#booksivedrawnin2021

[houl]

The Fisherman by John Langan 4 stars . A story within a story. Both are unsettling and richly detailed which blend eldritch and cosmic horror with fishing tall tales. Two men in mourning use fishing to distract themselves from loss but end up finding something deeper and darker in the waters of the Catskills. The less said the better. . #thefisherman #johnlangan #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at The Catskills) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkqJZrBH8v/?utm_medium=tumblr

#thefisherman #johnlangan #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 5 stars . A perfect blend of folktales and fantasy, drawing upon the established tropes of the genre only to then subvert them expertly. The writing is engaging, the characters clear and defined and the stories quick, witty and gripping. The chapters or stories stand alone well, but the overarching narrative threads and manipulation of their chronology is beautifully achieved. So much better than I could ever have expected. . #thelastwish #andrzejsapkowski #thewitcher #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CSLDETVMg41/?utm_medium=tumblr

#thelastwish #andrzejsapkowski #thewitcher #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

#3 The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson 4/5 . Lovecraft like he’s not been seen before; inside out and stripped of all that has really not aged well about his writing. A story driven by women, set within the dreamworld, following someone trying to get out. A beautiful little taste of the Weird. . #thedreamquestofvellittboe #vellittboe #kijjohnson #hplovecraft #thedreamquestofunknownkadath #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CKzcVYeBM2R/?igshid=10gjc9r2hmsfw

#3 #thedreamquestofvellittboe #vellittboe #kijjohnson #hplovecraft #thedreamquestofunknownkadath #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Last book of 2021 #48 Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam 2 stars . What could be a gripping story of family renting a AirBnB in the woods when two visitors arrive claiming to be the owners bringing news of a mysterious event happening outside in the world, is ruined with spots of lazy narration and ongoing unneeded sexual exposition. I don’t need to know what the 16 yr olds balls look like or his preference in pornography, I don’t need to have the plumpness of the pre-teens genitals in her bikini bottoms described nor do I need to read about the shrivelling post-coital penis of the father. None of these things add to the story in any way, shape or form. Keep that shit to yourself, Rumaan. The one thing that kept me going was a well-realised Omniscient Third Person Narrator but even this couldn’t save the lacklustre ending of a disappointing book. There’s so much potential here but ultimately I was bored and off-put. . #leavetheworldbehind #rumaanalam #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CYNIUhVB8gg/?utm_medium=tumblr

#48 #leavetheworldbehind #rumaanalam #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

The Last Days of New Paris by China Mieville 4 stars . An Alt-History WWII story is pretty standard fare. It’s 1951 and Paris, France, is still occupied by Nazis. Yawn. Even the idea of Nazis dabbling with the occult and partnering with demons isn’t groundbreaking. We’ve all seen Hellboy. But none of that is really at the core of the story. At its core, this is a narrative about surrealism. The Last Days of New Paris sees the streets of 1950’s Paris filled with the living manifestations of surrealist artworks and poems who fight Nazi allied Demons. Because why wouldn’t they? . #thelastdaysofnewparis #chinamieville #alternatehistory #surrealism #wolftable #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at Paris) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXzk32hhit9/?utm_medium=tumblr

#thelastdaysofnewparis #chinamieville #alternatehistory #surrealism #wolftable #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Iron Council by China Mieville 5 stars . In Iron Council, Mieville reinvents, or rather Remakes, the city of New Crobuzon and the greater world of Bas-Lag, welding a dusty Western tilt to the political turmoil of the steampunk fantasy city. Three narratives weave together, building steam as they explore the expanse of the desert to the west, see the birth of a powerful and unique revolutionary force and bear witness the subsequent political struggles of the sprawling city. Say what you will about Mieville’s use of descriptive language (which I personally adore) but it’s hard to find a flaw in the sheer imagination evident in both characters, setting and of course, story. The rise of golemancy in response to the effect of the construct wars from ‘Perdido Street Station’ is by itself a powerful piece of writing, easily revealing the depth of Mieville’s stake in the world he’s created, yet it’s just one of many. It’s a powerhouse of a book, much more twisting and writhing than Perdido Street Station or The Scar, but strangely more compelling. I need more Bas-Lag, but fear this might be the last. . #ironcouncil #chinamieville #baslag #newcrobuzon #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CW_usDnh873/?utm_medium=tumblr

#ironcouncil #chinamieville #baslag #newcrobuzon #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Sixty Tattoos I Secretly Gave Myself at Work by Tanner Ballengee (@66tb99) . A punk mosaic in words Sixty Tattoos I Secretly Gave Myself At Work delivers exactly what it promises, a mash of short accounts regarding 60 of the stick and poke tattoos the author, surprisingly enough, secretly gave himself at work. The writing is crusty and dirty and perfect for the topic. Makes me want to drop my pants at work and start my own collection. . #sixtytattoosisecretlygavemyselfatwork #tannerballengee #tridentpress #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CW6mAppB98o/?utm_medium=tumblr

#sixtytattoosisecretlygavemyselfatwork #tannerballengee #tridentpress #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

The Scar by China Miéville . Miéville’s world building is second to none, he creates these richly details cities and plans them out to the smallest detail, making you feel like you’re walking the streets with the characters. The Scar is part urban-fantasy and part sea-faring pirate novel with some political intrigue to boot. With a plethora of bizarre creatures and fully realised characters, it’s an incredible novel. . #thescar #chinamieville #baslag #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at The Armada) https://www.instagram.com/p/CW37NN3hRNI/?utm_medium=tumblr

