Review of Stephen King's Rose Madder

All right, I didn't have anything to read new from Stephen King, so I went back and picked up one of the only books I haven't read from him: Rose Madder.

Rose Madder is essentially a domestic abuse escape story with a little magic and a whole lot of Mr. King's magic thrown in. The reason I never read this thing before is that the concept seemed pretty banal to me. I have to say after getting to know Rosie McClendon and the other folks who cross her path, I began to root for her and really became invested in her plight.

The magic realism, surrealism, and 'art is the gateway to archetypal exploration' part of it was all right, but I found in this regard it was perhaps too crucial to the climax of the story. I wanted Rosie to win because she could. I love Stephen King's writing, his villain was, as usual, psychologically complex, but there just wasn't enough of the story to stretch all that wonderful writing across. I can't say I didn't enjoy it, but I can say this was one of my least favorite Stephen King Novels.

A moving, and literate, story of suspense and recovery. Well worth the read, but maybe not for every Stephen King fan.

Summer's ending

Well, the crickets are sounding loud and clear outside my house. Sure its hot and humid, but I know what that song means. My kids have started to talk about going back to school, which means I will have to, as well. Not that I'm so lazy, I can't stand the fact that my entire life's not a vacation, but hey, Summer is the one time I get to really swim in the outdoors, canoe, and write.

Have I accomplished all I wanted so far this summer in lieu of writing. Not by a long shot. But, that's okay. I wrote a couple of okay stories, and a couple of good ones. I wrote the first third of a novel so far, and that will be a thread I can pick back up on the occasional night or on weekends. As usual, life got in the way. Children, long romantic canoe rides with the Mrs. You name it. I love writing, but my little guys are going to be little for a little while, I have the ghosts of childhood's summer's past lurking occasionally through my house (my step-children are all teenagers). So, I have embraced summer. I have swum under waterfalls and played games with my boys, had adventures with my lovely wife and continued to dream.

Then, hopefully, someday, when I can't find anyone who wants to play a game with me, and the house is quiet and I don't even have the grudging adolescent ghosts to keep me company, those dreams will return, and when I turn them over I'll find the threads that will lead me on, and more stories will be born. But, I guess that's what it's all about, we live, we hope, and most importantly, we enjoy ourselves.

As Bill Hicks said, Life is just a ride, people. Enjoy it. I hope you are well, and stay well.

Oh, and I heard from my editor: Test of a Prince is almost ready! Yay! I will tell you more when I know more.
Trav

Review of Legend by David Gemmell

All right, I confess, I have an addiction to David Gemmell's fantasies. I also don't understand how more people in the U.S. don't know about him. In some ways he should be the standard of how fantasy is written. He never dissapoints, he includes action, characterization, drama, and romance in lovely doses. (yes, I just said lovely doses). I wish he had lived longer and written more. Still, thirty books are a lot, and I've only read 6, but Legend, his first work (and perhaps most adored) is a gem.

Legend details the defense of Dros Delnoch a walled keep and city on the edge of Drenai lands. The barbarian forces of the Nadir have been marshaled together by the genius of Warlord Ulric and the entire Drenai civilization is threatened. To this defense comes Druss the Deathwalker, a grizzled, axe-wielding veteran who has never been defeated. Is his legend and the help of a new Earl and his love, along with thirty mystic priest-knights be enough to inspire the people of Dros Delnoch to hold back the invasion? I guess you will have to read it to find out.

Druss is a marvel, as well as all the other secondary characters that are tested in this vicious crucible of death and slaughter. The work is the battle of Helm's Deep on steroids and it is insane that a movie has not been done of this story. If you read this and love it, be at peace knowing the author was kind enough to tell many more stories about the Drenai and of Druss himself.

May the Source be with you.

Review of Ghoul by Brian Keene

In Ghoul by Brian Keene three 12 year-olds struggle to enjoy another endless summer despite their abusive and misunderstanding parents and the incursion of a newly awakened Ghoul in their summer haunt, the local cemetery. The year is 1984 and Timmy Graco and his two best friends contend with sexual abuse, physical abuse, death, oncoming puberty, mean local dogs, and one very creepy supernatural menace. This tightly wound thriller is the perfect summer read, especially for those who remember what it was like to be young in the 1980's.

In Ghoul, the real monsters are the parents, at their worst they are domineering, alcoholic and insensibly vicious. At their best, their ineptly destructive and deaf to the warnings of the desperate children that have begun to unravel the horrific mystery of why the graveyard has so many sink holes and why people keep disappearing.

More than anything, this is an ode to youth, innocence, friendship, and the 1980's. I loved Ghoul, from its understandably wretched antagonist to its brave and wonderful protagonist. Timmy's love of comic collecting/reading mirrored my own at that age, and his turning to these and his monster manual for help was faithful to the imaginative boys of my generation. If you like horror mixed with the sweetly sad nostalgia for things unrecoverable, like innocence and child hood friendship, then you will love it, too.

The writing binge is about to commence...

Hey, true believers,

I am about done my official week of "vacation". I did manage to sneak in a bit of writing and began my novel Wardmaster. It is the first book in a series of two trilogies in which each should be able to be read alone and enjoyed that way. I'll write more later...

Also, here is the link to the official shout out about Hairy Bromance in the Library of Horror Forums:

http://libraryofthelivingdead.lefora.com/2011/07/08/hairy-bromance/#post7

Now, to the writing!

Big News!

About a week ago, I found out that my monster, buddy road-trip epic, Hairy Bromance, a novel of 86,000 words was accepted for publication at The Twisted Library of Horror. I am still walking on air. I will write more when I know more...

Yay!

Review of Sword in the Storm by David Gemmell

This is the fifth book I've read of David Gemmell, and in case you haven't guessed, I'm hooked. He is by far the most consistently enjoyable fantasy writer I've ever read.

Sword in the Storm is about Connovar, a young man growing up in a fantasy version of Scotland among his fellow Rigante (Scottish Celts). He is faced with a destiny to defend his people from the coming of the Stone people (Romans) and fight off the Sea Raiders (Norse?). The Seidhe, ancient Fey spirits have taken a shine to him, and test him while giving him blessings, one being the demonblade, for which he is known.

I didn't think I'd like this book as much as I did. It is like a fantasy biography and their is no immediacy to the plot, which I usually find tedious. Gemmell's writing however kept me reading and wondering what next tragedy would strike the young Keltoi and his people. It is for this reason that I would not give this book five stars. Gemmell's heroes are always flawed and human, which is great, except, the flaws in Connovar made me a little frustrated with the man who would lead his people. As usual, the plot twists are dramatic and the characterizations are compelling. I won't forget this read, and I can't wait to read the next Gemmell book waiting on my shelf.