Blog Archives - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Nostalgia is on the Menu

29/10/2024

The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
Translated by Jesse Kirkwood

The Kamogawa Diner in Kyoto offers not only good food, but also the opportunity to relive a dish from your past. Give as many details as you can remember and the food detectives will hunt down the ingredients - which includes just the right amount of nostalgia.

This was a nice change from other books that use a similar approach. It's more grounded, the repetition in each story was not so obvious, and the reader is allowed to make their own observations without the answer being presented to them in an obvious manner. Also I'm now very hungry...for some reason...!

Successful Submission

27/10/2024

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong

Daphne McFadden wrote a novel and didn't get anywhere with submissions... until she invented a male writer named Zane Remington and slapped his name on her query. Suddenly, her book is being published to much fanfare - except now she needs a Zane. She hires Chris Ainsworth to act the part. He immediately riles her up, but that's just his facade... and she might like what's underneath it.

A romcom that's also a witty criticism of the publishing industry? Heck yeah, count me in! And as a nice surprise, it's written by Kelley Armstrong, who is better known for her PNR titles. I did find it a little hard to get into at the start, but Chris and Daphne both won me over. This book is flirty, fun and funny - so basically, it's a great holiday read. I hope Armstrong returns to this genre.

Doki Doki

22/10/2024

The Library of Heartbeats by Laura Imai Messina

Shuichi returns to his childhood home in Kamakura after his mother's death, intending to renovate and change it completely, but then he notices that a boy named Kenta keeps sneaking in to take mementos. Chance encounters become a blossoming friendship that may make up for losses on both sides. In the end, they will find themselves drawn to the Library of Heartbeats.

This was an interesting one for me. I've read many Japanese novels by Japanese-born authors recently, and the difference in approach when the author has spent their formative years elsewhere was both noticeable and fascinating. The setting - Kamakura - is one I've actually visited, which brought back some nice memories. And this book is about memories. The good and the bad. It's a poignant, if predictable, read.

TW: death of a child

Sweet Bean Heartbreak

20/10/2024

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

Sentaro spends his days making and selling dorayaki, working tirelessly to repay a debt to his deceased employer. His heart is never in it. But then one day Tokue, an old woman, offers to make the sweet bean paste for him, asking for minimal wages. Sentaro might have a past and yet so does she. And Tokue might have more to offer him than incredible sweet bean paste.

What a small, unassuming treasure this book turned out to be. The gentle rhythm of Sentaro going to work and learning to make sweet bean paste was really soothing - and slowly the mystery of Tokue unfolded, which was absolutely heartbreaking and evoked a myriad of emotions in me. Sukegawa seems to have use this book as a vehicle for a topic that's very important to him. I'm glad I learned about people in Tokue's situation.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #30

13/10/2024

Empire series

Vol 1 - Betrayal

The artwork isn't so great and it's a typical Empire-era story in that the Emperor and Darth Vader triumph, but I was never bored during my reading of this volume. It was released during an evolving period, since not all prequel movies had come out yet, and it managed to skirt the noticeable gap that ROTS had not yet filled.

Vol 2 - Darklighter
(vol 7 of the 30th anniversary collection)

This is volume 2 of the Empire line, but my version is volume 7 of Dark Horse's 30th Anniversary Collection - it's a really nice hardcover edition with thick pages. It honestly deserved the extra special treatment. This collection really does justice to Biggs Darklighter and it makes you care. Here, he's not just Luke's expendable friend. He has adventures and doubts and he's a solid, tangible character. One of my favourite Dark Horse releases.

Vol 3 - The Imperial Perspective

There's some solid stories here, but "To the Last Man" is the real showstopper. It's one of the most memorable stories I've ever read in comic form; this is only my third reading of it (I think), yet it's remained in my thoughts for years. The Empire's flaws are laid bare to the reader and yet you completely understand why Sunber remains in service. He's one of the most interesting Imperial characters from the Legends canon. I look forward to revisiting his other appearances in this line.

Vol 4 - The Heart of the Rebellion

This volume contains Leia-centric stories, which are for the most part enjoyable or offer some food for thought. But the dialogue is a little off, particularly the banter between Han and Leia (will any comic script writer ever get it right?) and some of the art was ridiculously sexist (female characters forced into silly positions).

