Book Review: Minnesota Vice by Ellen & Mary Kuhfeld As I have mentioned before, Minnesota has many fine mystery and crime writers. Mary Kuhfeld is probably best known under the pen name Monica Ferris, under which she has written nineteen Betsy Devonshire Needlework Mysteries. (Thus the subtitle “Monica Ferris Presents” for these self-published books.) Ellen… Continue reading Book Review: Minnesota Vice
Tag: winter
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
Anime Review: Erased
Anime Review: Erased (Japanese title Boku Dake ga Inai Machi “The Town Without Me” or “The Town Where Only I Am Missing”) The year is 2006, and Jun “Yuuki” Shiratori is on Death Row for the abduction and murder of three children back in 1988. Very few people still believe that he’s innocent, considering the substantial circumstantial… Continue reading Anime Review: Erased
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: The Snow Queen
Book Review: The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen Kay and Gerda are best friends who live in adjacent garrets, and often visit each other across the roof, where their parents have installed flower boxes with rosebushes. They are like brother and sister, and very happy together until one day Kay’s personality changes. He has… Continue reading Book Review: The Snow Queen
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: Wintersmith
Book Review: Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett Tiffany Aching is a witch in training. She in some ways is already a very powerful witch, and has endured some hard lessons that required growing up fast. But she’s also very much a girl who’s almost thirteen. Miss Treason, on the other hand, is over a century old… Continue reading Book Review: Wintersmith
Magazine Review: The Blueroad Reader: Stardust and Fate
Magazine Review: The Blueroad Reader: Stardust and Fate edited by John Gaterud Yes, this is yet another literary magazine; I picked up a bunch inexpensively at the book fair. This one seems to take its title from Jack Kerouac’s writing; this first issue was published in 2007. The index is unusual for this kind of… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Blueroad Reader: Stardust and Fate
Book Review: Twin Cities Noir: The Expanded Edition
Book Review: Twin Cities Noir: The Expanded Edition edited by Julie Schaper & Steven Horwitz Like the previously reviewed USA Noir, this is a collection of grittier crime stories from Akashic Books with a regional focus. In this case, the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota, and the surrounded metro area, plus one up… Continue reading Book Review: Twin Cities Noir: The Expanded Edition
Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book Four
Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book Four by Makoto Yukimura SPOILER WARNING: This review contains spoilers for earlier volumes. If you have not read them, please see my earlier reviews. This manga’s main protagonist to this point has been Thorfinn, a young Viking serving in the mercenary band of Askeladd. Years before, Askeladd treacherously slew Thorfinn’s… Continue reading Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book Four