One October Night: 31 Illustrations and Their Stories by Sam Robb Illustrations by Cedar Sanderson

(Listen folks, I'm going lazy on this one. I will grant you that I don't do many anthology posts, but that's  because they take too long to write. I usually do a brief review of each story. Here's the problem: It's Sunday night. My Lions are playing in less than two hours and have a decent chance to win their first playoff game in three decades. Last time they won one, I was a high school kid, working at the local grocery store and I missed the game because I was at work. The one review per story dog isn't going to hunt and I need to get this done tonight. So buckle up and put your hardhat on, sweetheart because we're on a trip trying to do this thing justice in less than the two and half hours I average for reviewing an anthology. No, that's not a typo.)

When Cedar Sanderson wandered by my email one day inquiring as to whether I would do a review for her latest work I was intrigued. Cedar is, after all, one hell of a writer and artist and I've reviewed a ton of her stuff already. That's because I enjoy it. She's really good at what she does. So of course I perked up my ears when she mentioned the word "experimental." Cedar works in a lab. I was excited. I thought maybe she used her powers of science and finally conjured up the evil spirits from the Nethervoid of the Shadowwalker and we were going to utilize the power of The Dark to level cities and invent popcorn that won't burn in the microwave or something...

Right.

Like popcorn that won't burn in the microwave will ever actually exist.

But then she told me that she had a project with a guy named Sam Robb, whose work I am new to reading, and that it was really cool. I had known that Cedar had participated in Inktober (it's a challenge graphic artists take to do a drawing every day in October) and I was watching her post stuff on Facebook. What I hadn't known was that Sam Robb was doing a story every day based on whatever she drew and also the prompts (provided by fans. The process is explained in the book.) that she used to draw them. That sounded just crazy enough to work.

Which, admittedly was not assured. I mean, Klinger thought that wearing dresses was crazy enough to get him discharged, right?

Fortunately though, it did work. It really works well. It worked so well that I manged to read all of One October Night: 31 Illustrations and Their Stories in one freaking day. I don't read entire anthologies in a day ever. They don't flow like novels and it's usually pretty hard to focus on the book when it keeps changing up on me like that. Here's the thing: These stories were so good it didn't matter.

There is a whole ton of stuff here. At least one story was heavily influenced by HP Lovecraft and written in the same vein as "Call of Cthulu." It was great. There was another about a girl who got an epic birthday present even if it wasn't quite what she expected. It had me chuckling though, even if her father wasn't, at least at first. I've got to admit too, I've never quite seen death portrayed as a wolf before. Although, there was a bit of Pandora (from Greek myth, not the music app) mixed in there as well. 

There is also a story known as "Coffee Failure". I don't want to spoil the story, but any picture with the word "decaf" written on the side of a coffee mug clearly deserves the name. I mean, seriously, who drinks decrappinated anything? Ok, so I bought a box of decrappinated tea bags once but that's because they looked like the good stuff. 

Of course, small planets need saving too, and that's the theme of one of the other stories. That's a crazy one because it sounds like the main character is almost bored by what he discovers before he works it out and finds out what's important. Seriously, it's clearly not meant as a Christmas movie but it has a sort of Miracle on 34th Street feel to it in a way. Kinda. Then there's the coffee shop story. That's touching. It's also cool because it involves a girl who reads books. Who doesn't love girls who read books?

Anyway...

Cedar's work is excellent as always. She has a definite style about her that really needs a proper art critic to describe it. I hate to disappoint you all, but this is Jimbo's and we don't have a proper art critic. I guess her defining things are a kind of sweeping strokes with lines that don't always finish. If you don't believe me about the lines try coloring one of her line drawings in Recolor. One click and half the picture is brown. I was kinda mad about that one because those baby dragons on that bookcase needed some color and..

I'm off topic again. That wasn't even one of the pics from One October Night.

I'm not doing her work just because I can't. Just know that if you're in to science fiction and, especially, fantasy artwork Cedar is worth checking out. I know she does covers and that's terrific but I almost like her daily stuff more. There's something about the simpleness of the work that just appeals. 

I did take an art history class once. You'd think I'd be better at this. It's not my fault. Words like "Byzantine" and "Baroque" just don't work here.

Whatever. Listen. There's a lot more to this book than what I'm showing here.

I never, ever in my life even think about discussing forewords in my reviews.

However...

Both Robb and Sanderson did forewords for One October Night and they talked a bit about the process of how they conceived the stories and images in the book. I almost skipped them (GASP!) but I'm glad I didn't. Reading those forewords changed the way I read the book. I didn't have access to the prompts, obviously, but I did stop at each pic (they precede the story they inspired) and try to figure out what the story was going to be about. I was wrong every time, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that I got enjoyment out of trying to guess what was coming. It was like one of those assignments I had in school where I had to write about what happened next in the book we were reading except that it didn't suck and I didn't have to hide that I knew what was coming because I had gotten bored and read ahead. It was great.

So seriously, give this one a try. I'd like to see someone else try something like this in the future because I feel like this is the type of thing that could become a thoroughly enjoyable trend if we could get enough people signed on to do it. It's that much fun. 

Bottom Line: 5.0 out of 5 Sacks of Roc Food

One October Night: 31 Illustrations and Their Stories
Sam Robb/ Cedar Sanderson
Sanderley Studios, 2023

One October Night: 31 Illustrations and Their Stores is available for purchase at the following link. If you click the link and buy literally anything from Amazon, I get a small percentage at no additional cost to you.

One October Night

Destiny, Lightbringer and Dark Web by Declan Finn

 I just read three books in five days. I haven't done that in... 

Uhh...

Well, probably since before I got my driver's license, back in the early Nineties. I may have done it once since then, but I can't recall when it would have been. At any rate, this certainly isn't something that happens often. I don't really have that kind of time and I just can't, but this time I did. Don't ask me how it's possible. Also, don't ask me what's for dinner. I haven't got a clue. I haven't had time to cook. 

Of course, you'll want to know the names of the books. They are Destiny, Lightbringer and Dark Web, Books 9, 10 and 11 of the Saint Tommy, NYPD Series by Declan Finn. I'm pretty sure I've reviewed every one of the novels since Hell Spawn which, if you missed it, was Book 1. I've enjoyed them all, but these things just keep getting better. Tommy's network of allies and enemies keeps broadening. His characterization gets deeper. It almost feels like I could walk into the Nolan house and sit down for dinner with the family. Ya know, maybe Alex would be over and we'd have some spaghetti...

Yeah, these characters are that well drawn... err... written. Whatever. They're believable. 

So, I thought that since I was reviewing three books together, I'd give each a bit of space on it's own. They deserve it and so do my readers. So does the author for that matter. Even if he is a buttface. More on that in a bit.

