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recentreads.bsky.social
Recent Reads
@recentreads.bsky.social
180 followers 70 following 430 posts
Not necessarily recently written. I read a lot of old books.
Also, I read a lot of comix.
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recentreads.bsky.social
A Dance at the Slaughterhouse
By Lawrence Block

A Matthew Scudder mystery, and I'll definitely be looking for more of them to read. Complex plotting, great characters, moral philosophizing, and a violent conclusion.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#matthewscudder
#lawrenceblock
#mystery
#crime
#thriller
#booksky
January 25, 2026 at 1:47 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
The Wild Geese
By Daniel Carney

A British mercenary is hired to rescue a deposed African leader before he is executed, and sets about gathering equipment and hiring and training a troop of mercenaries for the attempt. Plans go awry.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
#mercenaries
#military
#thriller
#booksky
#action
Pocket paperback with a large title in red letters outlined in black, above a painted illustration of four men wearing red berets and holding guns. Top central man is Roger Moore, with Richard Harris below him to the left and Hardy Kruger to the right, with Richard Burton below in the center.
January 25, 2026 at 1:42 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
This Ends Tonight
Ws: Gerry Duggan, Kelvin Mao, Robert Window
A: Jae Lee

Lee's art, as always, is wonderful. The story is disjointed and confusing; maybe too many chefs in the kitchen? Dual storylines, poorly delineated characters, not at all memorable.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#jaelee
#booksky
January 25, 2026 at 1:34 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
We're Taking Everyone Down With Us
W: Matthew Rosenberg
A: Stefano Landini

SciFi thriller with a young girl being protected from a cabal of criminals by a robot built by her murdered father, as she seeks revenge. Groovy art, fun story.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#sciencefiction
#booksky
Comic book collection trade paperback with a cover illustration, in a near abstract style with large areas of flat color, showing a robot's hand holding a himan's bloody hand.
January 25, 2026 at 1:27 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
Hayduke Lives!
Edward Abbey

The sequel to the infamous The Monkey Wrench Gang. A few sections were too overly verbose for me, but the antics of the old gang versus the dastardly Bishop Love make for a fun read. Plus Abbey's descriptions of the desert Southwest are beyond compare.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#monkeywrench
Trade paperback book with a cover illustration of a hand holding five sticks of dynamite taped together, with a small clock attached. In the background can be seen a landscape of mesas and cliffs, perhaps part of the Grand Canyon.
January 18, 2026 at 5:07 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
The Goon: Them That Don't Stay Dead
By Eric Powell

More delightful shenanigans from the macabre world of the Goon, in an outre city populated mostly by villains, criminals, zombies, and other unsavory creatures. Think Charles Addams on speed.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#thegoon
#ericpowell
#booksky
Trade paperback comic book collection with a cover illustration of the Goon and his companion Frankie, above a vertically centered title logo. The Goon is a large man with massive muscles, and is wearing a flat cap, his trademark striped T-shirt, and nondescript trousers, and is holding an axe in his right hand. Frankie is a much smaller man, wearing a fedora, tank top, and a pair of thin suspenders holding up loose brown pants, and is holding a long knife in his right hand. Both men are in action poses that indicate they are prepared to fend off an attack. Below the logo, several monstrous arms reach into the frame towards the men above.
January 8, 2026 at 6:59 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums
By Stan Sakai

Usagi and his nephew deal with a supernatural situation, and then encounter an actual historical phenomenon in this latest gem from master storyteller artist Sakai. Guest appearance by Gen the bounty hunter.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#usagiyojimbo
#stansakai
Trade paperback comic book collection with a cover illustration showing Usagi Yojimbo and his grown nephew standing next to each other. Both are wearing traditional Japanese clothes from the 1600s. Usagi has a blue top and black trousers, and is holding a katana sword in his right hand, point down, with his left hand resting on his shorter wakizashi sword in his sash. His nephew is wearing a light brown top and darker brown trousers, and is holding his katana in front of him in both hands, point up. They are surrounded by a design of pink and white plum blossoms.
January 5, 2026 at 6:58 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Rama Revealed
By Arthur C. Clarke & Gentry Lee

The final novel in the Rama series. Life with aliens and conflict with humans who have embraced fascism, aboard a giant alien spacecraft. Neatly concludes this multigenerational tale.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#sciencefiction
#arthurcclarke
#booksky
A hardcover book with an illustration of three huge spheres, all covered with colored lights and/or lit windows, and each connected to the others, and at least one out of frame, by long columns. A small spacecraft approaches the spheres in the foreground. The background is all a misty red of a nebula, with some stars visible through it.
January 5, 2026 at 6:42 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Lady Mechanika, Vol. 5: La Belle Dame Sans Merci
By M.M. Chen & Joe Benitez
(Complete credits in photos.)

