Books read in 2011

Books 2011

What I've just finished..

Well, I only made it 59 books into my goal of 100 for 2011. Although that's a bit over a book per week, I had four done in the first week of the year alone. Happy reading!

The Affair by Lee Child: I've been anticipating this book since it was disclosed that it would return to Jack Reacher's military career as an MP. Deployed to Mississippi to help cloak the Army from any suspicion after a woman is murdered, Reacher instead gets involved with the local sheriff, personally involved, and jumps in the middle of an investigation that stretches to multiple murders. The conspiracy grows to his superiors in the Pentagon, and the body count in this book is likely higher than any in the series as Reacher fights through his own Army to find the truth. Although it didn't need to be done, this book did a wonderful job of explaining how Reacher became the wandering vigilante of Child's series - the folding toothbrush, disposable clothing, Western Union, etc. The prequel could only be done once, and Child has done a fantastic job. (10-01-11)
Altar of Bones by Philip Carter: After reading this book, I looked up the author to see if any previous works existed and was surprised to find that this novel was written under a pseudonym that may be linked to a romance author. Regardless, I enjoyed the book, despite numerous “lucky moments” where the protagonists just happened to find a way out of their predicaments. This book covers a lot of ground – a pre-WWII escape from a Siberian prison camp, the Russian mafia, modern-day power-brokers, an icon leading to a fountain of youth, and inexplicably the Kennedy assassination. The characters are equally interesting. Zoe is the estranged daughter of the Russian mafia’s chief, who learns early in the book that she is the Keeper of the icon’s secrets. Ry is a DEA agent embedded with Zoe’s mother, but ultimately the partner in the quest to expose some secrets and protect others. The eclectic combination of plots and subplots shouldn’t work, but somehow succeeds as an entertaining novel. Whomever the real author may be, this book will be enjoyed by fans of Steve Berry. (04-10-11)
The Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell: I first read this book on writing in 2010, and have been skimming it again over the past two months as I toy with my manuscripts and outlines. This book is well-organized into short but helpful chapters. I am following the advice laid out within several of its pages, and will undoubtedly pull this book back off of the shelf in 2012. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone trying to start, or finish, a manuscript. (12-12-11)
Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon: This book was recommended to me by the director of the NEOMFA program in early 2010, but it took me awhile to work down the stack to it. There are really three stories here, all concerning a shift of personal identities and all of which predictably converge to one in the final pages. Miles is looking for his long-absent twin brother, Lucy runs away with her high school teacher, and Ryan finds a new life with his "uncle" Jay. It wasn't a bad book, but at times felt trapped between literary and popular fiction - not necessarily a bad thing, but it sometimes confused me as a reader. I'm not in a hurry to find this author's backlist, but would recommend this book. (01-08-11)
Blood of the Reich by William Dietrich: I was initially disappointed that this wouldn't be another Ethan Gage book, as he's one of my favorite literary action stars. This was a decent book without him, even if some of the characters seemed a bit too dense to be allowed out of their houses. Rominy is kidnapped in a grocery store parking lot after her car explodes, but the kidnapper appears to be a savior intent on getting her away from skinheads that have identified her ancestry. The novel also focuses on the Nazi expedition to Tibet and the secrets that they discovered, and the historical element is actually quite entertaining. The connection between the timelines is, of course, Rominy, and it's not giving away the plot by saying that the story focuses on Nazism gaining domination in the modern age. The story isn't exactly plausible, and there were times I wished that Rominy would stop with the inane discussions with herself, as these made it difficult to believe that she could solve larger puzzles and yet miss what was right in front of her. In all, it was a good book, but I am crossing my fingers for Gage to return in next year's book! (07-23-11)
Brotherhood of the Rose by David Morrell: I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I have not read this classic of the thriller genre before this point. Chris and Saul grow up in an orphanage wherein they move through their days much as a recruit might in the military and develop a bond of brothers. Along the way, they are adopted by Eliot, who takes them on camping trips and enrolls them in the martial arts. After the orphanage, the brothers enter the military and eventually become operatives. After an operative is killed in an Aberlard house (a neutral zone) and both brothers suffer setbacks, it becomes clear that Eliot has set them up. After that betrayal, the brothers turn to revenge against the one they trusted as their father, and that is the setting for most of the novel. It concludes in a satisfactory way, with the characters coming through scathed. The most interesting thing to me was the early-80s timeline, as much of the advanced spycraft herein could be done with a smartphone now (I loved the explanation of using a RadioShack computer to tie into the agency computer via a modem). I will definitely be seeking out this author's other books. (09-04-11)
Buried Secrets by Joseph Finder: Nick Heller is back! I really enjoyed this character when the author introduced him in "Vanished," and was happy to hear that Finder was bringing him into another book. Heller is a private eye with a lot of connections from his past. In this case, he is approached by an old friend, Marshall Marcus, a hedge fund manager whose daughter has gone missing. After the kidnappers direct Marcus to a Internet site, Heller and his team learn learn that the girl is buried alive by watching live video of her struggles in a coffin. The novel reveals who did it early on, and the man charged with watching over the girl is one of the more frightening that I've seen in recent reading. The title of the book has multiple meanings, as indeed there are several secrets that come to light. This is good writing, and I hope to see Heller join the ranks of Jack Reacher and Joe Pike. (07-03-11)
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins: One of the best things about coming to a series later than everyone else is that you don't have to wait a year to find out what happens - you simply open the next book! The second book of The Hunger Games continues the story of Katniss' fight against the Capitol, opening with the President threatening Katniss to continue her pretended romance with Peeta, and continuing by thrusting her once again into the arena, this time with past victors in another fight to the death. I was a bit concerned that this book might loose momentum, as the dust jacket blurb focuses on the romance, but Katniss' character continues to develop. I'm already halfway through the final book, and wondering how it's all going to end in the next 200 pages. (01-15-11)
