Intriguing but not great. I kind of want to get more back story but I don't think there's enough to matter. Pretty neat how the girl instantly is amazIntriguing but not great. I kind of want to get more back story but I don't think there's enough to matter. Pretty neat how the girl instantly is amazing with the sword. It must transmit training through its power, too, I guess....more
You can see the bones of the movie, which is great. The book though, not great. Some nonsense, some hard to distinguish parts, some was okay. Kind of You can see the bones of the movie, which is great. The book though, not great. Some nonsense, some hard to distinguish parts, some was okay. Kind of disappointing....more
Semi-generic thriller of a frame-up with the main character on the run to find the truth. Nothing too special, but the narration was sometimes really Semi-generic thriller of a frame-up with the main character on the run to find the truth. Nothing too special, but the narration was sometimes really grating. ...more
Decent start to a YA story about some dragons of prophecy. Clearly for the younger side of YA, as all characters are pretty simply defined and the actDecent start to a YA story about some dragons of prophecy. Clearly for the younger side of YA, as all characters are pretty simply defined and the action defines it all. My 12 year old daughter loves these. Art is good but nothing amazing....more
DNF 15% I usually love King's books, but this time around he was more interested in talking politics and covid related matters, none of which had anythDNF 15% I usually love King's books, but this time around he was more interested in talking politics and covid related matters, none of which had anything to do with the story. After confirming with other reviews that the rest of the book was the same, I had no interest in continuing. ...more
The Boogymen (and Boogywomen) are fighting! One kid has a newly reformed Father Death, the oldest of the Boogeymen, keeping him safe instead of causinThe Boogymen (and Boogywomen) are fighting! One kid has a newly reformed Father Death, the oldest of the Boogeymen, keeping him safe instead of causing trouble and scaring him. When another Grandma boogy comes along, the new guard so-to-speak go to war to finish off the 'last*' elder boogy.
*Turns out he really isn't the last, because there are two others that make appearances later in the book. There were some other pretty minor inconsistencies in the writing, but overall I really enjoyed the story. It's nothing ground breaking, but it was done well and the artwork is absolutely fantastic. ...more
The war's aftermath seems pretty dire. Again, a major character dies, but everyone hopes for the rebirth (because all good fables are forever, right?)The war's aftermath seems pretty dire. Again, a major character dies, but everyone hopes for the rebirth (because all good fables are forever, right?). We'll see. Some pretty big baddies get released but not concluded, so that is yet to come. Geppetto is brought into the Fabletown fold and I can see where he'll be useful soon, but for now mostly just everyone hates him. ...more
The WAR. The Fabletown fables take the war to the Imperialists with much success! They are virtually unstoppable using a combination of modern weaponrThe WAR. The Fabletown fables take the war to the Imperialists with much success! They are virtually unstoppable using a combination of modern weaponry, magic, and subterfuge. Some pretty major characters die as a result, though, so it's not all fun and games. Great volume....more
This is a pseudo science fiction book written in 1882. Which is interesting in it's own right. There is a small bit of future tech that is still grounThis is a pseudo science fiction book written in 1882. Which is interesting in it's own right. There is a small bit of future tech that is still grounded in things like steam power from the time. This is all just background though, to set the story in 1980, to make it sound like this might not be such a crazy far fetched idea a century from now/1880.
The entire premise is that this small independent island nation institutes a forced euthanasia program at the age of 68 - The Fixed Period. I found this...interesting, or odd maybe, I'm not sure what the right word is, while my family is caring for a nearly 99 year old grandpa in our home. It's the exact opposite of the idea behind the fixed period. They say that at that age, people basically become worthless, a drain on society, and that society would be so much better off, more wealthy, etc if people just died and passed their belongings down.
Of course, once it's time for this to actually take place, people realize how horrific it actually is. The main character, whose name is a little too on the nose [though this is meant to be satire] - Mr. Neverbend, will not change from their law, because it's SUCH a great idea, he likens himself to Columbus and Galileo. This, in despite of everyone turning on him, including his own wife and son. The first to be 'deposited' is one of his best friends, who also helped write up the law. But he eventually relents and carries through with it, because he is such a great friend to Mr. Neverbend.
