Author: Martin Olson
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Abrams
Release Date: July 22, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

What time is it? ADVENTURE TIME! I have no idea what it is but I am completely obsessed with “Adventure Time”. If you are wondering what you can expect from “The Adventure Time Encyclopaedia”, it is right in the book’s subtitle “Inhabitants, Lore, Spells, and Ancient Crypt Warnings of the Land of Ooo Circa 19.56 B.G.E. – 501 A.G.E”. This is one of the most unique and bizarre shows that I have ever seen…and I love ever minute. The book is author by Martin Olson, who also happens to voice Hunson Abadeer (a.k.a. The Lord of Evil a.k.a Marceline’s dad). If you are an “Adventure Time” fan you are not going to want to miss this fantastic look into the world of the show.

Official Premise: “The Adventure Time Encyclopaedia” matches the playful, subversive tone of the series, detailing everything anyone will ever need to know about the postapocalyptic land of Ooo and its inhabitants—secret lore and spells, fun places you should visit and places where you will probably die, whom to marry and whom not to marry, how to make friends and how to destroy your enemies—plus hand-written marginalia by Finn, Jake, and Marceline. An indispensable companion to the show, this side-splittingly funny love letter to Adventure Time is sure to appeal to fans of all ages.

On the back cover of “The Adventure Time Encyclopaedia” it suggest that this could well be “the most dangerous book in history”, which to me only makes things more interesting. This reminded me of the Book of the Dead from “The Evil Dead” series a bit, but a little less Candarian demon filled. The Encyclopaedia is split into Book I through Book V”.  Book I is called “Worthless Inhabitants of the Land of Ooo” and it covers everyone from Finn and Jake to Lumpy Space Princess (my fav, OH MY LUMP!). Book II is called “Utterly Insigificant Inhabitants of the Land of Ooo” including a BMO introductional pamphlet and user guide and more. Book III” is called “The Land of Ooo and You” including Princess Bubblegum’s official travel guide  to the Candy Kingdom and beyond! and a travel blog from Marceline. Book IV is called “The Lost Texts of Ooo”, it contains some fun wizard spells – “in which the unspeakable is spoken”. Lastly Book V is titled “Forbidden Chapters in the Encyclopaedia of Ooo” and if you thought the book was crazy till this point it gets even more weird in this one including chapters like “If You Read This Chapter You Will Die”, naturally I skipped that one.

Abrams delivered a fantastic book here for the fans of the show.  I hope that this is only the first in a series though since this show has a ton material that they could cover. Martin Olson really has a great knowledge of the show from working on it and really delivers a fun and rather informational compendium. The book itself immediately draws you in with its colorful setup and jam packed pages. Overall, I have been through this book twice and I know that I still missed stuff.  So this is one of those books that you will be able to revisit often and still catch something new. Highly recommended.

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When first time author Crispin Nathaniel Haskins took pen to paper he combined two of his greatest passions: mysteries and the film “Jaws.” The finished product is the recently released “The JAWSFest Murders.” Haskins took time out while promoting his novel to sit down with Media Mikes.

Mike Smith: When did you come up with the idea for the book?
Crispin Haskins: I have always wanted to be a writer. As far back as I can remember I thought it would be cool. Last August, just before I went to Martha’s Vineyard for JAWSfest, I had a job interview for a sales position at work. I didn’t really want the job but I thought that I needed a change. I decided that if I didn’t get the job, I would use the time that I would have spent in the sales job finally writing my book. I thought of Paul McPhee (Artist), Jim Beller (Author) and Erik Hollander (Filmmaker), friends of mine using “Jaws” as a vehicle for their creative output. It’s the best thing to do. When people are frustrated about their life I have always said, “Follow your heart and the money will follow.” So, I did. Two of my favorite things are “Jaws” and mysteries. That’s how “The JAWSfest Murders” came to be.

