The Host

by Stephenie Mayer
3.5 out of 5 stars

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy that is taking over. Humans become hosts for these invaders, meaning their minds (and souls?) are taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed, but there are a few colonies of "wild ones" left. Melanie is sure her life is over when she's captured, but her invader, Wanderer, was ill prepared for Melanie's unwillingness to relinquish her mind, the ensuing flood of emotions, and (wait for it)...undying love for Jared. Outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, and the rest is page-turning drama at its finest with a nice amount of survivalist action thrown in for good measure.

While the writing quality is similar to the Twilight Series, this premise totally held my interest. It's no classic, but I listen to a lot of books while driving or working out, so, ya know, it works. And, since this is a book for grownups, it's a good story minus all the teen drama and angst, which is of course a huge bonus. I don't understand why "Stephenie" spells her name that way though.

If I Stay

by Gayle Forman
3 out of 5 stars

At times the writing felt a little forced and the characters somewhat affected, but the premise of the story is compelling. Mia's experience is heart wrenching, but I was still able to walk away feeling hope for her future, should she choose to accept it. I felt Forman was best when writing about music and what it means to be a gifted musician -- and that these people have no choice but to play. I also enjoyed the way she wove Mia's flashback's into the narrative. Overall, I recommend this book, though if your eyes tear up easily, maybe don't listen while driving! I would have given it four stars, but I did find the affectation a bit distracting.

Son of Stone

by Stuart Woods
2 out of 5 stars

OK, I think I may be officially done with Stuart Woods now. Once again (spoiler alert), he killed off another love interest of Stone's, but not before giving her ovarian cancer, an abusive ex lover and an illegitimate son. Nice. Seriously, this guy really seems to hate women and has a very hard time creating believable characters. The "son" (who turns out to be Stone's) is a genius, handsome, sweet, unspoiled by wealth or his movie-star upbringing, and seems not to notice or mind that his mom is not only loose, but kind of an idiot. In other words, like father like son, he's ridiculously perfect, and he agrees with every saccharine "life lesson" lecture Stone imparts. For some reason, the dialogue in this book struck me as more forced and affected than usual, but then again, the guy sells a lot of books, so who am I to say? I think good old Herbie Fisher is becoming my favorite character, but even he's on a path that's pointing to straight and narrow. (sigh) I will say the book held my interest enough to finish it, but it was definitely a let down, and when I was done, I was left wondering, "Well what the hell was that all about?" Whatever formula Woods is using needs a tune up. Even James Bond is more human than Stone Barrington. But let me tell you how I really feel...

Midnight Blue

by Nancy Collins
4 out of 5 stars
(This is a compilation of three novels -- Sunglasses After Dark, In The Blood and Paint It Black)


Kick-ass female vampire/vampire slayer. What's not to like? Dark, dangerous, at times violent...and nobody sparkles.

That's a pretty short review, and I know it doesn't do this collection justice (Midnight Blue contains 3 of Collins' 4 novels featuring Sonja Blue). Collins' series has been described as "a gritty urban cyberpunk trilogy," and I'd say that's pretty accurate.

Sonja was 18 years old when she was raped and fed on by a vampire. She was left on the street to die but she survived, sort of. She doesn't die and come back to life, but she takes on most vampire traits and becomes a living vampire (hybrid?). And now, armed with a switchblade and fangs of her own, her goal is revenge -- to find the vampire that changed her and kill him. Along the way she also kills other vampires (especially those who prey on humans) and supernatural beings (seraphs, ogres, ghosts, etc.), as well as the occasional human.

What I like about the character is she's not conflicted about who she is. Though she struggles to keep the human part of her alive while battling the dark "Other" inside her, she doesn't let this duality get in the way of kicking some ass, and she doesn't feel guilty about any of it.

Note: Collins pulls no punches -- these books are not for the weak of heart or disposition.

Dearly Devoted Dexter

by Jeff Lindsay
3 out of 5 stars

I'm almost done listening to this and enjoying it more than the first. Dexter seems to have "come into his character" more fully, so it's my hope that the series continues in this vein. Wow, that sounded stuffy. In short, it's like he's a vampire with a soul...a sociopath with a conscience. What's not to fascinate?

Update: Recently finished this and plan to order #3 from the library...I'm beginning to think the "soul of a sociopath" is captured much better in the books than the TV series.

