V is for Vendetta is one of those graphic novels that I would think that everyone at least kind of knows about due to the 2005 movie with Natalie PortV is for Vendetta is one of those graphic novels that I would think that everyone at least kind of knows about due to the 2005 movie with Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving or the fact that the Guy Fawkes mask from it has become a popular pop culture symbol. It has been a long time since I have seen the movie, but it feels like in many ways it followed the graphic novel closely. But, if you want the full experience of the story as it was meant to be, reading the graphic novel is a must.
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This was definitely the longest it ever took me to complete a graphic novel. This is not the fault of the graphic novel itself, it just happened to be chosen as the monthly read for one of my book clubs when I was in the midst of one of the worst reading slumps of my life. Because of this, I never really gained any momentum with this one. So, do not look at the length of time it took me to read this one and it does not really reflect my experience with it at all.
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However, I would not say I am in with the people who were blown away by this book or feel like the experience is life changing. I know that this story has a passionate following considering it has become the symbol of how some people feel about government in general. It is very easy to see why this is the case as this book doesn’t pull any punches in the same way that 1984 didn’t pull any punches. And, while I can 100% appreciate that, I didn’t quite connect with this as much as I had hoped. I truly think that this relates to the fact that time in my life that I met this book. Over the past few years of dealing with political debate in America, I have become quite exhausted with it all, so I think this felt like reading the news that I have been trying to avoid!
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All that being said, it is a good and thought-provoking story. If you enjoy dystopian fiction and don’t mind when it doesn’t fall too far from the reality tree, then you will find something here to scratch your reading itch.
Emergency Skin was my next (and fourth) journey into the Forward series. I have been enjoying these little bites of speculative science 3.5 to 4 stars
Emergency Skin was my next (and fourth) journey into the Forward series. I have been enjoying these little bites of speculative science fiction. So far, I would highly recommend this group of short stories to any science fiction fan.
This entry from N.K. Jemisin focuses on the question of who would really be at fault if we are forced to abandon a ruined Earth someday? In addition to this, do the people with the most money and power know what’s best for our planet as a whole? The one-sided delivery of the narrative with a lot of the responses implied is unique and not too hard to get used to. There is a lot of food for thought contained in a small package here.
Not much more to say! :) Short story, short review - but, a story worth an hour of you time!...more
I have to be honest and say that approached this short story with trepidation. My open-mindedness to review this was tainted. I have rea3 to 3.5 stars
I have to be honest and say that approached this short story with trepidation. My open-mindedness to review this was tainted. I have read two Paul Tremblay novels and didn't like either of them - REALLY didn't like either of them (1 and 2 star reviews). Of all the Forward stories, this is the only one I really didn't want to listen to.
So, today I decided to just rip off the band-aid and jump in feet first. At least it was only an hour and forty five minutes on audio so I knew if I didn't like it, I didn't have to commit too much of my time.
But, in the end, it was pretty good - definitely the best Tremblay I have read so far. It was a unique story of a post-apocalyptic world - one in which you really are not quite sure what is happening (but you can tell something is happening) for most of the story. I won't say too much more to avoid spoilers, but I will give you a hint by saying that even the last sentence of the story adds to the evolution of the plot.
The Last Conversation is a worthy entry in the Forward series and may have re-established some of my faith in Tremblay's writing . . . just a little! ...more
Another quick tale from the Forward series. This time from Veronica Roth of Divergent fame. I felt she did a great job with very few words cr4.5 stars
Another quick tale from the Forward series. This time from Veronica Roth of Divergent fame. I felt she did a great job with very few words creating a multi-faceted story dealing with loss, discovery, and figuring out what means the most to you.
I loved the fact that in such a short story there were so many powerful vignettes. I think my favorite was (view spoiler)[where they had to decide what one record album they would bring to space if they could only have one. It was an interesting combination of older technology - record player - in lieu of current technology - digital music - so that they could get to the root of what would be the perfect album to have along if it was the only one you would listen to for the rest of your life. (hide spoiler)]. Pretty cool stuff that really made me think.
I really think that is what review and rating comes down to - so much content in such a short story and all of it really got me thinking. You can't ask for much more than that! ...more
I recently got back into this series with volume 3 and thought it was great. MyThe Beauty vol. 3 was strong
The Beauty vol. 4 kind of lackluster
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I recently got back into this series with volume 3 and thought it was great. Mysterious, creepy, unique, and thought-provoking - The Beauty seemed to have it all! But, that came crashing to a halt with volume 4.
Not necessarily bad, but so strikingly different than the previous entry that it did not go down smoothly. The biggest issue for me was that it felt like it poorly transitioned into a new storyline that I did not get into until the volume was over halfway done. It is just a bad sign when I can't say to myself,"Self . . . I am really into this story."
