"Leviathan Wakes" by James S.A. Corey (2011)

"Holden paused a moment.  Miller had killed someone who had been trying to kill them, and that certainly helped make the case that he was a friend, but Holden wasn't about to sell out Fred and his group on a hunch.  He hesitated, then went halfway."

James S.A. Corey is the pen name of authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck.  Both authors have science fiction and fantasy books to their credit, though nothing they've written individually approaches the Expanse series in terms of popularity.

Leviathan Wakes is the first book in The Expanse series.  I also bought the second book, Caliban's War, which will be reviewed here eventually.  The Expanse was adapted into a TV series by the Syfy Network and later Amazon.  I haven't seen the show, so I can't comment on how it compares to Leviathan Wakes.

The novel's plot is straightforward space opera, with just enough "science" thrown in to make the thing seem plausible.  In the relatively near future mankind has colonized a zone which extends from roughly Earth's moon to the asteroid belt on "the other side" of Jupiter, with different geographical factions developing alongside successive waves of colonization.  There's the home planet, Earth, a Martian federation and a newer, less regulated area known as The Belt.  Near the beginning of Leviathan Wakes a brisk trade relationship exists between Earth, Mars and The Belt, though political tensions cause this relationship to deteriorate over the course of the story.

Against this backdrop we meet a crew of ice haulers and sometime scavengers operating in The Belt.  This crew is led by Holden, a man of rigid principals who happens to be hopelessly in love with a member of his crew.  Holden's ship comes into contact with an abandoned spacecraft, and the circumstances surrounding this abandoned spacecraft reveal a web of conspiracy threatening to engulf the entire solar system.

Within this novel there's also a dialogue concerning people's right to be informed.  On one side of this argument is Holden, who believes that everyone should know everything, and that withholding information is wrong.  On the other side of this argument is Miller, a seasoned detective who's more worried about the harm unrestricted access to certain facts can cause.  This disagreement between Miller and Holden is the book's real strength, and it adds a lot of weight to what would have otherwise been an enjoyable if forgettable side quest into space travel, space politics and shape-shifting space monsters.

Leviathan Wakes reminded me a bit of Adrian Tchaikovsky's Shards of Earth, which was also reviewed here recently, but where Tchaikovsky's book revels in zoological details, Corey's book is more  a character study, populated by more memorable personalities and situations.  I appreciated the horror aspects of Tchaikovsky's novel, but I think Leviathan Wakes is the kind of book guaranteed to have a wider appeal.

I'll be reading Caliban's War in a few weeks and I'm really looking forward to it.  James S.A. Corey (both of them) are good writers, and I'm curious as to how they develop the ideas set forth in Leviathan's Wake.

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Liked It

1. Flashpoint (1984)

Two U.S. Border Patrol officers discover a lot of money in the desert.  The script was well written, and anchored by standout performances by Kris Kristofferson and Treat Williams.  If you can overlook a couple plot holes it's very good.

Bonus points for the Tangerine Dream soundtrack.

2. Shaolin Drunkard (1983)

Hong Kong kung fu cinema at its weirdest.  Sometimes the comedy in this type of movie is too "Chinese" to be accessible to Western audiences, but this one is right on the money.  Fight choreographer Yuan Woo-ping would go on to choreograph Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Matrix films and Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2.

For me the highlight of this movie was the practical effects, which are extremely inventive.  It's silly, sure, but doing things like the magic battles on a smaller budget isn't easy.

3. Angel (1984)

Prep school student by day, streetwalker by night.  Angel treads a thin line between exploitation and a heartfelt story of a girl's lost innocence, and even though it doesn't always walk this line successfully it's definitely entertaining.  In my opinion the scenes that venture into John Waters territory make up for the parts of the movie that don't quite work.

4. Tough Enough (1983)

Dennis Quaid stars as an aspiring musician who enters the Toughman competition.  It's a solid sports drama, though I get why it wasn't a big hit at the time.  In many ways it's very backward-looking, with the soundtrack and working class cowboy theme recalling several hits of the late 70s.

5. Wildcats (1986)

Goldie Hawn coaches varsity football in an inner city school.  With the NFL preseason underway I was happy to stumble upon this one.  Good performances, a solid story, and its heart in the right place.