On the plus side, sister Deb is a little less annoying in the books than she is on the TV show, and Rita plays a much smaller role (which I like, because she drove me nuts on the show). The "dark passenger" as a character, while a little preposterous, is captivating, and I almost wish he/it was fleshed out more. There's not a lot of back story about why Dexter has this alter ego -- yes, he experienced a horrific trauma as a child, but lots of kids suffer horrible trauma and don't end up as sociopaths. I will add that the presence of the DP gets explained, if you can call it that, a little more in book 3. At any rate, the series holds my attention enough to fill time during my commute, and I'm still intrigued by my propensity to root for the vigilante murderer.

Outlander

by Diana Gabaldon
5 out of 5 stars
Audiobook

To be fair, after almost panning book #7 in this series, I felt I should post a review of the first book, which is among my top 10 favorite books of all time.

Like all of the books in this series, Outlander is really long. But long is good in this case, because you don't want it to end. I love books like that. It was originally classified as a romance, I think, but it's really a lot more original than that. It's got romance, adventure, history...oh yeah, and TIME TRAVEL!

Here's a partially plagiarized synopsis (because as I think I've noted, I hate writing synopti):

Claire, a World War II combat nurse, is an English woman in her late 20s on a vacation in Scotland with her husband. It is post war, and they are getting reacquainted after years apart. During a hike, Claire stumbles into a mystical stone circle that transports her to the same spot in Scotland, only it's 1743. She's found and taken in by a band of Scottish men who are in the midst of a battle with some English soldiers, and she helps nurse one of them - Jamie - after he's injured.

An outlaw and a warrior, Jamie is just so cool, and of course he and Claire fall in love. So the story goes on from there, detailing life in Scotland at that period, and the many adventures Jamie and Claire find themselves in. Both of these characters are extremely likeable, as are others in this book/series. Gabaldon also paints a wicked villain and does a good job of spicing things up with quirky people, historical idiosyncrasies, religious influence, and even some issues society still can't handle today, including sexuality, polygamy and witchcraft.

Yes, these books are gargantuan pieces of historical fiction mixed with fantasy, some very steamy erotic stuff and the occasional gruesome torture scene. They are also addicting. And did I mention the time travel?

Case in point: With what we might consider rudimentary medical training by today's standards, Claire's nursing skills allow her to becomes an 18th century healer with enough effect that she's both revered and accused of being a white witch.

Gabaldon's research is extensive, and she writes dialogue (complete with various brogues and accents that you can hear in your head) that totally sucks you in.

Note: I've listening to all of these books but one, because the contracted narrator, Davina Porter, is PHENOMENAL. Treat yourself to the audiobook next time you've got a long drive or to while away your commute. You'll find yourself hoping for red lights.

An Echo in the Bone

by Diana Gabaldon
3 out of 5 stars

As this series goes on, the books could use a bit (OK, more than a bit) more editing. There was a LOT to slog through -- I almost gave up a couple of times. Overall, I love the series, but seriously...way too much rambling off into tangents that we never see again about people and historical events I just don't care about. And there were some pretty major loose ends as the last book drew to a close that were very disappointing. It was almost as if the publisher said, "Time's up! By this date, you WILL BE DONE WRITING, regardless of where you are in the story!" and that's where things ended up.

That said, her first book, Outlander, is among my top ten favorites, and subsequent books in the series were totally engrossing. Echo in the Bone is #7 in the series, and it's getting a little tired. This was supposed to be the last, but, probably as a result of not one but four story lines with abrupt endings in one book, #8 is on the way (not out yet as of this writing).

I reread the whole series before tackling this one, and I'm a bit exhausted and fairly disappointed. But I'll probably still read #8 and hope for the best.

Undead and Unwed

by MaryJanice Davidson
3 out of 5 stars

The whole series is like Twinkies for your brain. Speaking of which, have you ever had a deep-fried Twinkie? With ice cream? Satan giggles when you eat one. But oh my...

Really, I got a kick out of these books. Betsy is narcissistic, mouthy, and a bit of an air head. She's superficial, blonde and has a fetish for designer shoes. She's also vampire queen, much to her chagrin. Enjoy the ride!

In the Garden of Beasts

by Erik Larson
1 out of 5 stars

This is billed as a nonfiction account of "Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin." Whatever. It's not really fair of me to rate this one star, because I didn't get very far before I gave up. If you liked Devil in the White City, you might enjoy it. His writing is much the same -- kind of stilted with lots of tell, not a lot of show. And, as he did in DITWC, he seems to have no problem taking liberties with historical detail that no one could possibly know, yet there's virtually no dialogue, so to me, his work reads like a very long-winded magazine article in need of good editing.

