Skylanders: The Kaos Trap

author: Ron Marz

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.25

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/29

date added: 2014/09/29

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Skylanders: The Kaos Trap' is a spin-off comic based on the popular toys and video game. It's definitely aimed at a younger demographic than me, and I think it largely succeeds.



Being unfamiliar with the Skylanders, I was still able to jump in fairly quickly and determine that the Skylanders are the good guys and Kaos is their nemesis. He's out to stop them in any way possible. There are three issues in the graphic novel. The first story leads into the second one, but it's a bit of a rough transition. The second and third present a bigger story arc. Kaos is pretending to be one of the young Skylanders, so he can get into their Skylanders Academy and cause problems. Flynn is flying all the young students off to school, but gets his memory wiped when he runs into Kaos disguised as Weeruptor, Flynn walks off the plane and has to be rescued. Will Flynn be okay? Will Kaos' plan work?



Certainly, it's a commercial for toy and game products, but it's still mildly fun. If I knew the game at all, I could tell you if they get it right. I can tell you it's written by Ron Marz who has done work on Green Lantern and the Batman/Aliens series. Art by Mike Bowden and David Baldeon seems to be in keeping with the look of the product. If I were 8 or 9, I'd probably think this was pretty cool.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1vsyLgt

The Auteur: Book One - Presidents Day

author: Rick Spears

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.44

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/28

date added: 2014/09/28

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'The Auteur' is an over the top satire of Hollywood. It's rude, gory and offensive, and while some of it is pretty close to it's mark, I think it still misses it.



Nathan T. Rex is a typical Hollywood huckster. He's a studio producer with a career that is tanking. His new brilliant idea is a horror film called President's Day. Seeking more realism, he helps get a serial killer released from death row to act as a gore consultant on the film. When that plan goes awry, he's left changing the film again while it's being made. Along the way, there are frightening drug trips prescribed by his 'doctor,' a turban wearing fake, who prescribes dangerous combinations of drugs. He's also pursuing the love of his life, or at least the current love of his life.



I liked some of the humor, but felt like it was so over the top that I couldn't tell if I was supposed to like Nathan or be utterly repulsed by him. Art by James Callahan has that can't-look-away-from-the-car-wreck feel to it with gruesome murders and other things that are hard to unsee. It's definitely the right art for the story. I just didn't particularly care for how over the top it was. Your mileage may vary.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors, Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/10bIE7C

The Mercenary Sea Volume 1

author: Kel Symons

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.83

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/28

date added: 2014/09/28

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'The Mercenary Sea Volume 1' is the kind of pulp adventure tale that reeks of old movies, Jonny Quest, Indiana Jones and even Allan Quartermain. The stylized art makes in cinematic and seems like it could be a grown up cartoon series.



Captain Jack Harper and his ragtag crew run a modified U-Boat in the South Pacific in the 1930s. They pick up jobs along the way to survive and even befriend a group of cannibals who look forward to Jack bringing movies like 'Duck Soup' and popcorn for them to watch. Jack is also in search of a mythical treasure. When the crew falls on hard times, they take on a job involving British spies embedded in the growing conflict with Japan. Things take a tricky turn when Jack's old enemies surface and want to eliminate him.



The crew is interesting and capable. They make do with what they've got, which isn't much. I loved a bartering scene early in the book when the crew is in port. The details of the book feel spot on, and I really enjoyed it. Kel Symons writes a great story and Mathew Reynolds art has a cinematic quality that makes the movie spool in your mind like an old serial. I really enjoyed this and look forward to more adventures with Captain Jack and crew.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this adventurous graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1ntZaL4

Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Volume 1

author: Greg Pak

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.20

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/27

date added: 2014/09/27

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Volume 1' is a grand reboot with Native Americans, dinosaurs and knights all squaring off against each other. It was definitely in the fine style of other Turok stories I've read.



