Death Before Dishonor

Book Description

ONE REASON TO LIVE.

THREE REASONS TO DIE.

Trill Johnson has five years of jail time under his belt, two women trying to get inside his pants, and one mission in his heart of hearts: Get the suckers who sold him out. And get 'em good.

Sunni James will do anything for Trill. Lie, cheat, steal. Even risk losing her successful beauty salon to save him from the mean streets of Richmond.

Precious Pay will do anything for Trill, too. She cribbed his kid while he did his time, so now she wants Trill to pay for the leg she lost in a robbery gone wrong.

But when love is a lie, who do you trust? When the deals turn dirty, who do you betray? And when the guns start blazing, who's going down?

Customer Reviews:

Nikki Turner...should have known better.......2007-10-05

I am a big fan of Nikki Turner work. But Death B4 Dishonors was indeed the worst. No character development, absolutely no plot, and where was the reality...no where to be found. 50 cent should leave it alone.

It was good until...........2007-08-31

I really like the book I couldn't put it down, But when I got to the end of the book I was upset it should not have ended the way it did I was like ohh no! Otherwise it was a good page turner.

Short & Sweet.......2007-07-21

I have had this book "Death Before Dishonor" for 7 months and I just read it. It was actually pretty good. It was a quick and easy read.
The only problem I had with it was that you never learn that much about the characters, it just gives a brief glimpse at them, and it moves on. Like I wanted to know why Trill's baby momma was not in the picture? Why Mont turned on Trill and set him up? And why was Precious so damn money humgry?
Other than that Nikki does her thing.

FIDDY U HAWT $$.......2007-06-10

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING? I LUV;D IT SO MUCH IT WAS BLINGIN
U SHOULD BY THIS BOOK -- TWICE MAKE ME BELEIVE 4 REAL
THANK U FIDDY;
$$$$$

Kept me reading.......2007-06-08

I loved the book. I couldnt stop reading until i was finished!! It's worth a read!

Average customer rating:

Excellent plot redeems somewhat unlikable characters in ...
Brilliant once it gets rolling
Just about as good as it gets!
Very well-written and entertaining!
Brit Lit with Twist!

Gentlemen and Players: A Novel
Joanne Harris
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060559144
Release Date: 2006-01-03

Book Description

Audere, agere, auferre.
To dare, to strive, to conquer.

For generations, privileged young men have attended St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys, groomed for success by the likes of Roy Straitley, the eccentric Classics teacher who has been a fixture there for more than thirty years. But this year the wind of unwelcome change is blowing. Suits, paperwork, and information technology are beginning to overshadow St. Oswald's tradition, and Straitley is finally, and reluctantly, contemplating retirement. He is joined this term by five new faculty members, including one who -- unbeknownst to Straitley and everyone else -- holds intimate and dangerous knowledge of St. Oswald's ways and secrets. Harboring dark ties to the school's past, this young teacher has arrived with one terrible goal: to destroy St. Oswald's.

As the new term gets under way, a number of incidents befall students and faculty alike. Beginning as small annoyances -- a lost pen, a misplaced coffee mug -- they are initially overlooked. But as the incidents escalate in both number and consequence, it soon becomes apparent that a darker undercurrent is stirring within the school. With St. Oswald's unraveling, only Straitley stands in the way of its ruin. The veteran teacher faces a formidable opponent, however -- a master player with a bitter grudge and a strategy that has been meticulously planned to the final move, a secret game with very real, very deadly consequences.

A harrowing tale of cat and mouse, this riveting, hypnotically atmospheric novel showcases New York Times bestselling author Joanne Harris's astonishing storytelling talent as never before.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent plot redeems somewhat unlikable characters in ..........2007-08-07

... a murder mystery set at an exclusive British boys' school. Longer review available at my website the Impatient Reader. See My Amazon profile for URL.

Brilliant once it gets rolling.......2007-07-18

Once you are fully immersed in the story of Roy Straitley and his mysterious adversary, this is a hard book indeed to put down. It may be yet another entry in the age-old British class struggle motif, but it is an unusually good one. As the antagonist's rather self-important ramblings about revenge evolve into sometimes-horrifying action and the final goal looks more plausible, it becomes just about impossible to resist one more chapter to see if somebody makes a mistake or stumbles on to the right secret. The frequent emergence of newly revealed tidbits from various characters' pasts adds quite a bit to the appeal as well.

The only problem I had with the book is that it drags a bit at first. The first hundred pages are a bit of a slog to get through, and the two characters' voices are not as distinct from one another as they are clearly supposed to be (and are later on in the novel). This is well worth making one's way through, though. I also found the story's biggest plot twist easier to spot than Harris probably intended it to be, but your mileage may vary on that one. Either way, it's an enjoyable read overall.

Just about as good as it gets!.......2007-07-09

This book has it all - great character development, great plotting and a great finish. Few authors achieve 2 of 3 but Harris attains what should be the ultimate goal of all novelists - an all-round great read. Enough has been said regarding the contents - I merely wish to add my praise to the fray.

Very well-written and entertaining!.......2007-06-28

St. Oswald's is your stereotypical British prep school for boys. For generations, its majestic stone buildings have been full of the children of the rich, being taught the classics, "maths," history, and Latin by a series of stuffy professors in robes. Now, though, the school is going through some changes. They've gotten their first computer lab, school memos now go out via email, and 64 year-old Roy Straitley, St. Oswald's Latin teacher, isn't taking too well to the changes. Not the least because he knows that, slowly but surely, Oswald's administrators are trying to nudge him out the door to retirement.

As the school year begins, five young, bright-eyed teachers have been hired, and Roy's office has been usurped by the foreign language department. He's pretty cranky, but is determined to make his "century" (teaching one hundred school terms in a row) before calling it a career. This year's new term has brought more than modern computer labs and youthful teachers, though-- it's also brought someone who knows St. Oswald's very, very well. Someone with a grudge against it. Someone who wants to destroy it. This someone has a complex, elaborate, and slowly-paced plan -- a plan intended to gradually take down the entire place and everyone in it. Standing in the way of this destruction is none other than old man Roy Straitley himself.

And he doesn't even know it.

This is a well-written and extremely entertaining novel, with a twist that completely caught me by surprise (a rare thing, and thus a much-appreciated one). Gentlemen & Players has a great plot, terrific characters, and a wonderfully drawn setting in St. Oswald's. I definitely recommend this one highly, and I'll be looking for Harris's earlier novels soon!

Brit Lit with Twist!.......2007-05-09

Brit Lit with Twist! As I read the closing chapters, I kept thinking "well-done." In the hands of a lesser author, this tale would be trite or just completely fall apart, but Harris is a masterful writer and this book is delicious. Definitely lives up to the cliche praise of once you finish, you want to turn back to the first page and start again--mostly because you are thinking, "how did she do that?"

