Tag: From the Archives Page 9 of 28

Britain’s answer to Harry Dresden. Well, not really. But, pretty much, yeah. Okay, his magic specialty isn’t the same as Dresden’s, but his backstory, attitudes and relationships to the magic world are pretty similar. Which means this is a fun, gripping read.

Alex Versus’ version of fore-telling is very interesting, and a type of magic that I haven’t run into before in Urban Fantasy. I’m really looking forward to seeing what else Jacka can do with it in further volumes. As well as the way he develops Versus’ accidental apprentice.

I’m not sure that my nascent arachnophobia needed a couple of scenes, but if I could get past Shelob and Aragog, I’ll get over this, too. Well, as long as a future Versus adventure doesn’t focus exclusively on that storyline…probably won’t sleep for weeks if that happens.

Dusted Off: Emperor Mollusk versus The Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez

By HCNewton

On September 9, 2013

In A. Lee Martinez, Authors, Fiction, K-O, Science Fiction

Emperor Mollusk versus The Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a fun read (not hilarious, as the cover implies–and I believe, Martinez tweeted he didn’t like the word)!

This tale of our solar system’s biggest supervillian, conqueror (and would-be conqueror) of planets, destroyer of armies, and uber-mad scientist reads like a semi-serious Douglas Adams book. All of the wit, all the imagination, all the “where did he get that loopy (and great) idea from?”, none of the compulsion to go for the laugh every x number of paragraphs. It’s a great look at what makes a supervillian of the evil-scientist variety tick.

I’ve read about half of Martinez’ works, and he seems to go out of his way to make each significantly different than the last–but there are certain hallmarks–they’re clever, very enjoyable, and they display an essential humanity in characters you wouldn’t normally sympathize with/think of in this way. Such a treat.

Dusted Off: Chasing the Moon by A. Lee Martinez

By HCNewton

On September 9, 2013

In A. Lee Martinez, Authors, Fiction, K-O, Science Fiction

Chasing the Moon by A. Lee Martinez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s so hard to write anything about Martinez’ work, because it’s just so weird. And I mean that in a good way. Comic, but rarely laugh-out-loud; SF/Fantasy/Supernatural-ish, but approachable for those who prefer to stay away from that; books that feel like they’re the start (or middle of) a series, but are all stand-alones. One thing that connects them all is the humanity of the characters–particularly the protagonists, but not entirely reserved for them. Whether we’re dealing with supernatural creatures (vampires, werewolves, etc.), witches, aliens, robots, extra-dimensional creatures, monsters, cult leaders, or just Average Joes/Janes caught up in all of the madness–his characters have heart and humanity that shine through like nobody’s business.

In this particular tome, Diana finds the perfect apartment for her needs and budget, almost too good to be true, and jumps at it. Then she finds out that the catch to this deal is that she’s just signed on to be the one thing that stands between the world at large and a monster named Vom the Hungering, who will (one day) devour everything in sight. Hilarity ensues.

To say more would ruin this light (but not too light), engaging and very fun read. Do yourself a favor and give it a shot.

Dusted Off (and updated): Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks

By HCNewton

On September 2, 2013

In Authors, Brad Parks, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, P-U

Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks
Series: Carter Ross, #1

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a solid mystery novel from a first-time novelist who doesn’t write like a first timer (a career as a newspaper reporter helped a lot there, natch). Some of the characters bordered on stock, but Parks used them well enough that you just don’t care. Same with the mystery itself–on the whole, it was pretty obvious, but it was the telling of the story that sold it. Thoroughly entertaining — I even laughed out loud a couple of times.

Looking forward to the next one.

P. S. It’s been a couple of years since I’ve read this one (I have read it twice, however). I think given the world he created, and the way things have played out in the following books. And just my overall appreciation for Parks, I’d probably give this at least 4-4.5 stars now. But I’ll stick to my original grade, just to be honest. Just know that these three stars are very shiny.

Dusted Off: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

By HCNewton

On August 12, 2013

In Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly don’t know what to put here. I think that’s a compliment, hope it is anyway. I spent most of this novel leaning forward, as if that would get me to the end quicker. I don’t know how many times I said, “She’s [Collins] isn’t really doing that…” when it was very clear she was.

Yet the book as a whole (even most of the time I was reading it) I felt a mixture of pleasure and disappointment. I really don’t think that Collins could’ve done better, I don’t think there was any way to stick the landing. The setup over the first two novels created expectations that were too high — a plot that couldn’t be wrapped up in just one book (but I don’t think 2 would’ve done it either, then she would’ve had to resort to filler, I think).

