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Ugh.. Iain Reid I am confused by the reception of this book- NPR lists it as a 2016 Best Book of the Year. After reading, I saw a Netflix adaptation article (didnt read it). I am on the borderline of meh and asking for my money back from the thriftstore it was bought from. It opens with an unnamed woman in the passenger seat of a car. She makes the mental statement -I’m thinking of ending things- which quickly shifts from a line read as suicidal to a boyfriend break up scenario. Throughout the book she has a confused personal perspective, flipping mid sentance between twitterpation and total disgust for her human companion, Jake. The car trip has purpose- a drive into the deep country with Jake in order to meet his parents for the first time. The book follows her confusing personal journey but is heavily peppered with the anonymous woman’s mental baggage- hermitism competing with loneliness, recurring night terrors, obsessiveness, strange harassing calls she won’t di...

Pre-Release, publication set for 10/17/18 A boat is a hole in the water you throw money into,” is one of thousands of sayings that denies the truth which every sailor respects: a boat is conduct into a hostile environment. Water is a hostile environment. Seafarers are so afraid of it that we make jokes about running aground, catching fire, and blowing up; accidents happen. But that danger is the bond that holds together otherwise free-spirited individuals into one cohesive lot. - River Queens Based on a review copy of the book, I was pleased that my initial impressions were shallow. Initial thoughts (after reading the leaf notes alone) were a presented heavy handedness, calling hail to the great American novel as many small publications aspire every year. Determining what I was actually to be reading required cracking the first page and just taking it on directly. The title of the book, ‘River Queens: Saucy boat, stout mates, spotted dog, America’ supported a potential hyper...

Based on a review copy: Indrajit Garai’s second collection of stories was a mixed bag of beautiful story telling and unique perspectives. Garai presents characters hailing from France and Mumbai. The language elements of this collection are complex and (while sometimes confusing) distinct.. I have never read characters this blatantly likable and vibrant. Through individual character voices, dialects, and internal monologue- I found myself slowly bonding with their worlds. The story Changing Turf was particularly wonderful and my favorite. I wanted an entire book with that storyline. Both a critique and a boon, there is a common thread that binds these stories. Across them, there is an innate optimism showing human ethics being successfully represented based on personal conviction alone. This success varies in hues depending on your perspective, but is undeniable. As a critique, this optimism at one point did feel like a masquerade, presented as a nice bow to tied an w...

More than a year after throwing this book down in frustration, I picked it back up. It was a review copy of an up and coming title, it is now getting ready for it’s first release anniversary Initially, I felt this title was uninspired and heavy handed. The plot unfolds on a satellite filled with corruption and crime syndicates. They call the satellite ‘Hardcore Station’ which sounds pornographic, like a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) porno, with a cameo by Rutger Hauer to give it some SciFi credence. Turns out it needed to be heavy handed, and aspirational (if not inspirational). Written by comic book industry veteran and author Jim Starlin, the book is a series of chapter by chapter climaxes (pun) intended to drag a reader through some dirt. Any complaint I experienced has evaporated. So what was the problem the first time I tried to read this? CONTEXT. This title associates directly to a short run comic series of the same name from 1998 that I was absolutely NOT aware of. Insert cricket...

When the storm ends: pre-release ebook review (based on a free copy) Fyi- This book could easily be renamed ‘Trigger warning’ as these are wide swathes of text in which will make readers uncomfortable, even though the overall theme if the book is catharsisl. Too many times, small press books are all potential and terrible follow through. I happily, moved to the top of my reading pile, I was not disappointed. Rebecca Marsh put together a wonderful novel. Quick synopsis- Beth Christopher is a child psychologist working a social case where she sees some similarities to herself in the way a troubled teen appears closed off and broken. Beth attempts to help 15-year-old Erin as she prepares to be tried in court for the murder of her father. Beth feels a kinship in the shared pain, having been raised in an unhappy and violent home, ultimately shuffled through the social services system. 30 years later, educated and in a stable loving marriage, Beth finds herself plagued by nightma...

Secret Weapons is a pretty interesting first volume Trade Paperback. The Single issues were released early in 2017, with the TPB in January 2018. In this universe, Psiots (read: mutants) are unsurprisingly debased, the history of this negative viewpoint is unknown. Not all of them are powerful, in fact many are considered a bit useless- like a girl who can speak to birds, a man who can conjure artifacts, but not control what useless thing will arrive when conjured. Part Mystery Men / Part X-men, Secret Weapons takes the trope in a different direction with an unusual cast of characters, abilities, and (most importantly) the delivery of the common plot.. The standard trope continues to apply for a while before diverging: Psiot rejects are housed in a school of sorts and after being attacked are spread thin without leadership. The attacks continue as they are hunted by a malevolent force. The Psiots must locate each other, team up, and overcome their shortcomings. So how does th...

Was 1976 really that long ago? 76 was a year before I was born, so I could never deny the age of Peanuts comics, but how do they stay so awesome? How do they (against odds) continue to retain their relevancy? I was on the fence when I came across this review copy. Was I taking on a strip collection that I would just snooze through? Nope. Laughed aloud and smiled a lot while I read this. Peanuts have an irreverence to them that keeps them afloat. Lucy is always an asshole, you always question Marcie’s motives (sexually), there is a demonic undercurrent to Snoopy’s belly laugh and chicanery. Ultimately, it was a great read, even if it was decades old and risked staleness from page one. Good job (RIP) Chuck Schulz I grew up with them and am helping indoctrinate my children to them. The recent feature film managed to be solid and avoided all technology references and sustained a fresh feel. I sat for two hours on the couch a couple years back researching a shared memory with my wife of th...

