Graphic Novel Reviews: Teen Titans Games

Teen Titans Games

"The game is afoot"

Written by Marv Wolfman

Art by George Perez

Published by DC Comics

My love for comic books has waned greatly from the days when I was devouring almost anything published by the big two. I have found myself reading less mainstream graphic novels than before, but when I discovered this book at the library I quickly decided to check it out. I finished this in one sitting because it brought back those childhood memories of what a great superhero comic can be when done properly. It also brought back a team that I have loved since I was a wee lad. This book had been sitting around on the shelves for twenty years, but finally Wolfman and Perez decided to finish it. I am glad they did since it was published only shortly before the New 52 was launched. 

This original graphic novel brings the fan favorite team of Titans together for an adventure against an adversary named "The Game Master". Each character feels like they serve a purpose on this team instead of feeling forced together like some lesser team books. Wolfman knows how to write this grouping perfectly focusing just enough on each character, but also making certain characters feel like they have more of a place in this particular book. Nightwing uses his detective skills masterfully here, which showcases how well Wolfman understands that character and what he should be doing on a team. Starfire is using her sexuality and also being the muscle that is needed. Each individual character serves a function. Why isn't Wolfman writing more team books? Heck if I know, but he is obviously very good at them. (If you can't tell I do not want to give away details of the plot) 

The artwork is done by the awesome George Perez. I can't say one negative thing about this master of comic book art. He knows how to draw and he does it will. He never slacks off either. Some artists get swelled heads and as a result let certain elements of their art go, but in every single panel Perez creates the images exactly as they should be. You never have to question which character is which. You never have to try to look past distorted images of characters faces or bodies. Perez truly seamlessly creates the DC Universe here. It feels like you are watching a television program instead of reading a comic book. 

The last thing I want to say about this volume is that it contains several pages of original script, which adds a certain fun element to this book since it was put on the backburner for so many years. The only thing I disliked as a Donna Troy fan Wolfman states in his synopsis "whatever-her-new-name-is"for her code name. This depressed me to read right now since Donna has still not appeared in the New 52. I hope that this is remedied one day, but if you are trying to get a Donna Troy fix this would be a great volume to read. Be aware though that she is in her Troia outfit. I know some fans do not like that version of her, but I love it. She serves her purpose here and I think Wolfman did her justice overall, even though I get that he doesn't necessarily like her himself. It is great when a writer can still work with a character that they may not like, so thank you Wolfman for creating one last adventure for a character dear to my heart. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Courtney Crumrin Volume 2: The Coven of Mystics

Courtney Crumrin Volume 2: The Coven of Mystics

(Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley.com)

"Even the teachers have a bit of magic!"

available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, and Half Price Books.

Written and Art by Ted Naifeh

Published by Oni Press

I was drawn to reading this second volume based on my first impressions of the first volume. It deserved a shot at reading the second volume. I was as pleased with this volume as I was the first volume, which you can find my review for that volume at this link. 

This volume steers a little clearer of dealing with Courtney learning magic (the magic is there, but she doesn't seem to be teaching herself it as much) and focuses more on the relationships that she has developed, specifically it deals more heavily with her relationship with her uncle. In this volume it feels important to note that I do not recall seeing her parents on a single page, which adds to the overall story since their appearances kinda slowed down the last volume. Also this volume helps develop Courtney's personality better than the previous volume. We can see that she has a heart deep down instead of appearing emo as she did in volume 1. One of the ways that we see that she has heart is who desperately she wants to save a friend in this volume. This desire to help gives a lift to her as a character. I was pleasantly pleased with what this volume fixed with her. She seemed more like a well-rounded character here than she did. 

The artwork always feels right on the money. The people still are a bit less completed than the backgrounds, which I feel adds to the story because of the dark and grittiness it is trying to achieve. I do have to say though that a lot of the incidental characters in this volume appeared to be more completed though than in the previous volume, which was awesome since some of these characters appear to probably be important in the next several volumes. Courtney appeared to be the one character that never looked completed in this volume, which overall doesn't feel like Naifeh is getting it wrong at this point. In a future volume (after more adventures) I hope she looks more completed because at that point I will probably feel that she should be because she will have done so much more with her life and her magic. 

There is one scene in this book that if you are squeamish you may not want to pick this up, but overall this book felt a little less dark. It felt more like a mystery that you were trying to figure out before the final page and less like you were trying to hide under the blankets. Now do not get me wrong there is still some of that hiding under the blanket feeling that makes the Crumrin books enjoyable as scary stories as well, but it better assimilated into the overall story. If you love comic books/graphic novels this is definitely a series you should give a chance because it is not only an interesting read, but one that adds greatly to the library of wonderfully written comic books currently published. If you only read the big two I would say step out of your comfort zone!! You will not be disappointed.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Play Ball by Nunzio Defilippis & Christina Weird Published by Oni Press

Play Ball 

(advance reader copy from NetGalley.com)

available for purchase from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Half Price Books.

