The Golden Compass - His Dark Materials - Book I

I have to admit I picked up Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy because of the controversy surrounding the movie. I still don't understand why people were condemning the movie without having seen it but after reading The Golden Compass I can see where some might object.

The first thing I have to say is that the book is not anti-Christian. It is anti-Church but I don't think that's the same thing. The people that represent the Magisterium are honestly trying to do the right thing. They think what they're doing is for the best. Unfortunately, it's also evil but that's saying more about human nature than about God. I don't think anyone can deny that organised religion has done some pretty awful things in the name of their God. True believers claim that those actions don't represent their religion, just the people in it. I believe that Pullman is making the same point. The Magisterium is evil, but that doesn't represent God, it represents the people in charge.

I think I might have enjoyed this book more if I'd read it maybe 20 years ago when I was more of a teen to a young adult. Some of the violence in it is more than I like in a children's book but it's definitely written for a younger audience. It's not badly written, I liked it enough to be curious about what happens next. I guess I was just hoping for something a bit closer to C.S. Lewis or J.R. Rowling. I don't think has the same adult appeal.

As I mentioned in my review of The Red Tent, I don't like it when authors villanise one group over all others. In this book the villains are adults. It seems like the only true heroes are children. Mrs. Coulter is evil. The Scholars are Jordan College are lying, backstabbing men just trying to get ahead. Even Lee Scoresby is just a mercenary when Lyra really needs help. The only adult that really stands out to be admired is Iorek Byrnison and he's a bear! It's just a 3 for me.

* EDIT *

I decided to rent the movie to see how they compared and I was completely disappointed. While I thought the book was kind of violent for a younger audience the movie did it's best to bring as little violence as possible to the screen. The plot felt forced and merely touched on most of the themes of the book rather than examining anything in any detal. The film is beautiful and well-cast but that's about it. Especially since they left off the ending.

Bloodsucking Fiends

I'd heard good things about Christopher Moore so when my husband offered to buy me a book at a spur of the moment book buying binge he was having I headed to the M section of the book store. I was going to pick up a different novel by Moore but my husband was on a vampire kick (see the slew of vampire manga and graphic novels that have landed in my blog to get an idea) and suggested I pick up Bloodsucking Fiends.

The story follows a newly-made vampire on her search to find out what's happened to her and the boy she co-opts to help her figure it out. When I first started reading I was a little unsure of the "purple prose" that Moore uses to set his scenes but once the characters started interacting I enjoyed the book alot more. There were parts that made me laugh out loud and there aren't that many books that do that to me. If Douglas Adams had been American and writing vampire novels they might have sounded something like this one.

It's not a perfect book. I was a little confused on how many vampires there might have been running around the city and, as I mentioned, the dialogue is much stronger than the parts that aren't dialogue but I enjoyed this for the most part. I'm giving it a 4 and I'm adding it to my husband's pile of books to read.

Chibi Vampire Volume 8

Chibi Vampire Volume 8 reads like a transitional story. Maki gets a bigger role trying to set Karin and Kenta up as a couple and a romantic rival is introduced (though there doesn't seem to be as much connected romantically to Kenta). I suspect that Yuriya is more interested in vampires (and the Maaka family in particular) than in Kenta. It doesn't come to a conclusion in this volume but the cliffhanger is not as extreme as previous volumes.

It was mostly just OK so I'll give it a 3.

Chibi Vampire Volume 7

Wow, resolution! Well some resolution anyway. And some of the best kind of resolution too. The resolution that opens new problems. Chibi Vampire Volume 7 treats the reader to one of the most intense visuals it has so far. The images of Karin biting Kenta were really, really evocative. I enjoyed the book for those images alone.

Plus, Kumio's subplot with Kenta's father was resolved. It might come back in the future but for the time being it seems that the story can focus on the romance of Kenta and Karin.

I'll give it a 4.

Chibi Vampire Volume 6

Now Kenta nearly has a clue! Chibi Vampire Volume 6 continues with another strong showing that delves deeply into Fumio's past to disclose the reason she and Kenta are living in such poverty. It really brings conflict to the vampire/human mix as her parents work with Kenta to get what they want.

I can't wait until I get to read the next volume. With a great cliffhanger I'll give it another 5.

