Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Madwoman of the Sacred Heart
Written by Alexandro Jodorowsky
Art by Mœbius

Promo copy:

Professor Alan Mangel’s journey of madness begins when he impregnates Elisabeth, a student, with what she believes is John the Baptist reincarnated. They meet and conspire with people convinced in bringing forth the Second Coming of Christ. Are they delusional? By the unmatched creators of The Incal, Mœbius and Jodorowsky. This latest edition of the previously released and now sold out hardcover edition is presented in its original colors and in the trade paperback format.

It’s Mœbius and Jodorowsky. Need I say more?

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes
Edited and cover by Kazu Kibuishi

Promo copy:

Seven clever stories answer one simple question: what’s in the box?

Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these unique and beautifully illustrated short graphic works revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels—or mayhem—inside. Artists include middle school favorites Kazu Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier (Smile), and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist (all contributors to the groundbreaking comics anthology series Flight), and upcoming artist Emily Carroll.

I was a big fan of Kibuishi’s previous anthology series Flight. I reviewed volumes Six (“Every beautiful story in this impressive book delights”) and Seven (“[T]he always beautiful stories rise far above others in the medium”). To say I’m looking forward to this book would be an understatement.

Whispers in the Walls
Written by David Muñoz
Art by Tirso
Foreword by Juan Díaz Canales

Promo copy:

A gothic tale of horror from David Munoz (co-writer of Guillermo Del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone) and artist Tirso. Czechoslovakia, 1949. What Evil lurks within the walls of an ancient Children’s Infirmary? After the brutal murder of her parents, Sarah, a young orphan, is about to discover just that – and much more!

Graphic novels received 2/29/12 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Madwoman of the Sacred Heart
Written by Alexandro Jodorowsky
Art by Mœbius

Promo copy:

Professor Alan Mangel’s journey of madness begins when he impregnates Elisabeth, a student, with what she believes is John the Baptist reincarnated. They meet and conspire with people convinced in bringing forth the Second Coming of Christ. Are they delusional? By the unmatched creators of The Incal, Mœbius and Jodorowsky. This latest edition of the previously released and now sold out hardcover edition is presented in its original colors and in the trade paperback format.

It’s Mœbius and Jodorowsky. Need I say more?

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes
Edited and cover by Kazu Kibuishi

Promo copy:

Seven clever stories answer one simple question: what’s in the box?

Funny, fantastic, spooky, and suspenseful, each of these unique and beautifully illustrated short graphic works revolves around a central theme: a mysterious box and the marvels—or mayhem—inside. Artists include middle school favorites Kazu Kibuishi, Raina Telgemeier (Smile), and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy), as well as Jason Caffoe, Stuart Livingston, Johane Matte, Rad Sechrist (all contributors to the groundbreaking comics anthology series Flight), and upcoming artist Emily Carroll.

I was a big fan of Kibuishi’s previous anthology series Flight. I reviewed volumes Six (“Every beautiful story in this impressive book delights”) and Seven (“[T]he always beautiful stories rise far above others in the medium”). To say I’m looking forward to this book would be an understatement.

Whispers in the Walls
Written by David Muñoz
Art by Tirso
Foreword by Juan Díaz Canales

Promo copy:

A gothic tale of horror from David Munoz (co-writer of Guillermo Del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone) and artist Tirso. Czechoslovakia, 1949. What Evil lurks within the walls of an ancient Children’s Infirmary? After the brutal murder of her parents, Sarah, a young orphan, is about to discover just that – and much more!

Graphic novels received 2/29/12 was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Lots of goodies this month. The lauded animated series The Adventures of Tintin, the classic Bowie vision of the Walter Tevis novel The Man Who Fell to Earth, the Oscar-winning Rango, and the epic Ran all make their Netflix premieres this month. 70s and 80’s TV invade this month with Knight Rider, Magnum P.I., Miami Vice, Quincy, M.E., and the 1960s Adam-12 for good measure all make their appearance.

* streaming for the first time via Netflix.

