Books

[maderr]

Was going to read, when it occured to me to pimp some random books.

A friend gave me Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis a few weeks ago and the book is totally jacked up but so goddamn funny. I totally and completely loved it. Clever, funny, and so many different kinds of wrongness.

The Dracula Dossier by James Reese was a solid read. It wasn't quite what I expected it to be, but that is not a bad thing. I liked it. The style was of a journal being kept, to record the crazy ass shit poor Bram Stoker was enduring. I liked the voice. Some of it was silly, but I think that too fit. Plus, it wove together Jack the Ripper and Bram Stoker's Dracula. Not an easy read, per se, but that's hardly a bad thing. I enjoyed it. But, to be fair, there is bias. I love historical fiction, and the Ripper->Dracula thing was made of win.

I may have already pimped this, but in the ebook circle I do love Brindisi Bedfellows by Jamie Craig. I cannot find anything to complain about here. It's very quickly becomoing what I read when I just want something pretty and sweet and solid. I swear there was another ebook I wanted to pimp, but at present it's totally escaping me. Jamie Craig is a hit or miss. Some of her (technically, their) writing I love, other stuff I'm massively disappointed. If she (they) wrote more stuff like Brindisi, I would be mad with the pimping.

Just After Sunset is Stephen King's new short story book. While Nightshift remains my favorite King SS book, Sunset was pretty rockin'. The Cat From Hell had me looking at my cats with deep mistrust until...actually, I still kinda am. I love Stephen King. Mine Lord Gaiman is muchly adored, and I may be a romance writer at heart, but King was the first author with whom I really fell in love.

Speaking of Mine Lord Gaiman, if you read no other book by him, you should read The Graveyard Book. In the course of showing it to others, I've listend to it about five times since it came out. Never gets old. And, it is so worth the audio. I’ve read it as well, but Gaiman is so freakin’ amazing reading.

Currently, I am reading Outlander by Diane Gabaldon. I muchly love the woman’s style, and her skill with history is one reason I shall never attempt true historical fiction. I would never be satisfied with my own efforts, next to this. I think I still love Lord John more, but so far I like Claire & company just fine. Though, it’s sort of exhausting to think there are at least six more books of this length to go. I reall am sick of long series. Still, I am willing to attempt it. That alone says something.

S’all I got, I think.

Despite being informed it is SO GOOD and YOU SHOULD READ IT by all and sundry, I have not yet read Twilight. If this trend every changes, it is solely because someone is putting a literal gun to my head and I refuse to die over a matter of sparkly, emo vampires and their osc girlfriends.

Comments

[bloodied-eden.livejournal.com]

The excerpts I read of Twilight really scared me. And most of the people I know either hate it, or read it more to make fun of it.

I'm definitely going to have to point a friend of mine towards The Dracula Dossier, it sounds right up her alley. Of course, she might already know about it XD

[silrini.livejournal.com]

I read it before it became immensely popular, and, completely without being biased against or for it, and I thought it was an okay book, if you were looking for some sort of girly pre-teen story. It wasn't the worst, but it certainly wasn't the best. An okay book, by my standards. I just got turned off by all the fangirls screaming about it's freaking awesomeness.

[corneredangel.livejournal.com]

I dunno; my problem with Warren Ellis is that the man has a grand total of a single style/schtick, which he's repeated in pretty much every one of his stories. Which is fine if it's the first time you are reading him, but to expect the man to anyhow grow or develop as a writer is to expect too much. And by the third or of his works, the whole 'outrageous for the sake of being outrageous' business actually starts looking a bit tired and frankly, kind of desperate.

[hayama-sb.livejournal.com]

Here's what info Warren Ellis has posted about his second novel called Listener.

He originally posted in Dec of 2006 that he thought it would come out summer 2008.

In March 2008, it was stated to come out in the fall.

According to Amazon.com, it's supposed to come out June 30, 2009, though Buy.com says 02/28/2010.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I've only read the one, and had not foraged for his other stuff. It's too bad that it looks to be just lather rinse repeat.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

So it is coming out all over the place.

[chilayse.livejournal.com]

I read Twilight when it was first released(before the rest of the books were even published)... I wasn't impressed by it. The characters lack personality. The MAIN character occasionally makes me want to cringe. There are better trashy vampire novels out there. When I heard there was a massive fan following for it and squealing movie fangirls... (this was about a month ago. I'm that out of the loop.) I was rather surprised.

I actually own the Outlander books..but NOT the Lord John ones.. I never got to them. Long series make me cry after awhile also.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi there, I'm really sorry to bother you like this, but I was re-reading some of your stories and I couldn't find some of the greek gods ones you did? I was wondering if you had put them up somewhere else,
Thanx very much

[spy-c.livejournal.com]

No. The Twilight series is like the Harry Potter series. In sanely popular but with less going for it. Some of the characters (*cough* Edward) srsly creeped me the fuck out and others just annoyed me (*couch* Bella). The only character I loved at all was Sam and Jacob until he got annoying too. I will tell you this though. They are like crack once you open them you can't put them down because you have to know what happens next. But, don't expect something epic. They're alright at best and downright stupid in some parts.