Chess metaphors abound. "British-isms" season each page. Descriptions are literary and evocative. Again, good literature is timely and universal and G&P is particularly apropos when considering the friction (perceived or real) between social classes. Bravo of the highest order. Two days after finishing, I was still missing my morning tea with Mr. Straitley.

Green Lantern Vol. 2: Revenge of the Green Lanterns

Average customer rating:

YES.
Graphic SF Reader
Green good
Still going strong
Excellent Green Lantern stories...

Green Lantern Vol. 2: Revenge of the Green Lanterns
Geoff Johns
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1401211674

Customer Reviews:

YES........2007-09-23

Oh, my God, this is good. You need this book if you have ever in your life cared about superheroes. Buy it without a second thought.

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-04

Green Lantern and Batman biffo.

Bats doesn't trust Hal Jordan because, well, he was previously a planet destroying, psychopathic madman.

Jordan thinks Wayne is an obsessed schemer, and both are macho types that like the ladies. Punches will be thrown and insults hurled.

Green good.......2007-06-13

Great story. I wish I would have read the volume before this one. I enjoy team ups.

Still going strong.......2007-03-09

Infinite Crisis mastermind Geoff Johns' rebooting of Green Lantern is still going strong with this collection. Revenge of the Green Lanterns collects several storylines as Hal Jordan is still reconnecting with his old life of being a super hero. Beginning with a team up with his best friend Oliver Queen, AKA Green Arrow, against the children of Mongul who are hellbent on Earth's destruction, the story then shifts to a team up between Hal and Batman. This story is surprisingly poignant as we witness the reconnection between the two heroes who had fallen out of favor with each other since the events of Green Lantern: Rebirth and beyond. From that point on, we get to the heart of the story as Hal gets a big surprise when the Lanterns thought to have been killed by him when he became Paralax make a stunning return. This leads to another team up, this time with fellow GL Guy Gardner, as the two Lanterns head to uncharted regions and battle Manhunters, as well as the mastermind behind it all. There's nothing really spectacular with Revenge of the Green Lanterns, but Johns weaves a great super hero story that is quite fun indeed. Carlos Pacheco, along with Ethan Van Sciver and Ivan Reis, once again provide great art as well. All in all, if you're looking for a more than solid Green Lantern story, look no further.

Excellent Green Lantern stories..........2007-01-12

First off,I will recommend this book as a companion to the awesome Green Lantern Rebirth.

It's a great follow up which shows GL's relationships with other heroes,primarily Batman and Green Arrow,as well as the Green Lantern Corps whom he destroyed years ago when he was the evil Parallax.

Great art is provided by Carlos Pacheco,Ethan Van Sciver(Rebirth)and the amazing Ivan Reis who pencils the title story.

This graphic novel is a must read for any new GL fan or GL fan in general.It has great character interaction as well as loud and widescreen intergalactic action.

Highly recommended.

Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers (The Seventh Epic Novel) (Captain Underpants)

Average customer rating:

Tra-la-laaa!
fantastic read
Neat , Nasty & Naughty
under wear man
Cool

Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers (The Seventh Epic Novel) (Captain Underpants)
Dav Pilkey
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0439376122
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Amazon.com

Clearly one epic novel could never contain the hugely disgusting tale of the Bionic Booger Boy; it makes perfect sense that his story would spill out into Dav Pilkey's seventh epic novel in the Captain Underpants series, Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers.

It all started in the sixth epic novel when Melvin Sneedly, a nerd, invented a "combine-o-thingy" that morphed Melvin, a robot, and (accidentally) mucus from his sneeze and created the monstrous Bionic Booger Boy. Unfortunately, in the chaos that ensues, the school principal Mr. Krupp's brain switches to Melvin's body and vice versa (making for a very unhappy school secretary). The diabolical Melvin becomes power-hungry when he realizes that he might be able to keep Mr. Krupp's Captain Underpants superpowers for himself! Can George and Harold stop Melvin from tyrannizing the school--and the world--in his new guise as principal and superhero?

Pilkey's heavily illustrated books with comic-book inserts, "flip-o-rama" animation, and loads of gross-out humor are guaranteed to delight elementary-school boys. (Ages 8 and older) --Karin Snelson

Book Description

Just when they thought they were out, it pulls them back in! Our heroes beat the Bionic Booger Boy, but they forgot about those rascally Robo-Boogers. Join George, Harold, Mr. Krupp, Melvin Sneedly, and Sulu the Bionic Hamster on an adventure that will take them into the deepest regions of outer space and back through time to the mysterious and uncharted world of the day before yesterday! It's a monster-mashin', robo-wranglin', time-travelin', brain-switchin', nose-pickin' good time!

Customer Reviews:

Tra-la-laaa! .......2007-09-23

I have two boys, 6 & 7 who have loved the cottony-captain for two years now. Both have been reading CU on their own since 1st grade. We have them all in their goopy, gross gloriousness. They're always good to go back to EXCEPT they are poorly bound(I mean the paperback ones) and fall apart and ours are all taped together. Boo for the binding, yahoo for the silly content that keeps two wild things still enough to read.

fantastic read.......2007-05-09

This series of books are a fantastic read. They keep my 7 and 5 year olds very amused and I get a laugh out of them as well. I would highly recommend them.

Neat , Nasty & Naughty.......2006-03-11

Yes, it took something totally "disgusting" to get my seven year old hooked on reading......but hey, I am not complaining. He is now carrying a book wherever he goes....who would have thought? When someone can get a kid to pick up a book and take along instead of the game boy.....well....just amazing!

They are very cute and not nearly as nasty as the titles imply!

under wear man.......2005-12-20

This book was cool because if you had a guy in town that flew in his under pants that would be awsome. And how cool would that be if you a giant robot whit bogers all over so now you now ho cool this book is.

Cool.......2005-10-19

I thought this was a good boook, but I don't like the flip-O-ramas. The bad spelling and grammer makes it relly funny! I say you should buy it.

Average customer rating:

A sad book
What a pity.
A Haunting Masterpeice
Loses its edge on the way down, but in the end it's worth a gander...
Why surprised by the ending? It was perfect.

Hannibal: A Novel
Thomas Harris
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 038529929X
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Amazon.com

Horror lit's head chef Harris serves up another course in his Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter trilogy, and it's a pièce de résistance for those with strong stomachs. In the first book, Red Dragon (filmed as Manhunter), Hannibal diabolically helps the FBI track a fascinating serial killer. (Takes one to know one.) In The Silence of the Lambs, he advises fledgling FBI manhunter Clarice Starling, then makes a bloody, brilliant escape.

