Titan Books

How's this for a captivating premise for a Batman story? How can Bruce Wayne prove his innocence of a murder in Wayne Manor when his only alibi is that he was out on patrol as Batman? To add to the predicament, he was accompanied by one Sasha Bordeaux, who is also under suspicion and, due to their mutually confidential relationship, cannot defend herself or Bruce either. Then throw in Bruce's surprising and shocking refusal of help from his incredulous inner circle, much to their understandable consternation, which only adds to and compounds some of their own doubts that they may already harbor as to his guilt or innocence. There is no apparent or clear cut solution, but all of the aforementioned factors, plus possibly a few others known only to himself, have combined to make Batman reach an astonishing and severe decision. The time has come for Bruce Wayne to disappear. His fate, or even his very existence, has become, under the circumstances, more of a detriment than a benefit. He is just a mask, one that no longer serves any purpose and is now irrelevant and unnecessary. The only thing that is imperative is that Batman and his supremely sacred mission must go on, despite the protestations of his concerned Batfamily. Most of the major players are here, minus Jim Gordon, who recently retired due to the aftermath of Officer Down. Babs, Dick, Tim, and Alfred are joined by Leslie Thompkins, Batgirl, and Spoiler, all of whom are as baffled and bewildered as the reader. Did he really do it, many of them ponder out loud, thus eliciting the ire and irritation of Nightwing, who at the moment is Bruce's sole unequivocal supporter and also the one most annoyed and angry with him. This is one crossover that reads consistently and cohesively despite its' use of multiple writers, with each of them greatly contributing to this taut and tensely written narrative that is more detailed than most comic stories. This is an excellent example of how a crossover involving numerous titles can work, the only minor criticism being that some passages are only small edited segments from their respective issues and are therefore somewhat noticeable. So despite over 250 pages of suspenseful story, this tale is far from over, with the stage being superbly set for its' continuation in Bruce Wayne Fugitive.

This is one of the darkest Batman TPB's I've read. Bruce Wayne no longer can identify himself as Bruce Wayne and feels that his face is just a mask for Batman, but that mask is slipping. This is a great TPB for all Batman fans and is definitely worth reading to understand what becomes of Bruce Wayne years after all the tragedy that ensued within his career as Batman.

If you add together Greg Rucka and Ed Brubarer you should get a decent
story, and that is definitely the case here. When Batman and Sasha
Bordeaux come back after being out, it seems that Bruce Wayne is wanted
for murder, and will end up in prison.

This leads to those around Bruce wondering if he actually could have stepped over the line.

This graphic novel would make you want to read the whole story to beggining to end. I recommend this graphic novels for those who want to collect sequels.
Reading this graphic novel on its own will make yourself wonder if 'Bruce Wayne' is a murderer? This GN is very appealing and would want you to get the rest of the collection!
Unfortunately, there is some negative aspects of this GN. There are many 'fans' of Batman who would want the true 'golden age' characters. This means to wipe out all those 'extra' characters which were included around 1989. Yep there's an extra character: 'Sasha'!
But overall, this GN has a great storyline to start with and should be recommended to all those Batman fanatics out there.

The concept is intriguing, but the mish-mash of all the Bat-titles doesn't quite work, here's why:

There are a pile of writers on this, so there isn't really a single vision for the tone of the book. All of the Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker (writers) parts are fantastic. They both cover the inside-the-prison parts of the story, very well done. The Batgirl and Robin chapters are really poor. Cheesy writing with manga style art. The Nightwing chapters (written by Chuck Dixon) are just so-so. Luckily Brubaker wrote the final chapter, the best part.

It's a shame that Ed Brubaker is leaving DC for good (he signed exclusively with Marvel). His work on Catwoman, Gotham Central, and Sleeper has been amazing (buy these!). Luckily, Rucka is staying around.

So this book gets 4 stars from me because of these two writers. I used to think Chuck Dixon was OK, but seeing him side by side with these guys makes me think he should take some pointers from them.

