Review – The Everything Box by Richard Kadrey

The Everything Box
By: Richard Kadrey
Release Date: April 19, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Series: Another Coop Heist #1
Rating:


Yet another title I have had my eye on since its release has finally been read. The Everything Box by Richard Kadrey is a fun, fast paced book with a host of likable, quirky characters.

The book opens several thousand years ago with an angel atop a mountain who is ready to fulfill his duty and begin the apocalypse. The problem? His pockets are empty, and the doomsday device is inexplicably missing. In the modern era Coop, master thief of magical items, is hired to steal a small black box for a client. But Coop isn’t the only person after this box. He soon finds himself with the Department of Peculiar Science, a government organization dedicated to the supernatural and unexplained, who claims that this device isn’t only an old family heirloom. This device could set off the end of the world.

Throwback Thursday – The Doll’s House by Neil Gaiman

The Doll's House
By: Neil Gaiman
Release Date: 1995
Publisher: Vertigo
Series: The Sandman #2
Award: Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards for Best Continuing Series; Best Graphic Album - Reprint; Best Writer (Neil Gaiman)
Rating:


The Sandman series is a long running graphic novel series written by Neil Gaiman featuring the immortal Dream and his struggle to rise to full power once again after a long imprisonment at the hands of humans. The Doll’s House is the second volume within the series, a dark story with memorable characters that feels more refined and bears more visible characteristics of Neil Gaiman’s work that the first volume of the series.

Review – Lady Mechanika: La Dama de la Muerte

Lady Mechanika: La Dama de la Muerte TP
By: Joe Benitez
Website: http://www.joebenitez.com/
Release Date: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Benitez Productions
Series: Lady Mechanika
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


In my quest to read more graphic novels and not only manga I stumbled onto the Lady Mechanika series by Joe Benitez, a steampunk action series with beautiful character designs and gorgeous artwork. Lady Mechanika is a graphic novel series that I’ve been following for almost half a year now. The series is a steampunk, action packed story that follows the Lady Mechanika, a woman with mechanical limbs with no recollection of her past who solves problems that other people can’t. Lady Mechanika La Dama de la Muerte is a prequel of sorts, occurring before the start of the first volume of the graphic novel between the as yet unexplained origin. With breathtaking art and a story that is keeps you hooked, La Dama de la Muerte is another great addition to the series.

Review – Nyxia by Scott Reintgen

Nyxia
By: Scott Reintgen
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Series: The Nyxia Triad #1
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


When I first heard of Nyxia by Scott Reintgen, I expected a grand space adventure, with young protagonists exploring new planets and encountering new civilizations. What I received was nothing of the sort, instead being another teenagers pitted against one another in a long competition. That’s all well and good. I like those plots just as much as the next person. But while Nyxia has a story that has promise, it ultimately proved to be quite tedious and dull.

Review: Notes from the Internet Apocalypse by Wayne Gladstone

Notes from the Internet Apocalypse
By: Wayne Gladstone
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Series: Internet Apocalypse #1
Rating:


The novel Notes from the Internet Apocalypse by Wayne Gladstone is something I have had my eye on since its release. After three years I’ve finally read through the book.

New Release! Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

Mask of Shadows
By: Linsey Miller
Release Date: August 29, 2017
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Series: (Untitled) #1
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


When I first saw the description for Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller, I was immediately intrigued. The book was compared to the works of Leigh Bardugo (whom I love) and Sarah J. Maas (whose work I bafflingly have never read). It features a gender fluid main character, a thief bent on revenge who is auditioning to become one of the queen’s assassins, a group known as the Left Hand. The character sounded very interesting, hints of an interesting backstory, and plenty intrigue and action. Needless to say, I was sold!

Review – Trigun Omnibus by Yasuhiro Nightow

Trigun Omnibus
By: Yasuhiro Nightow
Translator: Justin Burns
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Series: Trigun
Rating:


One of the first anime I ever watched was Trigun. Soon after I bought a few volumes of Trigun Maximum, which have been sitting on my shelf for close to ten years. Of course, Trigun Maximum is not the start of the series, something I hadn’t realized at the time. Finally, finally, I’ve read the actual beginning of the series: Trigun Omnibus by Yasuhiro Nightow. It took long enough, I know. And I am very happy I finally got around to reading this.

Review – The Massacre of Mankind by Stephen Baxter

The Massacre of Mankind
By: Stephen Baxter
Release Date: August 22, 2017
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Series: The War of the Worlds #2
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Tuesday, August 22, saw the release of The Massacre of Mankind by Stephen Baxter. This is a sequel to H.G. Wells The War of the Worlds. The premise is rather straightforward. The orbits of Mars and Earth are drawing them closer to one another, closer than usual, at least. The Martians attack the Earth once more, plunging us into war once more.

Review – Space Battle Lunchtime Vol 1: Lights Camera Snacktion

Space Battle Lunchtime Vol 1: Lights Camera Snacktion
By: Natalie Riess
Release Date: 2016
Publisher: Oni Press
Series: Space Battle Lunchtime #1
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


Here’s a little known fact. I watch a probably unhealthy amount of cooking shows. Not the ones where they actually show you how to make a dish. Nope. I know I can’t cook without the supervision of my mother, even nearing thirty. (Sorry Mom). I watch all the cooking competition shows. Because, well, everyone has a not quite so guilty pleasure, right? Space Battle Lunchtime, Vol 1: Lights, Camera, Snacktion! by Natalie Riess is everything I never knew I needed in a graphic novel. It’s fun, it’s cute, it’s in outer space, and it’s a cooking showdown.

Review – Killing is My Business by Adam Christopher

Killing is My Business
By: Adam Christopher
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Publisher: Tor
Series: Ray Electromatic Mysteries
Received From: Publisher
(All reviews are our own, honest opinions.)
Rating:


It may not be immediately obvious from the SFF theme of this blog, but I love a good mystery story. The Ray Electromatic Mysteries by Adam Christopher scratches both itches. Killing is my Business is the second book in this series. It is set in a 1960s noir Los Angeles, features a robot assassin nee private detective, and is more fun than it has any right to be.

What can I say? Robots are cool, damn it, and there should be more stories with them. Or maybe it’s my twelve year old self talking. Either way, I love this concept. I love this series. And more people should be talking about it.