Written by Nunzio Defilippis & Christina Weir

Artist: Jackie Lewis

Published by Oni Press

I am not regularly interested in reading anything related to sports. It is just not my particular cup of tea. I decided to step outside of my comfortable reading box though and give this a chance. I did this primarily because it was about a female trying to get on a sports team. I find it interesting when people work on going outside of what the world deems appropriate for their gender. This book did not disappoint in that sense either.

The story of "Play Ball" is about Dashiell Brody who has just recently moved to a new school. She hears that the school has a baseball team and immediately is interested in trying out for it. The book shows the struggles that she has to overcome in a male-dominated field, even if it is set in a high school. She has to fight stereotypes that women are simply not as able to play baseball because they are weaker. She has to prove herself at every chance, which isn't easy when even your teammates are telling you that you shouldn't be there. It is an uphill battle that she takes on, but I won't spoil how it ends because this isn't one of those happily ever after tales. This story actually had a rather nice ending that fit for the story. I loved that Defilippis and Weir did not just give us a cookie cutter "she did it" ending. Their ending had depth, which made me enjoy the sports story more than I thought I could. 

The artwork by Jackie Lewis was what one would expect from this type of story. It wasn't breathe-taking in the way that some other more prestigious graphic novels are done (think any marvel or dc book), but the style fits perfectly for the world that Dashiell lives in. It lends a softer tone overall to the feeling of the book, which I think is needed due to the discrimination she faces at the beginning of the story. If the artwork had been harsher it would not have worked on any level. Instead we are able to feel secure that things are going to get better because the artwork isn't making us feel dark or mysterious.

The fun of this book is also in the development of the relationships between people. We see Dashiell's family develop over the entire story. Her sister goes from hater to supporter. Her mother deals with a lot because of what appears to be her ex-husband. The background characters do not remain static, but push Dashiell's story forward in ways that added so many needed layers. Those layers make her so approachable because we feel her emotions. Those emotions are universal, so we can relate our own experiences somewhere to hers. Other characters, like some of her teammates, develop in surprising ways. One in particular moves from a deep hatred of Dashiell to something significantly more meaningful. The way these progressions are presented in the writing makes them feel natural and not out of place, which could have been the place in a less writers hand. I would love to pat these two writers on the back for presenting a story for even the non-sports fan enthusiast. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: The Tower Chronicles: Geisthawk

The Tower Chronicles: Geisthawk (Volume 1)

(Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley.com)

available for purchase from Amazon.com & Barnes and Noble

Written by Matt Wagner

Art by Simon Bisley

Published by Legendary Comics

There is a dirty feeling that comes along with reviewing a book that you received for free, but at the same time it is important when you are asked to review to be honest. As a result I have to state that this book simply was not up my alley. It contained more violence than I was wanting to read. Also the storyline didn't fit with what I was hoping it would be either. 

The story is a typical grey-area superhero story. The main character lives in both worlds. He can't be called a good guy, but neither would it be accurate to say he is bad either. He seems to live for money instead of any moral values for most of the book. Also he doesn't seem to be approachable as a character. There was no moment where you feel you want to get to know more about him either. He just seemed like the typical vigilante character with a mysterious past. The past just never seems to be something that we are made to care about though. The book has a supernatural flavor about it (which slightly ties into his past it appears), which was the only interesting thing about it.  

In the comic book market it can be hard to get a share of the dollars when you have the big two sweeping up most of that. When a new book is introduced it is important to create something that is either A) approachable or B) that will instantly be critically acclaimed. "The Tower Chronicles" is not going to achieve either of these in my opinion.The sad thing is if the writer had focused more on the side characters (such as the female cop) this book would have been significantly better and probably more approachable for new comic book readers. 

One of the biggest sticking points for me with the entire book was that the artwork was horrendous in some places. The faces seemed distorted and some just seemed so wrong based on basic anatomy. This is in regards to human characters, as I am not judging any of the supernatural characters because some of their looks may have been intentionally done as so. There were times when the main character though appeared to have a bigger face than humanely possible. I am not usually one to judge a comic book based on its artwork because I can't draw to save my life, but when the artwork detracts from the story it has to be brought to the attention to possible other readers of the series. The artwork here seriously detracts from a pretty bad story already. These coupled together makes this a very hard read to get through. 

