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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Kirsten has commented on (48) products
Pretty Dead
by
Francesca Lia Block
Kirsten
, April 17, 2010
This book was a confusing muddle, and like much of Block's other recent work, it feels unfinished. Block seems to have gotten really lazy about using characters' clothes and their brand names as shortcut characterization. She's always used clothing in an almost fetishistic way (or in an out-and-out magical way, as in "Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys"), but the way she used brand name clothing in this novel just felt lazy. There are portions of the novel that I really enjoyed; I liked the vignettes describing how Char and William were present for some of the greatest disasters in recent history, and the feeling that doom followed them. But most of the novel just didn't make that much sense. [close]
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Planets
by
Dava Sobel
Kirsten
, January 02, 2007
This was really disappointing. I was excited to read something that gives a good summary of what we know about the planets in the solar system, since I haven't read about them in any organized way since I was a pretty young kid. Unfortunately, this is just sort of ill-conceived; Sobel makes use of some annoying conceits to impart information (the most annoying being the chapter on Mars, which is told from the viewpoint of a meteorite!) and really doesn't go in-depth at all.
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Dark Knight Returns Batman 10th Anniversary
by
Frank Miller
Kirsten
, December 23, 2006
I'm honestly not a huge Frank Miller fan; I don't really like the boxy way he tends to draw human figures, and I have some... philosophical issues with Sin City. BUT, it's impossible to deny his impact on the industry, particularly in the case of The Dark Knight Returns. This and Alan Moore's The Watchmen basically revamped (and some say ruined) the costumed superhero. With this book, as well, Miller firmly establishes comic books as being "for grown ups," if only due to the violence therein. I still feel some ambivalence toward Miller's work, but this is an undeniably powerful portrayal of Batman.
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I Am Legend
by
Richard Matheson
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
This volume is actually comprised of [a]Matheson[/a]'s short novel [t]I am Legend[/t], as well as several of his short stories. I would actually probably give [t]I am Legend[/t] 4.5 or even 5 stars, but the short stories were less inspiring.
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I Capture the Castle
by
Dodie Smith
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
Cassandra Mortmain, who lives in what remains of a crumbling castle with her eccentric family, starts a journal to record her daily life and hone her writing skills. Her family is completely destitute because her father, who is a writer, has suffered from writer's block for years and spends his time doing crossword puzzles and reading mysteries. When Cassandra's sister, Rose, desperately announces that she would marry rich just to avoid living in poverty any longer, everyone pretty much takes it as a joke -- until the new American owner of the estate where the castle is situated appears. With the appearance of Simon and Neil Cotton, everything changes for the Mortmains, and Cassandra records it all in her journal. Oh wow, I loved this to bits! It may have helped that at the same time I was reading this, I came across one of my old journals from when I was about the same age as the narrator, which had the effect of totally reminding me of how Important everything was then. Smith captures the voice of a very bright but inexperienced teenage girl perfectly. This is set in the 1930's, but I would highly recommend it to people who like [a]Jane Austen[/a].
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Bone 03 Eyes Of The Storm
by
Jeff Smith
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
Another excellent chapter in the[kw] Bone [/kw]saga. Volume three finds everyone recovering from the attack in volume 2 (and also from the Great Cow Race), and Thorn learns more about her secret past.
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Ancient Mysteries
by
Peter James
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
This is a fun one! [a]James[/a] and [a]Thorpe[/a] investigate a wide range of popular mysteries about the ancient world: was there a [kw]Great Flood[/kw]? Was there an [kw]Atlantis[/kw]? How were the pyramids built? Was [kw]Robin Hood [/kw]a real person? The authors cleverly draw you into the mysteries, outlining various theories and then, just when they've got you almost believing that we're descended from Atlanteans, they pick the whole thing apart. They come down pretty hard on some pseudo-archeaologists, particularly [a]Graham Hancock [/a](author of [t]Fingerprints of the Gods[/t]), but not unwarrantedly, and they are also quick to point out when other archaeologists and experts have shortsightedly ignored information that falls out of their area of expertise. Some of this wasn't new, but much of it was, and it made for fascinating reading.
