Ricky Pine's Blog, page 135

Review: These Broken Stars

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Inspired by the awesomeness that was Illuminae, and also by the glowing recommendation from Brett Michael Orr, I decided to get my hands on this other book of Amie Kaufman's the first chance I got. While These Broken Stars doesn't quite hold a candle to Illuminae, it's still a pretty damn good read.

The premise starts out as basically Titanic in space, with an old-fashioned, class-distinction-laden atmosphere on the starship Icarus....

Review: Front Lines

Front Lines by Michael Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been waiting for this new Michael Grant series for a good long time - maybe since the Gone series ended, it feels like. Now that this hybrid of Agent Carter and Pearl Harbor is here, and I've read it, I can safely say that Grant's very much still got it.

For some reason, Goodreads seems to think this book is sci-fi, when it's not - because alternate history doesn't equal sci-fi, let's face it. And what an alternate history this is, wh...

Review: Morning Star

Morning Star by Pierce Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bloodydamn goryhell.

Red Rising mashed up all the games: Ender's Game, The Hunger Games, Game of Thrones.

Golden Son went for more all-out Thrones.

And finally, the trilogy reaches its conclusion in Morning Star, best described as the unholy and freakishly, outrageously awesome love child of Star Wars and Thor. No, seriously. The Roman inspiration for the first two books takes a backseat throughout much of this one to make room for some seri...

Review: The Absolution

The Absolution by Jonathan Holt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

And so endeth the Carnivia Trilogy...but you know what?



Seriously, how can we be done with this Gothic hacker's world already? And after such a stylish and high-intensity thriller too. While not as harrowing as its predecessor, it deals with the threat of a terrorist attack in Venice, with a combination of hacking and bombing being planned as part of a greater anti-American campaign. And as for the ultimate reveal of the plot - it's not...

Why I Write: Freedom Of Love

"We know that we're young
And no shit, we're confusedBut will you watch us drown?What are you so afraid to lose?"-Arcade Fire, "We Exist"
"What's your problem with religion?"..."It's not religion itself, it's what people use it for - against other people."-J.L. Pawley, Generation Icarus: First Flight
When piecing together the histories and personalities of my Red Rain characters Alex and Gabe, it's pretty much an open secret that they're other, better versions of me - and especially other,...

Review: See How They Run

See How They Run by Ally Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome back to Malta...sorry, Adria, where mysteries lurk behind every corner, royal history imbues every nook and cranny, and the old Iranian embassy still serves as a perfect hiding place for diplomats' teenage offspring. Along the way, our friend Grace gets herself involved in an all-female secret society of what basically amounts to Adrian Eastern Star, travels through an ancient pyramid like she's Indiana Jones or something, and...

Review: Blur

Blur by Steven James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I recently learned that Steven James has gone and dipped his toe into the pool of YA fiction, so naturally, I had to check out Blur. I'm happy to report that he does this age group justice as he crafts another high-suspense mystery thriller, this time with a slight paranormal twist. I say "slight" only because it's very easy to forget that the book is paranormal to begin with. Usually, that's not a good thing (I say this as a hopeful future-bests...

Review: The Six

The Six by Mark Alpert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Recommended quite nicely by the likes of R.L. Stine and Michael Grant, this here book is a cool look into AI and robotics and the sort of thing that, whenever it appears in the movies, tends to get crapped on (think Transcendence or Chappie). Our titular Six may have damaged human bodies, but as robots, they can be something more...and something more is exactly what we might need when an AI inevitably goes rogue and starts doing the whole "Skyn...

Review: The Abduction

The Abduction by Jonathan Holt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At this point, I think it's safe to say that the supernatural side of the Gothic, which I hoped this series would explore, is being left by the wayside. However, what this series lacks in the typical genre trappings, it makes up for with its intense psychological scares as it challenges the "official" US definitions of terror, and with a guinea pig who's perfect for this experiment in the eyes of those who have devised it. It doesn't he...

Deadpool: Rebel, Romantic, Rule-Breaker

***WARNING: NSFW LANGUAGE, BUT THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING. IT'S DEADPOOL, AFTER ALL.***
Wait...why am I looking so sad? Dammit, Ricky, find a happier GIF!
Oh, sorry, DP. I'm just trying to color-code our lines and use Google Images here. You know, most of these GIFs aren't even real GIFs? They don't even move, for Pete's sake!
WHAAAT?
Oh. I see what you mean. GODDAMMIT INTERNET!
Okay. Let's try to get to business here...
WHEEEEEEE!!!!
Um. Dude. What?
Fuck yeah, finally! An actual GIF, of a line I didn'...