Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 133

March 30, 2022: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Hulk #5 – cover art by Jorge Fornes

Astro City: That Was Then #1 – cover art by Jamie McKelvie

Sensational Wonder Woman Special #1 – cover art by Belen Ortega

Sensational  Wonder Woman Special #1 – cover art by Junggeun Yoon

Shadow War: Alpha #1 – cover art by Viktor Bogdanovic

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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March 29, 2022: My Stargate [redacted] pilot script review – and news of note!

The verdict? Fantastic. A perfect series for first-time viewers who know nothing about #Stargate, but also a richly rewarding experience for longtime fans. Action, adventure, friendship, humor, cool sci-fi, terrific characters, a compelling story – and one helluva an antagonist. pic.twitter.com/BHIVq7xCPN

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) March 29, 2022

Excitement building…

World’s first space hotel to open in 2027 with “activities you can’t do on Earth”.

Like slam dunk a basketball?  Can’t wait.

Mysterious beams of light in the sky have been spotted around the world.

We already did this on Stargate: Atlantis.

Elon Musk says he’s giving serious thought to creating a new social media platform

Interesting.

Dark Empaths: The truth about narcissists with empathetic traits

I know a few of these.

Insomnia is on the rise: A doctor warns melatonin may not be the solution

I’m more of a chamomile tea guy, but do keep melatonin on my nightstand just in case.  You?

Today’s Yes/No…

Peanut Butter Stacker and Peanut Butter Fries? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/4kGzpdurj9

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) March 29, 2022

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March 27, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog!

I was distracted by work and sundry other activities this past week so I only read a single book…

The Perfect Crime – Edited by Vasseem Khan and Maxim Jakubowski (Release date: September 13, 2022)

Around the world in 22 murders…
MURDER
BLACKMAIL
REVENGE
From Lagos to Mexico City, Australia to the Caribbean, Toronto to Los Angeles, Darjeeling to rural New Zealand, London to New York – twenty-two bestselling crime writers from diverse cultures come together from across the world in a razor sharp and deliciously sinister collection of crime stories.

My thoughts: As is the case with most anthologies, this collection of crime-themed fiction is a mixed-bag ranging from the unremarkable to the delightfully clever.  My favorites…

“For Marg” by J.P. Pomare about a farmer haunted by his former wife’s infidelity.

“Jumping Ship” by Oyinkan Braithwaite about a photographer hired to take baby photos for the married man with whom she has been carrying on an affair.

“Paradise Lost” by Abir Mukherjee about a former mob associate looking to start anew and leave his former life behind.

There were some a few other memorable tales, but these three stood out for their deft character work, crackerjack plotting, and ability to genuinely surprise this jaded reader.  All three writers are now firmly on my to-read radar (although Braithwaite has been on my to-read list since her debut novel, My Sister Is A Serial Killer).

3/5

***

And what have YOU been reading?

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March 27, 2022: Suji Sunday!

Despite her inability to walk, her spirits are up.

She gets one outside walk in the morning and one carpet run in the afternoon in addition to occasional leg exercises and massages.

Hanging with her pal Totoro.

Misplaced her glasses again.

Sweet dreams.

Help a pug in need: https://www.gofundme.com/f/waffle-needs-gallbladder-removal?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

March 27, 2022: Suji Sunday!

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March 26, 2022: News of Note!

SAD META WORLD: ‘I WENT TO FASHION SHOW BUT FELL OFF YACHT AND WAS LEFT IN OCEAN’…

So, uh, how is this different from playing Sims?

Comparison of Metaverse and the game Sims

In summary – not all that different.

New Study: Cursing eases pain

Aka Gordon Ramsay therapy.

Latest study says eating dark chocolate not beneficial.  

Give it another week and I’m sure we’ll get a study saying just the opposite.

Coffee on the other hand…

Drinking coffee could benefit heart.

But not booze!

Alcohol on the other hand…

The Onion’s Guide to the Oscars: Best Picture

My prediction: bad ratings.

 

 

 

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March 25, 2022: Hurray for inflation!

How delightful.  My tweeted response to this cretinous article made the Daily Mail…

Eat lentils and let your pets die of cancer! Bloomberg is slammed for out-of-touch op-ed lecturing Americans earning less than $300,000 on how to beat inflation

Delightful.  I’m sort of famous now.

Seeing more and more of these asinine takes lately.  If I wasn’t the wholly trusting type, I’d suspect a covert social media campaign designed to run cover for some truly shitty policy decisions.

How are you all enjoying inflation?  Taking advantage of those higher prices?  Uncluttering your life by downsizing?  Losing weight by not eating as much?  Do tell!

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March 24, 2022: Catching up with an old friend!

Had dinner with an old friend last night (dim sum, crispy chicken in truffle sauce, and spicy fried pork chops).  We had a great chat about our industry, the good old days, and, of course, the potential good new days that lie ahead.  Feeling optimistic on several fronts.