Premiering March 1:
*Adam-12 (1968)
*The Adventures of Tintin (1991) I hope as promised that this is better than the wretched Spielberg version
*Amazing Stories (1985)
*An American Haunting
*The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
Beverly Hills Cop III Emblematic of John Landis’s and Eddie Murphy’s mediocre outputs in the 1990s
*Dororo
*Dragnet (1967)
*The Gate
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
*Ghost Hunters: International
*Ghosts of Goldfield
Going Berserk
Half Past Dead
*In My Sleep I reviewed this in 2010. “With a telegraphed plot and stereotypical conclusions, “In My Sleep” struggles to achieve the level of a low-budget 1990s Lifetime movie.”
*In the Cold of the Night
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
*Knight Rider (1982)
The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
*Magnum P.I.
*The Man Who Fell to Earth
*Miami Vice (1984)
*The Muse
*Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown
Opal Dream
*The Oregonian
Pi If you haven’t seen Aronofsky’s haunting, cerebral first film, watch it now or forever turn in your geek badge!
Project X
*Quincy, M.E.
*Ran (1985)
*The Sci-Fi Boys This looks interesting
*Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Ignore the movie and do the smart thing and just listen to the original album
*Sitting Ducks (2001)
*The Skulls 2
The Wraith (1986)
*Wushu
*Young Hercules

Premiering March 6:
*Babar (1989) So I like Babar. Sue me
Babar, King of the Elephants
Babar: The Movie

Premiering March 8:
*Jeepers Creepers

Premiering March 10:
*1911 (Xinhai geming) Directed by and starring Jackie Chan

Premiering March 16:
*The Tale of Despereaux

Premiering March 20:
*This Is Not a Movie

Premiering March 25:
*The Sacred Blacksmith

Premiering March 31:
*Rango (2011) The best animated feature of 2011! From my review:

Titles expiring soon

Mixed within the usual array of crap are several films that should be seen before they disappear: La Femme Nikita, The Odd Couple, Seraphim Falls, Soap (at least Season One), Dagon and Escape from New York

Expiring March 1:
Alien Trespass
The Broken (2008)
The Burrowers
Caligula (1979)
Can We Make it to Mars?: Nova scienceNOW
Carriers (2009)
Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Cliffhanger (1993)
Cool World
The Dead Hate the Living!
Dead Pool
Death Becomes Her
Demonic Toys
The Descent: Part 2
The Dick Tracy Show: The Complete Animated Series
Dollman
Dollman vs. Demonic Toys
Driftwood (2006)
The Electric Company: Season 1 (2009)
The Emperor and the Assassin (Jing Ke ci Qin Wang)
The Enforcer (1976)
Flash Gordon (1980) All together now.

Franklyn
The Funhouse
The Gods Must Be Crazy 2
The Gravedancers
Howard the Duck Beloved by a few and villified by many, this clunker managed to derail any serious comic book adaptation attempts for nearly a decade.
Iceman
Intruder (1989) Co-stars Bruce Campbell & Sam Raimi!
Jetsons: The Movie
Kill Theory
La Femme Nikita (1990) The original French masterpiece, basis for an American remake and two TV series, is a must see for all action film fans. One of the very best of its type.
Lake Mungo
Laserblast
The Last Action Hero
The Machinist
The Odd Couple (1968) May not fit perfectly on this list but one of my all time favorite movies.
Panic Room
Puppet Master 2: His Unholy Creations
Radio Flyer
Return of the Living Dead 3
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Rugrats Go Wild
The Seeker’s Guide to Harry Potter
Seraphim Falls Unheralded horror-western hybrid. From my review of the DVD release: “[Director David Von Ancken] successfully weaves action, touches of humor, and moribund bizarreness in his picture.”
Sesame Street (1969)
The Seventh Sign
Silent Running
Soap The first season may be one of the funniest shows ever.
Stripes
Subspecies
Subspecies 2: Bloodstone
Suspect Zero
Trancers 2: The Return of Jack Deth
Wicked Little Things
Zombies of Mass Destruction

Expiring March 7:
Jackie Chan: Kung Fu Master

Expiring March 9:
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids: The Original Animated Series
The Littles

Expiring March 10:
Almighty Thor This SyFy “original” film was a blatant attempt to cash in on some of the Marvel money.

