Review- "Black City Saint" by Richard A. Knaak

As I stumbled around the bookshelves at a local bookstore a few months ago, I happened across a book with a very interesting premise- Black City Saint by Richard A. Knaak. Urban fantasy, dragons, Noir, 1920's Gangsters like Al Capone, ancient Roman Emperors?!? What more could a girl ask for? And that's exactly what this book brought to the table.

Black City Saint focuses on Nick Medea, who for the last 1600 plus years has served as the protector of the Gate that separates the world of the Faerie from the world of man- which could cause world shattering results if it was ever permanently opened. In his down time he serves as an "exorcist" of sorts, stopping mischievous fae trapped on our side from causing problems. However, trouble arises when his long lost love reappears, not in the way you'd think either, a pawn in a wicked plot to destroy the balance between the two worlds. His only allies are his wits, a handful of outcast fae, and the soul of the Dragon he killed 1600 years ago trying to gain control over his body, when he was better known to the world as Saint George. (Not really spoiling stuff here, the book's back cover has all of this and more on it :/ )

Now, while I am by no means an expert on the Urban Fantasy genre, I am a long time fan of the Dresden Files, so perhaps my high standards biased me to this "first in a series" novel. While I thoroughly enjoyed the rich tapestry Mr. Knaak wove for his world's history, and for his believable delivery of 1920's gangster culture, this book was by no means perfect.

The Good-

As I said, Black City Saint brings with itself a rich history, that is dispersed in delicious little tidbits throughout the novel. I give ample credit for Mr. Knaak for being able to blend so many things together so successfully: his world is truly believable and not overwhelming. Not many authors could bring together Ancient Rome, Christian theology, and fantasy elements like Dragons and fae all in one neat 1920's Chicago package.

The Fae characters are also very well done. Fetch, Nick's loyal lycanthrope always brighten up any page he's on and honestly became one of my favorite characters. Krayavik is also a highlight. A complicated creature trying to better himself, even if he comes off a bit staunchy and a tad bit too dedicated to being forgiven for his past misdeeds.

The Bad-

Honestly, my real main problems are in regards to the two main characters- Nick Medea and Claryce. Nick is actually very interesting when on his own doing the P.I. thing and when interacting with the dragon in his head. When he's with Claryce or reminiscing about how he blames himself over the events of her past lives- not so much. Knaak is trying to build tension and a weakness for Nick, who really has no attachments to the world anymore, but the interactions between the two always came off flat to me. This could just be because I found Claryce endlessly annoying. If I had to hear her scold Nick for trying to "leave her behind" one more time I might have stopped reading the book completely. I wish Knaak had given her a role more akin to film noir, not necessarily as a femme fatale, but as is she is very bland. Hopefully future books will flesh her out and give her a personality. When together they always brought the plot to a screaming halt, making the story drag on and on.

There also isn't enough about bootlegging and speakeasies. Not really much of a critique, but I'm a sucker for gangster stuff like that cough *gotta finish Boardwalk Empire* cough.

Overall, I'd probably pick up the sequel when it comes out, but as is I don't really see much re-reading potential in this book. But hey, the first Dresden Files  also had some glaring issues, so I do have hope for the series once Knaak has time to flesh it out more. Plus, I think the world Knaak has built here has a lot of potential once the kinks get worked out.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 Bob the Skulls

Review- "The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet" by Becky Chambers

In the past year or so I have sadly found myself disappointed, or worse ambivalent, in the "fun books" I was able to fit into my graduate school schedule. Perhaps this was was own melancholy, or maybe I just fell out of love with the sci-fi/ fantasy genre (too much post-apocalyptic teen drama right now). So this past weekend I wasn't expecting the random book I picked off a Barnes and Noble shelf to be all that entertaining. However, much to my surprise The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers ended up being a great surprise and a delightful look at the lives of the crew of the Wayfarer.

