Books received 5/11/2014 Del Rey edition

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

The Best of Connie Willis
Award-Winning Stories

Promo copy:

Few authors have had careers as successful as that of Connie Willis. Inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame and recently awarded the title of Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Willis is still going strong. Her smart, heartfelt fiction runs the gamut from screwball comedy to profound tragedy, combining dazzling plot twists, cutting-edge science, and unforgettable characters.

From a near future mourning the extinction of dogs to an alternate history in which invading aliens were defeated by none other than Emily Dickinson; from a madcap convention of bumbling quantum physicists in Hollywood to a London whose Underground has become a storehouse of intangible memories both foul and fair—here are the greatest stories of one of the greatest writers working in any genre today.

All ten of the stories gathered here are Hugo or Nebula award winners—some even have the distinction of winning both. With a new Introduction by the author and personal afterwords to each story—plus a special look at three of Willis’s unique public speeches—this is unquestionably the collection of the season, a book that every Connie Willis fan will treasure, and, to those unfamiliar with her work, the perfect introduction to one of the most accomplished and best-loved writers of our time.

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The Illustrated Lansdale

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DC’s decision to finally release the complete Lansdale/Truman Jonah Hex spurred me on to write a history of the comics of Joe R. Lansdale (much like I previously did for Michael Moorcock). Titled “As Seen on the Rush Limbaugh Show: The Comics of Joe R. Lansdale,” the essay appeared as part of the regular Nexus Graphica column.

My reasoning behind the title lies with that back in the 90s, Rush Limbaugh attacked Lansdale and Truman’s Lone Ranger and Tonto comic.

On the August 17, 1995 episode of his TV series, conservative mouthpiece Rush Limbaugh held up a copy of Joe R. Lansdale and Tim Truman’s Lone Ranger and Tonto (Topps, 1995) graphic novel and chided their portrayal of an intelligent, independent Tonto as “political correctness.” In his typical, uninformed manner, Limbaugh didn’t even research the offending material (“I have far more productive things to do than read comic books.”) The creative duo would attract even more controversy in 1996.

I even included the video as proof of the event.

I won’t lie. The title was a blatant attempt to attract readers. (Really, isn’t that the purpose of every title?) Judging from the fact that the column has been shared all over the net, it may have worked. Course could be the subject material. I hear that Lansdale fella is mighty popular.

Stuff received 5/1/2014

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

Chu’s First Day of School

by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Adam Rex

Promo copy:

A brand-new picture book adventure about the New York Times bestselling panda named Chu from Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman and acclaimed illustrator Adam Rex!

Chu, the adorable panda with a great big sneeze, is heading off for his first day of school, and he’s nervous. He hopes the other boys and girls will be nice. Will they like him? What will happen at school? And will Chu do what he does best?

Chu’s First Day of School is a perfect read-aloud story about the universal experience of starting school.

Supports the Common Core State Standards.

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Books received 4/30/2014

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

The Ape Man’s Brother

by Joe R. Lansdale
Cover and interior illustrations by Ken Laager

Promo copy:

Orphaned by a plane crash, raised in the wilds of a lost world hidden somewhere beneath a constant mist, The Big Guy and his ape-man brother from another mother are living a life of danger amongst rampaging dinosaurs, giant birds, warring ape tribes, and all manner of deadly beasts. It’s a wonderful existence for someone like The Big Guy and his furry brother, except for the flea problem. Then an expedition of explorers from the outside turn his world inside out. Or rather a very blonde beauty called The Woman does. It leads to his and his ape brother being convinced to fly to New York by zeppelin, where they become the toast of the town. They even make Hollywood movies. It seems perfect. At least until The Big Guy does something that comes quite naturally to him in the wild, but leads to public humiliation in this new found world. To make matters worse, his ape brother has grown to not only love the pampered life, meals he doesn’t have to chase down, good cigars, fine wines and statuesque women, he’s come to like the Wrong Woman.

Changes are afoot. They lead to a return to the world beneath the mist, and a deadly and unexpected encounter with a foe that is in many ways far worse than any dinosaur. Envy, jealousy, greed, fleas, and pyramids under the mist, are all part of this rollicking novella of the sort only Joe R. Lansdale could write. And don’t forget dinosaurs.

Lansdale and apes.. need I say more?

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Graphic novels received 4/24/2014 Cinebook edition

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

Lament of the Lost Moors
Blackmore Volume 2

Script by Jean Dufaux
Art by Grzegorz Rosinski

Promo copy:

The first chapter of this epic tale of revenge and sorcery concludes.

After her mother’s marriage to the mysterious Lord Blackmore, Siobhan, last descendant of the Kings of Sudenne, is now supposed to be safe from the hostility of the sorcerer who rules the country. Too many mysteries remain, though, and the land itself calls for justice and the Lament of the Lost Moors to be heard. Will the young woman be able to avenge her father and defeat evil—and at what price?

The Cage
Thorgal Volume 15

Script by Jean Van Hamme
Art by Grzegorz Rosinski

Promo copy:

No such thing as a simple, happy homecoming for Thorgal…

It is time at last for Thorgal to return to his family. After her rescue by Jolan however, Aaricia is not staying idle, and she tries to put together a fleet to attack Shaigan’s stronghold – unaware that her husband is no longer the dreaded pirate lord. By the time the two find themselves on their own island again, Aaricia is disinclined to simply forgive everything, and locks Thorgal up in a cage while she makes up her mind about him.

