https://nerdspan.com nerdy news for fangirls and fanboys Fri, 30 Jan 2015 13:00:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.5 https://nerdspan.com/viz-medias-haikasoru-literary-imprint-debuts-yuya-satos-evocative-novel-dendera/ https://nerdspan.com/viz-medias-haikasoru-literary-imprint-debuts-yuya-satos-evocative-novel-dendera/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2015 07:50:25 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=26215 VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint opens 2015 with its first release of the New Year. Dendera, award-winning author Yuya Sato’s stark and moving novel, is set to be published on February 17th. An eBook edition debuts the same day on the Kindle, iBooks, Nook, Kobo, and Google Play digital storefronts. “Dendera is a captivating work that […]]]> https://nerdspan.com/viz-medias-haikasoru-literary-imprint-debuts-yuya-satos-evocative-novel-dendera/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/new-year-new-beginnings/ https://nerdspan.com/new-year-new-beginnings/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2015 15:56:18 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=25130 Happy New Year! 2015 looks to be the beginning of not just a new year, but also a new start for some of us here at NerdSpan. For those of you who don’t know who I am, my name is Dan Yun and I am the Editor of the Movies section here at NerdSpan. Now, […]]]> https://nerdspan.com/new-year-new-beginnings/feed/ 1 https://nerdspan.com/goodbye/ https://nerdspan.com/goodbye/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2014 07:36:07 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=25095 NerdSpan founder Dr. Travis Langley, following the success of his book Batman and Psychology, follows up with two new books for 2015 and passes the torch to NerdSpan's new publisher and editor-in-chief.]]> https://nerdspan.com/goodbye/feed/ 1 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-unbreakable-2013-by-kami-garcia/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-unbreakable-2013-by-kami-garcia/#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2014 20:00:25 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24988 If you're looking for a gift for a reluctant reader, try this. It's a great book for someone who loves reading already or someone who's not really inclined to it. UNBREAKABLE is truly a page-turner and will get anyone reading and wanting more. It involves action and adventure, angels and demons, light horror, a little romance, and thinking through impossible puzzles. Anyone, even the most reluctant readers, should gobble this one right up!]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-unbreakable-2013-by-kami-garcia/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-retcontinuum-2014-by-s-grulkowski-interview/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-retcontinuum-2014-by-s-grulkowski-interview/#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2014 20:00:18 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24933 Retcontinuum pulls you down the rabbit hole of its narrative and doesn't let go until it has finished explaining to you just how precious time is, and how ultimately the decisions we make are the most important things we have, no matter how much time we think we have.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-retcontinuum-2014-by-s-grulkowski-interview/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/reviewinterview-the-memory-thieves-14-by-j-t-robertson/ https://nerdspan.com/reviewinterview-the-memory-thieves-14-by-j-t-robertson/#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:00:05 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24931 Combining old school noir with the best of magical realism, J.T. Robertson gives his readers a tight, gritty crime novella about a man on the edge willing to do anything to get free.]]> https://nerdspan.com/reviewinterview-the-memory-thieves-14-by-j-t-robertson/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-call-for-writers/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-call-for-writers/#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2014 01:30:36 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24966 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-call-for-writers/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-showrunners-2014-review-interview/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-showrunners-2014-review-interview/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:00:15 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24663 Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show is the companion book to the documentary film of the same name. Written by Tara Bennett, it allows readers to go further into the showrunner’s lives as they head the TV shows that we all know and some of us love. Read on for my review and an interview with the film's director, Des Doyle!]