Clan of the Cave Bear

by Jean Auel
4 out of 5 stars


This series is just a whole bunch of fun if you like long, detailed stories that you can really lose yourself in. Granted, they are a bit like Harlequin Romance meets Jurassic Park (or maybe Land of the Lost), and you might wonder where a Cro-Magnon dude out of the ice age picked up such powers of seduction (this guy is amazing in the...er...wooly mammoth sleeping robes), but Auel’s research still shines, especially when it comes to all the detailed accounts of plants and natural remedies that Ayla is learning from the clan’s medicine woman. Also, from a sociological perspective, the overlap of members from the Neanderthal clan -- ruled by traditions and taboos -- and the physically modern Cro-Magnons is fascinating.

This first book in the series was the best, and things don't get racy until Ayla meets fellow Cro-Magnons in subsequent volumes. I re read this via audio book recently, and I was amazed at how much I had forgotten; it was just as enjoyable the second time around, and the narrator did an OK job.

Guilty Pleasures

by Laurell K. Hamilton
4 out of 5 stars

This series starts out great and is lots of fun. As you get further down the list though, the quality drops off considerably. Later books in the series are full of annoying characters (including Anita Blake herself, who evolves from a tough, mouthy broad to an angst-ridden super slut) and bordering on porn. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but jeeze, put some damn clothes on and kill something already, will ya?!

So Blake. She's an animator, which means she can raise the dead, which she does to settle wills and solve crimes. She's also a licensed executioner, which means she can kill vampires who get unruly. Cuz vamps, shape shifters and other supernatural types walk among us in her world, as long as they play nicely with others. Anita is also really rude. As in no filter between her brain and her mouth. Hilarious!

You have to read these in the context of their genre -- kind of a cross between romance and horror. The writing can be a little over the top, and sometimes the drama gets out of hand, but that's to be expected. If vamps can't be drama queens, then who can?

Master Vampire, Jean Claude, is the bane of Anita's existence in the first few books. He's dark, dramatic, ueber sexy (as in too sexy for his ruffled shirt) and swings both ways. He's really got it bad for Anita, and she thwarts him at every turn while saying things like, "Whatever." and "Who buys your shirts?!" LOL.

So, try the first few, but then be forewarned -- they go down hill fast.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

by David Sedaris
3 out of 5 stars
Audiobook

I was disappointed in the audio version of this, because Sedaris only reads a couple of the stories, and I didn't really like the other narrators. That's not to say they weren't good, but I really like Sedaris' voice (once I got used to it!) and interpretation of his own stories. Overall, these animal tales had his trademark satire, humor, and quirkiness, but they were also a bit darker than his past shorts. Not a bad thing, just a little different. I recommend this to anyone who has enjoyed his past work, though maybe opt for the book over audio

A Wrinkle in Time

by Madeleine L'Engle
5 out of 5 stars

Another of my all time favorites when I was young and impressionable. It is the candle to which I hold all others of its genre (does that make sense?). Case in point: Harry Potter: Wonderful book/series, but after I read the first one I thought, "Hmf. It was good, but it's no Wrinkle in Time." That's what I mean. Wrinkle in Time was the first science fiction book I think I ever read, and I didn't even realize it was science fiction at the time. I just thought it was a fantastic story, I loved that the hero was a girl, and I remember feeling so transported into the story, I wanted to be Meg, or at least be her sidekick and help her. I also pined for a genius little brother named Charles Wallace. I don't know why, but it was years later that I discovered L'Engle had written other books about this family (A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Many Waters), and years after devouring them all that I actually got to meet L'Engle at a book talk at a local church (so when I say meet, I really got to talk to her!). (Sigh)

I suspect this is a book that you could enjoy just as well, if not more, as a grownup. Though I have to admit, I've put off re reading it, because I don't want to risk spoiling the magic.

I was never bothered by what some say are heavy religious influences in her work. In fact, I don't think I even noticed any. I do remember being intrigued by all the math and science (and I was never what you would call mathy or sciency!) in her books -- tesseracts, for example, in A Wrinkle in Time, mitochondrial DNA in A Wind in the Door, and organ regeneration in The Arm of the Starfish. Neat.

