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2016 Reading List

Influx

Influx

Daniel Suarez

Published: 2014 | Pages:528

Description: The bureau’s mission: suppress the truth of sudden technological progress and prevent the social upheaval it would trigger. Because the future is already here. And it’s rewards are only for a select few.When Grady refuses to join the BTC, he’s thrown into a nightmarish high-tech prison housing other doomed rebel intellects. Now, as the only hope to usher humanity out of its artificial dark age, Grady and his fellow prisoners must try to expose the secrets of an unimaginable enemy—one that wields a technological advantage half a century in the making.

Secret Warriors, Volume 1: Nick Fury, Agent Of Nothing

Secret Warriors, Volume 1: Nick Fury, Agent Of Nothing

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: 2009 | Pages:168

Description: Collecting: Secret Warriors 1-6, material from Dark Reign: New Nation

Secret Warriors, Volume 2: God of Fear, God of War

Secret Warriors, Volume 2: God of Fear, God of War

Jonathan Hickman

Published: 2010 | Pages:128

Description: Collecting: Secret Warriors 7-10, Dark Reign: The List Secret Warriors

Alias, Vol. 3: The Underneath

Alias, Vol. 3: The Underneath

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: 2003 | Pages:160

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Alias, Vol. 2: Come Home

Alias, Vol. 2: Come Home

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: 2003 | Pages:128

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Raging Heat (Nikki Heat, #6)

Raging Heat (Nikki Heat, #6)

Richard Castle

Published: 2014 | Pages:292

Description: New York Times Bestselling author Richard Castle’s newest novel, an illegal immigrant falls from the sky and NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat’s investigation into his death quickly captures the imagination of her boyfriend, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jameson Rook. When he decides to work the case with Heat as his next big story, Nikki is at first happy to have him ride-along. Yes, she must endure Rook’s usual wild conspiracy speculations and adolescent wisecracks, but after reuniting following his recent assignment abroad, she’s glad for the entertainment, the chance to bounce ideas, and just to be close to him again and feel the old spark rekindle. But when Rook’s inquiry concludes that Detective Heat has arrested the wrong man for the murder, everything changes.Balancing her high stakes job with a complicated romance has been a challenge ever since Nikki fell for the famous reporter. Now, her relationship lurches from mere complexity into sharp conflict over the most high-risk case of her career. Set against the raging force of Hurricane Sandy as it pounds New York, Heat battles an ambitious power broker, fights a platoon of urban mercenaries, and clashes with the man she loves. Detective Heat knows her job is to solve murders. She just worrie sthat solving this one will be the death of her relationship.

Alias, Vol. 4: The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones

Alias, Vol. 4: The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: 2005 | Pages:168

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Elite: Tales From The Frontier (Elite: Dangerous)

Elite: Tales From The Frontier (Elite: Dangerous)

Chris Booker

Published: 2014 | Pages:462

Description: Orbital scrap yard worker Oliver dreams of exploring the galaxy, but when the return of a long lost friend sparks a terrible disaster, can Oliver deal with some uncomfortable truths about his own life? – A Game of Death Chenoa O’Laundy is on a mission to find her missing father and bring him home safely, but can either of them escape the Calite Corporation, determined to reclaim their property at any cost? – A Question of Intelligence Myles Jarek is a company man on a far flung exploratory mission with a hired crew. Will he be able to return to his previous life or will the Children of Zeus stay with him forever? – Children of Zeus These are three of 15 scintillating tales in this eclectic collection where characters from the Elite universe seek honour, truth, retribution and in one case a place to sell 300 year old Lavian brandy. The Stories Crossing The Line by Chris Booker The Comet’s Trail by Darren Grey A Question of Intelligence by Lisa Wolf The Easy Way Out by Ramon Marett The Maledict by Tim Gayda Children of Zeus by Christopher Jarvis Pinacotheca by Alexander G Saunders Blood is Thicker by Ulla Susimetsä Beyond Civilisation by Marko Susimetsä Cat’s Cradle by Rose Thurlbeck Nature’s Way by Gaz Bailey A Game of Death by Allen L Farr Mission (almost) Completed by Matthew Benson Research Purposes by Fred Burbidge Ode to Betty Cole by Nicholas Hansen and Darren Grey 10% of the proceeds of this book will be donated to Plan who do wonderful work promoting child rights to end child poverty, worldwide.

Age of Ultron: The Complete Event

Age of Ultron: The Complete Event

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: | Pages:456

Description: COLLECTING: Age of Ultron 1-10, 10AI, Avengers Assemble 14AU -15AU , Fantastic Four 5AU , Fearless Defenders 4AU, Superior Spider -Man 6AU , Ultron 1AU , Uncanny Avenger s 8AU , Wolverine & the X-Men 27AU

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 1: Cosmic Avengers

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: 2013 | Pages:136

Description: There’s a new rule in the galaxy: No one touches Earth! But why has Earth suddenly become the most important planet in the galaxy? That’s what the Guardians of the Galaxy are going to find out! Join Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and–wait for it–the Invincible Iron Man as they embark upon one of the most explosive and eye-opening chapters of Marvel NOW! The secrets these galactic Avengers discover will rattle Marvel readers for years to come! But while London deals with a brutal invasion by the Badoon, the fate of the Guardians may have already been decided millions of miles away! Why wait for the movie? It all starts here! Collecting: Guardians of the Galaxy 0.1, 1-3; & Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite Comic

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4)

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4)

George R.R. Martin

Published: 2005 | Pages:1061

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Crows will fight over a dead man’s flesh, and kill each other for his eyes.Bloodthirsty, treacherous and cunning, the Lannisters are in power on the Iron Throne in the name of the boy-king Tommen. The war in the Seven Kingdoms has burned itself out, but in its bitter aftermath new conflicts spark to life.The Martells of Dorne and the Starks of Winterfell seek vengeance for their dead. Euron Crow’s Eye, as black a pirate as ever raised a sail, returns from the smoking ruins of Valyria to claim the Iron Isles. From the icy north, where Others threaten the Wall, apprentice Maester Samwell Tarly brings a mysterious babe in arms to the Citadel.Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory will go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel and the coldest hearts.

