How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything

Orphan X by Gregg Andrew Hurwitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay so I read this on CD back in 2019 and I never got around to writing my review. I did a reread on Audible a few months ago, so this is a dual review.

My life is so blessed by this series. Evan Smoak is the hero I always wanted in my life. This is not an overstatement. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a bit obsessed with assassin fictional characters. I don't mean the type who kill just anyone for enough money, I like the ones who have some code they adhere to. Well Evan was taken out of a boy's group home at the age of twelve and "adopted" by his handler Jack Johns, who became his surrogate father that Evan adored as only a young child can adore their parental figure. He also taught him to be a formidable agent, to withstand untold pain, to learn how to kill in more ways than you could dream of, to be able to operate in any situation and realize that if you screwed up, you were on your own. And Even followed orders faithfully until he began to see that he wasn't necessary working for the good guys. So Evan dropped off the Orphan program radar and tried to live a 'normal' life and also became The Nowhere Man.

His story is expertly told in the first book (I have read the first three books, and I have the fourth one ready to start, hopefully this summer). Although each book manages to give readers a piece of the Evan Smoak puzzle, this book introduces a character that is surely beloved by many (including myself). It's told by flashback and also in present day. The excellent writing reveals a lethal weapon who also happens to be a deeply principled, conscientious man. He manages to be both an a way that in beautifully integrated. I love the idea of his work as The Nowhere Man. Think "The Equalizer" and you get a starting reference for Evan's practice, also he's a lot more brutal to the bad guys. But it's a way that is very easy to co-sign on. He is truly helping the helpless, the people who can't rely on the system or the police to help them. The folks who fall through the cracks.

There's a lot to love about this story, but one of the things I really loved other than the flawless character building, is the well-plotted narrative. Even though it takes some things that are pretty familiar to those who enjoy action suspense books, tv and movies, it's done in a way that feels innovative. There's plenty of gun play and description of weapons, but Hurwitz always makes it clear that the most deadly weapon is the mind. I think that it's easy to think of guns as a show of machismo and strength, but being well-armed doesn't always make you the hero or the strongest person. Evan has to do a lot of thinking and plotting to get out of the many sticky situations he encounters in this book. He deals with a fair amount of bullies and I think there is welcome commentary about that and how one can use their strength to protect others versus preying on helpless people.

At first I wasn't sure I liked the storyline about Mia and Peter, but then I realized how important it was to the evolution of Evan's character, and then I realized how much a piece of the puzzle their relationship with Evan was. The concept of him juggling all the aspect of his life at the same time really rang true although I'm hardly an assassin who is pretending to be an ordinary joe and who also helps people deal with unsolvable problems.

The action is on point and perfectly paced. The dialogue is authentic, and runs the gamut depending on the situations the characters are in. Hurwitz is very good at crafting characters of all sort, from the main character of Evan, who is perfectly nuanced and dimensional, to the incidental characters. Each interaction serving the story.

Some notes about the Audiobook:
Scott Brick is a fantastic narrator. His voice is such a fine instrument. I believe he has nailed Evan Smoak and he transmits him brilliantly in the narration. He also does an excellent job at the other characters. He transmits the menace of the bad guys and the vulnerability of the people that Evan helps. As well as the distinctive supporting characters, including young Peter and Tommy Stojack, Evan's armorer. I think that Scott Brick really sold these books to me, to the point that I have to listen to the audiobooks now, even though I know eventually I will read them as prose as well.

The Orphan X series is now become a point of comparison for me that I use for other action suspense series, and that's a good thing in most cases, except when I read a book that doesn't measure up. I definitely recommend this book and the entire series.


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On Target by Mark Greaney

On Target by Mark Greaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to the audiobook of this narrated by Jay Snyder and it was excellent. It's been a while since I read The Gray Man, so I was a little rusty on some details, but the book does a pretty good job of catching you up.

Court is a compelling character, undoubtedly a stone cold killer, but one with a moral compass. He started out as a CIA assassin and went private sector when he got burned, and when the book begins, he's four months out recovering from a standoff with his former employers at the CIA. Unfortunately, he has developed an opioid addiction that he somehow manages to keep in check for the most part. Now, he's having to take some assignments that aren't ideal. Gray Man gets picked up by a Russian gangster who wants him to do a hit on a certain leader in a certain country, and while he could say no, it wouldn't be exactly healthy for him. His former team commander contacts him to take the hit and turn it into a kidnapping, and that's when things get very interesting.

This book takes place over about a week, and it's practically nonstop action. Having said that, Greaney also leaves time for some introspection and character development with Court. While Court knows he's a killer, he knows right and wrong and would never be considered a psychopath or a monster, and he's far from sociopathic. When confronted with the genocide and ruthless murder and abuse of the black peoples of the Sudan, he wants to do something about it, even when it complicates his life greatly. He also has to save a woman who is in the wrong place at a terrible time. Court assumes responsibilities to keep her safe that involve killing others, and stands tall in the face of her judgmentalism about it. I personally was pretty annoyed at the woman. She was making some really stupid decisions and when Court risks his own mission to keep her ass safe, she's all up in his face calling him a monster. That conflict was interesting because it is timely with a lot of really profound evil going on in the world. When do our actions represent giving in to evil and compromising ourselves versus being a weapon for finding a rough sense of justice and ultimately helping others, admittedly through dark means?

