Review: Wayward Deluxe Book 1

Wayward Deluxe Book 1 by Jim Zub
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read volume one of this series previously and really enjoyed it. This deluxe book (which I got as part of a Humble Bundle) contains the first two volumes of the series. Volume one was just as good as I remembered.

Volume two takes a hard shift in the story. It sort of makes sense based on where volume one ends, but it disrupts the flow of the story in this edition. I might not have had a problem with that if I had read the second arc separately instead of back to back as it is collected here. I had to reorient myself to the setting.

Once the story gets back on track and I could see how this ties into the first arc it was a lot more interesting to me. I really dig the characters. Zub does a good job of introducing them. The art team helps to make the important characters readily recognizable. And the setting is pretty cool. It's set in Japan and contains a lot of culturally appropriate mythical creatures.

The back matter goes in depth of a bunch of them to give the reader an idea of how they are identified and what they are capable of. This was one of my favorite parts because it shows how the creators actually thought about what they were using in the book.

Despite some issues in the second volume, I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely try to track down some of the later volumes to see what happens next.

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Review: Imperium, Vol. 2: Broken Angels

Imperium, Vol. 2: Broken Angels by Joshua Dysart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great follow up to volume one. Harada takes his monstrous henchmen into the depths of the sea to attack PRS's submarine base. These characters are fantastic. It's a lot of fun to read about each of them. The art is topnotch. It pumps up some already pretty great scenes by showing how certain events interplay and the characters come together.

The second half of this book launches into Harada's attempt to dominate Divinity. This focuses much more on Harada and Divinity, leaving the other characters on the sidelines. That's not a bad thing because it allows the book to center around these two titans battling for control. Harada's vision for what the world should be stays important throughout the second volume as well. Can't wait to jump back into the series.

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Review: A Contract With God and Other Tenement Stories

A Contract With God and Other Tenement Stories by Will Eisner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to. It is a lot more down to Earth and realistic than I imagined it would be going in. The art can be exaggerated at times, but that lends itself to some of the impact that the stories have. And that is what this book is, a collection of stories that are all based around tenements in New York during the 1930s (or so). Eisner's personal touch to each of these stories is what makes them work so well.

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Review: Noir

Noir by Christopher Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First of all, I'm a fan of Christopher Moore. I haven't read everything he's written, but I've enjoyed all his books that I've read. Second, I tend to like books with hard boiled private detectives. So, needless to say, I loved Noir.

Sammy is a bartender looking for his next big con to rake in some cash. He has an interesting ensemble of supporting characters, from his jerk of a boss to his love interest, Stilton. The book takes a little bit to find its feet. Once the characters find their voices and start to take charge, things get downright ridiculous. And that is one of the big things that I liked about this book. It never takes itself too seriously. That shows from page one and doesn't let up until the end.

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Review: Dr. Stone, Vol. 1

Dr. Stone, Vol. 1 by Riichiro Inagaki
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not really sure why I liked this book as much as I did. The premise is kind of silly: something caused everyone in the world to turn to stone. Fast forward a few millennia and the heroes of the book manage to break out of their stone prisons. Now they are on a quest to restore everyone in the world. I think the fact that this story doesn't take itself too seriously made it a lot more fun. The art isn't quite as overly expressive as other manga stories I've read, so that probably helped me to enjoy it a bit more.

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Review: Megahex

Megahex by Simon Hanselmann
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

There are some amusing moments, but the stoner humor didn't appeal to me much. The character are pretty much all jerks too.

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Review: Haphaven

Haphaven by Norm Harper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know what it is, but I have really been enjoying stories like this. It takes fairy tale elements and puts it into a modern setting. There is a mixture of the real world and a fantasy world that complement each other nicely. In this story, Alex is a young lady that is turning thirteen and her world revolves around superstitions. When one of them threatens her mother's life, she sets out on a journey to find a cure.

The fairy tale elements and the superstitions are great. The real winner for me is the characters. The book takes a decent amount of time establishing Alex's history and her motivation. That could give it a slow start for some, but it pays off. The supporting characters are wonderful too. I found them to be funny and they worked well within Alex's story. I loved the art. It is perfect for the story without being too cartoony.

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Review: Livewire Volume 1: Fugitive

Livewire Volume 1: Fugitive by Vita Ayala
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is book is a solid follow-up to Harbinger Wars 2. As such, it spends a lot of time dealing with Livewire's actions in that book. And I love it for actually dealing with those events and doing so in a way that fits the character. There is some new stuff in this book that deals with Livewire's past as well. I think this is actually a good place for new readers to jump into the character because it addresses both of those aspects without assuming that you know everything about the character.