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3)

George R.R. Martin

Published: 2000 | Pages:1177

My Rating: 4/5

Description: an alternate cover for this ISBN can be found hereHere is the third volume in George R.R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. Together, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, victim of the sorceress who holds him in her thrall. Young Robb still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world. And as opposing forces manoeuver for the final showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others—a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords…

The Greatest Castles in America (The Greatest Series Episode 1)

The Greatest Castles in America (The Greatest Series Episode 1)

W.E. Salud

Published: | Pages:73

My Rating: 2/5

Description: The Greatest Castles in America!
The Greatest Castles in America is on the search for the grandest, most awe-inspiring castles in America. Castles? Yes, there are castles in America and we’ve found the greatest of them all right here in America for you and your family to visit. Find out: • The “mad king” who built his own medieval castle! • One of the grandest castles not just in America but the world! • The castle right in the middle of a major American city! • And Much More! Complete with photographs of the awe- inspiring castles, take a whirlwind tour of The Greatest Castles in America!

The Road to Civil War

The Road to Civil War

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: 2007 | Pages:120

My Rating: 4/5

Description: COLLECTING: New Avengers: Illuminati One-Shot, Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #529-531, Fantastic Four (1997) #536-537

Giant Days, Vol. 1 (Giant Days, #1)

Giant Days, Vol. 1 (Giant Days, #1)

John Allison

Published: 2015 | Pages:112

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Collects issues #1-4.

Civil War: Black Panther

Civil War: Black Panther

Reginald Hudlin

Published: 2007 | Pages:168

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Civil War-ravaged United States, for a meeting with none other than the point man for the U.S. government’s implementation of the Superhuman Registration Act’s Tony Stark, T’Challa’s former Avengers teammate. Will the Black Panther and Storm decide to get off the sidelines of the Civil War and get involved?Collecting: Black Panther 19-25

Alias, Vol. 1

Alias, Vol. 1

Brian Michael Bendis

Published: 2002 | Pages:208

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Spider-Gwen, Vol. 0: Most Wanted?

Spider-Gwen, Vol. 0: Most Wanted?

Jason Latour

Published: 2015 | Pages:136

My Rating: 4/5

Description: COLLECTING: EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE #2, SPIDER-GWEN 1-5

A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5)

A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5)

George R.R. Martin

Published: 2011 | Pages:1125

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B004XISI4AIn the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance—beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head, Tyrion Lannister, too, is making his way to Daenerys. But his newest allies in this quest are not the rag-tag band they seem, and at their heart lies one who could undo Daenerys’s claim to Westeros forever.Meanwhile, to the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone—a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, will face his greatest challenge. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.From all corners, bitter conflicts reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all.

Make: Electronics: Learn by Discovery

Make: Electronics: Learn by Discovery

Charles Platt

Published: 2008 | Pages:349

Description: –Hans Camenzind, inventor of the 555 timer (the world’s most successful integrated circuit), and author of Much Ado About Almost Man’s Encounter with the Electron (Booklocker.com) “A fabulous well written, well paced, fun, and informative. I also love the sense of humor. It’s very good at disarming the fear. And it’s gorgeous . I’ll be recommending this book highly.”–Tom Igoe, author of Physical Computing and Making Things TalkWant to learn the fundamentals of electronics in a fun, hands-on way? With Electronics , you’ll start working on real projects as soon as you crack open the book. Explore all of the key components and essential principles through a series of fascinating experiments. You’ll build the circuits first, then learn the theory behind them! Build working devices, from simple to complexYou’ll start with the basics and then move on to more complicated projects. Go from switching circuits to integrated circuits, and from simple alarms to programmable microcontrollers. Step-by-step instructions and more than 500 full-color photographs and illustrations will help you use — and understand — electronics concepts and techniques.

Raspberry Pi Projects for the Evil Genius

Raspberry Pi Projects for the Evil Genius

Donald Norris

Published: 2013 | Pages:224

Description: TAB, an imprint of McGraw-Hill Professional, is a leading publisher of DIY technology books for makers, hackers, and electronics hobbyists.

Star Wars Adventures: Han Solo and the Hollow Moon of Khorya

Star Wars Adventures: Han Solo and the Hollow Moon of Khorya

Jeremy Barlow

Published: 2009 | Pages:80

Description: Before they ever met Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia, Han Solo and Chewbacca had already lived a lifetime of adventures. In this action-packed tale, Han and Chewie are caught between gangsters and the Empire, and their only help is Han’s former partner—who may be worse than either!Star Wars Adventures is a series of graphic novellas designed for readers of all ages!

Star Wars: Empire, Vol. 1: Betrayal

Star Wars: Empire, Vol. 1: Betrayal

Scott Allie

Published: 2003 | Pages:104

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Die Again (Rizzoli & Isles, #11)

Die Again (Rizzoli & Isles, #11)

Tess Gerritsen

Published: 2014 | Pages:330

Description: Boston Detective Jane Rizzoli is on the case of a big game hunter found dead in his apartment, alone with the body of a beautiful white snow leopard he had recently been commissioned to procure and stuff for a high-profile museum in the area. Medical examiner Maura Isles connects the case to a number of seemingly unrelated deaths where the victims have all been found hanging upside down, the hallmark of a leopard’s kill. Rizzoli follows the puzzling trail of clues all the way to Botswana, where she uncovers the unsolved mystery of a deadly camping safari six years prior. When she realizes the two cases are connected, Rizzoli must track down the sole survivor of the tragic trip to discover who – or what – is behind these gruesome deaths.Story Locale: Boston, MA

Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America

Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America

Jeff Ryan

Published: 2011 | Pages:292

Description: The story of Nintendo’s rise and the beloved icon who made it possible. Nintendo has continually set the standard for video-game innovation in America, starting in 1981 with a plucky hero who jumped over barrels to save a girl from an ape. The saga of Mario, the portly plumber who became the most successful franchise in the history of gaming, has plot twists worthy of a video game. Jeff Ryan shares the story of how this quintessentially Japanese company found success in the American market. Lawsuits, Hollywood, die- hard fans, and face-offs with Sony and Microsoft are all part of the drama. Find out about: * Mario’s eccentric yet brilliant creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, who was tapped for the job because was considered expendable. * Minoru Arakawa, the son-in-law of Nintendo’s imperious president, who bumbled his way to success. * The unexpected approach that allowed Nintendo to reinvent itself as the gaming system for the non-gamer, especially now with the Wii. Even those who can’t tell a Koopa from a Goomba will find this a fascinating story of striving, comeuppance, and redemption.