Expiring March 14:
OSS 117: Lost in Rio

Expiring March 15:
Alphaville
Animal Crackers: Season 1
Arachnid
The Baby’s Room
Beast Within (2008)
Boy Eats Girl
C.C. and Company
]i]Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever[/i]
Comic Book Villains
Dagon The fantastic third segment of Stuart Gordon’s Lovecraft trilogy
The Entrance
Escape from New York Some of the finest awesome sauce available
The Evil Woods
Frayed
Gamebox 1.0
Haunted Boat
Jade Warrior
King Cobra
The Last Warrior (2001)
The Man in the White Suit
Murder by Decree Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper starring Christopher Plummer, James Mason, and Donald Sutherland
Mystery Team
Nine Lives
Ninja’s Creed
Séance (2006)
Summer’s Moon
Swamp Thing
Three Kingdoms
Village of the Giants
Zapped!

Expiring March 16:
The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations I didn’t even know they had made a two. Not that I really cared
From Within
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Blood Waters of Dr. Z
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Beatniks
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Crawling Eye
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Final Sacrifice

Expiring March 17:
Ghost Adventures: Season 3
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera I own the recent release of the unedited, original Japanese version of Gamera. I highly recommend that edition. A great film.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Barugon Ditto goes for the unedited Barugon
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Gaos
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Guiron
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Zigra

Expiring March 20:
Contact

Expiring March 22:
Basket Case (1982)
Bloodthirst 2: Revenge of the Chupacabras
Hell’s Gate (2002)
Hellion: The Devil’s Playground
Invaders from Mars (1953)
It’s Alive (2008)
Lost Tribe (2010)
The Prisoner (1990)
The Secret (2007)
Thriller: Season 1 The classic anthology series hosted by Boris Karloff
Virtual Girl

Expiring March 24:
The Boondock Saints

Expiring March 25:
Conceiving Ada While an intelligent, well-conceived movie about Ada Lovelace would be more than welcome, this stupid-sounding film is not it

Expiring March 26:
Mega Python vs. Gatoroid
Samurai Champloo

Expiring March 28:
Alice in Wonderland (1949)
Legion of the Dead (2002)

The above is accurate as of February 28. As with all things streaming, the info is in constant flux. YMMV.

Content courtesy of FeedFliks and Instantwatcher.

Impending Geekgasm on Netflix Instant Watch – March edition was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Lots of goodies this month. The lauded animated series The Adventures of Tintin, the classic Bowie vision of the Walter Tevis novel The Man Who Fell to Earth, the Oscar-winning Rango, and the epic Ran all make their Netflix premieres this month. 70s and 80’s TV invade this month with Knight Rider, Magnum P.I., Miami Vice, Quincy, M.E., and the 1960s Adam-12 for good measure all make their appearance.

* streaming for the first time via Netflix.

Premiering March 1:
*Adam-12 (1968)
*The Adventures of Tintin (1991) I hope as promised that this is better than the wretched Spielberg version
*Amazing Stories (1985)
*An American Haunting
*The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
Beverly Hills Cop III Emblematic of John Landis’s and Eddie Murphy’s mediocre outputs in the 1990s
*Dororo
*Dragnet (1967)
*The Gate
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
*Ghost Hunters: International
*Ghosts of Goldfield
Going Berserk
Half Past Dead
*In My Sleep I reviewed this in 2010. “With a telegraphed plot and stereotypical conclusions, “In My Sleep” struggles to achieve the level of a low-budget 1990s Lifetime movie.”
*In the Cold of the Night
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
*Knight Rider (1982)
The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
*Magnum P.I.
*The Man Who Fell to Earth
*Miami Vice (1984)
*The Muse
*Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown
Opal Dream
*The Oregonian
Pi If you haven’t seen Aronofsky’s haunting, cerebral first film, watch it now or forever turn in your geek badge!
Project X
*Quincy, M.E.
*Ran (1985)
*The Sci-Fi Boys This looks interesting
*Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Ignore the movie and do the smart thing and just listen to the original album
*Sitting Ducks (2001)
*The Skulls 2
The Wraith (1986)
*Wushu
*Young Hercules

