The Hateful Eight Film Review

by The Wanderer

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Channing Tatum, Bruce Dern, Walter Goggins, Tim Roth, Demian Bichir, Michael Madsen
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 187 Minutes (Roadshow Version) 167 Minutes General Release

Somebody Still Cares!

The Hateful Eight is classic Tarantino: bountiful amounts of slowly building tension, intense and oftentimes politically incorrect dialogue, a twisted sense of humor, and graphically violent resolutions. The nods to old films are there, especially with the cinematography, while the use of post-modern storytelling techniques still give this film a modern feel that should satisfy most of who've come to love the director's filmmaking.

The Ten Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2014

Ranking of 2014’s Best Fantasy and Science Fiction Books

This is our second year reviewing and writing about everything that’s related to fantasy and science fiction.  Admittedly we tend to focus heavily on reviewing movies and books, so we will be providing best of lists for each of those for 2014.

As the primary book reader at ATG Reviews, I wish I could have read everything I wanted to, but alas time isn’t unlimited. Nevertheless I took up as many reading projects as I could manage – both classics and newer books.  Our Top 10 List was made using the following guidelines:

• Books must be related in some way to the genres of fantasy and science fiction.
• Books must have a word count longer than 40,000 (So no novellas, short stories or anthologies).
• Books must have been published for the first time in 2014 (Sorry classic SFF books and translations … looking at you Three Body Problem).

Don’t agree with our list, feel free to list your favorite fantasy and science fiction books of 2014 in the comments below.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Film Review

by The World Weary

Director: J.J. Abrams
Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Peter Mayhew, Domnhall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Oscar Isaac
Series: Star Wars
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 135 Minutes

Great Hosannah

"As we stand here together, we can see ourselves as one."

A brilliant line from a brilliant song. The song is "Great Hosannah" by Kula Shaker, and the line is something that's been running through my head since The Wanderer and I left the theater about an hour ago. The whole run time of the film I felt connected with my fellow moviegoers. We whooped and hollered, we cried, we laughed. Perhaps it was The Force running through us, binding us together. Perhaps it was the great sci-fi adventure film we were watching together, that just left us silent and attentive. Whatever the case may be, this is a great day for fans the world over. This is a joyous blast of a film that captivates from beginning to end.

This is Star Wars.

Return of the Jedi Film Review

by The World Weary

Director: Richard Marquand
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, Ian McDiarmid, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz
Series:Star Wars
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 136 Minutes

A Tremor in the Force

This review is of the 2004 DVD Re-Release, which includes re-touched footage and added sequences from the 1997 Special Edition (a.k.a. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi). However, while reviewing the film I actively ignored the Special Edition add-ons, and this review will be based on the original footage as well as my memories of the original cut of the film. In a specially marked section I will discuss the Special Edition footage, which includes a few spoilers for Return of the Jedi. There will also be spoilers for The Empire Strikes Back in the main article.

It had been a long time since I've seen Return of the Jedi. As a kid, I loved this movie. I loved the climactic space battle, climactic lightsaber battle, and when the ending rolled around on my first viewing of my dad's VHS copy, I wept. This movie hit all the right notes for me as a kid, but now that I'm a little older a few cracks have begun to show. This is still a fine film, and leagues ahead of the prequels, but it is the weakest of the originals.

Avengers vs X-Men Comic Review

by The Wanderer

Authors: Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Jason Aaron, and Jonathan Hickman
Illustrators: John Romita Jr., Adam Kubert, and Olivier Coipel

Publisher: Marvel

Genre: Crossover

Series: Avengers vs X-Men (0-12)

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Bam, Pow, Punch, Kick, Kablam!

2012’s Avengers and X-Men crossover event is underwhelming.  Marvel’s two biggest superhero groups doing battle with one another has been a long waited for event … that just can’t deliver on the hype.  The story gets bogged down by too many dropped plot threads, forced insertions of storylines, and a ton superhero vs superhero moments that result in pointless draws or no-contests.

The Empire Strikes Back Film Review

by The World Weary

Director: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz
Series: Star Wars
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 129 Minutes

Buy on Amazon!

The Greatest Space Opera Ever

This review is of the 2004 DVD Re-Release, which includes re-touched footage and added sequences from the 1997 Special Edition (a.k.a. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back). However, while reviewing the film I actively ignored the Special Edition add-ons, and this review will be based on the original footage as well as my memories of the original cut of the film. In a specially marked section I will discuss the Special Edition footage, which includes a few spoilers for The Empire Strikes Back.


