Umney's Alley - Words, Words, Words...

A Year in Reading: 2008

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.

12-24	Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney	Although I've taught pieces of Beowulf several times, I've never actually read the entire epic until now, which is something that apparently I've been missing out on. I can't help but think that part of the joy of this reading has to be chalked up to Heaney's wondrous translation, which brings out not only the beauty of the language but also makes it accessible and readable, prizing clarity over classic construction and making Beowulf read as poetically and beautifully as it ever has. (Heaney's introduction is also an excellent read; it's warm and loving, and really conveys not only his enthusiasm for the epic but also what makes it so good.) The story itself is pretty simple - a larger-than-life hero struggles against three epic foes - but it's all in the details, as the ancient poets and Heaney work together to create a fascinating world. Really, it's no wonder that this translation was a bestseller - I can't think of anyone who wouldn't enjoy this version of the story. Highly recommended, and not just for English majors.
12-23	The Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly	As much as I love almost every Connelly book, it's almost a rule that his "cross-over" books, where two or more of his main characters meet, invariably collapse or fail in some way. (See A Darkness More than Night for the more egregious example, although The Narrows isn't too great either.) So it's a pleasant surprise that The Brass Verdict works so well. Maybe it's due to the immersion in Haller, the narrator from The Lincoln Lawyer and one of Connelly's sharpest creations; maybe it's the way that Bosch is used but not forced into things. Or maybe it's just the nicely plotted tale, which admittedly feels a little short, but packs in a lot of solid twists and turns. Either way, Connelly creates his usually atmospheric world, packing his characters with musings and thoughts that give the book life beyond the machinations of the plot.
12-6	The Bodies Left Behind, by Jeffery Deaver	Deaver's latest is a stand-alone book, and in a way, that's part of what allows it to be so tense. Without his long-standing characters, there's a real sense that anyone could go, at any time, and that the secrets are far more possible to be dark ones. Setting up a great cat-and-mouse game, Deaver devotes most of the book to a somewhat real-time hunt through the woods, and does a great job maintaining the tension. Yes, some of the reversals (she bluffs, we think he buys it, but SURPRISE, he didn't really) occasionally stretch credulity or telegraph themselves, but Deaver more than makes up for it with some of his best trademark twists in some time. It's not my favorite of his, but I enjoyed it far more than the newest Rhyme book, and definitely loved the tension of it all.
12-6	The Saber-Tooth Curriculum, by J.A Piddiwell	Took a break from reading the new Deaver book (which I'm enjoying, by the way) to read this short little book for a school in-service, and was pleasantly surprised to find out how much I enjoyed it. A funny, witty little piece of satire on educational ineffectiveness, laziness, and resistance to change, Saber-Tooth manages to make its points, make them well, but be entertaining as anything doing it - something not enough academics manage to do. Heck, I actually enjoyed it - and I don't think I expected that at all.
11-30	Masque, by F. Paul Wilson and Matthew J. Costello	Far better crafted and more imaginative than their previous effort, Mirage (which I also liked quite a bit), Masque reminds me in the end a lot of Sims, one of my favorite Wilson books, for the way it takes on interesting moral and technological questions in the guise of a sci-fi thriller. My only real gripe here is a bit of a flat ending, in particular one scene that should be played for drama but almost comes across as goofy. Still, these two books make me wish that Wilson would get back with Costello and write more, and the rumors that this one is being turned into a PC game definitely pique my interest.
11-24	Just After Sunset, by Stephen King	King's newest short story collection shows him, as always, willing to experiment with his old tropes and ideas, and the resulting collection displays both a fascinating range and some truly unsettling work. The standout by far is probably "N.," a Lovecraft-inspired tale of OCD and insanity; there are images in that tale that will stick with me for some time. As with any collection, the results are a mixed bag; while none are outright bad, the final story, "A Very Tight Place," seems more disgusting than interesting, and the story "Graduation Day" feels like an interesting concept that could have some more development. That being said, stories like "Willa," with its eerie and slightly off atmosphere, and the balls-to-the-wall insanity of "The Cat From Hell" remind me why King's been my favorite author for so long, and why I keep coming back to his books. I may be a die-hard fan, but I certainly didn't come away disappointed from this.
11-21	Thursday Next: First Among Sequels, by Jasper Fforde	The newest Thursday Next book remains, as the series has for some time, more about Thursday's world than an actual story; while there's a convoluted tale about time travel, reality television, falling reader rates, and more, you find yourself reading more for Fforde's bottomless imagination and incredibly dense and rich imaginary world. That's not to say that the story doesn't get gripping, but by and large the book is more a series of vastly entertaining pieces, which somewhat accounts for my slow read time. I still highly recommend the series, especially for book lovers; filled with puns, wordplay, allusions, and just a love of the written words, Fforde's series fills a much-needed literary niche for a thriller reader like me, and I will eagerly await the next book.
11-4	By the Sword, by F. Paul Wilson	I've said it before, and I'll say it again, and you probably won't listen, but the Repairman Jack series remains one of the best series written today. And, as Wilson draws us closer and closer to the end, the story gets more and more gripping. Announcing at the book's beginning that we won't get much closure from here on out because the books are going to essentially be one long read, Wilson launches into a typically complex situation involving a lost katana, a pregnant girl, and a lot of unwanted interest. As we get closer and closer to the final showdown, the books are getting darker and more violent, and Jack finds himself unable to engage in as many of the "light" fix-its that he's done in the past, but that doesn't bother me; it's fun just to get back into Jack's increasingly complicated world and watch his always entertaining ability to "fix" things. Don't start with this one - understanding this one necessitates reading the earlier books - but do yourself a favor and go pick up The Tomb, the first of the series. You won't regret it.
10-22	Break and Enter, by Colin Harrison	Like Peter Blauner, Harrison has a knack for writing crime thrillers that remain deeply character driven, and for most of this book, he displays that talent again. Sadly, however, I began to get worried as the pages dwindled and the main story seemed incapable of resolution in the space remaining. Even so, I wasn't quite prepared for how badly the book goes off the rails in the final pages, really hurting what had been up until that point a pretty great read. The rest is really good, but the ending just feels contrived and forced, culminating in an epilogue that rushes through what could have been a much better ending. To be fair, it is definitely Harrison's debut, and his talent is still on display; it just got much, much better as he continued onward in his career.
10-11	Blindness, by Jose Saramago	It's hard to approach Blindness without being aware of the immense levels of critical praise and awards it's received, and I'd be lying if they didn't contribute to some mixed feelings about the book. Saramago's prose, while not for everyone (it makes McCarthy look easy to parse), is beautiful and poetic when you get into its rhythm, and the tale is a masterful mix of the harrowing and the hopeful. But I can't help but feel that a lot of the discussion of the "complex allegory" is people reading in more than may be there; I wonder if the book's as complex as people make it out to be. Did I enjoy it? Most definitely. It's a gripping apocalyptic tale told well, with moments of pure poetry and a masterful control. I just think people may be reading more into it than is really there, and it's led to a little grouchiness on my end about it.
