39/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

So, this was an interesting month. I grab 10 novels and I've read 9 of them (or currently reading). I've read around 4000 pages which is a very good thing. More than 100 pages per day. To be everything up to that it's a good thing.

Already Finish

1. Hole in the World - Brian Keene 277p 2/9/2023 7⭐ (Review)
2. Funland - Richard Laymon                     505p     4/9/2023       8⭐ (Review)
3. Soichi - Junji Ito                                   410p    10/9/2023       9⭐ (Review)
4. Galaxy In Flames - Ben Counter            408p    13/9/2023    8.5⭐ (Review)
5. Maze Master - Kathleen O'Neal Gear      335p    15/9/2023       5⭐ (Review)
6. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne    204p    17/9/2023       6⭐(Review)
7. Run - Blake Crouch                              331p     18/9/2023       6⭐(Review)
8. The Beast Must Die - Gav Thorpe           239p     20/09/2023    6⭐ (Review)
9. Shadows of the Empire                         382p   24/09/2023   6.5⭐ (Review)
10. Uma aventura na quinta dos Enigmas     200p    25/09/2023    8⭐ (Review)
11. Chronicles of Hate - Adrian Smith           240p   30/09/2023     8⭐ (Review)

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan           164/705pp (23%)
2. Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy      101/469p  (21%)
3. Wool - Hugh Howey                            221/540p  (38%)   
4. Ender Saga - Speaker of the Mind            226/382p (59%)
5. Ravencry - Ed McDonald                         112/415 (30%)
                         

August Reading Goal

1. Soichi from Junji Ito (Manga) 412 pages. I've been reading one Junji Ito per month and I almost caught up. Missing this one, Gyo, No Longer Human & Tomie
2. Funland by Richard Laymon 505 pages (from last month)
3. Maze Master 333p
4. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne by Kikuchi 204p. My goal is reading 2 more this year.
5. Shadows of the Empire - Steven Perry 381 pages (From last month)
6. Ravencry - Ed McDonald 415p (going to try read the next book , next month)
7. The Beast Must Die (Book 8 of The Beast Arises)  239p
8. Watchers in the Death (Book 9 of the Beast Arises) 198p
9. Thunderhead (Book 2 of Art of Scythe) 515p
10. Ender Saga - Speaker of the Mind 382p

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. Blood Over Bright Haven - M L Wang 529p
2. Star Path - Michael & Kathleen Gear 457p
3. Those Below - Daniel Polansky 350p
4. Those Above - Daniel Polanksy 393p
5. Collected Short Stories louis L'Amour Volume 6 Part 1 Crime 360p
6. Iron Gold - Pierce Brown 606p
   
7. The Visitant - Michael & Kathleen Gear 365p
8. The Summoning God Michael & Kathleen Gear363p
9. Bone Walker Michael & Kathleen Gear 445p
10. Starstriker - W Michael Gear 542p
11. The Web of Spider - W Michael Gear 648p
12. The Way of  Spider - W Michael Gear 408p
13. The Warriors of Spider - W Michael Gear 367p
14. Treasure of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 544p
15. Redemption of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 527p
16. An Abyss of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 464p
17. People of the Owl - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 598p
18. People of the Raven - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 562p
19. People of the Moon  - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 615p
20. People of the Nightland- Kathleen & Michael  Gear 515p
21. Bastille vs The Evil Librarians - Brandon Sanderson 272p
22. The Collected Short Stories Loui's L'Amour Volume 6 Part 2 - Crime 384p
23. The Ice Orphan - Kathleen O'Neal Gear 304
24. The Ferryman - Justin Cronin 536p
    
25. Wool - Hugh Howey 576p
26. NightCrawlers - Tim Curran 232p
27. Fear Me - Tim Curran 98p
28. The Awakening -  Brett McBean 440p
    
29. Requiem for the Conqueror - W. Michael Gear 621p
30. Relic of Empire - W. Michael Gear 625p
31. Counter-Measures - W Michael Gear 721p
32. 
    Word Bearers Box Set -  Anthony Reynolds (LE) 1250p
    
    
    
    
33. Treasure Island - Louis L'Amour 188p
34. Collected Stories Vol2 Frontier Stories - Louis L'Amour 568p
35. Soul Iuchiban - Evan Dicken -364p
36. Call the Dark - J Todd Scott 383p
37. Rose in Darkness - Dani Ware 295p
38. 
    Come Closer - Sara Gran 163p
39. To Tame a Land - Louis L'Amour 153p
40. Afraid - J A Konrath 
41. Empty Mile - Matthew Stoke 390p
42. A War to End All - Michael Fletcher 440p
    
43. Kiowa Trail - Louis L'Amour 161p
44. Creed AShes of Cadia - Jude Reid 435p
45. 
    Heller with a Gun - Louis L'Amour 195p
46. Shalako  - Louis L'Amour 210p
47. Tne Burnning Hills - Louis L'Amour 145p
48. The Blackstone Chronicles - John Saul 527p
49. Creature - John Saul 329
    

TBR Month of October (part 2)

 So, I've debating and I am going to read Horror stuff. No doubt.

