Tag: From the Archives Page 3 of 27

Dusted Off: The Tyranny of Clichés: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas by Jonah Goldberg

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On June 2, 2014

In Non-Fiction, Politics/Current Affairs

The Tyranny of Clichés: How Liberals Cheat in the War of IdeasThe Tyranny of Clichés: How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas

by Jonah Goldberg

Hardcover, 320 pg.
Sentinel, 2012
Jun. 27 – Jul. 10, 2012

Not much to say about this that’s not in the publisher’s description. This is a pretty good read–plenty of things I disagree with or quibble with, but even more that I can pretty much agree with. But all of it is pretty darn entertaining. Goldberg’s one of the most enjoyable political writers of our time, there’s more than a few chuckles to be had in the midst of his analysis. Which isn’t to say he’s taking things lightly–he’s dead serious about this stuff, he’s just found a way to be witty while he does so.

I found it a lot easier to handle the outline of every chapter–introduce cliché and how it’s used, give historical context (usually not how it’s used today), apply this to today’s debates–if I limited myself to 1-2 chapters a day. Otherwise it was just too much of the same thing.

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4 Stars

Dusted Off: The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner

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On June 2, 2014

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

The Next Best ThingThe Next Best Thing

by Jennifer Weiner

Hardcover, 389 pg.
Atria Books, 2012
Read: Jul. 9-10, 2012

A sort of uninspired rom-com from Weiner about a TV writer finding a measure of success, love and stepping out on her own from the cocoon she was raised in. The saving grace is that with a writer as entertaining and skilled as Weiner, even the uninspired can be fun to read.

On the whole, it reads like a dramatization of Ben Blacker’s podcast about TV writing (Nerdist Writer’s Panel) with a couple of personal plotlines thrown in to the mix. So the non-family, non-romance stuff reads like a pretty authentic behind the scenes–nice for those of us who are into that kind of thing.

The sexual content was a bit more explicit than I’m used to from Weiner (as limited as my experience might be–my wife’s is more extensive and she agrees)–it’s not terrible, but just not what I expected from this writer, using this character to tell this story–seems out of place.

Not Weiner at her best, but a good way to kill a few hours.

—–

3 Stars

Dusted Off: Harry Lipkin, Private Eye by Barry Fantoni

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On May 26, 2014

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

Harry Lipkin, Private EyeHarry Lipkin, Private Eye

by Barry Fantoni

Hardcover, 224 pg
Doubleday, 2012
Read: July 27, 2012

This book was quite the change of pace, a very “cozy” mystery feel with a teeny-tiny touch of hard-boiled flavoring. An odd PI with an offbeat approach to things, along the lines of Paul Tremblay‘s Narcoleptic Detective or Rick Yancey‘s Highly Effective Detective. Lipkin’s an amusing enough character and the robbery suspects he’s investigating are fairly interesting, but the mystery’s pretty flat and the novel doesn’t have a lot going for it.

In the end, it was a nice enough diversion for a couple of hours, but that’s basically it.

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2 Stars

Dusted Off: Dragon Precinct by Keith R.A. DeCandido

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On May 19, 2014

In Fiction

Dragon PrecinctDragon Precinct

by Keith R.A. DeCandido
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What a great concept–take a typical D&D-ish city, filled with Elves, Half-Elves, Halflings, Dwarves, Magic Users, etc. and throw in a typical Law & Order-ish police force investigating a variety of crimes. Most notably, a serial killer knocking off legendary members of a band of heroes embarking on an epic quest.

Not the greatest fantasy novel I’ve read in the last few months–but such a fun one, I hated for it to end. The detectives (and most of the supporting cast) were a lotta fun, and I could spend a lot more time with them, just bantering at the tavern after their shifts, much less working their cases.

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3 Stars

Dusted Off: Fifth Victim by Zoë Sharp

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On May 19, 2014

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

Fifth Victim (Charlie Fox Thriller, #9)Fifth Victim

by Zoë Sharp

Hardcover, 448 pg.
Pegasus, 2012
July 5 – 7, 2012

Zoë Sharp gets better and better every time.

Reeling from the events of Fourth Day, Charlie Fox is tasked with preventing the kidnapping of a young socialite. Recently, a few of her peers had been kidnapped and tortured, and the client wants to prevent that from happening to her daughter. Drama ensues pretty much the way you’d expect it to in this kind of novel.

There’s a character development and a greater emotional depth than you’d find in a Jack Reacher novel (the only thing I can think of to compare these to), but the action is just as gripping, the chase scenes as riveting, and the plot as (if not more) complex than you’d find there. Best use of a horse I can think of in recent memory.

