Hellbent (Cheshire Red Reports: 2)

by Cherie Priest
(2011 | 338 p)

Raylene, our favorite thieving vampire, is at it again. This time she's taken a job that requires her to collect bones. Yes, bones. They're not just any bones, of course. These are magical bones and, well, the sort of thing that's impolite to talk about in mixed company. I'll stop there. She reluctantly takes the job because the money's too good to pass up. While she's on this job she learns of some undead threats on her beloved Ian and a simple job gets a lot more complicated. Can she navigate the rocky waters of vampire politics and collect the precious bones in time? 

I'm completely enamored with this series. It has chuckles galore without going over the top like some noir. Raylene is a tough lady vampire who means well (most of the time) and her sidekick is an ex-Navy Seal turned drag queen. It's the best! I was heartbroken to learn that Random House may not continue this series. I've been looking for some good vampire urban fantasy for a long time and I've finally found it -- please don't take it away!

Abhorsen (Abhorsen: 3)

by Garth Nix
(2003 | 358 p)

I'll be honest, I waited entirely too long to write this review and now my memory of the story is fuzzy. I remember enough to say (with relative surety) that Lirael has finally come into her own as the Abhorsen-in-waiting. Sam is mighty relieved that he no longer has to wield the bells. Lirael and Sam, along with the Disreputable Dog and Mogget, continue on their journey to find Sam's friend Nick who has gotten in with some bad sorts. In fact, Nick is inadvertently funding the end of the world as well as playing temporary host to Orannis, the nasty who will bring that horror to fruition. Talk about hanging with a bad crowd! Disreputable Dog continues to be a loyal and true companion to Lirael, while Mogget acts as untrustworthy as possible. There were brief appearances by Sabriel and Touchstone (my favorite duo), but they are again only supporting characters in Lirael's story.

This was a fun little series and I'm glad I read it. Still, I would have liked to learn more about Sam's powers as a Wallmaker (what does that mean, really?) and about Lirael's ability to see into the past. Neither plot point was really explored. There's a follow up book called Across the Wall that may scratch that particular itch for me. We'll see.

It's Kind of a Funny Story

by Ned Vizzini
(2010 | 444 p)

I'm an adult that reads quite a bit of teen fiction. I sidestep the stuff with too much angst, but overall I'm a fan. However, (full disclosure time) the first few chapters of It's Kind of a Funny Story about did me in. I was slapped in the face by what I could only assume was really bad writing. Case in point, this line from the first page of the book: "'Pass it, son' my other friend is like." It goes on like that for a while, and it hurt. I finally realized, though, that the author is showing us the world as seen by a 15-year-old boy suffering from depression. It's not supposed to be comfortable or nice. Once I got that and the story started to unfold I really was hooked.

Craig Gilner is a really smart kid who got into a really prestigious high school. Now that he's "made it," he's finding he can barely cope. His family is supportive, he has friends (of a sort), but life is quickly becoming something that Craig can't manage. When his thoughts turn dangerously suicidal he checks himself into the mental hospital in hopes that they'll have a "quick fix." He is admitted onto the adult floor because the children's floor is under renovations. Once Craig learns that there is no "quick fix" for chronic depression the healing really begins.

This story is, from my understanding, a semi-autobiographical account of the author's brief stay in a mental hospital. A few things are changed for the story. Young Craig Gilner, for instance, is only 15-years-old while Ned Vizzini was actually hospitalized in his early 20s. There's also the whole love story thing, which I imagine is made up (although I'd really like for that part to be true. It's adorable). Craig is a very lovable character and I really felt for him and his situation. I found myself cheering him on. This story does a wonderful job of showing that mental health issues are health issues, same as diabetes or heart disease. A much needed lesson for teens and adults alike.

Oh, and there's also a movie. It's pretty good, too.

Sandman Slim (Sandman Slim: 1)

by Richard Kadrey
(2009 | 388 p)

I've long considered myself to be a fan of urban fantasy. But I'm only now learning that there are actually two faces to the genre. You have the bohemian magical big city life (think de Lint's Newford series) and then you have the gritty, noir stuff. Sandman Slim clearly belongs in the latter. I wasn't sure what to make of this dark side of urban fantasy at first. So, quite rationally, I denied its existence for as long as possible. After finally sucking it up and reading a few of them I have to admit that this just might be my new guilty pleasure (literary-wise, at least).

