A Book Worth Sinking Your Teeth Into

Michelle's Microhistories

A look at the strange, surprising, and wonderfully specific corners of history.

---

Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy

As another kid who had been emotionally scarred by Old Yeller and Cujo, to the point that I have to check DoestheDogDie.com before I will go see a scary movie, I was surprised by how little I actually knew about rabies. I assumed that if you got bit, you had a very small window before you too were running about biting people and foaming at the mouth. After reading Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy's Rabid, I was left thinking back on every dog and animal that had nipped me in the past six years, which luckily was a small number. (Who knew rabies could just hang out in your body for that long?) Luckily, one of the symptoms is hydrophobia, or the fear of water, so all it took was chugging a large glass of water to assure myself that I wasn't actively dying of rabies. This book was a great insight into not just the history of the virus going back to ancient Roman times and how they tried and failed to find a cure, but more current medical treatment where you can survive with a couple rounds of shots. There also is a view on how rabies has impacted our literature and pop culture. While it doesn't go into as much detail as I would like, it gives a great window into looking at how vampires, werewolves, and zombies have become the most commonly known monsters throughout different cultures and how rabies has played a part in that history. When it comes to man vs. Nature, it seems that everyone has a story about what happens when man's best friend turns into his worst enemy.

Fair warning: if you haven't read too much into the work of Louis Pasteur, this book does spend a chunk of time talking about his experiments while working on a vaccine for rabies, and I don't recommend reading it over dinner or while sitting with your four-legged friend.

Louis Pasteur developed the first successful rabies vaccine in the 1880s. He was a minority of scientists at the time who believed in the concept of disease arising from microorganisms.

Saint Hubert was long seen as the healer of "rage," the medieval understanding of the rabies virus, transmitted from dogs, wolves, and foxes.

Lyssa, the Greek minor goddess of frenzy and madness, embodies ancient fears surrounding uncontrollable violence and disease.

The Blacktongue Thief

Familiar fantastical enemies and unfamiliar dangers force thief and knight together on an epic journey filled with bloody goblin wars, deer-sized battle ravens, and assassins who kill with deadly tattoos.

Christopher Buehlman's The Blacktongue Thief is a gripping and immersive dark fantasy novel that stands its own alongside other masterworks like The Lord of the Rings and The Name of the Wind. Readers are taken on a wild journey through a dark and dangerous world replete with a unique magic system, monsters, and morally ambiguous, yet relatable characters.

"Luck is very real, and anyone who tells you differently wants all the credit for his own success. Luck is a river. I can actually feel when I'm in it and when I'm out of it too."

Set in a realm teetering on the edge of chaos post violent goblin war, we are introduced to Kinch Na Shannack, a cunning and quick-witted rogue with a secret weapon - the ability to speak the language of the Blacktongue, a mysterious and forbidden form of magic.

The story kicks off when Kinch is hired by the enigmatic lady knight, Galva, to accompany her on a treacherous quest to to recover a powerful magical artifact. This quest sets in motion a series of events that will challenge Kinch's skills, loyalties, and the very nature of the world he inhabits. As they venture deeper into a world fraught with danger and intrigue, readers will find themselves immersed in a richly detailed and intricately crafted fantasy universe truly unlike any other.

Buehlman's world-building skills shine through as he paints a vivid and gritty picture of a land in turmoil, where multiple factions vie for power, and the line between hero and villain is often blurred. The setting is reminiscent of classic sword and sorcery tales, but with a fresh and darkly imaginative twist. Buehlman's prose is both evocative and accessibly humorous, making it easy for readers to lose themselves in the story's rich tapestry.

"I was so scared, I half wanted to piss myself, but the difference between the strong and the weak isn't that the strong don't piss themselves. It's that they hitch their pissy pants up after and go through with it."

Characters in "The Blacktongue Thief" steal the spotlight. Kinch, with his razor-sharp tongue and snarky humor, is a charming rogue you'll root for despite his shady dealings. Galva adds intrigue with her enigmatic motives, and their evolving dynamic keeps you hooked. The supporting cast is equally as well-crafted and memorable. Personally, I felt that Blacktongue particularly hosts some of the most captivating female characters I've ever come across in a book.

While, for me, this book is easily a 10/10 and now sits among my favorite fantasy novels of all time, I have also found that, to some, its plot pacing can feel a bit jilted and its grim humor and backdrop isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Altogether though, The Blacktongue Thief is an incredible dark fantasy read that offers a gripping and immersive reading experience. Buehlman's blend of detailed world-building, humor, and intensive character study also give readers a fresh and gritty twist on the fantasy genre that is equally genius and balanced. If you were like me and worried there was no good fantasy to be found in this modern era, pick up a copy of Blacktongue Thief as soon as possible.