Book Comparison: Tolkien and GRRM on war

You know, I kind of wish I hadn’t read any of George R. R. Martin’s remarks about Tolkien’s works. It’s sort of soured me on his books. Now I see so many things that are clearly meant to be “take-thats” to Tolkien’s philosophy and worldview, and it’s hard to enjoy the story as is. I…

Jane Austen Comparisons: Emma Woodhouse and Lady Catherine

So many moons back, in a post about how Mr. Knightley is awesome, I mentioned that Emma was on the path to becoming another Lady Catherine. I’ve finally decided to analyze their specific character flaws, and show that perhaps Lady Catherine would have done better if someone had stood up to her more frequently in…

Book Review: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

When a strange creature appears in the ocean, savaging ships and fleeing at impossible speeds, Professor Pierre Aronnax is invited to chase down the creature and discover more about it. But after an attack, Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and harpooner Ned Land find themselves, not stranded in the ocean with a sea monster, but aboard…

TV Review: Cobra Kai

You know, lately I’ve worried that entertainment companies are trying to cash in on the nostalgia of Gen-X and early Millenials. We’ve seen an upswing in remakes and continuations, not to mention all of the merchandising that comes with it. Sometimes this results in lazy, low-effort attempts that cause the supposedly beloved franchise to fade…

Book Review: The Scorpion’s Tail by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Fresh from a shoot out gone wrong, Corrie Swanson is assigned what looks like a dud case: a small town sheriff discovered the mummified remains of a man after arresting a relic hunter. Corrie contacts Nora for help in excavating the site, and in the process they find out the dead man is clutching an…

Book Review: Gauntlet by John Doyle

Once upon a time, Jericho Johnson, boy genius turned extremely young college professor, found a strange gauntlet that allowed him to travel through time. Like most people, he promptly used it to make a ridiculous amount of money, and to prove the archaeologists wrong. Time travelers can’t stand archaeologists. However, on a jaunt to ancient…