A Clash of Kings  (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2)

George R.R. Martin

Published: 1998 | Pages:969

Description: It is a tale in which brother plots against brother and the dead rise to walk in the night. Here a princess masquerades as an orphan boy; a knight of the mind prepares a poison for a treacherous sorceress; and wild men descend from the Mountains of the Moon to ravage the countryside. Against a backdrop of incest and fratricide, alchemy and murder, victory may go to the men and women possessed of the coldest steel…and the coldest hearts. For when kings clash, the whole land trembles.Here is the second volume in George R.R. Martin magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Storm of Swords. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R.R. Martin stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Civil War

The Amazing Spider-Man: Civil War

J. Michael Straczynski

Published: 2007 | Pages:168

Description: COLLECTING: Amazing Spider-Man #532-538.

Iron Man: Civil War

Iron Man: Civil War

Christos Gage

Published: 2007 | Pages:160

Description: Civil War.Captain America has fallen into a clash with his government and his friends, and the people close to him are paying the price. The life of Cap’s girlfriend, Agent 13, is torn apart as her superiors use her divided loyalties against her. Elsewhere, a new villain emerges; the Red Skull begins to make himself known; and the Winter Soldier again comes face-to-face with Cap. Meanwhile, get inside the mind of of Tony Stark, and learn why he feels superhuman registration is necessary – and why he’s taken it upon himself to lead the charge for its implementation. Big changes are in store for Iron Man in the post-Civil War landscape, and the build-up begins here.Collecting: Iron Man 13-14, Iron Man/Captain America: Casualties of War, Civil War: The Confession

Star Wars: Crimson Empire

Star Wars: Crimson Empire

Mike Richardson

Published: 1998 | Pages:160

Description:

Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More

Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More

Kelly Sue DeConnick

Published: 2014 | Pages:136

My Rating: 4/5

Description: COLLECTING: CAPTAIN MARVEL 1-6

Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event

Civil War: A Marvel Comics Event

Mark Millar

Published: 2006 | Pages:208

Description: Whose side… are you on?The Marvel Universe is changing.In the wake of a tragedy, Capitol Hill proposes the Super Hero Registration Act, requiring all costumed heroes to unmask themselves before the government. Divided, the nation’s greatest champions must each decide how to react—A decision that will alter the course of their lives forever.It’s time to choose and take a side. This conflict has been brewing from more than a year, threatening to pit friend against friend, brother against brother… and all it will take is a single misstep to cost thousands their lives and ignite the fuse.Collecting: Civil War #1-7, written by
Mark Millar
(‘The Ultimates’ (2006)) and illustrated by
Steve McNiven
(‘New Avengers’ (2006)).Age Rating: 13–18+ Years Old / Eighth Grade+Edition MSRP: $24⁹⁹ US / $27⁹⁹ CAN (ISBN 978-0-7851-2179-4)Printed in the USA

Troublemaker (Barnaby and Hooker Graphic Novels #1)

Troublemaker (Barnaby and Hooker Graphic Novels #1)

Janet Evanovich

Published: 2007 | Pages:106

Description:

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

George R.R. Martin

Published: 1996 | Pages:835

Description: alternate cover editions can be found here, here and hereLong ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. To the south, the king’s powers are failing—his most trusted adviser dead under mysterious circumstances and his enemies emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the king’s new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but the kingdom itself.Sweeping from a harsh land of cold to a summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, A Game of Thrones tells a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens. Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; a child is lost in the twilight between life and death; and a determined woman undertakes a treacherous journey to protect all she holds dear. Amid plots and counter-plots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, allies and enemies, the fate of the Starks hangs perilously in the balance, as each side endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones.

The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Volume 1

The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye, Volume 1

James Roberts

Published: 2012 | Pages:128

Description: Last Stand of the Wreckers and sends the Transformers on an epic quest to the farthest reaches of the Transformers Universe — and beyond in the three-part story “Lirars, A to D!”Collects issues #1-3 of The Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye and the one-shot Death of Optimus Prime.

Reamde (Crypto, #2)

Reamde (Crypto, #2)

Neal Stephenson

Published: 2011 | Pages:1044

My Rating: 4/5
A generally good read with a nice twist early on. Its main issue is that it has so many layered plot elements, many which seem to go nowhere that it ends up feeling a little too long for its own good.

Description: For Richard, the game was the perfect opportunity to launder his aging hundred dollar bills and begin his own high-tech start up—a venture that has morphed into a Fortune 500 computer gaming group, Corporation 9592, with its own super successful online role-playing game, T’Rain. But the line between fantasy and reality becomes dangerously blurred when a young gold farmer accidently triggers a virtual war for dominance—and Richard is caught at the center.In this edgy, 21st century tale, Neal Stephenson, one of the most ambitious and prophetic writers of our time, returns to the terrain of his cyberpunk masterpieces Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon, leading readers through the looking glass and into the dark heart of imagination.

2015 Reading List

Rocket Raccoon, Vol. 1: A Chasing Tale

Rocket Raccoon, Vol. 1: A Chasing Tale

Skottie Young

Published: 2015 | Pages:136

Description: Collecting: Rocket Raccoon 1-6

The Li'l Depressed Boy, Volume 0: Lonely Heart Blues

The Li’l Depressed Boy, Volume 0: Lonely Heart Blues

S. Steven Struble

Published: 2011 | Pages:96

Description:

The Martian

The Martian

Andy Weir

Published: 2011 | Pages:384

My Rating: 5/5

Description: Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

2014 Reading List

Fight Club

Fight Club

Chuck Palahniuk

Published: 1996 | Pages:218

Description:

Orange Is the New Black

Orange Is the New Black

Piper Kerman

Published: 2010 | Pages:322

My Rating: 3/5

Description:

Batman: Year One

Batman: Year One

Frank Miller

Published: 1987 | Pages:144

My Rating: 5/5
While the core story here feels like a Batman Origin story, there isn’t a lot of real mean to it. Instead its a Jim Gordon Origin story that happens to coincide with Batman’s early period.I enjoyed it quite a bit. It covers a one year period when Jim Gordon arrives in Gotham.

Description: The Dark Knight Returns!In 1986, Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli produced this groundbreaking reinterpretation of the origin of Batman—who he is and how he came to be.Written shortly after The Dark Knight Returns, Miller’s dystopian fable of Batman’s final days, Year One set the stage for a new vision of a legendary character.This edition includes the complete graphic novel, a new introduction by writer Frank Miller and a new illustrated afterword by artist David Mazzucchelli. Completing this collection are over 40 pages of never-before-seen developmental material such as character and layout sketches, sample script pages, sketches and more that provide a glimpse into the making of this contemporary classic.This volume collects Batman #404–407.

