Called by many as "the long lost novel", it was written by then young 22 year old Hunter S. Thompson.

Years before he would make a name for himself and become America's notorious journalist, his technique, method and flamboyant writing style created the so called "gonzo journalism" its style which blurred the distinction between writer and subject, fiction and non-fiction was widely imitated by a lot of witers, all of them coming up way short. 

 

When asked how much of the "fear and loathing" series are facts, he stated his own explanation through Truman Capote's own words "as a non fiction novel in that almost all of it was true or did happen..just warped out a few things"

And the result was a list of cult smash hits like ( are mostly non-fiction or true accounts )
"Fear and loathing in America"
"Fear and loathing in Las Vegas"
"Fear and loathing: the campaign trail of 1972" ( national bookstore in galleria has this one )
"hell's angels" ( his account for riding with the bikers in america known as hell's angels for over a year )
"better than sex"
and the self autobiography "Kingdom of fear" ( which i am now a proud owner )

Either way "The Rum Diaries" is HST 100% shot at fiction, one would just wonder how many "fiction" novels he may have written if he just "found a drug..that can get you anywhere near as high as sitting at a desk, trying to imagine a story no matter how bizzare it is" ( Kingdom of Fear - HST )

The Rum Diaries is set in Puerto Rico circa 1950's, a place where "American dollars and American cars flows through the streets....a rum is a drink of choice better than gin" Paul Kemp a young journalist fresh from countless stints in Europe was called on to join the english language paper called "San Juan Daily News"

A place where rampant drunkenness, stubborness and riotous traits abound, mix with the volatile personas of his peers, third world environment, exotic beaches, un-hospitable looks of the locals, it all becomes a question of survival just trying to exist. A true gritty story and study of human nature forced to different implications by their environment.

A must read indeed not only to HST fanatics.

in what critics called "reveals a young Hunter S. Thompson brimming with talent"

some of the lines from the book

"the sun woke me up the next morning, i sat up and groaned, my clothes were full of sand, 10 feet to my left Yeamon and Chenault were sleeping on their clothes, they were both naked & her arm was thrown over his back, i stared at her, thinking that no one would blame me if i lost my wits and pounded on her, after first crippling Yeamon with a blow on the back of his skull"

"I covered my head with my arms and lashed out my feet, but the awful hammering continued, there was not much pain, but even though the numbness i knew they were hurting me and i was suddenly sure i was going to die, i was still conscious and the knowledge that i was being kicked to death in a Puerto Rican jungle for $ 11.50 filled me with such terror that i began to scream like an animal"

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Notable American "Pulp Fiction" writer Jim Thompson's psychological tale of a psychopathic serial killer, published first in 1953, at that time the idea of such monsters existing in our midst is quite shocking and hard to believe.

But a dozen Ted Bundy's, Charles Manson and Jeffrey Dahmer later, the public have grown accustomed to such evil men that walk the Earth as if they wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Wouldn't hurt a fly" Just like Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford, a man everybody looked up to, as the defender of peace in a small county in Texas. Lou Ford is appreciated by his boss and the town's citizenry, but hidden beneath that philosophical gestures and image of the law and the badge that he carries, Lou Ford carries something more sinister, more evil that only the past can betray.

It seems that as the body count rose, and nobody is a likely suspect. Lou Ford begins to think that people around him are suspecting him of the recent crimes being committed in his small county. Is Lou Ford capable of this crimes?

It seems that a "sickness" from the past, long been absent has resurfaced and this time there won't be any family to look after and cover up for him. As Lou Ford tries to act as the Sheriff in charge of solving the mysterious crimes another part of him tries to cover up by killing anybody and he means anybody who would at least dig up some dirty secrets from beyond.

 

"The Killer Inside Me" as Stanley Kubrick's blurb on the cover says "probably the most chilling first person criminally warped mind (written)".

Frightening indeed it was. The coldness of the narratives, the brutality that the character displays are enough to make you drizzle in sweat. One doesn't need further to be reminded of the evil and sickness that lingers around us, one just have to pick this book and read it cover to cover. And i dare you, you won't look up at a friendly neighbor, teacher, boss at work the same way ever again.

