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Book Review: Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451 & The Martian Chronicles) released his horror/dark fantasy classic “Something Wicked This Way Comes” in 1962. Since then, it has become one of his most acclaimed works. Stephen King calls it… “a darkly poetic tale… it is probably Bradbury’s best work”. In 1983 it was adapted to film under the direction of Jack Clayton, and a Disney remake with Seth Grahame is presently in the works. The story is set in a mid-western American town in the middle of the last century and features two boys in their turbulent early teen years. When a mysterious traveling carnival rolls into town, things begin to get strange - and downright creepy!! Hopes and dreams begin to metamorphose into living nightmares as reality warps and twists like molten glass. Bradbury writes in a highly original voice, as much poetry as prose, conjuring up at once an atmosphere of dark tension and poignant beauty. I found myself enjoying not only the story, but the act of s...

 News: It's Halloween season again, and what better way to celebrate than by highlighting some of the greatest scary stories of all time. Here are  twelve chilling tales to make your blood run pleasurably cold. 1.   Frankenstein     (Mary Shelley) -  1818 2.   Edgar Allen Poe: the Ultimate Collection -  1830’s & 40’s 3.  Dracula  (Bram Stoker) - 1897 4.   The Turn of the Screw (Henry James)  - 1898 5.  The Horror in the Museum (HP Lovecraft) -  1917 to 1937      6.  Rebecca  (Daphne du Maurier) - 1938 7.     The Haunting of Hill House  (Shirley Jackson) -  1959    8.   Something Wicked This Way Comes  (Ray Bradbury) - 1962 9.  The Shining  (Steven King) - 1977 10. Coraline  (Neil Gaiman) - 2002 11. Let the Right One In  (John Ajvide Lindquvist) - 2004 12.  N0S4A2  (Joe Hill) - 2013 Have a creep...

  Book Review: Welcome back, Sardis Falcons!! September 2023 is Fantasy month in the SSS Library and we are highlighting the best-selling fantasy books and series of all time. It’s no surprise to find Harry Potter, The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings, the Narnia books, and the Wheel of Time series all given their rightful places of honor. As great as these classic tales are, they hardly need yet another review. But there is one masterwork that I believe deserves more attention… Often forgotten, hiding in plain sight on practically every library in the western world yet rarely checked out, is Richard Adams’ debut novel, “Watership Down”. Since its release in 1972, it has sold over fifty million copies, won both the Carnegie Medal and Guardian Prize , and been adapted to animated film in 1978. Additionally, it has been removed from the shelves of various libraries due to the story’s darkly violent content and been completely banned in China for its anti-Marxist message. Curiou...

News: The most popular genre in the SSS Library (by far) is... (drum roll please) Fantasy And we are celebrating this wonderful genre all September long. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the most acclaimed fantasy titles, I’m providing you with a top 12 list. Each book or series is ranked according to overall sales in millions. Maybe you’ll find something great here that you’ve never read!! 1.  Harry Potter (JK Rowling) - best selling series                                         450+ million 2.  The Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien) - best selling book                    150+ 3.  The Hobbit (JRR Tolkien)                                              ...

  Book Review: “Echoes of the Supernatural” is a comprehensive look at the life and work of acclaimed indigenous artist Robert Davidson. His prestigious career spans over fifty years working in BC's Haida Formline tradition of which he has become a master. “Guud San Glans Robert Davidson is one of the most innovative and influential artists working today in Canada and beyond.” Anthony Kienddl – CEO & Director, Vancouver Art Gallery This is a sumptuous coffee table sized book with information on all aspects of the artist’s journey as well as loads of full color reproductions of his work. Absolutely gorgeous!!   Recommendation: the ‘go to’ book for anyone interested in the work of David Robertson, or BC indigenous art in general.   Mr. Wedel   Author – Gary Wyatt with Robert Davidson Publishing – Scribner, New York/London/Toronto/Sydney/New Delhi, 1972 Genre – Indigenous Art Pages - 269

Book Review: Gorgeous brainiac females, nerdy misfits, absent minded professors, and Asperger geniuses all do their part to fight the war… with their grey cells. In “The Rose Code” New York Times bestselling author, Kate Quinn serves up a riveting WWII drama of code breaking, betrayal, love, and loss. Well researched and highly emotional, this book carries the reader deep into the top-secret, pressure-cooker world of British Military Intelligence where battles are won and lost by sheer force of intellect. I almost really love this book. The characters seem truly alive - their loves and hates, their struggles and triumphs, their weakness, their brilliance. And the plot keeps you turning page after page after page. I found myself actually caring about what was happening. Ms. Quinn really knows what she’s doing. Spectacularly well written. My only objection – just way too sad . Then again, how can a war story be anything but heartbreaking. Recommendation: this is not a stereotypical...

  Book Review: Canadian bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s new historical fiction/crime/mystery story is one of the latest arrivals to the SSS Library. I wasn’t sure quite what to expect when I cracked it open, but it easily passed my routine twenty-page test (if it doesn’t grab the attention by then, just put it away). Armstrong deftly sweeps the reader up into a strange and suspenseful, time-travelling crime fest with enough twists and turns to keep even a roller coaster fiend satisfied. Let me set the stage. Modern day female-cop, Mallory, gets transported back to Edenborough as it was in 1869 where she inhabits the body of a house maid to an enigmatic undertaker. If that’s not weird enough, she is inexplicably wound up in the hunt for a serial killer with connections to her modern-day life. How did she get there? Can she fit into this strange old world? Will she ever get home? Could she be the killer’s next victim? Implausible, you say. Totally, but its enjoyably exhilaratin...