Novels Books

As one who can personally relate to the stories told by Schaeffer, I just couldn't put the book down. He cycles from view to view of multiple characters, fully examining the situations and events throughout the book. The multiple viewpoints don't lend themselves to individual favor, aka good and bad people, but more to the thoughts and actions you commonly wouldn't assosiate with people put in these situations.

Great book, very detailed and descriptive of events you wouldn't associate with a military enlistment.

I loved this book. Mr. Schaeffer is not only a very, very good writer, he also captures the feelings of an unlikely military family. I highly recommend this book for military and non military. If you are a military family, you will cry, we always do. If you are not, read it anyway, it's a good read.

I have read Schaeffer's Calvin Becker trilogy plus the book (title escapes me) written jointly with his son. Baby Jack starts out sounding written in one voice (Frank's) which I was finding a little disappointing. The author surprised me as he introduced new voices to further the story a definite new twist. I hesitate to say more for giving away the story. A must read for all families with sons and daughters in the military. It is also a must read for those of us who oppose the war in the Middle East to remind us at what cost we have the freedoms we have today.

Baby Jack

Todd Ogden, an acclaimed painter with works in museums around the world and a supposedly successful thirty-year marriage is living in and painting his two hundred year old house when his youngest son, Jack joins the Marines instead of going to college. Jack goes to Iraq and is killed. Baby Jack is the story of how his baby son is coped with by the baby's grandfather.

Recommended for fans of Frank Schaeffer

Gunner December 2007

This is an extraordinary book about the meaning of service and sacrifice. Given that we are at war, it is a book that "must be read" if we are to understand that the war is being fought by a very few and their loved ones. It is not a political polemic. It is the story of a young man who chooses to become a Marine and the profound impact of that choice.

Highly recommended.

This is a great ending to one of the best adventures of all time. All the mystery of Alita is explained in the conflict between Alita and Desty Nova, and the future of the scrapyard and tiphares is brought into a new world as Alita's power over her own destiny is realized with one final battle between fate and heroism.

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL! WHAT MORE CAN I SAY? PERFRECT! SPECTACULAR! A MUST-READ!

Battle Angel Alita is a series I wish I could like more, and while it was good, it seemed to lose its soul after the second volume. It had equal parts romanticism and graphic death. Once Alita got past that, especially when she became a part of the RollerBall/DeathSport thing, this series began to take a downturn. So it's not a surprise that the final volume of Alita comes to an unsatisfying and hokey end.

Alita has a final confrontation with Desty Nova as the mad scientist tries to conquer Alita's will from the inside out, by deceiving her mind. But we just might find out that that Nova has a soft and cuddly side during the process. And after all, he finally does reveal the hidden secret of Tiphares, a secret that drove Dr. Ido mad! Meanwhile, the forces of Den and Barjack embark on a hopeless mission to destroy Tiphares and bring it crashing to the ground.

This last volume of Alita suffered from the same faults as most of the series. It's just plain goofy. The characters, while going through horrible ordeals, never rise beyond Walt Disney caricatures. It just doesn't seem like much deep thought went into the plot or the conflicts that the characters endure. You could've went into some social commentary instead of following the insane ramblings of a Godzilla size Centaur. And the ultimate sacrifice that Alita makes in this comic is totally contrived and really disrespects her. You're left wondering at the end of the book, "Is that it? This is the great resolution that the entire series has been working towards?". The only thing that saves this series is the lead character herself. If only the story constructed around her had went somewhere.

I can only admire Kishiro's way of ending so magnanimally a perfect series in the critical condition he was in. Talk about inspiration. The series could only end in Gally finding happiness or Gally dying, and I was surprised by the ending, my imagination was not prepared for the mental and heart blow he delivered. Do I recommend it? More than that, I urge you all to get the whole series, a must have, a Bible for some of us.

