2018 reads

As 2018 comes to a close, I'm needing to write again.  So, since I have permanent writer's block, I figured I'd recap the books of this year.  I had to go into my goodreads account just to remind myself but for posterity, here it is:

1) Infomocracy.  To be fair, I barely remember this book.  The author tries way too hard to make some fairly obvious points which is buoyed a bit by a decent pace.  Overall, forgettable.

2 and 3) Truthwitch and Windwitch.  I'm not sure if these are classified as YA, but pretty sure they should be.  Interesting world building, some great, some not so great characters.  The writing itself is accessible without patronizing.  Overall, really fun stories that will keep me reading future installments.

4) Shaft's Revenge.  Not a great novel by any stretch, but much better than I expected.  I got this at a comic fair from the author himself, buying it as I always feel a bit obligated when I meet the author.  I expected a messy return for no other reason than I got it at a comic fair but I really enjoyed it.  Some of the sex stuff wasn't necessary but I suppose given the pedigree, it had to be there.  Good story, tight pacing, hardboiled writing.  Overall, fun.

5) The Punch Escrow.  The first of many books I've read this year that I had mixed feelings about.  The concept is interesting and the set-up is top notch.  There's a really strong thriller in the bones of this book.  But it gets really messy.  I think that's the point, but the many threads are hard to keep up with and it's just a bit too haywire to fully get behind.

6) Space Tripping.  Hitchhiker's Guide for Drunkards.  It's a mess.  I finished it, which means it wasn't totally terrible, but not something I'd recommend.

7) I, Villain.  Weird little story about a world where super powers are only held by villains.  Not terrible (I read 20 pages in its sequel which is about the worst 20 pages I've ever read) as the concept keeps in going for awhile, but after a bit, it just makes no sense.  I'm cool with the implausibility of super powers, but not with the implausible implications if that makes sense.  This one definitely rates high on the WTF meter though I kinda liked it anyway.

8) The Strange Bird: A Borne Story  This was one of my favorites of the year.  Vandermeer is one of the best authors working today.  A heartbreaking but ultimately beautiful tale.  Read Borne first, but this is a knockout novella.

9) Dark Matter.  Very similar in story to Punch Escrow, but the pacing is lights out.  Still, gets off the rails a bit in the back third which makes it tough to really endorse.  But, the pacing kept it strong enough that I picked up more from the author.

10) Black Swan Green.  The most perfect coming of age story I have ever read.  Brilliant.  Amazing.

11-13) The Binti Trilory.  The first book is just an amazing work.  Unusual in it's setting and characters, unsettling but ultimately an amazing look into how science fiction can bridge much more than just the future.  The last book gets a bit troublesome as it's hard to follow and understand the motivations, but otherwise, fantastic.

14)  The Boy on the Bridge.  I absolutely loved The Girl with All the Gifts and hoped this would be similar in quality.  For the most part, it succeeds, but finds that second layer of implausibility that seems to have found it's way into many of 2018 books the I've read.  There are parts of this book that just don't work at all.

15-18) The Wayward Pines trilogy.  Loved almost all of it.  Ridiculous set-up aside, Crouch has a way with pacing that keeps me glued to his work.  The second book gets overviolent but otherwise, a page turning trilogy that takes a lot of turns without getting off the rails too much (other than the set-up that you just gotta go with.)

19)  Revenant Gun.  The last of one of my all time favorite trilogies.  It's a wonderful end to a mind bending science fiction trilogy.  It gets a bit caught up in trying to cleanly finish the many issues around identity, but it's still a good ride.

20) Lost Gods.  Probably the most ambitious books of my year and that's saying a lot given the subject matter.  But like other books, the implausibility within the implausibility gets the best of it at times.  Being said, I love ambitious efforts and there are some really chilling moments.  I would have preferred this as two separate stories though and I clearly prefer the one not in hell.

21) Death Troopers.  I'm a sucker for Star Wars and zombies.  This doesn't disappoint on either side.  The story stays mostly tight but again, it gets a bit much at times.  But, I'm more forgiving of this in a Star Wars story because that is pretty much Star Wars is pretty much Russian nesting dolls of implausible anyway.

22) Bloody Rose.  I had high hopes for this after the great Kings of the Wyld.  Alas, it was boring.  The second half is ok, but the characters are not nearly as interesting, the sexuality is a bit out of place, and it wasn't a sequel as much as a reboot of the same story.  I'll dive into the next one as well, but I'm not quite as excited.

23) The Power.  I expected it to be entirely political, but the author does a pretty good job of setting up the plitical side only to tear it down.  As a story, it suffers from going in odd directions when the story gets out if its comfort zone, but overall, it was better than I expected.  It just needed a bit more focus.

