I wasn't expecting much from this volume, but the Superman story was quite innovative, with a narrative angle I wasn't expecting at all. It's really kI wasn't expecting much from this volume, but the Superman story was quite innovative, with a narrative angle I wasn't expecting at all. It's really kind of a scary what if about Superman's origins. He is not the man we know but that doesn't mean he doesn't come into his own as much as he's able. I liked the theme of villainy not necessarily starting from a place of pure evil or self-interest. To my mind, some of the worst villains are true believers or fundamentalists. Their intense belief in their cause can lead to committing atrocious acts in the course of the mission. In this case, it makes for a disturbing story. I really loved Lois Lane. Normally, I'm not a fan, but the Flashpoint situation seems to bring out the best in her character.
The Booster Gold story was interesting, and I think it shows him as heroic in ways I haven't previously encountered. In other words, he doesn't come off as inept and fixated on looking heroic. He has to deal with well-meaning military who decide to harness Doomsday as a weapon, but fail to realize that he cannot be controlled. It wasn't the strongest volume here, but it was pretty good.
Traci 13 is not a character I'm familiar with, but this story was very good. Traci finds herself in an adversarial relationship with her father, who both want to save the world, but in vastly different ways. Very intense look at how grief can tear a family apart.
"Canterbury Cricket" was pretty weird. Closest to horror in this volume out of the stories. A bunch of antiheroes have become guerilla warriors for the cause of England, including Cantubury Cricket, who has a very checkered past. I liked it, but it ended a bit too abruptly for my tastes.
This was a 'meh' read to me. Eclipso is super-powered and super-evil, but he's also super-annoying. I don't care much for posturing villains, and he'sThis was a 'meh' read to me. Eclipso is super-powered and super-evil, but he's also super-annoying. I don't care much for posturing villains, and he's that in spades. when his origins are revealed, you are thinking 'what a whiny baby!' instead of being scared of him. That's not to say he doesn't wreak a lot of habit in this book. He really does. I gave this three stars because the action is pretty epic, and there is no guarantee of a happy ending. You pretty much think it's all over until the last few pages. I've liked the first couple of JLA titles, but this one didn't do much for me. I'm not very familiar with this team, and it was interesting getting to know them, such as I did.
I had trouble tracking the story between the graphics and the prose. One of my pet peeves with graphic novels. They can be done very well where this is not a problem, but it wasn't in this volume. It doesn't help that the cast of characters is so expansive. Eclipso has the ability to take over and make people into his minions, and the confusing part for me is not knowing what the various characters are normally like, makes them as evil minions sort of meaningless. Probably someone who has more background in the DC Universe than I do may feel different. On the good side, the artwork is very good. I find Donna Troy's outfit mesmerizing, a jumpsuit with quasars and stars on it. It was almost hypnotic, quite honestly. Probably one of the aspects I liked most about this book.
My experience with the JL and JLA graphic novels I've read is hit and miss. This one was more of a miss for me....more
Hawkins keeps it real about rakes, except she doesn't show how many of them died from venereal disease. I was livid about that *S$!@ bet from the begiHawkins keeps it real about rakes, except she doesn't show how many of them died from venereal disease. I was livid about that *S$!@ bet from the beginning. Felt sorry for Imogen. I did feel when I read, and not always good things.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the July 2015 Issue. .
This is even darker than the Flash volume! Batman isn't the Batman we know and love. He's a much more driven, more morally compromised version. What wThis is even darker than the Flash volume! Batman isn't the Batman we know and love. He's a much more driven, more morally compromised version. What would happen if a man's child was killed in front of him and he was powerless to prevent it. The Joker is probably even more twisted, and you wouldn't believe me if I told you. That's just the Batman story.
Then there's the story about the biggest jerk in the DC-Verse, Deathstroke, and his crusade to find his lost daughter. I can't call him a hero, because he's not. He's ruthlessly selfish and murderous. I feel bad for anyone who throws in with him. He's not a man I'd trust as far as I could throw him. This is non-stop action, a world in which the seas have become a lawless place of pirates, and the Atlanteans kill humans with impunity.
