Recent Reads
@recentreads.bsky.social
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Not necessarily recently written. I read a lot of old books. Also, I read a lot of comix.
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Reposted by Recent Reads
johnshirley2024.bsky.social
We're asking every day
how could this be legal
even asked with a squawk
by the American Eagle
Trump is normalizing
obvious corruption
Dammit when will there be
a Democrat eruption
Reposted by Recent Reads
recentreads.bsky.social
I'd probably buy that book.
recentreads.bsky.social
Flashback
By Nevada Barr

NPS ranger and LEO Anna Pigeon finds herself investigating two mysteries at Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas NP, one in current day, and one through letters written by her ancestor at the close of the Civil War.
Excellent read!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#mystery
#fiction
#booksky
Hardcover book with a dust jacket. The author's name is large in the center. The title is below. The top two thirds of the cover has a nearly abstract image behind the author's name, showing what might be a very red sunset sky with small orange and yellow clouds, with silhouetted unidentifiable flying shapes, above a blackness below. At the bottom of the cover is a faded image of the fort in the Dry Tortugas National Park.
recentreads.bsky.social
What a coincidence, just finished reading and reviewing this excellent graphic novel.

bsky.app/profile/rece...
recentreads.bsky.social
Calavera P.I.
By Marco Finnegan

Supernatural pulp noir from a Latino perspective. Sam Spade meets Dia de los Muertes, with a soundtrack by Los Lobos. Great minimalist art style that sets the tone perfectly for the story. An very enjoyable, entertaining read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#graphicnovel
#booksky
The yellow title pops out of a purple sky background at top. Below the title are the head and shoulders of a woman looking skyward, long strands of hair partially obscuring her face. Her lower body is hidden behind a hill, upon which is displayed the "HOLLYWOODLAND" sign. The central figure below, his head partially blocking the sign, is a skeleton wearing a fedora and trench coat, holding a .45 automatic pistol in both hands. Behind him are the gravestones of a cemetery.
recentreads.bsky.social
Calavera P.I.
By Marco Finnegan

Supernatural pulp noir from a Latino perspective. Sam Spade meets Dia de los Muertes, with a soundtrack by Los Lobos. Great minimalist art style that sets the tone perfectly for the story. An very enjoyable, entertaining read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#graphicnovel
#booksky
The yellow title pops out of a purple sky background at top. Below the title are the head and shoulders of a woman looking skyward, long strands of hair partially obscuring her face. Her lower body is hidden behind a hill, upon which is displayed the "HOLLYWOODLAND" sign. The central figure below, his head partially blocking the sign, is a skeleton wearing a fedora and trench coat, holding a .45 automatic pistol in both hands. Behind him are the gravestones of a cemetery.
recentreads.bsky.social
Assorted Crisis Events
W: Deniz Camp
A: Eric Zawadzki

Time travel, shifts, and lines are the central motif in this collection of short stories that are allegorical in nature. The 2nd story is a particularly apt look at the current sociopolitical state in the USA.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#booksky
An old man with bushy long hair and a beard, wearing ragged clothes and a jetpack, stands holding a sign that says "OUT OF TIME." His figure is in color, while around him walk several other figures, all wearing the accoutrements of different time periods and cultures, and are line drawings over the background color of pink.
recentreads.bsky.social
Navigator
(See photos for complete credits.)

An interesting graphic novel told in a cinematic style with a unique plotline, about an alien race invading Earth. Tightly plotted and with excellent, highly detailed art.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#graphicnovel
#comicbook
#sciencefiction
#booksky
Graphic novel cover with an illustration of a man in an ochre-colored spacesuit standing er a bipedal alien figure laying on the ground in snow, raising one hand in supplication. Snowflakes swirl.around them, and in the background can be seen a part of a spacecraft.
recentreads.bsky.social
Cossacks
Vol. 1: The Winged Hussars
Vol. 2: Into the Wolf's Den
See the photos for complete credits.

Excellent graphic novels about a Hussar who deserts and joins the Cossacks. No idea how accurate the history is, but the story is well-told and the art lovely.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#graphicnovel
#comicbooks
Graphic novel cover with an illustration of an armored man on horseback, charging toward the viewer, right arm holding a sword up ready to strike. In the background is a montage in shades of orange, showing a young man with a bad period haircut, a woman, an older man in profile smoking a pipe, and a column of men on horseback running across the page with the setting sun behind them. Graphic novel cover with an illustration of a Cossack warrior, in shades of blue. He is looking at the viewer angrily, holding a large curved  saber on his right shoulder, with a large flintlock pistol thrust through his belt, his left hand resting on its butt. A montage in the background, in yellows fading to light green, show an older man with white hair and a bushy moustache to the left, and to the right a field of white flowers lead up to a standing horse with a woman sitting astride it's back.
recentreads.bsky.social
Bear's Tooth, Vol. 4: Amerika Bomber
By Yann & Henriet

