The books of 2007

1. Outlaw Nation - Jamie Delano & Goran Sudzuka

A graphic novel, or a piece of illustrated litterature. This is dark and dangerous stuff. Delano takes a hard look at the dark underbelly of the beast - the USA - and it sure isn't pretty! Basically it is a family saga of the Johnsons and their long lived history as vagabonds, drifters and boogeymen in the outback. The "old man" himself rules the world from his desert hideout, and his crazy son is on a killing spree with all the force of a government behind him. It's satire and it's brutal to the maximum. It's also very much about the power of media, books and the fact that a writer of "fiction" is a professional liar. Damn good stuff and I'm glad I re-read this!

1. Hustrubytet - Roald Dahl

A collection of twisty tales, united by themes of sexual adventures and physical passion. Told with a twist ending and fairly enjoyable.

3. Eyes of the Overworld - Jack Vance

What can be more relaxing than reading about a rascal, rogue and knave? Sometimes I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard. Cugel is whisked away to the other side of the world and suffers many adventures on his way back. He is vain, sly and cuddly like a viper. Still you can't stop chuckling when his schemes succeed and moan when they come back to haunt him. Good fun.

4. Cugel's Saga - Jack Vance

More adventures for the scoundrel, Cudgel. Finally he gets his revenge! I now feel some of the wonder and excitement that SMS must have felt when he created Talislanta, and Gygax when creating D&D. This is fantasy at its best, just for laughs.

5. Legion of Space - Jack Williamson

A space opera adventure from 1935 is just as corny and unbelievable as you'd imagine. It's also quite fun in the same way that on old silent film, with melodramatic acting, can be fun. Those were simpler times and once in a while a simple tale about saving a woman from bug-eyed-monsters can be just the simple entertainment you need. We have come a long way. Weinraub's stories is much better. Anyway, who's not charmed by a tale with canals on Mars and djungles on Venus?

6. Anubisportarna [The Anubis Gates] - Tim Powers

A nice time travel story. First it feels like sf, and them it transforms into something much more like fantasy. After Last Call I expected something more far-out, but was pleasantly entertained by this more low-key novel. Clever and elegant with lot of period feel and flavour. The one big complaint might be that the protagonist never becomes much more than a friendly "voice" and the motor for the plot. Anyhow, this is not a serious novel, but great fun to see how it all unravels.

7. Den ortodoxa kyrkan[The Orthodox Church] - Kallistos Ware

Very familiar, and yet very different. That's the orthodoxy church to me. Their theology and christology have some nice touches and deep spiritual insights. I'm beginning to see how some of this have influenced the wider church, in a very positive way. Especially their ideas about original sin and the way redemption works is interesting. As a counterweight to the old norse idea of Fate which still seems to plague us here in Sweden, it makes the place for humans in creation far more positive. The only thing really bad about the book is that the relation between the deeply conservative church and the reactionary and totalitarian states in eastern Europe needs to be better understood. Christians suffered under the totalitarian yoke, but liberalism wasn't invented in the east and the church is part of it.

8. Förlorarnas Historia[The Losers' History] - Magnus Nyman

The author makes a strong case about the peculiarity of the Swedish reformation. It was, from the start, a movement to consolidate the power for the king, and to establish his dynasty. Much less was the Swedish reformation about theology. It's a convincing argument and an interesting read about how both the people and the priesthood kept old practices going for a long time. It's also sad to see how some of the lingering fear of catholicism is based upon political propaganda 500 years old.

9. Luther Själv - hjärtats och glädjens teolog[Luther Himself] - Birgit Stolt

In this book Stolt is trying to provide a more positive picture of Luther. The Swedish popular perception of the reformator is based upon a misunderstanding of the meaning of work, duty and the value of those terms in the thinking of Luther. At least that's what the author is out to prove. She does succeed, but the book feels very much like just one part in a dialogue. She often writes as if the reader is aware of a lot of research about Luther, and mention things just in passing as if common knowledge. It's also a bit silly to read an analysis of the relation between Luther and his wife. Rampant misconceptions to be checked, I guess.

10. Pushing Ice - Alistair Reynolds

Stapeldonian, but better than Stapledon. Like Rama, but with more interesting "Big-Dumb-Object" and better characters. It was sometimes hard not to be annoyed at the pettyness of humans, even in the face of the great starkness of space. I guess Al have nailed it pretty good what makes us humans. Emotional and fairly exciting in a "Robinson Crusoe"-kind-of-way to see how they managed to build a new society, far from the earth. Reynolds has what it takes to do grand tales. Me like.

