Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage has a running time of 97 minutes but it seems shorter. Journalist Eddie Brock ( Tom Hardy) is infected with a symbiote who calls itself Venom. When Venom manifests itself, it looks like a humanoid out of H. P. Lovecraft: plenty of tentacles and sharp teeth!

The story this time involves a serial killer, Cletus Kasaday ( Woody Harrelson), willing to be interviewed by Eddie Brock before Kasaday is executed for his multiple murders. Brock gets too close to Kasaday who gets infected by Venom and has his own symbiote who calls itself Carnage. Carnage appears to be stronger and more powerful than Venom.

Of course, carnage results as Kasaday/Carnage break out of prison. And this sets up the epic fight of Venom vs. Carnage in–of all places–a church.

Once again, Michelle Williams, on of the great actresses of our time, is wasted as Eddie Brock’s on-again-off-again girlfriend, Anne Weying. Director Andy Serkis gives Williams nothing to do. Kasady’s girlfriend, Frances Barrison (aka, Shriek), played by Naomie Harris, is similarly under utilized. Wall Street Journal movie reviewer, Joe Morgenstern, wrote the about Venom: “He’s the H. L. Mencken of symbiotes.” That’s about the size of it. GRADE: C+

Robert P. Mills’s The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Tenth Series anthology doesn’t have the fireworks of his stellar The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Ninth Series (you can read my review here), but several stories stand out. Daniel Keyes returns from the triumph of “Flowers for Algernon” with the moving story of a troubled youth with powers needed by the Future in “Crazy Maro.”

I’m a big fan of Eric Frank Russell’s work and “A Divvil with the Women” features his sly humor and cunning wit. Perhaps the best known story in this anthology is Ward Moore’s frequently anthologized “The Fellow Who Married the Maxill Girl,” a story that offers some hard choices to its characters. All in all, The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Tenth Series is a solid anthology with quality stories. GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• 9 • Introduction (The Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction, Tenth Series) • (1961) • essay by Robert P. Mills
• 13 • Nikita Eisenhower Jones • (1960) • novelette by Robert F. Young
• 33 • Who Dreams of Ivy • (1960) • short story by Will Mohler [as by Will Worthington]
• 50 • Mine Own Ways • (1960) • short story by Richard McKenna
• 68 • The Rainbow Gold • (1959) • short story by Jane Rice
• 80 • Crazy Maro • (1960) • novelette by Daniel Keyes
• 104 • Something • (1960) • short story by Allen Drury
• 112 • It’s a Great Big Wonderful Universe • (1960) • short story by Vance Aandahl
• 116 • Man Overboard • (1960) • novelette by John Collier
• 143 • The Blind Pilot • (1960) • short story by Nathalie Henneberg (trans. of Au pilote aveugle 1959) [as by Charles Henneberg]
• 162 • A Divvil with the Women • (1960) • short story by Eric Frank Russell (variant of Heart’s Desire 1955) [as by Niall Wilde]
• 168 • The Martyr • (1960) • novelette by Poul Anderson
• 189 • Double, Double, Toil and Trouble • (1960) • short story by Holley Cantine
• 207 • Après Nous • (1960) • short story by Avram Davidson
• 209 • Interbalance • (1960) • short story by Katherine MacLean
• 218 • Infinity • (1960) • poem by Rosser Reeves
• 222 • The Replacement • (1960) • short story by Robert Murray
• 235 • The Fellow Who Married the Maxill Girl • (1960) • novelette by Ward Moore

The Police were one of the top selling group in the 1980s. Plenty of Platinum records! As Sting tells it, the group took a “pause” after their Synchronicity Tour  (1983–1984). During that time, Sting released his solo album and the other band members engaged in separate projects.

The Police reunited briefly for the Amnesty International A Conspiracy of Hope Tour in June 1986. The atmosphere was tense. According to Sting, “It was a very symbolic moment. We’d broken up, then sort of reformed to do the Amnesty Tour. U2 were there as well and as we closed our set with “Invisible Sun“, Bono came out and sang it with us. And then we symbolically handed our instruments over to U2, because they were about to become what we were — the biggest band in the world”.

