When discussing superhero comics, you inevitably wind up discussing where it al began- the Golden Age of comics, and the colourful characters from that era of the 30's and 40's.  It was a time of innovation in comics- the proliferation of all sorts of superheros, fantastic adventures, the introduction of continuity within comics, and the advent of superhero groups... with The Justice Society of America being the first of them all... World War II is over.  Hitler is dead.  The world is celebrating.  But an evil is stirring in American.  An evil hidden in the mists of one man's memories.  As a new hero rises to inspire the nation, will they be able to stop the darkness from spreading... and stop the end of the Golden Age? This graphic novel takes the bright, colourful, optimistic world of the Golden Age comics, and inserts some more grounded elements.  The world isn't as sleek and shiny as they were in the comics.  There is a touch more menac...

  If you were to ask Jason what single franchise would come to mind when you mention my name, he would probably say " Star Trek ".  I'm not a fanatic about it- but I do enjoy the shows, movies, tech manuals, and novels- in fact, I have quite a few of the novels in my collection.  Sonni Cooper's " Black Fire " is one of my favorites... An explosion rips through the Enterprise's bridge- injuring Kirk and Spock.  Scotty and Spock discover a plot by a war-loving race called the Tomarii.  After being framed for the explosion, Spock sets out to clear his name... discovering some unlikely allies along the way. .. As much as I love Captain Kirk, I especially love it when writers explore the other characters.  This Spockcentric novel is a fun adventure to read.  There's action, suspense, humour, tragedy, honour, drama, intrigue, and friendship.  " Star Trek: Black Fire " isn't just Star Trek, it's Star Trek as a space opera- and I loved it. ...

  If you were a child born in the 60's or 70's the phrase, " Little House on the Prairie " will bring back memories of the books and TV series about a small family who moves out west to start a life on the frontier. Those books and the TV series based on it, were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, making her a household name and helped to set the standard for wholesome family entertainment back then. " Laura: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder " by Donald Zochert is the biography of the famous writer.  I must confess that while certainly an interesting read for fans of the " The Little House " series, I doubt anyone else would find it all that fascinating. I know I didn't find it all that compelling. The style of writing isn't bad.  It was easy to read, and flowed nicely.  The subject matter is just a little out of date, and lacks relevance to most people's lives and interest these days. Basically, I just didn't care. If you're a fa...

  There was a time when comic were "just for kids".  As time went by, and those early comic kids grew up to write their own comics, the stories, themes, and artwork became more mature- and suitable for adults as well as children in many cases. One such comic is, " V For Vendetta ". Britain has become a police state.  "Deviant" behaviour is punishable by death.  Satire is punishable by death.  Being out at night is punishable by death. Amidst the population's fear and resignation, a lone masked stranger rises up against the Government... and reminds the British that a "Government should be afraid of the people... not the other way around... " If you're a comic collector, you'll probably have this on your "Must Have" list of comics.  Written by Alan Moore, with artwork by David Lloyd, the story is mature, and well crafted.  It projects a believable- albeit horrid future that is quite relevant given some of the things that have...

  There are times when I just want to escape to the 1940's, and their larger than life heroes and villains.  Conspiracies and mobsters.  Spies and mad scientists.  Men of mystery and femme fatales. A message traced in blood reads, "The Devi's Horns"; a political boss lies paralyzed.  The city he controls now in the hands of killers; and The Avenger must decipher the bloody message... or die ! Kenneth Robeson- who brought the world Doc Savage also created Dick Benson- The Avenger.  A man of mystery with almost super human abilities, he is the sort of hero that could easily blend into the world of Doc Savage, and The Shadow. This book isn't very long- only about 160 pages, but is still an enjoyable escape from day to day life.  There are enough twists and turns in the story to keep me interested in uncovering the plot behind "the devil's horns".  It's not a deep story, but is a suitable way to pass a bit of time and relax to. I would certainly like...

