The Bookshelf

On February 1, 2014 By BrandonLeave a comment

Dracula by Bram Stoker: I still remember the first time I read Dracula. The first thing that hit me was that it was written like a journal. I don’t believe that I had read a novel written in such a fashion at that time. This brought an immediacy to the story and drew me in just as Jonathan Harker was caught in Dracula’s web of dread and horror. The cast of fascinating characters sped things along; Mina’s precarious predicament, Lucy’s dreadful fate, Renfield’s mad servitude, Van Helsing’s scientific analysis of vampirism and Dr. Seward’s curiosity. I would have loved to be amidst the first readers when Stoker’s novel was originally published in 1897. It was a shame that Stoker never received his greatest accolades before his death. Be certain to read this one on a dark night when the moon is full and the shadows flicker across the walls from a crackling fire.

Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand: The first of three Roland March novels. March is a hardboiled homicide detective in Houston, Texas that has seen better days. This case is his last chance to save his crumbling career. He has a determination for justice and a heart to be a better man. To bad the darkness refuses to give up quietly. I highly recommend this book to fans of great crime fiction. This book can also be categorized as Christian Fiction but don’t let that fool you. This is fiction a Christian can read without worry of a volley of profanities but no punches are pulled and the struggles are very real. I have this book on the virtual shelf of my e-reader and have yet to read the other two books in the series. I have been waiting to get the series in hardcover but still searching for the source to do so. However you can get your hands on this book, do it. You will not be disappointed.

The Complete Peanuts by Charles Shultz: I have the 1973-1975 volumes of this sprawling series. I have always loved comic strips but Peanuts has always been my favorite. I remember playing with Peanuts Colorforms as a child and watching any of the cartoons I could get my hands on. I know I cannot do justice to what Shultz accomplished with the Peanuts strip but can say it is wonderful, profound, hilarious, charming, imaginative, playful and a joy. I need to add more of this series to my collection soon.

Hagar the Horrible by Dik Browne: I have the 1973-1975 volumes. I love Hagar the Horrible. I love his cluelessness, his tenacity, his loyalty and spirit. He makes me laugh as well. You can’t keep a good viking down, no matter how hard you try (unless fine mead is involved).

Dennis the Menace by Hal Ketchum: A one-strip comic is a difficult beast to tame but Ketchum seemingly does it with ease. I think everyone knows the tenacious kid named Dennis and his grumpy neighbor Mr. Wilson. The economy of line in the strip is mind-boggling. It is no wonder that Ketchum was a former Disney animator. Each large panel brings you back to a simpler day and time and a remembrance of what it was like to see the world through the eyes of a kid. I think every child has a bit of Dennis in him or her.

The Bookshelf

On January 2, 2014 By BrandonLeave a comment

I see no better way to start the new year off than with a new Bookshelf post. These have been a nice bit of filler for when I don’t have a review or news or anything and also provide a small window into my reading habits and inspirations. Perhaps you have been able to find a new favorite author through these as well. I believe that we will reach the end of my library in the near future and will valiantly try to post more about the various topics my meager mind happens to conjure up. I hope you enjoy.

Monster Spotter’s Guide to North America by Scott Francis: I hesitate to include this here because it could be classified as non-fiction and I have not started posting such books yet. I segregate fiction and non-fiction in my personal library. However, because some of you are skeptical of the unseen, I place this volume here. The guide is a pleasant compendium of monsters and beasts that call North America home. The monsters are categorized geographically and by type. You will find information on such cryptids as The Dover Demon, Bigfoot, Wampus Cat, Hodag and Goatman. It is a small enough book that it fits in your backpack with ease. I recommend this guide to all those in search of and thrilled by the unknown.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman: This is a wonderful book about the end of the world. The main characters are an angel and a demon that form an easy alliance to make certain that everything happens according to plan. However, they increasingly are not certain they want that plan to succeed. The book is filled to the brim with Pratchett’s fine English wit and Gaiman’s strange imagination. I guarantee this book will make you giggle out loud more than once.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman:A slim but expansive novel about a boy with something to prove, a fallen star with a bit of a hobble and a race to become king. If you have seen the movie, you know what to expect, but the liberties the film version took are often times curious. You will find much enjoyment in the tale anyway. I wish I had the edition with the beautiful illustrations by Charles Vess.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: This is Gaiman’s ode to The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Substitute Mowgli with Bod, a boy abondened in a graveyard, and Bagheera with a mysterious vampire. Gaiman weaves the fantastic tale with his usual elegant prose and dark humor. This is a book classified for young readers but all ages will benefit from the reading.

