Murakami  After The Quake, May 28 2003

The six stories contained in this slim volume are thematically bound by 1995's Kobe earthquake. While there is a mention or two to the event in each story, these stories primarily deal with larger, more emotional issues. From beach bonfires to superhero frogs, Murakami never fails to dazzle. This collection is excellent.

Murakami  After The Quake, May 28 2003

The six stories contained in this slim volume are thematically bound by 1995's Kobe earthquake. While there is a mention or two to the event in each story, these stories primarily deal with larger, more emotional issues. From beach bonfires to superhero frogs, Murakami never fails to dazzle. This collection is excellent.

Lebbon  Face, May 28 2003

Face is tedious at best. And I don't particularly mind tedious if there's some decent writing behind it. Sadly, Face wasn't compelling enough for me to finish. Its quite obvious that Lebbon has talent. He's got enough praise and awards to make me think he's definitely got some talent going for him. But sadly, Face doesn't display any of it. Sure, his characters are decent but I had a hard time liking or empathizing with any of them. Brand, our intrepid bad guy, is just a mystery. He's not well developed enough to hate or even to scare the reader.

I've got a copy of The Nature of Balance by Lebbon on my "to read" shelf. Its been there awhile. Having attempted Face, it might just be there for a while longer.

Bradford  Dogwalker, May 28 2003

The stories themselves are pointless. There's no emotional payoff as far as I can see. And how many three-legged dogs do we have to read about? I realize there's probably a far larger population of three-legged dogs running (or limping) around the world than I would believe but by the time we hear about the last three-legged dog, the idea is tired and worn out.

Pointlessness is okay by me. I'd hate it if everything had an emotional punch. But what bothered me most about this collection (and the praise for it) was the quality of the actual writing itself. It was just not good. It wasn't awful but high school freshmen could be expected to string these sentences together. I saw very few signs of true writing talent.

Strange ideas are great but without solid writing skills they're worthless. Like many of the dogs he writes about, this collection just wobbles around on three-legs and never really struts as advertised. I'd advise all but the most desperate of readers to pass this by.

Saul - Midnight Voices, Mar 25 2003

Centering on a creepy Manhattan apartment building, Saul takes a page out of Rosemary's Baby and delivers an eerie, disturbing tale. While the plot is strong, for the most part, it was easy to predict its direction and ultimate outcome early on in the novel. In addition, Saul missed a good opportunity to expand the story to include plot lines only uncovered in the novel's epilogue. Unlike many contemporary thrillers or horror novels that run on for too long with too little substance, Saul had a lot to work with and he didn't fully utilize it all.

Despite these flaws, Midnight Voices is a fast-paced, creepy thriller worth the few hours it will take readers to finish it.

King - Bag Of Bones, Mar 25 2003

I've not yet been bitten by the King bug so many people seem to be stricken with. I've read a few King novels - mainly earlier (and shorter) ones - but I've never fallen head over heels for his work. Until, perhaps, Bag of Bones.

I was informed by my wife, a King fan, that Bag of Bones is somewhat atypical but did showcase his writing talent. And I agree. You get what you're promised - a haunted love story, according to the back flap of my copy. The novel is often slow yet the writing is magnificent. King's first person narration is enough to keep you plowing through even the most tedious chapters. His humor shines through and he paints a picture of small town life that's believable and appealing.

So now I'm thinking that, despite having read some previous novels, I may have finally discovered King.

Sandford - The Devil's Code, Mar 25 2003

Readers are treated to a fast-paced techno-thriller that doesn't seem nearly as dated as previous efforts. Yet little new information is revealed about our heroes. One of Sandford's most impressive talents with respect to the Prey novels is writing a back story just as engaging as the main body of the novel - familiar characters and places come back and are developed, issues and questions are resolved. Unfortunately this series just doesn't have that strength going for it.

All-in-all, however, its an entertaining read.

Deaver - The Bone Collector, Mar 25 2003

If the idea of a brilliant bed-ridden quadriplegic forensic investigator doesn't break the mold of normal crime novels, the content truly will. The focus here is on forensic evidence - how its gathered, how its processed and the clues it yields. And the results are fascinating. Of course, the fact that the characters are well developed and engaging only enhances this well thought out novel.

The Bone Collector is an excellent novel. Don't miss it.