The Storyteller

author: Katie Cook

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.86

book published: 2011

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/30

date added: 2013/08/30

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

I've always loved fables and fairytales, and I loved the way the Jim Henson company did them right with The Storyteller series. Now a new graphic novel from the Jim Henson Company and Archaia Entertainment give us 9 new stories to be told at the fire by the storyteller and his dog.



Most of the stories are a few pages long, but the volume concludes with an adaptation of an unproduced Storyteller teleplay written by Anthony Minghella. There are stories from all over the world. Some are familiar, some are less so.



My favorite part about this book is every story is done by a different team of writers and artists and all the art is different. It reminds me of a favorite storybook I had when I was young with different illustrations for each story. Tying it together is some wonderful script/callgraphy writing by Rus Wooton. It's a fun issue, and now I'll have to dig out my dvd of the series and watch them all over again.





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Dead Anyway

author: Chris Knopf

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.55

book published: 2012

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/29

date added: 2013/08/29

shelves:

review:

A man and his wife are targeted by a killer and left for dead. He survives and decides to extend the illusion that he's dead, and to use his skills to track down the people who did it. Along the way, he makes uneasy friendships that may or may not help him out.



Arthur Cathcart is aided by his sister. He keeps up a series of disguises and meets with FBI agents and reporters and gangsters. There are some great characters in the book. My favorite was a Bosnian gangster named Little Boy. It's all a little over the top, but not completely unbelievable. There were times when I wasn't sure which way the story was going to go.



Chris Knopf writes a tight thriller that kept me turning pages and wondering what was going to happen next. I've always like a good heist or con man story, and while this isn't either, it had the same feeling of a protagonist that manages to stay one step ahead of the game. It was a lot of fun to read.





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The Two Advocates

author: Timothy Keller

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.57

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/08/28

date added: 2013/08/28

shelves: non-fiction

review:

In this seventh book in the essay series, Tim Keller takes on the message of the Last Supper, and discusses how Christians have two advocates: Christ and the Holy Spirit. This means a level of security for the believer.



And yet, there is a lack of joy and of fear in many Christians. There is a fear of not measuring up, but with these advocates going before God on our behalf, there is nothing to worry about. We live lives of quiet desperation, when our focus should be on the eternal.



This is the second essay in the series I've read. Both are short (and perhaps overpriced since over half the volume is a sample chapter from another book), but the quality of writing is good, and so very encouraging.





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Star Wars: Jedi Academy

author: Jeffrey Brown

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.90

book published: 2013

rating: 5

read at: 2013/08/27

date added: 2013/08/27

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Jeffrey Brown's Jedi Academy is a hilarious graphic novel for ages 8 and up that had me laughing out loud. Roan Novachez wants to go to Pilot Academy like his older brother and grow up to be a pilot like his dad. When he is rejected by the school, he thinks he's going to be relegated to farming on Tatooine. A letter from Jedi Academy shows up and Roan learns that he has been chosen by master Yoda himself to join. The problem is that Jedi are usually chosen at a younger age, so Roan has some catching up to do.



Much of it is told like a scrapbook with journal entries, class schedules and letters from home. There are encounters with bullies and failed homework and science projects. Roan feels like he's never going to make it, but with the help of his friends and master Yoda, you never know. He may even come to terms with becoming a Jedi instead of a pilot.



Jeffrey Brown is the author of Darth Vader And Son (which is also hilarious). His style here is just perfect for younger readers (and older Star Wars fans), and it's a really sweet story.





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Gunnerkrigg Court, Vol. 4: Materia

author: Thomas Siddell

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.63

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/24

date added: 2013/08/27

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Gunnerkrigg Court Volume 4: Materia by Tom Siddell. I wasn't familiar with this webcomic, but spent some time getting caught up. The first thing to notice is how much the artwork in the series has improved over time. The second thing to note is how many good characters are in this series.



Antimony finds herself in a strange school, facilitated by a large crab. Her friends include the wolf Renard, a robot named Robot, and a shadow creature named Shadow. She is a sort of fairy type creature (or has fairy tendencies anyway). The story is mainly the boarding school coming of age type story. There is young love and the trials of having distant parents.



It's all quite sweet and reminds me a bit of anime storylines. The art is really good, and the characters have some nice depth to them. I'll be spending more time in the Gunnerkrigg Court.





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Not Quite the Classics

author: Colin Mochrie

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.12

book published: 2012

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/26

date added: 2013/08/26

shelves:

review:

I'm not usually a fan of books by stand up comedians. I find the translation from stage to page just lacks something (I'm looking at you, Jerry Seinfeld's 'Letters From A Nut'). But Colin Mochrie has written a very funny book with 'Not Quite The Classics.'



