When I’m not reading crime fiction, I like to kick back with a good hockey or wrestling memoir. While I no longer watch nearly as much hockey as I useWhen I’m not reading crime fiction, I like to kick back with a good hockey or wrestling memoir. While I no longer watch nearly as much hockey as I used to, I find something about the game endlessly readable. Like wrestling, hockey has been gifted with a tremendous history that can be equal parts dramatic and comedic. One thing is for certain, no matter the type of story, it will be deeply fascinating.
That being said there are, however, exceptions. Take for example Bob Cole’s memoir “Now I’m Catching On”. Cole’s book details his legendary career as the voice of modern hockey history in Canada. Alongside frequent collaborators (although none better than Harry Neale) Bob has provided the soundtrack to some of the game’s biggest moments. From the radio broadcasts of the ‘72 Summit Series to Joe Sakic’s game-clinching Olympic gold medal goal in Salt Lake City, Bob’s remarkable work is woven into the fabric of hockey history.
The problem with the book is that I’m not sure it needs to exist. I know that sounds harsh, but there isn’t really a lot to chew on here. In my opinion, Bob spends far too long reminiscing about his life before the game. There’s so much here about his love of flying, or his love of curling, or his love of fishing and it was just.. dull. I’m not sure who this information is for. Wrestling memoirs fall into this trap frequently. The best ones cut to the chase.
Once Bob gets into his career, the book tends to pick up. When he gets into the nuance of the job, how he prepares for games and his nightly rituals, the book finds its footing and I found myself gobbling up large chunks of text in a single sitting. Stories about how he learned to grow as a commentator by treating every mistake as a learning experience can often be inspirational. No one can say that he isn’t a true professional. While he’s still prone to go off on tangents that are more or less redundant, he gets back on track swiftly.
Look, I love Bob Cole. When I think of watching hockey as a kid, he’s the voice that most often pops into my head. While he may have lost a step in the past few years, the man is in his eighties and still calling games weekly. That kind of dedication can only come from someone who absolutely loves his job. “Now I’m Catching On” may not be the best hockey book I’ve read (see Saturday Night Fever), but it has its moments....more
On a winter’s night in New Brunswick, mysterious green snow begins to fall. As it coats and corrodes all living things it becomes clear that nothing iOn a winter’s night in New Brunswick, mysterious green snow begins to fall. As it coats and corrodes all living things it becomes clear that nothing is safe. It isn’t long until images flood in from around the world as it’s revealed this isn’t a localized problem for those in the Maritimes.
To be honest, if not for the fact this was set in Atlantic Canada, I likely wouldn’t have picked up this novella, which would have been a shame considering how much I enjoyed it
I thought Meikle perfectly paced himself in detailing the complete collapse of society. There were certainly passages and scenes that completely unnerved me as humanity helplessly struggled against its pending extinction. As someone who deals with anxiety on a day-to-day basis, the imagery of running and trying to hide from a relentless force had my stomach doing backflips.
There were some elements that I didn’t particularly care for, but I’ll leave those out as they’re rather spoiler-heavy, but they didn’t exactly ruin the experience for me - I would likely have gone in a different direction is all. I appreciated the wrap-up offered by Meikle at the end. While it’s sometimes interesting to leave stories like this open-ended, I find it wholly satisfying when an author will go years into the future summarizing the effect the event had on society and the planet.
The Invasion was a quick, enjoyable read akin to watching a high-stakes blockbuster with butter-soaked fingers....more
Ways to Die in Glasgow follows a handful of characters as they maneuver around the disappearance of gangster-turned-acclaimed-true-crime-author Rab AnWays to Die in Glasgow follows a handful of characters as they maneuver around the disappearance of gangster-turned-acclaimed-true-crime-author Rab Anderson.
I caught the author, Jay Stringer, at this year’s Bouchercon during the Best Paperback Original panel and not only was he hilarious, he was one of the few authors that impressed me so much that I ran to purchase his book immediately after to ensure I got it signed.
In a novel with no shortage of memorable characters, Jay narrows it down to three through whom he chooses to tell the story – P.I. Sam Ireland; the drug-addled nephew of Rab, Mackie; and the detective at his wit’s end, Andy Lambert. Jay saddles each with varying narrative styles with Ireland and Mackie employing first person and Andy in the third. To be honest, this was something I always disliked, but in the past few years, I’ve grown to appreciate it when authors work to apply it well. Each style provided distinct ways to deliver information, opening up the world of Glasgow and giving a recognizable voice to each character, further enriching the story.
However, I felt the true standout of this story was Jay’s sense of humour. He peppers the book with quick jabs of comedy helping to lighten some of the harsher scenes. It takes real talent to make me laugh during a violent, bloody assassination attempt without coming across as both cringe-worthy and forced. Also, as a die-hard wrestling junkie, I appreciated a character who was both a fan and not a complete mess of a human being – traits an individual rarely seems to hold simultaneously.