An excellent series of graphic novels following the experiences of three young Austrian friends in an alternate history of WWII.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#graphicnovel
#comicbooks
#booksky
#alternatehistory
#worldwarII
#WWII
Graphic novel cover illustration showing a woman wearing a WWII vintage pilot's outfit, standing on the roof of a taxi cab that is mostly buried in dirt and human skulls. Behind her is a city skyline, with skyscrapers, some of which are damaged and missing their upper floors. In the menacing orange sky above is a large flying wing aircraft, with a number of smaller aircraft above it.
recentreads.bsky.social
The Complete Carl Barks Disney Library, Vol. 1: Walt Disney's Donald Duck: "Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold"

A collection of Bark's earliest comic book stories for Disney. Lovingly restored art, with a text section by Barks scholars. Simply a treat to read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbooks
#carlbarks
#booksky
Book cover with two illustrations by Carl Barks, one above the title and a larger one below. The upper is of a pirate parrot with a pegleg, leading Donald Duck and his three nephews, Huey, Louey, and Dewey. Below, Donald Duck sits in a treasure chest, up to his armpits in coins and jewels, his arms upraised as he sprinkles treasure, a strand of pearls hanging over his beak.
recentreads.bsky.social
Octobriana with Love
See photos for full credits

Short stories featuring the mythical Russian heroine of comic books. Some nice art, but simplistic plots and cheesy dialogue.

⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#octobriana
#booksky
recentreads.bsky.social
The Wreck of the River of Stars
By Michael Flynn

A character study of a small crew with disparate personalities trying to save themselves on a doomed spacecraft. The characterizations & psychology are more important to the story than the technology.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#sciencefiction
#michaelflynn
#booksky
Book cover illustration of a  sailing spacecraft.  Center of the image is a sail that looks somewhat like a huge glowing snowflake, tethered by lines to a much smaller sail that also looks like a snowflake, but with a pale yellow color. That is tethered to the main body of the spacecraft in the distance. It is in the midst of scattered asteroids. A black portion of a circle at the top of the illo occults a bright white light, with the book author and title reversed out of the black.
recentreads.bsky.social
So, simple solution: don't use fucking AI.
recentreads.bsky.social
No AI results, which is actually a good thing, and just three of the hundreds of search results for "does donald trump show signs of having dementia?" On google.
recentreads.bsky.social
"When the Eagle Hunts"
By Simon Scarrow

During the early days of Rome's invasion of Britain, two legionaries deal with life as soldiers, including a perilous mission to rescue a general's wife and children from human sacrifice at the hand of Druids.
Highest recommendation

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#historicalfiction
Book cover with the title across the top and the author's name across the bottom. Between those is an illustration of a gold ceremonial scythe, resting on a background of an aged, cracked mural of Roman legionaries.
recentreads.bsky.social
"Death's Head"
By David Gunn

Military SF, in which a grunt comes to realize he has special abilities, and those abilities lead to his rapid rise through the ranks as he stumbles his way through dangerous misadventures. Fast paced, excellent writing, and hard to put down.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#sciencefiction
Book cover with an illustration of a solitary male figure carrying a firearm, silhouetted against a sunset, above the book's title. The word "Death's" is in a condensed sans serif typeface, is a bright red, and fills the cover side to side. The word "head" is in the same typeface, also fills the cover from side to side, is about twice the height of "Death's," and is black and seems to be filled with stars, as in a night sky.
recentreads.bsky.social
Collects the entire series, issues 1–12.

See the photos for complete credits.
recentreads.bsky.social
"Joyride"
Ws: Jackson Lansing & Collin Kelly
A: Marcus To

SF road trip but in space, with a galactic empire as the heavies. Manga-influenced art, but without the over-the-top expressions and speed lines. I found the story a bit specious, but a younger audience might enjoy it.

⭐⭐⭐

#comicbook
Comic book trade paperback cover with an illustration of two women and a man, with a small spaceship flying through the foreground, over the arc of a planet across the bottom of the illustration. The top of the illustration is set against a solid yellow background, the bottom against the starry blackness of space. The woman at the top of the trio looks like she is dancing and is happy. The woman to the left looks pensive and seems to be wearing some sort of uniform. The man is to the right of her, has a wary expression, and is wearing a jacket with a stand-up collar.
recentreads.bsky.social
"Rowlf and Other Fantasy Stories"
By Richard Corben

This volume of the Richard Corben Library contains his earliest published stories, which are all in black and white. Also included are early cover illustrations and some fun examples of 8-year-old Corben's art.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#richardcorben
#comicbooks
Book cover with an illustration showing a humanoid with a dog defending against a muscular green-skinned demon who is making a leaping martial arts kick attack against him. Below the demon can be seen the head and shoulders of a blonde woman, her eyes wide in shock as she watches.
recentreads.bsky.social
Organizing old comix and had to share these two wonderful covers...

#comicbooks
#comicbookcovers
#illustration
#artsky
recentreads.bsky.social
"Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Illustrated Short Stories"
By Arthur Conan Doyle

A massive book, even with 10-point type. Includes illustrations from the original publications. Entertaining reading despite their age, and an interesting look at the history of mystery fiction.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#sherlockholmes
Book cover Illustrated with a portrait painting of Sherlock Holmes, wearing his deerstalker cap, holding acs.oking meerschaum pipe, and holding a small magnifying glass in front of one eye as he peers at the viewer.