The sixth and final (to date) installment of The Spellman Files series sees Izzy at a crossroads in her life. Having instigated a coup against her paThe sixth and final (to date) installment of The Spellman Files series sees Izzy at a crossroads in her life. Having instigated a coup against her parents and becoming the majority shareholder of Spellman Investigations, Izzy quickly finds herself in over her head.
Izzy’s benefactor, Mr. Slaytor, who bankrolled her ability to gain majority ownership of her family’s detective agency, asks her to investigate a company prior to a corporate takeover. While Izzy is preoccupied with that job, her sister Rae begins work as a mysterious Conflict Resolution Specialist offering little to no explanation as to what she’s actually doing (par for the course for the Spellmans). Meanwhile, a sudden deluge of funds in the company account has the FBI sniffing around looking for answers. The bills are piling up and the Spellman parental unit have begun slacking off. Can Izzy gain control or will Spellman Investigations become a thing of the past?
I have no idea how Lisa Lutz plots these books. I feel like she bunkers down in a basement with three tack boards, a sharpie, a stack of cue cards and a mile of red string. Not only are there seemingly a half dozen storylines occurring at the same time, but she has to try and outsmart people who outsmart others for a living while maintaining an air of believability. There’s no point in this book or the preceding five where you feel like Lutz has anything less than full control of where things are going and her track record leaves you with no reason to doubt her. I’m not sure Lisa has ever met a plot hole she didn’t fill with a wheelbarrow of gravel.
If you’re a fan of the series, then I can’t imagine you would have a problem with Spellman Six. The comedy is here on full display and Izzy is as charming as ever. She’s the kind of person you would absolutely love to share a drink with, but would laugh at you and call you an idiot for wanting to do so. Now that I’ve read all six novels, I’m going to miss her whisky soaked retorts. Hell, I’m going to miss the whole Spellman clan.
If this truly is the end of the Spellman series, it’s hard to complain where Lutz leaves the story. For purely selfish reasons, I could read another half dozen of these books, but I could say that for a handful of other series that leave well before I’m ready to say goodbye. I’m absolutely going to check out the rest of Lutz’s catalog sooner rather than later....more
I started reading this series 8 years ago when I finished the first TPB. I put it down and never returned to it. Finally picked this up and it blew meI started reading this series 8 years ago when I finished the first TPB. I put it down and never returned to it. Finally picked this up and it blew me away. Easy 5 stars....more
In 2019, Moxley shocked the world by showing up at the conclusion of the main event of AEW’s first show, Double or Nothing, attacking Kenny Omega and In 2019, Moxley shocked the world by showing up at the conclusion of the main event of AEW’s first show, Double or Nothing, attacking Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho. But, how did he get there? Why did one of WWE’s biggest stars walk away from millions only to sign with an unproven upstart company in AEW? Well, it’s a bit of a long story and in his new book, MOX, Moxley tells of his unconventional rise to prominence and the subsequent frustrations that led to him looking for an escape out from inside Vince McMahon’s wrestling empire.
Getting his start under the tutelage of Les Thatcher and Cody Hawk through Cincinnati’s Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA) in the early 2000s, Moxley would find himself traveling the US independent scene gaining experience under various promotions including IWA, Dragon Gate USA, and most notably CZW, where he would nurture his love and appreciation for death match wrestling. Moxley tells several harrowing stories about his time in CZW including being booked on the 2009 Tournament of Death card in which Nick Gage nearly lost his life following a light tube spot that went horrifically wrong.
Moxley speaks about signing his developmental deal with WWE in early 2011 and his time spent in FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling) establishing white-hot programs with both Seth Rollins and later, William Regal. His frustrations with the creative process were nothing new by the time he had decided to leave in 2019 given his nearly year-long period on the bench in 2012 prior to being hooked up with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns to form The Shield.
While Moxley does not have an ax to grind per se, his frustrations with WWE and how it is run were key factors in his decision to leave in 2019. He isn’t completely bitter about his time there, but his gripes are more than fair. Having to walk on eggshells in his early days where the slightest turn of phrase could get you in trouble with the wrong people and the games in which those powerful people play could lead to a constant state of unease for any performer. Despite all the success he achieved, the negatives would outweigh the positives. A disastrous heel turn in late 2018 would push him out the door at the end of his contract the following April. Moxley could have elaborated more on his frustrations about the angle, but if you were watching the programming at the time, it wouldn’t be hard to see for yourself just how bad it was.
