Books 2008

[tandu]

I've wanted to do one of these posts for a while. The problem is thinking back over everything I've read this year. I think I'll just start. Stars are how much I liked it. I might do commentary. Might not. It's long, so I'll cut it. Also, if you want to recommend books, I'm always looking for new stuff to read.

Comments

[eveningsparkle]

I thought Microserfs was pretty amazing. I think it caused tears despite my efforts to prevent them. Coupland's other stuff has left me a bit cold though, almost too depressing. And Lost in Translation doesn't make any sense to me, which I guess is the point, but I think fails at anything more than that.

Interestingly, you've picked the two Neil Gaiman books I've had the least interest in. I'm normally a big fan, but I read American Gods when I was too young for it, and never even picked up the other. Have you read his earlier stuff, and if so, do you think Anansi Boys is anywhere near as good?

Palahniuk rocks my socks, though I'm looking for a more difficult, but still entertaining read. Have you read Lullaby? It's probably my faovorite from him, with Choke and Fight Club tied at third.

If you have an urge to look at some scifi, I'd suggest Signal to Noise, because it's one of my favorite scifi novels that no one's read :( Though, if you're just looking for a good fun read and you like Neil Gaiman's style a bit, have you tried Barker? His stuff gets too dark for me sometimes, but The Thief of Always and Weaveworld are really, really good.

[tandu]

I read Neverwhere years ago, and the Sandman. I like Sandman, Neverwhere left me cold. I saw Mirrormask, and enjoyed the movie. Anansi Boys is a light, entertaining read, but I never really bought the danger the characters were in, really.

And, I read AB before AG, and didn't realize it was a continuation of characters introduced in AG. AG was a better read, IMO, but still not stellar.

Palahniuk, oddly, does not rock my socks that much. He's a fine writer, with some interesting directions on things, but for some reason he never sits well in my stomach. He never really engages me. I think it's because I don't really care what happens to his characters. He writes assholes so well, I just don't care what happens to them. I've read those two, and although my g/f has all the rest of his works, I haven't had an urge to dive into them. I probably will, but not immediately. Still trying to finish House of Leaves.

That's a disturbing, beautiful work that I don't like that much. It makes me very, very tense. It's very well done, and I respect it. Like it?

Not really.

Not a big fan of Clive. Tried to read Imajica years ago, and never got into it. What I have managed to read (Rawhead Rex, the Hellraiser story) didn't impress me.

I will put Signal to Noise on the list.

Signal to Noise

[tandu]

I assume you mean the one by "Nylund, Eric S." and not the one by "Sinclair, Carla."