Young Turok is shunned by his tribe, which is fine by him since they murdered his parents. Not only that, but some of the tribe want to kill him too, but he's been preparing for this. Before they can carry out their plans, they are surprised by a group of English knights and the strange beasts they have unleashed from their boat. Turok finds himself the reluctant protector of his people.



The story is followed by a script breakdown of the first issue and a pretty extensive cover gallery.



I like this new Turok. He's not afraid to be brutal, which, when you're dealing with dinosaurs and gold-crazed invaders is probably a good thing. The story feels very modern while not losing the essence of the character. I applaud Greg Pak for his writing on that. Art by Mirko Colak is great. It was a fun story and I look forward to more adventures of Turok.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors, Dynamite Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/106EJZY

Egos Volume 1: Quintessence Tp

author: Stuart Moore

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.00

book published: 2014

rating: 2

read at: 2014/09/26

date added: 2014/09/26

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'E.G.O.s Volume 1: Quintessence' starts with an essay about how the writer was also the editor and was cautioned against that. I think that advice should have been heeded in this case, and it might have resulted in a book that was bit clearer.



For a volume 1, it does sort of jump you into a story with a lot of backstory that has already happened. An old nemesis of the E.G.O. space hero team has resurfaced and it's up to some of the old members to suit up, recruit up and fight the planet devouring menace. The problem is that the story isn't all that easy to grab on to. There are some great elements here and the makings of a truly great story, but I was left feeling like I was missing part of the plot. The plot jumps and references things that I had a hard time discerning.



The art by Gus Storms is really good, and I know Stuart Moore can write a good story. Your mileage may vary, but for sheer cosmic, weird storylines, I'd rather go back to some of the classics from Marvel in the 1970s.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1rzv5JK

Optical Illusions: An Eye-Popping Extravaganza of Visual Tricks

author: Gianni A. Sarcone

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.12

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/24

date added: 2014/09/24

shelves:

review:

'Optical Illusions: An Eye-Popping Extravaganza of Visual Tricks' is a good introduction if you aren't familiar with optical illusions, and it's fun to look through. I liked how it was presented, but it does take the approach that you've never seen these sort of things before.



After a short introduction, the book is divided into four sections: Shapes, Distances and Sizes; Color and Subjective Motion; Ambiguous and Impossible Figures; and Tests and Experiments. Each figure has an answer key entry at the back of the book. Some of the answers seemed to be a bit condescending, and some figures don't specifically need an answer key entry so they seem superfluous.



I liked the variety of illusions given in the book, but I've seen more spectacular types of optical illusions. I didn't like the tone of the book.



I was given a review copy of this ebook by Dover Publications and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1vjhMwe

Stars of the World Cup

author: Illugi Jökulsson

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.11

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/24

date added: 2014/09/24

shelves: children-s

review:

'Stars of The World Cup' came out in plenty of time for this year's World Cup. I just stumbled onto it and decided to give it a quick read. Even though the World Cup is long over, it was fun to relive the player bios.



It's features 28 of the players that were prominent in this year's World Cup arranged in alphabetical order. All the major players are here from Messi and Clint Dempsey to Muller and Aguero. Each player gets a two page spread. One is an action photo, the other is a short bio along with a plus and minus score for the player. Pluses include things like 'natural goal scorer' or 'respected leader.' Minuses include things like age or aggression (or lack of aggression) on the field.



It's a bright quick read and perfect for sports minded young readers. As a very casual soccer fan, I enjoyed learning more about these players. My son confirmed that the facts were good and they picked the right players to be in the book.



I received a review copy of this ebook from Abbeville Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/YaaL5P

The Fuse Volume 1: The Russia Shift

author: Antony Johnston

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.43

book published:

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/23

date added: 2014/09/23

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'The Fuse Volume 1: The Russia Shift' is a police procedural set on an orbiting space station. That was pretty much all I needed to know to dive right in.



