Verax | Pratap Chatterjee, Khalil

*Image and book provided via NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

This non-fiction graphic novel follows Pratap Chatterjee's investigations into NSA surveillance and their connections to failures in the use of drones in warfare. 

Review:

Probably the best thing I can say about this book is that it is really good at explaining and making sense of everything. When the Snowden story hit there was a flood of information and I never really figured out the full effect of what was going on. This book has been incredibly helpful in getting that situation sorted out in my mind. I've also heard many reports of US Army drones killing and terrorizing innocent civilians, but never knew the full extent. This book does a masterful job of focusing the information and making it manageable. Which, sadly enough, seems to be the same problem the drone program is having, too much information, not enough focus. This book does a wonderful job of making these statistics more than just raw data to blend in to the background noise of our daily lives. There are a lot of human stories that should be getting more attention. I've made sure to adjust my news feeds so that I can pay better attention. 4 hoots.

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RunLoveKill Vol. 1 | Jon Tsuei, Eric Canete and Leonardo Olea | Mini-Review

Summary:

Rain has been on the run for a couple of years now from an organization called Origami. She has to run again because soon construction of the walls around her current city, Prygat, will be finished and she'll be trapped. 

Review:

For such a small book, RunLoveKill has a lot to offer. This was one of only a few graphic novels that where I found myself studying some of the tiniest details in the panels. This world is incredibly intriguing to me. Despite there being completely sentient and sassy robots, the technology of this world screams biotech to me and I would LOVE the opportunity to learn more about it. I totally agree with the Mature rating on this one. There is a lot of violence and blood. But if you're interested in a lot of action, a runaway from a military style organization and science fiction technology, I highly recommend this book. I really wish there was more to this series. There are so many places this world could have gone! 4.5 hoots!

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The Little Red Fish | James Moffitt & Bizhan Khodabandeh

*Book provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

This series is an allegory for the Iranian Revolution for adults and an adventure story for kids. The books tell the story of the fish who are under the harsh rule of the egrets. Their only hope is the eagle who is the only one able to take down an egret, but will he be able to do all of it himself?

Review:

Every part of this mini-series was a treasure to read. It was such an enriching experience and gave me some much needed perspective on Iran. The use of an allegory is a smart move to help those of us separated from the events learn about it. This is the kind of series that can kick off an interest into the history of Iran. It also serves as a frightening reminder of the costs and effects of power. This is not a happy story. This is not a heartwarming story. This is a warning from history. And I have cherished every section.

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Robota | Doug Chiang and Orson Scott Card

*This book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

Summary:

A 2016 re-release of Robota, a book about a world where robots seek to extinguish all forms of organic life and intelligence. Caps, a human with no memory, joins the resistance and seeks to destroy the leader of the robots, Font Prime.

Review:

I should've picked up this book when it was first published in 2003. It's really easy to see why this is such a popular world. Chiang's art is incredibly beautiful and detailed. The balance between art work and story reminded me of Dinotopia, another series I loved. As it is, I know I'm going to need to buy myself  a copy of this book because electronic just doesn't do the artwork justice. I want to hold the book in my hands so I can get the best look at the world of Robota.

There were a couple of times where I felt that the plot made some skips and jumps. A couple aspects of character development, especially for the villain, kinda just threw stuff at the reader that didn't make a lot of sense, seemingly just so they could surprise the reader. I'll admit, if this is a strong example of Card's writing, I'm not sure I want to read more of his work.

Truly the gem of this book is the world, Robota, and Chiang's artwork bringing it to life. The artwork is so breathtaking and the world so full and developed that I do want a copy for myself. 3 hoots!

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The Imitation Game | Jim Ottaviani

*This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

This book is a graphic novel interpretation of the life and research of Alan Turing, told from the perspectives of the people who new him best as well as his own correspondences. 

Review:

I really liked this book. The artwork was well done, the book was well researched, and the story was very intriguing. This isn't just a book about math or logic. This is a book about World War II history,  breaking the German Enigma machines, and the gender bias in British Army. This book even has the first computers! That's how intriguing Turing's life really is, it involves so much world history.

