Review: Codename: Sailor V, volume 1 by Naoko Takeuchi

Title: Codename: Sailor V
Author: Naoko Takeuchi
Series: Codename: Sailor V Deluxe Editions #1
Format: Manga
Pages: 272
Genre: Shojo, Magical Girl, Comedy
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Rating: C+

Summary:
From Goodreads: Like Sailor Moon, Minako Aino is a normal 13-year-old schoolgirl until a fateful day when a white cat introduces himself to her and tells her she has the power to transform into the hero, Sailor V. Using a magic pen to transform, Sailor V fights the evil agents of the Dark Agency as she strives to protect the earth.

Codename: Sailor V, created by the author before she created the mega-popular Sailor Moon, has never before been available in the U.S.

Why did I read this book? I'm a huge Sailor Moon fan. It was the first anime I ever saw and then became the first manga I ever read. Naturally, I've always wanted to read the Sailor V manga, and now I finally can!

Source: Bought

My Review
Codename: Sailor V was the predecessor to Takeuchi’s Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon and was never translated to English, until now. It’s the story of Sailor V, or Sailor Venus and how she becomes a sailor senshi. Minako Aino is a first year middle school student who loves to sleep, eat, play video games. She’s approached by a talking white cat, Artemis, who tries to get her to realize her potential as a hero.

The first thing I noticed about Minako’s story is that it’s very similar to Usagi’s (Sailor Moon). Their personalities are very similar (both love video games, not very good students, outgoing ) while some characterizations are the same as well. Minako has many references to the moon and even has a crescent –shaped compact for transforming. I even though Minako’s mother looked and acted an awful like Usagi’s. This isn’t really a bad thing, it’s actually kind of cool to see how Takeuchi developed the character of Sailor Moon and what the role this series played in that.

Reading this was reminding me all the things I loved about Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: the light-hearted shojo and school life story and the beautiful artwork. Takeuchi knows how to draw gorgeous pictures, however, some of the action scenes in this volume were lacking in detail.

As for the story – we aren’t given much substance. For many of the first chapters, the enemies and storylines felt very repetitive to the point where I was starting to wonder if the story was going to go anywhere. Luckily, the last two chapters were better. One of them was my favorite, where Sailor V wins a trip to Hawaii and hilarity ensues.

Rating: C+
Overall, I loved getting to follow along in Takeuchi’s and Minako’s journey to Sailor Moon through Codename: Sailor V. As an existing fan I enjoyed all those things I fondly remember. This volume is fun, light and features some great artwork as we know Takeuchi can do. I would mostly recommended this to those who are interested in the history of the Sailor Moon series or are particularly fond of the character Sailor V.

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Review: Laddertop, volume 1 by Orson Scott Card, Emily Janice Card, Honoel A. Ibardolaza (artist)

Title: Laddertop
Author: Orson Scott Card, Emily Janice Card, Honoel A. Ibardolaza (artist)
Series: Laddertop #1
Format: Manga
Pages: 192
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Publication Date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Tor Seven Seas
Rating: C

Summary:
From Goodreads: An original science fiction manga by the bestselling author of Ender’s Game and his daughter

Twenty-five years ago, the alien Givers came to Earth. They gave the human race the greatest technology ever seen— four giant towers known as Ladders that rise 36,000 miles into space and culminate in space stations that power the entire planet. Then, for reasons unknown, the Givers disappeared. Due to the unique alien construction of the Laddertop space stations, only a skilled crew of children can perform the maintenance necessary to keep the stations up and running.

Back on Earth, competition is fierce to enter Laddertop Academy. It is an honor few students will achieve. Robbi and Azure, two eleven-year-old girls who are the best of friends, are candidates for the Academy. They will become entangled in a dangerous mystery that may help them solve the riddle of the Givers...if it doesn’t destroy the Earth first!

Why did I read this book? I was intrigued about reading a science fiction manga!

Source: ARC from BEA

My Review
I feel like it will be hard to review this book because it's just the beginning of a larger story. For a first volume, though, I enjoyed it and found it to be interesting enough to persue.

The story, at least from what I hear (I never read Ender's Game), is similar to that book in that it has a young protagonist that goes into training in space. In this case it's a girl names Roberta ("Robbi") and the story follows how she is accepted to a school called Laddertop Academy. There's a large cast of characters most of which is classmates of Robbi.

