One imperfect letter, one missing page

29. I am Legend by Richard Matheson
I had no idea, before I finished this, that it was actually a novella. I'd already watched the movie was curious about the source material. I was dully impressed. The story was fantastic, much better than the movie (though I will say I enjoyed the film, it's just completely different -- for the most part -- than the novella). I was disappointed with how short it was and the stories that finished the book were a bit of a letdown. I think if I'd known that it was a novella + short stories, I would have liked it more. That being said, Matheson is a superb storyteller and the short stories were quite good. I am Legend was by far the highlight of the book, though.

30. Escape from "Special" by Miss Lasko-Gross
I promise I'll stop reading lots of graphic novels at once. Or at least I'll try. This was something I picked up on a whim and it turned out to be a quick and surprisingly deep read. This book is not for the average graphic novel fan -- Lasko-Gross' style is different than many and her topics are quite in your face. That being said, I enjoyed reading and I'm glad I did. There are better reviews over at Amazon.

31. The Golem's Mighty Swing by James Sturm
Another graphic novel. I picked this one up because of the title. I was surprised when I started reading it, but it turned out to be quite interesting. It's the story of a baseball team -- The Jews and how they survive in the 1920s after their bus breaks down in the mid-west. The title refers to something that happens later in the book and I'll let you read it to find out what happens. Suffice to say that I enjoyed this title, even though it was an extremely quick read.

31 / 80 new reads. 39% read!

21. The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey
I picked up this book based on a recommendation I read over on John Scalzi's blog. It's regular fiction, sort of, but it's pretty good. Actually, it's better than pretty good. I found it to be fascinating and really engaging. It's described as being gritty and it is, not in the evil-turned-good sense of the word, but in the way that the main character has to battle demons (his own and those of the people he used to love). I think one of the best things about this novel is how Sakey isn't afraid to let people get hurt (physically and mentally). I also love the way he wrapped up events in the book at the end. A lot of writers try do to what Sakey do and fail.

22. Brasyl by Ian McDonald
I'll be honest, there was a time when I didn't think I would finish this book. It's not poorly written or even all that confusing, but it is dense. Not thick, but instead, McDonald packs a lot of information in each chapter. The book is basically history + soccer/football + science fiction. And, really, it's brilliant. A lot of people will find it confusing, because it's told over three different time periods (they are all connected, though you don't find out how until the end). They'll also find it confusing because the plots are at once confusing and rather involved. But McDonald does a fantastic job of weaving the stories together. I'm glad I finished and not just because I had it for four months. I loved the ending, though it was sort of a surprise. But, really, the best part of the book is the middle section leading up to the end. McDonald's characters are fantastic and I was sad when I finished the book.

23. War by Candlelight by Daniel Alarcón
I'd been putting off reading this because Alarcón is a powerful writer and I knew these short stories would make me cry, and they did. I won't review them all, but I will say that I highly recommend this book. The title basically explains what the book is about -- short stories about war of all kinds. They are fantastic and, to me, it's just more proof that I whatever Alarcón writes.

24. Blackwater by Kerstin Ekman
A Scandinavian fiction/mystery that I'm not sure I liked. Oddly enough, I remember the events of the story quite vividly, but I'm not sure I like Ekman's writing. Like most Scandinavian mysteries, Blackwater is dark and dirty with violence that sneaks up on you. It's not horror movie violence or street violence, but it's chaotic. Ekman creates fantastic characters, I'll give her that. And her writing is quite good and vivid, but I don't know if I like it. And I doubt I'll read anything else she's written. Of course, it could be the translator, but I think it's just not a style I like.

24 / 80 new reads. 30% read!

14. The Cruel Stars of the Night: A Mystery (Ann Lindell Mysteries) by Kjell Eriksson
Another mystery, yay! Another Swedish one at that. I loved Eriksson's first book and I really loved this one. I've read a couple of reviews where people said that there were too many characters and they were confusing. Which, I can sort of see, and then the reviews went on to say that they didn't like it because it made the story confusing. I disagree there, I think Eriksson's chracters enhance the storyline and I liked them, especially Ann, of course. I thought the relationships that were developed in the book were fascinating, both the "good" guys and the "bad" guys -- it's hard to call them anything else without giving away plot points. I eagerly await Eriksson's next novel.

15. The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci
Minx publishing appears to be stepping up to fill a hole in the graphic novel genre. What hole is that? Strong female characters. The Plain Janes was an excellent example of strong female characters. The story is more of an 1984/everyman (Metro City could be NYC or any big city after a terrorist attack) than anything specific, and the idea and execution of the text and drawings is fantastic. I applaud Castellucci (writer) for excellent story telling and of course the drawings were just fantastic.

16. Good as Lily by Derek Kirk Kim
Another Minx graphic novel. And Derek Kirk Kim did not disappoint. In the story, Grace turns 18 and meets her 6, 29, and 70 year old self. While this sounds kind of silly, Kirk Kim pulls it off with exceptional brilliance. Grace is a fantastic (and flawed) character, a strong woman who does not disappoint. I really enjoyed this story and the drawings were, again, exceptional (I know, I'm using that word a lot, but it's true). I've already ILL'd more Minx publications -- all with female characters.

16 / 80 new reads. 20% read!