Fisherhawk's 2014 Challenge

Hello all-

I actually posted on the 75 group last time around, but this seemed like a better fit, since I generally manage to hit that milestone fairly early in the year. Anyhow, as you may have already guessed, I am a confirmed bibliophile, spend most of my (limited) free time reading and am well on my way to needing floor-to-ceiling shelves by the time I retire. My tastes tend to run heavily toward military sci fi, horror and urban fantasy, but I have been known to read almost anything under the sun when the mood strikes (romance tends to be the only real odd one out), so if you have any good recommendations, I am always on the lookout for fresh entertainment. Last off, it’s nice to meet everyone and I hope you all meet your goals for the year. Good luck!

- Fisherhawk

1-3) Uzumaki, by Junji Ito – One would not think that a horror novel about spirals of all things, would be successful, but as ever, Ito displays a positive genius for turning the silliest things into something far, far worse than the monster under the bed. Very entertaining (and disgusting), with appropriately gruesome accompanying artwork.

4-5) Blood Test and Over The Edge, by Jonathan Kellerman – So far, this series just keeps getting better as it goes along, with engaging mysteries and characters that actually seem like they could be real people (sadly, not a common occurrence in fiction). My only real issue is with the vastly improbable scrapes stumbled into by the protagonist – not so bad as what can be found in the spy thriller genre I’ll grant (North Korea holding the world hostage with space-based lasers anyone?), but they made me work hard enough at suspending disbelief that I knocked myself straight out of the story a few times.

6) Trinity Blood Vol 1: The Star Of Sorrow, by Sunao Yoshida – Much more coherent than the corresponding television series, but its reach slightly exceeds its grasp when it comes to successfully marrying national-level machinations to the more local primary conflict. Not exactly stellar (sorry, it had to be done), but shows promise.

7) Distant Star, by Joe Ducie – One of the more entertaining takes on magic that I have run across recently, with vivid, dreamlike imagery and a genocidal librarian for a protagonist (who doesn’t love that?). The story is quite light on explanatory detail and only said protagonist exhibits any real depth of characterization, but the almost mythical atmosphere of the writing more than makes up for what little irritation they caused.

8) The Battle At The Moons Of Hell, by Graham Sharp Paul – Took a bit to really get off the ground, but well worth the wait once it did. Grandiose title notwithstanding, this one offers a much more realistic take on military life and combat than is generally the case with sci fi and reminds me (favorably) of On Basilisk Station.

9-14) Until Death Do Us Part Vols 5-10, by Hiroshi Takashige and DOUBLE-S – Has all of the over-the-top violence and larger-than-life villains of your classic action movies, but subverts a number of the genre’s tropes. The characters actually display intelligence on occasion, the women are more than eye-candy and the tech toys have a bit more grounding in reality than is usually the case. Not even remotely plausible, but I suppose that fits with the action movie theme as well. Quite a lot of fun overall, but then again, I am an action movie fan.

15) Starfist: First To Fight, by David Sherman and Dan Cragg – Felt more than a bit old-fashioned (despite its 25th century setting and late 90’s publishing date), with almost all of the men all firmly cast in the stereotypical chain-smoking, hard-drinking, physically aggressive mold and the few women appearing only in the roles of mother, mistress or one-night-stand. Certainly not a favorite, but the years of military experience evident in the writing helped offset enough of my issues with the characters that I am willing to give the sequel a chance.

Welcome Fisherhawk, nice start !

Welcome! And, thanks for the book bullets already--I've added Distant Star and Uzumaki to my list of works to hunt down sooner than later...

bryanoz - thanks, likewise. I have been meaning to read Mistborn for quite some time now, but keep getting distracted. Anyhow, hope you have fun meeting all of those goals.

whitewavedarling - you are welcome, always glad to be of service. Have fun with Uzumaki, it is a personal favorite. His others were not quite as entertaining for me (particularly Frankenstein), but each of the story collections has a few real gems which should not be missed.

