Summer Reading - Part I

Alright, so it’s not music reviews, but whatever. I’ve been taking a hiatus from obsessing over music this summer (I know, it’s tragic!) to focus on writing projects and expanding my literary knowledge. Here’s a sampling of my summer reading list so far. (There’s more to come, I just haven’t gotten around to reviewing them yet.)

Year of the Black Rainbow – Claudio Sanchez
Compliments of the deluxe edition of Coheed & Cambria’s fifth studio album, this action-packed sci-fi novel clearly bears the mark of Sanchez’s creative genius. You don’t have to know Coheed’s songs and the back story of the albums to appreciate this novel, although it certainly altered my interpretation of the album of the same name. Altogether a good read if you’re a Coheed fan and/or sci-fi geek.

The Silver Hearted – David McConnell
If you can get past the vague descriptions of everything and make sense of the setting, you’ll enjoy a brief adventure across several unnamed country with an unidentified main character bringing a shipment of silver to some mysterious private investor. Don’t hold your breath, though—half the time I had no idea what was going on, and although the ending was a real twist, it left me wanting to burn the book in a fit of rage for wasting my time. (In short I don’t recommend it, unless you like really, really bizarre stories about intrigue and political...stuff.)

The Host – Stephenie Meyer
Now, keep in mind—I was a Twilight fan about three years ago, but my real interest dissolved as soon as the fan-girls descended on the scene, so I’m not a huge fan of Meyer to begin with. The length of the novel alone was enough to turn me off—it’s unnecessarily drawn out in many parts, and there’s a myriad of extraneous characters. Over all, the novel’s biggest strength is the creepy concept of “hosts” invading the minds of humans and claiming control of their bodies—a mostly-original spin on a sort of post-apocalyptic universe. Not altogether a terrible read—I polished it off in two or three days and it definitely held my interest—but if you’re not one for long-winded dialogue and several pointless scenes where one’s mind tends to wander for a few pages, it’s not the book for you.

Her Fearful Symmetry – Audrey Niffenegger
If you’re a fan of Niffenegger’s debut novel The Time Traveler’s Wife, don’t get overly excited for her sophomore work: it’s a whole different kettle of fish. Nevertheless, Niffenegger does not fail to present us with instantly-lovable characters and a taste of London so rich that you’ll be downing cups of tea and booking your airfare to England in minutes. The story is wonderfully told but falls a little short at the end, almost as if the author’s attention wandered away and gave out suddenly. Despite the disappointing and somewhat depressing ending, you’ll be swept away to England with a mischievous set of twins and the ghost of their dead aunt in the most unexpected plot-twist.

Jumper Cable – Piers Anthony
Another one for the fantasy-lovers—if you’re new to Piers Anthony’s realm of Xanth, you might not enjoy this book. While I found it to be a delightful revisit with some Xanth characters who haven’t surfaced in awhile (I’ve been reading the Xanth novels since I was seven) new readers might not catch all the little repetitive nuances and references that make Xanth so special. Piers Anthony is definitely an acquired taste to say the least, but if you’re going to venture into Xanth for the first time, start with some of his earlier works (Faun & Games, Yon Ill Wind, and Demons Don’t Dream are among my personal favorites) before catching up with the newer novels. For returning Xanthians, jump right into this one—you’ll be surprised who turns up!

More to come when I finally finish reading, reviewing, and organizing my thoughts. This is, to be sure, quite the literary summer for me!

Happy Reading!
Emily Noel