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All posts for the month November, 2013

ROCKET ROBINSON AND THE PHARAOH’S FORTUNE – Sean O’Neill

Posted by Daniel on November 30, 2013

Posted in: CHILDREN'S, GRAPHIC NOVEL, MYSTERY, YA. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Children's Books, Graphic Novels, Mystery, Reviews, Young Adult. Leave a comment

This is a delightful comic (graphic) novel for younger readers. What ten year old boy doesn’t like the idea of: 1) cracking a code that adults can’t crack; 2) discovering a heretofore forgotten Egyptian tomb, complete with treasure; 3) having a pet monkey; 4) hanging out with a girl who seems pretty ‘cool?’

I still remember when I ‘discovered’ ancient Egypt in school and learned about the treasures hidden in the pyramids. And of course I had the childhood fantasies of making my own discoveries. This book brought back those memories, and I wondered if it might not play on those same youthful fantasies for a new generation.

The story itself has enough holes in it that it won’t stand up to being read by young adults (or older). (WARNING *** POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT **) A simple code that the young Rocket Robinson can break relatively simply? Secret doors and passageways that no one else has found before? Explosions under the Sphinx that do no damage above? Yet there is a story, a plot, here, that is just right for the younger readers to catch on to and stay interested in.

The characters are stock characters. From the in-attentive parent, to the curious young hero, to the bad guys who look like bad guys, everyone is pretty much what you expect them to be on your first meeting them. Once again… this is fine for younger readers who haven’t yet been introduced to these characters in books and movies the way the older readers have.

The art seems jarring at first, in its simplicity. When compared to the superhero comics and dark, depressing graphic novels, of the sort I have reviewed recently, this seems almost unprofessional, but once I got in to the story and moved along, the art didn’t bother me at all. Again…it’s very appropriate for its intended audience. But it does lead to my question…why as a graphic novel at all? Why not a simple reader action book? Let the reader picture Rocket him/herself? Why give not only the story but the visuals, too? In the superhero comics and adult graphic novels, the art is an essential part of the story — it helps create tone, atmosphere, intensity, etc. In this book, the art just seems … unnecessarily extra.

I no longer have children of appropriate age for this, but I can imagine, had it been available ten years ago, checking it out from the library and letting my children thumb through this. There’s too much art (being a graphic novel) for it to be a book that I would read aloud to my children, but it might be something that they would pick up glance through on their own.

Looking for a good book? This is a nice comic book/novel for early readers.

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Rocket Robinson and the Pharaoh’s Fortune

author: Sean O’Neill

artist: Sean O’Neill

publisher: Boiler Room Studios

ISBN: 0989365506

paperback, 240 pages

CATWOMAN, VOL. 3: DEATH OF THE FAMILY

Posted by Daniel on November 23, 2013

Posted in: GRAPHIC NOVEL. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews. Leave a comment

Finally…the end of the “Death of the Family” crossover series (for me, at least — I don’t kow if there are more books in the series out there or not). And oddly enough, i actually read this book twice. When I was sorting through my reviews, I saw that this wasn’t posted, so I read the book, only to have that deja vu sense. Sure enough, I had already read it, but didn’t remember it. Yes…that says a lot about this book.

But first let me say that I haven’t really enjoyed Catwoman since the slinky, sexy ladies of the 60’s tv show (though Anne Hathaway was enjoyable in the recent movie). I’m typically not fond of praising villians and villainy. This book tries to toss in a few tidbits to show the ‘good’ side of Selina Kyle (aka Catwoman), but at heart, she is a thief, never seeming to regret what she does.

This particular book starts off with the promise of a good, strong story with the wickedest of wicked manifestations of Joker I’ve ever seen in the comics. Here, Joker fights, threatens, and cajoles Catwoman, and we understand that this is because the two of them are competing for Batman’s attentions. I found this exciting and tempting, and couldn’t wait to see how it tied in with the rest of the “death of the Family” series, and then… and then… I don’t know what happened! Suddenly the theft of a Black Diamond is all we focus on. And I use the term ‘focus’ very loosely.