First of all I am going to try to finish the novels I am currently reading (inbetween)

1. Ravencry - Ed McDonald
2. Wool - Hugh Howey
3. Speaker of the Dead - Orson Scott Card

In terms of horror I've got a dozen novels line up, Around 4000 pages.

1. Misery - Stephen King 370p
2. Dominion - Bentley Little 413p
3. Ruins - Scott Smith 523p
4. Dark Water - Koji Suzuki 309p
5. Rosemary's Baby  Ira Levin   229p
6. Lair of the Crystal Fang - S. A. Sidor 363p
7. The Awakening - Brett McBean  440p
8. Fear Me - Tim Curran 99p
9. Bird Box - Josh Malerman - 473p
10. The Exorcist - William Peter Blatty 379p
11. Afraid - J. A. Konrath  248p
12. Whispers of the Dark - Jonathan Aycliffe 220p

And several others that may enter the run.

1. Come Closer - Sara Gran 165p
2. Ancient Images - Ramsey Campbell 299p
3. Dark Mountain - Richard Laymon 373 
4. Devourer and the Dead - Kristopher Ruffy 249p
5. Last Days - Adam Nevill  530p
6. Empty Mile - Matthew Stokoe 395p

38/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

So one week to go

Already Finish

1. Hole in the World - Brian Keene 277p 2/9/2023 7⭐ (Review)
2. Funland - Richard Laymon                     505p     4/9/2023       8⭐ (Review)
3. Soichi - Junji Ito                                   410p    10/9/2023       9⭐ (Review)
4. Galaxy In Flames - Ben Counter            408p    13/9/2023    8.5⭐ (Review)
5. Maze Master - Kathleen O'Neal Gear      335p    15/9/2023       5⭐ (Review)
6. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne    204p    17/9/2023       6⭐
7. Run - Blake Crouch                              331p     18/9/2023       6⭐
8. The Beast Must Die - Gav Thorpe           239p      20/09/2023     6⭐

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan           164/705pp (23%)
2. Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy      101/469p  (21%)
3. Wool - Hugh Howey                            121/540p  (21%)
4. Shadows of the Empire                        243/381p        
5. Ender Saga - Speaker of the Mind             382p
                         

August Reading Goal

1. Soichi from Junji Ito (Manga) 412 pages. I've been reading one Junji Ito per month and I almost caught up. Missing this one, Gyo, No Longer Human & Tomie
2. Funland by Richard Laymon 505 pages (from last month)
3. Maze Master 333p
4. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne by Kikuchi 204p. My goal is reading 2 more this year.
5. Shadows of the Empire - Steven Perry 381 pages (From last month)
6. Ravencry - Ed McDonald 415p (going to try read the next book , next month)
7. The Beast Must Die (Book 8 of The Beast Arises)  239p
8. Watchers in the Death (Book 9 of the Beast Arises) 198p
9. Thunderhead (Book 2 of Art of Scythe) 515p
10. Ender Saga - Speaker of the Mind 382p

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. Blood Over Bright Haven - M L Wang 529p
2. Star Path - Michael & Kathleen Gear 457p
3. Those Below - Daniel Polansky 350p
4. Those Above - Daniel Polanksy 393p
5. Collected Short Stories louis L'Amour Volume 6 Part 1 Crime 360p
6. Iron Gold - Pierce Brown 606p
   
7. The Visitant - Michael & Kathleen Gear 365p
8. The Summoning God Michael & Kathleen Gear363p
9. Bone Walker Michael & Kathleen Gear 445p
10. Starstriker - W Michael Gear 542p
11. The Web of Spider - W Michael Gear 648p
12. The Way of  Spider - W Michael Gear 408p
13. The Warriors of Spider - W Michael Gear 367p
14. Treasure of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 544p
15. Redemption of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 527p
16. An Abyss of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 464p
17. People of the Owl - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 598p
18. People of the Raven - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 562p
19. People of the Moon  - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 615p
20. People of the Nightland- Kathleen & Michael  Gear 515p
21. Bastille vs The Evil Librarians - Brandon Sanderson 272p
22. The Collected Short Stories Loui's L'Amour Volume 6 Part 2 - Crime 384p
23. The Ice Orphan - Kathleen O'Neal Gear 304
24. The Ferryman - Justin Cronin 536p
    
25. Wool - Hugh Howey 576p
26. NightCrawlers - Tim Curran 232p
27. Fear Me - Tim Curran 98p
28. The Awakening -  Brett McBean 440p
    
29. Requiem for the Conqueror - W. Michael Gear 621p
30. Relic of Empire - W. Michael Gear 625p
31. Counter-Measures - W Michael Gear 721p
32. 
    Word Bearers Box Set -  Anthony Reynolds (LE) 1250p
    
    
    
    
33. Treasure Island - Louis L'Amour 188p
34. Collected Stories Vol2 Frontier Stories - Louis L'Amour 568p
35. Soul Iuchiban - Evan Dicken -364p
36. Call the Dark - J Todd Scott 383p
37. Rose in Darkness - Dani Ware 295p

