K.O. Munley
Gwendy's Button Box is a story with tremendous promise that just kind of fizzled out and ended too quickly and neatly. The setting, characters, and atmosphere all have the feeling of vintage King and the tension in this story builds right up to the ending where none of that build-up pays off.
I remember that moment when, having read through S.K.'s Dark Tower series, I arrived at the final sequence and King wrote a teasing warning to all of us Constant Readers, saying that the story had reached a decent stopping point and we could put it down and walk away and that would be okay. Though, if you really want to know what became of Roland, you could read on, but be warned that the ending might not be what you're expecting.
I enjoyed that ending. I felt it paid the series off. This one? Not so much.
Gwendy parlayed this novella into another novel (and maybe a series) of her own, so maybe the larger story will pay off down the line, because this feels like the first third of a story - all set up, no ending.
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Long(ish) story short [SPOILERS AHEAD]: Gwendy is introduced as a regular pre-teen grappling with the pressures of her rapidly changing school and social worlds in the 70's. She's a little overweight and runs the "Suicide Stairs" in an attempt to get into better physical shape (and probably as a stress-reliever). Her home life isn't great, either parents on the verge of alcoholism and divorce and not quite as present as they could be. She meets a man dressed in black at the top of the stairs, his name is Richard Farris and he has a magic button box that he entrusts to her, telling her that it belongs to her and she must caretake it. He's a little creepy, says he's been watching her (and others), and offers a slightly menacing smile when warning of the consequences that could come with the box.And here I bet you're thinking, "Oh ho! It's our old frienemy R.F. and he's back causing trouble!" Well...The box dispenses chocolates that take, let's say, solve all her problems. Soon she's the most attractive, smartest, most popular person in school. A top athlete. Her parents stop drinking, the marriage is saved. Life is great! The box gives her uncirculated Morgan silver dollars. She accumulates a small fortune. The box also grants wishes in a monkey paw/Twilight Zone box way that always seems to have a much nastier edge to it than is anticipated. Gwendy goes through school. She loses a friend who later...doesn't make it to the end of the story. Gwendy believes the box is to blame. Gwendy meets the perfect guy, he doesn't make it to the end of the story. Gwendy believes the box is to blame (this time there's more direct evidence that this might be the case). And by this point in the story, you're thinking that there's going to be a payoff, some terrible price for using the box (even though by now Gwendy has weened herself from using it).Nope.R.F. shows up, explains away the fates of the two friends, absolves Gwendy and the box of both, shares some cake, tells her that she's about to have an amazing life, and leaves. Gwendy finds another coin that R.F. left for her, laughs, and puts it in her pocket.The end. No, really. That's it. She is living a more-or-less perfect life, there were no real consequences to the box, the dead friends—I don't know, wash out of her mind?—and she laughs and goes to an Ivy League college...that the box paid for. Everything tied up in a nice little bow. No harm, no foul. Somewhere in the distance, an audience applause track plays and we cut to the credits.That last chapter is the pinhole that lets the air out of this story. It's a case of the last 10% erasing the other 90% and all that's left to do is sigh, shrug, and remember the days of Castle Rock past.
Fun and fast-paced with loads of deadpan humor. You can read this one without having read the rest of the series and feel right at home. All-in-all a fun read. Check it out.
If you grew up in the 80's, this book is both wish-fulfillment for your former child-self and a trip down memory lane. One of the best science fiction books of 2011, don't miss this one. Think Ender's Game meets the Thursday Next novels in 80's geek and chic culture.
The writing is brisk and the characters are well developed. Don't be surprised when you find yourself really rooting on Wade in his quest or wishing that the story could keep going on and on.
I picked this book out for the weekend and ended up reading it in two days; I just could not put it down. I love this particular sub-genre of sci-fi & fantasy, the superhero novel, but I like them to have some depth of character and to treat the subject matter with the type of respect and honesty that any other novel would treat normal human characters. After the Golden Age fit that bill perfectly. My only issue is the propensity of “wry” smiles going on in the book. This is probably something I saw because I couldn't put the book down, but it got to the point where I would start wondering who would smile wryly next. But that's a minor, small, middling concern that shouldn't keep anyone from picking this book up and enjoying it.
Big picture: it's a superhero book about family and it's fantastic. Don't miss this book.
A fantastic insiders look at the first half of the sometimes-awkward first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Wil Wheaton (who starred as the belovedly infamous Wesley Crusher on ST:TNG) provides a fun(ny) episode recap for each episode through ‘Datalore,' and each episode segment includes his pick for top bit of technobabble, favorite quote, and an on set memory. No matter whether you're a Trekker or a Trekkie, there's something in this book for you.
I love a good short fiction collection and Howls from the Dark Ages didn't disappoint. Editors [a:P.L. McMillan 14159052 P.L. McMillan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1606412560p2/14159052.jpg] and [a:Solomon Forse 21229584 Solomon Forse https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1648544619p2/21229584.jpg] have done a brilliant job pulling together a wonderfully diverse range of voices and narrative styles in this beautiful, haunting, and sometimes downright harrowing collection of medieval horror fiction.I'm hesitant to list favorites because I enjoyed so many of these stories, but [a: Cody Goodfellow 18841 Cody Goodfellow https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1334864585p2/18841.jpg]'s “The Mouth of Hell”, [a:Michelle Tang 7555434 Michelle Tang https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1561144561p2/7555434.jpg]'s “A Dowry for Your Hand”, [a:Ethan Yoder 22022465 Ethan Yoder https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]'s “Deus Vult”, [a: C.B. Jones 21671365 C.B. Jones https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1626718027p2/21671365.jpg]' “The Forgotten Valley”, and [a: Brian Evenson 48355 Brian Evenson https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1237495626p2/48355.jpg]'s “The Fourth Scene” really stood out for me.At times thrilling, haunting, gruesome, and heart-wrenching, I loved my tour through these dark medieval tales. This anthology is well worth a read and I've now got a list of new-to-me storytellers to keep an eager eye out for.
