Welcome to the Jungle Comics #1, #2, #3, #4

Codex Alera by Jim Butcher is one of my all time favorite series, fantasy or non, and I have been known to own a Dresden book or few... So when I stopped by Outer Planes Comics & Games in Santa Rosa to buy #'s 2 and 3 of Butcher's four part comic book series Welcome to the Jungle, it was only slightly out of character.

Unfortunately volume 1 sold out early, so I wasn't able to pick it up with volumes 2 and 3. But I just bought it at the Dabel Brothers website for a few bucks more than the original price.


Also, according to Comixology.com #4 of 4 will be released next week on Wednesday July 23, 2008. Hopefully they will carry it at my local comic shop, otherwise I'm gonna have to hit up Dabel Brothers again...

I just pulled this off of Jim-Butcher.com:

"In the city of Chicago, wizard for hire Harry Dresden switches from hunter to hunted as he continues following the trail of a supernatural killer haunting the Lincoln Park Zoo. The stakes increase and the tension ratchets higher as monstrous assassins and dark magic claim more innocent lives. Dresden must survive the killer's onslaught and turn the tables, and fast, before the body count rises -- and before the killer can reach her ultimate goal. Written exclusively for comics by Jim Butcher, The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle is a brand new story set in the world of the bestselling series of novels, The Dresden Files, that's sure to enchant readers with a blend of gripping mystery and fantastic adventure!"


So far I'm really diggin' the new Dresden medium. I've always imagined the Dresden Files as comic books rather than novels just because of Butcher's fantastic visuals, so its pretty fun to see some Harry-kick-ass pictures. The T.V. show was swell, but there is no way any television show could present the same amount of action and entertainment as the books. I'm thinking that the comics are doing a better job keeping up the wow factor. I must say, Ardian Syaf's illustrations are impressive.

Also, kudos to Butcher for setting Welcome to the Jungle before any of the previously written Dresden Files books. There would've been a lot of panting and pacing in my house if he tried to make this part of his current sequence.

Now that Dabel Brothers has made an inconsequential Dresden story very successful, they're going to take on Storm Front, the first Dresden Files novel. They have my thumbs up.

(Yeah I know the of the post is pretty lame, it would be a lot easier to just say the graphic novel...But I'm not talking about the graphic novel, I'm talking about the comics. So don't fret it.)

The Last Wish Book Review

The Last Wish
Andrzej Sapkowski

First of all, thank you Orbit Books for sending me this book. It is probably my favorite book I've received in the mail since I started this blog.

So, here it goes...

(Check out the Of Blog for a good summary)

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski is a collection of six short stories, connected by a seven piece framework which begins, ends, and separates each of the shorts. Really, I didn't know what to call the short segments in between the stories, but I read some other reviews and the word framework sounded cool. So today we call it framework.

If I treat each story like a book, judging them individually, and separate from their "sequels" then A Grain of Truth, A Lesser Evil, and A Question of Price are cuts the rest. But I don't want to focus on each individual story, the reading just didn't go that way for me.

Instead, I read a whole book with a collection of stories that at the end, left me with a sense of rightness--not a sense of righteousness like I feel after reading Feist or Eddings--but more like the feeling I get driving by the three old guys sitting on their wall, or laughing at the probably homosexual man stopping at a green light to smile at me. It is just true.

I totally dig the whole collection of short stories thing. It reminds me a lot of books I read in school by Annie Dillard and Lewis Thomas. True, it doesn't really help the book's wholeness factor, but I'm not disappointed. It kind of made Geralt mysterious and handsome, or so it goes. And those scenes in the framing sequences with him at the monastery with all of the peacefully beautiful women didn't exactly work to divert that impression either.

Also, I'm freakin' glad Sapkowski saw fit to add the framework into the book. I feel like that was the most moving part of the novel. In fact, my only real complaint for the book would be the (totally overlookable) lack of grab me by the cajones material. The book was leisurely and humorous, witty and well written. But it didn't push me, pull me or move me anywhere. The framework being the most riveting part of the novel was a little weird to me...

