STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD of the SITH, VOLUME 4 - FORTRESS VADER (graphic novel) by Charles Soule

Published by Licensed Publishing in 2019.

Written by Charles Soule.

Art by Guiseppe Camuncoli, Daniele Orlandini, Terry Pallot, David Curiel, Dono Sanchez-Almara, and Erick Arciniega.

Synopsis

This series tells the story of the completion of the training that turned Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader. The Emperor is, at best, an emotionally and physically abusive teacher.

In Fortress Vader, Darth Vader is granted a planet to use as a home base to complete his studies and perhaps learn how to bring his beloved Padme back from the dead.

But, he needs a temple to focus the power of the force and a relic from the Emperor promises to provide what he needs...

My Review

Soule really likes this relic. It also appears in his Lando comic where it is much creepier. In this comic the relic picks up a comic quality that I don't think was intended. The construction and reconstruction of this temple was not at all interesting to me. This collection was the worst of the series.

I rate this graphic novel 3 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD of the SITH, VOLUME 4 - FORTRESS VADER.

BATMAN - ONE BAD DAY: BANE (graphic novel) by Joshua Williamson

Published by D.C. Comics in 2023.

Written by Joshua Williamson

Art by Howard Porter and Tomeu Morey

Synopsis

The One Bad Day series looks at individual top level Batman villains (If you are a fan of Johnny Karaoke, sorry) and gives them a comic that focuses on just that villain. 

In Batman - One Bad Day: Bane we find Bane working as a professional wrestler in Mexico where he reenacts the moment where be broke Batman's back in match after match to the cheers of adoring crowds. Bane has wealth and fame, but he is broken inside. This graphic novel is the story that explains that brokenness...

My Review

Up until the halfway point of this graphic novel, I was sure that this edition of the One Bad Day tales was a dud. It was initially very confusing and the drawings seemed to be all overdone muscles, veiny arms, and monstrous faces.

The moment that changed the book was a moment of great sacrifice. It changes the arc of Bane's life and makes this a surprisingly hopeful (and grisly) story. I still hated the art, but the story was quite good.

I rate this graphic novel 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Batman - One Bad Day: Bane. 

LULLABY TOWN (Elvis Cole #3) (audiobook) by Robert Crais

Book originally published in 1992.

Audiobook published by Brilliance Audio in 2008.

Read by Mel Foster.

Duration: 8 hours, 33 minutes.

Unabridged.

Anthony Award Nominee for Best Novel (1993)

Shamus Award Nominee for Best PI Hardcover (1993)

Synopsis

Elvis Cole is hired by a very successful young Hollywood director in Lullaby Town to find his divorced wife and his son that he hasn't seen since he was an infant. It has been ten years since the divorce. His ex-wife hasn't been kidnapped or gone missing - she just moved away and the director has lost track of her. Now, he'd like to meet his son. 

The director has to be the single most annoying client that Elvis Cole has ever had. He is pushy, obnoxious, and completely self-absorbed. Elvis notes early on that almost every sentence the man utters starts with "I" as in "I think this" and "I did that." It's pretty obvious why the ex-wife left him and just kept on going with no forwarding address.

So, Elvis takes this job and starts searching. When he finally finds her he discovers that she has a lot more problems than a super-annoying ex-husband coming back in her life...

My Review

The first third of this book is a real lesson in the step by step research and follow through of basic detective work. You'd think it would be boring, but it isn't. The last third has a ton of action.

All in all, this is an excellent detective story.

I rate this audiobook 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Lullaby Town by Robert Crais.

BATMAN - ONE BAD DAY: TWO-FACE (graphic novel) by Mariko Tamaki

Published in 2023 by DC Comics.

Written by Mariko Tamaki.

Art by Javier Fernandez and Jordie Bellaire.

Synopsis

The One Bad Day series looks at individual top level Batman villains (If you are a fan of Polka-Dot Man, sorry) and gives them a comic that focuses on just that villain. 

Batman - One Bad Day: Two-Face begins with a flashback of a hostage situation on the roof of a tall building. One of the cops on duty down below is Patrolman Christopher Nakano. Flash forward to the present day, for some inexplicable reason, Mayor Christopher Nakano offers Two-Face the chance to resume his job as the District Attorney of Gotham City.

