Review: THE SCATTERED AND THE DEAD (BOOK 2.5), by Tim McBain and L.T. Vargus

I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of The Scattered and the Dead (Book 2.5). I flew through it, and not because it was short (it wasn't). This is Book 2.5 in the series, but don't let its "half" value fool you; it's a full-length novel with all sorts of goodies.

As opposed to the broader foci of Books 1 and 2, this story follows only Erin, Delfino, and the enticing characters floating around in their circles. The backstories of Erin and Delfino are explored, giving each character more depth, sympathy, and motivation than seen in previous books. While both main characters have merit, I was most drawn in by Erin and the suspicious happenings at her ride-out-the-apocalypse camp. I enjoyed her stubbornness and smarts from the other Scattered and the Dead novels, but I fell in love with her here.

In true Vargus and McBain fashion, the (relatively small amounts of) gore does not disappoint, and there's a kickass ending! This book is a true gem in the world of apocalyptic fiction. I look forward to reading whatever else these authors bless us with in the future.

Stars: 5/5
Recommended for: Anyone who loves three-dimensional characters in difficult situations and unique takes on end-of-the-world stories. (If you're only into zombie stories for the zombies' sake, this one probably isn't for you.)

Now available in paperback and through Kindle Unlimited. Kindle ebook available for pre-order, scheduled for release October 26, 2017.

Review: INVICTUS, by Ryan Graudin

Time travel and dimension jumping? Heists on the Titanic? Gladiators at the Colliseum? Red Pandas as pets? Yes, please!

INVICTUS was a really fun read that will make your head spin. I loved the well-formed characters, the alternating POVs that offered a multidimensional perspective (no pun intended), and the spot-on writing that kept me locked in. I must admit that some of the technical-talk jumping made me question the plausibility of some scenarios, but for the benefit of the doubt I'm leaving this confusion to my own shortcomings. The author definitely made up for all that with an intriguing and promising premise that didn't let me down. I've never read Ryan Graudin's books before, but after reading INVICTUS I will definitely look into her other works.

Stars: 4/5
Recommended for: Anyone who loves twisty time travel stories with a contemporary young adult feel
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Review: THE PLATINUM AGE OF TELEVISION: FROM I LOVE LUCY TO THE WALKING DEAD, HOW TV BECAME TERRIFIC, by David Bianculli

In The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, David Bianculli has done a great job exploring the evolution of television, broken down into overlapping genres from children's programs to topical comedy. The author discusses each title in terms of its impact on television, rather than by its ratings, offering a refreshing take on how shows influence each other. This book is long and took a while to finish, but it's formatted for readability in whichever order you choose. You can even skip chapters, though I wouldn't recommend it—I was enlightened even by the topics I dreaded and had no former knowledge of, such as the chapter about westerns.

I wish even more genres had been packed into this already-stuffed book, though it understandably has limitations. Bianculli has established himself as the primary voice in television evolution, and I look forward to reading any of his future books—and articles—on the topic.


Stars: 4/5
Recommended for: Anyone who has ever been touched by a television show (so...pretty much everyone in America).