Well, what an absolute bin fire of a year this has been for my little family. There, we got that out of the way, so I'll also remind myself that there have been lovely moments in 2024 too, from settling in a new home to a new motor (remind me to tell you about that another time, it gives me an excuse to write something else on the desolute, post-apocalyptic wasteland that is this blog), and a few other reasons too. And on top of that, I read some good books. Hurrah!
So, as is as tradition at this time, I look back over the last 12 months and regale you with my adventures in literature (which is kind of a lie given few things I read are particularly highbrow or could be regarded as literature). On the plus side, I read more books this year than I did last, which is a) great, and b) a miracle given what a whirlwind year this has been. To follow up on last year's list, I'm still working my way through that massive collection of Dick Tracy newspaper strips, but I smashed through six this year which leaves just one left to go; it's highly unlikely I'll finish that between posting this and knocking 2024 on the head (hard, with a fucking mallet), so that'll have to wait for next year's list. For now, let me don my traditional worn jacket with the leather elbow patches, settle back in my leather armchair, maybe sip on a fine cognac (lies, it's a gingerbread latte from Starbucks) and reveal this year's reading list… Oh, and as per, we're grading from A+ (slip that book jacket off and show me your quarter bind) to C- and below (check yourself out, you're well-thumbed and smell musty. Eww) – though FYI/spoilers/etc there's nothing below a B this year so, y'know, *phew*. Anyway: ONWARDS!
1. Fast Charlie by Victor Gischler - originally published under the title Gun Monkeys, but renamed for this tie-in edition for a movie adaptation, this cracking novel follows gangland enforcer Charlie Swift as he seeks revenge for the death of his crew. Rattles along at a fast pace, with a nice line of humour throughout (the movie is decent too, FYI): A
2. Proof that the Devil Loves You by Gilbert Hernandez - The latest in Beto’s series of books novelising movies starring the character Fritz from his Love and Rockets comics. These books have traditionally been quick, surreal reads, and this is no different, with shades of earlier storylines from the author’s Palomar tales and a deeper exploration of the many characters Fritz has played. Unusual, but as with all Love and Rockets books, enjoyable - just not really the place to start if you’re new to the series: B+
3. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - The Making of the Classic Movie by John Tenuto and Maria Jose Tenuto - A sumptuous coffee table book that delves deeply into the development and production of the second Star Trek film. I’ve read a lot of books about Star Trek, and this is one of the best: gorgeously designed, passionately written and packed full of previously unseen images and facts. A wonderful piece of work: A+
4. Making it So by Patrick Stewart - The actor who brought Captain Jean-Luc Picard to life on Star Trek: The Next Generation tells his life story in this wonderfully open and honest autobiography. As with most biographies by Star Trek actors, it’s the Star Trek bits I find least interesting (usually because I already now them), and that’s the case here: the aspects of Stewart’s life outside of TNG are the parts I know little about, and it’s fascinating to read anecdotes from his childhood, the early days of his career, and from his work post-Trek. Perhaps most enjoyable of all is the clear sound of the author’s rich voice pouring out of every page - always a sign to me of a good autobiography: A
5. Love and Rockets: Children of Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez - The latest collection of Beto’s stories in the ongoing Love and Rockets library, here featuring a tale with brother Mario, the graphic novel Julio’s Day and the title story, Children of Palomar: A
6. Brothers Keeper by Donald E. Westlake - A somewhat unusual novel, focusing on a monk who finds his monastery is about to be demolished so sets out to save it - and falls in love along the way. Told in Westlake’s inimitable comedy style, this is a great story that twists and turns in far more ways than you’d initially believe. Hugely enjoyable: A
7. The Fast and the Furriest by Sofie Ryan - I first saw this book last year and after howling at the title decided one day I’d need to read it - and now I have. This is actually the fifth book in Ryan’s Second Chance Cat Mystery series, and it’s a gentle crime tale whereby the owner of a shop in a quaint coastal town helps her friend accused of murder … with the aid of her cat, Elvis. It’s not the most well-written book I’ve ever read, but it’s a cosy afternoon read with real charm that I enjoyed a great deal, and I’d be tempted to revisit the series again in the future: B+
8. Momento: An Illuminae Files Novella by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman (Kindle) - A short novella spinning off from one of my favourite book series of recent times. This quick read adds more detail to one of Illuminae’s key plot threads: the increasing self awareness of the AIDEN AI. It’s a great short read, and a reminder that I must reread the original novels sometime: A
9. Nobody’s Angel by Jack Clark - A cab driver cruising the streets of Chicago is drawn into the search for two killers, one murdering cabbies, the other prostitutes. Beautifully written and wonderfully paced, this novel is a phenomenal read; quite possibly one of my favourite Hard Case Crime books: A+
10. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Dog of War - The crew of Deep Space Nine find a new friend in the shape of a corgi named Latinum and a mysterious piece of technology that might help turn the tide in the Dominion War when Quark gets himself involved in one of his familiar dodgy deals. A really enjoyable Star Trek graphic novel that takes a somewhat ridiculous premise but makes it work: A
11. Star Trek: Volume One - Godshock - A collected edition of the first six issues in the new ongoing Star Trek comic-book series sees Captain Sisko returning to face a new enemy who is wiping out god-like life forms. The story is decent enough, and the idea of Sisko leading a crew made up of characters from across the franchise is appealing, but there’s something lacking, at least in this first collection: B+
12. Star Trek: Defiant - Spinning off from the events of Star Trek: Godshock, this graphic novel follows Worf as he teams with other familiar Trek characters and pursues the villainous Kahless across space in the starship Defiant. It’s an entertaining enough read, but feels a little too convoluted in its attempts to squeeze so many characters from the various TV shows into one storyline; a bit too much fan service while lacking its own really gripping story to tell - and then tops it off with a cliffhanger ending that requires me to buy a different graphic novel: B
13. Star Trek: Volume Two - The Red Path - The second collected edition of the new ongoing Star Trek comic series picks up the plot threads of volume one, but fails to really build on them. Sisko stands trial for war crimes and the rest of the crew search for a Bajoran orb - and it all ends on a cliffhanger that leads back to (as mentioned above) another graphic novel that I haven’t got and didn't really anticipate having to buy. This volume is saved by a standalone story that focuses on Scotty (who has been barely acknowledged throughout the series) and features characters from across the franchise: B
14. Death Comes too Soon by Charles Ardai - A fantastic collection of short stories from the founder of Hard Case Crime, celebrating the publisher’s 20th anniversary. Every story here was a joy to read - a fine way to celebrate Hard Case’s success, and a wonderful collection showcasing how great short fiction can be: A+
15. Into the Uncanny by Danny Robins - A book based on the successful podcast that has already spawned a live show and TV series that explores various supernatural happenings. Across four cases (three hauntings and a UFO) the author deftly explores our fears and the possibility of supernatural occurrences, while not quite (as might be expected) giving a definitive explanation for what actually took place in each instance. The cases within could very well have been episodes of the podcast, but work well as prose. A fun and atmospheric read: B+
16. Star Trek: Day of Blood - The Star Trek graphic novel I didn't know I needed and had to buy to discover the conclusion of the events of the earlier Godshock/The Red Path/Defiant comic book collections. It does a neat job of tying up this first storyline while also dangling possible plot lines to come, but I can’t say the notion of Kahless pursuing and killing gods has been a concept that has really grabbed me and I don’t know if I’ll continue beyond these first collected editions; kudos for some stunning character likenesses in the artwork though: B
17. Weasels in the Attic by Hiroko Oyamada - A charming collection of three connected short stories. Very much the ‘slice of life’ style of fiction I’ve previously read a lot of, this was quick to read (only 71 pages) and very enjoyable: A
18. Becoming the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar - Sequel to one of my favourite books of 2021. When body parts are left outside the author’s home, the residents of the town of Edgewood fear the Boogeyman has returned to continue his killing spree of 30 years earlier… but how can he when he’s locked up in jail? Chizmar once again places himself front and centre in a novel that reads like true crime. It’s a decent read, though one that lacks the novelty and inventiveness of the original. A sequel that perhaps didn’t need to exist, but one that provides an entertaining read nonetheless: B+
19. Too Many Bullets by Max Allan Collins – Another in the author’s long-running series of Nathan Heller novels in which the famed private investigator finds himself involved in real historical events. Here the catalyst for adventure is the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and the tale that spins out of it is meticulously researched, brilliantly written and easy to get lost in: A
20. Dick Tracy Vol 22 by Chester Gould - Getting back to my long-running plan to read all 29 volumes of the Library of American Comics Dick Tracy collection, here is volume 22, and a particularly interesting period of the strip’s run. Covering the 1964-65 period, this volume is deep in Gould’s ‘Moon era’, where the famed detective travels into space - intwining this science-fiction plot twist with Tracy’s traditional Earth-based police work. While the Moon storyline is interesting, the villains of this volume aren’t quite as distinctive as those of Gould’s earlier glory days, but this is still a fine read that I enjoyed hugely: A