Every Breath You Take: The Singles is essentially a Greatest Hits album. Are you a fan of The Police? Any favorites here? GRADE: B+

TRACK LIST:

All tracks are written by Sting.

With Apple TV broadcasting their version of Isaac Asimov’s classic Foundation, I thought I would read the first anthology in the Isaac Asimov’s Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction: INTERGALACTIC EMPIRES. Ironically, my favorite story in this anthology is from 1951: an early Dominic Flandry story, “Honorable Enemies.” The Galactic Empire is slowly collapsing, but agents like Flandry attempt to prop up the civilization despite the efforts of alien enemies to hasten its fall.

I enjoyed Eric Frank Russell’s cunning and humorous SF story, “Diabologic” where a human causes confusion and chaos among aliens. Perhaps the most famous story in this anthology is Cordwainer Smith’s classic, “A Planet Named Shoyol” where justice is applied with infinite harshness by the Instrumentality. If you’re looking for an anthology of stories about Galactic Empires in various states of decline, I recommend Isaac Asimov’s Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction: INTERGALACTIC EMPIRES. GRADE: B+

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• “Introduction: Empires” (Isaac Asimov) — 7
• “Cycles”
  • “Chalice of Death” (Robert Silverberg) — 13
  • “Orphan of the Void” (Lloyd Biggle, Jr.) — 47
  • “Down to the Worlds of Men” (Alexei Panshin) — 92
• “Governance”
  • “Ministry of Disturbance” (H. Beam Piper) –122
  • “Blind Alley” (Isaac Asimov) — 163
  • “A Planet Named Shayol” (Cordwainer Smith) — 186
• “Concerns”
  • “Diabologic” (Eric Frank Russell) — 224
  • “Fighting Philosopher” (E. B. Cole) — 245
  • “Honorable Enemies” (Poul Anderson) — 281

Isaac Asimov’s Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction is a series of ten themed paperback science fiction anthologies edited by  Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh, a companion set to the twelve volume Isaac Asimov’s Magical Worlds of Fantasy, produced by the same editors. It was published by Signet/New American Library from 1983 to 1990.^[1]

Each volume in the series featured stories devoted to a different science fictional theme, as indicated in the individual volume titles. Most volumes also included an introduction by Asimov.

The series:

1. Intergalactic Empires (1983)
2. The Science Fictional Olympics (1984)
3. Supermen (1984)
4. Comets (1986)
5. Tin Stars (1986)
6. Neanderthals (1987)
7. Space Shuttles (1987)
8. Monsters (1988)
9. Robots (1989)
10. Invasions (1990)

Those of you who have read Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy will wonder how far the Apple TV 10-episode version that just started last week with the release of the first two episodes (new episodes will appear every Friday until November 19) will vary from Asimov’s original concept. In Asimov’s novel, mathematician Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) develops a predictive model called “psychohistory.” Seldon runs into trouble with the Galactic rulers who fear the conclusions of Seldon’s model: that the Empire will collapse within 500 years followed by 30,000 years of Dark Ages.

Episode One opens with Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick, Hari’s protégé, a self-taught young woman from a planet where the pursuit of knowledge is considered heresy, brought to the Empire’s capitol, Trantor, to disprove Seldon’s theories. Dornick’s life is threatened if she finds Seldon’s predictions valid.

Isaac Asimov based his Foundation series on the fall of the Roman Empire with the twist that technology and psychohistory could limit some of the damage of a collapsing Galactic Empire. After watching two episodes, I confess that this TV series is visually appealing. I like the cast. I’m in for the duration. GRADE: INCOMPLETE

Woodward and Costa’s Peril opens with General Milley calling his counterpart, General Li of China, to reassure Li that the U.S. is NOT about to launch an attack. Intelligence services in China, Russia, and Iran were alarmed at the prospect that Trump would attack them in an attempt to stay in power.

Peril is one of those books that you have to occasionally put aside for a few minutes because of the horrors revealed on seemingly every page. There’s the scenes of Trump watching the January 6, 2021 Insurrection while his phone is blowing up with calls from the Capitol begging for assistance. Very disturbing.

