tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256376262024-02-07T00:03:34.413-05:00The AlternativeAn online outlet for the occasional book review, opinions concerning literature, and thoughts regarding alternative music, Science Fiction, poetry, fiction, graphic novels, fantasy, movies, T.V., the random new gadget, and pop culture.
Clean and well-lit!The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.comBlogger226125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-72747178117333214422015-06-14T20:08:00.002-04:002015-06-14T20:33:02.147-04:0026 Books of Note (More Flash Reviews)<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong><u><span style="font-size: small;">Science Fiction and Fantasy</span></u></strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong><u><br /></u></strong></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>1. The Familiar, Vol. 1, One Rainy Day in May </strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
</strong><strong>Mark Z. Danielewski</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/15486276/119158081"><img alt="The Familiar, Volume 1: One Rainy Day in May…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0375714944.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Perhaps Danielewski’s most accessible work to date. Nine lives destined to
intertwine… But at what cost?</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>2. The Name of the Wind </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
(Kingkiller Day 1) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Patrick
Rothfuss</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/2410323/114699346"><img alt="The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0756404746.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Best pure fantasy series I’ve read in a very long time. Harry Potter for
adults.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>3. The Wise Man’s Fear </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
(Kingkiller Day 2) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Patrick
Rothfuss</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/3731400/114699384"><img alt="The Wise Man's Fear: The Kingkiller…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0756407915.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>4. The Slow Regard of Silent Things </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
(Kingkiller Novella) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Patrick Rothfuss</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/14934514/114699391"><img alt="The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0756410436.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>5. The Long Earth (Long Earth 1) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Terry
Pratchett and Stephen Baxter</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12038662/118973172"><img alt="The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0062068687.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Good story, fast paced read, unique premise. Millions of Earths ready to be
explored.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>6. The Water
Knife </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Paolo
Bacigalupi</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/13551833/118762736"><strong><img alt="The Water Knife: A novel by Paolo Bacigalupi" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0385352875.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Water shortage wars between the states of Nevada, California, and Arizona.
Believable, frightening, and perhaps, prophetic. </div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>7.
Seveneves </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Neal Stephenson</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/15387480/118663952"><strong><img alt="Seveneves: A Novel by Neal Stephenson" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0062190377.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
6 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
The best hard science fiction I’ve read in 20 years. And yes, that’s a
<u>six</u> start rating! What happens when the moon is fragmented into seven
pieces by a wormhole?</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>8. Flowers for Algernon </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Daniel Keyes</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/2516333/118602184"><strong><img alt="Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/015603008X.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
A classic worth the time to re-read. What is intelligence?</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>9. The Dead
Lands </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Benjamin
Percy</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/15436853/117777596"><strong><img alt="The Dead Lands: A Novel by Benjamin Percy" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/1455528242.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
4 1/2 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Lewis and Clark in post-apocalyptic America.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>10. The Pilgrims (Pendulum 1) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Will Elliott</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/9753227/117040531"><strong><img alt="The Pilgrims: A Novel (The Pendulum Trilogy)…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0765381060.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
4 1/2 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
A strange door into a fantasy world filled with intrigue and war.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>11.
Lexicon </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Max Berry</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/13423011/115760000"><strong><img alt="Lexicon: A Novel by Max Barry" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0143125427.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Sticks and stones may break your bones… but words can annihilate you!</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>12. Station
Eleven </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Emily St.
John Mandel</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/14831287/115407458"><strong><img alt="Station Eleven: A novel by Emily St. John…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0385353308.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Excellent post-apocalyptic quest.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>13.
Revival </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Stephen King</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/14743632/118849028"><strong><img alt="Revival: A Novel by Stephen King" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/1476770395.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></strong></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
The fine line between good and evil. Crossed, over and over again...<br />
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<u><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Western and Weird West</strong></span></u></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong><u><br /></u></strong></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>14. The Last Kind Word Saloon </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Larry McMurtry</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/14470162/118849001"><img alt="The Last Kind Words Saloon: A Novel by Larry…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/039335119X.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
4 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday ride again.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>15. The
Revenant </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Michael
Punke</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/825275/118351504"><img alt="The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/125006662X.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Revenge has a long memory… and one fur trapper is on the trail of those who
left him to die.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>16. The Winter Family
</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Clifford Jackman</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/15432999/118103587"><img alt="The Winter Family: A Novel by Clifford…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0385539487.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
A rare western as seen by the perspective of the outlaws.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>17. The
Son </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Philipp Meyer</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/13277440/118028740"><img alt="The Son (Pulitzer Prize in Letters: Fiction…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0062120395.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
6 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
The best “western” I’ve ever read and another of the rare <u>six</u> star
ratings I’ve given. Generations of Texans survive the difficult trials of the
west.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>18. The Big
Sky </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>A.
B. Guthrie Jr.</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/203502/117777562"><img alt="The Big Sky by A. B. Guthrie Jr." src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0618154639.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Excellent historical novel about mountain men who prefer the great expanses
of the west over city life. </div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>19. Dead of
Winter </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Lee
Collins</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12990695/117429992"><img alt="Dead of Winter by Lee Collins" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0857662724.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
4 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Western-paranormal-urban fantasy with a twist…</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>20. One Night in
Sixes </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>(Children of the Drought
1) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Arianne ‘Tex’ Thompson</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/15027607/115759767"><img alt="One Night in Sixes (Children of the Drought)…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/1781082383.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
A dark and intense fantasy western filled with both supernatural and natural
elements. Very good series.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>21. Medicine for the Dead </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
(Children of the Drought 2) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Arianne 'Tex'
Thompson</strong></div>
<h3 style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/15865346/117208312"><img alt="Medicine for the Dead (Children of the…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/178108307X.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></h3>
<h3 style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</h3>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>22. Dead Man’s Hand: An Anthology</strong> </div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>John Joseph Adams
(Editor)</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/14379809/117128544"><img alt="Dead Man's Hand: An Anthology of the Weird…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/1781164509.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Over twenty short, weird western stories by some of the greats, including Joe
Abercrombie, Orson Scott Card, Kelly Armstrong, Elizabeth Bear, Ken Liu, Tobias
Buckell, Tad Williams, and Jonathan Maberry.</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>23. The Good the Bad and the Infernal </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>(Heaven's
Gate 1) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Guy Adams</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/13577791/115407519"><img alt="The Good the Bad and the Infernal (Heaven's…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/1781080895.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
Excellent supernatural western series. </div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>24. Once Upon a Time in Hell </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>(Heaven's Gate
2) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>Guy
Adams</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/14325904/115407502"><img alt="Once Upon a Time in Hell (Heaven's Gate…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/1781081565.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>25. For a Few Souls More </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>(Heaven's
Gate 3) </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>
Guy Adams</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/15472096/115407478"><img alt="For a Few Souls More (Heaven's Gate Trilogy)…" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/178108288X.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong>26. Black Hat
Jack </strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<strong> Joe R.
Lansdale</strong></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/14801224"><img alt="Black Hat Jack by Joe R. Lansdale" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/1596066776.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
5 STARS</div>
<div style="border-image: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="border-image: none;">
The old west as told from the perspective of a black buffalo soldier.</div>
The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-72750176277620080442014-03-18T17:28:00.001-04:002014-03-18T17:28:45.055-04:0021 Books of Note (Flash Reviews)<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"><strong>Or, How I Spent my Cabin Fever Season</strong></font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Please accept my sincere apologies for the lengthy absence of reviews. (Has it really been since October?) I have no good excuse other than "LIFE" and a lot of reading. With that in mind, I've created truncated versions of my normal reviews in the following flash (short, succinct) book review format. Every one of the books listed here is an excellent read and I’ve rated them from 4 ½ stars (very good read) to 6 stars (instant classic) and they’re all worth your time. I promise!</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - The Mad Scientist's Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/12947437/103589368"" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eMrV1apZLEY/Uyi6NflcqtI/AAAAAAAABHA/0qjQAYtWapQ/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-80UuAyQZgIw/Uyi6OKTII1I/AAAAAAAABHI/hayJ2_7eTnI/clip_image002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="149" height="225" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">4 ½ Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">It was only a matter of time: Robot love but with a very human touch. Makes me wonder about the evolution of Artificial Intelligence and the inevitable "Artificial" being that can feel emotions. How Clarke handles the subject of unrequited love makes this a masterful work. </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Cassandra Rose Clarke Official Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://www.cassandraroseclarke.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://www.cassandraroseclarke.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - Asylum by Madeleine Roux</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: " href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RThMY_65NUM/Uyi6Oq3msbI/AAAAAAAABHQ/SLn-Hg-egY0/s1600-h/clip_image003%25255B3%25255D.jpg" 101816461??="101816461??" 13263521="13263521" work="work" www.librarything.com="www.librarything.com" http:="http:"><img title="clip_image003" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image003" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpalT1h0vnhRQ8ysFVzjnvi5fd_RIgBqQmBENeT4kUn5crxv3Mc_CNry3X5PdLD7y-84OV7einCSK-TmoV8bqbieb6hmAPlVP5gUok_SU1iOZqJDVJy1BtZK7t00uQX_lcazD7UQ/?imgmax=800" width="140" height="213" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Mystery</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">4 ½ Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Very little exposition is required to lend that uncanny feeling that something very bad is going to happen in a book entitled Asylum. And indeed, we are not disappointed in this debut Young Adult novel.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Madeleine Roux Official Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://www.madeleine-roux.com/blog/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://www.madeleine-roux.com/blog/</font></font></font></span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - Travels in Elysium by William Azuski</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/13711465"" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sOOZqHoBO3U/Uyi6PojmXrI/AAAAAAAABHc/DEwG9Y4cuGo/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image004" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image004" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Pq9MPuiyAj8/Uyi6QL9DPQI/AAAAAAAABHk/QrC1iX2dDII/clip_image004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="140" height="216" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Literature/Murder Mystery</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 12pt">4 ½ Stars</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 12pt">     </font></span></font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Suspense, archaeology, and a well written mystery and the search for Plato’s lost city of Atlantis. Sprawling scenery, secretive characters, and an archaeological dig on the brink of being closed down by the Greek government make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Travels in Elysium</i> a compelling read.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 12pt">                   </font></span></font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - The Secret History by Donna Tartt</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/7221/106968843"" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-crfYI02ucqw/Uyi6QlmaYuI/AAAAAAAABHw/N_VEac46jVI/s1600-h/clip_image005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image005" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image005" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BHbNnkmFMk0/Uyi6RXSf2oI/AAAAAAAABH4/msYBbKmW6Pw/clip_image005_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="140" height="216" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Fiction/Murder Mystery</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">   </font></font></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Classical Greek literature and language students in the pursuit of true Bacchanalia commit a murder, then another. But why? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Secret History</i> is a suspense novel that reads like poetry yet contains all the best elements of a Greek tragedy. </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Donna Tartt Shrine </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://www.languageisavirus.com/donna_tartt/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://www.languageisavirus.com/donna_tartt/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - Crusoe (Daniel Defoe, Robert Knox and the Creation of a Myth) by Katherine Frank</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/12241033/106684934"" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RNmdRNWRY34/Uyi6R3a2VlI/AAAAAAAABIA/h0xo00cYh0c/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image006" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image006" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dydyVfVl00o/Uyi6STYDTOI/AAAAAAAABII/rKCPuUKO4I8/clip_image006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="140" height="219" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Biography</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Crusoe is beautiful mix of biography, detective story, and the history of the first recorded men to be stranded on tropical islands. One of the very best biographies I’ve ever read it follows the lives of Daniel Defoe, Crusoe’s author, and Robert Knox, a real sailor stranded for 19 years on the tropical island of Ceylon.