A fantastically strange story
935259
Young Thea's boyfriend goes missing among suspicious circumstances, and leaves her under the scrutiny of the town.  Overall, the story was well-written, and I never knew what to expect.  The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was because it was a little hard to get into the present tense, 1st person narrative, as well as the flipping back and forth between times--which is of course purposely designed "ghost time", and the story is nicely set up for a sequel.
3729673
Onyx Webb is a unique, bizarre accumulation of Individual tales in three episodes. This book is unlike anything I have ever read. It flows from one person to another smoothly, yet it is disconcerting.

The characters are each intriguing and unique. The authors have well-defined each one in a manner they truly seem real. The scenes are portrayed well through effective, vivid descriptions.

There are several characters involved in various scenarios. They each tell their own story - Their mysterious beginnings, how they met others, what circumstances brought them to the places they end up.

Each tale is captivating and easily visualized, however, The book ending leaves one feeling he/she is missing half the book. It is a continuation but it cuts off too abruptly. It is an eerie combination of romance/thriller/mystery combined. It is a book you will want the sequels to very soon.

*Beware there is profanity.
2117961
The story is a familiar one by now. Victor Frankenstein creates a man-like being from parts of dead bodies pilfered from graveyards. In giving life to this "monster," Victor has stepped into the world of the unknown. He is, at first, impressed with himself and his creation, but over a short period of time, he begins to realize that he has gone too far. In his fevered mind, he cannot stop what has been started, and he is overcome with madness as he tries to understand what to do --- but it is too late.

Long fascinated by Mary Shelly's story, Gris Grimly has interpreted his own, awe-inspiring version in graphic novel form. Using text from Shelly's original novel and his own wildly creative artwork, Grimly's FRANKENSTEIN is a graphic novel masterpiece. Some chapters are represented by letters exchanged between Victor and his love. In other chapters, the monster is given a voice by introducing his own point of view. There are pages with no dialogue --- just marvelous pictures, silently telling the story. Ultimately, this is not just Victor's story. Gruesome, twisted, and totally original, the book flows with the author's outrageous illustrations. The book vibrates with the intensity of images and beautifully designed format.

At times the language seems stilted and archaic, but as you get into the story it all flows. The sense of Victorian life and the narrow structures of their morals are all beautifully captured between dialogue and illustration.

With his own flair and possible influences from other artists like Tim Burton, Grimly weaves his magic throughout. His characters and costuming are delightful --- from the sculls on Victor's jacket to the shock of wild hair that wisps in one crazy tangle about his head. The monster is both hideous and distorted with an almost human face but most of the time is a terrifying patchwork. Victor's friend Henry Clerval is gaudy in red-stripped jacket with a car salesman's smile. His fianc, Elizabeth, has miles of puffed out hair with a dramatic white strip. The Steampunk cars are whimsical and rackety as they bump along the muddy roads. Each page is filled with these characters and images amid landscapes of gloom and darkness.

In the afterward, Grimly describes some of the struggles he faced as he worked on the book. In strange ways, he parallels this time (four years in the making) with the trials of the mad scientist and his monstrous creation. The emotional ups and downs, the disappointments, the dashed hopes and the breakthroughs wear on the author/artist. In the end, Grimly is a winner with his startling and fantastical creations.

Gris Grimly's FRANKENSTEIN will certainly attract anyone interested in the tortured story of Victor and his monster. Fans of Grimly's art are going to absolutely love the free, wild and marvelous interpretations on each page.

Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts
1841448
I figured out what "speculative fiction" means... stinking hard to review!! So, this 5 star rating is going to come with a lot of caveats and might still end up meandering into confusion. If so, be assured if you decide to read the book, it will all make sense - probably.

First off, the book is undoubtably Christian, the message is strong even if the story seems somewhat harsh. The first few pages may make one wonder why they even picked the book up. It starts as uncomfortable reading. As the plot-line slowly takes shape, however, the genius in the choices becomes very apparent. That does not mean an understanding of the story is obvious, that comes slowly and, at times, with great frustration.

Kate Pepper is a high-powered executive, driven by her abusive boyfriend (who is also her boss.) Success is achieved at all costs and anything less than perfection, whether in her appearance or her performance, is unacceptable. Luckily, she is capable enough to accept that - until a brush with a knife and a faucet of running water change it all. Kate is suddenly thrown into a nightmare of terrible visions every time she encounters water. Not sure if she is descending into madness, Kate searches desperately for answers. As her life slowly disintegrates around her, she finds friends in very unexpected places and slowly learns to deal with her past, her fears and her future.

As the reader follows Kate through the total weirdness that these hallucinations entail and tries to figure out what the heck is going on right along with the character, one cannot overlook the quality that encompasses the writing nor the creativity behind this totally unique and ingenious take on one's journey toward God. For that alone, this book is well worth the read.
1377927
This was a strange story that I wasn't sure I liked until the final eight chapters. It was interesting from the beginning, quite complex, and a quick read. It wasn't always an easy read, since it was a sort of time travel story that I had to stay alert to keep track of the details and time shifts. The author did a fantastic job of creating various realities by crafting unique and memorable settings in very few words.