I really dug the art too. For those that have read Secret Weapons, this is an extension of that miniseries. It brings in many of the same characters and makes good use of them. As much as I enjoyed certain aspects of this book, as a whole it didn't wow me. It spends a lot of time cleaning up a previous story, so it didn't really feel like it's own thing. I'm definitely interested in reading more of Livewire's story though.

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Review: Daisy Jones & The Six

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just fantastic. This book worked for me in all the right ways. First off, the format was interesting. Rather than telling the story in a straight prose narrative, it unfolds through a series of pseudo interviews. It's kind of like reading an episode of VH-1 Behind the Music (for those that remember it, I don't even know if it's still a thing). Each of the character voices comes through in the answers they share. And that leads into the second thing I loved about this book: the characters. It is mostly focused on the two singers of the band, which makes a lot sense. I liked seeing how their relationship with each other and the other members of the band (plus a few other key characters) unfolded from the beginning of the band until they decide to call it quits. The lyrics at the end for the band's hit album are a nice addition. Having these fully realized as part of the book helps make it feel complete.

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Review: Deep Roots

Deep Roots by Dan Watters
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sentient plants? Sign me up. I think the idea of a world where plants have become sentient and lash out at humans for the damage they are doing to the Earth is kind of cool, if a bit heavy handed. The art is fantastic. There are some wonderful scenes that made me stop to just take them in. It also has some moments where I just couldn't tell what was supposed to be happening.

The plot doesn't hold up real well though. There are a group of scientists investigating what is happening with the plants. None of the characters stood out to me, so the story just plodded along. The story gets caught in the labyrinthine environment as much as the characters that head into it. Not a bad book by any means, but the elements that didn't work for me held me back from enjoying the rest of it too much.

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Review: Early Riser

Early Riser by Jasper Fforde
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've read a couple other books by Jasper Fforde and I picked this one up almost entirely on the fact that I enjoyed his other work. Within the first couple chapters I was thinking to myself "did I make a mistake picking this up?" The pacing is pretty slow to start out with. Add on top that this is set in an alternate history where some things don't quite work the way we are familiar with and it can be a bit jarring. Once it gets going though, the story is fantastic.

This is a world where winters are blisteringly cold. It is so inhospitable that humans for the most part have developed the ability to hibernate. We get to follow Charlie Worthing on his first year as a member of what is essentially a police force for the winter months. Part of what I liked about this book so much is that it reminds me of hard boiled detective stories. Charlie is a bit of an outsider and acts as a decent guide into this world. One of the things that helped keep the story moving for me is the humor. If that doesn't click for you, I think this book would be much harder to get through. As it is, I found it silly and fun to dig into.

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Review: Tetris: The Games People Play

Tetris: The Games People Play by Box Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tetris might be what brings you to read this book. It is about so much more though. The subtitle hints at the underlying subject of the book. Sure, the title game is sort of what launched video games as we know them. There are a lot of things that led up to the moment when it was developed and took a hold in our imaginations. Not surprisingly, Box Brown does a wonderful job digging into the history of the video game industry. The only real knock I have against this book is that it can drag a little bit at times. Getting through those moments is worth it though.

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Review: Noble, Vol. 1: God Shots

Noble, Vol. 1: God Shots by Brandon Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was an interesting take on a one-off superhero story. It has some tropey moments. Overall, I enjoyed it though. The art is really good. While the story isn't really clear at times, the book as a whole progresses at a decent pace. I never felt like it got bogged down too long to get to a point where I wasn't interested to see what would happen next. As a diversion from Marvel and DC, it wasn't bad. I'd read more about this character.

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Review: Lost and Wanted

Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ultimately, I did enjoy this book. It starts out kind of slow and spends a lot of time reflecting on the past of Helen, the protagonist/narrator, and her friend Charlie, who recently died. Their relationship as undergrads and later as adults shape the way the story plays out. There is a closeness between them that is evident despite the fact that we never get to see them together in the present. Instead, other characters sort of fill those roles for each other and reflect the relationship they would have had.

The science portion of the novel is actually pretty interesting, but it's importance seems to shift throughout the story. It was presented in a way that made it easy to understand, even when some of the concepts got complex. I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book exactly. It took me a while to get on board with the way it was presented though.

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Review: The Oracle Year

The Oracle Year by Charles Soule
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this book up almost entirely based on the fact that I've enjoyed the few comic books that I've read by Soule previously. The idea that someone could wake up knowing 108 things that would happen in the future was pretty interesting too. I like the approach of seeing what someone might do with that sort of information and how the world would react to them. Everything from Will Dando's approach to how he uses the information he has been gifted with to the way the other people in the book react to his predictions is handled really well. This is a living, breathing world that we get a chance to visit. It might be a little dry at times, but I found it to be a lot of fun with some intriguing ideas.


