Should I read I am Legend?

The long and short of it: Yes
When was it made: 1954

What's this? An undead apocalypse book? How passe! Oh why would anyone want to read another book like this? Because this is the original. Written by Richard Matheson, I am Legend is the book that spawned 3 movies and the entire modern zombie franchise. This is another case of Gandalf the Grey: it seems like a cliche because it established that cliche. It follows Robert Neville as he copes with the coming of the zombie (well, vampires. This isn't a modern pop culture book so the line is thinner than you'd think-I guess you'll just have to read it!) and with the crushing despair that isolation brings.

The recent Will Smith movie is a lot of people's first introduction to this book, but the book itself is very popular on the cult circuit because of its role in the beginning of the zombie craze. The book has actually had three movies based off of it, although I've heard only the original stays true to the book. The Will Smith rendition is close, but veers off wildly at the end. George Romero credits this book with inspiring his zombie work, so this is the book to read if you're looking for the first modern zombie book (and a modern vampire book that doesn't treat them like day-glow fairies).

Now the book is a zombie book, so it follows the pattern of slow story development pieces perforated with a few action sequences. However, odds are if you're reading the book you're a fan of the zombie mode of storytelling, and its not that different. Now this book deals with isolation and its effects a lot more than the movie, so at some points the action becomes intentionally monotonous to show the dangers monotony has: it is by no means dull, but it is something to be aware of. The book is not nearly as violent as many modern works about the undead, so even the queasy can read it easily. Now if you're looking for a non-stop zombie thriller full of exploding heads and a mortal bad ass fighting the horde, you'll be disappointed. But if you're looking for an "after the world has lost" kind of zombie survival horror with a few social messages, than look no further.

I thought the book was fascinating and worth every minute. I loved watching as Robert had to slowly stop living in the past and move onto the future: it is interesting to note how time wears away at him until he has become a man more fitting of the world in which he lives. I also enjoyed the ending much more than the ending of the latest movie: however, if you have seen the alternative ending apparently it is much closer to the book. Zombie horror thrives on suspense and not knowing the outcome, so I'll stop myself here so I don't give any spoilers. Suffice it to say, I think it is much more satisfying to find out firsthand why "I am Legend."

Should I read V for Vendetta?

The long and short of it: Yes
When was it made: 1982

Written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd, V for Vendetta explores the political extremes of fascism and anarchy. The main character is an enigma whose origins and state of mind are never fully disclosed. We see a human fighting against 'the man' for freedom, but committing violent atrocities to do so. In true Moore fashion there are no heroes and villains, only people going about their lives--a fact that the movie, although I found it good, missed entirely when they made V a hero.

The 2005 movie has introduced a new generation to the masked man, albeit an incorrect version of him. Hopefully as many as saw the movie have read the book, because although the stories are similar on the outside, they are fundamentally as different as night and day. Also, the Guy Fawkes masks (for those of us who live in America, Guy Fawkes is famous for attempting to blow up parliament with barrels of gunpowder several centuries ago) have made an appearance, being worn by protesters and activists the world over to preserve their anonymity while promoting their cause. Whether these people are the anarchists of the book or the freedom fighters of the movie isn't clear, but it is an interesting phenomenon.

Now the book is definitely a good read, but there are lots of words, so if you read comics because you hate to read a lot, than maybe this isn't for you. The story is also very political, and is a bit more controversial than the movie. In the movie there are good guys and bad guys, but the book is considerably more gray. So if you want a gritty dystopian political commentary, go ahead and read. If you want a simple story or the black and white of superhero comics, than look elsewhere.

I loved the movie (seeing as how much I've mentioned it in this opinion on the book should make that fact relatively obvious) but I dislike how it skewed my perceptions of the book. Their interpretation of V as a hero of the people really hindered my interpretation of his as a more neutral character. I love the books realistic depictions of fascism and anarchy. The old saying "Under Mussolini the trains ran on time, but nobody smiled" really show in a society where the people have peace but not freedom, and the negative effects of anarchy are seen in the crime and violence that explodes during the revolution. My favorite scene is when Evey realizes that V is more than the man behind the mask, but is the idea within the mask: it epitomizes the books use of people as representations of ideals. Those ideals of anarchy and fascism always circle each other in world politics, and V for Vendetta tries to get us to see them for what they really are when we decide under which banner to flock if any banner at all.