10-9	Red, by Jack Ketchum	I've liked all of the Ketchum stuff I've read so far, but it's not been until Red that I fully appreciated his talent. Like the other Ketchum I've read so far, Red traces the path of ordinary people as they move closer and closer towards brutal violence, but what makes Red really stand out is the strong voice and characterization of Avery, our narrator; it's a character far more fully realized and fleshed out than I expected, giving Ketchum's taut and brutal narrative an emotional underpinning that packs a punch. It's a great read, and really sells me on Ketchum; it also makes me wish that the movie version would come out, because Brian Cox playing Avery is a brilliant choice.
10-9	Mirage, by F. Paul Wilson and Matthew J. Costello	Wilson and Costello (who wrote The 7th Guest and its sequel, a computer game experience that definitely shows here) craft an interesting idea that would be echoed much later in The Cell: what if you could explore people's memories through a VR environment? Playing, as Wilson likes to do, with interesting medical issues, Wilson and Costello craft a pretty solid thriller that works despite some increasingly bizarre and slightly unbelievable twists as it comes to a close. That being said, I enjoyed it a lot; the trips through the memoryscape are worth the price of admission, as Costello's gaming experience and Wilson's ideas create a fascinating environment inside the damaged head of our hero's sister, a place where past and present come together in unexpected ways.
10-7	Forever Free, by Joe Haldeman	Haldeman's long-gestating sequel to The Forever War explores further the concepts of relativity and aging that War dealt with, but uses them to a vastly different end. Much of the novel's action concerns Mandella's reaction to his new world, and it's an interesting and gripping one, but it's in the book's last section that things get...well, strange, to put it mildly. I think I liked it, but it doesn't feel quite as well-developed as the other two Haldeman books that I've read, which tossed around fascinating ideas easily. The ideas here are intriguing, but it almost feels like there needs to be more of the book to run with them. Still, Haldeman does a great job as always of both telling a great story and providing interesting philosophical ideas, something sci-fi has gotten too far away from.
10-7	The Keeper, by Sarah Langan	An outstanding horror debut that takes King's town-sized horror novels like Salem's Lot and It and puts a unique and far more personal spin on them. Langan sets The Keeper in a slowly dying small town, and in doing so, creates a large scale that remains intimate and personal, giving a visceral punch to the horror. And, trust me, she more than delivers on the horror, bringing a complex and original ghost that haunts the town in more than one way. It's really a hell of a read, and I was blown away by how assured and effective the writing was; if this is Langan's debut, I can't wait to see what she does as she gets more practiced. If you're a horror fan, I can't recommend this one enough.
10-5	Thud!, by Terry Pratchett	The last (so far) entry in the Watch series could be an incredible finale all on its own, even though I hope he writes many more. Pratchett's usual gift for plotting and character is evident here, as he juggles a cop story, a Da Vinci Code homage (or improvement), heavy themes like racism and societal hatred, and fatherhood, all while managing to create some absolutely hilarious scenes and lines which leave you all the more off-guard for some completely devastatingly emotional parts that left me tearing up as I read. The amount of talent on display is incredible, but watching Pratchett tell a story about dwarves and trolls and their ancient hatred and realizing how much he's pointing this at our society...well, it puts to shame almost any other author working in the fantasy field. (And that says nothing about the importance of six o'clock, which leads to a moment of absolute beauty and magic.) Possibly the best Discworld book I've read to date, and that's saying quite a bit.
10-4	The Yiddish Policemen's Union, by Michael Chabon	Another minor masterpiece from Chabon, one of the most talented and original writers working today. Mixing an alternate history (what if Israel collapsed not long after founding, and the Jewish homeland was actually a small territory in Alaska - an idea that actually almost happened?) with a film-noir detective story and sprinkling in Chabon's usual strong characterization and plotting, and the result really reads like almost nothing I've read before. Chabon's prose is magnificent, and the book itself is funny, thrilling, moving, clever, and magical, playing with themes ranging from the regret we all deal with all the way up to major theological debating, all while remaining a great detective story. It's really a lot of fun to read, and having just read that it's slated as the next Coen brothers project, I'm even happier - the more I think about the book, the more I can see it catering to their unique sensibilities. Even if the movie doesn't happen, though, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the book - Chabon's imagination creates an incredible world, one that feels more lifelike at times than our own.
9-20	Dexter in the Dark, by Jeff Lindsay	A major departure for the Dexter books, and not in a particularly good way. The narration remains entertaining, but Lindsay...let's just say that he makes some major changes in the "nature" of Dexter, ones that don't always feel consistent with the world he's created so far, and ones that change the sardonic, darkly hilarious Dexter into something far more horrific: someone a little boring. The story feels repetitive and nowhere near as engaging as the first two, and the brilliant return of an unexpected character is sadly wasted. It's by far the weakest of the three books, and showcases far more of Lindsay's weaknesses than his strengths. I'll still check out the fourth book, but it will be with a lot more trepidation, and if it's like this, I may have to disappointedly leave this at-first great series behind. What a bummer.
9-20	Old Flames, by Jack Ketchum	A pair of horror novellas (in an exceedingly odd move, the "secondary" story is longer than the title tale) that demonstrate Ketchum's ability to mix horrific intensity with a psychological grasp on deeply disturbed people. Ketchum's bleak streak sometimes overwhelms his stories; the ending, for instance, of "Old Flames" feels a little abrupt, as though he knew where it had to end and jumped there. Nonetheless, his writing has a raw power to it that definitely has an effect on a reader, something not enough horror writers can say about their stories. More grounded and realistic than most horror writers, Ketchum probably should be listed as suspense, but the brutal distances which he explores definitely puts him closer to the horrific than the suspenseful.
9-15	Night Watch, by Terry Pratchett	When I first started reading this, I was vaguely worried by the idea of a time-travel story, even involving my beloved Watch characters. Haven't we all seen way too many time-travel stories, and aren't we all too familiar with the cliches? I shouldn't have worried. As usual, Pratchett manages to deftly sidestep the cliches, creating not only a gripping and exciting story, but manages to bring even more depth and richness to his characters, particularly the fascinating Vimes. From here, it's onto Thud!, and I'll be sad to come to the end of the current Watch books, but I definitely know I'll be reading them again soon, as much as I've enjoyed them.