I’m looking forward to picking up the second book in the series, which by the way, has the best title since “Trigger Mortis” with “How to Kill Friends and Implicate People”. Without a doubt, Jay Stringer has a unique voice in crime fiction and I urge you to check him out....more
After finishing Jericho’s previous book, “The Best in the World (At What I Have No Idea)”, I was pretty confident that if he chose to write a fourth bAfter finishing Jericho’s previous book, “The Best in the World (At What I Have No Idea)”, I was pretty confident that if he chose to write a fourth book, I wouldn’t be picking it up. I found it boring, lacking in substance and purely a money-grab. Yet, here we are. You can blame Kindle for temporarily dropping the price to $4.99.
Before I get started, I want to preface this by saying that I’m a big fan of his work as a pro wrestler and have often said that he has one of the best minds in the industry. He’s always on top of his game looking for a way to differentiate himself from his peers by reinventing his character over and over again. Outside of the ring, he has an incredible work ethic. When not wrestling, he fronts the metal band Fozzy, runs his own podcasting network, and dabbles in both comedy and acting. He even just announced a joint rock and wrestling cruise to set sail next year! Being the busy man he is, you’d think he’d have a wealth of interesting stories and anecdotes, right? Well, about that…
No Is A Four Letter Word is structured like a self-help/motivational book as Jericho looks to bring out the best in his audience and share some of the advice he’s received in the past that helped make him successful. While the book has some decent advice, the problem lies in many of the embarrassing, downright uninteresting stories he chose to share. Stories about fighting traffic to meet Keith Richards, hiding in a bathroom stall to listen to Yoko Ono pee, accepting a phone call from Paul Stanley, throwing up on an airplane or making awkward conversation with Paul McCartney were so.. dull. He even equates a chapter about using his celebrity to get a flight upgrade to “not taking no for an answer”. What did I just read?
It’s not all bad, however. Jericho tells some interesting stories about WWE head-honcho, Vince McMahon that to be honest, only made me want a book about Vince’s life and career even more (someone make “An Oral History of Vince McMahon” happen, please). It may be just where my interest primarily lies but when Jericho chooses to talk about wrestling, the book seems to really hit its stride. Behind-the-scenes tales about working WrestleMania with Fandango, his feuds with The Wyatt Family, AJ Styles and Kevin Owens were real high spots, but still lacking when compared to the gold standard of his first memoir, A Lion’s Tale.
For a profession as physically demanding as wrestling, I recognize the importance of establishing a career (or many careers) outside of the industry. My problem with this book is that I just flat out don’t care about anything else this man does. I know that may sound harsh, but I was bored to tears during the chapters about Fozzy, his podcast or his many, many, many stories about KISS. My God, do I ever hate KISS.
If you’re a fan of wrestling books, Jericho’s first, “A Lion’s Tale”, is one of the absolute best wrestling memoirs available and I urge you to pick it up. Anything after that is diminished returns....more
Wrestle Maniacs is a collection of dark, often humorous fiction based in the world of professional wrestling.
I received a free copy from the publisherWrestle Maniacs is a collection of dark, often humorous fiction based in the world of professional wrestling.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Many of the stories are inspired by behind-the-scenes events, veteran performers or storylines that happened in the past. That’s not to say all the stories are riffs on genuine circumstances; some are wildly original – Patrick Lacey’s “Kill To Be You”, a sci-fi infused tale about a struggling wrestler turned actor, being my favorite of the bunch.
A few stories veer into the uncomfortable. Adam Howe’s “Rassle Hassle”, although gut-bustingly funny, along with Jason Parent’s “Canadian Donkey Punch”, had moments that were nearly gag-inducing with overly graphic descriptions. I’d like to think I have a strong stomach but even I found myself pulling away from some of the more extreme scenes. I’m not sure if this is a compliment or a complaint.
I appreciate Adam Howe’s effort to bring the sordid world of professional wrestling into the realm of weird and violent fiction. Wrestling is tailor-made for some truly screwed up tales given the litany of the you’ve-got-to-be-kidding-me true stories. If you’re a fan of the grappling arts, you’re guaranteed to find something in here to latch onto but leave your pretentious perspective at the door....more
LIGHTNING MEN picks up two years after the events of DARKTOWN as those left standing continue with their lives in 1950s Atlanta.
Officer Denny “Rake” RLIGHTNING MEN picks up two years after the events of DARKTOWN as those left standing continue with their lives in 1950s Atlanta.
Officer Denny “Rake” Rakestraw’s neighborhood – an implied “whites only” neighborhood – is beginning to see the arrival of several black families. A group of residents, including Denny’s wife Cassie, pool their money together in an effort to buy out these new homeowners, however, a separate group has adopted a different approach – post hateful signs showing the SS Nazi insignia. As a WWII veteran who had laid his life on the line attempting to eradicate this ideology, Rake hopes to seek out those responsible for the hateful rhetoric. Complications arise when Rake discovers his brother-in-law Dale is a card carrying member of the KKK and may be involved.
