Books completed in 2007

Only 48 books read in 2007 against a goal of 100. Disappointing. I know part of the deficit is because of the eight-week course I taught in the early fall, as I did little reading outside of those textbooks. The reality, however, is that the idiot box is probably the biggest culprit, stealing away time that could have been spent between the covers of a good book. Here's to working towards the 100 in 2008!

101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived by Dan Karlan et al: This is an interesting book focusing on all those fictional characters that we all know and refer to as almost real people. The authors have organized the list by category after what they describe as a very scientific selection process, and have likewise inserted quite of bit of humor in their analysis. In truth, this is a pretty good list of cultural influences and fun to read. (01-27-07)
Active Liberty by Stephen Breyer: This book is basically Justice Breyer's view of Constitutional interpretation, and is replete with examples, real and imagined that help him illustrate his theories on how the courts should interpret law. Although I didn't find it to be the "brilliant new approach" noted on the back cover, it does make a strong argument for reading laws in the context of the current populace, as opposed to strictly textual interpretations. In many cases, the unspoken words here may include "common sense approach" but within the framework of the Constitution. This is not a book for everyone, but I'd certainly recommend it for someone entering law school or interested in judicial interpretation methods. (04-09-07)
The Alexandria Link by Steve Berry: I have been a fan of this writer since his first book a few years ago. This book brings back retired agent Cotton Malone in a twisted search for the lost library of Alexandria. This location is also sought by the Order of the Golden Fleece, a secret cabal of the rich and powerful that wish to introduce political instability by proving that the land of Abraham is not the modern day Israel, but a region in Arabia including Mecca. All parties seek pre-Christ Hebrew bibles to show that later writers reshaped history to move Israel to its present location. Neither the reader or the characters know who to trust as the plot unfolds, and the story remains entertaining until the end. Read The Templar Legacy before this, however, so you know the characters. (02-09-07)
The Black Sun by James Twining: Ah, another in the historical artifact mystery tradition, but at least this one avoided any reference to religion. Instead, the story involves a WWII sect of Nazi extremists and a modern-day search for the Amber Room using codes and ciphers left by the Order of the Death's Head. Tom Kirk and companions return from Twining's last book, and although this wasn't the best story I've read this year, it was an entertaining jaunt through history and a few exotic settings. I enjoy novels that employ a hint of historical realism, and this fit the bill. (02-13-07)
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie: I usually don't care for sword-and-sorcery books, but this one looked interesting and I was not disappointed! Although it contains all of the stock characters of any fantasy (a warrior, a wizard, a king), the author managed to make each of them new to create very complex personalities. Logen Ninefingers is a barbarian that leaves violence behind to accompany Bayaz, a magician and possibly one of the Closed Council, on a quest. Glotka is an inquisitor, and having been crippled himself under questioning, is always willing to deal pain to others. Black Dow, Threetrees, and Dogman are prowling the countryside as well, battling an enemy that threatens all humanity. The sequel is already out in England, and as it isn't due here until next March, I will be trying to get a copy from overseas! (10-28-07)
Blaze by Richard Bachman: Of course, Bachman is really Stephen King, and this is billed as another of his early stories that has been rescued from the mothballs. The story focuses on Blaze, an orphan turned criminal who, at the urgings of his dead friend George, decides to to make his fortune by kidnapping a baby. Even if the plot has a few holes in it, this story shows the knack that King had in the Bachman years to create interesting characters. It was a quick summer read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed the Bachman Books. (07-29-07)
Bloodline by F. Paul Wilson: It's June, and that makes it time for the annual Repairman Jack installment. As always, I eagerly awaited its arrival, but I must admit to being a bit disappointed. In the first books, Jack was a darker, more mysterious person, and although it can be argued that his relationship with Gia has softened him a bit, the author is increasingly introducing humor into the storyline. For example, a fiction writer by the name of P. Frank Winslow comes to be in this novel, drafting stories that sound much like Jack's current reality. The ending here begged for resolution in next year's addition, and I suppose I'll start waiting for it in January. (06-23-07)
Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story by Christopher Moore: Since the sequel came out this week, I needed to pull this one off the shelf, and I'm quite pleased that I did! Tommy moves to San Francisco, and meets Jody, an office worker recently bitten by a vampire. A chest freezer becomes a piece of furniture and home for a frozen bum nicknamed Peary while his buddy bum "The Emperor" leads a group of superstore night workers in finding the head vampire. A few pet snapping turtles, the typical cynical detectives, and a few artist neighbors engaging in electroplating complete the cast of this remarkably funny book! (01-17-07)
The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud by Julia Navarro & Andrew Hurley: I've seen this formula before - a few over-educated art historians and a sect of religious types seeking a mysterious artifact. Still, this one was just a bit different, and as I've been interested in the Shroud of Turin for many years, this ended up being a fun read. Much has been written on the Shroud's scientific dating to the 13-14th century, and this novel took a unique approach to addressing that discrepancy in the Shroud's status as a holy relic. A note at the back of the book noted that the author's next novel will be translated in 2008, and I'll be waiting for it! (01-31-07)
The Chrysalis by Heather Terrell: This is a short novel centered on a piece of artwork appropriated by the Nazis. An heir of the original owner is seeking to regain title, and the main character is the attorney assigned to keep such from happening by proving that title had passed from her family before the Nazi seizure. There's a secondary story set in the time of the original artist, but it appears to exist only to provide a history to this fictional painting. I wasn't thrilled with the novel, as it was one of those where the main character has to be somewhat dense not to understand what is happening. (06-02-07)
The Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz: This author has definitely hit his groove of creating easy-to-read novels with memorable characters, and this latest book is no exception. This novel introduces Amy Redwing, an orphan that grew up to run a Golden Retriever rescue operation, and Moongirl, a character without an ounce of humanity but deliciously evil in the context of a novel. As with many Koontz novels, the first two-thirds of the novel builds characters and events separately, providing few and subtle clues along the way as to how it will all fit together. This was a fun read, and will fill a cold winter weekend very well! (12-01-07)
Death and the Devil by Frank Schatzing: I accidentally purchased two copies of this book, but happily I enjoyed it so much I will be quite happy giving the second copy as a gift! Set in 1260 in Cologne, Germany, Jacob the Fox, a homeless person, witnesses a famous architect's death as he is pushed from the scaffolding of his new cathedral by a shadow that can only be the Devil himself. As the story unfolds, the assassin and his patrician employers try to clean up the witnesses and only succeed in digging deeper into a political situation. The setting of this story and the excellent dialogue turn a not-so-unusual plot into a compelling story that I would highly recommend. (10-07-07)
The Devil You Know by Mike Carey: I didn't know it until I just looked up this book on Amazon, but this author apparently has worked with Neil Gaiman and is a graphic novel publisher in his own right. I won't hold the latter against him. Felix Castor is a ghostbuster in a time when the dead are rising at a more frequent rate, and he is commissioned to exorcise a spirit haunting an archive building in London. What follows is a detective story that brings Felix into contact with demons, a were-person bodyguard, and an living element that is perhaps as eveil as the first two combined. As Felix questions where ghosts go when the exorcism is complete, he spends some time investigating and uncovers a conspiracy that is involved and entertaining. The writing style is easy to ready, yet the story itself is complex. I have just ordered books 2 and 3 from Amazon.co.uk, as they aren't available here yet! (12-30-07)
The Devil's Labyrinth by John Saul: Some authors have a theme that weaves through each of their books (e.g. Grisham's lawyer-in-trouble genre) - Saul has kids-in-supernatural-trouble. Unfortunately, this book was amazingly predictable - two kids find ancient scroll buried in their garden in a box that in missing a cross on the top, modern-day kid (Ryan) is sent to Catholic school by mom's new boyfriend where strange things are happening, secret chapel in the basement, bloody rituals, a priest who isn't what he seems, a visit to Boston by none other than the pope. There were a lot of clichés and major leaps of faith in the plot. I generally like Saul's work, but I would definitely skip this one. (08-22-07)