The Empire Strikes Back is one of those rare sequels that is as good as, or better than the original. While I love the first Star Wars film for the sheer wonder and joy it can evoke in a person, The Empire Strikes Back is a Perfect 10 for a different reason. This is just an amazingly made film, that takes the stakes, characters, and universe of the original and builds and improves on them in every way.

This is a far darker film than Star Wars (1977), yet at the same time, it feels just as hopeful and wonderful. This is, like its predecessor, one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made, and  a classic that shall ride eternal on the roads of Valhalla, shiny and chrome.

To Green Angel Tower Part Two Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Tad Williams
Publisher: DAW Books
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Book Four
Pages:796

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(Spoilers for the previous three books in Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn are below).

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn reaches its epic conclusion as Humans, Sithi, and Trolls head back to the Hayholt for their final battle with Elias, Pryrates, and the Norns.  The larger plot lines are traditionally predictable, which is typical of good vs. evil epic fantasy, however the minute by minute events in the plot have a few twists in them which helps to keep things interesting.

A strong ending for a solid series.  Characters get what they deserve, threads are ended conclusively, and readers should be satisfied with how everything works out.

To Green Angel Tower Part One Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Tad Williams
Publisher: DAW Books
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Series: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Book Three
Pages:815

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Score: 8.4

The original transcript of this review has been lost. Click here for more info.

The Stone of Farewell Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Tad Williams
Publisher: DAW Books
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Series:  Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Book Two
Pages: 727

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(Contains spoilers for The Dragonbone Chair).

Where as the previous book was one of the slowest paced fantasy books out there, the Stone of Farewell manages to bring up the pace up to a point where it moves at the speed of a typical fantasy novel.  In addition to this, there are many more narrators and different subplots, many of which greatly add to the moral dilemmas and issues being discussed.

If you made it past the first 600 pages of the last book, Stone of Farewell will reward reader patience by delivering a sequel that largely improves upon the Dragonbone Chair.

The Dragonbone Chair Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Tad Williams
Publisher: DAW Books
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Series:  Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Book One
Pages: 766

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Tad Williams’ Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is one of modern fantasy’s most influential series’.  Although it is written in a style similar to Tolkien, Williams gave the fantasy genre a more adult make over without taking the conventions developed by Tolkien completely off the rails.

To say the Dragonbone Chair kicks things off for Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn would imply that Williams hits the ground running, but this book really starts at a crawl. This is an excellent novel that takes a long time to get going, and less patient readers will likely lose interest.  For those who stick around, a well crafted world with a traditional fantasy plot and well developed characters will make Williams’ story and world well worth the time spent visiting.

The Doomsday Book Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Connie Willis
Publisher: Bantam
Genre: Science Fiction, Time Travel
Series:  Oxford Time Travelers Book One (Unofficial)
Pages: 592

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Repetition, First World Problems, and Terrible Technological Predictions … Oh My!

Disappointment
noun
Definition: the feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations.

I walked into reading this book completely naked.  No not literally naked, but naked in that sense that I had no idea what the book was going to be about. I bought this because it was on sale, it had a reputation, people had raved about it, the author is the most decorated in the history of the Hugo’s and Nebula’s etc. etc.  A couple of dozen pages into the book Willis had established herself as a writer with some solid writing ability and when I saw what the plot was going to be I was very excited because this is a book that I’ve always wanted to see written.

Unfortunately the euphoria didn’t last long. Never has the word disappointment or its definition been more true in my reading experience than when I read Connie Willis’ Doomsday Book.  This is a book that could have easily been one of the best books I’ve read, but it disappoints so many times, frequently taking you out of the story, that by the end you just thank God that it’s finally over.

The Price of Valor Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Django Wexler
Publisher: Roc
Genre: Flintlock Fantasy, Military Fantasy
Series: The Shadow Campaigns Book Three
Pages: 512

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(Spoilers for The Thousand Names and The Shadow Throne).

For those of you out there who haven’t started reading The Shadow Campaigns you’re missing out on one of the best fantasy series’ currently being written. The Thousand Names, the first book, was a good book, it wasn’t great but it was good.  The Shadow Throne, the second book, was absolutely brilliant. It’s a massive jump in quality storytelling, which I liken to how I felt when reading Elfstones of Shannara after The Sword of Shannara. It’s really that much better.