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - Zoo City by Lauren Beukes</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/9811756/76581726"" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FZY3BJDZ8mQ/Uyi6S3xjLlI/AAAAAAAABIM/NHf9pnOErEw/s1600-h/clip_image008%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image008" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image008" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijESxs1L_-6RLuTtXKxaFWQYcpwDxvR39qiDMlfa6vcVKboCb0gWVIXFMToYTy0Xi1HBqDnSYtgGWT-7WS1R6B4_W_6Xef1ZV6-Q2Z2NYH14-K5-XHZdQHTKZ2txwFFFoW-mUy8w/?imgmax=800" width="151" height="242" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Urban Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Criminals acquire animal familiars (it happens right after the crime is committed) and most acquire a unique “gift”, as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Zinzi can track items but can she track a missing person? Does she even want to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>From the slums to high society she must find the girl or live in debt the rest of her life.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Lauren Beukes Official Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://laurenbeukes.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://laurenbeukes.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - Three by Jay Posey</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/13667572/103979951"" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tCpVHnxcq7VxA_j1yQWHaJoSX8mzUDlR4wDLQgSmHYjoLuvCBFUqUxiRLuSSEYu5UPC-4VmcRXG1TC33CzllpskGTwwXOIOfD70Z0hHXAD80lItq0PCy7z6gyGy0wp4N_HSzZQ/s1600-h/clip_image010%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image010" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1gUPoUlstn2qMVVhvs6nXjI1dS_Gbivon92SIk6Ndo1WOS-aEqd4ggevUxTOD1ycewI4N96d0cRuZM8eI617MOvhdfNxIpBekiqjaeQZTZXyMEGxZDKcds-lVQ1doi659jiYpcA/?imgmax=800" width="159" height="240" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Book 1 of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Legends of the Duskwalker</i> is a wild romp through a broken world full of genetically diseased monsters, cannibals, and enhanced human beings. Can Three, bounty hunter extraordinaire, return a very “special” child back to his home? </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Jay Posey Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://jayposey.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://jayposey.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - Year Zero by Rob Reid</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/12390638/87736047"" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4xxcZHs2ig2konLVSc5YX2ptEVsC5sGc6LUcHbeE28XlRZQOV9VbroWI_vjjvLSKupY5nBZjDBaa-tZo7Ani8mYiq7p5icAFQcDKbI2mdPY_zXSoQt_eptII4ysGCY9GpPlHqw/s1600-h/clip_image012%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image012" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image012" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSfVBWUc1SP1SFioi4tp2Nw_h2M-XqC0WDAJFjV-RkW5RfK1OeL39PySDExWfWtN9jMPj5w7HHCk-_1W_TE49ywD2ygmzhS8xeZlU_8uoTweU04XTBRKSgAE8A10auHJ40eZ1Jg/?imgmax=800" width="163" height="246" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Science Fiction/Comedy</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Do Earth’s copyright violations count in outer space? The visiting extraterrestrials think so and the illegal downloading (since 1977) of every pop song ever by everyone in the entire universe is bound to bankrupt even the most remote galactic bank and ice farmer in the universe. Perhaps copyright lawyer Nick Carter (the other Nick Carter) can figure a way out before the aliens decide it’s just easier to destroy the earth.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Rob Reid Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://readrobreid.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://readrobreid.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/13695606/99280567"" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rxmq5LjdYcc/Uyi6WDKUIQI/AAAAAAAABJA/fGO9mq0p5Ek/s1600-h/clip_image014%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image014" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image014" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hNPJyt1iN7U/Uyi6Wglau4I/AAAAAAAABJI/0hwCxmvyYI8/clip_image014_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="158" height="234" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Cyber Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">In the future, the meaning of love and the finality of death are more complicated than ever. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When Rob accidently runs over a jogger and kills her he sacrifices everything he owns to visit her to ask for her forgiveness. What happens next is a romance at Minus Eighty.</font></font> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break" /> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break" /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Will McIntosh Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://willmcintosh.net/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://willmcintosh.net/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - The Fifty Year Sword by Mark Z. Danielewski</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/251012/92884704"" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LUOWXd0Lao4/Uyi6XEggxmI/AAAAAAAABJQ/bt9Cas37JH0/s1600-h/clip_image015%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image015" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image015" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-xdG6kwFhB9-5AyD4S6XZx6aoAmbFLq0ZNeVW782BP3dvXDk0QS9h8ZY7ooxq7CaH9VSfaqWEpj0t9tLKBooMiwRsrj1CSuJaKAC15N_7sTaKhu91xBxDQMJksdqmJY4CEmuWA/?imgmax=800" width="126" height="224" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Fantasy</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Yet, again remarkable wordsmith Mark Z. Danielewski creates something total unexpected and unique in the literary world. His <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">House of Leaves</i> is a marginalia lover’s dream-quest; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Only Revolutions</i> is a book that can only be read by flipping it over from time to time; and now comes the unique invention named <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Fifty Year Sword. </i>What do<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> </i>five orphans, a seamstress, poetry, textile/fabric art, an uninvited storyteller, and a black box have in common?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Don’t answer that question….</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Mark Z. Danielewski Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://markzdanielewski.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://markzdanielewski.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review - The Return by Michael Gruber</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/13872443/99919191"" href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UFJcPISMggQ/Uyi6YL8gmMI/AAAAAAAABJg/4PfnRzcW5aM/s1600-h/clip_image016%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image016" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image016" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KnR1xW7d8ms/Uyi6YXIksOI/AAAAAAAABJo/wUpqHzMVPRA/clip_image016_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="140" height="213" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Adventure</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Despite a very unattractive cover <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Return</i> is pure adrenaline, high suspense, and is full of unexpected twists, turns, and scenes of violence and action. This one had me by the throat from page one and never let go (even though I was losing consciousness). Endorsed by Stephen King this was action packed and thrilling cover to cover.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Michael Gruber Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://michaelgruberbooks.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://michaelgruberbooks.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – Nox by Anne Carson</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/9655388/96166101"" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jVnNzqf31lw/Uyi6Y5vIlyI/AAAAAAAABJw/3kavj2rgVHE/s1600-h/clip_image018%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image018" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwataptxKj2t9iqLmYDKEgUWdCo-GmWeH3_BSAjM7CXR4KLvXhft5ztaelPGGBEU34WRgJnrciHxTuTz1Tmqp6e_PbCl1tzcQJP7JC7YetosHtN9X4jzsT6wnnU8qNPbJ7hegtg/?imgmax=800" width="154" height="216" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Poetry</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><font face="Cambria"><font color="#000000"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Nox</font></span></i><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt"> is a peculiar work of art in both form and content. Created as an homage to the author’s brother it is a tribute to a family member lost much too early. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Nox</i> is a facsimile of a handmade, accordion-style journal Carson created after the death of her brother. More than poetry, it is a physical artifact of love and one of the most poignant reading experiences I’ve ever encountered. Collage, letters, photographs, and poetry create a unique glimpse into the life, and death of someone truly loved.</font></span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – Glass, Irony and God by Anne Carson</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/194966/107317624"" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-n3LcK0Nnljs/Uyi6Z6sqV7I/AAAAAAAABKA/MVikUwsFEUA/s1600-h/clip_image019%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image019" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image019" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibigoPsMiyd05n6lJ6hbxH59ZI5_Kf3qeCCS4vvTyaeLTfen978a7SwUr_vJqonwPhps_zckBYqAiVsHqif9_D1pNrCyycbdKKKUIHRYs-inp9ink4cy7VEEMxNOM7-DfCJbnYKA/?imgmax=800" width="140" height="217" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Poetry</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">5 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Throughout the reading of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Glass Essay</i>, the first narrative poem in this book I couldn’t help but think what a truly gifted poet Carson is. Even more compelling is the fact that the entire narrative centers on lost love and the complex emotions felt in the midst of that experience. Every word in this much too short work is impactful and moving and I felt every word of it. I now have a new favorite poet!</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/13520191/105787255"" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9O83ZLyKV8Y/Uyi6a42vWhI/AAAAAAAABKM/7jVG7Zcphmg/s1600-h/clip_image021%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image021" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image021" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qov7i_0LU6U/Uyi6bbDjr_I/AAAAAAAABKU/5f6aGJsbwlU/clip_image021_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="156" height="240" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Literature/Adventure</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><font face="Cambria"><font color="#000000"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt">The Goldfinch</font></span></i><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt"> is one of the finest and most engaging stories I’ve read in the past ten years. Full of adventure and emotion <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Goldfinch</i> is a coming of age story like no other. Loss, drug and alcohol addiction, ambiguous morality, and urgency drive this story into unexpected places. Donna Tartt’s voice is both unique and poetic and has been added to my “Author’s you must buy” list. What might a lost masterpiece broker on the black market? And how many hands will it touch before someone dies? </font></span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Donna Tartt Shrine </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://www.languageisavirus.com/donna_tartt/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://www.languageisavirus.com/donna_tartt/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – The Monster Hunters (Omnibus) by Larry Correia</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/12590548/86841480"" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pF9opeGhXaw/Uyi6b7FsFRI/AAAAAAAABKg/gYCjEW_Hgg8/s1600-h/clip_image023%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image023" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image023" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y-7CvmPpdZ8/Uyi6cUve0xI/AAAAAAAABKo/Oe9oR3pGVFk/clip_image023_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="176" height="266" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Science Fiction/Monster Hunting</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Got an infestation of monsters, vampires, goblins, shape shifters, shades, succubus, or werewolves? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No worries, Monster Incorporated’s professionally trained monster exterminators will take care of those unwanted beasties. With the bounty on monsters hundreds of times that of bail skippers who wouldn’t strap on an RGP and head out to the nearest vampire nest? But not monsters are created equal and Owen Pitt is soon to find out that Heroes aren’t either!</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Larry Correia Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://monsterhunternation.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://monsterhunternation.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – The Dog Stars by Peter Heller</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/12421107/103979908"" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-chCIWnMwX5I/Uyi6cyWKqqI/AAAAAAAABKw/6OETULeS3mo/s1600-h/clip_image025%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image025" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image025" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpct4B5xtF2hZrgvKNSa0uvaNg1-isfQEk3cA2cDh5CPNqD2Bhfd4qkOhlm4-MnjIXtyhwFpG7KG_LcUFGgkzghGnUc1S7xFKQaEBs-xLBCyNfwN2rW5dgWyjhfmJfEX5xsl7_eg/?imgmax=800" width="176" height="271" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Surviving a pandemic is one thing but holding off the looters, cannibals, and crazies is another. When Hig hears a random transmission on the radio of his Cessna he takes it upon himself to see if paradise is really out there. What he finds is much more than he bargained for and better than he could have ever hoped. But in a world gone mad sacrifices must be made…</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Peter Heller Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://www.peterheller.net/the-dog-stars/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://www.peterheller.net/the-dog-stars/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><font face="Cambria"><font color="#000000"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Flash Book Review –</font></span></b><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt">The World of the End by Ofir Touche Gafla</font></span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/13713286/100146661"" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u22oBoYqdhs/Uyi6d6oH9cI/AAAAAAAABK8/OaGtgQDo_po/s1600-h/clip_image027%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image027" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image027" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlA_x1ECn6MopRkbiNoVD4xwUPieYagLKRflCBil4u_CeKNUFTFG9uzFQbK0xfJTAE8FL7rCKoGu4U6rt945wYSn8ZdIEvDrOSOjliu-aC3xBfO3L4RYZAUxrCtPnCqNQmbBXLQ/?imgmax=800" width="167" height="251" /></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Science Fiction/Fantasy</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Every once in a while a book comes around that just floors me. (i.e. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Dhalgren, More Than Human, Gateway, Perdido Street Station, Cloud Atlas</i>) and I know that it'll be one of those books I will read over and over again. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The World of he End</i> is just such a book. It's a strange story of love, death, death again, life after death, cheating death, staying dead, and our perceptions of others. Did I mention death? </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – The Wasteland Saga (Omnibus) by Nick Cole</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/14179191/103892391"" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zyMXsQ86tXY/Uyi6fLsVBCI/AAAAAAAABLQ/sAR3ueelWmw/s1600-h/clip_image029%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image029" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image029" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Qz95XBGehlo/Uyi6fjVNzdI/AAAAAAAABLY/4Q0SmaZeFho/clip_image029_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="167" height="254" /></a><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-themecolor: text1"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-themecolor: text1"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-themecolor: text1"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-themecolor: text1"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-themecolor: text1"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">For readers who thought Cormac McCarthy’s <i>The Road</i> was the last word on the post-apocalyptic world – you’d be wrong. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">The Old Man and the Wasteland</i>, the first story in the collection, is poignant, poetic, beautifully written, and full of emotion. It is hands-down the very best Post-Apocalyptic story I’ve ever read (and trust me, I’ve read them all.) The gloom, depression, and emotional heartbreak of losing everything are found embedded in every poetic line written here. Nick Cole, in my opinion, has created a modern masterpiece. Everyone should be reading him…</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-themecolor: text1"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official Nick Cole Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://nickcolebooks.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://nickcolebooks.