Another fantastic book by Jo Walton like The Just City. I loved the characters and the story and wish I could visit Ilium. It was just so fun to enterAnother fantastic book by Jo Walton like The Just City. I loved the characters and the story and wish I could visit Ilium. It was just so fun to enter this fantasy world and I also enjoyed her classic meta-fiction approach complete with reading suggestions throughout. This one reminded me of her Among Others quite a bit and was just as good. Highly, highly recommended....more
I love David Grohl. He is a fantastically gifted and skilled musician, apparently an amazing dad, a grateful son, and a decent writer. I mean, this isI love David Grohl. He is a fantastically gifted and skilled musician, apparently an amazing dad, a grateful son, and a decent writer. I mean, this is not Shakespeare, but the stories here are presented in an offhand and entertaining manner that charms the reader and sometimes made me laugh out loud. His callouts to former bandmates and his struggles with the losses of two of his best friends also make for great reading. For some reason, I thought that he had written this one after Taylor Hawkins death, but that is clearly not the case. As much as I loved this book, I can't help but think that it probably would have ended a little differently and since it is so rare that David gives us a glimpse into his soul (having barely discussed the suicide of Kurt except here and in the "Subterranean" episode of Sonic Highways (the anecdote repeated here), I was disappointed to not hear his thoughts about this 3rd massive blow and whether his unending optimism remains untarnished or not....more
I wasn't sure what to expect with this series. It sort of reminded me of the Bujold Vorkosigan series in a lot of ways, even if the protagonist here iI wasn't sure what to expect with this series. It sort of reminded me of the Bujold Vorkosigan series in a lot of ways, even if the protagonist here is a bit less charismatic than Miles. Nonetheless, the writing is good. It is a VERY different book than her award-winning The Speed of Dark, but an enjoyable read. Kind of hard to find the other volumes, so I'll get to the other ones once I get a bit lower in my TBR and make a few paydays!...more
This was more of the same from the first book in this series, Lock In. This time the subject was corruption in professional sports, and in a particulaThis was more of the same from the first book in this series, Lock In. This time the subject was corruption in professional sports, and in a particularly gruesome sport invented for the threeps. I felt that it was a bit rushed and not all that engaging. I prefer his other series to this one. It might be work reading the first book, but this one is just OK.
And thus ends the cycle of stories around Mark, aka Invincible. It was a fantastic run, another triumph for Kirkman and his team. I liked the plot twiAnd thus ends the cycle of stories around Mark, aka Invincible. It was a fantastic run, another triumph for Kirkman and his team. I liked the plot twists here and how we get a relatively smooth landing for the many characters. As a reader from the beginning of this series, I felt I got closure from most for the plot lines that interested me the most.
What I enjoyed about the whole Invincible universe was how it never took itself too seriously even with all the pastiches of various superheroes and cinematic universes. Mark remained a multi-dimensional character inside a universe of changing alliances and we got to see him grow as a human from a confused teen to a mature, wise adult who (naturally) saves the universe yet once again. The art is always spectacular with full-page graphics, two-page layouts of 32 boxes each...just a variety of formats with brilliant colors and homogenous artwork throughout. Highly recommended for fans of superheroes, sci-fi, and fantasy....more
Say it ain't so! Only one more issue after this! Mark is in trouble and fighting for his life! A huge cliffhanger at the end of this one will force yoSay it ain't so! Only one more issue after this! Mark is in trouble and fighting for his life! A huge cliffhanger at the end of this one will force you to grab the last volume ASAP to find out how it all ends!...more
This are accelerating here as Mark confronts his brother, tries to come to grips with some powerful enemies and problems and holds his relationship toThis are accelerating here as Mark confronts his brother, tries to come to grips with some powerful enemies and problems and holds his relationship to Atom Eve together tenuously. A beautiful page-turner where Thragg is starting to decimate the forces of sanity!...more
Mark faces the challenges of being a superhero dad with the inevitable conflicts between being present for his daughter and saving the universe. The gMark faces the challenges of being a superhero dad with the inevitable conflicts between being present for his daughter and saving the universe. The graphics as always are extraordinary and the action non-stop! Love Invincible, just sad that there are only 4 more volumes to go......more
Things are heating up for Mark - he's a new dad but will he and the universe survive to fatherhood? And wow, Rex and Robot, who knew?Things are heating up for Mark - he's a new dad but will he and the universe survive to fatherhood? And wow, Rex and Robot, who knew?...more
While being a fun and interesting story, K&C does not feature deep character development and was IMHO about 100 pages too long. That being said, I fouWhile being a fun and interesting story, K&C does not feature deep character development and was IMHO about 100 pages too long. That being said, I found it highly entertaining and even instructive about the origins of comics. The descriptions of New York in the 30s, 40s and 50s was nice and the comics Chabon invented to tell the story were very creative. There is a bit of sentimentality here, but not too much and it was interesting to read this book just after Roth's I Married a Communist as the commission at the end was inspired by the same inquisitorial period of the 50s. Overall, I did enjoy it but wonder if Joyce Carol Oates or Joy Williams fans felt ripped off but I have read neither Blonde nor The Quick and the Dead which were respectively their books that were Pulitzer runners up when Chabon won in 2001. Perhaps someone else has? How about Chabon’s other books?...more
Mark has had family issues before, but things are even more confused and dangerous. This volume, as the previous one, is full of beautifully rendered Mark has had family issues before, but things are even more confused and dangerous. This volume, as the previous one, is full of beautifully rendered slaughter and space battles and the engaging relationship between the various characters that compels the reader forward through more blood-smeared pages as we have come to expect from Kirkman!...more
Mark is back, but this time things are dark, very dark. As optimistic as the previous volumes of this series has been, this last run feels more and moMark is back, but this time things are dark, very dark. As optimistic as the previous volumes of this series has been, this last run feels more and more pessimistic and full of gore and betrayal. Will Mark and Eve (with the rest of humanity) make it through this crisis?...more
Although less compelling than the second two books in this series, the conclusion to the Old Man series is a great way to end everything as indicated Although less compelling than the second two books in this series, the conclusion to the Old Man series is a great way to end everything as indicated in the title. We don't get to see John or Zoë, but rather the same protagonists in the previous book, The Human Division as they seek to understand and stop the genocide of the human species.
Maybe I am in a minority in this opinion, but I thought that this book was more interesting and better written than American Gods. I liked the story oMaybe I am in a minority in this opinion, but I thought that this book was more interesting and better written than American Gods. I liked the story of these two brothers, their god-like dad, and idea of the Spider, the humorous dialogs...I really felt that I was along for a fun rollercoaster ride and was not bored for this one. Its plot held together better and the character arcs were more rounded and plausible. A great and relatively light read!
This is not a true sequel to AG, it is just set in the same fantasy world that mixes fiction and fantasy. I think my favorite character was Spider!...more