The Long Way... follows a young woman named Rosemary as she joins up as a clerk on the wormhole-building ship the Wayfarer. Rosemary, who has some skeletons in her closet, then meets the ships eccentric crew as they embark on a year long mission to open up a new wormhole in a recently opened region of the galaxy, which may be the make or break moment for the small ship and its amicable crew.

There's a lot to love about this book. The characters, especially Kizzy and Sizzix (dinosaur person!!!), are vibrant and relatable. The personalities of all of the crew, with one noticeable exception, are all believable and just feel so real that you can feel the love that Chambers put into making them. Even the A.I. Lovey and the non-human Sapients (the books catch-all term for intelligent lifeforms) of the crew don't feel like cookie cutter characters. Sizzix and Dr. Chef both are given a close look at their cultural differences as seen through Rosemary's eyes, but the cultural discourse at play in the book makes them both vastly different yet still very "human." 

There are also several surprises in the book, especially in regards to mankind's own development as they spread through the galaxy. I liked the differences between Rosemary, the "Martian" and Captain Ashby, a descendant from Earth explorers. There are also several side characters who are hard not to enjoy, which in the wrong hands could have distracted from the episodic look at the Wayfarer's crew members.

All in all, there really isn't all that much I had a problem with. I did feel like the surprise romance could have used more of a build up, and the Algeist Corbin could have been given more page time in the first half of the book, to fill out his character growth. Nothing too earth shattering though. By the way, Earth still exists in the book, don't worry about it!

This book, while it may fall under the genre of sci-fi space opera isn't a heavy-handed piece of science fiction. It isn't 2001 or Ender's Game. Its an intimate look at the lives of crew. The good, the bad, and the ugly and how the idea of family keeps them all from falling apart, even when their specific cultural definitions on the matter differ. As a book I randomly picked up, it has quickly become one of my favorite in the genre in recent years. If you are a fan of Firefly and light sci-fi definitely give it a read.

Overall, I give it 4.5 out of 5 Mews.

Oh, and a sequel is coming out this fall. Check out Becky Chambers' website for more info.

"Welcome to Night Vale"- A New Addiction Worth Fangirling

Hello ~Paused Lifers~ I bring to you a new obsession. A creepying, sinking, all-encompassing obsession. Welcome to Nightvale

 So I found this darling little gem of supernatural magic on Pinterest. There is quite the little fandom on there, slowly growing more powerful day by day.

I was going to insert a Highlander "There can only be one" reference or funny pic here, but I feel like that movie's so outdated no one would get it. Damn kids...Go watch The Highlander. Now. I'll wait...

Anyways, Nightvale is like NPR and the X-Files had a mutant offspring. Its a twice-monthly podcast, which is formatted like a radio show in a small town. It has a town calendar, adds, traffic reports, and of course, the weather, which is just a free song played in each episode.

 Crazy stuff happens and its treated like normal, everyday things. Floating glow clouds dropping dead, small animals (all hail the glow cloud), subterranean cities of tiny people, cloaked people that reside in a dog park that is forbidden to enter or leave, a five-headed dragon running for mayor, the dreaded Desert Bluffs.

Its just...I need to explain so you can understand... I love it so...

Cecil is our pleasant and dapper host on the podcast. Cecil pretty much only has two settings: Enthusiastic fangirl and serious reporter. He is in love with scientist Carlos, who came to Nightvale to study its crazy, and eventually starts dating him. 

Yes, he's gay. Deal with it if you can't. He and Carlos are adorable.

 Another great thing great about Cecil? We have absolutely no idea what he looks like. Which is fine by me. The fanart for Cecil is fervent and ranges from nearly albino to African American. He does usually get depicted with a third eye on his forehead and tattoos on his arms that never stop moving. 

Oh, yeah 

He absolutely hates Steve Carlsberg. With a burning, flaming passion. 