Premiering March 6:
*Babar (1989) So I like Babar. Sue me
Babar, King of the Elephants
Babar: The Movie

Premiering March 8:
*Jeepers Creepers

Premiering March 10:
*1911 (Xinhai geming) Directed by and starring Jackie Chan

Premiering March 16:
*The Tale of Despereaux

Premiering March 20:
*This Is Not a Movie

Premiering March 25:
*The Sacred Blacksmith

Premiering March 31:
*Rango (2011) The best animated feature of 2011! From my review:

Titles expiring soon

Mixed within the usual array of crap are several films that should be seen before they disappear: La Femme Nikita, The Odd Couple, Seraphim Falls, Soap (at least Season One), Dagon and Escape from New York

Expiring March 1:
Alien Trespass
The Broken (2008)
The Burrowers
Caligula (1979)
Can We Make it to Mars?: Nova scienceNOW
Carriers (2009)
Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Cliffhanger (1993)
Cool World
The Dead Hate the Living!
Dead Pool
Death Becomes Her
Demonic Toys
The Descent: Part 2
The Dick Tracy Show: The Complete Animated Series
Dollman
Dollman vs. Demonic Toys
Driftwood (2006)
The Electric Company: Season 1 (2009)
The Emperor and the Assassin (Jing Ke ci Qin Wang)
The Enforcer (1976)
Flash Gordon (1980) All together now.

Franklyn
The Funhouse
The Gods Must Be Crazy 2
The Gravedancers
Howard the Duck Beloved by a few and villified by many, this clunker managed to derail any serious comic book adaptation attempts for nearly a decade.
Iceman
Intruder (1989) Co-stars Bruce Campbell & Sam Raimi!
Jetsons: The Movie
Kill Theory
La Femme Nikita (1990) The original French masterpiece, basis for an American remake and two TV series, is a must see for all action film fans. One of the very best of its type.
Lake Mungo
Laserblast
The Last Action Hero
The Machinist
The Odd Couple (1968) May not fit perfectly on this list but one of my all time favorite movies.
Panic Room
Puppet Master 2: His Unholy Creations
Radio Flyer
Return of the Living Dead 3
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Rugrats Go Wild
The Seeker’s Guide to Harry Potter
Seraphim Falls Unheralded horror-western hybrid. From my review of the DVD release: “[Director David Von Ancken] successfully weaves action, touches of humor, and moribund bizarreness in his picture.”
Sesame Street (1969)
The Seventh Sign
Silent Running
Soap The first season may be one of the funniest shows ever.
Stripes
Subspecies
Subspecies 2: Bloodstone
Suspect Zero
Trancers 2: The Return of Jack Deth
Wicked Little Things
Zombies of Mass Destruction

Expiring March 7:
Jackie Chan: Kung Fu Master

Expiring March 9:
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids: The Original Animated Series
The Littles

Expiring March 10:
Almighty Thor This SyFy “original” film was a blatant attempt to cash in on some of the Marvel money.

Expiring March 14:
OSS 117: Lost in Rio

Expiring March 15:
Alphaville
Animal Crackers: Season 1
Arachnid
The Baby’s Room
Beast Within (2008)
Boy Eats Girl
C.C. and Company
]i]Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever[/i]
Comic Book Villains
Dagon The fantastic third segment of Stuart Gordon’s Lovecraft trilogy
The Entrance
Escape from New York Some of the finest awesome sauce available
The Evil Woods
Frayed
Gamebox 1.0
Haunted Boat
Jade Warrior
King Cobra
The Last Warrior (2001)
The Man in the White Suit
Murder by Decree Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper starring Christopher Plummer, James Mason, and Donald Sutherland
Mystery Team
Nine Lives
Ninja’s Creed
Séance (2006)
Summer’s Moon
Swamp Thing
Three Kingdoms
Village of the Giants
Zapped!