Not the greatest piece of comic book writing, but Geof Darrow's art is unbelievable. If you have read many comics before, the story is just good, better than mid-grade. If you have not, this will get you sucked into the medium.

It is like you are reading a great 1980s scifi movie. Overcoat hero that kills religiously turns out to have a dark secret about himself.

I love Miller's work and this is no expection. This comic is to graphic novels what short stories are to novels. You're thrown right in the middle of a story, given no backplot, and then the story ends still somewhat in the middle.

Nothing wrong with that, just leaves you wanting more!

In addition to a great comic, the book is just great art in general. If I had my way, I would press a limited wordless edition, in the same fashion as House. Sadly, I'm not the publisher.

Buy it, its a fun quick read.

Frank Miller's Hard Boiled is lots of fun. It's a really short story, but it's a very good one at that. Hard Boiled takes place in a bizarre future, very bizarre. The art is breathtaking, it makes what to scan over each page to make sure you're not missing a little joke. Fulled with hardcore violence that makes you laugh in wonder, Hard Boiled is a weird graphic novel but it's surely another awesome story by Frank Miller. I hope you enjoy this book!

Haven't bought a comic in a while. Hollywood, having finally admited to running out of ideas has turned to the great and ultra-cool comics (Hellboy, Sin City, V for Vendetta, etc) in order to make some dough, has once again sparked my interest in graphic novels. I bought this one based soley on the art and was not dissapointed.

The ultra-violence can get a bit tedious (If you like tons of bloody naked people getting mauled by flaming vehicles....then prepare for your boat to float), but overall its not a bad read.

The story is ok. Not amazing but interesting never-the-less.

The cool thing about this book is the illustration. Which, is a virtual "Where's Waldo" of advertising icons, naked people, drug parephanilia, blood, and robots. Folks who say you can reread this a few times just to look at the amazing detail are telling it to you straight.

The artwork alone will blow you away.

Loosely based on the same story that inspired "Blade Runner," this book is an irreverant thrill-ride from start to finish. Every page is a masterwork of illustration, and the detail is beyond belief.

It's classic Miller, with over-the-top violence, coupled with a disenfranchized cynicism that writers often imitate but can't duplicate. In this book, he masters the use of understatement, recognizing exactly when to step aside and let the art speak for itself.

You won't be disappointed.

This is a Justice Society , a team of older generation super heroes ( Green Lantern Alan Scott, Dr Fate, Dr Midnite , Wildcat, Hawkman and Hawkgirl ) , with some fresh faces like Starman, Star spangled girl and so on.

So, you will say, we saw that 1000 times. This is DC's mainstream comics.

There is one big thing to be said, along with former two statements: James Robinson wrote it, and he can make mainstream comic really decent product if not more than that. Read Starman if you don't believe me.

I never read any JSA before reading this and I have to say I enjoyed it. The art was nothing amazing but, it didn't turn me away. IN the story a New Doctor Fate is set to take over the mantle. The JSA is charged with finding the one who is to become Fate. The story just keeps flipping you over and over again until the big conclusion. A good read just wish I could track down a copy of the second volume.

Justice Be Done is a well crafted relaunch of the Justice Society of America series, that draws you in quickly, and keeps you interested, with a mixture of old and new characters to cater to the interests of everybody.

Using the Sandman as a lynchpin, a mystery quickly develops, his protege must step up, and a villain be confronted. Leads into an excellent run of this title that goes for some years.

I have to agree with Glenn Cox's review... fans of James R's work on Starman will be disappointed... reading the book you feel like there are hints of the greatness J.R. established with the original starman books but in the end he just doesn't quite get there - kind of like having one bite of your favorite desert and being denied the rest... I paid ten dollars for this book on ebay and quite honestly I don't feel it was worth it - I plan on giving the book away to goodwill (or some other charitable organization)....

