Category Archives: Book Reviews

December Reading Plans! Attacking The Currently Reading Stack

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This past February I decided to clean up my currently reading list. The goal was to finish the books I had started in 2015. It was a great goal yet it was a little ambitious for such a short month. So now I’ve decided to try something different and set December aside as the month to attack my currently reading stack!


This means I’ll attempt to work through these seven books in December! I fully expect to fall short and probably to start reading an extra book or two alongside these seven, but it’s nice to have goals! I figure that with December being such a busy month it is a better time to try and finish books I’ve already started rather than start new books. We’ll see how it goes!


Betrayer by Aaron Dembski-Bowden is the 24th book of the ongoing Horus Heresy series I love so much. Always good to have some GrimDark Military SciFi on hand!

The Worlds Of Frank Herbert is a short story collection from the master of SciFi and a good way to prepare me for January’s Vintage SciFi Month!

Awakenings by Edward Lazellari is an Urban Fantasy that is starting off in a very kick ass grab your attention fashion. 


Gene Wolfe’s Book Of The New Sun series is a masterpiece of SciFi and I’m loving it. The goal is to complete the second book The Claw Of The Conciliator.  

Gail Z Martin’s War Of Shadows is the third book of her awesome Ascendent Kingdoms saga. Post magic apocalypitic fantasy? With good characters? Easy to enjoy!


These last two are the long reads that I doubt I’ll complete in December and expect to be reading into 2017. 

Bloodheir by Brian Ruckley is the second book of The Godless World trilogy and I couldn’t keep myself from starting it after I finished Winterbirth. 

House Of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski is off to a creepy start and I know this one will take me a while. 

So that’s my December Reading Plans! Finishing up 2016 and getting ready for new reads in 2017! 

999 Books? 999 Books!

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Acorrding to GoodReads I just read my 999th book. 999. That’s pretty cool!


Book 999 was A Hat For Mrs Golden by Michelle Edwards and G Brian Karas. It was amazing. A really touching story about knitting and love that brought a tear to my eye. Cute illustrations and great storytelling combine in one book. This one is well worth your time!


999 books read. I know this doesn’t count rereads, and also I’m sure I’ve forgot to add all the books I read as a child to the list; but still 999 books read is pretty cool!


I’m currently reading 8 books right now. Whichever one I finish first will be my 1,000th book read. I’m just shaking my head and thinking how cool that is. I’m also thankful for something like GoodReads that has helped me count up and keep track of initial reads of books and helped me remember my thoughts on those books. 


We’ll see which book becomes the 1,000th book read and then excitedly see which is book 1,001 and then 1,002 and then 1,003 and so on! Because the joy of reading should never end! Looking forward to my next 999 books! Happy reading everyone! 

Ship Of Fools Discussion Part Two: The Dead Ship *SPOILER ALERT*

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Time for the second Ship Of Fools discussion! This time we tackle Part Two: The Dead Ship. This will cover pages 97-209 so please don’t spoil anything by reading this post until you’ve read this part of Richard Paul Russo’s masterpiece of Horror SciFi. 


An eerie section of the story! Bartolomeo is set free from his jail cell only to be used as a political pawn by both the Captain and the Bishop. He’s sent as a sacrificial lamb to the alien ship, and yes the ship seems dead! But even in death you have to ask yourself is the ship evil? Or just hostile to alien life?


The ship is the central character to this part of the story. As we explore it and get to know it we are left with more questions than answers. Gravity that shifts? A room full of razor wire? A room that reminds our explorers of the horrors they found at the abandoned colony? What is the terror that lurks behind the closed doors? And finally the surprise of all surprises: a human! What is she doing on the ship? What is her story?


And yet in the midst of all of this you’re left wondering about the quiet war between the Captain and the Bishop. At first the Captain seemed noble but now you know the level of betrayal he’ll stoop to in self preservation. The Bishop has always seemed self advancing but now with the mystery of his secret visits to the ship he starts to take on a sinister characteristic….