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The art remains pretty much the same - abstract and dark - perfect for the story. There were a few times the art felt a bit different than previously, a guest artist perhaps? But, overall the same feel I have enjoyed with the rest of the series.
Summary: Okay - not mind blowing. I am sure worth reading for the continuity of the story and connecting vol 3 and vol 5. Looking forward to volume 5 and hoping it goes back to the same feel as the earlier volumes....more
The Y journey has come to an end! It was a good run . . . I am giving this volume 4 stars more as a summary of the series as a whole. As a stand aloneThe Y journey has come to an end! It was a good run . . . I am giving this volume 4 stars more as a summary of the series as a whole. As a stand alone without the rest of the series, I would go closer to 3 stars for this volume.
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Why lower on this volume, you ask? The end felt rushed to me. A whole bunch of loose ends tied up much too quickly for such an epic story. Earlier in the series they have entire volumes dedicated to events that they likely would have summed up in just a few pages in this one. The ending was okay, just too quick for my tastes!
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But, as mentioned, the series as a whole was very good and worth checking out. If you like post-apocalyptic “what if?” stories this is a very unique scenario to consider. Also, while it includes suspense and action, there is also a lot of humor and even some romance. Seems like pretty much every genre is included and it all works together well.
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Throughout the whole series the art has continued to be consistent (I love when they don’t change artists) and perfect for the story. While the regular panel to panel artwork is great, the alternative art used for the covers has been fantastic. There are many found throughout that could be framed and hung on the wall. Since the point of the graphic novel is to combine words with images, I consider this series a great success in that department!
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Sad this journey has come to an end, but I have many other great series that I am working on – of to read some more! ...more
Meh – not great, not completely awful . . . maybe not necessary. Probably will be enjoyed by hardcore Hunger Games fans. But fans may also be the mostMeh – not great, not completely awful . . . maybe not necessary. Probably will be enjoyed by hardcore Hunger Games fans. But fans may also be the most critical of it.
Much of what I have to say about this book is likely very spoilerish, so I will do my best to speak in general terms and mark spoilers where needed.
The first 2/3 of the book was pretty good and most like the original books in the series. Seems like the general plot of this part is listed in the description, but I have seen a few surprised to find out what it is about. I think it is safe to say it takes place before the original series and is basically the origin story of a main character. If Collins could have figured out a good way to quickly wrap this up after the first 2/3 of the book, I am pretty sure I would have enjoyed it much better overall.
Before I get into my critique of the last part of the book, I will say that overall this book kind of read like fan fiction. Some may not agree, but it just felt more like someone trying to add to the story other than Collins. And, notice I didn’t say bad fan fiction, just fan fiction.
So, that last 1/3 of the book (view spoiler)[ this was the shove-it-in-your-face-this-is-how-Snow-became-his-evil-self-but-not-really-all-that-interesting part of the book. I didn’t really believe the progression of the story after the Hunger Games finished. It felt very manufactured in order to get to a specific expected end point for Snow. Also, every 5 minutes Snow is REALLY PISSED about Mockingjays. It seems unreasonable and out of nowhere and, since we know the role of the Mockingjay in the original books, it really feels like Collins is saying “SEE! RIGHT THERE! THAT IS WHY SNOW HAS A DEEP-SEATED HATRED OF KATNISS WHEN SHE ADOPTS THE MOCKINGJAY PERSONA! LOOK! SEE HOW IT ALL TIES TOGETHER!!!” It was just kind of cheesy and so my interest quickly waned towards the end. By the time it was over, I kind of didn’t care anymore and was like “Okay, yeah, now Snow hates the districts and loves the capitol – next book please!” (hide spoiler)]
Give it a shot if you are a Hunger Games fan. Hopefully you will enjoy or at least you will enjoy spending some time back in a world you may not have visited much in a decade or so....more
Same decent art. Same intriguing story. This series continues to bring it!
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I have been slowly working my way through this series but loving everSame decent art. Same intriguing story. This series continues to bring it!
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I have been slowly working my way through this series but loving every minute of it. It is unique and odd and maybe not everyone’s’ cup of tea. But, the creative approach to a potentially apocalyptic event has been fleshed out in many interesting ways. There have been so many “what ifs” for the author to play with that it was probably as fun to write as it is to read!
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It appears that the next volume is the last volume of the series. I cannot say that I have felt it building up to a climax yet, so I hope it is wrapped up well. I would hate to have all this build up for a rushed and convenient ending.
