Chris Snow has a rare genetic disease that makes bright light, especially sunlight, deadly to him. Even slight exposure could burn him and cause majorChris Snow has a rare genetic disease that makes bright light, especially sunlight, deadly to him. Even slight exposure could burn him and cause major skin cancer. He spends his days indoors, asleep. It's at sundown when his day starts. He rides his bike around the small California town of Moonlight Bay, night-surfs with his beach-bum buddy, and hooks up with his girlfriend. Other than the fact that his world is constantly shrouded in night, Chris lives a normal 20-something life.
Dean Koontz's 1997 novel "Fear Nothing" is, to put it nicely, weird. It's a horror novel, yes, but it's pretty funny for a horror novel. The fact that the main characters are white, rich, entitled young kids who don't care about anything other than surfing, watching movies, and listening to music should clue you in to the world Koontz is building in this story.
Don't get me wrong: the horror in this---when it arrives---is pretty damned horrifying. But this is an extremely slow-burn story, where Koontz drops clues throughout about the Big Reveal, and the events and happenings don't make any logical sense. The reader has the distinction of being in the exact same boat as Chris: you won't know what the fuck is going on until the very end, so just enjoy the ride.
The book takes place all in one 12-hour period, at night. Chris wakes up to the gut-wrenching news that his father---who has been in the hospital---has died. He rushes to the hospital where he witnesses the morgue inexplicably switch his father's body with that of a vagrant whose eyes have been ripped out. That's just the beginning of his night of weird, inexplicable shit. A night that will involve family secrets, government experiments, super-intelligent cats and dogs, vicious monkeys, and murder.
Thankfully, Koontz takes his cues less from Lovecraft than he does Lebowski in this. End-of-the-world Lovecraftian horror is simply more fun and hilarious when told from the perspective of bored, entitled, weed-smoking surfer kids. ...more
I made a vow years ago that I would not read another Batman (or Batman-adjacent) comic. I had my reasons. For the most part, I've been pretty good. A I made a vow years ago that I would not read another Batman (or Batman-adjacent) comic. I had my reasons. For the most part, I've been pretty good. A few slips, here and there: Sam Hamm's fun 2022 series Batman '89, Tom Taylor's DCeased, James Tynion IV's DC vs. Vampires. I read a Harley Quinn comic once. I think I read a forgettable Joker one-off somewhere in there.
Other than those falls off the wagon, I've been leading a fairly devout Batman-free life.
Then, Scott Snyder had to go and write Absolute Batman: The Zoo.
Now, I read somewhere that the whole "Absolute" bullshit has something to do with one of those universe-ending Crisis events that DC loves to do every 6 months and that I want nothing to do with, ever. Something about Darkseid and his never-ending desire to fuck up the DC universe. I'm a Marvel guy, so to understand what's going on, just basically think of Snyder's Batman as a Batman variant.
Somewhere in the DC multiverse is a Bruce Wayne who didn't have rich parents, a silver-spoon upbringing, massive wealth and opportunities galore. In at least one of these variant universes, Wayne comes from a simple middle-income family, whose father was a school teacher and mother was a social worker. In at least one of these universes, this Wayne had to work double-time to get to where he is.
Yeah, there's a tragic back-story, but in this universe Wayne still has a mom. In a weird twist of fate, too, Wayne has familiar childhood friends who, in other universes, would have grown up to be villains like the Penguin, the Riddler, Two-Face, and Catwoman. In this one, though, they are just his pals who each has unique talents to help him in his vigilante quest.
In this universe, Gotham is still a shithole, overrun with violent gangs and criminals. The city's law enforcement is outmanned and outgunned. A new crime syndicate called the Party Animals is committing unspeakable atrocities, and Mayor Jim Gordon is being blamed since it is happening under his watch. A British MI6 agent is tasked with investigating the Party Animals and this new masked vigilante known as Batman. The agent's name? Alfred Pennyworth.
A very interesting and riveting take on the Batman mythos, one that is a bit more relatable to us lowly plebian peons.
