Book Review: The Game Master’s Book of Random Encounters

Book Review: The Game Master’s Book of Random Encounters by Jeff Ashworth I’ve been a fan of the various iterations of Dungeons and Dragons since 1979, when I first encountered people who played the game. While my involvement has waxed and waned over the years, I still enjoy reading the game products. One of the… Continue reading Book Review: The Game Master’s Book of Random Encounters

Manga Review: Orochi the Perfect Edition Vol. 3

Manga Review: Orochi the Perfect Edition Vol. 3 by Kazuo Umezz Quick recap: Orochi is a mysterious, seemingly unageing woman with vaguely-defined supernatural abilities. She wanders around Japan observing bizarre occurrences in humans’ lives, and sometimes interfering in them. As of yet, we know nothing of her own past or why she does what she… Continue reading Manga Review: Orochi the Perfect Edition Vol. 3

Movie Review: The Return of Dracula (1958)

Dracula's coffin is not well-ventilated.

Movie Review: The Return of Dracula (1958) directed by Paul Landres It is a known fact that Count Dracula (Francis Lederer) is a real person, a vampire who drains the blood of the living and creates others of his kind. He’s been terrorizing central Europe for decades, evading attempts to permanently destroy him. At the beginning… Continue reading Movie Review: The Return of Dracula (1958)

Webtoon Review: Disenchantment Seasons 4-5

Bean and Mora get a little careless about motorcycle safety.

Webtoon Review: Disenchantment Seasons 4-5 Note: This review contains SPOILERS for Seasons 1-3. If you’re sensitive to that, you may want to check out my earlier reviews first. Quick recap: Rambunctious princess (and for a while queen) Bean and her friends, wimpy half-elf Elfo and tempter demon Luci, have gone through many adventures together in… Continue reading Webtoon Review: Disenchantment Seasons 4-5

Book Review: Scarecrow

Book Review: Scarecrow edited by Rhonda Parrish This anthology is part of the “Magical Menageries” series, each volume focusing on a different type of critter. A previous volume, Corvidae, dealt with crows of various types. Thus it’s not surprising that there’s a collection featuring their archenemies. While the aesthetic of humanoid beings of straw lends… Continue reading Book Review: Scarecrow

TV Review: Seven Swordsmen

Master Shadowglow sets some high expectations.

TV Review: Seven Swordsmen aka “Seven Swords Descend from Mount Heaven” In 17th Century China, the Qing Dynasty now rules where once the Ming Dynasty did. Many Han resent their new Manchu overlords and pockets of rebellion are everywhere. To help quell the resistance, the Qing have banned the practice of martial arts by ordinary… Continue reading TV Review: Seven Swordsmen

Book Review: The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories Vol. 1

Book Review: The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories Vol. 1 Edited by James D. Jenkins & Ryan Cagle As has been mentioned in reviews on this blog before, there is a lot of literature from around the world published every year that English-only folks never get to read because it’s in other languages and… Continue reading Book Review: The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories Vol. 1

Webtoon Review: Dragon’s Dogma

The eponymous dragon.

Webtoon Review: Dragon’s Dogma Cassardis is a sleepy fishing village, very little new or exciting things happen there, and the local garrison of soldiers is bored to distraction as honestly there’s nothing to protect the village from. The most interesting person in Cassardis is Ethan, whose youthful ocean-based trauma means he spends his days going… Continue reading Webtoon Review: Dragon’s Dogma

Movie Review: The 13th Warrior

Ahmed has toughened up a bit from his first appearance.

Movie Review: The 13th Warrior (1999) directed by John McTiernan Ahmed ibn Fahdlan (Antonio Banderas) was not always a warrior. Once he was a poet, esteemed for his skill with words. But then he fell in love with another man’s wife, and to avoid scandal, Ahmed was sent as an ambassador to the far north. There,… Continue reading Movie Review: The 13th Warrior

Book Review: The Diamond Cave Mystery

Book Review: The Diamond Cave Mystery by Troy Nesbit Chuck Bennett’s father runs the Trading Post near Carlsbad, New Mexico, home of the famous Carlsbad Caverns. Being out in the sticks, Chuck doesn’t normally have kids his own age (fifteen) to hang out with, but this summer he’s joined by Hal Cassidy, son of oil… Continue reading Book Review: The Diamond Cave Mystery