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By Christel, March 10, 2010 6:45 am

We occasionally watch a bit of TV…. Alright… fine, we admit it. We watch A LOT of TV. So here is the weekly rundown of shows that we watched this week and the quick and dirty on what we thought of them. Is there something we should be watching that we are not? Let us know and we will check it out.

Caprica 1.5 “ Know Thy Enemy”

Daniel Graystone had Joseph Adama steal his new Cylon tech from his competitor and arch rival Tomas Vergis.  Now Vergis has found out and is coming after Daniel and everything he loves.  Two of his men were killed during the robbery and Vergis wants nothing more than to make Daniel suffer as he has.

Zoe is still residing in the Cylon body and when Philomon the  gets caught flirting with a piece of machinery, Zoe gets an idea.  She poses as a girl on a dating site and meets up with Philomon in the V world.

Joseph now knows that his daughter’s avatar is still in the V world and he gets himself a shiny new holoband to try and find her.  No luck yet.

Clarice the nun, is scamming Amanda Graystone to get files from Daniel’s computer and it works.  She is drunk and high when she gets home, but it worked none the less.  What will the STO do with this new intel.  And we met Barnabus, who seems to be totally off his rocker.  An extremest who inflicts pain upon himself presumably in the worship of the one god.  That’s just great.

Matt says: I am at a quandary again this week, is this show any good or is it just wandering all over the place trying to find it’s niche?  Another new character is introduced, a mobster / business who threatens to take away the things that Graystone loves.  I would care but Daniel Graystone is not a sympathetic character.  And maybe that is the problem I am having.  I am not attached to any of the characters.  Battlestar had a group of interesting and flawed characters that worth tuning into every week.  Caprica, not so much.  You have the power business man, blah, the shady attorney, double blah, the wife of a powerful business man,boring, and the cylon / daughter, could care less.  The story is fine but I find my interest waning with every week.  I hope they kicked it into gear for the end run of season one or I am not sure I will back for season two.

Spartacus Blood and Sand 1.7 “Great and Unfortunate Things ”

Spartacus is grieving the loss of his wife.  He still dosen’t know Batiatus was behind it and I bet Batiatus would prefer it stay that way.  Not sure that he can go on with nothing left to live for, Spartacus has to dig deep and find a reason to live.   He decides to embrace his wife’s beliefs and acknowledge the existence of the Gods.  As his first test, he must fight dressed as a Roman and slay some prisoners portraying his countrymen.  On the surface it looks bad, like Spartacus is slaying his countrymen but in the end, he uses this opportunity to divorce himself from his old Thracian life and move on to his new Gladiatorial life.  A crossroads of sorts. Ending with a most famous statement…” I…… Am….. Spartacus!”

Pietros is upset because he believes Barca just up and left him.  He was supposed to buy both their freedoms and they were to leave together.  This did not happen, Barca is dead.  But Pietros has been led to believe he was left behind.  One of the other gladiators takes a liking to Pietros and abuses him.  Because of this and his sadness, Pietros hangs himself.  Enraged by this injustice, Spartacus throws the other gladiator off of the cliff.  This gets him in a whole heap of trouble as Batiatus does not like to loose money.  It is all about the money with those Romans. Greedy buggers!

Matt says:  This week on Roman Hills 90210 there is a lot of gossiping in the manor, a cheating wife, some child abuse and suicide by hanging.  It’s just another average day in a Roman Villa.  Once again, Spartacus gets in trouble with Principle Skinner and must write “I will embrace my dead wife’s religion” a thousand times on the chalk board.  Aw shucks, will little Sparty ever be free?  This show is so over the top that it is really fun to watch.

Lucy Lawless weekly nekkid update: Another disappointing week.

Lost 1.7 “Dr. Linus”

This episode is all about Ben.  Bad little Island Ben catches up with Sun, Ilana, Miles and Lapidus after fleeing Sayid in the Temple.  Only maybe that wasn’t such a good idea, cause Ilana made Miles hold Jacob’s ashes to find out who killed him.  Duhn dunh duhhhhh, it was Ben.  Now she is pissed and shackles him to a tree with a piece of bamboo to dig his own grave.  How stupid is he?  If someone was just gonna shoot me anyway after I dug my own grave, I would refuse.  I mean seriously, she can dig the damn grave and I will be resting once I am dead.  Why would some one work thier ass off just to die…. anyway, I digress.  Bean is digging when Smokey Locke shows up and frees him, tells him there is rifle leaning against a tree 100 yards out and he should meet him on the other island so he can run the place once Smokey Locke flees.  Some help he is, why didn’t he just bring him the gun.  Why does everyone make Ben work for it?  So Ben and Ilana play tag in the jungle, Ben gives her a heartfelt story about his daughter and all is forgiven.  She lets him live and he rejoins the group on the beach rather than join Smokey Locke.