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Ravensong
by
Feher-Elston, Catherine
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
This was kind of a disappointment. The first half of the book is comprised of Native American legends and folklore regarding crows and ravens, and the second half is information about crow and raven behavior. I enjoyed the legends, but I was dubious about the lack of context for many of the stories; [a]Feher-Elston [/a]seems to imply that crows and ravens play the same or nearly the same role in all Native American cultures, and at times I felt that this similarity might be exaggerated. Feher-Elston also frequently goes a bit new-agey in both this section and the scientific section, which made me cagey about accepting her information on corvid behavior at face value. All in all, this was an ok book, just not quite what I was looking for, I guess.
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Lucifer Volume 02 Children & Monsters
by
Mike Carey, P Gross
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
I picked this up at the library, mistakenly thinking it was the first in the series. I'd been interested in this series since I've enjoyed [a]Carey[/a]'s tenure on [kw]Hellblazer[/kw], and even thought I was a little confused about some events, I got a kick out this book. I will be seeking out more [kw]Lucifer[/kw] titles.
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La Perdida
by
Jessica Abel
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
This fantastic graphic novel follows the adventures of a young woman named Carla who embarks on a somewhat misguided journey to Mexico in search of her roots. While she is half Mexican, Carla quickly discovers that her class and cultural background make it impossible for her to ever truly be accepted and fit in with her Mexican friends. Despite this, Carla rejects her ex-pat friends and falls in with Memo, a communist pseudo-intellectual, and his attractive but dim friend Oscar. Carla's innocence and longing to belong sometimes make you cringe as you're reading. Memo is a jerk and cuts down Carla at every turn, but she puts up with it because of what I can only describe as her liberal white guilt. She's continually caught between cultures -- she rejects her white friends, but simply can't be accepted by her Mexican friends, or at least not by Memo and his fellow "revolutionaries." As it turns out, her wish to belong ends up causing her to overlook more than just Memo's insults, and she finds herself in very real danger. The events in this book, particularly in the second half, could have failed miserably in the hands of a lesser writer, but Abel does an excellent job of setting things up so that they feel believable. She also manages to keep Carla very real without making her unsympathetic. The artwork is dense and well-suited to the subject, and this is a very rewarding book.
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Kansas Charley The Boy Murderer
by
Joan Jacob Brumberg
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
The comparisons to [t]In Cold Blood [/t]on the cover of this book are not particularly apt, other than the way that [a]Brumberg[/a] creates sympathy for the young subject of the book. This is less a true crime book in the mode of [a]Capote[/a]'s classic, than a somewhat academic exploration of one young man's apparently motiveless crime and the subsequent media frenzy. [kw]Charley Miller[/kw], or "Kansas Charley" as he called himself, was a 15-year-old orphan who in the September of 1890 shot and killed two older teenage boys in a Union Pacific boxcar. Intrigued by this event, Brumberg compiles a portrait of Miller's early life and strives to understand what events led him to be hanged for his impulsive crime. Brumberg makes some excellent points about the juvenile death penalty and how little things have changed in the century since Kansas Charley was hung, but I felt like her editorial voice was just too loud throughout the book. Rather than let events speak for themselves, she tends to continually allow her own opinions to blatantly intrude, which starts to get wearying. I actually agree with her opinions almost completely, but the way they were stated sometimes made reading this book a bit trying.
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Book Of The Dead Pendergast 07
by
Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
Another entertaining chapter in the Pendergast series. I didn't think this was quite as good as [t]Cabinet of Curiosities[/t] (my personal favorite), but it had enough action and plot twists to keep me engaged. I do have to say that [a]Preston[/a] and [a]Child[/a] really need to perhaps find another setting for their books; with yet another bloodbath at a Natural History Museum gala opening, I'm starting to wonder why the denizens of NYC continue to attend these things. I know this isn't exactly realistic fiction, but it's starting to feel a little lazy on their part.
