Culture Corner: China - Saving Face

All of you have heard the expression ‘saving face’ in some reference to Japan or China.  I’m here to tell you it exists, though ‘saving’ seems a relative term.  It is not as mysterious a cultural concept as the quotations indicate.  It’s something we have in our culture too, only the specific term lacking.  In our culture, saving face manifests itself in the form of forced smiles, checked anger, and a polite ‘thank you’ when none is in order: i.e. you don’t lose control of yourself in situations you want to.  In China, the same can be observed. 

But like the Force, both eastern and western versions of ‘face’ also have a dark side, one where pride and honor have your name written all over them, standing on your shoulder, egging you on, pushing you to new heights of ego.  In our culture we normally see this in color coordinated ghetto wear, condescension, and drunken bar play. (“You’re so weak, Bob, I bet you can’t ram your head through this concrete wall!” “Oh yeah!” ….minutes later the wail of sirens sound Bob’s death knoll, Darwinism claiming another…)   In China, however, the dark side of ‘saving face’ is not so overt.  Patience playing a far greater role than immediate action, allow me to tell a story.

A couple of weeks ago I gave in to a hankering for some mooncake (a Chinese sweetbread) and headed to my friendly, local Suguo market.  Upon exiting the store, I noticed two cars at a 90 degree angle, nose-to-nose at a narrow intersection.  It was nighttime, their lights were on, and their engines were running, but nobody was moving. Thinking a fender-bender had happened, I stopped to have a look.  But it was quickly apparent what was really happening. There was no accident.  It was male chest bumping, just like you see anywhere else in the world, jungle, city, space, wherever.

The first car was an Audi, and the man driving wanted to turn right, as his monotonous blinker indicated, blink-blink, blink-blink. The second car, a Jeep Cherokee wanted to turn left, as his blinker indicated. But in the narrow intersection, each was blocking the other from continuing on with their journey, and neither was backing up to allow the other to go first. My curiosity was piqued: how will the Chinese handle this?

In my life, I had seen two solutions to this situation. The first, the most common around the world, including China, is for one of the two vehicles to politely back up and allow the other to go. The second, less common though certainly not strange, especially in America, is a shouting match, sometimes followed by a good fist fight, and maybe some property damage – all over very quickly, the loser being carted away by the police or to the morgue.  After this night, I had to add a third resolution to my experiences.

Thinking the situation was ripe, I ate my mooncake, munch-munch, blink-blink, engines quietly running.  I waited for action, but nothing was forthcoming.  After about five minutes of tension, the Audi driver turned off his car, prompting the other car to do the same. Ok, I thought, now they will emerge from their vehicles and the scuffle to determine supreme ruler of the universe will begin. But none came. Instead, a third car entered the picture, and, oblivious to what was happening, began to beep his horn. It was to no avail, however.  The combatants so focused on each other, they remained oblivious to innocent bystanders.  Much sooner than I had, the third vehicle realized what was happening and backed out.  Watching this display of pride, glad to have some high class entertainment to go with my mooncake, I was wearing a big smile and completely enjoying this display of stupidity by now. What will happen next? Nothing, they continued to sit in their vehicles.

Ten minutes, yes, ten minutes later, mooncake nothing but crumbs on my fingers, something did happen. The man in the Audi got out of his car and so did his wife, who silently took a spot beside me. (I wanted to offer her some of my mooncake – some form of condolence for being involved with foolishness of the male sex - but she didn’t look very happy.) The driver of the Jeep then got out of his vehicle, leaving me to think, ok, really, now the Showdown In Gu Lou (my neighborhood) will begin.  Maybe first some harsh words, followed by some pushing and shoving, then a punch or two... But nothing. In fact, what they did do was even stranger. Both men locked their doors and walked away from the scene like they were going to get a cup of coffee, completely abandoning their cars in the intersection, the man’s wife still standing beside me. 

I waited another five minutes, but they didn’t return, so I gave up and went home. I don’t know how the situation finally resolved itself, but the following morning on my walk to school I saw that both cars were gone and there were no chalk outlines on the road.

So, I ask you friendly reader, do you prefer the American or Chinese ‘dark side’ way of saving face: a quick, often bloody resolution where the entertainment value lies on the surface, or long drawn out displays where one must look a little deeper to appreciate the subtleties of pride?  Both having their merits, I’m undecided. 