11. To Hold Infinity - John Meaney

Nothing more than a futuristic crime drama, nothing less than a society of transhuman and all-to-human social stratification. I liked it, but sometimes the jargon got a bit dense, and the ending wasn't very good. The mother gives up her life so the son will live. OK, great drama. But then it's weakened by the fact that she miracously survived! Add to that a throwaway line about how the bad guy had a hard childhood. Talk about being a coward as an author to fake it on the very last page! Cheap Hollywood ending to an otherwise pretty interesting a decent mystery! Also it had a very good idea about how love and relationships can keep a human ' sane in an insane world.

12. Världen som ikon [The World as Icon] - Per-Arne Bodin

Now I know why Russia is such a messed up place, and I have learnt a lot about the orthodox tradition. To imagine Stalin had a teacher in the 1400, and that his name was Josef. Thrice cursed be he, forever, for corrupting the Church with tyranny and deceit!!

13. Carrion Comfort - Dan Simmons

14. Clandestine - James Ellroy

Gritty, dirty and moody. Just like the crime drama I love to read in the comic Criminal. It was fun to see the ties to L.A. Confidential now when I've finally seen the film. Once in a while I guess crime and mystery novels can be quite relaxing.

15. Dragon - Steven Brust

Even more Vlad Taltos. It felt good to read something I felt knew I'd enjoy, when I'm lost in Canada. Vlad is an interesting character. I think it is a bit confusing that the books aren't in chronological order. Last time I read about Vlad, he know a lot more about Morrolan and himself, and now he was lost again. It was quite a bit more fun that the last book about marriage problems! Very interesting structure With every chapter starting with a few bits of information on "now" and the rest being backstory up until the last chapter. Vlad in the army. Priceless.

16. On Stranger Tides - Tim Powers

Magic, pirates, vengence and zombies. What a stew, eh? Fun and entertaining but not as mind-bogglingly good as Last Call. Excellent adventure, though.

17. Djävulen och fröken Prym [The Devil and Ms. Prym - my translation] - Paulo Coelho

Is man good or evil? None? It is an interesting question and while I think man is none, but capable of both (and disposed to evil, due to ignorance until enlightened), I guess this book could have been more interesting than it was. I read it quick too keep my reading going and maybe I should have slowed down. It was, like The Alchemist, not anything special but still good. I do wonder about the quote from the gospel of St. Luke, though.

18. The Harlot by the side of the Road - Jonathan Kirsch

This was a highly entertaining re-reading of some of the more gross and bizzare moments of the bible. There are hidden stories and juicy details that sometimes makes a lot of sense, and have theological impact. Others are a bit more obscure. The Tanakh hides lot of good stories and should be read more. Sometimes the ideas in the book just seems to destruct the text, but often they open up possibilities. I do remember how the story Jephta and his daughter confused me when I read it. Now I'm seeing more to it, and am wondering how it is that the god of Israel always seems to favour the sacrifice of blood, and preferably of firstborn. It's beginning to be clear as well that circumcision is not all what it's cracked up to be. A good read.

19. Hell House - Richard Matheson

Sometimes it is more scary to just let go and throw every supernatural terror there is at the reader. This time it really worked, and Matheson is indeed clever. Just a haunted house, right? Sure, but the intenseness of the feelings, balanced off the cool analytic mind of the scientist protagonist actually made them very effective. Quite a feat!

20. Northern Frights 4 - ed. Don Hutchinson

A good compilation. Very urban and modern in feel, and the best ones felt like they hit home just because of that. Hold no punches and do some really wicked things. The bad were just ignorable and the best one were scary.

21. Golden Globe - John Varley

A damn good show. Just like steel beach, but this time with a thespian mode. Same kind of very likeable and rogue like characters. Very entertaining.

22. Witchworld - Andre Norton

It was good to have read it. Not really as fast flowing as I had hoped though.

23. Everyday Life in Babylonia and Assyria - H.W.F. Saggs

Fantastic book to read when studying the old testament. I felt I got a much better understanding of how it was to live in those ancient cultures.

24. The West End Horror: A Posthumous Memoir of John H. Watson, M.D. - Nicholas Meyer

Written by the same author as the The Seventh Percent Solution which I had previously read in Swedish. A well made pastiche but maybe a bit abrupt ending.

25. The History of Ancient Israel - Michael Grant

Fantastic book to read when studying the old testament. I felt I got a much better understanding of how it was to live in those ancient cultures. It was also a good companion to the bible to try to get a better grasp on when what happened in the old testament narrative.

26. Mission of Gravity - Hal Clement

27. Those Who Hunt the Night - Barbara Hambly

28. Hemingway: The Writer As Artist - Carlos Baker

29. Lost Christianities : the battle for Scripture and the faiths we never knew - Bart D. Ehrman

30. The Turning of the Screw - Henry James