Grasping for the Wind

Book Review: Iron Man - Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels

* Genre: Nonfiction, Media Tie-In, Graphic Novels
* ISBN: 0345506154
* ISBN-13: 9780345506153
* Format: Paperback, 224pp
* Publisher: Del Rey
* Pub. Date: April 2008

Sometimes reading about fictional characters can be almost as fun as reading the stories themselves. If this were not the case, there would be no controversy of the Harry Potter encyclopedia that J. K. Rowling hates so much. There would be no need to have a Star Trek or Star Wars encyclopedia (both of which I read cover to cover in high school, thrice). Such nonfiction works add to the experience of a book or series we enjoyed immensely - be on the look out for a biography of Robert Jordan in the coming years, mark my words – and nothing jump starts this phenomenon better than the movie industry.

So with the immensely successful release of the Iron Man movie a couple of weeks ago, you are certain to be able to walk into your local bookstore and find several re-printings and new volumes on this rather iconic character. Publisher Del Rey and Author Andy Mangels’ contribution is Iron Man: Beneath the Armor a retrospective look at the comic book hero from his inception up to the recent release of his first live action film, starring Robert Downey Jr.

Thoroughly researched, Mangels’ book takes us all the way back to Iron Man’s first appearance in Tales of Suspense, and looks at creator Stan Lee’s influences. From there the reader progresses through the birth of Iron Man’s own comic, the constantly shifting roles that Tony Stark/Iron Man play in the Marvel Universe. Much of this story is told from interviews that the artists and writers had given over the years, and Iron Man’s story comes to light through the eyes of his creators. Mangels then brings all of these interviews together to show the recurring theme of the Iron Man character, the concept of an ordinary man doing ordinary things. Page after page this comes through, and yet all the while we learn the strange and convoluted history of Iron Man.

Anyone familiar with the comic book hero will know that his story is one of the most complex in the Marvel universe. His comic book was killed and brought back numerous times, had occasions where only four books were produced in a year, and even grew from a more kid-friendly character to an angst and guilt ridden adult one. Mangels skillfully shows all the various incarnations of Iron Man and deftly explains the whys and wherefores of the various directions the Iron Man comic has taken.

I had always wondered why comic book characters would appear in other comics, or would have side stories unrelated to the original. Ever wonder why the TV character you loved to watch as a kid bares only superficial resemblance to the character of today? Or why Iron Man’s back story changed so many times? This all is explained in Iron Man: Beneath the Armor in an engaging manner. Even those readers unfamiliar with the comic will learn about how the comic book industry works in this work. But Mangels doesn’t bog the reader down in excessive facts.

This glossy, full color book does have some difficulties. Some of the quotes that Mangels’ chooses to help us understand the character of Tony Stark/Iron Man can tend to keep ringing the same bell, even when coming from different people. This can feel repetitious. The watermarking that the book uses can also be distracting. Some of the text is overlaid on top of a picture or design, but the designs were not made subtle enough, resulting in some of the words fading into the background. This causes the reader to have to peer closely at the words, causing an uncomfortable squint, which hurts after a while.

Iron Man: Beneath the Armor also has extensive character profiles (almost a full quarter of the book) which are very helpful, especially in understanding the evolutions of the characters. Anyone researching the characters will find these useful. They are also just fun to read, much like when we read a biography of a famous celebrity. We feel closer to the character and that much more connected to their story.

As a supplement to the movie, Iron Man: Beneath the Armor is superb. As a work in its own right, it is extremely helpful in understanding the comic book industry by examining the permutations of the character of Iron Man. All Iron Man fans need to add it to their library, collectors should use it as a resource for identifying missing issues, artists will learn about the re-envisioning common to comic books, and writers will learn about how even the most established character can be taken in new directions. I highly recommend Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels as a visual and intellectual feast.

Book Review: Henry V by Classical Comics

* Genre: Graphic Novel, Literature, Drama
* ISBN: 1906332002
* ISBN-13: 9781906332006
* Format: Paperback, 144pp
* Publisher: Classical Comics
* Pub. Date: November 2007

Depending on how you look at it, most of us were forced or fortunate enough to read many of the greatest works of fiction in junior and high school. I’m sure you remember breezing through the novels you loved and slogging through the books you hated. If you are young enough, you likely remember trying to find the video version as well.

