Thor: The Viking God of Thunder

author: Graeme Davis

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/31

date added: 2013/10/31

shelves: non-fiction

review:

This is a really good overview and introduction to all things Thor. From where the original stories and poems can be found to adaptations of the major stories, to how the god of thunder has lasted all these years. It's a quick read, but packed with detail and great illustrations.



The Thor stories that have survived show how he got his hammer. How he is really strong. How he is constantly vexed by his half-brother Loki. And how he likes to fight giants. Actually, Thor loves to fight giants, and he's really good at it. Besides being a heroic figure, there are comic stories where Thor is humiliated or has to dress up like a bride to try to recover his hammer. The name of Thor is featured in place names and used to name powerful things like rockets. The hammer of Thor has survived as a symbol also.



It's all interesting and there is a short bibliography. Thor's current role in comics and movies is included and shows that a lot of the myth elements have made it into the modern era. I'm not sure I'd want to read translations of the poetry about Thor, so this was just my speed.



I was provided this galley for review by Osprey Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Thank you for allowing me to review this.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/632632756?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Innovation Prowess: Leadership Strategies for Accelerating Growth

author: George S. Day

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.33

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/28

date added: 2013/10/28

shelves:

review:

Innovation Prowess is a short read that offers a lot of wisdom. The book is aimed at corporate executives who want to drive innovation within their organizations, not necessarily as a guide



For the sake of corporate strategy, the book is divided into 4 distinct chapters, which set expectations, expand growth opportunities, help to converge on the best opportunities and apply innovation for growth. Chapter 2 offers 14 growth pathways in what they call Full-Spectrum Innovation that was particularly great. It balances innovation between ideas being a customer value proposition and how that fits into corporate profitability. The book also makes a distinct line between what it calls big-i innovation and small-i innovation and asks questions about corporate risk. What is change worth? What gets lost?



There are plenty of illustrations and charts. George S. Day has written a brief, accessible book that corporate executives considering innovation should read.



I received this as a review copy from Wharton Digital Press and Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/583800504?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Sacrifice

author: Sam Humphries

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2012

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/28

date added: 2013/10/28

shelves:

review:

Innovation Prowess is a short read that offers a lot of wisdom. The book is aimed at corporate executives who want to drive innovation within their organizations, not necessarily as a guide



For the sake of corporate strategy, the book is divided into 4 distinct chapters, which set expectations, expand growth opportunities, help to converge on the best opportunities and apply innovation for growth. Chapter 2 offers 14 growth pathways in what they call Full-Spectrum Innovation that was particularly great. It balances innovation between ideas being a customer value proposition and how that fits into corporate profitability. The book also makes a distinct line between what it calls big-i innovation and small-i innovation and asks questions about corporate risk. What is change worth? What gets lost?



There are plenty of illustrations and charts. George S. Day has written a brief, accessible book that corporate executives considering innovation should read.



I received this as a review copy from Wharton Digital Press and Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/750990358?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Classic Space: 1999 - To Everything That Was: Selected Remastered Works

author: Andrew E.C. Gaska

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.14

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/27

date added: 2013/10/27

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

A huge volume of remastered comics from the late 1970s about the TV series Space 1999. The stories in this collection happen between season 1 and season 2. I confess to not being the biggest fan of the series at the time it was on. I was young and it didn't ever grab me like Battlestar Galactica did. Based on these comics, I think I need to revisit the series as there is a depth there that I seem to have missed.



Remastered does not mean the same thing as reprinted, so that means these appear to have been largely rewritten. Not having as much familiarity with the source comics, this didn't bother me as much as it might some folks. The setup is a moonbase on Earth's moon is stranded in space when the moon breaks away from the earth. They spend their time trying to find a habitable planet that can be their new home. Along the way, they run into strange beings and circumstances that help and hinder their search. The stories are quite dense and wordy and it took me a while to wade through this 300+ page graphic novel. That's certainly not a complaint as I really liked the stories. The story arcs are also set up as separate "episodes" and grouped together behind gorgeous full color art.



While the characters definitely have a late 1970s look about them (and look like the characters from the show), the stories are dense and very much in the space opera vein that I like quite a lot. Characters die and change and this feels different than episodic Sci-fi. Recommended for SF fans who like stories about lost travellers looking for a home.