Critics hated this film.  It's far from perfect, but I think that those revisiting it will find a lot to like.  Sure, Hawn had kind of done this role in Private Benjamin years before, but she did it well in both movies.

Fun Fact: This was Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes' first film.

6. Tuff Turf (1985)

James Spader contends with school bullies.  I like to imagine this movie happening somewhere in the background of the Double Dragon video game, with the Lee Brothers advancing through the various levels as James Spader and Kim Richards' characters attempt to realize their star-crossed love in a nearby alley.

Fun Fact 1: Robert Downey (Jr.) is also in Tuff Turf.  At one point Spader leaves "The Warehouse" and you can see "The New Avengers" spray painted on the wall next to the exit.

Fun Fact 2: Kim Richards and her sister Kylie are now better known for their roles on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

7. Hawk the Slayer (1980)

Hell YES Hawk the Slayer!  It's got:

• A brooding hero with Members Only hair.
• Bad guys who look like they're surfing a New Wave of British Heavy Metal.
• A synth-driven disco soundtrack.
• A sweet, sweet sword.
• A villain played by none other than Jack Palance, who'd already played this same character in countless Westerns.

Is it Conan the Barbarian?  Perish the thought!  Is it Excalibur?  Not even close!  But just the same Hawk the Slayer has a lot to recommend it, and I think if you're in the right mood it'll put a smile on your face.

8. Force: Five (1981)

An elite team of martial arts badasses take on a cult.  It's basically Enter the Dragon remade for the 80s, and the karate/kung fu mayhem it represents made me nostalgic for the days of throwing stars, nunchucks and Inside Kung Fu.  The most famous guy in Force: Five is probably Benny ("The Jet") Urquidez, who appeared in two of Jackie Chan's films.

Fun Fact: The character "Ken" in the Street Fighter video game series was modeled on Joe Lewis, the star of Force: Five.

9. Silent Rage (1982)

Small town sheriff Chuck Norris squares off against an unkillable maniac.  Silent Rage isn't nearly as good as The Delta Force, that height of 80s action cheese, but as Chuck Norris movies go it ranks near the top.  Ramping up the sex and violence was the right move, and the story works without needing Norris to emote.

10. Demons (1985)

Just what you'd expect from anything stamped "Argento," though he only wrote the screenplay.  In Demons several people attend a film screening wherein all hell -- literally -- breaks loose.  Those who enjoy giallo's trademark gore, stunningly beautiful women and dreamlike chase sequences will find plenty to like in Demons.

Fun Fact: This was directed by Lamberto Bava, Mario Bava's son.

11. Demons 2 (1986)

Demons or Demons 2?  It's a close race between them.  Demons takes place in a movie theater, while Demons 2 takes place in a high-rise.  Demons 2 is more inventive in some ways, while Demons has a more cohesive plot.

Actress Asia Argento, Dario Argento's daughter, was only 10 when they filmed this movie.  From #MeToo, to allegations of sexual assault, to signing a petition on Roman Polanski's behalf, to a doomed relationship with Anthony Bourdain -- she's had quite a history.

12. Gregory's Girl (1981)

Young and extremely Scottish people search for love.  It feels a lot like something that would have aired on the BBC at some point, but the characters' pointed awkwardness will probably remind you of yourself at that age -- assuming you're not that old right now.

Warning to North Americans: You'll need the subtitles on for this one.  Those are some thick accents.

It Was... OK

13. Irreconcilable Differences (1984)

Sure, Shelley Long, just invite Sharon Stone to live with you and your movie husband, Ryan O'Neal.  I'm sure he won't bang her.

The biggest problem with this movie is that after the first ten minutes the remainder is a foregone conclusion.  Ambitious young white people fall in love, have a kid, pursue careers, become estranged, etc., etc., etc.  There's no room left to be surprised by this movie, tongue in cheek as it is, and thus no dramatic tension.

Add to this the fact that there's almost zero chemistry between the two leads, and what's worse their relationship (or lack thereof) with their child, played by Drew Barrymore, is never really demonstrated in the movie. 

No, Irreconcilable Differences isn't terrible, but it is deeply unsatisfying.  If they'd leaned into the comedy more it could have been good, but instead they chose "dramedy," and that path didn't work at all.  Weirdly enough, Ryan O'Neal makes this point in the very film that demonstrates it.