The Shadow Throne Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Django Wexler
Publisher: Roc
Genre: Flintlock Fantasy, Military Fantasy
Series: The Shadow Campaigns Book Two
Pages: 498

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(Spoilers for The Thousand Names are below).

The Thousand Names was a well written debut. However there were issues with the plot, which could get really predictable, and Jen Alhundt’s short-lived relationship with Marcus came across as unbelievable. With a predictable plot, there’s not always a whole lot of motivation to dig into a sequel by that author, but Django Wexler’s three main characters – Winter, Janus, and Marcus – were strong enough to see the story to an enjoyable conclusion, plus all the historical and military details established a well thought out world.

Most second books in a fantasy series tend to struggle, too, but I decided to plow ahead with reading this sequel. Thankfully … Django Wexler delivers. Everything about The Shadow Throne is better than The Thousand Names.  The character development, the plots, the social relevance, the historical details, the worldbuilding, the exploitation of the magic system, all of it.

The Thousand Names Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Django Wexler
Publisher: Roc
Genre: Flintlock Fantasy, Military Fantasy
Series: The Shadow Campaigns Book One
Pages: 513

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The Thousands Names is the first book in Django Wexler’s Shadow Campaigns, a planned five book series. Wexler combines a character named chapter structure that’s similar to the style George R.R. Martin uses in Game of Thrones, while writing in the genre of a flintlock military fantasy.

The combination’s pretty effective as Wexler gives readers some well flushed out main characters, but a pretty straight forward plot that only really opens up at the end.  Nevertheless we’d recommend Wexler’s book to fans of military fantasy, character driven fantasy, and historical influenced fantasy – particularly if you’re interested in military history from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Star Wars (1977) Film Review

by The World Weary

Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Alec Guiness, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, James Earl Jones
Series: Star Wars
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 123 Minutes

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Pure Hope

This review is of the 2004 DVD Re-Release, which includes re-touched footage and added sequences from the 1997 Special Edition (a.k.a. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope). However, while reviewing the film I actively ignored the Special Edition add-ons, and this review will be based on the original footage as well as my memories of the original cut of the film. In a specially marked section I will discuss the Special Edition footage, which includes a few spoilers for Star Wars and Return of the Jedi.

What a film.

The perfect marriage of inexperience, hope, the perfect cast, and passion. Really, this isn't just a cultural milestone, or another nerdy franchise, this is a powerfully good film.
Centuries from now, I can see this film still being important, and its legacy will probably never fade. This is one of the most joyous adventures ever committed to celluloid. This is the greatest science fiction story ever told.

This is Star Wars.

Beyond The Shadows Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Brent Weeks
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy
Series: Night Angel Book Three
Pages: 699

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Spoilers for the previous two books in the Night Angel Trilogy are below).

In The Way of Shadows Brent Weeks told an entertaining story – I would equate it to being a summer blockbuster, but in book form. It had its flaws, but it was entertainment first, literary merits second.  It’s sequel Shadow’s Edge struggled greatly, especially with Kylar’s time outside of Cenaria and by introducing a number of secondary characters that added almost nothing to the story.  Bringing back Durzo Blint at the end was criminal, but the resolution of a few of the plot points like Vi’s ringing of Kylar made things interesting enough to warrant reading the final installment of the trilogy.

Beyond the Shadows goes completely off the rails.  The first two thirds of this novel are amongst some of the worst fantasy I’ve read – especially in regards to the secondary characters and the romantic pairings.  The final third starts to pull things together – at least from an entertainment perspective – but it ends by force feeding some imagery to the reader in a feeble attempt to shove some ideas about love and redemption that had been casually thrown around the series.

Shadow's Edge Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Brent Weeks
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy
Series: Night Angel Book Two
Pages: 645

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(Spoilers for The Way of Shadows are below).

The sophomore slump.  This really seems to be a problem in a lot of fantasy trilogies, and sadly the Night Angel Trilogy joins the club.  Sure there are plenty of entertaining moments scattered throughout the book, but there are great number of issues, too.

Shadow’s Edge is a fun sequel to The Way of Shadows, but it falls significantly short of it’s predecessor.  By all means this book is like a superhero movie, it’s entertaining, but it’s not going to be winning an Academy Award for Best Picture.