An interesting idea that results in a fun but somewhat uneven book. With 50 different contributors, I think that's to be expected as the shifts in style will result in a few that move you, a few that make you laugh, a few that really educate you, and a couple that leave you cold. I picked this one up for [a:Sarah Vowell 2122 Sarah Vowell http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1206507108p2/2122.jpg]'s essay on Montana, [a:Anthony Bourdain 1124 Anthony Bourdain http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1205261109p2/1124.jpg]'s essay on New Jersey, and [a:Jack Hitt 73813 Jack Hitt http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg]'s look at South Carolina. Along the way I've also found interesting looks at Vermont, Colorado, the Dakotas, and Wyoming. And while I have enjoyed it, it's tough for me to give it any more than a three-star rating as it's not a book that I can read for long periods of time. It's great for reading in bits and pieces.
Funny in spots and feels like a send up of King Kong, Christopher Moore-style, but it never really took off for me. Fans of Mr. Moore won't be disappointed, but they won't be blown away either.
I always find writing these reviews to be the most difficult. Here's the lowdown: I liked this story and I liked the characters. I wish there was more story here. The pacing and the writing are both tight. I do plan to read more of the Murderbot Diaries, but I'm not jumping to dive in to another immediately. I enjoyed this one and I'll be back for more...in a little bit, probably when I need a palate cleanser from a longer novel.
One of the most beautiful and fascinating books I can remember owning as a child. My brother and I flipped through this book so many times that the spine glue wore out and we'd have to shuffle through the pages like an unbound manuscript, but that didn't prevent us from going back time and again to read the story and stare at the illustrations. This is one of the books I want to share with my own children someday.
THE LESSER DEAD by Christopher Buehlman is a vampire tale with a bite that stayed with me after the last page. Great writing (audiobook is strongly recommended, too, especially for nighttime reading...if you dare). I loved every sentence through the shivers they sent down my spine.
[a: Christopher Buehlman 4712375 Christopher Buehlman https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1350057325p2/4712375.jpg] is one of my favorite active storytellers. [b: The Necromancer's House 17674968 The Necromancer's House Christopher Buehlman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1391891511l/17674968.SY75.jpg 24678703] carries on his ability to create compelling characters, dangerous antagonists, and some really dark and twisty story turns. Modern settings, an interesting magic system, a literal witch hunt, and a few things that go bump in the night, this book is an easy recommendation.
I began this book while sitting in a jury waiting room after having been called to take part in jury selection (just doing my duty), and was swept away by the story of Richard, Door, and the rest of the under-Londoners.
Mr. Gaiman himself handled the reading of the audiobook, calling it “the author's preferred text” so I have no idea if that means unabridged, added-on to, or whatever. Not that I minded, his characterizations were wonderful. The mystery of who was pulling the strings played out beautifully as I was unable to guess which characters were involved in which things until the end. I wish I could be more descriptive, but I don't want to spoil anything.
On the whole, another great story from Mr. Gaiman.
One of my favorite [a: Christopher Buehlman 4712375 Christopher Buehlman https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1350057325p2/4712375.jpg] books, up there with [b: The Lesser Dead 20893407 The Lesser Dead Christopher Buehlman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1396375462l/20893407.SY75.jpg 40236397], though a very different story. [b: Between Two Fires 13543121 Between Two Fires Christopher Buehlman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1623049449l/13543121.SY75.jpg 19107416] is a dark apocalyptic quest set in medieval France. God has gone missing, the angels can't find him, and Hell has opened its doors to the world, ushering in a devastating plague and other, more terrible, things, including the devils themselves. So who is tasked with saving the day? A depressed, disgraced fallen knight, a newly orphaned pre-teen girl, and a priest with an insatiable thirst for wine. This group will need to traverse the French countryside to find...well, they're not entirely sure, before they arrive at Avignon, where they will...they don't really know that either. The set-up sounds like a comedy, but it isn't. They are being hunted by demons and whatever is guiding them, isn't telling them much. And if that isn't bad enough, desperation has turned the surviving humans somewhat less humane. This is a dark tale of love and redemption set against the bleakest possible backdrop. In Buehlman's capable hands, that equals a tremendous story that will linger long after you turn the last page.
This isn't a step-by-step technical guide to teach you how to edit video or operate a camera (though it does provide tips on how you might use the camera better than you have been), but a concise book about how to plan and execute shooting your video. There's plenty of good advice here that can help you take your video projects to the next level.
As my first foray into the stories of [a:Clive Barker 10366 Clive Barker https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1430330407p2/10366.jpg], I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed this book. [b:Mister B. Gone 1011632 Mister B. Gone Clive Barker https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429998358l/1011632.SX50.jpg 2851045], by the very nature of its narrator, makes you question whether what you're reading is entirely true. It's certainly not the first book to make use of the unreliable narrator—or is he?—but I loved how Barker uses it to both keep us on guard and pull us in to the narrative. Mr. B, as his friends call him, manages to be both a little threatening and charismatic enough that you'll find yourself rooting for him, though you know you probably shouldn't...there are hints and burnt edges around the corners of his story that imply that maybe you really shouldn't. A quick and engaging read, Mister B. Gone has whet my pallet for more Clive Barker.