The Feral Detective by Jonathan Lethem
Another detective story, like his masterpiece Motherless Brooklyn. but unfortunately not one of his best. He can be a bit up and down, Lethem, from Motherless or Gun with Occasional Music, down to You Don't Love Me Yet, his worst book?
The Hustler by Walter Tevis
Great noirish novel. The film with Paul Newman was pretty faithful, so I'm not sure it adds that much. But well written, as always with Tevis. I should maybe read the sequel, Color of Money as well, since in that case the film is quite different. And anyway, I haven't seen it.
Solaris by Stanislaw Lem
Hmm... A bit disappointed in this book. Some of it went completely over my head, I must confess. So it's probably my fault. The Soderbergh film version is pretty good, actually (with a great soundtrack). I don't remember much from the Tarkovsky version seen many years ago on TV.
Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
It's quite different from the first volume, mostly being palace intrigue. Actually, the book reminded me a bit of Jane Austen, in the way the characters never say directly what they mean, it's rather between the lines - they're fencing with words. Will read volume 3 and then decide if I will go for all six.
La mort de Spirou by Abitan, Guerrive and Schwartz
Great drawings by Olivier Schwartz (in a style completely stolen from Chaland, but anyway), and working better as a comic than previous books by him, I think. The story is only so so, not close to Spirou at its best back in the Franquin days. Interestingly, the story is set in modern days, Fantasio reading the news on an iPad. And ending with a To be followed.
Daredevil: Alone Against the Underworld
A bit boring stories, but great art by John Romita, before Gene Colan takes over in the last couple of issues.
The Amazing Spider-Man: The Goblin Lives
Not Stan Lee at his best. Or was it Steve Ditko that had the good story ideas? The whole soap opera part of the early issues is often missing. And the art is weak as well. Several of the issues have final pencilling by Don Heck, and if it's John Romita, it's inked by Jim Mooney, not a favourite. Plus they give Mary Jane an awful new hairdo. Yukh!
Currently reading:
Children of Dune by Frank Herbert
Glad to hear your comments on Dune Messiah, because it left the exact same impression on me. That's a lot of pages to fill up with not much actually happening. But I'm encouraged to give the next one a try. Is it "God-Emperor of Dune?"
ReplyDeleteChildren of Dune is next, then God Emperor. And unless the quality completely nosedives, I want to read Heretics and Chapterhouse as well.
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