Book Review: Funland by Richard Laymon

Funland by Richard Laymon 
My rating: 8 of 10 ⭐

Pages : 500

Year : 1989

Genre : Horror

Series : Solo

OK, 8 stars. Is one of the best Laymon books I've read and one of the longest now.
So what's this about you ask.. Well, in this tale we are in a place where you've got beach, boardwalk and a funhouse - of all novels by Laymon this is the first time I see a beach and such. Strangely enough there is a lot of hobos laying around and the vast majority are quite odd , crazy or downright evil. One of the things that jump around is that there multiple POV whilst the vast majority of his works are only one or two. You've got two police officers (Dave & Joan), Robin a new-young hobo that lives to play the banjo & Young teen new to the town. This boy meets other teens that at a night go around trolling (trolling being evil stuff to the trolls - the trolls are hobos). If at first you think they are just bunch of kids doing evil stuff to pass the time but we get to learn that one of the girls were raped by hobos and they are now "avenging" this girl. Another girl is doing to search for his sister among other reasons.

As I've said, we also follow cops who patrol that place and the main focus of them is basically the romance subplot. While Robin is the figure you root for.

So how is this compared with other Laymon stuff? Well, first of all is not as gory and full of scarce as other books (woods are dark). You've got some gory parts but mostly in the last 50 pages. The remaining 400 is setting everything in place, is developing the characters, is fulfilling the romance and making teens horny and confused.

As all other Laymon takes you've got some sexy parts, and some sexy parts that make you feel naughty but all good. Rape (which exists in other novels) are mostly told about and not vividly (if you understand what I am trying to say). The purpose of a rape scene that exists (again, told about) is important to understand the hate one of the characters have and how she ensnares other people.
You've got horny boys and some underage stuff (but again, nothing that jumps as dirty - or do you all thing young boys of 16 don't think of sex and porn and other stuff?) Of course , the vast majority of people who are reading are adults and they feel a bit strange reading BUT alas, that's the reader problem.

Someone wrote;
"I've pretty much gotten used to Laymon's standard sex-obsessed male adolescent who ogles all the female characters and thinks nasty, inappropriate things about them in his mind. Doesn't matter if death is breathing down your neck or some monster is crawling up out of the floor, if there's any chance of getting laid, these male characters will never pass up an opportunity to cop a feel or make out. " is he wrong? Boys are like that and to be honest, so are girls. Or girls don't think about sex until they are 18? LOL that's not chauvinist. That's being dumb and worst, blind. Before someone jumps the gun, we are not talking about abusing or forcing someone. We are talking about thinking about sex.

Oh well, you've read one Laymon you read them all, in some instances, beautiful perfect girls. Horny teenagers and violence. What differentiate the novel is intensity or lack of it of one of these. Because you will have everything.

One thing I didn't enjoy, well, although I did enjoy the setup, I thought it was a bit too long. The other is the romance part. For Laymon there is no love, only urges and when he tries to write about love it feels flat. Both the cops, the boy and Shinner and the banjo player (plus another boy) all feel somekind of stuff akin to love But it's not. They are feeling desire and urges. One had a girlfriend that he almost hates and thank the lords another person appears so swaps with a new plaything (which in turn drops a pretender that she "cares" deeply). Other had a twisted girlfriend and swaps and at the same night already loves another girl (overnight) and the third doesn't understand love, although a girl loves him back (or does she?) and prefers to side with desire/lust over love.

Those things were a bit of turn off. I would have imagine having a more unique form of love, and one of the other , because characters are different but in the end they are all the same. That's why this book gets a 8 out of 10. BUT overall enjoyed.
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Book Review: Soichi by Junji Ito

Soichi by Junji Ito
My rating: 9 out of 10 ⭐

Pages : 416

Year: 2023 

Genre: Horror

Series : Solo

Soichi is a great compilation of short stories by the master of horror Junji Ito. I would rate 9 out 10.
The vast works of Junji are mix-match stories, sometimes of similar themes. But here is a bit different. It's the compilation of short stories involving the same character Soichi (and his immediate family).

We've got an interesting character here, he is weird, completely chaotic (sometimes evil, or to be honest most of times) but at the same time he can become somewhat lenient (not good). He thinks the all world is against him and so he tries to punish and curse all people around him. Probably the person that suffers more is his brother Koichi.

As you read the tales, you get two feelings a bit of horror (although he tries to make it rather supernatural there are times that the veil is lifted and there isn't anything supernatural - sometimes...). At the same time it's rather funny and charmy(is this a word) and although evil you kind of root for him (at times).

I think there are more stories with Soichi but why only these are included here? I wonder if it was a choice on the length of the novel. The rest of the series by Viz have the same number (around 400 pages). Maybe a second novel would be created?

Either way, if you enjoy so far Junji please go ahead and dive in. If you never watch anything by him, I would say this isn't the best place to start - not because it's bad; I am giving a 9 out of 10 but because it focus in the same character and if you don't enjoy it probably you won't try again BUT also because is rather different from other works from him. Mainly the funny part, not visceral, not supernatural etc. Is it horror? YES. Is it good? YES.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter

Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter
My rating: 8.5 of 10 ⭐

Pages : 352

Year : 2018

Genre : Thriller

Series : Horus Heresy 3/54

Divided between 8 or 9. Probably more 8.5.