When Cecil hates you or disagrees with you, you will feel his dapper wrath. Like with the Apache tracker. He's a white guy that runs around in a plastic, racist Native American headdress claiming to be an Apache well versed in old magic.

Then there is Khoshek, the monstrous cat stuck floating in the news station's men's bathroom. 

He becomes Cecil's de facto pet and he fangirls over him on many occasions. 

I really don't want to get into too much detail. Actually, I don't think I can explain why I love it. Its got sci-fi, sarcasm, the occasional words of wisdom. Welcome to Nightvale is truly something you have to experience to understand. Many of you will probably not get it or like it. Some of you will fall in love. Either way, 

Go check out Nightvale, its free on itunes. Go comment below! Go subscribe and share if you if you likey~ please...

* Pinterest and Tumblr have a growing fandom for Welcome to Nightvale. Warning: some inappropriate content*

Movie Review- The Monuments Men

The film opens on a dark church room, frenzied priests quickly dismantling their altarpiece, one of the most beloved and famous piece of artwork belonging to Christianity: The Gent Altarpiece.

Fearing what the incoming Nazis would do to it, the hide the piece and task two priests to sneak it out of town. Neither the priests nor the altarpiece reach their destination.


Based upon a real events World War II, The Monuments Men aims to shed light upon a forgotten group of  people that did a great justice for the world: The preservation and return of millions of pieces of priceless art.

I'm pretty sure that many people don't know that the Nazis took to the idea of hording all the great pieces of art for themselves. Some probably wont really understand the implications of such a thing. That's worth a whole discussion itself, but the movie does a really good job of showing those implications. Sadly, that's about the only good thing it does.

 The real monuments men

Taking place in the last few months of the War, the movie follows the exploits of a group of men (there were women too, left out though) that join the war in order to save the great pieces of art from the Nazis. The cast itself is well done. Bill Murray, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, etc. play there roles well, but the script and character profiles let them down. The movie never gives us a good impression of what these men do in life and who they are. 

The same goes for Cate Blanchett's character, Claire Simone. Claire comes off spiteful and flat. I want to sympathize with her, and what she's been through, but the lack of background and emphasis on her makes this impossible.

The Bruge Madonna, featured in the film

Also, no offense to George Clooney, but the movie itself jumps around with an air of unearned importance. It isn't until the end that the movie successfully comes together, when the cast is reunited and finally finds success.

Raphael's Portrait of a Young Man, lost during the war and never found

The visuals to redeem the film, though. The locations were well utilized, and the war-torn scenery was well done. It definitely gives the viewer a nostalgic feeling of the 1940's, right down to all the cigarette smoking. The feel of the movie also fits right in with the other World War II movies. Maybe not as bloody, but it still gives glimpses of the horrors of war.

Perhaps the movie is depending on our previous cultural experiences with World War II. Perhaps it hoped we would feel the pain and worries of people during this time. Perhaps the book it was based upon is so grande that it was just too hard to convert to film.

Nazi art hoard

In the end, the movie did successfully make my heart ache. The scenes of the destruction of art and the massive hoards make the historian in me sad and reminiscent of the burning of the Library of Alexandria.
The fact that there are still thousands of missing pieces of art, some of which were undoubtedly destroyed, lurks in the final moments of the film. It is a foreboding and frightening realization of a culture literally being destroyed.

van Gogh's The Painter on the Road to Tarascon, lost and still missing. Possible burned.

Overall, it does a fairly decent job getting its point across. I do agree with other reviews that the movie would have been better off as an epic mini-series. Extra time would have done wonders for the rushed and underdeveloped plot.

Anyways,  I give the movie a 6/10. I'd watch it again if it's on t.v., but wouldn't go out and buy a dvd. I would also recommend it to any lovers of history and of art. Its a movie made for you!