Wil Wheaton recommended that I give Sandman Slim a try. (I like to say it like that because it makes it sound like Wil and I are tight when, in actuality, I'm just one of the thousands who stalks him on the interwebs.) The Wheaton raved about the Sandman Slim series and I thought to give it a go. And, I must say, so far Mr. Wheaton is one for one when it comes to book recommendations. Good job, sir.

The star of the story is Stark, a talented young magician who was very unfairly kidnapped by hellions. Stark survived eleven years in hell, serving as a tortured pet for Lucifer's top generals. Being mortal he shouldn't have made it a day "downtown," but it turns out that Stark is really tough to kill. He fights his way back to the surface to avenge the murder of his girlfriend. Only, as it turns out, revenge is never as simple as it should be.

This story is fast-paced and full of dark humor. Be sure to read it if you like that sort of thing.

The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle)

by Ursula K. Le Guin
(1969 | 304 p)

I can't say enough good things about Ursula K. Le Guin's novels. Her Hainish Cycle is a credit to her craft. Not a traditional series, the Hainish Cycle is a collection of novels about various worlds who share an ancient connection to the Hains. Our planet, Terra, is one of many planets that was seeded by the Hains eons ago. The children of Hain have evolved separately on their many different worlds. Each as unique as a snowflake.

The Left Hand of Darkness is the story of the first human emissary on the planet Gethen. He has been sent by the Ekumen, a federation of worlds, to establish relations with the Gethenians and invite them to join the Ekumen. This emissary, Genly Ai, arrives alone. Isolated from all he knows he struggles to learn the rules of a very foreign world, nearly losing it all in the process.

Reading any work by Le Guin is marvelous. She creates new psychologies, new cultural norms, new politics, even new genders. What might, under a less skilled hand, be confusing and disjointed comes together fluidly and convincingly. A must read for fans of speculative fiction.

Rebecca

by Daphne du Maurier
(1938 | 410 p)

To be honest, I just don't feel up to the task of reviewing a Gothic classic like Rebecca. I'm not worthy. If you are a fan of Gothic fiction then this is a book you have to read. The first Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, haunts the halls of Manderley and the pages of the book. Manderley is a character unto itself, dark and brooding. Mrs. Danvers terrifies while the second Mrs. de Winter invokes both pity and frustration. Maxim de Winter is as sullen as his home until events unfold that force his hand and his passions.

A psychological creepfest. Perfect Halloween reading, indeed.

Talking Dirt: The Dirt Diva's Down-to-Earth Guide to Organic Gardening

by Annie Spiegelman
(2010 | 286 p)

Annie Spiegelman is a California Master Gardener and a proponent of organic gardening. I really enjoyed her tone in this book, light-hearted and witty. Much of the content is very basic introduction to the concept of organic gardening. I was pleased to find out I knew much of it already: embrace green manure crops, never underestimate the power of compost and mulch, and for goodness sake use a soaker hose. Got it! At the end of each chapter Annie also recommends a plant, giving each a whaa-whaa rating. (The higher the rating, the more complicated the plant.) This was a cute touch... but since I focus on planting only plants native to my area (or food) in my yard none of these recommendations really pertained to me.

A cute, browsable book on organic gardening. I'll give it a whaa-whaa rating of 2.

Lirael (Abhorsen: 2)

by Garth Nix
(2001 | 464 p)

The second installment of Garth Nix' Abhorsen trilogy surprised me. In book one we watch Sabriel grow up into a top-notch Abhorsen who kicks undead butt. I was really ready to watch her give them hell in book two, but it wasn't meant to be. Instead I only glimpsed Sabriel from afar as seen through the eyes of her nearly grown son, Sameth. Sam is supposed to be the next Abhorsen but he has a nearly phobic aversion to the responsibility. He is such a pitiable figure that it's uncomfortable to be in his skin for any length of time. Luckily, most of the story is told from the point of view of Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr. The Clayr are a community who live in the northernmost reaches of the Old Kingdom and whose responsibility it is to use their Sight to aid the Abhorsen. Lirael is well past the age when she should have received her Sight and finds herself more and more isolated from her sister Clayr. But rather than presenting a pitiful figure, Lirael is a survivor. She finds solace in the library and with her only real friend, the Disreputable Dog.

