Dorkgasm Gonzo Is God

All the Blood, None of the Shimmer
By
Cheryl Kobs
Staff Writer

With the recent surge in vampire fiction lately it is hard to know what titles are actually going to be worth it and which ones should be placed in the circular file with all of their shimmery goodness. Barb Hendee’s Hunting Memories is one of those stories I can actually encourage you to take the time to read. Not only because it is a far superior work to some of the vampire work (coughtwilightcough) out there, but because it is innovative and fun all on it’s own.

The Emperess’s New Clothes
By
Cheryl Kobs
Staff Writer

Sharon Shinn’s Quatrain is a series of four novellas all in one book based on worlds she previously created. The first of these novellas is Flight. It takes place in a realm ruled not by kings, but by angels; and not nice, sweet seraphim either. These are asshole angels. The angels are more like frat boys that blow through women as if they are matches, leaving them abandoned and broken.

Built in a Day
By
Michael C. Riedlinger
Editor-In-Chief

The problem with modern science fiction is that it often tries too had to draw attention to the cool science fiction bits that land it within that genre. The best science fiction plays it closer to the chest and lets us slide into the suspension of disbelief that our minds so want to fight against when we start reading about laser pistols and faster-than-light travel. We want to believe, but in order for us to do that, an author must believe in his world as much as he wants his audience to believe it. William C. Dietz accomplishes that very well with his latest novel, At Empire’s Edge.

A Light in the Dark
By
Jenny Sobczak
Staff Writer

Think Twilight, then subtract the vampires, insert a couple hundred supernatural hounds and various forms of magic, and make the writing five times better. Throw in a Voldemort-like antagonist and you’ve got yourself On the Edge by Ilona Andrews. Taking place in three different realms, the novel follows Rose Drayton and her two brothers, Jack and Georgie, as intruders shake up their lives. Declan and Casshorn, the intruders, both come from the Weird, the magical realm. As a contrast, Rose and her brothers live in the Edge, which lies between the Weird and the mortal realm of the Broken. But, despite the comparison to Twilight, this book is well written and has a much darker and more interesting plot.

John McClain’s ancestors in: Die Hard 23
By
Trevor Curtis
Staff Writer

Military SF usually falls into two categories: those trying rewrite Heinlein novels, or those trying to bore us to death with the technical details of their spacecraft (see David Weber). Thankfully, Vigilante by Laura Reeve falls into neither category.

28 Days Later, The Hunt For The Xombie Lord of The Flies Continues...

A review of Xombies: Apocalypse Blues

(Previously published as Xombies)

A novel by Walter Greatshell

Review by Kenneth Holm

Senior Staff Writer

      Okay, I will admit it. When I picked this book up, I thought it was something different. When I saw “Xombie”, I immediately thought of James Farr's online animation epic / comic book Xombie, but I was mistaken. No, this is something completely different. Oddly enough though, this was not my first time reading it... Back in 2004, Xombies: Apocalypse Blues was originally published as a book simply called Xombies. The cover featured a cool looking creature... thing and that was what drew me in. I finished the book and went about my life. Now that the sequel is somewhat close at hand, Ace has decided to re-release it to the masses to get the blood pumping for its future installments.

Photo-Chop
By
Jenny Sobczak
Staff Writer

It isn’t impossible to create a good adaptation of a Jane Austen novel, whether on paper or on screen. The Jane Austen Book Club had its moments, and Lost in Austen was very imaginative and entertaining. So why, on the literary front, has Seth Grahame-Smith failed miserably with his own attempt? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies looked like it was going to be a good read. Jane Austen and zombies are two brilliant elements separately, so why not mix them together and make for something insanely awesome? Apparently, they should be kept apart, or the task should be undertaken by someone who can execute it properly.

The True Nature of the Monster A Review of Grotesque By Natsuo Kirino Translated by Rebecca Copeland Review by Kenneth Holm Senior Staff Writer             When I first picked up Grotesque from my local library, I had no clue that I even wanted it. Truly, my wife decided that it looked like something I would like to read. I had never heard of the author, and by reading the dust jacket I thought that I was in for a slightly more feminist retread of any of the Ringu series by Koji Suzuki. As usual, if I would just calm down a little bit and think, I would not have these botched first impressions. This book is about jealousy, power, sexuality, and cultural differences. This review is about misconceptions and how they almost forced me to stop reading one of the most satisfying books I have read in a long time.

Phenomenal Cosmic Powers, Itty Bitty Living Space
By
 Michael C. Riedlinger
 Editor-In-Chief


            If you aren’t familiar with The Dresden Files by now, maybe you have been living under a rock. Between a short-lived SCI-FI CHANNEL series, a graphic novel adaptation by industry licensing mavens The Dabble Brothers, and a forthcoming RPG, it is hard to ignore Jim Butcher’s ne’er-do-well wizard for hire. This newest installment in the series, Small Favor is a prime example of why Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is at the top of his popularity with no signs of letting up.