"American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

 Giving Gaiman a whirl -- 4 stars

To the best of my recollection, I’d never read any books by Neil Gaiman. Since I love fantasy and Gaiman is much beloved by his fans, I decided to give him a try with “American Gods.”

“American Gods” is based around the concept that religious belief systems and philosophies have undergone great transformations over time, and whether they want it or not, the various gods from all our collective yesteryears have experienced similar changes. Now, mere shadows of their former selves, these gods struggle to survive in a realm of accumulated, assorted beliefs.

Endangered by the emergence of the strange new “gods” of the modern era, the old ones depend on Wednesday (a.k.a. Odin) for their redemption. And Shadow, an ex-convict who is grappling with his wife’s death, becomes entangled within this supernatural conflict.

“American Gods” is both entertaining and amusing, and Gaiman delivers these doses of cleverness and humor while also imparting a touch of melancholy. The book takes you on a journey across America (circa 2001), visiting diners, motels, and small towns. This reader noted the contrasts, and everything felt familiar and yet foreign simultaneously, as if “America” is both an old acquaintance AND a mystery. And just when Shadow finally feels at ease in a particular small town, he uncovers a harsh reality.

Shadow was an interesting character. He remains haunted by the terrible mistake that sent him to prison. And yet, through this, he learns the importance of sacrifice and bravery. He begins thoughtful and introspective, but somewhat naive. As he eventually uncovers “the truth,” Shadow grows bolder in his actions.

While not one of my favorites, I found “American Gods” to be, overall, an enjoyable book. As it went on, it strayed from its main plot a bit, but by the end, Gaiman pulled it all together. I think I may check out more of Neil Gaiman’s work in the future.

"Dark State" by Jack Slater

 A solid, entertaining read -- 4 stars

After finishing “Forever Odd,” I asked Amazon to recommend an author similar to Dean R. Koontz. I’m not 100% sure that author Jack Slater quite fits that bill, but I did enjoy his Jason Trapp thriller, “Dark State.” This book’s intricate twists and turns made it a compelling read.

The story revolves around both foreign and domestic terrorists executing a series of sophisticated attacks on U.S. soil (reminiscent of the events of 9/11). Agencies like the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security, NSA, and the military find themselves at a loss, with no leads or suspects, and questioning who could orchestrate such precise attacks. Initially, they suspect all the typical adversaries -- Russia, North Korea, China -- but they soon realize none were responsible for this elaborate scheme.

And then Jason Trapp enters the scene.

Trapp was presumed dead after a CIA mission went awry, resulting in the actual death of his best friend and partner. Trapp returns to the U.S. under a new identity to uncover what went wrong with the operation, and so he accidentally stumbles upon a link between the domestic terrorist attacks and his own failed mission.

Determined to find answers and seek revenge against those responsible for this betrayal, Trapp uncovers a shocking conspiracy. The mastermind behind the plot surprises everyone, as their ultimate goal is not only orchestrating terrorist attacks but also carrying out multiple assassinations at the highest levels of government.

Will Trapp be able to stop them in time?

“Dark State” held my attention from start to finish. While it didn’t quite match the craving I had for something similar to Koontz’s work, it was a strong beginning to a series, and I enjoyed it enough that I’m considering trying the next installment at some point. So I can definitely recommend this book.

"Forever Odd" by Dean Koontz

 “Forever Odd” is even better than the first book! -- 5 stars

I know, I know, it’s been another long dry spell since I’ve written any reviews. I haven’t been reading as much, and so I just fell out of the habit. Again! But now that I’m more or less retired, I hope to return to reading AND to writing book reviews.

For my return, I decided to revisit one of my favorite authors again: Dean R. Koontz. And the book I chose is the next in his “Odd Thomas” series: “Forever Odd”

First, let me say that I thought this book was a step up from the first one. I found myself a lot more charmed by Odd in this installment, drawn to his quirky mannerisms. In “Odd Thomas,” I didn’t always care for his odd (pun intended) sense of humor. But now I love this character! He’s nice, funny, and very genuine.

I thought the plot of this second book was far more engaging, unlike the first book where I sometimes felt that Koontz was “padding the run time.” The settings Koontz established in this one were a significant factor in this.

Odd’s journey begins in the vast, cavernous drainage system beneath Pico Mundo (Koontz’s fictitious town), stretching on for what feels like miles. This environment immediately created a sense of foreboding and anticipation that persisted throughout most of the book. The eerie surroundings were unsettling for both Odd AND the reader, adding to the tension of the story.