But perhaps most difficult of all these classics of literature we read was the works of Shakespeare. AS an Elizabethan writer, his English was archaic, and while teachers assured us it was filled with innuendo (or maybe it was fellow students?) we never could quite get the story. Many times, this was due to the fact that we were reading the work of a playwright, but were unable to see the work actually performed. Sometimes we might be fortunate enough to go to a Shakespeare festival, and maybe we say one on microfilm or VHS, but that was one class in a quarter, and never allowed us to engage the dry text before us.

Enter Classical Comics. This UK based publisher has done what others have been unable to do. Namely, give us a visual representation to go alongside the text of the Great Bard’s plays. Using the graphic novel format, Classical Comics gives teacher and students (plus those of us who love good literature) a fun and interesting way to enjoy the works of Shakespeare.

You might say that this has been done before and I agree it has been tried for all sorts of classics. But most of the time, they use abridged versions, dumbed down to fit on the page and leave more room for artwork. Not so Classical Comics. They give us not one version, but three. There is the unabridged version, best for the high school student or adult, the plain text version, which uses modern English to give us the gist of the Bard’s meaning, and the quick text version, which is a great way to introduce potential lovers of the classics, especially elementary age children.

For Classical Comics first book, they chose Henry V, probably the most action packed and inspiring of Shakespeare’s plays. Obviously, most readers will be familiar with the play itself, so I won’t go into detail here, but suffice it to say that its words are as awesome as ever.

Classical Comics has really done a good job translating the words into images. (Unfortunately, this example doesn't have the text, but you can look at more complete versions in pdf format at the website.) Although the artwork is a little bit on the cartoony side (rounded edges, not much in the way of sharp lines, it reminds me of early Disney films) it is well laid out, and the text is never crammed into the panels. And yet the full text is there.

The marriage of artwork and text is important, especially when so many students are historically illiterate. They have difficulty picturing how some of the characters may have dressed or what the country side might have looked like. Classical Comics recreates these things as best they can, allowing students and readers to see with their eyes as well as their minds.

Additionally, the work contains historical background at the end of the volume on Shakespeare, the Globe Theater, the time period as well as a discussion of just how they transformed the work from dry, dusty page to colorful, interesting comics. And you don’t have to take my word for it. Says Patrick Stewart, skilled Shakespearean actor and Captain Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek: TNG fame, “I find them gripping, dramatic and, although for me the original Shakespeare is always my reason for turning to these plays, I think that what you are doing in illuminating and making perhaps more lucid, especially for young people, is clever and meaningful.”
Need any more be said?

For me, this really revived my interest in the works, and if I were still a teacher, I would have been sure to use it in my classroom. I would even recommend giving these books out as the text to use. Having a picture to go with the words, and having the ability to access a plain English text is of inestimable value to the teacher and the student.

If you want to read the classics, but are afraid after bad experiences in your youth, Classical Comics has the solution for you. Their next volumes include Macbeth, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, as well as works by Charles Dickens and Mary Shelley. Although the longer novels will be abridged versions I’m still looking forward to all of them, especially since I know that Classical Comics will give me interesting artwork to go with the story.

I highly recommend reading Henry V as one of the greatest epics of all time, and I recommend these particular editions from Classical Comics as the best for understanding the plays, short of seeing it them performed live.

You can read samples at their site in PDF format, to get a taste of what the books look and read like.

Book Review: Sojourn Volume 6 - The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land

* Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel
* ISBN: 1933160721
* ISBN-13: 9781933160726
* Format: Paperback, 172pp
* Publisher: Checker Book Publishing Group, LLC
* Pub. Date: October 2007

I should have been prepared for this. After all, CrossGen did go out of business and that is hardly Checker BPG’s fault, but I am disappointed that Sojourn Volume 6: The Bezerker’s Tale did not complete the Sojourn story.

In this final (?) volume of the Sojourn graphic novel, Arwyn and friends go into the North, to seek the final piece of Adyn’s arrow. In the meantime, Mordath sets a bounty hunter on Arwyn’s trail, and then sets off on a mission all his own. In this volume of the Sojourn tale Arwyn really makes use of her arrows against a bezerker, an enspelled troll. The action in this volume is greater than in the last, and the fight against the bezerker long and protracted, ending in a way I could not have predicted.