24 and 25) Darkest Minds and Never Fade.  I enjoy almost every first book in a series.  I don't notice writing or character issues as much if the premise is new and intriguing.  The first book plays a bit like a cliche and trope machine of YA fiction, but the premise keeps in interesting.  But the second books suffers from familiarity that needs stronger writing.  I won't be going in for thirds.

26) Medusa Uploads.  One of my favorite reads of the year.  Unlike nearly every other sci-fi or fantasy book I read, this manages to stay tight and focused without trying to be too much.  It's more layered than I expected and I am dying to read the next one.

27 and 28) Murderbot Diaries books 1 and 2.  Loved them.   Like Medusa Uploaded, these stay tight without trying for the big finale that seems to inevitably go off the rails.  Plus, the murderbot is probably my favorite character since Tool.

Holy Crap, it's been three years!

Not that anybody has read this, but wow, it's been three years.  I gotta get caught up on my book reviews but they are going to be listing with blurbs rather than full reviews.  Stay tuned, my imaginary readers.

Book 8: Zombies vs Unicorns

That's right.  Zombies vs. Unicorns.  A collection of short stories that tries to answer the question of which is better.  The hope and purity of Unicorns or the despair and despoilment of Zombies. Six of each (and oddly and a bit disappointingly, only one story has both and even it doesn't have a fight between the two).  Here we go:
1) The Highest Justice by Garth Nix.  Medieval magical setting.  Nix can write and I would have a read a whole book set in this world.  Left me wanting more, much more.  It's a unicorn story with the help of a zombie.  Five out of five stars.
2) Love Will Tear Us Apart by Alaya Dawn Johnson.  Gay zombie lusts after hunk who's dad is a zombie killer.  Interesting set up, cool characters, nothing new here.  Four stars\
3) Purity Test by Naomi Novik.  More tongue in cheek than anything.  Silly fun with all too human unicorn in the middle.  Four stars plus one for the Fort Tryon reference.
4) Bouganvillea by Carrie Ryan.  This is actually a great short story.  Curacao is a haven in world gone mad with zombies.  Teenage girl with daddy dictator issues.  Uses the Zombie backdrop for commentary on survival very well.  Five enthusiastic stars.
5) A Thousand Flowers by Margo Lanagan.  Meh.  Odd story, written well, but avoids the unicorn themes in favor of strange mysticism.  Enjoyable though.  Three stars.
6) Children of the Revolution by Maureen Johnson.  Good short story.  Some of the satire misses, though the end is pretty good.  Three stars.
7) The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Unicorn by Diana Peterfreund.  Very readable twist with unicorns as bad guys.  Pretty standard YA stuff with misunderstood teen girl who discovers she holds secret powers.  One of the few books with an actual upbeat ending, which I appreciated.  Four stars
8) Inocualata by Scott Westerfeld.  Something in this one really grabbed me.  I suppose the half zombie is getting done to death and I'm getting pretty tired of having gay characters pop up all the time, but feels genuine.  I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would have.  Four stars.
9) Princess Prettypants by Meg Cabot.  Love the title.  A real unicorn story.  This might be my favorite simply because it totally embraces unicorns rather than trying to make them evil or something.  Sweet with just a tinge of revenge fantasy thrown in.  And Cabot can really keep things interesting, if a bit surface.  Four stars.
10) Cold Hands by Cassandra Clare.  Strange that one my least favorite is by the only author that I've read before.  Shallow characters, not terribly engaging backdrop, and too tidy end.  Two Stars.
11) The Third Virgin by Kathleen Duey.  Putting a twist on the magical healing powers of a unicorn who gets so tired of it all after 500 years (maybe more), especially its own murderous inclinations, Duey pulls off a very interesting piece on redemption.  Four Stars.
12) Prom Night by Libba Bray.  Near perfect.  Gets a lot of development in a short period of time while providing the creepiest story.  Classic horror.  Five Stars.

That's 25 stars for the Unicorns and 23 for the Zombies.  Unicorns win!

Book 7: House of Sand and Fog

More Literature!  But this was kinda ugly.  Yes, it's very well written.  But it pretty much doomsday all over it from the beginning.  Reading it, you know it's not going to end well and, well, it doesn't.  Extermely engaging characters incapable of getting out of their own way.  At times, the loserness of the parties involved feels overdone, particularly the cop.  Stressful, depressing, ugly.  Yikes, these are the types of books I avoid.  Last one of these for awhile.  I needed Lithium just to finish it.  Bring on Zombies vs. Unicorns for crying out loud.

