At the Water's Edge

At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen
368 Pages

Set in 1944, this is a story about a woman, Maddie, Hyde, who travels with her husband Ellis to investigate the Loch Ness Monster when family struggles in Philadelphia make the couple outcasts.  It becomes a journey of self-discovery as she begins to examine her life and her marriage while interaction with the local populace in Scotland.

If you are a fan of Water for Elephants this book will probably not measure up, even though it is a good story with some interesting characters.  My problem was that some of the characters were one-dimensional or unrealistic.  

Beat the Heart Attack Gene

Beat the Heart Attack Gene by Bradley Bale, MD , Amy Doneen, ARNP
321 Pages

The purpose of this book is to suggest possible tests and steps you can take if you have a family history of heart problems.  The main premise is that doctors haven't evolved with the times and new knowledge of what causes heart attacks in people and a lot of the basic ideas we have about treatment is not looking in the right areas when it comes to testing for conditions.  This, according to the authors, is why people can have heart attacks with no prior warning signs or conditions.

Some interesting information but I will state that the typeface used by the publisher is awful. 

Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater
391 Pages

"Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. The trick with found things, though, is how easily they can be lost. Friends can betray. Mothers can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel."

 I'll admit that I read this book because I was hoping for a conclusion.  It didn't happen and I doubt that I will bother with the next book because now I simply don't care.  

The Broken Eye

The Broken Eye by Brent Weeks
795 Pages

"As the old gods awaken and satrapies splinter, the Chromeria races to find the only man who can still end a civil war before it engulfs the known world. But Gavin Guile has been captured by an old enemy and enslaved on a pirate galley. Worse still, Gavin has lost more than his powers as Prism--he can't use magic at all. Without the protection of his father, Kip Guile will face a master of shadows as his grandfather moves to choose a new Prism and put himself in power. With Teia and Karris, Kip will have to use all his wits to survive a secret war between noble houses, religious factions, rebels, and an ascendant order of hidden assassins called The Broken Eye."

This is the third book of the series and like all fantasy series ends with more questions and dangling plot lines promising future books.  I liked the book but sometimes I think it is better to wait until a series is finished before reading it.  When you have to wait for the next book you forget some of the characters and plots and have to spend time refreshing your memory as you read.  

After Wonderland

Beyond Wonderland, Escape from Wonderland, and Wonderland: Clash of Queens by Raven Gregory, 157, 200 and 144 pages (501 total)

I have always been attracted to the wackiness that was portrayed in the Wonderland movies, both the old Disney classic and the newer Johnny Depp release. This wonderland series is more for those that liked the Johnny Depp version. It is not the kind of tale that has a happy ending. It is however a tale that is quite the thrilling adventure.

Beyond Wonderland tells the story of Calie Liddle who apparently was briefly trapped in Wonderland. As it turns out this is actually sort of the midpoint of Zenescope’s Wonderland series but I did not know that until after I read this. Anyways Calie is still trying to adjust back to a normal life but Wonderland is not done with her yet. With the weirdness creeping in and the Mad Hatter stalking her, will Calie’s normal life survive, will she?

Escape from Wonderland finishes what was started in Beyond Wonderland. Here a lot more of the questions I had going into this collection were answered as there is a lot more back story revealed. This book is also very creepy with its post apocalypse Wonderland setting.

Wonderland: Clash of Queens was probably my favorite volume in this set. It has nothing to do with Calie and just tells some of the history of Wonderland, namely of the four queens. When I saw the Wonderland movies I always wondered where the other queens were. Sure the Queen of Hearts was featured quite vividly with her “Off with their heads!” motto but what about the other suits. I suppose this question might be answered in Carroll’s original works, but I have yet to read them. Either way this book looks at all four suits and their uniqueness.

I really enjoyed this series, though I wish I had done more checking before I started reading. It is always weird trying to jump into a series mid flow but it is what it is. I think reading from the start would have helped me enjoy these more, but they still were not bad. Since I need to know how it started you will likely see the first part of this next month.

Grimm Fairy Tales

Grimm Fairy Tales Volumes 1-5 and Grimm Fairy Tales Omnibus Volumes 1 and 2, 158, 166, 174, 168, 168, 593, and 1085 pages (2512 total)

A quick note on the page counts. For the first omnibus I only read the latter 593 pages as indicated. This is because volumes 1-5 were the first part of it. So basically I started off reading the single issues, then changed over to the omnibi (I have been assured that omnibi is the proper plural of omnibus).

That being said I cannot remember how I came across this series but I am glad I did. In simplistic terms this is a simple, darker retelling of the classic Grimm Fairy Tales made by Zenescope. That in its self would be enough for me as each of the tales is fully illustrated and normally comes with a moral or a warning. But there is also an underlying theme about stopping the world from being destroyed by darkness.

The stories for the most part take place on Earth, or the Nexus as it is called, but some and most of the storyline happens in the other realms. The majority of the stories follow a woman named Sela who turns up when someone is headed down a dark path. Through the telling of a fable she tries to convince them to see reason and save themselves. This is counter balanced by Belinda, who does the same thing but tries to convince them to become eviler.

The story line is a lot more complex than the stories. It winds through various issues and builds off the entire universe that Zenescope has created. It is not uncommon to be reading a lesser characters role and have it end with “to see what happens pick up such and such issue of a different series. This makes it somewhat confusing if you want to know all of the details but also helps streamline the story itself. In essence the story is quite simple, the forces of good try to stop the forces of evil from destroying the world, but there is a lot happening and a couple interesting twists that make it entertaining.

