What I have been reading lately...
So, I thought I would update what I have read this month...
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
This was a really good book. It almost is shocking at times to realize this is a young adult book, since the author takes on a lot of really adult themes. Survival,choice, betrayal, death, and even love. I am not saying that other authors cannot do that, but a lot of authors have a hard time finding that balance of writing something that both children and adults can enjoy reading.
I am really looking forward to reading the next two books of this series.
The Runaways comics by Marvel
I have never been much of a comic book guy. Mostly due to growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, I could never really keep up with the marvel stuff I loved to read. So over time, I just did not read them and to be honest...it is next to impossible to jump in on the X-men, Spiderman, etc, now...cuz you are too far behind.
But I was really interested in this for some reason. I guess it is the idea of the fact that all of the kids are sons of evil super heroes. Upon realizing this, they run away and try to find their own lives. Yes, there are a ton of crossover stuff going on (I have seen spiderman, captian america,, the punisher, and iron man), but it has been very enjoyable thus far.
Temperence Brennan mysteries by Kathy Reichs
I am a huge fan of Bones, whom Kathy Reichs helps with. The show is based (rather loosely) on this character of the same name. But I do love a good mystery novel, and the forensics behind these novels is very impressive. No, I don't know what they are talking about all the time, but that is ok.
The only issue I have had with them was with the last one, cross bones. I am a bit tired of the religious angle at this point. Damn you Dan Brown! Too many novels are playing around with christianity as a device. Don't get me wrong, it can be interesting, but at the same time...everyone is doing it. Could the bones be Jesus? Wow, really?
Dragon Champion by E.E. Knight
This was for my book club. A story told from the perspective of a hatchling dragon. This was a pretty decent book, with some interesting story that really took off toward the end of the book. But it did suffer from what I can only call the Two Towers effect (thank you, amy). Too much walking, walking, nothing happening, more walking, and did I mention..walking? Nothing that really killed the book, but it was a bit hard to get into from the beginning...due to nothing much happening. Again, it took off later and eventually turned into a pretty good read.
Johanes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan Howard
This was also for my book club. An odd, and humorour book that told a story about a man who had sold this soul to the devil in order to learn necromancy. Now he wants it back and the devil says yes, but only if he can persuade 100 people to sign over their souls as well. Oh, and if doesn't do it, he is damned forever.
This was an odd book. First of all, it was damn clever and there were times that I found the antics extremely clever and amusing. The idea was inventive, and overall it worked in a fun way. How how he goes about this was handled in a very interesting way.
The down side? It was damn slow. As I get older, it is getting harder for me to stay interested in things. Especially the way people write sometimes. The writing was bad, it was just not something I could read quickly. Which considering it was under 300 pages, is an accomplishment.
But the cleverness did eventually win me over, and despite how slow it was...this was enjoyable.
What will I be reading?
More of the Runaways comics
Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs
Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Exile by R.A. Salvatore
The Giver by Lois Lowry (book club)
Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge (book club)