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The Walking Dead (Volume 17) Something to Fear by Robert Kirkman.

"An extremely dark turn in the series when Rick's group meets the infamous Negan. Rick's arrogance in thinking they could fight them is quickly proven very, very wrong, with dire consequences. " 4 Stars Pros:   As with all stories, Hubris is the downfall of the hero, Rick was too arrogant, thinking his group could fight the Saviors when he knew nothing about them, and thus, he paid, dearly.  Cons:  Abraham/Glen, so many good characters gone/Negan is so uncouth, he reminds me a whole Hell of a lot of Trump and that'd disgusting.  Full Review:  On their way back from the Hilltop, the group encounters men on motorcycles. They say that they are Negan and that they speak for him and now everything that Rick's' group has, is theirs. Rick decides to be arrogant and kill all of them except for the one, telling him to go back to Negan and tell him their arrangement. That they are protecting the Hilltop and that if Negan comes after them again, it won't end well

The Walking Dead (Volume 16) A Larger World by Robert Kirkman.

"Another "this is our chance to stop surviving and really start LIVING" issue. And as with all the volumes before it that have had that vibe, the feeling won't last. The cliche is getting tiresome." 3 Stars.  Pros:   Again, I like the character Eugene and also with the introduction of Negan, there's a new bad guy in town.  Cons:  Same old, "this is our chance to stop just surviving but really LIVING" cliche/Rick's hairline trigger temper and his first instinct is always violence.  Full Review:  Rick of course regrets hooking up with Andrea as he admits that it seems that every person he's let himself get close to has died, so he rejects her advances. While Abraham and Michonne are out checking the perimeter, they run into a man who asks to see their leader. They get Rick and the man, who he says his friends call him Jesus, explains that he comes from a community about twenty miles away on the other side of D.C. They have two hundred people

The Walking Dead (Volume 15) We Find Ourselves by Robert Kirkman.

"As the group tries to rebuild after the zombie horde attack, Carl wakes up and Rick, of course, has to deal with a power play struggle. Again, good group has good thing, bad group wants what good group has, fight ensues, zombies. Wash, Rinse, Repeat."  2 Stars Pros:   I like Eugene as a character. He made a mistake, he shouldn't have lied, but he confessed and for the most part he seems to be a genuinely good person, not just hooking up with anything with a pulse etc. He thinks with his brain, not other parts.  Cons:  Everyone hooking up with everyone else/Michonne's bitchiness Full Review:  After the group bands together to thin out the zombie horde, they get to work planning on re-building the community. When he's not busy being a leader, Rick is at Carl's bedside, hoping and praying that he wakes up. He's in a coma and Denise isn't too sure how bad the damage is but Rick holds onto hope. Meanwhile, Rosita tells Abraham that she's aware he's

The Walking Dead (Volume 14) No Way Out by Robert Kirkman.

"Gunshots from the previous issue have drawn a zomnbie horde to the gates of Alexandria and the group has to band together to survive, as usual. "  3 Stars.  Pros:   Michonne actually admitting that she has feelings was a first.  Cons:  Who will hook up with who this time/Andrea is apparently Wonder Woman and has the uncanny ability to save the lives of everyone at the most conveinent times.  Full Review:  Aaron and Eric return and Eric's been stabbed but he survives. Aaron goes to tell Douglas that he doesn't want to go on recruiting missions anymore, that he thinks they lucked out with Rick's group but that it's time to close the gates. Douglas is grieving over his wife's death and isn't processing much. Meanwhile the gunshots from the previous volume have drawn a horde of zombies to the gates. Jessie and Ron, the widow and son of Pete, the man that Rick killed, ask to stay with Rick because they just don't feel safe with more zombies outside the

The Walking Dead (Volume 13) Too Far Gone by Robert Kirkman.

"The group acclimates to life in Alexandria but of course, nothing can ever stay simple or easy. Violence ensues, death, zombies, bad group wants what good group has, the whole shebang."  3 Stars.  Pros:   Glen and Maggie's relationship, even through everything they've been together, they love each other, no matter what.  Cons:  Michonne can be a real bitch/Rick sticking his nose into everyone's business and everyone always looking to him for the answers. He's magical and knows all, it gets old/Bad group wants what good group has, good group fights back, death ensues, zombies.  Full Review:  The group more or less acclimates to Alexandria. While on the construction site, Abraham saves the life of a woman named Donna who would have been eaten by zombies if he hadn't intervened. The man who led the construction group, Tobin, is ashamed and admits to Douglas later that he'll willingly give Abraham his job as leader at the construction site, that he's

The Walking Dead (Volume 12) Life Among Them by Robert Kirkman.