Strategic Moves

by Stuart Woods
2 out of 5 stars
Audiobook

Poor Stone Barrington -- every time he gets lucky, the woman ends up dead. With the exception of Holly Barker, all of Woods' female characters seem two dimensional and...well, kind of stupid (when they're not dying). What's up with that? Normally, I like to listen to these books, but narrator Tony Roberts reminds me of the filmstrip guy from grade school. His interpretation of Dino is horribly grating, and his attempt at accents is really distracting. But I digress. Barrington is kind of a James Bond type, and some of Woods' writing is a little old fashioned feeling, but if you like that kind of storycrafting, his stuff is a fairly decent distraction with lots of local references thrown in, which is kind of fun. He writes a pretty solid plot, and even though Stone is quite the ladies man, there's not a lot of graphic sex or naughty bits. That's also kind of refreshing sometimes. His books can feel a little formulaic, but it's a formula that's worked for him, so who are we to say. This one of many in the Stone Barrington series. Collect them all!

The Help

by Kathryn Stockett
4 out of 5 stars

What else can be said about this book? It has fantastic dialogue, and Stockett did a bang-up job of capturing each character's voice, which really adds so much to this story. I read this vs. listening to it. I think whoever reads this will have to be a phenomenal talent to pull it off. I caught a partial interview w/the author on NPR and was intrigued. What stuck with me was her experience growing up in the South and being raised by "domestic help" who were "trusted with the children, but not the good silverware." You will wonder how people can treat others as depicted in this novel and then remember, oh yeah, it's still happening. I've since seen the movie, which was good, but of course the book has a lot more depth.

Certainly the segregation and discrimination against blacks is central to the story, but what struck me was also how white women were treated as fragile idiots and/or second class citizens. It was bordering on scandalous for Skeeter to want a career instead of marriage, and when she finally did get a job, it was by a condescending prick of an editor who assigned her to write a household tips column -- at who knows what wage, but not that of a man. It's hard to fathom even that, let alone being a black female. And yet...it was totally normal for the time. Makes you wonder what a generation or two from now will think about current views on gay marriage, religion, people dying for lack of health insurance... Hopefully we continue to evolve sooner rather than later.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

by John Irving
5 out of 5 stars

(I recently "re read" this by listening to it, and I enjoyed it even more.)

John Irving could write instructions for assembling a porch swing, and they'd be riveting. So this -- this bizarre tale with all its weirdness and intertwining lives, I loved, and I also felt all smart and bookish when I finished. Because it's John Irving! Yes there's plenty of mystic religiosity (meh), but the fact that we're having fun with martrydom? What's not to like? I know there's a ton of literaryishness to this tomb, not to mention symbolism and what not, but it's also just a really great story about growing up, loyalty and having a best friend who will always be your best friend no matter what. The (very) basic premise: Owen Meany is a tiny (dwarf?) boy with a strange voice who (hilariously I think) SPEAKS IN ALL CAPS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BOOK. He is a strange but extremely lovable kid who accidentally kills his best friend's mom with a baseball and henceforth believes he is an instrument of God who will be redeemed by martyrdom. Mayhem ensues.

I was a little leery about trying the audio version of this book, because I wasn't sure how well anyone could capture Owen's voice. After the first chapter or so, I was hooked and felt the narrator nailed it.

The Wednesday Wars

by Gary D. Schmidt
4 out of 5 stars

This is a fun read and a great feel-good book set in an era people seem to enjoy romanticizing. Like his other book, Okay for Now, Schmidt's main character is very likable, witty, and mostly surrounded by good people who want to help him. The relationship he has with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, is really sweet even if it’s not entirely believable (sure, there are lots of junior high boys who get into Shakespeare...right?). However, as YA fiction goes, I give Wednesday Wars two thumbs up. It's one of those books you think about and look forward to continuing when you're doing other things.

Magic or Madness

by Justine Larbalestier
3 out of 5 stars
(kids would probably rate it higher)

This is the first book in a young-adult series set mostly in Australia and New York. I think it's definitely worth recommending, though a little "after school special" at times. The plot revolves around the notion that some people are magic. The caveat is that the more you use your magic, the shorter your life. Most magical people don't live past their 20s. However, if you don't use your magic at all, you go insane. What to do?! The nuances of life in this world are revealed slowly, which helps hold your attention if you're an adult reader.

Crazy

by William Peter Blatty
3.5 out of 5 stars

(Notes before I finished)
I have not read the Exorcist or any other Blatty works, nor did I realize this is the same author. That said...wow. This book is nostalgic, funny and maybe a little drug induced. I'm only about half way through, so I suppose it could still take a turn for the disturbing...I suspect there will be some sort of mental break/revelation, but thus far, main character Joey is just goofy and likeable even if he is prone to bizarre stream of consciousness ramblings* that are without punctuation or, for that matter, a map.

Mostly Crazy about this kid making his way through adolescence, loving a strange girl and going to Catholic school in 1941. Thing is, the girl is even stranger than he, and nobody else really knows who she is ... some even deny her existence. Hmmm.

The only thing that’s bothersome is it’s not just Joey who’s prone to eccentric ramblings, but many other characters as well, and that makes the story a lot less believable. You find yourself wondering how it could be possible that so many hormonal self-absorbed adolescents in this school could be so empathic, poetic, weird, and articulate. But still, it’s a fun read. Hopefully there won't be any pea soup forthcoming.

*Page 65 is a good example:
"Head lowered, arms folded across my chest, I pondered the mystery enfolding Jane like an aura with ever-changing colors – on the one hand anxious for Monday to come when I’d be seeing her again and could get to the bottom of some things, and on the other already dreading the approaching end of the weekend and returning to the drabness of school, most especially with winter coming on when in the morning instead of walking five blocks in the freezing rain with cardboard in my shoes to plug the holes, I’d want to fake a bad cold so I could stay snug and warm in my bed while endlessly polishing my vast collection of secret decoder rings and badges and listening to grown-up radio serials like Pretty Kitty Kelly and The Romance of Helen Trent, although never The Romance of Consuelo Chavez, I noticed, or Pretty Sandra Shapiro. Only summer seemed livable to me then, and I even welcomed chubby old Sister Louise’s constant warnings of the dreaded June Regents exams in her husky, sandpaper voice, "In the merry of month of June you’ll be sweating," a threat she invariably personalized by always turning to glare at Bill Choirelli and adding a heartfelt "You fat tub of guts!" – which today might bring a lawsuit and find Sister Louise in an orange hood and jumpsuit doing the perp walk into some courthouse croaking loudly, "On the merry Day of Judgment all you ACLU scumbags will be sweating!" This followed by Foley, Balequi and a few other bystanders quietly applauding and murmuring, "Hear, now! Hear! Hear, hear!" Foley idolized Sister Louise. Her position on torture would have never been in doubt."

The Family Fang

by Kevin Wilson
4.5 out of 5 stars

This was a very quirky and enjoyable read...while at the same time tragic. The Fang family takes dysfunctional to a whole new level, yet there is still a lot of love lurking amongst them. It's also kind of a study of "what is art," and how much do you let your art rule your life if you consider yourself an artist? I found myself mostly disapproving of the parents -- they are the kind of people you want to punch in the face for their arrogance, even though you might even agree with their point. The kids, despite their bizarre childhood and upbringing, are plucky and likeable, and I found myself wanting to meet them, if not for a friendship, then for an interesting conversation. I'm going to check out other writing by this author.

The Cater Street Hangman

by Anne Perry
4 out of 5 stars

This was my favorite in Perry's Detective Pitt series, which someone else described as "social commentaries with a murder attached." True enough.

Set in Victorian times, there's lots of detail about social norms, what's proper and not, even fashions, and the various social classes become a character unto themselves.

The plot revolves around police detective Thomas Pitt's attempt to solve the unsavory murders of women while trying to follow leads and question members of the upper class. Enter Charlotte, a woman who outclasses him (by Victorian standards), but is obviously a little bored with her proper life. She uses her connections to help Thomas solve his mysteries. Their meeting and subsequent attraction was a highlight of the book, though she continues to play a key role in subsequent stories.

These are not action-packed page turners, but Perry's writing is tight, and she really paints a vivid picture of this time period. Makes you thankful times have indeed changed! (BTW, someone please notify the Tea Party)

Running with Scissors

by Augusten Burroughs
4 out of 5 stars
Audiobook

This "memoir" or whatever it's supposed to be was way more dark and shocking than the cover or even title might suggest. It's all a little hard to believe at times, but who am I to say. Meanwhile, I found Burroughs' voice and style of storytelling to be extremely compelling even while being turned off by the entire sequence(s) of events that made up the early part of his life. I listened to this book, read by the author, and enjoyed that format quite a bit. I think it might be a little easier to stomach than reading, actually, because Burroughs has this almost humorous tone, as if he's telling a long joke and you're waiting for the punch line -- only the punch is kind a gut punch -- not too hard, but forceful nonetheless -- that leaves you a little breathless but still OK with having experienced it, because it wasn't really meant to hurt you, rather it was to get your attention.