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The art has remained the same but very decent throughout. I believe I mentioned in previous reviews of this series that it has more of the older comic book style in most places (think Dick Tracy or early superhero). Where the art has branched out into cool variants on the theme is with the covers, and I have included a few examples with my review.
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Excited for the next issue, but sad to see it end! ...more
My official last book of 2020 – I still had a few pages left in 2021, but most of it was read in 2020. As the main theme of the book is don’t give up My official last book of 2020 – I still had a few pages left in 2021, but most of it was read in 2020. As the main theme of the book is don’t give up hope in a beat-up world, it seems an appropriate way to end 2020 and begin 2021.
5+ Stars
The word “epic” does not even begin to describe Swan Song. While it took me many months to finish it, it is not because it was not good or hard to stay interested in. It was just that there was so much in the book that I had to savor the journey. Now that it is over, I am a little sad and a little hungover . . . but so glad I read this fantastic book!
Many compare Swan Song to King’s The Stand. It is very easy to see where the comparisons come from – the ultimate battle between good and evil in post-apocalyptic America. In The Stand, it is a plague. In Swan Song, it is nuclear war. I think that because of the nuclear holocaust in Swan Song, it is the dirtier and rawer of the two. But I think it is worth getting past the comparisons and appreciating them both as great tales on their own.
Plot and character development are both very rich in Swan Song. Everything and everyone change so much between page 1 and page 919. I will say that there is a stretch in the middle where the plot and character development does seem to slow down quite a bit to focus on some specific plot points, but this is not a complaint, just an observation. Overall, McCammon does an amazing job on every page.
I mention that this book took me several months (about half a year) to read. This does not mean that it will be a slow read for you. I can easily see someone getting really into this book and gobbling it up in less than a week. I am interested in hearing how others who read this approached the book: Devoured quickly or slowly absorbed?
If you have an interesting in post-apocalyptic stories, this might be one of the gold-standards so you should definitely check it out. Don’t be too daunted by the size – it is all there for a reason (no filler) and it is an incredible journey every step of the way. Highly recommend! ...more
As I read this book, I assumed it was written mid-2020 and was a commentary on what was going on in the world politically, with COVID, etc. When I sawAs I read this book, I assumed it was written mid-2020 and was a commentary on what was going on in the world politically, with COVID, etc. When I saw it was published in 2019, I was kind of creeped out. Wendig is some sort of prophet because the specifics of the plot are so close to the reality of the past year, it is scary! Getting into details would be a spoiler, but just know that if you try this you will be saying “No way . . . how did he know this was going to happen!?” a lot.
It is a good book and worth a read. As I have been stressed a lot by the events of the past year, maybe it wasn’t the best timing to read it, but I still got into it. For people who enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction, this is a must read. One caveat is that it is quite long – which seems to be a theme with books like these (The Stand, Swan Song, etc.) so be prepared to invest a lot of time. ...more
Kabuki is my first graphic novel of 2020, but is a revisit of an old favorite from back in the 1990s. In fact, the volume I have is apparently one of Kabuki is my first graphic novel of 2020, but is a revisit of an old favorite from back in the 1990s. In fact, the volume I have is apparently one of the originals and, as of the time I am writing this review, not able to be selected on Goodreads.
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Cool side story to start. I found this artist and series back in the 90s when I was in an alternative comic book phase. I say “alternative” because I was not into DC and Marvel, it was more Image and Dark Horse and any other “off brand” of comic. However, I did not find this book by inquiring at the local comic book store. I was helping out my mother by doing a summer acting workshop for kids in her school district. I was a theater major at the time so it seemed like a perfect summer project. As part of it, I wrote a play and directed it. In addition to school kids, some of the teachers and substitute teachers got involved. One of the substitute teachers found out that I liked comics and recommended his brother’s title . . . at this point you can probably see where this is going . . . he was David Mack’s brother and the title was Kabuki.
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I was glad that I did not have to use any of my acting chops to make his brother believe that I liked it. As soon as I picked it up, I was instantly into it. While I am a fan of both black and white and color comics, I think black and white is my favorite, which made this very appealing to me from the get go. (Another title I was very into at the time was Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise – also a black and white title).
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So, how did it hold up after all these years?
1990s me gives it 5+ stars 2020 me gives it 4 to 4.5 stars – I am going to round it up to 5 as an average between old me and new me!
Why the reduction in stars? Well, I suppose it has to do with that feeling you get when you go back and watch or read any favorite after years away from it. There is a chance it might appeal just as much, but there is also a good chance that your memory of it will shine brighter than the revisitation. I think, too, that at the time I was in college, so I was into more artsy and works. This title is very artsy and poetic to the point that the story is sometimes not straightforward and requires analysis through introspection. That just isn’t quite me as much anymore. It’s still good, but preferences change.