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Review: The Oracle Year

The Oracle Year by Charles Soule
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this book up almost entirely based on the fact that I've enjoyed the few comic books that I've read by Soule previously. The idea that someone could wake up knowing 108 things that would happen in the future was pretty interesting too. I like the approach of seeing what someone might do with that sort of information and how the world would react to them. Everything from Will Dando's approach to how he uses the information he has been gifted with to the way the other people in the book react to his predictions is handled really well. This is a living, breathing world that we get a chance to visit. It might be a little dry at times, but I found it to be a lot of fun with some intriguing ideas.


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Review: The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up: A Magical Story by Marie Kondō
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book takes Kondo's method and wraps it in a manga story, which works quite well. The story follows a young woman who finds her home cluttered with stuff and she contacts Kondo for help. The visual medium does a good job of showing how her method works. Plus, this story makes applying the method more relatable. There is a little bit of a romance and character history as they go through all the stuff that has accumulated.

The art was pretty nice. Many of the elements that turn me off to manga art were missing in this book. Everything was clean and easy to read. The method is applied to the life of a single woman, so it would be interesting to see how it would work in the context of a couple or a large family where things might not be so cut and dry. Overall, this was a fun read and a bit different from the books I normally pick up.

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Review: Sunstone, Vol. 1

Sunstone, Vol. 1 by Stjepan Šejić
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sunstone is a fantastic book. I got this as part of a Humble Bundle a while back and procrastinated reading it. It wasn't anything that jumped to the top of the list of books that I wanted to read. That might be in part because of the sexual overtones. This book is definitely intended for mature readers, but I feel like it was done tastefully.

This is the story of two women. They meet online and quickly become friends. Their shared interest in certain sexual activities eventually leads to them meeting, which screws with their heads and their hearts a little bit. I like the way their relationship develops. It felt natural. I think the thing that brought them together could have been any sort of hobby, but Sejic's approach pushes them into the deep end to dig into some interesting themes. There are elements of this story that can make people pretty uncomfortable. That is part of what makes it great.

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Review: Invisible Republic, Vol. 1

Invisible Republic, Vol. 1 by Gabriel Hardman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The thing that hooked me about this book is the worldbuilding. We are introduced to a backwater colonial moon where people have a pretty tough life. I like that the setting feels like it could be a real place. The issues that the characters are struggling with and the way the events build together is pretty well done.

The story follows a reporter as he tries to rebuild the history of a failed dictator. He happens upon a windfall in the diary of a woman that claims to be the dictator's sister. There are a bunch of different characters that are shown in this arc. I like how the writing and the art work together to create tension between them. I would definitely recommend for anyone that looks gritty sci-fi stories.

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Review: Imperium Vol. 1: Collecting Monsters

Imperium Vol. 1: Collecting Monsters by Joshua Dysart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For a book about Toyo Harada, he really isn't in it that much. Instead, it focuses on the group of characters that he is bringing together to help achieve his dream of creating a post-scarcity world. That isn't a bad thing at all because these characters are really interesting. This arc kind of reminds me of the second arc of Dysart's Harbinger run. They both center around the individual characters that make up their respective groups. This feels like it adds a lot of depth to the story. Dysart is very capable of giving these characters their spotlight without losing sight of the rest of the story.

There are moments that highlight what Harada is trying to achieve starting with the very first pages of the series and others that showcase the conflict between Harada's group and the rest of the world. As someone who has read a lot of the other Valiant books that preceded this series, I felt right at home with this book. I think someone that is new to these characters could pick up with no problem. It just won't have the same impact as it will for someone that is already invested in the world.

Doug Braithwaite might just be one of my favorite artists thanks to Valiant. His artwork is always fantastic. Pairing with a good colorist helps a lot. I compared some of Braithwaite's uncolored drawings that were included in the back of this trade to the finished pages. The color adds a noticeable layer to the art, but his drawings are still great even without the color. Needless to say, there are some really cool visual moments in this book.

I was hesitant to read this book in part because I had heard a lot of good things about it and I didn't want to be disappointed with it. That was not a problem at all. I am excited to dig into the next volume to see what Harada is going to do now that he has his team of monsters.

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Review: The Parade

The Parade by Dave Eggers
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy from Penguin First to Read in exchange for an honest review.

I've heard some good things about Eggers' other books, so when I had an opportunity to read The Parade I figured I would give it a shot. It did not work for me one bit. This is a story about a couple of men that are employed by an unspecified company to go to an unnamed country to build a road using some advanced technology. The point is to connect two cities that have been ravaged by war in an attempt to foster peace and prosperity.