Yes, there are long(ish) segments where Turing talks through his ideas on logic, but they are written in a natural language that makes a lot more sense to a layman than a logic book. What's funny to me is that the artwork for these streams of consciousness, it often shows Turing moving on ahead while his acquaintances are left behind, having problems keeping up with him. Considering how few people seemed to understand him, it makes sense in the moment and overall.

 This is not just a book for mathematicians or logicians. This is a good read for people interested in cryptography, World War II, LGBT history, or even just real life drama. The art style is appropriate for the story and the dialogue is easy to read. I happily give The Imitation Game 4.5 Hoots!

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Brain Camp by Susan Kim, Laurence Klavan, and Faith Erin Hicks | Mini-Review

Summary:

This graphic novel follows the stories of Jenna and Lucas, two young teens who are "late-bloomers" as they are sent to a summer camp that promises parents to turn their kids into high achievers. 

Review:

I picked this book up on a whim while visiting my favorite comic book shop. The cover looked interesting and the blurb on the back made it sound like it was going to be a fun, quick read. I got that and a bit more! 

This is a short book, but I still did not put it down until I was done reading. There are so many interesting points in this story that it easily keeps a reader's attention. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely more for young teen readers, but even as an adult I can appreciate the jokes and the science. 

The authors did leave this book open for a sequel and I'd love to see them follow up on it. I happily give Brain Camp 4 hoots!

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Princeless: The Pirate Princess by Jeremy Whitley

Plot Summary:

Princess Adrienne is taking a detour from rescuing her sisters and helps out "Princess" Raven, aka The Black Arrow, out of her tower and back onto her ship.

Review:

The latest book in the Princeless series, The Pirate Princess does a wonderful job of continuing the sense of fun and adventure. I absolutely love Raven's character and her interactions with Adrienne and Bedelia. All three are kick-butt ladies. The expansion of world this story takes place in is very well written and fits with with the series. I loved reading the history of the Xingtao bloodline. Everything about this book made me smile, especially the representation of the greatness of steak!

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Hoo

Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

My first encounter with this book was back when I visited the Kerrytown Book Festival. I wanted to buy it, but had limited funds. I went Christmas shopping downtown yesterday and found this book again. I bought it for my cousin, who's in junior high, and today decided to read it to make sure it was a good fit for him.* My conclusion: This book is awesome for him! It may be awesome for you, too.

The story starts out pretty typically. A down-on-his-luck dad, Mike, can't find a job and has no money to buy his kid, Cam, a birthday gift. Things take a turn, however, when Mike is convinced to spend his last 79 cents on a giant cardboard box. They turn it into a father-son project and make a boxer out of the cardboard. That night, the boxer, Bill, comes to life! As you can imagine, things go downhill from there.

There are some typical story elements in this book, a bully-rich-kid villain, a love interest for the dad, etc. But TenNapel does a really good job of keeping the overall story interesting and enjoyable. At no point in reading this did I ever get bored or even think of putting down the book. The art style is so interesting. It's amazing what cardboard can be and do!

This adventure is definitely meant for the middle-grade level reader, but it is a non-stop read. The artwork is incredible. The characters are interesting and relatable. The scenes between Mike and the love interest are a bit awkward, but then again, that may be the point.The ending is a little sappy, but ultimately heart-warming. I give this book 4 hoots and a recommendation as a great Christmas gift.

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*It's called product testing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Princeless 2: Get Over Yourself by Whitley and Martin

I'll admit, I held off on writing this review because I just didn't get the same OMG! reaction that I did from the first one. But do not take this to mean that this second installment is not great. I had a number of laughs and even more intrigue as the history of this world and King Ash's personal history are explored. The depths to which this world is starting to be explored has left me craving more. I will be stalking the comic book stores around here until the next book is released. 30 minutes after, I will have read the next book and will be stalking them for the fourth book. I'm psychic about these things. Also Whitley and Martin are just so talented! 

