Book Review: Shadow Knights: The Secret War Against Hitler

Book Review: Shadow Knights: The Secret War Against Hitler written by Gary Kamiya, illustrations by Jeffrey Smith In 1940, things were looking pretty bleak for Great Britain. Nazi Germany had swept the continent of Europe, all countries there either under its control, that of Fascist Italy, or staying neutral to avoid invasion. The Americans weren’t… Continue reading Book Review: Shadow Knights: The Secret War Against Hitler

Movie Review: Casablanca

Rick doesn't pretend he likes Ugarte, but his honest despite is more valuable to the thief than false friendship.

Casablanca (1942) dir. Michael Curtiz It is early December, 1941. In French Morocco, the port city of Casablanca, the hot night spot is Rick’s Cafe Americain. With an abundant supply of liquor, gambling, and the music of pianist/singer Sam (Dooley Wilson), it’s no surprise that “everyone comes to Rick’s.” The owner, Richard “Rick” Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), was… Continue reading Movie Review: Casablanca

Anime Review: Spy X Family

Anya knows her goal, even if she has difficulties with the specifics.

Anime Review: Spy X Family In an alternate Earth’s 1960s, an uneasy peace exists between the nations of Westalis and Ostania. There are those who have forgotten the horrors of war or even welcome them, and are working to break out of this “cold war” situation. The Westalian spy organization WISE works against those in… Continue reading Anime Review: Spy X Family

Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths

Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths by W.H. Matthews Humans have long been fascinated by structures that pack the maximum amount of path in a small space, and those that create a puzzle to move through to find a center or exit. This 1922 book was the first major work in English to take a thorough… Continue reading Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths

Movie Review: The Revenge of Frankenstein

Dr. Stein considers a point made by a colleague.

Movie Review: The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) directed by Terence Fisher When last seen in The Curse of Frankenstein, Baron Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) had been condemned to the guillotine. At the beginning of this story, he’s being marched to his execution. We see the blade fall, but two grave robbers soon discover that the Baron has somehow… Continue reading Movie Review: The Revenge of Frankenstein

Book Review: The Dark Ages

Book Review: The Dark Ages by W.P. Ker One of the first things Professor William Paton Ker (1855-1922) discusses in this book is that the term “Dark Ages” is misleading and rather nebulous in timing. That established, he sticks with it for a handy title for this survey of European literature from roughly 500-1100 A.D.… Continue reading Book Review: The Dark Ages

Book Review: Beyond Asimios: Book One

Book Review: Beyond Asimios: Book One by Martin Fossum Dr. Martin Graf has come to think of Asimios Station as his home. The first extrasolar planet that Earthlings have found possible to terraform, Asimios is almost survivable by humans for short periods. A lot of scientific advancement has come out of the project, and Dr.… Continue reading Book Review: Beyond Asimios: Book One

Book Review: The Last Séance

Book Review: The Last Séance by Agatha Christie Agatha Christie is best remembered for her tales of mystery and detection, but she didn’t confine herself to that field. She also wrote stories with elements of the supernatural, and this new volume collects twenty of them in one place, rather than in scattered anthologies. The title… Continue reading Book Review: The Last Séance

Book Review: Great Supernatural Stories: 101 Horrifying Tales

Book Review: Great Supernatural Stories: 101 Horrifying Tales compiled by Stefan Dziemianowicz This hefty volume collects a variety of public domain stories concerning the supernatural. While the majority fall roughly into the category of horror, some are more what we’d call “dark fantasy” and a handful are just “well, that’s a weird thing that happened.”… Continue reading Book Review: Great Supernatural Stories: 101 Horrifying Tales

Movie Review: Hanna (2011)

Movie Review: Hanna (2011) directed by Joe Wright Hanna (Saoirse Ronan)has been raised since infancy in an isolated cabin in the Finnish wilderness by her father Erik Heller (Eric Bana). He’s taught her survival, hunting and combat, a bunch of encyclopedia entries, and a cover story to give anyone who asks. Hanna’s grown into a strong… Continue reading Movie Review: Hanna (2011)