Lord Samper's Library

When things get a bit stressful, whether it’s work or anything else, I have a habit of going on Amazon and giving myself a little Seretonin buzz by buying a book or two (or more on the really bad days…) I should probably look at cheaper ways of getting that hit but that’s how I roll at the moment. Yesterday wasn’t a bad day as such, just loads to do and not enough time to do it all in, not when you’ve got a six year old who really needs to do her reading comprehension but is doing anything she can not to (and she didn’t as it happens but that’s another story). No surprise then that I ordered myself a couple of books to read in a quiet moment (yeah right) but a bit more of a surprise when they showed up today. Hence the post… Lets take a look shall we… ‘Elric of Melnibone and Other Stories’ – Michael Moorcock Gollancz is very proud to present the author's definitive editions of the saga of Elric, the last emperor of Melniboné. Michael Moorcock and his long-t...

I don't know about you but Lockdown is having a real detrimental affect on my ability to focus on what I'm reading. If it's a TV show then I'm fine but it's becoming more common for me to put down a book and then realise it's been several days since I read a page. 'Space Marine' was a notable 'Did Not Finish', the other day, and while I know I'll finish 'The Hollow Mountain', I also know that it's going to take longer then normal.to do it. So, how's a chap to handle this? And how do I make this blog look like it's having attention paid to it...? The answer is simple. It's way past time I revisited some favourite comic books of mine and one of my favouritest of favourite series is 'Rat Queens. I've only read the first three books so now is as good a time as any to read them and see what happens after that... Who are the Rat Queens? A pack of booze-guzzling, death-dealing battle maidens-for-hire, and...

It's only been in the last few years that I've finally realised that I don't have to finish every book that I pick up. Maybe I'm just getting a bit older now and there's a creeping suspicion, at the back of my mind, that there's not as much time (as there used to be) to read all the good books, let alone the ones that don't agree with me. Maybe I've just lost a little bit of the tolerance that I used to have for reading books that weren't quite up to snuff. It's more than likely that the truth sits somewhere in the middle of the two and to be honest, it's not that big a deal. If a book isn't working for me then I'm gracefully bowing out and moving onto something else. It's still a shame though when a book doesn't work out. Especially when it's a book that you've always fancied picking up but never got round to. Especially when it's a book that felt like it was just the book for me... Yep, I'm talking ...

It's a little late in the day but welcome once again to 'Mandalorian Monday'; that post where I try to avoid the big spoiler even though I'm possibly the only person who hasn't seen Episode 8 yet... Seriously though, is there anyone here who doesn't know what the 'Asset' is? I'd be really interested to know but in the meantime, no spoilers here. Just one more episode after this and my new favourite Star Wars thing is over, at least until Season 2 comes around ('The Rise of Skywalker' isn't bad but 'The Mandalorian' is where it's at for me, no question about it). So then, shall we...? The Mandalorian receives a message from Greef Karga. Karga's town has been overrun by Imperial troops led by the Client, who is desperate to recover the Asset. Karga proposes that the Mandalorian use the Asset as bait in order to kill the Client, and free the town, but can he be trusted? It's time for the Mandalorian to look up ...

How's the Lockdown treating you? I could be better but my Kindle, I have to say, is absolutely loving all the attention it's getting at the moment. I was a little late to the whole e-reading revolution, so late in fact by the time I got there it wasn't a revolution at all. I still prefer the feel (and smell) of a real book but there is something to be said for having around four hundred books (at a rough guess) in the palm of my hand and not having to use an old receipt for a bookmark :o) Being on my own at the moment, I've got a nasty habit of browsing Amazon and looking for the cheap e-book deals when work is giving me a kicking. I really need to stop it and read some of the books that have been waiting to be read for weeks now... Well, that's the plan anyway; we all know that there will be another post like this next week. I love book hunting and it's almost as fun on Amazon as it is in the real world. Check these out... 'Breeding Ground...

Lockdown continues and so I'm continuing to save my classic 'Doctor Who' DVDs for another day. Once again then, we're headed back into the world of 'The Strain' and this time, a sobering reminder that hope doesn't count for a lot sometimes and the best laid plans can be undone in an instant if children are involved. By the way, for the first time in a long time, I'm ahead of the game now as last weekend saw me tear through Seasons 3 and 4 in a mammoth session of binge watching the vampire apocalypse. All I have to do now is to write about them, if only I was as good at finishing off all the books that I've got on the go at the moment... So, Season 3 then. The season of 'just when you think things are on the up and up...' There's a very high chance of spoilers lurking within this post so just bear that in mind before you read on. The fight for New York city continues and everyone's plans are close to fruition. Only one s...

It's been a little while, since we last visited, but welcome back to the fruits of my resolution to stick with a Marvel title and see where it takes me. I mean, we all know where that will ultimately end up... the next big Marvel 'event' that resets everything and starts the whole thing rolling again. I'm talking about the journey rather than the destination. Last time I picked one of these books up, the War of the Realms was concluding and while some heroes were cleaning up the mess, others were looking like their stories were about to be front and centre for a while. I'm talking about a time travelling Iron Man and Robbie Reyes, the reluctant Ghostrider. Lets see what happens to them and while we're here, I'll have a little rant about the need for editing... Ghost Rider vs. Ghost Rider! Robbie Reyes finally wants to get rid of the flame-headed monster lurking inside him, so it's time to do the common sense thing: perform an exorcism on his...