Lucius Boggs and partner Tommy Smith, stumble upon a group of smugglers bringing reefer and moonshine into Darktown. Again handcuffed by the limitations of their employers, the Atlanta Police Department (APD), Boggs and Smith, fearing corrupt white officers may be playing a more aggressive role than before in keeping their “off-the-books” investigation from gaining ground, cannot seem to touch the man they believe responsible. Boggs, recently engaged to Julie, a woman he met through the course of a prior investigation, discovers her ex-boyfriend and father to her child, Jeremiah, has returned from a stint in jail. With Boggs’ father already disapproving of the engagement, how will Boggs juggle the responsibility of his job with the threat of a jealous ex-con waiting in the wings?
I was wondering how Mullen would top the corrupt cops and corrosive racism in Darktown – I guess he just had to keep the asshole cops, throw in the KKK and add another Nazi sympathizing hate group, The Columbians, and you’ve got a veritable bounty of bigotry for our heroes to contend with.
Although they’re few and far between, Mullen has a real knack for writing action scenes. They’re used to great effect and only when characters are seemingly pushed to their breaking point making the scenes particularly explosive and violent. I can’t remember the amount of times I was on the edge of my seat during a shootout or a fistfight/brawl.
I didn’t much care for the love triangle between Boggs, Julie and Jeremiah, but I understood its significance within the larger picture given where it ends up. There’s nothing outright wrong with it, but many of the scenes lacked substance and felt like padding to an already rich plot. Boggs’ partner, Smith, gains a lot of ground in proving to be an integral character moving forward and Rake is a world-class shit-disturber throwing wrenches in as many people’s plans as possible.
With Darktown, and now Lightning Men, Mullen offers stories of adversity in the hard-nosed world of mid-20th century America. While both books contain elements of the mystery and thriller genre, both are more about the struggle to achieve social change in an era of widespread fear and resistance sadly making it a somewhat timely read in 2017....more
After having his heart broken by his girlfriend, Thomas – a highly ambitious and egotistical student of science and psychology – decides he will win hAfter having his heart broken by his girlfriend, Thomas – a highly ambitious and egotistical student of science and psychology – decides he will win her back by curing her mentally ill brother of the belief he is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. In doing so, Thomas will gather two additional men who also believe they’re the Son of God and house all three in his apartment. He hopes that by forcing them to confront reality, they will drop their illusions and all three will be cured.
What’s that old saying? The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry?
I received an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
I first encountered Will Ferguson earlier this year when I read Bastards and Boneheads – his comprehensive look at organizing Canada’s greatest leaders into one of the two aforementioned categories. Since Ferguson has also achieved considerable success as a fiction writer, I jumped at the chance to read his new novel The Shoe on the Roof when offered an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster.
The Shoe on the Roof takes a hard look at the “industry” of mental illness, shining a light on the willingness of doctors to throw pills at patients who are often misdiagnosed. I’m no expect in the field by any means, but the amount of work put in by Ferguson seemed staggering when it came to both medication as well as the histories of various disorders. Having both Thomas and his father often discuss their life’s work leads into fascinating conversations that educate as much as entertain.
Ferguson also draws on his strength as a humor writer, injecting a lot of comedy into the story, which never felt out of place. Moments where I laughed out loud were nestled between heavy scenes that helped the story to flow smoothly rather than bog it down. The novel seems tailor-made for a film adaptation, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it optioned down the road.
Ferguson is a hell of a talented writer who seems to move effortlessly between both fiction and non-fiction. I look forward to catching up on his work over the coming months. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had another Giller Prize contender on his hands with this one.
The Shoe on the Roof is scheduled for release on October 17th, 2017....more
Have you witnessed a violent crime? Committed a horrific murder? Witness protection not your thing? Worried that jail will be boring? Come on down to Have you witnessed a violent crime? Committed a horrific murder? Witness protection not your thing? Worried that jail will be boring? Come on down to Caesura (..it rhymes with Tempura)! In exchange for some light brain surgery, you’ll wake up with a new identity* and no memory of your ghastly past!** You’ll be given your own beautiful detached home complete with neighbors who will offer a helping hand as you adjust to your new surroundings.*** Worried about law and order? Need not worry as Sheriff Calvin Cooper is sworn to serve and protect**** Call us today and feel the freedom of isolation!
* Chose a first and last name from a list of vice presidents and movie stars. ** Permanent memory loss not guaranteed. *** Neighbors may display homicidal tendencies. **** The actions of the sheriff may not be within job description.
Adam Sternbergh’s The Blinds takes place in a remote Texas county miles from civilization in any direction. The community, made up of a mixture of innocent witnesses and reformed criminals, is part of an experiment to perfect targeted mind erasure. While they’ve lived in relative peace for eight years, townsfolk start dropping like flies. Can Calvin Cooper solve the mystery or will the death rate continue to climb?