Lots of werewolves in this one. If you happen to like werewolves, and Vegas, and the Hulk, then you will probably like Philip Kennedy Johnson's run ofLots of werewolves in this one. If you happen to like werewolves, and Vegas, and the Hulk, then you will probably like Philip Kennedy Johnson's run of The Incredible Hulk. Volume 4, "City of Idols" continues the story of Hulk's battle with the Mother of All Monsters, the Eldest. Hulk smashes good in this one......more
The fourth and final installment of R.L. Stine's graphic novel series "Stuff of Nightmares" ends in a bloodbath when the mad scientist tries to resurrThe fourth and final installment of R.L. Stine's graphic novel series "Stuff of Nightmares" ends in a bloodbath when the mad scientist tries to resurrect his dead girlfriend, unsuccessfully. Meanwhile, his "dead" brother meets the monsters that he helped create. (Spoiler: it doesn't end well.) A bunch of cops follow the monsters in the old house on the Outer Banks. Betcha can't guess who wins that confrontation?
Lots and lots of gore in this one. Overall, this series has been rather mediocre with a few moments of originality. Entertaining? Okay. Worth reading? Probably not....more
Mad scientist Isaac transplants the brain of his newly-murdered brother into a new body. The body comes to life... and immediately tries to kill the mMad scientist Isaac transplants the brain of his newly-murdered brother into a new body. The body comes to life... and immediately tries to kill the mad scientist! Meanwhile, the cops are hot on the trail of the monstrous zombies, who are heading to the Outer Banks. Stella tries to appeal to her lover's brain stuck in the new creature, but the monster is a bit too rough. Looks like the mad scientist has another brain to transplant...
This comic book series from R.L. Stine is just a contemporary re-telling of Frankenstein with a lot more gore. Despite the fact that Stine is know for his horror books for children and teens, this series isn't really for kids. So, be forewarned......more
It's New Year's Eve, 2020. LAPD detective Renee Ballard is, along with about every active-duty officer in the Los Angeles area, out on the streets. NeIt's New Year's Eve, 2020. LAPD detective Renee Ballard is, along with about every active-duty officer in the Los Angeles area, out on the streets. New Years is apparently a holiday rife with violence and idiots committing crimes, so the police are always out in force.
Right out of the gate, minutes after the ball drops, Ballard and her partner are called to a potential homicide. An auto shop owner is killed by a stray bullet during a raucous block party. It could just be an accident, but when the victim is discovered to have a background with one of LA's deadliest Latin gangs, the focus of the investigation changes.
Ballard and her partner have also been investigating a string of rapes, committed by two men in ski masks. A new victim provides some new clues which could help.
Ballard's plate being full, she asks Harry Bosch---now a private detective---for help.
"The Dark Hours" is the fourth Ballard book and the 23rd Bosch book. Author Michael Connelly could spend the rest of his career writing nothing but Ballard-Bosch novels and I'd be happy....more
In Volume 3 of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's The Incredible Hulk, "Soul Cages": Hulk battles a train-hopping hobo demon; a visit to Strange Academy leads In Volume 3 of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's The Incredible Hulk, "Soul Cages": Hulk battles a train-hopping hobo demon; a visit to Strange Academy leads to a confrontation with Doctor Voodoo; a ghost town on the road to Vegas hides more than just ghosts; Hulk wants to save his friend Charlie, who is imprisoned in a porcelain doll, but to do so, he must leave puny Banner in a Heironymous Bosch-like Hell...
A great horror take on the Incredible Hulk series, with fantastic artwork by Andrea Broccardo, Nic Klein, and Danny Earls....more
Gilbert Hernandez's graphic novel "Three Sisters" is a compilation of several smaller graphic novels published previously. Hernandez is best known forGilbert Hernandez's graphic novel "Three Sisters" is a compilation of several smaller graphic novels published previously. Hernandez is best known for his prize-winning and long-running graphic novel series Love and Rockets. Several characters from "Three Sisters" were originally introduced in that series.
The three titular sisters are Luba, Petra, and Fritz, and the novel follows them through many years of their various failed romances, marriages, and sibling rivalry. Amidst their ups and downs, they manage to remain strong women, despite a society that doesn't always value strong women. Added to the challenge is the fact that they are women of a particular physique: the sisters are extremely well-endowed.
It must be noted that Hernandez has a certain fetish for extremely large breasts and for drawing beautiful women in general. Because of this fact, he has often been accused of being sexist and misogynistic. I don't think it's a fair accusation.
