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Book reviews for "Russell,_P._Craig" sorted by average review score:

Murder Mysteries
Published in Hardcover by Dark Horse Comics (2002)
Authors: P. Craig Russell and Neil Gaiman
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Stark, beautiful graphic novel
Once again, Neil Gaiman has reinvented the thinking man's comic book. Murder Mysteries is the tale of the world's first crime of passion. Gaiman's intelligent prose and keen eye for conversation is perfectly woven with P. Craig Russell's fabulous visual art. This story is simple enough for high school students to read, but compelling (and short) enough to steal an hour of anybody's day.

The FIRST Detective Story....
I must have read Neil Gaiman's short story Murder Mysteries four or five times since I originally encountered it; It's been featured, and rightfully so, in many short story collections. It's one of Gaiman's best, most thought-provoking works, and since Gaiman is one of the best storytellers around, that's really saying something. P. Craig Russell is one of the masters of the comic book art form, and he especially excels at adaptations of fantasy, having previously done Wagner's Ring Cycle, Michael Moorcock's Elric, and numerous Oscar Wilde stories. Gaiman and Russell collaborated on what many consider to be the best issue of Gaiman's DC/Vertigo Sandman book, and Russell has adapted a few other Gaiman short stories (One Life, Furnished In Early Moorcock, and Only The End Of The World Again). Murder Mysteries stands as a high-water mark, in my opinion.

The story-within-a-story, told by a homeless man to a visiting Englishman in L.A., tells of the first murder ever: An Angel killed in "The Shining City"; Our homeless storyteller is in reality the Angel Raguel, the vengeance of "The Name" (God). Raguel becomes, in effect, the first Detective, attempting to discover a motive that can lead to bringing the killer to justice.

Gaiman's story works on many levels, and I have to say that as much as I loved the prose short story, the ending has always left me vaguely puzzled; It's a very involved and thought-provoking piece, and I often find myself thinking about the ending. Russell's adaptation went a long way towards making that ambiguous ending more clear. It turns out I was on the right track, but Russell's visuals make the ending more visceral and powerful.

Murder Mysteries is presented in a gorgeous hardcover format, much the same as Dark Horse's previous Gaiman/ John Bolton book, Harlequin Valentine. This is a must read for all fans of Horror/Fantasy, as well as lovers of beautiful art. It deserves as wide an audience as possible. Give it a try, and spread the word.

An incredible illumination of a Great Short Story
Mever before have I encountered a work in which a transfer to a different medium has so enriched it (except perhaps the book Fight Club to the movie Fight Club). This has always been one of my favorite Neil Gaiman short stories, I have read and re-read it many times in the seven or eight years since I first read it, I have made innumerable other people read it and I have discussed it repeatedly. However, Russell's illustrations brought out and made evident an entirely new facet of the story that I have never realized, what is in fact the true Murder Mystery of the title! This story has been blown wide open for me, on what must have been the dozenth or so read, and I have since forced others to revisit it and make the same revelation. This translation, this new revelation, makes further testament to Gaiman's gift as a storyteller. Russell is not, in my mind, the ideal person to have done this project, I would have gone with somebody with a darker style. Still, this is a terriffic read, even if, and especially if, like me, you have known the story for a long time. I promise, it will change the way you see it.


The Ring of the Nibelung Book 2: Siegfried & Gotterdammerung: The Twilight of the Gods
Published in Paperback by Dark Horse Comics (19 July, 2002)
Authors: P. Craig Russell, Patrick Mason, Lovern Kindzierski, and Galen Showman
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Stunning Conclusion to a Powerful Drama
The story of one of Wagner's timeless operas, adapted here into comic form. I do not know the original, but this version makes me wish to find out more. It is comprised of 4 parts collected into two books, corresponding to the original 4 operas, which were independant but held together in a loose confederation to make on complete whole.

This is continued from Vol. 1.

Siegmund's son, Siegfried, is raised by Alberich's ambitious brother, who wants the ring held by Fafnir the giant, now a dragon. Siegfriend reforges his father's sword, and with it he slays first Fafnir and then the dwarf who would kill him for the ring. Alberich, in the meantime, is watching mirthfully. Voton looks for advice from the first goddess, then meets Siegfriend on his way to win Brunhildé He shatters Voton's spear and climbs through the river of fire, and at the top wins love in the former Valkyrie.