This volume collects issues #31 through #34 of the original comic. Additionally, it also contains the prequel for the series, which introduces us to Mordath the warrior, who is later resurrected as Mordath the sorcerer. The prequel is interesting and really turns Adyn the Archer into quite an enigmatic character. I’d like to know more a lot more of his history, and his relationship to Arwyn.

The final issue (#34) lacked the coloring depth of the previous issues. The color reminded me more of original comics from the 1940’s than the more vibrant comics of our current age. The artwork seemed all washed out, rather then having the detail and vibrancy of the previous issues. This was something of a disappointment to me, since I had come to equate the Sojourn series with very vivid coloring. The rest of the comics continue that tradition, and I think that the impending bankruptcy of CrossGen might have had something to do with it.

The story is also incomplete. I’m sure that Ian Edgington and Greg Land have completed the tale, but unfortunately we do not have a complete story for the reader in printed form. My hope is that Checker will work to have the tale finished, now that they have the rights to the story.

Still, all in all, Sojourn Volume 6: The Bezerker’s Tale continues to provide great artwork and an interesting story with several plot twists, including new and unexpected characters. Although we are left wondering at the fate of Arwyn, Cassidy, and Gareth, characters whose stories I have come to enjoy, it doesn’t detract from the story, it only makes me wish it could be completed. I continue to recommend reading the Sojourn series to anyone who enjoys good comics with great color but who prefers traditional fantasy to the popular urban fantasy, manga, or the superhero tales more often found in graphic novels.

The Manga Bible

Found out about this today. I should have seen it coming. Still, it might be interesting to take a look at it, even if it seems a little off the wall. The Manga Bible is a new product from Doubleday that is trying to bring the Bible relevance, especially to young folks who like Manga style books.

The New York Times article says that:

In the Manga Bible, whose heroes look and sound like skateboarders in Bedouin gear, Noah gets tripped up counting the animals in the Ark: “That’s 11,344 animals? Arggh! I’ve lost count again. I’m going to have to start from scratch!”

Abraham rides a horse out of an explosion to save Lot. Og, king of Bashan, looms like an early Darth Vader. The Sermon on the Mount did not make the book, though, because there was not enough action to it."

Personally I think while it might be entertaining to read (I mean the Bible is chock full of sex and violence, its like Terry Goodkind on steroids) it is sacrificing relevance for truth in a lot of cases. And it isn't complete anyway.

So would you read it? The US edition only costs $12.95.

What do you think of the idea of a Manga Bible?

Book Review: A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi

* Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel
* ISBN: 0975380893
* ISBN-13: 9780975380895
* Format: Paperback, 200pp
* Publisher: Checker Book Publishing Group, LLC
* Pub. Date: June 2005

Although visually stunning, Thomas Mosdi and Emmanuel Civiello’s A Bit of Madness is a difficult work to understand, at least initially. Ostensibly, the story is an adventure tale about a denizen of fairyland named Igguk. Summoned by the queen of fairies to attend her, Igguk arrives (after a few side adventures) only to find her dying. But the death of the queen of fairies will cause darkness to reign over the land, and Igguk must find an artifact, the “bit of madness” of the title to restore Faerie to its rightful state.

This epic fantasy tale, originally serialized in Heavy Metal is rather a difficult one to follow. Frenchman Civiello has created a visually stunning work, each panel in the graphic novel an art masterpiece in the Pre-Raphaelite tradition. But as stunning as each panel is, it is often hard to identify what action is taking place, as the perspectives often make it difficult to see the primary action referenced by the text. There are also very few narrative boxes, so the reader will have to rely entirely on the dialogue to understand what is going on. This is especially difficult because the dialogue is often vague or simply is reactions to an action you cannot identify in the artwork.

If you persevere through its faults, you will find that this story is about the world-realms of humanity and faerie and the consequences of their interaction. Drawing on Shakespeare and Celtic mythology, Mosdi and Civiello have created a great game between Merlin the magician and the Lucifer-like Oberon, the King of Faerie. This comic is a lament on the death of faerie, something destroyed with the advent of Christianity.

It is an interesting concept, and as I said, the artwork is stupendous. The narrative weaves together some of the icons of various mythologies (Merlin, the ravens of Norse Myth, the fomorians of Celtic myth and even giants) to create a story about the end of magic. However, although by the end of the novel the reader will know that is the intent, I found that the narrative wandered all over the place (perhaps a result of its serialization), and that I would have been better off knowing the ending before entering the story. I actually suggest you read the last page before you begin, so that you will better understand the broader context.

