Reading anything?

[indianasmith]

Finished McCullough's TRUMAN last night.  A great book about a great man.  They just don't cut them from that mold anymore.

[Mofo Rising]

Finished McCullough's TRUMAN last night.  A great book about a great man.  They just don't cut them from that mold anymore.

I'm still halfway through the book, but I have to say that I don't think Harry S. Truman will ever be duplicated in American politics. Maybe even any politics.

He's such a weird case. A straight-forward American shooter, yet elected due to insider politics. Rose to prominence during one of the most vital periods of world history, WWII. Insane that the consummate politician FDR was followed by the Midwest farmer Truman was, and it was all sanctioned by party politics.

I really admire Truman, because I think he is the last principled guy who will ever be elected. It's to Truman's credit that he (eventually) found his own backbone and buckled down for some truly difficult decisions.

The game changed after that. Nobody like Truman will ever be elected again; not in this atmosphere of endless vetting and public opinion. For better or worse? Almost meaningless to contemplate because it just won't happen.

[FatFreddysCat]

Just finished Roger Moore's autobiography, My Word Is My Bond, today.

[AndyC]

Reading "The Dig," by Michael Siemsen. Pretty good so far.

The main character is Matthew Turner, a 20-something psychic with the ability to read imprints left on objects by other people who have touched them at times of great emotion. He actually experiences the events as if he were those people, right down to their thoughts. Being kind of an anxious sort, Turner keeps his power a secret from all but a handful of people, but does some consulting work for a museum, analyzing artifacts and antiques.

The story surrounds an object found in Kenya, at a dig site run by a paleontologist who is clearly using it as a front for something illegal. A scrap of metallic fabric is removed from rock dating back about 150 million years. Matthew is reluctantly recruited to go and do what he does, and you can imagine where that might lead.

Very good book so far. A few interesting plot threads to follow, and I'm finding it hard to put down.

[InformationGeek]

Fables Deluxe Edition Vol. 4 by Bill Willingham



Following the events of March of the Wooden Soliders; we see the fallout among several characters, the results of the election between Old King Cole and Prince Charming, and Snow White delivers her babies.  During all of this, Blue Boy sneaks off and heads back to the Homelands to find his lost love, Red Riding Hood.

This volume also contains 1001 Nights of Snowfall, a seperate book that tells the tale of Snow White's trip to the Middle East a long time ago and having to tell tales to a sultan in order stay alive.  Probably one of the greatest comics I have ever read in my entire life with fantastice tales and great artists to go with each one.

The story collected in this volume is sort of the slow arc that resides between the heavy March of the Wooden Soliders and the Blue Boy's journey arcs, but still provides a solid story and explores a bit more of the characters in the series.  Not much else to say, but read this book.

[InformationGeek]

Selina's Big Score by Darwyn Cooke



Having gone underground for awhile after pretending to be dead, Selina Kyle returns to the thieving business to gain some more cash.  To pull herself out of the hole, she's going to have to pull off one huge score and she'll need a big team for it, including reuniting with the person who taught her all of her theiving skills.  However, the target is Falcone family and there is no garantee that this will end well for her and team of crooks.

Darwyn Cooke writes a mean Selina Kyle story (I would say Catwoman, but she really isn't in her outfit at all in this comic) with strong likeable anti-heroes and a great setup.  What I really love about it is the artwork, which reminds me heavily of the Batman Animated series and really works with it, despite the heavy violence of this story.

This story is collected alongside a 4 part story staring Slam Bradley (also in the story) and the first 9 issues of the Catwoman series from the past in the new Catwoman collection: Catwoman Vol. 1 Trial of the Catwoman.  If you like Selina Kyle even a little bit, I highly recommend this comic strongly.  It doesn't work in the new contiunity DC set up recently, but don't let that stop you reading this one.

[indianasmith]

Reading "The Dig," by Michael Siemsen. Pretty good so far.

The main character is Matthew Turner, a 20-something psychic with the ability to read imprints left on objects by other people who have touched them at times of great emotion. He actually experiences the events as if he were those people, right down to their thoughts. Being kind of an anxious sort, Turner keeps his power a secret from all but a handful of people, but does some consulting work for a museum, analyzing artifacts and antiques.

The story surrounds an object found in Kenya, at a dig site run by a paleontologist who is clearly using it as a front for something illegal. A scrap of metallic fabric is removed from rock dating back about 150 million years. Matthew is reluctantly recruited to go and do what he does, and you can imagine where that might lead.

Very good book so far. A few interesting plot threads to follow, and I'm finding it hard to put down.

I love this kind of fiction.  I'll have to pick it up at Hasting's!

[Vik]

Reading all the LitReactor craft essays. A lot of interesting articles if you are a writer: http://litreactor.com/essays

[BoyScoutKevin]

Ye-es!

Last time, I said I talk about a couple of books about the Civil War, which I had read, but I think I'll put those off to next time, and instead talk a little "Star Wars." From best to worst.

Star Wars Omnibus: a Long Time Ago
Star Wars in a comic book format. 107 monthly issues plus annual issues. From Marvel Comics and gathered together in 5 volumes. Excluding the 1st volume, volume 5 probably contains the best stories for a number of reasons.

More humor.
A littlle humor, that works well, as it does here, really makes a story more enjoyable.

More kids.
Kids change the tone and mix of a story from an all-adult story.