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-showrunners-2014-review-interview/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-mrs-frisby-and-the-rats-of-nimh-71-by-obrien/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-mrs-frisby-and-the-rats-of-nimh-71-by-obrien/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2014 19:00:19 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24475 Inspired by the work of a real scientist, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM is a fantastical piece of juvenile fiction about a little mouse and her connection to a society of highly intelligent rats.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-mrs-frisby-and-the-rats-of-nimh-71-by-obrien/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-shoeless-joe-1982-by-w-p-kinsella/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-shoeless-joe-1982-by-w-p-kinsella/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2014 19:00:52 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24480 Shoeless Joe is the magical story of an Iowa farmer, who based on ghostly direction, builds a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-shoeless-joe-1982-by-w-p-kinsella/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-mistborn-2006-by-brandon-sanderson/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-mistborn-2006-by-brandon-sanderson/#comments Tue, 09 Sep 2014 19:00:30 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=23922 if you haven't heard of Brandon Sanderson, or you have but haven't picked up any of his books, do yourself a favor and start with Mistborn. It's the beginning of a trilogy (with another trilogy following it), the magic system is fantastically unique, and his writing will keep you turning the pages. Don't say I didn't warn you.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-mistborn-2006-by-brandon-sanderson/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-depth-charging-ice-planet-goth-2013-by-a-bergen/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-depth-charging-ice-planet-goth-2013-by-a-bergen/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2014 19:00:09 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24237 Depth Charging Ice Planet Goth walks a fine line between a traditional coming-of-age story and surreal fantasy. Bergen draws in the reader with a protagonist that fosters compassion and identification, then flips the switch and drags the reader into a swirling nest of emotions. The mystery behind Mina’s life emerges, adding another layer to the story. As we learn more about Mina and her emotional health, the book becomes harder and harder to put down.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-depth-charging-ice-planet-goth-2013-by-a-bergen/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-jedi-doth-return-2014-by-ian-doescher/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-jedi-doth-return-2014-by-ian-doescher/#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2014 19:00:04 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=24061 Brilliant iambic pentameter marks the way of the Star Wars Shakespeare saga. To Star Wars fanatics the story is familiar, to Shakespeare lovers the phrasing is familiar, but to both there is a newness and a richness that only Doescher can provide.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-jedi-doth-return-2014-by-ian-doescher/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-name-of-the-star-2012-by-maureen-johnson/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-name-of-the-star-2012-by-maureen-johnson/#comments Tue, 12 Aug 2014 19:00:28 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=23267 Maureen Johnson’s The Name of the Star is a YA thriller sure to please any fan of horror and the paranormal, adults included. Readers with an appreciation for Jack the Ripper (the lore, not his handiwork) will be even more pleased, as Johnson draws on London’s most notorious serial killer for inspiration.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-name-of-the-star-2012-by-maureen-johnson/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/sdcc-2014-fairytale-remix-panel/ https://nerdspan.com/sdcc-2014-fairytale-remix-panel/#comments Sat, 26 Jul 2014 20:49:24 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=23774 https://nerdspan.com/sdcc-2014-fairytale-remix-panel/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/mr-penumbras-24-hour-bookstore-2012-by-robin-sloan/ https://nerdspan.com/mr-penumbras-24-hour-bookstore-2012-by-robin-sloan/#comments Tue, 22 Jul 2014 19:00:40 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=23247 Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is modern-day quest by Robin Sloan, full of nerdery, humor, and heart. It’s feels a bit like reading a live-action video game, which is fun, but with the unfortunate side effect that not all characters are fully developed beings, rather cyphers for whoever the protagonist needs them to be.]]