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.
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.
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?
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 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.
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 4th 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 😀 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
