Dune: House Atreides by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

(pb; 1999: first novel in the Prelude to Dune trilogy)

From the back cover

“Frank Herbert’s award-winning Dune chronicles captured the imagination of millions of readers worldwide. By his death in 1986, Herbert had completed six novels in the series, but much of his vision remained unwritten. Now, working from his father’s recently discovered files, Brian Herbert and bestselling novelist Kevin J. Anderson collaborate on a new novel, the prelude to Dune ─ where we stop onto planet Arrakis. . . decades before Dune’s hero, Paul Muad’Dib Atreides, walks its sands.

“Here is the rich and complex world that Frank Herbert created, in the time leading up to the momentous events of Dune. As Emperor Elrood’s son plots a subtle regicide, young Leto Atreides leaves for a year’s education on the mechanized world of Ix; a planetologist named Pardot Kynes seeks the secrets of Arrakis; and the eight-year-old slave Duncan Idaho is hunted by his cruel masters in a terrifying game from which he vows escape and vengeance. But none can envision the fate in store for them: one that will make them renegades ─ and shapers of history.”

Review

Atreides is a gripping-from-the-get-go, excellent book that fully captures the spirit, pacing, intrigue and tone of Frank Herbert’s original Dune series. It shows many of the characters from the original novel, Dune, when they are young and less developed: Leto Atreides, Shaddam Corrino, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and others. If you are a fan of the original series, there is a good chance you might enjoy Atreides. Followed by Dune: House Harkonnen.

Short Eyes by Miguel Piñero

(pb; 1974: play)

From the back cover

"This powerful drama of prison life is set in a house of detention where a group of young convicts-predominantly black and Puerto Rican-taunt, fight, insult, and entertain one another in an attempt to preserve their sanity and to create a semblance of community. When a young white prisoner accused of child molesting is thrown into the cell block by a guard who says he belongs in Sing Sing because "the men up there konw what to do with degenerates like you," the stage is set for an explosive series of events; for, among prisoners, this child molester called "short eyes" is the lowest of criminals."

Review

Short Eyes is a stark, word-efficient and societally- and racially-charged fast- and brief-read work with an effective twist at its finish. Its characters’ personalities and motivations are skillfully sketched out, with hinted-at depths that further explain their actions. It is a great, sometimes disturbing play.

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The resulting film was released stateside on September 30, 1977. It received a limited release. Robert M. Young directed it. Miguel Pinero is listed as its unofficial screenwriter.

José Pérez played Juan. Nathan George played Ice. Don Blakely played El Raheem. Tony DiBenedetto played Tony. Shawn Elliott played Paco. Tito Goya played Cupcakes. Joseph Carberry played Longshoe.  

Play author Miguel Piñero played Go-Go. Bruce Davison played Clark Davis. Richard Matamoros played Gomez.

Keith Davis played Mr. Brown. Bob O'Connell played Mr. Allard. Bob Maroff played Mr. Nett. Mark Margolis played Mr. Morrison. 

Luis Guzmán had a role in it, but the name of his character is not listed by IMDb. 

Star Wars: Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster

(pb; 1978)

From the back cover

"Luke Skywalker expected trouble when he volunteered to follow Princess Leia on her mission to the planet Circarpous. But he discovered that hidden on the planet was the Kaiburr crystal, a mysterious gem that would give the one who possessed it such powers over the Force that he would be all but invincible. In the wrong hands, the crystal could be deadly. So Luke had to find this treasure and find it fast."


Review

The first Star Wars spin-off novel, published between films A New Hope (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980), is fun, action-packed and has the science fiction serial feel of its source film. There are minor character and plot inconsistencies with Star Wars sequel ─ it had not that Luke and Leia were siblings, unbeknownst to each other, and, because of that, it was also not known that she had a special connection to the Force (making her a  possible Jedi practitioner). If you can overlook that, this an entertaining and well-written expansion of the franchise, one worth reading.

The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny

(pb; 1978: fifth novelette in The Chronicles of Amber quintology)

From the back cover

"Amber, the one real world of which all others – including our own Earth – are but Shadows...

"For untold millennia, the cosmic Pattern sustained order in Amber and all the known worlds. But now the forces of Chaos have succeeded in disrupting the Pattern, unleashing destructive forces beyond measure... forces meant to reshape the universe.

"To save Amber, Corwin, prince of the blood, champion of the perfect realm, must undertake the most perilous journey of his life. A journey that will take him through all the terrors of Shadows to the enemy's last stronghold. A journey beyond the very edge of existence... to the Courts of Chaos."


Review

Caveat: possible spoilers in this review.