Destiny

While I am one hundred percent certain that Tommy Nolan does not, under any circumstances, cave in to wrath, it seems that Declan Finn most certainly does. In this case, Finn got frustrated after the Italian government force him and his wife to pay an exorbitant fine while simulataneously having their travel plans cancelled because of an honest mistake. The Nolan family goes through basically the same thing and then...

It gets ugly.

Listen, I'm a history nerd with the degree to prove it. I've even got a couple of graduate credits in American History. I've always loved the history of both Ancient Rome and the Christian Church as well, but I never pursued those as a degree because I don't have the language skills. Seriously.

And what Finn does to some of the coolest historical architecture in Rome was kinda...

Well...

Were you a wrestling fan in the Nineties? Did you see the Undertaker/Mick Foley Hell in a Cell match? The one where Taker choke slammed Foley through the top of the cell into the thumbtacks? Do you remember running your fingers through your own hair, your eyes huge and your feet kicking? Do you remember the simultaneous feeling of "OH MY GOD THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!" mixed with "OH MY GOD THIS SUCKS!!!" with just a wee bit of "DID THAT REALLY JUST HAPPEN?!" Do you remember that feeling?

Yeah, I experienced that a few times with Destiny. Seriously, Hollywood needs to stop rebooting crap and make this into a movie. 

Err...

Just as long as I don't have to be the one to pay for the special effects.

So it's only fair to say that the action scenes were amazing. Saint Tommy with all of his charisms and quite a few allies up against the best that Hell has to send after him. It's amazing and believable. Tommy takes a beating a few times. When he's up against what he gets thrown at him, that makes sense. He even has to be reminded to take care of himself at times.

And that's one of the things I like about Tommy Nolan. He's strong physically, strong at heart, and strong spiritually but we're reminded that his very strength is also a great weakness. He tries to take too much on himself and not accept help. I wish this didn't make as much sense to me as it does, but at the end of the day it's horrifyingly realistic. 

Also, the physical effects of aging are pretty accurately portrayed as well. It seems that our St. Tommy isn't as young as he used to be. I get that. I'm forty-five and sometimes my recovery takes a while longer. Since St. Tommy is forty-five in Destiny as well, it makes sense that he would suffer some of the same probl...

Hey wait!

Finn just said I was getting too old for something! You're busted, buddy. That's a one-ten millionth of a point deduction for...

uhh...

Sumfin' 

Pretty sure it was sumfin'.

The rest of the family is on vacation with Tommy. This doesn't start out as a business trip. It's weird because I never thought I'd say this about a St. Tommy NYPD book, but there is a certain Scooby Doo element here. Not the stupid humor thing, because that would never work in a St. Tommy novel. But it does have kind of an air of "Look guys, we're on vacation! This is gonna be SOO fun!" that then turns into "Uh, oh."Seriously, this thing needs two "Zoiks" and a "Jinkies"before the action really gets going. Well either that, or maybe I'm just a nerd.

Okay, not really. What it really needed was for my dispatcher to shut up and stop sending me off to make money while I was trying to read. Seriously, don't become a cab driver. But if you ever do, don't start a good book on the first. Just don't do it. That's the busiest time of month and it can be hard to do your job when your body is in Michigan but your mind is in another country fighting demons. I would definitely recommend reading Destiny, but I would also try to find an open spot in my schedule if I were you. It's going to take up quite a bit of your time after all, because you're not going to want to put it down.

Bottom Line: 4.9999999 out of 5 Missed Fares

Destiny

Declan Finn

Tuscany Bay Books, 2022

Lightbringer

Okay, so this time we're back on our side of the Atlantic and there are no more priceless historical artifacts around to mercilessly slaughter. That's a good thing. I like my violence with a side of not destroying the ruins of an ancient society.  I mean, it's not like Ancient Rome wasn't a cesspit, but modern New York is not only a cesspit, it's one whose loony ideas I have to deal with on a regular basis. 

And once again, as much as Finn says he hates his hometown you can tell how much he loves his hometown by how well he writes it and Lightbringer is no different. Anne Rice may have had a bigger love affair with New Orleans than Finn has with New York, but it's a close run race. The city itself oozes off the pages. All of New York's features and all of its foibles can be found here. It really feels like Finn hates the local politics but loves the city for what it is when he's not dealing with politicians. I have an urban fantasy work in progress and a lot of the reason I put it in the Detroit area is so that I could do Detroit as well as Finn does New York. 

I really like Lightbringer because Tommy Nolan finally faces something he can't take head on. I mean that sincerely. I love the fact that Saint Tommy is, well, a saint, but really if you pulled the prayer and the emphasis on piety and good works as a spiritual concept out of the books, what you'd have left is a superhero. Don't misunderstand me. I love superheroes. I just think that Thomas Nolan has a little more to him than Captain America or Superman. I mean, spiritually powered lightsabers are awesome, but...

I mean...

You can't solve every problem by stabbing it, or blowing it up, sprinkling it with holy salt or..

You get the picture.

And, as a man of faith who has been through some things, I can tell you truly that while God does answer prayer, it's not always with the answer you want.

This time around the man who can bilocate, levitate, call on angels for backup and outshoot pretty much anything he faces goes up against something that none of that will work on. In a sense, a very real one, you could say that he's facing his worst fear. And it makes him seem much more human than he had before. 

Sometimes with heroes, and it doesn't matter whether we're talking Bruce Wayne or Chris Kyle, Hal Jordan or Saint Peter, it's easy to forget that these are human beings. You get so used to thinking about what they've done that you forget who they are. There are times during Lightbringer when we're reminded that one Thomas Nolan is a man, just like the rest of us. I've always found Finn's characterizations to be realistic but after reading this one, I feel closer to St. Tommy.

And it makes sense, because two of Nolan's kids are adults now, and they are hardcore. It does the heart good to see the babies all grown up following in their fathers footsteps, still seeing the old man on a regular basis, hanging out and doing some of the heavy lifting. The way they show their support for their daddy the best way they know how. And the youngest, not yet grown, is showing signs (I think) of being something special herself someday.

But don't let me get too sentimental on you. I guess I'm just getting soft in my old age. There is plenty of over the top action to keep you entertained. Things go boom. Things go pow. Things go bop, bang, zing.  There's a collision or two. Some special friends show up when needed. A hole appears that wasn't there before. And, well...

Listen, this isn't a spoiler. It's in the title. But the book lives up to its title. Either you get that or you don't. If you do you already knew what was going to happen. If you don't you have no clue what I'm talking about. I just know that I was prepared to get really upset if I didn't see something occur and it did. If you don't know what, go read the book. If you still don't get it, leave a comment and I'll try to explain it to you. Then again, if you don't get it, maybe Lightbringer isn't the only book you need to read.

