clfisha's 2009 75 Book Challenge

Hi, I am Claire and I am a bit late as I have just stumbled across this amazing site. I do read a lot of fantasy but hopefully this site will help me branch out a bit more... Anyway its going to be interesting to keep track of what I read.

Giving up on tagging for some books as its a pain to maintain!. Afraid you will have to check the messages...

Never finished in time:
From These Ashes: The Complete Short SF by Frederic Brown
Slow Chocolate Autopsy by Iain Sinclaire (author) and Dave Mckean (artist)
The Chronicles of Riddick by Alan Dean Foster

My total list:
115. City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer
114. The Boys: Herogasm by Garth Ennis (author) and John McCrea (artist)
113. Last Drink Bird Head by various. Edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer.
112. Secrets from the Red Lantern by Pauline Nguyen
111. 100 Bullets Vol 13: Wilt by Brian Azzarello (author) and Eduardo Risso (artist)
110: The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw
109. This Mitchell and Webb book by Mitchell & Webb
108. Across the Nightingale Floor, Episode 1: The Sword of the Warrior by Lian Hearn
107. Britten and Brülightly by Hannah Berry
106. nemonymous one by anonymous
105. Strange Places: a memoir of mental illness By Will Elliot
104. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
103. Kushiels Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
102. Set this House in Order by Matt Ruff
101. The Paradoxes of Mr Pond by G K Chesterton
100. Red Skies Under Red Seas by Scott Lynch
99. The Naming of the Beasts: A Felix Castor Novel by Mike Carey
98. Extreme Measures: The Dark Visions and Bright Ideas of Francis Galton by Martin Brookes
97. Pilo's family Circus by Will Elliot
96. Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tulsa
95. The House of The Seven Gables by Nathenial Hawthorne
94. Fugue State by Brian Evenson
93. The Ghost of Alcatraz by John Dekker
92: Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Cornell Woolrich
91. In the Heart of the Sea: The Epic True Story That Inspired "Moby Dick" by Nathaniel Philbrick
90. Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck
89. The Crimson Petal and the White By Michel Faber
88. Elephantina by Andrew Drummond
87. Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
86. Queen Margot: The Bloody Wedding by Olivier Cadic, François Gheysens (authors) and Juliette Derenne (artist).
85. Thorgal: The Three Elders of Aran by Jean Van Hamme (Author) & Grzegorz Rosinski (artist)
84.Tender Morsels Margo Lanagan
83. Welcome to Hoxford by Ben Templesmith
82. Walking Dead Volume 10: The Road Ahead by Robert Kirkman (author) & Charlie Adlard (Artist)
81. Altmann's Tongue by Brian Evenson
80. London Labour and the London Poor by Henry Mayhew.
79. Metropole by Ferenc Karinthy
78. 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot by Richard Wiseman
77. Coraline By Neil Gaiman
76. Stiff by Mary Roach
75. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
74. Freakangels V2 by Warren Ellis (artist) and Paul Duffield (artist)
73. The Boys V4: We gotta go now by Garth Ennis (author) and Darick Robertson (artist)
72. Epitaph for a Spy by Eric Ambler
71. Waterlog by Roger Deakin
70. Handling the Undead John Ajvide Lindqvist
69. Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
68 Transformation (Hesperus classics) By Mary Shelley
67. The City and The City by China Mieville
66. Pyongyang by Guy Delisle
65. Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
64. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
63. The Blade Itself: Book One of the First Law by Joe Abercrombie
62. Bronson by Charles Bronson
61. The Manual of Detection by Jerebdiah Berry
60. The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay
59. Build My Gallows High by Geffrey Holmes
58. From Aberystwyth with Love by Malcolm Pryce
59. Don't Cry for Me Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce
56: Wondermark: Clever Tricks To Stave Off Death by David Malki!
55: Wormwood Volume 3: Calamari Rising by Ben Templesmith
54: Wormwood: It Only Hurts When I Pee v.2 by Ben Templesmith
53: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 by Alan Moore
52: Thomas Wogan is Dead by David Hughes (no touchstone)
51: Path By Gregory S. Baldwin (touchstone not working)
50. Cancertown: An Inconvenient Tooth: 1 by Stephen Downey (Artist), Cy Dethan & Nic Wilkinson (Authors)
49. Thorgal: Child of the Stars by Jean Van Hamme (Author) & Grzegorz Rosinski (artist)
48. Taxing Trails: IR$ 1 by Stephen Desberg
47. The Scorpion: The Devil's Mark by Stephen Desberg
46. Queen Margot: The Age of Innocence by Olivier Cadic & Francois Gheysens (authors), Juliette Derenne (artist)
45. Green Manor Part 1 - Assassins and Gentlemen by Fabien Vehlmann
44. Baby Jesus Butt Plug by Carlton Mellick III
43. Shatnerquake by Jeff Burk
42. Lord Loss By Darren Shan
41. The Club of Queer Trades by G. K. Chestrton
40. The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin
39. After the dance: A Walk Through Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti by Edwidge Danticat
38. The Himmler Brothers by Katrin Himmler
37. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
36. Torso by Brian Michael Bendis & Marc Andreyko
35. The Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab by Gideon Defoe
34. The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists by Gideon Defoe
33. Quirkology by Richard Wiseman
32. Wormwood V1 by Ben Templesmith
31. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
30. Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft By Joe Hill & Gabriel Rodriguez
29. The Pirates! in an Adventure with Communists by Gideon Defoe
28. Hell's Horizon By D B Shan
27. Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges
26. Last Days by Brian Evenson
25. Thicker Than Water: A Felix Castor Novel By Mike Carey
24. The Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
23. Loveless: Kin of Homecoming by Brian Azzerallo/Marcelo Fusin
22. Kabuki by David Mack
21. Fire Definitive Collection by Brian Michael Bendis
20. White Time by Margo Lanagan
19. The hypertext novel Synapse by Alex Rose.. at least I think its finished!
18. The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
17. The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
16. Musical Illusionist by Alex Rose
15. Satan Burger by Carlton Mellick III
14. Darwin: A Graphic Biography by Eugene Byrne and Simon Gurr
13. The Woman in The Dunes by Kobo Abe
12. The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia
11. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
10. Liberation: Being the Adventures of the Slick Six After the Collapse of the United States of America by Brian Francis Slattery
9. The Napoleon of Notting Hill G K Chesterton
8. Walking Dead Volume 9: Here We Remain by Robert Kirkman (author) & Charlie Adlard (Artist). Touchstone points to 1st book.
7. Extraordinary Engines: The Definitive Steampunk Anthology Edited by Nick Greaves.
6. Black Juice by Margo Lanagan
5. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
4. Shadow Dance by Angela Carter
3. The Boys Vol 3: Good for the Soul by Garth Ennis (author) & Darrick Robertson (Artist)
2. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
1. Thunderer by Felix Gilman

Welcome to the group! I think LT -- and especially this group -- will help you branch out, if that's what you're looking to do. I know my wishlist of books to read has certainly grown from hanging out around here. :)

Yes, this group and website will definitely make you branch out. Here's another group you may find interesting..http://www.librarything.com/groups/fantasyfans.

Oh very cool! I hadn't heard of Extraordinary Engines. How is it? Have you read Steampunk by the VanderMeers? If so, how does it compare?

Welcome to the group!

Thanks for the warm welcome.

#3. Just joined the fantasy group, which has now taken up much of my lunch hour!

#4. Well I have only read the first few stories and so far its a bit of mixed bunch. Having said that Jeff VanderMeer, Margo Lanagan and Jeffrey Ford all have stories later so hopefully they will make it worthwhile. Will post a fairer mini review when I have finished. I did really enjoy Steampunk overall I might have to reread it.

Sorry can't seem to link Jeffrey Ford.

Ok some mini reviews.. never reviewed books before so bear with me..

1. Thunderer by Felix Gilman (4 out of 5)
This is his 1st novel and I cannot wait for the sequel, I highly recommend it. It’s a fantasy novel about one man searching for his lost god in a chaotic, ever changing city, a city gods are drawn to. It’s bursting the seams with ideas which is its strength and its weakness (some things just seem to get lost). But with its rich characterisation, a world full of possibility its a real page turner.

2. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman (3 out of 5)
This is a children’s short story written for World Book Day (UK). It is an engaging adventure about a crippled Viking boy helping the Norse gods to regain their power.
Probably only worth checking out if you are fan but great for younger kids.

3. The Boys Vol 3: Good for the Soul by Garth Ennis (author) & Darrick Robertson (Artist) (3.5 out of 5)
I am enjoying The Boys series so far. The "boys" are a covert group who keep the superheroes in line. It’s funny and irreverent with a great cast of characters but as usual with Ennis it’s sick & twisted so it’s not for everyone. I just can’t quite get over that Hughie looks like Simon Pegg.

4. Shadow Dance by Angela Carter
(2 out of 5)
I have read her short stories & Nights at the Circus so thought I would try this, her 1st novel. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are keen to read all her work.
It’s about 2 men who stock their antique shop by taking goods from eerie abandoned houses and a two girls, one who has been scarred and abused, the other who at first seems just to be a placid adornment. The main problem for me is that the story doesn't really come alive till a third of the way through. The first third just deals with one character, Morris, and I really couldn't care about him as he was just boring and whiney. After this point the amoral, hedonistic HoneyBuzzard turns up and the story becomes more interesting, keeping the pace right to its dark conclusion. It also suffers from the era (60s) which I didn’t really get a sense of and couldn't associate with.

5. The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman (3 out of 5)
There are so many reviews on this already I don’t think I can add anything. So just to say, I thought it classic Neil Gaiman & although not one of my favourites it was a charming, optimistic coming of age tale.

6. Black Juice by Margo Lanagan
(5 out of 5)
I just find her short stories fantastic and this collection is no exception. Found usually in the YA section it mixes fantasy/sci-fi & horror genres. She is never explicit, no unnecessary exposition, so you must tease it out but to me this makes the stories richer, more emotional & mysterious. The first story "singing my sister down" is one of the best short stories I have read. It packed such an emotional punch but it did overshadow the rest (so maybe read it last!). I don’t really want to spoil anything by saying too much about plots of the stories so I will stop here…

7.Extraordinary Engines: The Definitive Steampunk Anthology Edited by Nick Greaves
(3 out of 5 )
A decidedly mixed bag short stories, I guess it suffered a bit following Black Juice. Not sure I would recommend it. Its main problem is there is not much steampunk here. Ok so its does say "steampunk inspired" in the small print but the front in the tagline says it’s the "definitive steampunk anthology" hmmm..advertising eh? The second problem is the first half of the stoires are generally poor. For example I couldn't finish the 2nd story "Static" (a girl trapped by her evil aunt finds romance & mystery) or the 3rd set in the world of time travel novels by Kage Baker. However it’s soon picks up in the latter half of the book. My favourites are Jeff VanderMeer's tale of the morals of invention, Jake Lakes fun tale of Victorian gangs & evil gloves set in a giant metallic cylinder and Robert Reeds take on androids and Abraham Lincoln.

As mentioned earlier I would get Steampunk by the Vandermeers. Its overall quality is better, there is more variety and of course more steampunk.

You are doing a great job on the reviews! Keep up the good work!

I agree. We all enjoy detailed reviews, and I am enjoying yours!

Thanks guys.

8. The walking Dead by Robert Kirkman (author)
(4 stars for the series)
If you love zombies/post apocalyptic horror you must read this comic series as it concentrates on what happens to the survivors after civilisation falls to the walking dead. But be warned though this is an ongoing series with no current end.
For everyone else I will say the characters are well fleshed out (well some of them are ...sorry), the story is well paced (suspensful horrors mixed in with everyday dramas), the dialogue seems natural and the art is amazing in its black & white starkness.

9. The Napoleon of Notting Hill by G K Chesterton.
(4 out of 5)
This is his 1st Novel, written in 1904 and I heartily enjoyed it.
Set in 1984 in a world where nothing has changed & apathy has set in. A man who believes everything to be a joke is chosen by lottery to become the next king. For his own amusement he turns London into fiefdoms but still nothing changes until one petty ruler takes the idea seriously. I found it humorous and charming but dramatic with the juxtaposition of whimsy and the violence of war. The different ideas are fascinating (the two extremes, political apathy etc...). Plus it’s good for wondering what would happen in a fight in your city.

Oh, The Walking Dead looks like something my friend would *love*; I'm going to have to remember to tell her about it.

And The Napoleon of Notting Hill is going on my to-read list! Thank you for the great reviews!

I have not read that particular one by Chesterton, so I am adding it to the Continent! Thanks for the review.

For those who like ebooks I think (in the USA at least) it is not copyrighted & free to download on project: gutenburg.

Bit late due to snow, at least 2 inches... :-)

10. Liberation: The adventures of the slick six by Brian Francis Slattery
(5 out of 5)
Ok so I am a bit of a fan so this review may not be that objective it here goes..
Set in the near future the American dollar has collapsed and warlords and slavery are rife. One man leaves his prison after 4 years determined to regroup the notorious international criminals, the Slick Six. This is his 2nd book and the pacing is a bit more even than the 1st. Everything is colourful and full of life, with a myriad of interesting characters to flesh out this dystopian view. His amazing writing style is still evident but seems to work more for the story, so while it flows and eddies its also tighter and more controlled.

Btw the 1st chapter of both his fiction books is available at his website

11. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
( 3 out of 5)
Not sure I can add anything to the many reviews out there but here goes..
Overall I enjoyed it. It does have its flaws: the preaching can be overbearing, the adult characters were a bit stereotyped (although I see why they were) and it loses some of its impact being set in the near future instead of the present. However the explanations are beautifully done, the teenage characters are engaging and despite my earlier comments the plot is gripping.

Another good thing was it urge me to read a biography of Alan Turing's life. So any recommendations? I was thinking Alan Turing: The Enigma (Paperback) by Andrew Hodges.

I have not read a biography of Turing, but certainly am aware through my reading of his involvement in British codebreaking during WWII. The way he was treated after the war was unconscionable. If you enjoy the bio, would you let me know? I would be very interested in reading about this fascinating man.

Hi alcottacre. Just reserved it from the library so I will let you know.