Next up was the run down Panamint Resort and Casino, which is essentially a deserted hotel, partially ruined by an earthquake and subsequent fire, but neither restored nor demolished. As soon as Odd began recounting its history, it exuded an eerie vibe. I, personally, have always been captivated by places like this, and whenever I drive past an old abandoned house, barn, or building, I feel a strong urge to go exploring, even if (or especially!) it has an ominous DO NOT ENTER sign hanging outside. This is probably why this setting captivated me so much, and contributed to my enjoyment of the book.

The villain, Datura, was truly wicked and downright malicious, and I definitely wouldn’t want to cross paths with her, EVER. Her madness was compelling to this reader, though, because it seemed so genuine!

Overall, I found “Forever odd” extremely enjoyable, and I’m eager to dive into the next installment of this series, without waiting so long! Hopefully, I’ll keep up the reading, and reviewing, habit this time!

"Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz

 Koontz in his element -- 4 stars

Now that I’m in review writing mode again, it was time for another of my favorite authors, Dean R. Koontz!  This time I chose “Odd Thomas,” and I’m glad I did.

Odd Thomas is a short order cook who has a unique ability:  He can see dead people.  But not only that, he can also see dark, shadow like creatures that stalk people, either to cause death or be near when they die.  He calls them “bodachs,” and he tries not to let them know that he can see them.

At age 20, Odd handles things a little better than the little boy from “The Sixth Sense.”  By the time we meet him, he’s already reached the stage of wanting to help these poor ghosts, and to thwart the bodachs when he can.  Odd tries to keep things simple, but when he encounters someone he calls “Fungus Man,” who is surrounded by these bodachs, he worries something very bad is going to happen.

The story is told from Odd’s point of view, which allows the reader to really experience his thoughts and feelings about these “lingering dead” and the disastrous bodachs.  Once the action builds to its climax, the book turns into a true page turner, Koontz at his best!  And even though the story goes on into multiple sequels, I was pleased that this book itself had a concrete ending.  The reader does not HAVE to go on to the sequels, as “Odd Thomas” stands alone on its own.

The only reason I’m not giving this book 5 stars, which was the feeling I had at the end, is that there are stretches of the novel that tend to drag.  I never lost interest, mind you, but there were whole chapters that didn’t actually contribute much.  It felt as though Koontz was “padding the run time” or something, like he was worried that the book was going to be too short (my copy was almost 450 pages, so I’m not sure why it would be a concern).

But even with that fact, I still highly recommend “Odd Thomas” for any fan of Dean R. Koontz.  And I’ll be checking out more Odd Thomas stories in the future!

"Blue Rose" by Peter Straub

 A look into a disturbed child's mind -- 4-1/2 stars

"Blue Rose" takes a look into a very dysfunctional family, with the focus on the two youngest of five brothers:  Harry and "Little Eddie."

In the Beever family, everyone seems to abuse everyone else:  The shrewish mother berates the father; the three eldest boys abuse the youngers and each other; the two oldest have left and joined the military, but the middle child, Albert, is still around to dish out physical and verbal abuse.

But even Albert spends most of his time at the local mechanic garage, so that leaves Little Eddie to Harry's tender mercies.

As the story opens, Harry is terrorizing Little Eddie with stories of his next year's school teacher having "killed" a former student; Eddie has problems with fear, and Harry plays into this until Eddie hands over his recent birthday present, a toy car.  Which Harry proceeds to destroy and discard.

But the real plot gets rolling when Harry finds a book on hypnotism in the attic where the two boys play.

The passages that followed reminded me somewhat of "Pandora's Game," a book I highly recommend.  But in "Pandora's Game," the protagonists use hypnosis to explore their inner creativity (before things go awry).  In "Blue Rose," Harry uses it to explore his inner sadism on his brother.

I won't give away the details of Harry's experiments, as "Blu Rose" is a novella that runs just 87 pages in my edition.  But I will say that they escalate out of control in very short order, leaving this reader feeling sorry for Little Eddie in a way that lingered even after the story was over.

And Straub does an excellent job of examining the experiments' fall out as it affects the whole Beever family.  He crafts an uncomfortable yet compelling yarn that kept me turning the pages, like watching an accident that just won't let you look away.

The only reason I am not giving "Blue Rose" the full 5 stars is that the ending just ... happens.  Time jumps, and the final chapter is told in the form of a letter from Harry to his girlfriend.  That letter touches on some of the elements of the main story, describes some of the consequences, but only as a sort of aside.  Otherwise, this reader was left thinking, "Well ... I guess it's over."

But overall, "Blue Rose" is a compelling, quick read.  I recommend it for a 1 to 2 day experience.

"Paranormals: Darkness Reigns" by Christopher Andrews

A great super human series takes a darker turn! -- 5 stars

My next review is the third novel in the "Paranormals" series, by one of my favorite authors.  And yet again, it was well worth the wait!

