BooksOfTheMoon

The Phantom Atlas: The Greatest Myths, Lies and Blunders on Maps

By Edward Brooke-Hitching

Rating: 3 stars

This is a quite interesting book of maps of places that don’t exist. Whether by mistake, through hearsay or just plain lying, people were persuaded that these places were real enough to draw maps of, and Brooke-Hitching has collected a number of these, which he presents, along with their stories.

The book itself is lovely, with large, colour reproductions of the maps, often with boxouts of details (if the mistake is a tiny island on a map showing the whole Atlantic ocean, for example). I do feel that some of the entries could do with being longer, and I did get a bit tired of islands in the Atlantic that were probably just cloud banks. The book itself says that mythical islands are as abundant in the mythologies of Eastern cultures as that of the west, but it only devotes a single entry (Wak-Wak) to any of them. I would have happily lost a few of the Atlantic islands in favour of some stuff that wasn’t centred around the West.

There was a lot of interest, though. The story of Gregor MacGregor and his shameless invention of a territory in Latin America is fascinating, not to mention heartbreaking for the people he hoodwinked. And the idea that people for a long time thought that California was an island isn’t something that I had encountered before. Nor the belief that Australia had a huge inland sea, fed by a huge river network.

So a lovely book to dip into at random, but could have done with being a bit more balanced and less Euro- and American-centric.

Book details

ISBN: 9781471159459
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Year of publication: 2016

To Be Taught, If Fortunate

By Becky Chambers

Rating: 4 stars

In the 22nd century, humans have cracked one of the big problems in spaceflight: how to keep humans alive outwith the safe, nurturing environment of Earth. Their answer: somaforming. Instead of changing the environment to suit the human, they change the human to suit the environment (on a limited scale at least; generally minor changes, where the recipient is still recognisable as human). Ariadne O’Neill and her three shipmates are members of a crew (Lawki 6) sent to the planets of a star, fourteen light years from Earth to investigate its planets in the name of exploration and the drive for human knowledge.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed the simple steadfastness of our protagonist and her shipmates, their love for each other and the fact that Chambers avoids the obvious impulse to have conflict between the crewmates to drive the plot. She doesn’t do that, and I think the book is all the stronger for it.

I also love the science-driven nature of the plot. Lawki 6 is a pure science mission, privately funded without any desire to terraform or exploit what they find. They tread lightly, find joy in their discoveries, and weep when they accidentally kill some of the life they find. Chambers describes this with a light touch that nonetheless touched me to my core.

There’s a deep ambivalence around the ending which could be incredibly positive or very depressing, depending on what happens next. Chambers leaves this to our imaginations, and I choose to believe in the more positive choice. I choose to believe that Earth responds to the message that Ariadne sends and whichever direction they go, they will do so with joy in their heart and the blessing of their home.

PS: I googled ‘Lawki’, and it could be either a place in Poland, or an acronym for “Life As We Know It”, which seems more relevant.

Book details

ISBN: 9781473697188

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)

By C.S. Lewis

Rating: 4 stars

I read and enjoyed The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe several times as a child, but it wasn’t until I went to university, that I heard about its religious subtext, which surprised me (not growing up in a Christian household). This was the first time that I’ve re-read it as an adult and the religious subtext is pretty blatant coming to it now (I especially liked the mention of Jadis as being a Daughter of Lilith, rather than Eve), but it’s still a very enjoyable read. Despite the allegory, I still felt the pain of the temptation of Edmund and the humiliation and death of Aslan just as much as I did as a child.

It reads very much of its time, in terms of language and assumptions, not to mention style. I pretty much grew up on Lewis and Enid Blyton, so it was all very familiar to me, and comforting, in a way, but it does make assumptions about gender, class and status that would be more challenged today. The voice of the narrator talking directly to the reader is also something that has fallen out of favour in modern writing. It definitely feels, not exactly ‘dated’, but recognisable as not being a modern story (even setting aside the contents).

Even so, I still think it holds up well as a children’s book that draws the reader in and holds their attention well. Characters such as Mr Tumnus, the beavers and, of course, Aslan will live long in the memory and affection of readers for a long time to come.

Book details

ISBN: 9780006716631
Publisher: Fontana Lions
Year of publication: 1980

City of Blades (The Divine Cities, #2)

By Robert Jackson Bennett

Rating: 4 stars

General Turyin Mulaghesh resigned her commission in anger to live out her days, looking for a peace she may never find. But her country still has need of her, so by fair means and foul, Prime Minister Shara Komyad (hero of the previous book, City of Stairs) enlists her to a secret mission to the city of Voortyastan, former home of the divinity of war and death.