Thanks!

12. The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia
(3 out of 5)
In the midst of social change in 90s Russia, a girls younger sister turns into a Jackdaw and flies away. To save her she is drawn into a world under the city where the old myths live and the lost go. Overall I found this tale curiously unengaging because whilst the main characters were interesting, the depiction of the underworld was flat and underwhelming. I guess maybe I need something to balance the ennui of characters, they didn't seem to care so why should I? The plot pacing is ok but again the only excitement is at the beginning and towards the end. I guess the good thing about this book was in spite of the slightly jarring explanations of Russian myth, I do want to explore the literature further.

I found this review hard to write, too much to say so I have kept it simple!

13. The Woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe
(3 out of 5)
I was inspired to read this from a review by deebee... I don't usually like heavily symbolic books but I was too intrigued not to try this existential Japanese classic. The plot is simple: An entomologist travels alone to a remote seaside village and never returns. His is tricked and taken prisoners by the villagers, imprisoned in a house deep in a sand pit and forced endlessly dig sand. It is an interesting book, deceptively easy to read so you are entranced from the start and the plot is great fuel for discussion (just read the many reviews!) The atmosphere just exudes from the page, the sand almost becoming the main character, ubiquitous in every scene, framing the story. However there few tiny areas I had trouble with, that jarred me out of the story and bored me (i.e. the discussion of desire, "spiritual rape"). It gets 3 stars as I am not sure yet if I would read it again.

14 Darwin: A Graphic Biography by Eugene Byrne and Simon Gurr
I won't review this as its a free book (limited availibility) to celebrate the 200th annivesrary of Darwin. It's primarily aimed at kids but I still enjoyed it, if you live in UK go & get a copy!

I also have to say that Eugene Byrne has done a some great books, in particular his fascinating historical mash-up Things Unborn

15. Satan Burger by Carlton Mellick III
(3 out 5 stars)
This is definitely one of the oddest things I have read, but very enjoyable. Its plot .. well God hates humanity and is feeding their souls to the Walm, an interdimensional doorway that allows in more exciting races for the world to play with.
Leaf, a drop out punk loser and his motley crew of friends team up with Satan in order to survive the apocalypse. I was amused and disturbed in equal measure. Its funny, irreverent, full of gratuitous sex and violence and packed with loads of interesting ideas. I loved the different races (the silence preying on those who make sound) and little asides like the human built Heaven 2 built on horses souls. However I did feel the plot didn't quite bind it together and lost it a bit in the middle, also some of the minor characters could of been more interesting. I have read some reviews saying this isn't his best book (plus it's his 1st) so may not be the right one to start with. Any recommendations?

16. The Musical Illusionist by Alex Rose
(5 out 5)
A fabulous literary wunderkammer, it’s my favourite book of the year so far. I love the internet, following a recommendation for a different book I saw this and was instantly intrigued.

Described as a library of tangents, you are guided (in arresting 2nd person) through a variety of themes such as perception, language and music. Fact increasingly blends with fiction until it’s hard to know where the truth lies. I loved the description of extinct microbes such as the virus attracted by fear or the land where numbers have no meaning. The best thing is it made me wish things were true (I will never check if can write secret messages in an egg). I could expand more on the ideas but think it is best left for discovery! The book is illustrated throughout with beautiful pictures of old books and manuscripts, from the Lindisfarne gospels to ancient cryptographic wheels. This is its downside as to me it should be much larger than its small paperback size, but then I have a weakness for these things.

The Musical Illusionist sounds intriguing. I put it on my wishlist. Satan Burger sounds weird enough to give a try also. Thx for the reviews.

#24: I agress with VG, The Musical Illusionist does sun interesting. I will add it to the Continent. Thanks for the review.

Forgot to add that there is a PDF excerpt on the publishers website. You will need to scroll down a bit though, past the ordering links & other book info.

Thanks for the link!

17. The lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle
(3 out of 5)
A fun rip roaring Victorian(ish) adventure.
Not sure an introduction is needed..but it's a tale of expedition to a hidden plateau, a land where dinosaurs roam and an ancient war rages between humans and ape men.
I confess I dislike the Sherlock Holmes books so I have never tried his other books which is a shame because its immensely enjoyable. It has aged rather well, enhanced by more recent versions it almost seems pastiche, with its stereotypes and dubious moral messages. The story moves along at a fair old pace, humorous & exciting in equal measure (although I may of brought a tiny bit of the humour with me). The characters are best thing though; the gentleman adventurer, the keen young journalist, the dastardly savages and my favourite the larger than life professor. The only downside was a minor one (hardly any dinosaurs!) so I might check out more in the Professor Challenger series.

Note:This was free as part of the big read 09, chosen to celebrate 150th anniversary of the birth of Arthur Conan Doyle.

18 The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
(3.5 out 5)
Another book with many many reviews so I won't recap the plot. Overall I enjoyed this book but then I have a soft spot for noir. All the genres tropes are there but well done plus its all enhanced by its alternative history setting and hint of the supernatural. In places this books soars and I couldn't
tear myself away but its bookended by a slowish (but enjoyable) start and an average ending.

19. Synapse: weblog of Catherine Bloom by Alex Rose
(3 out of 5)
My 1st hypertext thriller kept me thoroughly diverted during many a lunch hour.
Catherine Bloom is neurobiologist who has suffered a series of break-ins and now shifts constantly between different hotel rooms, she starts this online journal after her old one goes missing. The characterisation is good (lucky in a blog!), Catherine is very personable heroine, sharp and amusing whether describing her work, students or life on the move. The plot is well paced as unsettling and cryptic things happen to draw you further into the plot (a picture appears in steam of her bathroom mirror, the thermostat is moved whilst she sleeps). Then the drama builds: mysterious strangers start to lurk, certain threats are made and then the fast paced action kicks in. Ok so there is a slight genre change that might annoy some (in a very minor way it has the vibe from the film "Adaptation") but to me it didn't jar at all and I enjoyed the ride ride up until the end. Which leads me to my however .. I did have problems with the ending. To be honest I think the neuroscience theme went slightly over my head and whilst the explanations of neurobiology are accessible (and fascinating) there may not of been time in the story to clue idiots like me into the ending. Or maybe its just not a good ending... I think need to read it again away from the distracting environment of work. As for the hypertext part I have mixed feelings. The blog format obviously works well, better then in er.. book(?) format. When the hypertext links were used as short footnotes it enhanced the story but when used as external links this caused issues, mostly because how I used them. They were embedded with the blog (not say in an Appendix) so I used them as soon as I saw them instead of following the story and it broke the flow. It wasn't a quick surf either as I had to struggle with new concepts and to be honest started to Google for simplified explanations (on a side note this also means I have no idea if there are any planted websites!). It's a shame I have no idea how the story works without following these links, personally I needed to (maybe at a different time though).

Anyway it is free to read and is hosted at currently at hotelstgeorgepress website

Must catch up on these reviews!

20. White Time by Margo Lanagan
(5 out 5)
I love short stories by this author and this, her 1st collection, is no exception.
Her stories are not for those who like everything explained. You are immersed so quickly in each world but not explicitly so, sometimes you have to run to keep up. To me this added mystery is a hook to reel me and the characters, which in contrast are fully fleshed out, keep me there till the end. These stories are a mix of fantasy and science fiction: from "White time" a work "tasting" student gets stuck with the boring job moving lost time travellers to "Wealth" a harsh story set in world where hair equals wealth and personal happiness collides with family responsibility in the clash of two cultures.

#32: I have Black Juice by Lanagan home from the library now. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did White Time. Have you read it, by any chance?

I think I loved Black Juice more, it seems a bit more polished that White Time (for obvious reasons). Although I am a bit of a fan too be that objective I guess! But I like her style and her ability to deal dark subjects with deft control (although I hasten to add its not all dark).

I would add that the first story in Black Juice is one of my favourites but very strong emotionally so it kind of overshadowed the rest.

#34: Maybe I will turn Black Juice around and read it from back to front :)

Thanks for the input.

No worries Allottacre and now comic reviews! I think I might start removing graphic novels from the count but then again I still want to record I read them so maybe not. hmm..

21. Fire Definitive Collection by Brian Michael Bendis .
(3.5 out of 5)
Since I gave up on Powers (superhero detective noir) I have missed reading his work so I couldn't resist picking up this reprint of one of his 1st comics. It's a deceptively simple little spy thriller dealing with
conspiracy but elevated by the theme of loneliness. The art is average (although its been enhanced for this release) but the hard boiled dialog just shines through. If you haven't read his non superhero stuff before I would try Goldfish.

22. Kabuki by David Mack
(3 out of 5)
Set in a futuristic Japan, Kabuki is a girl with a dark tormented past who works for a shadowy government organisation as a role model and assassin. The blend of Japanese culture and history was new and interesting but the story didn't work for me. A tragedy where I don't care what happens is just boring, there was no unpredictability in the story to lessen that nor did the layered meanings add much interest. There was however the art, which I loved. The stylistic changes to suit the story, the layered imagery all made me want to turn the page and that's why this gets 3 stars not 2. I hear the later books are slower and more thoughtful (and in colour?) so having said all that I might try another one..

23. Loveless: Kin of Homecoming by Brian Azzarello (author) and Marcelo Fusin (artist)
(3 out of 5)
I read this last month but forgot to add it!
It is a tale of revenge, set just after the civil war Cutter returns home to find his home take by Union soldiers and his wife gone. It's the first of three graphic novels of a cancelled series but I was interested in reading more by Azzarello since I am enjoying his 100 bullets series so much. This comic however is just ok. There is nothing essentially wrong with the characters or plot but I find I don't really care what happens next. I know 100 bullets took a while but since I am not a Western fan and there is no indication it becomes anything more I don't think I will continue.

24. The Gentleman of the Road by Michael Chabon
(3.5 out of 5)
A short and sweet historical adventure romp.
Saw this at the library and couldn't resist..it is a story of two odd couple rogues who find themselves with a deposed prince and a kingdom to swindle.. This was real page turner, evocative of the era with a rich set of contrasting characters and fast moving plot. It also has the bonus of some wonderful old fashioned line drawings. The problem was it was just too short and I felt a bit unsatisfied.. (which is why it gets 3.5 stars!) I hear it was originally serialised in a newspaper so that explains it but hmmm don't buy it just borrow it!

25. Thicker Than Water: A Felix Castor Novel by Mike Carey
4th in the series of this amazing supernatural noir. I won't review the actual book but the series so far.. its hard to give a spoiler free summary but here goes..

Felix Caster is an exorcist for hire in world where the dead have start to rise, where zombies
are computer hackers, werewolves hire themselves out as muscle and demons are looking for way in.

Each book deals with a separate(ish) case but is linked by a story arc that exists to ramp up the tension (so I recommend starting with the less supernatural 1st book). So far each story has been so tightly plotted you couldn't get a crowbar in there. The pacing is expertly done so I cannot put the book down till it ends. The mythology is refreshing, I liked service industry gearing up to support zombie survival or the imagery that werewolves are just human ghost possessing one or more animals. Its also as befits a noir not a straight good vs. evil fight, those that see it the way are the villains and we see Felix in the first books having to define his morality Luckily Felix is a likeable Marlowesque protagonist set amongst a myriad of interesting characters, one of which is London. Mike Carey manages to evoke the settings: the estates and alley ways, churches and office blocks with an apt yet believable seediness. The last book is by far my favourite and I just cant wait for next..

Rant: I hate genres this series has been marketed as dark fantasy, urban fantasy, horror & supernatural noir.. I don't really think the first 2 do it well.. not many fantasy tropes. Anyway if you read Lucifer comics you know his tone but also if you think Jim Butcher and his ilk are ok try it (I think its way better.. ahem)

26. Last Days by Brian Evenson
(4.5 out of 5)
An fantastic, intense, claustrophobic horror noir.
Kline, suffering from depressions after forcible cutting of his own hand is dragged against his will to investigate a murder of the head of a religious cult, one that follows the precept that you should cut of your hand if it offends you.

Whoa this books intense, I could just not read it in one sitting. That's partly due to my feeling on amputation but mostly its just Brian Evensons extreme story and hard hitting style. Its almost pared down to the minimum, there are no long descriptions here, no out of place word (no surnames!). There is a perfect balance kept between the extremity of the story and the brotherly matter of fact tone. Its violent but never gratuitous, its characters deeply unlikeable but always interesting and never unbelievable. You are too dragged into the labyrinth of fleeting and changing facts unable to leave until till end. This is book is expanded from the "The Brotherhood of Mutilation" novella but it doesn't seem to suffer, thematically its suits being cut into a few sections, keeping you unsettled.

I highly recommend this book to horror/dark fantasy lovers (read those chapters at the publishers home pagehttp://www.underlandpress.com). I know I will be seeking out his other books.

Edit: Changing book number....

Looks like one to add to the TBR pile. Thanks!

By the way, it looks like you've got two books numbered 25.

Oh yes! Thanks.. I can move the total up :-)

27. Alan Turning: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges
(3 out of 5 stars)
A fascinating, detailed biography of a hugely important but largely unknown figure.

I mean all I knew about Alan Turning was his legacy in computer science but he was much more than that. He started life as a mathematician then WWII directed him into Cryptanalysis (the infamous Enigma machine), after he worked on the 1st computer and lastly became fascinated with mathematical biology. Always a genius he was also an outsider partly due to his homosexuality, which was illegal at the time and was a suggested cause behind his probable suicide at the age of 42.

Alan Turing did not leave much for a biographer and this book deals mostly with his large body of work. This was a bit of a problem for me as I am extremely bad at understanding maths and I felt the theories were not explained terribly well. If you do have a basic understanding you should be fine otherwise you may want to think twice (although I found it easier once the work moved into cryptanalysis). I also found the book quite dry, especially during Turing's school days (reading George Orwell, whom he references, helps bring it alive) but as it progresses this matters less and less as his life becomes much more interesting.

One nice thing is that the author spends much of the time putting Turing's life in context so we also learn such things as the politics behind Enigma, the race to create the 1st computer and the social climate surrounding homosexuality during the time of his death.

