Urban EnemiesVillains are intriguing characters. I’ve always liked a well fleshed out villain, one that’s a little more than evil cackling and petting cats. Urban Enemies, edited by Joseph Nassise and released August 1, 2017, is a book that definitely scratches that itch.
Turn Coat (The Dresden Files #11)So, here we are, eleven books into the Dresden Files series. If you’re here, wondering if you should read this installment of the series, I’ll repeat myself from reviews past. Are you really going to give up on Harry Dresden now? Also, as a fun side note, this book is the last one I will be calling a “Throwback” as it’s currently 2017 and this was published in 2009. The book after this, Changes was published in 2010 and for me, that’s not as much of a throwback as the first eleven books in this series.
Attack on Titan, Vol. 1This isn’t the first time I’ve read Attack on Titan Vol. 1 by Hajime Isayama. The first time was quite some time ago, right around when the English version was released. This time was because I’d picked up a used copies of the first two volumes in the series at a used book sale. But this is the first time I’ve read the manga with a more critical eye.
Fragments of HorrorThis book has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time. Unlike the majority of the small library my husband and I have acquired, this one is his! Fragments of Horror is a manga filled with short, one chapter stories by Junji Ito, author of longer works such as Tomie. Ito is a master of horror, each story filled with strange, bizarre happenings and art that is as beautiful as it is terrifying.
The TouristI’d seen The Tourist by Robert Dickinson at the library several times before I picked it up. I was intrigued. The cover looked generic, the synopsis sounded like a typical thriller novel, and the spine was marked as science fiction. I was equal parts confused and intrigued. I stumbled across this on Goodreads more recently and on my last trip to the library I finally picked it up.
Small Favor (The Dresden Files #10)It seems that Jim Butcher felt we were long overdue for some time with with the fairies as we see Queen Mab come back into Harry’s life and demand one of her favors from Harry. It also appears that we were overdue for some involvement from Gentleman John Marcone as the plot of this book is brought on by his capture.
BannerlessEarlier this week we saw the release of Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn. This is a murder mystery set within the framework of a post-apocalyptic world where every day it takes everything just to survive.
Konosuba: God's Blessings on This Wondrous World!, Vol. 1I love everything fantasy. Fantasy novels. Fantasy light novels. Fantasy manga. High fantasy. Low fantasy. Magical realism. All of it. I’ve seen all the tropes, all the clichés, and format specific tendencies. Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, Vol. 1 by Natsume Akatsuki takes every single one of those, plays with it, and turns it on its head.
Durarara!!, Vol. 1I have not loved a book as much as this one in a long time. There is a reason why my library went out of its way (or at least deviated from its normal book purchasing habits) to get the first book in this series. Durarara!!, Vol. 1 by Ryohgo Narita is a book that has something for everyone. It’s got fantasy, mystery, and thriller aspects. Twists and turns abound, the buildup perfect, fantasy elements blended perfectly in as we traverse the streets of Ikebukuro.
The Dragon RoundI’d like to think that I keep up with new released in my favorite genres. But with so many new books released every year a few are sure to slip through the cracks. The Dragon Round by Stephen S. Power is one of them. The book jumped out at me when I was perusing the new acquisitions shelves at the library, but not for the reasons you might think. It wasn’t the beautiful cover design, nor was it the dragon in the title. (While I love dragons, it isn’t a make or break thing for me in the fantasy I read.)
Funnily enough, the author’s name was close enough to an old elementary school teacher of mine to make me do a double take. Even more ironically, the author’s bio in the back of the book states that he lives only a few towns away from me. I’d never heard of this author before, which was odd both because Power is a local author and because his work was previously nominated for a Pushcart Prize. So, I decided it was only fair – nay, my duty! – that I read the book.
Welcome to Looking Glass Reads! We review speculative fiction novels as well as manga, light novels, and graphic novels.
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