I HAVE BEEN KEEPING track of my thoughts on all of the novels that I've read since the summer of 1998. As you will see from the list below, I read a variety of books, though I have been reading a lot of fantasy of late. If you click on a book title, a separate window will appear with the full review (except for some books that I never got around to reviewing. Sorry. This only happened with books that I wasn't so excited about.)
These reviews are virtually devoid of spoilers, so if you haven't read them yet, do not fear that I will give anything important away. At most I list the name(s) of the lead character or characters and the general setting or atmosphere (and usually not even that much).
RATING SYSTEM:
No stars=terrible, *=weak, **=decent, **1/2=pretty good, ***=good, ***1/2=excellent, ****=perfect (in between ratings - **3/8, ***1/4, etc. - are also used for more precise measurement.)
THE TRANSCENDENT BOOKS
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain ****
• as great as advertised, with unparalelled comic scenarios.
The Book of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe ***7/8
• the ultimate in literary fantasy.
Infinite Jest, by David Foster Wallace ***3/4
• a funny, excessive, and extremely satisfying experience.
Gormenghast, by Mervyn Peake ***5/8
• an amazing environment, great characters, and a wonderful plot
THE AMAZING BOOKS
Eternity and Other Stories, by Lucius Shepard ***5/8
• seven great novellas by my favorite novella writer.
Dhalgren, by Samuel R. Delany ***1/2
• a unique exploration of art, race, class, and sexuality.
Underworld, by Don DeLillo ***1/2
• not much plot, but lots to read.
Steppenwolf, by Herrman Hesse ***1/2
• a rich, atmospheric, surreal journey.
Grimscribe, by Thomas Ligotti ***1/2
• a pitch-perfect horror collection. I like Ligotti more every time I read his work.
Peace, by Gene Wolfe ***1/2
• a magical portrait of a midwestern American man.
V, by Thomas Pynchon ***1/2
• an extremely literate, beautifully written, delicately woven story with funny and fascinating characters.
The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. Le Guin ***1/2
• an excellent all-around fantasy novel, filled with ideas, gorgeous writing, and a wonderful story.
Titus Groan, by Mervyn Peake ***1/2
• a prose-master, Peake creates a castle of unequaled characters.
THE REALLY REALLY GOOD BOOKS
A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, by David Foster Wallace ***3/8
• maybe the best place to start with Wallace, this collection of essays showcases his uniquely comic and poignant eye.
Latro in the Mist, by Gene Wolfe ***3/8
• a fascinating narrative challenge and a trove of wonderful characcters, set in ancient Greece.
The Slaves of Uzrehan'be, by S. Craig Zahler ***3/8
• about as good as readable, character/plot-based fantasy can get.
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, by H.P. Lovecraft ***3/8
• a Lovecraft that I loved.
The Three Imposters, by Arthur Machen ***3/8
• a wicked(ly clever) "collection" set in late 1800s London.
The Jaguar Hunter, by Lucius Shepard ***3/8
• an very good collection by a master of thoughtful, beautiful prose.
The Throne of Bones, by Brian McNaughton ***3/8
• a fiendish, ghoulish collection of stories by a master of evocative language and imagery.
The Broom of the System, by David Foster Wallace ***1/4
• feels like Infinite Jest lite, which is still quite good.
The Island of Doctor Death and Other Stories and Other Stories, by Gene Wolfe ***1/4
• inconsistent, but regularly fantastic.
Kalimantan, by Lucius Shepard ***1/4
• a surreal journey through the jungles of the almost-far east.
The Wizard Knight, by Gene Wolfe ***1/4
• Wolfe's most accessible series, and a riveting fantasy story.
Songs of a Dead Dreamer, by Thomas Ligotti ***1/4
• unparalled in consistently weird, distinct, and unsettling atmospheres.
White And Other Tales Of Ruin, by Tim Lebbon ***1/4
• a great combination of horror and fantasy in 6 different stories.
Smilla's Sense of Snow, by Peter Hoeg ***1/4
• much more than a simple thriller, this book really created a setting, an environment that I lived in for a few days while reading it.
Tigana, by Guy Gavriel Kay ***1/4
• high fantasy at its finest, in one volume.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers ***1/4
• maybe not staggering or heartbreaking, but surprisingly touching.
Painted Devils, by Robert Aickman ***1/4
• fantastic, stylish, well-written, subtle horror.
Best Ghost Stories of Algernon Blackwood, by Algernon Blackwood ***1/4
• my first time reading Blackwood, in which his repute proves worthy.
Mythago Wood, by Robert Holdstock ***1/4
• a new take on a genre standard, extremely well done and highly emotional.
The Fifth Head of Cerberus, by Gene Wolfe ***1/4
• young, sci-fi Wolfe is still Wolfe, and still a treasure.
Justine, by Lawrence Durrell ***1/4
• an exotic location, exotic characters, and exotic storytelling.