Batman: The Killing Joke

Batman: The Killing Joke

Alan Moore

Published: 1988 | Pages:50

My Rating: 3/5
Kind of short and the Joker’s origin was lacklister and not particularly insightful.

Description: After shooting and permanently paralyzing his daughter Barbara (a.k.a. Batgirl), the Joker kidnaps the commissioner and attacks his mind in hopes of breaking the man. But refusing to give up, Gordon maintains his sanity with the help of Batman in an effort to beset the madman.

Batman: The Long Halloween

Batman: The Long Halloween

Jeph Loeb

Published: 1997 | Pages:376

My Rating: 5/5

Description:

Batman: Hush

Batman: Hush

Jeph Loeb

Published: 2005 | Pages:320

My Rating: 4/5
Pretty good arc and good pacing and art. overall enjoyable even though it was crazy predictable. The only real complaint I had was that a better title would have Batman vs Red Herrings, because there were WAY too many “fooled you it was someone else” moments.

Description: BATMAN: HUSH is a thrilling mystery of action, intrigue, and deception penned by Jeph Loeb (BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN) and illustrated by comics superstar Jim Lee (ALL STAR BATMAN & ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER) in which Batman sets out to discover the identity of a mysterious mastermind using the Joker, Riddler, Ra’s al Ghul and the Dark Knight’s other enemies – and allies – as pawns in a plan to wreak havoc.This volume collects Batman #609-619 as well as the 6-page segment from Wizard #0 and a 2-page origin story that originally appeared at dccomics.com.

War Crimes (World of Warcraft, #13)

War Crimes (World of Warcraft, #13)

Christie Golden

Published: 2014 | Pages:358

My Rating: 3/5
An OK read, but it spends like 90% of the book walking down memory lane in the trial. Which isn’t really helped by the fact that half of the flashback moments occurred during or just before the current expansion. Basically, its an OK lore catch up but it adds very little that is new.

Description:

Rise of the Horde (World of Warcraft, #2)

Rise of the Horde (World of Warcraft, #2)

Christie Golden

Published: 2006 | Pages:368

My Rating: 5/5

Description: Horde, they waged a number of devastating wars against their perennial enemy — the Alliance. Yet the rage and bloodlust that drove the orcs to destroy everything in their path nearly consumed them as well.Long ago, on the idyllic world of Draenor, the noble orc clans lived in relative peace with their enigmatic neighbors, the draenei. But the nefarious agents of the Burning Legion had other plans for both of the unsuspecting races. The demon-lord Kil’jaeden set in motion a dark chain of events that would succeed not only in eradicating the draenei, but forging the orc clans into an single, unstoppable juggernaut of hatred and destruction.

Lord of the Clans (WarCraft, #2)

Lord of the Clans (WarCraft, #2)

Christie Golden

Published: 2001 | Pages:278

My Rating: 5/5
An extremely enjoyable read. The events of this book follow the birth and rise of Thrall as Warchief of the Horde and end just beforebwhat would be the start of the Warcraft 3 video game.

Description:

Getting Started with RFID: Identify Objects in the Physical World with Arduino (Make: Projects)

Getting Started with RFID: Identify Objects in the Physical World with Arduino (Make: Projects)

Tom Igoe

Published: 2011 | Pages:40

Description:

CSS Cookbook

CSS Cookbook

Christopher Schmitt

Published: 2004 | Pages:544

Description:

Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde (World of Warcraft, #12)

Vol’jin: Shadows of the Horde (World of Warcraft, #12)

Michael A. Stackpole

Published: 2013 | Pages:320

My Rating: 4/5
A pretty good read that gives some nice background on Vol’jin to help in leading up to his new position in the Horde.

Description: Aided by the renowned brewmaster Chen Stormstout, Vol’jin takes refuge in a remote mountain monastery to recover from his wounds. His time there, however, is far from peaceful, as intense visions of the past assault the Darkspear chieftain, and the ancient Zandalari tribe mounts a series of attacks on Pandaria. In his struggle to make sense of what’s happening, Vol’jin must ultimately decide where his allegiances lay—a choice that could save or doom his people . . . and forever alter the fate of the Horde.

2013 Reading List

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 2: The New Girl

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 2: The New Girl

Sean McKeever

Published: 2007 | Pages:120

My Rating: 5/5

Description: Plus: Mary Jane Watson wasn’t always the girl she is today. How did she become the sort of person to push her problems away rather than face them? And how is it that Peter Parker, Spider-Man and Spidey’s origin itself all play pivotal roles? See the birth of the greatest modern super hero like you’ve never seen it before. Collecting: Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane 6-10

In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives

In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives

Steven Levy

Published: 2011 | Pages:432

My Rating: 3/5
An ok read but nothing in this is overly surprising if you already follow Google. It also comes off as a bit repedetove in its layout of chapters, sometimes reiterating the same events from a slightly different point of view in different chapters. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the company.

Description: Few companies in history have ever been as successful and as admired as Google, the company that has transformed the Internet and become an indispensable part of our lives. How has Google done it? Veteran technology reporter Steven Levy was granted unprecedented access to the company, and in this revelatory book he takes readers inside Google headquarters—the Googleplex—to show how Google works.While they were still students at Stanford, Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin revolutionized Internet search. They followed this brilliant innovation with another, as two of Google’s earliest employees found a way to do what no one else had: make billions of dollars from Internet advertising. With this cash cow, Google was able to expand dramatically and take on other transformative projects: more efficient data centers, open-source cell phones, free Internet video (YouTube), cloud computing, digitizing books, and much more.The key to Google’s success in all these businesses, Levy reveals, is its engineering mind-set and adoption of such Internet values as speed, openness, experimentation, and risk taking. After its unapologetically elitist approach to hiring, Google pampers its engineers—free food and dry cleaning, on-site doctors and masseuses—and gives them all the resources they need to succeed. Even today, with a workforce of more than 23,000, Larry Page signs off on every hire.But has Google lost its innovative edge? With its newest initiative, social networking, Google is chasing a successful competitor for the first time. Some employees are leaving the company for smaller, nimbler start-ups. Can the company that famously decided not to be evil still compete?No other book has ever turned Google inside out as Levy does with In the Plex.

