Book Review: Mona Lisa Overdrive

Book Review: 'Mona Lisa Overdrive' by William Gibson

4 / 5 Stars

Mona Lisa Overdrive first was published in hardback in November 1988; this Bantam Spectra mass market paperback version (308 pp) was released in December 1989. The cover artwork is by Will Cormier. 

By 1988, the year Mona Lisa Overdrive was published, cyberpunk was firmly established as a pop culture phenomenon, and its role in reviving sf was undeniable. 'First generation' cyberpunk novels from Bruce Sterling, Rudy Rucker, John Shirley, Greg Bear, Lewis Shiner, William Thomas Quick, and other authors were commanding a lot of attention. 

Having played the leading role in creating cyberpunk, Gibson found himself obliged to conclude the themes and plots generated in the genre's two touchstone novels, Neuromancer and Count Zero, even as the new talents were stepping into the spotlight with their own innovative takes on the genre. This could not have been the easiest of tasks for Gibson.................

Mona Lisa Overdrive is the concluding volume in the so-called Sprawl trilogy; the preceding volumes of course are Neuromancer (1984) and Count Zero (1986).

Mona Lisa Overdrive is set eight years after the events of Count Zero. While Count Zero had three major plotlines, with Mona Lisa Overdrive, Gibson expands to four.

One involves Angie Mitchell, who was introduced in Count Zero as a genetically engineered wunderkind who can access cyberspace without need for a computer ‘jack’ inserted into her skull. All grown up, Angie now is a global superstar due to her participation in a network-based reality show centering on the activities of the rich and famous.

Another plotline concerns Bobby Newmark, the ‘Count’ in Count Zero, and some wasteland scavengers.

Another deals with Kumiko Yanaka, the teenaged daughter of a Yakuza boss; as the novel opens, she is traveling to the UK to shelter from a burgeoning war between her father and other global criminal enterprises.

The fourth plotline involves Mona, a runaway who is eking out an unrewarding existence in Florida as a streetwalker. Mona’s boyfriend / pimp Eddy is yet another low-level hustler with big ambitions, but no real chance at achieving them. Until, that is, Eddy befriends a man named Prior, who is wealthy, carries a gun, and has a special interest in Mona........

Without disclosing major spoilers, I’ll say that the backstory to Mona Lisa Overdrive deals with the two AIs introduced in the previous volumes in the trilogy: Neuromancer and Wintermute. These AIs are making their presence known to the hacker underground via 'voodoo' avatars. The communications from the two AIs portend the advent of massive changes to the architecture of cyberspace.

But the actions of the AIs aren't the only efforts underway to alter the future of mankind. For the intelligence behind the creation of cyberspace has its own aims...........aims that will involve the murder of Angie Mitchell.......... 

Most of the impetus for reading Mona Lisa Overdrive comes from trying to figure out how Gibson will bring his four different plotlines together into any kind of convincing resolution. To his credit, although his handling of the four plotlines becomes a bit awkward at times (making this novel arguably the weakest entry in the Sprawl Trilogy), he does indeed do this.

Summing up, despite its rather diffuse nature, Mona Lisa Overdrive is a serviceable conclusion to the Sprawl trilogy. I can’t recommend it as a standalone read, as knowledge of the events in Neuromancer and Count Zero are necessary prerequisites; but if you are familiar with the first two volumes, then getting a copy of Mona Lisa Overdrive is recommended.

Awaiting the Collapse by Paul Kirchner

Awaiting the Collapse
by Paul Kirchner
Tanibis Editions 2017

If you read High Times, Heavy Metal, or Epic Illustrated at all during the mid 70s to early 80s, then surely you are familiar with the artwork of Paul Kirchner. 

Until recently, a compilation of Kirchner's work from that era simply didn't exist, forcing fans of his art to scrounge among moldering, over-priced old magazines, and maybe low-res scans posted to the internet, to get the goods.