I’ve complained about the repeating of the 33 pages of comic in the other books…33 pages that are identical in every way — all part of that crossover, get it? — and I was partly relieved that it wasn’t in this book (I’d wondered how they would do it, since Catwoman wasn’t at the ‘banquet’ in which the 33 pages cover); but mostly I think it served to show how this book wasn’t really a part of the series. It was simply one more opportunity to capitalize on the story-line. At one point, while Catwoman was losing a battle, she cries out “Where are you Batman? You always seem to know when I’m in trouble” and I thought to myself…’ah, there’s the crossover part…he can’t come to her rescue because he’s busy in his own story at the moment…how cheesy!’

This story just meanders, and even having read it twice now, I’m no wiser to why I should have read this. I’m not touched, moved, motivated, enlightned, entertained,or in any way a better person for having read this.

Being a graphic novel, the art is key to the story and I didn’t particularly care for this art. Technically it seemed to be fine, but I was distracted by the distortioned poses of Catwoman. I understand the desire to make her lithe, supple, somewhat feline-like, but it took me out of what little story there was, wondering just how the heck a body would look like that. And the whip…what the heck is up with that whip? Is it half a mile long? It’s curled and coiled and looping all over the place in too many panels. I undestand the effect the artist is making, but again…it was just distracting.

This series had some real highs (Batman) and some real lows (Catwoman). Fortunately the stories are not dependent upon one another.

Looking for a good book? Pick a different book in the DC “Death of the Family” series…this one just isn’t right.

* * * * * *

Catwoman, Vol. 3: Death of the Family

author: Ann Nocenti

artist: Rafa Sandoval

publisher: DC Comics

ISBN: 1401242723

paperback, 176 pages

THE CORMORANT — Chuck Wendig

Posted by Daniel on November 19, 2013

Posted in: SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Chuck Wendig, Miriam Black, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult. Leave a comment

Miriam Black has a talent (or curse) of being able to tell when and how a person will die, simply by making contact with that other person. She has used this gift to try to alter a person’s destiny, and while the ‘how’ might change, the when doesn’t seem to. Now, Miriam heads off to Florida at the behest of a wealthy, mysterious person who wants to know how and when he will die. But this trip could be a ruse.

That’s the basic plot, but of course there’s so much more to it.

If you’ve read many of my previous reviews, you’ve probably noticed that I often comment on the likeability of a character. If the reader doesn’t ‘like’ your main character, what motivation does the reader have to invest in the story? Character, in a novel, is probably 80% of the book. I recall hearing someone (I think it was Theodore Sturgeon, quoting someone else) say, “Shorts stories are about things people do. Novels are about people who do things.”

I like Miriam Black.

I don’t know why…she has everything going against her it seems. She abrasive, she’s rude, she’s foul-mouthed, she’s a killer, she loathes herself, and respects no one. Yet somehow, through the magic of the author’s writing, Miriam is a character we are able to rally behind. Despite all the strikes against her, I liked her. I wanted her to succeed.

Although I came to realize somewhat early on in the book that this is a third book in a series, it doesn’t detract from enjoy the book itself. While I am curious as to Miriam’s history and will very likely go back to read the previous two novels, this book does seem to stand alone … it might be nice to know some history on Miriam Black, but it doesn’t appear to be a requirement to reading this book.

Author Chuck Wendig keeps the pace moving very well and it does seem as though there is non-stop action. It helps that Wendig has woven the story quite well with snippets of her life from different moments in time that all seem to converge near the end. How appropriate that we have the story of someone who can see the future, told from bits of the past, present, and future.

There are moments when the book seems to go on for just a little too long and Miriam relies just a little too much on luck (causing a crash of an FBI-driven vehicle?). She rushes a little too blindly in to danger, knowing the danger, and she also too often pays the price for this foolhardiness. Perhaps that’s part of what we like about her, but at the same time, it strikes me as immature.

Which brings up a question … who is this book geared toward? Initially I wondered if it were to be considered a YA book, but some of the language is pretty fierce. Perhaps I’m just more old-fashioned than I care to admit, and I’m a little out of touch with the nature of YA books today? Would I let my kids read this (ages 14,16, and 18)? Yes.

Looking for a good book? This is strong writing, engaging characters, and fast-paced action.

