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A strange twist on the “freaky friday” body swapping idea,  Life as I know it  takes the standard body swap and turns it on it’s ear. Jessica Taylor is walking her dog in a park when a storm rolls in. she is unlucky enough to be struck by lightning, awakening in another woman’s body. Lauren, her host, is a married mother of four, very contrasted against Jessica who is single, has a dog, and works long hours. The twist is what makes this book so above par for the commonly Disneyfied plot process. When Jessica falls asleep, Lauren wakes up, reversing when Lauren passes out. While slipping between locations/host bodies, Jessica is forced to play the mother role she is unprepared for, the wife role to a complete stranger, and balance it all with her original life. Released in the US by Bantam Books (Random House), Melanie Rose’s  Life as I know it turned out to be a very refreshing read. The novel was engrossing and as the last few chapters come closer, you will begin to wond...

Being a Firefly fan, i was very excited when, back in 2005, Dark Horse Comics announced and released Those Left Behind, the first of a possible series of Serenity comic books. I am not much of a comics reader, i go through phases where months of absorption will occur, but generally, i stick to 15-20 issues a year. i help off on reading the Serenity comics knowing that 3 issues would only wet my appetite, with months before more would be available. after three years, DHC released the next installment (three years folks, that was NOT a typo). Better Days came out, and again, i said, “bottom of the pile..”. i was itching to read them, but at this point, my browncoat soul was “okay” with waiting. i figured, eventually, i would borrow them from the bunny, or SamuraiShy.. It was again, put off. buried at the bottom of the “to be read” pile. finally, i broke down and located a copy for consumption.  good, goddamn.. how disappointing could these have turned out? both comics exist in the bl...

like an unconcerned lover, meeting you for a “nooner”, Death Troopers is quick and dirty. it doesnt ask you how you are doing or if you are getting close. when it is finished, it rolls out of bed and leaves you staring, asking “what exactly just happened”. you feel a little dirty, then you shower and get back to work. in the end, it is still a nooner, so who can scoff at that? not i. a little background info to explain the above.. as a kid, i was an avid book reader. you put it in front of me, and it would be consumed. scifi, conspiracy, historical fiction.. even the babysitters club. i was a blank template for the DnD dice rolling dork who, if 40, would still be living in the basement. a virgin, who had +60 defense against magic. i was a sucker for sci-fi movies. i watched starwars, star trek, battle star (original), buck rogers.. my dad ended up recording over our copy of The Beastmaster because my brother and i watched it far far too often. as i got older, conspiracy’s became more o...

I cannot tell you how much this book will continue to affect my brain going forward. Other scifi book series, movies, and even music i love seems to have some direct influence stemming from the Hyperion “Cantos”. As a simple and poor example, The Matrix in many ways, almost seems like an homage to the Hyperion series, with significant portions of plotline directly influenced. The shrike (agent smith), a machine boogeyman whos intents are sometimes inline with those of the web, other times seemingly contrary. Thousands of Shrike (Smiths) working toward a common goal. Squid like creatures, Artificial Deities, the convergence of mankind and machine. i dont want to give too many examples as every reference i make could be seen as a spoiler, and i dont want to be the person who ruins well earned surprises. the fictional references located while reading the first two books in this series astounded me. it is like a holy grail of geekdom. i fail to even mention that the plot is beyond incredib...

St. Martin's Paperbacks, February 2010 ISBN: 978-0-312-94613-5, ISBN10: 0-312-94613-9 , 320 pages Truly Madly arrived in my mailbox about a month ago. I had a few other books that were priority, so it took its place in line for reading. Last week, I picked it up and ran though it cover to cover in my free time. it is a fast but enjoyable read.. The basis for the story is a family whose business it is to match-make. they locate people to fill that empty hole in the hearts of their clientele. The Author is a little bit heavy handed by giving the fam a sur-name of “Valentine”. Lucy Valentine, after receiving an electrical shock at the age of 14, loses the ability to see people’s auras. auras are the bread and butter of the family business, it runs in the bloodline and is the root of a generations long legacy of great matches. Lucy’s power is now geared around touch. she can shake someones hand and find something they have lost. Lucy bombs from job to job, becoming a jack of all trades...