Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

The second book in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is just as good as the first.   The Baratheon brothers are fighting for the crown and completely underestimating the Lannister’s hold on the Iron Throne.  Tyrion is now the Hand of the King and is faced with dealing with an invading army and a cruel young nephew in Joeffry.  And the Starks continue to suffer, poor family.  Sansa is a hostage betrothed.  Arya is wandering the lands trying to get to her mother.  While her mother, Catelyn is with her oldest son, Robb, the King of the North, gathering their forces.   What I enjoy about these books is that a lot happens and there are many new characters that are really exciting to read.  I can’t wait to start watching the show.  I think at this point I’ll stop reading and watch.   I’ll return to reading the books after I catch up with the show.   I’ll be interesting to see what changes the show made.   I can’t wait to see the Battle at Blackwater Bay.  Grade: A

Ant-Man (2015)

The new Iron Man is Ant-Man in that I haven’t been this entertained watching a Marvel origin story since the 2008 film that started the Marvel super train of success.  This surprises me because I thought this film was doomed after Edger Wright left the project.   You have to give a lot of credit to Peyton Reed, Adam McKay and star Paul Rudd for turning a potential dud into a delight.   You can still see Wright and Joe Cornish’s stamp of excellence scattered throughout but Reed’s team delivered the goods.  The plot isn’t anything really new, an average guy with a heart of gold gains some super ability (in this case a techno-marvel suit) and must rise up and defeat a corrupt business man soon to become super villain baddy.   Basically Iron Man without the arrogant billionaire quips.  Regardless there is a freshness to this film, a playfulness to the out of this world ability of shrinking that is very satisfying.  Paul Rudd is fantastic (as always).  He’s funny (as you expect) and physically up to the superhero standards when it comes to action.  My one complaint overall, which is becoming a reoccurring theme with these superhero films, is the weakness of the villain.  Corey Stoll does a decent job playing Yellowjacket but the character is still very underdeveloped without any depth or motive  He’s just a bad guy doing bad things because he’s bad.  Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas are wonderful and Michael Pena steals the show with laughs.   What else is there to say, but thank you.  Marvel, you worry me sometimes with this ambitious cinematic experiment, in what I fear is going to become an over-long superhero soap opera, but here you really gave me the kind of film I wanted from your studio.  Bring me some more of this, please.  Grade: A

Neighbors (2014)

As raunchy college movies go, this one is quite entertaining with many laugh-out loud moments.  Seth Rogen and Rose Bryne are raising a newborn and suddenly learn the house next door has become vacated by a Frat house.  Zac Efron is the good looking stud that they go to war with to keep their sanity and protect their daughter.   I especially enjoyed Rogen and Bryne’s chemistry which surprised me, I didn’t know if they’d work on screen but they do.   I sense a sequel is in the works (I might have already read something about one) and I have to admit I’d like to see what they do.  Grade: A-

Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan

I actually had the honor of meeting Robert Jordan when this book came out.  He signed my copy and now finally years later I was able to read it.   Unfortunately out of all the books in this brilliant and yet over-long series this might be the lesser.   Nothing really happens.   I’m completely convinced that this was supposed to be half of a larger book and that the next book, Knife of Dreams, was the second half.  Yet, because he didn’t want to edit anything out and his publisher saw more dollar signs by adding an additional book to the series, they published it as is.  That’s not to say it’s a bad book.  The characters all have more adventures that are enjoyable to read.  But it’s like watching a month of a soap opera to realize everyone is exactly where they were months earlier.  Perrin is still trying to rescue his wife.  Mat is still stuck in Seanchan occupied lands with Tuon as his prisoner.  Ewgene is still trying to prove to the Whtie Tower that she’s deserving of the Armylyn Seat while working to unseat Elaida.  And Elayne is still doing the same with her right as the Queen of Andor.  It’s like the narrative is stuck in neutral or even going in circles.   I can understand why Mr. Jordan wanted to keep all of the events that are here intact.   It’s all character enriching material.   That said it really feels incomplete and because of that it’s a disappointment.  Still if you’ve come this far in the series, you’ll need to push through it.  Hopefully the events in Knife of dreams compliment this book.   Grade: B

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

Before Gone Girl, there was this little novel, a grim book about a journalist named Camille Preaker who returns home on assignment to cover a series of murders.  It turns out her past will collide with the present and, while super coincidental as these kind of thrillers are, it’s also a dramatic read.   It’s Camille’s character flaws and her intriguing point of view that makes this book shine.  Unlike the last thriller I read (the Quiet Game) about a main character’s home coming crossing paths with a murder, this one is much more bleak.   That’s what I liked about it though.  It’s a good debut novel and demonstrates an emerging talent in the genre.  Grade: B+

The Quite Game by Greg Iles

Curious about these Penn Cage novels by Mr. Iles I decided to read the first book in the series.   It’s a pretty entertaining novel about a brilliant morally strong lawyer who returns home with his young daughter in tow after his wife dies only to get sucked into an old murder mystery.  There’s the evil racist judge, the ex- lover (who happens to be the evil racist judge’s daughter), the love interest and other decently crafted pawns.   Sure Penn Cage is a little too perfect at times (I mean he really does have it all); he is the hero lawyer we all want to be, so it works.   The love story is a bit annoying, the old guy getting the sexy smart young woman male fantasy made me gag.  Can’t male writers have their male heroes fall in love with women their own age?  Because it’s written in first person, the emotional road trip through memories of old can be a bit over the top at times.  But it’s a good read and there’s enough going on that I’d read another one if I happen to come across it.   To sum it up; this was a second-rate Grisham novel with a main character that is so likeable you might need to suspend your belief a little too much to believe he could exist.  Grade: B+