The Revenge of the Bookulator

Not only have I had time to go zooming around Norwich on my bike, taking photos of my Fine City, and unconsciously making Victoria Sponge cakes, but I've also managed to squeeze in two more books.

As in, I've read two more, not actually squeezed them in somewhere. And certainly not squeezed them in my NON-EXISTENT front bottom, MJ!

Anyway, here are the latest two books. They might look a tad familiar, as they both follow on from the previous two:

ATTACK OF THE Deranged Mutant Killer Monster SNOW GOONS, by Bill Watterson.

This features a strip in which Calvin accidently brings a snowman to life, who attempts to kill Calvin, then makes more Snow Goons, who each make more etc. etc... Calvin eventually vanquishes them by turning the garden hose on them at night while they sleep, freezing them solid. Calvin's dad comes outside to see what on earth is going on, only to skid over on the icy yard and end up covered in snow. He chases Calvin who thinks he's been transformed into a Snow Goon, too. Ummm... You really have to be there for it to be funny.
Other strips include: Calvin versus his killer bicycle; Stupendous Man vanquishing his arch-fiend Annoying Girl (Susie Derkins) by dropping a massive snow ball on her from a tree; more from Calvin & Hobbes' club G.R.O.S.S. (Get Rid Of Slimy girlS), where Hobbes gets kidnapped by Susie Derkins in retaliation to Calvin's kidnapping of her doll, Binky Betsy; and the creation of Good Calvin by the Duplicator (Calvin's big cardboard box). Good Calvin doesn't last very long because he had a bad thought after an argument with Original (Evil) Calvin and 'spectralized' into non existence when the built-in 'Moral Compromise Spectral Release Phantasmatron' kicks in. Genius!


I love Calvin & Hobbes, if you hadn't already realised, and will be reading more while I'm waiting for the the final book of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Lost Era, Terok Nor: Dawn of the Eagles, to be delivered. But first, here's the second book:

Star Trek Terok Nor: Night of the Wolves, by S D Perry & Britta Dennison


This book spans the time between 2345 and 2357, and introduces more familiar characters who weren't in the first novel: Gul Ocett, Corat Damar (future leader of the Cardassian Union), Opaka Sulan (the future Kai), Winn Adami (Opaka's scheming successor), Lenaris Holem, Ro Laren, Shakaar Edon, Dr. Mora Pol, Odo and Kira Nerys.
I'm not going to go on too much about this book, other than to say that the authors have done a fine job of continuing James Swallow's excellent work, and elaborating on important events from Bajor's history that the television series had only touched upon. Subjects such as the effects Opaka's teachings have on the Bajorans she meets, the makings of Ro Laren and Kira Nerys from children to young women, more on the somewhat misunderstood Gul Dukat and his love for Nerys's mother, Kira Meru, and the liberation of the Gallitep mining facility, to name but a few.
I didn't find this novel quite as engaging as the first, even though the characters were more familiar. I think it's because so much was packed in, that it could have done with having somewhat more than the 450 odd pages allocated. Overall, it is an inciteful look at Cardassian occupied Bajor, and the struggles of not just the Bajorans, but some of the Cardassians, too.

Hopefully, the next book will be here soon!