We are approaching the resolution of it all! Finishing up the book and part three this week! Hope you’re enjoying this read of Ship Of Fools. 

VintageSciFiMonth Is Approaching!

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January is VintageSciFiMonth and it is fast approaching! It’s time to select some books, comic books, movies, tv shows, or radio shows that came out prior to the year you were born and enjoy them this January!


VintageSciFiMonth is really that easy to join! The “rules” are easy: you just read and enjoy older SciFi and/or Fantasy! Instead of getting into a huge debate about what qualifies as VintageSciFi the founder of the month LittleRedReviewer just asks that the book be from before the year you were born. Even this rule isn’t set in stone so if you’re wondering where to find SciFi from before you were born feel free to enjoy some from a few decades back regardless of the year of birth rule! We just want folks to join in and have fun!


If you have no idea where to start may I suggest DORSAI! by Gordon R Dickson from 1959. I’ve read this book twice now and loved it both times! To help a few of my friends ease into the world of VintageSciFi I’ll be reading it again starting 01/01/17 and you are welcome to join in! It is an awesome SciFi that will give you a good feel for SciFi around the 60’s and help you to get your feet wet! 


After DORSAI! I’ll be jumping four books ahead into The Childe Cycle by GRD and reading The Tactics Of Mistake because each January I read a little more of this excellent series of books. After that I’m still collecting my reading list but I expect it to include some Frank Herbert as well! 


TITAN by John Varley might sneak into the list since I bought it last year then realized it was published shortly after my birth…. we’ll see! 🙂 


Please join us in January for this awesome month of reading! It is amazing to see the future through the eyes of the past, and it is so much fun every year. If you’re on Twitter you can follow @VintageSciFi_ for news, updates, and features! Let me know if you need book suggestions. Looking forward to the sixth year of VintageSciFiMonth! 

Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents Volume 24

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Our Weekly Dark Horse Presents Vol 24

Hey! We’re getting better at this weekly thing!


Ok this volume was excellent. Simply excellent. This is the sort of stories that caused DHP to be a favorite of mine! 


Aliens has now joined the lineup! Mark Nelson and Mark Verheiden craft and interestingly thoughtful take on Aliens that will set the stage for the greatness that is to come in later volumes. 


Leopoldo Durañona’s Race Of Scorpions is one of the more beautifully illustrated tales that graces the pages of DHP. The art makes me think of Moebius. The story is interesting and engaging! Our heroes escape the town to encounter danger in the desert and then unknown peril in the city. I love this story. 


Homicide by John Arcudi with art by Grant Miehm is a worthwhile read that kicks off a continual favorite within these pages. John Arcudi does an excellent job with hard boiled detective stories and serial tales. Really happy to see it from its earliest stages!


Rick Geary again makes you shake your head at his tales in Police Beat. His mind is so interesting. 

Next volume continues some amazing tales and introduces more! 

Ship Of Fools Discussion Part One Insurrection *SPOILER ALERT*

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Ok so let’s talk Ship Of Fools by Richard Paul Russo! If you haven’t read the first part of the book (pages 1-95) please don’t read this so you won’t have anything spoiled for you! 
Part One is aptly named Insurrection. We have a Generational Ship that’s been lost for generations without destination or purpose. You have a rigid class structure designed to benefit those in power, dissatisfaction from the lower classes that know they deserve freedom, and vicious infighting amongst the leadership. Then throw in an abandoned colony that appears to have not been abandoned but rather brutally wiped out! This ship is ready for a mutiny!


However in the midst of this is thrown a terrible mystery. Who destroyed the colony? Who set up that beacon? Why did they do it? To warn others away or to draw them in? 


Then have you noticed that the main character isn’t the most likable of characters? He’s got a few rough edges. But I like him. He’s a thinker, and he’s willing to change. However he is hated by those above and below him, and that’s a difficult burden to carry. How much can you change when people aren’t willing to let you change and just want to use you? 


What are your thoughts on all of this? Any early emotions towards the characters? Did the scene where Bartolomeo thought he saw something in the building give you chills? What did you think when they found the colonists? 