There is a problem inherent with any piece of fiction that contains multiple protagonists, be it comics, film or novels. When you add to that the infinite array of super-powered permutations, it's hard to believe that any superteam book can be good. Yet, superhero group books are some of the longest running comic titles, from DC's venerable Justice League of America through all the myriad X-groups available from Marvel, as well as two titles in Marvel's new Ultimates line. Maybe the popularity of these titles is an inherent interest in seeing collaboration in action, akin to the ensemble drama shows on TV like Law & Order, Hill St. Blues or St. Elsewhere. A group book also promises something for everyone: you might get bored with Superman by himself, but Supes in a JLA book can be ignored if you're a big fan of Wonder Woman.

So it's not suprising that James Robinson, fresh from his deserved success on the Starman title, tries to reinvent additional golden age DC superheroes in a new Justice Society of America (JSA). Starman, after all, had been an original JSA member, so why shouldn't he be able to bring back the others, in both new configurations (the new Hawkgirl is a niece of the original Hawkman and Hawkgirl, wheras Sand is a former child ward of the Sandman) and old (Black Canary is here, somehow able to fit in all this action between her work with Oracle in Birds of Prey, as well as the original Flash, Jay Garrick). And if one hero had been good before, having all of these together had to be better, right?

Unfortunately, what had worked in Starman, because Robinson had time in that title to remind readers of the Starman legacy, get them accustomed to Jack Knight and his quirks, and lay down some great foreshadowing of serious problems to come, is almost all-together missing in JSA: Justice Be Done or glossed over so quickly that only the most dedicated Golden Age fan can keep who all these characters are, and what they are capable of, straight. This problem is then magnified by the plot, which hinges on the predecessors of these heroes or their scion as well as a villain with a deep history, making the story fairly impenetrable for new readers and a textbook case for why both Marvel and DC are "re-envisioning" their characters, to start again without all this baggage.

Everything happens quickly in this book, including the introduction of characters and universe-shattering battles, then back to quiet moments that last a single panel. In some cases, it seems that entire pages or issues are having to be condensed into a single page. I had seen some of this problem before in Starman, when Knight expanded his activities into space and Robinson lost the grounded connection of Jack with his antique store in favor of a Starlin-esque psychotropic jaunt. Here, the stakes for the characters rise too quickly, from attempting to rescue a single child to an apocalytic fight at the end of time, that the reader isn't able to see a sense of scale. It is like a big-budget Hollywood action thriller, where what is important is not the characters, but the spectacle. In the end, instead of an ensemble, the JSA is only a collection of explosions, like fireworks that burst upon the page and are then gone, as this book is from your memory.

If you did not manage to pick up the original Top 10 series while on the bookracks, then stop right here, go purchase the graphic editions, read them, then come back and buy the Forty-Niners.

If you are already a fan of Top 10, then this Sequel/Prequel will serve as a pleasant after dinner mint, or glass of cognac or port.

In the Forty-Niners you witness the founding of Neopolis the Science City. The mood and the feelins in the story are fresh, raw and with a rough edge. Moore's tale is like watching a movie, the story is engrossing and the characters although archetypical, feel fresh and new.

The majority of the characters are new, but at the same time feel like old friends. The themes ring true, trying to find your place in this brave new order of things.

The Forty-Niners does what great literature does, it touches and affects you to the point where for the next few days you are still thinking about it and caught up in the story.

Five stars!

Cheers!

I adore Gene Ha's art and Moore's writing even more, but this book is good. So what's wrong? It is not GREAT like Top Ten Book 1 and Top Ten Book 2.

This is a very satisfying prequel to Alan Moore's "Top Ten" superhero spoof. The "Forty-Niners" story arc plays things much closer to the vest and in not as broad a parody as the original series. Set in 1949, after an alternate-universe version of World War II, this details the founding of Neopolis, a futuristic city that also happens to be a government-sponsored reservation/ghetto for superpowered and supernatural beings of all kinds. Ever wonder why there are no vampires in the Neopolis of the future? This book will explain all. If you enjoy DC's frequent nostalgia trips into the era of the Justice Society, then you'll also like this -- there's a smattering of "mature content," but in essence this is the same sort of wholesome, gosh-heck superhero nostalgia trip... As far as the insider humor goes, I loved the sight-gags that involved various pre-superhero pulp heros and newspaper strips (Popeye, Yellow Kid, Blondie & Dagwood, Katzenjammer Kids, Tin-Tin, Little Nemo, etc) All in all, a fun read! (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain book reviews)

I am afraid to say that the Booklist review listed here is very wrong... This 6-part story is not superior to the original 'Top Ten' books.

