Ten Great Western Novels (top 10 best of list)

My friend and co-editor of Living After Midnight: Hard and Heavy Stories, David T. Wilbanks, asked for recommendations of some good Western novels. Here's the list I gave him. They're in no particular order (except the order in which I thought of them).

I was rather pleased with what I came up with, so I thought I'd share it here. There will surely be contention with some of my choices, but I greatly enjoyed them all, and I think they display the genre's breadth of possibilities.

• True Grit by Charles Portis
• Beyond the Outposts by Max Brand
• The Goodnight Trail by Ralph Compton
• Shane by Jack Schaeffer
• .45-Caliber Firebrand by Peter Brandvold
• Rio Largo by David Robbins
• Six-Gun Caballero by L. Ron Hubbard
• Death Ground by Ed Gorman
• The Day the Cowboys Quit by Elmer Kelton
• The Big Fifty by Johnny D. Boggs

Another fantastic book, which takes place in the West in the early 1900s (and thus isn't a traditional "Western"), is The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner.

Favorite Reads of 2010 (Best Books of the Year list)

Of all the books I read this year, these 15 take the top marks. For more on why I chose these particular books as my favorites of 2010, click on the link to read the original review.

• Peter Brandvold writing as Frank Leslie, The Guns of Sapinero
  
• Edgar Rice Burroughs, A Princess of Mars
  
• J. Lee Butts, Gun Work: The Further Exploits of Hayden Tilden
  
• Jack Clark, Nobody's Angel
  
• Max Allan Collins, Quarry's Ex
  
• Edward M. Erdelac, Merkabah Rider: Tales of a High Planes Drifter
  
• Joe Gores, Spade and Archer
  
• Michael Hemmingson, This Other Eden
  
• Robert E. Howard, Kull: Exile of Atlantis
  
• Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins, The Big Bang
  
• Wallace Stegner, The Big Rock Candy Mountain
  
• Shane Stevens, By Reason of Insanity
  
• Donald E. Westlake, Memory
  
• Richard Wright, Native Son
  
• S. Craig Zahler, A Congregation of Jackals
  

It's been another great year for reading, and I'm very excited about 2011. See you then!

Favorite Reads of 2009 (Best Books of the Year list)

2009 was a great year for reading. But it was a banner year especially in terms of my reading Westerns. In previous years, this underappreciated genre had comprised perhaps around 10% of my annual reading, but last year they really took hold of me, and a solid one-third (44) of the 125 books I read in 2009 were Westerns!

Of course, there was also the usual assortment of crime, horror, general (i.e., "literary") fiction, nonfiction, and even a respectable amount of science fiction and fantasy, especially since I discovered good sword-and-sorcery through my introduction to Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber. In any case, 2009 was a solid year for reading in general — I discovered some great authors who have since become favorites — and this is the best of what I read.

For more on why I chose these particular books as the best of the year, click on the link to read the original review. I'm taking a break until January 4. Happy holidays! I'll be back with a review of — you guessed it! — another Western.

Crime:
• Josh Bazell, Beat the Reaper
• Lester Dent, Honey in His Mouth
• Harry Dolan, Bad Things Happen
• Ed Gorman, The Midnight Room
• Ross Macdonald, The Zebra-Striped Hearse
• Alice Sebold, The Almost Moon
• Tom Rob Smith, Child 44

Horror:
• Andrew Davidson, The Gargoyle
• Robert E. Howard, The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard
• Richard Laymon, Come Out Tonight
• Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Cemetery Dance
• Dan Simmons, Drood

Westerns:
• Peter Brandvold, .45-Caliber Firebrand
• Lou Cameron (writing as Tabor Evans), Longarm
• Forrest Carter, Gone to Texas (The Outlaw Josey Wales)
• Ralph Compton, The Goodnight Trail
• L. Ron Hubbard, Six-Gun Caballero
• John D. Nesbitt, Death at Dark Water
• T.V. Olsen, A Man Called Brazos
• Robert J. Randisi, Trapp’s Mountain
• Frank Roderus, Charlie and the Sir
• Joseph A. West, The Man from Nowhere

Ten More Great Reads from 2008

This is my second Best Books I Read in 2008 list. (The first one is here.) This one consists of those books that were not first published in 2008. These should not in any way be taken as lesser selections — in fact the best book I read all year is on this list — I just wanted to keep them separate.

