Review: Quake

Quake by Lisa Arrington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quake takes awhile to get started, but once the "quakes" start happening, the story really picks up. One thing that's really cool about this book is that it takes normal characters-this time every day teenagers--and throws them into the abnormal. I really like Ali. She's a likeable character and her reactions seem realistic when the strange events start occurring. I also like the thrill of the chase this story gives you. What I don't like is the multiple perspectives. There are too many. I would have actually preferred if this story was first-person and told from only Ali's perspective.

Even so, the book is enjoyable and I highly recommend it. The end has a really cool twist and I'm looking forward to the sequel. Give it a read. Ms. Arrington has something here.

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Review: Mafietta

Mafietta by E.W. Brooks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm torn with Mafietta. On one hand, I like the way it's written. I like the dialogue, I like the pacing (Though, it's a bit too fast early on, making me not really sure why Clarke is the way she is), and overall, I enjoyed the story. But on the other hand, it's not my sort of book. E.W. Brooks does a great job of bringing us into the underbelly of society and provides a strong female protagonist, but it got to be a bit much for me, and many of the characters seem more like characters in a story than actual people (Their motives are questionable). As many reviewers have shown, there's a lot to like here, but it's just not for me. If you want to read a book that reads like a movie, then by all means, read Mafietta. But if you enjoy books because they get to the root of the human condition, then this may not be the book for you. It's a genre title, through and through, which isn't a bad thing at all, but again, it's just not for me.

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Review: The Hours

The Hours by Michael Cunningham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What starts out as a very confusing novel gradually turns into one of the most beautiful and most complex books I've ever read. I want to read more from the author.

The novel concerns three women, all of whom are connected in some way. One of these women is actually the author, Virginia Woolf, who is working on her novel, Mrs. Holloway. And while I've never read Mrs. Holloway, you learn through this story all the parallels that course through the other characters (For instance, one character is planning a party for her dying friend and former lover, who has AIDS. This is similar to the plot of Mrs. Holloway, minus the AIDS, of course). Another character is actually reading Mrs. Holloway. The novel takes place in the span of a single day for each of these characters, and the way it ends is both surprising and fulfilling. I genuinely didn't see it coming and felt rewarded for sticking through to the end.

I will admit that the trivial (Like baking a cake and not liking its look) are magnified to an extent that it almost bombastic and overdrawn. But it never feel boring, which is quite an accomplishment. Michael Cunningham is an amazing author who really cares about his characters and gets so in-depth with them that you feel they're real people. He actually won the Pulitzer Prize for this book, and I can see why. It's so rich and layered that a re-read is in order after I actually read Virginia Woolf's book, Mrs. Holloway. This novel is not for everybody (My wife couldn't even get past the first 30 pages), but if you stick with it, you'll be rewarded. I love this book. I can't recommend it enough.

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Review: Seeking Dr. Magic

Seeking Dr. Magic by Scott Spotson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I first started this book, I was really intrigued. The mystery of "ninjas" jumping off of buildings and flipping back onto them had me really engrossed. And while the book is called "Seeking Dr. Magic", I really had high hopes that there wasn't really, I guess we'll call it "magic", involved at all. It kind of reminds me of the movie, Signs. In that film, everything pointed to aliens, but I really hoped that we would find out in the end that it was all a hoax and there really weren't any aliens. Unfortunately, we find out that there are aliens, and just like that, this book really has magic, which kind of threw me out of the story. I don't know. The supernatural only works sometimes for me. In this instance, it didn't work. In fact, the moment Dr. Magic actually came into the story, I kind of lost interest. I don't like his character. That said, I do like the protagonist, who is a retired F.B.I. agent named Tony Hetfield. He's very likeable. I also enjoy the light tone and pacing (Though, the light-hearted mood does kind of shift toward the end). Overall, there are enjoyable moments and it's a light read, but it's not for everybody. You really have to be in the spirit to read it.

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My book, The Darkness of the Womb, has been IndieReader approved.

My book, The Darkness of the Womb, has been Indie author approved. How cool is that? Check out the review for my book here. I'm so excited!