All good things must come to an end, at least temporarily. With this volume, Yukito Kishiro lifts ramps Alita's story up to a surprising new level, as the final stages of her battle with Desty Nova unfold. Nova, surprised that Alita has broken free of his mental trap, uses the truth about the citizens of Tiphares to cause enough confusion to escape. Alita follows, and is trapped again in Nova's mental coils. This time the Doctor seeks to sap her will to live. As the struggle develops, we get flashes of what might have been parts of Alita's past and future, which are in many ways the only explanation we will ever get.

At the scrap yard, Lord Den and Koyomi have arrived for the final assault on Tiphares. In a last dramatic gesture, Den challenges the might of the sky city on his own, little realizing that the real struggle for the city's survival was happening elsewhere, as Alita challenges Nova and the city for the last time. Suffice it to say, the book becomes one incredible series of images after another, as Alita transcends her limitations in an entirely mind-boggling and innovative fashion.

I always feel slow on the uptake when I completely miss a mystical reference. Until I was staring at the final imagery of the series, I failed to realize that the names Tiphares (and Ketheres) are drawn from the Sephiroth of the Kabalah. Tiphares means beauty, and Ketheres is the crown. These have a natural explanation in the story, so it is hard to decide how deep this metaphysical layer runs. I'll leave it for readers to judge for themselves. It is curious how often such symbolism works it's way into Japanese anime as a metaphor for the mysterious. Of course Evangelion comes to mind, and recently, X (the series) has made such references. A surprise addition to an already complex tale.

In any case, this phase of Alita's story comes to an end with a complete transformation of the order of her world. We know there is more, because a new volume is promised. This is a special manga, combining an intensely violent action story with an underlying theme of the nature of humanity and love. One can find material to think about while watching the parts fly, all beautifully illustrated by an artist who should be considered one of Japan's best. 'Ascension' is a unique work of art in an already outstanding series. I hope that Kishiro will keep the series alive for further incarnations.

This book has it all: historical and cultural insight, suspense, vivid imagery, characters that become real and a story that engages you from beginning to end. I was so incredibly disappointed for the book to end. I hated not being able to spend more time with these characters.

Be sure to read this author's second novel (Tarnished Beauty) as well. If you're not reading Cecilia Samartin you should be!

The book is captivating from beginning to end. I have also finished the author's second novel, Tarnished Beauty, and am now officially a fan of the author. This is a must read!

Crys McKinley, Real Ladies Read Book club

This story was fanfreakintastic!!! The story is one that all can relate too. With each chapter you are emerged into life, the love, and the culture. Not only will you be enlightened by the story, but it will further your compassion for the next man. Highly recommend for all!!!

Kenae
Real Ladies Read Book Club

THE MAN IS STILL THERE! Not having a broad background of Cuban history, I found this book to be a great insight into the revolution and Castro's takeover and the true impact on its people and how they survive and our role as Americans. The author writes from a personal perspective, having been born in Cuba in the 60's. She develops interesting and memorable characters, with two cousins as the main focus. I did not want to put this book down. This makes a great bookclub read and I cannot wait to read her next book!

This is a terrific book. I learned a lot about Cuba during the takeover by Castro. I also deeply cared about the characters of the book. My book group has 12 members in it and we all loved the book. That is a rare situation.
I thought that the book was well written and kept interest level at a high.
You will not be disappointed

Not a story about a dog church but rather how people can find sanctuary in others and how one person can catalyze amazing changes and discoveries for those she encounters.

This debut novel introduces you to Mara, an aura seeing odd ball who is also an artist and a teacher. She ends up in a traditional town where she catalyzes some interesting changes.

A great read, this little book is short and engaging. Perfect for those vacation days or nights spent next to a roaring fire.

This book was a genuine surprise. It covers 4 main characters from their own perspectives but each story is intertwined beautifully with all the others. The old saying "You can't go home again" does not apply here. Home is not always a place and family is not always what you expect. I'm not sure I can offer anymore than what other reviewers have said here so well but I definitely was caught up in this book and certainly looking forward to her other books.

