To keep updated on the books that I have, I've read or recently reviewed, check out my Library Thing (hey, make one of your own!):
http://www.librarything.com/profile/DistortedSmile
This page is also linked to the Allen Family & Friends Book List Club, found here:
http://getyourwebsitehere.com/booklist/booklistclub0001.html
If you read and feel like starting a small little site like this (or a blog), send an email with a request to join! It's interesting to see what you read during the year.
- Tara
1. Jurassic Park (Michael Crichton) - This is one of my favourite Crichton novels. Malcolm, being a long-time favourite fictional character of mine, is brilliant in the book...Even though I really think he's just a vessel for Michael Crichton's governmental complaints. And dinosaurs. DINOSAURS. Come on, who doesn't like dinosaurs?
2. Blaze (Richard Bachman) - This book was, by far, one of the worst trunk novels I've ever read. And that's pretty bad if you consider the fact that trunk novels are usually terrible. I was reading it, praying for a point - but at the end, I realize there was no point and I had a bad taste in my mouth. The characters, as sketchy as many of them were, had some potential...But they were just written by the wrong man.
3. Loserpalooza: A Get Fuzzy Treasury (Darby Conley) - I love Get Fuzzy. It could be due to the fact that I have a Bucky Katt (known as Brooklyn in my house) and a Satchel (in the form of James Girl Jones) and all the time feeling like Rob (the hapless, Red Sox-loving owner)....Or it could just be the great dynamics. Either way, it's a comic strip worth reading. And what could be better than 250 pages of it?
4. Hood (Stephen R. Lawhead) - I've been wanting to read this book since it came out three or four years ago. But since it was subtitled "The King Raven Trilogy, Book 1" I knew that if I read it then, I would feel compelled to re-read it again when book 2 came out...And again when book 3 came out. Book 3 is set to come out on February 10th, so I felt safe enough to finally read it. And lemme tell ya - it was absolutely worth the wait. I'm in love with the Robin Hood stories as it is, but Lawhead finally managed to satisfy my love for the possible historical aspect, too. A Welsh setting is just what the stories needed to set them aflame. I can't wait to read Scarlet! (Book 2)
5. The Blossom on the Bough: A Book of Trees (Anne Ophelia Dowden) - I got this book as a Christmas present a long, long time ago ('95 - seems like a while anyway) and I never actually got around to reading it. I never really could get past the beautiful illustrations! I finally sucked it up and read the text, though. Turns out - it was a very informative book.
6. Deep Storm (Lincoln Child) - This book threw me for a loop. At first, I thought it was your typical "Hey, I found Atlantis!" type of deal...But it turned out to be so much more with an added element of the supernatural. Honestly, had I thought about it, I would have expected the subtle twists and turns in the plot. I'm pretty familiar with the Douglas Preston / Lincoln Child combination. In this book, though, the added danger element of taking place thousands of feet under the water. Strange illnesses, psychotic episodes, science, government secrecy and military stand-offs make the book a great weekend read.
7. Scarlet (Stephen R. Lawhead) - The second book in the King Raven trilogy, it took me until page 30 to really start enjoying this book. Hood was written in a more traditional manner while Scarlet took up the voice of William Scatlocke (a.k.a. Will Scarlet). So the overall voice changed completely for most chapters. However, you get used to his unique way of speaking and it really begins to add more to the novel than it takes away. The series just manages to keep getting better and better...Now it's only a matter of waiting until Tuck (the 3rd book) comes out this month...Oh, what a long wait it'll be...
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8. Batman Begins (Dennis O'Neil) - I'd seen the movie years ago and wasn't overly impressed. Honestly, it was a good movie - I just think the timing was wrong for me to really enjoy it. So instead of watching the movie once more and possibly being disappointed a second time, I went for the novel. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. =)
9. The Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told (Rick Beyer) - This is the third in a series of "Stories Never Told" books...I hadn't read the previous two yet, but after thoroughly enjoying this one, I'm going to have to soon. I learned things about the presidents that I either (a) never would have expected or, (b) never wanted to know. And it's a quick read, too. Great for a trip or some weekend reading. Every story is set on its own two-page spread.