Alt Ben is better than Island Ben.  He takes care of his ailing father and when given a chance to ruin the pricipal of the school where he teaches, he chooses to help a student (Alex the student as opposed to Alex the daughter) instead. Yay Ben.

Jack and Hurley are wandering through the jungle when Richard shoes up.  Richard is a little whacked out now that Jacob is gone.  He says Jacob touched him and gave him a gift of long life, but it is really a curse.  His super long life has been for naught.  So he is going to die.  Only he can’t kill himself and he needs Jack to help.  Back in the marooned ship (which was apparently Richard’s ship when it crashed) he is trying to get Jack to light the dynamite.  Only Jack has put his faith in Jacob and believes they will not die.  And they don’t.  hooray, Jack is done moping and they all clasp hands and skip back to the beach to hang out with the “good guys”.  I miss team black.  Where the heck was team black.  And where the heck is Sawyer?

Matt says: In the flash sideways Linus is a history teacher and is teaching the lessons of Napoleon, there seems to be some foreshadowing here.  Does Napoleon…er….Linus accept his exile or return to his throne?  Ah no, Linus turns down the job as the ruler of the crappy island and joins Team White.  They just can’t give that job away.  We also learn that Richard is NOT a cyborg or a vampire. Man, I lost money on that bet.  Maybe Richard was a pirate?  Dude, if you are going to make-up ala’ Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, you better have had a cool job before becoming Jacob’s bitch.  Surprise, surprise Jack is going off the deep end and idiot Richard gets fooled again.  Now Richard is Jack’s bitch.  That pirate job was alot cooler.  The big surprise of the episode, Whitmore is baaaccck.  Things are going to get very interesting.

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By Matt, March 9, 2010 7:45 am

The Midnight Mayor (Matthew Swift, book 2) by Kate Griffin

Dust jacket summary: It’s said that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, then the Tower will crumble and the kingdom will fall. As it happens, that’s not so far from the truth . . .

One by one, the magical wards that guard the city are falling: the London Wall defiled with cryptic graffiti, the ravens found dead at the Tower, the London Stone destroyed. This is not good news. This array of supernatural defenses – a mix of international tourist attractions and forgotten urban legends – formed a formidable magical shield. Protection for the City of London against . . . well, that’s the question, isn’t it? What could be so dangerous as to threaten an entire city?

Against his better judgment, resurrected sorcerer Matthew Swift is about to find out. And if he’s lucky, he might just live long enough to do something about it . . .

Backlash (Star Wars : Fate of the Jedi, book 4) by Aaron Allston

Dust jacket summary: Repercussions from the dark side’s fatal seduction of Jacen Solo and the mysterious plague of madness afflicting young Jedi continue to wreak havoc galaxy-wide. Having narrowly escaped the deranged Force worshippers known as the Mind Walkers and a deadly Sith hit squad, Luke and Ben Skywalker are in pursuit of the now Masterless Sith apprentice. It is a chase that leads to the forbidding planet Dathomir, where an enclave of powerful dark side Force-wielders will give Vestara the edge she needs to escape – and where the Skywalkers will be forced into combat for their quarry and their lives.

Meanwhile, Han and Leia have completed their own desperate mission, shuttling madness-stricken Jedi from Coruscant to safe haven in the Transitory Mists and beyond the grasp of Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala. But the bold maneuver has intensified Daala’s fury, and she is determined to shatter Jedi Order resistance once and for all.

Yet no greater threat exists than that which still waits in the depths of the distant Maw Cluster: A being of pure, ravenous dark-side energy named Abeloth calls out across the stars to Jedi and Sith alike. For some it may be the ultimate source of answers crucial to their survival. For others it could be the ultimate weapon of conquest. But for all, it is a game-changing – and life-altering – encounter of untold magnitude and a tactical gambit with unimaginable consequences.

Knightley Academy Novel by Violet Haberdasher

Dust jacket summary: Henry Grim has never been in trouble for borrowing a sword from the headmasterÕs private stores. He has never discovered a forbidden room in a foreign castle, or received a death threat over breakfast.