Civiello has done a masterful job in creating amazing artwork. This comic is wonderful to read just for the pictures. I thought the narrative sloppy and unconnected, but I cannot deny that I was drawn into each panel by the imagery. I recommend you pick up this oversize (23 x 32 centimeters), coffee table comic to enjoy the artwork for itself.

It is a very complex comic that will make you dizzy trying to figure it out (making the title descriptive of both its content and the reader's reaction to it). Your best bet is to let the story unfold, and remember that it is echoing the sometimes not so succinct myths of an earlier time. If you choose to read this, be aware that it will be difficult to read, but that each full-color page is wonderful to look at. Take your time and enjoy the colors and artistry of A Bit of Madness.

Devil's Due to Publish Worlds of D&D

Looks like Devil's Due Publishing is going to anthologize some of the best short stories from Wizards of the Coast role-playing worlds. Eberron, Ravenloft, Dragonlance, and Forgotten Realms will all be included in the 48 page monthly comic.

Said James Lowder, the chief editor:

Each issue of Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons will feature two stories from Wizards of the Coast's bestselling fantasy settings, including the Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Ravenloft, and Eberron," Lowder said. Issues 1 and 2 will adapt R.A. Salvatore's "Dark Mirror," starring the Forgotten Realms' most famous drow, Drizzt Do'Urden, with a script by Nick Schley (Abiding Perdition, "Red Lotus") and art by Rafael Kayanan (Conan, Star Wars, Spider-Man), and Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's "The Legacy," featuring the world of Krynn's most infamous wizard, Raistlin Majere, with a script by Neil Kleid (Brownsville, Ninety Candles, X-Men Unlimited), and art by Javier Sanchez Aranda (Hellina).

Future issues of Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons will feature a wide array of iconic characters, including the arch-wizard Elminster, the vampire Strahd von Zarovich, and the death knight Lord Soth," according to Lowder. "Writers will include authors familiar to comics readers, as well as fans of fantasy fiction and role-playing games: Jeff Grubb, Ed Greenwood, Richard Knaak, Elaine Cunningham, P.N. Elrod, Monte Cook, Keith Baker, and Stan Brown, many of them scripting the adaptations of their own short stories.

This is going to be awesome. I hope they put them into TPB's as well, since I don't subscribe to comics usually.

DC Comics' Zuda Competition

John Zakour, author of The Blue Haired Bombshell and a really funny guy, sent me an email yesterday detailing his submission to the Zuda comics competition.

Starting Monday January 7th I'll be part of DC's comic Zuda. (www.zuda.com) This is kind of like "American Idol" for comics. Each month DC picks 10 competitors and puts their work online for the public to judge and vote on. The winner at the end of each much receives a contract from DC to produce their comic for at least a year.

The comic I wrote, Demons in the Closet, debuts on the site on the 7th. Demons, which is drawn by the very talented Amy Watson (from Texas), centers around a teen named Sky who one evening discovers that his sister's closet is nexus to another dimension filled with powerful demons. Only Sky and his sister can open the closet, letting the demons in or out. Amasta, the demons beautiful leader, insists that she and her minions are just here to "help". She also warns Sky that there are other demons and some humans who would stop at nothing to have control of the closet. It's up to Sky to figure out who he can and can't trust.

So if you get a chance go to www.zuda.com and check out Demons in the Closet. (Registering and voting and comments appreciated.)

I went and took a look. Registering is free and easy. Demons in the Closet has Zakour's characteristic good humor and seems like it has potential for a good comic. The competition looks stiff so we'll see how it goes. Each comic in the competition is only eight pages and is put together in flash player, so it is really easy to quickly read them. If you like comics you'll enjoy this competition.

A Year of Reading 2008

This is a continually updated list of all the books I have read in the year 2008. Links are to reviews I have written for some of these books. You can also look at my list for 2007.

