Wren
This came out of nowhere. All eleven tales intersect to form an insane, macabre little world where murder lurks around every corner. It may not be as ambitious as Cloud Atlas, but the stories are connected in much more subtle and skillful ways. At 162 pages, it's a short ride, but it's thrilling and mortifying in a great way. Recommended for horror fans.
A classic children's novel that is being adapted into a feature length film by Mark Osborne this year. It feels a bit long and wordy considering the audience it is geared towards, but the language is never very difficult. I can understand why it is so revered. The author speaks simple truths about what it is like to be a child and how easy it is for children to understand things. I have never read this story, but it instantly filled me with nostalgia. I think this is very cute and that my girlfriend would enjoy it.
I rate individual books based on how well they stand alone. This book ends the story arc of the last volume with a well-paced crossover between Marvel's best street level characters (and the Punisher.) The second half of this volume kick starts the next volume.
This one doesn't stand so great on it's own but it's still a five star series.
The oldest recorded story to survive the test of time is much older than both the Illiad and the Bible. Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk, who is handsome, powerful, perfect and completely ruthless to his people. In order to save the people from his wrath, the gods gift Gilgamesh with a friend, Enkidu, who is his equal in every way, to keep Gilgamesh's power in check. Gilgamesh and Enkidu are great character foils, and even greater friends. After helping Gilgamesh slay both Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, Enkidu falls ill and dies, sending Gilgamesh on a journey into the underworld in hopes of rescuing his dearest friend.
It's interesting to see which traits were considered desirable in 2100 BC that are present in our present day heroes. In today's stories, the themes of strength, friendship and death are all as alive as they were during the days of Gilgamesh. There was an essay collected in my edition that I skipped over. I hope I'll be able to find time to return to it soon.
The Virgin Mary spends her old age being cared for by those who followed her son, and recounts important moments in her life, primarily focusing on the crucification of her child. This story is noteworthy because any other book approaching this topic would do so with an agenda to push. This book is not trying to pull you to either side of the “God argument”, but instead tells an honest tale of a woman who loses her son, and is constantly told that his death was “worth it”. The Mary of this short novel is a very eloquent and believable character. The language chosen doesn't quite match up with the language used in the Bible, as the author (wisely) chose to modernize it just enough for the reader's sake.
It's always fascinating to look at the early years of science fiction and see what the author was using the genre for. The War of the Worlds seemed to be a warning about the evils of imperialism, but I had a more difficult time deciphering this novel. It was a bit more humorous and equally implausible. The Invisible Man is tempted by the freedom of existing outside of the social contract, but almost immediately regrets his decision, and descends into madness trying to find a cure for his condition. This is the more enjoyable of the two Wells novels I've read.
I'm giving this book five stars for one reason. The chapter where Daredevil goes to the city of the Molemen is absolute genius. I love how they have been telling the story of a non-visual character through a visual medium, but this book truly shines when that character descends into a world without sight. I've heard somewhere that the confinement of the super hero genre can churn out some truly avant-garde stories, and I feel that this one certainly qualifies.
The most important works of literature in both Western and Eastern culture retold as short graphic interpretations. The concept alone makes want to praise it as a fantastic book, but this suffers seriously from anthology syndrome. Some of these comics are simply not good. There where multiple points where I simply found myself reading the excerpts explaining why each piece was important, and then moving on to the next one. I managed to find Volume 2 for a cheap price, so I'll keep going because I find it educational, but it's not necessarily something I'd recommend unless you are more interested in the academic side of things.
Before science and reason became widespread, the forces of the supernatural were everywhere. We may now think of horror only as a genre of fiction, but it used to be one of mankind's only tools for understanding the incomprehensible. In this book, Eugene Thacker guides us through a history of the occult and its ties to philosophy throughout the ages. What do our darkest fears tell us about nature? How can we use this knowledge to confront the unknown and unforgiving nature of the universe?
I picked up this book after it had been referred to by both True Detective's Nic Pizzolatto and Planetary's Warren Ellis, two writers I highly respect, and it's easy to see where this book influenced True Detective. I am highly fascinated by this topic, but I'll admit it's not an easy read. In order to discuss the unthinkable, the author constructs a new vocabulary at the beginning and references his new words throughout the rest of the book. He apparently is capable of guiding a reader through impossible topics because I only felt lost once during the final chapter dedicated to the analysis of an anonymous poem, which I will probably revisit later. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the deeper meanings of horror, or those looking for more depth on topics that have been touched on by writers such as James Blish and H.P. Lovecraft.
Told in the first person narrative through the eyes of the perfect English butler who served in Darlington Hall, the home of an influential master who hosted many political gatherings, throughout the years of World War II. Stevens, our narrator dedicates most of his thoughts to the meaning of dignity and greatness, and fails to give a second thought to anything other than his work. Through the character of his coworker, Ms. Kenton, we are able to see just how much Stevens is missing out on in the world. Kenton marries and leaves the service, while Stevens stays with the house to serve a new master, essentially a piece of furniture. Will Stevens come to realize that he has thrown his life away serving a man who isn't as honorable as he believed? Now that it's over, how will he spend the remainder of his life?
This is definitely worthy of its Man Booker Prize. I recommend it to people who enjoy great things.
A series of poems connected through the use of stage directions to form a “choreopoem”, a term coined by the author. Several ladies tell different stories about growing up as a black woman in America. Many of the experiences are pulled from the author's life. Absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful, this is a masterpiece of poetry as storytelling. If you haven't read this yet, you need to.
The only thing I could think of while reading this was how much Thompson has grown since his work on Blankets. His art is ten times better and the story a hundred times as ambitious. A lot of themes are covered including the connection of Christianity and Islam and the difference between love and lust. This book is really great, and absolutely gorgeous. With that being said, Thompson set some tremendous goals for himself, and I'm not sure he hit every mark. Even when it's fiction, it's hard for me to accept things being told about religious people of color in the Middle East when it is coming from the mouth of a young, white, agnostic American. I know it's not entirely fair of me to dismiss an entire book because of the author's nationality, but the book is sometimes unclear on what is being glorified, what is being condemned, and what is being included for the sake of being sensational. This was written immediately after closing the book, so my thoughts are not fully formed. I'm having my doubts but overall the impression on me was very positive.