Why did this book fall into my lap when I really needed it? For whatever reason, it did and I enjoyed it throughout a long plane ride. I'd just lost a good friend and a very special dog in the course of a couple of days and this book really lifted my spirits. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author presented the story from several characters' viewpoints. I personally believe that we're all connected on a spiritual level and liked how the author wove in mystical possibilities. Far fetched? Maybe, but fun just the same.

Very well written, wonderful characters, worth every moment.

Meet Mara, Earl, Edith and Daniel--the four narrators of Church of the Dog. This rather unusual format allows author Kaya McLaren to convey the thoughts of each of these characters, giving wonderful depth to each. Mara, the main character, is able to see energy fields around those she meets and also can use her own energy field to heal. Earl is her landlord; Edith is his wife who becomes a friend and mentor to Mara. Daniel is their grandson, emotionally handicapped by the tragic loss of his parents.

Mara is recovering from heartbreak. Her engagement ended when her former fiancé handed her a bill for the gas he used driving her to a hospital emergency room. An art teacher, the young woman believes, "I get to teach young people to look at light and life. I get to encourage them to appreciate themselves, and appreciation is a form of love."

Edith is discontent in her marriage. "I glance at my wedding ring and wonder if it's true, if I really am married...I think I'm just part of his landscape, and he simply accepts and expects my presence. A long time ago his eyes sparkled when he looked at me."

Earl's failing health has him re-evaluating his priorities. "My ranch. It's so strange to think that one day it won't be my ranch. I won't be making the calls...What if this house where I've lived my whole life just falls to the ground? What if the next person undoes everything I spent my life doing?"

Daniel still struggles with the tragic loss of his parents when he was very young. He removes himself from much human contact by working as an Alaskan fisherman, although his grandfather wants him to come home. "Come home to the land of of my losses and failures, to my inadequacies and irrational fears...There is one thing I do like about piloting the ship at night. It's the reason I chose this life. It's the sense of disappearing all over again, disappearing into a night so dark I cannot be seen, in a sea so vast I cannot be found."

Mara is able to sense what Edith, Earl and Daniel need in their lives, and to encourage them. At the same time, she grows and matures. The characters evolve; relationships develop and are explored. They even "travel" and visit one another's dreams--just one more form of communication the author uses in her entertaining story.

This delightful novel was originally released in 2000 and now, according to McLaren, is "a new incarnation." It is at once sad yet hopeful, melancholy yet encouraging. Church of the Dog is a story of redemption and healing, a gentle, mystical treatise on fully embracing life and love, and having the courage to face the future.

by Susan Ideus
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women

this is a total "feel good" book - take a break from all that heavy reading and curl up with this - you will not regret it. Although I do not agree with her view on religion and Christianity I can see how some people may be misled to have such a negative view. Characters are created so we feel we know them - will read more of this author. This is my book club's pick this month.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great story about Anneth and Easter, two sisters who are affected by their connection to the land and waters of Eastern Kentucky.

I think if you are from the Appalachia South, you will love this book and its characters too.

I think it is also important to note that Silas House is an activist against Mountain Top Removal, but you won't find anything in this book that is liberal activism. It just relates the love of the land by Appalachian people.

You may want to read the trilogy in order though, and I would suggest reading Parchment of Leaves first!

Great Book!

It is amazing to me how Silas House can write so well from a woman's viewpoint. He was raised by some very strong women and it really comes through in his writing. His books have a love of place and family and community that is so indicative of Appalachian writing and yet have universal appeal as well, because of their themes of forgiveness, acceptance, and spirituality...and they always manage to rise above the pervasive negative sterotypes of the region. This story of two sisters who can't stand to live together but can't bear to be apart from one another is beautifully written. A strong and powerful book.

