Comic Book without Pictures

Legacy, coming out October 13th, is the classic super hero story without comic book panels. "An innovative graphic novel?" you ask. No such luck. Legacy, written by Thomas E. Sniegoski, is a teen novel in which all the fight scenes are written and the gadgets described. Readers follow 18 year-old Lucas as he learns his father is the billionaire super-hero the Raptor. What follows is a coming of age story (complete with future love interest) of the grays in the black and white world of super-heroes.

Despite the lack of pictures, I must mention the design of the book. The cover features a collage of comic imagery that entices with its' pop colors and dynamism. The interior is even better. With page numbers on the sides of the pages and large chapter numbers without titles, the design is bold, clean, and quite lovely.

The story isn't bad, there just aren't any surprises if you know anything about super-heroes or coming of age stories. And the writing is seriously lacking, leaving readers wishing for pictures to come to the rescue with details and hints more subtle than the writing. While I think Legacy will be a big hit with the teen boy crowd (Twilight for boys. But with better relationships- I hope), I think they'll be better off with actual comics.

The likelihood of this book becoming a movie is monumental. With all the super-hero movies stolen from comic books that have been coming out in the last few years, perhaps Sniegoski should just have written a screenplay; I think his book may be one of those destined to be a better movie. My mom is already betting Christopher Columbus will direct.

The Carpet People

The only Prachett book I ever liked (excepting his masterful work with Gaiman on Good Omens) was The Carpet People, a book I listened to on cassette. Unfortunately, it has seemingly always been out of print. But you are all in such luck! For on November 24th, 2009 an illustrated version will be made available for your enjoyment! Callooh! Callay! I chortle in my joy!

The Carpet, like that one you need to vacuum under your chair. Zoom in. Very, very close. Where a dropped penny is a towering cliff, mined for eons, and the fray (vacuum) is to be feared even more than you fear doing it. Here is the setting for Prachett's adventure.

Where the Wild Things Are

The movie comes out in October. This is a most disturbing event were it not for the featurette in which Sendak gives his approval of the project. Not only has he worked with Spike Jonze, but he gives permission for audiences to view the movie as Jonze's Wild Things, which is different from Sendak's Wild Things, which is different from all our Wild Things, even those of Dave Eggers.

Dave Eggers? Why Dave Eggers? I will explain. Dave Eggers has written the book based on the movie. It even comes in a fur-covered edition.

Confused? So are we all. So, let's go on a Wild Things media binge in October and figure it out.

*To prepare yourself, check out Terrible Yellow Eyes, where illustrators pay homage to Sendak's influential art.

Forty-two

Yes, that answer. To that strange question. Written by none other than the brilliant Douglas Adams. If you have not read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, stop reading, find (borrow, buy or steal) a copy, and go read it with a nice cup of Earl Grey.

Assuming you have read it you will be shocked and amazed by this news: there will be a sixth Hitchhiker's. Yes, I know there is the unfinished Salmon of Doubt from Douglas' mac, but now Eoin Colfer (of Artemis Fowl fame) has been given permission to write a different 6th book. And, based on the blurb found on Amazon, it does not take off from the snippets found on Douglas' beloved Macintosh. It is titled And Another Thing... and is currently leaving me speechless.

This book will be released October 12, 2009. When I return and get my mitts on a copy, you can expect a reaction.