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Swamp Thing 05 Earth To Earth
by
Alan Moore
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
In this moving installment, [kw]Swamp Thing [/kw]returns from saving the universe (with the help of [kw]John Constantine[/kw] and others) to find that his lover is being held in Gotham on immoral conduct charges (basically, folks in her home town found out that she was in a relationship with the big green guy). What follows is an awe-inspiring confrontation, as Swamp Thing unleashes the full strength of his powers on Gotham. At first I found it a little jarring when [kw]Batman [/kw]shows up, simply because the other DC characters don't show up too often in the series, but it works -- he's not just a celebrity cameo. The final story in the collection, "My Blue Heaven," is both wonderfully written and spectacularly colored. Because of the printing processes used then, I often find that the coloring in older comics doesn't quite do the story justice. In this case, however, Tatjana Wood's work looks truly masterful.
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Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
by
Bill Willingham and Lan Medina and Steve Leialoha
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
The first [t]Fables[/t] collection. This is a fun who-done-it that does an admirable job of introducing the major players in this series, but it pales in comparison a bit to the later volumes.
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All Gothic 1 The Boats of the Glen Garrig & the House on the Borderland
by
William Hope Hodgson
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
[a]William Hope Hodgson [/a]was an important influence on [a]H.P. Lovecraft[/a]. In [t]The Boats of the Glenn Garrig[/t], the survivors of a disaster at sea experience a number of strange and frightening occurances as they search for land and supplies. This book is exciting and truly creepy, and the creatures manage to remain frightening even after they've been described, which is a significant accomplishment. [t]The House on the Borderland [/t]is a favorite among fans and is considered a classic in weird horror literature. I enjoyed it, but I don't think it will become a personal favorite. Parts of it are truly frightening, but the tale is so deliberately fragmented that I often found myself frustrated -- all of the disparate elements didn't quite gel for me.
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Looking For Jake: Stories
by
China Mieville
Kirsten
, August 18, 2006
This is an excellent collection of short stories, including the award-winning novella "The Tain." It's fun to see [a]Mieville[/a] outside of the universe of his three most recent novels; I love [t]Perdido Street Station[/t], [t]The Scar[/t], and [t]Iron Council[/t], but it's always fun to see an author in a different context. The title story is excellent, as is "The Tain" and "The Ball Room," but my favorite was "Reports of Certain Events in London."
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Against Depression
by
Peter D Kramer
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This is a magnificent book, definitely required reading for those who have suffered from major depression or anyone who has ever been close to a depressive. [a]Kramer[/a] (the author of the also-excellent [t]Listening to Prozac[/t]) makes it clear from the start that he believes that depression is an insidious disease that does not deserve the romanticization that has long surrounded it. He compares depression and the culture of melancholy to the way people used to romanticize tuberculosis, which used to be seen as a romantic disease that indicated refinement and tragic beauty. He offers up a lot of evidence to back up his beliefs, both from his own practice and from scientific studies that illustrate the physical effects (and possible causes) of depression. Even so, he is not unsympathetic to the impulses that lead us to romanticize depression and feel uncomfortable about the idea of eradicating it completely, and this book never edges into polemic. Reading it is sort of like having a series of dinner table talks with a very intelligent friend.
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Last Alchemist Count Cagliostro Master O
by
Iain Mccalman
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
[a]MacCalman[/a], who makes no bones about his fascination with [kw]Giuseppe Balsamo[/kw], AKA [kw]Count Cagliostro[/kw], has crafted a fascinating biography that has all the pacing and suspense of a good novel. Cagliostro has been an enigma since he first gained celebrity in 18th century Europe. He was a charlatan, a greedy swindler, a lech, and he had an ego to put [kw]Rush Limbaugh [/kw]to shame. He was also a surprisingly astute healer who freely shared his nostrums and knowledge of healing with the poor, and who frequently made eerily accurate prophesies. Together with his beautiful wife Seraphina, he became embroiled in just about every secret society and conspiracy theory the 18th century had to offer. MacCalman manages to give a historically factual portrait of the man behind the myth without completely dispelling the romance and intrigue surrounding him. He was an odious man, and Seraphina was little better, but upon finishing this book I still found myself fascinated and not a little awed by his achievements.
