Walking foward.

I read The Walking Dead this week, and I'm happy to say it's back on track.

After finishing the fourth graphic novel, I'm now all caught up and can read them as they come out each month.

The fourth graphic novel was a bit of a disappointment as it concentrated too much on silly love triangles, but, man, issue 25 got things right back on track with a great cliffhanger.

I love this comic.

Can I get a "Fuck Yeah!"

I went to the Wheaton Library today--mentioned in another post--to see what I could round up.

18 bucks got me:

Clive Cussler - Sahara ($1.00) - I liked the movie and I've heard mixed reviews on the book. If it entertains me as much as the film, I'm good.

Stephen Hunter - Black Light (50¢) - It's a Bob Swagger book. And I think I already own it.

Richard Laymon - No Sanctuary (.50¢), To Wake the Dead ($1.00), Endless Night ($1.50) - Laymon's always a good read.

Tim Lebbon - Fears Unnamed (.50¢), Face (.50¢) - I've enjoyed Lebbon's short stories. Let's see what he can do with his longer work.

Jeff Long - The Descent ($2.00) - I bought this on a whim that it may be based on the movie.

George Pelecanos - Soul Circus ($1.00) - Pelecanos is a native of DC, and I've enjoyed everything I've read. I think I might already have this one, too.

Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child - The Relic ($1.50), Brimstone ($1.50), The Cabinet of Curiosities ($1.50), Thunderhead (.50¢) - Yes I re-purchased Relic. I shall give it another shot after Still Life With Crows.

Various - Dark Destiny: Proprietors of Fate ($1.50), From the Borderlands ($1.50) - I may have that Borderlands one.

But here's the one that made the trip completely worth it. If I had gone and only found this book, it would have been a most successful trip. Everything else today was just icing on the cake.



Richard Laymon - Cuts

This was a Cemetery Dance limited edition with a retail price of 40 dollars.

I about shit my pants when I saw it, especially since it's in damn good condition all things considered.

The price?

.50¢

Can I get a "Fuck Yeah!"

Let's try this again.

I've started reading Mark Danielewski's House of Leaves again.

I had heard a lot about this book and I had never picked it up until two of my friends, GirlGhost and Shiki, recommended it highly as well.

The first time I attempted to read it, I tore into it, and thought it was great. Very well written and creepy as hell. But it is also nonlinear as fuck, and therein laid the problem.

If I had known how this book was written before going in, I could have mentally prepared myself for it. But since I had no clue (and expected a pretty straightforward book), I was thrown. And I had to put it down halfway through because of the way it is written, not due to lack of enjoyment. I just couldn't keep up.

Those of you have read House know what I'm talking about. Add to that I have ADD, and things get really fucking complicated.

But ever since I put it down a couple months back, I've been thinking about it.

So I picked it up again yesterday and started reading. I think this time I'm going to keep a notebook handy to write down who's who and what's what. Hell, maybe I'll even buy one of those nifty moleskin notebooks that Neon and Lesley rave about.

Either way, I am ready to try this again.

An old friend.

I finally read Michael Connelly's The Closers. I don't know why it took me so long as I've had the book for about three months now and it's a Harry Bosch novel.

Maybe subliminally I didn't want to read it too soon because usually I knock out a Connelly novel quickly, then get pissed off and have to wait for the next novel.

But that can't be it because he also has The Lincoln Lawyer out (albeit it's not a Bosche novel).

It was probably all those damn Lee Child novels that I was reading.

Anyway, Closers celebrates the return of Bosche to the LAPD, working in the Cold Case division. He's on thin ice from the get go, because of his actions when he left the force, and he has to watch his step as there are people waiting for him to screw up.

Closers is a decent Bosche novel, but not one of my favorites. I can't put my finger on why, though. However, I do like the route Connelly is taking with Bosche, having him work cold cases. It just seems that is where he's been heading that way all along.

I just placed my bid on eBay for The Lincoln Lawyer. I'll know if I won in 1/2 hour.

Bad Business is not bad.

I finished up my second Spenser novel, Bad Business and it was pretty enjoyable.

However, it read very much like Potshot. The story was completely different, but Spenser, the obvious main character, seemed to have the same dialogue.

But that's not to say the dialogue is not witty, it's very witty. Almost too witty.

One of the great things about the Robert Crais' "Elvis Cole" series is while Cole is witty as piss, he never goes over-the-top.

Spenser has a tendency to do that.

That said, I have no doubt I will read more of Parker's Spenser novels because they are enjoyable, and quick, reads. But I don't think I could read them one after another like I can do with Crais, or more recently, Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" series.

Still Life begs another chance for another book.

My roommate's mom has the best taste in books because her taste is pretty much the same as mine.

When the roomie returned from a trip to Florida, she had a bag of books from her mom for me to go through. And, sonovabitch, I either had all of the books, or read them. Save one.

It was Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child's Still Life With Crows.

Having read Relic a few years ago, and completely not liking it (I don't think I even finished it), I was hesitant. But since the roomie's mom like it, and Ace has recommended them on a couple of occasions, I decided to give them another shot.

I'm glad I did.

Basically, there are some pretty gruesome murders in Medicine Creek, Kansas. You know, small town USA.

FBI Agent Pendergrast shows up and offers his assistance with the case to the sheriff, who reluctantly, and yet eagerly, accepts it.

The books overall plot is pretty basic and straight forward, but Preston & Child whip up some pretty memorable characters that make the book a pretty interesting read.

It's not deep, the ending is a little weak, in my opinion, but the book was good enough for me to give Relic another shot.