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Scariest Movies of All Time?

October 31, 2011 — 26 Comments

So, it’s Halloween today. So what’s your scariest movie? I thought I’d share what movies have frightened me when I was younger (ha):

#1 The Exorcist – it’s amazing to me that this film still has the ability to scare me. Often after watching this movie I have to sleep with the lights on for a day or two. I’m not a big fan of movies about demons, spirits, possession and that sort of thing. Nope.

#2 Seven – you’re probably wondering why this movie is even on a list like this.. Seven deadly sins, just the idea of someone going around forcing people to atone for their sins…the overall look of the film is grainy,bleak and dark and is graphically violent and creepy. I watched this one last night for the hundredth time. Love that octane, adrenaline rush ending.

#3 The Entity – only needed to have seen this one once and yes, the film was allegedly based on a true story – scared the crap out of me

#4 The Thing – ah, Kurt Russell out in the middle of nowhere with a lot of snow and a shape-shifting alien. Saw this one when I was a tween and the nightmares I had watching this film. Recently saw it again and I don’t know what I was so afraid of…(ha) but I still can’t see that scene with the dog

#5 Poltergeist famous quote: “They’re heeeeeere.” This is the movie that made me quit leaving my TV on late at night…kidding.

Anything I didn’t mention means I didn’t watch it (maybe). I have friends who just can’t watch scary movies. I’m kind of split, will watch some but not all especially if it’s dealing with the spiritual world. Anyway, the Boston Globe has a list of the 50 scariest movies of all time if you want to see what you’ve missed. With trailers! Be safe and have a good one.

In Film or TV
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The Adventures of Alianore Audley written by Brian Wainwright

October 29, 2011 — 6 Comments

As I was browsing for another book to read I ran across my digital copy of The Adventures of Alianore Audley (2005 edition, first released in Australia). I loved this book when I first read it in 2006. Brian Wainwright must have had fun writing this book that is full of biting wit and sarcastic humor because I most certainly had fun reading it.

The Adventures of Alianore Audley is a historical romp set in the 15th Century. The author states on his blog that he has a keen interest in the medieval House of York. Our narrator, the young Alianore Audley, shares many of her adventures with us that includes spying for her cousin, King Edward IV for the Yorkist cause. She also shares her disdain for those “Woodvilles” and spares nothing in giving her opinion on the events that led to the War of the Roses that secured that “Tudor slimbag” Henry Tudor to the throne.

This is a fast read with most of the dialogue in here rather tongue-in-cheek. Alianore’s adventures begin when she is selected to be a pupil for Lady Tegolin at age ten. She believes Alianore is gifted and asks her parents permission to educate her in exchange for cancelling her feudal debt. Just to give you a taste of some of the exchanges/dialogue you can find in here check out these brief scene(s): Continue Reading…

In Book Reviews, Reflections
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“Translation is a very undervalued skill”

October 25, 2011 — 13 Comments

Writer Quentin Bates writes an insightful post about translators. An appreciation for them and I felt like adding a piggyback off his post to say that I’ve started noticing them [translators] more and more as I discover new writers in this genre. I even look for them or if I see their name attached to a new author, I buy their books because they are the translator. How about you? Just in my brief reading experience I’ve read Don Bartlett for Jo Nesbø’s work and he is outstanding and Marlaine Delargy for Johan Theorin and the late Bernard Scudder for Arnaldur Indridason’s books, again, outstanding job.

As Bates says in his article:

A good translator is someone who wallows in words and I’ve heard it said that nobody knows and understands a writer as well as the translator. The fact is that a poor translation can easily turn a decent book sour, while a good book can be made into a great read by an inspired translator who makes an author’s words sing in another language.

The author’s work really is at the mercy of the translator. They can make or break a book. I think translators, good translators are invaluable and should be recognized with the author because it is their skill/talent that allows me, the reader, to enjoy crime fiction from different parts of the world. So, I’d like to say how much I appreciate translators because without them I’d never be able to read and enjoy some of the most awesome crime fiction that’s out there today.

In Opinion
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The Draining Lake written by Arnaldur Indridason

October 19, 2011 — 4 Comments

The Draining Lake (2007,336 pages) is the fourth book in the series translated by Bernard Scudder that follows Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson in Reykjavik, Iceland. Erlendur was first introduced in the US translated novel Jar City in 2004 (also known as Tainted Blood). I stayed up late and read every chance I got until I finished this excellent novel. I don’t know how this author continues to write consistently good stories but I hope he continues to write them for awhile. This is an intelligent story that is part historical and part police procedural. My immediate thoughts after closing the last page: Mr. Indridason is the real deal. He’s up there with Jo Nesbø, as far as I’m concerned. He would be a great alternative for those who enjoy crime fiction that isn’t very violent.