I would recommend this series to everyone who reads a lot of comics and graphic novel, and to everyone that read and enjoyed the Fables series. While this is in the adult part of the library, I think teenagers and up would be the appropriate age range.

Ruth's Journey: The Authorized Novel of Mammy From Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The WInd

Ruth’s Journey: The Authorized Novel of Mammy From Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind by Donald McCaig   416 pages

 Gone With The Wind is undoubtedly my all-time favorite movie. I can watch it over and over and over. It’s not surprising that there have been sequel’s and prequel’s (Scarlett by Alexandrea Ripley—a hideous novel—and Rhett Butler’s People by Donald McCaig that I haven’t read). I admit that I was excited when I saw heard about another prequel, this time from Mammy’s point of view. What a great character she is. Margaret Mitchell not only created a formidable personality, Hattie McDaniel brought her to life. McDaniel deserved the Oscar she was awarded.

 I haven’t read all of McCaig’s works, but I have read, and thoroughly enjoyed, his Nop’sTrials and Nop’s Hope. Both are excellent stories. Between a novel about Mammy and a writer with whom I’m familiar, no one had to twist my arm to pay hardcover price for what I was positive would be a wonderful reading experience.

Alas, I was wrong; it’s a tedious read. The story has begins when Mammy becomes a refugee from a slave revolt in Haiti. Her mistress gave her the name of Ruth. I know that McCaig had to create a backstory that wouldn’t be stereotypical, but he went too far. It’s as bad as Ripley sending Scarlett to Ireland for most of Scarlett

Most of the book is about Solange, Scarlett O’Hara’s grandmother, and Ellen, Scarlett’s mother. Only the confidence that the story would turn around and focus more on Ruth/Mammy kept me reading.

I found the first two-thirds of the novel seemed to center on Solange, with Mammy as a supporting character. The first half of the last two-thirds of the novel focused on Ellen, and then finally, we reach Mammy/Ruth’s story. Maybe I need to keep I mind that the title is Ruth’s Journey, not Ruth’s story. When the action finally does center on Mammy/Ruth, it seems more like rewriting of Mitchell’s work.

 I give Ruth’s Journey: The Authorized Novel of Mammy From Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind2 out of five stars

 

 

Revolution Against Christendom

The Revolution against Christendom by Warren H Carroll, 425 pages

The last of The History of Christendom series to be published in Carroll's lifetime, The Revolution against Christendom begins with the reign of Louis XIV and ends with Waterloo.  The revolution of the title is, of course, the French Revolution, as well as the Enlightenment that produced it and the reign of Napoleon that followed it.

Although this book covers a period nearly as long as that of the previous volume, it is barely more than half as long.  Large sections of text are quoted entirely from other works.  Some chapters are disjointed, fragmentary, or repetitive.  A few are adapted from chapters from other works by the same author.  This is deeply unfortunate, since this is clearly the climax of the series, and an area where Carroll has extensive knowledge (hence the existence of the adaptable chapters).  It is, at least, salvageable as an excellent bibliography for further reading.

(In 2013, the final volume of the series, The Crisis of Christendom, was posthumously published, taking the history up to 2005.  As I do not own it, I will not be reading it in the foreseeable future.)

Act One

Act One by Moss Hart
452 Pages

"Act One influenced a generation of theatergoers, dramatists, and readers everywhere as Hart eloquently chronicled his impoverished Bronx/Brooklyn childhood and his long, determined struggle to reach the opening night of his first theatrical Broadway success, written with George S. Kauffman, Once in a Lifetime ."

Playwright and Screenwriter Moss Hart was know for such hits as You can't Take it With You and My Fair Lady.  His autobiography is an engaging look at a lost era of Broadway. 

Disappearance Boy

Disappearance Boy by Neil Bartlett
282 Pages

"Reggie Rainbow has found the perfect profession for someone who likes to keep himself to himself: it's his job to make sure that some things stay out of sight and out of mind.  Childhood polio has left him with a limp, but his strong arms and nimble fingers are put to perfect use behind the scenes, helping the illusionist Mr Brookes to 'disappear' a series of glamorous assistants twice nightly. But in 1953, bookings for magic acts are scarce, even in London. So when Mr Brookes is unexpectedly offered a slot at the Brighton Grand, Reggie finds himself back out on the road and living in a strange new town. The sea air begins to work its own peculiar kind of magic, and, as the bunting goes up in the streets outside the theatre for the Grand's forthcoming Coronation spectacular, Reggie begins to wonder just how much of his own life is an act - and what might have happened to somebody who disappeared from that life long ago."


Reggie and Pamela find comfort in each other as they search for meaning in their lives.  A nicely written, short novel with a interesting narrative style. 

Rose Gold

Rose Gold: An Easy Rawlins Mystery by Walter Mosley   320 pages

L. A. private detective Easy Rawlins is back in his thirteenth adventure; the second after Mosley left readers believing Easy had perished after driving his car off a California cliff.  It’s only months after that near-death experience, and Easy is still recuperating.

Easy’s focus is no longer catching the bad guy but making a good life for his daughter, Feather, which includes getting her into a pricey private school. He needs money; not sure how he’s going to afford the tuition, but confident that he’ll find a way.

