Vampires are all the rage now, and even I got sucked into the hype and finally read ALL FOUR Twilight books this year. (In a nutshell - I don't recommend them. Just, don't even go there.) I guess I like my vampires more classically dark and mysterious, (not sparkly, ew) and that's why I loved this book. The Historian manages to put a modern twist to the "Dracula" story without getting ridiculous. Also, it's extremely well written. Unlike other vampire stories I've read *coughTWILIGHTcough.* You might not want to read it at night like I did, though, unless you really like to scare yourself.
Ok, couple of disclaimers here: if you are repulsed by disturbing, violent stories where really crappy things happen to people, this is NOT your book. Also, this book is quite crude in places. I'm not usually a reader or proponent of crude, ugly books, and I can think of several people just off hand who would probably be highly offended by this book, so if you decide to read it, enter forewarned (and please don't think I'm a horrible person?) I look for and enjoy really good writers and Katherine Dunn is a very good writer. It took me a long time to read Geek Love and to digest it, and the story is still sticking with me months later. It probably always will. In my mind, that's the mark of an extremely gifted author, who knows how to poke at your deepest feelings, insecurities and fears. The story is NOT pretty, it is very disturbing, but I think there's an element of brilliance to it and that fascinates me.
Oh, one last disclaimer - in this book, "geek" has a totally different meaning than that which you are used to thinking of. Just so you know.
On a much lighter, less disturbing note - if you have never read anything by Ellen Raskin, you are seriously missing out on a treat. They're considered children's literature, but Raskin's writing is so smart and clever that they're enjoyable for all ages. The Westing Game is probably my favorite of her books, and is a great October read with it's riddles and mysteries. Please, please, please give this one a try!
I just finished reading Ted Dekker's Thr3e last week after hearing several people rave about it. I was skeptical at first because, yes, even though I'm a Christian, I don't have a great respect for most of today's "Christian Fiction." Most of it is just horrendously, horribly written. (Yes, I am a snob.) I am, however, a fan of some of Frank Peretti's books (This Present Darkness is brilliant) and I heard some people compare Dekker's style to Peretti's so I gave it a try. Verdict: it was really pretty good. Lots of good twists and turns, and a good message that comes across without sounding preachy. Definitely worth recommending.
What are your favorite October-ish reads? I'm always looking for suggestions!
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