Friday Reads

Things are looking brighter here in the (rainy) Golden State. We got our flooding problem fixed (I think, fingers crossed), I finally got over Covid, and I did not have to report for jury duty. The Ides of March can suck it.

In addition, I was finally able to pick up my copy of Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while: it’s an eco-thriller about a group of guerilla gardeners who come into the crosshairs of a sinister billionaire. Stephen King has already sung its praises, so you don’t need my endorsement on top of that, but you’ve got it anyway.

This week I also got The Donut Legion by Joe R. Lansdale, who’s best known for his Hap and Leonard series. I’ve said this before, but Lansdale is a goddamn genius. Not only is he amazingly prolific —he spins out books faster than most people read them— he’s incredibly sharp and skilled; his prose is always tight and powerful, and he manages to convey character in just a few deft lines. I have yet to read a book by him that disappoints. The Donut Legion is a mystery centered on a flying saucer cult and a missing ex-wife. It’s going to be fun.

Finally, I got Flux by Jinwoo Chong, a time-travel/alternate universe story about three men who find their lives intersecting in a mystery about forbidden technology and a vast conspiracy. As you might guess, this is totally my jam. I preordered almost a year ago on the description alone.

I’m also checking out books from the library as if I have unlimited time. I swear I will find the hours to read Christopher Priest and Nathan Ballingrud this week, somehow.

What are you reading? Suggestions and ideas and reviews always welcome in the comments.