Booksquawk

I'm a very big fan - looking at it a second time I...

2010-03-10T00:33:45.667-08:00

I'm a very big fan - looking at it a second time I was struck by how much poetry there is in the writing, terrific stuff.

Pat

I just wanted to say I loved this book! marc nash...

2010-03-07T05:53:49.285-08:00

I just wanted to say I loved this book!

marc nash

Thanks for reviewing Red Poppies. I appreciate it....

2010-03-02T09:46:05.482-08:00

Thanks for reviewing Red Poppies. I appreciate it. Getting readers to check out a collection by an author they haven't heard of is quite a challenge. And many book reviewers are already overwhelmed by titles from publishers with well-oiled PR departments. So it's nice to get an unsolicited review from a colleague. Cheers!

Good man, Bill. Great review and delighted you enj...

2010-02-27T14:59:16.736-08:00

Good man, Bill. Great review and delighted you enjoyed it. Staying Alive is every bit as good as the follow up so you have many more treats in store.

I never know what I make of Self. I can't read him...

2010-02-26T05:12:27.592-08:00

I never know what I make of Self. I can't read him without hearing his voice (thanks "Shooting Stars") a misanthropic wrapping of vowels around a snarl - the word I most associate with him is 'Puling' -

I dunno, this sounds a bit like a colonial version of "Bonfire Of The Vanities" - would that be fair?

marc

Just finished this one last night. I thought it w...

2010-02-25T19:03:38.920-08:00

Just finished this one last night. I thought it was wonderful -- told in such a subtle, understated way that it ended up scaring me much more than an in your face ghost story. I suppose it's because you felt the characters' doubts...and how truly terrifying the 'mundane' could become. All told, of course, with this wonderful historical backdrop.

Can't rave enough. :)

Enjoyed your review!

You are entitled to your opinion, of course, (to A...

2010-02-24T10:20:36.904-08:00

You are entitled to your opinion, of course, (to Anonymous) but I am more than a little perplexed at the speculative ad hominem nature of the criticisms.

I second Dorkismo -- I see "Sin Washer," I think it is far from unreasonable in the English-speaking world to draw the Jesus parallel (it would be a lot more unreasonable to mince around it). If the author was thinking of some other redeemer-figure, or just a generic one, I have a hard time imagining she wasn't PERFECTLY aware that a lot of people in her reading audience would think of Jesus nevertheless.

If you're going to call someone "snide" (quite unr...

2010-02-24T08:49:04.822-08:00

If you're going to call someone "snide" (quite unreasonably, in my view) I have to suggest you not hide behind an anonymous login, and explain exactly why you would say such a thing.

I haven't read this book, but even so, it is blindingly clear that any writer in English who doesn't want his character compared to Jesus Christ had better reconsider the name, "Sin Washer."

This is a snide and aggressively cute review by so...

2010-02-24T06:17:01.507-08:00

This is a snide and aggressively cute review by someone whose knowledge of culture and mythology seems to be limited to Christianity. I suppose if all you have is a hammer, every book to be reviewed looks a lot like a nail.

Wow, what a great review, thanks Dave! I love H.G....

2010-02-22T01:38:05.087-08:00

Wow, what a great review, thanks Dave! I love H.G. Wells - I haven't read "The War of the Worlds" for a while but this review has inspired me to pick it up again.
My personal favourite Wells book is "The Island of Doctor Moreau" - if you haven't read it already, I recommend it.

http://holfordwatch.info/2008/07/02/tara-parker-po...

2010-02-20T13:05:02.715-08:00

http://holfordwatch.info/2008/07/02/tara-parker-pope-and-jonny-bowden/

The internet has tremendous power to disseminate the good and the bad. Take a look at the background mystery of Jonny Bowden. Maybe he says good things but then he should make his background clear as well.

I enjoy Regency very much. I'm glad you pick it up...

2010-02-20T10:38:09.410-08:00

I enjoy Regency very much. I'm glad you pick it up, reviewed it and enjoyed it.

SFW is correct--and if 'Catcher in the Rye' had co...