MS: The book is very in-depth as to where things are on the Vineyard. Did you have to appeal to any of the islanders to use their places of business in the book?
CH: I didn’t. In fact, I didn’t even tell anyone that I was writing a book until I was about sixty pages into it. It was a very personal thing for me. It still is. As for the in-depth Vineyard descriptions, I am really happy with people saying that they really felt like they were on the island. I am really touched by that. People also say that they can tell that I really love Martha’s Vineyard and that’s true. I guess the two are part and parcel. I had just returned from JAWSfest so it was still fresh in my mind. Any gaps I had, I called friends on the island or used Google Maps. That street view feature was awesome for answering questions in my head like, “What the heck was across the street from the Edgartown bus stop??” I love the Internet. I used the Internet for a lot of my research into the history of the island too.

MS: The book has a lot of inside references to the “Jaws” film series that fans will spot. Was that an intentional tip of the hat to the readers?
CH: Absolutely!! Do you think you got them all Mike? (NOTE: I thought I did but the challenging way he asked me tells me I’m do for a second reading) Some were more obvious than others. When I was writing I thought that I may as well have some fun with it. My immediate audience would be “Jaws” fans so “Jaws” references would be a must. My main character is a fan of the film so he would obviously be thinking about “Jaws” locations as he walked or drove past them but I thought why not take it one step further? Why not put a few in there that ONLY hard core “Jaws” fans would get. Like a secret language… That was fun.

MS: As a fellow member of the “Jaws” fan community, I found that several of the characters seemed very familiar. Were any of them based possibly on someone you might know with an entertainment web site?
CH: (laughing loudly) Did you see yourself in a character or two? Well, I haven’t divulged all of the character’s identities exactly. Some are a little more obvious than others and some are amalgamations. Some are completely fictitious of course. It is a novel after all! The villainous characters are completely fictitious and one character is named after a friend who asked me to name a character after them.

MS: How has the book been received by readers?
CH: I can’t get over the positive response and reviews on Amazon! The book is selling well and the reviews have been overwhelmingly great. It really means a lot. It’s one thing to write a book but then to put it out there to be pecked by birds is quite another. It was nerve wracking. My worry seems to be for naught though. I’m very thankful for that.

MS: Is there a new book in the works?
CH: There is. Or rather, there are! I am working on two books right now. One is a follow up to “The JAWSfest Murders.” Charles is back on Martha’s Vineyard to visit Chief Laurie Knickles and it’s not long before there is blood in the water again! I’m really enjoying writing this series. The second book is a collection of horror short stories. I love reading short stories so I’m slowly working on putting a collection together. I have no idea how many stories there will be. I’m playing that one by ear. You’ll get the first copy Mike!

Check out our review of “The JAWSFest Murders”, here

To order your copy of “The JAWSFEST Murders” please visit www.marthasvineyardmysteries.com

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Author: Crispin Nathaniel Haskins
Paperback: 281 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release date: April 7, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Summer on Martha’s Vineyard is always hectic. It’s been that way for almost four decades thanks to the island being the home location of the popular film, “Jaws.” This summer is especially busy because the fictional Amity Island is hosting the 2nd JawsFest and thousands of fans of the film are expected. Chief of Police Laurie Knickles is already planning on her staff being stretched. But when an apparent shark attack victim shows up off shore she must rely on an old friend for help.

Smartly written, “The JAWSFest Murders” is a tidy murder mystery that is thoroughly entertaining, even if you’ve never heard of the movie “Jaws.” Our hero, Charles Williams, is a fan of the film who plans to meet up with his fellow “Finatics” to celebrate the film they love. Charles is surprised to find that an old friend is now the top cop on the island. An amateur sleuth himself, Charles is intrigued when the Chief tells him about a body that appears to have been attacked by a shark. The irony that it happened during “JawsFest” is not lost on either of them. Only later do they discover that the victim had been shot prior to being dumped in the drink. The Chief captures Charles’ total attention when the name of the victim is announced: Karl Bass, one of Charles’ on-line “Jaws” pals. The plot intensifies as more fans, and friends, mysteriously die.

