Galactic Odyssey ★★★★★

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Galactic Odyssey
Series: ----------
Author: Keith Laumer
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 129
Words: 37K

This, along with Sentenced to Prism, is one of my most read books. This is the fourth time I've read it since 2000 and I know I read it at least 3 times between 1990 and 2000, quite possibly 4 or 5 times. However, my recent re-read of Sentenced and my reaction to it, helped prepare me for this re-read. I had almost the same reaction, ie, a wistful disappointment but because I was expecting it, it didn't change how I viewed the book like it did for Sentenced.

At under 150 pages, this is a very short story and so much happens, that its serial roots are quite obvious this time around. I hadn't noticed it in previous reads, but this time around it was rather glaring.

While I still enjoyed this, I think, that just like with Sentenced, the time of re-reading this particular story is over. I've changed enough that this doesn't engage the same way on the emotional level like it has in decades past. Sometimes getting older and changing isn't all that it's cracked up to be :-/

★★★★★

• 
  Galactic Odyssey (2013 Review)

• Galactic Odyssey (2001 Review)

• Galactic Odyssey (2000 Review)

The Collected Stories (The Russians) ★★☆☆☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: The Collected Stories
Series: (The Russians)
Author: Nikolai Gogol
Translator: Unknown
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 575
Words: 166K

If peasants getting drunk and doing stupid things amuses you, if the devil being outfoxed by said peasants sounds interesting and if constantly worrying about your class status is something you do, then these short stories are probably for you.

They were not for me. Thankfully, this was the last of Gogol. There are some plays left, but I'm not going to bother.

★★☆☆☆

• The Russians

• Leo Tolstoy

• Fyodor Dostoyevsky

• Ivan Turgenev

• Nikolai Gogol

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #11 ★★✬☆☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #11
Authors: Peter Laird & Kevin Eastman
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comics
Pages: 41
Words: 2K

So after the last issue where Shredder is shown to be alive and attacks the group and they barely escape, this issue is all from April's perspective and takes the form of her writing in her journal while the group recovers at an old farmhouse that belonged to Casey's grandmother.

April has nightmares about losing everything, each of the boys is hurt and trying to recover in their own way and through the winter they all do their separate activities, with varying degrees of success. Finally Splinter gets involved and starts them on the healing path as a group.

April journaling was definitely something I can identify with. The act of writing (not typing mind you, but writing, not that that was readily available in 1987 in abandoned farmhouses in new england!) can be therapeutic and can act as a release valve. For me, there are lots of things I think and feel that I can't say to others, for a variety of reasons. But they are still inside of me, churning around and bubbling like a cauldron. Writing those thoughts down allows me to stop thinking about them and prevents them from festering in my mind and becoming something worse. It is also a calming exercise as I am totally focused on the act of writing and can ignore the world around me for that time. Obviously, that is me bringing my own thoughts on journaling to the comic, but from what April writes and how she writes, it seems like she uses it the same way.

I downgraded this a full star though because near the end Splinter and the boys are having a kum bai ya moment and it is so full of 80's Eastern Mysticism Cant that I literally rolled my eyes. Thankfully, the issue does end with spring coming and everyone getting back on track to be the group they were meant to. So I'll keep on reading :-)

★★✬☆☆

• All My “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” Reviews

Sentenced to Prism (HumanX Commonwealth) ★★★★☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Sentenced to Prism
Series: HumanX Commonwealth
Author: Alan Dean Foster
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 212
Words: 82K

Yeah, really should have left this one alone for another couple of years. 2018 isn't long enough ago for me. I downgraded this favorite of mine down to 4stars because it is just such a simplistic story. Sometimes that really works for me but this time, it was a detriment and not a positive. I'll definitely be re-reading this again sometime in the future, but I'm guessing it will be another decade instead of 4-5 years.

That is all. Carry on with your normal daily business, citizens of Planet Earth, no need to be alarmed. All Your Cinema Are Belong To Us!

★★★★☆

• Sentenced to Prism (2018 Review)

• Sentenced to Prism (2014 Review)

• Sentenced to Prism (2006 Review)

• Sentenced to Prism (2000 Review)

Vang: The Military Form (Vang #1) ★★★✬☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Vang: The Military Form
Series: Vang #1
Author: Christopher Rowley
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 229
Words: 99.5K

A good re-read. I am pretty happy with how this went, even though I took it down half a star from when I read it in 2010.