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If you are into really great artwork, Japanese lore, poetry, symbolism, revenge, etc. I cannot recommend this title enough. If you need your story and art to be clear and concise, you may not enjoy this one quite as much. But, for graphic novel fans who like to dabble in all aspects of the medium, I think this is a title you cannot afford to miss.
Overall, I thought that this was a great adaptation. The necessary dialogue was included – which had to be difficult with such a voluminous book. While the art was not my favorite graphic novel art, it still did a pretty good job of conveying the story (and the horror) in a visually satisfying way.
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If you are a fan of King and the graphic novel medium, I can very easily recommend that you give this a try. I suggest reading the novel first. But, if you are someone who has been interested in trying The Stand but the 1000+ page book has been too daunting so you keep putting it off, this graphic novel series should serve as a decent alternative option.
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For those reading this review who might be interested in other King based graphic novels, I am part way through the Gunslinger graphic novel series, and it is very good to. The only caveat is that last time I checked, it didn’t appear that they were going to finish it.
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The Man in Black fled . . . . off to raise some hell elsewhere!...more
I was going to go with 3 stars because while I liked it, it did not impress me as much as the first book. But, after discussing the book3.5 to 4 stars
I was going to go with 3 stars because while I liked it, it did not impress me as much as the first book. But, after discussing the book with my wife at dinner last night, I realized I got more from it than I thought, so I am upping my rating a bit.
In the afterword, Atwood hints at the fact that this was written in response to the recently renewed popularity of the first book and the current state of affairs in America. Because of this, it does kind of read like it was written to appease the fans instead of an original sequel that she came up with all on her own. I am not saying this as a good or bad thing, it’s just how it felt to me – some people really like this sort of thing, so it may be perfect for you.
I really enjoyed the first half to two-thirds of the book. At first, I was not sure how much I would remember about the first book since it has been about three years since I read it. Also, I have not been watching the TV show. But, the book did a pretty good job getting me back into the story and I thought the story and character development were both very good.
However . . . with only about 25% of the book left, for me it got kind of “Hollywood” – a bit cheesy and unbelievable. Suddenly the characters were making odd choices that felt like they served no purpose other that to move the book quickly to a resolution. To have such a rushed and far-fetched resolution to such a richly developed story/dystopian world felt kind of weird. This is where the book lost points for me.
I think that fans of the book and TV show should give this one a try and likely enjoy it. However, be prepared to find it a bit lacking compared to the first book. ...more
Y the Last Man continues to entertain with volume 8. I am always glad when a series can hold my interest for this long.
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This volume struck me asY the Last Man continues to entertain with volume 8. I am always glad when a series can hold my interest for this long.
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This volume struck me as more of a transitional volume - lots of new information, clarification of some earlier plot questions etc. But, not really any standalone storylines that climax with the end of the volume. This was good because new info is always appreciated!
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I am still loving the artwork in this one. Simple, but effective - reminiscent of earlier comic book art. Also, and I have mentioned this previously with other series, it is nice when the artist stays the same throughout the series. For me, that solid relationship between author and illustrator makes for a better book.
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Side note: while I was reading this I found out that there is a TV series of this coming out. Sign me up!...more
UPDATE 11/5/2019: This is my write in selection for the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards in the category of Graphic Novels & Comics.
That’s it . . . it’s oUPDATE 11/5/2019: This is my write in selection for the 2019 Goodreads Choice Awards in the category of Graphic Novels & Comics.
That’s it . . . it’s over!
The afterward to this volume mentions that there was not a lot of fanfare leading up to the final volume and that was the way the author wanted it. He figured if there was an announcement that issue 193 would be the last there would be a lot of expectation leading up to it. Instead it went out quietly – and, I must admit, I was surprised after this volume was released to discover that it was the last one.
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It was definitely time for the series to end. As much as I have loved the journey along the way, it has felt for a long time like things needed to wrap up. Some of the storylines felt repetitive. Some of the character tropes were getting a bit stale. I didn’t want to have what was a great series meander off into mediocrity.
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I am pleased to say that this volume did a great job wrapping things up. The ending was not necessarily happy. Not all loose ends were necessarily tied up. But, I feel like there was a satisfactory wrap up for fans of the series along with enough hints of places where things are still not perfect to leave the reader imagining what the future could possibly hold; a story that leaves a little for the reader to think on is a great story!
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The art throughout the series has remained steady. The first few issues were a different artist, but over 90% has been the same and I have enjoyed all the artwork along the way. The fact that it was black and white for every issue has been awesome. While I do enjoy when graphic novels are in color, I think that black and white is my favorite.