The story about Dick Grayson and his family tells us how things might have gone if Bruce Wayne had not been there in his life after the death of his parents. Also shows a Europe that has been decimated by the Atlantean-Amazonean war, and where various DC-verse figures have become freedom fighters (even ones who were once villains).
My least favorite was Secret Seven. It was pretty gruesome and twisted, and while I see the point of it all in terms of the Flashpoint story arc, I didn't really appreciate the story at all.
I would still give this four stars because I thought it was pretty interesting, and frankly, nightmarish....more
I found the older comics a bit dated in storyline and the artwork. It was nice to get some of James "Logan" Howlett's backstory, all the same. It was I found the older comics a bit dated in storyline and the artwork. It was nice to get some of James "Logan" Howlett's backstory, all the same. It was really interesting to discover that Wolverine's first appearance was in The Incredible Hulk. Seeing these two guys throw down is quite an experience.
I'm having to be honest and say I can't stand Mariko. Definitely not worthy of Wolverine's pining. I couldn't help comparing this as I read to the most recent Wolverine movie, "The Wolverine," which I love, except for a few aspects. I think I prefer the movie versions of both Mariko and Yukio. Yukio wasn't bad, but I didn't like how she was so moony over Wolverine. I did like how kickbutt she was and kind of edgy. All the ninja stuff was cool (as they always are). I think Wolverine's adventures in Japan shape him in pivotal ways, and I feel that it helps to temper his animalistic nature.
Wolverine will always stand out as an antihero who is quite heroic. He learns through the School of Hard Knocks how to use his healing factor, formidable strength, and lethal fighting skills, not to mention his adamantium claws to best advantage.
Rereading "Weapon X" brings to mind why Logan is so conflicted as a character. How they deliberately and ruthlessly tortured him to bring out that aspect, and why he will always struggle against it now. And that makes him even more admirable that he can temper his berserker rage to fight with the X-Men and others on the side of justice.
If you're newer to the Marvel Verse, and want to find out the origins of Wolverine, this is worth tracking down. Just keep in mind that some of the older stories are from a different era, and frankly, like the sophistication of modern graphic novels. However, "Weapon X" is not to be missed by anyone who is intrigued with Wolverine.
Pretty good. Lovely color and artwork. Crazy action. This is the Wolverine that most will know and love. Some interesting twists with Mystique and thePretty good. Lovely color and artwork. Crazy action. This is the Wolverine that most will know and love. Some interesting twists with Mystique and the dicey situation between the Hand and the Yakuza, and our esteemed hero in the middle. Things get a little confusing towards the end. But overall, stays pretty coherent and there is no disconnect between the script and the artwork.
This was almost four stars. I just felt that the storyline wasn't as clear as it could have been. I loved the artwork, and the story idea was interestThis was almost four stars. I just felt that the storyline wasn't as clear as it could have been. I loved the artwork, and the story idea was interesting. I think there's a part of me that gets skeptical when crucial technology isn't explained, and I felt the details about the device that was opening portals between our Earth and others, wasn't explained enough for me. I was a bit lost with some of that aspect of the story.
One of the more interesting characters was Raze. I didn't know that Wolverine had a son with Mystique, but he's about what one would expect. Lethal, cunning, sociopathic, more of Mystique's personality than Wolverine. Mostly, I'd say, "The Gang's all here." X-Men fans will like the variety of characters that show up, but I can think of few that I missed in this roundup. The art and the colors were brilliant and beautiful. Salvador Larocca is one of the best comic book artists around.
I don't read as much X-Men. I guess I feel I'm a bit oversaturated with it due to sufficient coverage they get in the movies and tv. I've wanted to read more, but I'm just dipping my finger in right now. This was a nice choice, since the story isn't too locked into an arc. It looks like it might be a one shot. If you ask me, I'll always choose X-Force over the X-Men. Just a personal preference.
Picked this up from my library, and I was pleasantly surprised. This quartet of special operatives were tasked to go back one day in the past to avertPicked this up from my library, and I was pleasantly surprised. This quartet of special operatives were tasked to go back one day in the past to avert a disaster caused by the activation of an underground Nazi missile carrying deadly biotoxin that could easily end the human race. They end up in 1940s Germany just months prior to the end of the war.