But, mostly, more interesting characters, especially the villains.
While since the 1st film there has been an attempt to make the villains more human, and thus more realistic, everyone was fettered by the pre-conceived notion of what was a villain. But here we bring in totally new villains that have never been seen before, so with no pre-conceived notions of villainy, everyone, including writers, readers, and evern the characters are constantly reaccessing who is and who is not a villain. It makes for a better story.

The volume also stops at a good stopping point, but what if they had continued with a dozen characters from the last issue.

A couple of ex-Imperial space jockeys, a male Nagai and a female Zeltros, who have a love-hate relationship going on, a Correllian/Nagai half breed, and his Nagai half brother, who hates everyone, including himself, and one of the last Mandalorians still alive plus Luke, Leia, and Han plus C3P0 and R2D2.

On a mission that looks increasingly suicidal.

On a planet, where they are outnumbered about a hundred to one by the villainous Tofs, who like to take prisoners, so they can enjoy clubbing 'em to death afterwards.

Nothing one hasn't seen before, but a good writer can go great things with that set up.

The volume does have its faults.

Did you hear the one one about Leia's 4 teenage attaches and the governor's 5 daughters. Well, the governor certainly heard about it, so when he puts in an appearance at the party to welcome Princess Leia to the Planet Zeltron, the 4 boys think it is healtheir, if they were somewhere else.

Thus, while we do not need a prono version of "Star Wars"--though, that is possible--the stories would be better with a little more sex and nudity in 'em.

Thhe stories would also be better, if if they could have found an illustrator who could draw teenagers that looked like teenagers, instead of some 20-something.

And drew characters that did not change in appearance from issue to issue. Oh, what the heck. Even within the same issue, some of the characters change appearance.

Star Wars Omnibus: Quinlan Vos
A collection of stories about one of the most interesting Jedi Knights. And an omnibus that has a better ending than most of the other omnibuses. Which brings up a gripe I have with "Star Wars." I think it is the characters that are most interesting that are killed off, leaving the uninteresting characters to survive.

Star Wars Omnibus: the Complete Saga
All 6 films in comic book format. Plays out much as one expects. The best films are the 1st 3 films, but of the last 3 films, I think the best story comes with the 1st or 4th films.

Which brings up another criticism of "Star Wars."  The weakes part has always been the writing. And that continues from the films to any of the novels or graphic novels based on the films.

Star Wars: at War with the Empire
In 2 volumes, Stories that take place between the 1st and 2nd films. Typical stories. Readable, but mediofcre writing. But still better than . . .

Veitch's Star Wars: Dark Empire Trilogy
Leaves a number of questions asked, but unanswered. Why were the 2 teens--brother and sister--tied to the tree? And the best villain they could come up with is a revived empror clone. Whoa! That is original.

Next time: two books on the American Civil War.

[FatFreddysCat]

I just finished Alice Cooper's autobiography, "Golf Monster" ...a very entertaining read

[Flangepart]

NEPTUNE'S INFERNO The U.S.Navy at Guadalcanal.
By James D. Hornfischer.
http://www.historynet.com/book-review-neptunes-inferno.htm

This book is a perfect blend of historical overview, and the human experience of war.
I had never know the extent of the sea war at Guadalcanal, and it's a major piece of the little known the should be known.
And if they ever found a way to do what Band of Brothers/The Pacific did on HBO...yeah, that would go with those two titles on my list of classics.

[indianasmith]

Just finished THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.  Now I want to read the rest of the series.

[AndyC]

Finished The Dig, which was an easy read. Always something interesting going on.

Now, I've just started Eclipse. Not the Twilight Eclipse, but a weird story by an author named Briane Pagel. I stumbled across it on the Kindle for 99 cents and thought what the heck.

Not sure where it's going at this point, because it's entirely the thoughts and recollections of the main character, an astronaut hurtling through deep space after the breakup of his spacecraft. His mind drifts between his present predicament, his abusive childhood, high school, a mental hospital and other settings. It's still early in the book, but I'm already guessing as to what's real and what isn't. This guy seems to be coming unglued, or already is.

Not at all what I expected, but I wasn't really sure what to expect. An engaging read so far.

[Frank81]

Finished McCullough's TRUMAN last night.  A great book about a great man.  They just don't cut them from that mold anymore.

Trumans  dropping the bomb at the end of  WW 2, fighting Communism and addressing  the Civil  Rights of Americans on a  national level  made him one of the greats, as opposed  to what we have now.

[InformationGeek]

Resurrection Man Vol. 1 by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning



Mitch Shelly has a problem.  He can't remember who he is outside of his name.  He also has the problem of dying a lot, but coming back with a different super power everytime.  In his quest to discover who he is, he takes it on himself to help out whoever he meets along the way, becoming the urban legend known as Resurrection Man.  However, this trip won't be an easy ride.  Hot on his trail is a man named Hooker who like Mitch cannot die, but never heals or recovers from any wounds he gets.  Also following him are the Body Doubles, two former strippers turned crazy killer bounty hunters hired to bring him in for a special group to study.

This is just a great comic.  I love the characters, I love the high concept, I enjoy the art even though I'm not a big fan of the coloring, I enjoy the action, I dig the crossovers with Batman and Hitman, and I just enjoy finding out where this story will go to next.  I got this book on recommendation from other comic fans who said to check out and I have been enjoying it since.

This is the perfect kind of comic for us b-movie fans.  A high ridiclous concept with a fun character and hilarous to amusing characters.  I mean we got strippers turn psychotic bounty hunters, how does that not want you to read this comic?  I highly recommend it and I hope you guys check it out.