So, have you checked out the movie? What do you think? Leave a comment below and, as always, subscribe share if you likey~

*Pinterest got the pics from real artists. Also, I need to go to more museums :/ *

Fringe- Because Awesome

Hello, true believers! On Friday, I gave you guys my Top 5 recently cancelled sci-fi/fantasy t.v. shows, and someone asked  me " What about the one show you used to talk about all the time and cried over when it got cancelled?".

So, yes, I didn't put Fringe on my list. Mainly because it technically got a series finale and secondly because I love it so much it deserves its own post, like I did for Stargate.

Anyways, Fringe!!!  *Spoilers Alert*

 Running from 2008- 2013,  it took its viewers on quite the wild ride for only 5 seasons. The premise is that really strange things start happening, so the FBI's Fringe division gets created to figure out why. Sort of like The X-Files, but with less aliens.

There is also a ton of crazy pseudo/Fringe-science going on: Alternate realities, genetic modifications, telekinetic abilities, the occasional Leonard Nimoy cameo.

(This man never stays "retired" for long)

All presented as to be as scientifically accurate as possible. Or at least as far as I know. I can barely do normal science, let alone fringe science. That's why I got the history degree.

Haha, get it? Cause atoms make up all matter? Yeah, that's the extent of my science knowledge....

Getting back on topic, Fringe was one of those sci-fi shows that always kept you guessing. Its plot had more twists and turns than I can count, and even when it got a little iffy it was still entertaining. 

For instance, the Monty Python tribute from when Walter was, umm, doing inappropriate substances to help him remember how to save the world. Yeah, its crazy.

Probably the best thing about Fringe is its characters. The interactions and personal growth of Olivia, Peter, Walter, and even Astrid and Broyles, are the real reason to watch. I do admit that at first, Agent Olivia Dunham put me off a bit. She seemed dull and flat. But  as the series progressed, she became quite the bad ass and grew on me.

Then there is Dr. Walter Bishop, who I maintain is one of the greatest characters in the history of television. Period. Walter is hilarious, genius, tragic, and frightening all at the same time. 

(Yes, that is Denethor from LOTR. Yes, he looks ridiculous)

The man literally tore a whole in the space-time continuum to save kidnap an alternate reality version of his dead son. After that, he was so afraid he'd go full-blown evil scientist that he had Nimoy's character remove a part of his brain. Still manages to save the the world countless times, though, and have enough extra time to just relax like a normal person.

Unfortunately, Fringe didn't attract too large of an audience for the Fox Network, and it constantly faced cancellation. The fans stayed true, though, and got it a final 5th season to wrap everything up. Sadly, the last season is a bit rushed. A few extra seasons were definitely needed to wrap up the many different story lines and all the loose ends. 

Oh, well. All I can do is recommend that you give Fringe a chance. It's a show that can make you think AND laugh, which is quite something in the sea of horrible reality t.v. that most of us swim through these days. I, for one, will always enjoy the memories I had of watching Fringe and will always be a fan.

So, what's your opinion on Fringe? Will you be checking it out? Leave a comment below and, as always, subscribe and share if you likey~

*Pinterest. Where finding fringe clothing is easier than the t.v. show.*

What's Wrong with Food Network

*Warning: All Just My Opinion. Feel Free To Take Offense Anyway*

Food Network is a channel I grew up with. I used to love watching it after I came home from school and honestly, between it and my Mother, it made me love food. In the last few years, however, something has changed.

What happened to the shows I used to love? Good Eats? Unwrapped? Ace of Cakes? Food Network Challenge (With Keegan, not that Claire Robinson. She was and is awful)? The faces of the network are the same, but there is just something missing.

And I'm not talking about Paula Deen. That's a Pandora's Box I refuse to open. I think I mean the "soul" of Food Network. Sure, I like Chopped and Alton Brown's new Cutthroat Kitchen  show, but it's lost its charm. Alton has been reduced to a host, even though he delighted fans for years on fun food facts and creative alternatives in Good Eats. Plus, puppets.

