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1. Friday, September 08, 2023:
   Review Day: Elders and Aliens by Susan Quilty   There are no major spoilers in this review.       Elders and Aliens  is Book Three of the YA Fantasy series,  The Psychic Traveler Society , and offers a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. Amanda Jones continues to juggle the mundane tribulations of being a teenager with her growing stature within a secret society of people who can travel to new worlds with their minds. Internal divisions within this society (first exposed in Book Two) threaten Amanda's anonymity in the normal world and add urgency as she undergoes four separate trials to fully understand her powers.   The first half of Book Three has an overload of names and places -- where the first two books focused m...
2. Friday, September 01, 2023:
   Review Day: Lord and King by P.L. Stuart   There are no major spoilers in this review.      Lord and King  is the third book in The Drowned Kingdom saga, by prolific new author, P.L. Stuart. There are many high points to appreciate in this excellent story although the pacing sometimes drags in its mostly episodic structure.   Prince Othrun of Atalantyx is now King Othrun of Eastrealm, vassal to Lynchun and Carthlughe. Having achieved his interim goal of finding safety for his exiled people, he sets his eye on growing strong enough to conquer the continent of Acremia -- building an impregnable fortress, protecting the purity of his peoples' religion in a land of allied heathens, and quelling the threats across his immediate bo...
3. Friday, August 25, 2023:
   Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Scaled and Icy  by twenty-one pilots: A surprisingly fun and poppy album that's way better than  Trench  although a little on the short side.  Shy Away  is a good, representative track from this album.   Final Grade :  B+     Silo, Season One : This is an excellent adaptation of Hugh Howey's book,   Wool  . It doesn't follow the story exactly, but for the first time ever while watching an adaptation, I felt like every single creative change served to make the story even better on TV. On AppleTV+.   Final Grade :  A+&...
4. Friday, August 18, 2023:
   Review Day: The Last of the Atalanteans by P.L. Stuart   There are no major spoilers in this review.      Although  The Last of the Atalanteans  by P.L. Stuart is the second book in The Drowned Kingdom saga, it feels more like a continuation of the story arc begun in Book 1 than a brand new adventure. The action and tension are immediate and burgeoning, with no lengthy worldbuilding interludes and little respite until this book's slower, satisfying conclusion.   With the exception of one point-of-view shift, the story continues to be told from the perspective of Othrun, the exiled leader of a fallen civilization who has gained surprising notoriety on the new continent of Acremia. Othrun begins this book in disguise, on a covert mission ...
5. Friday, August 11, 2023:
   Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Lincoln Lawyer Season One : This is a shallow, entertaining lawyer show that doesn't really add up to much by the end. It sometimes feels like a really weak channeling of  Bosch  with fewer cops. I had it on in the background while I did 5 hours of organizing around the house, and it was perfect for that purpose. On Netflix.   Final Grade :  B-     Black Mirror, Season Six : This five-episode season is very good but also very different from previous seasons. The focus on near-future dystopia and technology has lessened (maybe because the present has already become so gri...
6. Friday, August 04, 2023:
   Review Day: A Drowned Kingdom by P.L. Stuart   There are no major spoilers in this review.       A Drowned Kingdom  by P.L. Stuart, starts an epic, heroic saga spanning dynasties, politics, religions, and continents. The story requires an upfront commitment of patience through an exhaustive bout of worldbuilding, but once the threads start to weave together you'll find yourself inexorably hooked on the intricate plot.   The story is told from the point of view of Othrun, a young prince who once was second in line for the imperialistic kingship of Atalantyx but now finds himself sailing into exile with the last remnant of his subjects. Othrun is a flawed protagonist who isn't necessarily likable, but is an engaging narrator and h...
