TV #36 of 2026: Mad Men, season 2 A little more scattered than the debut run, but still an enjoyable character study and look at the changing culture as the sixties carry on. We’ve skipped over fifteen months since the end of season 1, bringing the action to February 1962 when we check back in …
Tag Archives: four stars
Book Review: The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious by Scott Lynch
Book #128 of 2026: The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious by Scott Lynch A charming — pun intended — little fantasy novella, in which a group of sorcerers gather for a regular beachside conclave of their order that takes a surprising turn into a Columbo-like murder mystery investigation when one of them is struck dead. …
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Book Review: Doctor Who: Shadowmind by Christopher Bulis
Book #126 of 2026: Doctor Who: Shadowmind by Christopher Bulis (Virgin New Adventures #16) I’m surprised this 1993 novel has such a poor reputation — including a 2.85 average rating on Goodreads — since I’ve found it to be a generally enjoyable time myself. A lot of the reviews complain that it reads more like …
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Book Review: Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
Book #120 of 2026: Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia #4) [Note: this is an updated version of my review from 2020.] Although perhaps not as enchanting as the original Narnia story, this first sequel (in writing / publication order) does much more to flesh out the worldbuilding, providing a sense …
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Book Review: The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead
Book #118 of 2026: The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead A neat Taylor Jenkins Reid-alike about a self-destructive band whose new manager helps pull them together to channel their talent and raw emotion into making extraordinary music. The frontwoman is a 2020s female Kurt Cobain type, all grungy and falling apart but still tapping into …
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Book Review: Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings
Book #117 of 2026: Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings (The Belgariad #4) I’ve been somewhat neutral on this 1980s fantasy series so far, since its farmboy-with-a-destiny plot reminded me of too many other titles in the genre. But the previous installment ended with the heroes finally securing the magical artifact they’ve been questing after …
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TV Review: Terminator Zero, season 1
TV #34 of 2026: Terminator Zero, season 1 I don’t watch a ton of anime, but I’ve really enjoyed this eight-episode Terminator series, which does a better job of molding the franchise to meet that format than The Sarah Connor Chronicles ever did with its own teen drama / mystery box approach. I also appreciate …
TV Review: The Bear, season 5
TV #33 of 2026: The Bear, season 5 I haven’t been as enthused about the last couple seasons of this show (or its recent flashback special Gary), but this final year proves to be a welcome course correction. The majority plays out largely in real time, with one episode running directly into the next, and …
Book Review: The Bone Door by Frances White
Book #111 of 2026: The Bone Door by Frances White This is an ambitious and complicated fantasy story that’s difficult to discuss without spoilers, but I can say in general terms that it’s like a preadolescent combination of Piranesi and The Locked Tomb. Various children awaken with missing body parts but no memories inside a …
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Movie Review: Doctor Who (1996)
Movie #33 of 2026: Doctor Who (1996) Objectively, there’s a lot about this TV movie — a continuation of the Classic Doctor Who run of 1963-1989 and failed pilot for further onscreen adventures — that doesn’t really work. The technobabble plot is difficult to follow and crams in unexplained references to things like Daleks that …
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