Umney's Alley - 2005's Book Log

A Year in Reading: 2005

2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012

The companion piece to my film log, the book log keeps a listing of everything I've read over the course of a year, as well as giving me a place to type up a short review. As a handy reference, the book title of each listing provides links to the Amazon page for the book.

Starting in 2009, I began providing star ratings of the books I read. The ratings are out of five stars, with five stars being equivalent to an A, 4½ to an A-/B+, four to a B, and so on.

12-29	Spiral, by Koji Suzuki	The sequel to Ring (the one that was the source of the horror movie). Completely unique, Spiral manages to take the story shown in Ring and completely run with it, changing it from what we knew it as into something far more surreal and even scarier. It definitely has some meta-horror shades as it comes to a close, but the hints of apocalypse to come and the exploration of the Ring virus keep the book fascinating and creepy.
12-28	Darkness, Take My Hand, by Dennis Lehane	Wow. This is an absolutely devastating book, with some of the most terrifying sequences I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It is not a happy book. This is the first book I've read that truly takes the concept of a serial killer to its chilling extreme. No anti-heroes, here. Pure evil. And Lehane's writing only makes it all the stronger, stretching its examination of the nature of evil to society, people, and even the narrator himself. Absolutely superb, and moves Lehane near the top of my list of thriller writers working today.
12-25	The Enemy, by Lee Child	If you read this book log, you know I love the Reacher books. They've all been good, and so is this one. Of course, it has the added distinction of being the only prequel, and thus giving you more background than Reacher himself ever would. Interesting for that, but also for the typically great thriller that comes with it. As always, good stuff.
12-23	Rope Burns, by F.X. Toole	The book which contained the stories that Million Dollar Baby was based on, and damned if they aren't great stuff. The author was a boxing cut-man, but from the way he writes, he would have had a solid career ahead of him. No sentimentality, just curt, to-the-point, Hemingway-ish writing that tells a great tale. The actual story Million Dollar Baby packs the same power of the movie, but without some of its weak points (the redneck family, for one, is drawn much more simply). The title story is the only weak one, but even it's pretty damn good. A really interesting read on its own merits, not just because of the film.
12-21	A Drink Before the War, by Dennis Lehane	The first of the series, and the earliest Lehane book. I expected a light, wise-cracking detective book. There are some wise-cracks, but this is heavy, thoughtful, philosophical reading couched in an excellent and involving thriller. If Lehane hadn't written Mystic River, I would say this is the best book he's written. As it is, I am just kicking myself for taking this long to start reading such a powerful and affecting talent.
12-19	Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman	Take the excellent American Gods and fuse it with the wonderful Neverwhere and you would have this. All the fascinating theology of the former, the personal feeling of the latter, mixed with some of the funniest writing I've read all year: it all adds up to what may be Gaiman's best book yet, and definitely one of the most enjoyable books I've gotten to read in a while. If nothing else, it's sidesplittingly funny throughout.
12-17	The Havana Room, by Colin Harrison	With regards to the plot: meh. A great first few chapters, but kind of a disappointing ending. Doesn't matter, though. Why not? Because Harrison is an excellent writer, and his incredible prose, social critiques, cutting descriptions, and everything else kept the book completely gripping, even as the plot started to slide away a little bit. And, man, there's that incredible first chapter. Even with the plot issues, it's still a great book.
12-11	Freedomland, by Richard Price	I was expecting a more detective-ish novel, but I got a riveting social examination. Once I got used to it, I was incredibly impressed. It's a powerful book, more interested in character creation and exploring social issues than with the admittedly-predictable plot (it's based on an actual case, and pretty much unfolds like that one did). The plot didn't hinder it--if anything, it helped it, allowing more time to focus on the painful realities of race relations and the devastating state of our cities. Powerful stuff.
12-2	Monkee- wrench, by P.J. Tracy	A good little thriller with a rare aspect to it--a nice sense of humor. It has a gleefully addictive plot, interesting characters, and sharp, witty writing. What's more, it doesn't just randomly swerve at the end--it presents good, logical reasoning behind its maneuvers. A solid piece of entertainment, and an author I'll look forward to reading more of.
12-1	In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote	Having watched Capote recently (which tells the story of the writing of this book), I felt compelled to go back and re-read this. I had forgotten the sheer power of this book. In depicting not only a violent crime, but its effect on a community, and the sobering reality of its perpetrators, it deals a devastating emotional blow. It doesn't feel dated at all; in fact, it may have only gained power over time, as we have become more and more de-sensitized to such matters. An amazing, quietly devastating book.