Batman goes along and is determined to reform Two-Face so he can just be Harvey Dent

Why? Why? Why? Is Two-Face the only attorney in the city?

So, things go really well and Two-Face retires a hero.

Yeah right.

My Review

If you can get past the weirdness of responsible adults offering a violent felon with serious mental health issues an important job like District Attorney (which I clearly could not), the story is fairly interesting. You get to meet Harvey Dent's dad. There are arguments from Batgirl against the idea of hiring a super villain as the DA that no one listens to. 

The art was first-rate throughout.

I rate this graphic novel 3 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Batman - One Bad Day: Two Face.

BATMAN - ONE BAD DAY: THE RIDDLER (graphic novel) by Tom King

Written by Tom King.

Art by Mitch Gerads.

Published in 2023 by DC Comics

2023 Eisner Winner - Best Single Issue/One-Shot

2023 Eisner Nominee - Best Limited Series

2023 Eisner Nominee - Best Writer, Tom King

2024 Libby Award Nominee for Best Comic/Graphic Novel

Synopsis

The One Bad Day series looks at individual top level Batman villains (If you are a fan of Condiment King, sorry) and gives them a comic that focuses on just that villain. 

Batman - One Bad Day: The Riddler begins with The Riddler in jail. He is ruminating over his abusive childhood and the reader gets to see his first steps into the world of crime. All of that ruminating has made The Riddler change his game plan when it comes to being a criminal...

My Review

The flashback scenes were extremely good, but the current day scenes were full of literally unbelievable things.

*****Spoilers*****

There are multiple things that just made me roll my eyes. Things that just don't make sense, even in a comic book world.

1) The scene where the The Riddler says he will hurt the armed guards' families if they take him to Arkham rings untrue. He promises that he can escape in hours. He looks at one guard and lists the name of the guard's children and the school that they attend. In this scene, the guards all shoot one another because one guard decides to take out a cuffed Riddler rather than have his family put at risk. I think it much more likely that they would just shoot him with the rubber bullets they had and then beat him to death with their rifle butts - all the more so in a city where insane villains keep escaping from Arkham Asylum. The Riddler says he  has escaped from Arkham more than 36 times! Why are they sending him back there? Why would the guards even hesitate to kill the man who threatens all they hold dear?

2) The Riddler maims a man who is sliding a food tray through the slot in the cell door. He grabs the tray and forces the man's hands into the top of the slot. So far, so good. That would hurt a lot and reminds the guards that Riddle is quite feral. Then, he pushes the tray so hard it cuts off eight of the man's fingers (not his thumbs). If Bane was doing the pushing on the tray, maybe. Is The Riddler as strong as Bane? Hardly.

3) A character points a shotgun at Batman's face from less than 10 feet away and shoots twice. He misses both times. Not a single piece of shot touches Batman because he is too fast. Ugh. I know Batman is fast and I know Batman's cowl is bulletproof, but the lower half of his face isn't. Shotguns are not rifles - the shot spreads out and covers a lot of area. Batman should have ended up looking like Two-Face.

*****End Spoilers*****

I think this graphic novel received rave reviews because of the extensive flashback scenes and the art. The art is not my favorite style, but it did set a profound mood of tragedy and danger. The flashbacks are excellent, especially the ones with his teacher. 

But, those scenes don't make up for the things that I mentioned in the spoilers. I know that it seems weird to expect some realism in a book with a man who wears a bat outfit to fight crime, but I think it's exceptionally lazy writing to have a characters in a comic book get away with unrealistic things just to make the plot move forward.

I have read almost all of the graphic novels in this series. If I had read this one first, I probably wouldn't have bothered with the rest.

I rate this graphic novel 2 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Batman - One Bad Day: The Riddler.

STAR WARS: AGE of RESISTANCE - VILLAINS (graphic novel) by Tom Taylor

Written by Tom Taylor.

Art by Leonard Kirk, Cory Hamscher, and Guru eFX.

Published in 2019.

Issued during the build up to to the theater release Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Villains offers four separate stories about four different villains featured in the sequel trilogy. 

The four villains are Captain Phasma, General Hux, Snoke, and Kylo Ren. Each story tells is set before Episode VIII and demonstrates the true nature of each of them. Since these are all villains, there are lots of instances of betrayal and backstabbing. 

