The Rocketeer Short

It looks great and it's not by Pixar.

The Rocketeer 20th anniversary from John Banana on Vimeo.

REVIEW: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
Publishing Information: 2001 (first publishing) 2001 (current edition)
Publisher: Roc Fantasy, Mass-Market Paperback, 405 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-45812-4
Series: The Dresden Files #2
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back cover): Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work --magical or mundane.But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise. A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses - and the first two don't count.

Merely from reading the title and the back cover, the concept of this second installment of the Dresden series should be obvious: it concerns werewolves. This is established so early in the book, that it can't possibly be construed as a spoiler. So, I'll just come out with it early. Harry Dresden has werewolves to contend with in this book.

Butcher gives an intriguing look at the werewolf lore in the Dresden universe - he gives a rundown of four different species of werewolves that Harry Dresden could be dealing with, explained from the mouth of Bob, the sex-crazed talking skull. Establishing these details make the plot somewhat more interesting than an ordinary werewolf story, as much of the mystery surrounds not only the identity of a werewolf, but exactly what sort of werewolf we are dealing with.

The plot addresses certain story-lines begun in the first book. Dresden continues his relationship with the paranormal reporter Susan Rodriguez, and must once again not only contend with Chicago's finest but keep the evil forces from the netherworld at bay as well. However, this series is still struggling to establish some unity between the first two books. There has yet to be anything that resembles an overarching story arc, although the existence prime antagonist has been hinted at. Not to mention, Harry's issues with the meddling Wizarding council seem to have been put on hold, a promising storyline that had begun in the first book.

After this book, I am still waiting for this series to really engage me. The mystery in this book was a bit more complex, containing more suspects and red herrings, and the werewolf lore was somewhat appealing, but there are still no series-wide plot elements that make me want to run out to read the next book. It was a pleasant enough light-read, but I'm still waiting for Butcher to really impress me and elevate this series to the next level.

Plot……….6.5/10

Characters………6/10

Style………..5.5/10

Overall……….6/10

At the Mountains of Madness Short

The action doesn't start until past the 11 minute mark, that's when things take a dark turn. But with Del Toro not being able to direct the film he wants to direct, this may be our best alternative.

Gaiman Speaks About Plans for the New HBO Series American Gods

All the buzz for the past week or two has been about HBO's plans for the 6 season TV series adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods. With the success of HBO's Game of Thrones, Hollywood is finally noticing that speculative fiction is ripe with material. Gaiman on his website and in an interview has stated that the series will not be a strict adaptation of the novel like Game of Thrones, but will take some interesting divergences from the novel to keep fans on their toes.

Here is some speculation about casting from Houston press.

A video with Gaiman discussing the new series can be found here.

This is great news but I'm still waiting for a Sandman adaptation......

A Look at Captain America's Shield

A video has recently surfaced about the Captain's shield. I think it is brought to you by Norton Anti-virus software but not sure:

REVIEW: Heroes Die by Matthew Stover

Heroes Die by Matthew Stover
Publishing Information: Kindle Edition; 560 pages
Publisher: Ballentine Books; 9 December 2009
ISBN 10: 0345421450
ISBN 13: 978-0345421456
ASIN: B001MYA38W
Series: Overworld #1
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "Renowned throughout the land of Ankhana as the Blade of Tyshalle, Caine has killed his share of monarchs and commoners, villains and heroes. He is relentless, unstoppable, simply the best there is at what he does.

At home on Earth, Caine is Hari Michaelson, a superstar whose adventures in Ankhana command an audience of billions. Yet he is shackled by a rigid caste society, bound to ignore the grim fact that he kills men on a far-off world for the entertainment of his own planet--and bound to keep his rage in check.

But now Michaelson has crossed the line. His estranged wife, Pallas Rill, has mysteriously disappeared in the slums of Ankhana. To save her, he must confront the greatest challenge of his life: a lethal game of cat and mouse with the most treacherous rulers of two worlds . . ."

Heroes Die is a bloody book. Lots of gratuitous violence. It is a hack and slash in the extreme. While some people may like it, others may find it disturbing. That is the point of Heroes Die. Stover has created what some feel is an instant classic and while I did enjoy Heroes Die, I do not think it left me with the same impression that it did with others.

Caine/Hari is an interesting character, he is worshipped by the people of earth and the people of Overworld. Because of his ruthless tendencies he is seen as an unstoppable force. Violence is the way that Caine deals with every situation. Because of this it has caused a rift in his marriage. Hari on the other hand is, for the most part, a timid individual with the occasional flights of fantasy where he calls upon Caine's 'unique' way of handling things. While I cannot speak for Stover, I think that the violence solves everything mentality is on trial here and the end of the book gives you the answer to what is the true champion. There are a myriad of supporting characters all of which play an intricate role in bringing about the resolution of the story. Between the characters of Overworld and Caine's handlers on Earth there are plenty of associates and enemies to keep you and our protagonist on his toes.

The world building is a lot different from what I am use to in most fantasy/science fiction novels. Earth's governments have fallen and corporations hold a lot of power. On top of companies running the world there is also a caste system placed upon humanity. The future that Heroes Die portrays is fairly bleak and while we are not allowed to see behind the curtain we do see a few glimpses here and there. Overworld is also not fully explained. Somehow before things on Earth got bad, we found a parallel Earth that is still in the dark ages and contains various gods and magic. It is a cruel world but minus the technology is not too far away from the Earth Hari comes from. By using a machine that reminded me of the Animus technology from the Assassin Creed video games, man can transport to the other world. Actors are taken to Overworld and given quests which are then broadcast around the world and is the highest form of entertainment in the future. There is a few mentions of drug use and I would think that in the dystopian future Stover has created drugs would not be so prevalent and easy to come by, but that is a very minor gripe.

