2025 Reading Challenge discussion

Ghost Rider, Vol. 1: Vicious Cycle by Daniel Way


This is the current Ghost Rider series that I'm reading and I love it, the writing and art are both really great.

Mind you, I own the individual comics, not the trade paperback. Which is what this is, but this is the only version I saw that looked right, and I've read past this point.

I don't know why everyone is hateful of this series, it's got wonderful art (I am an artist so I am INCREDIBLY critical of others art, it's not an easy profession, trust me), a compelling story, and great wit.

I guess people are just never happy. This is quite a detailed and interesting series from what I've read so far.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Ghost Rider, Vol. 2: The Life & Death of Johnny Blaze by Daniel Way


Again, I own the individual 32-page comic book issues, but I would like to start adding some of the comics I read on here. This is a great series, full of sarcasm and wit. I find some of the comebacks and sarcasm put into here highly relate-able. I wish more people could appreciate this series.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Ghost Rider, Vol. 3: Apocalypse Soon by Daniel Way


I am not entirely sure which individual issues are in each trade paperback version of this, so I'll kind of guestimate and add them all after I finish the series. I've read a lot of comics up to this point (over nine-hundred as of today (10-16-2015), so I can't add all of them, but I would like to start adding them.

Partly to keep track of them and add more to my read list, but to help this series with it's rating. I love this series, but I guess I was the only one who did.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Serpent Mage by Margaret Weis


This. Series. Is. Amazing!

I cannot express properly in words how much I love this series. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman are two of my favorite literary writers. The worlds they create, the cultures they develop are all so powerful and fascinating.

And this one. Was a cliff-hanger.
//insert screaming here

I still have books 5 thru 7 to go through. And I don't want to wait!

In this one we get to learn a lot more of the history between the Patryn and the Sartan, and we get to meet other Sartan, besides Alfred. Speaking of Alfred, he's a lot more powerful than we were originally led to believe.

What a journey!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole


Oh the nostagia!! I grew up watching Ms. Frizzle and the wacky adventures she and her class had on television. So when I saw this book at my local library's sale I just had to pick it up.

The Magic School Bus is a wonderful series to readto those kids in your life, it's educational in a fun and whimsical way. They make it applical for children without overly dumming it down and making the kids appear stupid. Each character has their own personality that is distinct and they have a small quiz at the end, about both the topic of the book and life lessins to take away from it.

This volume discusses how the human body digests food and how the blood cells carry messages and oxegyn throughout the body.

An excellent kids book.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Concealed Kingdoms: Part One by Chris Northern


The concept was semi-intriguing but the writing fell so far short for me that I just couldn't get into this one. It was a really quick read that I would take with me going outside with the dog and the like, not a book that required much attention on my part.

Periodically, I go on Amazon and look for what free e-books they have available, and this one lived up to being a freebook.

It follows the story of Calista and Byron who are different from everyone else. When people look away from them they forget they exist andany situation involving them. Now my mind instantly went to a couple episodes of Doctor Who at this point.

They meet up in the search for why they are like this, and they are able to remember each other. So naturally Byron has instantly fallen in love with her and when she disappears he will do anything to get back to her.

She wad persuaded by another abnormal human with coersion powers to follow him to another world. From the way the author described it, it sounds like a pocket dimension connected to our own.

Bryon, going after her, is headed in the right direction, but there is a monster blocking his way. The monster formed itself of gravel, and can change shape. A fact surprising to him. *Rolls eyes.*

What REALLY bothered me though was the writing. It felt really unpolished with a heavy "rough-draft" feel about it. The story feels rushed and while flipping between the two main characters point of view, there was no difference in voice or personality. It was dull with unrefined descriptors.

The author tried to make it a cliff hanger, but in the preview of the second part, it gives away basically the whole next section.

Sorry, but this book has failed me. (Arrow reference because I am trash.)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



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Kaotic wrote: "Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole
Oh the nostagia!! ."

YES! I haven't thought about those books in years. How did you end up picking this up? I need to re-read all of those books...

