Tag: Review

If you want to write, read!

I've wanted to write since (at least) the third grade. My urges to become an astronaut or a dinosaur-seeking paleontologist faded (although my love for astronauts, space exploration, and dinosaurs remains undimmed), but my longing to create stories never did. In fact, I can still remember the exact books that made me want to make … Continue reading If you want to write, read! →

Book Review: City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

The Prague of City of Dark Magic is a city steeped in legends of magic, a history of blood, and a legacy of secrets. It has been home to geniuses and eccentrics. It is also a city of secrets as music student Sarah Weston discovers. Sarah has come to the Prague Castle for the summer with a team of colorful academics to restore the Lubkowicz Palace to its former glory and turn it into a museum filled with centuries old treasures. There, she finds clues that might finally unravel the mystery of Beethoven's famous immortal beloved. What follows is a tale of mystery, politics, murder, a time traveling prince, a centuries-old dwarf, and even a portal to hell. Yes, and its a romantic comedy. This isn't a book that follows genre conventions, it lays them out like toys and plays with them.

Theatre Review: The Book Club Play at Horizon Theatre

The Book Club Play isn't as edgy or innovative as much of the work Horizon Theatre in Little Five Points/Inman Park is known for. It is, however, an absolute, laugh-out-loud delight that deserves to be seen. But hurry, you only have a couple of weeks.

Musing on Some Elements that Work in Fantasy, Part Two: Iconic Imagery

As we build the ePic Books brand, we're focusing on a single genre (or range of subgenres, I guess), at least for the first year or two: fantasy. A part of our strategy involves looking for certain elements that the very best and most successful fantasies—I'm talking the classics, the most beloved and enduring works that stand out, across years and even generations. One of those elements, Iconic Imagery, is very closely related to the Iconic Locations detailed in Part One.

Musing on Some Elements that Work in Fantasy, Part One: Iconic Locations

When asked to picture Narnia, you probably think of something rather like this, don't you?[/caption]If asked to close one's eyes and picture Narnia, I am willing to bet that just about everyone will picture a snow-covered wood surrounding a clearing where a lamppost sheds a soft, golden light ... just beyond a wardrobe door. Something about that image, that specific location, is iconic. It's a strong, concrete, visual image. It's something we almost can't help responding to, almost like it, that one place, was a character in a story. When we revisit, years later, it's like meeting an old friend.

Ten Places to Get Amazing Pizza in Atlanta

If I had a dime for every time I've heard someone say they just can't find good pizza in Atlanta, I could buy a lot of slices, all with extra cheese. Frankly, the comment never ceases to astonish me. That is, until I remember that it's usually uttered by carpetbagging Yankee new-comers who likely haven't … Continue reading Ten Places to Get Amazing Pizza in Atlanta →

Book Review: “The Magician King” by Lev Grossman

I went to hear Mr. Grossman speak when his author tour brought him to Atlanta, and while I found his talk and reading delightful, I didn't think The Magician King was a book I'd be reviewing. Largely because, when someone asked about a third book, Mr. Grossman joked about writing as many as his agent thought he could sell. Great, I thought. This isn't a book. It's an episode. I couldn't have been more wrong. While The Magician King assumes familiarity with the first book (although it does a fine job of reminding you of the hight points if it's been a while since you read it), this is a sequel with it's own beginning, middle, and very definite end. And darned if it's not an out an out better book. More, Quentin Coldwater (how great is that name?), the main character, grows and changes in this book.

Beer Review: Heavy Seas Great’er Pumpkin Ale

Heavy Seas Great'er Pumpkin Ale is everything I ever hoped a pumpkin ale would be. It pours a lovely brown amber (almost orange) color with a tan head that doesn't linger. The aroma, rich cinnamon and spice with caramel sweetness and, of course, pumpkin, is pleasant and evocative — it makes you think of those bright Arthur Rackham illustrations of the Fezziwig's party in A Christmas Carol, or holiday feasts in a Norman Rockwell painting. There is something quaint and lovely about it, something distinctly autumn, a comfort scent.

Film Review: Disney’s lovely animated “Tangled”

Disney's 50th Animated film, Tangled, was released back in November, and I'm guessing that most of you probably missed it in theaters, which is a shame. I didn't catch it until (close to) the last week. It's available on DVD now, and I hope you'll check it out if you haven't. It's Disney's best effort since Beauty and the Beast. Yes, music aside, it's better than The Lion King—which, despite that astonishing opening sequence and fantastic score, never did find a middle act. The animation is, in a word, stunning. And learning from their compatriots at Pixar, Disney absolutely nailed both the story and the characters. It's been a while, Disney animators. Welcome back.