Heroes Die is very fast paced. With roughly a few days to find and save his wife on Overworld and plenty of sub-plots to reach his ultimate goal you do not have a lot of down time. Even when there is a lag in action there is a surge in intrigue. Heroes Die is a interesting book and I can see why it has a lot of fans. Stover is a great story-teller and I do have the second book in the series, The Blade of Tyshalle, on the Kindle as well. I just have a few more books to get to before I return to this series.

Plot 7
Characters 8
Style 7.5

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
Publishing Information: 1996 (first publishing) 2008 (current edition)
Publisher: Ballantine Books, Trade Paperback, 405 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-449-91255-3
Series: Standalone (w/ sequel)
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from Amazon.com): In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet which will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question the meaning of being "human." When the lone survivor of the expedition, Emilio Sandoz, returns to Earth in 2059, he will try to explain what went wrong... Words like "provocative" and "compelling" will come to mind as you read this shocking novel about first contact with a race that creates music akin to both poetry and prayer.

The possibility of making contact with an alien race has captured the imaginations of human beings for quite some time. It is a story that has been told on countless occasions - from H.G. Wells - that great pioneer of science fiction, through Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End, to Heinlein's Stranger From a Strange Land to Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I could continue to name innumerable others. Some of these stories feature malevolent extra-terrestrials seeking galactic conquest and the eradication and enslavement of humans, while others introduce us to benign celestial beings that have matured to levels that far exceed human development. The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell, is at its heart another contact story but its not simply just another contact story.

The Sparrow sets itself apart early by doing something that is so rare in science fiction - it introduces complex human characters. So many science fiction authors spend their time dreaming up fantastic alien civilizations or presciently foretelling future technological advancements, that they forget to portray the effects these elements have on human beings. Russell has instead introduced some of the most interesting characters I've encountered in all of science fiction, filled with with prejudices, idiosyncrasies, and self-deceptions. For example the protagonist, Father Emilio Sandoz is a Puerto Rican Jesuit who must constantly battle temptations to break his celibacy vow, while he believes God is guiding him on a mystical journey.

Now I know that as soon as some people hear that Christianity is a theme in this story, they will be quick to dismiss it. But, hear me out. The Sparrow raises more interesting questions about the existence of God and morality, then it does try to answer them. In fact it raises serious theological questions about God's silence in a universe full of cruelty, and how God's followers can often be misled by what they believe to be his infinite benevolence and his mysterious workings. When Sandoz sets out with a group of companions to land on an alien planet in Alpha Centuari, his faith is unbreakable. When he returns he is a man broken, spiritually, mentally, and physically. Russell delivers all of this up front by interweaving two separate time periods - from the time before the space mission and the time afterwards. This is a suspenseful way to tell the story as we are left wondering what the hell happened to this guy and why he is apparently the only survivor from the mission.

As a trained anthropologist, Russell's book is clearly influenced by her day job. Its fascinating to discover the biological and cultural differences with a planet that's atmosphere is so very similar to our own. Often meeting the intelligent life on Rakhat is like looking at a somewhat distorted mirror of ourselves, and that is part of what makes this a very dark story. The book is emotionally draining, partly because Russell is good enough to make you care about her characters. The story is tragic in many ways and I can only recommend it to readers who do not shy away from that sort of thing. Negatively speaking, some of the descriptions of the alien cities and environments were a bit thin. While Russell is a gifted developer of characters, she comes up short in her world-building abilities. I wanted to know much more about the alien cities that were visited by the characters and I wanted Russell to provide reasons why so much of their culture was so similar to our own but why other parts were so different. Russell's reverie ends up feeling somewhat myopic compared to other science fiction visionaries. However, this is a great story with a great cast of characters and would recommend to anyone looking for a thought provoking yet emotionally exhausting journey.


Plot……….9/ 10

Characters………9.5/10

Style………..8/10

Overall……….8.5/10

PRESS RELEASE: Zombies of the World by Ross Payton

For immediate release

Zombies of the World: A Field Guide to the Undead

The first definitive scientific and historical guide to the many species of zombies

Zombies menace humanity, yet we barely understand them. There are treatises that show you how to kill the undead but this is the first study to explain the importance of zombies.  Zombies of the World reveals the undead to be a valuable part of our ecosystem and the key to new discoveries in medicine and technology. No other book covers these topics. No other book covers these topics. Most lump all the undead into one horde of identical ghouls, but Zombies of the World brilliantly documents how evolution has led to a wide variety of species. Few outside the scientific community even realize that creatures like the Egyptian Mummy (Mortifera mumia  aegyptus) are actually zombies. Some species are even harmless to humans. The Dancing Zombie (Mortifera immortalis choreographicus) only seeks to thrill humans with elaborate dance routines. Destroying the undead isn’t always the answer.  

Even if we could annihilate all zombies, we would lose knowledge potentially vital to our own survival. After decades of research, we have no idea why zombies never tire or stop. They possess an endless source of energy to shamble or (in some cases) sprint after us. Unlocking this mystery could benefit all humanity. Only Zombies of the World tackles this issue and many other paradoxes. This ground-breaking book describes:

• 20 prominent zombie species with scientific names, habits and range
• 60 full color illustrations of zombies, historical documents and the undead in action
• Project RESURRECTIONIST, the U.S. Government’s secret zombie research program
• The mystery of the zombie’s animating force and what we have learned about it
• How to deal with the greatest threat in a zombie attack: other human survivors
• Theories of zombie evolution and migration
• Cutting edge technology to harness clean renewable energy from the undead
• The world’s only sign language program to communicate with an Egyptian Mummy
• A historical perspective of humanity’s interaction with the undead
• Longevity research aided by studying the secrets of the zombie

Learn the truth behind the undead now before it’s too late!