So what's this book about, well it's the culmination of this first and unique trilogy within the main series. If you have to read 3 novels, these three novels set stuff in motion. Later books will enhance some storylines here or give more feedback on stuff that happened between this point until the siege of terra. Are they all important? No. The vast majority, if not all, will say that you only have to read around 12 of them to get the full grasp of every intervenient.

So what's this about? Well, Horus have fallen to Chaos, to be honest he hasn't fallen, he is more using it to further his goals, he was duped by Erebus and, being a power hungry being that has daddy issues uses Chaos topple the emperor. Meanwhile he is doing that.. falling... he is trying to understand which of his brothers he can trust and who cannot. He is also trying to understand who among their recruits will not follow him. So in this novel, we basically have a battle between factions within the Luna Wolves, World Eaters, Death Guard and Emperor's Children. All other chapters are not even mention. We know that Space Wolves have gone to Thousand Sons homeplanet (interesting to know that Horus does not believe the thousand sons will be their partners (probably thing Space Wolves are) and the blood angels we don't know. He also states that he can't trust Ultramarines. Everyone else is blank card. So future novels will deal with that.

So, his novel was interesting to read. First of all , the three writers, try to make horus fall a bit of a tragic. IT could go either way kind of situation. One character I didn't enjoy reading about was Abaddon - which strangely enough becomes the Big Bad Guy in the 40k millennium.

We also get a bit of information of some loyalist like Garro, Tarviz, Torgaddon & of course Loken. We also get information on some humans that want to warm the Emperor, several of them the first believers that the Emperor is a God. Here is a difference between space marines & humans. Humans want to warm the emperor of Horus betrayal and thing he is a god. Space marines, loyalists, want to warm the emperor but don't believe he is a god.

In terms of "falling" I can get Emperor Children, I can get World Eaters and Sons of Horus. Death Guard? I don't know... (I think I know why, since I've already read stuff but this novel didn't show that). I liked the novel, don't get me wrong but I think some stuff should have been explained more, maybe there wasn't space or they didn't want since other novels will explain those topics or situations I've mentioned.

The ending is a bit heart-breaking and probably my favourite character was Lucius. Lucius first was deemed a loyalist but we know he exist in 40K as a chaos champion, so something happened, and thus we are show here.

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Book Review: Maze Master by Kathleen O'Neal Gear

Maze Master by Kathleen O'Neal Gear
My rating: 5 of 10 🌟

Pages : 352

Year : 2018

Genre : Thriller

So what is my opinion of this novel? First of all, it's fast pace. We've got 60+ chapters in 330 pages.
So what's this about you ask, well it's about covid plague being ravaging the world. IT's a disease like no others before, since it seems it kills and there is no cure. The reason behind? Well it's due to genetics since this disease is at ADN (DNA) level.

So, we learn that this started somewhere in France and the vast majority of countries start closing on themselves but as any other disease it jumps to every country around and none can contain it. Wars and bombs go off and so on..

So who do we have here, well we have two characters that started this; Anna Asher & Martin. Afterwards they meet us military Micah. This novel deals with a disease , plague whatever you wanna call it and Anna thinks, or knows, that the solution lay in Egypt with the cure that Jesus used to cure sick people. So they went there... But then we've got 30 chapters of running around until all confrontation happens in Malta.

One of the most interesting things is that HERV-K really existed and supposedly killed old versions of humans (Neanderthals & Denisovans).

So what's good and what's bad about this..
Good; The thriller part is good, the all thing about new virus is good story, the cure hidden in Christianity faith, the link between geometry and the word of god and I've learn about the Golden Rule. Interesting.

Bad (some spoilers)
- the writer really doesn't show us, how the diseased is catch or jumps from human to human. IT just do.
- we are told, a couple of times, world is in chaos, but HOW in chaos, how bad it is? We don't know. There is no logic on how rapid people died. Some take 6 days, some one.
- We are told that sub-Saharan people are immune. Being most of them french colonies, and we are told everything started there, and existing a lot of black people in France, nobody put one plus one?
- The justification about how black people are immune is quite interesting... the author things (and she specifically says) we are inbred. Every white, Chinese etc (so no black people basically) are inbred and at some point mix with Neanderthals & Denisovans. Well, fuck me raw and call me sally. What? I don't know. She is the palaeontologist. I thought that we had involved directly from neanderthalensis to Homo Sapiens but it seems no. It seems that we eurasia (and america due the eurasia) are a mix of neanderthalensis plus homo sapiens but Africans just kaput into sapiens directly. Interesting as well is that Europeans, middle eastern and Chinese evolved in terms of culture more fast than Africans. Must read on why.
- Another thing that made me wonder was the american good and american bad guys. The last page is literally an ode to American being good to the world. They are so good that an african man says in page 54 " He'd be stoned back home for saying it loud, but he thanked God his ancestors had been stolen and taken to America as slaves. In America you had a chance. Here in this barbaric wilderness, human life had no value" (he was in Africa). Damn.
- Russians are bad hummies.

OH well, having said all of these I am disappointed with the novel. I bought more of her books. Really hope from an improvement or else I just spent two hundred or three on all of their books lol
I would rate 5 out of 10.