The Clayr have a vision that forces Lirael out of her comfort zone and out of the only home she's ever known. Will she find her true calling? What will it be? Although not what I expected, another fun read from Mr. Nix. I'm quite excited for book three.

Bloodshot (The Cheshire Red Reports: 1)

by Cherie Priest
(2011 | 359 p)

Raylene, known only as Cheshire Red to anyone with a badge, is a thief. She's not just any thief, either. Raylene is a thief straight out of James Bond... she has numerous secret identities, can leap razor wire in a single bound, and navigates maximum security buildings with ease. She's also a vampire. Raylenes' most recent case uncovers a creepy government operation that's treating vamps like lab rats, and Raylene is having none of that. She and her ex-Navy SEAL turned drag queen sidekick are on the case to make the world safer for vampires everywhere. Because vampires are people, too!

The fact that I enjoyed this book so much came as a complete surprise. What I mistook for another campy, hot vampire with guns trope turned out to be smart and funny. Not to mention that there's a hot vampire with guns! If you like urban fantasy, you'll love this. If you enjoy Charlaine Harris then for the love of all things literary put that down and read this! It's somewhat-psychic vampire done right, with drag queens. I'm a-flutter for book two.

The Word for World is Forest (Hainish Cycle)

by Ursula K. Le Guin
(1972 | 189 p)

In a far distant future the resources of Earth have been exhausted. To survive humans must travel to other planets, gathering necessary resources and shipping them light years back to their overpopulated home world. This story is about what happens when the materialistic and militaristic Earth humans encounter an indigenous population quite contrary to what they know.

This is only the second book that I've read from the Hainish Cycle but I already know I'm going to enjoy the whole series. I studied anthropology in college and the anthropological context of these novels alone is enough to keep me hooked. In The Dispossessed we learn about the cultures on Urras and Anarres. Anarres is a colony of utopian anarchists who fled the materialistic (very Earth-like) culture of Urras. In The Word for World is Forest we meet the Athsheans, who seem to resemble little green Ewoks. They are a loosely organized population of tribes with no central government. They're pacifists, knowing nothing of war or murder, until the human colony comes with their gift of death.

The Word for World is Forest follows the same archetype as Avatar or Fern Gully, short-sighted man exploits and nearly destroys an untainted world that they can't understand. No matter how many ways I hear that story it always kicks me in the gut and makes me want to go hug a tree.

Sabriel (Abhorsen: 1)

by Garth Nix
(1995 | 491 p)

Sabriel is excited to be a few weeks from graduation. Her life in the all girls boarding school has been a good one and now she's eager for a chance to broaden her horizons. But when her father, Abhorsen, suddenly goes missing Sabriel realizes that she is the only one who can find him. Her father isn't just any man. Abhorsen is the world's greatest defense against the Dead and their insatiable desire is to claw their way back into Life. With his absence, Sabriel begins to learn about the heavy responsibility that comes with being Abhorsen.

What a fun story, can't believe I'm just now discovering it. Reminds me of Ursula Le Guin's Wizards of Earthsea in that it's a fast read that takes place in a well-conceived alternative world. Be prepared to be plopped right down in the middle of it, too. You hit the ground running with this one. Charter and Free magic, the Old Kingdom, Ancelstierre, magic bells, and the nine gates of Death. You figure it out as the story unfolds, there's no preamble. I was lucky enough to pick up a library copy in which some kind soul had added a post-it note listing each of the bells and their titles. I referred to that list a lot! This story had everything I love. A strong female lead, a well constructed alternative world, and even a few surprises. Can't wait to get my paws on book two.

The Wolves in the Walls

by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by David McKean
(2005 | 56 p)

Little Lucy hears something in the walls of her house. "It's mice," says her mother. "It's rats," says her dad. "Bats!" yells her brother. But Lucy and her pig-puppet know what it really is. There are definitely wolves in the walls!

