Edge of Empire

Edge Of Empire: A Penny Dreadful Review

            High adventure! Magic! Cleavage! These are just some of the wonderful things that await in Rod Espinosa’s Edge of Empire series. Three exceedingly powerful baronesses with odd names and odder abilities rescue their friends from dungeons, undead hordes, gladiators, lecherous captors, and much, much more.

            This series focuses mainly on the adventures and less on character development and differentiation. It is very exciting, but I’d like more backstory on these incredible baronesses. Perhaps in future volumes? I look forward to learning more.

            The settings are lush and gorgeous, the monsters are frightening, and it is a pleasure to watch the baronesses fight, for more than one reason. I definitely recommend Edge of Empires to any with a love of adventure.

            I give Edge of Empire three and a half gears out of five. Very well done, Mr. Espinosa! I demand more!

Your Correspondent From The Bookstore,

Penny J. Merriweather

Steampunk Red Riding Hood

Steampunk Red Riding Hood: A Penny Dreadful Review

            The worst wolves are often human. In Rod Espinosa’s Steampunk Red Riding Hood, he keeps you guessing. If you are looking for a straight re-telling of “Red Riding Hood” with some Steampunk decoration, this isn’t what you want. Mr. Espinosa uses the familiar tale as a jumping off point and presents something new and fun.

            Little Red and her grandmother protect villages from a pack of anthropomorphic talking wolves. There are some really cool fight scenes, and I love Grandmother’s house, which is less of a cabin in the woods and more of a tank/caravan armed with sonic bombs. Upon returning to her home, Little Red encounters the real wolf: her brutish, abusive father. I won’t say anything more about the plot, or I’ll spoil it.

            I love this little comic. It doesn’t go where the reader expects, and I quite enjoy the fantasy world Rod Espinosa created here. I give it four and a half gears out of five. I demand a sequel!

Your Correspondent From The Bookstore,

Penny J. Merriweather