Expiring March 16:
The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations I didn’t even know they had made a two. Not that I really cared
From Within
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Blood Waters of Dr. Z
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Beatniks
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Crawling Eye
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Final Sacrifice

Expiring March 17:
Ghost Adventures: Season 3
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera I own the recent release of the unedited, original Japanese version of Gamera. I highly recommend that edition. A great film.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Barugon Ditto goes for the unedited Barugon
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Gaos
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Guiron
Mystery Science Theater 3000: Gamera vs. Zigra

Expiring March 20:
Contact

Expiring March 22:
Basket Case (1982)
Bloodthirst 2: Revenge of the Chupacabras
Hell’s Gate (2002)
Hellion: The Devil’s Playground
Invaders from Mars (1953)
It’s Alive (2008)
Lost Tribe (2010)
The Prisoner (1990)
The Secret (2007)
Thriller: Season 1 The classic anthology series hosted by Boris Karloff
Virtual Girl

Expiring March 24:
The Boondock Saints

Expiring March 25:
Conceiving Ada While an intelligent, well-conceived movie about Ada Lovelace would be more than welcome, this stupid-sounding film is not it

Expiring March 26:
Mega Python vs. Gatoroid
Samurai Champloo

Expiring March 28:
Alice in Wonderland (1949)
Legion of the Dead (2002)

The above is accurate as of February 28. As with all things streaming, the info is in constant flux. YMMV.

Content courtesy of FeedFliks and Instantwatcher.

Impending Geekgasm on Netflix Instant Watch – March edition was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Thief’s Covenant
by Ari Marmell
Cover by Jessica Cargill

Promo copy:

Once she was Adrienne Satti. An orphan of Davillon, she had somehow escaped destitution and climbed to the ranks of the city’s aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story straight from an ancient fairy tale. Until one horrid night, when a conspiracy of forces—human and other—stole it all away in a flurry of blood and murder.
Today she is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon’s underbelly with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshippers but Widdershins herself. It’s not a great life, certainly nothing compared to the one she once had, but it’s hers.

But now, in the midst of Davillon’s political turmoil, an array of hands are once again rising up against her, prepared to tear down all that she’s built. The City Guard wants her in prison. Members of her own Guild want her dead. And something horrid, something dark, something ancient is reaching out for her, a past that refuses to let her go. Widdershins and Olgun are going to find answers, and justice, for what happened to her—but only if those who almost destroyed her in those years gone by don’t finish the job first.

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse
by Troy Denning
Cover by Ian Keltie

Promo copy:

There can be no surrender.
There will be no mercy.
It’s not just the future of the galaxy at stake—
It’s the destiny of the Force.

In the stunning finale of the epic Fate of the Jedi series, Jedi and Sith face off—with Coruscant as their battlefield. For the Sith, it’s the chance to restore their dominance over the galaxy that forgot them for so long. For Abeloth, it’s a giant step in her quest to conquer all life everywhere. For Luke Skywalker, it’s a call to arms to eradicate the Sith and their monstrous new master once and for all.

In a planetwide strike, teams of Jedi Knights take the Sith infiltrators by swift and lethal surprise. But victory against the cunning and savage Abeloth, and the terrifying endgame she has planned, is anything but certain. And as Luke, Ben, Han, Leia, Jaina, Jag, and their allies close in, the devastating truth about the dark side incarnate will be exposed—and send shock waves through the Jedi Order, the galaxy, and the Force itself.

The Ruined City
by Paula Brandon

Promo copy:

Paula Brandon’s epic and captivating trilogy continues as magic and mystery wreak havoc with the very fabric of existence.

Reality is wavering. Soon its delicate balance will shift and an ancient force will return to overwhelm the Veiled Isles. Now those with the arcane talent forge an uneasy alliance in hopes that their combined abilities are enough to avert an eerie catastrophe. Yet it may be too late. The otherworldly change has begun. The streets of the city are rife with chaos, plague, and revolt. And it is here that Jianna Belandor, once a pampered daughter of privilege, returns to face new challenges.

