The Godwulf Manuscript and God Save the Child by Robert B. Parker. The first two Spenser novels. I vaguely remember Spenser for Hire from when I was a kid, mostly for Avery Brooks' badass Hawk portrayal, but I always remembered liking it. Spenser was kind of a cultured, more smart-assed Philip Marlowe. The first couple novels' plots aren't the most intricate detective stories of all time, but the characterizations and background stuff is dead-on brilliant. I picked up the first 4-5 books in the series - [let me explain how the internet/life works... one of my favorite authors, Greg Rucka, has a new book coming out, which got a recommendation from Parker, which made me look into his work, and made me remember my fondness for the old TV show... hyperlinking the real world, so to speak... and my Amazon order] - and they're great, fun reads. Gonna tear through 'em.
Fault Line - the first non-John Rain thriller by former CIA employee Barry Eisler. I really dig on the Rain series [half Japanese assassin] and Eisler writes taught, intelligent, international work. I liked this, maybe not as much as the Rain books, but still really, really well crafted. Good stuff.
Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11), latest in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. The tag line that runs on most of the books - Buffy the Vampire Slayer + Philip Marlowe - plays to two of my favorite genres. Mystery, magic, fantasy... a good and entertaining addition to the series, advancing the big picture conspiracy story with a self contained story and deft humor and characterization.
Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson. Re-read this entire series before passing it on to a friend on his birthday. Still my favorite Warren Ellis work. Just stunningly brilliant SF/political/comedy/genius. Highest recommendation.
Totally Fulfilled by Dean Graziozi. Don't even remember when I picked this up... maybe last year in one of my book buying binges. Apparently the author is best known for infomercial real estate stuff, so I was fully prepped to despise it. Can't speak to any of that, but as far as the book goes, honestly, it was pretty good. Fairly good, if a little generic, self-help stuff. A good reminder for some basic mindset/mentality concepts.
Backup by Jim Butcher and Mike Mignola. An illustrated short story for a supporting character from the Dresden Files series. Good read. Lotsa fun. Detectives, magic, humor and great characters.
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. The book based on the DVD. Whether or not you think your thoughts and ideas have some quantum, metaphysical, reality changing effect - or you think the Secret is Grade A hucksterism, the bottom line for me is that mindset, optimism and perspective - what you choose to focus on and the meaning you give events DEFINES your experiences and life. And this is a good reminder of that. Good for a kick in the ass to my pessimism.
No comments:
Post a Comment