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Gorgon The Monsters That Ruled the Planet Before Dinosaurs & How They Died in the Greatest Catastrophe in Earths History
by
Peter D Ward
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
I was a bit disappointed with this book, since it was not so much about "the monsters that ruled the planet before the dinosaurs" as it was about Ward's experiences working in the Karoo Desert in South Africa. It was interesting to learn about what it's actually like to be a paleontologist, and he writes of his adventures in the wilderness with a great deal of wit. But there was comparatively little information about the actual creatures, and not nearly as much information as I was expecting about the catastrophe that wiped them out. I was left feeling as though I would love to sit down and talk with the author over a cup of coffee -- and then ask him why he hadn't written the book that I expected this to be!
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Haunted Hellblazer
by
Warren Ellis
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This has long been a favorite of mine. When [kw]John Constantine [/kw]learns that an old lover has been killed under grisly circumstances, he takes it upon himself to avenge her death and lay her soul to rest. But does he really care about her, or is it just another excuse to wreak havoc?
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Son Of Man Hellblazer
by
Garth Ennis
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This probably has the most gross-out scenes of any of the other [kw]Constantine[/kw] collections I've read thus far. The story's well done, though, and parts of it are absolutely hilarious in a sort of macabre way.
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Rake At The Gates Of Hell Hellblazer
by
Garth Ennis
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
The Devil has finally hatched a scheme to revenge himself on [kw]John Constantine[/kw], with the help of a spectre from Constantine's past. Is this it, or does Constantine still have a couple of tricks up his sleeve?
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Damnations Flame Hellblazer
by
Garth Ennis
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
I wasn't that into this installment the first time I read it, but having read the story arcs leading up to it, it makes a lot more sense and is more enjoyable. I would still only rate the larger story in this volume, "Damnations Flame," maybe a 3.5/5, but the shorter stories (particularly the one told from Chas's point of view) are completely excellent.
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Wyrd Sisters: Discworld 6
by
Terry Pratchett
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This is really great stuff! I loved all the references to [t]Macbeth[/t], and Granny Weatherwax is definitely a favorite. As so often happens to me with [a]Terry Pratchett [/a]novels, I had assumed I'd read this one before, and was pleasantly surprised to discover it was new to me.
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Swamp Thing 06 Reunion
by
Alan Moore, Veitch
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Having been banished from Earth to the farthest reaches of the universe, [kw]Swamp Thing [/kw]journeys from world to world searching for a way to go home. The worlds he visits are beautifully realized by [a]Alan Moore [/a]and the artists; particularly surreal is an episode where Swamp Thing encounters what is apparently a massive sentient machine-like creature the size of a planet. Meanwhile, on Earth Abby Cable soldiers on, trying to rebuild her life while desperately hoping she will see Swamp Thing again.
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Walter The Story Of A Rat
by
Barbara Wersba
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This lovely children's chapter book is about an elderly rat who lives in the home of a writer of children's books. He is intrigued by Miss Pomeroy and her loneliness, but is also hurt because she writes a series of books about heroic mice, with nary a rat to be found: "Walter sat on Miss Pomeroy's ladder studying these books, and he did not know whether to laugh or cry. He felt betrayed -- for why had Miss Pomeroy chosen to write about mice when she could have just as easily chosen rats? How could she not have known that rats are more interesting than mice, more intelligent, and more adaptable? To put it bluntly, how could she not have known that rats are more magnificent?" Walter wants to make contact with Miss Pomeroy, so that he can ask her about why she has neglected rats so (in truth, he's rather angry), but he doesn't want to come right out and ask her first thing, so he writes her his first note: "My name is Walter. I live here, too." And the pair embark on what turns into a wonderful friendship. The drawings, by [a]Donna Diamond[/a], are great -- she clearly has a pet rat or has spent a lot of time with one, because all the poses are wonderfully ratty.
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Box Office Poison
by
Alex Robinson
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
A fat graphic novel by the same author as [t]Tricked[/t]. In some ways, I preferred this to [t]Tricked[/t] -- I think [t]Tricked[/t] has a tighter plot and better pacing, but the characters in [t]Box Office Poison [/t]feel much more like real people.
