When Everyone Knows But You

Have you ever read a book, finished it, and as you close it say, "that was a good book!" That is what I did with Whatever.: or how junior year became totally f$@ked, by S. J. Goslee. Mike Tate is a confused junior in high school. Confused about life, confused about his friends, and confused about who he is attracted to. He starts out in a relationship with Lisa Viking, but does not end up with her. I am not going to spoil any of the surprises and twists, so I will simply say this was a wonderfully fun book to read. We get inside Mike's head (which is a typical high school junior boy) and learn all sorts of wonderful things about his life, his wonderful and eccentric family (I love Rosie and his Nana), and his quirky friends. I enjoyed the unique names such as Rook, Cam, and Serge, making these characters stand out more. The ending was what I expected and wanted. 

Return to White Plume Mountain

White Plume Mountain by Paul Kidd is based on the Dungeons and Dragons module White Plume Mountain, I got to relive the adventure I played as a youth. The Justicar, with the help of a faerie named Escalla and a teamster named Polk, are commissioned to go to White Plume Mountain and rid the world of a possible reincarnation of the wizard Keraptis, an evil sorcerer who died many years ago. 

The Justicar, whose real name is Evelyn, is a hearty ranger who simply wants justice. Escalla, a thieving faerie, is full of witticisms and humor. Polk, the stereotypical adventurer, is the chronicler of the trio. I laughed when he suggested to bring supplies that many adventurers would buy to prepare for their adventures, but were typically useless and extra weight.

I got to read about Blackrazor, Whelm, and Wave, the magical weapons sought after in the original adventure module. I had always wanted Blackrazor as and adventurer, but realized its power was to great and used for evil.

There were some slow places in the novel, but anyone who has played D&D will enjoy revisiting the story and the adventure itself. At the end Escalla has purchased the village of Hommlet, which was my first dungeon module purchased. It leaves the story for a possible sequel.

Prep School Reality

Honestly Ben, by Bill Konigsberg is a novel about owning up to yourself and being who you are. His characters are lovable and realistic from the quirky Albie to the genderfluid Toby. Ben Carver, the main character, is coming to terms with being in love with his best friend Rafe. He does not consider himself gay, even dating a girl named Hannah for a while, but cannot get over that he loves his best friend, who happens to be a boy.

Set in a rich kids' private school, Ben Carver has to deal with being from a poor farming family. He also has to deal with an staunch, relentless father who only believes in one way - something Ben is not. This raises the issue of privilege and how most students are not aware they are.

Ben is up for an award, the Peter Pappas Award, named for a former student at Natick, and has to give a speech about him, until he realizes the dead Vietnam hero was not who he was. This forces Ben to come to terms with who he is and ultimately forces him to abandon opportunities he could have as a privileged graduate of Natick. The second book of a duology, we get to see another perspective of a character from the first book. Very enjoyable and a highly recommended read.

Norman vs Norma vs Normal

Reading Challenge 2017: book that takes place in a hotel. Psycho, by Robert Bloch, was an interesting read, having seen the movie (which is a different version of the book) and all the cultural references to the shower scene.  Had I read this before seeing the movie, the ending would have been a twist when discovering the mother was not actually alive and Norman is schizophrenic.  Of course, if Mary Crane had not wanted to help Sam Loomis with his financial problems and stole the $40,000, she would still be alive.  For all the focus in movies about the shower scene, Mary hardly exists long enough in the book to be considered a major character.  

Norman Bates was fat and bespectacled in the book instead of the tall, thin Anthony Perkins in the movie.  At one point he is described as "an old geezer" even though he is not that old chronologically.  I wonder why the choice was made to change his physical characteristics in the movie, making him a sexier killer.  

Ed Gein was mentioned toward the end of the novel, insinuating that both were serial killers and similar, even though Norman only killed two people.  The psychology of a peeping tom and schizophrenic seeing his "mother" made for a nice addition to the thriller aspect of the novel, but it did not make him scary.  As was mentioned in the novel, he was a quiet, shy man in the area and was even embarrassed at points, which might be a response to his mother's dominance in his life and not wanting him to leave her, even though she had found a suitor before Norman poisoned them.

The ending is strange as it leaves the reader with the sense of being a cliffhanger, as Norma has fused with Norman and Normal to make one person who does not see himself as being anyone that "could hurt a fly", even though he decapitated Mary and killed Arbogast, the detective.

Reading this does not make me want to watch the movie, but it does help explain where the thriller originated.

Dead Fish

Reading Challenge 2017: book with a subtitle.  Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions, by Daniel Wallace, was a let down. Normally I would say the book is better than the movie. However, in this case, I cannot. The novel is touted as "a novel of mythic proportions" but it seemed more like a collection of "big fish" stories and jokes shared by the father on his death bed.  I waited for that clarity that comes when reaching the end of a novel and the feeling of sadness that comes after reading something wonderful.  Instead, I felt glad I was finished and glad it was so short.

I expected the same magical realism that the movie provided in the novel, yet it seemed to be just chapters full of stories a son was telling about his father. The movie seemed to bring all the stories together in the end when the novel simply allowed the father to turn into a big fish. Ewan McGregor brought the main character to life in ways the author did not seem to do.  

Edward Bloom had a wonderful life, which he was trying to impart to his son. This seemed to be lost in the method of telling stories. One could write similar stories and tales about family, in a grandiose way, and share wisdom learned through that.  I feel none wiser after finishing it.

In retrospect, I am glad I only paid a dollar for it at a library sale and will not read it again.