I may be the last person to actually watch 'The Rise of Skywalker' but I finally did it. I've yet to watch a 'Star Wars' film that I haven't enjoyed (even 'Solo' wasn't that bad) but while 'The Last Jedi' wasn't as bad as people made out (what was so bad about Rose Tico?), I just didn't enjoy it enough to want to be first in line to see 'Rise of Skywalker' or anything like that. I knew I'd pick up the DVD at some point so was cool to wait for a bit longer before seeing it. And now here I am, having held off from posting anything until now so I could get my head straight around how I feel about it. It's a tough one so apologies in advance for any rambling that may occur. There may well be some spoilers as well... I'm working on the assumption that everyone else has seen 'The Rise of Skywalker', by now, so be warned. Seriously though, spoilers... I mean it.... Okay, lets...

Because sometimes, my sub-conscious does know what it's doing or, at the very least, decides to use its awesome powers for good instead of evil. You see, when I bought a copy of 'Luthor Huss' a few weeks ago, I just thought that I was replacing an older/lost copy. But no, my sub-conscious saw a time in the future when I'd need a bit of comfort reading and for some weird reason, that broad scope includes tales of a zealous warrior priest battering the undead and beastmen with his trusty warhammer. I can't argue with that though because this week, I needed some comfort reading and 'Luthor Huss' was sat there, waiting to be picked up. Thanks sub-conscious, I owe you one. Witch hunter Lukas Eichmann investigates a series of bizarre murders, which ultimately lead him into the haunted depths of the Empire at the head of an army of fanatical warriors. In the Drakwald Forest, Luthor Huss, warrior priest of Sigmar, battles to free the denizens of the fores...

I try and fill my week full of little things to look forward to, especially these days, it helps me deal with each day and then move on to the next one. Sunday is always a good one as I get to read Brian Keene's latest newsletter; it's always full of links to loads of cool to stuff to read, and listen to, and I've learned a lot about horror by following these links and seeing where they end up. I was full of cold all of this weekend just gone (and luckily, it was just a cold) so completely forgot to check my email but I did yesterday and found a little treat that any fan of zombie fiction will be all over, a link to a new story set in the world of 'Dead Sea' and 'Entombed'. And it's free to read. Remember a little while ago when I reviewed 'Silverwood: The Door' from Serial Box? Well, 'Not Alone' runs along the same lines. Click Here and choose whether you want to listen to 'Not Alone' or if you want to read it instead....

It’s Monday and that doesn’t just mean that we’re all back at work again (although I’m pretty pleased that I’ve gone a whole day without wearing my dressing gown…) I must obey the whims of alliteration which can only mean that it’s time for another ‘Mandalorian Monday’! I’ve really enjoyed watching ‘The Mandalorian’ and it has pretty much made me fall in love with Star Wars all over again, it’s that good. If you were around for last week’s episode though, you would have seen me struggle slightly with ‘The Gunslinger’, an episode that wasn’t bad but did feel kind of like it was made of filler; like it was biding it’s time before the main story took over again. I was interested to see then whether   Episode 6 would give us more of the same or if things were going to pick up again. As it happened, things picked up again but not for the reasons that I was hoping for… The Mandalorian finds work, through an old friend, as part of a team of mercenaries put together to spring...

Happy Sunday everyone! I know things aren't great right now but hopefully today has given you at least one thing to smile about. If it has, feel free to share it in the comments; we could all do with some extra smiles these days so don't be shy... ;o) If you've been following the blog this week just gone, you'll see that it hasn't been the best one for reading; one book and a couple of short stories... That's the way it goes sometimes (although funnily enough, my TV watching has improved dramatically); hopefully this week will be a better one. Lets see... One of my goals this week is to try and improve my work/life balance (which is all taking place in one room at the moment) so I'm feeling confident. But you're here for the books though, aren't you? Of course you are ;o) I got paid on Friday so had a little Amazon shopping trip. I'm waiting for a few books to come through the letterbox but in the meantime, my Kindle is feeling all loved a...

So I can't finish a book to save my life, at the moment, but I am finding it incredibly easy to polish off box sets. Funny how it goes sometimes, isn't it? I'm still saving my last couple of 'classic' Doctor Who DVDs for future posts so today, we're headed back into the world of 'The Strain' and a fight against what was originally thought to be a disease but has ended up becoming so much more... I'll do my best to avoid major spoilers for this season but we're talking Season 2 now so there may be at least one spoiler for Season 1, don't say I didn't warn you... What's left of the CDC's Canary Team has finally heeded Abraham Setrakian's advice and faced down the Master in his own lair, Has the Master been destroyed though? Of course not, this is only Season 2... As the fight against the infection continues, new allies appear and New York finally mobilises but will it be enough? The struggle becomes more persona...

When I first started this blog, I did say that if I wasn't feeling it then you'd very likely see a post about cover art or something like that. It's been one of those weeks and now it's Friday, I'm not even in the mood to moan about cover art... Life feels like it's on hold but it keeps on moving forwards at the same time and my reading is taking a real hammering because of this strange disconnect that I'm feeling. Well, that and the immense amount of work that I really need to wrestle into some kind of shape and get it off my back. I'm missing my commute and the time it gives me to get stuck into a book. It could always be worse though :o) So then, this is a little post to introduce you to the small pile of books that I'm picking up, reading a few pages and then popping down to read something else instead. I will finish them eventually but in the meantime... 'Luthor Huss' – Chris Wraight This is pure, unadulterated comf...