I am drawn to books with really well written characters. These guys are pretty bland. They don't even have names, instead going by numbers of their own choosing. That aspect didn't bother me too much until a couple instances late in the story. But they lack personality. It seemed like Eggers took the Odd Couple trope and transplanted them into a post military conflict zone with no oversight. Four is a veteran of this sort of thing. He is focused on the job at hand and tunes out everything else. Nine is extremely flighty, indulging every whim he has along the way. The way the story is set up I could buy that these two guys would be in this particular place to do this job without a larger group. However, the interactions between the characters felt ridiculous without any humor.

Personally, the whole thing felt pretty vague. I think most of this comes down to the writing style. We see all of the events from Four's perspective, so his thoughts and opinions color a lot of what we are shown. I wouldn't recommend this as a place to start reading Eggers' works.

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Review: Shazam!

Shazam! by Geoff Johns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I've read one or two other books featuring Black Adam, but nothing that really focused on Captain Marvel. This volume serves as an introduction to the characters and also manages to be quite a bit of fun. Captain Marvel is actually a young man named Billy Batson. He's a foster kid that has been bouncing from house to house until the holder of this magical power bestows it on Billy in a last ditch hope that someone will be able to defeat Black Adam.

One of the best things about this book is how Billy acts after getting his powers. It's a more realistic approach to what would happen if a kid transformed like this. That combined with the interactions with the other foster kids he is now living with gives this book it's strength. There are some expected superhero moments throughout, but that is balanced out with Billy getting to act like a kid at times and trying to deal with his living situation. It's a more grounded approach that I liked. I'd be willing to read more stories about Billy if they are like this one.

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Review: Midas

Midas by Ryan North
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Suppose Midas actually existed. How would that work? What would it do to our world? This book explores those questions and throws a decent sci-fi story on top of it. A crew happens to discover the location of Earth millennia after Midas lived. Their goal: to use him to defeat the empire that is slowly taking over every planet in the universe by any means necessary.

I thought the idea behind this book was fantastic. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters. And the art was pretty good, although it was a bit more cartoony than I tend to go for. Everything that went into the story of Midas and the implications it has for the rest of the story are top notch. I felt like it dragged at times though. This was somewhat made up for by the interactions between the characters. While the idea of this enormous evil empire is nothing original, and the bad guys went over the top at times, it did work for the story.

I'd definitely recommend it for anyone looking for an interesting sci-fi series that is self contained.

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Review: Golden State

Golden State by Ben H. Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well that was interesting. The story takes place in a dystopian future in which lying is a criminal offense. It follows a member of a police unit that specializes in detecting lies. A seemingly mundane event starts pricking at Laszlo and as he digs deeper he finds things aren't quite what he believed.

So one of the big things that I enjoyed about this book is that we get to see the world through the eyes of someone that seems to be wholly indoctrinated into this state of being where lying is not permitted. There are times where I wanted to see the story from the perspective of someone who isn't so deeply involved. I don't know that it would have changed the impact of the story much though. I like the way that characters recite facts to each other when they meet instead of the traditional greetings that we are used to. Things like that pop up throughout the book to reinforce that although it seems familiar, this isn't the world we live in. The mystery elements are pretty good.

When we finally get to see the world outside of Laszlo's, it gets a bit weird. I'm okay with it, and I thought the ending worked pretty well with the way it develops, but that shift could be too jarring for some. At a point where the story should start giving the reader answers, it serves to cause more confusion.

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Review: Jem and the Holograms Vol. 1: Showtime

Jem and the Holograms Vol. 1: Showtime by Kelly Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had so much fun reading this book. It's about a group of sisters that have a band and enter a battle of the bands contest that has a record deal as a prize. The girls have to face off against the sponsor of the contest, one of the hottest bands in the world. While the premise is pretty simple, it is well executed. Each of the sisters has their own personality and style.

The best part of this book has to be the art. The color work is phenomenal. It does so much to set the tone of the story and helps to keep it lighthearted. There are some kooky elements to the story that border on tropey. That's okay though because the creators weave that into the story really well. As simple as the plot may seem, it is built up by some of the secondary plotlines.

This is a licensed property, which I had no awareness of before I started reading this volume. I can't say how well it adheres to that license. However, I feel between the introduction and the execution of this story, the creators have a passion for it and did their best to honor it. I would read the second volume of this series.

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Review: From Under Mountains

From Under Mountains by Claire Gibson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wasn't impressed by this book. There are some great artistic moments where the page layouts and the coloring make the story pop. However, I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. The non-linear storytelling might be part of the reason for that. There is some great world building happening in this series and that is clear throughout. It doesn't fully connect to the events that we see though. The story isn't bad. It could have used a better structure and direction. I feel like this book might benefit from a second reading. Personally, I don't think I will take the time to do so.