And on a totally related note, I think I’ll be doing a little light reading heading into the weekend…

Prompting so many great questions…

Depends on Amazon. If they green light the show, say, next week, Brad could get a writers' room up and running by May. Some scripts written for top of summer, head into production in the back half of this year, start dropping new #Stargate episodes summer of 2023. Give or take.

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) March 24, 2022

Are we about to lock that elusive sixth chevron?  Maybe.  You know what would really, really help?  Letting Amazon know you’re looking forward to Brad Wright’s new Stargate series.

Who knows what the future holds?

Besides lots and lots of socks.  Look, I admit I have plenty of back-ups, but I draw the line of throwing out my favorites…

 

Today’s Yes/No…

Shiso and Cherry Blossom-flavored Gin? Yes/No
Shiso and cherry blossom flavored gin now on sale in Japan https://t.co/XG5BVXOB30 via @RocketNews24En

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) March 24, 2022

My reaction is…ugh, gin!

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March 23, 2022: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Avengers Forever #4 – cover art by R. B. Silva

Captain America/Iron Man #5 – cover art by Alex Ross

Elektra: Black, White & Blood #3 – cover art by Adam Hughes

Wolverine: Patch #1 – cover art by Geoff Shaw

Barbarella #8 – cover art by Carla Cohen

Rogues #1 – cover art by Sam Wolfe Connelly

The Human Target #6 – cover art by Greg Smallwood

Joy Operations #5 – cover art by Alex Maleev

The Department of Truth #17 – cover art by Martin Simmonds

Vampire Macabre Halloween Special – cover art by Aly Fell

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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March 22, 2022: The fucking stupidest article I’ve read so far this year!

Hoowee.  Seeing a lot of these buffoonish articles lately…

His five asinine points:

5 – It’s better for the environment!

This, of course, based on his assumption that, at some point, demand destruction occurs which leads individuals to significantly reduce their use of oil and gas.  So thank goodness for high prices!  Like most pie-in-the-sky hopium-fueled theorizing, it prefers presumptions over logic.  We’re just getting out of a pandemic that saw fossil fuel use drop drastically and remain low for an extended period of time.  What lasting effects did this tremendous pullback have on the environment?  Fossil fuel consumption is still down from pre-pandemic levels.  More importantly, if oil and natural gas prove too expensive, do you know what alternative energy source most third world countries will turn to?  If you answered solar and/or wind, I’m going to have to ask you lay off the weed a little.  The correct answer is coal which is cheaper, as readily available and, for what it’s worth, more energy dense and reliable than solar and wind.

4 – It’s still cheaper in the U.S.

With all due respect, so the fuck what?  This is akin to feeling appreciative for the fact that some guy only punched you once as opposed to the two punches he dealt your neighbor.

3 – If you take inflation into account…

Apparently, it’s not so bad because it was actually worse during three other historical periods if you account for inflation.  I mean, it could be worse.  You could be paying a dollar more if this was 2012!  I mean, sure!  And if you consider the fact that you’re not living through the Spanish Inquisition and about to be burned at the stake for heresy, things are pretty damn good for you by comparison.

2 – If you’re from Texas

I’m not sure, but I believe the cretinous point here is that you should consider yourself fortunate if you’re from Texas (which, I’d wager to guess, most of the people reading the article aren’t) because of the state’s immense oil production capability.  But the reality is that underinvestment in the sector (which he seems to touch on as a good thing) is directly responsible for the rise in fuel prices, in Texas and elsewhere.  Also, it’s not as simple as simple turning the spigot to full and problem solved.

1- It’s a small price for freedom

You should suck it up because it’s all for a good cause – sticking it to Russia.  And while I’m sure this idiot and many wealthy celebrities would agree, most of the people feeling the squeeze will be ordinary people who’ll have their lives impacted by these rising fuel costs, at the pump but also in the form of higher food prices as the high cost of natural gas will send fertilizer prices skyrocketing, exacerbating a looming food crisis brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sanctions, and years of failed energy policies.

Truly the fucking stupidest article I’ve read in 2022.  And that’s saying something.

 

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March 21, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog! Four new and upcoming titles for you to discover!

A relatively light reading week for me…

Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

Helen’s idyllic life—handsome architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way (after years of trying)—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal class and meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be. Rachel doesn’t seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And to be honest, Helen’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with. She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her fears.

But her increasingly erratic behavior is unsettling. And Helen’s not the only one who’s noticed. Her friends and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of Greenwich Park.

My thoughts: An expectant mother, Helen, befriends a fellow mom-to-be, Rachel, at a prenatal class.  Soon, Rachel starts popping up everywhere, gradually insinuating herself into Helen’s life.  She’s imposing, but also decidedly peculiar – and, it turns out, in possession of a shocking secret that could upend Helen’s blissful existence.  So far so good, but as the mystery deepens and twists and turns abound, the suspense is undermined by implausible developments that end up culminating in a convoluted reveal.  As things wrap up, some half-ass police work and a ridiculous assumption about phone-tracking set up a final twist that is silly and not at all surprising.