8-31	The Fifth Elephant, by Terry Pratchett	Back into Discworld and the Night Watch, this time for a complicated tale involving diplomacy, unions, conspiracies, family histories, and one very unusual (even by dwarf standards) loaf of bread. As always, Pratchett's world lives and breathes in a way that few authors, especially fantasy, ever manage, and at this point I'm so attached to these characters that I might actually be physically angry if he kills them. Bringing in some familiar faces (Gaspode!), tightly weaving an intricate plot, delivering some hilarious lines, and delving deeply into some family history, Pratchett makes it all look so easy that you wonder why everyone else isn't doing it.
8-25	Slipping Into Darkness, by Peter Blauner	I've read four books by Blauner so far, and what always impresses me is the way he weds complicated and interesting plots to well-constructed characters, creating a union that's far more than the sum of the parts. Slipping Into Darkness is no different. In tracking the paths of two men, one a man convicted of a brutal murder, the other the cop who put him away, Blauner creates not only a tense thriller but also a heartbreaking picture of two men who are haunted by their past and the sense that they may never be able to outrun it. Less a plot-driven thriller and more a character-driven tragedy, Darkness is a great read, and may be the best book Blauner's written yet.
8-23	The Year of Living Biblically, by A.J. Jacobs	In which Jacobs, an agnostic Jew, decides to live by the Bible for one year in an effort both to make a point about taking the Bible literally and attempt to find some spirituality in himself. The results work far better than the admittedly gimmicky premise might suggest, and that's due in no small part to Jacobs, who's funny, thoughtful, self-deprecating, and maintains both a great sense of humor and an open mind about the whole enterprise. Jacobs manages to both entertain the reader and make a lot of good points, and it's fascinating watching him grapple with faith in a real, intelligent way, as opposed to the simplistic treatment it all too often gets. It's really a joy of a read, and I'd highly recommend it to just about anyone.
8-18	The Barrens and Others, by F. Paul Wilson	A strong collection of short stories from Wilson. While, like any short story collection, there are hits and misses, the strengths here outweigh the weaknesses, even if none of them quite attain the strength of his novels. More than anything, though, the book offers a great glimpse into Wilson's range, as he displays stories ranging from Lovecraftian horror to dark comedy, from a serial killer tale to an interview with the Joker. For fans, this is pretty much a must-read, if only for a Repairman Jack tale that bridged the long wait between The Tomb and Legacies. It's probably not the best intro to Wilson, or his best work, but for the fun stories and Wilson's personable, interesting introductions, it's a welcome addition to the Wilson library I already have.
8-3	Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, by Eric Schlosser	A powerhouse piece of reporting, Schlosser's infamous book details the rise and ubiquity of fast food culture in America, from their humble beginnings to their presence at the forefront of the world's stage. While the book touches on the sanitation and supply issues raised by fast food corporations, the book is mainly about the way that fast food culture has permeated America, and the way that its value of speed/profit above all else, be it morality, laws, safety, or even basic compassion, is taking a toll on us all. It's a scathing indictment of the corporations, and in taking it all in - the suppliers, the factories, the corporate heads, the legislators - it finds a deeply broken system that seems to have lost a moral compass. It's a powerful read, and one that raises any number of issues. My biggest fear reading it was that it would turn into a screed against those who consume the food, and it's not; in fact, the book isn't against the concept of fast food at all. Rather, it's against the values of the corporations, and it devotes its entire length to showing what those values have done to the "All-American Meal." It should be required reading for just about everyone I know; I know I'll still end up eating fast food here and there, but it makes it impossible to do it without being very aware of what you're in for.
7-30	Dearly Devoted Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay	The second book in the Dexter series is a great read, one that I ended up liking even more than I enjoyed the first one. There are still some issues that Lindsay needs to work on; apart from Dexter, a lot of his characters don't quite work, and his ear for dialogue needs some tuning. But, when you have a book narrated by such a magnificent, complex character as Dexter, whose narration is alternately unsettling and completely (if darkly) hilarious, it's hard to find too many faults with the book. The plot - which concerns Dexter struggling to look "normal," as well as confronting a killer that even impresses him - could use a few more twists, but the joy of the book is more going through the journey with Dexter, whose keen and vicious observations of the world make the book more than worth reading. Flaws and all, the book is a success - and a fun one - due to the wonderful, unique creation that is Dexter, a serial killer who kills the killers.
7-27	Coronado, by Dennis Lehane	Lehane's collection of short stories is drastically different from his novels, and while it's not without merit, it's nowhere near as rewarding as his longer works. The stories here are stripped down to their bare essentials, and while they take on a lot of Lehane's motifs - the effects of the past, the way crime affects a community, strong character building - they do so in a far more "literary" way, eschewing his complex crime narratives for simple stories based on character more than anything. There's some good work here, but they're definitely not in the same league as his novels; still, if you're a Lehane fan, you could do a lot worse, as some of these stories are beautiful and haunting in their own ways.
7-24	The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home, #4 and #5	Finally finished this up...and was greeted with a pretty big anti-climax. I hope that this is more because everyone is just trying to get their feet wet and tell a simple story on their own, without King around, and that the next series will be more ambitious and complicated. Because this, ultimately, was a pretty pointless story, but more than that, it was one that felt needlessly stretched to five issues when it could have been told in two, tops. Nothing really happens at all, and one of the very few really interesting events was never explained whatsoever. The art of it all is still beautiful, but the story really pales compared to the complex, lifelike world that King's so good at.
7-24	Snuff, by Chuck Palahniuk	I've stuck with Palahniuk for a long while now, and his last book, Rant, rewarded that patience with unexpected complexity and depth, reminding me that underneath his stylistic tics, there could be a fierce imagination and wild ideas working away. It's sad, then, that Snuff doesn't really have any of that. The plot, while typically "shocking", I guess, never really offers much of interest, and the book depends on establishing some emotional connections with the characters, a trick which Palahniuk only has some scattered success. More than anything, the book just felt slight and forgettable to me; for once, Palahniuk seemed to enter into the book without a message or central theme, and the book definitely felt the weaker for its lack.
7-24	Soul Music, by Terry Pratchett	From a plot perspective, this is basically Moving Pictures redux, with the 50s rock revolution replacing movies...and yet, this is far more satisfying of a read than Pictures was. I think it's due, in some part, to some better character work; anchoring the book with Death gives the reader an emotional "in", which helps give the other characters time to establish themselves. The plot's more involving and complex here, as well, and Pratchett takes the time to follow a few more philosophical trails here. There's a beautiful emotional sentiment about music and its power, especially in the finale, that really elevates the book to something special. What did you expect? It's a Discworld book, and I loved it.
