Springs Behaving Badly defies genres, it's kind of a children's-style comedic book, but it's also very much for MillenniWhat an original short novel.
Springs Behaving Badly defies genres, it's kind of a children's-style comedic book, but it's also very much for Millennials who grew up on 80s and 90s cartoons more than for modern kids.
It's silly, in a good way, as mischievous cartoon characters team up with a precocious child (whose tragic circumstances are almost fairy tale-esque archetype already) and cause havoc. Full of imagination, zany adventures, and there's even a racist villain so that's something of a deeper message.
It reads quickly and feels familiar to anyone of this generation. In fact, if it could be time traveled to 90s kids who would read it while still a child, that's ultimately the perfect audience. Still, it's sure to be entertaining to readers of all ages. ...more
Bret Easton Ellis was, of course, one of the great young American authors of the 80s and every early 90s. However, his 21st century output has been veBret Easton Ellis was, of course, one of the great young American authors of the 80s and every early 90s. However, his 21st century output has been very sparse and honestly he is not the writer he once was.
From the beginning, there have been certain themes that have arisen in Ellis's works: the overlap of privilege and violence. Along with metafictional writing, in which 2005's Lunar Park the protagonist was the author himself (and his breakout Less Than Zero was always considered semi-autobiographical), and we have the formula for his new novel: The Shards.
It's an overwritten tome about his life as an upper-crust teenager in Los Angeles in 1981, full of queer experiences as well as high school drama that unfolded for the aspiring writer navigating as he navigated the adult world for the first time. It was a time at the private school Buckley, when apparently everyone constantly took copious amounts of drugs and had almost no consequences. Parents were basically nonexistant. And the parts about the process writing of writing his first novel are genuinely interesting. Then, after hundreds of pages about him cheating on his girlfriend with men--including with his girlfriend's film producer father, which was rather proto-Me Too--a subplot about a serial killer and a mysterious troubled new student eventually takes over the narrative. By the climax, with much unreliable narration herein, there's so much death and it's a complete bloody and intense horrorshow.
Ellis writes with excellent precision, he's an experienced author in total control of his voice and has always been a master of prose in this sense. He also drags on too much, a common problem with older established writers who don't get edited anymore, and the book did not need to be at that length.
It doesn't have the power of American Psycho, it won't be remembered as an iconic novel. It is a pretty good read for fans of Bret Easton Ellis who have waited a long time to read something new. He writes about what he knows, himself, and his descriptions of Southern California go on for quite a while. When he gets into driving from this road to that road, comparisons to the SNL skit 'The Californians' are inevitable.
No literary masterpiece. Like it or not, that era is over for Ellis. But I am glad to read his new works and for me as a fan it was worth getting into his world again. And one for such a personal, memoir-eque book, one does wonder which parts are true and which are embellished... and we can only hope that the violent murdering sections are but imagination......more
Superheroes are hard to translate into prose. The genre works best in comics, secondly in animation. (and a distant third in film but most of which arSuperheroes are hard to translate into prose. The genre works best in comics, secondly in animation. (and a distant third in film but most of which are actually bad).
This Deadpool novel is a worthy effort, combining the humor of the character with his fourth-wall breaking narration to make something quite entertaining.--and that almost works as an audiobook too. So it does as well as it can, but ultimately I'd rather read a comic or even watch a movie.
Also, should have had more R rated humor. That's what we expect of the character these days. Still, the author is very clever and witty, a whole lot of references therein. All in all a worthy effort, if you're a big Deadpool fan then I guess worth a read....more
Not recommended for everyone, but for fans of Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire then this fictional history tome is an excellent read.
So much storNot recommended for everyone, but for fans of Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire then this fictional history tome is an excellent read.
So much story packed in, no wonder only about a third of it is the inspiration for such an excellent adaption series now: House of Dragon.
I can understand how some people who expected a conventional model may have been disappointed by Fire & Blood, especially those not heavily invested in this world. But for readers who enjoy the immense world-building of R.R. Martin, this is a very satisfying read.
The only thing I can say, relating to the story of the Targaryens and their conquests and civil wars and political battles, is how extremely messed up it all gets. But I shall say no more spoilers than that... ...more
In 1929, socialite Bernadine Szold Fritz left America at the age of 33 to move to Shanghai. She stayed there for the better part of the following decaIn 1929, socialite Bernadine Szold Fritz left America at the age of 33 to move to Shanghai. She stayed there for the better part of the following decade, until war with Japan forced so many to leave. The world Bernadine inhabited and thrived in was alien in many ways, but also surprisingly familiar to anyone who has also made the trek from the West to East Asia in the 21st century.
