As lovely as it was to go back to the world of Torak and Wolf, something feels... off? The story is perfunctory and the characters seem to be missing As lovely as it was to go back to the world of Torak and Wolf, something feels... off? The story is perfunctory and the characters seem to be missing some of the depth from the previous volumes. Maybe it's because I got old, maybe it's Paver having a hard time getting back into the characters after so long, but, while it was worth reading for the nostalgia trip, this book doesn't really add much to the series as a whole....more
I found it slightly less charming than the previous volume, mostly because the story is pretty rushed towards the finale and could have used a few morI found it slightly less charming than the previous volume, mostly because the story is pretty rushed towards the finale and could have used a few more issues to flesh out, but still a delightful read. ...more
I actually read the first four issues as part of the Humble BOOM Bundle in August 2014.
Lumberjanes is refreshing, as it shows a group of very diverse I actually read the first four issues as part of the Humble BOOM Bundle in August 2014.
Lumberjanes is refreshing, as it shows a group of very diverse young girls having fun and adventures in a very peculiar girl scouts camp, drawing inspiration from -and building upon, making fun on, subverting with a wink- all sorts of adventure stories and old tales, from the Goonies to Red Riding Hood to Indiana Jones, and so forth.
This comic will resonate both with teens who want to read something other than the usual 'all-white-male plus one objectified girl' group (btw, Sailor Moon was 20 years ago, it shouldn't be *that* hard to find this kind of cast in a major publication), and grown-ups who will get a chuckle from all the pop culture nods.
If I can find a fault, the plot might seem a bit slow moving if you read it all in a row, as the first four issues are mainly standalones with glimpses of the major underlying plot. ...more
This book is a fun, fast read but as, other commenters have said, the best word to describe it would probably be "cute". The plot is set into an alterThis book is a fun, fast read but as, other commenters have said, the best word to describe it would probably be "cute". The plot is set into an alternate-history regency with magic, and is pretty much a fast-paced action romp with simple but relatable characters.
The most distracting issues is that, because of its macguffin nature, one of the main plot points (the main character disguises herself as a man, and could be disgraced if discovered) never really amounts to much of a credible threat, since everyone she meets who can see through her glamour is basically OK with it, is willing to keep her secret, and/or subtly (or not so subtly) encourages it. The villain, too, could have been given a bit more of a backstory and motivation, as she is basically little more than a cardboard figure necessary to set the plot in motion.
Apart from that, it's a nice if not wholly original story, and a good way to spend an afternoon....more
A brief respite from the main series, these are 13 short and fairly easy mysteries to solve in Stain'd-by-the-Sea, with the solutions in a separate seA brief respite from the main series, these are 13 short and fairly easy mysteries to solve in Stain'd-by-the-Sea, with the solutions in a separate section at the end of the book. Except the solutions seem to come with some extra information that seems to firm another mystery altogether...