14. Deep Space (1988)

Equal parts The Blob and Alien, this horror confection is formulaic enough to be fun, and nonsensical enough to be interesting.  Gotta love how various individuals just remove biological material (i.e. "space monster eggs") from a crash site without really thinking about the implications.

Deep Space is similar in some respects to 1979's The Dark, which was also reviewed here recently.  Was psychics warning detectives about future events some kind of thing in the late 70s/early 80s?  Maybe so.

15. Mortuary (1982?  1983?)

Bonus points for Bill Paxton, but this slasher film is fairly derivative.  It would have been better if they hadn't shied away from the sex and violence so much, and instead doubled down on the more disturbing elements in the story.

What would have happened to "Christy" if she'd been injected with that embalming fluid?  Could have been a memorable scene...

Didn't Like It

16. Intruder (1989)

Slasher movie set in a supermarket.  Given the number of people working in the store, you wouldn't think that the killer would be such a problem, but hey, slasher movie logic.

Sam Raimi, Ted Raimi and Bruce Campbell all make brief appearances in Intruder.  Don't think that's some kind of seal of quality, however.  In 1989 Sam Raimi wasn't the hot commodity he would later become.

17. Black Eagle (1988)

America's favorite ninja master Sho Kosugi struggles mightily with the English language while Jean-Claude Van Damme panders to the female gaze.  The real issue with this movie is that the first 3/4 of it are crushingly boring, and the showdown between Kosugi and Van Damme near the end is a huge letdown.

This film was released the same year as Van Damme's breakthrough movie Bloodsport, but just the same it's JCVD before his career really got going.  In this respect Black Eagle's a lot like the following year's Cyborg, in that JCVD's particular formula hadn't been discovered quite yet.  Post-Kickboxer?  Yeah, that's when he was more of a presence in the industry.

Fun Fact: Sho Kosugi's first screen appearance was as an extra in The Godfather Part II.

18. Dreams Don't Die (1982)

Higher production values in this TV movie, but it's really boring.  A graffiti artist tries to win his girlfriend back from the local drug dealer, and you can probably guess the rest.  None of the actors/actresses are especially convincing in their roles, though Paul Winfield does a good job as a beat cop who tries to teach the kids the error of their ways.

I... Have... Regrets...

19. Zone Troopers (1985)

Somehow this movie makes even less sense than Intruder (above).  Some World War II types (the least soldierly soldiers to ever soldier) run into aliens behind enemy lines in Italy.  You might recognize Tim Thomerson or Art LaFleur from other movies they've done since, but this one is very, very boring.

Why go all the way to Italy to film this nonsense?  Was someone laundering money?

20. Terminus (1987)

Some dude with a robot hand drives a supertruck around the more rural parts of France.  Oh, and Karen Allen's in this one for a bit, until she's not.

The most annoying part has to be the supertruck's onboard computer, which chatters on without adding much to the plot.

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Movies and Memories

A Big Month for Superhero Movies

"Humankind" by Rutger Bregman (2020)

"Though harmless in this instance, research shows that the effects of pluralistic ignorance can be disastrous -- even fatal.  Consider binge drinking.  Survey college students on their own, and most will say drinking themselves into oblivion isn't their favorite pastime.  But because they assume other students are big fans of drinking, they try to keep up and everyone winds up puking in the gutter."

Rutger Bregman is a Dutch historian and author.  He's written several books on the subject of making the world a better place.  He's often hailed for his "new ideas," though I'm not sure if the ideas expressed in Humankind are all that new.

Not to put words into the author's mouth, but I think the crux of his argument would go something like this: in the deepest, darkest heart of Western culture lives a disagreement between Hobbes and Rousseau over human nature, and in our favoring of one side of this disagreement over the other lie the beginnings of many modern problems.

What was this disagreement?  It was, primarily, a difference of opinion regarding human nature, and whether it's essentially good or essentially evil.  Hobbes, as is well known, believed that people are inherently selfish, and otherwise apt to do one another a bad turn, while Rousseau believed that people are inherently good, and best left to their own devices.  Hobbes regarded human institutions (i.e. his "leviathans") as a means of correcting for our sinful natures, while Rousseau viewed such institutions as largely unnecessary, and what's more stultifying with respect to what is good within us.

