Whys and Wherefores by Brian K. Vaughan

First Published: Y: The Last Man magazines 55-60, 2007
Edition Read: DC Comics, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4012-1813-3
Series: Y: The Last Man 10

The final Y is also the best. Not only that, it’s the best in the best way: in a way that wraps up the series but isn’t too neat; that brings together the thematic threads but isn’t too obvious; that doesn’t leave you wanting more because more would only ruin the grace of the ending.

The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard

First Published: Harper Collins, 2006
Edition Read: Harper Collins, 2006
ISBN: 978-0-06-073397-7
*** Random Book ***

The opening of this book is fun, well written, tongue in cheek, intriguing. The middle of this book is dull, slow, uneventful, frustrating. The end of this book – the very end – is fantastic. Also, it’s the second book to get my “Awesome First Sentence” Award.

Shibumi by Trevanian

First Published: Crown Publishers, 1979
Edition Read: Three Rivers Press, 2005
ISBN: 1-4000-9803-3

Truly a strange spy novel. Almost beautiful, highly aesthetic moments in an otherwise almost obnoxiously masculine book. No good people. No desperate, driving plot. No major intrigue. But it works. Once Trevanian decided to write a spy novel modelled on the ancient Japanese board game, Go, I guess the result was always going to be unpredictable.