Tag: 3 Stars

Dusted Off: Ex-Boyfriend’s Handbook by Matt Dunn

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On March 9, 2011

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Ex-Boyfriend's HandbookEx-Boyfriend’s Handbook by Matt Dunn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book begins with our hero, Edward, receiving one of the (if not the) worst Dear John letters imaginable. What’s worse is that Edward soon realizes that every nasty thing enumerated in the letter is true. In her letter, Jane essentially has given Edward three months to fix himself, which will at least open the door for a discussion of their future.

So, with the guidance and help of his best friend/ladies’ man/cad, the lady bartender from their pub, his lecherous/man-chasing boss, and his new personal trainer, Edward starts a process of self-improvement to become the kind of guy he imagines Jane wants him to be.

This was very funny book, a quick, light read that makes no pretensions of being anything but. It’s a Nick Hornby/Jonathan Tropper book without the depth (which isn’t a knock, Dunn doesn’t seem to be going for depth–just enjoyment), it’s more along the lines of a Mike Gayle or Jennifer Weiner book. Apparently the first of a series, I’m intrigued to see where they take things from here.

A lot of heart, a lot of laughs. All you can ask from it.

Dusted Off: Love in the Time of Fridges by Tim Scott

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On February 2, 2011

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Love in the Time of FridgesLove in the Time of Fridges by Tim Scott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s not often that a book leaves me as uncertain as this one does. Parts 1 & 2 were odd, amusing, a bit confusing (but not in a way that really detracted from the experience). Part 3, alas, fell apart, leaving me feeling all sorts of…eh…towards the book.

Scott’s prose is light, breezy, charming, incredibly quotable (about 50% of this book is worth memorizing to sprinkle in conversation), with just a hint of profundity, and a touch of sadness.

Other than the protagonist, Huckleberry Lindbergh, the characters are more hints, or sketches, of characters–in a couple of cases, a hint of a sketch–rather than fully-developed characters. Given that this is a thriller (and a fairly satirical one at that), it works, we don’t need complete backstories. Fridges is about the plot and the world Scott’s imagined, not people.

This is a world where the Nanny State has run amok, drunk on marketing. In part of their benevolent(-ish) efforts to protect the citizenry, they’ve developed technology to listen to moods, and search, print, and erase 24-hours worth of memory (anything more than that will likely lead to severe damage).

Oh, and there’s the whole thing with sentient, verbal, and semi=intelligent appliances and furniture. No idea what that was all about.

The novel was built on a tight inner logic, and was a heckuva ride, until Part 3 where Scott found/created a loophole in that logic and gave his reader a sloppy deus ex Heisenberg uncertainty principle ending. And that’s where he lost me. I’m still giving it three stars for the fun leading up to that tho’.

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Dusted Off: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

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On January 25, 2011

In Fiction, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies, #1)I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall, this was a fun, fast read, though it wasn’t the best written book.

The book opens with a scene that’s supposed to grab you by the lapels and not let go for the next 440 pages. Personally, it didn’t work at all, particularly because I could see the authors doing that.

Thirty pages or so later, the story did get rolling pretty well and before I knew it I was hip deep in the book, and fairly invested with some of the characters.

I had a list of quibbles I had with the writing, but decided not to bother. While they detracted from my enjoyment, they didn’t ruin anything.

The highpoint of the novel was the mix of SF and Magic. It’s not often that you come across that kind of thing, and when done right, it’s dynamite. These authors pull it off pretty well, as they do the rest of the story. I’ll be back for more.

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Dusted Off: The Becoming by Jeanne C. Stein

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On January 21, 2011

In Authors, Fiction, Jeanne C. Stein, P-U, Urban Fantasy

The Becoming (Anna Strong Chronicles, #1)The Becoming by Jeanne C. Stein

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

(3.5 actually, but goodreads won’t let me do that) This was just what the doctor ordered, over the last couple of months, I’d tried out a handful of new (to me) urban fantasy series, and had to force myself to finish them. Not this one. A fun ride from start to finish.

It’s the kind of start to a series that reminded me of Kitty and the Midnight Hour — and judging by the fact that of Carrie Vaughn books are now on my shelves at home, that’s a good thing. It’s very much a start to a series, a good ol’ origin story. Butt-kickin’, independent woman (with family issues), is out with her partner doing their bounty hunter thing, and unbeknownst to them, try to take a vampire into custody. Hilarity, er, blood-swapping ensues, and you’ve got yourself a butt-kickin’, independent vampire (with family issues).

Sure, our hero, Anna, has a heckuva learning curve in front of her–which Stein uses well to introduce the reader to her vampire rules, society, hunters, history, and whatnot. A good healthy mix of tradition and nouveau vamp lore.

It is a setup novel, so it’s hard to predict what form the future installments will take, once Anna’s more settled into her fangs, things will be different. But it’s a good start, with a likable cast, and a couple of good threads to follow in future books. Sign me up for more.

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Dusted Off: Wolfsbane by Patricia Briggs

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On January 14, 2011

In Fantasy, Fiction, Patricia Briggs

Wolfsbane (Sianim, #4)(Aralorn, #2)Wolfsbane (Sianim, #4) by Patricia Briggs

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun, solid read with characters you end up caring a lot about without even noticing, just a touch of action, a splash of romance, and at least one character who switches between species. In other words, it’s a Patricia Briggs novel.

Like its predecessor Masques, this was written pretty early in her career, and it shows. It’s still a heckuva story, and I’d jump right into a third adventure of Wolfe and Aralorn.

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Dusted Off: When the Sacred Ginmill Closes by Lawrence Block

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On January 12, 2011

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

When the Sacred Ginmill ClosesWhen the Sacred Ginmill Closes by Lawrence Block

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’ll be honest, I’m sticking with this series primarily because of the author’s reputation, though Eight Million Ways to Die did impress me. I was fairly dismayed when I started this book and it looked like all the progress that Scudder made during his outing was tossed out without explanation or comment. A relapse, or backslide, etc. would’ve been acceptable if Block had done it right (obviously), but to just start off the book without noting that he’d fallen off the wagon was just horrible.

Thankfully, he didn’t waste too much time before he had Scudder inform us that this was an extended flashback. That done, we could see Scudder not at his alcoholic worst, just pretty bad–probably before the first book in the series, now that I think of it. Then he brought us back to the present at the conclusion of the novel, making the whole exercise mean something. What made me ready to toss the whole series at the beginning, in the end made a pretty effective novel. It’s not a trick that he can use more than once, I think–and my gut says Block wouldn’t try.

As far as the mysteries that make up Scudder’s cases? Marginally interesting, at best. I’ve yet to be really impressed by the whodunit aspect of Block’s books, it’s how Scudder interacts with the suspects/victims/survivors that makes them interesting–especially as he interacts with himself. But one of the two mysteries here is about as strong as he gets, and the other is about as weak as he gets. So…eh, whatever.

If you like Matt Scudder, this book will satisfy you. If you’ve never encountered him before, I’m not sure this is the book to start with.

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