I get on these kicks where I’ll be suddenly interested in something I never really cared about before, then completely absorb it all in one go. Not too long ago I picked up an Edgar Rice Burroughs anthology and just had so much fun I had to share. (more…)
Summer Reading: The Ocean at the End of the lane
I was in high school when I first read The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes and it changed my life. I’ve read and re-read the Sandman series dozens of times over the years and have loved every page and panel. When Gaiman broke out of the comics world and released Neverwhere, I was first in line to buy it. Well that’s not actually true. There wasn’t a line to buy it. I just walked in and grabbed a copy. But had there been a line, I would have probably been close to the front. And I’ve gotten everything else pretty much on the day it was released.
Summer Reading: The Night Circus
Good Evening my friends. Tonight we discuss a fun little book for your reading pleasure.
The Night Circus is one of those books that pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. The circus changes the people who experience it. It becomes a part of them, a memory, a dream, a snippet of song or a whiff of pipe tobacco carried on the wind with the aromas of caramel, cinnamon, and cider. Once you buy your ticket and enter the gates, you will never be the same.
This is the beautifully written tale of two magicians, a challenge, and a venue. Lush descriptions of fantastical things abound. Although some of the plot lines get a bit convoluted with the skipping forward and backward in time, it all makes sense in the end. Some have criticized the story for being long on description and short on story. I disagree. As I read, trying as I normally do to pay attention to characters so as to keep them straight in my head, I noticed that the narrative kept getting hypnotic and dreamlike. The sights and sounds of the circus took over and rather than following a plot, one was simply watching what went on inside.
It’s this kind of immersive prose that I love the most and it’s the sort of stuff this book is made of. Totally enjoyable.
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Autumn Reading: Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories
I’m going to make it quick tonight my friends. The cold weather is upon us as well as pumpkin spice and holiday cheer. Nothing improves the mood like a good ghost story. And who better to recommend a great ghost story than the incomparable Roald Dahl?
I picked up Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories years ago and it continues to be a favorite of mine. These stories run the gamut from creepy to weird to downright scary. It is said that Dahl read 749 stories in search of the best ones to include in this collection. In my opinion, he chose well.
Summer Reading: World War Z
Good evening Minions. Our favorite season approaches. Soon the evenings will be cool and the air will carry the scent of burning leaves and pumpkin spice. However, Autumn does not arrive until September 22nd. Therefore you still have time to finish a book or two for Summer Reading. Tonight’s selection is World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks.
Summer Reading: The Graveyard Book
Summer is nearing its blessed end but you still have time for a couple more.
Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book is the story of Bod Owens, the little boy who lives in the cemetery. Bod is looked after by various ghosts and spirits who haunt the graveyard and protect him from the Jack, the man who killed his parents.
Although The Graveyard Book is intended for children, Gaiman’s storytelling deserves to be enjoyed by all. He is the Scarydad’s favorite author and so I am almost forced to command you to read all of his books. But definitely read this one. I can’t guarantee you’ll like it, but I’m pretty darn sure.
H.P. Lovecraft
Summer Reading: ‘Salem’s Lot
I guess it’s a throwback to my school days but I always feel like a good scary novel right about this time of year. I normally read something new, but I think I’m going to go back and reread ‘Salem’s Lot. There’s just something about that story that keeps bringing me back.