TV #19 of 2016: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, season 3 One of the reasons I like to both consume and review TV shows in season-length portions is that that’s by and large how they are planned out, with the whole year’s character and plot arcs determined by the writers over the break. That’s not always so important …
Author Archives: Joe Kessler
Book Review: The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
Book #31 of 2016: The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub (The Talisman #1) I’m normally a sucker for stories about parallel universes, but the mechanics of the magic (particularly the world-hopping) in this one were so unclear that it was a pretty frustrating reading experience. I do like that there was plenty of …
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TV Review: Better Call Saul, season 2
TV #18 of 2016: Better Call Saul, season 2 The unexpected Breaking Bad spinoff continues to be a fascinating character study, and this season really embraces the aspect of a Shakespearean tragedy that comes from its audience knowing, at least in broad strokes, how the story ends. I’m not sure why so few prequels manage …
TV Review: Supergirl, season 1
TV #17 of 2016: Supergirl, season 1 Supergirl had a very uneven first season, and I can’t shake the suspicion that I am nowhere near young enough to be the intended audience for this show – but Melissa Benoist is just so great in the lead role that I’m willing to overlook a lot of …
Book Review: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Book #30 of 2016: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (Imperial Radch #1) I thought this book was incredibly slow at the beginning, to the point where I almost put it down several times. I’m very glad I didn’t, however, as the story gets great about a third of the way through, and from then on …
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Book Review: American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers by Nancy Jo Sales
Book #29 of 2016: American Girls: Social Media and the Secret Lives of Teenagers by Nancy Jo Sales This book was somewhat eye-opening – but only somewhat. I really left the experience being wholly unconvinced that Sales has the right read on everything she discusses. I mean, I love the fact that she interviewed so …
TV Review: Bosch, season 2
TV #16 of 2016: Bosch, season 2 I’m pretty sure my dad and I are the only people watching this show, but I really like it. I’m a sucker for a good police procedural so long as the acting and writing are up to the task, and they definitely are in Bosch. This season was …
TV Review: Fargo, season 1
TV #15 of 2016: Fargo, season 1 This was a very strong season of television. Of course, I’m a sucker for a shared universe, so I love the fact that this season tells a self-contained story that is nevertheless a sequel to the original Coen Brothers movie. (And that the next season is a prequel …
TV Review: Marvel’s Daredevil, season 2
TV #14 of 2016: Marvel’s Daredevil, season 2 I don’t know with this one. I still really like this show’s take on Daredevil (and Kingpin!), and this new season introduces us to the MCU versions of Elektra and the Punisher, who are possibly even more perfect. On the other hand, this season was kind of …
Book Review: Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson
Book #28 of 2016: Mistborn: Secret History by Brandon Sanderson This novella is honestly not one of Brandon Sanderson’s best pieces of storytelling. But that’s fine, because it’s not aiming to be. It’s instead more of a behind-the-scenes sort of deal, showing what one particular character was up to during the second and third Mistborn …
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The Lesser Joke: book reviews and more 