Two Envelopes And A Phone > Recent Status Updates

Fascinating year-long journey, Jan. to Dec., even though each movie only gets about 2-3 pages each; I’ve stopped at #43. Of those discussed, so far, I have seen: Get Carter, THX 1138, Bananas, The Abominable Dr. Phibes (fave), Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Daughters of Darkness, Willard, McCabe & Mrs. Miller (2nd fave movie ever), Shaft, Willy Wonka, and Drive, He Said. Shoulda seen Klute by now!

After the gonzo Crime novel Gold Mask, I should probably switch to something more serious in the genre as a follow-up - a gritty noir or at least a bleaker-looking whodunit…but I think I already reneged on this book once (the average rating is a buzzkill), so I’m going to buckle down and get this one done. I mean, it is wintery, I’m up for that.

It’s got to be at least 5 years ago, that I came to the conclusion that 1971 was the best year of films. It was as I was watching Duel, or Let’s Scare Jessica to Death, or Twins of Evil - in other words I was well past discovering the really famous films of 1971, and working through the “lesser” lights, and I just decided we had 1939 beat. McCabe & Mrs Miller is my second favourite movie ever. Phibes, Duel, Shaft…

So, I forgot to mention...I'm trying, for each month, to read a book set in a different country, every time I pick something. Any fictional realms and places are of course an option, and if SF picks take me to another planet, like Mars, I won't read another book set there that month. This is my lukewarm compromise to originally not wanting to read a book by a US author for 4 years, turning it into something positive.

Loving it. There’s obviously something about this kind of Crime novel - even the more outlandish ones - that really does it for me. The only thing is: if I go on and collect all the books I can get by this author, I would not read them too close together. Best to do one or two a year - because there would be similarities. Other than that, as pure and inventive escapism…I love this stuff.

Ha! Just the sort of over-the-top start I expected from the author of The Black Lizard - which I loved. The perfect crime, in 20 pages - and so, what could possibly be next?!

Good stuff - this has been a blast. Book Three in sight!

Very happy! I have to persuade myself to read Fantasy, even when I am partway into a series…because Crime & Mystery, Science Fiction, Spy, and Horror stuff is where I really want to be. But I have learned not to leave series books for too long, or I’m going to forget stuff. So the first priority is to read what I have already, and not buy any Fantasy series until I have cleared the decks. Lawrence works for me.

I like it - so I'll have no problem going to each book in the series, with only one or two other reads in between. I'm thinking there might be more Fantasy of this type in the near future, after a long drought - but I'm not sure. Things can get very samey, very fast. But this one is a good'un.

Not written in the tone I was expecting, based on the chilly, austere cover - but I'm used to it now, and am curious to see what's up. Will Snorri show up again? Is Jal just a sneaky, lying coward (though likeable)?