Jackie B. wrote: "Kaotic wrote: "Inside the Human Body by Joanna Cole
Oh the nostagia!! ."

YES! I haven't thought about those books in years. How did you end up picking this up? I need to re-read all of those books..."

Sorry, I thought I replied to this already! :o I found it at my local library sale, they do $2 a bag for books to help support the libraries, and when I saw this, I just couldn't pass it up.

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss


Probably about a 3.5 instead of a 4 star book.

We bought this for my niece (which we'll code name Agent G) who is still incredibly young. As with most books we get her, I read it before hand - partly out of curiosity and partly to see if it's something appropriate and something that she would like.

I was torn between what to rate this one, I grew up with Dr. Seuss, as many of us have. However, this was an unfinished manuscript that the company decided to print anyway (hence why it came out this year). If they were going to publish something unfinished I think they should have included the pages as they were in a biography type of setting, for the older fans interested in his life.

I say that because this book was not as refined as his normal work - I can see where he was going with this, but it is clear that he didn't get around to going over it and finalizing it. (It even says in the book that they were unsure which revisions were the newest.)

I love Dr. Seuss, and this wasn't the worst childrens books I've read. But it really wasn't the same as most Seuss books I'm sad to say.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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The King's Justice: Two Novellas by Stephen R. Donaldson


Note: I received this book from GoodRead's giveaways section - part of a first reads project. The publisher printed an uncorrected proof for limited distribution for review. So my review is of this version, some things may have changed between this version and the final publication.

The short version of what I thought of this book: meh. (2.5-3 star rating)

It was far from what I'd consider one of my favorite books, but it wasn't the worst book I've ever read. I had a lot of problems with this book, of which I think ruined it for me while other loved it.

Things I like about the book:

1. Premise. There were two short novellas in this book, and I felt that the general idea for the books was interesting, albeit not original. The fist book was about a stranger sent from the king investigating murders. The second was about a heirmancer serving his queen during a rebellion.

2. Pacing. While the beginning of each story was a little slow, once he found a pace, he kept to it and did a fairly good job.

Things I didn't like it about the book:

1. Not a slasher. Everyone's reviews that I read said that this was a violent book, calling it a slasher. Well, I am here to tell you that that is complete bullshit. There was maybe five pages of "gore." None of which was graphic in the slightest. At all. To call this a slasher would be a lie.

2. Passive Voice. Donaldson's writing voice was incredibly passive - we read the stories from the perspectives of the main characters but it was written in a very dull style. When they were surprised by something they just said something along the lines of "I was surprised by his statement." Put a little emotion into it, I mean come one. Just ug.

3. Characters. None of them were really believable. The story was written in the present, as though the story was currently happening - however each of the characters had some kind of hindsight, as though they had already lived though this and were just telling the story. They didn't really have many, if any real flaws. And, this may be me just being nit-picky, but authors shouldn't name thier characters after an item or a color. The main character in the first story was named Black. It broke up the flow of reading when the character is the color of the forest or whatever/where ever he was. Just no.

4. World Building. Put simply, there was none. A lot of authors forget to describe the world around them, and even when they do, they forget two of the most important questions in world building - the how and the why. How do they do this, why is the world like that. How do the townspeople get thier needs, how do they communicate with their kings and queens? The second novel was better with this problem with the first. In the fist story the main character had sigils tattooed on his body that allowed him to summon his sword and to contact the king. But it was never explained how this occurred or how the magic was infused in these tattoos.

5. Time Skips. Donaldson used time skips for plot convenience, which is a fine technique in moderation. But you don't EVER use it during the CLIMAX of a story. During the second part of the climax of the second story he skipped to after the climax as over so that another character could tell us how they escaped. That was just not okay. The first part of the climax: them confronting the invading ship and starting the fight. Second part of the climax: the fight and escaping back to the castle. Completely skipped that second part. Not okay.

All in all, the book had potential, and it wasn't the worst book in the world, but I felt it could have been a LOT better.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



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The Magic School Bus Gets Caught in a Web by Jeanette Lane


I always have and always will love The Magic School Bus series and stories. Even if they are meant for young, young readers and I already know extensively more about the subjects that they have in the books.