Excellent action, with artwork that gives this a cinematic feel. The characters feel unique, and it's an interesting view to have one of the team members as a black man in Nazi Germany, although they didn't delve into it as much as one would expect. However, this is a really quick time period (24 hours), and it's practically nonstop. It gets very interesting. I didn't really understand the technology, but that's not a deal breaker. I liked the various gadgets that the team took with them, and they were all extremely capable and lethal.
I'm a bit of a WW2 geek, so I'm glad I was able to read this. I'd like to read more about this team. ...more
I'd have to say this isn't my typical type of book, so I'm glad it was selected for Action group's read this month. I found it enjoyable. I think thatI'd have to say this isn't my typical type of book, so I'm glad it was selected for Action group's read this month. I found it enjoyable. I think that if this was a movie, it would be a Steven Soderburg movie for sure. I could see his touch all over the movie adaptation.
What I liked:
*I liked the wry and subtle humor. You have to be paying attention to see it, and it's highly ironical. The CIA's big thinkers believe their culprit is anything from the Russians to a huge terrorist cell, but it's not anything of the sort. Their antics to resolve the situation only seem to make things worst. I felt kind of bad rooting for Chinese and his gang, but they were seeming more and more like the good guys in that situation anyway. This book doesn't give a person the best view of the CIA, that's for sure. *I liked Doctor Henry Metzger and his dog. I wish they were in the book more. Considering that the book is named after them, I expected more of an appearance. But when they are there, they steal the scenes. I think Perry is an animal person. He seems to understand their psychology and how they seem to run the households in which they live and often leave their persons baffled. *The descriptions were very well rendered. I used all my senses as I read this book. The narrative is never wordy, which would have lent this book to boredom, considering that some much of the narrative hinges on theoretical sociological research. *This whole book is deftly plotted. I think it could have easily fallen apart, considering the subject matter. But it doesn't. *I think Margaret is one of the strongest characters. Surprisingly Chinese Gordon takes a back seat to her. She is really the brains of the operation.
I wasn't at all sure what I'd get when I started this book. It's kind of like when you go to a restaurant and let your companion pick something off the menu, and you decide you like it. It's a win on both sides....more
Pretty good, and a quick read. The villain made me murderous, and the hero is a bit generic, although I liked him. I read this for review, but I went Pretty good, and a quick read. The villain made me murderous, and the hero is a bit generic, although I liked him. I read this for review, but I went ahead and got the first book on my Kindle to read.
Andrew Bennett evil brings to mind Angelus from Buffy. Absolutely hateful. I didn't enjoy seeing him that way. I think the world is a much better placAndrew Bennett evil brings to mind Angelus from Buffy. Absolutely hateful. I didn't enjoy seeing him that way. I think the world is a much better place without an evil Andrew Bennett!
This is definitely dark Vampire-themed horror. The storyline is twisty and it's not in any way predictable. Villains become heroic and vice versa. We get a little backstory on how human Andrew Bennett became a vampire long ago, and why Mary, his eternal bride, hates humans so much.
Throw in some Biblical lore, such as Cain and Lilith, and some shocking losses, plus a few cameos, and I had to give this four stars. It was very good for what it is. Don't go into this expecting sweetness and light. This is for vampire fiction readers who like their vampires dark and depraved.
Having a Russian hero is always a nice start. But it has to meet other qualifications, and I'd say Theodora Taylor did that very well. The beginning hHaving a Russian hero is always a nice start. But it has to meet other qualifications, and I'd say Theodora Taylor did that very well. The beginning has one of the best openings I've read in a romance for a while. The language is almost lyrical in those scenes. I have to say that Alexei is just about scrumptious. He's fierce and dangerous/lethal-vibed, but he's also a teddy bear deep down. That combination is so irresistible. I liked very much how Alexei was three-dimensional. While part of him really despised Eva, and was determined to hurt her and get revenge, his heart didn't want that, and he'd never truly stopped loving her. He was very sighworthy. There is no question that Eva is the right woman for him, and I felt his pain and unresolved feelings over their breakup deeply, even though I wasn't sure that Eva was 100% to blame as he thought.