The Way of Shadows Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Brent Weeks
Publisher: Orbit
Genre: Sword and Sorcery, Epic Fantasy
Series: Night Angel Book One
Pages: 659

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The Way of Shadows is a Tolkien inspired fantasy that at first glance doesn’t really appear to resemble anything like Tolkien’s work.  Weeks’ story is so dark and bleak, and there are so many morally ambiguous characters, it’s hard to find the classic good vs. evil Tolkien staples. But deep down this story is still about a young unknown child rising to become a powerful figure in a fight against evil.

Weeks writes a descriptive “hell on earth” type of scenario. His characters live in a place with depressing realities that echo the darkness’s in our own world. I found myself loving every bit of the book until the end, which had a number of twists in the plot that agitated me.  However, my personal qualms with the ending won’t stop me from continuing with the sequels. The Way of Shadows is a great introduction to a grim assassin centered fantasy series.

The Golem and the Jinni Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Helene Wecker
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Literary Fantasy
Series: Standalone
Pages: 486

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We Need To Focus On The Here And Now 

Helene Wecker’s debut novel tells the tale of a Jinni and a Golem that live in New York City at the turn of the 20th century.  Wecker’s story blends a number of genres, creating a literary melting pot that seems to go hand in hand with the real world cultural melting pot of immigrant filled New York. Some of these genres are used conventionally – fantasy and historical fiction – others are used unconventionally – romance and literary.

Wecker has a distinct writing style, and her prose is the strongest part of the book.  On the other hand the plot starts to feel forced, and the book misses opportunities to deliver some gut rendering emotional scenes. Instead it leaves readers wondering why they didn’t feel a cathartic release after the build up of so much emotional tension. The Golem and the Jinni proves Helene Wecker is a skilled writer, but her storytelling needs some improvement.

The Philosopher Kings Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Jo Walton
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Literary Science Fiction
Series: Thessaly Book Two
Pages: 352

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(An advanced copy was provide by the publisher).

(Spoilers for The Just City are below).

I was “wowed” by The Just City, and once again I’m saying “wow” after finishing its first sequel The Philosopher Kings. Just to be clear when I say wow I’m talking about the word that expresses admiration and astonishment and not the acronym for a popular MMORPG by Blizzard. The Philosopher Kings introduces a great new narrator in Arete, continues with the thoughtful questioning that made the first book so much fun to read, and concludes with a gutsy ending.  If you enjoyed The Just City, and you still have a craving for ancient mythology and philosophy, then you’ll be right at home with the sequel.

The Just City Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Jo Walton
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Literary Science Fiction
Series: Thessaly Book One
Pages: 368

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(An advanced copy was provided by the publisher).

The Just City is the first book in a new philosophical fantasy trilogy by Jo Walton.  I had never read anything by Jo Walton when I received my advance copy of this book, but I had heard a lot of glowing praise.  So I’m about to jump on that bandwagon, because this book is one of the best new books I’ve read in awhile.  With a great concept, entertaining multidimensional characters, and a nod to one of philosophy’s most important works, Walton tells an utterly compelling and thought provoking story.

Infinite Jest Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: David Foster Wallace
Publisher: Brown
Genre: Literary Science Fiction, Humor
Series: Standalone
Pages: 1,087

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This is one of the most challenging works of fiction out there, and that includes books outside the fantasy and science fiction realm. It’s a rewarding read to the people who are willing to brave the immense length and post modern diatribes that come with it.

If you pick up Infinite Jest you will either love this book or hate it. This book isn’t for everyone. Taking a look at the Amazon reviews, you can see the masses would agree with that statement as the two highest star ratings are one and five. Personally, I believe this is a brilliant story – especially at the conceptual level. For ye brave souls who pick up this book, get ready to be sucked into endless conversation with those who have read it, and get ready for some blank stares from people who haven’t read it and are wondering why anyone would spend their time reading a book like this. In my personal opinion Infinite Jest is brilliant, simply put.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Film Review

by The World Weary

Director: George Lucas
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid, Natalie Portman, Frank Oz
Series: Star Wars
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 140 Minutes

Buy on Amazon!

Wrap it up, G!

This article features minor spoilers for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

After Attack of the Clones, Star Wars kind of became a joke. It was one of the biggest letdowns in the franchise's history, and it has, to this very day, sullied the reputation of the entire prequel trilogy. Still, when the "final" episode had a release date, Star Wars fans held their collective breath and hoped for the best.

