Book Review: The Immortal King Rao

If a shifting, nonlinear narrative that plays out over the course of decades sounds like your idea of a good time, then The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara should be a blast.

This is another book that came up as a suggestion for a quiet apocalypse with the bonus element of being flashback-driven like my current work in progress. I think it's too risky as a comp title.

Still, I found a lot to admire here. I can't even imagine trying to cram the plot into a brief summary, let alone the standard one- or two-page synopsis required during the book submission process. King Rao, born on a coconut farm in India, eventually moves to America and becomes the most influential tech titan of the twentieth and twenty first centuries.

Image via Indianapolis Public Library

His daughter, Athena, is currently imprisoned, having been accused in his death. Oh, and King Rao has implanted his memories in her mind, using a digital mind-link to do so. The frame story is from Athena's perspective as readers learn about King Rao's modest origins, his move to the United States, his fascination with computers, and his first meeting with the love of his life.

It all leads to his creation of an Apple-like company ("Coconut") so thoroughly dominant in the technological sphere that it essentially becomes a world government. This tech hegemony aims to "free" people but ends up oppressing them instead, leading to the formation of a radical group determined to unshackle themselves from technology altogether. Athena joins this group, and is accused of murdering King Rao. She awaits judgment from an algorithm.

In the background, the Earth is undergoing an environmental crisis from climate change. With King Rao dead, it's clear no one has the willpower to stop it.

Needless to say, Vara packs a lot into this novel thematically. It's a sweeping family saga, a cautionary tale about oligarchs and corporatocracy, a warning about global warming and collective indifference, an examination of the role of technology in culture, and an exploration of the true meaning of freedom.

It is a fascinating read and not something I would normally expect to pull off the shelf. The narrative is a little overstuffed and some readers will experience whiplash from various time jumps and intercutting. Still, I think it's worth reading for the clever prose and excellent worldbuilding.

Book Review: Batman Revolution

Batman Revolution by John Jackson Miller is the sequel to Batman Resurrection. These books are set in the Michael Keaton Batman continuity, with Resurrection serving as a direct sequel to the movie. Revolution, then, is the direct sequel to Resurrection, picking up a few plot threads from the previous book and the 1989 film that preceded both works.

For me, it means spending more time with Keaton's Bruce Wayne/Batman, Michael Gough's Alfred Pennyworth, and Pat Hingle's Commissioner Gordon. I loved the 1989 Batman movie. For all the talk of the Christopher Nolan movies--a solid trilogy without argument--Keaton is my Batman and Jack Nicholson my Joker. Being able to return to that gothic Gotham City is a real pleasure.

Image via Indianapolis Public Library

The books take place before Batman Returns, the 1992 sequel that 12-year-old Matt loathes and present-day Matt barely tolerates. Some of the stronger aspects of the movie sequel are present here, including Selina Kyle and Max Shreck. Selina is the sweet-natured, overburdened assistant struggling through life while Shreck continues his scheming ways (being able to picture Christopher Walken delivering lines as Shreck is wonderful). I also appreciate getting more of Robert Wuhl's Alexander Knox.

We spend a fair amount of time with Bruce and Alfred, and while Batman gets top billing in the book, be prepared for A LOT OF Norman Pinkus. He's the "puzzle master" for the local newspaper and creates a sensation with "Riddle Me This," a daily word puzzle with mind-bending clues and cash prizes. People love it so much, it's helping the Gotham Globe sell like hotcakes, although the always put-upon Norman gets zero credit for its success. National syndication is a certainty!

Norman may be the most intelligent man in the world. He's definitely the smartest guy in Gotham City, even if no one recognizes it. When he's not creating "Riddle Me This," he's also tracking crimes and providing the Gotham City Police Department with tips.

When revolutionaries sweep into Gotham City to upend what they view as an unjust, decadent government, Norman gets swept along right with them. Perpetually overlooked and underappreciated, he finds fresh start with the revolutionaries and takes on the persona of The Riddler, the smartest man in town.

He matches wits with Batman without understanding the true scope of the revolutionaries' plot. He's the bad guy but not really the bad guy, just an overlooked peon who convinced himself he was meant for greater things.

I found this to be a pretty engaging read, although I liked Resurrection more, probably because it had a direct connection with the 1989 movie by exploring Smylex (the secret ingredient--smile!) and the fallout from The Joker's plot. 

As Norman is essentially a co-protagonist in the novel (you could argue he's the main protagonist), readers will spend a lot of time with him. His "poor me, poor me" shtick did wear me down a little at times, but it is all ultimately in service of making his turn as The Riddler believable. I would've probably trimmed a chapter or two with Mr. Pinkus. I can still hear him whining about his life.

Still, the book has plenty good Bat-action and gives me another chance to spend some time with Bruce and Alfred, and for that, I'm grateful.

Book Review: North Dallas Forty

North Dallas Forty is one of the most famous (or infamous) football books ever written. In the semiautobiographical account by Peter Gent, we spend a week with a wide receiver (a semi-fictionalized version of Gent named Phil Elliott) to learn about the wild, chaotic, and insane world of pro football.

Vindictive coaches, racism, violent men, drugs, alcohol, and sex, it seems, were inescapable in the late '60s and early '70s football scene. The men of the North Dallas Bulls certainly had some wild times!

Elliott, a reliable receiver with tremendous hands who's almost past his prime, struggles to find playing time. He relies on painkillers to get by on a daily basis and stay out on the field. Wild parties fueled by drugs, alcohol, and sex permeate the narrative. Elliott's teammates range from a star quarterback to a completely unhinged lineman who would've terrified anyone who had to be in the same room with him.

Image via Indianapolis Public Library

The weeklong narrative provides a window into what pro players go through just to get on the field on a week to week basis. Sunday's game takes a physical and mental toll on them that they have to work through only to repeat it on gameday. They cope in various ways (for Elliott's teammates, it tends to be the aforementioned parties). Brutal injuries are treated with oral medication, shots, and indifference.

The book won't be for everyone. Violence, swearing, and sex are unavoidable, along with depictions of drug use and substance dependency. These things are endless. That said, it also mines some (often ribald) humor and provides a window into racial integration. 

Elliott's existential crisis--wondering what he'll do with his life once his football days are over--does bring some gravitas to the narrative. It also appears he may find some semblance of happiness with Charlotte, a woman he meets at one of the parties and pursues (while also having sex with the fiancée of one of the team executives).

Nick Nolte starred in the movie adaptation, released in 1979, and it's a happy-go-lucky account compared to its inspiration. As for the book's ending, well, let's just say I didn't see it coming. It's dark, upsetting, and unexpected.