Dearly Devoted Dexter - Jeff Lindsay

OK this is the second time I've tried to sit down and review this book. I've figured out that I can't talk about this one without talking a bit about the first one, Darkly Dreaming Dexter. and maybe I can't even do that, because what I want to discuss will contain spoilers. So, damn it I'm back where I started.

I guess then I'll try to speak in generalities. First book: Loved it. I almost never go for mysteries or mystery thrillers. I don't know why, I just have never had the patience. I do not like based-on-reality gore/violence. Reading about serial killers and how they torture a victim, so far down on my list of what is OK to read as to be invisible. But Dexter is a different kind of serial killer. He's been "squared away" and sorted out by his foster father, who understood Dexter's brokenness and pointed it in a direction. Dexter goes after other serial killers, mostly those who prey on children. He is a force of vengence, and I'm strangely comfortable with that. What Dexter does is still just as horrific, and he is just as inhuman. Much of the book revolves around Dexter's mask of humanity, his attempt to blend in, which provides for quite the humorous observations and made Dexter a very likable character. I also found it rather hilarious that much of Darkly revolved around Dexter trying to figure out if he was crazy or not (well of course he is as he concedes, but is he 'that' kind of crazy).

Second book: Like it, but did not love it. It was very 'sitcom". We see less of Dexter the predator, who I had come to love, and we see more of Dexter the trying to play at human, albeit through very legitimate plot devices. The "girlfriend finding the ring and assuming it's a proposal" scene was a little much for me. I also still take issue with how the first book ended and there being not the fall out from it that I would have expected (this is where I have to be vague to avoid major spoilers). The ending to this one was also just a little too neat wrapped up in a nice little package. Perhaps I'm being too picky. I still enjoyed the book and really hope we will see more Dexter books in the near future.

Some quotes that were just plain priceless and why these books are so fun to read. I like Dexter's voice, and I enjoy that while on the surface he tries to blend in, but in his own head he just doesn't get it and has no capacity to care that he doesn't get it.

From Darkly:

"What was sleep, after all, but the process by which we dumped our insanity into a dark subconscious pit and came out on the other side ready to eat cereal instead of the neighbor's children?"

From Dearly:

"I found that if I limited myself to one or two beers, I could relax just enough to blend in with the slipcover on the couch."

"I knew nothing at all about love and I never would. It didn't seem like such a terrible lack to me, although it does make it difficult to understand popular music."

And for more info, Leila's reviews of Darkly and Dearly.

Fallen made into a TV show

The YA book series by Thomos E. Sniegoski that begins with The Fallen has been turned into a TV series on ABC Family.

Mostly just interesting. The Fallen was pretty good as supernatural thrillers based on Christian beliefs/Angel Wars go.

Yes this is random

I got to the end of Lamb and read the afterword. I immediately happened to start reading Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, and caught the acknowledgments page where I made an interesting discovery. Christopher and Jeff share the same literary agent. Just thought that was cool. My and Jeremy's thanks go out to Nick Ellison for getting these authors published.

Lamb The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore

I've talked about this book, I've recommended this book, this is the second time I've read it, so now it's time to comment on it.

Lamb describes Jesus' (actually Joshua in the Hebrew) life, all the missing stuff the Bible left out. It's fiction, it's humor, it's highly blasphemous, but it is also touching in a variety of ways. I read this book for the first time around the same time that Mel Gibson's The Passion came out. Lamb with its humor and completely ridiculous situations did more for my faith in the man that may have been The Christ than some horrible movie about how he was killed could ever have done. Yep, that's how I feel.

We follow Biff and Joshua as Josh tries to learn how to be the Messiah. Josh knows who and what he is, but he struggles to figure out what that means and what it means that he should do. As one can imagine it's quite the journey, both of self and across the ancient world. Biff offers not only comic relief, but also a look at the very human side The Christ.

Lamb was recommended to me by Jeremy's younger brother. This is the passage that was described to me that made me want to read it:
[scene takes place at the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine]

Just then Joshua stumbled though the gate and crashed into us. We were able to catch ourselves and him before anyone fell. The Messiah was holding the little girl's pet bunny, hugging it to his cheek with the big back feet swinging free. He was gloriously drunk. "Know what?" Josh said. "I love bunnies. They toil not, neither do they bark. Henceforth and from now on, I decree that whenever something bad happens to me, there shall be bunnies around. So it shall be written. Go ahead Biff, write it down."

Now, come on. Have you ever heard a better reason of why there are bunnies related to Easter, the resurection of Christ?

Freaks Alive, on the Inside - Annette Curtis Klause

Off the top of my head, I can give atleast 6 reasons why this book will get banned. Of course, that's only if anyone bothers to actually read it.

It was pretty OK. I liked Klause's other books better. I keep having the feeling like this book is written for a younger audience, though what is making me feel that way given the 'bannable content' in it I have no idea. At it's heart it is Historical Fiction, taking place in 1899, but unlike many YA books in this genre, it doesn't read like a history lesson at all. It's rather fantastic in this respect. The main character belongs to a family/troupe of performing 'freaks', human oddities in other words, though he himself has no such oddities about him. Given that set up there is a lot about predujice and judgment of folks based on appearance, but again not of the frying pan variety. Our hero runs away to find his fortune and finds a great deal of adventure in the process. There is also the supernatural romance, which just gives the story an extra kick. It was very much in the style of a fairy tale.