While Gene Ha's artwork is fantastic, the one that doesn't come to the show this time is Alan Moore. It's all too crammed, half-baked and without the feeling that 'Top Ten' had. As inventive as some of the elements are, ultimately the writing of the characters and their dialogue is like weak tea compared to what Moore is capable of. It just all feels rushed - a story with a massive world like this needs more time given to it, both in the amount of pages (there's half what there should be) and from Moore himself.

If I had known this contained a story line about two male lovers, I would never have gotten it for my teenage son! He loves these kinds of comic book stories, and after reading the reviews, I decided to get it along with another book by Alan Moore. The other book was fine, but just would like to have known a little more about the content before I purchased them. Unfortunately this one ended up in the trash! As a responsible parent, I just think parents should be aware of what they are purchasing, and use their personal judgment about what they want their children and teens to read. I learned the hard way!

This follows up the on the events of 'Identity Crisis' and leads into 'Infinite Crisis', so you need to own this if you get the other two. You won't be sorry. Good art, good story, good comics.

The second Elseworlds Nail book by Alan Davis. This is complete with your usual different takes on some of the characters, but unfortunately it does not live up to the standard set by the first volume. You should only get this one if it is cheap, really, or you are a JLA Elseworlds nut, or something like that. The art is good though.

Combining 5 issues of JLA, this chronicles the final breakdown of this incarnation of the Justice League. Torn apart by recriminations over
the brainwashing revealed in Identity Crisis they are unable to deal with their mistrust and anger. This is all particularly centred around Batman, and part of the problem is his feelings towards Catwoman and what has been done to her.

Zatanna walks out.

Despero is behind a plot by the Secret Society to attack the League, and so separate out his most dangerous enemy, J'Onn Jonzz. It takes the appearance of some old allies not currently serving to hold out long enough for Zatanna to come back and save them.

Thinks leads to the League basically dissolving except for the Manhunter and John Stewart, and an explosive finale with an attack on the Watchtower.

This collection follows up on some of the loose threads from the "Identity Crisis" series. Geoff Johns infuses more super-hero action into this series than Meltzer did in "Identity Crisis," and one of the JLA's earliest villains makes a stunning return. It doesn't stand alone--I wouldn't attempt to make sense of what's going on here before first reading "Identity Crisis." Also, it's not a sequel to that book but more of an extension of the storyline--an epilogue of sorts. This book also sets up the "Infinity Crisis" mini-series/company-wide crossover, so it could also be considered a prelude as well.

This story immediately Identity Crisis (a great story and you have to read before this volume) and is part of the preparation for INfinite Crisis. Basically, the League crossed the line, messing with the minds of villians. This is the after math of Ident Crisis and is part of the story leading up to Infinite Crisis. A definite must read, probably the best JLA story ever written.

The stories in this volume are about as good as you could get with this era's DC heroes. DC had some goofy stuff going on then. Superman no longer had a mullet, now he was electric blue and looked ridiculous. Green Lantern was a manga fan who made goofy rock-em sock-em robots with his ring. Speedy was Green Arrow, and so much more. That I don't blame on JLA, that's what DC was up to with these previously iconic characters.

So, take a bunch of characters that were being seriously screwed up and put them in a pretty decent couple of story lines and that is what you have here. If you're a JLA fan and need this to complete your set, then buy it. If you are wanting to dabble into some good DC stories... well... there are a lot better ones than this to do it with.

So I can basically separate this volume into three different stories. The first starts off with the recruitment of a new member to the JLA and centers on new member Tomorrow Woman. It's an OK self contained story, but doesn't have any huge impact on the series or characters.

The next story is 2 parter, Heaven on Earth, which introduces us to a new character Zauriel, an angel made mortal who is being pursued by Asmodel a king angel and his army of heaven. It's a pretty epic story and Zauuriel is a cool character but that's about it.

