Category: Book Reviews
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The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Volumes I and II – A Graphic Novel Review
I’m one of those people who saw the film version of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen long before I ever read the comic books. I once thought the film was awesome, but after having the read the original stories, I now realize the movie could have been so much more! What’s so extraordinary about this…
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Adam Strange: Planet Heist – A Graphic Novel Review
Up until just a mere few months ago, I honestly thought that Adam Strange was the lamest character ever created in the world of comic books. His costume was terrible, his entire storyline outdated, a relic of ’60’s sci-fi. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever turn me into a fan of Adam Strange. That…
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No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy – A Book Review
This was my first book by Cormac McCarthy, and I must admit he has won a reader for life. No Country For Old Men explodes with subtly and simplicity as it offers us Moss, a man who finds a drug deal gone bad in the middle of nowhere along the Mexican border. Dead bodies are…
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Amsterdam by Ian McEwan – A Book Review
Long ago I read a book by this author called The Cement Garden. While he was more than talented with mechanics and style, I found his content perverse and distasteful. However, he is widely respected and so I thought it beneficial to give him another chance. I chose Amsterdam as my opportunity to get reacquainted…
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The 158-Pound Marriage by John Irving – A Book Review
This is the second book I’ve read by Irving, and I have to admit he’s quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The book is about two married couples who meet well after they’ve each established a family and mode of life. Though neither couple seemingly would have considered such a thing before, they begin…
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Leviathan by Paul Auster – A Book Review
I’ve said it many times before, but if you’re not reading Paul Auster, you’re really missing out. He’s remarkably talented and his originality continues to impress me. Leviathan literally means the biggest of its kind, and was also a sea monster from the Old Testament. Knowing such things illuminates Auster’s reasoning behind titling his book…
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Ex Machina: The First Hundred Days – A Graphic Novel Review
Pronounced mah-kin-ah, this little ditty I picked up only because I saw it had recently earned an Eisner Award, which in the world of comic books, is a very big deal. The story is about a former hero turned politician. Not the stuff of captivating reads, in my opinion. On top of that, the writer,…
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Dr. No by Ian Fleming – A Book Review
Even though Dr. No was dreadfully intolerant by today’s standards, had next to no real plot, and neglected to include any substantial characterization, I couldn’t put it down. James Bond is confident, capable, cocky, rather sexist, and perhaps even racist in Dr. No, but the prose is written at such a fast pace, Fleming concocted…
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Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon – A Book Review
Maps and Legends was both a real pleasure and incredibly insightful in a multitude of ways. This nonfiction book by Michael Chabon, author of Wonderboys and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, offers a variety of essays that will assuredly please all readers. That’s not to say that all readers will…
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The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy – A Book Review
Volume II of The Border Trilogy, The Crossing is McCarthy’s follow-up to All the Pretty Horses. The United States-Mexican border is the only recurring character from the previous volume, but the settings and themes are quite similar. However, The Crossing is unlike its predecessor in the fact that while All the Pretty Horses followed a…
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