Oh how I loved this book! It is the type of novel I have been craving for a long time. It has the works - memorable well fleshed-out characters; evocative descriptions (which I read over and over because they were so gorgeous); clarity and fluency of prose; credibility in narration; subtle humour; wise observations about life; emotional depth (how can a man write like this about girlie stuff?). I fell in love with the Appalachian Mountains through the story and want to visit there now (I live In Australia). I have never been to the States before but I suppose I'm kind of hoping I'll run into Clay and Easter...the characters are that real!

Not many writers are able to describe with such detail the connection to the land, as Silas House. A great story of those having to leave the area to find a job, fighting the broad form deed of the late 60's and early 70's and the surface mining for coal that abused it. The style is reminiscent of Jesse Stuart and William Faulkner. Mr. House has done a great service to these hills I call home and wish him the best in the future.

This is the 3rd House novel I've read. He just keeps getting better and better. This novel is very well written, but key to its grip on the reader are House's empathy for his characters and his ability to portray their inner lives. Here, we have the story of Anneth (Clay's mother from Clay's Quilt) and her older sister Easter. These two sisters are remarkably different, but they are bound together by a fierce love for each other and for the land. Anneth is 17 & Easter is 22 when the novel opens. Anneth's wildness is in stark contrast to Easter's strong conservative streak. Indeed, it is quite plausible that Easter is forced to be more rigid than she would otherwise be because of her sense of responsibility for Anneth's welfare. Anneth seems to recognize her own faults, but that does not help her overcome them. I felt pity for Anneth despite my frustration with her decisions. As for Easter, Anneth respects and loves her, but thinks (rightly) that Easter herself doesn't really experience life because she's so hemmed in by her religious faith and her notions of propriety. Further, Easter's expectations that her husband live as she does puts strain on her marriage. To avoid spoiling the book, I won't reveal any more plot details. If you've read House's other novels, you will recognize some of the other characters who appear in this book. However, you don't have to read House's other books to get a great deal of enjoyment from this one. This novel is "about" many things - battling personal demons, living through hard times and coming through a better person (Easter), taking a firm stand to defend what you value. In the most general sense, it's about the events that shape a person's life via her interpretations of the meaning of those events. Both sisters are profoundly affected, albeit in different ways, by childhood sorrow.

In this series of The Complete Peanuts (1955-56), the Peanuts gang has established themselves as we now know them. Portions of this volume were used in Good Grief, More Peanuts (a collection of Sunday comics), Good Old Charlie Brown, Snoopy and You're Out of Your Mind, Charlie Brown (another exclusive collection of Suday Peanuts comics), all released on Holt Reinhart and Windsor books. Lucy has become crabbier and bossier to her kid brother Linus. When Lucy teaches Linus about the "facts of life," Charlie Brown says "It'll take 12 years for Linus to unlearn everything Lucy has taught him!" This leads to one of the 1st Peanuts stories where Lucy's inane lectures make Charlie Brown's stomach hurt (and later Linus's!). There is, however, a soft spot to Lucy, she's infatuated with Schroeder. But Schroeder loves only Beethoven and can't stand Lucy. In this volume, Scrhoeder uses the piano as a weapon against Lucy whenever she uses it a headrest for the 1st time (KLUNK!) or just drives him crazy, which is most of the time. He also won't tolerate Snoopy using his piano as a mini-dancefloor (Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson used this gag in A Charlie Brown Christmas). Also used in one of the animated specials is a cartoon featured here where Lucy, fed up with Beethoven, smashes Schroeder's Beethoven bust only for Schroeder to go to his closet and get a new one! It was also used on GAF viewmasters, a toy many of you probably remember. Charlie Brown has become more melancholy and "wishy washy," as the gang seems to see him. He often complains he has no friends and has trouble flying a kite or winning a baseball game. He especially has trouble kicking the football from Lucy ("AUUUUUUUGH!" Did we mention that Lucy can be sneaky?). Linus grows up a little and is seen often with his blanket (Snoopy would often try to steal the blanket, leaving Linus flying in the air) or would sometimes shoot Lucy with his finger pistol ("BANG!"). Glimpses of the great philosopher Linus would become are already underway here. Pig Pen, who is featured on the cover here, is still a mess but can also be a great philosopher sometimes ("I tried cleaning up, Mom, but couldn't get the dirt off. I think I've reached the point of no return!"). Shermy is rarely seen, as Schroeder has replaced him as Charlie Brown's buddy. The 2 of them love to argue over which is better, Beethoven or Davey Crockett (Charlie Brown often wears a coonskin cap, in honor of his hero). It looks like Beethoven won in Charles Schulz's eyes, luckily for Schroeder! Violet and Patty, once friends of Charlie Brown, have become Lucy's Greek chorus for insults to the "blockhead." When Charlie Brown sees the 2 of them laughing, he thinks they're laughing at him! "Oh, good grief, Charlie Brown! We weren't even thinking about you!" Then he asks them "How come you never think about me?" And then of course, there's Snoopy, a lovable smart-allecky beagle who's often seen standing on his 2 feet, doing impersonations of a rhinocerus, Violet and Lucy, Mickey Mouse and (much to Schroeder's offense) Beethoven. For Patty, he can be a sad dog or a cheerful dog for Violet (or both at the same time!). He also could dance like Fred Astaire (much to Lucy's annoyance, but what doesn't bother her?) and once cost the other team a point when he refused to spit out the baseball he caught. Charlie Brown is often seen saying to his dog in frustration "You drive me crazy!" Snoopy also has one accident on the ice and his master (more like humble servant) Charlie Brown has to carry him home (Snoopy thinks to himself "When? When? When will I ever learn?"). Snoopy will probably learn his lesson the day Lucy lets Charlie Brown kick the football!