Lost Souls (Star Trek: Destiny, #3)

Lost Souls (Star Trek: Destiny, #3)

David Mack

Published: 2008 | Pages:444

Description: For Captain William Riker, that choice has already been made. Haunted by the memories of those he was forced to leave behind, he must jeopardize all that he has left in a desperate bid to save the Federation.For Captain Ezri Dax, whose impetuous youth is balance by the wisdom of many lifetimes, the choice is a simple one: there is no going back — only forward to whatever future awaits them.But for those who, millennia ago, had no choice…this is the hour of their final, inescapable destiny.

Mere Mortals (Star Trek: Destiny #2)

Mere Mortals (Star Trek: Destiny #2)

David Mack

Published: 2008 | Pages:433

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Half a galaxy away, Captain William Riker and the crew of the Starship Titan have made contact with the reclusive Caeliar — survivors of a stellar cataclysm that, two hundred years ago, drove fissures through the structure of space and time, creating a loop of inevitability and consigning another captain and crew to a purgatory from which they could never escape. Now the supremely advanced Caeliar will brook no further intrusion upon their isolation, or against the sanctity of their Great Work….For the small, finite lives of mere mortals carry little weight in the calculations of gods. But even gods may come to understand that they underestimate humans at their peril.

Gods of Night (Star Trek: Destiny #1)

Gods of Night (Star Trek: Destiny #1)

David Mack

Published: 2008 | Pages:429

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Elsewhere, deep in the Gamma Quadrant, an ancient mystery is solved. One of Earth’s first generation of starships, lost for centuries, has been found dead and empty on a desolate planet. But its discovery so far from home has raised disturbing questions, and the answers harken back to a struggle for survival that once tested a captain and her crew to the limits of their humanity. From that terrifying flashpoint begins an apocalyptic odyssey that will reach across time and space to reveal the past, define the future, and show three captains — Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise, TM William Riker of the U.S.S. Titan, and Ezri Dax of the U.S.S Aventine — that some destinies are inescapable.

The Mote in God's Eye (Moties, #1)

The Mote in God’s Eye (Moties, #1)

Larry Niven

Published: 1974 | Pages:596

My Rating: 4/5
Been wanting to get to this for a while. Its a bit long 20hrs for the audio) but still pretty good.

Description:

Arthas: Rise of the Lich King (World of Warcraft, #6)

Arthas: Rise of the Lich King (World of Warcraft, #6)

Christie Golden

Published: 2009 | Pages:320

My Rating: 3/5
Aside from the first 25% or so of this book, this is essentially Warcraft 3, the Book. the early section covers the early parts of Arthas’ life. As such, its an OK read adding a bit to the lore if you are mostly already familiar with it. If you are not familiar with it many of the later events may come off completely random and disjointed. For example, Illidan shows up and Art has sends him off on a mission, only to later reappear at the end of the book at the climax. None of Illidan’s story really is told though as to how he got to where he was.Probably the most interesting aspect is reading a story that follows the villain. Arthas is sort of the Darth Vader of Warcraft, except instead of saving Luke and redeeming himself he just is super evil. Its an interesting change from a story perspective as its not a common viewpoint.

Description: The uncanny elemental spirit drew its icy sword. “Turn away, before it is too late,” it intoned. * * *His evil is legend. Lord of the undead Scourge, wielder of the runeblade Frostmourne, and enemy of the free peoples of Azeroth. The Lich King is an entity of incalculable power and unparalleled malice — his icy soul utterly consumed by his plans to destroy all life on the World of Warcraft.But it was not always so. Long before his soul was fused with that of the orc shaman Ner’zhul, the Lich King was Arthas Menethil, crown prince of Lordaeron and faithful paladin of the Silver Hand.When a plague of undeath threatened all that he loved, Arthas was driven to pursue an ill-fated quest for a runeblade powerful enough to save his homeland. Yet the object of his search would exact a heavy price from its new master, beginning a horrifying descent into damnation. Arthas’s path would lead him through the arctic northern wastes toward the Frozen Throne, where he would face, at long last, the darkest of destinies.

Redshirts

Redshirts

John Scalzi

Published: 2012 | Pages:320

My Rating: 3/5
_______ said…. _______ said…. _______ said…. _______ said…. _______ said….Cute story that has kind of a reduculous nonsensical resolution that doesn’t really make sense even with the self referencing plot elements. Essentially it works because the author says it works.

Description: Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory.Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that: (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces (2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 6

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 6

James Roberts

Published: 2012 | Pages:364

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

A Lonely Resurrection (John Rain, #2)

A Lonely Resurrection (John Rain, #2)

Barry Eisler

Published: 2003 | Pages:352

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Aided by an achingly desirable half Brazilian, half Japanese exotic dancer he knows he shouldn’t trust, Rain pursues his quarry through underground no-holds-barred fight clubs, mobbed-up hostess bars, and finally into the heart of a shadow war between the CIA and the yakuza. It’s a war Rain can’t win, but also one he can’t afford to lose–a war where the distinctions between friend and foe and truth and deceit are as murky as the rain-slicked streets of Tokyo.”… a superlative job… entertaining and suspenseful enough to keep you turning the pages as fast as your eyes can follow.” –Chicago Sun Times

A Clean Kill in Tokyo (John Rain, #1)

A Clean Kill in Tokyo (John Rain, #1)

Barry Eisler

Published: 2003 | Pages:363

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Name: John Rain.Vocation: Assassin.Specialty: Natural Causes.Base of operations: Tokyo.Availability: Worldwide.Half American, half Japanese, expert in both worlds but at home in neither, John Rain is the best killer money can buy. You tell him who. You tell him where. He doesn’t care about why…Until he gets involved with Midori Kawamura, a beautiful jazz pianist–and the daughter of his latest kill.

Gutenberg the Geek

Gutenberg the Geek

Jeff Jarvis

Published: 2012 | Pages:20

Description:

BioShock Infinite: Mind in Revolt

BioShock Infinite: Mind in Revolt

Joe Fielder

Published: 2013 | Pages:31

My Rating: 3/5

Description:

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 5

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 5

Shane McCarthy

Published: 2011 | Pages:352

My Rating: 4/5

Description: All Hail Megatron storyline, plus the four CODA issues that followed.

