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Fiberguy rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Elephantmen Volume 1 by Richard Starkings

Elephantmen Volume 1: Wounded Animals
by Richard Starkings

read in March, 2012

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I've been hovering around Elephantmen for a while. It was recommended to me by a clerk in a comic bookstore in Boston two years ago, but the first TPB wasn't available and, to be honest, the premise seemed a little too much on the silly side.

I stumb...more

Fiberguy rated a book 4 of 5 stars

The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set by Holly Black

The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1-5)
by Holly Black (Goodreads Author)

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Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Persepolis
by Marjane Satrapi

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Persepolis was one of the first graphic novels I read, back in the late 90s that was autobiographical. Satrapi was one of the early players in the genre, published by l'Association, a collective publishing company that aimed at giving all the project...more

Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Box Office Poison
by Alex Robinson (Goodreads Author)

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A few weeks ago, I started following Alex Robinson's Flickr and seeing some of his artwork again gave me the urge to re-read Box Office Poison. I thoroughly enjoyed that read (again) and thought I'd review it.

Box Office Poison could be described as...more

Fiberguy made a comment on their review of The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1-5)

"A few years ago, I bought my eldest sont the Spiderwick Chronicles. Mostly, I have to say, because I've always admired Tony DiTerlizzi's artwork (espe...more "

Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars

Habibi
by Craig Thompson

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Craig Thompson is probably most famous for his mammoth book Blankets and so when I found out he'd released another behemoth of a graphic novel I promptly purchased it. I love Thompson's fluid drawing lines, and was already very pleased with that in B...more Craig Thompson is probably most famous for his mammoth book Blankets and so when I found out he'd released another behemoth of a graphic novel I promptly purchased it. I love Thompson's fluid drawing lines, and was already very pleased with that in Blankets, but this is a whole new level of graphic inventiveness, framing and drawing. The book is simply stunning beautifully, and it amazes me that a book so beautiful and so big could be so affordable.

The story of Habibi in a nutshell is the story of two enslaved kids (a fair-skinned and beautiful girl and a black-skinned boy) who escape and live their formative years together until life tears them apart brutally. The story begins in what feels like a medieval arabian nights context with a few oddly modern bits thrown into the mix, but as the story progresses that feeling of timelessness slowly fades until you realise things are not quite as you originally imagined.

I don't want to spoil any of the story for potential readers, but I will say this: it's deep and intricate, told in a non-linear fashion with lots of flashbacks and interspersed with references to (relevant) muslim mysticism as expressed in the stories of the female character.

The book is enthralling although the sheer magnitude of it makes it impossible (or at least made it impossible for me) to read in one sitting. There are moments where the mysticism lost me, but I sense that everything is interconnected and probably will pick a lot more of the construction in a second reading.

In summary, Habibi is a very ambitious book, both in terms of the narrative itself and in its construction and religious references. It's not an easy read, but the story is strong enough to keep you going despite the complex structure and the intricate graphical constructions (which are sparsely and effectively used, but do make the reading a little tougher).

I thoroughly recommend it to those who enjoy intricate and exotic stories and have some prior experience with independant graphic novels. One thing I should mention is that a significant portion of the book occurs in a harem, so if you are easily offended by nudity, this is not for you.(less)

Fiberguy rated a book 2 of 5 stars

The Man From Beijing
by Henning Mankell

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I really loved the Wallander novers, so when I saw this Mankell book on a shelf in an airport bookstore, I decided to grab it. Ultimately, it wasn't as satisfying a read as I'd hoped. The main reason for that is that this isn't one book it's three bo...more

Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexandre Dumas

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What is there to say about The Count of Monte Cristo that hasn't been said? It's a magnificent saga of betrayal and revenge, a deeply satisfying novel that I keep coming back to every few years. Superb.

Fiberguy is currently reading

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
by Jared Diamond

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Mar 14, 2013 02:27am · like
Fiberguy rated a book 4 of 5 stars Elephantmen Volume 1: Wounded Animals by Richard Starkings read in March, 2012	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've been hovering around Elephantmen for a while. It was recommended to me by a clerk in a comic bookstore in Boston two years ago, but the first TPB wasn't available and, to be honest, the premise seemed a little too much on the silly side. I stumb...more
Mar 05, 2012 03:40am · see review
Fiberguy rated a book 4 of 5 stars The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1-5) by Holly Black (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
Feb 12, 2012 01:50pm
Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi	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
Persepolis was one of the first graphic novels I read, back in the late 90s that was autobiographical. Satrapi was one of the early players in the genre, published by l'Association, a collective publishing company that aimed at giving all the project...more
Feb 12, 2012 01:47pm · see review
Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars Box Office Poison by Alex Robinson (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
A few weeks ago, I started following Alex Robinson's Flickr and seeing some of his artwork again gave me the urge to re-read Box Office Poison. I thoroughly enjoyed that read (again) and thought I'd review it. Box Office Poison could be described as...more
Feb 12, 2012 01:35pm · see review
Fiberguy made a comment on their review of The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #1-5) "A few years ago, I bought my eldest sont the Spiderwick Chronicles. Mostly, I have to say, because I've always admired Tony DiTerlizzi's artwork (espe...more "
Feb 12, 2012 01:27pm · see review
Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars Habibi by Craig Thompson	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
Craig Thompson is probably most famous for his mammoth book Blankets and so when I found out he'd released another behemoth of a graphic novel I promptly purchased it. I love Thompson's fluid drawing lines, and was already very pleased with that in B...more
Feb 08, 2012 09:29am · see review
Fiberguy rated a book 2 of 5 stars The Man From Beijing by Henning Mankell	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 really loved the Wallander novers, so when I saw this Mankell book on a shelf in an airport bookstore, I decided to grab it. Ultimately, it wasn't as satisfying a read as I'd hoped. The main reason for that is that this isn't one book it's three bo...more
Feb 08, 2012 09:24am · see review
Fiberguy rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas	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
What is there to say about The Count of Monte Cristo that hasn't been said? It's a magnificent saga of betrayal and revenge, a deeply satisfying novel that I keep coming back to every few years. Superb.
Feb 08, 2012 09:18am · see review
Fiberguy is currently reading Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond	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
Feb 08, 2012 08:26am

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