If Hernandez's treatment of his women were brutal or cruel, if the nudity and sex scenes were in any way obviously gratuitous, then, yes, I'd agree that he could be accused of being misogynistic.
The truth is, though, that Hernandez's women face the normal cruel challenges that many (if not most) women face on a daily basis, and they always bounce back stronger than they were before.
Even the nudity and sex scenes can't really be called gratuitous. They fall into three types: 1) obvious rape or sexual impropriety of some kind, 2) consensual but disinterested, or 3) joyfully autonomous. Hernandez isn't going for erotic so much as he is going for a criticism on what society considers erotic.
In any case, the stories of the three sisters are filled with a humor and a pathos that elevates this graphic novel series from its comic book roots to great literature....more
Jack McEvoy (pronounced "Mac-a-voy") is my least favorite character created by Michael Connelly. He may be Connelly's least favorite character, too, aJack McEvoy (pronounced "Mac-a-voy") is my least favorite character created by Michael Connelly. He may be Connelly's least favorite character, too, as he has only written three novels featuring him. Strangely enough, the three books featuring this character are probably my favorite of all the Connelly novels. They are certainly the most intense and suspenseful.
Clearly, my appreciation and love for a book has very little to do with the likability of the main character. Sure, a likable protagonist helps, but it's not make or break for me.
What don't I like about McEvoy? I never get a sense that his motivations aren't selfish in some way. He is an investigative journalist---a very good one---who is always on the hunt for the next Great Story. Sometimes his desire for the Story overwhelms his desire to do the right thing or the good thing. This is probably why his track record with women and friends is so bad. He seems like the kind of guy who would screw over his grandmother for a scoop.
Then again, that may be what makes him an exceptional journalist.
"Fair Warning" is the third McEvoy novel, and, in my opinion, the best. I won't go into detail with the plot summary, mainly because I would probably stumble into spoilers. I will say that after reading this novel, one may want to reconsider ever participating in those DNA-based genealogy sites like AncestryDNA or 23andMe....more
Mayra has been sleepwalking, something that she has never done before. Nobody can explain why, but the start of her sleepwalking coincides with her neMayra has been sleepwalking, something that she has never done before. Nobody can explain why, but the start of her sleepwalking coincides with her new job, helping the elderly Mrs. Cottler with her household chores. Mayra stumbles upon some weird objects and books of magic and the occult in Mrs. Cottler's house, leading Mayra to suspect that the old lady is a witch. Could Mrs. Cottler have placed a curse on Mayra? If so, why?
R.L. Stine's "The Sleepwalker" is the sixth book in his Fear Street series (although this is a series where it doesn't matter where one starts, as none of them are inter-related).
Suspense, humor, jump scares, and clever plot twists make this series of young adult books from the '80s and '90s a blast from the past....more
The now-classic and long-running comic book series Love and Rockets by Gilbert Hernandez somehow eluded me. Its heyday was the mid- to late-1980s, andThe now-classic and long-running comic book series Love and Rockets by Gilbert Hernandez somehow eluded me. Its heyday was the mid- to late-1980s, and my taste in comic books at that time leaned more toward spandex-clad superheroes rather than thoughtful examinations of life and relationships. I have only read a few Love and Rockets comics, and what I read, I liked.
It must be stated, though, that Hernandez has a clear fetish in his stories that some readers may find offensive. I am not one of those people, as I share the same fetish, but I point it out to readers who may not be familiar with Hernandez.
He likes women with extraordinarily huge breasts.
In his latest graphic novel, "Loverboys", the character at the center of this occasionally humorous but mostly bittersweet and sad story is Mrs. Paz, an older divorcee and retired elementary school teacher who finds herself in a sexual relationship with a young man who was one of her students many years ago. The attentions of this young man seem to have sparked something within her, an energy and vitality that she thought she lost. Unfortunately, all good things must end...
Mrs. Paz is a typical Hernandez heroine: good-natured but somewhat naive about how the world views women who look like her. She is a timid school marm in the body of a porn star, and no matter how hard she tries to be liked, some men will always look at her like a piece of meat, and some women will always hate her simply because of their jealousy at the way she looks.
