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This is the second installation of my Memorial Day weekend binge of reviews of books written by veterans of the American armed forces and featuring the United States Armed Forces in action. Mr. Kennedy is a former Naval Aviator. He flew the A-6E Intruder bomber off of carriers as well as the EP-3E reconaissance aircraft. He flew during the Kosovo conflict and during Desert Shield and Storm. He retired after 20 years as a Commander. Oh, and yes it's more Speculative Fiction than Science Fiction, but who gives a rip? It's a good book.
(Astute readers will notice that this is precisely the same paragraph I used before I reviewed Red Tide last year, almost like it was cut and pasted. What a weird coincidence. Oh, and I just got home from church and need to leave for work in a bit so this may be a little shorter than normal. My apologies to Mr. Kennedy. I hope he doesn't mind.)
WARNING WARNING WARNING: Reading Chris Kennedy's Occupied Seattle before you have to be someplace is contraindicated. It is also a bad idea to think you'll get to bed on time while reading this one. I mean seriously, you might want to contact your significant other and inform them that you'll be missing for probably about half the time it would normally read a book. Why only half? Because you'll be so engrossed you'll be done in half the amount of time that you usually would. Yeah, it's that good.
I like the way the plot works in this one. Speaking as a dude with a history degree who has done a lot of reading of military history, a lot of crap in war happens because something weird happens somewhere. Seriously, the mass bombing of London, and thereafter Germany, during World War Two happened because a German bomber got lost and jettisoned its bomb load over a civilian area (as opposed the the RAF base it was meant for). I seriously doubt that the Pentagon would plan to repel an invasion look anything like what happens in Occupied Seattle but the scenario contained in the book is actually believable.
Equally as important to the plot of Occupied Seattle is the old adage that no plan survives contact with the enemy. Contingency planning is a good thing, but the other guy gets a vote in how things go too. Neither side gets everything to go right, but the plot hinges on the small things that add up to big ones. It makes sense. War is a very human endeavor and things go wrong all the time. It's good to see a book that uses that very premise.
It's not my first time noting this, and I should probably be used to it by now, but it's always surprising to read a work written by a flyboy that does ground combat this well. The combat in Occupied Seattle is fast paced and frequent. This is the story of the US repelling a Chinese invasion of Seattle. There needs to be fighting. Kennedy does it well. I mean, Asbaran Solutions is still the best written ground combat I've read, but I think Kennedy will be okay with that, since he wrote Asbaran Solutions too. And that's saying something: I'm a huge Tom Kratman fan and he's a former infantry officer. I know good military fiction when I read it, and Kennedy has the technique down.
Of course, you'll get some sea and air combat as well. Kennedy does that superbly, but that's what he's experienced with in the real world, so it's kind of what I expected. That's not to say it was done well; far from it. I enjoyed those parts of the book immensely. I just knew that I would.
I love the characters in this book as well. Whether it's two twins trying to outdo each other, or a pilot running a ground unit, they're well thought out and make sense. No one is perfect, not even the members of the military in the book. I can think of one particular Master Chief that doesn't quite fit the stereotype too. That's okay. People are people and they don't always fit into neat little boxes.
The civilians in the book act right as well. Americans are not lemmings who would follow an invader to their own doom. They wouldn't take an invasion lying down and they don't. Oh,and of course the American citizenry has a high incidence of firearms ownership and a large number of veterans mixed in. Kennedy nails the attitude of the common man perfectly.
I remember taking a writing class in college and my professor informing me that I used too many characters. I also know I've read a ton of books that had and needed a Dramatis Personae in the back. Kennedy manages to avoid all of that. There are enough characters here to make the story work but not enough to create needless clutter.
And that's it because I was supposed to leave here five minutes ago.
Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Expended Rounds
Chris Kennedy
Occupied Seattle
Theogony Books, 2015
Occupied Seattle is available for purchase at the following link:
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Memorial Day Event Part One: David Guenther's Zombie Airman
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Welcome once again to the Jimbo's Awesome Science Fiction and Fantasy Reviews Memorial Day Event!
This year, I'll be reviewing three books in three days all of which were written by veterans and feature the US Military in action. It's an awesome chance to highlight some of the people who have put their asses on the line to keep mine and read some military science fiction and/or fantasy in the process. And I mean, I love our veterans almost as much as I love a good book and I love a good book almost as much as I love my kids. So this a totes legit thing, right?
But enough about me, let's talk about David Guenther, author of Zombie Airman and a longtime veteran of the United States Air Force. (I may be crazy, but I think that might be why it's Zombie Airman and not Zombie Soldier or Zombie Marine.)David served from 1982 to 2003, retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant (E-7). He was a 1T191 Aircrew Life Support mechanic and was deployed for Display Determination (part of Desert Storm), Desert Storm itself, Operation Southern Watch and Operation Enduring Freedom. Guenther had a part in saving many pilots after they had punched out. He worked on the C141B Air Lifter, C-5 Galaxy, F-16, A-10 (just like my buddy Swen!), OV-10, F-111E, B-52, KC-135, KC-10 and T-37. He sent me a list of places he's been stationed as long as my arm and I'm not going to list them all because I want to get to the review part of the review sometime today, BUT he also served at Eielson AFB, where my grandfather had served as a young man decades earlier, and I think that's really cool. He also, at least if I'm interpreting this right, did some work providing SERE training to our pilots.
Oh, and did I mention that I'm reviewing one of his books today?