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

January

Series 65: Uniform Investment Adviser Law Exam Manual by Kaplan Financial
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay
Instant Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
In The Beginning by the editors at mental_floss
Eberron: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy edited by W. H. Horner
Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham
A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley
Dragon Outcast by E. E. Knight

February

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
Breach the Hull edited by Mike McPhail
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
Blood Ties by Pamela Freeman
Sojourn Volume 6: The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Forgotten Realms: Neversfall by Ed Gentry
Infoquake by David Louis Edelman
The Golden Cord by Paul Genesse
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

March

The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells
Madhouse by Rob Thurman
The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael Stusser
The Hidden City by Michelle West
Klassic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings by Lee Barwood
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Growingold with B. C. by Johnny Hart

April

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Small Favor by Jim Butcher
Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore
Misspelled edited by Jule E. Czerneda
Flash Fiction Online, April 2008 edited by Jake Freivald
Rolling Thunder by John Varley
Empress by Karen Miller
Phytosphere by Scott Mackay
Goblin War by Jim C. Hines
Return of the Sword edited by Jason M. Waltz

May

Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge by Jess Lebow
Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels
The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt
Bloodheir by Brian Ruckley
The Martian General's Daughter by Theodore Judson
The Four Forges by Jenna Rhodes
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan

June

A Darkness Forged in Fire by Chris Evans
Wizards edited by Jack Dann and Gardner Dozois

July

August

September

October

November

December

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

A Year of Reading 2007

The Year is Done! I hope you had a great one and have high hopes for 2008. Below is a list of all the books I read in 2007 (I like to keep track because I am just that hyper-organized). The final five have reviews written that I just haven't posted because every review deserves a suitable amount of time at the top of the blog. You will see them in January of 2008.

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

January

Tuf Voyaging by George R. R. Martin
Condensed Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss
Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott
In the Ruins by Kate Elliott
Gifts by Ursula K. Le Guin
Changing Planes by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
Monks and Mystics by Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire by Simon Winchester
Dying of the Light by George R. R. Martin
Life@Work by John Maxwell
The Children of Men by P.D. James
Forgotten Realms: Frostfell by Mark Sehestedt
The Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis

February

The Magic of Recluce by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Forgotten Realms: Sacrifice of the Widow by Lisa Smedman
Dragon Champion by E. E. Knight
Forgotten Realms: Double Diamond Triangle Saga by Various Authors
Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky
Forbidden Knowledge by the editors at mental_floss

March

Three Blind Mice and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
Rome 2006 by Rick Steves
Supplement to the Italian Dictionary by Bruno Munari
Keats and Italy by Various Authors
The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers
Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Night by Elie Wiesel
Dachshunds for Dummies by Eve Adamson
Legend by David Gemmell
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe by James M. Ward

April

Forgotten Realms: Depths of Madness by Erik Scott de Bie
The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories by Agatha Christie
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Shakespeare's Kings by John Julius Norwich
On Becoming a Leader by Warren Bennis
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
Black Gate: Issue 10 Spring 2007 by John O'Neill (ed.) and Howard Andrew Jones (ed.)
Forgotten Realms - Unclean: The Haunted Lands, Book I by Richard Lee Byers

May

Dragon Avenger by E. E. Knight
Eldest by Christopher Paolini
Scatterbrained by the editors at Mental_Floss
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
Real Estate Finance for Investment Properties by Steve Berges
The Clerk's Tale by Margaret Frazer
The Bastard's Tale by Margaret Frazer
The Hunter's Tale by Margaret Frazer
Forgotten Realms - The Gossamer Plain: The Empyrean Odyssey Book 1 by Thomas M. Reid
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The King's Buccaneer by Raymond E. Fiest
The King Beyond the Gate by David Gemmell
The Unhandsome Prince by John Moore
A Fate Worse than Dragons by John Moore
Maskerade by Terry Pratchett
The Truth by Terry Pratchett
Carpe Jugulum by Terry Pratchett

June

Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett
The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Night Watch by Terry Pratchett
Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
The Restorer by Sharon Hinck
Another Fine Myth/Myth Conceptions by Robert Asprin
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Father of Dragons by L. B. Graham

July

Black History Through Blue Eyes: The Debt the World Owes to Africa by James Seymour
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Forgotten Realms: Scream of Stone, The Watercourse Trilogy Book III by Philip Athans
The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
The Widow's Tale by Margaret Frazer
A Rhyming History of Britain by James Muirden, David Eccles (Illustrator)

August

More Than A Hobby by David Green
Real Estate Investment Trusts: Structure, Performance, and Investment Opportunities by Su Han Chan, John Erickson, Ko Wang
Tipperary: A Novel by Frank Delaney
Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made by Robert M. Poole
Forgotten Realms: The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson
A Life Well Spent: The Eternal Rewards of Investing Yourself and Your Money in Your Family by Russ Crosson
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
The Telling by Ursula K. Le Guin