11-24	Midnight Mass, by F. Paul Wilson	Good, and clever, but not great. It's Wilson's effort to breathe life back into the vampire genre (ha ha), and it's a damn fine one--a nice step back to horror and away from Anne Rice's namby-pamby wimps. Unfortunately, in crafting such an epic tale, the short length hurts it. This would be a great first volume in a longer story; as it is, though the story is great, the ending is lackluster and not as huge as it needs to be. Still, it's a good read, and a great vampire book. Just not long enough to do it justice, unfortunately.
11-19	The Essential Ellison, by Harlan Ellison	I've always been curious to read Harlan Ellison, but never had much chance to. Luckily, I stumbled across this 1000+ page retrospective, which provides a nice cross-section of everything from his teenage years to the near-present. What it reveals is a writer of considerable talent and phenomenal range (see the difference between the nightmare world of "I Have No Mouth", the social vision of "Memos", and the satirical barb of "Ticktockman"). An impressive collection, with a power, talent, and sheer visceral impact all too rare. It's an excellent introduction to a brilliant writer.
11-11	Without Fail, by Lee Child	The sixth book in the Jack Reacher set, and it's just as good as any of them. The plot--involving an assassination plot against the Vice-President of the United States, and Reacher's initially baffling involvement--is solid and nicely twisty, and there's a nice hint of background that tentatively emerges on Reacher. But, as always, it's the great writing and the thrilling story that anchors it. Solid, great escapism, and a fun read.
11-7	White Gold Wielder, by Stephen R. Donaldson	A fascinating and satisfying end to the second Thomas Covenant trilogy. It's a bittersweet conclusion in every way, and that makes it worthy of the set. There are no easy answers, and no free victories. Everything has a cost, and this makes that abundantly clear. I know that there is a third trilogy being published as I speak. I want to read it, simply based on the genius, power, and beauty of these six books, but I can't imagine where it would go from here, based on the ending. But I bet I'll be finding out soon.
11-4	The One Tree, by Stephen R. Donaldson	The second volume in the second Thomas Covenant trilogy. Being the middle part of a trilogy, you know this will be a tough time for the characters, but this one pushes that to a whole new place. From an emotional perspective, though, the book soars, bringing a human feeling and emotional power that you rarely find in fantasy, as well as some of the finest and most literary writing I've found in the genre. Good, if heart-breaking (especially the ending) read, and made me more than ready to read the conclusion.
11-1	The Wounded Land, by Stephen R. Donaldson	A powerful, if devastatingly bleak, return to Thomas Covenant's world for the second trilogy. What makes this work is the sharp and horrifying contrast between the world Donaldson created in the first set with the horrifying wasteland we now see. You don't realize how rich the world Donaldson created truly is until you realize how painful it is to see it destroyed. Add into that mature plotting, the addition of fascinating new characters, and developments in Covenant's life, and you have thoughtful, powerful fantasy that transcends the limitations of the genre to be pure, powerful, mature literature.
10-29	Implant, by F. Paul Wilson	Typically good Wilson. Not as good as the last book I read by him, Sims, but in many ways similar--it juggles interesting moral issues with a good thriller. It's just that neither is as involved or as interesting as the former book. However, it's still filled with Wilson's solid writing, interesting characters (particualarly the "villain" of the book), and intelligent while not preachy writing. A solid and enjoyable thriller, by any standards.
10-28	The 6th Lamentation, by William Brodrick	Meh. It wants to be a literate thriller about the Holocaust, the good that people do in the midst of terrible evil, the Catholic church's role in WWII, and moral dilemmas. And it does a decent enough job of that, but the writing is a bit muddled, and the story never really coalesces the way I hoped it would. Not bad--it kept my interest--but I was never really enthralled the way I wanted to be with it.
10-22	The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde	Imagine a world where Richard III is performed like Rocky Horror Picture Show, where cloned dodos are the hit pet, where time travel is common, and children swap Henry Fielding cards. That gives you a small--but by no means complete--sense of the entertaining alternate world created here, and that doesn't even get into the ability to wander into books. It's a mystery/comedy/drama/everything else that's tailor-made for bibliophiles, but it's the wit and sense of fun that really propels it. Very enjoyable read.
10-21	Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner	If I told you that a book about economics was one of the most interesting books I read this year, you'd probably think I was crazy. But Freakonomics isn't about money or the markets--it's about human behavior. Where else can you read about how crack dealers are just like McDonalds, or racism in the KKK vs. racism on The Weakest Link? Highly recommended for a whole new outlook on social behavior, and it's not just for academics--it's very easily understandable, fascinating, and intelligent.
10-20	The Power That Preserves, by Stephen R. Donaldson	The final volume in the first Thomas Covenant series, and a richly rewarding read. It's Donaldson's most uncompromising book, with shocking and brutal deaths, an almost complete lack of hope, and Covenant being...well, Covenant. That being said, it is also the one in which the book reaches not just its plot climax, but its emotional--the point at which Covenant's leprosy becomes, in of itself, the only thing that will allow him to save the Land. It's an incredible book, with a powerful, thoughtful ending to a great trilogy.
