Book Review: Octavia’s Brood

Book Review: Octavia’s Brood edited by Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha One of the many uses of science fiction is to talk about current issues in a speculative setting.  One can posit a world in which current trends have become exaggerated to dystopian levels, or where a solution has been found to a current… Continue reading Book Review: Octavia’s Brood

Book Review: The Invisible Library

Book Review: The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman One good way to introduce a new fictional character or world is to start off with a short adventure where the character gets to show off their competency and special abilities.  Usually this is at most loosely connected to the main plot which will show up after… Continue reading Book Review: The Invisible Library

Book Review: A Storm of Swords

Book Review: A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin Note:  This review will contain SPOILERS for the first two volumes in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The Battle of King’s Landing is over, and the forces loyal to King Joffrey are triumphant.  But the War of Five Kings rages on, with no… Continue reading Book Review: A Storm of Swords

Magazine Review: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov/Dec 2016

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov/Dec 2016 edited by C.C. Finlay The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction started publication in 1949.  According to Wikipedia, it was supposed to be a fantasy story version of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine as it was at the time, classic reprints mixed with new material of a higher literary… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov/Dec 2016

Book Review: Minnesota Vice

Book Review: Minnesota Vice by Ellen & Mary Kuhfeld As I have mentioned before, Minnesota has many fine mystery and crime writers.  Mary Kuhfeld is probably best known under the pen name Monica Ferris, under which she has written nineteen Betsy Devonshire Needlework Mysteries.  (Thus the subtitle “Monica Ferris Presents” for these self-published books.)  Ellen… Continue reading Book Review: Minnesota Vice

Book Review: A Clash of Kings

Book Review: A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin Note:  This review contains spoilers for the previous book A Game of Thrones; if you haven’t read that one yet, check out the review here. Westeros has too many kings.  In the south, the King on the Iron Throne is Joffrey Baratheon, heir to the late King… Continue reading Book Review: A Clash of Kings

Book Review: Goblin Quest

Book Review: Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines Jig has always lived in the mountain, only hearing third-hand stories about the outside world.  Even stepping outside the goblin warrens is dangerous, why risk going any further?  Still, he dreams of being promoted from his lamplighter duties (a child’s job) to a patrolling warrior.  Jig’s smart,… Continue reading Book Review: Goblin Quest

Book Review: A Game of Thrones

Book Review: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin About three centuries ago, the land of Westeros was known as the Seven Kingdoms.  Then Aegon Targaryen and his sisters came from the collapsed civilization of Valyria with their dragons and conquered six of the Kingdoms.  (The seventh Kingdom joined up later semi-voluntarily.)  Eventually, the… Continue reading Book Review: A Game of Thrones

Comic Book Review: The Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story

Comic Book Review: The Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story written by Ed Brubaker & Matt Fraction, primary artist David Aja When Daniel Rand was nine years old, his father Wendell Rand took him, his mother Heather, and business partner Harold Meachum on an expedition to the mystical city of K’un L’un, which appears… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Immortal Iron Fist: The Last Iron Fist Story

Book Review: Father of Lies | Mirror Image

Book Review: Father of Lies | Mirror Image by John Brunner and Bruce Duncan, respectively. Belmont Books was a minor publisher of paperback books with a specialty in speculative fiction, which lasted from 1960 to 1971.  Apparently in an effort to mimic the success of Ace Doubles, they produced a series of “Belmont Doubles” that… Continue reading Book Review: Father of Lies | Mirror Image