Zombie Airman is starts in the right place and it FREAKING STAYS THERE. Seriously folks, how many times have we been "treated" (I'm looking at you TWD) to a story where our hero gets hurt, conks out and wakes up like a month after the whole world has gone to Hell. Not this book. We're there right at the start and the whole book is set in the first few days after things break down. It gets ugly quickly, which makes sense in a zombie story, but we get to see it get bad instead of seeing it after it's already bad. I really like that aspect of it.
Something else that has always driven me crazy (Once again looking at you, TWD) is that writers of zombie stories always seem to assume that the military is going to go tits up in the apocalypse. NEWSFLASH: The military has plans and supplies for when Shit Hits the Fan and the training and knowledge to use both. So not only did Guenther hit on a logical way to start clearing zombies and fixing things, he found probably the only logical way. The military (especially after eighteen years of war) is made up of survivors and people how know how to get things done. If anyone survives the zombie apocalypse it's going to be the military. This is the second series I've seen where the whole world hinges on the reactions of the military. Hopefully this turns into a trend.
A huge part of what makes this book work is not just the military though, it's the characters. One of my favorite characters is named Gloria. She's a smart, tough, woman with some world experience and knowledge of the streets. She's hard when she needs to be, but she's a good person too. She is helpful to those around her that deserve it (yes, I said that) and knows when to clear out to keep herself and those that matter safe. Seriously. Gloria is the kind of person you can trust. She is the kind of person you want at your back whether it's the Zombie Apocalypse or just an average Sunday when you're trying to deal with a situation.
One of the strengths of Zombie Airman is that the characters (that haven't been turned) have a tendency to act in a logical and intelligent manner unless they're in a panic. I like that. We all know the commercial where the people in the horror movie skip past the started car and go hide behind the chainsaws, right? You don't get that here. These are smart people acting in a rational manner doing things to help themselves. And sometimes, they act normal in other places. Something a lot of non-military writers writing military fiction (even the writers who do it well) forget is that normal stuff still matters. It makes sense that a character who has been through a lot and gotten all icky is going to want to eat a meal and take a shower. Guenther puts that in here.
Well, unless it's Caleb. Sort of. I mean, he deals with things in a mostly rational manner except that he seems to be a boy off on a lark. He's the zombie airman in the title. I like the kid despite his brash manner. And I get his sacrifice. I know all about the horrors of letting someone else drive my vehicle. He seems to get through it though. I'm proud of him.
Zombie Airman showcases a new type of zombie that we've not seen before. I don't want to spoil too much but I've definitely never seen zombies do some of the things they do in this book. I really enjoyed that. I mean, there are certain things that zombies have to be, and they're all of those but they're more than just the shambling horde screaming "Braaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiins." Also, at least in one aspect they're kind of reminiscent of vampires, even if they don't suck blood. There is at least one other major difference that I'm not going to spoil because I suck. If you really want to know, buy the book or check it out on Kindle Unlimited. I encourage it. It's worth your time and your loot.
Zombie Airman is also a book that doesn't shy away from political realities. There are some things in here that make sense in a real world context that I wish didn't. The world Guenther builds is based closely on our own in the present day, with all of the warts and foibles that you would expect. Guenther's years as a leader appear to have given him a good working knowledge of human nature as it manifests in legitimate interactions.
Having said that, I do have one minor complaint about Zombie Airman: Guenther uses a lot of military abbreviations. Military people have a tendency to do that. There are a lot of things in the military that need abbreviating. I'm not so sure that something that works perfectly well in an After Action Report works as well in a novel though. I'm thinking that this would be a better book with just a few minutes work using find and replace and either putting "Airman First Class" where it says A1C, or maybe just deleting it in a lot of places. The book would just read more cleanly that way and the story would still be just as awesome since it wouldn't be changing anything there.
And the story itself is awesome. Zombie Airman is action packed and fun. There are definitely some moments that are kind of icky, but it's a freaking ZOMBIE NOVEL. If you want squeaky clean fun, go watch a Disney movie. There is a ton of action-packed hardcore violence of the type that it would take to survive in an environment full of things that want to eat you. Guenther's characters are not bloodthirsty and savage, but they don't waste their time handwringing when they should be fighting. These are the people I'd want at my side if it all went down. Happily though, I'm stuck with only reading about them.
Bottom Line: 4.5 out of 5 Infected Victims
Zombie Airman
David Guenther
Self Published, 2018
Zombie Airman is available for purchase at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F31TCVB/
Welcome once again to the Jimbo's Awesome Science Fiction and Fantasy Reviews Memorial Day Event!
This year, I'll be reviewing three books in three days all of which were written by veterans and feature the US Military in action. It's an awesome chance to highlight some of the people who have put their asses on the line to keep mine and read some military science fiction and/or fantasy in the process. And I mean, I love our veterans almost as much as I love a good book and I love a good book almost as much as I love my kids. So this a totes legit thing, right?
But enough about me, let's talk about David Guenther, author of Zombie Airman and a longtime veteran of the United States Air Force. (I may be crazy, but I think that might be why it's Zombie Airman and not Zombie Soldier or Zombie Marine.)David served from 1982 to 2003, retiring at the rank of Master Sergeant (E-7). He was a 1T191 Aircrew Life Support mechanic and was deployed for Display Determination (part of Desert Storm), Desert Storm itself, Operation Southern Watch and Operation Enduring Freedom. Guenther had a part in saving many pilots after they had punched out. He worked on the C141B Air Lifter, C-5 Galaxy, F-16, A-10 (just like my buddy Swen!), OV-10, F-111E, B-52, KC-135, KC-10 and T-37. He sent me a list of places he's been stationed as long as my arm and I'm not going to list them all because I want to get to the review part of the review sometime today, BUT he also served at Eielson AFB, where my grandfather had served as a young man decades earlier, and I think that's really cool. He also, at least if I'm interpreting this right, did some work providing SERE training to our pilots.