It would have been better if the description said this was a library book. Overall the item was fine, just had the library name printed on it, and I had to remove a plastic cover from it.

This series is going to be a regular drain on my bank balance for the coming decade, as that is how long it is going to take Fantagraphics to finish publsihing this collection, if they stick to their published schedule.

Be warned: The Sunday strips are not in colour unlike the Calvin & Hobbes and the Farside collection in which even the black and white strips are printed on colour pages. This quite pisses me off...

Finally, a Peanuts collection in chronological order and nothing left out. It's going to be a long wait indeed...

I've always thought of creating a bookshelf of hard cover with all my favourite comic strips, when I could afford them... Calvin & Hobbes, Farside, Tintin, Asterix & of course Peanuts.

I have the first two, and I'm on my way with Peanuts... It's going to be a long and interesting 11 years...

I'd give it seven stars if I could. As a kid, I would go down the street to the local store every week and buy the latest "Peanuts" book for 50 cents each. It was pure genius then, and it still is now. The cartoons are classic, timeless and wonderful.

There's almost nothing to complain about in this set of books - the print quality is great, the accompanying artwork good, the commentary insightful and useful!

I give this five stars, and yet I have some desires...

Color!! The Sunday funnies were great because they were longer and had color! Without color, they are just long daily strips. Reprint the color, guys, at least, if you can.

More history! What happened in those two years? How many more newpapers picked up the strip, and what other things did Sparky do during that time?

Even so, these books are very well done, nicely thought out, and bring back all the classic strips without any obstrusive other stuff. I am thrilled to have these on my shelf!

Mystery lurks behind every corner for Dr. John Dollar, the Crime Doctor, as he is drawn into a world of criminality and vice while attempting to rescue the people under his care from their own inner demons. There is an underlining dignity to these stories that makes the noble efforts of Dr. Dollar a pleasure to read.

Dr. Dollar is a man on the horns of a dilemma. On one hand, he is a brilliant physician dedicated to unlocking the mysteries of the insane mind in the valiant attempt to free his patients from their criminal compulsions. On the other, he is a fearless, two-fisted war hero who was trained to stop any enemy using deadly force. His struggles, during the mysteries that engulf him, to reconcile both opposing sides of his nature prove to be enjoyable reading, and trouble for those around him.

