Another month another book checked off the list. I'm typically not a fan of graphic novels, but I decided to a do a pair of them for this challenge to really try to push myself a bit outside my normal likes and dislikes. A friend who is very much into Graphic Novels recommended Superman: Red Son as one of the best pieces in the genre and its well recieved by pretty much everyone that reads it. I found it to be a good story, although with a bit of a weak ending. The art style is very good, which is what typically will pull me off a comic. Its also a good introduction to the genre, since most of the named characters are well known enough to even casual fans and the story is not set in the middle of several other arcs. The rest of the review will contain some spoilers, so I'll put it beyond the jump.
Showing posts with label Wichita Public Library 2018. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wichita Public Library 2018. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
WPL 2018 Reading Challenge: The Jackaby Novels Review
I'm a bit behind on writing up my reviews for the Reading Challenge, but I'm at least on pace to finish my books. For this review, I needed to to a detective or true crime novel. I really dislike these novels though. My mother is an avid reader of detective novels, but I just never could get into them. So I decided to search out a book in a genre I typically like, that of the supernatural. And lo and behold, Amazon brought me to Jackaby. I didn't pay too close of attention to it before heading over to the library, and checking out the first three books in the series that they had. If I had, I would have noticed it was a Teen/ Young Adult series. Not that this was an issue. I often find these books to be good quick reads that don't try to be too smart with extra plots and an inexplicable page count. The three novels I read are Jackaby, Beastly Bones, and Ghostly Echoes. The Dire King was not at the library, but hopefully they will have it soon.
Jackaby is a detective of the paranormal, because he's also a Seer. He can actually see the true form of many supernatural creatures that hide in our everyday world. The novels are told from the point of view of Jackaby's assistant, Abigail Rook. She's newly entered into the job, fresh from Europe and a potentially stodgy life in England. Each novel reads easily and the stories follow a larger building story arc that should conclude in the 4th book. The culprits in each book are a little obvious for an adult reading it, but the plot moves along and doesnt ever get bogged down so reading isnt tedious. The first novel introduces the township where Jackaby and Abigail reside, and they work a case that introduces most of the main players. The second book reads easily and has several very funny bits in it, as well as a bit of drama. The third book continues the over arching story arc and brings in some other mythological components. The story takes places in the 1880s, which helps lend to some of the mysticism and creatures that exist before video capture and other recordings.
William Ritter did an exemplary job in creating his characters. Jackaby is a bit off, but not so much that a reader questions how he existed in the world before Abigail entered his life. For her part Abigail could have fallen into the trope of Damsel-Not-In-Distress, but rather has several vulnerable moments and an actual plot related reason to not want to only live as a Gentleman's wife back in England. The two match up quite well, and the other tertiary characters evolve along with them and make rational choices based on what we know about them.
Overall I enjoyed reading these books, and hope to find the last novel to finish it off. They are pretty easy reads (I maybe spent about 5 hours between the three novels). For many folsk the conspirator will be pretty obvious before the characters make the same discovery, but for someone that enjoys a bit of the supernatural this would be an excellent quick read. I'd also recommend it for its target audience, since it avoids a pitfall too many YA novels seem to hit now of trying to be overly edgy.
Jackaby is a detective of the paranormal, because he's also a Seer. He can actually see the true form of many supernatural creatures that hide in our everyday world. The novels are told from the point of view of Jackaby's assistant, Abigail Rook. She's newly entered into the job, fresh from Europe and a potentially stodgy life in England. Each novel reads easily and the stories follow a larger building story arc that should conclude in the 4th book. The culprits in each book are a little obvious for an adult reading it, but the plot moves along and doesnt ever get bogged down so reading isnt tedious. The first novel introduces the township where Jackaby and Abigail reside, and they work a case that introduces most of the main players. The second book reads easily and has several very funny bits in it, as well as a bit of drama. The third book continues the over arching story arc and brings in some other mythological components. The story takes places in the 1880s, which helps lend to some of the mysticism and creatures that exist before video capture and other recordings.
William Ritter did an exemplary job in creating his characters. Jackaby is a bit off, but not so much that a reader questions how he existed in the world before Abigail entered his life. For her part Abigail could have fallen into the trope of Damsel-Not-In-Distress, but rather has several vulnerable moments and an actual plot related reason to not want to only live as a Gentleman's wife back in England. The two match up quite well, and the other tertiary characters evolve along with them and make rational choices based on what we know about them.
