Saturday, January 16, 2016

Archie vs Predator


Archie vs Predator (Archie Vs. Predator) - Fernando Ruiz, Alex de Campi This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Archie vs Predator
Series: -----
Author: Alex de Campi,& Fernando Ruiz
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: Graphic Novel
Pages: 144
Format: Kindle



Synopsis:
Jughead wins a trip for the group to an exotic resort, where they attract the attention of a young Predator, who follows them back home.
A lot of mayhem happens and Betty and Veronica duke it out to the very end.

My Thoughts:
This was just plain fun. I've always been a fan of the Predator franchise [even the Aliens vs Predator movies] and have the Batman vs Predator I, II AND III in graphic novel form. So when I saw Dantastic's review in my feed and then read Grim's review, well, I had to read this.

Watching the characters be true to their original style while getting offed by a Predator struck my funny bone something fierce. And to be honest, watching Bettie and Veronica fight is also always a pleasure. I also found it very amusing to watch the Predators little heads up display. THAT showed some ingenuity on the writers/artists' parts.

I had several instances of fist pumping and an exclamatory "Yes!!" on my lips as someone died. The kind of humor shown here was right up my alley and meant for me. I doubt it is for everyone, but anyone who liked Predator is sure to like this. I'm not sure about Archie fans though. I am not an Archie fan and don't even know if that comic is ongoing or what these days. I remember Archie from the 80's and the few times I went to someone's house and they had them lying around and I read them.

It was also nice to read a Graphic Novel for a change, instead of a novel, or even manga. The last I read a GN was back in the beginning of '14 and this was great re-introduction. It makes me want to go back and re-read some of the GN's that I own and haven't read in years. In fact, looking at my Graphic Novel shelf, it would appear that just about all the GN's I own I haven't recorded as read or reviewed. Well, I guess that gives me something to aim for.

Longeye (Duainfey #2)


Longeye (The Fey Duology Book 2) - Steve Miller, Sharon Lee This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.  wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Longeye
Series: Duainfey
Author: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Rating:       of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 416
Format: Kindle




 Synopsis:
Things are going wrong, both in the human world and in the fey world. The magical barrier, the keleigh, is having unintended side effects and it will take all the power of all the fey to set things right.

My Thoughts:
No matter how good this book was, or could have been, it is tainted by the previous book, Duainfey. Even though there is no explicit sex, rape or group rape, I kept waiting for it to happen, as it was in the previous book for no good reason. That pretty much destroyed my enjoyment of this book.

One thing I figured out was that I also disliked these books so much because the 2 main characters, Meripen the fey and Rebecca the human, are both controlled by and act on, Fear. It defines who they are, what they think, how they react, how they plan [or don't] for future events. It was very, very unpleasant. It wasn't right up until the end of the book that they both got over it and became the kind of people I wanted to read about. Sadly, 20% of a second book isn't nearly enough to redeem the previous 180%.

The ending seemed rather a cop out to me as well. A magical Deus Ex Machina. A completely selfless act by a whole group of people, who for thousands of years and up until this point, have exhibited nothing but selfishness and self-centeredness.

With that all being said, Lee and Miller once again do an excellent job of writing. I like their style of writing and I have to admit, I can't tell who writes what, or how they divvy it up.  That just makes it even better.

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Stormchaser (Twig #2) (The Edge Chronicles #2)


Stormchaser - Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.  wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Stormchaser
Series: The Edge Chronicles
Author: Chris Riddell & Paul Stewart
Rating:   of 5 Battle Axes
Genre:  Children's SFF
Pages: 402
Format: Kindle




Synopsis:
Twig is now reunited with his father, who promptly leaves him behind to go have a grand adventure.
Twig ends up saving the adventure, the academy, the town and becomes a ship captain in his own right.

My Thoughts:
I just lost my whole review of because of one ill advised, not meant to be, swipe of my touchpad on my laptop.

I liked this, more than the previous book. It wasn't so random, had Twig acting like the young man he is and ended with the bad guys getting theirs while Twig got a sky ship and a crew.