When a homicide detective from Earth gets assigned the Russia Shift on the space station, then gets assigned a hardened old veteran detective, he might be in for more than he bargained for. He's from Germany, she's been on board the station since it was being built. She's ill-tempered, foul-mouthed and one tough cop. His name's Dietrich, she calls him Marlene. I won't spoil why it's called the Russia Shift.



A murder happens on his first day, that sets things in motion, but the cops are not too concerned with solving it since the victim is one of the station's undesirables. When a second victim shows up dead, and it's tied in to a local politician, then it seems to be something that people want hidden.



It's a pretty good mystery. The space station stuff adds unique elements to the story. I wasn't as crazy about the young cop, but I liked the older foul-mouthed partner. Maybe future issues will have more character development for Dietrich. There's definitely a hint of something that he's hiding. This is a complete story arc, so I'm curious to know what they'll do in future issues. I liked it quite a lot.



I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/ZJB0Bb

Backbone: History, Traditions, and Leadership Lessons of Marine Corps NCOs (General Military)

author: Julia Dye

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.40

book published: 2011

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/21

date added: 2014/09/21

shelves: non-fiction-business

review:

'Backbone: History, Traditions, and Leadership Lessons of Marine Corps NCOs' by Julia Dye, Ph.D. is a most interesting book. It gives a lot of the tenets that make Marines what they are, and is filled with examples of Marines throughout their history.



With a foreward that includes the Marine NCO creed and an intro to these Marines, we learn that the only important thing is that the Marine is a Marine. It doesn't matter what station or task is given. The NCOs are where much off the leadership comes from and is considered the backbone of the Marine Corps.



Every chapter covers a character quality like dependability or justice or endurance. Every chapter illustrates its topic with real stories from the ranks of the Marines throughout its history. From fighting off Somali pirates to conflicts like the Korean War and the major world wars, Marines exhibit these amazing qualities under the worst possible condition. From supply and weather problems to unbeatable odds against them, this group of people shines through. Whether it's innovating a way to hold a heavy machine gun without burning your arm, to giving enthusiasm for seemingly menial chores, there is a lot here to be admired and emulated.



Julia Dye writes a great book here and really knows her subject. As a partner in Warriors, Inc. she helps oversee military accuracy in Hollywood productions. It's a well written book and one I am glad to have read. It makes me even more thankful to those who serve and have served my country so ably.



I was given a review copy of this ebook by Open Road Integrated Media, Warriors Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of reviewing this fine ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1uv0QSQ

Legends of Red Sonja

author: Gail Simone

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.54

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/20

date added: 2014/09/20

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Legends of Red Sonja' is just more proof of the great work that Gail Simone is doing on this title. That she draws on so many other great female writers this time out makes for a pretty good story.



A band of hunters is out to find and kill Red Sonja. They are a varied bunch and all have their reasons for hunting her down. Along the way, they share their stories of her and run across people with their own stories to tell. They also find out that while they are hunting Red Sonja, she might be out hunting them as well.



The main story is written by Gail Simone. The backup stories are written and illustrated by a variety of people. The writers include Meljean Brooks, Tamora Pierce and Mercedes Lackey, among others. The tone of those stories varies, but this fits nicely since they are told by different characters with differing memories and experiences. I thought the writing flowed together nicely. Some of the art is so different, that it is a bit more jarring to move from the main art into the side story art, but the art is all really good. The covers by Frank Thorne are classic and iconic. The alternate art by Jay Anacleto is also good. While I enjoyed Red Sonja: Queen of Plagues a bit more, this is another good story and proof that Gail Simone is in the right place at the right time.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors, Dynamite Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1mtBTIO

The Impersonator (Roaring Twenties Mystery, #1)

author: Mary Miley

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.76

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/19

date added: 2014/09/19

shelves:

review:

'The Impersonator' by Mary Miley is the first book in a new series that takes place in the Roaring Twenties. It was a fun read with a very likeable protagonist.