So, here they are, in the order I finished them, along with their year of publication. Any links go to the more detailed reviews I wrote when I first read them. Others have short summaries and capsule reviews. You can research more about those yourself (and then tell your friends that you discovered them).

1. Douglas Preston, The Codex (2004) —Three brothers compete to find the inheritance their puzzle-happy father left them ... buried along with him somewhere in the Honduran rainforest. Preston flies solo in this globe-trotting adventure that is a little long but still immensely entertaining.
2. John Burnham Schwartz, Reservation Road (1998)
3. Lois Lowry, The Giver (1993)
4. Budd Schulberg, What Makes Sammy Run? (1941) — The story of Sammy Glick, a copy boy who schemes his way through the ranks of Hollywood. Schulberg makes a despicable character sympathetic by filtering through the eyes of his only friend. Sammy was originally meant to be outrageous, but soon became a "how-to" manual for those on the move.
5. David Robbins writing as Ralph Compton, Rio Largo (2006)
6. Ed McBain, Ten Plus One (1964)
7. John D. MacDonald, Cry Hard, Cry Fast (1955) — The author most famous for his Travis McGee novels paints intricate portraits of every person involved in a multiple-car crash; terrific characterization.
8. Stephen King and Peter Straub, Black House (2001)
9. John Irving, A Widow for One Year (1998)
10. Charles Portis, True Grit (1968) — (A repeat from last year's list: I liked it so much, I read it again and loved it almost as much!)

The Book of Lists: Horror edited by Amy Wallace, Del Howison, and Scott Bradley (introduction by Gahan Wilson)

The Book of Lists began a franchise in 1977 that has lasted over 30 years. It has resulted in a New York Times bestseller, three other general collections, and one each on the 1990s and punk rock. Now they move even further out of the mainstream with The Book of Lists: Horror.

"Trying to prod a thing as elusive, sneaky, and totally out-of-bounds as horror into an informative and highly usable book of lists would seem to be pretty much impossible," states author/illustrator Gahan Wilson (one of the first artists I learned to recognize by style) in his introduction. But it seems that editors Amy Wallace, Del Howison, and Scott Bradley have managed to somehow compile over 400 pages' worth of opinions, recommendations, and commentary into this endlessly fascinating volume. If you're a fan of the genre, The Book of Lists: Horror is a must read; if you're not, it will make you one.

Here's just a sampling of the contents, limited to lists by 15 of my favorite authors (and not necessarily my favorite lists):

• Edward Lee—"Ten Best Horror Movies with Gratuitous Nudity"
  
• Stephen King—"Ten Favorite Horror Novels or Short Stories" (reprinted from The Book of Lists 3)
  
• Bentley Little—"Ten Horror One-Hit Wonders That Everyone Should Read"
  
• Michael Slade—"Horrific Inspirations for His Thirteen Novels"
  
• Jack Ketchum—"Ten Best Horror Novels That Don't Call Themselves Horror Novels"
  
• Robert Bloch—"Ten Favorite Horror-Fantasy Novels (reprinted from The Book of Lists 2)
  
• Poppy Z. Brite—"Top Ten Dine 'N' Die Stories in Horror Fiction"
  
• Mark Justice—"Seven Favorite Horror Stories from the Bloody Pulps"
  
• J.F. Gonzalez—"Top Thirteen Obscure Shockers from the Pulps and Beyond"
  
• T.E.D. Klein—"Twenty-Five Most Familiar Horror Plots" (reprinted from Raising Goosebumps for Fun and Profit)
  
• David T. Wilbanks—"Ten Favorite Dark Works of Classical Music"
  
