Cleopatra in Space #1: Target Practice

author: Mike Maihack

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.59

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/05/03

date added: 2014/05/03

shelves: children-s, graphic-novels

review:

'Cleopatra In Space' finds a young Cleopatra (you know, the Egyptian royal one) sent into the far future. It seems she is destined to save the galaxy and the future has need of her. Unfortunately, Cleopatra finds out that even in the future, she can't escape algebra class.



It turns out the future is ruled by intelligent cats. Cleopatra is enrolled in Yasiro Academy, where she excels in combat training rather than in normal subjects like biology and alien languages. She gets a roomate named Akila to help her acclimate to the school (and the future).



It's written for younger readers and it's fun. It's good to see strong female protagonists. Young Cleo talks back to authority and I found her loathing of math a bit annoying. These may not be traits for younger readers to model, but it's all a lot of fun to read. The art is bright and the story is funny and full of adventure. I enjoyed it.



I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Graphix (Scholastic) and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this fun graphic novel.





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X-Files Season 10 Volume 2

author: Guillermina De Ferrari

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.11

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/05/03

date added: 2014/05/03

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In 'X-Files Season 10 Volume 2' Scully and Mulder find themselves agents again, and just in time to revisit some cases from the past. This issues wasn't a solid graphic novel length story, but contained a few separate ones.



In the first, we have some familiar missing persons cases in Martha's Vineyard. Mulder discovers the return (sort of) of Flukeman. In the second story, we also revisit a story from the past. These were both solid episodes in the series and it's not a bad thing to give the fans more of the good stuff. The volume finishes off with a story involving lots of flashbacks with the Smoking Man. The art style varies a lot on this story, and I'm not sure it always worked since it was a bit tough to figure out which standard FBI suited person was who.



I really enjoyed the first volume in this series, and this one is good, but I didn't feel it was quite as good as the first. Still, the tone is right on for those of us who have missed the X-Files. I'll gladly take more of this series, and I don't always think that of extended seasons.



I received a copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this fine graphic novel.





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The X-Files: Season 10, Vol. 1

author: Joe Harris

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.05

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/04/01

date added: 2014/05/03

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

The X-Files: Season 10, Vol. 1 is a graphic novel 10th season of the television series (which had a less than interesting 9th season). Favorite characters are back (even ones thought completely gone). The graphic novel feels like a complete episode. For fans of the show, like me, it's a welcome return.



This story takes place about 10 years after the series ended. Scully and Mulder have retired from the FBI, but Agent Skinner shows up with a new threat. It seems that the child Dana Scully secretly put up for adoption is in danger. Although that storyline gets a little muddled, there are enough interesting and familiar plot developments to keep the ardent fans happy. There is even the mysterious appearance of a particular smoking man.



I liked the art and story and look forward to more stories in this series. Welcome back Scully and Mulder. I've missed you.



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.





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The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses

author: Eric Ries

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.05

book published: 2011

rating: 4

read at: 2014/05/02

date added: 2014/05/02

shelves: non-fiction-business

review:

'The Lean Startup' by Eric Ries is written by someone who has experienced success and failures. The ideas in the book are built upon other methodologies. Clayton Christensen's 'Innovator's Dilemna,Taiichi Ohno's Just-In-Time method at Toyota and Lean Manufacturing.



The approaches and methods are clearly laid out, but it took a couple chapters to settle in. The process defined is a loop comprised of Build-Measure-Learn. The learning process also could involve staying the course or pivoting. There are lots of examples from Eric Ries company as well as others.



It's well written, seems to want be earnestly helpful, and has lots of interesting advice within it's scope. I don't know how useful the methods would be for every industry segment, but I work in the software industry and see things that will help my company to innovate.





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The Sherlock Holmes Stories of Edward D. Hoch

'The Sherlock Holmes Stories of Edward D. Hoch' collects the prolific writer's twelve Sherlock Holmes stories. Hoch saw publication in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (among others). He is credited with writing over 950 short stories (and a number of novels). 

The stories represented here interweave with Holmes' career and happen throughout his life. Some involve Dr. Watson and some are solo cases. Some involve real people and events. One story has Sherlock Holmes aboard the Titanic with author Jacques Futrelle. Another features Lewis Carroll.

The stories in this book are all fun to read, but feel more like the old films with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. The mysteries aren't taxing and sometimes not very reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, but I still enjoyed them.

I was given a review copy of this ebook by Open Road Integrated Media and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this book.

The Dreamer Volume 3

author: Lora Innes

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.21

book published: 2014

rating: 3

read at: 2014/05/01

date added: 2014/05/01

shelves: graphic-novels

review:

In 'The Dreamer Volume 3' Bea Whaley dreams about the American Revolutionary War. Except it's as if she is living it. The review copy I got was about half the length, so I think there may have been some story that transitions Bea into this volume.



This volume deals with the Battle of Harlem. Bea is full on smitten with Major Alan Warren, and is being accompanied by Captain Nathan Hale. When they run across a British feint, it's an all out battle in the woods. They run across General Washington who may be planning his own feint, or is it a retreat?



Bea is a modern girl who has little interest in history. I think it's an interesting way to present 'living history' with a heroine stuck right in the middle of cannonballs and musket fire. She knows it's a dream, but it feels all too real. There are things that remain unexplained, but they didn't matter to me. I'll be reading more of this series online, even though I'm not a historical romance fan.



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 letting me review this graphic novel.





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Raise Some Shell: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

author: Richard Rosenbaum

name: Wayne

average rating: 3.90

book published: 2014

rating: 4

read at: 2014/04/29

date added: 2014/04/29

shelves: non-fiction

review:

'Raise Some Shell: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' by Richard Rosenbaum is part of the Pop Classics series (the first volume was about the movie Showgirls, and I didn't read it). This one comes out during the 30th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (!) and talks about their significance for a specific generation.



For those not in the know, the Turtles started life as a comic. I'm painfully familiar with this fact because I had a copy of the first issue in my hands and didn't buy it. To my credit, it was oversized (so it wouldn't fit in the bins or bags with my other comics), the comic was black and white, and, at $1.50, it was more expensive, and I put it back down. I believe that issue can go for up to $15,000 these days. Yep. I'm still kicking myself about that one.



But I digress. Mr. Rosenbaum talks about the comics era that spawned the turtles. Frank Miller's work on Daredevil and Ronin had a heavy Japanese influence. Also, comics were beginning to be deconstructed as postmodernism hit the newstands. Into this the turtles were born. Disaffected youth who were unlike other heroes (for one, they couldn't easily blend in with humans), yet they had a strong moral code.



Richard Rosenbaum is a true fan (with his favorite member of the Turtles). He talks about the various iterations of the turtles in print and on screen. He talks about the dark days of the late 1990s when the print and cartoon versions were less than true to the original, and he has a very distinct opinion about the upcoming movie.



It's a fun read and I really enjoyed the discussion at the different levels. It's nice to read something so well informed by such a big fan.



I was given a review copy of this ebook by ECW Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to read this fun ebook.





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