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tobin_elliott's reviews
354 reviews
Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Very similar feel in pacing and the pages and pages of "let me explain myself to you"... I understand this calms down somewhat as the series goes on. Let's hope so.
As it goes, it's okay, and the various types of werewolves were fun. The books have both had enough fun stuff to keep me going, but there is a fair amount of sludge to get through to get to the fun stuff.
As it goes, it's okay, and the various types of werewolves were fun. The books have both had enough fun stuff to keep me going, but there is a fair amount of sludge to get through to get to the fun stuff.
Clive Barker's Seduth by Chris Monfette, Clive Barker
fast-paced
1.5
The artwork is beautiful, however there's truly no story here, beyond a "well, that escalated quickly" thing.
Maybe if we'd had an opportunity to get more than a single-panel sketch in of the main characters, an d a little bit of story on the diamond. Hell, anything beyond, "here's the thing, here's what happens" would have been welcome.
Maybe if we'd had an opportunity to get more than a single-panel sketch in of the main characters, an d a little bit of story on the diamond. Hell, anything beyond, "here's the thing, here's what happens" would have been welcome.
The Death Of Doctor Strange - Complete Arc by Jed Mackay, Lee Garbett
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Excellent art, and a story that's got some interesting twists. I quite enjoyed this one.
Ghost Dogs: On Killers and Kin by Andre Dubus, 3rd
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This is a really raw book.
In a 1946 book, author Paul Gallico—best remembered now as the author of THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE—wrote something that has been co-opted or slightly reworded by authors ever since. He said, <i>"It is only when you open your veins and bleed onto the page a little that you establish contact with your reader."</i>
This is what Dubus does with this book. It's not an easy book to read by any means, and the reader can almost feel Dubus as he squirms, relaying uncomfortable truths about himself that most of us wouldn't admit.
Dubus, throughout his life, has seemed to struggle with growing up poor, in moving a lot so always being the outcast, in being first bullied, then fighting back and responding with violence, in growing up where physical work was the way to gain respect.
Contrast that with the man who is wealthy, who built his own home and has a safe place for him and his family, who has turned his back on violence and now only wants peace, in making a living putting words on a page.
The reader can feel these paradigm shifts twisting him, and Dubus struggles with them. He loves guns, but refuses to have one in the house. He never wants to fight, but still feels the thrill of it.
I imagine this is much of what John Lennon also struggled with...a violent youth that begged for world peace, an abandoned kid who grew into global adoration, from having little money to having more than he knew what to do with, yet sang of "having no possessions."
Dubus conveys these struggles beautifully. He's a master of language, and he gets to the heart of the issue, then slices into it to reveal those painful truths.
In other reviews, I'm reading the complaints of the repetition of facts, and they're not wrong, there is, however, I suspect these were a collection of separate essays written over different times. Taken separately, the explanations would have been required and, to be honest, while there is repetition, it's also brief.
Andre Dubus III is always someone worth reading, whether it's his fiction, or his non-fiction.
In a 1946 book, author Paul Gallico—best remembered now as the author of THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE—wrote something that has been co-opted or slightly reworded by authors ever since. He said, <i>"It is only when you open your veins and bleed onto the page a little that you establish contact with your reader."</i>
This is what Dubus does with this book. It's not an easy book to read by any means, and the reader can almost feel Dubus as he squirms, relaying uncomfortable truths about himself that most of us wouldn't admit.
Dubus, throughout his life, has seemed to struggle with growing up poor, in moving a lot so always being the outcast, in being first bullied, then fighting back and responding with violence, in growing up where physical work was the way to gain respect.
Contrast that with the man who is wealthy, who built his own home and has a safe place for him and his family, who has turned his back on violence and now only wants peace, in making a living putting words on a page.
The reader can feel these paradigm shifts twisting him, and Dubus struggles with them. He loves guns, but refuses to have one in the house. He never wants to fight, but still feels the thrill of it.
I imagine this is much of what John Lennon also struggled with...a violent youth that begged for world peace, an abandoned kid who grew into global adoration, from having little money to having more than he knew what to do with, yet sang of "having no possessions."
Dubus conveys these struggles beautifully. He's a master of language, and he gets to the heart of the issue, then slices into it to reveal those painful truths.
In other reviews, I'm reading the complaints of the repetition of facts, and they're not wrong, there is, however, I suspect these were a collection of separate essays written over different times. Taken separately, the explanations would have been required and, to be honest, while there is repetition, it's also brief.
Andre Dubus III is always someone worth reading, whether it's his fiction, or his non-fiction.
William by Mason Coile
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This didn't grab me as I expected it to. I'm a big fan of Andrew Pyper's writing, and it's kind of cool to see him go full horror here, but...I don't know. Overall this was just okay.
It felt like it took a little too long for anything to really happen, and even with the build up, the characters each felt a touch underdeveloped. I understand why and it gave me an early hint as to what was really going on, but I still think we could have been pulled in a little more.
My other complaint was just the continual movement of the characters from main floor to second floor to workshop to main floor to workshop to main floor to basement to main floor to workshop to nursery...
Honestly, this would have been an absolute killer short story, but for me it didn't quite all come together as a short novel.
It felt like it took a little too long for anything to really happen, and even with the build up, the characters each felt a touch underdeveloped. I understand why and it gave me an early hint as to what was really going on, but I still think we could have been pulled in a little more.
My other complaint was just the continual movement of the characters from main floor to second floor to workshop to main floor to workshop to main floor to basement to main floor to workshop to nursery...
Honestly, this would have been an absolute killer short story, but for me it didn't quite all come together as a short novel.
Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise by Tradd Moore, Heather Moore
slow-paced
0.25
All right, I'm seeing all these glowing reviews from people who read it, but didn't understand it and will have to go back and try again. I'm gonna be honest...
This was garbage. Utter garbage.
The art? Yes, it's pretty, but almost mostly meaningless. Literally, there's pages that are simply Moore drawing pretty stuff that really just takes up space and neither adds to the story nor does anything to make this incomprehensible mess more understandable.
Tradd Moore draws well, there's no question. And he looks like he graduated from the School of How To Draw Like The Beatles Yellow Submarine Movie.
But if there's actually a story here, I can't find it. I can find a lot of words. Many of them repeated ad nauseum, as Moore seems like he has found a few phrases that bear writing over and over again, like some after-school detention punishment.
Yes, he gets Strange into strange places, with strange people, but it's also like he forgot that Dr. Strange is, first and foremost, a Sorcerer Supreme. Instead, he has him bust out a little magic at the beginning that goes nowhere.
Tradd Moore ultimately gives the Sorcerer Supreme all the magic skills of a Taco Supreme.
Absolutely not worth the paper it's printed on. Don't waste your time.
This was garbage. Utter garbage.
The art? Yes, it's pretty, but almost mostly meaningless. Literally, there's pages that are simply Moore drawing pretty stuff that really just takes up space and neither adds to the story nor does anything to make this incomprehensible mess more understandable.
Tradd Moore draws well, there's no question. And he looks like he graduated from the School of How To Draw Like The Beatles Yellow Submarine Movie.
But if there's actually a story here, I can't find it. I can find a lot of words. Many of them repeated ad nauseum, as Moore seems like he has found a few phrases that bear writing over and over again, like some after-school detention punishment.
Yes, he gets Strange into strange places, with strange people, but it's also like he forgot that Dr. Strange is, first and foremost, a Sorcerer Supreme. Instead, he has him bust out a little magic at the beginning that goes nowhere.
Tradd Moore ultimately gives the Sorcerer Supreme all the magic skills of a Taco Supreme.
Absolutely not worth the paper it's printed on. Don't waste your time.
Duma Key by Stephen King
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Yet another Stephen King, the next in line for the Great Stephen King Re-read. The first time I listened to this, I was driving the family and myself down to Universal Studios...and it lasted damn near the entire trip from Canada to Florida.
I remember enjoying it, both for the story, as well for the fact that we were driving closer to the place where the novel occurred.
This time around, the book was taken in in shorter gulps on dog walks, so I was able to digest it better along the way. And, to be honest, this is just a fascinating read. If there's three things that King has come back to in these, the latter years novels, they are, first, having a main character who's an author (see books going back to 'SALEM'S LOT and as recent as LISEY'S STORY); second, plumbing the horror of going through a terrible, life-threatening event that almost killed a character...or dealing with the aftermath of an event that DID kill a character (see LISEY'S STORY, FROM A BUICK 8, DREAMCATCHER, BAG OF BONES); and finally, a rather detailed examination of the creative process (see LISEY'S STORY, BAG OF BONES, ON WRITING, and even ROSE MADDER to a degree).
This book covers those last two, but swapping out an author for a artist. For me though, those two elements—surviving and coming back from a terrible accident, and the scenes of Edgar Freemantle deep in the creative process—are captivating. As usual, King also builds fascinating characters in Freemantle himself, but also his daughter—and their relationship—and also Wireman. Again, the scenes with Freemantle and either of these two just sing.
If I have any complaints, it's the seemingly overcomplicated ending and the rush to get some backstory out, but neither really overstays its welcome too much. Not his best work, but this one sits far more toward the top of the list of his good stuff. I truly enjoyed this one, less for the horror more for the characters and the creative process.
I remember enjoying it, both for the story, as well for the fact that we were driving closer to the place where the novel occurred.
