A Successful Spin-off
926802
I read  a few of Ron Roy's "A to Z" mysteries and was so impressed that I grabbed the first two from the Calendar series for younger readers. I'm happy to report that those volumes were just as entertaining.

Roy has three sets of mysteries. The "A to Z" mysteries, (26 volumes for the 26 letters and then three bonus volumes), are for older chapter book readers. The "Calendar" mysteries, (surprise - 12 volumes), are for younger readers and, in a clever twist, feature the younger siblings of the protagonists from the "A to Z" set. The third series features mysteries that take place at various national landmarks in Washington, D.C.

Both the "A to Z" books and the "Calendar" books feature an appealing set of characters, fair mystery plots, a bit of action and decent secondary characters. The Calendar books are like junior junior junior versions of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries. They have younger heroes, they are shorter, there are fewer twists and turns, there's very little danger, and the mysteries are a lot tamer.

But that said, they have many of the same strengths. The four heroes, (first graders Bradley, Brian, Nate and Lucy), play equal roles, with no apparent bias between boys and girls. There is the same authentic and mutually supportive friendship among them. Adults are generally patient, resourceful and dependable, (when they aren't the villain in disguise). There is a good balance between clue hunting and figuring things out. Probably the biggest difference between these books and the sets for older kids is that there is very little adventure, in that the kids are rarely chased or trapped or threatened or menaced. These are much milder on that score.

The mysteries are conventional, but I mean that in a good way - clues are fair, red herrings are fair, and the resolutions are logical. There are some convenient coincidences, but that's par for the course, especially in a relatively short chapter book. But even then the emphasis is on logical thinking and deductive reasoning, which is something that is often wanting in more fanciful and less thoughtfully plotted books for this age group.

In the "January" volume the kids get an alien invasion scare. Is it real or a prank?  The kids are very clever in gathering clues and thinking things through, although there is a bit of a thrill behind the idea that the invasion might be real. This one is less about detecting and solving and more about pranking.

In the "February" book we have a full blown mystery. Who abandoned a pet rabbit in the classroom, for adoption by the class? The kids follow clues and do actual detective legwork, and while everything falls conveniently into place, the solid bones of a decent mystery for new readers are clearly in place.

So, these are kids' books, but they aren't silly, and there is no hint of fart/booger humor, which may have its place, but not necessarily here. The writer treats the young chapter book reader with a lot of respect and I would expect that these stories would be a satisfying read for a youngster. I doubt you can ask for much more than that at this level and I could see a kid just eating up these tales and this likable cast of characters.

Please note that I found this book while browsing the local library's Kindle books, and downloaded it for free. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
1220998
Not all spin offs are as successful as the Myrmidon Files. Destiny keeps you on the edge of your seat while, at the same time, wishing it would never end.
2275236
Glad to see a spin-off book to a very good series.  I would enjoy other books written in this world.
3783783
Often when a remake is done of a classic movie or TV show the reboot turns out to be disappointing and lack-luster. Not so with Battlestar Galactica. They made some nice updates on the whole Cylon concept. The special effects are pretty cheesy in many instances but the characters and story line are solid and well done. This series on Blu-ray is worth owning.
4396413
This is as much a spinoff of The Liminal People as it is a sequel, but it's good regardless.  It works just fine as a standalone, and the main character, Chabi, is perhaps my favorite in the series.
2670538
Much better than the reboot they tried a few years back.  The writing in this one shot made me long for another.  Well done!
1841762
It is a good start to the upcoming franchise.  They did a good job staying true to the book, but added some really great things as well.
3373298
I have always been a fan of Neon Genesis Evangelion and (proudly) own all the manga and television episodes. When i picked up the first installment of this spin off/alternative reality manga i had horrible flashbacks to Neon Genesis Evangelion Angelic Days. However, i was pleasantly surprised to find this manga much better than the aforementioned spin off and continued to purchase every manga up to this one. It was after this one that i realized that this series has been going no where. While i do like seeing Rei Ayanami with some emotion for a change it is hard to justify paying $10.00 for some typical manga situations (guy constantly trips into girl's breasts ect). My advice to anyone considering purchasing this manga is to go to your local book store and read a copy of it in store. I have decided to hold off buying any more editions of this series until something actually happens. In conclusion, i gave this series (and by extension this volume) 4/5 stars because it is much better than any other spinoff and still has me looking back fondly on what once was but it stays out of the coveted 5/5 star ranking because while typical manga situations still retain some of its charm, you can only use it for so long before people start to demand some actual plot and more character development to go with it.
3043666
This is the satisfying conclusion to this Legacy series, which is an offshoot of the television series, Stargate Atlantis (which left many matters unresolved).  I liked this book. Many ongoing plot threads were finally woven through, if not tied off, leaving the potential for some sequels, building further on the Wraith retrovirus, Sateda, etc.

