Fangs for the Fantasy Book of the Week

It's another Monday which means it's time for our next podcast - episode 2 of 2014 where we will talk about all of the shows we've been following this week (or as many as we can get to), our book of the week and whether Renee is plagued by weremoose in Canada or not - all through our social justice lens. Feel free to join us, listen, ask questions or make suggestions

Like all  the Fangs for the Fantasy podcasts (archives here) we read a book and discuss it on the show. 

To give people a chance to read along with us, especially over the holidays, we include a list of our planned books of the week for the next few shows, so people can get the books, read them and join in the conversation.

 Our podcast will be at 7:00pm EST tonight 

13th January - 20th January: Bloodlines by Eileen Wilks

20th January - 27th January: Written in Blood by Anne Bishop

27th January - 3rd February: Under Attack by Hannah Jayne

3rd February - 10th February: Wild Things by Chloe Neil

10th February - 17th February: Faefever by Karen Marie Moning

Dracula, Season One, Episode Nine: Four Roses

Mina is in the hospital having flashbacks to her attack and she remembers Grayson's face covered in blood.

At the manor, Grayson discusses his conviction that the attack on Mina was done by The Order with Renfield.  Renfield reveals that during his time in captivity, he was repeatedly asked what it is that Grayson loved the most.  When you add this fact to the fact that the image of  Dracula's wife was stolen by Lord Davenport Renfield suggests that this was a personal vendetta by Davenport.  Grayson is not convinced and says that it still thinks it's The Order because they have a history of attacking people's families. Grayson swears that blood will flow each night until the Order yields.

Renfield heads to see Van Helsing but Van Helsing believes that Grayson has broken his contract with him.  Renfield informs Van Helsing that Grayson intends to take direct action against The Order and begs him to speak with Grayson. Van Helsing asks Renfield to leave adding that what Grayson chooses to do is no longer his concern.

Lady Jane meets with Browning to discuss the huntsmen who are coming to London to butcher the vampires. Browning reveals that his children have been abducted.  Browning pulls out Daniel's suicide note and shows it to Lady Jane. Browning blames Grayson for abducting his children and adds that Grayson plans on destroying the Order.  Lady Jane is not convinced and asks what motive Grayson could possibly have.  Browning says that Grayson is actually Dracula but again Lady Jane is not convinced and adds that Grayson has been seen in broad daylight.  Lady Jane tells Browning that this is insane and goes back to the vampire threat. Browning brings up his children and Lady Jane reminds him of his primary oath.

Lucy sleeps in bed and Johnathon gets dressed quietly. Lucy's mother sees Johnathon leave and asks Lucy what she has done, but Lucy simply closes the door to her boudoir.

Renfield arrives back at Carfax to find the police searching the house.  He orders the men to leave on the basis that the warrant is not valid because it does not mention what it is they are looking for.  Browning appears and says that he is looking for his children.  Renfield again makes it clear that they must leave because the warrant is not valid but he is over ruled by Grayson, who apparently had already given his consent to the search.  Grayson declares that no children will be found at Carfax, though he has always longed for their presence.  Browning leaves with the Inspector, who assures him that this is just the start of their investigation. When Browning opens the door to his carriage, he finds Harker sitting inside waiting for him.

As the carriage pulls away, Grayson says that this is what happens when you're for hire. Renfield questions if Van Helsing abducted the children but Grayson is not convinced because he believes that Van Helsing is married to the plan he developed. Renfield tells Grayson that Van Helsing has announced that their partnership is over and that that he told Van Helsing about Grayson's plan to directly confront The Order. Grayson is not at all happy about this and Renfield assures him he will not over step again.

Lucy is still in her boudoir and her mother again asks what is going on.  Lucy cries and asks why she was never told that it is natural to fall in love with another woman.  Her mother is absolutely horrified amd pulls away.

Browning and Harker come to rest in a park area and Harker reveals that he is going to accept The Order's offer, if Browning can explain why they attacked Mina. Browning says that this is ridiculous because they are trying to recruit Harker not destroy him. Harker says that Davenport was behind this and Browning realises that Davenport was acting as a rogue and that Harker killed him. Browning promises not to punish Harker because rogue actions are not tolerated within the ranks.  Browning welcomes Harker to The Order of the Dragon and they shake hands.

Harker is told that he must submit the blueprints of Greyson's resonator and so he searches until he finds them.  When Renfield finds him, he claims that he was catching up on some correspondence.  When Harker moves to leave, Renfield asks him to send his warm regards to Mina.  From the look on Renfield's face, it is clear that he is suspicious of Harker.