7-17	The Colour of Magic, by Terry Pratchett	The very first Discworld books feels a little more like a travelogue than Pratchett's typically complex and thoughtful plots. A series of four interconnected short stories, Magic is about a tourist to Ankh-Morpork who ends up being guided (or, at least, accompanied) around the world by the failed wizard Rincewind. It's definitely a first book; the writing isn't as tight or as funny as the later work, and the character work not as strong. That being said, Pratchett's imagination is still vibrant, even here, and it's marvelous to see the first seeds of such an incredible world.
7-14	Jack: Secret Histories, by F. Paul Wilson	When Wilson first announced that he was doing a new series of Repairman Jack books, these concerned with Jack's life as a teenager and his origins, I was a little worried. I didn't want to see Muppet Babies with Repairman Jack, with all of his current friends as teenagers, and feeling forced and contrived. Having read it, I can say that all of my fears were in vain. Wilson writes exactly like he always does, and sacrifices none of Jack's personality or quirks in visiting his formative years. The book, as you might expect for something geared towards a younger audience, is a little too short, and it definitely feels as though it's the first book in a set. Of course, it is, but there's a lot left hanging by the end. Still, it's fascinating to get some backstory to Jack, and Wilson executes the concept in such a way that it feels completely natural. What a relief.
7-13	Twilight Watch, by Sergei Lukyanenko	The third book of the Watch series moves beyond the inter-organization politics and gets into the mythology and history of the Others a little bit, beginning to attempt to understand who they are and why they are. I feel like a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses I wrote about the second book, Day Watch, still apply - the very nature of the Treaty tends to make the contests zero sum, but with such thoughtful and philosophical writings, and such complex worldviews emerging, the books are more about the journey than the destination. The move into the background of the Others and their relationship with humanity is an interesting one, opening up a variety of new paths and ideas to explore in the final book. And Lukyanenko's plotting remains superb, as he ties so many plot threads into a complex tapestry, all while you never realize until you get there just how set up you've been. Solid, fascinating stuff, as has been the case for all three books so far, and I'm still eager to see how it all ends in Final Watch.
7-6	Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett	One of the newest Discworld books, and it's proof that Pratchett hasn't lost his touch as he's gone along. A stand-alone novel, Going Postal is about a con man who's offered a choice: death, or start running the Post Office. It's probably the longest Discworld book I've read, but it definitely doesn't suffer from that; Pratchett fills the pages with a whole new list of characters, all of whom feel like unique new creations rather than retreads of anyone else in his mammoth universe. More than that, though, the book crackles with a great sense of the importance of hope, making what could have been more silliness into something uniquely and touchingly human.
7-6	Jingo, by Terry Pratchett	The next Night Watch book concerns the birth of a new continent, the political ramifications, and an all-too-strong push for war. As always, Pratchett mixes humor and character beautifully, filling his books with details that could spin off into hundreds of other books. But, more than that, he proves how attached he's made me to these characters, and how invested I am in their fates, all with an incident so small as a malfunctioning personal organizer. I can't say more, but there's a brief sequence that arises from that that genuinely had me beginning to tear up. The whole Discworld series just gets better and better, and I can't recommend it enough.
7-4	The Next, by Dan Vining	The sequel to The Quick remains just as strange and oddly compelling as its predecessor, but the increased reliance on story hurts the book a little bit. Once again, Vining puts the reader deep into a slightly off version of our world, and once again, we view it through the eyes of Jimmy Miles, a complex and thoughtful narrator who brings out aspects of our world that we're not used to seeing. Vining writes well, even though he frequently jumps time with no warning, but it adds to the uneasy atmosphere of it all. The story this time, though, is far more complex, and while it's interesting to explore, it gets borderline too complicated for the book, and threatens to overwhelm our interest in Vining's world. However, the resolution ties things up nicely, and the book comes together well; it's just a bit of a long drive to get there.
7-3	The Nine Billion Names of God, by Arthur C. Clarke	A collection of Clarke's own favorite stories, Nine Billion Names reminds us of a time when sci-fi wasn't about just gimmicks and technology, but also ideas and exploration. To be sure, there are some stories here that feel a little simplistic, feeling like the twisty tales of Dick without being as effective. But Clarke does a great job following his ideas, bringing an interesting combination of fear and optimism for the future, all while being more than willing to explore the cynical sides of the issues he's playing with. The stories are a mixed bag, as with any collection, but it's a great start for any serious fan of sci-fi to begin exploring the works of one of the genre's true masters.
7-2	The Lost, by Jack Ketchum	The second Ketchum book I've read isn't as grueling or brutal as The Girl Next Door, but it maintains a lot of the strengths of that book: strong character work, some excellent writing, and a nicely constructed plot that not only drives the narrative but also provides plenty of time for the characters to develop in unexpected ways. It's an odd work, taking a bit longer than I expected to get somewhere, but the end result was shocking enough that it made up for the time. Definitely a suspense writer for those prepared to follow him to the pitch-black darkness he's willing to enter into.
7-2	Reaper Man, by Terry Pratchett	One of the most remarkable things about the Discworld series is the way that Pratchett can take even a basic stock character - Death - and create a version that's so completely fascinating and even endearing that you could hang an entire book on him. That's what he manages here, spinning a great tale out of Death's forced retirement and its consequences. Though the secondary story - about some very unusual snowglobes - doesn't really ever come together with the main story, that doesn't really matter, because it's still wonderfully entertaining, beginning to end. As always, Pratchett creates rich, believable characters and a world that's similar enough to ours to matter to us, but not so similar that it's lazy writing. It's funny, exciting, and interesting, beginning to end, playing with great ideas and theories. And, hey, I finally know where the Death of Rats came from, so that's something, isn't it?
6-25	Feet of Clay, by Terry Pratchett	The next book in the Night Watch arc of the Discworld series (an arc that is rapidly becoming my favorite of the ones I have read) more than lives up to its predecessors, revealing just what a great author Pratchett is, and how the quality of his books keeps going further than you ever realized. The plot is wonderfully complicated, involving a poisoned leader, a secret organization, a unique golem, a new dwarf on the Watch, and more...and yet, it never feels forced or contrived; the plot flows organically, and the connections, as they're revealed, feel incredibly natural. But, of course, it's the character detail that has made me love Discworld so much, and Feet has it in spades, especially surrounding Vimes, who becomes more and more wonderful of a character in each successive books. I know I keep gushing about these, but I really just can't find enough good to say about them; this series is absolutely wonderful in every way.
6-22	The Reapers, by John Connolly	The newest work from Connolly reverses the usual dynamic between Charlie Parker and his friends Angel and Louis, moving the fascinating couple to the foreground and pushing Parker to the side. While I missed Parker's philosophical narration, Connolly's writing remains beautiful; his prose is lyrical and almost poetic, no matter how dark and nightmarish the world he beholds. It's about time we got to see more of Angel and Louis, and Connolly gives them a shot in the limelight beautifully, crafting an interesting story and populating a world just as distinctive and inimitable as the world Parker has found himself in. As always, I can't recommend it enough; I genuinely don't think there's a better thriller writer working than Connolly, whose style makes his books into beautiful, chilling works of art, and The Reapers is no exception.