On the surface, "Paranormals" is a series about super humans (think the Avengers, but with more focus on character).  But this entry has a darker tone than its two predecessors, creepier overall.  Actually, each of the books has had their own flair:  The first book was a straight forward super hero "origin story," showing how Vortex got his cybernetic eyes after the brutal slaughtering of his family, how Takayasu and Shockwave partnered up at the Paranormal Control Agency, and how Powerhouse went from a reluctant villain to an almost as reluctant hero.  The second book, "We Are Not Alone," (which I read during one of my reviewing "dry spells," but I enjoyed it very much!) brought in extra terrestrials, focusing upon the arrival of good ... and eventually BAD ... aliens, while introducing Shining Star to the super hero group.

And now, "Darkness Reigns" introduces magic to the equation. Magic, and a disturbing new villain.

"Darkness Reigns" opens by rolling the clock back to the beginning of the first book's main story.  We see the attack on Vortex's family from the point of view of his older brother John.  Author Christopher Andrews peppered the first two books with references to fact that John's body was never recovered, that they only PRESUMED he was dead, and we now find out what really happened to him that day.  And, more importantly, what happened to him after the attack.  I won't spoil the details, but John has been somewhere else, for a VERY long time.  And John is now a kind of super hero in his right, known as the Gladius (like the sword, literally).

And the main thrust of this book's story launches when an enemy of John's, a monster called the Skygger, decides to exact revenge on Gladius by going after his brother, Vortex.

At this point, all the familiar faces return -- Vortex and Shining Star, Takayasu and Shockwave, and Powerhouse -- and we learn that things HAD been going well recently, crime wise.  Until a few weeks ago, when they began seeing a spike in more macabre crimes.  They've been trying to continue on, business as usual, but they can all feel that something just isn't right.

Soon enough, our heroes find themselves in over their heads.  And even with help from Gladius ... well, no spoilers here, but I will say that this book brings some serious consequences for our heroes.  And they may be permanent.

As noted at the beginning, "Darkness Reigns" is the most unsettling of the series so far.  The Skygger is quite the sadist, and we witness its torturing, or the end results of its torture.  It felt like the kind of villain I would have expected to turn up in Andrews' "Triumvirate" series, which deals with the super natural.

None of this is intended as a complaint, mind you.  And there is plenty of "super hero" action sprinkled through out, enough to keep the book true to its series' roots.

While the book follows its predecessors' approach as an ensemble piece -- each chapter's title indicates whose point of view will be favored at that time -- "Darkness Reigns" feels like it is mainly Gladius/John's story.  We do still see the other, familiar characters' POVs.  Shockwave, in particular, is given more time to shine than before (though the REASON for it is all part of this book's ghoulish tone).  But I was surprised by how little time VORTEX spent in the spot light this time around, especially since, if this ensemble series DOES have an overall "main character" up to this point, it would have been him.

That might be my only concrete complaint about this entry in the series:  While the REASON for his decreased attention is certainly legitimate, I still wish we had seen more of Vortex.  It would be exaggerating to say that he was "side lined," but he is definitely focused on less than I have come to expect.

But overall, the book earned a well deserved 5 stars from this reader.  The characters are strong, and the dynamics between Vortex and Gladius are poignant and satisfying.  I am curious as to where else Andrews will take this series, and look forward to the next entry.

“The Pit and the Pendulum and Other Stories” by Edgar Allan Poe

A true classic -- 4-1/2 stars

Back from another book reviewing break, I decided to start with something small, “The Pit and the Pendulum and Other Stories,” which contained 4 of Poe’s short works.

The first story, “The Pit and the Pendulum.”  What can be said about this classic?  I will say that, having read this one many, many years ago, I was shocked when [SPOILER ALERT] I found that it actually has a happy ending!  How had I forgotten that?  No details (I’ll only take the Spoiler so far), but it was a definite twist upon Poe’s usual dark tones.

The second story, “The Black Cat.”  I’d never read this one, and it was up to Poe’s reputation.  The final act shared similarities with both “The Tell-tale Heart” (which comes next) and “The Cask of Amontillado,” while providing its own unique spin on both.  It was Poe, through and through.

The third story, “The Tell-tale Heart.”  One of his most famous works, and my favorite of this bunch.  An unsettling exploration into the mind of true insanity.

The final story, “The Premature Burial.”  This was my least favorite, and the reason why I only give this collection 4-1/2 stars rather than 5.  While it was technically a short story, it was came off as more of an essay on premature burials in general.  It, like “The Pit and the Pendulum,” ARGUABLY has more of happier ending, but it just left me feeling a little, “Okay.  I guess that’s it, then.”

And that pretty much sums up this short collection.  Pick it up if you need to kill time without wanting to commit to a longer read.  It’s definitely worth your attention.