Category Archives: Book Reviews

My Top Ten Comic Books Part One: The (Second) Runners Up! 

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While creating my Top Ten Comic Books list I had quite a few runners up (twelve) so I decided to split my posts up a little and introduce the winners and almost winners separately. The runners up weren’t really in a particular order as it was more how they fit together well in the photos of six, but they sort of ended up in the two groupings I would have placed them into so we’ll pretend it is intentional. 

  
  
Trees by Warren Ellis and Jason Howard is a beautifully told SciFi story about humanity set against the backdrop of alien life slowly revealing itself to us. 

  
Revival by Tim Seely and Mike Norton is an intriguing tale of the dead returned to life in a rural Wisconsin town and how that would affect the citizens within that area. It does an incredible job of maintaining mystery without becoming dull, unlike the second season of Lost. Thankfully Lost picked things back up later on, but more thankfully Revival has yet to let up on the quality! 

  
Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez is quite simply phenomenal. It is perhaps one of the greatest horror/mystery comic books ever created. The story and artwork combine seem lesson to weave a spell over the reader and draw you deeper and deeper into its pages, but be careful or you may never escape. 

  
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons would probably be on anyone’s top ten list and rightfully so. This is one of the comic books that all modern comic books are judged by and I enjoy and appreciate it. Just not as much as the top ten I’ve already chosen đŸ˜‰

  
Cerebus by Dave Sim and Gerhard is a controversial masterpiece of a lifetime’s work by the creators. I have only read a third of the 300 issues and one year I intend to read the entire series but until then it is safe to add this work up here for what I’ve already appreciated from it. The concept of a comic book series that maintains its continuity for 300 issues is amazing to me. 

  
Sin City by Frank Miller is without a doubt the height of crime fiction in comic book history. Dark. Gritty. Vicious. And artfully done. 

Next post will feature the First Runners Up to my Top Ten Comic Books of all time! 

Just A Few More Pages: A Difficult Book To Set Down

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Every so often you pick up a book that shakes you out of your normal reading habits. It grabs on to you and won’t let go until you’ve reached the end. “Just a few more pages!” becomes your battle cry. 
Embedded by Dan Abnett is that type of book. 

Embedded is a Military-no it is a War Journalist SciFi that takes a journalist deeper into combat than any has ever gone before: right into the mind of the soldier. When normal avenues of research and reporting are cut off by a powerful government one journalist takes the unprecedented step of having his consciousness embedded into the mind of a soldier in the war zone. However as that journalist learns no one in a war zone is safe and anyone can lose their life. Including the soldier you might be embedded within….

This concept truly interested me. The author did a great job of exploring it and relaying it to the reader. The action was tense and filled with peril. The story moved quickly. I honestly was not ready for it to end on me. This is one I do suggest reading and look forward to hearing your thoughts on it! 

 
Embedded is also approved by my puppy:  

Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents (Vol 10)

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Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents Volume 10

This issue introduced new stories and brought a favorite back for another episode. However I have mixed feelings regarding this issue overall. 

  
Concrete by Paul Chadwick

As always Concrete is my favorite part of DHP however this chapter wasn’t as strong or moving as previous chapters. It was interesting to see Concrete leap from a plane while still being afraid of what a bear could do to him if enraged, but this one just didn’t convey the same insight into humanity as the others. It was still there just not as subtle and moving. That said it still is a worthy addition and was again the highlight of the comic book. 

  
The Masque by Mark Badger

The Masque was… confusing. Still not entirely sure what happened and I read it twice. However it is the very first installment so I have hopes of sorting it out soon! Artwork was a bit chaotic but very emotive. 

  

Sole Survivors by Randy Stradley and Tony Salmons
Fun one shot story! Not sure if they were attempting to show the pointlessness of warfare but I feel they did show that. Tony Salmons’ artwork is very narrative. You could probably read this one without the words and understand it. It may just be I’m getting more used to his style, but I do think he tells a story with his art. 

  

From My Bookshelf Featuring Curse Of The Mistwraith 

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While reorganizing my bookshelves I was reintroduced to so many beautiful books that I wanted to share a few which is also the primary purpose I had when I created my book review website! So I’ll be selecting some books at random from my bookshelves and reviewing (or previewing if I haven’t read it yet) here and on my Instagram (RedStarReviews) with the Category/Title/Hashtag of: From My Bookshelf.  
The first one to share from my bookshelf is this beautiful first edition of Curse Of The Mistwraith by Janny Wurts being the first volume of The Wars Of Light And Shadow. 