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Review: Deadly Class, Volume 1: Reagan Youth

Deadly Class, Volume 1: Reagan Youth by Rick Remender
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I want to start out by saying that I've enjoyed probably everything I've read that Rick Remender has written. I haven't gone out of my way to read his book. They just seem to resonate with me in some way. Deadly Class takes the reader into a school for assassins during the late 1980s. I'm interested to see where it will go based solely on the time period the story is set in. Marcus, who is our hero maybe?, starts out homeless and running from the cops when he gets recruited into this school. Everything that follows encompasses shenanigans that you might expect to see involving the new kid.

The biggest drawback for me in this book is the characters. They all start out quite tropey. Some of them begin taking strides to move past that by the end of this volume though. The other thing that is throwing me off about them is that none of them are particularly likeable. Not surprising since they are being trained to murder people. Maybe these are things that will get addressed further into the series.

Anyway, that's enough of what I didn't care for. I really like the way that the story is structured. It flows pretty nicely and even the off the wall elements make sense within the context of the story. And the art is great. There is some drug use in the book and the art does a great job bringing that part to life. I'm looking forward to reading the next volume, if only to see what crazy stuff Remender decides to jam into the next part of the story.

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Review: Bone Parish Vol. 1

Bone Parish Vol. 1 by Cullen Bunn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked pretty much everything about this book. It's about a family that is getting into the drug business with a new designer drug known as Ash. Ash is made partially from using the bodies of the dead and creates a hallucinogenic experience involving the person whose body went into it. Of course, there are people trying to muscle in on their territory. And, rightfully enough, it is set in New Orleans.

I had a lot of fun reading this. The characters are well done and I particularly enjoyed seeing the various relationships play out. I'm intrigued by Ash and the slightly supernatural elements attached to its creation. That part of the story works really well for me because it is basically grounded in reality in other respects, so I found it easy to jump into this world and get a sense for how it operated even without knowing everything about Ash.

The art is great. The moments when we get to see Ash in action are particularly good. I like that the art is equal parts dark and bizarre. It sets a good tone that I feel complements the locale. I'm definitely interested in reading more of this to learn about the drug and see how the crime family aspects play out.

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Review: Charlie's Angels Vol. 1

Charlie's Angels Vol. 1 by John Layman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not super familiar with Charlie's Angels. I've probably seen a few episodes of the show, but it's never been anything I've followed. In spite of that, I was curious about this book. The concept behind the series isn't bad. I think people that enjoy the characters and the series will get a lot out of this book. It goes back to the early days of the Angels and shows off their skills.

The first chapter of this had me pretty hopeful for what the book would be. It felt episodic and was quite a bit of fun to read. It kind of stagnates after that though by falling back on tropes of using Germans and Russians as the bad guys. It was kind of fun to jump back to the 1970s with these characters, so the villains used here make sense but didn't work for me. The best part of this book has to be the attention to detail that calls back to the show. Long time fans should appreciate that.

Even though this book didn't wow me, I liked how it ended. It set up future stories without committing to any particular storyline. I probably wouldn't continue this series, but I'm glad I gave it a chance.

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Review: Submerged Vol. 1

Submerged Vol. 1 by Vita Ayala
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

During the middle of a hurricane, Elysia travels to the underworld to confront her personal demons. I like the little mythological references that come with this story, particularly Cerberus and the boatman. I'm not sure that the specifics of Elysia's story (e.g. the problems with her family) matter all that much. I liked this for the journey that she goes on to come to terms with her decisions. The way the other characters manifest is interesting because it subtly builds toward the end. For me it was satisfying to see her complete the journey and look toward the future, even if this is all of her story that we get to see.

I am kind of split on the art though. For the most part it is great. However, there were times that the character faces looked odd to me. Maybe it's more of a personal preference, but it did jar me out of the story a few times because they just didn't look right. Despite that, I think this book is worth checking out.

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Review: Shadowman (2018) Volume. 3: Rag and Bone

Shadowman (2018) Volume. 3: Rag and Bone by Andy Diggle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Volume 3 brings us back to the present after exploring the past of Shadowman and the origins of his loa. This time Jack and Alyssa are taking on Sandria Darque to prevent the resurrection of her brother.

I liked this arc quite a bit. Jack is learning. He is definitely making strides with the loa and developing on his own. Alyssa is a great companion for him. They seem to complement each other rather well. Her skills certainly come in handy during this storyline. I almost would have preferred a story that didn't involve the Darques because they have been used a lot in relation to Jack. It's fine though. I still liked what was put together in this book. And it is nice to see an end of sorts to the Baron Samedi plotline.

