Cavallaro's Cavalcade of Carnage
It's been nice outdoor reading weather (even though my cat sporadically bites my legs as I read), so I managed to read 15. Let's get started.

BEST OF THE MONTH: The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arigawa

I think I ugly-cried on three separate occasions while reading this one. Highly recommended for animal lovers, but a MUST READ for cat people. It's translated from Japanese and has that fable-like vibe that so much of Japanese literature seems to have. I know it's not horror. Just trust me.

WORST OF THE MONTH: House of Slaughter: The Butcher's Mark by Tynion/Bromba

This is a spinoff of the vastly superior graphic novel, Something is Killing the Children. Like many spinoffs, it seems like a good idea: The mysterious Order that spawned Erica Slaughter? ohh, let's find out. It's a jumbled mess compared to Something is Killing the Children which is a mysterious, brutal, and compelling read.

The rest:

Outside the Gates of Eden by Lewis Shiner. Even better than Glimpses? Maybe. Grade: B
The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa. I guess I was in a Japanese cat literature mood. Grade: B
One by David Karp. Old school science fiction. One of those philosophy first, story second stories. Grade: C
The Devil in Gray by Graham Masterton. I've read a number of Masterton books and I seem to never love them or hate them. Grade: C
The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson. I don't usually go for "literature" like this, but gave it a shot. Burned again. Grade: D
Rising Stars: Visitations by Stracznski/Cha (graphic novel). Straczynski may be the most consistently good comic book writer out there. Grade: B
And What Can We Offer You Tonight by Premee Mohamed. If memory serves correctly, this won a World Fantasy Award? Grade: D
The Closet by Tynion/Fullerton (graphic novel). The best graphic novel of the month. Grade: A
The Merciless by Danielle Vega. The best horror novel of the month. The Craft meets Mean Girls. Grade: A
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice. Overhyped. Sooo sloooow. Grade: D
The Nice House on the Lake by Tynion/Bueno. Great premise, but a little too complex for my comic book tastes. Grade: C
The Ax by Donald Westlake. Good satirical novel. But would've been perfect as a novella. Grade: C
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. Maybe there is a good story in there, just didn't care for the writing style. Grade: D

Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
jcavallaro42@gmail.com
Twitter: @pinheadspawn


No comments

The author does not allow comments to this entry