"Loverboys", I daresay, is not the best Hernandez story I've ever read, but it is still decent in its humanity and humor about small-town provincialism and the ways people inadvertently hurt other people. ...more
A continuation of the story from the first issue, R.L. Stine's "Stuff of Nightmares", issue #2, is not much of an improvement. The mad scientist brothA continuation of the story from the first issue, R.L. Stine's "Stuff of Nightmares", issue #2, is not much of an improvement. The mad scientist brothers, their girlfriend, and the creepy Frankenstein kid that can only say "Help me" have escaped to an island off the coast of North Carolina in an old haunted house, where they hope to set up their new laboratory. Unfortunately, jealousy and competition make an already tense situation even deadlier...
As dumb as this series is, I will probably finish the series, as my OCD reader mentality can't leave a story unfinished......more
Rather mediocre horror anthology series in the vein of Tales from the Crypt, R.L. Stine's "Stuff of Nightmares", issue #1, was basically a contemporarRather mediocre horror anthology series in the vein of Tales from the Crypt, R.L. Stine's "Stuff of Nightmares", issue #1, was basically a contemporary re-telling of Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein" with lots more gore. The story goes on way too long, and there's very little pay-off. Most of Stine's Fear Street and Goosebumps books had more thoughtful storytelling.
I will probably read more of this series, just to see if it improves. Plus, they're short. It's a decent waste of time....more
In Volume 2 of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's The Incredible Hulk, "War Devils": Hulk and Charlie meet up with a Ghost Rider; The two go to New Orleans wheIn Volume 2 of Phillip Kennedy Johnson's The Incredible Hulk, "War Devils": Hulk and Charlie meet up with a Ghost Rider; The two go to New Orleans where a monster collects souls and puts them in porcelain dolls; Charlie is kidnapped and Hulk gets help from a ghost detective.
Dark, fun, with wonderful artwork, this series is, so far, so good......more
The fifth and final novel in Dean Koontz's series featuring his protagonist Jane Hawk, "The Night Window" is a satisfying conclusion to a sci fi/horroThe fifth and final novel in Dean Koontz's series featuring his protagonist Jane Hawk, "The Night Window" is a satisfying conclusion to a sci fi/horror series that has cleverly combined issues such as nanotechnology, A.I., and mind control with contemporary conspiracy theories involving super-wealthy cabals bent on world domination.
Everything Jane has learned about the Techno-Arcadian conspiracy is coming to a head in this one. With the help of a nerdy ex-NSA computer whiz, Jane has compiled a list of every top Arcadian in the country, including their "Hamlet List", which is the secret list of people that the Arcadians are planning to kill or "adjust" through the administration of brain-controlling nanobots. There are literally thousands of names on the list, hers being the top of the list.
But how do you break a story to a public that has become super-cynical and distrustful of "fake news" and a corporate-controlled (and Arcadian-controlled) media?
Koontz has been unfairly criticized for unwittingly spreading ridiculous Q-Anon conspiracy theories. (In a book he wrote several decades ago, he accurately "predicted" a viral outbreak that emananted from Wuhan, China.) In this series, the Arcadians inject the nanobots via the bloodstream occasionally disguised as "vitamin" shots or vaccines.
It's not Koontz's fault that there are gullible idiots out there who can't distinguish between fiction and reality.
This was an audiobook read by Elisabeth Rodgers...more
Hulk want to smash Bruce Banner (for reasons), but in the meantime, Banner has picked up a stray teenage girl who wants to learn from the Hulk how to Hulk want to smash Bruce Banner (for reasons), but in the meantime, Banner has picked up a stray teenage girl who wants to learn from the Hulk how to smash her abusive alcoholic asshole dad. On their travels, they run into a lot of monsters who are pissed at Banner/Hulk for closing the Green Door (see The Immortal Hulk series by Al Ewing), which probably makes sense to anybody who read that series and was paying attention. (I read it, but it was confusing, and I didn't get a lot of it. Plus, I wasn't really paying attention. I just like reading about Hulk smashing stuff.)
Phillip Kennedy Johnson is the writer of this run of The Incredible Hulk, and Volume 1, "Age of Monsters" is really good. Keeping in tone with Ewing's horror take, this volume has some great horror imagery that reminds me of Alan Moore's run of "Swamp Thing" back in the '80s. Even the artwork is heavily inspired by that series.