#thescar #chinamieville #baslag #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

The Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski . An excellent follow-up to The Last Wish, following the disjointed narrative structure which plays wonderfully with established fairytales and folklore in the series of short stories. It builds on threads introduced in previous tales and expands more on some characters adding some lovely detail there. My biggest complaint though is the overall lack of Roach who who appears only briefly in the last story. A travesty for sure. Give me more Roach. . #swordofdestiny #andrzejsapkowski #thewitcher #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CWZDmkGBPVg/?utm_medium=tumblr

#swordofdestiny #andrzejsapkowski #thewitcher #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Rain Like Hammers by Brandon Graham @royalbrandon . Brandon Graham is one of the most imaginative comic book creators out there. Every page is layered with incredible details, both hidden and direct, and it’s through this that the story is really told. The narrative in ‘Rain Like Hammers’ is a little more open than some of Graham’s other works but it’s still about as much of a roiling carnal psychedelic sci-fi adventure as you could ask for, and that’s all I really ever need. . #rainlikehammers #brandongraham #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CWRUzzRhXG2/?utm_medium=tumblr

#rainlikehammers #brandongraham #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Seven Samurai Swept Away in a River by Jung Young Moon . A beautifully bizarre piece of writing loosely based around the authors experiences in Texas where ideas flow lazily from one to the next, and little oxbow lakes of tangential thoughts form from the meandering writing style whose sentences stretch across pages letting you get lost in the language and swept up by the steady momentum. Seriously, several pages for a single sentence. Not a book for everyone, no overarching arc or tangent, just a series of connected observations and written experiments, but if you like something different and love long, lingering sentences where ideas marinate with a wry written wit, then maybe it’s for you. Published by @deepvellum @deepvellumbooks . #sevensamuraisweptawayinariver #jungyoungmoon #deepvellum #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at Deep Vellum Books) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUQLN5pAQmw/?utm_medium=tumblr

#sevensamuraisweptawayinariver #jungyoungmoon #deepvellum #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

A Shape in the Dark by Bjorn Dihle (@bjorndihle) . I picked up a copy of this book after recently getting the chance to visit Admiralty Island and spend several hours surrounded by bears, and what a surprise this book was. It is a novel written with the deepest of reverence and respect for both brown bears and the wild in which they live. Dihle blends historical accounts of encounters and attitudes towards these great bears across the US with more personal, first hand experiences and musings. There is a serene calmness to each measured sentence, and the carefully planned structure weaves back in on itself time and time again to create an engaging and informative narrative grandfather trail of words and accounts. A stunning book from start to finish. . #ashapeinthedark #livinganddyingwithbrownbears #bjorndihle #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at Admiralty Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUIzldAP2OM/?utm_medium=tumblr

#ashapeinthedark #livinganddyingwithbrownbears #bjorndihle #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer 5 stars . More of a celebration of the life of Christopher McCandless, the young man who walked into the Alaskan wild in search of self and solitude, and whose body was found four months later, than an exploration of death. Krakauer writes with awe at the aura McCandless seemed to have, and his adventure is pieced together by carefully researched interviews with those whose paths crossed McCandless and lives were changed in the process. . #intothewild #jonkrakauer #christophermccandless #themagicbus #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at Alaska) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTvDG0AvNQL/?utm_medium=tumblr

#intothewild #jonkrakauer #christophermccandless #themagicbus #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire 3.5 stars . A great concept muddied by too much going on. Twins separated at birth make telepathic contact then proceed to fall in and out of contact as they grow up. But then there’s genetically modified babies, elemental powers, magic, murder, zombies, world domination and some metafiction children’s book nonsense that’s also some guide to it all. Just too much going on. #middlegame #seananmcguire #midwichcuckoos #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl https://www.instagram.com/p/CSpdoXOJBz1/?utm_medium=tumblr

#middlegame #seananmcguire #midwichcuckoos #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton 4 stars . While comparatively simple compared to Crichton’s other books, most likely due to Crichton dying before it was published, this piece of historical fiction set in the Wild West of America uses a fictitious protagonist to explore the complex and chaotic feud between two early palaeontologists as they rush to Cheyenne, Deadwood and beyond in search of dinosaur bones. It is a light and easy to read, and filled with a nice balance of historical information and narrative fiction. #dragonteeth #michaelcrichton #bonewars #paleontology #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at Badlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZ_uscJnyb/?utm_medium=tumblr

#dragonteeth #michaelcrichton #bonewars #paleontology #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl

[houl]

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson . An inspirational book, not in its message or themes, but in the reverence and respect with which Bryson talks about the Appalachian Trail and hiking nature in general. Even with the constant bemoaning, and not just from Katz, it makes me want to pop on some boots, grab a pack and go for my own walk. The peppering of facts and information, not just about the Appalachian Trail but America’s relationship with the wild, was seamless, where you didn’t realise you were learning until you returned to Bryson and Katz. It has its flaws, Bryson’s constant critique of every aspect of the trail and the cartoonesque depiction of other hikers, but these are easily overlooked. #awalkinthewoods #billbryson #appalachiantrail #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl (at Appalachian Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CSDEu39htUh/?utm_medium=tumblr

#awalkinthewoods #billbryson #appalachiantrail #minimonotonebookclub #booksivereadin2021 #booksivedrawnin2021 #booksreillustrated #bookstagram #houlart #houl