Now I am looking forward to more of this series.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

The Steel Within the Soul (Gonji #2) (Deathwind Trilogy #2) DNF@10%


Gonji: The Soul Within the Steel: The Deathwind Trilogy, Book Two - T. C. Rypel This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The Steel Within the Soul
Series: Gonji
Author: T.C. Rypel
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: Abandoned
Format: Kindle



My Thoughts:
This was initially put out in the 80's and then re-released/issued in '13. I don't know how the original read, but it is obvious that the author did not spend those 30 years polishing up his authorial skills.

It was complete and utter amateur. It sounded like something that I would write, on a better day. But that isn't good enough. So I'm done with this book, this series and quite possibly this author. Which is too bad, because I really like the ideas put forth.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Lines of Departure (Frontlines #2)


Lines of Departure - Marko Kloos This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Lines of Departure
Series: Frontlines
Author: Marko Kloos
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 329
Format: Kindle






Synopsis:
Andrew Grayson is on the forefront of fighting the aliens. Going in hot, calling down nuclear fire upon them and still humanity is losing.
So do the NAC and SRA ally with each other? Nope. The political games continue, things worsen on Earth and all the malcontents are shipped off to a frozen moon while the leadership tries to figure out if they can fight the aliens.
And Grayson ends up with some former TA colleagues and starts a rebellion on the winter moon when the general in charge tries to become a military dictator.
Things end with the aliens blockading Earth, from Jupiter.

My Thoughts:
This was good!

We get to see Grayson in all forms. In the army calling down nukes, trying to prioritize his relationship with his girlfriend, learning that his mom is a person, learning that the higher ups aren't just ignorant but they're deliberately looking out for themselves at humanity's risk.

There were a couple of times where I wondered HOW in the world he was going to get out of Situation X, Kloos does a good job of making it happen without being totally Deus Ex Machina. I was glad that I had read the short story and novella before this, as it really provided some background about Earth that made a couple of throwaway remarks be a lot more important.

The end, where Earth is probably going to bite the alien bullet, was ok. Probably because I have book 3 and hence can read it, IF I WANT TO, instead of being stuck at a cliff hanger. That being said, I am choosing to wait. Book 4 is coming out later this year and I'd like to wait to read book 3 until I can dive right into 4, IF I WANT TO.

Yes, I am in a good, yell'y mood right now.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Measures of Absolution (Frontlines #1.2) (Novella)


Measures of Absolution - Marko Kloos This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.  wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Measures of Absolution
Series: Frontlines
Author: Marko Kloos
Rating:     of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 63
Format: Kindle




 

Synopsis:
A novella about one of Andrew Grayson's squadmates that survived the Detroit debacle. Only to be sucked back into  the "policing action" against another welfare riot.
And we find out that maybe those rioting are being led by those who have been washed out of the military, "unfit" for duty because they refuse to fire on NAC civilians.

My Thoughts:
This turned everything onto its head for me. We find out just how underhanded the political and military leaders of the NAC [North American Confederacy] are being. How the TA are being used as civilian police. How bad things REALLY are on earth.

And that former soldiers might just be the patriots that a confederation needs.

I liked this.

Lucky Thirteen (Frontlines #1.1) (Short Story)


Lucky Thirteen - Marko Kloos This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.  wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Lucky Thirteen
Series: Frontlines
Author: Marko Kloos
Rating:     of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 14
Format: Kindle






 
 Synopsis:
A short story of rookie pilot Lt. Halley's first drop ship command.

My Thoughts:
14 pages that describes Halley's trial by fire. Thankfully, Kloos simply dealt with the adventure of Lucky Thirteen and Halley from beginning to end and didn't throw in padding about her and Grayson's budding romance. In fact, this is strictly about Halley.

Kloos manages to masterfully give us the full story inside of a short story. I didn't feel rushed, or underdone. It was just right. A great break between Terms of Enlistment and Lines of Departure.

Saturday, January 09, 2016

Fledgling (Liaden)


Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) (Liaden Universe, #12) - Steve Miller, Sharon Lee This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.  wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Fledgling
Series: Liaden
Author: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Rating:   of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 528
Format: Kindle




Synopsis:
Daav yos'Phelium is on Delgado in his Jen Sar Kiladi persona. And he's "married" with a 14 year old daughter.
This book is not about him.
It is about Theo, his daughter. And the politic'ing on a world full of eggheads who have no grasp on reality. This is about Theo growing up into her, unknown to her, Liaden heritage and piloting skills inherited from Daav.