I understand that Legendary Comics is a fairly new publisher, so I hope that they can step up their game with the next volume of the series or other series that are in the work. I would highly recommend that they try to step away from creating something that feels almost episodic to creating stories that interest the indie market of comics. Examine trends in lesser markets and try to build-up to those audiences instead of trying to create a superhero that simply does not work.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Life: Rereading "Oedipus the King" or "How I learned to loathe English as a major"

I am finishing up a 9-month English course I have been taking online. While the class has been pure torture I have to say that I feel like I have learned a little more about myself and what I love and dislike about the English field overall. I am not a grammar Nazi by any means. If you can't tell I do not edit most of my postings because I like to go with my original thoughts and processes, but in my homework I do edit because it is a grade and what a teacher expects from me. I also have discovered that I uncomfortable critiquing the way that most English majors need to be able to do. I feel more comfortable stating what I liked or disliked about something I read, even if I am so off base that someone scuffs at me. The beauty of reading is we each form our individual opinions on what we read and if it is something you got from the reading then it had to be something in it that drew that out of you. Most teachers do not appreciate that because they believe in a singular answer or believe certain things must be addressed in the English field. It simply is not for me. I am glad that I took the course, however, because I would never have discovered this.

My point of this though is to say that I have noticed recently that my understanding of reading has changed as I have read more and more this last year. This became the most apparent to me while reading "Oedipus the King". I read this my first semester at my university, but did not understand most of what was going on in it. I finished it again for this class a few days ago and understood it completely. This is not because I read it previously, but because I could place characters easier. I could also understand the language in a way that I was not previously able to do. Has anyone else had this experience with anything that they have read? Feel free to comment about your experience if you have.

I also am working on getting regular content back up and running. The hope is to start on the first. I have already posted four reviews in the Graphic Novel category, so I know that at least one new review will come a week in that particular field. The desire though is to get at least three a week done before October 1. I am not going to stick to any one particular field at this current time, but I will be posting more regularly if I keep it down to just three times a week. This will give me a chance to also get future weeks done in advance as well. I am finding the right schedule for me instead of trying to fit into what I think other readers may want. It feels nice to be a little more concerned with my own reading habits.

Past Shelfari Reviews: Messenger by Lois Lowry

*Note*- Past Shelfari Reviews may not be written in the same language as regular postings due to being intended for a different audience in its original context.

Messenger (Book 3 in The Giver Trilogy)

by Lois Lowry

available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half Price Books

This is the third book in the "Giver" trilogy. This book takes the first took books and finally brings them together. At the beginning of the book it appears Lowry doesn't want you to fully understand that we are dealing with the characters from the first books and then she suddenly opens it up that these are those characters. This story focuses largely on Matt (Matty here) from the 2nd book in the series. This book is my favorite of the three because of how Lowry blends the three characters from the books together. She does so seamlessly. There is no moment in this book that you feel that she is trying to force characters into actions that make no sense, which sometimes happens in a book that is part of a trilogy because the author wants certain characters to end up somewhere together. Lowry is able to make it seem organic that they all meet because of the stories that she has told in the previous volumes. 

I admire the social commentary aspect of these books because Lowry is able to tell the reader that as a society we need to care for each other without necessarily beating us over the head with it. She does so in a subtle fashion that makes you almost think it is your idea to want to change the world while reading this book. Lowry often in the series shows us that we have to have our feelings, skills, and desires, but that we should use these things to help other people that we come across. She does all this while creating a fantastical world that one wishes that they could explore. I admire Lowry for creating a book series that can teach young readers that values are important and that each life has an importance regardless of age or ability. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Past Shelfari Reviews: All For One by Ryne Douglas Pearson

*Note*- Past Shelfari Reviews may not be written similarly to regular postings on the site due to being originally written for a different audience. 

All For One

by Ryne Douglas Pearson

available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. (Not available at Half Price Books)

This wasn't one of those "OH THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ" type of books, but it was entertaining. Sometimes a book doesn't have to be a high-brow read. Sometimes it is a book that you just want to read for a bit of downtime between something more serious. The main issue I had with this book was that the writer made it fairly obvious from almost the beginning what was going on. I predicted what had happened almost 5% into the book and even told my partner so that someone would know I wasn't making up that I figured it out that early on.

The steps to get to understanding why the individual did what they did in the book though is interesting and part of what makes this a fun read. It isn't ever going to be a classic by any means, but who needs every single book they read to be a classic. Sometimes I just want to read pure mystery drivel. A book that you are on the edge of your seat wondering "WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?" and this book does that. You want to know what is going to happen and where the story is going to ultimately lead to.

I would not recommend this book to everyone, but anyone that wants to read a mystery that is easily solvable, but has interesting characters should definitely give this book a shot. I was going to see what else this author has written, but it appears that they have primarily wrote a lot of government thrillers, which is simply not my cup of tea, but this one is anything but that.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Past Shelfari Reviews: Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Gathering Blue

by Lois Lowry

Available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half Price Books

This is the second book in the "Giver" trilogy. Most trilogies have a very specific connection through every single book, but this book seems like it does not connect to the original book "The Giver", but that does not make it a bad book. In my opinion this book is actually in many ways superior to the other because this has more approachable characters. The characters here seem to be genuinely nicer and not as melancholy as the characters in "The Giver", but this is largely due to the differences between the two cities that are the focus points of each. In this one we are in a more wooded, secluded type of town than what is in the other.

