*CLASH OF SWORDS*

I said I'd participate in the next read-a-thon. And then Bhanree ups and joins one for next weekend. AUGH.

Particularly since I'm going to be out of internet range for most of the weekend. Including 9+ hours in a car. But I can read on the road? Or something? I will TRY.

*throws down a glove*

Read-a-thon, let's fight.

I hearby announce my intention to participate in Bibliophilic Book Blog's Read-A-Thon. I intend to get though as many of my 2010 Debuts as possible.

Look what came in the mail today!

 

*gloats*

The picture is crappy, but I just had to share my SHINIES. :D

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 4: Unstoppable, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday

This is a terrible cover picture, for an awesome book. Sorry.

I couldn't find a larger english version!

Ahem. Let's continue with the story. The art is beautiful and amazing, but it was through the entire last three books, so I don't think it hardly even needs to be mentioned. (I made a desperately complicated sentence with lots of negatives! Go me!) Though I did tell my younger brothers they HAD to read it, and then realized only later that there are some incidences of *cough* minimal clothing on girls. One girl, really, but yeah. Little to no clothing. ^_^ Oops? I'll add that to the list of things I'll atone for in purgatory.

And then we get to the story. I'm gonna talk in spoilers, so if'n your the delicate sort you might want to stay away. Ahem. In the previous books we met Ord, and saw his freakishnes-ness, and then found out that he kinda maybe had a reason to hate mutants, given that there's a prophecy by some precogs that a Mutant is going to destroy his world. Colossus, specifically, is going to destroy his entire planet, the Breakworld. Any minute now. So of course S.H.I.E.L.D and S.P.E.A.R. (or whatever the heck weapons they're named for,) immediately send Colossus, his GF, his buddies, Ord and the killer A.I. wired to kill them all- to the Breakworld. What could go wrong!

Heh. Heh. Heh. Heh.

Well actually I'm getting ahead of myself, because we start with a nice look at the Breakworld from the inside, so to speak. We follow a person in a red cape around, as she talks about how brutish, nasty and short life is here. Of course, later we find out that she's not exactly what you'd call a "reliable narrator," but w/e. Look at the pretty explosions! Yes, those fireballs you see are the X-men, landing in a controlled and delicate fashion. Or as Logan puts it. "I'm gonna be another half hour regrowing my skin. You can cry into my bubbling shoulder if you want." (There were other parts of that quote, but WHO NEEDS THEM. That's right, no one.)

So after doing a very subtle night insertion into the Breakworld, the X-men tiptoe about researching and making tea for the inhabitants. Also, Scott and Emma have a touching and very sweet make-out session underwater, and Kitty and Logan decide to make a baby.

You may care to know that one or more of those statements in the above paragraph was a lie! I just thought you should know.

And the ending? In the words of my 15 year old brother who I beat around the head with a shoe until he agreed to read it, (before you worry, he didn't take TOO much beating;) "That sucks!"

I gave it five stars out of five. *huggles book*

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 3: Torn, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday (Artist)

Dude. This volume gave me the warm-fuzzies. I heart Emma Frost. *hearts her* Especially when she's physiologically torturing everyone! It's so awesome! ^_^

In this volume, basically Emma goes all "I'm the White Queen, I'm going to hand you your mind in a nice jar, wench," while everyone else runs around doing her bidding. Thinking they're being rebellious. It's so CUTE! *beams* And then thanks to everyone in the world pulling together, and also some help from a teleporter, they leave the world, for the BIG plot.

^_^

This just makes me smile. I was thumbing through it, there, to find my fave parts, and it's ALL my fave parts!

 But Scott with a gun has to be up there in the laugh-out-loud-every-time category. Along with Young!Logan in the tree, and Young!Logan discovering beer. :D In terms of sheer awesome, Emma and Scott having their little heart to heart to open each other's eyes is FLAT OUT MARVELLOUS. And Kitty is just lovely. :D She's not as flashily amazing as Emma, but in this series, she's lovely. I'd want her on my side in a fight. I just really don't want to be fighting AGAINST Emma. Or on the same side, if she does this to all her co-workers.

I gave it five stars out of five, and dove head-first into the next book.

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 2: Dangerous, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday

CONTINUING THE SAGA OF EXCELLENT BOOKS THAT ARE EXCELLENT.

ALSO IT IS LATE AND I HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO THINK OUTSIDE OF CAPSLOCK.

SO I AM GOING TO SHOUT THIS REVIEW AT YOU.

WHEDON, IMMA LET YOU FINISH, BUT DANGER DIDN'T HAVE ONE OF THE BEST RUNS OF ALL TIME. SHE WAS LOVELY IN THE FIRST FIGHT WE MET HER, AND THEN SHE WAS ALL "OH, I'M GOING TO GET A GIANT INSENT ROBOT TO KILL YOU FOR ME" AND IT WAS LESS COOL. ALSO, THE PROFESSOR WAS NOT AWE-INSPIRING, EVEN AS HE WAS KICK-ASS. I DID NOT APPROVE OF THAT.

