Fanart Friday: Revised book covers

I know the saying is "don't judge a book by it's cover" but I really can't help it, I'm attracted to books with good looking covers. For me this typically means minimal artistic renderings with an absence of any photographs of people. (Actually, if you'd like to, you can check out the series of posts where I wax lyrical about my favourite covers). Anyway. I often look at book covers and think "what the hell is this piece of crap?!" Some covers are so repellent that it's hard to believe there could possibly be a quality book between the cover art, and I'm sure that more than once (or 10 times) I've missed out on a book purely because I can't bare to look at the glossy cover with the amateur photoshop job on the front. So in the spirit of pretty book covers that make you wish you had a copy right there in front of you, here are a bunch of fantastic artistic pieces that recreate or revise books covers with their own creative spin. I should add, none of these are books I think have shite covers normally, these covers just kick extra ass. I think The Shining and the series of Harry Potters are probably my favourites. Minimalistic design... FUCK YEAH!

It by Blaze-01

It by WhiteKnight222

The Shining by Traumatron

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by Shinigami1289

Neverwhere by AnirBrokenear

Good Omens by Chisaru-Chen

Harry Potter Covers by Missunderstood

Monday Links

*From Youtube, ^ Stephen King discusses short stories.

*From the Paris Review, the symbolism survey. In the 1960s, a student sent out a survey to 150 authors regarding symbolism in novels. The Paris Review have a posted facsimilies of a bunch of them for your enjoyment. My thoughts: I'd love to discuss this subject with Ray Bradbury, John Updike has beautiful handwriting and Ayn Rand proves she's as much of a bitch as I gathered from her writing.

*From Muggle Net, Warner Bros is lobbying for some Oscar nominations for the final Harry Potter film.

*From Penguin's Tumblr, a wonderful book installation by Anouk Kruithof.

film review: I Am Legend

I Am Legend 
Directed by:  Francis Lawrence

Released: 2007

Starring: Will Smith, Alice Brega

For synopsis please see my book review.

Ok, this isn't going to be a pleasant review, but like the book review, I can't really delve into why it fails so abysmally because that'd destroy the book for potential readers. If I sum it up though, the film missed the point. Completely. Like many Hollywood adaptations of classic (or modern classic) books or films, they were too focused in how awesome Will Smith would look walking down an empty New York street, and not enough in the crux of this story, the inner turmoil that haunts the last man alive and his constant battle to hold onto his sanity, his humanity and his self.

The book isn't an epic tale of a man taking on the disease single-handedly. It's a personal account and it's god damn harrowing. The film focuses too much on making Robert a hero and a good guy and MISSES THE GOD DAMN POINT. Essentially, the film is the glossy Hollywood attempt to sell tickets, and really I don't blame anyone except the writer and the executives who green lit the film. That said, the pacing of the film is actually pretty decent. The first 15 minutes or so do a pretty good job of setting up Robert as the final man alive, and showing New York as a crumbling ghost town that's been overtaken by nature. However it misses that mechanical approach in the book, it's almost gimmicky at times, and Will Smith is far too sane and emotional to truly be a man who has spent three years alone in the world. It also eliminates the humanity of the "dark seekers" as they're known in the film. They're more like zombies now and there isn't the persistent terrorising of Robert that exists in the book. In the book his neighbour Ben and other vampires are the single thing most likely to tear Robert's sanity to shreds, because he can't help think of them as the people they once were and of the humanity they now so sorely lack.

It's those smaller details that really niggle at me as I watch this film. They might be small details but they're important to the complete picture, and if you mess with one, ultimately you mess with all of them. Worst of all though, is the end. I can forgive, to an extent, making Robert a scientist who was involved in the original deadly cure or giving him a dog for a pet, or ramping up the action as he hunts the dark seekers. If you're going to make a blockbuster, you have to please the majority, and I'm fairly sure most people who saw this film had no idea it was based on a book. What I can't forgive though, is the ending. They basically took a big steaming pile of crap and smeared it all over Matheson's memory. It appeals to the lowest common denominator and completely disrespects not only the original, but the story that they had (rather haphazardly) been building to that point. It destroyed the elegance and complexity and humanity of the story and treated the audience like idiots. The rest of the movie is hardly a must-see, but that final half hour is enough to warrant me to advise you all to stay far, far away from this "movie".

In the end I have to ask why the hell they thought this needed to be remade. The book could easily adapt to a moody and complex dystopian tale, but so far Hollywood has forced the story to bend their way in all three adaptations. Why do authors keep accepting the project if they can't keep true to the book? Surely they've read the original book and understand that their project has completely missed the mark. And if it's because Hollywood interferes, then don't make it. It's like the film adaptation of The Golden Compass, if people are pressuring you into removing the heart and soul of the story, then don't make it. Simple.