Now comes 'Awaiting the Collapse' from European publisher Tanibis Editions. While it's not the most complete collection of Kirchner's work, it comes close.

This is a quality hardbound book, measuring 12.5 x 9.8 inches, with good reproductions of the artwork.

All of Kirchner's 'Dope Rider' strips from obscure indie magazines, and High Times, from the 1970s and 2980s are present here. I had never before had access to these strips (you can pay subscription fees to access scans of back issues of High Times, including issues featuring 'Dope Rider', but those scans are not very good). Thus, seeing those Dope Rider tales here, uncensored, and (in some cases) redone in full color, is rewarding.

Also present are just about all of Kirchner's now-legendary comics from Heavy Metal and Epic Illustrated : classics like 'Tarot', 'Hive', and 'Critical Mass of Cool'. 

Along with material from High Times and Heavy Metal, 'Awaiting the Collapse' features all of the covers Kirchner did in the 1970s for the Al Goldstein sleaze tabloid, Screw. 

Additionally, the book collects some softcore porn strips Kirchner did for National Screw (a short-lived spinoff title from the ever-scheming Goldstein), and other porno mags.

As far as 'bonus' material is concerned, 'Awaiting' features a never-published comic titled 'Arena'.

For reasons that are unclear, 'The Mirror of Dreams', from the December 1981 issue of Heavy Metal, and one of Kirchner's best comics, doesn't appear in 'Awaiting'.

One of the more interesting sections of the book is its Postscript, where Kirchner recounts his adventures as an up-and-coming graphic artist during the early 70s, working with comics legends like Wally Wood and Neal Adams. Kirchner assisted the former with a number of strips for different publishers, including Creepy. 

In the Postscript Kirchner also provides an in-depth description of his technical approach to drawing and composing comics and illustrations.

Summing up, 'Awaiting the Collapse' is a valuable book for fans of Kirchner's art; devotees of graphic and comic art in general; and those who treasure 70s and 80s 'stoner' culture and its memorable magazines. 

My advice is to order a signed copy directly from Kirchner at eBay, where he operates the 'stayingamused' storefront, for $40 plus $5 shipping. 

The Thing Infection at Outpost 31 board game

The Thing - Infection at Outpost 31
Board Game

I've blogged previously about the paperback novelization of the classic 1982 John Carpenter movie The Thing, as well as a series of sequels released by Dark Horse comics in the early 90s.

Last Fall, USAopoly released a board game based on the movie............?! 

In general the game is getting good reviews, although apparently it's best when you have more than the minimum of 4 players participating. 

Mondo / Project Raygun, a sort of boutique version of Think Geek, has sold out of its deluxe version of the game. The regular version can be had from your usual online retailers like amazon and Think Geek for under $60.00.

I don't anticipate picking up a copy of The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31, but if you have, feel free to leave a Comment about what you think of it............?!

The Rance Allen Group

The Rance Allen Group
Say My Friend
LP cover art by Abe Gurvin
Capitol Records 1977

Rance Allen, born in Monroe, Michigan in 1948, formed a gospel group with his three brothers Tom, Steve, and Esau. The group garnered attention when they participated in a talent contest held in Detroit, and wound up being signed to a record deal with the Stax label. The Rance Allen Group released its first album in 1972 and soon emerged as one of the most long-lived and renowned groups in the Gospel genre (their most recent album, Celebrate, was released in 2014).

The stunning cover art for the group's 1977 album Say My Friend is by Abe Gurvin (1937 - 2012), who identified as a 'psychedelic' artist and produced artwork for album covers, books, advertising, and other commercial outlets.

Huntsman from Bizarre Adventures No. 28

Huntsman
written by Archie Goodwin
art by Michael Golden and Steve Mitchell
Bizarre Adventures (Curtis/Marvel) No. 28, October 1981

Issue 28 of Marvel's Bizarre Adventures had the usual grab-bag of tryout strips and one-shots, including an 'Elektra' strip from Frank Miller; a Kung-Fu / Ninja tale from Neal Adams called 'Shadow Hunter'; 'Conscience of the King', featuring Triton from the Inhumans; and another installment of the mediocre Funny Animal series 'Bucky Bizarre'.