Bottom Line: 5.0 out of 5 Soul Rings

Lightbringer

Declan Finn

Tuscany Bay Books, 2022

Dark Web

Holy Dichotomy, Batman! (Pun totally intended.) Dark Web is an awesome book but it shows one Lieutenant Nolan being torn in two directions. One is doing what he was born to do. Tommy fights evil like the champion that he is. But here again, he finds himself confronted with something he can't fight, and it's getting worse. I feel for the guy.

And it's weird because they always tell you not to meet your idols. The inference is that they won't live up to what you want them to be. Mr. Nolan finally comes up against a threat he has no defense against and it makes me like him more. There's nothing more humbling than watching someone go through something you can't help them with while wishing that you could. Tommy takes a metaphorical (and I think an actual) punch to the gut and it hurts.

I want to talk about this for a bit because it hit me pretty hard. Some authors do things better than others, right? Lots of people can write a book about friends and friendship but very few can do it like J.K. Rowling. Lots of authors write about battles in space but if anyone can do it better than David Weber I don't know who it is. Tom Kratman is the only human being on the planet who can write a training manual and make it entertaining. Declan Finn has always been the best writer I've read when it comes to combining spiritual matters with fun and action. I mean, who else can write a gun battle with a main character that prays the whole time and make it make sense? Finn is the only one I've seen.

What I never expected from a guy like Finn was for him to make me cry my own tears. I'm not that guy. Maybe as a kid I was, but I've been through some things since then. I got through a divorce without crying about losing my ex-wife. But Finn had me crying. I'm not going to tell you what happens, but once you figure it out for yourself, hold on. The part that really had me crying isn't quite here yet.

This is a big thing for me, because writing is art and art is all about evoking an emotional response. Sure, that might be excitement and aggression and with the Saint Tommy, NYPD Series it usually is. Tommy fights some really tough opponents and it's fun to watch him take them down a peg. That's why I like these books.

But I don't usually like things that make me cry. Crying comes from sadness and sadness sucks. I haven't shed tears of joy since...

Uhh...

I got a little choked up at my wedding I guess, but even then I didn't actually cry. There were no tears at either of my daughters' births...

It's just not me.

It is, therefore, a rare author that can make me cry and have me still enjoy their book. Finn managed to pull it off. Not to be that guy about it, but I didn't think he had it in him. His books are usually rollicking good fun, not the type of thing that would make me get all mushy. So kudos to one of my favorite authors for pulling off something I didn't believe possible.

And the thing is, this is NOT a tear-jerker. There is enough action in Dark Web to make a Rambo movie blush. It's almost non-stop. Finn brings out every monster he can think of. He leaves his hero weakened to face them in places. He pretty much (but not quite) drops a nuke from orbit. He brings back both old friends and old foes. Dark Web is the book where all of the things happen and nothing ever stops. Even when Tommy thinks things are boring, the rest of the crew would disagree.

Dark Web is the best St. Tommy, NYPD book yet and it's almost the last one as well. There's so much in here that I don't think I did it justice. Suffice it to say that I plan on re-reading this one soon. I went through Dark Web in one fell swoop on my day off because I couldn't stop reading it. I was so hooked into this one that I didn't want to do anything but rip through it as fast as I could. As a matter of fact, this one was so good, I think I give Finn a bonus one ten-millionth of a point to make up for the one I took away earlier.

Bottom Line: 5.0000001 out of 5 Shed Tears

Dark Web

Declan Finn

Tuscany Bay Books, 2022

And that's all three if you're keeping score at home. I'm a bit apprehensive about the next one. Blue Saint is the final book in the series and, if you know anything about the Catholic religion, you know there's no such thing as a living saint. We'll see how true that is on October Eleventh. I doubt Finn will make me cry two books straight though.

All three books are available at the links below. If you click a link and buy literally anything from Amazon, I get a small percentage at no additional cost to you.

Paramount's Scream (2022)

 

I was hesitant to watch Scream because I'm a LOOOOOONG way from being the world's biggest fan of reboots, but it wasn't really a reboot in the same way that the new Ghostbusters  wasn't a reboot, so I figured I'd check it out. If nothing else, it was a movie with Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell in it right? I've had a thing for both of those women for years. (NEWSFLASH: They're still beautiful.) And turns out that I was right: It's not a reboot, it's a requel.

There are all kinds of rules about what makes a requel versus what makes a sequel versus what constitutes a reboot, but Scream definitely is one. It's all explained in one of the movies meta moments and honestly, it wouldn't BE Scream without the meta moments. Those have to be there and they were. There has never been a Scream  (or for that matter, one of its Scary Movie parodies) that wasn't very heavily meta. What would be over the line in any other entertainment, on- or off-screen, is normal and necessary for Scream and, as someone who saw the original Scream  in movie theaters back during the Clinton Administration, I can assure you that they did it right once again. 

Seriously, this was a good movie. It had the kill scenes, the jump moments, the circuitous logic, the big plot twist, and everything else you would expect. Scream is a whodunit wrapped in a slasher flick and they pulled this one off brilliantly. The only thing it was missing was the popcorn and that's my fault. I had two bags and just didn't put one in the microwave.

To be fair, I'm uhhh...

Not totally certain that was the films fault. I just can't think of who else's fault it might be.

Listen, I've never admitted to anything being my fault. Just ask my ex-wife.

Anyway...

I like the new cast of youngsters. Scream  started out as a movie about young people and it looks like the franchise is headed back that way. I approve. Running for your life from psychotic killers is a bad career choice in your 40s (which is where the remaining original cast members are). Us forty-somethings don't have the high enery levels, physical conditioning and ability to bounce back once injured that we did twenty years ago. There is a reason most professional athletes retire before they hit forty and it's not because they don't love the millions.

Which isn't to say that the original cast members aren't important to the movie. They for sure are and their presence makes sense. I remember reading somewhere about how Leonard Nimoy had refused to do Star Trek: Generations because there was no reason for Spock to be there. The character served no purpose. That's not the case here. All three returning Screamers are there for valid reasons and are central to what's going on. You won't see any "human exclamation points" here.

I a world where school shootings continue to happen because they get press, the Scream franchise has a visceral realism that other franchises just don't. Schools get shot up by evil assholes who want to get their faces on TV, so why wouldn't someone go to a town with a history of serial killers whose exploits get made into movies and kill people? Don't get me wrong. I'm not encouraging it. I'm just saying that this story hits close to home and it makes the fear more real. A Nightmare on Elm Street movie might be scary in the moment, but on some level you know that no dead guy is ever going to murder you in your dreams. When copycat killings happen in real life, it's easy to see something like the plot of a  Scream movie occurring. I'm honestly kind of surprised that it hasn't.