The premise is an improv riff on famous novels and stories. Colin takes the first and last line from a famous book or story like Rebecca or Moby Dick and then fills in the rest. The Cat In The Hat becomes a Seuss-like rhyme about zombies. There are stories about a hapless talking coyote who is trying to kill a roadrunner, a sort of spoof of Downton Abbey, and others.



It's sometimes a bit silly, but the stories are short enough that if one doesn't hit your funny bone, you can move on. Personally, I found them all great, and I also found myself wondering where the next story would go. Some stayed somewhat close to their story, or at least their settings, while others veered wildly off into new directions. It showcases what a great imagination Colin has, and also shows he is not a bad writer.





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The Killer Omnibus

author: Matz

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2012

rating: 5

read at: 2013/08/25

date added: 2013/08/25

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The killer sits alone in a hotel room waiting for his victim to arrive. While he waits, his thoughts travel back to how he got here. How his life is, and how he is infinitely patient. Or at least, he says he is. When things in his world go awry, the killer finds an unusual group of new friends to rely on. But can you ever truly trust anyone your life is built on a lie?



This is a densely packed, very cinematic story. There is a lot of self reflection, but there is plenty of action to move the story along. This is a long story arc, but I found it really satisfying.



The art by Luc Jacamon is incredible. With backgrounds like city streets in Paris, the jungles of South America, and underwater and beaches. The killer maintains one facial expression throughout most of the book, which is quite a feat for an artist to maintain. The story by Matz is better than a lot of novels I've read, and could easily be adapted into a television series on Netflix or A&E. Very good and I really enjoyed it.





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The Legend of Korra: The Art of the Animated Series Book 1: Air

author: Michael Dante DiMartino

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.68

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/08/23

date added: 2013/08/23

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The Legend of Korra is an animated series by the same people who created Avatar:The Last Airbender (the cartoon series, not the movie), and is a sequel to that series. The book covers the first season of the series.



The book traces origin art for all the major characters, and the first thing I noticed is how many characters are in this series. There are some short explanations for art choices, but mostly, it's just pages of art. Many of the episodes are given chapters and these focus on the scenery and characters in these episodes. The second thing I noticed is how great the backgrounds look in this series.



This book would be an excellent gift for a young fan with an interest in art or animation. It doesn't really give drawing instructions, but many of the pencil sketches show the artist's breakdowns. It's a well done package for a series with a pretty good fanbase, and I enjoyed getting to know the characters from the artist's perspectives.





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Mystery Society

author: Steve Niles

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.77

book published: 2010

rating: 3

read at: 2013/08/20

date added: 2013/08/20

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

When adventurer Nick Collins is arrested, he decides to tell the story behind the Mystery Society. He's been caught breaking in to Area 51 to rescue an experiment. Meanwhile his lover Anastasia has been recruiting new members to the team, a robot with Jules Verne's brain and a dead girl. Throw in government conspiracies and the missing skull of Edgar Allan Poe, and you've got a good setup.



It's all got a hip devil-may-care vibe. It worked for me, but that laid back attitude, and the fact that the team always finds a way out of every situation with apparent ease, leaves the book lacking tension. There are likeable enough characters, and strange situations.



The art by Fiona Staples is a treat with robots, skulls and a main color scheme of blue-green and orange, which gives everything a cool tone. It had kind of a 1970s feel to it. I wish there had been more tension, but there is definitely room for more books in the series.





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The Great Enemy

author: Timothy Keller

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.67

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/19

date added: 2013/08/19

shelves: non-fiction

review:

This is 6th in a series of short essays by Timothy Keller on the life of Christ. He uses the passage in Matthew 3 and 4 for this essay. Jesus is baptized, then is sent to the wilderness for the three great temptations. Keller points out that the temptation follows right after the baptism, so this dispels the idea that Christians are somehow immune from enemy attack. Jesus was not immune, why should Christians be?



In this volume, he discusses Satan as the true form of evil, improper notions of who Satan is, and how to battle him. Knowledge is power and knowing the Bible is the best defense against the evil one. Knowing that Jesus has also been through trials and triumphed, and is advocating for us, is comforting as well.



It's all very good, but these are quite short books. Little more than short story length at best. Half the book was a sample chapter from Dr. Keller's next book, Every Great Endeavor. I enjoyed this essay. I know there are 10 in the series. Perhaps they will all be combined into one volume when the series is finished.