After the revelations of The Hand of Oberon, the Trump card-holding siblings gradually join forces to defeat Brand, their Chaos-loving and Amber-wrecking brother. Keeping with the tone and structure of earlier books, this is a swiftly-plotted, lots-of-dialogue, twisty motives and happenings kind of urban fantasy. Its tone is more genial ─ well, as genial as Corwyn and his brothers and sisters can get ─ and its resolution is satisfying in its personal warmth. This is an excellent read, as are all the Amber books.

Fight Club 2: The Tranquility Gambit by Chuck Palahniuk

(hb; 2015, 2016: graphic novel. Sequel to Fight Club. Publisher: Dark Horse.)

From the back cover

"Some imaginary friends never go away . . .

"Ten years after starting Project Mayhem, he lives a mundane life. A kid, a wife. Pills to keep his destiny at bay. But it won't last long, the wife has seen to that. He's back where he started, but this go-round he's got more at stake than his own life.The time has arrived . . .Rize or Die."


Review

Tranquility is an excellent read, just as incisive, transgressive (albeit in a quieter way) and entertaining as its source novel. The artwork suits the tone of Palahniuk’s distinctive writing. Certain segments and its ending may divide readers with its multipart, meta elements: I found it to be fun, a jab in the face to less self-deprecating and more “serious” works. If you are a Palahniuk fan and/or enjoyed the first novel, you might want to check this out.

The Way Some People Die by Ross MacDonald

(pb; 1951: third book in the Lew Archer series)

From the back cover

"In a rundown house in Santa Monica, Mrs. Samuel Lawrence presses fifty crumpled bills into Lew Archer's hand and asks him to find her wandering daughter, Galatea. Described as ‘crazy for men’ and without discrimination, she was last seen driving off with small-time gangster Joe Tarantine, a hophead hood with a rep for violence. Archer traces the hidden trail from San Francisco slum alleys to the luxury of Palm Springs, traveling through an urban wilderness of drugs and viciousness. As the bodies begin to pile up, he finds that even angel faces can mask the blackest of hearts. Filled with dope, delinquents and murder, this is classic Macdonald and one of his very best in the Lew Archer series."

Review

Way is a superb, cinematic-in-it-descriptions P.I-investigative mystery. Archer, cynical but not heartless, finds himself in a familiar, tightly plotted situation: investigating a cast of mostly sleazy characters with secrets ─ truths that most of them are willing to keep hidden with lies and violence. Its ending, like the cap-lines of the two previous Archer novels, is striking and emotionally-resonant.

If you are looking for a pulp writer who imbues his work with smart, fast-moving storylines, a mix of familiar and fresh pulp elements, and sometimes surprising characters, MacDonald may be a writer for you to seek. Followed by The Ivory Grin.

David Bowie: A Life by Dylan Jones

(hb; 2017: biography)

From the inside flap

"Dylan Jones's engrossing, magisterial biography of David Bowie is unlike any Bowie story ever written. Drawn from over 180 interviews with friends, rivals, lovers, and collaborators, some of whom have never before spoken about their relationship with Bowie, this oral history weaves a hypnotic spell as it unfolds the story of a remarkable rise to stardom and an unparalleled artistic path. Tracing Bowie's life from the English suburbs to London to New York to Los Angeles, Berlin, and beyond, its collective voices describe a man profoundly shaped by his relationship with his schizophrenic half-brother Terry; an intuitive artist who could absorb influences through intense relationships and yet drop people cold when they were no longer of use; and a social creature equally comfortable partying with John Lennon and dining with Frank Sinatra. By turns insightful and deliciously gossipy, DAVID BOWIE is as intimate a portrait as may ever be drawn. It sparks with admiration and grievances, lust and envy, as the speakers bring you into studios and bedrooms they shared with Bowie, and onto stages and film sets, opening corners of his mind and experience that transform our understanding of both artist and art. Including illuminating, never-before-seen material from Bowie himself, drawn from a series of Jones's interviews with him across two decades, DAVID BOWIE is an epic, unforgettable cocktail-party conversation about a man whose enigmatic shapeshifting and irrepressible creativity produced one of the most sprawling, fascinating lives of our time."


Review

This is one of the best collective-voices biographies I have read in a long time, a compilation of detailed and sometimes-wild quotes relating to Bowie’s numerous distinct phases, musical and otherwise. Life runs from Bowie’s childhood and art-focused adolescence to his last days in New York, when he released his final album Blackstar (2016), days before his death. This is an excellent read if you are a Bowie fan.