Culture Corner: China - Goose Parman

The Chinese government has told the people that learning English is the way for China to “open its doors to the world”.  Following what the Chinese government advises like lemmings off a cliff, there are millions upon millions of Chinese people learning English. (This is not wholly unlike millions of Americans believing the US went to war with Iraq to protect human rights.)  All other major languages, Spanish, Hindi, German, Japanese, Russian, etc., are literally called secondary languages, inferior to English.  Though this madness of English learning is one more step towards the destruction of Chinese culture and the emplacement of homogenous, McDonald-sized culture (better see the world now before the Eskimos are wearing Nikes, drinking Coke, and saying ‘What’s up?’), it serves to pad the wallets of the “socialist” leaders here by way of international business earnings.  It also provides me a job.

And I am but one compared to the incredible number of English teachers needed to meet the demands of the millions of Chinese learning English. I say “learning” because, with or without a native teacher, the students are being taught the language, most often by a person who has never set foot off China or been in an English-only environment. Without a system of checks and balances, it goes without saying the English produced is often bastardized, and very often in a form that is humorous beyond belief.  As they take English so literally, they cannot share in the comedy with me, therefore, I must share with you. 

 
English is everywhere, I mean everywhere in China. From ‘Happy Time Restaurant’ to ‘Please Vomiting Here’ at the local amusement park, they use English because it’s the thing to do, even though no native English speaker has ever stepped through the entrance of their rural village eatery.  The funniest usage of English is certainly what I see written on clothing, commercial products, and in advertisements.  It’s appears like a code; usually you can decipher the intent, but not before you say to yourself: “Huh? ‘Grass is green, respect it like your life?’”. (Chinese way of saying ‘keep off the grass’.)  They love the words ‘healthy’ and ‘happy’ and you see them in the strangest places.  The “Happy-Time Cotton Shop” (a clothing store) and “The Healthy Charming Center” (a women’s cosmetics shop) are two good examples.  I recently bought some candy and the following was written (verbatim) on the wrapper: “While closing your eyes, let ice cream slips with water-mouthing moment. Feeling of silky touch as some cozy jazz.”  Jazz candy? Printed on the cover of a notebook I bought is: “The best quality and design is just for you. This is the most comfortable notebook you ever run into.” I want to reply: “Good, I often complain of the intense pain ordinary notebooks cause.”

Almost as if someone opened blindly chose words from a dictionary, here are some things I have seen written on clothing:
 
“Fighting boys long short medium dynamic”

“Danny Mindset Longer Life”

“Goose Parman”

“Janet 8 &d”

“Under the boogie lights I believe I’ll drop”

I have considered adopting the last as a personal slogan.

Culture Corner: China - The Language

From the lowest of lows I fathomed in Chinese infomercials, I will now attempt to redeem myself by giving you a taste of real culture: the Chinese language.  Although it won't be as funny as shoes that make short men feel tall, mini-trampoline exercise equipment, or libido enhancing underwear - “Can you feel the tingle, Hu Jin?" – I hope it will nonetheless be enlightening to some degree.

The Chinese language, where to start... Yes, it's VERY different than English.  Not opposing, but definitely different, especially verbal aspects.  Most of the sounds in Chinese are sounds we use, too.  But, it's in the specifics of these sounds Westerners find big problems.  Most English speakers can spit out a 'Bonjour' that is close enough for a French person to warrant a sniff.  But in Chinese, spitting something out is not good enough. You must also coordinate head movement – at least this is how I started using tones. Otherwise, "May I look at the menu?" becomes "Your goat has wings." all too easily. The reason for this is that verbal Chinese consists of individual syllables spoken in one of four specific tones: flat, rising, rising-falling, or falling.  For example, the Chinese word 'ma': when we say 'ma', no matter how we say it - shouting, whispering, exasperated, or happy - everyone knows we are attempting to 'mother'.  But in Chinese, depending on which tone you use, flat, rising, etc., 'ma' takes on a different meaning each time.  'Ma' with a falling-rising tone might mean ‘horse,’ whereas 'ma' with only a rising tone means ‘hemp.’  Coincidentally, 'ma' spoken with a flat tone means 'mother' in Chinese.