Years later, posing as scholarly Dr. Fell, curator of a grand family's palazzo, Hannibal lives the good life in Florence, playing lovely tunes by serial killer/composer Henry VIII and killing hardly anyone himself. Clarice is unluckier: in the novel's action-film-like opening scene, she survives an FBI shootout gone wrong, and her nemesis, Paul Krendler, makes her the fall guy. Clarice is suspended, so, unfortunately, the first cop who stumbles on Hannibal is an Italian named Pazzi, who takes after his ancestors, greedy betrayers depicted in Dante's Inferno.

Pazzi is on the take from a character as scary as Hannibal: Mason Verger. When Verger was a young man busted for raping children, his vast wealth saved him from jail. All he needed was psychotherapy--with Dr. Lecter. Thanks to the treatment, Verger is now on a respirator, paralyzed except for one crablike hand, watching his enormous, brutal moray eel swim figure eights and devour fish. His obsession is to feed Lecter to some other brutal pets.

What happens when the Italian cop gets alone with Hannibal? How does Clarice's reunion with Lecter go from macabre to worse? Suffice it to say that the plot is Harris's weirdest, but it still has his signature mastery of realistic detail. There are flaws: Hannibal's madness gets a motive, which is creepy but lessens his mystery. If you want an exact duplicate of The Silence of the Lambs's Clarice/Hannibal duel, you'll miss what's cool about this book--that Hannibal is actually upstaged at points by other monsters. And if you think it's all unprecedentedly horrible, you're right. But note that the horrors are described with exquisite taste. Harris's secret recipe for success is restraint. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

Invite Hannibal Lecter into the palace of your mind and be invited into his mind palace in turn. Note the similarities in yours and his, the high vaulted chambers of your dreams, the shadowed halls, the locked storerooms where you dare not go, the scrap of half-forgotten music, the muffled cries from behind a wall.

In one of the most eagerly anticipated literary events of the decade, Thomas Harris takes us once again into the mind of a killer, crafting a chilling portrait of insidiously evolving evil—a tour de force of psychological suspense.

Seven years have passed since Dr. Hannibal Lecter escaped from custody, seven years since FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling interviewed him in a maximum security hospital for the criminally insane. The doctor is still at large, pursuing his own ineffable interests, savoring the scents, the essences of an unguarded world. But Starling has never forgotten her encounters with Dr. Lecter, and the metallic rasp of his seldom-used voice still sounds in her dreams.

Mason Verger remembers Dr. Lecter, too, and is obsessed with revenge. He was Dr. Lecter's sixth victim, and he has survived to rule his own butcher's empire. From his respirator, Verger monitors every twitch in his worldwide web. Soon he sees that to draw the doctor, he must have the most exquisite and innocent-appearing bait; he must have what Dr. Lecter likes best.

Powerful, hypnotic, utterly original, Hannibal is a dazzling feast for the imagination. Prepare to travel to hell and beyond as a master storyteller permanently alters the world you thought you knew.

Customer Reviews:

A sad book.......2007-08-10

This book was not really about serial killers and horror, it was about two severly damaged individuals, Starling and Lecter, who seek comfort, soul searching and some mental healing through each other. It's really a psycho-analytical book where the reader along with the main characters discover and open the doors of supressed painful childhood memories that have formed their adult minds. This book was lauded and praised as "extremely scary", but I just felt horribly sad for Lecter. Not one page scared me. The god-awful thing that happened to his little sister just made me cry. For those who've read the literature on how serial killers are "made' this kind of childhood trauma is not surprising, yet so horribly sad, and often starts the mental process of control, revenge and "cold bloodedness" that is the hallmark of these killers. Of note is that Lecter kills only in revenge or those that he thinks should die. Mason tortured small children so he was killed. Lecter is trying to revenge the real monsters that killed and ate his little sister. It's well written, but nothing amazing.

What a pity........2007-07-19

The book starts off wonderfully with Harris's visualization; you can see everything you read. There are complex characters introduced and of course a wicked weave between them. He shows the master insanity of Hannibal with his elaborate set-ups for escape from not only Starling but from a vile creature named Verger who sets out to seek revenge on the good doctor. And you are eating this up the whole time, because it seems that Harris is once again quite the masterful story teller. But then you get to the last few chapters.
The best way I can describe it is it seems like he took his time and thought out every little detail like it was the master term paper. But then all of a sudden he realizes he doesn't have the time needed to finish it so he rushes it and throws an ending together. It was almost like to different authors. And of the ending! And what he does with Clarice! I was put off by the whole book in a matter of a few thousand words.

James A. Forrest - Eye of the Storm

A Haunting Masterpeice.......2007-06-14

While Silence of the Lambs is the best film in the Hannibal series. Hannibal by far is the best of the book series. Actually it's a masterpiece, if you can handle it. The way Harris develops plot and character is amazing. It is by far the weirdest and strangest. With characters who are disturbed, crooked, or cannibals this book is not for the faint of heart. The story his Harris's best and the themes are the most thought-provoking.
The story begins with the downfall of Clarice Starling (one of the best developed character in books today); a drug bust goes wrong, Crawford can't defend her anymore from injustice, and Hannibal Lector once in a while sends her letter. Her world is falling apart and you feel for her. Meanwhile Mason Verger, a child molester who Lector deformed has revenge on his mind and will pay anything or anyone to hunt down Lector alive so he can, well you'll see. Then there is Pazzi an Italian detective who hasn't had a big break for a couple of years and decides to hunt down Lector to get Verger's fee, little does he know how cunning Lector really is. And finally the controversial ending that everyone talks about. Its shocking and unexpected, if you haven't read about it yet, I'm still not sure if I like it, but you will think about for days.
The world is a dark place even for those who are good, is there light or redemption, or is there just death and mayhem. These are questions the book raises. Almost all the characters are the definition of grey; both good and evil are inside them. Its makes you look at yourself and what you have become. And what about all the biblical undertones? Powerful, masterful, and amazing, Hannibal will shock and haunt you for weeks. It might even make you think.

Loses its edge on the way down, but in the end it's worth a gander..........2007-06-13

Watching `Hannibal' self destruct before it's closing pages is a sad turn of events. Heralded as one of today's best horror writers, Thomas Harris created a character so evil, so dark and so unforgiving in Hannibal `the cannibal' that watching this same character, the villain we all love to hate, become something we could stand to give a passing glance is a very hard thing to stomach, harder even than the gut wrenching scenes of violence that spill over these 480 pages. That's not to say that `Hannibal' is a complete waste of the readers time, for that is not entirely true, but that is to say that `Hannibal' will leave the reader wanting, especially if you're attached in any way shape or form to the cannibal we were introduced to in `Red Dragon' and again in `Silence of the Lambs'.

