Recently, the Academy included Twilight in its horror film tribute montage at the Oscars. Here, Kelly argues that, despite its vampire- and werewolf-themed subject matter, Twilight is not horror; it’s fantasy.

I had high hopes for The Swan Thieves. I wanted so much to like it, because art and history are two subjects I genuinely enjoy. It seemed that even though it was quite lengthy that it would prove to be a breath of fresh air amidst all of the fantasy I had been reading lately, and on all counts it fell short.

Oh dear sweet baby Jesus in the golden fleece diapers, I HATE Hofi and McBride… I really, really, really do. I can’t even explain it anymore, I’m almost tired of saying it, but somehow I can’t stop. As I’ve said, I do like the story, I just hate those characters.

I’ve accepted that bookstore Sci Fi and Fantasy shelves are never going to be as numerous as I would like (sigh). However, now I’m starting to see my beloved section shrinking. In its place I’m finding more manga, and it is even being encroached on in some locations by True Crime and Mystery. Are fewer people reading Science Fiction and Fantasy?

Overall, this was yet another enjoyable installment to the story. I really wish Hofi and McBride weren’t there at all, but I can make some sacrifices to find out what’s going to happen. The artwork when you look at everything but Hofi is great — just the style I really enjoy in comics.

If you pick up one urban fantasy book this year, or EVER, let it be this one. It’s a fast, engaging read that will not leave you disappointed.

Dr. Lavers shares with the reader his knowledge, often with a quick sense of humor, on the elusive unicorn. For anyone interested in how myths originated or wanting to know the facts behind the fiction, this is a truly one-of-a-kind and interesting read.

To deal with his recent divorce, Ben Mercer suddenly takes a job at a dig site in Sparta. All along the reader can feel that on the periphery of the story, something deeper is going on, but Ben is so intent on fitting in that he doesn’t see it. I like to be left thinking, and in that regard The Hidden is a real gem.

The current generation of gaming consoles and handhelds — Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, PSP, and Nintendo DS — owes a lot to their “ancestors” of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. In this installment of Vintage Geek, Kelly looks at nine consoles and handhelds that helped spawn today’s massive gaming industry.

Earlier I had said that I didn’t know of a way that geeks could help Haiti in a geeky way. Well, I have since found Outspark. Outspark offers free MMO games, but for the month of January you can also get these games by giving a $5 donation that will go directly to Yéle Haiti.