Whoo! Being unemployed certainly gives you time to read... and watch full seasons of How I Met Your Mother and Firefly, and play an exorbitant number of Pogo games (they have Monopoly!).
But what matters here are the books, of course.
Days spent reading: 28
Books read: 11
...in fiction: 11
...in science fiction: 1
...in mystery: 2
...in humor: 2
...in fantasy: 2
...in thriller: 1
...in short stories: 1
...in graphic format: 1
Series reads: Thursday Next, Old Man's War, Codex Alera, Nursery Crime
Favorite book: Old Man's War, by John Scalzi (Review) 8.5/10
Challenges
Countdown Challenge: +9 books for 28/45
Chunkster Challenge: +1 book for 1/6
The Baker Street Challenge: +0 books for 0/3
My Year of Reading Dangerously Challenge: +0 for 0/12
Support Your Local Library Challenge: +10 for 10/50
31 January 2009
The Big Over Easy, by Jasper Fforde (29 January — 30 January)
Oh, Jasper Fforde, you've done it again! This is the first book of Fforde's Nursery Crime series, which first shows up in The Well of Lost Plots and exists in tandem with the Thursday Next universe.
The conceit here is that nursery rhyme characters are real but don't know they're from nursery rhymes, and that they now get prosecuted for their crimes (they are, of course, Brothers Grimm versions).
So when Humpty Dumpty is found dead and cracked at the bottom of a wall, it's up to Detective Inspector Jack Spratt and Detective Sergeant Mary Mary to find out whodunnit and why. Was it suicide? Was it one of Humpty's hundreds of ex-lovers? Was it, perhaps, Solomon Grundy (born on Monday), who is poised to absorb the failing Spongg footcare dynasty into his own chiropody company, Winsum & Loosum?
Of course, the unpublished Spratt is having a hard time with his case because he's not a Guild member. His cheating upstart former partner, Friedland Chymes, is, and he's ready to steal this case any way he can to get a new story in Amazing Crime Stories and have even more accolades heaped upon him.
Oh yes. It is that ridiculous, and that awesome. Each chapter begins with an excerpt about other nursery crimes or the Guild of Detectives, and there are so many references to nursery rhymes that it could be a bit overwhelming, but it's not. I also like that Fforde has trotted out all of the mystery genre traits (I did take a course on mysteries, after all!) and used them well. If you don't mind a bit of fancy with your murder mystery, I would heartily suggest picking up this book.
Rating: 8/10
(Support Your Local Library Challenge)
The conceit here is that nursery rhyme characters are real but don't know they're from nursery rhymes, and that they now get prosecuted for their crimes (they are, of course, Brothers Grimm versions).
So when Humpty Dumpty is found dead and cracked at the bottom of a wall, it's up to Detective Inspector Jack Spratt and Detective Sergeant Mary Mary to find out whodunnit and why. Was it suicide? Was it one of Humpty's hundreds of ex-lovers? Was it, perhaps, Solomon Grundy (born on Monday), who is poised to absorb the failing Spongg footcare dynasty into his own chiropody company, Winsum & Loosum?
Of course, the unpublished Spratt is having a hard time with his case because he's not a Guild member. His cheating upstart former partner, Friedland Chymes, is, and he's ready to steal this case any way he can to get a new story in Amazing Crime Stories and have even more accolades heaped upon him.
Oh yes. It is that ridiculous, and that awesome. Each chapter begins with an excerpt about other nursery crimes or the Guild of Detectives, and there are so many references to nursery rhymes that it could be a bit overwhelming, but it's not. I also like that Fforde has trotted out all of the mystery genre traits (I did take a course on mysteries, after all!) and used them well. If you don't mind a bit of fancy with your murder mystery, I would heartily suggest picking up this book.
Rating: 8/10
(Support Your Local Library Challenge)
28 January 2009
Academ's Fury, by Jim Butcher (26 January — 28 January)
This is the second novel of the Codex Alera series wherein elements can do awesome things if you know how to use them.