The final 2 part story features the return of The Key. This is by far the best story, mostly because its the only one that features Batman and it gives us a cool elseworld look at Batman in the future. We also get to see the new Green Arrow in action.

It is better than Vol. 1, but I still feel this series could be better. Hopefully Morrison is just warming up and leading to something much bigger. The artwork by Porter is fine, but by the time Jimenez takes over on the final story, I much prefer it.

This isn't my favorite Grant Morrison JLA collection, (check out World War III, Earth-2, and JLA One Million for the best) but there's a lot in here a I enjoyed. There's an excellent stand-alone story at the beginning, and I love what Morrison does with Zaurial and the young Green Arrow. Entertaining read, as usual. And yeah, Superman is blue, but you don't have to know anything about that story to enjoy this collection.

I've been collecting the TPB series for JLA for a while now. This is just one more notch to add to that belt. Thanks for a great addition to my collection.

A collection of stories as the recruiting of Zauriel has brought down the wrath of a really big rogue angel and monster upon them.

Professor Ivo is still plotting, and this lands them with the android Tomorrow Woman. The worst part is likely the return of the Key, though, as far as the league is concerned.

I love the Sandman graphic novel series,so when any of them come out in paperback they're a must-read.These can't be missed,they'll pull you in and not let you go...

The Neil Gaiman's begining work, Sandman, coalize creation and the imaginary. I met the writter in São Paulo, 2000, and I see that he has a sensibility needed for a great author. Don't miss it.

A collection of stories related to the Sandman saga, placed in and around these stories, but unrelated. The odd story here has an extremely tenuous connection to the aforementioned, and generally speaking, those with less do not work as well. Sandman fans should still enjoy this, however.

Sandman Book of Dreams : 01 Masquerade and High Water - Colin Greenland
Sandman Book of Dreams : 02 Chain Home, Low - John M. Ford
Sandman Book of Dreams : 03 Stronger than Desire - Lisa Goldstein
Sandman Book of Dreams : 04 Each Damp Thing - Barbara Hambly
Sandman Book of Dreams : 05 The Birth Day - B. W. Clough
Sandman Book of Dreams : 06 Splatter - Will Shetterly
Sandman Book of Dreams : 07 Seven Nights in Slumberland - George Alec Effinger
Sandman Book of Dreams : 08 Escape Artist - Caitlín R. Kiernan
Sandman Book of Dreams : 09 An Extra Smidgen of Eternity - Robert Rodi
Sandman Book of Dreams : 10 The Writer's Child - Tad Williams
Sandman Book of Dreams : 11 The Gate of Gold - Mark Kreighbaum
Sandman Book of Dreams : 12 A Bone Dry Place - Karen Haber
Sandman Book of Dreams : 13 The Witch's Heart - Delia Sherman
Sandman Book of Dreams : 14 The Mender of Broken Dreams - Nancy A. Collins
Sandman Book of Dreams : 15 Ain't You 'Most Done? - Gene Wolfe
Sandman Book of Dreams : 16 Valóság and Élet - Steven Brust
Sandman Book of Dreams : 17 Stopp't-Clock Yard - Susanna Clarke


Solar hippie Desire.

3 out of 5


Right at the start of the Sandman story, with all the Sleepers there is the whole World War air war thing going on.

3.5 out of 5


Endless bet welcher, after a pretty young lord bets Desire she can't make anyone she wants shag, and wins.

3.5 out of 5


Cain unearths a mirror that Dream had hidden away for a bloody good reason. Bad things man, bad things.

4 out of 5


Herding happiness.

3 out of 5


A horror writer probably would have preferred to be guest of honour somewhere other than the Cereal Convention.

4 out of 5


Little Nemo prefers to not be awake.

2.5 out of 5


Bloke not a fan of dream denizens.

2.5 out of 5


Death interrupts the last story being told to a bloke in hospital.

4 out of 5


Little girl, no.

2.5 out of 5


Doll bravery.