"The group is approached by someone named Aaron who says he represents a community near Washington, D.C. They are brought to Alexandria, interviewed by the leader, Douglas and all given "jobs." That's how the community works, everyone pulls their weight and everyone is kept safe and fed. It all seems too good to be true, and that's why Rick and the others aren't letting their guard down, even a little bit."  5 Stars Pros:   Though you want Alexandria to work, the groups suspicion is understandable/The idea of Alexandria is interesting but you know that it won't last, so the reader is hooked wondering what will go wrong now?  Cons:  Everyone falling for Andrea, she's like flies on pie. But, eh, it is what it is.   Full Review:  With Dale gone, the group hits the road once more. And it turns out that as they get closer to D.C., Rick is eager to see if Eugene's picked up any sort of transmission from the Government. He goes to check the radio, b

The Walking Dead (Volume 11) Fear the Hunters by Robert Kirkman.

"A brutal, dark and gut-wrenching volume that doesn't pull any punches. There's a new "bad group" that the "good group" has to deal with but they also suffer their own losses from within and it's tough to see how they're going to get out of any of this unscathed.."  5 Stars Pros:   Rick hasn't completely lost his humanity, though he's coming very close, teetering on a very thin precipice. Cons:   Again, what horrible situation will the group find themselves dealing with this time. I mean, it makes the story progress, but it gets a bit old/Who will be the big baddie this week?  Full Review:  The group is on the road in their continued quest to Washington D.C. In the morning, Andrea goes to look for the twins, Billy and Ben, and she finds Ben standing over the mutilated body of his brother, holding a bloody knife. And he says ever so calmly, "It's ok, I didn't hurt his brain. He'll come back."  The boy is obvious

The Walking Dead (Volume 10) What We Become by Robert Kirkman.

"Things are tense in the group with the new arrivals but after dealing with a horrible situation, Rick and Abraham find a common bond. While passing close to Atlanta, Rick takes a detour with Abraham and Carl to check on some "unfinished business" and ends up bringing a new addition to the group. Dale, convinced he's found a safe place, is forced to abandon it when Rick et al return, running for their lives from a zombie herd. He's furious, convinced that Rick ruins everything and is always finding some way to endanger their lives. The thing is, he's not entirely wrong."  5 Stars.  Pros:   Showing more of Abraham as a character, getting his backstory, shows that he's not a bad person, he's just been forced to do bad things, the same as Rick.  Cons:  Morgan, Morgan, Morgan, I understand why you did what you did but...it's just going to end badly.  Full Review:  The crew hit the road with the new additions of Abraham, Eugene and Rosita. Things

The Walking Dead (Volume 9) Here We Remain by Robert Kirkman.

"A surprisingly heartfelt volume that shows Carl growing up and adds more numbers to the group when they run into travelers who are on a very important mission." 5 Stars.  Pros:   I'm a big fan of the characters of Abraham and Eugene, so I'm glad that they finally showed up.  Cons:  Again, what life threatening situation can Rick get himself into this time but it's all for the sake of letting Carl grow as a character.  Full Review:  After escaping the massacre at the prison, Carl and Rick find shelter in a nearby town. Rick's bullet wound becomes infected and he slips in and out of consciousness, leaving Carl to fend for himself. And he does just that. He manages to kill zombies, find food and take care of himself. And he also airs out his grievances at his Father, who really can't hear him because he's unconscious. Carl does a lot of growing up in this volume but he's also still just a kid, 8 years old at the most, so it's heart wrenching to s

The Walking Dead (Volume 8) Made to Suffer by Robert Kirkman

  "The Governor attacks the prison and the consequences are dire." 3 Stars.  Pros:   The Governor gets his in the end, not as painful and slow as you would want, but, he gets his.  Cons:  Every issue seems to contain "what devastating injury can Rick sustain but still survive from" this time, it gets old/Even though I didn't like her as a character, Lori's death came way out of left field, also to kill a baby, yeah, it's just wrong/I feel like the writers just needed a way to conveniently kill off a huge chunk of the group and this was how they did it.  Full Review:  The Governor has managed to fill the people of Woodbury's heads with lies about the people from the prison. Saying that they killed Martinez, tortured the Governor and stole all sorts of supplies, so it's only just that the people of Woodbury fight back. That's how he gets them to follow him.  Meanwhile, back at the prison, the group survives the first attack, but just barely. Ri

The Walking Dead (Volume 7) The Calm Before by Robert Kirkman.