Tavi is now at the Academy, training to become a Cursor but still getting his butt kicked by bullies since he doesn't have the ability to furycraft. When the First Lord falls ill, it falls on Tavi to figure out a way to keep the warring factions from finding out and declaring a civil war.
Meanwhile, Tavi's aunt, Isana, is headed to the capital with news for the First Lord — creatures called the vord have begun to take over Calderon and are probably headed for the capital city as well. Her brother, now Count Bernard, and his men are fighting them off as best they can, but it might not be enough.
Certainly as good as the first book. Butcher adds in a few more puzzles that make me want to keep on reading the series and starts slowly answering the questions I had before. I'm very curious to find out just what's up with Tavi's heritage.
Rating: 7/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2005, Chunkster Challenge, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
Tavi is now at the Academy, training to become a Cursor but still getting his butt kicked by bullies since he doesn't have the ability to furycraft. When the First Lord falls ill, it falls on Tavi to figure out a way to keep the warring factions from finding out and declaring a civil war.
Meanwhile, Tavi's aunt, Isana, is headed to the capital with news for the First Lord — creatures called the vord have begun to take over Calderon and are probably headed for the capital city as well. Her brother, now Count Bernard, and his men are fighting them off as best they can, but it might not be enough.
Certainly as good as the first book. Butcher adds in a few more puzzles that make me want to keep on reading the series and starts slowly answering the questions I had before. I'm very curious to find out just what's up with Tavi's heritage.
Rating: 7/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2005, Chunkster Challenge, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
25 January 2009
Old Man's War, by John Scalzi (24 January — 25 January)
I read Zoe's Tale, this most recent in this series, last month and it was quite good, so when I saw this first novel on the shelf at the library, I had to grab it.
The premise of Old Man's War is that Earth, with its surplus of population, is off colonizing other planets, but then so are a whole bunch of other intelligent races. To make sure that humans get enough planets, the Colonial Defense Forces keep their ranks healthily supplied — with 75-year-olds.
John Perry is one of these "old farts." The novel follows his story, from why he decided to join up to how 75-year-olds are prepared for intergalactic war and just what war means on a universal scale.
It's a good time and a quick read and I definitely need to grab the next book tout de suite.
Rating: 8.5/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2005, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
The premise of Old Man's War is that Earth, with its surplus of population, is off colonizing other planets, but then so are a whole bunch of other intelligent races. To make sure that humans get enough planets, the Colonial Defense Forces keep their ranks healthily supplied — with 75-year-olds.
John Perry is one of these "old farts." The novel follows his story, from why he decided to join up to how 75-year-olds are prepared for intergalactic war and just what war means on a universal scale.
It's a good time and a quick read and I definitely need to grab the next book tout de suite.
Rating: 8.5/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2005, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
23 January 2009
When We Were Romans, by Matthew Kneale (21 January — 23 January)
I'm not gonna lie, I read this book because of its cover. Luckily, the book was pretty darn good as well!
Our narrator, 9-year-old Lawrence, lives with his mother Hannah and sister Jemima in England. His father, who lives in Scotland, has been bothering Lawrence's mother so she decides to pack up the kids and go on a little vacation — to Rome, in the middle of the school year. They try to live a moderately normal life while being shuffled from house to house among Hannah's old friends and hoping that their father doesn't find them.
Hmm. That doesn't sound all that exciting, but it really was. The book is written as if by Lawrence so it's riddled with spelling errors and general kid misunderstandings, but it's fun to read about what's going through his mind before he decides what he's going to say. Lawrence is also a smart little kid, so each section of his narrative begins with some information from his book about space or books about Roman emperors that pertains to the story and is also educational!
Having Lawrence as the narrator helps keep the true nature of things hidden for a while, and as it started to fall into place for me I was just hoping he would figure it out too. Definitely a great conceit.
