Pop Culture Purchases

Spring Fantasy Fix

By Cody Klyne, Arts Editor

At Scholastic Book Fairs my innocent

child brain was put into a state of
sheer ecstasy; I couldn’t resist the brightly
coloured covers and whimsical depictions
of dragons, wizards, and warriors. By the
end of middle school any reading I did
outside of class was of the most fictitious
of the genre: fantasy.

I’ve read the obligatory Tolkien, left
Rowling in my past and, having equipped
myself with a more discriminatory pallet
over the past decade, have moved on
to a roster of fantasy’s fresh blood (and:
old guard.) With the semester’s end just
around the corer, hopefully signifying
a renewed freedom for some of you,

I thought it’d share just a few of my
top picks (both recently and yet to be
released) for the months ahead.

[: victim to fiction at a young age.

Heroes — Joe Abercrombie

Bucking the familiar “epic quest” for
a more focused, but equally epic, look at
one three-day skirmish between the Union
and the barbaric Northmen, Heroes is
setup to be no less bloody and adrenaline-
rich than any of Abercrombie’s previous
works.

A master of dark, gritty, and gory
fantasy, Abercrombie’s greatest strength
is in his ability to write about bleak
situations, cynical characters, and ghastly
acts of violence with such flair as to make
it undeniably entertaining. What should
be a completely satisfying standalone
novel in its own right, Heroes (like 2009’s
Best Served Cold) takes place in the same
world as Abercrombie’s debut First Law
Trilogy meaning that there’s plenty of -
room for those reader’s looking to dig in
their heels and invest some time into the
setting, its rules, characters, and cultures.
Even though the hardcover dropped
back in February and has therefore
been available for some time - because
I’m OCD and need the trade paperback
edition to match my other copies of
Abercrombie’s works - this will be my
must read when April rolls around and the
paperback hits stores.

Republic of Thieves — Scott Lynch
2006’s Lies of Locke Lamora, book

one of the Gentleman Bastard series, was

Lynch’s debut and one of my favourite

- books of the year, and that I’ve read since.

With The Republic of Thieves finally
seeing the light of day after a four-year
lull in activity and near silence on part

of the author, I’m both excited and filled
with mild trepidation going forward with
its release.

While it’s been some time since
I last reread Lies or its follow-up, Red
Seas Under Red Skies, what I most
concretely recall from both of Republic’s
predecessors is Lynch’s knack for world
creation and his ability to throw roguish
protagonist Locke Lamora into deadly
situations while having him come out on
top by the skin of his teeth in plausible
ways. “Cool” high fantasy is both the
best, laziest way that I can think to
describe the world that Lynch has created
and the largest discredit to his talent as a
writer. Republic of Thieves might be on
my list, but I suggest that Lies of Locke
Lamora be on yours.

. The Crippled God — Steven Erikson

The Malazan Book of the Fallen
series by Canadian novelist Steven
Erikson is both impressive and entirely
daunting. Impressive for the fact that after
ten entries, most of which break the 1000-
page mark, Erikson’s novels not only do
well both commercially and critically,
but actually follow and build on a deeply
cohesive and intertwining story and world
of characters, heroes, ancient evils, and

 

Burd.

Clearly stated from the start of it all
back in the late 90s, the release of this
tenth entry marks the “conclusion” of
the series proper. While I’m personally
behind on Erikson — give or take a few
books and a few more thousand pages

— it’s somehow comforting to know the
end has come. While writing partner
Esslemont (who writes one-offs taking
place in the same universe) may yet carry
the touch for years to come, whether
you’re a lifer or have only tangentially
heard of the series, what Erikson has
managed to create is a testament to
modern epic fantasy and human longevity.
Honourable mentions: Wise Man’s

gods

Fear — Patrick Rothfuss, A Dance With
Dragons — George R.R. Martin

 

 

 

 

ell kids, it’s almost the end

of the semester and, chances

are, you're all probably
going a little crazy. Exams, projects,
presentations, graduation, work, family,
friends, significant others...* gasp* there’s
no rest in sight, right? WRONG! Do
your work. Sure. Get good grades. Fine.
But don’t forget about fun things in your
life! The sun is staying out later, even
though the cold bite of winter seems to be
lingering, and there’s plenty of awesome
fun things to do, see, and hear in and
around this great city of ours. Cut a few
comers and live a little, we’re in the home
stretch. Bases loaded. Go for the gold. All
that junk. Woo!

Wednesday, March 16
This Wednesday brings with it
another evening filled with readings of

March 16 - 19

deliciously rotten writing. “Say What?!”
hosted by the hilarious Sara Bynoe, pairs
talented writers, readers, performers,

and comedians with some of the worst
published writing on the planet. Part story
time, part torture, all funny. March’s “Say
What?!” features readers Brad Duffy,
Kaitlin Fontana, Bronwen Marsden, and
more! Head on down to the Cottage Bistro
on Main for 8:00pm with $5-10 dollars in
hand and you're good to go.

Thursday, March 17

The Arts at One weekly live music
performance, which highlights great
local musicians nearly every Thursday
throughout the semester, is taking place
at the New West campus in the Laura C.
Muir Performing Arts Theatre at 1:00pm
sharp. This week, sit back and enjoy

the first of two great concerts, featuring

a collection of scholarship winners.
Admission is always free and there are
only a handful of performances left in
the semester. Don’t miss:your chance! As
for what to do in the evening... its Saint

Overtly peppy edition

Patrick’s Day... I shouldn’t really have to
say more than that.

Friday, March 18

Keep it classy this Friday and check
out some local student theatre. Your
first option: the second to last night of
Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at Douglas.
Tickets are $8 — 15, doors at 7:30. Second,
if you happen to be out in North Van (and
why wouldn’t you just happen to be)
stop by Capilano U for the opening night
of Cinderella: the Enchanted Edition.
Doors open at 8:00pm while tickets are
$8 — 20 and are available online at www.
capilanou.ca/exit22.

Saturday, March 19

For a late afternoon cartoon fix,
hit up the Rio Theatre for the 4:20pm
presentation of Spike & Mikes Sick and
Twisted Festival of Animation. For some

‘latent Saint Patty’s Day cheer, if you’ve

got yourself a taste for lamb and ale, look
into finding yourself some tickets to the
Brewmaster’s Dinner taking place at The

Cellar. If not, eat at home and head to The
Vogue or Doolin’s Irish Pub later in the
evening for more festive fare.

ime ese

 

Cinderella