Chibi Vampire Volume 5

The addition of Karin's grandmother makes this one of the best of the series so far. It was funny and even a little sad. The bonus story was great too and I hope to learn more of James in future volumes.

Chibi Vampire Volume 5 was just an absolute romp. It gets a full 5 from me.

Chibi Vampire Volume 4

I really like the push and pull between Karin's vampire family and her felling for humans. Seeing what was expected of Ren (and what will be expected of Anju) really shows how different Karin is and how difficult it must be for her. Also, having her finally figure out that she just might have feelings for Kenta is a relief.

So, for pushing the plot forward and for showing Ren's graduation, I'm going to give Volume 4 a 4.

Chibi Vampire Volume 3

In the third volume of Yuna Kagesaki's Chibi Vampire the romantic dithering is starting to get annoying but I did enjoy getting more background on Fumio and her troubles. I was hoping for a bit more, but isn't that always the way?

I was hoping for more forward motion with the plot so I'll give it a 3.

Chibi Vampire Volume 2

Karin's troubles continue in the second volume. I found it stronger than the first outing since all the characters had been introduced and Kagesaki could focus more on where she was sending them than on who they were. I'm enjoying the little "footnotes" to what the characters are thinking or feeling. I think it's cute and funny and allows more expression to be thrown at them than can be done with dialogue and art. I'm giving it a 4.

Chibi Vampire Volume 1

A tale of a misfit vampire, and not in the way you think. I thought it was a good set up for the rest of the series. It has the classic plot elements of girl meets boy and is strangely attracted to him but the addition of the weirdness of Karin and her family make the classic fun. Yuna Kagesaki was able to do enough in the first volume of Chibi Vampire to encourage me to keep reading. I'll give it a 3.

Life Sucks

If anything Life Sucks, by Jessica Abel with art by Gabe Soria and Warren Pleece, reminded me most of Clerks. Which is kind of weird as I just finished reading Kevin Smith's journal book.

I thought this book was great. The idea of a vampire night manager at a convienience store was just alot of fun. The romance plot started off kind of slow and I was much interested in Dave's unlife than I was in his love life but it ended satisfactorily for me. The art was real and deep and added to the telling of the story. I hope Abel decides to write more with these characters.

Because I could read this again and still want more I'm going to give it a 5.

Wormwood Gentleman Corpse: Calamari Rising

Ben Templesmith's Wormwood is just crazy. Someone at work asked what I was reading and I could only tell her that it was about a god-like worm that lived in the right eye socket of a corpse. It's not quite a conversation stopper, but it's close.

In Calamari Rising, Wormwood must once again save the Earth from something that's come looking for him. The only reason he saves the Earth is because he likes the drink and the women. He's kind of self-centred that way. I found this novel alot tighter than the last one (It Only Hurts When I Pee) it seemed to know where it was going, even if it did involve sort of a deus ex machina device it made sense because Wormwood is something of a god.

I enjoyed this one, it went quickly but I wasn't disappointed. I'll give it a 4.

My Boring-Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith

The title kind of says it all. My Boring-Ass Life by Kevin Smith is boring. And, like the subtitle, is uncomfortably candid. He talks about everything: his love for his wife and family, how often he likes to have sex with his wife, how he likes to have sex with her, his morning bathroom ritual and how going on an all liquid diet changes that and basically every move he makes for about a year. Someone on his web site asked him what he did all day and he told them.

It did inspire me to go out and rend Catch and Release because he seemed to have such a fun time making it. It wasn't as good as he thought it was. In fact, alot of the movies and TV shows that Smith really likes (and he watches alot of TV) are not ones that I would recommend, or at least not recommend as glowingly as Smith. I made me wonder why I like his movies and why I was even reading his book.

Then I hit the middle section. He'd started making Clerks II, which gave him more to talk about and less time to talk so the blog entries had filler and space. This is where the book started picking up for me (although the anal fissure story was very funny) but the part that really made the book worth it in the end was the story of his relationship with Jason Mewes and Mewes relationship with drugs. The story of his friend's addiction and battle to beat that addiction was both toughing and funny and reminded me that I like Kevin Smith's work because he does know how to put words together.

This book is slow going because it's basically a blog on paper but the pay off happens in the second half. I'm giving it a 3.