Court is put into situations where he interacts with others who have the opportunity to assess his character, and most of them have huge character flaws of their own. I hope that there is some closure with the mob boss who hired Court. That dude needs to be dealt with.

I really like how Court has to get himself out of really tough situations using his training, skills and ingenuity. Also how he makes tough, untenable choices. He knew what it meant when he decided to go against his commander's order. It was a tough decision that would make his life hell and things even worse for him than they were when everything started, but he made it anyway. He continues to do this through the rest of the book. Court is the kind of hero you root for to kick ass but also to save the day and to keep himself and others safe, even knowing he's an assassin (although I really like assassin heroes, so that's not an issue for me (as long as they aren't sociopathic or psychopathic monsters who enjoy hurting others).

The action scenes were very well written and cinematic. I felt like I was watching this on a movie screen. There weren't any cardboard character. Even the lesser developed characters still have some depth to them. His old commander, Hightower is an a***&*%$%! And says some really racist stuff too. While the woman that Court helps annoyed me, I think that Greaney did show her growth in understanding of who Court was and what motivates him. Greaney gives a nuanced perspective on the situation in the Sudan and how it relates to the geopolitical current events with China and Russia (how they are exploiting Africa for resources, deliberately causing strife and destruction to facilitate this processes) , and not necessarily showing the Americans and the good guys who do the right things for the right reason.

I would have liked more closure on Court's health situation near the end of the book, but I have to assume that's all okay. I really hope he kicks the opioid addiction very soon.

This is a really excellent follow up to "The Gray Man." I already downloaded Ballistic so I can listen to it very soon.


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Samurai Game by Christine Feehan

Samurai Game by Christine Feehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

3rd Reread Completed in October 2017.:

I think that Azami is one of Feehan's more complex GhostWalker heroines. She is definitely the most tortured. Like physically and emotionally. Whitney used her for experiments and operated on her repeatedly and then literally threw her away. She rose like a phoenix from the ashes, which is why her tattoo is so appropriate. I love how badass she is. Not only badass, but also very calm and soothing and has a sense of peace that took many years of discipline to cultivate. I think she's perfect for Sam.

Sam is such a sweetie. I love him. He's definitely lethal and capable of kicking butt big time, but he's also like a big cuddly teddy bear. He's so loyal. I was so glad to see he got a good heroine.

I loved how Sam and Azami connected deeply, and one couldn't even say it was because Whitney paired them. They share a history of having grown up in trouble surroundings and being adopted, and a craving for a real sense of family and home. It makes me so happy that they are together.

I like how much of the action in this book is Azami on her mission to cut off Whitney's espionage supply pipeline. She is ruthless about taking out her enemies, but I'm not mad at her.

One thing that bothered me this time as much as the last, Feehan barely mentions that Sam is African American. I would have liked more references to his skin color just as it was important to get a clear image of him in my head. I made up my own image. However, someone who picked up this book first probably wouldn't even know Sam was black.

As always, I love seeing Team One work together and joke around. I like how Feehan takes the time to introduce some characters she hadn't featured before, like Jonas and Kyle. I liked how much Ryland, Gator, Tucker, Nico, and Ian were in this, not to mention the ladies such as Saber, Lily, and Flame.

I never get enough of these book. This completes the reread of the books I have already read at least twice. Now I'm moving onto Viper Game, for my first reread.

2nd Reread Completed in April 2015. I wanted to revisit the GhostWalkers before I read Viper Game. And let's face it, I start getting withdrawal pains when I spend too long away from the GhostWalkers. I'm obsessed.

My thoughts this time around:

I just plain love this book. I mean, it's nothing special amongst the other books, but I really felt the love between Azami and Sam. I think even though they only knew each other for a short period, and they couldn't have been paired on both sides, it was just a synergy between them that made my true romantic heart feel warm and fuzzy. They make such a good pair, and Sam happened to put into words, they just fit together. Their relationship was deeply romantic and appealingly sensual. Those of us who have followed Team One's GWs, I don't think they could be dissatisfied at seeing Sam get his woman.

I love them just as much as individuals. Sam is so fantastic. He's such a good guy. Smart as a whip, lethal as a ninja and sweet as a puppy. That is my kind of combination. This is one of those heroes that I often wish "Why can't I have a guy like that?" It doesn't happen much. I usually view romance as escapism, and it's not wish fulfillment for me, if I'm honest. More than anything, I'm more in love with love. But, yeah, Sam is 100% on my personal compatibility scale. I think out of all the GhostWalkers, he's probably the one I feel like I would be a good match with in real life. But enough of that!

