Review- All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells

This is probably one of the most trending books in the SFF (Science Fiction & Fantasy) community. It seems like almost everyone has read this or wants to read this. It starts out so interesting and captivating that I read it in big portions. This was definitely a page-turner in the beginning. We get a strong sense of the main character, Murderbot. Quirky, and kinda chill and seems to be okay not getting involved in the affairs of its caretakers or renters I should say. It and I refer to with no gender as it is never defined as being anything other than a machine. It would rather spend its time watching serials in the feed than do the job it was made to do which is security. 

This story was so fast paced that a mystery soon develops after the introduction to the rest of the mission party. And shortly after this, the climax falls right into limbo. The events then flow so fast and seemingly so rushed as if the author did not really flesh out the story but rather plowed through an idea. The reader is hastily introduced to the antagonists and their intentions become even vague as the story then takes on a full action mode where any details about these villains and their plans for the mission team are anyone's guess. Before you know it the story is over, and I had to go back a few pages to see if perhaps I had skimmed or missed something. I really felt like there was no real resolution to the climax of the story. 

The winner of numerous awards, such as the 2018 Hugo award for best novella. NY Times and USA Today bestseller. By the end of this, I felt like it was just another Pinochioesque story. Or one in which the main character is kinda heading that way but isn't 100% sure. Don't get me wrong. I did enjoy this short story and want to read the rest of the series. But I felt that this was hastily written and could have been a bit more developed. I rated this 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. If you have yet to read this check out the link below to get yourself a copy.

 

Review- Galaxy of Terror (1981)

So it's that time of the year (Fall) to watch horror films in anticipation of Halloween. So I know it's not October yet, but I figured why not get in the spirit and watch an old cheesy sci-fi horror classic. I remembered this movie from when I was a kid in the 80's...yeah my parents let me watch R rated movies. It's been a very long time since I had seen this so I had to give it a re-watch. 

The stars in this film I'm sure drew a crowd. After all, Joanie (Erin Moran) from Happy Days starred in this as one of the female leads. Ray Walston, from Popeye also starred in this. While this is not a cinematic masterpiece it did feature some up and coming stars of the horror film world, such as Robert Englund known for his role as Freddy Kreuger in The Nightmare on Elm Street series. The yet to be known Sid Haig, who is from Rob Zombies films had a minor role. 

So yeah this is kinda cheesy in comparison to sci-fi classics from this period due to its low budget. But that doesn't mean it wasn't worth watching. This was one of the many horror/sci-fi films in the 80's. Not as cinematically pleasing as Alien or The Thing. For instance, there is a scene with a very similar looking alien type creature. Before Event Horizon we had Galaxy of Terror. The special effects are not terrible and can be a little gruesome at times. Be mindful that there were quite a few head explosions and corny laser gun sound effects. Check out the trailer below. If you have an Amazon Prime membership you can watch this for free. Believe it or not, they actually made a sequel to this called Forbidden Planet that I will have to check out later.

Review: Abe Sapien Vol. 1 The Drowning

I've read a ton of Hellboy trades and a few BPRD books but I had never read this miniseries featuring one of my favorite HB sidekicks. Of course being that it's the merman, Abe Sapien this was Aquatic themed from the start, and he goes on a special mission that requires his aquatic abilities. The mission takes place in a small fishing village off the coast of France, and one that has a dark past. It turns out as do all of these Mignola tales that something sinister is afoot.

This was my first time reading an Abe solo story and wasn't sure how it would go, and the funny thing is that the title character feels and has similar doubts because he usually tags along with HB.

This read like a movie and it flowed beautifully. There were no dull moments with this first volume. I do not regret checking this out and honestly was not aware of this series until recently. Like I said it was action packed and of course paranormally packed too. I rated this 4 out of  5 stars on Goodreads and would recommend this to any fan of the Hellboy series.

                                                              

Review: I Hate Fairy Land Vol. 2 Fluff My Life

It has been quite a while since I have updated this blog and an even longer time since I had read the first volume of I Hate Fairy Land. So I had to look up my review of the first volume, and I was surprised that I hadn't done a full-on blog posting about it, because I really enjoyed it. So I discovered that I had just done a quick review on Goodreads...I have decided to leave that review below so you can read what I thought of that volume before reading my thoughts on the second one.

"This may look all cutesy and techno-colored safe for kids......But it's not. Gertrude enters Fairyland much like Alice and she has been stuck there a very long time. She's mad and just wants to go home. This was like if Dr. Suess had written more like a "muffin fluffer" trucker...subtle cussing. I've always enjoyed Skottie Young's art and this has to be his best work yet. I would recommend this to fans of Rat Queens or any violent and highly inappropriate book." Okay. Now that we have gotten that out of the way let's get on with the review of Fluff My Life. So picking up from the events of the first volume Gert is now the queen of Fairy Land. I know you're probably thinking "oh no"...right? And you would be right in thinking the Shtuff will hit the fan..lol.  I have to admit that when I read these books I always hear Angelica from Rugrats as the voice of Gert.  The second volume still keeps up with the perfect blend of off-color remarks while censoring itself by making them other words.  And of course, it still has the perfect blend of shenanigans to make it exciting and page-turning as always. She is still trying to get the fluff out of Fairy Land, and failing miserably....and that is one the most charming things about this series. We have to remember that Gert is not really a child but a 30 yr old woman who has grown up in this make-believe world and just wants to go home.  I loved this second volume just as much as I did the first one. I rated this 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. Get your copy by clicking the link found below. Thanx for reading and Get the fluff out there and read this book!