The Course of the Heart, by M. John Harrison ***1/4
• prose-master Harrison delivers a complex, emotional modern horror novel.
The Lions of Al-Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay ***1/4
• fantasy with more of a historical novel vibe, and fantastic characters.
The Scalehunter's Beautiful Daughter, by Lucius Shepard ***1/4
• an adult fable set in Shepard's world of the giant dragon Griaulle.
THE GOOD BOOKS
Zothique, by Clark Ashton Smith ***1/8
• an immensely rich and decadent landscape painted with a good collection of short stories.
Two Trains Running, by Lucius Shepard ***1/8
• a collection about hobos with one excellent novella, a pretty good story, and an interesting investigative article.
Shogun, by James Clavell ***1/8
• an epic fantasy of old Japan, with a little too much romance, but a lot of great characters.
Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain ***1/8
• amazing teenager's book, good adult book. I wish I was Tom Sawyer.
Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson ***1/8
• wonderful characters in a funny and elaborate tech-y fantasy.
The Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons ***
• opened my mind about the potential for comic books.
Veniss Underground, by Jeff VanderMeer ***
• VanderMeer's brilliant imagination on display in an unsettling collection of connected novellas.
Leviathan, by Paul Auster ***
• features fascinating characters and a good idealistic attitude.
Mists of Avalon, by Marian Zimmer Bradley ***
• rich characters carry this retelling of the Arthurian tale.
Blooded On Arachne, by Michael Bishop ***
• a worthy collection of intelligent, thought-provoking, cold, and sometimes magical sci-fi stories.
The Monk, by Matthew Lewis ***
• an alternately gripping and comical gothic farce.
Catch-22, by Joseph Heller ***
• loads of fun, though a bit too long.
City of Saints and Madmen, by Jeff VanderMeer ***
• a darkly funny, sad, and impressive collection detailing the uniquely imaginative world of Ambergris.
Darkness at Noon, by Arthur Koestler ***
• thought-provoking and dark, two of my favorite novel qualities.
There Are Doors, by Gene Wolfe ***
• another fine Wolfe offering - simple, confusing, and enigmatic all in one.
House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski ***
• a unique, sometimes excellent, sometimes annoying story within a story within a story within...
Blood Music, by Greg Bear ***
• a eye-opening science fiction classic, though it suffers from too scientific an approach.
Neveryona, by Samuel R. Delany ***
• high-quality, not so obtuse tale of a fascinating young girl, continuing with characters presented in Tales of Neveryon.
Tales of Neveryon, by Samuel R. Delany **7/8
• high-quality, and somewhat obtuse, interconnected tales in truly ancient setting.
The Boats of the "Glen Carrig", by William Hope Hodgson **7/8
• an early sea-horror/ weird fiction novel that's a bit stiff, but enjoyable and evocative.
Life During Wartime, by Lucius Shepard **7/8
• less surreal than my favorite Shepard books, but still quite good.
Perdido Street Station, by China Meiville **7/8
• great concepts and good characters in a dark and difficult world.
On Love, by Alain de Botton **7/8
• mostly right-on analysis of male relationship thinking.
Noctuary, by Thomas Ligotti **7/8
• a great find - a collection of truly weird and tempting fiction.
Endless Love, by Scott Spencer **7/8
• a wonderfully troubled lead character.
Borderliners, by Peter Hoeg **7/8
• though good, this book doesn't have the magical atmosphere of Hoeg's more famous Smilla's Sense of Snow.
The Darkling, by David Kesterton **7/8
• second-tier Gene Wolfe at times, but unique and worthwhile in its own right.
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte **7/8
• great atmosphere and good story, but soap-opera motivations hinder believability.
Lies and Ugliness, by Brian Hodge **7/8
• a solid collection of character-driven horror stories.
Poseidonis: Tales of Lost Atlantis, by Clark Ashton Smith **7/8
• Not a consistently great collection, but with some excellent stories.
Mao II, by Don DeLillo **7/8
• a modern examination of strange lives and their intersections.
THE QUALITY BOOKS
A Song for Arbonne, by Guy Gavriel Kay **7/8
• a fine fantasy by an always rewarding author, though far from his best (which is The Lions of Al-Rassan).
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men, by David Foster Wallace **7/8
• often hysterical, but also at times just a brilliant failure.
Dune, by Frank Herbert **3/4
• pretty good, and further proof that I don't love straight science fiction.
The Stranger, by Albert Camus **3/4
• a quick read that didn't grab hold of me as I thought it would.
The Pastel City, by M. John Harrison **3/4
• a prose-showcase, lacking somewhat in substance
Ghosts of Yesterday, by Jack Cady **3/4
• ghost story collection with strong, blue-collar American characters.
World of Hurt, by Brian Hodge **3/4
• a solid, readable, character-driven horror/thriller.
Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination, by Edogawa Rampo **3/4
• clever and quirky tales reminiscent of Poe.