The art work was great, but the stories do not do anything to really illuminate the characters. Three of them involve fighting on some planet of the edges of the Empire when things go bad and the villains commit villainy to survive to be villainous on another day.

Following each story there is an essay about the character. It includes comments from the actors that play these characters in the movies.

I rate this graphic novel 3 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Star Wars: Age of Resistance - Villains.

BATMAN - ONE BAD DAY: CATWOMAN (graphic novel) by G. Willow Wilson

Written by G. Willow Wilson

Art by Jamie McKelvie

Synopsis

The One Bad Day series is a look at some of the biggest Batman villains in a book just dedicated to that villain. A lot of them, but certainly not all of them, take a sympathetic look at that villain.

Batman - One Bad Day: Catwoman is one of the more sympathetic takes. 

Catwoman is looking through an auction catalog for high end jewelry when she finds an unusual listing for a piece of post-World War II French jewelry that commemorates the end of Nazi occupation. It is a rare piece with a message of a return to freedom for France's artists its reserve price is $30,000.

It is also a piece her mother sold to a pawn shop for only $200 when Catwoman was a child in order to attempt to make her rent money that month.

Catwoman decides to take back the jewelry and right a wrong...

My Review

This one was interesting because the stakes, in reality, are really pretty low - a piece of jewelry that is worth thousands instead of millions and a long-forgotten bit of family pride. 

But, because it's so personal, the stakes are actually very high for Catwoman.

The heist story was good. For once, this did not involve the worn-out plot device of Catwoman cutting glass with her claws and slinking around laser security systems in order to steal a priceless diamond from a museum. 

The art was clear and easy to follow and there was no need to be aware of some obscure plot point from a comic published decades ago. All that is required is a basic knowledge of Catwoman and her relationship with Batman. 

I rate this graphic novel 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Batman - One Bad Day: Catwoman.

STAR WARS: LANDO (graphic novel) by Charles Soule

Published in 2016 by Marvel Enterprises.

Written by Charles Soule.

Art by Alex Maleev and Paul Mounts.

Synopsis

Lando Calrissian is in financial trouble - he has debts and he is working them off by pulling off "jobs" for the people he owes money to. He makes a deal to pull off one big heist for Papa Toren in exchange for all of his debt being cleared and the possibility of making of making a lot of profit for himself.

Lando and his sidekick Lobot (see picture below) build a team and pull off the heist - stealing a space yacht from an imperial shipyard. Everything looks great until they find a Sith artifact onboard and realize that they've just stolen the Emperor's yacht!

My review

This is the fifth Star Wars graphic novel that I've read written by Charles Soule, and it was the weakest of the bunch. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't great like the others. The plot had a lot of zip at first but moved from a heist story to a horror story and it slowed down so much to build a sense of dread that it just failed to work for me any longer.

I rate this graphic novel 3 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Star Wars: Lando.

BALD-FACED LIAR (kindle) by Victoria Helen Stone

Published in 2025 by Lake Union Publishing.

Synopsis

Elizabeth May has lived a life based on lies ever since she went off to college. As a small child she was caught up in one of those Satanic child abuse day care cases that swept the nation in the 1980s. If you are not aware of this, the cases were almost always built upon an accusation by an angry child followed by leading questions from a series of adults that convinced younger children that they should go along with the accusations. After a while, the smaller children just believed the made up version.

Elizabeth May has ran away from her past - no one in her hometown showed any understanding of how she was also a victim, including her own family. May hides by being a travel nurse - she can move every year or even every few months. She avoids long-term romantic entanglements, she uses every possible variation of her name - Liz, Betty, Beth, etc. 

Elizabeth May has lived in Santa Cruz for about a year. She's got a great job, a cozy condo with a special deal because she keeps on eye the nextdoor vacation rental condos, and she has a network of acquaintances that stand in for actual friends.

Suddenly, her carefully constructed life gets interrupted with a series of online and in real life incidents and Elizabeth May is scrambling to figure out who is a real friend and who is an imposter from the past looking for revenge...

My review: 

The problem with this book is not the tension created from the situation, it's the character of Elizabeth May. She is basically unlikeable. She listens in to her neighbors' arguments and gets joy a thrill out of it. She uses the security cameras to spy on their romantic moments. 