7. Friday, July 28, 2023:
   Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Swarm : Donald Glover's newest show after  Atlanta  tells the story of a woman superfan of a popular singer who goes off the deep end in her attempts to get closer to her idol. The series is serious, uncomfortable to watch, and not a good way to wind down at the end of the day. The lead actress, Dominique Fishback, delivers an Emmy-worthy performance that will keep you on edge for the duration. On Amazon Video.   Final Grade :  B     Night Agent : This is a by-the-numbers government conspiracy thriller with good concepts but weak execution. The banter shines while the em...
8. Friday, July 21, 2023:
   Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Hasan Minaj: The King's Jester : This latest comedy special from Hasan Minaj is great, as good as the previous,  Homecoming King . On Netflix.   Final Grade :  B     Man Seeking Woman, Season Three : The final season of this surreal show about dating and relationships goes out well, with the main character working through a single relationship across the arc of the season. The fun supporting characters seem a little underused, but I enjoyed the whole season.   Final Grade :  B     Scrubs, Season Nine : We gave up on t...
9. Friday, June 23, 2023:
   Review Day: DuoLingo   I've been using the DuoLingo app to fulfill my 2023 goal of learning Spanish to communicate better with my neighbors. I purchased the $83.99 annual pass because the ad-supported tier is absolutely useless for anything other than trying out the app. (Between the very slow loading screens and the twice-as-loud ads after every exercise, it's impossible to keep focused or make much forward progress).   I usually spend 15 - 60 minutes per day using DuoLingo. It's a mixed bag with a few more positives than negatives.    The Good        The length of each lesson is perfect. Courses are broken up into units of 6 - 8 lessons each, and each lesson is broken up further into 3 - 5...
10. Friday, June 16, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves  (PG-13): This is a pleasant stab at a movie set in the D&D world that doesn't require a lot of background lore going in. Hugh Grant as the villainous conman is probably the best part.   Final Grade :  B-     John Mulaney: Baby J : John Mulaney's most recent standup special is pretty personal, focusing on his recent drug rehab, but still very funny. On Netflix.   Final Grade :  B     I Think You Should Leave, Season Three : There are maybe three skits that are as funny as those foun...
11. Friday, June 09, 2023:
    First Impressions: Diablo IV   There are no major spoilers in this review.     It's been 11 years since Diablo III was released as a shallow, cartoony mess, and 9 years since Blizzard turned it into  something worth playing long-term  with an expansion pack. Diablo IV arrives in a new era where Blizzard games are no longer an auto-preorder because of a string of misfires (the overly monetized mobile version of Diablo, the Warcraft 3 remake that was broken out of the box, killing Overwatch 1 then dropping development on the only features of Overwatch 2 that made it different from 1, and the general ickiness of monetization and battle passes).   I purchased Diablo 4 with reservations, but reasoned that I would get a...
12. Friday, June 02, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Man Seeking Woman, Season Two : The second season of this show full of bizarre skits about relationship tropes has some very funny moments but doesn't feel as fresh as the first season. With only one more season to go, I'll probably finish it off, but am in no hurry to binge it.   Final Grade :  B-     Party Down, Season Two : The second season is better than the first, although the vibe feels a little different with Jane Lynch gone to  Glee  and Megan Mullaly taking her place. Worth watching if you like raunchy humor mixed with a tiny bit of character development. On Hu...
13. Friday, May 26, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Wake Up Calls  by Cosmo Sheldrake: An interesting, but mostly forgettable album that will make you feel like you're standing in a virtual aviary.   Final Grade :  C     The Sins We Seek  by Krista D. Ball: The final book in the Dark Abyss of Our Sins trilogy moves fast and builds intensely. I thought that the story?s focus on depth instead of plot sprawl was very effective, and narrowed the world and plot towards a satisfying conclusion. I felt like the series might have been more powerful with Book 2 and 3 merged and trimmed of the repetitive parts. Book 1 is definitely the stron...
