Cannonball Read 12

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The Scene Ends Badly, as You Might Imagine

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

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I’ve been a huge fan of the Mountain Goats for going on ten years now. It’s hard for me to articulate exactly why they became my favorite band because it feels so emotional and personal, but it is in large part due to John Darnielle’s incredible lyrics and his ability to tell powerful stories in just a few minutes. I’ve had his books on my TBR list for awhile, but I didn’t feel very compelled to read them. I’m not usually (or ever) a fan […]

“There are new monsters now”

Universal Harvester by John Darnielle

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This novel sneaks up on you. You’re lulled into comfort with descriptions of old video rental places, suburban living rooms, and the polite peace of the Midwest before being startled awake by sudden glances of violence and fear. These shocks originate from movies. Movies within movies. Were they intended for you to see? Why are they here? Who spliced an almost still image of heavy breathing and a woman with a bag over her head into She’s All That? Uncertainty creeps around every corner- breeding fear, […]

Episode 1-44: Overstuffed

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Episode 1-44: Overstuffed Wherein I review: 161. Universal Harvester by John Darnielle 162, The Labyrinth Index (Library Files #9) by Charles Stross 163. The Three Secret Cities (Jack West Jr. #5) by Matthew Reilly 164. Dark Sacred Night (Harry Bosch #21, Renee Ballard #2) by Michael Connelly 165. Fooling Houdini by Alex Stone 166. Target: Alex Cross (Alex Cross #26) by James Patterson 167. The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers by Thomas Mullen 168. The Beast of Barcroft (Fatal Folklore Trilogy #1) by Bill […]

Episode 1-43: You Are Standing At A Crossroads In The Forest

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Episode 1-43: You Are Standing At A Crossroads In The Forest Wherein I review: 159. Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle 160. Past Tense (Jack Reacher #23) by Lee Child The Mountain Goats and Text-Based RPGs.  What the hell is there not to like?  And choosing your own adventure has become the modus operandi of the Jack Reacher series, and I’m still all in. Also, I’ve fallen hopeless behind in my damn reviews.  Tis the season!

Someone tell me what they think the title means because I need to talk about it.

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Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat did I just read and why did I like it?  And why is it called Universal Harvester?  I need this to be a book club book so someone can tell me what they thought was happening and we can hash out the whys. Darnielle’s writing is breathtaking.  I mean this literally.  There is a sentence with a pronoun shift that made me gasp and I got a sinking feeling in my stomach.  One pronoun scared me.  A PRONOUN.  He has a powerful gift.  There are […]



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