[Manga Series Review/TBBR] Claymore (27 volumes)

Claymore (27 Volumes)

(Claymore series, #1-27)

Norhiro Yagi

What rating would you give it?
5+++++++++++++++++ of 5 Stars

What did you think of the series?

WARNING: Some spoilers ahead… can’t be helped!

Right now I’m reviewing this long-ass series as a whole, but MAYBE at a much MUCH later date, I’ll review it individually… book by book.

For starters, can I say: WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW! O__O What an incredible run that was! I started reading this series back in high school man. HIGH SCHOOL. That was over a decade ago! (Man am I dating myself here… @__@;;; ) The first book came to the U.S. in 2002, right when I started my first year. The first book blew my mind and the last one broke my heart (just a little). Besides the unforgettable (though slightly unsatisfying) ending, it was also ME saying goodbye to an era. This was one of those series I thought would never end, and hoped never would.

Unrealistic, I know, and I knew it every time I finished reading a chapter, waiting for the next serial to publish and the next, and the next, believing there would always BE a next.

I’ve pretty much grown up with characters. Claire, Theresa, Miria, Deneve, Raki… and yes–even Priscilla. I can’t imagine what I’m gonna do now that they’re all… gone.

*already has a plan in motion to reread the whole thing from start to around the time of Isley and then stop so I can pretend that everyone survived this tale and they’re all still out there fighting somewhere… oblivious to the truth, BUT ALIIIIIVE!*

“Yup. That’s the plan!”

What can I say? The characters, plot, world-building, delivery, GORGEOUS FUCKING ART–the whole shebang was impeccable, flawless, phenomenal! I haven’t a complaint to give (except that it’s over T________T)

This entire series is just filled with artpron. I mean…

[Book Review] Android Angels

Android Angels

Kosuke Kabaya

What rating would you give it?
3 of 5 Stars

What did you think of the book?

I generally review graphic novels and manga using this system: Five stars for books I couldn’t put down and read from start to finish in one sitting. Four stars for excellent books that I highly recommend and will continue reading myself. Three stars for books I liked and may recommend. Two stars and below for any books I would not recommend, had too much wrong with them, or simply didn’t catch my attention or aesthetic tastes.

This one was… interesting. It began a bit amateurishly, which was a little disheartening, but thankfully I kept reading all the way through and the art and story-telling got better. A LOT better. Each oneshot short flowed worked well individually, although they didn’t particularly flow well from one to the other (which I believe WAS the point, as characters overlap and stories follow years or months from the preceding tale). I enjoyed it well enough, but there were definitely some wonky moments which left me a little confused or sighing over the artistry (or lack thereof).

Overall, I would still recommend it, especially to anyone who love android-human relations, and stories about the impact of artificial lifeforms in daily life!

Would you recommend this book?

Ehh, maybe. We’ll see.

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Gen Manga Entertainment Publication Date: May 2014 Format: eBook, ARC Pages: 158 Genre: Manga, Science Fiction, Androids, Robots, Futuristic World, Slave-Servant Market/Industry, Speculative Fiction

Age: Young Adult – Adult Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[Book Review] Kamen (Vol. 2)

Kamen (Vol. 2)

(Kamen series, #2)

Gunya Mihara

What rating would you give it?
3 of 5 Stars, this time!

What did you think of the book?

The storytelling is a bit better in this one, and since I’m getting used to this clunky, unappealing artwork I can at least get past that enough to look at the plot and pacing. Pacing in this book was actually much better than the first. Not to mention things FLOWED better this time around. There were still some moments when panels just did NOT work well and left me a bit befuddled, trying to figure out what was supposed to happen in the scene, but that sort of thing happened a lot LESS this time around, so that is a plus.

All in all, might continue reading this series. Maybe. If the story gets better, the pacing remains as is, and the hitches and mistakes that plagued the first volume (and carry over a tiny bit in the second) are resolved… this series might actually be salvageable! 😀

Would you recommend this book?

Maybe. If it gets better.

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Gen Manga Entertainment Publication Date: November 2014 Format: eBook, ARC Pages: 225 Genre: Manga, Indie, Medieval Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Samurai, Action/Adventure

Age: Teen – Young Adult Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[Book Review/TBBR] Kamen (Vol. 1)

Kamen (Vol. 1)

(Kamen series, #1)

Gunya Mihara

What rating would you give it?
2 of 5 Stars

What did you think of the book?