A vaudeville actress sees a strange man staring at her one night. After the performance, he offers her a job. He wants the actress to play his niece who disappeared when she was fourteen. The actress looks like the missing niece and will work to claim the inheritance. All the actress has to do is play a role and learn all about the missing girl. Along the way, she learns about a series of girls that no one seems to care about who have been murdered. Could the disappearance of Jessie and these murders have anything in common? Will she be able to fool the family long enough to collect the inheritance for her shady employer?



I found the character of Leah quite likeable. She is street smart and had lots of other great qualities. I'm very interested in reading other books with this character. The period details were very good and while famous names are woven into the story, it never feels like blatant namedropping like I've run into with other stories. I enjoyed it quite a lot.



I received a review copy of this ebook from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1r8Yl8C

The Wurms of Blearmouth (The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, #5)

author: Steven Erikson

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.05

book published: 2012

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/19

date added: 2014/09/19

shelves:

review:

'The Wurms of Blearmouth' by Steven Erikson is my first foray into the world of Malazan and I found it to be a delightful surprise. It was weird and funny and kept me turning pages and laughing.



It all takes place in and around the village of Spendrugle and it's luckless inhabitants. There's a shipwreck off the coast and the villagers want to loot it, but the people from the ship are a violent and nasty sort. Chief among these is Korbal Broach, Bauchelain and their manservant Emancipor Reese, aka Mancy the Luckless. They find themselves in the wizards castle where Bauchelain just wants a chance to bake cookies. Intrigue and a wizard's duel are sure to follow.



The townsfolks are pathetically hilarious, eking out a living among the dead. I really wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked this up, but it was a lot of fun. I understand that Steven Erickson wrote these shorter novels while he was writing the larger 10 volume series. I'll be hunting more of these down at some point. While it probably helps to be more familiar with the characters than I was, I didn't find it too difficult to catch on to who the main players in this comedy were.



I was given a review copy of this ebook by Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this darkly funny ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1tBtO5z

The Illegitimates

author: Taran Killam

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.00

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/17

date added: 2014/09/17

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'The Illegitimates' takes an interesting (but done before) premise from the superhero genre and pastes it into the superspy genre. It's not a bad story, but has a weird habit of going way over the top with gore.



The book starts with Olympus super spy Jack Steele, who at the end of a number of his famous missions has a number of dalliances with beautiful women. This is similar to a fictional cinematic British spy. When he dies in an over the top horrific sort of way, his spy agency is left in the lurch. But they have a plan. They've been keeping track of the offspring of Steed's dalliances and a number of them seem to be spy material. While Steed was a superspy, it will take 5 of his children to do his work. Of course, they don't want to work together, but when archenemy Viktor Dannikor plots to destroy the world, they better get their act together to stop him.



This graphic novel has 6 issues, with the possibility of more in the series. At times it rockets along (no pun intended), but it seems to drag a bit in places. Even though it's a retread, I still found it clever, but some of the death scenes seemed overly graphic to me for some reason. I liked it, but just didn't quite love it.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1qMC7vf

Doctor Who: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Time Traveller (Time Trips)

author: Joanne Harris

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.75

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/17

date added: 2014/09/17

shelves:

review:

'Doctor Who: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Time Traveller' by Joanne Harris is one of the Time Trips series and features the third doctor. It's one of the better ones of this series that I've read.



The story stars the third doctor at a point where he has been poisoned by radiation and is trying to get back to UNIT HQ. The Tardis lands him in a quaint village where all is not as it seems. The villagers all have roles to play based on professions, and there can only be one of each, but no doctors are allowed. Also, everyone in the village must attend the daily Wellness Parade. The Doctor looks for answers with the help of one of the people in the village and finds an answer stranger than he could have imagined.



I'm not as familiar with the third doctor, so I don't know how close the author got it, but I really liked the story. It reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode 'It's A Good Life,' or 'The Town Where No One Got Off' by Ray Bradbury, which is to say, it's got a classic feel that I really liked.