My Thoughts:
I accidentally started Ghost Ship before this, which is 2 or 3 books ahead of this. And it wasn't until I was at the 50% mark that I realized my mistake. Hence, a lot of what happened in this book was slightly referenced in Ghost Ship and I had pretty good idea of what was going to happen.

And I still enjoyed it. Not as much as the other Liaden books, as it is dealing with a 14 year old girl and the politics of scholars but it was still enjoyable. It was also good writing. I know it was good writing because it got me extremely frustrated, in several instances, at several of the characters and how they reacted. I am learning to enjoy moments like that because it shows that the authors know how to present a society, a character and their interaction. And that interaction isn't always smooth, happy or rational.

By the end I was glad I had read this and was ready for more Theo Waitely, soon to be Pilot.

Friday, January 08, 2016

Day Watch (Night Watch #2)


Day Watch - Sergei Lukyanenko This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Day Watch
Series: Night Watch
Author: Sergei Lukyanenko
Rating:   of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 480
Format: Kindle




Synopsis:
3 interconnected stories centered around a game being played between Geser and Zabulon with some very long consequences for both the Light and the Dark.
And the Inquisition is showcased a bit more.

My Thoughts:
Whereas the first book, Night Watch, dragged me all over the place, this one simply left me feeling deliciously melancholy for the whole book without feeling depressed. That is a rare thing and something I treasure. The Elric of Melnibone series accomplished the same feat, but at its heart it is just an action story. Here we have a story of Dualism and how it affects those who are in the fray.

The stories were interesting but I gave no thought to trying to figure out what game Geser and Zabulon [the leaders of the Light and the Dark in Moscow, respectively] were playing. I simply sat back and let the words sweep me away. One of the things I didn't like was that Lukyanenko used a lot of song lyrics in this and I'm sure they either tied into the story or if one knew of Russian pop culture, would have been much more meaningful. I simply skipped them and didn't feel like I'd missed a thing.

One of the things that got my back up in the previous book was how Dualistic it was. This was even more so, but it showed the inevitable consequences of believing in Dualism, in just about any form and hence defeated itself, philosophically speaking. It also made me thankful for a God who isn't just some nameless force schlepping around in the background.

I had watched both movies, Night Watch & Day Watch, after reading Night Watch and was a little afraid that I might have spoiled the book for myself. Nothing doing. The movie and the book don't appear to be related at all. However, if I see certain plot points in future books, I'll know they just crammed in things from them into the movie Day Watch.

Tuesday, January 05, 2016

The Hidden Masters of Marandur (Pillars of Reality #2)


The Hidden Masters of Marandur - Jack Campbell This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The Hidden Masters of Marandur
Series: Pillars of Reality
Author: Jack Campbell
Rating: of 5 Battle Axes
Genre: SFF
Pages: 369
Format: Kindle




Synopsis:
Mari and Alain come back together, after their respective guilds attempt to kill them, rather directly in fact.
While Alain accepts that Mari is the Daughter of Jules, Mari hasn't made her mind up just yet. She just wants to help make things better.
They go on a couple of adventures, the final one being to find old records that might give them an edge, technologically. Because they need an edge of some sort if they're going to go up against the two most powerful Guilds in the world plus an Empire!

My Thoughts:
When I read Firefight by Sanderson last month, I stated that even Sanderson couldn't make me like YA. Well Sanderson, meet Campbell. He's made me like YA for 2 whole books AND had me rate them pretty high.

This was a great continuation from Dragons of Dorcastle. It wasn't quite as gripping, as we know the characters and some about the world, but the growth of the characters was done so that I liked it, which is hard to do. I did like the action scenes and the time in the forbidden city of Marandur was good.

I also like the fact that Campbell doesn't dance around the whole super attraction between 2 young people. Mari and Alain want to get it on! Pretty bad. But instead of promulgating the false idea that sex equals love, or some such tripe, Campbell has them act like thinking adults. And controlling themselves. Too many times ya characters don't control themselves, probably because the author is as hormone ridden as the characters, but Campbell holds up something better. I liked that.

In the little section of "Also by Jack Campbell" it lists the name of the 3rd Pillars of Reality book and then under that states "Books 4-6". Which means he's got 6 books worth for this series. Given his penchant for 6 [ie, Lost Fleet, etc], I trust they will all be good.