Delightful as usual, this book gives a little more insight to the characters and location of the small town where this series is set, in addition to giving space for Snicket's witty wordplay. Interspersed throughout the volume are also blink-and-you-miss-them references to other books, never mentioned by name but only by particulars of their plots. I counted The Little Prince (which Snicket doesn't care for), Captain Blood, Narnia, and Tess of the d'Urbervilles, but I'm bound to have missed some....more
This series just keeps getting better. By remaining in Stain'd-by-the-Sea we're allowed to follow Snicket's cracking of a new case while at the same tThis series just keeps getting better. By remaining in Stain'd-by-the-Sea we're allowed to follow Snicket's cracking of a new case while at the same time reinforcing his ties with the cast of characters and finding out more about the overarching mystery of Hangfire and the Bombinating Beast. This makes ATWQ somewhat more palatable and less frustrating for those (mostly adults, at least in my experience) who couldn't stand the constant loss of friends and change of scenery of the ASOUE books. It also fits thematically with the story: the Baudelaires were unwilling victims of the events, forced to rely only on their wits, standing on the sidelines of a much bigger story they didn't know much of until the very end; Snicket, on the other hand, is a trained (if young) agent with a clear goal, and so is better adjusted to deal with being buffeted around by the events - if not any less dejected by things he cannot change. Like the previous book, When Did You See Her Last is littered with witty banter, astute plays on words, and literary references which one might or might not get (I only recognized a few). Unlike the previous, the case to be solved is luckily less of a mcguffin and more of an actual case, if a straightforward one. And just what could that mysterious object that Snicket's sister is so intent on retrieving? I wonder if it has anything to do with sugar......more
Three cereal mascots travel from world to world in search of the fourth member of their team who has suddenly disappeared. Littered with thinly veiledThree cereal mascots travel from world to world in search of the fourth member of their team who has suddenly disappeared. Littered with thinly veiled references to '80s toys and cartoons (Smurfs, GI Joe, My little pony, Super Mario and so on), this book could have been much better than the sum of its parts, but in the end becomes a little less because of the awkward pacing in references (as someone else pointed out, all the 'girly' toys get packed in just one chapter, while toy soldiers and giant robots get each one all for themselves) and the fact that everyone beyond our three main characters ends up as little more than a sketch or a caricature, even more so because they mainly exist as parody of some other IP that couldn't be referenced by name because of copyright. The ending too is somewhat of a disappointment, a kind of unresolved un-finale that is becoming all too common recently. On the other hand, the three main characters are actually original and likeable even through their clear 'cereal mascot' origin,, and you get to care about them in the end. I just wish the rest of the world(s) had been just a little more fleshed out....more
This is not-exactly-a-prequel to Snicket's previous A series of unfortunate events, narrated in first person by Snicket himself and set in his formatiThis is not-exactly-a-prequel to Snicket's previous A series of unfortunate events, narrated in first person by Snicket himself and set in his formative years as an apprentice to a secretive organization which we can only presume to be VFD.
Who could it be at this hour? presents itself as an ordinary mystery/detective novel, but followers of the Baudelaires's misadventures will not be surprised to find that there are layers within layers of plots and mysteries and secrets, and that questions (wrong or right as they might be) will rarely get an answer. As Snicket himself would say, the map is not the territory.
The novel is, as usual, laid out in beautiful prose, and the style perfectly resembles that of a precocious 13-year old trying to write a boilerplate novel, finding the delicate balance between child-like and adult. The only flaw in this book is that it's way too short, and I can't wait for the next volume to come out!...more
Verne's first full-length novel, while setting the formula for many of his later books, is definitely not one of his best: the science is sketchy and Verne's first full-length novel, while setting the formula for many of his later books, is definitely not one of his best: the science is sketchy and the plot is basically a series of small misadventures in a row that the three main characters escape with usually not too much difficulty and a just modicum of ingenuity.
The book would still be enjoyable enough, however, if not for the blatant racism that permeates all the pages where they meet another human being: every single black person in Africa is either a savage killer (or a cannibal, or a bandit, or engaged in perverted rituals), or gullible and prone to worship our heroes as lunar deities; in any case, incapable of real civilization. The Arabs fare only a little better, in that they are rich and have fine cities, but then are all ruthless and intent on killing the infidels. This is way more than I'm able to tolerate even for a novel written in the 1850s, and the rest of the novel doesn't really make up for it....more
An interesting story mixing the French revolution with a plot of gypsy magic and unrequited love that, however, ends up feeling rushed and not polisheAn interesting story mixing the French revolution with a plot of gypsy magic and unrequited love that, however, ends up feeling rushed and not polished enough, especially in its main characters....more
International intrigue, kidnappings, missing documents and constant deceiving... the plot of this fast-paced novel is as witty and compelling as the mInternational intrigue, kidnappings, missing documents and constant deceiving... the plot of this fast-paced novel is as witty and compelling as the main characters, steadfast Tommy, no-nonsense Tuppence and the rich and extravagant Julius (who, if this were a movie, would be chewing scenery left and right). While the fear of a labour strike paving the way to a Socialist revolution in Great Britain might seems a bit silly nowadays, it was perceived as a serious threat at the time, and Christie plays every trope of the genre for all it's worth....more
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