ramsfan1963's reviews
512 reviews

The Last Action Heroes: The Triumphs, Flops, and Feuds of Hollywood's Kings of Carnage by Nick de Semlyen

funny informative lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

4.5

If you grew up in the 80s watching action movies, then this is the book for you. It's a great feeling of nostalgia as the author covers and discusses the films of the giants of 80s action: Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Willis, Jackie Chan, Van Damme, Lundgren, Norris and Seagal. The ups and downs of their careers, the triumphs and the disasters. I admit I've seen a lot of these movies, fewer of the direct to video ones, but I can still watch Rocky II or Terminator, and get that old thrill of an action movie done right.

Police Patrol: 2000 A.D. by Mack Reynolds

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Written in 1977, it imagines what it would be like to be a police officer in 2000. Of course, looking back from 2025, we see he wasnt very accurate on most things. No hovercars, no alarm wristbands to call the cops to your aid, and the biggest miss, that in the future they would have gotten rid of money to reduce crime. Everyone had the Universal Credit Card, that only they could use by thumbprint, so it got rid of theft, armed robbery, and most assault.

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula by Loren D. Estleman

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I have to admit that the author did a good job mimicking the writing style of Arthur Conan Doyle, but I thought the story was kind of overall. There have been supernatural elements to Sherlock Holmes stories before, like The Hounds of the Baskervilles, but there was always a logical, reality based solution, but here it is out and out fantasy, with vampires and all the mystical things that come with those creatures of the night. I always forget that, in the original Dracula novel, Dracula had a mustache, since none of the movies ever portrayed him that way.

Once in a Blue Moon by Simon R. Green

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The Fifth and Final Book of the Forest Kingdom series. Hawk and Fisher are once again drawn back to the Forest Kingdom, to thwart the Demon Prince, and stop the war between the Forest Kingdom and The Redhart Kingdom. A lot of the characters from previous books in the series show up for one final battle with the forces of evil. Green's books are always very cinematic, larger than life, with virtuous heroes and vile, loathsome villains. While it seemed to take forever for the final battle to begin, once it started, there was plenty of violence, blood and gore for all.

The Municipalists by Seth Fried

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Not a great book, but okay story since it was kept short. I wish the author had done more with the AI hologram agent than use him for comedic effect.

The Fade Out, Act 3 by Ed Brubaker

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I didnt like how this ended, but I suppose it was the conclusion that best fit the story. There's no real justice for the murdered actress, although some people do die to keep the secret.

The Fade Out: Act Two by Ed Brubaker

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Fade Out: Act One by Ed Brubaker

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Dark, violent nor story of 1940s Hollywood. Plenty of sex, violence, drugs, alcohol, blackmail, scandal, and revenge.

Rat Queens, Vol. 6: The Infernal Path by Kurtis J. Wiebe

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

So much better than volume 5, this is a straight forward adventure story, plenty of action and bloody gore, plenty of snarky humor. I really like the couple of Orc David and Violet, but I'm not sure if it's normal for me to be so attracted to a half Owl woman.

Rat Queens, Vol. 5: The Colossal Magic Nothing by Kurtis J. Wiebe

adventurous dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Not one of my favorite volumes of this series. I found the story very confusing, with the flashbacks, the alternate realities, alternate futures and alternate pasts, it was hard to keep straight who was who, and what their relationship was with the other characters.