A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor: The back cover of this book caught my attention at Barnes and Noble, and as I've not read this author despite numerous recommendations, it seemed like a good place to start. The cover copy sounds like the novel is a blending Dickens' ghosts and a Griswold-type Christmas with wacky relatives. Well, there's a ghost in the form of a coyote, and a few relatives with issues, but none of them had any depth as characters whatsoever. Basically, the lead character gets called to North Dakota to see a favorite uncle before he dies, strange events intervene, and then the novel is just over without much fanfare (and the "wonderful Christmas gift" noted on the cover is exactly what you'll think it is three pages into the novel). Based on this read, I don't know that I'll return to Keillor for another. (12-02-11)
Comfort to the Enemy by Elmore Leonard: I've never picked up this author before, as I've always associated his name to westerns, a genre that I'm not terribly interested in. I am, however, a fan of the TV series "Justified," which is based upon his books, so I bought this collection as a starting point. I'll definitely be looking for this author's other books (though I'll still avoid the straight westerns). This book is a collection of stories featuring Carl Webster, a U.S. Marshall who "only draws his gun if he intends to kill someone." The longest of the stories is set in the 1940s, and concerns German POWs confined in the U.S. This temporal shift is quite interesting, as I've never actually contemplated such on U.S. soil, but the story is really carried by all of the characters. This book was great airplane reading - a fast story that makes you forget that you're trapped in a seat 38,000 feet in the air! (02-26-11)
Coronado by Dennis LeHane: This was an interesting collection of short stories by the author of "Mystic River." The first in the collection, "Running Out of Dog," highlights two Vietnam vets that return to life, one somewhat successfully and the other less so. The title comes from the latter, as his job of sniping free-roaming dogs is cancelled, and still needing something to shoot, he turns elsewhere. The second story is less interesting - a few high school football players trash the house of a teammate that dropped the ball. The third story, and the play that was adapted from it (both in the book), was great. The characters were at once understated yet competently developed. After Bobby is released from prison, his dad picks him up at the gate with a hooker and bottle of Jim Beam. Nothing altruistic in his motives - the dad needs his son to find the diamond he hid just before being shot in the head and going to prison. This was a pretty quick read, but I'll definitely be seeking others by LeHane soon. (12-29-11)
The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir: I received this as an ARC, and I unfortunately figured it out halfway through the book, as one line at this point stood out just a bit too far and revealed more than was likely intended. Regardless, it is a pretty decent mystery involving private eye Ray Quinn who uses a cane, drinks too much Jack, and is attempting to mentor his colleague Crevis into a police career. He's hired by a corporation to find an employee who had taken off with confidential files, an employee who used to be an undercover cop and who was struck from the force for malefactions of his own. As the story emerges, all is not quite as it seems, and Ray is stuck between a client with deep pockets and a moral choice to pursue the true criminals. Again, not a bad book, but I'll not likely seek out the first book in the series anytime soon. (03-22-11)
Cut and Run by Matt Hilton: I'm a fan of Joe Hunter. The plot here wasn't terribly complex - all of the members of Joe's old unit involved with a past mission are being killed along with their families, and Joe is looking to rectify an old mistake by going after the murderer. Along the way, Joe finds himself doing battle with a contract killer with a fondness for brutalizing women. There is a lot of violence and a high body count in this novel, but if you've picked up a book featuring an ex-Special Forces mercenary, it's likely that you're expecting both. Hunter is a less-pensive Jack Reacher, and a new favorite. (12-02-11)
Damage by John Lescroat: I spent last week at ThrillerFest in NYC, and had the opportunity to listen to this author describe his writing process, generally and as applied to this title. I have been a long-time fan of Lescroat (despite the fact that I have apparently mispronounced his name forever), and was honored to meet him and have him sign my copy of the book. This title focuses on Abe Glitsky, back as the Chief of Homicide, and Ro Curtlee, son of a powerful newspaper family and rapist-murderer. When Ro is released on a technicality surrounding bail, Ro is out awaiting a new trial and suddenly witnesses and participants start winding up murdered. The Curtlee family paper runs scathing editorials about police over-reaching and abuse, and a judiciary afraid of losing campaign funding tends to favor Ro's rights over the those of the police. The characters were very well-drawn, and interestingly, Lescroat stated that he had reached the end of the book, then realized that he had another 70 pages of manuscript to go to tell the right story. Tracing back, I could see the original ending point, but really enjoyed where he ended up taking it. (07-10-11)
The Dark at the End by F.Paul Wilson: This was meant to be the last Repairman Jack novel before a heavily reworked Nightworld, and indeed it is the last in the timing sequence, but a note from the author states that three more prequels are in the works. Okay, but I'm a bit disappointed as the last book really is the battle for the ownership of the Earth, and who wants to read backwards after that. Anyway, this book turns a bit darker, which is something I've missed in the last few books, and has set the stage well for the final book. There are quite a few deaths in this book, and Jack is primed for the last act coming out next year. I'll be sad to see a favorite character move on, but am glad to see him coming back to his dark beginnings before he does! (08-16-11)
Darkest Fear by Harlen Coben: This author has taken a unique position in my reading schedule, as I always have one of his books packed in my bag when I fly. Nothing will get you through a delay with Delta at the Atlanta airport (yesterday saw two of those - one each way) like Myron and Win on the heels of another investigation. Coben has an interesting writing style, often directing a sarcastic note to the reader, and it entertains to a degree that the crying baby in 4B fades to the background. In this book, Myron's college ex-girlfriend reemerges with news that her son has a medical issue curable only through a marrow transplant, and the one eligible donor on the registry has gone missing. This throws Myron and Win into a search that expands to families of influence, and plenty of opportunities for Win's unique brand of violence. Although the mystery is somewhat implausible, I was entertained, and at the end of the day, that's what I want from a book. Kudos to Mr. Coben. (01-26-11)
