Daniel X: Alien Hunter by James Patterson and Leopoldo Gout

James Patterson has exploded into the YA market over the last few years. The thing I noticed, though, is that all of his YA books have secondary authors. This time it is Leopoldo Gout. This pair of writers put together a pretty good story.

The back story is this: Daniel X is a humanoid alien whose race is dedicated to hunting down and killing evil aliens. Daniel’s parents were killed by one when he was younger. One who was at the top of a list of the most dangerous aliens on Earth. Daniel escaped and later returned to find the list. Now he is dedicated to hunting down all the aliens on the list, setting as his ultimate goal, killing the alien who killed his parents.

Daniel has some cool powers. He can shape change. He can create real objects with the power of his mind. This includes people. It is kind of weird.

In this story Daniel is hunting down “Number Six.” To do so, Daniel decides to make contact with and befriend Number Six’s son. Weirdly enough, the son looks human. The father does not. The son is willing to help as he dislikes what his father is doing: setting up alien hunts here on Earth, with not a care for the collateral damage this causes.

The story is action packed, but not to the point of mindlessness. It is not simplistic. There are a good many twists and turns. One thing I really enjoy in a story is for it to surprise me. This one managed to do that several times.

It is billed as a Young Adult series. I think that is more than fair. As an adult there are still some plot holes that I fall through that would not have bothered me as a younger reader.

If you like YA, science fiction that borders at times on fantasy, and graphic novels (especially when all three are wrapped into one package) give this a try. It is a good way to introduce yourself to Daniel X.

The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Spelling Trouble by Frank Cammuso

This was a cute little graphic novel. I read it because my daughter had it and I wanted to see what she was reading for fun. Frankly, for me, it was very reminiscent of Sabrina, the Teen-Aged Witch, but with a younger title character.

Salem is not too popular at school. She wants to show what she can do. When she hears of a spelling contest, she immediately wants to participate. It is only after signing up that she realizes that is for spelling words, not casting magic spells.

Highjinks ensue as misspelled words cause teachers to transform. With Salem trying her best to reverse the curse.

Not recommended for adults or older teens. A toss-up for kids and younger teens. I found it a bit predictible.

Jumper by Steven Gould

While the movie Jumper was based on this book, it is nothing like it. Well, almost nothing like it. The main character being a teleporter, having an abusive father, and jumping to a library are in both, but handled very differently.

While being abused by h is father, teenager David first "jumps," his term for teleporting, to the library in his home town. He is, understandably enough, freaked out by that. He decides to run away. After making it almost 900 miles away, he is about to be gang-raped by some truckers when he teleports again. Back to the library. He wonders if that is the only place he can go, and discovers it is not.

There are many subplots that mix together throughout the story. The small-town boy learning to survive in New York City. A love story between him and Millie, that is anything but smooth. The search for his mother. Running from the government. And, improbably (but somehow believably), fighting terrorism.

Gould does a good job with the way David slowly begins to discover the limits and extent of his ability. He wisely keeps it a secret only he knows, afraid what might happen should the government find out. This book is very much a character study. The first person narration of events makes it immediate and brings the reader into David's world and his dilemmas on an emotional level as well as an intellectual one. Gould's ability to make David, and his other characters, come alive is what makes this book work.

If you want a novelization of the movie, this book is not for you. If you haven't seen the movie, or are willing to take a departure from it, this is a good book to read.

JLA/Avengers by Kurt Busiek

Since I was a kid, I have always loved reading comic books. And I still remember the pure joy I felt when DC and Marvel got together and wrote a joint Superman/Spider-Man adventure. I still remember Spidey trying to punch out Supes. Since then I have kept my eye out any DC/Marvel crossovers. They are few and far between.

JLA/Avengers was a series that pitted these two iconic super teams against each other. This graphic novel contains that series. It starts off with some different DC/Marvel universes being destroyed. The destroyer turns out to be Kronos, an Oan (these are the little blue dudes who started the Green Lantern Corps) exiled due to his obsession with finding out what happened before the Big Bang. His initial inquiries were a disaster and were punished by introducing evil into the DC universes. Kronos is still looking for his answer.