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Mouse Guard: The Black Axe (Mouse Guard, #3)

author: David Petersen

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.49

book published:

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/18

date added: 2013/08/18

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Celanawe is a mouse and a trusted guard in the medieval world of Mouse Guard. The world is populated by many intelligent animals, including the dangerous ferrets and foxes. When Celanawe is sent on a quest with the elder Em, it takes him on a journey over land and sea that will leave him forever changed.



This is my first exposure to the world of Mouse Axe, but I was struck by such a well written story. This book works as a stand alone. There are references to previous stories, but I was able to jump right in. The characters are multi-faceted and there is real emotion and complexity in their choices.



The art by David Petersen (who also wrote the book) is amazing and detailed. My only slight complaint was that it was sometimes hard to read Celanawe's narration as it was done with a Celtic calligraphy nod and there are some extra embellishments on some of the letters. Speaking of embellishments, each chapter opens with a full page of ornamentation, but this I really loved. There is some great creativity in here, and I'll be visiting the world of Mouse Guard again soon.





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The Unrest-Cure and Other Stories

author: Saki

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.36

book published: 2000

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/17

date added: 2013/08/17

shelves:

review:







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King Arthur

author: Daniel Mersey

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.80

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/16

date added: 2013/08/16

shelves:

review:

King Arthur by Osprey Publishing is a quick overview of much of Arthuriana. The book has three sections devoted to the medieval, Celtic and historical Arthur and finishes with a bibliography of books, games, films, television and places to visit.



Most of the major sources are included in the discussion with some excerpts of stories and poems included. The section on the historical Arthur includes all the major theories of who Arthur may have been, and discusses the arguments in the case against a real Arthur. On just about every page there are art and photos from various sources that really make the book fun to just look through.



As a lifelong fan of King Arthur, I found this a concise, yet comprehensive look at the legend. I enjoyed the bibliography section, and I even discovered a few new sources to seek out.





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The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy Slipcased Edition

author: Yoshitaka Amano

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.71

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/15

date added: 2013/08/15

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The Sky features the artwork of Yoshitaka Amano who developed the characters in the video game series Final Fantasy. This is a reprint of three previously rare books and is a high quality work.



There are pages of sketches of heroes and creatures encountered in the games. Some are pen and ink with a simple watercolor accent of one color. Others are fully painted. All are pretty amazing, and show a vivid artistic imagination.



What you won't find are many words. There is no introduction, and while there are some character names sprinkled throughout, there is a lack of description. It's been a while since I played some of these games, so I vaguely remembered some of the characters, but the art is consistent. It's probably for more of a niche collector, and one who is more familiar with the Final Fantasy series, but I enjoyed poring through the pages and enjoying a top fantasy artist.





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Wars in Toyland

author: Joe Harris

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.42

book published: 2013

rating: 2

read at: 2013/08/14

date added: 2013/08/14

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In the opening pages on Wars In Toyland, we learn that Matthew and his brother Alex like to stage wars with their toys, lining them up in rows. We also learn that Alex has gone missing. Matthew finds himself in a battle against evil toys to save his brother Alex. The leader of the evil toys is a tattered and unloved teddy bear named Roxbury.



This is a graphic novel in the form of a story book, with images crossing over landscape pages. The art by Pollina, McCarthy and Woodard is vibrant and colorful. The lettering is some of the best I've seen in a while, but I had issues with the story and some of the imagery.



I loved The Great Pacific: Trashed, by Joe Harris, so perhaps I'm confused about who the audience is intended to be. It seems like it's supposed to be a children's story, but it's thematically quite dark. A missing sibling, some nightmarish toys and the reality of war all can be dealt with for children, but in this book, it's spun up too harsh. Sacrifices are made, but don't seem to have weight, or room for Matthew to understand or deal with them. It's all ultimately wrapped up neatly, but never fully explained so that I could understand (much less a child reading it). With this theme, I very much wanted to like this book more.





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The Curve of The Earth

author: Simon Morden

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.09

book published: 2013

rating: 2

read at: 2013/08/14

date added: 2013/08/14

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In the opening pages on Wars In Toyland, we learn that Matthew and his brother Alex like to stage wars with their toys, lining them up in rows. We also learn that Alex has gone missing. Matthew finds himself in a battle against evil toys to save his brother Alex. The leader of the evil toys is a tattered and unloved teddy bear named Roxbury.



This is a graphic novel in the form of a story book, with images crossing over landscape pages. The art by Pollina, McCarthy and Woodard is vibrant and colorful. The lettering is some of the best I've seen in a while, but I had issues with the story and some of the imagery.



