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Sensational Speculative Fiction Picks: The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft and Starter Villain by John Scalzi

27 Sep

The Hexologists
by Josiah Bancroft
I loved The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft. The Hexologists has a lot to recommend with its mystery, magic, witty banter, clever characters, humor, and plenty of plot twists. The Hexologist of the title is Iz Wilby who along with her husband Warren, help solve clients besieged by a variety of supernatural conundrums. I especially appreciated the sweet romance between the happily married couple; Iz is a smart and independent woman whom Warren respects, but the novel depicts their relationship as partnership of equals and Warren is also shown as competent and compassionate. This adventure starts when they are approached about the current King wanting to be baked in to cake and a mandrake runs amok inside their home. There are plenty of plot twist and although some supernatural creatures are based on familiar fantasy favorites, there is a lot of originality in what Bancroft has created, my favorite of which is a dragon gourmand. Not only is Iz skilled in her use of hexes, patterns that she is able to create for magical purposes, but she also has inherited a bag dubbed the portalmanteau from her explorer father that leads to a variety of cursed objects that frequently come to the Wilbies’s aid when they need it the most. I am definitely hoping for more adventures with The Hexologists in the future. This novel is highly recommended to fantasy fans and general readers who love creative, funny fiction.

Starter Villain
by John Scalzi
I had very much enjoyed Scalzi’s novel The Kaiju Preservation Society, which I read with our Library’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Discussion Group, so was excited to check out his latest work Starter Villain. There are a lot of similarities between the two with both starting out with a well meaning young adult who has failed to achieve the level of success they had hoped for and who gets swept up in a worldwide conspiracy in this case it is a league of super villains rather than monster preservationists. Both novels play with the typical clichés of the genre like a volcano lair, in the case of Starter Villain, and champion the proletariat over the larger conglomerates that have been increasingly common in our world. The ending felt a bit predictable, but if you enjoy referential geek humor and clever twists on genre conventions than this will charm you. Amongst the fun are also some interesting questions about what in today’s society truly makes a villain and how much of our lives are shaped by outside forces. Plus as the cover hints at there are genetically modified sentient cats as well as dolphins who are both hilarious.

I received an advance copy of The Hexologists and Starter Villian from Netgalley and the publisher in order to provide an honest review.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Super Secret Cookbooks: Necronomnomnom, Lovecraft Cocktails, and Top Secret Recipes Unlocked

13 Sep

The Necronomnomnom: Recipes and Rites from the Lore of H.P. Lovecraft and Lovecraft Cocktails: Elixirs & Libations from the Lore of H. P. Lovecraft
by Mike Slater
My husband discovered two terrific Lovecraft recipe books recently; don’t worry they weren’t tucked away in a hidden tomb or a locked box in an attic, but it was when he met the author, Mike Slater, at a local convention. So if you borrow the copies of The Necronomnomnom or Lovecraft Cocktails from BCCLS Libraries you will find creative libations, but will be unlikely to actually summon any ancient gods (at least we haven’t yet). For those not familiar with Lovecraft, he is considered one of the early father’s of horror. His works have a looming menace and even if you have not read one of his stories you may be familiar with his most famous elder god, Cthulhu, who inspired many monsters in recent novels like The Kaiju Preservation Society and Lovecraft Country, which put a spin on some of the racism that is unfortunately a part of Lovecraft’s works reflecting a xenophobia often felt by the small town New Englanders he wrote about. These cookbooks though a must for Lovecraft fan are also enjoyable by fantasy foodies in general with their beautiful illustrations, fun puns, and quirky recipes that they contain like The Deep Fried Deep One and The Great Old Buns from The Necronomnomnom or Sunken Island Iced Tea and Moscow Ghoul from Lovecraft Cocktails. These would be great for planning refreshments at your next Horror Movie Marathon, Halloween Party, or Dungeons and Dragon Game. You can see a previous post about other fantasy inspired cookbooks here.

Top Secret Recipes Unlocked: All New Home Clones of America’s Favorite
by Todd Wilbur
Every year my recipe for sweet potato casserole gets rave reviews at Thanksgiving. My secret is that it is a homemade version of the one found at Boston Market. Top Secret Recipes Unlocked is a fun resource packed with clones of everything from Arby’s delicious Horsey Sauce to my childhood favorite popcorn treat, Crunch and Munch. Some entries include background about the restaurants or the dish itself and others discuss what it took to recreate the dish. In his introduction, Wilbur discusses his overall process in trying to recreate the classic dishes in ways that are close to the original in taste but use techniques and ingredients readily accessible to home cooks. The book includes fun diagrams that give a super secret spy feel to the endeavors. Wilbur’s take on the Boston Market’s Sweet Potato Casserole is egg free so can be made ahead so I may give his version a try this year. Top Secret Recipes Unlocked includes recipes from several Hoboken Fast Food Favorites including McDonald’s, Panera, Taco Bell, Dunkin, and Starbucks. This is a great resource for those looking to make their favorites in a healthier version or in away to accommodate dietary restrictions.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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