All Henry knows is life as an orphaned servant boy at the Midsummer School, bullied by the privileged sons of aristocracy. But all that changes when Henry is the first commoner to pass the entrance exam for the prestigious Knightley Academy, where he will be trained as a modern-day knight alongside the cleverest and bravest fourteen-year-olds in the country.

Henry and his roommates, two other students from decidedly un-Knightley backgrounds, are not exactly greeted with open arms by their classmates. In fact, it soon becomes apparent that someone is going to great lengths to sabotage the trioÕs chances at becoming knights. But Henry soon learns that there is more at stake than his future at Knightley, and only he can sound the alarm. Is anyone going to believe a former servant on the brink of expulsion?

Brimming with wry humor, page-turning suspense, and surprising twists, this first adventure in a memorable new series is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

The Dead-Tossed Waves (Forest of Hands and Teeth, Book 2) by Carrie Ryan

Dust jacket summary: Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry. And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

The River Kings’ Road by Liane Merciel

Dust jacket summary: Liane Merciel’s The River Kings’ Road takes us to a world of bitter enmity between kingdoms, divided loyalties between comrades, and an insidious magic that destroys everything it touches. . .

The wounded maidservant thrust the knotted blankets at him; instinctively, Brys stepped forward and caught the bundle before it fell. Then he glimpsed what lay inside and nearly dropped it himself.

There was a baby in the blankets. A baby with a tear-swollen face red and round as a midsummer plum. A baby he knew, even without seeing the lacquered medallion tucked into the swaddling – a medallion far too heavy, on a chain far too cold for an infant who had not yet seen a year.

A fragile period of peace between the eternally warring kingdoms of Oakharn and Langmyr is shattered when a surprise massacre fueled by bloodmagic ravages the Langmyrne border village of Willowfield, killing its inhabitants – including a visiting Oakharne lord and his family – and leaving behind a scene so grisly that even the carrion eaters avoid its desecrated earth. But the dead lord’s infant heir has survived the carnage – a discovery that entwines the destinies of Brys Tarnell, a mercenary who rescues the helpless and ailing babe, and who enlists a Langmyr peasant, a young mother herself, to nourish and nurture the child of her enemies as they travel a dark, perilous road . . . Odosse, the peasant woman whose only weapons are wit, courage, and her fierce maternal love – and who risks everything she holds dear to protect her new charge . . . Sir Kelland, a divinely blessed Knight of the Sun, called upon to unmask the architects behind the slaughter and avert war between ancestral enemies . . . Bitharn, Kelland’s companion on his journey, who conceals her lifelong love for the Knight behind her flawless archery skills – and whose feelings may ultimately be Kelland’s undoing . . . and Leferic, an Oakharne Lord’s bitter youngest son, whose dark ambitions fuel the most horrific acts of violence. As one infant’s life hangs in the balance, so too does the fate of thousands, while deep in the forest, a Maimed Witch practices an evil bloodmagic that could doom them all. . . .

The Vampire and the Virgin (Love at Stake, Book Eight) by Kerrelyn Sparks

Dust jacket summary: Olivia’s packing list:

1. Sunscreen
2. Bathing suit
3. Flip-flops

FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can’t they see that none of the men around interests her—except Robby MacKay?

Robby’s packing list:

1. Synthetic blood
2. More synthetic blood
3. Jogging clothes

(even vamps have to stay in shape!)

Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive—but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life—along with giving her a first time she’ll never forget . . .

Player’s Handbook 3: A 4th Edition D&D Core Rulebook by Mike Mearls, Rob Heinsoo, Robert J. Schwalb

Dust jacket summary: Rules for psionic, divine, and primal heroes.

Player’s Handbook 3 expands the range of options available to D&D players with new classes, races, powers, and other material.

This book builds on the array of classes and races presented in the Player’s Handbook and Player’s Handbook 2 core rulebooks, presenting old favorites and new, never-before-seen options to the game. Player’s Handbook 3 also adds the psionic power source to the 4th Edition D&D game, along with several new classes that harness this power source.

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By Christel, March 9, 2010 6:45 am

The fine folks at Tor/Forge sent us a copy of Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov.  This book is the first in a fantasy trilogy called The Chronicles of Siala.