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Five Fists Of Science
by
Matt Fraction
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
It's hard not to love this graphic novel. It's got [kw]Mark Twain[/kw] and [kw]Nikolai Tesla [/kw]trying to make the world safe for peace. [kw]Thomas Edison [/kw]and [kw]J.P. Morgan [/kw]are supervillains bent on calling up the Elder Gods to do their bidding. In other words, it's wicked cool! There are some faults -- mainly, the authors try to cram so much awesome stuff into this short comic that it sometimes feels a little overwhelming and random. In addition, while the artwork is really nice, the action scenes are often too dark and confusing for you to tell what's actually going on. Still, this thing is overall so much fun that I'm giving it a 4/5 despite its faults.
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Witches Abroad Discworld 12
by
Terry Pratchett
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Excellent stuff -- the interaction between Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg is particularly good in this one.
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Chess Garden Or The Twilight Letters Of Gustav Uyterhoeven
by
Brooks Hansen
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This is a strange and magical novel. In the midst of the Boer War, the elderly Dr. Uyterhoeven leaves his comfortable home and chess garden in Dayton, Ohio, to offer his services as a doctor in South Africa. During his travels, he writes a series of letters to his wife and the children back in Dayton, detailing his adventures in the magical Antipodes, which are populated by game pieces. The letters are intercut with a narrative describing Uterhoeven's life, as well as events in Dayton while the patrons of the chess garden wait for the next letter.
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Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by
Alison Bechdel
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
[a]Alison Bechdel [/a]is best known for her long-running [t]Dykes to Watch Out For[/t] strip, which has been a fixture in the [kw]LGBT[/kw] press for more than fifteen years. Now she turns her talents to the more explicitly autobiographical with this book, which tells the story of her father and her childhood. Bechdel's father was an agonizingly careful man who dressed with care and spent every moment of his leisure time restoring the family's Victorian-era home. At the same time as he was assembling such a careful front, he was leading a hidden life, parrallel and yet divergent from Bechdel's own. Bechdel's voice in this memoir is sad yet wry, and the book is funny and poignant by turns, and her clean, careful artwork melds seamlessly with the story. At times this book can feel somewhat reserved in comparison to other, more exuberantly drawn and told comic memoirs, but it suits the subject matter to a T.
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Throne Of Jade Temeraire 02
by
Naomi Novik
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Events conspire to send Laurence and [kw]Temeraire[/kw] to China, where they face a most sticky diplomatic situation... [a]Novik[/a] continues to flesh out Temeraire and Laurence and the world they inhabit. There are fewer naval battles in this one, but loads of intrigue to make up for it.
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His Majestys Dragon Temeraire 01
by
Naomi Novik
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Oh, this was just so much fun! I can't remember the last time I got so much pure entertainment from a new, untried author. This is set during the Napoleonic Wars, in an alternate history where humans and dragons have always coexisted. Captain Will Laurence of His Majesty's Navy captures a French ship carrying a dragon egg -- an excellent prize, since Britain is in need of dragons to flesh out its air force. It becomes problematic, however, when the egg hatches and Laurence is the only master the dragon [kw]Temeraire[/kw] will accept, thus removing Laurence from a comfortable career in the Navy and thrusting him into the hard life of an aviator. There are compensations, however, namely the companionship of Temeraire, who is fiercely loyal, extremely intelligent, and exceedingly curious... I picked this up on a Saturday, and a week later had voraciously devoured not only [t]His Majesty's Dragon[/t], but the two other books in the series as well.
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Young Merlin Trilogy Passager Hobby & Merlin
by
Jane Yolen
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
[a]Yolen[/a] offers a unique perspective on the [kw]Arthurian[/kw] legend, with this tale of Merlin's origins. Yolen's writing is lovely, as usual, but overall this felt kind of slight and I really wished that the book was longer and more in-depth. It ends up feeling more like the taste of a story instead of like three novels.
