Pat - The United States (65 books)

Pat is now friends with Shanali

Pat marked as to-read:

The Eighth Court (Courts of The Feyre, #4)
by Mike Shevdon (Goodreads Author)

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Pat rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Mockingbird (Miriam Black, #2)
by Chuck Wendig (Goodreads Author)

read in March, 2013

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Lately I seem to be doing my best to read through all of Angry Robot's backlist (there's a reason for that-- more market research) and finding myself with each successive novel more and more a fan of the kind of fiction they publish. Angry Robot's a...more Lately I seem to be doing my best to read through all of Angry Robot's backlist (there's a reason for that-- more market research) and finding myself with each successive novel more and more a fan of the kind of fiction they publish. Angry Robot's a British house, the same folks who did the Mike Shevdon books I was such a fan of last year and the Adam Christopher books both last year and earlier this year. Mockingbird's one of theirs too, although I didn't know until I'd finished reading it that it was actually the second in a series-- I think some other publishing house put out the first one. Without giving anything important away, our heroine is not someone you'd want to get caught in a dark alley with. She's the kind of young woman who I imagine always has a suitcase half-packed, someone with nomad blood, never comfortable in one place for very long. She's trying to work it out with her boyfriend but being tied down to a trailer park lifestyle isn't working and while the sex might be great she's somewhat emotionally detached. He's such a "nice guy" character as to be almost flat, only seems to want to help, not realizing his attempts to provide stability are, to this bird, a cage. She's got a gift, too-- if she touches your skin, she can see (involuntarily) how you're going to die, which provides for a hell of an opening. She gets into it with a supervisor at work, goes to slap the crap out of the deserving supervisor, and sees that the woman will be killed in a matter of minutes by the guy who's just now walking into the store... Bang! Off and running, Wendig weaves supernatural and realist elements together to tell the story of the Mockingbird, a serial killer who preys on "troubled" young girls, wears a creepy mask, and sings a creepy song as he decapitates them. Miriam, our heroine, feels compelled to try to save the girls she encounters at one of those special schools for troubled youth, while she's attempting to run out on her boyfriend. Wendig does good work, here, keeping the actions and reactions fully believable, putting just the right touches on the supernatural elements, and setting the pace at "sprint", never letting up. An excellent showing. There's a note that another book in the series is on the way, and there's still that first volume I haven't read yet, so Chuck Wendig is someone I'll be keeping an eye on for a while, if only so I can get another fix of Miriam Black and her willingness to spit in the eye of just about anyone. A feisty heroine with a take-no-prisoners attitude and some clean crisp writing? Yes, please, I'll have seconds...(less)

Pat recommended Firmin to Jarrod

Firmin
by Sam Savage

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Firmin
by Sam Savage

read in February, 2013

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I came across a piece on Sam Savage in one of my issues of Poets and Writers, and found him to be a fascinating character: Savage did what most writers consider doing but don't dare to do, namely, he gave up the fight. Stopped writing at all for a pe...more I came across a piece on Sam Savage in one of my issues of Poets and Writers, and found him to be a fascinating character: Savage did what most writers consider doing but don't dare to do, namely, he gave up the fight. Stopped writing at all for a period of several years. Something made him start writing again-- I'd have to dig up the magazine article to figure out what-- and Firmin became something of an international sensation, so, with an eye towards sending Coffee House Press some of my own material, I ordered a copy, not knowing at all what to expect. The book arrived and I looked at it with more than a little suspicion-- when you get a paperback with a cartoon rat on the cover and a die-cut bite mark out of the right-hand side, a little suspicion is warranted. Was this book going to be far too cutesy for my bitter old soul to digest? Worse, it included illustrations... which, unless you're looking for a good graphic novel, is a bit off-putting. In fact, I was completely wrong on both counts. Firmin is the tale of the runt of a litter of rats who are born in the basement of a used bookstore. The literary conceit of the book is that it is told by the rat, who, being weaned on chewed-up pages from Joyce's Finnegan's Wake (which might be the best use for that tome, ever) somehow absorbs language and thought and becomes more a sentient, even sensitive being. I found Firmin thoroughly disarming, with his wants, his hopes, his sad little dreams, and it's not a long novel (more like a large novella) so I was sad to spend such a short time with him. Satisfying opening, middle, and conclusion, all the functional parts of a good novel, deft characterization, attention to detail-- Savage knows what he's doing, and knows too well how we all love to cheer for the underdog. Firmin is the underdog's underdog, a rat rejected at every turn who still somehow remains hopeful, even as he is starving, and scurrying about the city trying not to get killed. I can't recommend this book highly enough, and I wouldn't hesitate to lend my copy to anyone, including your grandmother, because there's little in it that would offend or upset save the plight of the common city rat, seen through too-wise eyes. A tiny masterpiece. Thank you, Sam, for coming back to the page, and for giving us this tale. Thanks, too, to Coffee House Press for putting out this edition (and in the end I even liked the little illustrations, too), and encouraging artists of this caliber to continue their good works. You might not be the right press for my own works, but you're certainly fighting the good fight.(less)