The dead walk the streets. The docile amphibian slaves of humanity have taken up arms. Jianna’s home lies in ruins. Her only happiness resides in her growing attraction to Falaste Rione, a brilliant nomadic physician whose compassion and courage have led him to take dangerous risks. Jianna, stronger and more powerful than she knows, has a role to play in the unfolding destiny of her world. But a wave of madness is sweeping across the land, and time is running out—even for magic.

More in Part II

Books received 2/24/12 Part I was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Thief’s Covenant
by Ari Marmell
Cover by Jessica Cargill

Promo copy:

Once she was Adrienne Satti. An orphan of Davillon, she had somehow escaped destitution and climbed to the ranks of the city’s aristocracy in a rags-to-riches story straight from an ancient fairy tale. Until one horrid night, when a conspiracy of forces—human and other—stole it all away in a flurry of blood and murder.
Today she is Widdershins, a thief making her way through Davillon’s underbelly with a sharp blade, a sharper wit, and the mystical aid of Olgun, a foreign god with no other worshippers but Widdershins herself. It’s not a great life, certainly nothing compared to the one she once had, but it’s hers.

But now, in the midst of Davillon’s political turmoil, an array of hands are once again rising up against her, prepared to tear down all that she’s built. The City Guard wants her in prison. Members of her own Guild want her dead. And something horrid, something dark, something ancient is reaching out for her, a past that refuses to let her go. Widdershins and Olgun are going to find answers, and justice, for what happened to her—but only if those who almost destroyed her in those years gone by don’t finish the job first.

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse
by Troy Denning
Cover by Ian Keltie

Promo copy:

There can be no surrender.
There will be no mercy.
It’s not just the future of the galaxy at stake—
It’s the destiny of the Force.

In the stunning finale of the epic Fate of the Jedi series, Jedi and Sith face off—with Coruscant as their battlefield. For the Sith, it’s the chance to restore their dominance over the galaxy that forgot them for so long. For Abeloth, it’s a giant step in her quest to conquer all life everywhere. For Luke Skywalker, it’s a call to arms to eradicate the Sith and their monstrous new master once and for all.

In a planetwide strike, teams of Jedi Knights take the Sith infiltrators by swift and lethal surprise. But victory against the cunning and savage Abeloth, and the terrifying endgame she has planned, is anything but certain. And as Luke, Ben, Han, Leia, Jaina, Jag, and their allies close in, the devastating truth about the dark side incarnate will be exposed—and send shock waves through the Jedi Order, the galaxy, and the Force itself.

The Ruined City
by Paula Brandon

Promo copy:

Paula Brandon’s epic and captivating trilogy continues as magic and mystery wreak havoc with the very fabric of existence.

Reality is wavering. Soon its delicate balance will shift and an ancient force will return to overwhelm the Veiled Isles. Now those with the arcane talent forge an uneasy alliance in hopes that their combined abilities are enough to avert an eerie catastrophe. Yet it may be too late. The otherworldly change has begun. The streets of the city are rife with chaos, plague, and revolt. And it is here that Jianna Belandor, once a pampered daughter of privilege, returns to face new challenges.

The dead walk the streets. The docile amphibian slaves of humanity have taken up arms. Jianna’s home lies in ruins. Her only happiness resides in her growing attraction to Falaste Rione, a brilliant nomadic physician whose compassion and courage have led him to take dangerous risks. Jianna, stronger and more powerful than she knows, has a role to play in the unfolding destiny of her world. But a wave of madness is sweeping across the land, and time is running out—even for magic.

More in Part II

Books received 2/24/12 Part I was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Liminal States
by Zack Parsons

Promo copy:

Deep water rises.
Abandon your spire.
It is coming.