Part of the joy of “The JawsFest Murders” is exploring the island of Martha’s Vineyard. Author Haskins is so descriptive of the layout of towns like Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven and Edgartown that the book almost reads like a Fodor’s Guide. Like I mentioned, you don’t have to know anything about “Jaws” to enjoy the book. However if, like me, you’re a fan of the film, you can look forward to several inside bits, some that sneak up on you. I was 50 pages in before I realized that the majority of the characters were named after the kids featured in “Jaws” and “Jaws 2.” Haskins doesn’t hit you over the head with “Jaws” but gives readers enough information to make them understand the passion of the fans.

“The JAWSFest Murders” is something the actual 2012 JAWSFest wasn’t – Entertaining!

Check out our interview with Crispin Nathaniel Haskins, here

To order your copy of “The JAWSFEST Murders” please visit www.marthasvineyardmysteries.com

Ian Doescher has loved Shakespeare since eighth grade and was born 45 days after “Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope” was released. “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars” is Ian’s first book and it is such a blast blend the two very different worlds together. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ian about the book and his love for “Star Wars”.

Mike Gencarelli: So why did you choose “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars” as your first book?
Ian Doescher: That’s funny, I feel like I didn’t really choose it — it chose me! The idea came to me after three things converged: I watched the Star Wars trilogy with some good friends from high school, I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and I attended the Oregon Shakespeare Festival with my family. That was all within about two months. So I had Star Wars, Shakespeare and mash-ups on my mind, and the idea was formed out of that combination. Happily, this book mixes two of my passions, so it was really a joy to write.

MG: What was the biggest challenge to blend the Shakespearean aspect into the world of “Star Wars”?
ID:  The biggest challenge is how to make it somewhat believable that the action and futuristic technology of Star Wars could somehow exist on an Elizabethan stage. I handled the action by using a Chorus to explain what’s going on, as Shakespeare does in Henry V, but we still have this Shakespearean language mixed with things like blasters, lightsabers and the Death Star. You probably have to set aside any realistic expectations of a Shakespearean play when you read the book.

MG: How did the whole process take you from inception to release?
ID:  I was extremely lucky in this process, and I don’t take that for granted. After I had the idea, I looked up Quirk Books online (knowing they had published Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and other mash-ups) and found the email address for my editor. I emailed him out of the blue with my idea, and he said he would take a look at the manuscript if I actually wrote something. That was enough to prompt me to write the first act, which I sent to him, he enjoyed, and off we went. Quirk handled the contract with Lucasfilm, and the book was published just under a year after I had the initial idea. This is not the way publishing is supposed to happen — normally it takes much longer for a book to go from inception to release, formal proposals and agents are involved, and so on. Again, I recognize how lucky I am!

MG:  What is your favorite piece from the “Star Wars” universe that you were able to put into the book?
ID:  Han Solo has always been my favorite character, so probably putting his dialogue into iambic pentameter and writing some soliloquies for him was the most fun part of the book. He’s just such a stud — hopefully I made him a Shakespearean stud.

MG: Why is Han Solo your favorite “Star Wars” character?
ID: He was so full of swagger, and for a kind of dorky kid like me it was inspiring to watch someone that cool on the screen. It’s no wonder that Han Solo was the role that made Harrison Ford’s career.

MG:  Do you know if this has yet to make it into the hands of George Lucas?
ID: No, I haven’t heard. I’d like to believe he has read it!

MG:  Since the book is called “Verily, A New Hope”, can we expect a few sequels in cards?
ID:  It would be really fun to see the sequels happen, but at this point nothing is certain. There’s still so much richness to be explored in the trilogy — I have fun imagining what it would be like when Luke finds out Darth Vader is his father, or what Lando might soliloquize about. Maybe the biggest question: how would Yoda speak in a Shakespearean context? It would be fun to play around with (and ultimately answer) those questions.

MG:  What else do you have planned next?
ID:  I’m developing a children’s book with a friend of mine who is an illustrator, and I think there’s another Shakespearean adaptation in me (whether it’s the Star Wars sequels or something else).