The series wraps up in Gotterdammerung, twilight of the gods. Siegfried sails out to find his fortune, and meets a kingdom run by several characters out to ensnare the power of the ring. With a powder they make the hero fall in love with a princess, and pledge to retrieve Brunhilde for the king -- and the ring for his advisor. After a blood-oath he sails away to do this. The valkyrie is visited by one of her fellow maidens-at-arms, demanding Brunhilde throw the ring into the Rhine, but she refuses, claiming it as a symbol of her love. Siegfriend, in guise of the king, finds her and wins her again, this time for another. It is seen that the advisor is Alberich's son, thus his interest in the ring. A marvelous feast is prepared for a double-marriage on the king's return, when Brunhilde finds out she was tricked; she then helps this advisor and the king to devise a way to kill him. Siegfried is warned by mermaids, but refuses to grant them back the ring. He is later tricked into talking with longing of the king's new wife, and the king's advisor promptly slays the warrior; later that night, in a duel, he also kills his brother the king. Brunhilde demands a funeral pyre built, and in the end, everyone dies and everything burns.

Even such a long summation can barely do this dense and powerful opera justice. Rather than the standard practice of rewriting or removing speech in parts, nearly everything is kept, translated directly from the original words of Wagner. The translation itself is very nice, keeping an archaic and formal syntax, while remaining accessible to modern readers. It is similar to Shakespeare or any contemporary, high without pretnetion. While the music cannot be included, the songs remain, to be fleshed out instead by lush art. The parallel goes deeper, in fact; as mentioned in the introduction, where Wagner's music has its lietmotifs, quickly recognizable strains that pull the whole together, so does the art include its own repeated motifs.

The story is classic, and told as well as befits a master. The politics between the gods is as fierce or more than that between men, and between them battles and intrigue rage. No major point is left unexplored, nothing forgotten and left to the wayside. Each character introduced comes back to play at least once, most exiting only through death. So much goes on that it is dizzying to keep up, but the intention is never to leave the reader behind, so it isn't overly difficult to follow. Even the reintroductions that catch the reader up on the events of each previous part are handled deftly. The art is vivid and colorful, very detailed and realistically shaded and textured. At times it seems more like acrylic paint than simple color press. The scenery is well detailed, matched by the people, whose actions and expressions are each striking and individual. While characters are seen from many angles and perspectives, anatomy of each is still proper. The story is very visual and cinematic; some places are very dense and wordy, while sometimes pages go by with no words needed. The fights in particular flow this way, becoming very abstract, yet the action clearly laid out. Russel is very comfortable with his ability to tell a tale however it needs to be told, certainly.

Excellent Adaption of the Ring cycle
This is a beautifully illustrated and translated two-book comic adaption of Wagner's Ring cycle. P. Craig Russell's defends his belief that he could translate the opera music into images and create a powerful fantasy saga. The art is fantastic: Russell draws beautiful panels - the covers of these two books are a great example of the art inside. The translation into English is melodramatic (well, it's opera) and powerful. I can't praise these books enough. This is my favorite graphic story since I read, and re-read, Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, and these two volumes will be accompanying me on all my future moves.


Angels and Visitations: A Miscellany
Published in Hardcover by Dreamhaven Bks & Art (1993)
Authors: Neil Gaiman, Steve Bissette, and P. Craig Russell
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Neil Gaiman stretches beyond "Sandman", & quite beautifully
Unbeknownst to much of the population who read for pleasure with any regularity, Neil Gaiman is one of our greatest living writers. "Sandman" is an epic saga that blends mythology, history, religion and pop culture into a masterwork medley. "Angels and Visitations" is an equally masterful collection of stories that show what Mr. Gaiman can do when he lets his extraordinary imagination loose.

"Murder Mysteries", a nimble tale about an inchoate Heaven and the constructive angels who populate it, is by far the best of the lot. Here Gaiman does what a great mystery writer should--let the details about the characters and their surroundings emerge and become increasingly richer as the story draws to a close. The hilarious "The Case of Four And Twenty Blackbirds" is a different kind of mystery; one which turns the tale of Humpty Dumpty on its ear. "Troll-Bridge" is another modernization of a children's tale--in this case, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"--which is written for a very different effect. It is a bittersweet story about the loss of innocence and how, as adults, we embrace the monsters that once frightened us. "Mouse" is, as another reviewer notes, an allegory that makes gentle, yet effective use of irony. "Chivalry" is an entertainingly comic tale about finding the Holy Grail. Finally, there's "Luther's Villanelle", a poem which conjures up gothic images that keep the reader's imagination going long after he or she has finished reading it.