Down River by John Hart: This is the best book I have read this year - no doubt about it. The main character has returned home to the family farm, five years after being legally acquitted for murder but still guilty to most of the town. As the primary witness in the trial was his stepmother, with whom his father sided, Adam is not expecting a warm welcome from anyone, and his expectations are exceeded. The characters are richly-drawn, flawed human beings that act very much as should be expected in this situation, and the author is adept at introducing conflict and drawing out the conclusion. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys Grisham or Iles, or just wants to read a great book! (12-05-07)
Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman: Although the book bears the subtitle "A heavy metal rock odyssey in rural North Dakota," it is really more of an examination and critique of primarily 80s metal before it fell to Nirvana. As this was my music once upon a time, and as my MP3 still contains more Poison, Motley Crue, et al than it probably should, I really enjoyed this book. I may not agree with all of the author's conclusions, but it was great stumbling across band names that had left my consciousness over a decade ago. Now, to see if Amazon still has that Saxon cassette... (04-01-07)
Fraqile Things by Neil Gaiman: This is a collection of short stories and poems, and as Mr. Gaiman says in the introduction, even if you don't like poetry (and I usually don't), it doesn't cost you any more here (and, in truth, some of it isn't bad). I've enjoyed other works by this author, as he has a knock for making a story different than what the reader expects. I enjoyed seeing Shadow (of American Gods) in a novella at the end, and particularly enjoyed the story October in the Chair. With the weather turning warmer, this is a great book for the brief break under a shade tree. (04-22-07)
God on Trial by Peter Irons: The book concentrates on several of the religion issues that have made it to the Supreme Court in recent years, including the Pledge of Allegiance case out of California that contested the words "Under God" that were added in 1954. The author is a law professor that brings the human element into many of his publications, as he interviews those that were involved in the cases. Given the passions that attach to these cases, it is easy to characterize one party as anti-religion, but often it is someone wishing to separate religion from public institutions - the question, simply stated, is whether the Constitution prohibits government "endorsement" but would permit "acknowledgement." The answer seems to rely on the membership of the Court, and with an upcoming election and probable vacancies during the next term, the law today may change tomorrow. An excellent book. (12-09-07)
The Good Guy by Dean Koontz: I don't know if there is a more prolific writer out there right now, and this book didn't disappoint as a two-day summer read with a few interesting characters. Tim Carrier, a mason and a "big guy" at 210 and 6' 3" (at 270 and 6' 4", I giggle at hearing this described as big), intercepts a cash payment intended to compensate a killer for a hit on an author. As the "good guy" of the book's title, Tim is off on a game of cat-and-mouse in protecting Linda, the intended target. The killer has the backing of a mysterious government organization, and has a few interesting personality quirks. I hope to encounter Tim in a future tome. (07-02-07)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling: Yep - I stood in a line until midnight! How many chances in a lifetime are there to watch people queue up at a bookstore, in costume, waiting for a book the way we expect people to camp out for video game systems? I'll say nothing here that could spoil the book - there's enough of that on the net already. I will say that I was satisfied with the conclusion, as the author really had an uphill climb balanced between telling the story her way and appeasing an army of fanatical Harry Potter fans. I am amazed at Rowling's ability to use minor facts and events from prior books as major points later in the story - the planning must have been tedious. As I suspect many readers will experience, five minutes after I turned the last page, I missed them all - the characters in these seven books have become our friends, and our enemies. Maybe it's time to start over with book one... (07-25-07)
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill: I really enjoyed this book, as I was in the mood for an off-beat horror story and this one delivered. Judas Coyne is an ex-rocker who still collects groupies and morbid collectables. A ghost purchased off an Internet auction site turns out to be the ticked-off hypnotist father of a past groupie that died in a bathtub, an apparent suicide. Dad left instructions with the dead girl's sister, and vengeance unfolds! It wasn't a "scary" ghost story, nor is it destined to become a classic of American literature, but I was definitely entertained. (02-18-07)