Probably the best entry in the issue was 'Huntsman', a sci-fi strip written by Archie Goodwin, with art by Michael Golden and Steve Mitchell. Its plot borrows heavily from the movie Logan's Run, but it's a worthwhile read. I've posted it in its entirety below. 

Hole in the Wall Books

Hole in the Wall Books
Falls Church, Virginia

Earlier this month, on a sunny, breezy Friday, I decided it was the perfect day to make one of my twice-yearly or so visits to 'Hole in the Wall Books', which is about a two hour drive for me. The store is located on Broad Street (aka Route 7) in Falls Church, Virginia. 

As the name implies, Hole in the Wall Books is located in a small house converted into a bookstore. Practically every square foot of the interior is taken up with books or comics, and negotiating the rooms involves very careful placement of your feet, as the aisles are crammed with books, including those stacked on the floor and those jutting from overhead shelves.

The shop has a pretty big selection of new and used comic books and graphic novels, as well as shelving for crime and mystery paperbacks (they don't have much in the way of a horror section).

The science fiction aisles are the store's strong point; lots and lots of paperbacks in the sf and fantasy genres, and a good-sized section of hardbound sf as well. There also is shelving devoted to sf and fantasy art books.

The sci-fi section has a pretty good representation of older titles from the 70s and 80s. Most paperbacks cost anywhere from $2.50 to $3.50, and these are in the 'acceptable' to 'very good' range. Higher-priced vintage paperbacks are kept in a section behind the cash register; ask the store owner, and she will let you peruse this area.

I picked up eight titles (photo below) which give you a good idea of the books you can find on the regular sf shelves (the Brian Lumley title Spawn of the Winds was a 'vintage' book).

Poking around in the 'vintage' section, I picked up the complete 1975 Bantam Books editions of the Earthsea trilogy by Le Guin for $10.

Summing up, if you're going to be visiting the western DC suburbs (and you don't mind battling heavy traffic on Rte 7 on the weekends) then stopping in at Hole in the Wall Books can be well worth your while.


UPDATE: as of September 2019, Hole in the Wall Books closed permanently (the owner apparently decided to sell the property). This was sad news. 

Excalibur movie poster

Excalibur
movie poster, April 1981

Book Review: God Stalk

Book Review: 'God Stalk' by P. C. Hodgell

4 / 5 Stars

‘God Stalk’ (284 pp) first was published in hardcover in 1982; this Berkley Books paperback was released in August, 1983. The artist who created the striking cover is uncredited. 

It was the first novel by author Patricia Christine Hodgell, who followed with a number of sequels. These constitute the so-called ‘Chronicles of the Kencyrath’, which has reached 8 volumes as of 2017.

‘God Stalk’ features a young woman named Jame as its heroine; as the novel opens, Jame –suffering from amnesia, and pursued by vengeful beings – is stumbling across the northern wastelands, seeking shelter of any kind. She finds it in the crowded and chaotic streets of the city of Tai-Tastigon, where a horde of gods and godlings are worshipped by a bewildering variety of sects, many at odds with one another and engaged in perpetual feuds and commercial rivalries.

As Jame becomes familiar with the labyrinthine streets and neighborhoods of Tai-Tastigon, she decides to take advantage of an offer from one Master Penari of the Thieves’ Guild: become his apprentice, and a member of the Guild.

This in turn leads to an unfolding series of adventures as Jame, determined to prove herself, decides to steal some of the most precious- and closely guarded – treasures of Tai-Tastigon. The price for failure is steep: perpetrators are likely to be flayed alive and left to rot on the bench of the Mercy Seat at Judgment Square

But Jame has advantages that she is only gradually coming to terms with: her nature as the member of the Kencyrath, a race gifted with superhuman abilities, yet cursed with a history of betrayal at the hands of its three-faced god.