Speaking Chinese using correct tones is difficult, but trying to discern them is even more difficult.  For me this is because all Chinese words are one syllable.  In other words, when spoken in English, 'responsibility' is one word with one basic meaning: a smaller part of a larger context.  But in Chinese, 'responsibility' (looking at syllable count only) would actually be six words, creating the possibility that someone has just asked you a full question regarding your marital status or pointed out your fly is unzipped.  Combining this idea with the speed with which a native speaker uses their language, meaning must be extracted quickly from this compact nature of the Chinese language.  Deciphering the syllables, let alone the tones used, is not easy.  I often get lost after the first syllable, asking myself: "Was that a rising ‘hong’ or a falling ‘hong’?”, and by the time I decide to give up and move on to the next word, the person has told me the details of how to set up my own internet trading company, of which I’m only half-certain about the first word – which may not even have been a word, perhaps something like ‘umm’ or ‘huh.’ Not good.

The Chinese written language?  Well, as crazy as it seems, this may actually be easier to learn despite how completely alien it looks. If you memorize a pictograph's appearance, it's in essence the same as memorizing the way a word is spelled in English. Both are composed of individual pieces which must be put in the correct order to represent an idea.  The ease with which ‘lice’ becomes ‘like’ is very important.  And as for writing those characters, while at first awkward, I have found it to be not so strange and can scratch out a few of them as comparatively speaking, a Chinese character requires the same number of pen strokes as does a word in English.  Each character (or pictograph, or sinograph, or sonogram, or blah-blah….)  has a reason for looking the way it does.  And usually there is some hint as to its real meaning located in the pieces which comprise the overall character.  More often than not, this meaning is something based in reality.  For example, the pictograph for tree, lo and behold, looks like a tree. And pictographs for things that are wooden, likewise will contain the root character for tree.  And so on...  (Their word for love is not a heart.)

Structure wise, the Chinese language is extremely efficient.  There is a paucity of vocabulary and grammar, so a person usually expresses themselves in a few short syllables rather than lengthy dialogues.  For example, a Chinese translation of a Western book is significantly thinner, something in the area 75% thinner. 

However, there are some similarities between English and Chinese that other Western languages cannot state with the same finality, one of which is that both languages exist in two forms: the verbal and written.  In other words, the connection between what we write and what we say is based on the memorization of the appearance of symbols.  This is in direct contrast to languages such as Polish or German wherein have phonetic logic: you can correctly pronounce a word without knowing its meaning.  And so what most native English speakers are unaware of is that they are somewhat pre-programmed to divide usage when learning Chinese.  (For those who still don’t understand, ask yourselves why we write ‘bear’ and ‘bare’ if they sound exactly the same.  You simply must memorize which is which and is an aspect that most other European languages don’t have.) 

There, how's that for real culture? Next time, it's on to the horrendous: human-being-torture-noises the fighting tomcats near my apartment make in the middle of the night.

Culture Corner: China - The Infomercial

Though they eat healthier here and tend to do a little more exercise than Americans, the Chinese are not without health problems. Heart disease and cancer, avian flu and AIDS are some of the things they worry about. And as in America, China also suffers from worse things, diseases such as inadequate breast size, teeth that just aren't white enough, ab muscles that refuse to come out of hiding, and the bane of geriatric men everywhere and constant source of junk mail with subject lines reading "get a stiffy in a jiffy", the dreaded acronym: E.D.  (Yes, erectile dysfunction has made its way to the Chinese market.  Some say birds carried it here via the tradewinds.) There are, however, some interesting twists in the way the Chinese go about infomercialling these health problems - some that even defy translation, but I will do my best.  (Though my tone may be… light, the information nevertheless comes from real examples I’ve seen on television.)

First up is that plague of plagues, disappointer of many a high school freshman, and
scourge of beauty queens: tiny breasts, which based on what I’ve heard, seems to be an epidemic here in China.  The line on tv goes a little like this:

“Having feelings of inadequacy seeing other women walk around with bosoms heaving to the moon? And as a result, do you want larger breasts? Sure, who doesn't? (In fact, I'll take an extra one just to show those hussies!) Well, all you need to do is drink this specially formulated tea - one recommended by the specialist Huan Liang who is just now slipping into his white labcoat so you'll think he's a real doctor.  Within three days, the tea will magically bolster your bust by inches! Look how it works so well in this amazing series of diagrams!  You can actually see the breasts growing!  Look at Jin Mei jiggling her tea-enhanced bosoms, can’t you imagine yourself with such mountains of chai deliciousness?”