It's a fun series and a great way to introduce young children to the sciences - and a wide variety at that. I love the series. <3

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Green Lantern, Vol. 1: No Fear by Geoff Johns


This was a really fun read so far. I've been going through all the thousands of comics I own and reading them in order. I'd like to note here that I own the individual comics and not the trade paperbacks, but seeing how the trade paperbacks are all they have on this site, that is how I'll list them.

As I said, this was really fun - there is so much you can do under the Green Lantern title and this one does not let down. It's got a cool story, great action, great art and wonderful humor.

The story takes place after Hal Jordan comes back from the dead, after the really big incident with Paralax. (Because you know almost no one stays dead in any comic book series.) Hal has taken on the Green Lantern struggle once again and is working with the others Lanterns and Green Arrow to keep things running now that the Justice League has disbanded.

Hal is also trying to learn to deal with his own life. His mother dying with spite for him, his father blaming the death on him, his strained relationship with the rest of his family and his choice to rejoin the air force. All while helping to re-build a ghost town (again, related to the Paralax incident) and trying to help the world as a Green Lantern.

I'm really enjoying this series and plan on continuing reading! And if I don't have all the issues - well, I guess I'll have to go hunting for them then, haha.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Green Lantern, Vol. 2: Revenge of the Green Lanterns by Geoff Johns


Note: I own the individual comics and not the trade paperback version. But seeing how GoodReads does not have the individual volumes on here, I am using these to post my reviews.

Every review on here is posting about how they hate this series. But I really enjoy it. It is fast paced, has good artists and a good story line. I also see everyone complaining on this volume with one simple statement:

"Where's the revenge?"

What I have to say to that is - read between the lines. The Green Lanterns are not about going out and seeking legitimate painful revenge. That would defeat the purpose of their corps.

Think about the psychological and the rift. Think beyond what is in front of you.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Green Lantern, Vol. 3: Wanted: Hal Jordan by Geoff Johns


(Note: I own the individual 32 page comics and not the trade paperback, but seeing how GR doesn't have the individual comics, I am using this to post my thoughts.)

I still don't understand why everyone hates this series. It's interesting, has great fight scenes, and doesn't drag out like some of the other series' I've read over the years.

I am liking how they are playing on the internal conflicts between the Green Lantern Corps members and the Guardians of Oa, it's interesting.




My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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ElfQuest 1: Fire & Flight by Wendy Pini

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Definitely an interesting read! I know I am way late to the party for this fandom - but I am so glad that my cousin picked this one up. He, sadly, does not have all of the volumes - and the ones he does have are not in order.

But that's alright - eventually I shall read them all.

Anyway, I suppose I should get onto the actual review, haha.

I really didn't know what to expect going into this volume, but I was intrigued by the story. It's a fun and fast paced story that follows a tribe of Elves cast away from their homes by fire.

One thing that really intrigued me about the book was the focus on more than one evolutionary strain of elves. The main tribe you follow has evolved as wood/forest elves, while the second tribe is a group of sun elves.

I do admit that the art was a little off-putting at first, but it did grow on me. As an artist, I find that I do get a bit picky at times, haha.

Definitely an interesting series thus far.



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Great job, Kaotic! what were some of your favorites this year?

Oh that's a tuff question. I would say The Death Gate Cycle series, but I believe I started that last year.

Dune stood out because of the sheer magnitute of the book, and that it laid the foundation for most modern science fiction - it gave me a new perspective on the genre.

One that was a definite favorite, and pleasent surprise was Angelfall. And I look forward to reading the next ones in the series this coming year.

As for the comics and manga side - I would say that I've really enjoyed my trip into the Ghost Rider and Green Lantern lore. And found myself becoming a fan of Firestorm.

Manga has been a bit of a hit and miss this year. Of course I'll always love anything Rurouni Kenshin and Inuyasha, but a few new favorites did come up. (Now if only they'd update.)

It was a pretty good year overall I'd say. How about you? Meet any new favorites or have recommendations? :D