Defending Jacob by William Landay: This book was given out as an ARC at ThrillerFest, and during one of the sessions, a few of the instructing writers commented favorably on the book. They were absolutely right - this book was phenomenal. Andy Barber is an associate district attorney, satisfied in his job and family. Early in the book, his fourteen-year-old son is accused of the murder of a classmate, and most of the novel focuses on the investigation and trial of Jacob. The story is interspersed with transcripts of Andy being interviewed by the new ADA in front of a grand jury, a technique that the author uses to a great effect, as these asides provide insights that can't really be addressed head-on. The ending was fantastic - unanticipated, yet absolutely true to the book. When this book comes out in February 2012, I wouldn't be at all shocked to see it jump to number one! (08-01-11)
The Devil Colony by James Rollins: This was an interesting read, combining several elements that I would not have guessed would work together well, but somehow did. After a grandfather kills his grandson to protect a tribal secret in a remote cave, an object removed from that cave sets off a series of global events that threaten to destroy the world. It seems the secret protected a lost force that basically dissolved whatever it comes into contact with, and as it hits subterranean pockets of magma, the western U.S. is at risk of an eruption in Yosemite. The title refers to historical document wherein it appears that the founding fathers intended to incorporate the Indian nation as the 14th colony, and the truth contained in that document is the only thing to stop the threat. In addition to the Sigma Force, this books introduces several great characters, only a few of which will live to the next book. (08-10-11)
Early Akron's Industrial Valley by Jack Gieck: For a relatively short book, there was a lot of content included regarding the history of the Cascade Locks in Akron, Ohio. I have always been fascinated with the canal systems in Ohio, and as my office is right across the street from the old canal, I was attracted to this book. My favorite part of this book is the two-page spread at the back that shows a map of the canal area during its height, and another modern day layout to give easy reference points. Although its growing colder now, I'll be pulling this book back off of the shelf in the spring as I walk the towpath and attempt to find some of the artifacts noted in this book. (12-07-11)
Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross: I received this book as an ARC, and was happy to try an author that I haven't read before. I had mixed feelings, especially at the beginning, as the writing felt a bit formal. The plot wasn't bad, but the references to Manson were thinly-veiled. The main character, Jay Erlich, has a nephew who falls to his death from a cliff in California. Jay becomes a detective and puts together the pieces of a 30-year-old mystery involving a cult and a member thereof who has just made parole. Perhaps the nephew's death is simply a message to Jay's brother, who apparently spent some time with the cult himself many years before. Overall, the plot didn't really feel new, and the mysteries were pretty much disclosed to the reader even as Jay struggled within the story. I'll read another of this author's books, but really wanted a bit more out of this one. (05-17-11)
Free Fall by Robert Crais: As I recently had to fly to Vegas for a trade show, and immediately jump back on a plane for a week's vacation, I decided to catch up on this author's backlist, as I haven't yet read one of his books that I didn't like. This was a great book that starts out with a simple premise - a young girl hires Elvis Cole to help out her boyfriend, an L.A. cop who she believes has fallen in with a bad crowd. The preliminary evidence shows simply that he is likely cheating on her, but Elvis keeps digging in response to her tears, and soon he and Joe Pike are dealing with street gangs and corrupt cops. This book highlights a bit of history for both Elvis and Joe, and has a great plot that really drew me in. (10-22-11)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: I last read this book during an AP English class back in 1987, and by "read" I actually mean that I skimmed the Cliff Notes. In retrospect, given that this book is a brief 180 pages, I can only imagine that I was rebelling against being told what to read. Twenty-plus years later, I still remembered the green light on the dock and all of the symbolism that it was meant to contain. Honestly, it's a pretty straight-forward story - new guy in town pines over a lost-love, now married to another guy who is cheating on her, lost-love accidentally kills husband's mistress, and mistress' husband kills new guy in town. It's likely blasphemy to critique Fitzgerald's characters as under-developed, but indeed I found them to be as thin as the book itself. I closed the book slightly dissatisfied, as I had built it up in my mind and felt instead like I'd just watched a movie on the Hallmark channel. (12-27-11)
Guitar Lessons (A Life's Journey Turning Passion into Business) by Bob Taylor: My favorite guitar is my Taylor T-5, a work of art in koa and a beautiful sounding instrument, even in my incapable hands. I am a fan of Taylor Guitars, and bought this book because of that admiration. Bob Taylor built a major brand in a channel that already contained 100-year-old guitar brands and where acoustic guitars, his focus product, were on a downturn (how many do you recall in the hair metal videos of the late 80s?). This book discusses innovation and how Bob tried to find better ways to do things even as he built his first guitar in high school. It highlights the difference between building a brand with consumers and developing relationships with distributors. Above all, it is a well-written book that will appeal to both the guitar player and a business person looking for lessons to apply to his own workplace. (01-23-11)
Haunted Akron by Jeri Holland: This was a fun book that I picked up because of the cover shot of the Civic Theatre in downtown Akron, blocks from my office. As I flipped through the book, I noticed that it also had a story set in River Styx, near where I'll be building a house in the next year or two. This book offered a mix of history and ghost stories, and was the perfect companion for a two-hour stay in the Baltimore airport. (12-02-11)
Headhunters by Jo Nesbo: I read this book in just over a day as I sat on planes to-and-from South Dakota, and was thoroughly able to mentally escape the confines of my economy seat via this novel. Roger Brown is the titular headhunter who subsidizes the expense of his wife's art gallery by stealing art from his own clients. After a new client, Clas Greve, discloses that he owns a Ruben, Brown sees all of his own financial worries fading away. Unfortunately, as he calls his wife from Greve's home as he is stealing the painting, he hears his wife's distinct ringtone in the next room. The conspiracy builds from this point, and Greve's military past comes into play as he tracks Brown's escape. This was a fun book, a great mystery, and as this is the second book I've loved by this author, I am looking forward to jumping into the next. (09-27-11)