The faith journey throughout was a bit rough for me, as there were several moments it seemed God and faith were being made fun of, but that thread got redeemed well in the final eight chapters. It was good to see that a fictional character could learn from their spiritual mistakes and find redemption, just as many Christians in the real world do.

This story reminded me of the movie Frequency, which stars Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Both stories were a bit strange but enjoyable.

Content:
* drugs
* alcohol
* marital affairs
* one crude comment

I was not compensated for my honest review.
4056278
Another Self throws us into the life of a girl who has been broken of all spirit and self-esteem, and we've very often reminded of that. Perhaps that is why this extremely strange story catapults us through Ancient Rome and how this one damaged girl manages to take it all down with her.

While the beginning of the story is a bit confusing, especially when you have no idea why everyone wants to kill this poor girl for, the middle of the book catapults you through this insane spider-web of lies, deceit and pure financial carnage. If you ever wanted lessons on how to overthrow a government, destroy a black market and basically scare the daylights out of a houseful of poor slaves, Julia is your teacher. Though thoroughly damaged, she manages to corrupt all of Rome and herself at the same time. Did I mention that she was pretty mentally damaged?

In all honestly, the game she plays is fairly amazing. Outside of her time wallowing in a glass of wine or gazing lovingly at a piece of jewelry she doesn't own, Julia turns out to be an incredible sponge of knowledge which helps her to become the guru of all things dirty and deceitful in the underbelly of Rome. Like a string of Cash and Loan stores, Julia becomes the wealthiest person in all of Rome, and very few people know that she is the one to do it. She strings up her victims in little chains of events that will make your head spin, and at some point, have you cheering for her until it all comes crashing down.

If the beginning didn't exist, and the ending didn't punch you in the face with unanswered questions and situations, the middle of the book would be an amazing tale of a poor unwilling slave girl who became the most powerful person in an ancient civilization. The sheer width of power that she gained from one well thought out plan and the manipulation of a powerful force who's heart she stole, it needs to be read and admired. Take notes, as it can show that if you put your mind to it, as damaged as that might be, you can achieve anything. Even if you have an incredibly damaged mind from years of mental and physical abuse. Just pointing out how often you must remember that she's mentally damaged, as the author will remind you just as frequently. Ignoring that fact, reading about how a city can be overtaken by any mentally equipped individual was a fun ride. Though a lot of people were hurt for it, watching someone get revenge from those that hurt them is very satisfying as well.

Hopefully a lot of questions will be answered as you travel through the series and through time with Julia's character. She seems to gain a new life every time her old one ends, and hopefully this book can do that as well. Let's go Julia, on to your next adventure.
3051240
I have no idea what happened here.
I spent the entire book either confused, disgusted, disturbed or anxious.
And I enjoyed it.
I think I really enjoyed it actually.
But I'm not sure.

It confused me utterly, but I don't think I mind.
You'd have to read it to understand.

The story follows four very different families as they wake up in their caravans one morning and are not where they should be.
In fact, they're not even sure they're still in the same world.
This new world is a strange one.
Where the grass goes on forever, worryingly familiar figures can be seen in the distance, and a dark ominous cloud lurks on the horizon.
Each person has been brought here for a reason.
And the journey to understand why is a disturbing one.

I loved learning about all the characters and how vastly different all of their lives and experiences were.
They were all so interesting, with wildly different and fascinating personalities. They were loveable, hateable, brave, weak, innocent, and evil.
It was a wonderful and intriguing mix of people.

The story itself was incredibly interesting, as well as disturbing and very odd.
I'm not too sure what happened in the end or what it was actually all about, but I really enjoyed the journey through this strange world, and how the story was written.
It kept me gripped right until the very end.

This is a story about human nature and how we act when everything we know is taken away.
And it is terrifying.
920840
The House of the Spirits was a beautiful book about a young lady with mysterious "powers," and no one understands her.  It takes a lot of wierd unexpected twists and it keeps you on your feet.  If i had one word to describe this book it would be, unbelievable.
  It's a very strange story and certain things could never happen in real life, but yet it's all believable.
4628789
This was one of the weirdest story's I have ever read. And I loved it!! I could not figure out where it would go next,and that kept me turning the pages.....
3074950
It's very, very odd; very, very imaginative and until this edition returned it to print, it was very, very hard-to-find.

Arthur Byron Cover's AUTUMN ANGELS is set in an Earth of the far, far future where, in the wake of some crisis that nearly wiped out humankind, the survivors were granted godlike powers by an alien race called the "bems."  Through a lack of imagination (or possibly through the Machiavellian machinations of the Other Fat Man; see below), most of the residents have taken on archetypal identities culled from popular fiction.  You might recognize some of them... for example, the fat man in his white suit seems reminiscent of a certain character played by Sydney Greenstreet in THE MALTESE FALCON; the lawyer has a loathing of pigs and a sword cane, just like Theodore Marley Brooks, better known as "Ham" from the Doc Savage novels; and the other fat man and his witty leg man could have stepped out of one of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe stories.