  "Appropriately titled, the group enjoys "The calm before the storm" as life goes on and their worries of the people from Woodbury lessen. Though nothing good can ever last." 3 Stars.  Pros:   Alice, the would be doctor that escaped from Woodbury with Rick et al, is proving herself quite handy as she helps deliver Lori's baby/Though things are tough, Dale losing a foot etc, the group very much enjoys this "calm before the storm" as the volume is appropriately titled. It's a little bit of normalcy amidst all the insanity.  Cons:  Carol is just hard to understand as a character and her death is just...strange/I understand Michonne is mysterious and troubled but her lack of emotion makes her hard to like at times.  Full Review:  A team from the group raid the National Guard station that the Governor had mentioned and find a good cache of supplies. They return to the prison just in time for Lori to give birth to a baby girl, that they name Judith. The

The Walking Dead (Volume 6) This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman.

"The prisoners manage to escape Woodbury and return to the Prison. As the situation evolves, Rick fears that he's quickly losing his humanity." 4 Stars.  Pros:   Maggie and Glen's relationship is a bright spot in an otherwise bleak situation.  Cons:  Michonne's payback on the governor, though justified, is gruesome.  Full Review:  With the help of a man named Martinez, Rick, Glen and Doctor Stevens and his assistant Alice, escape Woodbury. They rescue Michonne but she stays behind to pay the Governor a visit. She does everything he did to her and then some. After she finishes with him, she escapes and heads back to the prison. They all make it back safely only to find the prison overrun with zombies.  It turns out that when Tyreese came back from looking for them, they didn't shut the gate in time and the zombies swarmed in. They manage to clean up and everyone, except for Otis escapes unscathed. They're all back, safe and sound, for the most part, at the

The Walking Dead (Volume 5) The Best Defense by Robert Kirkman.

"Enter the Governor, one of the sickest, most twisted characters to ever grace the presence of Comic Books/TV etc. This volume is not for the faint of heart but it shows that some people, no matter how insane things are around them, still want what they want and will do anything to get it." 4 Stars.  Pros:   This is one of the more surprising volumes, it definitely keeps you guessing.  Cons:  This volume is not for the faint of heart/Also Lori's overreactions and bitchiness towards Carol could be blamed on pregnancy hormones or she's just a bitch, not sure which it is.  Full Review:  Time has passed and friendships are more or less mended. The group has made their way through the prison and are more or less setting up shop. Glen and Rick go to siphon gas out of the cars in the prison parking lot to put into the generator when they see a helicopter in the sky. They watch it crash and so Rick, Glen and Michonne decide to go and see if there are any survivors.  While the

The Walking Dead (Volume 4) The Heart's Desire by Robert Kirkman.

"Everyone hooks up with everyone else, suicide attempts, the blame game is played, massive fist fights and Rick comes to a realization at the end that they are, all, in fact, The Walking Dead. Roll credits." 3 Stars.  Pros:   I do like Glen and Maggie as characters, they, for the most part, seem to be the most level headed of the bunch.  Cons:  Michonne comes off as "loose" and Carol's reaction to everything always seems to be to kiss people in awkward situations/Peoples reactions are just...so strange.  Full Review:  As Dexter holds Rick and the group at gunpoint and gives them the option to leave or else, Rick opens the door to Cell Block A and releases a horde of Zombies. In the middle of the shootout, Otis arrives from Hershel's ranch and he's saved from the Zombies on the outside of the fence by a woman in a cloak with two zombies collared together shambling behind her. She kills with a sword and is quiet and mysterious and has been on her own for n

The Walking Dead (Volume 3) Safety Behind Bars by Robert Kirkman

"Place that seems too good to be true is too good to be true and throw in some Zombies for flare." 3 Stars.  Pros:   The character of Axel, one of the prison inmates is an amusing bit.  Cons:  I understand that everyone deals with grief differently but the characters in the series just seem to react very strangely, IE, Carol kissing Lori when she's mourning for Tyreese whom she thinks is dead, it's just odd/Again, group finds place that's too good to be true and as always, it is too good to be true.  Full Review:  The group clears out what they can of the prison and move into their new home but once they come to the cafeteria, they find that four inmates are still there. The guards had released them when everything went to Hell and then when everything crumbled, they locked them in the cafeteria and ran. The group is uncomfortable with the fact that they're sharing dwelling with convicts but the prison seems to be the safest place they've found.  As a way

The Walking Dead (Volume 2) Miles Behind Us by Robert Kirkman.

