Snowman

author: Mark Andrew Poe
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2017/11/11
date added: 2017/11/11
shelves: children-s, graphic-novels
review:
'Snowman' by Joyce Magnin with art by Rebecca P. Minor is based on the Harry Moon characters created by Mark Andrew Poe. Harry is a young magician who lives in Sleepy Hollow with his friend Rabbit, a talking and sometimes invisible rabbit.

Mayor Maximus Kligore is not a nice guy. That is why he is hanging out in a graveyard in the dead of night trying to get a spell to work. He leaves in frustration, but he has unknowingly unleashed something from his past.

Meanwhile, Mayor Kligore has decided to recreate the town's headless horseman statue in a giant ice statue. That and his strange magic dabbling has Harry and his friends worried about what will happen next.

It seems like an interesting premise, but it's just not a very good story. It's brought down by the art which is pretty mediocre. I sometimes had a hard time telling some of the kids apart.

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


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Manga Classics: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

author: Crystal Chan
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.29
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/11/07
date added: 2017/11/07
shelves: classics, graphic-novels
review:
'Manga Classics: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' is an ambitious retelling of the famous book by Mark Twain. The adaptation is by Crystal Chan and the art is by Kuma Chan.

After 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,' Tom and Huck are flush with money. The attempts by the town folks to civilize Huck make him itch to be free. When his drunk father shows up and threatens to take all of Huck's money, he sets out to hide. Going with him is runaway slave Jim. Before long, they are heading down the Mississippi river and running into all sorts of people.

The book starts with an essay stating why they are using the word that usually gets this book banned. It makes a solid argument for why it belongs in this work and why it deserves discussion. I give the writers kudos for that. They lose some points with me by omitting Huck smoking. It should be included also to be discussed, but it's a smaller omission. All in all, it's another solid adaptation from Manga Classics.

I received a review copy of this manga from Udon Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.


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Elf Warfare

author: Chris Pramas
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2017/11/03
date added: 2017/11/03
shelves:
review:
'Elf Warfare' by Chris Pramas is another book in the Osprey line of fantasy warfare. Previously I read 'Orc Warfare' and liked it about as much as this on.

It's a short book, but has enough information to fuel a fantasy wargaming campaign. The 4 chapters talk about 5 of the types of elves (gold, green, high, moon, and sea), what units comprise an elf army, what tactics elf armies might use, and finally a major victory from each of the 5 types of elves.

I learned that elves don't like to make risky death-defying moves because they are so long-lived. I also learned not to tangle with the elves at sea when they have their sea turtle and sea dragon ships nearby.
The book also includes some nice illustrations of different elves and armor and such.

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


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How to Be Perfectly Unhappy

author: Matthew Inman
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.87
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/11/03
date added: 2017/11/03
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'How to Be Perfectly Unhappy' by Matthew Inman is a gift book about why it's ok not to be happy.

The author and illustrator explains how he feels when people ask him if he is happy. The answer is that he is not, but that doesn't meant that he is unhappy. He goes on to explain why this is so in his unique style. The moral of this short tale is a good one.

The book is a very short one at 48 pages. With not a lot of text, it's a quick read. It would be a good gift book for a fr‪iend. Especially one that seems content, but maybe not especially happy.

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


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Harley Quinn (2016-) Vol. 3: Red Meat

author: Amanda Conner
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2017/11/03
date added: 2017/11/03
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Harley Quinn Vol. 3: Red Meat' by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and John Timms collects the lead stories from Harley Quinn #14-21. Harley continues her life of being an antihero with her weird group of friends.

When a group of large beings that live under the ground show up, they unleash a being that Harley isn't capable of handling, so she calls in some friends like Power Girl, who reluctantly shows up.

The mayor of New York has hired a group of people to take care of the homeless population and Harley Quinn is sent undercover to find out what is going on.

I keep thinking there are interesting things to do with this character, but I haven't found what I'm looking for yet. The humorous antihero thing has been done before and better. When I have a hard time staying interested to finish a graphic novel, that's a sign that I've just lost interest.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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Nile Crossing

author: Katy Beebe
name: Wayne
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2017/11/03
date added: 2017/11/03
shelves: children-s
review:
'Nile Crossing' by Katy Beebe with illustrations by Sally Wem Comport is a picture book telling an unusual version of a first day of school story.

Young Khepri lives with his family in ancient Egypt. He spends his days fishing with his father, but today is a different day. Today Khepri will cross the Nile with his father and enter the city of Thebes.

The story kind of ends, but there is some after story with more history and a glossary. The illustrations are really very interesting. They have a kind of old Egyptian feel to them. The story tells a historical sort of story with familiar elements. I really liked this story for younger readers.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.


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Superman Reborn

author: Dan Jurgens
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/11/01
date added: 2017/11/01
shelves: graphic-novels
review:
'Superman Reborn (Superman, Volume IV)' by Dan Jurgens, Peter J. Tomasi, and Patrick Gleason collects issues from Action Comics and Superman. It attempts to pull in all the different Supermen and combine them into one.

The Superman of the beginning of the story is new to his Earth. On this Earth, Superman died, but a Clark Kent with no powers was left behind. Lois tries to figure that out, but not before Clark goes weirdly creepy and kidnaps her son Jon. There's a reason for that which you will have to read to discover.

Along with that, Superwoman is critically ill and she comes to Superman for help. Her story gets kind of shunted aside to focus on the Superman story.

The various versions of Superman that have been around for the past few years are referenced at one point or another. I like the story they came up with. All the storylines are a bit of a mess and this tries to reconcile that. I think it does a farily good job of that. The art is pretty even between issues of Action Comics and Superman. I like the twists and turns this title takes, and the strong sense of family at the heart of it. This is a Superman that I hope we get to keep for a while.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.


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