`Hannibal' starts off brilliantly. The opening scene of bloodshed looks to shed a light on where this novel may be headed, but in the end it fails to monopolize on what was right in front of it. With Clarice suspended due to a horrendously botched assignment we are introduced to Pazzi, a detective located in Florence. It just so happens that upon Dr. Lecter's escape he made his way to Florence to live life low-key. This saddens me, since low-key is not the way we like Lecter. Pazzi is working for Mason Verger, a one time child molester who suffered a less than desirable fate at the hands of Lecter back in the years when he was working as a psychotherapist. Now reduced to life on a respirator among other horrendous disabilities he is seeking to end the life of this monster.

Luckily for Lecter he himself has been sending letters to Clarice, maybe to console, maybe to destroy...who knows. Truth be told it was when reading these letters that I found my blood the most chilled. With the letters in hand Clarice is able to find Lecter, and it's in that discovery that she may have the chance to help that man that's helped her in one way or another.

One thing that Harris has going for him is his writing style. He has the ability to crawl under your skin with mere words. Sadly, he's not as effective in his third entry as he was in his first and then supremely in his second. Still, he does pretty darn good with extending shivers to the reader. Here Thomas has decided to make Hannibal more relatable, human maybe and its here that he loses me because we don't want to relate to this man...we enjoy the mystery in his eyes. The monsters here lie in Mason and to a degree even Pazzi. The problem is that Hannibal Lecter loses his edge, his fear inspiring stare and causes the reader to all but lose interest. Thomas shouldn't have strayed from a winning formula. Like I said, it's not to say it's a complete waste of time. It's not. I enjoyed the read through and I'm sure you will too, but if you loved the monster that Thomas created be prepared for a letdown when that monster becomes man.

Why surprised by the ending? It was perfect........2007-05-31

I read this book years ago, when it was first published - after I had read Silence of the Lambs. Thomas Harris is one of the few authors of 'popular fiction' who can convincingly write about a brilliant, subtle, erudite mind...the only other who comes to mind is William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist) It takes very high intelligence to successfully write of genius...whereas most authors must content themselves with TELLING us someone is brilliant, which is not convincing and takes a novel down many notches (Dean Koontz is a good example of an author who cannot write convincingly of diabolical or erudite genius) a very few authors can SHOW true brilliance in a character because they have a touch of it themselves. And that rare, precious brilliance, especially in an evil character, is endlessly captivating and seductive.

As for the 'horrible' ending many complain of, Clarice was obviously fascinated by Hannibal from the outset of the series- and there was a definite sexual dance of an undertone between them, although Clarice herself wasn't consciously aware of it. Lecter was drawn to Clarice for many reasons - her strict moral standards echoed his; albeit seemingly from opposite directions. Her wounded lamb vulnerability underneath a courageous exterior reminded him of his beloved sister, and her pleasure at their mental fencing intensified each time they faced off. In a way, this is a bizarre retelling of the My Fair Lady story - Hannibal's cultured, educated, challenging yet accomodating maturity (Professor Higgins) gradually brings out Clarice's subtleties and psyche simultaneously with her 'romantic/sexual' adulthood. Clarice finally grows up, truly blossoms - and it's due to Hannibal. This is not an anti-feminist ending, it's the ULTIMATE feminist ending.

This book doesn't flow quite as well as Silence or Red Dragon, in some ways, but its in-depth treatment of Lecter's mind, peculiarites and tastes, and basic elegance of prose and plotting makes it quite memorable and worth reading. Particularly noteworthy is Hannibal's absolutely brilliant method of helping Clarice to move past wounds about her father, which are keeping her partially frozen in damaged childhood - he literally digs up Dad's coffin, complete with moldering old Dad inside, for Clarice to talk to, rage against, wail over. This is one of the most unsettling but ingenious twists on a classic psychiatric transactional analysis method (wherein one pretends to interact with those who have caused one pain in an effort to spur a catharsis, healing or closure...here she isn't pretending-her Dad is RIGHT THERE) that I've ever read - and it is chillingly, fabulously believable...
both as a legitimate (if Lecterian) device and as a catalyst for real emotional and mental progress for Clarice.

In showing us the 'human' sides of Hannibal, and giving us alternate antagonists possibly more repellant and truly evil than Lecter himself, Harris not only successfully evokes sympathy for Hannibal
in the reader (which I felt already) but prompts the reader to examine their comfortable assumptions about many things - the nature of evil and the shades of gray that we all live with every day whether we admit it or not - which leads one to look at our endearing but wholly unrealistic picture of ourselves and humanity that makes us expect, and demand, a happy, neat, 'good guy defeats bad guy' Hollywood ending to all our modern fairy tales. (The Brothers Grimm were much more realistic about human nature and evil than we are today - remember how 'brutal and unfair', and terribly non-pc, their tales were?)

People uncomfortable with shades of gray rather than black and white - or those who cannot accept that all of us have dark and light facets to ourselves, or that good people can turn inside out and be a seeming 'opposite' of their former selves will likely be completely thrown and incensed by Clarice's apparent turnabout/defection...yet if one reads SotL closely, with an eye to detail and an appreciation of subtlety (which many reared on MTV and infotainment seem to lack) the eventual romance is not only expected but weirdly, deliciously satisfying as well. Through both her own personality and experiences and Lecter's ingenious tutelage, Clarice gradually becomes Hannibal's Lady M and his Mischa...the great loves he has lost. After all, who but Hannibal can understand, and therefore fully appreciate Clarice? And who but Clarice could unflinchingly see and appreciate the 'whole' Hannibal?

The are, in short, perfect for each other.

Average customer rating:

The Best breakout Novel!
Yo Money,My Money, Give Me Some Of That Dirty Money
good
Dirty Dirty Dirty
Nice

Dirty Money
Ashley JaQuavis
Manufacturer: Urban Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1893196364

Book Description

The Girls Are Taking Over The Game!!!

Dirty Money is an urban tale of sex, money, murder, and mayhem and shows the pros and cons of the game. Anari is the epitome of a good girl turned bad after her world is brutally destroyed. Consumed with her desire for revenge, she, along with her best friend Monica, enter a life of drugs, fast money, and betrayal only to adapt the lifestyle that pushed them in the game in the first place. Hiding their true identities, the pair quickly rises to the top of New Jersey's dope game. Using everyone who crosses their paths, nothing, not betrayal or addiction will stop them from dispensing their street justice.

Dirty Money is a page-turner that will leave readers in awe. The realistic drama that lingers on every page will have readers at their wit's end trying to anticipate the final outcome. Never underestimate the power of the girls...They are definately taking over the game!