Lowry is able to create a world of secrets, intrigue, lies, and hope that seldom is fully expressed by lesser authors. Here she is able to make us believe every single moment and we feel we are taken on the journey with Kira into becoming the caretaker of the robe. I also love the character of Matt in this book. He is a fun character and one that is full of heart. I admire him in the story because he is obviously someone that shows a lot of love and concern for his friends. He is something that I hope to be in all of my encounters with people.

Gathering Blue is a book about discovering your true talents and how you can change the world. It is also about learning that not everyone that you think tells you the truth does and that sometimes you have to look under the surface to discover what someone truly is. This book truly showcases the human experience and would be a great read for anyone that takes it on.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

On my last day...

While I was waiting on my flight I purchased two more books to read. The flight was greatly delayed, but at least I had some great reading material between these and some of the other books I had bought on the trip.

The two I purchased were:

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

and 

Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce

I already started Flora Segunda because it sounded like an interesting read. They both can be purchased  at whatever bookstore website you prefer. :-)

Past Shelfari Reviews: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

*Note*- Past Shelfari reviews may not be written in the same language as regular postings due to originally being published for a different audieince.

The Joy Luck Club

by Amy Tan

Available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half Price Book

Tan creates endearing stories about mothers and daughters in this book. She takes us into the minds of chinese women in a way that I have never been previously exposed to in writing, which makes it very interesting to read about. The elements that she gives each character is such a human truth that you don't instantly think of the fact that these are chinese characters, but that they are people that you could bump into at the supermarket on a daily basis. Many times while reading this book I forgot that I was reading a book and not peering into the lives of actual people. To be able to create a world so focused and fine-tuned that one feels it is real is something only a skilled author can do and that is what I feel Amy Tan is.

The book takes us through many journeys of China from rich families, families broken up due to war, and to those coming to America for a better life. Each story is wrapped up beautifully, but also adds to the depth of the overall story of these women. If you want a story that speaks about powerful women without trying to intentionally make them powerful then this is a book to read because these women are real. They have true emotions and live true lives. Never do you question the motivation of any of the characters.

Tan doesn't describe scenes in my opinion, but gets us to understand the actions of the characters. She is able to make you understand to a pinpoint why a character is saying what they are in the book. Also you get a better understanding of an older generation vs. a younger generation because of this book. This truly is a gem and I look forward to reading some of her other works.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Past Shelfari Reviews: The Giver by Lois Lowry

*Note*- Past Shelfari Reviews may not be written in the same language as regular postings due to being intended for a different audience in its original context.

The Giver

by Lois Lowry

available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half Price Book

This was one of those books that I had heard about for some time but never got around to reading until now. I had read Lowry's "Number the Stars" for the Holocaust Literature course I was in during the 2012 Spring semester at Ball State University and found it to be a great read. This book, however, was far superior to that book. What Lowry is able to create here is a world that simply could be the future. She makes us believe that it is possible without being overly fluffy with her words. She choices small feelings to give to the main character through most of the story, which makes it approachable for children. It also has some rather big concepts in it about war, being the same, and other stuff that an adult would also be able to enjoy.

This book is part of a trilogy of books, which I intend to read the other two as well. This book sets the stage for a wonderful world of dealing with emotions, dealings with differences, and dealing with the humanity in all of us. Any reader who takes on this book will be challenged to look at their own belief system because they will wonder if parts of them are "sameness".

*Note*- Past Shelfari Reviews may be written in different language than other blogs as these were written before the writer started blogging officially. These were originally written for friends on the shelfari site.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

vacation all I ever wanted, vacation had to get away

From July 31 to August 6 I will be vacationing in San Francisco, CA!!! So all of this week (August 6 to the 10th) will be former Shelfari reviews, so that new content for the site is up on a daily basis. This will also get us closer towards changing the theme on Tuesday to something a bit more interesting (plan currently is it changing to accommodate LGBT reads).

Hope everyone is having an OPTIMISTIC summer!!!


xoxo,  


Optimistic Reader

Graphic Novel Reviews: Ghostlands (The Sunwell Trilogy Book 3)

*Last day of special 3-day posting*

Warcraft: Ghostlands (Book 3 in The Sunwell Trilogy)

written by Richard A Knaak

art by Jae-Hwan Kim

This volume returns to the primary plot of the first book with the heroes having to deal once and for all with Dar'Khan. Secrets are revealed, heroes have to fight, and tension ensues. This is what could have made volume 2 a substantially better volume, but I guess they needed filler so this could be the ending. This last volume is a strong story and gets us to the nice tidy bow we would hope for in a manga series. 