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An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales
by
Sacks, Oliver
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Another excellent collection of neurological oddities from [a]Oliver Sacks[/a]. While Sacks is writing about these people because they have some kind of odd or fascinating difference, I appreciate the way that he strives to give the reader a sense of the subjects as people rather than walking case studies.
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Planets
by
Sobel, Dava
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This was really disappointing. I was excited to read something that gives a good summary of what we know about the planets in the solar system, since I haven't read about them in any organized way since I was a pretty young kid. Unfortunately, this is just sort of ill-conceived; [a]Sobel[/a] makes use of some annoying conceits to impart information (the most annoying being the chapter on Mars, which is told from the viewpoint of a meteorite!) and really doesn't go in-depth at all.
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Hellblazer Freezes Over
by
Brian Azzarello
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Definitely a great [kw]Hellblazer[/kw] collection. The main story arc, "Freezes Over," is a neat, self-contained story about a group of travellers snowed in at a roadhouse -- including, of course, our buddy [kw]Constantine[/kw]. I don't know if it's quite what I mean, but I kept thinking that it was kind of like if the Coen brothers ([t]Fargo[/t]) did John Constantine. It's just a cool story, very neatly done, where everything is not what it seems. "Lapdogs and Englishmen" is both hilarious and unsettling. We get treated to a peek at Constantine in his youth, when he was fronting for Mucus Membrane and sporting some impressively spiked hair. Throughout the series, Constantine has often pulled cons and double-crosses without giving much thought to the consequences, and this brief story shows what turns out to be one of his bigger mistakes.
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Hard Time Hellblazer
by
Brian Azzarello
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
At first I had trouble getting into this [kw]Hellblazer[/kw] installment. The artwork and setting are very, very different from what we've become accustomed to. [kw]Constantine [/kw]has been incarcerated in an American prison, for reasons that we don't learn until the end of the story arc. The artwork is gritty and grotesque; the characters' heads and hands often appear out of proportion to their bodies, facial features protrude, and the action is often illustrated from a perspective that's slightly above head height, as though you are looking down on the characters. This has a disorienting effect that suits the subject matter. I'm told that this is a deliberate homage to similar comics written in the 1970s, which makes sense. Like I said, at first I had trouble getting into this; besides the artwork, the prison setting is brutal, and since nearly all of the violence comes from normal human beings rather than supernatural sources, it is harder to shrug off. In the end, though, I think what [a]Azarello[/a] and [a]Corben[/a] have created here is a truly exceptional chapter in the Hellblazer canon. I read it three times in a row, to make sure I had a complete handle on it, and with each re-reading my respect for the author and the artist grew.
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Setting Sun Hellblazer
by
Warren Ellis
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
If you are looking for a quick introduction to [kw]Hellblazer[/kw], this is an excellent place to start. In these short, one-issue stories, [a]Warren Ellis [/a]distills much of what makes [kw]John Constantine [/kw]a fascinating character -- you've got Constantine as practically a Trickster, Constantine at his most brutual, at his most clever, at his most sentimental and guilt-ridden. Good stuff for both those who are new to Hellblazer and those who are familiar with the series.
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Hollow Earth
by
David Standish
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This is a fascinating and fun history of the idea of a Hollow Earth -- that is, the idea that inside the Earth is another world, possibly one with utopian civilizations and riches beyond humankind's wildest dreams. The author tackles the subject matter with considerable humor, and is at his best when describing and commenting on the various Hollow Earth narratives that have been written throughout the years, from [t]Journey to the Center of the Earth [/t]to [t]Tarzan at the Earth's Core [/t]and beyond. The chapter on modern-day Hollow Earthers falls a little short, and I'm still sort of surprised that there was really no introductory or concluding chapters as such -- he just sort of starts at the beginning and when he gets to the present day, he stops, with very little analysis. It's still a very entertaining and interesting book, however.
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Bloody Jack 01 Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary Jacky Faber Ships Boy
by
Meyer, L. a.