What I enjoyed most about Laddertop is the world building. There's a healthy plot of mystery and science fiction surrounding the The Givers, aliens who gave humans technology to go into space and progress in many things. Robbi seems to be at the heart of this when she's passes a scan that all students must do (this was installed by The Givers and no one really knows what it's scanning) in order to go up to Laddertop. Robbi's scan results are unusual and this furthers the idea that something else is going on.

Rating: C
I would recommend this if you're interested in a new manga centered around science fiction school life. I feel like I should hold off a little until the next volumes to make a firm decision on this story, since volume one is just the beginning. It didn't start off with a bang, but there is a lot of potential here for a good series. As for the art, I thought it was great and held a lot of detail.

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Review: The Highest Frontier by Joan Slonczewski

Title: The Highest Frontier
Author: Joan Slonczewski
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 443
Genre: Science Fiction
Publication Date: September 13th, 2011
Publisher: Tor Books
Rating: C+

Summary:
From Goodreads: One of the most respected writers of hard SF, it has been more than ten years since Joan Slonczewski's last novel. Now she returns with a spectacular tour de force of the college of the future, in orbit. Jennifer Ramos Kennedy, a girl from a rich and politically influential family (a distant relation descended from the famous Kennedy clan), whose twin brother has died in an accident and left her bereft, is about to enter her freshman year at Frontera College.

Frontera is an exciting school built with media money, and a bit from tribal casinos too, dedicated to educating the best and brightest of this future world. We accompany Jenny as she proceeds through her early days at school, encountering surprises and wonders and some unpleasant problems. The Earth is altered by global warming, and an invasive alien species called ultraphytes threatens the surviving ecosystem. Jenny is being raised for great things, but while she's in school she just wants to do her homework, go on a few dates, and get by. The world that Jenny is living in is one of the most fascinating and creative in contemporary SF, and the problems Jenny faces will involve every reader, young and old.

Why did I read this book? I suppose because when I found out this was a book about a college in space, I just had to read it since that's exactly what I would want to do. Go to college in space. How awesome would that be?

Source: Review copy provided by publisher

My Review
I've come away from The Highest Frontier feeling very dichotomous about the book. Overall, I did enjoy this book very much but I alo had some reservations.

I'll start by saying that there are many awesome things Slonczewski did with this story. It follows Jenny Ramos Kennedy, a college student from a family of politicians and presidents, who loves plants and goes to study at Frontera College. Frontera is located in a spacehab ('space habitat') and is accessible by going up an anthrax lift. There we meet many interesting characters: Dylan, the college president and his partner, Father Clare, the college chaplain. Then there's the eccentric roomate, Mary Dryer, and Jenny's best frend, Anouk. One of the advertised benefits of Frontera is that there are no ultraphytes, alien organisms that have been populating on Earth. However, Frontera isn't as perfect as everyone's made it out to be and slowly, Jenny finds out there are issues going on in the spacehab.

Politics and religion is another large part of the book. Through Jenny we witness the presidental election on Earth, mostly between two parties: the religious Centrists who don't believe in outer space and Unity, the part of Jenny's ancestors. What I really enjoyed is the mix of politics and religion in a futuristic world where often times religion is replaced by science. That's not the case here. There are still many conflicts between church and state despite it being around a century in the future.

But the aspect I liked the most about this book is the science. Slonczewski injects this future world with so much interesting and fun concepts that it really kept me reading out of sheer fascination. Biology is a big part of this world, where ultraphytes are mixing DNA with Earth life and Jenny spends a lot of her time with her Life class professor learning about organisms. Everyone wears a diad on their head where they use their brain to navigate the Toyworld, a virtual place where you can chat with people, watch news and basically do anything you could think of.

The only downside that I found to The Highest Frontier is that we don't pass through too much time (about one semester of college) and the story moves at a slow pace. There wasn't a specific plotline. Instead we follow Jenny through school and through her political life, learning as much as we can about this world. I would have liked to see a bigger climax at the end, but I did feel the conclusion was satisfying enough.