Neil Gaiman does it again. A creepy, spooky tale with a light enough touch to make it a perfect fit for most kids. The spine-tingling factor is knocked up a few notches thanks to the artwork of Dave McKean. Collages and pencil drawings lurk through the pages, with a wolf eye peeking out from time to time. Even my 11-year-old step-son had to admit, "That's creepy!"

A perfect Halloween family read!

Shadowheart (Shadowmarch: 4)

by Tad Williams
(2010 | 722 p)

I would like to propose that Tad Williams stop writing trilogies and tetralogies. Why does the awesome have to stop? Take a cue from Robert Jordan and keep those bad boys coming. I realize I'm a nobody in the grand scheme of Tad Williams' publishing life. I'm making this proposal based on completely selfish reasons. It's a flimsy, pathetic argument at best, but there it is.

Clearly it's with a sad heart that I finished this, the fourth and final book in Williams' Shadowmarch tetralogy. Trying to summarize the plot of this densely written 722 page brick is almost more than I can bear at the moment. So, I'll be brief(ish). The twins Barrick and Briony Eddon continue to wander separately across Eion. Briony Eddon has come across a powerful prince who is not only smitten with her but also well outfitted with a small army of troops. How convenient. The prince and his soldiers serve as her loyal escorts as she makes her way back toward her Southmarch home. Barrick Eddon has been changed by the mysterious Qar and is figuring out how to survive in this new self. He, too, discovers a need to return to Southmarch with an army of Qar in tow. Did I mention that the nasty god-king of Xis has King Olin Eddon held prisoner and a small country's worth of soldiers waiting outside the gates of the castle? Gods are waking up, ambition is upsetting the delicate balance, and family loyalties are being tested.

Soapbox time. As a card carrying feminist I was put off by the fact that Qinnitan and Briony's virginity seemed to carry such importance. They "saved" themselves for their true loves, yadda yadda. Briony and Qinnitan were both strong, capable young women... why ruin it by making them chaste? And I already mentioned in a previous review my distaste for the depiction of the homosexual characters in this series. Briony's travelling troupe of buds has not one but two old, lascivious sorts the apparently prefer young lads while the evil Autarch was sexually abused by his Uncle. A familiar stereotype, for sure. But I know Williams' is capable of much more than these overused and quite worn out tropes.

If you've made it this far into my review you must think I'm bonkers. I first declare my undying love for all things Tad Williams and then rail against his depiction of women and homosexuals. Well, there it is. I DO love Tad Williams' stories. In fact, I am so comfortable in the worlds that he creates I can't help but start feeling it's my right to move around the furniture. It's a well-meaning sort of badgering and if Tad Williams' were to ever stumble across this review I hope he'd take it in the spirit of sisterly poking in which it's intended.

I recommend this series to all lovers of the epic fantasy genre. Happy reading!

Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters

by Chuang Tzu, translated by David Hinton
( 4th century BCE, this translation published in 1997 | 113 p)

"Long ago, a certain Chuang Tzu dreamt he was a butterfly -- a butterfly fluttering here and there on a whim, happy and carefree, knowing nothing of Chuang Tzu. Then all of a sudden he woke to find that he was, beyond all doubt, Chuang Tzu. Who knows if it was Chuang Tzu dreaming a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming Chuang Tzu?" -- Chapter 2, Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters

Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters is a collection of parables believed to have been written by the Taoist teacher Chuang Tzu during the 4th century BCE. This work, along with the Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu, is considered to be the framework over which the philosophy of Taoism developed.

Parables tend to be enigmatic at the best of times and this collection, written not only centuries but millennia ago, is no exception. This isn't a work to be read once and then put aside. These stories will send you off down a path you didn't intend to follow and then bring you back where you started, with the story itself. I found reading this overview of Chuang Tzu from the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, in conjunction with the text, to be very helpful.

This was my first time reading Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters and I still haven't tried the Outer Chapters or the Mixed Chapters. I'm sure I'll be coming back to these stories again, and probably coming away with something different each time.