In a book like this, this reader has to root for the target. Elizabeth May is hard to root for, except that you just don't like anybody that's not clearly evil to have their identity stolen and be stalked. 

This book was just off from the beginning and ended up staying off the entire time. I rate this book 2 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Bald-Faced Liar by Victoria Helen Stone.

SUPERMAN '78: THE METAL CURTAIN (graphic novel) Robert Venditti

Published by DC Comics in 2024.
Written by Robert Venditti.
Art by Gavin Guidry and Jordan Bellaire.

Synopsis

These are the further adventures of the Christopher Reeve Superman from the movie series that ran from the late 1970s into the 1980s. It has the feel of those movies in the simple and clear art style and the look of many of those characters. Interestingly, Superman looks nothing like Reeves and Clark Kent only looks like him from time to time.

The plot of Superman '78: The Metal Curtain is pretty simple. The Soviet Union has created a super soldier suit powered by a giant hunk if Kryptonite. The suit is pretty much an Iron Man suit (I know, wrong publisher) with the added benefit that it's fuel weakens the Man of Steel.

The Soviet Union is fearful of Superman. They perceive him as a weapon of the United States (because the events of Superman IV haven't happened yet) and plan to use the suit to defeat Superman and America...

My Review

I really liked the clean art style of this graphic novel. The plot is simple, direct, and the circumstances are dire. The only thing I did not like was the way Superman ended up winning - it was too simplistic and too short. It felt like a cheesy movie plot ending, which is exactly the vibe that they were going for. I guess that makes it a success.

I rate this graphic novel 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Superman '78: The Metal Curtain.

BATMAN - ONE BAD DAY: PENGUIN (One Bad Day series) (graphic novel) by John Ridley

Published by DC Comics in 2023.

Story by John Ridley.

Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, and Arif Prianto.

Synopsis

Batman - One Bad Day: Penguin finds the hero (!) of the story, Batman's infamous foe Penguin, completely down and out. He has $20 and is sitting on a park bench in the rain. He is taped and bandaged up from a beating. He is unshaven and disheveled. He is waiting for a is waiting to meet a young person to sell him a gun.

He has been pushed out of his role of crime boss of Gotham by a former subordinate. He plans to go into the city and take back his organization - but all he has is one little snub-nosed pistol, one bullet, and no friends.

Turns out he didn't really need to pistol or the bullet - it's your friends that count.

My Review

I truly liked this comic. The way the story went surprised me and I really enjoyed it. Penguin can be a surprisingly sympathetic figure for a super-villain. His origin story isn't the roughest, but just about everyone has experienced a little bit of what made Oswald Cobblepot into the Penguin.

The tense confrontation/conversation that Penguin and Batman have in the middle was an interesting take on this version of Penguin. If this Penguin were in a Dungeons and Dragon campaign, he would be Lawful Evil, and that really shows throughout. No one likes a crime boss, but when the alternative is a chaos agent that actively enjoys the city being burned to the ground, you just end of rooting for the guy.

I rate this graphic novel 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: BATMAN - ONE BAD DAY: PENGUIN by John Ridley.

THE ASCENT: A NOVEL (Kurt Argento #1) (audiobook) by Adam Plantinga

Published in 2024 by Grand Central Publishing

Read by Charles Halford and Christine Lakin.

Duration: 10 hours, 44 minutes.

Unabridged.

Synopsis

The Ascent features Kurt Argento, a former Detroit police officer. His wife died from cancer and he is not dealing with it well. During a small riot, he defied orders to protect a civilian and hospitalized several members of a gang with his night stick - he literally worked out some of his grief on their not very sympathetic bodies. It was heroic act, but because he disobeyed orders he was forced to resign.

Argento takes his dog and heads out towards California. For some reason, he has it in his head that seeing the Pacific Ocean would be a good thing for his peace of mind. While traveling through Missouri he ends up in a scuffle with a corrupt local sheriff. The sheriff claims that his jail cells are too full so he can store Argento in a nearby for-profit state prison in hopes of Argento getting caught up in some sort of prison fight and perhaps getting shanked.

Before Argento can even get logged in to the prison it erupts in a completely out of control riot. To make matters worse, the governor's daughter is also in the prison as part of a visit for a college class and the only way to safety requires them to travel through every floor of the prison to get to the roof...