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Equal Rites is the 3rd book of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett (don't worry you can read the book even in random). Discworld being "a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which are in turn standing on the back of a giant turtle, the Great A'Tuin".

The story starts with a dying wizard Drum Billet wandering in a small town called "Bad Ass", with the intent of passing his staff on a successor. Which at that time he believes as the "eighth son of an eighth son" who is about to be born.

Believing the new born child is a boy, it was learned later by Drum Billet that it was indeed a female child, the mistake cannot be corrected anymore as the staff was already passed into her.

And in Discworld, a female wizard is completely non existent.

As the female wizard grew up to become a nine year old Esk (full name Eskarina Smith), it was obvious that she possesses uncontrollable powers, unaware of all her powers and the effect that it may to people around her. Local witch Granny Weatherwax decided she should keep eye on the young girl. At first Granny tries to persuade her from being a wizard instead offers to help her become a witch.

Eventually, Granny Weatherwax decided that if Esk would become a wizard and practice her powers, she should learn doing so by enrolling her into the school of the Wizards, which is at the so called "Unseen University" in Ankh-Morpork.

Knowing that the Unseen University don't accept female students, mainly because it is against their lore that women can become wizards, indeed it will be quite a challenge for both Granny Weatherwax and Esk to prove that there is indeed a room in Discworld for a female wizard.

With Terry Pratchett describing keenly a magical world full of entertaining characters that keeps popping in along Esk's journey with Granny Weatherwax, it was said that Pratchett had written the concept or idea of "Wizard School" ten years at least, earlier than JK Rowling, will make readers wonder maybe Terry Pratchett's Discworld series really lay the foundation for Rowling's own Harry Potter series.

Well, i did enjoy this book. Not really my kind of genre, i'm kind of new to the fantasy world ( hell i haven't even read Harry Potter, just saw the movies ), And i'm sure that i will read more Terry Pratchett novels in the future, his humor is really something, had me laughing a handful of times while reading this book. How i wish i had my hands on these kinds of books when i was so much younger. But thankfully, better late than never i'm glad that i had discovered it now.

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I'll skip Volume 3 (I can't find a copy of Dream Country). Season of Mists begins with a sort of family gathering of the Endless, until it boils into an argument when Desire reminded Dream about a former flame whom he had banished into hell more than ten thousand years ago. Dream, driven by guilt of being wrong bid the Endless family goodbye to travel into hell and bring back his former love.

 

 

Expecting a tough challenge from Lucifer Morningstar, he was then surprised to see that Lucifer had gone weary of leading hell, has sent the demons away and having no desire to rule his dominion anymore gives the key to his realm to Morpheus.

Unsure of what to do with hell, Morpheus aka Dream become entangled with a problem because he has no desire to own and rule hell.

Now the gods and evils of different mythology have come to Morpheus world in order to seek what once was Lucifer's. The key to hell, and the rightful power that is associated with it.

In a magical and wonderful storytelling Gaiman weaves these different characters in the palace of Morpheus, each one earning an audience with Morpheus, bribing and pleading with him their own case.

In the end Morpheus must make a decision that will change the realms of hell forever.

*****

This sandman series i'm currently hooked in, keeps getting better and better by each volume.

In Season of Mists, readers will get introduced to the whole Endless family, Desire, Death, Delirium, Destiny and so forth. What i like about the book is the way it shows Morpheus' ability to admit that he had done wrong. And the path he will go through to try and correct that mistake.

The climax where he finally apologizes to Nada is one of the strongest part of the story.

( The story about Nada and Morpheus was told in the opening chapter of Vol. 2 The Doll's House ).

*****
Written in between is sort of bonus short story ( but is relevant with the whole story of the dead leaving hell and coming back to Earth ) "In Which the Dead Return; and "Charles Rowland Concludes His Education".

It tells of a haunted boarding school where in Charles Rowland meet the ghost of a previously murdered boy named Edwin Paine. ( their characters will appear in another DC Comics called "Dead Boy Detectives" ).