The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma: Nothing is as it seems in this story of H. G. Wells and his investigation of a real time machine. It is also a story of adventure, love and ultimately deception. Palma is certainly an accomplished writer and I really did fall in love with the story being told. However, I find my self hesitant to read the sequel to the book. I can still highly recommend The Map of Time to those wanting to fall into a historical fantasy with no expectations but to be entertained. If you fall prey to Palma’s sleight of hand, remember that I warned you.

The Bookshelf

On December 7, 2013December 7, 2013 By BrandonLeave a comment

I have been remise in posting of late and deeply regret it. The holiday season is upon us and I’ve got a lot on my plate. I am trying to finalize my short story for a Weird Western anthology and continue writing my novel plus a few other projects. Enough about me…

Selected Poems and Tales by Edgar Allen Poe: This is a large Barnes and Noble edition with illustrations by Mark Summers and an introduction by Neil Gaiman. It probably comes as no surprise to you that I am a fan of Poe’s work. While I enjoy his stories I am fonder still of his verse. I believe that Annabel Lee was my introduction to Poe and the first story I read was The Cask of Amontillado. I was hooked after that. There is a reason that numerous movies and works have been inspired by the works of Poe. His writings worm their fiendish way inside of you and tether themselves with terror and dread. The Conqueror Worm indeed.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: This edition is illustrated by Alan Lee. I doubt there isn’t a fantasist in the land that doesn’t have this book on their shelf. Bilbo Baggins and his dwarven companions take to an adventure that none will soon forget. The world that Tolkien creates is detailed, vast and wonderous. How could I not want to return back again and again. I eagerly await the coming second part of the recent Hobbit movie and you should too.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien: This is a massive paperback collection of all three volumes. I really need to attain a more sturdy edition and have my eye on one at Barnes and Noble, but for now, this is what I have. There is so much to say about the Lord of the Rings that I find myself at a loss to encapsulate it. Some would call this the father of the Fantasy genre and certainly it is one of the seeds if nothing else. The characters and action grab hold of your imagination and the world Tolkien has created swallows you whole. The quest to destroy the One Ring, searched for by the Dark Lord Sauron, and heal the land from the evil threatening to overtake it entirely. A quest led by a small hobbit named Frodo and his trusty friend Sam but that also involves, dwarves, elves, wizards and mighty creatures of magic. The recent movies made from these volumes are masterpieces and I recommend you watch them right away if you have not.

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo: One of my most favorite books. The prose is often beautiful and always a joy to read. If you are used to reading modern novels only, it will take some getting used to reading with a bit more effort, but it is well worth it. I am still waiting for a film version that captures the novel’s heart and tempestuous nature. I modeled the main character in my current novel a bit after Quasimodo, so yeah, I’m a fan.

Neuromancer by William Gibson (20th Anniversary Edition): This book came out in 1984, fourteen years before the movie The Matrix. Mind blown. Gibson is often credited with birthing the cyberpunk genre. Gibson’s virtual reality has become our own. Any fan of science fiction will revel in the prose and stylings found in this book.

“Know how a ROM personality matrix works?”

“Sure, bro, it’s a firmware construct.”

“So I jack it into the bank I’m using, I can give it a sequential, real time memory?”

“Guess so,” said the construct.

“Okay, Dix. You are a ROM construct. Got me?”

“If you say so,” said the construct. “Who are you?”

“Case.”