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Review: Judge Dredd: Origins

Judge Dredd: Origins by John Wagner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book. I've only read one other Judge Dredd book, so I don't know a ton about the character. What this book does, rather than acting as an introduction to Dredd himself, goes into the history of the world in which he operates. So we get to see quite a bit about how the Judges came into existence and became such prominent figures in the Mega Cities of this futuristic world. Plus, it gives some insight into the existence of so many mutants and explores some of the dynamics between the castes of characters in the setting.

Dredd continues to be somewhat of an enigma for me though. Even after seeing his origin story, this book didn't really feel like it was about the character. It is pretty fantastic for what it brings to the table though. I think the art took some time to grow on me. It's kind of gritty like the story that it is helping to tell. With this book behind me, I'm certainly willing to read more about Dredd and the world he inhabits.

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Review: Faith: Dreamside

Faith: Dreamside by Jody Houser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Now this is the type of story that I want to read about Faith. It is bright and fun and zany. So, it starts off with Faith keeping a low profile because she is wanted for murder. When Animalia makes an appearance and asks Faith for help with some ghosts, things take off. There are some great female characters in this book between Faith, Animalia, and Dr. Mirage. I will always take more opportunities to see Dr. Mirage make an appearance in a Valiant title.

I particularly like how the personalities between the three ladies play off each other. Each brings a unique perspective to this world they live in. The journey into the Deadside is great too. The realm the characters travel too is so different from what has been shown before. It is bright and silly (but don't let that stop you from reading this book). I also like the references to not only events in previous Faith books but the stories of Animalia and Dr. Mirage too. The only shortcoming of this book that I can think of is that it doesn't do a great job of introducing the characters. So someone who hasn't read other Valiant books might be a little confused at first.

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Review: Shadowman, Volume 4: Fear, Blood, and Shadows

Shadowman, Volume 4: Fear, Blood, and Shadows by Peter Milligan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Weirdly enough, almost the entire time I was reading this volume, I felt like I had already read it. I don't mean that as a slight against the story because a lot of that feeling came from the art. I'm not sure if there were some callbacks to this volume in the recent series that is coming out or what.

Anyway, this book tries to give Jack Boniface some personality and sort of acts as a call back to the original series from the 90s. Jack is having some anger issues and finds himself waking up in alleys covered in blood. The Abettors, who were introduced as a group meant to assist Shadowman, are looking to usurp Jack because of his unpredictability. Meanwhile, Alyssa is trying to fall in love with him? I don't really know what is going on there. It makes sense that they might have a romantic relationship at some point, but for all the talk of it in this book neither of them really seem into it.

But the art works well with the story. It is as dark and brooding as the story is. There are some decent story ideas presented in this volume. I like the fact that the shadow loa gets an opportunity to show off its goals. The execution is a bit lacking though. None of the story beats really got me excited for the character. Through the first four volumes of this series the story has been pretty fractured and it shows.

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Review: Red Clocks

Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Imagine a world where abortions are illegal. Beyond that, in vitro fertilization is illegal and soon only married couples will be able to adopt. Red Clocks takes us into a future where all these things happen and explores the impact that would have on the lives of women. There are four women featured in this story (and a pseudo narrative of a fifth woman). Each one seems to represent women at different stages in their maternal development or lack thereof. This is further cemented by the fact that they are very infrequently referred to by name. Each one has a role that defines them: the Daughter, the Biographer, the Mender, and the Wife.

These women are all named at some point in the story, but I think it speaks to their importance in the book that I don't really remember any of their names. Instead, it is the role that they are assigned that seems to define who the are. I found this kind of off-putting. Perhaps the dehumanizing of the characters through this decision is purposeful. It seemed like too much considering how the aforementioned legal changes in their world already strip the women of certain choices, almost relegating them to a lower status.

I am a big fan of characters in a book. A well written character can carry an otherwise poorly written story at times. These characters had a ton of potential, and I found myself rooting for them in each of their stories. Yet, there was something lacking from them. This is partly due to the writing style. Some of the sentences are just awkward. It made it hard to get into the book on top of the already difficult presentation of women in general. And that is part of what makes this book good. It tackles an eerily plausible subject matter and explores how it would play out.

One moment that stood out to me, which happens to be fairly late in the book, actually flips those dehumanizing elements on their head. Two of the central characters are having a moment and one recognizes genuine fear in the other. This is in the context of a situation where fear isn't typically a consideration. It's difficult to convey the impact without spoiling the book, but it was something that made this book worth reading to me even though I didn't like how the characters were treated (by others or themselves) and the writing style didn't work for me. It was a little creepy to read this book as political discussions turn more toward abortion rights again.