As mentioned, the heroes finally have to battle Dar'Khan, who was revealed to be the big bad of the series in the first volume. We discover that he has his own desires and whims outside of his willingness to serve the evil Arthas. He wants to the power of the Sunwell for himself and no one else. He wants to have perfect utter god-like power; at least as a villain he has the normal modus operandi. This is the main focus of this volume without many side events occurring. 

Ghostlands wraps up the series strongly and lets us know where characters are going after it is finished. This makes the last book interesting to read from an entire series stand-point. If this had been the only volume in the series though it probably would have been just as interesting to read. This series could have easily been condensed down to two books and been a more successful addition to the Warcraft franchise. Releasing strong merchandise only makes their trademark stronger, but by releasing a sub-par second book it takes away greatly from the first and third volumes. If I was rating the entire series together it would receive 3 Faerie points because of this. If you are a Warcraft fanatic I would recommend spending the time to read the trilogy, but if you are not and just thinking about reading it for the dragons and fantasy there is simply stronger literature out there that will be more of a pleasant read. Spend your time elsewhere.   

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Another Vacation Book Purchase

Yesterday I went with my friend, Alexis, to Half Price Books in Berkeley, California. We took the BART underground train service to get there. We decided to look around for a bit since books tend be my thing, but the lucky thing is they have a substantial media section as well. She is more of a media person than a book person. While there I purchased four books. The books I purchased are:

Peter Ellis- A Morbid Taste for Bones

Charlaine Harris- Shakespeare's Landlord

The Freedom Writers' Diaries

Robin Reardon- A Question of Manhood

I imagine I will get to the Ellis and Reardon books the quickest upon returning home. Reardon's book deals with being homosexual and Ellis's book was recommended to me by a friend to read. We will see how I enjoy each of them in the near future when I finish my reviews of them.

Until next time... Stay Optimstic!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Shadows of Ice (The Sunwell Trilogy Book 2)

*Special 3-day posting*

Warcraft: Shadows of Ice (Book 2 of The Sunwell Trilogy)

by Richard A. Knaak

art by Jae-Hwan Kem

The first book of this series was a nice introduction to the main story involving the bad guy of Dar'Khan, but this one suddenly veers off path. As a result of the authors veering off path this book becomes just a stand-alone flop. It does not seem cohesive to the first book in the franchise. The main reason that it gets three points instead of two is because this adheres to what can occur while playing the video game. While in-game you may suddenly have to veer off path of your main mission to take care of something that occurs in that area. In the game you may suddenly discover that a bad guy for another quest is nearby, so you go out to quickly take care of that quest. Here it does not lend itself to the story. It takes away from what could have been a pretty decent manga.

While Dar'Khan does appear in this volume as the villain near the end, the main villain turns out to be someone else. I will not spoil who it is since they are made out to be a good guy for a vast majority of the book. This sudden side villain detracts from the overarching story of the book and takes our heroes on an adventure between two warring factions: the scourge and dwarves. The leader of the scourge having obtained an orb to call the dead to life is attacking the dwarves and others. The heroes feel that they have to help them out, since they are called there trying to take off some collars placed on them. They believe there is a dwarf that will be able to help them remove them in the area. Little do they know about the fighting. 

Overall this book could have been signficantly better if Knaak had simply focused on telling more about the heroes and trying to reach Dar'Khan, but instead he does not cement a main story instead he decides to create a book that makes the series seem like it is poorly written. While I mentioned that the game does veer off this does not mean that the books/comics published in this world should do the same. Manga stories need to be somewhat cohesive, especially when I am pretty sure that the author and publisher always knew that it was going to be three volumes since they gave it the name of the Sunwell Trilogy. The author could have tightened this up a lot more and had a truly epic fantasy set in Azeroth, but instead we have a volume that falls flat on its face because it tries to be something it should not have. It is not a video game. It is a manga series explaining one aspect of the video game.

I have seen that other manga/comics have been released and I will try to read some of them to see if they are just as horrible as this second volume or if they are as interesting as the first volume was. I can only pray and hope that volume 3 wraps this up nicely, if not I do not know how I am going to stay optimistic about this series. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Dragon Hunt (Sunwell Trilogy Book 1)

*Special 3-day postings instead of regular content*

Warcraft- The Sunwell Trilogy: Dragon Hunt (Book 1 of 3)

Written by Richard A. Knaak

Drawn by Kim Jae-hwan

Published by Tokyopop

For many years I have been a fan of the game "World of Warcraft". I always thought I would appreciate the various additional media that Blizzard has released and I was for the most part correct. I have purchased several of the action figures and some time ago I had purchased the three books in the Sunwell Trilogy. Like almost every book I currently on I had not gotten around to reading it, but forced myself to finally complete the series because I have been trying to mark off the books that I have had around the longest. I felt it was time to get rid of these on my self and I finished them!! Over the course of the next three days I will be posting my reviews of this series instead of the other content. For one this is easier on me as I am in the middle of traveling. We will return to the regular content on August 13 (look for what next week will be on Sunday). 