This… was really not that well done. I wish I could have liked this better, but everything was a bit off. Random ass names, weird, disjointed places, inconsistent art style… even the sequencing of panels was just missing the mark for me.

When the art style was the same, it was actually ok for me. A little jerky at times with some transition problems, but otherwise decent. The story also seems decent enough as well. There were a few pages that were actually done really well (ie: pg.19), however the overall package was so fatally flawed that nothing could help it out.

There were some concepts that were interesting enough that I’ll be picking up the next volume to see if anything improves. But the series for me seems to be lacking in so many ways. Sorry.

List some of the pros & cons of the book:

Cons:

• Oh god though – What is with these names? Ryouga? SIMBA? Kagura? Ludoke? Dazam? It’s like the author/artist has no idea what they’re doing and just slapping on names left and right with no conscious direction to why or who or what. Ughhh… @______@
  • More weird-ass names: ZORAIDEN?! xD Oh god… These names, man…
• Also HOW exactly is this supposed to be taking place in (and I quote the synopsis) “ancient Japan”? Even a fictional one? This makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. I’d be ten thousand times happier if you simply said it was somewhere or someplace else that just happens to have Japanese influence or something, than you trying to make me believe all this weird @#$%$ is Japan. Puh-leeze.
• Tons of errors with the artistry and drawings themselves. Certainly things just don’t add up or even make sense at all. I’m looking at some of the panels and have NO idea what’s going on at all.
• I also don’t like the art style that much. It’s not even because of hard edges or anything like that. It’s just… inconsistent, so I can’t even try to like it…
• The transitions in this book are really, REALLY weird…
• It’s like the conversations AND panels don’t know how to easily flow into one another. Nothing really transitions well.
• The dialogue is also really weak and stilted. It’s so BAD. XD;; Like, as if, it was translated poorly by someone who didn’t care to make things seem natural. It could also simply be the original dialogue wasn’t very strong in the first place so there was nothing for the translator to work with. If THAT’S the case, then even worse. -___-;;;
• The writing also has a bunch of grammatical errors, too, which is at least an easier fix.

Pros:

• ….I’m supposed to have pros??
• The plot is at least salvageable. They’re just not doing anything with it yet. I hope it gets better, because if not then… >___>;;;

As I said before, I really, really wished I had liked this more, but… well… I haven’t given up on it quite yet. Here’s to hoping the second book will be better.

Would you recommend this book?

I doubt I would ever recommend this to anyone. Except as maybe to show them how NOT to manga.

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Gen Manga Entertainment Publication Date: September 2014 Format: eBook, ARC Pages: 225 Genre: Manga, Indie, Medieval Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Samurai, Action/Adventure,

Age: Teen – Young Adult Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[Book Review] Murderess (The Exile of Greywall’d Saga, Book 1)

Murderess

(The Exile of Greywall’d Saga, Book 1)

Daya Marnin

What rating would you give it?
4 of 5 Stars

What did you think of the book?

First off, lemme just tell you that that cover was all I needed to want to read this book. It’s STUNNING, and intriguing, and who wouldn’t at least want to pick it up and find out what it’s about?

The beginning is REALLY captivating with this strange boy falling out of the sky, and it really sucks you in. You soon find yourself in the truly bizarre world of Lu Killer, our resident “Murderess” (whatever that means… she’ll find out later on), who suddenly finds herself the target of… well… EVERYONE. (At least it sure as hell seems that way!)

I enjoyed it quite a bit, although I think my biggest quip lies with translation errors and editorial flaws. The writing itself is well done, and the story and characters are interesting and engaging. I think once some things are corrected (hopefully for the final published piece) I will enjoy reading it again!

Would you recommend this book?

Probably? Maybe? I’m a little on the fence with this one mostly because I think the current version I read boosted translation and editorial problems, which can be discouraging to any reader, especially if the story itself is actually really good, but the translator isn’t. Who knows? I think I would suggest it to people, but let them know about the translation problems and then let them decide, y’know?

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Morphus Publication Date: May 2014 Format: eBook, ARC Pages: 270 Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy, Strong Female Lead,

Age: Young Adult (YA) Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[Book Review] Once Upon A Time: A Short History of Fairy Tale

Once Upon A Time: A Short History of Fairy Tale

Marina Warner

What rating would you give it?
3/3.5 of 5 Stars

What did you think of the book?