Trade paperback / $18.95 / 112 pages / 6x9 / Color throughout / June 2011 / Science Fiction & Fantasy / Comedy / Horror / ISBN 978-0-9827265-0-1
Planned Media: Web Series, social media, convention appearances and author events
Dedicated blog at http://www.zombiesoftheworld.com/zombies-of-the-world-blog/

Web series at http://www.youtube.com/user/zombiesoftheworld

Slang Design

4067 S. Franklin
Springfield, Missouri 65807

Contact: Ross Payton, authorzombie.studies@gmail.com / 417-234-2921

David Gemmell Legend Award Winners

The winners of the David Gemmell Legend Award are...

Legend Award (Best Fantasy Novel of 2010)

Brandon Sanderson for The Way of Kings

Morningstar Award (Best Fantasy Debut)

Darius Hinks for The Warrior Priest

Ravenheart Award (Best Fantasy Book-Jacket)

Olof Erla Einarsdottir for the cover of Power and Majesty

JK Rowling Announces Pottermore

A message from J.K. Rowling to her fans:

UK Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Well, if you didn't want to watch the movie, you no longer have to as this British trailer now shows you the movie in chronological order leaving nothing to the imagination.

Book Country (beta) Launches

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:

On April 26, 2011, Book Country, LLC announced the public beta of a supportive genre fiction community that serves writers, readers and publishing professionals.

Focused on romance, fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, and mystery fiction purchases—which account for 58% of fiction purchases—Book Country is designed to help new authors hone their craft and get useful feedback on works in progress from avid readers and other writers. Book Country also offers publishing professionals such as agents and publishers a place to discover new voices.

Discoverability is a key component of the Book Country experience. Through great search and browse tools, including the groundbreaking Genre Map, visitors and members can find the books the books they love to read, from Police Procedurals to Medical Thrillers to Paranormal Romance, to Urban Fantasy or Steampunk.

Book Country is focused on building a community that is—and will remain—a free, creative supportive venue where writers and readers can give and receive constructive criticism, discover new and entertaining books, discuss and share tips and experiences, and learn about the publishing industry. Badges will be awarded to members to recognize a variety of achievements including most-improved books, top-rated peer reviewers, and most-active discussion contributors.

“We created Book Country because while writing and publishing sites have proliferated in recent years, none were designed by publishing experts to create a more valuable pathway forward for new writers,” explained Book Country President Molly Barton. “Book Country is egalitarian and merit-based, while fostering an atmosphere of encouragement and creativity.”

Members can upload a work in progress, explore and provide feedback on books already posted, participate in discussions about the business and craft of writing, or learn more on the industry blog. A writer new to the site can upload their work immediately, but because Book Country was designed with genuine reciprocity in mind, before that work becomes visible on the site, she or he must review three other people's work.

Book Country is a subsidiary of Penguin Group USA, a Pearson company. Though owned by Penguin Group USA, Book Country is a separate entity, both legally and practically with fulltime Book Country staff members. Books from all publishing houses will be mentioned on the site, and staff members from all publishers are welcome to participate. Book Country is focused on the success, education and enjoyment of its members.

BOOK COUNTRY FAQ:

What is Book Country?

Book Country is creative, supportive online community where readers and writers of genre fiction can come together read works in progress, post original fiction, comment on the work of their peers, participate in online discussions and increase their name recognition.

What defines “genre fiction”?

“Genre fiction” describes the way novels or short story collections with similar themes, settings, tropes, and character types are categorized. Book Country focuses on romance, mystery, thriller, science fiction, and fantasy.

Will you be adding additional genres? What about Young Adult?

Book Country is focused on specific genres, and is not designed to be all things to all writers. Over time, we may add additional genres and literary forms based on feedback from the community. Young Adult fiction that falls into one of our focus genres is welcome at Book Country.

Will Book Country offer self-publishing services? When?

Right now, Book Country is focused on building the community. Later this year, we will be adding self-publishing services. We are not outsourcing these services.

Will editors and agents read Book Country manuscripts?

Many editors and agents are members of Book Country and read the uploaded content. It is not, however, an outlet for submission to agencies and publishing houses.

What steps has Book Country taken to prevent plagiarism?

Protecting the uploaded work is of the utmost importance, and Book Country has taken numerous steps to make it very difficult for someone to copy or distribute writers’ material, including disabling “copy and paste” and “print” functionality within the reader.

Do you allow books with explicit material?

Yes, of course. We respect writers’ creative choices when it comes to their posted manuscripts and books. We do, however, request that they tag their work accordingly and we have some suggestions in our terms of use and community guidelines sections. In addition, we have a way for members to report inappropriate content throughout the site.

What is Book Country’s relationship to Penguin?

Book Country, LLC is a subsidiary of Penguin Group USA, a Pearson company.Book Country is a separate legal entity with full-time Book Country staff.

Lens Flare The Movie

I saw Super Eight over the weekend and I enjoyed it, not as much as other reviewers seem to but it was a pretty entertaining movie which is what I went there looking for. Since it is a JJ Abrams movie, expect a lot of Lens Flare.

REVIEW: The Perfect Shadow by Brent Weeks (Kindle Edition)

The Perfect Shadow by Brent Weeks
Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: Orbit 1 June 2011
ASIN: B004RQTXDI
Series: Prequel to The Night Angel Trilogy
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "Discover the origins of Durzo Blint in this original novella set in the world of Brent Weeks' New York Times bestselling Night Angel trilogy.

"I got a bit of prophecy," the old assassin said. "Not enough to be useful, you know. Just glimpses. My wife dead, things like that to keep me up late at night. I had this vision that I was going to be killed by forty men, all at once. But now that you're here, I see they're all you. Durzo Blint."