I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1mdpY1t

White Death Hc

author: Robbie Morrison

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.00

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/15

date added: 2014/09/15

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'White Death' is a reprint from an earlier time in Charlie Adlard's career right before he became known for his work on 'The Walking Dead' comic book series. That style is very evident here in a haunting tale from World War I.



Writer Robbie Morrison was inspired to write the story after a couple bodies were uncovered from ice in the Italian mountains. The bodies belonged to Austrian soldiers of the war fighting in the Italian Alps at high altitudes. During the 5 battles of the campaign, brutal tactics are used, including using guns to trigger avalanches, hence the title. The story follows Pietro Aquasanta, a man from Istria who started the war fighting for the Austro-Hungarian side and now fighting for the Italians. The conditions are brutal, cold and unrelentless.



The bleakness and despair of war are on full display here. The story has a few lighter moments, but these only serve to throw the reader off balance for the horrors to come. The art is a charcoal style that is really great. It serves this sort of story especially well. There is a small intro story included at the end of the book as well as some script to finished page breakdowns. I really enjoyed this story of the Great War.



I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Image Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1y9NsJO

Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two

author: Douglas Wolk

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.00

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/14

date added: 2014/09/14

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Judge Dredd: Mega-City Two' takes Judge Dredd out of his city and put him in strange circumstances to see what happens. It's an interesting experiment, but I'm not sure it works.



Judge Dredd finds himself in what used to be California as part of a Judge exchange program. He's also paired with a film crew and given a non-lethal gun. All the things he knows are put to the test as things are quite a bit more relaxed. There are strange stories about a giant mutated shrimp, and a criminal zone called Crimeland where Dredd is accompanied by two weird cartoon characters and meets a judge-like guy named Santos.



The art by Ulises Farinas is detailed and great, but perhaps a bit too colorful for what I'm used to in a Judge Dredd story. There is a full page detailed cityscape in each issue that made me stop and study like a Where's Waldo picture. There is humor in all the nooks and crannies of the drawings. But I wanted Dredd to be, well, more like himself. I wanted him to get fed up and just start judging. The social commentary is sort of there, but it just lays there and doesn't do anything. I wanted to like it more than I did, but I'll give another volume of this remake a chance if given the opportunity.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1oNh5qI

Android Angels

author: Kosuke Kabaya

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.50

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/13

date added: 2014/09/13

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Android Angels'presents 4 stories about a future where humans live with robots. Some aspects were overly cutesy, but when it was all done, I liked it quite a bit.



In this future, humans have robot companions. They do chores or act as bodyguards, and exist alongside humans. The trick is that in order to limit human dependence, the robots have their memories wiped after four years. This causes some humans to want to try to recover the robot they had to see if the robots can remember. There are also humans who seek to have romantic relationships with their robots. This was some of the cutesy bits I didn't like. The overall themes deal with human dependence, robotic indifference and the attempts to overcome that indifference due to loneliness.



The stories were interesting for the most part. The art was pretty good, but I did have trouble distinguishing a couple characters apart. I did like the human aspects of the robot stories. I liked some stories better than others.



I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, Gen Manga Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1tQlxrS

Sometimes You Win--Sometimes You Learn: Life's Greatest Lessons Are Gained from Our Losses

author: John C. Maxwell

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.32

book published: 2013

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/10

date added: 2014/09/10

shelves: non-fiction

review:

'Sometimes You Win--Sometimes You Learn: Life's Greatest Lessons Are Gained from Our Losses' by John Maxwell is a primer on how to take your failures and learn from them.



We all make mistakes. We can either let them stop us or we can learn from them and use them to spur us on. The author talks about all the traits we can learn from mistakes and setbacks. From change and maturity to humility and reality. Filled with humor and examples from the author's own mistakes, it's a really encouraging book, as you would expect from John Maxwell.



In this book, Mr. Maxwell says he has written 71 books. I don't doubt that figure. I mention it to say I've read a handful of that 71 and I've always found them to be well written and I walk away with ideas and strategies I can use in my work and personal life. If the title intrigues and you feel like you need a way to learn from your mistakes, I recommend this book to you.



