Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

The Book with a Long Title but Not Much Depth

The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life by Usata Nonohara, Ox (illustrator), Guru Mizoguchi (manga)

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I don’t always agree with the reviewers in Otaku USA magazine in fact I often don’t, at least on some big point or another. This time however, they nailed it. I saw a review for The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life, which decided that this was unremarkable, but cute, more about the characters than the story. Then I was off on a business trip and had some time to spare on my way to the hotel and wandered into a […]

90% good spoiled by 10% dumb

The Visitor by Sheri S. Tepper

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I read a Sheri S. Tepper for last year’s CBR and liked but didn’t love it, and thought I’d give her another shot. I thought this one was going to change my mind. It started out with such promise! A rich, interesting, original post-apocalyptic world. Great villains. Okay heroes. Lots of interesting stuff. I was hooked! Until the end. When astronomers and scientists notice a thing out in space, heading rapidly toward Earth, they start getting nervous. When the thing avoids other planets to stay […]

A celebration of everyday accomplishments as well as life’s milestones

I Knew You Could Do It! by Nancy Tillman

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I Knew You Could Do It! is classic Nancy Tillman. If you know the style of Tillman, you know this book. This gives it the comfort level of knowing there will be no surprise and you know if you will like or not. However, even if you are not a fan of Tillman’s illustrations and style of writing, there are some interesting interpretations of folktales in the art. You see Cinderella, Lion and the Mouse, Jack and the Beanstalk, Sleeping Beauty and more. Not every […]

“In brightest day, in blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight. Let all who worship evil’s might, Beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!”

Green Lantern: Legacy by Minh Le

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While Minh Le’s Green Lantern: Legacy is an easy Green Lantern story, it does capture the old school feel of the adult/original Green Lantern. It is a story that any Green Lantern would have to face: the first battle while they still face their fear of failure, wondering if are they good enough and why does everyone think they need a babysitter? (Okay, that last part is probably just 13-year-old Tai Pham). All the elements of a good graphic novel and a good story is […]

“You are stronger than you believe. You have greater powers than you know.” —Antiope to Diana, Wonder Woman movie

Diana: Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Hale

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I was going to review three of these new DC graphic novels for younger readers together. However, each one is so different that they each need their own review. Diana: Princess of the Amazons is a decent story with a good lesson and lots of girl power. It is the story of how a princess called Diana starts to learn about becoming Wonder Woman. It is for ages 7 to 10. And, while boys could read, I do think that it is aimed more at […]

Okay I love short stories now

How Long Till Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin

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It really has taken me this long to get short stories so god bless my library because I never would have gotten here without it. I’d been anti-short story because I missed the novel-length follow through on plots or people or places, but I’m now pro-short story because I can pick up a book at any time, read a chapter, and then put it away for however long I want. Not that I’d want to do that with this book because Jemisin is like GRRM for me […]



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