On the DEWLine 2.0: Dwight Williams

Yes, this is still going on. Each season of Agents of SHIELD has been documented with one of those hardcover-in-a-slipcase edition books documenting the episodes of each season, along with a bunch of behind-the-scenes photography and production art ranging from set "blueprints" to prop designs to wardrobe design imagery.

This past season started with MCU SHIELD's efforts to regain public acceptance and legitimacy amidst the worries about everything from a growing Inhuman population to the latest Ghost Rider coming to public attention to the concept of the Life Model Decoy being...not quite what anyone involved was hoping for. Add in a Russian with a grudge dating back to before Tony Stark went public as Iron Man, a new executive director with a few secrets of their own, and artificial intelligence mixing with technologies so arcane as to be branded mystical via the Darkhold...and Coulson's Crew ends up in a place that they never hoped or expected.

I had a lot of fun watching, and this book's added a few more elements to the experience.

Now if Marvel would just sell the season sets of episodes on DVD at retailers, please? Because I want to see them in stock at Sunrise Records stores here in Ottawa, and it's not happening yet.

Picked up a couple of books yesterday.

1. Space: 1999 - Aftershock and Awe by Andrew Gaska, Grey Morrow, Miki and David Hueso

Collected edition from Archaia Black Label, featuring old and new material in the "Awe" story - a retelling of "Breakaway" with elements from several sources, including an earlier script for the pilot of that TV series, and older material from Power Records and Charlton Comics as well...and characters from later episodes thrown into the mix as well.

And then there's "Aftershock", telling the tale as experienced by those left behind on Earth. As you might guess, catastrophe physics has its way with the lives of millions. Also mildly surprising was the decision to go straight to "alternative history" as well, with elements like John F. Kennedy surviving all the way from 1963 as a driving political force behind the organization(s) that built Moonbase Alpha.

Recommended.

2. Star Trek: The Fall - Peaceable Kingdoms by daytonward.

This wraps up the pentalogy begun with Revelation and Dust four months ago. It ends pretty much as I hoped it would, with consequences meet for many future writers in this particular Trek novel-'verse to play with for years to come. At least one character ends up in a place where there's hope for many political adventures to occupy more nights.

(Yes, I do believe politics can be an adventure. If practiced well, in fiction or reality. Sometimes, it can even be inspiring and in several good ways. But I digress...)

There was one revelation that I considered a false note - not sure I want to get into details yet - in what was otherwise a very good yarn indeed.

Recommended.

I'll keep this short.

tartysuz made a point of reviewing this one recently.

Thanks much for the review. The book was Worth The Time. Hoping this one stays in print awhile...

I've been enjoying dduane's Star Trek-related novels since she started writing them. This likely gives Diane as much pause as I for any number of reasons, all of which are equally personal on both our parts in my opinion. So you won't be surprised to know that I've recently gotten my hands on The Empty Chair, purportedly the last of the "Rihannsu-verse" collection of novels.

I'm certainly pleased by the results of seeing this latest installment, although that pleasure is somewhat tempered by various elements...

( Read more... )