Aleph by Paulo Coelho

296 pages Trade Paperback (Fiction)

My wife and I occasionally get two copies of the same book and then have a mini reading group together. She bought copies of this book for Christmas and we both have been reading it. She isn't quite done yet

Aleph has an interesting presentation. It is presented as autobiographical, but labeled as fiction. Fantastic things happen, but in the author's note at the end it is implied that they are real. The book is also translated from Portuguese which may have been to its detriment.

In order to talk about the book it will be necessary to reveal things so....

 Warning: spoilers ahead.

The book follows the author on a trip to many countries around the world. At the beginning the author talks with a friend that suggests he must say yes to life more often. At the next press conference he agrees to go to all the countries that he is requested to visit. The final one involves a train ride on the Trans-Siberian rail road. There is little time spent on the rest of the trip and most of it focuses on the train ride. Before boarding the train the author meets a young violinist named Hilal. She tells him that she is supposed to join him on this journey. The others along for the trip are opposed, but in the end she is allowed to go. The book follows the author as he has a spiritual journey.

The main point of the book is what is known as the Aleph. Hilal and the author have some type of time meld. Together they experience a vision/time travel where the author attempts to reconcile a failure from his past life. This Aleph seems to be a fixed point within the hallway of the train.

I can't say I really enjoyed this book. I found the writing to be very bland. Since it was translated from Portuguese I can forgive this as I wouldn't have been able to read it otherwise, but either the translator simplified the writing or the original wasn't that great to start with.

I want to discuss the time traveling experiences that the author has. He presents these experiences as truth. Since it is a work of fiction I was able to accept this, at first, but as things goes on it is implied it is real. At the end of the book the author's note discusses the people in the book and warns people from attempting the time traveling rituals described in the book. Yet, the book is labeled as fiction. Did he have these experiences? He implies that he has. Why is the book fiction? Did the publisher do that? This really bothered me. It seems like this should have been explained much better than it was. It is possible that Coelho intended the book to be labeled as non-fiction, but because of the fantastic nature of the trip the publisher labeled it otherwise. I feel if that was the case then he should have addressed this in some way.

The biggest issue I had was the number of assumptions made in the book. Throughout the book the author makes statements. He then uses a statement for a basis for converging lines of thought. The assumption is that you accept the first statement which then encourages you to agree with the whole. Numerous times I found myself questioning the validity of the original statement which then invalidated everything that was discussed. I have to admit that this lies mostly on me. I am skeptical of any otherworldly experience that anyone claims to have. I am looking for evidence what a person claims is more than just a story and this book doesn't provide anything more than that, just a story. Since I doubt the truth of the story, and view as such, I wasn't impressed by the book.

2 Intellectual/Emotional - I wasn't drawn to the characters and in most cases was annoyed by them. The spiritual content of the book could be inspiring if it were true, but I wasn't convinced that it was, most significantly because it was labeled as fiction.

2 Style/Readability - As noted it was very bland. Everything was very uninspired considering the book was supposed to be inspiring. It felt almost like the author was bored with the tale he was telling. This comes through in the writing.

1 Long Term Impact - Unless the ideas presented take hold and influence a lot of people I see this book fading into obscurity sooner rather than later.

5 out of 13. This is one of the worst scores I have ever given a book. Read something else.

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A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

405 pages Trade Paperback (Fiction)

My wife has suggested I read this book and it has been on my list for quite sometime. It has been on numerous top 100 lists and also won a Pulitzer Prize. I decided to give it a read and over a couple of weeks I did. 

Ignatius J. Reilly is 30 years old and lives with his mother. He dresses in thick clothing, bursting at the seams, and has a green hunters cap to keep himself warm. He is the definition of socially nonfunctional. This seems to be by choice. The rest of the world has it all wrong and despite his obvious intelligence he will not conform to any sort of societal norm. Any issue Ignatius has must surely be the fault of anyone other than himself.

The book follows the misadventures of Ignatius as he attempts to repay debts his mother owes. He is hired working in an office where he files things in the garbage can and eventually starts selling hot dogs on the street, but typically eats more than he ever sells.

A Confederacy of Dunces was a bit of a conundrum for me. Toole's writing is impressive and engaging, but I found the characters to be unlikable. The book is aptly titled. From the crazed mother driven to the brink by her sons insanity, to the pitiful police officer spending his days in a bus stop toilet, to the worthless kid trying to make a little money on the side, to the husband and wife that spend their days trying to make the other person more miserable, all of them were morons. I couldn't make a connection with any of the characters. This made it hard for me to care about any of them or care about the book. The book is advertised as humorous. On the back of the book a quote says, "One of the funniest books ever written..." I just didn't feel this. It was silly. Write a story about a bunch of idiots and put them in silly situations and you'll get a silly book, but for the most part I thought it was kind of sad. It is possible that when the book was written in the 60's the idea of the characters were so outrageous that it came off as funny. I think I have met a version of each of the characters in real life and I saw it as a sad comment on stupid people and less as something so preposterous that it was humorous.

You would think that at this point I could easily dismiss the book, but therein lies the conundrum. Toole is a good writer.and though I actually attempted to give up on the book a couple times, I soon found myself wanting to read it again. I could see where people found it humorous. I can understand why others liked the book, but I have to conclude it just wasn't for me.

