The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore

Synopsis:  After the death of his wife, Pocket the Fool, is kidnapped, imprisoned (well walled up in a dungeon, brick by brick) and left for dead.  With the help of some kind of sea monster he is released and seeks revenge on the people that did this to him and killed his bride.  We meet a slew of characters Iago, Rodrigo, Bassiano, and a list of other names that end in O, as the book says.  He must work with Jessica, a wannabe pirate daughter of a Jewish Venetian moneylender named Shylock to plot against the O ending names and avenge his wife and attempted murder plot.

My review:  Okay book, but not nearly as good as Fool, or some of his other works.  I am glad that I read Fool again to remind me of several of the characters, like Jeff his pet monkey, Drool his fool apprentice and the Ghost Cordelia.  There is quite a bit going on in this book and I did not find it as cohesive as some of his others.

I feel a bit torn, I am disappointed that I am a little disappointed in this book.  I had the highest of expectations and feel a bit let down.  Don't get me wrong, I will probably end up reading this book again at some point in the future because that is just what I do with Christopher Moore books but the book was just okay to me.  Maybe once I reread it since I already know the story, some of the plots and subplots will become more clear.  Christopher Moore is still my favorite author and I will still wait in line to meet him and I will still read anything he puts in print.

My rating:  6
Pages:  316
Author website:  http://www.chrismoore.com/

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash

Synopsis:  Told from the point of view of three different characters in the book, we are told a story of a boy who witnesses a "healing" of his older brother in a strange church where later that same day the boy is found dead after attending a second church service.  Christopher, Stump as he goes by in the book, is a mute and has never uttered a word in his life.  His mother, after hearing what she thinks is him saying "Mama" during the first healing is convinced that this preacher can heal her son and takes him back for the second healing.  We hear some back story of this preacher and why he may not be a healer and may in fact be a murderer.  All the stories told eventually converge towards the end as we see how this tragedy came to be and how each of these characters are involved.

My review:  This is definitely a book club style book and a great read.  My only issue with this book was how it all came together in the end.  It just left me wanting more.  I loved reading this book, and I read it in about three days but I feel like there were unanswered questions and an anticlimactic ending.  There was great conflict throughout the story and I was highly entertained but with a slightly different ending I may have rated this book a 7 or 8.  I will definitely read this authors second book with the hopes of an improved ending.

My rating:  6
Pages:  336
Author website:  http://www.wileycash.com/

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Synopsis:  The narrator John (or Jonah) sets out to write a book about what happened on the day America dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.  He starts by looking into the life of one of the inventors of the atomic bomb, Dr. Felix Hoenikker.  He begins by writing letters to his family and begins communicating with Hoenikker's youngest son, Newt.  While he is investigating this family he discovers that the doctor also invented a substance he called ice-nine.  Hoenikker's goal was to figure out a way to solidify mud so US Marines would not have to wade through it in battle.  Ice-nine instantly turns all water to ice with a melting temperature of 140 degrees.  Each of Hoenikker's three children are now in possession of a small piece of ice-nine.  He runs into Newt on a plane while traveling to the island of San Lorenzo and is eventually introduced to the eldest son, Frank.  It is though Frank that Jonah assume the roll of President of the island since the current President, "Papa" Monzano, is dying of cancer.  In order to save himself the suffering of dying a slow and painful death "Papa" eats a small amount of the ice-nine, instantly turning himself to ice.  As they are moving his body to a funeral pyre, part of him falls into the water and turns the oceans and all water in the world to ice, essentially destroying the world and almost all life with it.

My review:  I read this book because one of my favorite authors, Michael Bunker, is releasing a fan fiction book based in this "world".  This book to me was just okay, better than some of the Kurt Vonnegut I have read but I can see why someone would decide to write a fan fiction story based off this book.  The possibilities are endless.  Only the last few pages actually touch on the world in a post-apocalyptic state after the world has frozen over and all plant and wildlife has been killed off.  There are an infinite number of stories that can spread from this point on.  I wonder if Kurt wrote a sequel to this story, I would be interested to see his idea of the world after the book ends and his expansion or ideas of the end of the world from this point on.  While I have not been a huge fan of Kurt Vonnegut's work, I do feel better that I have experienced his stories for myself and not just from the spoken or written word of others.

My rating:  6
Pages: 287
Author website: http://www.vonnegut.com/

The Contortionist's Handbook by Craig Clevenger

Synopsis:  Daniel Fletcher, Christopher Thorne, Steven Edwards, all identities forged by a master contortionist, a contortionist of identities.  Real name, John Dolan Vincent.  Johnny suffers from chronic headaches, godsplitters as he calls them.  So much pain that all he can think of is stopping the pain with any means necessary, even if that relief could kill him.  Because of these headaches and the pain involved with such, he has mastered forging documents, scouting cemeteries and local junkies to acquire an identity which he can use in the future.  Birth certificates, school ID's, driver licenses, in 55 minutes, just like that perfect replicas.  All used so each time he overdoses while trying to stop a godsplitter he can change identities and stay off the radar of the medical doctors, the police and related public authorities.  During questioning after one of his OD's we learn all about his childhood, his parents and how he came to be who he is today, while also seeing how he has mastered the art of trickery, slight of hand so to speak.  Who will he be next or will the authorities finally catch on to his deceiving ways?

My review:  Definitely a page turner.  I wanted to see where this story was going from the first words.  A probable genius, drug addicted, master forger constantly changing identities, how can you not be drawn in?  The author really knows his medical terms when it comes to pain, substance and personality disorders and he does a fantastic job describing how Johnny learns and masters forging all different types of documents.  My only issue with this book is how it ends.  While I can see how the ending is supposed to leave you in thought and wondering exactly what the next move may be, I just don't think it flowed the way is could have.  It was kind of abrupt, without a great deal of explanation.  Might be a good story to discuss with a bunch of buddies sitting around drinking one night but for me it just didn't end as well as it could have.  I would give the first 95% of this book an A and the last 5% a C-.

My rating: 6
Pages: 199
Author website: http://www.craigclevenger.com/#1c5/flickr