Book Review: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

Book Review: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson One hundred years ago this month, May 7, 1915, the Cunard Lines ocean liner Lusitania was sunk by a German submarine, the U-20, killing over a thousand crew and passengers (and three German stowaways whose true identities were never determined.)  123 of… Continue reading Book Review: Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

Magazine Review: Pirate Stories November 1934

Magazine Review: Pirate Stories November 1934  Some of the pulp magazines went for very specialized subjects, so it’s not a surprise to find one dedicated entirely to stories about pirates.  As this was the first issue, there’s an publisher’s note indicating that there will be stories about pirate of the past, present and future (it… Continue reading Magazine Review: Pirate Stories November 1934

Book Review: Red Randall on Active Duty

Book Review: Red Randall on Active Duty by R. Sidney Bowen Red Randall and his buddy Jimmy Joyce have completed their flight training and been assigned to a base in Darwin, Australia.  They’re looking forward to getting some revenge against the Japanese for Pearl Harbor, but there’s not much excitement at the moment.  Until suddenly… Continue reading Book Review: Red Randall on Active Duty

Book Review: Average

Book Review: Average by J.C. Thompson Quin is just your average boy, not particularly good at anything, getting by okay in school, nursing a huge crush on a girl who doesn’t seem to notice he exists…his father, on the other hand, is Ultrarian, one of the world’s most powerful superheroes. Ultrarian doesn’t seem to quite… Continue reading Book Review: Average

Book Review: Billy Smith Shanghaied Ace

Book Review: Billy Smith Shanghaied Ace by Noël Sainsbury, Jr. William “Billy” Smith, noted teen aviator, has been called to Australia by a wealthy banker, Mr. Clafflin whose daughter Janet was on the missing passenger liner GLORIA (sic).  The banker believes that the ship was not sunk, but is stranded off course somewhere in the… Continue reading Book Review: Billy Smith Shanghaied Ace

Book Review: Double Jump

Book Review: Double Jump by Jason Glaser Jeremy Chin didn’t notice anything odd about his world until the day it was destroyed by a sparkling dust dumped from an airship.  He dives into a swimming pool, and blacks out.  When he awakens in a hospital, Jeremy appears to be in a different world altogether.  He’s… Continue reading Book Review: Double Jump

Comic Book Review: Oddly Normal Book 1

Comic Book Review: Oddly Normal Book 1 by Otis Frampton Life is not good for Oddly Normal (who was named after her great-aunt.)  As the product of a human/witch marriage, her green hair and pointed ears make her stand out in her small town elementary school.  She’s constantly bullied and treated as a freak.  Worse,… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Oddly Normal Book 1

Anime Review: Silver Spoon

Ooezo Agricultural High School is the best agricultural vocational/technical school in Hokkaido, and farm kids from all over the territory come there to pursue an education.  But there’s a different student this year.  Yuugo Hachiken is from the big city of Sapporo, and for…reasons…has decided to join the dairy science program at Ooezo in lieu… Continue reading Anime Review: Silver Spoon

Book Review: Headstrong

Book Review: Headstrong by Rachel Swaby This is a collection of short biographical sketches of women who made advancements in various scientific fields.  According to the introduction, it was inspired when the New York Times ran an obituary of Yvonne Brill that listed her home cooking as her most important accomplishment, followed by being a wife… Continue reading Book Review: Headstrong

Book Review: The Vanishing Airliner

Book Review: The Vanishing Airliner by Van Powell Rodney Ellis is the son of an aircraft designer whose firm is on the verge of bankruptcy after the Crash of 1929 and the crash of a previous airplane designed by his company.  Mr. Ellis’ one hope is his new airliner, the Oakland Queen.  He hopes to demonstrate… Continue reading Book Review: The Vanishing Airliner