So, don't watch this. Read the book and if you must watch a film adaptation watch Night of the Living Dead  because though it doesn't follow the plot in the slightest, the heart of the story is well and truly present in this classic zombie film, and it's the only film that Matheson himself thought captured his amazing novella successfully.

Review: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

This review is incredibly difficult to write. Not because it's a bad book (it isn't), or there is an absence of symbolism, plot or substance (there isn't) but because in order to talk about what makes this book REALLY great I'd need to discuss the final 10 pages, which would give away all the details that make reading it worth it. So I'm in a little predicament, what do I include, what do I leave out? What I've decided to do is avoid discussing the plot in this review, but I will be writing an in-depth discussion post about this book for my horror blog with all the spoilers, so if you have read the book or don't care about spoilers head over there sometime in early 2012.

I Am Legend 
by Richard Matheson

Published in: 1954

Synopsis: Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman, and child on Earth has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood.
By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn.
How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

This book is phenomenal. It is so short and compact and the storytelling is so distant until WHAM! There are a few books that I love so freaking much that I can barely discuss them because I can't form coherent sentences or discuss the book without using a whole bunch of "ZOMG" "FREAKING AWESOME" "AHFUITFHFSKLDSHGHJ!!" This is definitely one of those books, but I'm going to try really, really hard to  keep this short, succinct and helpful in case you're thinking about delving into this masterpiece.

Robert Neville is the flawed character. He is the final human being left in a world overrun by vampires, and is taunted by them every night as he tries to maintain some semblance of regular life. Obviously this is almost impossible, and as a result Neville becomes this distant, cold character who almost completely refrains from showing any real emotion or giving himself the opportunity to ever react to the things he sees each day and night. Everyone he loves is dead or transformed thanks to a medical cure gone wrong, and by the time we meet him, he's hardened and spends everyday ticking off the day's 'to do' list. Because the story follows our final man standing, it begins to resemble Robert Neville...systematic, distant, and methodical. It chops through his day like a scientist proceeds through his methodology, we watch him chop the garlic and string it into garlands, fix the wood nailed across the windows, take his meal out of the freezer and then prepare, cook and eat it. But we also follow him as he systematically makes his way across town and stakes the vampires through their hearts, or throws dead bodies into the tyre pit, or peers out the door when the vampires arrive each night to taunt and tease him.

Distant though the story is, you catch glimpses of the man that's hiding behind this tough exterior. especially as it progresses, gaining momentum and speed. You really get an idea of how hard it is to be the last man alive, and not only difficult but tedious. With only yourself for company, and the weight of the world on your shoulders, it's a slippery slope into insanity. And that's what the beauty of the this book is. It combines the enormity of being the last man on Earth and trying to find a cure (without the benefit of a science or medical education) with the tedium of day to day life and with the constant battle of emotions that threaten to destroy your mind. Ultimately Robert is an incredibly positive character. Even as he's closed off and reluctant to really think about what it is he's doing, he's still there. He's living day by day, doing what needs to be done as it needs to be done, while only allowing him the briefest moment to think about the past, the present and the future, because he knows the danger that lies in giving it to those thoughts.  I can't imagine what I'd do if I found out I was the final person alive, but I imagine I'd probably crumble fairly quickly once the enormity of it hit me. He's not perfect, and he's certainly not a warm guy, but he's possibly one of the strongest and most interesting characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

I'm not going to discuss any more of the plot because I think that will soon progress into me discussing the things I really shouldn't discuss. So I'm going to conclude by saying that this book is one that will make you contemplate EVERYTHING! The book raises so many issues, from medical experimentation, to personal strength, to the real essence of monstrosity and the 1000s of shades of grey that exist. I Am Legend stuck with me for quite awhile after reading it, it kept swirling questions and thoughts around my head for days and days. Forget everything else, that is the sign of an unbelievable book. It's the result of a talented author crafting an impressive story, with a lasting character in a world that is so believable it practically bleeds through the text on the page. It is phenomenal.