There are some wonderful literary games and joyful riffs on these pop archetypes... and there are wonderfully bizarre and imaginative journeys.  You'll meet the Crawling Bird, the Cigar-Smoking Frogs, the green-furry ball creatures of the dullest planet in the universe, and the fish-with-legs who merely long to dance the night away.

It's all nailed together -- just barely -- by the story of the unlikely alliance of the lawyer, the fat man and the demon as they desperately attempt to rediscover Depression -- a state of mind long banished from the minds of godlike men, and one which the triumvirate believes is vital if the race is to ever rediscover a sense of purpose.

The book is filled with whimsical inventiveness and it frequently smash-cuts between phantastical fancies and more deeply thought, deeply felt moments.  It's a wild trip, if one that has its flaws.  (An artifact of the early '70s, it's filled with very peculiar little jokes and moments that must have seemed much more logical to a deeply stoned reader and/or writer.)  But nonetheless, its mix of philosophy, fantasy and just plain fun makes it a natural fit for fans of books like GOOD OMENS (by Gaiman & Pratchett) and devotees of Douglas Adams' HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY books.  (Its literary fun-'n'-games should also appeal to Philip Jose Farmer readers and fans of Alan Moore's LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN.)

The book has two "kind of" sequels by Arthur Byron Cover -- THE PLATYPUS OF DOOM & OTHER NIHILISTS (a collection of 4 novellas set in the same far future of AUTUMN ANGELS); and a more directly connected sequel, the truly excellent and deeply haunting AN EAST WIND COMING, which presents a darker vision of the world of godlike men: a reincarnation of Jack the Ripper stalks the Golden City, adding to a growing sense of malaise and despair, while the consulting detective slowly stirs from his torpor...
709673
I loved this book so I'm rewriting a short review, since I already wrote one 3 weeks ago but it disappeared--I suppose--but that just falls in line with this strange and wierd but terrific story. This is a trip through a young teenaged girl's mind with all of her wierdness. This book will keep you turning pages and believe me, the ending is soooo surprising. This author has a magnificent imagination. I can not wait for the next book to come out. Read this book and join these young girls' pajama party....you won't forget it!! Keith Carr, the father, as well as the wicked grandmother are a bit on the strange side also.
2258916
I've read this before and the story is one of those times when truth is stranger than fiction. The writing is good, not great, but the story is mind boggling, made even more so by the fact that I was on the periphery of that show horse world.
4377813
Everyman is a wild, bizarre story, written by an author who seems to me uniquely L.A. The novel starts with a typical 'everyman' of L.A., trying to break in to the movie business, walking home to his typical L.A. courtyard apartments. Then everything gets bizarre, the reader notices flesh growing like a tumor over their kindle, and they're in for a unique ride. Like the characters in the novel, you slowly start to realize what is happening. By the time you do, something physically has changed.

This book is very physical. Flesh and body and organs fill the pages. It is both horrific and at the same time `so cool.'  You won't be able to read this without thinking of the movie version. I won't spoil it and choose the director.

But besides the terror of the flesh, the overriding emotion you will feel is isolation. Characters are lost without the object they have trusted with not only their love, but their entire self-worth. Losing this person to an imposter is the biggest fear of all. Ironically, this same isolation is felt by the 'monster' himself. If you can be an `everyman,'  you are really 'no-man' and it is not you that others love, but that which you are pretending to be.

The implications in this novel are deep, the writing demands you pay attention, and the scenarios are a lot of fun.
680463
This is quite a strange book, there are god like beings, alternate universes, people who talk to animals, and plenty of plot twists, I would consider it to be Science Fiction because of the subject matter.
I found the story to be a very immersive read, there are lots of things going on, and it is a very complex story.
The ending was a bit on the soft side considering how high energy and violent the rest of the book was, but still a good read and worth
reading more than once.

Recommended
304317
People have been paying a lot of money to pick this story up on Ebay.  It's a fantastically original concept that, unfortunately doesn't quite live up to the hype (not that anything could).  The art is fine, surreal and spooky, but the story is reminiscent of Stephen King's X-Files episode: a wonderful, spooky start, but it can't sustain the pace.  It's worth reading, though - especially the very moving last page.
1812136
One of the oddest, greatest books ever written, with some of the most majestic writing I've encountered.
2524757
Maybe I should be hard on this book because it was somewhat abstract and I finished it with questions I still wanted answered, but I just can't be.  The fact is that I had too much fun taking the journey to be upset that I wasn't exactly sure where I'd been.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is just as strange as its title would suggest.  It is the story of a young, unemployed, married man whose wife leaves him unexpectedly and mysteriously.  His questions about her disappearance and his inability to get satisfactory answers lead him down a strange and surreal path that a man with more attachments might not take.  Along the way he meets several people who act as his guides without ever disclosing to him the full meaning and purpose of his quest.  He needs them and they - somehow - need him.

In the end, I think that Murakami strikes a perfect balance between providing just enough answers to your questions and leaving just enough to the imagination so that you can connect a lot of dots on your own and you really spend time thinking about the book when you aren't reading it and when you finish.  I think that's the mark of a really good story.