Fables – Volume 9: Sons of Empire

Crikey, I can’t believe I’m on volume 9 of Fables already. Sons of Empire pretty much sums up a typical volume in the series really. Basically from a narrative perspective not a lot advances, but because you’re enjoying the ride you don’t really notice.

Let’s take the first four issues that collectively give this volume it’s name ‘Sons of Empire’ as an example. This storyline is almost entirely set in the Homelands and details a council of the leaders of the Empire. Led by the Snow Queen they plan an invasion of Fabletown, and then after a short break, consider the responses that Fabletown would make. It lets the writer and artists free to explore what a war would look like without actually breaking the status quo. Like I said, four issues and nothing actually happens.

That’s not quite true in this case as we are introduced to a couple of new characters on the Empire side (which was needed really). In particular we are introduced to Hansel, chief inquisitor of the Empire and only Fable from Fabletown to defect back to the Empire. We’re shown his history and zeal and his new appointment as ambassador to Fabletown along with his real mission. It was actually quite nice having a more extended period looking at things through the Empire’s perspective.

Punctuating this storyline are short flashes to Fabletown including the now obligatory catchup on how the wolf cubs are progressing. Although some may find these distracting, I quite like the light refreshment. Talking of which, in these four issues we are treated to a number of short stories. Entirely throwaway and pointless they remind you that there are other Fables out there other than the standard main characters.

We then have a single issue dealing with a very important Fable – Father Christmas! Clearly a Christmas issue, this is nether-the-less a really nice issue which brings what should have been an obvious character into the fold. As a stand alone issue this was pretty well done.

Almost finally we have a two-part issue entitle ‘Father and Son’. Snow decides it’s time to take the cubs to see their Grandpa in his remote kingdom and she’s insisting that Bigby comes with them. Bigby finally faces his father again which brings a good deal of heat and reveals a little bit more about both characters backgrounds. Again this doesn’t bring deal to the advancement of the overall storyline, but again it adds more flavour and depth to the characters involved.

And finally we come to a rather odd issue. It seems the writers asked the readers what questions they would like answering and then chose a few. Each is answered in no more than two or three pages. Again none of these are very important, but I think this is quite a nice touch for the regular readers.

So to go back to the original point we have not progressed very far in this volume. And yet, we have moved forward enough, however slowly, to keep the interest satisfied. In the meantime I continue to enjoy the ride.

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Inside Out

I was given this Young Adult duology for Christmas. Having read Ms. Snyder’s books before you’d think I’d know what to expect, although I have had vastly different experiences with her previous works. If this book was like her Study series then I was in for something good. However if it was anything like her Glass series…. Well the less said about that the better.

Actually Inside Out is rather good. It takes place in a rather small world; four levels each split into numerous sectors. The lower two levels are overpopulated and house all the menial jobs and lower-class citizen, where as the upper two levels house the more ‘civilised’ population. The uppers and lowers don’t mix apart from the population control police (Pop Cops). This group of people ensure the lowers toe the line.

Trella is a scrub, one of the lowers who clean all of the pipes. She’s a bit of a loner, who sets herself apart from the humdrum of lower life. However her only friend Cogon (a popular type) often gets drawn in by prophets (outcast uppers who spread propaganda) and this time he’s dragging Trella in. This prophet claims to know the location of a gateway to ‘outside’ which are saved on disks in a secret compartment in the upper levels. Trella’s reputation for Queen of the Pipes has made her an ideal candidate to retrieve these disks. 

Partly as a favour to her friend and partly for the thrill of going somewhere she’s not meant to Trella reluctantly agrees. Little does she know just how much trouble she’s getting herself into. The more trouble she gets into the more she discovers about the delicate status quo that governs their world; a delicate status quo that the uppers wish to maintain at all costs. 

Trella, someone who is unaccustomed to friendship, suddenly finds that she has to rely on a variety of people, both uppers and lowers, in order to hunt for the only thing that might save her; the location of the gateway to ‘Outside’. However her discoveries may not only bring mystical answers, but also the downfall of the world as she knows it.

The eventual discovery of what ‘Outside’ is is of course a focal point driving this book. I’m sure sharper readers may ‘guess’ before the end of the book. I didn’t (I’ve never been that sharp though!) and I found the eventual reveal to be somewhat satisfactory. The nature of ‘Outside’ suddenly forces you to re-examine the whole society ‘Inside’ in a very pleasing way.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the way Ms. Snyder exposes the reader to some much deeper issues. Class, propaganda, rudimentary religion and a very Orwellian society is all touched upon in varying degrees. I accept these ideas all have been tackled with a light touch, however I think that is to be applauded in a Young Adult setting.

My only reservation is that I wish this was a stand-alone book. Science Fiction novels by old greats such as Asimov and Dick were often stand-alone. A story painted a very particular picture. A world is created to tell a cautionary tale or to learn new morals. That world is then put down for a new tale and a new world. I feel that Inside Out would benefit from that philosophy. As a reader of course I want more. I understand therefore that the market dictates a sequel. It’s just a shame that nowadays nobody is brave enough to leave people wanting more. 

That being said I look forward to the sequel. There is certainly more legs in this story and more ideas to explore. I hope it is as good as this novel.

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