The Wabi-Sabi House: The Japanese Art of Imperfect Beauty

by Robyn Griggs Lawrence
(2004 | 179 p)

"Simply put, wabi-sabi is the marriage of the Japanese wabi, meaning humble, and sabi, which connotes beauty in the natural progression of time. Together, the phrase invites us to set aside our pursuit of perfection and learn to appreciate the simple, unaffected beauty of things as they are." -- Robyn Griggs Lawrence, The Wabi-Sabi House

I bought The Wabi-Sabi House 4 or 5 years ago. I remember really enjoying the book but somehow it got put down unfinished, until recently. My current fascination with the philosophy of Taoism brought this book back to mind. I found that many of the ideas I was reading in the books on Taoism mirrored concepts I'd seen in The Wabi-Sabi House all those years ago. So I fished this book back out of the bookshelf and gave it another go, this time getting all the way to the end before it was again tucked away on the shelf.

I'm clearly no wabi-sabi aficionado, but my understanding is that this Japanese aesthetic is rooted in Zen Buddhism. And in my readings on Taoism I did learn that Toaism had an influence on that particular school of Buddhist thought. The concepts of simplicity, humbleness, and appreciation are clearly shared by both philosophies.

This book was very wabi-sabi in its own right. The focus is on home decor from the wabi-sabi perspective, but there are segues into voluntary simplicity, the art of tea, and other connected ideas. Pictures were sparse throughout. I can understand why this was done (it's very wabi-sabi) but would have liked illustrations of the various schools of design that were discussed. Someone without a background in home design (like myself) was a little lost in the sea of name dropping. The only name I recognized was Frank Lloyd Wright, the rest was white noise. But a full list of resources in the back gives websites for further research so I suppose I shouldn't really complain.

And, in any case, after reading this book I found myself looking at the well-loved but aged things in my home a bit differently, with more appreciation and acceptance. I will definitely learn more about wabi-sabi and hope to incorporate it into my home. For these reasons alone I'd gladly recommend this book to anyone interested in paring down and finding the beauty of life as it happens.

Shadowrise (Shadowmarch: 3)

by Tad Williams
(2010 | 564 p)

Things have gone from bad to worse in Southmarch castle. The usurper Tollys are still on the throne and the army of Qar camped outside the front gate are getting restless. To add insult to injury, the insane Autarch of Xis has taken an unhealthy interest in Southmarch and its royal family. Barrick Eddon remains lost behind the Shadowline while his twin sister Briony searches for allies in a far away foreign court. Their father, King Olin, is still a prisoner and unable to help. All the while, the gods are starting to wake up.

 For the sake of full disclosure let me admit right now that I have a literary crush on Tad Williams. Dropping into one of his stories is better than mulled wine on a frosted evening. Scrumptious. Shadowrise was no exception. I do, however, feel the need to point out one burr in my happy Tad Williams epic fantasy saddle. I am weary of homosexuals in epic fantasy forever being either evil/corrupt or overtly lascivious. This is common in epic fantasy and in this case Williams is no exception. Either leave the sexual orientation piece completely out of the story or allow some healthy, mature homosexual relationships to exist as well. I want to be able to love my fantasy escapism without feeling like I'm betraying my morals. And end rant.

With that out of the way I do still recommend this series. Tad Williams is truly a master of story weaving and world building. Two of my very favorite things.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Taoism

by Brandon Toropov and Chad Hansen
(2002 | 272 p)

This guide to Taoism was actually a step above what a complete idiot might need. The authors were both well versed in philosophical speak and, purposefully or not, peppered the book with it. I'm not complaining, though. I thought it was quite a bit of fun.

This book tries to cover the big picture of Taoism, including history, literature, how it impacts worldviews and politics, and even its influence on pop culture. It took me a little longer to read because I kept getting inspired to stop reading and look things up. Many of the websites they mention are now defunct, but the ideas are timeless.

I gave this book 3 stars (out of 5). I would have liked to have given this book 4 or even 5 stars. Unfortunately, the mod-ness that made it so cutting edge in 2002 only made it look a tad out-of-date by 2011. A prime example being the many (many) references to various GeoCities websites. But I guess the "Complete Idiot's Guides" are not lauded for their timelessness. Maybe they'll release an updated Toaism edition one of these days?

Tao: The Watercourse Way

by Alan Watts
(1975 | 128 p)

Tao: The Watercourse Way, the final work by philosopher Alan Watts, was published posthumously in 1975. This is the first book I've read that was penned by Watts himself and I was so pleasantly surprised. The first chapter is devoted to Chinese ideograms, which made perfect sense to me. How better to understand such an abstract worldview as Taoism without also trying to understand a bit of the language in which it developed? And even without the intellectual reasons, the ideograms themselves are beautiful to see. They are the book's only illustrations.

