Frans Masereel, Le Soleil: 63 images dessinées et gravées sur bois1919 / Ebook / 63 pages / Switzerland
***
I've always liked medieval woodcuts, and the sharp, jagged form made a perfect fit for expressionism, or whatever you'd call this. Not many of these wordless tableux are wall-worthy artworks on their own, but together they make a pleasing flipbook.
Hergé, The Adventures of Tintin: Prisoners of the Sun (Le Temple du Soleil)
1946-1948 (collected 1949) / Ecomics / 62 pages / Belgium***
More or less a clip show of previous death-defying entanglements relocated to the Andes and the Amazon, I saw the ending coming miles away, but maybe because I'd seen it on the cartoon. Wartime delays almost excuse the author forgetting to address the mystery carried over from the previous book until the last couple of pages, resolved with customary disinterest.
Ray Bradbury, The Golden Apples of the Sun
1945-53 (collected 1953) / Audiobook / 192 pages / USA****
Twenty-two tales of assorted quality and theme, but tending towards the classic and macabre.
Faves: 'The Fog Horn,' 'A Sound of Thunder,' 'Powerhouse.'
Worsties: 'The Flying Machine,' 'I See You Never,' 'The Big Black and White Game.'
Faves: 'The Fog Horn,' 'A Sound of Thunder,' 'Powerhouse.'
Worsties: 'The Flying Machine,' 'I See You Never,' 'The Big Black and White Game.'
William Shatner with Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens and Steve Erwin, Star Trek: The Ashes of Eden
1995 / Ecomic / 96 pages / Canada/USA**
I buy that The Shat suggested the characteristically vain Kirk action plot, making "his" first 'Trek novel less deceptive than the later ones, filled out with repetitive set pieces and gratuitous back references by his dependable "co-"writers. As an alt-universe Star Trek VII, it would have been even lamer than the real one, as demonstrated when they basically recycled it for Star Trek IX.
2015 / Ebook / 110 pages / UK
***
An over-appreciative tribute to stylish shlock and the spaghetti gothics, but positivity's to be encouraged. It goes on a bit with the unnecessary vampire lore to fill pages, but we all suffer for mandatory word counts sometimes.
