A passionate, informed take on a distinctive genre.
Musings on heavy metal and hard rock, Metallica to Poison, from a die-hard fan.
Jensen was an 8-year-old living in a small Ontario town when he first discovered KISS. The band, with its shock-rock imagery and over-the-top theatrics, was perfectly crafted to capture the attention of boys like Jensen, bridging the gap between his “interest in comic book superheroes and [his] developing interest in music.” For Jensen, KISS was like “headbanger kindergarten,” forming the foundation for a life-long obsession with heavy metal and its various musical relatives. As Jensen grew older, bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden took over his turntable, offering an escape from his boring small-town life. Jensen faithfully chronicles his evolving fandom, from more accessible bands like Mötley Crüe and gradually moving on to abrasive thrash metal from the likes of Metallica and Slayer. But Jensen doesn’t just focus on the big, MTV-friendly names. Like a true fan, he revels in showing off his knowledge of more obscure bands, such as Raven and Underdog. While the names may not always be familiar, any music fan who was around in the pre-Internet era will relate to Jensen’s anecdotes about digging through record store bins in search of the latest new releases and faithfully reading magazines (in Jensen’s case, British publication Kerrang!) to find out about up-and-coming bands. His analysis is so thorough that he even takes time to explain why he never really got into certain groups, such as Motörhead, Megadeth and Tesla. While Jensen’s passion for the music is undeniable, nonfans may be bewildered by the pages spent evaluating Black Sabbath’s extensive catalog or the subtle distinctions between hard rock and heavy metal. (Mötley Crüe, for those keeping score, falls into the former category.) Also, Jensen too often veers into pseudo-academic philosophizing, which can detract from the music-loving pulse at the heart of the book. Jensen is much more successful, however, in his considered evaluation of Canadian heavy metal band Anvil, the influential group that seemed poised to make it big but never quite broke through, and his thoughtful observations on Guns N’ Roses’ strange career arc. While the book occasionally meanders, anyone considering him or herself a metalhead will find plenty to enjoy—and argue with—here.
A passionate, informed take on a distinctive genre.Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0987715906
Page Count: 262
Publisher: No Sleep 'Til Sudbury
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A short, simple, and sweet tale about two friends and a horse.
A novel tells the story of two spirited girls who set out to save a lame foal in 1952.
Mary, age 12, lacks muscle control of her legs and must use a wheelchair. Her life is constantly interrupted by trips with her widower father to assorted doctors, all of whom have failed to help her. Mary tolerates the treatments, hoping to one day walk unassisted, but her true passion involves horses. Possessing a library filled with horse books, she loves watching and drawing the animals at a neighboring farm. She longs to own one herself. But her father, overprotective due to her disability and his own lingering grief over Mary’s dead mother, makes her keep her distance. Mary befriends Laura, the emotionally neglected daughter of the wealthy neighboring farm owners, and the two share secret buggy rides. Both girls are attracted to Illusion, a beautiful red bay filly on the farm. Mary learns that Illusion is to be put down by a veterinarian because of a lame leg. Horrified, she decides to talk to the barn manager about the horse (“Isn’t it okay for her to live even if she’s not perfect? I think she deserves a chance”). Soon, Mary and Laura attempt to raise money to save Illusion. At the same time, Mary begins to gain control of her legs thanks to water therapy and secret therapeutic riding with Laura. There is indeed a great deal of poignancy in a story of a girl with a disability fighting to defend the intrinsic value of a lame animal. But this book, the first installment of the Dream Horse Adventure Series, would be twice as touching if Mary interacted with Illusion more. In the tale’s opening, she watches the foal from afar, but she actually spends very little time with the filly she tries so hard to protect. This turns out to be a strange development given the degree to which the narrative relies on her devotion. Count (Selah’s Sweet Dream, 2015) draws Mary and Laura in broad but believable strokes, defined mainly by their unrelenting pluckiness in the face of adversity. While the work tackles disability, death, and grief, Mary’s and Laura’s environments are so idyllic and their optimism and perseverance so remarkable that the story retains an aura of uncomplicated gentleness throughout.
A short, simple, and sweet tale about two friends and a horse.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Hastings Creations Group
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A nonpreaching testament to the power that comes from knowing and accepting yourself.
A lyrical tale that demonstrates how a voyage of self-discovery can be more important than an outer journey.
The legend of far-off Opal Cavern has long tantalized the humanlike races that inhabit the agrarian land of Tarth: Stallis, who live above ground as we do, and the taller, curly haired, semiaquatic Wassandras, who move between the surface and the golden Wasso Lake that is their home. The villagers and lake dwellers share a belief in a divine intelligence called the Plete and a peaceful, mutually supportive way of life that has them moving in and out of each other’s lives and homes. They come together to send out an expedition in search of the cavern and to take care of those who stay behind. The energetic center of both groups belongs to Curl, a young, headstrong Wassandra, whose heart is set on joining the quest, exploring the world and marrying a Stalli. The ultimate destination, Curl discovers, is within the self, where she confronts physical limitations and her true nature. Every step is slow, methodical and resonant with enormous forethought and care. This third book in the Tarth series has the gentle pace and simplicity of a YA novel, and its sufficient exposition can stand on its own. Despite the journeying framework, Byrd (The Brueggen Stones, 2007) presents not so much an action-packed story as a heart-centered exploration of the complex affections and relationships that link individuals, families, communities and species. Even Tarth’s horses contribute their own knowledge and wisdom to the quest. Compassion, kindness and trust in divine guidance are as organic and matter-of-fact as the physical laws that govern the golden waters of Wasso Lake.
A nonpreaching testament to the power that comes from knowing and accepting yourself.Pub Date: May 3, 2012
ISBN: 978-1602903241
Page Count: 216
Publisher: OakTara
Review Posted Online: July 30, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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