> https://nerdspan.com/mr-penumbras-24-hour-bookstore-2012-by-robin-sloan/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-empire-striketh-back-2014-by-ian-doescher/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-empire-striketh-back-2014-by-ian-doescher/#comments Tue, 15 Jul 2014 19:00:49 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22460 In all, William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back is another solid work of literary art and wonder. I absolutely love that Ian Doescher has taken the time and the immeasurable effort to give the world this book which might otherwise never exist. Fans of Star Wars and Shakespeare will find much to love and enjoy. And! The best part is that it is not over. The third book of the trilogy, The Jedi Doth Return, is set to be released on July 1, 2014. I cannot wait.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-empire-striketh-back-2014-by-ian-doescher/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/2014-wizard-world-philadelphia-comic-con/ https://nerdspan.com/2014-wizard-world-philadelphia-comic-con/#comments Sat, 28 Jun 2014 06:07:09 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=23478 It’s that time of year again, where the fans of different genres gather together to share experiences, meet up with friends, and to buy all the merchandise they can carry that day. The 2014 Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con took place June 19-22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This year, I was accompanied by my […]]]> https://nerdspan.com/2014-wizard-world-philadelphia-comic-con/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-battle-royale-slam-book/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-battle-royale-slam-book/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2014 18:35:36 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=23398 Battle Royale has been hailed as one of most moving and unique pieces of science fiction literature in modern history. Written by Koushun Takami in 1999, the story follows 42 Japanese junior high school students as they are forced to kill each other on a remote island by their government. Takami’s kill-or-be-killed novel sparked controversy […]]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-battle-royale-slam-book/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-king-of-the-weeds-2014-by-spillane-collins/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-king-of-the-weeds-2014-by-spillane-collins/#comments Tue, 17 Jun 2014 19:00:00 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22941 What do a convicted serial killer about to be released because of new evidence, a hit man, a run of 'accidental' NYPD deaths and $89 million in Mafia money have in common? Mike Hammer is going to find out in his final novel, King of the Weeds.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-king-of-the-weeds-2014-by-spillane-collins/feed/ 1 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-point-your-face-at-this-2011-by-demetri-martin/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-point-your-face-at-this-2011-by-demetri-martin/#comments Fri, 13 Jun 2014 19:00:08 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22800 A series of funny drawings, diagrams, lists and charts from comedian Demetri Martin. There are much worse places to point your face.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-point-your-face-at-this-2011-by-demetri-martin/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-star-wars-trilogy/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-star-wars-trilogy/#comments Mon, 09 Jun 2014 19:00:27 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22458 The novelizations of the Star Wars Trilogy capture the magic and the wonder that is Star Wars in book form.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-the-star-wars-trilogy/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-this-is-a-book-2011-by-demetri-martin/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-this-is-a-book-2011-by-demetri-martin/#comments Tue, 03 Jun 2014 19:00:24 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22792 Demetri Martin attempts to bring his comedy style into a book with very good results. There's no great depth to This is a Book, but something most people will enjoy for a few hours. Definitely worth a look if you’re a fan.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-this-is-a-book-2011-by-demetri-martin/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/interview-with-joe-abercrombie-on-being-adapted-to-comics-2/ https://nerdspan.com/interview-with-joe-abercrombie-on-being-adapted-to-comics-2/#comments Fri, 30 May 2014 19:00:01 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=12057 David here, Nerdspanners! Joe Abercrombie is one of the decade’s most outstanding fantasy writers. Robert and I have both been captive devotees since The Blade Itself, the first of his award-winning initial series First Law Trilogy, hit shelves in 2006. Since then, his second-world fantasy setting has been the star of six books and a […]]]> https://nerdspan.com/interview-with-joe-abercrombie-on-being-adapted-to-comics-2/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/review-fangirl-2013-by-rainbow-rowell/ https://nerdspan.com/review-fangirl-2013-by-rainbow-rowell/#comments Tue, 22 Apr 2014 19:00:10 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22470 Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell’s third novel, is chock full of the great characters and witty dialogue readers have come to expect from Rowell, all while delving into a fictional world within a fictional world. It’s imaginative, great fun, and well worth a read (or two or three).]]