10. The Everything Ghost Book (Jason Rich) - It was all I could do to get through this book. I thought that it was going to be a fun read with a lot of ghost stories and retellings of old legends, but instead it was more of a tour through everything paranormal; from psychics to parapsychologists. If you're looking for information on how to cope with a ghost sighting or have a possessed house, then this book is great. But I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for a light-hearted series of ghostly tales.
11. The Faces of World War II (Max Hastings) - This coffee table book of images and historical anecdotes of World War II is a perfect "quick n' dirty" tour de force of the times. It shows the emotion, strength, and horrors of war without losing an ounce of realism. Even my nephew thought the book was great - though he was less interested in reading the text than he was interested in looking at all the photographs. The text is sparse enough that it doesn't make you lose interest, but gives you good context for whatever imagery you happen to be looking at. Great book.
12. Star Wars: The Mandalorian Armor (The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book I) (K.W. Jeter) - I will admit wholeheartedly that I am the biggest Star Wars geek out there. Between thousands and thousands of action figures (I even own an entire legion of stormtrooper action figures....Caldor's had gone out of business and I hit every single one in the region to buy them up.), more displays than a girl should rightly own and more than my fair share of battle scars from attempting to build a Death Star out of junkyard scraps, I've still got time to read the hundreds of Star Wars novels out there. I've read this particular series once before...But, after experiencing another surge in interest with Boba Fett, I had to pick them up again. Jeter is probably my least favourite Star Wars author....He repeatedly uses words and phrases that don't quite fit to the character who's uttering them (and the repeated use of the word "barve" just makes me want to scream) and he seems to take personalities as things you can just throw around from character to character...But, despite all of that, I enjoy the basic storyline in the book. I can manage to get around the various nuances that irritate me by retelling it in my head as I go along, but other Star Wars "purists" may not be able to handle it. Either way - it's still a fun read. And even brings Xizor back into action for a while.
13. Star Wars: Slave Ship (The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book II) (K.W. Jeter) - Again, this is truly not my favourite series of Star Wars books. It's taking me forever to get through all three. You can tell the author primarily sticks to heavy science fiction writing - he tends to ramble in the character's voices. Really doesn't work for the "strong & silent" bounty hunter types. Only one more book to go... (Just goes to show that you can save a bad plot with great characters, but you can't ressurect a great plot with terrible characters.) And the plot is honestly very good - but it takes a vivid imagination to pull it through while you're reading it.
14. Star Wars: Hard Merchandise (The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book III) (K.W. Jeter) - I've said it before in the descriptions of the other books....It was torture to get through. The plot is fantastic and in the hands of another author, this story could have flourished. But, alas...
....still, I read it. I'm done. And, mark my words...I'll never read these a third time over. Ever.
15. Tuck (Stephen R. Lawhead) - This was a very, VERY satisfying end to what I've decided is to be my favourite "new" series of books. I loved the concept, the setting and the characters. The plot was twisted and beautiful in its imaginings...And you can actually believe this version of the classic Robin Hood tale. Definitely worth reading, especially now that the whole series is out and completed.
16. Inside The Vatican (Deluxe Edition) (Bart McDowell/James Stanfield) - This was a wonderful, inside look at a country/place I've been fascinated with since childhood. The pictures are gorgeous and the text, while simple, is easy to understand and gives you a broad idea of what goes on behind closed doors. It also clears up many myths, though it doesn't intend to.
17. F'd Companies: Spectacular Dot-Com Flameouts (Philip J. Kaplan) - PUD makes me feel better about myself. Really. Despite his numerous references to porn (hey, he's a guy with an unintentional dot-com, what did I really expect?), he manages to make light of even the most dire (and stupid) dot-com flameouts. If you're looking for flat-out humour, go find another book. But if you're a web geek like myself who loves to wallow in the demise of others, then by all means: buy it. Love it. Hide it from your relatives when they come over for dinner.