2 Intellectual/Emotional - I had hard time getting attached to any character in the book.

3 Style/Readability - Toole's writing is what gives this book any credibility from my point of view. 

4 Long Term Impact - Obviously, I am in the minority when it comes rating this book and I can except that. A Pulitzer prize and being on numerous top 100 books 50 years after having been written means this will continue to be popular as time goes on.

9 out of 13. I have to be honest and say even this feels like too much. I can't recommend this book. If you are looking for comedies that could be compared to this I would suggest something by Tom Robbins or Phillip Roth's early work. Though not necessarily related thematically I would also suggest Terry Pratchett, Bill Bryson or Douglas Adams.

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Soul Music by Terry Pratchett

373 pages (Paperback) Fantasy Fiction

It didn't take me long to get back into a Pratchett book. Pratchett is a very interesting writer and I look forward to reading many of his books in the future.

Imp y Celyn has just arrived in Anhk-Morpork, the largest city set in the center of Disc World. He is a musician, but quickly realizes he doesn't have the funds to pay the guild in order to make music within the city. He soon meets up with a dwarf, Glod, and Lias, a troll. Through some bad luck, Imp's harp is broken. They soon find themselves in a music store that wasn't there the day before, BUT had always been there. Imp finds a guitar that seems to have a life of its own.

In an attempt to raise money so they can join the musicians guild they play music in less than savory places. Their first show a magical thing happens. They start playing a type of music that no one has heard before. Most are in agreement that it is wrong and loud and obnoxious ...and that they can't get enough of it. They soon find themselves touring around the disc and playing music for hundreds of people. The musicians guild is upset about this and sends Mr. Clete and his flunkies after them.

Susan is just an average girl going to your average boarding school. She seems to have the power to not be there. And she sees things others don't. And animals talk to her. One night a raven and a skeletal mouse come to take her on one of those adventures where there are fantastic lands and fairies...or something like that. She soon finds out that her family isn't exactly what she thought it was, and that she has been selected to take her grandfathers job.

3 - Intellectual/Emotional - Pratchett does a great job of taking a story that the reader knows, in this case a bands rise to stardom, and adds his quirky humor and makes it something so much more than your typical story. I really liked the Susan story line and characters there, I didn't care as much for the Band with Rocks In characters. The story itself was very fun though.

4 Style/Readability - Pratchett's writing is great once you get a couple of his books under your belt you are not going to want to stop reading.

4 Long Term Impact - His writing is great. He adds humor to fantasy like no other. I have never read others that I can really compare him too. He deserves long term accolades.

11 out of 13. Now that I have read a number of his books I am a solid Pratchett fan. I wouldn't say this is his best work, but it is certainly a fun read. I suggest starting with Guards! Guards!  or Going Postal, but once you are invested in his world come back to this.

The Walking Dead Compendium by Robert Kirkman

Roughly 1000 pages (Graphic Novel) Fiction

Robert Kickman is the author. The artwork is originally created by Tony Moore. It is then taken over by Charlie Adlard. This compendium covers #1-#48 of the series. It also has a small Holiday special from 2005. I rarely get to watch horror of any sort since my wife refuses to watch anything that could be construed as such. Somehow I started watching the first season of the TV show on Netflix. I was interested, and as soon as the second season came out I watched them all in a few days. I now have been watching them as they come out on TV. I decided to give the comic a try.

The story follows Rick, a police officer, who wakes from a gun shot coma to find the world has been overrun with zombies. He eventually meets a group of people and they attempt to survive in this new life of walking dead. They attempt to find places of safety and typically are run out of a safe haven as soon as they can settle in. They meet other groups of survivors. Sometimes this is good and sometimes this is bad. What I found most interesting is that the book really isn't about blood and gore. That is a part of it at times, but what makes it worth while is the lives of the people involved. The new order that is in place forces people to act in ways they would never have thought about in the past. Survival forces mistrust of others before humanity can take hold.

I imagine most people interested in the comic series may already have seen the show. They are quite a few differences between the comic and the TV series. I won't fill this with spoilers. On the TV show Rick is very likable and you care about him a lot. In the book he is much more driven and angry. There are a number of characters in the book that are not in the show and vice versa. Michonne is very different. In the show she is a hard character that doesn't care about anyone. In the book she seems more "normal". The major plot points seems to happen in both, but there minor differences that make both worthwhile to experience on their own.

A note about the artwork. I come from an artistic background so the artwork in a comic is very important. Tony Moore did a fantastic job with the first "chapter" of the comic. So far as black and white artists goes he was the best I can imagine doing the work. Apparently, he was behind on finishing each month so was replaced by Adlard. To be honest this was a huge disappointment for me. Especially in the first few comics he did I felt the artwork was mediocre to poor. Whereas in Moore's artwork each character stood out and had great shading, Adlard was poorly drawn with blocky shading. I found it hard to tell the difference between some of the men. I am happy that this subsided somewhat as the series went on, but at this point I don't think he has caught up to Moore's work. Thankfully the story is good enough that it didn't keep me from continuing the series.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - What makes this series is the characters and how they deal with the new world. I do think that the show does a slightly better job of this in than the book.