6-20	The Broken Window, by Jeffery Deaver	The newest Lincoln Rhyme novel may not be as satisfying as The Cold Moon, but it's still quite entertaining, and manages to touch on some topical issues of privacy and electronic concerns. Taking on technology again, Deaver does a much better (read: realistic) job handling it than with the silly but fun Blue Nowhere, this time focusing on data mining and the erosion of personal privacy. The villain here is a fascinating one, and the case, as always, manages to be compelling and still bring up some new dimensions to Rhyme. The trademark twists aren't quite as evident, but the characters remain involving, and it's always fun to see if you're a little ahead of Deaver or not. Not his best work, but far from his worst, and it's still a good deal of fun.
6-17	Forever Peace, by Joe Haldeman	Despite the similar name, this is not a true sequel to The Forever War, but a re-exploration of some of the same ideas and themes - technology's effect on wars, the toll it takes on men, brotherhood of soldiers, etc. It's a far better written book than War, and it has a slew of interesting and complex ideas that make it a more than worthy follow-up to that previous book. It's definitely a little more didactic, but not so much that it bothered me; to me, Haldeman did what sci-fi is supposed to do: explore the ramifications of technology, and see what kind of world might result. The end result is a fascinating blend of pessimism and hope, and an interesting take on not only how we might end up fighting our wars, but the way it might change us all.
6-14	The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman	A really superb piece of hard sci-fi that touches on any number of themes and ideas, all in the guise of an interesting and complex war story. It's obvious that Haldeman's drawing on his own Vietnam experiences here, not only in terms of the combat but also in terms of the ideas he's wrestling with, and it gives the book a veracity that not enough combat books have. Add to that a fascinating idea - the book largely revolves around the fact that, due to their use of faster than light travel, although the soldiers only fight for months, hundreds of years pass back home - and a strong central character, and you have a book that's justly been labeled a classic. This is the kind of thing that keeps me reading sci-fi; it's nice to find something as interesting and thoughtful as this.
6-11	Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay	Though I've yet to watch the series that came from these books (Showtime's Dexter), I have to say that reading this made me even more interested than I was before. Lindsay's not a great writer; his dialogue is a little clunky, his plotting a little weak, and a lot of his characters a little flat. But when you've created a character as compelling and as interested as Dexter, the flaws in the book - which are more minor than major, so don't despair - don't matter as much. Mixing a gleeful black humor with a rich and interesting perspective, Dexter really makes the book worth reading, bringing a much-needed dose of fresh air to the serial killer genre. It's a decent book made pretty great by its main character, one who I'd definitely like to read more about.
6-8	Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchett	It's probably my least favorite Discworld novel to date; it feels as though an editor made Pratchett tighten up the prose, eliminating a lot of the digressions, footnotes, asides, and so forth that make Pratchett such a light and wondrous read. What's left is a decently interesting story about a regiment in a massive war, sexism, Joan of Arc, religion, and folk songs - not necessarily in that order. It definitely lacks some of the fun of the best Discworld stuff, but Pratchett's knack for vibrant characters, and the way he pulls everything together into truly stellar endings, as well as the themes he tackles...it's his least satisfying, but I can't finish it and not think that I'm glad I read it. It's the first I wouldn't rush to read again, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.
6-2	The Girl Next Door, by Jack Ketchum	A brutal and horrific book that only becomes more horrifying once you look at the background. The book is narrated by an adult male who recounts the events of one year growing up in his hometown, when his neighbors took in two girls and began to systematically abuse and torture them. It's a gut-wrenching read, but what makes it truly devastating is to realize that it's based on real events, and that many of the book's worst events played out just like the book described. By telling the story through an observer, events play out as a complex and painful morality tale, but the horrors of what is witnessed only escalate, leaving me a bit drained and thinking a lot worse of humanity. For those who can take it, this is a pure, unflinching look at the darkness in the human soul, and it goes darker and blacker than almost any book I've ever read. It's not for the faint of heart by any means, but it's certainly an unforgettable experience. Take that as you will. Me? I'm just glad I saved a Discworld book; I need something happy for a while.
5-31	Men at Arms, by Terry Pratchett	The second book about the Night Watch, and it's even better than the first. This is the first major Discworld arc I've started reading, and it's great to see the way that Pratchett allows his characters to grow and change over books, adding complications to their lives, but giving them a chance to fulfill their potential. I'm only two books into this arc, and I'm already really attached to these guys; there are some moments that pretty well stunned me, just because I hate to see anything bad happen to the Watch. Add in a great plot that's equal parts hilarious and thoughtful, and Pratchett's usual great writing, and you've got another winner in this series that keeps on bringing the quality.
5-27	Equal Rites, by Terry Pratchett	One of the earliest Discworld books, and even here it's obvious just how fertile and rich Pratchett's imagination is. There's a lot more done here with the Lovecraftian references than in Moving Pictures, which left me far more satisfied, and while the central premise (the feminist movement by way of the competition between witches and wizards) never quite coalesces, the plot here is intriguing enough to more than make up for it. As always, the gags are sharp, but it's the details of Pratchett's incredible world that keep me loving this series. And hey, any book with Death and the librarian can't be all bad...
5-26	DC Universe: The Stories of Alan Moore	I mainly picked up this collection for Moore's The Killing Joke, a massively influential Batman story about the Joker, but I'm glad that I did as much for all the other stories. Moore's talent is evident in each, and it's clear that the man has a way of using the staples of the genre for far greater effect, be it for comic effect (a couple of the Lantern stories), to comment on society or the genre (the Vigilante story, which seems to be a dry run for Rorschach of Watchmen), or simply for psychological complexity (most effectively realized in the Superman stories of the series, which show exactly what kind of depth can really be brought out of the character). As for The Killing Joke? It's a bleak, nasty piece of work, but one of the most gripping cat and mouse games I've read, and worth it for the exploration not only of the Joker, but of the complex relationship between him and the Bat. All in all, it's a collection that really showcases Moore's talent, and really sets up the greatness of his later work.
5-25	Bad Luck and Trouble, by Lee Child	More fun from Child, whose Jack Reacher series has become one of my popcorn reads of choice. Reacher is one of those incredibly capable heroes in the vein of the movie's version of James Bond or Dirk Pitt - a guy who's never really in trouble, who's more than capable of handling himself, and who is the wrong guy to mess with. So why read them? For one, Child's plots - this one involving members of Reacher's former military team ending up dead - are a lot of fun, with enough intrigue, twists, and action to keep any fan satisfied. For another, Reacher's a great character, one whose archetypal nature doesn't make him any less interestingly developed by Child.