Criminals beware! The foggy streets of London are once again under the protection of the Crime Doctor with this new edition collecting all of the adventures of Hornung most intriguing master sleuth. Because this collection was out of print for decades, the name of Dr. John Dollar has sadly been overlooked by many mystery enthusiasts. But with this new printing, I am confident that Dr. Dollar- the Crime Doctor- will capture the hearts and imaginations of a new generation.

Resting upon my night table is a dusty stack of recently purchased thrillers from James Paterson to Lawrence Block, yet I find myself in the quiet of the night rereading THE CRIME DOCTOR. Perhaps because it transports me back to an elegant time of tuxedo-attired gentleman sleuths, and after a hectic day at work, this is a wonderful place to escape to. So if you are becoming bored with the gritty world of shoot and slash popular fiction, holster your pistol, have your butler lay out your evening wear, and by all means, give THE CRIME DOCTOR a try.

If you prefer your mysteries to take place on the foggy streets of London, teeming with clueless Bobbies, international spies, Cockney street thugs, master criminals, and the occasional suffragette riot, look no further and focus your magnifying glass on this collection of excellent crime stories.

A wonderful second edition to the Dragon Keeper Chronicles. Follow Kale again as she learns more about herself, and more about her parents. Meet new characters and new dragons, and enjoy the adventure!

Kale is now a servant at The Hall. But after less then two weeks, she is sent off to help Wizard Fenworth deal with his meech dragon. On the way, she also gets tangled up with a doneel orphan and two women who both claim to be her mother. This book is a delightful fantasy for families to enjoy together.

This is a great book for fantasy lovers and will keep you turning the pages to discover what will happen next. Join some hilarious and honorable characters as you set on a journey you will not soon forget. Buy this book!

If you enjoyed Dragonspell you'll like this book. It is an excellent continuation of the adventure.

This is a Christian fantasy sequel to DragonSpell. Set in the mythical land of Amara, Kale Allerion has a new quest. She is summoned from her training at the Hall to help train the meech dragon. From there she embarks on a quest involving the evil wizard Risto, good comrades, laughter, dragons, and Kale's long-lost mother. I highly recommend this series to children, girls especially, ages 11-16. It is well-written and hilariously funny with memorable characters and Christian messages.

Read a lot of L Block books. Going to go back and read some earlier titles that I missed. Terrific story teller.

Matthew Scudder is not a licensed private investigator. To claim he was one would not be ethical. Besides, private investigators have to keep up with records and billable hours... No, you can't hire him, but you can ask him to do a favor. In return for said favor, you can buy him a drink and give him a little cash.

At one point in his life Matt was a detective for the NYPD, but when a stray bullet from his gun struck and killed an innocent child during a shootout, Matt resigned. He buried his grief in a bottle and started doing favors for friends.

In Eight Million Ways to Die, Matt has reached a crossroads. After experiencing blackout that lasted several days that ended with Matt in the hospital, he knew he had to come to terms with his drinking. He agreed to go to AA, but he was not ready to label himself an alcoholic.

In need of money, Matt agreed to act as an intermediary for a hooker. She wanted out of the business but was afraid to tell her pimp. It was a simple job and the situation was settled without bloodshed or tears. Chance, the pimp, felt Kim wasted her money. She didn't need to hire Matt. All she had to do was tell him she wanted out. When Kim was found dead a few days later, the police and Matt assumed Chance was the guilty party.

The police would never be able to prove that Chance was guilty. Chance knew that, but the fact that the police assumed he did it and were not looking elsewhere irritated him. Kim was a hooker, but she was one of his girls. The cloud of suspicion was hurting his business. As Matt already had a vested interest in the case, Chance hires him. Matt would ferret out the truth.

It has been 25 years since Laurence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die was first released. New York City has changed since then, but it was easy to visualize the rabble and the rubble of the New York City of old through the eyes of Matthew Scudder. It was descriptive without the lengthy prose to go with it.