Vol 5 - Allies and Adversaries

Average stories mixed in with truly mediocre ones. The only highlight in this volume is the introduction of Able, who I'm quite fond of. His character provides a bridge between two distinct Star Wars eras.

Vol 6 - In the Shadows of Their Fathers

The Jabiim arc in the Clone Wars era comics is one of my undisputed favourites and I'm delighted that a follow up emerged, showing the consequences of Anakin's actions - it was fascinating to see how they affected Luke many years later. I do think the story could have been a bit tighter, but it's still quite strong and sows the seeds for doubt in Luke because at the end he finds himself wondering what else Ben didn't tell him...

Vol 7 - The Wrong Side of the War

Sunber/Tank is a complex character and he's used to full effect here. I'm honestly impressed that a character who was briefly mentioned in a 1970s comic can become the focal point of such a compelling story in the 2000s. That's down to the skill of Welles Hartley (this is a pen name used by a dude who actually cofounded Dark Horse Comics - his first foray into writing Star Wars comics was in 1984, interestingly). The gripping interactions between Sunber and Luke really made this TPB.

Rebellion series

Vol 1 - My Brother, My Enemy

I'm not sure why the series' name changed from Empire to Rebellion, since it's still the same storyline. Anyone picking up this TPB and expecting a new series would have been confused and annoyed, I'd wager. But since I like the Sunber storyline, I was pleased to see more of him and his struggle to be both an Imperial and a good man. It's a pity the art was so off-putting at times - that and the fact that everyone was so shouty! - since there is such a solid foundation here.

Vol 2 - The Ahakista Gambit

I was bored during the entirety of this TPB and did not care about any of these characters, though perhaps in Darca's case that's not fair of me because it's just been too long since I read "Nomad" (and I vaguely recall liking that story). I think my main issue with this volume is that the characters and plot are too similar to what I've encountered in other volumes in other series (Republic/Dark Times, in particular).

Vol 3 - Small Victories

This TPB is on the shorter end, likely because of the Vector crossover and the series' cancellation. Not sure what happened to Luke's face here (did the artist have any kind of reference? lol) and the story was explosive yet still underwhelming somehow. At least Deena finally gets to become a hero in her own eyes.

Expanded Universe Round-Up #29

13/10/2024

Star Wars (2013 series)

Vol 1 - In the Shadow of Yavin

This is part of a Dark Horse reboot which met its end shortly after the Disney acquisition. The story itself in this TPB isn't terrible, though the characters didn't feel like themselves all the time. I think the main problem is that this became an extremely crowded era even before this series was published and a reboot, treading the exact same ground as previous comic series(es), was in no way necessary. I would have much preferred to see the Empire/Rebellion line continued.

Vol 2 - From the Ruins of Alderaan

Once again, I'm underwhelmed. Perhaps because our heroes have been divided for so long and their separate stories didn't engage me. There is some decent stuff here, with Luke, Leia and Wedge dealing with their losses... and then there's the mediocre stuff, like someone's nephew randomly being revealed and also Han's drawn-out and stagnant side of things.

Vol 3 - Rebel Girl

Somehow, this TPB managed to be worse than the previous two. No one acted consistently or like themselves and the art was horrendous - faces and facial expressions were the artist's glaring weakness. It was horribly distracting.

I've just realised that there's a fourth volume in this series and since I want my Legends collection as complete as possible, I've ordered it... but I know I'll probably hate it.

Vol 4 - A Shattered Hope

A random assortment of 3 stories, none of them long enough to annoy me the way that some of the stories in this series have. The first one was good... the other two were average.

Star Wars Adventures

#1 - Han Solo and the Hollow Moon of Khorya

This adventure offers nothing new, which isn't itself a problem, but it also feels a like a tired retread. Han has had many of these types of stories told about him in the Legends canon. I wasn't keen on this comic adding a new character from Han's childhood, since this part of history had been covered extensively by that point.