Following the chapter on Chinese ideograms Watts covers four basic principles of Taoism: The Yin-Yang Polarity, Tao, Wu-wei, and Te. It's the most frank and light-hearted approach to the subject I've yet to run across. I read a borrowed copy, but this is definitely one I'd like to add to my personal collection and will probably re-read throughout the years.

Graveminder

by Melissa Marr
(2011 | 324 p)

Synopsis

Rebekkah Barrow has always been close to her grandmother Maylene. Bek's incurable wanderlust has kept them apart for years but time has only strengthened their shared connection. Maylene Barrow never leaves Claysville; Bek would rather be anywhere else. Despite her aversion to home, Bek respects her grandmother's reverence for the place and for its dead. Maylene attends every funeral, tends to every gravesite, keeping the town's strange traditions. Only the brutal murder of Maylene can finally bring Bek home. But even Bek's strong feelings for the son of Claysville's undertaker isn't enough to make her stay there very long. Until she learns that the town has a secret.

My Take

I was very excited to read this book and, unfortunately, was very disappointed. The first 100 pages or so are spent detailing Bek's confusing need for (and aversion to) Byron, the undertaker's son. It was enough come hither/no go away to make me dizzy. And while they're doing this odd dance that was supposed to be building romantic tension but wasn't there's a zombie on the loose eating people. Once the story got going after page 120ish it was more engaging. I wish those first 100 pages had been spent building up the characters of Alicia and Charlie, now THEY were interesting. But other than learning that Alicia was once a graveminder and was in some sort of eternal struggle with the charming face of death that was Charlie, not much more happened. And the sudden realization that Bek's step-aunt, Cissy, is a crazy murdering, dead torturing psychopath just came out of left field.

I really do hate to give bad reviews. Part of the issue may be that this novel has for some reason been branded as a fantasy. So a fantasy fan like myself is picking it up with a completely different set of expectations than would, say, a fan of horror. Someone else may read this book and think it's the best thing ever, but I've got to call it how I see it. This book let me down.

Rosemary and Rue (October Daye: 1)

by Seanan McGuire
(2009 | 358 p)

October (Toby) Daye was an up-and-coming private investigator with a husband and young daughter at home counting on her to come back in one piece. And things were going well enough until she ran into a bad guy that put her out of commission for 14 years. Finally back on her own two feet, Toby's left with a new reality where her husband and daughter want nothing to do with her. Disillusioned with her old life, Toby's turned her back on the P.I. business and is barely making a go of it as an overnight cashier at the local convenience store. That is until Evelyn Winters, an old friend, is brutally murdered and it's up to Toby to find out who's responsible.

This sort of sounds like any other tough lady detective story, but Rosemary and Rue offers up a twist. Toby isn't just any other P.I., she's a changeling. Her mother was a pureblood fairy who decided to play housewife with a mortal man. The baddie that knocked her out of the loop for so long wasn't a standard villain, he was a pureblood who thought it would be amusing to turn Toby into a fish. She spent those 14 years in a koi pond with no recollection of who or what she truly was. Evelyn Winters was thousands of years old and, knowing her murder was coming soon, placed a curse on Toby. Toby is now compelled to solve this murder or she will be joining Ms. Winters in the great beyond.

This was a fun little urban fantasy, but parts of it left me a bit cold. In one scene Toby battles with a doppelgänger in her living room, a gun is hidden behind the curtain only a few feet away. Toby knows the gun is there, but rather than grab it she runs to her bedroom where there's no escape. If she's as smart and sassy as she's written, she would have made a dive for the gun. It made no sense. She also has a confusing love/hate relationship with a weirdo who runs a flop house where she used to live. It's made clear that the guy is a creep, requiring sex as payment for favors from most of his young wards. He's just slimy. And still our headstrong heroine is stealing kisses from him even as she's promising one of his new victims that she'll help her escape. I was baffled. It was a quick read and had won a Hugo, so I stuck through to the end. I don't regret that I read it but I doubt I'll be finishing the series.