3 Style/Readability - I found myself reading late into the night to find out what happens next. Since things are changed a lot from the TV show it was fresh throughout.

4 Long Term Impact - The Walking Dead has been around about 10 years and it is already a classic. I think it will be the new standard for comparison for anything zombie that follows.

10 out of 13. This mainly depending on taste. It is a horror comic and I think most anyone will know where they stand regarding the subject matter. If you think you'd be ok with a horror comic than I think this is well worth your time. If the subject turns you off. the quality of the book isn't going to change your opinion.

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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

303 pages (Paperback) Fantasy Fiction

I read this book because I am running a Book Club with 5th graders at my job. We were looking for something that would be interesting to the kids and at the right level for them. With the movie coming out, I thought this was a good choice. I imagine most anyone reading this knows who Tolkien is. To be honest I am not a big fan. Considering my love of the fantasy genre you would expect that to be sacrilege  I have always felt that the Lord of the Rings had better ideas than writing. I enjoy the movies more than I liked the books. This is not as true concerning The Hobbit. This is one of the first fantasy novels I ever read. Sometime when I was in junior high I picked this up, read it and enjoyed it.

The story follows an unlikely group of adventurers. Bilbo, the hobbit, is hired by thirteen dwarves, led by Thorin Oakensheild, to be a burglar of the dragon Smaug's treasure. Gandalf, the wizard, accompanies them. Most of the book focuses on traveling across the land to the Lonely Mountain where the dragon lives. The party  run into trolls, spiders, goblins and elves. All of this is written in a lighthearted and fun way. At one point Bilbo meets Gollum and from him acquires a ring of invisibility. This helps him on many occasions throughout the book. At first the dwarves have little respect for the small Hobbit with hairy feet, but soon come to appreciate his ability to save them in times of trouble.

To be honest it has been a number of years since I have read the Lord of the Rings. In comparing it to The Hobbit I find that it is much more dry and drawn out. The Hobbit seems to have been written from young people and the Lord of the Rings for adults. In The Hobbit, Tolkien avoids going on for pages describing the histories of Middle-Earth and for the most part the story moves from one action scene to another. It was easy to get into the book and I found myself quickly getting through my weekly readings.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - The characters are lovable and easy to care about. There is little in the way of intellectual discourse although events towards the end could be a place for discourse.

3 Style/Readability - In this book Tolkien keeps things simple and it moves along at a good pace.

5 Long Term Impact - Tolkien didn't invent the idea of fantasy fiction, but he certainly started it on its way to popularity. I doubt any fantasy writer of the last 50 years can claim their work wasn't a descendant of Tolkien's.

11 out of 13. I feel this right. The Hobbit is fun, easy and entertaining. Personally, I feel it is the best of Tolkien's work and well worth a read for young people as well as adults.

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Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep? by Philip K. Dick

244 pages (Trade Paperback) Science Fiction

Philip K. Dick has been on my radar for a long time. I was heavy into sci fi when I was in college, but I never read anything by him. I have watched Bladerunner a few times and decided to give Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep a try.

Bladerunner is loosely based on the book, but their are a lot of differences. It is more like they took the world and the main character and then wrote a story separate from the movie. Rick Deckard is bounty hunter in the future. He hunts androids. Every time he "retires" an andy he gets 1000 dollars. In the future most animals are extinct and to have a real one is to have social status. If you can't you get an electric animal. Deckard has an electric sheep. He wants to have a real animal. The world is falling apart after an apocalypse that is explained as a war. People uses machines to set their mood. The populous uses another machine as a means of religion referred to as Mercerism. Eight androids have escaped Mars and after a colleague is shot Deckard is given the job of retiring the remaining andys.

Dick's style of writing was awkward for me. At first I thought that the dialogue was intentionally written this way to reflect the thinking of characters, but it continued through the book and eventually I just accepted it for what it was. He rights very simply, but then occasionally has these out of place sentences used to vividly describe something. All that said I was drawn into the story and read the short book in a few days.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - I didn't care much about any of the characters except J.R. Isadore who had a minor part in the book. Intellectually this is interesting. I imagine at the time in the late 60's this was ahead of its time, but in relation to all that has come since it doesn't stand out as much.

2 Style/Readability - I can't claim to be a fan of his writing.

4 Long Term Impact - The fact that I am reading this 50 years after its release attests to its staying power. I don't know how revolutionary it was for its time, but it has obviously had an impact on the sci-fi genre.

10 out of 13. I was glad that I read the book and would say that I enjoyed it. A friend of mine put it this way, "Maybe Dick is to be celebrated more for his ideas than for his writing." That is how I feel about this. I am not sure if I will rush to read anything else of his, but in a couple years I may try something else.

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Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett

Around 330 pages (Paperback) Fiction

Terry Pratchett has quickly moved up my list of favorite authors.  He tells interesting tales, to be sure, but this isn’t what makes it so great. He takes a story that isn’t new such as a murder mystery and then puts it this quirky world that he has created. Most of the books I have read focus on the city in the center of the world Anhk-Morpork. Discworld, as this world is known, is disk flying through space. It is inhabited by a strange collection of characters that combine fantasy, history, and science fiction all into one humorous place.