Lastly it was written in 1983 (updated in 1990) but I don't think this has much impact (the UK government is still withholding information) plus I found it interesting thinking how far science has come since the book was written, let alone since Alan Turing time! All in all I would recommend this for anyone interested in Alan Turning or the history of computing, I know there are many separate books on Enigma).

#42: I will probably look for that one. Turing's contribution to cryptanalysis during WWII cannot be overlooked or overstated, IMO, and the way he was treated after the war was positively criminal.

I came away very much admiring Turing's view that he had nothing to be ashamed; I do not think I would the same myself. Also I am definitely off to Bletchley Park to learn more about that aspect of the war, maybe find his silver ingots!

28. Hell's Horizon by D B Shan
(3 out of 5)
A fun properly dark supernatural thriller.

Al is just a guard for the man who owns The City, The Cardinal, but then the boss starts to take an interest in his stagnant career and hauls him off to investigate a murder of a young woman. Soon he is up to his neck in a conspiracy involving the cities Incan forefathers, the Cardinal himself and most terrifying of all Paucar Waimi, the mythical assassin.

It’s the second in the city of dead trilogy and it takes place at the same time of the first book, procession of the Dead. This does mean it contains major spoilers for the 1st so I recommend reading the books in order! I also say this because whilst this book was good it’s not a patch on the first. The plots a lot of fun and I was never bored, fails a bit once you start to see where is going but I was always got drawn back. The characters are well done, all suitably noirish (plus we get to revisit the wonderfully scary Waimi) and whilst I wasn't too keen on the end (stretching verisimilitude to breaking point) the resolution is wonderfully apt & dark.

So all in all if you enjoy crime/horror/dark fantasy just go and read the amazing Procession of the Dead and if you enjoy that than you'll also enjoy this, I will be looking out for the third one myself.

Has anyone tried his YA books (written as Darren Shan)?

29. The Pirates! In an Adventure with Communists by Gideon Defoe
(5 out of 5)
A silly, hilarious, crazy, rip roaring pirate adventure.
Aaaarrr this book is funny. If you like pirates (who doesn't?), jokes about philosophers, irrelevant witty footnotes and dastardly plots involving suspicious bakeries and opera then buy this book. Otherwise you might just find it all too silly and annoying. Personally I am going to track down the rest of their adventures (what will they make of Darwin?).

30. Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill (author) & Gabriel Rodriguez (artist) *
(3.5 out of 5)
A wonderfully chilling horror comic.

After a violent, traumatic incident the remnants of the Locke family move back to family home. But the house has its own secrets, doors that change you or the world and a ghost with a desire to find the key.

Violent horror is mixed seamlessly with the occult to produce this creepy introduction to this new series. The family is well portrayed and believable inviting instant empathy (important to me in a horror). Hill manages to create a really tense and creepy atmosphere throughout, although the end didn't really match the horror I was expecting (probably as it's a series). The arts good too, a great fit and I really loved all the gothic details. I probably will check out next book as there are enough hooks for me to want to keep reading, open ended with new characters plus the mythology of the magical doors has endless potential.

Edited to add rating

31. Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill
(2.5 out of 5)
A fast paced ghostly thriller.

A ghost is for sale on the internet and Jude, an ageing rock star, collects the macabre. But when the ghost is delivered he soon realises it has it own agenda, one of revenge.

Well this was ok, madly entertaining but not frightening and a bit too predictable. The pace was too fast for me, potential creepy bits or just plain characterisation whizzed by always replaced by the next thing. I ended up not caring about the characters, not being scared and not being surprised (this book needs a few shocks). I guess it just wasn't right for me, when I do read horror I prefer a lot of atmosphere with space for my imagination to run riot (the unknown scares me*). All in all a disappointment because I did like his comic (review msg #47) and I think I will stick with those.

*and spiders.. but I would never buy a book about spiders.

32. Wormwood V1 by Ben Templesmith
(5 out of 5)
A wonderfully humorous horror comic.

Wormwood, the Gentleman corpse has a problem, someone is flooding the city with sexually enhancing drugs, ones that leave a demonic seed in their partners belly..

This is a stunning piece of dark comedic horror, filled with a cool collection of oddballs (a zz-top look alike robot or a demonic tattooed dancer) and bristles with a wry dead pan yet humane humour. The dark, surreal, dreamy art is gorgeous by itself (so much so I own some prints!). If that’s not enough praise for you it has the best Leprechaun scene ever. Period.

Edited to fix spelling

33. Quirkology by Richard Wiseman
(4 out 5)
Amusing, fascinating look at offbeat psychological experiments.
Richard Wiseman has been experimenting on us for over 20 years and this book contains not only his most fun and interesting ones (laughLab anyone?) but also all those scientific studies about quirky human behaviour (all with references). Some of it is fun (why we loose teaspoons), some of it is interesting (how best detect lies*) and some it thought provoking (studies on why we aid each other). There are some self tests and loads of interesting facts to provoke discussion, sure you might not agree with all the interpretations (they are very general) but its fun to think about. To get a taster (and maybe take part in his experiments) try his website: www.quickology.com

*No its not body language

It is also the second book this year to mention Francis Galton (he of eugenics infamy) and so I must read his autobiography.. not much choice in my library hmm..

#50: Well, the book is not at my local library, but I am definitely going to check out the website!

thanks for the link - pretty interesting site they've got there!

The site does manage to while away the time doesn't it! I managed to take part in a one of his fake science experiments years ago. I couldn't work out how they did it, but it was obvious when told!

Anyway the reviews are piling up..

34. The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists and
35. The Pirates! In an Adventure with Ahab* By Gideon Defoe
(4 out of 5)
Short, jolly piratical silliness.
These are 1st & 2nd in the series (3rd: review msg 46 ). I embarrassingly couldn't stop laughing when I read The Pirates! In an adventure with Communists so I went straight out and bought the first two. Both are still stuffed with piractical hijinks, dastardly villains, dressing up, ham, fair maiden(s), cute animals, whale love, ham and the real reason Darwin sailed. Each also contains extras and amazing ink drawings bookending the stories (my favourite being a Ye Olde map of the white whale's US holiday).You should just track down the 1st ("Scientists") for the fight in the Natural History Museum..a duel that contains fish and atomic weights. bliss!

*Known in the Uk as "..an Adventure with Whales". but the touchstone for thts isnt working..!

edited to try & fix touchstone

36. Torso by Brian Michael Bendis & Marc Andreyko
(5 out of 5)
Fascinating true crime comic.

Its the 1930s and Elliot Ness new post, Cleveland's safety director, coincides with the the rise of the gruesome serial killer: The Torso killer.

Based of real events this is a stunning example of why comics can be so good. It helps that the story is so interesting, dealing with the dramatic events of post Untouchable Ness. The comic manages to invoke the social and political framework surrounding the case, so we see the media circus, the high class parties, the slums and their degrading poverty. On top on this we get stunning art, hard black & white images rub shoulders with grainy photos and news clippings of the case. The is inventive use of panel structure to intensify certain aspects: the circular nature of interrogation, the long slog going "door to door". Ok the serial killer has been done before and it's not for the faint hearted but all crime and comics lovers this is a must. It is a graphic novel to show to people as an example of what can be achieved.

#54: Looks very good! Thanks for the recommendation.

and thanks, alcottacre, for constantly popping in. Don't know how you manage to keep up with all these threads!

37. Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
(4 out of 5)
A haunting modern take on vampire mythos.

Oskar is 12 Swedish boy, horribly bullied at school, with no one to turn to. But then one evening he meets Eli, a young girl who smells odd and doesn't get cold, someone who can give him courage.

Well I recently saw the film and was so impressed I rushed out to buy the book and thankfully it holds up well. Ok I admit I prefer the more simplistic and in a way more subtle film but I still highly recommend this book. To me its success hinges on our ability to empathise with the characters. They are portrayed so well it becomes easy to understand the relationship between Oskar and Eli but also the horror and despair of other characters (no name no spoilers!). The loneliness and yearning really grab you and you are comforted and horrified in turns. The pace is good, tension builds gradually to become edge of your seat stuff (this is not a fast paced action thriller). But it has some problems, a (spoiler free) one being I was annoyed by the underdeveloped slightly pathetic character of Oscars mother (yes I know all the adults were pretty useless but still..). Anyway I recommend this book not just for the horror but for anyone who likes a fine, dark & moving tale.

I'm glad you prefer the film because I'm really looking forward to watching it after all the hype and good reviews!

Well I hope you enjoy it.. glad I saw it without realising how popular it was! (I always get nervous about hyped films)

#56: I have never heard of either the book or the film, so I am glad you have introduced them to me! I will see if I can locate a copy of the book since I almost never watch movies.

I just recently saw the movie after reading the book - I thought they were great, too! I think my favorite was the book, but probably only because I read the book first.

Finally catching up on your thread and I also didn't enjoy The Secret History of Moscow - it just didn't seem to be going anywhere.
I'm a fan of Darren Shan - I haven't read any of his adult fiction but after reading your review I will probably get them. My teenage son is reading solely Darren Shan books so I read them as well and have enjoyed them. In fact my current vampire/horror reading phase was kickstarted by him! Liam just read Dark Calling so I have that waiting for me.

I'll be reading Let the right one in as soon as my library has it for me.

#60 for me it was the freshness of story so I guess whichever I saw would stick in my mind most.

#61 avatiakh, I just read one of Darren Shan YA novels last night (Lord Loss). I don't usually read YA books but I enjoyed it, didn't put it down till it was finished (which was far too late at night).

38. The Himmler Brothers by Katrin Himmler
(3.5 out of 5)
Interesting biography of the infamous Himmler family.Recommended in a wonderful review by petermc.

Katrin Himmler is the great niece of one of WWII most notorious men: Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS and chief perpetrator of the Holocaust. This well researched family history looks at what happened to the three Himmler brothers in the events surrounding WWII. It is not only an interesting look at the social and political climate affecting the middle classes but also a fascinating portrayal of how people cope with their own or their ancestors dark past. Katrin does not simply deal with the factual past she also documents what her families versions of events were and how she feels whilst learning the truth. This extra dimension, for me made a subject I am not too interested in fascinating.

39. After the dance: A Walk Through Carnival in Jacmel, Haiti by Edwidge Danticat
(4 out of 5)
A wonderful joyous look at Jacmel and its carnival.
Recommended by Awilkins and it was perfect reading after the Himmler's biography. I had only really heard bad things about Haiti, usually from the Papa Doc years so this book was a lovely revelation. Danticat weaves together the history and myths of Haiti with a tale on her confrontation of her childhood fears of the chaotic carnival. I found it an evocative glimpse into a culture I actually knew very little of and peaked my interest to learn more about modern day Haiti.This was my first Danticat and my library is woefully lacking (no Krik! Krak!) any recommendations?

I basically agree with your entire review of Let the Right One In for both the book and movie.

Although you have to admit they made Hakan a lot more deep in the novel than the movie. In the movie you don't really get why he is doing what he is doing (or at least I didn't).

#61 I thinks one of the reasons I preferred the film, I thought he might have a background like that but I was never sure. It is an interesting piece of the plot the film missed though.

Blimey my connection is slow today!

41. The Club of Queer Trades by G K Chesterton
(5 out of 5)
More lovely surreal detection puzzles.

Our narrator and his friend, the mad judge, and his amateur detective brother embark on a series adventures all stemming from a mysterious club, a club which only people with bizarre jobs can join.

Chesterton is fast becoming one of my favourite writers. These series of linked short stories are all wildly inventive and wonderfully surreal, a sort of antidote to factual Sherlock Holmes detective stories. There is feeling of joy in his novels, a celebration of life even while it is delving into darkness. His odd way of looking at things allows you to think about them from a different point of view and while I don't always agree I am always intrigued and entertained.

This story can also be found on the web as part of Project Gutenberg: www.gutenberg.org

42. Lord Loss By Darren Shan
(3 out of 5)
Fun YA horror.

1st book in the Demonata series. Grub is in trouble again, grounded for a nasty trick involving dead rats and his sister. But his punishment is curtailed, his sister apologies with a present and everyone in the family starts acting like won't see him again.

I do not usually read YA but I have have enjoyed his adult novels (see review msg 45 ) so I thought why not try it. This was a nice quick read, the shocking beginning grabs you and sucks you in. The characters are enjoyable, the demons are suitable nightmarish and plot evolves at a good pace (ok no surprises but its still fun). Ok so I didn't find it at all scary and it took a while to get used to the short sentences and over use of exclamation marks but it was still a lot of fun.

#67: I do not think I have read that one by Chesterton. Thanks for the recommendation!

ETA: I found it both on Project Gutenberg as you mentioned as well as in audio form on Librivox (www.librivox.org).

I haven't read anything by Chesterton, although I've seen the name mentioned often. Thanks for the review, the books sounds delightful! :)

I know he may not be to everyone's taste but he his definitely worth trying, I cannot think of anyone like off the top of my head.. (maybe in a small way Neil Gaiman).

These next reviews are two short novellas in the bizarro genre (think extreme weirdness).

43. Shatnerquake by Jeff Burk
(3 out of 5)
Multiple William Shatner mayhem.

"It's the first ShatnerCon with William Shatner as the guest of honor!
But after a failed terrorist attack by Campbellians, a crazy terrorist cult that worships Bruce Campbell, all of the characters that ever played by William Shatner are suddenly sucked into our world. Their mission: hunt down and destroy the real William Shatner."

If you enjoyed that description you will enjoy the book. What you get is a surreal, violent action novella with added dark humour. The setup is great (the Campbellian terrorists are inspired) and the joke does manage to last its short novella length (83 pgs), in fact more Shatner versions would of been perfect. A perfect quick read.


> 44. Baby Jesus Butt Plug by Carlton Mellick III
(3 out of 5)
Surrealistic horror novella.

In a world where babies are bought as luxury pets, a couple answer an advert giving Baby Jesus's to a good home (i.e. not for adult entertainment use). The Jesus they get is odd, it's creepy and plays weird music and then it starts raising the dead.