Somewhere out there exists an EMT/trauma surgeon type that's going to tell me I'm wrong about this, but the injuries looked totally realistic to me. Even down to the blood spatter (not spray! I watched CSI, so I know this) on the walls, floors and the characters themselves. This movie left me disgusted when I needed to be and in shock when I needed to be.

Speaking of in shock, I want to compliment both the writers and the actresses here. Sydney Prescott (played by Neve Campbell) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) have been through a lot in the previous four movies. It would have been very easy to write and play them as jaded and immune to the types of reactions that most people would have upon encountering some of what is in this movie. In some parts, they actually are. But in the parts where you need to feel the shock that the characters would, those two characters shine.  It wasn't until I sat down to write this that I thought about how well those scenes were done, but they were flawless. I should probably mention David Arquette as Dewey Riley here as well. He played his part well but, to be honest, I've never been a fan of either the character or the actor. Still, he did a better job than I expected him to and I really enjoyed him.

Anyone who says that horror movies in general, or Scream movies in particular, are not highly formulaic is lying. That much having been said, that's part of why I enjoy them. You never know what the details are going to be, but there's always the sense that, at least in a vague way, you know what's coming up. It's an unthought of comfort when someone is screaming, the blood is flying and you're starting to get that queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach. That is very much here. As part of the generation that grew up on Michael Myers, Freddie Kreuger, Jason Voorhies, Pinhead and whoever else I'm forgetting you have an expectation. Out there in Internetland, some egghead is complaining that the plot of Scream is the result of a formula. They're right. They're also an idiot. OF COURSE IT'S FORMULAIC. THEY'VE BEEN MAKING THESE TYPES OF MOVIES FOR DECADES NOW BECAUSE IT WORKS. Moviegoers love the formula. So seriously, go file the point off of your head and join the rest of us who like to have a good time, If you want big serious boring crap go watch something that won a  Nebula or a Hugo. I'll be over here with the people having a good time. For those of you who like to watch something you can enjoy, go watch Scream. You'll be glad you did.

Bottom Line: 5.0 out of 5 Long Bladed Knives

Scream
Paramount Pictures, 2022

Scream is available for purchase at the following link. If you click the link and buy literally anything from Amazon I get a small percentage at no additional cost to you.

Scream

Lloyd A Behm II's Shadow Lands

Welcome my friends to the Fifth Annual Jimbo's Awesome Science Fiction and Fantasy Reviews Memorial Day Extravaganza, where we will be honoring the veterans of the United States Military (any branch) by reviewing their work. We love our vets here at Jimbo's and we wish we could do more for you, but hey, I'm a book reviewer. Ya'll are stuck with what I _can_ do rather than what I _wish_ I could do. You folks deserve it.

Up first, we have Lloyd A Behm II. He served as a Machinist Mate in the United States Navy, rising to the rank of Machinist Mate First Class before leaving the Navy for civilian life. He served no deployments while enlisted, but became a civilian contractor in support of the US Marine Corps. He worked in various places in Iraq, eventually rising to Senior Logistical Coordinator for City Services in the Green Zone. Color me impressed.

And, now that MM1C Behm has been properly introduced...

Have you ever been totally mistaken about the nature of a book until you read it? I know I was. I purchased Shadow Lands awhile back and never got to it. I was kicking myself because I was dead certain, in the way only a person who is completely ignorant of a situation can be, that this was a high-fantasy, elves, dwarves, trolls kind of book. That's all it ever could be, right? I mean, do you play video games? I do. I've been to the Dreadlands, the Dire Lands, the Firelands, and probably some other lands somewhere. This was high-fantasy and I was going to love it. Loving high-fantasy is what I do. But uhh...

That whole, “thought I knew everything thing?” Yeah, I was wrong. This isn't epic fantasy. It's somewhere in between urban fantasy and horror. Don't get me wrong. It kicks ass and has a Correia-like feel to it, but it's not high-fantasy. I got over that fact quick. If you give the book at least one hundred words (WORDS not pages) you should too.

Our hero is Father Salazar, a priest lately of the Marine Corps. The good Father is what makes this book. There is just something endearing about a hard-swearing clergy-man. I mean, it's kind of funny but that's not all there is to it. As a devout Christian myself who is looking to go into a prison ministry, I find myself using words that I really shouldn't. I feel Salazar's pain on this one in and I really identified with him, even though I've never been a combat exorcist.

Wait, did I just say combat exorcist?

I think I did.

No, I'm SURE I did. As a matter of fact, Salazar is really good at this whole combat-exorcist thing. He has a tendency overdue things at times, but when it's his life and everyone else's on the line, I think we can forgive him just this once or twice or...

Well, let's just say that Christians believe that God is forgiving and Salazar and his mouth probably both appreciate that. I know I do.

The enemy throughout Shadow Lands is a group of demons. Given the nature of the main character that works like a champ. Salazar knows his stuff and knows how to use it. Something that people sometimes forget is that faith makes a potent weapon. Behm doesn't and neither does Salazar. Nothing will put some steel in your spine like the belief that the Almighty is looking out for you. I know, because I've been there. I really enjoyed this part of the book.
Now that's not to say that Shadow Lands is some kind of religious treatise, because it's not. It is, at heart, an action novel with an urban fantasy flare and a touch of horror thrown in because, why not? It works. I'm pretty positive that Behm has a giant cauldron somewhere and that the manuscript for the tome originally started with the words “Double, double toil and trouble.” (Don't worry Lloyd. I don't know how that security camera got pointed  at your garage either.)

Oh, and Salazar pretty much pwns at the whole “combat” part of combat-exorcist. If some of his weapons are things that wouldn't work against a more common Earthly foe then so be it. He's not fighting common Earthly foes. Some of this stuff is pretty bad-ass and I'm somewhat suspicious that Behm has played World of Warcraft at least up until the part when a particular monster shows up, but what do I know? I've only killed a million of them (give or take).

I did mention a Correia-like feel to Shadow Lands and let's face it, a lot of it comes from both gun- and bomb-porn. Behm seems to be a member of the school of thinking that any problem can be solved with a sufficient amount of high explosive. I'm not one hundred percent sold on that theory, and I may have to read the sequels to get more input but I like 'splody things and I like fiery things and I like lots of dakka and big rounds and...

Yeah, one gets a feeling that perhaps Behm spend a bit more time around Marines than is suggested by the Surgeon General's RDA. That's a good thing though, because he learned something doing it.

At any rate, things get moving in this one quickly and they don't freaking stop. They do slow down for about five words here and there so that Behm can get us all relaxed and feeling good before he blows things up, but that's kind of necessary, even if I am a bit of a Michael Bay fan.

