The Wandering Library Ninja Bill's Top 5 of 2011

Well Iron Carl has asked of me to share my top 5 books of 2011. See his posting at CLICK HERE. Although I am always on the move, I will take time to sit and contemplate this serious matter. I must say I read a bunch of good stuff and my fair share of not so great. So, let me think...hum......yes......ahhhh......indeed. 

Drum roll please, here are my picks:

Number 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My number one pick without a moment's hesitation is "Isle of Blood" from the great series of Monstrumologist books by Rick Yancy. Isle of Blood is the third book in a series that includes: The Monstrumologist and The Curse of The Wendigo. These books are not for the faint of heart and with each book the horror and psychological intensity just keeps getting ratcheted up. I literally can't wait for the next book in what I now call my favorite series ever. The stuff of nightmares!!!! Recommended for readers 14 years of age and up. To see a more in depth review of this book click here. 




Number 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My number 2 is an adult book that can be enjoyed by all; Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson.  Imagine an A.I. coming to life and waking up all technology that mankind has created and giving them all sentience. Also the majority of them decide they don't like their creators that much anymore. Multiple view point from both human and non-human perspectives. This book was to cool for school. Loved it. Recommended for advanced readers who can handle some cursing and violence. Click here to see my official, yea man, review!





Number 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright, yeah you know it! In the number 3 position is the totally awesome Graphic Novel about kids going to school in outer space. This is a really funny book with a bunch of different characters who all stand out in their own unique way. The Graphic Novel I'm talking about is Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity by Dave Roman. Click here for a more in depth look. Recommend for those 12 and up.

Number 4!!!!!!!!!!

Okay while technically not a 2011 book (2010), but I did read it in 2011: Black Hole Sun by David Macinnis Gill. If you want to read a great book set on Mars with non-stop action, great characters and a great story need I say more? Loved it and recommended for those 12 and up!!!!! Click here for more on this book.

Number 5!!!!!!!!!!

Last, but certainly not least, I have another Graphic Novel that is not technically 2011 (2010) but that is when I read it. Do you like scary and things that go bump in in the dark. Would you be comforted knowing that their was a dedicated team of dogs and one cat that protect you from these nasty creatures. Then my friend Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson is the Graphic Novel for you. Click here for my review of this awesome GN! Recommended for those 12 and up.





Alright gang. I must be wandering along again in search of good reads. Until then, Read Well and Prosper,

Library Ninja Bill

P.S. Please fell free to add to the list of "Best 2011 Reads" put together by Iron Carl and myself by posting. We will try to get your picks in the blog!

Isle of Blood, The Avengers and Sidekicks!!!!!

Hi once again all my fellow wanders in "The Land of Blog." Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving (lots of  Turkey and the good stuff that goes along with it). Library Ninja Bill has been very busy lately but has just finished some really awesome reads. So let's get straight to it:

The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancy - Okay this is the third book in the Monstrumologist Series by Mr. Yancy and it just keeps getting better. If you have not read the prior books in this series, just click here. This books starts off with Dr. Warthrop and his young assistant Will Henry receiving a most mysterious package brought to them by one Mr. Kendall on behalf of the very complex, charismatic and certainly evil  Jack Kearnes. The package is a nest made of human remains that infects anyone who comes into contact with it turning them into monsters so vicious that not only will they kill all those around them, but will eventually turn on themselves and literally devour the monster they have become. The master of these monsters is said to be a creature that swoops out of the sky and rips the victims to pieces, letting the remain fall like rain to the earth. This book is full of horrific finds  and discoveries made by The Doctor and Will and many times their futures look very bleak indeed. This book is also great in that we see the relationship between Dr. Walthrop and Will Henry develop in deeper ways as they act as anchors of sanity for each other. We learn more of what drives Dr. Walthrop and we see the toll of being his assistant takes and changes Will Henry. Also we get a glimpse into the dark psyche that exist hidden away, in most cases, in all human souls to different degrees. This is a great book with, horror, plot twists and a mystery that is just too big to describe here (and if I did what fun would that be) and will keep you turning pages. Recommended for ages 14 and up.

The Avengers, Volume1 by Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita Jr. - Well the Avenger are back together in this Graphic Novel and kicking butt and taking names. This Graphic Novel which collects the most recent reboot of the Avenger (Issues 1 - 6) and features on the team: Iron Man, Thor, Captain America (Bucky Barnes), Wolverine, Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Marvel Boy, Hawkeye and former S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill. Kang the Conqueror has really messed up the timeline and things are going weird and bad not only in the present, but the future also. Well when things get bad on this scale, it's time to bring in The Avengers. This story is a wild ride and brings in cool guest appearances galore such as Ultron, Wonder Man (hero or villain?), Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen, the future children of The Avengers, Galactus, Dinosaurs and I could go on and on believe it or not. The Avengers have to deal with all this and fix the timeline or every things over. When things are at their worst you bring in the best. You bring in the Avengers!!!!!  Recommended for ages 12 and up.