These works have remained fresh in my mind, although I finished reading this book more than three years ago. The mere fact that so many have remained in my memory speaks much more about Gaiman's ability to write than my ability to remember. A good writer can keep you interested in what you're reading. A great one is one whose storytelling stays with you for a long time.

For that you gotta read the book....
Judge this book by its cover. The cover art by Dave McKean is both whimsical and mysterious, presaging Neil Gaiman's charming works on the printed pages within. Just in case you don't know anything about Neil, here's a bit of info. Neil is best known for his award-winning comic series Sandman. Yes, he writes comic books, and he is damned good at it.

However, Neil is also damned good at the more traditional types of writing. He co-wrote the amazingly funny Good Omens with Terry Pratchett, and he also wrote the equally funny biography Don't Panic: Douglas Adams & The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy . His writing has appeared in anthologies. "Troll-Bridge" appeared in the adult fairy-tale compilation Snow White, Blood Red. "Murder Mysteries" (set in the Sandman universe, I do believe) was in the magazine and horror compilation Midnight Graffiti.

Angels and Visitations shows what else he can do. A miscellany of fiction, humour, non-fiction, poetry, and artwork, Angels and Visitations journeys from science fiction and fantasy shorts to detective stories and meticulously-researched literary works. There is a story about a worldwide shortage of animals--it reads like a cross between C. S. Lewis's "On Vivisection" and Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal." There is a postcard story about the fiendish enforced slavery of a certain well-loved mythical figure. There's a prologue to someone else's book, and an odd and timely story on venereal disease. There's a poem about a computerized hell that reads like a cross between William Gibson's Neuromancer and Kit Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. There's a disquieting allegory called "Mouse." There's a whole lot more, and it's all poignant, bitter-sweet, or rollickingly funny. It's all good. But are you going to get something out of Angels and Visitations? To quote "Prologue," "For that you gotta read the book."

Unforgettable stories
Some years ago I bought an anthology called Midnight Graffiti, now out of print (deservedly, unlike the book we are discussing). Although the authors were well-known, the general level of the stories was a) just average; b) bad; c) very bad; d) unspeakable, and so forth. The only story that stood out was "Murder Mysteries," by Neil Gaiman. This melancholy and powerful story stuck to my mind, and I could never forget it. So, I bought this book because it had this story in it (and so to get rid of Midnight Graffiti without qualms). This book is a treasure trove. Gaiman is a rarity, as fantasy authors go. He is satisfying in general, but he is simply superb when writing about absolutely ordinary people and their relationship with magic (mostly, their refusal to let magic into their lives), as in Chivalry, Vampire Sestina, Troll Bridge, the abovementioned Murder Mysteries and one about a veneral disease whose title has escaped me. (Just the title, I remember the story perfectly well.)

For those who did not get this great book, you can still enjoy Mr. Gaiman's unique talent in Smoke and Mirrors; it does not have the illustrations and essays, but it brings a lot of new stories. And unlike this one, it is in print.


The Magic Flute (Russell, P. Craig. P. Craig Russell Library of Opera Adaptations, V. 1.)
Published in Unknown Binding by NBM Publishing, Inc. (2003)
Authors: P. Craig Russell and Stuart Amadeus Wilde
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A Good Introduction To Opera, Outstanding Recording
The Black Dog Opera Library Series had outdone themselves once again. In this 1972 recording of Mozart's last opera, we are treated to a fine performance by fine singers, a fully illustrated book with liner notes and commentary, as well as information useful in biographies on the composer and his time. Mozart was close to his death bed at the time he composed The Magid Flute. He made an opera that could be enjoyed at many levels. At one level, it is a comic, brilliant fairy tale for children, at another level, it is deeply symbolic and layed with Masonic ideals of universal brotherhood and love. Mozart and his librettist were both Freemasons, a religous "sect" that was under hot water in 18th century Vienna for its pagan origins and its advocation of ideas of the Enlightenment. The story is about Tamino, a prince who is lost in a strange land (originally, a mystic Egypt), who is rescued from a serpent by three mysterious women and promised the hand of the daughter of the Queen of the Night if he saves her from the wizard Sarastro. Together with the help of the comic bird-catcher, Papageno, he sets out on his adventure. But halfway through the opera, he discovers that he has been deceived. The Queen of the Night is the true villain and Sarastro is really a holy man. After many trials, the forces of evil are defeated and the opera ends blissfully with a victory.

