Next Monday, the adventures of Ava Lee continue in Ian Hamilton’s latest instalment in the addictive, page-turning series that began with The Water Rat of Wanchai and continues now with book nine(!) and one novella – The Couturier of Milan. Over the course of these books, I have grown to consider Ava Lee a friend,…
Category: The Book Shelf
The Lego Batman Movie: The Essential Guide (2017) -Julia March
The Lego Movie when it came out, took the world by surprise with just how fun it was, and it’s breakout character, which should not be a surprise, was Batman. It should come then as no surprise that Lego decided the Caped Crusader should have his own film, which opens next month. DK Canada gave…
A Monster Calls (2011) – Patrick Ness
It’s been a long time since a book has reduced me to tears, but Ness’ powerful, and beautiful young adult books, A Monster Calls has done just that. Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd who passed before she could tell it herself, the story is a singular experience that is heartbreaking in its truth…
Life, the Universe and Everything (1982) – Douglas Adams
Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Marvin the robot, Zaphod and Trillian find themselves caught up in trouble again as the third Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy book finds its way to The Book Shelf this week. And, just like the preceding novels, this one is a life riot as well. Arthur and Ford are where we…
Gemina: The Illuminae Files 02 (2016) – Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
The second volume in the Illuminae Files, Gemina, is not only an excellent follow-up instalment in this vibrant and exciting Young Adult series, it is also highly entertaining science fiction and space opera. The first book, told through IM and audio transcripts, descriptions of video surveillance, was brilliant, fun, and probably a game-changer in the…
Star Wars: Rogue One – The Ultimate Visual Guide (2016) – Pablo Hidalgo
Can you believe that we get a Star Wars movie every year now for the next foreseeable future? That time between Star Wars and Empire, and then Jedi, seemed interminable growing up. The wait between Jedi and Menace was even longer, and soured many a viewer, and while Awakens was a fun ride, not everyone…
20 Years of Tomb Raider (2016) – Meagan Marie
Lara Croft has been around for twenty years. And, I have to say, she looks better than ever. Since her first appearance in the game-changing, well, game, Tomb Raider in 1996, Lara Croft has made a name for herself in the action adventure series that centred around, an admittedly cartoon-like interpretation of a beautiful woman,…
Star Wars: Catalyst – A Rogue One Novel (2016) – James Luceno
This weekend, new names will be added to the Star Wars cinematic universe, those of Orson Krennic, Galen, Lyra and Jyn Orso. But Star Wars readers get to know these characters already, through James Luceno’s new canon novel Catalyst. Set during the closing years of the Clone Wars and those following it, as the Rebellion…
The DC Comics Encyclopedia (2016) – Alan Cowsill, Alex Irvine, Steve Korte, Matt Manning, Stephen Wiacek and Sven Wilson
When I was a kid, growing up on various military bases around the globe, I didn’t know a lot about superheroes, or comic books. My knowledge was constrained to Star Wars (and the occasional, troubled Star Trek title), Superman and Batman. My knowledge of the DC Comic Universe wasn’t much greater. I knew about Supes,…
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980) – Douglas Adams
Sometimes you need a good laugh, and Douglas Adams never disappoints. Picking up where the first book finished, Arthur Dent, Ford, Trillian, Zaphod and Marvin are looking for a bite to eat. They are famished after everything they have just gone through, and Arthur still wants a good cup of tea. But things are never…
The Mind Reels 