Perhaps for the first time in the Prequel Trilogy, fans' expectations were perfectly met. We knew this movie wouldn't be the greatest, but we wanted it to be the best of the new films, and wham, right after the opening crawl, we get the most epic space battle in any Star Wars film ever (at least as far as the scale of the battle, not the stakes). Star Wars felt like Star Wars should, and the Prophecy of The Force was fulfilled.

Mostly...

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Review

by The World Weary

Director: George Lucas
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee
Series: Star Wars
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 142 Minutes

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Forced Feelings

This review features spoilers for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars (1977), and Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

So The Phantom Menace happened. Like your first sexual experience, Episode I of the Star Wars Saga was a fumbling, if good natured attempt to induce pleasure. Poor George Lucas hadn't had a good creative coupling in so long, the he blew his filmmaker's wad all over the plot, pacing, and characters, resulting in a goddamned mess of a film.

If I'm really comparing Episode I to premature ejaculation, which I am, then Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones would be like waking up next to Farmer McClurgen's prize winning goat, Matilda, while you're both buried under about 42 bottles of Early Times Whiskey, and Matilda is dead from a toy lightsaber that's been lodged handle deep up her ass.

Slaughterhouse-Five Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Publisher: Delacorte
Genre: Literary Science Fiction, Humor
Series: Standalone
Pages: 215

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Slaughterhouse-Five has spawned a number of classic phrases and expressions such as “poo-tee-weet,” an expression said by birds in the novel that has come to represent the lack of intelligent dialogue that could ever be said about war.   “So it goes,” is another Vonnegut phrase that is associated with this book, as that expression is used after every single death, whether it be physical or metaphorical, in the novel.

Besides its cultural impact, Slaughterhouse-Five contains profound wisdom and haunting real-life experiences that give readers insight to the horrors of war.  The book also combines two genres that seemingly have nothing to do with one another (science fiction and autobiography) in a way that has a profound emotional impact on readers.  Slaughterhouse-Five is not just a great science fiction book, it is one of the greatest books ever written.

The Sirens of Titan Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Kurt Vonnegut
Publisher: Delacorte
Genre: Literary Science Fiction, Humor
Series: Standalone
Pages: 336

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The book that first garnered Kurt Vonnegut literary fame, The Sirens of Titan is a satirical science fiction novel that explores the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life. Vonnegut’s story is heavy on the science fiction element, but it’s primarily used to advances his beliefs about the world and humanity, rather than make predictions about the future.

This is a fast moving book with a lot of changes that are often abrupt, but not disruptive. The setting shifts frequently from Earth, Mars, Mercury, and Titan, a moon that is orbiting Saturn, all in a book that is under 400 pages.  The characters often change as frequently as the setting does, making the novel difficult to follow at times.

Vonnegut’s trademark satire is on point and it is horribly hilarious while he lampoons humanities beliefs in existence, religion, and wealth.  A classic in both literary and science fiction, The Sirens of Titan is a punch to the gut that you can laugh about.

Radiance Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Catherynne M. Valente
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Space Opera, Literary Science Fiction
Series: Standalone
Pages: 432

Buy on Amazon!

The original transcript of this review has been lost. Click here for more info.

Below is a re-write of the original review.

In the early twentieth century humans have colonized all nine of the planets in our solar system and most of the moons. Film is a newly developed form of art, but despite the abilities to create “talkies” most films remain silent in order to avoid paying the Edison family for their copyright patents. Severin Unck is the daughter of the famous director Percy Unck; she disappears while making her last film on Venus, leaving all who knew her to wonder about her fate.

The Hobbit Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Genre: Middle Grade, Epic Fantasy
Series: Lord of the Rings Prequel
Pages: 310

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Why even bother writing a review for a book like the Hobbit?  Its reputation as a classic is set in stone, and its author, J.R.R. Tolkien, is now considered to be the father of modern fantasy, which is due in large part to this book.  The only answer that came to my mind was, why not?

Before there was The Lord of the Rings, readers were introduced to The Hobbit, a story about an unseemly and simple creature that becomes a great hero.  In a lot of regards The Hobbit is a children’s story with adult values.  But it’s so much more; it’s the introduction to a beautifully real world called Middle Earth which is brought to life through Tolkien’s descriptive prose, and his detailed histories of the land’s different cultures and people.

Published over a decade before The Lord of the Rings, this is truly the book that started it all.  Although not everything about The Hobbit is perfect, overall the story has aged well.  Due to its immeasurable contributions to the genre this is a book that cannot be scored anything less than perfect.