Title: Green Lantern Corps: Emerald Eclipse
Author: Peter Tomasi
Publisher: DC
My take: A hero book I liked for the heroics
Spoiler-free synopsis: This book falls into a space between Sinestro Corps war and Blackest Night, which means the Corps is in a state of flux and uncertainty - and the book uses that as a counterpoint to some great moments of heroism by some of its major characters.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The Flash: Mercury Falling
Title: The Flash: Mercury Falling
Author: Todd Dezago
Publisher: DC
My take: Fun, but I think it would have made a lot more sense if I'd come into the book knowing who these people were.
Spoiler-free synopsis: There's a part of me that can't help but do things like support Todd Dezago, whose writing I always find entertaining. So when I saw this Flash compilation with its cute style and its awesome writer, I had to pick it up.
Author: Todd Dezago
Publisher: DC
My take: Fun, but I think it would have made a lot more sense if I'd come into the book knowing who these people were.
Spoiler-free synopsis: There's a part of me that can't help but do things like support Todd Dezago, whose writing I always find entertaining. So when I saw this Flash compilation with its cute style and its awesome writer, I had to pick it up.
The 13 Clocks
Title: The 13 Clocks
Author: James Thurber
Spoiler-free synopsis: No spoilery review this time. I don't plan to talk about the plot, and I'll keep this short.
By rights, this is a book I should hate.
It's very much a kids book, but that's not necesarily bad. It's a basic fairy tale wherein almost everything that happens is explained by "because it does, okay?" the characters tend to be one-dimensional caricatures, typical for a children's book like this but generally hard to enjoy for me.
But this one, which I read voraciously as a child and which hung with me so strongly that I actually got it again this year just to have, isn't a book you read for anything other than the writing. This is the book that made me want to be a writer. The language was so imaginitive. Random rhymes and alliteration just pop up without warning. I'm not sure how much it means, because he seems to write a lot of introductions anymore and you HAVE to say something nice in them, but it seems I wasn't the only one the book hit that way if Neil Gaiman's description is anything to go by. If you like language, read it. I'd lay good odds that you'll enjoy its craft.
Author: James Thurber
Spoiler-free synopsis: No spoilery review this time. I don't plan to talk about the plot, and I'll keep this short.
By rights, this is a book I should hate.
It's very much a kids book, but that's not necesarily bad. It's a basic fairy tale wherein almost everything that happens is explained by "because it does, okay?" the characters tend to be one-dimensional caricatures, typical for a children's book like this but generally hard to enjoy for me.
But this one, which I read voraciously as a child and which hung with me so strongly that I actually got it again this year just to have, isn't a book you read for anything other than the writing. This is the book that made me want to be a writer. The language was so imaginitive. Random rhymes and alliteration just pop up without warning. I'm not sure how much it means, because he seems to write a lot of introductions anymore and you HAVE to say something nice in them, but it seems I wasn't the only one the book hit that way if Neil Gaiman's description is anything to go by. If you like language, read it. I'd lay good odds that you'll enjoy its craft.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Re: Play Vol. 3
Title: Re: Play Vol. 3
Author: Christy Lijewski
Publisher: Tokyopop
My take: A satisfactory conclusion but felt far more predictable than the start of the series.
Spoiler-free thoughts: Singer Cree, guitarist Rail and bassist Iszak are starting to make it... but when Cree catches Izsak in a deep kiss with a strange girl who claims to know him, it forces all three of them to confront how they feel, what they want and what they'll do if they can't get it.
Author: Christy Lijewski
Publisher: Tokyopop
My take: A satisfactory conclusion but felt far more predictable than the start of the series.
Spoiler-free thoughts: Singer Cree, guitarist Rail and bassist Iszak are starting to make it... but when Cree catches Izsak in a deep kiss with a strange girl who claims to know him, it forces all three of them to confront how they feel, what they want and what they'll do if they can't get it.
Ooku vol. 2
Title: Ooku Vol. 2
Author: Fumi Yoshinaga
Publisher: Viz
My take: A second volume that lived up to its first in every way.
Spoiler-free thoughts: Volume 2 doesn't exactly pick up where Vol. 1 left off - the first book ended with someone seeking answers with a historian, but instead of staying with them, this volume takes place entirely in the past.
Author: Fumi Yoshinaga
Publisher: Viz
My take: A second volume that lived up to its first in every way.
Spoiler-free thoughts: Volume 2 doesn't exactly pick up where Vol. 1 left off - the first book ended with someone seeking answers with a historian, but instead of staying with them, this volume takes place entirely in the past.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Exiles Ultimate Collection 1
Title: Exiles Ultimate Collection 1
Author: Judd Winick
Publisher: Marvel
My take: A few small problems weren't enough tog et in the way of my enjoying the story - action was weaker for me than the personal relationships
Spoiler-free thoughts:A group of young mutants are thrown together in the middle of a desert. It turns out they were all pulled from different realities, and the timeline in each reality has been changed to affect their lives for the worse. their only choice is to try to fix the timelines by going from reality to reality trying to set the timelines right.
Author: Judd Winick
Publisher: Marvel
My take: A few small problems weren't enough tog et in the way of my enjoying the story - action was weaker for me than the personal relationships
Spoiler-free thoughts:A group of young mutants are thrown together in the middle of a desert. It turns out they were all pulled from different realities, and the timeline in each reality has been changed to affect their lives for the worse. their only choice is to try to fix the timelines by going from reality to reality trying to set the timelines right.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Three for the price of one!
I didn't feel up to writing these all full-length, so here's three shorter reviews for the price of one. Sorry so many, but it's been a busy few days for reading. Coming in the next few days should be the first giant Exiles trade. but for now:
Title: Dark Reign: Young Avengers
Author: Paul Cornell
Publisher: Marvel
My take: The weakest of the Young Avengers series for me so far, but still an entertaining and well-written mini-series.
Title: Deadpool: Dark Reign
Author: Daniel Way
Publisher: Marvel
My take: A four-part crossover with the Thunderbolts was notably missing, but Way's writing of both Deadpool and Bullseye made this well worth the read
Title: Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection
Author: Various
Publisher: Marvel
My take: Simple but charmingly funny and more proof that all-ages books don't have to be stupid books
Spoilery synopsis of each available by clicking below!
Title: Dark Reign: Young Avengers
Author: Paul Cornell
Publisher: Marvel
My take: The weakest of the Young Avengers series for me so far, but still an entertaining and well-written mini-series.
Title: Deadpool: Dark Reign
Author: Daniel Way
Publisher: Marvel
My take: A four-part crossover with the Thunderbolts was notably missing, but Way's writing of both Deadpool and Bullseye made this well worth the read
Title: Mini Marvels Ultimate Collection
Author: Various
Publisher: Marvel
My take: Simple but charmingly funny and more proof that all-ages books don't have to be stupid books
Spoilery synopsis of each available by clicking below!
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