* * * * * *

The Cormorant

author: Chuck Wendig

series: Miriam Black

publisher: Angry Robot

ISBN-10: 0857663380

paperback, 384 pages

PARASITE — Mira Grant

Posted by Daniel on November 14, 2013

Posted in: Dark Fantasy/Horror, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Mira Grant, Reviews, SF/Fantasy. Leave a comment

Oh, my.

Oh! My!

This may sound a little corny, but Mira Grant is the new Stephen King… a master of horror. Both psychological and physical. Reading a Mira Grant novel makes your skin crawl just a little bit, but at the same time, the crawling sensation tingles just a little. In a good way. Maybe it’s that parasite…

Before I go much further I will interrupt with a caveat… I’ve deducted one star from my five-star rating, because…ready for this… this is not a complete book in and of itself. This is part of a planned series. If you know my reviews, you’ll know I very much dislike books of a series in which you have to read the next book(s) to know the outcomes from this book. Sorry Ms. Grant. Sorry Orbit Books. A beginning, a middle, but no end? That’s not a complete book. That’s a cheesy way to get us to buy another. But what’s worse…you don’t need it. Mira Grant’s writing is such that we WILL read another, without the cliff-hangers or unanswered questions.

So let’s look at what we do have here…

In the future, a medic break-through will be engineered. Tapeworms will be coded in such a way that they will provide medical care for the worm’s host body. An infection? The worm takes care of it. Cuts and bruises? The worm takes care of it. Need medicine on a regular basis? The worm takes care of it. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Of course you have to agree to have a tapeworm implanted — that part seems more than just a little gross. But given the incredible potential benefits…it seems a fair trade.

In Parasite, our primary character is Sally — a young woman who has taken the care of the parasitic tapeworm to the extreme… the worms seem to have brought Sally back from the dead, or at least portected her from what would have otherwise been a fatal car accident. Because of this unique situation, and because Sally has no memory of her life before the accident, the mega-corporation SymboGen, which has designed and sells the tapeworm, has taken a special interest in Sally. Sally, as she relearns everything in her life, and grows as a person, takes a disliking for SymboGen and it’s founder/creator/leader Dr. Banks. Sally’s parents treat Sally like the six year old that she is (mentally; emotionally) and are grateful for SymboGen’s care for their daughter, but also have concerns about SymboGen.

About this same time, as Sally becomes aware and strong as a young woman, there are unusual cases of a ‘sleepwalking’ sickness, in which individuals very suddenly seem to lose all sense of humanity, become empty but violent. SymboGen wants to protect Sally, but as the sleepwalking sickness happens in their own ‘safe’ building, Sally looks elsewhere for help and protection.

As the story progresses, Sally gets pulled in many directions, fed more and more information about the parasites and about the sleepwalking sickness. That the two are connected seems obvious, even to Sally, but how they are connected, is the mystery to keep the story going.

What Mira Grant does well (among other things) is create a very believable world. There is the strong sense that this could truly happen, and not so far in to the future. There is also a sense that there is an entire world here…not just a back lot where this action takes place. Part of this is created by the quotes from books and interviews that Grant has created.

There are also the characters who are not black and white, good or bad, but a mixture of strengths and weaknesses just as all of us are. Yet we know and detest the clear villian and put our trust in the heroic characters. This is quite a feat that Grant has managed.

I was totally engrossed in this book and read the last half of the book in one sitting (which is quite a feat on my part)! I love that Grant has created a new take on the ‘zombie’ idea, especially after having done such a great job with her Newsflesh series (which I very much enjoyed). I look forward to the rest of this series.

But please…how about a book…with a beginning and a middle and an end?!

Looking for a good book? This is top-notch horror/sci-fi/speculative fiction. But be warned…it doesn’t end with this book.

* * * * * *

Parasite

author: Mira Grant

series: Parasitology, #1

publisher: Orbit

ISBN: 0316218952

hardcover, 504 pages

BEFORE WATCHMEN: NITE OWL/DR. MANHATTAN

Posted by Daniel on November 14, 2013

Posted in: GRAPHIC NOVEL, Uncategorized. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Dr. Manhattan, Graphic Novels, J. Michael Straczinski, Nite Owl, Reviews. Leave a comment

This is the last of the four Before Watchmen graphic novels that I have for review. It has been an interesting time, revisiting these characters that I read back in the 1980’s. While it was fun to see these unique characters again, despite being rather unlikeable in many cases, I still have a recurring question … what was the point of this?