Book 6: White Tiger

Holy moly! I read Literature with a capital L! And a Man Booker winner at that! What's a Man Booker? I had the same question. Evidently, it's awarded to the best novel published in the Commonwealth of Great Britain, whatever that is. So, I guess a book written by an Indian (not sure if he is from India or GB) qualifies. And I'm glad it did. I found it on my bookshelf, left over from a forgotten gift or loaner or something and the label announcing the Man Booker award winner is what hooked me. In short, it's amazing. Told through a series of letters from a rural, uneducated Indian who works and scams his way to a fulfilling life, White Tiger is at turns scathingly funny, deeply poignant, and flat out horrifying in its depiction of modern India. If I hadn't seen a Vice episode on similar themes (though more urban), I could chalk it up to an exaggerated imagination, but I can't. For someone in the so-called western world where my primary exposure to Indians is via my IT team, it serves as a stark reminder of what much of the world goes through, told by captivating, charming, and ultimately soulless character. BRILLIANT!

Book 5: White Trash Zombie Apocalypse

Continuing the adventures of Angel, the white trash zombie, White Trash Zombie Apocalypse picks up shortly after Even White Trash Zombies get the blues. Angel is still dealing with her "condition" by stealing brains from the morgue, wondering about her relationships with Marcus, her sometimes boyfriend, her drunk father, and the mysterious Uncle Pietro. Now, she has to deal with a zombie movie filming at the local high school!! Sounds great, and it is. I'm a huge fan of Angel, who combines vulnerability, femininity, and good old fashioned kickassedness into a delectable plate of deteriorating flesh requiring upkeep in the form of human brains. Sure, it's all very ludicrous, the "parasite" that causes her putrescence is laughable, and the backdrop of zombie mafia (good guys) vs. evil corporation is, well, what it sounds like. But despite (or because of) the insane plot centered on zombies, Angel comes across as one of the most human characters I've encountered in urban fantasy. The White Trash Zombie books are all fun rides and this is no different. The action never devolves into brutality (though it skirts it), the villains are easy to root against (though there are some switcheroos) and the secondary characters all bring their own dimensions (particularly Brian, the zombie enforcer cum valet). It's escapist fun with a surprising amount of tenderness. But it's Angel that sparkles on every page. Told from her point of view, being a zombie is neither curse nor advantage, just another crap thing to deal with in what has been a fairly crappy life. She's feisty and trying hard to be a better person which could become very annoying in lesser hands. Overall, extremely enjoyable, not overthinky, and just a great ride.

Book 4: King Maker (The Knights of Breton Court I)

The gang infested ghetto part worked. The Arthurian retelling did not. Set in the 'hood of Indianapolis (didn't know they had one), Maurice Broaddus crafted a very ambitious work, resetting the Arthurian legend in a drug and gang infested landscape. On the surface, urban fantasy seems perfectbut the inherent limitations of the genre hamper the story quite a bit. We are introduced to a variety of characters, mostly based on different Arthurian characters. Instead of Percival, we get Percy, a simple, kind man caught up in events well beyond his control. Instead of Merlin, there's Merle, a white bum who emerges to advise King. There's Lott instead of Lancelot, a Fedex employee just trying to save enough money. There's Wayne instead of Gawayne, an advocate for the youth of the neighborhood. The best part of King Maker is when the story focuses on the different characters responses and interactions with their neighborhood. Broaddus does a great job of painting despair, hopelessness, anger. But when we get to the fantasy part, wow, it gets weird in a hurry. A couple of moments work, but there's a lot of nonsense towards the end and the climax just isn't interesting. The casting of King Arthur as King and his "knights" as a bunch of holier than thou types is less than satisfying. The characters that are interesting are the bad guys. King, Lott, Wayne, and Merle come across as a bunch of douchebags. I would have preferred a bit more complexity to them. Baylon, a reluctant gang banger who struggles to get the street respect that he desperately wants, emerges as a vibrant character.
Overall, there are some really interesting yet undeveloped elements, but the fantasy elements are so, well, weird. The writing is mostly on par with what you'd expect from Urban Fantasy, but there are glimpses of being more than the genre. It just never manages to escape itself.
Dresden O Meter:
Plot: 5. I'm not sure what it was all about. If I wasn't passingly familiar with King Arthur, I think I would have been completely lost.
Central Character: 5. No real central character, but the good guys weren't very interesting.
Fantasy Hook: 3. I still don't really get it.
Supernatural: 3. Seemed forced rather than organic.
Characters interaction: 8. The actual responses to the world were very real, dirty, and scary.