83.
Author: Algernon Blackwood
Title: The Damned
Publication: Kindle E-Book
Pages: 116 pages
Genre: Gothic
Acquisition: Can't remember for the life of me
Date Completed: October 23, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I have no recollection of why I downloaded Algernon Blackwood's The Damned onto my Kindle, but I have a feeling I found it during one of my batch-downloads of free gothic texts. I'm sure the title caught my eye, and I know the author sparked my interest, because the name Algernon Blackwood is simply perfect for an author of horror and gothic literature.

According to Wikipedia, that fount of immeasurable wisdom, Blackwood is an English fiction author who is born in Kent in 1869, and dies in 1951. The Damned is a haunted house tale published in 1914, and it explores not only the classic elements of haunting tales, but also the implications and consequences of specific religious beliefs.

The Damned is very satisfying for fans of the Gothic; the tale is creepy yet subtle, and the narrator's voice is perfectly suited to the material. The religious overtones of the story are intriguing, and the criticism gives the reader much more to consider than a "simple" haunting.

Thanks to such a positive introduction, I will certainly seek out more Algernon Blackwood in the future.

82.
Author: Euripides
Title: Medea
Publication: Kindle E-Book
Pages:
Genre: Classical Drama
Acquisition: Intended to read it for years and years
Date Completed: October 16, 2010
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

While my experience with Greek theatre is far from extensive, I feel comfortable proclaiming a general interest in and enjoyment of the genre. I find the level of bawdiness in the satyr plays and comedies extremely entertaining, and I find myself moved and repulsed by the tragedies in such a way that I would never deny their literary superiority.

That is, until reading "Medea." Rarely do I come across a protagonist so static and repulsive in her inability to invoke emotion; Medea's actions, rather than her words or character, propel the plot, and the presentation of those actions is wooden at best. As a reader I felt myself moved only for the fate of her sons, and for that I credit my own maternal state over the development of the text.

As always, I am willing to shift some blame to the particular translation, because no translator can help but influence the text in his work. My desire to read Euripides has been sated. I'll return to Sophocles and Aristophanes with pleasure.

81.
Author: Louise Penny
Title: The Brutal Telling
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition: Michael bought it for me. He insisted.
Date Completed: October 14, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

I am having a very difficult time reviewing this book without spoiling the plot for future readers. All I really feel I can say is that I never really expected Penny to go where she does. I kept waiting for a different conclusion to arise, and so in a way I feel both delighted and disappointed.

80.
Author: Howard Greenfeld
Title: After the Holocaust
Publication: Hardback
Pages: 141 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition: reviewed by Whisper1
Date Completed: October 7, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Howard Greenfeld's project is an engrossing and heartbreaking look at the lives of young people who survived the Nazi regime, only to be forced to endure countless further hardships as they try to gain some sort of "normal" existence. After the Holocaust carefully balances research with first-person accounts, so the history itself becomes personal, and the book is all the more moving for the stories and photos shared by the participating survivors. I appreciate Greenfeld's attempts to move beyond the initial horror of the war and concentration camps to show contemporary readers the continued plight of an abused people. Likewise, I appreciate Greenfeld's attempts to widen the scope of victims; while the personal accounts are all related by Jewish survivors, Greenfeld's analysis frequently refers to the other ostracized and victimized peoples who fall victim to the same prejudice and horror. Recommended for everyone.

79.
Author: Patrick Kill
Title: Swan Lake
Publication: Ebook
Pages:
Genre: horror
Acquisition: reviewed by HugeHorrorFan
Date Completed: October 1, 2010
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Swan Lake is my first introduction to Patrick Kill, and to the materials available at the Horror Mall. I enjoy the subversive and the taboo, so HugeHorrorFan's review caught my interest. My first impression of Swan Lake was a comparison to Henry Miller's [Under the Roofs of Paris] or perhaps a work by the Marquis de Sade. While one could argue that the intent of the work is to provide a commentary on contemporary beauty, my own reading left me with the impression that Patrick Kill is using a shallow reference to contemporary criticism to provide a forum for exploring alternative sexuality. My personal preference would direct me to deSade or Henry Miller over another Patrick Kill, but I'm glad I gave it a try.

