Carrie by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Re-Read.

I remember reading this way back in 1989, shortly after reading Pet Sematary. As a young kid, I totally got into the whole revenge factor for being picked on, but back then, I thought it was a lesser work of SK because I was stacking it against the other and IT.

I FINALLY got around to re-reading it now, and I really got into it a lot more than before. The interviews were something else. So was the assumption of vast changes in the world afterward. It just had a feel to it that was raw and so much more than the YA revenge fantasy that it actually is.

So now I get it, so late into my fanboying over SK's work, why this struck such a nerve in 1974, why it got SK all over the map. Just think about it. Girl gets her period, grows up under massive religious straitjackets and ignorance, has TK, is bullied to hell. Its a real powder-keg and aside from the TK, it could happen anywhere.


Here's to the girl that snapped.

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The Devil's Evidence by Simon Kurt Unsworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Noir -- damned-soul, turned Head Information Officer in Hell--Mr. Fool is doing well for himself.

Not only is he solving murders and being a hero in hell, but now his services are requested in Heaven.

Muahahahahahahaha. Right. I'll just put out here that this isn't a tired or cliche rendition of Dante, but a smart, interesting Noir Mystery that treats Fool like the Fool he is. The scope and scale of these novels are also rather great, leading up to some rather primo Lovecraftian scenes, adventure, and entertainment.

I've read a pretty hefty amount of books LIKE these, but this has all the right balance and entertainment value. Very grounded--and if you realize we're talking about both heaven and hell here, you know that's going to be a very loaded statement.

I loved how this turned out. I can't wait for the next.

Honestly--these should be a lot more popular than they seem to be. The quality oozes off the page.

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The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, my angel of music....

So yeah, I'm re-reading this fantastic novel from 1910 and am enchanted, even greatly relieved to realize it is equally as good, if not obviously deeper, more fascinating, than the musical by ALW.

All the things that were merely hinted at, to be thought-through from the musical, are laid out bare in the novel. This SHOULD be a rather obvious statement, of course, but I'm repeating it because I am an idiot.

Well, not an idiot, maybe, and others might disagree, but I had a phase back in my early teens, when I was 14, when I became OBSESSED with the Phantom's music. I had never seen it on stage, and never even got to see it in any form until the 2004 movie. But I had listened to the music about 60 times during a summer until it was permanently re-playable in my mind.

So, uh, Brad, what does any of this have to do with THIS book?

Hold on, hold on, I'm getting there. So, I got the Gaston Leroux book as the completionist that I am, but I loaned it out like an idiot and that was the last time I had read it. I, sadly, just let it go. I had to rely on MEMORY, that fickle musical ghost, to remember the original tale.

Fast forward to today.

Upon re-reading it, I think the story is absolutely SUPERIOR. Sure, the musical's music is also brilliant, but the original TALE is as well.

I don't know what I was thinking, assuming it could in any way be lesser than what came after. Indeed, it's right up there, in full honesty, with the great horror/thriller/romances. You know, like Frankenstein or Dracula.

And before any of ya'll start looking at me like I had just crawled out from a 114 year old rock, let me just say... "I know!!!"

Sigh.

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The Devil's Detective by Simon Kurt Unsworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think I thought this was going to be a simple Noir in hell, with all the normal trappings of hard boiled detective work, albeit with a bit more LA than LA.

Boy, was I surprised. It definitely has the other LA, but better than that, it's more hard-boiled, less conflicted about being hard-boiled, and positively lovecraftian with its demons, damned souls, and angels.

The worldbuilding might sound pretty average for the setting, but it's more. It's alive, interesting, and fascinating in a way I haven't seen in a long time for such a hellscape.

That's the good bit, isn't it? The writing. It draws you in and entertains you all the way. And this does.

I'm quite happy.

Happy spooktober!

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文豪ストレイドッグス 2 [Bungō Stray Dogs 2] by Kafka Asagiri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not nearly as streamlined or coherent as the first volume, it nevertheless widens the scope considerably. A little extra action, more emotion, and new characterizations.

It's still just a strong, if disjointed start, but it's still strong.



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文豪ストレイドッグス 1 [Bungō Stray Dogs 1] by Kafka Asagiri
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Watched the anime first. Got into it because my girl insisted.

But really? It's an okay start--but that is nothing compared to what will come.

So really, I know I need to be patient. There are a TON of literary references. Most of the characters are either Japanese classic authors or worldwide classic authors. And their powers all have something to do with the literature. :)

It doesn't quite show off quite this early, but the action and mafia magic is pretty cool right off the bat.

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The Hedge Wizard by Alex Maher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I kinda expected a more LitRPG read out of this, but that being said, it's still a pretty middle-of-the-road fantasy.

YA wizard, setting out on his own, then with an iffy group of adventurers, all the way to a whole Kobold adventure. (Yes, dragons are eventually involved.)


Honestly? It was fine for what it is. Fantasy, almost D&D down-to-earth. A light adventure, as grounded as you please. And this is good. For exactly what it is.



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