I loved The Great Pacific: Trashed, by Joe Harris, so perhaps I'm confused about who the audience is intended to be. It seems like it's supposed to be a children's story, but it's thematically quite dark. A missing sibling, some nightmarish toys and the reality of war all can be dealt with for children, but in this book, I think it's spun up too harsh. Sacrifices are made, but don't seem to have weight, or room for Matthew to understand or deal with them. It's all ultimately wrapped up neatly, but never fully explained so that I could understand (much less a child reading it). With this theme, I very much wanted to like this book more.





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Kafka

author: Steven T. Seagle

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.20

book published: 2006

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/13

date added: 2013/08/13

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Kafka, while not based on a work by the famous writer, still tells a mind-bending story of a man on the run. One day Daniel Hutton receives a couple visitors telling him his cover is blown and he must go with them. Almost immediately, an identical pair show up with the same credentials and the same story, and Dan is on the run, hopefully to save the wife he hasn't seen for a while.



Dan is a member of A.C.T and he is able to make people believe things that aren't true. He can hide his appearance, or fake identification. Because of his talent, he is highly sought, but Dan just wants out, and wants a life with his wife.



This is a reprint (and retouch) of a story first published in the late 1980s. The story behind this is very interesting and included at the end of the story. The present is told in black and white panels and flashbacks are handled in color. It makes for an interesting idea, and perhaps why Sir Kenneth Branagh is interested in developing it for television. It was a good read, and considering how tight the original production schedule was to create it, quite well done.





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Bluffton: My Summers with Buster Keaton

author: Matt Phelan

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.31

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/12

date added: 2013/08/12

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Bluffton is the story of Henry, a young boy, growing up near Bluffton, Minnesota during the early years of the 20th Century. Every year a group of Vaudeville performers would spend the summer there. Henry befriends the children of the performers, including a young Buster Keaton.



Buster's father, Joe, is hounded for including his children in his act, and it's a constant sore point. Buster is a quiet, reflective child who just wants to play baseball. Henry is enamored with the showbiz life and yearns for his summers with the vaudeville folk. The time between seasons is shown in a series of quick panels.



The story is told mainly with pictures, and not much dialogue. It's a fictional story, except that Joe Keaton did bring vaudeville folks to Bluffton every summer. Also, Buster did love to play baseball, and even played while making his movies. It's a nice coming of age story and the watercolor illustrations work well. My review copy came with black and white illustrations, and I think I may have preferred that for this story.





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The Long Earth

author: Terry Pratchett

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.67

book published: 2012

rating: 3

read at: 2013/08/08

date added: 2013/08/11

shelves:

review:

For Terry Pratchett fans, this book will feel like a disappointment. When I think of writers who should collaborate with Sir Terry, I confess that Stephen Baxter is not a name that lept readily to mind. Having said that, The Long Earth is an interesting book, and ultimately a rollicking adventure about the desire to explore and discover.



Instructions for a simple, but mysterious box (powered by a potato) show up, and children build it. When they throw the switch, they find themselves on an alternate Earth. This box is called a stepper and it's discovery opens up pioneering and exploring to alternate earths. There are folks who are natural "steppers." Able to go between worlds without machinery or the subsequent nausea of the travel, but most are reliant on the simple boxes with the potatoes.



Without spoiling too much, there is an aloof, but likeable, hero, an artificial intelligence that is charming (overly so at times), and a journey to discover what lies on all these parallel worlds. Think of it more as a sociological or anthropological journey, rather than one with a military conflict, and you may find yourself enjoying the journey, drifting above parallel earths flashing by and changing. I really did enjoy it, but it is different, and when it is all said and done, not a lot has happened (at least after the initial discovery of all those earths).





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Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror

author: Roger Langridge

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.94

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/11

date added: 2013/08/11

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The Rocketeer: Hollywood Horror is a pure treat. Roger Langridge has created a nice homage to the era of the 1930s (including a great introduction). The book feels more in tune with The Rocketeer movie than the comics, but it's still a nice nod to the creation of Dave Stevens.



There is still plenty of Rocketeer action and all the usual characters, but it all plays out against a wonderful background of Hollywood characters that are familiar and fun to try to guess. There is also an interesting subplot with a couple of goons trying to take away the rocket pack. The narrator shows up in the beginning, then disappears for a couple issues, but the reveal is a wonderful touch.



J Bone's art fits nicely. It's a cartoony style with caricatures of Hollywood stars of the era, and it works so very well. Betty looks a little like Betty Page, the Rocketeer is gangly, and the villain looks like a mad scientist from old horror films. The covers by Walter Simonson are worthy of framing. Included are alternate covers. A nice tribute to serials and pulp fiction.