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Review: X-O Manowar (2017) Volume 6: Agent

X-O Manowar (2017) Volume 6: Agent by Matt Kindt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Former colonel Capshaw recruits Aric to head to Australia to take on an alien threat. So the things that jumped out to me as good about this story center around the way it connects into other parts of the Valiant Universe. Capshaw has been used in a bunch of books, but I think this is the first one I've read that gives her a chance to take the lead. It gave her some more personality and showed some good indications of why she was the one that was heading G.A.T.E.

The book also acts as a follow up to the Eternity mini-series. I like that it utilizes those events sooner rather than later. Some of the characters that show up in this book as a result of being so closely linked to Eternity are pretty cool. I would definitely like to see more of them. Despite Capshaw and the Eternity stuff taking center stage, Aric does get some time to shine, especially ones the fighting breaks out. He has a personal moment or two, but that clearly isn't the focus of this book.

I think the biggest drawback for me was the art. A lot of the characters just didn't look right to me at various points throughout the book. Every time Capshaw or Aric were in a pose that struck me as odd it pulled me right out of the story. Don't get me wrong though, there are some great artistic moments in this book. Ryp's character work just didn't work for me this time around. The other thing that sort of bugged me about this arc is that it almost entirely neglects the end of the previous volume. There was a lot of comic used to set that up and then it didn't even make an impact here.

I felt like there were a few more bumps in the road with this volume of X-O, but I'm not giving up on the series.

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Review: Chimera: Book One - The Righteous and the Lost

Chimera: Book One - The Righteous and the Lost by Tyler Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

On another day, I might have rated this book higher. It's a sci-fi book that starts out as a caper and integrates some interesting alien species. There are some high level moments involving religious sects and various gods. I enjoyed the characters. The designs for the different species are all well done. And the interactions between the different groups really bring the setting to life. It hits a lot of story beats that usually appeal to me.

My problem with this book comes from the storytelling method. I found it tiring to read another book where there is this big problem and the reader isn't privy to enough information about everything involved. I understand the creators can't give everything away at the beginning, but by the time things started to get interesting I didn't care what was happening in this world. Despite that, when I got to the end of this book it had me hooked. I can't say I loved it though and I'm not sure I'd be willing to read the next part of the story.

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Review: Belle: Beast Hunter, Volume 1

Belle: Beast Hunter, Volume 1 by Dave Franchini
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Grimm Universe books that Zenescope has been putting out have been pretty interesting. They take familiar fairy tale characters and put them into a modern setting, usually with some sort of superhero style story attached. In this one, Belle from Beauty and the Beast fame is put into a role that has her hunting down various monsters that are cropping up across the eastern seaboard of the U.S. Her costume reminded me a bit of Batgirl or Batwoman's.

There are some cool monsters that she fights along the way. It starts out with some well known mythological creatures and eventually settles on the Beast. My feeling on this book is that there just wasn't enough to make me care about Belle and the cast of characters that join her on this adventure. It almost feels rushed because so many of the characters taken from the inspirational material will be known to readers. I guess I would have liked to have seen more build up for some of them. Clearly, Belle has been doing this for a while and it never really seemed to matter that we were seeing this particular story.

It isn't all bad though. It's a fun enough book to read and it has a good concept. The execution wasn't up to my expectations though. I did like the art for the most part, especially when it came to the creatures that Belle was hunting. Tying this in with some of the other books under this umbrella concept might give it some more context and staying power. I wouldn't write this series off completely, but I certainly won't be going out of my way to find out what happens next.

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Review: The Japanese Larder: Bringing Japanese Ingredients into Your Everyday Cooking

The Japanese Larder: Bringing Japanese Ingredients into Your Everyday Cooking by Luiz Hara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you're looking for a cookbook focused on traditional Japanese recipes/cuisine, then keep looking. Instead, this book takes a focus on essential ingredients that are traditionally found in Japanese cuisine. Nearly everyone is familiar with some, while others might be hard to find outside Japan. Hara takes those ingredients an shows how they can be used in all sorts of dishes. Sure there are some traditional recipes (dashi stock comes to mind), but there are a whole lot that are inspired from different sorts of cuisines and dishes.

The amount of information in the book can be almost overwhelming. It acts as a primer on a lot of different ingredients and how they play a role in Japanese food. Someone starting out could be intimidated by that. To that I say take it one section at a time. The first chapter focuses on the quintessential ingredients. These are the ones that are most common and you've at least heard about before. Each subsequent section takes a different grouping of ingredients and the recipes build by incorporating these staples from one or more sections.