Oh, and did I mention that I'm reviewing one of his books today?
Zombie Airman is starts in the right place and it FREAKING STAYS THERE. Seriously folks, how many times have we been "treated" (I'm looking at you TWD) to a story where our hero gets hurt, conks out and wakes up like a month after the whole world has gone to Hell. Not this book. We're there right at the start and the whole book is set in the first few days after things break down. It gets ugly quickly, which makes sense in a zombie story, but we get to see it get bad instead of seeing it after it's already bad. I really like that aspect of it.
Something else that has always driven me crazy (Once again looking at you, TWD) is that writers of zombie stories always seem to assume that the military is going to go tits up in the apocalypse. NEWSFLASH: The military has plans and supplies for when Shit Hits the Fan and the training and knowledge to use both. So not only did Guenther hit on a logical way to start clearing zombies and fixing things, he found probably the only logical way. The military (especially after eighteen years of war) is made up of survivors and people how know how to get things done. If anyone survives the zombie apocalypse it's going to be the military. This is the second series I've seen where the whole world hinges on the reactions of the military. Hopefully this turns into a trend.
A huge part of what makes this book work is not just the military though, it's the characters. One of my favorite characters is named Gloria. She's a smart, tough, woman with some world experience and knowledge of the streets. She's hard when she needs to be, but she's a good person too. She is helpful to those around her that deserve it (yes, I said that) and knows when to clear out to keep herself and those that matter safe. Seriously. Gloria is the kind of person you can trust. She is the kind of person you want at your back whether it's the Zombie Apocalypse or just an average Sunday when you're trying to deal with a situation.
One of the strengths of Zombie Airman is that the characters (that haven't been turned) have a tendency to act in a logical and intelligent manner unless they're in a panic. I like that. We all know the commercial where the people in the horror movie skip past the started car and go hide behind the chainsaws, right? You don't get that here. These are smart people acting in a rational manner doing things to help themselves. And sometimes, they act normal in other places. Something a lot of non-military writers writing military fiction (even the writers who do it well) forget is that normal stuff still matters. It makes sense that a character who has been through a lot and gotten all icky is going to want to eat a meal and take a shower. Guenther puts that in here.
Well, unless it's Caleb. Sort of. I mean, he deals with things in a mostly rational manner except that he seems to be a boy off on a lark. He's the zombie airman in the title. I like the kid despite his brash manner. And I get his sacrifice. I know all about the horrors of letting someone else drive my vehicle. He seems to get through it though. I'm proud of him.
Zombie Airman showcases a new type of zombie that we've not seen before. I don't want to spoil too much but I've definitely never seen zombies do some of the things they do in this book. I really enjoyed that. I mean, there are certain things that zombies have to be, and they're all of those but they're more than just the shambling horde screaming "Braaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiins." Also, at least in one aspect they're kind of reminiscent of vampires, even if they don't suck blood. There is at least one other major difference that I'm not going to spoil because I suck. If you really want to know, buy the book or check it out on Kindle Unlimited. I encourage it. It's worth your time and your loot.
Zombie Airman is also a book that doesn't shy away from political realities. There are some things in here that make sense in a real world context that I wish didn't. The world Guenther builds is based closely on our own in the present day, with all of the warts and foibles that you would expect. Guenther's years as a leader appear to have given him a good working knowledge of human nature as it manifests in legitimate interactions.
Having said that, I do have one minor complaint about Zombie Airman: Guenther uses a lot of military abbreviations. Military people have a tendency to do that. There are a lot of things in the military that need abbreviating. I'm not so sure that something that works perfectly well in an After Action Report works as well in a novel though. I'm thinking that this would be a better book with just a few minutes work using find and replace and either putting "Airman First Class" where it says A1C, or maybe just deleting it in a lot of places. The book would just read more cleanly that way and the story would still be just as awesome since it wouldn't be changing anything there.
And the story itself is awesome. Zombie Airman is action packed and fun. There are definitely some moments that are kind of icky, but it's a freaking ZOMBIE NOVEL. If you want squeaky clean fun, go watch a Disney movie. There is a ton of action-packed hardcore violence of the type that it would take to survive in an environment full of things that want to eat you. Guenther's characters are not bloodthirsty and savage, but they don't waste their time handwringing when they should be fighting. These are the people I'd want at my side if it all went down. Happily though, I'm stuck with only reading about them.
Bottom Line: 4.5 out of 5 Infected Victims
Zombie Airman
David Guenther
Self Published, 2018
Zombie Airman is available for purchase at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F31TCVB/
Monday, May 20, 2019
Richard Hummel's Radioactive Evolution
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I like mashups. They make me happy. So, say, if someone were to cross some LitRPG with a bit of Post Apocalyptic Fiction and maybe toss in a medical technology angle, I think I'd probably enjoy that. Uhh..
Wait...
Richard Hummel already did that.
Radioactive Evolution is a successful mix of all of the above. I really enjoyed this one. And for more than one reason.
