Dear Alien Anthropologists

(Originally posted on May 17, 2012) I want to start by saying I really enjoyed Lost Books of the Odyssey, I’ve been wanting to read it since it came out, and I finally bought myself a copy. However, it bills itself as a novel. It’s not. There is a certain feel to the different episodes presented as supposed lost or alternate stories from the Odyssey, that make the book feel like there’s a progression from beginning to end, but there’s no plot, no cohesive story. If you loved the Odyssey (and I did), you’ll like this book. But I wouldn’t recommend it for those who didn’t.

(Originally posted in two parts April 8, 2012) When I first read about this book on Slate, I was instantly intrigued because it was set in the same small town in Montana that I had grown up in. The author’s name seemed familiar, but she wasn’t someone I ever went to school with. (It turns out I’ve known her brother-in-law since kindergarten.) I have to say, Miles City is represented beautifully, and I even learned a few things, like the actual name of the swim lake. I had some location bumps when her description didn’t match my memories, but that’s probably because I left Miles City in 1989. The beauty…

(Originally posted on November 18, 2011) This was one of the e-books I got for free when I got my e-reader last year. I’d started reading it months and months ago, but put it down and did not pick it up again until this week. That’s nothing against the author or the book. This is a fun supernatural romance. Okay, I think there’s supposed to be some elements of a romantic thriller in there, but I found it a little too cheesy to ever feel the threat. And that’s okay for me. I prefer my romances not take themselves too seriously, and this one did not.

(Originally posted on November 15, 2011) What if friendly aliens arrived at Earth, and instead of contacting the government of any nation, they instead contacted the head of one of the biggest talent agencies in Hollywood, in order to determine the best way to introduce themselves to the planet? That is the premise behind Agent to the Stars. It’s a fun premise (especially in the days of Entrouage and Ari Gold), and makes for a fun book. It is also an example of self-publishing that works, as the novel was originally made available by the author, online, with a suggested donation of $1. He received $4,000.

(Originally posted on November 13, 2011) The full title is The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. Honestly, that covers just about everything you need to know. If the title intrigues you, you’ll enjoy the book. If the mentioning of the world’s largest dictionary turns you off, don’t bother. Most of the time I was reading this book, I had also had two little dogs crawling over me trying to get attention. The writing was engaging and clear. I could put it down whenever I needed and never had a problem picking it back up.

(Originally posted October 15, 2011) This is the written novelization of the first two volumes of the Girl Genius graphic novels. In other words, if you are already a fan, there is nothing new here, at least not technically. But I still recommend reading it, and not just from a “completist” perspective. There are things that can be done in a traditional novel that can not be accomplished in a graphic novel (and vice versa), including some deeper character introspection. This was a fun, fast read, and I hope that Phil & Kaja Foglio are able to do more novelizations of the Girl Genius stories.

(Originally posted on September 19, 2011) This is the most basic of stories, a family drama, told from the point of view of the most biased observer- the family dog. It is a really well done story, and the short sentences and chapters make it a very quick read, a nice way to spend a rainy Seattle afternoon. My only issue with the book (and this may be a “me” issue, as I seem to have it often) is the final chapter, which was more of an epilogue. It was too much a perfect dream ending to a book that had been very based in reality.

(Originally posted on September 12, 2011) I love John M Ford’s writing. He has a distinctive style, especially in his earlier novels, of telling stories from multiple people’s viewpoints. He takes each individual’s story and wraps the whole narrative together, often skipping large amounts of time and leaving the reader to piece together what happened. This can be a very successful and rewarding (for the reader) style. Not so much in The Dragon Waiting. I had a hard time figuring out some of the background or understanding why I cared about the outcome. Not one I’ll be recommending (unlike The Last Hot Time which is fabulous).

(Originally posted on September 2, 2011) I would like to be as talented as Neil Gaiman. Is that too much to ask? Writing wise, it seems the man’s talent knows no bounds. He can write dark and gritty, very adult, adventure, and even win the Newberry Medal for children’s books. It really doesn’t seem fair. But at least I can read what he writes, and I’ll take that as compensation. The Graveyard Book is a story of the fantastical that children of all ages can relate to, a true coming of age tale filled with friends and family, a few secrets, and even some bad guys.