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Author: Corey Taylor
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Da Capo Press

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven” is the second book release from Slipknot/Stone Sour front man Corey Taylor. After the success of Taylor’s New York Times best selling tell all titled “Seven Deadly Sins: Settling the Argument between Born Bad and Damaged Good” Taylor and Da Capo Press are back with “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven”. The book recounts Taylor’s personal experiences with the paranormal and his relentless approach to better understand the unexplained.

If the interesting title doesn’t grab you the stories contained within Corey Taylor’s new book “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven” will certainly hold your attention. At several points throughout the reading of this book the hair on my arms was standing completely straight up. From the story of “Cold House” to the paranormal events that plagued Slipknot recording sessions there were definitely points where I should have put the book down but couldn’t. Though the more technical chapters contained in the book were at times lengthy and somewhat dry forging through that material proved fruitful as Mr. Taylor made sure to deliver with the following chapters.

Fans of Taylor’s previous works may be a little disappointed that “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven” is not the second installment to “Seven Deadly Sins” as this new book at times skirts around some of the debauchery Taylor and his fellow band mates are known. However those looking for that type of material are for warned in the opening paragraphs that the book is not designed to be a tell all. Taylor clearly delved in to the depths of his haunted mind to bring some of this material to light and that alone will surely entice readers to pick up this book.

Author: Michael Singer
Hardcover: 168 pages
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release Date: July 3, 2013

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

If you look at a film like “The Lone Ranger” you can tell that it was one hell of a production and cost around $250 million dollars to make.  So when it comes to the behind-the-scenes making of book, I was hoping for a huge elaborate look in the making-of the film.  I have to admit, I was a little bit let down. I feel that this book would have benefited more from a “Art of” book then a behind-the-scenes look.  “The Lone Ranger: Behind the Mask” tells a story of the long and hard road that it took in order to get this movie made. I would maybe recommend this to die-hard Depp fans. But be warned though of spoilers included towards the end of the book.

Since this was such an enormous production, we get an inside look at the huge sets in Albuquerque, the epic vistas of Monument Valley, and the sound stages of Los Angeles.  Accompanying that with some great shots of the cast and crew as well as some candid behind-the-scenes look.  There is some concept art and planning work for the characters and sets. Like I said, I would have loved to seen more focus on the art behind the film but at least we get a little taste of that in this book. The photos included though are high quality and do show a great deal of scale from the production.

One thing I should point out after this book is that is filled with celebrity cameos.  There are afterwords from Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer.  There is an introduction by director Gore Verbinski.  There is a special photo foreword from Jerry Bruckheimer. At first when I show the cover of this book, I thought to myself if there was actually anything in between all these various afterwords and forewords.  The author of the book, Michael Singer, definitely brings a great knowledge of books based on behind-the-scenes of films.  He worked on “Bring Me That Horizon: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean”, again also with Bruckheimer, Depp and Verbinski.  So I guess you can call this project a family reunion. 

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Jason Brubaker is a visual development artist at Dreamworks Animation. He spends his free time though making graphic. In fact, he, at the time, had the highest funded graphic novel at more than $95,000 called “reMIND” and “reMIND, Vol.2”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jason about his graphic novels and his work on the upcoming “Kung Fu Panda 3“.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about the origin of “reMIND”?
Jason Brubaker: That’s a long story. It started out as a song that my friend and I wrote about a cat that would always come and hang out at our apartment all day. The song spawned ideas of a music video which I storyboarded. At the time my job was a storyboard artist so that was just how I thought. I storyboarded a rough concept of a cat building a robot suit and teleporting to an underwater Lizard world to fight a Lizard King with a toaster. Yeah, it’s weird but I really wanted to learn to animate so I thought this would be a good place to start. Years later after spending all my free time animating clips for this music video about a cat, I started getting animation jobs. The project was never going to get finished because every time I saw dramatic improvement in my animation ability I would reanimate entire scenes and it became a mess. At the end of 8 years I only had about 3 minutes of animation that I liked and a story that had no ending. Eventually I scrapped the idea to make a graphic novel. I pretty much just started from scratch and threw out years of stuff that just didn’t work but the design of Victuals, the robot suit and the lighthouse were pretty much untouched. I figured out a complete story to tell and the characters finally clicked into place.

