Two things before we dive in: 1. This is the second book in a series, so, you know, spoilers. 2. If you do buy this book (and you really, really should, after you buy the first one), I’d advise getting the first edition. It’s out of print, but not hard to find a fine used copy and not very expensive either. Subsequent additions don’t include Barker’s original artwork and while it’s not completely necessary to the story, it does help set the mood of the book. […]
Alternative Title: Miss Pym is an Awful House Guest, For Many Reasons
Tey was mostly overshadowed in her lifetime by making the mistake of writing mystery novels around the same time as Agatha Christie. I first picked up a Tey book a few years ago (it was The Franchise Affair) and was somewhat surprised that Tey was kind of a best kept secret. And then I read Miss Pym Disposes and was disappointed. Of course, in my super scientific sample size of two, this just leaves Tey at a wash. Miss Pym miraculously wrote a book about […]
In Which I Question My Sanity
I’m going to say the words that few book lovers ever utter. I completely understand if, from this moment on, no one ever trusts my judgement again. I can’t even trust my judgement anymore. But… *deep breath* The movie was better than the book. I know, I know! Blasphemy! But the fact still remains, the Wachowski siblings and Tykwer were able to pull it off where Mitchell mostly floundered. (Not that the movie was a cinematic masterpiece, but I feel like I “got” what they […]
Never Was One for a Prissy Girl
Admittedly, I am not a short story person. Most authors seem to think short stories should always leave the reader wanting more. I’m of the opinion that if I pay full admission to the museum, I get to see all the things and not be hustled out the door after making it past the lobby. Short stories should be appetizing little morsels, a blissful snack that may leave you with a ghost of taste long after you finish, but never still famished. Epiphanies in pastries […]
I’ll Stick with Jelly Beans, If It’s All the Same to You
In a world that already has Terry Pratchett, I understand that it’s hard to reach the Terry Pratchett bar since it’s set so high up on the Terry Pratchett scale. So I feel for Robert Rankin on that front. But I also kind of think he picked up a pen and thought, “how hard can this be? Oh, I should put boobs in it too! Hehehehe, boobs. I’m a genius.” This book…happened. The plot had no idea where it was going, but it was going […]
Tell Me, Princess, Now When Did You Last Clean off Your Hard Drive
Alif the Unseen is a mess of a book, but in a good way. There is elements of cyberpunk, graciously borrowed from Neuromancer. There’s revolutionaries straight from today’s news stories. There’s teenager drama that would be right at home at Degrassi High. And underneath all of that is the Quran. Alif is a “grey hat”, which is what H4X0rz (sorry, I’m from the 90s, I had to) are calling themselves now, I guess. Alif’s clients needs to keep their sites of objectionable content up and out […]