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-themecolor: text1"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; color: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-themecolor: text1"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/49011/86244607"" href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-M0MLNz_h6vo/Uyi6gBnlNII/AAAAAAAABLg/2ZkLcIil8Ow/s1600-h/clip_image031%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image031" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image031" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-srii2Tz7Z8o/Uyi6gbIOreI/AAAAAAAABLo/s5MQ5Od8LxE/clip_image031_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="161" height="250" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><font face="Cambria"><font color="#000000"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Roadside Picnic</font></span></i><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font style="font-size: 12pt">, while written in 1971, feels like it somehow belongs to the Golden Age AND the Modern Age of Science Fiction. Based on the after effects of an alien visitation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Roadside Picnic</i> feels like it could have been written in the 1930’s. However, the language and the way the strange occurrences are handled are definitely modern. This is some of the wittiest, humorous, and downright scariest Science Fiction to come around in a long time. (Psssst, it’s scary as hell because it reads real…)</font></span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/3654/87736014"" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Y-UJfQUw8nNTIJijeU-rVPVa9ob6K8x5pVQmdrNde_UO2G1NPCr9xDUyjbwTtYaeKX5lwgZ7TZ9Gc6ceWR3l6ImynMlH43LwBDPhdRLkgCw62rmCDEuoZZSujgJrHh7uECQl8w/s1600-h/clip_image033%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image033" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image033" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uh9AfIExr08/Uyi6hUucBXI/AAAAAAAABL4/5-DUP9ZuIIo/clip_image033_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="162" height="254" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Science Fiction</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">If you’re read this blog for any length of time you’d notice that I enjoy and review a lot of Science Fiction, history, adventure, poetry, and fantasy. Imagine my surprise when I found all of them scattered throughout one book. Besides hitting on all my favorite subjects <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Cloud Atlas</i> does even more. It is a Gordian knot of a puzzle that bends traditional Science Fiction/Literature and makes us wonder if we are bound by fate to certain individuals regardless of time, gender, or position. Creative, inventive, and poetic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Cloud Atlas</i> has moved into my top ten greatest books.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font color="#000000" face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Official David Mitchell Website </font></font></span><a style="href: "http://www.thousandautumns.com/""><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#007ca5"><font style="text-decoration: none">http://www.thousandautumns.com/</font></font></font></span></a><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Flash Book Review – Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson</font></font></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><a style="href: "http://www.librarything.com/work/81789/95228872"" href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FQdQ-hCx5iw/Uyi6h01oTHI/AAAAAAAABL8/fly3F7BbBLs/s1600-h/clip_image035%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image035" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" hspace="12" alt="clip_image035" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-a7yxUABokjw/Uyi6iQGGC6I/AAAAAAAABMI/1Y6c2pc7gxU/clip_image035_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="176" height="269" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">Poetry</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000">6 Stars</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: normal"><span style="font-family: ; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin"><font face="Cambria"><font style="font-size: 12pt" color="#000000"> </font></font></span></p> <font face="Cambria"><font color="#000000"><i style="line-height: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"><font style="font-size: 12pt">Autobiography of Red</font></span></i><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"><font style="font-size: 12pt"> is the very best in narrative prose and retells the story of Geryon and Herakles told in modern vernacular. What a wonderfully full voice Anne Carson possesses. She manages to fill a classical story with poetry, prose, narration, fable, emotion, love, desire, loss, and every one of the myriad of human emotions into a single touching account. This is one story that will stick with you forever… </font></span></font></font> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-1920484838839431512013-10-29T22:07:00.001-04:002013-10-29T22:07:10.271-04:00Book Review - Fiend by Peter Stenson<p>Fiend <br />Peter Stenson <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: Crown <br />Publication Date: July 9th, 2013 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0770436315 <br />304 pages</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XVMaMihU-YE/UnBpxX_peRI/AAAAAAAABGk/CE6B-XXDHoE/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-l-J9P5xIIfY/UnBpzFuKPsI/AAAAAAAABGs/KTH5jJxWBxE/clip_image002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="170" height="244" /></a><b></b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><i>     Fiend</i> by Peter Stenson is a zombie story I think you just might become addicted to. It’s a fast-paced, Zombie Apocalypse, crystal meth, quest-driven, drug-tweaking story of survival. You know the usual… </p> <p>     Narrated by a pair of meth addicts who’ve discovered survival means scoring crystal meth, <i>Fiend</i> adds an interesting drug-addiction twist to the genre. The apocalypse is in full swing, hungry, giggling zombies roam the planet in search of human flesh, and oh, by the way, the only survivors are meth addicts. When the world goes to hell in a hand-basket how does a meth addict get his next fix? For Chase Daniels and his friend Typewriter a quest to locate meth or find a “non-zombified” cook becomes survival. Scoring crystal meth, evading zombies, and living and dying in the mad streets of the apocalypse is a challenge but what happens when the drugs run out?</p> <p>     Aptly titled, <i>Fiend </i>could refer to almost every element of this story. The zombies are fiends. Or, the meth addicts (metaphorical zombies) are fiends. Survival in a violent world is a fiend. The pace of the story is a fiend. No matter how you read it though <i>Fiend</i> is a horror story, an apocalypse story, and perhaps a cautionary drug addiction tale as well. Raw and vulgar Fiend is another great addition to my zombie book/graphic novel/comic collection (which grows daily), as should yours. </p> <p>     File with: Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, zombies, horror, apocalypse, meth addiction, and survival.</p> <p>4 stars out of 5</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://petercstenson.com/" target="_blank">Official Peter Stenson Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fiend-A-Novel-Peter-Stenson/dp/0770436315" target="_blank">Fiend Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://blogs.westword.com/showandtell/2013/07/methheads_vs_the_undead_in_pet.php" target="_blank">Peter Stenson Fiend Interview</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mQfcE-Hemw" target="_blank">Fiend YouTube Video/Interview</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-39900925677791236412013-09-03T18:55:00.001-04:002013-09-03T18:55:04.194-04:00Book Reviews - The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite and The Umbrella Academy: Dallas by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba<p>The Umbrella Academy <br />Story by Gerard Way <br />Art by Gabriel Ba <br />Volume 01 Apocalypse Suite <br />Cover Art by James Jean <br />Trade Paperback <br />192 pages <br />Publisher: Dark Horse; 1st edition <br />Publication Date: June 24, 2008 <br />ISBN-13: 978-1593079789</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Apocalypse_Suite_TPB.jpg"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tag5qGosRg0/UiZowIgxvRI/AAAAAAAABF8/BegXB9jzRAI/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="169" height="264" /></a></p> <p><i>     The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite</i> by Gerard Way (lead vocalist of My Chemical Romance) is a weirdly beautiful concept and story. A group of seven gifted orphans have been collected after their birth by Sir Reginald Hargreeves, a.k.a. “The Monocle” to save the world from evil threats. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before…</p> <p>     Spaceboy has enhanced physical strength and a human head grafted onto the body of a Martian gorilla; The Kraken, a Batman-like superhero can hold his breath indefinitely and is an expert knife thrower; The Rumor can alter reality by lying; The Séance can levitate, talk to the dead, and use telekinesis but only when barefoot; Number Five (The Boy), is considered to be “The perfect assassin” since he has the DNA of the best killers in history, he can time travel too; The Horror, possesses monsters from another dimension under his skin and is dead; and The White Violin who shows no visible powers but is believed to be the most powerful of all the members of the Umbrella Academy, she’s capable of releasing destructive waves of energy when she plays her violin.</p> <p>     Together the seven adopted siblings of the Umbrella Academy defend Paris against the Zombie Robot attack of Gustave Eiffel, save the world from “The Conductor” of “The Orchestra Verdammten”, defeat Dr. Terminal’s Terminauts, stop the final apocalypse, and fight (like siblings do) each other. Like I said, weirdly beautiful…</p> <p>     One note about the characters and their abilities; creatively speaking the names and abilities of most of the superheroes in the Umbrella Academy are mostly unique. We’ve all seen super strong and time travelling superheroes in the comics before, but this cast of characters is so flawed in so many ways that they go around the bend from weird and slingshot back to normal again. Gerard Way has an active and seriously warped and wonderful imagination and I hope he continues to create graphic novel stories for a long time to come. </p> <p>5 out of 5 stars</p> The Umbrella Academy: Dallas <br />Story by Gerard Way <br />Art by Gabriel Ba <br />Volume 02 Dallas <br />Cover Art by Tony Ong <br />Trade Paperback <br />192 pages <br />Publisher: Dark Horse Comics; First Edition <br />Publication Date: September 16, 2009 <br />ISBN-13: 978-1595823458 <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TUA_-_Dallas2.jpg"><img title="clip_image004" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image004" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22F8b82w8cTtMe5DLErxes1wf7DVCOOI7yqwGuiTwnFNJ78GVUVhjBNqareJpjyew73QvetdRO_VjFia4e_95gyWPqcswVwemwpbtS-4iB511XX40LjbpURdQYCA9LihesVBbSA/?imgmax=800" width="184" height="286" /></a></p> <p>     The <i>Umbrella Academy: Dallas</i> is a follow-up to Apocalypse Suite and is every bit as good as the introductory story. The compelling evil-doers in Dallas are Hazel and Cha-Cha two psychotic, time-travelling serial killers in oversized cartoon masks who capture The Séance and kill him in an attempt to convince Number Five to return to 1963 to finish The Kennedy Assassination. The young and old Number Five (paradox be damned) meet in the Dallas Book Depository where everything ends (although convoluted) as it should.</p> <p>     Plot devices include Viet Cong Vampires, a time machine disguised as an ambulance, death and resurrection, a quick thinking waitress, dismemberment, and God as the Marlboro Man. Oh, and the world ends in nuclear detonation… But that’s another story. </p> <p>   As I mentioned, the Umbrella Academy is a strange and beautiful graphic novel so entertaining you’ll beg for more. </p> <p>5 out of 5 stars</p> <p>     File with: Graphic novels, unique powers and characters, My Chemical Romance, Grant Morrison, <i>Doom Patrol</i>, Pat McEwon, <i>Zombieworld: Champion of the Worm</i>, Edvin Biukovic, <i>Grendel Tales</i>, superheroes, aliens, science fiction, the apocalypse, time travel, and comics.</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Umbrella_Academy" target="_blank">The Umbrella Academy Wiki Site</a></p> <p> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Umbrella_Academy:_Apocalypse_Suite" target="_blank">The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite Wiki Site</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Umbrella_Academy:_Dallas">The Umbrella Academy: Dallas Wiki Site</a></p> <p><a href="http://theumbrellaacademy.com/" target="_blank">The Umbrella Academy Fan Site</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ExgVAjMi0" target="_blank">The Umbrella Academy Motion Comic</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Free_Comic_Book_Day_2007_(Dark_Horse).jpg"><img title="clip_image006" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image006" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-l8Qv8-DtkFk/UiZoxnVSVrI/AAAAAAAABGM/bTcVTBVw78Y/clip_image006%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="176" height="268" /></a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-44085449499615472402013-09-03T18:26:00.001-04:002013-09-03T18:26:27.702-04:00Book Review - We are all completely beside ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler<p>We are all completely beside ourselves <br />Karen Joy Fowler <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: A Marian Wood Book/Putnam <br />Publication Date: May 30, 2013 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0399162091 <br />320 pages <br />Uncorrected Proof - Advance Reader’s Copy</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/13492515/97516128"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uxpn6OAs_ZI/UiZiEqJ4rOI/AAAAAAAABFs/_1dW_zCbiOA/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a></p> <p>     Karen Joy Fowler writes some of the oddest fiction I’ve ever read. And when I say odd I mean brilliant in a slanted, quirky way. When she writes a nostalgic scene you will think of your childhood home, your grandparents, and those you loved, laughed, and played with when you were growing up. When she wants you to laugh at yourself or teases your sensibilities you will find the humor hidden in all the little crevices of humanity. When she holds up the mirror of sentiment and emotion you will see yourself in her story.</p> <p><i>     We are all completely beside ourselves</i> is a story of love, family, devotion, separation, and the dichotomy of life and the biased memories we make in our own minds concerning our pasts. But more than that it’s a story of social interaction and how we act, react, and interact through emotionally stressful and confusing times.</p> <p>     One undeserved criticism Fowler sometimes receives is that her characters are unfinished, furtive, and difficult to connect to. Many of her characters are mysteriously, and I think, intentionally, incomplete and here’s why I think it’s the perfect approach to creating a superior character, especially in the emotionally-driven narratives Fowler creates. Humans are enigmatic and unknown even to themselves sometimes. We are flawed, we are duplicitous, and we are opinionated and often change our attitudes. We occasionally don’t know our own minds or the real reasons we say or act the way we do. We are hurtful yet full of kindness. We are truthful but lie to preserve our own slanted images of ourselves and we confuse emotions with obsessions. Karen Joy Fowler’s characters then, mirror the gaps and holes in us all. In essence she writes enormously realistic characters that remind us of our own strengths, failings, assets, and ambiguities. Simply put, she writes convincing characters as compassionate, flawed, emotional human beings.</p> <p>     This is the second novel by Karen Joy Fowler I’ve reviewed. I gave the first, <i>Sarah Canary</i>, a high overall review rating for originality, style, and content. <i>We are all completely beside ourselves </i>is no less creative than <i>Sarah Canary</i> and is, in my opinion, a superior read well worth the time.</p> <p>     File with: mysteries, animal rights, emotionally-driven narratives, the human condition, love, loneliness, and social interaction.</p> <p>4 ½ out of 5 Stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><a href="http://thealternativeone.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-review-sarah-canary-by-karen-joy.html" target="_blank">My Review of Sarah Canary</a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.karenjoyfowler.com/" target="_blank">Official Author Site</a> </p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Joy_Fowler" target="_blank">Author Wikipedia Site</a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?Karen_Joy_Fowler" target="_blank">Author Page Internet Speculative Fiction Database</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-26702722584383311632013-08-12T18:10:00.001-04:002013-08-12T18:10:08.866-04:00Book Review - Black Hole (Graphic Novel) by Charles Burns<p>Black Hole (Graphic Novel) <br />Charles Burns <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: Pantheon <br />Publication Date: January 8, 2008 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0375714726 <br />368 pages</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/8175/96727903"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJIret9sc5-jqtDMq5fo04ne67jhOtVvqI2pFz2TaP1YfXsCaHC_7oWDqRPjeozFUJbDzKcxN82uHq2dGXhkQDR2XdmyiWOvJgrhpY-OwjCGZH1lpL6RfG2iZdeKWxl7i0taFHg/?imgmax=800" width="175" height="244" /></a></p> <p><i>     Black Hole</i> by Charles Burns, a cautionary graphic tale about young adults, examines the moral complexities of teenage sex, violence, peer pressure, and drug and alcohol abuse. Set near Seattle in the 1970’s Burns criticizes, in stunning black and white artwork, premarital sex, teenage angst, bullying, sexually-transmitted disease, loneliness and alienation, casual drug and alcohol use, emotional distress, and gun violence. With the creation of this intelligent but odd (in a very good way) graphic novel I suspect that Charles Burns not only worked through some of his own high-school issues but is also prepping his children and millions of others by shining a grave, yet convincing, light on the possibilities they might one day face. <i>Black Hole</i> is not a book <i>for</i> teenagers but <i>about</i> them and I highly caution parents to read it cover to cover before allowing their children access to it. It is by nature graphic, lewd, obscene, violent, and strange and serves as a warning to the potential hazards that a majority of teenagers will face while growing up. What makes it a very good book is that it <i>is</i> lewd, graphic, obscene and violent. What I mean is that the harsh realities of the teenage battlefield are penned here in all their gory details as a warning to the likely hazards and peer pressures encountered while growing through puberty into adulthood. To be sure, Burns pulls no punches.</p> <p>     There’s a mysterious (mutated?/interstellar?/alien?) sexually-transmitted disease on the loose and it’s causing both the most bizarre hallucinations Seattle’s teenagers have ever encountered and some very abnormal physical manifestations to occur including a series of random genetic mutations such as extra mouths, sloughing skin, Elephantiasis, vestigial tails, horn nubbins, Cystic Acne, and numerous other afflictions and physical ailments. The disease is affecting the outward appearances of the sexually active teens in the area. The noticeable physical indicators however, make it quite clear which teens are experimenting with sex and which are not. Many of the local parents are in a panic and the young adults affected now have to deal with a previously invisible class of teenager: the sexually active. Haircuts, clothes, casual drug use, language, and attitudes come straight out of the 70’s central casting but this story really could have been told any where in any time. </p> <p>     Many of the drawings in <i>Black Hole</i> are grotesque, disturbing, twisted, and macabre but they are also sublime, thought-provoking, and beautiful in a strange, “never-before-seen-and-totally-creative” way. The black and white art in no way deters from this story. In fact, it enhances the plot with blunt, non-distracting depictions of the immoral wrong-doings taking place. And while the ending is a bit unresolved and somewhat ambiguous, considering the moral dilemmas presented, it made perfect sense to me. Many of the peer pressure teenaged issues Burns presents will remain long after we are gone and their resolutions will be as vague and unsolved as they are today.