It starts out slow and I initially thought “Oh good, this is some good setup”. But then the setup kept going and going and it wasn't until almost the 50% mark that the Vang even shows up. It is just ONE Military Form and it still manages to take over a planet in about 24-48hrs. It comes thiiiiiiis close to getting loose into the galaxy at large too * hold finger and thumb a hairs width apart *

While I was happy it was defeated, it wasn't very satisfactory. It has genetic directives and they take over and so it has to make a politician Vang and that of course that just ruins everything. The world is cleansed with nuclear fire by the Human Space Armada and the Military Form pretty much just has to sit there and take it. Sucks to be him!

This used to be a favorite of mine but now I think this is the final fling I will be having with it. Farewell Vang, you're just not what I'm looking for in a book anymore. But don't worry, it's all you, so that way you don't have to feel guilty that I changed on you. You were just not quite good enough but I wasn't mature enough to realize it.

Sucks to be the Vang, hahahahaha!

★★★✬☆

• Vang: The Military Form (2010 Review)

• All of My “The Vang” Reviews

Hit & Fade (Forgotten Ruin #2) ★★✬☆☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Hit & Fade
Series: Forgotten Ruin #2
Author: Jason Anspach & Nick Cole
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Military Fantasy
Pages: 274
Words: 97K

The only reason this was better than the first book was because it was over 100 pages shorter and the final battle was awesome without the narrator going “Ranger X is gonna out-Ranger every other Ranger who is Rangering like a REAL Ranger would Ranger, which you would know if you were rangering like a real ranger too, scrub”.

I'm going to give the next book a chance. But if I hit the 50% mark and rangers are still out-rangering all the other rangers, blah, blah, blah, then I'll dnf the book and the series. Us regular Mil-SF readers don't got no time for butt licking. We want a good story.

★★✬☆☆

• Forgotten Ruin (Book 1)

Asterix and the Roman Agent (Asterix #15) ★★★✬☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Asterix and the Roman Agent
Series: Asterix #15
Authors: Goscinny & Uderzo
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comics
Pages: 53
Words: 3K

Julius Caesar is sick of the Gaulish village that keeps defying but has no idea how to deal with it. One of his friends suggests that they try to split up the unity of the village by using an acquaintance. This roman agent divides and conquers wherever he goes and even the Gauls fall prey to his machinations. As do the Romans and even the Pirates! Thankfully Getafix, Asterix and Obelix figure out what is going on and put a stop to it. A huge battle ensues, thus making the Gauls happy and they live happily ever after!

Wasn't sure how this was going to go. I was impressed with how the creators used green speech bubbles to show when people were talking under the influence of the roman agent. There was also a panel where they totally reference themselves (last panel on the bottom right) and it just made me grin.

Overall, another solid entry in the Asterix series.

★★★✬☆

• All of My “Asterix” Reviews

Hidden Voices (Arcane Casebook #9) ★★★★☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Hidden Voices
Series: Arcane Casebook #9
Author: Dan Willis
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 275
Words: 91K

Willis is finally getting to the point where he can't connect multiple mysteries and so he doesn't even try now. But he still shoves in multiple mysteries just to keep the page count up there.

This time we're dealing with Nazi's in America chasing down an alchemist of some sort, There's also a murder that involves a Stradivarious. There's also more involvement with the Supernatural OSC and a vengeful FBI agent who is pissed at Alex Lockerby because he helped the Sorceress Sorsha instead of him.

Runes are tattooed on a german making him an ubermensch. It reminded me a LOT of the beginning of the Grimnoir Chronicles where the main character there talks about magic users in World War I. This sounded like a prequel to that kind of thing, but for World War II instead.

I started out really gung-ho for this series and while my overall enjoyment hasn't waned, the never ending nature of it is starting to wear on me. The ending where it is revealed that Alex is fully addicted to Limelight and his mentor makes a mysterious call to some unknown person just increases the scope again. At the same time it is fully in line with how Willis writes. He'll introduce an idea (the group of good guys who are supposedly opposing Legion) and use it for a book or two and then just abandons it and starts using some other idea.

