TV #1 of 2017: Jane the Virgin, season 2 Still a fun show with great – nearly all Hispanic! – performers, but perhaps a tad more predictable in its sophomore year. (Luckily this is definitely a show where the twists are still enjoyable even when you see them coming.) The Mutter and Derek storyline(s) kind …
Author Archives: Joe Kessler
Book Review: The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit
Book #2 of 2017: The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit I tried to keep an open mind while reading this novel, because I knew it was published in a very different era. And it is interesting as a historical artifact, offering a glimpse not only of 1907 Britain, but also of the state of children’s …
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Book Review: Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson
Book #1 of 2017: Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson (Alcatraz #4) Like Harry Potter, this series gets darker and more mature as the books progress. Even though the protagonist in this case is still a thirteen-year-old boy, he’s grown up a lot just by going through the events of these novels. Author …
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Book Review: Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang
Book #152 of 2016: Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang Science-fiction is generally concerned with exploring the unknown: potential future technologies, or alien lifeforms, or anything else that could perhaps be possible. And there’s some of that in this collection of stories from Ted Chiang, but the strongest entries are more fantastical …
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TV Review: The West Wing, season 4
TV #51 of 2016: The West Wing, season 4 After a rocky adjustment post-9/11 in the previous season, this year The West Wing is back to its usual level of quality. I’m also amazed, even on this millionth rewatch, at the audacity of Aaron Sorkin to end his last season that way and leave such …
Book Review: Goldenhand by Garth Nix
Book #151 of 2016: Goldenhand by Garth Nix (The Old Kingdom #5) A triumphant return to the Old Kingdom, finally resolving the fate of the lost Abhorsen, Clariel (whose early life is described in the prequel which bears her name, and which should definitely be read prior to this book). So many old favorites are …
TV Review: Orange Is the New Black, season 4
TV #50 of 2017: Orange Is the New Black, season 4 Still a powerhouse this many seasons in, with an ever-deepening roster of characters and flashbacks. It’s hard to really discuss the arc of season 4 without spoilers, but it was a powerful indictment of the corporate prison system, with inefficiencies and unchecked (if not …
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Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Book #150 of 2016: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein A heartbreaking novel that kept making me want to run home and hug my wife and my dog as tight as I can. This story of a family from the perspective of their dog is terrifically written, but only really recommended …
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Book Review: The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
Book #149 of 2016: The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie (Superintendent Battle #1) More a comedy of errors than a true murder mystery, Agatha Christie’s The Secret of Chimneys relied a bit too heavily on coincidence for my liking. (It was also the first Christie book that I was able solve before the end, …
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Movie Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Movie #24 of 2016: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) My favorite sort of prequel, that slots neatly into the existing continuity without the need for retconning AND enhances the viewer’s appreciation of certain elements in the original material. Rogue One is a little clunky, especially towards the beginning, but it’s still a phenomenal …
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The Lesser Joke: book reviews and more 