Book 2.  The Jennifer Moruge
Author: Charles Strauss
Genre: Science fiction (book club book)
Pages: 380
Release date:2006

The Skinny.  This was dubbed as a funnyy version of the 007 meets sci-fi.  You could definately feel the love this author has of James Bond, throughout the book.  Was a book club selection that most people enjoyed. 

What it is about.  Bob Howard is a computer bergeek employed by the Laundry, a secret British agency assigned to clean up incursions from other realities caused by the inadvertent manipulation of complex mathematical equations: in other words, magic. In 1975, the CIA used Howard Hughes's Glomar Explorer in a bungled attempt to raise a sunken Soviet submarine in order to access the Jennifer Morgue, an occult device that allows communication with the dead. Now a ruthless billionaire intends to try again, even if by doing so he awakens the Great Old Ones, who thwarted the earlier expedition. It's up to Bob and a collection of British eccentrics even Monty Python would consider odd to stop the bad guy and save the world, while getting receipts for all expenditures or else face the most dreaded menace of all: the Laundry's own auditors.

What worked: The novel was funny.  You have to love the fact that they were so tongue in cheek with all things James Bond.  Now the expectations were high when Amazon compared this book to Monty Python.  Bob was the opposite of JB in most ways.  A bit of a geek, but is thrust into a situation beyond his control.  The gadgets in the book were very unique and interesting.  One example was a car that ejects.  Not the seat, but the actual car.  You get the feeling he had a good time writing this novel.  I also really like the ties to Cthulhu feel of the book.  Being a fan of H.P. Lovecraft, this was cool. 

It took what is cool about some spy novels and incorperated it into this book.  I am not a big James Bond fan, but I do like authors like Robert Ludlum (may he rest in peace). 

What did not work:  Sometimes I had not idea what he was talking about.  :)  As I said above, he was original in some of his ideas, but he was not always clear in his definition.  Nothing bothers me more than having to re-read something, because I did not understand what was going on.  Sometimes it felt like he was trying to be too cute with the story.  It is hard to take a story too seriously, when the character is such a clown.

Best quote:  "An adventure demands a hero.  Around whom the whole world circles; but what use is a hero that can't even breathe under water?"

Grade: 6.5 out of 10. 

Next books: Riders in the Sky by Charles Grant, Elantris by Scott Sanderson

Book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Pges: 309 pages
Release date: 1997

The Skinny.  The book that started it all.  A life long obsession and a beginning to an amazing world.

What is is about.  Orphaned as a baby, Harry Potter has spent 11 awful years living with his mean aunt, uncle, and cousin Dudley. But everything changes for Harry when an owl delivers a mysterious letter inviting him to attend a school for wizards. At this special school, Harry finds friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, as well as a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.

What worked: Very charming first novel of one my favorite series of all time.  Fun and enjoyable characters, and other that you can't help but love to hate.  Rowling's writing style is not always complex, so it makes for a fun and easy read (the writing gets better as she grows as an author).  The setting was a lot of tun, with them going to a castle and getting to explore it a bit.  I have always loved fantasy novels set in current times and this was a great start to an amazing series.

What did not work:  You can tell it is a novel for young adults.  That isn't THAT big of a deal, but being older it is more obvious.  

Grade: 9 out of 10. 

Next books: The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross (book club), Riders in the Sky by Charles Grant

Hey all,

So, never let it be said that I cannot steal someone else's idea.  There is a woman on a website I frequent www.nerdnyc.com that just posted on her blog about how she has been documenting every book she read for a year.  I have thought about doing this, but after seeing what she did, I am definatelyi going to do it.  She read 117 books, and damn that is impressive.  

I don't know how many I will read at this point.  I have always read novels very quickly, but with being single now, I see my spare time getting sucked into other things.  But either way, it will be fun. 

Now keep in mind, I am not changing the books that I read.  I still read a lot of the following:
Science fiction.
Fantasy.
a sci-fi/fantasy novel every two weeks for my book club.
A lot of series, especially re-reading fav authors
mystery novels
gaming books
comic books
things people suggest.

So I started this and am currently reading two novels.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross (for my book club).

Thank you.

Stacey