50 books...
33) Liberator - Richard Harland
The sequel to "Worldshaker" picks up a few months after the events of the first book (go read it first, or yes, you'll feel lost). Once again, Mr. Harland keeps the writing tight, and allows his characters to experience pain, grow, discover things about themselves and each other... and kick some butt to boot!
I will confess that the "Dune" nod was perhaps a bit too much for me (I won't give details, for fear of spoilers). However, it wasn't nearly enough to ruin the book, and appeared sparingly. I do like that Mr. Harland recognizes that relationships are not always easy, that trust can be difficult to earn, and that prejudices can be difficult to overcome.
In short, another great ride!
34) The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt
I don't usually read Westerns - have never really been much of a fan of the genre either in print or on film. That said, this one pulled me in quickly, and never let go - within two days, I was done. On the first day of reading, I didn't notice the time go by at all as I was drawn into Eli Sisters' world and narrative.
Patrick de Witt stays true to his narrator's voice throughout the story - there is no omniscience here, and plenty of mistakes made by his characters along what starts out as a routine job. His characters are beautifully flawed humans with hopes, dreams, and some questions about life, and what it means to truly be good at just one thing: killing other human beings.
Excellent summer fare!
The sequel to "Worldshaker" picks up a few months after the events of the first book (go read it first, or yes, you'll feel lost). Once again, Mr. Harland keeps the writing tight, and allows his characters to experience pain, grow, discover things about themselves and each other... and kick some butt to boot!
I will confess that the "Dune" nod was perhaps a bit too much for me (I won't give details, for fear of spoilers). However, it wasn't nearly enough to ruin the book, and appeared sparingly. I do like that Mr. Harland recognizes that relationships are not always easy, that trust can be difficult to earn, and that prejudices can be difficult to overcome.
In short, another great ride!
34) The Sisters Brothers - Patrick deWitt
I don't usually read Westerns - have never really been much of a fan of the genre either in print or on film. That said, this one pulled me in quickly, and never let go - within two days, I was done. On the first day of reading, I didn't notice the time go by at all as I was drawn into Eli Sisters' world and narrative.
Patrick de Witt stays true to his narrator's voice throughout the story - there is no omniscience here, and plenty of mistakes made by his characters along what starts out as a routine job. His characters are beautifully flawed humans with hopes, dreams, and some questions about life, and what it means to truly be good at just one thing: killing other human beings.
Excellent summer fare!