Yes, I know, I like story, but I mean BOOOOOOMMMM!!!!! (And no, Michael Bay couldn't tell a story with J.K. Rowling and Robert Heinlein coaching him, but Behm can.)

Somebody should let me hang out with some Marines and blow some stuff up sometime. Seriously.

Listen, I'm babbling. It's been a long day and I had planned to be in bed by now, but know this: Shadow Lands is a book worth buying and Lloyd A Behm is an author worth reading. I mean, unless you're into boring, angsty teenage girls who like vampires that sparkle, or you're a peacenik or something. If that's your thing, maybe you should buy a book on crocheting, or daisies, or crocheting daisies or sumfin'

If, however, you like good stories about competent people doing important things and perservering, with a side of gratuitous violence and maybe a couple of gross-out moments (and are willing to forgive the possibility of some wasted pork chops) then pay your money and read the book. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's on Kindle Unlimited (I straight up bought the thing a few years ago and just got to it) so if you've got that, you can read it for free. And seriously folks, if this isn't your thing then I'm not sure why you're reading my blog.

Bottom Line: 5.0 out of 5 Holy Water Sprayers

Shadow Lands
Lloyd A. Behm
Blood Moon Press, 2018

Shadow Lands is available for purchase at the following link:

Why I'm Giving Up on The Walking Dead.

*SIGH*

I know what you're all thinking. "This is going to be one of those posts about the new big bad every week and how it's cyclical and Jimbo is giving us the same regurgitated line that we've heard everywhere else and I'm just tired of hearing it.."

Nope.

We here at Jimbo's are not all about the same old thing. We are not about agreeing with everyone else simply for the sake of doing so. Don't get me wrong. I'm not about DISagreeing simply for the sake of doing so either, but there are definitely times when I've gone against the grain. My Star Wars posts have occasionally received criticism on Facebook. I am apparently the only person on the planet who liked Another Life. I've also done some stuff that was seen in a positive light. My post about the Ghost Busters trailer is one of my most popular, and everyone else seems to agree with me that it looks awesome and I've been thanked over email for my Stan Lee tribute. I'[m not sure why I decided to make this point on this post, but my point is that I am who I am, I like what I like and I don't rely on others for my opinions.

So here's my opinion on The Walking Dead: It sucks now. It's not because of the new big bad every season. I like that aspect of it. I always have. Every story needs a problem and in a post-apocalyptic setting it makes sense that the problem is someone trying to carve out their own empire. Of course, this completely ignores the fact that The Group was always (well, after the first season anyway) looking to care out its own empire, with Rick Grimes in the lead. Speaking as the guy with the history degree there empire building always has its big bad, whether it's the Soviet Union (they want to take your rights away), the United States(those capitalist running pig-dogs have poor people in their country!), the Carthaginians (they're taking over our trade markets!) , the Romans (OMG they're taking over our trade markets!) or whatever. For the story to progress The Group needed to be up against something that was preventing them from doing their thing and succeeding. Those were usually dictators, because the show is written by Americans and has a huge American following and our history teaches us that Dictators are Bad.

No, my problem is not that The Group fought against others and there was always someone else to fight. That's how the real world works. It always has. It always will.

No, my problem is that there is no one left to root for. I am of the opinion that a story, regardless of setting, or even genre, has to be about people the audience cares about. If the audience loves the characters they will be interested in what happens to them. The story is about what happens to the characters. Ergo character we care about = interest in the story.

I'm not some multi-million selling author. I haven't even built a website to rival IO9. Maybe I'm full of crap, but it seems to me that I just discovered the secret to writing a good story.

My point as it relates to The Walking Dead is this:

They've killed off most of the characters I cared about and made the rest boring.

Seriously: Remember when Carol was a psychotic, gun wielding nutcase who murdered two people and burned their bodies just because they were sick? Remember when she killed that little girls whose name I cant remember because she was dangerous to everyone else? Remember how you felt about her? About how you wanted someone like her on your side... probably... as long as she didn't think you were a threat to her or hers?

And now she's been reduced to negotiating deals using a movie projector. She's not borderline crazy anymore. She has lost the edge that made Carol who she was and really just needs to shuffle off somewhere for a nap and not come back for a season or two.

Remember Herschel? Remember how he was a man who would do anything to protect his daughters? How he helped form the government of the first colony? How he was an advisor to Rick and kept him from going too far? Remember his severed head lying in a field with a bullet hole in it?

Remember Negan? Remember him dancing around in front of his followers? Remember how he used to draw others to him? Do you remember how much you hated him? Do you remember how badly you wanted to see Rick put a bullet in his brain? Now he's some schlub in a jail cell.

Remember Maggie? Remember how much she loved Glenn? How she carried a baby to term during the Zombie Apocalypse? How she was the only one who could lead once Rick was gone? Remember her always trying to do the right thing, but doing the necessary thing when she couldn't avoid it? And she's where again? Now, I heard that she'll be back for Season Eleven, but that means she's MIA for the bulk of this season at least.

Remember Glenn? Glenn was the guy I always wanted to be if the ZA broke out. I even loved the fact that he was always in a baseball cap.  He was the gamer. The smart one. The guy with the right moves and the irreverent attitude. Remember Glenn chewing Rick out when he was lost in Atlanta at the beginning of Season One? Remember Glenn escaping time and again using methods that only made sense in hindsight? Remember Glenn loving his woman and protecting her with everything he had? Remember Glenn kneeling in a puddle of headlights and having his skull caved in by Negan?

What about Carl? Remember him barely surviving because he was a kid? Remember him always being slightly off? Remember him delivering his baby sister via C-section knowing it was going to kill his mother but doing it anyway because it was either that or lose them both? Remember hoping that he would finally find his first girlfriend (ok, maybe that was just me.) Remember him dying stupidly in a situation he had faced millions of times before?



Remember Laurie and the mess she was part of that led to the death of Shane? Remember her doing her best to keep things together for The Group before they even started calling themselves that? Remember her carrying Judith knowing it was going to kill her? Remember Rick crying as Carl told him what had happened?

Remember Michonne as an enigmatic loner? Remember her leading two toothless, armless zombies around on chains? Remember her always being off by herself somewhere but somehow always doing something that no one else would think to do or finding something that would save The Group? Why in the blue hell is she a shy retiring type now? How does it make sense for her to be the negotiator? Ok, I'll admit that she isn't boring per se, but dammit she's not Michonne anymore, either.

Remember Daryll? Remember how he was Rick's right hand, the man who carried out the orders, the guy who had the guts to do anything? When is he going to come in out of the woods and matter again?

Remember the Governor? Remember the sick society he had built? The Zombie fights? Ah, nevermind. I was glad to see him get what he had coming. But he's still a missing character that added a lot to the show.