Based on an ARC copy. What an utterly bizarre story produced through Image comics. I enjoyed this a great deal. It is a pretty basic plot-line: Mother/Father/Son on vacation. Stop at run down theme park because they have OBVIOUSLY never watched a horror movie. Their Winnebago is stolen and they are forced to spend the night in a creepy hotel in a shitty town. Occultists in hoods surround the hotel with flaming torches (as opposed to unlit torches?). Family escapes and fights back when cornered. Surprising plot, setting, or ending? Not at all. The way it was presented won me over regardless. The art is great, appearing gritty and closer to painted art than classic comic. Every page was visually pleasing, and the characters were very human with visual flaws and awkwardness that real people would have. As described before, the story was flat and predictable from page one, but for campy horror, this is not a derogatory point, it is a sell ;) What pushed this over the line, convertin...

Based on an arc copy I have mixed feelings about Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth. It was amazing, thrilling, kept me on the edge of my seat, and made me cringe in utter dismay. Unfortunately, it also felt engineered to purpose and lackluster in completion. I am not sure if I finished it because I wanted the ending, or if it was due to just morbidity. I would definitely suggest this to others, but would be careful as to who would receive the recommendation. Baby Teeth tells the stories of Suzette (mother) and Hanna (daughter) in alternating chapters. Hanna is seven years old and highly intelligent, but when she tries to speak her words just refuse to emerge. Suzette is perpetually ill with intestinal troubles and terribly afraid of recurring health issues/ pleasing her seemingly volatile husband. Hanna perceives her mothers constant pain and irritation as a lack of love for her, a dismissal of daughter and a preoccupation with self. Seven year old Hanna tortures her mother through various...

Another comic produced through Europe Comics, creator Alain Dodier’s Aina is a little confusing for a new reader.. but not bad confusing... Perspective based on a review copy supplied by the publisher Aina is one issue in an ongoing series about Jerome K. Jerome Bloche, detective. Yes he has the name Jerome twice In this graphic novel, Bloche and friends are searching for a woman named Aina who escapes an SUV street side and is chased by a bizarre cast of characters claiming to be her employer/bodyguard/fiance. Aina speaks no English (or French as this is a translated comic). Aina is experiencing some health issues and the people searching for her are just exasperating her difficulties. Bloche must determine the real story that is driving Aina’s problems and keep her safe. Having no prior experience with him, I felt Bloche was a bit of a white bread sandwich. He is a detective and mooches rides off his friends. He wears a goofy detective ‘costume’ (hat, trench coat, and white sneak...

A few years back I read a collection of short stories by Jacob M Appel and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I get annoyed by short stories because they spit shine and pretty up a series of scenarios which end immediately after getting good, leaving me annoyed. So surprised enjoyment means job well done!  Given the opportunity to read a full novel by Appel, I took the shot and accepted an ARC copy... which sat on my digital shelf.. for a couple months..  When I finally picked  up Millard Salter’s Last Day and began reading it, I was super happy! It is an unusual story about a 75 year old man who had a wonderful life, and wants to end it on his terms while he is still strong and and respected.  Unfortunately, this novel was very enjoyable but disjointed... Throughout Millard’s final day, he visits his work, finishes tying up loose ends, disparages his son over lunch, visits his ex-wife, and visits his burial plot next to another loved one . These norma...

This video is NSFW due to some artistic nudity- The Mission Nasaru webcomic is absolutely unique. A human colony is awoken in solar cycle zero, finding a strange symbiotic relationship with a semi-sentient pink goo called the Nasaru. The Humans have no history, they know language and skills, but a blank spot exists where explanations of how/why are expected. This web comic is super interesting, and visually reminds me of Logan's Run. Users should not try to read the comics by release date, instead, head to the ‘Archive’ as your frustration will increase due to the release cycles. Driven by artist desire and Patreon votes, no part of this story line is complete, though some sections have more ‘chapters’ than others. Keep an eye on this comic. If it can get more completion and less randomness, it could really become a stunning long term scifi comic. Right now it seems to have a bit of a conflict in presentation.

I gained access to an amazing Graphic Novel recently. Europe Comics and Vanna Vinci released a biography about Marchesa Casati. Casati was not a person I was familiar with before reading this work. I was mainly drawn to the artwork seen on the cover and the general premise. As the pages unfolded, I was astounded by how fascinating her story was. This graphic novel is perfect for those as clueless as me on the subject- Marchesa Luisa Casati was an Italian heiress who squandered her fortune in a whirlwind lifetime of debauchery, extravagance, and artistry that set the stage for modern show women like Madonna and Lady Gaga. Casati was a muse for 100+ painters and artists with a desire to live opulently and without reserve. Live exotic animals, crazy technological and electrified  dresses plugged into the main power grid, expensive and vast housing. It should be noted that this is probably not the best choice for children as it is filled with lots of nudity. -- Support thi...

This is a beautiful book. I was lucky to be allowed a digital review copy of Europe Comics’ Clara. . Have you read Clara? What was your take? From my POV It is hard to say which was more impacting, the story by Christophe Lemoine or the beautiful art by Cécile. As described openly on the back of the book, Clara has a bitter/sweet story. Clara’s best friend is her mother, but her mother forgot her birthday. It wasn’t on purpose, their house was stressed because Clara’s mother has been diagnosed with a horrible illness and is dying. The story of Clara follows her on a confused journey of pain and loss, shallow understanding of the universe and meddling emotional gymnastics. Coming in at just about 56 pages, there is not a lot of room for spoilers, so we will refrain from full disclosure details. I would absolutely suggest hunting a copy of this down and reading it. -- Support this page - buying a copy of this book via the below link will cost you no extra money. -...