So let me put it this way…did we get honest character growth/development? Yup.
Did we get to spend more time with people we’ve grown to like? Yup.
Did we see man’s cruelty to man clearly displayed? Yup.
Did we get a conclusion (however unsatisfying or sad) to every storyline? Yup.

Pretty much what we would want to see from a conclusion. Was it the ending that I wanted? No. Was it the ending that I feared we’d get? Thankfully, no. Can’t complain about that.

The most redeeming thing about this series (which, please don’t get me wrong, I loved) is the commentary on the relations between media, government actions (military and otherwise) and entertainment/distraction of the masses. I don’t think Collins said anything new, but she said it pretty darn effectively. And no one needs to think about these things more than the series’ target demographic.

Dusted Off: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

By HCNewton

On August 12, 2013

In Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Freeyow! (not a word, I know, but…) Took The Hunger Games and kicked it up a notch. Compelling just doesn’t cover it.

On the whole, I enjoyed The Hunger Games more, but this was a very worthy sequel, and definitely left me wanting to/needing to move on to Mockingjay

Dusted Off: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

By HCNewton

On August 12, 2013

In Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I want to have something more to say about this book, but for the moment all I can say is, wow–believe the hype.

Is it perfect? Nope. Is it a heckuva read? Oh yeah–on the edge of your seat, can’t believe this is a kids’ book, kind of read.

Dusted Off: Prayers for Rain by Dennis Lehane

By HCNewton

On August 5, 2013

In Authors, Dennis Lehane, Fiction, K-O, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Prayers for Rain by Dennis Lehane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

better than Sacred, but not as good as the rest of the series. Some of the character development was more of a reset to pre-Gone, Baby, Gone status. How odd was it that Bubba was the only character to really have any growth?

Patrick Kenzie talks often of his tiring of the PI biz, not sure if he had it in him any more, it wasn’t fun. How much of this is Patrick and how much is Lehane speaking through him? Tough call. ‘tho the decade or so that Lehane took away from the series is a pretty good hint, I think.

Good read, creepy bad guy, with an iffy ending. Still better than many things I’ve read this year, while not Lehane’s best.

Dusted Off: Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane

By HCNewton

On August 5, 2013

In Authors, Dennis Lehane, Fiction, K-O, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don’t think I’ve the original context of the remark, but I’ve seen it often enough that I don’t doubt the veracity. But at some point Dennis Lehane characterized his Kenzie/Gennaro series as the kind of books that a guy in his twenties would write, as an explanation for why he’d moved on. Now, first of all, I don’t blame a guy for not wanting to get stuck in a rut, to only write one thing his entire life (no matter how good he is at it). But that always struck me as an uncharacteristically dumb thing to say. What’s that say about 1. the authors outside of their 20s who are writing the same kind of thing and 2. those of us out of our 20s who like to read that kind of thing.

Frankly, I thought that Shutter Island was more like something a guy in his 20s would write (particularly the ending) than anything else he wrote.

But hey, it’s his opinion, and he’s entitled to it — as long as he writes things more interesting than The Given Day (which, to be fair, I haven’t been able to get too far into, it’s fully possible that if I’d read another two pages, I’d have loved it).

Still, imagine my surprise when I learned that a new Kenzie/Gennaro book was coming out.

It’s a lighter read than the previous five books in the series, but it still carries that trademark Lehane punch. This book sure seems like a self-conscious attempt to stress the fact that our heroes, like the author, aren’t in their twenties. They’ve aged, matured, get tired more easily want nothing to do with the violence that so marked their younger years. They’re not the only ones who aged, Amanda McCready, the kidnapped girl from Gone Baby Gone is missing again, and again, he aunt calls upon Kenzie to find her.

By the end, Lehane takes his characters to an interesting (and predictable place) that probably closes the door to future installments — not unlike what Riordan did to Tres Nevarre and what Koryta may have done to his PIs. I hope it’s not the last I see of these two, but can understand why it would be.

In the end, a satisfying read. Better than many PI novels that came out this year, but not as good as it could’ve been.

Dusted Off: Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane

By HCNewton

On August 5, 2013

In Authors, Dennis Lehane, Fiction, K-O, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kenzie and Gennaro are hired by the aunt of a missing 4 year old girl, who’s been missing so long that good news is almost impossible. Following a trail started by her worthless mother leads the pair and the police to drug dealers (small time and large), child molesters and other monsters and a tangled web so intricate that it makes what the protagonists have been through before seem like a picnic.

This book was my first exposure to Lehane, and turned me into a devotee for life (probably). Even though I’ve read this 4-5 times, it had me on the edge of my seat, and got me choked up and horrified by the evil depicted.

Best.Thing.He’s.Written. (not that I’ve read the new one yet)