Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

I loved the thought of the incarnations of gods disguised as normal people first and foremost. Fat Charlie, wasn't the most lovable character. Though you do feel very sorry for him throughout most of the novel. Especially when you find out he's not embed with his father's powers, his brother was. A brother he never knew about known as "Spider", which happen to morn their father over a drunken stupor. Then proceeds to "save his ass" by going to work for him as he slept him self to sobriety, then screws him by screwing his fiancée, literally.

I thought the way the roles changed between Charlie and Spider were great. The fact that Spider lives his life, by working at the end, but with his love Rosie (Charlie's ex). and Charlie and his great career as a singer who marries Daisy, and gets to live the life he deserved. Great twist of things. I would say the integration of the gods in this humanistic play of man (love/greed) was nearly perfect.

The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman

Let me just say, this is probably one of my favorites.

The world they create in this book is amazing, and sort of a new outlook. You still get the whimsical overlay, but the way it's done it's not too much. The book starts off with the main character, a younger girl named Lyra Belacqua, her and her magic creature bonded to her, which in this series they call daemons. You seem to be born with one, and it's your companion for life, and when your an innocent child, it can still shape shift. Then it shifts to her uncle coming to town, Lord Asriel. This is when Lyra becomes curious about the conversation topic "Dust".

She wants to go up North with her uncle, whom is alway traveling. But as usual he refuses, because it would be too dangerous. Lyra goes back to her friends, and one in particular Roger Parslow, who lives close to the college that Lyra lives in. This is where the conversation of whispers going around town that there is children being stolen by a group called "The Gobbler's". The Gobbler's still Roger, and this is when our adventure really starts, because Lyra feels that she has to save him, cause no one else will.

She then comes upon the cynical Mrs. Coulter who brings Lyra to London with her. Before Lyra leaves her master hands her an alethiometer, which would be the "golden compass" and tells her she must show it to no one, especially Mrs. Coulter. then she goes off on this adventure and makes alliances and gets herself caught eventually. Then she finds Roger at this place and escapes with him. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

The Annotated by J.R.R. Tolkien

Love this series. period.

I was recommend this series when I was a freshman in high school, and I remember picking up the first in the series "The Hobbit" where there is this well crafted world that I get dropped into. (Map included!) This long adventure story starts off with the Great Gandalf, a wizard that always has an adventure following close by. Gandalf visits a friend Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit. Which hobbits are not ones to go on adventure, they like to stay in and smoke their pipes and live in their hobbit-holes, completely content. But Gandalf talks him into taking on a journey with him and they go off through Tolkien's invented lands of forests and run into many dangers with great reward.

The great thing I love about Tolkien's writings is the way he lays things out in the beginning. He doesn't go into great detail of items or appearances, just enough to get the ball rolling.

Like when he's describing Gandalf, he mentions him wearing a grey hat. Nothing special, but it gets the image instilled in your head and you move on to the adventure ahead. Also another great thing about his writing, especially The Hobbit, in the first chapter especially, he talks to you and narrates it like a bed time story. Telling you as he remembers it, mentioning things, but never truly going into it unless it's essential to tell the epic journey.

A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami

This story was interesting, but a tad confusing to be honest.

There was some interesting banter in this book. I felt like it was like going down a rabbit hole while the Narrator was the hunt for the sheep with a spot on his back. Certain parts of this book were just strange like the girlfriend with the ears that make sex a thousand times better. I actually laughed out loud as this point, just because it was just a silly thing to focus on and be aroused by, but to each is own. But he seemed like he needed an escape from his boring life, which he earns with this hunt.

This isn't what I thought I would be getting into as far as a "Japanese Horror" story goes. I thought it was going to be a ghost story like the Ring or something. This seemed to have more of a humorous undertone than anything. I did enjoy it, it was a bit hard to follow at times. But I thought it was a different type of story than I'm use to, which was nice to have.

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice

Vampires!

I don't think there could be a better time to reevaluate the undead with the unholy hype of such series as..."Twilight", Which in my opinion has tainted the thoughts of this immortal creature. This book, in my opinion had the best outlook on a vampire, just hearing his lifetime.

Louis, the Vampire who's sitting for an interview with this boy discusses from the beginning of him as a human and how it all started for him. I thought the way it was written, with the "memory" idea, where we are traveling back with Louis as he remembers his years of being human and how it led up to him becoming a vampire. Then the transition of being trained by another vampire Lestat, and how after the basic lessons he has the feeling of detachment, and doesn't feel anything towards his mentor. As well as betrayal and the lost of a good friend makes this grow stronger. This feeling is something he truly realizes at the end, that a vampire's life is one that should be lived alone.

Monster Island by David Wellington

Zombies. Zombies. Zombies.

Finally, can't go wrong with a good zombie story. and just to one up that, this has an intelligent zombie; our good friend Gary. Humanity as a whole is on a limb, fighting off the zombies at the left over outposts. The story is mostly about Dekalb, a former UN weapons inspector and his traveling through New York City looking for AIDS medicine to save his daughter, Sarah, who just so happens to be held hostage over seas. This book was fast-paced action packed zombie novel. with the in and outs explanation of zombies in full. You can really relate to Dekalb and you can put yourself in his shoes.

Zombies as a whole, are just an interesting social commentary. I think this opinion varies though people to people. But the thought of "zombies" as the people that just live there life with no meaning and walk past you everyday not really phased. Especially for people who live their life's, to see someone who's just a drone and goes about their 9 to 5 and there's nothing more to them, and there's a quantity of these types. This is where I find the "zombie effect" lies.

Overall, loved this story.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Classic Horror would be the first thing that would come to mind.

This story is the essence of most horror stories out there. Though, most think that Frankenstein is actually the monster, it was Victor Frankenstein, the father of the monster. The monster actually didn't have a name. Victor being as a genius as he is starts to create a monster from found and stolen body parts then he brings the creature to life. The monstrosity that he created begins to haunt him. Victor's brother was murdered by the monster. The monster eventually finds Victor, his father and pleas for him to create him a companion. Victor can't bear what he's creating and destroys her. The Monster, declares revenge on him. The monster strikes his revenge on his wife, and murders her. Then Victor vows to take down the monstrosity he's created and has been haunting him. Victor chases him through the north, very ill he dies. The monster weeps over the cold body of master, then decides it's his time to die too.

I never really read the full story before, didn't realize it was filled with so much more morbid points.