4 out of 5


Prophecy pills.

3.5 out of 5


Witch makes a werewolf girl and becomes a bit torn.

3.5 out of 5


Autistic mental power.

4 out of 5


A folksinger gets one last go around after a heart attack, and before Death.

3 out of 5


Three boys get involved in a tricky folk tale, with dreaming.

3.5 out of 5


Morpheus sick of Paramore.

3 out of 5

Sandman, Neil Gaiman's wonderful creation, is the concept that this group of stories is based on. Like any story collection, this one has its hits and misses.
Hits:
"Chain Home, Low" What happened to those affected by Dream's disappearance?
"Each Damp Thing" Barbara Hambly has a good grasp of Gaiman's cast of characters. Set in The Dreaming this one would have made a good comic.
"Seven Nights in Slumberland" Little Nemo? Now Windsor McCay's work makes more sense. I think.
Both Wanda stories. A character that certainly warranted more examination than the comic allowed.
"Endless Sestina" For the sheer nerve of it.
"The Gate of Gold" The flip side of "The Writer's Child," but much more fulfilling. There really are "good" dreams.
"A Bone Dry Place" Dream and Delirium together again.
"The Mender of Broken Dreams" The concept is not new, but it is so well written you won't care.
"Valosag and Elet" There are so few folktales being written anymore. At least good ones.

"Stopp't-Clock Yard" Captures the true essence of Gaiman's creation. This is another one that Gaiman could have written.

Misses:
Desire stories. This character is tedious as all stories end up being variations on the same theme. Especially "The Witch's Heart" it goes on and on....
"The Birth Day" A clever idea but not fully developed.
"Splatter" A little obvious.
"The Writer's Child" Ditto.
"Ain't You `Most Done?" 32 pages long and I couldn't remember what it was about by the time I finished the book. And it's one of the last stories.
Advertising Clive Barker's participation. It's a frontispiece and it's Death not Dream.
Taking an existing character, whose popularity lies in a graphic medium and using him and his supporting cast as the basis of an anthology is a risky proposition. While this book is not entirely successful, it's definitely worth a read for the Sandman fan.

It is funny how one can initially misjudge a book. When I first picked this volume up it was because I saw Neil Gaiman and Clive Barker's names on the cover. Then, on first perusal, I saw that Gaiman had not even written the introduction. Moreover, Barker's only contribution was the frontispiece- a drawing of Death. Nor did I immediately recognize the names of any of the contributors to the collection. I felt cheated. I jumped to the conclusion that this was a hack written collection of short stories intended to exploit the popularity of the Sandman series. I threw the book down in disgust.

Then, a little over a year later, I came back to it. Upon actually reading it, I discovered that Gaiman handpicked these stories. Indeed, he actually wrote the brief introductions for each writer and story. As for the stories themselves, there are some hauntingly, lovingly, skillfully, written tales here. What is more important, most of them genuinely capture the atmosphere of the Dreaming from the graphic novels. I could not have been more wrong about this fine collection- it was exactly what I was looking for.

These stories are so faithful to the original that the reader might want to read the entire 10 volume Sandman Library before attempting it. There is much here that assumes a familiarity with the entire series.

All in all the final book of the Chaos Chronicles fulfills its responsibilities to wrap up the long convoluted plot laid out in the first two books. Well-written, well-thought-out, the only drawback is the shear immensity of plot crammed into this hectic roller-coaster. A working knowledge of mythology is almost required to untangle the woven web of characters.

I generally enjoyed John Wright's Chaos series of books. The final book "Titan's of Chaos" I was quite excited to read as the first two books had built up an excellent set of characters as well as a very interesting story line. The idea of 5 "children" finding their powers and understanding how they fit in with ancient myths and legends is very creative. The problem I had with the book was it had way too much detail and it used alternate names for the gods rather than standard mythological god names like Zeus or Athena which left me a little confused at time. Also there was lots of spin-off information provided and unnecessary dialogue that slowed the story down. The ending was a little weak after a great build-up.