The same goes for Unwrapped. I liked learning about food, not just about cooking. Where does it come from? What is its history? What the freak is a Durian? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? Now, for real, the world may never know.

(Its around 450)

As it stands right now, Food Network has become more about the personalities than food. Its more so about how many shows can they give Guy Fieri and Rachael Ray than about how many "licks". The personalities don't even cook for the most part anymore, they tell people how they suck or how awesome they are. Also, If there is one more "undercover" or "fix up this restaurant because I'm stupid" show I will literally put my head through a wall.

Even if you want to watch reruns of some of your favorite mid-thousands shows, the only thing that ever seems to run in reruns is Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Seriously. I bet half of those places don't even have good food at this point...( I know that before 6pm the cooking shows air, but most of those are reruns. Plus, I work. No time for Food Network until nighttime). 

Then after those, all the competition shows start: Next Food Network Star, Rachel and Guy have another show together show, Worst Cooks in America. The network is no longer about cooking food, its about competing with food.

I suppose I can always look to the Cooking Channel, but besides the reruns of Good Eats, its basically all Food Network rejects Sorry, I'm only being truthful. So many of the hosts are just plain boring! Plus, I heard through the grape vine that they are going along the lines of Food Network: More competition and reality shows.

While I will continue watching Food Network when I come home from work or am cooking myself (I like the background noise), I just wish that is can find that spark it had earlier in its life. Don't give in to peer pressure, Food Network! You don't have to be like the History Channel, or the Discovery Channel. Stay true to yourself and you will succeed where the others fail!

(Sorry, I had to. It was just too easy to rip on the History Channel)

Let me know in the comments what your opinion of Food Network is, and maybe what can be done to fix it. Also, subscribe and share if you likey~

*Pinterest makes me happy with its pictures. Food Network makes me sad with its funk*

Top 5 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Shows That Shouldn't Have Been Cancelled

Going off my rant against the SyFy channel earlier this week, I've decided to share with all of you my top 5 shows that shouldn't have been cancelled ( in the last decade or so).

5.) Reaper 2007-2009

Ah, Reaper. Such a beautiful little gem from a network that's only good show that's still airing is Supernatural. Its the CW. I hate that channel. Anyways, Reaper follows the life of Sam Oliver (center above) who finds out his parents sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his father's life. The devil, played byRay Wise of Twin Peaks fame, makes Sam collect and return escaped souls to Hell. Sam is aided by his friends Sock, Ben, and love interest Andi in his "dastardly duties".

In the end, the show was done in by its quirkiness and under-appreciation from the CW network. It just couldn't appreciate how different it was from the rest of melodramatic romance drama crud (except for you Supernatural) that it airs.Also, the SyFy channel had the opportunity to revive it and passed....so predictable.

4.) Dead Like Me 2003-2004

Yup, another show about "reapers".  These don't work for the Devil (as far as we know), but the afterlife. The show centers on George "Georgie" Lass, a young woman with family problems and no ambition that gets killed by a falling toilet from the Mir space station. From there, she is tasked with collecting the souls of people who die in accidents like her and once she hits her quota, she can move on. O, and her boss is Mandy Patinkin. Automatically awesome.

Sadly, creator Bryan Fuller (he also did Pushing Daisies) left early on because of creative differences, and the show never really recovered, getting cancelled for "loss of quality" and the "sense problems would continue". Hey, I guess its a good thing that it didn't end up like Heroes, begging to die for seasons.

3.) Futurama 1999-2003 (Fox), 2010-2013 (Comedy Central)

I have to admit, Futurama is one of my all time favorite shows. What can I say, I have a soft spot for animation. Its quirky, funny, and anything can happen. Plus it can get occasionally "feelsy": Fry's dog anyone?

It focuses on the Planet Express Delivery crew and their crazy intergalactic antics. There's Fry, who got frozen in 1999 and re-awoke in the 3000, Leela the mutant cyclops, Bender, the shiny-bottomed felon of a robot, and many more great characters. And side characters. There is a ton of them.