My Review

If you like the Jack Reacher novels, this book will feel very familiar. The book's plot is obvious when you read the summary, but almost all of it is a good read with unlikely, but not impossible, complications. There are two parts that are extremely (and unnecessarily) graphic. 

This book would make a pretty good plot for a videogame.

I rate this book 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: The Ascent by Adam Plantinga. 

THE MONKEY'S RAINCOAT (Elvis Cole #1) (audiobook) by Robert Crais

Winner of the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original.

Winner of the McAvity Award for Best First Novel.

Originally published in 1987.
Published in 2008 by Brilliance Audio.
Read by Patrick Lawlor.
Duration: 8 hours, 9 minutes.
Unabridged.

I have been reading Robert Crais' Elvis Cole novels for 15 years and I just assumed that I had already read all of the early ones years ago. But, when I checked my blog I found that I had not read 7 of them - that is more than a third of the series! 

The Monkey's Raincoat is the first in this 20 book series. 

Synopsis

Two women come to meet Elvis Cole in his office. Cole is a decorated Vietnam veteran turned private detective. The women want Cole to find the Mort, the husband of one of the women and their son. Mort picked the boy up from school, but they never came home.

Elvis starts to dig around and quickly discovers that Mort's talent agency is in trouble. The more he uncovers, the more it becomes obvious that Mort has been hiding massive losses from his family. Elvis knows that there is deep trouble when contacts with the police let him know that Mort has been found dead in his car - but there was no sign of his son. 

He goes to meet with his client to discuss the situation only to find that she has gone missing as well...

My Review

In book one of a 28 year old detective series all of the pieces are laid out in a great example of efficient world-building. Elvis is a wise-cracking tough guy with a sense of humor and a soft side. He decorates his office with Disney memorabilia. He drives a yellow 1960s Corvette Stingray. His partner, Joe Pike, is never in the office, owns a gun store, and always answers the phone by saying, "Gun shop" in a flat tone. Elvis collects contacts all over town just like he collects Disney gear. Joe Pike collects guns and never smiles.

Some authors feel the need to take the reader all over the new world of their character to meet everyone and see everything that might ever be in a book, but Crais gets it all done in a quick and efficient manner - it's all there in the first 50 pages of the first book and and it has basically stayed the same for nearly 30 years.

Interestingly, the author has chosen to stop aging Elvis Cole and Joe Pike. What has changed is the technology. Elvis looks for pay phones several times and they all have cell phones and GPS in the newer books. Elvis and Joe are like James Bond - same age, new toys.

The mystery itself was good. Elvis got to do some detecting, he called on a lot of contacts and he met new people and charmed him into giving him the information he needed. He also punched people, got shot at, shot at people, and brought in Joe Pike to help when it got too tough for one guy. 

Basically, every Elvis Cole novel follows the plan of the previous paragraph and it has worked for nearly 30 years. 

You may wonder where the weird title comes from. It's from a Japanese poem by Matsuo Bashō which is quoted at the start of the novel: "Winter downpour; Even the monkey needs a raincoat."

I rate this audiobook 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais.

2024: A GRAPHIC NOVEL by Ted Rall

 

Originally published in 2001 by NBM Books.

Ted Rall's graphic novel 2024 is a loose re-telling of George Orwell's classic novel 1984. It feels like a healthy dose of Huxley's Brave New World has been thrown in as well. 

This is an alienating tale - it is hard to find any character with any redeeming qualities at any point. It is hard to really understand their society and how it works - until you realize that Ted Rall was actually quite the prophet.

In this world, the economy is controlled by massive corporate conglomerates that control the government as well. The main character is Winston. At work, his job is to re-write history (just like he does in the original novel). History has been re-written so often that even Winston can't keep track of what the official story is. 

He spends a great deal of time day trading and shopping for items online that he doesn't really need.

Parts that I thought were prophetic include:  

-Winston's country, Canamexicusan, announces a new set of alliances and pretends like it has always been this way. This reminded me of the Trump Administration's hard turn towards Russia and away from NATO, as if it had always been that way.

-Very few people are interested in sex. Sex is simply not interesting when compared to the videos and the shopping. This has been noted in our real world modern society as well.