 
Tea to make breasts grow, go figure. But it gets better.

“Are you feeling fat, overweight, and want to lose those four to five pounds you've been dying to get rid of? Well, wait till you see what we have for you.  Is it a pill? No. Is it an ab-flexer, or something like Tony Sith’s Gazelle?  No - but we have those if you want.  Is it a tea? (Good question.) No.  It's actually a pad that you stick to the bottom of your foot. Yes, we realize that it looks suspiciously like a Band-Aid brand band aid, but wearing it for two hours not only makes you lose a few pounds, it also leaves a stain on the pad that looks suspiciously like foot dirt.  Don’t believe this!  It’s de-molecularized fat!  Just look at the proof in this glamorous video representation of the patch at work.  Zhang Hao has just….”

Somebody is making a killing on this one. 

And as for bad breath, instead of offering highly attractive twins wearing bikinis, the Wrigley's Doublemint Gum people in China offer a depressed young man in his office's elevator.  But upon popping a piece of that juicy sweet, tongue-tingling winterfresh gum into his mouth, he is swept away to the grasslands of Tibet, the biggest of smiles is plastered across his face as he spiritedly rides a yak. (There is no other way to ride a running yak.)

I'm not making this up. It's true.

As for E.D., well, Chinese tv has yet to inform me how to cure this disease of civilization -thankfully. (Think of that diagramming…).  I've only seen Viagra on signs.  But based on the high level of biological detail advertisers use when selling a product on tv, I don't know if I want to know which levers are being pulled or buttons pushed inside the male… area to induce... happiness - relatively speaking.  In a more general, global sense, what I really want to know is, where does an 80 year old man find an 80 year old woman who wants to put this wonder drug, this marvel of modern science, to use? Any ideas?

My last example of an infomercial I’ve been witness to is something that could only come from China.  It goes a little something like this:

“Are you feeling down and out because Meiling is half-a-meter taller than you?  Are you tired of your friends looking down to speak with you?  Do you dream of looking the cupboards not the countertop in the eye?  (Cue black and white photos of Wang Ming looking sad standing next to his girlfriend who is significantly taller.)  Well, don’t fret any longer!  We have the solution for your height challenged desires!!  Just take a look at our amazing, stupendous, fantaba-babulous Ele-boot! (Cue color photo of Wang Ming standing a few centimeters above his girlfriend, smiling brightly.)  Yes, folks, without any chemicals or stretching, bone-breaking, or hypnosis (or tea!!), these amazing shoes, with their built in lifts, will give you those added few centimeters you need to be over the top!!  Just imagine walking the streets in confidence beside your love… standing in the office amongst colleagues during business meetings… and of course, having friends beg you to play basketball with them.  (As these lines are read, Wang Ming is pictured in the relative situation, his pearly whites blinding the camera on every occasion.)  And they come in a wide variety of styles and colors!  Just look at this Italian leather… and the black suede… and here, the sport model, suitable for any athletic activity!  (Words appear at bottom of screen: Ele-boot not responsible for twisted or broken ankles.) What’s our secret?  It’s in the patented design which cleverly disguises the lifts built into the heel of the shoe.  No one will ever know!  Call now and get a second pair free…”

You can imagine the rest.  That my friends, is globalization.

Review of "The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth" by Roger Zelazny

(This review has also been posted at www.fantasyliterature.com) 

My experience with Roger Zelazny has been hit or miss, and while I consider The Doors of his Face, the Lamps of His Mouth a miss, it’s not terrible.  The main fault of the fifteen stories is that characterization remains uniform throughout.  The same cigarette smoking, coffee drinking, detective noir Joe Cool hero populates the main character role of seemingly every story.  Though likeable, this lack of variety gets monotonous.  Secondly, that the outcome of every story has the hero victorious and triumphant, albeit in occasionally surprising ways, the general predictability likewise undermines the integrity of the collection.  Smoking butts, throwing never-miss left hooks, and having the suave line for the ladies are par for the course of this short story collection.  

There are strong points, however.  Zelazny excels as a stylist. Dialogue wonderful and emotion fully shown rather than told, the predictability of the plots can be overlooked by the ease with which the narratives develop.  Thematic content is also respectable. Ideas routinely touched upon in the stories include the long term evolution of culture and societies, man vs. the elements, and the social motivation for individual’s major life changing decisions.