Rating: C+
Like I said earlier, I have mixed feelings. I thought this was one of the most interesting and unique science fiction books I ever read and I really appreciate it for that. There isn't always a lot of action or a clear direction in plot, but it's supplemented by grabbing your attention with a myriad of ideas and concepts that Slonczewski has thought up. I would recommend this book for people looking for more hard science fiction with a great side dish of poltics and religion. However, if you're looking for an easy, fast-paced action book with a clear storyline, then this isn't for you.

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Mega Manga Challenge (10): Peach Girl, vol.2 by Miwa Ueda

Title: Peach Girl 
Author: Miwa Ueda
Demographic: Shojo
Series: Peach Girl #2
Format: Manga
Pages: 184
Genre: School Life, Romance
Publication Date: December 7th, 2004
Publisher: TokyoPop
Rating: C

Summary:
From Goodreads: The dastardly Sae has gone too far! First she sabotaged Momo's blossoming relationship with Toji, now she's trying to embarrass Momo in front of the school at the swim meet. Can anyone help Momo? Well, "Wiley" Kiley seems eager to help, but can Momo trust that he's really looking out for her best interests, and not just trying to get into her pants? And poor Toji-will he ever see through Sae's veil of lies and be able to trust Momo? The Peach Girl soap opera gets is about to get a little meaner in volume 3 of Miwa Ueda's high school drama.

Why did I read this book? For the Mega Manga Challenge!

Source: Bought

My Review
In my review of volume one I said I shouldn't like this manga like I did because of all the annoying high school drama it portrayed. In this volume, I think it annoyed me even more. Momo and her boyfriend Toji are constantly believing what other people (mainly Sae) say about each other and never just talk to each other. I guess that's part of the plot, that Sae is constantly manipulating everyone, but everyone's common sense is sacrificed in return for that drama. It came to the point of being unbelievable. In fact, I think the only one who knows what Sae is doing is Momo, but since everyone else listens to Sae, she looks like the idiot.

Rating: C
This volume had a lot more drama and a lot less of the humor that volume one had. Sae is controlling everything and it's fustrating to see how all the characters can be so influenced by her. I want Momo to just dump Toji and get on with her life if he's going to constantly listen to Sae over her, or I want Momo to just get Sae to back off. I hope these things happen in the next volumes because I don't know if I will continue reading the series if it's all silly drama like this. I would recommend this only if you seriously enjoy high school drama.

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Mega Manga Challenge (8): Peach Girl, vol.1 by Miwa Ueda

Title: Peach Girl
Author: Miwa Ueda
Demographic: Shojo
Series: Peach Girl #1
Format: Manga
Pages: 184
Genre: School Life, Romance
Publication Date: Januaryy 1st, 2000
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: C+

Summary:
From Goodreads: It's not easy being beautiful. The envy, the jealousy, the vicious rumors spread by your best friend. That's life for young Momo. While everyone thinks that Momo is a wild party girl, the reality is that she is shy and honest. Can Momo confess her love to her classmate Toji, or will her best friend Sae steal him away. It's a bittersweet drama of growing up and fitting in that will charm girls everywhere.

Why did I read this book? I found all 8 volumes on sale at my local comic book store so I snatched them up! I always wanted to read this manga.

Source: Bought

My Review
I really think I shouldn't like this manga as much as I did because it containa a lot of things I find very annoying, usually. Firstly, this manga deals with one girl's (Momo) struggle to accept herself when she's not considered traditionally beautiful. That's an okay start, but Momo is really concerned about what boys think, in particular, Toji, her crush. I wanted her to be less obsessed about what he thinks and what her schoolmates think. I also thought Momo let's Sae (her friend turned rival) control and push her around too much to the point where Momo believes everything Sae says and it really creates a lot of drama. Momo's pegged as a slut by her schoolmates because she has skin that easily tans in the sun and so she's darker than most other girls. I liked how Momo stood up for herself, saying that just because she dresses or looks a certain way it doesn't make her a slut.

I hope that in future volumes Momo learns to accept herself, but not only that, for there to be less emphasis on being or looking a certain way in order for boys to like you.

Rating: C+
Overall I was really into the story despite my many misgivings with how some of the characters act. I think the artwork is beautiful and I also thought that Momo is a good heroine to root for. She stands up for herself yet she struggles with what other people think of her a little too much. I would recommend this for people interested in a quirky school life drama, but beware you might be annoyed by some of the obsession with being liked by boys despite who you are.

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