And then there’s the strategy of convincing Mike Pence to refuse to certify the results of the Election and throw the contest into the House of Representatives where the Republicans would make Trump the President…again.

Our country, our democracy came very close to disaster in so many ways! Woodward and Costa document the schemes that almost brought our Government down. Scary stuff! GRADE: A

After delivering a 35-0 beat-down to the Miami Dolphins, the Bills face the Washington Football Team in a windy, but sold-out, Highmark Stadium. Many Bills fans were hoping to see the return of former Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, but Fitz has a hip injury so we’ll be seeing backup QB Taylor Heinicke. The Bills are 7-point favorites. How will your favorite NFL team do today?

The Blacktongue Thief (2021) is narrated by a young thief named Kinch Na Shannack. Kinch owes The Takers Guild for training him in his profession. In order to pay his debt, the Guild offers Kinch a mission filled with danger. Kinch agrees and finds himself paired with Galva, a woman skilled in the fighting arts who is on a mission of her own.

Christopher Buehlman doesn’t hesitate to threaten Kinch and Galva with Goblins, giants, assassins, krakens, and magic. This fantasy novel takes the reader on a wild ride with surprises on almost every page. And, of course, Buehlman leaves the door open for a sequel. I’ll read it! GRADE: A-

Back in the 1980s, a small publisher called Black Lizard published noir crime novels, some 90 titles between 1984 and 1990. Founded and edited by writer Barry Gifford in 1984, the focus was on dark crime novels by authors like Charles Willeford, David Goodis, Peter Rabe, Harry Whittington, Dan J. Marlowe, Charles Williams, Jim Thompson, and Lionel White, With pulpish covers drawn by Jim Kirwan, Black Lizard books had appeal to readers who wanted something different.

One of the best Black Lizard titles is Steve Fisher’s I Wake Up Screaming (aka, Hot Spot). Hot Spot was a 1941 noir classic based on the novel of the same name by Steve Fisher, who co-wrote the screenplay with Dwight Taylor. The film stars Betty Grable, Victor Mature and Carole Landis, and features one of Grable’s few dramatic roles.

Set in Hollywood, the novel follows an unlucky sports promoter, Frankie Christopher, who is accused of the murder of a young actress, Vicky Lynn. Christopher is hounded by detective Ed Cornell. Fisher ratchets up the suspense and tension. If you’re looking for a noir fix, I Wake Up Screaming will do the job…and more! GRADE: A

Back in 1983, Elektra/Asylum Records released an album they resisted. Linda Ronstadt wanted to record some classic songs from The American Songbook. Executives at the record company thought an album of traditional standards would be a flop. Even Ronstadt’s producer, Peter Asher, expressed his doubts. But Ronstadt knew what she was doing. She got The Nelson Riddle Orchestra to provide backup music. The album sold three million copies in the U.S. and Global sales surpassed five million copies. Ronstadt won another Grammy for  Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female at the 1984 Grammy Awards. This is an example of a talented singer performing great music. GRADE: A

TRACK LIST:

I’ve been a fan of Jennifer Nettles since her days of singing in the Country Music group, Sugarland. Nettles knows how to belt out a song. With her new album, Always Like New, Nettles tries to emulate Linda Ronstadt’s What’s New right down to the similar album cover design. But Broadway songs might not be Nettles best milieu. Nettles doesn’t sound comfortable with this set of songs, but she tries hard to make them sound energetic. I wasn’t convinced. GRADE: B–

TRACK LIST:

I’ve liked Annie Lennox since I first heard her singing songs with Dave Stewart in the Eurythmics days. I also enjoyed Lennox’s solo albums: Diva and Medusa. When I first saw this copy of Nostalgia (2014) at a Library Book Sale, I passed on it. I had a premonition that Annie Lennox singing traditional songs might not be wonderful. As I took a second turn around the Library Book Sale tables, I broke down and bought Nostalgia. Sadly, my premonition was right. The only song I thought Annie Lennox performed well was “I Put a Spell on You.” That song put a tingly spell on me, but the rest of the songs on this CD left me deflated. GRADE: C  

TRACK LIST: