Inexplicably, the improbably-named Hercules Amsterdam is only three inches tall, a condition which has plagued him for all of his nine years, providing his family with much consternation. He himself is fairly happy with this state of being, though he … Continue reading
For her birthday, Giannine Bellisario (Janine) receives a gift certificate to the popular Rasmussen Gaming Center, a virtual reality arcade offering the very best in role-playing simulations. After some thought, she chooses Heir Apparent, a complicated game in which the … Continue reading
Harry Potter is back for the fifth installment in the best-selling phenomenon that’s swept the world, and this is his biggest, most dangerous adventure yet. Not only are all the old characters – Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid, Draco, … Continue reading
As Harry’s 6th year at Hogwarts approaches, a secret war amongst the wizards and witches of the world continues to rage on, with the reborn Lord Voldemort’s Death-Eaters inflicting a slow, ghastly toll upon those who would stop them. The … Continue reading
Cassie Brittman’s always been there for family, especially when it comes to keeping her flighty mother grounded in the real world. But when her grandfather, a famous painter whose mind has seen better days, ends up in the hospital, dying, … Continue reading
The third and final look at retold fairy tales again turns its attention to geese, with Goose Girl. In this particular version, Anidori-Kiladra, Crown Princess of the small kingdom of Kildenree, is born with a peculiar, magical gift, to understand … Continue reading
It just so happens I stumbled across a small cache of retold fairy tales in time for this edition of my column. First up is Goose Chase, which ties together stock elements from a number of stories, including the orphaned … Continue reading
Goddesses #3: Muses on the Move, and Goddesses #4: Love or Fate, continue and conclude the story about three teenage Muses exiled to modern-day Earth until they can overcome certain character flaws. When we last saw our heroines, Polly (Polyhymnia), … Continue reading
Polly, Era, and Thalia have just suffered the ultimate in grounding: banishment to Earth. You see, they’re not exactly ordinary run-of-the-mill teenage girls. No, they’re the resident troublemakers of Olympus, home of the Greek gods, and they’ve just upset their … Continue reading
In the Uplands, warring clans of witchfolk rule, each clan possessing specific, often deadly powers through which they both protect themselves and enforce their wills. It’s a region of distrust, of insular and secretive people, of long-held grudges and blood … Continue reading
