Beneath the Stains of Time: The Summer of the Ubume (1994) by Natsuhiko Kyogoku

Beneath the Stains of Time: The Summer of the Ubume (1994) by Natsuhiko Kyogoku: Natsuhiko Kyogoku is a graphic designer, yokai researcher and mystery writer whose debut, Ubume no natsu ( The Summer of the Ubume , 1994...

SleuthSayers: A Thousand Stories Deep

SleuthSayers: A Thousand Stories Deep:   Not the author I mentioned last time that my wife and I are archaeology buffs.  This led to us spending part of April on the island of ...

Scott's Take: Once and Future Volume 4: Monarchies in The U.K. by Kieron Gillen

Once and Future Volume 4: Monarchies in The U.K. by Kieron Gillen picks up some time after Volume 3 where the prime minster chose to reveal that Otherworld was real thus dragging Britain into a world of fantasy and cutting it off from the rest of the world. Myths, monsters, and stories have over taken the land while normal humans are being slaughtered. King Arthur continues his bloody conquest until another King Arthur from a different story rises up to declare war against him. It is Merlin vs Merlin. It's King Arthur vs King Arthur for Britain. Both sides are waging a bloody war to control Britain and both are equally evil. Duncan and the rest of the trio are trying to find a way to minimize the damage that the prime minister has caused and hopefully turn things around.

 

This action-packed adventure features the same incredible art that has been present in the series all along with even more character development. The twist at the end makes me very excited as a new character is introduced. One that could drastically change the series and who happens to be a favorite character of mine. This series is continued in Once and Future Volume 5 which currently does not have a title or a release date yet.

 

 

My reading copy came by way of the HOOPLA app via the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2022

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey:   Reviewed by Christy             Mabel and Jack have moved all the way from the east coast to the brutal Alaskan frontier – in the hope...

Grumpy Old Books: Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Grumpy Old Books: : Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman:   304 pages Reviewed by...  Owen Powell You can buy Norse Mythology... Here You can find out more about Neil Gaiman... Here The Blurb... The...

Scott's Take: Once & Future Volume Two: Old English by Kieron Gillen and Illustrator Dan Mora

Once and Future Volume 2: Old English by Kieron Gillen and illustrator Dan Mora is the second volume in the series. I reviewed Once and Future Volume 1: The King Is Undead back last January. I said in the conclusion of that review that this book was on order and that the library system was not accepting holds. Eventually, they did, I did my hold, and it finally came my way.

 

Once and Future Volume 2: Old English continues the story of Duncan and his grandmother, Bridgette McGuire. After the revelations in the first volume, Duncan has lost a lot of his innocence and has become a bitter young man. His relationship with his grandmother is worse than ever. As they attempt to stop the undead King Arthur from enacting his new evil plan, they have a new problem. Beowulf has manifested in the real world. Because Beowulf has manifested, so too has Grendel and his mother, who are also threats.

 

Full of action, the same sense of humor, and incredible art like the first volume makes this another very good read. Both Duncan and his grandmother remain the same great characters they were in the first volume. The bad guys are just as evil as they were in the first volume.  if you enjoyed the first volume you will love this volume. Once and Future Volume 2: Old English has a bit more of a horror tone to it than the first book. Despite that fact, it was not over the top.

 

I highly recommend this series. 

 

The next book in the series, Once & Future Volume 3: The Parliament of Magpies and scheduled to be released in late July. This means with the way things work in the Dallas Library System, I am looking at very late summer or early Fall before I will be able to get my hands on a copy to read.

 

  

 Once & Future Volume One: Old English

Kieron Gillen

https://www.comixology.com/Kieron-Gillen/comics-creator/1864

Illustrator Dan Mora

https://www.behance.net/danmora

Boom Studios

https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/

November 2020

ISBN: 978-1-68415-637-5

Paperback (also available in eBook format)

160 Pages

 

 

My reading copy came from the Dunbar Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2021

Scott's Take: Once & Future Volume One: The King Is Undead by Kieron Gillen and Illustrator Dan Mora

Once & Future Volume One: The King Is Undead by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by Dan Mora. This graphic novel collects the first issues in the series. What if the legends and stories are all real and your grandmother was one of the people who used to hunt them? Bridgette McGuire is enjoying her retirement from hunting monsters until a group of nationalists uncover the scabbard of Excalibur and attempt to use his magic to bring back King Arthur. These nationalists have not really thought through the consequences of their actions.  It’s up to Bridgette McGuire and her young grandson, Duncan, to save Britain.