Rating: 8/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2008, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
Our narrator, 9-year-old Lawrence, lives with his mother Hannah and sister Jemima in England. His father, who lives in Scotland, has been bothering Lawrence's mother so she decides to pack up the kids and go on a little vacation — to Rome, in the middle of the school year. They try to live a moderately normal life while being shuffled from house to house among Hannah's old friends and hoping that their father doesn't find them.
Hmm. That doesn't sound all that exciting, but it really was. The book is written as if by Lawrence so it's riddled with spelling errors and general kid misunderstandings, but it's fun to read about what's going through his mind before he decides what he's going to say. Lawrence is also a smart little kid, so each section of his narrative begins with some information from his book about space or books about Roman emperors that pertains to the story and is also educational!
Having Lawrence as the narrator helps keep the true nature of things hidden for a while, and as it started to fall into place for me I was just hoping he would figure it out too. Definitely a great conceit.
Rating: 8/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2008, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
20 January 2009
Just After Sunset, by Stephen King (17 January — 20 January)
I'm not the world's biggest fan of short stories, but I do like Stephen King and I really like the cover of this book (sunset-y and out of focus), so I picked it up.
As I figured, some of the stories were cool and some were lame (mostly the ones that King describes in his endnotes as more dictation than fiction). They cover topics including what happens after we die, what you should do if someone wants to murder you, why you should (or shouldn't, I suppose...) pick up hitchhikers, and why you should never become a psychiatrist. One of these stories also contains feces.
All in all a good set of short stories.
Rating: 7/10 (for 8/13 stories enjoyed and the lame ones being short)
(Countdown Challenge: 2008, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
As I figured, some of the stories were cool and some were lame (mostly the ones that King describes in his endnotes as more dictation than fiction). They cover topics including what happens after we die, what you should do if someone wants to murder you, why you should (or shouldn't, I suppose...) pick up hitchhikers, and why you should never become a psychiatrist. One of these stories also contains feces.
All in all a good set of short stories.
Rating: 7/10 (for 8/13 stories enjoyed and the lame ones being short)
(Countdown Challenge: 2008, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
16 January 2009
Plain Truth, by Jodi Picoult (15 January — 16 January)
Oh, Jodi Picoult. Just when I'm so angry at you, the library suddenly has all of your books. I remembered this as one of Picoult's books that Laura loved a bunch, so I grabbed it. Thank goodness I did!
Plain Truth starts with a girl secretly giving birth in a barn and hoping for God to solve her problem. She falls asleep holding her baby, but when she wakes up it's gone, and that makes her pretty happy. Unfortunately, it is found in the morning, dead and hidden in a pile of clothing. Katie, eighteen years old and found bleeding from her vagina, is the prime suspect in the baby's murder, but she is saying she never even had a baby.
Ellie, a high-powered defense attorney, has just completed the case of her life in acquitting a child molester and is feeling pretty dirty about the whole thing. She leaves Philadelphia and her lame-tastic boyfriend for some relaxing time near Amish country with her cousin Leda. Unfortunately for Ellie, Katie is Leda's niece and Ellie finds herself not only representing an alleged baby-killer but also living and working on her farm as well.
I thought this novel was just great. I enjoyed learning about the Amish culture, and seeing how Ellie and Katie both had to make concessions to the other to make their partnership work. There was, as always, a bit of melodrama, and a nice neat little ending (I would love to cut out that page and just leave some ambiguity for the next reader, but the library probably frowns on that), but overall a good time and a much more engaging read than most of the books I've grabbed recently.
Rating: 8/10
(Support Your Local Library Challenge)
Plain Truth starts with a girl secretly giving birth in a barn and hoping for God to solve her problem. She falls asleep holding her baby, but when she wakes up it's gone, and that makes her pretty happy. Unfortunately, it is found in the morning, dead and hidden in a pile of clothing. Katie, eighteen years old and found bleeding from her vagina, is the prime suspect in the baby's murder, but she is saying she never even had a baby.