Meanwhile there is a great long chapter about cricket that I didn't entirely understand. I think it was just to do with their pride and how great they are because they beat the English team. But knowing nothing about cricket, a lot of it was meaningless to me.
And then, just as Crasweller is being brought for his Fixed Period, the English show up with great big guns and an army and saying they are removing their independence because of this atrocious custom. The people realize just how much they love their freedom from the overpowered empire of Britain and once again side with Neverbend. But the English are too strong, and they force their own governor and take Neverbend away and the Fixed Period ends. But his new plan is to preach the good in the idea and maybe in a century (2080 then I guess) humanity will come to realize that it should be in place after all. And now 2080 is just under 60 years away and we'll see. Euthanasia in general is becoming more accepted in parts of the world, but I'd still assume that Forced euthanasia will still have no place in society. Doesn't stop countless other IPs to show the possibilities, though.
The book overall is interesting, but it sure reads like a book from long long ago. Also, the kindle edition said it was only 90 pages, so I thought I'd zip through it, but a page was actually 3 kindle pages, so it was much longer than expected. ...more
This book is very cool, like shiny, but it's like a random piece of plastic with a metallic coating. There is just not much here. Visually, it's illusThis book is very cool, like shiny, but it's like a random piece of plastic with a metallic coating. There is just not much here. Visually, it's illustrated in a way that makes me wonder if it was rotoscoped from pictures, at least of the people, not the environments. Which has it's own weird look to it. The coloring of the different panels is pretty neatly done. And the framing is often good. The illustrations of the gods or whatever is very cool.
But the story is just....there. It's an experience, I suppose. But none of it makes a lick of sense. The characters try to put up a front of being something but not really. Some neat things happen in moments. And then it's the next cool moment. And then it's done. ...more
Pretty mediocre overall. It's fairly swash buckling, but the characters are poorly fleshed out, particularly females. Apparently, Crichton researched Pretty mediocre overall. It's fairly swash buckling, but the characters are poorly fleshed out, particularly females. Apparently, Crichton researched some actual historical figures from Jamaica during this era, but then throws in things like kraken attacks. I just assumed it was fully fictional until the epilogue that speaks to their remaining life and the diary is in a museum. Plot moves quickly enough and there's plenty of fun scenes but it's not enough to get past the meh. If this were in an expected low-brow book like the Deathlands series it would get more of a pass....more
A seriously bizarre trip of a book. Where the drug of choice is the future, where they see their success, and aborted fetuses live in a separate unconA seriously bizarre trip of a book. Where the drug of choice is the future, where they see their success, and aborted fetuses live in a separate uncontrolled district in the kingdom of the dead. The main character Alka Seltzer is told by his girlfriend Angina to go kill their aborted fetus and travels to the Kingdom of Death where everything goes in reverse, only later to be replaced with their recycle bodies that quickly are killed and transform into furniture "because they are made from the same material." It's just bizarre thing after bizarre thing. The artwork is rough and a high contrast black and white but somehow reminds me of the 90s cartoon AAAH! Real Monsters, though I'm not sure why. I thought I recognized the name Max Andersson but looking him up after, he hasn't made anything I'm familiar with. It was interesting, but the plot just seemed like a 5 year old telling a story where everything is suddenly new nonsensical thing after new nonsensical thing. ...more
This series is a fast read. By the sound of it it's all but canceled so can't expect more, sadly. It was just starting to get into something good, or This series is a fast read. By the sound of it it's all but canceled so can't expect more, sadly. It was just starting to get into something good, or at least more involved and interesting, not just questions....more
A man comes upon a wreck and unwittingly throws himself into another world with a woman where they need to deliver a mysterious lump of... Something..A man comes upon a wreck and unwittingly throws himself into another world with a woman where they need to deliver a mysterious lump of... Something... To somewhere. Hoping some questions open up in the next volume because I have no idea what's going on, but I'm enjoying the ride....more
Loading...