I received this as a review copy from Archaia Entertainment, LLC and Netgalley in return for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to review this title!







via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/656835557?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

The Weight of Souls

author: Bryony Pearce

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.84

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/23

date added: 2013/10/23

shelves: young-adult

review:

The Weight of Souls brings a bunch of different elements together, and they somehow worked for me. You have an Asian protagonist with an ancient Egyptian curse on her. She is bullied, and manages to alienate her best friend along the way. There's the obligatory missing parent, and the perceived indifferent one that is left behind. And to top it off, she not only sees ghosts, but has to help them out against her will. That's a lot, and in other hands it might have been too much, but it worked really well here.



Taylor Oh is a sympathetic heroine who is pretty roughed up by life. Her mother's side of the family messed with an Egyptian tomb and got stuck with a curse. Taylor can see ghosts. They touch her and pass along a mark. She has to find the murderer of the ghostly one and pass off the mark before The Darkness takes her instead. And then there are all the social issues at school. The popular kids bully her at every opportunity and make her life miserable.



When one of the popular kids ends up a ghost and enlists Taylor to find out who the killer is, she is reluctantly pulled into a strange club they have and forced to do some pretty scary and brave things. She might even find a friend along the way.



It's a stand alone, but does end with some story fragments left dangling at the end. Taylor Oh is a likeable character, and so are some of the other characters in the book. I enjoyed it and would definitely read more by this author.



I received this as an ARC from Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/638804414?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: Iron

author: Brian Azzarello

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.10

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/22

date added: 2013/10/22

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Wonder Woman, Vol. 3: Iron collects 7 issues from the series into a larger story arc. Issue #0 is included here and it's a sort of origin story from Wonder Woman's past when she was about 13, and it is reminiscent of some of the classic original stories.



In the rest of the volume, Dianna has to save a baby that she may be related to, while battling and tentatively trusting other members of her family. This is a new attempt to bring Wonder Woman back into Greek mythology. We learn that Zeus is her father. Along the way, she is helped by Orion, from the New Gods. He is a welcome addition to this book, because while he has his own motives, they are clear and not hidden (like the rest of Dianna's family).



This is a strong Wonder Woman as she should be, but there are kind of a confusing amount of characters for new readers. Granted, this is Volume 3, so readers should take note. I enjoyed it, but confess to liking the initial story in the graphic novel much more than the rest of it.



I received this review copy from D.C. Comics and Netgalley in return for an honest review. Thank you D.C. Comics and Netgalley.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/689548239?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

After the End: Recent Apocalypses

author: Paula Guran

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.83

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/21

date added: 2013/10/21

shelves:

review:

After The End is a collection of 20 short stories about people surviving shortly after a world ending event. There are plagues, bombs, strange medical strains, global warming and much that is unknown or unexplained. These are stories about people hunkering down to wait it out, or travelling to find a haven, or sitting down to watch the world slowly die. All of the world ending scenarios are stories of the possible. I can't recall any story featuring zombies, or other supernatural creatures, which makes this book more thought provoking. We have the means to our destruction, at least the destruction in these stories, already at hand for the most part.



I think dystopian stories have always spoken to me because they deal so much with what makes us human. If all we think we are or own gets stripped away, are we human or animal? There is a little of both in these stories. Whether it's people living in an abandoned amusement park, or travelling in caravans, or alone on a seaside cliff, we see hope and hopelessness. Kindness and savagery in these stories.



There are some amazing writers in this collection and every story is unique and chosen well for this book. My personal favorite is about a group of young survivors who find a library and can't believe the wealth they find on it's shelves.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/606226917?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Masks, Volume 1

author: Chris Roberson

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.32

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/20

date added: 2013/10/20

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In the time before Golden Age superheroes existed, there were some great pulp heroes that existed. The Green Hornet and Kato, The Shadow and The Spider to name a few. Masks Volume 1 takes these heroes and others from around the same time period and teams them up.



The Justice Party takes control of New York, seemingly for the betterment of people, but when groups of armed thugs start taking people off the street and taking them to camps outside the city, something must be done. Shadowy figures who work outside the law decide to take matters into their own hands, but they have differences about how justice should be meted out. The group grows as the series progresses and it's fun to see who will show up next.