As The Sun Goes Down, by Tim Lebbon **3/4
• another nice collection or early horror stories by Lebbon.
Interview With the Vampire, by Anne Rice **3/4
• surprisingly interesting characters and situations, though not particularly frightening. (I hadn't seen the movie.)
A Winter's Tale, by Mark Helprin **3/4
• a fable-style fantasy with amazing prose but sometimes dry and pointless material.
White Noise, by Don DeLillo **3/4
• largely about nothing, though somehow poignant and memorable in its exploration of the fear of death.
Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card **5/8
• considered a science fiction classic, further proof that I don't love straight sci-fi.
Sometimes, Never, three novellas by William Golding, John Wyndham, and Mervyn Peake **5/8
• three solid novellas with Peake's being the reason I purchased the book.
Island, by Richard Laymon **5/8
• a horrifying, unpredictable page-turner.
Galapagos, by Kurt Vonnegut **5/8
• a funny, insightful satire about humanity and our place in the world.
At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales, by HP Lovecraft **5/8
• Lovecraft's (perhaps) best known novella disappoints after an amazing beginning.
The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester **5/8
• winner of the first Hugo, an enjoyable sci-crime novel.
The Primal Urge, by Brian Aldiss **5/8
• Both fun and thought-provoking, though the book becomes a bit strange by the end.
Land of Laughs, by Jonathan Carroll **5/8
• a quirky, intense horror novel that's not quite to my taste.
The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter **5/8
• Carter's retelling of standard fables show an impressive imagination and writing style.
Ringworld, by Larry Niven **1/2
• considered a science fiction classic, further proof that I don't love straight sci-fi.
A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. LeGuin **1/2
• well-written fable lacking in depth and tension.
Bad Boy, by Jim Thompson **1/2
• like all Jim Thompson that I've read, it features wacky characters, bizarre situations, and the gritty reality of Old Texas. It's enjoyable, quick, and fun, but doesn't really stay with me a few months later.
The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco **1/2
• a long, pretty good mystery novel wrapped in a cloak of semiology.
Word Made Flesh, by Jack O'Connell **1/2
• dark, gritty, but somehow not too frightening noir.
The Man in the High Castle, by Philip K. Dick **1/2
• Good characters in an imaginative alternate reality.
Savage Night, by Jim Thompson **1/2
• yet another solid Jim Thompson novel.
Jackal of Nar and The Grand Design, by John Marco **1/2
• fantasy that tries to be realistic, and mostly succeeds, though sometimes the author reaches too far and hinders the believability.
Kushiel's Dart, by Jacqueline Carey **1/2
• long, worthy high fantasy epic.
Song of Kali, by Dan Simmons **1/2
• worthwhile mystery/horror novel that's a little too long for itself.
Already Dead. by Denis Johnson **1/2
• poetic, beautiful, meandering thriller lacking in thrills.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Haddon **3/8
• strange little story with a unique narrator.
Gloriana or the Unfulfilled Queen, by Michael Moorcock **3/8
• better than the Elric series, this romance is still not something I'd recommend.
Can Such Things Be?, by Ambrose Bierce **3/8
• fun, bitter ghost stories with entertaining twists and turns.
House on the Borderland, by William Hope Hodgson **3/8
• half of a great book and half of a terrible one equals a mediocre, but memorable experience.
Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse **3/8
• a simple parable that might have had a bigger impact on me as a youth.
THE NOT SO GOOD BOOKS
Sleeping in Flame, by Jonathan Carroll **1/4
• interesting ideas that are made much worse by the inclusion of a mythological character in a manner that I really didn't like.
Stranger Things Happen, by Kelly Link **1/4
• quite clearly a competently-written collection, but not to my taste.
Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson **1/4
• alternately enjoyable and annoying, and sometimes a bit pious.
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown **1/4
• Has its moments, but problematic.
The Exorcist, by Peter Blatty **1/4
• I'd already seen the movie, and this didn't scare me much.
Satan's Mistress, by Brian McNaughton **1/8
• a disappointing early work by the Throne of Bones king.
Hill of Dreams, by Arthur Machen **1/8
• a disappointing followup to Machen's magical The Three Imposters.
The Amber Chronicles, by Roger Zelazney **
• though it begins as an intriguing and complicated politcal fantasy, it becomes a moronic (moronic!) struggle between good and evil.
The Nature of Balance, by Tim Lebbon **
• I learned that mass-market horror is not my favorite stuff by Lebbon.
Child of Fortune, by Norman Spinrad **
• a good idea, but with too many bad situations and characters.
The Foreigner, by Meg Castaldo *7/8
• proof that I could write a novel.
Elric of Melnibone, by Michael Moorcock *7/8
• small and often laughable, a book for which I can't explain its legendary status.
Exquisite Corpse, by Poppy Z Brite *
• Ms. Brite has fans, but I'm clearly not one of them. I found her attempts at terror and atmosphere silly. After finishing this book, I returned it to the store for a refund.
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