Musically and dramatically, it is Mozart's greatest opera. From the striking Overture to the use of dark strings, trumpet and soaring flute passages, the individual arias which express intense emotions to the neverending theme that good triumphs over evil, the Magic Flute stands out as a great opera to begin with for newcomers and a favorite for old time opera fans.

In this recording, conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch leads the Bavarian State Orchestra in a highly effective, thoroughly dramatic and sentimental, full interpretation of Mozart's score. Tenor Peter Schreir as Tamino is exceptional, passionate in his aria "Dies Bildnis" (This portrait), and again as he plays his flute in "Wie Stark ist Nicht dein Zauberton" (How powerful is your music, magic flute), his individual lines in the ensembles and his duet with Pamina as they undergo the final trial of fire. Annelise Rothenberger, a sublime German lyric soprano, is moving in her portrayal of Pamina. She has her moments in this recording. Note how her high, melodic voice seems to come from nowhere as she confronts Sarastro and Tamino for the first time "Herr! Ich bin zwar Verbrecherin ! (Sir! I am the transgressor). Her aria "Ach Ich Fuhls" (O, I feel that happy days have passed) is the finest interpretation, full of pathos and a kind of melancholic madness, as well as her lines in her suicide attempt, finally, she is sublime as a strong woman ready to face trials with Tamino, especially striking when she sings the line "Tamino!".

Kurt Moll's Sarastro is without question the best. His voice is suited for God. So divine and sonorous and full of grace, his voice is especially noticeable in the aria "O Isis and Osiris " and "In deisen Heilen Hallen"( In these holy halls). Finally, and not to be missed, is Edda Moser's incredible interpretation of the Queen of the Night. You have not heard the true Queen of the Night, until you've heard Edda Moser. She has a Wagnerian intensity and neurosis in her lines, apt and effective for the role of a Queen bent on deception and the murder of her rival, Sarastro. Her aria "O Zittre Nicht, Mein Lieber Son" (O tremble not, beloved son" is full of lyric dramatic passages and coloratura at the end. The vengeance aria "Der Holle Rache Kocht Meine Herzen "(Hell's Anger Burns Within My Heart) is full of fire. The way she attacks the dramatic, powerful lines is out of this world and the high F's she escalates are unsurpassed.

Excellent recording (out of print), but idiotic book.
The re-release of the legendary 1972 recording of Die Zauberflote, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, is a great blessing to all who know and love this great work. Edda Moser's interpretation of the Queen of the Night is justly celebrated, achieving not only transcendently perfect delivery, but also a chilling portrait of pure evil. All of the other cast members are excellent. The spoken role of Papageno is particularly striking, sounding sufficiently pungent to remind us that the role was originally played by Emanuel Schickaneder himself. The tempi are, for the most part remarkably well-chosen. In addition, the Masonic gravity of the subject matter is constantly respected. The chorus of the armed men is properly alarming, the cantus firmus stridently insistent above the counterpoint of the strings. Even more uncommon is the treatment of the secondary scenes of Act II, especially the chorus Welche Wonne, in which the evocation of the candidate's future "new life" is infused with the trepidation inevitably attendant upon any trial of life and death. All too often, this work, which is gravely serious in its intent, is presented as a fairy tale. This recording successfully conveys the philosophical context, and does justice to Mozart's attachment to Masonry. [The only flaw which I could detect is the inclusion of a very questionable musical fragment, inserted into Act II, Scene 11 {"Pamina, wo bist du?"). I could locate no reference to this anywhere in my extensive library on the subject, and can only speculate that it might be some unacknowledged retention from one of the infamous "reworkings" of the opera which occurred after Mozart's death....At any rate, it requires an explanation....]