December and 2011 Wrap-up

So that's it. 2011 is no more. Kaput. finite. done. complete. disappearing in the rearview mirror. It's been a momentous year for many reasons, but perhaps the biggest for me has been this blog. Even though I started this blog last July, it wasn't until February of this year that I had any clear vision of it being a book blog. Since then I've read 75 books (not including text books), published 50 book reviews, 10 film reviews, taken part in 25 Top 10 Tuesday memes, hosted a Harry Potter Countdown challenge/meme, started Fanart Friday, gained 118 wonderful readers (and friends), and received about 6 or 7 books from authors requesting reviews. Along with that I'm also more active on Goodreads, Twitter and tumblr thanks to the blogging community and I've had (and continue to have) an absolute ball!

Hosted by Two Bibliomaniacs 

Aim:
8 books and 8 films.

Progress:
Completed!

News/Notes:
I so nearly didn't make this one! It was a little bit chaotic trying to read the books and watch the films all while Christmas was rolling in, but somehow I managed to finish I Am Legend with one day to spare! I probably would have been finished earlier if it wasn't for me losing my copy of I Am Legend around Christmas time. All the mess and craziness caused by Christmas, wrapping gifts and having both my mum and sister come down to stay made it very difficult to find just about anything!

Books Read:
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson - Simply one of the greatest novels ever written. I can't recommend it enough.
Read review here.

Films watched:
Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford, Sean Young and Rutger Hauer - Killer sci-fi/fantasy film, though it diverges quite significantly from the book. Definitely try to get either the Director's Cut or the Final Cut if you're considering giving it a watch.
read review here.

The Exorcist, starring Ellen Burstyn and Max Von Sydow - It's aged surprisingly well, unlike some older horror films I can completely understand why this terrified an entire generation. Closer to the book that I'd realised.
read review here.

I Am Legend, starring Will Smith. What a steaming pile of crap. Seriously, don't waste your time with this rubbish. It gives the book a bad name.
read review here.

Challenge Highlights:
I really loved this challenge because it introduced me to a few books and movies that I perhaps would have skipped over otherwise. I enjoyed all the reads I took on but my absolute favourites were Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and the graphic novel adaptation of The Great Gatsby by Nicki Greenberg. They were phenomenal, especially Never Let Me Go. Even now I occasionally stop and think about that book and get a little teary. Other than I Am Legend, I also loved the films I chose to watch. But I think best of all was that all the films (I Am Legend excluded), even those which diverged from the book's plot slightly (or in some cases significantly) really maintained the true essence of the novel, and in no way had me exclaiming "The book is sooooo much better" or "They completed screwed up the film adaptation, idiots!" Overall a great challenge, thanks Two Bibliomaniacs for hosting!

Hosted by GabrielReads

Aim:
Avid Reader (2 books per month)- changed from the original aim of casual reader (1 book per month)

Progress:
11 books in total, or in other words, I failed dismally. I just ran out of time, and since most of my books left in my TBR pile are epic tomes that were destined to take a fair chunk of time it was just not meant to be. On the other hand, I did manage to read at least one book each month (except September and October due to thesis overload) and complete my original aim of casual reader (1 book per month).

Books read:
How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely - A lot more interesting than I'd expected. A funny and somewhat cynical look at the publishing industry but at it's heart it has a punch to it.
read review here.

Challenge Highlights:
I really loved this challenge, even if I didn't complete it. It really pushed me to pick up some of those books that have been gaining far too much dust on my shelves, and I managed to discover some real treasures while I was at it. The absolute highlight would have had to be The Doctor is Sick by Anthony Burgess. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was a fantastic discovery to see that Burgess definitely did have more than one great book in him and my fears of branching into his other work were stupid! A huge, massive thanks to the blogger who was responsible for providing the motivation to read these 11 books, Gabe!

Aim:75

Progress:Completed!

Books read:
The Vagabond Kingby James Conway -A really lovely coming of age story sent to me by the author. A real surprise treasure.
Read review here.

Girlsby the Luna Brothers- An interesting, if flawed, first book in a series of graphic novels about a town that has a rather weird invasion. Annoying ex-girlfriend is annoying.
Read review here.

The Goon by Eric Powell - Absolutely brilliant. Funniest and funnest (I know, I know, it isn't a word) graphic novel I've read all year.
read review here.

Challenge highlights: I really branched out this year, reading from a variety of genres and formats. A huge highlight was definitely discovering the George R.R. Martin A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series (Beginning with A Game of Thrones). I think that's perhaps the fastest I've ever devoured an entire series, I barely came up for air between book 1 and book 5! Other than that, I just really enjoyed how much reading I managed to get through, and the fantastic new authors I discovered.


Anything New:
*A little self-promotion to end the year on! Other than this blog, you can find me on twitter, goodreads, tumblr and taking part in my other blogHail Horror, Hail.