There are numerous fantasy books out there. Some are bad and I mean BAD, nothing you can even be optimistic about. *hears the gasps from the readers* This is luckily not one of them. *hears the sighs of relief* This first book does a very nice job of setting up the team of adventurers, which seems to be an important part of the process of writing a successful fantasy story. In this volume we are introduced to all of the main players of the story and we get a nice grasp of what the ultimate storyline will be. Everything is clearly set-up and you are not going to be left scratching your head where this book should be headed.

One of the nice perks of the edition that I have (the single versions and not the ultimate edition) is the inclusion of the history of Azeroth (the name of the world in Warcraft). This makes the book slightly more accessible to a newbie of the franchise. It is easy to put all the previous pieces together of the puzzle, so you won't be lost coming into this. Spend the time reading it as well because several of the names that are contained within will come up in the pages of the manga. If you don't spend time to read the history you will be at a loss when certain names are mentioned for the first time. Save yourself the time of flipping back to read it as each is mentioned and just sit down and finish it. 

The artwork of the manga is beautiful. Jae-hwan creates beautiful landscapes that adds a rich layer to the story and helps cement it firmly in reality, but also in fantasy. It is rare that artwork is able to accomplish both at the same time, but because of his inclusion of foliage it does ground it in reality, but also the fantasy is clear when we see dragons and elves standing within. The other nice thing is that the characters are clearly defined and there is none of that "these two characters look so similar" going on in this volume. This is something that sometimes occurs in manga for some reason, but again luckily it isn't the case here. If you appreciate someone that spends time in their detaisl you will enjoy Jae-hwan's work here. 

The overall story is interesting as well. We are introduced to characters that walk in both the human world and the fantasy world. Several of the main characters are dragons that have the ability of transforming into humans. This allows them to interact with the various characters that they meet along their journey. Knaak creates a first dip into the pool of the Sunwell Trilogy masterfully. It makes you want to emerge fully and come out soaking wet!  

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Mystery Reads: When Dark Secrets Get Darker by Thomas N. Pointer, JR

"Death by the best of intentions"

When Dark Secrets Get Darker

by Thomas N. Pointer, JR

Free Giveaway Book from Goodreads

Available for the Nook @BN.com  and for the Kindle @Amazon.com

Sometimes in a murder mystery you can't guess exactly what is going on because you can't focus on the main story. That is true with "When Dark Secrets Get Darker". It is a hard read mainly because of the chosen content by Pointer. He delves into the world of sex, drugs, and other depravities of life.  My issue is primarily that this isn't a world that I would normally want to find myself walking in. It is important to know about this content before going into this book, so you don't feel obligated to read it if you are uncomfortable with the subject matter.

Pointer talks way too much about sexual escapades and attributes way too much sex to the male characters. His character of Detective Anthony Malone is the strongest example of this. He is a sexist character that showcases what is wrong with this book. I understand that males think about this topic a lot, but a book does not need to focus on this aspect to be enjoyable.  Pointer characterizes his men way too heavily here in this fashion and as a result it makes it a lesser read than what it could have been. This is the main reason for the reduction in my rating of the the book. Speaking of characterization, Pointer does his main character no favors by making him appear to be a "bad ass". He runs up on characters with his guns blazing, but as a result he comes off as a boy that doesn't know how to play in the sandbox with others. Benjamin Bishop comes across as someone that can only use force to obtain answers to his questions in an investigation, which weakens him as a likable character. That is one of the biggest flaws; there are no likable characters in the entire book.

He should have focused instead on the mystery aspect of his book. His mystery is the redeeming quality of what he has written. He could have kept the sexual aspect to the mystery because here it adds, but again in the matter of characters the sexual aspects take away greatly; weakening every single character. The mystery is interesting because you are sure what is going on until you find out you are wrong. He does a nice about face on what is going on with the killing of a seedy man. 

If Pointer writes another novel I would want him to add characters that have a humorous nature to them and also a less-sexualized personality. Try to round out the characters a little bit more. Make them enjoyable and try to add elements to the female personalities. Make the women appear to be more than just welfare moms, strippers, and just all around bad people. You need to have at least one redeeming female character to make a book enjoyable, especially when you create numerous ones that are rude and crude. There needs to be balance and Pointer has no balance with his characters.