10-15	The Illearth War, by Stephen R. Donaldson	The second part of the Thomas Covenant series, and the one in which the set's fantasy world truly solidifies into something outstanding. What's remarkable is really the way the story transforms. Donaldson doesn't just re-hash the original story, he expands it, changing the personal conflict of the first volume to something more epic--a true world war. And, yes, there's still Covenant--despicable, and yet oddly sympathetic. It's still him, as before, that anchors this set and gives it the emotional heft it needs.
10-13	The Colorado Kid, by Stephen King	The only thing really wrong with it is the fact that it's being marketed as a "hard-boiled" detective novel. It's far from it, but it's still enjoyable. Of course, I'm sure the ending will tick some people off, but he pretty much tells you early on how it will wrap up. I enjoyed it quite a bit--it's almost a mainstream, shorter exploration of the same ideas he played with in From a Buick 8. It's well worth the low price, and good for a few hours entertainment.
10-12	Lord Foul's Bane, by Stephen R. Donaldson	I first read the Thomas Covenant series in high school, and honestly, I remembered almost nothing about it. Then, when I heard that Donaldson had returned to the set one last time this year, I decided to re-visit it. That was a great decision. It's a set you read not because it's fantasy--as solely a fantasy work, it's interesting, but not great. No, you read it for Covenant himself, a despicable, hateful, despondent leper who finds himself cast into a world he cannot afford to believe in. It's Covenant's struggle between despair and hope that truly makes the book fascinating. A great start to the set.
10-5	Mystic River, by Dennis Lehane	Pretty much identical to the movie, which means that it's a powerful, thoughtful book. The one advantage to this is that you get more into the characters' heads, something which adds a lot of depth, particularly to the character played by Robbins in the movie. It also makes the ending, and Penn's character's reaction to it, all the more unsettling. It's a great book, and it says something that all of this greatness made it into the film.
10-1	Battle Royale, by Koushun Takami	Having seen the surreal, hilarious, and brilliant movie, I finally managed to find a copy of the book, and was pleasantly surprised. It's very similar, although the movie played up the satire aspects, while this is pure adrenalin and psychological horror. It's definitely the modern answer to Lord of the Flies, with dashes of reality television and Dawson's Creek thrown in. Brilliant in every way, save a slightly cheesy last chapter, and an incredibly engrossing and unsettling read. Well worth taking the time to find.
9-24	Coraline, by Neil Gaiman	The great thing about Gaiman is the way that he can write a children's book like this which is completely, 100% accessible and enjoyable to adults. As always with Gaiman, there's imagination everywhere in this book, vibrantly showing through everything. Yes, it's a bit creepy--maybe just a little too much for some of the youngest readers, but so nice to see a book that doesn't pander to its audience. Wonderful.
9-23	Tomcat in Love, by Tim O'Brien	Who knew that O'Brien had hidden this brilliant sense of humor for years? This is a fantastic book, narrated by an obnoxious jerk who doesn't realize the horrible way he depicts himself. It's a wonderful read, anchored by a nice moral arc to the story. And it's worth reading the whole thing for the children's show audition gone horribly, horribly wrong (for instance, telling one child "that Mr. Ed had long ago been rendered into nine hundred pounds of extremely useful glue and fertilizer"). Funny and all-around wonderful.
9-17	Persuader, by Lee Childs	For a pure thriller in the vein of Dirk Pitt or Eastwood's "Man Without a Name", it's hard to find a better series than the Jack Reacher series, and this is just as good as any of them. I was thrilled to see the return of the 1st person narration, with all the character that it brings to the book, but a killer first chaper, followed by a great swerve, and then a plot that just keeps on going--well, none of that hurt. It's a blast of a book, with Reacher being his usual engrossing self. Like I said, if you're not reading these, you're missing a treat.
9-14	Grendel, by John Gardner	I had always wanted to read this, and I have to say that I greatly enjoyed it. I expected it to be a novelty act--"get inside the head of literature's first monster!"--but it's far more than that, creating a detailed psychological depiction of a creature who was not born a monster, but found himself becoming one. The connections to Beowulf make it richer, but this is a strong, vibrant, fascinating book all on its own.
9-11	Wigfield..., by Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Paul Dinello	You would expect something hilarious from any book that brings back together the minds behind Strangers with Candy (particularly Colbert and Sedaris). And, yeah, it's kind of funny...but it gets old fairly quickly. To be sure, the book has some very funny sections, occasionally brilliant prose, and a few great pictures...but that all being said, it's certainly not as enjoyable as you would think. I think if it had been acted out, or performed, it might have been great; as it is, it's decent, but far short of where it should have been.