Review: How I became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely

How I Became A Famous Novelist
by Steve Hely

Published in: 2009

Synopsis: In this blistering evisceration of celebrity culture and literary fame, a roguish loser sets out to write the bestsellingest bestseller of all time. When he actually pulls it off, he winds up tearing like a tornado across America's cultural landscape.



All Pete wanted was to check off four simple goals. He wanted fame (a realistic amount), financial comfort (i.e. never have a job again), a stately home by the ocean (or scenic lake) and to humiliate his college sweetheart at her wedding. Actually, if he's being honest, the only reason he wants to meet the first 3 points is so he can succeed in the final point. And by succeed, he really wishes that the first three points will make the ex regret every decision she's ever made since leaving him and just give up and live an unhappy existence in a garbage dump. Simple enough aim right? So how's he going to accomplish it? Well, he'll write a bestseller novel to beat all bestseller novels and tick all four boxes before the end of the year (hopefully).

How I Became A Famous Novelist is a funny and slightly absurd book about the book industry. Stuck in a shitty job (he writes college applications for rich kids), in a shitty apartment with nothing much going for him, Pete is kicked into action when he hears that his ex-girlfriend is getting married. As you can imagine he isn't quite over her. Not that he necessarily wants to get back with her, but he wants to be better than her, so since she's a successful lawyer about to get married, he's got to one up her by arriving to her wedding with a successful novel under his belt, and a film adaptation in development if he's lucky. What unfolds is the fictional autobiography of Pete's ascent from slacker to author and the many things he learned, made up, cheated through, and sullied along the way.

A couple of days before I started reading this I watched an episode of 'First Tuesday Book Club' which is a book review TV program here in Australia. As it so happens, the first book they were discussing was this book, and one of the regulars said she didn't like it because she felt like it was "cynical and mean" about the book industry. To be honest, if that's what she thought then she mustn't have gotten past the first half, because while that certainly is the case at the start when Pete is looking for a quick and easy way to become rich, famous and ruin his ex's wedding, it soon evolves to much more than that. He soon realises that even the dodgy bestsellers aren't simply some guy or girl looking for an easy way up in the world. Bad though the books may be, the authors are honest in telling their stories. The last two pages thoroughly, thoroughly demonstrate this. If anything, this book is a cynics rediscovery of the magic (cue soap opera music) of literature, and the possibility for any book, regardless of genre, to be brimming with honesty and make you race through the pages because the story captivates you so whole-heartedly. And it is this journey from his simple beginnings as a slacker, all the way through to the complicated process of publishing a book and onto the fame filled arena of book festivals and movie deals that provides the most interest in the novel.

It's a funny book, but at times the humour felt a little forced or contrived. Not enough for me to be totally turned off, but there were occasions when I wanted to skip ahead to whatever would happen next. I've read reviews where people have said it fails completely to be funny, but I think if you know the book industry (as a reader, you don't have to work in it) you're more likely to get the humour that centred around those shockingly bad books you see on the bestseller list (but can't understand why) and the authors who write them. It was hard not to see the authors that Hely was making fun of in his fictional creations of literary colleagues for Pete. In fact, that's part of the fun of the book, trying to work out exactly who the female mystery/crime writer who is past her physical prime but still oozes sex appeal and is hands on in the actual crime world (working alongside cops). In some cases, the fictional authors appear to be an amalgam of several bestselling authors, and in others they're a generic cardboard cut-out which can be replaced by the latest Stephenie Meyer or Dan Brown to hit the market place.

Cynical though his approach may be at face value, Hely neither favours literary or genre fiction. He takes a stab at each of them because neither are perfect and neither contain only good or only bad authors. As Pete demonstrates, it can be far easier to fill your word count with vapid prose than  research what type of food rations is typically provided to MI6 personnel when they search for the Easter bunny in Antarctica. Along with busting some of the "being a writer is romantic" myths surrounding being an author (there's an interesting segment where he lists quotes by famous authors saying how much they hate the writing process), Hely really rips into the commercialisation that inhabits the book world. I mean, you only have to take a look at all the Twilight clones on the shelves to realise how true that is, but I think perhaps most importantly, he shows that if the author is honest in their intention (i.e. not just trying to make a quick buck) then their writing has the ability to reach out and impact readers, regardless of the genre or writing style or whether it ends up a bestseller or not.

Overall, I thought this was a great novel that provided some interesting and somewhat harsh insights into one of the toughest and most bizarre industries in the world. As you'd imagine from a writer of 30 Rock, it's funny, and satirical and a little bizarre at times, but it also has a great deal of heart and guts to it.