-Very few people have any idea what's going on around them - they have their face in a screen all of the time. 

-Social media trolling as a hobby.

-On page 95 there is a TV announcement that sounds almost exactly like a Donald Trump tweet about the tariff trade war with China:

"Freedom Media is pleased to announce total victory against the Asians! That's right: In a TOTAL VICTORY for Canamexicusan consumers, Asia has agreed to smash tariffs on Canamexicusan products! Interest rates will be reduced, our total economic potential will finally be achieved...This is a great moment on a great day!" 

To be honest, this is quite a bummer of a book, but it called out what 2020's would be like on so many levels that you have to give it credit.

I rate this graphic novel 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: 2024 by Ted Rall.

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD of the SITH, VOLUME 3 - THE BURNING SEAS (graphic novel) by Charles Soule

Published in 2018 by Licensed Publishing.

Written by Charles Soule.

Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli, David Curiel, and Java Tartaglia with Guru-eFX

Synopsis

This series tells the story of how Anakin Skywalker completes his transformation to Darth Vader under the dangerous and abusive tutelage of Emperor Palpatine. 

In the first story of Darth Vader: The Burning Seas, Mon Cala has been reluctant to join Palpatine's empire. Governor Tarkin has been sent to Mon Cala to negotiate with their king. Mon Cala is the home world of fan favorite Admiral Ackbar. Ackbar is only Commander Ackbar in this story, but he plays a prominent role. Meanwhile, Vader and his team have been sent to Mon Cala to hunt down a Jedi that the Empire suspects is helping Mon Cala in their negotiations.

When the shuttle carrying the Empire's negotiation team is destroyed by a bomb, all out war erupts...

The second story ties in with the movie Rogue One. It is set on the planet Geonosis where the Empire is working on Project Stardust - the plan to build the Death Star.

My Review

This is a very strong series. The first story in this installment was very strong. Young Ackbar shows why he would eventually be picked to lead the rebel fleet. He is audacious. The first story also shows us that everyone who opposes the Empire is not necessarily a good guy. There are reasons why some were more than happy to see the Jedi fall.

The second story is more of a moody detective story than an action story. It's a good story, but not a great story. 

I rate this graphic novel 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Star Wars: Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, Volume 3- the Burning Seas.

Link to my review of Volume 1 of this series.

Link to my review of Volume 2 of this series.

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD of the SITH, VOLUME 2 -LEGACY'S END (graphic novel) by Charles Soule

Published in 2018 by Licensed Publishing.

Written by Charles Soule.

Art by Guiseppe Camuncoli, Daniele Orlandini, and David Curiel.

Synopsis

This series tells the story of how Anakin Skywalker completes his transformation to Darth Vader under the dangerous and abusive tutelage of Emperor Palpatine. Meanwhile, Vader and his team are searching for Jedi survivors of Order 66. The series starts with the end of Star Wars: Episode III.

There are two main plotlines in Darth Vader: Legacy's End. Vader has a lead on the librarian of the Jedi Temple. She is rebuilding the library in a safe location from scattered sources and memory when she realizes that she has to return to the library to destroy a list of force-talented youngsters that the Jedi had compiled to recruit to join their academy before they were defeated.

She is not nearly the warrior that Vader is, but she is very clever and knows the library like the back of her hand...

The second story line is about an assassination squad that has been sent to kill Vader. Vader investigates to find out who sent them - and he is not pleased to find where the trail leads...

My Review

I really liked this graphic novel. The art is fantastic. The character of the librarian was done well. Two things are shown in this story: 1) Vader has completely submitted to the Emperor, at least in appearance; 2) Vader keeps some of himself in reserve - just in case. 

I rate this graphic novel 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD of the SITH, VOLUME 2 - LEGACY'S END.

Link to my review of Volume 1 of this series.
Link to my review of Volume 3 of this series.

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD of the SITH, VOLUME 1 - IMPERIAL MACHINE (graphic novel) by Charles Soule

Published in 2017 by Licensed Publishing.
Written by Charles Soule.
Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Cam Smith

Synopsis

Imperial Machine is the first entry in a four-part series about Star Wars' most iconic character: Darth Vader. 

The series starts with the last scene of Episode III - the moment where Anakin Skywalker truly becomes the infamous Darth Vader.