In the end, I would say that if you are already a Zelazny fan, this book will undoubtedly be of interest.  Every story is fully in line with the other works of his I’ve read.  If you enjoyed some of Zelazny’s works, but not others, then this book will probably not open your eyes to anything new.  And if you’ve never read anything by him, then it would probably be best if you started somewhere else.  Taking full advantage of his strengths as a writer, Lord of Light or ...This Immortal are among the best science fiction produced after WWII, and are a better starting place, if not better, more distinguished writing. 

Review of "Look to Windward" by Iain M. Banks

This is the first book I have read by Banks - and it won’t be the last.  His post-human vision of the very distant future, with its closer-to-perfect, but all-too-human AI, is not only plausible but a thought-provoker.  And if you read sci-fi, don’t you want something thought provoking?   The alien cultures, the societal implications, and use of technology were exactly that.  Bucking the trend of throwing everything into a thousand page tome, literary science fiction gets better in the hands of only a handful of other writers. 

Not a mix of tech and storylines that overwhelms (looking at you, Peter Hamilton), Look to Windward is science fiction deeper than the storyline.  In fact, the sci-fi elements take a backseat to the human and human-esque plights (there are aliens, after all) of what few main characters there are.  The plot is based on a war that was sparked by the Culture (Banks’ AI human overlords) and killed billions of Chelgrians.  Now, thousands of years later as the light from the supernova they had used as a bomb is making its way across the galaxy, the Culture has changed its tune and is bent on reconciliation.  Composed by a Chelgrian outcast, a symphony is due to show in honor of the dead, the finale to start the moment the “star” appears in the sky above the Culture for the first time.  Compromise is not what the Chelgrians have in mind, however.  A caste-based species, they remain focused on revenge.  How a third group becomes involved, a behemoth style alien floating in a gas giant, is up to the reader to discover.  The drawing together of these threads, while seeming anti-climactic, remains true to character and theme, and for this should be commended.  Those complaining of the climax’s lack of whiz-bang fireworks undoubtedly miss out on the ideas Banks has at play.

And these thematic elements are numerous and varied.  Banks seems to touch upon current world affairs in describing how suicide bombers are selected and mentally molded.  He describes the long-term effects love can have on the individual when the object of their desire is taken from them at the emotional peak of the relationship - both humanoid and AI.    Likewise, he dips slightly into the psychology resulting from post-human life without limits, technology able to satisfy every dream.  And all through characterization.

My only complaints about the novel are that two of the main alien species were in fact humans in costume; their emotional output was identical to humans.  Likewise, while a humanist tone prevails throughout, moments of the ending reverted all too quickly into cheap vengeance: good-rewarded, bad-punished, subverting the mood that dominated up to that point.   The result of this is that the thematic punch was pulled a little, the sympathy and emotional edge blunted by the violence.  That being said, the theme of hope and optimism towards constructive outcomes remains clearly visible throughout.   The characters as representative, as well as the storyline motivating them, are amongst the best modern sci-fi has to offer.  Look to Windward is recommended for anyone who enjoys science-fiction that has a human face displayed equally alongside plot and worldbuilding. 

(This review has also been posted at www.fantasyliterature.com) 

Review of "The Windup Girl" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Environmental concerns have proven a bugbear for literature - and for obvious reasons: it’s difficult to establish an emotional connection to non-animal entities through text.  Social concerns like abortion, poverty, abuse, etc. are much easier to portray in written form.  Thus it is that documentaries have proven themselves the main vehicle conveying modern day concerns over the environment.  The Windup Girl, however, is for once a novel that proves an effective combination of ecological concerns and tight plotting, producing a good story in the process.

Not written in the most stylistic of prose, Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl nonetheless delivers the goods.  Characters are generally consistent, empathetic, and plausible.  The futuristic scene of a post-oil Bangkok is, however, fully believable, and the plot of political intrigue and individual concern, though having been done before (what hasn’t?) moves at a pace that keeps the reader interested and guessing.

More distressing is the title.  Reading superbly, it simply does not reflect content, however.  The windup girl is not the main character, nor are her concerns delved into or resolved in any meaningful fashion besides revenge.  Lake is, in fact, the main character, and the political, environmental, gender concerns take a backseat--a close backseat--to the entertainment value.  More significant is that the title does not reflect the fragmented narratives which comprise the whole.  The storylines working well independently, they never congeal under the banner of Emiko, the windup girl's, plight.