The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny

(pb; 1976: fourth novelette in The Chronicles of Amber quintology)

From the back cover

"Across the mysterious Black Road, demons swarm into Shadow. The ancient, secret source of the royal family's power is revealed, & an unholy pact between a prince of the realm & the forces of Chaos threaten all the known worlds with absolute obliteration. The hour of battle is at hand. Now Corwin and the remaining princes of Amber must call upon all their superhuman powers to defeat their brother-turned-traitor before he can walk the magical Pattern that created Amber and remake the universe in his own image."


Review

Having glimpsed the Courts of Chaos, Corwin continues sorting through the tangled motives and actions of his royal treacherous siblings and discovering how to defeat the Black Road, a dangerous path of Chaos.  Like its prequels, Oberon has little lag time between it and its prequel, Sign of the Unicorn, features a lot of dialogue, as well as barebones, fast-moving action and occurrences. In short: it keeps with the plot-propellant tone of previous Chronicle novelettes, with enough character-based twists to further make this an above-average fantasy read. Followed by The Courts of Chaos.

Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier by Mark Frost

(hb; 2017: companion read to the Twin Peaks television/cable series. Sequel to The Secret History of Twin Peaks.)

From the back cover

"The return of Twin Peaks this May is one of the most anticipated events in the history of television. The subject of endless speculation, shrouded in mystery, fans will come flocking to see Mark Frost and David Lynch's inimitable vision once again grace the screen. Featuring all the characters we know and love from the first series, as well as a list of high-powered actors in new roles, the show will be endlessly debated, discussed, and dissected.

"While The Secret History of Twin Peaks served to expand the mysteries of the town and place the unexplained phenomena that unfolded there into a vastly layered, wide-ranging history, Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier tells us what happened to key characters in the twenty-five years in between the events of the first series and the second, offering details and insights fans will be clamoring for. The novel also adds context and commentary to the strange and cosmic happenings of the new series. For fans around the world begging for more, Mark Frost's final take laid out in this novel will be required reading."

Review

Dossier is a great companion read to David Lynch and Mark Frost’s three-season television series, Twin Peaks, as well as the 1992 film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. This book, with its cheeky commentary, simultaneously recaps key events in the series while filling in the plot cracks and personal details about its quirky, intriguing characters. If you are a fan of Twin Peaks and enjoy books, there is a good chance that Dossier may provide entertainment, information and a deeper understanding of this distinctive and increasingly abstract series.

The Nightly Disease by Max Booth III

(pb; 2016: Darkfuse edition)

From the back cover

"Sleep is just a myth created by mattress salesmen.

"Isaac, a night auditor of a hotel somewhere in the surreal void of Texas, is sick and tired of his guests. When he clocks in at night, he’s hoping for a nice, quiet eight hours of Netflix-bingeing and occasional masturbation. What he doesn’t want to do is fetch anybody extra towels or dive face-first into somebody’s clogged toilet. And he sure as hell doesn’t want to get involved in some trippy owl conspiracy or dispose of any dead bodies. But hey…that’s life in the hotel business.

"Welcome to The Nightly Disease. Please enjoy your stay."

Review

Disease is a headlong-into-an-often-hilarious nightmare of customer service, predatory owls, unsavory characters and gory f**k-ups that straddles horror, speculative fiction, neo-noir, comedy and other genres with distinctive aplomb. Obviously, this is not a book for those seeking a happy-go-lucky read, or those who are easily queasy. Nightly is one of the best books I have read this year.

Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny

(hb; 1975: third novelette in The Chronicles of Amber quintology)

From the back cover

"He who rules Amber rules the one true world. He who thwarts Amber invites the wrath of Amber betrayed.

"An unseen enemy of immense strength has seized a Prince of the Blood, and now threatens the perfect kingdom by striking at the very core of its power - the secret knowledge of Shadow.

"When Corwin summons forces to defend the throne, he finds himself challenged by royal conspirators, hideous demons, supernatural patterns and the ominous unknown that suddenly transcends all he ever suspected about the true nature of Amber.

"One of the most revered names in sf and fantasy, the incomparable Roger Zelazny was honored with numerous prizes—including six Hugo and three Nebula Awards—over the course of his legendary career. Among his more than fifty books, arguably Zelazny’s most popular literary creations were his extraordinary Amber novels."

Review

Sign, like its prequel, The Guns of Avalon, picks up shortly after the last book left off. Corwin’s unexpected, easy victory during the finale of Guns has translated into an uneasy reign. Scheming siblings still eye the throne upon which he sits, a situation worsened when Caine ─ one of said family members ─ is murdered. What follows is a chatty, fantasy-themed murder mystery where Corwin tries to suss out who the killer is, before more bodies, including his own, drop. Sign is a good read if you do not mind a lot of verbal interaction between many people, less action than usual for a fantasy novel, and an abrupt ending that births new mysteries as it resolves others. Followed by The Hand of Oberon.