78.
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Author: Lara Adrian
Title: Taken by Midnight
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: horror/romance
Acquisition: impulse buy
Date Completed: September 30, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

What do I do when I've spent weeks studying vampire mythology academically? Read a contemporary vampire romance novel, of course.

Standard for Lara Adrian.


77.
Author: Ken Kesey
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Publication:
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Fiction
Acquisition: Teaching Text
Date Completed: September 29, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Another twice-yearly work read.

76.
Author: Louise Penny
Title: A Rule Against Murder
Publication: Hardback, 2008
Pages: 322 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 27, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Louise Penny does not need another glowing review for the Chief Inspector Gamache series; those who have made it this far into the series already know full well what to expect from Madame Author, and she still does not disappoint. Instead, I would like to share a personal response that has been building as I make my way through the series:

I loathe Beauvoir.

Gamache's second-in-command makes my skin crawl. Even when other unappealing officers are involved in the narrative*, Beauvoir seems like the real monster on the team. And yet, it is her ability to present such a detestable individual as one of the "good guys" that makes the series so compelling.

Penny's characters are people, with all the flaws ad undesirable characteristics that the term can imply. In Three Pines there is no true good and evil, because the town is made of life, and not fantasy.


* I would also like to say that I was very pleased with the resolution involving this particular team member in the last book. I won't say anything more, for fear of spoiling another reader's enjoyment.

76a.
Author: Garth Nix
Title: Abhorsen
Publication: Paperback, 2003.
Pages: 102 pages out of 512 completed
Genre: YA Fantasy
Acquisition: Intended as a teaching text for 8th grade
Date Completed: never
Rating: 1 star out of 5

It is rare that I abandon a book, but after 102 pages I am putting down Abhorsen for good. It is in no small way my own fault; I did not realize that it is a later novel in a series, and I picked it up because I had heard wonderful things about this volume in particular.

After 102 pages I still had very little idea what was going on, and absolutely no emotional or intellectual attachment to any of the characters. Making it through a handful of pages felt like a chore, and just looking a the cover leaves me feeling annoyed.

My rating of the book is based purely on my present experience, and is in no way indicative of whether or not I feel others should pursue Nix's series. Reading time is too precious to waste on unappealing books, so I will be moving on to other things.

I've officially met my goal of 75 books in 2010!

75.
Author: Gail Carriger
Title: Blameless
Publication: Paperback, 2010.
Pages: 355 pages
Genre: Steampunk
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 17, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The Parasol Protectorate series is delightfully silly and entertaining in every way, and Blameless is no different. The most recent book picks up where the previous narrative ends, and the reader is treated to the story of consequences that arise from Alexia's singular predicament.

74.
Author: Ethan Gilsdorf
Title: Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An epic quest for reality among role players, online gamers, and other dwellers of imaginary realms
Publication: Hardback, 2009.
Pages: 295 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Acquisition: Teaching Text - English 101
Date Completed: September 13, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks is everything that [The Elfish Gene] is not: Gilsdorf's travel narrative is endearing, open-minded, warm, and welcoming. Like Mark Barrowcliffe, Ethan Gilsdorf spent his youth buried in the fantasy world of Dungeons and Dragons. And, like Barrowcliffe, Gilsdorf eventually left the realm of fantasy, only to return as an adult to explore the ghost of an interest that remained.

Here the differences end. Ethan Gilsdorf's narrative is accepting of geek culture, even as he expresses adult reservations, and he seeks to explore the world of geekdom with an open mind. Fantasy Freaks sets out to understand just what draws certain individuals to a particular set of interests, and how their experiences influence their personal development. Gilsdorf shares a number of stories as he travels to cons, gaming events, and even joins in for a weekend of LARPing. Unlike Barrowcliffe with his scathing comments and sense of superiority, Gilsdorf allows his research material to speak for itself, and presents his findings with an air of sympathy that will not necessarily impact the reader's own interpretation of the cultural events.

Fantasy Freaks is a celebration of geekdom for those who are (or perhaps simply adore) geeks, and an interesting exploration of fantasy worlds for those who have no experience with the subculture. Gilsdorf's travel narrative will appeal to all readers, and I dare say there's at least one chuckle for everyone somewhere in the pages.