An “okay” read. It wasn’t as comprehensive as I thought it would be, or as visually engaging, but it was still a decent read. I would recommend a good book designer for the interior layout though. It was just so bland that it made turning each page a bit monotonous.

When I first saw the title, I knew I’d want to at least pick it up, see what it was about, give it a try. I love reference material on all things mythological, fairytale, folklore, ancient history, cultures and customs, and the like. I was hoping to add another valuable resource to my collection but… as it would turn out, seems like this one fell short of the mark. Because the book calls itself a history, I was expecting insight into the history of fairytales of ALL KINDS, not just focusing on Western ones (and mostly modern Western fairytales and Western retellings of other cultural tales, at that). Personally, I don’t even think this book should be classified as a “history,” but more personal commentary and rhetoric. MAYBE even as literary criticism, but not history.

Would you recommend this book?

Likely to recommend, nonetheless. Although it was a bit of a long read without much to break up the flow (which at times made it feel a bit tedious to read). I doubt I would ever buy this though, for myself or otherwise.

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Oxford University Press Publication Date: December 2014 Format: eBook, ARC Pages: 226 Genre: Nonfiction, Fairytales, Textbook, Informative, Reference

Age: …unsure, but I would say “Adult” Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[Mini Review] Beautifully Different

Beautifully Different: Autism: viewing the world through a different lens

Makiko

What rating would you give it?
5 of 5 Stars

What did you think of the book?

Moving. Powerful. Exquisite!

This book takes a look into the lives of autistic children and their families.  It was executed marvelously. I can honestly say it has raised awareness for autism in me, and I would be quite proud to say, in anyone else I have recommended this book to. A great combination of informative text, stories, and quotes accompanied by utterly stunning black and white photos makes this a book I would want to have on my shelf in a heartbeat.

I was thoroughly entranced by the stories within these pages. The imagery. The powerful statement. I felt the emotion behind every tale and wished for move once I reached the end.

Incredible.

Would you recommend this book?

Most certainly.

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd Publication Date: August 2014 Format: eBook, ARC Pages: 112 Genre: Autism, Photography, True Stories, Nonfiction, Raising Awareness, Inspirational

Age: Adult Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[Book Review] Alive

Alive

Hajime Taguchi

What rating would you give it?
4 of 5 Stars

What did you think of the book?

This was a classic example of Japanese psychological (even horror-ish) based stories at their… well, okay… maybe not at their BEST, but still pretty darned good! I enjoyed pretty much every story in this collection, though some stood out more than others. I’ll say this much: not a fan of the art, but at least it was concise and flowed well from panel to panel. The storytelling in each story was so very weird, and yet it worked out so very well. Definitely a keeper here! 🙂

Would you recommend this book?

I would strongly recommend this book to manga lovers everywhere, but particularly to those who like a bit of psychological mindfuckery and classic Japanese weirdness to their stories.

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Gen Manga Entertainment, Inc Publication Date: April 2014 Format: eBook Pages: 284 Genre: Manga, Indie, Wish Fulfillment, Melancholy, Dark Stories, Short Stories, Guilt, Slice of Life With Weird Twists

Age: Young Adult (YA) – Adult Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[Mini Review] Infinite Science Fiction One

Infinite Science Fiction One

edited by Dany G. Zuwen & Joanna Jackson

What rating would you give it?
4 of 5 Stars

What did you think of the book?

A really strong and eccentric collection of speculative fiction ranging spaning a variety of weird, odd, scifi-ish stories that had me captured from the beginning and kept me disturbed and intrigued from till the very end. The stories range from incredibly short to much longer pieces. Overall, a very solid anthology.

Would you recommend this book?

Would definitely recommend this anthology to short story, scifi fans, and weird fiction lovers in a heartbeat!

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Infinite Acacia Publication Date: September 2014 Format: eBook, ARC Pages: 250 Genre: Science Fiction, Anthology, Short Stories

Age: Adult Reviewer: AMS (amomentsilence) Source: Provided by NetGalley Challenge: 2014 Good Reads Reading Challenge (100)

 

[SOTD] Youth by Daughter

And to break up some of the monotony of all these book reviews, here’s my Monday song of the day!

LYRICS

Shadows settle on the place, that you left.
Our minds are troubled by the emptiness.
Destroy the middle, it’s a waste of time.
From the perfect start to the finish line.