On the other hand if he wrote a 4th book about these characters I would be inclined to purchase and read it.

I have just finished a week-long reading marathon with this series. I picked up "Orphans of Chaos" and wouldn't rest until I finished through to this latest installment. (I say latest because its simply too painful to think of it being over) The next thing on my to-do list is read the entire series over again but this time with a highlighter. The dialogue is superb and the descriptions are so vivid it has me wondering if John C. Wright has indeed seen the 4th dimension for himself. Wright's imagination has stretched my mind to its limits - and I'm better for it.

"Orphans of Chaos", "Fugitives of Chaos" and "Titans of Chaos" are all dazzling, sumptuous, decadent treats to be savored. I think "Titans" is the climax of that richness. The characters are a lot more mature, reclaim their old powers (with gusto!), and participate in exhilarating discourse. This series literally has it all - plot twists, intrigue, mind-bending strategy, action, humor, but MOST OF ALL - it is tempered by fascinating quantum physics, engrossing spiritual philosophy, breathtaking poetry, characters so grounded they feel real, gorgeous dialogue (especially Colin's mind over matter, the nature of chaos and the cosmos, and the nature of power)...you'd think all of this would be dry, preachy or "heady" (that has been my experience with other books) but no - it is obvious Wright is extraordinarily well-educated, but he uses all of his knowledge about myth, philosophy and spirituality to propel the story forward. It never once lags or seems out of place. Also, both Sci-Fi readers and Fantasy buffs will love it because it blends both genres together perfectly.

These books relieved me of my reading dry spell. It is so hard to find a good book these days. When I read, I want more than just a "fun ride" ("Twilight" for example; addicting but fluffy)...I literally felt better for reading these books. They have "substance"... the magic that brought "Star War"s to fame was undoubtedly "The Force"..."Lord of the Rings" could have been another story of war but it became legendary for its heart-breaking beauty and powerful allegory ... C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia possesses a haunting quality we can all relate to -that uncanny feeling that we are so much more than we know...and last but not least - Harry Potter is ultimately a story of love and courage trumping evil. It is this element that anchors this Chaos series for me - what otherwise would be just another exhilarating, witty, rollicking, laugh-out loud funny, delicious read...also gives the reader something to meditate on when finished. It's a story to keep thinking about.

Not so much at the end, though.


The crazy stuff that happens in here with all the various different types of Chaos and Olympian and other assorted superpowers floating around is a bit like if you crosed Michael Moorcock's Second Ether denouement with Simon R. Green's Nightside, only with 17 year old sort of immortal schoolchildren.

The latter, of course, makes it somewhat lamer than either, as does the what seems to be a rather rushed ending - almost like 'whoops, out of pagecount, finish it fast.'

As others have mentioned. The end of the Chaos series is a little weak. Things are mostly wrapped up at the beginning of this book, though it continues, it starts to feel dragged out towards the end. Despite this, the book itself was enjoyable. Though perhaps not as good as the first 2 books in the series.

One amusing thing I noticed in picking up the paperback edition. On the front cover its labeled Titans of Chaos. On the spine however, its labeled Fugitives of Chaos. I can't remember ever seeing a printing mistake like this. Quite amusing, though I suspect that will unfortunately hurt the sales of this book.

I cannot believe how well this book goes through the history of open source, and I have never known so much

When I think about books about the free software movement, two books come to mind -- Peter Wayner's Free For All and Glyn Moody's Rebel Code. Both are superb.

Free For All is a gripping book that compels you to keep the pages turning from the start to the finish. The book is a comprehensive story on the history of the open source movement and is extremely well-written. For me, this was one of the best non-fiction books that I've ever read.

Wayner talks about the people behind the movement and offers a balanced view of the free software movement, somewhat of a rarity now-a-days. I think that this book is a must-read to learn about and understand the philosophies and stories behind the free software movement.

Some brief history, albeit disorganized, accompanied by rambling editorials about free beer and communism.