3/5

*

The Selfless Act of Breathing by J.J. Bola

As a charismatic teacher living in London, Michael Kabongo strives to alleviate the injustices he sees around him: for the students who long for better lives, in memory of his father’s tragic death, and to end the violent marginalization of Black men around the world.

But after a devastating loss, he decides to embark on an adventure in the land of the free—the United States of America. From Dallas to San Francisco, Michael parties with new friends, engages in fleeting romances, splurges on thrilling escapades, all with the intention of ending his life once all his savings run out.

As he makes surprising new connections and faces old prejudices in odd but exciting new settings, Michael alone must decide if his life is worth living after all…

My thoughts: Michael Kabongo quits his job as a teacher in London to travel the U.S.  Disillusioned, and with a little over $9000 to his name, he embarks on one final voyage of self-discovery before ending it all.  The novel progresses along two parallel timelines: the first, in the present, accompanies Michael on his journey through San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Dallas, Chicago, and New York City where he makes new relationships and experiences that cause him to re-evaluate his life; the second, in the past, tracks Michael in London where he serves as an emotional anchor to those around him – friends, family and co-workers who, while dependent on him, are ironically incapable of recognizing Michael’s descent into depression.  Michael is an incredibly well-developed character, grounded and sympathetic, his inner dialogue easy to connect with, his actions valid and understandable.  The conversations that run throughout this novel are authentic and sharp, interspersed with humor, but with a very human dynamic at their core.  You can’t help but feel for Michael, root for him, as he meets someone special that offers him hope while, slowly but surely, his funds are depleted and he must make a choice.  What will it be?  No spoilers but suffice it to say this book is well worth your time.

5/5

*

Wipe Out by Teresa Godfrey

Family is an outlawed concept.

Friendships are forbidden.

All procreation is artificial and government-controlled.

Hazel, a factory-born military driver, accepts these rules as necessities for human survival after the Wipe Out.

But deep inside, she is haunted by a loneliness she can’t fully understand.

When her assistant, Salt, dies in mysterious circumstances, clutching a photograph of what appears to be a mother and son, Hazel is assigned to Military Intelligence and ordered to track down the woman and boy. They are an anomaly – a breach of the strict Moral Code:

No woman should ever know her own child. No child should ever meet his mother.

Hazel enlists the help of military cadet Lake. Lake challenges everything Hazel has always believed, and they become close friends despite the rules.

Their search leads them deep into a wasteland, where the people they meet force Hazel to re-examine the world: People like Zac, who couldn’t be brainwashed; the young cadets risking their lives for the sake of their love for each other; and Ethan, the fugitive Psychoscientist who reveals everything he knows about a secret government research lab that’s experimenting on healthy humans by infecting them with deadly viruses.

Hazel agrees to help Zac and Ethan expose the human experiments. She leads Lake and the cadets in a series of daring raids, gun battles, and escapes, with government forces in hot pursuit.

This is a conspiracy theorist’s worst nightmare. Could it really happen? Maybe it’s already happening.

My thoughts: Following a cataclysmic event known as The Wipe Out (which is never fully explained beyond its viral origins), society undergoes a seismic shift that sees the government assume control over procreation.  The family unit is no more and friendships are discouraged.  Within this grim, dystopian setting, our protagonist Helen operates as a military driver for arcs (archeologists) exploring the wastelands of this world.  But the suicide of a young soldier sends Helen on a state-sanctioned op to discover the truth behind the mysterious photograph she found in the dead man’s hand.  The ensuing unlayering of a deep-rooted conspiracy offers surprisingly little in the way of world-building.  The emphasis, instead, is on the machinations of the manipulative government, which ends up feeling tedious without the deeper contextual grounding of this world and how it all came to be.  There’s scheming and action and, of course, social commentary, but the characters are flat so its hard to get too emotionally invested.  The book offers an interesting premise, but then fails to fully follow-through.

3/5

*

The Last Truth by Anamaria Curtis

A runaway and indentured thief, Eri must provide a new secret to open each new lock, at the cost of her own memory.

Hundreds of locks later, Eri can barely recall her own past. An unanticipated alliance with a musician may prove the key to both their freedoms—if Eri doesn’t lose herself in the process.

My thoughts: This one is actually a short story, a fantastical tale about a thief, Eri, who opens locks by revealing personal secrets.  The twist is that once the secret is revealed, it leaves her memory forever.  There’s no explanation for why the locks in this world respond to secrets, what makes our protagonist particularly proficient at opening locks, or why the owners of said locked boxes don’t foresee the flaw in their security systems.  The grounding logic is of lesser importance than the story of our indentured heroine attempting to win her freedom by unlocking all of the boxes on a ship before it reaches its destination.  She meets a musician who is seeking her own freedom and the two plot their escape.  Al the while Eri continues to lose her memories and sense of self.  This all leads up to the last box and the “final truth” which ends up feeling like a bit of a cheat.  The plot points are there for a unique and heartfelt story, but the lack of underlying logic and short page count deny the possibility.

3/5

*

And what have you been reading?

The post March 21, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog! Four new and upcoming titles for you to discover! appeared first on Joseph Mallozzi's Weblog.