Jessica Wagar Archives

Wise Man's Fear is Patrick Rothfuss's second book in the Kingkiller Chronicles, following the mage Kvothe as he travels, has adventures, learns the pleasures and dangers of the opposite sex, and learns that outside of school, adulting can be pretty complicated.

Book Review: I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara is solidly researched and in-depth look at the hunt for the Original Night Stalker, his crimes, and those who hunted him.

Antonio Damasio's The Strange Order of Things describes the connections between emotion and biology, from cellular homeostasis to human culture.

Mindhunter by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker is the inspiration for Netflix’s Mindhunter series, The Silence of the Lambs, and many true crime-based films and TV shows.

Review: It is Ann Leckie’s deep insight into the human condition that helps make Provenance stand out, giving the characters a solid dimensionality and motivation, blending them within their world’s culture and history.

Review: Beyond Watchmen: The Art of John Higgins is a beautiful, information-packed art book for comics lovers and artists.

Review: Cypulchre by Joseph MacKinnon is standard yet compelling cyberpunk fare, but could have benefited from a firmer editorial hand.

Review: Broken Lines is an illustrated Gonzo novel about coffee, a cowboy, a spaceman, a waitress, and a vampire who fight demons.

Review: Photographic by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Pena beautifully depicts the life of influential Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide.

Review: Emily Wilson has succeeded in making me enjoy Homer's The Odyssey, after years of other translators have failed to do so.

Carnival of Contagion is not exactly a pleasant reading experience, though the ending essay does a better job of conveying the themes present in the book.

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee is a well-written, intriguing, and immersive sci-fi book and an overall enjoyable read, especially for fans of the genre.

Ultra-futuristic sci-fi novel Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie presents a unique presentation of a hive-type mind, and how that changes over time.

Campfire Stories of Lake Kikipapi succeeds in bringing back memories of summer camp in a time when it was perceived as safer to let your kids run amok.

Graphic novel series Digger is powerful, well-crafted storytelling, with great art, characterization, and writing, serving a curious plot.

With a unique plot, great characterization, and believable reactions and consequences, Someplace to be Flying is a solidly made and edited book.

Surviving Aggressive People, a novel by Shawn Smith, gives us the toolset for avoiding and defusing conflict that we never got as kids.

If you want a cute and amusing webcomic that hearkens back to the family-friendly enjoyability of Garfield and its ilk, Ask a Cat is for you!

The Early Access version of Saurian doesn't yet live up to its potential, but hopefully it will grow into a wonderful game as time progresses.

Station Eleven is an interesting, lyrical book about human relationships and connections and love in a post-apocalyptic world, albeit with a thin plot.

'Yohance': Who doesn't like reading about a sassy space thief, his droll companion, and his cranky ex as they adventure through space looking awesome?

Yes, 'The Girl With All The Gifts' is a zombie survival story; but its unique perspective — that of a dynamic young girl — offers something completely new.

Liam Gavin's film 'A Dark Song' is a fairy tale for adults, with a lesson about ourselves and our needs, the face we show the world, and our secret hearts.

'Bite' is a wild and crazy adventure with a strange, post-apocalyptic family that has a good immersive quality. A fun read.

Josh Malerman's novel 'The Bird Box' is a creeping, claustrophobic horror that will keep you hostage reading it until it is done.

Darryl Cunningham's collection of comics, Psychiatric Tales, offers a rare, humanized vision of what it is like for those who work in mental health.

Beth Lewis's 'The Wolf Road' is a decent book, straying from some of the other post-apocalyptic books in tone and style, if not subject matter.

There are no shortages of books and websites displaying fantastical artwork. But Vision Illustrated, edited by Hugo Bravo, stands out from the crowd by

There are some writers who stick out because of their consistent clarity of voice, insight, and unique vision. N.K. Jemisin is one of those rare people.

Black Devil Spine is a book of graphic horror by Doug Brunell. It deals with sexual violence without watering it down or romanticizing it, and may be