Hello everyone, this week I thought I'd do another author introduction although this time with someone a little better known. Seth Grahame-Smith recently wrote a few books that fit into the recent monster mash-up genre, taking classic or well known stories and adding a few monsters here and there. Example? Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I did discover him a couple of years ago through his book Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter which has recently been made into a very awesome movie. He has remained a favourite writer of mine ever since.
For a start he is a brilliant writer, his expression in fantastic and I find I just sink straight into his books. He also has a remarkable talent of being able to mimic other writers styles. For instance, for those of you who have read the entire Pride and Prejudice and Zombies trilogy will know that the first and third were written by someone else and the writing styles vary greatly between the books. The first and third have a very modern writing style with some older words thrown in here and there. However Seth Grahame-Smith's book remains very true to Jane Austen's writing style with some additional zombies thrown in. His books are adventurous and full of gory scenes which I think I love a tad too much.
Books:
I'll start with the ones I own
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I've already said heaps about this, it's an awesome book but I will say that it's a bit more Jane Austen than zombies, some reviews will make you think that it's packed with brain eaters but it does stay quite true to the original Jane Austen. I personally like that a lot.
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. This is another genius book but this one is a bit more vampirish. It sticks with Abraham Lincoln's tale but completely changes his reasons for doing everything that he does. It is incredibly well thought out and very well written. If you did happen to see the movie, it did not do the book justice. The book is very different but a lot better then the movie. So go and read the book!
Unholy Night. This book was incredible. It is the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. But in this version the three wise kings are actually skilled thieves on the run. This delves a lot more into how things were in the time before Jesus, both in terms of religion and society. It makes for a great read and is very fast paced. But be warned, it can get pretty gruesome!
How to Survive a Horror Movie. This was a bit difficult to track down but I eventually got it as a gift. I really love this book, it's no so much a novel but rather a guide book. It's a very lighthearted read and as it says, tells you how to survive being in a horror movie. First he helps you figure out if you are in one, what kind of horror movie you're in and then goes through your basic survival methods. He then has chapters dedicated to each type of horror movie and the best ways to survive each one. Because of this it can sometimes get repetitive but otherwise it is a really fun read.
That's the end of the ones I own but just a quick look at the ones I don't.
The big book of porn. This is a delve into the history of on-screen pornography including major events and biographies on the mega-stars of the industry. Not really an interest for me nor is it on my reading list. It was his first book and many reviews recommend it for bachelor/bachelorette parties.
The Spider-Man handbook. Similar to How to Survive a Horror Movie but this time with superheroes. Any young boys dream I'd imagine.
Pardon My President. This is supposed to be a book of apologies to various people and party's from anyone who voted for President Bush. The description says to sign, stamp and send. This was one of his books that I hadn't heard of and I'm not surprised. It doesn't sound like anything that would interest me but it may be an amusing read for Americans.
Did you know? Seth Grahame-Smith also writes screen-plays. His include Dark Shadows, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter and the next Fantastic Four due to come out in 2015.
Wow, he is one busy guy. I highly recommend any of his books, I think he is a fantastic writer. Well that's all for this week. Until next time,
Catherine
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