Heartsick by Chelsea Cain: I really wanted to hate this book, and I had seen it hyped a few places. I must admit that I really enjoyed it, as it introduced old characters in an entirely new way. Gretchen Lowell is a serial killer that picked the detective, Archie Sheridan, in charge of hunting her down as her 200th victim. Dubbed the "Beauty Killer," Gretchen tortures her victims for days, and the writing is disturbing in this regards without being overly-graphic. Archie is spared by Gretchen, but is definitely an example of Stockholm Syndrome, as he remains devoted to her. This relationship is a backdrop to a current day killer who is murdering high school girls, and the ending is quite satisfying. (09-24-07)
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson: This book has sat on my shelf for some time now, and with the Will Smith movie coming out, I wanted to have my own imagination draw the pictures before someone else did it for me. The first half of the book is title story, and I quite enjoyed this end-of-the-world vampire tale that obviously inspired future writers. Matheson painted a bleak landscape and a character that works well within this landscape, attempting to figure out his new world and regularly failing to do so. The other half of the book is short stories, and although I enjoyed them all, there was one quote from Mad House that I found especially fitting. The main character there is a wannabe writer who has somehow hit four decades without publication, and sharing nearly the same fate, I found the following thought very poignant: "God help all us poor wretches who would create and find that we must lose our hearts for it because we cannot afford to spend our time at it." 2008 is my year, though... (11-26-07)
Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe: I didn't really need to read another Da Vinci wannabe, but this book was pretty decent. August Adams is a rare book dealer that is returning with a Gutenburg bible, a text that is desired by the secret Order of the Dragon to find, you guessed it, the Templar treasure. The Order is attempting to triangulate the illuminations between three of Gutenbergs bibles, which pulls in Adams' ex-wife, a curator at the Library of Congress. This book combines historical fact with a storytelling ability to create an interesting, and quick, read. (08-11-07)
The Innocent Man by John Grisham: Although this is a nonfiction book and reads like one, the plot might have been lifted from a fiction bestseller. The book centers on an Oklahoma murder in 1982 and the prosecution's focus on Ron Williamson. Despite obvious trial errors and questionable interactions between the police and prosecution, Ron was convicted and sent to death row. With the conditions of several prisons and his plight hanging over him, Ron slid further into mental illness, finding only brief periods of clarity when outsiders intervened to help. Once DNA testing became available, Ron was freed from prison, but not exonerated by the police and prosecutors that continued to insist, nearly two decades later, that Ron guilty. Whatever your feelings on the death penalty, this book amplifies the danger of convicting an innocent man. (03-18-07)
Ivy Briefs: True Tales of a Neurotic Law Student by Martha Kimes: As a former law student, the dust jacket of this book sold me on the book, as it described characters that I remember from my own classes (even if I attended Akron instead of the author's Columbia). "The Gunner" is a fine example, as every class has that guy whose hand is in the air before the professor finishes the question. This isn't Turow's One L, an excellent story of law school, but it does highlight those items that every law student goes through in the three or four years of legal training. This is an easy, entertaining read. (06-28-07)
The Judas Strain by James Rollins: Somehow Rollins has twisted together a mixture of science and history that concurrently focuses on Marco Polo's voyages and a new "plague" that threatens mankind. It appears Sigma Force has a mole, an unfortunate issue since Gray's parent's are being held as hostages to ensure cooperation with certain members of the ominously-named Guild. Although elements of this story, as in the author's other books, are sometimes a bit beyond belief, the book does hold the reader's attention. (07-15-07)
Law in America by Lawrence M. Friedman: In the introduction, the author mentions that he teaches a Introduction to American Law course at Stanford, and I have to imagine that this book more-or-less covers that syllabus. This is a basic text, covering some very core elements of Civil Rights and Criminal Law, but always in the context of how present cultural influences find their way into legal interpretation. My favorite line in the book considered the right of privacy in the Griswold case - "The Supreme Court struck down the statute, claiming, in one of its periodic spasms of discovery, that an implicit right of 'privacy' was buried somewhere in the text of the Fourteenth Amendment." Indeed, the Court has "found" new law as new cases and issues have arisen with time (could the founders have contemplated the Internet?). This is a decent, yet basic, overview of law in the U.S. (12-23-07)