The story open with Easy moving to a newer home, not terribly far from his current address. He may be moving, but Easy is an simple man to find. He is approached by undercover police officer Roger Fisk and three other unidentified, plainclothes officers to find Rosemary Gold, the daughter of a very wealthy and very private munitions manufacturer. Readers should keep in mind that the novel takes place in the 1960s, at the height of Vietnam. I immediately thought of Patty Hearst and her 1974 kidnapping by the Symbionese Liberation Army. And while Rose Gold’s action takes place long before that event, I can’t help but wonder if Mosely wasn’t influenced by it. The revolutionary group who supposedly kidnapped the young heiress calls itself Scorched Earth, which again reminded me of the SLA.

Easy is reluctant to take the case; after all he is a black man who would be nosing into a white man’s business. He quickly changes his mind when he is offered an eight thousand dollar down payment on services rendered. This could be ticket to Feather’s education.

Needless to say, Easy finds himself involved in more than a mere kidnapping plot. Several other law enforcement agencies are either trying to buy him and his service or buy him off. Sometimes he isn’t sure exactly who he is working for nor exactly why he is y to Rosemary Gold

Mosley’s sentences are as colorful as the decade the action occurs. There’s the hippie subculture, plenty of drugs, tough guys who are hell bent on making a name for themselves in the neighborhood, and a fascinating subplot surrounding the last of an American Indian tribe who could almost be as dangerous as Easy’s friend, Mouse. And to top it off, Easy is in the doghouse with his girlfriend, Bonnie.

I give Easy Rawlins’ latest adventure 5 out of 5 stars.

Preacher Volume 3

Preacher Book 3 by Garth Ennis, 352 pages

This third volume in the Preacher series seemed to be devoted to developing the characters and reminding you who is still alive in the series. It starts off with a long tale about how the patron Saint of Killers came to be. Next it shows about Cassidy’s interaction with more of his kind. And finally there is a weird love triangle between Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy. Oh and the sheriffs kid with a name that I probably cannot say on this blog turns back up.

As far as this series goes this was probably the weakest issue in terms of story. The Saint of Killers part was excellent but the rest just seemed like needless filler. My only hope is that maybe this development of the characters leads to something even better in volume 4.

Alterant

Alterant  by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love, 407 pages

I picked this book up because I needed to read a romance book for a book club. Since I had already started this series before when I was on a small Kenyon kick I decided to continue it. Despite being labeled as a supernatural romance on a couple sites, I don’t think I would have labeled it as such. While there is a building love interest it has hardly any of the steamy sexy scenes that seem to define the genre. What it did have is a somewhat interesting story about a woman named Evalle who is trying to convince a council of gods that she is not a dangerous monster. The council who consists of gods like Ares and Loki are not convinced and assign her a task to prove herself. From there it dissolves into an action novel with murderous beasts, angry spirits and an evil sorceress trying to end the world.

While this book was not what I expected I still enjoyed it. It has one of my favorite characters who’s named Feenix. Feenix is a young dragon who eats lug nuts and anything that is metal. Despite being a very powerful creature he acts like a three year old, a three year old that can breathe fire. Even with this being over 400 pages long I still blew though it in under a day.

Cape 1969

Cape 1969 by Jason Ciaramella, 104 pages

I picked this up because the story line was written by Joe Hill, who is one of my favorite authors. His writing is nearly always straight to the point and fast paced. This was no exception. Cape 1969 tells the story of a Captain Chase after his helicopter is shot down in Vietnam and the trials he goes through trying to get home. Since this is a Hill story there is also some weirdness. If you have read the sequel to this, The Cape, you know what I am referring to. I personally have not read The Cape but having read this I can guess what it is about.

I have some mixed feelings about this book. While it did a decent job of creating the chaos and brutality of the Vietnam War the introduction of the supernatural seemed under defined. I know magic can explain away a lot of stuff, but the origins of that magic help it become something more believable. Sadly this was lacking and so it felt more forced than it should have been.

Robyn Hood

Robyn Hood Volume One and Robyn Hood Volume Two: Wanted by Pat Shand, 164 and 151 pages

This is another off shoot of the main Grimm Fairy Tales from Zenescope. It takes the traditional Robin Hood narrative and intertwines it with a modern day twist. Robyn is a young woman who has nothing left to lose when a strange portal opens up and pulls her into an alternate world. There she sees the evilness of King John and unlike in her own life has the power to do something about it. So she joins up with the Merry Men to help free the land.

While this does sort of follow the Robin Hood story line it also has demons and magical weapons, not to mention an orc horde. If you don’t like the intermixing of fantasy with classic tales then this is not for you. I on the other hand found the remix quite intriguing and wonder where this series will go next. It should be mentioned that this graphic novel fit its description and is very graphic. I also has some mature content and themes.

Witch Doctor

Witch Doctor Volume 1: Under the Knife by Brandon Seifert, 112 pages

Under the Knife was a quite good graphic novel that I happened to stumble upon. It involves a doctor who combats the supernatural in an attempt to keep mankind safe. To aide him he as an assistant that he keeps in the dark most of the time and only tells him what he needs to know normally just after he needed to know and a girl who is more than she seems and sees all of the monsters as snacks. If that wasn’t enough the doctor doesn’t really know what he is doing most of the time either, as he was sort of thrown into this position of world guardian when he pulled Excalibur out of a stone.  

