Ricky Pine's Blog, page 143
October 17, 2015
"Dear Lucky Agent" Contest
This weekend, it seems, is the weekend of writers' contests. Since I didn't get into #PitchWars, I'm happy to try my hand elsewhere, and I've already got myself some feedback for entering into Pitch Slam - which I'll be doing twice more over the next few days!
But until then, I've discovered another contest. Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest is in charge, along with literary agent and writer of The Geek's Guide To Dating (something from which I've taken a fair few tips, none of which ha...
But until then, I've discovered another contest. Chuck Sambuchino of Writer's Digest is in charge, along with literary agent and writer of The Geek's Guide To Dating (something from which I've taken a fair few tips, none of which ha...
October 15, 2015
Review: Zeroes
Zeroes by Scott WesterfeldMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Westerfeld's back, baby - and this time, he's got a new team of co-writers to assist him on a strange little YA superhero story. It's not much of an adventure - in fact, it's a little more like Heroes, with our main characters hiding in the shadows (mostly) and trying not to show off their powers to the public. It's a little like Gone, too, with its Central California coastal setting (and when I looked up the town of Cambria, I was surprise...
October 14, 2015
Review: Final Stand
Final Stand by J L PawleyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
In which the Generation Icarus adventures finally conclude...or do they?
There's a reason why the term "Post-Dramatic Jess Disorder" was coined for this book. Of all the Icarus stories (including the Origins novellas), this one has the highest levels of action and feels by far. Especially when Kess and Con are in scene. Especially-especially when the dreadful Reverend enacts his most secret, most devastating plan yet (after which, truly, noth...
October 13, 2015
Review: After the Red Rain
After the Red Rain by Barry LygaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Not unlike Chris Weitz's Young World books, I've seen a metric ton of bad buzz and/or mediocre reviews for this new entry in the crowded dystopian genre, largely because it is, in fact, a new entry in the crowded dystopian genre. It's also a very different book than what I've come to expect from Barry Lyga - a different kind of dark, with a lot less bleak hopelessness. And more sci-fi elements in the forefront. Especially when the nar...
October 10, 2015
Review: The New Order
The New Order by Chris WeitzMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The second Young World book continues its predecessor's surprisingly addictive streak with a few welcome new storytelling elements in play. Chief among them - the trope known as Sequel Goes Foreign. While Jeff (and a number of other new POV characters who each get a couple of chapters in the spotlight - I especially liked how Brainbox's POV was nothing but unbroken, punctuation-free single paragraphs per chapter, because it fit him very w...
October 5, 2015
Review: Library of Souls
Library of Souls by Ransom RiggsMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was my reaction when I found out this was the final novel of the Miss Peregrine series.
This was my reaction when I opened the book and found it intensely action-packed with all of zero breathing room:
And this was my reaction when I got to the end:
Along the way, Ransom Riggs more than outdid himself. He's taken Jacob, Emma, Addison, and us readers further back in time than we've seen before - to the slums of Victorian London. He's...
October 1, 2015
Review: Stone Rider
Stone Rider by David HofmeyrMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
High promise helps propel this seriously action-packed dystopian story - high promise, and high action, and high intensity. The author-acknowledged shades of Mad Max and old westerns help - and, thankfully, this story also doesn't overdo it on the bizarre prose that ruined Blood Red Road (the closest match to this book I can think off the top of my head) for me. My favorite part by far was the revelation of Kane's true identity - which se...
September 27, 2015
Beautiful Child: A Newly Edited Sample Of Red Rain
***SPOILER ALERT***
Inspired by Ashlyn from Wattpad and a little something she said during tonight's #tcbwatt webcast, this post will be largely devoted to sharing the majority of a short new chapter from Red Rain which remains unreleased, as it does not go into the edit currently available on Wattpad or Write On. This is a new Chapter 24 (the previous Chapter 24, "Oh Love," will now be numbered 25, but its title will remain intact), entitled "Beautiful Child" after a lovely son...
Inspired by Ashlyn from Wattpad and a little something she said during tonight's #tcbwatt webcast, this post will be largely devoted to sharing the majority of a short new chapter from Red Rain which remains unreleased, as it does not go into the edit currently available on Wattpad or Write On. This is a new Chapter 24 (the previous Chapter 24, "Oh Love," will now be numbered 25, but its title will remain intact), entitled "Beautiful Child" after a lovely son...
The Scorch Trials Movie: Or, Mad Thomas And His Army Of BAMFs
Before you read this post, I have a bit of mood music for you to enjoy. It's a sample from the soundtrack for the movie I just saw in theaters today, and it's one of the best pieces of movie music I've heard since the theme from Pacific Rim. It's fast-paced, intense, and perfectly exemplifies the panic-inducing Holy Shit Quotient of its movie, especially around the two-minute mark with a sound effect that's best described thusly: "It's quiet. Too quiet...wait, that's a goddamn countdown...
September 26, 2015
Review: All Fall Down
All Fall Down by Ally CarterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I've never read Ally Carter before, but I've heard a lot about her, and I figured this would be a great place to start. I wasn't disappointed.
It's an unusual setting - a fictional Mediterranean nation called Adria, which has been occupied by about every historical empire or army under the sun, from the Mongols to the Romans. It sounds a lot like Malta, in fact.
The characters are cool - starting with protagonist Grace, who comes across as...