In view of this, it is sad to see this beautiful recording issued in association with a perfectly vile and disrespectful book about the opera. The author has the temerity to liken this work to "a Broadway musical", "a rollicking entertainment for the common man" simply because it was composed as a Singspiel, or German opera with spoken dialogue. This is equivalent to likening one of Shakespeare's comedies to a street farce. The book also suggests that Zauberflöte was composed for purposes of pure entertainment, unless it is, perchance, a "work of profound insight" dressed up in the trappings of a "cartoon". Obviously, the writer is ignorant of the significance of the Egyptian setting in the time of Mozart, when it was a clear symbol for rational ideas and liberal politics. The details of the setting delineate the struggle which was then taking place in Europe, over the true nature of Masonry, philosophy and music, and which soon came to a terrible end, for that time at least, with the banning of Freemasonry in Austria, and the loss of much of the learning about ancient philosophy which had been so laboriously gathered in circles such as that frequented by Mozart. It is largely on account of Zauberflöte, which alludes with precision to much of that learning, that it was not entirely annihilated in the chaos of the revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Rather than misrepresenting this vitally important work, those who have the privilege of coming into contact with it should do all in their power to contribute to the very difficult, vital, and continuing attempt to understand it. While the availability of this recording is of great value, it is scandalous to see it associated with a contribution to the generally prevailing ignorance about this extremely important, and very difficult, work.

An irate Mozartian

Rare, Legendary Recording... but throw away the book.
The re-release of the legendary 1972 recording of Die Zauberflöte, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, is a great blessing to all who know and love this great work. Edda Moser's interpretation of the Queen of the Night is justly celebrated, achieving not only transcendently perfect delivery, but also a chilling portrait of pure evil. All of the other cast members are excellent. The spoken role of Papageno is particularly striking, sounding sufficiently pungent to remind us that the role was originally played by Emanuel Schickaneder himself. The tempi are, for the most part remarkably well-chosen. In addition, the Masonic gravity of the subject matter is constantly respected. The chorus of the armed men is properly alarming, the cantus firmus stridently insistent above the counterpoint of the strings. Even more uncommon is the treatment of the secondary scenes of Act II, especially the chorus Welche Wonne, in which the evocation of the candidate's future "new life" is infused with the trepidation inevitably attendant upon any trial of life and death. All too often, this work, which is gravely serious in its intent, is presented as a fairy tale. This recording successfully conveys the philosophical context, and does justice to Mozart's attachment to Masonry. [The only flaw which I could detect is the inclusion of a very questionable musical fragment, inserted into Act II, Scene 11 ("Pamina, wo bist du?"). I could locate no reference to this anywhere in my extensive library on the subject, and can only speculate that it might be some unacknowledged retention from one of the infamous "reworkings" of the opera which occurred after Mozart's death....At any rate, it requires an explanation....]

In view of this, it is sad to see this beautiful recording issued in association with a perfectly vile and disrespectful book about the opera. The author has the temerity to liken this work to "a Broadway musical", "a rollicking entertainment for the common man" simply because it was composed as a Singspiel, or German opera with spoken dialogue. This is equivalent to likening one of Shakespeare's comedies to a street farce. The book also suggests that Zauberflöte was composed for purposes of pure entertainment, unless it is, perchance, a "work of profound insight" dressed up in the trappings of a "cartoon". Obviously, the writer is ignorant of the significance of the Egyptian setting in the time of Mozart, when it was a clear symbol for rational ideas and liberal politics. The details of the setting delineate the struggle which was then taking place in Europe, over the true nature of Masonry, philosophy and music, and which soon came to a terrible end, for that time at least, with the banning of Freemasonry in Austria, and the loss of much of the learning about ancient philosophy which had been so laboriously gathered in circles such as that frequented by Mozart. It is largely on account of Zauberflöte, which alludes with precision to much of that learning, that it was not entirely annihilated in the chaos of the revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Rather than misrepresenting this vitally important work, those who have the privilege of coming into contact with it should do all in their power to contribute to the very difficult, vital, and continuing attempt to understand it. While the availability of this recording is of great value, it is scandalous to see it associated with a contribution to the generally prevailing ignorance about this extremely important, and very difficult, work.

An irate Mozartian


9-11: September 11th, 2001 (Stories to Remember, Volume 1)
Published in Paperback by DC Comics (2002)
Authors: Will Eisner, P. Craig Russell, John McCrae, Eric Powell, Jon J. Muth, David Chelsea, Eric Drooker, Kevin Nowlan, Paul Sloboda, and Paul Chadwick
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Amazing collectable, great read
Got this after a desire to collect the 9-11 comics as my ending run in comic collecting, and I must say I am impressed with not only the size of it, but the consitent and diverse work inside. Loads of unfamiliar work that perhaps wouldn't be seen on such a public level with such quality, and at 200 pages for the price its at, its damn good.

The stories themselves? Some make you think. Some make you wonder. All make you remember.