I'm a fan of zombie fiction (and I've got a review coming as part of my Memorial Day event that is exactly that) but sometimes I think that modern day authors have forgotten that it's possible to do PA Fic without zombies. I'm glad to note that Richard Hummel remembers.
The Earth of Radioactive Evolution is not a friendly place, even if Jared, our main character, is a pretty friendly dude when he can be. The fact remains that most of humanity lives in the ruins of what went before. Radiation is so pervasive that humans that live on the surface have to have regular boosters of nannites in order to protect themselves from the radiation. The good news here is that they energy provided by the nannites powers their bodies and they have no need for food as long as they're someplace with a high radiation count. I'd hate to be an unaugmented human there, but as long as a person gets the nannites they need, they're okay. Of course, it's not always easy to get the boosters...
So yeah, conflict happens and the people on the surface suffer. They people of the Cities, which are in the sky, appear to be much better off. People on the ground resent them, even though they're the ones who make the boosters. So far, we don't know much about the people of the Cities and they're kind of cardboard cutouts, but this is the first book in a series and I'm thinking that Hummel didn't want to give up all of his secrets in the initial volume. That makes sense. Keeping some things to reveal later is how an author keeps his readers interested. I approve.
Part of what really kept me in this book is the LitRPG angle. Players of just about any MMORPG will recognize the process of improving a character and gradually becoming immune to what were once deadly threats. It doesn't matter if we're talking about a Young Kodiak in the West Commons or a Gorilla in Stranglethorn Vale, at some point the deadly threat becomes chump change. That happens here. Radioactive Evolution is a story of survival. It is a story of character progression and accepting responsibility.
It is also, however, a story of RPG style progression and building a character through fighting and gaining experience. The book refers to the process as absorbing and assigning nannites, but that's basically how it works. I like the method of progression too. If you played World of Warcraft during Vanilla or Burning Crusade and can read Radioactive Evolution and not scream "OH MY GOD TALENT TREE" at least once you're either superhuman or not paying attention. New abilities get added as Jared and Scarlet level up. And get this: It's not an artifact that gets taken away at the end of the expansion either.
*SIGH*
Nope. Not bitter. Why are you asking?
I don't really like to do spoilers, but if I don't mention that Jared finds himself a dragon to bond with early in the story then I'm not doing my job here. Scarlet is just too much a part of the story to leave out of a review. She's more intelligent than a human. She can evolve using nannites as well and she does... a lot. She has this weird function, where she's the carrier of ancient lore, but also doesn't know much about humanity. She's Spock mixed with Kess, with a side of Worf and maybe just a touch of Odo. (If you're not a Star Trek fan you don't get that. I feel bad for you.)
Fans of the Post Apocalyptic genre will be familiar with the Mad Max type thing where what's left of the world consists of only one type of environment. I'm happy to say that's not the case here. We see cityscapes, wilderness, military compounds, flight and even underground tunnels. There's a lot of variety in places and things. Jared and Scarlet are constantly moving and experiencing different things and different threats. The threats are great, but so are the rewards.
And there are most definitely threats. If you feel safe at just about any point in this story, you're not paying attention. Even some of the things that shouldn't be dangerous are. Jared and Scarlet can run. They can hide. They can fight. The one thing it never makes sense to do is relax. Something is always out there. Something is always watching. In the world of Radioactive Evolution, getting lazy means taking unnecessary risks.
It's fun to watch the two grow together too. They start off not knowing much about each other. They start off not knowing much about each others' species. By the end of the book, they're very much friends and, while they still don't understand each other perfectly, they're getting figuring things out between them. They're learning to relate to others better as well. I can't wait to see how close they get in the future.
And there will be a future. Or, maybe it's closer to the truth to say there already IS a future. The next book is already out and, while I'm not real sure if I like the fact that the titles are so close together (I recently received a link to the book. It's called Radioactive Revolution and when I first looked at it, I thought it was the same book) I really am excited to read it. There is a lot of story left to be told. I'm guessing there will be more than one sequel, but I haven't read the new one yet so I can't say for sure.
Seriously folks, this one is worth your time and money (Although Kindle Unlimited users can get it for free as part of your subscription). I'd definitely encourage you all to check it out.
Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Nannite Boosters
Radioactive Evolution
Richard Hummel
Hummel Books, 2018
Radioactive Evolution is available for purchase at the following link:
I like mashups. They make me happy. So, say, if someone were to cross some LitRPG with a bit of Post Apocalyptic Fiction and maybe toss in a medical technology angle, I think I'd probably enjoy that. Uhh..
Wait...
Richard Hummel already did that.
Radioactive Evolution is a successful mix of all of the above. I really enjoyed this one. And for more than one reason.
I'm a fan of zombie fiction (and I've got a review coming as part of my Memorial Day event that is exactly that) but sometimes I think that modern day authors have forgotten that it's possible to do PA Fic without zombies. I'm glad to note that Richard Hummel remembers.
The Earth of Radioactive Evolution is not a friendly place, even if Jared, our main character, is a pretty friendly dude when he can be. The fact remains that most of humanity lives in the ruins of what went before. Radiation is so pervasive that humans that live on the surface have to have regular boosters of nannites in order to protect themselves from the radiation. The good news here is that they energy provided by the nannites powers their bodies and they have no need for food as long as they're someplace with a high radiation count. I'd hate to be an unaugmented human there, but as long as a person gets the nannites they need, they're okay. Of course, it's not always easy to get the boosters...