Should I read Inferno by Dante?

The long and short of it: Probably
When was it made: Early 14th century

Written by Dante Alighieri, Inferno (Hell) is the first book in the Divine Comedy. The Divine Comedy is an allegorical poem about the redemption of man, following Dante himself as he is guided through Hell, Purgatory, and eventually Paradise. The first book follows his journey through Hell, showing souls in various states of punishment, all of which is explained to him by the Roman poet Virgil.

Inferno is the best known of the Divine Comedy-so much so that some people don't even know the other two works exist. Any western literature class will eventually cover it, and most people hold it as a badge of honor to have memorized certain lines or stanzas. There are references to the Inferno in almost everything, from the oft-quoted phrase "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here," to the names of the Four Fiends in Final Fantasy IV. They are even releasing an action game called Dante's Inferno: just a hunch, but I doubt it will be much like the eponymous work.

Being 700 years old and in Italian, most people will need to get a translated version. It is incredibly important to get a good translation with good notes to help explain the references to pop icons from the 1300s; I recommend the Penguin translations. Now, some people are put off by older books, and others find that the sight of verse sends them into a killing frenzy-I'd recommend trying it, but borrow it from somebody, don't by a copy. If you're looking for a good classical work with some cultural relevance or a fun allegory to bump up your knowledge of religion (be careful, though, the book isn't doctrine to any religion, just an interesting philosophical perspective)(man, I'm a literary fag) than read Inferno. If you are just a beginning reader or really can't stomach older works, than leave it alone for now.

I really loved Inferno, but this is the guy who thinks the Rig Veda is a fun read. It has several different ways to read it and each section has several different layers of understanding. It can be read as a political, social, or religious commentary, and that's only what I noticed. It is absolutely necessary to read the notes, otherwise the majority of the examples will mean nothing to you. The book had its fun moments to, but those are mostly unintentional results of bringing a work with a 1300 mindset to the modern times of political correctness, such as showing every good person who wasn't Christian in the first layer of Hell (there's a good reason and explanation, nevertheless they're in Hell). Overall though, the book has a serious tone, and from the gates to Judecca Dante's punishments are strangely just, giving us insight to the nature of man and of sin.

Should I read Memoirs of a Geisha?

The long and short of it: Yes
When was it made: 1997

Written by Arthur Golden, Memoirs is a narrative from the first person perspective of a World War II era geisha named Sayuri. It offers a little inside view into the world of geisha and what they actually do-supposedly accurate, but as I am not a World War II geisha I can't confirm or deny that. Mr. Golden is a master of the first person-when combined with the nonexistent translator's note, it took me a while to remember that this was a work of fiction. The characters are realistic and human. They do bad things, and no one is portrayed as truly a saint or truly a demon-except maybe Hatsumomo, but I even ended up empathizing with her a tiny bit.

The book really jumped into the public eye with the release of the movie in 2005 (which had a surprising number of Chinese playing Japanese people). The movie won a few Oscars, which of course jumps up the popularity of the book. Part of this may be the recent American trend to worship all things Far Eastern, but the book stands well on its own, and though I loved the movie the book is far superior.

Now this is not an action book. There are no spies, no knights, no gladiators. The closest you come to action is a few beatings here and there. The book is much more subtle, where the action is found in a smile or a properly timed comment and not in bullet time or epic swordfights. There is also a bit of sex in the book-none of it graphic and none of it tagged on as fanservice-so kiddies beware. If you are looking for a good lighthearted fantasy book filled with swordfights and gunplay or are too young to see a PG-13 movie, keep on moving. If you are looking for an intelligent book to rope you up and keep you enthralled, find a copy of Memoirs of a Geisha (the fun thing about movie books is that there are copies floating around everywhere that people who hate to read but loved the movie bought on a whim, so they can be found for cheap).

