I read things! Meme!
I read a bit in 2010, and I got one of those memes, but I just didn't feel like doing it until now. So here:
The actual list
1. Best book of 2010? I dunno. I went through a great spate of books from Summerscale's English Murder story in The Suspicions of Mister Whicher, to The Tattoo Murder Case. I really loved them both, and I adored Larson's Devil in the White City, but for pure artistic endeavour, Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi was probably the best one of the lot. It's actually intriguing that it was written in '49 ('47?). In fact, I'd like to read more of the author, but the translators are slow.
2. Worst book of 2010? I have 2-the third Dexter book, Dexter….Doing Dallas or something, was horrible, because Lindsay has decided that he wants to make Dexter's pathology mystical. Fucker. And the other one would be Flirt, by LKH, because it was like reading a Jack Chick tract full of vampire porn. Or Lion porn. I dunno. It all blends together. I treat the sex in LKH's books these days the way a bounder who works in a strip club treats tits. Also, the whole book was based on an anecdotal story about something that happened to her and her friends that was a. not very interesting and b. pointless. I mean, you know when people tell stories of things that happened to them, and they're not as interesting as they seem to think they are? And you sit there smiling, but you're thinking, 'What is the point of this story? So your guy friend hit on a waiter. OMG.' The book was a person making a story out of one of those.
3. Most disappointing book of 2010? The Death of Biggie Smalls, by Cathy Scott. I have no idea what I was expecting, but this was…huh. The writer doesn't have much to add. I mean, no one does, because it's unsolved, and I guess it's good that a reporter doesn't try to point the finger. It was a good timeline of events, nonetheless.
4. Most surprising (in a good way) book of 2010? Richard Griffiths' Black Like Me. I mean, I didn't expect it to suck, but it was an interesting look at certain things for me, things that I don't feel like getting into here.
5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010? All Star Superman (Morrison and Quitely), because honestly, it's a great fucking story.
6. Best series you discovered in 2010? I didn't discover any series, oh wait. I take that back. Marion Chesney's little Edwardian mysteries, Snobbery With Violence, Hasty Death, Sick of Shadows, and Our Lady of Pain are cute little detective stories in a Moonlighting way. Plucky society lady wo doesn't want to get married, upper class soldier back from the war and doing detective work, which is frowned on but everyone uses. The maid who gets into mischief. The hijinx. The sexism. LAWL. The last one starts to get a little strained, but I think Chesney was trying to wrap them up. Thank goodness, someone who knows when to call it quits.
7. Favourite new authors you discovered in 2010? Uh. I got nothing. Chesney was good, but I like her in small doses. I want to say Fluke, but she's not good good. She's pulp good.
8. Most hilarious read of 2010? All-Star Batman and Robin (Miller, Lee). Honest to god, they actually put Lee on that? The art is the only thing that makes it sell, and it's actually funnier that way, because there's these GORGEOUS drawings, and then the characters say…well, they're…the only word I can use is goddamn fucktarded.
9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 201? Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed (Patricia Cornwell). It was ridiculous, actually, that I fucked up my sleep cycle over this.
10. Book you most anticipated in 2010? Charitable Getting by Sam Starbuck. I like seeing things I read on the computer in my hands.
11. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2010? Uh. Changes by Jim Butcher, because cover!Harry is hott. Uhf.
12. Most memorable character in 2010? The Goddamn Batman
13. Most beautifully written book in 2010? That would be The Tattoo Murder Case again.
14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010? God, I can't even think of one. I'm looking at the list and honestly? Nothing impacted me in a way, like I feel the need to read it again or it changed the way I think and write or anything. Bah.
15. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read? I know this is recent, but LKH's Skin Trade. I tried to read it when it came out but the beginning was so bad, that I put it down and forgot about it. BUT IT ends with a facial. A FACIAL, AND I DON'T MEAN ELIZABETH ARDEN. IIRC, it had a promising plot that petered off somewhere, as LKH's books are wont to do, and that entertained me enough to wade through the sexfest, SO THAT I COULD GET TO THE FACIAL. LOL.