Heartfelt Tales of September 11th and it's Aftermath
There's really not much I can say about this book. The stories contained in it are poignant and touching and heartbreaking and hopeful all at once, and each and every contributor has given not only their time and talent to the project, but clearly they've also given a piece of their hearts. Being born and raised in New York City, the events of September 11th are especially painful to me, but I came away from reading this book feeling just a little more hopeful than I did when I started it. Kudos to all involved for a magnificent effort. (And all of the money goes to a good cause, too!)

Personal Takes on a Tragic Event
The power of the comic book medium is that, by using drawings, they express emotions and reactions that are difficult to put down in words. Due to the extreme nature of this event, this is an excellent way to express what we have all been through.

The most impact is provided by the independent, i.e. non-superhero, writers who express what they went through with pictures and words. From the initial shock to the lingering malaise, the complete cycle is expressed. Reading this book brought back those feelings in me and, even though my emotions were swelling up, I kept reading. This event is now part of our collective experience and we are forever affected by it.

I recommend reading through when you need some perspective on what's important in life. Enjoy life, tell your friends and family that you love them because you never know when it may end.

This review doesn't get too into the content of the book but the impact that it had. As for me, that's the sign of a good read.


Dawn: Lucifer's Halo
Published in Paperback by Sirius Entertainment Inc (1997)
Authors: Joseph Michael Linsner and P. Craig Russell
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Remarkable
Lucifer's Halo is the remarkable story of one man's spiritual battle with religion. Michael Joseph Lisner's striking art, incomparable symbolism and dialogue, provocative enough to startle, enhance the epic. Darrian Ashoka lives in a surrealistic New York City where the lower class is left to its plundering and filth by an elitist church who have moved to the city's outskirts. During a weekly Saturday night riot, Darrian is approached by Dawn, an enigmatic feminine deity, who invades his bed and provokes his intellect. On their next meeting, Dawn gives him Lucifer's Halo, remaining from his days as an angel. It is a dangerous bridge between Heaven and Hell and Darrian soon finds himself hounded by both sides in a bid for it. Darrian's fight to keep his gift is one of fright, confusion and reckoning. He must overcome fear and anger towards the other side and look deeply into his human soul for strength, truth and the right choice.

I LOVE DAWN
There are few graphic novels in my vast collection with such lush, visually appealing illustrations as JML's. Dawn is the most beautifully rendered (caucasian) vision of the Goddess ever captured on paper, and to quote the foreword, few artists have reflected such a love for his main character as Linsner. His hard rock/heavy metal heritage is plain to see throughout the book, but it does not diminish the fact that Dawn is alive in his mind and on the pages. The written story itself isn't as solid as it could have been, but Linsner's skills as a graphic storyteller more than compensate for any shortcomings one might find. Any serious lover of art, fantasy or mythology should own Lucifer's Halo. PAGANS RULE!

Not for the conservative
There are four gods above all others, Allah/Adonai/Yahweh the god of order, rigid and merciless; Lucifer the cast off angel who now commands chaos, mercurial and chaoitc; Dawn, the mother goddess of birth and rebirth; and her husband, the horned lord of the hunt and death, Cerennus. The story follows Dawn as she attempts to reawaken her lover to his divine nature, in his mortal incarnation of Darrian Ashkova. She gives him Lucifer's Halo so that he can see and interact with the people of Heaven and Hell, and learn his own place in the scheme of things. A definite must for anyone into great storytelling.


Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)
Published in Paperback by Dark Horse Comics (1997)
Authors: John Wagner, P. Craig Russell, and Cary Porter
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Excellent novel. Definetly worthy of Star Wars universe
This book deals with all that happens between "Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." One of the main charactures is Prince Xixor. He seems to be another of the Emperor's cronies. Like Darth Vader. Han Solo is frozen in carbonite. Leia and Luke are trying to find him and bring him back to "the land of the living." Anyone who enjoys watching the movies and reading the books should read this book without delay.

Many will read this and not put it down until they're done!
All right, Star Wars fans! You waited for the story of what REALLY happened between the Movies (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi) and now you got it! Wondering "How did Luke all of a sudden become a Jedi Knight in Return of the Jedi?"? Or maybe "When did the second Death Star start?"? Well, here it is! And if you liked the game... You'll LOVE the book! Han Solo is frozen in Carbonite... Luke Skywalker is becoming a Jedi... And the Empire has the alliance in their grasp! What will happen? The suspense is endless. The battles in this book go into so much detail, you'd swear you were actually there! Pick it up... YOU WON'T PUT IT DOWN! The best Star Wars book to date! Experience Shadows of the Empire!