21. Asterix and the White Iris by Fabcaro and Didier Conrad - The latest Asterix story from the new creative team is a joy. When a Roman new-age guru visits the indomitable Gauls with the intention of conquering them via kindness, Asterix and Obelix must undo his work and race to rescue the wife of their village chief. Everything you might want an Asterix tale to be: beautifully illustrated and with a perfect undercurrent of self-knowing wit. Thoroughly enjoyable: A
22. Seed on the Wind by Rex Stout - A woman with several children all by different fathers finds a ghost from her past arriving on her doorstep, leading her to run from her past. One of the few Hard Case Crime books I’ve just not connected with, it took me a while to make my way through this book: B-
23. Into the Night by Cornell Woolrich, completed by Lawrence Block - When a woman on the brink of taking her own life accidentally causes the death of a passerby, she finds herself looking into the dead girl’s life, hoping to atone for her death. An interesting concept, well told; I enjoyed this one: A-
24. Hot Stuff: The Story of the Rolling Stones by Matt Lee - A large photographic book detailing a fraction of the author’s vast collection of Rolling Stones merchandise. I enjoyed this, but felt it was missing something - the photographs were great, but the backstory of the objects was told only in brief captions that didn’t allow greater detail of how he acquired them. A good book, but it could have been even better: A
25. Star Trek: The Art of Neville Page by Neville Page, as told by Joe Nazzaro - Lavish art book showcasing the remarkable work of concept artist Neville Page, across the more recent Trek films, Discovery and Picard. Perhaps my only complaint here is one I have with many books of this type in that the captions are so non-descriptive as to be utterly pointless; for example those that say ‘concept art of an alien’ serve no purpose, while others dismiss known actors and main characters simply by stating something like ‘a Romulan’. More detail in this area would heighten a good book even further. That said, Page’s work, enthusiasm and ideas make this a great read: A-
26. So Like a God by Rex Stout - A man climbs a staircase intent on murder, and the story of what brought him to this point unfolds in the pages that follow. A more enjoyable read than the author’s previous book, Seed on the Wind, but again I struggled to connect with his prose: B
27. God Save the Mark by Donald E. Westlake (Kindle) - Fred Fitch often finds himself the victim of con artists, and his problems only escalate when he inherits a large sum of money from a relative and finds his life on the line. A cracking read from Westlake – witty, well told and with some delicious dialogue. Thoroughly enjoyed this one: A
28. Dick Tracy Volume 23 by Chester Gould - Another volume of Gould’s masterful newspaper strip, here dominated by a long-running continuity featuring the criminal Bribery, a villain named Haf-and-Haf who bears an uncanny resemblance to Batman’s Two-Face, and more Moon-based endeavours for the famed detective. As always, a great read, but the Bribery storyline is perhaps a little too drawn out and the novelty of the Moon missions has already begun to wear a little thin: B+
29. Star Trek: Picard - The Art and Making of the Series by Joe Ford - A lavish coffee-table book revealing the story of how Jean-Luc Picard returned to TV screens in the series Star Trek: Picard. All three seasons of the hit show are given a decent amount of space, with the brilliant third season featured perhaps most prominently. The tale of how Patrick Stewart returned to his most famous character is well-known by fans, but there’s enough new detail here to make this a worthwhile purchase. If I’m nitpicking, I would’ve liked more concept art, but this book nevertheless serves as a wonderful insight into the making of one of Star Trek’s greatest successes of the modern era: A
30. The Knife Slipped by Erle Stanley Gardner - A lost Cool and Lam novel, unpublished for decades because of its gritty tone, in which the two detectives find themselves investigating a man suspected of cheating on his wife, only to find out themselves involved in a great crime. Massive fun - there’s a line of humour running through the Cool and Lam novels that I enjoy hugely, and this was a great read that deserves to see the light of day after so long: A
31. Captain Future: Lost Apollo by Allen Steele (Kindle) - A new adventure for the pulp hero, following the four previous 21st century tales by author Steele. In this book, Captain Future and the Future Men find themselves investigating the mysterious appearance of an ancient Apollo space mission from the 1970s in their time, leading to the discovery of a terrifying new threat. I’ve been a big fan of the new Captain Future books, but this felt a little weaker than past instalments, not helped by a large number of typos and textual errors. Hopefully the forthcoming second part will mark a return to form: B+
32. Dick Tracy Vol. 24 by Chester Gould -The penultimate volume of 1960s stories for the famed detective sees Tracy investigating murder on the Moon and the biggest stolen car racket on Earth. Gorgeous artwork as always, and while not the strongest storylines, still incredibly enjoyable: A