Despite all that I found this to be a well written graphic novel that I hope will continue for some time to come. While quite bloody and gory, this graphic novel should be fine for teens and up.

The Port Chicago 50

The Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin, 200 pages

This book is an account of the actions of fifty African American Naval men accused of mutiny during World War II.  At that time, all branches of the Armed Forces were segregated and African Americans were only allowed to be on board ships as mess attendants.  The group of people in Port Chicago were responsible for loading explosives on board ships.  After an explosion destroys a ship, killing 320 people, several of the men were afraid to go back to loading, feeling that the cause of the explosion was directly related to some of the unsafe practices being employed by the Naval officers.  In the end, fifty men refused to go back to work and were court martialed and tried for mutiny.  This is a case that I knew nothing about before reading this book.  It was well written and clear and showed not only what was happening with the trial but also the discrimination African Americans were subjected to in both the Armed Forced and the country in general.  I would definitely recommend this to any kid or teen interested in reading about civil rights.

Flesh And Blood

Flesh And Blood by Patricia Cornwell, 369 pages

Dr. Kay Scarpetta is forced to postpone her birthday trip due to a fatal shooting that happened in her own neighborhood.  The case resembles two other cases that happened in other areas recently, and all of the victims have been in some way tied to Kay.  As evidence is uncovered and more bodies pile up, it seems that several things may be connected, including some personal issues Kay has had with credit cards and pennies appearing in her yard.  This is another suspenseful story that has Kay and several of her loved ones in danger, as has been the pattern for this series recently.  While the story is pretty good, I felt like Cornwell’s writing has been suffering lately.  Some sentences feel stilted and disjointed, and there seem to be some fragments scattered throughout.  Early on, I felt like I was being subjected to a stream-of-consciousness of Kay’s thoughts and it didn’t make a lot of sense.  This might be just me, and I’m not sure I’m completely ready to give up yet, but I didn’t feel like this was Cornwell’s best work.  I wouldn’t recommend anyone start the series with this story, however people who like medical suspense stories will probably still enjoy this series.

Wildwood Imperium

Wildwood Imperium by Colin Meloy, 580 pages

Prue is trying to reunite Ebsen and Carol so that they can build a cog to revive Alexei, the son of the Dowager Governess.  The Council Tree has told her it is necessary to save Wildwood.  She has been traveling with Ebsen, searching for Carol.  Several other groups of people are also working to save Wildwood.  Colin has been trying to keep the group of Bandits alive, or at least their legend.  Unbeknownst to him, the bandits have been serving the Synod, unwillingly.  The Unadoptables, including Colin’s sisters, Rachel and Elsie, have been trying to survive, but, having met Nico, part of a group who is trying to take down the Quartet, they join the fight, and also end up trying to save the Wildwood.  Meanwhile, a young girl, Zita, is helping the Verdant Empress, which could spell disaster for the Wildwood and all of its inhabitants.  This is the third book in the Wildwood series and I would definitely recommend reading them in order.  A lot of what happens in this book won’t make a lot of sense unless you’ve read the first two books.  Give this to kids who love fantasy and are undaunted by long books.

Moon At Nine

Moon At Nine by Deborah Ellis, 223 pages

Farrin attends a good school in Iran, but never tries too hard.  Her mother is angry that the Shah was overthrown and doesn’t like the new government.  When she went to the same school it was for the elite.  Now, anyone who is intelligent has a chance to go to the school.  Farrin has no friends because of her family’s money until the day that Sadira comes to school.  Sadira is different and she and Farrin become good friends and perhaps more.  However, in Iran, being gay or lesbian is illegal and if anyone finds out about Farrin and Sadira’s love, they could be jailed, beaten or even killed.  The girls believe that their love is worth that risk but they may be put to the test sooner than they think.  This is a really good story for teens that have an interest in the conflicts that people face in other countries.

The Wall

The Wall by William Sutcliffe, 289 pages

People who are different live on the other side of the wall.  People on Joshua’s side of the wall say that the other people want to bomb and kill Joshua’s people.  When Joshua finds the tunnel that leads to the other side of the wall he is curious so he crawls through.  What he finds there surprises him.  A group of boys chase him and it’s clear to Joshua that they want to hurt him, but a girl helps him.  She hides him and helps him find his way back to the tunnel so he can get home.  Joshua ends up trying to help the girl’s family, but when his stepfather finds out about the family, he nearly destroys everything.  While the actual setting of this story is fictional, it resembles the conflict in Israel’s West Bank.  This was a really good book and teens interested in real life stories about other countries will enjoy this.

Where I Belong

Where I Belong by Mary Downing Hahn, 226 pages

Brendan hates school and doesn’t do well, except in art.  He loves to draw.  He’s actually smart, but when he doesn’t understand, his teachers and classmates tease him.  He lives with a foster mother, who criticizes him.  Although he’s been told not to go in the woods, Brendan does anyway, and builds a tree house that becomes his special place.  He also meets the Green Man and Brendan finally feels like he has a place where he belongs.  However, because he failed sixth grade, he has to go to summer school.  While there, he meets a new girl, Shea, who might actually be a friend.  His teacher is much better also, and Brendan starts to feel like he could learn something.  But everything could fall apart when Brendan is attacked by three local boys.  Afraid of possible retaliation, Brendan won’t tell anyone who hurt him, which could have devastating consequences.  This is a really good story for kids about friendship.

Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, 190 pages

I am really glad that I finally took the time to read this book. I can certainly see why people have enjoyed it and why it is so highly recommended. Fahrenheit 451 is one of those books that is timeless. Despite being written back in the 50’s the message about the abandonment of thinking and dystopian future the world is heading towards is just as potent today, if not more so. Already more and more time is spent in front of television screens and we are starting to see the audience participation play a large part in happens on the program. The next logical step would be for someone to actually play a part with spoken lines that pauses and waits for you to respond, just like we see in Fahrenheit 451. It is a scary possible future.

On a happier note Fahrenheit 451 made me reflect on what I books I could be (you know what I mean if you have read the book). What have I read that would contribute back to society? Of Mice and Men maybe or those Shakespearean plays I had to read back in high school. I know there are some works of Dante floating around in my subconscious somewhere.  There are certainly a lot of books that I have read in the past but I don’t know which ones I would choose. I would be happy to hear what books other people might be. Remember it is not something you have to memorize but something that you have read. At least if the premise that everything you have read, seen and done is somewhere in your subconscious and can be recalled eventually.

I think Fahrenheit 451 should be on everyone’s list to read eventually if they have not already. Not because it will move you in to any action or change your life, but because it will make you think.

Piper

Grimm Fairy Tales: Piper by Mike Kalvoda, 168 pages

This is a one shot that is sort of tied in with the Grimm Fairy Tales series put out by Zenescope. The first part tells the original tale of the Piped Piper but adds a more gruesome ending. The second part brings a vengeful Piped Piper into modern times where he uses his power to exact vengeance for whoever summons him. But even the summoner must pay the piper.

I enjoyed this book and enjoyed to imagery provided, namely the depiction of the Piper. It brought an air of horror to what I would originally have called a boring children’s fable. This graphic novel is pretty graphic but I think teenagers and up are its intended audience.

Transmetropolitan

Transmetropolitan: Tales of Human waste, Transmetropolitan: Back on the Street, and Transmetropolitan: Lust for Life by Warren Ellis, 110, 67 and 202 pages

The Transmetropolitan series is one of those you will either like or hate. The main character is Spider Jerusalem an in your face tell it how he sees it reporter who is out to destroy the world, and in some cases rightfully so. His methods are crude, unusual and at times disgusting but he gets results. The “articles” that he writes are more ranting than anything else and usually about what ever pissed him off that day. The topics range from religion to politics with quite a few about modern culture. It is certainly an eye opening book in more ways than one.

While I enjoyed this series I am not sure it would be something that I would recommend to anyone. I feel anyone that reads this series should find it on their own or be led to it by what they read. I don’t want to be responsible for recommending something that overtly mocks aspects of their life. That being said I recommend that no one under the age of mature (yes I know that is not an age, but everyone matures at a different point) should read it.

My Mother she Killed me...

My Mother she killed me, my Father he ate me, 542 pages

This is a collection of forty new fairy tales composed by a collection of writers. They range from retellings of classics adapted for modern times to original ideas. Like all collected works there were some stories that were very good and some that I struggled to finish. I think I was drawn more to the retellings and the expanding upon of the classics if for no other reason I was familiar with the story and characters already.

One of the highlights of this collection was a short tale by Neil Gaiman title Orange. What made this story so unique was that the entire thing is told through responses to a questionnaire or interview. The reader never sees the questions that were asked only the responses. At first this is confusing but quickly you realize that you can get glimpses of the tale underneath as the questions obviously get more focused on the event that happened. Personally I love to see unique or abstract ways of telling a story. It just makes it more memorable.

This book despite its length took me several months to finish. For some reason I could not sit down and read it for any length of time. Maybe it was the content or just the busyness of the holiday season.

Black Wings

Black Wings: new tales of Lovecraftian horror, 427 pages

Black Wings is a collection on Lovecraftian short stories that I found on a table here in the library. Having read other Lovecraftian collections I decided to give this one a try. While some authors seemed to follow in the footsteps of Lovecraft more than others, the overall collection was quite good. Like every collection of short stories some stood out while others were more lifeless and did not hold my interest. Some of my favorites included Copping Squid by Michael Shea, Correspondences of Cemeron Thaddeus Nash annotated by Ramsey Campbell and Lesser Demons by Norman Partridge.

If you liked Lovecraft’s work, namely some of his calmer less macabre stories I think you would also enjoy this.


I really like this book cover, even if it is not the classic Cthulhu.

Death of WCW

The Death of WCW by RD Reynolds and Bryan Alvarez, 334 pages

To paraphrase Edward Gibbon, there are two great problems in wrestling history - how to account for the rise of World Championship Wrestling, and how to account for its fall.  In The Death of WCW, the creators of WrestleCrap.com come as close as anyone can to answering both questions.

In the early '90s, WCW challenged Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (subsequently renamed World Wrestling Entertainment) for the spot at the top of the pro wrestling heap.  In what became known as the Monday Night Wars (because the most popular programs - WCW's Nitro and the WWF's Raw - aired opposite one another on Monday nights), the WCW scored early victories, setting new ratings records and driving the WWF to the brink of bankruptcy.  Owner Ted Turner's deep pockets lured in many of the biggest names in wrestling, leading to one of wrestling's most celebrated storylines when wrestlers poached from the WWF "invaded" WCW as the New World Order.  Nor was the WCW averse to innovation, providing many Anglo viewers with their first exposure to luchadores outside of watching El Santo movies with Joe Bob Briggs.  The peak of the WCW was astonishingly brief, however - within a couple of years it was losing millions of dollars per month, until it was sold in 2001 to none other than archrival Vince McMahon.

