Manga Review: Dream Fossil by Satoshi Kon Satoshi Kon (1963-2010) was an acclaimed anime director, making a handful of movies (including Paprika) and one television series, Paranoia Agent. His themes of confusion of dreams and reality, and madness lying just below the surface of society, made his works fascinating. He also spent some time as a… Continue reading Manga Review: Dream Fossil
Month: January 2016
Book Review: The Quick and the Dead
Book Review: The Quick and the Dead by Louis L’Amour When Duncan McKaskel and his wife Susanna decided to move out West with their young son Tom to homestead, they knew there would be dangers and difficulties. But after their wagon train falls to cholera and the family strikes out on its own, they learn that… Continue reading Book Review: The Quick and the Dead
Book Review: Riot Most Uncouth
Book Review: Riot Most Uncouth by Daniel Friedman Disclaimer: I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was offered or requested. When George Gordon, Lord Byron, was a lad, his father Mad Jack often told him tales of the vrykolakas, immortal beings who fed on the blood… Continue reading Book Review: Riot Most Uncouth
Book Review: The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Book Review: The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney Hatshepsut lived about 1500 B.C.E. to circa 1458 B.C.E. The daughter of Thutmose I, she was married to Thutmose II, her half-brother, when he ascended the throne of Egypt. As the God’s Wife of Amen-Re (king of all… Continue reading Book Review: The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut’s Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
Book Review: The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories
Book Review: The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories edited by Otto Penzler I have a fondness for Sherlock Holmes, as I am sure the majority of my readers do. Unsurprisingly, there has been a ton of Holmes fanfiction over the years. Pastiches that try to capture the feel of Arthur Conan Doyle’s prose, parodies… Continue reading Book Review: The Big Book of Sherlock Holmes Stories
Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volume 18
Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volume 18 by Rumiko Takahashi Recap: Rinne Rokudo is a shinigami (“death spirit”) a psychopomp who helps ghosts and spirits move on to the afterlife. Because he’s part human, his powers are relatively weak, and he must rely on often expensive gadgets to do his job. That, and debts his deadbeat dad Sabato… Continue reading Manga Review: Rin-Ne Volume 18
Movie Review: Bender’s Game
Movie Review: Bender’s Game Futurama was a science-fiction cartoon created by Matt Groening (The Simpsons) for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It starred Philip J. Fry, a New York City pizza delivery worker who is “accidentally” cryogenically frozen for a thousand years. In the bizarre future world, Fry has trouble fitting in at first, but… Continue reading Movie Review: Bender’s Game
Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book Seven
Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book Seven by Makoto Yukimura Quick recap and spoilers for the previous volume: It is the age of Vikings. Canute, King of Denmark and (by conquest) England, needs cash to fund his occupation army. Therefore, he has engineered an incident to force the wealthy Ketil family into outlawry and seize their… Continue reading Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book Seven
Magazine Review: The Avenger #8: House of Death | The Hate Master
Book Review: The Avenger #8: House of Death | The Hate Master by Kenneth Robeson Quick recap: The Avenger, Richard Henry Benson, is a wealthy adventurer who took early retirement to spend time with his wife and daughter. They were murdered by criminals, and he has sworn vengeance on crimedom, gathering a team of highly skilled… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Avenger #8: House of Death | The Hate Master
Book Review: The Princess and the Pony
Book Review: The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton Princess Pinecone lives in a warrior kingdom, and wants to be a warrior herself. But instead of getting swords or plate armor for her birthdays, she always gets comfy sweaters instead. This year, Pinecone has made it very clear that she wants a warhorse, a… Continue reading Book Review: The Princess and the Pony