Click on the cover to read an excerpt:

Dust Jacket Summary: An army is gathering; thousands of giants, ogres, and other creatures are joining forces from all across the Desolate Lands, united, for the first time in history, under one, black banner. By the spring, or perhaps sooner, the Nameless One and his forces will be at the walls of the great city of Avendoom.

Unless Shadow Harold, master thief, can find some way to stop them.

Epic fantasy at its best, Shadow Prowler is the first in a trilogy that follows Shadow Harold, the legendary thief of Siala, on his quest for a magic Horn that will restore peace to the Kingdom of Siala. Harold will be accompanied on his quest by an elfin princess, Miralissa, her elfin escort and ten Wild Hearts, the most experienced and dangerous fighters in their world…and by the king’s court jester (who may be more than he seems…or less.)

About the Author:

Alexey Pehov is a fantasy and science fiction writer who has gained popularity in Russia as the author of nine books (seven fantasy novels, one post-apocalyptic fantasy, and also the author’s collected stories).

Pehov’s first novel to be translated into English, SHADOW PROWLER, the first book in a trilogy, was sold in a pre-empt to Tom Doherty at Tor Books for six figures. Shortly after it sold in the U.S., the series found success in the foreign markets, with Simon & Schuster in the UK pre-empting the trilogy with a six-figure deal at the Frankfurt Book Fair, and Piper buying the series at auction for the German market.

SHADOW PROWLER (first published in Russia in 2002 as STEALTH IN THE SHADOWS) was the first book in the series THE CHRONICLES OF SIAL, and became one of Russia’s biggest, most successful debuts.At the international fantasy convention Star Bridge (held in Kharkov, Ukraine, in 2002), STEALTH IN THE SHADOWS received the award from the publishing house The Sword Without a Name for best debut in the adventure and fantasy genre published in a large volume.

Later that year, the complete CHRONICLES OF SIAL series was awarded the highest professional honor, the Silver Kaduzei. The trilogy was also recognized as the best fantasy series of 2003. Today, THE CHRONICLES OF SIAL (STEALTH IN THE SHADOWS, DGANGA DANCE WITH SHADOWS, and BLIZZARD OF SHADOWS) are the most popular fantasy books in Russia, with many role playing clubs inspired by the books. A computer game based on the books is also being developed.

Pehov’s 2004 novel, UNDER THE SIGN OF THE MANTIKOR, has been met by readers and critics no less favorably. At the international fantasy convention Portal (held in Kiev, Ukraine), the book received awards for qualitative growth of literary skill.

In the same year, 2004, Russia’s largest fantasy magazine, World of Fantasy (selected as Best Magazine, Europe-2006 by the European Science Fiction Society, ESFS), named UNDER THE SIGN OF THE MANTIKOR The Book of Year, as well as the best novel in the genre of fantasy.

Alexey Pehov’s fantasy series THE WIND AND THE SPARKS (the first book, SELECTORS OF A WIND, was published in 2005; the second book, THE WIND OF A WORMWOOD, in 2006) was selected again by the Russian fantasy community as the best series of 2006 and also received the Silver Kaduzei award.

Pehov’s stories and novels are published in leading Russian fantasy magazines and anthologies on a regular basis. The author’s story collection, THE DARK HUNTER, by the end of 2006, had become the most commercially successful fantasy collection in Russia. At Eurokon 2006 (held in Kiev, Ukraine), Alexey Pehov was nominated for a rank of the best selling young European short stories fantasy writer in the (ESFS).

Alexey Pehov was born on March 30th, 1978. He completed his studies at Moscow State Medical University with an internship and postgraduate study at the Central Science Institute, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation; he specialized in orthodontics. He is married to Elena Bychkova, a professional journalist and science fiction writer; they have written some novels together.

Author’s Website: The Official Website of Alexey Pehov, Chronicles of Siala

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By Matt, March 8, 2010 7:45 am

Reviewed by Matt

Disclosure: The Audio and Hardback version of this novel was purchased by the reviewer’s own hard earned cash.

Narrated by Fred Berman

Audio Length: 13 hours and 55 minutes

I downloaded this novel from iTunes on the day it was available.  I thought I would I fly through the audio version as the stated run time was only 9 hours.  I do keep track of the progress of the recording in the hardback version as I would reread passages to get a clear understanding.  Sometimes my mind tends to wonder while listening to a book and I miss certain scenes.  Well, the audio version concluded at a very strange point and the ending didn’t make sense.  I soon realized that the entire book did not completely download and I was missing the last third of it.  iTunes customer service immediately sent me a complete copy.  Good thing too because I was worried that Mr. Hill completely drop the ending of his book and left it at a cliffhanger.