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451

Ray Bradbury

Published: 1953 | Pages:158

My Rating: 3/5

Description:

The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Audrey Niffenegger

Published: 2003 | Pages:537

My Rating: 5/5

Description:

xkcd: volume 0

xkcd: volume 0

Randall Munroe

Published: 2009 | Pages:120

My Rating: 5/5

Description: xkcd as a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language. While it’s practically required reading in the geek community, xkcd fans are as varied as the comic’s subject matter. This book creates laughs from science jokes on one page to relationship humor on another.xkcd: volume 0 is the first book from the immensely popular webcomic with a passionate readership (just Google “xkcd meetup”).The artist selected personal and fan favorites from his first 600 comics. It was lovingly assembled from high-resolution original scans of the comics (the mouseover text is discreetly included), and features a lot of doodles, notes, and puzzles in the margins.The book is published by Breadpig, which donates all of the publisher profits from this book to Room to Read for promoting literacy in the developing world.

Legion (Legion, #1)

Legion (Legion, #1)

Brandon Sanderson

Published: 2012 | Pages:88

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, #1)

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, #1)

Seth Grahame-Smith

Published: 2010 | Pages:336

My Rating: 2/5
Admitedly, I.am not a huge fan of vampires and horror or history, but I do like gimmicks. the gimmick here is interesting but the execution leaves a little to be desired. Most Historical Fantasy works better if it works around history and not so blantantly in the middle of it.

Description: Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother’s bedside. She’s been stricken with something the old-timers call “Milk Sickness.””My baby boy…” she whispers before dying.Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother’s fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, “henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose…” Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 4: Still Friends

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 4: Still Friends

Sean McKeever

Published: 2007 | Pages:96

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Collecting: Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane 16-20

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 3: My Secret Life

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 3: My Secret Life

Sean McKeever

Published: 2007 | Pages:120

My Rating: 5/5

Description: Plus: Gwen Stacy has a problem with Peter, and MJ has a secret. Collecting: Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane 11-15

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 1

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Volume 1

Sean McKeever

Published: 2006 | Pages:304

My Rating: 5/5

Description: Marvel’s most mischievous melodrama, as featured in Entertainment Weekly’s Must List!Whether she’s going to school or hanging out with her friends at the Coffee Bean, Mary Jane Watson is always the center of attention. But what no one knows is that this gorgeous redhead’s exuberant personality is a shell designed to make her forget about life’s harsh realities. From her social life to her undying interest in becoming an actress to her crush on that costumed crime-fighter who swings along the New York City rooftops, it’s clear Mary Jane just wants to escape. Join MJ, Harry Osborn, Liz Allen, Flash Thompson and Harry’s nerdy friend, Peter Parker, as they experience the thrilling highs and the crushing lows of high-school existence in this electric teen drama! Collecting: Mary Jane 1-4, Mary Jane: Homecoming 1-4, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane 1-5

Penny Arcade Volume 2: Epic Legends of the Magic Sword Kings (Penny Arcade, #2)

Penny Arcade Volume 2: Epic Legends of the Magic Sword Kings (Penny Arcade, #2)

Jerry Holkins

Published: 2006 | Pages:168

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Penny Arcade Volume 1: Attack of the Bacon Robots! (Penny Arcade, #1)

Penny Arcade Volume 1: Attack of the Bacon Robots! (Penny Arcade, #1)

Jerry Holkins

Published: 2006 | Pages:168

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Attack of the Bacon Robots, which includes strips, sketches, and creator commentary not available anywhere else!

2012 Reading List

Transformers: Armada Volume 1

Transformers: Armada Volume 1

Chris Sarracini

Published: 2003 | Pages:144

My Rating: 2/5
Ugn, really?The art is kind of mediocre, the story is fairly gibberish with the whole Minicons thing. the kids look like they are like 5 which is just rediculous.Basically, don’t bother and stick to the main line IDW Transformers comics.

Description: The Decepticons, feeding off the energy of captured Mini-Cons, are about to begin a hostile takeover of the Transformers home planet, Cybertron. Do Optimus Prime and the heroic Autobots stand a chance of defending the planet against these super-powered villains? And will the Mini-Cons ever get their freedom back? The action is so explosive that the shock waves will shake not only Cybertron but even planet Earth right down to the core!

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1)

L. Frank Baum

Published: 1900 | Pages:154

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Come along, Toto, she said. We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again. Swept away from her home in Kansas by a tornado, Dorothy and her dog Toto find themselves stranded in the fantastical Land of Oz. As instructed by the Good Witch of the North and the Munchkins, Dorothy sets off on the yellow brick road to try and find her way to the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz, who can help her get home. With her companions the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy experiences an adventure full of friendship, magic and danger. A much-loved children’s classic, The Wizard of Oz continues to delight readers young and old with its enchanting tale of witches, flying monkeys and silver shoes.

Shortpacked!, Vol. 1: Brings Back The Eighties

Shortpacked!, Vol. 1: Brings Back The Eighties

David Willis

Published: 2005 | Pages:135

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter

The Waiter

Published: 2008 | Pages:302

My Rating: 3/5

Description: Waiter Rant offers the server’s unique point of view, replete with tales of customer stupidity, arrogant misbehavior, and unseen bits of human grace transpiring in the most unlikely places. Through outrageous stories, The Waiter reveals the secrets to getting good service, proper tipping etiquette, and how to keep him from spitting in your food. The Waiter also shares his ongoing struggle, at age thirty-eight, to figure out if he can finally leave the first job at which he’s truly thrived.

AFK

AFK

Huckleberry Hax

Published: 2008 | Pages:206

Description: A Second Life® detective reflects on cases and confessions, on love, on anger, on understanding Second Life as perhaps the greatest liberator there has ever been, and on falling for the oldest trick in the book, just the same…

The Ralph S. Mouse Audio Collection (Ralph #1-3)

The Ralph S. Mouse Audio Collection (Ralph #1-3)

Beverly Cleary

Published: 1980 | Pages:7

My Rating: 5/5
These were my favorite books when I was a kid and I found them just as enjoyable today. My only real complaint was thatbthe collection from Audible puts them out of order with what should be the last book in the second position.

Description: Mouse and the MotorcycleRalph S. MouseRunaway Ralph

Kill Decision

Kill Decision

Daniel Suarez

Published: 2012 | Pages:400

My Rating: 3/5
I absolitely love Daemon and FreedomTM, probably my favorite books ever. Kill Decision is not part of that series but has some vaguely similar themes. It’s an interesting concept of Drones gone ary and is a decent read but not nearly as good as Daniel Suarez’s previous two novels. It starts off strong but seems to kind of wander off later in the story without a clear direction. We jump from single airplane like drones to insectile swarms with little real explanation.