In a bid to save the universes, the Grandmaster, a godlike being from the Marvel Universes, proposes a bet with Kronos. Each will get a team of superheroes and they have to find 12 objects of power. The team that collects the most wins. The losing team will have their universe destroyed.

That sets the stage for some pretty awesome battles. But what I liked even better was the way Busiek pointed out the contrasts between how super-powered beings are treated in each universe. And I totally love the ending. A time and universe bending battle.

George Perez, the artist, did an outstanding job. He captured the feel of each universe and the splash scenes for the battle were out of this world (sometimes literally).

I probably do not need to say it by now, but I give this book a very high recommendation. Definitely worth the time to read.

Dr. Psycho's Circus of Crime by Paul Kupperberg

I didn't care for this book, I'll be honest. Strange, as it is a Wonder Woman story. The problem for me is that it is written for children. The characters are all static and flat. Cliches abound.

A series of crimes is being committed. The perpetrators are able to do unusual things--not super powered, just unusual.

After an amazing coincidence, Wonder Woman tracks the criminals down and is met by Dr. Psycho, an old nemesis.

No surprises for me. Took about 10-15 minutes to read. I read it more so I can see what is available for my "lower-level" readers.

Not a book for adults, nor for those who look for some depth.

Camelot 3000 by Mike W. Barr

Full disclosure: I love the variations of the King Arthur stories. I have seen them done well, and not so well. I am also a fan of graphic novels and of mixing science fiction and fantasy. This genre-blending graphic novel by Mike W. Barr suited me to a T.

The legends of Arthur call him "The Once and Future King." It is said that in England's darkest hour he will return to lead the fight against evil. Barr takes this idea and runs with it.

It starts off in England in the year 3000 (hence the title). Earth is being invaded and the aliens seem intent upon killing all the humans. Young Tom, driven off the road by an attack, flees into an archeological dig in which he works. Getting lost in the tunnels, he finds the tomb of King Arthur.

Arthur searches for Merlin. Merlin reveals that the reincarnated souls of some of his court are currently alive. And so the search goes out for Guenivere, Lancelot, Gawain, Galahad, Percival, Kay, and Tristan. Merlin’s magic released their memories of Camelot and Arthur. The souls of Arthur’s court now inhabit the bodies of a very diverse group of people. It is not just a bunch of (formerly) dead white dudes. Tristan’s reincarnation as a woman is probably the most interesting—especially when the reincarnated Isolde is given her memory.

I found this to be full of some interesting twists and turns as Arthur and his knights work to save the Earth from the alien invaders. Intrigue abounds as post-modern life and chivalrous morals collide. And the old enemies that are behind it are less surprising than fitting.

I recommend this book whole-heartedly. It’s a lot of fun.

Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1 by Tom Taylor

I am not a videogame player. Not my thing. So I was unsure how I would like Injustice: Gods Among Us, Vol. 1. It is based on a popular videogame. I shouldn't have worried. I didn't need to be familiar with the game to be able to get into this story.

It is an alternate universe story. I really enjoy those quite a lot. The premise here is what if the world's superheroes, led by Superman, decide to take over for our own good? Broken by the cruelty of the Joker, Superman decides that he can no longer let evil and/or warfare exist while it is in his power to stop it. Wonder Woman has been waiting for him to decide this and enthusiastically joins his cause, as do most of the other super-powered heroes.

Batman, however, does not agree. He has not lost sight of the need for people to have free will and decide for themselves how they want to live, even with the inevitable disasters that entails. This sets up the basic conflict. Which vision of the world will win? And what lengths are the heroes willing to go to in order to make their visions that winning reality.

This graphic novel has strong writing. The morality of what is happening is questioned throughout the story, but not at the expense of action. The graphics themselves are sharp. They bring the story to life with often grisly detail.

I am looking forward to continuing the story in Volume 2.