Azami, I have a serious girl crush on her. She's freaking lethal, but elegant and demure. She's highly intelligent, but has no desire to showboat about it. And she's a serious survivor. Out of all the crap that Whitney did in his experimentation with the GhostWalkers, he committed the most atrocities to her. But it didn't break her, she was reborn as a samurai. There is something about a woman warrior that I just love. While I don't have a tendency towards being a warrior in real life, I truly love that aspect of a woman. Yes, I admit I have a secret desire to be a ninja that never went away. Azami's secret assaults on Whitneys organization were long in coming. He things she's thrown away and probably dead, but she's the real ghost who is going to give him his reckoning.

I do believe this book is slightly more action-focused than the previous book. While Feehan goes in detail with some of the operational information, I liked that. I'm sort of geeky about special ops stuff.


I could probably rave more, but I don't want to repeat myself over what I said on my last read. I can say that it definitely stands up to a reread. Sadly, it makes me want to start the series all over again, but I lack the time for it. :)

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Original Review:
I was so sad to finish this book. I love visiting with the GhostWalkers in any capacity, and the arrival of the long lost Thorn (now called Azami) was desperately appreciated. Sam is a sweetheart while clearly maintaining his capable and lethal identity as an enhanced soldier. He is a very calm, together person. I think in some ways, the quiet heart of Team One. From the other books he seemed courtly and down to earth, eminently huggable. It's nice to see more dimensions to him and to see his love story unfold.


Hanging out with Team One again was awesome. And getting to meet the incredibly gifted and advanced Daniel was a real pleasure. He's going to make life very interesting for his parents and the Teams. Also, it was nice seeing Ryland in the field again. I missed seeing him kick some butt. The Team is not just a well-oiled military team, but a close-knit brotherhood/family.

While there is definitely an insta-love vibe between Sam and Thorn, it works for them. I could and do believe in their love. Sam and Azami connect on an intellectual, physical and emotional level. Sam has always kept a part of himself separate from others (despite his tight bonds with the other members of Team One and their wives), and when Azami comes along, she finds her way into the deeper parts of him very quickly. He wants to be her protector, although this lethal woman is more than capable of taking care of herself and others. Sam sees the wounds that Whitney's experiments have left on Azami's psyche and body and it only makes her more beautiful to him, not the broken, unwanted person she fights to leave behind. I loved that Azami is a samurai warrior in every way. I also loved her demure, together, composed demeanor. Despite her calm, she is a very passionate, deep person. She has a lot of strength to survive what she endured from Whitney's heinous experiments, rising like a phoenix from the ashes. The tattoos she wears are very representative of her journey and her psyche. I have to admit, I wish I had gotten to see her go to town with a katana (I'm a martial arts freak, so forgive!), but she proves her lethal skill in many ways, as much as ninja assassin as a samurai (and for a girl who has always thought ninjas were freaking awesome, that worked for me). I liked what I saw of her brothers, and honestly would like to see more.

I am very curious to see where the conspiracy will go next with Whitney and Violet. It looks like there's going to be a game-changer on this front. Azami is going to be a real asset in this arena, with her intel into Whitney, and her resources as a Yoshiie. She probably hates Whitney more than all of the other GhostWalkers combined, and with good reason. Whitney made a huge mistake underestimating her and the other GhostWalker women, not to mention the strong bond between the GhostWalkers. His reckoning is coming, although I don't want to see this series end any time soon.

This book felt too short. I was enjoying it so much, when it ended, I was like, "Oh, no!" I would have been happy with seventy-five more pages, easy. It's like leaving a gathering of your favorite people when these books end, knowing you might not get to spend time together again for a while. I really don't want to wait a year for another installment. It's going to be a long wait. I think I will end up rereading this book to experience more of Sam/Azami's love story and the GhostWalkers yummy goodness.

It's hard to say how I felt about this book, other than loving it and smiling most of the time as I read. The action was hardcore and fierce, and the loving was intense and beautiful, deeply emotional. Despite that satisfaction I felt reading it, I fight a pervasive feeling of sadness because it's over and I don't want to leave this world. I guess I need therapy for my GhostWalkers addiction! That's all I can say right now! Another thumbs up from this die-hard GhostWalkers fan.

*This might be a first draft for this review as my feelings coalesce into something coherent.*

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The Hunter by Kerrigan Byrne

The Hunter by Kerrigan Byrne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I hate that I am so late writing this review. It's in no way a reflection on this book, because I loved it. Christopher Argent is the real deal. He is in every way a lethal assassin. Yes he really does almost kill Millie. But he can't do it. Something about her, he just can't. They form a bond that is terribly inconvenient to Christopher, he's a damaged soul who has vowed not to love anyone or anything since he lost his mother in such a horrible way. He is rich beyond calculation, has a fearsome reputation, is at the top of his game as an assassin, but inside he's a prisoner. He is truly a tortured hero in every way. I love tortured heroes. I love dangerous heroes. I love assassins. And he's a redhead. Bingo! It's Christmas.

Millie is a great heroine. She's strong and intelligent and loving and determined. She's able to work past her fears or rejection and rightfully fear of being with a cold, ruthless man like Christopher, to try to reach his heart. He's the man for her and she knows it very quickly. The question is how to conquer his arctic heart and soul.