I was given a review copy of this ebook by FaithWords/Center Street and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this encouraging ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1AAS5IQ

The Girl with All the Gifts

author: M.R. Carey

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.91

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/10

date added: 2014/09/10

shelves:

review:

I thought 'The Girl With All the Gifts' started very promising, but then seemed to devolve into the usual cliched horror tropes. Still, I found much of the prose and the main idea one worth recommending.



The story revolves around 4 people and their massive differences. Melanie is a young child who is imprisoned and restrained. She is wheeled into a classroom every day by a soldier who doesn't trust her. The child loves her teacher and the teacher thinks she has an amazing mind. The fourth person in this group is a scientist who has her own agenda for what she would like to do with this child. When the order of this uneasy alliance is thrown into chaos, they find themselves having to rely on each other in a world that has changed.



I loved the writing. I loved the concept. I even really liked the ending. I thought it bogged a bit toward the end because a couple characters became a bit predictable. That's not a criticism, except that I felt a bit disappointed. It all recovers by the end and I was quite impressed with this unique variation on a theme.



I was given a review copy of this ebook by Hatchette Book Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this really good ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/WXm6pi

Manga Classics: Les Miserables

author: Stacy King

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.12

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/09

date added: 2014/09/09

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Manga Classics: Les Miserables' does such a great job adapting the book that it might replace Cliff Notes for lazy students. It's a better adaptation than many of the books, movies and musicals.



It's a classic story that starts with a man stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family. He is sentenced to a cruel prison term, then learns about mercy. The story balances between justice and mercy with the main character, Jean Valjean, and the policeman, Javert, who pursues him throughout his life. There are so many memorable characters, and the thing this manga version gets more right than most versions is how interconnected all the characters are. This is important because it shows that saving a man's life might benefit you when you need help.



It's all here: the silver candlesticks, Fantine, the barricades, the overturned cart, the flight through the sewers, Gavroche and Eponine, and it's done very well. The story starts with Fantine, then travels back to Jean Valjean's story. It felt a little strange to me to have chapters and focus on Fantine, but the story is still the same. There is a good epilogue written by Stacy King on the struggles of adapting a classic like this. Art by Tszmei Lee is very much in a manga style but doesn't detract from the story. A unique and interesting way to tell a classic story.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1pNJvjC

Courtney Crumrin: The Final Spell (Courtney Crumrin, #6)

author: Ted Naifeh

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.36

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/07

date added: 2014/09/07

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Courtney Crumrin: The Final Spell' by Ted Naifeh is the final volume in a series I've enjoyed. While I ultimately liked it, it wasn't my favorite volume in the series.



This volume picks up directly after the end of Volume 5. If you are unfamiliar with gloomy witch Courtney, this is no place to start. Courtney and her former teacher Calpurnia are on the run by car. They are running from the witches and warlocks in Hillsborough, who are giving chase by flying after them. Courtney and Calpurnia have a few tricks up their sleeves as well. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way and Uncle Aloysius plays an interesting part that may surprise readers of the series. Themes of family and sacrifice run throughout



I thought the very end was closer in feel to where I wanted the entire volume to be, but it does give good closure on the series. Ted Naifeh's art is just as good here as anywhere else. There is a point where the color palette makes a drastic shift and I thought that was a great touch given what is happening. I look forward to seeing what Ted Naifeh's next project will be.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1tjaVSc

Pirates of the Silver Coast

author: Scott Chantler

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.12

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/07

date added: 2014/09/07

shelves: children-s, graphic-novels

review:

'Pirates Of The Silver Coast' is the fifth book in the Three Thieves series of graphic novels and my debut to the series. Despite that, I was able to jump right in and enjoy it.



Dessa is a girl looking for her twin brother, who was abducted years earlier. She has 2 travelling companions, Topper and Fisk, and a map to a mysterious island that she is convinced her brother is on. She convinces a ship to take her there. While onboard, Fisk finds himself being mocked for only having one head (other members of his tribe all have two). The ship is threatened by the Pirate King, who is looking to also find the mysterious island.



