Dave Higgins's Blog, page 29

Elva of the Seas by Jordan Elizabeth

Elizabeth reverses the fantasy trope of a commoner rising to become the monarch, instead following an heir who is replaced. Combined with fast-paced action and an interesting world, this creates an engaging variation on the standard tale. This is the third book in Elizabeth’s Serpent Riders series. Possible spoilers ahead. Elva spent most of her … Continue reading Elva of the Seas by Jordan Elizabeth

Introducing “The Obfuscator”!

Are you one of those people who looks good in hats? If not, read on. I have always struggled with hats. Occasionally wearing a hat works, but many hats don’t look good on me, cause my head to overheat, or have some other issue—sometimes even a hat that worked won’t the next time. My relationship … Continue reading Introducing “The Obfuscator”!

Wake the Dead by Baileigh Higgins

Higgins delivers another highly plausible tale of post-apocalyptic struggle that shows the biggest threat to life can be the absence of the infrastructure that Western society assumes will exist. Note: while the author is blessed with a spiffing surname we are unrelated by blood or marriage. This novel is the third in Higgins’ Heroes of … Continue reading Wake the Dead by Baileigh Higgins

Emma and the Box of Wonder by Matthew S. Cox

Cox skilfully balances the simpler perspective of the young with the underlying complexity of realistic worlds, creating a fast-paced fantasy adventure that is accessible without sacrificing depth. This is the sixth volume in Cox’s Tales of Widowswood series. Potential spoilers for prior volumes ahead. Emma and her sister Kimber expect spending the day with their … Continue reading Emma and the Box of Wonder by Matthew S. Cox

Neither Dead Nor Lying

WordPress tell me that I have been blogging for a decade; which is more impressive than not. So, I decided to take a look back to see what was happening when I started. Unfortunately, it turns out to be sex scandals, domestic abuse, and a bunch of other things that aren’t really someone about which … Continue reading Neither Dead Nor Lying

Ink For Blood by Kevin Weir

Weir blends a strong gothic aesthetic with fast-paced visceral fights and creepy mysteries, creating a baroque nightmare of addict-assassins fighting existential horrors with distilled angel blood and arcane machinery. A century ago, the Great Machine appeared on the English coast, offering a way to fight back against the mindless parasitic sludge called the Mire. Now … Continue reading Ink For Blood by Kevin Weir

Wiser Elephant

There has been some debate on the internet over the correct way to make a cup of tea. While the question of whether the “seawater plunge” method of steeping erodes the very soul of a nation has been answered, the question of when to add milk to a cup appears to still vex people. However, … Continue reading Wiser Elephant

Brazen Summer by Jordan Elizabeth

Elizabeth creates a mystery that evokes the innocence of the young adult worldview without obscuring the complexities that mature readers might expect. This is the second book in Elizabeth’s Hayview Manor series. Potential spoilers ahead. With the gossip over her part in catching a killer a year in the past and graduating from high school, … Continue reading Brazen Summer by Jordan Elizabeth

The Gateless Gate: The Classic Book of Zen Koans by Wumen Huikai and Yamada Koun

Yamada provides a series of explanations and comparisons that help place the ancient Chinese text in a modern context. This book interleaves Koun Yamada’s translation of Wumen’s Mumonkan, a classic Zen text, with Yamada’s own lectures on each of Wumen’s koan and supporting comments. The book is divided into forty eight chapters, each covering one … Continue reading The Gateless Gate: The Classic Book of Zen Koans by Wumen Huikai and Yamada Koun

Once There Was

Art is strange. Wonderful. Tragic. Beautiful. But strange. Much like this performance of Nina McNeely’s contemporary dance piece “Once There Was III”. The seven-minute piece is… well, what is it? Babylonian myth reset in the modern age? Cyberpunk? McNeely gives a few minutes of explanation after but is that what the piece is? Certainly McNeely … Continue reading Once There Was