Houston Texans vs. San Francisco 49ers - Haiku

Hung on by teeth's skin.
Have to say it: confidence
is up in H-Town.

Houston Texans - 24
San Francisco 49ers - 21

"Castle" - Picked up for full season

Michael Ausiello, from Entertainment Weekly, is reporting that ABC has picked up "Castle" for a full 22-episode season. Best news I've heard all day.

If you haven't been watching my favorite show* of the season, head on over to Hulu.com for the latest episode.

I think ABC has done well to pick up Castle. The writing improves every week and last night's episode marked a high point with the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic. I don't usually record Castle. I should have recorded last night's episode. It was that good. Come to think of it, I'll just watch it again on Hulu.

If you want a top-notch weekly recap, head on over to BSCreview.com and read Elena Nola's column. For more news, CastleTV.net is the place to go.

*Favorite new show: Flash Forward

CSI: Miami - Recap - "Bad Seed"

Why does last night's episode of CSI: Miami make me leery of eating salad at a restaurant? Find out in my recap over at BookspotCentral.com.

Houston Texans vs. Cincinnati Bengals - Haiku

Consistent offense.
Consistent defense. Good win.
Next step: repeat it.

Houston Texans - 28
Cincinnati Bengals - 17

On writing in books

After reading the responses to the recent reading meme that went around the net (here are my answers), I was surprised to discover I am in the minority when it comes to writing in books. I share my thoughts on why I do it over at Do Some Damage.

Forgotten Books: Batman and Tarzan: Claws of the Cat-woman

(My latest entry in Patti Abbott’s Friday’s Forgotten Books. For the complete list, head on over to her blog.)

One definition of a forgotten book is forgetting you even have a copy. As I leafed through all of my graphic novels, I stumbled upon Batman and Tarzan: Claws of the Cat-woman. Since I’ve read and written about the first three Tarzan novels, of course I’d select this book. This is the new Tarzan Blog. (No, not really, but those of you who only read my FFB entries certainly might think so.)

In comicdom, Dark Horse Comics owns the rights to Tarzan nowadays. Ten years ago, they teamed him up with DC’s Batman. Hmm: two rich guys, both lost their parents early on (at least Bruce knew his), both patrol their respective “jungles,” what’s not to like? I have to say, going in, I was wondering how much of the Burroughs world was going to make it in the book. A good amount, really.

The story takes place in this kind of nether world: the time is vague, Batman exists in Gotham, and John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, aka, Tarzan, is a famous figure, having had his exploits written by “a writer” (that’d be your ERB wink). Bruce Wayne has financed an expedition to Africa and Finnigan Dent (note the name) brought back some rare artifacts to be displayed in the new Thomas and Martha Wayne wing of the natural science museum. Later that night, a person dressed as a cat breaks into the museum and Batman stops her. And then Tarzan, decked out in a white (!) loincloth *in Gotham*(come on, at least let it be leather; and why a loin cloth? You’d think he’s just take off his shoes or something.) waylays Batman. No sooner does Tarzan figure out who Batman really is (can’t hide your scent) than a band of Masai warriors attacks them. Battle ensues.

Here’s where we get the typical posturing when two characters meet for the first time. If you’ve read the Tarzan books, you know he kills his enemies if that’s the only way to protect those around him. In Gotham, he’s about to throw a warrior off the roof when Batman stops him. “No murder in my city.” (You know where this is going, right?) The different dynamic duo win and discover the “cat woman” is Princess Khefretari of the hidden city of Memnon. Mr. Finnigan Dent (there’s that name again) looted the city and plans to return to finish the job. To the Batplane, Tarzan!

Predictably, Batman and Tarzan have to travel on foot to get to the hidden city. There are some humorous (and weird) episodes along the way. When they first land, Bats is taken aback with Tarzan’s pet lion. I mean, really! If Bats knows who Greystoke is, then he’s got to know the man is at home with wild animals. Cut to a later scene when Bats thinks the bull ape is friendly...and gets himself nearly beaten to death. It takes Tarzan’s fighting abilities to save the day.

