Review Recap For April 3-22, 2017

The trip north was amazing! I'm way behind on posting photos (and even further behind on travel blog entries!), but I will be posting those in the coming weeks.

Between the trip, and then getting back to the day job, things have been busy. Here are the reviews I've written.

On Goodreads

Samurai by Louie Stowell, illustrated by Jason Engle: A history of the warriors of feudal Japan for young readers.

On Comic A Day

Mighty Archie Players #1: Some classic movie plots performed by classic Archie Comics characters in this Free Comic Book Day giveaway.

Scott Pilgrim Volume 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together: The fourth book in the epic series by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

Fist of Justice Vol. 1 #1: A Free Comic Book Day giveaway from Digital Webbing.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw: The third book in Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid series.

Venus Needs Sharks: A minicomic collection of gag strips by Matt Finley.

Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe: The penultimate book in Bryan Lee O'Malley's epic tale.

Little Archie: The House That Wouldn't Move: A promotional ashcan from Archie Comics in 2007.

Also This Week

I supported Elise Warshaver, who ran the Boston Marathon for UMass Boston's scholarship fund in memory of Boston Marathon bombing victim Krystle Campbell. She was successful in her marathon run; it it is still possible to donate.

I have joined Dreamwidth! These review recaps will be posted at ricksilvawriting.dreamwidth.org from here on. I'm not abandoning this blog, but I will be closing my LJ account in the next couple of weeks.

Upcoming

Heading to the USA on June 16. Leaving for Shanghai on July 27.

Review Recap For March 21 - April 2, 2017

I'm a bit late with this recap as we were closing in on the end of a marking period at the day job. But we're now on Spring Break, and I'm traveling tomorrow.

In the meantime, I got several new reviews posted over the last two weeks. All are posted on my Comic A Day blog, and several of those are cross-posted on Goodreads and Amazon.


On Comic A Day

Heavenly Bride Book 1: A supernatural romance manga by Katrina Joyner.

Avengers/Invaders Sketchbook: Promotional book for the Avengers/Invaders crossover from Marvel Comics.

Mr. Emergency Special Edition: Promotional minicomic by Wade L. Busby.

Catch A Dragon By The Tail: Minicomic fairy tale by Roxanne Larson.

Lontar #1: Journal of Southeast Asian speculative fiction.

Scott Pilgrim Volume 3: Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness: Third volume of Bryan Lee O'Malley's epic tale of musicians, slackers, and evil ex-boyfriends.

The Diary of Amos Lee: I Sit, I Write, I Flush: Graphic novel of middle school life in Singapore.

The Avengers: Free Comic Book Day 2009: Aftermath of Marvel's Civil War from 2009.

Also This Week

Boston's Walk for Hunger is an event I have supported over the years. I have walked in the event several times, starting in high school. This year I am supporting my friend Mary Perez, who will be participating in the event this year and raising money to help feed the hungry in the Boston area.

I'm also supporting author Peter David, who has reached out for help with his financial difficulties. I've read many of Mr. David's comics over the years, as well as a couple of my favorite Star Trek stories that he wrote, Rock and a Hard Place and Q-In-Law.

I've also been catching up on posting photos from recent travels. I have posted new photo sets from Kep, Cambodia, and Rabbit Island, Cambodia. And I've posted a set of photos taken on the road, traveling around Cambodia.

Upcoming

Leaving tomorrow for Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sapa, in northern Vietnam.

Heading home to the US June 16th, and then off to new adventures in Shanghai, China, at the end of July.

Review Recap For January 23-30, 2017

Well, the uncertainty of the last few months has finally come to an end. I am very happy to report that I have signed a contract for a new job for the next school year, in one of the biggest and fastest-growing cities on the planet!

We will be moving to Shanghai, China!

The new job is on a similar calendar to my current gig, so that means that we'll be visiting the US from late June until we head to China in late July.

Up until then, we'll be trying to make the most of our remaining time in Vietnam. We just celebrated Tet, and welcomed the Year of the Rooster, and I've got the rest of this week off from work. I've been getting things reorganized now that I'm out of job search mode, and I've had time to write some new reviews.

On Goodreads

How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell: The amusing book that was the (admittedly loose) basis for the hit film.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: The classic English romance. I read a lovely Grosset & Dunlap illustrated hardcover edition.

Manak: The Silent Predator by Adam Blade: My favorite of the Adam Blade books that I've read with the Kiddo so far.

On Comic A Day

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #14: From Marvel's Unmasked storyline in 2007.

Fantasy Theater #18: Featuring two adventures of Lady Spectra & Sparky.

Also This Week

The fundraiser I was supporting this week has ended, so I'm going to repost links to fundraisers for two people battling cancer that could still use more support.

Sabrina Chick, a friend of a family member of mine.

Duane Nelson, the husband of a friend.


Upcoming


I have a big backlog of photos to process and upload from recent travels as well as Tet festivities around Ho Chi Minh City.


In early April, we're looking at a possible trip to Sapa/Hanoi/Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam.


We leave for about a month in the US in late June, and then on to Shanghai in late July! No travel plans beyond that, but as of right now, my expectation is that most traveling we do in the 2017-2018 school year will probably be within China. It's a big country with a lot to see!

Review Recap For January 15-22, 2017

And after two weeks of day-job work, I find myself one vacation once again. This is our Tet break. No travel plans, although we'll visit the Tet festivities happening around Saigon. Mostly focusing on job search and writing/editing over these two weeks, with some time devoted to cleaning/organizing, and getting some day-job prep work done. I have two scheduled interviews so far during these two weeks, and one more being arranged.

Expect more output from me in terms of book and comic reviews over the next two weeks as well.

For now, I have a couple of new reviews.

On Comic A Day

Fisso's World In Cambodia: Living in a Kingdom of Wonders: Collection of cartoons I bought on our recent trip to Cambodia.

Blackest Night #0: The Free Comic Book Day intro for 2009's huge DC Universe crossover event.

Wish Me Luck: A minicomic from Boston Comics Roundtable.

Also This Week

I'm supporting three people battling cancer.

Sabrina Chick, a friend of a family member of mine.

Duane Nelson, the husband of a friend.

Friend and longtime SF convention attendee, Hugh Casey, who has a benefit convention being held next Sunday (Jan 29) in Philadelphia PA USA to fundraise for his expenses.

Upcoming

Tet happenings around Ho Chi Minh City over the next two weeks. We're also looking into the possibility of a trip to northern Vietnam in early April.

To Know Who Needs Help...

I know it's past the season for Christmas songs, but I am thinking today (while I avoid the political) of a line by Trans Siberian Orchestra:

"To know who needs help, you need only just ask."

My mom would have been 70 yesterday. She had her life cut short by cancer, and most of us know someone who they have lost or someone who is suffering from this disease now.

So, right now, three people that either I know or whose loved ones I am friends or family with, are in their own battles with cancer.

My mom was fortunate enough to have excellent health insurance through the union she'd been a member of for many years. She got the best care in available in the world. Many others are not so fortunate. So I'm contributing small donations to fundraising efforts for these three individuals.


Here are the three appeals I am donating to.

For Sabrina Chick, a friend of a family member of mine.

For Duane Nelson, the husband of a friend.

For friend and longtime SF convention attendee, Hugh Casey, who has a benefit convention being held next Sunday (Jan 29) in Philadelphia PA USA to fundraise for his expenses.

I would urge those with the funds to help out somehow, to do the same. For one of these three people, for someone else you know who is in their own battle with cancer, or for a stranger whose fundraising appeal you've found out about.

To know who needs help, you need only just ask.