Girlfriend in a Coma176 reviews Douglas Coupland Harper Perennial, 1999 A Story about Friends, Love and the End of the World + I find your lack of faith disturbing. This Stephen Kingesque story follows a group of friends who live on Rabbit Street in Vancouver, BC as they grow from their senior year in high school to their mid-thirties. Jarrod, or rather his ghost, narrates the first chapter. He was the jock, the football player who balled all the hot chicks, ...             The Elementary Particles89 reviews Michel Houellebecq, Frank Wynne Vintage, 2001 thought provoking + A Bizarre Book + A well written solid story. I started reading this on a plane ride to Europe. I had to put it down every 15-20 minutes, simply to think about what he was saying. Sometimes I would agree, sometimes not, and sometimes I would simply be impressed with his writing. Good book.             Darkness at Noon: A Novel18 reviews Arthur Koestler Scribner, 2006 Psychological Examination of Stalinist Show Trials + Fiction is rarely as good as reality + Novel of Ideas + "1984" in 1938 + Brilliant, insightful pessimism.             The Master and Margarita341 reviews Mikhail Bulgakov Vintage, 1996 A GIFT FROM THE GRAVE + "a liberating, exuberant social and political satire (Moscow) combined with a profound moral and political allegory (Jerusalem); + seductive masterpiece + The Devil Went Down to Moscow + READ THIS!             Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West310 reviews Cormac McCarthy Vintage, 1992 Unflinching Crimson Epic of the Old West + A very good, dark read... + unbridled havoc + The best of McCarthy + Great read, not an "easy" read, but worth the effort             American Pastoral221 reviews Philip Roth Vintage, 1998 Scrupulous Account of a Pivotal Point in America + Roth at his Finest + An Indictment of Dreams + Recovery impossible             The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book)333 reviews Neal Stephenson Spectra, 2000 Brilliant + Dated and yet... still a good time. Absolutely one of the best science fiction novels I have ever read. Mind blowing in its scope and vision. It's images and idea will stay with you long after you read the last page. I only wish Neal Stephenson would continue to explore the world created in The Diamond Age.             The Fermata55 reviews Nicholson Baker Vintage, 1995 Fascinating; High sexual content + Adolescent it its sexuality, mature in its view + Almost Shocking Without question, one of the most original and fascinating premises I've ever encountered. What would you do if you were able to stop time? Think about it. This is a relatively short book and extremely sexually charged. Not for the prudish or even the moderately straight laced.             Motherless Brooklyn201 reviews Jonathan Lethem Vintage, 2000 So Much Fun to Read! + Wonderful and original + The star of small time + A gift from a friend on Court Street in Brooklyn + Memorable, Also Wearying             The Crying of Lot 49 (Perennial Fiction Library)181 reviews Thomas Pynchon Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006 A Good Place to Start + A good lot for "Lot" God knows Pynchon isn't for everyone. However, if you are thinking of taking on the adventure his work can be, I highly recomend starting with The Crying of Lot 49. In this novel, you are going to find all of his major themes (some being paranoia, difficult even obscure scientific references, and ...             Hey Nostradamus!: A Novel57 reviews Douglas Coupland Bloomsbury USA, 2004 Amazing. . . + Above Average Douglas Coupland is an amazing writer and Hey Nostradamus! is more proof of his greatness. This book touches upon many different aspects of life, ranging from tragedy, false accusations, religious fanatics and hypocrites. I especially enjoyed the multiple character approach to telling the story, ...             Empire Falls477 reviews Richard Russo Vintage, 2002 Thoughtful On the surface this is a book about an average guy who is stuck in a rut in an average small town. But when you delve deeper, you see that the book is about how pivotal choices and events shape who we are and where we end up in life. The characters in this book are memorable, realistic, and well ...             The Gospel According to Jesus Christ76 reviews Jose Saramago Harvest Books, 1994 Imaginative and Provocative + Uncharacteristic Characterization of Christ This is a wonderful work of fiction that is creatively devised and unique. It is certainly, as has previously been forewarned by others, not for the devout reader who will take offense when faced with a work of fiction that does not accurately depict Jesus and those closest to him as is told by ...             Morvern Callar27 reviews Alan Warner Anchor, 1997 Engaging in its strangeness Late one night I came upon the movie _Morvern Callar_ and wondered why it might be called Morvern the Silent. I watched the movie, stunned, but unable and unwilling to change the station even when I could barely understand the dialogue. The characters, aside from Morvern, were so like the ghetto ...             The Diagnosis: A Novel78 reviews Alan Lightman Vintage, 2002 It wouldn't leave me alone I will admit a few things up front. First, I have enjoyed all of Mr. Lightman's fiction. I think he is a master at writing lyrical prose. Secondly, I was prepared to love this book - I was waiting to savor every page. Thirdly, when I did read it the first time, I was disappointed. But, the book ...             The Intuitionist: A Novel79 reviews Colson Whitehead Anchor, 2000 You make the call + Dazzling genre busting mystery - a compulsive page turner. + An audacious first novel by a genius author What we want here is a good clean fight, protect yourself at all times, no head butts, no hitting below the belt, break clenches when I tell you, after a knockdown go to the nearest neutral corner and wait until signaled, no limit on knockdowns in a round and you will not be saved by the bell. ...             Amsterdam1 review Ian McEwan Vintage, 2005 "Amsterdam" in winter Ian McEwan is, without a doubt, one of the greatest writers of dark fiction today. But his novella "Amsterdam" is something of a misfire, reading more like the sluggishly-filled-out outline for a novel rather than a novel itself. While it has the seeds of genius, his usual introspection and depth ...             Schopenhauer's Telescope: A Novel12 reviews Gerald Donovan Counterpoint, 2004 Evil in history from both ends of the telescope + An original, if sometimes unfocused, debut novel about war and human cruelty + "...the enemy never quite goes away" + Wonderful, yet different + Read this now.             White Noise (Contemporary American Fiction)272 reviews Don DeLillo Penguin (Non-Classics), 1986 Timeless + Hmmm.... There's a reference in "White Noise" to an Instamatic camera. There's a reference to station wagons. There are one or two other commercial product artifacts in "White Noise" but this is a book that could have been published today with very few edits. (And perhaps one addition--the J.A.K. Gladney ...             The Star Fraction (Fall Revolution)11 reviews Ken MacLeod Tor Books, 2002 Very imaginative and thought-provoking + Not Free SF Reader + The Star Fraction - A somewhat lackluster beginning! + Pretty good cyberpunk