If you can make it past the title and you enjoy weird fantastical horror then I would give this short illustrated novella a try (although maybe buy it as part of The Bizarro Starter Kit. It's not just cheap shock tactics but a nice blend of nightmarish science fiction (cloning, insane corporations) and horror (zombies, gratuitous violence). It's fact paced, occasionally humorous and very very odd. Plus it has one of the creepiest covers I have seen in a long time.

edited due to html errors

Well I went to a comics Expo last weekend and managed to get quite a few! So there are going to be loads of comics reviews in the next few posts (or graphic novels if you prefer)!

First bunch are all from cinebooks which deals in translating French/Belguim comics.

45. Green Manor Part 1 - Assassins and Gentlemen Fabien Vehlmann
(2.5 out 5)
A series of tales that play with the convention of murder mystery. The art is great but I don't really enjoy the Sherlock Holmes type mystery so found it only marginally entertaining, I do think its worth a try if you are a fan of the genre.

46. Queen Margot: The Age of Innocence by Olivier Cadic & Francois Gheysens (authors), Juliette Derenne (artist)
(3.5 out of 5)
Lovely historical comic.
1st in the series dealing with years before Margot married. I really only know the basics from this period (and anything gleaned from the film La Reine Margot!) so I found this very interesting. The art is sumptuous and the story engrossing and I cannot wait to get the next 2 in the series. Sometimes the dialogue made me wince but I cannot decide if its my reaction to an very innocent character or actual dialogue (maybe the translation. I am guessing the former!

47. The Scorpion 1: The Devil's Mark by Stephen Desberg
(2 out 5) Old fashioned swashbuckler that wasn't for me. Pretty but boring.

48. Taxing Trails: IR$ 1 by Stephen Desberg
(no stars) bad bad bad. Tax man as spy thriller, no redeeming features. Plays 70s Bond straight. ugh!

49. Thorgal: Child of the Stars by Jean Van Hamme (Author) & Grzegorz Rosinski (artist)
(3.5 out of 5)
Enchanting blend of science fiction and Norse myth.
1st in the series (5 in all) dealing with the adventures of Thorgal, a child found in a space capsule by Vikings. Yes it is as odd as it sounds but even so its still a fairy tale at heart, one with all the inherent themes. The art is really lovely and reminds me of old fashioned children's tales when I was young. This first graphic novel (part of five) contains stories based on Throgal and Aaricia early lives, all building the up the charming characters and setting the scene. We get Viking quarrels, gods, a variety fantastical creatures and one or two aliens. It might just be nostalgia but I look forward to reading the next one, its building up to a real epic and I haven't read one of those in a long time.

edit: bold & numbering issues

Shatnerquake sounds hysterical!!!

It is amusing but I don't think it's as good as the description makes it sound. I am not sure anything could be that good ;-)

50. Cancertown: An Inconvenient Tooth: 1 by Stephen Downey (Artist), Cy Dethan & Nic Wilkinson (Authors)
(3 out of 5)
Interesting disorientating horror

Vince has a large tumour that makes him unsure if his is living or dead. What's more he keeps slipping in and out of our reality and into Cancertown, which unfortunately for him, is starting to get him noticed by all the wrong people.

hmm ok great setup, suitable hard bitten main character with a nice supporting cast, imaginative alternative town with a fantastic bunch of grotesques so why didn't I like it more? I guess in a way it's a bit too disjointed so I never got managed to get into it. Partly because of the design but also you are thrown straight into a story with little setup and then kept on confused. Also the length felt wrong, either way would be fine although I think longer would be better as it allow the story build. As it is I became a little bored. I think its their first comic so maybe that explains these things or maybe its just me. Nothing wrong with the art though, that was gorgeous, I loved the giant eyeballs.

51. Path By Gregory S Baldwin
(5 out of 5)
Wonderful buddy chase adventure.

Doppler the rabbit is in trouble when cornered by crocidogs, but then Dodge (an elephant) falls on them and that is the starts of a beautiful friendship.

I picked this for the beautiful art work and luckily the rest was amazing too. Its very funny, fast paced and touching (without being saccharine), the characters are excellent and dialogue is spot on. What's more it's good for kids & adults alike (ok there are monsters but nothing bad). I know its been compared to the ice age but its way better than that!

touchstone not working so go via author

Catching up on threads! Hi ya!

#63 - Am so glad you enjoyed The Himmler Brothers :)

Hi! Glad you could pop by. I did enjoy the Himmler Brothers, it's not a typical book I normally read to, so a belated thank you for the recommendation (I really should of thanked you on your thread earlier!)

52. Thomas Wogan is Dead by David Hughes
(5 out of 5)
Humorous offbeat indie comic

Product description: "Thomas Wogan is busy getting on with his life (going to work, being obsessed with Delia Smith) until finds himself in a strange waiting room with nothing but a ticket and his spectacles to protect his modesty. It's not clear what's happened but perhaps the other characters in the waiting room, a cuckoo, a sea urchin, a natterjack toad, a bat, a fish and an egg, can shed some light on the matter.."

I couldn't beat that description so I have copied it from David Hughes blog. I saw this on the Forbidden Planet blog and had to buy it when I saw it. Ok so it's dark (it does deal with death!) but its also very funny and poignant. It has a wonderful cast of characters to tell their sorry tales, ranging from the tragi-comic story told by the toad to thought provoking one from Thomas himself. I can't recommend this highly enough and it's crime its not widely available.

After a bit of research you can try www.smallzone-shop.co.uk or local comic shops or the even the creators blog http://stonechatproductions.blogspot.com

Only 1 more comic left to review , thank goodness

53. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910 by Alan Moore (author) and (artist)
Victorian Steampunk Graphic Novel

I do not think I can review this book alone as its the first part of three and is not a standalone story. It pretty much sets the scene, introduces new characters and plot and whilst I cannot wait to read the next one I did not feel fully satisfied. (I confess I miss Jekyll and Old Quartermain)

For anyone who hasn't read the series start with The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Vol. 1, I can't recommend this enough. It is a fast paced Victorian steampunk adventure, riffing off all the stereotypes & themes of the age, packed with literary characters of the era and full of references. The art is quite amazing (Visual steampunk at its best). It is nothing like the awful film and I think sufficiently different from Watchman or V for Vendetta to give it a try if those books did nothing for you.

>80 clfisha:: The movie was so unbelievably bad that I think I'm scarred for life on this one.

I love Alan Moore. Watchman blows me away every time I read it.

#81 I had low expectations before I watched the movie, but they were not low enough! How I hated it.. I mean it wasn't just a bad adaptation, it was an awful film. I will never forgive what they did to Mina's character either! Hmm I think I am still bitter ;)

#82 Me too. I reread Watchmen this year and I still love it. I think the only Alan Moore I haven't been able to enjoy was the Promethea series

Finding it hard read at the moment, all I have managed it finish are some more graphic novels. Oh well I did find a wonderful bookshop so for anyone visiting Bath Try Mr B's Emporium of Reading Delights http://www.mrbsemporium.com/. Ahem back to reviews.

54. Wormwood: It Only Hurts When I Pee v.2 by Ben Templesmith And
55. Wormwood Volume 3: Calamari Rising by Ben Templesmith
(5 out of 5)
More sublime off the wall horror.
If more Leprechauns and tentacled beings don't entice you I will add that the art is still astounding,
the humour a wonderful blend of darkness and absudity, lovely hardboiled dialogue and the same great medley of characters. They are both funnier than the 1st (reviewed in msg 49).

Examples of his art can bee seen at his site: http://www.templesmith.com/faze3/ (For info he was the artist on30 days of night & Fell)

oops numbering errors

56. Wondermark: Clever Tricks To Stave Off Death by David Malki!*
(4 out 4)
Humorous comic strip collection
Take some Victorian engravings, mix them up just a little and add sometimes absurd, sometimes sarcastic (but always funny) dialogue. You also get a beautifully presented book and some great extras including: uncompleted strips, an 8 page graphic story and (my favourite) a helpful chart of diseases and their fantastically absurd cures. Ok I am not great at describing humour so check them out at http://wondermark.com/, The Onion or you can also preview a couple of pages on Amazon.

#85: Looks fun!

57. Don't Cry for Me Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce Reread
(5 out 5)
Perfect pitch black noir.
Its Christmas and Santa has been murdered, "Hoffman" written in blood is the only clue.
But who is this Hoffman, why is Louie being tailed by man in a fedora and what's with the photo of Butch Cassidy. The Queen of Denmark hires Louie Knight to find out.

If you haven't read any in this series start with the 1st which is the most hilarious comedy noir I ever read.
The rest in the series are less funny, still good but a different kind of book.

This is the 3rd in the series and Pryce changes tack, toning down the humour and heading into straight noir territory. It starts with the usual great bizarre setup injected with jokes but then as the story progress it just becomes darker, so dark & bitter its like sitting at the bottom of the well. Which may not be everyone's cup of tea but I adored it. Written in the 1st person Pryce's evocative style is one of the novels main strengths. Louie knight's philosophical musings as his world collapses just hook me in every time and make me think. Ok so its not all dark, it's still can be funny and we get his best plot since the 1st book. The only downside being the old bad guys are still being wheeled on and its really time for a change.

Have never heard of the series, sounds like so much fun!!

Hi girlunderglass. Its definitely worth a try, I although the 2nd in series did jar a bit but I stuck with it and was rewarded. I love the idea of Druid gangsters.

58. From Aberystwyth With Love by Malcolm Pryce
(4 out of 5)
Humorous Welsh Noir pastiche.

It's a stifling hot August day when Uncle Vanya climbs into the clients chair with a sock and spins Louie a tale of a missing girl and the legendary Aberystwyth replica town built in Ukraine. Thrust suddenly into a deadly world
of spinning wheel's salesman and snuff philatelists will Louie make it out alive?

A good return to the humorous side of the series. As if he read my previous review out go all the old baddies, the old Patagonian war theme and we even get new scenery as they rush off to a Stalinesque Eastern European. It's much lighter in tone, we get some great running gags (fish milt ice cream anyone?), a wonderfully twisting plot and more of those great musings (I loved the character of Uncle Vanya). But you know we there were problems...I had to grit why teeth through the Transylvania joke piece and some of the East European tropes seem tired and obvious. Luckily it didn't detract to much too much though, I simply enjoy Pryce's writing too much for that.

Like Eliza, I have never heard of the series, but it definitely sounds worth checking out! Thanks for the recommendation.

59. Build My Gallows High by Geoffrey Holmes (pseudonym for Daniel Mainwaring)
(5 out of 5)
Noir classic.

Ex private eye Red bailey thinks his past is finally laid to rest, but then an old friend looks him up and offers him one last job, one that cannot refuse.

Written in 1947, this was his final novel before he concentrated solely on screen writing (his films include
Invasion of the Body Snatchers) and it is a blinder of a novel. All the noir tropes are here, perfectly presented: dirty cops, gangsters, femme fatales, snappy dialog, double crosses galore and a twisting plot. Mainwaring gloriously entwines the past and present so the setup leaks out slowly, keeping the details hidden even if you 're aware that like a Greek tragedy this doesn't end happily. I highly recommend it for all fans of the genre but I reckon anyone would enjoy it. I hear the film with Robert Mitchum (Out of the Past in the US) is even better, can't wait to see if its true.

#91: I am throwing that one on Planet TBR. Thanks for the recommendation!

60. The Little Sleep by Paul Trembley
(3.5 out of 5)
Fascinating Oddball Noir

Private Eye Mark Genevich leads a desk bound existence as he suffers from narcolepsy with the odd hallucination thrown in. This is shattered when he wakes at his desk to find some nude pictures of the DA's daughter. Someone hired him for a case, but who and what exactely do they want?

Well if the idea hooks you then just go buy the book as you will not be disappointed. Rest assured it is not a one trick pony that tires quickly. Tremblay weaves the narcolepsy into noir genre wonderfully, making a relatively simple case insanely complex and transforming mundane activities into high drama (a narcoleptic driving?). On top of this its just a fascinating take on a condition I knew little about. However I there were a few plot hiccups that jarred a bit, plus a bit more fleshing out of the bad guys would have been good. I do like the protagonist a lot so I will definitely get the next book.

#93: I may give that one a try despite your reservations. Thanks for the review!

61. The Manual Of Detection by Jedebiah Berry
(4 out of 5)
A noir fairytale

My Summary will not do this justice but here goes..
The Agency is bureaucratic monolith, populated by detectives, their watchers and their clerks. Charles Unwin was one such clerk until his detective, the famous Travis Sivart, goes missing and he is instantly promoted to detective. Desperate to get his old job back he goes searching for him in the places that he has only read about, but not everything you read is true, not even his company copy of "The Manual of Detection".

A highly imaginative detective novel. It starts with a touch of 'Brazil' by Terry Gilliam (think giant impersonal bureaucracy) but slowly evolves into something more surreal and much more magical. You are never quite sure where the plot is headed. With its reality constantly shifting, its more of a story of chaos versus order than a straight murder mystery. So whilst the genre conventions are all there it is not for lovers of tidy puzzle mysteries. I found the setting wonderful: from the increasingly surreal agency to the freakish decaying circus. Small evocative descriptions still stick in my head, from the sadness of the elephants to the oddity of the barge full of alarm clocks, it makes me smile as I write this review. On top of this you get a great adventure, both funny and poignant. Plus for book lovers the hardback version is gorgeous. Ok so your mileage with the ideas might vary so read some of the many many reviews on LT and then give if a try. Ok so there was a small problem, it looses its way in middle as it gears up to change the rules again but this is only a minor problem and I was soon swept back up in events.

cool, sounds like something I would enjoy - added.

Hi Beeg, hope you enjoy it. I may of gushed a bit too much when writing the review.. ahem.

62. Bronson By Charles Bronson
(4 out of 5)
Charles Bronson is known as UKs most dangerous prisoner (yes he was named after the actor). In 1974 he was sent to jail for armed robbery (net haul: £28) and apart from a few brief months has never left. His sentence is repeatedly extended for his extreme violence and hostage taking, in fact he hasn't mixed with any prisoners since 1999.