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Made You Look: How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know

author: Shari Graydon

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.72

book published: 2003

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/10

date added: 2013/08/10

shelves:

review:

Made You Look is a book designed to help give younger consumers awareness of the pervasiveness of advertising in our modern world. From online ads in social media to product placements in movies, there is no easy way to consume media without running into ads.



The book is lively and informative without either being too preachy or taking particular sides. There are interesting experiments to try to show how online advertising can change based on what you surf for, and guidelines and laws for advertising to young people are explained. The book ends with a nice appendix of resources for consumers, and there is an excellent layout of a way to complain to a company about a product that doesn't deliver as promised.



The layout is catchy with some cartoon illustrations and unusual block layouts by Michelle Lamoreaux. When my children were younger, this would have been an excellent resource to teach them about the wiles of the world they live in. This is a highly readable and informative book.





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No Return

author: Zachary Jernigan

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.13

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/09

date added: 2013/08/09

shelves:

review:

Zachary Jernigan's No Return is not an easily accessible work, but for those willing to put the effort in, it's quite rewarding. With strange characters and exotic world building that reminds me of China Mieville, it's a wholly original piece.



The reader is dropped into what feels like the middle of a story. I found myself foundering a bit in the first few chapters until I found my bearings and the rhythm of the story. I don't mind that about a book, but it may be a bit offputting for some.



There are 5 main characters who are very different from one another. Three of them travel on a journey to a tournament, a fighter in a strange black suit, a woman who has lost a child and a mechanical man. The other 2 characters are Adrash, the god who created this world and sits detached, and the one who would challenge his throne. That all sounds pretty standard, but in a world where the currency is bone dust, and a large needle looms over the planet, you can be sure of a strange ride ahead. I really enjoyed it.





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The New Ghostbusters Volume 1

author: Erik Burnham

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.28

book published: 2013

rating: 2

read at: 2013/08/07

date added: 2013/08/07

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

When the real Ghostbusters are trapped in another dimension, it's time for a back up team to take their place and try to figure out what is going on. The backup team consists of Janine, their secretary, Kylie Griffith, who runs Ray's bookstore, Special Agent Melanie Ortiz and convict Ray Alexander. If you don't know who most of those characters are, there is enough background given to fill you in.



This graphic novel contains 4 issues of the series with a short secondary story that follows the adventures of a ghost into the containment unit.



The art is caricature of the characters from the movie, and there are references in the background to the movie and the original series. The fourth included issue wraps up the previous three, but feels like a filler with more exposition than previously, and it does end on a cliffhanger. This made it less than satisfying for me, but I found the first 3 issues fun, with government bureaucrats attempting to market the new team and make money off of them.





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Zombies Vs Robots: Diplomacy

author: Jeff Conner

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/08/06

date added: 2013/08/06

shelves:

review:

IDW had the brilliant idea of having zombies face off against robots, and this story collection is one of the results. In a distant future, or past, zombies fight against robots and humans are caught in the middle. The stories mainly take place in Russia or England, but that was a happy accident. There are whip wielding nuns, and mad scientists and soldiers fighting side by side with singing robots. There is horror and betrayal by humand and robots, and there are unending hordes of zombies.



Michael Dubisch provides art in between each story illustrating what you are about to read. The illustrations range from faux wartime posters to girls on tankbots and all fit the mood perfectly.



My favorite stories include Timka by Ekaterina Sedia (who is fast becoming a favorite author of mine), and Exclusion Zone by Dale Bailey, about a father just trying to protect his family the best way he knows how. In Chernobyl. By putting human brains in robots.



But every story is good. Most are over the top, which you would expect from the title, but all are great fun. It would appear that the zombie genre is not quite ready to be put away and there are fresh surprises waiting.





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Horrendo's Curse: The Graphic Novel

author: Anna Fienberg

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.67

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/08/04

date added: 2013/08/04

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Poor Horrendo. He lives in a village full of pirates. He goes to school to learn to be a pirate, and he lives in fear of being captured by pirates and forced to work on their ships. But worst of all is the witch that cursed him at birth. She cursed him so that he is not able to curse. In a village full of pirates, this makes him stand out in a really bad way.



When he is inevitably caught by pirates, he makes them french toast and soup and is polite. The pirate captain can't understand this in the slightest, so this causes a conflict.



It's a fun re-release of a book in graphic novel form. Anna Fienberg hits all the young reader buttons, silly humor, slightly gross jokes (and bleeding pirates), and adventure. Remy Simard's art feels like a Cartoon Network adaptation, but that means the look is familiar, without being a media tie-in. Good for 8 and up, and I enjoyed it.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/681893433?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss