Take a photo of a barcode or cover
ksbrennan's reviews
504 reviews
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
5.0
My favourite of the series. Key phrase: giant snake.
A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels, and Other Subversive Spirits by Dinah Mack, Carol K. Mack
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
3.0
Hexed by Emma Ríos, Michael Alan Nelson, Cris Peter
4.0
Thief-for-hire Luci Jennifer Inacio Das Neves - Lucifer for short - steals wondrous objects from the dark denizens of the netherworld.
The Hexed collection in question brings together the four issues of the limited 2008-2009 run.
I picked up Hexed as part of a Boom! sale at Comixology, not really knowing what to expect. The back cover quotes compare it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellraiser and Alias. While I don't have any experience with Hellraiser, the other two are right in my fan-wheelhouse.
First, to get the negative out of the way quickly, I hate the concept of giving her the nickname "Lucifer". And the fact that they keep saying "Lucifer for short". It's not "Lucifer for short", it's Luci for short. Lucifer is just a weird construct to play up other assorted elements in the story - one that I think is unnecessary. It’s also a little too bad-girl-cute for me - evoking cringe-worthy memories of Mary Sue’s with super special characteristics that serve as a weak short-hand for actual character development.
However, apart from that relatively easy to ignore annoyance, I really enjoyed the book. The design of the monsters and the grotesqueness of the magic was wonderfully realized. One of my particular favourites involved the use of an oversized corpse in Chapter 1 - you'll know it when you see it. And while another team might have gone grim and dark with the art, the brightness of Hexed makes the horror even more poignant.
I also loved that we’re dropped into the middle of Luci’s story. This is not an origin story. There are some references to an early defining event in Luci’s life, but the details are left vague and mysterious, which suits me just fine. Origin stories so often suffer from a lack of momentum and avoiding them allows you to jump immediately into higher stakes action, and avoid the level grinding that otherwise might be necessary.
The story also manages to deftly present an already developed relationship that still resonates with readers, at least with this one. Luci and Val’s relationship is already cemented when the book starts, and it is the defining relationship of the story - it’s the source of all of Luci’s motivation and drive. It’s really satisfying to read something that really emphasizes such a supportive female friendship and mentorship. Also, Val’s a badass who can more than keep up with Luci in terms of the action.
I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the ongoing series. I certainly liked the mini-series, but part of its appeal was the limited number of issues, and I’m not sure I’m invested enough to commit long-term. I’ll have to look into the series a bit more and see what the supporting cast looks like - while I like Luci well enough, and Val is great, I generally like a larger cast of characters to sink my teeth into. We’ll also have to see how well I connect with the style of the new artist brought on for the ongoing 2014 series, as the art style is really an essential part of my comic engagement.
The Hexed collection in question brings together the four issues of the limited 2008-2009 run.
I picked up Hexed as part of a Boom! sale at Comixology, not really knowing what to expect. The back cover quotes compare it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellraiser and Alias. While I don't have any experience with Hellraiser, the other two are right in my fan-wheelhouse.
First, to get the negative out of the way quickly, I hate the concept of giving her the nickname "Lucifer". And the fact that they keep saying "Lucifer for short". It's not "Lucifer for short", it's Luci for short. Lucifer is just a weird construct to play up other assorted elements in the story - one that I think is unnecessary. It’s also a little too bad-girl-cute for me - evoking cringe-worthy memories of Mary Sue’s with super special characteristics that serve as a weak short-hand for actual character development.
However, apart from that relatively easy to ignore annoyance, I really enjoyed the book. The design of the monsters and the grotesqueness of the magic was wonderfully realized. One of my particular favourites involved the use of an oversized corpse in Chapter 1 - you'll know it when you see it. And while another team might have gone grim and dark with the art, the brightness of Hexed makes the horror even more poignant.
I also loved that we’re dropped into the middle of Luci’s story. This is not an origin story. There are some references to an early defining event in Luci’s life, but the details are left vague and mysterious, which suits me just fine. Origin stories so often suffer from a lack of momentum and avoiding them allows you to jump immediately into higher stakes action, and avoid the level grinding that otherwise might be necessary.
The story also manages to deftly present an already developed relationship that still resonates with readers, at least with this one. Luci and Val’s relationship is already cemented when the book starts, and it is the defining relationship of the story - it’s the source of all of Luci’s motivation and drive. It’s really satisfying to read something that really emphasizes such a supportive female friendship and mentorship. Also, Val’s a badass who can more than keep up with Luci in terms of the action.
I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the ongoing series. I certainly liked the mini-series, but part of its appeal was the limited number of issues, and I’m not sure I’m invested enough to commit long-term. I’ll have to look into the series a bit more and see what the supporting cast looks like - while I like Luci well enough, and Val is great, I generally like a larger cast of characters to sink my teeth into. We’ll also have to see how well I connect with the style of the new artist brought on for the ongoing 2014 series, as the art style is really an essential part of my comic engagement.
The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce
5.0
The Song of the Lioness quartet is the adventurous story of one girl's journey to overcome the obstacles facing her, become a valiant knight, and save Tortall from conquest. Alanna douses her female identity to begin her training in Alanna: The First Adventure, and when she gains squire status in In the Hand of the Goddess, her growing abilities make her a few friends -- and many enemies. Books 3 and 4 complete Alanna's adventure and secure her legend, with the new knight errant taking on desert tribesmen in The Woman Who Rides like a Man and seeking out the powerful Dominion Jewel in Lioness Rampant.
I was first introduced to Tamora Pierce’s Tortall with The Immortals series when I was thirteen. After devouring those books, I backtracked and read Alanna’s story, already knowing how it ended. That didn’t make it any less marvelous, and I’ve since re-read all of the Tortall books many times. Each time, I find something new to love, and each time, I particularly relate to a different main character. In the past, Alanna was never a character I particularly related to, and I wouldn’t have counted her series as my favourite. This time, though, I was shocked by how emotional I got upon reaching the end of Lioness Rampant. I was fully invested in these characters; in Alanna, Jon, George, Thom, Thayet, Coram and the rest.
Of all the Tortall series, Alanna’s is perhaps the most expansive. We not only get to see Alanna grow from a child to a woman, and from a page to a knight, but Alanna also grows substantially emotionally. Watching her relationships develop, whether they are friendships, romances, familial relationships, or enmities, shows a real breadth of human experience, right alongside an exciting tale of combat and sorcery. We learn, alongside Alanna, that there is no need to choose between the two, that both can exist at the same time.
Regarding her romantic relationships, I think that Pierce promoted some genuinely realistic and healthy relationships. There was emotional conflict within all of them, and frank discussions and ruminations on whether or not characters were willing to accept the negative elements of their partners alongside the positive. Particularly groundbreaking for a young adult series, Pierce acknowledges that sometimes loving someone is not enough to keep a relationship going, and ending relationships can be natural, and though it is painful, you can move on. Too many novels, for both youth and adults, romanticize the idea of true love, but maintaining relationships is hard work, and even if you love someone, that doesn’t mean you want the same things out of life.
It’s also worth noting that Alanna works hard for everything in her life, not just her romantic relationships. Alanna’s knight training teaches the lesson that you need to work to achieve your dreams, and that just because something doesn’t come easily to you, doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. Alanna’s skills as a swordsman are not innate, they were hard fought for and earned.
Of course, not everything about the series is perfect. Although I enjoyed seeing the portrayal of different cultural groups when Alanna was with the Bazhir, that storyline did seem to invoke the trope of the white saviour. Alanna is the catalyst for all sorts of “revolutionary” change among the Bazhir, and although she is the main character, the implications of having a white character as the instrument of social development among a non-white group portrayed as more "savage" than the white culture is somewhat problematic.
However, that doesn’t stop me from recommending this series as a starting off point into the wonderful world of Tortall whenever I’m asked for a middle school recommendation.
I was first introduced to Tamora Pierce’s Tortall with The Immortals series when I was thirteen. After devouring those books, I backtracked and read Alanna’s story, already knowing how it ended. That didn’t make it any less marvelous, and I’ve since re-read all of the Tortall books many times. Each time, I find something new to love, and each time, I particularly relate to a different main character. In the past, Alanna was never a character I particularly related to, and I wouldn’t have counted her series as my favourite. This time, though, I was shocked by how emotional I got upon reaching the end of Lioness Rampant. I was fully invested in these characters; in Alanna, Jon, George, Thom, Thayet, Coram and the rest.
Of all the Tortall series, Alanna’s is perhaps the most expansive. We not only get to see Alanna grow from a child to a woman, and from a page to a knight, but Alanna also grows substantially emotionally. Watching her relationships develop, whether they are friendships, romances, familial relationships, or enmities, shows a real breadth of human experience, right alongside an exciting tale of combat and sorcery. We learn, alongside Alanna, that there is no need to choose between the two, that both can exist at the same time.
Regarding her romantic relationships, I think that Pierce promoted some genuinely realistic and healthy relationships. There was emotional conflict within all of them, and frank discussions and ruminations on whether or not characters were willing to accept the negative elements of their partners alongside the positive. Particularly groundbreaking for a young adult series, Pierce acknowledges that sometimes loving someone is not enough to keep a relationship going, and ending relationships can be natural, and though it is painful, you can move on. Too many novels, for both youth and adults, romanticize the idea of true love, but maintaining relationships is hard work, and even if you love someone, that doesn’t mean you want the same things out of life.
It’s also worth noting that Alanna works hard for everything in her life, not just her romantic relationships. Alanna’s knight training teaches the lesson that you need to work to achieve your dreams, and that just because something doesn’t come easily to you, doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. Alanna’s skills as a swordsman are not innate, they were hard fought for and earned.
Of course, not everything about the series is perfect. Although I enjoyed seeing the portrayal of different cultural groups when Alanna was with the Bazhir, that storyline did seem to invoke the trope of the white saviour. Alanna is the catalyst for all sorts of “revolutionary” change among the Bazhir, and although she is the main character, the implications of having a white character as the instrument of social development among a non-white group portrayed as more "savage" than the white culture is somewhat problematic.
However, that doesn’t stop me from recommending this series as a starting off point into the wonderful world of Tortall whenever I’m asked for a middle school recommendation.