Books 29 - 35
So. Part 2 of my recent reading list.
29. Coyote Blue - Christopher Moore
30. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
31. The Stupidest Angel - Christopher Moore
32. Banewreaker - Jaqueline Carey
33. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Terry Brooks
34. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - R. A. Salvatore
35. The Princess Bride - William Golman (re-read)
29. Coyote Blue - Christopher Moore
"As a boy growing up in Montana, he was Samson Hunts Alone -- until a deadly misunderstanding with the law forced him to flee the Crow reservation at age fifteen. Today he is Samuel Hunter, a successful Santa Barbara insurance salesman with a Mercedes, a condo, and a hollow, invented life. Then one day, shortly after his thirty-fifth birthday, destiny offers him the dangerous gift of love -- in the exquisite form of Calliope Kincaid -- and a curse in the unheralded appearance of an ancient Indian god by the name of Coyote. Coyote, the trickster, has arrived to transform tranquillity into chaos, to reawaken the mystical storyteller within Sam . . . and to seriously screw up his existence in the process."
Yeah, I was still on my Moore kick. This one isn't really my favorite, but it sure does illustrate how much it can suck if a god decides to take a personal interest in you.
30. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
"The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years -- except Biff, the Messiahs best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story...
Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Saviors pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But theres no one who loves Josh more -- except maybe "Maggie," Mary of Magdala -- and Biff isnt about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight."
This was the book that I actually started reading Moore to get to, having been convinced by the aforementioned friend that I should read some others first. He was right. I loved this book every bit as much as I thought I would. But after reading so much Moore lately, it was also much more poignant than I expected. For one thing, he takes the approach that Jesus - or "Josh," short for Joshua - is exactly who he is in the Bible. So, yes, you're following two guys around as they learn king-fu and Taoism. But you're also watching the Messiah mature. And it's uneverving that this Messiah that you've gotten to know and like as a young boy is going to die in the end. Very well written. Yes, it's irreverent, but it's not hurtful.
(jrbl, if you haven't read this, do so. You'll like it.)
31. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror - Christopher Moore
"Twas the night (okay, more like the week) before Christmas, and all through the tiny community of Pine Cove, California, people are busy buying, wrapping, packing, and generally getting into the holiday spirit...
But not everybody is feeling the joy. Little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a holiday miracle...Josh is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the seven-year-old has only one prayer: Please, Santa, come back from the dead.
But hold on! Theres an angel waiting in the wings. (Wings, get it?) Its none other than the Archangel Raziel come to Earth seeking a small child with a wish that needs granting. Unfortunately, our angels not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch, and before you can say "Kris Kringle," hes botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos, culminating in the most hilarious and horrifying holiday party the town has ever seen."
This is the latest from Moore, and the last I've read so far. I'll say this first: I'm really, really not fond of zombie novels. Even though I seem to read them completely on accident once in awhile. That being said, I liked this book. Not my favorite, by a long shot, but I could really learn to like Raziel. And Molly saves the day again. Let's hear it for crazy people. (And yeah, I probably like Molly so much because I have a Narrator like that.)
(roseseule, read this, if you haven't already.)
32. Banewreaker - Jaqueline Carey
Alright, I was going to find a blurb somewhere to post here, but I just couldn't. I'm depressed by how many Carey fans didn't seem to like this book. So here's my own summary:
Take Tolkien, add some Eddings. There you have it. Really. You have six gods, one of whom is evil, and separated from the others in a dark stronghold. On the other side, you have a beautiful Elven maiden, a strong, bearded king, a powerful wizard, and a prophecy that must be fulfilled to defeat the dark god. It even has a flowery prologue reminiscent of Eddings telling you all about the beginning of the world and the war between the gods.
Got it? Okay, then. Now turn all of that on its head. This book is written from the point of view of Satoris, the dark god, and his three immortal followers. Every time the powerful wizard pulls off another trick, every time the king gets closer to rescuing his Elven maid, it strikes a blow at the forces that are the center of the novel. Satoris really only wants to be left alone. He begins a war only because the eldest of the gods is determined to exterminate him. Now really, would you sit idly by while your eldest sibling tried to kill you?
Read past the flowery prologue. Read through the stately opening. (And enjoy them, if you have a love for language. I thought they were wonderful.) If you haven't met Tanaros yet, you haven't read far enough. Give this book an honest chance, if you love Carey's work. It takes longer than the Kushiel series, but it pays off. No, there's no character that will grip you as completely as Phedre. This is an ensemble novel. But it's just as lovely and complex, just as multi-faceted and shining as her debut work. And, if nothing else, enjoy seeing very traditional epic fantasy stood on its head. Be prepared to get a little depressed, though. We are rooting for the bad guys, after all.
33. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Terry Brooks
34. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - R. A. Salvatore
Nothing too much to say here. Obviously, these are the novelizations of the movies. I read them because I wanted to get more into the heads of the characters. You know, the parts that Lucas scrimps on. They weren't bad, but they didn't cover a lot of new ground, obviously. Decent reads, but probably nothing I'll read again. I'll watch the movies instead. :) (Although, as an interesting side note, Terry Brooks does much better with someone else's material. He was actually readable for a change.)
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
Goldman abridges "Morgenstern's" tale of true love and high adventure. Um. Yeah. I've always loved the movie, and I do enjoy the book. For me, though, the movie will always be the definitive work. If you like the movie, read this. You'll enjoy it. Much of the dialogue is the same. And Goldman's introduction and side-notes throughout the text are wonderfully witty.
