My comic picks for 2/24/21

My comic picks for 2/21/21

The Ruthless (A Bruno Johnson novel) by David Putman - A review

 While this is the eighth book in the Bruno Johnson series, it was my introduction to the character. This book also takes place in the earlier part of Bruno's career.  Here he is an LA County Deputy Sheriff, working undercover.

Bruno is living with his father, after the death of his daughter, Olivia, under suspicious circumstances. The law has removed Olivia's children and placed them in a foster home, while the father of the children is still dealing drugs.  Other things are going on, but I don't want to spoil some of the plot that is slowly revealed throughout the story.

Bruno's life and the lives of those he deals with, both in law enforcement and on the other side of the law is violent. Putnam reveals enough of the details of Johnson's life so even a new reader won't be completely lost.  By the end of the book, I immediately wanted to learn more.

New supernatural thriller from Jaimie Engle

 

Get lost in the mystery of GHOST DOG, book one in the exciting new series by Jaimie Engle, PETS OF ELSEWHERE.

Enter to win 1 of 3 signed paperbacks on Goodreads!

 

Haunted by four-legged ghosts in St. Augustine, a 12-year-old must help vengeful shadow-pets find rest or watch them pick off his family one-by-one.

Colten never wanted to leave Satellite Beach. His dad, a now retired Air Force Captain and his mom, a homemaker, couldn’t wait to open a bed and breakfast in St. Augustine, in a gorgeous Victorian that once belonged to a world-renowned veterinarian. Only, Colten sees things, hears things, and his sister almost dies—twice. Animal ghosts are reaching out from the other side with hints that the doctor may have been hiding things behind the Victorian’s closed doors, leaving Colten with two choices: help them or watch his whole family die.

PETS OF ELSEWHERE is a haunting middle grade thriller that blends elements of Pet Sematary with The House on Haunted Hill for kids who have outgrown Goosebumps and become die-hard fans of Supernatural.

 

Order your signed copy HERE.

 

Jaimie Engle

Author & Speaker

 

Metal Mouth - Publishers Weekly Booklist & Kirkus Editors Choice

Write a Book that Doesn't Suck - Publishers Weekly Booklife Quarterfinalist

The Toilet Papers, Jr. 

The Toilet Papers: Places to Go, While you Go

The Dredge - Writers of the Future Winner

Dreadlands: Wolf Moon - Amazon #2 New Release

Clifton Chase on Castle Rock - Amazon #1 New Release

Clifton Chase and the Arrow of Light

How to Publish Your Novel - Amazon #1 New Release

My comic picks for 2/3/21

POSEHN: "New Music Sucks" OFFICIAL VIDEO

Godzilla Vs Kong - Official Trailer HD

My comic picks for 1/22/21

My comic picks for 1/13/21

Frank Zappa - Purple Haze / Sunshine of Your Love

My comic picks for 1/8/21

My comic picks for 12/23/20

My comic picks for 12/16/20

My comic picks for 12/2/20

My comic picks for 11/25/20

Frozen Earth by Jasper T. Scott - My review

 This is the first book in the Rogue Star series, from the author.

It is learned that a huge mysterious object is gradually making its way to Earth, its arrival could cause catastrophic changes to our environment. Various groups in governments around the world, and private concerns begin to make plans. When it is later learned that there are mysterious crafts following the star and signals from them are received, panic begins to ensue. For Logan Willis and his family, they may have a chance others might not have as Logan's wife, discovers her estranged brother may have connections that could save them.

While the plot isn't new, Scott does present it somewhat differently, as his story focuses on an average man, whose only desire is to protect his family. Many of the other characters introduced are in the same situation and it is there problems on which the book focuses. Sadly, the author introduces something early on that for the most part has no or little bearing on the main story, so I'm unsure of why he felt it necessary to create it. Once the major plot takes hold this situation is very quickly resolved and is barely mentioned after the initial chapters.

I would have given the novel a higher score, as I had wanted to but besides that initial issue, there also a couple of characters that make wrong choices, which only seem to be there to move the plot along and introduce difficulties that could have been avoided had folks acted a bit more thoughtfully.

The book ends on a note that sets up at least the next book, if not the possible route the rest of the series will follow. Some readers might not find the problems that I did and the concept of the "aliens", once we learn it is quite fascinating. I can certainly see other readers enjoying this book and the rest of the series, but I just can't get past those small flaws that took this reader out of the story.

My comic picks for 11/12/20

SLASHSTREET BOYS - "DIE BY MY KNIFE" (BACKSTREET BOYS PARODY)

DC's "Future State" Event - Do I even care?

It has been a longtime since I've put anything here and I felt that I should start doing more than just posting my YouTube videos. I appreciate anyone who has actually stuck around all this time and at least for a while I want to once again make blogging part of my quarantine life.

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Been hearing and reading about DC Comics upcoming "Future State" event and I'm still on the fence. It seems to be an attempt to do some of the things Dan Didio had in mind with his '5-G' remake of the entire DC line, but in a limited timeframe.

According to how I understand it, for 2-3 months we'll be seeing the regular DCU books halted and replaced by titles that deal with future versions of all the characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, etc.) The new titles will also bring back previous characters, or characters similar to them with possible new names.

It sounds way too confusing, as a clean break seems a better move if that's the central idea. Anybody remember Convergence a similar 'event' that DC did? Me neither! Podcasts and articles kept referring to it so I had to look it up. This was only five years ago and I have no memory of it, yet vividly remember the initial Crisis and even Invasion which were decades ago. Yet, Convergence had 50+ issues over the two month span.

The two Marvel events, Empyre and X of Swords, have given me the out to drop at least half a dozen issues of their titles, at least for a while. These were books I found that I was just picking up and sometimes sitting for several issues before I read them. There are way too many excellent alternative/independent titles out there I find more interesting. My super-hero disinterest seems to be growing as it does periodically (no pun).

I'll probably pick up the central title, just out of curiosity, but I'm not going the New 52 route and shelling out money for the whole line. Are these 'events' by the Big Two really bringing in new readers? I can't believe they do, and I wonder if there is any boost in shop sales for more than the initial issues (or those folks out there are who feel the need to purchase variant covers).

Went on longer than I expected. Sorry!

My comic picks for 10/8/2020