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Gun Machine
Gun Machine by Warren Ellis Published: 2013 I really did not like Crooked Little Vein, Warren Ellis’ first novel, but I love his comics, so I decided to give his second novel a try. I’m happy to say he improved enormously this time around. My main complaint with Crooked Little Vein was that it had virtually no plot. It was just a series of bizarre fetishes he found on the Internet, strung together with a silly secret government treasure hunt. This novel actually had distinct characters, a story, conflict – you know, all those things that novels need. Gun Machine is a hard-boiled detective novel set in New York City,…
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Mogworld
Mogworld by Yahtzee Croshaw Published: 2010 If you have any interest in video games at all, there’s a good chance you’ve watched Yahtzee Croshaw’s web series, Zero Punctuation, where he critiques games to within an inch of their lives. He’s also released a few indie computer games, co-opened a video game themed bar, and written two books. He’s the sort of person that makes you feel bad about all of your abandoned, and unstarted, projects. Mogworld, his first novel, is from the perspective of an undead zombie horde member, Jim, inside a massively online role-playing game (a la World of Warcraft). He isn’t aware of that, though. All he knows…
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The Liar
The Liar by Stephen Fry Published: 1991 You can tell this was Stephen Fry’s first novel. He is one of my favourite humans, and he can do no wrong in my eyes, but even I have to admit that this was a little scattered. It was structured that way on purpose, but I don’t think it worked as well as was intended. We follow Adrian Healey as he advances through school and into adulthood. The story jumps around a little throughout his life, and interlaced are short chapters featuring characters identified only by their clothing. They use code names and speak ambiguously, their identities and the identities of those they…
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Bossypants
Bossypants by Tina Fey Published: 2011 Narrated by: Tina Fey I started watching 30 Rock this last fall (I’m way behind, I know), and as everyone probably does after they start watching, I’ve become obsessed with Tina Fey. I’d heard rave reviews of her new book, the audio version of which was nominated for a Grammy, so I knew I had to read it. To say I’m an overrated troll, when you have never even seen me guard a bridge, is patently unfair. It’s a fairly quick tour through her life, keeping it fun and humourous. It begins in her younger years, growing up awkward, and continues through to her…
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Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops
Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell Published: 2012 I got this for Christmas, and I had planned to read a few pages here and there over the next month, but I ended up reading it in one sitting. I’d seen it written about throughout the year and was excited to get my hands on it. I love both bookstores and laughing at people, so it’s really a perfect fit. Jen Campbell worked in a bookstore for many years, and decided one day to start quoting some of the bizarre things she kept hearing on her blog. She also posted quotes sent in from other bookstore employees. Eventually…