If you've ever wondered why certain books or movies explode in popularity or how certain ideas---in business, religion, politics---spread like a wildfIf you've ever wondered why certain books or movies explode in popularity or how certain ideas---in business, religion, politics---spread like a wildfire (or, more appropriately, like a virus), then Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" is the answer.
"The Tipping Point" (published in 2000) is the second book by Gladwell that I've read, and, like "Outliers" (published in 2008), it is a fascinating, thoroughly-researched, and extremely well-written book. With each Gladwell book I read, I am impressed by the outside-the-box thinking and weirdly complex yet almost intuitive concepts that he chooses to write about. His books are a strange blend of pop psychology, business, history, and statistical analysis. But fun to read. This is probably why his books are so popular and constantly become bestsellers.
Here's the thing, though: Gladwell is a journalist, NOT a psychologist, nor a scientist, nor a statistician. Clearly, he's a smart guy, who likes math and science and psychology and history and a lot of other things. But liking science does not make one a scientist.
I only say this because a lot of complaints and criticisms I have heard about Gladwell's books come down to that fact. The question is: do we discount the book because of it? Personally, I don't think so, as long as one does not read the book as a scientific approach to a particular concept (be it scientific, political, historical, or mathematical) but, rather, a journalistic approach to the concept. And that is what I think Gladwell is doing.
His problem arises when he attempts to make conclusions or leaps based on correlative evidence, not causal. In other words, Gladwell occasionally attributes a cause-and-effect relationship between two concepts that aren't necessarily cause-and-effect. They may be, but not enough scientific evidence exists to conclusively prove it.
For example, Gladwell talks at length about the rising crime rate in New York City and how it reached a tipping point in the late-'80s, then quickly dropped off. People who studied this were somewhat stymied. Gladwell, based on some studies that he read about, seemed to deduce that the sudden drop-off in the crime rate was due to a campaign to reduce graffiti and stop people from using the subway without paying. This conclusion clearly helps his argument that little things make a big difference. (It's in his subtitle.) The problem is that there is no real scientific proof that the one thing caused the other. There is definitely a correlation, but that's it. It could also be strangely coincidental.
That said, there are a lot of great ideas in this book; ideas that are sound and plausible and have, actually, borne themselves out over the years since its original publication. For example, Gladwell says that one of the reasons why ideas spread like an epidemic has a lot to do with who is spreading the idea, what he calls the Law of the Few. He talks about three types of people---Connectors, Mavens, and Salespersons---who are essential in word-of-mouth propagation. Today, they are called Influencers.
The other two factors in what causes tipping points are the Stickiness Factor (how compelling and attractive an idea is; how well it "sticks" in the mind) and the Power of Context (environmental factors; "right place and time"). When the three factors are right, an idea will often gain widespread popularity, working in many ways like an epidemic. This helps explain the popularity of films like "Star Wars" or how Beanie Babies became so ridiculously successful.
Of course, while Gladwell could never have predicted it, it also helps explain the dangerous popularity of ideas espoused by Q-Anon, which created an epidemic of paranoia and anger that led to events such as January 6. I have not read it yet, but he may address it in his 2024 follow-up book "Revenge of the Tipping Point"....more
I can't in good conscience give Helen Hardt's novel "Craving" more than two stars for several reasons:
1) It's gussied up porn. In and of itself, thatI can't in good conscience give Helen Hardt's novel "Craving" more than two stars for several reasons:
1) It's gussied up porn. In and of itself, that's not enough reason to dislike it, of course. I love porn, but porn disguised as romance is, well, silly. (Hardt's writing is not deplorable, strangely enough; it's actually decent enough to keep my interest, and her sex scenes are, well, impressive.) It's still porn.
2) The characters are not that likable. Again, not a reason to dislike the book, but the two main protagonists are both unlikable in very different ways: Jade, because she falls so easily in bed at the finger-snap and pants-drop of Talon, the bad-boy with a troubled past, who is really just a mentally screwed-up asshole who uses his (albeit tragic and horrible) past as an excuse to essentially rape her. And let's be honest: what he is doing to Jade is rape, and just because she is having multiple orgasms with his ginormous cock doesn't make it any less rapey. And I'm just going to say it: I can't stand the whole bad-boy-with-a-troubled-past-and-a-huge-cock trope, which is pretty much 98% of every romance novel I've read. You know what trope I'd love to see more of? The nerdy-nice-guy-who-is-slightly-overweight-with-an-average-size-cock. I can get behind that one.