As the subject header says, the topic is quite fascinating, but this book just didn't do it for me. It does not make for a compelling narrative, the way the author chose to structure the book. To technically oriented people it may read better, but not being one I couldn't possibly tell. For the non-technical person, it does not make a terribly interesting read. And there is no narrative to follow whatsoever and no linear story either.

As someone who is very familiar with the free software movement, I may be unduly critical of this book. My major criticism of _Free For All_ is the organization and writing tone. For the newbie it is too folksy, using really stretched analogies and attempted witticisms to explain a phenomenon that is extremely interesting on its own terms. This is NY Times Magazine-style writing that has little faith in the readers' attention spans or intelligence. For the reader who knows a bit about free software, it simply does not add anything new. Some parts held m y interest, and I give Wayner credit for seeing the most significant aspects of Linux: the GPL, the "bazaar" style of programming, and intellectual property concerns. His conclusions, though, need much more work. Citing Gilder, for example, as a spokesman for some type of "wise capitalism" stuck in my craw--the best thing about free software is that it recognizes the innumerable debts programmers have to previous programmers and the many people globally who contribute to its development, so it is everyone's property and free information. The problem Wayner points to, in which programmers are making little money from their efforts, is not the fault of the GPL. It lies with some of the foundations of the current intellectual property system.

This collection spotlights Warren Ellis and his issues with Superheroes and his consistant need to deconstruct them and in many ways ruin the image that they have had for decades. Once again we get a heavy dose of the 90's era Punisher Style clones out to prove thier way is the right way. There's realistic then there is someone with issues. I've read Stormwatch from the beginning and felt that this issue actually did them a disservice.

This collection rates low, down with Grant Morrisons Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe.

Warren Ellis starts his excellent revamp of Stormwatch here, as he totally changes the lineup, and splits Stormwatch into multiple teams, each with a different purpose.



Stormwatch needs all their firepower, when The High comes back out of his self imposed isolation, and decides to reshape society in his image.



Jenny Sparks had known him in the past, so they end up talking before the confrontation. Top notch hero fare.

Definitely the better of the Stormwatch collections, due in no small part to the Bendix character. This volume certainly questions the nature of superheroics, but the follow-through is sadly disappointing.

As becomes painfully clear, writing action is not Ellis strong point. The build up to a massive brawl at the conclusion of the "Change or Die" story arc leads nowhere, as characters fall into debates with each other over their role.

Bendix's return is teased at in the final issue collected here, but is never revisited during Ellis's run. Oh well.

I think this comic cemented Warren Ellis as one of my favorite writers. He takes the idea of superheroes as they had been for so long (Stormwatch) and played them off superheroes as they were conceived (The High's group). Each group thinks its ideas are right. Stormwatch is only interested in the status quo, and maybe some beneficial changes slowly introduced over time. The High's group sees the world as in need of fast, massive improvement, and they set out to do it.
The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is that the 2nd part simply doesn't flow from the first. Still an interesting read, but more padding than anything else.

Stormwatch: Change or Die reprints Stormwatch vol. 1 #48-50, the Stormwatch Preview, and Stormwatch vol. 2 #1-3. This is an excellent next step in the series, and shows Ellis becoming ever more comfortable with his characters. He responds to this increased knowledge of his characters by sending them on in an entirely new direction, but not before showing us just how messed up everything can be.

In the first story arch, we see the true intentions and background of Rose Tattoo, the betrayal of the team by one of their own, and the shaking of the team to the core. We also see a very smart storyline that further gives hints of the Authority series to come, and lets us glimpse the Doctor and Engineer for the first time, though in different forms than we are used to. The plot itself is deliciously intriguing, and keeps you turning the pages.

The second story arch is reprinting Stormwatch #1-3, and is the revamping of the team. The story and plot have their moments, but are a bit overshadowed by the first half of the book. The pencil work is more to my taste, since Jimenez took over, so that is a treat.

By this book for the first storyline alone and you will not be disappointed. It is classic Ellis and gives new layers to the characters, and hints of things to come.

Highly recommended to Authority, Stormwatch, and Ellis fans, though I think most people will enjoy it. Not recommended for younger readers due to extreme violence and sexual reference.