This is a book about the business of pro wrestling, not a tell-all - the authors aren't interested in backstage shenanigans except insofar as they impacted the actual product.  An informal style establishes a conversational tone - this is a work by fans for fans rather than an academic analysis.  The reader might doubt some of the authors' conclusions, but they are certainly entirely plausible and backed by actual data where possible.  An altogether fun, if ultimately tragic, tale of fame, greed, ego, and ambition, and how sometimes smart people make stupid choices.

Lowriders in Space

Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper, illustrated by Raul the Third; 111 pages

Lupe Impala (an impala), El Chavo Flapjack (an octopus) and Elirio Malaria (a mosquito) all love fixing cars and work together at a garage. They each have a specialty: Lupe is the mechanic, Flapjack is a skilled detailer and Elirio airbrushes the most excellent paint jobs (pin striping being his forte). While they’re happy with their current lot, all three would much rather be working on lowriders. When a car competition rolls into town, our trio knows that the prize money would be the perfect chance to start their own garage. Will Lupe, Flapjack and Elirio be able to transform an old junker into the perfect lowrider? With a little help from an abandoned airplane factory and a galactic road trip, they can’t lose.

I adored this all-ages graphic novel. Lupe instantly calls to mind Maggie the Mechanic from Love and Rockets - which is a great thing in my book. Raul the Third’s illustrations are done almost exclusively in ballpoint pen, and the detail and style are perfectly on-point for the frenzied and spacey story. I’m eagerly looking forward to more adventures of Lupe, Flapjack and Elirio; as well as more books from Cathy Camper and Raul the Third.

Extinction Parade

Extinction Parade by Max Brooks, 160 pages

This was a great graphic novel. It is about a hive of vampires that live in South America. Throughout their long lives they have watched small zombie apocalypse start and end with the humans surviving. It always ends the same way. The zombies start to appear the humans come and kill them. So when another zombie outbreak starts happening they don’t care. The humans will win eventually. Except this time the outcome is not as certain. Suddenly the vampires are faced with the hard truth of what do they eat if all of their food dies.

This is quite an unusual take on the standard vampire story, aided by the fact that there are also zombies. I look forward to seeing more of this series and if Brooks can keep this thriller of a graphic novel going.

Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits

John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits by Garth Ennis, 160 pages

Constantine is dying. He never thought that he would live long enough in this line of work that lung cancer from his constant smoking would have a chance to do him in. To make it work the demons of hell that he has thwarted are lining up to claim his soul. But all is not completely lost Constantine has a plan that is just crazy enough it might work.

There is a lot of reflecting upon past deeds and earlier parts of Constantine’s life throughout this volume.  I suppose that is the classic dying storyline but since I have read what was several years’ worth of Constantine comics in the past two months I didn’t really need the recap. What I did find interesting was despite Constantine’s badass persona we get glimpses that that is not who he always is. This is obvious in his concern and friendship with another person dying of cancer and in how he tells this friends goodbye. 

For those that have seen the Constantine movie. This book seems to have been its inspiration. From here though it is a whole new Constantine world and I have no idea what comes next, but I am sure I will enjoy reading about it.

Immortal Empires books 1 and 2

God Save the Queen and The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke, 351 and 337 pages

These are the first two books in Locke’s Immortal Empire series. The series takes place in a semi modern day London with some key differences. The first being that Queen Victoria is a vampire with vampires as the ruling class. And secondly that there are werewolves and goblins.

The story follows a woman named Xandra a member of the Royal Guard and sworn to protect the nobility. But when her sister disappears everything starts to come apart. What follows is a journey that forces her to reexamine her deepest principles and beliefs. There is also a supernatural love story.

 Despite this series being somewhat corny and at times predictable I still found myself enjoying it. With multiple layers of story intertwining together in explosive ways(literally in some cases) the story was never dull and seemed to end faster that I would expect for 300+ page novel. I think people that enjoy supernatural romance novels would also enjoy this series, even with the romance taking the back seat.

Past Master

Past Master by RA Lafferty, 191 pages

In the 26th century, the golden world of Astrobe is in crisis - but a strange sort of crisis which no one seems to understand.  Ever increasing numbers of citizens are abandoning well-regulated lives of luxury and ease in the glittering cities for brief, miserable lives of toil and tears in the slums of Cathead.  To save their utopia, the secret clique which imagines it really rules Astrobe turns to the man who wrote the book on utopia, sending a renegade pilot back in time to bring forward St Thomas More to be the next World President, the new King, the Past Master.

Lafferty writes with a New Wave style that throws off ideas liberally, but rarely stops to examine them or fit them into a consistent framework.  Here as elsewhere, this produces a certain sense of disorientation, a sort of fictional culture shock which, in this case, fits the plot, but may not be to the liking of all readers.  Despite being a short science fiction novel, Past Master is an epic story, and surprisingly deep.