But is he really and truly Darth Vader at this point? No, he has only started his long trip to being a Sith Lord and the Emperor is ready to train him.

The Emperor's training mostly consists of Vader going out to figure it out the hard way. For example, Vader has lost his light saber and Palpatine sends him out to take the light saber of a Jedi in combat. Then, Vader must corrupt the crystal inside, which makes it glow red. 

The problem is, there are hardly any Jedi left thanks to Order 66 and the other events at the end of Star Wars: Episode III.

My review

This was an engrossing story. Palpatine is abusive as a teacher - so abusive that you almost feel sorry for Vader. Then, Vader does something completely evil, reminding the reader of who he really is.

There is one very intriguing moment - a "what if?" moment when Vader begins to corrupt the stones of his light saber...

The art is fantastic, the story is excellent. Great work.

I rate this graphic novel 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: STAR WARS: DARTH VADER: DARK LORD of the SITH, VOLUME 1 - IMPERIAL MACHINE

Link to my review of Volume 2 of this series.
Link to my review of Volume 3 of this series.

UNCOMMON VALOR: A STORY of RACE, PATRIOTISM, and GLORY in the FINAL BATTLES of the CIVIL WAR by Melvin Claxton and Mark Puls

Published in 2005 by John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

The Emancipation Proclamation was effective on January 1, 1863 - it included a provision that former slaves were to "be received into the armed service of the United States". The Union Army was a little slow to enact this provision, but by 1864 there were plenty of African American Union soldiers ready to go into the field. Uncommon Valor follows one of those units during the Petersburg campaign of 1864-1865.

This history primarily follows Christian Fleetwood, an African American Baltimore clerk. Fleetwood was born free, but living in a slave state was a constant reminder of his second class status. He had been considering joining the army for a long while, trying to determine if it would be a blow for freedom, or just choosing to support one oppressive regime in order to fight an even more oppressive regime. If that was the case, he might as well sit it out and let both sides clobber one another.

Sgt. Major Christian Fleetwood (1840-1914)
in the year 1900. 

After eight months of indecision, Fleetwood joined up. Using Fleetwood's autobiography, the authors tell the story of his training, his concerns about unequal pay, and his frustrations with inconsequential assignments. He was frustrated with their lack of action - he was sure it was because the higher-ups feared that they would not fight well. 

Eventually, though, they were given more and more assignments, including probes into the outer defenses of the capital of the Confederacy itself. 

In the summer of 1864, General Grant determined that he would push Lee's army continuously until he destroyed it or Lee surrendered. Lee had to defend Richmond at all costs, so it was starting to become a static line, almost like a World War I line of trenches. 

Grant ordered a quick attack on Petersburg, a large train junction town more than 20 miles south of Richmond. The theory was that if the Union took Petersburg and stop the trains bringing in supplies, it could quickly starve out Lee's army. 

Fleetwood wanted action - now he had it. He would serve in multiple engagements and eventually earn the Congressional Medal of Honor for his part in the Battle of New Market Heights.

All of these battles and maneuvers are pretty well-described, but maps, even poor ones, would have been helpful. I am always a fan of lots of maps in my Civil War histories - it just helps the reader understand things so much better.

Besides the maps, this book really needed a section that discussed what the main people mentioned in the book did after the war. It didn't need a lot of detail, but something would have been nice.

I rate this history 4 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: UNCOMMON VALOR: A STORY of RACE, PATRIOTISM, and GLORY in the FINAL BATTLES of the CIVIL WAR by Melvin Claxton and Mark Puls.

EXIT STAGE LEFT: THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES (graphic novel) Written by Mark Russell. Illustrated by Mike Feehan

Published by DC Comics in 2018.

Part of the Hannah-Barbera Beyond series.

2019 GLAAD Media Award winner for Outstanding Comic Book

Synopsis:

DC Comics and Hanna-Barbera set out to reimagine some of their late 1950s to 1970s Saturday morning television cartoons, including The Jetsons, The Flintstones, Scooby Doo, Wacky Races, and Space Ghost. Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles is the last installment of the series.

The graphic novel is set in the Red Scare/McCarthyism era. Congressional subcommittees are looking for Communists in all fields, but they are particularly concerned about Communist entertainers who may be negatively influencing Americans.

