The Darkness of the Womb on Nook

You can now purchase The Darkness of the Womb on Nook as well. So yep, you have options. :) You can purchase it here.

RIP, Richard Matheson

For those who don't know yet, groundbreaking writer, Richard Matheson, author of the masterpieces, "I Am Legend" and "What Dreams May Come" died today. What makes his death all the more depressing is just how few people actually know who he is. Sure, we readers and lovers of sci-fi and fantasy know all about his career. But then, there are those who might have heard of some of his work, but don't actually know that he wrote it. He was no Bradbury, Asimov, or Vonnegut, that's for sure. His work overshadowed his name.

 (Image taken from lastheplace.com)

And really, that's just fine. I don't think Matheson would be all that upset that his work outshines his name, as his work was just that damn good. Most people know him by the short stories that became movies, like "A Stir of Echoes", "I Am Legend" (All three versions), "What Dreams May Come", "The Box" and "Somewhere in Time," but he also wrote for television, namely The Twilight Zone (Remember that Shatner episode on the plane with the gremlin? Yep, Matheson. Or what about the one with the human boxer who fights robots?-The one that eventually inspired the movie "Real Steel"? Yep, Matheson again.). He also wrote for Star Trek, and seriously, the man's work is up there with Philip K. Dick's when it comes to adaptations.

Stephen King cited him as an inspirations, and thousands upon thousands of other writers I'm sure can say the same thing. Matheson would blend horror and beauty, and sometimes do it in the very same story. Hell, in the very same sentence even, and that's what made Matheson one of the best of all time. Even if you didn't know his name, you'll definitely miss him. We all will.

Review: The Iceman

The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer by Anthony Bruno

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"The Iceman" is a phenomenal book, but I really want to see the movie now because the killer in the book, Richard Kuklinski, looks nothing like the tremendous actor, Michael Shannon. Nothing at all. That said, the book by itself makes for an excellent summer read. This true story (Bonus points for taking place in my home state of New Jersey, whoo whoo!), follows an intrepid undercover agent as he trails and ultimately traps Kuklinski, a man given the title "Iceman" because he once froze a body for two years just to see what would happen.

The book reads like a novel and it's very quick-paced. I read it in about a day and a half. I highly recommend it if you're into true crime.



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My book, The Darkness of the Womb, is out now!

Hey, all, my debut novel, The Darkness of the Womb, is available for purchase. Just click on the link and you can pick it up. For those who don't know, the story concerns a pregnant mother who journeys into her unborn child's subconscious to prevent him from miscarrying himself. It's a dark, contemporary fantasy novel, and I hope you'll give it a look. Thanks and take care.

Review: Fathers and Sons

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


"Fathers and Sons" is a very good, but also, very sad book. Its major claim to fame (or at least, it seems like it given that it's mentioned on the back of the book) is that it features literature's first nihilist in Bazarov, a physician who doesn't see the need to indulge in life's trivial pursuits. This is a character who doesn't see the point of music and detests himself when he begins to fall in love, since love is meaningless in the long run by his perception. In short, this is my kind of character!

What follows throughout the book are the relationships that fathers and sons have with each other, both seen from the lower class and that of the aristocrats of the time. I have to admit, some of it is pretty boring as most Russian novels tend to get, and Bazarov, for all his insights and odd charm, can be a little annoying. But I think that's the point that Turgenev was trying to make. Bazarov fit his time period, but I don't think that Turgenev necessarily agreed with the character's ideologies. He was merely showing a young man who had a desire to distance himself from the uneven playing field that Russian society had become. As you can guess, this was a pretty controversial novel at the time of its release.

A budding romance near the end and a duel of sorts liven up the story. Overall, it's a very good read that's poetic and features strong emotions. Definitely give it a read if you dig classical lit.



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In Defense of M Night Shyamalan: Why I'm Still a Fan

(Image taken from cinemablend.com)

Here's a piece I wrote on M Night Shyamalan. Believe it or not, but I'm still a fan. Click here to read the article.

Daft Punk's New Album, Random Access Memories is...Uh...Hmm...

(Image taken from: pitchfork.com)

Okay, now there are few electronic artists that I really listen to for anything other than their singles, but Daft Punk is the exception. Having listened to everything from their debut album, Homework, to their latest effort, Random Access Memories, I have to say that Daft Punk has always been unique, and their latest album has got to be the farthest the artists have traveled sonically. But does that make it any good?

Well, um...I'll have to get back to you on that one. Having just listened to the whole album for the first time on iTunes, I can definitely say that this is one of those albums that DEMANDS multiple listens. But upon my first play through, I'm going to have to say that I'm not too fond of it. It's not because it doesn't retain Daft Punk's signature sound, because it does. Well, kind of. But more so because in trying to expand their sound, they didn't expand it far enough.

You can hear that this is Daft Punk's Pet Sounds, their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band. But where those albums took their respective bands to a whole new level, Random Access Memories kind of stalls because it's still trying to be a dance record in a lot of ways. Now, that may sound silly, because this is Daft Punk, after all--dance music is what they do. But you can tell with tracks like "Touch", which is my favorite (And the most eccentric song on the album), "Motherboard" and "Beyond", which kind of sounds like a funky version of a Rocky song, that they were really trying to stretch their legs creatively here. But they kind of miss the mark. I'm actually really interested in hearing what other people have to say about it. It's nothing like their previous work and it's meant more for the headphones than the dance floor. Sure, the robot voices are still there, but the music is decidedly more chill, and also more expansive. There's a lot of depth to this strange dance. I just wish there was more of it.

Now, I might change my words on repeated listens like I have with other albums, but as of right now, Random Access Memories is just not doing it for me. Still, it's a lot better than their last album, Human After All, which did nothing to advance their sound. At least they took a chance with this one. Give it a listen for free while you still can. I'd like to hear your thoughts.