On the one hand you've got the "realist" point of view, while on the other the "idealist," though as Bregman emphasizes "realism" and "idealism" can mean very different things in the context of a more measured understanding of human nature.

So are humans essentially bad or good?  The author of this book asserts that they are good, and that a calculated response to this inherent goodness implies a rethinking of our institutions and how these institutions tackle societal ills.

I tend to agree with him.  I think that most people are good, at least from their own point of view, and very, very few people intentionally commit malice without extraordinary reasons for doing so.  In our click-driven society it's easy to form a pessimistic or "pragmatic" opinion of other human beings, but such a line of thinking is often more owing to the way in which information is presented to us, and to faults in our own psychology.

Did I need to read all 400 pages of Humankind to arrive at this conclusion?  No, but it was, to some extent, my conclusion already.  If YOU haven't arrived at this conclusion, maybe you could give it a look?

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"The Eternals" by Jack Kirby (1976-1978)

First of all, not every comic book reader needs to like Jack Kirby.  I can totally understand other comic book readers not liking his work.  Yes, it's foundational in terms of the Marvel Method, but it's also intentionally weird, sometimes less "socially progressive," and at other times downright obscure.

If, however, you like weird ideas and weirder art, Kirby's your man.  At this point in time I've read through a lot of his early Marvel stuff, most of the Fourth World comics he did at DC, and the entirety of his Eternals run.  I feel that I can attest to his originality as a comic book creator, and I don't think he earned the title "King Kirby" for nothing.

He was involved in comics from 1936 all the way to 1993, the year before his death.  During these years he created countless characters, concepts and storylines, many of which are still referenced today.  The Eternals comes a bit later in his career, after his work on the early Marvel titles and his (temporary) move to DC, but in the mid- to late- 70s he was still firing on all cylinders, still ready to challenge whatever younger upstarts the industry had placed in his path.

One of the things I like about this series is that it pretty much ignores the rest of the Marvel Universe.  Other writers and editors would have been in a hurry to introduce Spider-man into the narrative, but Kirby couldn't have cared less.  Yes, he does introduce a "Cosmic Hulk" about halfway through the series, but this version of the Hulk is a robot imbued with "cosmic energy," not another monster out to fight either Bruce Banner or his alter ego.

There's also The Eternals' batshit craziness.  Kirby was never afraid to paint pictures with a big brush, and The Eternals is just further proof of this tendency.  In his Marvel work (especially with regard to the Inhumans and Asgard), in his Fourth World mythos and in The Eternals we see repeated attempts to create a pantheon upon which future comic book stories and comic book series might be built.  Kirby was all about the idea of godhood, perhaps in part because he felt that sense of godhood when he was immersed in the creation of comic books.

The pantheon introduced through The Eternals begins with the Celestials, an inscrutable race of cosmic beings whose origins and purposes are never quite explained.  From the hands of the Celestials come the Deviants, the Eternals and humankind itself, the third of these races previously unaware of the existence of the other two.  In the Deviants and the Eternals humanity is confronted by both the gods and monsters of its own mythology, and what we do with this knowledge remains something of an unanswered question at the end of the series.

Sounds impressive, right?  Just be warned that The Eternals is also a series of false starts.  Kirby plays so fast and loose with his ideas that he often fails to follow many of them to their logical conclusions.  A kind of star-crossed romance is introduced between Thena and the Deviant Kro and then quickly abandoned.  The Eternals do... something with their collective consciousness (Uni-Mind), but this something is never adequately explained.  The Celestials stomp around and look threatening, but never do much.

Lots of WTF moments to be sure, but with Kirby you have to enjoy those moments.  They're not unlike the miniature vampire planet seen and then dismissed in his Fourth World mythos, or countless other comic book series that he created and then abandoned.  Kirby was ever ready to move on from a failed or less productive idea, and his eagerness to do so could be seen as both his one weakness and his greatest strength.

All of the above stated, I found the quote from Kirby appended to the end of Fantastic Four: First Steps very gratifying:

"If you look at my characters, you will find me.  No matter what kind of character you create or assume, a little of yourself must remain there."

...and it's worth noting that the Celestials could have said the same about the Deviants, Eternals and humans they created, just as Kirby himself could say the same about the Celestials, Deviants, Eternals and humans he created.  It's somewhat comforting to imagine gods thinking thus.  It goes a long way to making them seem more human.

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