Maplecroft

Maplecroft by Cherie Priest  167 of 435

"Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks; and when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one . . . The people of Fall River, Massachusetts, fear me. Perhaps rightfully so. I remain a suspect in the brutal deaths of my father and his second wife despite the verdict of innocence at my trial. With our inheritance, my sister, Emma, and I have taken up residence in Maplecroft, a mansion near the sea and far from gossip and scrutiny. But it is not far enough from the affliction that possessed my parents. Their characters, their very souls, were consumed from within by something that left malevolent entities in their place. It originates from the ocean's depths, plaguing the populace with tides of nightmares and madness. This evil cannot hide from me. No matter what guise it assumes, I will be waiting for it. With an axe."

I was disappointed with this book.  It had potential with a fascinating historical figure and Priest is a good writer but two things prevented me from enjoying the book.  Firstly, the narrative skips from person to person, almost as journal entries, so there isn't a consistent voice.  Secondly the nature of the evil threatening the town just seemed silly.  I gave up reading the book about in the middle of it.

The Boy Who Drew Monsters

The Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue
273 Pages

"Ever since he nearly drowned in the ocean three years earlier, ten-year-old Jack Peter Keenan has been deathly afraid to venture outdoors. Refusing to leave his home in a small coastal town in Maine, Jack Peter spends his time drawing monsters. When those drawings take on a life of their own, no one is safe from the terror they inspire. His mother, Holly, begins to hear strange sounds in the night coming from the ocean, and she seeks answers from the local Catholic priest and his Japanese housekeeper, who fill her head with stories of shipwrecks and ghosts. His father, Tim, wanders the beach, frantically searching for a strange apparition running wild in the dunes. And the boy's only friend, Nick, becomes helplessly entangled in the eerie power of the drawings. While those around Jack Peter are haunted by what they think they see, only he knows the truth behind the frightful occurrences as the outside world encroaches upon them all."

Donohue continues to write with a hint of the mystical and the book while not as strong as his first book "The Stolen Child"  examines family life when a child is autistic. The book was reminiscent of a Stephen King book.

The Paying Guests

 
 
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
566 Pages

"It is 1922, and London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned; the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa-a large, silent house now bereft of brothers, husband, and even servants-life is about to be transformed as impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers. With the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the "clerk class," the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. Little do the Wrays know just how profoundly their new tenants will alter the course of Frances's life-or, as passions mount and frustration gathers, how far-reaching, and how devastating, the disturbances will be."

A good historical book with an examination of the lifestyles and choices available to women back in 1920's England.  Waters continues to write with fascinating characters and situations. 

Education of Henry Adams

The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams, 397 pages

In 1860, 23 year old Henry Adams accompanied his father, Charles Francis Adams, to England, where the latter was to serve as ambassador throughout the American Civil War.  Charles, at the age of two, had likewise sailed with his father, John Quincy Adams, to St Petersburg as ambassador during the Napoleonic Wars, and John Quincy was eleven when he and his father, John Adams, went to France to win support for the American Revolution.  Charles Francis was a Congressman, Vice Presidential candidate, and a founder of both the Free Soil and Republican parties, but was never be elected President, as his father and grandfather had been.  Henry would never be elected to any office, but then, to be Henry Adams was to be more than a mere President.

The Education of Henry Adams is the legendary autobiography of the man Gore Vidal called "America's great historian, wit, dispenser of gloom."  It is the story of the long nineteenth century, of the decay of the old order and the rise of the new disorder, of the rise of the US to challenge the UK for preeminence, of the replacement of the worship of the Virgin by the worship of the Dynamo, and of a man who, his own world being lost, felt himself lost in the world that replaced it.

The Centennial Version prides itself on synthesizing Adams' privately circulated edition of 1907 and the posthumously publicly published edition of 1918, bringing together the best of both versions.  It would have benefited from better notes - the brief descriptions of individuals mentioned in the text do nothing to illuminate the reader on the nature of the Alabama affair or the Erie Railway scandal.  The full history of such things is not necessary to understand the text, but Adams clearly expects that the reader knows what he is talking about, and it would be nice to gratify him.

Onyx Webb: Episode One: The Story Begins

Onyx Webb: Episode One: The Story Begins by Richard Penton & Andrea Waltz    130 pages

Sometimes I buy a book solely for its cover. If I had seen this short novel in my local indie bookstore, I would have been intrigued. The title would have made me leery, but on flipping through it, the antique photos of the main characters creeped me out enough to make me want to purchase it. Lucky for me, I didn’t have that conundrum. The authors sent me a copy.

At the beginning, it seems as if the book is told in vignettes without any rhyme or reason. But a few sections into it, the reader sees there is a pattern. The four main plot lines move between 1904 St. Louis (which is a favorite for me since I live in the Gateway City), Savannah 1979 and 2010, and Onyx’s 2012 journal. Each vignette is also divided by quotes from Onyx and other famous and not-so-famous personalities. While I cannot say I found the book spine-tingling, I was compelled to read…in fact, I read it in one evening.

The first story of Onyx and her daddy Catfish visiting the 1904 World’s Fair reminded me a lot of Erik Larsen’s Devil in the White City.  As I read, my spidey sense was getting that “this isn’t going to turnout well” sense.

The second story of Juniper and Quinn Cole also raised a few hairs. Child piano prodigy leaves all that behind as she grows up. We see her headed out to her high school prom, and again, my spidey sense starts getting nervous.

