Tag: comics

Review – Captain Marvel: Alis Volat Propriis

Posted October 3, 2015 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Captain Marvel vol 3Captain Marvel: Alis Volat Propriis, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Warren Ellis, David Lopez

There’s still some great banter in this book, and it’s a lot less silly than the previous volume felt. Unfortunately, the Black Vortex issue is pretty disconnected and random — I would’ve been interested to see more of Carol’s involvement in that storyline, and it is interesting to see her choosing not to go cosmic — but as it is, it feels clumsy, especially with all the exposition explaining what the Black Vortex even is.

The final issue is the most important, probably the most emotionally hard-hitting of this run. I love the people who support Carol in it — even if it took me a minute to realise that Steve was Steve — and the story is sweet (though I still don’t actually know much about Carol even knows Tracy). It’s a fitting return to Earth for Carol, in many ways.

I do wish Marvel wouldn’t run so many events, though. I’m not actually interested in the majority, definitely not as single issues, and it really disrupts ongoing stories with individual characters. The crossover events are going to stop being special if they keep happening all the time, and we’ve had so many lately, it seems.

Rating: 4/5

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October TBR

Posted October 1, 2015 by Nicky in General / 2 Comments

I’ve been excited to get started on this — I think I’ve got a great line-up for this month. I’m enjoying switching the categories up a bit, and will probably do that every month, even if ‘ARCs’ and ‘library’ are probably gonna be a constant.

ARCs

  1. Made to Kill, Adam Christopher.
  2. The Grace of Kings, Ken Liu.
  3. Tower of Thorns, Juliet Marillier.
  4. The Palace Job, Patrick Weekes.
  5. Armada, Ernest Clines.

Library

  1. Ghost Hawk, Susan Cooper.
  2. Badgerland, Patrick Barkham.
  3. Ask a Policeman, The Detection Club.
  4. The Great Zoo of China, Matthew Riley.
  5. Garden Spells, Sarah Addison Allen.

Series

  1. The Boy Who Lost Fairyland, Catherynne M. Valente.
  2. Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie.
  3. Dreamer’s Pool, Juliet Marillier.
  4. Dragon Coast, Greg van Eekhout.
  5. The Dark Blood of Poppies, Freda Warrington.

Tor.com novellas

  1. The Witches of Lychford, Paul Cornell.
  2. Binti, Nnedi Okorafor.
  3. The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, Kai Ashante Wilson.
  4. Sunset Mantle, Alter S. Reiss.
  5. The Last Witness, K.J. Parker.

Comics

  1. Bitch Planet, vol 1, Kelly Sue DeConnick.
  2. Saga vol 3, Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples.
  3. Hawkeye: Rio Bravo, Matt Fraction.
  4. Guardians of the Galaxy: Angela, Brian Michael Bendis.
  5. Batgirl: Wanted, Gail Simone.

Challenge

  1. Hard to Be A God, Boris & Arkady Strugatsky.
  2. Burning Water, Mercedes Lackey.
  3. The Colour Purple, Alice Walker.
  4. The Enchantment Emporium, Tanya Huff.
  5. Rosemary & Rue, Seanan Mcguire.

Wildcards

  1. The Fox’s Tower & Other Stories, Yoon Ha Lee.
  2. Thornyhold, Mary Stewart.
  3. Timeless, Gail Carriger.
  4. Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo.
  5. ?

It shouldn’t be too busy this month, so I’m hoping to really chew through the list. I think I’m gonna end up with a couple books left over from September, but I’ll stick them in wildcards if I get round to them.

ETA: I’ve gone wildly off-script because it’s a difficult month. Still hoping to finish a few more of these, though!

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted September 26, 2015 by Nicky in General / 20 Comments

This week I was a little bit naughty and did some requesting on Netgalley, after doing a bit of a tidy-up of copies I can’t review because I didn’t download them in time, can’t find a library copy, etc, etc. But I’m still on 69% reviews-to-approvals, so I think I’m doing okay!

Received to review!

Cover of The Prophecy Con by Patrick Weekes Cover of The Paladin Caper by Patrick Weekes Cover of Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier

Cover of Badge, Book and Candle by Max Gladstone  Cover of The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu Cover of Made to Kill by Adam Christopher

I really need to read Dreamer’s Pool so I can read Tower of Thorns, and The Palace Job so I can read The Prophecy Con and The Paladin Caper. Oh, self, you do make work!