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson: This is just one of those books, subtitled officially as a memoir, that shouldn't be all that interesting but is made so by the author's senses of humor and storytelling. Although I was born in 1970, this story made me nostalgic for the 50s and early 60s backdrop for all the memories that Bryson has pulled together into this book. It covers his father's desire for long road trips to places of dubious historical importance, his mom's drive to collect jelly packets and saltines from diners, and a whole host of friends that will undoubtedly remind the reader of people in his or her own past. The imagery is fantastic, and reminds me greatly of Jean Shepherd's In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash (part of which became the nostalgic Christmas Story movie). This is a great, easy read and one that the reader will be sorry to see end. (02-27-07)
The Lost Constitution by William Martin: I really enjoyed this book! There are two stories here, the first being that of Will Pike, a clerk at the 1787 Constitution Convention whose brother steals a version of the Constitution with the drafter's annotations. The second story focuses on Peter Fallon, a rare book dealer who is hired to find the lost draft by those that wish to use the drafter's notes to (hopefully) support their own positions despite 200 years of precedent. The focus on the Second Amendment was a bit of a disappointment, but not misplaced given the story here starting from the early militia. This was a great read, slow in only a few spots, and forgivable there given the depth of characters. (05-26-07)
Medina (Images of America) by Gloria Brown: The publisher has done a fantastic job at assembling local histories, and this one of Medina, Ohio is no exception. The book traces this city thirty miles south of Cleveland from its settlement, early success, and rebirth in the eighties as a local group championed the restoration of its Victorian appearance and town square. Definitely a book of local interest, but check out www.arcadiapublishing.com to see if they've put together anything for your neck of the woods. (03-04-07)
MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7 by Ben Schoen et al: This is a great guilty-pleasure waiting for the final book! It is amazing to read the thought everyone has put into what will happen in The Deadly Hallows, sentences pulled from the first six books, quotes from J.K. Rowling, and quite a bit of conjecture. The phenomena of these books is quite well-known, and this book certainly illustrates the effect upon the generation that joined Harry Potter as kids themselves. In truth, I have been captured as well, and find myself vehemently agreeing and disagreeing with points herein - I feel like I'm analyzing a book back in AP English, but this is much more fun than finding the symbolism of the light at the end of the dock in the Great Gatsby (yeah, sometimes a light is just there to facilitate seeing something). (04-13-07)
A Nameless Witch by A. Lee Martinez: I've enjoyed this author's previous books as fun, silly, time-wasting stories, but this one just felt flat. A witch, as nameless as the title implies, gathers companions on a trek to kill Soulless Gustav, a mad sorcerer. The book is written in the first person, and by the eighteenth time the group escaped peril by means of a miscellaneous magical act (always accompanied by a sentence like "I could do that because all good witches can"), I was weary of the book. Frankly, if every situation can by faced down by pulling a random magic trick out of a hat (pun intended), what's the point of the book? Read his others - skip this one. (09-15-07)
The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court by Jeffery Toobin: I've read a few books on the Supreme Court this year, and wasn't sure I needed another at this moment given the stack of other books awaiting my attention. I was not disappointed, as although I have read many of these same facts and opinions before, the light writing style of this book makes it quite enjoyable. This book tracks ideological changes on the Court, including the O'Connor swing vote that decided so many cases for years. It is rather topical as well, tracing the Roberts Court into 2007 as his management style replaces that of Chief Justice Rehnquist. For those interested in learning something about the Court, even those with no prior knowledge of its place in government, I would recommend this book. (11-24-07)
On Writing by Stephen King: I've read this title before, and as I needed a bit of prompting to get back to my own novel, I pulled Mr. King off of the shelf. This book offers great writing advice inside of an entertaining read, and I would definitely recommend it to everyone that keeps putting off getting their own words down on paper (or, these days, into a computer). Unlike other writing books I've read, this isn't author teaching people how to write like the author, or according to the author's own style, but instead acknowledges that everyone writes differently and spends time instead focusing on, as King calls it, the toolbox. (08-17-07)