There isn’t a lot in here about his time in AEW if you’re looking for insight into his nearly year-long title reign. He speaks candidly about his work with Brodie Lee surrounding their title program at 2020’s Double or Nothing, and the awful conclusion to the Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match with Kenny but nothing really about his programs with MJF or Eddie, which I would have liked.
The book itself isn’t presented in a linear fashion, with stories and moments from Jon’s career told out of order. That being said, it still flows well and is easily digestible given that it’s written in more of a conversational style rather than a blow-by-blow retelling of Moxley’s career through the eyes of a ghostwriter or third party. That works for most of the book, but there were other moments where it felt forced and grating. While it may have been of interest to some people, I could have done without the chapter breaks made up of Jon’s favorite movies, albums, and even one consisting of how to construct the perfect sandwich.
MOX is a good read that offers a peek into the mind of a performer who would easily fit in in just about any era in wrestling’s past let alone where he currently is in the present. I would have liked a bit more depth, but I would still recommend giving it a read if you’re even slightly curious.
In an episode of the third season of Vice's critically acclaimed series, The Dark Side of the Ring, Atsushi Onita's hyper-violent Japanese promotion FIn an episode of the third season of Vice's critically acclaimed series, The Dark Side of the Ring, Atsushi Onita's hyper-violent Japanese promotion FMW is profiled. In that particular episode, ECW alumni Sabu tells of a match where he teamed alongside his uncle, Ed "The Sheik" Farhat, against the promotion's founder, Atsushi Onita and Tarzan Goto. During the match, things took a horrific turn resulting in The Sheik barely escaping with his life having suffered third degree burns.
This match took place nearly forty-three years after The Sheik's debut. So, why was one of wrestling's most successful performers risking life and limb at sixty-six years of age? Author Brian Solomon looks at the totality of the career of one of wrestling's most legendary promoters and wrestlers both inside and outside of the ring in BLOOD AND FIRE: The Unbelievable True Story of Wrestling's Original Sheik.
Before getting into the meat and potatoes of The Sheik's career, Solomon gives the reader a detailed history of what would become The Sheik's home turf during the bulk of his career, Detroit, Michigan. I'd like to consider myself somewhat knowledgeable when it comes to the territory system but Detroit has remained a blind spot throughout my time as a wrestling fan. Promoter Nick Londes is discussed as he controlled Olympia Stadium - the 15,000+ seat arena in Detroit that housed the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. But he had a rival in Adam Weissmuller - a former welterweight wrestler who after a long career, transitioned into pro-wrestling promotional work. While Weissmuller would ultimately win the war, his victory would be short-lived as he would pass away shortly thereafter. His successor would lose to another adversary in Harold Lecht (Light) who would go on to create Big Time Wrestling, a name that would be synonymous with the Motor City.
Solomon gives a lot of background into Sheik's life before wrestling by spotlighting his brief time as a member of the armed forces. Sheik had been drafted into the US Army during the Second World War shortly after turning eighteen (although he did try enlisting earlier but had been rebuked). While he saw action in Europe, he arrived shortly before Germany's surrender and had been sent home during the US bombing of Japan. However, during his time in the Forces, Farhat dabbled in amateur wrestling making quite the name for himself by winning several tournaments.
Ed would be discovered by one of the aforementioned Harold Lecht's right hand men in Bert Ruby - an active performer and talent booker. While he was able to get experience working on the undercard, it wasn't until pro wrestling and television went hand-in-hand that Farhat exploded in popularity. The demand for over-the-top colorful characters went hand-in-hand with the advent of pro wrestling on television. Through several iterations, Farhat came up with The Sheik of Araby.
Around the same time, the NWA had been founded, which made talent exchanges easier than ever. Through the NWA's territory system, Farhat was able to travel all over the United States to work in several of the nation's top promotions, thus expanding his reach as an in-demand performer as well as gaining experience by working different styles with a wide variety of opponents producing legendary rivalries with Bruno Sammartino in New York, Dory Funk in Texas, Billy Watson in Toronto and Freddie Blassie in California just to name a few.
As this book is as much a biography of The Sheik as it is a history of the Detroit territory, you get the inside story of the battle between Lecht and upstarts Jim Barnett and Johnny Doyle. Barnett and Doyle would eventually wrestle control of the territory away from Lecht but a scandal would soon drive Barnett halfway around the world to Australia. This allowed Farhat to strike a deal with the pair and take over ownership of the territory for a tidy sum of $50,000.