5-17	The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home, #3	The plot begins to pick up the pace a little bit here, as we find ourselves exploring Roland's nightmarish new surroundings a little more, and the story finds itself exploring a few less threads. I still feel like the volumes are a little too short to be completely satisfying; by the time they really get going, it's pretty much over. But the artwork for Roland's dream world is spectacular, and the way it's beginning to tie in nicely to the end of the series makes for a more interesting impact. Definitely picking up, although I wonder how much ground we can still cover with only two issues to go.
5-17	Life of Pi, by Yann Martel	A strange, compelling tale about a religiously curious young man who ends up finding himself in a precarious situation: adrift in the Pacific ocean on a lifeboat...with a Bengal tiger. What results is part fascinating survival tale, part parable for our relationship with religion, part bizarre black comedy...that is, until the final few chapters, when the book transforms into something far different, one with a far more complex meaning and message than we may have suspected all along. It's a fascinating read, one that picked up a lot of steam and momentum as I continued to read, and now that I've finished it, I'm left with a lot of questions and thoughts. And I'm all for that in my reading. It's a crackling good adventure read, but there's a lot of substance there, and the more I think about the book, the more impressed I am with it.
5-11	Guards! Guards!, by Terry Pratchett	With one of the more pitiful set of protagonists I've read in a Pratchett book so far, I think I understand why Ryan had problems getting into this originally. But what makes this one of the most rewarding books of the series is watching these pathetic "heroes" develop into something resembling real heroes, and how the circumstances around them force them into becoming what they've needed to become anyway. As always, Pratchett packs the book with great jokes and references, with a lot of subtle nods to The Hobbit here, but it's his characters, as always, that make this such a rewarding read. I'm very curious to see where the Watch series goes from here; this seems like a great arc, with a wonderful concept behind it.
5-9	Moving Pictures, by Terry Pratchett	In which Pratchett takes on Hollywood, with typically surreal and hilarious results. The plot here is lighter than most of the Discworld books, with Pratchett more interested in packing the book with subtle (and not-so-subtle) film references than a tightly woven plot, but that's okay. When the results are this funny, it's hard to complain too much that it feels a little light and disposable. I'd love to see Pratchett take on the Cthulhu mythos again at some point; there are some nicely creepy touches here, and I think he could make a hell of a book based entirely around it. It's not the one I'd start with, but it's a must read for any Pratchett fan, and doubly so if you're a film geek like me.
5-4	Pyramids, by Terry Pratchett	More insanity from Pratchett, this one involving the world's greatest (non-human) mathematician, Discworld's version of Ancient Egypt, a guild of assassins, and a lot of very confused gods. It lacks the focus of Small Gods and Wyrd Sisters, both of which really had a central theme; this touches on lots, but is content to play and have some fun, while dabbling in some thoughtful asides here and there. That's not to downplay this - it's a great read, and it's a lot of fun, as all of the Pratchett I've read so far has been. The plot is beautifully constructed, and the games at work involving time and gods are a feat of imagination. It may not be the best Discworld book I've read, but even a bad Discworld beats a lot of other authors on their best days, and it's a complete joy to read them.
5-2	Gravity's Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon	One of the toughest books I've read since college, if not ever, and even now that I'm done, I'm kind of at a loss. It's a tough read, no doubt about it; you could spend months reading it, cross referencing the wiki, and still not get every reference, or you could do what I did, which was just cruise on through, and just kind of accept the whole thing as some bizarre Zen experience that probably makes sense on some level I'm not quite on, but flows into this bizarre organic whole that's a little hilarious, a little trippy, a little frightening, and impressively epic. Is the plot a little unstructured for my taste? A little...but not awfully so. It all makes a sort of Zen-sense within itself; it's just that attempting to impose any sort of structure on the work as a whole fails miserably. While you're reading it, though, it makes total sense that a Resistance would use taffy as a guide for its new members to find their way around, or that characters would end up at a party where they are to be served as the main course. What does it all mean? Fuck me if I know. But I dug it quite a bit; Pynchon's writing is beautiful, and his bizarre sense of humor gets funnier and funnier as you get into the rhythm of the book more and more. The section about the alphabet sections warring was hilarious to me, and the whole Byron story cracked me up. I don't feel like I totally "get" it, but I'm not sure I want to. It's part of the reason I quit on the wiki, and stuck with the basic summary I found as an aide; I enjoyed just absorbing it for what it was, and not delving too deeply into it all. At some point, I may re-read it, and I even kind of look forward to doing that, to see if it all makes any more sense (my first guess: not really). But right now? Man, do I need some light reading for a bit.
4-20	Heart- Shaped Box, by Joe Hill	An eerie, effective modern-day ghost story, and one of the better horror debuts I've read in some time. I managed to get all the way through this before finding out that Hill was the son of Stephen King, so I can say that I judged this without bias here, and I thought it was a pretty solidly creepy piece of Southern gothic horror. Hill does a great job building characters, and his climax has a powerful emotional resonance that it wouldn't be able to have with someone less concerned with the nuances of their characters. The ghost of the novel is incredibly effective, with as much time spent on psychological games as the pure horror, and the story is nicely involved while never feeling anything less than well-planned and grounded. I was really impressed with this, and look forward to reading more from Hill; as it stands, this is a pretty great debut, especially for a horror novel.
4-15	Teacher Man, by Frank McCourt	This is my first exposure to McCourt, and while I liked it well enough, I'm not left dying to run out and pick up Angela's Ashes or 'Tis anytime that soon. The book's a little rambling, and while it's obvious that McCourt doubts himself, more than anything I left the book feeling that he really might have been just as bad a teacher as he often felt he was. Some of the stories are pretty funny here and there, and there are some moments where he nails what it's like to be a teacher. But there are other sections that just feel rambling, and a lot that doesn't feel like it has anything at all to do with teaching. All in all, it's not a bad read; it's just meandering as anything, and while I liked it, it didn't blow me away.
4-13	The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home, #2	In which a little bit of frustration begins to set in. I'm still savoring the beautiful artwork, and it's nice to finally fill in some of Roland's backstory. And, the supplementary material is pretty compelling stuff, as per usual. But the story here progressed almost none at all, and I can't say that that's not a little bit irritating. There were some miniscule jumps ahead, most notably in the last couple of pages with Sheemie...but really, those last couple of pages are about all of note that happened. Maybe there's more setup here than I realized, but when you only have five issues, and one feels this inessential, I can't really feel that that's a good sign. I hope to be wrong, though.
