Chris Howard

I'm a little torn on how to rate this. On the one hand, the story is original, and the prose is fluid, visceral, and perfectly tailored to the voice of Rootless' narrator. Both of which I find admirable.

But that same narrator can't seem to think his way out of a paper bag, and yet somehow---simply by virtue of his potent emotions, as far as I can tell---he always manages to come out on top. Usually at the very last moment...and accompanied by a maximum of gratuitous violence and gore. (This, show more by the way, coming from someone who read and enjoyed A Clockwork Orange.)

The other characters have interesting details but don't ever feel fully fleshed-out, and the instant romantic connection between Banyan and his lady love never really makes sense. Which may have something to do with the fact that they don't ever have an actual conversation beyond, "Hey, I want to kiss you," or "Sucks that both our parents were taken," or "How 'bout you kill those people?"

So overall, though I can appreciate Rootless' uniqueness and prose, I didn't really enjoy the experience of reading the book all that much. And while I'd kind of like to know what happens next, the thought of reading the next book leaves me cold. show less

Review:

In a world without trees, one makes beauty however one can. Banyan is a tree builder. His creations made from scrap metal are purchased by the elite to mimic forests of old. When Banyan meets the mysterious Zee while working on his current project he finds out something that will change his life forever.

Rootless, how do I wrap my head around you. I went into this book expecting one story yet what transpired was something completely different. Was it good still? Yes, Oh God yes. I show more love being surprised by a story and this one kept me on my toes that is for sure.

A world without trees is unfathomable. Yet, somehow the Author paints the landscape with such detail that it almost makes you believe such a world exists. The world of Rootless actually reminded me of Earth in the movie Wall-E, maybe less trash but still that landscape. If a world devoid of any plants isn't awful enough nothing except genetically modified corn grows on the planet. Can you imagine having to eat corn for every meal? I can't, but due to locusts swarms killing off everything else corn is all that is left. Speaking of the locusts, I forgot to mention these are man eating locusts. They will eat you if they catch you. Nasty right??

As for the characters, I loved Banyan. He has a gift for seeing beauty in stuff most of us wouldn't. He also is very practical and wise almost beyond his years. I really can't wait to see how his character evolves in the next book. I also liked Crow the watcher of Zee who really plays the anti-hero so well. It was fun trying to decide if he was good or bad. Ultimately, I decided he is a good guy just trying to survive playing with the hand he was dealt.

In the end Rootless is a debut that will stick out in my mind for being fresh and inventive. The world isn't necessarily unique but the execution is and that is what makes Rootless worthy of reading. I highly recommend you pick up a copy of this book and give it a try. I will be rating Rootless by Chris Howard ★★★★.

*I received a copying Rootless to review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way for providing them. show less

I bring to the table very mixed feelings when I set out to review Changeling: The Dreaming Second Edition. This is one of my favorite games of the World of Darkness lines, but it has its share of problems. There are some things that could be improved upon, but wrinkles aside my core gut reaction is fondness and excitement.

Changeling is the brightest of the WoD games, not the most cheerful. Many people make that mistake. It has the shine of colors and fantasy that Vampire, Werewolf, perhaps show more even Mage cannot hope to match but being that is a game about dreams it can also be about the most frightening nightmares as well. Also, a core theme of the game is the loss of dreams, loss of imagination as the world steadily becomes cynical, cruel and grinding, full of ennui. That is as frightening as any monster, indeed.

Literally anything can happen in the half/world Changelings inhabit. They are mortal humans that share an immortal soul with a Fairie of Legend, so they have one foot in the real world and one in the imaginary world of dreams. So, while a changelings mortal half may be dodging traffic on his way to work his Fey self may be hunting down quarry on an imaginary steed. Comedy ensues.

The biggest problem about the game is finding players and storytellers who really understand this esoteric notion. It isn’t a game everyone can grasp. The second problem is based in irony. While the Dreaming is a place where anything can happen; Changeling: The Dreaming offers frustratingly limited character creation options. If you don’t want to be any of the “Kith” archetypes listed in the main book, there isn’t a mechanic to create just the kind of Fey you want to be without house rules. Also, the magic system is… lets not mice words. It’s broken, badly. Fans of the series deny or overlook these flaws, however. If you can, than it is a very enjoyable game. Plus, the artwork is luxuriant and beautiful. show less

Rootless is an YA adventure story set in a dystopian future. Seventeen-year-old Banyan lives alone in a world without trees or animals. He travels the desolate remains of the country, selling his skills as a tree sculptor (using scrap metal, wires, glass and lighting) to the wealthy. The world-building is great, including a little Rastafarianism. The language and imagery are vivid, the characters are colorful and larger than life, there is lots of action, and even, a love story. The author's show more creativity extends to social and environmental issues too, such as the evil corporation, GenTech, which controls the food supply (genetically-engineered corn, immune to the marauding locusts) and kills anyone who tries to steal from them. Banyan sets off to find his father, gets derailed by pirates, and eventually finds allies to try to regenerate real trees to save the world. I am mystified as to why the recently-published sequel is not in local libraries. show less