While I may sound highly negative in my review I have to remind the reader that this is a first novel. He is able to do a lot more than other authors in their first novels. He creates a gripping mystery, which takes talent to create just the right layers. His ability to create a mystery shows that in future books he will have honed his craft. His mysteries will only get better and better. Reading this first book will show you how he will get to that place of excellence. He shows promise, but he has to take advice on improving his character set. If he does this he will be one of the masters of the genre.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Traveling today and two books purchased for my trip

I hope everyone is having a great day. I am traveling today and currently at the airport. Can anyone guess where I am headed? Here is a hint:

While waiting on my flight I decided to purchase a couple of books. I searched through several of the little airport shops and ultimately decided on these two:

(Blind Faith by CJ Lyons)

and 

Past Shelfari Reviews: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus

by Erin Morgenstern

Available for purchase from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half Price Books

When I closed the cover to this book upon its completion there was a sadness in my heart as I felt I was leaving friends behind that I would never get to visit again. This feeling has never came to me as I finished a book before. Morgenstern creates a world that is mystical and serene that is unlike any other world that I have read before because it is rooted in our own world, but so many layers are added upon to it. 

This book at times feels like Morgenstern is adding a lot of filler material, but this is one of those books where the filler material actually weaves itself into the story to add details that are needed that you don't even realize until the end of the book. She has so richly woven the tapestry of this book that while it may take awhile to read when you reach those final words you will feel like you are leaving the world of magic forever. 

My only true gripe about this book was her misuse of the character of Isobel. I understand where Morgenstern wanted the lead characters to end up, but I felt that there should have been somewhat of a better ending for this character as she was essentially used, even though in many ways she wanted to be. Everything else in the book was so masterfully done that it is easy to look past this one complaint because essentially it is not even a true sting because to be that invested in a secondary character just shows how Morgenstern is able to make you care about essentially every single character that she decides to place in the story.

*Note*- Past Shelfari Reviews may not be in the same writing style as previous postings due to these being made for friends on Shelfari and not originally intended for the blogging audience. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Random Read: P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern

"Love is a many splendored thing"

P.S. I Love You

by Cecelia Ahern

Available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Half Price Books

"P.S. I Love You" is about dealing with the loss of a loved one, in this a spouse. Imagine thinking you have your whole life stretched out before you with them only to discover they are dying. Upon their death you are not sure how you will go on. Your spouse was your rock and your future. This is what Holly Kennedy is faced with. How does she move on with her life after her great love, Gerry? She just wants to sit around and cry about his death. Gerry had other plans though and wrote ten letters to Holly, extending their relationship and helping Holly down the road to forming a new life without him.

Ahern wrote the character of Holly stunningly. She taps into the emotions of the grieving widow in a shocking way since she is a relatively young writer who has not grieved the death of her spouse, in fact I do not believe she is married. Ahern understands human emotions obviously and because of this she creates this ravishing masterpiece of learning that even after someone we love dies we have to still live. We can't allow ourselves to die simply because they have. It takes Holly awhile to learn this lesson, but she ultimately does. The journey of her getting there is hysterical, sweet, and breathe-taking all at the same time. Each moment culminates together like each stroke of a paintbrush working to create a lavish painting. One moment taken away from this novel would have decreased its worth significantly. 

A particular nice aspect that she adds to the story is the reality of discovering who your friends are upon death. In real life we can discover who is there for us when dark times come rolling in and we all know they will at times. Those people that are there for us are true friends and Ahern showcases that here. She also does a masterful job of showcasing that it isn't always the people we thought it would be and that people we disliked at one point of our lives can prove to be our rock in the storm. I found this added element to be realistic and needed, so Ahern's inclusion strengthened the book beyond what it could have been otherwise.

Yes, there is a point where the reader wants to say, "just get over it already" but this doesn't happen until near the end. To have her grieving for Gerry for the great length of the story and not feel this way long before you arrive there is simply awe-inspiring and shows just how wonderful a tale Ahern has created. It was nice that when you get that feeling she indeed does get over it, as best as can be said when someone is grieving. Outside of this one simple flaw, which is it really?, there isn't much to be upset about. 

I would highly recommend this book to individuals that are looking for a simpler read about an important part of the human experience. Grieving the loss of a loved one is natural and not everyone knows how to deal with it. Ahern captures grieving realistically and shows that everyone has their own time schedule. The time spent reading this is well worth it. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Series Books- Fear Street Seniors: Last Chance by R.L. Stine

"Cheating on a test can be MURDER!!"