33. Dick Tracy: The Complete True Hearts and Tommy Guns Trilogy by John Moore, illustrated by Kyle Baker - Graphic novel collection bringing together the two prequel comic books and comic adaptation of the 1990 Dick Tracy film. I read the two first issues back when the movie was released, but never really appreciated the story or artwork; reading all three parts together in this volume really impressed upon me what a strong tale this comic book tells, and the artwork, while different from Chester Gould’s style, is superb. A hugely enjoyable read that greatly expands the world of the movie and Big Boy’s rise to power – I’m overjoyed that I was able to find an as-new, unread, and still in the shrink wrap copy on Amazon marketplace: A+
34. Dick Tracy Vol. 25 by Chester Gould - The Tracy continuities move from 1969 into 1970 with this collection, and there’s less of a focus on the Moon stories and more on good old fashioned gangsters. Villains include Diamonds and the the first sighting of The Pouch, while new ally Groovy Grove is a definite sign of the changing times. A great collection, and Gould’s artwork just gets better and better: A
35. The Hot Rock by Donald E. Westlake (Kindle) - The first of Westlake’s Dortmunder novels, effectively a comedic take on his grittier Parker books. In this fun caper, Dortmunder is tasked with stealing a famous emerald, but one simple heist turns into five as matters escalate. A really fun read - I’ll definitely pick up more in this series: A
36. Dick Tracy Vol. 26 by Chester Gould - The intrepid detective barrels deeper into the 1970s with this collection of strips covering 1970-72. Eschewing the Moon-based adventures that dominated much of the 1960s, this volume reverts to traditional tales of Tracy versus elaborate villains, and while those villains lack the distinctive qualities of earlier bad guys such as The Brow and Flattop, this is still a strong collection of strips, with Gould’s artwork continuing to get better as his creation reaches its 40th anniversary: A
37. Turn on the Heat by Erle Stanley Gardner - Another Cool and Lam tale in which Donald Lam investigates a missing woman and finds himself embroiled in political intrigue. These stories are wonderful, and this was one of the best: A
38. Shills Can’t Cash Chips by Erle Stanley Gardner – Cool and Lam return once more in this novel, in which Donald Lam is tasked with investigating a fender bender and finds himself once more in far deeper trouble than he – or Bertha Lam – could've possibly imagined. Bonus points for the stunning cover art: A
39. Dick Tracy Vol 27 by Chester Gould - Another collection of Dick Tracy strips, this time pitting the detective against villains including Button and Big Brass, and featuring a gripping storyline that involves the discovery of a skull belonging to a long-dead gangster that sparks even greater drama: A
40. Stop This Man! by Peter Rabe – A cracking Hard Case Crime novel in which a detective finds himself on the tail of a criminal who has stolen a nugget of radioactive gold, leaving a trail of devastation and death in his wake. A really good read with some great twists and turns: A
41. Starman: Bowie’s Stardust Years by Reinhard Kleist - Fantastic graphic novel telling a fictionalised account of David Bowie’s years as Ziggy Stardust. Beautifully illustrated and well told, this is a great read for Bowie fans. I look forward to the follow-up exploring his Berlin era: A
42. Welcome to the OC by Alan Sepinwall - A fantastic oral history of what remains one of my favourite TV shows. Featuring frank interviews with the cast and creators, there's plenty of previously untold drama here that's worthy of the fictional world of the show itself: A
43. Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan - A good Christmas horror story in which a newly widowed woman takes her teenage son to spend the festive period in a secluded cabin in the woods, only to find there's something supernatural lurking amidst the trees. I enjoyed this, but I couldn't help but feel this could either have been a really cracking short story, or expanded into something with deeper meaning and mythology; at 120 pages it felt like it fell into some sort of no man's land where something was lacking: B
44. Dick Tracy Vol 28 by Chester Gould - The penultimate collection of Chester Gould's classic strip sees Tracy reach the mid-1970s where he battles villains such as The Brain and Lispy. The artwork remains stellar and the stories continue to be inventive and engrossing – a quality read: A
45 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin - Lost Years - A collected edition of the continuation of the TMNT Ronin-verse, in which a lone turtle wanders the world looking for revenge against those that killed his brothers. Given that – SPOILERS – that lone turtle died at the end of the first volume, this one features flashbacks to a period glossed over in the first story arc, along with a contemporary plot line in which the older April O'Neil trains a new generation of Ninja Turtles. A really good read that expands on the events of volume one while setting up more stories to come: A
There ya go then: 45 books, most of which were a decent read. I don't think anything was a waste of my time or grey matter this year so that was a win. May that trend continue into 2025, not least because I've already got around 15 books on the TBR pile waiting to be, well, read. So on that note, I'll stop tapping away on the internet and start reading. Hope there's something on this list that inspires you to pick up a book too, not least because I have a sweet new job in publishing and a mortgage to pay. Happy New Year to the few reprobates who still read this!
No comments:
Post a Comment