What I'm Reading and Booklist's Annual Mystery Issue Dedicated to Bill Ott

I have 2 reviews in the May 1, 2023 issue of Booklist. It is the annual Mysteries and Thrillers issue, one of the most popular of the year. It is also the brain child of former head of Booklist, Bill Ott who recently passed away. This issue is dedicated to him and contains many remembrances by those who worked for him. The editorial team also linked to John Green's moving video saying Goodbye to his mentor and friend, Bill Ott. Caution, have some tissues handy, even if you didn't know Bill like those of us who worked for him did.

As I mentioned, the awesome May 1 annual Crime focused issue was Bill's favorite of the year. And all of us have been graced with a plethora of articles and lists by him in this issue. Pieces that are among his final contributions to the magazine.

Use this link to see all of the feature articles Bill prepared for this issue, including the Top 10 Mystery and Thriller titles for 2023.

I have 2 reviews in this issue and it is fitting that my STAR review in this issue happens to be the newest book by Daniel Kraus, who worked for Bill Ott and counts him as a mentor.

I wrote about my memories of Bill in this post.

Below here are my draft reviews with bonus RA info from the May 1, 2023  issue.

STAR

Whalefall
by Daniel Kraus
Aug. 2023. 336p. MTV, $27.99 (9781665918169); e-book (9781665918183). 
First published May 1, 2023 (Booklist).

Prolific, bestseller Kraus presents a moving character study disguised as a riveting, cinematic, survival thriller. Jay is a high school senior dealing not only with the loss of his local hero and diving legend father, Mitt, but also his unresolved anger with their complicated relationship. In an attempt to bring some peace to his mother and sisters, Jay attempts a dangerous solo dive that is cut short when he is swallowed by a whale. Told from Jay’s point of view in short, alternating chapters set in the present, denoted by how much air is left in his tank, and the past, mostly between 2015 and 2021, readers fall into the story immediately. The pacing is relentless, the awe, astounding, and the tension, palpably constricting, even as Kraus takes time to add the necessary details both scientific and visceral. However, it is Jay’s constant growth throughout the story where this novel shines, allowing its beauty to emerge, and leave its mark on all who encounter it. An easy sell to fans of Ocean Horror like Pressure by Keene or harrowing survival stories like 127 Hours by Ralston, but also those who love the wonder, disgust, and heartfelt emotions found in Eric LaRocca’s work.

YA Statement: Written by an author with many YA fans, featuring a 17 year old protagonist and mixing high-action, high stakes adventure with an honest look at a complicated parent-child relationship, WHALEFALL will attract a wide range of teen readers.

Further Appeal: Before we get to how great this books, I wanted to comment that this novel is part of the relaunch of MTV Books this year, a seminal publishing imprint back in my childhood, that is staging  a comeback. 

Now back tot he book itself, While there is no denying the excitement, awe, and visceral descriptions that the plot sets up this book is a star because of the  story Kraus tells about Jay– the very complicated relationship with his dad, how he handled Mitt’s illness, decline, and death, and how he can grow and learn from it to become his own man– one that can that can never be disentangled from his family. It is both disgusting and beautiful– at the same time.

This novel is another example of how Kraus can write gripping stories for any age. Specifically, this story can be read by a teen or an adult and both would enjoy it and connect with the emotions of three story, but for different reasons.

Here are some of my reading notes:

• You fall right in-- pun intended.
• Punchy writing, fast paced, short chapters, pervasive intense unease– crushes you. But the pattern, it keeps the balance between the serious character development and growth that has to happen, the necessary background details and the riveting cinematic action.
• intense, fast paced, harrowing, raw emotion, survival, wonder, awe, coming of age, character study, moving, emotional, cinematic.
• This book is screaming to be made into a movie!!!!
• The extensive scientific research grounds the entire book. It anchors you to the story which keeps the you in place as the emotional power of the story knocks you over.
• Jay Gardiner is so real as well. He could be any kid. Bad relationship with dad, Covid, dad gets sick and dies, coming of age, finding self, growing up.
• Chapters are either how much air is in his tank 3000 PSI and going down or a year mostly between 2015 and 2022– ages 10 to 17 how Jay comes to terms with his father– Mitt

One final note, "Sleeper, Arise!" is a phrase that is key to the story. In fact, you may say it is the 2 word summary of the entire book. Without giving it away, the meaning of this phrase goes from the worst thing Jay can hear to the best thing he can say. I didn't know how to fit those words into my 200 word limit and have the impact and importance of the phrase make sense, so I left it out.

Three Words That Describe This Book: harrowing, survival thriller, moving character study (but this was hard to narrow down)

Readalikes: I have 3 up in the review. But really any horror or SF thriller would work. Fans of Blake Crouch, for example. But also visceral horror with heart, like Queen of Teeth by Hailey Piper.

Jackal, Jackal: Tales of the Dark Fantastic

by Tobi Ogundiran
July 2023. 317p. Undertow, paper, $18.99  (9781988964430). 
First published May 1, 2023 (Booklist).

With award nominations piling up for stories scattered across the speculative fiction publishing landscape, Ogundrian thankfully has gathered 18 of his compelling tales of dark magic in one place. Clearly framed by the author’s Nigerian roots, but with a conscious nod to dark speculative tales from all over the world, the stories in this volume will captivate readers with their haunting atmosphere, confident voice, and immersive settings. The two original stories in this collection are a great example. “Jackal. Jackal,” expertly combines the animal masks as a form of haunting trope with a cautionary tale of what happens when you try to erase the past, injecting it all with new terror in just a few short pages, while “Midnight in Moscow,” riffs off of the well-known Slavic character of Baba Yaga to showcase the enduring power of folklore across cultures. A great introduction to an up-and-coming author, this book will appeal to readers of dark speculative fiction by marginalized voices who actively engage with the white western canon such as Stephen Graham Jones, Marlon James, and Cassandra Khaw.

Further Appeal: This is an author you need to know about. He has already won or been nominated for many awards. He was in the EXCELLENT anthology Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction which got a STAR in Booklist here. He mentions in the notes that he has an epic fantasy series of novels already set to publish; one of the stories is from that world. 

Speaking of the notes, the story notes are a huge plus here. Ogundiran explains his process, but also how he used western tropes and explores them as an African who has lived in many countries around the world. 

I mentioned two of the stories I liked, and that title story is still with me, but I liked too many more to discuss. I don't want to give away plots, but some other other familiar tropes that show up range from Pinocchio to Lovecraft, the haunted house to the tragic epic hero. But there are also tales that showcase traditional African tropes and characters as well.

It is a great collection from a trusted small press. Totally worth an add, especially because he has that epic fantasy series coming. Get this on the shelf before Ogundiran's popularity explodes.

Three Words That Describe This Book: haunting, immersive, compelling

Readalikes: The Only Good Indians is a great readalike for the "Jackal, Jackal" story and Cassandra Khaw’s stories– Breakable Things (same publisher as this collection) or Nothing but Blackened Teeth– both work as general readalikes. Marlon James' Dark Star Trilogy has lots of similarities. 

Other authors that are similar include: Nuzo Ohno, Helen Oyeyemi, SA Chakraborty. But Usman Malik is the most similar. I couldn't list him because no one reviewed his Midnight Doorways for Booklist as I did for LJ. Both men are excellent writers in the short form, both use the entire landscape of dark fantasy to tell their tales, and, something I found out about Ogundiran in the story notes, both are also medical doctors.