*****
Morpheus as a character is at the top of its league in this chapter, new readers can start reading Vol. 3 and end up getting to know him real well. It is this pain and pride that kick-start this beautiful tale, of cruelty, of the subconscious of man, and eventually to betrayal and redemption. In the end the answer on who will rule hell lies in God's willingness to sacrifice one of his own just to put the balance in the world.

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Hunter S. Thompson's excellent, in your face, documentary non fiction book which narrates the real persona's of the much feared Hell's Angels of America. Immortalized in the Marlon Brando movie "the Wild Ones" and countless bad publicity brought on by the unforgiving American press.

For starters Hell's Angels is comprised of long haired, filthy denim wearing, tattooed, with crazy emblems and insignia, Harley Davidson motorcycle freaks that roams the freeways, sidestreets and alleyways of America, with their big bike engine roaring, chain whips and lunatic laughter, they hang out on pool bars, provoke riots, clashes with the police, all that plus a very, very bad reputation

Question is, how much of that bad reputation are myth?
and how much was brutal truth?

Enter Hunter Stockton Thompson, the king of "gonzo journalism" and the result is a never ending, entertaining look at the life of a Hell's Angels.

From HST detailing the making of the Hell's Angel's Bad reputation.

"nobody knew of course, as they gathered that Saturday at Nick's that the angels were about to make a publicity breakthrough by the means of rape on the scale of the Beatles or Bob Dylan" ( Hell's Angels" - HST )

An alleged gang rape incident that put the Angel's on every front page of leading American newspapers, a case that was eventually dropped.

"it was sex, violence, crime, craziness and filth all in one package" - ( a quote from the book Hell's Angels )

But beyond those reputations created by the media, politician and even the attorney general, HST stood alone in trying to bring the real truth about the real Hell's Angels

"If the hell's angels saga proved any one thing, it was the awesome power of the NY press establishments, the hell's angels as they exist today were virtually created by Time, Newsweek and the NY times" - ( Hell's Angels - HST )

Hunter actually spent a year or so with them

"My dealings with the Angel's lasted about a year and never really ended, i came to know some of them well...enough to relax with them, but at first due to numerous warnings, i was nervous about even drinking ( with them ) - ( Hell's angels - HST )

HST's honest assessment of his subject makes him one of a kind, very in depth as he goes on with more of his findings about every individuals character and as a whole.

"they are deliberately hard on most strangers, but they get bad reactions even when they try to be friendly, i have seen them try to amuse an outsider by telling stories w/c they consider very funny, but which generate fear and queasiness in a listener whose sense of humor has a different filter...they get very angry when they read about how filthy they are, but instead of shoplifting a deodorant, they strive to become even filthier" ( Hell's Angels - HST )

And even crazy enough to doubt himself on what is becoming of his real purpose

"by the middle of summer i had become so involved in the outlaw scene that i was no longer sure whether i was doing research on the hell's angels or being slowly absorbed by them" - ( "hell's angel" - HST )

In the end HST substantiated facts and answered the questions regarding the real picture of the Hell's Angels, it seems that after all said and done...the answer to all of it, Hell's Angels is made up of Half Myth and Half Brutal Truth. As HST found out in the end, in a very painful way

This book is a must for every would be journalist, writers or anyone with a knack for learning, HST as usual delivers a pitch only a few can give.

A knockout, fresh, interesting, brutal yet at the same time hilarious documented account of a particular subject, filled with his own thoughts ( flooded with humor ) and a KILLER STYLE OF WRITING
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American Gods follows the strange journey of a man named Shadow, fresh out of prison to attend his wife's funeral, at the airplane he met a man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday, who talks about an incoming bigger storm (he's not talking about the weather).

 

A meeting that will take Shadow across America, through sleepy small towns, haunted like settings, roadside attractions, cast of thousand characters that includes ordinary folks and forgotten Gods of the past, Gods that different groups of people of past generation had worshiped to...

