The Nocturnal Reader's Subscription Box: Corporate Overlords

Another month and another awesome box from Vincent and Jessi over at NRB! This month's theme was Corporate Overlords. Initially when I heard this theme, I was literally clueless and had no idea what to expect, which kinda made this month a little bit more exciting. And I was right! It is exciting. It's not really a "genre" (if you can call it that) that I've had much experience with in the past, and yet I'm still obsessing over everything in this box.

Just look at all of the awesome things!! But firstly, let's begin with the books. I must admit, I've never heard of either book before... as I say, I'm predominantly a horror fan so a lot of this kind of stuff would be new to me. However, these books sound great and I'm open to trying new authors and different books - that's what I love about this subscription box! It'll make you pick up books you might otherwise miss. The new release in this month's box was Borne by Jeff Vandermeer, with 1 out of 5 copies signed, but all copies having a signed bookplate - amazing! I love bookplates, my good friend Sadie always puts bookplates in when she sends me books and I love that. So the synopsis for Borne is as follows (if you're interested, I know some people like to go into books blind...I don't!):

In Borne, a young woman named Rachel survives as a scavenger in a ruined city half destroyed by drought and conflict. The city is dangerous, littered with discarded experiments from the Company - a biotech firm now derelict - and punished by the unpredictable predations of a giant bear. Rachel ekes out an existence in the shelter of a run-down sanctuary she shares with her partner, Wick, who deals his own homegrown psychoactive biotech. One day, Rachel finds Borne during a scavenging mission and takes him home. Borne as salvage is little more than a green lump - plant or animal? - but exudes a strange charisma. Borne reminds Rachel of the marine life from the island nation of her birth, now lost to rising seas. There is an attachment she resents: in this world, any weakness can kill you. Yet, against her instincts - and definitely against Wick's wishes - Rachel keeps Borne. She cannot help herself. Borne, learning to speak, learning about the world, is fun to be with, and in a world so broken, that innocence is a precious thing. For Borne makes Rachel see beauty in the desolation around her. She begins to feel a protectiveness she can ill afford. But as Borne grows, he begins to threaten the balance of power in the city and to put the security of her sanctuary with Wick at risk. For the Company, it seems, may not be truly dead, and new enemies are creeping in. What Borne will lay bare to Rachel as he changes is how precarious her existence has been, and how dependent on subterfuge and secrets. In the aftermath, nothing will ever be the same.

That sounds really interesting, doesn't it? I'm digging it. And the book itself is so stunning. The dust jacket is a beauty and even underneath is beautiful too. The previous release in this month's box is Normal by Warren Ellis, synopsis is as follows:

Some people call it "abyss gaze". Gaze into the abyss all day and the abyss will gaze into you. There are two types of people who think professionally about the future: foresight strategists are civil futurists who think about geoengineering and smart cities and ways to evade Our Coming Doom; strategic forecasters are spook futurists who think about geopolitical upheaval and drone warfare and ways to prepare clients for Our Coming Doom. The former are paid by nonprofits and charities, the latter by global security groups and corporate think tanks. For both types, if you're good at it and spend your days and nights doing it, then it's something you can't do for long. Depression sets in. Mental illness festers. And if abyss gaze takes hold, there's only one place to recover: Normal Head, in the wilds of Oregon, within the secure perimeter of an experimental forest. When Adam Dearden, a foresight strategist, arrives at Normal Head, he is desperate to unplug and be immersed in sylvan silence. But then a patient goes missing from a locked bedroom, leaving nothing but a pile of insects in his wake. A staff investigation ensues; surveillance becomes total. As the mystery of the disappeared man unravels in Warren Ellis' Normal, Adam uncovers a conspiracy that calls into question the core principles of how and why we think about the future - and the past, and the now. 

Okay, I am SOLD on both of these books! I feel like I might actually be educating myself when I read these.  So yeah, this looks like two great books this month, can't wait to read and review them!

Now the rest of the items. We got the most awesome pair of NGen socks (Jurassic Park related), an amazing smelling bamboo charcoal soap with coconut oil and palm oil (Paper Street Soap Co. -Fight Club related), a Megadodo Publications "Don't Panic" hand towel (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy related), as well as a custom notepad of the Southern Reach Expedition 12 (Southern Reach trilogy related) - you guys know I love a notepad! Also, check out the velociraptor DNA pin from Jurassic Park...

I gotta say though, my favourite part of this entire box was the Dark Tower print of the Shardik. This art was done by Justin Wisniewski and apparently they have also done the art included in the King box?! Which is gonna be awesome, I bet! I think this is my favourite artwork so far that I've gotten from NRB. This needs to be framed on my wall...

Look at it!!! I have so many heart eyes right now... Speaking of, June's box is gonna the All Hail the King box and I don't think I've ever been more excited for something in my life...not even exaggerating. I'm dying to see this alternate cover for Gwendy's Button Box as well as all the other King goodies these guys have got planned for us.

Eeekkkkkk!!! Not too long to wait now..... I am ready.

Johann

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