Fear Street Seniors: Last Chance (Book 5)

by R.L. Stine

available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. (Not available from Half Price Books)

Coming off of "No Answer" (Book 4) I had a bit more hope, maybe not a lot but some, for the series overall. This didn't live up to that hope. Stine has done the student stealing tests in other books and here it just feels like him trying to fill in part of a twelve book series with something to make his money as a writer and meet his contract deadlines.It just isn't a very good book in my opinion and lacks any real character development, but as I have stated previously about the Fear Street books this seems to be the way Stine writes these characters. He wants to be able to interchange characters as he needs. Characters that didn't seem friendly in previous volumes suddenly are best friends even though someone else was saying they were that person's best friend in the previous volume. It gets a bit overwhelming trying to figure out who really is best friends in this series, but I guess that is sorta like high school where it could change every single day depending on what the person is doing for you. Popularity is a winding road and if you want to stay on it I guess you have to keep the right people around you and change your friends every book.

This book focuses on Mary O'Conner stealing a test from one of her favorite teachers. He starts blackmailing her. That is the entire premise of the book and what is sad is I am not really spoiling anything for the reader here because this happens pretty quickly within. For a 150 pages you wonder why all of this is occurring and if there is even a point to what is happening. When you reach the final conclusion you will probably have the same sour taste left in your mouth that I did. It seems a little silly and stupid. The ending could have been significantly stronger had he let it be a true horror story, but instead he settles for the normal "teenage" read. I wish he would have started to grasp that teens are okay reading horror novels that actually contain some violence and parents will not be upset with mild violence either. They will embrace it as long as it is not gratuitous. Parents allow their children to watch half the crap that is on TV. I recognize these were made several years ago, but even then we had shows like Buffy, The Vampire Slayer that actually showed a significant amount of violence. Children are capable of handing this. This book would have been better with a more impressive ending that adhered to the name of the series FEAR street. Alas it doesn't though and thus it falls rather flat on its face.

To date I would recommend only "No Answer" as the must read book in the Fear Street Seniors series. Considering this is nearing the halfway point of the series (only one more book) I do not hold a lot of hope for it improving. It is sad when a love dies when reading a series when you are an adult, but it does happen. Sometimes it is better to not revisit something and allow the nostalgic feelings that it brings to remain, so you always enjoy whatever the thing is. Be it a book, a tv show, or a toyline we enjoyed as a child. If I had done this I may have still had a deep love for the Fear Street series.

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!

Graphic Novel Reviews: Courtney Crumrin, Volume 1 by Ted Naifeh

"A dark fantasy world spun for children"

Courtney Crumrin Volume 1: The Night Things

by Ted Naifeh

Published by Oni Press

Free Reading Copy from NetGalley

available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half Price Books

This is not a book I would have normally been drawn to if I came across it on a bookshelf, but felt like it would be interesting to go with something outside of my comfort zone for my first comic book review on the site. I am pleasantly shocked with my feelings of this particular volume based on this. Courtney Crumrin has both horror and fantasy undertones, but is also clearly made for a young audience. It feels like it may draw some influence from similar graphic novels like Neil Gaiman's "Coraline". One difference you need to be made aware of though is Courtney Crumrin is darker, especially when you consider Naifeh had a character eaten within it. This doesn't detract from the fact that this is a pleasant read and one that will make you want to have further adventures with the Crumrin family.

The book starts at Courtney's family moving into what can best be described as a haunted mansion with her father's great-uncle to take care of him. It becomes apparent pretty quickly that the uncle is trying to make himself appear to be normal. The stories contained within primarily involve Courtney getting into trouble in the new home because of her lack of knowledge of the witchcraft that it contains. Each story builds nicely upon each other, but each can also be taken separately without losing any of their charm. This is a rare gem when reading a graphic novel since so many creators are desperate to have the entire volume be a gigantic collected work. Naifeh doesn't do this and as a result he creates a truly unique and memorable experience. As a reader you can feel that you can stop at any moment to return later, but you will find yourself not wanting to put it down. The stories are clever and interesting. They are also easy to read, which is important since this feels like a children's series. 

The only gripe I have actually turns out not to be such a gripe. The artwork is done wonderfully, but the way that he draws his people feels a bit rushed. When we compare this to the time spent on backgrounds we can understand that this is a conscious choice made by Naifeh. It makes you focus instead on the content of the story instead of worrying about the character's look. I commend him for this excellent decision that adds a much needed distraction from the normal trappings of other lesser graphic novels. We are able here to focus entirely on Courtney's world and become entrenched in the dark fantasy aspects. We are able to escape and find ourselves wondering what will happen next.

As I mentioned, I am not normally a person that enjoys books, especially comics, with a dark element to them, but this was a fun read. If you want a children's series that has a nice element that isn't dumbed down this, in context of having read only the first book, appears to be a worthwhile series. One that I feel that I might enjoy reading the second volume of in the near future myself. 

Until next time... Stay Optimistic!!!