Solomon goes on to explain how Farhat managed to be the exception to the rule in how heels were commonly presented in the 1950s and 1960s. Given that he was his own top draw, Farhat would book himself over any top star that began to pick up steam in the territory, keeping all the heat and glory for himself. Unfortunately, this would lead to irreversible damage to both his brand as both a performer and promoter down the road.
Although Sheik could easily have rested on his laurels and become a full time promoter, the lure of the spotlight became too much as he would find himself in Japan. Brought over by Giant Baba in 1973, Sheik would work for All Japan as a challenger for Baba's Pacific Wrestling Championship. In the years that followed, Sheik would work in All Japan's Tag League teaming with a variety of partners - most notably Abdullah the Butcher. Abby and Sheik would having an on-screen falling out that led to a match so violent, it would not air on Japanese TV.
While success was rising in Japan, business was dwindling in the US. Many of Sheik's poor business practices were beginning to catch up with him. A prolonged run on top where he would extinguish the heat garnered by any other performer coupled with his reluctance to ever lose and relinquish the top spot would eventually hurt attendance. He also did himself no favors with the other wrestlers by continuing to offer laughable payoffs leading to drying out the talent pool from which to book performers. A gallbladder surgery led to a reliance on pain pills, a growing addiction that would spiral out of control into harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. If that wasn't bad enough, Sheik would find himself in the grips of a gambling addiction that would obliterate his personal savings. Coupling drug dependancy with business being down, Farhat would end up wrestling far longer than required. Given that he could not so what he once could as a younger man, Farhat would rely on smoke and mirrors and ultra-violent matches taking the place of athleticism, leading to close calls like the no-ropes, barbwire fire match mentioned earlier.
Author Brian Solomon notes that Farhat was known for keeping the true nature of the wrestling business incredibly close to the vest. Much of what he told others was in keeping with kayfabe, so it was difficult at times to know what was and what wasn't true. Solomon also noted that while he did not have a lot of help from The Sheik's immediate family, he goes to great lengths to explain how he came across certain information and where the waters were more or less muddy.
Like many biographies of those from this era, BLOOD AND FIRE tells of both the types of soaring highs and crushing lows that can seemingly only go hand in hand with the wrestling business. While many fans may only know of The Sheik as the trainer for both Sabu and Rob Van Dam, he has a fascinating story all his own....more
I listened to Tim Curry's narration. That is the gold-standard of the audio versions of this story. Just incredible.
2018 Re-Read
Below is m2021 Re-Read
I listened to Tim Curry's narration. That is the gold-standard of the audio versions of this story. Just incredible.
2018 Re-Read
Below is my original review, which I'm going to leave up. However, you must understand that the audiobook version, narrated by Patrick Stewart (albeit abridged) has completely changed my mind.
I bought this audiobook on Audible about two years ago and just sort of forgot about it. I was at my desk working last Friday and I had run out of downloaded podcasts on my phone, but noticed I still had this sitting there, untouched. So, I made the decision to get some holiday cheer.. on November 9th?
Patrick Stewart brought so much life to this book - it was truly amazing. The myriad of voices he used and the range of emotions he applied to the characters lifted the story beyond what I experienced in my first reading.
You owe it to yourself to check this out. I cannot imagine a more definitive narration.
****
Original 2015 Review
Aside from It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol – and all its variations – is my go to holiday movie. This goes for anything from the straight up Alastair Sim adaptation to the Bill Murray classic Scrooged – most, if not all, are welcome. But despite this being one of my all time favourites, I’ve never read Dickens’ original story. Seeing as it was a free download for my Kindle, I thought I’d give it a shot.
Turns out I didn’t quite care for this as much as I thought I would. I couldn’t be a bigger fan of the stage and screen adaptations I’ve seen up to this point but as far as the source material goes – humbug! Look, I’m not going to lie, I can confidently say that my disinterest can be chalked up to the style of writing. Dickens originally published this in 1843 and while it’s a wonderful, timeless story, I struggled to get into it. The language was just a bit too much of a barrier for me and I’d often catch myself gazing over large chunks of text until a recognizable quote pulled me in.
For the record, I’m glad I tried it and can finally say that I’ve read it. However, I’ll just stick with Scrooge McDuck and his twenty two minute journey through the past, present and future from here on out....more
It’s 1961 and Fidel Castro, having recently gained power, is a polarizing figure to say the least. A handful of Americans has been hired to sneak intoIt’s 1961 and Fidel Castro, having recently gained power, is a polarizing figure to say the least. A handful of Americans has been hired to sneak into the island nation and assassinate Castro in exchange for a small fortune.
Published by Hard Case Crime in 2008, Killing Castro had originally been written under a pseudonym (Lee Duncan) in an era when Lawrence Block had been churning out books on a monthly, sometimes weekly basis.
While I’m a big fan of Hard Case Crime and the work they do, not everything they put out knocks my socks off. This one from early in Block’s career is about as forgettable as it gets. The book definitely has its fair share of sex and violence, like you expect from Hard Case, but Killing Castro really shows how far Block has come as a writer.
That being said, this book isn’t pretending to be anything it’s not. Block wasn’t looking to tackle communism in the form of a drug store paperback. If you’re looking for a quick and violent read, this should do the trick....more
When a woman whom Ethan is seeing asks for his help in tracking down her missing sister, he finds himself mixed up with skinheads, satanic-panic filmsWhen a woman whom Ethan is seeing asks for his help in tracking down her missing sister, he finds himself mixed up with skinheads, satanic-panic films, and a whole hell of a lot of bloodshed.
It’s no surprise to see me here singing the praises of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips yet again, but this one was a real treat. Building on the groundwork of the first graphic novel, Brubaker and Phillips present an extraordinary story with more twists and turns than a mountain highway slicked with black ice.
Ethan seems more confident this time around and while he seems to just barely escape much of the violence thrown his way, it’s clear he’s getting used to being lied to, double crossed and thrown around like a sack of potatoes.
Not that this is a long book, but I read it in one sitting, which isn’t the usual route for me. Friend of the Devil had me gripped from beginning to end....more
I loved seeing the early artwork, which I enjoy more than what it eventually settled into. Charlie BrI don't really have a lot of say about this one.
I loved seeing the early artwork, which I enjoy more than what it eventually settled into. Charlie Brown is such a sad sack right from the get go, but hard to imagine him having a positive attitude when everyone hates him so much.
Not sure if I'll continue on with the other volumes, but it was cool to read the origins of the famous strip....more
Aging comedian Koo Davis is taken captive by a collective known as People’s Revolution Army. Their demands? Have the US Government release ten inmatesAging comedian Koo Davis is taken captive by a collective known as People’s Revolution Army. Their demands? Have the US Government release ten inmates and provide them with safe passage to Algeria. The alternative? Koo dies.
I have a pile of Hard Case Crime novels sitting on my bookcase that I’ve yet to work my my through. With the year winding down and the weather getting chillier, I thought what better time to hunker down inside with a few crime classics than November (or Noir-vember?).
When my partner saw me reading this one, she said, “another Westlake? You must be a big fan of his.” And I thought, “Am I?” I have read quite of bit of his work over the years but I can’t remember going out of my way to get any of his books. Hard Case Crime has published a lot of his lost work, so I just happen to end up with a few Westlake books in my hands a few times a year.
The Comedy Is Finished was an alright read. It didn’t blow me away but given that Westlake had shelved it himself and did not get around to publishing it, maybe that makes sense. There are a few gruesome, blood-splattered pages and a fair amount of smut, so it fits right in with Hard Case’s “strict” criteria.
I will say that Westlake kept me guessing up to the end as to just how the criminals would either get away with it or if Koo Davis would escape with his life. There were a lot of twists and turns that helped keep me up late for a few nights (just one more chapter, etc). However, this one pretty much left my mind as quickly as it entered.
Not much stuck and maybe that’s because, aside from Koo Davis, many of these characters felt flat. I didn’t get the sense the kidnappers had ever really gotten along at any point given that there had been infighting from the beginning of the novel, and Koo Davis, the guy that the government has been trying to rescue, came across as a real prick.
Even an “OK” experience with a Hard Case Crime novel is better than most non-series whodunnits. 3 stars....more
Off The Record is the memoir of retired journalist and news anchor Peter Mansbridge.
Last year, I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of PeterOff The Record is the memoir of retired journalist and news anchor Peter Mansbridge.