Ok I do not usually read true crime novels so I have nothing to compare this to, and I only picked it up because of the recent film. The film is much better, highly stylised but extremely impressive so I only recommend this book to provide context for the film and I am really not sure how it would stand by itself. Bronson writes in a very fast paced, short sentenced matter of fact way but his story is repetitive, tragically so and whilst for me this just adds to the horror of it all but it might irritate some. It is funny, shocking, deeply sad and most importantly of all for me thought provoking, how should we handle someone as violent as Bronson? Just a warning the story is of course one sided, facts are omitted & reasons glossed over. Its not for anyone who requires a well rounded story. Also his larger than life personality exudes from the page and you may find some of the things too dislikeable but if you can stick with it I believe its worthwhile, it's worth having a look just for his cartoons.

#95 - Thanks for the review of The Manual Of Detection. This is one of the books I recently added to my collection. It just seemed too 'unique' to let pass!

#97 - I haven't read a 'true crime' novel for years, although I do have "Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of BTK, the Serial Killer Next Door" somewhere in a pile!

I must admit to being a little parochial (Australian) when it comes to this genre, and some of my favourite titles are the autobiographies by Arthur Stanley "Neddy" Smith: Neddy: The Life and Crimes of Arthur Stanley Smith and Catch and Kill Your Own: Behind the Killings the Police Don't Want to Solve; as well as the those by Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read: Chopper: From the Inside (1991), Chopper 2: Hits and Memories (1992), Chopper 3: How to Shoot Friends and Influence People (1993), and Chopper 4: For the Term of His Unnatural Life (1994). I didn't collect his subsequent works of fiction.

These are all excellent books and highly recommended, giving strong insights into Australia's criminal underbelly, and police corruption, of the 70s and 80s (my formative years). The books by "Neddy" lead to the superb 1995 Australian television miniseries, "Blue Murder". And, the 2000 movie "Chopper", starring Eric Bana, was based on the life of Chopper Read.

Moving forward to Australian crime in the 90s to present, Leadbelly: Inside Australia's Underworld is also highly recommended; likewise spawning a highly regarded television miniseries, "Underbelly".

Anyway, thanks for the trip down memory lane :)

No worries, glad to aid nostalgia in anyway :-)

I really enjoyed the film Chopper (Eric Bana was great) and I picked up a copy of Chopper but I couldn't get into it, since I can no longer remember why I will have to try it again. Leadbelly looks really interesting too, going to have to go on a crime reading spree..

Thanks for recommendations.

63. The Blade Itself By Joe Abercrombie
Standard fantasy
(3 out of 5)

So before you read the review note I have a low tolerance of standard fantasy (I will try to limit the flippancy) I am only reading as it was recommended to me by a trustworthy source...

Ok so its got all the usual tropes: large book that is 1st in a trilogy, vague setting based on a medieval world, a bit of magic (but not too much cos its the time of men etc..), a non human race, standard fantasy characters, a quest for a magical item and a plague that seems to have killed off 90% of women. After all that I should really hate this book but the characters were so very entertaining I found it impossible to do so. Abercrombie pulls off some difficult tricks so whilst we get hugely likeable and funny characters such as the barbarians we also have deeply unpleasant ones that are still a pleasure to read, the bitter torturer who you cannot quite hate (his cynicism helps) or the egotistical swordsman who you look forward to getting a hard time. The setting is amusing too, the author has a lot of fun with the portrayal of decaying, corrupt, "civilised" Union. Ok so the plot isn't much as it's basically just setup but with such a varied cast this just works in the books favour. You get a constant shift in character view point, that keeps the plot fresh and the pace quick, plus you never get fed up with one character.

I wouldn't necessarily rush out the read the 2nd one but as it's a library book and the 3rd is meant to be the best so onwards I go with Before they were Hanged

64. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
Enjoyable fantasy romp
(3.5 out of 5)
2nd in the trilogy (see previous review for 1st) and I enjoyed this a lot more. After a bit of slow start the pace speeds up and the book stays highly entertaining all the way to the end. The story focuses on three sub-stories, deftly woven and every one of them is enjoyable. The character setup of the first book pays off handsomely and we get to see how their reaction to each other that leads to a nice toning down of some of the more egotistical characters. The plot is kept on a taut leash and for such a large book nothing seems like padding. All in all I am very glad I continued, I very much hope the last one is just as good.

65. Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
Last in a so so fantasy trilogy, see the last two posts for reviews of the previous books.
(2.5 out of 5).

I had high hopes for the last in the trilogy but was sorely disappointed. Switching over to solid action for finale is fine but the first half was predictable and all those wonderful characters seemed to take a back seat. I did start enjoying much more just over half way through but then then it started to wind down and boy the end left a bitter taste in my mouth. It was always going to be a dark ending but sometimes the story seemed to have been bent unrealistically just to make it so. However what really annoyed me was some of the characters, ones that we had spent a lot of time with (and I personally enjoyed) ended very briefly, dismissed curtly in 3rd person and never mentioned again. Ok it's a harsh world but good grief it's still a story. To top it all the lengthy summing up was mostly done by the pov of one character, not something that had been done before and I didn't think it worked now because it was boring. In fact the only reason I didn't loathe it was at least the last page seemed fitting.

I guess I would not of hated it so much if the characters had not be so well portrayed previously but then I would not of read so far without them. Oh well I have The City and the City by China Mieville to read next.

66.Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle
Interesting biographical graphic novel
(3 out of 5)

In 2001 Delisle went to North Korea to work as a supervisor of animation of a children's cartoon, whilst he was there he documented his stay with drawings.

The result is quite interesting, a view into North Korea that you wouldn't necessarily get as he copes with strict rules, the work culture and the NCO parties. There is gentle humour interlaced with shocking facts and everyday existence. The art is nice, black & white but more homely than harsh. My only problem is it was too humdrum in a way, not surprising given all the rules he has to follow, but it left me wanting to know a bit more. Oh well I have always wanted to go to North Korea.. although maybe now isn't the best time.

67. The City and the City by China Mieville
Stunning masterful thriller
(5 out of 5)
How to review a book that should be kept spoiler free yet its central tenet is the reason this book is so stunning? I really recomend you start this bok with as little knowledge as possible. It's a great book for crime lovers but also ones who adore the slightly bizarre. I also recommend it for those of you put off by his fantastical baroque fantasies, it is really much more down to earth and it is his best book to date (one of my top 5 of the year so far).

If you need more coaxing then there are many fine reviews on LT, all I will say is that Mieville slowly and masterfully builds up the setting and for the first few chapters it seems to follow straight police procedural lines but gradually you are made aware of that not all is normal. These elements guide the plot, so it twists and imbues teh story just enough to keep you off balance. The characters fit the story with absolute perfection, some may find them too pared down but the lack of detail encourages mystery and ensures your imbue the work with your own thoughts and feelings add even more texture. Ah it's a masterful book.

>104 clfisha:: I've wanted to read more Miéville ever since I read Perdido Street Station, but just haven't gotten around to it. I think I'll make The City and the City my next one. Thanks.

68. Transformation By Mary Shelley
3 classic gothic tales
(3 out of 5)
The first two stories are the best and are set firmly in the gothic horror cannon, tales of doppelgangers and immortality, filled with high emotion and evocative prose. The last is more of an adventure tale and I liked it a lot less. I found the style jarring, too much like a long list of rushed facts and so I was unable to connect with the theme of loss it was supposed to engender . Still overall the book was enjoyable but far too short to recommend you buy it. I love Heserpus books but they could have included more tales!

I skimmed over your The City and the City post. I'm reading it now and it's starting to come into focus. China is good at concepts which is why I like him. And I like the way he throws some economics into his books.

I haven't read anything by China Mieville yet, but want to. What is a good one to start with?

#107. VisibleGhost: Hope you enjoyed it in the end. The review said very little of note so I am glad you skipped it also it's definately a book to read with as little knowledge as possible. I do love his ideas & his polictical themes they add an extra edge to his fantasy. Have you tried his short story book Looking for Jake? It has mixed reviews but I heartily enjoyed it.

avatiakh: I was pondering which book I would recommend to start with yesterday. It's an odd one because whilst The City and The City is his best so far its atypical of him and I also wondered if his previous books coloured my experience when reading it. oh well I will say if you enjoy a richly imagined fantasy try Perdido Street Station (a wonderful piece of world building that gets quite bizarre about half way in) otherwise head straight for The city & the City.

clfisha, I haven't finished City yet but I am enjoying it. I still haven't read Looking for Jake though I've probably read some of the stories in anthologies and such.

avatiakh, I'm not sure if you've read any New Weird or not? If not, Un Lun Dun is a good book to ease into China's style. If you have read some then jumping into Perdido Street Station is excellent advice for jumping head first into Mieville madness.

clfisha again, I recieved a book from the LT Member Giveaway program that is turning out to be great. It's so far over the top it's in nose-bleed territory. It has shades of The Illuminatus Trilogy but isn't quite a shaggy dog story. The author calls it a book filled with strange facts about the medico-military-occult complex.

It is so stuffed with American pop-culture from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s that it bleeds stars and stripes. Not in a patriotic way but in a culture description way that might not be familiar to those not from that place or time. It is deliciously wacky though. The book is Crash Gordon and the Mysteries of Kingsburg.

ah I forgot about Un Lun Dun. I haven't read it myself yet it is still languishing on my TBR. I think looking for Jake has a couple of stories printed elsewhere i.e The Tain & Looking for Jake.

I have to say you have intrigued me with Crash Gordon and The Mysteries of Kingsburg. I am not from the US though but being from the UK I still soak it up so I am going to have to give it a go. It's getting some great reviews.

I have no idea why I had so much trouble writing this review!

69. Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
Coming of age, dystopian, sci-fi
(3.5 out of 5)

A small town trapped in a no mans land created by plague and war and beholden to the army who have made it their outpost. Amidst this a girl is born, a girl who is faster and stronger than normal and who does not feel fear.

I knew this would be unlike Carey's previous work but I was not expecting this sweet tale of a girl separated by her differences and struggling to find her voice. Although there is sex and violence, nothing is that explicit. In fact it feels like a YA book, although I guess that is partly because the core of book centres on a group of teenagers. The setting is well done, I particularly liked the towns relationship with the army (which somehow seems to ground the novel) and the main protagonist is endearing and the exploration of what it is like to be without fear is a lot of fun. Ok so the writing style is different but it fits story, much more action orientated and less poetic than her fantasy novels. In the end it is strangely a happy book for a dystopian book, bittersweet but with much hope.

>112 clfisha:: Is this a new book, or a re-publication of something she wrote in the past?

It's a brand new book, you can read the first chapter on her site: http://www.jacquelinecarey.com/books.htm.

I must admit I prefer her Kushiel and Sundering series but then think I prefer her adult protagonists. (I certainly enjoyed the parts of Santa Olivia that had them)

70. Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Interesting supernatural "what if"
(4 out of 5)
Stripped of all the usual brain eating horror that typically accompanies the undead this story uses its time to explore our reactions the "reliving". This is no dystopian survival novel. Instead Linquist is able to explore the impact in a much more understated and interesting way. How do you cope when a love one returns? How can you get past your normal reaction of disgust? How to accept lack of the finality death brings? What exactly do you do with people who do not die? All these ideas and more are explored from several viewpoints, from individual to societies response. There is of course a supernatural plot which brings a new twist on the zombie myth but to be honest it's the exploration that made this book satisfying.

can't fix touchtone.. hmm

I really enjoyed Let the Right One In and I love Zombies in about every facet (except Marvel Zombies) so I might have to give Handling the Undead a shot.

I'm looking forward to reading both of Lindqvist's books, just have to get some other books out of the way first.

I dislike Marvel Zombies too ;-)

I don't think I found it quite as good as Let the Right One In, but I think that's a mostly personal thing as I did not gel with the characters as much.

71. Waterlog by Roger Deakin *
A magical account of wild swimming

Roger Deakin inspired by The Swimmer by John Cheever to explore the British isles by swimming in its lochs, lakes, rivers, streams, lidos and of course the sea.

Ah its a sublime book, his joi de vivre leaps of the page and infuses you with absolute joy. Add a touch of desire to follow in his footsteps and plunge into a cold pool and mix with nostalgia for lost youth this makes it a highly enjoyable reading experience. I can see why this book gave birth to a renaissance in wild swimming. At first I wished for pictures but soon I was glad to be wrapt solely in words with everything filtered through his eyes. He can be witty, self depreciating and deeply eccentric but most of all his passion shines. Held in check by a good editor, mixed with facts, thoughts and experiences this is a hell of a book.

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in swimming, travelogues and recapturing a world you thought no longer existed in the UK.

This was recommended by Dcozy and I am very glad I tried it.

* touchstones not showing

#119: I bought that one based on Dcozy's recommendation, too, but have not yet read it. I need to bump it up on my stack. Thanks for the reminder.

RE: msg 118 I love Zombies in about every facet (except Marvel Zombies) so I might have to give Handling the Undead a shot.

LOL!!! Me too... it was so gruesome I couldn't finish the first volume... blech...

You know for some reason I tried to start Stiff by Mary Roach this morning over breakfast.. eugh.

72. Epitaph for a Spy by Eric Ambler
Classic spy thriller
(3.5 out of 5)
Written just before the 2nd world war and playing with spy conventions at the time, Eric Ambler has written a great tale of paranoia and mystery. Instead of a suave, sophisticated thriller we have a shy, introverted language teacher mistaken for a spy and thrust into a game of cat and mouse. Its this main character that sells the book, he is wonderfully portrayed and you really squirm along with him as he bumbles along trying to catch the spy. Of course you can join in too, every character has a secret so its fun to guess who as well. Ok it is not a book for lovers of the high octane thriller but it has that all the old world charm and a yet a deep menace that a book in written in the 1930s brings.

I am going to get one of his more famous books next, say Journey Into fear or The Mask of Dimitrios.
Any suggestions?

#122: I read A Coffin for Dimitrios and really enjoyed it, so it gets my vote. I have not yet read Journey into Fear.

Thanks alcottacre (I wish they wouldn't change book titles between UK/US.. I get confused!)

Me, too!

I ordered 2 books last year from Bookcloseouts.com only to find that they were the same book, just different titles - I hate that!

What a nightmare! It doesn't help of course that I never really understand why they do it.

