I decided to pick a different book for my 2nd foray into the world of Christopher Moore, instead of going with the next Pine Cove book... I just didn'I decided to pick a different book for my 2nd foray into the world of Christopher Moore, instead of going with the next Pine Cove book... I just didn't really think I needed to know more about the other characters.
Who knew a fruit bat could be a cool character? This book put me in mind of Douglas Adams more than anything, which is a good thing. Tucker Case is a classic lovable loser who, of course ends up trying to bumble his way into being a hero. It kinda works. with the help of the spirit of an old WWII pilot, Roberto (the fruit bat) and an old Cannibal who one actually manages to root for.
I definitely would to find something about real life cargo cults now, too.. that's my next internet search... the concept is intriguing, and definitely just begs for good stories. This is one of them... not great (it was 100% predictable and more than a bit over the top). but definitely entertaining with alot of great lines to make you smile and think at the same time. ...more
This has been on the to read shelf for a LONG time.. not sure if I actually got it from the sci-fi book club back in the day, or later, but it has theThis has been on the to read shelf for a LONG time.. not sure if I actually got it from the sci-fi book club back in the day, or later, but it has the heft of one of those slightly smaller than normal HC books they used to sell. The Cover is awesome, but is probably the best part.
There are a couple good ones (the entry by Mercedes Lackey about some animal activists is morbidly funny, and the one with Fred the tree is great), but there's a few real stinkers -- one of the longer entries was about a divorced mom that hated the dinosaur cartoon her ex worked on, and, I guess, made her go nuts? It was pretty poor.
Written in 1993 (After that famous Dinosaur book), alot of the stories were variations on the JP theme... zoos of dinos, discovering DNA, mini dinos, etc... but a few were not really related at all, just had a dinosaur as a side mention.
The most creative one involved Time travelling Dinos, which was pretty neat. And while the author list is a veritible who's who of late 8os B-grade sci-fi writers, that's not the best time period.
If you really love Dinosaurs, or really just have to have everything written by Roger Macbride Allen or Judith Tarr, then you could do worse.
Not actually a novel, but actually 2 novellas, with the vague connection of both being post-apocalyptic worlds with a feudal system. The first one reaNot actually a novel, but actually 2 novellas, with the vague connection of both being post-apocalyptic worlds with a feudal system. The first one really should have been some sort of comic book series drawn by Jack Kirby, so it gets alot of extra points for the creativity.
Divide and Rule: The 2nd son of the Duke of Poughkeepsie gets his world turned upside down when he saves a girl that is with the super secret underground movement. Sounds pretty basic, right? The catch is the overlords are the 'hoppers', basically alien kangaroos that have magic helmets that make the sentient and conquered the planet in 1956. The book is set 350 years later, when the hoppers have spent generations telling humans they were ordained by God to be in control of the technology and make sure humans don't destroy each other.
Super fun story, with some small hints of a message, and who doesn't one love sentient alien kangaroos?
The Stolen Dormouse: I'm not sure exactly how to summarize this one.. maybe if one though of the an ugly cousin of Frederik Pohl's Space Merchants mixed with Romeo and Juliet. In this one, Corporations rule a feudalish society where business clans run, and a 'Sir' is a businessman, rather than a knight. But those damn Hawaiians won't get with the program and make and consume stuff, they're sitting on their island making new tech and enjoying the beach. A little disjointed, but fun.. I think I'd like it more if I hadn't read the other (superior) one right before.
Definitely the best non-Conan stuff from De Camp I've read....more
Definitely not as good as the first two.... I really didn't need a focus on Morwen's cats.. they were more interesting and mysterious as a pack... telDefinitely not as good as the first two.... I really didn't need a focus on Morwen's cats.. they were more interesting and mysterious as a pack... telling us which is which and trying to develop them separately was just too much.
Having flipped through the original book, I see why she ended it where and how she did, but it was pretty unsatisfying... I'm actually not totally sure I'm even going to read the last one... we'll see.