Meanwhile, Captain Drake, in pursuit of Dessa, finds himself waylaid by a fortune teller. This sidebar felt unnecessary and drawn out to me, but maybe this happens to Captain Drake in other books.



Scott Chantler's art and storytelling are good, and this would be a fun series for younger readers who might be reluctant readers. The characters are interesting and there were plenty of surprises in this one to keep the pages turning. I'm glad I read this one.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Kids Can Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1pFa5vg

Lena Finkle's Magic Barrel: A Graphic Novel

author: Anya Ulinich

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.20

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/06

date added: 2014/09/06

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Lena Finkle's Magic Barrel' by Anya Ulinich belongs alongside all the other realist graphic novels like those by Lynda Barry, Harvey Pekar and Marjane Satrapi. I found it a good read.



The story follows Lena Finkle, who emigrated from Russia as a child. As a divorced mother of two, she is trying to get back into dating again. She is also coming to terms with her old country and the man she left behind. Online dating encounters are described in broad terms with characters like the Orphan, Disaster Man and the Vampire of Bensonhurst. She spends a lot of time talking it out with friends and herself. Her conscience shows up as a small version of herself, scolding her for saying and doing things. Her conversations with her mother are painfully funny. Will she find a way to happiness or be miserable forever?



The story could have felt really whiny, but the self-deprecating humor was touching and kept the story moving along. It's a long graphic novel and the dialogue takes up much of each panel. There are a lot of story elements that might have been too confusing, but Ulinich deftly keeps everything balanced. It's funny and intelligent and kept me turning pages.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Penguin Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this fine graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1q033Y0

El Deafo

author: Cece Bell

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.62

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/06

date added: 2014/09/06

shelves: children-s, graphic-novels

review:

'El Deafo'by Cece Bell is a graphic novel intended for younger readers. It's biographical and tells her experiences of hearing loss and trying to cope in a hearing world.



The story is told with animal characters and goes through Cece's younger life. She lost her hearing through a childhood disease and was too young to understand or express it. She ended up with hearing aids that helped her hear again. Sort of. She goes to schools for the deaf, and, eventually, schools with no deaf students. She wears a bulky hearing aid and wires and that makes her stand out. Her biggest problem is learning to read lips and understand what people are saying.



I only received about 26 pages of this graphic novel, but I loved what I read. Cece Bell writes honestly, but with humor (from misunderstanding what people are saying to hearing WAY too much). Young readers will find much to like here, especially if they feel like they don't fit in and need to find a place to fit in. Well done!



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Abrams, Amulet Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this great graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1xryTkB

As Luck Would Have It: From the Brothers Grimm

author: Robert D. San Souci

name: Wayne

average rating: 2.57

book published: 2008

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/03

date added: 2014/09/03

shelves: children-s

review:

'As Luck Would Have It' is a retelling of one of the Brother's Grimm's stories, Clever Elise. This one is told with a family of bears. It's a silly story of what happens when people don't think, but it all turns out okay in the end.



When mom and dad have to go care for grandmother, they leave the children in charge. On their way out, they specifically point out where the stash of gold is and tell the kids not to touch it. Which seems pretty irresponsible, especially given what follows. The two young bears go about their chores in a lazy manner which results in all kinds of calamity. Things like letting the oxen plow the field themselves or rolling the cheese wheels down the hill to the market. When the ultimate bad thing happens, the children go to the rescue, and manage to save the day and turn everything all right again.



The story is silly, and it's fun to watch the bears get into more and more trouble. The artwork is pretty great. I think it would be a fun book to read to kids.



I received a review copy of this ebook from August House, Little Folk and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1lJ2dxZ

Zaya

author: Jean-David Morvan

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.56

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/09/02

date added: 2014/09/02

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

'Zaya' is the new graphic novel from Jean-David Morvan, who also wrote 'Naja.' I enjoyed 'Naja,' but I think I might have liked 'Zaya' just a bit more, perhaps because of the SF theme and perhaps because of the art by Huang-Jia Wei.



