Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
The third and final instalment in Leigh Bardugo‘s GRISHA trilogy was far more rewarding than I had ever anticipated. Though I liked the first book Shadow and Bone and really liked the sequel Siege and Storm, it was Ruin and Rising that I truly loved.
It’s difficult to summarize the finale of any book series without giving away details of its predecessors,
July 15th, 2020. Rebecca Fisher and Kat Hooper´s rating: 4.5 | Leigh Bardugo | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm (2013) is the second book in Leigh Bardugo‘s GRISHA trilogy, and does what any good sequel should do: expands the world, deepens the characters and raises the stakes. On the other hand, it can’t quite avoid the pitfalls of a typical middle book — being unable to truly start or properly finish anything; it ends on a note that gives the impression the whole thing has been setup for the third and final instalment.
July 10th, 2020. Rebecca Fisher and Kat Hooper´s rating: 4.5 | Leigh Bardugo | Audio, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale by Lauren Myracle & Isaac Goodhart
I’ve been going through these YA graphic novels for a while now, each one in the series focusing on a famous DC heroine (Harley Quinn, Raven, Princess Mera, Selina Kyle) and exploring what her adolescence might have been like. They’re not canon-compliant with any other comic books, television shows or films, but usually have the aesthetic you might expect from the character’s history.
In this case, you can expect Selina Kyle to be involved with cats, living on the streets,
July 3rd, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3.5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
YA can be more fickle than its literary cousins. It’s notorious for trends. There were wizards, vampires, and what feels like a decade’s worth of dystopias. The result is a glut of books with sassy female protagonists who discover they have a unique power, are fighting to save the world, and struggling to decide which hunky love interest to pick from in their love triangle. Shadow and Bone doesn’t do anything groundbreaking in terms of avoiding these tropes, but what it does do is tell them in a fresh and innovative way.
July 2nd, 2020. Ray McKenzie, Rebecca Fisher and Kat Hooper´s rating: 3.5, 4 | Leigh Bardugo | Audio, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki & Steve Pugh
There are currently four of these similarly-themed graphic novels in publication, which seemingly exist in a bid to attract a new generation of readers to DC comics. Each one takes a famous DC heroine (or anti-heroine) and explores what life might have been like when they were still just teenagers. So far we’ve had Princess Mera, Selina Kyle/Catwoman, Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn and Raven (who granted, has always been depicted as a teenager).
None of the books have any narrative links to later depictions of these characters;
June 15th, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Batgirl Vol. 4: Strange Loop (Rebirth) by Hope Larson & Scott Godlweski
This is the fourth volume in Hope Larson’s Batgirl run, one which has focused not only on crime-fighting, but also community spirit — what I’ve liked most about Larson’s stories is that Barbara Gordon gives just as much to the suburb of Burnside as her civilian self than she does as a vigilante. In this, she’s assisted by a group of friends who also contribute to society in meaningful ways, as well as enriching Barbara’s day-to-day life.
June 12th, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3.5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Batgirl Vol. 3: Summer of Lies (Rebirth) by Hope Larson & Chris Wildgoose
The third volume of Hope Larson’s Batgirl run actually includes three separate stories, though the last is the longest and definitely the best. They’re a nice mix of Barbara Gordon tackling old-school villainy and more contemporary issues, with her usual combination of bright-eyed enthusiasm and cutting-edge technology.
In “Troubled Waters” Barbara is investigating a haunted public swimming pool, in which several swimmers have seen a strange purple energy. Along with the over-enthusiastic host of a ghost hunting reality show.
June 11th, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Batgirl Vol. 2: Son of Penguin (Rebirth) by Hope Larson & Christian Wildgoose
At the end of Volume One of Hope Larson’s take on Batgirl, a new face had arrived in Burnside, Gotham, who answered to the name “Cobblepot” at the airport.
Turns out he’s Ethan Cobblepot, son of the Penguin, though has never had any kind of close relationship with his father. He’s handsome and clever, and wants to improve the world through technology, launching a variety of apps to ensure public safety. Barbara is charmed, and agrees to go on a date with him — though given the spate of tech-related crime happening in the area,
June 8th, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3.5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Batgirl Vol. 1: Beyond Burnside (Rebirth) by Hope Larson & Rafael Albuquerque
Now is the right time to admit that I don’t read many DC comics — or many comics, period. I jumped straight into this series without any context of Barbara Gordon’s life or background, beyond the general basics of the character. (For instance, I know she’s the daughter of Commissioner Gordon and spent some time in a wheelchair, but I have no idea how she regained the use of her legs, or who Frankie is).
So how does this story hold up for someone with just a tenuous understanding of Batgirl?
June 4th, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 3.5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 4: End of Games by Kieron Gillen & Salvador Larroca
This is the fifth (or fourth if you don’t include the Jason Aaron Vader Down crossover) and final volume in Kieron Gillen’s DARTH VADER series, one that essentially follows Vader’s attempts to accumulate his own resources in secret, with the goal of eventually seeking out his son and luring him to the Dark Side — with or without the Emperor’s knowledge.
In this he’s been helped by a scrappy young thief and archaeologist named Doctor Aphra (who became popular enough to get her own spin-off series) and two droids: Triple-Zero and Beetee,
June 2nd, 2020. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Do it! One of the best things I've read in recent years.
This reminds me. I want to read Addie LaRue.
We’re in total agreement David!
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.