73. The boys v4: gotta go now By Garth Ennis (author) and Paul Duffield (artist)
Funny, violent graphic novel
(4 out of 5)

4th in the series, still hilarious, still ultra violent, still dark.
It is a comic for everyone who have read superman and it made them grind their teeth. Volume 4 sees Wee hughie going undercover to investigate the G-men, a huge
collection of revenue making supes with a disturbing secret. (see msg 7 for review of V3).


74. Freakangels V2 by Warren Ellis (author) and Darick Robertson (artist)
Interesting post-apocalyptic graphic novel.
(3 out of 5)

Struggling to survive in a flooded England, a mysterious group of friends are try to maintain and protect a small settlement, nestled among ruined London. With wonderfully muted art, a lovely mix of characters and slow burner of a plot. It's definitely worth a look and as its a web comic you can do so for free over at: www.freakangels.com

and now for No 75....

75. The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
Just perfect..
I decided to celebrate by rereading a book from my favourite author. All I will say is if you haven't tried him yet you are missing out. No one comes close in the noir genre, his books are utterly wonderful.

oops bold issues

#127 Claire - First, congratulations on reaching 75!

Secondly, I must follow your advice and pick up a Raymond Chandler novel. I've never read one of his books, yet he is lauded by one of my favourite mystery writers, Colin Dexter of the Inspector Morse series.

Thanks!

I guess Raymond Chandler can be an acquired taste but I do think its worth trying. Farewell my Lovely is my favourite but The Long Goodbye is a close second. In both books you can tell he put a lot of himself in there.

Congrats!

Thanks!

My goal was just to count.. but since anything you observe tends to change I think I have increased the amount I usually read ;-) not a bad thing..

Anyway just some old stats to amuse myself (%s are rounded)

Average 11.7 books a month

% of Graphic Novels: 29%
% of translated non English books: 16%
% of Non-Fiction: 12%
% of Female Authors: 11%

I cannot believe my female author total is so low! My new goal is to improve that.. so recommendations please any dark and weird stuff welcome...

Try some of these for female authors:

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

Godstalk by P. C. Hodgell (also found in Dark of the Gods and The God Stalker Chronicles omnibus editions)

Deerskin by Robin McKinley is definitely her darkest.

In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

Finder by Emma Bull

The Ladies of Mandrigyn or Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly

A Red Heart of Memories by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones

Changer by Jane Lindskold

Darkangel by Meredith Ann Pierce

Psion by Joan Vinge

Snake Agent by Liz Williams

Passages by Connie Willis

Cards of Grief by Jane Yolen

Read some Ursula Le Guin, Patricia McKillip, Melissa Scott, Sydney van Scyoc, Janny Wurts, or Sheri Tepper.

Every one of these authors has a body of work--I've just selected some of their darkest or suitable starting points. If you like them, there's plenty to keep reading!

Let me add The Thread that Binds the Bones for another starting point for Nina Kiriki Hoffman, my favorite.

wow thanks guys, the only ones I have tried is Janny Wurts and, many many years ago, Ursula Le Guin so there are plenty of suggestions to keep me going!

76. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Truly fascinating tale of the dead
(4.5 out of 5)

Ah what a wonderful book. Mary Roach's approach to this macabre subject is quite perfect: respectful, practical, utterly fascinating and wonderfully upbeat. For such a small book she covers a large area taking subjects such as medical science, historical anatomy, cadaver decomposition, funeral trends. Ok so it’s not for the truly squeamish but I think most people will be ok. I just wish that it could be updated with the latest disposal ideas... I mean did the fertiliser idea take off?


Recommended by DrNeutron (an many other LT'ers), so thanks!

#135: I have got to find my copy of that one!

I'm about half way through with Stiff and I agree, it's very good. Have you read Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by the same author? It's a hoot, better than Stiff IMO.

I have just reserved it at the library! Both copies seem to be on loan.. oh well patience is a virtue. Thanks for the hint.

ok this is a bit of a rant but I needed to get if off my chest.

The Strain by Guillermo Del Torro and Chuck Hogan.
Bland vampire thriller
(1 out of 5)

Boy this book wasn't for me, it has all the type of flaws I just cannot stomach, mixed in with a standard techno thriller/vampire plot.

It did start off well with a nice dramatic setup but it all started to go wrong when it seagued into a suspense building section. I became bored mostly because a) it's obvious what is coming and b) because it started to loose atmosphere. The author(s) tell you the characters are scared but don't show you, kind of like a film that uses dramatic music to cue terror and nothing else. Boring! Which brings brings me onto the characters. Sigh. If they were not stereotypes (high strung career women, lustful rock star, van hesling) you just got a character with just 1 aspect to flesh them out (housewife with ocd, divorcee who misses his family). Personally I started to hope the whole boring lot would die horribly about half way through It was that bad). Then of course there were the plot contrivances, I mean I can buy a few but after a while it started to get silly, especially since I didn't even see the point of most of them. One thing that bugged me (not really a spoiler) was it would of been much more interesting if the modern age was acknowledged. I mean we are living in age with camera phones, twitter and people freaking out if you can' t be contacted every minute of the day. I saw no indication of this and I had very little sense of the total impact in NY (or even the USA as a whole). Of course there are brief mentions (mostly stupid plot contrivances ) but nothing leads you to see how nasty it is. Of course we are meant to get a sense of the impact by having many different points of view. Unfortunately this serves to make the problem appear isolated, secondly it slows the pace right down and thirdly means there's no space for character building.

I did have high hopes. There were loads of great reviews plus Guillmermo Del Torro's name was attached (it was originally conceived as
a TV show). Sadly I saw nothing of him in this but I kept reading until 2/3 thirds of the way through in hope. I did skim to the end bit it doesn't get better so I am not sure why I bothered. I am mystified to see how this books was given 4+ reviews!


Rant over.. I feel better now :-)

Oh, that's too bad - I have seen favourable reviews of The Strain, and hoped to read it soon. I'll probably still give it a try - you never know, different books for different people, and all that. I hope your next read is better for you!

I'm also still going to read it, but I'll lower my expectations. Hope your next read is more inspiring. Have you read Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar, I just read it a few weeks ago and really liked it in a black comedy sort of way.

Well I am the only person I have seen who has given it a bad review! It wasn't bad per sae but it did contain everything that it likely to wind me up, so do hope you both enjoy it.

#141 I haven't read Lonely Werewolf Girl, sounds fun! Thanks for tip.

edited as it posted a blank message instead!

77. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Enchanting children's tale.
(3 out of 5)

I read this as I wanted to see how it compared to the beautiful film. The book feels (unusually) slightly
more pared down but also slightly darker. However it is still a wonderful scary kids story with delightful characters that inhabit a rich fantastical world. Ok it gets 3 stars but then I am not the target audience. I would imagine it would be great to read out loud too.

78. "59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot" by Richard Wiseman (touchstone not working..)
Interesting self he.lp book
(3 out of 5)

This does exactly what is says on the cover, no more no less. Divided into various sections (such as happiness, dating, persuasion) Wiseman uses behavioural studies to knock the most widespread self help myths on the head and provide practical (and very quick) options. So forget positive visualisation you also need to visualise setbacks, forget saying how intelligent your kids are, praise their effort instead.

I just picked this up based on his Quirklogy book (see review msg 50) which heartily I recommend. This book is for those who want a quick tips or if nothing else has worked try this. It's not a book for psychology buffs or those with difficult problems. It did though give me the brilliant term "social loafing" making it utterly worth reading.

On different note I am looking recommendations on US history books. I am going on holiday to the US so I am keen to fill in the many blanks. Sadly I am open on a subject, I can be guided on on any area. At the moment thinking large sweeping history on colonisation or an overview to the civil war (not much help I know).

On a side note any personal experiences of good bookshops in New York (its our 1st stop) as we will probably just pick up some books up whilst we are on hols.

Two books I haven't read, but seem to be well-received here on LT:

A History of the American People by Paul Johnson

The Americans: The Colonial Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin

I've read Boorstin's previous works (for example, The Creators), and he's a very good writer with a good grasp of how to make history accessible. The Americans is actually the first volume of a trilogy on American history and the development of American culture. Now that I've found it, I may have to look for it myself!

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn might be another one for you to try.

Sorry, I know nothing of bookstores in New York other than the Strand, and I only know that one because of the Internet. The webpage for them is here: http://www.strandbooks.com/ if you are interested.

You can get lost for days at the Strand. It's heaven.

Thanks guys! I think that book shop could be very dangerous, I only have a few days there :-) Who (apart from films) would hire books by the feet..! very bizarre.

79. Metropole by Ferenc Karinthy
(3 out of 5)
Budai gets on the wrong plane and finds himself in the wrong place. A linguist by trade he feels confident on a quick resolution but is frustrated at every turn and thrust into an increasingly overwhelming and incomprehesbile city.

Once I relaxed and stopped thinking what Budai should be doing to escape I accepted that at heart this was a tale of language and modern living I started to enjoy it. The star is the city, a never-ending place, overflowing with rushing citizens bent on their own personal lives and performing rituals twisted by our lack of understanding. Budai's relaxed attitude allows the city to unfold, conjuring up some wonderful moments: the frustration at trying buy food, the incomprehensibility of a religous ritual or metephorical sports game. Budai's constant attempts never become repetitive, Karinthy manages to keep the tale fresh throughout (in fact I preferred the latter half of the book). It's not a book for lovers of resolution or hard action but it is an interesting meditation on urban life.

80. Who Killed Amanda Palmer by Amanda Palmer (and many others).
One for Amanda Palmer fans! It's a beautiful, fun and macabre photographic book filled with a myriad of dead Amanda Palmers, song lyrics and an occasional story snippet from Neil Gaiman (although not enough for his fans to seek this out).

#150: Metropole looks interesting. Thanks for the recommendation.

Edited for spelling

hmm not been in a reading mood.. and now I find not in a reviewing mood either, I don't think I have done this justice ;)

80. London Labour and the London Poor: Selection (Classics) by Henry Mayhew
Fascinating account of Victorian poverty
(5 out 5)

I cannot recommend this book enough for history buffs or lovers of Dickensian London.

The journalist Henry Mayhew started writing articles on London's poor in 1849, interviewing people so they could tell their own story. Over the years through the adding of vivid descriptions, statistics, essays and drawings it spiralled into a giant 4 volumes dealing with nearly every aspect of poverty. This verson abridges these books into a mere 500 pages and the result is utterly fascinating.

There are personal accounts from nearly every possible occupation: musicians, vagrants, street traders, thieves, chimney sweeps and on and on. Their tales are usually deeply tragic and sometimes heartbreaking, self inflicted or not they are all stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty in Victorian England. Some tales are fascinating, such as the tricks of cheap photographers, a lively description of a penny theatre or the impact of the Poor act. It is all here in overwhelming detail.

This version also contains a brief intro of Henry Mayhew himself, placing the work in much needed context because as well as a study of the poor we also see the views of the middle classes though Mayhew's admonishments and hisselection of relevant essays.

There are some problems (whether with the abridgement or original text I could not say). Too Much time is spent on accounts of street traders wheras fallen women are non existent (I presume being too depraved to even consider!). I also found it just too much to read straight through but it's perfect for dipping into.

#152: Sounds like a terrific book. I will look for it - thanks for the recommendation.

81. Altmann's Tongue by Brian Evenson
Chilling collection of short stories
(4 out of 5)

A collection of Evenson's early enigmatic, sparse and disturbing short stories plus a novella with an interesting take on the crime genre.

Linked through an exploration of violence, stripped of all moral cues & explanation these stories confront, disturb and provoke in equal measure. In this, his first book, he successfully experiments with attitudes to violence and morality. It is not a comfortable read but it is very powerful and whilst horrific always compelling. The shorter ones have the most impact but my favourite is the deeply disturbing tale of a twisted father/daughter reunion, compelling even whilst being frustrating. Being his first book it is an uneven collection but nothing is bad some are just too odd.

The novella sucessfuly twits the crime genre dealing with the often conflicting statements of a murdered policeman and dragging the protaginst into uncertainty and conspiracy.

This books also has a fascinating afterward as Evenson eloquently describes the themes in this novel but also the impact of this book: on himself, his job, family and religion (Mormonism). Not only highlighting the issue of freedom of speech, but also how a good person should and can deal with evil.

All in all highly recommended. Since I am not the best reviewer here's a sample tale (not gratuitous but there is a murder) http://www.webdelsol.com/evenson/be-at.htm and for anyone interested an interview is contained in:
http://www.ant-zen.com/graph/act159-brian%20evenson%20an%20introduction.pdf


82. Walking Dead Volume 10: The Road Ahead by Robert Kirkman (author) & Charlie Adlard (Artist)
A must for all zombie/horror lovers.
(4 out of 5)

Collection 10 of the very cool comic series follows survivors of a zombie apocalypse. Kirkman is having a lot of fun exploring this idea, not just the zombie mythos but the toll on the survivors and the questions such as morality in a violent nightmarish world. Complimented
with wonderful black & white art which may lesson the gore but none of the horror.

I hear rumours of a TV show, I hope its true I think it could be amazing if adapted well.

83. Welcome to Hoxford by Ben Templesmith
Ok Werewolf comic
(3 out of 5)
What to do with the worse the kind of prisoner, the cannibals, the rapists, the psychos? Well you send them to the privately owned Hoxford prison where they just seem to disappear. Much to the concern Dr. Jessica Ainley...

It's an ok setup to a new werewolf series, but it seemed to lack a hook to keep me reading and whilst the art work is of course lovely I find all the murkiness and teeth not very interesting visually. However since this edition only collects the first four comics and as the characters are cool, I will give it another go.

Trying to shorten my reviews (as they were starting to bloat)... not sure I chose the best book to try!

84. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Astonishing retelling of Snow White and Rose Red
(5 out of 5)

I was left stunned by this intensely beautiful book, so dark and brutal yet full of hope and love. It is not a happy ever after fairy tale with everything tidied away at the end, it is messy and dark and full of human mistakes. Lanagan expertly weaves together so many strands, keeping the story flowing whilst dealing with many strong themes: abuse (in all its guises), sexuality and the changing roles within a family. At its heart though, it is an exploration of the relationship between our fantasies and reality, how they affect us and those around us. The language is quite lovely too, the changing POVs never jar and the accents are easy on the eye, the story flows and all the characters are quite wonderful.