I don't want to rag on a series that I like, but the weaknesses of the author are fully on display by now. If those weaknesses don't bother you then they won't bother you for 1 book or for 10. But I am reaching my limit. It used to be that I would eagerly await and snap up any Arcane Casebook as soon as it came out. Now? I'm going to be waiting until a couple come out instead of reading them as they come out.

I'm including a large scale picture because once again I absolutely love the artwork!

★★★★☆

• All My "Arcane Casebook" Reviews

Jackal of the Mind (Tales of Wyverna #2) ★☆☆☆☆ DNF@2%

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Jackal of the Mind DNF@2%
Series: Tales of Wyverna #2
Author: Madolyn Rogers
Rating: 1 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 6/287
Words: 2/106K

Sexuality and sexual preferences are important enough that I refuse to allow them to be perverted and to pass it off as “well, it's only a piece of fiction”.

I was disappointed but it happens enough now that I think I'm to the point where I can just shrug it off and dnf the book without much regret. Ahhh well, on to another book and another author.

★☆☆☆☆

• The Copper Assassin (Book 1)

Bridge of Birds (Master Li and Number 10 Ox #1) ★★★★☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: Bridge of Birds
Series: Master Li and Number 10 Ox #1
Author: Barry Hughart
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 234
Words: 90K

When the wise and venerable Ola (who has one character flaw) reviewed this earlier this year (Her Review Here) it reminded me that it had been almost a decade since I myself had read and reviewed this. Of course, with my Reading Rotation it took me 2/3rds of a year to get around to this again, but like the Wheel of Justice, the Wheel of Bookstooge's Reviews grinds fine and grinds eternally (except when it doesn't, like last month).

I really enjoyed it this time around but almost wish I had left it alone. Last time I gave it 5stars but this time I could only give it 4. That was because the humor was of the variety that only really shotgunned me for the first time. After that, it just wasn't as funny.

The novelty had worn off and while still good, it wasn't as good. I am definitely not tempted to read any of the sequels now. I highly recommend this if you have not read it before though. I can not imagine you would regret reading this.

★★★★☆

• Bridge of Birds (2013 Review)

A Hero's Task (Groo the Wanderer #11) ★★★✬☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot, by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: A Hero's Task
Series: Groo the Wanderer #11
Author: Sergio Aragones
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comics
Pages: 26
Words: 2K

This was a direct sequel to the previous issue where Groo hooks up with a handsome hero, does all the work and hero gets the credit. This is another quest where Groo does all the work and the reward is the king's daughter, a third of the kingdom and all the cheese dip you can eat. Only the kingdom is under a curse to make everyone super ugly and the cheesedip rancid. Groo runs off without realizing there is a curse and so the Hero gets the beautiful girl and all the riches.

I was wondering how Groo was going to get screwed in this issue and I laughed my head off when he seemed to get away only for us the readers to realize he'd run away from everything he'd really wanted. Aragones really knows how to set Groo up like a bowling pin only to knock him right down. It's perfect and amusing.

Now, this is a Marvel comic and man, the ads inside were not taken out. There is one for a spiderman backpack and then a 3 page spread about Spiderman trying to find the missing Captain Crunch (the breakfast cereal). It was jarring! I've gotten spoiled reading these digital scans, as whoever the scanner was took the time to remove most of that junk in the other comics I read. But it shows what age group this was aimed at, middle and highschool kids. And I don't see them being appreciative enough of Groo to keep the comic going. But what do I know?

★★★✬☆

• All of My “Groo the Wanderer” Reviews

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More ★★★✬☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More
Series: ----------
Authors: Roald Dahl
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: YA Fiction
Pages: 142
Words: 65K

I gave this a half star bump up from my previous read mainly because this time I knew going in that this wasn't his usual childrens funny stories. It had humorous elements but there were a couple of times that things were just a bit darker than I'd want to introduce to children. Mid to late teens in my opinion would be a good target for these stories.

Nothing here made me change my mind about not re-reading Dahl's stuff in the future though. I'm glad to have re-read this but I think I'm all set now.

★★★✬☆

• The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More (2012 Review)

• All My "Roald Dahl" Reviews

On Stranger Tides ★★★✬☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: On Stranger Tides
Series: ----------
Author: Tim Powers
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 301
Words: 122K

Phewwwww, what a re-read. I read this for the first time back in '07. Then the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise used it as the basis for the 4^th movie.

