Probably in the first time in a while, I have finished a Sword & Laser Book Pick not only in the month it came out, but I also have a review before the end of the month – such is the case for Machinehood by S.B. Divya – another first novel, and this time in a cyberpunk or cyberpunk adjacent subgenre, and it is an absolutely fantastic book.
Continue reading “Machinehood: Book Review”
After a bit of a break, I’m getting back to the current book pick for the Sword & Laser Book Club – this time getting into the alternate history urban fantasy novel A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark.
Continue reading “A Master of Djinn: Book Review”
When I gave my thoughts on James Beard’s Theory and Practice of Good Cooking, the focus of my thoughts on that book were – this is a solid template on how to write about cooking, and some of the guidance is good, but the passage of time has hindered the utility of some of these recipes. In 2012, The Essential James Beard Cookbook was published – collecting approximately 450 recipes from Beard’s writing and collecting it together into one book, with additional notes and sidebars addressing the passage of time – so I decided to check the book out.
Continue reading “Thoughts on The Essential James Beard Cookbook”
This time I’m following up on the direct sequel to Demon City Shinjuku, and the second half of the relevant omnibus.
Continue reading “Demon Palace Babylon: Book Review”
It’s been a bit since I talked about cookbooks – and I have a couple of quick passing thoughts on a couple of James Beard’s cookbooks that I want to post now… since I fell behind and didn’t get anything scheduled for today (wrapping up my current position at work has been very crazy).
Continue reading “Quick Thoughts On Two of James Beard’s Books”
It’s time to rip the adhesive bandage off of this terrible novel trilogy.
Continue reading “The Black Fleet Crisis: Tyrant’s Test – Book Review”
I’ve finally read the novel version of Demon City Shinjuku, after having previously reviewed the anime, and have some thoughts comparing the book to the movie.
Continue reading “Book Review: Demon City Shinjuku”
I’m taking a look at my first book from Bitmap Books, as I look at their rundown of various CRPGs.
Continue reading “Book (Video) Review: The CRPG Book”
Bitmap Books is a company that’s been on my radar for a while, but whose books I’d never gotten around to picking up. They had built up a very solid reputation for generally very well-written books about video games, both on the computer and the PC with really solid production values, both in terms of the layout of the books, and the quality of the materials used. The book I’m reviewing today – The CRPG Book – is no such exception.
Continue reading “The CRPG Book: Book Review”
After a long hiatus, it’s time to return to the Legends timeline.
Continue reading “The Black Fleet Crisis: Before the Storm – Book Review”
Let’s start off 2022 with a book review, this time of my first book by Alastair Reynolds that I’ve read, Aurora Rising (also published as The Prefect)
Continue reading “Aurora Rising: Book (Video) Review”
It is time for another review of a book that I’ve read for the Sword & Laser Book Club Podcast – in this case, Aurora Rising, by Alastair Reynolds (previously released as The Prefect) – currently my first step into his Chasm City/Revelation Space setting.
Continue reading “Aurora Rising: Book Review”
Today I’m reviewing the actual first installment in The Culture Series, by chronological order of publication, which I read in this past year for the Sword & Laser Book Club.
Continue reading “Consider Phlebas: Book Video Review”
Consider Phlebas was a Sword & Laser book pick I got a late start on. Now, while this isn’t my first Culture novel (that would be Matter) it was the first Culture novel, so I was interested in reading it and seeing where the series started.
Continue reading “Consider Phlebas: Book Review”
Today I’m reviewing the first installment in The Culture Series that I’ve read – not the first one in the series (that’s next week), but my introduction to the series.
Continue reading “Matter: Book Video Review”
I’ve read few Stephen King books – Bag of Bones, the Dark Tower, Skeleton Crew, It – before, but never anything from Joe Hill, King’s son. I was aware of Locke & Key as it was coming out, but I had never really gotten around to reading any of it. So, when the Sword & Laser Podcast chose NOS4A2 as its October pick, I figured this was as good a time as any to get started with Hill’s work.
Continue reading “NOS4A2: Book Review”
This week I’m starting off my Halloween horror reviews with a review of a nonfiction book about horror fiction.
Continue reading “Paperbacks From Hell: Book Review”
It’s time for a review of another Sword & Laser Book Club pick.
Continue reading “Book Review: Piranesi”
This time I have a book review of a novel about making anime.
Continue reading “Anime Supremacy: Book Review”
I haven’t done a book review in a while, so this week I’m taking a look at February’s Sword & Laser Book Club pick. Also, on top of the earlier review, I do get into some spoilers regarding the plot’s reveals in the second half of the video, if you want something more in-depth.
Continue reading “The Fold: Book (Vlog) Review”
I’ve been following the Sword & Laser podcast for a while, but I never really had gotten around to reading along with any of their book picks until this year, with The Fold.
Continue reading “The Fold: Book Review”
There are some YA novels that I have read that feel like I’m reading an anime. This is, in part, because some of the light novels that have been adapted to anime were aimed for YA audiences. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo is an YA novel that definitely fits that concept, though one with some very different and unique narrative hooks because of the point of view character and setting that make it really worth your while (and makes me wish it would get turned into an animated series).
Continue reading “The Epic Crush of Genie Lo: Book Review”
I like cookbooks. They are the fusion of my love for cooking and food, and my background in technical writing. I also love fantasy fiction & roleplaying games, with The Elder Scrolls series in particular. So, when I first played Skyrim and found there was cooking in the game, one of my first thoughts was “Man, an Elder Scrolls cookbook would be neat!” So, when one finally came out, I knew that I needed to check it out. Much as with the second Von Bek novel, I should have been looking at the Monkey’s Paw.
Continue reading “The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook: Book Review”
In my review of The Warhound and the World’s Pain, I lamented that the book felt too short, and that the sexual assault sequence served no purpose. I should have noticed the finger curl on the monkey’s paw.
Continue reading “City in Autumn Stars: Novel Review”