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37/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

 First week was pretty good but then It slow down... So with 15 days in I've read 5 novels. ARound 2000 pages. Pretty good to be honest. LEt us see I've can read all the novels I've put myself to read.

Already Finish

1. Hole in the World - Brian Keene 277p 2/9/2023 7⭐
2. Funland - Richard Laymon                      505p     4/9/2023        8⭐
3. Soichi - Junji Ito                                    410p    10/9/2023       9⭐
4. Galaxy In Flames - Ben Counter              408p    13/9/2023     8.5⭐
5. Maze Master - Kathleen O'Neal Gear        335p    15/9/2023       5⭐

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan           164/705pp (23%)
2. Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy      101/469p  (21%)
3. Wool - Hugh Howey                            121/540p  (21%)
4. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne  108/204p  (52%)     
5. Run - Blake Crouch                             175/331p  (53%) Audiobook

August Reading Goal

1. Soichi from Junji Ito (Manga) 412 pages. I've been reading one Junji Ito per month and I almost caught up. Missing this one, Gyo, No Longer Human & Tomie
2. Funland by Richard Laymon 505 pages (from last month)
3. Maze Master 333p
4. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne by Kikuchi 204p. My goal is reading 2 more this year.
5. Shadows of the Empire - Steven Perry 381 pages (From last month)
6. Ravencry - Ed McDonald 415p (going to try read the next book , next month)
7. The Beast Must Die (Book 8 of The Beast Arises)  239p
8. Watchers in the Death (Book 9 of the Beast Arises) 198p
9. Thunderhead (Book 2 of Art of Scythe) 515p
10. Ender Saga - Speaker of the Mind 382p

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. Blood Over Bright Haven - M L Wang 529p
2. Star Path - Michael & Kathleen Gear 457p
3. Those Below - Daniel Polansky 350p
4. Those Above - Daniel Polanksy 393p
5. Collected Short Stories louis L'Amour Volume 6 Part 1 Crime 360p
6. Iron Gold - Pierce Brown 606p
   
   
   
7. The Visitant - Michael & Kathleen Gear 365p
8. The Summoning God Michael & Kathleen Gear363p
9. Bone Walker Michael & Kathleen Gear 445p

   

   all three books are signed :)
   
   

10. Starstriker - W Michael Gear 542p
11. The Web of Spider - W Michael Gear 648p
12. The Way of  Spider - W Michael Gear 408p
13. The Warriors of Spider - W Michael Gear 367p
14. Treasure of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 544p
15. Redemption of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 527p
16. An Abyss of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 464p
17. People of the Owl - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 598p
18. People of the Raven - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 562p
19. People of the Moon  - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 615p
20. People of the Nightland- Kathleen & Michael  Gear 515p
21. 
    Bastille vs The Evil Librarians - Brandon Sanderson 272p
22. The Collected Short Stories Loui's L'Amour Volume 6 Part 2 - Crime 384p
23. The Ice Orphan - Kathleen O'Neal Gear 304
24. The Ferryman - Justin Cronin 536p
    
25. Wool - Hugh Howey 576p
26. NightCrawlers - Tim Curran 232p
27. Fear Me - Tim Curran 98p
28. The Awakening -  Brett McBean 440p

Book Review: State of Fear by Michael Crichton

State of Fear by Michael Crichton
My rating: 9 of 10 stars
Pages 705
Year 2004

Genre Thriller

Read August

After reading this novel I thought I made a long review but I don't think words can convey my thoughts so eloquently. So let's go with the review and this is going to be a different way. This book is divided in two if you wish;

- The thriller, chase and action scenes. The romance or lack of it and other stuff

- Then there is the controversy part where Crichton basically info dumps information about climate change and how companies, news and so are corruptible. Bear in mind that this book is almost twenty years old. Ideas changed, science change and politics changed. So there may be stuff that was "true" then and not now. Or general idea then and not now.

If you see the comments, and reviews here you can see the vast majority either love or hate and I can understand that. Crichton uses his characters to address some topics like rise of water, deforestation, weird weather, pollution and over population.

First of all, I believe that pollution and over population are deep preoccupation. I never really went overboard with the all climate change since I know history and know that there were modifications on temperature over the centuries. We all know that Germany used to be much warmer and then got colder around the time of roman empire and that's why so many tribes migrated from Germany and Scandinavia to southern Europe. We are talking about goths, franks, suevi, vandals among others. Since then temperature had it's ups and downs but since it was not measure there is no data to say okay what's happening now is normal. I understand that pollution probably facilitates stuff BUT is it as dramatic as it was? Or is earth climate changing (as it should even without human intervention?) If someone says, yes , I would laugh. Nobody knows. It's hypotheses and we can't test the other one so alas. Then you know the all species disappearing.. Who knows? Is scientist everywhere that know X millions disappear? No. For what I learn they do to a space with x years interval and check if the animals are the same BUT nobody knows really. This insects and stuff could migrated. It's all hypothesis. The sea level rising , it seems , after I've also checked hasn't raise anything significant. The problem was that people that makes this assessment are idiots that over use words and say "There is only more 70 months to change or there isn't a a no coming back" OR in ten years London will be under the sea or Venezia. You all heard and all were deemed... well wrong.