Next Saturday I’ll cover Part Two: The Dead Ship   

Comfort Reads!

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Comfort Reads: Authors/Series you turn to in stressful/busy times to relax and unwind OR Authors/Series that you find to be easy to turn to again and again. 


My main Comfort Reads would be L.E. Modesitt Jr and Warhammer40K. I know, Modesitt really makes you think and WH40K is quite GrimDark. Maybe not what everyone would turn to, but both are very comfortable for me to turn to. 


Modesitt has a method of creating characters I can easily identify with and enjoy and he makes me think. You feel that he respects the intellegence of his reader. I know that no matter how many times I pick up one of his books I will learn something new and appreciate his work more. I find that very comforting. 


Warhammer40K isn’t relaxing reading, but it is in a way. The universe of WH40K and The Horus Heresy is a very bleak, dark, and dangerous universe. It’s one that doesn’t paint a bright future and it doesn’t offer hopes of ever improving after. Yet it is comforting to read of the heroic acts of those that keep the Imperium Of Man alive. Reading about the superhuman Space Marines or the very human Imperial Army fighting bravely against the darkness that is about to overwhelm humanity is interesting and I find it to be a universe I can always turn to for distraction. 

What authors or book series are your Comfort Reads? 

November Reading Plans!

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I’m not the most organized reader. However this year I’ve worked towards setting monthly goals and I’ve had fun with this! It’s helped me read a few books I would have missed out on while still allowing me to be distracted by something shiney when distraction is needed!


This month my goals are these five books, a few others on my kindle, of course some comic books, and then whatever shiney books come my way and demand attention!


Ship Of Fools by Richard Paul Russo is absolutely amazing! Yes I’ve already read it. This will be my first reread and I’ve got a few friends joining in for fun! I loved this Horror SciFi! It captures the anxiety terror of the original Alien film. It is about a generational ship that’s been lost in space for generations, but the passengers are about to learn they aren’t as alone as they’ve believed….


I started House Of Leaves by Mark Z Danielewski in October with the goal of reading it all alongside some friends who were hosting a group read of it. I fell short of the goal but there’s no way I’m giving up on this amazingly creepy story!


How do you finish a never ending book series? By never stopping! Rolling on to Betrayer by Aaron Dembski-Bowden to continue seeing where The Horus Heresy takes me. I mean I already know where it goes, that’s not the surprise of this series, the surprise is in the journey! 


Time to finish Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley which I started back in 2014! So y’all have already heard me describe this awesome book. 200 pages left to read!


And introducing to my bookshelf and currently reading pile: Awakenings by Edward Lazellari! An Urban Fantasy with characters who have forgotten their pasts having to recover who they were to save not only their own lives but also the world! This book not only caught my eye but also the author’s twitter account did! This copy is a signed copy that was mailed to me for a read and review and I’m excited to tear into it. More on that in a future post!

There you have it! November’s reading goals! Feel free to join me in reading any of these or discuss them! Book talks are the best talks. Do you have any November reading goals? 

Our “Weekly” Dark Horse Presents Volumes 21, 22, and 23

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Our almost kind of weekly review of Dark Horse Presents tackles volumes 21, 22, and 23! For those who might not be familiar with DHP it was one of the greatest comic book anthologies ever made and was the flagship title of Dark Horse Comics! I’m reading through it one week at a time and sharing my thoughts on these awesome comic books from the 80’s and 90’s! I decided to cover a few issues in this post to see if I enjoy covering more than one issue a week. Onto to the comic books! 


Dark Horse Presents issue 21 features the last installment of Masque by Mark Badger and I feel like singing “Ding-Dong the witch is dead….” because this story is not for me. Honestly it almost sank my wanting to read DHP itself! Glad that confusing and odd story is done. 

Delia & Celia by Gary Davis is the prehistoric tale of two young women fleeing for their lives and encountering adventure in a strange and wonderous world. Davis has the ability to create ancient civilizations with apparent ease and spin entertaining tales. 