Eva was very likable. She is one of those people that you can't help but like if you spend more than five minutes together. I think her parents didn't realize how lucky they are to have her, considering how terrible they acted towards her. I figured she had a good reason for leaving Alexei, but my jaw dropped when it's revealed why she did. For some reason, I wasn't expecting that. You might say, 'well, duh,' but it was a surprise to me. I normally don't like the plot that is a huge aspect of this book, but I can understand why Eva chose to make that decision, and I like how it was dealt with between Eva and Alexei.
Deep down, I will always be a Harlequin Presents geek. I loved that this has many of the HP tropes that I dig, but with a dangerous twist. And with a black heroine! That's just about perfect for me. I liked how Alexei was wining and dining Eva, but he was also wooing her by doing couple stuff. And having South Padre Island as a rendezvous was a bit novel.
So why not five stars? I doesn't quite feel like a fiver to me. I think a large part was the rough sexual language. I am not a big fan of that, honestly. I think the love scenes were very steamy, but I could have done without the big words that seem obligatory in a steamy romance book nowadays. Personal preference. Thankfully, Taylor keeps the love scenes kink-free (wipes brow). I would have regretted if I had never gotten to meet Alexei just because the book was too kinky for me. Also, it could have been a tad longer. I think that for its shorter length, it was a satisfying story, but this easily could have been longer with more depth.
I'm so picky with five star ratings lately. If I wasn't getting so stingy, this could have been a five. But it was darn close.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
Thanks so much to Teneatha for the Kindle Loan!...more
This is a collection of two different Carpathian short novels: Dark Dream and Dark Descent. While the first book is "Dark Descent", Book 11, but it shThis is a collection of two different Carpathian short novels: Dark Dream and Dark Descent. While the first book is "Dark Descent", Book 11, but it should be read second, since "Dark Dream" is actually Book 7. I think that they are connected thematically by the expansion of the mage storyline (moreso in Dark Descent). I have this as a book, but I picked it up as an Kindle book when it was on sale. It's a great way to get copies of this without buying the previously released anthology.
Below are my reviews of each book:
Dark Descent
I'm happily getting caught up on the Carpathians after a long break, and I'm enjoying the ride. The Carpathians have such a complex folklore foundation, and I like seeing it unfold in each book. While I wouldn't like some aspects of being a Carpathian lifemate, there is a whole lot to appeal as well. They really are delicious heroes. I think that this one might be one of my favorites. I loved Joie and Traian as characters, and Joie's siblings Gabrielle and Jubal definitely add to the appeal of this novel. Gary Sanders (who becomes a friend and ally to the Carpathians) has a cameo, and it was fun to see this adorable nerd again. Joie is a kickbutt heroine in her own right, a great match with Traian.
This book is actually quite horrific. The vampires are scary and downright disturbing and disgusting. They give an ugly visual picture to creepy crawly. While Traian is one of the most formidable Carpathian warriors and hunters, he has his hands full when he gets caught in the middle of a nest of master vampires who have formed an alliance. Joie forms a mental bond with Traian and that bond causes her to track him down to the ice caves in the Carpathian mountains. In the process, the Sanders discover a long lost familial relationship to the secretive mages.
I loved how the Carpathian universe is expanding to other species. The mage aspect of the story is fun. Like many of Feehan's works, this book reads like an exciting movie. The battles with the vampires would have me quaking in my books on a big movie screen. But at the same time, they were highly exciting.
I'm pretty into Jubal. I'm wondering if he'll have a story (fingers crossed). It looks like Dark Promises is about Gary and Gabrielle. I hoping that Jubal will have a storyline in this book. He's a character I definitely connected with.
For a short novel, this packed an exciting punch! I read this out of the Dark Nights ebook and I'll read Dark Dream next.
Dark Dream
This is a meaty little short story. It definitely has an insta-love vibe, I think most out of all the Carpathian novels. But the story has a lot to offer despite that. Falcon is one of the original Carpathian warriors sent out by the previous Prince Vladimir, which means he's at least a thousand years old. It's amazing that he's held onto his honor and Carpathian sense of ethics and not turned vampire. I like to think that the fact that Sara was out there in the future was one of the reasons he didn't give in, but he's very, very close to turning when he senses his Lifemate. Sara has been stalked by a vampire who killed her whole family for fifteen years. She's stayed one step ahead of him, traveling the globe and helping orphaned children. She meets Falcon and he realizes that she's his lifemate. She realizes that he's the male she's been in love with since she found his journal on one of her archaeologist parent's digs. The romance part is the easy part. The difficult part is keeping Sara safe from the vampire.