</p> <p>     File with: Black and white art, the 70’s, alienation, body mutations, paranoia, bullying, sex, drugs, violence, freaks, geeks, nudity, and abuse (all kinds.) </p> <p>4 stars out of 5</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Hole-Charles-Burns/dp/0375714723" target="_blank">Black Hole Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hole_(comics)" target="_blank">Black Hole Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/17614896" target="_blank">Black Hole Short Film by Rupert Sanders</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1121476,00.html" target="_blank">Time Review of Black Hole</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.fantagraphics.com/browse-shop/charles-burns-4.html?vmcchk=1" target="_blank">Charles Burns’ Fatagraphics Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/charles%20burns" target="_blank">Charles Burns’ Tumblr Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.adambaumgoldgallery.com/burns_charles/Burns_Charles.htm" target="_blank">Charles Burns at the Adam Baumgold Gallery</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-79863131618640825072013-07-30T20:43:00.001-04:002013-07-30T20:43:29.181-04:00The Works of Jack L. Chalker (Classic Book Series)<p>     One of the grossly overlooked Science Fiction writers of the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s was Jack L. Chalker. Jack died in 2005 after a two-year illness. He was 60 years old and I can’t help feeling that his work was cut much too short. Chalker was a creative genius and there was/is no better writer of the physical transformation of characters. I have been a long-time fan and would like to take a moment to rate the works of his that I’ve read. What I really like about Jack’s body of work is that in most of his stories he had a long-term vision. Not a single 300 page narrative but a massive, expansive three or four or five book story always rich in character, full of creative world-building, and constructed along unique and never-before imagined story-lines. His novels are always entertaining and highly creative (even on the second and third reads) and you’ll see by my ratings below (not a single one of his books rates lower than four stars) how highly I value his work.</p> <p>    If you’re in the mood for some wonderful Science Fiction stories of transformation and have somehow disregarded this author I suggest you search out any of the novels listed below. It wouldn’t surprise me to find many of his books out of print these days but it would be worth the effort to visit your favorite used book store to find them. They’ll be worth the quest. I promise. Jack Chalker is, hands down, the best author who never won a Hugo or Nebula award (but deserved to.)</p> <p align="center"><b>The Saga of the Well World series</b></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyEmxoXIwEvAKga2dvuWSQp4J4g0GYBF-iDd_dEASjn3489kEuKzyk3RFhJCXcj1ltIq2c7diixFuoCe5-eUBaCtMPxjKIBwzAgpcXAIVwMudCZyfwUT1dU6-2WwFNd4ZiuKz4Q/s1600-h/clip_image0023.jpg"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGO2cvVRjXil49wfpPPBHj4fdLKyVB-XLrMqci40ssQpFlDDRQKGA-5bFMCgJmA0-f3umnV5owfSDaHmyj2SihFUusGfZnsm_Ahp0ArSkYOLqZkArGytVcsLJjrvoeqnSdNeOU7A/?imgmax=800" width="153" height="244" /></a><b></b></p> <p>1. Midnight at the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1977  <b>5 stars (one of my all-time favorites)</b></p> <p>2. Exiles at the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1978  <b>5 stars</b></p> <p>3. Quest for the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1978  <b>5 stars</b></p> <p>4. The Return of Nathan Brazil, Del Rey, 1980  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p>5. Twilight at the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1980  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p>6. The Sea is Full of Stars, December, 1999  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p>7. Ghost of the Well of Souls, 2000  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><b>The Watchers at the Well series</b></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-U9VNsllzj5Y/UfhdgnPyTeI/AAAAAAAABCU/FNWvzp-_3cs/s1600-h/clip_image0043.jpg"><img title="clip_image004" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image004" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ac-2rh2auv8/UfhdhD55BBI/AAAAAAAABCc/2IPC2C2kYD4/clip_image004_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="150" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. Echoes of the Well of Souls, Del Rey, trade paperback, May, 1993  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p>2. Shadow of the Well of Souls, Del Rey Feb. 1994  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p>3. Gods of the Well of Souls, Del Rey, 1994  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><b>The Four Lords of the Diamond series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1k_QvB98hBSUcTQdWBrbgq9PaH8lVWP5oonSVJqnWa1wxTS3AhjcN17ooUOL56QWuLrwHX8yi-05Tnj5d_v-YTIhrZg-FWQq6NmzFUvFBgxmBf8nT83itPdhxSFzZ1YoS-Q1hWA/s1600-h/clip_image0063.jpg"><img title="clip_image006" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image006" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ibEZ0PFLhsI/UfhdiTvdvBI/AAAAAAAABCs/97Lw0azlxuE/clip_image006_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="157" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. Lilith: A Snake in the Grass, Del Rey, 1981  <b>4 1/2 stars</b></p> <p>2. Cerberus: A Wolf in the Fold, Del Rey, 1982  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. Charon: A Dragon at the Gate, Del Rey, 1982  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>4. Medusa: A Tiger by the Tail, Del Rey, 1983  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>The Four Lords of the Diamond, The Science Fiction Book Club (omnibus edition), 1983 <strong>4 Stars</strong></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>The Dancing Gods series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NAEEMbTikE0/UfhdjNs3vcI/AAAAAAAABC0/Um780SsopKo/s1600-h/clip_image0083.jpg"><img title="clip_image008" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image008" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vNE6_hmDJa4/Ufhdj_8mLgI/AAAAAAAABC8/rwOsgkeG1VI/clip_image008_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="150" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. The River of Dancing Gods, Del Rey, 1984  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>2. Demons of the Dancing Gods, Del Rey, 1984  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. Vengeance of the Dancing Gods, Del Rey, July, 1985  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>4. Songs of the Dancing Gods, Del Rey, August, 1990  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>5. Horrors of the Dancing Gods, 1994  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>The Dancing Gods: Part One, Del Rey, November, 1995 </p> <p>The Dancing Gods II, Del Rey, September, 1996 </p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><b>The Soul Rider series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ycFSkkBivL4/UfhdkbwNBtI/AAAAAAAABDE/bsmHt5HKM2Q/s1600-h/clip_image0103.jpg"><img title="clip_image010" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image010" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-71fkGNbGw3s/Ufhdk-yJYRI/AAAAAAAABDM/oFyY0etQeho/clip_image010_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="157" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. Spirits of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, 1984  <b>4 1/2 stars</b></p> <p>2. Empires of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, 1984  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. Masters of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, January, 1985 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>4. The Birth of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, 1985  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>5. Children of Flux and Anchor, Tor Books, September, 1986  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>The Rings of the Master series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPMUx8cpty5ev-x74g4KZFwSGQmwMqLDXBNbQGy_ExlG4Hs65KOEVaR4Ctg96ClJiN_SdWqZCXbGl80mde0v6tQ7Cih6nxnSWqRnNcHMPYHFFv8QrXuxxNMp2EB44G7YswY4K7Q/s1600-h/clip_image0123.jpg"><img title="clip_image012" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image012" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRH1a2qS5VSju3frS7FXjCyrkbmiPMci3gBLnTqLICX3oqhyphenhyphenRU6ZRSGO9gCyYgvXasgkFldMgfFn-uFafbIkbpaVJ5pyKwStU7xgo37hg6yZTRoMfryGAD2NgLS0L_B0ZaKyLrxA/?imgmax=800" width="150" height="242" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. Lords of the Middle Dark Del Rey Books, May, 1986  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>2. Pirates of the Thunder, Del Rey Books, March, 1987  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. Warriors of the Storm, Del Rey Books, August, 1987 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>4. Masks of the Martyrs, Del Rey, February, 1988  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>G.O.D. Inc. series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Rt95tXzR0_s/Ufhdmm2yruI/AAAAAAAABDk/9JK458amNMg/s1600-h/clip_image0143.jpg"><img title="clip_image014" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image014" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rF3IxSUATFN3uMvzgRbb60UDQtinUKH9vW1sBpunyABZydWTLNIhSUimaAFbon_CeHXHjqp0d0utkkunvMHtdiTZ7mkPJUMCcjTqhgLdO77DpLN8raJhBK_wRA_GVnhMjqZLLQ/?imgmax=800" width="154" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. The Labyrinth of Dreams. Tor Books, March, 1987  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>2. The Shadow Dancers, Tor Books, July, 1987  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. The Maze in the Mirror, Tor Books, January, 1989  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>The Changewinds series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2cNpxV22byT1PEPELj369sOZIyg5x8ESgoYP3LYqCK_RJljAixdWJc6p3zwEoD2vVB0SEILTaYoZa6jVxl_KbeAUasjSNSwVJIMBWaYVyRFKyDsmCDZvsJL9ZGk1H8g2xMDKng/s1600-h/clip_image0163.jpg"><img title="clip_image016" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sGrbQYgXPupUwaOYf9z3CG5FM8VSyP9v4-VpWcaUoa5zNLVfrygVw1T7ch1uDCI6DQU83jfaJa-ZsVpDOUmj2lwgoorZsLL59V963QvviSOceAQzQQAJZdKBMZiBJGFBh4xncQ/?imgmax=800" width="154" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. When the Changewinds Blow, Ace - Putnams, September, 1987 <b>4 1/2 stars</b></p> <p>2. Riders of the Winds, Ace Books, May, 1988 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. War of the Maelstrom, Ace - Putnams, October, 1988  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>The Quintara Marathon series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S-0wew8Er8s/Ufhdo4bFedI/AAAAAAAABEE/qBY_askqmTU/s1600-h/clip_image0183.jpg"><img title="clip_image018" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtjiJCvjjTiTRkblpCoGQzkuoh_GgaE-QPWHaC94uqutGlHLoMnZHYi6WSmjdqrqRtHLmsmALuJU_S0FlC3BpGX_PBPR1hNRhDJ4KzJFgf3SKL26FgPWKnBHeneqLDy15yVnJag/?imgmax=800" width="149" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. The Demons at Rainbow Bridge, Ace-Putnam's, hardcover, September, 1989  <b>4 1/2 stars</b></p> <p>2. The Run to Chaos Keep, Ace - Putnams, May, 1991  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. The Ninety Trillion Fausts (a.k.a. 90 Trillion Fausts), Ace - Putnams, October 1991  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>The Wonderland Gambit series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KjEOR9O9r7k/UfhdqJWXWHI/AAAAAAAABEU/x14CF2xJQtY/s1600-h/clip_image0203.jpg"><img title="clip_image020" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image020" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8X8wAfcwGIs/Ufhdq-El46I/AAAAAAAABEc/PH_lF6E_uGQ/clip_image020_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="149" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. The Cybernetic Walrus, Del Rey, trade pb November, 1995 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>2. The March Hare Network, 1996 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. The Hot-Wired Dodo, Del Rey, Feb. 1997 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>The Three Kings series</b></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3gsINJiKItA/UfhdrRHJhtI/AAAAAAAABEk/6HFvMCxmI_Q/s1600-h/clip_image0223.jpg"><img title="clip_image022" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="clip_image022" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gBoaN0AQaa8/Ufhdr5P7sFI/AAAAAAAABEs/K-llmH4udDs/clip_image022_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="161" height="244" /></a></p> <b></b> <p>1. Balshazzar's Serpent, Baen Books 1999 <b>4 1/2 stars</b></p> <p>2. Melchior's Fire, Baen Books, 2001. <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>3. Kaspar's Box, 2003 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p><strong></strong></p> <p align="center"><b>Stand-alone novels</b></p> <p>A Jungle of Stars, Ballantine, Del Rey, 1976 5<b> stars</b></p> <p>The Web of the Chozen, Del Rey, 1978  <b>5 stars (another favorite)</b></p> <p>And the Devil Will Drag You Under, Del Rey, 1979  <b>5 stars</b></p> <p>A War of Shadows, Ace: An Analog Book, 1979 <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p>Dancers in the Afterglow, Del Rey, 1979, 1982  <b>5 stars (another favorite)</b></p> <p>The Devil's Voyage, Doubleday, 1980 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>The Identity Matrix, Timescape: Pocket Books, 1982  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>Downtiming the Night Side, Tor Books, May, 1985  <b>4 ½ stars</b></p> <p>The Messiah Choice, St. Martins - Blue Jay, May, 1985 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>The Red Tape War (with Mike Resnick and George Alec Effinger). Tor hardcover, April, 1991 <b>(not read)</b></p> <p>Priam's Lens, Del Rey 1997  <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>The Moreau Factor, Del Rey Feb., 2000 <b>4 stars</b></p> <p>Chameleon (partially completed at time of death) <b>(not read)</b></p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><b>Collection and Anthology</b></p> <p>Dance Band on the Titanic, Del Rey Books, July, 1988 (short stories) <strong>4 stars</strong></p> <p>Hotel Andromeda [edited by], Ace, 1994 <b>(not read)</b></p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><strong>Additional Reading:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_L._Chalker" target="_blank">Jack L. Chalker Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?272" target="_blank">Jack L. Chalker ISFDB Page</a></p> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.nndb.com/people/735/000023666/" target="_blank">Jack L. Chalker NNDB Page</a></p> <p align="left"><a href="http://www.baenebooks.com/s-17-jack-l-chalker.aspx" target="_blank">Jack L. Chalker Baen eBooks Page</a></p> <p align="left"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/JackLChalker" target="_blank">Jack L. Chalker Facebook Page</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-37363310458943096562013-07-07T14:37:00.001-04:002013-07-07T14:37:56.523-04:00Book Review - Donnybrook by Frank Bill<p>Donnybrook <br />Frank Bill <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: FSG Originals <br />Publication Date: March 5, 2013 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0374532895 <br />256 pages</p> <p><a href="http://us.macmillan.com/crimesinsouthernindiana"><img title="clip_image002" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BJw7IL1nkvI/Udm1g9jq5yI/AAAAAAAABBw/mbFOo8TJglI/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="166" height="244" /></a></p> <p>    don·ny·brook/ˈdɒniˌbrʊk/[don-ee-brook] an inordinately wild fight or contentious dispute; brawl; free-for-all. Also called Donnybrook Fair. <br />     - www.dictionary.reference.com</p> <p>     The Orange County, Indiana Donnybrook Fair is a three day all-out no-holds barred fist-fight featuring pugilists, bare-knuckle fighters, self-defense experts, martial artists, and hand-to-hand combatants from all walks of life. It’s the rowdiest and most physically violent party you’ll find anywhere in America. One hundred brave men vie for $100K in cash prizes and thousands of spectators come to watch, bet on their favorite fighters, carouse, argue, ingest drugs, get drunk on moonshine and cheap beer, and get laid. It is, in fact, what Jarhead Earl, a bare-knuckle fighter, reasons is the only redemption he’s ever likely to find. </p> <p>     Jarhead has seen better days. He has no job, no money, and no prospects for the future and with two young mouths to feed and a woman with an Oxycontin monkey on her back he sets off from Kentucky to the Donnybrook to stake his claim. But before he can enter the fight Jarhead needs the $1,000 entry fee and a man with nothing to lose will do just about anything to get back to square again, including robbing a gun shop, for exactly $1,000. </p> <p>     One thing <i>Donnybrook</i> isn't is high literature and thank-goodness for that. This imaginative novel is filled with some of the most interesting “language” I've read in a very long time. It is coarse, dark, ribald, dirty, low, and so very crisp. It's colloquial, explicit and beautiful. It is Hunter S. Thompson meets Charles Bukowski meets outhouse scribbling. And that makes <i>Donnybrook</i> all kinds of a great read. The characters are the dregs, drug addicts, and lost souls of an unemployable, broken region of the mid-west. Flawed, American, and itching for a fight every character is as hard as nails and would just as soon throw a punch your way as smile at you. But Frank Bill takes us deep into the heart and soul of the protagonist and we identify with him and are moved by his desire to improve his situation and care for his family, no matter how messed up the methods. And that's what makes this book so entertaining. There's blood and sex and drugs and booze and addiction and cruelty and redemption and love and the complexities of the human condition connecting them all.</p> <p>     Frank Bill has a magnificent gift for creating realistic, layered settings filled with striking language and vivid, poetic succinctness. He can carve an entire Kentucky County in two short sentences, explain the intricacies of bare-fisted fighting in fewer words than I’ve used in this paragraph, and can craft impactful and colloquial dialogue like a veteran writer. In fact, his dialogue reminded me very much of Cormac McCarthy’s homespun language. It’s simple storytelling but expresses the complex emotions and thoughts of desperate, lost characters. And that’s the brilliance of this story. <i>Donnybrook</i> is entertaining, fun, violent, coarse, dirty, addictive and just waiting for a Hollywood producer to turn it into a blockbuster movie. I personally hope a sequel is in the making… </p> <p>     File with: Bare-knuckled fist fights, <i>Raging Bull</i>, pulp fiction, <i>Every Which Way But Loose</i>, <i>The Quiet Man</i>, colloquialism, <i>Fight Club</i>, <i>Snatch</i>, drug and alcohol abuse, <i>The Iliad</i>, Macbeth, <i>Ivanhoe</i>, guns and guts, <i>The Song of Roland</i>, torture, <i>Beowulf</i>, and <i>Suttree</i>, <i>Child of God</i>, and <i>The Road</i> by Cormac McCarthy. </p> <p>5 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://frankbillshouseofgrit.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Official Author Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Donnybrook-A-Novel-Frank-Bill/dp/0374532893" target="_blank">Donnybrook Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/rthomas/2013/03/review-of-donnybrook-by-frank-bill/" target="_blank">Donnybrook Review</a></p> <p><a href="http://us.macmillan.com/donnybrook/FrankBill" target="_blank">Donnybrook MacMillan Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://us.macmillan.com/BookCustomPage_New.aspx?isbn=9780374532895" target="_blank">Donnybrook Excerpt</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-2098967519915799972013-05-20T20:58:00.001-04:002013-05-20T20:58:14.257-04:00Book Review - The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker<p>The Golem and the Jinni <br />Helene Wecker <br />Trade Paper Back <br />Publisher: Harper <br />Publication Date: April 23, 2013 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0062110831 <br />496 pages </p> <p>Advance Readers Copy</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/13181202/94623082"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTT6226QN3T8pAwR904oQJRxmID69_11KTKT_JvO3Go_HcObJqRWMTmzps4jhg5w-rlPw-n_dRJFwPsHeGbkeob3R6rl-md4v9kQm3TXD5junkaHpH0TjhWc3z0j2YjaZD9CxfQ/?imgmax=800" width="165" height="244" /></a></p> <p>     Golem [goh-luhm, -lem] 1. Jewish Folklore. a figure artificially constructed in the form of a human being and endowed with life. 2. a stupid and clumsy person; blockhead. 3. an automaton.</p> <p>     Jinni [ji-nee, jin-ee] Islamic Mythology. any of a class of spirits, lower than the angels, capable of appearing in human and animal forms and influencing humankind for either good or evil. (also, jinn, djinn, djinni)</p> <p><i>     The Golem and the Jinni</i> is a unique mixture of Hebrew and Arab mythology; a modern telling of stories older than the written word. A golem, a clay woman created to serve as a rich man’s companion, loses its master to a burst appendix on board a steamship headed to America. A jinni, released by an unsuspecting tinsmith from its prison after hundreds of years in captivity, tries to recall its hazy past. For both, finding their way and places in 1899 New York City is both a challenge and a curse. Disoriented and alone they set out to understand the world around them. How do two creatures, neither of them human, fit in to this strange new world? </p> <p>     The golem begins her independent life as a baker and the Jinni as an apprentice tinsmith. Completely unknown to each other, the two creatures of ancient lore explore the unfamiliar and very human city. The golem, taken in by a kind, old rabbi, is tormented by the desires and wishes of others, which she can hear in her mind. Ahmad, named by the tinsmith who released him from his captivity, has no patience for the dreariness of humans. Both must work to create a place for themselves in America, and develop relationships with the humans who surround them.</p> <p>     And then, one cold, wind-swept night, they unexpectedly cross paths.</p> <p>     File with: One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, mythology, folk lore, Scheherazade, fantasy, and social outcasts. </p> <p>4 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Golem-Jinni-A-Novel/dp/0062110837" target="_blank">The Golem and the Jinni Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.helenewecker.com/the-golem-and-the-jinni-by-helene-wecker/excerpt/" target="_blank">The Golem and the Jinni Excerpt</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.helenewecker.com/" target="_blank">Official Author Website</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-47536003830903284132013-05-15T21:29:00.001-04:002013-05-15T22:14:39.707-04:00Book Review - The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver PötzschThe Hangman’s Daughter <br />
Oliver Pötzsch <br />
Kindle Version <br />
Publisher: AmazonCrossing <br />
Publication Date: December 7, 2010 <br />
Source ISBN: 054774501X <br />
Print Length: 448 pages <br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hj3fFrvIjNQ/UZQ2fCvuRYI/AAAAAAAABA8/2JniwQQnvFc/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="clip_image002" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ChVjtjJlk0I/UZQ2fhFV0WI/AAAAAAAABBE/9ZuM8gE86-o/clip_image002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="clip_image002" width="162" /></a><br />
<br />
A murder mystery set in 17<sup>th</sup> Century Bavaria told from the perspective of an executioner? How creative is that? Yes, I understand that Oliver Pötzsch gleaned a lot of this story from his own genealogical background, but still… I love all the originality that came out of his family history research. Believe me when I tell you that most family history study is rather boring (dates and names and full of dull farmers and peasants and such) so a truly original idea stemming from that exploration is extremely interesting to me. Had he only written this one book I might have attributed it to a flash-in-the-pan but interesting. That Pötzsch was able to add to the story for an additional three more books is an amazing accomplishment.<br />
<br />
<i> The Hangman’s Daughter</i> is a dark and grisly tale told from the viewpoint of Jacob Kuisl, the local Hangman, who is not at all like what executioners have been portrayed in film and fiction over the years. Kuisl is not a cold, heartless killer hiding behind a mask. He’s a real, loving, caring person that understands his role as village executioner and sets out to complete his every duty to keep his family in beets and mutton. But Jacob is also a kind-hearted, compassionate, and logical-minded man that understands the harsh realities of the world he lives in even if he has to break a few noses to get to the truth. And the tortures and executions he must commit in the name of the village leaders are sometimes burdens he has difficulty shouldering, especially when he doesn’t agree with the judgments handed down by the town burghers. It doesn’t happen often but when it does it puts Kuisl in a precarious situation. Like when the midwife that delivered his children is accused of witchcraft. <br />
<br />
I think that the logical, caring, scientific man behind the mask is the main reason this story worked for me. Yes, you could argue that the language or phrases could not have come from the 17<sup>th</sup> Century (but really, what fun would that read be?) You could also argue that there’s too much implied violence here (especially the torture of a witch and the murder of children) but the sad reality is that the world was a very cruel place when this fictional account happened and Pötzsch does an excellent job of setting the tone for his historic scenes, which is another reason I rated this story high. But the main reason I enjoyed this story so much was that I valued the characters. The Hangman with a secret heart of gold and a fist of fury, his daughter, Magdalena, trapped by circumstance of birth to marry an executioner herself and filled with melancholy and stubbornness because of it, the town doctor’s son, Simon, a new physician himself, who despises the old medicinal practices of blood letting and purging, and the accused witch who is nothing more than an innocent midwife with a few herbal remedies made <i>The Hangman’s Daughter</i> a very enjoyable read. The character development was beautifully paced and the antagonist cleverly conceived and I began to care about the characters very quickly; a sure sign of a well-written story to me.<br />
<br />
<i> The Hangman’s Daughter</i> was a comparatively quick read for me and I enjoyed every moment of it very much. As a matter of fact, I appreciated <i>The Hangman’s Daughter</i> so much that I purchased the Kindle versions of the other two available books in the series, <i>The Dark Monk</i> and <i>The Beggar King</i> and pre-ordered the forth-coming fourth book in the series <i>The Poisoned Pilgrim</i>, due out later this year. <br />
<br />
File with: Historical fiction, murder mystery, Jesse Bullington, horror, history, executioners, Ellis Peters, hangmen, and witchcraft.<br />
<br />
5 out of 5 stars<br />
<br />
The Alternative <br />
Southeast Wisconsin<br />
<br />
<b>Additional Reading:</b><br />
Hangman's Daughter Series<br />
1. The Hangman's Daughter (2010) <br />
2. The Dark Monk (2012) <br />
3. The Beggar King (2012) <br />
4. The Poisoned Pilgrim (2013) <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Hangmans-Daughter-ebook/dp/B003P9XMFI" target="_blank">The Hangman’s Daughter Amazon Page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hangman's_Daughter" target="_blank">The Hangman’s Daughter Wiki Page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz6oAwuUT4E" target="_blank">The Hangman’s Daughter Video Trailer</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.historicalnovels.info/Hangmans-Daughter.html" target="_blank">HistoricalNovels.Info Review</a><br />
(Includes other novels featuring executioners, non-fiction works about executioners, and additional online information. Very informative!) <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.oliver-poetzsch.de/" target="_blank">Author’s Official Website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.oliver-poetzsch.de/" target="_blank">Interview with Oliver Pötzsch</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/08/02/fiction-inspired-by-execution/" target="_blank">Interesting WSJ Article about Oliver Pötzsch</a><br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
[A Lesson Learned: So, I’ve come to realize recently that I tend to reward creativeness and originality with slightly higher ratings in the books that I’ve read. Should I let that affect my rating? Is that a bad thing? I don’t think so but I don’t really know. What I do know is that I recognize rather quickly what books I do like and if you’re anything at all like me then you’ll probably like many of my highest rated books. I hope that my reviews have helped you decide which books to read and that you’ve enjoyed them as much as I. If not, well, your voice can be heard in the comment section below every post. Let me know what you think! And, thank you for reading The Alternative!]The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-28488130723329644802013-05-13T16:50:00.001-04:002013-05-13T16:50:23.792-04:00Book Review - The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord<p>The Best of All Possible Worlds <br />Karen Lord <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: Del Rey <br />Publication Date: February 12, 2013 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0345534057 <br />320 pages <br />Advance Reader’s Copy</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-suucx4_9VRE/UZFSCrdsycI/AAAAAAAABAk/4P-ZFVV-WYw/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qs6V4UW2--M/UZFSDqVMuAI/AAAAAAAABAs/mJgm0FRKLD0/clip_image002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="161" height="244" /></a></p> <p><i>     The Best of All Possible Worlds</i> by Karen Lord is, in my opinion, everything that’s right and good with Science Fiction today. It contains mind-powered space flight, reminiscent of <i>Dune</i> but without the religious/spice-drug aspects. Some of the main characters are humanoid “aliens” like every non-human race in Gene Rodenberry’s alternate Star Trek universe (i.e. Klingons, Vulcans, Romulans, etc.). There is one very dead planet destroyed by a hostile enemy similar to what happens in Peter F. Hamilton’s <i>Commonwealth</i> Saga and Kurt Vonnegut’s <i>Cat’s Cradle, </i>among others. And, there is futurism but not in a dystopian <i>Brave New World</i> or <i>Hunger Games</i> way but more like Asimov’s <i>Foundation</i> series where science remains one of the more crucial element to the survival of the human race rather than its downfall. But, more importantly than all these other fascinating tropes is that <i>The Best of All Possible Worlds</i> contains social Science Fiction mingled expertly with human interaction, the bonds of friendship and love through difference, and a very modern feel for a style that used to be called classic. There is good reason why I mention some of the greatest contributions and novelists of Science Fiction in the descriptions above and that’s because <i>The Best of All Possible Worlds </i>belongs categorized with them. Now, more than ever, we need successors to the hard Science Fiction mentalities of the past fifty years that have disappeared with the passing of the great Science-Fiction writers of the Golden Age. Karen Lord is an obvious front-runner.</p> <p>     A powerful, technologically-minded race of humanoid “aliens,” the Sadiri, suddenly find themselves homeless after their world has been completely destroyed by a planet-busting weapon. In an attempt to integrate themselves into a new society a small group of traveling male survivors seek refuge on the colony planet of Cygnus Beta and are challenged to rebuild their race by locating suitable DNA matches from the women that currently live there. Grace, a Cygnus Betan and a scientist trained in linguistics is assigned as liaison between the local politicians and the Sadiri to help aide them in their search for acceptable female counterparts and to build new settlements to ease their integration into society. Her Sadiri counterpart, Dllenahkh, together, with a small team of representatives from both cultures set off on an expedition across the newly colonized planet. Along the way their close friendship becomes something more than either expected. But with advanced humanoids from the stars what exactly does that mean? And where might it take them?</p> <p><i>     The Best of All Possible Worlds</i> is a fascinating science-fiction novel that I'd recommend to readers who enjoy character driven stories with a bit of technology, some biology, mystery, alien psychology, and light, non-conventional romantic elements.<i> </i>Lord’s style is both elegant and subtle, her world-building spectacular, and she spends very little time <i>telling</i> the reader the story but rather<i> showing</i> it by engaging our imaginations with her concise and often poetic prose. There is a new, powerful, and creative voice in the realm of Science Fiction. Her name is Karen Lord. </p> <p>     File with: Jack McDevitt, mind-bending space travel, Dune, technology, Star Trek, alien culture, Gene Rodenberry, light Romance, Science Fiction, Kurt Vonnegut, Peter F. Hamilton, planet killers, and futurism.</p> <p>4 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Best-All-Possible-Worlds/dp/0345534050" target="_blank">The Best of All Possible Worlds Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/217348/the-best-of-all-possible-worlds-by-karen-lord" target="_blank">The Best of All Possible Worlds Random House Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.spaceswords.com/?page_id=1107" target="_blank">The Best of All Possible Worlds Space Between Words Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://merumsal.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Official Karen Lord Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/217348/the-best-of-all-possible-worlds-by-karen-lord#excerpt" target="_blank">The Best of All Possible Worlds Excerpt</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-3612512879552544132013-05-08T23:33:00.001-04:002013-05-08T23:33:19.641-04:00Book Review - Death Warmed Over by Kevin J. Anderson<p>Death Warmed Over <br />(Dan Shamble, Zombie PI Series #1) <br />Kevin J. Anderson <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: Kensington <br />Publication Date: August 28, 2012 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0758277343 <br />304 pages <br />Advance Reader’s Copy</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rQZhzaSAx1o/UYsYMBbNMJI/AAAAAAAAA_I/dky46XGZMUM/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMmo-7e_mStZx2GfzcVSaBo8z5r9aDMOPYuaDNSZI4Cai0zPiPAuKcT_jSsVCl7LR9C4XNXEE15RB4sa7_oAOdDSxAivuEHkwVUnBaAWsKTMLCRVKnsCBEILACk9a2AKH_gO-xQ/?imgmax=800" width="149" height="244" /></a></p> <p>     New Orleans has a tendency to spit out some odd and unsavory characters from time to time but when the undead, including zombies, vampires, werewolves, and a host of other distasteful characters infiltrate NOLA then it can only go from really bad to totally jacked. When the “Big Uneasy” occurred, a mysterious event ten years earlier that released every variety of nightmarish monsters into the real world, one P.I.’s investigative workload took an unusual turn for the bizarre. Dan Chambeaux, Zombie PI, and his ghostly, lounge-singing girlfriend, Sheyenne, take on some of the shadiest cases in the “Unnatural Quarter” including a resurrected mummy suing the museum that put him in their showroom for wrongful imprisonment, two hexed witches filing legal action against a publisher for not using “spell check” on its books of enchantments, and a skittish vampire with a stake phobia. Those cases pay the bills but of greater importance to Chambeaux is who <i>turned</i> him and why? And what’s with the bullet hole through the middle of his head? Twisted, hilarious, and completely entertaining <i>Death Warmed Over</i> is the perfect gift for that murder-mystery ghost-loving undead-zombie-detective-humorist fan in your life. You know who they are!</p> <p><i>     Death Warmed Over</i>, the first book in the Dan Shamble, Zombie PI series by Kevin J. Anderson is a rollicking, dark-humor, supernatural tale that I recommend for pulp, humor, detective, zombie, and murder mystery fans of all ages. (Mostly not for pre-teens, ‘cuz, you know, there’re zombies and mayhem and the unnaturally undead in here. Of course, just by saying this I know it’ll send them all flocking to the nearest library to check it out. If only that were true?) [If you are under 13 and reading this please forget that I wrote the last two sentences. K? BTW, there’s plenty of really excellent YA novels at the library.]</p> <p>     File with: Zombies, the supernatural, zombie private investigator, murder mystery, even more zombies, undead, super-unnatural beings, flesh-eaters, pulp detective/true crime stories, Zombies vs. Vampires vs. Werewolves, a lot more zombies, New Orleans, witches, mummies, curses, and The Walking Dead.</p> <p>4 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p>Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. Series: <br />1. Death Warmed over (2012) <br />2. Unnatural Acts (2012) <br />3. Hair Raising (2013)</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0758277342/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1532201582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1455896403&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=15SFSCJ1YBFJGE9648TH" target="_blank">Death Warmed Over Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kevin-j-anderson/death-warmed-over/" target="_blank">Death Warmed Over Kirkus Review</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/08/being-dead-cant-stop-this-ace-detective-death-warmed-over-dan-shamble-zombie-pi-by-kevin-j-anderson" target="_blank">Death Warmed Over Tor Review</a></p> <p><a href="http://kjablog.com/?p=3174" target="_blank">Kevin J. Anderson Blog</a></p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdykGJ5nI9C4D-BvTCmaEy7jPcUObpr8gTcMVKn7ua2t8qqyYbtLGCw2bdJC3hjWMWLPRY3ga2cx_Stnre4PHnyTGjHiZQBB-vwRGJSvUGsGTijTWUumYH7FUstJ9b5gFwkTs7w/s1600-h/clip_image003%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image003" border="0" alt="clip_image003" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nSUxI4ot_shIPAclPV1nXslNJ7sNbIrob7iQXLmtm-YbzRSbRMVgq9hGI8inT6lJZj8UKbyrLbjNAdLs0uKrsLzFFFgwnClS-LyJyuBAMKoa-ir3hRceYGyDJkDXM5dwd3Nf0A/?imgmax=800" width="131" height="226" /></a> <a href="http://kjablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/cover-UNNATURAL-ACTS2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image005" border="0" alt="clip_image005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-psvj_3X_IZM/UYsY9ugxuMI/AAAAAAAAA_o/sArYjeKm58g/clip_image005%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="147" height="225" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gPxj2n3J3Vg/UYsY-nZW-DI/AAAAAAAAA_s/acxPKNqRIKA/s1600-h/clip_image007%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image007" border="0" alt="clip_image007" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SqKL7av5F_Q/UYsY_EoMGLI/AAAAAAAAA_4/IZcts2cha50/clip_image007_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="145" height="225" /></a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-22063316850798997222013-05-01T21:29:00.001-04:002013-05-01T21:29:22.403-04:00Book Review – Dearly, Beloved: A Zombie Novel by Lia Habel<p>Dearly, Beloved: A Zombie Novel <br />Lia Habel <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: Del Rey <br />Publication Date: September 25, 2012 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0345523341 <br />496 pages <br />Advance Reader’s Copy</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12113396/89421034"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NoTpEpyjIIw/UYHBcRWxUBI/AAAAAAAAA-4/R5ye-EItPWU/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="178" height="270" /></a></p> <p>     Their love knows no end… well, <i>his</i> doesn’t. Can a Steampunk lady from the crusty upper class find unconditional love with a handsome, urban-guerilla zombie?</p> <p><i></i></p> <p><i>     Dearly Beloved</i> is the sequel to Lia Habel's novel <i>Dearly, Departed</i> which I did not know when I originally made the request for the Advance Reader’s Copy (Yes, I know, shame on me for not doing my homework but the premise sounded good. It was a zombie story! What of it?) At any rate, when I understood that it was the second book in a series it all began to make sense to me. It explains my feeling of being slightly lost, albeit momentarily, through the first chapter or so. This is not the first time I’ve accidently read a story out of series order (probably won’t be the last either) and I apologize to the author for not being able to connect <i>Dearly, Departed</i> (which I did not read) with <i>Dearly, Beloved</i>. It also explains why some of the characters felt, to me, so familiar to each other both in dialogue and action. This is a very good thing for a second book in a series, by the way. You <i>want</i> your characters to interact with familiarity and understand some of each other’s motives and emotions. All that said, this could have been, in my opinion, a stand-alone story on its own merits my confusion not withstanding. <i>Dearly, Beloved</i> is a very good story that contains intricate sub-plot twists, a world full of unusual (sometimes bizarre) characters, and multiple political and social points of view. Habel is a competent writer, has exactly the right voice needed to create inventive stories in the genre, and managed to integrate unique and creative ideas into her narrative. Always an advantage in a genre overflowing with overused tropes, memes, and cliché.</p> <p>     The interesting idea here is that zombies can lead fairly normal lives <i>if</i> they reanimate early enough to prevent too much deterioration to the brain <i>and</i> are able to control their animalistic lust for consuming human flesh. And in this world zombies are considered second-rate citizens that many believe should not be afforded the same rights as the living. The socio-political climate is in a delicate balance that’s about to boil over. A dangerous standoff exists between “The Changed,” a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for their survival, and “The Murder,” a squad of paramilitary rebels determined to terminate the living dead and their living allies. Nora Dearly and her zombie boyfriend, Bram, fight together to keep both their worlds from erupting into social unrest and violence while attempting to understand the unique complications of their living/undead new love. Hell of a way to develop a budding relationship!</p> <p>     Those of you familiar with my blog know that the Romance genre is one that I normally do not read or review. This particular book then presented me with a serious review dilemma. Should I read <i>Dearly, Beloved</i> with the pre-formed notion that I’d more than likely rate it low simply because it is a Romance or do I take the chance and hope that the Zombie elements outweigh the endearments? The answer? <i>Dearly, Beloved</i> is, in all actuality, an excellent Zombie novel with interesting and captivating elements of Romance, social reform, violence, and xenophobia deftly woven into the backstory. While not quite the type of story I normally showcase here <i>Dearly, Beloved</i> was a surprisingly intelligent, creative, and entertaining read. </p> <p>     File with: Virus Apocalypse, Neo-Victorian Gothic Romance, Noir Steampunk, zombies, The Walking-Dead meets Romance, high-society, adventure, futuristic thriller, social unrest and reform, commando guerilla zombies, soft porn, and living corpses.</p> <p>4 stars out of 5 </p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading: </b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p>Dearly, Departed Series <br />1. Dearly Departed (2011) <br />2. Dearly, Beloved (2012)</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0345523342" target="_blank">Dearly, Beloved: A Zombie Novel Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://liahabel.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Habel_excerpt.pdf" target="_blank">Dearly, Beloved: A Zombie Novel Excerpt</a></p> <p><a href="http://obscuredvixen.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/author-interview-book-review-dearly-beloved-by-lia-habel/">Dearly, Beloved: A Zombie Novel Review and Interview</a></p> <p><a href="http://liahabel.com/" target="_blank">Official Author Website</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-63593419155634225972013-04-17T17:22:00.001-04:002013-04-17T17:22:15.888-04:00Book Review - Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton<p>Great North Road <br />Peter F. Hamilton <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: Del Rey <br />Publication Date: January 1, 2013 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0345526663 <br />951 pages <br />Advance Reader’s Copy</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12460805/91847414"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wyVaRtvZyiw/UW8ShqcfVnI/AAAAAAAAA-g/-xPX7U5xnlw/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="180" height="280" /></a></p> <p>     In <em>Great North Road,</em> Peter F. Hamilton’s epic space opera,<em> </em>clones are featured not as slaves or second class citizens, like in Blade-Runner, Gattaca, or The Island, but as the ruling class. The North family is a large corporation of elite and wealthy clones who have built the most powerful interstellar empire ever conceived. When Sid Hurst, a frazzled but competent homicide detective, is called to investigate the brutal murder of an unidentified North he knows he’s in for a sobering ride. Worse yet, two decades ago another North was slain in the exact same manner but the woman convicted and imprisoned for that murder, Angela Tramelo, has spent the past twenty years proclaiming her innocence and could not have committed the most recent crime. </p> <p>     The murder investigation moves from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to an expedition into the wilderness of the planet St. Libra, light years away. But St. Libra, a sanctuary for one North clan, has never been fully surveyed and the flora and fauna are not only unusual but dangerous. Could an alien killer be hiding on St. Libra? Why would it kill one of the most powerful family members in the known universe? And just what did Angela Tramelo see on the night of the first North murder?</p> <p>     Obvious successor to Arthur C. Clarke, Robert A. Heinlein, and Philip K. Dick, Peter F. Hamilton is hands down the absolute best world-builder and space-opera writer in the business. And, as in most of his other works, the cast of characters and storylines are legion. However, that is not a criticism. On the contrary, Hamilton integrates storylines and subplots with his characters as skillfully as any writer working today and there is little chance of the reader getting lost or losing the flow of the story. As always, Hamilton presents solid science and great speculative technology into this story. Interstellar space travel, a city covered with a virtual computer mesh that can be re-wound and reviewed for criminal activity, and a complex system of habitable planets are just a few of the Science Fiction themes Hamilton employs in this story. </p> <p><i>     Great North Road</i> weighs in at an impressive 951 pages so this is not for the quick read or instant gratification Science Fiction crowd. It is a stand alone novel (for the moment) and finishes without that cliff-hanging, sequel-in-the-wings ending that’s so common in today’s serial-minded world. It is typical well-crafted Peter F. Hamilton so if you are already a fan you’ll enjoy this. If you’re not then I suggest you read <i>Great North Road</i> anyway. When you’re done you <i>will </i>be a fan…</p> <p>     File with: Space Opera, Arthur C. Clarke, epic Science Fiction, Robert A. Heinlein, speculative fiction, Jack Chalker, murder mystery, interstellar space travel, Jack McDevitt, speculative technology, planetary expeditions, and clones. </p> <p><i></i></p> <p>4 ½ out of 5 Stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-North-Road-Peter-Hamilton/dp/034552666X" target="_blank">Great North Road Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_North_Road_(book)" target="_blank">Great North Road Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.peterfhamilton.co.uk/" target="_blank">Peter F. Hamilton Official Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_F._Hamilton" target="_blank">Peter F. Hamilton Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://theunisphere.com/" target="_blank">Peter F. Hamilton Fan Site</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-83451918545160314802013-04-14T21:28:00.001-04:002013-04-14T21:28:00.244-04:00Book Review - The Epiphanist by William Rosencrans<p>The Epiphanist <br />William Rosecrans <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: Derby Books <br />Publication Date: May 11, 2012 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0615649962 <br />360 pages <br />Advance Reader’s Copy</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12605365/91055164"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xx1XA_8vEUE/UWtXnhHTvqI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/JzWJQCU9e8k/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a></p> <p>     The Epiphanist, the debut novel by William Rosencrans, centers around Vladimir, a teenage boy brought up on a prison plantation on Haven Island which is anything but a sanctuary. Because of the statistical likelihood he’ll commit an act of violence before coming of age Vladimir is sentence to a life of labor at Assuncao's Manor. In a world where everyone is genetically engineered the rejects are sentenced to Haven to spend their lives in physical servitude. The island is populated by an unsavory collection of genetic experiments gone wrong – aberrations, cripples, mutants, and lunatics. But Vladimir’s record is spotless and he has been nominated for parole by the authorities. A quick exam and a life of quiet comfort in the Holy City awaits him. When war breaks out and destroys his home his plans for independence are crushed and he must now fight his way to freedom through a nightmare world of feudal cruelty and nanotech marvels. With the help of his visions and a strange band of nanite allies; a fly, a satyr, and a female known as Viryx he must navigate the dangers of the jungle and a maze of political scheming to regain his rights. </p> <p>     File with: China Mieville, Jack Chalker, fantasy, Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake, and genetic engineering.</p> <p>3 ½ stars out of 5</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615649963/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1532201582&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0082MWDM6&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0M82JJK7WC5TV9BGW8YC" target="_blank">The Epiphanist Amazon Page</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-28335297078248216682013-04-10T20:49:00.001-04:002013-04-10T20:49:51.710-04:00Book Review - Zomnibus Volume 1 (Graphic Novel)<p>Zomnibus Volume 1 (Graphic Novel) <br />Shane McCarthy (Author), El Torres (Author), Chris Ryall (Author), Chris Bolton (Illustrator), Enrique Lopez Lorenzana (Illustrator), Yair Herrera (Illustrator), and Ashley Wood (Illustrator) <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: IDW Publishing; <br />Publication Date: First Edition September 15, 2009 <br />ISBN-13: 978-1600105272 <br />380 pages</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/9035972/95578620"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zOe8WDftx_Y/UWYIrtDi97I/AAAAAAAAA94/fw6Thbtshnc/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="161" height="244" /></a></p> <p>     A zombthology of more zombie goodness (and a lot of bbbrrraaaiiinnneeesss…)</p> <p>Stories include:</p> <p>     1. Zombies!:Feast – Written by Shane McCarthy, Illustrated by Chris Bolton and Enrique Lopez Lorenzana <br />4 out of 5 brains</p> <p>     2. Zombies!:Eclipse of the Undead – Written by El Torres, Illustrated by Yair Herrera <br />4 out of 5 brains</p> <p>     3. Complete Zombies vs. Robots – Written by Chris Ryall, Illustrated by Ashley Wood* <br />5 out of 5 brains</p> <p>     I’ve often wondered why zombies are so vocal. What with all the “arrrggghhh’s” and “urrgghh’s” it’s almost as if their imminent approach came with a built-in early warning system for the non-ambling survivors. Wouldn’t zombies be infinitely scarier if they were absolutely silent and we couldn’t hear them coming? And I understand the whole putrefy thing. Hey look, Billy, I’ve got your nose… but wouldn’t rigor mortis set in eventually and turn them all into living pieces of non-shambling statuary? Or by 21<sup>st</sup> Century standards “works of art”? And really, who on earth would be frightened by half-a-zombie slowly crawling towards them? I can visualize gangs of post-apocalyptic teenage boys taunting two half-zombies to <i>drag</i> race. And zombies rising up out of the sewers (Dude, you smell like crap!) is so cliché. But I digress… </p> <p>     Seriously though, how can anyone not love a good zombie story?! That goes double for a shambling-undead graphic novel. And, in the stories found in <i>Zomnibus Volume 1</i> no one gets out alive. Oh, shoot! Should I have said SPOILER there? On second thought, I can’t remember a zombie story when everyone got out alive and the three stories included in this brilliant anthology are no exception. (Should zombies be called spoilers? Hmmm…. You heard it here first.)</p> <p>     In <i>Zombies!: Feast</i> and <i>Zombies!: Eclipse of the Undead</i> we find familiar urban settings taken over by the flesh-eating undead. In the first story, a band of hardened convicts being relocated to a new prison by bus find out how tough it is in a new un-dead world and in the second story, a sword-wielding sensei cuts a path through a wall of zombies to save a few brave and honest souls. In both stories, the chance of survival is next to nil. Yet a flicker of hope keeps the narratives, and the characters, moving forward. Both accounts are beautifully drawn, darkly macabre, and tell very different, but entertaining, zombie infestation stories.</p> <p><i>     Complete Zombies vs. Robots</i> is a murky and foreboding collection of stories that turn into a triple-threat apocalypse rather quickly. A zombie apocalypse, a robot apocalypse, AND nuclear war combine to create a truly horrific zombie-winter cautionary tale. The art work here is breathtaking and each panel is a total work of creative genius. Minimalistic in some panels, though effective, the scenes are always pleasing to the eye, even the gory, brain-splattering (payoff!) ones. </p> <p>     File with: The Walking Dead, Marvel Zombies, The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, World War Robot, Zombies vs. Robots, post-apocalyptic fiction, World War Z, zombies, and “hello, cruel worlds.” (And any other zombie book I’ve reviewed in the past six years.)</p> <p>4 ½ out of 5 brains</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zomnibus-Volume-1-Shane-McCarthy/dp/1600105270" target="_blank">Zomnibus Volume 1 Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=Uwra817qI_wC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=zomnibus+1&source=bl&ots=sT9q3S2Bi9&sig=aj3Wg9Q03aBsJk680kttOI4o-60&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2NZdUfuWIaqGyQGLl4CgDQ&ved=0CFUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=zomnibus%201&f=false" target="_blank">Zomnibus Volume 1 Preview</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.eagleonemedia.com/Preview/IDWZOME01P.pdf" target="_blank">Zombies!:Eclipse of the Undead Preview</a></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>Artists Websites:</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.comicvine.com/chris-bolton/4040-58647/" target="_blank">Chris Bolton</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.imagecomics.com/creators/155/Enrique-Lopez-Lorenzana" target="_blank">Enrique Lopez Lorenzana</a></p> <p><a href="http://yairherrera.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Yair Herrera</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.ashleywoodartist.com/" target="_blank">Ashley Wood</a></p> <p><a href="http://ashleybambaland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ashley Wood Blog</a></p> <p>[* Note: If she hasn’t already, Ashley Wood should be awarded for her talents. She’s a gifted artist, has that “it” factor, that really needs to be noticed by the masses. I know that I’ll be purchasing anything she’s associated with from now on.]</p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-76011156574949524732013-04-10T20:29:00.001-04:002013-04-10T20:29:09.642-04:00Book Review - Zomnibus Volume 2 (Graphic Novel)<p>Zomnibus Volume 2 (Graphic Novel) <br />Brian Lynch (Author), Jimmy Palmiotti (Author), Justin Gray (Author), Brea and Zane Grant (Authors), Dave Crosland (Illustrator), Giancarlo Caracuzzo (Illustrator), Kyle Strahm (Illustrator) <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: IDW Publishing <br />Publication Date: October 18, 2011 <br />ISBN-13: 978-1613770566 <br />320 pages</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/11803200/95578681"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002[4]" border="0" alt="clip_image002[4]" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xn9r8U0sSJM/UWYD1BEMG7I/AAAAAAAAA9o/yfISESlXBAE/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="158" height="244" /></a></p> <p>      Even more zombie stories (with teeth and frat boys and plane crashes and flappers - and even more bbbrrraaaiiinnneeesss)</p> <p>Stories include:  <br />     1. Everybody’s Dead – Written by Brian Lynch, Illustrated by Dave Crosland <br />3 ½ out of 5 brains</p> <p>     2. The Last Resort – Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray Illustrated by Giancarlo Caracuzzo <br />5 out of 5 brains</p> <p>     3. We Will Bury You – Written by Brea and Zane Grant, Illustrated by Kyle Strahm <br />3 out of 5 brains</p> <p>     What I found truly interesting about <i>Zomnibus Volume 2</i> is that each of the three stories starts before any zombification has begun and hardly a character notices that the undead are roaming (and moaning) the streets until somebody gets their face eaten off. I realize that this is a common zombie trope and fun (see Shaun of the Dead and The Walking Dead) but I found it curious that all three contained a similar premise. Still, they’re ZOMBIE stories and that makes them awesome goodness with bullets and arrows and axes and crow bars…</p> <p>     “Everybody’s Dead”, the first story in the anthology is a Buffy-style pastiche about a small, low-budget college frat-house whose collection of weirdo’s survives a zombie invasion. The characters act as you’d expect from a bunch of buzzed/drunk college frat boys. Including taking risks for the favors of college women and not knowing when they’ve bitten off more than they can chew (yes, I realize this is a bad zombie pun, but give a guy a break). Even more interesting is that the rival frat-house is infected, and they’re coming to take their house back…. This is an amusing and fun undead story with excellent artwork.</p> <p>      The second story, “The Last Resort” is, in my opinion, the very best of the stories in <i>Zomnibus Volume 2</i>. The government has been experimenting with a drug that’s supposed to make soldiers über-fearless and inhumanly tough. But a mutant virus cultivated in these experimental soldiers escapes from an off-shore research facility to a Caribbean island resort filled with hopeful vacationers. When a plane full of unaffected humans is forced to crash-land on the island things go from spooky to downright terrifying quickly. Not to mention the body bag full of primo ganja and the rabid monkey-zombies? </p> <p>      “We Will Bury You” the final story in the anthology is set amongst the flappers and mobster of the 1920’s and while interesting (and creative) in concept the story is not as fleshed-out as the others here. (Yikes! Will the zombie puns never end?) The alternate universe concept is clever and unique and the setting is a world waiting to be explored but the story itself is a bit stiff and the characters needed to be developed a little more for my taste. While this could have come off as mobsters (“we’ve got Thompson machine guns”) versus zombies (“we’ll eat all your flesh off”) it devolved instead into an intricate chase scene leaving it less of a story than it potentially should have been.</p> <p>     File with: Zomnibus Volume 1, The Walking Dead, Marvel Zombies, The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, World War Robot, Zombies vs. Robots, post-apocalyptic fiction, zombies, Zombie vs. Robots: This Means War! (prose), World War Z, and “hello cruel worlds.”</p> <p>(About) 4 out of 5 brains</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zomnibus-2-Brian-Lynch/dp/1613770561">Zomnibus Volume 2 Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.bookish.com/books/zomnibus-volume-2/32bdb51f-3091-44f8-a23e-8debdd2abf1b">Zomnibus Volume 2 Bookish Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Lynch_(writer)">Brian Lynch Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Palmiotti">Jimmy Palmiotti Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brea_Grant">Brea Grant Wiki Page</a> <br />(She played Daphne Millbrook on the NBC TV series Heroes!)</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>Artists Websites:</b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><a href="http://davecrosland.com/home.html">Dave Crosland</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.giancarlocaracuzzo.com/">Giancarlo Caracuzzo</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.kylestrahm.com/">Kyle Strahm</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-40097372410238406062013-04-07T14:27:00.001-04:002013-04-07T14:27:43.896-04:00Book Review - Manuscript Found in Accra by Paulo Coelho<p>Manuscript Found in Accra <br />Paulo Coelho <br />Hardcover <br />Publisher: Knopf <br />Publication Date: April 2, 2013 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0385349833 <br />208 pages</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/13172926/94661628"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rUbUHmTSqtc/UWG6n1atcHI/AAAAAAAAA9Y/fcIB3pWcMfI/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="179" height="268" /></a></p> <p>     Paulo Coelho’s <i>Manuscript Found in Accra </i>overflows with platitudes, beatitudes, and parables seemingly written for the 20<sup>th</sup> Century but found in the 11<sup>th</sup> in the holiest city on the planet. It is the eve of the First Crusade, July 14th, 1099 and Jerusalem lies in siege awaiting the invasion of Christian forces under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon, Robert II of Flanders, and Raymond IV of Toulouse. Forces of thousands of white-mantled soldiers surround the city’s gates. There, inside that holy city’s walls, on the eve of destruction, men, women, and children of every age and faith gather at a cistern to listen to the wisdom of a mysterious teacher known only as the Copt. He has summoned the panicked townspeople so that he can address their fears with truth; truths that resonate through the ages, truths that transform the audience into better human beings just for having heard them.</p> <p>     Coelho records the last days of a terrified people using platitudes and parables as a wise teacher instructs the crowd on how to live better lives, even in the midst of sure death for many of them. Using the voice of the mysterious Copt, Coelho addresses the human condition in adverse times and how harmony, joy, and peace bookended with discord, grief, and war define our lives. He speaks of daily life and difficulties overcome and <i>how</i> to live rather than the coming war and what is about to happen to the people of Jerusalem. He speaks of what matters – love, beauty, knowledge, art, poetry, sex, grace, and the future – and of finding your own way or “Personal Legend” even in the middle of war and of “being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace.” </p> <p>     In the end, what Paulo Coelho teaches us in all of his recent works is that there is a “correct” way to live our lives. Forget color, race, money, religion, or position – there is a right way to conduct your life. Be decent and respect each other, love one another, and be at peace. One would hope that we could honor that philosophy by one day becoming apt students of this school of thought…</p> <p>4 ½ stars out of 5</p> <p>The Alternative One <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://paulocoelho.com/">Paulo Coelho’s Official Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Coelho">Paulo Coelho’s Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://paulocoelhoblog.com/">Paulo Coelho’s Blog</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ManuscriptFoundInAccraByPauloCoelho">Manuscript Found in Accra FaceBook Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.searchquotes.com/search/Manuscript_Found_In_Accra/">Quotes from Manuscript Found in Accra</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-58617491774957444132013-04-06T16:47:00.001-04:002013-04-06T16:47:00.283-04:00Book Review - Habibi (Graphic Novel) by Craig Thompson<p>Habibi (Graphic Novel) <br />Black and white <br />Craig Thompson <br />Hardcover <br />Publisher: Pantheon <br />Publication Date: First Edition - September 20, 2011 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0375424144 <br />672 pages</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HabibiCover.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNdPCzLqTM3AxQK_vTdiLyNfTphIfF1y0aDWPsNHUKYLYEqoozNc_vUAXBmjQz6cQ4zXrvjwKpU-BrVzbnL2iLZjqoN-JoGdhkXVeh9kK0cMvZLw1h6FSSzUUjiceDRw5gpqLiiA/?imgmax=800" width="207" height="275" /></a></p> <p><i>     Habibi</i> (“my beloved” in Arabic) by Craig Thompson is an incredibly moving story of love, loss and redemption that blankets almost every emotion in the human grab bag. It’s also a beautifully detailed piece of graphic art with what I can only assume began with a great deal of research and countless hours of design. It is erotic, brutal, sad, joyous, dark, evil, sinister, mature, compassionate, and alive with real, sympathetic human beings. The layout, calligraphy, and complex artwork are, in my opinion, absolutely gorgeous; the work of genius. Every page reveals just how brilliant a graphic artist Craig Thompson is. Each panel is aesthetically pleasing to the eye (usually in more than one aspect – i.e. numerology, characters, religion, borders, language, etc.) and is filled with intricate, arabesque-like decorations that demand your full attention. Because of this, <i>Habibi</i> is not a page turning graphic novel that causes you to flip through quickly to see how it all ends (though you definitely want to.) Instead, the artwork is so engaging, detailed, and stunning that it forces you to take your time studying each page for the aesthetics and to capture all the vital pieces of the visual story. There is magic and craft between the covers of <i>Habibi</i> – both written and drawn. There is spirituality and faith and philosophy. There is cruelty, eroticism, butchery, and death but there’s also love, hope, and beauty and that’s where Mr. Thompson excels. While unconventional by anyone’s standards the love story in <i>Habibi</i> is, nevertheless, touching yet always comes with a price. And while comfort and warmth lie just out of reach emotional distress and heart-ache fill the lives of every character in the story (as it does in life.) Erotic, paternal, and platonic the love story grabs you from the shocking opening lines and than holds you at arms length throughout. It is elusive but not frustratingly so to the reader. Thompson certainly understands how to draw his readers in (and keep their attention) both visually and emotionally.</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><i>     Habibi</i> is a pre-apocalyptic story depicting the slow demise of the planet earth and tells the tragic story of Dodola and Zam, child slaves bound to each other by chance, as they are caught up in the cruelties of a world on the brink of destruction. Pollution is at its all-time worst, water is a rare and expensive commodity, and the world seems to understand that its days are numbered. The characters too seem to act and react as if they are fully aware that the end is near. As the world decays we witness two souls searching to fit in and find love as they move slowly towards each other through the worst of circumstances, only to become separated, and then to find each other once again. Dodola and Zam’s transformation between separations, brought on by the circumstances of an increasingly cruel world, serves to enlighten the reader about the distress of emotional suffering, the chasm between the first and third worlds and their religions, and the redemption found in hope and love.</p> <p>     File with: Love story, Eastern philosophy, religion, graphic design, art, Scheherazade, and the human condition.</p> <p>5 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p><a href="http://www.habibibook.com/">Habibi Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Habibi-Craig-Thompson/dp/0375424148">Habibi Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habibi_(graphic_novel)">Habibi Wikipedia Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.themillions.com/2011/09/the-greatest-story-ever-drawn.html">Habibi Review</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.dootdootgarden.com/">Craig Thompson Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Thompson">Craig Thompson Wikipedia Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cXudkSfJFQA/UWCJwZQW1PI/AAAAAAAAA9A/7L-90xw88Q0/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image004" border="0" alt="clip_image004" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh312foPwLaTaNBbK9xgP3lnQT6GJu0nd-Ak7Fb1p2WXD_SUAt8SYL8iHXonhispzYmqrXMLgPygKTLJ5vGUxBiU8ULwdFwy9NI4d0pHi5eus46ZDZmdW6astWd-YSTBFNa9sDUA/?imgmax=800" width="227" height="304" /></a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-70219799565129983792013-04-05T18:00:00.000-04:002013-04-05T19:02:13.954-04:00Book Review - The Return Man by V. M. ZitoThe Return Man <br />V. M. Zito <br />Mass Market Paperback <br />Publisher: Orbit <br />Publication Date: April 1, 2012 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0316218283 <br />448 pages<br />
<a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/12028619/93311216"><img alt="clip_image002" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8GAEAotVFnE/UV9VIRgbQlI/AAAAAAAAA8o/GPELAYChoq0/clip_image0023.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="clip_image002" width="155" /></a><br />
More zombie goodness…<br />
<i> The Return Man</i> by Z. M. Vito introduces two very unique and different premises to the “Zombie Problem.” As the name implies, not only does Henry Marcos, “<i>The Return Man</i>” return to zombie infected/infested areas to finish what the virus started but V. M. Zito gives a logical explanation why zombies seem to congregate in certain places. For my part, both of these ideas are unique additions to the genre and is, in part, the reason for my four star rating. Another reason is that it’s a damn fine story! <br />
For a fee <i>The Return Man</i> will trek deep into an affected, off-limits zone and put an end to your zombified relative. For some family members this mercy killing is a final step in their healing process. For others, the “final ending” of their loved one might just allow them the closure they’ve needed to form a new beginning. Henry Marcos understands that the slow, meandering walk of the zombies has purpose and that a deep engrained memory, a spark of thought, compels them to seek out specific and meaningful places. Learn those important, sentimental places, <i>The Return Man</i> posits, and you can find almost anyone. So, why can’t Henry find his estranged wife? She’s out there somewhere and that’s what keeps Henry Marcos motivated and living at the edge of the zombie zone.<br />
I like that V. M. Zito introduces not one, but two, very different and creative notions concerning zombies into his debut novel and, in the process, side-stepped a number of redundant, overused tropes. (It bodes well for his survival in the industry.) In a day when most zombie, werewolf, and vampire stories follow long-used memes Zito worked outside the normal story lines to create a new sub-genre; that of Zombie Hunter. <em>The Return Man</em> held my interest throughout, and more importantly, kept me entertained from cover to cover. I love post-apocalyptic fiction and zombies. It’s even better when a new author adds unique ideas to a favorite mix and brings them successfully together. That’s usually when we find something special. <i>The Return Man</i> “is” that something special!<br />
File with: Post apocalyptic literature, zombies, survival, adventure, and zombies. I know I said zombies twice. I like zombies.<br />
4 out of 5 stars<br />
The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin <br />
<br /><b>Additional Reading:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Return-Man-V-Zito/dp/0316218286/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365095285&sr=8-1&keywords=the+return+man#_">The Return Man Amazon Page</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thereturnman.com/">The Return Man Website</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thereturnman.com/free-chapters/">The Return Man Preview (Chapter 1)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.hodder.co.uk/Books/detail.page?isbn=9781444777031">Border Crossing: A Return Man Short Story</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/vm.zito.3">V. M. Zito FaceBook page</a>The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-43031263633588565692013-04-04T21:49:00.001-04:002013-04-04T21:49:43.480-04:00Book Reviews – The Alchemist (Graphic Novel) and The Alchemist (Novel) by Paulo Coelho<p><strong>Book Review – The Alchemist (Graphic Novel) by Paulo Coelho</strong></p> <p>The Alchemist <br />Paulo Coelho <br />Illustrations by Daniel Sampere <br />Hardcover <br />208 pages <br />Publisher: Harperone <br />Publication Date: November 15th, 2010 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0062024329</p> <p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/9276509-the-alchemist"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cemDWKRVhLI/UV4ttR3d89I/AAAAAAAAA8Q/3K7ziqfXf2k/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="162" height="244" /></a></p> <p><i>     The Alchemist</i> (Graphic Novel) by Paulo Coelho and illustrated by Daniel Sampere is a visual study in life’s lessons expressed as a fable and tells the story of a boy named Santiago who has the imagination and resolution to follow his “Personal Legend.” While Coelho’s story is compelling and spiritual Dan Sampere’s art and design brings it to life. Each of Santiago’s guides are beautifully drawn (one in the likeness of Coelho himself)  and help enhance the lessons being taught. <i>The Alchemist</i> embraces a number of important messages, lessons that have been told and re-told in literature countless times. However, that does not make this particular story any less valid (or enjoyable) then those that have come before it. In fact, the art enhances every aspect of the story. As a matter of fact, the story depicted in graphic novel form tells the story better, I think, than the novel. Where a thousand words might suffice in fiction, ten words and an image need to deliver the same message graphically. That paring down helps highlight the many morals the protagonist encounters in his journey. Coelho points out the emotions encountered when something urgent is desired and how, for some, that need often manifests its way in a universal realignment to point us in the direction of that goal. Coelho explains how a true hunger and passion for something can, and often is, rewarded by success and that every one of us has a “Personal Legend” inside us waiting to blossom. The story reminds us that those who love us encourage and inspire us in so many ways to follow our dreams, to pursue our ambitions, and how simply reaching for our goals will take us to places we might never expect. </p> <p>     File with: Parables, philosophy, life lessons, and spirituality. </p> <p>4 ½ stars out of 5</p> <p>The Alternative One <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Book Review - The Alchemist (Novel) by Paulo Coelho</strong></p> <p>The Alchemist <br />Paulo Coelho <br />Hardcover <br />Publisher: Harper SanFrancisco <br />Publication Date: 1st edition - April 16, 1993 <br />ISBN-13: 978-0062502179 <br />192 pages</p> <p><a href="http://www.librarything.com/work/1391550/86841446"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002[4]" border="0" alt="clip_image002[4]" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hztQ1KMzP2U/UV4tttUxFtI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/7BcOT7QuOV8/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="164" height="244" /></a></p> <p>     One fourth spiritual poetry, one fourth platitudes, one fourth desert myth, and one fourth the philosophy of decency <i>The Alchemist</i> by Paulo Coelho is a study of life expressed as a myth or fable. It’s the story of a young boy named Santiago who has the imagination and resolution to go out and search for his own “Personal Legend.” Santiago stumbles a time or two but finds a series of guides that serve as moral compasses throughout his adventures. In one way or another they push him toward his goals, help him to retain his courage, and assist him in correctly reading the life omens he encounters. His endeavors eventually lead him to understand his own heart and inner desires. In varying degrees <i>The Alchemist</i> reminded me of some of the great spiritual writings of the past. It is the ghost of Kahlil Gibran and Rumi speaking to us, and like its predecessors, <i>The Alchemist</i> embraces a number of incredibly important messages, lessons that have been told and re-told in literature countless times. However, that does not make this particular story any less valid (or enjoyable) then those that have come before it. While the graphic novel is, in my opinion, more impactful visually the novel left me filled with the desire to go out and fulfill my own “Personal Legend.” Where images were more visually enticing the novel became a more emotional experience. Both are, in my opinion, worth the time spent reading. Coelho successfully points out the emotional roller coaster encountered when something urgent is desired and how, for some, that desire often manifests its way in a universal realignment to point us in the direction of that goal. (Though many of us refuse to hear or follow that call.) Coelho explains how a true hunger and passion for something can, and often is, rewarded by success and that every one of us has a “Personal Legend” inside us waiting to “become” or to manifest itself in a way we can recognize. (Usually its not how we see it in our heads when we set our goals.) The story reminds us that those who love us encourage and inspire us in many ways to follow our dreams, to pursue our ambitions, and that how simply reaching for our goals will take us to places we could never have expected to go without taking that first step.