4-13	The Fourth Bear, by Jasper Fforde	The second book in the "Nursery Crime" series from Fforde is a lot of fun; it's just not as tight and effortless as the Thursday Next books, is all. The plot, as usual for Fforde, is piled full of absurdities, familiar characters, odd sidetracks, and clever (and groan-inducing) wordplay, and I can't say that I didn't have fun reading it. But it never felt as breezily enjoyable as the Next books, and the plot felt like a little more of a necessity here rather than a bizarre journey. It's still quite good; it's just not my favorite.
4-12	The Queen of Bedlam, by Robert McCammon	McCammon's follow-up to Speaks the Nightbird finds Corbett in colonial New York, chasing the demons we'd seen him dealing with in the previous novel. By and large, this is a great mystery novel, with some nicely dealt out twists and turns. The colonial setting never quite feels as convincing as his small town of Nightbird, and there are a few too many "wacky" jokes about "things that will never happen," like tall buildings and a strong police force. But, on the whole, McCammon does strong work here, creating believable characters, a complicated but fulfilling mystery, and setting the stage for even more to come. Not his best work, but a fun read on the whole, and I'd still recommend it.
4-6	Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett	Easily the best Pratchett I've read so far, and the one that's left me more impressed than ever before. This is the darkest and most cynical of the Discworld books I've read so far, but it's also the most complex and profound. Using his usual delightfully complicated plots as a jumping off point, Pratchett engages in a thoughtful and deeply felt critique of religion, both organized and non, and does so without ever coming across as preachy or didactic. The subtext stays in the background, but the book can't help but provoke deep thoughts among the reader, even while we're enjoying Pratchett's trademark wordplay and bent humor. It's a minor miracle that someone can make a book this funny about the Inquisition (more or less), and one that brings new thoughts and ideas to the age old religious debate. An astonishing book on every level, and a must read for anyone I know.
4-6	Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchett	Another gem from Pratchett, this one a sly riff on Macbeth, Hamlet, and theater in general. Much like Thief of Time, the plot here is complex but ultimately satisfyingly simple, if that makes any sense - it's a wonder when you start to realize just how tightly all of these disparate threads are really woven together. Mixing some genuinely hilarious lines with a thoughtful look at the power of words and theater, and spicing with memorable and rich characters, Pratchett delights me all over again, and leaves me eager to try the next Discworld book I have to read.
4-5	Glamorama, by Bret Easton Ellis	A strange, vicious piece of satire from the man who brought you American Psycho. For a bit at the beginning, this feels like a bit of a retread of that book - a little plotless, focused on brand names and locations - but then something rare for Ellis kicks in: a plot. What emerges is a bizarre conspiracy thriller, filled with terrorists, explosives, paranoia, and a lot more. It doesn't all quite come together, but that's to the book's credit; you're immersed in the shoes of your idiot narrator, and we only see the world through his clueless eyes. It's equal parts hilarious and horrifying, and it's pretty much Ellis at the top of his game by the end. It's a little burst of insanity, a scathing look at celebrity, politics, and more, and all in all pretty unique.
4-1	The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood, by David Simon and Ed Burns	An incredible book - one of the most powerful and affecting I've read in some time. This was Simon and Burns's project before The Wire, and a lot of the ideas, themes, and philosophies that anchored that show clearly spring from here. But more than that, the nonfiction nature of the book makes is even more devastating and even more clearly drives home the reality of what Simon and Burns are saying. In watching a year go by in an inner-city neighborhood, and focusing on certain people, Simon and Burns manage to bring a human face to the drug trade and the war on drugs, demonstrating the massive complexity of the issue, and the problems with so many solutions that people propose. It's a tough read; these people do not live in a hopeful world, and when they stumble, we feel their pain acutely. But, much like The Wire, when those few escape, we are all the more impressed and moved by what they've accomplished. This book plunges you into the world of the corners, but more than that, it humanizes it. I give it one of the strongest pieces of praise I have ever given: as cliched as it sounds, this book has literally changed the way I look at the world. It's a beautiful, moving, exquisitely crafted, exceptional read, and I honestly cannot recommend it enough to anyone.
3-28	Power Play, by Joseph Finder	Another fun thriller from Finder, who takes his usual strong sense of the business world and fuses it with a Die Hard-style plot to make a pretty intense little thrill ride. Sure, some of the characters are a little flat, and occasionally the plot's a little thin, but it's a lot of fun while you read it, and the objections are pretty minor at best. There's a couple of fun twists, some great action pieces, and some interesting character stuff going on here, all of which adds up to another piece of evidence that Finder is really becoming one of the best thriller writers around, doing for businessmen what Grisham used to do for lawyers.
3-27	The Wanderers, by Richard Price	Not as rich and complex as his later work, Price's first novel nonetheless has a lot of the same elements that make his later books so interesting: a look at an underclass of society, a great ear for dialogue, a way of conveying plot while never letting it dictate the book, strong characters, and so forth. The 1960s setting never really feels that involving, though, especially compared to the urban environments of his later books, and the related short stories method doesn't work as much as his complex books like Clockers. Still, it's a solid piece of writing, and well worth reading; it's just not as good as he's capable of. By just about any other standards, though, it's quite good.
3-25	Day Watch, by Sergei Lukyanenko	Interesting second volume of the Watch series, this time focusing on the Day Watch, which keeps the agents of Light at bay. As with the first one, the world Lukyanenko has created is fascinating; the Treaty that keeps the two sides in check makes for fascinating power plays, and once again it's intriguing to watch the complex plots finally coalesce into clarity. Moreover, this book can explore the nature of some of the characters a little more, and really gives us the sense that there's even more moral complexity here than we thought. My only gripe is that, by nature of these books, these tend to be zero sum games, where nothing really happens and the status quo is maintained; while the politicking, spy work, head games, and psychological gamesmanship is great reading, it gets frustrating to see it all come to a draw so often. We're only halfway through the series, though, and a lot has been set up, so I'm still really curious to know where it goes from here. Hopefully I can pick up Twilight Watch soon...
3-20	Men and Cartoons, by Jonathan Lethem	More short stories from Lethem, and they're a bit more successful here than in The Wall of the Eye. Not all of them work; "The Dystopian..." is pretty funny in bursts, but never quite reaches a climax, and "The Glasses" depends too much on deciphering the simplistic allegory to be very satisfying. But when they work, they're outstanding. "The Vision" and "Super Goat Man" use comics and our relationships with them to explore strange emotional truths we may not want to face, while "This Shape We're In" creates a surreal world worthy of any Twilight Zone, but plays it straight, creating a strange, bizarre experience. And, of course, there's "Interview with the Crab," which...well, just read it. It's a lot of fun, all in all; if you're up for Lethem's typical genre-blending, jump right in.