So, Princeless 2: Get Over Yourself picks up where the first book leaves off. Princess Adrienne and Bedelia are looking to rescue Princess Angelica, only to find she doesn't want to be rescued. She enjoys being The Beautiful Princess and being the muse for so many artists. Meanwhile, King Ash has enlisted the aid of the greatest knights in his kingdom to kill the "guy" he believes killed Adrienne. This includes his closest friend, the Black Knight who is later seen kidnapping Queen Ashe. 

This book is steeped in world building and intrigue. It is a marvelous continuation of the first book and I am sincerely looking forward to the next one.

Hoot!Hoot!

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Hoo

Kickstarter Promo - The Adventures of Aero-Girl: A Girl and Her Gorilla

Earlier today I was asked to look at Issue 1 of The Adventures of Aero-Girl in an effort to raise support for Issue 2 on Kickstarter. As someone who doesn't have much money, I only support those causes that I feel are worth my time and the time of others. With that in mind, I highly encourage everyone who enjoys a good romp on the silly side, or who likes comic books with female leads, or who likes just plain old fun to go to Kickstarter and support this.

Issue 1 was an absolute delight and did a brilliant job setting up the world it takes place in. The work of all four artists only adds to the joy of reading. After reading the bad guys' names and getting a look at them I was worried that the story would only be a family friendly version of The Goon by Eric Powell, but I was happily proven wrong. It's a great story in its own right and I would love to read more.

Now, I know the tone of this post may seem incredibly calm, but don't let that fool you. I want this Kickstarter campaign to succeed as much as Bronies want Season 5 of MLP on Netflix.

Princeless by Jeremy Whitley and M. Goodwin

I know it's about a decade since I was a teenager but OMG!OMG!OMG!OMG! I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Ahem. Sorry about that.

The fact of the matter is, this story is amazing. The first few pages set up the entire thing perfectly. A queen, reading a stereotypical fairy tale to her daughter, and the daughter arguing with every little thing. To quote the Queen, " You are determined to take everything from this story except what you are supposed to." When the daughter, Princess Adrienne, finally gets old enough to have a tower and dragon of her own, she is so completely against the idea that her parents have to drug her food!* After some time, and many dead princes, Adrienne finds a sword hidden underneath her bed and decides to take action. She has the dragon burn the tower, making it look like the "wild beast" killed her, and then sets off to free her sisters.

Unfortunately the armor she has was designed for guys that weren't quite her size, so she has to get something new. She goes into town and finds a Dwarf Blacksmith. Turns out, the dwarf just drinks at the tavern. It's his daughter, Bedelia, who does all the smithing, but if anyone found out, they'd be run out of business. No one wants armor from a female blacksmith. After getting her armor and accidentally getting the shop burned down, Bedelia joins Adrienne on her quest. Thus ends the first book.

I am so glad that this series is garnering a lot of attention. There are a lot of people, kids and adults, that I think would benefit from reading this. The fact that the book is so popular is a positive sign that the comics industry and girl geeks are ready for a change. We can start replacing all the stereotypical princess stuff with actual, cool, relatable princess stuff. Adrienne and Bedelia are the type of heroes I'd still love to aspire to be. Confident, strong (physically, emotionally, etc.), talented. These are traits that we're told are associated with Disney Princesses, but they all still needed a prince to come and rescue them.

Though I will say this, those kids who go through Prince Charming's Charm School for Future Kings do NOT have it easy! Everyday having to make sure your hair is perfect, fighting in a style that could easily get you killed "How will anyone even know you're sword fighting without our arm up?". And then your only choices are to either go slay a dragon, or go fight in wars for king and country. I'd have rather stayed playing in the mud, too. Clearly royalty ain't easy.

So I will be eagerly searching my comic book store's shelves for this book and any other issues Whitley and Goodwin may have put out in the time it for this one to get published and get in my hands. This read was over with far too quickly and I'd LOVE to find out what happens next! This book gets a top rating of 5 Hoots!

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*Sidenote: As a fellow carnivore, I'd have fallen for the drugged steak as well.