So yeah, conflict happens and the people on the surface suffer. They people of the Cities, which are in the sky, appear to be much better off. People on the ground resent them, even though they're the ones who make the boosters. So far, we don't know much about the people of the Cities and they're kind of cardboard cutouts, but this is the first book in a series and I'm thinking that Hummel didn't want to give up all of his secrets in the initial volume. That makes sense. Keeping some things to reveal later is how an author keeps his readers interested. I approve.
Part of what really kept me in this book is the LitRPG angle. Players of just about any MMORPG will recognize the process of improving a character and gradually becoming immune to what were once deadly threats. It doesn't matter if we're talking about a Young Kodiak in the West Commons or a Gorilla in Stranglethorn Vale, at some point the deadly threat becomes chump change. That happens here. Radioactive Evolution is a story of survival. It is a story of character progression and accepting responsibility.
It is also, however, a story of RPG style progression and building a character through fighting and gaining experience. The book refers to the process as absorbing and assigning nannites, but that's basically how it works. I like the method of progression too. If you played World of Warcraft during Vanilla or Burning Crusade and can read Radioactive Evolution and not scream "OH MY GOD TALENT TREE" at least once you're either superhuman or not paying attention. New abilities get added as Jared and Scarlet level up. And get this: It's not an artifact that gets taken away at the end of the expansion either.
*SIGH*
Nope. Not bitter. Why are you asking?
I don't really like to do spoilers, but if I don't mention that Jared finds himself a dragon to bond with early in the story then I'm not doing my job here. Scarlet is just too much a part of the story to leave out of a review. She's more intelligent than a human. She can evolve using nannites as well and she does... a lot. She has this weird function, where she's the carrier of ancient lore, but also doesn't know much about humanity. She's Spock mixed with Kess, with a side of Worf and maybe just a touch of Odo. (If you're not a Star Trek fan you don't get that. I feel bad for you.)
Fans of the Post Apocalyptic genre will be familiar with the Mad Max type thing where what's left of the world consists of only one type of environment. I'm happy to say that's not the case here. We see cityscapes, wilderness, military compounds, flight and even underground tunnels. There's a lot of variety in places and things. Jared and Scarlet are constantly moving and experiencing different things and different threats. The threats are great, but so are the rewards.
And there are most definitely threats. If you feel safe at just about any point in this story, you're not paying attention. Even some of the things that shouldn't be dangerous are. Jared and Scarlet can run. They can hide. They can fight. The one thing it never makes sense to do is relax. Something is always out there. Something is always watching. In the world of Radioactive Evolution, getting lazy means taking unnecessary risks.
It's fun to watch the two grow together too. They start off not knowing much about each other. They start off not knowing much about each others' species. By the end of the book, they're very much friends and, while they still don't understand each other perfectly, they're getting figuring things out between them. They're learning to relate to others better as well. I can't wait to see how close they get in the future.
And there will be a future. Or, maybe it's closer to the truth to say there already IS a future. The next book is already out and, while I'm not real sure if I like the fact that the titles are so close together (I recently received a link to the book. It's called Radioactive Revolution and when I first looked at it, I thought it was the same book) I really am excited to read it. There is a lot of story left to be told. I'm guessing there will be more than one sequel, but I haven't read the new one yet so I can't say for sure.
Seriously folks, this one is worth your time and money (Although Kindle Unlimited users can get it for free as part of your subscription). I'd definitely encourage you all to check it out.
Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Nannite Boosters
Radioactive Evolution
Richard Hummel
Hummel Books, 2018
Radioactive Evolution is available for purchase at the following link:
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Happy Stuff, Sad Stuff
(Author's Note: I'm typing this on my phone. I'll do my best to make it look like it was typed by an adult and not written in crayon by a three year old but my odds of success are dubious. )
So Chewbacca has joined his Princess in Heaven. This is a travesty. I've not met Peter Mayhew in person, but everything I've heard about him says that he was a gentle giant, kind to all and especially his fans.
Just as importantly to those of us who didn't know him personally, he was a larger than life icon. For many of us, he was a part of our childhood. Who didn't love Chewbacca as a kid? You'll be missed Mr. Mayhew. Take good care of our Princess.
In related (but much happier) news...
May the Fourth Be With You!
It's Star Wars Day! Let your Geek Flag fly!
Yes, we' re all a little melancholy because we lost one of our heroes. We should still celebrate. Let the greats never be forgotten! Wear your Star Wars gear! Post a meme! Play a Star Wars video game. Read a Star Wars comic. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO DAYS OF THE YEAR THAT IS ALL ABOUT GEEKS! PARTY LIKE ROCK STARS!
Oh, did I mention days that are all about geeks? Do you know what today is?
(No, 90s R+B fans, it's not our anniversary.)
IT'S FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!
SUPPORT YOUR LCS!
(That's Local Comic Shop for all of you mundanes out there.)
Go get your free stuff and enjoy the party! I'm about to take my daughter out for it.
No links today because I know all of you are on the way to your LCS to support local businesses.
Have fun!
So Chewbacca has joined his Princess in Heaven. This is a travesty. I've not met Peter Mayhew in person, but everything I've heard about him says that he was a gentle giant, kind to all and especially his fans.
Just as importantly to those of us who didn't know him personally, he was a larger than life icon. For many of us, he was a part of our childhood. Who didn't love Chewbacca as a kid? You'll be missed Mr. Mayhew. Take good care of our Princess.
In related (but much happier) news...
May the Fourth Be With You!
It's Star Wars Day! Let your Geek Flag fly!