(Like I mind.)

Bought/gifted

Cover of Old Man's War by John Scalzi Cover of The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi Cover of The Last Colony by John Scalzi

Cover of Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi Cover of The Human Division by John Scalzi Cover of The End of All Things by John Scalzi

Cover of Unwrapped Sky by Rjurik Davidson Cover of Dragon Coast by Greg van Eekhout Cover of Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Cover of Talking Hands by Margalit Fox Cover of The Fox Tower by Yoon Ha Lee

Many many many thanks to Lois and Amy, who have belatedly celebrated my birthday by showering me with bookishness. (Some of the Scalzi is from Lois, and Talking Hands is from Amy.)

Aaand the final issue of Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps…

Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps #4

By the time this goes live, I’ll be on the way to BristolCon with Robert from Bastian’s Books. So if you’re going, you might catch a glimpse of that rare sight — a wild Nikki. Bring a pokéball.

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Review – Thor: Who Holds the Hammer?

Posted September 20, 2015 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Thor vol 2Thor: Who Holds the Hammer?, Jason Aaron et al

Normally I would list all the creators working on a particular comic, but there’s seven listed on the front and nine on the back.

This is a bit of a bitty comic, which annoyed me. There’s a couple of issues dealing with the ongoing story, but there’s also a lot of extra stuff — a short one about Thor sometime way in the future, a side story with Thor’s friends, one about Thor having a drinking contest, and then a “what if” about Jane Foster finding Mjolnir originally. That last one is especially difficult if you’re not familiar with Thor’s canon, because it really requires comparison with the original/referenced issues of Thor. (And it ends kind of weirdly, with Odin marrying Jane after Thor goes off with Sif.)

There are some awesome bits, like when the All-Mother gathers a whole army of women (plus the original Thor) to back the new Thor up in a fight. The fight between the All-Father and the All-Mother continues, and Frigga continues to hold her own and demand respect. And of course, there’s Thor going up against the Destroyer.

But, with all the extras, it didn’t feel like a satisfying progression. The main question it answers is a simple one: “Who is Thor?” Which… wasn’t a surprise to me, at all. And then it just leads into Secret Wars, which I’m not all that interested in, although most of the comics I follow are having tie-in issues. Ah, well.

Also, will someone please give the male Thor a shirt?

Rating: 3/5

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Review – Rat Queens: The Far-Reaching Tentacles of N’rygoth

Posted September 17, 2015 by Nicky in Reviews / 2 Comments

Cover of Rat Queens vol 2Rat Queens: The Far-Reaching Tentacles of N’rygoth, Kurtis J. Wiebe, Roc Upchurch, Stjepan Sejic

I liked this more than the first volume, I think, but it’s weakened by the fact that while Dee is the centre of the plot, we still don’t really get to know her. In fact, we get flashbacks for Hannah and Violet. I’m actually getting more into the characters now, and especially the on/off thing with Sawyer and Hannah, but still… I don’t know, it’s not quite working for me. I completely forgot several side characters, and had a moment of confusion when they reappeared.

Fortunately, I do love the art — even the transition between artists (and props to Wiebe for putting his money where his mouth is and firing Upchurch over the domestic violence) was okay, and I like Sejic’s work as much or maybe more than I did Upchurch’s. It’s all pretty fun, and at least it’s sex-positive and the girls are in charge of their own destinies. I loved the moment between Violet and her mother particularly, for that. It’s not the cliché you’re no daughter of mine! moment, and that makes it more interesting.

Also, um, referring to Dee as a “chocolate princess”? Presumably because of the colour of her skin? Hm.

Rating: 3/5

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Stacking the Shelves

Posted September 5, 2015 by Nicky in General / 24 Comments

Oh goodness, Stacking the Shelves snuck up on me this week. How’s everyone been doing? I thought I’d been behaving myself, but I just got a Kindle Voyage (so shiny) and a bunch of books and I took part in a book swap and… yeah.

Review copy

Cover of The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Could not resist when I saw it was on Netgalley, after Kameron Hurley’s tweets about it.