16-17) Scorpion Shards and Thief Of Souls, by Neal Shusterman – very much not your average young-adult novels, but in a good way. Actions have reasonable consequences (including death), none of the characters are inhumanly perfect and no one spends half the book moping because another kid said something mean to them. Entertaining enough to for this to be my tenth or fifteenth reread over the last decade and reminds me of Titans Of Chaos, only much more accessible.

Welcome to the group! An excellent start, and I might have to check out Neal Shusterman now...

wookiebender - thanks, much appreciated. Good luck with Shusterman, I can't vouch for the rest of his books, but these ones are quite entertaining. Quick word of warning though, if you prefer happy endings and likeable characters (they are realistic, but not anyone with whom you would really want to spend much time), these ones probably will not be very fun for you. It that does not bother you though, I definitely recommend them. Enjoy.

18) Dorohedoro Vol 11, by Q Hayashida - this particular volume provides a great deal of plot advancement, as well as Hayashida's particular brand of combining highly detailed monsters and mayhem, with flat-out adorable characters. Highly recommend the series, but don't start on this volume unless you really want to be lost.

19) Shattered Sky, by Neal Shusterman - a reasonably fitting conclusion to an excellent series, but the ending was too pat (even taking into account the destiny element) for me to really enjoy it. Also, never quite successfully integrated some of the atypically serious subject-matter (morality of bringing Holocaust victims back to life, for example), with the more standard young-adult fare (love at first sight followed by drama anyone?). All in all, definitely not a favorite, but still worth reading for the occasional gems scattered throughout.

20) Broken Quill, by Joe Ducie - retains all of the whimsy and grandeur of the first intallment, but significantly improves in the characterization department (including a rather unconventional psychopath). Highly recommended and a great deal of fun.

21-32) Death Note Vols 1-12, by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata - a thought-provoking game of cat and mouse, but only for the first seven volumes. Unfortunately, the next five are a washed-out retread of the events from the first, with significantly weaker characterization and an overall sense of lethargy (despite there actually being quite a bit of action). Not horrible per se, but the disappointment is magnified by comparison to the excellence from the first half.

Oh bother, I've read the first two of Death Note. I'll continue for a few more volumes I guess, but I won't be worried if I stop at six.

wookiebender - unless you are an incorrigible completist like me (sigh...), I would definitely recommend finishing only through volume seven. You won't get to a few of the major resolution points, but avoiding all of that disappointment is well worth it, as you can always make up your own ending. Hope you enjoy them.

I do tend towards completism, but am trying to remind myself that life is too short to be reading something I don't like. I think I can stop at #7, and then just Google the plot points I'm missing. :)

wookiebender - sounds like a good plan. Speaking of plans, I think you've sold me on Jeeves and Wooster. I didn't actually know that they started as books, so thanks for the nice surprise :) - strongly suspect I will enjoy them.

33) Knight Fall, by Joe Ducie - another lovely installment. My only real gripe with this one is that it falls prey to the fantasy author rule which dictates that the hero will always risk billions of lives in order to save one. This irritates me to no end, but was a refreshingly minor issue in this case, because unlike most of its counterparts, the consequences did in fact occur and were dealt with, rather than being conveniently avoided through some sort of deus ex machina nonsense. Looking forward to the next one.

34) Day of the Damned, by David Gunn - this book retains most of the same hybridized scifi-action movie elements as its predecessors (bio-synthetic implants, sentient firearms, laser sabres etc.), but manages to lose much of the irreverent mood and left me with the overall impression that I was reading bits and pieces of a much larger novel. Still more enjoyable (and realistic) than the average military scifi, but disappointing in terms of structure and execution.

35) Pandemonium, by Warren Fahy - takes up where Fragment left off and employs the same, highly volatile mixture of interpersonal drama, impending apocalypse, unsettling creatures and radical scientific prognostication as its forbear. The plotting remains firmly stuck in B-movie dramatic territory, but the thoroughly engaging science drags it much closer to Crighton's level (for me at least) and makes for a bit of a literary thrill ride.

36) Halloweenland, by Al Sarrantonio - this one felt like it should have been a short story, which is appropriate, given that it started as one before the author re-worked it into a full-length novel. If all you are looking for is an hour or so of relatively shallow diversion, enjoy. If you were like me on the other hand, and had high expectations because you read Sarrantonio's thoroughly excellent Toybox anthology, you will probably be disappointed. Consider yourself warned.

