Rex the Dog 'Bubblicious'

This is a really well done stop-motion video.

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein Dead and Alive (Book 3)

Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this instalment, Deucalion, Carson, and Madison are steadily moving toward stopping Victor and his bid to take over the world. Victor's problem is that his creations are all turning into Pinky to his Brain. He is so bound by his own arrogance that he is incapable of taking steps to correct the errors. His downfall is inevitable, because he just can't admit that he isn't perfect. With everything going wrong around him, he finds more and more creative reasons why none of this is his fault.

Erika Five (Victor's wife) has become a central figure in this story line. She stumbles upon a secret passage in the library that leads to a private study. In the study is a large, coffin-like glass box with "something" in it. Something that actually speaks to her. When she brings Jocko (Jonathan Harker's child from book 1) to see the secret room. Erika and Jocko have become friends and she wants his opinion about the mysterious box. Jocko is pretty sure that whatever is in the box is bad and they should just leave it alone.

Deucalion visits Victor's Angel of Mercy Hospital and discovers that Victor's creations are imploding much quicker than anticipated. He finds and speaks with Victor's computer operating system, and when he learns that the computer is partly organic he "frees" her from her prison by shutting the system down. The computer is grateful, but she follows her fail-safe instruction by starting the self-destruct count-down. Victor goes back to the Hospital that evening only to find that everything will be destroyed. He grabs his computer back-ups and heads out to his new race factory outside the city. Deucalion, Carson, and Madison are on their way to the factory as well, and the final confrontation will occur there.

I enjoyed this novel very much. I really liked the developing relationship between Carson and Madison, and the one between Jocko and Erika. Watching Victor's plans unravel and his utter confusion about it was fascinating. For me this was a satisfying read, and I recommend it. I'm really looking forward to Book 4: Lost Souls.

Hippity Hopping Holidays, Batman!

John Scalzi has posted another interview on his blog. This time he talks to...the Christmas Bunny?

Go to http://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/12/22/an-interview-with-the-christmas-bunny/

I love this guy :-)

Away in a Manger

If you want a little holiday cheer, head on over to John Scalzi's blog where he interviews the innkeeper from Bethlehem: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/12/21/an-interview-with-the-nativity-innkeeper/

Big cats and pumpkins...just because

 

Marta Acosta's Haunted Honeymoon at Casa Dracula

Haunted Honeymoon at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A fabulous end to a terrific series! Ms. Acosta has written a very satisfying conclusion to her popular Casa Dracula series. At the end of book 3 (The Bride of Casa Dracula), Milagro ends her engagement to Oswald and finally explores a relationship with the Dark Lord, Ian. Unfortunately for Milagro, her attraction to Ian has always scared her a little, so she never seems to be able to fully commit to him. Ian, being all Dark Lordish, does nothing to ease Milagro's fears. Mostly because she never tells him about them, so, even though he's the Dark Lord, he's not a mind reader. To be perfectly fair to Milagro, Ian doesn't go out of his way to reassure her and confirm her place in his life, either. So when Ian starts flirting with the neighbours, Milagro sees red. Or rather, green. She breaks it off with Ian and takes off for the UK, where she indulges in a flirtation of her own. Her hunky flirtation follows her back to the US, where he promptly becomes a murder victim. Milagro freaks out, goes all sixes and sevens, bangs herself on the noggin, and wakes up with amnesia. Her last memory is from right before she meets Oswald for the first time. Yes, that's right, all the way back to the beginning of book 1 (Happy Hour at Casa Dracula).

I really enjoyed reading this story. Ms. Acosta brilliantly uses Milagro's amnesia to resolve issues in Milagro's life. In the end we are left with a much wiser and happier Milagro, one who can at last commit freely and fully in a romantic relationship. Brava, Marta! You've done yourself proud. And while I know that Haunted Honeymoon at Casa Dracula marks the end of the Casa Dracula series, I hope that we will run into Milagro in the future, perhaps in a short story?

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: City of Night

City of Night by Dean Koontz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

New Orleans, Dean Koontz's City of Night. Home of the blues, jazz, and Anne Rice's vampires. And Victor Helios (nee Frankenstein). Police Detectives Carson O'Conner and Michael Maddison have encountered Victor's latest attempt at creating life, and with the help of Frankenstein's original monster, now calling himself Deucalion, they managed to stop (or at the very east slow down) Victor's run at world domination. (See book 1: Prodigal Son)

While Victor has managed to create life from lifelessness, he also restricted them by making them subservient to him, and unable to hurt themselves or Victor. He is the master, and all must obey. But some of his creations are self-destructing. And some are changing.

At the end of book 1, Deucalion, Carson, and Michael chase after one of these changelings, only to have it disappear into the city. Now they must find it and any others who might be out there, while trying to expose Victor's ultimate plan. And Victor, who has been oblivious to the changelings until now, must try to learn why his perfect creations are going so very wrong. Events are spiraling quickly out of control. We can only hope that our heroes can save the day, New Orleans, and the world.

This 2nd volume of Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series was co-written with Ed Gorman, an incredible thriller/horror writer in his own right (click on his name to learn more about him). Between the two of them they have continued Frankenstein's legacy and actually managed to make us feel sympathy for Victor's monsters. Victor remains, however, the quintessential villain, and readers will have no trouble rooting for our heroes in their quest to stop his machinations. This is another excellent tale and a fabulous continuation of the series. Stay tuned for my review of book 3: Dead and Alive.

Cross posted at Sleepless eReader. Comment here or there.