Book Review: Seeking the Storyteller

Book Review: Seeking the Storyteller by Jessica Walsh & Briana Lawrence Alix Andre DeBenit and Randall Fagan are Hunters, tracking down and killing monsters called “demons” that harm humans.  They’re experienced and work well together, and the Twin Cities are surprisingly monster-infested so they’re doing quite well for themselves, with a warehouse headquarters and full-time… Continue reading Book Review: Seeking the Storyteller

Book Review: Nine Strange Stories

Book Review: Nine Strange Stories edited by Betty N. Owen When I was a lad, one of the fun annual events I looked forward to was the Scholastic Book Fair.  Scholastic Publishing would send boxes of books around the country to schools so that kids could get the thrill of picking out their own low-cost… Continue reading Book Review: Nine Strange Stories

Open Thread: Minicon 53

Open Thread: Minicon 53 As noted in my previous con reports, Minicon is a yearly science fiction convention set on Easter weekend.  While Minicon 50 was a few years ago, this year is the closest to the Fiftieth Anniversary of the first Minicon, so it had the subtitle of “The Pedantic One.”  This year the… Continue reading Open Thread: Minicon 53

Open Thread: 2017 Wrap-Up

Open Thread: 2017 Wrap-Up That was a rough year, but I read a lot of books and made many posts!  As usual with these annual wrap-ups, let’s start with the top tens! Top Ten Posts of 2017 Book Review: The Financial Expert Book Review: The Woman Who Breathed Two Worlds Book Review: The Black Tulip… Continue reading Open Thread: 2017 Wrap-Up

Open Thread: Scavenger Hunts

Open Thread: Scavenger Hunts This year, I participated in Beat the Backlist (2017), which had a Harry Potter theme.  As part of this, there were four scavenger hunts, three of which I completed.  Let’s take a look at them! Related posts: Manga Review: Sword Art Online: Aincrad Comic Strip Review: Dick Tracy Movie Review: Magnum… Continue reading Open Thread: Scavenger Hunts

Book Review: The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014

Book Review: The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014 edited by Paula Guran Even the fastest, most dedicated readers can’t read everything that’s published each year.  Not even in relatively limited genres like fantasy or horror.  That’s where “Year’s Best” collections come in handy.  Someone or several someones has gone through the enormous pile… Continue reading Book Review: The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2014

Manga Review: Monster Collection: The Girl Who Can Deal with Magic Monsters, Volume 5

Manga Review: Monster Collection: The Girl Who Can Deal with Magic Monsters, Volume 5 by Sei Itoh Kasche was an apprentice summoner, gifted at bringing magical monsters from where they are to the place she needs them, and controlling them using name magic.  But her recklessness made Kasche less than popular with most of her teachers.… Continue reading Manga Review: Monster Collection: The Girl Who Can Deal with Magic Monsters, Volume 5

Magazine Review: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov/Dec 2016

The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov/Dec 2016 edited by C.C. Finlay The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction started publication in 1949.  According to Wikipedia, it was supposed to be a fantasy story version of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine as it was at the time, classic reprints mixed with new material of a higher literary… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Nov/Dec 2016

Book Review: 14 Steps to Self-Publishing a Book

Book Review: 14 Steps to Self-Publishing a Book by Mike Kowis, Esq. Disclaimer:  I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of writing this review.  No other compensation was offered or requested. Back in the day, self-publishing was the province of cranks and egomaniacs who couldn’t find a legitimate publisher.  “Vanity presses”… Continue reading Book Review: 14 Steps to Self-Publishing a Book

Book Review: Siege 13

Book Review: Siege 13 by Tamas Dobozy During World War Two, Hungary was one of the Axis powers, with its own fascists led by the Arrow Cross Party.  At first this seemed like a good idea, as Hungary gained back territories it had lost after the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  But late in the… Continue reading Book Review: Siege 13