Ellie, a high-powered defense attorney, has just completed the case of her life in acquitting a child molester and is feeling pretty dirty about the whole thing. She leaves Philadelphia and her lame-tastic boyfriend for some relaxing time near Amish country with her cousin Leda. Unfortunately for Ellie, Katie is Leda's niece and Ellie finds herself not only representing an alleged baby-killer but also living and working on her farm as well.
I thought this novel was just great. I enjoyed learning about the Amish culture, and seeing how Ellie and Katie both had to make concessions to the other to make their partnership work. There was, as always, a bit of melodrama, and a nice neat little ending (I would love to cut out that page and just leave some ambiguity for the next reader, but the library probably frowns on that), but overall a good time and a much more engaging read than most of the books I've grabbed recently.
Rating: 8/10
(Support Your Local Library Challenge)
14 January 2009
Out, by Natsuo Kirino (11 January — 14 January)
Out was an optional novel for the class on mystery novels I took last spring, but I read something else instead. After reading it, I can definitely see why it would be on a class syllabus, though I'm not sure it can really be called a mystery.
The book follows the stories of four women — one who kills her husband and the three who end up disposing of the body. All four of them are intent on covering up the crime, and it seems they will when another suspect turns up, one who has a murder on his record already. The mystery, as it were, is whether or not these women will get caught. It's a distinct possibility throughout, what with detectives asking questions and certain of the women just being generally stupid. It's more of a thriller, really, and the story really picks up steam near the end when all the carefully laid plans start falling apart.
Kirino lets you see scenes from the point of view of all of the characters, sort of rewinding the tape and starting over so you can see what's really going on. It's a good story-telling device, but it started getting tedious after a bit when I just wanted the story to get a move on, already.
Rating: 6/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2003, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
The book follows the stories of four women — one who kills her husband and the three who end up disposing of the body. All four of them are intent on covering up the crime, and it seems they will when another suspect turns up, one who has a murder on his record already. The mystery, as it were, is whether or not these women will get caught. It's a distinct possibility throughout, what with detectives asking questions and certain of the women just being generally stupid. It's more of a thriller, really, and the story really picks up steam near the end when all the carefully laid plans start falling apart.
Kirino lets you see scenes from the point of view of all of the characters, sort of rewinding the tape and starting over so you can see what's really going on. It's a good story-telling device, but it started getting tedious after a bit when I just wanted the story to get a move on, already.
Rating: 6/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2003, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
11 January 2009
The Adventuress, by Audrey Niffenegger (11 January)
I'm not sure I can really count this as a book read, since a quick flip through the pages tells me this book is maybe 120 pages long, with exactly half of those pages illustrated and half with but a few words on each. I picked it up because it's by Audrey Niffenegger and I love The Time Traveler's Wife (soon to be re-read because it's awesome), but when I heard it was a "novel in pictures" I was thinking more graphic novel when it's actually more picture book.
The story, if there is one, revolves around an unnamed "she" who is created by a scientist and wears only a skirt. Not a book for little kids, here. Her adventures include a foiled marriage, a relationship with Napoleon, giving birth to a cat, and going to a nunnery. These are all supposedly interrelated.
I'm really indifferent to this novel; it's sort of like how I feel about modern dance. I don't really get it, but it's interesting to watch nonetheless. Plus, it only takes like 10 minutes to read, so why not?
Rating: 5/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2006, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
The story, if there is one, revolves around an unnamed "she" who is created by a scientist and wears only a skirt. Not a book for little kids, here. Her adventures include a foiled marriage, a relationship with Napoleon, giving birth to a cat, and going to a nunnery. These are all supposedly interrelated.
I'm really indifferent to this novel; it's sort of like how I feel about modern dance. I don't really get it, but it's interesting to watch nonetheless. Plus, it only takes like 10 minutes to read, so why not?
