Morality By: Stephen King

If contemporary writers were rock stars then there would be no King like Stephen King. Having read several of his novels I have found that what he does best are short stories. As I perused Target a magazine caught my eye. The July edition of Esquire featured a new short story by the rock star writer. Excited at the prospect of reading new fiction by Mr. King I purchased the magazine and at first chance dove right into the story.

The story follows a married couple, Chad & Nora Callahan. Struggling financially like most Americans at this time, the couple must consider whether or not they are willing to take on a most unusual request. By agreeing to comply with the wish of an elderly man they would receive $200,000. However, they must weigh the consequences of this transaction and decide ultimately if the money is truly worth the price they will have to pay.

Once again Stephen King has proven himself to be a master story teller. Limited by the typical short story restraints there are no pages of unnecessary details as found in the monstrosity that was Dreamcatcher. Instead we have a story that causes the reader to venture through the paragraphs to discover the details of the odd request. One is also left to wonder what decision he/she would have made under similar circumstances. Mr. King has raised some very interesting questions in morality at a time when most people are trying to make money in any possible way by any means.


All in all I would recommend this story to a friend. Sadly, I have discovered that the story could be read without purchasing the magazine from the Esquire.com website here

I would rate this story 3.5 our of 5 Coca Cola bottles.

Happy Reading!

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The Society of S By: Susan Hubbard

I love book stores!

One of the greatest things about going to a book store is when one just happens upon a book that becomes an incredible find. The Society of S was that book that I happened across while trying to decide between Aldous Huxley's The Island or The Doors of Perception.

Upon first glance I was put off by the book's lack of synopsis. The book was a paperback with the back featuring only reviews from various sources and the front, a black background with smoke. There was nothing to give the potential reader an idea of what they may be getting into with this book.In any case, I started reading and before I knew it, I forgot all about Huxley and his acid induced revelations on the true nature of society.

The Society of S follows Ariella Montero as she lives her strange but sheltered life in Saratoga Springs. Home schooled by her scientist father, Ari is exposed to an array of subject from Plato to Poe, Biology to Botany and everything in between. However, there are certain subjects that are kept away from Ari. Secrecy shrouds her father's pressing experiments and mystery abounds in all matters relating to her missing mother.

This book kept me on my toes. Unlike some novels with a tendency to drag a reader through the motions of a plot, this one pulled me into the story. Hubbard's descriptions were on point as I sat in a room during one of Ari's lessons with her father. No filler or unnecessary details could be found. Although, I did become suspicious, I would have originally never suspected the ailment Ari's father suffers to which she is genetically pre-disposed. Character development in the protagonist was in keeping with that of a young woman wiser than her years in all matters found in text books but naive in the ways of the world. As such, by using Ari's point of view what may appear as mundane to the reader is seen as different and the simply bad, sinister.

It has been difficult to review this book while keeping all the plot's secrets and surprises in tact. Just goes to show some people knew what they were doing by keeping the book's cover very simple and keeping the story line underwraps.

So much for not judging a book by it's cover.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 Coca Cola bottles.

Happy Reading!

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The Surrogtates By: Robert Venditti & Brett Weldele

Continuing in the vein of "the year of summer movies," I was searching for new trailers online one night. A movie that came across was for The Surrogates This film adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name, did not compel me to want to see the movie. However, the the plot seemed interesting, and as such I decided to give the graphic novel a try.

The year is 2054 and life in the United States is "lived" much differently these days. Individuals that you work with, friends that you hang out with, even the person that you date may not be as they appear. Thanks to VSL, people can "live" their lives through the use of human-looking androids (surrogates) from the safety of their home.

Usage of such technology results in many staggering benefits. Law enforcement officials no longer die in the line of duty. Job offers are based more on merit as individuals can change their outward appearance to match employer expectations. Crime is down and the economy is up. Life is good.

Then a series of crimes are committed and the murder's m.o appears to be targeting surrogates. Someone has a vendetta against the very technology that makes life livable. It could very well be the Dreds, a group of humans led by The Prophet, who live on the brink of society due to their beliefs that shun the surrogate way of life. It's up to police lieutenant Harvey Greer to sift through the clues and find the culprit before life as it is known is destroyed.

This novel grabs the reader from the beginning and does not let go until the very last page. Robert Vendetti does wonders with this storyline. The characters are fully developed as needed considering the use of robotic substitutes, and the dialogue is very believable and not the hyperbolic syntax that usually riddle the speech bubbles of graphic novels. In addition to the motif of man and machine, there is a touching story of humanity. A perfect example of such humanity is Greer's struggles to reconnect with his distant, constantly "linked-in" wife.

A graphic novel cannot be reviewed with out mention of the artwork (or graphics). Illustrator Brett Weldele paints images of a world ensconced in anonymity due to the usage of surrogates. His details are best observed in the depictions of The Prophet and his hierarchy of henchmen.

All in all this graphic novel speaks volumes to the subject of ethics in the usage of technology, it's ability to improve one's quality of life, and the price that must be paid to maintain this type of life. However, the reader is not banged over the head with this or any other message. Instead, one is pulled into this futuristic world, taken through a thrill of a ride and left begging for more.

I give this piece a 4.5 out of 5 Coca Cola bottles.

Happy Reading!

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