This book is full of action and some horror elements with the despicable vampire and his zombie-like human servants. While I like the romance aspects, I find the whole Carpathian culture thing very interesting. It was great to touch base with with Mikhail and Raven and Jacques and Shea. Jacques is a lot more stable than he once was. He's definitely benefited from having a lifemate in Shea. I read this after reading Dark Descent, out of the Dark Nights book. Feehan is developing the whole storyline about the Carpathians trying to find a reason for their infertility and infant mortality, and slowly but surely recruiting assets in their cause. Gary shows up briefly, and it's making me excited to read Dark Promises.
I have no issues with this book. It was a solid read. ...more
So, this is my review of the latest Ward book. I love this time of year, and the traditions that come alone with it as a long-time JR Ward fan. It's aSo, this is my review of the latest Ward book. I love this time of year, and the traditions that come alone with it as a long-time JR Ward fan. It's a big part of why I enjoy this series so much.
Sorry, but this is a really long review. I had a lot to say!
Possible Spoiler Disclaimer: I will warn readers that while I really tried not to use overt spoilers, you will see that there is an emotional shock that comes in this book, but I don’t reveal exactly what it was. Readers beware!
The Shadows is the telling of the story of the two s’Hisbe brothers who have become unofficial members of the Brotherhood’s growing family. Trez is running away from his destiny, written in the stars, as the future mate of the Princess of the s’Hisbe. He’s done everything he could to disqualify himself, but the time is growing short and he can run no longer. iAm has stood in the gap for his brother for many years, trying to keep his brother from going over the edge of oblivion to the exclusion of having his own life. But the time is coming when he won’t be able to save his brother. Trez is stone cold in love with the Chosen, Selena, but for many reasons, a happy ending doesn’t seem to be written in their destinies. Will iAm ever get the chance to build his own life, and to make decisions that aren’t dictated by his sacrificial love for his brother?
With a storyline that like, you know there’s going to be major drama.
Drama is JR Ward’s calling card. When I read one of her books, I automatically expect it. It’s hard, at the same time, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it often does, very hard. I deliberately took my time reading this, preparing myself for the emotional blows sure to come. Not at all sure that there would be a happy end by the last page. I know a lot of people weren’t happy with this book, and I was prepared that I might not be, or that I might like it and find myself an outlier in saying why I liked it. So, it was emotionally stressful for me to read it. Another reason to take my time.
Some have argued that Ward has moved away from her initial writing of romance. I’m not sure I agree. Even in her earlier book, there was always a sense that not everything was settled, and while there were committed and happily mated couples, troubles could be lurking around the corner. Yes, the books were shorter and they focused more on the romance, but there was always something more, and plenty of drama. As the series has progress, the books have expanded, and with them, the storylines. And yes, the drama quotient. At times, it’s wearying how the storylines get dragged out and she introduces yet another set of new characters instead of giving more resolution on current storylines. This book was not different in that regard. And there were parts of this book that ripped my guts out and gave me a headache that was just a shade below a migraine. I wanted to slap one particular character super-duper silly. And I wanted to shake another one. I wanted to rail at the capriciousness of life, and ask the whys. But at the same time, I was satisfied at the end of the story. Hence my rating.
My opinion won’t be popular on this book amongst many of my friends. Largely, I really enjoyed this book. While there were some parts that were terribly sad and that made me sob like a big old baby, I felt that JR Ward delivered the quality of storytelling I appreciate about her writing. I’m not the one to tell you if she messed up specific details. I love this books a lot, but I don’t always remember which hand of Vishous glows or which eye of Qhuinn’s is blue versus green. To me, I don’t find that terribly important. I do care about the stories and the emotional journey. I don’t care if she rewrites some aspects of the storyline, because that’s to be expected in a long-running series. As an artist, one’s creation will evolve, and Ward views these people as real, probably as real as they seem to me, but probably even more real. And real people do change.
