So, yesterday was the official kick-off of the Keep Portland Weird festival here in Paris, which meant that I had a reading/screening in the...
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Fantastic old-school story about kid genius Mal, his faithful dog Chad and all the adventures and mishaps Mal's offbeat inventions (which include a time-traveling elevator, shrinking machine/vacuum cleaner, and water-breathing lollipops) get them into. What makes the story really great is the hilarious banter between Mal and Chad (particularly a funny argument about how good/bad dog food tastes). Great stuff!
I first learned of this book when I heard it was being made into a film for 2012. Interestingly, while this book was written in 1987, I found the story extremely timeless -- and possibly even more relevant today with all the attention on bullying among teens and young children. The basic plot is fairly straightforward -- two kids (ostensibly named "Howie" and "Laura" but generally called "the boy" and "the girl" for most of the novel) are stripped of their clothes and marooned on an island as a practical joke by the kids from their summer camp. Rather than wait to be rescued, however, the kids manage to get off the island, find clothes, and survive on their own for several days -- often resorting to stealing or conning others out of food or shelter. Where other books on bullying often focus on both the bully and the victims, this book focuses almost exclusively on the bullied children -- and the strength and resolve they draw from each other that ultimately keeps them from staying victims. The bullies, by contrast, are kept almost entirely anonymous and out of the story after the first chapter, which might annoy some readers who would like to see them receive a just punishment. I personally appreciated this approach since it allowed the bullied children to get over their fears not by confronting their attackers but developing their own self reliance.
I read this book after seeing the movie version -- so I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were sufficient differences between the film and the book for me to still be surprised several times during my reading.
The basic plot is the same -- rival magicians Angier and Borden begin a feud in the late 1800s that causes each illusionist to perform increasingly dangerous stunts to discredit and one-up the other -- until one goes too far.
Unlike the movie, however, which concentrated exclusively on the feud, the book shows how the magicians' actions had tragic consequences for their descendants, as the story is told through a frame narrative set in modern times. What these great-grandchildren learn about their past is just as (if not more) disturbing as the grotesque revelation at the end of Nolan's film version and says a lot about how old sins continue to punish future generations.
A decidedly unconventional take on modern-day vampirism, this offbeat novel follows Jody, a twenty-something office worker in San Francisco who gets attacked, bitten, and buried under a dumpster while on the way home from work -- only to arise three days later with superhuman strength, incredibly acute senses, and a healthy appetite for blood. Yep, Jody's become part of San Francisco's OTHER alternative lifestyle -- and while there are definite upsides to being a vampire (muggers haven't met a true empowered woman until they run into Jody) Jody finds that her aversion to sunlight and unusual appetites also create some challenges. Enter C. Thomas Flood, Jody's new boyfriend/minion who caters to Jody's needs during the day and gets to enjoy some first-rate vampiric lovemaking at night. Great for vampire fans in the mood for something different than the usual brooding creatures of the night, Bloodsucking Fiends spawned two sequels, You Suck and Bite Me, which sadly proved diluted versions of the first book -- which continues to set a standard in vampire humor.
A collection of the all-ages Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #25-28, this digest features great tongue-in-cheek re-interpretations of Fantastic Four characters and interpretations. The first story (which shows an alternate reality-hopping Johnny Storm/Human Torch encountering hilarious parallel universe counterparts of the Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom, and Spider-Man) is easily one of the best -- but the final tale (that features an Earth-imprisoned Silver Surfer trying to win friends by dressing like a rapper and calling his cosmic powers his "Pizzower Coshizzmic") ranks a close second. It's a great read for fans who like their comic books with some of the old-school wackiness not seen since the Silver Age.
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Michael Jung has commented on (7) products.
The Biggest, Bestest Time Ever! (Mal & Chad) by Stephen Mccranie
Michael Jung, January 1, 2012
Fantastic old-school story about kid genius Mal, his faithful dog Chad and all the adventures and mishaps Mal's offbeat inventions (which include a time-traveling elevator, shrinking machine/vacuum cleaner, and water-breathing lollipops) get them into. What makes the story really great is the hilarious banter between Mal and Chad (particularly a funny argument about how good/bad dog food tastes). Great stuff!The Goats by Brock Cole
Michael Jung, November 17, 2011
I first learned of this book when I heard it was being made into a film for 2012. Interestingly, while this book was written in 1987, I found the story extremely timeless -- and possibly even more relevant today with all the attention on bullying among teens and young children. The basic plot is fairly straightforward -- two kids (ostensibly named "Howie" and "Laura" but generally called "the boy" and "the girl" for most of the novel) are stripped of their clothes and marooned on an island as a practical joke by the kids from their summer camp. Rather than wait to be rescued, however, the kids manage to get off the island, find clothes, and survive on their own for several days -- often resorting to stealing or conning others out of food or shelter. Where other books on bullying often focus on both the bully and the victims, this book focuses almost exclusively on the bullied children -- and the strength and resolve they draw from each other that ultimately keeps them from staying victims. The bullies, by contrast, are kept almost entirely anonymous and out of the story after the first chapter, which might annoy some readers who would like to see them receive a just punishment. I personally appreciated this approach since it allowed the bullied children to get over their fears not by confronting their attackers but developing their own self reliance.The Prestige by Christopher Priest
Michael Jung, November 5, 2011
I read this book after seeing the movie version -- so I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were sufficient differences between the film and the book for me to still be surprised several times during my reading.The basic plot is the same -- rival magicians Angier and Borden begin a feud in the late 1800s that causes each illusionist to perform increasingly dangerous stunts to discredit and one-up the other -- until one goes too far.
Unlike the movie, however, which concentrated exclusively on the feud, the book shows how the magicians' actions had tragic consequences for their descendants, as the story is told through a frame narrative set in modern times. What these great-grandchildren learn about their past is just as (if not more) disturbing as the grotesque revelation at the end of Nolan's film version and says a lot about how old sins continue to punish future generations.
Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore
Michael Jung, October 6, 2011
A decidedly unconventional take on modern-day vampirism, this offbeat novel follows Jody, a twenty-something office worker in San Francisco who gets attacked, bitten, and buried under a dumpster while on the way home from work -- only to arise three days later with superhuman strength, incredibly acute senses, and a healthy appetite for blood. Yep, Jody's become part of San Francisco's OTHER alternative lifestyle -- and while there are definite upsides to being a vampire (muggers haven't met a true empowered woman until they run into Jody) Jody finds that her aversion to sunlight and unusual appetites also create some challenges. Enter C. Thomas Flood, Jody's new boyfriend/minion who caters to Jody's needs during the day and gets to enjoy some first-rate vampiric lovemaking at night. Great for vampire fans in the mood for something different than the usual brooding creatures of the night, Bloodsucking Fiends spawned two sequels, You Suck and Bite Me, which sadly proved diluted versions of the first book -- which continues to set a standard in vampire humor.Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four (Numbered) " #04: The Silver Surfer Digest by Marvel Comics
Michael Jung, September 16, 2011
A collection of the all-ages Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #25-28, this digest features great tongue-in-cheek re-interpretations of Fantastic Four characters and interpretations. The first story (which shows an alternate reality-hopping Johnny Storm/Human Torch encountering hilarious parallel universe counterparts of the Fantastic Four, Dr. Doom, and Spider-Man) is easily one of the best -- but the final tale (that features an Earth-imprisoned Silver Surfer trying to win friends by dressing like a rapper and calling his cosmic powers his "Pizzower Coshizzmic") ranks a close second. It's a great read for fans who like their comic books with some of the old-school wackiness not seen since the Silver Age.1-5 of 7next