The Everything Box got a lot of attention when it first came out, but I’ve only just now gotten to it. I don’t quite understand what all the hype was about. Yes this is an entertaining adventure story with amusing characters, but I didn’t love it. I enjoyed it, but it just wasn’t as awesome as I was hoping. 3.5 stars. First, it’s so strongly reminiscent of Good Omens (by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman) in terms of characters and plot that it comes off […]
Summer Reading concerning an Accountant of the Vampire Variety
I saw this book in an airport bookstore a few years ago, added it to my Goodreads, and forgot about it. I recently found a novel I really enjoyed was by the same author, and was reminded of this one. Since I had an extended travel period coming up, I figured this would be a perfect thing to bring with me. I was right. Fred is a vampire who is also an accountant. He was your typical nerd in life, and finds that not much […]
Book Centered Indiana Jones and a Dragon with Too Many Threads
While this is part of one of my favorite ongoing series, this installation was a little meh; 3.75 stars. The problem I think was that this story was focused on too many potential threats, as opposed to one big one. There’s internal problems in the Library (politics and doctrinal differences mostly, but also some likely hidden agenda from an unknown in the upper echelons), Alberich is back (Librarian gone bad final boss type), Irene is still on probation and getting unpleasant job assignments, something’s wrong […]
Eyeballs, cats, and tiger spirit monks, and a whole lot of kung-fu
This book reminded me in some ways of The Ghost Bride, but it’s also the total opposite in other ways. Both novels have a feisty heroine, but The Girl with Ghost Eye’s Li-lin is a lot more self-sufficient and less maiden in distress than Li Lan. Li-lin is a martial artist who has the ability to see supernatural creatures, and she’s also the daughter of the head of a priesthood specializing in protecting people from evil spirits in late 19th century San Francisco’s Chinatown. She […]