[spy-c.livejournal.com]

PS: We decided to play a drinking game with everyone taking a shot every time she uses the word marble, and we never made it past the one chapter. Everyone was completely trashed by then.

PPS: Her vampires sparkle like glitter or diamonds in the sunlight. Now I've read vampire stories where they can go into the sunlight, but that was just ridiculous.

[stardance.livejournal.com]

I would have liked Twilight when I was fifteen. The prose isn't great and the characters are very cliche and it bored me so much, I had to put it down for a few days. The next two books have their moments (to be fair, so does Twilight). They didn't bore me but they weren't awesome. The last book was disturbing but it had a completely satisfying ending. I honestly don't know how a teenager could possibly relate to anything that happens in the books. Overall I think they'd frustrate you. It's more standard vampire fare.

[rustedinkwell.livejournal.com]

Speaking of Warren Ellis:
http://www.freakangels.com/

Completely free and online webcomic he's doing with Paul Duffield (I feel I'm pointing out the obvious with that) that's set in England after a flood pretty much wiped out everything. It's the only thing of his I've read but maybe it might interest you?

[selurnis.livejournal.com]

I have not yet read Twilight. If this trend every changes, it is solely because someone is putting a literal gun to my head and I refuse to die over a matter of sparkly, emo vampires and their osc girlfriends.


Heheheh.

Thank you!! I'm so happy to know I'm not the only one who thinks that.

Twilight pisses me off!!

[sixpence1323.livejournal.com]

Twilight? *gags* Yeah, no thank you.

[cornporngirl.livejournal.com]

I really love your taste in books, and I'm starting to think I just might have to pick up Lord John even though historical fiction isn't always my cup of tea.

I would suggest Twilight as a read only if you have the ability to laugh at how badly plotted and extremely teen-romance it is. I had to read them under duress because I work for a major book company and we did a midnight release for book 4, and I will admit that I kind of enjoyed them in the same way I enjoy really seriously cracked out fanfic. On a whole they're not horribly written, and they are without a doubt teen oriented and aimed but they're not the worst thing I've ever had to read in my entire life (that honor goes to "An American Tragedy", which is a tragedy in itself that it ever got written let alone placed on AP lit lists)

[acesha.livejournal.com]

My mom has read and reread the Outlander series so many times, i forget how many times she's actually ended up destroying them by reading them to shreds. Hardback, soft cover, trade paperback, she's had just about every edition of them at this point. Eventually i will end up reading them as well, though, i could never get her to read the Lord John books...

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for the recommendations,
do you like alternate history books?

[newtypeshadow.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reccing Brindisi Bedfellows--I read it last night and loved it ^_^

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes ^__^

[alberolingarn.livejournal.com]

i actually just finished re-reading Twilight, (at age fifteen, I'm sad to say) after first reading it in the 7th grade (before anyone else, I might add). After rereading it, I think it's just one of those books that you're either going to fall in love with (i.e. lovestarved fangirls) or pretty much loathe the guts of (i.e. most people who have better things to occupy their time... like Midnight :D). It's decently written (at least the first one), and good if you're bored and- like someone else said- feel like a fanfic.
Sadly, the vampires are sub-par. Edward Cullen makes me wish I had one, but still.
I'm not sure quite what the point of this was, I'm still half asleep.
I only reread it because when I go see the movie I want to be able to point out every single thing that's wrong, In my defense.
As for now, I'm going to go fill my brain with Robin McKinley and re-re-re-re-re-re-re-reading Harry Potter.

[alberolingarn.livejournal.com]

i do, however, shudder to think of what i'm in for when my (quite insane) friends force me to read the rest of them...

[(Anonymous)]

i'm fairly sure she god rid of them.... but i'm not sure

[(Anonymous)]

Then try a book called "Dies the Fire" by SM Stirling, you can find the first few chapters of all 5 books at the website http://www.smstirling.com/
And by first few I mean than the author puts up the first 11 or so chapters of every book before it goes into print.
Plus maps and other extras.

[(Anonymous)]

I got Brindisi when you mentioned it some time ago, and liked it. Thanks for that. ^^

I swear there was another ebook I wanted to pimp, but at present it's totally escaping me.

Maybe it's Dark Lord Seeks Friendship? I remember you mentioning it.

I was curious about the hype about Twilight, and am not impressed by what I've found out. But then, I've never been one for teen series.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

I've read Dies the Fire. But it's more post-apoc than alt history?

[destinee-carols.livejournal.com]

Hm. About Twilight, it's not THAT fabulous. It's a good series, but in the end, everyone's obsessing over it and I don't see that's necessary...

[tekia.livejournal.com]

You do know that Lord John first appeared in the Outlander series, right?
Back then, I hated him, but when she came out with those series I learned to adore him.

[maderr.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do. That's why I'm reading them. I knew reading Lord John that he was a side char from Outlander. I just read those before getting around to Outlander, and so far I do prefer them. He's just more fun.

[tekia.livejournal.com]

Lol, I just read your post where you mentioned that you wondered if you would like the stories he was 'spun from'. Teach me to read before I type.
I'm partal to Jamie. But, like you said, I read them first. ^_^

[maderr.livejournal.com]

I can see where he would come out on top, if he were the first impression ^___^