My rating: 3 of 5 stars
To be perfectly honest, I bought this book when we found out we were pregnant. The baby was no more than a speck at that point but I figured I should start getting books for the little one. And I’d seen the movie so this seemed like a safe bet. Continue reading “Review: Nim’s Island”
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a fascinating book. To admit something horrible, not only had I never read the book before, but I’ve never seen the Hitchcock film, either. Closest I’ve come is Throw Momma from the Train which is a far cry from Highsmith’s original novel. Even the film seems to stray quite a bit from the original text. The original text, though, might be worth a revisit in cinematic form. Continue reading “Review: Strangers on a Train”
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Ceony Twill is a 19 year old recent graduate of a magic academy and despite her wishes, she has been apprenticed to Paper Magician Emery Thane. See, in this world, magicians can only work with (by being “bonded” to one material, and a man-made one at that. And, well, paper-folding is the lamest of the lame. Not nearly as impressive, we are told (not shown) as working with metal or glass. Continue reading “Review: The Paper Magician”
An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales by Oliver Sacks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lost At Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries by Jon Ronson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’m putting these two books together becuase they both strike me as similar reads and I found the same issue with each. That said, they are different books and cover different subject matter. Continue reading “Review: An Anthropologist on Mars and Lost At Sea”
One of the most interesting things about being in a relationship with someone who is both from a different culture and has a significant age difference is that you get to share things which may seem old hat or fond memory to you, but become something new and fun to them. With us, this happens whenever we’re talking about TV shows or commercials or music… pop culture references, really. Continue reading “Up and Down the Dial”
Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I enjoy Christopher Moore‘s books. Despite the fact he won’t own up to his writing fantasy, all of his books have wonderfully fantastical elements, from horny sea monsters to loser vampires to crazy whale boys to the best friend of the son of god, they’re all fun, entertaining reads. Continue reading “Review: Secondhand Souls”
Web by John Wyndham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’ve become a bit of a John Wyndham enthusiast ever since I became a bonafide book collector with the addition of a first edition of Wyndham’s The Kraken Wakes to my library. So now, I’m on the lookout for affordable first editions of his work, and while I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to afford a copy of The Day of the Triffids or The Midwich Cuckoos, there are others out there I can get…Web being one of them – one which I happened to find on sale in the first edition. Since I’m also trying to read or re-read all of the collectible books I get, just to keep them fresh in my mind, this one came up in rotation and so I was able to enjoy it. Continue reading “Review: Web”
Writing the Novel from Plot to Print to Pixel: Expanded and Updated! by Lawrence Block
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’ve said it before I’ll say it again… Reading Lawrence Block’s writing books is like having a best friend who’s a successful writer taking you out for a coffee and giving you the low down about what it takes to have a career. In this book, which is an update of an earlier work called “Writing the Novel from Plot to Print,” he leads the neophyte writer through the whole process of what it takes to write a book. Continue reading “Review: Writing the Novel from Plot to Print to Pixel: Expanded and Updated!”
Bloom County: The Complete Digital Library, Vol. 4 by Berkeley Breathed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Going back to re-read these collections is like visiting an old friend. In this 4th of the yearly volumes you can see Breathed is hitting his stride. The characters are really in place and the softball political humor is in the strike-zone (don't get me wrong, a softball can still hurt if it hits you, but won't do any permanent damage and that's exactly what the politics is here). Continue reading “Review: Bloom County: The Complete Digital Library, Vol. 4”
Flashforward by Robert J. Sawyer
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I’ll say this for Robert Sawyer, he’s got some great concepts. Sadly, this book doesn’t have much more than that. Continue reading “Review: Flashforward”
It’s been another year come and gone. As I write this, we take a look back and see how long it’s been since 2014 and yet how close it still seems. Continue reading “Another year gone by….”
Source: New Acquisitions | Jonathan Kearns Rare Books & Curiosities
if you are a fan of weird and speculative fiction, a book collector (or better yet, both) you need to look through the latest catalog from Jonathan Kearns Rare Books. Not only does he have some splendid tomes for sale (and if you don’t see anything for you, check with me, I have a wish list running), but his descriptions themselves make for wonderful reading!
“The essays within display a fantastic array of quality.”
Here's a new review I did for PopMatters. 14 essays about adaptation from book to film.
Click and give 'em some love. 'The Fantastic Made Visible' Suffers From Some Blind Spots | PopMatters
Had no idea the connection between Harry Chapin and Wes Craven. Amazing how lives intersect.Source: Wes Craven: The Man and his Nightmares – John Wooley – Google Books
Getting the Hang of Thursdays 