2010-02-20T04:26:47.495-08:00

SFW is correct--and if 'Catcher in the Rye' had come along now, publishers would market it as YA. It's a convenient term, but a pretty meaningless label. Some of the best writing currently around is in YA (if you know where to look and who to look for because, yes, there is a lorra lorra crap). I've just finished Bad Faith, and agree entirely that 'Michelin starred' is the phrase. I've also read Gillian's Crossing the Line--different but equally measured, beautifully crafted and page-turning. For myself, I prefer to write at the remove of 'world next-door-but-one'--it gives me freedom to say and do what I like, and it feels more comfortable to me to be in that fantasy sphere. But I learned from Gillian--by gum I learned. Her teenage characterisation is awesomely spot on--and yet delicate as a spider's foot.

Lucy Coats @ http://www.scribblecitycentral.blogspot.com

YA, like anything to do with publishers, is a mark...

2010-02-19T15:12:14.415-08:00

YA, like anything to do with publishers, is a marketing term. The publishers have realised that adults will read a decent YA novel more readily than some teens will read an 'adult' novel. Partially because YA is a smaller market and the teens don't have overwhelming choices paralysing them. But adult readers seek good stuff where-e'er it may be found.

So, many books that are great reads for adults but happen to have a teenaged protag, get instantly slapped with a YA tag. Adults will still read them and teens will be more likely to read them. And the publisher is more likely to get a 'crossover' hit.

It happens with lots of re-release sci-fi fantasy, too. A lot of the mainstream, adult SF/F I read when I was younger is now being re-issued as YA.

YA has, as a result, become a goldmine of quality (and also, heavily marketed crap).

SFW

Thank you kindly -- and YES, the ending knocked my...

2010-02-15T11:41:40.638-08:00

Thank you kindly -- and YES, the ending knocked my socks off!!! It took MAJOR guts to do that (to which I do not refer directly, in the interests of non-spoiler-dom!); and the payoff is commensurate.

Terrific review of a terrific book - I loved The D...

2010-02-15T09:34:05.450-08:00

Terrific review of a terrific book - I loved The Darkness, yet found it very unsettling for just the reasons you outline. And I found the ending brave; Bill Kirton didn't take the easy way out. And it's beautifully written. This is a book that deserves a huge readership.

Wow, today I found out a friend of mine didn't kno...

2010-02-12T15:57:14.896-08:00

Wow, today I found out a friend of mine didn't know Willie Mays is African-American, and now someone who didn't know who Warren Ellis is!

What a great find! I think I have to go find this ...

2010-02-12T10:56:50.968-08:00

What a great find! I think I have to go find this book.

Warren Ellis is a legend... If you like his writin...

2010-02-11T11:28:18.268-08:00

Warren Ellis is a legend... If you like his writing, I thoroughly recommend picking up "Bad World" - a collection of rants about how messed up humans are. Once you've done that, it's time to move onto "Transmetropolitan" - possibly the greatest comic book series of the past 15 years.

You are so right about Brewers.It is one of those ...

2010-02-10T05:16:27.589-08:00

You are so right about Brewers.It is one of those great reference books that is a world in itself.

Ahhh... Thanks for that. I stand corrected! SFW

2010-02-05T20:08:17.658-08:00

Ahhh... Thanks for that. I stand corrected!

SFW

The endpapers are in teh US edition. They are not ...

2010-02-05T16:58:58.813-08:00

The endpapers are in teh US edition. They are not in the UK. I am holding the UK book and crying as I look at where there should be the map but isn't. Also the UK cover is ugly.

What a wonderful review! Thank you. I'm delighted ...

2010-02-02T05:00:31.724-08:00

What a wonderful review! Thank you. I'm delighted you enjoyed the book as much as I did. (It's one of my favorites.)

-- John Betancourt (Publisher, Wildside Press)

PS -- There is one uncollected tale in this series available as a free ebook at www.steampunksalon.com

Well, I am relieved to hear that. A lot. I shall...

2010-01-31T09:19:36.360-08:00

Well, I am relieved to hear that. A lot. I shall persevere!

Keep going, Kate. #13 is better (Not the best Reac...

2010-01-29T01:53:20.228-08:00

Keep going, Kate. #13 is better (Not the best Reacher, either. But not as bad as #12).

SFW