Description: Unmanned weaponized drones already exist—they’re widely used by America in our war efforts in the Middle East. In Kill Decision, bestselling author Daniel Suarez takes that fact and the real science behind it one step further, with frightening results. Linda McKinney is a myrmecologist, a scientist who studies the social structure of ants. Her academic career has left her entirely unprepared for the day her sophisticated research is conscripted by unknown forces to help run an unmanned—and thanks to her research, automated—drone army. Odin is the secretive Special Ops soldier with a unique insight into the faceless enemy who has begun to attack the American homeland with drones programmed to seek, identify, and execute targets without human intervention. Together, McKinney and Odin must slow this advance long enough for the world to recognize its destructive power, because for thousands of years the “kill decision” during battle has remained in the hands of humans—and off-loading that responsibility to machines will bring unintended, possibly irreversible, consequences. But as forces even McKinney and Odin don’t understand begin to gather, and death rains down from above, it may already be too late to save humankind from destruction at the hands of our own technology.

Lucifer's Hammer

Lucifer’s Hammer

Larry Niven

Published: 1977 | Pages:629

My Rating: 3/5

Description: THE LUCKY ONES WENT FIRST…The gigantic comet has slammed into Earth, forging earthquakes a thousand times too powerful to measure on the Richter scale, tidal waves thousands of feet high. Cities were turned into oceans; oceans turned into steam. It was the beginning of a new Ice Age and the end of civilizationBut for the terrified men and women chance had saved, it was also the dawn of a new struggle for survival—a struggle more dangerous and challenging than any they had ever known….

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 4

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 4

Simon Furman

Published: 2011 | Pages:352

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, #1)

One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, #1)

Janet Evanovich

Published: 1994 | Pages:320

My Rating: 4/5

Description: She’s a product of the “burg,” a blue-collar pocket of Trenton where houses are attached and narrow, cars are American, windows are clean, and (God forbid you should be late) dinner is served at six.Out of work and out of money, Stephanie blackmails her bail-bondsman cousin Vinnie into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. Stephanie knows zilch about the job requirements, but she figures her new pal, el-primo bounty hunter Ranger, can teach her what it takes to catch a crook. Her first nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one. Morelli’s the inamorato who charmed Stephanie out of her virginity at age sixteen. There’s still powerful chemistry between them, so the chase should be interesting…and could also be extremely dangerous.

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)

Suzanne Collins

Published: 2010 | Pages:390

My Rating: 3/5

Description: My name is Katniss Everdeen.Why am I not dead?I should be dead.Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss’s family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans—except Katniss.The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels’ Mockingjay—no matter what the personal cost.

Lullaby

Lullaby

Chuck Palahniuk

Published: 2002 | Pages:260

My Rating: 3/5
An interesting idea with the whole killing poem. Unfortunately like a lot of Palahniuk’s books it kind of falls apart into meaningless randomness and repetition of the same concepts during the middle half of the book.I found it enjoyable though, better than Survivor.

Description: Lullaby is a comedy/drama/tragedy. In that order. It may also be Chuck Palahniuk’s best book yet.

11/22/63

11/22/63

Stephen King

Published: 2011 | Pages:849

My Rating: 4/5

Description: In 2011, Jake Epping, an English teacher from Lisbon Falls, Maine, sets out on an insane — and insanely possible — mission to prevent the Kennedy assassination.Leaving behind a world of computers and mobile phones, he goes back to a time of big American cars and diners, of Lindy Hopping, the sound of Elvis, and the taste of root beer.In this haunting world, Jake falls in love with Sadie, a beautiful high school librarian. And, as the ominous date of 11/22/63 approaches, he encounters a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald…

Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)

Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)

Ernest Cline

Published: 2011 | Pages:374

My Rating: 3/5
This books kind of comes off to me as a Daemon Lite. Or maybe a better comparison is Snow Crash Lite. It has it’s moments at times but other parts are really sappy and kind of meh.Then there are the awkward segments, mostly in the first third of the book, where the author just starts rambling off bullet point lists of 80s pop culture. “Here are a list of John Hughes films”, “Here’s a list of Rush songs”, “Here’s a list of popular Atari titles.”All the pop culture references are neat but it makes things feel pandering and unoriginal.Not to mention the wholely annoying aspect of this book being set in 2045 yet somehow NOTHING of significance has happened since like 2010 and everyone is obsessed with the 80s. It’s like the friendly Steve Jobs Mary Sue who is running the contest was somehow managed to just roll back original thinking the day he Oasis world.It is an ok read with it’s moments but the obsession witg the 80s actually kibd of ruins it.

Description: Librarian’s note: An alternate cover edition can be found hereIN THE YEAR 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

Suzanne Collins

Published: 2008 | Pages:374

My Rating: 2/5
The books starts off a little slow and repedetive with its “I am going to dump on myself but why does everyone think I am so great?” schtick. It picks up a bit when the game itself starts and oddly this plot point of Katniss not getting why people like her mysteriously just seems to vanish. There is a point where the characters are frustrated because they can’t really figure out what Katniss’ real personality is, unfortunately, this holds true in the story as well. She just is what she needs to be for the story. She can Hunt, and … well, hunt… otherwise she mostly just acts confused and lost.Things move along for a bit before the rather forced romance subplot tries to push it’s way to the front making things a little confused on what we are supposed to focus on and really care about. By the end, we don’t get the twist we hope for (though I suspect it may show up in the sequels) and what we are left with is a rather predictable torn romance story about a couple of kids trying to kill one another.Also, the level of class disparity between the Districts and the City seems a little too far fetched, not to mention that it is hard to tell just how many people are in this world. There is little real history on the world at large other than it exists in the remains of North America. Are there others still living in the world on other continents? If District 12 has somethibg 8000 people (the only population given by the book), how avout the other districts? even if they have twice as many people, that still is well under a million people not counting the Capital, which couldn’t be too large given it is supported by the backs of what are essentially slaves from the districts. Basically, the story is ok, but there are aome holes in the world which leave questions.

Description: Could you survive on your own in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don’t live to see the morning?In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)

Suzanne Collins

Published: 2009 | Pages:391

My Rating: 4/5
I really liked this a lot more than The Hunger Games, which I pretty much hated. Basically, this book feels like the book that The Hunger Games wanted to be but failed miserably at pulling off. Kind of predictable though actually.

Description: Sparks are igniting.Flames are spreading.And the Capitol wants revenge. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol—a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create. Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest that she’s afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she’s not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before . . . and surprising readers at every turn.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

Walter Isaacson

Published: 2011 | Pages:630

My Rating: 3/5
Despite that I pretty much hate Apple, I already knew a surprisingly large portion of the history of Steve Jobs. That said, while the book was interesting, it didn’t really teach me anything new. If anything, it mostly just served to reaffirm the idea that Jobs’ is a pretty smart guy but he’s also pretty much a huge self entitled asshole.