Men at Arms is the second book in the city watch series although they are not labeled in such a way. The books are independent of each other and though it might have some spoilers over all they could be read in any order. Captian Vimes is getting married. He is going to give up the life of a Nights Watch guardsmen and live the life of the rich with his new extremely wealthy wife. He only has to get through this week. Murder has occurred. This isn’t the normal murder you see. This isn’t a troll killing a dwarf because; you know…he’s a dwarf. But important people are getting killed, and no one is sure how it is being done.

Corporal Carrot knows that Vimes is busy getting prepared for marriage. With the new laws demanding appropriate ethnic representation on the Watch, Carrot is involved in making sure the new recruits are being trained. Soon more trolls, a werewolf, more dwarves and most unlikely, a woman, become members of the watch, but when you take a troll and a dwarf and make them partners bad things are bound to happen.

We are led through a light hearted murder mystery diving deep in the mysterious guilds of Anhk-Morpork and following a tale as funny as it is enjoyable.

3 Emotional/Intellectual – Even Pratchett’s bad guys are easy to fall in love with and the good guys are people you want to be friends with, except Nobby Nobbs.

5 Style/Readability – Both easy to read and filled with hilarious and entertaining reading Practchett is a fantastic writer.

3 Long Term Impact – Somehow I went for a long time without getting to read Prachett I really don’t understand why he isn’t more famous than he is.

11 out of 13. Anyone taking the time to read this post owes it to themselves to go out and read some of Pratchett’s books.  The city watch books are great I would start with Guards! Guards! and then continue with Men at Arms.

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Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

335 pages (Hardcover) Fiction

Lolita is considered a modern literary classic. It was originally published in 1955 and was considered scandalous from the first. My wife owned the book and having seen the movie by Stanley Kubrick I wanted to read it. The movie was released in the 50's as well, I admit I was surprised on the differences between the two.

Lolita is about a deranged man, Humbert Humbert. This Englishman has an unhealthy lust for young girls. The first part of the book talks about how at a young age he fell in love with a young girl and after one kiss was hopelessly attracted to girls of that tender young age. I have to admit to being uncomfortable with the book throughout the earlier parts as he describes his sexual thoughts in somewhat explicit detail.

The reader soon realizes that Humbert is in jail and is writing this as a confession of sorts after the fact. Humbert soon finds himself a lodger in a house with a woman that he despises. He agreed to this arrangement after meeting Mrs. Haze's daughter, the title character, Lolita. At this point in the book one almost starts to sympathize with Humbert as he truly loves this young girl. Through unlikely events Humbert and Lolita start to travel across the United States. Humbert wants to fulfill his detestable desires, but plans to keep Lolita wholesome by keeping her unaware.

Nabokov is world famous and considered among the greatest of authors. The writing in the book is fantastic and I was pleased with the use of language and flow. Although I found the subject matter to be off putting at first as the book went on this sexual taboo was lessened. This was because it became less about the lustful actions of the characters and more about the story and relationship. It also served as a portrait of America as seen traveling from coast to coast.

The book finishes with a word from Nabokov after the book had been published. He talks about attempting to get it published and the barriers that it met. There seemed to be two sides to the rejections. Some would not publish it because it bordered on pornography. Those willing to publish such writing thought it wasn't explicit enough. The book doesn't detail sexual relations really at all. Things are mostly implied and talked about "off camera" as it were. Though even the suggestion when related between a older man and a young girl is at least, uncomfortable.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - Seeing things from Humbert's point of view gives the reader a sense of acceptance in his actions. I would say in many ways this is what makes this book so successful. Of course, the actions are also off putting.

5 Style/Readability - Take the subject matter of this book and have it written by a poor to mediocre author and it would have never gone anywhere. In the hands of a fantastic author even with the objectionable subject the writing makes it well worthwhile.

4 Long Term Impact- It is already considered one of the greatest books of all time. I can not argue with that.

12 out of 13. No one could read this and say it is poor writing. Only the subject could turn you off. If you are looking for beautiful prose you should read this book.

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Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

(Graphic Novel) Fiction

My wife gave this to me as a gift and I have been reading it off and on for the last couple months. Watchmen was made into a movie a few years ago and I had interest in reading the series. The layout of the book is mostly what you would expect from a comic book, but each chapter has a few pages written out to further tell the story.

The story is set in the mid eighties, but covers an alternate timeline to our own, that changes with the emergence of superheroes in the 1940's. During the 1960's superheroes help in the Vietnam war and win because of it. The series starts with the death of The Comedian. A large part of the series follows another character Rorschach. He is convinced that a number of masked heroes are being hunted down by the killer and with the death of The Comedian determines to find out who it is. Dr. Manhattan is the only character in the series that actually has any superpowers. Through the result of a scientific experiment gone awry he has developed god-like powers. He experiences time all at once, can teleport and can manipulate objects at will. Other characters include Nite Owl, the famous Ozymandias and Silk Spectre.

