Pandimensional Library

5/5: First, I should note that I know the author. James Van Pelt has been my teacher and my coworker and is a kind, patient, and generous person. Second, I should note that I really dug this book. I’m a sucker for a mysterious sci-fi gadget, which our titular gadget is. I especially like that this gadget is filled with lots possibilities. The gadget is a puzzle for our heroes and they approach it in a logical and (mostly) sensible manner. I appreciate a story that doesn’t count on its heroes behaving like idiots to advance the plot. I related to the primary protagonist. I too began to sepa...

4/5: First: Just Cause is a fantastic name for a super hero group, and Mustang Sally is a fantastic name for a speedster. Minor Spoilers Ahead The adventure follows Mustang Sally as she joins Just Cause (The U.S.’s premier government backed superhero team) as an intern. Like most superheroes, Sally’s past has a stroke of tragedy: her father was killed by a super villain before the start of the story, and by chapter two Sally’s had her first run in with the man who killed him: Destroyer. From there, Sally gets to know her new teammates, falls for one of them, investigates Destroyer’s nefarious...

4/5: Timeline note: The Lion and the Five Deadly Serpents takes place in 1980, 20 some years before the first book, Just Cause. When I bought the book, the author described it as his tribute to 80s kung fu films, and it definitely felt like it. Our hero, Lionheart, reminds me a bit of Jack Burton, a bit of Danny Rand. Lionheart, as an American superhero, is out of his element in Hong Kong, and yet he’s there to visit his former kung fu teacher, who’s dying. He’s an outsider, but he’s got some insider knowledge. I liked how this book navigated the unfortunate trope of a white man going to "the ...

5/5: Important note: This book made me hungry! Ian Healy has a penchant for writing compelling friendships. I immediately wanted Midori and Nicole to be friends, even though they’re competing against each other in a high-stakes television cooking competition. Both our heroes have their reasons for entering the competition. For Midori, it’s to prove to her parents that she’s as qualified to work as a chef as her brothers. For Nicole, it’s to jumpstart a career and provide for her family. I enjoyed both characters, wanting them both to perform well, wanting them both to win. Knowing they can’t ...