Book Reviews
Review: Bloom County: The Complete Library, Vol 1
The book has comic strips from Mr Breathed very first comics that he did in his college paper, up to 1982. His first drawings were funny, but doesn’t look at all like they do later on. But you can still see his humor and a few of his characters that he stuck with.
Review: “Queen Ferris” by S. C. Butler
The second book in S. C. Butler’s Stoneways Trilogy continues where Reiffen’s Choice ends. The story spans more than seven years beginning with Reiffen’s return to the Three magical instruction. This book focuses equally on the growth of Reiffen, Ferris and Avender to good effect.
Review: “Fire Study” by Maria V. Snyder
Oh, Yelena. You crazy, headstrong, impulsive, bleeding heart, acrobatic trickster, I have missed you. I hope Ms. Synder takes it as a compliment that I have read each of her books in no more than two days. For all the work that goes into them, part of me feels that I should somehow be savoring them more. But if I did, then I wouldn’t find out what happens next as quickly as I need to.
Review: “Keeper of Light and Dust” by Natasha Mostert
Set in modern day London, Keeper of Light and Dust is attempting to elevate the vampire romance into a more modern “literary” form. (This would be the form I always find vaguely depressing – you can see why the book is not gelling for me.) Our young heroine, a tattoo artist is a Keeper. Keepers are mystic guardians and warriors and… well, frankly I lost interest at that point.
Review: “Twisted Rhymes: For the Theater of Your Mind!”
Of all the forms of speculative fiction (i.e. science fiction, hard science fiction, space opera, space western, fantasy, dark fantasy, horror, time travel, magical realism, fairy tales, mythology, Authurian legend, chick fantasy, romantic horror, action/adventure fantasy, etc.), horror is easily my least favorite genre. I know all the monsters and demons are supposed to be evil incarnate, but I always find myself wondering why they have to be so mean, you know?
Also, I’m not a big poetry fan. I mean, shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Um… you’re hot and sweaty and full of mosquitoes. Whose woods these are I don’t think I know. I’ve seen lots of things more lovely than a tree. Stop with all the pretty words, just gimme the story.
Review: “The Darkest Part of the Woods” by Ramsey Campbell
Have you ever had a sore spot like an aching tooth, an ingrown toenail, or a spot on your arm where you just got a shot? You know, some place that kisses you with a sharp pain if you don’t leave well enough alone? What do you do? You touch it, squeeze it, push on it. There you go, a grown-up, intelligent human being with a toothache, and you’ll actually bite down hard. When you can’t take the pain anymore you let up and wonder at your stupidity. Then, you go and do the same thing again half an hour later.
The Darkest Part of the Woods, by Ramsey Campbell, was a toothache I wouldn’t stop biting down on. I don’t know how many times I set the book down after an hour of reading, completely bored, totally uninterested… just to pick up the book again the next day.
Review: “Star Trek FAQ” by Mark Clark
As a solid Trek fan I am always on the lookout for good books on the franchise, and Star Trek FAQ comes through in spades.
Review: “Jump Start” by Gary Carter
All in all, though I think the book is flawed, I wanted to keep reading. I wanted to see how the story ended, which is a lot more I can say about other books I’ve reviewed.
I feel a bit flummoxed when it comes to rating this book. I enjoyed reading it, I don’t deny that, but the entire time I’m also thinking how much better it could be. Since I’m torn down the middle, I’ll tear the rating down the middle as well.
