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(originally posted on August 13, 2006)
What a briliant, soulful meditation on the decline and fall of a small New Hampshire Town. Strands of mystery interplay with townsfolk struggling to hold onto their tenuous place in the world. Allio has crafted her debut with care and meticulousness and the result is stunning.
(originally posted on August 13, 2006)
Chang's debut (due out in November) has a gritty, pulpy feel that at first glance, isn't what you expect from Soho Press. But his examination of the neighborhood's dark paths show how different things were in the city fifteen to twenty years ago - and how Detective Jack Yu manages to be both native and stranger to the beat.
(originally posted on August 13, 2006)
I have this perhaps irrational fear that Lakeman's first crime novel is going to get lost amidst flashier, more buzz-about debuts. And that would be bad because this guy can write, taking the reader in unexpected directions and turning a seemingly ordinary tale of serial murder amidst idyllic settings into a grander one of corrosive family secrets with the power to shock. Sure, there are flaws, but I can't wait to see how Lakeman's career develops over time.
(originally posted on August 13, 2006)
How does she do it? How does Poppy Z. Brite write books that move so slowly, so languidly, yet reveal so much about her beloved city of New Orleans and her fantastic protagonists, Rickey and G-Man? Never mind that the books make me salivate thanks to sumptuous descriptions of food I'll probably never eat in my life. That takes some doing. I've said it before but it bears repeating: this is one of the best series going right now.
(originally posted on August 13, 2006)
All he does is drive. In and out, through and through the streets of LA. But boy, does Driver find himself in a heap of trouble and Sallis takes him on a journey that's nothing short of hellish. It's a short book but dense with action and thought, and there's good reason this book has received amazing reviews - and will probably be held up as a classic before long.
(originally posted on July 17, 2006)
I had such a great time reading Peterfreund's debut, which details what happens when one Ivy League junior gets tapped to join a formerly all-male, super-secret society. Why? The voice, for one, as Amy is a smart cookie who shows her mettle when it counts most, and great insights into what really bonds friends together. An entertaining read for teens and adults alike.
(originally posted on July 17, 2006)
Most science thrillers suffer from jargon overload and a lack of suspense, but not Anderson's sophomore effort, which is a wonderful blend of both that forces the reader to keep the pages turning. The science - specifically, how a chimpanzee can have a brain similar to a human's - is detailed enough for geeks like me but doesn't detract from a story that evokes the wonder and danger of the Amazon jungle. It makes for a smart, engrossing read.
(originally posted on July 17, 2006)
I'm tempted to say that nobody writes convincingly compelling assholes like Starr does, but that's only part of what makes his first hardcover effort so good. Really, it's the basics: friendship, love, betrayal, greed, narcissism and enough rage that it has to all end up in a frighteningly realistic version of hell. This certainly has the feel of a breakout novel, and I sure hope that's exactly what ensues.
(originally posted on July 17, 2006)
I've been saying how brilliant this book is for ages but why not make it official now that the pub date approaches: this is one of the best novels of 2006, bar none, and Woodrell demonstrates why he's writing some of the best contemporary fiction going these days. What a heartbreaking, emotion-laden, stunning book this is. Read it, savor it and never forget it.
(originally posted on July 17, 2006)
What strikes me most about this book is how smart it is - because the material is so fraught with emotion, it would have been natural to attempt a massive epic trying to understand basic truths. But instead, Weber opts for a more level-headed approach that looks at the fire from a distance, using musical structure and style to create a rich portrait of those who died, and those who survived to pass the story onto future generations. I'm very glad to have this in my library for future rereadings.