All the series covers and the art for the first issue are by legendary artist Alex Ross and he doesn't disappoint with his amazing painted style. Dennis Calero takes over art for issues 2-8 and does a fine job. The graphic novel also includes a full script for issue #1, and character sketches and alternate covers. It's quite a bit of bonus material. Some of the alternate covers are better than others. It was a lot of fun seeing these pulp heroes team up like the Justice League or the Avengers.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/682505971?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Jurassic Strike Force 5

author: Neo Edmund

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2012

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/19

date added: 2013/10/19

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Imagine a team of humanoid dinosaurs battling a different team of humanoid dinosaurs for the fate of the planet Earth. That's what you get in Jurassic Strike Force 5, a new comic that feels a little bit like an old 1980s cartoon/toy commercial (think Transfomers or G.I. Joe).



When excavators in the Arctic accidentally awaken something in the ice, they find themselves under attack by armored dinosaurs. Their evil leader Zalex is responsible for these genetic mutations from a trip he made to Earth in the distant past. Fortunately, a force for good has created an equal force.



Initially, I had problems with this, but to be honest, I'm not the target audience. This is totally for 8-12 year olds who can read something like this and not be bothered by a shining tank coming out of million-plus year old ice. And the 2 sides are completely equal. There are 5 different dinosaurs on the evil side and the same 5 different dinosaurs on the good side. So fights are T-Rex to T-Rex, etc. Kids should love it. I was not as thrilled.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/665469253?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Danger Girl and the Army of Darkness

author: Andy Hartnell

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.25

book published: 2012

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/17

date added: 2013/10/17

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

A fun mashup of good girl spy group Danger Girl and the wisecracking survivor of the Evil Dead movies, Ash. When Abby Chase of Danger Girl finds a missing page from the Necronomicon and recites some words, all hell, literally, starts to break loose. Ash has experience with the book and steps in to help. It doesn't help that he's been arrested for assaulting people that he thought were deadites.



Recovering the book and the missing page are part of an evil plan by a criminal mastermind, who wants to create an undead army of deadites. The girls of Danger Girl and Ash have other plans and have to cut through, literally, an entire undead army. How they do this is clever and quite disgusting.



Writing by Andy Hartnell captures Ash's smartass comments and gives some background to some of the Danger Girl team for those not as familiar. Art by Chris Bolson is good, with art reminiscent of some of the early Danger Girl issues by J. Scott Campbell. J. Scott Campbell steps in for the cover as well as some of the alternate covers included in the cover gallery at the back of the book.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/622875631?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

March (Book One)

author: John Robert Lewis

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.18

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/15

date added: 2013/10/15

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

March Book One is the graphic novel adaptation of the life of Congressman John Lewis, who was involved in the heart of the Civil Rights movement. The story starts with his participation in the Edmund Pettus bridge crossing, but this first book doesn't finish that story. That is saved for later works.



The framing story is the inauguration of President Obama in 2009, which is so fitting for the story. A couple young boys meet the congressman and he tells them the beginnings of his story. His thirst for knowledge, life under segregation and how he came to meet Martin Luther King, Jr.



A good chunk of the story is about the lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville. How John and others were trained to be non-violent and peacefully make their point. How they protested over and over again, and how they were able to change things. It's a powerful story, and the black and white art by Nate Powell serves the story well. John Lewis received a comic book called Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story which really impacted him, and he wanted his story to be told in this format to be accessible by new generations. Very well told.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/733505961?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Bag of Marbles, A: The Graphic Novel

author: Joseph Joffo

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.50

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/11

date added: 2013/10/11

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

This review is for a new graphic novel interpretation of the novel 'A Bag Of Marbles' by Joseph Joffo. It tells the story of how his Jewish family survived and escaped from occupied France during World War II.



When Nazis threaten Maurice and Jo, their father has a plan. He's already migrated from Russia to Paris to escape other problems, so he is used to running. And he's sent Jo's 2 older brothers on ahead. The boys have to make their way south through the border of occupied France without papers and only their ingenuity to get them by. There are narrow escapes, clever plans, heart-warming reunions and tragedy.



