Corey Redekop's Blog, page 52

Critical Monkey begins! Earth quivers in anticipation!

Ah, July 2. The Canadian holiday is over, the American one is fast approaching...let's read some soul-churning, stomach-clenching books!

As I descibed in a previous post, the point of Critical Monkey is very simple: take a book (or author) you've always avoided, for whatever reason, and force yourself to read it. Then, post a review, link to it in my comments section, and once a month I'll post an update for all participants. We're going for seven reviews over the course of a year, to correspond

Bulwer-Lytton winners announced!

Just too much of a joy for me to contain: this year's winners of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest have been announced.

For those unaware, Bulwer-Lytton (named after Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton, the originator of the phrase "It was a dark and stormy night") is an annual contest to see who can come up with the worst opening sentence to the worst novel never written.

This year's winner, from the mind of David McKenzie, "a 55-year-old Quality Systems consultant and writer from Federal Way, Washi

Monkey droppings - Far North by Marcel Theroux

On today's menu: the apocalypse, with a side of artistic license.




Far North
by Marcel Theroux
HarperCollins Canada, 296 pages, $29.99

Science fiction, as a genre, has always suffered from a decided lack of scholarly respect. Yet while 'literary' authors may be wary to dive into the space battles of tomorrow, the same cannot be said of one of science-fiction's subsets, the post-apocalyptic novel, which regularly attracts the heavyweights with its promise of heady themes and bleak world outlook.

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A literary contest for all us haters

Hey, who wants a challenge?

As some readers of this blog may know, I participate in Yellowknife blogger extraordinaire John Mutford's Canadian Book Challenge, wherein competitors blog reviews of Canadian novels over the course of a year. John asks for thirteen entries (one for each province, natch), and those who complete the challenge are eligible for a variety of prizes, mostly symbolic and of very little cash value. It's a tonne of fun for readers, and also a way to promote Canadian efforts.

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In today's little tidbit of absolutely appalling new, or, people don't get that Shelf Monkey wasn't meant to be taken seriously.....

This may be the most disgusting thing I've heard all week, but then again, it's only Monday, and I'm sure another all-out assault on common sense by Glenn Beck/Sarah Palin/Sean Hannity/take-your-pick-they're-all-the-same is just around the corner.

From The Guardian:

In a scene which appears to have been lifted straight out of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, a group of Christians in Wisconsin has launched a legal claim demanding the right to publicly burn a copy of a book for teenagers which they de

This week in disturbing imagery

I present, the heroic Redekop:

and the deeply unsettling Redekop.
*shudder*
*NOTE: I'll have better posts soon, I promise. I'm having a bit of down time at the moment.

Wanna be an official Shelf Monkey? Well, now you can!

Hey, want to get free books? Free good books? Well, have I got a deal for you!!!

My publisher ECW Press is pleased to announce the unveiling of their new reader review program, Be a Shelf Monkey (hmm...wonder where they came up with that name). Simply sign up on the website, and you'll be able to receive review copies of new releases!!!!!!


[image error] The more books you review (on blogs, 'zines, social networking sites, etc), the more likely you'll receive more!!! Just sign up from the website and click on t

Mysterious artwork enlivens humdrum task

As a librarian, one of the duties is to ensure that all books in the library are being used and, if said books are not used often enough within a certain period of time, to weed unused books from the shelves.
Sad, but true.
Yet today, as summer interns began the arduous task of examining every single book in our fiction area, a small piece of hardened parchment fell out of the pages.

And another.

And another.

Over thirty so far, and we haven't even finished the As.

Who did this? Who depositied tiny pi

Monkey droppings - The Strain: Were vampires ever scary?

Curl up, boys and girls, and I'll tell you a story of the long ago time.
It was an innocent time. A time when being a monster meant something. A time when a monster could actually scare someone. A time when the possibility of getting the blood sucked from your body was greeted with something akin to revulsion or, even better, horror. A time when vampires ruled the night, and you were forever running home after the sun set for fear of running into a thirsty bloodsucker.

Alas, young'uns, but those

Star Wars!, or, how Jedi mind tricks can enliven a humdrum day

Things to do on a rainy day presents:

Star Wars Punch-Out Action Figure Fun Day!
A dramatization in pictures and words.

Boy, what a dull day! Nothing to do, nothing to do. And sheesh, I don't want to actually do anything productive, like write or something.

Ooh, look, kids! A Star Wars Punch Out and Play! action fun-time extravaganza arrived in the mail! Just in the nick of time! I was perilously close to being bored! Time to get started!

Whew! That was a long twelve minutes! But well worth the effor