  Last week, I reviewed a book by Margaret MacMillan about the start of The Great War .  Today, it's appropriate that I review her book about the END of the First World War... The war was over, countless souls had been lost.  In Paris, France, world leaders gathered to negotiate and sign the official treaty that would hold the defeated forces responsible for the war, and reshape the world in the hopes that such a conflict would never happen again. Ultimately setting the stage, and setting in motion events that would once again set the world on fire... In " Paris, 1919 " MacMillan shows the same skill, talent, and ability she did in " The War That Ended Peace ".  She brings to life the people who attended the conference in Paris, and their roles in shaping the Treaty of Versailles.  She covers the actions and reactions of the main superpowers, and those of the smaller parties.  The victors and the losers.  She explains in wonderful imagery the power pla...

  As October fades behind us, November looms ahead of us- and a day of Remembrance marches our way.  On November 11, people around the world will mark the end of World War One, and pay tribute to the soldiers that have given their lives so they can live in Freedom. But how did the world get plunged into a war that spanned the globe, and cost humanity more than 18 million soul?  School teaches us a fairly simplified version of the events that pushed us down the road to violence, while Margaret MacMillan shows us the web of events, cultures, personalities, fears, and ambitions that inevitably lead to the "War to End All Wars". " The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 " by Margaret MacMillan is a fascinating dig into everything that conspired, contributed, and combined to the initiation of the Great War.  She doesn't just investigate and describe the events- such as the "primary" trigger of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but also the personalities of the l...

  Faster and faster.  The world moves faster, the days are going by faster... but what better time to slow down a bit, and read? " Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything " by James Gleick is a fascinating examination of humanity's growing and insatiable need for more time- and it's pursuit of it.  He explores things from people's habit of punching the "Close Door" button in elevators in the vain hope that it'll close faster, to people who'll hit 88 seconds on the microwave instead of 90... simply because it's faster to hit 8 twice. This book delves and explores how we've come to possess a world that moves quickly... but in which we actually have less time to spare.  He examines the fact that the "time saving" devices we create, don't seem to be actually saving us time- but rather costing us time. Time that we could be using to live life to it's fullest. What affects on Society and humans does this acceleration...

  I'm just going to jump right into things today.  No preamble.  No synopsis.  No dilly.  No dally. Read " Proof " by Alex Grecian and Riley Rossmo, and published by Image Comics. Why? Sasquatch. Sasquatch who talks. Talking Sasquatch who's part of a top secret government organization. Talking Sasquatch who's part of a top secret government organization that investigates and deals with paranormal and cryptozological threats. That's why. Great premise.  Great characters with charm and depth.  Great story lines with action, humour, drama, and personality.  Great cover art as displayed at the top.  Great interior art as displayed just below: See? I was highly impressed by this comic.  It's smartly written, with fascinating characters, engaging stories, and atmospheric and stylish art in and out. Give it a read- you won't be disappointed.  I certainly wasn't.  Sasquatch would give this a " Good "- and so do I.

There's a fascinating thing I've discovered over the years about historical figures- when you read about many of their exploits... you'd swear you were reading fiction... I'm going to start with doing something rare: discussing the cover of the book.  I love the cover art for the edition of Colleen McCullough's " Antony & Cleopatra " that I have.  It's elegant, stylish, and eye catching.  I especially love the font, the gold highlights, and the papyrus textured background. The story itself is great.  Based on the well-known relationship between Mark Antony and Cleopatra, this book follows it in a fairly realistic fashion, while adding depth to it, and the relationship between the members of the Second Triumvirate.  While the characters are made out to be a bit more plainer and average than they've been portrayed in most tellings, they are still fascinating historical figures to read about.  It's a pretty thick book, so it took me a f...