What sets this apart from other comic books is the characters, with the exception of Dr. Manhattan, are just normal people. They have a sense of strength and will above that of normal people, but can't fly or do extraordinary things. The story weaves around starting in modern times of the 80's. It jumps to the 1940's to see the beginnings of the superhero era. It shows the effect the superheroes have on the 1960's and intermixes it all with the ongoing timeline.

It seems to be a comment on world affairs of the 80's, but intermixes it with the plot and stories of the characters. It was easy to get into and the artwork was well done. It stands up 30 years later as a groundbreaking work of art and storytelling.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - I found both Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach's stories interesting and was drawn into the plot through them.

3 Style/Readability - I have read a few comics in my day, but this was the most well told of all of them. The artwork seems to get better as the series goes on especially the last chapter.

5 Long Term Impact - Watchmen has already had a huge impact on comic books as a whole and I imagine it has influenced many writers as well. With the release of a blockbuster movie as well as the influence it already has in comics it has already proven its long term impact.

11 out of 13. If you haven't ever read a comic series this is a good starting point. It is dirty, realistic and well worth your time.

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Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

312 pages (Trade Paperback) Realistic Fiction

Cry, The Beloved Country is set in South Africa in the middle of the 1940's. A old native parson, or pastor Stephen Kumalo, lives in the countryside called Ndotsheni. Here the land is dying as no one knows how to care for it and each person goes about trying to raise crops their own way. The lack of rain has made it almost impossible. Since none can live off the land many go to Johannesburg to work. Kumalo's son, sister and brother have all gone to Johannesburg and have not returned. There have been no letters from his family in some time. Upon receiving a letter from another pastor saying that his sister is ill he must go to the city. He is determined to find his family and restore the tribe.

He travels by train to the large city and sees that it is grander and more amazing then anyone could think possible. He finds the church from which the pastor wrote and soon finds his family members have fallen prey to the vices of Johannesburg.

My feelings towards this book changed as I read it. At first I was annoyed with Paton's tendency to repeat his writings. Especially when the characters are talking they seem to say the same things over and over again within a couple pages of each other. As the book went on I got used to and saw it more a way of conveying the simple way these people live and communicate.

The book is very powerful. By following the tale of a man trying to bring his family together we get to see a picture of South Africa right before apartheid became an official way of the land. It was unexpected that the black people in the book looked down upon themselves. They looked at themselves as a lesser people. When talking about a crime it was considered a "worse" thing that it happened to a white person rather then a colored one.

This type of thinking pervades the book and you can see how after the events of the book it wouldn't take much for apartheid to take over. The relationships within the book are strong and eventually it shows how the people could work together if they stopped and saw each other as equals.

5 Emotional/Intellectual - This book is extremely emotional. Occasionally, you read from the point of view of a non-main character and many times it is heartbreaking. Overall, the book is very sad, but there is a tinge of hope as well.

2 Style/Readability - Although it is very simply written I found that sometimes the writing was not enjoyable. It was the most bare bones of writing and there was an abundance of repetition at times this made it difficult to bear

3 Long Term Impact - On the back cover of the book is claims it is "The most famous and important novel in South Africa's history." It is sixty years past its original printing so it obviously has stood the test of time. I just feel like something with better writing would better represent South Africa.

10 out of 13. The book is worth reading and I would encourage any avid read to pick it up. That said enjoy it for its emotional impact not its writing style.

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Stranger than Fiction by Chuck Palahnuik

233 pages (Trade paperback) Non-Fiction Essays

Palahnuik is one of the oddest writers I have ever read. In general his books seem to focus on a person with some mental issues and how they interact with the world. I wouldn't say that his books are depressing, but I wouldn't say they are all that uplifting either. Stranger than Fiction is a collection of true stories. Many are presented as if they are articles you might read in a newspaper. Many of them couldn't be published in a newspaper. The topics range from people that build castles to live in, amateur wrestlers, combine demolition derbies to Marilyn Manson giving himself a tarot reading.

The book has a humorous tone to it. It is a look at the lighter side of people. It demonstrates that ALL of us are a bit strange and maybe that is a good thing. About halfway through the book there is a story about Palahnuik's friends that claim to have super natural powers. One lives with a ghost and one can see the future. He has a party and a couple of psychics start to talk to the dead. At this point the book seems to take a serious tone as Palahnuik reveals some very personal things about his past.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - Looking at the quirky side of people was interesting and more engaging than you might think at first. Palahnuik's ability to reveal more about himself with other's stories shows an unexpected personal side as well.

3 Readability/Style - A few of the stories come off as very generic. Others have the short sentenced, fact filled style that is typical of his writing.

3 Long Term Impact - Palahnuik's already has a strong following. Though this book isn't as well known as  it will be able to ride on the coattails of his other more popular books.

9 out of 13. You might be better off starting with one of his other books like Lullaby, Invisible Monsters or Haunted. If you find you like his writing this book is worthwhile.

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Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson

829 pg (Trade Paperback) Fantasy Fiction

This is the 8^th book in the Malazan series. At this point in the series I am fully mired into the story and have a better understanding of the characters, the world and how they are connected, but I am still lost on some of what is going on.

Toll the Hounds focuses mainly on the city of Darujhistan. In the book we learn more about familiar characters such as Kruppe, Cutter, Ikaral Pust, Picker, Blend, Anomander Rake, Samar Dev, Karsa Orlong and well as others. 