Where Bacigalupi exceeds expectations, however, is in the creativity he displays describing the devices which motivate the story.  With oil no longer available in infinite quantities, animal power is used to charge capacitors, and as animal power depends on calorie intake, agricultural interests rule.  Offering a great commentary on the direction of present day big oil, these agribusinesses put the population at their mercy.  Diseases are unleashed amongst crops so that people must buy certain companies untainted products.  The genetic structuring of animals is likewise toyed with, the titular character a clone bred for lascivious entertainment and obsequiousness.  The original and ingenious manner in which Bacigalupi intertwines genetic manipulation, agribusiness, and politics has yet to be attempted in fiction, to my knowledge, and provides the strongest novel a strong foundation toward enjoyment.

Winner of the 2010 Hugo, The Windup Girl, for all its shortcomings in literary categories, nonetheless remains pertinent in light of today’s ecological concerns.  It offers direct commentary on the possible direction today’s agribusiness concerns is headed, particularly concerning genetically modified foods (GMOs).  Genes not a child’s toy, it would seem Bacigalupi’s book will become more relevant as science makes its way from the laboratory into our everyday lives in the biological products we consume and interact with.  With the masses distracted by talent shows and tv advertisements, the dangers of gene manipulation described in The Windup Girl deserve to be required reading.  Therefore, this book is recommended for anyone interested in near future speculation on the nature and direction of plant and animal gene experimentation.

Review of "Beethoven" by Barry Cooper

A heady mix of history which focuses on music theory, Cooper’s biography of Beethoven is everything the music scholar could hope for.  The best and lesser known of the great composer’s works are broken down for style, theme, and technique, all in the context of Beethoven’s career.  Thus, for those looking for an in depth look at his personal life, more speculative but perhaps interesting information can be found elsewhere.  If music composition and theory are your bag, however, then by all means check out Cooper’s survey of Beethoven and his work.  Based on the depth each piece is examined, it seems impossible not be disappointed on this front.  For myself, a non-scholar, skipping the super technical yet diving into the thematic expositions has proven itself invaluable listening to the concertos, symphonies, and quartets, since.  Therefore, be warned that in Beethoven, the music not the man takes center stage.

Review of "Black Sun Rising" by Celia Friedman

It’s not often that I start a book and cannot finish it.  Celia Friedman’s Black Sun Rising, unfortunately, is one such book.  It is unfortunate because she has such a good premise.  Humanity has inhabited another planet where a dark spiritual force flowing through the earth (called the ‘fae’) gives shape to people’s nightmares, which in turn are manifested in reality and can only by controlled adepts and sorcerers.  Or at least so I think.  The Seeing, and Knowing, and Healing, and Working that occurs is so unclear as to render the character’s usage of the fae more than confusing.

But the lack of a well thought out system of magic is only the beginning of the book’s faults.  More troublesome is characterization and character interaction.    Again, I think Friedman had a good idea about how to motivate the discourse; the two main characters are opposed ideologically but must work together toward a common goal.  But again, only in theory.  Friedman’s execution of dialogue between the two, on top of being overwrought and subsequently unbelievable as conversation between two real humans, is chock full of forced emotions that have no prior background.  So often does a character explode with emotion after a point that does not seem to warrant such an outburst.  “Damn you, Tarrant!  You just gave me my tea with those cold eyes of yours.  How I despise such behavior!!”  And so on.  If the characters had been properly motivated, I could have understood such interchanges, but alas, plot too is thoroughly lacking in convincing enough ideas to move the story.

But I can—and have—read books with poor dialogue and storyline all the way to the end.  What prevented me from finishing “Black Sun Rising” is the prose, or rather, lack thereof.  Full of anachronisms and entirely lacking subtlety, Friedman is guilty of telling her story rather than showing it.   Check the following quote:

“The portal closed by Ciani’s Working was clearly the main guest entrance.  Damien and Ciani unpacked the horses while Senzei went off in search of a groom.  After some moments he reappeared, a pair of lanky boys in tow.  Teenagers, both of them, with the nervous uptight gestures of boys whose pubescent energies had not yet found safe outlet.  They need a good night out on the town, Damien thought.  Then upon reflection, he added, They need a good town.”