Sidekicks by Dan Santat - This great all ages Graphic Novel is about Captain Amazing and his pets. In his early days Captain Amazing had as his sidekick Static Cat, also his real pet cat Manny. Well time goes by and Manny is ready to retire and tries to train The Captain's new puppy Roscoe, who unknown to the Captain has the ability to turn into Steel (Roscoe calls himself Metal Mutt). Roscoe and Manny have a big falling out resulting in Manny leaving and the Captain never replacing Static Cat because he does not know about Roscoe's powers. Time passes and one of the Captain's most powerful villains gets released from jail, Dr. Havoc. The Captain is in real trouble and needs a tried and true sidekick to help him triumph over Dr. Havoc. Well the pet scene at the Captain's house has grown and all his pets want to be his new sidekick, if they can keep from killing each other while trying to work as a unit to take down the bad guys, until the Captain is ready for action after a run in with the evil Doctor. In addition to Static Cat returning and Metal Mutt still wanting to strut his stuff we now also have Fluffy the Hamster and Shifty the Chameleon all vying to be his newest sidekick. This Graphic Novel is great fun and full of laughs and heroics. Highly recommended for ages 9 and up.

That's all for now all you cool cats. Until next time, Peace Out,

Library Ninja Bill

Verily, I Mean Spookily, I Say

Well Happy New Year all out there who dwell in "The Land of Blog." I did not intend to but it seems I have started my new year with some spooooky books. Oh well, here are two books I recently finished reading and hope you will give them a try if you have not already.


The Curse of The Wendigo by Rick Yancy - This book is a follow up to the most awesome "The Monstrumologist." To see my review of that book click HERE! As in the first book young Will Henry is in the service of Dr. Pellinore Warthrop, a well respected Monstrumologist (a scientist who studious dark creatures that go more than bump in the dark). Dr. Warthrop is approached by a women he loved long ago after her husband goes missing in Canada. Her husband, who also happens to have been a close friend to the Doctor, had been tasked by there former mentor Dr. Von Helrung to prove the existence of the mythical Wendigo (He Who Devours All Mankind: a creature that starves even as it endlessly hunts and feeds on human flesh). Dr. Warthrop eventually agrees and he and Will journey into the wilds of Canada in search of his lost friend. This is an intensely frighting book as the protagonists struggle against a monster that may be real or a trick of the mind. The intensity level for this book is set to 11 and does not go down until all is said and done. Who will live? Who will die? Who will remain sane? Mr. Yancy is on par with Stephen King in presenting a story that is so frightening, yet you must keep turning the page to find out what happens next. Really great stuff!!!!! As with the previous book I feel obligated to warn all that this is probably not for young children. This book contains some extremely gory scenes in addition to just being down right frightening. It scared the living "you know what" out of me and I'm far from being a child. Also there are few curse words. So before starting to read this book make sure it is cool with your parents and you are not frightened easily.

Just to give you a taste of what these books are like, check it out:

Bloody Horowitz by Anthony Horowitz - Another great book with spooky, scary, bloodcurdling stuff. This is a compilation of 14 short stories by Mr. Horowitz that is guaranteed to be loved by all you out there who love frightening stories. Some of my favorites in the book were Bet Your Life, Robo-Nanny and Are You Sitting Comfortably. Bet Your Life is about Reality T.V. and Game shows taken to the extreme. 5 contestants are competing for 10 million dollars in precious diamonds. What's the big deal about the story you ask? Think about the title and maybe you will understand. Robo-Nanny is actually kind of funny in a dark way. It is set in the future where the use of robots is quite common. Two extremely busy parents purchase T-199 the most advanced human like Nanny on the market. It has different settings for how strictly it deals with children from very lightly to...uh, read the story to find out. Are You Sitting Comfortably deals with the horror of message chairs. Horror of message chairs you ask? Again read to find the gruesome answer. Again this is a great collection of scary stories recommend for those 9 and above.

My complements to Iron Carl on the exciting review of "Behemoth" and I will be sinking my teeth into that one soon (get it, sinking my teeth.....um, never mind).

Until next time,

Library Ninja Bill