MG: Tell us about some of your major influences for these graphic novels?
JB: Victuals was loosely based on the cat that would wonder into our apartment long ago and Sonja was loosely based on my wife. I’m not sure either look or act like my characters though. So I guess you could say they are VERY loosely based on them. I’ve always loved stories with really strong female characters much like Miyazaki’s work and I was hoping to get that same sort of feeling that Miyazaki’s movies always give me. Chris Bachalo (more of his old stuff), Joshua Middleton and Christian Schellewald are the big influences right now.

MG: Are you surprised by success of Kickstarter?
JB: Yes, very much. In fact I still don’t understand how it made as much money as it did.

MG: What was your biggest challenge with “reMind Vol.2” compared to the 1st volume?
JB: The biggest challenge with Volume 2 was just sitting down to put in the work. I was so busy fulfilling orders and keeping up the online hype for the first book that I didn’t have time to make any progress on the second one. Eventually I had to just lock myself into a room and turn off all communication in order to get it finished in a reasonable amount of time.

MG: Take us through your day to day work with Dreamworks Animation; what are you currently working on with them?
JB: At Dreamworks, I’m working on “Kung Fu Panda 3” as a Visual Development Artist. I pretty much just paint pictures all day on the computer in Photoshop. Sometimes I need to make a 3D model so everyone can look at a set from any angle they want to decide what will work best. Sometimes I have to paint “color keys” and sometimes I just create simple props. It’s a pretty fun job because I get to work on many visual aspects of a large production.

MG: Tell us what you have planned next after “reMind”?
JB: Honestly, up until a few months ago I would have told you about my big comic plans for the future but at this time in my life I don’t really know what is going to be next. I might take a break from starting a new comic because I have a few other ideas that I feel are important to me now. But for the time I’ll just have to keep it vague.

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Author: Jason Fry
Reading Level: 8 up
Book Length: 232 pages
Release Date: June 3, 2013
Publisher: DK CHILDREN

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

While I am excited to see this book it also reminds me that this series is over and that makes me sad. This book is really the ultimate episode guide since it covers everything important from the show from episode one to the very last episode. DK Children has released another fantastic high quality release here. The images looks great and there is tons of fantastic information about each major event from the show. Even though it is aimed at kids, this should easily satisfy fans of all ages. If you are a fan of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, this is the book that you’ve been looking for.

Official Premise: A comprehensive guide, Star Wars®: The Clone Wars™ Episode Guide details every episode from the highly popular animated series, The Clone Wars, featuring plot points, key characters, and the spaceships, weapons, and gadgets. Each of the 108 episodes is showcased with a stunning visual spread. For the first time, all of the episodes will be presented in story order, making this the definitive chronology of the beloved television show, The Clone Wars!

Jason Fry is the author of this book and he has done tons of great “Star Wars” books including “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: The Expanded Visual Dictionary”, “Star Wars: The Secret Life of Droids”. He has also worked with “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” with the books “Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The Visual Guide” and “Star Wars: Clone Wars – Character Encyclopedia”. So I think it is safe to say that this book is coming from one of the best sources available for the franchise. I look forward to future releases from DK and definitely from Jason as well. Just because the “Clone Wars” series is done doesn’t mean it needs to disappear all together!  Keep ’em coming guys!

Author: Danny Graydon
Hardcover: 162 pages
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release Date: June 4, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Hatching A Universe” is a perfect name for this book. In late 2009, the first “Angry Birds” gave was released for the iPhone and I remember I bought it and haven’t stopped playing since. This game has not only spawned four sequels including “Angry Birds Seasons”, “Angry Birds Rio”, “Angry Birds Space” and (my favorite) “Angry Birds Star Wars” but also clothing lines, action figures and much more. These “Angry Birds” are everywhere right now. This game has also changed the face of mobile gaming. It just happened to be the right time for “Angry Birds”, it received a success that I am sure every game developer hopes for but not every one gets. This book does a great job of looking into the world that has been created around this game and it is a must buy for any fan of the series.