Last year, I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Peter Mansbridge’s book, Extraordinary Canadians, a look at everyday overachievers who receive little to no fanfare day-to-day. With Off The Record, Mansbridge turns the spotlight on himself bringing us his life story inside one of the year’s most anticipated books.
In his memoir, Mansbridge brings the reader into his early years as an immigrant from England, growing up in the Glebe, a middle/upper-class Ottawa neighborhood. Several years later, an off-chance meeting with a CBC employee in Manitoba allowed Peter to leave his airline job to explore a career in radio. From there, as a reader, you’re off to the races.
Peter keeps each chapter brief as he unfolds his life story in what is almost akin to a series of anecdotes. I would go so far as to prefer this storytelling method to some memoirs out there that come across as over-indulgent with every aspect of one’s life scrutinized and analyzed to death.
The subject matter here is light and breezy. You aren’t going to find a whole hell of a lot of controversial topics in these pages as Peter is more concerned with entertaining his readers and informing them just how much work went into anchoring a national news program. His reflections into covering major stories like 9/11 were eye-opening, showing just to how tough it must have been to be the calm voice in the room when the world is on fire.
I don’t know if this one will end up in my honorable mentions, let alone my best-of-2021 list, but Off The Record is a solid memoir with wide-spread appeal. A good palate cleanser of a read that can be enjoyed in small bites....more
James Duthie is one of my favorite hockey broadcast hosts (might be my favorite, actually). He is quick witted, funny and knowledgeable. His appearancJames Duthie is one of my favorite hockey broadcast hosts (might be my favorite, actually). He is quick witted, funny and knowledgeable. His appearances on the old Jay and Dan Podcast were always a highlight, especially when he’d discuss his contentious relationship with former Maple Leafs General Manager, Brian Burke.
In 2020, he released a collection of hockey stories called Beauties: Hockey's Greatest Untold Stories, which I thoroughly enjoyed. So, why not go back and read his other work? I checked out “The Day I (Almost) Killed Two Gretzkys” from the library and after starting, I immediately wished I hadn’t.
The book itself is a collection of his columns for TSN.ca running from 2003-2010. While James is a naturally funny guy, these articles read like he’s being forced to be funny at gunpoint. Many of the stories not only feel overwritten but many aren’t even that interesting to begin with. Stories about getting a PVR or bringing snacks to his kids’ sports games had the potential to be funny if written a certain way, but the humor here is cringe-worthy at best.
The only thing I can equate this material to would be those old email chain-surveys I used to do in the early 00’s. I was so desperate for people to think I was funny that I didn’t stop to consider if anyone even cared about my answers. I read one back a few years ago and it was like nails on a chalkboard. Awful.
I do eventually want to read his 2015 memoir, so I’m just going to consider this one an outlier. Skip it!...more
Sometime during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, my fiancee stumbled across Nile Wilson’s YouTube channel. Wilson, a British Olympic medalist, wouSometime during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, my fiancee stumbled across Nile Wilson’s YouTube channel. Wilson, a British Olympic medalist, would gather his friends and family and shoot videos of them competing in various gymnastics-based challenges in a variety of environments. It was a bit of fun and comedy for us during some of the darkest days of 2020.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
With My Story, Nile takes the reader though his celebrated career as he shares his brutal training regimens, his battles with addiction as well as his struggles with mental health that unfortunately goes hand-in-hand with being an elite level athlete. Nile writes of the dangers that come with measuring your self-worth against your career accomplishments and your level of performance.
Despite experiencing those dark days, Nile comes across as an optimist with an overwhelmingly positive message about how crucial it is to ask for help when you need it so you can avoid the pitfalls of self-pity that comes with self-destructive behavior.
Maybe it is the first time they’re being revealed to the world, but I had no knowledge of Nile’s gambling addiction, his eating disorder or his entrenched battle with British Gymnastics as well as his legal fight with a prominent gymnastics club – something that would ultimately lead to him investing more in his YouTube channel and opening his own series of gymnastics clubs across Britain in an effort to change the culture surrounding the sport.
Overall, the book was more revealing than I expected but that might be more to do with not really knowing much about Nile other than him being a ridiculously talented athlete. It’s a short one – clocking in at just under one hundred and fifty pages – but it was an eye-opening look at the high-stress pressure imposed on amateur athletes and what it takes to not only reach the top, but the struggle to stay there....more
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