The Rook
by Daniel O'Malley
fantasy, horror
copyright 2012
read in February 2017
rated 9/10: really, really good
It seems to me that there is a new style of superhero story, where each superhero has a unique superpower. The Rook is one of those. And it's a good one.
The powers are wild and wildly varied. Some are funny, some are, Yuk. As far as possible, all these powers are being harnessed for niceness rather than evil.
btw: I call it "horror" just because there are a lot of supernatural *style* monsters. Many of whom are on the side of right.
Of course, there are also bad guys. Not every superperson is nice. Though -- now I come to think of it -- the average likability of the good guy team is high. None of this antihero stuff, they are all loyal and quite nice. Of course, most have been indoctrinated by the good team.
The best of them all is the heroine.
The heroine kicks butt :-) She starts with everything against her, then quickly makes her mark... There's a suggestion as to what actually happened there. The suggestion (or explanation) is late in the book. I must re-read the start, to try to understand that explanation...
There's a lot of action, a lot of fun. Plenty of superhero stuff -- and lots of ordinary hero stuff... supported by superpowers. And by big weapons.
Plus humour.
All in all, an excellent book.
Okay, I was wondering if nine is too high a rating... Have I been influenced by the author being Australian? Yes, just a bit. It's also (I think) a first book -- and an excellent effort... even if it were not the first. I was also ready to *enjoy* a book...
I enjoyed this book. It's worth at least an eight. And... yes... I'm happy with that rating of nine.
I hope I can get hold of a sequel.
Oh, okay, yes. The Rook just screams out for a sequel. But not because the book is incomplete. (I was worried about one loose end but it was cleared up very nicely, right at the end.) I hope for a sequel because I like the heroine. I like the assorted other characters -- and there is a lot more to develop. And the entire setting is a lot of fun.
Bring on the sequel !
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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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"Before your dreams can come true, you have to have those dreams" … Dr Joyce Brothers
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
====
"Before your dreams can come true, you have to have those dreams" … Dr Joyce Brothers
1 comment:
January 2018:
I've been re-reading some enjoyable books. I re-read The Rook -- and enjoyed it just as much as the first time :-) I also noticed some interesting points that I know I had missed on the first reading... but I just can't remember what those points were. I may have to read the book again!
It's a very enjoyable book... worth reading at least once.
Oh, and by coincidence I read Rook and then read the definition of "bildungsroman". I suspect that The Rook is a bildungsroman! So there :-)
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