• Bryan Smith—"Top Ten Horror-Themed Rock 'N' Roll Songs"
  
• Christopher Golden—"Ten Favorite Supernatural TV Series
  
• Steve Niles—"Top Twenty Horror Comic Covers"
  
• Gary A. Braunbeck—"Seven Disparately Horrific Triple Features"

...and that's just scratching the surface. The Book of Lists: Horror took up every free moment I had from the day I got it until ... well, I still refer back to it now and then and expect to keep it on my reference shelf right next to another horror-list classic: Horror: 100 Best Books. In fact, my only real complaint is that there is no comprehensive index or table of contents that would allow the reader to relocate a favorite list. But there are so many terrific takes on the genre included in The Book of Lists: Horror, however, that the search will undoubtedly result in finding something else great in the process.

Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2008

My first Best Books I Read in 2008 list consists of those books that were first published in 2008. I plan to do another list of books I read this year that were published elsewhen (if it's not a word, it should be), but who knows when that might happen?...

When compiling this list, I noticed (but was not particularly surprised by) two aspects:

1. This is the fourth year I've done a list, and at least one Hard Case Crime book has been on it every year. This year is no exception; two of their books made the list.

2. Many authors from this year are repeats from previous years' "best of" lists. Whether this means that I need to expand my reading horizons, or that I've simply made good choices in the authors I read regularly, I don't know. As always, comments are welcome.

So, here they are, alphabetically by author. The links go to the more detailed reviews I wrote when I first read them.

1. Charles Ardai, Fifty-to-One
   
2. Tom Bradley, Lemur
   
3. Edward Bunker, Stark
   
4. Max Allan Collins, The First Quarry
   
5. Patrick Culhane, Red Sky in Morning
   
6. Ray Garton, Ravenous
   
7. Harold Jaffe, Jesus Coyote
   
8. Joe R. Lansdale, Leather Maiden
   
9. David J. Schow, Gun Work
   
10. Matthew Warner, Horror Is Not a 4-Letter Word
    

(In the interest of total disclosure, I received free review copies of all but one of these, and I got that one from the library. Hooray for free books! Also, I usually try to limit the list to one book per author. But since Patrick Culhane is actually Max Allan Collins, and it's technically another name, I've made an exception due to that technicality.)

Movie Sequels That Are Better Than the Originals

The main problem most film sequels have is their attempt to recapture the success of the original by replicating its cast, story, etc. The best sequels avoid that trap by going off in their own directions, or by expanding on what made the original so popular. Here is a list of what I think are the best improve on their predecessors:

1. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 — Now don't get me wrong: I loved The Blair Witch Project. But unfortunately most of its success, in addition to a very effective fear approach, was due to the "this really happened" marketing gimmick. Instead of trying to catch lightning in a bottle again, director Joe Berlinger and his co-screenwriter Dick Beebe created an original story of the effects the first movie had on a group of young filmgoers.
   
   
2. Superman II — The original Superman is a classic, but it is primarily devoted to what comics aficionados call "the origin story": where Superman comes from, the people in his life, his super powers, etc. Where Superman II takes off (pun intended) is by expanding on three fringe characters seen only in the beginning of the first movie. Giving Superman three villains (four if you count Gene Hackman's return as Lex Luthor, though he is mostly relegated to the sidelines) to fight ratchets up the suspense level. And allowing for more humor (related to the three aliens' unfamiliarity with Earth customs) simply makes for a more entertaining film.

(More to come, including Aliens, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and Toy Story 2.)

By the way, I believe I am the only person I know who does not believe that The Godfather II is better than The Godfather. The continuation of the Michael Corleone story is much welcomed, but the Young Vito clips are just boring and unnecessary.

Ten More Great Reads from 2007

This is my second Best Books I Read in 2007 list. (The first one is here.) This one consists of those books that were not first published in 2007. These should not in any way be taken as lesser selections — in fact the best book I read all year is on this list — I just wanted to keep them separate.

