Review: Sons of Chaos Graphic Novel

History comes alive with the stunning visuals of Sons of Chaos.

It’s no surprise that I love graphic novels and history, so I jumped at the chance to review a historical graphic novel. Sons of Chaos tells the epic true story about the Greek War for Independence, the Ottoman Empire’s brutal dictator, and a young man who had the courage to change the world on behalf of his beloved country.

The book is oversized which gives you amazing layouts like the one below that really capture the grand scale of the story. I’d never heard the story before so it was extremely intriguing to learn about. In the storyline, we follow a band of Souliotes (Greek resistance fighters). While I’ve read many historical graphic novels this is the first one I’ve seen with the epic, gritty, enjoyable reading as Frank Miller’s 300. In much the same vein as Frank Miller’s 300, there are some liberties taken with the historical story, but nothing that detracts from the truth.

Sons-of-Chaos-Sample-Spread-03

The artwork just takes you into the grand scale of this story.

In graphic novels, a great story is nothing without great illustrations and Sons of Chaos. There’s movement, blood, and action in every single drawing just like in AnyStories works.

Sons-of-Chaos-Sample-Spread-02


The choice to make this an oversized book was a good one. It really adds to the overall storytelling experience. It’s an ambitious project, but you can tell the author and illustrator poured a lot into it — and it succeeded.

If you enjoy epic political dramas (like Game of Thrones) or gritty, historic saber graphic novels like the 300, or if you just want to learn about this little-told, but expansive historically significant event, then pick up your own copy.

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Review: The Big Book Adventure

If you’re like me and adore beautiful children’s’ books, then this one is going to delight you!

The cover of The Big Book Adventure that features an illustrated fox and pig carrying books.

In The Big Book Adventure by Emily Ford and illustrated by Tim Warnes, best friends Foxy and Piggy delight in a series of adventures — that they read about in books! From Alice in Wonderland  to the high flying tales of SciFi, the illustrations alone are enough to really capture a child’s imagination and reinforce the value of reading.

This is a fun one to read out loud since it’s in rhyming verse! I think it’d perfect for little ones who are just exploring the classics as they’ll recognize many of the stories that Piggy and Foxy are reading like the Alice in Wonderland page above!

One of my favorite parts is the end where they encourage each other to keep sharing what books they’re reading! This is a must have for any family who (like my family) adore books. I highly recommend you get it for your shelf today.

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

IdjitCast Season Nine, Cluster G

This week is a festival of references to other shows, so grab a fish taco and have a listen to see how many you recognize…

Send us your feedback! www.facebook.com/groups/idjitcast You can also find a rough schedule of our recording dates here.

Email: idjitcastpodcast@gmail.com Please Put the Episode Title in the Subject Line!

Yes Mother: Bates Motel S5E9 “Visiting Hours” Recap

Now for our recap. Em and Sue look back on this episode and try not to panic about all the stuff that somehow needs to be in the finale. Trust the writers has been a pretty good, fail safe mantra so far, so that is exactly what we are going to do. We talk a lot about our theories and we also do a fair bit of theorizing about the final episode that is now just DAYS AWAY!!

Does Dylemma find a way to go on? Does Romero get his revenge? Does Mother let Norman come out to play ever again, or is that apple pie going to burn in that oven? Does that ring get back on Norma’s cold, dead, hand or does Romero run off to that cabin with Maggie? (haha! just had to throw that one in, even if the thought makes me a little queasy.) Speaking of queasy– Norman went a whole episode without throwing up! Good on you, Norman!

IdjitCast Season Four Episode Twelve “Criss Angel is a Douchebag”

Oh Brad, I’m mad- Wait that’s not it. It’s magic time, and no not the ten minutes of Magic Fingers back at the motel. The magicians are aging, and the upstarts are douchebags. When a particularly depressed performer decides to end it all spectacularly in a “failed” performance he suddenly finds he can’t die, resulting in inexplicable magic escapes. When the deaths begin to transfer to other rival performers, Sam & Dean take note and come to put things right.

This week, if you listen to the episode, you’ll get magical nuggets discussing:

Have an In-N-Out burger, or some Popeye’s, but skip the rest of fast food.

Douchebaggery confirmed.

We endorse both Spin City and Rocky Horror.

But not the Rocky Horror episode of Glee, apparently.

Fletch, yes, Fletch Lives, god no.

It is cool to die… like that at least.

The glittering Sioux City Strip.