9-9	Aphrodite, by Russell Andrews	Pretty compelling stuff. I enjoyed Andrews's first book, Gideon, but each successive one has been better and better. They won't be confused for literature, but they're solid thrillers, and this one manages to work in a pretty fascinating moral dilemma at its core. Plus, how often in thrillers do you find yourself siding with the conspiracy a little? Solid escapist entertainment, with a nicely intriguing and interesting hero to hold it together.
9-5	The Crying of Lot 49, by Thomas Pynchon	Part of the reason I've held off on writing this up is that I've puzzling through it. It's an extremely complex book (the best description, from Amazon: "This is a novel that demands analysis but defies explanation"). I enjoyed it greatly, and was fascinated by it, but I'm also aware of all the "post-modern literature" aspects of it, and why so many people I know wouldn't like it. Me? I thought it was a pretty interesting and clever look at America and conspiracies, all adding up to...well, that's the question, isn't it?
9-3	The Fortress of Solitude, by Jonathan Lethem	It's very well-written, and emotionally deep and fascinating. There's just little plot to speak of. Now, once you adjust yourself to that, and simply allow Lethem's language and creation of 1970s Brooklyn to wash over you, you can savor this, with its wonderful portrait of a child growing up in a strange, unfriendly world, and the way it affects his entire life. It's not my favorite Lethem, but it's very good, and easily his most mainstream, most literate work to date, with all the good and bad that implies.
8-27	Derailed, by James Siegel	A taut, believable, exciting thriller. The best thing about it was the way that the story flowed in a perfectly natural, intelligent, and realistic way--no one acting dumb or out of character; everything goes the way it logically would, based on the setup. The plot--which begins with a man missing his train, and spirals wildly from there (the less you know, the more you'll enjoy it)--is spellbinding, and the writing, while plain, keeps pulling you in for the next big surprise. Really enjoyed it, although it kept me up late finishing it.
8-26	Sims, by F. Paul Wilson	A completely fascinating and compelling thriller. What makes it so good is that, while most genetic research thrillers rely on cheap monsters, Wilson infuses his book with the moral, social, spiritual, and economic questions that would be raised by such research. And, although he causes much thought, he does not neglect to deliver a riveting legal, medical, and violent thriller. It's a great read, and it's nice to find something that's not only interesting, but deeply thought-provoking and intelligent.
8-24	Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer	I think, if I had been exposed to the massive hype that apparently accompanied this on its release, I would have disliked it, as it couldn't have lived up to it. But going in only knowing that it was well-regarded, I loved it. It's definitely a post-modern work, with all the irony and playfulness that implies, as well as the alinear plot...but that doesn't make its humor any less funny (particularly the alternately hilarious and heart-breaking broken English of Alex), or its emotional depth any less powerful. A remarkable book.
8-17	The Big Lebowski: The Making of a Coen Brothers Film	An interesting look at the way the Coen brothers make a movie. It's nominally about The Big Lebowski, but mostly it's about their general process, their collaborators, and so forth. It's still interesting as a look into the creative process of two men who used to be among my favorite directors (hard times lately, though), and the antecdotes about The Big Lebowski are quite entertaining. Interesting read.
8-14	The Twelfth Card, by Jeffery Deaver	A perfectly servicable thriller, although far from Deaver's best. The story is involving, and the bad guy is definitely one his more interesting creations, but the plot doesn't soar like his best work, and the history subplot feels...well, a lot like a tacked on subplot. I enjoyed the book, but I think Deaver has written better books in the past.
8-11	A Density of Souls, by Christopher Rice	Well, he writes better than his mother Anne, but that's not saying much; sadly, that's about the best thing I can say about this excruciatingly mediocre book. The plot is absurd and ridiculously over the top, the characters are one-dimensional and, to add insult to injury, exactly what they seem, with no development, and the writing is incoherent and too vague. It's a pretty horrible book, and the following it's gathered is bizarre to me.
7-31	A Long Way Down, by Nick Hornby	Not as unrelentingly bleak as How to be Good, not as hilarious as High Fidelity, but still a great read. Hornby has a knack for capturing internal monologues, which is nothing new, but watching him create four very distinct voices and using them to tell a story is still a joy. Now, there's no real plot to speak of, but with typical acidic humor, brutal honesty, and a sort of cynical optimism, it's a really nice read, if only for the characters.
7-24	The Distant Echo, by Val McDermid	As always, McDermid is a master. It sounds like an unfortunate revisiting of the excellent Place of Execution, but it manages to take a similar idea and turn it into something new and different. The plot is nicely twisty, although the ending is somewhat arbitrary; still, when the story is this compelling, and the characters this involving, it's hard to complain much. McDermid has yet to do me wrong, and this continues her streak.
