Rutabaga's Reads 2021: Part 1

Presenting the first adult fiction compilation of 2021! By “adult fiction,” I mean that they aren’t marketed for children or middle-schoolers or young-adult readers; I do not mean that these stories are categorized as erotic fiction or some such potentially eyebrow-raising thing. That said, I’m not saying a story doesn’t make reference to such subjects or include an occasional scene, but it’s not the focal point of the stories.

Dark Tribute (Mar. 26, 2019) by Iris Johansen.

*This is a standalone novel with recurring characters.*

From a tragic childhood to a young woman with stable people in her life, Cara Delaney is making her mark as a violin prodigy. As a professional musician, she is traveling and does not often get to Atlanta where her guardians, forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and ex-Navy SEAL Joe Quinn, reside with their 10-year-old son Michael. Life is going remarkably well for Cara lately, except lifelong friend Jock Gavin isn’t in her life like she’d like, and she also gets abducted by a man called John Svardak. The past haunts Svardak in the present and drives him into a madman bent on violence to avenge a dark past involving Cara’s biological grandfather Sergai Kaskov (who is himself a dangerous man). Eve, Joe and Jock rush to rescue Cara, but they’d better be prepared to have Kaskov’s involvement, too. And don’t rule out Cara herself, who does not plan on becoming Svardak’s next dark tribute.

            I’ve mentioned this of Johansen’s books previously, but it is real now. This was the last book of hers that I read. I have purchased zero books of hers since this one. Another Eve Duncan Novel, it does contain the elements that readers expect: thrills, danger, aspects of paranormal suspense, headstrong female characters, super bad guys and the occasional scene of intimacy. The occasional scene of intimacy isn’t going to upset me, but what I found aggravating is Cara’s obvious desire to lose her virginity to Jock, a man who’s gotta be, what, at least 15 years older than her? And there is a lengthy paragraph where she tells Jock that she doesn’t care if she gets pregnant after Jock freaks out that he didn’t use protection (and she willfully didn’t, either). That, to me, just screams immaturity. Characters readers once knew as youth are growing up, but her books have continued to feel the same to me (my opinion only, obviously) despite the different characters. For this reason, I finally stopped ordering her books. I did not make this decision lightly.

The Library of the Unwritten (Oct. 1, 2019) by A.J. Hackwith.

*This is the first novel in a trilogy.*

There is a neutral place in Hell known as the Unwritten Wing. It’s the space where all stories that were unfinished by their authors (sometimes known as unauthors) reside. It is Claire Juniper Hadley’s job to watch over those unfinished manuscripts, her usual duties being to maintain order and repair the books as needed. But sometimes an unwritten book wakes up, manifesting itself as a character. If that character’s author is alive, there will be no fascination stronger than the character pining for its unauthor. So this is why Claire, her apprentice librarian and ex-muse Brevity and a nervous junior demon called Leto find themselves with a day pass to Earth (well, only Claire and Leto need day passes, both having mortal souls, but Brevity needs no such ghostlight). They encounter Hero, who, as expected by Claire, does more harm than good in reaching out to his author. She stamps him, marking him a part of Special Collections, which means the library can IWL it (Interworld Loan, meaning the book can be loaned out or called back from anywhere). Retrieving Hero should be relatively simple, except a fallen angel, a Watcher, known as Ramiel (or Rami) thinks the group from Hell is hiding pieces of the Devil’s Bible (Codex Gigas). Nothing can persuade him or his commander, Uriel, the avatar “Face of God,” otherwise. It does not help that Leto managed to grab the scrap of text from Rami. Rami, getting an unexpected leave from his mundane assignment (punishment?) at The Gates, tending Heaven’s inbound processing, tracks Hell’s residents from Earth to Hell and back again, with stops in Valhalla and even the afterlife of a local dead religion that dealt in “water worshipping and sacrifices.” It turns out that the text of the Devil’s Bible is powerful and would be a significant weapon to Heaven or Hell. And if those realms are affected, Earth will be, too.

            I took a chance on this fantasy novel, first because of the title and then because of the book jacket text, and I was not disappointed. I loved this book and am very pleased that it’s the start of the Hell’s Library trilogy. The entire story is brilliant in its approach, and the story moves swiftly thanks to it. The book is overall clever, the world-building is wonderfully intricate, and the characters are each their own, some of them coming together like the most eclectic family across any dimension. It is tiered like an impressive cake and reads like a robust wine. I could definitely do without the creepy demons, but this is a library I’d happily visit, even though the story does make me feel sorry for those unfinished stories. For anyone who’s ever tried writing their own stories, you might want to take the time to finish them, so they don’t wind up in the Unwritten Wing.

The Starless Sea (Nov. 5, 2019) by Erin Morgenstern.

*This is a standalone novel.*

Devotion is the way of acolytes. Worthiness is for the guardians. Keepers retain spirit and keep it aloft. What is Zachary Ezra Rawlins? Is he the heart or the feather? “We are the stars,” a character says. “We are all stardust and stories” (p. 373), which I like better than another quote taken from the Latin that anyone who’s familiar with the Shadowhunter universe will know: “We are but dust and shadows.” 11-year-old Zachary does not find his way to the Starless Sea. Graduate student Zachary does, but it’s not an easy adventure. It is wrought with questions and forged in mystery. A mysterious book contains a story from his childhood, yet the book is far older than he is. Encounters with strangers will change his life, but are these strangers the sort that he should entrust his life with? There’s Mirabel, the fierce, pink-haired painter, story sculptor and Something Else. And there’s Dorian (not his real name, but the name is his now), the handsome man with shifting alliances who doesn’t like to wear shoes. The fate of the current Harbor is drawing to a close. How far will Zachary venture? And at what cost?

            I was enthralled by Morgenstern’s novel “The Night Circus.” With the magic and inventive plot, it was a fantastical place that I wanted to live in. I was far less dazzled when I began this story. Perhaps my expectations were too lofty, but I felt like “The Starless Sea” tried too hard to be “The Night Circus.” It doesn’t have the seamless magic and gorgeous ease of Morgenstern’s previous novel. It lacked muchness, but then it began to return. Fully restored? No, but the dreamlike quality I’d been seeking flared within, emotion burbled and magic began to restore itself like puzzle pieces fitting themselves together. I became bewitched. Although it didn’t enthrall me from the get-go like I wanted it to, I can appreciate the rich narrative, gorgeous complexity and inventive, lush, magical storytelling. Like “The Night Circus,” it is a timeless tale. Are you ready to sail the Starless Sea (it’s not water, as one might expect)?

            P.S. Those cat-sized bees. I love them, too, and will they please send me cupcakes?

            Also from this author: The Night Circus