Outstanding bridge between sagas
I thought this was a wonderfully written book. I thought that the author did a great job of keeping the tone and the wording of the book in harmony with that of the other two books. I have read other books that are about Star Wars, and it didn't feel like the story flowed the way it should in the hands of these new authors. This couldn't be said for Steve Perry. If I hadn't seen his name at the beginning, I would have thought that George Lucas himself had written it. If you are a lover of the Star Wars movies or books then you should read this book. It answers a lot of questions you might have about some of the things that take place in Return of the Jedi


Jungle Book: Stories
Published in Paperback by NBM Publishing, Inc. (2003)
Authors: P. Craig Russell and J. Craig Russell
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Average review score:

Learn the Jungle Law, it's still in effect
The story of Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves in the jungles of 19th century India, charmed me when I was young no less than it does today. Kipling wrote this to celebrate his love of India and it's wild animals as well as to show again some of his frequent themes of honor, loyalty, and perserverance. While his writing may seem 'dated' to some, to others the truths he includes rise above politics and 'current correctness'. Baloo the Bear, Shere Khan the Tiger, Bagheera the Panther, Kaa the Python were all childhood friends of mine, and reading these Jungle Book stories to your own children today will result in their exposure to such old fashioned concepts as sticking by your friends in adversity, helping your family, relying on yourself. Good lessons then, good lessons now. Mowgli learns the value of 'good manners' early on, learns that 'all play and no work' leads to unexpected troubles, learns that thoughtless actions can have devasting consequences. By showing Mowgli in an often dangerous 'all animal' world, we see reflections of modern human problems presented in a more subtle light. Kipling leads children down the jungle path into adventures beyond their day to day imagining and along the way, he weaves subtle points in and out of the stories, he shows the value of 'doing for yourself', of 'learning who to trust'. All of this in a tale of childhood adventure that's never been equaled. The book is over 100 years old now, and there are terms & concepts from the age of Empire that aren't 'correct' today. Parents can edit as needed as they read bedtime stories, but I've found that children learn early on that the world changes, and that some ideas that were popular long ago did not prove to be correct. Explaining this, too, is a part of parenting. Some of our current popular ideas may not stand the test of time, but I suspect that 100 years from now parents will still read the Jungle Book to their children. And the children will still be charmed, thrilled and instructed in valuable life-lessons.

A book of wonder
This was probably one of my most favorite books as a young child if not my favorite. The way Kipling shows the struggle of this young boy in the jungle is amazing. He fails to leave out any detail and throughout the whole story your totally caught up in it without one point of boredom. I recommend this to any parent looking for a good book to read to their children or to have their kids read. Kipling is a great author and after doing a report on him and reading some of his other works I recommend those as well, especially A White Man's Burden. If your looking for books by a author who mixes fiction with truth, action and adventure with tales that bring in more serious aspects Kipling is the author for you.

A True Original
The Jungle Books are usually marketed as juvenile fiction. True, this is essential reading for children, but it's even deeper when you read it as an adult.

Although "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" and "The White Seal" are just as good as the least of the Mowgli stories, it is the various tales of the boy raised in the jungles of India that are - and justifiably - the heart of the collection.

As a baby, Mowgli is found and raised by a clan of wolves and three godfatherly mentors who each teach him about life in different ways - Baloo the Bear, who teaches him the technical laws he'll need to survive; Kaa the Python, the nearly archtypal figure who teaches him even deeper lessons; and Bagheera the Panther, who perhaps loves Mowgli most of all but understands all too well the implications of the ambiguous humanity of the boy he's come to care for.

The stories have it all, from the alternately humorous and frightening "Kaa's Hunting", where Mowgli learns an important lesson about friendship and it's responsibility, to the epic "Red Dog" that reads like something out of Homer, to "Letting in the Jungle" which, without giving anything away contains a disturbing paragraph that's both glaring and a long time in coming if you've read between the lines in the previous Mowgli stories and yet at the same time so subtle you can almost miss it's importance.

If you didn't read it as a child, read it now. If you did, read it again as an adult.