Power Play by Joseph Finder: I've enjoyed this author's books for their mix of action and corporate espionage, and his latest story is not at all disappointing! Jake Landry is sent, at the last minute, to a corporate retreat as a stand-in for his boss and discovers his ex-girlfriend Ali is likewise in attendance as an assistant to the CEO. The balance of the Hammond Air executive council is just getting into their first evening onsite when a group of "hunters" crash the party and decide that there is money to be made. Jake realizes the intruders have planned the attack with the assistance of someone inside the company, and further realizes that he's the only one that can help them survive. One of the best books I've read in awhile, and Jake makes my favorite characters list! (08-24-07)
Retained by the People by Daniel Farber: This book caught my eye on a weekend trip to Borders, as it is an essay on the Ninth Amendment, which reads "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." In other words, although the Bill of Rights spells out certain rights - speech, exercise of religion, assembly - this was not intended to be an absolute list. The Supreme Court and American jurisprudence has not used this clause in but a handful of cases, and even the civil rights era rested on the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses. The reality is this - the Court relies on precedent, and although it is an attractive proposition to believe a "new" source of rights is hiding in the Ninth Amendment, the Court is unlikely to suddenly begin using the Ninth when it has already drawn rights from elsewhere. Still, for those interested in Constitutional theory and/or civil rights, this is an interesting read. (05-17-07)
The Sacred Bones by Michael Byrnes: Ten ossuaries are discovered beneath the Temple Mount, stolen at the behest of the Vatican, and examined by geneticists. Of course, the latter are extremely slow at arriving at the conclusion the reader figured out from the title of the book, but otherwise this is a story that offers a good mixture of religion, science, and intrigue. The author provided decent characters and enough background on the political unrest in the Middle East to provide a good backstory. Conte, the Vatican's go-to guy, is one of the better villains that I've met in recent readings. The story does manage to walk a line of controversy pretty well, and if you enjoyed DaVinci, I'd wager that you'll end up liking this a bit more. (04-07-07)
The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury: Ah, yet another book regarding ancient religious sects and a graphic of the ouroboros, a serpent swallowing its own tail. The assemblage of characters are interesting, various government agency reps, a few archaeologist types, and quite a number of Middle Eastern tribes battling for a book that promises extended, not eternal, life. There are some slow points in this story, points where I just wanted to set it down and move into another book, but it does pick up at the end. I did successfully guess at the outcome, but all in all, this was an okay investment for a few days of reading. (09-03-07)
Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson: I couldn't resist a Bill Bryson book, even it wasn't one of his travelogues. I have, of course, read various items over the years stating that works credited to Shakespeare were actually created by Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon, and a host of others. Mr. Bryson spends some time on these theories, ultimately finding fault with them all, but spends the majority of the book tracing the evidence, and lack thereof, of Shakespeare's life. It is an enjoyable book, and like most of Bryson's book, you learn something while you're being entertained. The history of the theatres and acting companies of this age, as well as the speed at which Shakespeare wrote plays that, in his day, might be presented two dozen times, provide an interesting view of a playwright that significantly changed the English language. A great book! (12-13-07)
Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court by Jan Crawford Greenburg: It took a day just to get through the subtitle, but was worth the effort! Politics sometimes invade this book, but it did provide a great view of how the present court came to be, starting back two decades and then concentrating later chapters on the addition of Roberts and Alito to the Supreme Court. I enjoyed watching the machinery in the background as Miers was nominated and withdrawn under the story that the Senate confirmation hearings would violate her position as White House counsel. (04-05-07)
The Supreme Court: The Personalities and Rivalries that Defined America by Jeffrey Rosen: The author compares and contrasts four sets of American Jurists: Marshall & Jefferson, Harlan & Holmes, Black & Douglas, and Rehnquist & Scalia. Although this is an interesting read that covers the personality of each man and how that personality interacted with the balance of the court in some historic decisions, there were points where I felt like I was reading an undergraduate's book report. (01-24-07)