More adventures of the mysterious partly mechanical woman with no memory of how she came to be. (Cont.)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#steampunk
#booksky
Trade paperback comic book collection, with a cover illustration featuring a woman wearing a low-cut, flowing white gown. Her liked up black hair is decorated with flowers. Her arms appear to be mechanical. She is seated on an ornate brass chair with red velvet cushioning. She is surrounded by an ornately ornamented brass frame with many swirls and in the background can be seen a multitude of large gears.
January 2, 2026 at 8:04 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Redcoat, Vol. 2
By Geoff Johns & Bryan Hitch
(Complete credits in cover photo.)

Accidental immortal and soft-hearted rogue Simon Pure meets American legends, gets drunk a lot, and ... (Cont.)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#immortal
#timetravel
Trade paperback comic book collection, with a cover illustration showing two main figures, men in action poses, back to back, defending themselves in a battle scene. The man on the right is a Caucasian with blonde hair and a sparse beard, wearing a late 1700s British military coat and accoutrements. He is holding a pistol in each hand, what look like cap and ball revolvers. The man on the left is black, with a goatee, and is wearing a Civil War Union Army uniform, with a satchel bag slung over his shoulder and across his chest. He is brandishing a modern assault style rifle. Behind them are flags being waved, a Confederate battle flag on the right and the American stars and stripes on the left. In the foreground, several long rifles are being pointed at them by figures off the page.
January 2, 2026 at 7:52 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
I'm having a Didn't Get the Books You Wanted for Xmas Sale in my PangoBooks shop, 20% off orders of $50+!

pangobooks.com/bookstore/ag...
Agustin Goba's Bookstore | Pango Books
Browse books from Agustin Goba's bookstore on Pango Books. Native of Earth, still living here. Have spent much of my life buying books; now I'm selling some of them. All books securely shipped in ca...
pangobooks.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:03 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
Frankenstein: New World, Vol. 2: The Sea of Forever
(See photos for creators.)

Humanity has mostly disappeared from a post-cataclysmic Earth, as the Monster quests with a young girl on a journey that has him discovering new species and old dangers. Mythological.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#frankenstein
#mikemignola
Comic book hardback collection, with a cover illustration showing the titular character in side profile view, his long white hair serving as a background for a smaller, full length version of him, arms upraised, holding a long-handled two-edged weapon in one hand, his hair and robes flying in the wind.
December 31, 2025 at 1:26 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
The Savage Sword of Conan, Vol. 3
See photos for contents & creators.

The third collection of Titan Comics' new Howard-themed anthology, in a magazine-sized format with lovingly produced b&w and grey-toned art. Included are stories featuring non-Conan Howard characters.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#conan
#comicbook
Comic book trade paperback collection with a painted cover illustration by Joe Jusko. Skulls litter the foreground. Conan, wearing only a blood-splattered white loincloth, is nailed spread-eagled on an ironbound, thick-limbed X-cross of tree trunks. He is biting the neck of a large vulture, while others soar in the sky behind him. #barbarian #swordandsorcery Content page of the anthology, showing featured characters, story titles, and creators.
December 31, 2025 at 1:14 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
Geiger, Vol. 4
By Geoff Johns & Gary Frank

Adventures of a post-apocalyptic radioactive superhero. In this volume he meets a woman with the same powers/affliction, gets psychoanalyzed, and deals with nasty bad people. Mayhem ensues.

Great writing & art.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#postapocalypse
Comic book trade paperback collection, with a cover showing rumpled green fabric and two radiation warning symbols.
December 31, 2025 at 12:58 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
Solomon Kane, Vol. 1: The Serpent Ring
Written, drawn, & colored by Patrick Zircher

Robert E. Howard's Puritan bad-ass is beautifully illustrated and written in a story that admirably captures the spirit of the character, and shows that Zircher carefully researched the time period.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comics
A comic book miniseries collection in a trade paperback format, with a cover illustration by Mike Mignola, showing the titular character in the center, wearing a black cloak and his usual garb of a Puritan hat and white collar. He holds a rapier-style sword in his right hand. Below him is a crossed brace of flintlock pistols. Around and behind him are several skeletal figures. In the back can be seen a rustic cottage with a chimney and thatched roof, with the silhouettes of leafy trees behind it, and a crescent moon above it. #comicbook #solomonkane #robertehoward #fantasy #swordandsorcery A page of interior art done in a fine line inked style with fully shaded coloring.
December 31, 2025 at 12:49 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
The Private Eye
W: Brian K. Vaughan
A: Marcos Martin