7-22	The Reckoning, by Jeff Long	A strange, eerie novel by the guy who wrote the incredible thriller The Descent. This one is an odd book; it's simultaneously a journey into the emotional debris of Vietnam journey and a vaguely supernatural thriller. And, ultimately, it could be either, as the book never really settles into one mode or the other. But, honestly, I don't mind; the refusal to pick one side or the other only makes the read richer, and allows you just to experience some things as a true mystery. It's a remarkably good book, once it gets going.
7-19	Brimstone, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child	As always, an enjoyable read from these two, although it's probably one of their weaker efforts. They do as good a job as ever with the science and history...but it's their usual tight plotting which fails this time, as their fascinating depiction of evil gives way to a flowery, over-the-top, James Bond style villain. Still, there's such an air of fun about the book, and such an engrossing set of characters, that you can't help but enjoy it.
7-16	Coincidence, by David Ambrose	There's a ton of really fascinating ideas here, which makes it all the more disappointing that they never coalesce into something coherent, or even satisfying. The book changes tone three or four times, and rather than seeming like twists, it just seems jarring, as though Ambrose had two different books he jammed together. Still, it's well crafted, and interesting enough...it just doesn't come together enough by the end.
7-16	Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling	Despite it being ruined for me, this was thoroughly excellent. It's a quiet book, one in which Rowling allows everyone to take a breath before the final volume. While that means that not much happens (until the end) except for filling in gaps that have developed as the books have progressed, the upshot is that this is the series' most character driven book, allowing Harry, Ron, and Hermione to grow, mature, and become even more richly developed characters than they were. Some might find the home-front focus irritating; I relished the chance to see the characters simply being themselves. A worthy, if quiet, continuation of a great series. On to the final conflict...
7-16	The Black Angel, by John Connolly	Is it redundant at this point for me to call a John Connolly book excellent? This series of books just keeps getting better, as Parker makes choices about his life and begins to discover even more about what he means in a cosmic/theological sense. It's a fascinating set of books; nowhere else have I read private eye books with philosphical and theological exploration so perfectly meshed with gruesome, terrifying cases. There is no one today writing like Connolly, and if you're missing him, you're missing one of the best.
7-13	The White Road, by John Connolly	Re-read this so I could brush up before reading the new book. Typically excellent Connolly, with a vicious, grim plot mired in the sins of the past (Connolly certainly doesn't seem to think much of the South...although, in some ways, he's very right), but more importantly, an evolving sense of what Parker might be destined for and might mean to the world around him. A great, compelling, beautifully told tale, full of great action, fascinating characters, and Connolly's always sharp, biting sense of humor.
7-8	Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling	After the events of Goblet of Fire, it's no wonder that the light, whimsical atmosphere has gone; however, this more than makes up with it with the compelling plot, and particularly the brilliant amount of character development, where heroes turn out to be fallible, and villains reveal a pitiable aspect to themselves. It's definitely the most complex book of the set, and features one of Rowling's most chilling creations in Dolores Umbridge. It's a dark, grim ride, but its epic scope and great detail make it the best yet in the series.
7-4	White Jazz, by James Ellroy	I think I understood this book a lot more this time around, having read all the preceding volumes. I think it's my least favorite of the quartet; it's extremely hard to follow, and it's almost a willing step backwards to his less epic stuff, and coming off of L.A. Confidential, that's disappointing. Still, it provides a nice ending to the set, with about as phyrric a victory as you might expect Ellroy to come up with, and his typically stripped down to nothing prose. A grim, brutally violent, excellent read--my least favorite, but still superb.
7-3	Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling	Honestly, I had forgotten what a truly great book this is. I remembered how the final 100 pages or so soared, and Rowling did some of her best writing, as well as changing the series into something far more epic...but I had forgotten just how great the rest of the book is. More than any of the books to date, Rowling allows the characters to grow and develop, and we get the first glimpses of the adults Harry and friends will be. Outstanding, and definitely the transition point from children's books to something more mature.
7-2	L.A. Confidential, by James Ellroy	To me, Ellroy's finest work. Its sprawling scope is kept in tight focus around three men, and the demons which haunt them (and drive them). The detective work is compelling, the case brutal and fascinating, and the villain chilling to the bone. It's a truly incredible piece of fiction, and one of the best detective books of all time. Violent, disturbed, borderline nihilistic, and bleak, but amazing nonetheless, if only for Ellroy's brilliant prose.