Rating: 5/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2006, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
The Year of Fog, by Michelle Richmond (9 January — 11 January)
I had to give up on The Savage Detectives after about 70 pages because I just had no idea what was going on there. I saw no discernable plot, and a quick glance through the rest of the book told me I wasn't going to see one in the next 500 pages. So out the door with that.
Instead, I picked up another one of my "I've been wanting to read this for a while" books, The Year of Fog. This one definitely had a plot. :) It goes like this:
Abby Mason is the fiancée of Jake Balfour and the soon-to-be stepmother of his daughter, Emma. One day at the beach with Emma, Abby stops for a minute to take a picture of a dead seal pup. When she looks up to call to Emma, Emma is gone. Gone gone. Nowhere to be found.
Abby and Jake start a search for the lost girl, to no avail. Jake turns to his ex-wife for comfort, Abby to a support group and the streets of San Francisco, now littered with flyers. Jake starts to give Emma up for dead, but Abby truly believes Emma is still alive, and this difference in attitude starts to tear the couple apart.
This was an okay book. I liked the plot, but I didn't like the peripherals — a whole bunch of research on memory, visits to hypnotists, the preachy ending. Not much more to say about that.
Rating: 6/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2007, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
Instead, I picked up another one of my "I've been wanting to read this for a while" books, The Year of Fog. This one definitely had a plot. :) It goes like this:
Abby Mason is the fiancée of Jake Balfour and the soon-to-be stepmother of his daughter, Emma. One day at the beach with Emma, Abby stops for a minute to take a picture of a dead seal pup. When she looks up to call to Emma, Emma is gone. Gone gone. Nowhere to be found.
Abby and Jake start a search for the lost girl, to no avail. Jake turns to his ex-wife for comfort, Abby to a support group and the streets of San Francisco, now littered with flyers. Jake starts to give Emma up for dead, but Abby truly believes Emma is still alive, and this difference in attitude starts to tear the couple apart.
This was an okay book. I liked the plot, but I didn't like the peripherals — a whole bunch of research on memory, visits to hypnotists, the preachy ending. Not much more to say about that.
Rating: 6/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2007, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
08 January 2009
Booking Through Thursday (8 January)
Haven't done this in a while!
Booking Through Thursday asks...
"It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?
(It’s an oldie but a goodie question for a reason, after all … because, who can’t use good book suggestions from time to time?)"
I mentioned some high-rated books in my year-end wrap-up, but I think my real favorites were as follows:
In the Woods and The Likeness, by Tana French
I absolutely loved these two books about police detectives in Dublin. The writing was excellent, the plots were amazing, and I'm suffering from Tana French withdrawal as we speak.
The entire Thursday Next series of books, by Jasper Fforde
Come on. Who doesn't like the idea of a literary detective who can travel through books and who has a quirky inventor uncle and a father who doesn't exist but does and a resequenced dodo for a pet? No one, that's who. Books plus grammar plus science equals AWESOME.
The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell
This was my first favorite book of the year. It's a science fiction novel, partly set in Cleveland (where the author lives!), about a Jesuit priest called Emilio who goes to another planet from which music has been transmitted.
The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
After reading this, I wanted to go to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books so bad, you guys. And I wanted to read Julián Carax's novels. Unfair.
Those are my favorites... what were yours?
Booking Through Thursday asks...
"It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?
(It’s an oldie but a goodie question for a reason, after all … because, who can’t use good book suggestions from time to time?)"
I mentioned some high-rated books in my year-end wrap-up, but I think my real favorites were as follows:
In the Woods and The Likeness, by Tana French
I absolutely loved these two books about police detectives in Dublin. The writing was excellent, the plots were amazing, and I'm suffering from Tana French withdrawal as we speak.
The entire Thursday Next series of books, by Jasper Fforde
Come on. Who doesn't like the idea of a literary detective who can travel through books and who has a quirky inventor uncle and a father who doesn't exist but does and a resequenced dodo for a pet? No one, that's who. Books plus grammar plus science equals AWESOME.
