Tag: books

Geography Club cover boys and visualizing characters based on their movie actors

This is a post about Geography Club, Geography Club (the movie) and The Thing I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know.

A while ago Brent Hartinger wrote a book called Geography Club which is the story of a young gay guy and various coming out issues.  You know.  Back then, this sort of thing wasn’t as acceptable.  Naming a social or support organization with something so harmless was a bit of a brilliant turn.  Also, the book always attracted my eye because of the young man on the cover. Continue reading “Geography Club cover boys and visualizing characters based on their movie actors”

Remembering Ned Vizzini at Skylight Books

Hey. I didn’t say anything because I have issues with public speaking so I like to put words together first so I know that I have words and I’m not just standing around looking like I’m trying to say something or make a point when I’m just trying to think because communication words don’t come easily to me.

Tonight, some people, especially young adult writers came together to remember Ned Vizzini, the talented young adult author who committed suicide right before Christmas last year.  Some selections from his books were read out loud as well as some personal recollections.  Some really nice things were said.  Ned will be remembered as a caring and intelligent guy. Continue reading “Remembering Ned Vizzini at Skylight Books”

Grasshopper Jungle

9781101590065.600x600-75Grasshopper Jungle is a new book by Andrew Smith.  I have previously read books by Andrew Smith such as Winger, Stick, and The Path of Falling Objects.  I’ve been looking forward to this book for several months.  Feels like nearly a year.  A year of John Corey Whaley hyping the book to me.  A year of trying to get my hands on the galley.  An exaggerated year of trying to figure out what the book is about.

And the book comes out on Tuesday.  So soon you will be able to find out.  I finished a free advanced reader’s copy I got from Netgalley so there may have been some changes in the finished copy then what I read.

Things that the book reminded me of:  mid-century science fiction films, Lost, Venture Bros, plus a fairly honest look at teenage boys in the middle of nowhere Iowa.

I’ve seen 30 movies in 2013: The Book Thief

Looks like I haven’t updated my 2013 Movie List in a while.  Fear not, there is a new addition:  The upcoming adaptation of the bestselling book with the same name, The Book Thief.  This past week has been mostly about The Book Thief for me, on Monday there was a pre-release screening as it has not opened yet (next week!  or the week after) and then an author event with Markus Zusak, and then a roundtable on Friday with Sophie Nélisse, Geoffrey Rush, Brian Percival and Markus Zusak.

I have ranked it #5, behind Jurassic Park in 3-D.  Some people have complained that I have included a twenty year old movie in my list of 2013 films.  It also disrupts the ranking as Jurassic Park is my favorite film directed by Spielberg. Continue reading “I’ve seen 30 movies in 2013: The Book Thief”

Aquaman! Quickly, talk to the fishes and SAVE THE WORLD. Justice League Volume 3: Throne of Atlantis

This is an embargoed review that should not be released before October 1, 2013.

I read a digital galley of Justice League Volume 3 “Throne of Atlantis.”  It’s probably the best / only story of Aquaman I’ve ever read.  Basically:  Aquaman and the Justice League try to prevent a war between Atlantis and the people on land.  It’s basically the plot of a Doctor Who episode, but instead of silurians we have (the mer people of Atlantis?).  You don’t need to have read Justice League Volume 2 or previous issues of Aquaman.

Overall I felt it was enjoyable, not very deep or probing.  Kind of like a summer super hero movie.  Recommended for fans of Aquaman, and the Justice League.

More rings! More emotions! Fight the Third Army with more lantern power! Green Lantern Rise of the Third Army

Perhaps you are familiar with the Green Lantern and the Green Lantern Corps. Perhaps you know about the Guardians and the power rings. If not, then this is a super hero graphic novel review that is probably not for your eyes.

The universe is under attack by mysterious invaders that subsume all life it encounters.  They can even convert the powerful (Green) Lanterns … if the ring is removed.  However will the good guys save the day?  With the help of new friends and new power ups and a little ass kicking courtesy of Guy Gardner.  Sorry if that’s a spoiler. Continue reading “More rings! More emotions! Fight the Third Army with more lantern power! Green Lantern Rise of the Third Army”

Three brothers and gravity – In the Path of Falling Objects by Andrew Smith @marburyjack

I finished a book today!  In the Path of Falling Objects by Andrew Smith.  Since there are apparently a billion Andrew Smith’s out there, it’s the Andrew Smith who wrote the best rugby book of 2013 Winger and the I’m not comfortable talking about it without at least a drink in me Stick.

There are three brothers.  Matthew is a soldier in Vietnam.  Jonah and Simon are his younger brothers and they live in the middle of nowhere, New Mexico.  Their mother abandons them and their father is incarcerated in Arizona.  Jonah and Simon depart on a journey hoping to meet up with Matthew in Arizona.  The journey is the story.
Continue reading “Three brothers and gravity – In the Path of Falling Objects by Andrew Smith @marburyjack”

TIL Seinen Manga

Today I Learned that there exists a manga category called “seinen manga” …this is the manga equivalent of the dumb boy book.  Material intended for young males ages 18-30.  Violence and exploitative to women.  I won’t say that all of seinen manga is like that, but if you’re put off because a story is particularly violent and the women seem really cool with pleasing men, then that could be seinen manga.

I was reading volume 1 of Gunsmith Cats.  When I first encountered the name Gunsmith Cats, I thought it was about alien humanoid felines with guns.  No, it’s set in the near-past Chicago.  I don’t know if there are any cats in this manga.  And there seems to be confusion regarding the protagonist’s name:  It’s either RALLY or LARRY.  Considering that it’s a girl, most people assume that it’s not Larry. Continue reading “TIL Seinen Manga”

The Joker got bored of Batman so he thought he’d go after Superman in Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol. 1

This is a review of the graphic novel:  Injustice:  Gods Among Us Volume 1.  Lois Lane is pregnant.  Jimmy Olsen is killed by the Joker who then kidnaps Lois and sets a trap for Superman.  Under the influence of Scarecrow’s fear gas, Superman ends up killing Lois and destroying Metropolis with the warhead to a nuclear missile.

And then Superman kinda goes crazy and becomes a benevolent dictator policing the world of all conflict and war.  Batman isn’t exactly on board with this new order and this is actually an elaborate back story for a video game.  They needed to come up with a situation that would explain Superman and Batman fighting each other…
Continue reading “The Joker got bored of Batman so he thought he’d go after Superman in Injustice: Gods Among Us Vol. 1”