Snagglepuss is a very successful New York City playwright. He lives in a world where humans and anthropomorphic animals interact as equals. He moved to New York from Mississippi years ago, but he still speaks in a Southern accent and often uses pithy folksy aphorisms. He is married to an actress, but that is a sham marriage. In reality, Snagglepuss is gay.

Snagglepuss has already appeared before the Congressional sub-committee and he did well. He defended the concept of Freedom of Speech and gave them a verbal tongue lashing that they will never forget. 

But, now the sub-committee is digging deeper into the personal lives of the people it questions, including looking into their sexual preferences. Getting outed could easily destroy the career of any actor, producer, or writer... 

Other Hanna-Barbera characters that appear in this graphic novel include Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Augie Doggie, Peter Pottamus, and a very creepy-looking Squiddly Diddly.

My Review:

Imagining Snagglepuss as gay and working in the theatre does not take a lot of actual imagination. I had never really thought about it before I ran across this graphic novel, but it tracked pretty well.

There is a great quote in this graphic novel said by Snagglepuss:

"Sometimes we become so preoccupied with the plot of life that we forget - it's only the characters who matter."

The weakness in this graphic novel is that it tries way too hard to incorporate so much of the Cold War into the plot that it just got confusing. There are nuclear tests, Nixon and Kruschev debating, an Iowa farmer throwing ears of corn at Kruschev, and an ongoing debate about national security. 

I am not arguing that these things were not a part of the anti-gay movement in the 1950s, but it distracted from the main plotline too much. It was too far away from the story of Snagglepuss and Huckleberry Hound. To go back to the quote I thought was so great, the graphic novel got so preoccupied with the Cold War tie-in that it forgot about the characters.

If I were part of the discussion with how to make this an effective graphic novel, I would have dealt with more with the "morals" argument and less with the Cold War argument. It would have been more relevant to nowadays with all of the book bans and boycotts over LGBTQ+ issues.

The nice thing about this graphic novel is that it ties in to the actual Hanna-Barbera TV shows that feature these characters and makes sense, as if the readers that remembers those classic shows is a part of Snagglepuss's world.

I rate this graphic novel 4 stars out of 5. Interesting read, thought-provoking, but flawed. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles.

THANKS a THOUSAND: A GRATITUDE JOURNEY (audiobook) by A.J. Jacobs

Published by Simon and Schuster Audio / TED

Read by A.J. Jacobs.

Duration: 3 hours, 12 minutes.

Unabridged.

A.J. Jacobs had been doing some reading and thinking about the concept of gratitude when it occurred to him that he really should be grateful for a lot of things that no one every expresses any gratitude for. He settled on his morning cup of coffee that he buys at a the corner coffee shop. 

On his quest to thank a thousand people for his daily cup of coffee, he starts with the clerk, the barista, and the management of the small coffee chain. He moves on to the people that make the cup lids, the cups, and even the metal of the coffee makers. Eventually, he gets to the guy that chooses the coffee beans that make up his favorite brew. That guy takes him to the farm in Colombia that grows his favorite beans and the bemused and confused Colombians host them for a little get together. 

The whole book is mildly amusing and somewhat interesting, but is not riveting in any way. It's nice, but hardly memorable. 

I rate this audiobook 3 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey. 

THE SWEDISH EMPIRE: A HISTORY from BEGINNING to END (kindle) by Hourly History

Published in 2021 by Hourly History

Note: Hourly History specializes in short histories and biographies that take about an hour to read. Generally, I read them to learn more about topics that I would never read about in a full sized history. Topics like the Swedish Empire, for example.

As a history buff, I see references to the Swedish Empire from time to time - an empire of Lutherans coming out of the far north, fighting in several wars, and then retreating back to Sweden. I also recognized the name of one of its kings, Adolphus Gustavus because, let's face it, it's a heckuva name.

This short history does a pretty good job of explaining the pretty short history of the Swedish Empire (1611-1721). It explains how the Swedes raised troops, fought in wars against its neighbors, reforms that were undertaken by the king, the Swedes' brief foray into building a North American colony, and the end of the Swedish Empire.

I rate this e-book 5 stars out of 5. It can be found on Amazon.com here: The Swedish Empire: A History from Beginning to End.