Zaya is a secret agent and a killer, not unlike the main characters in 'Naja,' but the similarities end about there. Zaya hacks the spaceship she is given for a mission, and the ship becomes self-aware and helps her throughout. A funny moment happens when she's sent on a mission aboard a cruise ship, and just about everyone else on board is a secret agent. She carries out the job, but finds herself on the run which sends her and her ship into dangerous hyperspace where the story takes a strange turn.



The art is intricate and really cool. If I had one complaint, it's that every killing seems to be a bullet to the eye. The artist is good at drawing these exploded, deconstructed heads, but after a while it would be nice to see something different. Also, the action scenes where there is no dialogue can be a bit tough to decipher. The art seems to run together at these times and it's hard to tell what's happening. All that to say I really liked the story and thought the art was really different than what I usually see. I look forward to reading what's next from Jean-David Morvan.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this interesting graphic novel.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1nV9w0S

The City

author: Dean Koontz

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.72

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/09/01

date added: 2014/09/01

shelves:

review:

'The City' by Dean Koontz takes a magical premise, fills it with great prose and ultimately fails to go anywhere with it. As a fan, I loved the writing, but I wanted something more when it was all said and done.



I've loved some of the memorable characters that Mr. Koontz has created like Odd Thomas and Christopher Snow (can we have another Christopher Snow novel, please?), and Jonah Kirk, while not as much an outsider, falls right in with those other characters. And the characters around him, supporting his story, are also memorable and soul-stirring. Early in his life, Jonah meets a strange woman named Miss Pearl who seems to know him and gives him gifts and insights into his life. She may be the embodiment of the city, and I kind of wanted more from her than for her to swoop in at a critical point in the story and then disappear suddenly again. Amalia Pomerantz is an older neighbor girl with a unique way of looking at the world and a quirky younger brother who shares Jonah's love of making music. Mr. Yoshioka, an upstairs neighbor and past resident of the Myanmar internment camp, was my absolute favorite character. His calm in the face of things and friendship with Jonah really are the core of the book.



I spent a lot of the book feeling like it was a set up for something larger, or even a possible lead in to a larger series, but that seemed to be misleading. Nor is this much of a supernatural thriller (or even much of a thriller to be honest). Sure, there is menace, and a pretty creepy woman who threatens Jonah, but it's far from the sort of supernatural fare that Koontz is known for. The book is really more along the straight drama lines. If you know that going in, perhaps you'll like it more than I did. Oh, but the prose at times is just so nice and kept me reading.



I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House Publishing Group - Bantam Dell and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1x3Xrjp

Over the Line

author: David T. Lloyd

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.00

book published: 2013

rating: 2

read at: 2014/09/01

date added: 2014/09/01

shelves:

review:

'Over The Line' is a coming of age story that spans about a week. A lot happens. Perhaps a bit too much, but it all mostly gets wrapped up.



Justin Lyle is a kid living with his dad. His mom has left and he lost a baby brother. There are bullies in his town and unexpected friends. He's doing a paper on World War II and he borrows his grandfather's medal without telling his dad. Along with the medal is a diary with some confusing facts. Of course the medal is stolen by the school bully who wants to get even for being ratted on by Justin's dad. Justin finds out that being a hero can be complicated and he finds himself involved in a bunch of trouble by the end of the book.



It's a lot of story elements, and I kept thinking it was taking place in a much earlier timeframe (like the 1950s), but it's clearly in modern times. I'm not sure why I thought it was earlier. Perhaps because Justin's character seems like he's from another time. Maybe that's me. It's all handled well enough, but huge issues like losing a sibling or abandonment seem to get shortchanged. Justin really feels cut from a sitcom and I had a hard time liking him. He does change over the short term of the book.



I received a review copy of this ebook from Syracuse University Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1r6OdhE