2024 Update: I can't believe I didn't mention how annoying Killer is! I think upon reflection this one almost seems rushed. If it was 2 books, they could have actually let us see what the wizards were up to, and had some clever fight scenes. I know there's not alot of that on purpose (that's clearly not the point) but I think some idea of what happened in the castle would have been alot better than Killer endlessly complaining about being hungry. I must have been REALLY annoyed when I read it the first time, because I don't remember anything from the last one... I guess we'll see!...more
I'm sure I would have thought this was the best book ever when I was 11. It's a very good wish-fufillment sort of story. As an adult that has read quiI'm sure I would have thought this was the best book ever when I was 11. It's a very good wish-fufillment sort of story. As an adult that has read quite a few such stories, though, it really was rather bland and predictable... perhaps made moreso by the fact that it's a prequel to the 1st book, and thus you pretty much knew how it was going to end up.
I'd probably have given it 1 or 2 stars, but Diana Wynne Jones is such a great writer, even her trite, predictable stories are pretty readable :) ...more
I saw someone call this 'Harry Potter means Beauty and the Beast'... that's not quite right, but it's close. You've got magic, alchemy, talking cats, I saw someone call this 'Harry Potter means Beauty and the Beast'... that's not quite right, but it's close. You've got magic, alchemy, talking cats, dragons, fairies....
It's little all over the place (both plot wise and literally), especially for a first issue, but great art and very good potential....more
It's a shame there was so much time between them, it seems like if they were able to stay with one vision of the characters and the world, it could haIt's a shame there was so much time between them, it seems like if they were able to stay with one vision of the characters and the world, it could have been pretty good. As it is, it seems like a mish-mash of whatever fantasy was popular at the time... the first couple (with amazing Mike Ploog art) feels alot like Elfquest... which even Al Milgrom mentions in his 'Editor-Al' column. Then with the painted art it's a very clear LotR rip... with a Evil Dark Lord using scary horseman to chase the elves and reclaim an artifact that will let him walk again.
The last one is almost a mix of the two, but not quite, and tosses in Dragon-riding for good measure... as if someone had read the Anne McCaffrey books and said 'let's do that!'
The art, though very different, is great throughout. I imaging the original painted books are quite amazing with their pull out spreads...even shrunk down they're pretty awesome.
Sadly, the writing is very different... the characters change in both look and personality in each story, then back again... no idea if that was just time passing and the direction changing, or editorial mandate, but they seem barely the same people.
The trade is a nice package, though strangely organized. It's full of covers, text pieces, original art pages, and the like, but they are peppered throughout the book, with a bunch at the end. I would have prefered a more chronological format, as it was pretty mind bending reading in a couple spots.
Overall, I can see alot of missed potential... makes me want to see Moench and Ploog give it another shot without Marvel to deal with!...more
I usually like Absurdist stuff, and I've read and enjoyed George Alec Effinger before, but this one is just too much. Dr. Waters has come up with the I usually like Absurdist stuff, and I've read and enjoyed George Alec Effinger before, but this one is just too much. Dr. Waters has come up with the path to peace.. by emptying out a city, and have a small amount of people move in and live off the remains. With no money and posessions, there should be no strife? It works on a small scale in America, so the world ends up agree to empty the great cities of Central Europe to try it out.
The book follows 3 people in the expiriment, who seem to be the only ones there, though it's implied there are others. None of them are likable in the least. It ends up the Dr. Waters is just a dictator, and one of the main character figures out the experiment is alot like communism.
The trick is, I'm not sure what Effinger is trying to say... he clearly doesn't like Standardized tests, or psychology, but otherwise, it's all just over the top stuff. Perhaps I missed something?...more
Re-read this for book club, and following watching the Amazon Prime series (which was very good.. David Tennant was brilliant as Crowley)... it's stilRe-read this for book club, and following watching the Amazon Prime series (which was very good.. David Tennant was brilliant as Crowley)... it's still a great book. Adam's monologue at the end is one of those passages in books that everyone should read on a regular basis.. right up there with 'Fear is the mind killer...'
I did notice they took some of the less politically correct bits out of the show (like when Aziraphale stops into America with the Tele-evangelist, or alot of the snark about Americans in general, really. And I don't think they could get away with a character name like Greasy Johnson these days)... but that's not a big surprise. We really need more authors like this in the world today. ...more
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