Customer Reviews:

The Best breakout Novel!.......2007-10-09

Anari Simpson is an innocent girl left to survive on her own. Her boyfriend Maurice a hustler was shot and killed outside their house. Anari was left with only her son and herself to take care of. After two years, Anari finally begins to move on. On her road to independence she meets Von and Shawna aka Tiffany. Von and Anari become close and soon began dating. Shawna gains a close friendship with Anari but is harboring secrets that will rock your brain. Drama and tragedy are never far behind. Something tragic happens that causes Anari to begin living a double life.
I thought that this book was very well written and I could not believe that it was written by two people. Ashley and Jaquavis has great chemistry and produced an excellent break out novel. I am intrigued and ready to read anyhing else by them

Five star reviewed by Mskiki425 of Real Divas of Literature

Yo Money,My Money, Give Me Some Of That Dirty Money.......2007-10-05

When I first picked up this book, I thought at first I was not going to be able to get into this book, but come to find out the power duo team Ashley&Jaquavis have a different style of writing. Yes, this book was real good, and I'm sorry it took me this long to read it. I love how it started and ended, sometimes we all don't believe in fairy tales. I'm now going to read all of their next reads, Hey it's the Dirty Money baby that did it, and u better believe it.

good.......2007-10-04

This was a really good book, i finished it in 3 hours, even though i hate sad books this was overall up there for the top books i've read.

Dirty Dirty Dirty.......2007-09-15

Ashley & JaQuavis are on top of their game. Non stop actions...all characters were well developed. If you want a hot page turner...this is for you.

Keep up the great work AJ
Much Love,
Tbaby

Nice.......2007-07-30

This book is definitely a page turner. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because I didn't like the ending. I wanted the good guys to win. I hope there is a sequel.

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
Great Read!!!
Good, but not as good as the Monster Snow Goons!
"Give me liberty or give me death, Zogwarg Queen!"
Watterson, the man, the myth, the legend in his own time

The Revenge of the Baby-Sat
Bill Watterson
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0836218663

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

There would be millions of young boys out there that would love to invite Calvin over when those oh so annoying parents inflicted one of those evil girl babysitters on them. There are quite a few other storylines involved in this book, but that strip is definitely worth of the title billing in the publication.

Great Read!!!.......2007-04-12

Bill Watterson is a genious. There's no other way to put it. Calvin and Hobbes is one of the Great Comic Strips of our times and this collected edition is an incredible read. Highest possible recommendation.

Good, but not as good as the Monster Snow Goons!.......2006-01-20

This book is a collection of short comic stories about a 6-year old boy named Calvin and his "invisible" friend Hobbes. Hobbes is Calvin's stuffed-animal toy tiger that is real to Calvin and only Calvin can hear Hobbes talk. Rosalyn is Calvin's babysitter and he almost "hates" her.

Calvin spends time with his babysitter because he is simply too much for his parents to handle and they need an occasional break like going out to dinner together. So they hire Rosalyn, a teenager, to sit Calvin. Rosalyn is paid well, so she agrees to babysit the little "twerp" but she regularly is asking for a pay rise.

The conflicts between Calvin and his sitter Rosalyn are the source for the many great comic interactions. For example, when Calvin learns that Rosalyn wants to study for an important school exam, he tells Hobbes - "Tonight Hobbes! The Revenge of the Babysats! Thus begin the hilarious antics that everyone from ages 8 and up will love to read about.

"Give me liberty or give me death, Zogwarg Queen!".......2003-12-11

No matter how many times I read them, I can never get tired of Calvin and Hobbes. They're funny, creative, and are always getting into some sort of hijinx that could just about get them grounded for life. "The Revenge of the Baby-Sat" offers such adventures as that in a funny and entertaining way.

Calvin is always getting into trouble. Him and his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, are always faced with obstacles; from Calvin's parents to his teacher. One of the main obstacles he faces in this book is a deranged baby-sitter (or at least, that's how he sees her). But hey, no problem! Calvin and Hobbes have a plan to get back at the baby-sitter once and for all!

Other adventures in the book can be found, such as:

*Calvin tries to play hooky*
*Calvin's picture session with his father*
*The Beanie Epic*
*Calvin forgets his "bug project"*
*Calvin's house gets broken into*
*"The Pushing of the Car Down the Drive" incident*
*Calvin cleans his room*
and many more!

"The Revenge of the Baby-Sat" is127 pages of Calvin and Hobbes hilarity. Bill Watterson never ceases to amaze me with his witty creativity and well-executed humor. This is something that can be enjoyed by kids, as well as adults. This is an outstanding collection of Calvin and Hobbes comic strips that should be checked out by anybody who's a fan of the comic strip (or anybody who loves to laugh). A five-star collection that continues to entertain me without missing a single beat.

Watterson, the man, the myth, the legend in his own time.......2002-08-23

It is my feeling that Bill Watterson had enough integrity and ethics to prevent the syndicate from cranking out endless meaninglessly repetitive compilations. Of course, he did quit partly because he was becoming disgusted with many of the commercial aspects of his work. With most comics, even good ones, the collections get stale after a few. Watterson's collections dont. There are a dozen or so C&H compilations/collections, but you wont be dissapointed with owning the whole shebang, especially since Watterson frequently did a lot of extra work to ensure that each collection had something new to offer. Even without this extra stuff, Watterson's body of work is extensive enought to warrant owning all these collections. He was steadily cranking out great material for a decade or so, and if you are like me you will be reading some C&H weekly for as long as you are on this earth, so tons of books is not a bad thing. Basically, I wholeheartedly reccomend all the books. If you like one you will like them all. They only get better as you get to know the characters. Watterson never goes for the cheap laugh by having any of the comic's principals act out of character. As you progress through the years with C&H, and I do reccomend reading them in order, you will see how art progresses and grows when the artist is committed to excellent work. So, go get the first one, titled simply Calvin & Hobbes, and then start down the enjoyable road to making Calvin and his tiger a pleasant little chunk of your life. (Yes, i have repeated this review for every C&H book I own, wich is all of them, so get used to seeing all this anytime you look one of them up)

Average customer rating:

Ridiculously Funny
Laughin'...
Cruisin' On Desperation!
"Unbelievably witty...truly an entertaining read filled with interesting characters."
Hilarity on the high seas!

Cruisin' On Desperation
Pat G'Orge-Walker
Manufacturer: Kensington
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0758218869

Book Description

In this sidesplitting send-up of church life, a hilarious cast of God-fearing, husband-hungry parishioners embark on a mission that's sure to give new meaning to the term man hunter...

The members of the Oh-Lawd-Why-Am-I-Still-Single church group have gathered to complain about the slim pickings in their little town of Pelzer, South Carolina. They're determined to revamp their man-chasing tactics. And newcomer Birdie Tweet, the only Caucasian member of the group, may offer just the opportunity they're looking for...

At forty-two and nearly six feet tall, Birdie's love life has been as unpromising as the other women's until a recent phone call from a man she met two years before. Honey-colored and debonair, Lyon Lipps is an irresistible Afro-Latino hunk. Unbeknownst to Birdie, he's also a con artist who has seduced women of all ages, races, shapes, and sizes. Now he's found Jesus and wants to reconnect with good Sister Tweet.