6-28	Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling	Probably my single favorite of the books, for any number of reasons; the introduction of some of my favorite characters (Lupin and Black), some of the most inventive plotting, and one of the best finales of any of the books in terms of cleverness. It's also the book that begins the transition from "kids books" to "(young) adult books", most notably as some serious darkness starts to arrive at the book's conclusion. Just a great read in every way, and the book that truly convinced me that this set would be as good as it is.
6-27	The Big Nowhere, by James Ellroy	Excellent work, although not quite to the level of his later work. (Of course, bad Ellroy is still far better than most writers working today.) Mixing a Red witchhunt, a truly horrifying series of murders, and three (very anti-)heroes with their own personal demons, this is the stuff Ellroy was born to do, and he does it better than anyone else. My only gripe? While this was his first book to attempt a larger scope, he hadn't yet meshed that with his trademark machine gun prose. I have to wait till L.A. Confidential for that...
6-24	Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling	For the first bit of this book, I thought I'd have to retract my comment about the first book being the weakest. I forgot how slow, stumbling, and needlessly recapping the first half of this book is, not to mention the tedious subplot about Harry's mistaken desire for fame. Still, as the plot gets going, this really takes off, and starts to toy for the first time with the darker side of the books--something which comes out far more in book three...
6-24	Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling	Re-reading the set to ramp up for book six, later this summer. It's been a long time since I read the first book, and I was surprised by a few things, namely how much I still enjoyed it. It's definitely the weakest of the set--Rowling improved with each successive book (particularly with regard to plot), and the set definitely grew in complexity and richness the further into it you get. But even so, the imagination, sense of humor, great characters, and pure storytelling magic is present, even at the humble beginning of the series.
6-22	The Black Dahlia, by James Ellroy	Since I finally have all four books (and I realize now that there actually is a set of four books), I decided to start reading Ellroy's L.A. Quartet in order. This is typically brutal, gut-wrenching, powerful Ellroy, made more so by the obvious closeness to his own mother's death. It lacks the epic scope of the writing he would soon begin, but his crackling prose and grim plotting still makes it an amazing read.
6-5	Echo Burning, by Lee Child	Solid B-entertainment. The story is probably the strongest of any of the Reacher books to date, with two or three surprising curves along the way. Sure, Reacher is an unbelievably incredible hero; sure he figures out the bad guys a bit too easily. But you don't come to Reacher books for pure realism; you come for the strong writing and slick plotting in the tradition of the Travis McGee or Spenser series. Entertaining and enjoyable.
6-3	Summerland, by Michael Chabon	It's far from a bad book. The plot is compelling enough, and the writing sharp; the flaw, I think, is that it never becomes completely believable. The plot doesn't flow so much as it feels pushed; the characters often don't seem real so much as plot devices, and ultimately the richly detailed fantasy world seems more a clutter of ideas than naturally evolved. And yet, it's an enjoyable enough read; it's just not the equal of so many other fantasy books. No, it's decent, just never as good as you hope it will become.
6-1	Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clark	Among the best books of the fantastic I've read. The plot, while wonderfully compelling, is hardly even the best thing about it; it's the incredible creation of a world, and the evocation of magic that truly seems magical and incredible, that makes you feel like anything is possible. It's a unique book--it owes as much to Austen and Dickens as it does to Rowling or Gaiman, and so it might not be for all tastes (although it's ideal for my English major self). But for those who can enjoy it, it's an astonishingly great read, with a hilarious wit, a true sense of the mystical, and a perfect depiction of a bygone time and a truly unique society. One of the most enjoyable books I've ever read.
5-22	Haunted, by Chuck Palahniuk	In an odd move, this isn't actually a novel, per se; it's a collection of 23 short stories, connected by a narrative about a writer's retreat gone horribly, horribly wrong. The downside of this is that it robs the book of some of its thematic focus (at least, it seems to; I need to go back and digest it as a whole unit sometime soon); the upshot is that the fractured work contains Palahniuk's most beautiful, poetic writing to date, and features some truly outstanding, even moving short stories (my favorite is the quietly heartbreaking "Exodus"). An excellent, if greatly unsettling read (trust me, it's not for the squeamish; if you don't believe me, check out the first story, "Guts". Good luck making it through...)
5-18	Solar Lottery, by Philip K. Dick	Quite good--is that surprising, given my love of PKD's work? It's very much early Dick, which means it lacks some of the philosophical focus of his later work, but his fascinating ideas and probing looks at the human condition and the flaws in society are evident even in what was probably released as pulp sci-fi. Enjoyable and thought-provoking.
5-14	The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold	A truly beautiful and haunting book. I expected that this would be a syrupy sweet look at heaven and the grieving process, but it is not. It's brutal at times, honest at others, and uplifting at still other moments. More to the point, it's beautifully written, and constantly defies expectations. The idea of having the book narrated by a ghost becomes not a gimmick, but a fascinating idea allowing you to experience a wide array of emotions, culiminating in a perfect ending. An outstanding and wonderful piece of fiction.