The only problem to be honest to our society is over population. We've got too much people and everyone wants a better life and society can't handle that. In terms of polution we are getting better (western society) but India, China and Africa are really to blame. Although if you heard the news you would thing it's Europe that is wrong. Fuck them. Go search in fucking google and search for it... here is one example https://www.numbeo.com/pollution/rank....

Alas, I know I Can receive a ton of hate but fuck anyone who tells me I am the wrong one, when the people advocating for this are even worse. Look at Prince, sorry King Charles or Di Caprio and such. They fly private jets. There are others.. please just check. Btw, this is also another thing that Crichton nails it, claiming that the vast majority are after the money and publicity. News feed on it and they control us on it. Fear! Fear! Fear!

Look at world, it's one catasthrope after another to control us, 9/11, climate change, war in ukraine, covid etc. Everything to control us through our fears... They destroy and try to destroy or way of life through fear. It's awful what news do. That's why I skip them.

Oh well, I would rate this book 9/10. I enjoy it the reading and I made me think and search stuff. Unfortunately the thriller part is awful. To easy and second place.

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36/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

First week was pretty good but then It slow down...

Already Finish

1. Hole in the World - Brian Keene 277p 2/9/2023 7⭐
2. Funland - Richard Laymon                      505p     4/9/2023        8⭐

Ongoing

1. The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan           164/705pp (23%)
2. Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy 101/469p (21%)
3. Galaxy In Flames - Ben Counter 198/408p (48%)
4. Soichi from Junji Ito 226/410p (54%)
5. Maze Master - Kathleen O'Neal Gear 155/335p (44%)
6. Wool - Hugh Howey 121/540p p (21%)

August Reading Goal

1. Soichi from Junji Ito (Manga) 412 pages. I've been reading one Junji Ito per month and I almost caught up. Missing this one, Gyo, No Longer Human & Tomie
2. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne by Kikuchi 204p. My goal is reading 2 more this year.
3. Funland by Richard Laymon 505 pages (from last month)
4. Shadows of the Empire - Steven Perry 381 pages (From last month)
5. Ravencry - Ed McDonald 415p (going to try read the next book , next month)
6. The Beast Must Die (Book 8 of The Beast Arises)  239p
7. Watchers in the Death (Book 9 of the Beast Arises) 198p
8. Thunderhead (Book 2 of Art of Scythe) 515p
9. Maze Master 333p
10. Ender Saga - Speaker of the Mind 382p

TBR Pile, piling up...

1. Blood Over Bright Haven - M L Wang 529p
2. Star Path - Michael & Kathleen Gear 457p
3. Those Below - Daniel Polansky 350p
4. Those Above - Daniel Polanksy 393p
5. Collected Short Stories louis L'Amour Volume 6 Part 1 Crime 360p
6. Iron Gold - Pierce Brown 606p
   
   
   
7. The Visitant - Michael & Kathleen Gear 365p
8. The Summoning God Michael & Kathleen Gear363p
9. Bone Walker Michael & Kathleen Gear 445p

   

   all three books are signed :)
   
   

10. Starstriker - W Michael Gear 542p
11. The Web of Spider - W Michael Gear 648p
12. The Way of  Spider - W Michael Gear 408p
13. The Warriors of Spider - W Michael Gear 367p
14. Treasure of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 544p
15. Redemption of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 527p
16. An Abyss of Light - Kathleen M. O'Neal 464p
17. People of the Owl - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 598p
18. People of the Raven - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 562p
19. People of the Moon  - Kathleen & Michael  Gear 615p
20. People of the Nightland- Kathleen & Michael  Gear 515p

TBR Month of October

 The Month of October is the month of Horror, it's month I review horror movies.

But in terms of reading I Am torn between reading horror as well or to read old books (sci-fi/fantasy). Short of 100 of 3000 so I believe it's achievable. But being older books there may be some problems reading.

1. The Anubis Gates - Tim Powers 464p (1983)
2. The Body Snatchers - Jack Finney 226p (1954)
3. The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury 305 (1950)
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury 262 (1962)
5. The King of Elfland's Daughter - Lord Dunsany 240 (1924)
6. Childhood's End - Arthur C Clarke 242 (1953)
7. The Broken Sword - Poul Anderson 274 (1954)
8. Darker Than You Think - Jack Williamson 266 (1948)
9. The Iron Dragon's Daughter - Michael Swanwick 342 (1993)
10. Behold the Man - Michael Moorcock  124 (1969)
11. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes 216 (1966)

Horror

1. Pale Fallen Angel Part one and two Hideyuki Kikuchi 299 1994
2. Pale Fallen Angel Part three and four Hideyuki Kikuchi 290 1995
3. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 317 1979
4. Dark Water Koji Suzuki 309 1996
5. Apocalypse of the Dead Joe Mckinney 503 2010
6. In The Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 346 2022
7. Shadows of Pnath Josh Reynolds 331 2023
8. Lair of the Crystal Fang S. A. Sidor 363 2022
9. The Deadly Grimoire Rosemary Jones 344 2022
10. The Ravening Deep   Tim Pratt           330 2023
11. Rosemary's Baby  Ira Levin   229 1967
12. Cold Hand in Mine  Robert Aickman 356 2014 
13. Misery Stephen King 370 1987

I will try to decide until then :) Cast your vote if you wish... If someone say something then I will do it.