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Mary Faber has been living on the streets of London since she was around eight years old. When the leader and protector of her small gang is killed, Mary disguises herself as a boy and signs on a ship as ship's boy Jacky Faber. She is an asset to the crew because of her courage, street smarts, and her ability to read, but how long can she maintain The Deception -- especially when she finds that she has feelings for one of the other ship's boys? This novel is quite realistic when it comes to the dangers of being a ship's boy (particularly one with a secret), including the threat of sexual abuse by the older sailors. As Jacky experiences puberty, she also becomes sexually aware. This probably makes this YA novel more appropriate for older YAs, although the matter is handled deftly and the sexual situations aren't gratuitous in the least. It's an excellent adventure, and I'm really looking forward to the sequels!
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Across the Wall a Tale of the Abhorsen & Other Stories
by
Garth Nix
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
The long Old Kingdom story in this collection, "Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Cabinet," is really well-written and a lot of fun. The other stories vary in quality and are by and large kind of forgettable.
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Widdershins
by
Charles De Lint
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
I haven't read any [a]Charles de Lint [/a]in a while, and this was a real treat! I would say it's accessible to folks who haven't read any of his other Newford novels or short stories, but the characters probably have more interest and resonance if you've known them longer. There are really two interconnected storylines here: One storyline follows Jilly Coppercorn as she struggles to work and enjoy life the way she did before the events in [t]The Onion Girl[/t]. The other storyline involves escalating conflicts between the Old World fairies who came over to North America with the European immigrants, and the Cousins, the native spirits and beings. A lot of familiar Newford faces are in the mix, but there are some equally interesting new characters, and the whole thing is hugely absorbing and enjoyable.
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Fly By Night 01
by
Frances Hardinge
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
I picked this up mainly because it sounded interesting and because [a]Garth Nix [/a](a favorite YA author) praised it in such glowing terms in his cover blurb. Cover blurbs are a dangerous way to pick books, but in this case I picked a winner. Desperate to get out of town (and find some stories in the process), 12-year-old Mosca Mye throws in her lot with a con man named Eponymous Clent and takes off cross-country with Saracen the homicidal goose in tow. Mosca is unusual because her father taught her to read -- an unusual and potentially dangerous skill for anyone, let alone a girl. What follows is a fascinating adventure with loads of political intrigue that also manages to be laugh-out-loud funny. Harding has a way with words, and the names alone in this novel are enough to make me shout with glee. There are very few authors who even come close to filling [a]Joan Aiken's [/a]shoes, but Mosca Mye is a heroine to rival Dido Twite.
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Night Watch Night Watch 01
by
Sergei Lukyanenko
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This was the basis for the Russian film of the same title. It's a fascinating idea -- there are Others, people with supernatural abilities, who have always lived among humans. Some of them are Light (that is, basically good) and some of them are Dark. A long time ago, a treaty was set in place by the two sides that enforces a balance between the two sides; there are many complicated caveats, but the basic idea is that for every act of good by a Light One, a balancing act of darkness must occur. The novel, which is really three interrelated stories, is told from the viewpoint of Anton, a mid-level Light One and member of the Night Watch. He's a fairly normal guy (for an Other) who increasingly finds himself thrust into bizarre and dangerous situations through his work.
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Death In Holy Orders
by
P D James
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
Another excellent James mystery. I loved the setting for this one -- an Anglican seminary on the English coast. [kw]Dalgliesh[/kw] returns to St. Anselm's, where he spent several happy summers as a boy, to investigate the death of a seminary student. The student was killed in the collapse of a sandy cliff, but it is not clear whether his death was accidental, suicide, or even murder. There's loads of intrigue, as three subsequent deaths expose the priests and students to scrutiny and their lives are laid bare.
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Devices & Desires
by
P D James
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This was a good mystery, but it just doesn't hang together as well as the other [a]James[/a] mysteries I've read recently. My main problem was a red herring that appeared rather late in the book with very little warning, which struck me as being somewhat unbelievable and needlessly dramatic. Overall the novel felt overly long and overly confusing, without the same kind of tight plotting that I've come to expect from James.
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(1 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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Shroud For A Nightingale
by
P D James
Kirsten
, August 17, 2006
This was a really excellent mystery! I saw the BBC adaptation on PBS a while back, so I had a vague recollection as to who the perpetrator was, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of this at all.
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