I have a love of mythology from around the word- and stories that deal with the mythological beings in them.  This week, let me take you back to the time of Ancient Greece... a time of the Minotaur... Thea watched their torch-bearing captors recede into the distance and leave them to the cave's darkness.  Her brother Icarus whispered, "Forgive me- I wanted to come to the Country of the Beasts, not to the Cave of the Minotaur." Then they heard a padding of feet (or hooves?), and the curdling bellow of an enraged monster.  It was the-bull-that-walks-like-a-man, a hybrid of man and beast, monstrous to the eyes, and roaring with cold malevolance. Thea began to feel her way along the walls; their dampness oozed like blood between her fingers.  She rounded a turn and looked up into the eyes of the Minotaur, and his red, matted hair... We all know about the Minotaur, right?  The man-beast that lived in a maze and craved the flesh of men?  Well, " Day of...

As a Stewart, I have always been fascinated by historical figures sharing the same last name:  Jimmy Stewart, Rod Stewart... and of Mary Stuart- Queen of Scots... Antonia Fraser's book covers Mary Stuart's life from birth, her time married to the Dauphin of France, her return to take the throne of Scotland, the murder of her husband Lord Darnley, flight into exile, and death at the order of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.  It does so in such a smooth, seamless rhythm that draws you along until you suddenly find yourself with no more book to read. It weaves a vibrant tapestry of Mary Stuart's life, and the world around her- a tapestry of events and personalities that wraps around you like a warm blanket on a cold night.  There are so many different threads of reality woven together: palace intrigue, action, romance, horror, tragedy, and drama.  They're all embroidered together in a marvelous image of what life was like back then. Most non-fiction books can be ...

I love having friends that read books, because sometimes, they give you a tip on a book they think you might enjoy... And you wind up enjoying it... Following a bloody London seance and in the aftermath of a terrifying supernatural contact, a good doctor find himself the target of a malevolence born of the darkest nightmares.  But with stalwart companions by his side- including an extraordinarily intrepid investigator- he seeks to expose a dastardly band of nefarious criminals and a chilling conspiracy ained at the heart of England's future... and instead unearths a crime far more horrible than murder and experiences an adventure beyond the limits of imagination. " The List of 7 " takes the historical figure of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and plops in the middle of a rousing adventure.  There is mystery, suspense, intrigue, horror, action, drama and more wrapped in the pages of this book.  Mark Frost weaved a story that was engaging and captivating from start to fini...

Those who know me will tell you that when it comes to heroes (and many things in general), I tend to lean towards ones either created or inspired by the pulp comics and matinee serials of the 1930's and 40's.  One such hero that leads the pack for me (right next to The Shadow) is The Rocketeer... Cliff Secord is a racing pilot- making his living, and is happiest when breaking records, and riding the contrails of disaster.  After a shoot-out between thugs and the FBI destroys his plan, he finds the Cirrus X-3... a rocket pack. Now, he must race for his life as gangsters, federal agents, and Nazi assassins hunt for the rocket... and the only man brave enough to use.  Men have died for this weapon... Cliff is next in line... " The Rocketeer " is based on the 1991 movie, and is a pretty good adaptation.  It not only follows the movie closely, but manages to add little details, thoughts, etc without changing the overall narrative of the source material.  The...

I enjoy comics.  I enjoy Star Trek.  I really enjoy when the two come together... When a dispute between godlike beings threatens the galaxy, it will take all of Starfleet's best captains to stop it.  Join James T. Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, Kathryn Janeway and Benjamin Sisko as they go head-to-head in a competition that will determine the face of the Earth and beyond. When I saw " Star Trek: The Q Conflict " on the shelf in my local comic shop, I was taken by the cover design.  Then I read the synopsis I quoted above.  I was hooked.  I bought it and skipped my way home to read this grand new adventure. The premise is great... but the execution wasn't.  The pacing was quick and energetic- but only because there was very little real substance to the story.  There was very little actual drama, conflict, or sense of danger.  It just was.  I felt by the end of the story that the premise was just an excuse to bring all of the Captains, a...