18. Scourge of the Seas: Buccaneers, Pirates and Privateers (Angus Konstam) - This is, easily, the best historical look at pirates I've ever read. It clearly defines the differences between buccaneers, pirates and privateers, gives complete descriptions of lifestyle, backgrounds, ships, sailing methods, weaponry and justice. Better yet (being a visual person), it's stocked full of paintings (primarily featuring Howard Pyle and Angus McBride), engravings, diagrams of ships, historical cut-a-ways and antique maps from the time periods being discussed. The two appendixes in the back (further reading and the glossary) and positively indispensable for most readers...Many of the books recommended I've read and loved, also. Well-researched and well-presented.
19. Star Wars - Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (James Luceno) - Thrilling: yes.
Good plot: yes.
Engaging supporting characters: yes
Informative about what was going on in Vader's mind after his transformation: ALL TOO MUCH.
I haven't liked Darth Vader since Episode 2 came out. (The whole "Obi-Wan never lets me do anything!" really turned Vader into a simpering mass of complaints for me. All threat gone.) This book just furthered my opinion that he's nothing but a spoiled, whiney character. I think he was better when he became less angsty and more morose and intimidating.
After many references of "My arms are not my arms; my legs are not my legs; my lungs are not my lungs; my voice is not my own" I started to get really sick of him. Don't get me wrong, the book itself was fine and even enjoyable...But it's really hard to think of Vader as cool any more after Episodes 2, 3 and books like this eviscerate him...
20. Inkheart (Cornelia Funke) - I am so very impressed with this book....It gives me hope for future generations of readers. In a time when trite novels like Twilight are becoming popular with young adults, there are books....and then there are true tales that capture the imagination and set you off with characters you can enjoy. This is definitely one of those books. I spent my day until 3am reading this book...I had the foresight to wait to read this until the third one came out...I'm not a fan of waiting to find out what happens (I did the same for Stephen Lawhead's King Raven Trilogy...I waited until the third novel came out before I even THOUGHT to read the first.) I have high hopes for the next two. After a few chapters, my favourite character was very obviously Dustfinger - who is, at times, the bad guy and the good guy....His character alone kept you in suspense. Will he change his mind? We he be the betrayer or the betrayed? What good can come of him? A good comparison would be Harry Potter's Professor Snape....While Dustfinger doesn't come off an instantly evil as Snape does, he certainly keeps you guessing in the same manner. I hadn't known there was a movie before reading some of these reviews...After researching it on IMDB for a minute, I found out two things...(1) I'd like to see it and see if it holds a candle to the novels, and (2) my favourite character is played by my all-time favourite actor (Paul Bettany.) Sometimes, things just work out very well in your favour....
21. Inkspell (Cornelia Funke) - After reading Inkheart, Inkspell was by no means a disappointment. The characters really seem to be developing themselves and Ms. Funke's plots are as twisting as they are enchanting. By the end of the book, though, I was completely heartbroken. If you're a fan of happy endings, you may wish to stick with Inkheart and not move further. It's definitely set itself apart in youth fiction for me...Very impressed! (And nothing has been said before about this - but the illustrations throughout the book are part of the charm!)
22. Inkdeath (Cornelia Funke) - Many people warned me that this book was a slow read. Honestly, I think they're just so enamored with the previous books that they'd can't get into this one. It's a much darker tale and delves more into the thoughts of the characters than Inkspell and Inkheart. For this alone, I loved the book. There's not just one plot going on here - and the plots that do exist are forever twisting and turning, leaving you absolutely breathless as you try to find out where they end up...It's reminiscent of political intrigues and thrillers, but in a much more fun setting. This is one of those times when a sequel/finale really does outdo its predecessors....I can't say much more without giving anything away. =) As a technical side note....The paper used in this first edition hardcover I have is absolutely wonderful to feel and read...It's very smooth-grained, thin but heavy-weighted paper. I've never been in love with a type of paper before, but I'm sorely tempted to contact the publisher about this one!
