"The Book of Frank Herbert" by Frank Herbert

This is a collection of stories that were published from the 1950s to 1970 or so.

This book is less than 200 pages, and contains 10 stories, so any summary of these stories is going to be nearly as long as the stories themselves. Suffice to say, some of these stories are good, and a couple of them are preposterous. The story "Operation Syndrome" is the best in this collection, even if it betrays a faith in psychoanalysis that might be hard for 21st century readers to relate to.

The story "Looking for Something," while not that great, is the first science fiction story Herbert ever saw published, waaaaaay back in 1952!

And with this said, Dear Reader, I'll close the book on Frank Herbert for the near future. I've now read all the Dune novels... and six books besides. Perhaps one day I'll get around to the remainder of Frank Herbert's bibliography, but for now I think I'll take a long and well-deserved rest from Frank Herbert.

He is one of the greats, and I encourage you to read him if you haven't.

"Batman: Broken City" by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso

This is a story arc that originally appeared in the "Batman" monthly comic book. The story is by Brian Azzarello, who has been mentioned here before, with pencils by Eduardo Risso.

It is A LOT like Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns." The two series are so alike, in fact, that I am tempted to call this a copy. Risso's pencils, in particular, are like Miller's without the interesting buildings and more ambitious splash pages. Risso is an undeniably good artist, but I hope that he eventually develops a style more his own.

The story is clever enough, and I liked the twist at the end. Azzarello has, however, written much better stories, and I would only recommend this one if you've already gone through "Joker" and "Luthor."

"Countdown to Final Crisis - Volume 3" by Paul Dini, et. al.

I think that the DC Universe is often at its best when it's facing armaggedon. Given the number of godlike characters in the DC roster, only the greatest of threats will make them even halfway interesting.

This has been the case ever since "Crisis on Infinite Earths," when DC finally realized that either their continuity needed to be adjusted, or they would be losing their audience. Not only did characters such as Batman and Superman have too much backstory to deal with, but the sum total of threats they had managed to overcome could only be topped by the greatest of all threats: the destruction of the entire DC multiverse.

Unfortunately, in the years following this first "Crisis," DC has never been able to find a continuity that has really resonated with fans. I suppose that in a way they are a victim of the success they enjoyed with "Crisis," and it will always be a temptation to raise the stakes again.

In this version of armaggedon, Superboy-Prime is out to destroy the Earth, or the Universe, or whatever else stands in his way. And while he is busy with his destroying, Monarch is trying to conquer the Earth, or the Universe, or whatever else stands in his way. Whoever is doing the destroying or conquering, all I know is that I haven't read the first two volumes of this TPB, and I am already more than confused. Maybe it will make sense later, when I've had time to read the rest.

Really the only thing I got out of "Countdown" is that Mary Marvel's costume is very, very sexy. Mary Marvel is even sexier than Wonder Woman, and that's saying a lot.

"Wide Awake" by David Levithan

David Levithan writes books for young adults, and this one is no exception. I believe it was first published in 2006.

Duncan, a gay Jewish high school student, and his boyfriend Jimmy inhabit a future US, wherein another gay Jewish male has just been elected President. They rejoice at this giant step forward for LGBTs everywhere, even though the election is clouded by the kind of political maneuvering that denied Gore the Presidency back in 2000.

So alright, I realize that I'm no longer a young adult, and I furthermore realize that this book wasn't written for people like me. I am 36 years old, straight, and agnostic. Even so, I believe in the kind of tolerance that this book preaches (and yes, it does preach), so I can see the good that this book might do for many younger people.

My only real problem with this book, aside from the fact that the characters are somewhat one-dimensional, is the presence of what I will call "implausibilities." A few of these implausibilities are:

1. The idea that any government can be based upon the principles of kindness and compassion. I'm sorry, but that idea just doesn't work for me. Yes, people can be based upon the principles of kindness and compassion, but any government so founded would obviate itself very quickly. Government is based upon the rule of law, and this law, in ideal circumstances, reflects the will of a kind and compassionate people.

2. The idea of a "non-mall" where people (teenagers) make "non-purchases," wherein they go through the ritual of shopping only to make a donation at the point of purchase. I'm sorry, but why would anyone bother?

3. The idea that any group of teenagers, only a generation removed from the present, would take such an interest in the democratic process and its relation to American history. Keep in mind that we're talking about kids the same age as my older daughter here. Can you really see them campaigning for someone they can't even vote for? Can you really see a gay Jewish teenager viewing the Boston Tea Party as a life-affirming event? I sure can't!

This said, this book wasn't written for an old guy like me. Maybe many younger people would find it interesting, and maybe it would get them more involved in their own government. I can't say. I can say, however, that this book isn't very good.

"Luthor" by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo

Brian Azzarello is my second-favorite of the contemporary comic book writers, standing - in my estimation - just behind Mark Millar. I think that one day he will write an even better comic book, something that people will be unable to ignore, and I might just be calling him my favorite.

He is great at telling the villain's side of the story, and in terms of grittiness, realism, and moral ambiguity he is beyond reproach. He tells stories that are just a half-step removed from our own, and presents characters that exist on the borderline between heroism and villainy.

I read his and Lee Bermejo's "Joker" a while back, so I was already familiar with both of these talents before I started "Luthor." "Joker," I think, is slightly better than "Luthor," but both books are excellent. "Joker" stood out for its shockingly original violence, while "Luthor" stands out for its aphoristic majesty, and its portrayal of the arch-villain as a misunderstood humanist. "Joker" was something that sat with me for a long time, while I feel "Luthor" is a bit less memorable.

Anyone unfamiliar with Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo's work should certainly seek it out. You won't be sorry that you did.

"Marvels" by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross

I realize that it's a bit incongruous to talk about comic books in the context of a "literature blog," but I do read comic books on occasion, and they are books, right?

So here I am with "Marvels," which I just finished reading. This particular comic book was written by Kurt Busiek, and was drawn by the well-known Alex Ross. I'm really not sure what Kurt Busiek has done in the world of comics, but Alex Ross should be familiar to even the most marginal comic book fan.

"Marvels" is a retelling of the early Marvel Universe, starting from the appearance of the original Human Torch and ending with the death of Gwen Stacy. It offers a glimpse of the world of superheroes through the eyes of a decidedly average spectator, as he is swept up in a sort of superhuman revolution. The world is continually on the brink of destruction, and all mankind can do is wait for the Fantastic Four, the X-men, or the Avengers to swoop in and save the day.

In many ways, "Marvels" brings to mind DC's "Kingdom Come," which explored similar themes. Yet "Marvels" isn't quite as dark as DC's book, even if they shared the same artist. All in all, I'd have to say that "Kingdom Come" was a slightly more powerful effort, even if "Marvels" shares the same kind of grandeur.