It's summer, the sun is out... and my thoughts are already turning towards October and Halloween... When I was a kid, my Mom had a nice, varied selection of books in her collection.  One of them helped introduce me to the world of the paranormal... and haunted houses in particular- " Haunted Houses " by Richard Winer and Nancy Osborn. In it, the two detail the tales surrounding some of the most famous haunted houses- such as the Winchester Mystery Mansion.  They interview the home owners and caretakers of these places- and even spend the night at a few of them.  The chapters are just the right length to whet your appetite for more, and offer a wonderful selection from houses to cemeteries, and buildings in between. There is a bit of everything within the pages for everyone interested in hauntings.  All with some wonderful black and white photographs illustrating the eerie locations, and even items involved. I tend to grab this book to read every year (as w...

I like to review movies. And I like to review books. Sooooo, it's only fitting that I like to combine the two sometimes... After a agreement goes bad, Indiana Jones finds himself in India- a land of mystery.  A land of holiness.  A land of wonder. And as Dr. Jones soon discovers, a land of danger.  Danger that he finds himself smack in the middle of as he seeks to find a stolen artifact... and artifact that's been taken deep into... The Temple of Doom... This adaptation of the classic Indiana Jones movie by Les Martin is geared towards those in the later teen years.  It follows the movie pretty faithfully- though it does edit quite a few scenes.  Specifically the action sequences that could deem to be "too violent" for teenagers.  This creates a little bit of choppiness to the story, sadly.  The editing creates a really quick read.  Quick enough that you can breeze through the 96 pages in one sitting. The editing also kinda deflates...

When most people think of me, they don't think of me being someone who might be interested in reading a romantic thriller. But you'd be wrong... The Cove is a quaint little postcard town made up only of old folk who sell the World's Greatest Ice Cream - a secret recipe that brings lots of tourists into town. Into The Cove comes Sally Brainerd, daughter of murdered Amory St. John of Washington, D.C., seeking sanctuary, and FBI Special Agent James Quinlan who's undercover and after her. He's got a murder to solve, and he believes she's the key. But is she really?   I was surprised and impressed by Catherine Coulter's book, " The Cove" .  The story is interesting, suspenseful, and well paced.  I had a hard time setting the book down.  In fact I could only put it down when cooking.  I even spent precious sleep time in order to read it.  There is a wonderful blend of suspense, drama, romance, mystery, and humour weaved throughout the book.  Th...

Just a slight update on the State of the Basement these days. No, we're not quitting AGAIN. And no, no one has died. And yes, we're still rocking it Friday nights at 6:05 Pacific on the mighty Radio NL 610 AM Kamloops. But we are making a slight shift in our podcast schedule, moving the release of the weekly podcast from Saturday mornings to Mondays beginning July 13 -- that's this upcoming Monday. No real reason for the move other than it frees up our Saturdays, and Monday is a busy day on the Internet. Yes, we're opportunists. Deal with it! This also means Mike S's The Book Nook articles will shift from Mondays to Tuesdays starting this upcoming week as well. He's cool with it, which makes him even cooler in our book. Thanks to everyone who's tuned in and supported us, and continues to do so. And cheers for voting us one of the best podcasts in Kamloops in this year's Best of Kamloops Awards. We appreciate the sentiment very much! Stick wit...

Sometimes, reality can be much more creepier and macabre than anything you find in a horror novel or movie... " Necropolis: London and Its Dead, " by Catharine Arnold is a wonderful examination of how the City of London has dealt with the question of burying its dead.  From prehistory, through Roman times, up through the Plague years, to the more recent Victorian era, the way London has dealt with the remains of its dead citizens has evolved... sometimes with a morbid twist. I had a hard time putting this book down once I started reading it.  The style is easy to follow, and flows smoothly from one subject to another- almost like a conversation at times.  She covers such things as Daniel Dafoe's observations of the Plague Pits, and what was done with Plague victims when they died, the emergence of the body snatchers who supplied medical schools with cadavers (few questions asked), and the beginnings of the funeral industry.  Arnold meshes all of these things, ...