Double Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Darkly dreaming, dashingly devious Dexter is back and finding himself in a load of trouble. Someone witnessed him at play and is now making his life hell. Much like Dexter, this Shadow has decided it his moral duty to punish the wicked, copying Dexter's trade step by step. Worse of all, he's not picking up his mess. Instead, he's leaving it in plain sight and pinning evidence of Dexter's dark delights on the scene. This is all the ammunition needed to send Doakes gunning for Dexter's head once and for all. But Dexter's not one to give up so easily. Question is, how do you defeat an enemy who's seemingly one step ahead of you?

There are several complaints with Lindsay's Dexter in every novel in the series. From the outlandish paranormal Dark Passenger to the fact that Dexter never carries out the final deed himself. That's not to say the TV series is without its flaws - why is LaGuerta still alive, for instance - but the flaws (in my eyes, anyway) of the novel series always bothers me more. Like Doakes. How is he still around after he's been de-limbed, de-tongued and pretty much a walking spud with hooks for hands? And while Astor and Cody are lovely little monsters, how is it that Astor's going through all the typical growing girl stages while Cody hasn't even aged - still with this three-word sentences? I'm not asking for Shakespeare here, but the kid's gotta come out of his shell sometime.

Without giving too many details away, there are a few things that pulled my strings of annoyance. Rita's suspicions and how quickly they are ratified. The odd coincidence of Camilla Figg's  relationship to the plot. Astor's typical teenage girl act, even though she's supposedly a Dexter-in-training (a little too human, isn't it?).

A few nice touches include the fact that Dexter is not following a kindred spirit as his Shadow doesn't trigger any warnings from the Dark Passenger. The idea of someone mimicking Dexter while stalking him is also bold - Dexter's been stalked before Dexter by Design, but this is quite another level. In fact, next to Dr. Danco, Shadow is the sort of bad guy I wouldn't mind seeing adapted on the TV show. Doakes's probable departure also raises my hopes for the future, though not in the way that would've made me smile.

Double Dexter is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble for Kindle and Nook, respectively. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Stick a fork in him, he's done

There comes a point in when all readers begin to wonder if their favorite authors are just messing with them. Jeff Lindsay has never been one of my favorites, but his character Dexter Morgan hits close to home - not that I live a double life as a serial killer, or anything. 

Maybe I'm still upset that the metaphorical dark passenger was ruined for me in book three, when it became something a little more sinister and occultish. I like the Showtime version of the character much better. 

So why did I continue with the series? Because I like verbal abuse and when I start something, I see it through the end no matter how awful the end is. It's probably why I'm looking forward to Double Dexter, which hits shelves next month - once again, coinciding with the new season.

Perhaps, the returning of brother Brian lends a hand to the upcoming novel's plot. Who knows. I don't. Maybe Lindsay knows, but I doubt it anymore. I'm just bitter. I think. I don't know. Reviewing this shit is hard.

Anyway, on with the show, shall we? Dexter is Delicious opens the day of Lily Anne's birth - this would be little Harrison's counterpart in the literary world. Dexter begins to feel things, becoming slightly more human than he's ever been - and it's not fake. He feels eyes on him. He turns and sees someone leaving but gets there too late. Deborah calls him. Blood bath. Missing girl. Something about vampires then cannibals then a girl's wish to be eaten. Somewhere along the line, Brian returns. Becomes one of the family. Seemingly connect to the cannibal BBQs. Deborah's getting maternal. Chutsky makes a couple of appearances. Dexter is captured, more than once. For some odd reason, Doakes still stalks around - shouldn't this guy be forced into retirement by now? Bad guys think they have the upper hand. Dexter decides not to give up the dark life. The book ends.

I mean, you'd think after all the things and supernatural entities that have been bestowed upon Dexter Morgan, he's be a little more sensible and not get caught. Still, he walks into the obvious traps, his demonic buddy has temper tantrums and Jeff Lindsay's blowing our money on something other than writing lessons. Not that he needs them. I mean, he has writing skills. It's telling stories that he has problems with.