Lots of action kept me pretty glued to the book. To me this is a very 'boy' book and I would not hesitate to recommend it as such. But be aware, there is swearing, vague sexual content, allusions to masturbation, murder, violence, but come one, the main character is a teenage boy, so all this stuff fits in with the story just fine. There is also great and accurate info about circus/side show life of this time period. It's what we've come to expect from Klause's work, good solid story, original characters and setting, good read. And a happy ending, which I was not expecting given the other books. Maybe that is what is making me feel like it's meant for younger readers. Huh, interesting thought, that.

Stuff I've been reading

I promise I will document what has been going on, but not yet, I'm not ready to. I'm still having nightmares.

But, just to prove I haven't been completely slacking, though I kind of have, here's a list of stuff I've read/been reading in no particular order.

Jim Butcher

Storm Front
Fool Moon
Grave Peril

I only got through book 3 of the Dresden files. I have book 4, but really haven't been interested enough to read it. I really like the world Butcher creates, but truthfully, I can't stand Harry Dresden. He comes of as arrogant and yet too stupid to live. It's seriously impressive. I would love these books if Harry would just die. The folklore system is original and I love all the dumb geek pop culture references and I love Bob. Harry just gets in the way to me, and it's just sad. Saying that though, I have no prolem recommending these to folks who are fans of the paranormal mystery genre becasue I'm pretty sure my issues with Harry are just me.

Simon R. Green

Something From The Nightside

I was casting about for another series of paranormal mysteries (seems a popular trend these days) and this series came up. It's perfectly servicable, but I should NOT have read the Amazon reviews. On reviewer complained that the author constantly used the phrase "in the Nightside". He does. I may not have been as bothered if I hadn't been somewhat looking for it, but as it was it became glaring and almost comical how often that phrase was used. If you can get past that though, this is a very original look at a dark para-dimension that we in the normal world can sometimes slip into. My other issue however is it is EXTREMELY unclear what the series order is. It is not marked ANYWHERE on the books. That alone was enough for me to not bother reading further than the first book.

Lilith Saintcrow

Working for the Devil

Sound like a made up pen name? Yeah, does to me too. I ran across this title in my grandmother's copy of Romantic Times Book Club Magazine. I don't care what anyone says, this is one of the best review magazines for genre fiction I have ever read. Obviously, they center on romance and books with romantic subplots, but still. They are extremely thorough and TRUTHFUL. If a books sucks, they tell you and then explain why. They are not like Publisher's Weekly who seem to give every popular book a good review.
As far as this book is concerned, it was pretty OK. I'd probably read more by this author or about this character. It is a paranormal mystery. The Devil is in it. The main character is a Necromancer. There is a romantic subplot. It does not take place in our world. I had some problems with the other world thing at the begining, there were some sci-fi tendencies that were bugging me, but those issues eventually faded as the story got moving.

Edward Lee

City Infernal

This book was describe in some review, I have no idea where now, as an X-rated Neverwhere. I really still have no idea what that means. CI was very, very grusome. It is about a teen who, for various reasons, goes to Hell to find her twin sister who commited suicide. This is not a pretty or romantic vision of Hell. It is about as horrific as one can imagine. Rather well done I think too. The writing is certainly nothing to rave about, but the story was interesting and kept me reading. Despite the severe, and I do mean severe, content, I could see handing this book to older male teens. You know, those ones who end up with a bizzare fascination with serial killers for reasons I will never understand. It's like the teen version of the trucks or dinosaur phase.

Susan Sizemore

I Burn for You
I Thirst for You
I Hunger for You
Master of Darkness

If you couldn't already tell, these are romance books. Cheesy covers and all. I really have no excuse for these other than my grandmother told me to check them out. They are vampire books. But they are also very standard formula romance books. I admit, the vampire lore in these is very original and well constructed, we just don't see whole lot of it. I will pick up the next one comingout this month. They are very good vampire candy, if that's all you expect from them.

Anne Bishop

Sebastian

First book in a new series. Doesn't hold a candle to the Black Jewels trilogy, but and interesting new world from Bishop. I will be checking out the rest of the series when it comes out. Yes, the main character is a half-Incubus.

Jeff Lindsay

Darkly Dreaming Dexter

I loved it. This was fantastic and I have been telling everyone I know to read it.

It must be nice

This little thought of mine is vaguely related to the discussion of The Giving Tree over on Leila's blog.

While working at The Monkey I could help but think how nice it must be to have your favorite book as a child, the book that you always will remember with fondness, still be in print. To have it be so popular that it will never disappear.

For whatever reason these are my 2 favorite books from childhood:

The Great Green Turkey Creek Monster by Jim Flora - 1976

In the Peanut Butter Colony by Louis Ross and Margot Apple - 1979