God I feel like I got nothing last year.
The actual list
1. Best book of 2010? I dunno. I went through a great spate of books from Summerscale's English Murder story in The Suspicions of Mister Whicher, to The Tattoo Murder Case. I really loved them both, and I adored Larson's Devil in the White City, but for pure artistic endeavour, Tattoo Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi was probably the best one of the lot. It's actually intriguing that it was written in '49 ('47?). In fact, I'd like to read more of the author, but the translators are slow.
2. Worst book of 2010? I have 2-the third Dexter book, Dexter….Doing Dallas or something, was horrible, because Lindsay has decided that he wants to make Dexter's pathology mystical. Fucker. And the other one would be Flirt, by LKH, because it was like reading a Jack Chick tract full of vampire porn. Or Lion porn. I dunno. It all blends together. I treat the sex in LKH's books these days the way a bounder who works in a strip club treats tits. Also, the whole book was based on an anecdotal story about something that happened to her and her friends that was a. not very interesting and b. pointless. I mean, you know when people tell stories of things that happened to them, and they're not as interesting as they seem to think they are? And you sit there smiling, but you're thinking, 'What is the point of this story? So your guy friend hit on a waiter. OMG.' The book was a person making a story out of one of those.
3. Most disappointing book of 2010? The Death of Biggie Smalls, by Cathy Scott. I have no idea what I was expecting, but this was…huh. The writer doesn't have much to add. I mean, no one does, because it's unsolved, and I guess it's good that a reporter doesn't try to point the finger. It was a good timeline of events, nonetheless.
4. Most surprising (in a good way) book of 2010? Richard Griffiths' Black Like Me. I mean, I didn't expect it to suck, but it was an interesting look at certain things for me, things that I don't feel like getting into here.
5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010? All Star Superman (Morrison and Quitely), because honestly, it's a great fucking story.
6. Best series you discovered in 2010? I didn't discover any series, oh wait. I take that back. Marion Chesney's little Edwardian mysteries, Snobbery With Violence, Hasty Death, Sick of Shadows, and Our Lady of Pain are cute little detective stories in a Moonlighting way. Plucky society lady wo doesn't want to get married, upper class soldier back from the war and doing detective work, which is frowned on but everyone uses. The maid who gets into mischief. The hijinx. The sexism. LAWL. The last one starts to get a little strained, but I think Chesney was trying to wrap them up. Thank goodness, someone who knows when to call it quits.
7. Favourite new authors you discovered in 2010? Uh. I got nothing. Chesney was good, but I like her in small doses. I want to say Fluke, but she's not good good. She's pulp good.
8. Most hilarious read of 2010? All-Star Batman and Robin (Miller, Lee). Honest to god, they actually put Lee on that? The art is the only thing that makes it sell, and it's actually funnier that way, because there's these GORGEOUS drawings, and then the characters say…well, they're…the only word I can use is goddamn fucktarded.
9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 201? Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper Case Closed (Patricia Cornwell). It was ridiculous, actually, that I fucked up my sleep cycle over this.
10. Book you most anticipated in 2010? Charitable Getting by Sam Starbuck. I like seeing things I read on the computer in my hands.
11. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2010? Uh. Changes by Jim Butcher, because cover!Harry is hott. Uhf.
12. Most memorable character in 2010? The Goddamn Batman
13. Most beautifully written book in 2010? That would be The Tattoo Murder Case again.
14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010? God, I can't even think of one. I'm looking at the list and honestly? Nothing impacted me in a way, like I feel the need to read it again or it changed the way I think and write or anything. Bah.
15. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read? I know this is recent, but LKH's Skin Trade. I tried to read it when it came out but the beginning was so bad, that I put it down and forgot about it. BUT IT ends with a facial. A FACIAL, AND I DON'T MEAN ELIZABETH ARDEN. IIRC, it had a promising plot that petered off somewhere, as LKH's books are wont to do, and that entertained me enough to wade through the sexfest, SO THAT I COULD GET TO THE FACIAL. LOL.
God I feel like I got nothing last year.