The art by Vincent Bailly is great, keeping the art light and then ominous then light as the story changes tones. It's a rough subject, but it's a good story and is accessible to middle grade children. The original novel has been translated into 18 languages, and after reading this, I can see why the story has endured.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/738543975?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Apocalyptic Organ Grinder

author: William Todd Rose

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.48

book published: 2011

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/10

date added: 2013/10/10

shelves:

review:

A novella length book about 2 warring factions of humans in a not too distant. One set is infected with sores and blisters. The discharge is infectious. The other group is uninfected and trying to remain that way.



The story follows a man named Tanner Kline, who is a Sweeper. It's his job to eliminate the infected and protect his village. On a hunt one day, he is captured by a tribe of the infected and their leader Lila. The infected live in tribes in the woods, not in walled houses and they hate and fear the Sweepers who bring death to them. The animosity between these two people is tense and the story is told from both viewpoints. It seems that there might be a form of peace, then a horrific act ends that. There are chapters that give a history of what's happened in a sort of mythological way.



The title was a bit confusing to me, but by the end, it made more sense. I liked the characters and the way the story ends. It's well written and paced well. The story is brutal, violent, and pulls no punches, so if you like your stories that way, check it out.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/736596235?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Green Lantern: Rise of the Third Army

author: Geoff Johns

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.91

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/09

date added: 2013/10/09

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The Guardians have gone amok and created a third army. This army is hunting down and destroying the Green Lanterns. Some of the Lanterns, like Hal Jordan, are missing.



In the midst of this, a new lantern rises. A young man accused of stealing a van and threatening to use it in an act of terrorism, but he may be exactly what the Green Lanterns need in their hour of need. Lantern Kyle Rayner decides to try absorbing power from all the different color Lanterns, a quest that will take him all over the galaxy. Green Lantern Guy Gardner will fail, then rise.



It's a pretty epic crossover series and the book covers some 16 issues over four different series and 2 annuals. It's an epic story, and it doesn't disappoint. The creatures of the third army are creepy and truly threatening. The art across the series is consistent, and that's a good thing considering all the different artists involved. Big, epic space drama.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/694892232?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Willow: Wonderland

author: Jeff Parker

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.70

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/08

date added: 2013/10/08

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

When magic disappears from our world, Willow goes in search of it in others. She teams up with a creature named Marrak, who is misshapen by dark magic.



Willow fears what dark magic can do to her, so she fights it, but she may need to call on it to return home. On the planet are all kinds of creatures, including a sort of raven creature that carries dreams. If you get hit by one, you are immediately in that dream world. Willow also runs into a bunch of fellow witches, all strange and beautiful.



Willow Wonderland has a title that I found a little misleading. It may refer to Alice in Wonderland, and there is a referential character in a small part of the book, but the rest of the book takes place on a barren planet full of some strange monsters.



Willow was one of my favorite Buffy characters, and to see her in these Season 9 issues with power and some confidence is nice. The pencils and inks by Ching and Gorder are good and there is a sketchbook at the back that goes through the creative process.







via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/737410682?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

The Paris Lawyer

author: Sylvie Granotier

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.48

book published: 2012

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/07

date added: 2013/10/07

shelves:

review:

The Paris Lawyer is an interesting legal thriller with 2 storylines happening at the same time. Young Paris lawyer Catherine Monsigny is defending her first case. An immigrant marries a much older man, and when he dies, questions are asked by the man's family. At the same time, Catherine is dealing with thoughts of her mother's death, which happened when Catherine was just a toddler. Vague memories of the event seem to be surfacing.



It doesn't help that Catherine's case is taking her to the town where her mother was murdered. Or that her relationship with her father is strained by an event that he won't talk about with her. Or even that one of the men in her life may have a connection to her mother.



And the case has it's own twists and turns that cause Catherine to question herself as a lawyer.



If that all sound interesting, it is. It's a fairly standard type of courtroom thriller, made more interesting by the setting and characters.







via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/583084345?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

The Lost Boy

author: Greg Ruth

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.74

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/06

date added: 2013/10/06

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

When Nate moves into a new town and into a new house, there are the usual feelings about leaving things behind. He meets Tabitha, a girl his age next door and Nate's dad lets him pick his own room in the house. When Nate pries up a board in his room, he finds an old tape recorder with his name on it.



