noob in 89
Stylish Dinosaur
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2010
- Messages
- 11,325
- Reaction score
- 15,612
FEBRUARY
I. BOOKS
Memory Wall, Anthony Doerr: A collection from my favorite contemporary writer at the moment. The worst thing about this book is that it ends.
About Grace, Anthony Doerr I could probably count this one three times for all the re-reading and annotating I did - his first full-length novel, about a possibly psychic man who abruptly leaves his family after a vision of his daughter's death. Kind of an odd mix of Stephen King and nature writing, brimming with humanity. Recommended.
Fatelessness, Imre Kertesz Ostensibly a novel, this horrifying account of a young man's internment in not one, but two German concentration camps reads more like a memoir. Very good, but if you've read Man's Search For Meaning or This Way For the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen (both excellent, horrifying books), probably not as impactful as it would have been.
The Palace Thief, Ethan Canin A quartet of 'long' stories, each related to Heraclitus's most famous quote: Character is fate. Canin, probably the best example of contemporary fiction in the Iowa mode, does not disappoint.
II. GRAPHIC FICTION:
Revival - (1-27 - ongoing) A solid rural noir about a town where the dead (or some of the dead) rise. It starts out great, but would have been better as a limited series.
The Secret Service, a.k.a. Kingsmen, Mark Millar (1-6 complete) Saw the movie. Loved it. The comic was unfortunately much less fleshed-out.
Avengers Vol. 4, Brian Bendis (1-38 - complete) Well written and entertaining. Not the best comics has to offer, but up there -- an amazing beginning again segues into pointless cross-overs and foolishness. Really disappointing as the first arc was more compelling than the recent film (which I love, because Joss Whedon).
THE X-MEN CANNON!
(Something I hope to read through this year, for various arcane reasons)
Children of the Atom A prequel to the 1968 comic, this one details how Professor Xavier recruits his first class. Great idea, but unimaginative and disappointing.
X-Men Season One (complete) A modern retelling of the comic's first year or so of adventures. Pretty solid, actually.
Avengers v. X-Men (1-12 complete) Recent! The Avengers and X-Men disagree, chaos ensues. Solid and entertaining.
Avengers v. X-Men: Consequences (1-5 complete) See above.
All-New X-Men (1-37 ongoing) Written by Brian Bendis, the David Mamet of comics, this series is pretty inspired, actually. Beast (the blue guy, Kelsey Grammar in the films) travels back in time to bring back the five original X-Men -- Jean Grey, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, and a younger version of himself -- to talk some sense into 2015 Cyclops, and avoid catastrophe. It's not only fun, but allows a great character-driven narrative full of interactions that explore themes not typically found in superhero comics, I don't think. Really good.
I. BOOKS
Memory Wall, Anthony Doerr: A collection from my favorite contemporary writer at the moment. The worst thing about this book is that it ends.
About Grace, Anthony Doerr I could probably count this one three times for all the re-reading and annotating I did - his first full-length novel, about a possibly psychic man who abruptly leaves his family after a vision of his daughter's death. Kind of an odd mix of Stephen King and nature writing, brimming with humanity. Recommended.
Fatelessness, Imre Kertesz Ostensibly a novel, this horrifying account of a young man's internment in not one, but two German concentration camps reads more like a memoir. Very good, but if you've read Man's Search For Meaning or This Way For the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen (both excellent, horrifying books), probably not as impactful as it would have been.
The Palace Thief, Ethan Canin A quartet of 'long' stories, each related to Heraclitus's most famous quote: Character is fate. Canin, probably the best example of contemporary fiction in the Iowa mode, does not disappoint.
II. GRAPHIC FICTION:
Revival - (1-27 - ongoing) A solid rural noir about a town where the dead (or some of the dead) rise. It starts out great, but would have been better as a limited series.
The Secret Service, a.k.a. Kingsmen, Mark Millar (1-6 complete) Saw the movie. Loved it. The comic was unfortunately much less fleshed-out.
Avengers Vol. 4, Brian Bendis (1-38 - complete) Well written and entertaining. Not the best comics has to offer, but up there -- an amazing beginning again segues into pointless cross-overs and foolishness. Really disappointing as the first arc was more compelling than the recent film (which I love, because Joss Whedon).
THE X-MEN CANNON!
(Something I hope to read through this year, for various arcane reasons)
Children of the Atom A prequel to the 1968 comic, this one details how Professor Xavier recruits his first class. Great idea, but unimaginative and disappointing.
X-Men Season One (complete) A modern retelling of the comic's first year or so of adventures. Pretty solid, actually.
Avengers v. X-Men (1-12 complete) Recent! The Avengers and X-Men disagree, chaos ensues. Solid and entertaining.
Avengers v. X-Men: Consequences (1-5 complete) See above.
All-New X-Men (1-37 ongoing) Written by Brian Bendis, the David Mamet of comics, this series is pretty inspired, actually. Beast (the blue guy, Kelsey Grammar in the films) travels back in time to bring back the five original X-Men -- Jean Grey, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, and a younger version of himself -- to talk some sense into 2015 Cyclops, and avoid catastrophe. It's not only fun, but allows a great character-driven narrative full of interactions that explore themes not typically found in superhero comics, I don't think. Really good.
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