Sean Gibson > Recent Status Updates

I feel like translators don't get enough credit. Ruiz Zafon is an absolute ace when it comes to mood and atmosphere, but I think Lucia Graves deserves huge props for making it work in English in the same way that I presume it does in Spanish. That's complex linguistic stuff, and this is just masterful. It's a welcome return to form after Angel's Game and Prisoner of Heaven were a bit inconsistent.

Reading this at the suggestion of a friendly guy at Midtown Comics in Manhattan. I miss that place being my regular comic shop--the folks who work there and the customers are always friendly, forthcoming with good recommendations, and passionate about the stories they love. Comic shops are the best that way.

Fun fact: both The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple AND The Strange Task Before Me are available on Kindle Unlimited. So, no more excuses, Kindle readers, unless your excuse is that you don't read garbage written by hacks (which is a totally legit excuse).

Curse you, life, for not giving me more than 10 minutes to sit down in my library and read this today...

Oh, Orpheus...you giant, backward-looking bag of douche nuggets.

Zafon is masterful when it comes to mood and atmosphere. When I grow up, I want to be that good. I guess that means I need to work on the growing up thing...

Visiting Barcelona several years ago was infinitely more fun because of Zafon's descriptiosn (though the amazing white sangria served in a fishbowl-sized glass on La Rambla didn't hurt either).

I like that DNA can get just as inexplicably tangled up as a pair of headphones you toss in your backpack. Life's little mysteries. C'mon, science--let's conjure up an explanation for that ridiculousness.

Shadow of the Wind is one of my all-time favorite books; I can't wait to see how the saga of the Cemetery of Lost Books draws to a close...

That Emperor Norton...what a cut-up, that guy.

I’m miffed that Kean hasn’t yet addressed the origin of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles amidst all this talk of mutation. Missed opportunity; it’s going to cost him at least 4 stars when I rate this.

Slog...slog...slog...slog...

Some people think it's weird when a past version of yourself takes over the imaginary world you created as a child that has become sort of real and then tries to kill you after getting your stuffed animal friends to betray you; I call that shit Wednesday.

Hey, Goodreads--you up?

I feel like if my dad took a 100-year dirt nap, I'd totally be able to beat him at a friendly game of assault-each-other-with-scimitars.

Oh, an in case you were wondering, turns out salmon sperm is incredibly easy to harvest. Not unlike my ow...no, you know what? I'm not going to finish that statement for the sake of, well, everyone.

Being back in Menzoberranzan before Drizzt was born is like slipping on a comfy old pair of underwear. I mean, granted, it's a an old pair of underwear full of poisonous spiders, poison-tipped darts, driders, really sharp swords, and demon servants of chaos gods, but comfy nonetheless.

After pretty much eulogizing Drizzt at the conclusion of the last book, we're back for another go-round...and I couldn't be happier.

I may unarmed, outnumbered, and unprepared, but it's time to match wits once again with Sam Kean. My mind is your fertile garden, Mr. Kean...plow me mercilessly.

(Sometimes I think I have Tobias Funke syndrome.)

All right, GR peeps--I’m in the mood for a movie with a good locked-room mystery. Bonus points if it’s a period piece. Fire away with suggestions, please.

Which would I rather visit less: an opium den, a crack house, or Chuck E. Cheese?

I think we all know the answer to that one.

I do think it’s reasonable to call your brother out for being a dick for condemning a woman to eternal damnation because she decided she didn’t want to date him anymore. I mean, it’s not as bad as, say, setting fire to Aunt Sally’s wig, but it’s close.

Digging Gieni's art...less jazzed about the story arc in this volume.

It's Sci-Fi and Fantasy week on GR again...huzzah! In keeping with tradition, let's do a giveaway of some sort on my blog. Informal poll: should we give away The Camelot Shadow, The Chronicle of Heloise & Grimple, or The Strange Task Before Me? Weigh in with comments below and I'll post details on how you can get the book later this week!

Looking forward to plunging into another adventure with these ladies, though I know Betty's going to make me want candy at some point, the jerk.

If I'm making a "Top 10 Cool Historical Moments I Wish I Could Travel Back in Time and Witness" list, odds are pretty good that the debut of a Shakespeare play would be on it (and A Midsummer Night's Dream would be a strong candidate to be the play in question). I just think that would be fun.

Jeez. Remind me to never be a muse. Notwithstanding that I don't have the chest for it, it's a rough life.

Fun fact: Victoria’s death resulted in the spontaneous birth of the internet and chimichangas.

I really miss seeing Joe Mad drawing such purty pictures on the regular.

Fun fact: Victoria's reign lasted nearly 64 years, or just slightly less time than a Twinkie stays fresh if left unwrapped on your front porch.