But most of all: Remember Rick? Remember him leading The Group? Remember him longing and struggling to build a place worth living in the ashes of society? Remember how hard he worked to be the man everyone needed to be? Remember him negotiating with Negan to buy enough time to figure out how to defeat him? Remember him flying away in a helicopter that an entire village of people couldn't hear? I get the fact that this one is not the writer's fault. I get that Andrew Lincoln decided to leave the show to be with his family. I respect him for that. I think he made the right decision. It still had a negative effect on the show.

I haven't watched the Game of Thrones TV show because I don't have HBO and I don't pirate but I have read the books. I remember the Death of Sturm and how it made the entire Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy work, even though I hated it at the time. I get that killing off major characters can work. I just question whether or not the show creators have made the right choices along the way.And that, my friends is why I just deleted the Season Ten preview and Season Ten Episode One from my DVR without watching them.

The Walking Dead
A&E, 2010-2019


Some The Walking Dead merchandise is available at the following link:

It's Time... It's Time... It's Dragon Time!

(Author's Note: For those that missed it, the Dragon Awards are a fan based science fiction award show. They're the best of the year as decided by the people who love the genre. Basically,  they're what the Hugo Awards used to claim to be before they admitted that they were only for the people who attend Worldcon. The Dragons are also part of a con (in this case DragonCon) but there is no requirement to buy a membership to vote. If you love Science Fiction and Fantasy (and otherwise, why would you be here?) you should nominate and eventually vote.)

Oops,

I just realized this was probably still earlier than it should have been, but for some reason I thought the deadline was July first when it's actually the nineteenth. Oh well. Hopefully, I don't read anything worth nominating in the next few weeks. Or, hopefully I do? I mean, I love a good book but like, I don't want to miss anything...

Ya know?

At any rate...

Is anyone interested in seeing what I nominated for the Dragon Awards this year?


Well, here you go then:

I'm thinking that's not really good enough, so let me help you out with why I picked what I did.

Uncompromising Honor is the culmination of a series of books that I, as a relative newcomer, have only been following for about fifteen years. It was amazing. It was everything I hoped it would be. And, although it is the end of the official "main line" series, it's not necessarily the end of Honor Harrington. I loved this book.

My review for Come, Seeling Night is coming soon. I sat down to write that review and then ended up writing this. Paxton Locke is a bad man. This thing cooks. I'll be sharing my thoughts in the next day or two.

The Mask Shop of Dr. Blaack is a fun little Halloween story. It's got suspense and the beginnings of romance. I need to get my daughter to read this.

Aries' Red Sky was everything I love in a Mil SF: It was realistic. It was dark. It was gritty. And most importantly, it showed the way warriors think and that they don't all have the same beliefs and values. James Young is a vet and it showed when he wrote this book.

The World Asunder was amazing. It turned a character I had hated into a character I loved. The historical research that went into this was intense. I loved it.

I don't read a whole lot of horror, but I've read everything in Declan Finn's Saint Tommy NYPD series so far because it's that damn good. (Okay, so I haven't finished Crusader yet, but I just got it.) My pick was Hellspawn because it's the best of the bunch, and I'm not even a "The First One is Always the Best One" nerd. I promise.

Deadworld: Requiem for the World is good old fashioned ass-kickery with a plot. It's a reboot and I'm not usually a fan but this one is good enough to make an exception.

Good Omens: I haven't read the book, but I love the show. I haven't done a review because lazy.

Mortal Engines didn't do as well at the box office as it should have because there just aren't that many steampunk fans. It's still the best SF/F movie I've seen this year. If you love steampunk SEE THIS MOVIE. If you're curious about Steampunk, SEE THIS MOVIE. I loved this flick. For the record, I have yet to see Endgame and my GF is probably gonna kick my ass for not nominating it.

I'm hoping that World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth is eligible since it's an expansion and not an entirely new game. The new patch looks awesome. I know I never took time to review it but that's because I was too busy playing it.

In looking over my picks, it comes to my attention that I need to read some new comics. I've done some comic reading, but even the stuff I bought at the comic con from the guy who wrote it is copyright 2016. So it's time to get to my LCS.

I've been doing a lot of tabletop gaming, but all of that is stuff that's too old to nominate and I guess I just don't play enough games on my phone. Actually, that may be a good thing. I've got enough things to eat up my time.

So there's my list for the year. What does your's look like? I'll be waiting for the cheers, jeers, and thrown crockery. Leave your comments below.

Some of the products listed above are available at the links below:




 

Declan Finn's City of Shadows

I'm looking at a map right now. It's a map of the Boroughs of New York. I'm searching hard. I've looked to the north, south, east and west. I even checked the back of my computer monitor. No matter how hard I look or which pair of reading glasses my old ass wears, I can't seem to find London anywhere. And since Declan Finn's latest novel is City of Shadows, Saint Tommy NYPD Book 4 I find myself confused. Uhh.. Yeah. London does not equal New York.

That's not to say that it's a bad novel. Hell, I enjoyed it. I mean it even kind of makes sense that Detective Tommy Nolan is across an ocean because he was ordered there by the Vatican. Saints are, by definition, part of the church. London makes a good backdrop, it's just not New York. Maybe I'm really seriously confused here. Maybe I'm just joshing you by pretending to be confused. I guess we'll never know what the truth is.

Either way, St. Tommy is up to his neck in trouble this time around. Things are not well in the British capital and our hero smells a rat. Or maybe something worse. What smells worse that a rat? Oh, yeah. London. London smells worse than a rat. Seriously, Tommy thinks it stinks. Oh, and without giving too much away, the title of the book fits. For the purposes of the novel, London really is a City of Shadows.

The honorable Detective Nolan once again finds himself in more trouble than anyone this side (or maybe the other side) of a Dan Brown novel. There is a lot going on here and none of it is good if you're on the side of right and decency. That's what Tommy is for though. He fixes wrong stuff with the use of powers provided by God and sometimes a bit of temporal firepower. Oh, and maybe just a smidge of good, old-fashioned asskickery, bare knuckle style. Seriously. Nobody mess with the saint. He will very kindly and with the blessing of God reduce you to a non-obstacle.

He's good at it too, and Finn does his usual awesome job of describing in painful detail exactly how it happens. When things start to happen, they really happen. The action is logical and well paced. Things happen the way they should given the fact that Tommy has the abilities that he has been granted by God. A lot of this is based on Catholic belief and abilities displayed by saints in the past, so there is some logic to it.

Interestingly, Finn also seems to get that weaponry is neither good nor evil but can be used as a tool for either. I don't want to give too much up here but there is a very important object in City of Shadows that starts out perceived as evil. It may or may not end up that way. There is a point made though. I just wish that uhh...

Never mind.