Yes, we' re all a little melancholy because we lost one of our heroes. We should still celebrate. Let the greats never be forgotten! Wear your Star Wars gear! Post a meme! Play a Star Wars video game. Read a Star Wars comic. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO DAYS OF THE YEAR THAT IS ALL ABOUT GEEKS! PARTY LIKE ROCK STARS!
Oh, did I mention days that are all about geeks? Do you know what today is?
(No, 90s R+B fans, it's not our anniversary.)
IT'S FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!
SUPPORT YOUR LCS!
(That's Local Comic Shop for all of you mundanes out there.)
Go get your free stuff and enjoy the party! I'm about to take my daughter out for it.
No links today because I know all of you are on the way to your LCS to support local businesses.
Have fun!
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Kai Wai Cheah's and Thomas Plutarch's Hollow City
This summary is not available. Please
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Monday, April 15, 2019
Marvel's X Men: Magneto: Testament Review and Some Commentary
(This review and commentary will contain spoilers.)
I have a history degree. I am not often fond of the teachers out there (and they know who they are) who use fiction to teach it. As someone who was once forced to read a thirty page scholarly paper on what was wrong with The Last Samurai, I can assure you I'm not one of the most rabid in that conviction however. And, as someone who learned to love history by watching John Wayne movies and other World War Two flicks, I can assure you that there is some value in encouraging youngsters to watch fictionalized account of history even if I believe they should be kept out of the classroom.
Enter X-Men: Magneto: Testament. I found my first copy of the work in the gift shop of my local Holocaust Museum. I had heard about it, so I picked up a copy. Given the fact that I was at that Holocaust Museum researching a paper that I wrote about the involvement of the Heer (that's the German Army. The Wehrmacht was the German military as a whole) and just happened to stop into the gift shop on my way out almost definitely means that I should be consigned to the academic version of Hell. Fortunately for me, the place would be filled with comic books and fictionalized accounts and I would enjoy myself thoroughly. I mean, I never said I was a GOOD academic..
But anyway..
For all of its faults, X-Men: Magneto: Testament is a superb comic. This is not your typical fare though. Testament is not a World War II Era Captain America comic. There is no superhero coming out of the woodwork to massacre these Nazis the way they deserve. Testament is not some triumphalist narrative about beating the Fuhrer and his goons into submission with the power of one man's fists. In some ways, I wish that it were. I wish that it could be.
No, Marvel made their story much closer to the truth. The truth is that it sucked to be a Jew in Nazi Germany. The truth is that millions were murdered. The truth is that millions of people were mistreated not because they had done anything, but simply for existing. They were accused of living lives of wealth and privilege and annihilated. All of societies problems were blamed on Jews and they were slaughtered like cattle as soon as a chance arose.
Testament portrays that very well. It also portrays the patriarch of the family urging his family to go along to get along. To not resist so as to not invite a beating. What must have seemed reasonable at the time soon turned sour. Things get ugly quickly. But that's what happens when you appease an abuser. They may come for you last, but it's going to happen eventually, even if you acted as an ally.
The story is about one Max Eisenhardt, later known as Magneto. In the beginning he is a young boy with a desire to be like all the men in his family. He is learning, at the age of nine, to make jewelry. Soon, he is in school and excelling; both academically and athletically. He is tormented because of this and held to a higher standard because of his ethnic background. Eventually, he gets put into a camp.
Both before and during his imprisonment he continues to make decisions based on his fear of punishment. He won't retaliate for the treatment of his people because he is afraid of what the Nazis might do to him and to his brethren. What had started out as matter of words, of people complaining about the wealth and privilege of others, ends in the massacre of millions.
The ironic part being that even in his captivity, while hating every minute of it, he aids his Nazi captors. Magneto serves as a member of the Sonderkommando, (Special Command in English). They were the people who burned the bodies of the Jews, and others, who had been murdered.
Listen, I love comics. I have since I used to save up my allowance and ride my bike two miles to the Antique Paper Shop to buy back issues. I've used a lot of adjectives to describe my favorite comics: Entertaining, gorgeous, engaging, interesting, the list goes on and on. With the possible exception of gorgeous (and that because the art reflects the horror surrounding the main character. It is actually very well done) they all apply here. The one adjective I'm going to use that I never have before is powerful.
Testament is exactly what it claims to be. It is a testament to what happened to the Jews under the Nazis. Yes, there are some historical inaccuracies to be sure (no one EVER survived two years as a member of a Sonderkommando for instance.) but the gist of the story is correct. Testament doesn't have the importance that something like The Diary of Anne Frank would have because it's not a first person account, but it may still be the most important comic ever published. Maus (which I just bought a used copy of but haven't read yet) is probably up there, and there was an issue of Spiderman (help me out if you know which one) was the first one to ever deal with drug abuse, (and no, comparing drug abuse to the Holocaust is not belittling the importance of either. They've both killed millions) but Testament deals with the Shoah (as the Jewish people call the Holocaust) in a way that nothing else ever has. Entertainment is not a good way to study the hard facts of a subject, but it attracts attention that no scholarly work ever will. Both are important.
Which leads me to two problems I have with Marvel right now. I'll deal with the less controversial one first.