This time, while I enjoyed it as much as the previous time, the magic used in the story really bothered me. I found the same thing when I read The Stress of Her Regards. The emotional content really hit me in the pit of the stomach. The inclusion of demoniacal beings in league with humans bothered me a lot more than last time too. Being older and seen more since then has made me realize that joking around about spiritual affairs, or trivializing them in fiction, has consequences.

Other than that, this was a cracking good read. I mean, we're talking about pirates and magic all rolled together. Plus the Fountain of Youth and ghosts that can run you through with a ghost sword. That is just good story telling right there :-D Add in that the hero's name is Jack Shandy, he gets the girl in the end AND he kills an immortal Black Beard the Pirate, well, if that doesn't do it for you then you should probably check your pulse.

★★★✬☆

• On Stranger Tides (2007 Review)

Bookstooge 3.0

I was going to wait until the New Year to upgrade my avatar, but I had all the feelingz this week and so I wanted to do it NOW. Besides, I wanted to show Dr Who how you really do it (that poser needs a spanking).

It's a little more square and red than my previous one, but now I have hands, so if you bother me I can bitch slap you. Total Win! While I am introducing it right now, I am not sure exactly sure when I'll start using it full time. Probably when the mood strikes me and I say to myself "Bookstooge, my fine and devilishly handsome fellow, TODAY is the day you begin your life as Bookstooge 3.0". I'm all aquiver in anticipation already!

Of course, just like when I changed my avatar before, it will take a little while for me to remember all the places I have to bleeding change, so bear with me and if you don't see it somewhere you think you should, let me know and I'll get right on it. I seem to remember from the last change there are 3-4 places I have to deal with. As I change them I'm going to be editing this post with links so that I know EXACTLY where to change them the next time. Because just like Dr Who, I will not be staying at my current level forever. Nigh Infinite Power means a Nigh Infinite Journey.

I'd like to thank Luna for her work on this. My level of "Art" is a stick figure, on a good day, so I always appreciate those with the talent and drive who will help someone like me out.

• A Placeholder for links for places I have to change this.
• https://en.gravatar.com/emails/
• https://wordpress.com/me
• myaccount.google.com
• https://www.blogger.com/edit-profile.g

Here are the previous avatars as I have powered up through the years. As you can see, I start off very modestly and then my power simply explodes as I go on a book reviewing rampage. Now it is all about refining my power and becoming The Bookstooge that has always been inside of me.

Liberation (Seal Team 13 #2) ★★✬☆☆

 This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Liberation
Series: Seal Team 13 #2
Authors: Evan Currie
Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 321
Words: 117.5K

While slightly better executed than the first book, the nonsense about the Veil still continues (if you are ignorant of the supernatural you supposedly can't be affected by it. But that rule is broken so many times that I wonder why it was even included.)

A mediocre urban fantasy tale that I won't bother with any future installments. Currie just isn't worth my time any more.

★★✬☆☆

• Seal Team 13 (Book 1)

Road Trip (Bone #14) ★★★☆☆

 

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Road Trip
Series: Bone #14
Author: Jeff Smith
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comics
Pages: 25
Words: 1K

This had just enough comedy to keep things from getting too dark, but between the massive storm, the rat creatures attacking Lucius, Smiley and Phoney and Fone and Thorn comparing their dreams, this was probably the darkest part of the story so far. It has fully leaned into its “epic fantasy” storyline and I think the standalone community stories are done.

It's tough to tell if I thought this was so much better or if I'm just over-correcting for the previous 13.5 non-story comic. Either way, I was happy to have read this issue and I think Smith is doing a good job of juggling everything without letting things smash into the ground.

★★★☆☆

• All My "Bone" Reviews

Predator: Eyes of the Demon ★✬☆☆☆

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 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 WordPress & Blogspot by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Predator: Eyes of the Demon
Series: ----------
Authors: Bryan Schmidt (Ed)
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 298
Words: 111K

★✬☆☆☆

Totally woke bs. The only reason this didn't get just a half star was because Scott Sigler wrote the final story and it was awesome and was a REAL Predator story. No pregnant predators bonding emotionally with human mothers and the universal bond of motherhood or some other such bologna.