These Gods became forgotten, replaced by new faiths that since have sprung up, past Gods that ended up living a life among our ranks ( hooker, bum, funeral parlor owner, cab driver etc )

And the storm that Mr. Wednesday is talking about is the catalyst that will once and for all settle their fate in this world....


some lines from the book ( reference to jesus christ )

"its going to be a white christmas" said shadow as he pumped the gas.
"yup shit. that boy was one lucky son of a virgin"
"Jesus?"
"lucky, lucky guy he could fall in a cesspit and come up smelling like roses. hell its not even his birthday, you know that?. he took it from mirthas"
..."so yeah, Jesus does pretty good over here, but i met a guy who said he saw him hitchhiking by the side of the road in Afghanistan and nobody was stopping to give him a ride you know? it all depends on where you are" - American Gods

and humor injected lines like

"Where's the restroom?" the man pointed to a door in the corner of a bar...it was clean, well lit rest room, Shadow looked around the room first, force of habit ( "remember shadow, you cant fight back when you're pissing" Lowkey said, Lowkey as always at the back of his head ) - American Gods


*****************

This is definitely a great read, ( just a few dragging parts, just a few ), a shining example of mythology, modern day story with a glimpse of past ( history of the ever changing faith of mankind, worshippin Gods, demigods etc. )...what can i say...just read the book...

by the way Gaiman's new release "Anansi Boys" will be out soon...

honestly i never thought of him as special, after reading "stardust" before, i thought well, but i admit i became interested in his works after reading praises for him here at multiply...guess im a fan now...next read "Neverwhere" ....

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The Black Dahlia is a novel written by James Ellroy (LA Confidential), partly based on the true murder story of Elizabeth Short ( which up to this day remains unsolved ). The book's protagonist and narrator is ex-boxer Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert who after being promoted to Warrants Division, he was paired with Lee Blanchard a fellow prizefighter of the ealy 40's.

Through him Bucky meets Kay Lake, who at that time lives with Lee and the three forms a special friendship with Bucky developing deep feelings for Kay while at the same time nurturing a budding brotherhood and friendship with Lee.

Together Bucky and Lee goes on with their job, with Ellroy describing a realistic scene of 1940's Los Angeles, streets bristling with crime, dope neighborhoods and the usual cop corruption.

After being involved in a tragic shoot-out with 4 drug peddlers, both men are starting to carve a legend among the world of LA cops.

Shortly after that, a mutilated dead body of a woman was discovered in a vacant lot, revealed to be Elizabeth Short,an aspiring hollywood actress and dubbed as the "Black Dahlia" by the media.

With the case grabbing frontpage news, most of the cops were assigned on the case including Lee and Bucky. The two men will then find themselves trying to solve the seemingly dead-end case.

Which would later turn into a mad obsession, particularly Lee, because the death reminds him of his own sister who vanished and pressumed to be murdered years ago.

With the investigation still ongoing, Lee's behaviour becomes more erratic, thus affecting his own relationship with Kay, thus bringing both Kay and Bucky closer together. until Lee with his growing behaviour problem went Awol and gone missing.

Bucky is left by his own, tagging along with other cops pursuing leads and at the same time comforting Kay.

All the while, Bucky is drawn closer to an obsession with the murder victim itself after initially questioning Lee's own obsession with the Dahlia case itself, at the same time developing a sexual relationship with a woman who may or may not be an important piece on the Black Dahlia puzzle.

James Ellroy doesn't merely focused on the Black Dahlia scenario, but just a backdrop that serves as the stage of the whole events that unfolds in the novel.

Bucky uncovering a trail of police corruption while investigating the Black Dahlia case, which i think is also a huge theme of the novel. It was known that the Black Dahlia was the first of Ellroy's "LA Quartet" novels which includes "The Big Nowhere", "L.A. Confidential", and "White Jazz".

The ensuing conclussion about the fate of Lee, Bucky's relationship with Kay, and the surprise identity of the real killer, the answers to the how? the why? proves to be the novel's strongest point.

Although the real Black Murder case remains unsolved, one will think that the ending of the novel gives readers a temporary halt, thinking the case was really solved. Thanks in part to Ellroy's realistic portrayal of the characters and a genuine plot that leaves no room for doubts and lingering questions.

To sum it up, it was a great novel, mostly detective novel, with the usual violence, history of the 40's underworld ( Bugsy Siegel has an appearance ), cop corruption ( that was the major theme of LA Confidential ) and also part love story.

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