It is a classic hardboiled detective story. The clues are doled out at regular intervals. An astute mystery reader may be able to identify the killer before Matt puts the pieces together. I had my suspicions but there was enough doubt to keep me guessing right up until the end.

Eight Million Ways to Die is dark, cynical, violent and incredibly lonely--all that a great PI mystery should be. For the mystery fans out there, I highly recommend it.

I bought this thinking it was the first in the Matthew Scudder series, but it is actually about the fifth or so. It was excellent. Very well-written and I loved the Scudder character, especially his struggle with drinking and involvement in AA. If you like mysteries/detective novels, you will not be disappointed.

Lawrence Block is a writer's writer. His style, words, and plots are top notch. What do you get in this story? You get a grim and gritty New York - home to Matt Scudder, ex-cop and private investigator. You get Scudder's desperate efforts to overcome his addiction to alcohol. And you get the story of Kim, a prostitute, who pays Scudder to tell Chance, her pimp, that she wants to leave the business. Next, she is slashed to death. The obvious suspect is Chance, but Scudder becomes convinced that Chance didn't kill her, and Chance pays Scudder to find the murderer. As Scudder investigates, and more murders occur, it becomes clear that Kim had unknowingly become involved with a group of violent criminals. A nice feature of the story is that Block gives you all of the clues to pretty-much solve the mystery. Otherwise, you must wait until the final pages. It is a great story. Little wonder that Block has won so many awards for his mystery writing.

It's 2008, and it's the 25th anniversary of the Lawrence Block's Eight Million Ways to Die. So let's put out a celebratory edition! I've never read a Block book, so I'm not sure why this particular book warrants a re-issue in a special hardcover, but it does mark a significant milestone in Matt Scudder's career, so maybe that's why. This handsome hardcover also includes an afterword by Block, so fans of the Scudder series may want to pick this up to at least read that. For non-fans of the series, you can pick it up because it's a very good book.

If you're like me, you'll have to keep reminding yourself that Eight Million Ways to Die was written back in 1983. I kept asking why the characters didn't use cell phones until I remembered. Also, the image of New York as a crime-infested city kept jarring with the way it is now. The title of the book is said by a cynical cop who claims that there are eight million ways to die in New York. While there are probably still quite a few, I don't think there are that many any more.

Block does immerse you in the seedy atmosphere of the New York of 1983, though. His imagery is quite stark, and he constantly has Scudder reading the newspaper, pulling out headlines and news stories about how certain innocent people were killed, and commenting on how these will quickly get relegated to the back pages as something even more monstrous hits the front page. This atmosphere constantly weighs Scudder (and the reader) down, but at least the reader can put the book down if it gets too oppressive. What can Scudder do?

Scudder is an extremely interesting character, and evidently one who changes throughout his series of books. His alcoholism has been a constant presence in previous books, and this is the one where it comes to a head. He's constantly going to AA meetings, commenting on the speakers but not speaking up himself when it comes to his turn. He just can't see himself in these people, despite knowing that he has a problem. There's an interesting running plot element regarding this bottle of Wild Turkey in Kim's apartment, something that keeps attracting him even if he's not there investigating something.

While most of the characters are fairly one-dimensional, serving their purpose in the story and perhaps having one or two identifying traits, Chance himself also stands out as an extremely interesting character. He finds himself being drawn to Scudder, telling him things that he would never tell anyone else. He's an extremely deep character, almost as much as Scudder, and we find ourselves wondering how he's going to turn out as well. When he disappears for a while, I almost found myself dreading that Scudder would find out he got murdered as well.

Block's hard-boiled prose is excellent in Eight Million Ways to Die, and it's definitely what will make me go back and eventually read other books in this series. It's almost a contradiction, sinking into the muck that is New York while also feeling slightly optimistic as Matt comes closer and closer to redemption. It can be brutal at times, but he doesn't revel in the carnage. He doesn't hide from it, but he doesn't dwell on it either, except when Scudder himself does as he's trying to fight off temptation yet again. Block's dialogue is top notch as well, giving the book a noir feel that draws you in.