Horns is Joe Hill’s follow up novel to Heart-Shaped Box.  I was blown away by Heart-Shaped Box and I was highly anticipating the release of Horns.  Overall this is a truly excellent novel.  Mr. Hill did not suffer a sophomore slump with Horns and in fact, this novel demonstrates that Mr. Hill’s talent as writer is growing exponentially and he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

The story starts with an interesting concept.  The main character, Ignatius “Ig” Perrish, wakes up one morning after a bender to discover horns growing from his forehead.  Soon after everyone he runs into is telling him their deep dark secrets.  This really sucks when your parents tell you that they no longer want you around or your priest tells you that he thinks you’re guilty of your girlfriend’s murder.  Ig’s long time girlfriend was raped and murdered about a year prior to the beginning of the story.  Everyone in the small town thinks Ig was responsible for her murder but there was not enough evidence for a conviction.  Now Ig has the power to force people to tell him what really happened, unfortunately some secrets should stay buried.

In the end, Horns is a simple tale of revenge but very complex in its execution.  But it is the characters that are the very heart of this novel as they are so well illustrated that they actually feel like friends and family.  When they are in pain, the reader feels their pain.  Some passages of this novel are absolutely brutal.  By brutal I do not mean in violent way but in an emotional way.  There is entire sequence where Ig is at a restaurant with his girlfriend, Merrin Williams, and she is breaking up with him.  The conversation between the characters will cause a sinking feeling in your gut especially if you have ever been dumped from a long term relationship.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some passages that are extremely violent but these sequences are the central part of story, not just for violence sake.

In the mist of the story Mr. Hill also sprinkles of humor, very dark humor though.  Some of the secrets, especially the nun in Ig’s church, were just laugh out funny.  The more wicked sense of humor you have the funnier this book will be.

The story does jump to the several other characters to provide insight and a background for their motivations.  The first jump was a little jarring.  Ig is running around town trying to figure out how the horns suddenly appeared when the story jumps backwards to when he was a kid.  At first the story seems to have gone off the tracks a bit but once this part is completely finished, it adds another piece to the puzzle.  I found nothing in is this story that is a waste or just put in just in order to fill pages.

Secondary to the novel itself, the story questions if the devil is actually the bad guy and the one who is morally corrupt.  There are some thought provoking passages of what constitutes evil, the political hatchet man who uses his faith as a shield or the man turned into a devil that allows people to be their true selves.  This is not the primary focus of the story but does provide some food for thought.

There are also a couple shout outs to his dad’s work that are just fun when you read them.  I really like that he is embracing his legacy and is having fun with it.

The one quibble I had with the Audio version was Fred Berman’s narration.  His voice was not quit right for this type of story.  Mr. Berman’s voice has a Casey Kasem style about it that sounds like he is doing a “long distance dedication” at times.  I really enjoyed Stephen Lang reading Heart-Shaped Box and was hoping he would have narrated Horns.

Horns is flat out one of the best books that I have read in 2010 and easily one of the best horror type books I read in a very long time.  Mr. Hill is able to expertly capture the sweetness and brutally of life in equal measures.  He is a writer that everyone needs to take notice of because he is writing some of the best fiction that is being published today.

Author’s website: Joe Hill Fiction

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By Christel, March 8, 2010 6:45 am

RaV has an extra copy of Darklight by Lesley Livingston and we are passing it on to you.  Just enter using the instructions below and you could be the proud new owner of this wonderful book! Good luck and may the force be with you!

Dust Jacket Summary: Faerie can’t lie . . . or can they?

Much has changed since autumn, when Kelley Winslow learned she was a Faerie princess, fell in love with changeling guard Sonny Flannery, and saved the mortal realm from the ravages of the Wild Hunt. Now Kelley is stuck in New York City, rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and missing Sonny more with every stage kiss, while Sonny has been forced back to the Otherworld and into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the remaining Hunters and Queen Mabh herself.

When a terrifying encounter sends Kelley tumbling into the Otherworld, her reunion with Sonny is joyful but destined to be cut short. An ancient, hidden magick is stirring, and a dangerous new enemy is willing to risk everything to claim that power. Caught in a web of Faerie deception and shifting allegiances, Kelley and Sonny must tread carefully, for each next step could topple a kingdom . . . or tear them apart.