The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie: This author creates some of the best dialogues of anyone I've read, and his characters are very complex. This novel is 540 pages dedicated to a three-day battle between the North and the Union, and brings back many of Abercrombie's former characters - Gorst, Black Dow, the Dogman - and introduces many others that I hope to meet again (those that haven't already "gone back to the mud" in this book). The novel is told through several points-of-view, and switches frequently between the two opposing armies during various battles. I would absolutely recommend any of this author's books, and don't agree with the one or two Amazon reviewers that this was a subpar effort. The mission of any novel is to entertain - it is fiction after all - and "The Heroes" does it well. (02-18-11)
How Not to Write a Novel by Howard Mittelmark & Sandra Newman: I really enjoyed this book, which is subtitled "200 classic mistakes and how to avoid them -- a misstep-by-misstep guide." Replete with humor, the book digs into common errors that may keep an editor from pursuing a hard-written novel. This is an easy rerad, and admittedly I found a few things that I've been doing that I hadn't ever really thought about before. Obviously, this book has the limited audience of writers looking to publish for the first time, but it should be read by a few seasoned writers as well (on the other hand, if you're selling books, maybe grammar doesn't matter). Regardless, a great book. (05-14-11)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: I'm a bit late to this party, but since the movie is coming out this year and there have been great reviews of this series, I wanted to give it a read. It's written for the younger set, and is thus a quick read, but like Harry Potter, is good for adults as well. Essentially, it is a future time wherein the Capitol forces 12 districts to each have a boy and a girl fight to the death once a year, the participants selected via lottery. Katniss Everdeen volunteers for the games to protect her younger sister, and half of this book deals with Katniss' experience before the games begin. There is violence - those in the game are 12-18 years old and are expected to kill until only one is left - but the author does a good job of understating it and focusing on the psychological impacts as well. I've just started the second book of the series, and anticipate finishing the third very soon as well. The storyline reminds me of Stephen King's "The Long Walk" - one of my favorite novellas ever, found in "The Bachman Books." This author's fans have placed their trust in a great writer. (01-12-11)
Indigo Slam by Robert Crais: It is rare that I'll read one author's books one after another, let alone three in a row, as there are so many great books on my pile waiting to be read. I made an exception for this gentleman, and chose several of his books to accompany me on vacation. In this outing, Elvis Cole is hired by three children to find their absentee father, whom a bit of digging shows is a master printer engaged in a less-than-legal enterprise. As the mother was killed on the evening that the family moved into witness protection several years before, the eldest of the kids is taking care of the other two and Cole faces the dilemma of fulfilling his promise to a fifteen-year-old or turning them in to child services. After it becomes apparent that the Russian mob, who the dad betrayed, is growing closer, Elvis and Joe pull together a solution involving firearms, wit, and political wrangling. Fantastic read! (10-27-11)
The Infernals by John Connolly: Back in 2009, I read the predecessor to this story, and apparently enjoyed it (I had to return to my own review). This sequel was somewhat disappointing, not a bad story, but one of those that takes two weeks to push through only because it never grabs you and convinces you to set aside an afternoon. Samuel and his dog Boswell foiled an invasion of Earth by certain of Hell's demons in the last book, and in this novel, the head demon that failed pulls Samuel into Hell to take her revenge (yeah, Ba'al dressed in a housedress). It's meant to be a funny book, but never quite gets there. I respect this author greatly, but sincerely hope that this is the end of this series. (11-23-11)
Iron House by John Hart: I am in awe of this author, and hope that more readers discover his talents with this latest of his books. This novel opens with a scene in an orphanage where a young Julian stabs a tormenter in the neck, and his brother Michael takes the blame and runs away. Flash-forward to the present, Michael's girlfriend is pregnant and completely unaware of his employment as an enforcer for a crime kingpin. Michael has asked to be released to start his family, a request granted by the dying mob boss, but the second-in-command has other thoughts about Michael turning his back. When the mob targets Michael's family, both his girlfriend and the brother that he hasn't seen in decades, Michael exercises the talents learned in his years as an enforcer. This is a great book - usually the protagonist is a special forces type good-guy, but here the "good-guy" is a mob killer looking for a second start. Julian's adoptive family is equally interesting - a senator and his somewhat-estranged wife. In all, Hart has created a fascinating novel that anyone can enjoy! (08-28-11)
Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker: I picked this book up in the airport a week ago, and it took me awhile to get into it. For the first hundred pages, I found myself needing to flip backwards to revisit a character or an action. Ultimately, the book grew on me and I found myself really getting into the plot. In the opening pages, an ATF agent opens fire on a gun runner, but kills a teenaged boy as well. The boy is the son of a boss in a Mexican cartel, and retribution guides the capture and torture of the ATF agent. In a parallel plot, Pace Arms is reopened out of bankruptcy to make 1,000 fully-automatic pistols to be shipped across the border and into the hands of the cartel. I've already purchased the next book in the Charlie Hood series, and will be going back to read the author's backlist as well. (02-01-11)
The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry: It was a great surprise to have another of this author's books in hand so soon after the late-2010 release of The Emperor's Tomb, and this book is his best yet. Cotton is a retired operative who repeatedly gets pulled back into action, and for the first time, the action was in the United States. The president is very nearly assassinated at the start of the book, drawing Cotton out of his holiday weekend and into an adventure leading back to the heirs of a pirate empire. The interesting historical twist here is a little read section of the Constitution that allows Congress to issue Letters of Marque which, early in the nation's history, essentially granted the recipient permission to attack non-U.S. vessels as a surrogate for a naval force. Although fictional here, the author artfully creates a plot that ties the modern-day pirate families to multiple presidential assassinations. The title refers to a cipher that Jefferson used to hide the actually Congressional authorities for the Letters of Marque, the rediscovery of which becomes the driving force within the novel. This is a great book, and I am saddened that another may be a year away! (05-26-11)
