Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
| Log in
  1. Follow us on Facebook
  2. Follow us on Instagram
  3. Follow us on Bluesky
  4. Follow us on Goodreads
  5. RSS Feeds

  • Home
  • About
    • Getting Started in CBR17
    • Rules of Respect
    • Cannon Book Club
    • Diversions
    • Fan Mail
    • Holiday Book Exchange
    • Book Bingo Reading Challenge
    • Participation Badges
    • AlabamaPink
    • About Cannonball Read
  • Our Team
    • The CBR Team
    • Leaderboard
    • Recent Comments
    • Participant Interviews
    • Cannonballer Location Maps
    • Our Volunteers
    • Meet MsWas
  • Categories
    • Review Genres
    • Tags
    • Star Ratings
    • Featured Review Archive
  • Fight Cancer
    • How We Fight Cancer
    • Donate
    • CBR Merchandise
  • FAQ
  • Contact
    • Contact Form
    • Suggest a Review
    • 2025 Registration
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Social Media

About Halbs

CBR 7
CBR 8
CBR  9
CBR10 participant
CBR11 participant
CBR12 participant
CBR13 participant
CBR14 Participant
CBR15 Participant
CBR16 Participant
CBR17 Participant
CBR17 Levels

I'm left-handed! (Learn more about this Cannonballer: Halbs's Quick Questions interview.)

Halbs's Reviews:

John Slattery as an AI

The Municipalists: A Novel by Seth Fried

June 18, 2021 by Halbs Leave a Comment

This book sort of defies classification. It feels a bit like an odd couple buddy cop movie, a social satire, a sci-fi adventure, and more. It’s an enjoyable ride without a clear identity, but maybe that’s part of the fun of it. Suitland, Maryland, is the home to the United States Municipal Survey. This straight-laced federal agency is charged with helping American cities reach their full potential by making their processes more effective and efficient. The protagonist is a suit named Henry. Even at the […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Science Fiction Tagged With: Book of the Month Club, Satire, Seth Fried

Halbs's CBR13 Review No:20 · Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction · Tags: Book of the Month Club, Satire, Seth Fried ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Messin with Sasquatch

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks

June 9, 2021 by Halbs Leave a Comment

50% World War Z, 35% Limetown, 15% Blair With Project = Devolution. Max Brooks is at it again with his trademark blending of non-fiction narrative prose with fictitious sci-fi events. In this case, he uses the “found footage” style of Blair Witch to tell the story of a yuppie commune in the Pacific Northwest ravaged by what appears to be Bigfoot-type creatures. Instead of film, though, researchers find a series of journals in the empty and devastated rubble of the commune. The journals seem to […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Horror, Mystery Tagged With: Max Brooks

Halbs's CBR13 Review No:19 · Genres: Fiction, Horror, Mystery · Tags: Max Brooks ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

If at first you don’t succeed…then that is probably normal and nothing to worry about!

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

June 9, 2021 by Halbs Leave a Comment

We’ve probably heard of “fixed” mindset and “growth” mindset, or at least some podcasticized version of the terms. But what do they really mean, and where do they come from? In Dr. Dweck’s  Mindset, the author explains the difference in attitudes and framing of those in a “fixed” mindset (BAD) and a “growth” mindset (GOOD). People in a fixed mindset see traits and abilities as static and unchangeable. For example, you’re either good at art or not. This is a dangerous mindset because every success […]

Filed Under: Non-Fiction Tagged With: Carol S. Dweck, Psychology, Self-help

Halbs's CBR13 Review No:18 · Genres: Non-Fiction · Tags: Carol S. Dweck, Psychology, Self-help ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

“This is not a heroic age.”

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks

May 30, 2021 by Halbs Leave a Comment

The Player of Games is the second in seven “Culture series” novels by Iain M. Banks. However, the novels don’t need to be read in order (or so I’m told). I started here and got along just fine. In The Player of Games, Gurgeh is a well-known game player in The Culture – what appears to be a federated community of like-minded humanoid and synthezoid beings dedicated to the finer things in life. Work isn’t necessary, space is free to roam, decadent space islands are […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction Tagged With: Iain M. Banks

Halbs's CBR13 Review No:17 · Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction · Tags: Iain M. Banks ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments

Song and Dance, Man

The Secret Life of the American Musical: How Broadway Shows Are Built by Jack Viertel

May 30, 2021 by Halbs 1 Comment

Let me preface this review by saying that I think Broadway is cool, but I’m not a Broadway fanatic. The musicals that I’ve seen include: Mean Girls, Hamilton, Wicked, Les Mis (London), Legally Blonde, and I think Beauty and the Beast. Very touristy choices, I know. However, I was so legitimately impressed by all of them. The creativity in the sound, staging, and lighting in particular are unlike anything in music or movies. So I’m a respectful barbarian when it comes to Broadway. Viertel’s Secret […]

Filed Under: Non-Fiction Tagged With: broadway, jack viertel, Show Business

Halbs's CBR13 Review No:16 · Genres: Non-Fiction · Tags: broadway, jack viertel, Show Business ·
Rating:
· 1 Comment

Welcome to the jungle…

Batman: No Man's Land by Greg Rucka

May 22, 2021 by Halbs 1 Comment

No Man’s Land was a pretty long crossover event in the DC Comics world about two decades ago. While there’s a series of hardcover compilations of that story arc, this review is about the novelization of the storyline. Interestingly, Greg Rucka penned the novelized version. He’s a big-time comics writer now. Lazarus is possibly his most famous work at the moment. When Rucka wrote this (two decades ago), he was more of a mystery writer and maybe a smaller press guy with Whiteout published by […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books Tagged With: Batgirl, Batman, DC Comics, Greg Rucka, Nightwing, Oracle, Robin

Halbs's CBR13 Review No:15 · Genres: Fiction, Graphic Novels/Comic Books · Tags: Batgirl, Batman, DC Comics, Greg Rucka, Nightwing, Oracle, Robin ·
Rating:
· 1 Comment
  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • …
  • 76
  • Next Page »


Recent Comments

  • Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
  • Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
  • Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
  • Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
  • Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.
See More Recent Comments »

Support Our Mission

  • Support Our Mission: Donate Today!
  • FAQ
  • Shop
  • Volunteers
  • Leaderboard
  • AlabamaPink
  • Contact

Help Our Mission

You can donate to CBR via:

  1. PayPal
  2. Venmo

The reviews and comments posted on this site reflect the opinions of individual posters and do not reflect the views of Cannonball Read.

© 2025 Cannonball Read Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) | Log in