It is hard to believe that this “little” mobile game has become the giant entity that it has in terms of all media not just mobile gaming. In “Angry Birds: Hatching a Universe” we get to go to see what happens inside of the creative process of this game and backed with some amazing artwork, never-before-seen sketches, concept art and more hidden treasures. If that is not cool enough there is also some interviews with the key players at Rovio. Insight Editions is known for some of the best companion books and this one is just another great example of why I look forward to each of their latest releases.

The author, Danny Graydon, is no stranger the “art of” book genre, though his last one was in 2009 with “The Art of Planet 51”. He really captures the phenonomon of “Angry Birds” and will leave fans satisfied. There is also an encouraging word from the CEO of Rovio Entertainment, Mikael Hed, who gets to tells his story of success. If you are a “Angry Birds” junkie like myself and looking for more in between new updates and games there is a current TV series based on the game, “Angry Birds Toons” and will consist of 52 short 2-3 minute episodes airing through the app, online and through some cable providers. Of course then there is also the upcoming CGI film announced for release on July 1, 2016, which will be developed, produced and financed by Rovio and distributed by Sony Pictures. This franchise is expanding it’s universe every day, so get ready cause there is much more to come!

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Author: Martin Popoff
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Voyageur Press
Release Date: May 30, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I am not sure what it is about Rush but they are just flat out amazing.  They are easily one of my top favorite band ever. They has been kicking ass and taking names in music for the last 45 years…and yet they are better than they ever have been! Plus 2013 is the year of Rush since they not only released on of their best albums “Clockwork Angels” but they also got inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame (finally). This “Illustrated History” book is timed just right and is a must for any Rush fan out there.  So get ready to crank those old vinyls up to 11 and air bass (or drum, whichever is your preference) and enjoy this amazing book.

Official Premise: Now, for the first time, Rush is treated to the epic visual celebration they so richly deserve in a beautifully designed and profusely illustrated history following the band’s entire career. A chronological overview history written by noted music scribe and Rush authority Martin Popoff spans the band’s entire career from 1968 to today. A complete Rush discography chronicles all their albums, from the debut album to 2112, Moving Pictures, and Signals to Grace Under Pressure, Vapor Trails, and more. The authoritative text is complemented by album reviews written by well-known music journalists from around the globe, commentary from fellow musicians, a discography, and hundreds of photographs and pieces of memorabilia, including picture sleeves, gig posters, rare vinyl, handbills, ticket stubs, and much more.

This book is authored by the perfect man for the job, Martin Popoff.  He has been called “the world’s most famous heavy metal journalist” and if anyone can put out a kick-ass music book it would be him.  Plus he also worked with the band on the film “Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage”. The book itself contains over 420 color & black and white photos spread out all over the nearly 200 page book. When it is called “history” that should not be taken lightly. We go back to the early days of the band to the current “Clockwork Angels” tour.  We are talking a full discography cover from end to end! There is everything here from concert tickets, posters, vintage programs to candid backstage shots.  So if you are a veteran fan or a brand new Rush fan this book has something for everyone and will not disappoint!

Author: Ian Doescher
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: July 2, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“In a time so long ago begins our play, in a star-crossed galaxy far, far.” – William Shakespeare

Where it is “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” or “Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters”, the mash-up titles have become very popular in recent years. Well Quirk Books has been behind these releases and I have been a fan of them since day one. After working with the literature of Jane Austen, what next then William Shakespeare. And of course what better to blend the unique language of Shakespeare with than the world of “Star Wars”. When I heard about this book, I honestly couldn’t have been more excited. Now I have to admit that I am not the biggest Shakespeare fan to be honest.  But what I am is a huge “Star Wars” geek and I had a feeling this was going to be epic…and guess what…it is! What I loved most about it is that it has that certain Shakespeare feel but you didn’t have to major in classic literature in order to dig it! Since this book is subtitled “Verily, A New Hope”, we can only hope that this will be the first in a series.

