aaronj21's Reviews (912)

Like Dr. Strangelove with dinosaurs and ants, what more could you want?

A bit dry and repetitive in places, the author sometimes appeared over fond of long lists, this book is nevertheless a good introduction into the topic of the science and mechanism of the Chicxulub impact event and its place in the history of life on earth.

The fact that Chuck Tingle, an enigmatic author who’s been known chiefly an internet meme for years, wrote a “serious” book is surprising. That this book was deftly written, that the story was compelling, the characters relatable, the horror and the heart both present in spades, is nothing short of shocking.

A horror story based on a fundamentalist gay conversion camp is something of a niche genre at this point. I can specifically think of at least three other titles that cover largely this same theme. And no wonder, so called “conversion therapy” is more terrifying than anything to be found in the pages of a Stephen King or Clive Barker novel. But Camp Damascus may do it better than any other book I’ve read. Without veering into spoiler territory, Mr. Tingle, whoever he really is, has a keen sense for what makes conversion therapy, and religious fundamentalism in general, scary. He uses this insight, and flowing prose to spin a very fine yarn from beginning to end.

This book grabbed me from the first scene and propelled me on to finish it as fast as I could. I was intrigued, I was scared, I was entertained, and I may have teared up once or twice. I would encourage anyone who likes horror fiction, or just simply good storytelling to pick up this title.

This was a charmingly melodramatic read, it certainly helps that anything written in Hardy’s descriptive, clever style becomes very entertaining. Having read three books by this author so far I get the impression that he thinks human misery is the most interesting topic for fiction, he seems to hate his characters as much as he loves the English countryside.

An informative read, I wish the authors had spent a bit more time on the development of chocolate from the 1900's onward, but that's my only complaint.

Cold, Black, & Infinite was a terrifying, mesmerizing assortment bite sized terrors without a single dud in the line up.

Short story collections, especially in the horror genre, are something of a favorite of mine at this point, I've read several such collections but this one had a little something extra that set it apart. I was continually impressed with just how good these stories were; the ideas were extremely clever, the execution was adept, and the writing style was equal parts evocative and chilling. Usually in short story collections I'll find there are one or two tales I don't really connect with or flat out don't like. However, this was not the case here. Sure, I had favorites, (Y2K, The Happytown Yuletide Massacre, and Annie's Heart is a Haunted House) but every single story was a pleasure to read, a twisted, chilling little tale to enjoy, oozing with style and atmosphere. This book reminded me of being a kid and coming across my first Goosebumps, or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark in the school library, each story was that good and that frightening.

I'd recommend this to just about anyone who likes horror fiction or short stories, it's an exemplary model of both. There are some pretty heavy topics and themes however, but the author has kindly added a list of content warnings in the back of the book for readers who may want to use it.

This book lived up to its humorous title and presented a master class in the exploration of queer themes and storylines in the American sitcom industry over the past four decades.

For those unaware, Matt Baume is writer and video essayist, his videos delving into the intersection between queer identity and popular culture have garnered a respectable following due in large part to his ability to adeptly balance in depth research with humorous presentation. And those were on full display in this book, it was witty, insightful, and well researched with enough behind the scenes detail to really sink your teeth into. The story of queer representation in media, as Baume relates, is a story of ups and downs, achievements and setbacks, overall a far more realistic and interesting history than a simplified gradual upward trajectory. Baume also expertly draws connections between these shows and the real life legal and cultural struggles LGBTQ Americans faced while they were on the air, demonstrating the interplay between media and real life events. The main thesis of the book, and one the author proves in my opinion, is that media does have real world effects; the way minority groups are represented (or not) on television does in fact matter a great deal.

Entertaining writing, a clear eyed grasp of the issues, and a meticulous attention to detail are the bedrock of this sweeping narrative history; it’s a must read for any fan of the sitcom genre or anyone interested in the history of queer representation in media.

This book was a tricky one for me. I have this personal hang up about novels, I lose interest and become annoyed when the characters are just too unique, quirky, eccentric, and twee. Due to this preference I couldn’t get farther than 25% of the way through The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel. When every single character is a Russian speaking golden boy, a three-foot-tall vegetarian named Elohim, or a small town lawyer named Autopsy Bliss who puts an ad in the newspaper addressed to Satan, it’s hard for me to care about. It turns characters I’m supposed to connect with in some way into cartoons.

I was bit worried A.J. Fikry was going to veer into that territory. In the end it did not, not for me personally, but it did tap dance right on the edge of that line (Madame Olenska, looking at you). While the characters and setting were somewhat unbelievable, it ultimately didn’t spoil the story for me the way some other novels have done.

The most enjoyable parts of the book were seeing the world through A.J. Fikry’s grouchy, sardonic, well read, eyes. It was also a pleasure to watch this grumbling bookseller who judges people exclusively based on their reading tastes open up again and embrace the world. The passages about his illness and death were just heartbreaking and extremely well done. Overall this was a pleasant, twisty little story about the power and beauty of books and reading.

I’ve never read an Asimov novel before (only short stories) and I was a little intimidated by this grandfather of the science fiction genre, having heard his work was idea focused and somewhat dry. This initial novel mostly bears that description out, however it was also gripping and addicting reading. The chapters, which are short, function just like Pringles or popcorn, you sit down to have a handful or two and after a while find you’ve emptied the bowl. Asimov does seem most interested in his ideas and his sweeping narratives, his characters tend to be a bit static and one dimensional, his prose fairly Spartan and matter of fact, but this is no impediment as the ideas and narrative really do excel and shine.