Tag: science fiction

Blackcoats: Dead Man Walking

Adam, a high school student, struggles to come to terms with his father’s sudden disappearance and the revelation that his father was a scientist for a secret government organization. If that surprise isn’t bad enough, Adam realizes that the biological changes he’s experienced – a sudden allergy to sun and a perpetual state of hunger – might just be the result of his father’s experimentation. Now a “prisoner” within this secret organization, Adam learns that the world is full of far more than just humans and that it might take someone with augmented DNA – an Augment as they are called – to protect and save the human race from extinction.

Blackcoats: Dead Man Walking is the first book in the Blackcoats series by Michael Lachman. While reading, I couldn’t help but think of Men in Black in terms of the secret government organization that deals with paranormal activity. The banter between the characters made for some good laughs, and it was a novel experience for me reading a book with references to modern books and movies. (The majority of books I read are fantasy and/or set in the medieval time period, and they don’t reference Harry Potter or Terry Pratchett.)

I will be honest, it is in reading this book, that I realized my preferred genre is fantasy and medieval stories; apparently, I’m not the sci-fi genre fan I thought I was. This is in no way a reflection on Lachman’s writing. Lachman is a good writer; his writing flows smoothly and makes for an easy read. Despite the fact I prefer fantasy, I was still drawn-in and curious to find out what happened next. The quality of Michael Lachman’s writing makes me confident he will go far as an author, and I look forward to seeing what else he writes in the future. Who knows? If Lachman ever branches off into the world of fantasy, I know I’d definitely be interested in reading it!

Blackcaots: Dead Man Walking is appropriate for all ages; there is no sex or language, and I recommend it to any parents whose kids enjoy sci-fi. This is a book you can read with them and enjoy yourself.

I was provided with a copy of “Blackcoats: Dead Man Walking” free of charge in exchange for my review. I received no monetary compensation.

Solo

SoloI saw Solo a couple of weeks ago. The show was well acted and has more of a plot than most Star Wars movies. As much as I hate to say it, I was a little disappointed with the movie. While I thought the actors did a fabulous job, the overall story was not as much fun as I remember Star Wars movies being. There was not a lot of humor and the action violence was more serious/intense than I remember Star Wars films being. Also, there were more innuendoes than in previous Star Wars films.

The only reason I enjoyed the film was because I grew up watching the original Star Wars trilogy, so it was fun to see where Han Solo came from and how he met Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian. That alone made the movie worth watching; however, I’m not sure it made it worth paying to see it in the movie theaters.

Lost in Space (Netflix)

LostinSpace

I’ve only seen 3 episodes of Netflix’s Lost in Space, but so far it is an entertaining show. While the episodes can be slow at times, they remain suspenseful and engaging. The show is well-acted, and I’ve been especially impressed with the young child/teen actors who do a stellar job conveying the stress and tension that arise in the situations they find themselves in.

The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1)

Michael VeyThe Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans is the first book in the Michael Vey series. It was entertaining and is a series I am currently enjoying. It started off a really slow, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I was looking for a book for the family to listen to when we went on vacation, I probably wouldn’t have continued listening to it, but I’m glad I did. Right now, I’m on the second book, and it starts off a lot faster because you don’t have to get to know the characters. Unfortunately, this is not a book series that you can’t just start with any book, you need to read the first book. But, I highly recommend putting up with the slow speed of the book. It’s worth it.
I will say that it was a little more violent than I had anticipated from a kid’s book, and I think the reason was I’m not used to there actually being kids who are villains. There are a couple kids in there who seem to lack a conscience (and the reason being is thoroughly explained and understandable), and whose maliciousness when it came to hurting people surprised me. Again, I think it is because I’m not used to kids being the “evil” ones. Although !SPOILER-ISH! one kid does change his ways.
I also really appreciate that the main character has turrets syndrome. I think it brings a nice aspect to having a hero/main character who isn’t perfect (like Thor or Captain America). This is just a normal kid (who actually !SPOLIER-ISH! has an electric power). However, he is living with turrets which gives him an aspect of humanity, more than your average super hero; he is more relatable because we all have struggles in our life wither physical, emotional or neurological, etc.