Looking for Alaska by John Green

I went into reading Looking for Alaska with a bit of prejudgment: my girlfriend had read it before me and has been highly ticked off at John Green ever since she has. In fact, I think it has led her to not read any more books by Green. So I just had to read it and find out what upset her so much. I did. Warning ahead of time: there will be spoilers in this review. If that bothers you, you'd better skip it.

Green has set this book in a fictional private boarding school in Alabama. As I live in Alabama, I was good with this. In fact, I was impressed that he had the geography correct as he told of travels to different nearby towns. It felt pretty authentically Southern to me..

The narrator, who is renamed Pudge (because he's so skinny--it's ironic, see?), is a stranger in a strange land. He is more than a little lost in this new world he lobbied his parents so hard to join. He meets his roommate, The Colonel, and through him several other interesting characters. By far the most interesting is Alaska. Pudge falls instantly in love with her. It isn't hard to believe. Green works hard to make the reader fall in love with her as well..

The book is divided into "days before" and "days after. The central incident is the death of Alaska. Dealing with this. Trying to make meaning of it. Feeling the guilt that someone could have done something to prevent it. These are all realistically and heartbreakingly portrayed. As the book continues into "days after" Pudge and the Colonel try to figure out what happened. And to honor Alaska with one last, grand prank..

Although I felt the ending was a bit too neat and tidy, I really enjoyed this book a lot. That Green was able to draw characters so strongly that the death of one creates an emotional impact, speaks to his strength as a writer. While I would have preferred Alaska to survive, it would have made this an altogether different and far more predictable tale. I think that this is a book worth reading.

There is a great deal of profanity in this book. It doesn't really bother me, but I know some people don't care for that. There is also a lot of talk about sex and a brief scene of a sexual encounter.

Oh Myyy!: There Goes the Internet by George Takei

I love George Takei’s Facebook feed. It is consistently amusing and quirky. I feel much the same way about his book Oh Myyy!: There Goes the Internet.

I have to admit that I had some misconceptions about this book. I thought before reading it that it was nothing more than a collection of the various pics and memes that he has shared on Facebook. It was nothing of the sort.

It is more of a memoir. He tells the story of how “Oh myyy!” became his trademark. He explains how he slowly entered the social media world with Twitter. He has several amusing stories about his Twitter experiences. It is conversational in tone, as though Uncle George is just talking to me. Telling tales.

He goes into how he got into Facebook. And how he was as surprised as anyone else that he became such a sensation. While he could have come off as pompous or self important, he instead seems to be a regular guy. He has his own views on what he should and should not post. He stands by these principles.

I love the self-deprecatory humor, the apparent candor, and yes, the quirkiness of this tale. I also want to reread the last couple of chapters that has tips on how to build and hold on to an audience on Facebook.

I would recommend this book. It was fun. I read the 244 page Kindle version of the book in an evening. Not earth-shattering, but definitely a fun way to spend a Sunday night.

Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence

I have been a long time fan of Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson series. I have read the first several novels and found them to be quite enjoyable. She has her own unique take on werewolves, vampires, the Fae, and other supernatural creatures.

The main character is Mercy Thompson, a "walker." She can instaneously shift between human and coyote form. She was raised by the Marrok, the head werewolf. She is independent, contrary, and wonderfully stubborn.

This graphic novel is an origin story, of sorts--a prequel to the novels. It is the story of how Mercy came to live in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. Interestingly enough for me, she came to the area to interview for a teaching position. It seems to me that Ms. Briggs was either a teacher at some point in her life or knows one well--she nailed the absurd expectations some school boards have of teachers.

The story also tells how Adam Hauptman brought his pack into the area. He was sent by the Marrok to take the territory from a pack of rogue werewolves that have been crossing the line and attacking humans. Mercy, of course, gets caught in the middle of this.

The artwork by Francis Tsai and Amelia Woo (and cover art by Daniel Dos Santos) is good. It was interesting to see the artists’ interpretations of the characters who have only been pictures in my head until now. The story was fast-paced and cleared up some questions about Mercy and how she came to be there. It can be read by either newcomers to the series or those who, like me, have been reading the books for years.

It was a good, quick read. Not too heavy. I enjoyed it.