Durzo Blint? Gaelan had never even heard the name.

***
Gaelan Starfire is a farmer, happy to be a husband and a father; a careful, quiet, simple man. He's also an immortal, peerless in the arts of war. Over the centuries, he's worn many faces to hide his gift, but he is a man ill-fit for obscurity, and all too often he's become a hero, his very names passing into legend: Acaelus Thorne, Yric the Black, Hrothan Steelbender, Tal Drakkan, Rebus Nimble.

But when Gaelan must take a job hunting down the world's finest assassins for the beautiful courtesan-and-crimelord Gwinvere Kirena, what he finds may destroy everything he's ever believed in."

It is no secret that I am a big Brent Weeks fan, in fact his Night Angel trilogy is what got me back into the genre after reading history and military books for years. When his Lighbringer series started up I was not all that impressed as it had a hard time of keeping me interested. So, it was a nice change of pace to return to the world that started this whole love for the genre and blogging thing.

The Perfect Shadow is a prequel to the Night Angel trilogy and it basically tells of Durzo Blint's rise as the infamous assassin in the world. We also learn a bit more about his early life and where the name Durzo Blint actually comes from.

While The Perfect Shadow is a prequel, I couldn't help but wonder if someone who was interested in the series would want to start here. There is a lot of information that only seems to make sense for those who have already read the original series. If I had started with the Novella I think that things would be spoiled once I got to the trilogy. A few things are given away that do not come to light right away as you read the series. With that in mind, I might skip this prequel until you have read the series first. It does not really contain much as far as spoilers, but some relationships are revealed before they are in the books which may or may not ruin the experience.

That aside, The Perfect Shadow was a homecoming of sorts, I enjoyed the story and my only real complaint was that it was far too short and made me wish there were more stories to read about the characters and the world.

Do not have a Kindle? Subterranean Press has it for pre-order. No official release date other than fall. Click here for details.

Story 7
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 8/10

REVIEW: The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger by Stephen King
Publishing Information: 1982 (first publishing) 2003 (current edition)
Publisher: Signet, Mass-Market Paperback, 300 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-21084-5
Series: The Dark Tower, Book 1 (of 7)
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from inside cover): In the first book of this brilliant series, Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, the last gunslinger. Nothing will ever be the same. Roland's quest for the Dark Tower takes readers on a wildly epic ride-- through parallel worlds and across time. A classic tale of colossal scope - crossing over terrain from The Stand, The Eyes of the Dragon, Insomnia, The Talisman, Black House, Hearts in Atlantis, 'Salem's Lot, and other familiar King haunts - the adventure takes hold with the turn of each page.


Prior to my reading of this first installment of the Dark Tower Series, I had never read Stephen King. I had seen many film adaptations of King's novels and short stories - everything from Kubrick's The Shining, to Cronenberg's brilliant version of The Dead Zone, to ABC's the Stand miniseries, to the low budget Sleepwalkers and The Langoliers. King's entire bibliography had been pilfered by Hollywood resulting in a few classics but mostly disasters. Over the years, King's willingness to squeeze as much money as he could out of the film and television industry, despite the often terrible results, caused me to shy away from him as an author. Any author who cared so little about his work that he would allow the motion picture industry to taint it with poor imitations was not worth my time or money.

This was a silly prejudice on my part. Many friends whose opinions I respected were huge King fans. The fact that King was one of the richest writers alive was not because he was the biggest sellout, but because he did something right. When I heard that an epic full-scale film and television adaptation of the Dark Tower series was taking place, I knew it was the perfect time to give King's books a try. Though the director on the job, Ron Howard is probably better off making summer blockbusters starring Tom Hanks rather than something that requires so much style and vision, I remain hopeful. But, enough about the films. Onto the novel.

I'm not sure how King usually writes, but The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger is written like a hard-boiled western. The writing is terse and simple, without flowery adjectives and phrases. Though written from the third-person, it often sounds as if the protagonist could be telling the story about himself. Our hero, the Gunslinger, is tough in the way that Clint Eastwood's portrayal of Sergio Leone's Man With No Name is - he's a man of few words but he makes those words count. The gunslinger isn't a cowboy in the traditional sense however - the book suggests that he has trained in gunfighting as if it were some sort of martial art, and there are also indications that gunslingers have some sort of sworn duty. Not to mention, our gunslinger isn't afraid to take the occasional drug induced spirit journey.

The story lacks any info drops as King has put on a clinic of the "show don't tell" approach to writing. We must blindly follow the journey of the gunslinger as he follows a trail through deserts and mountains, chasing a figure mysteriously known as the "Man in Black" (Johnny Cash would be proud). The world seems post-apocalyptic since there are indications of ancient artifacts such as gas stations and Beatles' songs, while mutants inhabit abandoned subway stations. There is even a character who has memories of a life in New York City. However, King hasn't explained what the link is between the familiar world and the world of the Dark Tower and we are left guessing in this first book.

But, just because I was confused didn't mean that I was bored. The stories we hear of the man in black and his mysterious link to the figure known as Marten are devilish in the way only the stories of the best villains are. The gunslinger is the perfect foil to this man in black.. While the gunslinger is a man of few words, simple, and straightforward - the man in black is an insincere flimflammer, often appearing as a pretentious charlatan. The cat and mouse game these two play certainly is interesting - and the opaque journey in which they are taking is certainly intriguing. However, King has set up some puzzling mysteries here and it will be interesting if he can provide worthwhile resolutions to them. In short, I am eager to learn how things will progress, but still skeptical that this won't turn into an exercise in nonsense or a knot that King cannot untangle himself from. Well, I guess I can read on and find out.