37) Blade Reforged, by Kelly McCullough - a very entertaining installment in the series, which not only fleshes out several of the existing characters, but also introduces an undead murderer and an oddly lighthearted genocide-monger (among others). Definitely worth reading and opens up some diverting lines of speculation for future sequels. I wouldn't recommend starting with this one if you've not read the others, but the series as a whole is well worth the effort.

38) Bleach Vol 59, by Tite Kubo - well, the Zero Squad are still deeply irritating and detract from my enjoyment of the story, but at least the rest of the volume occupies itself with some long-awaited backstory and a bit of plot advancement. That said, if self-pitying angst upsets you, you may want to skip this volume and just get a summary of the contents, because aside from the gratuitous silliness, that's pretty much what you get.

39) Don't Read This Book, edited by Chuck Wendig - one of my favorite horror anthologies (I have read it twice during the last six months) and very much worth your time. It has a great deal of originality, including dream harvesters, talking blood and the answer to what's really hiding under your bed, among other fun, and lets you know just how upsetting things can get when the Nightmares run free. Highly recommended and has a story for pretty much everyone.

40) Anything Can Be Dangerous, by Matt Hults - well, I can truthfully say that I never thought I would read something built on a foundation of killer plastic bags. Now that I have, I am quite glad that I did. This anthology contains a great deal of variety (skinwalkers, ghost restaurants, the aforementioned plastic bags etc.), but the overall quality manages to maintain a constant high throughout. Recommended for anyone who isn't too particular about which subset of the genre spawned the story.

You are making me feel like a woeful underachiever! Wow, #40 before Valentine's Day! Seriously, I am impressed.

wareagle78 - thanks. Reading is my favorite of my many hobbies (jewelry-making, movie-watching, knitting, cat-bothering etc.), so I spend most of my limited spare time on it. Anyhow, good luck with your reading this year - I hope you have fun!

Cat bothering!!! Always a winner!

wareagle78 - my monster would disagree, but I am with you on that one. Cat-botherers unite!

Hurrah for cat bothering!

wookiebender - (grins) it's always nice to meet a fellow practitioner of the bothering arts.

41) Spellwright, by Blake Charlton - very interesting take on literary magic, but despite the murder, espionage and general mayhem, the story didn't really feel like it got going until it was nearly over. Still entertaining enough that I will read the second one, but probably not in a hurry.

42) Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher, by Bruce Coville - hadn't read this in almost twenty years, but glad to see that, unlike many of my other childhood favorites, this one aged well. It is complex enough for older readers, but also has an accessibly realistic protagonist for the younger set and actually deals with consequences (unlike most fiction - adult or otherwise), making it a nice choice all around.

43) Known Devil, by Justin Gustainis - a very enjoyable foray back into the supernatural noir that is Gustainis' version of Scranton. Remarkably realistic for something that full of elves, vampires and gnomes, and much more entertaining than it would otherwise have been, as a result. Looking forward to the next one.

Well, the cats bothered us this week. We lost one for about 24 hours, only to find her in the kids' wardrobe, all curled up and happy. And most peeved that we booted her out of there. Yeesh.

wookiebender - that sounds about right. Mine scared his sitter half to death the Christmas before last. Couldn't find him, so she thought she accidentally let him out. Looked for him for about eight hours and ransacked the entire apartment before finding him asleep under the futon in the library. Gotta love the little monsters.

44) The Monster's Ring, by Bruce Coville - just as good as Jeremy Thatcher Dragon Hatcher, and for the same reasons (see comment 39 above if you want to know what they are). Definitely recommended for anyone trying to get a child or grandchild into the hobby.

Cats. Can't live with them, can't live without them :O)

judylou - I know, right! (laughs) Wouldn't have it any other way.

45) Three Graves Full, by Jamie Mason - starts with the basic framework of a murder mystery, then throws most of the genre conventions out the window and adds in a large helping of very dark humor. Never quite managed to seamlessly integrate all of the disparate plot elements, but was entertaining enough that I didn't really mind.