Bought

18006496 Cover of The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan Cover of The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

Cover of The Story of Kullervo by J.R.R. Tolkien Cover of Junk DNA by Nessa Carey Cover of Shrike: The Masked Songbird by Emmie Mears

Cover of Twelve Kings (In Sharakhai) by Bradley Beaulieu Cover of Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson

I’m quite excited about all of these, but especially The Story of Kullervo, because it deeply influenced the way Tolkien told the story of Turin, and The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, because Tor.com’s novella line looks amazing.

Book exchange

Cover of The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater Cover of Wraeththu Omnibus by Storm Constantine

Well, the Storm Constantine books are actually an omnibus, but I count them as separate books.

Aaand finally…

Comics

Silk

I think that’s everything! Quite the week. Hope everyone else has had exciting hauls too! <3

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September TBR

Posted September 1, 2015 by Nicky in General / 8 Comments

Here goes — another attempt at having a TBR! Of course, I can already think of books I want to read outside of the ones listed here. Guess I’ll just have to start reading faster… I can have another five random slots once fifteen of the ones listed here are read!

ARCs

  1. Of Bone and Thunder, Chris Evans.
  2. Pacific Fire, Greg van Eekhout.
  3. The Traitor Baru Cormorant, Seth Dickinson.
  4. The Salt Roads, Nalo Hopkinson.
  5. Seven Forges, James A. Moore.

Library

  1. The Darkest Part of the Forest, Holly Black.
  2. The Dark Blood of Poppies, Freda Warrington.
  3. Alif the Unseen, G. Willow Wilson.
  4. Deadly Curiosities, Gail Z. Martin.
  5. Landline, Rainbow Rowell.

Series

  1. Bitterblue, Kristin Cashore.
  2. Blood Bound, Patricia Briggs.
  3. Magic Bleeds, Ilona Andrews.
  4. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two, Catherynne M. Valente.
  5. Timeless, Gail Carriger.

Owned

  1. The Martian, Andy Weir.
  2. California Bones, Greg van Eekhout.
  3. Permanent Present Tense, Suzanne Corkin.
  4. Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe.
  5. Clariel, Garth Nix.

Comics

  1. The Wicked + The Divine: Fandemonium, Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie.
  2. Rat Queens: The Far-Reaching Tentacles of N’rygoth, Kurtis J. Wiebe.
  3. Captain Marvel: Alis Volat Propriis, Kelly Sue DeConnick.
  4. Hawkeye: LA Woman, Matt Fraction.
  5. Thor: Who Holds the Hammer?, Jason Aaron.

Wildcards

  1. Overture to Death, Ngaio Marsh.
  2. An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, Chris Hadfield.
  3. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Oliver Sacks.
  4. Hawkeye: Little Hits, Matt Fraction.
  5. Wildfire at Midnight, Mary Stewart.
  6. ?
  7. ?
  8. ?
  9. ?
  10. ?

I have an exam this month, and a conference/workshop thing in London, plus a load of travelling. So I’m not sure how well this is going to go. I guess we’ll have to see! Anything you think I should get onto right now?

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Review – Persepolis

Posted August 10, 2015 by Nicky in Reviews / 0 Comments

Cover of The Complete Persepolis by Marjane SatrapiThe Complete Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi

I’ve been meaning to read this one for ages; I first picked it up around when I got Fun Home (Alison Bechdel) and Maus (Art Spiegelman), but it takes time to get round to reading an autobiographical graphic novel, for me. It’s a different kind of reading, and for some reason it always takes way more of my attention than ordinary comics or ordinary non-fiction.

I think the first half, depicting Satrapi’s childhood, is actually the best part. The way the art compliments her childhood naivety, the particular view you get of the conflict coming from someone who was a child during it, all of this comes across really well. The latter half of the book is more about growing up in Iran, and less about just being in Iran, to me, and so it was less interesting, because a lot of the issues are shared between cultures. Although, for some people, that might be a revelatory thing to realise, so I’m not criticising the fact that Satrapi wrote about it — it just wasn’t as interesting for me.

I wanted to know more about Marjane’s mother, where she came from, how she formed her beliefs. Her father too, actually. Both of them sounded pretty wonderful, from Satrapi’s point of view, and that’s perhaps unexpected for the Western reader. I wish we’d got to know them a bit more through this, rather than as rather all-knowing, all-tolerating parental figures on a pedestal.

Rating: 4/5

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