Plot……….5.5/ 10

Characters………8.5/10

Style………..7/10

Overall……….6.5/10

DC Comics Relaunch

If you haven't heard yet. Most of your beloved comic book characters are being relaunched in the coming months. Many of the story lines from the past couple of decades are being erased and yet somehow continued. In a word, its a mess.

A couple of examples:

1. Batman has only been working for a few years (3-5 years). Yet, he has trained Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Tim Drake. Not to mention had a love child with Talia Al'Ghul and has his son as the current Robin. That is a short amount of time to completely train that many sidekicks. Also, his son is really young to be fighting crime.

2. Batman, Inc. still exists and is running at full steam yet, Bruce Wayne is back in the cowl.

3. The Rainbow Coalition that is the various lanterns has occurred. So has the Final Crisis. Although the implications have yet to be told or more than likely ironed out.

4. The Killing Joke occurred and the paralyzed Barbara Gordon has miraculously been healed and is the current Batgirl.

5. The marriage between Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane never happened.

6. Action Comics will reboot Superman in the Golden Age and he will be the first, and what looks like, only superhero (for a short while at least).

I am not sure exactly what all this means for die hard DC fans as the current story lines may or may not continue with the relaunch. From what I have read so far many will end before their conclusion.

Some characters look to be going backwards where others seem to be going into an entirely new direction which may or may not be what fans want. The only good thing that I can think of is that new readers will have a chance to read at the beginning of their favorite hero or heroine. Either way you look at it, it should be an interesting time for comic book fans and DC Comics.

REVIEW: Windhaven by George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle

Windhaven by George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle
Publishing Information: 1981 (first publishing) 2003 (current edition)
Publisher: Bantam Spectra, Mass-Market Paperback, 400 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-553-57790-7
Series: Standalone
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back cover): Among the scattered islands that make up the water world of Windhaven, no one holds more prestige than the silver-winged flyers, who bring news, gossip, songs, and stories. They are romantic figures crossing treacherous oceans, braving shifting winds and sudden storms that could easily dash them from the sky to instant death. Maris of Amberly, a fisherman's daughter, was raised by a flyer and wants nothing more than to soar on the currents high above Windhaven. So Maris challenges tradition, demanding that flyers be chosen by merit rather than inheritance. But when she begins that bitter battle, she discovers that her troubles are only beginning. For not all flyers are willing to accept the world's new structure. Now she finds herself fighting to preserve the integrity of flyer society against a revolution that threatens to tear apart the fabric of the world she fought so hard to join - and to which she might be required to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

After reading the first four installments of A Song of Fire and Ice as well as the under-appreciated vampire novel Fevre Dream, one might be hasty enough to conclude that George R.R. Martin's name printed on a book's cover is always a mark of high quality. Such an assumption might cause one to pick up a book with such a lackluster premise as being about a group of winged flyers that serve as aristocratic messengers. Even when I was eight-years old I grew restless when my older brother took me to see the Rocketeer, the captivating tale of a man and his jetpack. Still, George R.R. Martin's name was enough to suspend my skepticism and add Windhaven to my to-read list.

Windhaven takes place on a distant planet, in which a human piloted spaceship crashed centuries ago. The descendants of the castaways have forgot much of where they came from and have settled on a group of islands that are subject to tumultuous swirling winds. Since this kind of atmosphere has made seafaring difficult, the valuable debris from the crashed spacecraft was used to fashion wings in which a select few strap themselves and ride the winds from island to island delivering messages. These select few are heirs to dynasties, where the wings are passed down and inherited from generation to generation. These flyers constitute a nobility on Windhaven, and have a certain "rock star" status that enchants the imaginations of peasant-children and lute-playing songwriters.

The book is divided into three parts, each of which could exist independently as a short story. In fact, the first was originally published as a short story sometime in the seventies. While the vision of a world where people fly around on metal wings might have made for a charming short-story, it gets stretched a bit thin over a novel's length. Any enthusiasm I was able to muster for winged messengers had faded away by the final pages. This is because the concept of the book is simply not that interesting. Stylistically, the book carried itself well, except for some awkward exposition-filled dialogue. The three sections of the plot all complement each other nicely and it doesn't seem to be filled with anything that insignificant or extraneous. The book includes enough compelling themes such as the purpose of tradition, class and social mobility, and even the importance of art and public image. However, in the end I was asking myself why I wasn't that excited about this book. My brain was telling me that it had all the elements tend to constitute a decent novel, but my heart just wasn't into it.

I honestly believe all this can be chalked up to the dull premise and world on which this book is based. This book proves that decent writers and storytellers can fail simply because of a bad idea. Of course, we can always chalk this up to other author that George Martin collaborated with rather than give him an equal share of the blame. Lisa Tuttle isn't exactly a household name. However, great writers and fantasists aren't often born that way and there is often a bumpy road to success. This may be one such example.



Plot……….6/ 10

Characters………5/10

Style………..6.5/10


Overall……….4/10

Free eBook- Joel Shepard's Sasha

If you have an eReader or the Amazon Kindle, Joel Shepard's Sasha is currently free in the Kindle store. Not sure how long this is going to last so pick it up as soon as possible.

Review From Our Friends at FBR -

"The whole book had me hardly able to put it down, and my perpetual human need for sleep continually stood in the way of decent reading time. The vague allusions towards what will come in the sequel...Petrodor has me eager to read more. This is definitely a book you will want to pick up. Not the worlds hardest read, but downright and thoroughly enjoyable." --Fantasy Book Review

Cast and Crew of Captain America Get Special Poster

About 100 members of the cast and crew received special posters for being apart of the movie Captain America and I have to say it is probably the best movie poster I have seen in decades. Of course it doesn't hurt that Cap is belting Hitler in the chops.

More information here.