It is 1874 and Gideon Long is dying. Wandering the savage desert of the New Mexico Territory, he craves a last drink before he bleeds out. On the brink of madness, he discovers a place best left forgotten and makes an insidious bargain: escape his fate and incur a debt too great for one man. His country will pay the price over the twisting course of more than a century and Gideon will learn there are worse things to bargain with than the devil.

Care To Make Love In That Gross Little Space Between Cars?: A Believer Book of Advice
Edited by Mike Sachs and Eric Spitznagel
Introduction by Judd Apatow
Second attempt at an introduction by Patton Oswalt
Cover by Christopher King

Promo copy:

The Believer magazine presents a compendium of advice from producers, writers, and actors of The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation, Late Show with David Letterman, The Hangover, and The Colbert Report, along with other musicians, cartoonists, New Yorker writers, and those similarly unqualified to offer guidance.

Here Amy Sedaris describes the perfect murder for unwanted hermit crabs—you will need a piece of meat and a brick. Simon Rich explains how to avoid being found dead in your underwear by firemen—buy some long johns. Zach Galifianakis provides insight into how he changed his name without a social security card—he just started calling himself Adam Zapple, and it stuck. Bob Saget finally illuminates what “friends with benefits” really means—a nonsexual relationship wherein your ex makes monetary deposits into your bank account.

Contributors include:

Rob Baedeker, Anne Beatts, Elizabeth Beckwith, Jerri Blank, Roz Chast, Louis C.K., Mike Doughty, Dave Eggers, Rich Fulcher, Zach Galifianakis, Dan Guterman, Anthony Jeselnik, Julie Klausner, Lisa Lampanelli, Nick Hornby, Sam Lipsyte, Liam Lynch, Merrill Markoe, Rose McGowan, Misc. Canadian rock musicians, Laraine Newman, The Pleasure Syndicate, Bob Powers, Simon Rich, Bob Saget, George Saunders, Kristen Schaal, Paul Scheer, Amy Sedaris, Allison Silverman, Paul Simms, Brendon Small, Jerry Stahl, Scott Thompson, Fred Willard, Cintra Wilson, Weird Al Yankovic, and Alan Zweibel

The Games
by Ted Kosmatka
Cover by David Stevenson

Promo copy:

This stunning first novel from Nebula Award and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalist Ted Kosmatka is a riveting tale of science cut loose from ethics. Set in an amoral future where genetically engineered monstrosities fight each other to the death in an Olympic event, The Games envisions a harrowing world that may arrive sooner than you think.

Silas Williams is the brilliant geneticist in charge of preparing the U.S. entry into the Olympic Gladiator competition, an internationally sanctioned bloodsport with only one rule: no human DNA is permitted in the design of the entrants. Silas lives and breathes genetics; his designs have led the United States to the gold in every previous event. But the other countries are catching up. Now, desperate for an edge in the upcoming Games, Silas’s boss engages an experimental supercomputer to design the genetic code for a gladiator that cannot be beaten.

The result is a highly specialized killing machine, its genome never before seen on earth. Not even Silas, with all his genius and experience, can understand the horror he had a hand in making. And no one, he fears, can anticipate the consequences of entrusting the act of creation to a computer’s cold logic.

Now Silas races to understand what the computer has wrought, aided by a beautiful xenobiologist, Vidonia João. Yet as the fast-growing gladiator demonstrates preternatural strength, speed, and—most disquietingly—intelligence, Silas and Vidonia find their scientific curiosity giving way to a most unexpected emotion: sheer terror.

Part I

Books received 2/24/12 Part II was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived at the Geek Compound.

Liminal States
by Zack Parsons

Promo copy:

Deep water rises.
Abandon your spire.
It is coming.

It is 1874 and Gideon Long is dying. Wandering the savage desert of the New Mexico Territory, he craves a last drink before he bleeds out. On the brink of madness, he discovers a place best left forgotten and makes an insidious bargain: escape his fate and incur a debt too great for one man. His country will pay the price over the twisting course of more than a century and Gideon will learn there are worse things to bargain with than the devil.

