News/Misc. - The Irresponsible Reader

Saturday Miscellany – 1/31/15

On January 31, 2015

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

Writing a new Philip Marlowe: a question of dialogue, attitude and style — John Banville talks about the process he went through when writing a classic character
George RR Martin’s The Winds of Winter: no plans for publication in 2015 — Martin will not be publishing a new novel from A Song of Ice and Fire this year. Which is a coincidence, because neither will I.

Gemini Cell by Myke Cole — a prequel-ish tale to his Shadow Ops series. Can’t wait to get done with my current stack of library books so I can read this one.
Fairest by Marissa Meyer — Queen Levana’s backstory.
Jacaranda by Cherie Priest — a short novel that takes place 20 years after Fiddlehead.

Saturday Miscellany – 1/24/15

By HCNewton

On January 24, 2015

In Books, News/Misc.

A very skimpy offering this week.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

Karen E. Olson has a new book deal. That’s pretty good news, been too long since I read her.
11 TV Characters Who Love Books Maybe Even As Much as You — a cute list
15 signs to prove you’re a book addict — from The Guardian of all people.
I think we’ve all been in the same place asthis Max Overacts.
Myke Cole on the Once and Future Podcast in advance of his novel Gemini Cell (which sounds great), like his previous appearance this is one of the better episodes of the podcast. Even if you don’t know who this guy is, you should check it out.

Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham — the second (of what I hope is many) Veronica Mars novel is even better than the first.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to Publishing Insights for following the blog this week. Thanks to hortah01 for the interaction.

Audio from The Severed Streets by Paul Cornell

By HCNewton

On January 21, 2015

In Fiction, News/Misc., Paul Cornell, Quotations, Urban Fantasy

Recently, I received an email from someone at Audible.com:

I saw your great review of THE SEVERED STREETS and I wanted to make sure that you are aware that the book is also available as an audiobook from Audible Studios. I’d love to offer you a clip from the audiobook to post on the website alongside the review as multimedia content for your readers.

Seems like a good idea to me! I wasn’t aware that they had the book — but if asked, I’d have guessed they did — what don’t they have? Still, it sounds like a good idea (and hey, she called my review “great”). I added it to my review, but thought I’d throw it up, here, too. Seems more likely that people would see it.

The Severed Streets was one of my favorite books last year (see my review, and my 2014 Honorable Mentions), and I’d strongly recommend you trying it.

Anyway, here’s the clip, sounds pretty good to me. If you’re an audiobook person, listen to the sample. If you’re not an audiobook person, you still might want to give it a try — maybe you’re an audiobook person but don’t know it.

Monday Mutterings

By HCNewton

On January 19, 2015

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., Urban Fantasy

Was out of town this past weekend, so I wrote my Saturday Miscellany post a day early and then scheduled the posting. You’d have thought that I’d be clever enough to schedule something containing “1/17/2015” in the title on 1/17/2015, wouldn’t you? Well, you would be wrong.
While out of town, had some extra reading time — which means I’m even more behind on reviews now. Hope to chip away at that soon.
Part of that reading was Harry Connolly‘s A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark — I’ll spoil my review here: if you like Urban Fantasy, particularly a-typical Urban Fantasy, read this book. Releases on March 3. You can order it from Amazon or Kobo here.
I’ve noticed that I’m far less forgiving of typos/proofreading flubs in e-books (particularly those that are self-published) than I am of those in hardcover/paperback. Is it just me? (no, there’s no link between the last two items)

Saturday Miscellany – 1/17/15

By HCNewton

On January 18, 2015

In Books, News/Misc.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye (a strangely short list compared to the last few weeks). You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

E-Books Are Damaging Your Health: Why We Should All Start Reading Paper Books Again — over at Medical Daily, Lecia Bushak goes on a rant about the health benefits of dead-tree books over e-books. Maybe it’s just me, but this seems to needs to be read with a salt lick nearby.
Is there an ideal age to write a masterpiece? — Blinkbox Books put together an infographic showing when authors wrote their most famous works
Kitty Saves the World & an announcement — Carrie Vaughn announces that she’s wrapping things up in the next book. I figured this was coming, but I thought it’d take a few more books. Wanted a few more books first. It’s time, but going to be sad to see this one go.
Ernest Cline writing 2nd Ready Player One novel — words fail me. I don’t know if I’ve ever been as tempted to use that “Shut up and take my money!” line.

Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh — a worthy, and entertaining, successor to last year’s Shovel Ready
The Way Into Magic by Harry Connolly — Book 2 in Connolly’s Epic Fantasy series, hearing nothing but good about this series. Need to get to it, soon. It’s on my Kindle, but I’m no longer sure I should use it after reading that Bushak piece 😉

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to whatshesreadingnow, Crossroads Reviews, and Curlydaz for following the blog this week. Thanks especially to whatshesreadingnow for the very kind description of this blog that she gave to her readers.

Opening Lines – Near Enemy

By HCNewton

On January 15, 2015

In Blog Series, Currently Reading, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations, Science Fiction

We all know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (yet, publishing companies spend big bucks on cover design/art). But, the opening sentence(s)/paragraph(s) are fair game. Technically, I’m cheating here — I skipped the first eight lines (Chapter 1), this is from Chapter 2, but it’s my blog so I can ignore my own rules, right?

Dare you not to read the rest of the book

—–

This used to be a city of locks.
Every home, at least five, down the door, like a vault.
Chain lock.
Rim lock.
Fox lock.
Knob lock.
Deadbolt.
Funny name, that last one.
Dead. Bolt.
Neither word exactly conjures security.
But no one bothers with that many locks in New York anymore. City’s safer. Or at least emptier. No end of vacancies. And no one bothers to burgle anymore. Nothing left to burgle. Everything’s picked clean, and anyone who still lives in Manhattan and has something of real value to protect — family, dignity, vintage baseball-card collection — does it with a shotgun, not a deadbolt. So the real problem, for the burglar, isn’t getting in. It’s getting back out.
After all, if you apply enough force, deadbolts give.
Shotguns take.

from Near Enemy by Adam Sternbergh

Saturday Miscellany – 1/10/15

By HCNewton

On January 10, 2015

In Books, News/Misc.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

I’m sure you heard that Mark Zuckerberg Aims to Start World’s Largest Bookclub on Facebook — which sounds interesting as all get out, and apparently, When Mark Zuckerberg Likes a Book, Sales Soar and by “soar,” they apparently mean “skyrocket”
Mark Twain’s grave robbed of bronze plaque — Oh, c’mon people!
Popular TV Series and Movies Maintain Relevance as Novels — The NYTimes talks tie-in novels
10 Books You Should Finally Read in 2015 — The B&N Book Blog makes a good case for this, but . . . yeah, just not going to happen.
The Problem With Reading Competitively — Claire Fallon makes some really, really good points here about reading goals, etc.
Interview: Myke Cole, Creator of Shadow Ops — a good interview with Myke Cole. His fourth novel Gemini Cell is one of the books I’m most looking forward to.
The Joy of Book Blogging — This is a heckuva piece.
23 Words For Book Lovers That Really Should Exist — a bit of fun to start off your Saturday
Our Favorite Fictional Characters Share Their New Year’s Resolutions — from the B&N editors — a grin or to can be found here.

s-l-o-o-w

Golden Son by Pierce Brown — #2 in The Red Rising Trilogy. Cannot wait to get my grubby little hands on this one.
Firefight by Brandon Sanderson — The Reckoners #2 is also out — nowhere near as good as The Red Rising Trilogy, but this is a fun series.
Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch — I’m almost halfway done with this latest adventure of apprentice wizard/London Constable Peter Grant, and am digging it. Perfect change of pace after the game-changing events of the last book.
The Witches of Echo Park by Amber Benson — I’ve enjoyed Benson’s work in the past, and while I’m not convinced that I’m part of this book’s audience, I want to give it a shot.
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley — Flavia de Luce gets up to more misadventure — and probably murder solving while she’s at it

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and welcome to 1 SIGFRIDSSON, emily kitta, Dioniso Punk, Maz Halima, and pmitsuing for following the blog this week. Thanks to theeditorsjournal for the interaction.

My Most Anticipated Books of 2015

By HCNewton

On January 5, 2015

In Books, Calendar Items, News/Misc.

Inspired by other sites, I thought I’d look to 2015 and compile a quick list what I’m really looking forward to, but that list is pretty much just the next installments my favorite series (The Dresden Files, Spenser, Jesse Stone, Mercy Thompson/Alpha and Omega, The Iron Druid Chronicles, Elvis Cole/Joe Pike, Rachel Morgan’s farewell, the new thing in Myke Cole’s world, Red Rising trilogy, Kitty Norville, Carter Ross Mysteries, etc., etc. ), new series/work from guys I really like (Butcher’s Cinder Spires leaps to mind), and a bunch of stuff that’s not even on my radar at all (like Pierce Brown and Wes Chu were at this point last year). That last batch is the most exciting, the big unknown.