Do the boys go on to perform any other function?  No.  Does this paragraph advance the narrative?  No.  Why then would Friedman tell us what the main character is thinking about the stable boys?  Is it humor?  Hopefully not.  Is it insight into the main character’s mind?  He seems pretty normal.  Or is it just shoddy writing?  The best bet.  Were this the only paragraph digressing unnecessarily from what could have been a great plot, the misstep could be forgivable.  But that the whole book is full of people who are “utterly certain that…”, and things that “seem like…”, and emotions that “suddenly…”, it’s as if a high school senior edited the book.  Hard to believe Friedman teaches creative writing at a university.

Suffice to say, Black Sun Rising—and I assume series—is second rate material worth your time only if you like these kinds of simplistic fantasy featuring superlative laden prose, over—and therefore—underdeveloped characters, and meager plot development to begin with.  Friedman’s ambition simply does not match her skills as a writer in this book.

Review of The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson

(Note that this review is for the entirety of the Malazan series-no spoilers.)

Thematic at so many levels, poignant to such a variety of societal issues, and so complex in size and structure – on top of being filled to the brim with action and magic - it’s difficult to begin describing Steven Erikson’s decade-long project The Malazan Book of the Fallen.  Literally and physically epic, whole forests were undoubtedly destroyed in printing the ten volumes of this completed series.  The result is that scope, depth, and world building have perhaps never seen and never will again see such a massive, sprawling story populated by such a variety of characters and cultures.  Fantasy literature has been redefined. 

The first book, Gardens of the Moon, sets the tone.  Thrown into events as they are happening, readers do not get any soft, fluffy background, slowly easing them into the world of Malazan.   And the series does not relent.  Though satisfying closures to individual storylines can be found, the last book, The Crippled God, finds the series ending as ongoing as it began.  Much the same as being dropped into the middle of Europe’s attempt to colonize the world and plucked out as the events of WWI draw to a close, Erikson has said that the overall effect is something like “We edge in to observe a slice of history, then, ten books later, we edge back out.”  Relative background filled in only as necessary, readers expecting easily accessible explanations as to why things are happening will immediately be put off.  Like our real world, little is spoon fed in Malazan.

Writing in such a mode begs the question: why should I read the series if it’s so complex?  Like the works of Gene Wolfe, the answer lies in the themes that are unveiled upon closer inspection.  While on the surface Malazan appears to have it all, action, comedy, romance, tragedy, the supernatural, etc., at a deeper level, more complex and poignant ideas exist.  For example, the name of the series comes from an idea Napoleon had to create a Book of the Fallen to honor all who died in the name of his cause, thus ensuring history did not forget them.  With this idea in mind, one of Erikson’s main goals is to bring foreground the lives of ordinary soldiers and the difficulties they have living subject to leaders whose interests are not always altruistic, as well as the uncertainty of living with war.  Unlike much of modern fantasy which tells the story of the hero – the undefeatable warrior championing justice – Malazan instead tells of the supporting cast, the little guys and the sacrifices they contribute to the overall effect.  Sticking with thematic content, the conflicts and bloodshed so visible in Malazan are not in fact nihilistic commentary on modern life, rather a key indicator of the precocity of life itself.  Those who read the series all the way to the end will be pleasantly surprised at the manner in which the themes of compassion, family, and love for friends are revealed both amongst and through the bloody battles and powerful displays of magic. 

Thus, in writing The Malazan Book of the Fallen, Erikson has pulled off the near impossible: a combination of Dungeons and Dragons with literary aspiration, emphasis on the latter as the series progresses.  As a result, those looking for fantasy entertainment with accessible storylines and rather typical heroic characters should read Abercrombie, Rothfuss, or Lynch.  For those looking for fantasy with depth and value, the rewards of sticking with this series – no matter how difficult it can sometimes be - are real.  (Check out the Malazan Empire forums for an idea of the fanbase and its devotion.)   Truly an investment, the series is open to numerous re-reads.  Ample room is available for gleaning details overlooked in previous sittings and wonder at the depth of the world created.  In fact, the more one allows themselves to melt into world of Malazan, the more the little treasures of wisdom and sheer humanity Erikson has planted reveals itself.  Tragedy and the fantastic have perhaps never been so well intertwined.  Recommended, but be warned the road is not always easy.

(For those who have read the series and are interested in further commentary, additional essays from this blog may be found here: Stepping Stones: The Ideas Bridging Malazan, and, A Slow Exhale: The Consistency of Malazan.)