News

I’m glad I finished the streaming series of The Alienist, which included (most of) the plot from The Angel Of Darkness in Season 2, before I read TAOD. Needless to say, there were several significant changes from the book to the small screen, which is why the novel kept my attention from the beginning. But I’d rather not talk about said changes—I’d rather discuss the book itself. The same team of investigators is brought together as was in the first novel, this time at a poin

Along with what I’m currently reading, I am also studying—yes, I said studying—Lock Picking for Complete Beginners & Intermediates. You might think that I am examining this manual as research for one of my characters. Or that I seek to add a new skillset to my résumé. Or that my salary as a teacher is so unsatisfactory that I need to pursue another lucrative avocation. But no. The reason why I am reading this book stems from my own stupidity. Plain and simple. You see, in my

I am currently reading the second book in the unfortunately halted Dr. Lazlo Kriezler Series, The Angel of Darkness. As mentioned, author Caleb Carr in 2024, when he was in the midst of writing a third book in the series, as well as a prequel novel. Having read this years ago—and wondering at the time if Carr could top the villain serial killer from the first book—and having watched both seasons of the streaming series, I know what to expect, and I look forward to spending ti

As I read through this book, gaining a closeness with the characters as I would in any good book, I wanted more. I didn’t want it to end. The authors, Rhett Bruno and Jamie Castle, had only planned for and delivered a trilogy, essentially concluding the story of outlaw-turned-immortal enforcer James Crowley, the Black Badge of the title. As I reached the end, I agreed with them. Every character, from good to evil, was handed their just desserts, either violently or by quiet s

Bingeing Secret Level is like reading a collection of flash fiction—short films/stories with only plot elements and not full plots. The “flash fiction” here includes games, mostly video games. And, like all flash fiction, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. The season opens with a story set in the world of Dungeons and Dragons, a beloved and timeless tabletop role-playing game if there ever was one. The story works and is quite compelling. Other episodes from other clas

I am currently reading Ace in the Hole (Black Badge Book 3) by Rhett C. Bruno and Jamie Castle. It’s the third installment in a supernatural western series, filled with colorful characters and an antihero with a conscience. I read the previous two books last year, and am eager to dive back in. When I’m done, I’ll share my thoughts.

This book was a good read, and kept me attentive throughout. The main character, Thomas Austin, riddled by grief and regret, is not your typical hardboiled detective seeking redemption. At first, he seeks solace, which is why he left the NYPD and moved to Hansville, Washington, on the Puget Sound, 3,000 miles away. He is a reluctant retiree, with no intentions of returning to police work. But old fears and longings re-emerge when a bag of an infant’s bones is found on the sho

I am currently reading The Bones At Point No Point , by D.D. Black, feeding my usual diet of mystery and urban fantasy. This one falls in the first category. The detective in this case is Thomas Austin, a former NYPD Detective and recent widower. A mysterious bag of bones pulls Austin back into law enforcement, and hence the mystery begins. As usual, I’ll share my thoughts when I’m done.

I had fun reading this book. From world-building to snarky jokes, from character arcs to anticipatory chapters, from plot twists to moral quandaries. I had a blast. The Malevolent Seven centers on Cade Ombra, a mage who is a self-proclaimed villain. Who hangs out with other villains. And do villainous things. He narrates the story, delighting in his wickedness, yet still making morally right decisions. You see, Cade wasn’t always a bad guy. The book starts with a job that res

I am currently reading The Malevolent Seven, by Sebastian de Castell. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Castell at last year’s Balticon, and when he told me what his books were about, I added them to my TBR. “Terry Pratchett Meets Deadpool” is the marketing line of this book, and I look forward to diving in. I mean, what’s not to like? A snarky, foul-mouthed wizard narrating a tale of magic, mayhem, and mystery? As usual, I’ll let you know my thoughts when I’m done.

This was the third time I have read this book, and I loved it every time. The most prominent concept I want to discuss about The Alienist is its readability. Caleb Carr has done a fantastic job of making long, somewhat unwieldy sentences enjoyable and easy to ingest. How is it that I can read a book like this, with its attention to historical detail, and, especially, its narrative voice in the style of the time period, as well, and be absolutely engaged? At the same time, oth

My first instinct, before I viewed this film, was to watch the original Gladiator (2000), starring the eminent Russell Crowe. But then I thought better. If I had done this, I’d spend far too much time comparing the original to the sequel, which, I believe, would sour my thoughts about the current film. So I decided to watch Gladiator II as its own movie. And I was still dissatisfied. For me, questioning the suspension of disbelief always occurs during a film I’m watching that

My Thoughts on the Film, Gangs of New York… I thought I had watched this film when it first came out back in 2002, but after seeing it this time, I realize that I remember nothing about the movie whatsoever. So perhaps this is the first time I’ve seen it. Set in the middle of the 19th Century, Gangs of New York illustrates the turmoil and tribalism that plagued the Five Corners and most of New York City at that time. From this turmoil emerges a young man, Amsterdam Vallon—por

I started to read the second (and, sadly, final) book in this series, The Angel of Darkness , telling myself that I had read The Alienist several times already and not as many times the sequel. But then I thought better. Both are such wonderfully written books that I need to start at the beginning. I am reading this book, hoping to start off 2026 strong, with the first of 100+ books I plan to read for the year. I need to keep my streak going.

I enjoyed this book. I really did. The worldbuilding was excellent, the premise was believable, and the characters were well-fleshed out. I enjoyed it so much that I added the next novel in the series to my TBR. This dystopian story takes place on the Exsta, a large ring-shaped colony spaceship that was separated from the fleet that left Earth and was heading towards habitable planets. The ship is divided into habitats, where humans, the balconeros (the haves), and the Gen Po

Wes Anderson is a love or hate filmmaker. He has a definite audience, which may or may not check off the boxes of a cult, but the fanbase is sizable; their devotion, palpable. Anderson's latest, The Phonician Scheme , includes his customary layered narrative. his quirky, melancholic characters on quests for connection or identity, and his unique visual symmetry. Not to mention his use of deadpan humor, mise en abyme (story-within-a-story), and the retro-theatrical aesthetic

[THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS] What can I say about a remake of a film I wholly enjoy and will watch again and again? Usually, I’m not so impressed, considering the updated version a one-off. But not with The Thomas Crown Affair (1999). This is a great film, one that checks all the marks I require for such a case. But it is a different film, although the premise, thank Heavens, is the same: an insurance investigator targets a suspect in a high-end robbery, and then embarks o

I wish I were alive in the mid-sixties, early seventies. Well, I was alive in the early seventies, but I hadn’t the wherewithal to truly appreciate the sexy pout, the sultry eyes, or the seductive persona that embodies Faye Dunaway. But I can watch a film from that time, like The Thomas Crown Affair, and goggle at it like a teenager just as well. The movie is not a cat-and-mouse story. There is no chase scene or climactic shootout, because the main characters have each other

Although I’m not a big fan, I’ve always been appreciative of Stephen Sondheim's musicals, with their heavier emphasis on character development more than mere musical aside. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a film version of the Broadway musical, does this in spades. Filled with character introspection, themes of revenge and murder, and absolutely no hugely choreographed musical numbers, this film/musical tells a tale of heartbreak, horror, and abuse of power. S

Chills went down my spine within the first four minutes of this film. It was a clip from a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert, with the titular rock star played by Jeremy Allen White, performing “Born to Run.” White looked, gestured, and strummed the guitar, sounding so much like Springsteen that it was scary. Let me say here that I am a big fan of what biographies and biopics are doing these days: they chronicle only specific portions of the subject’s life. Thin