 Greetings! I had the privilege of reading and reviewing a brand new collection of short steampunk stories. Guts & Gears: Tales of the Weird West is the latest book from Jonathan Fesmire. He’s a fellow author and steampunk fan, so I definitely want to support his work. This anthology is a fun and brisk collection of steampunk tales with various themes, ranging from paranormal, romance, gunslinger stories, and more. It also has a loose connection to his main series; Bodacious Creed. Steampunk and the Wild West usually pairs together well and Jonathan knows how to combine these settings together in an effective and vivid way. This anthology is also a good choice for readers who have limited time. Each story is brief and you can easily read one or two entries, take a break, and come back later. It’s an enjoyable experience for both hardcore steampunk enthusiasts and casual readers.
Check out the links below if you want to check out Jonathan’s work. You can preorder Guts & Gears right now on Amazon. The release date is coming soon on Tuesday, 2/11/25. Are you planning to read this collection? Let me know in the comment section. Take care of yourselves and have a great week. Guts & Gears: Tales of the Weird West on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Guts-Gears-Tales-Weird-West-ebook/dp/B0DSQQQHW7?ref_=ast_author_mpb Jonathan Fesmire’s Author Page on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jonathan-Fesmire/author/B002BM1ZXQ?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1739134116&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Jonathan Fesmire’s Author Website https://www.jonathanfesmire.com/
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Good evening! My first streaming review of the year is covering Goosebumps: The Vanishing on Disney+. I grew up reading the Goosebumps book series and it’s nice to see a revival for modern audiences. Does this show live up to the Goosebumps legacy or does it feel disappointing? I’ll explain below.
Stay Out of the Basement, Part 1- Episode 1 Cece and Devin Brewer visit their father while he’s conducting research in the basement. At first glance, it seems like he’s working on a botany project, but something else is probably occurring. The first episode is a good start for the show. It takes several elements from the original Stay Out of the Basement story and adds some new elements. At this point, Goosebumps appears to be kid friendly, but it’s also a bit quirky and creepy. I’m not entirely sure how a supernatural adventure will shake out in New York’s suburbs, so time will tell. David Schwimmer seems to be well suited as the eclectic mad scientist. The character has good intentions for his kids and work, but he knows very little about the mysterious plants in his laboratory. So far, the opening episode is setting up the season well. Stay Out of the Basement, Part 2- Episode 2 A sentient plant retaliates against Dr. Brewer and attacks one of the neighbors. Is this creature an experiment, an ancient life form, or an invader from another planet? At this point, anything is possible. I like this episode in general, even though it’s a bit heavy on the cheap CGI creatures. This show isn’t very subtle about the monsters, which makes sense because the Goosebumps book series had a lot of creature action too. The show is setting up an ensemble cast of teenagers. It’s a Disney+ show, so I can understand this creative choice. Horror for younger audiences can be challenging and I’m curious to see if Disney can pull it off. Hopefully, we’ll see more Goosebumps stories come to life in this season. The Haunted Car- Episode 3 The remnants of a possessed boy inhabit a classic car and go on a rampage. It’s going to be very difficult for the car’s driver to explain what’s happening to the authorities. Unfortunately, I feel like the show took a step backwards in this episode. I never read The Haunted Car, but it was probably closer to Christine than a sentient sludge that animates a car. The episode has a decent amount of screen time for the characters, but it’s not very scary and the creature gimmick is less impressive. Granted, most shows have one or two weak episodes. Maybe the next topic or episode will be an improvement. Monster Blood- Episode 4 After the mutant plant contaminates Cece’s kombucha, the drink morphs into a gelatinous mass and chases her. Hopefully, Cece will escape, otherwise she’ll suffer an embarrassing death. This was the worst episode, so far. I remember the original Monster Blood books. It was never my favorite creature feature, but this version on the show is much worse. Apparently, Cece’s drink was contaminated by the killer plant and it became a huge blob monster. The entire concept is just ridiculous and goofy. Again, the episode has a big emphasis on bad CGI. I wonder if the Monster Blood fans would feel insulted by this episode. I expect the episodes to get a lot better. The Boy Who Cried Monster- Episode 5 A delivery boy sees Dr. Brewer change into a monster. Is this creature the real Dr. Brewer or an imposter? The monster-of-the-week episodes are pretty weak on this show. Like Monster Blood, this episode is a poor adaptation of the original book. I suppose the episode is okay on a general level, but the main story is becoming very predictable and it doesn’t feature a real monster. It’s just a progression through the mutant plant storyline. I like some of the characters, but the supernatural elements could be better. The Girl Next Door- Episode 6 Devin meets a mysterious girl who encourages him to visit Camp Nightmare. She seems like a nice girl, but something about her feels very familiar and unsettling. The original book titled The Ghost Next Door actually featured a ghost who didn’t know he was dead. This episode is changing some elements and it doesn’t seem like ghosts are going to be part of this show at all. I find this episode a bit slow, but it’s moving the plot forward to something we’ll learn about later. Perhaps, we’ll find out how the mutant plants were created. I’m not sure if the killer plants were man-made experiments or invaders from outer space. One of these scenarios are the most likely outcome. Welcome to Camp Nightmare- Episode 7 Cece, Devin, and their friends discover Camp Nightmare’s true purpose and the killer plant’s identity. The situation is quite a twist that might subvert expectations. Now we finally have some answers. The plant creatures crash landed on Earth and devoured several people. These alien plants also have the ability to impersonate humans. It’s kind of like throwing together Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Thing for younger audiences. I suppose the plot twist works, but aliens always feel like a cop out. When in doubt, say aliens were the culprits. It’s an easy way to make a plot twist in any script. The show is getting better, but I wish the monsters were supernatural instead of space invaders. Invasion of the Body Squeezers- Episode 8 In the end, the mutant plants came from another planet and possessed multiple humans. It’s time for the Brewer family and their companions to rescue the world from these invaders. I’m going to say the finale is middle of the road. It’s simply a rehash of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, except the human race doesn’t get assimilated at the end. I find the writing unoriginal and highly predictable. Luckily, it doesn’t have any loose ends with the exception of another twist in the final scene. The show took the time to have a legitimate beginning, middle, and conclusion. I’m noticing a trend on Disney+. The streaming platform has shows with really good ideas, but the scripts are pretty weak. I believe Goosebumps: The Vanishing would have been really good with a different writer. Despite these shortcomings, I will definitely watch another season if Disney renews the show. Overall, I would say this Goosebumps mini series is okay. It’s neither good nor bad. If you’re already subscribed to Disney+, it might be worth watching when you have time, particularly for anyone who likes spookier entertainment. I’m not sure if this show appeals to Disney crowds or families. The show is definitely promoting the classic Disney troupe with several kids, but it’s very different than The Descendants and other ensemble casts. I actually recommend the 2023 Goosebumps show as a binge on Disney+. It’s a much better experience and a lot creepier than The Vanishing. There you go! Now you know how I feel about this streaming show. If you’re interested, check out Goosebumps: The Vanishing on Disney+. Leave a comment if you have anything to say about this show or my post. I’m been incredibly busy and tired lately, but I will continue providing new content on my blog. Thank you very much for supporting my work and have a good week. |
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May 2019
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