Will McIntosh is one of the more interesting writers around. His last book, Hitchers (my review), was a fun romp through a ghostly experience that was a lot of fun. This time around, McIntosh tackles death from a different angle in his new novel Love Minus Eighty. This book is not a romance novel as in Fabio cover and awkward phrases for body parts, but it is a story about romance in the future where it’s possible to come back from death. This story is more of a romantic comedy style of romance where you know what is coming, but the journey is so joyful that you’re happy for it to come. Let’s see what happens.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters movie review
Three years after the original Percy Jackson movie, our half-bloods are back in the sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. Most of the cast is the same (although Giles from Buffy replaces Pierce Brosnan as Chiron) as we pick up some undetermined time after the first movie. The first movie was decent, but not spectacular and this second movie continues in the middling vein. However, the movie has significant changes from the book. Let’s check it out.
Neptune’s Brood by Charles Stross
I’m not a huge fan of Charles Stross. I only like some of his books and I’ve given up on a few of his series. However, I did enjoy Saturn’s Children, so I decided to read his followup Neptune’s Brood. It’s not a sequel, since we don’t follow the same characters. But it’s set in the same universe with a lot of the same technology and ideas. The book is basically an accounting primer in far future accounting with the trappings of a science fiction story. Let’s check it out.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman has made a career out of telling stories that seem simple, but have a lot of hidden depth. One of his earliest books was Violent Cases, a memoirish story about a broken arm and a doctor who might be in with the mob, told from the point of view of the author as a young boy. Gaiman’s latest novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, reminds me a lot of Violent Cases. The young narrator and the half remembered story merge together to give a similar vibe. But, this is a much different story and a fun read. Let’s check it out.
Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
I’ve heard a lot about Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga series of books. It was referred to me as a fun, intelligent space opera that isn’t just about ships fighting. So, I decided to start at the beginning (the first one in the series, not the first one in the book’s chonology), Shards of Honor. The book more closely resembles a romance set within a space opera. But, for those readers who aren’t into romance, it’s not like a Romance novel. It’s about the relationship between two should-be enemies who are a lot more alike than they would originally believe. Let’s check it out.
Miracle Mile movie review
Miracle Mile is one of those movies that never hit it big when it came out in 1988 and never quite caught on in the cable circuit. It might have fared better in the Internet age, where people who love this little movie could get together to talk about and promote it. But, every now and then, you might be able to catch it late night on a cable station, between the other movies of the same name. The movie plays off a single plot point and spirals out of control. It never completely achieves what it sets out to do, but it’s a hell of a ride along the way. Let’s check it out.
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
Lauren Beukes is one of the more interesting new writers. I loved her previous novel Zoo City (my review) but was so-so on her debut novel Moxyland(my review). So, I was excited to read her new novel, The Shining Girls, which has debuted to stellar reviews and has the most interesting idea I’ve seen in a while (time traveling serial killer). Beukes has grown as a writer and each book is leaps and bounds better than the previous one. So let’s go meet the Shining Girls.
R.I.P.D. movie review
The movie R.I.P.D is based on the comic of the same name. Not having read the book, I thought the premise was interesting and the movie might do a decent job of conveying it. Boy was I wrong. It wasn’t a bad movie, but it was extremely bland. There were a few moments of humor and some decent special effects, but overall it was a thoroughly predictable action movie that left me wanting to leave. Let’s check out what went wrong (spoilers inside).
Red Planet Blues by Robert J Sawyer
Let’s get the obvious out-of-the-way first, Red Planet Blues is a fantastic title (and Sawyer has discussed where it came from). The book is in my favorite mashup of genres, science fiction mystery. The book has a very Heinlein feel with the setting and cast of characters, but it is definitely a Sawyer book. I enjoyed it until the ending, which dragged on longer than it should have, but still liked it overall. Let’s check it out.
Expendable by James Alan Gardner
I was on the verge recently of not having anything new to read. I had finished a couple of books which I was looked forward to, while waiting for others which weren’t released yet (or hadn’t made it to my neck of the woods). So, I looked around for a couple new series that I could start from authors whom I hadn’t read previously. This is how I stumbled across James Gardner’s League of People series and read the first book Expendable. Gardner has a setup a wonderful little universe where you can believe there is more going on than just the plot of the book. Let’s go check it out.