The Bookshelf

On November 9, 2013November 11, 2013 By BrandonLeave a comment

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman: Imagine if Dracula was not killed at the end of Stoker’s novel but managed to escape to fight another day, marry the Queen of England and start a new trend called vampirism, then you would have this delightful alternate history horror tale. If you like vampires and are a fan of Stoker’s original novel, you will enjoy Newman’s take on familiar characters and new. There may be a silver knife murderer stalking the vampires of London as well. This is the first in a series, of which I have read all of, yet have only this one remaining in my collection. The entire series is good and follows Dracula and his foes throughout history. I believe a new book in the series just came out this month so I will have to check it out at once.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: While we are on the subject of vampires…let’s talk about Kostova’s first novel. A young woman finds a journal that details the possible existence of one Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Dracula, long after he would be dead and buried. The woman decides to follow the remaining threads from the journal and trek across old Europe in search of this mythical vampire figure to find the truth for herself. This could be considered a thriller but a slow simmering one with an atmosphere of dread and a cast of vivid characters. Kostovo’s prose is wonderful and often chilling. I highly recommend this novel to those that like to wrap up in a cozy blanket on a dark night and be drawn slowly into a rich tale of darkness and adventure and a vampire.

The Ultimate Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: This is a giant edition that contains all five of Douglas’ Hitchhiker novels in one book. If you have never read a book by Douglas before, you are in for a treat. I read the first three books in Middle School, if my memory is to be trusted, and they made an impression on me for sure. Funny, witty and hilarious are a few ways to describe these books. Arthur Dent is saved, seconds before the earth is demolished, by Ford Perfect, a researcher for the Guide. Comedy ensues. A must read to bolster your geek cred. 42.

Hondo, To Tame a Land, High Lonesome and Kiowa Trail by Louis L’Amour: These are four novels that I managed to snag in hardback legacy edition a number of years back. If you are a fan of Westerns at all then you have to read L’Amour at some point in your life. I am a casual fan of the Western and have to admit that these are my favorites. The man wrote ninety nine published novels so I will readily admit they can’t all be winners but there are plenty you’ll find to love. His novels capture the West in such a natural yet high-spirited way that you can’t help but be swept up in the adventure. A true American treasure.

It’s Superman by Tom DeHaven: For those of you that like your Superman to be traditional ( I count myself in that lot) I beg you hear me out on this one. This is a novel with a skewed take on the origin of the man of steel we all know and love. It is also a lot of fun. Don’t worry, Superman is treated with respect. DeHaven writes in such a way that pays tribute to the comic book genre and, at the same time, pokes a slight jab at it for good clean sport. An enjoyable read from beginning to end.

The Bookshelf

On October 6, 2013October 6, 2013 By BrandonLeave a comment

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: This is a Christmas time favorite for me. I never get tired of the story of that old miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his long night of redemption. It has everything you could want in a story; ghosts, an interesting protagonist, redemption, joy, dread, family and magic. No wonder it has endured through the ages and numerous retellings and reimaginings.

Nicholas Nickleby and Oliver Twist (The Nonesuch Dickens) by Charles Dickens: A number of years ago Barnes and Noble put out some reissues of the Nonesuch Dickens editions and I picked these two up. Oliver Twist is another great story by Dickens with a cast of memorable characters. I have to admit that I have not read all of Nicholas Nickleby but what I have read I found to be pure Dickens. I will have to finish Nickleby sometime in the near future. Dickens is an extraordinary talent. If you haven;t read anything by him then I suggest you rectify that post-haste.

Essays and Sketches of Mark Twain by Mark Twain: This is another Barnes and Noble collection of Twain’s musings on various subjects. Twain will always entertain. I especially like the one titled Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses.

Roughing It by Mark Twain: This is the Oxford Mark Twain edition and holds a great deal of writings about the American West during his time. These stories are often amusing, always interesting and contain, no doubt, a bit of truth as well.

The Chathrand Voyage Qaurtet by Robert V.S. Redick: This consists of four novels that involve the voyage and crew of the massive Chathrand ship. These are fantasy novels of the highest order. If you are a fan of high adventure, honor, duty, love, fantastic creatures, magic and the salty sea, I suggest you read this series. By the fourth book the tale has some stretching pains but never falters and delivers an ending that most would never see coming. Having spent a large amount of time with Pazel the tarboy, the taciturn Captain Rose, strong-willed Thasha, valiant Hercol and the rest, I admit to feeling a slight pang at the notion of their tale coming to an end. Can’t wait to see what Mr. Redick has in store for us next.

ELECTRIC DARKNESS

Tag: the bookshelf

The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf

The Bookshelf