Book Review: Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry

Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry
My rating: 6 of 10 stars

Pages : 385

Year :  1996

Genre : Space Opera

Series : Star Wars 

What a nice little character Xizor. Oh well.

This includes a bit of spoilers but it's predictable since this book is set between the Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi. So you already know what is going to happen. Why did Luke "gave away" the droids, why Leia is a bounty hunter, why chewie is chain why Lando is a troop of the Hut and why Skywalker is a "badass".

This is a story that explains a bit on why it took them some time to save Han (1 year I think) but at the same time provided a new character Prince Xizor and his machinations to become the Emperor servant while the same time eliminate Darth Vader as number 2.

And to be honest that's the most interesting part of the story. Everything else was boring, from Leia to Chewie to Lando a Han Dash. this last character is the copy of hand, same traits, same way of speaking. If the writer swap the name nobody would have figure it out. Interestingly he puts Leia saying, do all people like Han behave like that? Is there a school? lol it's quite funny.

So why 6.5 Stars? Round to 7. Well because of Xisor and the last one hundreds pages that were good. Everything else was a bit boring. Again, the best parts were Xisor. Darth Vader & Emperor were also nice, but apart from that , no.

IT was nice to see Leia a bit different from high and mighty she looks like in empire strikes back and even doing stuff out of her character.

I had higher expectations for Xisor, but unfortunately we all know how it would end, after all in return of Jedi there wasn't any mention of it.

Another thing that upsets me is Luke. Everyone wants to convert , well Darth wants but I don't see the power he sees in him. He isn't powerful at all. I think Darth is kidding himself. He just don't want to kill his son. If they had killed Luke when they had the change, the Empire would survive. It's sometimes this badly written stuff that upsets me. Face palm situation. If the Emperor forseen everything, why didn't he forseen that.

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Book Review: Slugs by Shaun Hutson

Slugs by Shaun Hutson
My rating: 7 out of 10

Pages 208

Year 1982

Genre Horror

Read in August

Review to come. Very similar to rats by Herbert

I will not dwell much on it. You read Rats? This is the same but with slugs. So you've got this mutagenic string of normal slugs that is now hunting for prey, a bit big for them. So after they've procreated to the millions they invade the quite town of Merton. In this tale we follow City Health Inspector Brady plus half a dozen small part characters as they try to work stuff out. Most of the characters are a bit bland but Brady is well development. Some other characters, that basically die, are also well development as Mr Shaun gives them backstory for you to care but alas, will they live? Let's find out. There are a couple of death's, not as many as Rats but it was nicely done. Didn't enjoy the all bigger slugs controlling the smaller ones like some Tyranids from 40K but that's how the author work things out or else he would have a problem to solve. If there was not central control why wouldn't the slugs migrated fast to other places making more and becoming basically the dominant species?

I enjoy the ending and I didn't knew while I Was reading but it seems there is is a sequel which I will read in the near future. 7/10 

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Movie Review: Killers Moon (1978) October Horror Fest 2023 (6/31)

 We've got an oldie here. Basically we've got a UK movie where a bunch of young teens that kidnapped by a bunch of lunatics (asylum escapees). Meanwhile this we've got some people talking about those crazy people and one solo adventurer trying to free them. It's typical hammer horror stuff from the 70's. Some nudity and sexual violence ( although very contain). Apart from this, it's nothing that will win awards and nothing that will be on the last place of a race. It's adequable. The female leads supposedly are young teens (16/17). As I watch the movie I think to myself... well I've seen something very similar and this and that. These girls have to fend for themselves and so they change within the hour and half long movie... they become mature, sacrificing themselves and killing. It's okay. The ending is also okay.

Book Review: Ghoul by Brian Keene

Ghoul by Brian Keene
My rating 8 Stars

Pages 341

Year 2007

Read in August

Going to rate this an 8 out of 10.
So what's this book about, well a Ghoul. I am kidding. Is much more than that... only after reading the novel I understood what he was doing here but lets go step by step..

This is the tale of a three 12 year old friends who are living their lives to the fullest (well 12years old on 1984). They have their own hideout and their own personal stuff to work with. One friend is beaten by the drunk father, another friend is abused by her mother and the last one, supposedly has a perfect life until he hasn't. I mean even the most normal parents have some weird stuff on them when facing adversities. in the other hand we've got this Ghoul who has been awaken and now eats the dead and wants to procreate.

First of all, this book does not shine away from sex scenes (although brief they exist). Then you've got that vibe of Stranger Things although this predates it. Then you've got some very brief connections to other Keene novels that are interesting to read. LeHorn. They are very brief, so don't worry. I am interesting to see if any of the survivors will appear in the last two books Keene wrote that try to connect all the books into a big Mythos.

So what's good and what's bad.. First of all it's fast paced (I read in two sittings) and it's easy to understand, to care about the characters and to feel from them. I didn't like that much of the confrotantion in the end and that's why rating is not better.

