Red Band Station Reviews

[redbandstation]

Frankenstein: Prodigal Son (book review)

Frankenstein: Prodigal Son (book review)

Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It has been a couple of decades since I read Dean Koontz’s books, I don’t even remember what the last book was (so that is closer to 30 years when I was in high school). I am glad I picked up this book.

I originally picked it up as a lark, it was on sale on Amazon and it seemed like an easy listen while I do some computer work. It was a fairly…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

The Spies that Bind (book review)

The Spies that Bind (book review)

The Spies That Bind by Ally Carter My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is not a bad book at all. I do like young adult books and wanted to try a new series but it didn’t just click for me. I think the age demographic is just a little lower then I am comfortable with. It is a good audio book though and I recommend it to younger listeners and I do recommend it as very positive with female empowerment.…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Damnation (tv show)

Damnation

DETAILS:

Created By:  Tony Tost Stars:  Logan Marshall-Green, Killian Scott, Sarah Jones  Original Network: USA Network, Netflix First episode date: November 07, 2017 Number of Episodes: 10 Number of Seasons: 1

OVERALL: An epic saga about the secret history of the 1930s American heartland, centering on the mythic conflict and bloody struggle between big money and the downtrodden.

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Christmas Eve, 1914 (book review)

Christmas Eve, 1914 (book review)

Christmas Eve, 1914 by Charles Olivier My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An engrossing hour of audio.

This is one of the free books provided by Audible to their members and it was the first one that I actually liked. A fictional account of the Christmas Miracle of 1914 with the Germans and Allies declaring a truce for Christmas.

The real facts behind this are just as amazing, so impactful was the troop…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Egyptian Mythology: A concise guide to the Gods, Heroes, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Egyptian Myths (book review)

Egyptian Mythology: A concise guide to the Gods, Heroes, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Egyptian Myths (book review)

Egyptian Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Egyptian Myths by Bernard Hayes My rating: 1 of 5 stars

A waste of time.

The book felt like the author took a student’s research paper and issued the details in a point by point basis. In fact it kept jumping around, giving no reference or background on the myths. The “facts” spit out at a rapid pace, with a…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Lullaby (book review)

Lullaby by Jonathan Maberry My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A ghostly camp fire story at its finest.

I have seen a lot of reviews talk about how they were disappointed it was so short, or that it was incomplete. This isn’t a trilogy novel, this is at its core, a ghost story to be told around the campfire, or after the lights have gone out.

The short story builds in tension, never quiet explaining…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

All Quiet on the Western Front (book review)

All Quiet on the Western Front (book review)

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I should have read this a long time ago.

There isn’t a lot more I can say that isn’t already covered by better and more prolific reviewers. I can say the story is intense and makes you feel like you are with the young German soldier as hell falls around him.

It is a very dark story though, one that I don’t recommend if…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

1066: The Year That Changed Everything (book review)

1066: The Year That Changed Everything (book review)

1066: The Year That Changed Everything by Jennifer Paxton My rating: 3 of 5 stars An excellent starter guide to 1066. 1066, a year that changed England and by default changed Europe and on top America. It doesn’t get covered much in classes here in the United States, all I ever really knew was about the battle itself and that it changed things. These short lectures go in detail on the cultures of…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

30 Days of Night, Vol. 1 (book review)

30 Days of Night, Vol. 1 (book review)

30 Days of Night, Vol. 1 by Steve Niles My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think it would have been better if it stayed just a graphic novel.

I never have read the comic/graphic novel version of this. I listened to the audiobook and I thought it couldn’t make a difference, but I think in the end it does. It seems like this story relies on visual imagery that can’t really be placed in audio.

The story…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

History of Ancient Egypt (book review)

History of Ancient Egypt (book review)

The History of Ancient Egypt by Bob Brier My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The absolute best resource on ancient Egypt I have seen.

Bob Brier is probably the best presenting college professor I have had the pleasure of listening or watching. His absolute knowledge of the subject, the fact he is an Egyptologist himself and the only person to recreate creating a mummy I have heard of just underlines his…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Dauntless (book review)

Dauntless by Jack Campbell My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nothing too new, but enough little things to make it interesting.

I wasn’t expecting to like this book very much. The last several military sci-fi or even just military fiction books have been disappointing. Maybe that makes me more open to this book, I couldn’t tell you.

What I can tell you is that while the character is by default a gary stu,…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation (book review)

Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation (book review)

Practicing Mindfulness: An Introduction to Meditation by Mark W. Muesse My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It adds some detail to mindfulness, but isn’t a breakout.

I have understood the importance of meditation, mindfulness and especially in the Buddhist outlook and this definitely helps underscore that tradition of thought.

I firmly believe this is a good resource to those new with mindfulness and might…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Great Mythologies of the World (book review)

Great Mythologies of the World (book review)

Great Mythologies of the World by Grant L. Voth My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Type: Audible Length: 31 hours 36 minutes

An incredibly brief but informative journey around the world!

This was a great series of lectures of mythology from around the world. I wouldn’t say it is the most in depth, but it covers so many cultures that it surprised and entertained me.

As someone who has read a lot of Greek,…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Alien (movie review)

ALIEN (1979)

DETAILS:

Director: Ridley Scott Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes Categories: horror, sci-fi, space, action, franchise Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes Release Date: June 22, 1979

OVERALL: Slower then many think it will be due to the sequel Aliens, but an incredibly rich horror story in space.

STORYLINE

In deep space, the crew of the commercial…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (tv show)

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (tv show)

THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

DETAILS:

Created By: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Stars:  Kiernan Shipka, Ross Lynch, Lucy Davis Based on: Sabrina Comics (1962) Original Network: Netflix First episode date: October 26, 2018 Number of Episodes: 10 Number of Seasons: 1

OVERALL: A darker reimagining of the original tv series, and more closely following the original comic follows Sabrina as she approaches her…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Marching with Caesar: Birth of the 10th Legion (book review)

Marching with Caesar: Birth of the 10th Legion (book review)

Marching with Caesar: Birth of the 10th Legion by R.W. Peake My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great historical fiction novel based around two men entering the 10th Roman Legion!

To be honest I was very surprised. When I first heard of the book I thought it would be a mid-grade pulp novel at best and that was what I was prepared for. Fortunately that wasn’t the case and I was happy with the surprise.

The…

View On WordPress

[redbandstation]

Venom (movie review)

DETAILS:

Director: Ruben Fleischer Stars: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams,Riz Ahmed Runtime: 90 minutes Categories: comicbook, superhero,  action, franchise Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes Release Date: October 5, 2018

OVERALL: It is a lot better than I expected. It was enjoyable, more so then even some of the Avenger movies. Just don’t have huge expectations.

STORYLINE

Journalist Eddie Brock is trying to…

View On WordPress