Grayson has gone to see Van Helsing to discuss the end of their partnership. Van Helsing makes it clear that Grayson's inability to control himself has derailed their scheme. Grayson tells Van Helsing that one demonstration will end the Order and asks about the disappearance of Browning's children. Grayson threatens that if this comes to the attention of the authorities that it will destroy their plans and in turn, Van Helsing will have a very, very, bad day. Grayson excuses himself saying that he is dining with friends tonight.

Van Helsing heads to a secluded cabin, opens a trapdoor and heads to a cellar.  The children are lying side by side on a wooden table.  Van Helsing has another flashback to his son being dragged away and his house on fire, with Browning standing over him.  He grabs a metal hammer but is unable to bash in the heads of the children.  Van Helsing leaves them lying on a table unconscious.

Grayson heads to the club to see Rothcroft.  Grayson reveals that he invited relatives from the continent with the  promise of excellent cuisine.  Rothcroft finds this curious because Grayson is American.  Grayson turns and reveals his fangs then leaves Rothcroft in a room filled with vampires.

Mina is still in her hospital bed and Grayson is now by her side. When Grayson places a rose in her hand she awakes.  Grayson reveals that all of the flowers have been from him. Mina reveals that she knows that Grayson stopped the men who attacked her and Grayson denies his presence there.  Mina again asserts that he was there.  Grayson moves to leave and Mina asks him to stay a little longer. Grayson looks at the sun and says that he cannot stay, though he very much wants to.

Being Human (US) Sneak Peak

A little look to see what the next episode of Being Human has in store for us

Helix, Season 1, Episode 3: 274

Day 3

Uh-oh, first there were goo zombies and now someone’s let the arty cameraman out of his cage. We’re all doomed.

Alan finds Julia unconscious in the bottom of the shower after her encounter with Peter, and helps her up. She’s confused and doesn’t remember Peter – or pretends not to, anyway. He helps her back to her room and then goes exploring when he hears a noise – and runs into Peter. Oh Peter does not look well. He manages to mumble “help me” before collapsing

Ok, Alan, Julia we need to talk about your survival skills. When the oozy goo zombie appears you do not stare at it like a guppy.

Doreen and Sarah are giving medicine 101 to groups of scientists who really shouldn’t need this (with a guard nearby being awfully trigger happy). Sarah is close to a panic attack and shaking – Doreen most certainly isn’t. Meanwhile Sergio and Daniel report to Hiroshi that security hasn’t found the escapees or Peter and there are more infected; also people are panicking (and generally everything is looking pretty grim).

Which is when Alan shows up with Peter on a gurney (definite side-eye from Hiroshi to Daniel on that one). Hiroshi and Sergio do insist that the man who cut off a guard’s hand be more securely kept though – so they decide to move him to a largely disused part of the base that also contains all the maintenance and things essential for life in the arctic circle. You’re going to store your highly dangerous, unpredictable prisoner on the… life support level? May I point out a flaw with this plan?

It does have some very secure, old labs where they did “sensitive” research – apparently inclusion messing with nuclear materials. Alan thinks this is excellent, there’s loads of space for them to secure the Vectors (those actively attacking people) separate from the merely infected too. Yup, lots of them on the life-support floor.

As Alan explains to Hiroshi what they need to create the quarantine floor, one of the 3 escaped infected appears, Dr. Sulemani. She has black goo oozing down her chin and asks for help, pleading that “they” made her escape. The group tell her to stop but she keeps advancing – and Daniel shoots her. Alan rushes into action to treat her, quickly removing the bullet (why? Is it a radioactive bullet?) before applying pressure and deciding that removing the bullet has stabilised her (ooooookay… infectious diseases, not wounds, are clearly Alan’s thing).

Afterwards, of course, they have to have an argument about the shot and Hiroshi reminds everyone that he’s the one in charge and there’s no country or laws up there (where is this weird lawless area of the Arctic circle, anyway?). Alan threatens to leave if Hiroshi doesn’t stop such casual use of lethal force on the infected

Grimm, Season 3, Episode 11: The Good Soldier

“Eye for eye

tooth for tooth

hand for hand

foot for foot.”

A woman is sat in a car outside a VFW office, looking agitated. She slices into her arm with a knife – and her arm is already very scarred.

She goes into a bar where a man has just been boasting to his friend about the security system he’s installed (and the apparently lonely housewife who may need more personal assistance). He doesn’t recognise her at first but seems to know what she’s there for – and she’s not welcome. After a lot of menacing, but vague talk she shows him her arm and tells him she’s not going away until he admits what he did. He leaves the bar in a definite huff

At home he calls someone to warn them about her. He puts the phone down when she arrives outside, yelling “don’t you want me any more sergeant?”  He goes outside and physically throws her away from his house threatening her with arrest; she won’t budge or leave. He heads back in the house to get a gun (the camera drawing attention to some framed medals which I assume are relevant). He comes out, gun ready – and she’s gone.