My 2 cents on furore in the UK...
I just had to say that I do not see why all the fuss. This is a wonderfull YA book, eminently suitable for teenagers. In the end it comes down to a personal choice and luckily the mature content is clearly marked (but even if if they do miss it I am not sure how it could hurt anyone).

#156: Thanks for the recommendation on that one. Looks very good!

I have Tender Morsels lined up to read maybe I just need to bump a few books and get to it sooner.

85. Thorgal: The Three Elders of Aran by Jean Van Hamme (Author) & Grzegorz Rosinski (artist)
(3 out 5)
Unashamedly old fashioned adventure story mixing Norse mythology with a touch of science fiction. It's a lot of fun, slightly bizarre and I recommend for children & adult fantasy lovers alike. Word of warning, the English translation does not reprint in publishing order and I heard a nasty rumour it was being censored. Not having seen the original I cannot comment on why but either is annoying

86. Queen Margot: The Bloody Wedding by Olivier Cadic, François Gheysens (authors) and Juliette Derenne (artist).
(3 out 5)
Historical comic about the life of Marguerite de Valois, wife of King Henri IV. This 2nd volume deals with events surrounding the St Bartholomew's massacre (one of the century's worst religious massacres). I didn't enjoy this one as much as the 1st as it was trying to pack too much in so it felt slightly disjointed and confusing (although reading the 1st may have helped). Still the art was beautiful, it handled a dark subject well and I will be picking the next one.

87. Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Fast paced and deeply enjoyable fantasy
(4 out of 5)
Well I am just going to heap some more praise on this book, I couldn't put it down. A grand swashbuckling tale, deftly weaving past and present to ramp up the tension and keep you hooked. The characters are simply wonderfully, the fantasy setting (think a Dickensien Venice) was so much fun and there was a fantastic blend of humour and darkness. I am ordering the second as we speak.

88. Elephantina by Andrew Drummond
Amusing, deeply odd, historical novel
(4 out of 5)
Through the journal of one Mr Orum we learn of the truly bizarre (but true) tale of Dr Blair, who in 1702 was the first man in Britain to dissect an elephant. This 'journal' is presented to us by our stalwart editor, a man hopelessly at odds with Mr Orum's slovenly ways and who inserts himself into the story through frequent outraged footnotes.

So what we get is an amusing tale of three men at philosophical odds, two unreliable narrators and one poor elephant. It's a slim volume but the contrasting (yet equally silly) characters that fight over Dr Blair's good name make it a worthwhile read. I am not overly familiar with Scottish history but this didn't detract and whilst its not for the faint of heart it's not at all graphic. Currently its beautiful published in hardback form.

Just found this excerpt & thought I would add it here:
http://www.andydrummond.net/Elephantina/elephantinaextract.pdf

#160: Thanks for posting the excerpt as well as the review. On to Planet TBR it goes.

89. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber
Disappointing Victoriana
(2 out of 5)

After a truly sublime start my hope was very high that this lengthy tome could last the distance. Ah but then the modern witty voice faded and it all fell apart. The reasons? Well the characters are too few and too many of them are irritating, make no mistake you must be able stomach much Victorian angst. The actual story is slim and needed to be stretched over many pages and even worse, apart from some shocks, it's completely predictable. Compounding these problems the Victorian history felt all too familiar and terribly close to a lecture.

You maybe wondering why I kept reading! Well I admit the writing is absolutely wonderful and so is the main protagonist. When Sugar makes an appearance the whole story is uplifted and starts to shine.

So disappointed but not unhappy I was ready to give the book 3 stars but then came the end. A more mismatched and banal ending I would be hard to think of. I guess the author was making a point but well by the time it happened I no longer cared and I was left with a feeling of complete indifference merging into irritation of time wasted. This book has had such rave reviews I can only assume I have missed the point. I shall stick to the French Lieutenants Women for my post modern needs.

Right and now for a short intermission as I go on a much need break.

ooh I'm so sorry you didn't enjoy Crimson Petal more - it is one of my best reads so far this year :( Oh well, we all have different tastes and preferences after all - on the bright side, an Amanda Palmer fan, yay!

#162

I absolutely adored the first two thirds of The Crimson Petal and the White and got very bored of the last third. It required a much better editor.

Back after a long break ( I don't think I am ever going to catch up on LT!)

90. Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck
(4 out of 5)
John Steinbeck's classic 1960s road trip.

My favourite Steinbeck book so far is a short, eminently readable travelogue filled with Steinbeck's thoughts and observations of 60s America. In may not be to everyone's taste, the book is a very carefully crafted distillation of his long road trip and I suspect not wholly factual. You must also be able to get along with Steinbeck himself, it is as much about himself (and his poodle Charley) than it is about the US. But if you can accept that its a wonderful book, thoughtful, endearing and always entertaining. I highly recommend it.

Amazon UK has an excerpt for anyone who just wishes to try it.

91. In the Heart of the Sea: The Epic True Story That Inspired "Moby Dick" by Nathaniel Philbrick
(4 out of 5)
Fascinating account of a story that shocked the world.
In 1820, at the height of whaling on the Isle of Nantucket, the whaling ship the Essex was attacked and sunk by an enormous sperm whale. The survivors' were left stranded miles from anywhere with 3 tiny boats and dwindling food supplies.

Philbrick writes an astonishingly vivid tale bringing to life not only the tragedy and its aftermath but also 19th century life on Nantucket. Very accessible and extremely well researched (with copious notes included at the end) I am not surprised it won the National Book Awards. It still doesn't make me want to read Moby Dick though!

92. Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Cornell Woolrich
Classic and compelling noir.
(4.5 out of 5)

A man is foretold the time and manner of his death. Is he doomed or is it all a con? The police are sure its a con so the race is on to find and stop the culprit, no matter what the cost.

Dripping in atmosphere, laden with suspense this book was unputdownable. Written in 1945 Woolrich (author of rear window) has taken a slightly silly plot and it imbued it with his own nihilistic terror making the horror of predestination sincere. Perhaps because its my first Woolrich I had no idea which way it would go, allowing me to enjoy each twist of the tale. Highly recommended for all fans of noir.

93. The Ghost of Alcatraz by John Dekker
Too short biography
(3 out of 5)

The 1st half starts out so well, starting with a vivid account of been taken to Alcatraz but then it just sort of fizzles out leaving a a few hurried chapters and much missing of his life. I am not sure whether he found his time in prison unworthy or he just got bored but its disappointing never the less, he is a funny and engaging man and I could have read much more.

94. Fugue State by Brian Evenson
Wonderfully dark short stories
(4.5 out of 5)

"I had, Bentham claimed, fallen into a sort of fugue state, in which the world moved past me more and more rapidly, a kind of blur englobing me at every instant."

The most mature work from Evenson to date, the stories nestle against each other perfectly. Less shocking horror, more haunting, these tales are comic, bizzare, cathartic but always chilling. Connected through a theme of dissociation these 19 stories are shot through with isolation, jarring events and the disintegration of self. One of my favourites deals with two sisters and one insignificant childhood event, forgotten by one who just cannot understand why the other is so traumatised. Evenson's expertly crafted language ensures this simple tale is deeply evocative. However it is in complete contrast to my other favourite: Fugue State, a cold, clever ,circular tale with an arresting plot that superbly epitomises its title. I highly recommend it for all fans of dark tales.

One of the short stories can be found on his website:
http://www.brianevenson.com/fugue.html

For fans & other interested parties a fascinating deconstruction of a sentence (spoilers warning):
http://thefictionadvocate.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/a-sentence-from-helpful-by-br...

edited for typing errors

#166: I just got my first Woolrich book the other day, I Married a Dead Man. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did the one of his that you read.

Be interested to see what you think, it would be good to try another one.

95. House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
(3 out of 5)

Not my usual fare but I picked this up after a visit to the house (in Salem, MA) .

Oddly this book has many aspects I usually dislike: exaggerated characters, a sedate and contrived plot but it has enough charm, wry humour and underlying kindness to keep it enjoyable for its short length (240 pg). It was perfect to settle down for a quiet half and hour (but no more!) and immerse myself in this odd little book. I am glad I read it but I am unsure if I would try another of his books and would only recommend it to American classic completists.

96. Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa
Wonderful dark slice of New Orleans
(4 out of 5)

Hailey Trosclair is 16 whose family is slowly disintegrating under the weight of financial and emotional problems. Increasingly mystified why God lets good people suffer she falls under the spell of Moses, a preacher with a drive-in church and twisted religious views.

Not for the squeamish this is a cool debut novel that drags you kicking and screaming into the dark underbelly of New Orleans. Told from Hailey's perspective, it has strong style that I initially found hard to get into but after while I was hooked. Written in a plain factual style juxtaposed with some wonderful gothic imagery it packs an emotional punch. This is aided by great characterisation and it all works to create a vivid and disturbing sense of place. Ok it's not all dark but somehow the humour and kindness just made it seem more so. The book is short (but right for the tale) and the ending is open. I was left with a few unsettling questions, a great impact for any book to make.

Chapter one is availble from the authors site: http://christophertusa.com/blog/?page_id=894

wow, great review!

Thanks. I completely forgot to add that the author did send me the ebook to review but honestly I really did love it (I even went out a bought a copy for a friend). oh well for a different reaction biblioholic29 just posted a nice review

Some days you just cant write reviews.. ah well...

97. The Pilo Family Circus by Will Elliot
Darkly funny, off the wall, horror
(4.5 out of 5)

“You have two days to pass your audition. You better pass it, feller. You’re joining the circus. Ain’t that the best news you ever got?”

For lovers of irreverent dark humour this is a fine debut novel walking the tightrope between comedy and horror. It opens with some wonderful sadistic slapstick, as confused no-hoper Jamie stupidly gets the attention of some seriously disturbed clowns. Elliot is wonderful at meshing some cool ideas with fast past action and he has a created a truly great setting with the hellish circus and then managed to pack it with some wonderful characters (the insane fern loving Goshy being one). Ok I admit I wasn't scared but it is a lot of fun and highly inventive, I found it refreshing. Highly recommended (especially Coulrophobics), ignore the stupid comparisons (it is nothing like Palahniuk) and check out the excerpts on Amazon (UK & USA).

I am interested in your review of Slow chocolate autopsy, which I see you're currently reading. I haven't read any Sinclaire before but love Dave McKean's illustrations (if you can call them illustrations since they combine so many different mediums and art forms).

#174 ah I really need to pick it up again! I out it down as I need to be very awake to read it, its quite disjointed, with an interesting use of language so its a bit over my head!

Dave Mckean's illustrations areunexpected, they are very simple black and white drawings instead of the rich, gorgeous stuff I am used to. It works but I was a bit disappointed....

Anyway there is another review here: http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/sinclairi/autopsy.htm

oh , that's too bad because his illustrations are usually anything BUT simple. He combines drawings with cut photographs and paint and chalk and pieces of fabric and basically anything you can think of. And he has a very unique drawing style.

98. Extreme Measures: The Dark Visions and Bright Ideas of Francis Galton by Martin Brookes
Fascinating biography of the infamous polymath
(3.5 of 5)

Cousin of Charles Darwin, Galton was one of the Victorian eras great polymaths. He explored unknown areas in Africa, wrote a best selling travel book, pioneered psychiatric and statistics techniques, discovered weather patterns and found how to make the best cup of tea. However his most (in)famous theory was eugenics, the study of selective breeding in humans. A theory mired in atrocity and very much feared today (designer babies anyone?).

Galton had a fascinating life and Brookes account eminently shows this. Easy to read, shot through with wry humour and well balanced you come away with an understanding of a man who could easily of been demonised. His legacy to science is laid bare for all to see and it is astonishingly wide ranging. In fact my only criticism is I would have liked to concentrate on more of his experiments (one I believe was recently used by Derren Brown to 'predict' the UK lottery). Unexpectedly I also found it highly relevant, eugenics has not disappeared just renamed and it is extremely interesting to see where it came from.

#177: That one looks very interesting. I will look for it. Thanks for the recommendation!

99. The Naming of the Beasts: A Felix Castor Novel by Mike Carey
Great supernatural noir series
(4 out of 5)

One of the best series out there, it's a truly great blend of noir and horror. Carey weaves tightly plotted and gripping stories, set in an evocative urban London and all tied in with a truly fascinating overarching plot. Pitched perfectly between the supernatural and edgy realism, imbued with dark humour and avoiding overblown clichés. I find this series deeply refreshing (and wonderfully British) in a genre that's deeply overcrowded. Very highly recommended to noir/horror, ah hell anyone really.

I keep trying to review this actual book (No. 5) but it's so hard without spoilers. All I will say it was still a great, unputdownable book well worthy of the series but after the intensity of book 4 I felt it was lacking somewhat. I suspect that this feeling will change after a reread. Still I am eagerly looking forward to the next.

Check out some extracts over at: http://www.mike-carey.co.uk/EXTRACTS.HTML

100. Red Skies Under Red Seas by Scott Lynch
Fun fantasy swashbuckler
(3.5 out of 5)

Second in the fantasy series of conmen Locke & Jean.

I adored the first one but I felt this one suffers from a sometimew meandering plot, occasional pointless misdirection and at least one teeth grinding cliché. Then towards the end I started to wonder why everyone was trusting them and nearly mutinied with the thought of plot contrivance. I sound as if I hated it but please don't get wrong I still enjoyed it and also devoured most of the book as quickly as possible. Locke & Jean are still great characters, the world setting still fascinating and deftly done and the ending hooked me into desperate wanting more. The main problem is the 1st one was so good it was always going to be a difficult story to follow. I still recommended it for fantasy fans.

#179: I have never read any of that series, so I will be on the lookout for them. It looks like something I would really enjoy.

I have The Lies of Locke Lamora here to read somewhere. I really must get to it sometime!