5-13	Carter Beats the Devil, by Glen David Gold	Much better than the lengthy reading time would seem to indicate (hey, life has been busy). First of all, a book about stage magic plays perfectly into my deep and abiding love of con games; secondly, with a book whose writing is this rich, full of fascinating characters and a gleefully fun plot, how could I not love it? With its blend of real people and fictional events, Carter creates a beautiful and tricky world, with a story that pulls you along until the last surprising swerve. A great book.
4-22	The Last Temptation, by Val McDermid	The more McDermid I read, the more I wonder how she's managed to avoid mainstream success. Her books manage to both create believably emotional scenes and truly horrifying crimes, and neither seems forced. Her characters are great and fully realized, and her plots clever and completely gripping. What's more, she always manages to make her thrillers about more than just crimes (here, an examination of Nazi mind experiments). Each book has been outstanding, and this one was no exception.
4-17	The Wire in the Blood, by Val McDermid	Another outstanding serial killer thriller from McDermid. It's not as brutally violent as The Mermaids Singing, but the plot is far tighter, and the villain more fascinating. The whole thing unfolds in a beautifully taut manner, culminating in a strong finale with a nice epilogue to leave the reader wanting more. The only real flaw is the inclusion of a secondary story about an arsonist, but the resulting emotional payoff between Jordan and Hill makes up for it. McDermid continues to impress me with her thrillers.
4-16	The Madman's Tale, by John Katzenbach	A couple of typical Katzenbach weaknesses (clunky dialogue, a fizzle of a climax) aren't enough to keep me from thoroughly recommending this one. It's an incredibly addictive thriller, propelled by a fascinatingly flawed narrator who manages to make the story more than just a mystery, becoming an examination of sanity. It's incredibly involving, and the strong epilogue makes up for the weakness of the denouement. Very good.
4-8	The Bourne Ultimatum, by Robert Ludlum	It certainly took me long enough. It's not too bad, but it's definitely the weakest of the Bourne books. Some of Ludlum's writing problems become more evident (most notably in the hilariously bad dialogue of the Mafioso), and his typically strong plot here is a bit weaker and disappointing. Still, it's does provide a good conclusion to the story, with a great setting for the final showdown. Not too great, but not completely awful.
3-20	Sleep No More, by Greg Iles	It kept me intrigued, I guess, but it left me pretty unsatisfied. The sheer number of loose ends, bad pacing, plot contrivances, and unanswered questions takes what could have been a nicely Hitchcockian thriller (serious shades of Vertigo here) and ultimately sinks it into confusion, culminating in a rushed, inconclusive ending. It's not the worst thing I've ever read, but it's a pretty big mess, and disappointing, given the interesting premise.
3-15	The Mermaids Singing, by Val McDermid	Pretty good thriller, if extremely dark. Not that that's a bad thing at all in my book, but surprising--this sounds horrible, but it's rare to find a female thriller writer that writes this well and this brutally without being goofy. (Sorry, but it's been true in my experience.) This, tho, was a solid, disturbing thriller, with a compellingly troubled hero and a few nasty twists along the way. Well worth a read, and quite engrossing.
3-12	Magical Thinking, by Augusten Burroughs	It may not be as emotionally affecting as Running with Scissors, but given the change in subject matter, that's completely understanding (and sort of a relief). What you have is simply Burroughs taking his trademark cynicism and snappy wit out on life in general, and the people around him. But, as the book progresses, it becomes more and more reflective, as well as being a tribute to the power of love (in this case, the effects his love for his boyfriend has had on him). Really funny, and quietly moving in parts.
3-9	The Last Good Day, by Peter Blauner	An outstanding thriller, although "thriller" may not be the right word--it's as much of a thriller as, say, House of Sand and Fog. That is to say, it's a thriller which is more character driven and drama-based than most of its counterparts, and it is that literary style and wonderful sense of time, place, and person that makes his books so good. Although I worried that it seemed a bit of a retread at first, this really took on a life of its own, and is a great book, even if the murder mystery's solution is a bit flat at the end.
2-27	Faithful, by Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King	It's very much pitched towards baseball diehards, but that didn't keep me from enjoying it...well, King's part. O'Nan is a bit obsessive for my taste, basically writing inning by inning breakdowns without adding anything personal, while King focuses on life, family, and the joys of being a fan in the first place. Of the two, it's King who manages to connect with those who don't live and breathe the game. A fun read even for non die-hards; it's just a nice exploration of the life of fans, and King, at least, makes it fun.