Johannes Cabal - The Fear Institute by Jonathan Howard: I am a big fan of the author's last two books, and was quite happy to find that the third was available in Great Britain. In truth, I found this volume a bit strained at times, and wanting for something deeper at others. Cabal is a necromancer solicited by the Fear Institute to guide three members into the Dreamlands to find the Phobic Animus, the source of all fear and dread. Along the way, Cabal consorts with numerous ghouls and magical beings and calls down a trickster god, but the voyage itself seems somewhat shallow. This book had the feel of having been written in a weekend or two, whereas the last two books were well-written and stuck with me as a reader long after I had finished reading. (09-26-11)
Kill the Dead by Richard Kadrey: This is a hard novel to classify, but very good nonetheless. James Stark, aka Sandman Slim, returns from Hell to Los Angeles and takes a job with the Golden Vigil, a government agency aligned with Homeland Security to control the supernatural. Stark also contracts with Lucifer as his bodyguard, as Lucifer has returned to star in a movie about his "life" The Golden Vigil, takes exception to Stark's dual-allegiances, and puts him on the hit list. In the meantime, there's a rash of deaths among the Sub Rosa, the original supernatural families, and many of these deaths are attributable to Drifters (essentially zombies). Stark ends up in the midst of the zombie battle, fighting alongside a porn actress whose secret identity is an assassin of the undead. This is the third book I've read by this author, and I enjoy his ability to tell a great story that contains a degree of humor but also manages to bring the reader close to the protagonist Stark, a man of few virtues. (05-04-11)
Las Vegas Then and Now by Su Kim Chung: I end up in Vegas once or twice a year for various shows, and although it is far from my favorite destination, there are two things that I like about Vegas. First, if I feel like chocolate cake at two in the morning, there are twelve places within walking distance where I can find an excellent piece. Second, the town is constantly renewing itself - I never know what will be gone or what will have arisen between trips. My favorite hotel is the Palazzo at the Venetian, which is built on the ruins of the Sands hotel. In the space of 2-3 years, one hotel is blown up, the landscape completely reworked, and a newer, bigger, more extravagant hotel is open for business. This book captures many of the old properties that may have been new in the 1940s, rebuilt in the 1970s, and rebuilt again in this past decade. This is a great book for anyone interested in Vegas. (04-02-11)
Is Life Like This? (A Guide to Writing Your First Novel in Six Months) by John Dufresne: There are a lot of writing books out there, and quite a few that attempt to put a fledgling writer on a schedule. By itself, that's probably not a bad thing, but much of the timeline in this book just didn't resonate with me - half the time was really spent on exercises and developing portions of the book. What I did like in this book was the author's ability to constantly force me to think about the work I had already done, and to think about how I could make my writing more exactly reflect life without moving into the more boring parts of daily existence (unless something happens, the time in the grocery queue is pretty boring). I will likely pull this book off of the shelf in the future, as it did give me a few ways to move forward if writer's block settles in. Six months? I'm aiming for four! (01-25-11)
The Litigators by John Grisham: David Zinc had toiled for a large law firm for several years before he froze up one morning, spent the day at a bar, and hired himself into a struggling two-man law firm that literally chased ambulances. As the story progresses, his new firm of Finley and Figg becomes one of the first to sign up a client suing the manufacturer of a cholesterol drug named Krayoxx, and soon that case becomes the focal point of a class action and a national group of high-rolling tort lawyers. The lawyers of F&F are very much flawed individuals, and these flaws really help set the story apart from what may have been somewhat dry material. This is a classic Grisham lawyer-in-trouble book, but it still feels a bit different than his former works. I very much enjoyed this. (11-09-11)
The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card: It's difficult to classify this novel. At one point, I felt like I was reading a young adult story, but then the content shifted to a point where I was almost certain that it wasn't. At the start, Danny North is the seemingly-talentless 13-year-old son of two powerful mages, but he then discoverers that he can make gates to jump distances. Under a treaty between mage families, gatemages must be killed to prevent any one family from becoming too powerful, so Danny decides to run away. The novel is interwoven with the story of another teen in another place, as well, and although entertaining, this thread isn't as convincing nor does it end as satisfactory. The true focus is Danny and his trials as he learns from other mages that have escaped the families and attempts to become as normal as possible with his powers. It's not Card's best, but good enough. (03-05-11)
Lullaby Town by Robert Crais: Elvis Cole, private eye, is hired by the number-three director, Peter Nelson, to find the wife and kid that he left behind ten years earlier. It doesn't take Elvis long to find them, but even in that small Connecticut town, the story grows more complicated. Karen is being pressured by the Mafia to launder money through the bank she managed. Her controller is the son of the capo, and looking to overthrow his own father. Elvis brings in his business partner Joe Pike to take on the mob, and their mission is complicated by the director, a man who believes that the world worships him and that his money can solve any problem. I loved this book, which I started and finished on a flight to Las Vegas, and have already started another of this author's books. (10-17-11)
Misery Bay by Steve Hamilton: I was captivated by this author's book "The Lock Artist" last year, and although I since purchased his backlist, I haven't had the time to pick up any of his other books. As a result, I came into this story late, as there was a back story with the main character that wasn't really fully brought to light. Regardless, this was a great story that starts with the discovery of a police officer's son hanging dead from a tree on the shore of Misery Bay. When his dad turns up dead soon thereafter, Alex McKnight, the protagonist private investigator is brought into the case. Of course, the situation grows even more complex as connections are made to other deaths. I enjoyed the book, and now need to go back to read the series from the beginning. (06-27-11)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs: This book is technically classified a young adult novel, but the premise was interesting enough to catch my attention. The author found a few old photographs of kids in strange situations (e.g., a girl looking into a graveyard pond with two reflections looking back up) and created a story around the pictures. The story itself wasn't really that great - Jacob's granddad dies and leaves a mysterious letter and some old photos that support stories that he used to tell. Jacob convinces his dad to go to a Welsh island to trace the origins of the letter, and finds an entrance to a time loop where Miss Peregrine runs an orphanage for kids with strange abilities. Their existence is threatened by a splinter group gone bad, and Jacob must save the day. I understand that this has already been optioned for film, but it felt thin to me. (07-05-11)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: And, the Hunger Games trilogy has come to an end with a lot of dead soldiers and civilians on both sides, and Panem in a state of massive disarray. Whereas the first two books in the series had action in the arena, this book attempts to carry that action to the Capitol itself, but with mixed results. There is an inherent weakness in the plot here, as it appears that the Capitol has treated itself as an arena, setting pods of traps everywhere to forestall the approach of the rebels, yet the Capitol has forever put itself above the threat of retaliation. Regardless, it is a good story, and a fitting ending, as all of the good guys are not magically keep alive as the world collapses around them. I'd recommend this series as a satisfying, and fast, read. (01-17-11)
