Back in the late 90s, acclaimed author Donald E. Westlake was asked to make an attempt at the story for the next James Bond film, landing solidly in the Pierce Brosnan era. Complications ensued, and it never happened. The story, Forever and a Death was finally unveiled in 2017, posthumously becoming the last book Westlake…
Category: The Book Shelf
Rogue Protocol (2018) – Martha Wells
The third novella in the Murderbot Diaries is as entertaining as its predecessor. It combines science fiction, a wonderful sense of humor, and action beats as we join Murderbot on his continued journey of self-discovery, which seems to constantly deliver him into trouble. And Rogue Protocol is no exception. Seeking more information about the corporation…
Strange Pictures (2022) – Uketsu
I think the cover of this book is a little misleading, it calls itself a mystery horror sensation. And while there are elements of mystery to it, it’s not what I would call traditional horror in any sense. It does have some cool ideas and I like how they are presented. A quick, short read,…
Firefox (1977) – Craig Thomas
I remember seeing Clint Eastwood’s Firefox when it hit the theaters back in 1982. It was one of the first films I was able to go see on my own. I also remember seeing the novel, with the movie cover in the local book stores. Some forty odd years later, I decided that it’s time…
King Sorrow (2025) – Joe Hill
Joe Hill delivers an epic Faustian novel with King Sorrow. A tale that spans decades, Hill entertains and horrifies as he guides seven friends through a terrible deal that they have made with an unnatural creature, a murderous dragon from the Long Dark. Yes, a dragon, set in the modern world. Sounds kind of iffy,…
Batman: Revolution (2025) – John Jackson Miller
John Jackson Miller delivers the second story in his Batman series that connects the 1989 Tim Burton film with is follow up, Batman Returns. It works to sew all of the narrative and connective tissue together, and it does it well. It’s a fun, expansive and while I can’t always hear the actors’ voices in…
The God of the Woods (2024) – Liz Moore
Damn this book is good. It had popped up into my feed as a recommendation, and after reading the blurb I was in. I’m not going to say much storywise beyond the blurb because it’s wonderful to see how the narrative plays out. I am going to say, I loved the way Moore crafted her…
The Road to the Dark Tower: Exploring Stephen King’s Magnum Opus (2004) – Bev Vincent
I was itching to explore the Dark Tower series again, and while I was listening to the KingCast, a fantastic podcast about Stephen King and films, and their guest was Bev Vincent, and they talked about his book, The Road to the Dark Tower. I hunted it down with a vengeance, and was delighted to…
Drug of Choice (1970) – Micheal Crichton
Micheal Crichton writing as his alter-ego John Lange delivers a fast-paced, odd, and occasionally uneven tale with Drug of Choice. I think the biggest problem with the story is that its too short. A number of the sequences could have been expanded on to unnerve the reader and immerse them into the mystery of what…
The Secret of Secrets (2025) – Dan Brown
Dan Brown sends his hero Robert Langdon off on another adventure with his latest novel, The Secret of Secrets. And I’m divided. I like the research and the information Brown is putting forth, it opens up a number of avenues for questions and research, but, the story doesn’t have the same punch and push as…
The Mind Reels 