Lucas Blogs About Books

Who says you can't judge a book by its cover? So, what's this book's dea—wait, is it really called Dracula, motherf**ker! ? It is called Dracula, motherf**cker! . See, this is why titles shouldn't end with punctuation marks. Whatevs. The deal with Dracula, motherf**ker!  is that it's a comic book written by Alex de Campi and drawn by Erica Henderson, who you may recognize as the original artist from The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl  and the co-creator of Assassin Nation . I'm not familiar with de Campi's work; but in addition to writing comics she's also a music video director. In any case, Dracula, motherf**ker!  (yes, I am always going to type out the full title every time I mention it), is not — as you might expect from the title and cover — a 70's exploitation style sequel to Bram Stoker's novel (in fact, it can't even be in continuity with the novel). Instead it's an exploration of the characters of Dracula's wives — who receive shor...

Minimizing the screen reflection on the glossy cover was Ruff.   So, what's this book's deal? You're serious? It was recently adapted as an HBO series. Lucas, you don't even have basic cable, let alone HBO. Right you are, Hypothetical Reader. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff is a novel, kind of, that uses the tropes of pulp literature to explore issues relating to racism (both on an individual and systemic level) in America and in the kinds of literature that inspired it. How can something be "kind of" a novel. Well, it's really more a collection of inter-connected short stories that coalesce into a larger narrative. But I'm splitting hairs. It's a novel, it's just got a more specific form. But let's talk about that later. It's 1954, and Atticus Turner, a Black Korean War veteran is on his way to Chicago to visit his father, Montrose. However, when he arrives he finds out that Montrose isn't there and has left behind a note for Atticu...

Now Pictured: Me holding a copy of  Frankenstein  in front of my face. Somehow while looking for my grounded outlet adapter, I came across my copy of the book somewhere in my house. I don't regret my previous laziness. Not Pictured: Me holding a copy of Frankenstein  in front of my face. Somehow between finishing the book and getting ready to post this, I misplaced my copy of the book somewhere in my house. I'm too lazy to look for it. So, what's this book's de—OH! You read Frankenstein  again! I read Frankenstein again! Oh, man! Frankenstein is so good! I know, right? End of blog. You're the worst, Lucas. J/K LOL! Deffo the worst! But seriously, Hypothetical Reader, do you wanna talk about Frankenstein ? You know I do! Then let's talk about Frankenstein ! Oh, and I don't think it's possible to SPOIL  a book that's been in print for over two hundred years. However, if you are operating under that misapprehension, consider this yo...

Huh, I never knew that Prospero was the Duke of Milan, IL. So, what's this book's deal? Well! I'm glad you asked, Hypothetical Reader. You're glad I asked the question I ask at the start of every post? . . . yes. Anyway, this book's deal is that it's a sequel to Shakespeare's  The Tempest written by Katharine Duckett. Didn't you already cover something like this ? No, that was an adaptation. This picks up the story where the play leaves off. Well, let's say a few weeks after the play leaves off. So, we all remember that the play ends with Miranda happily married to Ferdinand, the prince of Naples, and Prospero giving up magic and taking his rightful place as the Duke of Milan. . . . uh, yeah, we all definitely remember that. Oh, good, I was worried I'd have to explain it. Anyway, this book starts off with Miranda cloistered away in her rooms in the ducal palace in Milan. Wait, why's she in Milan, shouldn't she be with...

That's neat house mask. So, you've finally read The Haunting of Hill House , eh? Jumping on the Netflix bandwagon? No, but I do plan to watch the show, I have an idea for a new feature. Also, trend-surfing and what not. Okay, so, what's this book's deal? So, The Haunting of Hill House  is a well-known (and oft-adapted) 1959 horror novel by Shirley Jackson. If you've ever attended a public high school in America, you may be familiar with her short story "The Lottery." In any case, Triple H– Hold up, we are not abbreviating this as "Triple H." Fine, this novel begins with Doctor John Montague, an anthropologist who longs to make para-normal research into a valid and respected area of academic inquiry. To that end, he has rented Hill House, a famously haunted victorian mansion that was built by a man named Hugh Crain, and has invited three people to participate in his study (well, the three people who have actually showed up): Eleanor...

Book (mostly) delivers exactly what this cover promises! (see review) So, what's this book's deal? Like, zoinks, Hypothetical Reader! This is a pulpy, post-modern, Scooby-Doo-meets-H.P. Lovecraft pastiche! Back in 1977, a quartet of preteens and their Weimaraner found out that a squatter was using legends of a lake creature to get control of an abandoned gold mine. Or so they thought. Anyway by 1990, jock Peter's committed suicide after a brief career in Hollywood, tomboy Andy's been kicked out of the Air Force and has an unrequited crush on science nerd Kerri, who's tending bar instead of going to grad school, and fantasy nerd Nate's been in and out of mental institutions because of his hallucinations(?) of Peter's g-g-g-ghost (Sean the Weimaraner is dead, don't worry, he's got a great-grandson, Tim). As for the squatter, well, Wickley's finally out of prison, but tracking him down only confirms Andy's suspicions that there's more...

Books can affect you in any number of ways. Sometimes they  introduce you to new ideas and make your world bigger. Sometimes they speak to something deep inside you and make you feel like someone else understands. Sometimes they just wrench your guts out and send a cascade of hot tears down your face and make you wish you hadn't started reading that chapter on the bus. Feed by Mira Grant HERE THERE BE SPOILERS! When'd I read it? It was the summer of 2010, Borders was still a thing, and I picked up a couple of paperbacks that looked fun and pulpy, Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold  and Mira Grant's Feed.  One of them made me cry. What's it about? It's the not-too-distant future and the zombie apocalypse has become the status quo. Everyone's a carrier of the zombie virus. On the plus side, no one gets cancer or the common cold anymore. On the minus side, whenever someone dies (or their viral load exceeds safe levels) they transform into a ravening zom...

Huh, some idiot covered part of the author's name. All right, full disclosure time. I didn't finish reading this one. Whoa! Seriously, you're going to review a book that you didn't finish reading? Yeah, I mean, it's not like anyone's paying me to do this. Also, I thought maybe we could talk about whether you have an obligation to finish a book you're not enjoying. I'll allow it, but make sure you go somewhere with this. Thanks, Hypothetical Reader. You're the best. So, let's put in a little backstory. I enjoyed Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy from a few years ago ( Feed, Deadline, and Blackout ). The books are fun and feature engaging narrators in Georgia and Shaun Mason, the adoptive siblings who become embedded bloggers on a presidential campaign in a world in which the zombie apocalypse has become the status quo and ultimately end up uncovering a massive conspiracy. They've got a kind of late 90's Josh Whedon-y vibe t...