With breathtakingly high stakes, the talented Lesley Livingston delivers soaring romance and vividly magical characters in Darklight, the second novel in the trilogy that began with Wondrous Strange.

Want to know more about this book?  Check out my review here

How to Enter

1. Only open to U.S. Residents with a valid mailing address.

2. Only one entry per contestant will be accepted.

3. Send an email to robotsandvamps@gmail.com by Friday, March 19, 2010 to be entered into a random drawing.  Please put  Darklight in the header.

4. Bean will randomly pick the winner out of the RaV sorting hat and we will notify you by email.

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By Christel, March 8, 2010 6:40 am

Reminder – Only 1 more week for this contest!

We’ve got 3 copies of the YA novel NUM8ERS by Rachel Ward.

Dust Jacket Summary: Ever since she was child, Jem has kept a secret: Whenever she meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die. Burdened with such awful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. The two plan a trip to the city. But while waiting to ride the Eye ferris wheel, Jem is terrified to see that all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today’s number. Today’s date. Terrorists are going to attack London. Jem’s world is about to explode!

How to Enter

1. Only open to U.S. Residents with a valid mailing address.

2. Only one entry per contestant will be accepted.

3. Send an email to robotsandvamps@gmail.com by Monday, March 15, 2010 to be entered into a random drawing.  Please put  NUMBERS in the header.

4. Bean will randomly pick the winner out of the RaV sorting hat and we will notify you by email.

Good luck and may the force be with you!

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By Matt, March 7, 2010 6:45 am

There is a good release this week that I think I will be picking up on Blue Ray.  Planet 51 looks like fun for whole family but I have been let down before.  Thanks Igor.

Planet 51 (PG)

Spoiler summary: Planet 51 is a galactic sized animated alien adventure comedy revolving around American astronaut Captain Charles “Chuck” Baker, who lands on Planet 51 thinking he’s the first person to step foot on it. To his surprise, he finds that this planet is inhabited by little green people who are happily living in a white picket fence world reminiscent of a cheerfully innocent 1950s America, and whose only fear is that it will be overrun by alien invaders…like Chuck! With the help of his robot companion “Rover” and his new friend Lem, Chuck must navigate his way through the dazzling, but bewildering, landscape of Planet 51 in order to escape becoming a permanent part of the Planet 51 Alien Invaders Space Museum.

X

Possession (PG-13)

Spoiler summary: POSSESSION stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as Jess, a woman whose life turns surreal after an automobile accident leaves both her husband Ryan (Michael Landes) and her brother-in-law Roman (Lee Pace) in a coma. Things take an even darker turn when Roman wakes believing that he is Ryan. As Jess tries to deal with these increasingly disturbing events, she also struggles with the possibility that either the spirit of her husband has returned to her or that something very sinister is at work.

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By Matt, March 6, 2010 6:45 am

As a tradition, almost every Friday night Matt & Christel having been taking their daughter out to dinner and then a trip to a local bookstore. Sometimes it is a chain store, a used book store or a locally owned shop. We are trying to instill a love of books in our daughter, plus we need to find something to read for the week. These are the books that we spend our hard earned cash on. Anyway, below is our haul for the week. If you have any recommendations please let us know.

Matt

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Inheritance Trilogy , book 1) by N K Jemisin

Dust jacket summary: Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle with a pair of cousins she never knew she had. As she fights for her life, she draws ever closer to the secrets of her mother’s death and her family’s bloody history.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Yeine will learn how perilous it can be when love and hate – and gods and mortals – are bound inseparably together.

Stealth (Star Wars : Clone Wars Gambit, book 1) by Karen Miller

Dust jacket summary: Planet by planet, darkness creeps across the galaxy. Among warriors and generals, among ordinary beings living in far-flung worlds, the fear will not go away: We are losing this war. . . .

Anakin Skywalker feels it, too. The Separatist Alliance, with ruthlessness and treachery, is beating the Republic to every strategic target. But after a costly clash with General Grievous for the planet Kothlis, Anakin has a mission that will focus his anxious mind. Alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi, he is posing as a long-lost native of Lanteeb, an impoverished world on the Outer Rim. This seemingly unimportant planet has drawn the interest of the Seps – and Anakin and Obi-Wan soon discover the disturbing reason: A scientist enslaved by General Lok Durd is drawing on Lanteeb’s one natural resource for a devastating bioweapon. Now Anakin and Obi-Wan have entered the eye of a storm. Their presence has been exposed, Lok Durd’s plans unveiled, and a fight has begun for survival behind enemy lines – and a chance of winning a war that must be fought at any cost.