I got this book on the 3rd of July. My parents were in town, and we were driving to a nearby town for a celebration-my parents got lost, and when we had finally found our way my father asked "why didn't you tell us we were about to go the wrong way?" all I could answer was "Because Chiyo had just made it to the Natta Okiya!" My nose was so deep in that book that it took the explosions and barbecue of the Independence Day to pull me away-and only then just barely. The characters felt real to me, and although it never brought me to tears it did managed to influence my emotions. The book has kind of a sad feel to it, and is a bit fatalistic, even though the end is technically happy. I have a lot of favorite moments, but one of the big ones occurs during Hatsumomo's breakdown when the blind musician, unaware of the somber mood, asks what just happened. The book is filled with witty banter, though, and it's the intelligence and fun to be found in this book that are definitely worth the read.

Should I read Wanted?

The long and short of it: No
When was it made: 2003

Written by Frank Millar and illustrated by J.G. Jones, The Sunday Times said that Wanted was Watchmen for supervillains. The Sunday Times also said that Outland was Star Wars for cowboys (I doubt many people will understand that joke, but let me tell you it is both witty and sarcastic). I wouldn't say Wanted is horrible, but it isn't good either. After I had put it down, I simply went on to another book. It didn't raise any real issues that applied to me, and while the introductory concept was interesting you can't make an entire book out of a premise. You need to finish the rest of the story at some point in there. Going back to the Watchmen comment, let me just say this: Watchmen was written in 1986 and is still one of the most relevant works of fiction on the market; Wanted was written 17 years later and was barely relevant then.

Wanted has garnered some attention as mentioned above, but it became much more mainstream last summer when a movie was released with the same name. Some would say the movie was based on the book, but just because the main character shares a name and they both revolve around daddy issues of some kind does not a faithful translation make. The movie is entirely different: different plot, new characters, and better writing (at least it doesn't take itself as seriously as the comic does).

Now, as I said before, the book wasn't unreadable. But I feel I needed to come down extra hard because of all those fans who worship the ground the book walks on. It is filled with violence, sex, and swearing. It is very sophomoric in it's humor, with such award winning characters as a man made entirely of feces or a villainous phallus that forces it's "wielder" to perform his evil deeds. So, if you're looking for an inspiring or revolutionary work, or are considering reading it because you liked the movie, don't read it. If you're looking for a sophomoric book filled with the aforementioned sex, swearing, and violence (which, hey, everybody wants that every once in a while) than go ahead-I'd just recommend borrowing it until you know for sure you want to buy it.

Now, here's the deal: the problem I see with the book is that there is really no empathy or motivation for the horrible things the characters do in the book. They are merely a bunch of sociopaths doing evil deeds for evils sake- it doesn't even have the whole "non-anti-hero" satire that I love Lobo for. As Tycho from Penny Arcade put it, America isn't ready for a protagonist who is an unrepentant rapist. They try to give the characters some human attributes and make Wesley seem somewhat human, but it is too little to late, and completely contradicted by the last page in the book. I personally hated it when Wesley started getting his revenge: there's a line about how his super power is "killing people" and how that makes him the most bad of the bad. My question is, if that power allows him to kill all these villains solo, how come his dad never did the same thing to the heroes? It seems like Frank Millar had his Mary Sue, and it ruined the story. It does have its good moments, though. The only scene in the entire book that is memorable to me is when the Professor describes the rise of the villains. It seems to be the only part that was taken seriously during writing, and the panel with, as I like to call him, "non-superman" sitting and looking out the window is the only part that elicited an emotional reaction from me. Maybe if Wanted had run a bit longer the exposition would have come, but as is I think it suffers from being an incomplete work that had potential to actually be the Watchmen of supervillains.

Should I read 1984?