Pratchett Begins Formal Process to End His Life

Roughly three years ago Beloved author Terry Pratchett announced to the world that he has Alzheimer's Disease and since that time he has pro-actively fought for the right in Assisted Suicides. Not attaining his goal in England, Pratchett has begun the process in Switzerland where it is legal.

According to sources at the Guardian, the paperwork has been sent to Pratchett but he has yet to sign the documents. For the full story click here.

REVIEW: The Alchemist in the Shadows by Pierre Pevel

The Alchemist in the Shadows by Pierre Pevel
Publishing information: Paperback; 336 pages
Publisher: Gollancz; 12 May 2011
ISBN 10: 0575084421
ISBN 13: 9780575084421
Series: Book 2 in the Cardinal's Blade Trilogy
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "Welcome to Paris, in 1633, where dragons menace the realm. Cardinal Richelieu, the most powerful and most feared man in France, is on his guard. He knows France is under threat, and that a secret society known as the Black Claw is conspiring against him from the heart of the greatest courts in Europe. They will strike from the shadows, and when they do the blow will be both terrible and deadly. To counter the threat, Richelieu has put his most trusted men into play: the Cardinal's Blades, led by Captain la Fargue. Six men and a woman, all of exceptional abilities and all ready to risk their lives on his command. They have saved France before, and the Cardinal is relying on them to do it again. So when la Fargue hears from a beautiful, infamous, deadly Italian spy claiming to have valuable information, he has to listen ...and when La Donna demands Cardinal Richelieu's protection before she will talk, la Fargue is even prepared to consider it. Because La Donna can name their enemy. It's a man as elusive as he is manipulative, as subtle as Richelieu himself, an exceptionally dangerous adversary: the Alchemist in the shadows ..."

The Alchemist in the Shadows takes off a few days from when we last left the Blades in the first book in the series, The Cardinal's Blades. While the first book was interesting and had enough to keep my interest primed. The Alchemist in the Shadows, in my opinion, does a better job of moving the story along and keeping the intrigue interesting.

All of the Blades are back as well as a few more familiar faces. This time they are after an enemy that has dodged La Fargue at every turn, The Alchemist has managed to stay one step ahead of Cardinal Richelieu, La Fargue, and his band of Blades. This time the chase has dire consequences for France and the country's royalty. While not much is told about the Alchemist he seems to have a shroud of mystery that surrounds him and Pevel does a great job at times of showing his ruthlessness and unfortunately, at other times he fails to prove just how formidable he truly is. The other new face in this story is La Donna a beautiful and ingenious spy. She burns at both ends. Often working for both sides of a conflict. She was quite interesting and her introduction was impressive, but just like The Alchemist, she tends to shine at some parts of the novel and others she wanes. I am not sure whether this is due to the translation from French or this is just a flaw of the author. While this is a concern, it is only a minor flaw. Also, there seems to be some foreshadowing into Cardinal Richelieu, perhaps he is not all that he seems.

The story is much quicker paced when compared to its predecessor. I found The Alchemist in the Shadows to move at a frightful pace and as clues and plots are uncovered it was hard to keep up with it all. Add all of the fencing and combat and there is hardly time to catch your breath. There is a lot to take in from the immediate plot of the book and the hidden plots that will hopefully be resolved in the third book. In the first book we know that La Fargue is in contact with a mysterious white dragon and the dragon briefly appears again in this installment; however, we are no closer to finding out what their relationship is. This little sub-plot drives me insane as I have no idea how it fits into the overall story so I hope to see a resolution to it in book three.

I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the cover to the book. The covers in this series are outstanding. I love the dragons that adorn the swords. The first book was purchased in part due to the cover and this book in the series is also a terrific cover.

The Alchemist in the Shadows is a great addition to the series and while there are some minor concerns they do not take away from what makes the story and the series great. If anything book two is much better than the first novel. It moved along much quicker and seemed to have more of the author's voice in it. As if Pevel had finally hit his stride. If you found yourself enjoying the first swashbuckling adventure of The Cardinal's Blades this is just another great adventure in the series. Hard to put down once you open it up.

Plot 8
Characters 7
Style 7

Overall 7/10

REVIEW: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Publishing Information: 2000 (first publishing) 2000 (current edition)
Publisher: Roc Fantasy, Mass-Market Paperback, 355 pgs
ISBN-13: 978-0-451-45781-3
Series: The Dresden Files, Book 1
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back cover): Harry Dresden is the best at what he does. Well, technically, he's the only at what he does. So when the Chicago P.D. has a case that transcends mortal creativity or capability, they come to him for answers. For the "everyday" world is actually full of strange and magical things-- and most of them don't play well with humans. That's where Harry comes in. Takes a wizard to catch a -- well, whatever. There's just one problem. Business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name. And that's when things start to get…interesting. Magic. It can get a guy killed.

When I first heard about this series, the geek side of me wanted to rejoice. Conceptually, it has all the things I love - its a hard-boiled mystery series featuring a wizard-detective who investigates the paranormal. Its James Cain meets Harry Potter with a healthy dose of the X-Files thrown in for good measure. However, the literary side of me was filled with reservations. Fantasy authors have a tendency to abuse magic, employing it as a deus ex machina, often writing themselves out of holes through introducing previously unmentioned magical forces. The potential for this kind of abuse in a mystery series is increased tenfold. In a whodunit, the reader should be at least in principle have all the information available to decipher the outcome. Magically mysterious forces tend to complicate that principle quite a bit.

I was pleased to discover that Butcher is not afraid to reveal the inner-workings of his universe piece by piece, and through the book's first-person narration, he leaks all the details necessary to solve the mystery. My worry of that sort of abuse was put to rest. Butcher's primary strength though, is his ability to not take his story too seriously. This book contains over-the top characters such as lecherous talking skulls and pizza-loving fairy informants. The ability to blend comedy with fantasy and horror is reminiscent of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series, as fans of Buffy will find a similar tone here.

