Category Archives: Book Talk

Book Column, Book Talk, Upcoming Titles

New Book by Harry Quebert Author

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There is a new book coming out from the author of The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, which was the surprise hit of 2014.

Author Joël Dicker Twittered a teaser seven days ago announcing an the October 1st release of The Book of Baltimore:

TheBookofBaltimore

And that right there is 100% of what the world knows about Dicker’s next book.

I have recommended The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair to countless friends and folks online. Yes, it’s 600+ pages, but it’s such a well told story with a long twisting mystery and is dripping with the wonderful world of writers, publishing and books. It was such a fun read.

I think it’s interesting that Joël Dickers’ next book is set in America, again. Dickers is Swiss and not even 30-years-old yet and I thought his next book would be set closer to his European home. But maybe he feels like he’s found another sold thread of a story. We’ll see.

The Book of Baltimore will be Dickers’ third book. His first was titled The Last Days of Our Fathers (according to Google Translate) and was a WWII story. I haven’t seen an American translation if there is one.

As long as he stays close to what he knows and enjoys writing about it’s one I am looking forward to picking up.

Book Column, Book Talk, On the TV, Upcoming Titles

Scalzi on TV & in Print

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Science-fiction author John Scalzi is having a big year. Just a few weeks ago he inked a multi-book multi-million dollar publishing deal. And his new book The End of All Things will be out August 11.

You can read excerpts from the first four chapters (Chapter 01, Chapter 02, Chapter 03, Chapter 04) of The End of All Things, which is the second book of the Human Division, set in the Old Man’s War universe.

EndofAllThings_Scalzi_cover

The whole Old Man’s War universe/storyline  revolves around John Perry, a 70+ man who who enlists in the army and transfers his consciousness into a younger, more battle-ready body.  So the wars rage on among the stars with troops in enhanced bodies while having the wisdom and humor of “old men”. Parts of it borderline on cute. But the books are fast paced and just plain fun to read.

Which is why I think it’ll make a great TV show on SyFy. At the end of last year, it was announced that the Ghost Brigades TV show was in development. It gets its title from the 2006 book by Scalzi.

So a new book, a new contract, and a new TV series. No doubt John Scalzi is staying super busy this year.

Have you read any of John Scalzi’s books?

Book Column, Book Talk, Movies

Four New Films Based on Books

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The recent release of The Martian movie trailer, based on Weir’s book of the same title, got me thinking – what other books I liked have upcoming movies?

So I searched around and dug up info on these four films. Let me bracket all of this by saying – I do not know squat about Hollywood. I have a vague understanding what “optioned” means and what having a producer attached to film vs. a director with no actors indicates about just how far along a film is in the process. So some of these may never see the light of day. But the interest is good.

And it seems to me that you’d want to crank out a quality film while the book it’s based on is still highly ranked in the public’s collective hippocampus. But again – I don’t know Hollywood. What I do know is a good book when I read it, so if these films based on books do happen and they’re as good as the book they’re based on, then it may be worth an $80 movie pass (or whatever movies cost these days).

Into-Thin-Air_coverInto Thin Air by Jon Krakauer – this is the second time Krakauer’s true story about climbing Mount Everest has been made into a film. The title of this film is simply Everest and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley and Josh Brolin. Looks like everything is on track for a September 18th release date.

 

 

Ready_Player_One_coverReady Player One by Ernest Cline – Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct this one. I can absolutely see this book working as a film. Everything from the real-world vertical trailer parks to the special effects needed for the game sequences would be great on the big screen. It’s still in the writing stage it looks like, so no word on a release date.

 

The_Girl_With_All_The_Gifts_coverThe Girl With All the Gifts by Mike Carey – the title has been changed to She Who Brings Gifts and parts of it started being filmed last month. The story paints a bleak future where humanity has been almost wiped out by fungus/plant infections. Glen Close and Gemma Arterton are acting in this one. Looks like it’s slated for 2016.

 

 

goldfinch-donna-tartt_CoverThe Goldfinch by Donna Tartt – last year’s Pulitzer Prize winner has been optioned and has a producer. The screenplay is being drafted by the same guy who did Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy, to give you an idea of how they’re thinking about this film. There is no release date or start date for this movie yet.

 

 

But of course we all know, no matter how good any 90 minute film is…

TheBookWasBetter

Book Column, Book Talk, Publishers

Big Books Do Not Mean Better Books

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I ran across this conversation-provoking New York Times Book Review opinion piece a few weeks ago, where the author wondered “Does the Size of a Book Suggest Significance?”. It’s a fast read. Go read it. Then, please, come back here and share your thoughts.

Do authors and publishers every inflate a book’s size? Most definitely. Big books stand out on the shelf better than thinner tomes and they get picked up by customers more often. A bigger spine seems to communicate a sense of value to a paying customer. It’s a “more bang for your buck” kind of thing. But thankfully, due to new formats and more knowledgeable customers, things are poised for a shift.

Without a doubt many of the recently published books I have read could use a good pass by a skilled editor with red pen and machete in hand.

It should all boil down to being of value to the reader. But it’s tough. Books have always had a hard time with communicating value. One was to communicate value is by size. An 800-page book is often seen worth the $30 price-tage, whereas today some 288-page books are ring up at $26. One benefit of ebooks happening is the focus on content, value of the work and the words on the page. Not just the girth of the container.

While I do not think  “efficiency” in the NYT Book Review article is the best way to describe what is needed, I 100% agree with what he is calling for.

A good author/editor team will distill, purify and clarify.

Big books need to be pruned. So many times authors hide behind “backstory”, “character color” and “world building” to tack on details and increase page count. I agree that they should do away with all the distracting, confusing fluff and just focus on what pushes the characters forward and drives the plot. That is how you serve the reader.

Of course, some books will be big and should be big. There is no denying that. But publishers should work hard to build a house that focuses on tight wonderful stories that capture every author’s purest prose and plot while capturing every reader’s mind and heart.

What do you think? Do you ever find yourself rolling your eyes while reading big books? Ever wish you could sit down with a book’s editor and talk things out?