Physical copies of X-Men: Magneto: Testament are currently out of print. I get that this isn't the newest and latest comic. It came out a decade ago. There are newer comics to promote and Testament doesn't really fit into the way that Marvel is re-releasing a lot of its older works. I got an e-book version on Amazon lately, so it's still available that way but it's mainly going to sell to people that go looking for it that way. A copy of Testament should be available in any Holocaust Museum/Memorial that attracts enough English speaking individuals for it to sell. That goes the same for speakers/locations appropriate to any languages Testament may have been translated into. I mean that. That's how I found out it existed. If I were Marvel, I'd do a run and market it specifically along those lines, as well as to any Local Comic Shop that wanted copies to sell. Why? Because it's a way for Grandma and Grandpa to get their teenage grandchild(ren) who don't read history to learn about the Holocaust. We can't let this be forgotten because if we do we're asking for it to happen again.
As for my second point:
Uhh... Marvel?
WHY IN THE EVERLOVING, UNDYING, INDECIPHERABLE FUCK ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE MAGNETO A MEMBER OF HYDRA?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Guys....
Really?
A FREAKING HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AS A MEMBER OF A NEO-NAZI ORGANIZATION??
REALLY?
This is a bad idea. I mean, I get your point. You need a white dude to turn into a Nazi. It didn't work with Captain America so you thought you'd switch things over to another white guy in the form of Magneto. I get it. Here's what you're missing:
Not every Straight White Male is a Nazi. Nope. Not even a significant percentage of them. I mean, I get what the Social Justice Bullies demand but that doesn't mean you have to give in to them. You're losing a lot of respect from me here. This is unnecessary. It is sick. It is twisted. It is wrong. YOU ARE BLAMING THE VICTIM.
Seriously Marvel. I'm begging you. Don't do this. Not to your fans. Not to the general public. And damn sure not to the victims of the Holocaust. You're implying that they did it to themselves here. This is a step too far.
Bottom Line for X-Men: Magneto: Testament: 5.0 out of 5 Stars
X-Men: Magneto: Testament
Greg Pak, Carmine Di Giandomencio, Marko Djurdjevic
Marvel, 2009
The comics for X-Men: Magneto: Testament are available for purchase at the link below:
I have a history degree. I am not often fond of the teachers out there (and they know who they are) who use fiction to teach it. As someone who was once forced to read a thirty page scholarly paper on what was wrong with The Last Samurai, I can assure you I'm not one of the most rabid in that conviction however. And, as someone who learned to love history by watching John Wayne movies and other World War Two flicks, I can assure you that there is some value in encouraging youngsters to watch fictionalized account of history even if I believe they should be kept out of the classroom.
Enter X-Men: Magneto: Testament. I found my first copy of the work in the gift shop of my local Holocaust Museum. I had heard about it, so I picked up a copy. Given the fact that I was at that Holocaust Museum researching a paper that I wrote about the involvement of the Heer (that's the German Army. The Wehrmacht was the German military as a whole) and just happened to stop into the gift shop on my way out almost definitely means that I should be consigned to the academic version of Hell. Fortunately for me, the place would be filled with comic books and fictionalized accounts and I would enjoy myself thoroughly. I mean, I never said I was a GOOD academic..
But anyway..
For all of its faults, X-Men: Magneto: Testament is a superb comic. This is not your typical fare though. Testament is not a World War II Era Captain America comic. There is no superhero coming out of the woodwork to massacre these Nazis the way they deserve. Testament is not some triumphalist narrative about beating the Fuhrer and his goons into submission with the power of one man's fists. In some ways, I wish that it were. I wish that it could be.
No, Marvel made their story much closer to the truth. The truth is that it sucked to be a Jew in Nazi Germany. The truth is that millions were murdered. The truth is that millions of people were mistreated not because they had done anything, but simply for existing. They were accused of living lives of wealth and privilege and annihilated. All of societies problems were blamed on Jews and they were slaughtered like cattle as soon as a chance arose.
Testament portrays that very well. It also portrays the patriarch of the family urging his family to go along to get along. To not resist so as to not invite a beating. What must have seemed reasonable at the time soon turned sour. Things get ugly quickly. But that's what happens when you appease an abuser. They may come for you last, but it's going to happen eventually, even if you acted as an ally.
The story is about one Max Eisenhardt, later known as Magneto. In the beginning he is a young boy with a desire to be like all the men in his family. He is learning, at the age of nine, to make jewelry. Soon, he is in school and excelling; both academically and athletically. He is tormented because of this and held to a higher standard because of his ethnic background. Eventually, he gets put into a camp.
Both before and during his imprisonment he continues to make decisions based on his fear of punishment. He won't retaliate for the treatment of his people because he is afraid of what the Nazis might do to him and to his brethren. What had started out as matter of words, of people complaining about the wealth and privilege of others, ends in the massacre of millions.
The ironic part being that even in his captivity, while hating every minute of it, he aids his Nazi captors. Magneto serves as a member of the Sonderkommando, (Special Command in English). They were the people who burned the bodies of the Jews, and others, who had been murdered.
Listen, I love comics. I have since I used to save up my allowance and ride my bike two miles to the Antique Paper Shop to buy back issues. I've used a lot of adjectives to describe my favorite comics: Entertaining, gorgeous, engaging, interesting, the list goes on and on. With the possible exception of gorgeous (and that because the art reflects the horror surrounding the main character. It is actually very well done) they all apply here. The one adjective I'm going to use that I never have before is powerful.