But when Birdie passes around Lyon's photo, which is actually his mug shot, several in the group recognize him. Even their sorriest wallflower, Sister Petunia, has been blessed--and cursed--with his attentions. With each tale, Birdie's hopes for romance die, and her anger is resurrected...

The ladies devise a way to get payback from Lyon Lipps while improving their chances of meeting men at the same time. They're going cruising aboard the aptly named ship, Desperation of the Seas. And they're planning to trick Lyon into sailing along with them by making him the lucky "winner" of a free ticket.

Soon, they're sailing the high seas, riding a wave of bickering, betrayal, and unholy behavior, with plenty of laughs--and a few genuine revelations--along the way...

Customer Reviews:

Ridiculously Funny.......2007-10-08

This novel was cute although I admit that I didn't get all of the punchlines, it still made me smile. I just wish instead of an epilogue, we could read about the drama playing itself all the way out. The book reminded me of an old storytellers yarn that keeps you listening and laughing all while the moral points are driven home. This would probably make a really cute movie.

Laughin'..........2007-09-21

The Church: Aint Nobody Right But Us

The Group: Oh Lawd Why Am I Still Single

The Members: Needy aka Sister Need Sum, Birdie aka the only white member, Cill, Petunia, Mother Blister

The Plan: Payback on Lyon Lipps for his womanizing ways

When a series of unsuspecting church sisters get married during the summer of 2005, the women of the "Oh Lawd Why Am I Still Single" church group are up in arms! They just don't understand why the Lord seems to have found a mate for every woman in Pelzer, SC but them. When one of their former members gets hitched it's just too much for the women to bear. With just under one month left before the end of the season, they each vow to get a man. When new member Birdie, the wealthy and only white member of the group, shows the women a photo of the handsome man she was going to be hooking up with - things kick into high gear. Not only do they recognize him - they were his victims once upon a time and seek revenge. What better way to enact that revenge than on a ship where the only means of escape from these determined sisters would be to jump overboard! Their plans to find mates are put on the backburner as pay back for Lionel is priority. Retribution is even that much sweeter when gullible Birdie agrees to foot the bill.

So begins the drama and gut-busting humor of this original tale by Pat G'orge-Walker. The characters are like none I have read of before, the dialogue nothing short of hilarious, and the scenarios are just too funny for words. Two characters in particular (Mother Blister and Mother Pray On) peaked my interest. The antics those two carried on with had me saying "Oh no she didn't". While comedic the book also carries a spiritual message that was subtle yet crystal clear. Kudos to Pat G'orge-Walker for this exceptional, very recommendable novel.

Englishruler
ARC Book Club Inc.
Star Rating: 5 Stars

Cruisin' On Desperation!.......2007-07-10

This book was funny in it's on way and it had characters with their own issues.

The names of the character had me going! From Need Sum, Ima Hellraiser to Mother Pray Onn! Mother Pray Onn and Mother Blister was the funniest of the characters. They were always fighting over something... two old women with dementia!

Ima Hellraiser was nothing but a mush pot! She really did have a heart but had to put a protective wall up because of being hurt when she was younger!

Cill and Petunia had their own issues together. The description of Petunia's body could have you falling all over your seat! Cill's military experience I feel helped her mask a lot because I don't think she really wanted the world to see who she really was!

The two Lipps men had their own issues - from Lyon being changed and Lionel needing to change his unforgiving ways - even though he was a minister.

Need Sum, was just as her name was Needy! If she didn't have a man she was moody and cranky and mean - which was all the time. And all those hair problems weren't a good thing either!

Birdie - even though it seem like she have a few missing screws helped these people and that really touched me. Even though everything on the ship seemed to be falling apart Birdie stepped up.

I could understand why all these women were still single and still attending these meetings.

Overall the book is a classic! Thanks Ms. G'orge-Walker for writing this book!

Reviewed by: Q.U.E.E.N.S. Book Club of Mississippi ~ President

"Unbelievably witty...truly an entertaining read filled with interesting characters.".......2007-05-30

"Unbelievably witty adequately depicts Crusin' On Desperation by Pat G'Orge-Walker. This hillarious story will have readers laughing at these characters who are each unique in their very own way."

"Four members of the Oh Lawd Why Am I Still Single church group embark on a cruise aboard the "Desperation of the Seas" seeking revenge on a man that they feel has betrayed them."

"Will they get the revenge they seek or have these four women bitten off more than they can chew. This is truly an entertaining read filled with interesting characters that just might remind the reader of someone they know."

Hilarity on the high seas! .......2007-05-12

Pat G'Orge-Walker is back! The latest book featuring the antics of Ain't Nobody Right But Us - All Others Going To Hell Church by this illustrious author, is yet another offering that proves that her talent for imagery is just as good as it's always been. You may remember her from the tales told emanating from her Sister Betty series of books. If you thought they were hilarious then, wait until you've met with the members of the `Oh-Lawd-Why-Am-I-Still-Single' church group on the current outing! The author in her new book, Cruisin' On Desperation, curtails their antics rather succinctly. Now, this is no ordinary group of ecclesiastical church abiding members. In my opinion, the one thing that stands out while reading this book is the characterization, and how the different settings mesh with a less than embellished storyline.

As a matter of fact, the latter is not indicative of how I rated the book...rather it's the way she allows each character to be the star of their own Diaspora while still managing to be a bridge to each other, which makes the difference. To this effect, the author does an outstanding job of allowing the characters to shine in lieu of a traditional storyline where plot, back-story, and setting are usually apropos. Each of them is aptly introduced, and the author did a good job of putting me in position to wonder which character I like best. Just when I thought one would win out, another would do something that would cause me to want to gain favor. I found out that no one character is solitary for my vote - they ALL win! But let me share with you a few of these characters in name only. You'll have to read the book to get the low down! Check out Sister Need Sum, twins Lyon and Lionel Lipps, Bea Blister, Slim Pickens, Ima Hellraiser, Birdie Tweet, Sasha Pray Onn...and then there's Southside Annie, Two Ton Sally, Patty Cake, et al.

Individually and collectively they their stories are magnified against irony's best adaptations. All of them are well past the age of maintaining and adhering to the amorous ways of love, you'd think. But this bunch gives new meaning to things least expected, with each of them drawn together for the sake of fellowship that goes the wrong way. The first few chapters center on their usual meeting place to haggle and complain about the slim pickings in the little town of Pelzer, South Carolina. Do they have any legitimate reason to cast aspersions? Should they be afforded a man like everybody else? "You betcha!" they say in unison. To wit: When newcomer Birdie Tweet's new beau, Lyon Lipps, proves to be more than what is seen on the surface all hell breaks loose. A con artist extraordinaire, he seduces every member of their group...and the girls are chomping at the bit for revenge! If payback is exacting, this illustrious group gives it new meaning. What do they do? The girls decide to go on a cruise, and this sets the stage for the title of the book to bring justice to what revenge is to be for these feisty ladies. They use all of their wily skills to coerce Lyon into going too. No easy task, but as a last resort they then decide to enlist the help of Pelzer's most alluring --and vindictive young woman, Ima Hellraiser, and the rest is pure chaos and hilarity. Blasphemous things can happen on the high seas on a cruise, this one takes the cake. No strangers to disorderly conduct, the group is in high gear causing scenes, betraying one another, amid adjusting halos gone awry. With plenty of laughs and a few revelations along the way, the girls are on a mission - doing it their way!

