Phillip

Great background on classic film

Revisado: 10-03-15

If you're a fan of Texas Chainsaw Massacre then this is a must read. Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface) gives us the backstory on every facet of making TCM, from casting to distribution. What the cast and crew had to endure while filming in the sweltering heat of August in Texas is possibly more frightening than the film itself. A definite recommend.

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As great as expected

Revisado: 03-04-15

I love this series and "An Unwelcome Quest" may be the best of the three. This, along with the first two books, are pure escapist joy. The humor is crisp, the characters well developed and empathetic, and the pacing perfect. I highly recommend all three books and the order you read them in is important so don't dive in to this until you've read "Off to be the Wizard" and "Spell or High Water."

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HIGHLY ENTERTAINING

Revisado: 08-15-14

I'd read a few of Greg Iles' Natchez series of books before picking up "Spandau Phoenix" and was not disappointed with the change of subject matter. Iles definitely did his research on the history of the Third Reich and the strange flight of Deputy Fuhrer Rudolf Hess to Britain in 1941. And, while the story here is fictionalized, it offers a version that, while fanciful, fits the evidence on hand to Iles in 1993.

While it may be looked down on by those who believe "great" literature the only type worth reading, if you are looking for a gripping tale of the most horrific and intense periods in all of human history then you this won't disappoint. It's a solid 4-stars and DIck Hill's narration is amazing as usual.

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Awe inspiring science fiction

Revisado: 06-30-14

While H.P. Lovecraft is primarily know as a horror, or weird fiction, author, I would place "The Shadow Out of Time" squarely in the realm of science fiction. If you enjoy Lovecraft's work, as I do, then this will be right up your alley. For those unfamiliar with the author, this is not the ideal starting point for discovering his large body of work. I would suggest starting with "The Call of Cthulhu" and then moving on to some stories with a more traditional setup, perhaps "The Dunwich Horror" or " The Shadow Over Innsmouth."

In believe "The Shadow Out of Time," "The Colour Out of Space," and "At the Mountains of Madness" to be Lovecraft's masterpieces. Thus, I would save them for later, both to ensure that you get a proper basis in the Mythos before reading them and to save the best for last.

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Mediocre...across the board

Revisado: 05-23-14

This book is mediocre in every way. The characters are without nuance and completely two dimensional. Every good guy is completely good and bad guy, completely bad. The narrator, while adequate, becomes grating when performing the parts of the teenage girls, especially the character of Beth. The story itself was okay. I made it through the entire book, though never listening with bated breath. I can't recommend this book but, at the price I paid, it wasn't a complete rip-off.

2.5 stars

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A Surprise Gem

Revisado: 05-01-14

I must say that when I first read the synopsis for Everlost I wasn't sure it would be in my literary wheelhouse. All this talk of "bands of lost children" brought visions of children's literature à J.M. Barry. Turns out, it is much deeper and multi-layered than I could ever have guessed.

My nieces and nephews have me on a YA fiction reading marathon and I loved Shusterman's "Unwind" books so much that I wanted to try out some more of his works. I found "Everlost" to be a creative take on the afterlife theme with the various factions of rogues (both obvious and clandestine) and heroes vying for control of the hearts and minds of its departed minors.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series and recommend it to any YA fan.

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Wickedly twisted tale

Revisado: 04-29-14

I have nieces and nephews in the 13-20 years old range that have been raving about the YA novels they read for a few years now. So, recently, I have begun trying them out and I have to admit that some are very good and Unwind is among the best. I would give it 4.5 stars if it was allowed.

Among the various dystopian trials and tribulations thrust upon the protagonists of YA fiction, being unwound has to be the most harrowing. In practically all novels of this genre young people face a daunting future that will require a Herculean effort to overcome. But, while death is ever-present in all of these scenarios, at least when a character dies, he is dead.

Not so in the world of "Unwind." In this world an agreement has been reached, after a sort of pro-life/pro-abortion conflict, that makes abortion illegal but allows parents the right to unwind their children between the ages of 13-18. Unwinding is a process by which a person's body is disassembled system-by-system, organ-by-organ, and over 99% of their parts are then transplanted, grafted, etc. into other people who need them. This allows the unwound person to remain alive in a divided state. And they do remain alive (at least in a way) as becomes obvious when we meet a character who has received the frontal lobe of an unwound teen and the consciousness of the unwound frontal lobe takes over from time-to-time.

"Unwind" follows a group of teens set to be unwound, for various different reasons, as they try, sometimes successfully and sometimes not, to avoid the authorities and remain alive in a whole state. Shusterman developed a great idea with "Unwind" and has penned a great story in which to carry it out.

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Solid horror from start to finish

Revisado: 03-10-14

I have always been a huge fan of the horror genre--be it book, film, or tv--but good horror, especially good horror literature, can be hard to find. When it comes to film, there are horror movies that are so bad they're good. This does not hold true for horror novels. Bad horror novels are just bad, they cannot be redeemed.

Luckily, The Troop is one of those rare finds, a horror novel that entertains and terrifies from beginning to end. Cutter's description of the adolescent state of mind, their hopes, fears, insecurities, etc., is perhaps the best I've read since "It" or "The Body." And Corey Brill does a great job narrating the story and giving each boy his own voice.

I recommend this novel to any horror fan. It's a gory mess from the first to last...and I mean that in the best way.

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Unmistakable brilliance

Revisado: 02-11-14

This is, by far, the best YA book I've encountered. I've seen it compared to Divergent, a society with stratified classes each serving a specific purpose, but the similarities end there. Divergent is as far from Red Rising as Plan 9 from Outerspace is from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The complexity of story and characters that Brown has created makes it difficult to pigeon-hole Red Rising as a YA fiction. It is simply a great novel that can be appreciated by anyone of any age. It avoids the angst filled love story, ever present in YA fiction, and instead focuses on the inner turmoil of a young man born into near slavery who has a chance to save his class and his society from the tyrannic rule of a master race.

Brown has penned a novel that transcends genre and should be read by all.

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Works as starting point for series

Revisado: 02-10-14

"Pines" works well as the starting point for the Wayward Pines series. I would have actually given it a 3.5 were the option available plus, the book is an entertaining read on its own.

In "Pines,"We are introducted to Ethan Burke, the story's protagonist, as he awakes in the hospital, delirious and confused, in the town of Wayward Pines. As his memories slowly return, we learn that Ethan is a special agent in the Secret Service and has come to town in order to investigate the disappearance of two of his fellow agents a month earlier. But something is off in Wayward Pines. Speakers hidden in bushes play the sound of crickets chirping. All food is sold fresh, nothing pre-packaged. And most disturbing, an electrified fence encircles the town trapping everyone within its borders...or perhaps keeping something else out. And for some reason the people of Wayward Pines seem to be conspiring against Ethan, seemingly in an effort to drive him mad. Or, perhaps he is simply a paranoid delusional personality?

"Pines" is certainly worth a credit if no other reason than it is necessary in order the read its fantastic sequel, "Wayward." As I said, the book is an entertaining enough on its own but the follow-up is certainly superior. Read this...so you can read that.

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