I have some quibbles, but they are fairly minor: There were a few times when a character breached (Teyla would not have told Ronan what she did). Also, the epic celestial battle between Queen Death's hive ships and the Allied space ships went on too long.

But happy endings all around. Nice!

Update: there's another new sequel, called STARGATE ATLANTIS: Unascended.
318625
Good spin off the series, a little clunky at times but well worth the time to read.  I liked the second half of the book better than the first.
847961
A bit predictable but it was a fun and enjoyable story. I will be buying the other books in the spin off sequels
493603
As a 30+ year fan of The Destroyer Series, I was understandably a bit leery as to how some of my favorite characters would be treated in a spin-off series. I'm here to tell you that, as the Aussies say "no worries mate", is the phrase to keep in mind. From the opening paragraph to the final period I was hooked all the way. Gerald and Warren's story has a plot as relevant as today's headlines with a bit of the Destroyer 'twist' that all Destroyer fans love and have come to expect from the Sinanju legacy. The authors have brought into more detail the recent history of Remo's offspring. I can't help wondering if, from time to time, a spin-off was in the back of someone's (Warren) mind as the writing is crisp and the well thought out plot is a page-turner. Freya is a frisky young lady on the cusp of her 17th birthday and Stone is a Navy Seal veteran with combat experience behind him and between them Sunny Jo has all he can handle. It's a good thing he has so much patience and sense of humor as a certain congressional candidate finds out. Without giving away the story line (I want Destroyer fans to buy this book and read it several times to get all the subtle nuances in it) I can honestly say that this is one of the best opening books in a series I have ever read. For all Destroyer fans this is a MUST read. And please post a review when you've finished the book as in this age of instant communication, reviews are critical to a books (and authors) well-being. It's my personal feeling that Destroyer fans will enjoy The Legacy Series as much and treat them with the same reverence as we all do The Destroyer.
Ryder2k
A pale piece of pig's ear
1785380
This is a first rate execution of a great idea -- which was to use the story of one iconic office building to explain the commercial real estate business and make it come to life through its larger-than-life characters. (Disclosure: Vicky is a friend, but I mean it.)
4281570
The story of the originators, the Altons, the Federation of Humans, those are grand stories.  The stories deserve to made into more.  I could easily see a dozen several dozen spin offs.  The story does not deserve to die.  There are a lot of avenues to continue to write.  The same with Galactic Conflict
323206
This is the start to a new series but a spinoff of the Mac Travis stories and an excellent followup to Kurt Hunter's introduction in "Wood's Betrayal."  A good, solid adventure story with lots of action, a little romance, and an interesting finale.
2874677
It Starts With An Idea by Jan McClerry
Not having any background with computer coding and software development did not hamper my enthusiasm for getting a peek inside a California start-up company. As a manager, I most enjoyed reading about the financial challenges of starting a company, working with technical staff and considerations around out-sourcing, especially with India.
I applaud the vision, dedication and sacrifice of the entrepreneurs in this real life story.  I have known Jan for over 50 years and admire her tenacity. If you haven't read her book Class of 67, you missed reading about how hard she worked to excel in the academic world and how she moved from a background in math and physics to the software world.
The story didn't attempt to hide the warts that come with any commercial endeavor and was honest about both the successes and failures.  Thank you for an interesting read.
Craig R. Nichols  West Jordan, Utah
2138100
Picking up about halfway through the Attack on Titan story (make sure you read or watch the first half of the series before you read this), this spin-off story strongly humanizes Annie Leonhart, a major antagonist of the original story. It's a dark story (as you'd expect, for Attack on Titan) and beautifully rendered with some color content. Based on a novel of the same name, the story was illustrated first in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine before being collected here. Volume 1 reprints the first chapter of the series, which can stand alone - although it connects thematically in the third chapter, which will appear in Volume 2 (currently slotted for publication in November). (Volume 2 will also include the second chapter, an independent story about Mikasa Ackerman.)

It's a good story, well worth adding to the canon, and provides some much appreciated depth to the original.