The show is so great and has such a dedicated fandom that it got the revival that all cancelled shows dream of in 2010. Unfortunately, it got cancelled again (no reason given), but the producers are currently trying to find a new home for our beloved Planet Express Crew. There's even talk of a Simpsons/Futurama crossover!

2.) All Things Joss Whedon

Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and Dr. Horrible's Sing-along blog. All great things. All cancelled (technically Dr. Horrible was never a t.v. show...). Everything this man touches is awesome but short lived. People watch what he makes, you think the networks would let him have a long-running show by now. Oh, well, as long as the Browncoats are around maybe there will one day be a revival for at least Firefly, even a movie would do.

1.) Stargate Universe 2009-2011

Honestly, you all should have seen this coming. I wanted to not put this on the list because of my previous rants, but I'm a Gater and proud. Many criticized the show for being a rip off of Battlestar Galactica, with a  little Stargate thrown in, but it was a good show. The first season was a little iffy (I'm going to forget everything about the Lucian Alliance. I always hated that plot point, in the entire franchise) I know. but the second half of the second season was beautiful. Space battles, aliens, alternate time-line meets real time-line, and the last episode. So good~

Don't get me started on Eli Wallace, though. I love me some Eli; such a good character and we don't even get to know if he dies! At least give us a t.v. movie or something!

Alas, Stargate Universe was done in by too frequent scheduling changes (Friday, the home of Stargate for years -> Tuesday -> Monday), MGM's financial woes, and a slow first season that alienated some fans.

There you have it folks, my list for recent shows that shouldn't have been cancelled. Some honorable mentions include V, Pushing Daisies, The 4400, Farscape ( at least it got an ending and may be coming back), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and Twin Peaks. Which is just so odd that I can't stop watching.

So, what are some of your favorite cancelled shows? Do you fear for any currently airing shows? Leave a comment below and, as always, subscribe and share if you likey~

*Pinterest is awesome and I love it. Oh, yeah. I always mention this*

Guilty Pleasure Review #1- Steven Universe

Ok, needless to say that besides my part-time job I have a lot of time on my hands. A LOT. So I've started looking for new guilty pleasures that would help pass the time until my life is taken off *pause*. And this is how I found the delightful ahem, gem (pun intended, you'll get it soon enough), that is Steven Universe.

(In order left to right: Amethyst, Garnet, Pearl. Steven in the bottom)

The show follows the not-so-everyday life of Steven Universe, a young boy with mostly inaccessible magic powers ( he got them from his mom) who is being raised by three super powered  women called the Crystal Gems: Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. 

Steven's mom, Rose Quartz was once a Crystal Gem, too, but she gave up her physical form to bring him into the world after she fell in love with his father, Greg Universe. He's a failed musician that lives in his van.

(Greg and Rose Quartz)

Steven doesn't live with him, rather he lives with the Gems. Or, he is a Gem. He goes on missions with them and everything. The Gems all see him as a little brother, but he's still a team member. They don't treat him like nuisance. Sure Amethyst sometimes picks on him and Pearl is overprotective, but they are all always looking out for him as he trains to be a future gem himself. Shenanigans obviously ensue. Oh, and Garnet is a bad-ass. Don't mess with her or Steven. She'll teach you a lesson.

All the characters are well developed and have actual, deep relationships to one another. For instance, Pearl and Amethyst always butt heads, but remarks on how close they used to be are always being made. Then there is the large mythos behind the show: What exactly are the gems? Are there more of them? What are all the battles and places that are occasionally mentioned? Why did Steven's mom "die" and how come he got her gem? Why is Garnet *spoilers* a cyclops? This show is deep.

There is also the beautiful artwork on the show. The background and Beach City itself are just beautiful and definitely take a lot of time and love to make. Even the places-of-the-week are awesome!