It was a time of great change, when Shanghai was a cosmopolitan city yet split apart by a complex network of colonial powers. It was the early days of the Republic of China, before the culmination of the second World War and when civil war would force the KMT to flee to Taiwan.
The stories and places described in the book Bernardine's Shanghai Salon: The Story of the Doyenne of Old China are told through the eyes of a remarkable person, who achieved much in a time when women in either China or America had few rights compared to today.
Susan Blumberg-Kason, the author of her own memoir Good Chinese Wife about life and marriage in 1990s Hong Kong, did extensive research when writing this biography. It is a deep character study, listing a plethora of facts and figures, but also speculating on the deeper motivations and feelings Bernadine must have felt when going through the various personal challenges of her life abroad.
Bernadine was a journalist, writing most prestigiously for the New Yorker among other outlets, but unfortunately during this era she was forced into marriage as a way to support herself and her daughter. Indeed, she originally moved to Shanghai because of a proposal and often throughout the book she is held back by her marriage to businessman Chester Fritz. (It was her fourth marriage, in fact. Bernadine lived quite the life.)
The book is very much not romantic. Her husband, and previous ex-husbands, were products of the misogyny of the time, and tried to control and limit her in many ways. Despite that, Bernadine went as far as to help found the International Arts Theatre which produced many successful plays, ballets, and operas. The Soul of the Ch'in was the largest ballet ever performed in Shanghai until then, and the adaptation Lady Precious Stream was ahead of its time by being the first English-language production to have an all Chinese cast, a positive revolutionary moment considering previous versions of the play always utilized white actors in yellowface.
Throughout her years, Bernadine met many other famous writers and artists and the book namedrops quite the list of 1930s celebrities. She was good friends with author Lin Yutang, wrote letters to Hollywood actress Anna May Wong, and even knew the politically-connected Soong sisters who had such an impact on the history of China and Taiwan, such as Soong Mei-ling—the future wife of dictator Chiang Kai-shek.
With the expat perspective, Western readers who have lived in places like modern Shanghai, Hong Kong, or Taipei as well will be struck by how similar the sentiment is today. One disgruntled quote from a visiting friend of hers describes it well: “Thirty years—sometimes more—without troubling to learn the language, and these ‘Old China Hands’ pickled in alcohol considered themselves supreme authorities on the country and the people. They prided themselves on never mixing with the ‘natives.’ Was it due to the climate? They were inveterate grumblers.” Personally, I have met of those exact kinds of people in 2024.
Another interesting aspect of the book is Bernadine’s evolving Jewish identity. Perhaps that was why she felt like an outsider in her own homeland, and was able to move so far away. She says in one discussion, “I don’t know what to think anymore. I’ve gone through all the phases of hating it, of hating all Jews, of being proud of it and hating lots of Jews, of not minding one way or the other and having a few friends who are Jews, or deciding always to take the bull by the horns and in the most obvious way possible tell people right off.” Although she was never religious, as the years went by and horrors of Nazi Germany became more apparent, she participated in Jewish causes in order to aid refugees during the war.
Politics are ever present in the background of the book, but the most fascinating sections are focused on her own private life. Sexuality within her failed marriage is explored, there’s a breast cancer scare, among other issues with her career and family. The saddest aspect of all was her relationship with her daughter Rosemary who she chose to send to boarding school thousands of miles away in America, something hard to understand today, and that story ultimately ends in tragedy.
Bernadine Szold Fritz may not be well-known today, but she very much deserved to have a book written about her and Susan Blumberg -Kason is proven to be up to the task. Fans of history and of women’s issues will appreciate this ambitious book which gives a human angle to such a tumultuous time in the world. I certainly learned a lot, and enjoyed the read. ...more
Very concise and powerful short novel about Hiroo Onada the famed Japanese soldier who kept on fighting in the islands of the Philippines, decades aftVery concise and powerful short novel about Hiroo Onada the famed Japanese soldier who kept on fighting in the islands of the Philippines, decades after the end of the Pacific War, by the acclaimed Werner Herzog. A unique perspective on the hardships of life by one familiar with the abject awfulness of the jungle. Told in straightforward fashion, without over analyzing. Certainly an interesting way to learn about this bizarre and rather tragic story, and for you to make conclusions about this yourself. ...more
Dan Abnett, who is basically the creator of the modern filmic version of the Guardians of the Galaxy, as writteDouglas Adams meets the Marvel Universe
Dan Abnett, who is basically the creator of the modern filmic version of the Guardians of the Galaxy, as written an exciting science fiction space opera novel that combines the farce of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with the cosmic Jim Starlin-esque adventures of Marvel's various space alien mythos.
