Movie Review: Life of Pi

Movies can be experiences unlike anything else. Film is a powerful medium that harnesses the power of a picture being worth a thousand words, and while some movies leverage that power to become simply great entertainment, sometimes a movie comes along that is a nearly formative experience. Life of Pi is just such a movie, one that instigated me to immediately purchase the book that came before the film. It is a film that I believe everyone should watch, regardless of whether or not you can fully grasp the underlying concepts.

Book Review: Where Do the Animals Go When it Rains by Janet Crown

Where Do the Animals Go When it Rains is a competent, if somewhat flawed amateur excursion into the world of children’s book that is full of love. Janet Crown and her children came together to make this book and it shows with a childish and whimsical look of where the different animals go to avoid the rain. The illustrations throughout the book are well done with simple yet classical design that resonated with both my children and kept them interested throughout the book as well as varying word fonts that popped on the page.

Book Review: Oddities and Entities by Roland Allnach

Oddities and Entities is a difficult book to categorize. It’s a collection of stories that truly don’t have any sort of exact genre, flipping between horror, suspense, drama and even a little romance between all of them. There is one thing that ties them all together though, and that is that every story in this collection certainly lives up to the books name; they are all odd. You’ll come to find that isn’t a bad thing.

Book Review: Legend of Zelda Hyrule Historia

Skipping merrily to my mail box (as I am wont to do from time to time) I was surprised to find a mysterious package. Intrigued I took the package inside, carefully sliced open the tape (in case of bomb) and peered into the box like I was expecting Anthrax to explode all over my face.
Instead imagine my pleasant surprise at seeing this instead of Anthrax:

Dun...dun...da....DUUNNN!

Movie Review: The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey 3D

When the trailer for the Hobbit originally came out (you know, the one with all the baritone dwarves) I was as excited as any geek or nerd that has read the books. As the movie's release approached though I began to get a little worried. There was movie nerd controversy over the way the movie was shot, it was being filmed in 3D, and then it was announced that there would be not one, not two, but three whole movies based around a children's novel. I began to suspect and then know that we would be treated to an odd looking film where spears popped out at the screen to wow 3D fans and the story would be bloated and changed from the original form so Hollywood could make more money.

Book Review: The Seven Markets by David Hoffman

The Seven Markets back cover blurb sets up a very basic premise and leaves you to the discover the rest. Within those lines you will find the hint of things to come, the promise of a marvelous adventure and that matches the book perfectly. Mr. Hoffman has created a world that is at once detailed enough that the words dance off the page and through your imagination, yet vague enough that it leaves you with a sense of wonder through nearly the entire experience.

Book Review: Playing at the World by Jon Peterson

At 720 pages in length and weighing enough to use in case of zombie apocalypse as a bludgeoning tool, Playing at the World is an immense book. it is filled with the history that examines how Dungeons and Dragons came to be, the strategy games that came before, and the utter lasting effect that all of these play experiences have on our media today. The author goes into every facet in incredible depth with the most minute of details being brought to light. This is both the books greatest asset and it's weakest. To those seeking the origins of their favorite role playing game and want to know every little detail than this combination of knowledge will be an utter godsend. However, to those approaching from the outside in with an interest in the topic and the need to read a good book will be intimidated and put off by the sheer amount of content and it's delivery.

Book Review: Cozy Classics Pride and Prejudice by Holman Wang

It's not often we find ourselves truly examining or appreciating the board books that we read our young children and babies. Usually they are either purely educational or entertainment with bright colorful pictures usually focusing on first words, colors or some zany story. In this sense Cozy Classics is a breath of fresh air and an idea that executes flawlessly.

Book Review: Crafting with Nana by Millie Knox

Writing a review for Crafting with Nana has been at times, utterly difficult. I say this because I'm more than a skeptic in magic, I'm an utter non-believer, and nothing within the book changed my mind. Believing myself to be mostly open-minded I went into the book and decided to judge it from a purely anthropological view point and to do my best to judge the writing alone. What I did not expect to happen was to encounter real life characters written with such a deep sense of love and brought to life with the warmest of memories. So you see my dilemma in reviewing the book; straddling the line between not believing in witchcraft, yet being impressed by the deep emotion that went into writing the book and the power of the oft fond memories.

Book Review: INFECTED by James Schannep

If you've ever known the thrill of choose your own adventure books that were popular back in the 80's and 90's, then you'll be familiar with the concept behind INFECTED. You are the main character and it's up to you to put all your pre-made zombie apocalypse survival plans you made with your friends to the test. As you make your way through the story you'll be asked to make choices at certain junctures that will change your overall plot within. The book is a more adult take on the idea though, your character will meet bloody and violent ends throughout the experience with a wrong decision. Most importantly and complimentary to the author, your choices never feel too forced with more sweeping impacts to the narrative than most choose your own adventure books.

Book Review: Madman's Song by Jim Martin

New divorcee Leslie Bradford and her son Cody needed to start a new life somewhere, and they could think of no better than the idyllic small town Millford Springs. Moving into the house of their dreams they quickly settle into and become a part of the community. As with any horror novel their bliss soon turns to absolute horror as a violent crime rocks the town shortly after Cody begans to see dark shapes in his home. As the details of a terrible crime commited in the little town's past come to the surface, so something else surface. Something dark and very, very angry.

Book Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

While video games are my chosen hobby there are times when I somehow (between being a dad, a gamer, full time employee, and a writer) find a way to sit down with a good book. Unlike video games, reading is one of the greatest escapes and the graphics are powered by imagination where the budget is limitless and the possibilities boundless. Recently I got a chance to read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and I was pleasantly surprised. Usually I read nothing outside of fantasy or a good Star Wars book (which is fantasy in space), but I received Ready Player One as a gift and am pleased to say the book is a genre busting success that delves deeply into nostalgia while also being witty and original.