Book Review: A Clash of Kings

Book Review: A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin Note:  This review contains spoilers for the previous book A Game of Thrones; if you haven’t read that one yet, check out the review here. Westeros has too many kings.  In the south, the King on the Iron Throne is Joffrey Baratheon, heir to the late King… Continue reading Book Review: A Clash of Kings

Book Review: Classic American Short Stories

Book Review: Classic American Short Stories compiled by Michael Kelahan This book is more or less exactly what it says in the title, a compilation of short(ish) stories written by American authors, most of which are acknowledged as classics by American Lit professors.  The stories are arranged by author in roughly chronological order from the… Continue reading Book Review: Classic American Short Stories

Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King

Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller Disclaimer: I was provided with an Advance Reader’s Edition for the purpose of writing this review; no other compensation was offered or requested.  There will be changes in the final product; the one I know about is that the published version will have a darker… Continue reading Book Review: Daughter of the Pirate King

Comic Book Review: Joe Kubert Presents

Comic Book Review: Joe Kubert Presents by Joe Kubert and others Joe Kubert (1926-2012) was one of the all-time great comic book artists.  The bulk of his work was done for DC Comics, including many Hawkman and Sergeant Rock stories. Joe Kubert Presents was his final series, a tribute to him by the company he’d done… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Joe Kubert Presents

Book Review: Outlaws of the Atlantic: Sailors, Pirates and Motley Crews in the Age of Sail

Book Review: Outlaws of the Atlantic: Sailors, Pirates and Motley Crews in the Age of Sail by Marcus Rediker Disclaimer:  I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway for the purposes of this review.  No other compensation was offered or requested. During the Age of Sail, the deep ocean sailing ship was one of the… Continue reading Book Review: Outlaws of the Atlantic: Sailors, Pirates and Motley Crews in the Age of Sail

Manga Review: Lone Wolf & Cub Omnibus 1

Manga Review: Lone Wolf & Cub Omnibus 1 written by Kazuo Koike, art by Goseki Kojima Ogami Itto was once a samurai warrior of high rank, the official executioner for the shogunate.  He had a lovely wife and new son; life was good.  But another clan was ambitious, and framed Ogami for treason.  Under sentence of… Continue reading Manga Review: Lone Wolf & Cub Omnibus 1

Book Review: Hokas Pokas!

Book Review: Hokas Pokas! by Poul Anderson & Gordon R. Dickson The Hoka of the planet Toka are the galaxy’s best live-action roleplayers.  Given a story they find interesting, the teddy-bear-looking aliens will take on the characters as their own personalities.  And they especially love Earth stories.  Thus it is that they have entire subcultures… Continue reading Book Review: Hokas Pokas!

Book Review: The Sea-Wolf

Book Review: The Sea-Wolf by Jack London Today is an ill-omened day.  It began with a heavy fog in San Francisco Harbor, and the ferry carrying literary critic Humphrey Van Weyden colliding with another ship.  He managed to get into a life jacket, but was swept away from the other survivors by a freak tide… Continue reading Book Review: The Sea-Wolf

Book Review: The Casebook of Carnacki the Ghost Finder

Book Review: The Casebook of Carnacki the Ghost Finder by William Hope Hodgson Four men come to the house on Cheyne Walk in Chelsea when the man who owns the house, Thomas Carnacki, summons them for dinner.  They ask no questions, as they know Carnacki will wait until his own good time to tell them… Continue reading Book Review: The Casebook of Carnacki the Ghost Finder

Book Review: Ben-Hur

Book Review: Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace Judah of the house of Hur is a handsome and wealthy seventeen-year old Judean, saddened by the death of his father, but still possessed of a wise mother and sweet sister.  He’s initially pleased when his Roman friend Messala returns to Jerusalem from several years being educated in Rome.… Continue reading Book Review: Ben-Hur