Manga Review: Vagabond Volume 2 by Takehiko Inoue Quick recap: In 17th Century Japan, failed soldier Shinmen Takezo has reinvented himself as wandering swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. Dedicating his life to perfecting his own style of swordsmanship, he travels to Kyoto and starts a feud with the Yoshioka school of kendo. Unknown to him, his childhood… Continue reading Manga Review: Vagabond Volume 2
Tag: swords
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
Audio Review: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker
Audio Review: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker Most Star Wars fans are aware that director George Lucas based much of the look and feel of the first movie on classic Hollywood films and especially the thrilling chapter serials. But have you ever considered what A New Hope would sound like if it were a big-budget film made in… Continue reading Audio Review: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker
TV Review: Thunderbolt Fantasy
TV Review: Thunderbolt Fantasy Sho Fukan, a simple wanderer, just wanted an umbrella to ward off the rain. But the sly stranger called Rin Setsua manipulated Sho Fukan into helping out a damsel in distress. The woman’s name turned out to be Tan Hi, a shrine maiden whose family was dedicated to keeping a powerful… Continue reading TV Review: Thunderbolt Fantasy
Book Review: First Contact
Book Review: First Contact by Michael R. Hicks The scout ship Aurora is searching for new worlds, especially inhabitable ones for the citizens of Earth and the various worlds their descendants have colonized. What at first seems like a bonus of two viable worlds in the same star system turns into a deadly encounter. Those… Continue reading Book Review: First Contact
Manga Review: Noragami: Stray God #1
Manga Review: Noragami: Stray God #1 by Adachitoka Mutsumi is in a bad way. Not only is she under stress studying for the high school entrance exams, but her classmates have turned against her, bullying Mutsumi and encouraging her to self-harm. She’s locked herself in a toilet stall for a good cry when suddenly… Continue reading Manga Review: Noragami: Stray God #1
Manga Review: Samurai Executioner Omnibus 2
Manga Review: Samurai Executioner Omnibus 2 written by Kazuo Koike, art by Goseki Kojima Yamada “Decapitator” Asaemon is the o-tameshiyaku, sword-tester for the shogun and official executioner of criminals. It’s not a pretty job, but at least he has one in Edo-era Japan, during a time of peace. Without wars to fight, many of the samurai… Continue reading Manga Review: Samurai Executioner Omnibus 2
Book Review: Twin Cities Speculations: An Anthology of Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Book Review: Twin Cities Speculations: An Anthology of Sci-Fi and Fantasy edited by Eric Binfet As I may have mentioned before, I have a soft spot for local writers, of which Minnesota has many. One Twin Cities writers’ group got together and self-published an anthology, and here we are. Eight stories of SF and fantasy,… Continue reading Book Review: Twin Cities Speculations: An Anthology of Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Manga Review: Sword Art Online: Aincrad
Manga Review: Sword Art Online: Aincrad original story by Reki Kawahara, art by Tamako Nakamura Disclaimer: I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it. It is the year 2022, and commercially viable virtual reality equipment is now on the market. Of course, one of the first… Continue reading Manga Review: Sword Art Online: Aincrad
Manga Review: Soul Eater
Manga Review: Soul Eater by Atsushi Ohkubo On a very alternate Earth, humanity has several different subspecies that do not exist on ours. The most notable of these are Witches, who have the inherent ability to use magic, and Weapons, humans who can shapeshift into…weapons…that can then be wielded by more standard humans known as… Continue reading Manga Review: Soul Eater