Kerrigan Byrne knows how to write a spicy romance that will burn the pages up. She doesn't disappoint in this book. However, because Christopher is so damaged, it takes a while for them to get intimate and even longer before it's truly satisfying. I liked how she shows the ice melting around his heart, and how it's a painful process, much like when one has frostbite and hypothermia and must be warmed slowly. Millie is so good about giving Christopher space, but not giving up on him. She also has some wounds of the soul, but in contrast, she has gotten healing for her wounds. And she has her adorable son who anchors her and gives her a reason for being.

The action is very good and the villains are very evil. There are some quite violent moments. Nothing gory, but it's done in a way that cements the authenticity of the dangerous world that Argent lives in, and the seriousness of the thread that Millie is facing. I loved seeing Farah and Dorian from The Highwayman, and we get to meet the heroine for the next book The Highlander. I confess I read that one first, so I'm excited to look back and see where Mena came from. Her story is very sad. I'm glad she gets her happy ending in the next book.

If you're a historical romance fan and you're not reading this series, you need to rectify that immediately. This is a great series. I've loved every book I've read. Dangerous heroes and strong, intelligence, loving heroines in an authentic historical setting with plenty of action and intrigue. Oh and some hot loving. What more can you ask for?

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Fire Bound by Christine Feehan

Fire Bound by Christine Feehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the different direction that Feehan took with Lissa's story. Instead of the story taking place in Sea Haven at the farm, this one is set primarily in Italy, and Lissa is not the hunted, but the huntress. I am always satisfied when Feehan introduces another Prakenskii brother. While I adore the GhostWalker men (flaws included), the Prakenskiis have a special place in my heart. Each brother gets near to my favorite. I am pretty sure that it's a bit of a four way tie between Maxim, Gavril, Ilya and Casimir now. I do dearly love Ilya, and I never thought Feehan could top him, but she has, boy howdy. I have a bizarre fondness for assassin leads, and I got two for the price of one with Lissa and Casimir. Lissa is the real deal, and I wish for more heroines like her.

Casimir is perfect for Lissa. He's her match and he respects her for the woman she is, that she's been fashioned into. It takes a strong man to acknowledge that a woman is his equal. While Casimir was protective of Lissa, he didn't try to get in the way of her mission, but is her helpmate. I like that they work together to fulfill their mutual goals, and that their passion burns hot and their love is true.

This book had more of a semi-overt BDSM tone than the other books. I am the first to admit I am not a fan of BDSM. Fortunately, it wasn't over the top, although there was one device that was definitely a little weird for my tastes. I did like that Casimir wasn't about subjugation or domination but mutual pleasure. There is a welcome contrast between their love play and what is going on unbeknownst to Lissa. I didn't like the scene in which certain men abuse a certain woman. It made me sick and I felt really bad for that poor woman. I was glad that Casimir had such a visceral and righteously angry reaction to that situation.

I felt for Lissa in that she was raised with so much betrayal. Despite that, she was incredibly strong and self-actualized. I just hate that she was used that way. When the people you trust and love do that to you, it's even worse. Even though she had her Sisters of the Heart, she had to hide that part of her from them, and that made her feel lonely and isolated. I was glad that she doesn't have to be lonely anymore.

The wedding scene was so touching, and I loved the surprise guest. those Prakenskiis are so romantic! All I have to say is that the next book is going to be something else. The pigeons are really coming home to roost. I am officially giving my seal of approval if Feehan has books for the other guys from the worst of the Russian spy schools. :)

This is my second favorite book series by Feehan for a reason. It's really hard to top the GhostWalkers for me. I freaking love that series like a house on fire. But this series is a close second . I think the Prakensii/Sisters of the Heart books have such great heroes and heroines. Strong men who aren't jerks, who appreciate their heroines for who they are and are willing to make sacrifices to be with them. I'm sad to see that it will end soon! All I can say to Ms. Feehan is, keep the Russians coming, please.

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Lobo: Targets by Cullen Bunn, Jack Herbert

Lobo Vol. 1: Targets by Cullen Bunn
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Not the Lobo I know from the animated DC-verse shows. This is a more streamlined, deadly serious and highly lethal Lobo. I like that this book gives the reader very complex backstory on Lobo, and a new mission that is beyond just getting his bounties. In this book, Lobo is a very deadly assassin, and he's on the trail of a group of killers who took the job of blowing up earth. He gets some reluctant partners along the way.

This has a lot of mayhem and violence in it. I picked this up on impulse, so I didn't have high expectations. It's diverting and well-written. I'm not that invested in Lobo as a character, and this book didn't change that. I might read more of these if my library has them.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.

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Wolverine MAX, Vol. 1: Permanent Rage by Jason Starr (Text), Connor Willumson (Illustrations)

Wolverine MAX, Vol. 1: Permanent Rage by Jason Starr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This one ain't for the kiddies!  The f-bomb shows up and there is nudity and plenty of in your face violence.  I don't necessarily need that to enjoy a story, but I feel that the violence is part and parcel of Wolverine aka James Logan Howlett's life.  This book is a good one for people who got introduced to Wolverine via the Marvel Movie Universe and want to dive into the graphic novels about this beloved and complex character.

This starts with a boom and ends fairly the same way. The reader is just as confused as Wolverine about his situation, since he is afflicted with memory loss.  Of course, Wolverine's personal Satan, Sabertooth is there to engineer chaos and destruction and to try to convert Wolverine to his way of doing things, psychopathic behavior.  But Wolverine is no one's plaything. He's a strong-minded person, and while he doesn't always do the right thing, he is guided by an intrinsic sense of honor that keeps him from going over the edge and into the abyss where Sabertooth happily lives.

I gave this four stars because I just plain love this character. The writer gets this character, and he conveys the essence of him to readers, older and newer fans alike. However, I do have a quibble. Some of the artwork was just ugly. Wolverine is a hairy guy, let's face it. But they made him look like a grotesque troll.  And there was too many bulgy eyes and gooey entrails. Not very pretty.  yes, violence can be conveyed in an aesthetically appealing way if done right.  I could have done without that art, but I did like some of the artwork, and I especially like the chiaroscuro cover that the volume I got from the library has.   My library has a plethora of Wolverine volumes to enjoy, and I am taking my time exploring them.  This was a nice use of my hour while I was waiting for my ride home.





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Best of Wolverine, Volume 1 by by Chris Claremont, Frank Miller, Barry Windsor-Smith

The Best of Wolverine, Vol. 1 by Chris Claremont

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I found the older comics a bit dated in storyline and the artwork. It was nice to get some of James "Logan" Howlett's backstory, all the same. It was really interesting to discover that Wolverine's first appearance was in The Incredible Hulk.  Seeing these two guys throw down is quite an experience.

I'm having to be honest and say I can't stand Mariko. Definitely not worthy of Wolverine's pining.  I couldn't help comparing this as I read to the most recent Wolverine movie, "The Wolverine," which I love, except for a few aspects. I think I prefer the movie versions of both Mariko and Yukio.  Yukio wasn't bad, but I didn't like how she was so moony over Wolverine. I did like how kickbutt she was and kind of edgy.  All the ninja stuff was cool (as they always are).  I think Wolverine's adventures in Japan shape him in pivotal ways, and I feel that it helps to temper his animalistic nature. 

Wolverine will always stand out as an antihero who is quite heroic. He learns through the School of Hard Knocks how to use his healing factor, formidable strength, and lethal fighting skills, not to mention his adamantium claws to best advantage.

Rereading "Weapon X" brings to mind why Logan is so conflicted as a character. How they deliberately and ruthlessly tortured him to bring out that aspect, and why he will always struggle against it now. And that makes him even more admirable that he can temper his beserker rage to fight with the X-Men and others on the side of justice.

If you're newer to the Marvel Verse, and want to find out the origins of Wolverine, this is worth tracking down.  Just keep in mind that some of the older stories are from a different era, and frankly, like the sophistication of modern graphic novels. However, "Weapon X" is not to be missed by anyone who is intrigued with Wolverine.

3.5/5.0 stars.



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Wolverine: Back in Japan by Jason Aaron (Text), Adam Kubert (Illustrations)

Wolverine: Back in Japan by Jason Aaron

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Pretty good.  Lovely color and artwork.  Crazy action.  This is the Wolverine that most will know and love.  Some interesting twists with Mystique and the dicey situation between the Hand and the Yakuza, and our esteemed hero in the middle.  Things get a little confusing towards the end. But overall, stays pretty coherent and there is no disconnect between the script and the artwork.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.



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Black Widow, Vol.1: The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson (writer), Phil Noto (illustrations)

Black Widow, Vol. 1: The Finely Woven Thread by Nathan Edmondson

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Black Widow is definitely going up my list of kickbutt heroines to die for.  Her backstory is tragic and conflicted, and it informs the choices she makes.  Black Widow is trying to make up for the red in her ledger when she worked as a KGB agent. She takes missions so she can send money to the families of people she hurt back in the day.  And she navigates the spider's web of the world she inhabits, where black and white doesn't exist.

Phil Noto has such a distinctive art style.  It is very retro, and his color palette is muted. But it works.  The action is rendered so excellently, and with this storyline, that's an absolute must.  The writing is excellent as well.  Storylines are twisted without being convoluted or incomprehensible, very much an asset with the graphic novel format, where there isn't a lot of room for long descriptions or narratives.  Together Noto and Edmonson make an excellent team. The Spider motif is conveyed excellently without being too blatant. If I had one quibble, I wasn't sure about the Cyrillic.  It doesn't seem to translate very well.  I admit I am a novice to Russian, but from what I know I'm not sure about it being accurate.

I can't say there's anything I didn't like about this volume. I am hooked and find this to be one of the stronger Marvel NOW titles I've read. 

If I had to recruit a team of kickbutt artists, Black Widow would definitely be on my list!

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.