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Time for the dead to shamble on to other stories and other graphic novels. Their time here is done and it has been a great ride from start to finish. Congratulations to Robert Kirkman and all others involved in this journey – may they all have many more successes in the future!
I thought I liked the first book of this series, but I enjoyed this one even more! I think now that I am more used to this post-apocalyptic, steampunkI thought I liked the first book of this series, but I enjoyed this one even more! I think now that I am more used to this post-apocalyptic, steampunk world of predator cities and crazy flying machines, it is easier to just sit back, soak into the story, and enjoy the ride.
I won't say too much specifically about the story as it could end up spoiling the first book as well. I will say, though, that I figured it would just be more of the same as the first book. However, the author managed to take this specific steampunk universe he created and find new, unique ways to entertain the reader. I was very satisfied and it makes me more excited to get to book 3 than I originally was to get to book 2.
I am very sorry that the first movie didn't fare too well because I feel like this book could have served as the basis for one heck of an awesome sequel. This was even more obvious to me in that I couldn't help but try and picture what it would be like on the big screen. But, *sigh*, I will likely have to just settle for the movies in my head.
The graphic novel retelling of Stephen King's The Stand continues. I am going with 4 stars on this one instead of the full 5, and I think it comes morThe graphic novel retelling of Stephen King's The Stand continues. I am going with 4 stars on this one instead of the full 5, and I think it comes more from my long standing feelings about this section of the book than the actual graphic novel volume.
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When I first read The Stand over 20 years ago, I got bogged down in this section of the book. For those who haven't read it yet, I will continue in a spoiler tag (view spoiler)[This is the section where they are getting settled into Boulder and they keep having meetings and votes and other long discussions about the new order of things. I stopped reading it for a while back then because I started to get bored. (hide spoiler)] So, I wasn't super hyped about the graphic novel version of the part I previously had a hard time getting into.
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But, it is still one of my favorite books of all time. And, this graphic novel series has been a very good port of the original story. So, I can give it a pass. And, since the whole point of graphic novels is to hit on key points with dialogue and tell a lot (if not most) of the story with pictures, it certainly didn't drag on at all.
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I still highly recommend this series for fans of King. While I think you should read the book first, if you cannot commit to something quite that monumental, this is a very good option!
Seems like no matter what, when Rick Grimes gets involved, things fall apart!
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The post-apocalyptic adventures of The Walking Dead continue with Seems like no matter what, when Rick Grimes gets involved, things fall apart!
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The post-apocalyptic adventures of The Walking Dead continue with the newest community, (view spoiler)[The Commonwealth (hide spoiler)], that Rick and crew have come across. While seemingly an ideal new society, there is something slightly rotten festering below the surface . . .
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One of my favorite parts of post-apocalyptic fiction is seeing how the people handle each other and the rebuilding process. But, is The Walking Dead starting to get a bit repetitive? I think it is . . . not distractingly so, but it doesn’t feel like we get a whole lot of movement forward, just a whole lot of movement sideways.
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The artwork in this series has been steady for many, many volumes. I enjoy it, so no complaints – but nothing new to say about it.
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You like zombies? Well, I think they may have almost finally killed them all because I think they only appeared an about 4 pages of this volume and there were only about 10 of them. So, if you are reading this series because you like zombie action, this current storyline had ventured far away from the actual Walking Dead!
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I continue to enjoy this series, but I feel like it is at a crossroads where it needs to have a mind-blowing climax leading to the final conclusion of the series or it may start to get stale. ...more
Not quite as solid and groundbreaking as Bird Box. More of an extended epilogue to give a few more answers and perhaps a bit of resoluti3.5 to 4 Stars
Not quite as solid and groundbreaking as Bird Box. More of an extended epilogue to give a few more answers and perhaps a bit of resolution. I cannot say that I felt deeply satisfied with the experience, but it was interesting and will probably hold the attention those who really got into the mystery of Bird Box.
This book was released in mid-2020 and I really wonder how much of it Malerman had worked out after the COVID-19 pandemic started. The discussions and opinions about blindfolds in the book is very similar to the wide range of public response to face masks. So, perhaps a thinly veiled commentary (pun fully intended!)
In closing, not a wide, sweeping, and intricate narrative. Pretty basic plot, but it fills in a lot of the blanks left after Bird Box. If you enjoyed being left to wonder "why?" and "what happened?", maybe just leave this one unread and revel in the mystery of the first book. But, if you want some more answers, give this one a go!
You might find the experience "eye opening"!!! (I'm here all week, folks!) ...more
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