MABOROSHI NO HANA YOI NO TSUKI — Matsuri Akino Artbook
Asahi Sonorama, 2006, 100 pages, Paperback, Japanese Language

Genre: Art/Illustration/Manga

In 2004, and pretty much every year since then, I made it a point to complain that Matsuri Akino (of Pet Shop of Horrors and Genju no Seiza) did not have an artbook of her own. This, for me, was a travesty as I have a particular affinity for her art and wanted a full color collection to go along with the other numerous art books that I have on my shelf (well, shelves, actually).

Last October I discovered that this had finally come to be. At last, I could have my very own copy of a Matsuri Akino artbook — as soon as I tracked it down on a website I could actually read and then pay the import price, which was, as most Japanese artbook collectors will know, rather steep. But I managed to do that, though it took several months, and now I have it here to show off to other Matsuri Akino, or Japanese manga art, fans.

It’s my understanding that the title of the artbook is Maboroshi no Hana, Yoi no Tsuki. Now, can I swear to that? Not really. I can tell you that the words “Maboroshi no Hana Yoi no Tsuki” are on the book, as I can read that bit, but I don’t read kanji and, even if I did, I don’t yet know the rules of title layout on Japanese books. For instance, what do the very large gradient-filled kanji mean? It could be the artist’s name, or it could be something else. I really don’t know. One day I’ll find out. But in any case, every place I’ve looked notes this as the title. Even Wikipedia, so it must be true.

(As it occurs to me that someone might unwittingly take me seriously, I’ll just point out — that was a joke)

The dustcover itself is made of a thick paper that has a metallic cast. It’s really quite lovely and a very pleasant weight.

I won’t go through each image in the book, as I don’t have the time, and that would essentially be reproducing it, which is, you know, illegal. But since it is mine, I can at least post a couple of the images I like the most.

Let’s take a look at which ones those are….

A COMPANION TO WOLVES by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
Tor, 2007, 326 pages, 978-0-7653-1816-9, Hardcover, $24.95

Genre: Fantasy

Now, I like Sarah Monette’s work, as every single person who knows me will testify while rolling their eyes (possibly in a good-natured way, possibly not, depending on whether or not they went on a car trip with me directly following my reading of The Virtu), and I like what I’ve read of Elizabeth Bear’s work as well (which is to say, I’ve read Carnivale and a few short stories but haven’t had the opportunity to get much further yet). This book is no exception, and certainly these two authors make a formidable team, but that doesn’t stop me from having the following thought:

Oh my. What do I say about this book?

That’s a harder question to answer than you might think, and not because I didn’t enjoy the story. I did, very much in fact, but there’s a lot to think about here that makes tackling a review a less than breezy job.

A Companion to Wolves is set in a northern country where winters are difficult and the threat of invasion by trolls is imminent. Standing between the settlements and these trolls are the wolfhealls, where men bonded to trellwolves fight to protect the people of the villages in return for new young men to bond with the newly born wolf pups.

Isolfr, formerly the son of a jarl (a leader in one of the villages), has recently been bonded and begins learning what will be expected of him as a member of the pack. Discovering what it means to be paired with a wolf, particularly a female wolf, is a difficult realization to come to terms with, but Isolfr is convinced that belonging to the pack, and being brother to the wolf Viradechtis, is more than worth any sacrifice he must make.

Now, before I tell you what you will probably like about A Companion to Wolves, I’m going to tell you what you might not like about it because, frankly, I’m tired of reading negative reviews based on flimsy bias and not on the actual story (and if I hear one more person throw around the word “fanfiction” as a derogative term, I’m likely to come out of my seat). This book tackles a couple of difficult themes that some may not want to read about. So, rather than gloss over that, I’ll just put it right out there. If it’s not something you care for, you can back out now.

Yeah, now you’re curious, aren’t you…?

BITTERSWEET by Amber Hipple
LL Publications, 2009, 110 pages, 978-1905091-31-7, Digital Edition, $5.99

Genre: Erotica

This collection of short stories is the first work that I’ve reviewed in this particular genre and, I’m glad to say, it has succeeded in surprising me.

So often erotica turns out to be formulaic or even dull in its execution, but Amber Hipple has approached it in a way that, for me, is different and quite enjoyable. Her writing is sensuous, and the first-person narrators somehow manage to tell you what’s happening in the present while still holding you in suspension, either within their minds or in some moment of the past. Her descriptions are lengthy and all the better for it, offering details to all five senses that should satisfy even the most elusive of imaginations.

My favorite story, by far, is “Fulcrum,” which starts out using Sno-cones as a central element, believe it or not, and moves on from there. It includes most of what I really like about Hipple’s work, particularly in the imagery and in the sense of being personally involved in the moment (with the added benefit of the Sno-cones, of course, which I’m pretty sure everyone has had at least once, and that makes it a great focal point). Her handling of the first person narration works well to that end. Even in the stories where the narrator thinks of him- or herself as having qualities or features different from those of the reader, it is not at all difficult to connect.

There are various themes in Bittersweet. Among them are cruelty, pain, submission, belonging, love, and desire. In some cases the theme is easy to pick out while, in others, it’s delightfully understated. These thematic elements make reading the stories exciting because they direct the erotic elements and give them more purpose and feeling than I’m usually inclined to associate with this genre.

I also appreciate that Hipple portrays different types of people in her work — that is to say, people with different body types. Not everyone becomes a stick thin model with perfect skin and hair, and there are more than a few characters who appreciate the imperfect, or who, themselves, fall outside the typical societal view of beauty. While reading, I was occasionally reminded of the anti-blazon in Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130 — an obscure reference for some, I know, but it’s a similar idea and I enjoyed seeing it in use (for a specific example of what I mean, try the story “Clear, Cold”).

Overall, this is a lovely collection with stories that are capable of drawing you in to be lost in the details and atmosphere of the narration. Even their order is arranged to this effect, beginning with the sharp and startling “Blood on Snow” and ending with the restful “Mar.” You won’t want to rush through them, believe me. My suggestion is to give a little space in between each story so that you can better savor and appreciate what they have to offer.

Bittersweet will be available on March 30th at logicallustbooks.com in both print and e-book formats.

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PET SHOP OF HORRORS by Matsuri Akino
Tokyopop, 10-volume manga series

Genre: Fantasy/Horror/Manga

I recently did a general review of the manga and anime Pet Shop of Horrors for Pink Raygun. Since it’s published there, I’m certainly not going to post it here. I am, however, going to direct you to the article on that site: Pet Shop of Horrors Review.

Upcoming for The Reader Eclectic, however, will be a post on the Matsuri Akino arbook, Maboroshi no Hana Yoi no Tsuki, complete with images — as soon as my hardware starts working properly, that is. The artbook features a number of PSoH images (mostly of Count D) and should be of interest to fans of the manga.

Incidentally, fans of science fiction, fantasy, and comics (or geek culture in general) may want to poke around Pink Raygun if they never have before. It’s updated quite regularly, and the contributors are both entertaining and knoweldgeable about their topics.

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