Hard Cider Review: Magner’s Irish Cider

Try Magner's Irish Cider Continuing to answer my requests for more cider reviews, after my reviews of Crispin's The Saint and Browns Lane, I offer a few words on a hard apple cider imported from Ireland: Magner's. In fact, if forced at gunpoint to name a favorite "everyday" cider, this is probably the one I'd … Continue reading Hard Cider Review: Magner’s Irish Cider →

Hard Cider Review: Crispin Browns Lane Imported English Cider

The taste of Crispin Browns Lane Imported English Cider is surprising. After the gentle sweetness of the Saint, I’d expected something similar from the Browns Lane. Not so much. The first taste is tart, mouth-puckeringly so. So much so that it look a few sips before I decided that I liked it. The sweetness that you expect from is there, certainly, but the sharp tartness almost (but not quite) overwhelms it. It’s not as refreshing as Crispin’s other ciders, but it has a dry, well, uniqueness that grew on me, sip by sip. It’s bitter; it’s sweet.

Beer Review: Baudelaire Saison Ale from Jolly Pumpkin Ales

The pleasantly strong and bready aroma is apparent as soon as the bottle is opened. It's wheaty and yeasty, with subtle hints of fruit—dried orange, maybe—and floral notes. It pours a ruby red (like roses, of course) with one of the thickest, creamiest heads I've ever encountered. It reminded me of a root beer float. The taste surprised me—it wasn't nearly as sweet as I was expecting, although there was a very subtle fruity, floral undertone. The hints of sweetness, as a matter of fact, came mostly in the very pleasant, lingering aftertaste. Almost like a white wine.

Book Review: “The Wise Man’s Fear” by Patrick Rothfuss

The sequel to The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man's Fear, was released a few years later than promised, but it was worth the wait. The new volume picks up right where the last one ended. The central character, Kvothe, has been narrating the truth about his life—already a legend—to a scholarly young man known as Chronicler. Kvothe promised that the telling would take three days. The first volume was day one; the new one is the second day. The final volume, day three, should be released within our lifetimes, if all goes well. There's apparently a sequel trilogy coming after that. I have no idea when, but I feel utterly safe in saying that whenever it arrives, it will, like The Wise Man's Fear, be worth the wait.

Book Review: “Guardians of the Desert” by Leona Wisoker

The sequel to Secrets of the Sands, Guardians of the Desert, actually expands on the earlier book's strengths—the world is deeper and more complex and the characters have grown. Leona's sense of pace hasn't dulled, and the mental pictures conjured by her spare but elegant prose and much more vivid. Her subtle, wicked wit is still apparent—and still luring to catch the reader unaware.

A Brace of Beer Reviews: Victory’s Moonglow and Old Chubb

Saturday afternoon, the only thing that made the Braves heart-rending loss tolerable was darn good company and a truly excellent beverage: Victory Brewing Company's Moonglow Weizenbock, It is without question one of the very best weizenbocks (a strong German style wheat beer—yeah, I had to look it up to be sure) I've ever tasted. Which is saying quite a lot, because honestly, I can't think when I've ever had a bad one. Put simply, Moonglow belongs on the shelf right next to my beloved Aventinus. It's that good. unday's much happier Braves game was accompanied by a lovely Scotch-style ale, Old Chubb. At first glance, it looks rather like the Moonglow—a dark amber brown with a thin, lacy head. It's one of the better Scotch Ales I've tried, one that brings back happy memories of McEwan's Scotch Ale, a dear old friend that's far too hard to find these days.

Book Review: “The Meaning of Night” by Michael Cox

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post listing my fifteen favorite first sentences in literature. At the time, I hadn't read Michael Cox's The Meaning of Night: A Confession, or I would have been forced to give serious consideration to including it. It begins: After killing the red-haired man, I took myself off to Quinn's for an Oyster Supper. Now that's a pretty good start. It's an opening that hooks us immediately on the story, certainly. It's hard not to wonder what's going to follow that. More, it hooks us on character—who is this narrator, and how can he describe an act of terrible violence in such a casual manner? I'm happy to report that the book lives up to the promise of that first sentence. It is a dark, chilling read, and an utterly compelling one.