Description:

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 3

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 3

Simon Furman

Published: 2011 | Pages:348

My Rating: 4/5

Description: Devastation, as well as Spotlights: Galvatron, Ramjet, Wheelie, Blaster, Arcee, Grimlock, and Mirage.

Survivor

Survivor

Chuck Palahniuk

Published: 1999 | Pages:289

My Rating: 3/5
I do enjoy a lot of aspects about this book, there are some interesting concepts and ideas, but there are also some kind of morbid points and a bit too much repetition on some other points that I dislike. It is a good read and has kind of a “What really happened?” sort of end, which I like.

Description: Fight Club comes this wickedly incisive second novel, a mesmerizing, unnerving, and hilarious vision of cult and post-cult life.Tender Branson—last surviving member of the so-called Creedish Death Cult—is dictating his life story into the flight recorder of Flight 2039, cruising on autopilot at 39,000 feet somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. He is all alone in the airplane, which will crash shortly into the vast Australian outback. Before it does, he will unfold the tale of his journey from an obedient Creedish child and humble domestic servant to an ultra-buffed, steroid- and collagen-packed media messiah, author of a best-selling autobiography, Saved from Salvation, and the even better selling Book of Very Common Prayer (The Prayer to Delay Orgasm, The Prayer to Prevent Hair Loss, The Prayer to Silence Car Alarms). He’ll reveal the truth of his tortured romance with the elusive and prescient Fertility Hollis, share his insight that “the only difference between suicide and martyrdom is press coverage,” and deny responsibility for the Tender Branson Sensitive Materials Sanitary Landfill, a 20,000-acre repository for the nation’s outdated pornography. Among other matters both bizarre and trenchant.Not since Kurt Vonnegut’s Mother Night and Jerzy Kosinski’s Being There has there been as dark and telling a satire on the wages of fame and the bedrock lunacy of the modern world. Unpredictable, compelling, and unforgettable, Survivor is Chuck Palahniuk at his deadpan peak; and it cements his place as one of the most original writers in fiction today.

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 2

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 2

Naoko Takeuchi

Published: 2003 | Pages:235

My Rating: 5/5
Consideraly better from a plot and structure standpoint then volume 1 which suffers horribly from it’s introduction heavy plots.

Description:

Girl Parts

Girl Parts

John M. Cusick

Published: 2010 | Pages:218

My Rating: 2/5
This is essentially what Short Circuit would be like if, instead of a Nuclear Warmachine, Johnny Five was a 17 year old girl.It starts out kind of interesting but ends up a little odd and kind of lame.

Description: From a debut author! What happens when a robot designed to be a boy’s ideal “companion” develops a will of her own? A compulsively readable novel from a new talent. (Ages 14 and up)David and Charlie are opposites. David has a million friends, online and off. Charlie is a soulful outsider, off the grid completely. But neither feels close to anybody. When David’s parents present him with a hot Companion bot designed to encourage healthy bonds and treat his “dissociative disorder,” he can’t get enough of luscious redheaded Rose –and he can’t get it soon. Companions come with strict intimacy protocols, and whenever he tries anything, David gets an electric shock. Parted from the boy she was built to love, Rose turns to Charlie, who finds he can open up, knowing Rose isn’t real. With Charlie’s help, the ideal “companion” is about to become her own best friend. In a stunning and hilarious debut, John Cusick takes rollicking aim at internet culture and our craving for meaningful connection in an uberconnected world.

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 2

Transformers: The IDW Collection, Volume 2

Simon Furman

Published: 2010 | Pages:392

My Rating: 4/5

Description:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)

Stieg Larsson

Published: 2005 | Pages:480

My Rating: 4/5

Description: An international publishing sensation, Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.

Neko Ramen: Curry Is Also Delicious!

Neko Ramen: Curry Is Also Delicious!

Kenji Sonishi

Published: 2010 | Pages:160

My Rating: 3/5
Picked this up for like 90% off at a closing Borders because it has a neat cat and is about Ramen. It’s ok. It seems to be more of a serialized strip of spme sort. Some of the jokes also seem to be lost in culture or translation.

Description:

101 Incredible Experiments for the Weekend Scientist

101 Incredible Experiments for the Weekend Scientist

Rob Beattie

Published: 2007 | Pages:128

My Rating: 4/5
This is a decent little selection of sciency experiments and weekend projects. many of the projects can be greatly improved if you know what you’re doing but it does a decent job of keeping things simple and layman.If you are like me and know a lot about Physics and Chemistry you may find it a little too simplistic.

Description:

Star Trek: Countdown

Star Trek: Countdown

Mike Johnson

Published: 2009 | Pages:102

Description: Star Trek, the upcoming blockbuster film from Paramount Pictures! JJ Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman present the origin of Nero, the mysterious Romulan who will ultimately threaten the survival of the entire universe. Don’t miss this story that brings STAR TREK back to the big screen!

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #1)

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 (Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition, #1)

Naoko Takeuchi

Published: 2003 | Pages:240

My Rating: 4/5
I have seen much of the show but read none of the manga. A decent though somewhat simplistic story design. it actually mostly just makes me want to watch the show again where a bit more happens.

Description: This new edition of Sailor Moon will feature:- An entirely new, incredibly accurate translation!- Japanese-style, right-to-left reading!- New cover art never before seen in the U.S.!- The original Japanese character names!- Detailed translation notes!This version of Sailor Moon will be completely true to original. Join us as Sailor Moon returns to the U.S. for the first time in years!

Bumblebee & Me: Life as a G1 Transformer

Bumblebee & Me: Life as a G1 Transformer

Dan Gilvezan

Published: 2011 | Pages:106

My Rating: 5/5
I really rather enjoyed this book. It is essentially a telling of Dan Gilvezan’s time working with the transformers cartoon series over the years. it is pretty much limited to The Transformers.Also of note, the audio version is available via Audible cheaper thant he paper or eBook edition. It is also read by Dan Gilvezan himself. Considering he does voice work for a living, I have to say it is excellent to hear him doing the read and even if you don’t really do Audiobooks, the Audio version of this book is probably a better experience than the print edition. Also of note, it’s pretty short. The audiobook was something like 90 minutes.

Description: Gilvezan,