When one is backed by God, one must be opposed by Satan. That's almost like a law of nature. Finn does a good job of giving his villains a number of satanically provided powers. They don't always understand precisely what the nature of their powers is, but that makes sense as well. Satan is known as the Great Deceiver for a reason. Most of the villains believe in what they're fighting for. That makes sense as well. It's one of my favorite things to see in a novel, because we're all the hero of our own story. They think they're doing the right thing.

And the guy who doesn't? He is the worst villain. He freely admits that he is in the fight only for what it can gain him personally. That also makes sense. It is often said that absolute power corrupts absolutely. It does. I, however, would argue that the pursuit of absolute power is even more corrupting. Finn's ultimate villain is that guy. He's the one who chases what he wants regardless of its cost to others. He is what is truly wrong with the world and its desires. In short, he's a damn good villain.

I've review a lot of Finn's work here, probably more than anyone else's. There is a reason for that: It's because no matter how good his characters are (like St. Tommy) or how evil they are (as the one in City of Shadows) they always seem to be human. Even saints aren't perfect. Even villains think they're doing the right thing. People react the way they do because they have motivations and they react accordingly. Finn doesn't forget this.



Of course, the threats in City of Shadows are both manifold and insidious. Finn features real world problems in the work. I like that. Nothing in this world works one hundred percent the way it was intended to and Finn points out some of those errors. He does not see fit to play nice either. I approve. The British government has done several things in recent years that have been damaging to their citizens. At least on this side of the Atlantic we're free to point that out. Good for him.
I would be careful of your timing while reading City of Shadows. I was having a slow day at work one day (I'm a Lyft driver) and I was parked in a parking lot reading the book on my phone because why not when my phone went off. I got stopped at a rather suspenseful part of the novel. I'm a afraid I may have found myself more interested in completing the ride and reading the next little bit than I was in continuing on with my shift afterward. This is a threat posed by every good book, but with Finn it's a stronger compulsion than with most. Don't let that stop you though. If you're not looking to get lost in a book why would you read one anyway? This one is worth your time and money. Go get it.



Bottom Line: 4.75 out of 5 Stolen Artifacts



City of Shadows

Declan Finn

Silver Empire, 2019

City of Shadows is available for purchase at the following link:

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:

Zombie Airman

It's Coming. It's Almost Here. I'm Geeked.

Below is a list of excuse for a geeky/nerdy person to have not seen Stranger Things as of Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 10:45 AM EDT:

a.) I died the day before it came out.
b.) The dog ate my Netflix.
c.) I ran out of gas on the way.
d.) I blew a tire.
e.) I'm giving up my nerd card and becoming a mundane.


Seriously. If you haven't seen the first two seasons, hie thee off to Netflix and come back when you're one of the cool kids. I'll wait.


...

...

...

...

...

OK, back now? Awesome. You're obviously as excited as I am about this series. Wanna see something cool? Here's the trailer for Season 3:


Looks pretty cool, huh? I mean, it's SOOOO 80s it's ridiculous. I'm so ready to spaz out over the tubular shot of the mall! And that new monster? Gag me with a spoon!

Right?

Listen, there are those of us out there who lived and grew up in and around the times portrayed in Stranger Things. I was there. I hung out at the mall. I played Dungeons and Dragons and I loved it.

Hell, I want to find a new D+D group. If you're near the Detroit Area and like to play, hit me up!

AHEM

As I was saying...

It doesn't get much better than Stranger Things. Really the only bad part about it is that it's a Netflix show and the whole season hits on the same day. I think I might have to cancel life for a few days afterward. Who has time to work, play, see the kids when there's a new season of Stranger Things to watch?

Although, come to think of it, my oldest likes Stranger Things so maybe I can geek out with her over a bag of popcorn.

Anyway...

I'm geeked. It comes out on July 4 and it sounds like I just found a great way to celebrate American independence, because what could be better than partying with crass commercialistic capitalism and the death (I'm guessing) of a bad guy?

I'm in! I'm sooo in! I'll see you at the land of Flix on the Net!

Some Stranger Things items are available for purchase at the links below:

Declan Finn's Infernal Affairs

Saint Tommy is at it again and I'm never moving to New York. Seriously, if this is the type of thing that goes down there I'm staying in Detroit because it's safer here. Our only problems are a few hundred gang bangers and some corrupt politicians. Never in my life have we been invaded by a hell spawned demon, a crazed death cult or an insane warlock, as in Declan Finn's newest work, Infernal Affairs. What a bunch of whackadoo insanity.

I say that with love though because, once again, Finn has given us a winner.This is one of those times where I really wish I had more hours in a day because I couldn't get enough of this book... And I couldn't get enough sleep either. I drive for a living, so I had to put the thing down, but UGGGHHHH. That doesn't mean I wanted to. I just had to do what was necessary to stay alive?

Oh, did I say "what was necessary to stay alive?"

I think I did!

And, coincidentally, what you'll see a lot of in this book, sort of. While Tommy does literally fight the good fight, and does it well, he's not always looking out for his own wellbeing. He lives up to the title of his series. Tommy places himself directly in harm's way in service to his Lord and he does it willingly and unflinchingly. It's good to see. Finn gets that it's necessary to stand up to evil and that sometimes it takes more than words. It's a refreshing change of pace from what I commonly see now-a-days.

Oh, and speaking of doing what is necessary to stay alive...

There is one particular sequence in the book. It's one of those awesome things where it simultaneously feels like it was over way too soon and like you've been stuck in the action all day trying to figure out what happens next. Like, you want to know what happens but you don't want it to end. I don't know if that makes sense but it's true.

This same sequence also reads like a nightmare. I almost want to ask Finn if he had a dream like this and threw it into his novel. Seriously. I'm half tempted to think that the whole thing was a result of too much cheese before bed and I find myself wondering: Should I try to talk him out of eating cheese before bed for his own good? Or maybe show up with a block of cheddar and a box of crackers just before bedtime for my benefit? Then again, he gets paid for this. Do you guys know if he maybe prefers the mixed color cheese like a Colby-Jack? Hmmm....


Ok, now the disclaimer. I am a Protestant Christian who is divorced and has two daughters being raised as Catholics by their mother. (Yes, I see them and pay for them, but it's a long story.) I was actually undergoing the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults right before I separated from my wife. (For those of you who missed it, that's how you become a confirmed Catholic if you didn't go to Catechism as a kid.)  So, I have no problem whatsoever with the religion as contained in the novel. The thought of a living, breathing, praying saint (or prophet, more properly since no one is officially a saint until after they die) is one I find fascinating and entertaining. On the other hand, if you are an anti-Christian (in general) or anti-Catholic (in particular) type person maybe you'd be better off with something else. I mean, Christian and/or non-bigoted types would love Infernal Affairs but some people just suck.