Testament is exactly what it claims to be. It is a testament to what happened to the Jews under the Nazis. Yes, there are some historical inaccuracies to be sure (no one EVER survived two years as a member of a Sonderkommando for instance.) but the gist of the story is correct. Testament doesn't have the importance that something like The Diary of Anne Frank would have because it's not a first person account, but it may still be the most important comic ever published. Maus (which I just bought a used copy of but haven't read yet) is probably up there, and there was an issue of Spiderman (help me out if you know which one) was the first one to ever deal with drug abuse, (and no, comparing drug abuse to the Holocaust is not belittling the importance of either. They've both killed millions) but Testament deals with the Shoah (as the Jewish people call the Holocaust) in a way that nothing else ever has. Entertainment is not a good way to study the hard facts of a subject, but it attracts attention that no scholarly work ever will. Both are important.
Which leads me to two problems I have with Marvel right now. I'll deal with the less controversial one first.
Physical copies of X-Men: Magneto: Testament are currently out of print. I get that this isn't the newest and latest comic. It came out a decade ago. There are newer comics to promote and Testament doesn't really fit into the way that Marvel is re-releasing a lot of its older works. I got an e-book version on Amazon lately, so it's still available that way but it's mainly going to sell to people that go looking for it that way. A copy of Testament should be available in any Holocaust Museum/Memorial that attracts enough English speaking individuals for it to sell. That goes the same for speakers/locations appropriate to any languages Testament may have been translated into. I mean that. That's how I found out it existed. If I were Marvel, I'd do a run and market it specifically along those lines, as well as to any Local Comic Shop that wanted copies to sell. Why? Because it's a way for Grandma and Grandpa to get their teenage grandchild(ren) who don't read history to learn about the Holocaust. We can't let this be forgotten because if we do we're asking for it to happen again.
As for my second point:
Uhh... Marvel?
WHY IN THE EVERLOVING, UNDYING, INDECIPHERABLE FUCK ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE MAGNETO A MEMBER OF HYDRA?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Guys....
Really?
A FREAKING HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AS A MEMBER OF A NEO-NAZI ORGANIZATION??
REALLY?
This is a bad idea. I mean, I get your point. You need a white dude to turn into a Nazi. It didn't work with Captain America so you thought you'd switch things over to another white guy in the form of Magneto. I get it. Here's what you're missing:
Not every Straight White Male is a Nazi. Nope. Not even a significant percentage of them. I mean, I get what the Social Justice Bullies demand but that doesn't mean you have to give in to them. You're losing a lot of respect from me here. This is unnecessary. It is sick. It is twisted. It is wrong. YOU ARE BLAMING THE VICTIM.
Seriously Marvel. I'm begging you. Don't do this. Not to your fans. Not to the general public. And damn sure not to the victims of the Holocaust. You're implying that they did it to themselves here. This is a step too far.
Bottom Line for X-Men: Magneto: Testament: 5.0 out of 5 Stars
X-Men: Magneto: Testament
Greg Pak, Carmine Di Giandomencio, Marko Djurdjevic
Marvel, 2009
The comics for X-Men: Magneto: Testament are available for purchase at the link below:
Saturday, April 13, 2019
The Episode 9 Teaser is Here!
Listen, I know some of you didn't like The Last Jedi. I disagree. I thought it was excellent. I'm guessing that a lot of what went into TLJ was to set up the last movie. This is it.
I'm geeked to say the least. Did you hear what came at the end of the trailer? DID YOU HEAR PALPATINE LAUGH?
Hell yes, it's time for that. It's time to bring this thing full circle. All of you out there whining about how Palpatine's reappearance lessens Vader's sacrifice at the end of Return of the Jedi can pucker up and blow.
So yes, it appears that they may finally be depicting Rey as the badass she was always meant to be. I want to see her chop that TIE fighter in half, or maybe go through the cockpit and put her lightsaber into the pilot. What could be better?
I hate the fact that I have to wait for Christmas to see this.
OH, and by the way...
Disney as announced that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the end of the Skywalker saga. In some ways, that makes me sad. In others it makes me happy.
Listen, I was late to the party. I didn't go see Episode IV in the theater because I was still in diapers when it came out. I couldn't even walk yet. I wasn't much older when The Empire Strike Back hit. So, as a result of an accident of birth, I didn't get to see a Star Wars flick until Return of the Jedi. As a result, I've ONLY been watching Skywalkers dance across my screen since 1983. I'm a virtual n00b.
The fact remains that I've known this family for thirty-six years. We've hung out together in movie theaters, living rooms and bookstores for that whole time. I love these guys and I always will. I am, in short, a fanboi. Knowing that the line is ending and I won't be able to follow them into the future makes me sad.
That much having been said, I'm also kind of excited. I loved The Force Awakens, but I'll be the first to admit that it didn't really need to end with the destruction of another F(*&()&()()&*()*()ING Death Star. I loved The Last Jedi but the attempts to remake the Battle of Hoth weren't my favorite thing either.
Look, it's like this: The classics are the classics. They came about in my childhood and they'll always be a part of who I am. I love them. I don't, however, see a need to redo them. A new story with new heroes and new villains requires a new plot. The benefit of ending the Skywalker saga is that we can stop redoing the same old things and start a different story in the same universe.
I mean, I agree with many of my friends who state that Star Wars is, and should remain, more than just a propaganda tool for the social justice left. I'm not proposing taking things down that route. I'm just saying that it's a big galaxy and there are more people in it.
So let's get HYPE!!!! It's time to do what has never been done. It's time to show us all what might come next in the official canon. It's time! It's time! It's Star Wars TIME!!
Some Star Wars related objects are available for sale at the links below:
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