This time around, the book was taken in in shorter gulps on dog walks, so I was able to digest it better along the way. And, to be honest, this is just a fascinating read. If there's three things that King has come back to in these, the latter years novels, they are, first, having a main character who's an author (see books going back to 'SALEM'S LOT and as recent as LISEY'S STORY); second, plumbing the horror of going through a terrible, life-threatening event that almost killed a character...or dealing with the aftermath of an event that DID kill a character (see LISEY'S STORY, FROM A BUICK 8, DREAMCATCHER, BAG OF BONES); and finally, a rather detailed examination of the creative process (see LISEY'S STORY, BAG OF BONES, ON WRITING, and even ROSE MADDER to a degree).
This book covers those last two, but swapping out an author for a artist. For me though, those two elements—surviving and coming back from a terrible accident, and the scenes of Edgar Freemantle deep in the creative process—are captivating. As usual, King also builds fascinating characters in Freemantle himself, but also his daughter—and their relationship—and also Wireman. Again, the scenes with Freemantle and either of these two just sing.
If I have any complaints, it's the seemingly overcomplicated ending and the rush to get some backstory out, but neither really overstays its welcome too much. Not his best work, but this one sits far more toward the top of the list of his good stuff. I truly enjoyed this one, less for the horror more for the characters and the creative process.
Friday, Book Three: Christmas Time is Here Again by Ed Brubaker
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Overall, I love this series, and I always appreciate a good time travel story as well.
This had so much to love, though the twist with Lancelot toward the end felt like a bit of a disappointment to me, despite it doing a good job of explaining Lance.
Aside from that though, brilliant writing by Brubaker as usual, and surprisingly beautiful art by Martin and Vincente...surprising only in the fact that typically I don't enjoy that style, but it's simply perfect for this series.
So, five stars for the bulk of the story, three stars for the twist.
This had so much to love, though the twist with Lancelot toward the end felt like a bit of a disappointment to me, despite it doing a good job of explaining Lance.
Aside from that though, brilliant writing by Brubaker as usual, and surprisingly beautiful art by Martin and Vincente...surprising only in the fact that typically I don't enjoy that style, but it's simply perfect for this series.
So, five stars for the bulk of the story, three stars for the twist.
Remarkable Books: The World's Most Historic and Significant Works by D.K. Publishing
informative
slow-paced
5.0
Absolutely gorgeous book about...gorgeous books. Not much more to say about this other than, if you're a book lover, this is one to own.
Definitely one I'll pull down on occasion simply to look at again and again.
Definitely one I'll pull down on occasion simply to look at again and again.
The Dragon in Winter: A Kagen the Damned Novel by Jonathan Maberry
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think I've sung the praises of Jonathan Maberry enough that anyone who regularly reads my reviews knows how much I love his stuff.
His Joe Ledger series is second to none. His Sam Hunter case files are always a blast. Pine Deep is a terrifying place. His newer Necrotek book is fun. So, it shouldn't have been a surprise to me that he'd tackle a fantasy trilogy.
When the first book came out, I wasn't surprised that I really enjoyed it. The second book—like most middle books of a trilogy—served its purpose and deepened the characters while amping up the stakes. What was a surprise was just how much I enjoyed this final installment.
The thing that Maberry does well is to create an atmosphere of EPIC. He's done it with most of the stuff I mention above, but he takes it to the next level with this story. I figured that, once the battles began, it was going to be big. I just didn't expect all the incredible things that Maberry packed into this novel.
I loved the hell out of this book. It had me grinning like an idiot at times. It had me actually commenting out loud as I hit certain parts. Maberry's mash-up of fantasy, horror, Lovecraft, and sheer, unbridled action?
Yeah, it's been a long time since I enjoyed a fantasy series this much.
His Joe Ledger series is second to none. His Sam Hunter case files are always a blast. Pine Deep is a terrifying place. His newer Necrotek book is fun. So, it shouldn't have been a surprise to me that he'd tackle a fantasy trilogy.
When the first book came out, I wasn't surprised that I really enjoyed it. The second book—like most middle books of a trilogy—served its purpose and deepened the characters while amping up the stakes. What was a surprise was just how much I enjoyed this final installment.
The thing that Maberry does well is to create an atmosphere of EPIC. He's done it with most of the stuff I mention above, but he takes it to the next level with this story. I figured that, once the battles began, it was going to be big. I just didn't expect all the incredible things that Maberry packed into this novel.
I loved the hell out of this book. It had me grinning like an idiot at times. It had me actually commenting out loud as I hit certain parts. Maberry's mash-up of fantasy, horror, Lovecraft, and sheer, unbridled action?
Yeah, it's been a long time since I enjoyed a fantasy series this much.