I picked up The Blinds after briefly meeting the author at a Harper-Collins signing event as a part of Bouchercon 2017. I had read a few reviews on Goodreads but it had mostly flown under my radar until a recommendation from Chris Holm on Twitter catapulted this one to the top of my to-read pile. Social networking can be a wonderful thing, no?
For the first one hundred pages or so, Sternbergh does such an excellent job with his world-building that I was gushing to anyone who would listen about how much I enjoyed the premise. So while it would have been easy for Sternbergh to rest on the story’s originality like many plot-driven novels, he uses it to build into a tightly-crafted thriller where misdirection is used to great effect. I never quite knew who to believe or where I was headed as the pages turned, which is always something I appreciate when it comes to my crime books.
This is a solid story about trying (and failing) to outrun your past. We are, all of us, the sum of our experiences and no amount of mind manipulation can keep our true selves hidden forever. Sternbergh explores what it means to define our present by our past, no matter how horrific our actions may have been. In the end, we’re left with a novel that weaves fact and fiction together forming a patchwork of moral ambiguity.
The door is left open for a sequel and although I would have been happy with a standalone, I’d welcome another visit from these characters further down the road....more
By 1982, although King had become a tremendously successful horror novelist, he wanted to prove he had the ability to write something a little.. diffeBy 1982, although King had become a tremendously successful horror novelist, he wanted to prove he had the ability to write something a little.. different. Therefore, with four previously unpublished novellas just lying around, King crammed them into one singular release he dubbed Different Seasons.
Rather than review the whole book in one long blurb, I’ll just share my thoughts on each story individually:
Rita Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption - I’m sure I’m not going to ruffle any feathers by saying that Frank Darabont’s film adaptation is one of the greatest of all time. Having seen it and loved it, I’ve always been curious to read the source material. Without a doubt, Darabont did King’s work justice and the bits he added to the movie expand upon the original rather than muddle up the story. Also, it’s likely impossible not to hear Morgan Freeman’s voice in your head - even if “Red” is supposed to be an Irishman. This was the only story I felt was too short, but I can always watch the movie if I ever need more of Andy and Red.
Apt Pupil - This was my favorite of the bunch, despite the subject matter. Todd Bowden discovers a former Nazi, Kurt Dussander, is living in his neighborhood and promptly threatens to expose him unless he recounts his time as the head of a concentration camp - in painstaking detail. Apt Pupil is some of King’s strongest character work through Todd’s gradual mental breakdown. In the film version, a different ending is used that I feel takes away from what the novel built toward. The original ending is chilling stuff.
The Body - Like Shawshank, The Body is one where I had seen the movie (Stand By Me) beforehand. I haven’t seen the movie in years and only really remembered two parts: the leeches scene and in the end when they find the deceased kid, Ray Brower. I can remember watching this when I was very young and having to turn away from the screen when they find the body. I was terrified! I guess things are scarier when you’re eight. I didn’t like this one as much as I expected. King injected a few short stories by a character within the story that I found unnecessary and really broke up the flow of the novella.
The Breathing Method - Of the four novellas contained in Different Seasons - this is the closest to King’s horror wheelhouse. The Breathing Method is the odd one out that has yet to be adapted for film and is probably my least liked story of the bunch despite earning bonus points for taking place around Christmas.
As someone who occasionally struggles with story collections, the fact that the book was limited to four novellas helped me to invest in the characters and each story before moving onto the next one. Although jumping from Apt Pupil to The Body was a little difficult if only due to the fact that the ending to Apt Pupil blew me away....more
The Late Shift is the story of David Letterman, Jay Leno and the insanity surrounding The Tonight Show following Johnny Carson’s exit in 1992.
Before IThe Late Shift is the story of David Letterman, Jay Leno and the insanity surrounding The Tonight Show following Johnny Carson’s exit in 1992.
Before I picked this up, I had read the author’s follow-up book, “The War for Late Night” which discussed at length the controversy surrounding Conan O’Brien’s boot from The Tonight Show in 2010. In that book, Carter laid the blame at the bumbling executives at NBC and after reading The Late Shift, it’s clear that NBC learned nothing the first time around.
Way back in 1992, under pressure from Jay Leno’s tyrannical agent Helen Kushnick, NBC appointed him the de facto replacement whenever Carson decided to exit The Tonight Show. The problem? NBC completely snubbed David Letterman, a man who had put in a solid decade working the hour that followed Johnny. Letterman had been a ratings dynamo by pulling in that coveted 18-49 crowd studio execs lust after – why not give him a shot at 11:30?
NBC believed Leno was the safest choice and judging by his performance guest hosting “Tonight” for Carson, he was the logical pick. It’s not like NBC went outside the box either. The consensus among critics was that Leno was the heir to the throne. Although he had rarely, if ever, alluded to the fact that he wanted The Tonight Show, Letterman was not even approached by the suits at 30 Rockefeller Centre about taking over hosting duties following Carson. Letterman would find out through a third party only after Leno had been selected that he would not be moving his show an hour up.