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Deathstroke, Volume 1: Legacy by Kyle Higgins (Goodreads Author), Simon Bisley (Illustrations)

Deathstroke, Vol. 1: Legacy by Kyle Higgins

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Slade Wilson is a jerk. Let's be honest.  He has put his desire to be the best warrior before everything.  He will take on just about any mission just so he can achieve the recognition and accolades of completing the mission. It's not about the money.

I found him hard to like.  That makes it's difficult to root for a character when he's so insufferable.  I appreciate how incredibly kickbutt the man is, but his colossal ego and the enormous chip on his shoulder ruins things for me.

This is a very violent comic.  Lots of blood and decapitated heads flying.  I think the body count is easily in the hundreds.

At the root of it, this is a story about the consequences of dysfunctional families on a person's psyche. Because Slade's father was abusive and pretty much a rat, he became obsessed with being the biggest and strongest, and this nature destroyed his relationship with his own son, Grant.

This wasn't a bad graphic novel, for the subject matter.  It has action from beginning to end. I just don't like Deathstroke. His motivations are shallow and the fact that he places no value on human life about his own ego are a real turnoff for me.

I doubt I will keep reading this series.



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X-23: Innocence Lost by Craig Kyle (Text), Christopher Yost, Billy Tan

X-23: Innocence Lost by Craig Kyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The real monsters are the ones who try to create them.

A brilliant geneticist embarked on a quest to create the perfect weapon. Nobody believed in her, but when she finds a person willing to finance her research, Dr. Sarah Kinney comes to realize she has gotten into bed with real monsters.

With stolen genetic material from the legendary Weapon X, aka Wolverine, these fringe scientist create clones (to make more weapons, of course), only to realize that the clone embryos aren't viable because of the Y chromosome. Dr. Kinney hits on the idea to use a X-gene. Of course the male chauvinist pigs don't like the idea. She does it anyway, and X-23 survives. Her penance is to have to carry the embryo to term. This backfires on the researchers and the company, because Sarah bonds with her daughter, instilling lessons into her that will come into play in her life at a later time. Despite the fact that Dr. Zander Rice, a %$%* of the first order, exercises his complete misogyny on X-23 (and latent hatred of Wolverine, who killed his father), torturing her to making his weapon, and unleashing her into the world as a killing machine with the use of his trigger scent.

This story is very tragic and also heartbreaking. I'm not sure if the writer intended to put so much pathos into the story, or if he was just trying to create a credible origin story suitable to Wolverine's daughter. The end result was a graphic novel that inspired a lot of emotion in me. Outside of my awe that X-23 is so awesomely kickbutt, is my sadness for her deprived childhood and what she was forced to do by her handler. I mean I can't help but appreciate an assassin of her caliber. But the idea of a child being raised that way and created to be a weapon, is heinous. It reminded me of Saber of the GhostWalker series by Christine Feehan (Predatory Game, which is a nice recognition, since I love that series. She was also cultivated as a child assassin (using her innocent, childlike appearance to infiltrate and destroy her targets).

To think I didn't even know who X-23 was six months ago. Boy was I missing out. Glad I discovered her. She's up there as a Marvel favorite now for me. Unfortunately, the Craig Kyle versions are out of print. But at least the awesome Marjorie M. Liu takes over, and those are still in print, so I will be checking those out.

Because of the storytelling and lovely artwork, I'd have to give this one 4.5 stars.


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Daredevil, Voume 2: Visionaries by Frank Miller, et al

Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller, Vol. 2 by Frank Miller
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

This is comic book history. It really is. Frank Miller tells an epic love story that a few sad people who have never heard of Daredevil and Elektra will never know. It starts with two idealistic college students who meet and fall in love, and ends with them on opposite sides of the law.

I don't think I am exaggerating by saying that Elektra is one of the most lethal women ever written on paper. She is an accomplished assassin who uses her pointed sais to end the lives of those who either become her target, or get on her bad side (although she is not a psychopathic killer who murders at will). Like Daredevil, her entire body is a weapon. Elektra has renounced the law after the death of her father, so she sees nothing wrong in working for the highest bidder. This puts her in extreme contradiction to Matt Murdock/Daredevil, who believes in the law and supporting it even to his detriment (while he is a masked avenger, his work is to uphold the law). As such, Daredevil has sworn to bring her to justice.

What I liked about this book, among many things is that Elektra and Daredevil are like moons that continually encounter each other as they follow their individual gravitational paths. While their romance is doomed, it's clear that they cannot forget or disavow each other completely. In fact, they save each others lives more than a few times in this book. While they are enemies, their hearts are never parted from each other. It's romantic in the deepest sense.

The artwork was really good. I was especially impressed with the motion and energy of such athletic and graceful characters as Elektra and Daredevil. Elektra herself was extremely visually stunning. She is so iconic in her complete look in this graphic novel, I can see no need to change her look that much even so many years later (although it was done in the two movie incarnations, which I liked to varying degrees). Honestly, I liked her artwork in this better than in Elektra: Assassin, which looked muddy to me. When I started painting last year, Elektra was one of the first characters I attempted, because her look strikes me so profoundly.