Game Review: Falling into a Story with The Lord of the Rings Online

The Lord of the Rings Online is a computer game that actually captures the feeling of falling into a story. There are some limits, of course, but by and large, Middle-earth is yours to explore at will—from Thorin’s Hall in the west to Lórien and perilous Mirkwood in the east. Using the arrows on your keyboard, you can send your character wandering through the towns and forests of the Shire, or through the dangers of the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs (both deliciously creepy), or even all the way to Bree and Rivendell, where old friends will be waiting. The experience of the game is astonishingly immersive—sounds, voice, and music blend seamlessly with the visuals. Every environment is lovingly—at times even astonishingly—rendered. Even more than Peter Jackson’s films, the game feels like Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

Beer Review: Claymore Scotch Ale

I first tried Great Divide Brewing Company's delicious Claymore Scotch Ale at Mac McGee's, one of the fine pubs here in Decatur (I've gone out on a limb and called the area that stretches from my beloved Marlay House and past Mac McGee's, The Brick Store, Leon's, and Twain's the very best pub crawl district … Continue reading Beer Review: Claymore Scotch Ale →

“Secrets of the Sands” by Leona Wisoker

In Secrets of the Sands, Leona Wisoker has created an elaborate, well-crafted fantasy world that doesn't feel like the too-familiar pseudo-Celtic Medieval Land, and a complex desert society that doesn't feel like, say, Dune or The Arabian Nights. She's created a logical and consistent language that feels exotic but (despite the ubiquitous apostrophes) doesn't feel like Klingon or Tolkien's masterful Elvish. She manages to use her language to make her world seem textured and real, but still keeps her dialogue fresh, lively, and yes, even contemporary. Secrets of the Sands is a fun read—it's delightfully original, and it deserves attention.

“Total Oblivion, More or Less” by Alan DeNiro

Read Total Oblivion, More or Less: A Novel Total Oblivion, More or Less is a strange novel. In a lot of ways, in fact, it's a novel about strangeness, and how ordinary people deal with it. Imagine Huck Finn's raft drifting through a post-apocalypse American wasteland. Things have changed. The government has disappeared, geography itself … Continue reading “Total Oblivion, More or Less” by Alan DeNiro →

Left Hand Brewing Company’s Milk Stout

Try Left Hand Milk Stout Several months ago, I tried Left Hand Brewing Company's Milk Stout at the Decatur Craft Beer Festival, and it was love at first swallow. I was lucky enough to find it again at two of my favorite spots: The Marlay House Irish Pub (formerly the Grange Pub) in Decatur, and … Continue reading Left Hand Brewing Company’s Milk Stout →

“The Angel’s Game” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

Yesterday, I reviewed Carlos Ruiz Zafón's brilliant novel, The Shadow of the Wind. Continuing with the "holy crap this is good" theme, today I'm taking a look at his follow up, The Angel's Game. While both The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game are completely stand-alone novels, they are subtly connected. The two novels both a part of what Zafón says will eventually be a four-book cycle of loosely connected stories with overlapping narratives and characters. While either can be read alone, reading both makes each a deeper and richer experience. In fact, I read The Angel's Game at the same time that my wife Carol and I were reading The Shadow of the Wind aloud to one one another, a strange and wonderful experience.

“Last Night in Twisted River” by John Irving

I am happy to report that Last Night in Twisted River is the product of an author completely unafraid to brave the danger plunge deeply into the river that twists through his own psyche. The journey, part Twain, part Dickens, and all Irving, is one well worth taking.

Two books (that aren’t quite) within other books

It's a joy to discover, after the last page of a good book is turned, that there is still more content to discover. Especially when the storytellers have the talent of Alice Hoffman and Catherynne Valente. This kind of expanded "book within a book" content is a trend I applaud enthusiastically. I hope we'll see more.

In Good Company: “The Company They Keep” by Diana Pavlac Glyer

Until the publication of Diana Pavlac Glyer’s new book The Company The Keep: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community, I hadn’t realized how strong was my urge to be a “completist.” A new book out on the Inklings? By all means, I had to have it, period. This is fortunate, because if I paused to remind myself that I’d already read Humphrey Carpenter’s superb biography The Inklings, and then to ask if I really, really needed another book on the subject, the rational part of my brain might have said “no,” and (it’s not completely impossible) might have carried the day. And that would have been too darn bad. Glyer’s book makes a wonderful companion to Carpenter’s more well known volume, and stands very well on its own. Carpenter’s book is a biography; Glyer’s is an examination of the very significant ways in which, as a community, the Inkings challenged, inspired, influenced, and supported one another. The Company The Keep is a terrific and insightful read.