UMMMMMMMMMMM, I LIKED IT IN GENERAL? I THINK THIS WAS THE LEAST MEMORABLE VOLUME. THERE WAS TOO MUCH ANGST. WHICH SOUNDS FUNNY, WHEN I SHOUT IT AT YOU.

LOLZ.

*DRINKS TEA*

I GAVE IT FOUR STARS OUT OF FIVE, BECAUSE IT STILL FILLED ME WITH DELIGHT, I JUST CAN'T EXACTLY REMEMBER WHY A MONTH AND A HALF LATER. SORRY, WHEDON/CASSADAY.

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 1: Gifted, Joss Whedon and John Cassaday

So a little while ago I got to talking about comics on the internet to my friends, as one does. I mentioned that I hadn't actually read any.

Cue horror and staring from all corners of the internet.

But you see, I live in a small town, and I am not from a practicing nerd family, and my library believes in vampire books and contemporary romances. I had an excuse! I'M SORRY I'M SORRY FORGIVE ME WORLD!

Time passed, as it has a habit of doing. I went to visit some friends! And then, out of the blue, when I was at a shakespeare rehearsal, they presented me with a lovely sign, and the Whedon/Cassaday arc of Astonishing X-Men! I no longer had an excuse. I must bite the bullet and read comics.

And so I did.

And I was DELIGHTED. ^_^ They almost made the trip home enjoyable! Um, the plot. There are aliens, and a cure for mutation, and people coming back from the dead. But I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that the plot is not the MAIN reason people (like me- specifically me,) like comics. We (that is to say I) like it for the characters, and the dialogue, and something I didn't even realize until reading this, which is the art. The art is SO AMAZING. I didn't know you could do that, before!

I'm just gonna skip through my incoherent talking about art, because no one needs to see that. Or read it. Because it is incoherent. (Unlike this explanation, which is SO LOGICAL I could use it as a philosophy thesis.) I'm just gonna mention some parts in this volume which I REALLY liked. :D

Anything with Emma Frost. Or Kitty Pryce. Oh, and any time Hank McCoy and Wolverine are talking. Oh, and I loved Cyclops whenever he was around too. ^_^ So that leaves out- Ord, and the researcher, and the nightmare girl- oh, and I loved Brand and Nick Fury too! The rest of it was just lovely, not DELIGHTFUL.

And yeah, I gave it four stars out of five.

The Rise of Renegade X, Chelsea Campbell

Villainy runs in Damien's family. His mom is a very respected (and feared) mad scientist (dad isn't mentioned, perhaps a lab accident?) and he's quite happy with his family heritage. He's ready to embrace his evil destiny, in fact! He's going to go to the local university for super villains- with early enrolment- take something tasteful, like mad science, and then take over the world. He just has to wait till his thumbprint turns to a V on his sixteenth birthday, and then he's on his way.

Only on his birthday, in front of hundreds of paying guests eager to see an actual villain embrace his heritage, things go wrong.

Because his thumbprint just changed- only not into a V. Damien is now the proud owner of an X on his thumb. The rare and almost mythical progeny of a villain- and a hero.

Damien now is less ready to believe that his dad met with an unfortunate lab accident, or was a turkey baster, as he'd always believed. Now for a spot of non-consentual DNA testing! Yay! That's always good for a laugh...

And then before you know it, we're dealing with mind-control rays, public schools, GIRL ISSUES, flying (omg omg omg omg and not in a good way) SCIENCE, the future, Zombiesand BIG DECISIONS. I'm saying that in a very vague and probably annoying way because I don't want to spoil it for you. ^_^ I'll just say I liked the kissing scenes. And the torture. And the kissing torture. ^_^

Oh, and I think this is the first love triangle I've read that I both enjoyed, thought was believable, and knew right away who I was cheering for. (Now come on, he's caught between a heroine and a villainess. Who do YOU think he should go for? :D) I was IMPRESSED how it seemed entirely believable to me. I mean- granted- everyone involved is insane and has truly twisted ideas of how relationships should work, but I'm cool with that. I can understand that MORE than oh dear pretty fluffy angels you're so pretty and I've never seen you before plz have my babies plz plz plz??? Which is my reading of most relationships, and ESPECIALLY love triangles. *cough* Not that I'm thinking of the classic triangle of our generation *coughJacobBellaEdwardCoughCough* or anything. *cough* Nope *cough cough* I need to go get a drink of water...

*returns, triumphantly hydrated* So yes. The plot just makes me happy to outline, much less read, the love triangle gives me the warm fuzzies, the characters are win- did I mention that? Yes, they are win. Especially when you're moving from first impressions to how people change (or are proven to be exactly the person you thought they were.) They're all LOVELY.

I think at this point you might be getting a vague idea that I liked this book. If you were thinking that, you would be CORRECT. In fact, I gave it five stars out of five. I know there are some technical issues, but I just love it so much. :D You should all read it.

Oh, and Ms. Campbell is writing a book set in ROME next. Ancient Rome. I hope her book after that will be a sequel to renegade. :D