Official Premise: Return once more to a galaxy far, far away with this sublime retelling of George Lucas’s epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. ’Tis a tale told by fretful droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearstome Stormtroopers, signifying…pretty much everything. Reimagined in glorious iambic pentameter—and complete with twenty gorgeous Elizabethan illustrations–William Shakespeare’s Star Wars will astound and edify Rebels and Imperials alike. Zounds! This is the book you’re looking for.

I have to point out how much I love the author’s intro on the back cover flap “Ian Doescher has loved Shakespeare since eighth grade and was born 45 days after Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope was released”. That cracked me up. This is his first book and he really does solid job of blending these two very different worlds. They are so different but yet this blend works so well together. I originally thought that this was going to be a laugh riot, parody book but let me tell you I was quite wrong.  The book is quite humorous but it is in no way a joke.  This is some serious literature here with an ever so subtle smile smirked behind the words. It may not be for everyone, since we all know that Shakespeare style of writing is not the easiest to digest but it is definitely different, unique and very entertaining.  I have a feeling that this is going to satisfy both “Star Wars” fans and also fans of Shakespeare’s work as well.  Hell it might even convert a few classic literature fans to the world of “Star Wars”.

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: July 16, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

If you are a nerd…they you love “The Guild”. Plain and simple. Especially if you are a gamer nerd. Then it should be almost required. I remember “The Guild” dating back to when XBOX Live was just getting into hosting indie video and clips. I started watching it out of the blue and became completely hooked.  The show has come such a long way and has developed so much over it’s last six seasons.  Thanks to Titan Books, who are the best when it comes to fandom, they are hooking us guildies up with the first ever official companion to this amazing web series. They really know how to give the fans what they are looking for because I am sure that they are fans themselves and that is key! I have been following this show since it first started and I was still able to pull new content out of this book. So for me that is a real key factor for enjoying this. So I would have to say that this is a must for any fan of the show.

Official Premise: Since launching in 2007, the comedy web series The Guild has become an Internet phenomenon, with over 150 million views. Created, written by and starring Felicia Day, it follows the story of a Guild of online gamers who finally meet in real life. Here at last is the official companion to the show that fans have been waiting for, featuring an Intro from Felicia, in-depth interviews and scores of photos.

Felicia Day really hit it big co-starring in Joss Whedon’s Internet musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog”. Since then she was really taken off and really became a leader of the geek world. She gives a create intro to this book and really stands behind it and to me that is important.  This is not just a cash-in for the series, it is backed by the shows own creator. “The Guild” was a web series but it also paved the way for the future of other web series’. The book really gives great insight into each of our characters, each of the seasons and the fun and craziness that has come out of this show since 2007.  The images in the book range from great to just ok but the overall impressive and very jam-packed layout makes up for any slight resolution issues. Fans will definitely be impressed with this companion book. Hopefully Titan is planning future volumes like they did with other fan favorite show “Firefly”.  Hint Hint!

Author: Michaelbrent Collings
Paperback: 372 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: June 5, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Move over Stephen King…Clive Barker…fuck it…even R.L. Stine, Michaelbrent Collings is taking over as the new king of the horror book genre. I am have to admit, I am not the biggest reader.  When I read a book, it really has to draw me in VERY quickly in order to keep my interest.  Well, there is something about the way Collings writes that grabs you by the neck and pulls you in immediately starting with the damn Preface.  In fact, this is the second book that I have completed from him in the last month, the last being (another great book), “Darkbound”. I am a sucker for a good horror/thriller, so maybe that is the case here but I need to highly recommend this book to everyone since I could not put this book down!

Here is the official premise of the book: You wake up in the morning to discover that you have been sealed into your home. The doors are locked, the windows are barred. THERE’S NO WAY OUT. A madman is playing a deadly game with you and your family. A game with no rules, only consequences. So what do you do? Do you run? Do you hide? OR DO YOU DIE?