He’s a child of the stars, beloved of the gods and touched by destiny, but also a reluctant hero, a simple man with simple dreams. Thorgal: an extraordinary Viking saga with strong elements of science fiction, by one of the master scriptwriters of Franco-Belgian comics.

On the False Earths
Valerian (Volume 7)

Script by Pierre Christin
Art by Jean-Claude Mezieres

Promo copy:

A spatio-temporal agent is always ready to give his… lives… for the mission?!

Valerian, shot to death in an Indian fortress. Valerian, dead in 19th century London. Valerian, gunned down in San Francisco’s Chinatown… And Laureline, paired up with an unpleasantly arrogant historian from Galaxity, forced to witness every demise of the man she loves on a succession of re-enacted pieces of human history. A very strange case that will take the two spatio-temporal agents to the limits of their endurance as they hunt down the mysterious architect of the false Earth…

Books received 4/24/2014

I’ve been woefully tardy on posting my new arrivals recently, so here’s the beginnings of my attempt to catch up.

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

Raising Steam 

by Terry Pratchett
Cover by Justin Gerard

Promo copy:

Steam is rising over Discworld, driven by Mister Simnel, the man with a flat cap and a sliding rule. He has produced a great clanging monster of a machine that harnesses the power of all of the elements—earth, air, fire, and water—and it’s soon drawing astonished crowds.

To the consternation of Ankh-Morpork’s formidable Patrician, Lord Vetinari, no one is in charge of this new invention. This needs to be rectified, and who better than the man he has already appointed master of the Post Office, the Mint, and the Royal Bank: Moist von Lipwig. Moist is not a man who enjoys hard work—unless it is dependent on words, which are not very heavy and don’t always need greasing. He does enjoy being alive, however, which makes a new job offer from Vetinari hard to refuse.

Moist will have to grapple with gallons of grease, goblins, a fat controller with a history of throwing employees down the stairs, and some very angry dwarfs if he’s going to stop it all from going off the rails…

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Books received 3/9/2014 Pyr edition

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

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Blood and Iron
The Book of the Black Earth
Part One

by Jon Sprunk
Cover by Jason Chan

Promo Copy:

This action-heavy EPIC FANTASY SERIES OPENER is like a sword-and-sorcerySpartacus set in a richly-imagined world.

It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn’t even begin to understand.

Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn’t last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen’s court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire’s caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both.

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Books received 3/9/2014

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

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Empty Hearts
Stories by Mark Finn

Cover by Sharon Nash

 Promo copy:

A young woman alone in the big city, a mobster looking to make a fresh start, an old monster hunter with one last job to do, a magical grocery store where love grows like tomatoes on a vine… These are just some of the people and places you’ll meet in Empty Hearts, a new collection of stories by Mark Finn. Set in and around the magic-steeped city of San Cibola, the characters come to life in Finn’s deft prose with humor, warmth, and compassion. Even the unlikeable people have strange and fascinating stories that make them compelling. The stories in Empty Hearts all turn on the theme of love, passion, and desire. Whether it’s a misguided crook’s tributes to an underworld organization, a passionate academic’s pet theory, or a child’s love of Christmas, the characters and stories in Empty Hearts ultimately reflect ourselves with humor, horror, and a dash of magic.

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STAPLE 2014: Coffee, monsters, pulp, etc

This previous weekend was the 10th annual STAPLE, Austin’s independent media expo. As I have for the past seven years, I attended the festival. Sadly, I was only there on Saturday, though that didn’t stop me from getting some goodies, visiting some friends, and hopefully make some new ones.

Staple

One of the show’s pleasant surprises was the unexpected appearance of Shannon Wheeler. As long time readers know, Shannon and I go way back (chronicled here, here, and other places) so it was nice to catch up. We discussed the success of God Is Disappointed in You, the Too Much Coffee Man beer (yes, really!), his kids, and other stuff in our lives.

Then Shannon made me a very generous offer, he gave me the original of a Too Much Coffee Man strip!

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Stuff received 3/1/2014

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

The Simon and Kirby Library: Horror

by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

Promo copy:

At every point, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby raised the bar.

When they came to comics, Superman had been around for about a year, and the medium was still in its infancy. They took the action and made it explode, breaking out of the panels and sprinting across the page. They showed what comics could do, experimenting with layout and design, creating the first full-page panels and double page spreads.

Their first million-seller was a superhero (Captain America), and their next was military adventure that outsold Superman (DC’s Boy Commandos). These two guys from Rochester and Brooklyn broke all the rules when they created the first romance comics, and they blazed trails in every genre: horror, science fiction, crime etc …

Their work in the legendary title Black Magic was acclaimed by readers. It was held up on national television by the Senate Committee on Juvenile Delinquency, where experts claimed Black Magic contributed to the corruption of American youth! Also included here are the Simon and Kirby stories from the experimental terror title Strange World of Your Dreams.

WOW! (Watch for a review in a forthcoming Nexus Graphica)

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