46-48) Writ In Blood, The Pack, Dark Carnival, by James A. Moore - spins a thoroughly entertaining yarn out of the deceptively simple premise of a witch's curse, with a lively anti-hero, interesting villains and a variety of imaginatively horrific happenstance. Could have used a bit of editorial pruning, but still a lot of fun.

49-50) Zippered Flesh: Tales of Body Enhancements Gone Bad Vols 1-2, edited by Weldon Burge - the title really says it all here. In the mood for prehensile organs, malevolent implanted AI or a highly upsetting embodiment of the phrase "sex object"? Then give these ones a try. Certainly not for the squeamish, as most of the stories rely at least partially upon shock value, but if you are in the right mood for them, enjoy.

51) The Mammoth Book of Body Horror, edited by Paul Kane, Marie O'Regan - of all of the anthologies I have read, this one is probably my favorite, not only because I am partial to the genre, but also because it consists almost entirely of true gems (most anthologies only have one or two to their names, sadly) culled from nearly two hundred years of the greats, including: Poe, Campbell, Barker, Lovecraft and King (to name just a few). Happily, this volume has a brand of viscerally upsetting horror for everyone - self-cannibalism, human-animal hybridization, the darker side of modeling etc. - and was exceedingly entertaining throughout, especially considering that it was a reread.

52) Resurrection Man Vol 2, by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning - exhibits a much higher quality of artwork than many of its compatriots, ties up the loose ends from the first volume and the sheer variety made possible by the central premise (every time the main character dies, he comes back able to use a new power) keeps things quite fresh. A decent installment overall.

53) Judge Vol 3, by Yoshiki Tonogai - this series (like Doubt before it) reads as I imagine Saw would have, if the killer were a bored sociopath, rather than a moral fanatic. Not exactly complex or difficult to predict, but if all you want is a fast-paced little whodunit, either series offers an hour or two of fun.

54-55) Ranma 1/2 Vols 1-2, by Rumiko Takahashi - I am not often partial to slapstick, but for some reason, Takahashi's father and son duo (cursed to change into a panda and young girl respectively), as well as the zany cast of supporting characters, makes me laugh. Overall, the primary focus is the comedy, but the occasional flashes of realism make for a rather endearing whole.

56) When It's A Jar, by Tom Holt - one of my favorites from this author, When It's A Jar is something of a sequel to Doughnut (a story of the multi-verse, sibling rivalry and round objects with a hole in the middle), but can be read on its own without really losing anything. Has all of the classic Holt elements: accidental (and unwilling) protagonist, apocalyptic-level conspiracy and mayhem, plus a large serving of nicely understated humor. Feels rather unfocused toward the end, but still a lot of fun along the way.

57) Machine of Death, edited by Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo, David Malki - a rather unique and varied anthology, which considers the ways in which a machine which accurately (if ambiguously) predicts the manner of a person's death, would affect their life. The stories range from sci fi, to humor and all parts between, so there is something for everyone - recommended for those with eclectic tastes.

58) The Informers, by Bret Easton Ellis - full of the author's trademark characters (adrift on the sea of life and floundering) and is instantly recognizable as a close relative of American Psycho, which is a favorite of mine. Well worth reading if you don't mind that you will likely finish the book feeling as disconnected from the characters as they do from each other.

59) Hyperbole And A Half, by Allie Brosh - hands-down the most amusing thing I have read in recent memory. Anyone looking for self-deprecating humor, absolute insanity and general mayhem, ought to read this immediately. Especially partial to Thoughts and Feelings, God of Cake and Motivation.

Just a heads-up, but I am in the middle of rereading Simon R. Green's Nightside series, and will be waiting until I am finished to review the whole thing. That said, if anyone wants a review for an individual volume, just let me know. Hope all of your challenges are still going well.

