September 4, 2012 · 21:11

It’s all about graphic novels

Unfortunately I did not manage to read as many books that I had intended this summer. But instead I have been revisiting the wonderful world of graphic novels. It’s been far too long since I read some new one. And thanks to The Walking Dead (volume 3 – 4 just waiting to be read)  I found myself on the right path again.

Just finished reading Superman Earth One (short review in a day or two) and just HAD to order a couple more 😀
So now I’m waiting and waiting for my book package to arrive.

   

Superman: Earth One
J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis
by DC Comics, 2010

Batman: Earth One
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
by DC Comics, 2012

   

Superman: The Black Ring Vol. 1
Paul Cornel and Pete Woods
by DC Comics, 2012

The Dogs of Edinburgh
Brian Wood and Dustin Nguyen
by DC Comics, 2012

Leave a comment

Filed under Graphic Novels

Tagged as , ,

August 27, 2012 · 07:53

New Summer Project – have a go at abandoned books

I often have a couple of books that I read parallel to one another, and most of the time I finish them rather fast. But from time to time I sort of forget, have a change of heart or just happen to stumble upon some new and more exciting books,  and then you will find all of these poor abandoned books all over my flat just waiting to be read. So I had this idea that during the summer I would make it a project and finish reading them.

Unfortunately my first attempt didn’t go quite as well as I would have liked.

At random I just picked up one of those abandoned books, and it happened to be, Laurell K Hamilton Blood Noir which is the 16th installation in the series about Anita Blake, vampire hunter.

Blood Noir*sigh* realized when I opened the book that I’ve started on it in December 2009 and deserted it somewhere halfway in.

This was once one of the best urban fantasy series out there. The first in the series, Guility Pleasures, I stumbled upon as far back as 1996, and have actually re-read it more than a couple of times. The first books are absolutely fabulous! I can totally recommend reading them, from the first one up until about number 6- 7.

After that it goes just go right downhill, from being intelligent, witty and entertaining books it just becomes more “harlequin”, and then just straight to home wife porn-ish. It’s depressing and I don’t think I actually can finish this book, unfortunately I think all hope is lost when it comes to Ms. Hamilton and her heroine.
So sad, I really miss the old Anita.

Or maybe I should try to re-read/ finish this one using this excellent blog writers suggestion how you manage to get through these last installments. Maybe it will be more fun to read then, and I’m most certainly going to get oh so drunk!

http://alphareader.blogspot.se/2011/06/anita-blake-hit-list-drinking-game.html

———————-
Blood Noir
Laurell K Hamilton
Published 2009 by Jove

1 Comment

Filed under Laurell K Hamilton, Urban Fantasy

Tagged as , , , ,

August 6, 2012 · 23:08

Vintage Anita – in a different package

Holidays are great, for then there suddenly is time to have a go at all of those books that you just haven’t come around to read, yet.

So Anita Blake – the first death.

Anita Blake – the first death1      Anita Blake – the first death

This is really back to basics, old vintage Anita, set in time just before the first novel, Guilty Pleasures.

This is the story of how Anita came to work with the police, her first meeting with Jean-Claude and not to forget the reason she ended up as an ally to Mr. Death himself. It is a fast tale Laurell K. Hamilton along with her husband Jonathon Green is serving us. The pace is steady, writing quite basic and the illustrations is really what drives the storyline forward.

It starts with Anita at the murders scene of the latest victim to what appear to be the result of a serial killer. The trail eventually leads toward a rouge vampire group and after some life and death situation Anita manage to put all the badies to the ground, with a little help from Mr. Death. Along the ride we meet some of the people at Animators Inc, like Manny and Bert, at Guilty Pleasures there is Jean-Cleade and yes then there is Edward.

It’s more of a short story and you finish it rather (to) quickly. As an (former) Anita Blake fan, well there are worse storys that Ms. Hamilton has penned. When it comes to the graphic parts, the illustrations feels a bit like Witchblade or the Darkness (which in my book is ok).
I sort of liked the interpretation of Anita, Jean-Claude and Edward, but Storr and Sebrowski, well not so much. But then again the illustrations is competing with pictures made up in my head from reading the novels and to be honest that has nothing to do with this graphic novel.

So who will appreciate it?
I think fans of Anita Blake will probably enjoy a new story, as graphic novels goes, well it’s not that impressive, not bad, just ok.
And if you are expecting more of the new incarnation of miss Blake, then you have to look elsewhere, not a sex scene in sight 😀

——————————————————-
Anita Blake – the first death
Laurell K. Hamilton, Jonathon Green and Wellington Alves
by Marvel Comics,  2009

Leave a comment

Filed under Graphic Novels, Laurell K Hamilton, Urban Fantasy

Tagged as , ,