Where do we go from here? Well, Letterman felt that at 42, he had outgrown the late shift. In order to advance his career, Letterman needed to move up to 11:30 and the thought of following Leno never appealed to him. Letterman didn’t want to leave NBC and NBC didn’t want to lose Letterman to a competitor like FOX, ABC or CBS.
As Mick Jagger says, “You can’t always get what you want.”
It still baffles me that Letterman and his agent Michael Ovitz were nearly able to get Leno thrown off The Tonight Show based on a hypothetical scenario in which Letterman would trounce Leno in the ratings game. Sure, there was a lot more to it than that, but Leno was already pulling in solid numbers and the two had never gone head-to-head before. You truly have to be a master manipulator to succeed in Hollywood.
In the end, NBC should have just let Letterman go from the very beginning if they had already wrapped up Leno, but they couldn’t help themselves. In the end, they seemingly made the right call, but they were very lucky. Although Letterman destroyed Jay the first two years they went head-to-head, Leno would eventually recover, pull ahead of Letterman, and never look back.
Like The War for Late Night, The Late Shift was a gripping read. Bill Carter, who had spent years covering television for The New York Times, heavily researched all the behind-the-scenes drama and crafted a thrilling narrative. The book is filled with several colorful characters as well as a truly despicable villain in Helen Kushnick. You could argue that she was just “doing her job”, but the way in which she is said to have spoken to colleagues, management and even Jay himself had taken me aback on multiple occasions. I’m looking forward to catching the HBO doc featuring Kathy Bates in the role of Helen that won her an Emmy....more
Although I’m certain I would have been exposed to Louis Riel during my time in school, I have no recollection of learning about the man until I read BAlthough I’m certain I would have been exposed to Louis Riel during my time in school, I have no recollection of learning about the man until I read Bastards & Boneheads earlier this year and his story blew my mind. While author Will Ferguson wrote a compelling summary of his life in Bastards & Boneheads, I spotted Chester Brown’s comic strip biography and decided to check it out.
Brown’s artwork here is tremendous in its simplicity. In the foreword, the author notes that many assumed his style was influenced by Hergé, the artist behind The Adventures of Tintin. While that’s a valid comparison, he says it was Little Orphan Annie that provided the inspiration - and it shows. I thought it was the perfect fit to represent both the time and the subject matter. The layouts are clean and clear with about nine panels per page to tell the Metis story.
Riel’s life is a strange one as it more or less exists in two parts. The first being his leadership of what would become Winnipeg, the Red River Settlement, and the establishment of Manitoba. Brown details the trials and tribulations of Riel’s role in the battle between French and English Canada as both battle for control of the fledgling province. Brown showcases Riel’s quest for a peaceful resolution and a hope that both the anglo and francophones can come together to fight for their rights against what they felt was a tyrannical Prime Minister, John A. MacDonald.
The second part concerns his return to Canada following his complete mental breakdown. Having spent time in a Montreal insane asylum, Riel believes himself to be a prophet sent from God and his ensuing actions lead to increased hostility between both the Metis of Manitoba and the Canadian government. That’s not to say the aggression was his fault - the existing population of Manitoba clearly got the short end of the stick - but it was a big departure from what he seemingly stood for before.
With Louis Riel, Chester Brown has provided an accessible look into Canada’s past that even those who find Canadian history “dry” will enjoy. Riel’s story is a tragic one that highlights the struggles that Canada’s aboriginal population have gone through - and continue to go through - to achieve even equal footing to English speaking Canada....more
Nelson DeMille’s The Cuban Affair follows Daniel “Mac” MacCormick, an army veteran who owns and operates a fishing boat in Key West, Florida. Mac speNelson DeMille’s The Cuban Affair follows Daniel “Mac” MacCormick, an army veteran who owns and operates a fishing boat in Key West, Florida. Mac spends his days taking out tourists for both sunset cruises and fishing trips, but that all changes when he is approached by a group of Cuban Americans. With relations normalizing between the US and Cuba for the first time in over fifty years, they want to hire him to assist in retrieving millions owed to Cuban ex-pats who escaped during the Missile Crisis. Mac agrees, but it's mostly because he wants to get under the covers with Sara, one of his potential employers. Under the guise of a fishing tournament, Mac and his new customers set off for Cuba to track down a decades-old stash of cash.
I received an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
I found DeMille’s Mac to be an insufferable dumbass. I’m not sure if that was intentional, but he was both unlikeable and annoying right from the start. Mac believes himself to be both clever and witty, but his jokes and observations are unbearably lame (a t-shirt that says “designer t-shirt” on it is supposed to be funny?). Adding to that, he had the mentality of a fourteen year old boy - completely obsessed with getting laid that he could rarely go fifteen minutes without monologuing about sex and how badly he wanted to crawl in bed with Sara. It became irritatingly repetitive and it poisoned the narrative.