3) The book is part of a series, which is fine, but when the author leaves every single storyline without any closure, it is not a novel anymore. It's Part One of a larger work with many other parts. Cliff-hangers are kind of a pet peeve of mine. In rare cases, they can be handled well. Not in this case. It just pissed me off. (Despite this, I will probably read the next couple books in the series just to find out what happens. Damn you, Ms. Hardt!)
All that said, the sex scenes were pretty impressive. And there were a lot of them. That's the only reason it's getting two stars from me....more
The late director David Lynch was known for his surrealist horror films, which perfectly emulated the feeling of a nightmare. Objects and people inexpThe late director David Lynch was known for his surrealist horror films, which perfectly emulated the feeling of a nightmare. Objects and people inexplicably took on menacing and horrifying aspect far beyond their normal characteristics. In his brilliant 1986 film "Blue Velvet", a man in a yellow suit becomes a harbinger of doom throughout the film, while the imagery of worms squirming in dirt represents the ugliness lurking beneath the surface of suburbia.
Jeff VanderMeer, in his novel "Absolution" (the fourth book in his Southern Reach trilogy, although it is, technically, a prequel and could be read as a separate novel), attempts to do in novel form what Lynch did in film. His weird imagery---in this case, "weird" is not only a descriptor but a genre category---drives the novel and its apocalyptic vision into unbridled territory.
"Absolution" is set before the events of VanderMeer's novel "Annihilation", which introduced us to the anomalous and paranormal Area X. There is no way of knowing how long ago it takes place, as the sense of time in these novels is always a bit ambiguous: it could be 3 months ago or 75 years ago.
A sense of place is also iffy. While it's never actually stated, Area X is based loosely on the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, a wildly diverse section of relatively untouched land along Florida's Forgotten Coast, south of Tallahassee.
None of this is very relevant, however, as the novel's setting exists in a kind of Twilight Zone dimension where the laws of physics and the laws of nature don't necessarily apply. Anyone and everyone who enters is affected in big or small ways.
The novel is in two parts. The first follows a character called Old Jim, a wizened special agent with a government agency whose latest mission is to investigate anomalous activity in what would later be termed Area X. A group of scientists are befuddled by inexplicable activity,including carnivorous white rabbits with organic "cameras" growing out of their necks. This, it tuns out, is the least weird thing that they will encounter.
The second follows an unlikable character named Lowry, who is one of 25 scientists on the first official expedition into Area X. He is the only one with a healthy dose of fatalistic pessimism.
Don't go into VanderMeer's novel expecting a traditional narrative. There is no beginning, middle, or end. There is really very little of what one would call a rational logic to the story, as things happen and then other things happen. There is cause and effect, but not always in an obvious order. Sometimes the effect happens before the cause. It shouldn't be that way, but in Area X, anything is possible.
"Absolution" is a beautiful mind-fuck that, in its own weird way, examines the loneliness and self-destructiveness of humanity and how we create our own nightmares....more
While I am not a fan of "cozy" mysteries normally, Lillian Jackson Braun's novel "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards" is irresistibly fun and adorable.
OWhile I am not a fan of "cozy" mysteries normally, Lillian Jackson Braun's novel "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards" is irresistibly fun and adorable.
Originally published in 1966, "TCWCRB" was the first of a long-running series featuring Braun's clever newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran (with a "w") and his adopted Siamese cat Koko, who helps him solve mysteries. In this book, Qwilleran is assigned the local arts reporter. As someone who is more accustomed to writing sports or covering local politics, he's a bit leery about covering the city's art scene. It turns out, the art scene is cut-throat.
After three mysterious deaths happen in succession among the group of local artists, Qwilleran's investigative mode kicks in. He has suddenly gone from having very little to write about to writing plenty.
As with most "cozy" mysteries, there is an obvious absence of profanity, gratuitous sex, and violence. While I personally love all of that stuff, you won't really miss it. Braun tells a pretty engaging story without it....more