 
This book’s cover caught my eye back when it was initially printed and the title captured my imagination. The author poured so much life into her characters and the lands that they inhabit. This book truly is a work of art, with great beauty and sadness within. I remember the first time I read the book caring so deeply for the primary characters and trying to imagine ways for them to be recused from the tragedies that they are faced with. 

This book is one to add to your bookshelf and to enjoy. Janny Wurts is a gifted author. Oh and did I mention that she is also the cover artist? Because she is! 

As a bonus to this review I wanted to share this photo of my book loving puppy helping me to reorganize my bookshelves from the chaotic mess they had become:

  

Guest Review Of Uprooted

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This week my wife and I have been away on vacation but one of our friends has stepped up and provided a guest book review for us! She also happened to review a book that I am very much interested in reading, and her review has made me even more interested than before! 

  
Uprooted by Naomi NovikReviewed by Aglaia

One part Jane Eyre, one part Harry Potter, one part fairy tale, all parts fun. Despite suspicions that Uprooted would be just another young adult fiction fluff text, I found myself greatly enjoying Naomi Novik’s newest foray into the forest of words. 

Agnieszka is an accident-prone young girl who has grown up on the edge of a forest in which lurks more dangers than just bears or snakes. And if the dangers of the forest aren’t enough, there’s the every-ten-year selection of a young girl by the local official, Dragon. When Agnieszka is unexpectedly chosen by Dragon, her life changes over night. Her selection rips her away from all she knows and deposits her into a world of magic and spells where she must discover her own talents and gifts.

From there, Uprooted moves with break-neck speed between events, and the reader is pulled along for a fun ride as Agnieszka learns about magic and how to defend her town and country from an encroaching power. Along the way, she unwillingly falls in love with her mysterious and cold mentor. The quick pacing and action packed scenes move smoothly through the plot points, and I found myself compelled to keep turning pages into the wee hours of the night.

I did think of this as a gothic romance with magic. Agnieszka is a heroine as awkward as any Jane Eyre, and Dragon is a love interest with a darkness and prickliness equal to any Rochester or Heathcliff. Combine the gothic feel with a dash of Harry Potter-like magic in a world ruled by age-old stories of nature, and the story comes alive in an entirely entertaining fashion. While none of the characters carries extreme depth, they are still interesting enough for a reader to follow.

Perhaps the biggest “flaws” I found were the heavy-handed environmental statement at the story’s climax and the sometimes over-used first person narrative. The former is mitigated by the logic of its origins within the story itself, and the latter can be overlooked for the sheer fun of the story.

Overall, I found myself truly “uprooted” from my own reality and transplanted into an ancient world of spells, magic, and arcane wonders. I would strongly recommend this book for a fun, fiction break from heavier, academic texts.

Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents (Vol 8)

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Dark Horse Presents Volume 8
Unfortunately I missed a few weeks of my weekly reading/reviewing of DHP! Sorry about that! The weekly reviewing has been a great help to me for developing as a reader/reviewer and it is something I truly enjoy. Hopefully these past few weeks will be the only ones I miss. Now on to this enjoyable volume of Dark Horse Presents!

  
Gene Shock, The Vitruvian Man by Steve Mattsson, Mark Badger, and Art Nichols

This story seems to be taking shape as a SuperHero story but one with a SuperHero that seems a bit difficult to like. The lead character comes across as a bit arrogant. Not sure if that is what the creators intended but it is a bit put offish. 

  
Roma by John Workman

Good sequential art, but unlike previous episodes this one doesn’t do very much to further the overall story. It provides some filler material though and that can be important. 

  
Concrete by Paul Chadwick

Superb as always. The concern that he has gone too far and possibly hurt someone makes him more human and the inner battle that Concrete fights in this installment mirrors our own. Concrete is a beautiful comic book. 

  

Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents (Vol 7)

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Dark Horse Presents Volume 7

Sometimes comic book anthologies hit home runs! Other times they’re ok, and sometimes they’re forgettable. Volume 7 of DHP is forgettable. That said some might pick this issue up and love it while hating the issues I love! That is the glory of comic book anthologies. 

  

Monq by Tony Salmons 

Monq is the highlight of this volume. It’s a bit heavy handed in trying to get its point across but you can tell the message is very important to the author. Monq is a scientist who may have super powers or may just have gadgets. In this story he encounters Earth in a very unique fashion. My two favorite parts of this story were the ominous ending and the cute boots Monq wore. 

