April 12-18 Reads

This was an exceptional week for reading, although I should note there were several graphic novels in this list, which might explain why there were only a couple of books read that were over 350 pages long. Regardless, it was a nice streak, one that I doubt will continue for long, as I'm beginning to feel a bit exhausted from work matters and likely will try to sleep more than I have been in recent weeks. Anyways, here's what I read and a few thoughts on each:

118 Peter Beagle, A Fine & Private Place/The Last Unicorn (SFBC omnibus edition) - Beagle's first two novels (1960, 1968). First was excellent and I may write a review in the near future. Review for the second here.

119 A.S. Byatt, Possession - So many levels to this wonderful tale. The parallels between the letter writers and the present-day characters were well-done and I want to re-read this before I attempt to write a formal review.

120 C.C. Finlay, The Patriot Witch - I'm in the final stages of an interview with Finlay and there'll be a longer review of this upcoming (May) book, the first of a trilogy of stories set in the American Revolution, but with witchcraft/magic involved. This was a good, fast-paced read. More in a week or two.

121 Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men - It's McCarthy. It's dark, raw, visceral, and poetic, all at once and without skimping on the characterizations.

122 Rikki Ducornet, The One Marvelous Thing (re-read from 2008) - Very good collection of short stories, micro fiction, and graphic novel stories.

123 Dave Eggers, You Shall Know Our Velocity! - Very good, although this might have been the weakest of Eggers three memoir/novels that I have read. Considering how much I like What is the What and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, his weakest is much stronger than most other authors' best.

124 Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes (re-read from 2007) - Review of this and the other volumes here.

125 Hank Wagner, Christopher Golden, & Stephen R. Bisette, Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman - Excellent resource for all of Gaiman's stories through early 2008. Consulted this while doing a read-through of The Sandman in preparation for my review of that series.

126 Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: The Doll's House (re-read from 2007) - See review link above.

127 Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Dream Country (re-read from 2008) - See review link above.

128 Roberto Bolaño and A.G. Porta, Consejos de un discípulo de Morrison a un fanático de Joyce seguido de Diario de Bar - Bolaño's first novel, co-written in 1984. It is weaker than his solo stories and while there are flashes of his latter style, this is very much a first novel.

129 Dino Buzzati, Poema a fumetti - Retelling of the Orpheus/Eurydice myth in comic format, with the story now occuring in contemporary Italy. Very good.

130 Ismail Kadere, The Palace of Dreams - Will review later. Very good conclusion, although the translation (translated from the French translation of the original Albanian) was a bit dodgy in places.

131 Neil Gaiman and P. Craig Russell, Murder Mysteries - Graphic novel adaptation of one of my favorite Gaiman short stories. Excellent artwork complements this story quite well.

132 Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Season of Mists - See review link above.

133 Evelio Rosero, Los ejércitos - Set in a Colombia divided by civil war, this is a story of how conflict divides families and one's own self. Good, but a bit tedious at times for me. Likely due to reading it during breaks at school.

134 Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, Watchmen (re-read from 2008) - Might write a formal review later. Very, very good.

135 Italo Calvino, Le città invisibili - Italian original of the book I reviewed here.


In Progress:

Michael Moorcock, The Cornelius Quartet

Bill Ectric, Tamper


Future Plans:

Michael Moorcock, The Laughter of Carthage