> https://nerdspan.com/review-fangirl-2013-by-rainbow-rowell/feed/ 2 https://nerdspan.com/mark-morriss-noah-vegetarians-giants-and-the-hollywood-revival/ https://nerdspan.com/mark-morriss-noah-vegetarians-giants-and-the-hollywood-revival/#comments Thu, 10 Apr 2014 04:01:53 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22700 After decades of turning away from The Ten Commandments and The Greatest Story Ever Told, Hollywood is having a good old fashioned revival in 2014, with numerous biblical and faith-oriented movies both in the theatre now and upcoming. The most successful this year so far is Noah, which definitely isn’t grounded in your great grandmother’s […]]]> https://nerdspan.com/mark-morriss-noah-vegetarians-giants-and-the-hollywood-revival/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/review-elysium-the-art-of-the-film-2013-by-mark-salisbury/ https://nerdspan.com/review-elysium-the-art-of-the-film-2013-by-mark-salisbury/#comments Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:00:22 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=22390 Elysium: The Art of the Film is a beautiful coffee table book devoted to the art, cinematography, and design of the 2013 Blomkamp film. It is a sturdy hardcover with stunning photos, drawings, and insight into the decisions behind the film. If you enjoyed both of Neill Blomkamp's films, you will enjoy having access to the behind-the-scenes process this art of the film book reveals.]]> https://nerdspan.com/review-elysium-the-art-of-the-film-2013-by-mark-salisbury/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/for-the-love-of-books/ https://nerdspan.com/for-the-love-of-books/#comments Wed, 29 Jan 2014 20:00:25 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=21317 https://nerdspan.com/for-the-love-of-books/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-enders-game-1985-by-orson-scott-card/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-enders-game-1985-by-orson-scott-card/#comments Tue, 07 Jan 2014 20:00:57 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=19908 Ender's Game is a book of contradictions. It is about children playing at war. It is about old men warring with children. It is about the wisdom of the young confounding the knowledge of the old. It is about xenophobia and unity. It is about war as a game.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-enders-game-1985-by-orson-scott-card/feed/ 1 https://nerdspan.com/the-wrong-quarry-2014-by-max-allan-collins/ https://nerdspan.com/the-wrong-quarry-2014-by-max-allan-collins/#comments Fri, 03 Jan 2014 20:00:35 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=21166 A former contract killer named Jack Quarry spends his retirement years killing contract killers, and, occasionally, the contractors. The Wrong Quarry slams like a slug from a .44 and doesn't stop until the last body has dropped to the floor.]]> https://nerdspan.com/the-wrong-quarry-2014-by-max-allan-collins/feed/ 1 https://nerdspan.com/introducing-the-new-bookworms-editor/ https://nerdspan.com/introducing-the-new-bookworms-editor/#comments Thu, 02 Jan 2014 21:18:25 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=19604 Introducing the new Bookworms section editor, Ashley Darling. She's a life-long lover of books, nerdy things, and cats. Extend a very warm welcome to her in the comments! Also, are you or someone you know interested in writing for the site? Look within for the application requirements and contact information!]]> https://nerdspan.com/introducing-the-new-bookworms-editor/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-turbulence-2013-by-samit-basu/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-turbulence-2013-by-samit-basu/#comments Mon, 23 Dec 2013 18:00:41 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=20644 Turbulence is a superhero story without any explanation of how these people became superheroes, which is kind of a fun twist on the story. It opens on a scene where a young Indian Air Force Flight Lieutenant is flying around Indian airspace on a mission; and no, he isn’t in an airplane. He’s supposed to find a military base and destroy it--but something happens. His communication systems are intercepted by an unnamed man who tells him what he’s doing is stupid, and that he knows that someone is killing or kidnapping superheroes, and that he should join their fight to save the superhumans.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-turbulence-2013-by-samit-basu/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-time-spent-313-volume-2013-by-j-david-clarke/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-time-spent-313-volume-2013-by-j-david-clarke/#comments Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:00:10 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=19910 What happens when a bunch of super power teenagers, a dog, alternate dimensions, a woman who may or may not be the devil, and the military all smash together? Time Spent happens.