Eight Million Ways to Die is an excellent novel, and you don't have to worry that you're coming into it in the middle of a series. As a standalone, it's an excellent examination of an alcoholic detective's life. As part of a series, it's a turning point. Either way, you'll lose yourself in the past as 1983 rears its ugly head again. Scudder is great character, and this is a great book.

David Roy

I like the opening dream in this excerpt. It is vivid and fast-paced and includes signals to the reader of who this narrator is and what her cultural background is.

Meena's description of her relationship with her sister is nicely done, especially as the details of her appearance are included in this scene, and more details about her culture.

I liked the flashback to Meena discovering the photo album in her parents' closet, and the shocking pictures of her father in his coffin. Her childish curiousity is easy to believe, as is her horror when she sees the pictures.

Meena's desire to be a normal kid, hanging out with friends and talking to boys, was also realistic. I liked the glimpse of her discomfort at her situation and her desire to be out from under her mother's thumb.

The scene of the mourning guests was well described, exhibiting the attitudes of Meena's mother about her long-dead husband and the attitudes of the guests toward a widowed woman unlucky enough to end up with six daughters. Meena's description in the next scene of her school experience was depressing; I was surprised a girl who had been harassed since kindergarten wasn't more beaten down than she was at this point.

I really liked this story's immersion into the Indian culture, and the way it highlighted the thoughts and feelings of a teenager pushed by her family in one direction, while trying to fit in with those her own age at school. I'd like to read more about Meena's search for self.

The story of Meena, a teenage Indo-Canadian growing up in the shadow of her father's untimely death, is that of a young woman suffocating in her prescribed role of perpetual mourning, but finding contemporary North American culture as uncomfortable as her salwar kameez. Whether her heroine is defending ungrateful "ethnics" at her high-school, or chafing under cultural prejudices that alternately confine and ignore her, Basran's prose is lively, beautiful and painfully convincing. But it's not just about the immigrant experience, or the Desi immigrant experience. It's also a story of alienation, self-discovery and loss--in short, a story for anyone who has survived childhood. This glimpse left me wanting more.

Basran's novel poetically weaves together the strands of past and present, modernity and heritage, and two cultures in order to provide an authentic look into the life of Meena, a young Indian immigrant girl. Basran's writing flows seamlessly and never feels forced. All descriptions, and flashbacks to the past have a definite purpose in developing the characters as well as propelling the story forward. The novel seems to promise to be an enchanting read. The end of the excerpt left me wanting to read more and more.

This very descriptive coming of age story immerses us in the life of Meena, her still grieving after 16 years mother, and their traditional Indian culture. I loved learning about some of the Indian tradtions, as I am always fascinated by how other traditional cultures live in a modern society.

Meena seems determined to shake off some of her family's customs and forge her own path in life. This may not be as easy as she may like as it seems she must defy her family, struggle through intolerance, and embrace the future instead of dwelling on the past as she has been taught.

The writing is meticulous, the plot clear, and the characters well developed and authentic.

The only thing I had trouble with was the lack of dialogue. Or maybe not so much lack of dialogue as the over preponderance of narrative. Meena internalizes often, almost to a fault, and I found myself losing interest in spots.

All in all, this is a nice coming of age story, with some interesting and original characters, and I'm interested to find out if Meena's path to self discovery will land her embracing her culture or rejecting it.

Meena's teenage a Sikh girl growing up in Vancouver, Canada. Her father died 16 years ago and her Mom is doing her best to raise the family traditionally. Meena's caught between tradition and making her own life choices.

"The past is the only thing that matters, because it is the only thing we know."

The writing here is beautiful. The voice is spiced with Chai and curry and just exquisite. This is a great coming of age tale and one I think that will work as both womens fiction and young adult.

Best of luck to Gurjinder Basran on her ABNA Top 100 award.