23. Guide to the World's Greatest Treasures (Michael Bradley) - This was a really fun book that I picked up at Barnes & Noble...It's not, by any means, an in-depth, archaeological history of all the items presented...But it does give you a pretty detailed idea of the origins, mysteries, cultures and significance of each find nonetheless. If you're a student of archaeology looking for research materials - don't waste your time. But if you're like me and wanted a nice, light read about historical treasures - then you're definitely going to enjoy it!
24. Everything You Know About Sex Is Wrong (Russ Kick) - I'm very open-minded - let's get that out on the table right off. I was expecting something completely different when I ordered this book - from the reviews, it sounded like a descriptive account of "out there" sexual practises, human sexuality and psychology...Which to a point, it was. But I found the interviews with porn stars to be very lacking...It was set up in the "Here's the subject. Here's the commentary" format. And some of the commentators probably should have stuck to the film industry than hopping over into the interview niche. A lot of them were tiresome to read simply because the editor never edited them beyond grammar and spelling. The book had its good points. But not many of them. If you feel like filtering through the slush, you can play psychologist and get what you really wanted out of this book.
25. Last Words (William S. Burroughs) - Those used to Burroughs' writing style will find this book to be very revealing about his character in his last days....Those unfamiliar with him may find this book very difficult to get through. His writing style is choppy and seemingly ill constructed, but I really admire him and his works.
26. The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell (Marilyn Manson / Neil Strauss) - Neil Strauss is a great writer. I enjoy him. But Marilyn Manson? I thought he was fascinating before I read this book...Now I realize he's simply an egomaniac with homocidal tendancies. Some have referenced his "message." I don't really see a message that is worth seeing, honestly. He's into the whole "you are your own God" idea. Great for him....But you don't have to worship yourself....Which is what Manson seems to be about these days. I'll stick to listening to his CDs and viewing his artwork. So long as I don't think back to this book, I'll still enjoy both.
27. National Geographic Complete Survival Manual (Michael Sweeney) - This covers the absolute BASICS of wilderness survival. If you plan on going into the great outdoors and there's a possibility of getting lost in hundreds of acres of forest or desert, you'd better be bringing a copy of the U.S. Army Survival Manual instead of this thing. That at least covers snakes, fish, how to hunt/cook/skin/clean small game, what to do when there's no water to be found anywhere, etc. This book will give you an idea of how to proceed if you go a little ways off the hiking trail in a national park. It gives you a good idea of what to pack before you depart and what you need for certain weather conditions. Again, I would not be relying on this book for 'ultimate' survival.
28. Gold of Kings (Davis Bunn) - This was a fun, fast-paced, treasure hunt of a thriller that was fairly entertaining. However, it did take some time to get used to the clipped sentences. It seems as though the author were seeing a movie in his head and was trying his hardest to keep his writing up to the fast pace. The language had no real flavour to it. It was at its most entertaining when you thought of it as a movie tie-in novel, just without the benefits of actually having a film to watch before or afterwards. If you can 'see' this book in your head, you're as golden as the treasure they seek. In short, the plot was there, the characters were waiting in the wings, and the language failed miserably. But it will work as an escapist read for half-hearted, beach-time readers.
29. Star Wars: Millennium Falcon (James Luceno) - This was a fun tour through the Falcon's entire history...We get to meet all of the shady characters who have participated in making her the ship we all know and love, and what's this? Could it be a mystery and a treasure hunt? Naturally, the Falcon holds a mystery that multiple people want to solve - a collector, a man trying to find out his past by delving into his future, Jacen's daughter Allana (now adopted by Leia and Han)...It ends up becoming a race to who can capture the prize. Were it not for finding out about the Falcon's coloured history, I would have found this book disappointing. It's very anti-climatic....But anyone interested in the history of the famed ship (and Han's first true love) really shouldn't pass this one up.
30. Star Wars - Fate of the Jedi: Outcast (Aaron Allston) - Currently Reading.