Author Archives: Michael Cook

REVIEW: American Gods (Author’s Preferred Text) by: Neil Gaiman

Posted on by
Reply

As lame as this sounds, there’s simply not enough positive things that can be said about this book. So instead, I’ll give a few warnings. This book is a slow burner. You’ll be nearly a hundred pages in before you really have an inkling as to what the plot is about, and from there, the pacing doesn’t really quicken much. But that’s okay! It’s something that really works in the favor of the book. If you can’t handle open minded discussion of religions and gods, then this book is not for you. However, it masterfully and respectfully hands many mythologies and ties them into a cohesive, satisfying, engaging story that’s well worth the time it will take you to read it.

Continue reading →

REVIEW: Beauty and the Beast (2017 Film Soundtrack)

Posted on by
Reply

I mean, it’s not good. It’s not terrible, but it’s not good. Emma Watson really isn’t a strong singer. She’s trying, but she just doesn’t have the voice to pull off the role. Maybe watching her is better (I doubt it – I’ve never found her acting to be terribly strong, she has her moments and she’s not terrible by any means, but she’s also not great either). From the moment Watson starts singing, you can hear the autotune. I normally am not a person to even notice autotune (supposedly lots of things have been autotuned, and I rarely hear it), but Watson’s autotune was painfully noticeable from the first word. And it took me right out. Yeah, she looks the part of Belle and she’s star power, but she can’t sing the part of Belle. And that’s important.

Continue reading →

Little Update

Posted on by
Reply
Wanted to let everyone know that I intend for this blog to mainly be for reviews, but I will occasionally post things like trailers/book announcements/etc and my reactions to those because I am a nerd who gets overly excited about things and I figure that I might as well use my review blog to be excited about trailers and book announcements too!

REVIEW: American Gods – Shadows #1 (comic)

Posted on by
Reply

This first issue of Dark Horse Comics’ adaptation of American Gods covers essentially the entire first chapter of the book without any deviation. Much of the narration from the book is kept in the comic, done as word boxes on panels describing the action. The artwork itself is good. It’s definitely a style you have to get used to, but once you get used to it it’s really quite beautiful.

In terms of writing, it doesn’t seem like P. Craig Russell has done much aside from copy and abridge the original language of the book. Which is fine – it’s often better to not fix something that isn’t broken.

Continue reading →

Harper Perennial Announces "It Devours!: A Night Vale Novel" out 10/17/17

Posted on by
Reply
Today is a day I’ve waited for since the release of the first Welcome to Night Vale novel back in October of 2015. The second Night Vale novel has been announced! And it sounds incredible.

From the authors of the New York Times bestselling novel Welcome to Night Vale and the creators of the #1 international podcast of the same name, comes a mystery exploring the intersections of faith and science, the growing relationship between two young people who want desperately to trust each other, and the terrifying, toothy power of the Smiling God.

Nilanjana Sikdar is an outsider to the town of Night Vale. Working for Carlos, the town’s top scientist, she relies on fact and logic as her guiding principles. But all of that is put into question when Carlos gives her a special assignment investigating a mysterious rumbling in the desert wasteland outside of town. This investigation leads her to the Joyous Congregation of the Smiling God, and to Darryl, one of its most committed members. Caught between her beliefs in the ultimate power of science and her growing attraction to Darryl, she begins to suspect the Congregation is planning a ritual that could threaten the lives of everyone in town. Nilanjana and Darryl must search for common ground between their very different world views as they are faced with the Congregation’s darkest and most terrible secret.

Continue reading →

REVIEW: Logan (2017 film)

Posted on by
Reply

Oh, Logan, how wonderful you were. And how bittersweet you were. This is easily Hugh Jackman’s best X-Men movie. That’s not to say that it’s the best movie of the X-Men franchise, though it is up there for sure. It is, however, the best movie to feature Wolverine to date.

Logan tells the story of Logan and Charles Xavier in the year 2029. Something has happened that has radically changed their lives since the last X-Men movie, and they now live in isolation somewhere over the border into Mexico. Their world is turned upside down when Logan is recruited by a woman named Gabriella to escort a young girl, Laura, to Eden, in order for her to be able to cross the border into Canada and be safe. Laura is a member of the X-23 Project, ran by Transigen, an agency that is trying to figure out a way to build the perfect mutant soldier.

Continue reading →

REVIEW: "1984" by: George Orwell

Posted on by
Reply

What can I say about 1984 that hasn’t already been said? Nothing much, really. It certainly deserves its status as a literary classic. It’s a bit slow, to begin with – the first part is really an exposition dump that’s designed to accomplish the majority of the world-building that occurs throughout the novel – but once it gets started, 1984 moves like an out-of-control freight train; it never stops moving forward.

Winston is an amazingly developed character. He starts off the book as somewhat of a hollow shell, allowing the audience to place themselves in his shoes. But as the novel goes on, he becomes more three dimensional as the audience learns more about him. By the end, we’re examining how we would react if put in the situations that Winston was put in.

As a book designed to make you think and evaluate the trajectory society is going, 1984 succeeds on all counts. And it’s an enjoyable read, too!

(4 out of 5 wands)

REVIEW: "Norse Mythology" by: Neil Gaiman

Posted on by
Reply

Pretty solid retelling of a bunch of Norse mythological tales. Unfortunately, it feels fragmented (as it has to be, since Gaiman elected to be as accurate to the originals as he could). So it ends up feeling like a collection of stories instead of a narrative. Which is fine, it’s not pretending to be a narrative, after all.

(4 out of 5 wands)

REVIEW: "Wicked" by: Gregory McGuire

Posted on by
Reply

Gave up around part 4. Couldn’t bring myself to finish it. It moves at such a slow pace, and I’ve seen the musical (which, while different, is a much more enjoyable experience). This kind of feels dark just for darkness’ sake. Elphaba isn’t all that likable. Neither is Glinda. Or really anyone. It just never gets going, and I couldn’t pay enough attention to it to finish it. I’ll stick with the musical.

(2 out of 5 wands)