So, here they are, alphabetically by author, along with their year of publication. Any links go to the more detailed reviews I wrote when I first read them. Others you can research yourself (and then tell your friends that you discovered them).

1. Max Brand, Beyond the Outposts (1925) — The best book I read all year is a great story and a great audiobook. Kristoffer Tabori brings this Western about a different kind of father-son relationship to life!
   
2. Gil Brewer, The Vengeful Virgin (1958) — This book is the true pulp crime experience: it feels like it was written in a flash of inspiration, and Brewer's characters are boldly sexy, violently cruel, lustfully greedy, and utterly remorseless.
   
3. Clifford Irving, Fake! (1969) — Part biography, part crime story, part world travelogue, and probably part fiction, this biography of art forger Elmyr de Hory (by the man behind The Hoax) remains wholly engaging and eminently readable.
   
4. Drew Karpyshyn, Darth Bane: Path of Destruction (2006) — Yes, it's a Star Wars novel, but anyone who wants to know everything about the growth and development of a Sith Lord needs to read this book, which is set 1,000 years before the movies.
   
5. Stanislaw Lem, One Human Minute (1986) — The title piece is alone worth the cover price (but don't skip the other two), as Lem takes us on a tour of what happens all over the world every minute (it's set in the future yet feels timely). It doesn't sound like much, but it's surprisingly entertaining and thought-provoking.
   
6. Ira Levin, Son of Rosemary (1997) — A terrific thriller and a fitting end to a career filled with high points. Anyone who dismissed it because of the ending, thinking that it negated the legacy of Rosemary's Baby, simply needs to go back and read it again. You missed some important details.
   
7. Charles Portis, True Grit (1968) — Another great Western novel/audiobook, and one of the few to elicit genuine affection from me toward the characters. Anyone who thinks he can skip it because he's seen the movie is fooling himself — the film is a weak imitation. I enjoyed the library copy so much, I bought my own.
   
8. Damon Runyon, Guys and Dolls (1934) — Runyon is little-known today, but that should change. He is still probably the best short-story writer ever, and with a style that simply cannot be imitated (not least of which because of its difficulty in doing correctly). Crime fans especially should flock to his work, because it shows criminals from a different time on their off time. This collection was pure pleasure, and as a bonus it made me a regular listener to the old-time radio program Damon Runyon Theater.
   
9. Duane Swierczynski, The Blonde (2006) — I found this to be an almost perfect book. It's short and fast, has great characters, and adds pieces of sci-fi and horror to its old-time crime noir plot. I think it would appeal to practically anybody reading this weblog.
   
10. F. Paul Wilson, Harbingers (2006) — The tenth Repairman Jack novel is also one of the best, as Jack is even further swept along on a path of "coincidences" out of his control (something he is not used to and cannot stand) toward his predestined fate. What a ride Wilson has taken us on.

(And I only received one of these as a review copy. The rest I got from the library, received as gifts, or — gasp! — paid actual money for.)

Top Ten Best Books I Read in 2007

My first Best Books I Read in 2007 list consists of those books that were first published in 2007. I plan to do another list of books I read this year that were published elsewhen (if it's not a word, it should be), but who knows when that might happen?...

So, here they are, alphabetically by author. The links go to the more detailed reviews I wrote when I first read them.

1. Richard Aleas (Charles Ardai), Songs of Innocence
   
2. Max Allan Collins, Deadly Beloved
3. Peter Crowther, The Spaces Between the Lines
   
4. Allan Guthrie, Kill Clock
   
5. Joe Hill, Heart-Shaped Box
   
6. Russell Hill, Robbie's Wife
   
7. Mark Justice and David T. Wilbanks, Dead Earth: The Green Dawn
   
8. Norman Lebrecht, The Life and Death of Classical Music
   
9. Ronald Damien Malfi, Via Dolorosa
   
10. Paul S. Powers (edited by Laurie Powers), Pulp Writer: Twenty Years in the American Grub Street

(In the interest of total disclosure, I received free review copies of all but one of these, and I got that one from the library. Hooray for free books!)