The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell
This was my first favorite book of the year. It's a science fiction novel, partly set in Cleveland (where the author lives!), about a Jesuit priest called Emilio who goes to another planet from which music has been transmitted.
The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
After reading this, I wanted to go to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books so bad, you guys. And I wanted to read Julián Carax's novels. Unfair.
Those are my favorites... what were yours?
07 January 2009
The Baker Street Challenge
I realized the other day that I've had The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes sitting on my bookshelf for two years now. Then I noticed The Baker Street Challenge and obviously had to sign up.
Since I gave up on the aforementioned book two summers ago, I'm not thinking I'll do terribly well with this challenge (though I loved the two novellas I read for my mysteries class!), so I'm just going to sign up for the Three Pipe Problem, reading 3 books by, about, or related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.
Ideas:
The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Something... else.
Actually read:
1. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Arthur Conan Doyle (Review)
2. Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong, by Pierre Bayard (Review)
3. The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle (Review)
Since I gave up on the aforementioned book two summers ago, I'm not thinking I'll do terribly well with this challenge (though I loved the two novellas I read for my mysteries class!), so I'm just going to sign up for the Three Pipe Problem, reading 3 books by, about, or related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes.
Ideas:
The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Something... else.
Actually read:
1. The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Arthur Conan Doyle (Review)
2. Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong, by Pierre Bayard (Review)
3. The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Arthur Conan Doyle (Review)
Chunkster Challenge
This challenge requires participants to read huge-ass books between now and 15 November. Since I have a bunch I'm probably going to read anyway, I figured I'd put them here.
I'm signing up for option 3: Mor-book-ly Obese. "This is for the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to 6 or more chunksters [books longer than 450 pages] OR three tomes of 750 pages or more. You know you want to.....go on and give in to your cravings."
I want to.
My ideas list:
World Without End, by Ken Follett (1000 pages)
Some more of the Wheel of Time series (each around 800 or so pages)
Various and sundry long books I will pick up throughout the year
Actually read list:
1. Academ's Fury, by Jim Butcher (Review) 469 pages
2. Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson (Review) 487 pages
3. Red Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson (Review) 571 pages
4. Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson (Review) 537 pages
5. The Angel's Game, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Review) 531 pages
6. Captain's Fury, by Jim Butcher (Review) 464 pages
Although this challenge is officially completed, I'm still going to list the chunksters I read until 15 November. After all, it does say "6 or more". :)
I'm signing up for option 3: Mor-book-ly Obese. "This is for the truly out of control chunkster. For this level of challenge you must commit to 6 or more chunksters [books longer than 450 pages] OR three tomes of 750 pages or more. You know you want to.....go on and give in to your cravings."
I want to.
My ideas list:
World Without End, by Ken Follett (1000 pages)
Some more of the Wheel of Time series (each around 800 or so pages)
Various and sundry long books I will pick up throughout the year
Actually read list:
1. Academ's Fury, by Jim Butcher (Review) 469 pages
2. Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson (Review) 487 pages
3. Red Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson (Review) 571 pages
4. Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson (Review) 537 pages
5. The Angel's Game, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Review) 531 pages
6. Captain's Fury, by Jim Butcher (Review) 464 pages
Although this challenge is officially completed, I'm still going to list the chunksters I read until 15 November. After all, it does say "6 or more". :)
06 January 2009
First Among Sequels, by Jasper Fforde (5 January &mdash 6 January)
This came in for me yesterday at the library, and even though I was a few pages into another book, I couldn't help but read this instead. Love me some Thursday Next.
The events of this book pick up 14 years after those of the previous one. Thursday is now 52 and settled into her life as a wife and a mother of three. SpecOps has been officially disbanded, but Thursday's job as a carpet layer is really a cover for doing SpecOps work, which is really a cover for continuing her duties in Jurisfiction. In that last, she is stuck with two trainee Jurisfiction agents... Thursday1-4 from the first four books of the series as well as Thursday5 from The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco. Things, as they do, quickly go wonky and Thursday ends up having to save all of Time as well as herself from evildoers. No big deal.