There's a high level of artistic development going on here that most cartoons don't ever achieve (or want to). Its right up there with  Avatar: The Last Airbender and the Legend of Korra in both world building and art in my opinion.

The show originally got a lot of hype for being the first Cartoon network studios' show to be entirely created by a woman, Rebecca Sugar (she worked on Adventure Time, too). At first, the hype made me skeptical. It sort of sounded like they were making the show into a strange anomaly and was just a propaganda machine to increase female viewership of the network. Hey, what can I say? I'm a pessimist. 

I was so wrong. Rebecca Sugar made an awesome show that can attract female AND male viewers. The fact that 3 of the main characters are female doesn't make this a "girly" show. They kick ass and are respected and looked up to by Steven, a boy. Its going to be like how men love My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I'm calling it now. There will be male "gems" everywhere at Cons this Summer.

(Even Darth Vader is a Brony)

The shows are both so accessible to so many different kinds of audiences. Plus, the songs, man. They are so quirky, I love them!

(This gets stuck in you head. And just.Wont. Leave.)

I really hope that this show sticks around for a while, hopefully longer that the abomination that is Uncle Grandpa. That show is just....bad and gives me the creeps. And its over-hyped and over-played. Anyways, this show has the potential to be more epic and deserves a chance. It's funny, well-written, and beautifully drawn. Give it a chance!

So, will you be checking out the show? What are some of your favorite cartoons? Please feel free to comment below and, as always, subscribe and share if you likey~

*Steven Universe is the shit, thanks Rebecca Sugar. Also, Pinterest is still God!*

Holy Hamburgers, Batman!

Have you ever had that urge to just go primal on a large, juicy burger. And not a microwaved burger ( you know of the "restaurants" of which I speak). When that craving comes along, the only place that can satisfy it is Five Guys Burgers and Fries. You all have probably heard of them or tried their food, but just in case I decided  to share my love of their greasy delectables by giving you my Top 5 reasons that Five Guys is so great.

       

         5. Simplicity
Five Guys doesn't have a big menu, and I think that is definitely a plus. Every time I go to a place like Red Robin I get overwhelmed with the choices or keep getting too distracted by the decor to even make a decision before the waiter comes back. Yeah, this is more of a personal problem, I know, but I like the limited menu and the simple decor. It shows you what the place is concentrated on: A kick- ass burger!
     
         4. Peanuts
Who doesn't love free peanuts? I apologize to all of you with peanut allergies, I feel your pain!

         3. Fries
Now, I'm not going to lie, they aren't my favorite fried spuds on the market. But they sure are pretty high on my list! The greasy fries come two styles: Five Guys style and Cajun style. I have no resistance to spicy food, so I haven't tried the Cajun, but the regular style is good enough for me. They can be greasy and salty, but it pairs very well with the large greasy burger. If you want, you can go old fashioned and put some malt vinegar on them to cut through the salt (my personal preference). Let's be honest, though. You aren't eating a burger and fries for your health. It's for your soul! I mean come on, look at theses delicious golden bits of goodness. Hand cut, deep fried in all natural peanut oil. So yummy!

          2. Toppings
You can get ANYTHING of your burger. For Free. Tomatoes, Grilled mushrooms and onions, even steak sauce. Its completely customizable with no extra charge! In the mood for a bar-b-que burger? BAM! You got it. Want a classic with mustard and ketchup? BAM! It's yours. Such sweet, varied toppings. Only bacon and cheese are extra.

          1. Burger

What else could be number 1? Sure, its a little on the pricy side for fast food, but its so good~ and have you seen the size of these monsters?

This is the "little burger" as in for kids. You don't even want me to put pics of the double bacon cheeseburgers! Also, they don't have pre-made, frozen patties. The beef comes into the restaurant, it gets ground up, then chilled in a freezer until it meets the flat top. All this for 5 dollars? Yes Please!

Well, that about wraps it up for today. Now, these are just my opinions, so feel free to let the world know your favorite burger place in the comments!