Trekker by Ron Randall is always interesting and this episode brings a story arc to a close with a difficult ending. After facing life and death our hero is forced to look inward for answers to some difficult questions. 


Dark Horse Presents issue 22 features the ever incredible Paul Chadwick’s Concrete which won the 1987 Harvey Awards for Best New Series and Best Cartoonist! Concrete always offers a glimpse into the heart of humanity and in this issue we see a little bit of the wonder of the mind of a child. Another beautiful tale told well. 

Reflections by Andrew Murphy is a SciFi tale on the difficult morality of cloning and a peek into how that might play out in the real world. This one was very thoughtful and thought provoking and had implications that reached beyond the surface. 

Trekker by Ron Randall featured finishing art by Dave Dorman who is a personal favorite artist of mine! This issue is a segueway issue that shows that comic book stories can be thoughtful and take time to develop. Good character building. 

This issue featured two quick bonuses: Duckman by Everett Peck is a funny look at the stressful world of business and Police Beat by Rick Geary is an offbeat look at some of the odd calls police in the rural Midwest deal with. 


Dark Horse Presents issue 23 starts off with a bang. Filipino Massacre by William Stout reminds everyone that the history you were taught is only ever a part of the full story. 

Gateway To Hell by John Arcudi and Gary Barker shows a little of the difficult nature of PTSD but in truth felt more like a focus on a monster than a thoughtful addressing of a topic worthy of discussion. Maybe they were trying to raise awareness but this seemed an ill considered method. 

Police Beat by Rick Geary leaves you shaking you head, chuckling at, and worrying for humanity. 

Finally! One of the reasons I love DHP: Race Of Scorpions by Leopoldo Durañona is simply incredible. Breathtakingly detailed artwork and thoughtful story combine in this SciFi look at a post climate apocalypse earth. In this future water has become scarce and the commodity we live off of. It is an intriguing and engaging story that tackles multiple topics with each installment! I’m excited to have reached the start of it!

Might I Suggest A Good Military SciFi Book For You?

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When asked for suggestions in Military SciFi I’m always happy to share! A friend just finished reading Forever War and Armor and asked for a few more books in the Military SciFi genre that they might enjoy! So naturally I had a few lined up!


Of course Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein is amazing and one of my personal favorites in the genre. A true classic that remains applicable in some fashion through the years. It is a standalone and while it is short it is packed with meaning. 

 A contemporary book that also stands the test of time is Gordon R Dickson’s Dorsai! Ok sooooo maybe it doesn’t stand the test of time as well as it should… GRD really loved the concept of human evolution into the superman, and his books contain some offbeat philosophies at times BUT they are so good! Dorsai! Is the start to his masterpiece series The Childe Cycle and I am slowly working through the overall series. I personally love it, and think Dorsai! can be read alone or as a part of the overall series. (Perfect read for #VintageSciFiMonth in January and so a few of us will be reading it then and you should join in) 

The Cobra Trilogy by Timothy Zahn probably won’t top anyone’s best of lists but this little tale of Jonny Moreau exploded in my imagination when I was younger and stayed with me for ages. Zahn is an under appreciated master of Military SciFi and this trilogy has a little bit of everything the genre needs to be great. From the young man idealistically signing up to defend the innocent and put his life on the line for others, to his excelling in the art of war, to his desire for peace, to his struggles with PTSD and attempting to fit back into society, to his moving into political circles. This book is worthwhile. 

Glen Cook’s passage of arms is best described by Jeff Vandermeer as “…the Das Boot of SciFi.” This. Book. Is. Amazing. So dense and intense it is the sort you find yourself mentally chewing on for a while after each time you set it down. SciFi warfare in spaceships in a realistic style that leaves you feeling as if you are experiencing the mental breakdown that the crew of the ship faces themselves. This is a work of art and should be on everyone’s list.

Fifteen Hours by Mitchel Scanlon is an excellent introduction to the GrimDark galaxy of Warhammer40K as it portrays a young grunt’s First and quite possibly last combat experience in the far flung future of war and death! A story that makes you pause and consider the human in the story and the high cost of war.