Care To Make Love In That Gross Little Space Between Cars?: A Believer Book of Advice
Edited by Mike Sachs and Eric Spitznagel
Introduction by Judd Apatow
Second attempt at an introduction by Patton Oswalt
Cover by Christopher King

Promo copy:

The Believer magazine presents a compendium of advice from producers, writers, and actors of The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation, Late Show with David Letterman, The Hangover, and The Colbert Report, along with other musicians, cartoonists, New Yorker writers, and those similarly unqualified to offer guidance.

Here Amy Sedaris describes the perfect murder for unwanted hermit crabs—you will need a piece of meat and a brick. Simon Rich explains how to avoid being found dead in your underwear by firemen—buy some long johns. Zach Galifianakis provides insight into how he changed his name without a social security card—he just started calling himself Adam Zapple, and it stuck. Bob Saget finally illuminates what “friends with benefits” really means—a nonsexual relationship wherein your ex makes monetary deposits into your bank account.

Contributors include:

Rob Baedeker, Anne Beatts, Elizabeth Beckwith, Jerri Blank, Roz Chast, Louis C.K., Mike Doughty, Dave Eggers, Rich Fulcher, Zach Galifianakis, Dan Guterman, Anthony Jeselnik, Julie Klausner, Lisa Lampanelli, Nick Hornby, Sam Lipsyte, Liam Lynch, Merrill Markoe, Rose McGowan, Misc. Canadian rock musicians, Laraine Newman, The Pleasure Syndicate, Bob Powers, Simon Rich, Bob Saget, George Saunders, Kristen Schaal, Paul Scheer, Amy Sedaris, Allison Silverman, Paul Simms, Brendon Small, Jerry Stahl, Scott Thompson, Fred Willard, Cintra Wilson, Weird Al Yankovic, and Alan Zweibel

The Games
by Ted Kosmatka
Cover by David Stevenson

Promo copy:

This stunning first novel from Nebula Award and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award finalist Ted Kosmatka is a riveting tale of science cut loose from ethics. Set in an amoral future where genetically engineered monstrosities fight each other to the death in an Olympic event, The Games envisions a harrowing world that may arrive sooner than you think.

Silas Williams is the brilliant geneticist in charge of preparing the U.S. entry into the Olympic Gladiator competition, an internationally sanctioned bloodsport with only one rule: no human DNA is permitted in the design of the entrants. Silas lives and breathes genetics; his designs have led the United States to the gold in every previous event. But the other countries are catching up. Now, desperate for an edge in the upcoming Games, Silas’s boss engages an experimental supercomputer to design the genetic code for a gladiator that cannot be beaten.

The result is a highly specialized killing machine, its genome never before seen on earth. Not even Silas, with all his genius and experience, can understand the horror he had a hand in making. And no one, he fears, can anticipate the consequences of entrusting the act of creation to a computer’s cold logic.

Now Silas races to understand what the computer has wrought, aided by a beautiful xenobiologist, Vidonia João. Yet as the fast-growing gladiator demonstrates preternatural strength, speed, and—most disquietingly—intelligence, Silas and Vidonia find their scientific curiosity giving way to a most unexpected emotion: sheer terror.

Part I

Books received 2/24/12 Part II was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon

Scott A. Cupp and Jess Nevins have turned in their essays on apes in comics and literature. The fascinating pieces promise surprising insights about primates in pop culture.

A survey of ape literature, The Apes of Wrath delivers 17 classic short stories, along with four original essays on various aspects of apes in pop culture. The book’s stellar lineup includes Edgar Allan Poe, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Franz Kafka, Gustave Flaubert, Robert E. Howard, Karen Joy Fowler, Joe R. Lansdale, Howard Waldrop, Steven Utley, Mary Robinette Kowal, Pat Murphy, Leigh Kennedy, James P. Blaylock, Clark Ashton Smith, Aesop, Hugh B. Cave, Jess Nevins, Scott Cupp, Mark Finn, and Rupert Wyatt.

The fun comes your way in March 2013 from Tachyon Publications.

Updating The Apes of Wrath was originally published on The Geek Curmudgeon