Outside of that, the book I’m most looking forward to is:

Armada

by Ernest Cline
I’m pretty sure this is coming out in 2015 (thought 2014, but these things happen), and I will drop just about anything else I’m reading to jump in when it comes out.

On the other hand, the book I know I’m going to read that I’m least looking forward to is:

Archie in the Crosshairs

by Robert Goldsborough
My Review
Not to keep beating up on the guy, because I realize I’m becoming (have become?) one of the jerks from The Missing Chapter — but from the title to the expected execution of the novel, this is just painful.

But I will read every word at the earliest possibility.

The Worst Reads of 2014

By HCNewton

On January 5, 2015

In Books, Calendar Items, News/Misc.

I don’t want to do this kind of thing — but as I was looking over the books I read this year, I was either angry at the book or really disappointed with myself for wasting time with these three — so I figured I’d say something. Here are my Worst Novels/Biggest Disappointments of 2014 (in alphabetical order):

Poison Fruit

by Jacqueline Carey
My Review
This one just disappointed me so much, I’ll spare the rant. It could’ve been really, really good and it turned into a wreck.

Murder in the Ball Park

by Robert Goldsborough
My Review
It’s just wrong. Goldsborough had 1.5-2 strong Nero Wolfe novels in him, and it started to go downhill. But his last two are a whole new level of rotten. He needs to move on.

The Diner: Why is Church Important?

by Shane Sowers
My Review is forthcoming
The bits of this that are theological dialogues like The Pearl of Christian Comfort or Easy Chairs, Hard Words, are really good — sometimes great. But when it tries to develop (or show) character, when it tries humor? It’s bad. When it tries for plot? It’s just horrible.

Some Honorable Mentions of 2014

By HCNewton

On January 5, 2015

In Books, Calendar Items, News/Misc.

The Day of Lists continues:

Here are the books I wanted to include on my best of, but something kept me from it.

Honorable Mentions should go to (in alphabetical order):

He Drank, and Saw the Spider

by Alex Bledsoe
My Review
You could substitute Wake of the Bloody Angel here. This series has long-surpassed the gimmick of a hard-boiled detective novel in a generic fantasy setting. Pigeon-hole it however you want, it’s just a good book.

The Lives of Tao

by Wesley Chu
My Review
Despite the buzz around this, I wasn’t sure I was terribly interested — nor did I really know what to expect. So, so glad I took the chance. A barrel full of exciting, gun-blazing, snarky fun.

Bad Little Girls Die Horrible Deaths and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy

by Harry Connolly

My Review
I’m not normally a short story reader, but more collections like this might make me one. Different types of fantasy, all well written, even in the stories that aren’t my cup of tea I found something to enjoy.

The Severed Streets

by Paul Cornell
My Review
Audible.com has provided a sample of the audio book version. Give it a shot, I’m betting 30 minutes won’t be enough.
I was impressed by the first in this series, London Falling, but this kicked it into a different gear. It’s about London as an entity as much as it is about these characters and their opponents — it’s dark, twisted and a little hopeful. Some fine writing here.

The Intern’s Handbook: A Thriller

by Shane Kuhn
My Review
Hyper-violent, comic commentary on corporate cultures with heart. Or something like that.

The Humans

by Matt Haig
My Review
Haig’s got this gift for making us look at ourselves with the oddest type of outsider. Ultimately, I realize I’ve read and watched this story before, but I was either finished or nearly finished before I had that insight. Either way, didn’t care, because no one had told it like this.

The Westing Game

by Ellen Raskin
My Review is forthcoming
I’ve sat down to write the review of this one I don’t know how many times. I read this dozens upon dozens of times as a kid — loving the characters, the story, the strange little puzzle. And then walked away from it for decades. Reading it this summer was a wonderful blast from the past, and although I felt like I could recite the thing en toto I couldn’t, it still filled me with joy. Not just for nostalgia’s sake, either. This was probably one of my 3 favorite reads of the year, but it felt like cheating to put it on the main list, so here it is.

Landline

by Rainbow Rowell
My Review
A marriage on the rocks, a career on the brink, a magic telephone and Rainbow Rowell’s charm and heart. What more can I say?

Where’d You Go, Bernadette

by Maria Semple
My Review is forthcoming
First book I finished in 2014, and it’s stuck with me the whole year — even as I struggle to write a review. A strange, impossibly strange and entirely believable world, populated with people I’m convinced could exist — and maybe do. I don’t know what else I can say about this (probably explains the year delay). It’s good. Funny, heartfelt, tragic.

Category: News/Misc. Page 222 of 238