As I said, I love me some Thursday Next, and this is no exception. It's a bit more heavy on the allegory this go-round (the government has a surplus of stupidity they have to use up and are thinking about getting into the stupidity credits game; there's a show called Samaritan Kidney Swap) which I think detracts a bit from the real story, which is Thursday kicking butt and taking names. Nonetheless, I am thoroughly looking forward to the next in the series, which will apparently be called One of Our Thursdays is Missing but is not the next book Fforde is releasing. Sigh. Off to find some Nursery Crime, I suppose...
Rating: 7/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2007, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
The events of this book pick up 14 years after those of the previous one. Thursday is now 52 and settled into her life as a wife and a mother of three. SpecOps has been officially disbanded, but Thursday's job as a carpet layer is really a cover for doing SpecOps work, which is really a cover for continuing her duties in Jurisfiction. In that last, she is stuck with two trainee Jurisfiction agents... Thursday1-4 from the first four books of the series as well as Thursday5 from The Great Samuel Pepys Fiasco. Things, as they do, quickly go wonky and Thursday ends up having to save all of Time as well as herself from evildoers. No big deal.
As I said, I love me some Thursday Next, and this is no exception. It's a bit more heavy on the allegory this go-round (the government has a surplus of stupidity they have to use up and are thinking about getting into the stupidity credits game; there's a show called Samaritan Kidney Swap) which I think detracts a bit from the real story, which is Thursday kicking butt and taking names. Nonetheless, I am thoroughly looking forward to the next in the series, which will apparently be called One of Our Thursdays is Missing but is not the next book Fforde is releasing. Sigh. Off to find some Nursery Crime, I suppose...
Rating: 7/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2007, Support Your Local Library Challenge)
05 January 2009
Cadillac Beach, by Tim Dorsey (29 December — 4 January)
Yes. Well. I read this book because my dear friend Pat told me it was awesome. I can definitely understand why he would find it awesome, but it was definitely not the right fit for me.
This book is weird. No, WEIRD. The plot, what there is of one, is that the main character, Serge, is out to solve the mystery of his grandfather's death. It was ruled a suicide, but Serge just knows that it had something to do with the theft of a bunch of jewels from a museum. He sets off to find some answers and ends up creating a tour company, getting on the outs with the mob and the police when some of his customers kill a mob boss who is ratting and going into witness protection, and creating an invasion that sort of happens but doesn't but makes everyone like him again.
It doesn't make any sense. It's pretty funny in parts, when you see all the threads of all the different stories that are going on start to come together, and when Serge does things like threaten someone with a leaf blower. But I just couldn't hold all of those plotlines in my head and still figure out what each sentence meant. Sorry, Pat, but I think I'm going to take a pass on Tim Dorsey.
Rating: 3/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2004)
This book is weird. No, WEIRD. The plot, what there is of one, is that the main character, Serge, is out to solve the mystery of his grandfather's death. It was ruled a suicide, but Serge just knows that it had something to do with the theft of a bunch of jewels from a museum. He sets off to find some answers and ends up creating a tour company, getting on the outs with the mob and the police when some of his customers kill a mob boss who is ratting and going into witness protection, and creating an invasion that sort of happens but doesn't but makes everyone like him again.
It doesn't make any sense. It's pretty funny in parts, when you see all the threads of all the different stories that are going on start to come together, and when Serge does things like threaten someone with a leaf blower. But I just couldn't hold all of those plotlines in my head and still figure out what each sentence meant. Sorry, Pat, but I think I'm going to take a pass on Tim Dorsey.
Rating: 3/10
(Countdown Challenge: 2004)
What Kind of Reader Are You?
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more. | |
| Literate Good Citizen | |
| Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm | |
| Book Snob | |
| Fad Reader | |
| Non-Reader | |
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz | |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)