A hydrologist doing routine research comes across a skeleton in Lake Kleifarvatn with a hole in its skull. Found along with the skeleton is a disabled Soviet listening device that was used to spy on the US military base. Speculations begin to fly about espionage in Iceland. We get a brief taste of what life was like during the Cold War through a former student sharing his memories/experiences of his attendance at the University of Leipzig during the 1960′s. This tight group of students from Iceland find their safe haven infiltrated by the secret police and the fall out from that has an impact that is still felt after more than 30 years. Continue Reading…

In Book Reviews, translated crime fiction ,
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Book Biz

October 14, 2011 — 2 Comments

In Humor
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Headstone (Jack Taylor Novel), written by Ken Bruen

October 12, 2011 — 3 Comments

Headstone (2011) by Ken Bruen is a welcome entry in the Jack Taylor series that first introduced him in The Guards (2004). Jack Taylor is an ex-cop now practicing part-time private investigator. He’s an alcoholic and yes that had something to do with his leaving the Guards. The total of his life experiences between these pages is best described as days filled with binges, black-outs, anger, sorrow and loneliness. He tries to ground himself with his books and music.

What draws me to Ken Bruen’s work is his depiction of modern Ireland, its culture, crime, politics and social injustices, church corruption especially. As the lead protagonist of this series, Jack Taylor is a world-weary, fifty-something loner who’s had to tangle with hoodlums and extremists who are often people of the privileged class.

The group of four labeling/calling themselves “Headstone” are targeting the feeble and disabled. Their background is one of wealth and privilege. The doctrine behind their ethnic cleansing is their misinterpreted, twisted understanding of Charles Darwin’s work to target the weak. A priest, Jack’s chain-smoking nemesis, is beaten and left in a coma. That incident jump starts the wave of random attacks on the frail and the vulnerable. Included/targeted in those attacks are Jack and his two side-kicks Stewart, an ex-drug dealer/ex-convict now practicing Zen and Ban Garda Ridge, a lesbian cop who married a man to move up in her career while struggling with the day-to-day grief she gets from her male colleagues in the Irish police department. Continue Reading…

In Book Reviews , ,
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Voices: A Thriller, written by Arnaldur Indridason

October 7, 2011 — 10 Comments

So, I decided to go back to Iceland and back to Arnaldur Indridason well written Reykjavik series featuring Inspector Erlendur Sveinsson. The series thus far has been solidly written. Voices (2003), translated by the late Bernard Scudder, is the third book in the series and is told in third person narrative. The story begins with Christmas approaching. The doorman is found murdered in the hotel basement. Every Christmas he would play Santa and he was a regular jack of all trades. The police investigate the case as discreetly as they can to appease the hotel manager who seems more concerned about the reputation of the hotel and scaring off the tourists. Murder seems to be more of an afterthought.

Inspector Erlendur and his team arrive at the crime scene and find Santa half-naked and stabbed to death. Trying to find someone who knew the door man proves to be difficult as the victim didn’t have any friends. Even at the hotel where he worked for several years, nobody claims to know him outside of work. As the investigation unfolds, Erlendur learns that a British collector/traveler had a scheduled meet with the victim and surprises us all when he tells Erlendur why he was meeting him. Seems the doorman/Santa was a former child star, a soprano/choirboy with a beautiful voice and a promising future ahead of him. Then something happened: his voice broke. The two recordings that he made are now worth millions of dollars. Continue Reading…

In Book Reviews, translated crime fiction , , ,
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Notes on New Mystery Releases and Movies

October 4, 2011 — 8 Comments

This is not by any means an exhaustive list and most of these titles are books that I’ve bought or have put on my wish list. Geo restrictions may apply if you live outside the U.S.

Choke Hold by Christa Faust (sequel to Money Shot) / bought
Stolen Souls by Stuart Neville (third book in the Jack Lennon series set post-Troubles) / wish listed

I am seriously tempted to buy Nightwoods by Charles Frazier. The story is described as a novel of “love and suspense.” The premise is interesting as it’s set in the Appalachian mountains. I’ve never read this author before. I usually ignore books that are hyped but I don’t know. This one sounds good. I’m still thinking about it.

There’s a slew of new Ross Thomas titles being digitized and released by Open Road Media. I’ve never read this author but after reading Lawrence Block’s blog that listed him as one of his favorite writers, I thought I’d give him a shot so I bought, The Fools In Town are on Our Side . Same for Derek Raymond, He Died with His Eyes Open (Factory Book #1) set in South London Continue Reading…

In Miscellaneous
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