Not to mention, Harry Dresden, our hero, is a true homage to the hard-boiled detective. He seeks out danger, has a tough and cynical view about the world, and a traditional view of the role of women. Much of this is Butcher playing with genre conventions - and Butcher comes off as a self-aware author offering up a daring genre fusion for fans with a complex enough palate. Often the mix works brilliantly, as Dresden employs divination spells as tools of investigation. We also get a taste of the seedier side of Chicago, as a new drug has hit the streets - one which gives average junkies a taste of a wizard's visions. Its times like these where the book really shines, when the conventions of fantasy and noir-mystery seem to blend naturally, as if they were created for one another.

The prose is simple, austere, and masculine, in the American tradition of hard-boiled pulp noir - and the majority of time its clever and witty. However, sometimes the dialogue falls flat on its face, such as when tough-girl cop Murphy compares Harry's hairstyle to the Empire State Building. I am hoping this improves as the series continues. Additionally, there seems to be some tension between the desire to portray Harry as a foolhardy detective who often barks up the wrong tree and ends up with a black eye and a seriously powerful wizard. I am hoping Butcher will find a balance between these two sides of Harry by putting Harry in situations where his powers are severely limited or toning down Harry's powers in future books. Additionally, the world needs to be fleshed out a bit more (its a bit thin so far)- we hear talk of alternate dimensions and catch a glimpse of a Wizarding council but at the moment these are merely promises of a larger world. It will be interesting to find out if Butcher can create a compelling and complex world while still preserving his humorous and playful tone. However, this is a promising debut novel and I think my geek side indeed wins out after all.



Plot……….8/ 10

Characters………8/10

Style………..7/10

Overall.......7/10

The Game of Thrones Game

What Makes Good SF

An interesting article on what makes "good science fiction" is being featured on Kirkus Reviews. Couple of interesting points being made over there. Worth checking out and maybe even commenting on.

Just because I love reading science fiction stories doesn't mean that I love every science fiction story I read. Some stories simply work better than others. Why? The reasons are largely a matter of personal taste and opinion, sure, but that doesn't mean one can't at least begin to qualify said criteria.

What I came up with are the basic qualities of "good" science fiction literature...

Click here for the full article.

Omnivoracious (Jeff Vandermeer) Interviews China Miéville

From the interview:

China Miéville’s latest novel, Embassytown, is a fascinating mix of the cerebral and the visceral, a “weird” science fiction novel that features paired ambassadors communicating with aliens on a distant planet. When a new, strange ambassador pair arrives from a more central world, communication between the groups begins to break down, with disastrous and transformative results for humans and aliens alike. It’s an ambitious, heady mix for readers, rewarded with praise in The Guardian from Ursula K. LeGuin and, this past weekend, in the New York Times Book Review. The novel builds on the success of previous books written in a variety of related genres, and, to this reader at least, reflects a continuing quest to break down the barricades between so-called “literary” and “genre” fiction. As ever, his fiction is a potent delivery system for sometimes difficult ideas.

I interviewed Miéville via email at the end of his U.S. book tour for Embassytown, focusing not just on the novel but on his recent tour.

The rest of the interview can be found here....

Magneto Sings 'Born This Way'

Sullivan's Covers

Do not know how I did not see these when they first came out, but the covers to the new editions of the Orbit editions of the Riyria Revelations. While I am eagerly awaiting the last book in the series (it may be published individually in order to complete collections), the new books will combine two books into one making it a trilogy. If you have not had a chance to read the series, now is a great time to check them out. They will be released in November, December, and January. Not all that excited about the new covers but the books are a lot of fun to read.

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

REVIEW: Fallen Dragon by Peter F. Hamilton

Fallen Dragon by Peter F. Hamilton
Publishing Information: Paperback; 832 pages
Publisher: Orbit; 14 Dec 2009
ISBN 10: 0-316-02183-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-316-02183-8
Standalone
Copy: Out of Pocket
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "As a child, Lawrence Newton wanted nothing more than to fly starships and explore the galaxy, like his fictional heroes. But on the colony world of Amethi in the twenty-fourth century, Lawrence is living in the wrong era: the age of human starflight is drawing to a close. So, like many another teenage hothead, he rebels and runs away.
Twenty years later, he's the seargent of a washed-out platoon taking part in the bungled invasion of another world. The giant corporations who own the remaining starships euphemistically call such campaigns 'asset realization'. In practice it's simple piracy.

But while he's on the ground, being shot at and firebombed by disturbingly effective resistance forces, Lawrence hears stories about the Temple of the Fallen Dragon - the holy place of a sect devoted to the worship of a mythical creature that fell from the sky millenia before the arrival of humans. More importantly, its priests are said to guard a hoard of treasure large enough to buy lifelong happiness for any man, and that information alone is enough to prompt him to mount a small private-enterprise."

When you set your sights on reading a Peter F. Hamilton novel you have to ask yourself, "Where do I start?" Nearly every novel is a door stop and will require a little bit of time to complete. But nearly everyone I posed this question to said the same thing. If you want to try reading Hamilton then you can start nearly anywhere, but your best bet is Fallen Dragon as it is a standalone and does a fairly good job of representing Hamilton's talent as a writer.

Fallen Dragon is massive but not nearly as large as his 3,000+ page Night's Dawn Trilogy. Fallen Dragon follows a young visionary named Lawrence Newton. Lawrence dreams of traveling the distant stars and expanding mankind's knowledge of the universe. When things go bad at home he drops everything and sets off to make his dream a reality. While Lawrence makes his living as a mercenary, we are given his entire life's story through a series of flashbacks that tell us of how he ended up working as a hired gun for one of the universes largest companies. Most mercenaries are not considered very honorable and when you first meet Lawrence you get the feeling that he is your typical mercenary. But as time moves forward and you learn of his past he becomes very enduring. Along the way we meet a lot of Lawrence's squad mates and former loves. His father which plays a pivotal role in his choices and upbringing is not very well drawn out considering he is the catalyst for a lot of what happens in his early life.

