The Neil Gaiman Audio Collection (The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, The Wolves in the Walls, Cinnamon, Crazy Hair) by Neil Gaiman
The only thing better than one of Neil Gaiman’s children’s stories is one of Neil Gaiman’s children’s stories read to you by Neil Gaiman. Do not pass these up when you see them. I found these four stories in audio format at my library, both individually and as the cleverly titled The Neil Gaiman Audio Collection.
August 13th, 2015. Kat Hooper´s rating: 4 | Neil Gaiman | Audio, BSFA Award, Children, Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Bending Steel: Modernity and the American Superhero by Aldo J. Regaldo
Bending Steel: Modernity and the American Superhero, by Aldo J. Regaldo, is another entry in the getting-crowded field of cultural analysis of superheroes/comics. I can’t say Regaldo offers a lot that is new here, especially in some of the examinations of specific well-plumbed comics, but Bending Steel still has a lot to offer as it is a well-organized, clearly and often sharply written exploration of the topic with lucid,
August 12th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | Comics, Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Bell Weather by Dennis Mahoney
I had never heard of Dennis Mahoney before picking up Bell Weather, but the bright green ARC cover drew me in: a monochrome print of a woman framed by trees. A hummingbird with bat-wings flies overhead. And over this, in bold white letters, “Enter the world of Root.” Well, with an invitation like that, don’t mind if I do.
Bell Weather is an adventure story following a young woman named Molly Bell as she escapes from two dangerous men bent on controlling her.
August 10th, 2015. Kate Lechler´s rating: 4.5 | Dennis Mahoney | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Dark Orbit by Carolyn Ives Gilman
Dark Orbit by Carolyn Ives Gilman is a smart, thought-provoking First Contact novel that delves into questions of human perception, identity, and knowledge construction. The philosophical questions are layered atop a plot that, even if it isn’t the strength of the novel, is more than serviceable, keeping the reader’s surface attention even as the larger ideas beckon one into deeper waters.
Centuries ago the human race sent out “Quest” ships in search of habitable planets. Ship travel has since been replaced by transportation via light beam through a “Wayport,” which while overcoming the vast distances still has the problem of relativity,
August 10th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | Carolyn Ives Gilman | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
A pacifist who inherits his father’s failing arms business, a general who wins all of his battles and sets in motion the fate of empires because of decisions he makes in the last second before a battle commences, a tribesman who loses his family and survives an attempt at his life to become, well, every single thing he chooses to be. Those and many other memorable characters populate K.J. Parker‘s newest standalone novel, Savages, a solid offering that is sure to please readers of the author’s previous works.
August 10th, 2015. João Eira´s rating: 4.5 | K.J. Parker | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
Deep State by Justin Jordan and Ariela Kristantina
Boom! puts out some fun comics, very much in the Mark Millar, block-buster movie style, and Justin Jordan’s Deep State is certainly a page-turner. I read it in about an hour and could hardly take a breath the entire time. This first volume collects issues one through four, and though it ends on a cliffhanger, the book does tell a complete story. It’s just that the last page will make you want to read issue five immediately to see where the larger arc is taking us.
August 8th, 2015. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4 | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Grip: The Strange World of Men by Gilbert Hernandez
Gilbert Hernandez is one of my favorite writers and one of my favorite artists, so I love getting a chance to read anything by him. Grip: The Strange World of Men, as the subtitle suggests, is one of his strangest tales, and I’m a little stumped on what aspects of the plot to include in this review: I don’t want to spoil the fun of the surprises. First of all, Grip is a neo-pulp style work,
August 8th, 2015. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Gilbert Hernandez | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen by Dylan Horrocks
I am giving Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen by Dylan Horrocks my highest recommendation with one qualification: Unless you are easily offended by depictions of male sexual fantasies — even those written and depicted in order to critique those fantasies — then you should read this book. Without a doubt, Dylan Horrocks has written and drawn a five-star graphic novel. The book offers various answers to this question: What is the nature of fantasy? In doing so,
August 1st, 2015. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Speak Easy by Catherynne M. Valente
I held off on reading Speak Easy by Catherynne M. Valente for a few weeks after it arrived because I knew once I started reading it, I’d want to do nothing else. When you look at the novella, this doesn’t seem like such a big problem. The advanced reader’s copy is a slim volume, thinner than my pinky finger (the signed limited-edition volumes for sale at Subterranean Press might be bigger; they are hardcovers, bound in cloth). But take a peek into the first page of Valente’s novella,
July 31st, 2015. Kate Lechler´s rating: 5 | Catherynne M. Valente | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 7 comments |
Finches of Mars by Brian W. Aldiss
It was with mixed feelings that I picked up Finches of Mars by Brian W. Aldiss. On the one hand, I had fond memories of being introduced to his short stories via my father’s book collection. And fond memories too of reading, much later, his HELLICONIA series and his history of science fiction. On the other hand, I’d read that Finches of Mars was to be his “last novel,” and I’ve had some poor luck with those in the past.
July 29th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 1 | Brian W. Aldiss | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
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.
COMMENT Was I hinting that? I wasn't aware of it. But now that you mention it.... 🤔
So it sounds like you're hinting Fox may have had three or so different incomplete stories that he stitched together,…