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-time-spent-313-volume-2013-by-j-david-clarke/feed/ 2 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-star-trek-federation-the-first-150-years-2013-by-david-goodman/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-star-trek-federation-the-first-150-years-2013-by-david-goodman/#comments Mon, 09 Dec 2013 18:00:34 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=19902 The history of the United Federation of Planets, as seen in the Star Trek universe, is told through the stories of the men and women of the Federation's galaxy renowned Starfleet. But just how did Starfleet, and the Federation, come to be?]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-star-trek-federation-the-first-150-years-2013-by-david-goodman/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/great-showdowns-return-2013-by-scott-c/ https://nerdspan.com/great-showdowns-return-2013-by-scott-c/#comments Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:00:46 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=20292 Movie and media enthusiasts beware, because the coffee table book to promote and prove your showdown prowess has arrived in the form of Scott C.’s next artistic endeavour, Great Showdowns the Return. This hardback compact book is chock full of Scott C.’s well known watercolor depictions of conflicts between movie, book and television characters.]]> https://nerdspan.com/great-showdowns-return-2013-by-scott-c/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/anno-dracula-johnny-alucard-2013-by-kim-newman/ https://nerdspan.com/anno-dracula-johnny-alucard-2013-by-kim-newman/#comments Thu, 07 Nov 2013 18:00:31 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=19967 https://nerdspan.com/anno-dracula-johnny-alucard-2013-by-kim-newman/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-star-wars-kenobi-2013-by-john-jackson-miller/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-star-wars-kenobi-2013-by-john-jackson-miller/#comments Tue, 05 Nov 2013 18:00:27 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=18705 Space western. Those two words usually bring to mind Joss Whedon's Firefly or something like Cowboys and Aliens. Occasionally one might think of Star Wars, but Star Wars is more epic space fantasy. Star Wars: Kenobi is a classic western with all the elements: the natives, the outlaws, the farmers, the mysterious stranger and is thoroughly Star Wars at the same time.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-star-wars-kenobi-2013-by-john-jackson-miller/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-war-of-the-worlds-blood-guts-and-zombies-2009-by-eric-s-brown/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-war-of-the-worlds-blood-guts-and-zombies-2009-by-eric-s-brown/#comments Tue, 29 Oct 2013 17:00:52 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=18710 H.G. Well's alien invasion novel, The War of the Worlds, is well known. It has been adapted for film, theater, and most infamously radio, but with Eric S. Brown, we get a new life breathed into the old story. The War of the Worlds always was a commentary on the fragility of life, the arrogance of human superiority and the triumph of the common man, but Brown takes it one step further: it is now a reflection on the old mores of science fiction and how even something done to death can be reanimated to terrifying appeal.]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-war-of-the-worlds-blood-guts-and-zombies-2009-by-eric-s-brown/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-a-spot-of-bother-2006-by-mark-haddon/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-a-spot-of-bother-2006-by-mark-haddon/#comments Tue, 22 Oct 2013 17:00:59 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=19752 Recently retired George Hall is a hypochondriac who is convinced the patch of eczema on his leg is skin cancer. His daughter Katie is about to marry a man the family dislikes. His son, Jamie, has split with boyfriend Tony over a small misunderstanding. Meanwhile, George’s wife is having an affair. Mark Haddon’s domestic drama is enjoyable in parts but somehow lacking. ]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-a-spot-of-bother-2006-by-mark-haddon/feed/ 0 https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-who-is-killing-the-great-capes-of-heropa/ https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-who-is-killing-the-great-capes-of-heropa/#comments Mon, 21 Oct 2013 03:40:51 +0000 https://nerdspan.com/?p=19793 Imagine a future where you can live as a superhero. Not just any superhero, but one you carefully designed, from the super power to the costume. Welcome to Heropa. Andrez Bergen’s latest novel, Who is Killing the Great Capes of Heropa?, takes place in the fictional world of Heropa and the grim reality that is a dystopian […]]]> https://nerdspan.com/bookworms-who-is-killing-the-great-capes-of-heropa/feed/ 1