The universe that Hamilton has created is interesting in that space travel is expensive and profit margins need to be maintained in order to continue exploring the vast reaches of space and all the planets. With Earth at its capacity and mankind wanting to live lives going many different paths, corporations have funded the colonization of habitable planets.The catch is that the colonists are indebted to the companies and from time to time they are required to send their riches to the corporations to lower their debts. As the colonists become less and less dependent on Earth they no longer feel the need to be beholden to their debts. This is were the mercenary comes in. They are required to land on the planet, secure the cities and then with an iron grip on the populace retrieve anything the corporation deems profitable. In effect, they are pirates. In a way it must have been the way Americans felt towards the end before they shouted for independence from the British.

With the corporations realizing that this method of colonization followed by plunder is no longer a viable option the time of exploration is coming to a close. Lawrence also realizes that his dream of visiting new worlds is coming to an end and has a plan of his own. In the opening sequence of the book we find him conspiring with another officer to enact his plan and have to wait until nearly the end of the book before it picks up again. As I read Fallen Dragon, I kept wondering when we would return to the plot the book starts out with and when we finally did it really did not have all the intrigue that was built up in the opening chapter. I was hoping for something bigger and more intense but it just never happened. Admittedly, the ending was very satisfying and interesting. Plus the treasure that is found on the planet was not what I was expecting. It was a nice change of pace.

Fallen Dragon is a great introduction to Peter F. Hamilton. It has just what I was looking for: adventure, action, a little romance, and some political sidestepping. While it is a very large book it reads well. Well developed characters and universe make for an adventure that is hard to put down. Highly recommended.

Plot 9
Characters 9
Style 9

Overall 9/10

REVIEW: The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
Publishing Information: 2006 (first publishing) 2007 (current edition)
Publisher: First Anchor, Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-4000-9653-4
Series: Standalone
Reviewer: Andy
Copy: Out of Pocket

Synopsis: (from back cover): The double story of Henry Day begins in 1949, when he is kidnapped at age seven by a band of wild childlike beings who live in an ancient, secret community in the forest. The changelings rename their captive Aniday and he becomes, like them, untagging and stuck in time. They leave one of their own to take his place, an imposter who must try -- with varying success -- to hide his true identity from the Day family. As the changeling Henry grows up, he is haunted by glimpses of his lost double and by vague memories of his own childhood a century earlier. Narrated in turns by Henry and Aniday, The Stolen Child follows them as their lives intersect, driven by their obsessive search for who they were before they changed places in the world.

Changelings, for those who aren't up to scratch on their medieval folklore, are mythical creatures that discreetly trade places with human children, usually unbeknownst to the child's family. The genuine child is stolen and the fairy child lives in place of the infant. The really frightening part of this myth, is not the worry that that these fairy tales might be true, but rather that historically human beings used the stories to deny that their genuine mentally handicapped or autistic children were actually their own. This psychological component was what really fascinated me about the changeling myth, and I was hoping that The Stolen Child by Keith Donahoe would not be afraid to touch on such sensitive subjects.

The book does mention a few cases early on of adults noticing their children were actually changelings by noticing some deficiency or shortcoming in the child, usually due to some forgetfulness or mental error on the changeling's part. The changelings in the book however, are not handicapped replacements for stolen children, but rather blurry shapeshifters who were once stolen as human children themselves. How an ordinary child becomes a shapeshifter remains a mystery but since this is often described as a "modern fairy tale", I am content to let some mysterious magical forces remain mysterious.

By avoiding the issue of handicapped children, Donohue kept what could have been a very very dark tale a merely moderately dark tale, and escaped writing what may have been a mildly offensive novel otherwise. Instead what is interesting about The Stolen Child is its setting - it takes place in the U.S. in the 50's and 60's - based around a Cold War era nuclear family, a setting that is popularized through television as far ranging as Mad Men and the Wonder Years. However, The Stolen Child is more of the Wonder Years than anything else, as its primarily a coming-of-age story, told through dual protagonists. One protagonist is a changeling who replaces a seven-year-old boy and must hide his secret identity, while the other is the original boy, cast away to live in the woods amongst the other changelings. These dual protagonists complement each other nicely, as one becomes an imposter with the nagging concern that his secret may be revealed, while the other remains an outsider looking into a society in which he can no longer take part.

The irony of the story lies in the fact that Henry Day's biggest challenges are not due to his secret fairy identity, but rather that he must suffer growing pains common to every teenage boy. This is when The Stolen Child really shines - when it uses the themes of identity and metamorphosis to its advantage by exhibiting that these are not concerns unique to changelings, but anyone who is subjected to the human condition. But sadly, The Stolen Child fails at times too - in its resolution it lacks the substance to explain the purpose of these cruel kidnappings of children. In its reluctance to reveal its own mysteries, The Stolen Child ends up coming off shallow and I was left wondering why the characters play this cruel game at all. Don't get me wrong though - the book has style - its nostalgic memoir-shaped first-person narrative was initially exciting and promising. Early on, it often read like it was written for a Tim Burton film adaptation. However, in the end it just feels a bit empty and the product of an author whose only inspiration was to write a book about changelings. Still, I can imagine a lot of other people I know enjoying this book more than I did, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to fans of Neil Gaiman or Clive Barker, or those simply intrigued by the changeling myth.



Plot……….6/ 10

Characters………5/10

Style………..7/10

Overall……….6/10