29. Coyote Blue - Christopher Moore
30. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
31. The Stupidest Angel - Christopher Moore
32. Banewreaker - Jaqueline Carey
33. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Terry Brooks
34. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - R. A. Salvatore
35. The Princess Bride - William Golman (re-read)
29. Coyote Blue - Christopher Moore
"As a boy growing up in Montana, he was Samson Hunts Alone -- until a deadly misunderstanding with the law forced him to flee the Crow reservation at age fifteen. Today he is Samuel Hunter, a successful Santa Barbara insurance salesman with a Mercedes, a condo, and a hollow, invented life. Then one day, shortly after his thirty-fifth birthday, destiny offers him the dangerous gift of love -- in the exquisite form of Calliope Kincaid -- and a curse in the unheralded appearance of an ancient Indian god by the name of Coyote. Coyote, the trickster, has arrived to transform tranquillity into chaos, to reawaken the mystical storyteller within Sam . . . and to seriously screw up his existence in the process."
Yeah, I was still on my Moore kick. This one isn't really my favorite, but it sure does illustrate how much it can suck if a god decides to take a personal interest in you.
30. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
"The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years -- except Biff, the Messiahs best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story...
Verily, the story Biff has to tell is a miraculous one, filled with remarkable journeys, magic, healings, kung fu, corpse reanimations, demons, and hot babes. Even the considerable wiles and devotion of the Saviors pal may not be enough to divert Joshua from his tragic destiny. But theres no one who loves Josh more -- except maybe "Maggie," Mary of Magdala -- and Biff isnt about to let his extraordinary pal suffer and ascend without a fight."
This was the book that I actually started reading Moore to get to, having been convinced by the aforementioned friend that I should read some others first. He was right. I loved this book every bit as much as I thought I would. But after reading so much Moore lately, it was also much more poignant than I expected. For one thing, he takes the approach that Jesus - or "Josh," short for Joshua - is exactly who he is in the Bible. So, yes, you're following two guys around as they learn king-fu and Taoism. But you're also watching the Messiah mature. And it's uneverving that this Messiah that you've gotten to know and like as a young boy is going to die in the end. Very well written. Yes, it's irreverent, but it's not hurtful.
(jrbl, if you haven't read this, do so. You'll like it.)
31. The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror - Christopher Moore
"Twas the night (okay, more like the week) before Christmas, and all through the tiny community of Pine Cove, California, people are busy buying, wrapping, packing, and generally getting into the holiday spirit...
But not everybody is feeling the joy. Little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a holiday miracle...Josh is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the seven-year-old has only one prayer: Please, Santa, come back from the dead.
But hold on! Theres an angel waiting in the wings. (Wings, get it?) Its none other than the Archangel Raziel come to Earth seeking a small child with a wish that needs granting. Unfortunately, our angels not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch, and before you can say "Kris Kringle," hes botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos, culminating in the most hilarious and horrifying holiday party the town has ever seen."
This is the latest from Moore, and the last I've read so far. I'll say this first: I'm really, really not fond of zombie novels. Even though I seem to read them completely on accident once in awhile. That being said, I liked this book. Not my favorite, by a long shot, but I could really learn to like Raziel. And Molly saves the day again. Let's hear it for crazy people. (And yeah, I probably like Molly so much because I have a Narrator like that.)
(roseseule, read this, if you haven't already.)
32. Banewreaker - Jaqueline Carey
Alright, I was going to find a blurb somewhere to post here, but I just couldn't. I'm depressed by how many Carey fans didn't seem to like this book. So here's my own summary:
Take Tolkien, add some Eddings. There you have it. Really. You have six gods, one of whom is evil, and separated from the others in a dark stronghold. On the other side, you have a beautiful Elven maiden, a strong, bearded king, a powerful wizard, and a prophecy that must be fulfilled to defeat the dark god. It even has a flowery prologue reminiscent of Eddings telling you all about the beginning of the world and the war between the gods.
Got it? Okay, then. Now turn all of that on its head. This book is written from the point of view of Satoris, the dark god, and his three immortal followers. Every time the powerful wizard pulls off another trick, every time the king gets closer to rescuing his Elven maid, it strikes a blow at the forces that are the center of the novel. Satoris really only wants to be left alone. He begins a war only because the eldest of the gods is determined to exterminate him. Now really, would you sit idly by while your eldest sibling tried to kill you?
Read past the flowery prologue. Read through the stately opening. (And enjoy them, if you have a love for language. I thought they were wonderful.) If you haven't met Tanaros yet, you haven't read far enough. Give this book an honest chance, if you love Carey's work. It takes longer than the Kushiel series, but it pays off. No, there's no character that will grip you as completely as Phedre. This is an ensemble novel. But it's just as lovely and complex, just as multi-faceted and shining as her debut work. And, if nothing else, enjoy seeing very traditional epic fantasy stood on its head. Be prepared to get a little depressed, though. We are rooting for the bad guys, after all.
33. Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - Terry Brooks
34. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones - R. A. Salvatore
Nothing too much to say here. Obviously, these are the novelizations of the movies. I read them because I wanted to get more into the heads of the characters. You know, the parts that Lucas scrimps on. They weren't bad, but they didn't cover a lot of new ground, obviously. Decent reads, but probably nothing I'll read again. I'll watch the movies instead. :) (Although, as an interesting side note, Terry Brooks does much better with someone else's material. He was actually readable for a change.)
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
Goldman abridges "Morgenstern's" tale of true love and high adventure. Um. Yeah. I've always loved the movie, and I do enjoy the book. For me, though, the movie will always be the definitive work. If you like the movie, read this. You'll enjoy it. Much of the dialogue is the same. And Goldman's introduction and side-notes throughout the text are wonderfully witty.