3-20	Spook Country, by William Gibson	It may not be quite the instant classic that Pattern Recognition was, but this is still Gibson as good as he ever is, and that makes this a pretty superb read. Like Pattern Recognition, the setting here is the present, and Gibson turns his keen eyes toward dissecting our current world, looking at technology, trends, fears, politics, and more, all in the guise of a thriller about data-holding iPods, a magazine that may or may not exist, and a very dangerous man who may or may not be working for the government. Like most of Gibson, it's the details that make the book, and no one looks at the world quite like Gibson does. The joy of it is, you won't look at the world quite the same after this either.
3-15	Crime Beat, by Michael Connelly	A collection of newspaper pieces Connelly wrote before he started writing fiction, Crime Beat is pretty good reading for a number of reasons. Any fan of Connelly's work will find here a lot of the real-life inspirations for a number of his books, and it's interesting to see the genesis of the great stories of The Overlook, The Black Echo, and others in here. As for the pieces themselves, they are newspaper pieces, which frequently limits the depth Connelly can bring, but even in this early work there's a sense of understanding and empathy and Connelly has brought to all of his work, and a good sense of context and environment that definitely shows up in all of his work. Interesting on its own, but if you're a Connelly fan, this is a highly recommended read for you.
3-13	The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home, #1	Picking up right where Gunslinger Born left off, this new comic series based on Stephen King's Dark Tower series features much of the same quality the first series did: beautiful artwork, a nice ear for dialogue and pacing, and a true sense of the beauty and horror of the world King created. What Long Road Home has going for it over Born is that it's a story we haven't heard before (Born was pretty much Wizard and Glass), and it's nice to finally have a new Roland story to read. The first volume feels a little rushed, but there's a lot set up here, and I'm pretty excited to get to the second issue.
3-12	Thief of Time, by Terry Pratchett	I've somehow never read a Pratchett novel until now, when a good friend of mine lent this to me and told me to read it. Now, I'm just wondering what took me so long, and how soon till I can try more. Equal parts surreal comedy, thoughtful exploration of the cosmos, drama, thriller, and more, the amazing thing is not how much it does, but how it manages to do it all so well. The philosophical ideas are actually complex, the humor genuinely funny, and the sprawling cast of characters all memorable and well-developed. What a treat of a book - I really am going to have to take on more of these, and soon.
3-11	Duma Key, by Stephen King	This is no doubt the longest I've ever taken to read a book, much less a Stephen King book, and you might think that the length of reading time reflects badly on the book. Don't. (For what it's worth, it was a lot of other stuff going on, including the end of the semester and the film noir fest at the Belcourt.) This is one of King's best books in a long time, not only in terms of terror (this one gets really freaky in the last 150 pages or so), but in terms of pure craftsmanship. The book is a slow build, but even the build to the story kicking in is well done, with strongly drawn characters, fascinating personal relationships, and hints that soon blossom into something far darker. I know that I'm a bit biased towards liking everything that King does, but part of the reason for that is that he's that damn good. The characters of Duma Key are expertly crafted and more fully alive than some authors have created in whole series of books, and the plot more chilling and effectively paced, with a beautiful play between past and present, than just about anyone else in the genre is capable of. It's an outstanding read, and if you're a King fan, it's a must. If you think the man's not still at the top of the game, read this and prepare to eat those words, because, man. Give it some time to build, and trust me, it starts going like a rocket - I read the last third of the book today, and couldn't put it down till I finished it.
1-29	The Innocent Man, by John Grisham	It took me a long time to read this, but that's not a comment on the book. In fact - and this is coming from someone who gave up on Grisham years ago - this nonfiction book may be the best book he's ever written. No, what took me so long is the massive and ridiculous amounts of anger that this book inspired in me. With its depiction of the numerous ways that the legal system not only fails us, but frequently almost intentionally subverts itself, I frequently ended chapters so angry that I literally had to go take a break. It's a fascinating and completely heartbreaking story, but it's one that also is written with such palpable disgust and fury that I often found myself taking a break to let my blood pressure return to normal. All of this sounds like I'm warning against it, but as a portrait of a deeply flawed man who finds himself trapped and abused by the legal system, it's a gripping and powerful read, one made more effective and haunting by virtue of being true.
1-15	Deeper, by Jeff Long	The sequel to The Descent isn't nearly as superb a novel as its predecessor, but that's not fair to hold against it; few adventure novels are. Deeper has a lot to admire about it, from the way it avoids simple rehash of the previous novel, instead exploring the ramifications of The Descent's action on the world. The plot is nicely structured, but there's a strange new supernatural element that, while interesting, clashes with the science-based theory of Long's previous work. The ending leaves some major threads hanging, I think, and Long's apparently said that he is planning this out as a trilogy, so maybe the last book will give us some more answers. It's interesting, but not up to par with an amazing forebear. Still, for fans, it's well-crafted and introduces some compelling new ideas; let's hope he has it planned out from here.
1-7	The Descent, by Jeff Long	(Not to be confused with the superb recent horror film.) Re-reading this in preparation for the sequel, as it had been years since I originally read this. I remembered that it was a great adventure novel, but I forgot just how stunning of an achievement it really is. Mixing theology, evolutionary theory, adventure novels, horror staples, and more, The Descent really is unlike almost anything you've read. Constantly mutating into something different, its fascinating plot unfolds in so many directions at once that you're almost shocked that Long keeps it so perfectly in control. It's creepy as hell, thought-provoking, exciting, and just a hell of a read, and it's a shame it's not better known - it should be regarded as a masterpiece of the genre. Looking forward to Deeper now.
1-4	Mister B. Gone, by Clive Barker	A minor and slight but still entertaining return to adult fiction for Barker. While Gone is definitely lacking the scope and spectacle of much of Barker's finest work, the immersion in a first-person narrator allows Barker to have some fun here, toying with the reader and spinning wheels within wheels. It's not really all that scary of a tale, but it's an interesting one (even if Amazon's book summary gives away too much), and by the end it does show signs of that wildly imaginative and surreal Barker I used to love. Not enough of that, though, and the book gets definitely bogged down a few times - lethal, for something this short. It's enjoyable enough, but it feels a little unsatisfying, especially coming from someone as talented as Barker. Mainly recommended for fans.
1-1	Dragonfly, by John Farris	While I liked this a lot more than The Fury, I still can't say that I was completely sold on it. It's a gripping enough story, and the characters are mostly well-drawn and interesting, but that doesn't keep the book from ultimately feeling a little hollow and unsatisfying. The ending, particularly, feels like a bit of an anti-climax, and the final line of the book is more confusing than open-ended. I don't know. I may try Farris again; this was definitely a well-written book, but it's far from good enough that I was rushing to go out and try more by him, especially with all of the praise he gets.

e-mail me at
clydeumney@gmail.com

page updated:
March 9, 2011