Back into the house – with the creaky floorboards announcing someone else is inside, sneaking around. He hears his framed medals break and goes to them – and is leaped on by a Wesen with a lion head and a scorpion tale (a Mantecore?) he’s stung and dies.

Crime scene – the gang arrive and Wu does his normal recap of the victim (Ron Herd), his profession (security company – or, as Hank puts it, rent-a-cops for the rich). They find stolen medals, Troy, fellow veteran and co-worker found the body and has the standard “no he had no enemies” speech and that the corpse has a huge hole it and all the fancy security system Ron had wasn’t actually turned on. But while he calls his company to update Jim, the company owner, Jim warns him that Frankie – the woman – is in town which evidently worries them, though they don’t think she killed Ron.

Back to the police station for standard background checks and discovering that Ron called Jim, the owner of the security company, late that night.

Troy goes home to his wife and a guest – Frankie. He’s not happy to see her and she shows him her cut arm, talking about how bad it is to bottle things inside. He threatens the police and, again, she says she wants him to call them. Before she goes she asks him how sex with his wife is – and links this to thinking of her. I think we’ve got a strong implication that these men raped her.

Hank and Nick go to the bar Ron visited (and was confronted by Frankie) to see the landlady/barmaid/waitress who tells them about Frankie – and that she found a napkin with blood on it on the table (Frankie had used it to clean her cut arm). They take it out of the bind and see the lines on the napkin – like the wound was a pattern.

Next step is to talk to Jim (who is looking at Frankie’s military record) who is super, efficiently helpful while at the same time knowing nothing useful (they do get a photo of soldiers Ron was in Iraq with – him and 3 private contractors)

When they’re gone Troy goes to Jim apparently feeling very guilty – he wants to come clean about some wrong thing they did before the cops find out – and because living with the guilt is getting to him.

At the police station Hank and Nick check up Ron’s colleagues and found one of them died a week ago in a home invasion – and Renard confirms he died by being stabbed with a poison spike. The same way as Ron. The next step is checking with their commanding officer to see if Ron and the three military contractor friends got on well – or are killing each other off

The Originals, Season One, Episode Ten: The Casket Girls

 

Rebekah is narrating a story about the casket girls - women who immigrate from France to Louisiana in the hopes of marrying gentleman.  Their coach is stopped by a violent mob and Rebekah kills off the mob, as well as the driver of their coach. Rebekah tells the women that they are safe now and adds that women need to stick together. The casket girls disappear into the night following Rebekah.

In present day New Orleans, the city is holding a festival for the casket girls.  Rebekah calls it a reminder of how women can be oppressed by selfish men and how they can triumph.

Davina is using her magic to help Cami get free from Klaus's compulsion as Josh watches.  Though it is painful, Cami is determined to remember everything.

Haleigh is dressed in a wedding gown, when Elijah appears to help her zip up the dress.  They share a moment and he reminds Haleigh to keep her werewolf mark covered, though she is under the protection of his family.  Elijah offers to escort Haleigh to the festivities and she declines, reminding Elijah that he is barely on speaking terms with Klaus.  Elijah unzips her dress and leaves quietly.

In the quarter, Rebekah is looking for a wedding dress as a costume, when Marcel approaches.  Rebekah makes it clear that Marcel has made his choice and has relinquished his right to touch her.  They are interrupted by a call from Klaus, saying that "their little bird has flown the coop."

Devina is still working on Cami.  Josh hands Cami a drawing that she drew to remind herself of the compulsion and Cami remembers the picture she found of Marcel and Klaus from 1919. Cami even remembers that Klaus compelled her to go out with Marcel. Devina continues to work on Cami and this time, Cami learns the truth about what happened to her brother and that she was compelled to leave New Orleans.

Marcel assures Klaus that Devina wouldn't just leave because she knows the witches want her back.  Elijah enters and reports that the violin is missing, which means Devina may have left of her own volition.  Marcel questions if Elijah had a role to play in Devina's absence and Elijah quickly swears that he would never hurt a child.  Klaus wonders what is to stop Devina from destroying them and declares Devina to be their enemy.  Klaus tells Elijah and Marcel to follow his lead because he has a plan to get Devina back.  When Klaus leaves, Elijah pulls Marcel aside to say that Klaus's ruthlessness won't bode will for Devina.