This volume contains three short stories, one for Nite Owl, one for Dr. Manhattan, and a very brief one for Moloch.

The Nite Owl story I found interesting…I liked seeing that the longevity of a superhero name came from one man passing on the name and costume and all the good and bad that goes with it, to the younger protégé. This is not such a new idea, I suppose, with costumed heroes doing that fairly regularly now, but it struck as a rather unusual idea for the era in which the story is set. Unfortunately, the younger Nite Owl doesn’t seem to be ready for his role. His social awkwardness plays against his being ready to take on the role of hero to the society.

None of the Watchmen heroes are particularly likeable…we’ve seen that now, through the course of these four books, if not in the original series…which makes me wonder what the purpose is to tell these particular stories. These are interesting stories, as prequels go, but they are still stories about heroes who are not particularly heroic.

Dr. Manhattan’s story is the better story in this book. My recollection of him from the Watchmen days was that he was the most ambuguous of the characters, but here, with much thanks to J. Michael Straczinski, he is a fully fleshed-out character (no pun intended, but pun accepted). Perhaps it’s my love of the absurd and how much I enjoy complicated logic, but this story is not particularly linear and deals with possibilities and alternatives and all sorts of fun sci-fi-ish things. This was fun.

The artwork in both stories was fine, though I must admit that I still think back to the wonderful art and layouts from the Ozymandias book.

Moloch’s story is much shorter then the two titular superheroes, but it gives us the backstory of this villain, leading up to the beginning of Watchmen. Like so many of the other stories, it’s not particularly fun or likeable, but it is interesting. At least it’s consistent in that sense.

Looking for a good book? This graphic novel prequel will suit your needs if you enjoyed the original Watchmen series, otherwise you might just want to look for something a little newer.

* * * * * *

Before Watchmen: Nite Owl/Dr. Manhattan

author: J. Michael Straczinski

artists: Adam Hughes and Joe Kubert

publisher: DC Comics

ISBN: 1401238947

hardcover, 288 pages

BEFORE WATCHMEN: COMEDIAN/RORSCHACH

Posted by Daniel on November 11, 2013

Posted in: GRAPHIC NOVEL. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Graphic Novels, Reviews. 1 Comment

It’s been awhile since I reviewed two other Before Watchmen books, but it’s time to return to them, first with this one, Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach.

The Comedian’s story is first. Comedian is an interesting character. Think Captain American with anger management issues and a lack of respect for authority and you get close to this character. Edward Blake, aka The Comedian, is a government sanctioned superhero in a time when superheroes are outlawed. He is a friend to the Kennedy’s, working with and for John F. and Bobby, and spends a good deal of time in Vietnam. There, he shows his true colors as a loose cannon, fighting the VC on the same terms as the VC fight … without rules or respect to ‘moral decency.’ This kind of behavior makes it hard for politicians to continue to support The Comedian.

Overall, this is a dark, bloody, and disturbing story. The Comedian turns out to be a rather vile character, one we don’t care about or worse yet, don’t even respect. While I recognize that protagonists don’t have to be likeable, it does seem strange to give this hero such less-than-hero characteristics. While his appearance in the other books shows him to be angry and unpredictable, this makes him out to be so much worse.

The second story in the book is the story of Rorschach. This is no less dark, bloody, and disturbing, but the difference is that Rorschach is a vigilante out trying to make a difference by attach street vermin on their level. We also have someone, WalterJoseph Kovacs, aka Rorschach, who is quite the opposite of The Comedian. Walter is a mild-mannered, quiet, loner who has trouble talking to the woman at the restaurant, but when he dons his rorschach mask and trench-coat and hat, he’s as threatening a figure as any in the superhero universe.