The third story is about a young man who manages to blow $20 million dollars in a short period of time. This one, well it didn’t give me the same anxious feeling the other two did.

The fourth plotline, Onyx’s journal, seemed out of place and just stuck in there. I’m sure it will start to gell in later episodes.

I have some issues with this structure: first, while there are resolutions, there is the overall sense that the whole story isn’t told.  I felt let down when I reached the end. The authors warned me: Episode One. I’m not sure that I would pick up Episode Two unless it was immediately available. Give me six months, and I won’t be interested. Second, the authors got some of their facts wrong (which drives me nuts): Tennessee Williams was wasn't born until 1911, and, therefore,  could not have been the “celebrated playwright” in attendance at the 1904 Louisiana Exposition. Arrggghhhhhh. Nor was there ever (that I could find), a St. Louis News Dispatch newspaper. Double arrggghhhhhhh. Third, there is the introduction of the Southern Gentleman near the end. I’m sure that’s to add spice and anticipation for Episode Two, but it annoyed me.

Overall, I’m not sure I would classify this as paranormal, but that could be confirmed I future volumes. The writers have talent, no doubt. I wish the story had been more linear with less creepy photos and quotes. Still I’m giving the story 4 stars…I liked it but I won’t be talking about it in six months.

 

Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater, 391 pages

Yep, this series is great. (series recap: magic happens, charming characters seek out magic, things get bad)

The 3rd book has a less traditional arc than the previous two, and I think it might be better for it. While you can pretty easily say that Blue is the main character of The Raven Boys, and Ronan is at least the focus of The Dream Thieves (if not the main character), by this point, the whole cast of characters take center stage.

You could argue that this is a bit of a transitional book. While some new conflicts do present themselves in this entry, for the most part, the focus here is on further exploring problems that began in the previous entries, with none truly "concluded." Even the new problems introduced here remain a "looming threat" for most of the book, until things come crashing down (sometimes literally) at the end. Some people might be disappointed, but when he plotlines are this interesting, and the characters this engrossing, it becomes a selling point.

I can't heap much more praise on this series than I already have in prior reviews (wait, did I even post those here? Imagine two super-cool, incredibly eloquent reviews, heaping praise via shovel). The characters are (still) great, and (still) develop in mostly believable ways (though as the plot becomes more and more magical, the characters change with it). There's a series of scenes in particular with such real, imperfect emotion, that I'd believe if it was adapted autobiography. Everything from the dialogue to the setting is pretty darn fantastic.

I don't think this series would work if you started on book two or three, and by this point, it doesn't even try to acclimate new readers. But really, you're doing yourself a great disservice if you start anywhere but the beginning.

The Dress Shop of Dreams

The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna Van Praag    326 pages

There’s something magical about Etta’s dress shop. LibraryReads called it a “cute little book… recommended to readers who want to be charmed by the possibilities of love.”  That’s what is so delightful about Van Praag’s story that is set in Oxford and Cambridge.

Etta has raised her granddaughter Cora since she was five years old. As the story opens, it’s Cora’s twenty-fifth birthday. She wishes she had her parents to celebrate with her, but they died in a mysterious house fire. Etta never truly believes that the fire that killed her daughter and son-in-law was an accident, but once the police closed the file, she never has the time to delve further into the matter. Not with raising a child and running a business. She has a secret weapon that she sews into a seam of every article of clothing.

Cora is now a brilliant scientist, who has blocked the memories even the most innocent of memories. Even as a child, she was obsessed with numbers. She is collaborating with an old friend of her parents. They seem to be on the brink of a major scientific breakthrough.

Just down All Saint Passage from the dress shop is a bookstore where Cora likes to spend three evening a week reading the lives of famous scientists. She has known the proprietor, Walt, since she was child. Walt, it is clear to everyone but Cora, has been in love with her since he was four years old. And on top of that, he makes the best cherry pies she has ever eaten. He has a glorious voice and has recently taken a job reading classical literature over the radio. When it becomes painfully obvious that Cora will never return his feelings, he looks for love in other places.

The novel is full of tales of requited and unrequited love. Etta has dreamed of a man she knew briefly fifty years ago; and he loved her but was committed elsewhere. Then there is the manager of the radio station where Walt works. He has taken to answering Walt (a.k.a. the Night Reader) and has revealed his innermost feelings to a woman on Walt’s behalf. The woman, Milly, is trying to overcome her grief on the loss of her husband.

Cora decides that she must investigate the death of her parents, and lo, readers stumble on the last love story. Officer Henry Dixon, his estranged wife Francesca, and their son, Mattie.

Sound complicated? It’s not. The characters are well defined. The plot arcs in all the right places with endings, and beginnings, where they should be. Those who enjoy magical realism will enjoy this sweet novel.

I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

 

 

The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter

The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan
373 Pages

"Elizabeth Barnabus lives a double life - as herself and as her brother, the private detective. She is trying to solve the mystery of a disappearing aristocrat and a hoard of arcane machines. In her way stand the rogues, freaks and self-proclaimed alchemists of a travelling circus. But when she comes up against an agent of the all-powerful Patent Office, her life and the course of history will begin to change. And not necessarily for the better..."

In this version of England the Patent office controls inventions in order to protect society from the potential upheaval of life changing inventions.  Barnabus, once part of a travelling show, must use her talents to find a missing aristocrat.  The plot moves quickly and Elizabeth is a strong female character.