As the menfolk are leaving, Rebekah and Haleigh get together to discuss the missing Devina. Haleigh reveals that she informed Devina that the witch elders are dead and she became upset that Marcel chose to hide this information from her. Rebekah blames Haleigh for Devina's absence and Haleigh argues that she simply told Devina the truth.  Rebekah confesses that she has never been a fan of the boys club and that she believes that Marcel, Elijah and Klaus will be impossible to deal with. Rebekah suggests that it is time for the girls to stick togegther.

Sabine goes to see Sophie, who reports that the daywalkers are looking for Devina.  Sophie says that if Devina is not with Marcel, then he won't know if the witches practice magic.  Sabine gives Sophie Devina's brush and suggests a locator spell.

Cami is chugging down vervain on Devina's instructions to avoid being compelled again.  Josh asks about blood and Devina offers her wrist. Before he can feed, Devina realises that someone is practicing magic in the hope of finding her.  Cami starts to pack her things thinking that Father Kieran will know what to do but Devina stops her and informs Cami that Father Kieran already knows exactly what is going on.  Devina reveals to Cami that Father Kieran works with Marcel and after denying for awhile, Cami starts to cry.  Josh encourages Cami and Devina to leave and offers his car. Josh and Devina hug and Josh promises to meet them as soon as it dark out.

Haleigh gets a call and heads into the bathroom to take it privately.  It's Sophie, who says that Devina is on the loose and that she needs something to complete the harvest. Haleigh asks why she should help and Sophie informs Haleigh that if the harvest is not completed, their access to magic will fade for good, leaving her family cursed for life. Sophie adds that if Haleigh helps her complete the harvest that she will undo the curse. Sophie asks Haleigh to find the remains of a witch named Celeste.  It seems that when Celeste died, Elijah buried her at a secret spot at her request.

The party is in full swing in the quarter and Devina and Cami hurry through the crowds.  They see Klaus at a distance and head into an alley.  Rebekah approaches Marcel, Klaus and Elijah and claims that she is there to ensure their secret weapon does not get away.  Klaus finds Timothy in the crowd and then calls Josh to say that he wants to talk to Devina.  Though Josh tries to lie, Klaus does not believe it for a moment.

Devina and Cami arrive at a church and Cami gets a call from Josh, informing her of what Klaus said. Devina says that she cannot let Tim die.  A group of witches walk into the church and Devina uses her magic to snap all four of their necks. When Devina turns to check on Cami, she finds her unconscious and so she leaves Cami in the church.

Bitten, Sneak Peak

Elena has returned to Stonehaven, a brief glance at the fun she has there

Witchell: A Symphony by F. Trantham

Tavin is an exile from his community and his people – the mages. Born with only a scrap of magic and barely considered adult, he is content to remain in the human world, desperately seeking normality and to forget that the Mageplane ever existed

Except soon it might not, which, with the return of his brother, brings Mage politics to his doorstep and the sudden need to protect his friends from the potential fall out of desperate mages seeking anyway to preserve their home

Take an Olympic sized swimming pool

Fill it with thick, dark molasses.

Attach heavy weights to your wrists and ankles.

Now try to swim to the other side. This experience will approach the pacing issues of this book. When I reached the half way point and absolutely nothing of consequence had happened – indeed, most of the cast don’t even leave one house – I was beyond tired of it and stopped reading. I normally can read a 300 page book in less than two days – this is a bit longer than that, but it was 4 days before I hit the half way mark because it was so slow and I found myself finding excuses not to read.

It’s not that there are no redeeming features of this book – far from it. The world setting is fascinating. The idea of a parallel mage realm with its own culture that is so very archaic and formal and both alien and impressive is really well built. The consequences of it collapsing and dumping all of these magically powerful but culturally inept people into the real world would be an epic thing to explore. The nature of magic is really well described and built with lots of complexities and implications as to how it works, why the Mageplain is dying and what that means for Mage politics and conflicts and how the various powers manifest and interact and truly work. There has been a lot of effort put into make a very comprehensive magic system that is very real and fully fleshed out

But all of this is explained in a serious of truly tedious info-dumps, many of them nothing more than convoluted internal monologues with all this information just randomly splurged onto the page. Much of the rest is explained in a series of painfully awkward lectures from informed characters to the ignorant – without even the excitement of the ignorant being shocked are surprised by the revelation. The fact that magic exists and there are alternate universes out there is taken in stride with about the same level of shaken surprise one would expect from discovering a new and interesting condiment at the dinner table. The book is positively allergic to any kind of drama – any kind of action – that doesn’t involve Tavin’s trainwreck of a love life.