</p> <p>     File with: Poetry, Spirituality, Parable, and damn fine literature! </p> <p>4 ½ stars out of 5</p> <p>The Alternative One <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://paulocoelho.com/">Paulo Coelho’s Official Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Coelho">Paulo Coelho’s Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://paulocoelhoblog.com/">Paulo Coelho’s Blog</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/browseinside/index.aspx?isbn13=9780062024329">The Alchemist Preview</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjULTzHxQEY">The Alchemist YouTube Trailer</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-45069464603099238102013-04-04T19:59:00.001-04:002013-04-04T19:59:01.083-04:00Book Review - Strangers in the Land by Stant Litore<p>Strangers in the Land: The Zombie Bible <br />Stant Litore <br />Trade Paperback <br />Publisher: 47North <br />Publication Date: October 16th, 2012 <br />ISBN-13: 978-1612183923 <br />440 pages <br />Advance Reader's Copy</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhixB2_u0vWMhkj1TCPv8wTwTBycAlzZpDMbuthtw-narvULkB0542zV1Ubl9CjNEf6B1GeIUcp4uVa_t9DJSvAS9d0mGkUsAgcjefUq3c_brzuz-34nXLwnhLTz0hI6i0MSEaBjA/s1600-h/clip_image001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image001" border="0" alt="clip_image001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-prKyLS_O1m8/UV4TxLKfSpI/AAAAAAAAA8A/tGrwXddWwYY/clip_image001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="193" height="295" /></a></p> <p>     At first glance a zombie story set in Biblical times might seem a bit over the top. Some might even say unbelievable but Stant Litore has written a very good story with an unusually plausible plot. Centered around the Tribes of Israel and using the story of the Angel of Death turning the firstborn of Egypt into the undead (read zombies) Litore has created a unique and beguiling story which I personally could not put down. Weaving the cleanliness laws of the Hebrews into the practicalities of avoiding the touch of the undead (always good advice) Litore gives a fairly compelling argument that zombies might have existed in the Land of Shiloh during Biblical times. </p> <p><i>     Strangers in the Land</i> is the first book in Stant Litore's <i>The Zombie Bible</i> series which rewrites the Old Testament from the entirely believable point of view that the events described were in fact part of a zombie apocalypse. It might sound a bit ridiculous but in the execution <i>Strangers in the Land</i> is ultimately a devastatingly clever zombie story while tackling the universal issues of inequality, prejudice, otherness, and the lengths humans go to in order to devour one another. It’s also a whole lot of fun.</p> <p>File with: Zombies, Old Testament history, Hebrew Law, the undead, and horror.</p> <p>4 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative One <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><u>The Zombie Bible Series</u> <br />1. Stranger’s In The Land <br />2. Death Has Come Up Into Our Windows <br />3. What Our Eyes Have Witnessed </p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://stantlitore.com/">Stant Litore Official Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://zombiebible.blogspot.com/">Zombie Bible Blog</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Land-The-Zombie-Bible/dp/1612183921">Strangers In The Land Amazon Page</a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://zombie.stinque.com/bible/Main_Page">(Non-related to the book but interesting nonetheless – “Stingue Zombie Bible” – An actual Zombie Bible?!)</a></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-47925490521387402552013-01-27T10:54:00.001-05:002013-01-27T10:54:47.190-05:00Book Review - Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End by Manel Loureiro<p>Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End <br />Manel Loureiro <br />Trade Paperback <br />333 pages <br />Publisher: AmazonCrossing <br />Publication Date: October 23, 2012 <br />ISBN-13: 978-1612184340 <br />Advance Reader’s Copy – Uncorrected Proof</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U42-ejjctBA/UQVNxOR61WI/AAAAAAAAA7E/DZUKsYzXIms/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguub9ZEmkJC2XrppzdAhPOyYDlzKjV7pdY-lD9UJiHbpGkof4LhvVe6zbEBjjLb1HJD3AxSqp1SFpNvhrubeEBml9krrj0uo8nRSnJOo1yDTvT_5-JMocQifNh-jIQu2HiLn69rA/?imgmax=800" width="181" height="285" /></a></p> <p>     More zombie goodness…</p> <p>     Normally I keep extensive notes when reading so that I can use those notes to develop my review of the book based on my “in-read” impressions. In the case of Manel Loureiro’s <i>Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End</i> there just wasn’t time. I became so engrossed in the story, so entertained, that I neglected (plain forgot) to keep a single note on the story. Here’s why that’s a good thing: 1) The story grabs you from the start and doesn’t let go until the last word. 2) In a word, Realism – The story, characters, and scenes are very realistic in every sense of the word. Yes, we are talking about zombies here but insert “ambulatory plague victim” and it still works on every level. 3) Very Fast Read – <i>Apocalypse Z</i> is an extremely fast paced story and therefore a very quick read. I think I read it in just under eight hours. 4) Settings – All the action is set in Spain and on boats off the coast and that lends an unusual European feel to the zombie situation. I thoroughly enjoyed the locales that were so very different than those found in most of the zombie stories I’ve read. 5) Zombies – It’s another freaking zombie story! (Period.) 6) The main character could be you or I – Mr. Loureiro’s zombie apocalypse survivor is an everyman. Not a hero, not a macho, over-the-top caricature of a survivor but the embodiment of the normal man attempting to survive in a harsh and dangerous environment. He makes mistakes and he pays for those mistakes and that’s what makes this character and the entire story so compelling.</p> <p>      The book begins as a blog from a lonely man in Spain who’s just recently lost his wife and is looking for something to keep his mind occupied. But some very strange stories are coming out of Russia. Little by little the story unfolds that something has escaped a government facility and a pandemic is spreading. What would you do under the circumstances? Where would you go? For one man, the search for a “safe” place is not only a quest but an inward journey for survival. </p> <p>     If there’s any negative criticism I can make it’s that the story touched very little on the fall of civilization and the wake of societal disorder. Obviously, the story is about the personal journey of one man but by making him a blogger reporting on the fall of mankind I thought the concept could have been better developed and carried through more in the story.</p> <p>     File with: All the other good zombie books you’ve ever read!</p> <p>4 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Apocalypse-Z-Beginning-Manel-Loureiro/dp/1612184340/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1357599994&sr=1-1&keywords=Apocalypse+Z%3A+The+Beginning+of+the+End+by+Manel+Loureiro">Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.audiobooks.com/book/148333">Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End Audiobook</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manel_Loureiro">Manel Loureiro Wiki Page</a></p> <p>About The Author: Manel Loureiro (Spain, 1975) has a degree in Law from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia). Combining his studies in this historical city with some television projects, he was an anchorman for various television programs. From writing screenplays he discovered his interest for writing. His first novel Apocalypse Z has been an immediate success and cult phenomenon on the internet. It has had hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide. Apocalypse Z, Dark days, the sequel with the same heroes and their fight to survive in a world dominated by the Undead, has won Manel Loureiro the title of the first author of terror zombie novels set in Spain.</p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-64447918293152339752013-01-21T19:13:00.001-05:002013-01-21T19:13:16.016-05:00Book Review - Tucker Teaches the Clockies to Copulate by David Erik Nelson<p>Genre: Steampunk <br />Title: <i>Tucker Teaches the Clockies to Copulate</i> (Novella) <br />Author: David Erik Nelson <br />Publisher/Label: Ars Architeuthis Press; 2 edition (December 30, 2011) <br />Advance Reader’s Copy – Uncorrected Proof</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Mz_RanNNHIw/UP3ZmNRW-rI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/wjKzMbbmllc/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OhoHRWA7sbg/UP3ZmtCRqnI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/uLTl6iflrr4/clip_image002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="232" height="280" /></a></p> <p>     I’ve written previously regarding the flexibility of Steampunk in genre fiction and how its themes can appear in almost any type of literature. <i>Tucker Teaches the Clockies to Copulate </i>by<i> </i>David Erik Nelson is a superb example of how Steampunk can be written, and skillfully crafted, I might add, into any category of speculative fiction. It’s not often I’m introduced to a work of fiction that is remarkable in style and content, is exceptionally engrossing, <i>and</i> contains a message. <i>Tucker Teaches the Clockies to Copulate</i> is such a story. In this case, Mr. Nelson has incorporated clock-work men, the American Civil War, sex, alcoholism, humor, an ex-Confederate Soldier, exclusionism, and racism into a condensed novella about mechanical men that have outlived their usefulness as soldiers and make efforts to fit into society. It is Steampunk, to be sure, but above all it is a story that brings to the forefront the principles of equality and the human condition, even if only in emulation. Don’t be fooled by the title, either. While there are elements of the ribald scattered throughout the story what Mr. Nelson shows us is a displaced group of “people,” albeit mechanical, that simply wish to “become” as human as possible. What they’ll do to meet those ends, while comical in execution, is often moving and surprisingly tragic. </p> <p>     Although <i>Tucker Teaches the Clockies to Copulate</i> contains elements of post-Civil War era living it centers on the displaced nation of mechanical men, known as Clockies, residing near a small, frontier town in Utah. Mr. Kawazoe, the narrator, a Japanese veterinarian (or perhaps, a medical doctor, his profession somewhat ambiguous) is a respected member of the community but still considered untrustworthy and an outsider because of his nationality. He is motivated to spy on Dickie Tucker and his ill-conceived methods of teaching the clockies the fundamentals of frontier life more in the name of science than voyeurism. The story is poignant, human-driven, and well-crafted but the antics of the clockwork men really steal the show. Dickie Tucker teaching clockies to climb a ladder, dance, or make stew is guaranteed to make you chuckle but teaching them farm-related chores has to be the funniest scene I’ve read in a very long time. So much so that I’m obligated to share an excerpt of it.</p> <p>     “<i>Dickie’s attempts to teach the mechanoman to shoe horses had led to one shod horse, three-quarters of a shod horse (the fourth leg having been broken entirely off; this was swiftly tourniqueted by Sy Everett’s boy, Seth, who happened to be in his father’s neighbors’ barn for purposes never fully explained, and heard the injured animal’s unearthly screeching), four shod cows, a shod sow, and three shod ducks. A similar training session on milking led to 16 gallons of milk (which spoiled well before it was discovered that the clockies had taken the notion to warehouse the milk in the chicken coop), one calloused cow, and one clockie kicked to bits by a bull uninterested in the clockies ministrations to his “single udder.”</i>”</p> <p>     While teaching the Clockies to learn mundane farming skills is fun for the reader it’s when Dickie Tucker teaches the Clockies to copulate that the real story begins and we learn a lesson or two about what it means to be human. Some folks will do almost anything to fit in and the Clockies are no exception.</p> <p>     It’s not surprising then that <i>Tucker Teaches the Clockies to Copulate</i> was a Nebula Award nominee in 2008 and although he didn’t win, or make the finalists list, he certainly could have. In my opinion, what the world could use more of is additional entertainment like this. I would be remiss if I didn’t say that I feel this story needs to be expanded into an entire world of many Clockie books; the more the better. I hope Mr. Nelson is listening.</p> <p>     Recommended for Steampunk fanatics, western lovers, those interested in the human endeavor, anyone seeking a story with humor, fans of clock-work men, and those looking to get lost in a compelling story. </p> <p>5 out of 5 stars</p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin</p> <p><b>Additional Reading:</b></p> <p> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tucker-Teaches-Clockies-Copulate-ebook/dp/B006RTWZF6">Tucker teaches the Clockies to Copulate Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.davideriknelson.com/">David Erik Nelson Official Website</a></p> <p>Please note: This review was originally published in Steampunk Magazine January 2013.</p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25637626.post-59976331176841722532013-01-08T18:25:00.001-05:002013-01-08T18:25:38.705-05:00Book Review - Mark Z. Danielewski - The Fifty Year Sword<p>The Fifty Year Sword <br />Mark Z. Danielewski <br />Hardcover <br />Pantheon, Random <b><font color="#0000ff">House</font></b> <br />285 pages <br />Genre: Fantasy/Horror <br />ISBN: 978-0-307-90772-1 </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kjdtU3_63lE/UOyq7_j7bCI/AAAAAAAAA5c/F2segbaakJM/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="clip_image002" border="0" alt="clip_image002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fM3MpdhTzi4/UOyq8MJHj7I/AAAAAAAAA5k/AdH8HDAPbNk/clip_image002_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="158" height="244" /></a></p> <p>     Mark Z. Danielewski does not write novels. He creates experimental visual art that morphs into and weaves through each of his brilliant stories. The playful and unique way he approaches every one of his books is remarkably inventive and what he creates is unlike any other writer working today. His other works, <b><i><font color="#0000ff">House</font></i></b><i> of Leaves</i> and <i>Only Revolutions,</i> have been characterized as visual writing or Ergodic literature and <i>The Fifty Year Sword</i> is no exception. Yet, if we strip away the word play, the colored words, quotes, and paragraphs, the book flipping, side-bars, stitchery, typography, and marginalia what we find at the core of every one of those books is an entertaining tale. And isn’t that what we, as readers, ultimately crave? </p> <p>     Experiencing, or participating in, one of his stories (notice I did not say “reading”) is a unique entertainment. This is the third distinctive “piece of art” of his that I've read in the past few years and still, all I can think to say is that this is another totally amazing piece of creative genius. <i>The Fifty Year Sword</i> is not so much a linear novel as a patchwork piece of poetic dialogue that when stitched together creates a dark, unnatural, and malevolent story. Mr. Danielewski plays with words like a master poet and some of his creations are brilliant - "a sudden blue jay <u>avirarity,</u>" "gratefullya<u>ccepatating,</u>" "<u>consecawence,</u>" "<u>sputstuttersobbed,</u>" and “<u>s/word.</u>”  These are only a few of the more mischievous phrases you’ll find here yet, in context, they flow into the story and feel as if they’ve always been part of the English language.</p> <p>     In addition to the manipulation of language and the compelling story the book is filled with colored line stitching, needle punching, embroidery, and fabric art - the main character is a seamstress - making <i>The Fifty Year Sword</i> not only a pleasure to read but visually pleasing to touch, view, and experience, as well.</p> <p>     The first twenty pages or so set the tone, describe the scene, and introduce the main characters but when a mysterious Story Teller arrives at a Halloween Party and begins to weave his cunning tale <i>The Fifty Year Sword</i> comes to life. Five children and two adults assemble to hear the entertainment provided by the host. The Story Teller speaks of his search for an uncommon weapon, though he never tells us why. No knife, rope, explosive, or gun will do. The weapon he needs has to be extraordinary. One day he meets a homeless man who tells him of a weapon maker of unusual skill who sells curious tools of destruction but “never for money.” The Story Teller begins his quest to find this mysterious artisan of arms because he knows this man has exactly what he seeks. </p> <p>     The Story Teller travels from the Valley of Salt, to the Forest of Falling Notes, to the Mountain of Manyone Paths, hunting for the uncommon weapon he so desperately covets. And when he finds the weapon maker, a man with no arms (pun intended?), he barters "A memory you have which would have outlived you" for a Fifty Year Sword which causes no physical damage until the last second of the fiftieth year to whoever is struck. </p> <p>     And the Story Teller, a “bad man with a black heart” has come to this party to kill.... </p> <p>     Of course, I'll not spoil the best part of the story except to say that the circuitous ending which is somewhat expected happens in a completely unpredictable and surprising manner to an unsuspecting character. </p> <p>     File with: E. E. Cummings, blood and gore, word-play, Stephen King, experimental textile art, poetry, The Brothers Grimm, visual writing, and stitchery. (Did I really just say stitchery?) </p> <p>5 out of 5 stars </p> <p>The Alternative <br />Southeast Wisconsin </p> <p><b>Additional Reading: </b></p> <p><a href="http://www.markdanielewski.com">Mark Z. Danielewski's Official Website</a></p> <p><a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fifty_Year_Sword">The Fifty Year Sword Wiki Page</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/books/review/the-fifty-year-sword-by-mark-z-danielewski.html?_r=0">The Fifty Year Sword NYTimes Review</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0307907724/ref=aw_d_iv_books?is=l">The Fifty Year Sword Amazon Page</a></p> <p><a title="http://pantheon.knopfdoubleday.com/2012/08/23/the-fifty-year-sword-by-mark-z-danielewski/" href="http://pantheon.knopfdoubleday.com/2012/08/23/the-fifty-year-sword-by-mark-z-danielewski/">The Fifty Year Sword Deluxe Edition</a></p> <p><a title="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/12/mark_z_danielewski_s_the_fifty_year_sword_enhanced_e_book_will_change_kindle.html" href="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/12/mark_z_danielewski_s_the_fifty_year_sword_enhanced_e_book_will_change_kindle.html">The Fifty Year Sword eBook Article</a></p> <p><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSXfNMaC29lh24EqI4Xzs1LkPffox2vhjsRFflQZXSiSSeeF1lb5g" width="239" height="199" /></p> The Alternative Onehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14534345369644519964noreply@blogger.com0