Brazen Careerist

I just finished reading Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk and I just have to say that she gets it. She really understands the changing attitudes that Gen X & Y are bringing to the work place.

As a generation X'er I was taught by my elders to get a job with a good company work with them for 25 years and then retire. Sadly that's not the way that the world works anymore. I still remember the near coronary that I gave my father when I told him I was leaving Nortel after two years to pursue a job at a small private Ottawa software firm.

Now you need to be responsible for your own career and you can't expect your company to take responsibility for you. This book is that handbook that everyone from my generation should read.

For more of Penelope's writing please check out her blog.

Ysabel

Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay is his first novel since his Fionavar Tapestry series in which the story takes place in present day. The story is set in Provence, France as a young Canadian boy is accompanying his father, a photographer, on a photo shoot. Almost immediately the reader along with Ned, the boy, stumbles into the middle of a story that has been going on for a very, very long time.

I purchased this book at a reading by Guy Gavriel Kay that was sponsored by Perfect Books at the Clocktower Brew Pub in Ottawa. It was a real treat to hear Kay speak about the time he spent in Provence researching the places he describes so eloquently in the novel. After a dramatic reading by Kay I did get a chance to meet the author to which I had a typical fan boy moment which is better left undocumented.

I absolutely loved this book and I devoured it over two days. I cannot recommend Kay more highly to anyone who wants to read some truly beautifully realized fantasy novels.

Updated 2007/08/11: My friend Alexandre reviews Ysabel as well. Alexandre was with me at the reading by Guy Gavriel Kay.

The Last Colony

The Last Colony by John Scalzi is the third in the series preceded by Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades. In this novel Scalzi completes the shift from space opera action to political intrigue that he started in the second offering in the series. Fans of the series should be satisfied with the ending but I couldn't help but wish that it was a bit longer as some of the other characters and situations could have used some fleshing out. In the epilogue Scalzi mentions that this will be his last novel with John Perry and Jane Sagan as the lead characters but he is planning on revisiting the universe he created so I may get my wish.

Plastic Man: On the Lam

I originally heard about this book from Cory Doctorow on his blog Boing, Boing.

Kyle Baker re-imagines Plastic Man by way of MAD, Eisner and Animaniacs

I was intrigued by Cory's article so I did a quick check with the Ottawa Public Library to see if they had the book. They did and two days later it was in my grubby hands.

Up until this point my only experience with Plastic Man was Saturday morning cartoons as a kid. I don't remember liking very much but it was on right after the Super Friends so it had a great lead in.

The first thing I got a chuckle out of was that the cover of the book is plastic and not paper. And the laughs didn't stop coming. In fact I couldn't put the book down until I was finished.

This book is a definitely a fun read but the part that really strikes a cords with me is how Baker handles Plastic Man's internal dialog. Right from the start you can tell that he's not all there in the head.

When you think about it why would he be? The guy is made out of plastic and he can stretch himself into various shapes. I think if anyone of us was put into the same situation we'd have a hard time dealing with it. In Plastic Man's case you can see he is using humour as a defense mechanism, much to the delight of the audience.

Strangers In Paradise Pocket Book 1

I have been resisting picking up this book for a while despite Jamie D's, from Comic Geek Speak, love of the series. However, after listening to CGS interview the author, Terry Moore, on episode 263 I knew I had to pick it up.

Strangers In Paradise Pocket Book 1 is not a comic book there are no super-heroes in costumed spandex. It is a complex novel that interleaves dialog, art and prose. At its heart it follows the lives of two best friends, Katchoo and Francine. The characters are well developed and believable. The story progresses on many layers and it is crucial to remember that the decisions the characters make, have lasting impact on their future.

Luckily we can see what the future has in store for them in book 2.