Note: This book is not really a comedy, though it's been classified as such. It's also not a true memoir, from what I've read, because not all of it's true. I don't really care about that -- I also enjoyed James Frey's books regardless of the "scandal" that came out afterwards.

Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral

by Kris Radish
2 out of 5 stars

For anyone who has dealt with loss, especially to cancer, this book is at times oddly comforting. It's basically about death being part of life, and how you can choose to embrace that fact (or not) while still celebrating the human spirit, life, love, smelling the flowers, etc. as a way to honor the one you've lost. The notion of a traveling funeral itself is entertaining, but it's just so very "chick flick" and even preposterous at times, that it's hard not to roll your eyes at the saccharine silliness of it all. Or maybe I'm just cynical. While Radish has moments when her writing shines, it's often bogged down by a lot of affectation and way too much estrogen, which is distracting at best.

The Time Traveler's Wife

by Audrey Niffenegger
5 out of 5 stars

Reviews for this book seem mixed, but I for one loved it. I love the concept of time travel, and the way Niffenegger tackled this challenge was fascinating to me. I loved that it was set in Chicago, and the characters were people you wanted to know and hang out with. What was difficult was the absolute tragedy of the plot ... which, admittedly, was really confusing at first. It wasn't until I was well into the book that it all clicked and I could make sense of the shifts in time, who was where (or when) and how it all worked. But (for me anyway), the dialogue and the people held my interest quite well up until that light bulb moment. I won't say it was a happy ending with loose ends all tied up neatly, because I cried and had to watch some cartoons with my cat when I was done, but it was satisfying. This is one of the few books I have re read. Don't see the movie -- it's a poor attempt and will just leave you depressed while not really caring about the people. Who needs that?

Note: I don't usually include much of a synopsis in my reviews, because A., it's too much work and 2., I'm lazy that way. But here's a good run down from another review that I liked (even though this reviewer didn't like the book):

"Henry meets his wife, Clare, for the first time when he is 28 and Clare is 20. Clare met Henry for the first time when she was six and Henry was 36. Henry is, literally, a time traveler. Henry has a disease: a cellular disorder that leaves him unglued in time, traveling at random to various points in the past and future of his own life and, inexplicably, to Clare’s childhood. Henry cannot hold onto any of his possessions when he time travels—no clothes, no food, no money—a fact that often has a disastrous effect on Henry’s life.

Throughout it all, Clare is at Henry’s side faithfully waiting for him to return to her and their life together.

Niffenegger alternates viewpoints, narrating the story in both Henry’s and Clare’s voice. Despite giving the characters equal narration time, Clare remains painfully one-dimensional. She is defined by her love for Henry, her artistic career and, unfortunately, little else.

Thankfully, Henry is written much more fully. Working as a librarian at the Newberry in his present, Henry also has a complex life "out of time." He is also well-versed in the culture of drugs and drinking. Really, Henry is a mess in every sense of the word. Despite all of his problems, though, Henry remains redeemable. Throughout the novel he clings to a certain charm, a quality that makes it plausible to believe that Clare really did love him long before Henry first met her."

The Other End

by John Shirley
2 out of 5 stars

You can't help but like the premise of this book: What if there were another "end of the world as we know it" rather than one based on childish interpretations of religion, bias, bigotry, exclusion, and cultural narrowness-mindedness? What if Judgment Day came for the whole world and offered true justice?

I had high hopes in Shirley's answer to these questions, but my final judgment (haha) is: meh. I almost gave up on this a couple times, because there are so many characters running around, and none of them are really fleshed out, so they're hard to keep track of, and you end up not really caring about any of them.

The Other End is not as preachy as the first Left Behind book (the only one I read), but that's not saying much. I liked Shirley's idea(s) and the way he explained how the Other End was going to go down, it was just the execution that was lacking. That said, give it a go if you're in the mood for an escape from all the ultra conservative bullshit religiosity that's permeating so much of society these days.