September

Black Gate Issue #11 by John O'Neill (ed.)
The Surrogates by Robert Venditti, Brett Weldele
Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp
Forgotten Realms: Swords of Dragonfire by Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Honored Enemy by Raymond E. Feist and William R. Fortschen
Murder in LaMut by Raymond E. Feist and Joel Rosenberg
Forgotten Realms: Storm of the Dead by Lisa Smedman
The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What it Means for All of Us by Robyn Meredith
The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller
Union of Renegades by Tracy Falbe
Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley

October

Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell
The Sagittarius Command by R. M. Meluch
The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell
Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines

November

Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead
The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Forgotten Realms: Stardeep by Bruce Cordell
The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller
Forgotten Realms: The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore
Ragamuffin by Tobias Buckell
A Prayer for the Damned by Peter Tremayne
The Blue Haired Bombshell by John Zakour
Hedge Hunters by Katherine Burton
Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy edited by W. H. Horner
Shimmer, The Pirate Issue edited by John Joseph Adams

December

Eberron: The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme
Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick
Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond by Rosemary Jones
Fellowship Fantastic by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes
Genetopia by Keith Brooke
The Tales of the Last War edited by Mark Sehestedt
Bad A** Faeries edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Robin Hood and the Beasts of Sherwood by Clayton Emery
Tides by Scott Mackay
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

Spider-Man and the UN join Forces in New Comic

According to MSNBC and the Financial Times, the UN has commissioned Marvel comics to create a comic that teams up the United Nations and some of Marvel's best known superheroes to fight along with UN peacekeepers in a fictional war-torn country. The first 1 million copies will be distributed free to US schoolchildren. It doesn't say which characters other than Spider-Man will be included but one can hope that Captain America gets to help too.

It is an interesting idea. One that was used before. "The latest U.N. initiative is not the first time U.S. comics have been used for political purposes. During World War II, superheroes were shown taking on Germany’s Nazi regime. Marvel’s Captain America, together with other characters such as Superman, were shown beating up Adolf Hitler."

I'd like to read a copy too. This looks pretty interesting.

PS: Today is Stan Lee's birthday. Thanks for the years of entertainment Stan!

Book Reviews by Title

These are the my book reviews, categorized alphabetically by the title. (Click here for categorization by author.) "The" doesn't count towards the title.

You can also subscribe to an RSS feed of my reviews at librarything.

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

A

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
A Rhyming History of Britain by James Muirden (author) and David Eccles (illustrator)
Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
Are Women Human? by Dorothy Sayers
Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
The Awakened Mage by Karen Miller

B

Bad-A** Faeries edited by Danielle Ackley-McPhail (et al.)
Badger's Moon by Peter Tremayne
Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy edited by W. H. Horner
Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Beyond the Summerland by L. B. Graham
Breach the Hull edited by Mike McPhail
A Bit of Madness by Emmanuel Civiello and Thomas Mosdi
Black Gate: Issue #11 edited by John O'Neill
Black History Through Blue Eyes: The Debt the World Owes to Africa by James Seymour
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
Bloodheir by Brain Ruckley
Blood Ties by Pamela Freedman
The Blue-Haired Bombshell by John Zakour

C

The Children of Men by P. D. James
The Clerk's Tale by Margaret Frazer
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
The Court of the Air by Stephen Hunt
The Crown of Stars Series by Kate Elliott
Crystal Rain by Tobias Buckell
Condensed Knowledge by the editors of mental_floss

D

Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison
The Dead Guy Interviews by Michael Stusser
The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells
Dragon Champion by E. E. Knight
Dragon Outcast
The Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis
Dying of the Light by George R. R. Martin

E

Eberron: Bound by Iron by Edward Bolme
Eberron: The Orb of Xoriat by Edward Bolme
Eberron: The Tales of the Last War by Mark Sehestedt
The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What it Means for All of Us by Robyn Meredith
Empress by Karen Miller
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Explorer's House: National Geographic and the World It Made by Robert M. Poole