The emotional landscape of the characters was very clearly portrayed through the artwork and narrative. Elektra's desolation at her father's death and the fact that Matt is everything she wants but cannot have, that he has moved on. Matt's determination to follow his hard path, despite the fact that his heart wants something else. And the end of their tumultuous love affair, it's brutal and abrupt, and Miller is unapologetic about it. And Matt is not ready to move on from Elektra, despite confirmation that she is denied to him in every way.

Some episodes in this volume were a bit more cartoonish than others. The character of Turk, a two-bit thug that is continually humiliated in his encounters with Daredevil, is clearly played for laughs. Matt's friend and partner, Foggy, is almost always drawn rather goofily, but even he has some very serious moments. I honestly didn't like Matt's girfriend, Heather, at all. Her personality seems very dated to me. Even though Elektra is a ruthless killer, I think she's a much better love interest for Matt. There is a deadly seriousness to the stories that feature Kingpin and Bullseye, two major adversaries to Daredevil. The first a methodical career criminal who veers more towards sociopathy, the latter a complete psychopath with some serious malignantly narcissistic tendencies. Kingpin has a vibrancy and a power, a charisma that comes off the pages at the reader. I don't like him, but at the same time, I liked looking at him and reading his dialogue. I can't stand Bullseye for reasons apparent and some I can't get into.

In my opinion, this is a groundbreaking series of comic books. Miller has given us the comic book antiheroine we always longed for, but assumptions about gender held many back from delivering. Even twenty plus years later, I think that Elektra will always stand out. She touches on the inner ninja that every girl secretly wants to be, even when we have been told that girls don't do that. This wannabe ninja is cheering!

Overall rating: 4.25/5.0 stars--Not quite 4.5 stars, but better than 4.

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The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clark

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I can't believe Goodreads ate another review of mine! This sucks! I guess this is an opportunity to better clarify my thoughts this time.

I was very excited about reading this book, and I snatched it off the library shelf. I have a fixation on assassin main characters (don't you judge me!). I also liked the idea that the heroine might fall in love with her would be assassin and vice versa (no judging!). Unfortunately, I was disappointed with this book. I'll try to start with the positives and then go to the negatives, because that seems fitting.

What I liked:

Ananna was an interesting lead character. I loved how distinctive her background as the daughter of pirates was. The author kept her characterization true to her origins. Her narration was uneducated sounding and her actions and beliefs showed the ethics of a person who was raised on a pirate ship. She was believably down to earth, and I liked that while she could hold her own and was a capable fighter, she wasn't amorally bloodthirsty.

The background on the pirate factions was intriguing. I also liked the magical aspects of this book, although they could have been better described.

What I didn't like:

Naji's characterization palled in comparison to Ananna. While this was a 1st person point of view, that didn't necessarily have to result in such an obvious lack in definition that his character had. He felt more like a background character, which doesn't work for this story, due to the intimate connection they share.

Speaking of, I think the curse could have been better described. I understand the author was trying to keep some suspense about why Naji had to protect Ananna, but it wasn't very well explained. Also Naji's magic was cool enough for me to want more explication.

I think the plotting could have been better. The beginning was catchy and I was sucked in, but around the last third of the book, I started losing interest. I couldn't decide where she was going with the story, but I didn't really care after a point. I just wanted to finish the book.

The magical aspects had a lot of potential, but after a while the different magical factions sort of ran together and lost distinction for me. I couldn't understand where she was going with the story overall.

Speaking off, I am heartily sick of cliffhangers. I think it's a dirty cheat to write a story that ends abruptly, just so people will keep reading. There are rare circumstances where a cliffhanger makes sense, or if the book is just really long. This was not the case in either way with this book. I truly believe the book could have been longer and the story could have been wrapped up to a satisfying conclusion without sacrificing tension for a series. When it ended, I was like, "What the What?!" like Finn on Adventure Time. Not cool! I don't want to turn this into a rantview, so I'll leave it at that.

While I don't regret reading this book, I wasn't satisfied with it overall. There were enough things I liked to propel me to read the second book in the series from my library. I hope that the character and story development are improved in the forthcoming books, since it has a lot of potential.



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Grave Mercy by Robin LeFevers

Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grave Mercy is a fantasy novel that feels like historical fiction. Our heroine is a young woman in 15th Century Brittany who has always been cast in the role of victim, until she is delivered to the Convent of St. Mortain, the God of Death who masquerades as a saint to appease the newer Christian church. Now she is the wolf instead of the prey. Ismae is believed to be the daughter of this god, since she even survived being poisoned in her mother's womb, although she is forever physically scarred by that poison. She seems to be resistant to poisons and heals faster. While Ismae never felt special so much as rejected, when the choice is a life away from an abusive husband, and some agency in her life, she chooses to become a novice in the convent, learning all the many skills of bringing death to those marked by her god.

Not long after her first mission, Ismae is sent to masquerade as the mistress of Gavriel Duval, the bastard brother of the young Duchess of Brittany. Her Mother Superior has tasked her with spying on Duval to see if he is faithful to the Duchy. If Mortain marks him for death, she is free to kill him. Instead of growing sure that Duval needs to die, she falls in love with him, one of the few men she has met who is decent and caring to women, when her own father hated and abused her. But love won't be easy when Ismae is surrounded by intrigue and treachery in the young Duchess's court. Will her father guide her aim true in these tortuous waters?

