dbrooklyn's reviews
50 reviews

The Jungle Illustrated Edition by Upton Sinclar

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book is a polemic presentation of the problems with capitalism, showing a systematic abuse of the working class and ending with a lesson of how socialism would work in the United States. The language is slightly antiquated, but the story does evoke a lot of sympathy, even when the main character briefly becomes a criminal. The descriptions of working in the meat packing industry around the turn of the last century are stomach turning, which wasn't the point, but caused some controversy when published. This is a roughly 1900's book, so there is some casual racism and sexism to be aware of.
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Battlestar Galactica Vs Battlestar Galactica Tp by Peter David, Johnny Desjardins

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This graphic novel is an interesting mix of eras, but it doesn't really use the premise very well, or explore either cast in any deep way. Good for fans of either era who appreciate the other, not a deep read, but a fun one
Are You Willing to Die for the Cause? by Chris Oliveros

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challenging dark informative fast-paced

5.0

A well drawn and researched telling of part of the history of the FLQ, a terrorist group dedicated to freeing Quebec from Canada in the 60's and 70's. Very good, quick read
American Carnage: Shattering the Myths That Fuel Gun Violence by Thomas Gabor, Fred Guttenberg

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challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Tries to present pro-gun arguments as fairly as possible, then debunks those points very thoroughly. Well written and easily understandable, and uses plain language throughout. Excellent primer on the subject of gun control
Lilith's Brood: The Complete Xenogenesis Trilogy (The Xenogenesis Trilogy) by Octavia E. Butler

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Very interesting premise for a story, humanity has destroyed itself and the Earth, then is saved by an alien race, the Oankali. In order to save humanity, it is fundamentally changed by being incorporated into the Oankali. Lots of interesting issues to consider through these three books
Marvel Masterworks: Deathlok, Vol. 1 by John Byrne, Sal Buscema, Ralph Macchio, Bill Mantlo, Doug Moench, Rich Buckler, Mark Gruenwald, David Anthony Kraft, Marv Wolfman, Mike Zeck, J.M. DeMatteis

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

70's oddity that pre-dates franchises like the Terminator, Robocop and the Matrix among others that use a post-apocalyptic setting with a fusion of human consciousness and machines, and other now standard tropes. Overall, an interesting collection of stories that are worth a read 
Marvel Masterworks: Ghost Rider Vol. 4 by Bob Budiansky, Don Perlin, Carmine Infantino, Michael Fleisher

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adventurous dark hopeful inspiring tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

More 70's weirdness with Ghost Rider, going through a couple changes of tone. Lots of fun for fans of this style 
The Grand Unified Theory of Bullshit by Cecil Cicirello, Tom Curry

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challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Worthy successor to The Demon-Haunted World, this book is clearly written and well researched. Reason and skepticism are even more important now than they were in Carl Sagan's day.
Doctor Who: Shada by Gareth Roberts

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adventurous challenging funny hopeful mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Written with humour and great concepts, this novel finishes one of Douglas Adam's best Doctor Who scripts. It is fast paced, but the fourth Doctor doesn't quite shime through like the other Adam's novelizations, but this is still a very fun read
They Knew: How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent by Sarah Kendzior

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challenging dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.0