More vigilante than super-hero, Rorschach seems to get beaten up much more than he delivers, and it’s stamina and a fight to stay alive that keeps him going. We don’t actually see him performing any deeds that might qualify him for a role in a superhero organization, which makes me wonder what the point to this story is, if it’s supposed to be a prequel to the Watchmen series, it doesn’t do much to set up the character as worthy of the organizational over-sight. Neither character in this book appear to be deserving of inclusion in a superhero team. Mostly this is depressing and dark.

Looking for a good book? Try one of the other Before Watchmen books if graphic novels are of interest — this one is just dark and depressing.

* * * * * *

Before Watchmen: Comedian/Rorschach

author: Brian Azzarello

artists: J.G. Jones and Lee Bermejo

publisher: DC Comics

ISBN: 1401238939

hardcover, 256 pages

THE HOUSE ON THE MOUND — August Derleth

Posted by Daniel on November 11, 2013

Posted in: HISTORICAL FICTION, Uncategorized. Tagged: August Derleth, Book Reviews, Books, Hercules Dousman, Historical Fiction, Reviews. Leave a comment

Typically I’m using this blog to post reviews of newer books, mostly (but not always) books that I’ve recevied for review. In this case, however, many might note that the book is actually quite old. I’ve decided to review it here because it’s a book that is unlikely to have had a large reading audience, even in its prime.

August Derleth is a name that many might recognize, mostly for his science fiction writing. Derleth was a prolific writer in many genres, and he enjoyed writing about the area in which he lived…Wisconsin. According to an on-line biography, he considered his most serious work a series of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry about the Sac Prairie Saga. I believe that The House on the Mound is one of those works.

This is true historical fiction. Author Derleth recreates, in fiction form, historical events with actual persons from history. As Derleth notes in his note to the reader at the end of the book, all incidents (save one) are actual events. This makes it so much more incredible.

This books tells of Hercules Dousman, an entrepreneur who was involved in fur-trading, railroad building, and shipping. He was friend to the Indians and generally well-loved by all who knew and worked for him. This book takes place primarily in and around the area now known as Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (not too terribly far from where I write this review). I’ve come to discover that the older I get the more I enjoy reading about history (I know…there’s a joke in there), and I enjoy readin ght ehistory of areas that I am familiar with.

What impressed me the most about this book is August Derleth’s ability to write about a character (Dousman) who, by any other writer would have likely been stereotypically a bit of a jerk…stepping on the little people and pushing around the Indians to make way for what he himself wants … but Derleth makes him quite likeable. Even in those passages where he is trying to make his young son, DéDé, more of a man because he thinks his wife is coddling him too much. We the reader, like Hercules Dousman, and respect him, and this is quite a talent for Derleth to have done. And the way Dousman deals with his bastard son…also keeps the reader liking the character.

Looking for a good book? Some nicely researched history and wonderful, three-dimensional characters drive this historical fiction work. Well worth reading!

* * * * * *

The House on the Mound

author: August Derleth

publisher: Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 1996

ISBN: 1896648266

paperback, 230 pages

THE MAD SCIENTIST’S DAUGHTER — Cassandra Rose Clarke

Posted by Daniel on November 8, 2013

Posted in: ROMANCE, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Cassandra Clarke, Cassandra Rose Clarke, Reviews, Romance, SF/Fantasy. Leave a comment

WARNING: THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

This book is about Caterina (“Cat”) Novak, daughter of scientist daniel Novak, friend and lover of android Finn. In the broadest sense, it is about life and learning to live. The book encompasses much of Cat’s life, starting about the age of five as a rebelious, wild young girl, to her being tutored by the android Finn, to her schooling, to a marriage, to caring for her ailing/dying father, to the birth of her own child…. In the course of a lifetime, one learns about what it is to live. The added complication is the android Finn, who also experiences many of the same conflicts, and comes to understand what it is to live, and with his unusal look on everything we understand that life and living can be interpreted in so many ways.

Author Cassandra Rose Clarke does a wonderful job of weaving the tapestry of Cat’s life before us…showing us what is important and skipping over what is not. Clarke manages to add nice, soft touches of imagery and allusion to the story (Cat’s mother’s garden; the weaving of a tapestry; the living in a glass house; etc) as well as some nice literary irony (Finn is the tutor, but it is Cat who teaches him about life). I came to respect Clarke’s writing and know that if there was something on the page, it wasn’t just filler but something integral to the story. nice work here by the author and, presumably, by the editor.

