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2013 Books For Forum Members

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  • I wrote a Sherlock Holmes story for a Holmes vs. Moriarty anthology that has yet to find a publisher.
  • 1) Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

    2) Shadows & Tall Trees - Volume 4 - edited by Michael Kelly

    3) The Twelve by Justin Cronin

    4) Dresden Files: Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

    5) Dresden Files: Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

    6) RedShirts by John Scalzi

    7) Twenty-First Century King by Bev Vincent

    8) The Girl In The Glider by Brian Keene

    9) Rita Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

    10) Double Feature By Owen King

    11) Wool by Hugh Howey

    12) Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka

    13) Red Planet Blues by Robert J. Sawyer

    14) The Dark Tower Companion by Bev Vincent

    15) Blue November Storm by Brian James Freeman

    16) N0S4A2 by Joe Hill

    17) Joyland by Stephen King

    18) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

    19) Black Hills aka Paha Sapa by Dan Simmons

    20) Shadows & Tall Trees Vol 5 - edited by Michael Kelly

    21) The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

    22) Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon

    23) Detroit Breakdown by D.E. Brown

    24) I Travel By Night by Robert McCammon

    25) The Map Of Time by Félix J. Palma

    26) The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

    27) The Shining by Stephen King

    28) Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

    29) Blood On The Page by Brian Keene

    30) The Dresden Files: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

    31) Dreams And Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

    32) Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

    33) Writers Of The Future - Volume 29 - Various Writers

    34) Dresden Files: White Knight by Jim Butcher





    35) The House of Silk by Adam Horowitz




    Did not like this much at all on two counts.  First, the marketing blurb is very misleading.  It makes the scale of the book seem much grander than turns out to be.



    Second, Horowitz interposes a 20th Century perspective on Watson that makes the story tonally disconnected from the Doyle stories.



    One word review - disappointing.



    Currently Reading:



    Small Favor - book 10 of the Dresden Files
  • 1) Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

    2) Shadows & Tall Trees - Volume 4 - edited by Michael Kelly

    3) The Twelve by Justin Cronin

    4) Dresden Files: Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

    5) Dresden Files: Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

    6) RedShirts by John Scalzi

    7) Twenty-First Century King by Bev Vincent

    8) The Girl In The Glider by Brian Keene

    9) Rita Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

    10) Double Feature By Owen King

    11) Wool by Hugh Howey

    12) Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka

    13) Red Planet Blues by Robert J. Sawyer

    14) The Dark Tower Companion by Bev Vincent

    15) Blue November Storm by Brian James Freeman

    16) N0S4A2 by Joe Hill

    17) Joyland by Stephen King

    18) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

    19) Black Hills aka Paha Sapa by Dan Simmons

    20) Shadows & Tall Trees Vol 5 - edited by Michael Kelly

    21) The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

    22) Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon

    23) Detroit Breakdown by D.E. Brown

    24) I Travel By Night by Robert McCammon

    25) The Map Of Time by Félix J. Palma

    26) The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

    27) The Shining by Stephen King

    28) Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

    29) Blood On The Page by Brian Keene

    30) The Dresden Files: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

    31) Dreams And Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

    32) Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

    33) Writers Of The Future - Volume 29 - Various Writers

    34) Dresden Files: White Knight by Jim Butcher

    35) The House of Silk by Adam Horowitz





    36) Small Favor - book 10 of the Dresden Files
    That's more like it! This one picks back up the emotional immediacy missing from White Knight. The story feels more personal and Harry puts down a big baddie and breaks his celibacy streak of 4 years to boot!



    His relationship with Murphy continues to be complicated and she finds out that she can the next Knight of the Cross. A calling where one of the three swords, each forged with a nail from Christ's cross, picks its next champion. In this book, Murphy turns down the offer. Wonder if that decision will stick?



    One of the Knights, Michael, is grievously wounded and it looks like his Knighting Days are over. Hmmm, who will take his place if he can't come back?
  • 1) Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

    2) Shadows & Tall Trees - Volume 4 - edited by Michael Kelly

    3) The Twelve by Justin Cronin

    4) Dresden Files: Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

    5) Dresden Files: Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

    6) RedShirts by John Scalzi

    7) Twenty-First Century King by Bev Vincent

    8) The Girl In The Glider by Brian Keene

    9) Rita Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

    10) Double Feature By Owen King

    11) Wool by Hugh Howey

    12) Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka

    13) Red Planet Blues by Robert J. Sawyer

    14) The Dark Tower Companion by Bev Vincent

    15) Blue November Storm by Brian James Freeman

    16) N0S4A2 by Joe Hill

    17) Joyland by Stephen King

    18) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

    19) Black Hills aka Paha Sapa by Dan Simmons

    20) Shadows & Tall Trees Vol 5 - edited by Michael Kelly

    21) The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

    22) Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon

    23) Detroit Breakdown by D.E. Brown

    24) I Travel By Night by Robert McCammon

    25) The Map Of Time by Félix J. Palma

    26) The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

    27) The Shining by Stephen King

    28) Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

    29) Blood On The Page by Brian Keene

    30) The Dresden Files: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

    31) Dreams And Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

    32) Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

    33) Writers Of The Future - Volume 29 - Various Writers

    34) Dresden Files: White Knight by Jim Butcher

    35) The House of Silk by Adam Horowitz

    36) Small Favor - book 10 of the Dresden Files



    37) Insomnia by Stephen King




    Pretty sure I only read this book once and not much of it stuck with me so my reread of it was a very pleasant surprise. In the 30 odd years since the book first came out my own life experiences - pleasant and sad/gain & loss - make me much more empathetic to the older characters in this book. The book does feel overwritten in parts but overall a fun read.