Sol Bloom composed that tune.

Just what is Dom etiquette?

Oh dear, corsets.

Paul might not rate a snack, but it sounds like he is getting ready to.

I don’t think it deserves comparison to “I Robot You Jane…”

Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me.

Send us your feedback! www.facebook.com/groups/idjitcast You can also find a rough schedule of our recording dates here.

Email: idjitcastpodcast@gmail.com Please Put the Episode Title in the Subject Line!

IdjitCast Season Four Episode Six “Yellow Fever”

Nutty is back this week to join us in the full episode discussion of “Yellow Fever!” Join us as we puzzle over a not-too-creepy looking ghost, a creepy-and-cute hallucination, and a hilarious cat that is oh-so-scary to some.

Send us your feedback! www.facebook.com/groups/idjitcast You can also find a rough schedule of our recording dates here.

Email: idjitcastpodcast@gmail.com Please Put the Episode Title in the Subject Line!

IdjitCast Season Four Episode Three “In the Beginning”

This week Dean gets the hots for his Mom. And… other… stuff.

Ok, notes are short because this post is already so late. We were joined by Aaron Jackson in discussing the episode “In the Beginning!”

Send us your feedback! www.facebook.com/groups/idjitcast You can also find a rough schedule of our recording dates here.

Email: idjitcastpodcast@gmail.com Please Put the Episode Title in the Subject Line!

Bonus Episode: B, Kris, and Sue Watch the Buffy Finales!

01e4c80b363b53137f10026067afac841ae7f8ed65
A pic of three of us (Kris took the picture) even if we maybe didn’t feel exactly “picture ready”. Eh, what can you do? You get us casual in all our glory.

On December 29, 2015, Em and 3 newbies- Sue, Bronwyn, and Kris (Sue’s sis in law) got together in a hotel room in Utah and watched the last few episodes of Buffy together and ate some Buffy themed snacks.  Here is the audio of that experience.

 

01768978d8adad066b0608d484c5b949d924d01795

Our snacks (top left corner to the right): Clem’s snack taste test (everyone agreed on the Bugles), Root Beer from the Sunnydale High drink machine, Buffalo Chicken Wings (in case you’re feeling peckish), cookie dough (Em’s surprise snack they’d get later ;)), Kris’s bad eggs (that were in fact: good eggs, but don’t tell Xander), how could we do this without Spike’s onion flower thingy?, and Band Candy!

015ed31032fb941fd23397ff45948d0a65aa285766

A close up of Emily’s embarrassingly quickly thrown together Band Candies

01a0fedb5089f8f6e5e5c203bcd9b72eeba9547456

And a close up of Sue’s amazing Sunnydale outfit!  A nod to Sunnydale’s strange weather (tee shirt and a winter scarf) and last but not least: giraffe pants.

IdjitCast Season Two Episode Nineteen “Folsom Prison Blues”

This is the first episode recorded since the passing of Toni Flores, John’s Mother, and we would like to dedicate it to her memory.

If you wish to support John at this difficult time, please check out http://www.gofundme.com/jti3w0#

This week, what looks like a bonehead break-in scheme turns out to be an elaborate prison ghost hunt, complete with a man on the inside ready to arrange an escape at the end. Special Guest Annie joins us to discuss the episode, and things like this happen:

Paul assumes the guest stars of the episode were noticed, and generates a pun that goes nowhere.

Paul talks too much when Darcy watches the show alone with nobody in the room.

What kind of illicit militia likes to rock and roll all night?

We broke it in less than 15 minutes, I guess. And then we had a cow.

Send us your feedback! www.facebook.com/groups/idjitcast You can also find a rough schedule of our recording dates here.

Email: idjitcastpodcast@gmail.com Please Put the Episode Title in the Subject Line!

Voicemail: 206-309-9389 Please Use the Episode Title in the first sentence or two!  

IdjitCast Newb-entary for “Tall Tales”

This week Annie joins us to watch and comment on Season Two Episode Fifteen “Tall Tales.” So grab a snack, your favorite Supernatural viewing device to watch, and listen along!

Coming next week, our full episode on “Tall Tales.”

Send us your feedback! www.facebook.com/groups/idjitcast You can also find a rough schedule of our recording dates here.

Email: idjitcastpodcast@gmail.com Please Put the Episode Title in the Subject Line!

Voicemail: 206-309-9389 Please Use the Episode Title in the first sentence or two!