The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais: I started reading this author last year with his later novels that featured Joe Pike, and had Elvis Cole as a background player. As the time, I just wasn't intrigued with Elvis, but realize now that he was necessarily suppressed to give Pike a chance. In this earlier book, Crais has created a great character in Cole, a private investigator who takes on a case involving a missing husband and son, a bullfighter turned master criminal, and a couple of kilos of pure cocaine, also missing. Happily, Joe Pike makes an appearance in this book as well. The plot is very tight, the characters are fantastically developed, and I am really looking forward to meeting this author at ThrillerFest in July! (03-17-11)
The Mozart Conspiracy by Scott Mariani: Apparently this author has published a few books in the U.K., but this is his first published in the U.S. His lead character is Ben Hope, a former SAS operative that uses his skills to recover kidnapped children. After being contacted by an ex-girlfriend from whom he walked away some 15 years previous, Ben winds up in the middle of a secret society's quest for Mozart's last letter as he investigates the death of his best friend. Oddly, as I look back at the book, it wasn't really important that Mozart was involved here, only that the friend is killed investigating a secret society - the balance of the novel would have continued without fail. Still, I enjoyed it, and will jump on Amazon's U.K. site to order the author's backlist. (04-21-11)
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: This is another of the classics that I've wanted to pick up for quite awhile but just never got to. At 100 pages, it is far from a difficult read, and I remembered most of it from my last reading some 25 years ago. The story itself is good as well - George and Lenny taking a job on a ranch after they are run out of another town as a result of Lenny's fascination with petting soft things (in this case, a red dress presently being worn by a young girl). The characters are well-drawn for such a short story, and the dialogue is very realistic. At some point in 2012, I'll pick up "The Grapes of Wrath" but am glad to have gotten this one in under the wire in 2011! (12-31-11)
One L by Scott Turow: It isn't often that I'll reread the same book more that twice, but this is likely my sixth or seventh time through Mr. Turow's first year of law school at Harvard. As I push through my own novel, also set in a law school, this author's memories help me with my own at the University of Akron 15 years ago. Although different universities, the overall atmosphere of intellectual stimulation and intimidation were very much the same. This remains one of my favorite books, and is an absolute must-read for anyone contemplating spending 3-4 years of a life as a law student. (11-03-11)
Plugged by Eoin Colfer: This author wrote the extension of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, and although no one could ever replace Douglas Adams, I appreciated the effort. In this short novel, Daniel McEvoy is a doorman at a seedy club near NYC when his sometimes-girlfriend is killed in the parking lot. After his own apartment is tossed soon thereafter, and his only other friend is kidnapped, Daniel tries to put some of his Irish military training to use in tracking down the killer. With crooked cops, corrupt attorneys, and a crime boss, the author makes great use of well-developed characters. The result is entertaining and yet a good thriller as well, an accomplishment for a book this short. I'll wait for his next adult title, but can imagine picking up this author's work again. (09-21-11)
Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World by Chad Denver Emerson: Last month, the Gerber family descended upon Disney World, and I was shocked at the size of the facility. When the ride to the Magic Kingdom took twenty minutes from the hotel with no stops, and the bus never left the Disney property, I started to wonder how Disney managed to acquire such a sizable piece of land. My lawyer's mind started turning with the environmental, tax, and other issues that would have needed to be bypassed to be able to launch the facility, so I bought this book when I got back home. It is a fascinating story, and surprisingly didn't involve eminent domain at all. Disney did use several shell companies to purchase the various properties, as they wanted to avoid land speculators and profiteers that might drive up prices or try to acquire land for their own businesses (as apparently happened with Disneyland). This book has no pictures and is very transactional in explaining how the project came together under the utmost secrecy. For me, though, it answered all my questions, and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the genesis of Florida's largest employer. (04-13-11)
The Ragged End of Nowhere by Roy Chaney: A great title, and a book to match it! The author has a great way of crafting phrases that make the book really good from a technical side, which supports a well-crafted mystery with unique characters. Bodo Hagen has been overseas for a decade, but returns to Vegas to bury his brother Ronnie, who left the French Foreign Legion and returned to Vegas with an "object of value," only to killed in the first sentence of this book. The action takes place on the grittier side of Vegas, and as a former CIA agent that grew up in the Sands Casino where his dad was a security chief, Bodo fits right in despite his time away. I bought this book on an impulse, and am sad to learn that I'll have to wait for the author's next book, as this was his first! (01-03-11)
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: I absolutely loved this book! The story itself is very well-developed - a 2045 society where people spend most of their time as avatars in a virtual environment called OASIS. When the creator of OASIS dies, his will and website reveal a final quest - find the easter egg buried within the OASIS universe and become the new owner of his company, worth billions of dollars. As the real world collapses, many people become professional "gunters" dedicated to solving the puzzle, and some of these gunters form clans. Wade is an independent, and becomes the first to find the Copper Key. He is then targeted as a hero by some, and as a threat by others. As the deceased founder was a child of the eighties, all of the clues are referencing video games, computer systems, songs, and movies of the era. Reading this book was a tour back through my own teen years, and brought back many good memories even as I read. This is a great book for anyone, but for those who remember Infocom and Aladdin's Castle, the book will have special meaning. (09-12-11)