Star Wars: Crimson Empire, Volume 1
Published in Paperback by Dark Horse Comics (02 December, 1998)
Authors: Mike Richardson, Randy Stradley, Paul Gulacy, and P. Craig Russell
Amazon base price: $12.57
List price: $17.95 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $6.00
Collectible price: $11.65
Buy one from zShops for: $10.95
Average review score:

Nice. Nice but not great.
I personally never took any particular interest in Emperor Palpatine's Royal Guard, which made a brief appearance in the last film of the original Star Wars series. Nevertheless, I did like the idea of a comic centering on this somewhat shady branch of ye olde series' Evil Empire. I liked that idea a lot.
To be perfectly honest though, reading the implementation of this idea did leave me with somewhat mixed fealings to having spend 12.57 purchasing it.

Don't get me wrong, it was nice enough. The story is good enough to keep most Star Wars fans interested, and it certainly is somewhat more original compared some other Star Wars comics. But nevertheless, it certainly isn't novel-grade material either.
in addition to this, the pencils were downright poor, and almost suggest that the artist suffered from a serious lack of either time or skill. The drawings weren't really hearthwrenchingly awfull either, but that is also the nicest thing I have to say about them.
The colouring was a lot better, even sometimes compensating for the poor pencils.

All in all, this certainly isn't a comic even the most zealous fans of the series really OUGHT to have. Nevertheless, those SW-junkies who do decide to purchische this book will probably have a good time reading it. And of course it IS a must have for the Royal Guard fans amongst us.

Not up to expectations
Crimson Empire had a lot of potential but Dark Horse failed to exploit it to the max. The idea of an Imperial Super-Hero that remains Imperial no matter what is very interesting, that this character was a member of the elite Imperial Guard is even more so, but beyond that, the story was hollow, the characters were not explored in depth and the art was not among the best for Star Wars Comics. Cover Art is Amazing (in this TPB you get a Cover Art Gallery for all 6 issues at the end of the book). Yes, the online issue #0 was adapted and included in this book, not at the very beginningm but a few pages into the story.

A very good story . . . if you like the Crimson Guard
While this story was not a complete loss, both the story line and the art were unremarkable. The story was definitely not a major event in the Star Wars universe, and it will probably not be one of the talked about story lines in the years to come. Overall it is just below average for a Star Wars tale. ALTHOUGH, if you are a fan of the Crimson Guard, this book is very enjoyable, and worth the money. The reader gets to see inside their training, and learns of their fate after the Dark Empire story line. Add to that several great action sequences of the Guard, and you have a great story for any lover of the Crimson Guard. (I am a fan of the Crimson Guard, hence the 4 stars.)


Elric: Stormbringer
Published in Paperback by Dark Horse Comics (24 June, 1998)
Authors: Dark Horse Comics, Michael Moorcock, and P.Craig Russell
Amazon base price: $12.57
List price: $17.95 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $7.50
Collectible price: $17.95
Buy one from zShops for: $11.69
Average review score:

A very good work
The drawings are very good, and I think that the author captured the gist of Elric's stories, and graphically interpreted the angst of Elric's torn soul. Elric is very similar as I'd have imagined. Only, poor Moonglum is very shabbily portrayed: maybe the authors didn't realize that Moonglum is an image of the author Michael Moorcock who is well bearded.
Anyway, I loved it. And the homophobes who did'nt like Neil Gaiman story can go look at ... bunnies.

Ranks up there with Kirby
Unfortunately, I have not read the Elric novels. However, I have read some fantasy and some comics. This comic ranks up there with the best of the titles by the masters of the comics medium. There's a philosophy expressed in every panel and every word balloon. There's also a lot of energy expressed and you can tell Russell loves the Elric stories.

Those of us who love comics will tell you the undisputed master was Jack Kirby. And his New Gods is his masterpiece. This book ranks up there with this work of the King. Every page astonishes.

Gorgeous!
This is a sumptuous feast for the eyes. Stormbringor has been adapted in a grand form by one of the comic industry's finest storytellers. P.Craig Russell has never delivered a more beautifully and well designed project in his entire career. Stormbringer is the last of the Elric tales, for the sake of continuity, and he's in fine, tragic form. This adaptation is very close to the novel and it's Russell's patience with the sequential form and his love of the source that shines through. The package is very well done. Good quality paper, cover stock (and awesomely rendered cover art) and wonderful coloring makes this book stand out among what's been passing for graphic novels. In short, this is what a graphic novel should be. I read Stormbringer in my 18th year and loved this ending of the tragic Elric saga. Russell's adaptation is a fine way to read it for the first time, or, the last. Enjoy this one. It's a rare package and well worth the price of admission. Books like this one are the reason I'm still reading comics in my middle age.


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