If this were your initial introduction to Sister Betty and her raucous crew, you would truly be missing more of what this group is about as I suggest aligning yourself with past offerings. I love this book, and of course anxiously await any and all of what Pat G'Orge Walker produces in this line. I rated the book 5 stars out 5 and recommend it for anyone needing a laugh or two while reading a real page-turner.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful read.
Oh ho, the sweet poison!
Delicious Novel
'Bella ' 'Donna
Deliciously decadent, an arsenic chocolate of a book

Belladonna: A Novel of Revenge
Karen Moline
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0446523186

Book Description

Pretty poison is her cry
Belladonna watch you die

Dark, enticing, and as deliciously decadent as Europe's fading upper classes shortly before and after World War II, Belladonna is an intoxicating tale of betrayal and revenge...

Midwesterner Isabella Ariel Nickerson is just eighteen, visiting London with her cousin June, when she is invited to what she thinks will be the most fabulous costume party. The year is 1935, and Isabella, innocent, spirited, and trusting, is about to be taken from the world she knows and subjected to the whims of a cabal of wealthy aristocrats who answer to no laws but their own. But, looking forward to her party and utterly inexperienced in life, Isabella does not know how far men will go to satisfy desire. Or how far a woman must go to redeem her soul...

Instead of dancing at a masked ball, Isabella will become the sacrificial lamb in a ritual of domination and submission known only to the noblemen who call themselves the members of the Club. Robbed of her freedom, identity, and dignity, the girl known as Isabella slowly disappears. In her place, a new woman is born. She calls herself Belladonna, and she lives for one purpose--revenge.

Now, after an odyssey of escape, flight, and transformation, the bejeweled and utterly mysterious Belladonna will appear in swank 1950's Manhattan to create a spectacular nightclub. Always masked, as those who tormented her were, Belladonna will captivate both imaginations and hearts. No one outside her circle of loyal retainers guesses her true aim for becoming the toast of high society: She is waiting like a deadly spider for a member of the Club to walk into her web. And when he does, her exquisite plan for vengeance can finally begin...

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful read........2007-07-20

I just finished reading this book this morning and I absolutely loved it. It's exciting, amusing, heartrending, and erotic. It amazes me...that I still want more. I don't know what I want...I just know that I want it. I don't want to let go of the characters yet, the locations, none of it.

I was thorougly surprised by the ending. It left me near tears and reminiscing about a past that never happened. I'm happy I read it but sad that it's over with.

Oh ho, the sweet poison!.......2006-01-31

I've read Belladonna several times. I love getting lost in the descriptive writing. Karen Moline is wonderful with adjectives... she gives you the tools to concoct some brilliant mental pictures to go along with the story.

All of the characters in Belladonna are absolutely unique and positively fascinating. The story itself keeps me reading it time and time again, but my absolute favorite parts are the ones that take place in Belladonna's club.

It is truly a good read. I highly recommend it.

Delicious Novel.......2004-02-05

Isabella Ariel Nickerson is kidnapped and auctioned for 1 million pounds in 1930s England. She finds herself the unwilling play thing of a club of men who get their kicks out of forcing sexual tortures on women. Isabella is actually purchased by a man she knows only as "His Lordship", a man she will dedicate the rest of her life to finding and destroying once she escapes her hell.

The story is narrated by a man named Tomasino, one of the few men that Belladonna truly trusts (along with his twin Matteo). They were castrated in the war, and therefore, Belladonna doesn't see them as a threat. Belladonna finds herself the heir of a large fortune, and she dedicates her money and time to Club Belladonna, a popular club, where she hopes to lure one of the members into her club. One member is all it will take to find the rest.

I went into this expecting that I wouldn't like it, and honestly, the very beginning, the chapter before the actual story of Belladonna begins, was quite dull. It had that same rambling, verbose, tedious style as Middlesex did in the beginning, which sort of throws me off for a second because I like to get immediately sucked into a book. After that first chapter though, I was thorougly engrossed with Belladonna's story.

Tomasino is a witty narrator. He loves to talk. He loves to gloat. He loves to be right. Honestly, I'm glad he was the one telling the story. It gives it a flair that I think would be missing if Belladonna, or even his brother Matteo, told the story. Belladonna's diary is also scattered throughout the book; the diary she kept while she was imprisoned. The diary format was an interesting one as well, as it was written in third person rather than first.

I think the concept of revenge appealed to me, as it would many people. How many people get the chance to get their revenge against someone who wrongs them? Many of us have wanted to, but we've never had the satisfaction of doing so. Sure, Belladonna's methods seem a little out there, but wouldn't we all go to great lengths, if we could, to get payback? You can't help but root for Belladonna.

So, while this book seems a little extreme, it is a good novel. I wasn't too satisfied with the ending. It seemed a little rushed, a real let down to the climatic events that were taking place before it. Still well worth the read.

'Bella ' 'Donna.......2003-04-29

I really had to struggle with a rating for this one, the first three quarters are just so deliciously trashy and then everything suddenly falls apart. The problem is the setup is so motivating and the story so much fun to read you can't help but be let down by the cop out of an ending.

Belladonna's imprisonment- despite its indiscreet lifting of ideas from 'The Story of O'- escape, and years in Italy are fine and dandy, but things really heat up when she relocates her 'family' to New York. The club, where status means nothing and the rich seem oblivious to the fact that they are being mocked, sizzles with subterfuge and random acts of revenge. Though I could have done without Bella's torment of her cousin, who hadn't really done anything consciously wrong all those years ago when Bella wound up a sex slave.

When Bella picks up and moves down South, that's your cue to put down the book. The wrap up doesn't live up to its promise in any way shape or form. The pieces just come together so badly and with much predictable, silly coincedence involved. I wanted a slam bang 'vengeance from the heavens' sort of end, but I would have been able to accept one where Bella never finds the answers she so desperately seeks nor the man who inflicted so much torture on her. Life seldom leads to perfect, tied-with-a-bow finishes and it would have been better to have no closure then the ridiculous and disappointing one with which we are presented.

A solid three and half star read, perfect for just about any situation.