The Sentry by Robert Crais: I was waiting for this book to hit the shelves, as quite a few of the reviews rated this book really well. I agree. Joe Pike, a former Marine, mercenary, and police officer, is a great character - thoughtful, loyal, dangerous, and yet a vegetarian. In this book, Pike witnesses a few gang members roughing up a sandwich shop owner, and steps in to stop the crime. After promising Dru, the owner's niece, that he'd take care of it, Pike is drawn into a larger war and comes up against an assassin that has already left a number of bodies strewn about. Pike's buddy Cole, a private detective, makes his appearance as well, and together they try to save Dru and stay alive. Pike makes a bad decision or two in this book, which adds to the humanity of this great character, and I look forward to the next book! (01-21-11)
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt: It is difficult to classify this novel, as it contains many facets of a classic Western but brings in its own brand of humor and intrigue. The Commodore send the Sisters, brothers Charlie and Eli, to kill a prospector named Warm. As hired guns, the brothers don't question their mission, at least initially, and proceed through a series of misadventures en route to find their target. After surviving a witch, a she-bear, and a local boss, the brothers find the prospector and are faced with the decision to defy the Commodore or follow through with their mission. The characters in this story are well-drawn and have a fair-share of internal conflict. I'm hoping to read other works by this author in the future, and hope as well to run into the Sisters again. (06-03-11)
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo: I read a review of this novel in Entertainment Weekly and was intrigued enough to buy a copy. I've since purchased the author's entire backlist. Harry Hole is the only detective in Norway to have caught a serial killer, and when Snowman become a common sight around the murders of several women, Harry begins to link the facts. The author constructed several fantastic characters, and a twisting plot that kept me working to keep up with the detective. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers, and look forward to working through the books that were previously released in Norway. (06-16-11)
Sorry by Zoran Drvenkar: The dust jacket caught my attention for this book, and it sat on my shelf only a day or two until I pulled it back off to begin reading. Four friends, each with a deeply-drawn backstory, get together to start an agency to say "Sorry" on behalf of others. It's an odd premise - how likely is it that a company would really hire someone to apologize to a past employee? - but the author makes it work here. The foursome is successful, until they show up at a home for an engagement and find the person to whom they are to apologize nailed to a wall through her forehead. From this point forward, the four friends are being directed by the killer, and although a complex plot, the author does a masterful job of keeping things hidden until the end. For those readers that enjoy a good thriller with well-drawn characters, I can definitely recommend this book! (12-18-11)
Stalking the Angel by Robert Crais: One of the only good things about a four hour flight to Vegas is the uninterrupted (almost - the lady in 17A had to get up every 35 minutes) reading time, and this novel was a perfect fit and a welcome distraction. Elvis Cole, a private eye, is hired by a hotel developer to find a rare Japanese manuscript loaned to him by associates in Japan and subsequently stolen from his home. The developer's wife is a drunk socialite, and his daughter is an apparent recluse, hiding in a stark white room in the mansion. Joe Pike, Elvis' partner, assists in several of the operations in this book, especially when the daughter is kidnapped at an awards ceremony. As with other books by this author, everything doesn't end happily - people are physically and emotionally scarred. I've really grown to like both Elvis and Joe, and have a decade of this author's books to catch up on. (03-28-11)
The Successful Novelist by David Morrell: I met this gentleman at ThrillerFest in July, and was intrigued by some of the advice that he was giving in the different sessions. I read "First Blood" many years ago, and vastly prefer the book to the movie, but haven't yet read his "Brotherhood of the Rose," but it is on my bedside shelf waiting for me. Regardless, this book parallels many of Morrell's lectures, for example stressing the need to really get into research, but also provides some very good advice of grammar and style. This book is now sitting directly next to my desk, and I anticipate pulling it out often as I push to complete my own novel. (07-28-11)
Vintage Cleveland by James Toman: I actually read through this book a few times, as it is fascinating studying photos of Cleveland taken before Tower City and many of the familiar buildings were present. The final chapter includes pictures of Euclid Beach and Puritas Springs, amusement parks shut down long before I was born but still fascinating to me. For anyone with an interest in Cleveland history and architecture, this is a great book. (06-20-11)
The Watchman by Robert Crais: With the next Joe Pike novel coming out in January, I wanted to read this first book that really focused on Pike as a character beyond Elvis Cole's detective agency. In this book, Pike is called upon to protect a girl who is heavily-based upon a certain hotel heiress, and he does so despite stacked odds and pursuit by bad guys and feds alike. The author really does give some insight behind the sunglasses, and I like the character even more now that he isn't simply an ex-mercenary with tattooed deltoids. I'm still working through this author's backlist, but will have the new Pike novel in my hands on January 24th! (12-23-11)
What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz: In a word, disappointed. This author used to be one of my favorites, but this novel was just a chore to push through. John Calvino's family was murdered by Alton Blackwood twenty years ago, just before he was shot and killed by John. Of course, Blackwood has continued his murderous ways from beyond the grave by possessing others, and John's wife and threw children are the likely targets. There were two primary issues with this book - the characters were unconvincing and there was an absolute lack of suspense. I pushed to the end, but really just wanted to put the book back on the self to maybe be pursued later. And once again, I understand that the author loves golden retrievers, but I've grown weary of having a dog, of this breed or any other, be a major character in the book. (10-19-11)

Books on CD

Some people call listening to a book "reading" - I am not one of those people! There are times, however, when a book on CD is the perfect thing for a long drive or to help distract a part of the brain during a difficult project!