  

Gene Shock The Vitruvian Man by Steve Mattsson, Mark Badger, and Art Nichols

I’m not sure how to describe this other than it is an explosion of comic book tropes. You feel like Stan Lee could have been in on the plotting. It shows promise. 

  
Doc Abtruse by Steve Mattsson and Jim Bradrick

I just read this story for the giant floating eyeball with the graduation cap on it. 

  

New Military SciFi To Add Next To Your Copy Of Starship Troopers

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Terms Of Enlistment by Marko Kloos  
Let me start by saying I liked this book so much I immediately got books two and three and the accompanying short stories. Yes I liked it that much. 

Y’all this is a great book! What a wonderful addition to SciFi and to my personal library! This author’s work came very highly recommended and it didn’t disappoint at all. 

Terms Of Enlistment follows the life of Andrew Grayson in the not to distant future. Andrew is coming of age in squalor and poverty and decides that with nothing left to lose he will try to enlist in the military. By doing this he gains the chance at a future IF he can make it through Basic Training and IF he can live through his five year service time. The future is not a peaceful time….

Andrew Grayson is a perfect POV character to see this future through. He’s smart, witty, tough, and he knows there is more to life than what he has experienced so far. The author does a good job of introducing us to the world of the book through his eyes, and we see our understanding of the world grow with his. 

Without spoiling the story I feel the author does a good job of showing in the background of the story the dire straits of a society overwhelmed with poverty, the difficulties facing the Service People trying to follow orders and operate in such a society, and the lengths that a government will go to cover up unpleasant situations. 

I have heard favorable comparisons to other works of Military SciFi such as Starship Troopers or Forever War and I can see why the comparisons are made. However I think that this is a work that stands on its own while sharing similar elements or concepts with these classics of the genre. With the quality of his opening book Marko Kloos has interjected his name into conversations of such great works. 

The action sequences are fast paced and intense. The overall book is a pageturner. The experience of reading it is fun. This is a book you should pick up and I am really looking forward to reading the sequels! 

Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents (Vol 5)

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Dark Horse Presents Volume Five  
This review is a little late but I managed to still make it within the week! At first I was excited because Boris The Bear wasn’t advertised but unfortunately it was snuck in at the end under a different name. 

Pookey by James Dean Smith

This was an adventure featuring Boris The Bear’s stuffed bunny rabbit named Pookey. Because of course a living stuffed teddy bear has a stuffed rabbit. 

  
Roma by John Workman

This story was told sideways. No lie! I had to turn the comic book sideways to read it. Not a bad special effect but I’m not sure it added to the experience. I’m not sure what Roma is going to turn into as a story. It seems like it could be a SciFi or a superhero or a spy story. We’ll have to see. 

  

Trekker by Ron Randall

This story is improving with every page! Mercy is tough and won’t let a building filled with people trying to kill her ruin her day. Well written and illustrated. Looking forward to more. 

  
Concrete by Paul Chadwick 

Yet another beautiful and strange addition to this wonderful comic book. The author offers a self introspective look into the heart and mind of an artist. 

  

Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents (Vol 4)

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Dark Horse Presents Volume 4

  

This volume introduced Trekker, while continuing Concrete, Mindwalk, and Boris The Bear. I really enjoyed Concrete! First let’s discuss Trekker!

Trekker by Ron Randall

Trekkers are bounty hunters in this SciFi tale. The particular Trekker this story features is Mercy St Clair. Mercy is quickly introduced by her actions as a cool, tough character, able to take on and defeat multiple villains at once. So when she gets in a difficult situation later on you think she can make it through, but what if she can’t? Good solid first story. 

  
Concrete by Paul Chadwick

Concrete keeps turning keys within your heart to unlock deep emotions. The concept, combined with the artwork and story peaceably evoke an emotional response within the reader. I’m not sure how Paul Chadwick does this. I do know that Concrete is what many creators aspire to create and only few do. 

  
Mindwalk by Randy Stradley and Randy Emberlin

Sibling rivalry can be an ugly thing. Especially when your sibling is a bully. While I am not a fan of this storyline I think they have an interesting concept. Creators have many difficult tasks and one of those tasks is sorting out how cliched you allow your work to be. This one falls a little too heavily on the cliched side for me. 

  
Boris The Bear by James Dean Smith and Randy Stradley

Still not connecting here but I did enjoy this one more than the first episode. The first episode tried really hard to be funny and failed whereas this one didn’t try as hard and succeeded in being funny. 

  
Next week brings us more Concrete, Trekker, and Roma and I’ll be interested to see how often Concrete will succeed in tugging on my heartstrings.