To get the full story, it’d be best to have read the series at least from First Drop–but this book would be a great way to meed Charlie for the first time.

Minor quibble: I’m so over the little device of starting the novel with a tense moment from about the middle of the novel, getting to a cliff-hanger and then jumping back to the beginning. I get that it’s Sharp’s schtick, but…ugh.

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4 Stars

Dusted Off: Bloody Mary by J.A. Konrath

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On May 12, 2014

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

Bloody Mary (Jack Daniels Mystery, #2)Bloody Mary

by J.A. Konrath

Hardcover, 307 pg.
Hyperion, 2005
Read: July 8, 2012

What a great mix–funny, gruesome, drama and a touch of pathos. The murderer at the center of this novel is one of the creepiest I’ve run across, and it’s best not to visualize the crimes in too much detail. But thankfully, there are some laugh-out-loud lines and visuals to counterbalance the grisliness.

Overall, I think the police work, and the interplay between Jack and the other police was superior in the first novel; and some of the legal maneuvering was a little too slick–but the strengths of the novel far outweighed the weaknesses. This one’ll be parked out in my subconscious for quite a while.

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4 Stars

Dusted Off: King City by Lee Goldberg

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On May 12, 2014

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

King CityKing City

by Lee Goldberg

Paperback, 246 pg.
Thomas and Mercer, 2012
Read: July 4-5, 2012

One part Jack Reacher, one part Jesse Stone, this first installment in Lee Goldberg’s new series reads like a Western set in the 21st century.

Tom Wade, a rigorously scrupulous cop is assigned to a part of King City so crime and poverty-ridden that city officials pretend it doesn’t exist. He’s sent there because the police force is overly-politicized where it isn’t overtly corrupted, and they can’t fire such an upstanding cop–but maybe his new post will lead to him being killed.

Wade is fully aware of this, but accepts his new post with gusto–he has a chance to make a difference and sets out to do so in as splashy a way as possible.

This isn’t a subtle book with complex characters–and doesn’t try to be. The characters are pretty much the dictionary definition of “stock,” the good guys are good, the bad guys are really bad–and that’s that. A fun, straightforward testosterone-y action book. Hopefully the first of many.

—–

3 Stars

Dusted Off: Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

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On March 10, 2014

In Fiction, Science Fiction

Grimspace (Sirantha Jax, #1)Grimspace

by Ann Aguirre
Mass-Market Paperback, 312 pg.
Penguin Group, 2008
Read: June 19-20, 2012

Action-packed, complexly-plotted, character-driven. Grimspace is a heckuva first book (would’ve been a heckuva 3rd, book, too). Not perfect, but so good that you put up with the short-comings.

This is more Ronald D. Moore/Joss Whedon-y S.F. than a Roddenberry/Lucas SF. The characters are people: flawed, self-deceived, selfish, scared… You grow to care about them, not just what happens (which would be interesting enough on its own, actually).

Actually, now that I’ve said it above, I’m more and more convinced this is Firefly without the livestock or distinctive dialogue. Can’t wait til I get my hands on the sequel. 4 Stars

Dusted Off: Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

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On March 3, 2014

In Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

Breakfast at Tiffany'sBreakfast at Tiffany’s

by Truman Capote
Paperback, 178 pg.
Vintage International, 1993
Read: Jun. 24, 2012

Am not sure why this one resonates with so many, why it’s so acclaimed, but it is. For the most part, the narrative left me cold, as did the characters.

Capote’s descriptions on the other hand…great stuff, delicious writing there. Made it worth my while, but I can’t imagine I’ll be back for more.

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2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Drop by Michael Connelly

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On March 3, 2014

In Authors, Fiction, Harry Bosch, Michael Connelly, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The DropThe Drop

by Michael Connelly
Series: Harry Bosch, #17

Paperback, 448 pg.
Grand Central Publishing, 2012
Read: Jun. 23-25, 2012

How does he do it? How does someone as accomplished as Connelly continually top himself? Equaling himself would be a tough act (and not one he always pulls off), but topping himself? Inhuman.

This was gripping (duh). This was harrowing (duh). The suspense was there, the intrigue was thick (duh). What was shown about the human condition should cause anyone to reflect (duh). All of that is par for the course for Connelly and Harry Bosch.

But this one…the depravity, Harry’s reaction to it–not just the bad guys, but the politics surrounding the cases…hit harder than normal. You can really feel for Bosch in this one, you can curse his mistakes (and even the right things he did that don’t feel so right), but the closing chapters carry a kind of emotional weight that Bosch novels normally don’t.

This is Connelly at his best. Looking forward to the next time he tops himself.

—–

5 Stars

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