Third Degree by Greg Iles: By the time I was a quarter through this book, I felt like I had already read it, as the locked-in-the-house-questioning-and-torture scene was done by this author in his story 24 years ago. With that said, I was intrigued by a constantly developing plot, even if Mr. Iles explicitly disclosed the affair at the beginning. In short, a doctor takes his cheating wife and their children hostage as he attempts to uncover the other party to the affair, the latter whom in turn becomes a major character (also disclosed). In the meantime, a drama is playing out at the doctor's office where Medicaid investigators are reviewing a history of wrongdoing, and the story comes to a head when the local "redneck" sheriff's department steps in to bring the standoff to a close. Not the author's best work, but a decent weekend read. (11-16-07)
True Evil by Greg Iles: Ah, the family lawyer that appears to arrange nearly-untraceable spousal murders in exchange for business interests. Of course, the lawyer leaves a paper trail back to each "divorce" that apparently no one notices until a deathbed mumbling of the sister of an FBI agent. The other "bad guy" has the required history with a secret government branch, and of course the FBI agent is sanctioned for intervening where she shouldn't. If it seems like a stretch, it probably is, but it is still an entertaining book. (01-05-07)
The Vanishing by Bentley Little: I typically enjoy this author's books, as he has generally had a knack for taking mundane, everyday things and making them surreal. This book was a departure, and not a good one. A bunch of rich guys killing people in the present, a 19th century gold rush story with bigfoot creatures, and, of course, a newspaper guy tying it all together. Heck, the author even wrote his pseudonym, Phillip Emmons, into the story as a character. Love the author, hate the book. (08-08-07)
The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry: There is, of course, another secret cabal in Berry's second novel of 2007, this time called the Venetian League. They are working with and against a rising federation comprised of the former Russian states, the latter headed by a power-hungry, ruthless woman named Zovastina who fancies herself a character out of the Iliad. Once again, Cotton Malone is drawn out of his retirement as a bookseller, and is cast into a quest to find Alexander's remains before Zovastina and is reunited with the cast of past books in doing so. Along the way, it becomes apparent that the remains of Alexander are sought as more than just a symbol of power, but that the ZH (defined as "to live" in Greek) encryption on ancient medallions indicates a powerful cure for all human illnesses. This book offers strong character development, and like all of Berry's writings, skates right on the edge of being believable while being quite entertaining. Enjoy! (12-19-07)
The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs: The subtitle One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible almost says it all, but it should be noted that the author pursues his journey with humor AND respect to the different faiths he encounters. From the ever-growing beard (Leviticus 19:27 You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard) to discussions of faith with snake handlers in Appalachia, the author immerses himself in different aspects of religion. This is not a book of theology, but rather one man's twelve-month adventure, so anyone seeking a serious or thorough dissertation on the Bible's teaching should look elsewhere. This is a fun book, however, and does inadvertently invite the reader to think of things differently. (11-10-07)
You Suck -- A Love Story by Christopher Moore: I needed a fun book for a recent business trip to Key West, and this definitely helped pass the time on the planes. As the sequel to Bloodsucking Fiends (above), the book revisited everyone from the first book and added quite a few interesting characters: "Abby Normal." a 16-year-old goth girl turned minion. "Blue," a blue-tinted prostitute that tricks (pun intended) the Animals out of their money. Flood is now a vampire as well, turned by Jody in the final pages of BF, and Elijah is looking to become the only vampire in Jody's life. You have to read BF first or this book won't make any sense, but it is absolutely worth the two-book investment. (02-22-07)

Back on the shelf, for now...

Sometimes you just can't get into a book, not necessarily because it's a bad plot etc., but simply because the timing isn't quite right. These are those stories...

How to Get a Literary Agent by Michael Larsen: 2007 will be my year for publication (it wasn't), but at this point I'm still focused on finishing the novel. It's been a slow process, and I'd rather spend the minutes finding the right words than searching for an agent. I'll get back to this later.