One thing that is great for less experienced cooks is that there are a ton of photos. I'm not sure if there is a picture for every recipe, but it certainly comes close. The food looks great too. With food it is always nice to have some sort of visual guide of how you should expect it to come out. I think this book does a great job of making these ingredients accessible.

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Review: Abbott

Abbott by Saladin Ahmed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, this was a lot better than I was expecting. I don't think my expectations were particularly low, but I just wasn't super into the idea. It's really well done. I like the slow build to the supernatural stuff. It made it have more impact when it comes to the fore. Plus, the first couple issues take time to focus on Elena and some of the social issues of the time. The book looks at racism and sexism at the time and gives the story a lot of context. I think this book works as well as it does because the writer makes that effort to create a realistic setting. And Elena is centered in that so her actions matter. I loved the art too. It has some gruesome moments though. I would read more about this character/time period.

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Review: Batman, Volume 8: Cold Days

Batman, Volume 8: Cold Days by Tom King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly, I haven't been keeping up with Batman. I am aware of some of the stuff that has been going on sent this series started. I just haven't sat down and read any of it myself. Curiosity got the better of me though and I decided to pick this volume up. The volume deals with the aftermath of the wedding in the previous arc. It starts out big with Bruce Wayne being selected as a juror for the trial of Mr. Freeze. Think Twelve Angry Men set in Gotham. Wayne's take on the whole situation is interesting not just for being very self reflective but also for how it seems the average citizen views Batman.

Then it shifts to a nice story showcasing Batman and Nightwing. It takes a much lighter approach that counteracts the heavier portions of the jury trial. There are some goofy villains that show up. And we get to see a more human side to Batman as he interacts with Nightwing. Both of these stories are well done. The art between the two stories are as different as the stories themselves and both styles work.

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Review: Artemis

Artemis by Andy Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let's take a trip to the moon! I had a lot of fun reading about Jazz's shenanigans on the lunar colony. She's a good character for the reader to follow because of her job (delivery person) and personality (she can be abrasive, but people tend to love her). I found her to be funny. The letters to her pen pal from Earth are a nice addition to the narrative. We spend the entire book in Jazz's head, so some of the other characters seem underdeveloped. Not a big deal because Jazz has lots of personality to make up for it.

The setting is very rich. It brings in scientific elements at times, but not overwhelmingly so. And though we don't get to see some of it in depth, Weir does present it in a way that makes it seem alive and someplace that we could return to in the future. His writing grabbed my attention and kept me wanting to come back to the story when I had to put it down. Definitely worth a read.

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Review: Art Matters

Art Matters by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Neil Gaiman writes a few short essays about art. If you like his writing, you will probably enjoy this book. Now, these essays are reprinted from previous publications, but it adds art by Chris Riddel. The images are great and a nice addition to Gaiman's writing. I would read more of this.

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Review: An Anonymous Girl

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this book creepy, which means it probably did a pretty good job of getting its point across. The relationship between Jess and Dr. Shields takes so many turns over the course of the book. It's crazy that it all starts with Jess swindling her way into a morality study that Dr. Shields is conducting. The basis of that study bleeds through the entire book. It's interesting how much of an impact it has on Jess and the times where she self "corrects" her choices based on being part of this study.

Part of the story is told through the second person. This threw me a bit when it first happened because it isn't something that I've encountered a lot in the books that I've read. Add the strange relationship between the two characters on top of it, and it takes that creep factor to the next level. The story is definitely engaging. I kept wanting to read more of it.

The writers really flesh out Jess' motivation for why she even started on the path in this book and made it seem plausible that she would continue even after things get weird. It's a gradual progression. And while the book takes place over a relatively short period of time, it seemed spaced out well enough to allow for the development of the relationship between Jess and Dr. Shields. This book is a bit different from what I normally read. It was a great detour.

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Review: X-O Manowar (2017) Vol. 5: Barbarians (X-O Manowar

X-O Manowar (2017) Vol. 5: Barbarians (X-O Manowar by Matt Kindt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Volume 5 takes a bit of a break for Aric. He's on a journey back to Earth and takes a side trip inside his head. We get to go into his past again, which is something that I always enjoy seeing. It shows off his impetuous side some more and lets us see that he is more than a guy from a rural part of the Roman Empire. I like that rather than jumping right back into things on Earth, we get to see what Aric might be thinking about on his trip back.

This arc also brings in a new character that is different from others that we've seen from Valiant to this point. His story is fun to watch unfold. I'm interested to see how he will be used in the future. He paired up nicely with Aric along the way too. The art is pretty good. There are a couple action scenes that didn't flow the best for me. That wasn't enough to pull me out of the story though. Aric's story continues to be a blast to read.

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