Karsa and Samar Dev head towards Darujhistan with a secretive character known as Traveller. Cutter gets involved with Challice who we last saw in the very first book. Anomander Rake leads in the city of Black Coral. As with all of the books in this series new characters are added and some familiar characters aren't mentioned at all. A side story line follows a young man named Harllo as he works in the mines near the city eventually leading to his escape attempt.We also get to see a lot of what is going on within the sword Dragnipur. Mappo is a shareholder in the Trygalle Trade Guild and we get to see more of what that all entails. The book seems ill-named throughout most of the book because the Hounds of Shadow are barely mentioned in the interactions of Shadowthrone and Cotillion. I'll just let you know that in the end we aren't disappointed.

Erikson is never an easy read. He expects, as a reader, that you work to understand all that is going on. In fact, I would say even the most dedicated of readers couldn't claim to grasp it all on the first read. The general consensus seems to indicate that rereading the books is more rewarding than the first time through. This seems to be more true in Toll the Hounds than in the other books save the first. Following the individuals tales within the book were easy to follow, but it connections to the whole story seem to stem mostly from the first book which I read over two years ago. Where it shines is where all of Erikson's books shine in the small scenes he presents. I enjoy getting a bite of a story that could be a short story all its own.

3 Emotional/Intellectual - The story seems to move forward the most regarding Anomander Rake and the City of Darujhistan the most.

3 Style/Readability - This was a bit harder to get through then previous books in the series, but Erikson is a master storyteller and even though I may not grasp all that is going on I still am enjoying the ride.

3 Long Term Impact - I have said this before. Erikson is a niche within a niche. Fantasy books overall are enjoying popularity beyond what they have ever experienced  Erikson is a difficult read within that genre. I think this will always keep him to the fringe of popularity. That said he deserves more recognition than he is getting.

9 out of 13. I feel like this book was transitional. That it told us a lot to lead us to what happens next. That isn't to say nothing happens, just that it has built up my interest by setting the stage for what will happen next.

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Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

 

394 pg (Paperback) Fiction

Terry Pratchett is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Most of his books are set in the fictional world of Discworld. It is a conglomeration of 18^th century Europe and medieval fantasy books that many of us have grown to love. This is all thrown together with clever writing and a humorous tone to it all. 

Most of the books I have read are centered in the city of Anhk-Morpork. Essentially, this city is the center of the world. Here we meet our hero Moist Von Lipwig. Moist has been “hired” to run the local post office. The post office hasn’t really done work as of late because of a much faster information transfer system known as the Clacks. Moist soon finds himself mired in a fight to see which can better supply the people the post or the clacks. Various stunts and less legal actions work together to make a very entertaining book.

With each book I have read of Pratchett I have grown fonder of his writing. He has a beautiful way of writing that intermixes with humor in a way that is rare. I find myself getting drawn into the books and enjoying them for the lighthearted stories they attempt to be. I think most readers would find his books worthwhile and Going Postal is a good starting place.

3 Intellectual/Emotional – Going Postal’s setting seems thinly veiled as you can see all of its events could be a part of modern life. I came to care for Moist and the other characters and hoped that the post office would come out on top.

5 Readability/Style – Pratchett’s writing is fantastic and although not difficult to read it is immensely pleasurable.

3 Long Term Impact – Many accounts put Going Postal towards the top of Practhett’s best books. I can only see his popularity rising as time passes.

11 out of 13. Looking for a lighthearted book? Wants something that draws you in tells a good tale and makes you laugh? Check this book out. I would also suggest Guards! Guards!, another great book from Pratchett.

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Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

390 pg (Trade Paperback) Fiction

Mockingjay is the 3^rd and final book in the Hunger Games series. There will be spoilers for the earlier books in this post. 

At the end of Catching Fire  Katniss has been taken out of the arena only to find that there resistance against the Capitol is real and strong. District 13 is a large population living mostly underground.  She is soon made into a media spectacle and used as the face of the rebellion. She is involved in covert missions that become little more than photo shoots to show the power of the rebellion. The capitol responds with harsh bombings of the 13^th District, but the underground bunkers protect most of the inhabitants. Peeta has been captured by the capitol and after a heroic mission to save him  it is reveled that he has been brainwashed into thinking Katniss, The Mockingjay, is his enemy. At this point the book becomes a account of a war between the rebels and the Capitol. Eventually leading to an all out attack on the Capitol which, of course, Katniss participates in.

I have to take into consideration that the book was written from young adults. As this series has gone on  I became less interested in it. The Hunger Games is destined to be a classic book for young readers and it is sad that the series doesn’t hold up to the original book. This isn’t to say it isn’t worth reading, it just felt like the first book was fantastic and the second book really slowed things down. Mockingjay brings back the excitement, but not to the extent of the original.

3 Emotional/Intellectual -  I really had a hard time liking Katniss as the books went on. I cared about the plight of the districts and that is what kept me reading.

3 Style/ Readability-  Although some things were unexpected, over all the books become fairly predictable towards the end. The writing is fine, but not outstanding.

4 Long Term Impact – These books won’t make it to Harry Potter popularity, but I think they will be a part of main stream reading for a long time.