14. Friday, May 19, 2023:
    Review Day: Storm Forge by Paige L. Christie   There are no major spoilers in this review.       Storm Forge  is the last book in the four-book series,  Legacies of Arnan  by Paige L. Christie. It delivers from start to finish, weaving all of the threads from the first three books into a perfect conclusion while simultaneously elevating the earlier books into something more than they already were with new layers and hidden context. I couldn't put this book down (I finished it in a weekend), and appreciated the tale so much that I immediately purchased a complete physical set to grace my bookshelf for future rereads.   Time has always been a key aspect of how this story is told. The earlier books offered us glimpses of ...
15. Friday, May 05, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       NUT  by KT Tunstall: Following KIN and WAX, NUT is another album of pleasant, but not immediately memorable songs. I can't always tell if my listening habits have changed or if the 2007 era songs really were that much better.   Final Grade :  B     Welcome to Chippendale's : This show about the first Chippendales male strip club started out interesting but then went to treading water pretty quickly. Other than the 70s vibe, it doesn't bring much that's new to stick out of the crowd of other shows worth watching. We gave up after 4 episodes.   Final Grade :  ...
16. Monday, May 01, 2023:
    Review Day: The Wars of Light and Shadows by Janny Wurts    I've been doing a full re-read of  The Wars of Light and Shadow  series by Janny Wurts over the past 8 months, in anticipation of the final volume which is nearing publication. Here are links to each of the reviews I've posted on the Fantasy subreddit:    Story Arc I: Curse of the Mistwraith       Vol. 1: Curse of the Mistwraith       Story Arc II: Ships of Merior       Vol. 2: Ships of Merior     Vol. 3: Warhost of Vastmark       Story Arc III: Alliance of Light       Vol. 4: Fugitive Prince     Vol. 5: Grand Con...
17. Friday, April 21, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Ali Wong: Don Wong : Ali Wong's third comedy special is both excessively vulgar and excessively funny. On Netflix.   Final Grade :  B+     Luther: Fallen Sun : After five great seasons, Luther goes out with a whimper in this movie conclusion. The plotline flows more like a typical procedural. Among the questionable story decisions: The movie opens with Luther going to jail, only to have him break out within the first 15 minutes because the plot demands that he be on the run. Idris Elba seems to be phoning it in for most of the movie, which can absolutely be forgiven because the writ...
18. Friday, March 24, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       That Was Now  by Just Jack: Just Jack's latest album is a fun outing with a little more energy than the last couple. The song,  Genome  is the catchiest, and the "Last Song" outstays its welcome with too much sameness.   Final Grade :  B     Top Gun: Maverick  (PG-13): As we started this movie, I was telling Rebecca how the original Top Gun was a disappointment because they didn't let Tom Cruise run anywhere. Thankfully, this is resolved in the sequel, as there's exactly one scene involving tons of running. The movie itself was fine -- there's a logical progression to the ...
19. Friday, March 17, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Top Gun  (PG): Would you believe that neither Rebecca or I had never seen this movie before? We figured that we should probably watch this before watching the new one and were generally underwhelmed. The action scenes are uniformly unnecessary and hard to follow and all of the characters are fairly interchangeable. At least the director got his money's worth out of reusing the song, "Danger Zone", in four different scenes.   Final Grade :  C-     Bruises  by Dia: I bought this album hoping for more light pop songs like  Isabella , but this is a more introspective "blanket ...
20. Friday, March 10, 2023:
    Review Day   There are no major spoilers in these reviews.       Abbott Elementary, Season One : Taking the  Office  formula to a public school in Philadelphia, this sitcom is fairly shallow but has pleasant, quirky characters to enjoy time with. Principal Coleman steals the show, while the former child star of  Everybody Hates Chris  spends most of the season doing his patented eyes-bugging-out routine before getting more complex near the end. On Hulu.   Final Grade :  B-     Chronologic  by Caravan Palace: This electro-swing album has a lot of interesting timbres and colors. I bought it mainly for the first song,  Mirac...

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