The transmigration of Timothy Archer/ Philip K. Dick

ISBN: 0679734449

The last part of a trilogy (VALIS; the Divine Invasion). Book blurb: “… An anguished, learned, and very moving investigation of the paradoxes of belief.”

Philip K. Dick writes in a manner than convinces me that the protagonist is real. As in, the protagonist comes across as a very real character. In fact, all the characters seem convincing.

Timothy Archer is an Episcopal bishop. Apparently a well-known and respected one, though also known for his controversial views of church doctrines.

The book is told from the perspective of the Tim’s daughter-in-law, Angel Archer, ranging from the basis of Christianity to related philosophies. There is a find, which Tim suspects that could predate Jesus and worries that it would shake the foundation of the religion.

Through the characters and mostly through Angel’s thoughts, we are introduced to diverse subjects from religion to mental illness to Indian philosophy.

And in the end, the one person who appeared the most sane and rational, Angel, turns out to be also someone who has sort of deceived herself in how/ who she chooses to believe.

Early on, we are told of Tim’s death. The title alludes to how Tim appears to be ‘re-born’ (or Transmigrated, to be more exact) to Bill, who is Kirsten’s schizophrenic son.

It reminded me of Persig’s “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”, the kind of philosophical context surrounding the characters and their settings. E.g. The protagonist’s conversation with Bill (the schizophrenic son of Kisten — the woman having a relationship with the protagonist’s father-in-law).

a nice quote: P31. “… If you wish to conquer us, show us love not scorn. Faith moves mountains, love moves human hearts. The people opposing you are people, not things. Your enemy is not men but ignorant men. Don’t confuse the men with their ignorance.”

The dashing peacemaker: Othman Wok/ Faith Teo, Dominic Ying; Leong Ching (ed.)

ISBN: 9789812481641

Part of the “Great Singapore stories: Founding fathers” series.

A very brief, thin book. From the blurb: “… a guide for young and busy readers.”

On one of the People Action Party (PAP) old guard and founding member of Independent Singapore.

Snippets about his childhood, how he got into politics, being a Minister, his marriage (married a second wife), his decision to retire from politics, his life after retirement.

P28. “I believe the riot (on Prophet Mohammed’s birthday) was planned. It did not erupt spontaneously. They were very smart to choose a religious occasion so that if we had stopped it, we would be called anti-Muslim.”

War: A novel/ Todd Komarnicki

ISBN: 9781559708661

Beautiful prose. Concise phrasing. Witty lines. Almost like poetry than guys could understand. BTW, my wife pointed out that the book cover, when turned 180 degrees, says “JAM”. Plus the toy soldier in a bottle… interesting!

P10. “Mc. was Irish the way rain is wet. His hair was the color of scorched clay, and he couldn’t form a sentence without multiple pillars of “f**k”.”

P17. “when two enemies had memorized the math of their hate, we would be sent in to alter the equation. One and one stops equaling two and starts equaling blood.”

P18. “My father had died of cigarettes and cynicism when I was a teenager. His death had felt like a reprieve from the governor. I remain grateful to Philip Morris and all their fine tobacco products.”

The protagonist, an American citizen as with the rest in his team, seems to be secretly recruited by the government. They train at a secret location, totally cut off from the outside world.

He is finally sent on a solo mission (strangely, no orders). Things get even more hazy from here on: a traitor. Sniped at. Unknown enemy. Undisclosed location. Who’s the enemy? What’s the mission?

His back story is revealed along the way – his brother, his childhood, his first marriage, his view of the world.

One-fifth through the book and I was still wondering what war he was in. Was this set in the future?

Discovers a bomb etched With the words “made in the USA”. That was the first clue. Then there are UN peacekeepers.

It all comes together in the end. Plot-spoiler: You could speculate that the US had another civil war. Or its weapons were turned against itself by some rouge forces. Things got to the stage where international peacekeepers had to step in.

P58. “It is possible to be so afraid that you’re not afraid. Muscles clench so tightly that they become a new kind of strong.”

P136. “To protect myself from theses uninvited responses to the simplest events, I chose my own responses even before there was anything to respond to. I was ready to fight before being brushed up against the street. I was ready to mock before someone sounded smarter that I knew I could ever be.”

Hellboy: Darkness calls/ Mike Mignola, Duncan Fegredo & Dave Stewart

ISBN: 9781593078966

Made into a movie, “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”.

The plot, as I remember it: a bunch of witches want to make Hellboy their King. He tells them to ‘Screw it’. They opt to elect another. Hellboy is somehow abducted to another realm (part of a deal to prevent him from stopping the witches’ plan). Hellboy is pursued by his nemesis, Baba Yaga, who sends her henchman (who cannot die unless his hidden soul is destroyed). Hellboy makes it back but the story is only beginning, it seems. For ‘she’ has been released. Just who this Queen of witches is, the mystery just adds to the suspense.

Introduction by Jane Yolen sums up the uniqueness of this particular storyline; there’s a weave of “historical reality” (i.e. the Salem Witch trials), folklore, theology, “Celtic miasma”, Ragnarok, Russian demonology (Baba Yaga? Rasputin, Koshchei The Deathless, Vasilisa, russian house spirit) and “the cosmic End of the World scenarios from many cultures”.

And Jane Yolen being Jane Yolen, she sums up beautifully: “It is a deeply human story for all its monsters”.

Art by Duncan Fegredo, who has his own style but overall still sticks to the familiar and signature Mignola’s line and shadow work.

Batman: Year 100/ Paul Pope, Jose Villarrubia, Jared K. Fletcher & John Workman.

ISBN: 9781401211929

Paul Pope wrote a heck of a story. Artwork is realistic yet has that artsy fluidity. And definite grim.

We find Batman fighting for his life. Shot and wounded. A cop has been killed and Batman was the prime suspect. Intro the other key characters: Gordon (just a detective and not the police commissioner), Goss (medical examiner), Goss’ daughter who’s a computer whizz and hacker, and Robin. Eventually Batman finds a clue and reveals the mystery. Let’s just say it involves a virus bomb. How Batman saves the world is to… well, go read it yourself.

This version of Gotham City is one where there’s a sharp divide between the local police force and a elite Hi-tech federal team. We are not told who’s Batman (though the name Bruce Wayne crops up), and why he’s doing this. Batman has been forgotten, and police information about him deliberately hidden. Which is fodder for sequels.

There’s a bonus of sorts – a short story of a Berlin Batman, set in the 1930s, opposing the Nazis.

Abe Sapien: The Drowning/ Mike Mignola & Jason Shawn Alexander

ISBN: 9781595821850

The story centres on Hellboy’s sidekick, Abraham Sapien — half man and half fish.

He is sent as part of a team, to investigate an underwater wreck. They unwittingly awaken a warlock (whose minions look like little asian wizards and have interesting individual powers) who, in the process of being re-animated, absorb the lifeforce of the village. Obviously, he’s an evil that Abe Sapien has to stop.

The human-ness of Abe shows through, in his self-doubt and also eventual conquering of his fears.