As Jame makes her way through the increasingly roiled streets of Tai-Tastigon, her heritage and her membership in the Guild both will merge to bring revelations about the world and her place in it ……….. but these revelations may not be as benign as she has been led to believe……….

At the time ‘God Stalk’ was published, ‘adult fantasy’ was just beginning to make its impact felt in bookstores, and the shelf space at Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, and Barnes and Noble devoted to the genre was a fraction of what it is nowadays. That said, ‘God Stalk’ was something new and imaginative. It was not a re-imagining of Tolkein, and lacked elves, dwarves, wizards, dragons, Dark Lords, and all the paraphernalia that then defined 'fantasy' writing. There isn’t even a Quest in ‘God Stalk’. Magic exists, but is an occasional indulgence on the part of a gifted few.

I would argue that ‘God Stalk’ is one of the foundational novels for the sub-genre now known as ‘Dark Fantasy’. Hodgell’s city of Tai-Tastigon is as much a character as the individuals peopling its pages and certainly prefigures the cityscape of New Crobuzon in the 2000 novel ‘Perdido Street Station’ by China Mieville.

‘God Stalk’ shares similarities with the works of M. John Harrison, as it possesses the darker, morally ambiguous flavor that permeates his novels and short stories about Viriconium.

The novel isn’t perfect; the closing chapters have something of a rushed quality and the plot revelations disclosed in these chapters have a contrived, often confusing nature. But 'God Stalk' is a solid four-star novel, and a book that stands the test of time as a standout fantasy novel for the decade of the 80s.

Lucky by Greg Kihn

Greg Kihn 
'Lucky'
April, 1985

In 1985 Baltimore-born rocker Greg Kihn released his album Citizen Kihn, with the song 'Lucky' the designated single. It reached number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on 6 April of that year.

The video likely would be criticized nowadays for its depiction of The Homeless, but it does feature the quirky humor and offbeat imagery (including a cameo from Zippy the Pinhead ?!) that marked Kihn's videos.

The Sleazy Reader

The Sleazy Reader
issues 5 - 7 (October 2017 - February 2018)

The advent of amazon's Createspace self-publishing imprint has revolutionized the publishing of zines. There now are quite a few titles devoted to vintage paperbacks available at amazon. These include the long-established The Paperback Fanatic, to more recent entries like Men of Violence, Pulp Horror, and the newest, Hot Lead, which is devoted to Western paperbacks.

These zines usually offer anywhere from 50 - 100 pages, and are priced from $7 to $15 each. They are published more or less regularly, and they feature higher-res reproductions of art, have coated paper covers, and inside, a non-transparent white-paper stock.

I recently decided to pick up three issues of The Sleazy Reader, which is priced at $8.99 for 58 pages. As the name implies, this zine is devoted to sleaze titles published in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and early 80s. 

While most articles deal with 'traditional' sleaze and cover swingin' stewardessess, illicit lesbian lovers, and concentration camp dominatrices, editor Justin Marriott is willing to broaden the scope of the zine, and thus features coverage of the 'drug abuser' and 'biker' genres appearing in vintage paperbacks and men's magazines.

The Sleazy Reader primarily is geared towards the 'serious' collector who is willing to pay quite a bit of money to pick up the rarer titles showcased in its pages. However, if you're like me, and you're more interested in seeing just what sort of crazy and worthwhile material remains to be discovered, then the zine can be just as rewarding. 

There are some obscure gems revealed in the pages of The Sleazy Reader that can be had for affordable prices, and I'm keeping an eye out for them. 

I mean, I had no idea Dick Schaap, the sportswriter and broadcaster well known to audiences in the 60s and 70s, wrote a 1967 true crime book called Turned On about an heiress who Loses her Way in the drug culture.......?! 

Summing up, if you're a fan of vintage paperbacks, The Sleazy Reader and its fellow zines provide good coverage of several genres and are sure to direct you towards some titles that are necessary to complete your collections.