Pat rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Imager (Imager Portfolio, #1)
by L.E. Modesitt Jr. (Goodreads Author)

read in February, 2013

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For years some very intelligent readers have been trying to get me to read some Modesitt, and in a way he's been sort of like Charles DeLint to me-- that author that I should like but just can't really get into. I tried to start the enormous Recluse...more

Pat rated a book 2 of 5 stars

The Traitor Queen (Traitor Spy Trilogy, #3)
by Trudi Canavan

read in March, 2013

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Wanted to like it, liked her first trilogy in the same world, but this one fell flat, and I ended up only finishing it because I'm a completist and didn't want the final part of the trilogy to remain unread. Not much to say without spoilers, but I ca...more

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The Night Angel Trilogy (Night Angel, #1-3)
by Brent Weeks (Goodreads Author)

read in April, 2013

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Pat marked as to-read:

The Science Of Discworld
by Terry Pratchett

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Pat is now friends with Shanali
May 12, 2013 05:09pm
Pat marked as to-read: The Eighth Court (Courts of The Feyre, #4) by Mike Shevdon (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 30, 2013 11:34pm
Pat rated a book 4 of 5 stars Mockingbird (Miriam Black, #2) by Chuck Wendig (Goodreads Author) read in March, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Lately I seem to be doing my best to read through all of Angry Robot's backlist (there's a reason for that-- more market research) and finding myself with each successive novel more and more a fan of the kind of fiction they publish. Angry Robot's a...more
Apr 28, 2013 04:20pm · see review
Pat recommended Firmin to Jarrod Firmin by Sam Savage	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 28, 2013 04:07pm · like
Pat rated a book 5 of 5 stars Firmin by Sam Savage read in February, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I came across a piece on Sam Savage in one of my issues of Poets and Writers, and found him to be a fascinating character: Savage did what most writers consider doing but don't dare to do, namely, he gave up the fight. Stopped writing at all for a pe...more
Apr 28, 2013 04:06pm · see review
Pat rated a book 4 of 5 stars Imager (Imager Portfolio, #1) by L.E. Modesitt Jr. (Goodreads Author) read in February, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For years some very intelligent readers have been trying to get me to read some Modesitt, and in a way he's been sort of like Charles DeLint to me-- that author that I should like but just can't really get into. I tried to start the enormous Recluse...more
Apr 28, 2013 03:53pm · see review
Pat rated a book 2 of 5 stars The Traitor Queen (Traitor Spy Trilogy, #3) by Trudi Canavan read in March, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Wanted to like it, liked her first trilogy in the same world, but this one fell flat, and I ended up only finishing it because I'm a completist and didn't want the final part of the trilogy to remain unread. Not much to say without spoilers, but I ca...more
Apr 28, 2013 03:41pm · see review
Pat added: The Night Angel Trilogy (Night Angel, #1-3) by Brent Weeks (Goodreads Author) read in April, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 28, 2013 03:29pm
Pat marked as to-read: The Science Of Discworld by Terry Pratchett	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 08, 2013 08:53pm

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