It wasn’t all Mac though - Sara is just as much to blame. She’s introduced as this determind young woman, driven to stick it to the Cuban regime, but it wasn’t long before she became this dependent, lovesick caricature that pined over Mac. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with romantic aspects or story-lines within a crime/action novel, but when it is front and center and as nauseating as this was, it is a real turn-off.
DeMille has noted that it takes him approximately sixteen months to write a novel. Although he writes each novel on legal pads with a pencil, the reason for the lengthy timeframe is largely due to the extensive amount of research involved with each story. For The Cuban Affair, DeMille traveled to the island country when then-president Barack Obama relaxed tensions among the two nations. Throughout the novel, he does an excellent job painting the backdrop to Mac and Sara’s adventure highlighting antique cars, dilapidated buildings and the tropical environment surrounding our two protagonists. That was easily my biggest take-away from The Cuban Affair.
In the end, I couldn’t get passed the love story, so it seriously hampered my overall enjoyment. I can recognize the work put in by DeMille to explore the Cuban culture, but I hated almost every character in the story and unfortunately, that makes this one a difficult one to rate positively.
The Cuban Affair releases on September 19, 2017 through Simon & Schuster....more
Susannah travels to New York City to have her baby, in the year 1999, with mental passengers Detta and Mia. Hoping to give chase, Roland and Eddie endSusannah travels to New York City to have her baby, in the year 1999, with mental passengers Detta and Mia. Hoping to give chase, Roland and Eddie end up in Maine in the late 1970s where they confront notorious book collector Calvin Tower as well as a burgeoning author who knows a great deal about the Ka-Tet’s journey. But what of Father Callahan and Jake? Luckily they land in The Big Apple in 1999, but they must track down Susannah before she gives birth.
This was a weird one. Song of Susannah feels more like a bridge to the conclusion, which being the sixth book in the series and the last pit stop before the end, makes sense. It does more to set up the finale than stand on its own. You’re thrown in the deep end immediately and leave without a real conclusion. That isn’t to say it’s uneventful because you really do learn a lot, it’s just that the biggest action set pieces seem to be in the distance.
In Song of Susannah, we’re essentially following three stories simultaneously. All are interesting enough, but I missed the interactions among all the characters. That being said, this was a hard one to put down – although, that may have had more to do with how highly regarded the seventh novel is and how much I am looking forward to picking it up.
Roland and Eddie continue to gel and strengthen their bond as they face tremendous adversity. Not only do they have to secure the vacant lot owned by one Calvin Tower, but they have to come to grips with a major development when meeting a man privy to both their lives and destiny. Jake and Father Callahan, while used sparingly this time around, race against the clock to reach Susannah. Jake has a few moments – one in particular – where I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. I could have used more of the pair.
But it’s Susannah that is front and center this time around. I didn’t care much for her story, which surprised me as she has been one of my favorite parts of the earlier novels. This had a lot to do with finding a few of her integral scenes hard to follow. Not only does King have three separate voices for one character, but shifted settings quite a bit, sometimes in the middle of conversations. It doesn’t lend itself well to skimming.
Having started the series in December 2010, I’m finally nearing the end. I can’t wait to pick up book seven and dig in. However, if the reviews I’ve read are any indication to what lies ahead, I’m bracing myself for all the emotions....more
A new adversary, The Architect, is targeting historical properties in Gotham City and it’s up to Batman, Red Robin, Robin and Black Bat to bring him tA new adversary, The Architect, is targeting historical properties in Gotham City and it’s up to Batman, Red Robin, Robin and Black Bat to bring him to justice.
That one sentence summary would seemingly apply to 99% of Batman stories but hey, that’s OK, it’s Batman after all. With Gates of Gotham, writer Scott Snyder, alongside Kyle Higgins, returns to the Caped Crusader to pen a follow-up to his successful Black Mirror story arc from the prior year. This time around, while we still have Dick Grayson (formerly Robin/Nightwing) under the cowl as Batman, he’s joined by the extended Bat-Family to assist capturing The Architect.
I really enjoyed the layout of the story as Snyder and Higgins jump back through time to tell the history of Gotham’s “founding fathers”. I’m not sure if this is a story that has been told before, but it was interesting learning about the history of some of Gotham’s most revered architecture – for a fictional city, its history is extremely well-developed.
There’s a short one-issue story tacked onto the end about the Paris branch of Bruce Wayne’s Batman Incorporated but I didn’t care too much for it. I’m not a fan of these “extras” slapped onto the end of a book, they always feel like padding.