Deliciously decadent, an arsenic chocolate of a book.......2003-02-18

Like a Jackie Collins novel on acid, this baroque drag queen fantasy run amok will amuse any former reader of romance. Just when you think the plot could not possibly get any more ridiculous, it does, with delightful results. There is a dark theme, but the book is so over-the-top that it is impossible to take seriously. It reads as high camp. The perfect, by-the-pool page turner. As soon as I finished reading it, I bought a dozen copies to give to my friends. I have yet to hear a bad review from them. This book has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, but it's so much fun you won't care. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Graphic SF Reader
Genius.
The intrigue deepens
It's all downhill from here...

100 Bullets Vol. 9: Strychnine Lives
Brian Azzarello
Manufacturer: Vertigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1401209289

Book Description

In the ninth collection of the Eisner Award-winning series, the mysterious Agent Graves offers 100 bullets and immunity to everyday people to carry out their innermost desires of vengeance. More pieces of the mystery of the Minutemen and the organization that created them start to come together.With the Houses of the Trust warily circling one another, the remaining Minutemen continue to pick their sides and set their own battle plans.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Anyone want to be a crimelord? 100 Bullets may well give you second thoughts. And third thoughts. Lots of money, lots of power, lots of girls/boys/booze/cars or whatever other things you might like. Also, lots of stress, heartache, and lots of loss of integrity of the physical being via the murderous actions of others.

Genius........2007-01-26

Brian Azzarello, 100 Bullets: Strychnine Lives (Vertigo, 2006)

It took seven and a half months from the time I put this on hold at the library until the time it showed up in my hot little hands. Seven and a half months of waiting after the best volume in the ever-improving series. Seven and a half months of wondering where Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso (and why, in nine introductions, has no one yet commented on the fact that Eduardo Risso is Frank Miller's spiritual heir?) were going to take this story.

Was it worth it? You betcha.

Lono, since Azzarello started developing his character, has always seemed to me to be the series' most intriguing guy. And in Strychnine Lives-- a book that marks that place in most series where all the political machinations and stuff have to happen, where the action fades into the background as everyone realigns for the final charge to the big battle that ends it all(TM)-- Azzarello gives us an in-depth look at Lono, who's at least a peripheral character in every tale here, and the central character in a couple. And we get to know Lono better than we ever have before. Oh, yeah, sure, there are developments in the larger story arc, as some previously disparate entities cement their alliances and a few characters we haven't seen for a while (remember Branch?) come back into play, but let's call a spade a spade-- this is a book about Lono.

Manuel Ramos, in his introduction, muses on the seeming disparity between Lono's unrepentantly violent nature and his ability to discourse on forgiveness. I don't see it as a disparity, per se; in fact, it's seemed to me since the third of fourth book that one of Azzarello's goals in creating and fleshing out the character of Lono is to give the reader something meatier than the stereotypical strongman with a heart of gold (and a head of lead). It could be argued, in fact, that Lono is the textbook sociopath, the kind who'd be stereotypical if crime writers and journalists actually read psychology textbooks and the DSM as part of their research.

Contrast him with the book's other main characters, old-timer Augustus and newcomer Spain. Spain is the psychotic, a diametric opposite of the sociopath, driven by impulse as opposed to the sociopath's cold, calculating split-second analysis of every situation. Spain's role here (aside from, given the voice-over dialogue between Lono and Augustus in Spain's crucial scene, setting something up a few books down the line-- another thing Ramos highlights about this series in his intro) is to provide a direct foil for Lono, even though the two never come into direct contact. They're both scary guys. Though we are never sure at any point that either is an out-and-out villain in this series that lacks anything even remotely resembling an actual hero, both of them are pretty low on the number line of deeds performed for the good of various and sundry. But contrasting Lono and Spain in the way he does shows us in no uncertain terms that Brian Azzarello has done a whole lot of thought on the nature of evil, and how much of "the nature of evil" is a situational, rather than a gestational, beast (one would not be at all surprised to find that Azzarello had just read Ian Brady's The Gates of Janus before conceiving this particular story arc, actually, as Lono and Spain could very easily be looked at as archetypes of Brady's dissection of the two types of serial killer).

Then there is Augustus, who would seem at first to sit in opposition to both Lono and Spain, when in fact that's an illusion; he's the same species of sociopath as is Lono. I think (with all due respect) this is the filter through which Ramos misreads the forgiveness dialogue; it's not Lono trying to convince Augustus to do something that goes contrary to Augustus' nature, it's Lono showing Augustus that what Augustus already knows in his gut is correct is, in fact, the way to go about solving a problem in front of him. In another world, Lono and Augustus would be friends, as much as sociopaths can be friends, instead of temporary allies united against (what we currently believe is) a common enemy (but 100 Bullets contains more twists and turns in the arena of who's on whose side than in any other aspect of its labyrinthine story). However, this is the unrepentantly noir world of Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso, where no one has friends. What they do have is a wonderful sense of self-awareness uncommon in both the world of the superhero comic and the world of noir. This is one of the things (one, mind you, along with everything mentioned above and more) that makes 100 Bullets such an astonishing, satisfying series, and one that truly improves with every issue. **** ½

The intrigue deepens.......2006-08-25

Honestly, if you haven't read any of the 100 Bullets story before, don't even think about beginning here. It's just not accessible at this point, but it's well-worth picking up the first couple of trades and going from there. At this point, the series is a gigantic chessboard with pieces gradually being moved into their final positions, as the end of the series begins to come into sight. As the newly appointed warlord of the Trust, Lono really dominates the issues collected here. If you haven't read the last few story arcs recently, you might want to go over them again as a refresher before starting this volume. It's complex, no doubt, but all the more rewarding for it. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this series is that it makes you actually use your brain when reading it; not everything is spoon-fed to you. Basically, if you're already a fan of this series, you probably have this book. If you're interested in picking it up, this isn't the place to start. head on over to the listing for "First Shot, Last Call," and dive in.

It's all downhill from here..........2006-08-02

It appears that Brian Azzarello has gotten bored with 100 Bullets. What once was a perfectly written tale of morality among the most immoral people on earth has turned into a bunch of rich people talking to each other. The series has gone from focusing on Agent Graves and the Minutemen to a group of families called "The Trust". They all hate each other, and they sure love to talk about it.

Now, dialogue-driven comics aren't inherently bad, but you have to care about the characters who are talking. With The Trust, you constantly wonder to yourself "why do I even care what these people are talking about?". It's unclear what The Trust does exactly, but it appears that they're some sort of organization that pulls all the strings for everything. The problem is, Azarrello doesn't use this to his advantage.

The series is just looking like an old dog on its last legs. Hopefully, in the next few books, Azarello can inject some life into the book and make it fun again. It's obvious that Azarello is getting lazy with the title and he is probably focusing on his acclaimed series "Loveless", but maybe he can revisit the world of 100 Bullets and give us another story we'll never forget

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