I enjoyed this book a lot. While the author doesn't describe every detail of the setting and appearance of the characters, I obtained a very clear picture of what was going on. Better yet, the story simmers with atmosphere, quite Gothic. While this book establishes itself as a historical fiction novel, the paranormal/supernatural vibe teases at the senses. The manner in which Ismae knows that her god has selected a target is quite eerie but doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, because the story fits so naturally in both categories, paranormal and historical fiction.

As far as Ismae's character, she is quite admirable. She's incredibly lethal, and I think a large part of her lethality is her quick mind and her observant nature. She makes a very good spy but also a bodyguard because of those skills. I liked seeing the mystery unfold through her eyes. You see that she isn't always unbiased, especially when it comes to men, considering her past painful experiences with men. I did like that her view changes as she comes to realize that not all men are bad and women aren't the superior sex, because they are just as flawed. She also comes to realize that people can use religion of any kind as a tool for power and control, but that doesn't invalidate one's personal faith in their god. While Ismae is very skilled at killing, she's not a killing machine. She has a respect for life and no desire to torture or cause suffering in others. This was necessary for the story to feel right. This reader is fascinated with assassins in literature, but she hates cruel, sadistic acts, and a good assassin should always show self control (or so this fictional assassin connoisseur believes).

Grave Mercy is a successful book, in my opinion. While this is slated as a young adult novel, it doesn't feel as though it's trying to talk down or dumb down the story. If anything, it aims for a clean feel, meaning no graphic sexuality or depictions of violence. But this book doesn't need that. The storytelling gives the reader what they would want for a story of this type. The author writes about themes that affect women, especially women in the past. How their lives and choices are restricted due to their sex, and how that impacts nearly every decision they make, even if they are allowed to have that much control over their lives.

Ismae is a heroine that a reader can cheer for. A lethal assassin with a supernatural ability who realizes the world is a lot bigger, less cut and dried place than she first assumed. And that love is definitely a possibility for the daughter of death, but her life and her choices are ultimately her own.

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Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Very good and very gritty.  Gin is absolutely lethal.  Killing someone is just a job to her. Not that she kills just anyone, but if you're on her radar for death, you get dead very quickly.   I found her character very credible.  I won't deny that I sort of have a fascination with fiction stories about assassins.  This is a good one.  Estep builds a three-dimensional character here with Gin. She's not evil, but she's not a a saintly person either. How can you be when you kill people for a living?

That's where the grays come in.  If you knew what some of the folks she's killed have done, then you might not count it as such a loss.  Ashland is a place full of dark souls, you see.  The whole place is corrupt to varying degrees, except for Donovan Caine. He truly is the only honest man in this place.  So imagine the dilemma when they discover an attraction between them. Between the cold-hearted (but warm-pantsed) assassin and the straight arrow cop.  Yeah, that makes for quite a conflict.

If you like magic noir, definitely check this book out.  If you like bad*ss women who know how to get the dirty jobs done, definitely check this out.  If you have a problem with women who are a bit callous about sex, you might have a problem with Gin.  I'm not big on that trait in a heroine (or a hero for that matter).  I did like how she does the pursuing when it comes to Donovan. That was kind of cute.  And she can be a bit of a bully when she wants to.  I can understand why her character is that way, having lost her family and lived on the streets. It's made her into a hard woman, one who doesn't let anyone make a victim out of her.  For all that, she does have a sense of honor.  At least someone does in this place.  As for Caine, he was a bit self-righteous at times.  I totally respect his sense of honor, but I think he needs to open his mind a little and ask the whys instead of just blindly following. I find it hard to believe he was completely oblivious to the corruption in his police department. I think he was just willfully ignoring it.  A bad tree cannot produce good fruit and vice versa. If his partner was doing that horrible stuff, why didn't he have a clue?  I like that Gin didn't try to defend herself to him. Why should she?  She was true to herself, and he had to accept her or leave her.  Either way.  I like that he can't put her into a box and forget about her either. Too bad Gin can't get this cop out of her mind either.  That relationship is fraught with issues.

The magic was cool. I liked the concept of elementals, and how many folks in Ashland had elemental magic.  I liked the use of runes to identify people, and how it was used to seal magic, if you will. The vampires felt sort of extraneous, but maybe that's because I'm jaded with vampires being in every single urban fantasy series!

Overall, this was a very good book. Gin is a very lethal, fascinating character. I didn't like everything about her, but I liked a lot. I loved that she was so bad*ss and capable.  She does a lot of the saving, but she also works together with others, so there was balance in that. Donovan is an interesting love interest.  It should be entertaining to see where things go with that angel.  I also liked the foodie aspects (being a big foodie myself), and the glimpses of Southern life and society. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy enjoy dark, gritty urban fantasy, and tough female leads. I will definitely continue this series!

Thanks for recommending this book off my tbr pile, Suzi!



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