101. Paradoxes of Mr Pond by G K Chesterton
Awful short tales of mystery
(2 out of 5)

Chesterton's last work (published after his death) is deeply disappointing, Much of what I love about Chesterton is missing: his love of mystery, his joyful look at the oddity of life, his deft touch presenting a different point of view has all been superseded by an unpleasant smugness and nasty self righteousness. Mr Pond is a supercilious civil servant who spouts 'paradoxes' and then explains them away with a short tale, most of which I found annoying and contrived. Ok so the first couple of tales weren't terrible but the whole tone soon wore me down.

I have never found Chesterton's extreme views a problem before, I think I shall be sticking to his earlier work.

#181: Too bad about that one. I think I will stick with Chesterton's earlier work as well.

Oh and by the way - congratulations on making it to 100 books!

Thanks. I am very surprised to 100, I think LT encourages me to read more :)

102. Set This House in Order by Matt Ruff
Inventive, gripping thriller
(4.5 out 5)

"I suppose I should tell you about the house.... The house, along with the lake, the forest, and Coventry, are all in Andy Gage's head, or what would have been Andy Gage's head if he had lived. Andy Gage was born in 1965 and murdered not long after by his stepfather ... It was no ordinary murder.. though the torture and abuse that killed him were real, Andy Gage's death wasn't. Only his soul actually died, and when it died, it broke in pieces. Then the pieces became souls in their own right, coinheritors of Andy Gage's life. . . . "

Whatever you feel about MPD*, Ruff has created an extremely believable world packed with wonderfully believable characters, (from the adolescent, wise cracking Adam to the prim artistic Aunt Sam) something that could have easily degenerated into horrible stereotyping is managed with ease, giving each narrator a strong, clear voice. Do not let multiple narration put you off, Ruff makes a complex story eminently readable. There is a realism running through the book that tones down the more outrageous elements of the story, grounding it and making the tale all the more exciting.

The story is one wild ride, there is humour, excitement, terror, hope (it is after all partly a tale of healing) and heartbreak. The abuse is not hidden but it lends a poignancy and emotional depth that would be otherwise severely lacking. This might make it seem like a too dark tale, but it's a testament to the author' s skill that he manages to inject so much humour into the story. Unfortunately its not perfect. I found the change of tone into a thriller jarring, and to be honest the bad guy too predictable but this didn't really affect enjoyment too much. I was still rooting for the characters.

The first 4 chapters can be found at: http://home.att.net/~Storytellers/setprev.html

*Mutiple Personality Disorder also known as Dissociative identity disorder.

I've got Set This House in Order coming up some time in the near future. I hope. I got a kick from Sewer, Gas, and Electric: The Public Works Trilogy when I read it many moons ago.

I haven't read Sewer, Gas, and Electric: yet but looking at reviews Set This House in Order is a bit more serious in tone. I know it was completely different from the highly entertaining Bad Monkeys, which I also recommend. He isn't very prolific is he!

I enjoyed both Set This House in Order and Bad Monkeys, so I'll have to look for Sewer, Gas, and Electric too.

I am looking for Set this House in Order. It sounds terrific! Thanks for the recommendation.

103.Kushiel's Mercy By Jacqueline Carey
Disappointing fantasy series
(2 out of 5)

Hmm. Just go read the 1st trilogy starting with Kushiel's Dart a stunning expertly crafted fantasy, heavy with political intrigue, heartbreaking romance, gripping action and wonderful characters. Then just stop and pretend the 2nd trilogy never happens.

The next trilogy (which follows a different character) just gets steadily worse with this third (or 6th overall) seemingly filler. The plot feels like a repeat of previous stories and to be honest I found central premise boring. To make matters worse there is little intrigue, no plot twists, hardly any world building and a lot of repetition (mixed in with reminiscences we are told over and over again how much they love each over. Yawn!). On top of this the multiple narrators are hard to tell apart, maybe its intentional but I just found it really annoying.

In fact if it wasn't for a slightly more exciting ending this book would of had 1 star. One for extreme fans only.

So behind on reviews.. have been trying to keep this one short but I keep waffling :)

104. The House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski
Interesting experimental 'horror'
(3.5 out of 5)

There is a great story in here trying to get away from a very bad one.

The premise is an old one, odd manuscript discovered in someone's recently deceased apartment. However the manuscript is an odd academic study of a film that doesn't exist. A documentary of a families fresh start in a new house, one that goes horrible wrong when a door appears leading to a dark hallway that physically doesn't exist.

The found manuscript is the worthwhile bit. Slow to start, sometimes overburdened with academia and literary critic in-jokes it ends up being an extremely gripping and compelling story. It's at heart a simple idea but one that weaves in so many different aspects and then expertly twists them. The characters become very real and the story becomes difficult to put down. Even the "visual writing" and bizarre lists simply add texture, upping the oddity and tension.

However all this is marred by the other story: the 1st person account of the guy who finds it and what happens to him as he reads it. A person who is unfortunately extremely unbelievable, with irritating tendencies and who degenerates into ridiculous madness. I mean the manuscript is odd but what is there to get paranoid about? Especially so early on, it just so far fetched it throws you out of the story and adds nothing (I was too irritated to find out what the point was)

So its worth trying, stay with it for the 1st 100 pages or so and do ignore the footnotes if they start to annoy you. For that matter ignore the appendices. Yawn.

#189: I think I shall just ignore the book entirely!

:-) I don't blame you. It was languishing on my tbr pile for a such a long time I just started to feel sorry for it and gave in.

House of Leaves definitely isn't for everyone. It's more experimental than anything else. For me, the question in the outer story is whether the narrator really found the manuscript or whether the whole inner story was part of his descent into madness. If the latter, the book is very weird since the delusional story is so much more real than the "real" one. It's that ambiguity of interpretation that caught my eye.

It's definitely not something I'd read every day, though.

#192. Hmm I hadn't really thought about but the idea that he writes it as madness descends make its slightly more interesting. But I dunno I still think it was misjudged, too much insanity too soon. Mind you I admit I ended up not reading the footnotes carefully!

105. Strange Places: a memoir of mental illness By Will Elliot
Stunning, utterly fascinating account of schizophrenia.
(4.5 out of 5)

This short but utterly compelling account of one man's descent into psychosis and desperate attempt to free himself from stagnating and become a published author. Which he does, I read this because of the frenetic whirlwind of oddity that was The Pilo Family Circus (see review msg 173). If this seems depressing it isn't. Elliot explains such an alien journey with deep honesty and an amazingly a touch of wry humour. It is shocking yet compelling and to be honest he says it all much better than than I ever could:

"I've been places that no one else on this planet will ever go. Me, I've lived for a short time as a werewolf. As a vampire. As a revolutionary. As a psychic. As a magician. As someone who cannot be hurt by physical force. As someone who can speak to the dead...I have lived as Jesus Christ. I have been he who knows all. You see, all this is true, because, for a while, it was all real."

#193: Thanks for the recommendation of that one, Claire. I will see if I can find a copy!

Well we had to order it from Austrailia :( P&P wasn't too bad and it came really quickly but still..

106. nemonymous one by anonymous
Odd but fun short stories
(3.5 of 5)

Interesting concept, all stories are published anonymously and the identities are revealed
in the next book. This 1st in the series did not contain one bad tale, As whilst some weren't my cup of tea they were all wonderfully odd and very rich, a perfect book for dipping into. Until I buy book 2 I do not know who wrote them but for the curious http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemonymous

107. Britten and Brülightly by Hannah Berry
Astonishing debut noir comic (graphic novel)
(4.5 out of 5)

It is a truly great piece of noir enhanced with some perfect artwork (think subdued "rain washed" painting). We follow a PI (known as the heartbreaker for his unfailing honesty) and his bizarre wisecracking partner as he becomes embroiled in a complex murder case, one which starts to connect with his past. So far nothing new? Ah but it's so much more than a riveting whodunit, Berry manages to weave heavy noir themes such as depression and redemption with wonderful oddity and some lovely puns. Its a deeply sad and touching tale, but a very beautiful one.

#195: I will look for Britten and Brulightly. I have been reading quite a few graphic novels. Thanks for the recommendation!

Hmmm - Well, you made Britten and Brülightly sound interesting enough to have me hit the internet to find out more. I found sample pages from the book at the publishers website, and discovered the meaning of "Brulightly" which had me perplexed for a while! Thanks for the heads up on this one :)

thanks for that link to the sample pages, I find it impossible to describe comics visually.

I though the use of art to introduce Brulightly was very well done, never felt odd. Whether you see him as an extension of depression or something else is nicely left ambivalent and of course Brulightly comes up with the best puns :)

108. Across the Nightingale Floor: Episode 1: The Sword of the Warrior by Liam Hearn
Nice little YA fantasy set Japan
(3 out of 5)

I do not usually read YA but I enjoyed this light, fun read of a classic Japanese coming of age/revenge tale. The fantasy part is very light, simply enhancing the great feudal Japanese setting. The main characters are extremely likable and whilst peripheral ones aren't deep they all fit perfectly. The plot fills the small length wonderfully* and I am very keen to pick up the next one. My only complaint is it makes me feel old, ah those ancient 30 year olds creaking in decrepitude.

*This is 1/2 of the book Across the Nightingale Floor. The whole series has been cut down into smaller segments, not sure why.. although they do have nicer covers. :)

109. This Mitchell and Webb Book by Mitchell & Webb
(3 out of 5)
A Christmas book from the UK comedy duo, not laugh out loud funny but still a nice present for fans. Great for dipping into.

110. The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw
A year in the life of a lobster fisherman.
(3 out of 5)

An odd little book. After years spent as a swordfish boat captain (part inspiration for The Perfect Storm) she returns home to a small island in Maine to settle down, find romance and begin lobster fishing.

Greenlaw is a witty and endearing and manages to depict life on a tiny island with aplomb. Memorable characters mix family anecdotes and fishing tales. Which is interesting but ends up feeling disjointed, with the link between stories absent. It is also a brutally honest book, by the end her loneliness apparent and her journey sad and left me feeling slightly uncomfortable. However looking at her bibliography it looks like she has found a new direction and I hope happiness.

111. 100 Bullets Vol 13: Wilt by Brian Azzarello (author) and Eduardo Risso (artist)
Fun, noirish, crime comic
(3 out of 5)

Last in the series of 100 Bullets. An over the top, complex crime thriller. Think gangster, think government conspiracy.

Whilst I have really enjoyed it I hesitate to recommend for anyone but
over the top crime lovers and comics fans. It's had some fantastic plots, some cool characters and managed to ramp up the tension (hard with a complex segmented storyline) but the end is kind of disappointing, it seemed all a bit rushed, a bit ho hum and the hinted at clever ending never appeared. It’s just too a heavy investment for such a payoff, still I did enjoy the ride.

112. Secrets from the Red Lantern by Pauline Nguyen
Luscious Vietnamese cook book
(3 out of 5)

A beautifully presented cook book and biography telling the story of the authors escape from communist Vietnam and struggle to grow up in Australia. The biography is fascinating and although sometimes hard to read the food is given an emotional resonance .The actual recipes? Well mostly useless from my point of view since %70 contain meat but the one fish dish I tried was nice.

Edit spelling

113. Last Drink Bird Head by various. Edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer
(4.5 out of 5)

Excellent "flash fiction" from over 80 authors all in the name of charity (ProLiteracy). Each author was sent the words "Last Drink Bird Head" and asked to write 500 words (a phrase inspired by a cool yet disturbing drawing by Eric Shallar) and the results are surprisingly varied. We get tastes of horror, humour, craziness, romance, fantasy and even reality. We see Last Drink Bird Head as an alien, a cowboy, a drink, a song and places. Oh I could go on. The writers are a good mix of well known and new (Gene Wolfe, Peter Straub, Hal Duncan to name a few). It also a lovely book in of itself, with some nice touches such as the cute little bird heads that do a 'flick-book' animation. I really recommend it for lovers of the fantastical.

More info, the complete list of authors, excerpts over at: http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2009/09/24/last-drink-bird-head-for-charity-party-...

#202: I have never heard of 'flash fiction' before. I will have to check Last Drink Bird Head out. Thanks for the recommendation, Claire!

a little late but you make Britten and Brülightly sound so appealing - adding it to the top of the wishlist!

Hello i am very happy to visit your pages but i am a student at the university of dakar in senegal. i am writing my thesis on American Revolution and my supervisor suggested me to read the book untitled The Americans the National Experience by Daniel Boortin.i would like you to send me some documents odealing with that book if you have it. i am waiting for answer.Thank you a lot.

Um...I don't have that book, the search feature should help you find discussions/reviews on the book, although I would add some books to your library as more cynical people might question your motives...

114. The Boys: Herogasm by Garth Ennis (author) and John McCrea (artist)
(1 out of 5)
Ugh! Although it doesn't mention it, it's a spin off from the fun graphic novel series. Unfortunately it has little plot, minimal use of the great characters and it is burgeoning on soft porn. I am not a prude (honest I loved Lost Girls but I found it boring and pointless.

115. City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer
Stunning fantasy
(4.5 out of 5)

A deeply rich, evocative and playful set of stories all set in the amazing city of Ambergris, a tropical chaotic place, where composers deaths cause riots, the usurped indigenous "grey caps" lurk in shadows plotting revenge and festivals are held to the King Squid.

This book contains a huge variety of tales, from a tourists history book with sarcastic footnotes, an insane squid fanatic's scientific theory, fake art history, bibliographies, glossaries and beautiful sketches. It's all wonderful, bizarre, over the top and deserves to be a glossy colourful hardback. The only downside is the first tale.. 100 pages that just don't grab me, but stick with it and you will be rewarded.

Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy, oddity, postmodernism.

Right that's me done for the year! Thank you to all who perused my thread and expanded my reading list. I cannot believe how many different books have appeared on my TBR pile! 2010 should be a good year :)

Happy New Year!

Claire, I hope you are joining us for the 2010 challenge. The group is up and running!

Have a wonderful New Year!

Thank you, I am torn about joining the 2010 challenge it was a bit manic this year (I have a compulsion to skim read all the threads) plus I am trying to 1010 category challenge... I will probably weaken and give in though :)

I understand - most people just follow a few of the threads. There are very few of us who even attempt to keep up with all of them :)