In so many ways, this reads like a YA book… full of pathos and unrequited love and the sense that no one understands the pain of our protagonist. But the inclusion of the sex scenes, particularly that of Cat with the fully capable android, left me more than a little uncomfortable. For the wild abandoned sex alone, I’m not sure I’d want my teenage daughter reading this book. The book shows conflicting emotions/theories of the inappropriateness of Cat’s relationship with Finn. The general public seems to frown on the relationship, as did Cat’s mother, but she dies early in the book. But because are wanting to like Cat and Finn, we the readers are wanting that inappropriate relationship to flourish. By the end of the book, of course, I was hoping the two would be a re-united.

In the typical YA tradition, Cat is filled with angst. She is an unhappy human being most of the time, and willingly puts herself into unhappy situations because she thinks it is her way of taking the ‘high road.’ She is selfish, and self-abusive. Typically I don’t enjoy these kinds of books, but Cassandra Clarke has created a character and a story that is absorbing and fascinating. Despite Caterina’s flaws, I wanted her to get better. Usually, in these cases, I just don’t care.

I liked the uniqueness of each character that appeared. Even those who were only there for a chapter, or to reveeal something about our main characters, had unique voices and traits.

The flaws in the book, for me, were the fact that on a few occasions I felt as though the information was forced on the reader a bit a-typically (for instance, the visit to Finn’s orginal creator). Also (and this may just be the fact that I am suddenly reading multiple books with this horrible human trait…) — why smoking? Why does Cat smoke cigarettes? Can’t we do a little better than that?

Looking for a good book? This is a beautifully written futuristic romance about life and what it means to be alive.

* * * * * *

The Mad Scientist’s Daughter

author: Cassandra Rose Clarke

publisher: Angry Robot

ISBN: 0857662651

paperback, 391 pages

LEGO SPACE: BUILDING THE FUTURE

Posted by Daniel on November 8, 2013

Posted in: CHILDREN'S, SF/FANTASY, Uncategorized, YA. Tagged: Book Reviews, Books, Children's Books, history book, Lego, Lego designs, Lego Space, Reviews, SF/Fantasy, Young Adult. Leave a comment

If Lego® were a publicly traded company, I would invest without hesitation. It is, without a doubt in my mind, the best ‘toy’ on earth. Fostering creativity and dexterity skills. I’m in my mid-fifties, and I can still enjoy sitting down with the Legos that I grew up with or that my children or my nephews and nieces have grown up with.

I’ve been aware of the various Lego® books, thumbed through a few, but have never really invested my time or money in them. But times have changed and Lego has started to uderstand the book market just a little bit better, I think.

Lego Space reads like a history book (future history, of course), complete with a glossary of terms and diagrams of the ships. It’s quite cleverly put together, really, and I understand that the actual book will include directions on how to make each of the objects depicted in the book (my advanced reading copy contained no such directions). This is precisely the sort of book that I would have loved to have had as a child, and that my children would most likely have loved to have had when they were younger and playing with Legos.

But to the story itself, Lego has dropped the ball a bit. It seems a little unclear as to whether it is a story (beginning, middle, and end), or, as I have described it above, a future history article. I think it might have fared better as a story, building action and suspense along the way. Authors Peter Reid and Tim Goddard are fine writers, I’m sure, but it’s no surprise that the book reads the way it does considering that Reid has written mostly history books and Goddard a memoir/biography/spiritual book. Lego® could have improved this book by paying a YA science fiction author to create an actual story around their Lego designs. I can think of a dozen names off the top of my head that would have been perfect for a venture like this.

Still…I think this is the ideal venue for Lego® — science fiction themed books. Maybe it just combines two of my earliest loves; maybe it’s the blending of two creative ventures … but I like the combination.

Looking for a good book? This is a wonderful way to keep a child creative and busy and renewing (or instilling) a love of reading.

* * * * * *

Lego® Space: Building the Future

authors: Peter Reid and Tim Goddard

publisher:No Starch Press

ISBN: 1593275218

hardcover, 216 pages