Christel

Cat’s Claw (Calliope Reaper-Jones, book 2) by Amber Benson

Dust jacket summary: Calliope Reaper-Jones is Death’s Daughter. She owes a debt to Cerberus, the three headed dog that guards the gate’s of hell-a debt that involves a trip to Purgatory, Las Vegas, ancient Egypt, and a discount department store that’s more frightening than any supernatural creature she’ll ever encounter.

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By Matt, March 5, 2010 7:45 am

Reviewed by Matt

Disclosure: The Audio version of this novel was purchased by the reviewer’s own hard earned cash.

Narrated by William Dufris

Audio Length: 10 hours and 32 minutes

This is the first novel that I read by L. E. Modesitt, Jr., which is amazing because it seems that he puts out a new novel every other week. The reason I have not read any of his other works is that most are part of a huge series that I have no hope of catching up. I picked up Haze because it is a stand alone novel and for the cool cover art by Sparth. Unfortunately, the cover art is the best thing about the novel. Is it completely unreadable? No. It is just that this storyline has been treaded over so many times that it would take a spectacular storyline to develop something new and fresh. Haze falls way short of introducing something new or original.

Haze is your typical fish out of water story times two. The novel alternates between the main character’s current mission and him remembering back to previous assignment. Major Keir Roget is an agent for the Federation and he is usually sent undercover into potentially hostile places to assess threats against the Federation. The set up for this story is pretty decent. The Federation has discovered a planet that has a haze shielding that blocks all types of sensors. Roget is sent to the planet surface to discover the reason for the haze and if there some life forms behind it. Like I said, a great set up for a Sci-Fi story.

Unfortunately from this point forward the story is relatively unremarkable. Roget discovers a human society with very advanced technology. He spends a lot of time talking to the habitants, walking around, taking in the sites and an inordinate amount in restaurants. Mr. Modesitt must have been hungry when he wrote this story because there are numerous passages describing the food selection on menus and what the characters are eating. Even kinda made me hungry at times. There is no real conflict between Roget and the citizens of Haze even though they are aware that the Federation has come to their planet in order to assume control of it. The world building is weak and not very imaginative. Basically there a few changes in way their government operates, the way they communicate among themselves, etc. But none of these are all that interesting. Essentially by the end of the novel I could care less if the Federation demolished this planet or not.

The other story involves Roget going undercover as water monitor to a religious community of St. George. A previous agent had died in accident while hiking. So Roget is being sent in to investigate. Again this involves a lot of time talking to the habitants, walking around taking in the sites and an inordinate amount in restaurants. The story is not really clear how this mission was supposed to force Roget to question the motives of the Federation and cause him to reconsider his current line of work. Personally, I saw no need of this story line except to fill pages for the main story that was taking place on Haze.

Even with all these issues I highly enjoyed the ending and the choices Roget made. I just wish that it would have come sooner in the novel. Then the last third of the novel could involved Roget living with decision and exploring further. It seems to me that by the story started to get fascinating is when it ended.

William Dufris is a veteran when comes to audiobook narrations. The only problem I had was that he had narrated the voice of Neb from Ken Scholes Lamentation and Canticle. So I kept thinking of Neb while I was listening to the story.

In many ways this novel was a disappointment as I believed it missed on so many notes. There are tiny bits of goodness but too much of it felt like filler to me. So, I guess the novel just left me in a haze (bad joke, sorry).

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By Matt, March 5, 2010 6:45 am

The second trailer for Toy Story 3.

The creators of the beloved Toy Story films re-open the toy box and bring moviegoers back to the delightful world of Woody, Buzz and our favorite gang of toy characters in Toy Story 3. Woody and Buzz had accepted that their owner Andy would grow up someday, but what happens when that day arrives? In the third installment, Andy is preparing to depart for college, leaving his loyal toys troubled about their uncertain future. Lee Unkrich directs this highly anticipated film, and Michael Arndt, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Little Miss Sunshine, brings his unique talents and comedic sensibilities to the proceedings. Toy Story 3 will be presented in Disney Digital 3D in select theaters.

Release date is June 18, 2010.