"The group hits the road in search of a more secure location and everywhere they find has something to hide. Also more people are added to the group, thus adding to the dynamic. " 3 Stars.   Pros:   People are starting to "couple up", Carol and Tyreese, Maggie and Glenn etc though of course things never stay stable.  Cons:  Lori as a character is just obnoxious, she flies off the handle at the smallest provocation and her tantrums get old real fast/Everyone in the group has some serious anger issues.   Full Review:  Picking up right where Volume 1 left off, Shane is buried and we find that he and Lori did in fact sleep together when Rick was in the coma. She confesses to Rick later that she's pregnant. And Dale, who's always the first to offer up his opinion to others, explains to Rick that the baby might not be his. Rick is well aware of that fact and is simply trying to not think about it, lest it drive him crazy.  They pack everything up into the RV and s

The Walking Dead (Volume 1) Days Gone By by Robert Kirkman.

"The first volume throws you right into the fray with no explanation, no real background but it doesn't really matter. A zombie story is a zombie story but for what it's worth, this one is entertaining at least. " 4 Stars.   Pros:  Rick is in general a kind, intelligent, loving man. Though you don't learn much of the other characters until later, for the most part they all seem to be varied and different, making for an interesting ensemble.  Cons:  Though I understand why they did it, the "no explanation at all whatsoever" as far as the Zombie apocalypse goes" having Rick wake up in the hospital and the whole world has changed, I always kind of feel like that's a cheat. They could have least expounded upon some of the other characters hardships and how they actually arrived at the camp outside Atlanta.  Full Review:  Rick Grimes, small town Police Officer in Kentucky, is shot in the line of duty and slips into a coma. When he awakens, the hospit

Lucifer (Book #3) by Mike Carey

  "Most of the loose threads created from the first two books are tied up nicely in this book but it just didn't leave me wanting to read more. I'm satisfied in leaving the series here, even though I know there are more books available. It no longer has that "pull" for me " 2 Stars.  Pros:  Most of the loose threads created by the previous books (Elaine Belloc, the Child of the Basanos that was growing in Jill Presto, etc, etc, etc, were more or less wrapped up, which is why I don't feel bad putting this series down.  Cons:  Lucifer can never, ever, ever be beaten. I understand, he's the Father of Lies but how time and time again he always has some last trap to spring, it just got old and predictable.  Full Review:  Lucifer and Amenadiel finally have their long awaited duel. Lucifer goes on a quest with Mazikeen et al to rescue the soul of Elaine Belloc, the half human, half angel who helped him in a previous book. Michael and Lucifer learn what God&

iron Gold (Red Rising Saga #4) by Pierce Brown.

"A continuation of the Red Rising  series that shows us that peace is never easy and there are always shadows lurking, waiting for the  perfect time to strike.." 4 Stars.  Pros:  The same characters we know and love, Darrow, Sevro/New characters like Ephraim and Apollonius who you want to hate but almost sort of like, even though they're definitely chaotic neutral and you're just not quire sure what they'll do next.   Cons:  Though I have a feeling the "death" of this certain character didn't actually happen because no body was ever shown, even if it did happen, it was completely glossed over and I felt it should have been like a punch to the gut/Though peace is never easy, the continued "sovereignty" of the Rim and Lysander's part in all this feels like it's just going to lead to the same kind of story again and again.  Full Review:  ***Contains Spoilers (if you haven't read the previous books in the series yet)*** It's bee

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

"Let yourself be swept up in the waves of the Starless Sea and find peace, joy and contentment in this vivid, beautiful world that Morgenstern has created." 4 Stars.  Pros: Morgenstern is amazing at making every scene almost tangible, so vivid you feel like if you shut your eyes, you're there/The idea of the libraries in the Harbor on the shores of the Starless Sea is intense but amazing, a place made of books and dedicated to the keeping of stories, sign me up.  Cons: The romance between Dorian and Zachary felt a little rushed but at the same time, in the end, it just felt right/The ending was pretty rote but it worked.  Full Review:  There are doors all over the world but you have to be brave enough to open them to see what's behind.  On the shores of the Starless Sea there are underground tunnels, all dedicated to the preservation and collection of all the stories that happen every day, all around us. There are Acolytes, who collect the stories. There are Guardia