It's a corporate satire, it's meta and self-aware, and requires a lot of knowledge of the many galactic empires that have invaded the earth in comics over the years. It works surprisingly well as a novel, starring Rocket Raccoon and a Rigellian recorder robot. Some mainstays like Gamora show up, but it's not a Guardians teamup adventure. Enough goes on that Star-Lord not missed.
Also like Hitchhiker's Guide, which of course started as a radio drama broadcast, there's an audiobook version with sound effects and multiple actors which could be the preferred way to experience this book. The comparisons can't be avoided, which is a compliment in my view. ...more
I may not be smart enough to follow William Gibson in prose form, I always try but somehow his elegantly cool writing style mixed with profound cybernI may not be smart enough to follow William Gibson in prose form, I always try but somehow his elegantly cool writing style mixed with profound cybernetic ideas leave me with a sense of profundity yet lack of clear specifics. Thank goodness for the ground-breaking Peripheral streaming series on Amazon Prime which few people watched and is now cancelled. I still highly recommend that series, as somewhat more coherent take on these brilliant ideas about quantum computer time travel and dystopian post-"Jackpot" futures expressed ala video game culture and Amero veteran trauma etc...
Gibson is indeed quite impressive to still be such a modern science fiction titan after all these decades. I'm happy to support the author. It's just a lot. And I can still argue adaptations are a perfectly reasonable way to absorb the stories.
So, any chance of a comeback for the Peripheral season 2? ...more
A fun YA novel for fans of the Clone Wars series, which does overlap well with the final season despite a few continuity errors. Like many familiar StA fun YA novel for fans of the Clone Wars series, which does overlap well with the final season despite a few continuity errors. Like many familiar Star Wars stories, it's about going to a small planet where the people are oppressed and Ahsoka has to save the day. There are Inquisitors, a space battle in the end, and it doesn't terribly stand out to be honest.
The character is great, it's just that these sorts of novels don't have that much to say. We get it, it's hard for an ex-Jedi during this era. Rebels and the Obi-Wan show were similar in vein. An interesting thing is that the audiobook is narrated by Ahsoka's voice actor Ashley Eckstein, which is cool, but it's not first-person so even that doesn't totally work when describing scenes etc.
It's okay. Just not near the high level of political drama such as say Andor or Timothy Zahn's Thrawn books. Certainly worth reading for nerdy completists. And I am of course looking forward to her upcoming live-action series so it tided me over pretty well....more
A dynamic new post-apocalyptic science fiction, written with expertise but not about the science. Rather, the author (podcaster extraordinaire from BeA dynamic new post-apocalyptic science fiction, written with expertise but not about the science. Rather, the author (podcaster extraordinaire from Behinds the Bastards) is an experienced Middle Eastern war correspondent who writes authentically about a hypothetical Christian-type ISIS after the fall of the United States.
There's also issues of transhumanism, about how veterans of wars find it tough to acclimate back into society except by way of cybernetic enhancements. It's a bit over-the-top, very extreme and vulgar as these guys are just constantly on every drug ever. Sometimes it's even funny.
Note the audiobook is all free as a podcast. Not the deepest story, but very entertaining and would make for an above average smart action movie if not the deepest work of literature. Fans of postcyberpunk looking for something current would get a lot out of After the Revolution. ...more
'I don't know,' she muttered. 'But somewhere along the line, this freedom stuff got way out of control.'
A very cool social satire, one that's so very'I don't know,' she muttered. 'But somewhere along the line, this freedom stuff got way out of control.'
A very cool social satire, one that's so very 2003, and still has a lot of bite.
Jennifer Government isn't exactly about a dystopian future, more of an alternate present, where capitalism and neoliberal-globalism has run amok to absurd degrees. Everyone around the world speaks American, McDonalds runs schools, and Nike kills people for profit. So not that different from the real world.