This is a book in which war and soldiers loom large. There is obviously Voortya herself, the goddess of war, and General Mulaghesh, hero of the Battle of Bulikov, and with dark rumours to her name. But there’s also General Biswal and the different ideas of what being a soldier means to these old friends. It’s no secret that I’m an old leftie, who often looks on in horror at the acts of the military, carried out in my name. Mulaghesh sees being a soldier in a different light: she sees it as a chance to serve, to do what is required and nothing more, while Biswal sees it as a grand endeavour, worthy of praise and lauding. The tension between these two world views is what drives the book.

There’s as much cool history and mythology as in the previous book, this time focused on Voortya, and I especially loved the idea of the strength of the contract between the gods and their people. Its’ a clever idea. Sigrud from the first books shows up again, this time as a leader of his people. He hasn’t let it make him soft, though, and he’s there for Mulaghesh to rely on when she needs him.

Mulaghesh herself is an interesting character, much more fleshed out than she was in City of Stairs. She’s haunted by her past and has spent most of her career trying to make up for what she did during the war against the Continent; and meditating on the meaning of war and what soldiering is about; and trying to protect those under her command.

It’s not nearly as chin-stroking and head-nodding as I’ve been making out, though. It’s also a fast-paced adventure with some great action sequences. Very much a worthy sequel, with some real depth of character.

Book details

ISBN: 9781848669598
Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books
Year of publication: 2017

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 2

By Kamome Shirahama

Rating: 4 stars

The second volume of this delightful manga picks up directly from where the first left off: with the four apprentices having been teleported to an unknown destination and facing a dragon. They have combine their skills (which Coco is painfully aware that she’s lacking) to escape.

We learn more about Coco’s fellow apprentice, Agott, in this volume, and what drives her, and we learn more about the world that Coco inhabits. The book is a lot of fun, even if it doesn’t seem all that substantial. It’s an intriguing world with some great characters. I look forward to reading more of Coco’s adventures.

Book details

ISBN: 9781632368041
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Year of publication: 2019

Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 1

By Kamome Shirahama

Rating: 4 stars

Coco has been obsessed with magic ever since she was given a picture book on it as a child. But witches are born, not made, so she’s resigned to a life without wonder, until a series of accidents brings the witch Qifrey into her circle and she sees something that changes her life forever.

I’m not really familiar with the manga canon; it was a friend introduced me to Witch Hat Atelier, and I’m rather glad that he did, because I’ve really enjoyed this charming little manga. Coco is a delightful protagonist, bubbling over with enthusiasm and her joy at everything in the magical world is infectious. I’ll definitely look forward to reading more about Coco and her world.

Apart from a few pages right at the start of the book, the art is mostly black and white, but is beautifully drawn. It’s got that distinctive manga feel to it and is great fun to read. There were one or two scenes where I found the action hard to follow, but for the most part it’s pretty clear.

Also, from now on, I’m going to refer to my bedroom (aka my home office) as my atelier for as long as I’m in lockdown!

Book details

ISBN: 9781632367709
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Year of publication: 2019

False Value (Rivers of London #8)

By Ben Aaronovitch

Rating: 4 stars

Following the dramatic events at the end of the last book, Peter is nominally still suspended, but with fatherhood impending, he needs a job, so he joins security for the Serious Cybernetics Corporation, a new startup by one of the less-flashy silicon valley tech bros. Peter settles down fairly quickly, but soon realises that there’s something strange, and possibly magical, going on up on the top floor of the building.

It’s odd seeing Peter outwith the support network of the Met, but he’s still got his informal network to rely on, and he’s now moved in with Beverley. The police are still very much involved, and Nightingale, Guleed et al make their appearances.

Spoiler
And, of course, it only lasts long enough to tell us that Peter’s currently working under cover.

As others have noted, there’s an awful lot of Hitchhikers’ references in this book, but while others found it irritating, it seems to me that it’s appropriately over the top for a silicon valley tech startup that’s wanting to appear to be “hip” and “cool” (for nerdy values of “hip” and “cool”).

This book finds Peter more aware of Beverley’s status as a goddess, and getting a bit worried by things that happen around her, and the actions that she feels she needs to take. Maksim, for example, until now, has mostly been played for humour, but Peter’s now worrying about free will and whether it’s ethical for Bev to put her influence over him, and others she comes into contact with. It’s not easy dating a deity, and it’ll be interesting to see where this goes in future volumes.

No Lesley May in this one, but the magical world has been expanded again, this time with more details of American magic, and especially the Librarians (no, not those Librarians). There’s also been some seeds planted for the future, and possibly a new nemesis coming up.

All in all, a worthy entry to the canon. But you can’t just drop in the suggestion that the London Underground possible has its own genius loci and then walk away like that. I’m outraged. Outraged, I tell you!

Book details

ISBN: 9781473229761

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