2-18	The Infinite, by Douglas Clegg	This started off great, with a gradual pace, a nice introduction of characters, all the setup a good horror story should have. But, they really should gradually build somewhere--not go from nothing to all out chaos in one page. This was just a mess--the ending made no sense, the story incoherent, and ultimately just a colossal waste of my time. Blech.
2-14	Still Life with Crows, by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child	A rock solid thriller from these guys--one of their best since Relic. What's so good about them is the way they tap into that X-Files vein of supernatural mysteries ultimately finding a grounding in science, but making them no less terrifying because of it. What makes this one so good is its great cast of characters (led by the always fantastic Pendergast), an outstanding (and extremely scary) finale, and a nice final jab. Yes, the identity of the killer is an easy guess; so what? As a thriller, it's still a blast to read.
2-10	Samaritan, by Richard Price	An excellent piece of literature. Although it definitely has thriller elements, it's more of a glimpse at urban blight and those affected by it, as well as a scathing portrait of a man whose kindnesses may be more selfish and harmful than he knows (or admits). It's a beautifully written book, with each scene serving as not just a plot point, but also a painted picture of a scene, and the characters' dialogue functioning as a window into their psyches. It's a gripping, moving, heart-breaking book, and I would highly recommend it.
2-5	Garden of Beasts, by Jeffery Deaver	Not necessarily Deaver's best or most enjoyable, but possibly his most accomplished book to date. It's a major departure from the forensics thrillers he's known for, but he manages to create a realistic portrait of pre-war Nazi Germany and the moral difficulties of the time. In the process, he manages to interweave a variety of plotlines, finally creating not just a great thriller, but an interesting moral tale. Quite good.
1-29	Killing the Shadows, by Val McDermid	Another solid read from McDermid. It's not as good as A Place of Execution, but it does manage to juggle not one, not two, but three different killers without ever feeling jumbled or busy, and manages to create some nice thrills out of all three; also, the main one becomes an examination of the responsibility of crime writers for what they create. Quite interesting, with a surprise towards the end that I wasn't even close to guessing.
1-26	The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown	It's part puzzle and part history lesson--and that's the biggest problem. While the thriller part of the book is pretty entertaining (a bit ridiculous and contrived sometimes, but still quite fun), and the history background is fascinating, Brown has little notion of how to blend them, basically ruining the pacing of his book. It's as if your action movie kept getting interrupted by a BBC documentary. That being said, it's an interesting book, and quite enjoyable--just not well written.
1-21	The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth	A comprehensive vision of alternate history (Lindbergh defeats FDR for what would have been his third term) cast as childhood autobiography--and it works. Not only is it completely convincing emotionally, it's also a stark portrait of America, not only then, but now: our own fears, self-interests, greed, and the collision of our cultures. More to the point, as you read it, it all seems true, as if Roth had actually lived it, and his power to evoke emotion is fantastic. A successfully ambitious work of fiction.
1-13	Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane	A truly outstanding novel. Lehane has not only written one hell of a gripping thriller, but has accomplished the rarely achieved: creating an absolutely jaw-dropping twist ending that doesn't feel as though it was just arbitrarily there to shock the reader, or simply to be clever. Rather, the ending completely transforms the book from a chilling thriller into something far darker, and even heartbreaking. Really, really good in every way.
1-9	lost boy, lost girl, by Peter Straub	Quite good, although incredibly hard to classify, since it's equal parts serial killer thriller, a haunted house mystery, and a heartbreaking drama about loss. It's a great read, with some absolutely terrifying scenes, and some equally moving ones. Straub has some typical problems with pacing, and slow reveals (or lack thereof), but on the whole I thought it was a strong read, with just a bit of a fizzling ending. (Note: don't read the back jacket of the book. It pretty much tells you the whole plot.)
1-4	America (The Book): A Guide to Democracy Inaction	Words really cannot do justice to how great this book is. What could have been a perfunctory cash-grab by the guys at The Daily Show is, instead, one of the funniest things I have ever read, and absolutely brilliant. All the joys that the show offers--intelligent political commentary, bizarre pop culture jabs, silly jokes, and more--are here, and in as top form as the show ever has been. Brilliant, wonderful, and tear-inducingly hilarious. By all means, for satire the way it should be, pick up this book.
1-2	Pattern Recognition, by William Gibson	A good way to start off the year. Gibson turns his icy cool vision towards the present for the first time, and does a hell of a job depicting the chaos of our ever-connected (and often disrupted) world, even managing to depict the pain of 9/11 without ever making it feel gratuitous. It's a Gibson book, through and through, with all the great writing you've come to expect; but also greater emotional depth and moments of beauty than his world-weariness has ever let through before. A great read.

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clydeumney@gmail.com

page updated:
September 29, 2009