The most jarring part is probably how everyone changes their last name based on where they work, like commentary on how we base our identities on jobs, but that makes for a lot of redundancies.
Max Barry writes with wit, fast-paced and full of jokes. Good at action scenes too. It is a little dated ala 2003, with some of the computer brand names and the like being passé at this point. It's not so much the names, really, but rather how libertarianism back then was at least a consistent ideology. Nowadays the far right is completely incoherent, just raw emotional instinct and the id lashing out, so even this version of 'capitalizm' doesn't seem like the worst thing to worry about. But I digress.
Jennifer Government, the titular MC, is an agent of what's left of the extremely weak government trying to defeat hypersleazy corporate criminals. Then as the novel develops, a sort of civil war between rival customer loyalty programs brews. They hire NRA to attack ExxonMobil, and Burger King fans riot, etc.
Snow Crash probably did it better. Still, this is a good read and doesn't require a ton of technical knowledge about hacking and the like. Any reader will get why this setting is so messed up, and how it reflects the world we live in which only seems to be getting worse with this sort of thing.
Just hope this is ultimately a future, or a present, that we can somehow get past and do better. ...more
Very ambitious, but also very flawed. Simply too long, too many details, it should have been edited way down.
No offense to Paolini though it is clearVery ambitious, but also very flawed. Simply too long, too many details, it should have been edited way down.
No offense to Paolini though it is clear he started as a young adult fantasy writer. In his attempt to do serious hard science fiction set in space, he overdoes it with many explanations that could have been left out. The dream sequences in particular are unnecessary.
Kira is an interesting main character, with her Venom -style alien attached to her. There's a lot of world-building to try to make this all work, a whole lot, yet in the end the plot is rather straightforward. Almost like a video game with the big boss at the end.
Other interesting ideas include the technology of space travel, overlays, and ship minds. The gelatinous aliens are cool too.
Overall I would watch a series of this, an adaptation would be interesting. I just can't recommend this novel in the medium of prose. I do respect the effort....more
**spoiler alert** Sorry, I appreciate what the author was going for in this dystopia novella, but I think it didn't quite work...
A COVID-allegory in **spoiler alert** Sorry, I appreciate what the author was going for in this dystopia novella, but I think it didn't quite work...
A COVID-allegory in which a virus and then vaccine destroy the world, told from the point of view of a family that survives. Unfortunately, like COVID conspiracy theories in general, it just doesn't make any sense upon close inspection. The virus was clearly very deadly in the beginning of the novel, so why did it turn out to be a bad thing to take vaccines?
And there's how the government oppresses unvaccinated to the point of using them as slave labor and executing them, but then why doesn't can't that powerful government just like force soldiers to give people shots? I guess I understand writing about how mandates are oppression, even if I don't agree with it I suppose some people liken it to a discriminated minority, but the whole thing just doesn't make any sense in this scenario.
And why does the government want everyone to take a vaccine that eventually kills off most of the human race, why cover it up? There is no motive to be explained.
Furthermore I can't understand the point of censoring online media when basically everyone on earth is going to die, what could possibly be the motive of that? Again: I get that it's a social criticism of how some people think YouTube shouldn't censor medical misinformation--which I respectfully disagree with even though people can have that take--I just don't understand how this narrative works in the context of this story.
(Really, the simplistic 'censorship' angle just isn't as interesting as manipulative algorithms these days. That's what I think society should be worried about. In any case, the vaccine apocalypse thing is a silly perspective at this point. COVID-19 vaccines have been around for years, and there turned out to be no mass side effects that some people worried so much about. Still, that's what the author wanted to explore.)
It's a short novella, so the characterization is a bit slim. Halfway through it's revealed that the main father figure had military experience which is sort of out of nowhere. He does protect his family, which is the point apparently, and I suppose it's a successful dystopia in that it expresses what the author intends. I'll give it 2.5 stars although this story did not work for me....more
Jean Genet's beautiful poetic memoir, guttural and raw and honest, and also with the most beautiful prose. It's sexually graphic at times, which as asJean Genet's beautiful poetic memoir, guttural and raw and honest, and also with the most beautiful prose. It's sexually graphic at times, which as as to be expected from a queer classic. But it is also very introspective about this man's thoughts and not just a fascinating window into this time and place as a vagabond in war-era Europe... Tales of love, crime, imprisonment, and more love.
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