Oh, and the other disclaimer: Infernal Affairs is the third in the series, coming after Hell Spawn and Death Cult. You could legitimately read Infernal Affairs as a standalone and enjoy it, but why would you? The first two books are awesome as well and, if you didn't read them already, you get the chance that I never had: To binge-read the entire first trilogy straight through. Although, I mean, I do own all three books and there's no law that says I can't RE-read them.

I love villains that I hate. If you've read this blog you know precisely what I mean. Finn's villain this time around is a complete POS. It's good to root for the saint, but it's fun to root against Satan and all of his works as well. Believe me, this is one for the ages. I don't want to give too much away because a lot of the nature of the villain is revealed slowly throughout the book but I'd go to war against this guy. I mean, I'm not a saint and I'd probably get creamed but at least I'd get creamed knowing I was on the right side.

I have to admit to being a bit relieved here, too. I was part of the Kickstarter for Hell Spawn. I'm glad I bought the book, because I got an autographed copy but part of it was that if it raised enough money, Finn would add books to the end of the series. For those that missed it, I'm a fan of Finn's but I was a bit concerned that he'd stretch the story he had too far to try to fill the extra books he now has to write. I'm both happy and relieved to find out that I was wrong. This book contains what it needs to contain and there is no sign that it was stretched unnecessarily. Maybe I should have known better.

HOWEVER

If I'm remembering correctly (and that's a risk I'm prepared to take) we should have at least two more of these coming. I, personally, am looking forward to them and I suppose my bank account will just have to shut up and deal. I mean, honestly, what geek pays attention to what his accountant has to say anyway? I've never met one.

Bottom Line: 5.0 out of 5 Flaming Drones

Infernal Affairs
Declan Finn
Silver Empire, 2019

Infernal Affairs is available for purchase at the following link:

Caliber Comics's Dead World: Requiem for the World

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

OH MY GAWD!!!

I'm reviewing a reboot. I can't believe I'm reviewing a reboot. This is Jimbo's and I'M REVIEWING A REBOOT!!!!

I feel like Jim Carrey right now because "Somebody stop me!"

But I'm not REALLY reviewing a reboot. I mean, I didn't even know the original existed until I was holding a copy of the reboot in my hand. So, it doesn't count.

STOP TELLING ME IT COUNTS! I SAID IT DOESN'T!!!

I mean, could we please say it doesn't count? I'll make this a really good review and toss in a link for all of you who want to get one. I mean, if I do a REALLLY good job will you please say it doesn't count as a reboot?

*cry*

I don't want it to be a reboot.

*takes long pull from Mountain Dew bottle*

I can't believe it. It's a reboot and it's on my blog. I've failed at life!!!

*SIGH*

Ok, I've come to terms with what I'm doing. It's a reboot and I'm not shying away from that. I'm a big boy. I'm going to put on my man pants and do this thing right.

So, for those of you who missed the pic at the top of the page and/or have forgotten what it looked like today's review will cover the topic of Deadworld: Requiem for the World and all foolishness aside, it is indeed a reboot. It's a good story even if I can't comment on how well it translates the original because I haven't read the original. Seriously, I met a rep for the Caliber Comics company at ConFusion and picked up two of the books there. I read the reboot first because reasons.

It was actually a really good comic. It's fast paced, has some good art and left me very well entertained. Rumors that I may have gotten chocolate stains on the pages because I couldn't stop reading it for long enough to eat a Ho-Ho are greatly exaggerated. (Ho-Hos are Hostess. It was a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll which is totes different.)

Requiem for the World is a zombie comic. I get the fact that zombies are really popular and not all that cool with the hipster set because those goofballs hate everything that anyone else likes, but I'm telling you that this is a good one. Why? Because it has a twist. This isn't just your average zombie comic. Then again, I'm a fan of The Walking Dead, so what do I know?

I know I've never seen a comic where the zombies have a leader. They're not real bright, because zombies, but they can follow simple instructions. I'm not sure what the zombie leader guy's name even is but he's something new that I sure haven't seen before. The thought of armies of the dead working together in a coordinated manner is some scary shit and let's face it: This is a zombie comic. It's supposed to be scary.

SPOILERS NEXT PARAGRAPH



YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

I'M NOT KIDDING!!!!
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I know that in cases where the cause of the zombie outbreak is not based on something sciency-sounding it's usually never given. Requiem for the Dead never quite gets to the point that it gives us all the answers but I get the feeling that later comics in the stream actually will. There are some fairly obvious hints that an answer is coming, but not exactly what it is and now I'm intrigued. I'm not sure if the answer was given in the original series or if they'll be giving the same one this time around anyway (the intro to the TPB states that a lot is changed early and I'll take their word for it. It's their product.) but they're definitely leading into something and it sounds cool.

I know that zombies are usually the only monsters in zombie fiction. I'm not sure but I have reason to believe that there are a couple of things in the book that are not exactly zombies and aren't the type of thing we would see in the real world ever. I like them. I like the fact that they're there even more. This is something that you just don't see. I'm starting to wonder how they tie in with the rest of it.

I know that the fact that I want to see more is the first sign of a good continuing anything. (Nobody tell any of my English teachers you saw that sentence. It's a mess and I can't figure out how to fix it.) Seriously, if they give you all the answers you have no reason to buy the next one. Whoever scripted this (The cover credits Gary Reed, Vince Locke and Dalivor Talajic, but doesn't say who did what and I don't know the company well enough to be sure) did a damn fine job of not just writing a good story for this book, but of creating a story that will cause interest in future books. I mean, this has the potential to cost me bunches of money and they're basically sucking all the cash out of my wallet but I'll get over it because I honestly believe I'm going to enjoy it.

I know that I love good art and this is good art. It's black and white, but I think it almost has to be. Zombie comics are not superhero comics. They're not meant to be bright, shiny and uplifting. Zombie comics are horror comics. They are dark and brooding because that's what they're supposed to be. They are tales of the scraps of humanity barely surviving. The black and white medium really helps drive that point across. It's a mood thing.

Listen, I'm not really a super-educated comics critic who can take apart a page and tell you exactly what technique was used to do what and lead to that other thing. I just know that it looks good and helped the story make sense. At the end of the day that's all I really care about. They delivered with what mattered and that's a good looking, entertaining story. Now I'm stuck with the question of whether or not to get the next one in Dead Tree Format or in e-format. I read a lot of e-books but with comics... I dunno. Then again, for what it's worth, I will be picking up the next one in some format.

Bottom Line: 4.5 out of 5 Rotten Corpses

Deadworld: Requiem for the Dead
Gary Reed, Vince Locke, Dalivor Talajic
Caliber Comics, 2018


Deadworld: Requiem for the Dead is available for purchase at the following link (or you can support your Local Comic Shop by ordering it there):