#2 - Princess Leia and the Royal Ransom

Another less-than-stellar adventure. Some writers really don't "get" how to capture the banter between Leia and Han (it's too easy to take it too far, I think). This is the kind of story that would not have felt out of place in the 1970s and 1980s, but it didn't work for me in 2009 (and it worked a lot less during today's reread).

#3 - Luke Skywalker and the Treasure of the Dragonsnakes

A slight step up from the previous two instalments. I always wish we'd seen more of Luke's training on Dagobah, so I was happy with the concept - although I admit to expecting a bit more, since I know what Taylor is capable of in his other work.

#4 - The Will of Darth Vader

Now this is what I was waiting for. This adventure carries Taylor's signature humour and somehow even manages to evoke sympathy for Vader being under the Emperor's leash, all while maintaining his fearsome image. The other comics in this line - so far - hadn't dug deep enough below the surface to interest me, but this one did.

#5 - Boba Fett and the Ship of Fear

A Boba Fett one-shot that doesn't mess with the character or do something silly like make him get too attached to others? Hurray! This was an enjoyable adventure that rang true to Fett's persona - and the ending was great too.

#6 - Chewbacca and the Slavers of the Shadowlands

The framing device helped ground this story, which was fascinating because of the era in which it was set. I liked seeing more of Chewbacca's earlier life. The art, though... I can appreciate a soft, cutesy style (and I did like it here), but it didn't match the tone of the story and felt a bit off as a result.

It's Raining Cats and More Cats

13/10/2024

She and her Cat by Makoto Shinkai & Nakuri Nagakawa
Translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori

The cats in one particular neighbourhood might have their own territories, but they are friendly with each other due to the wisdom of an old dog - but what they really have in common are the bonds they form with the human women in their lives. Cats may be small and may not be able to eat whatever they want, but they have the power to encourage change.

I absolutely adored this book! As a bonus, I actually had the opportunity to read it all in one sitting without any distractions and I'm so glad I did. The stories are so gentle. The cats are so precious. The growth the women in these pages experience is slow - at times painfully so - but that's what makes their stories so realistic. And now I find myself waiting for a cat to enter my life and bring change with it!

More Books & Much Better

12/10/2024

More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop #2)
by Satoshi Yagisawa

Takako's life has changed for the better after her days at the Morisaki Bookshop. She has maintained the friendships she made there and continues to drop by and help her uncle on her days off. Her uncle's shop is a comforting constant in her life. But not everything stays the same and not everything - or everyone - is a constant.

This was exactly what I wanted the first book to be. Yagisawa's writing skills clearly improved between the two instalments and the bookshop finally had some real life breathed into it. As before, the gentle rhythm of the plot was soothing. I quickly remembered the characters and how much I liked them - in fact, I liked them more this time around. Sometimes the sequel really is better!

The Cat Who Saved Rintaro

5/10/2024

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa

Rintaro Natsuki has recently lost his grandfather and will soon lose the bookstore that he found shelter in. But before this shut-in is forced to move away with his aunt, he is called upon by a cat for an important duty: Rintaro must enter dangerous labyrinths in order to save books! If he does not succeed, he will not be allowed to return to our reality.

Natsukawa certainly had a lot of things to say about books and our treatment of them, but his heavy-handed pontification often got in the way of the story's narrative flow. I also felt that Rintaro's challenges weren't difficult enough. How did he so easily convince people about the power of books? I don't buy it. But perhaps I'm just jaded. I did enjoy Rintaro's personal journey, though - and who doesn't love a talking cat!

Before the Film Develops

2/10/2024

The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi

In the space between life and death, there is a photo studio where the recently deceased must choose a photo for each year they have lived, so that a lantern of their memories can be made. Mr Hirasaka is the guide in this particular studio. He has seen many photos and memories, but his own are a mystery and so he waits for someone who might recognise him...

Emotional and thought-provoking, this book was more daring than some other Japanese healing fiction titles I've read recently. The types of characters that Hirasaka encounters are very different to each other and I liked the variety. I'm used to these books having a gut punch right at the end but, despite mentally preparing myself, I still felt heartbroken. The Lantern of Lost Memories will linger in my thoughts for some time.

TW: child abuse, child death