Naturally, Finnigan Dent tries to kill our heroes but not before said lion rends one half of Dent’s face. Yes! Now I know where I know the name. Dent now has, say it with me: two faces. There are enough escapes and fights to make any fan of pulp fiction happy. The best one is when our heroes are chained together and thrown into the alligator pool. After their escape (giving nothing away here), you have the single best frame of the book. Tarzan, bleeding from a shoulder wound, is stopped by Bats for a field dressing. Igor Kardey’s art shows Tarzan, eyes rolling, head tilted, assenting to Batman’s ministrations, with one line, “Very well.” This from a man who had part of his scalp torn from his head in the first book. Next, Tarzan compliments the field dressing. Batman’s reply: “I’ve had practice.” So much said in so few words.

It’s a fun story although far from earth-shattering. The art is well done. Kordey gives Batman black eyes most of time, a neat take on the standard white. Tarzan is rendered fantastically, all muscles yet haunted eyes. You have a lot of little moments (like the field dressing scene) that pay homage to various things in each character's past. I remember reading it back in the day but, as I mentioned before, forgot I even had it. Come Christmas, I’ll probably forget it again. But, as part of my All Things Tarzan mode I’ve been in, I enjoyed it and would like to read another adventure with these two quintessential heroes.

Reed Farrel Coleman and Ken Bruen - Interview Link

Crime writer Keith Rawson has posted an interview he conducted with Reed Farrel Coleman and Ken Bruen in support of their new novel, Tower, the first original work from Houston's own Busted Flush Press. The Farrel part is a video; the Bruen via e-mail. Both wonderfully revealing.

Check it out. I plan to get my copy of Tower this weekend.

CSI: Miami - Recap - "In Plane Sight"

How was last night's CSI: Miami episode similar to a fantasy many defrauded investors have about Bernie Madoff? Find out in my recap over at Bookspotcentral.com.

Houston Texans vs. Arizona Cardinals - Haiku

A tale of two halves.
The game lasts sixty minutes.
Clock's ticking, Coach K...

A second Haiku:

Third-and-inches. Failed.
Fourth-and-one on the goal line.
Stuffed. Make one, we win.

Houston Texans - 21
Arizona Cardinals - 28

Book Review: The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

How is Dan Brown like the rock musician Sting? Head on over to Do Some Damage and check out my review of The Lost Symbol for the answer.

Reading Habits Meme

Saw this going around so I thought I'd join.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?
Rarely. If anything, I drink something: ice water, iced tea; hot tea

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
Frequently. I'll mark passages, either in fiction or non-fiction, I like, mostly to help with my reviews.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
I remember the page number. If not, anything to put in the book, often the pencil I use to mark passages.

Laying the book flat open?
Not usually. I like the book in my hands.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
Both. Lots of history on the non-fiction side. Pulp, crime, SF, etc. on the other.

Hard copy or audiobooks?
In recent years, I have been favoring audiobooks. I still like hard copies (ebooks included) but audiobooks allow me to read many more books than I otherwise would. Plus, I get the story read to me. How cool is that?

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
At any point. With audiobooks, often, I arrive at my destination at points other than chapter breaks so I pretty much read that way with a hard copy, too.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
Pretty much never. I might make a mental note (if listening) or underline the word on the hard copy but I never stop reading and look up a word. It breaks the flow.

What are you currently reading?
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.
Gabriel Hunt Through the Cradle of Fear

What is the last book you bought?
Gabriel Hunt Through the Cradle of Fear

(Via New Mystery Reader, I've just been sent The Last Dickens and Bury Me Deep)

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
I read at least two books at a time, one audio and one (or more) in hard copy. Last week, I was reading Gabriel Hunt, listening to The Lost Symbol in the car, and listened to The Beasts of Tarzan at the office.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Any time, any place.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
With my introduction to Tarzan this year, I'm see the fun of series books. There's something nice about familiar characters returning. However, I like the clean slate of a stand-alone, too, the unpredictability.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
The Shadow of the Wind
Gabriel Hunt books
Mystic River
The Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow
Money Shot by Christa Faust
Ender's Game

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
On the shelf. Paperbacks stacked horizontally; hardbacks/trade paperbacks stacked vertically. All my Hard Case Crime books are together on the shelf or displayed on my wall. Other than that, no order at all.