Although this book is about a Ghoul, I think the best book name would be "Monster". Why? Although the Ghoul is indeed a monster, a killer and a rapist , after reading about the stories of each boy you get the feeling that the real monsters are humans and not the ghoul. The Ghoul kills because he has to feed, it rapes (wrong of course) because he wants to mate and spawn and is the last of his kind. But the humans... the woman rapes the child because she has problems or whatever , the man drinks and beats his wife and child. It's a bit different... the humans do that to their own child. I think Keene was trying to show us a bit more , maybe ghoul here means what the monster is (it sucks life of people...) maybe he is saying this mother and father are ghouls..

Spoiler warning,
By the end, one of the child is dead. Two other survive. One was in love with a teen throughout the book, then we've got a jump of 20 years and these two boys, now man meet. They were friends but grew apart, the boy who had that crush/girlfriend and the "love of his life" was no longer and another woman took it's place. While the other boy is now working where his father work and we get some glimpses as he mistreats his own child (like his father did, whereas when he was 12 said that he will never do what his father did to him). What comes around, goes around I guess.

Spoilers end...

This book will make you think about it. It's not just a horror novel. It's much more than that.
Btw, what happened to the girl who was abused by the Ghoul? Did she give birth to ghouls or...

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Book Review: Hole In The World by Brian Keene

Hole In The World by Brian Keene
My rating: 7 of 10 Stars

Pages 277

Year 2018

So this is the third audiobook I've heard from Keene in a row. I enjoy it.
First of all, this novel does not require you to read the previous 2 but if you've read it would be a beneficit. The reason is that this novel follows a different set of characters from the previous two. I've read that this novel was done via somekind of kickstarter and we are introduced to 17 characters. So the first 70 pages (around 1h30) is basically getting to know them. Most of them have a story and they are really cool but I think 17 characters for a 277 page book is a bit too much. And you know that the vast majority will have short lives (after all, that world is full of dangers).

The vast majority were flesh out and although sound a bit alike some were really interesting. Would be interesting to know how he created them. Did he give them personalities or the people gave them their own ideas? I don't know, either way it was cool. 7/10

So what this book about, a bunch of people are on a bus where a major snow storm is falling. as I've said the first 70 pages are just introducing on why they are there, how they meet (if they know each other etc). Then they travel to another world and then we go to some stuff we already know, this world is unforgiving, with dinosaurs, insects that will kill you, plants that will kill you, water that will kill you, trees that... you get the picture. Some of these we already knew from previous novel.

I won't get into much spoilers on who die or not, but something shifted on this novel.. so spoilers ahead.

Last novel we were introduced to somekind of aliens and here they appear yet again, but instead of being totally evil they are just well neutral, even saving a child that "shouldn't" be there. Another was the ending, although the vast majority died (as expected) three of them enter somekind of portal (or did they)., And we get to know the tree of life, basically its Keene idea that angels are nothing more than aliens and they created humanity.

Spoilers ending...

Is this novel good? It's okay and a nice edition to the series Lost Level and starts to answer some stuff about the world. BUT more questions arise from this. I don't know if he is going to write more stuff BUT lets hope so. I will keep reading them. Keene is one of my favourite writers , when he doesn't preach.

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Want To Read -Sequel September 2023 Reading

So let's see what I am going to try to read in September of 2023. More than half are sequels (in bold). There are X that are coming from last month

The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan 178/703p
The Hunt for the Red October - Tom Clancy 109/469p

So you've got 3500 pages

1. Soichi from Junji Ito (Manga) 412 pages. I've been reading one Junji Ito per month and I almost caught up. Missing this one, Gyo, No Longer Human & Tomie
2. Vampire Hunter D - 10 Dark Nocturne by Kikuchi 204p. My goal is reading 2 more this year.
3. Funland by Richard Laymon 505 pages (from last month)
4. Shadows of the Empire - Steven Perry 381 pages (From last month)
5. Ravencry - Ed McDonald 415p (going to try read the next book , next month)
6. The Beast Must Die (Book 8 of The Beast Arises)  239p
7. Watchers in the Death (Book 9 of the Beast Arises) 198p
8. Thunderhead (Book 2 of Art of Scythe) 515p
9. Maze Master 333p
10. Ender Saga - Speaker of the Mind 382p

Some books I may swap and these are it; It will depend on my mood (2700 pages)

1. The Devourer and the Dead 244p - Splatter Western 12 (last two books on splatter to read)
2. Last of Ravagers 256p  - Splatter Western 13  (last two books on splatter to read)
3. Ursun's Teeth 256p - Second book on the duology of the Ambassador's Chronicles
4. Ghostmaker 320p - second novel on the Gaunt Ghosts
5. Thanquol's Doom 416p - Last book on Thanquol & Boneripper series
6. Beasts in Velvet 316p - Missing book on Genevieve tales (there are four and this is the third but I skipped it by mistake)
7. Elephant's can remember 299p (penultime Poirot novel to read)
8. Curtain ; Poirot Last Case 279p (last Poirot novel to read)
9. Misery 338p

I am not trying to read 19 books. Those are books I want to read and some substitutes.