Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Duane Swierczynski is one of my favorite authors. His current novel Severance Package is getting great reviews. I plan to order a copy soon. Until then I have Duane’s blog to hold me over.
Entertainment Weekly created their list of The 100 Best Books from 1983 to 2008. Using just their choices, here’s my top six:
I visit a lot of blogs daily. Rod Lott’s Bookgasm is one of them. I enjoy his reviews – he’s turned me on to some very good books. He also runs contests and I enter the ones that have prizes that I think I’d enjoy. Guess who was just named the winner of a copy of Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide? Yep. Big ole me.
You’ll have a chance at the next contest if you start reading his site… not that I want the competition.
Way back in November of 06 I posted how much I enjoyed James Sallis’ noir-crime novel Drive. Today Variety announced that Neil Marshall is set to direct Hugh Jackman in the big screen adaptation. I’m just hoping that I dig it as much as the novel!
The Pitch: “Blade Runner” meets “The Dirty Dozen”
The Overview: In the near future the two most powerful organizations on the planet are the United Federation of Nations and The Electric Church. The United Federation of Nations controls the population through the use of their brutal and corrupt System Security Force [think elite military police]. The Electric Church is a new religion growing at an exponential rate due to its promise of salvation through eternal life [as a cyborg]. Avery Cates is a “gunner” – hired muscle available for a price – trying to stay under the radar of both groups. When he mistakenly kills one of the SS cops he finds himself given one option for survival: break in to the stronghold of the Electric Church and assassinate it’s leader.
The Good: Jeff Somers‘ writing. Avery Cates and his band of outlaws. The story moves. The cover illustration by Jae Lee.
The Bad: What happens to converts to The Electric Church.
The Ugly: The way most of the population lives.
The Summary: My guess is the The Electric Church will make my list of Best Books of 2008. I can’t wait to read its sequel, “The Digital Plague.”
We may have seen the last of Matt Hughes as far as MMA fighting goes. Still there are other options that would keep him active in the sport. Hughes would make an excellent commentator. He has already written one well-received book.
But if Matt Hughes decides to retire totally from the limelight, how will he be remembered? I think Dave Doyle sums it up perfectly HERE.
5] (Tie) The Terror by Dan Simmons is a novelization of the true doomed 1840s Franklin expedition to find a Northwest passage. History tells us there were no survivors and the men died from exposure, starvation and worse. Simmons’ story combines all of the interesting historical details and adds a new menace, a creature which feeds on men. The Terror was a national best seller. Stephen King listed it as one of his favorite books of the year. Who am I to argue with Stephen King?
5] (tie) No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy. You know how much I loved the book and movie. If you haven’t read it [or seen it], you should.
4] Duane Swiercznski jumped to my “must read” list with his very hip, very cool novel The Wheelman. Since then I’ve also read his Secret Dead Men and The Blonde. All of which get a thumbs up and The Blonde comes in at #4 on this year’s best of list.
3] No Dominion by Charlie Huston. C’mon, it’s Joe Pitt — and Charlie Huston. Enough said.
1] L.A. Rex by Will Beall. Beall is a real LA cop and LA Rex is his first novel. I hope that there are more to come because this tale of cops, gangbangers, drug dealers and the gritty life of those in South Central pulled me in and wouldn’t let go. LA Rex is currently a bargain book purchase if you click HERE. You can get the hard cover for less than the price of a paperback… but supplies are limited.
“No Country for Old Men” brought to the screen by co-writers and co-directors Joel and Ethan Cohen is being talked up for all kinds of awards. After seeing it today, I’d say it’s going to win a bunch. Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy and boasting a flawless cast that includes Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Woody Harrelson and Kelly MacDonald, this could be THE film to beat come award season.The Bad: Anton Chigurh. Nothing else comes close to being “The Bad.”
The Ugly: Doctoring your own gunshot wound; and when you hear “there’s a bone sticking out of your arm.”
If you haven’t yet, you should read the book and then see the movie. That way, come Oscars you’ll be ahead of the curve.
I saw “I am Legend” at the first showing today in a packed theater. After seeing the CGI “vampires” [although they are never called that in the movie] in this trailer, I must admit I went in with a bit of trepidation. But, because the Richard Matheson novel is so strong, and because the previous two movies [The Last Man on Earth and The Omega Man] based on the same novel worked on their own levels, I felt that Will Smith and crew could pull off a worthy addition to the “I am Legend” legacy. So did he? Let’s take a look:
The Good: The concept; Will Smith as Robert Neville, Sam; how the virus is created; taking the time needed to show Neville’s isolation; Neville going in to save Sam; stumbling on the standing/sleeping “vampires”; snaring a vampire / being snared; Sam saving Neville; how the final scene tied into the title.
The Bad: Most complaints that I’ve read about the movie are gripes about the shift once the woman and her son arrive. While it’s true that the feel of the movie changes, I think that it works because we now see just how much Neville has lost touch with reality. Pretty bold move if you ask me. Some of the CGI effects.
The Ugly: The vampires.
All-in-all I really enjoyed the movie much more than I thought I would going in. It not only will find a place in my dvd library, but adds nicely to the “I am Legend” legacy.
Who’d have thought that the winner of the Worst Book Title would go to a Walt Disney publication? After seeing the title Cooking with Pooh, I’d have to agree.
Reading books written by Mathew Reilly is like watching an all-out action movie while riding a rollercoaster. His books are bigger than life, move at breakneck speed, keep you turning the pages — and just when you then there is no way out for the hero, Reilly kicks it up a notch and comes up with another over the top set piece as the story hurtles forward.
Whew!
Reilly’s books are fun and his latest 7 Deadly Wonders is no exception. A rare solar event called the Tartarus Rotation is set to occur shortly. Several teams are racing to gather 7 pieces of a capstone hidden around the world. If they can recover and join the pieces in time for the Tartarus Rotation they will be given power such as the world has never before seen. There’s a team from the United States, a team from England and a team of multi-national adventurers. [We’ll be pulling for the multi-national team not because they’re outgunned and out manned, but because they’re the good guys.]
And that’s all you really need to know. If you’re in the mood for an adrenaline-charged roller coaster ride that’ll make you put down the video game paddles and keep turning pages, then give Mathew Reilly’s 7 Deadly Sins a try.
PS – I just discovered that Amazon has it on sale at a HUGE DISCOUNT — click HERE for full details!
You know I loved the book. You know I can’t wait for the movie. You even know about
Yesterday I wrote about the amazingly talented artist, Joe Bluhm, and his book Rejects. Here’s what I said:
