Part 1
Here’s a quick list cop out, the entry equivalent of a Buzzfeed listicle, though I’ll limit myself to a one sentence reaction to each of the following:
Books I’ve Listened To Recently165.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Tell you what: didn’t care for it, though I can see all the ways it went right and all the things that it did that were more interesting – in terms of rhetoric and arch literature – than its filmic follow-ups, but for all of Blade Runner’s faults – and I believe that there are many – it makes a much more entertaining story.
Slaughterhouse Five
This was wonderful, and the performance by Ethan Hawke endeared him to me as nearly every performance of his that I’ve encountered as an adult has done, despite my youthful distaste for his bland handsomeness.
Breakfast of Champions
Though this turn of Vonnegut’s was fine-to-pretty-good, the performance by John Malkovich, which was obligated to grind to a halt so he could describe the author’s illustrations, was sublime.
God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian
I redeemed the real tragedy of this book – finding out that it was based on WNYC audio reports performed by the author only after I’d listened to the entirety of this short story collection read by someone else – by listening to a selection read by Vonnegut, including the story of Hitler asking for forgettable forgiveness, at the end of which he could hardly suppress an infectious laugh.
Altered Carbon
It was fine; another victim of great ideas executed better than average, though Britishisms snuck into the American characters’ mouths more often than I’d approve of.
Stamped from the Beginning…
An indispensable tool in combating racism – understanding its foundations.
So You Want To Talk About Race
A more careful crafting of the arguments I’ve been trying to make in recent days.
Lincoln in the Bardo
What the hell did I just listen to, up to – and including – Bradley Whitford playing one of the most heinous racists I’ve encountered in fiction.
165I believe I’ve listened to all these this year, but I can’t be sure, so even though I’m only accountable to myself, I’ll not nail myself to any time frame.
Part 2
Hyperion
Canterbury Tales in space. I can dig it. It’s just the kind of wacky start that I will give a chance out of respect. And then add on top of that that it’s almost immaculately written in a masterful diversity of styles, and I’m a fan for life.
The Fall of Hyperion
Less well conceived, because of course it had to be. It couldn’t be the exact same thing again. But without the closure168 provided by this book, I don’t think I could’ve been satisfied with the first book alone.
Dragonwatch
Revisiting these characters I’d cherished years ago makes me wonder how typical-of-an-adult-writing-children the characters seemed in the original Fablehaven, though I don’t have nearly enough time to revisit those anytime soon.
Dragonwatch: Wrath of the Dragon King
The author’s skill as a dungeon master – coming up with puzzles and a dozen ways to break the lock instead of finding the key – is par excellence. But that does lead to an excruciating conversation between too many characters exploring every contingency every time a challenge is presented.
Dragonwatch: Master of the Phantom Isle
Here was a rare instance for Brandon Mull to yoke his characters with long-lasting, severe consequences for their actions, and he took it, and it makes everything so much more interesting. My complete congratulations.
Wonder Woman: Warbringer
(See this full review.)
His Dark Materials
I’d worried – since it’s been my favorite book / series since middle school – that I’d over-hyped it in my memory. But seeing the ways that Pullman uses arch or childish-seeming dialogue and description to turn this into a fairy tale is so, so inspired. No, brilliant. I’ve got to give him credit. He figured out a formula, and it worked. It works. It might be perfect.
The Disaster Artist
Even better than the movie. And I’d actually recommend this version over the book, because Greg Sestero does Tommy Wiseau impressions throughout. And they’re devastating. In the best ways.
168BIG asterisk on that one, because the literal deus ex machina169 have a more satisfying arc than some of the main characters.
169A couple of them, actually.
Alex Diamond 