- Fisherhawk

60) Something From The Nightside, by Simon R. Green

61) Agents Of Light And Darkness, by Simon R. Green

62) Nightingale's Lament, by Simon R. Green

63) Hex And The City, by Simon R. Green

64) Paths Not Taken, by Simon R. Green

65) Sharper Than A Serpent's Tooth, by Simon R. Green

66) Hell To Pay, by Simon R. Green

67) The Unnatural Inquirer, by Simon R. Green

68) Just Another Judgement Day, by Simon R. Green

69) The Good, The Bad and The Uncanny, by Simon R. Green

70) A Hard Day's Knight, by Simon R. Green

71) The Bride Wore Black Leather, by Simon R. Green - This series, more so than Hawk & Fisher (highly recommended for those who like their traditional fantasy a bit grimy), the Secret Histories (essentially James Bond with magic) or Ghost Finders (think British Supernatural, with the addition of an occasionally suicidal telepath named Happy), showcases Green's talent for creating vivid characterization and events. It lends itself not only to the characters, but also the settings and events, imbuing each with their own distinctive presence and sparking the development of some impressive mental imagery. My only real issues with these books are the author's stubborn refusal to abide by his own internal continuity and his fondness for certain phrases (you'll get to know them when you see them), but these are relatively minor faults and not especially noticeable unless finishing the entire series in quick succession (or for the tenth or fifteenth time). Recommended for anyone seeking a middle-ground between graphic novels and prose.

72) Snuff, by Chuck Palahniuk - I came out of this one both disgusted by the human race, and amused by its antics. A very odd and meandering trip through the hands-down oddest suicide plan I have ever run across, the disparate elements of which, abruptly congeal within the last ten pages or so (yes, that word-choice was deliberate - if you get that far, you will see why). Read this because I greatly enjoyed Fight Club, but was left a bit disappointed, as I just did not find it to be especially appealing. Snuff will likely leave you with a few laughs and the lingering impression that it ought to have been slightly tacky and left marks on your hands. Just like its characters.

That's an awful lot of books in a single series. I'm always a bit hesitant when I see that many in a long line - it feels like such a commitment to read them all.

Hello everyone. Apologies for disappearing on you, but between some ongoing health problems and work-related craziness, I am beginning to think that the universe is conspiring against my hobbies. That said, I have a bit of time now (and feel well enough to actually make use of it), so I will finally be posting my delinquent reviews and reading list over the weekend.

- Fisherhawk

73) Dead Ever After, by Charlaine Harris - The charm which originally attracted me to this series has long since been overshadowed by the ever-increasing bitterness, illogic and DRAMA!!!!! (please read that last one aloud, with extra vibrato and pretend that the text is flashing neon, for proper emphasis), leaving me to continue reading it only because I am an incorrigible completist and had still retained some faint hope of recapturing the magic. Unfortunately, this volume shoehorns in a veritable parade of ex-boyfriends and random side characters (some appearing for the first time in ages and most of whom have utterly no reason to be there, but are required in order to provoke frequent bouts of pensive soul-searching), a rather superfluous conspiracy (takes up half of the plot, but feels like an afterthought) and a thoroughly underwhelming Surprise Twist Ending (sorry, but I think almost everyone saw that coming twelve and a half books ago). By no means the worst book in the world (previous ranting aside), just irritating and the culmination of ongoing disappointment.

74) Bleach Vol 60, by Tite Kubo - well, the back-story is finally, well and truly on the move, with details galore on the subjects of the main character's parents, his powers and the motivations behind the current conflict. Which is appropriate, given that the series is (finally) supposed to be coming to a close. It has never had more than a passing relationship with logic (this volume in particular) and has strong revisionist tendencies, but it has also been a lot of fun and I will miss it once it is finished. Highly recommend reading it if you are a fan of action movies, as these books are essentially their graphic novel equivalent.