The tape recorder tells the story of Walt, a boy who lived in the town and stumbled upon a supernatural mystery. It seems that in the woods near town, there is a hidden kingdom. There are talking bugs, animals and toys and Walt has to figure out who he can trust. Walt's recorded story ends and Tabitha tells Nate he disappeared many years before. Nate and Tabitha become threatened by the mystery of the past and have to confront it.



This is a great and pretty serious middle grade graphic novel. It's dark and spooky, and was perfect for the dark October evening that I read it. The art by Greg Ruth is detailed and quite good. There are ominous crows and a strange doll boy named Tom among others. It's a good story and deserves to be read by anyone who likes a good creepy mystery.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/670924862?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

G.I. Joe Volume 1: Homefront

author: Fred Van Lente

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.11

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/04

date added: 2013/10/04

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Now that G.I. Joe is out in the open, they are sent on a small mission that's supposed to end with press coverage. Eight Joes head to a small town, but they are ambushed by COBRA and a militarized population of townspeople who believe the Joes are part of a government conspiracy.



With the team split in 2 and no way to communicate with the outside world, the team must reunite the medic with the severely injured team member. There is also a new team member who is unskilled in combat. In addition, the town has been wired with explosives. So the objectives are to leave no man behind, don't kill innocents and save the town. Easy, right?



This was pretty good. There are all the usual G.I. Joe references and one of the issues gives a good back story on Duke. The art by Steve Kurth was really enjoyable and while this is Volume 1, the story wraps in this volume.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/656835555?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Vol. 6: The Return of the Master

author: Mike Mignola

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.93

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/03

date added: 2013/10/03

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

This is volume 6 in a series. It is a direct continuation of previous events and is not a stand alone work. Without the previous issues, or knowledge of characters in the Hellboy universe, you might expect to be a bit on the confused side.



But, if you like battles with strange monsters and you like Hellboy, then this is a great book, but you should probably read the previous volumes first. There are gruesome monsters that evolve and ooze and are nothing like I've seen in other works.



The work by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi is good and there are a huge range of characters, which are all unique and easy to identify. Sometimes in huge character books, the artistic style can blur characters together, but I had no trouble distinguishing, so that speaks to good artistic ability. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but there is also about 40 pages of sketches and character development that i found interesting.







via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/631878740?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Kiss Solos

author: Chris Ryall

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.00

book published: 2013

rating: 3

read at: 2013/10/02

date added: 2013/10/02

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Kiss Solos collects 4 episodes each featuring a different member of the rock band Kiss in a different cosmic adventure.



The first story features Demon taking on the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. The second story finds Starchild helping a family man take down a bounty hunter because the man's wife prays and Starchild hears. The Celestial finds himself battling for a teleport device that he's lost, trying to recover it before the others find out. And the final story finds Catman trapped in a cage at the mercy of the Mighty Destroyer.



I liked the Starman story the best, and the Demon story the least, but they are all different enough to make this a fun project. I'm familiar with the band and their personas, but not really a megafan, and I still found this an interesting comic.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/656835547?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss

Amelia Cole and the Unknown World

author: Adam P. Knave

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2013/10/01

date added: 2013/10/01

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

Amelia Cole knows how to use magic. In our world of science, it stands out. In the world of magic, not so much. When she finds herself in a hybrid world of magic and science, she ends up using her powers to help the mundane population that can't, or won't, use magic.



When Amelia is trapped in this new world, she finds herself at odds with the police and a shadowy protector who don't want the citizens using magic. But Amelia can't help herself, and she seems to have stronger powers in this world. She creates a large golem named Lemmy and befriends him.



This was a lot of fun. Amelia Cole is a very likeable heroine, who is always hungry. She takes matters into her own hands, even when it seems like she has no plan. The supporting characters are fun and likeable, from the landlord she works for to the people on the street she befriends. The art also has lots of great background details like flying dragons over skyscrapers, and was that Shaggy of Scooby Doo fame? This looks like it's part of a series, but this books stands completely on it's own. The story took me a few pages to catch up on, but wasn't a problem.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/656835570?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss