The Wizard and the Warlord by Elizabeth Boyer

The Wizard and the Warlord was written in 1983 by Elizabeth Boyer, and I encountered the book while visiting a used bookstore as I searched for a New York Birthday gift.  I paid the hefty sum of $2.00 to read the book, and that was probably $2.00 more than I should have given for the privelege.

The book could have potentially been great, as the storyline allowed for some interesting options and dynamics.  However, the actual implementation of ideas by the writer left a lot to be desired.  For starters, the book reads like it is written by a third party with multiple personality disorder, about a character who suffers from the same disorder.  The thought processes and emotions of the main character ("Sigurd") are hard to follow, and the decision-making of said character follows an erratic pattern.  It gave me a headache trying to follow the character development, and there seemed to be little rhyme or reason to the author's direction for the character in most of the book.

Another problem was the existence of three distinct races in the book.  The author seems to be drawing upon some type of analogy to humans, elves, and dark elves, but the attempt to make the races in this book unique leads to all kinds of issues.  Perhaps the biggest issue is when the author attempts make all of the races some type of viking-barbarian, and introduces concepts of magic that will leave an experienced fantasy reader pondering whether or not the author was drunk at the time she wrote the work.  Another issue is that the author attempts to give the main character's magic a mind of its own, whether in response to need or some subconcious desire of Sigurd.  For the majority of book, his abilities exist as a separate character almost, and the reader is left puzzling as to why.

The story is fragmented, flows poorly, and the plot leaves a lot to be desired.  The central theme of the book seemes to be Sigurd's growing up, but instead what is portrayed is the story of a bumbling oaf suffering from some type of paranoid schizophrenia.

If you have $2 and some time you want to lose forever, this book might be a decent read, but it isn't one that I recommend in the least.

The Incredible Hulk: What Savage Beast by Peter David

Fans of the Incredible Hulk will really enjoy this book, authored by Peter David (author of dozens of novels and hundreds of comic books).  This novel introduces us to a side of the Hulk that many may be unfamiliar with, especially those who have only recently became acquainted the green behemoth.  In this book, the intellect of Bruce Banner is intact in the body of the Hulk, but with an interesting twist.  Normally, when Bruce Banner gets angry and loses control he becomes the Hulk, but if the Hulk gets too angry and loses control in this book, he becomes a deranged, angry, 120lb. weakling who wants to "SMASH!" everything in sight.  It is definitely an interesting take on the Incredible Hulk.

The book is well-written, with the occasional humorous allusion in it.  There are several instances in the writing that allude to the television series that starred Lou Ferrigno, including the use of the name "David" instead of "Bruce" in that series.  It also ties in nicely with the comics, and provides an interesting and easy to follow story.

The plot of the story is interesting, and follows the Hulk/Bruce Banner and hsi wife, Betty, as they attempt to live normal lives hiding in a suburb of Chicago.  However, as the fates would dictate, their peaceful happy existence is short-lived, as a robot marauder draws the Hulk out of hiding to face a new enemies.  However, what makes this book great is not the easy-to-see story line, but rather the hidden plot that is developing as trusted allies become bitter enemies, and involves a unique time travel/alternate reality dimension of story-telling that readers will certainly enjoy.

If you are a Marvel fan, like the Hulk, or merely looking for an entertaining read, you will likely enjoy reading this novel.  As a bonus, each chaper has a beautiful illustration that mirrors the storyline, which fans of George Perez (renowned comic artist) will certainly appreciate.

Transformers Exodus

Transformers Exodus, by Alex Irvine, is a unique twist on the Transformers plotline (conveniently released around the time "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" came out).  The book takes the reader back in time to the days before the Transformers arrived on the Earth, to a time before there were Autobots and Decepticons, before there was an Optimus Prime or a Megatron. 

The book introduces us to Orion Pax, a mere librarian working on Cybertron, who learns of a gladiator that has risen through the nameless ranks of laborers and pitfighters and taken the name Megatronus.  Orion finds his curiousity piqued when this gladiator utters the immortal and world-shattering words, "Freedom is every Cybertronian's right!"  These words lead Orion to think of the world in new ways, and start him down a path that will change the course of Cybertronian history.

Irvine does a great job with the book, laying the foundation to introduce us to a myriad of characters that fans of the Transformers have come to know over the past twenty-five years, and provides a fascinating timeline for the period prior to the rise of either the Autobots or the Decepticons.  Fans of the series will want to read this book and have their minds open to a new way of thinking about the Transformers.  Those who read this "official history of the war for cybertron" will find that there is more to the Transformer's history than meets the eye.

This is a recommended read for anyone who grew up playing with Transformers toys, is familiar with the cartoons, or has enjoyed any of the recent movies.