    Things really pick up when Ralph discovers he is not alone.



    Another bonus with my reread was I did via my Kobo which removed the hindrance of carrying that brick of a book around.



    Some interesting Dark Tower tidbits too.



    Up next - The Hogben Chronicles - a Borderlands Press - Kickstarter project that brings together a collection of short stories by SF writer - Henry Kuttner.



    I remembering being enthralled by his writing as a teenager - hopefully the magic remains in his works - and in me.
  • 1) Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

    2) Shadows & Tall Trees - Volume 4 - edited by Michael Kelly

    3) The Twelve by Justin Cronin

    4) Dresden Files: Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

    5) Dresden Files: Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

    6) RedShirts by John Scalzi

    7) Twenty-First Century King by Bev Vincent

    8) The Girl In The Glider by Brian Keene

    9) Rita Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

    10) Double Feature By Owen King

    11) Wool by Hugh Howey

    12) Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka

    13) Red Planet Blues by Robert J. Sawyer

    14) The Dark Tower Companion by Bev Vincent

    15) Blue November Storm by Brian James Freeman

    16) N0S4A2 by Joe Hill

    17) Joyland by Stephen King

    18) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

    19) Black Hills aka Paha Sapa by Dan Simmons

    20) Shadows & Tall Trees Vol 5 - edited by Michael Kelly

    21) The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

    22) Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon

    23) Detroit Breakdown by D.E. Brown

    24) I Travel By Night by Robert McCammon

    25) The Map Of Time by Félix J. Palma

    26) The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

    27) The Shining by Stephen King

    28) Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

    29) Blood On The Page by Brian Keene

    30) The Dresden Files: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

    31) Dreams And Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

    32) Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

    33) Writers Of The Future - Volume 29 - Various Writers

    34) Dresden Files: White Knight by Jim Butcher

    35) The House of Silk by Adam Horowitz

    36) Small Favor - book 10 of the Dresden Files

    37) Insomnia by Stephen King



    38) The Hogben Chronicles by Henry Kuttner
      A fun collection of 5 SF short stories about a seemingly backward hillbilly family who are actually a clan that possesses extraordinary powers and long lives.



    The stories are like a mash of Ma and Pa Kettle movies mixed with the X-Men.  In the foreword Neil Gaiman credits these stories as providing the seeds for his latest book - The Ocean At The End Of The Lane.  It also reminded me of a humorous predecessor to Zenna Henderson's - The People.



    Old time SF which brought a smile to this not so young anymore SF fan.
  • 1) Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

    2) Shadows & Tall Trees - Volume 4 - edited by Michael Kelly

    3) The Twelve by Justin Cronin

    4) Dresden Files: Blood Rites by Jim Butcher

    5) Dresden Files: Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

    6) RedShirts by John Scalzi

    7) Twenty-First Century King by Bev Vincent

    8) The Girl In The Glider by Brian Keene

    9) Rita Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

    10) Double Feature By Owen King

    11) Wool by Hugh Howey

    12) Prophet of Bones by Ted Kosmatka

    13) Red Planet Blues by Robert J. Sawyer

    14) The Dark Tower Companion by Bev Vincent

    15) Blue November Storm by Brian James Freeman

    16) N0S4A2 by Joe Hill

    17) Joyland by Stephen King

    18) The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

    19) Black Hills aka Paha Sapa by Dan Simmons

    20) Shadows & Tall Trees Vol 5 - edited by Michael Kelly

    21) The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman

    22) Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon

    23) Detroit Breakdown by D.E. Brown

    24) I Travel By Night by Robert McCammon

    25) The Map Of Time by Félix J. Palma

    26) The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

    27) The Shining by Stephen King

    28) Save Yourself by Kelly Braffet

    29) Blood On The Page by Brian Keene

    30) The Dresden Files: Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

    31) Dreams And Shadows by C. Robert Cargill

    32) Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

    33) Writers Of The Future - Volume 29 - Various Writers

    34) Dresden Files: White Knight by Jim Butcher

    35) The House of Silk by Adam Horowitz

    36) Small Favor - book 10 of the Dresden Files

    37) Insomnia by Stephen King

    38) The Hogben Chronicles by Henry Kuttner




    39) BFI - Modern Classics - The Shawshank Redemption by Mark Kermode



    A very even handed review by the British Movie Reviewer even if he tends towards parsing his viewpoints in that literary manner that King has mocked, from time to time.



    Kermode makes some insightful connections ie Andy and Red bus rides as well as the Warden's looking into the safe and then into Andy's escape route that seem so obvious now.



    He takes exception with the ending believing the movie should have ended with Red's bus driving towards the border. Kermode feels that fate of the two men and what 'freedom' looks like should be left to the imagination. I've felt that way myself from time to time but in the end find the movie ending does not diminish my vision in any way.



    The imagery, and lack of dialogue and closeups on the actors, of the ocean and the boat are symbols that further spark the imagination of the viewer rather than limit it.



    Interesting and worthy read for Shawshank fans.
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