Bloodlist: P.N. Elrod

Noir detective novel crossed with vampire. Interesting read, but not an "Oh, you've got to read this" book. This is Book One of "The Vampire Files" - I probably won't search for book two.

The story itself wasn't bad - it was just a story that you've pretty much seen on 70's detective shows over and over (plus the vampire stuff.) So - no real score there.

Then, there's the vampire stuff. I don't like it when an author picks and chooses which parts of the mythos to embrace. Our hero can turn invisible, pass through walls, control men's minds (unless that piece would simplify the plot, in which case we forget to use this particular talent) and doesn't reflect in a mirror. Oh - but he can cross water (albeit with difficulty), and he can control his bloodlust. Change into a bat or wolf - no. Coffin with earth - nice, but apparently not necessary. Oh - and the sun hurts his eyes, but he doesn't burst into flames.

Come on - decide. Either we've got the classic gothic vampire or we don't. You can't just write a "vampire detective story" by throwing stuff together. (Uh - OK - you can, obviously, but that doesn't make it "good".) This doesn't have the wit or structure of Butcher's Dresden Files.

Cities in Flight: James Blish

This is the selection for our book group's May discussion. Just finished it this AM. It is a collection of 4 related standalone novels:  

• They Shall Have Stars - introduces the concept, and is wonderful. I loved the writing, the characters, the plot. The whole story just worked on every level for me.
•  A Life for the Stars - reminded me of Asimov's Foundation and Laumer's Retief, with the plans within plans. I really enjoyed it.
• Earthman, Come Home - felt to me like it was either a) a contractual obligation, or b) a writer not knowing when to stop. I saw it as more of an analysis of the psyches of the characters and their cultures than as a gripping SF story. (Translation - Yawn.) There was a story, but there was a lot to slog through to get through the story.
• The Triumph of Time - had some aspects of the third, but not as bad. It seemed more to be an exploration of the idea of the end of time than a story.

I'm really glad we read Blish. My only previous experience with him was as a teenager when I read some of his Star Trek novelizations, which I hated. I decided then not to bother with any of his other work. Through this book, however, I see that he is a very good writer - with the personal caveat that I think there was too much "showing off" of his science knowledge when there should have been movement in the story.

I would read Blish again, but - um - not this week.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Seth Grahame-Smith

I'm behind on entering this - finished the book about a month ago. As I approached it, I had doubts. My wife, Faith, has enjoyed several of the other "twisted" classics that have recently been published, and when she checked this one out I decided to give it a try.

The book was not what I expected - I really enjoyed it! I felt, especially at the beginning, that I was reading an historical biography of Lincoln (which is why I didn't think I'd like it - I really don't enjoy history). However, Grahame-Smith has woven enough fun into the text that I didn't even mind being "taught". Of course, now there is the problem that, in my mind, this is the historical Lincoln against which others will be based. (Unless there's been a huge conspiracy theory, and this book is actually the truth!)

Highly recommended.