10 out of 13 – The Hunger Games book is well worth the read. Because of this you will get sucked into reading the rest of the series. That is fine just don’t expect it to end as well as it began.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

588 pages (Trade Paperback) Fiction

I have read a few books by Neil Gaiman. He is touted as a Young Readers author, but has the occasional adult themed book. Up until now I have had a rather lukewarm feeling towards his books. I like the ideas, but didn’t fall in love with them. I had been told that American Gods is one of his best and I wasn’t disappointed.

The book follows a man named Shadow just released from prison. He is confronted by a strange character named Mr. Wednesday. He offers him a job being his driver. Though he turns it down, a series of unlikely events leads to him being in the employ of Mr. Wednesday. Shadow soon starts to see a side of America that no one has experienced before. As people came from other parts of the world to settle in America they brought along with them the tales and stories that were a part of their culture. The characters in those stories were brought to life by the beliefs of the people. As time has passed the stories get told less and people forget the stories of their ancestors. The characters become just another person roaming through America. Shadow becomes deeply involved in this hidden part of America and tries to find his place in it.

I have always enjoyed Gaiman ability to take a real situation and add enough fantasy to make it fun. His writing is right on and the book moves along at a great pace. The book was very engaging and a worthwhile read for most anyone.

3 Emotional/Intellectual – How would you act if you were a forgotten tale from the Old World come to life? Some try just to survive. Others try to take what they can get.

4 Style/Readability – Of all Gaiman I have read so far this is the best writing and story yet.

4 Long Term Impact – Gaiman has already made a name for himself. This is considered one of his best and will enjoy popularity for some time.

11 out of 13. This book is well worth your time to pick up. If you have tried another of his books and thought it was ok I would suggest grabbing this and being delighted.

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell

426 pages (Trade Paperback) Historical Fiction

 I was introduced to Russell with her fantastic book, The Sparrow. I was so touched by that book that I felt the need to read some others.

  A Thread of Grace starts in 1943 in France during World War II. A group of Jews have been informed that the Germans are going to take over the section of France they have recently settled in. They are forced to run for their lives over the mountains into Italy. Once they arrive in Italy the lives of the new inhabitants and the Italians become intermixed. The story focuses on the people’s efforts to protect the Jews, but also on how people try to live a “normal” life in the face of war.

 The book is an interesting take on WWII. Other books I have read in the past focus on soldiers or Jews involved in the concentration camps. This book has a more hopeful feeling. I was pleased to learn a different side of the war story.

 4 Emotional/Intellectual – It was easy to get involved in people’s stories. The fact that it is focused on a part of WWII that I knew nothing about added unexpected intellectual merit as well.

 3 Style/ Readability – Russell is an accomplished writer and is comfortable to read. I wasn’t as drawn in as I was with The Sparrow.

 2 Long Term Impact – Russell’s fame is not because of this book and it is unlikely that it will ever will be. The saving grace maybe it’s unique take on the war story.

 9 out of 13. If you are interested in a different look at World War II you should take a look at this. If you are just getting interested in it I would suggest Night by Elie Weisel or The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer. If you think Russell is interesting I would suggest starting with The Sparrow although it is not related to A Thread of Grace in anyway. This book is worth a read after enjoying her other work.

I'm Back!

I’m back after a long hiatus. I haven’t stopped reading, but a large amount of my time has been devoted to finishing my masters degree and having a new baby boy. In order to catch myself up I am going to be doing a number of mini reviews until I catch up to where I am.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

261 pages -Trade Paperback (Fiction)

My wife suggested I read this book. Faulkner is considered one of the greatest American authors. I had never read anything by Faulkner before and I gave it a try. I really don’t know how to qualify this book. I found it repulsive and engrossing simultaneously like watching a car crash in slow motion.

The book starts with Addie Bundren dying in her bed. Outside her window her oldest son works on making her coffin. Each chapter is told from a new point of view and is titled as such. We are deep in the south and the language was particularly difficult for me to comprehend at first, but as the book went on I found it easier to grasp. The reader finds themselves in the heads of the different members of the family. For awhile it was hard to understand what is going on. The combination of the language and being “inside the head” of the “author” really took getting used to. There also seems to be time shifts from chapter to chapter. Sometimes we jump forward an hour and other times we jump back. Soon after the beginning of the book Addie dies. This is where the car crash really begins. Addie requested that she be buried with her family in another county. As the family attempts to fulfill Addie’s wishes every manner of problem crops up. It continually declines to the point of disturbing the reader.

So far as the story goes a fair comparison can be made to John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. In both books a family from the south is traveling together, both families endure hardships, both are written by authors considered the best in American Literature. Where they differ is The Grapes of Wrath seems to be a testament to the unfailing endurance of the human spirit. As I Lay Dying seems to be a look at the failings of humans and the selfishness that seems to be a part of all of us.

I can’t say I enjoyed the book. I can say that it affected me emotionally. Being inside the heads of the Bundren family forces the reader to care about them, but the trauma they go through is real and disturbed me as I read. I was disgusted, hopeful, dismayed and eventually just angry at the book. This is a rare occurrence and I assume this is why the book is so highly regarded. It had an impact on me and though it wasn’t a good one, I have to give it respect for that alone.