Worth Dying For by Lee Child: I read this book when it came out last year, and when I found a few of the Reacher novels on discount at a closing Borders store, I had to jump on them. As with the other Lee Child audio books, this one is read by Dick Hill and he is great at bringing the characters and action to life. (04-12-11)

My favorite authors...

My tastes in reading are rather eclectic, but I have many favorites. Here are a few authors that you'll be well-advised to check out. The links will take you to the author's official website, where one exists.

Joe Abercrombie: I picked up "The Blade Itself" in 2008, and a few pages in, jumped onto Amazon-UK to buy the sequels (which weren't yet available in the US). I'm not usually into fantasy, but this blended time so well that at times it may have been set in the medieval period, and at other in the post-apocalypse.
Douglas Adams: Twenty-five years ago, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was authored for a BBC radio series and it has become a classic. You can find both the radio scripts and the five books of the trilogy (yes, five books in the trilogy) on most of the search engines above. The story highlights the trials of Arthur Dent as the earth is destroyed and he becomes an inter-galactic traveler through a series of bizarre adventures. Mr. Adams unfortunately passed away several years ago, but left a legacy in his stories.
Steve Berry: I anxiously await each of this author's books featuring Cotton Malone, an retired member of the Justice Department and yet constantly involved in intriguing quests.
Lee Child: Discovered in 2008, his main character is Jack Reacher, a former Army MP with a bit of wanderlust, a knack for finding trouble, and a sense of honor.
Harlan Coben: Harvard-educated Myron Bolitar, sports agent and investigator. His buddy Win is a badass that would give Jack Reacher and Repairman Jack a run for their money!
Robert Crais: I've really gotten into his characters Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, partners in a detective agency and extermely well-constructed characters.
William Dietrich: The creator of Ethan Gage, journeyman and soldier-of-fortune in the 18th century. I love his characters, and his books are exactly what you need for a leisurely weekend!
Barry Eisler: I've just finished Fault Line, and although I haven't yet moved into the John Rain series, thanks to Amazon they are on the way!
Joseph Finder: Paranoia is an excellent read about corporate espionage with an unexpected conclusion. High Crimes (also a movie with Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd) is a favorite as well.
John Grisham: For those that enjoy there legal fiction with characters and situations outside of the typical body-trial-conclusion storyline, Mr. Grisham always delivers.
Harry Harrison: Start with "The Stainless Steel Rat." Mr. Harrison is a prolific writer of science fiction reaching back into the 1960s, often wrapping a wry sense of humor into traditionally sci-fi situations.
Greg Iles: I picked up The Quiet Game in an airport bookshop last year, read most of it on the flight, and ordered the backlist as soon as I got home.
Dean Koontz: . My favorites, however, remain Lightning and Shadowfires.
Bentley Little: Pick any of his novels for a disturbing read. Mr. Little is able to take any location or event and make a truly strange story out of it. Given my personal animosity against a certain large chain of department store with a reputation for interrupting the commerce of small towns, I recommend The Store as your first book. Unfortunately, there is no official website.
Robert McCammon: I have always enjoyed this author, who unfortunately stopped writing for nearly a decade. Speaks the Nightbird was well worth the wait, however, and is a great novel set during the witch trial era. When you've finished this book, find a copy of Swan's Song, McCammon's end-of-the-world epic, and Boy's Life.
F. Paul Wilson: The Repairman Jack novels are an interesting mix of quasi-detective and the supernatural, as Jack is a fix-it man who regularly has run-ins with other worlds. Mr. Wilson's novels quite often cross over and through each other, and it is quite interesting to run across characters and events that you've seen before. Start with The Tomb.

Book Search Engines

I've collected books my entire life, and now have a house buckling under their weight. If I find a new author that I really enjoy (see below), I tend to order that author's entire backlist. These sites have helped me over the years, and are supplied here to help you in building your library.

www.Abebooks.com My favorite used book site.
www.Amazon.com If you haven't heard of Amazon, climb out from under the rock you've been hiding under! If you can't find it here, try the UK site as well - www.amazon.uk.com
www.BarnesAndNoble.com Probably the next best-known online seller next to Amazon.
www.Bookfinder.com This is a great site that aggregates many of the others out there.
www.Bookshop.Blackwell.co.uk This is a U.K. site that will help you find those hard-to-get European imprints.
www.Half.com This site is brought to you by eBay, and I have found it especially useful in filling out my paperback libraries.
www.Overstock.com I haven't ordered from overstock, but have had it recommended by a faithful reader.
www.Tomfolio.com This is a coop site of used book dealers, and I have had success in locating harder-to-find copies here.