Oh to Raid Again

Traveler, by Greg Weisman, was a quick read, this novelization of World of Warcraft brought back memories of playing the game. Aramar Thorne, the son of a privateer, finds himself in an adventure that lands him in Feralas, the Thousand Needles, captured by Gordunni ogres, fighting pirates, making friends with a Murloc, Gnoll, Kaldorei, and Wyvern. The story left me hanging at the end, which I am sure will be continued in a future release, as well as wondering if his father, Greydon, is still alive.

Even though it was published by Scholastic and written for young readers, the story brought to life the World of Warcraft, relieving memories of playing the game.  It is important for novelizations to stay true to the game, and this novel did.  

I also enjoyed the sketches done by Aram that laced the book with visuals for the reader.  I await the writing of a sequel, though I have not found it on any website, nor is there a forthcoming review of it.  One of my favorite sketches was of the wyvern One-Eye and her cubs.

The memories relived made me want to take up the game again, even though it took up so much of my time when I played it.  I had made friends, joined quests, and raided with my guild.

One Ring to Rule Them All

Reading Challenge 2017: book with over 900 pages. I read The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien back in high school, and having seen the movies many times, have a very different perspective. There is so much more that the book has that the movies do not. They are endearing and full of wisdom and quotes that will long be enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed rereading this novel as I was tossed back to high school when I first learned of Tolkien's magical world. Everything I had read came back to me, like an old friend visiting in so many years.

I used to write notes to myself in Tengwar, the language of the elves, and practiced writing the elvish letters.  While the dwarvish runes were easier to translate, the elves always had a special place in my heart.

I now noticed that there were very few female characters in the novels.  Eowyn, Arwen, Galadriel, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, and Rosie Cotton would not stand up to the Bechdel Scale these days.  I cannot imagine many females wanting to read these books though.

After watching the movies numerous times, my perspective has changed greatly.  The characters are solidified in my mind through the actors in the movie, not the descriptions in the books.  The special effects and soundtrack add immensely to the story.

You Shore Do Got a Purdy Mouth

Reading Challenge 2017: Book with one of the four seasons in the title. Winter Bone, by Daniel Woodrell, was not as exciting as I thought it would be.  I grew angry and sad at the conditions of Ree Dolly, although she surprised me and showed she had "sand" in order to stand up to the other Ozarkians who wanted her to keep quiet.  They were hiding a secret that involved her father, and she wanted to know where he was, or else she and her family would lose their house and land.  Most characters seemed rough and tried to hard to be rough.  I knew either her father was dead or run off trying to avoid the law.  I did not expect that the Milton clan had killed him and sunk him in a shallow lake, tied to an engine block.

I imagine it is that way in the Ozarks, giving me flashbacks of Deliverance, and the hillbillies that come together seeking vengeance.  I almost expected Patrick Swayze and the Next of Kin to come out of the woods.  Not people I would want to hang out with.

It reminded me of a bar that reeks of stale cigarette smoke and warm beer, that hasn't seen a cleaning in years.  I felt cold, hungry, and dirty while I read it, which is partly due to the writing style.  I just wanted to shower after finishing it.

I decided to watch the movie, which was a much tamer version.  Gail and Ree did not have any sexual encounters, nor did Little Arthur giving her special mushrooms and raping her appear in the movie.  Jennifer Lawrence's performance was stunning though.

Indians, Thieves, and Bears, Oh My!

Reading Challenge 2017: book that takes place in the wilderness. The Revenant, by Michael Punke, was different enough from the movie to be better. Getting into the mind of Hugh Glass as he struggled to survive a vicious grizzly attack, Arikara Indians, thieves, and the elements, the revenge he wanted was never exacted. 

A wilderness enthusiast will enjoy the survival techniques shared by Glass in his adventures to seek retribution for those who wronged him. An enjoyable read that makes me want to go camping, sans bears.  I will watch the movie again.

Promposals and Celebrity Dancing

Reading Challenge 2017: Book with a title that's a character's name.  Brian Katcher does it again with Deacon Locke Went to Prom!  Deacon Locke is a tall, tall, tall student who has no self-confidence when it comes to people.  His senior prom is approaching and he does not have a date.  When he discovers his grandmother Jean never went to her prom, due to her husband being in Vietnam, he asks her to attend with him.  That is a turning point for his life.  They take dancing lessons at the YMCA, where he meets his soon to be girlfriend, Soraya Shadee.  Deacon and Jean turn out to be the sensation of the prom as students capture his dancing with Jean on video, which becomes a viral Youtube sensation.  At first I did not think taking Jean to prom would work, knowing that nobody over 20 is allowed at prom (at least at the high school where I teach), yet Jean is allowed entrance as she knows one of the chaperones.  His thoughtfulness when concerning his grandmother takes a sad turn when it is discovered she has dementia.  The viral video lands him a spot on a reality TV show, <i>Celebrity Dance Off</i>, forcing him to question whether or not he wants to stay home and take care of Jean, or go to California to be on the show and help make money for college and taking care of Jean.

Deacon's life is changed as Jean is moved into a care facility, their house is sold to a golf course, and he loses the only girlfriend he had.  It was a change from many happy endings as he does not end up with Soraya, but steps into adulthood through all he has learned in his adventures.  I giggled when I noticed Brian had included his name as one of the admirers of Deacon's dance moves.  

A subplot to the story is Soraya having to deal with idiotic Muslim haters, which only makes her a stronger character as even though Deacon wants to come to her rescue, she reminds him that he has always taken care of others and not really himself, which is another turning point in his growing up.

<i>Deacon Locke Went to Prom</i> is more than just a promposal and dance story.  It is about an abandoned young man (his father left him with Jean) who learns to grow up the hard way.  It ended on a happy note and a promise of Deacon and Soraya meeting up in the future.