5 Emotional/Intellectual – Only a few books have had such a emotional impact as this. I was upset by the book, but I was unable to stop reading. Even now a week past reading the book I find myself getting upset about it.

3 Style/Readability – Faulkner is known for his “stream of consciousness” writing style. This book is in no way easily read. This was intentional and it was a part of what makes the book great, but that didn’t make it any easier to digest.

4 Long Term Impact – As I Lay Dying is already considered among the best books ever written.

12 out of 13. I am rating a book that I didn’t like a 12. It certainly deserves it. I can’t think of many books that have had such an impact on me, but at the same time I don’t know if I can recommend it to someone else. If you are looking for something that will get to you and are willing to get upset at a book I suggest you give this a read. If you are looking for entertainment you may want to look at another book.

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Guards! Guards! By Terry Pratchett

355 Pages – Paperback (Fantasy Fiction)

The only thing that can be good about me not discovering Terry Pratchett earlier in life is that I can now enjoy his books for the first time. Before this I had read two books by Pratchett, The Colour of Magic, his first book and Good Omens written with Neil Giaman. It has been suggested by other readers that it took a few books to reach his stride. I enjoyed The Colour of Magic I wasn’t super excited about Pratchett as a writer. This has now changed. Guards! Guards! is a fantastic book.

Vimes is the head of the Night Watch; it consists of himself and three other men. The whole of their job is to walk about crying “Tis one o’ clock and all is well”. If things aren’t well on that street then they should move to another where it is. Unfortunately, murders have been happening that seem to be caused by a dragon. Since dragons haven’t been around for a 1000 years it makes a difficult time for Vimes and his fellow guards. Add an orangutan Librarian, a group of misguided cultists, a conniving leader of the city and large woman who cares for small dragons and you have for an adventure that can only lead to hilarity.

In Guards! Guards! Terry Pratchett is at the top of his game. His writing is funny and well done. His ability to take mundane situations and turn them into hilarious conversations rivals some of the best writers. Not only is his work funny, but it very well written. His ability to use metaphor as a tool for description and humor is unique and entertaining.

I am now a Terry Pratchett fan. I am excited to read other books by him and look forward to find myself back on Discworld.

3 Emotional/Intellectual – Although I didn’t find any one character to fall in love with I was drawn into the story.

5 Style/Readability – Prachett’s ability to combine story, humor and good writing gives him standing that few authors have achieved.

4 Long Term Impact – Whether or not Prachett goes down in history as a great writer, he deserves to. This is considered among the best of his books.

12 out of 13. Please, do yourself a favor, go out and get this book. It is well worth your time and I think most anyone with a sense of humor would find this book to be well worth your time.
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Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

286 pages -Trade paperback (Non-Fiction)


A few months ago I read Blink by Gladwell and got sucked right into the book. I used some of the info in the book as evidence to support my Masters Research Project. My wife had suggested reading his other book The Tipping Point. This Christmas I saw Outliers at the bookstore and bought it for her. A teacher in my Masters Cohort suggested that I read this as well. So I took the book from my wife before she had a chance to read it and quickly tore through it in 5 days.

Gladwell focuses on the belief in America that talent, hard work and intelligence will allow you to be successful. The book takes that view and says that it isn’t as important as we might think. Where a person comes from, when they are born and what their cultural past is may have more to do with it than anything else. He looks at how birthdates of hockey players in Canada seem to lend success to those born closest to the Jan 1st cutoff date. He shows how many of the greatest entrepreneurs of the industrial age were all born within a few years of each other. Many of the most influential people in the computer revolution were born in the mid 1950s. Planes crashes were more predictable based on the ethnicity of the flight crew.

Gladwell’s writing is very easy to read. Even though it is filled with dates, facts and numbers he writes in a way that keeps me interested. I actually started reading this at 10 pm and read 70 pages before I knew it. I read every chance I had until I finished just a few days later. I have another well read friend that enjoys Gladwell’s books but did caution me. Apparently, he is known for only telling one side of the story. While reading this book I did notice that the evidence really supports the point he is trying to get across, but there isn’t much information regarding things that does not support his main point.

If I were to compare it to Blink I found it lacking a bit, but it had more to do with subject matter. The main premise of this book is that no person is a success on their own. Hard work, intelligence and talent are important to any success story, but their upbringing, social standing, parenting, culture and luck all play an important role as well. I think that I already held this belief already so it wasn’t as eye-opening as Blink. It does do a great job of supporting things that I already believed.

4 Emotional/Intellectual – Outliers really shows how success is made through a variety of factors, not necessarily what we assume to be needed.

4 Style/Readability – Gladwell has a way of taking seemingly boring things like dates, facts and numbers and makes it engaging and easy to digest.

3 Long Term Impact – Gladwell is making a name for himself with books that challenge traditional thinking. Although Outliers may not get as much attention as his other books his popularity will keep interest in his books for years to come.

11 out of 13. I found this book to be really worthwhile. It may or may not interest you, but I think this and other books by Gladwell may be best summed up by paraphrasing this old adage: Don’t judge a book by its subject.
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