While Gates of Gotham isn’t quite as good as Black Mirror, it’s some solid work on the part of Snyder and Higgins that likely helped solidified Snyder as the next writer of the then forthcoming Batman “New 52” reboot....more
When I couldn’t figure out what to read after the latest Dennis Lehane novel and before Don Winslow’s forthcoming epic due out later this month (The FWhen I couldn’t figure out what to read after the latest Dennis Lehane novel and before Don Winslow’s forthcoming epic due out later this month (The Force), Alaina handed me a book that she had been suggesting I read for a while now - Will Ferguson’s “Bastards & Boneheads”. Annoyed with the same old criteria for evaluating Canada’s leaders past and present, Ferguson breaks everyone down into two categories - you’re either a hard-nosed, uncompromising bastard, or a clueless bonehead who mostly stumbled into success or wallowed in failure.
As a kid in grade school, I was taught Canadian history and try as I might, I couldn’t find it in me to care. The subject matter just didn’t line up with my interests, which isn’t surprising considering all I wanted to do was watch professional wrestling, play video games and eat snacks - wait, has anything changed? I guess now that I’m a bit older, my curiosity has gotten the better of me. I actually do care how this country was founded and developed! I do want to learn about important historical figures and events! I suppose I’m a grown-up now.
If only all history texts could be written like this! With Bastards and Boneheads, Ferguson painstakingly researched the men and women who helped shape Canada and with the help of a healthy dose of snark, produces an entertaining AND informative read. If you thought Canada was this tremendous country without blemishes, you’ll think twice after reading Ferguson’s book. Whether it’s our mistreatment of the Native population, the mistreatment of early Acadian settlers, the mistreatment of the French population, Canada’s unapologetic racism during the Second World War.. it all adds up to an often embarrassing history.
It’s not all bad though! Ferguson does write about several Canadians with impressive histories such as Laura Secord, Agnes MacPhail, Louis Riel and many others. He writes of bloody battles within Canada and around the globe. The last chunk of the book details Canada’s 20 (up to then) Prime Ministers as he tries to rank them from impressive to idiotic. His write ups on former Prime Ministers Pierre Trudeau and Brian Mulroney are interesting as both are memorable for completely different reasons (Ferguson declares Mulroney to be the worst PM in Canada’s history).
Bastards & Boneheads is a great read for someone who perceived Canadian history to be “boring”. It is a relatively quick read clocking in at just under 300 pages (before sources/glossary), so I was done before I knew it. Luckily, I’m not left wanting more as he has a variety of books to grab next....more
Since We Fell tells the story of Rachel Childs as she searches for her father, a man she barely remembers from her childhood. It is also the story of Since We Fell tells the story of Rachel Childs as she searches for her father, a man she barely remembers from her childhood. It is also the story of her struggles as a journalist covering the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Oh, and it’s also the story of the breakdown of her first marriage to a selfish coworker that coupled with the events of Haiti, leads her to develop agoraphobia. From there, it becomes a mystery novel. And a thriller. And finally something similar to a pulp-crime novel.
Since We Fell feels like a novel with an identity crisis. On one hand, you have a compulsively readable thriller that demands your attention, but on the other hand, you have an insane, over-the-top story that really requires you to suspend your disbelief.
In an interview with Amazon, Lehane said that he had the book written before going back and writing the first 100 pages. This actually explains a lot. Those first pages cover Rachel’s formative years living with her successful author mother, her search for her long-lost father and events which led to her developing agoraphobia. I didn’t find this particularly slow or boring like some readers due to the strength of Lehane’s writing. Everything just flowed so well.
The book then takes a sharp turn a little over halfway through completely “gone-girling” the story. It’s quite jarring and while it did keep me reading, the plot grew increasingly convoluted and my interest began to wane near the end. There came a point where I no longer cared for any of the characters, Rachel included – which I don’t think was Lehane’s intention.
It’s difficult to say this is a “bad book”. I sat down yesterday afternoon with about 100 pages under my belt with the intention of reading a few dozen more and before I knew it, I finished the book. Lehane is one of my favorite writers, he knows how to pace a thriller with the best of them, which is likely why I kept moving forward but if it were any other writer, I’m not sure I would have finished it.
Here are some gripes:
(view spoiler)[Even though I enjoyed reading those first one hundred pages, what did that really have to do with anything? I get Lehane wanting to flesh out Rachel, but when I had heard that he went back and wrote the first 100 pages after he had finished the book, it seemed like he just smashed two books together for extra padding.
I hated how little it took for Rachel to immediately distrust Brian. It was like someone had flipped a switch. All it took was a long-lost friend to say a cliche remark during a lunch date for her to throw everything out the window. I also don't buy the receipt business. That seemed like grasping at the shortest of straws and asked for a huge leap from the reader.
The lengths Brian went to "shock" Rachel out of her agoraphobia were excessive and far too elaborate. When it came down to it, almost everything seemed forced and even when Lehane had Brian explain his multi-year plan to Rachel near the end of the novel, I was annoyed that any of this would work on anyone. (hide spoiler)]...more
This isn’t going to be a long or in depth review by any means.
On the recommendation of my therapist, I picked this up with the understanding it could This isn’t going to be a long or in depth review by any means.
