Review: Escape from Hell! by Hal Duncan

Escape from Hell! Hal Duncun Monkey Brain, 2008 -You hear that? she says. What the fuck is that sound? A siren waver so faint only the peaks of pitch and volume are audible over the drip of pipes. Then, too clear and close to mistake, an answer or echo, ragged as a cat’s yowl or [...]

Lovecraftian Props

I discovered a new blog the other day, appropriately called Propnomicon.   I was actually trying to track down a Lovecraftesque short-film a co-worker had mentioned to me some time ago about an arctic expedition that slowly goes mad and, as the people slowly slip towards insanity, the film stock degrades as well until it essentially disintegrates [...]

Review: Plague of Spells by Bruce R. Cordell

Plague of Spells: Abolethic Sovereignty Book 1 Bruce R. Cordell Wizards of the Coast, 2009 Plague of Spells is not a work without flaws and, for me at least, oscillated between frustrating and genuinely enthralling. The novel opens with the monk Raidon Kane as he returns home to his adopted daughter. The reader gets a [...]

Review: Those Who Went Remain There Still by Cherie Priest

Those Who Went Remain There Still Cherie Priest Subbteranean, 2008 I’ve been waiting quite a while to read Those Who Went Remain There Still which I ordered for the library earlier in 2008. It was on backorder with B&T for a while and we only received our copy a week or so ago. I’m glad [...]

Review: Blood of Ambrose by James Enge

Blood of Ambrose James Enge 2009 I believe that Blood of Ambrose is James Enge’s debut novel; though he was an established body of short fiction. As such about the first quarter of the book was a bit of a rocky start, at least for me, but I stuck with it and I’m very glad [...]

Review: Turn Coat by Jim Butcher

Turn Coat Jim Butcher Roc, 2009 Harry Dresden is back for his 11th adventure on the mean streets of Chicago. This time Harry’s part-time nemesis, the Warden Morgan, has been accused of murder and treason against the Council and it’s up to Harry to uncover the the true murderer. Familiar faces make appearances: Murphy the [...]

Review: Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton

Nights of Villjamur Mark Charan Newton Tor UK, 2009 (U.K. June 5th, no U.S. date as far as I know) This was by and large one of the best titles I’ve read this year. Had Tor U.K. not sent me an ARC for review I’d be converting my dollars into pounds and not regretting that [...]

Review: Monster by A. Lee Martinez

Monster A. Lee Martinez Orbit, 2009 (5/19)   Martinez’ The Automatic Detective was on of my favorite reads of 2008 for its clever combination of humor and tropes from both the hard-boiled and science fiction genres. While I wouldn’t rank Monster as quite as entertaining I still found it a wholly enjoyable read full of [...]

Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith Quirk Books, 2009 “I survived the 36 chambers.” -Miss Elizabeth Bennet I’ll be honest, I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice.  19th century Britich romances are really my thing though I do recall enjoying Northanger Abbey though it is somewhat of a satire of the gothic romance [...]

Something Not Quite Resembling a Review of The Force Unleashed

Looking back at the games I’ve completed (or even played) over the last two months and I come up with a list that I can count on one hand.  Maybe it’s me.  I don’t know.  I’ve certainly had fun playing games but it has been some time since I’ve truly played something that has really [...]