I will say this as well, I believe in eternal life. I believe that life doesn’t end on this plane. I believe that death is an enemy in that it steals love ones away from their beloveds, hopefully not forever, but sometimes it is forever. Our mortal bodies fail us and we leave this life and go to another place. I’m a Christian, so I believe that Heaven and Hell are real. For the Brothers, it’s the Fade. But I think the pain is the same, knowing that you won’t see a beloved again in this life. And when one is dying, it’s facing one’s mortality, and the question of whether what you’ve believed that whole time was real or not.
My two cats (that I had for pretty much their whole, long lives) died this past fall, and it broke my heart to pieces. They were older and I should have been prepared. I work in animal medicine, and I lost my dad about ten years ago, so death is not new to me. But it still wrenched my soul to lose them. It’s funny what people say and don’t say to you when you lose someone. I had people say some things that were quite ugly even though they didn’t mean it that way, and that didn’t help my emotional healing. I also had people who ministered to me in my grief, and understood exactly how I felt. They can’t know how much they helped me, but I say a prayer of thanks that God put them in my path at the right time.
I think this book touched me because I saw one of the characters go on that journey. The stages of grief were so tangible to me because of my recent loss (and quite honestly, I also lost a church friend recently, so I was dealing with that as well). I could feel what it was like for this character and the pain of losing a person, but also the fact that they could not ever have regrets about having loved that person, for however short that time was. It’s real for me. I don’t know, but I’m thinking that Ward went through a loss recently, and she wrote this from her heart. I connected with that, and I can see why she didn’t change the ending to a “happy, joy, joy� one that would be expected.
Sometimes, that’s not the way life works. Sometimes, you lose people and you have to get out of bed the next day. You have to attend to the ceremonies that come along with the loss and keep one foot in front of the other until you can walk without falling. Sometimes you have to be strong so you can be strong for another person who needs that strength, and put your own needs aside. That was all so real to me, and very well-written.
Others may not like how that was done. I respect that. While it sucked that this person died, it was also valuable in the terms of the story. I can’t fault Ward for that decision. I’ve seen her make others in her stories that I was more angry about. I think she handled the situation with grace, even in the most ugly and emotionally wrenching parts. I think she knows that people are going to be angry with her, and she owns it. I respect her for that.
Speaking of things that made me angry, Xcor was a real tool in this book. I had started seeing more potential for him as a future hero in the past few books, but now I’m just annoyed at him and I question his value as a future love interest for a certain person. I really disliked what he did, for numerous reasons. Those who know my tastes can probably pinpoint why, and can understand why I wanted to bitchslap him. It’s not that I don’t understand his character or the whys but it was a jerk move. At some point you have to stop being a whiny baby and say no to the past and declare a better future. I hold out hope that he’ll get a clue, but he’ll need to get a cleansing deep inside and outside before everything will be okay with me.
I continue to like Layla’s character. She’s really growing as a three-dimensional character in her own right. I wasn’t happy about that storyline with Qhuinn at first, but now I’m okay with it. I think it’s an interesting dynamic, and I want to see where things lead with her and her ancillary relationship with Qhuinn and Blay. I just want her to have a Hellren who is worthy of her. She deserves it! I hope the male she’s in love with gets his head out of his rear end sometime soon.
One of the things I absolutely loved about this book was the relationship between iAm and Trez, and how things turned around, and the one who always made sacrifices got to be the one who was put first in a crucial way. iAm is a really classy guy, a worthy male, and while Trez did have some jerk moments in the past few books, I really liked him in this book and felt for him. He proves to be a very worthy male (although I don’t agree with his view of prostitution being okay as long as the women get the lion’s share of their earnings). Yes, they don’t consider themselves black or African American, but I liked that they do represent people of color in this book so well. I also found the s’Hisbe culture fascinating. In some ways, it’s not super well-defined, but it’s intriguing to me. An interesting compare and contrast to the Vampire and Sympath cultures. ‘s’Ex is some kind of dude. On the real! He has swagger like my beloved Rehvenge, and that is a very nice comparision from a reader who is stone cold in love with Rehv! I hope we see more of him. I like one of the new characters introduced very much, which I cannot reveal as a spoiler. Thumbs up for her. That was super-sweet too what happens with her and another character.