Even so, it was totally worthy of my time. I'm totally hoping Orbit publishes more Andrzej Sapkowski, if only so I can learn a little more about the mysterious Geralt de Rivia. Rumour has it they are publishing The Blood of Elves sometime next summer...watch out :)

Check out more The Last Wish reviews at:
Of Blog of the Fallen
The Wertzone
Fantasy Book Critic
Pat's Fantasy Hotlist

Wall-E

Wow, I had to say something... Its been a little while since I have posted because I've been in Lake Powell with my family. But I'm back in time for the 4th of July block parties. I finished The Last Wish, but other than that I didn't get to do too much reading. So expect a review in the next two days, and then maybe another in the middle of next week.

Luckily I did see Wall-E the night before my birthday :) It exceeded my expectations, and I am glad we saw it. I think I enjoyed it even more than my 9 year old niece... It's my impression that adults will enjoy Wall-E a little more than kids because of the lack of dialogue, but even so, Wall-E is definitely worth seeing on the big screen. Happy Independence Day to y'all!

-WeariedJuggler

Dark Lord Book Review

Dark Lord
Ed Greenwood
Falconfar Book One
Solaris

Imagine you are about to die, and then imagine the sort of book you would write; it is your last chance to leave an impression on the world, a token of sorts. You probably wouldn't want it be like Dark Lord. I know you probably wouldn't even write a fantasy novel, i mean, nobody but Robert Jordan (may he rest in the eyes of the Creator) writes a fantasy novel on their deathbed, but give me a little break. I'm pointing towards quality people, I don't really care too much what sort of book you would write.

The fact is, that book was mediocre. Please don't get me wrong, it definitely served in battling my boredom, but I'm probably not going to remember anything about this book in a couple years.

My favorite part of Dark Lord is the world of Falconfar. I like the way Greenwood describes Falconfar as the setting for books and a videogame of which the main character, Rod Everlar, is the creator. His castles and forests and sunsets do stand out vividly, and I almost wish this was a videogame. I guess that isn't all too surprising considering Ed Greenwood is the creator of Dungeons and Dragons, but still...

Oh, I almost forgot. The art: I dig it. :)

I really liked the characters, and the world, and even the slightly overused plot. It just feels like Greenwood put in a less than 100% effort. So, if I ever find myself in the situation where I need a book, I think I will pick up the sequel, but in the meantime I'll just keep workin on my ever-growing reading list.

WeariedJuggler

Weekly Favs

SFX Top 100 List cont... at The Wertzone

Congratulations to Pat at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist for reaching 1,ooo,ooo page views.

I enjoyed The Family Trade review by Chris over at The Book Swede.

Do Blogger's Give Honest Reviews? by Robert over at Fantasy Book News & Reviews. A good question and a great post by Robert.

Thx Robert, Chris, Pat, and Adam for some great posts. I wish I had energy to write more...but I don't. Happy blogging!

WeariedJuggler

A curious thing... Book Tag

So I've never seen one of these before...but I am sort of happy I have. John at Grasping for the Wind tagged me, and these were my instructions:

Grab the nearest book and turn to page 123. Write down the fifth sentence, post it, and then tag 5 others to do this.

The book nearest me was Dark Lord by Ed Greenwood, and it made me proud :)

Page 123 sentence 5: "No."

I'm not going to tag anyone...seeing as most people I know have already been tagged...and also I have two more chapters of Accounting to read tonight.!.! arg.

Weekly Favs

Recently there have been loads of positive reviews on The Ten Thousand by Paul Kearney, enough to make me curious. This week The Ten Thousand received two swell reviews from Graeme's Fantasy Book Review and The Wertzone.

If you are a fan of the Malazan, then you will probably enjoy an interview with Steven Erikson posted at Fantasy Book Critic.

Over at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist there was an interesting post about "hype." Apparently an editor didn't appreciate Pat's use of the word hype when describing the explosion of positive reviews for The Ten Thousand.

Last of all, and probably my favorite, Brandon Sanderson blogs a little about A Memory of Light.