75) The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery - review pending

76) Marked, by Alex Hughes - review pending

77-90) Nabari No Ou Vols 1-14, by Yuhki Kamatani - series review pending

91-92) HACK/SLASH Omnibus 1-2, by Tim Seeley - review pending

93-95) The New 52: Justice League Dark Vols 1-3, by Peter Milligan / Jeff Lemire - review pending

96) The Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin Vol 1, by Jim Butcher - review pending

97-100) Sandman Vols 7-10, by Neil Gaiman - review pending

101) Black Orchid, by Neil Gaiman / Dave McKean - review pending

102) Dorohedoro Vol 12, by Q Hayashida - review pending

103) Drifters Vol 3, by Kohta Hirano - review pending

104-107) The New 52: Suicide Squad Vols 1-4, by Adam Glass - review pending

108) A Book Of Horrors, edited by Stephen Jones - review pending

109) Welcome To Hoxford, by Ben Templesmith - review pending

110) Global Frequency, by Warren Ellis - review pending

Well, I fell back off the wagon on graphic novels, but in my defense, it was entertaining. Also, I started on P. G. Wodehouse this morning in an effort to mitigate the recent shortfalls in my 'serious reading' program. (unrepentant grin)

Helenliz - Apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I have the same problem, especially with ongoing series. Always have to ask myself if I really want to invest that much time and effort for something that may end up not being worth it. That said, the Nightside books are not too terrible in that arena, as they consist of small servings and (mostly) make only a passing stab at maintaining an ongoing storyline. If supernatural noir sounds like something you would enjoy, these ones are probably a safer bet than most other series.

111) The Man With Two Left Feet, by P. G. Wodehouse - review pending

Welcome back, and congratulations of blitzing the 100 book barrier already!

wookiebender - Much appreciated, thanks!

112) Angel Dust Apocalypse, by Jeremy Robert Johnson - This anthology offers something which is often lacking in bizarro fiction: stories not relying solely upon the tried-and-true "Gross-Out" or "Wow, I Can't Believe They Just Did That" methodologies. Instead, the roster demonstrates a more than passing acquaintance with literary sensibility, a firm sense of realism and vivid imagery, all of which have been (in my experience) rarities within the author's chosen genre. Not to say that the more standard fare is not also entertaining (after all, you just know that any book able to legitimately work in the phrase "Steve, for God's sake! It's Communism, stop eating it!" - Cody Goodfellow's All-Monster Action! - is going to be fun), simply that these extras were an unexpected treat.

113) Party Wolves In My Skull, by Michael Allen Rose - review pending

114-116) Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse Vols 1-3, by Ben Templesmith - review pending

117) Trashland A Gogo, by Constance Ann Fitzgerald - review pending

118) We Live Inside You, by Jeremy Robert Johnson - review pending

119) The Church Of TV As God, by Daniel Vlasaty - review pending

120) The Hub: Dangerous Territory, by James H. Schmitz - review pending

121) Ambrosial Flesh, by Mary Ann Mitchell - review pending

122) The Killing Joke, by Alan Moore, Brian Bolland - review pending

123) Wolf Children Ame & Yuki, by Mamoru Hosoda, Yu - review pending

124) Crimson, by Gord Rollo - review pending

125) Strange Magic, by Gord Rollo - review pending

126) The Best Bizarro Fiction Of The Decade, edited by Cameron Pierce - review pending

127) Batman: Arkham Asylum Living Hell, by Dan Slott etc. - very aptly demonstrates exactly why you never want to plead insanity when being tried in Gotham. The artwork is uniformly quite good and combines very well with the dialogue, to create a thoroughly immersive (and mildly horrifying) overall experience (keep an eye out for Humpty's story and Jane Doe's interaction with Fish). Of note, shoehorned into the ending of what is an otherwise realistic psychological character study, is an ill-fitting section crammed with mysticism, magic and demons who speak only in rhyme (which, combined with their general incompetence, makes it difficult to take them in any way, seriously). Pay no attention to the illogic behind that particular curtain and just enjoy watching an unpleasant man receive his very appropriate comeuppance.

128) Batman: The Man Who Laughs, by Ed Brubaker etc. - review pending

129) Batman: Arkham Asylum A Serious House On Serious Earth, by Grant Morrison and Dave McKean - review pending

130) Daredevil: The Man Without Fear, by Frank Miller etc. - review pending

131) Astonishing X-Men Vol 1, by Joss Whedon and John Cassady - review pending

132) Judge Vol 4, by Yoshiki Tonogai - review pending

133) The Bizarro Starter Kit: Orange - review pending