A few things I was indifferent about as well. I am indifferent about the Lesser storyline. It doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. We’ll see what happens in the next book. I can’t make up my mind how I feel about Assail. I hate drug abuse/activity, so he’s got a major strike against him. At the same time, I do appreciate the pragmatism of his character. I think he truly is amoral, and he sticks true to that. I’m not sure if he’ll turn out to be an antihero or a full on villain. I have this sick appreciation for a good antihero, I freely admit.
I feel like the Band of Brothers storyline was underrepresented in this book, but I think Ward is saving it for the next book and chose to focus on other aspects. It will be interesting to see what happens between Xcor and Throe (and I’m glad that Wrath ain’t nobody’s fool when it comes to that situation). I wish she’d spent more time on the BoB instead of developing the new storyline with Paradise. I don’t hate her, but I can’t say I really care that much about her right now. Having said that, I’ll definitely be reading the spinoff series, even though I think it’s Ward’s bid for the New Adult niche (and I’m not interested in that genre).
So, yes, I think I could go on about this book, but I’ve already written such a long review. It won’t change anything. I’m pretty set on how I rated the book. I own it. I liked this book a whole lot. I enjoy Ward’s writing. I love the elegance of the old races she writes about, juxtaposed to the gritty modern world. I even like the thug slang and urban ways of the Brothers (as odd as some find it). I know a lot of folks hate that, but I feel that it’s characteristic of her writing, and I smile every year when I get to hang out with the Brothers and their ever-growing circle of acquaintances. I think that Ward really loves writing about these characters and that joy is infectious to me as a reader. I wish that some of my favorites were more front and center, but most of them had their day in the sun and it’s time to let someone else take the center focus. I will say it was nice to see more of Rhage and Mary in this book.
I guess I’m always going to enjoy Ward’s book for what they are. I don’t expect her to be a perfect writer. She has her quirks like any other artist, but I think she’s a darn good writer, and I love this world she’s created, even more with each book. I added The Shadows to my BDB hardcover shelf with a feeling of proprietary pride. Enough Said! ...more
I liked this one slightly less than Black and White. However, it's still good. Definitely more gritty than the last volume. Castle goes south of the bI liked this one slightly less than Black and White. However, it's still good. Definitely more gritty than the last volume. Castle goes south of the border and ends up doing some time as a result. Of course, Castle always turns it around to his advantage. The storyline touches on the respect that Castle garners from other soldiers, due to his integrity and extreme focus and willingness to give his all to a cause. I loved the cameo by an old comrade of Castle. It brought my spirits up. Very intense read.
I was leery about this arc of The Punisher changing authors and storylines, but I feel that it was pretty successful in keeping the tone I liked with I was leery about this arc of The Punisher changing authors and storylines, but I feel that it was pretty successful in keeping the tone I liked with the Rucka run, without it being an exact copy. I didn't veer into the realm of ultra-violence either (what I was really nervous about). Edmondson continues to write Castle as a driven man who isn't afraid of using violence, but with his own rigid code of morality. I did miss Rachel Cole-Alves though.
Castle has set his operations up on the West Coast, and targeted a series of violent gangs who have declared a war against the city of Los Angeles. Castle adopts a wounded coyote (which was a nice touch). He also has a set of allies who help him out (in the ways he needs it). There are a few fun cameos I really appreciated. They don't step outside of the tone of the series, so that's good.
The artwork is well-done, different from the last run, but I still enjoyed it. They capture the grim nature of Castle and convey his dead seriousness about his vocation. I have to say I kind of have a soft spot for the Punisher that has been restored after the travesty of the movie Punisher: War Zone.
I have to say that I am satisfied and will keep reading the new Punisher series. ...more
Our hero Nate travels a tangled path and has to face his complicated past. It ain't pretty! I really love this series and Nate Garrett. I can't wait fOur hero Nate travels a tangled path and has to face his complicated past. It ain't pretty! I really love this series and Nate Garrett. I can't wait for the next installment, although I'm willing to wait as long as it takes for Steve McHugh to write it!
Danielle The Book Huntress
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