Review: Big Fish

Big Fish by Daniel Wallace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Big Fish is one of those books where you watch the movie and then read the book and say, Wow, this screenwriter really took some liberties. The book and the movie are completely different and I mean that in a good way. Watch and read both.

The book features the perspectives of both the son and the father, with the latter being on his death bed. In many ways, the book manages to be both woefully depressing and funny at the same time, which is no small feat. Mr. Wallace made the father out to be a mythical character, so much so that the ending, by all means and purposes, should be shocking but isn't given the scope of the rest of the novel. I won't spoil the ending for you, of course, but the title definitely becomes a lot more literal than you would ever imagine if you saw the movie.

I hear the Broadway production was a big flop (No pun intended), and I think it's because it followed the movie rather than the book. Since the book is basically told in a series of tall tales, I think the musical would have benefited more if it plucked from the book rather than the elaborate film. That's just my opinion anyway. All the same, read the book and watch the movie. Both are good.



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Review: The Arrow Catcher

The Arrow Catcher by Jim Mather
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Arrow Catcher is a good book that could have used some trimming. It tells a story of post WW II Japan, and at its best moments, it reminds me of a James Clavell novel like Whirlwind. But the only problem is, it's a bit too slow at parts. I do like that the author puts cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, but I only wish the rest of the chapters had such quick pacing. In the end, I enjoyed the book at parts but wish it moved a little quicker. Give it a look if you're interested, though.

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Review: Twelve Years a Slave

Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A lot of people are saying this book reads like a novel, but I couldn't disagree more. It reads like a man telling his life story, which is fascinating, giving what the man became for twelve years, but not as engrossing as some of the new journalism that came out in the 60s and 70s by people like Hunter S. Thompson and Norman Mailer. Call it a book of its time.

I actually saw the movie before I read the book, and there's an interesting difference. The movie is about the life of a slave, while the book is more about slave life. There's actually a huge difference between the two. While I could empathize more with Solomon in the movie, in the book, you actually get a sense that slave life wasn't as horrific as it truly was, given that Solomon presents a fair depiction of both a kindly slave owner and a tyrannical slave owner. There's also much more hope in the book, which is refreshing, but it makes the situation not feel as dire as it truly was. This is one instance where I think the movie is better than the book.

Give it a read to get probably the most accurate depiction of slave life ever put to page. Just don't expect it to read like a movie, because it doesn't.

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Review: The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I can understand why so many people love The Golden Compass, as it's dark, intelligent, and intriguing, but it's just not for me. I really dig the world that Philip Pullman presents here with the daemons and bears and what not, but so much of the book feels like wasted time. It's not until the staggering ending that I really got into it. The rest of the book felt so disjointed and slow that I'm actually not sure if I want to follow Lyra the rest of the way through to the end of the next two books. Maybe I just have to give it time. Anyway, The Golden Compass may be your cup of tea, but it's certainly not mine. I at least say to give this one a try to see if this universe fits you. It's good enough to at least give it that recommendation. Just don't see the movie, since it doesn't do this book justice.

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Review of Five Days of Darkness

Five Days of Darkness by J.J. Michael
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Five Days of Darkness was an interesting read, but it wasn't really up my alley. In a way, and I'm probably one of the only people who's even seen this movie, but it kind of reminded me of the "The Fury" with all the conspiracy stuff thrown in. While I get that the author was trying to make the story interesting over the course of five days by having different viewpoints, I think the novel would have been better suited if we only had one character's POV, like maybe Serenity. Or Jack. Even so, there is a lot to like here, and even though I gave it three stars, I'd still recommend it. The plot is interesting and the writing is good. Give it a read.

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Review of In The Beginning

In the Beginning by Abby L. Vandiver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"God Help Us." Those three words carry this interesting historical thriller to a fascinating conclusion that makes me want to read more from this debut author. In the beginning of "In the Beginning" (See what I did there?), I was all set for something akin to "The Da Vinci Code", which I didn't like. But Ms. Vandiver gives the reader something completely different, mixing in some sci-fi elements that really set it apart from most religious historical fiction novels. Sure, it's a bit too long, and some of the characters didn't interest me at all, but it all wraps up satisfyingly and I definitely recommend it to anybody who wants a good yarn. Give it a read.

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