Overall I enjoyed reading these books, and hope to find the last novel to finish it off. They are pretty easy reads (I maybe spent about 5 hours between the three novels). For many folsk the conspirator will be pretty obvious before the characters make the same discovery, but for someone that enjoys a bit of the supernatural this would be an excellent quick read. I'd also recommend it for its target audience, since it avoids a pitfall too many YA novels seem to hit now of trying to be overly edgy.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
WPL 2018 Reading Challenge: BAEN Free Library Short Story Review
The Wichita Public Library has done several reading challenges over the years, and this time I am going to participate. The first item on the list that I'm checking off is the collection of short stories. Crafting a good short story is tough. Its easy to just keep chucking problems at characters and trying to fit too much in. A well done short though will open and close a universe in a way that leaves the reader satisfied, and wanting to hear more in the universe.
Right around Christmas I had seen someone tweet out a link to BAEN publishing free library. Its a collection of several books that start series or are free short story bundles for the most part. Its a nice way to check out if you like an author's style before needing to buy the book. I will warn you, several of these books have series that are more than 4 or 5 long, so if you like it you might end up investing quite a bit.
I chose the 2017 Short Story collection, and overall I was mostly pleased with the choice. For free, getting 16 stories is a nice bargain. I do think they should have changed the order a bit, since I think the collection starts a little weakly. The first, Does a Bear Shoot in the Woods? by Wen Spencer was intriguing, but overall was just a little too goofy for me. DEI Britannci really needed a follow up, since its just a prologue for a book. The Arenaverse story was poorly edited, and just made no sense. Into the Gonebeyond was the best of the lot so far, with some fairly well developed lines and a nice finish. Cutting Corners was a bit forgettable, since nothing of importance happens. Fire on the Hill needed a bit more fleshing out, and has a nice universe for future stories though. Feldspar and Bullet Catch are both award winners, and were pretty darn good. I also enjoyed Force Multipliers being What They are, although the heroes I think have too easy of a time. The Powhatan should have some follow up tales set in that world, with odd mutation people and the Romans being in North America. What We're Made Of might be the best in the book, posing some good ethical questions and good military tension, as well as hitting some harder sci-fi notes. Children of the Dust and The Blue Widow both I think warrant a read, and I need to find if there are more stories in those universes. CHildren of Dust combining a bit of a Dystopia and High Sci Fi feel, while Blue Widow deals in a world where ghosts and monsters are daily occurrences. The collection ends with a couple of duds though. Sufficient Unto the Day was odd, and fairly pointless over all. On Site for the Apocalypse I think breaks the cardinal rule of Short Stories by hitting you with a Continue Later at the climax. Either make it part of a larger book, or don't write it if the climax is read my next book.
Overall the collection was good, with some very strong entries and some very weak ones. The editing I must warn is in dire need, since in a few stories entire paragraphs were missing. For the price, you can't beat it though.
Right around Christmas I had seen someone tweet out a link to BAEN publishing free library. Its a collection of several books that start series or are free short story bundles for the most part. Its a nice way to check out if you like an author's style before needing to buy the book. I will warn you, several of these books have series that are more than 4 or 5 long, so if you like it you might end up investing quite a bit.
I chose the 2017 Short Story collection, and overall I was mostly pleased with the choice. For free, getting 16 stories is a nice bargain. I do think they should have changed the order a bit, since I think the collection starts a little weakly. The first, Does a Bear Shoot in the Woods? by Wen Spencer was intriguing, but overall was just a little too goofy for me. DEI Britannci really needed a follow up, since its just a prologue for a book. The Arenaverse story was poorly edited, and just made no sense. Into the Gonebeyond was the best of the lot so far, with some fairly well developed lines and a nice finish. Cutting Corners was a bit forgettable, since nothing of importance happens. Fire on the Hill needed a bit more fleshing out, and has a nice universe for future stories though. Feldspar and Bullet Catch are both award winners, and were pretty darn good. I also enjoyed Force Multipliers being What They are, although the heroes I think have too easy of a time. The Powhatan should have some follow up tales set in that world, with odd mutation people and the Romans being in North America. What We're Made Of might be the best in the book, posing some good ethical questions and good military tension, as well as hitting some harder sci-fi notes. Children of the Dust and The Blue Widow both I think warrant a read, and I need to find if there are more stories in those universes. CHildren of Dust combining a bit of a Dystopia and High Sci Fi feel, while Blue Widow deals in a world where ghosts and monsters are daily occurrences. The collection ends with a couple of duds though. Sufficient Unto the Day was odd, and fairly pointless over all. On Site for the Apocalypse I think breaks the cardinal rule of Short Stories by hitting you with a Continue Later at the climax. Either make it part of a larger book, or don't write it if the climax is read my next book.
Overall the collection was good, with some very strong entries and some very weak ones. The editing I must warn is in dire need, since in a few stories entire paragraphs were missing. For the price, you can't beat it though.
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