On the recommendation of my therapist, I picked this up with the understanding it could help me deal with the repercussions of growing up a part of an alcoholic household. If you can classify yourself as an Adult Child of an Alcoholic (or Alcoholics), I strongly recommend this book. Many of the direct quotes from those the author worked with could apply to me at various stages of my life.
This book isn’t going to change your life, you still have to act on the advice from the author, but it helps to know you’re not alone....more
In the summer of 1986 a small movie theatre in Oklahoma City becomes a deadly crime scene following a botched armed robbery. All but one of the employIn the summer of 1986 a small movie theatre in Oklahoma City becomes a deadly crime scene following a botched armed robbery. All but one of the employees are murdered by masked gunmen. Flash-forward to present day and the lone survivor - Wyatt Rivers - is working in Las Vegas as a private investigator. Now, Wyatt travels back to OKC, the town he left all those years ago, to look into claims of harassment by the niece of a frequent client.
That same summer in that same city, a young woman vanishes while enjoying an evening at the State Fair. All these years later her sister, Julianna, is desperate for closure. She’s been living a stagnant life as a nurse, unable to move on emotionally from her sister’s disappearance. She still pokes and prods at the detective assigned to the case thinking that if she shakes hard enough, something will come loose and tumble to the ground. While the case is colder than moonlight on a tombstone, hope arises when someone believed to be a suspect suddenly resurfaces.
While the central mysteries drive the plot, Lou Berney’s novel is less about whodunit and more about how those left behind learn to cope with loss. There are some strong passages written here that illustrate the effect trauma can have on the mind, regardless of how much time has passed. Having avoided his hometown for nearly thirty years, Wyatt’s memories are triggered by the familiar, often stopping him in his tracks as the traumatic events race through his mind. I felt this was used to great effect. Rather than massive info-dumps, we get history woven into Wyatt’s current case.
That being said, the novel isn’t all gloom and doom throughout. Wyatt’s smarmy disposition allows some humor to come through helping to lighten tension; not unlike letting air out of a balloon. It helps to balance out Julianna’s weighty scenes as her obsession for closure has an adverse effect on her personal and professional life. I had a tough time with a few of her choices; even with her intense need for answers, one decision in particular left me scratching my head.
While the eventual revelation took me by surprise, I figured out the culprit behind Wyatt’s case early on, so I found the mystery itself to be somewhat weak. However, The Long and Faraway Gone had so many moving parts that it didn’t really dampen my experience. If you’re looking for a good non-series mystery novel, Lou Berney’s The Long and Faraway Gone is a solid choice....more
On the heels of an explosion in the women’s division of WWE, comes Pat LaPrade and Dan Murphy’s Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History & Rise oOn the heels of an explosion in the women’s division of WWE, comes Pat LaPrade and Dan Murphy’s Sisterhood of the Squared Circle: The History & Rise of Women’s Wrestling.
Up until the last four years or so, women’s wrestling in WWE was presented as more of a time-filler. Seeing as WWE formed the basis of my obsessive fandom, I didn’t know any different. Their storylines were charged with sexuality, their division filled with fitness models trained with the bare essentials and their placement on the card treated as what many referred to as “the piss break”. I, along with many North American fans, were conditioned to think that women just couldn’t wrestle. It’s a real shame as after reading LaPrade and Murphy’s book, there was so much I, and likely many others, didn’t know was out there.
The book itself is separated into eras as well as promotions with wrestler profiles making up the sections themselves (over 100 in total!). Some highlights include:
The rise of the sport focusing on pioneers like Mildred Burke, Fabulous Moolah, Mae Young and women’s wrestling promoter Gary Wolfe. Side note: After reading this, Wolfe may take the cake as the most reprehensible promoter in wrestling history;
The initial explosion in mainstream acceptance across the United States in the 80s with promotions like GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling), the World Wrestling Federation (bringing in Cyndi Lauper to enhance a rivalry between Wendi Richter and Moolah);
Women's wrestling’s unfathomable popularity in Japan during the 70s, 80s and 90s. Performers Manami Toyota, Aja Kong, Bull Nakano and many others would sell out arenas bringing new fans into the fold of professional wrestling. With several wrestlers presented as both pop-stars and in-ring performers, promotions were able weave themselves into the fabric of pop culture while generating huge amounts of revenue.
An analysis of the current group of ladies who represent both the present and the future of the business. While WWE would have you believe they’ve spearheaded their so-called “women’s revolution”, they’re embarrassingly late to the game, even within their own region. Fortunately for them, they’ve managed to put together not only a gifted crop of athletes but also a dream team of trainers to help them along the way, so their timing hardly seems to matter.
While it’s more of an encyclopedia rather than a narrative history, its structure allows the authors to broaden their scope and cram as much information between the covers as possible. Sisterhood of the Squared Circle lends itself well to the “pick-up and read in short bursts” category of books, which is why it took me about a month to finish. As far as a comprehensive text on the history of women’s wrestling, I can’t imagine anything better....more
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