This time out we review A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab [Tor Publishing Group, 2015], the first book of the author's Shades of Magic trilogy. Our hero is a young magician who can travel between multiverses, and who comes into possession of a bit of terrible black magic in the form of a black stone. A thief from the London slums of the Regency Period promptly steals it and another magician pursues both of them to retrieve this bit of forbidden black magic.

Interesting Tally: 9

Mom and Son Review: A Darker Shade of Magic

We review Saga Volume 1, a space opera graphic novel, written by Brian K Vaughan, Illustrated by Fiona Staples, and published by Image Comics. The first volume of the series was published in 2012. Subsequent volumes have been published since then. 

Interesting tally: 9

Mom and Son review Saga Volume 1

We delve into novel Echo Round His Bones, written by Thomas M. Disch and  published by Pocket Books New York in 1967.  Set in the "future" of 1990, man has created a device that can transmit any object/ person to any place in the known galaxy, apparently without any consequence....

Interesting tally: 25

Mom and Son review Echo Round His Bones

Ready Player One recounts the story of Wade Watts, a nerdy gamer and expert in 1980s pop culture, and his big-stakes easter egg hunt in the virtual reality world of OASIS. Written by Ernest Cline and published in 2011, the book's nostalgia tone for the early days of video games made it a bestseller and its popularity resulted in it being turned into a major motion picture in 2018 directed by Steven Spielberg. Listen here (before you see the movie) as I (Son) and my Mom discuss our opinions on the book and whether we think the movie will live up to the written word.

Interesting tally: 21

Mom and Son review : Ready Player One

Mom and Son decide to review The Yiddish Policemen's Union, written by Michael Chabon and published in 2007. A best seller, this novel is an alternative history murder mystery, in which after the state of Israel collapses in 1948 the U.S. agrees to lease temporarily a tract of land in Alaska to Jewish settlers. The story recounts the life of Sitka District police detective Meyer Landsman, as he investigates a murder and encounters Jewish gangsters, Tlingit Native Americans, Zionists and CIA operatives.  

Interesting tally: 13

Mom and Son Review: The Yiddish Policemen's Union

Mom and Son review The Supernaturalist, written by Eoin Colfer and published in 2005. This science fiction YA novel is an action-packed adventure set in the third millennium. Thanks to a error in the satellite that controls operations in Satellite City, Cosmo Hill nearly dies in his escape attempt from his horrific orphanage school.  This near-death experience makes him a spotter—someone who can see blue orbed parasite creatures that feed off human life force. Fortunately, Cosmo meets a fellow group of spotters and they fight to keep Satellite City safe from Parasites. Is this book as good as this description? Listen to find out!

Interesting tally: 9

Mom and Son Review: The Supernaturalist

The Princess Bride is a classic fantasy adventure penned by William Goldman in 1973. Mostly known as a movie, which premiered 1987, the book (on which the movie was based) recounts a comedic tale of love, adventure and action. This instant classic has touched many people's hearts and minds, but how does the book stack up to the movie? Is the movie adaptation faithful to the book? Listen to find out!

Interesting Tally: 9

Mom and Son Review: The Princess Bride

Two Science Fiction fans, A professional writer Mom and explosion-loving Son  decide to review some speculative fiction books together. Yes the Son agreed to this. We rate the books according to how many times we say the word, "interesting" in the podcast.

Mom and Son Review: A Darker Shade of Magic

Mom and Son Book Reviews

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