The book contains over 100 chapters, but don’t freak out since they are super tight and literally each chapter makes you race to turn the page to see what happens next. Having read this on the Kindle app for my iPhone, when they would include an extra black page between chapters I thought that was very clever since it made you want it even more.  The story is slow to unwind, which is perfect to create the fantastic suspense that literally last to the very last page of the Epilogue.  There are constant twists and turns throughout.  When you think you have it figured out there is another curve thrown at you. If you haven’t of Collings work, I urge you to check it out! He is now one of my favorite authors and I can’t wait to see what he has planned next.

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Author: Daniel Wallace
Hardcover: 184 pages
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release Date: June 18, 2013

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When I saw “Man of Steel”, I spent the 2.5 hours in awe of what a visual film it was. I love Zack Snyder’s style and I think it was very clear and sharp in this film.  Insight Editions has always been consistent with releasing great Art of and Visual Companion books. This book is a bit of both and continues the excellent trend.  It is pretty awesome and definitely will leave any fan satisfied.  It doesn’t deliver any new or hidden secrets of the film but it does represent the visual aspect quite well. If you are a fan of Superman, this would be highly recommended but be warned be sure to see the film first cause it is chock filled of visual spoilers.

Official Premise: In Man of Steel, director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) and producer Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy) have delivered a stunning new vision of Superman that is both fresh and familiar. Man of Steel: Inside the Legendary World of Superman explores the remarkable creative process behind the movie and showcases the exceptional concept art that shaped its unique visual style. From the stark alien vistas of Krypton to the down-to-earth warmth of Smallville, this book uncovers the intensive world-building process that makes Superman’s universe both thrilling and believable. Also featuring in-depth interviews with the cast and crew, and candid on-set photography, Man of Steel: Inside the Legendary World of Superman is the ultimate insider’s look at one of the most electrifying movies in recent memory.

“Man of Steel: Inside the Legendary World of Superman” starts off looking into the “Modern-Day Mythmaking” of the film including a look at the new suit. There is a big section on the film’s casting, which was critical (and successful) aspect of this reboot. Then from there we get to take a trip to Krypton and see the marvels that Snyder gave us that has never been shown before on that planet. Lastly we get to go to Earth and visit Metropolis and Smallville. The only aspect missing that I would have liked to see is chapter on the “Tornado” scene. The author, Daniel Wallace, is a comic book expert and self-labeled geek (like us all). He is no stranger to comics with having authored “DC Comics Year by Year” and “The Marvel Encyclopedia”.  We also get a great foreword by Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight”) and an awesome intro by director Zack Snyder.  There was a lot of love given to this project to satisfy fans and it is shown in this book.

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Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: June 18, 2013

Our Score: 2 out of 5 stars

If you’ve seen the film or even the trailers to “World War Z”, you see it is epic. It should be for costing nearly $200 million dollars. Unfortunately, when you read ”World War Z: The Art of the Film” you get the complete opposite results. First of all let’s address the obvious, the book is called “The Art of the Film” yet 90% of the book is the screenplay with a few piece of art and stills thrown in as filler. I may be wrong but that is not what makes up an “Art of” book. Titan Books also released similar books for “Firefly” (which are amazing) and those were not called “Art of” books. If you loved this film and are interested in the screenplay and a few images scattered her and there then this is for you. Hardcore “Art of” fans steer very clear.

Now that we are over this initial “what the hell”, as a companion to the movie, besides the (most up to date at the time of publishing) shooting script, there is some production art, design sketches and storyboards. The art was mostly based about the cities and locations in the film. In terms of quality the images are not high quality at all and are very rough around the edges. Also unlike the above mentioned “Firefly” books from Titan, they were packed with great interviews from the cast and crew. Well, that is also missing from here Like the film’s troubled production, this book seems to follow that trend of the need for rewrites. Oh well, I guess they can make it up with inevitable sequel companion book.