[*] "NetGalley Disclaimer - Home." netgalley.com. Retrieved 09-30-14.