A flowing thriller from Denmark with a singular protagonist. Kaspar is a clown who senses music in people and all things to navigate his way in the world. He meets a girl who he cannot read musically, she is kidnapped, and the chase begins. Great for a book club from the author of Smilla’s sense of Snow.
Fun thriller taking place in the world of ARGs (alternate reality games) These are games that take place online and in the real world. Game designer Dagmar gets trapped in Jakarta and needs players of her pretend games to get her out of the country.
Ordered a great reprint from Soft Skull press for my library to fill that void of novels about young punk Muslims in Buffalo NY. Hosting Friday prayers and then partying all night sets up dichotomies between faith, politics, and self-identity. Yusef, the main character, is a little too naive, but the range of youth trying to find meaning in music and/or Islam is very thought provoking. I’m more familiar with the Krishnacore crowd, so it was great to think about punk through a different lens.
Jedediah Berry’s first novel keeps a rich atmosphere of lucid dreaming throughout in this enjoyable read. The agency where our protagonist clerk/detective works reminded my of the office where Mr. Lowry worked in Terry Gilliam’s film Brazil. The resolution was a bit forced, but still well worth checking out. Berry works/worked for Small Beer press, and the novel fits their New Weird oeurve even though it’s published by Penguin.
nice translation of a french comic by Manu Larcenet. Marco is dealing with the death of his father, a dockworker, and learning to be a new father himself. The story builds quite nicely and lets the characters remain complex, warts and all. Can be read as a stand alone, but benefits from reading the first one “Ordinary Victories”
A hard boiled 12 year old short, anger prone character self -nicknamed “Huge” with a mystery commissioned by his grandmother living in a retirement center makes this debut quite excellent. Maybe “Soft boiled” is a better fit. Memorable character development.
Anyways. It’s also doesn’t come out until this summer like Border Songs so I’ll give my copies of both books to whomever would like them. Choose one or the other to share the written love around.
It doesn’t come out until June of this year, but Border Songs by Jim Lynch is even better than “The Highest Tide” which I loved. Taking place in Washington State, Brandon is a reluctant border guard who closer to birds than most people. Nice meditations on natural art, storytelling, and Canadian/US relations. Highly recommended!
Okay all you non-math heads listen up: Get your fun higher math fix with Rudy Rucker’s Mathematicians in Love. Two Math grad students competing for the same woman and ripping open the space time continuum in the process. Surfing, alien tourists, 24 hour blogging- What’s not to love?
Ekaterina Sedia’s The Alchemy of Stone is a lovely steampunk novel with a wind-up heroine who just wants the literal key to her heart. The atmosphere is a mix of sensual organic elements and mechanical contraptions. The gargoyles and the soul-keeper are wildly inventive. If you like this novel, her Secret History of Moscow was also a satisfying read. The urban fantasy was made more interesting with the Russian mythology that comes to life.