F

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Fellowship Fantastic by Martin H. Greenberg and Kerrie Hughes
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Flash Fiction Online, April 2008 edited by Jake Freivald
Forgotten Realms: The City of Splendors by Elaine Cunningham and Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Crypt of the Moaning Diamond by Rosemary Jones
Forgotten Realms: The Gossamer Plain by Thomas M. Reid
Forgotten Realms: The Howling Delve by Jaleigh Johnson
Forgotten Realms: Obsidian Ridge by Jess Lebow
Forgotten Realms: The Orc King by R. A. Salvatore
Forgotten Realms: Road of the Patriarch by R. A . Salvatore
Forgotten Realms: Shadowstorm by Paul S. Kemp
Forgotten Realms: Stardeep by Bruce Cordell
Forgotten Realms: Swords of Dragonfire by Ed Greenwood
Forgotten Realms: Unclean by Richard Lee Byers

G

Genetopia by Keith Brooke
The Gift of Pain by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey
Glory Road by Robert Heinlein
Green Rider by Kristen Britain
Goblin Hero by Jim C. Hines
Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines
Goblin War by Jim C. Hines
The Golden Cord by Paul Genesse
Grimspace by Ann Aguirre
Growingold with B.C. by Johnny Hart

H

Hedge Hunters by Katherine Burton
Henry V (Classical Comics Edition) by William Shakespeare
Heroes Adrift by Moira J. Moore
The Hidden City by Michelle West
Honored Enemy by Raymond E. Feist and William R. Fortschen
Hood by Stephen Lawhead
Hunter's Run by George R. R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham

I

Infoquake by David Louis Edelman
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller
Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels

J

J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter
The Junior Books by Dave Ramsey

K

Klasssic Koalas: Ancient Aboriginal Tales in New Retellings by Lee Barwood
Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan
The Know-It-All by A. J. Jacobs

L

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
Legend by David Gemmell
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Life@Work by John C. Maxwell

M

Madhouse by Rob Thurman
Magician by Raymond E. Feist
The Magic of Recluce by L. E. Moedesitt Jr.
Making Money by Terry Pratchett
Master of Souls by Peter Tremayne
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
Midshipwizard Halcyon Blithe by James M. Ward
Misspelled edited by Julie E. Czerneda
Monks and Mystics by Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Moon Gate by David Weldon and William Proctor
More Than A Hobby by David Green
The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
Murder in LaMut by Raymond E. Feist and Joel Rosenberg

N

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Night by Elie Wiesel
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

O

On Becoming A Leader by Warren Bennis
Outposts: Journeys to the Surviving Relics of the British Empire by Simon Winchester
Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky

P

Phantom by Terry Goodkind
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead
The Phoenix Unchained by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Phytosphere by Scott Mackay
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
The Princes of the Golden Cage by Nathalie Mallet
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay

Q

R

Ragamuffin by Tobias Buckell
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
The Restorer by Sharon Hinck
Return of the Sword edited by Jason M. Waltz
The Rick Steves' Travel Guide Series by Rick Steves
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Robin Hood and the Beasts of Sherwood by Clayton Emery
Rolling Thunder by John Varley

S

The Sagittarius Command by R. M. Meluch
Sails and Sorcery: Tales of Nautical Fantasy edited by W. H. Horner
Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead
Shadow in the Deep by L. B. Graham
The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley
Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
Shakespeare's Kings by John Julius Norwich
Shimmer, The Pirate Issue edited by John Joseph Adams
Small Favor by Jim Butcher
Smoke in the Wind by Peter Tremayne
Sojourn: The Bezerker's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
Sojourn: The Sorcerer's Tale by Ian Edgington and Greg Land
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin
The Surrogates, Vol. 1 by Robert Venditti

T

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt
Thud! by Terry Pratchett
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Tides by Scott Mackay
Tipperary: A Novel by Frank Delaney
The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn
The Truth by Terry Pratchett

U

Union of Renegades by Tracy Falbe

V

W

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
Wind Follower by Carole McDonnell
Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley

X

Y

Z

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Book Review: Sojourn Volume 5 - The Sorcerer's Tale by Ian Edgington (author) and Greg Land (penciler)

* Genre: Graphic Novels, High Fantasy
* ISBN: 1933160446
* ISBN-13: 9781933160443
* Format: Paperback, 172pp
* Publisher: Checker Book Publishing Group, LLC
* Pub. Date: July 2007

Once upon a few years ago, I picked up a graphic novel called Sojourn at my local B&N. Although generally not a graphic novel reader, I needed to try something different, and Sojourn purported to be a high fantasy comic, something that was rare in an age of rising popularity for the superhero, steampunk, and manga sty