 

The two main characters are incredibly different and interesting. Bridgette McGuire is an action hero long past her prime and living in a retirement home. Duncan is an awkward good guy and some unspecified type pf academic. The young Duncan has been kept from the truth about his grandmother his whole life and thus is totally unprepared for what is going on.  He has no skills that translate to the violent new world that he and his grandmother are thrust into and it will be up  to her to teach what he needs to know so they can survive.

 

The artwork is vibrant and expressive. There is plenty of action, humor, and character development in the tale. The creative team takes old ideas about King Arthur and examines them in a new light. They have a unique interpretation of the power of stories that many readers would enjoy. I could explain more, but doing so would ruin the read. I highly recommend Once & Future Volume One: The King Is Undead for mythology fans or just people intrigued by the main characters.

 

 This book is the first volume in a new series that started earlier this year. Once and Future Volume 2: Old English is currently on order at my local library, but they are not accepting hold on it yet. I eagerly await the second volume in this series.

 

 

Once & Future Volume One: The King Is Undead

Kieron Gillen

https://www.comixology.com/Kieron-Gillen/comics-creator/1864

Illustrator Dan Mora

https://www.behance.net/danmora

Boom Studios

https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/

March 2020

ISBN: 978-1-68415-491-3

Paperback (also available in eBook format)

160 Pages

 

 

My reading copy came from the Central or Downtown Branch of the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2021

Scott's Take: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan is a spin off book from the various Percy Jackson series. In this book Percy Jackson explains the myths and the various Gods with a sense of humor and commentary on how weird things can get in Greek Mythology.  Stories about fifteen Gods and various Titans are covered with numerous beautiful illustrations depicting the various myths. All twelve of the major Gods are covered as wells the three minor Gods that are personal favorites of Percy.

Myths such as Zeus overthrowing the Titans, the abduction of Persephone by Hades, baby Hermes stealing Apollo’s cattle, how spiders were created according to the Greeks, various tales about Zeus and his inability to keep it is his pants making everyone in Greek Mythology related to a certain extent, and numerous other myths are covered. These tales are sure to be entertaining as long as you have a sense of humor and understand Greek Mythology is fun and strange.

If you are fan of the other books in the Percy Jackson universe or the “Riordanverse” as some fans like to call the various series created by Rick Riordan or are just looking for a good book to learn more about Greek mythology, this book should entertain you. Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan has plenty of humor, action, and does a great job of explaining the myths. Especially if you like Percy Jackson and miss him as he is retired these days, this book should work for you.

There is also a spinoff book from this book that focuses on the Greek heroes and their myths called Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes. 

This book is my personal library and was a gift from my late mother a number of years ago.

Scott A. Tipple © 2020

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Testament of Loki by Joanne M. Harris

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Testament of Loki by Joanne M. Harris: Reviewed by Jeanne I have always had a fondness for Norse mythology dating back to my elementary school days which was nevermind...

Bronzeville Bee: Recent Latina Books Inspired by Folklore and Mythology

Bronzeville Bee: Recent Latina Books Inspired by Folklore and Mythology

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Bull by David Elliott

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Bull by David Elliott: Reviewed by Jeanne As we all keep saying, we love book bingo! It encourages us to read a bit more widely.   This time around,...

Do Some Damage: Reclaiming Mythology: The Mere Wife, Circe, and Th...

Do Some Damage: Reclaiming Mythology: The Mere Wife, Circe, and Th...: Three of the best books I've read in the past year are reclaimed myths and ancient epics written or translated by women. Mythology doesn...

BuzzFeed: 17 Jokes You'll Only Get If You Know Greek Mythology

BuzzFeed: 17 Jokes You'll Only Get If You Know Greek Mythology

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Once and Future Myths

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Once and Future Myths: By Jeanne Mythology has become a hot topic.  There have been many books drawing from myth and legend over the years—books about ...

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: Norse Mythology -- Neil Gaiman

Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: Norse Mythology -- Neil Gaiman: When I was ten or eleven, I read every mythology book I could get my hands on.  In Mexia, Texas, long ago, that wasn't a lot of books, a...