Science fiction graphic novel with an interesting premise: the USA bans the Internet. Total personal privacy is standard, which makes finding a murderer problematic. Well-written, art a bit loose for my taste, but does the job.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
Graphic novel trade paperback cover, in a landscape (horizontal) format. A drawing fills the entire cover. In the foreground is a man shown from the rear and shoulders up, wearing a white hoodie with a graphic of large yellow eyes and a big toothy grin or maybe grimace. The man's nose and corner of his mouth can just be seen, with a cigarette dangling from his lips. In the background, in black and shades of brown and orange, is a crowd of people, all wearing masks or costumes to hide their identity. #graphicnovel #sciencefiction
December 31, 2025 at 12:27 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
The Judas Goat
Looking for Rachel Wallace
Early Autumn
By Robert B. Parker

Three Spenser novels, all excellent reads. If you enjoy some social consciousness with your crime noir, Spenser is your man.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#Spenser
#robertbparker
#crime
#mystery
#privateeye
Hardback book with a dust jacket cover. Across the top runs a tan-colored band with the text "A new collection of three complete Spenser novels." Beneath that the author's name in yellow in a large serif font is superimposed over an illustration that covers the entire cover. The three novel titles, "The Judas Goat," "Looking for Rachel Wallace," and "Early Autumn" are superimposed over the illustration, set in a sand serif condensed font, and running on curves with the beginning of the titles lower than the ends. The illustration is a birdseye's view, with several fall leaves, perhaps maple leaves, falling towards the front of an apartment building, while two males figures with long shadows walk towards each other on the sidewalk and street.
December 29, 2025 at 5:11 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Spirits in the Wires
By Charles de Lint

Urban fantasy, magical beings, mythic characters, shadow lands and otherworlds, the Internet, and the catastrophic effects of a computer virus introduced into a website that has become part of the magical realms.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#urbanfantasy
#charlesdelint
#booksky
December 23, 2025 at 11:59 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Doc Savage, Vol. 4: Land of Always Night; Mad Mesa
By "Kenneth Robeson" (W. Ryerson Johnson and Lester Dent)

More derring-do from America's original superhero, this time in a mystery involving a hidden civilization, and a major crime plot masterminded by an evil lawyer.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#docsavage
#pulps
Doc Savage clings to the edge of the roof of a tall building while darts fly past him. Below him can be seen smaller buildings and small human figures, some of whom appear to be aiming bows at him. An interior illustration in pen and ink, showing a man in a checked jacket with his left hand pushing down a falling police officer, his right hand raised, holding a blackjack poised to strike the officer. In front of them is a wooden park bench.
December 18, 2025 at 1:16 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
The Saint Vs. Scotland Yard
By Leslie Charteris

A collection of three novelettes starring the ever debonair, bon vivant, thief with a heart of gold, man who always has a plan, Simon Templar. Originally published in 1932. (Cont.)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#thesaint
#simontemplar
#lesliecharteris
#booksky
#crimefiction
December 15, 2025 at 12:19 AM
recentreads.bsky.social
50 in 50
By Harry Harrison

50 short stories from 50 years of writing. Mostly SF, a couple fantasy, maybe one dud, but several classics of the genre. Very enjoyable. A wide variety of subject matter within the genre.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#sciencefiction
#shortstories
#booksky
#harryharrison
Hardback book with a cover illustration showing an aerial view of a futuristic city, large buildings, huge clear domes over sections of the city, a large body of water with bridges, and craggy mountain peaks in the distant background.
December 10, 2025 at 5:42 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Criminal: Wrong Time, Wrong Place
W: Ed Brubaker
A: Sean Phillips

Another excellent addition to the crime stories featuring members of the Lawless family, this time focusing on a father/son relationship, a road trip, & a sword & sorcery comic.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#comicbook
#graphicnovel
#booksky
#crimefiction
December 10, 2025 at 5:32 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Doc Savage #5: The Golden Peril; Death in Silver
By Kenneth Robeson (Lester Dent)

Two complete Doc Savage novels in one book, presented in the original pulp layouts with the original interior illustrations. Dated, of course, but so much fun.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#docsavage
#pulps
#derringdo
#scifi
A pulp-sized softcover book with an painted illustration from the original pulp magazine, showing Doc Savage, hands up as he tries to fend off a net that has been thrown over him. He is surrounded by four men wearing grey uniforms and red visored caps.
December 7, 2025 at 11:58 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
Doc Savage #3: The Spook Legion; The Submarine Mystery
By Kenneth Robeson (Lester Dent)

Two Doc Savage novels in one book, reprinted in the original pulp layouts with the original illustrations. I devoured the pocket paperback reprints in the '70s.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#docsavage
#pulps
Pulp-sized softcover book with a period original pulp cover featuring Doc Savage in a blue suit, standing on the running board of a speeding open top roadster, one hand holding on to the side of the windshield. Visible behind him is his companion Monk, who is driving the car.
December 7, 2025 at 11:48 PM
recentreads.bsky.social
I was listing this old book on Pango and I couldn't help but wonder why Sylvester Stallone is on the cover 😉
December 4, 2025 at 12:09 AM