The long and short of it: Yes
When was it made: 1949

Written by George Orwell, this book is the probably the best known of the dystopian future trifecta. It is a critique of solid modernity (to borrow a phrase from Zygmunt Bauman) and a great example of a disciplinary society: in other words, people immediately think you're smarter if you've read it. This book was nothing like I expected it to be, and I enjoyed it because of that. Mr. Orwell spent a great deal of time building up his world and how it worked, and it comes through in the book, especially in the first part of the book which deals largely with how the world works. I listened to an unabridged audiobook, but I should have read it-I had to stop and go back so many times to re-hear the particularly interesting tidbits like I so often do when reading that it probably would have been faster. I lost track of time often, and lost a few hours of sleep to this book.

Odds are if you have completed high school you have either read this book or A Brave New World. It is considered a must read by most literary circles do to the possibility that such a future might come into being, and in fact some of the polices of Oceania are in play in modern politics. The book is so pervasive that many of the terms for propaganda from the book have spread into real life, and in fact the term Orwellian is used to describe settings similar to that of 1984.

This book is still culturally viable, and because it was written in 1948 it uses the common vernacular, meaning it is easier to understand than the sentence I just wrote. A good deal of it is outright exposition, so if you are opposed to that for whatever reason, it may make the book seem sloppily written. If you want a serious and somber look at the potential future of mankind, read this book. If you want a funny book with a happy ending, keep browsing.

The book was fascinating to me, but that may just be the literary nerd talking. I love different worlds, and for me a milieu can make or break a series more than the characters that inhabit it. Borrowing terms from Orson Scott Card, this book is a great example of combining a milieu story with a character story. I was never kicked out of his world by a blaring inconsistency, but the characters were a bit alien. I loved the concept of doublethink, mostly because while seeming so contradictory, it is far more prevalent in real life than we'd like to think. My favorite moment was when Winston is reading "the book" and how it delves unequivocally into how the world works. This section does nothing to advance the plot, but it does help one understand how such a world could come to be. In the end though, the book was worth reading if only because it is the original and best written "Orwellian" book.

Should I read Watchmen?

The long and short of it: Yes.
When was it made: 1986

Written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons, Watchmen is by far the best serious graphic novel I have ever read (my personal favorite overall is Bone, but that's neither here nor there). It deals with issues that are still incredibly relevant in today's society, showing that great works have the ability to be timeless regardless of medium. I started reading it skeptically, sure that it would join the stacks of books through which I thumb to feel trendy but have never read entirely, but soon found that the book had swept me up into its world and had rendered me unable to put it down until I had finished it. By soon, of course, I mean eight hours later, the first time I managed to look up from the page.

The book has received considerable hype due to the movie of the same name being released this past winter, but the movie does not even come close to replacing the book, but it follows too closely to be a standalone product. If anything, the movie is a companion to the book, simplifying certain scenes or clarifying meanings with the use of full body language and vocal tones.

The fact remains, though, that this is a comic book. If you hate superhero comics (a pox upon you, sir or madam), be comforted to know that this is quite a different style. The characters behave more like normal people than denizens of the DC or Marvel universes, and superpowers are rare. If you enjoy character development and love a detailed story, this is for you. If you want tons of thoughtless action and dislike extensive reading, you may want to look elsewhere.

My favorite character is the Comedian (I'll wait-it must be shocking to find someone who isn't a blind devotee of Rorschach). Not because of who he is, but what he represents, and how well he represents it. Maybe that's just me being a, to quote Yahtzee Croshaw, "literary fag," but I love how this simple characters is the embodiment of such a profound message. However, the moment that sticks with me the most is from one of the world expanding expositional pieces found at the end of each chapter. "...I never said 'The superman exists and he's American'.[sic] What I said was 'God exists, and he's American'.[sic] If that statement starts to chill you after a couple of moments' consideration, then don't be alarmed. A feeling of intense and crushing religious terror at the concept indicates only that you are still sane. " I love this line because it is a summary statement for the issue at the core of Watchmen, and it would be remiss of you to not experience it for yourself.