Never the less, there were some things that kept me reading. Namely, Dexter's absolute human affection for daughter Lily Anne and Brian's sudden need to be with family. 

As for me, I'm gonna attempt reading Teressa Iezzi's The Idea Writers: Copywriting in an New Media and Marketing Era. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Designer Brand Dexter

It's like a car wreck. The more I deny myself a glance, the more I want to see how large is the casualty count. I don't know where Jeff Lindsay originally wanted to take his character Dexter Morgan - not to be confused with Dexter Morgan from Showtime's Dexter (though, they are, technically, the same character) - but this isn't going so well for me. If asked what I thought about the books, I'm sure Jeff Lindsay would describe me as - and I'm paraphrasing here - "He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times," or "He wanted to say something, but didn't."

I'll admit it, though. Dexter by Design is better than the abortion known as Dexter in the Dark. But nothing can really save the novel series for me after the introduction of the supernatural - yeah, I'm still dwelling on the whole Moloch thing. It's not something you can quickly forget, either. 

Lindsay doesn't touch on the subject in this novel, but it's mentioned. And rather than keeping the storyline in motion, I feel like Lindsay's writing for the sake of stringing along fans rather than entertaining them. There's so much more that I would like to say, but I think my reviews of the Dexter Morgan series are becoming repetitive, so it's probably best just to glance back and figure out my thoughts yourself.

Up next isn't Dexter is Delicious, but L.E. Modesitt, Jr's Legacies - the first book of the Corean Chronicles - which was lent to me by Roadrunner pitcher, Aaron Guerra. Well, until next time. Happy huntin'.

Reading & Work

After the lackluster that was Dexter in the Dark, I'm trudging onward through the pages (though not really, as there aren't any physical pages) of the fourth book, Dexter by Design. Half way through the novel, I'm still waiting for Jeff Lindsay to take another stab at the series to veer readers away from ever touching these books again.

Oh well, in other news, spring training for the Edinburg Roadrunners - a local baseball team belonging to the North American League (independent) - has kicked off. This year, however, our home stadium is also housing a rival team, the McAllen Thunder (formerly Coastal Bend Thunder). My schedule is erratic as both teams have to share the field for spring training. As usual, I'm working double duty this season as well - first and foremost as the main clubhouse manager - i.e. babysitter - and as head of clean up - i.e. babysitter. I joke a lot about the jobs, but I love this line of work. Especially because it keeps me busy. Not to mention, it also keeps me reading.

Because clubhouse managers only work before and after the game - we do things during the game, as well, but it's not enough to encompass the entire three to four hours - we tend to have a lot of free time on our hands. Last year, I spent that time taking naps because I practically lived on the stadium. This year, as I'm now head of the clean up crew - which doesn't really involve me doing much work other than making sure these guys don't break things - I'm gonna be doing less work at night. In fact, the manager already told me he doesn't want me doing the late night stuff like I used to. Which translates to, I'm gonna have to figure some shit out.

On a given day, I plan to get to work by at least 6:30am. Wash the rest of the stuff that I have to wash - and the visiting team's stuff - clock everyone in by 8am for the cleaning crew, return to the clubhouses to finish my work and then call it a day when everyone is finished doing whatever it is they're doing. Afterward, I'll make myself a bed in the training room and sleep. If sleep won't come to me - and believe me when I say this, it won't - I'll spend most of my time with my nose in a book or shoved against my Kindle, because that phrase doesn't really work with the electronic book age.

So what does this mean to you, fellow readers? More posts? Maybe, but it's not likely. I am stuck at work, without Internet access. Le groan. 

Disappointing Dexter

I'm not even sure how to even begin this entry. What can I say? I've already noted how I've liked Dexter the television series over Dexter the novel series. It's probably because the Showtime series deviates significantly from the Jeff Lindsay novels greatly. For instance, lovable, foul-mouthed sister Debs doesn't know that her adopted brother Dexter holds a terrible secret passion. And Rita's kids - Cody and Astor - don't have homicidal tendencies. And after reading Dexter in the Dark, the show also deviates from bringing mythological entities into play.

Unlike Tess Gerritsen's placement of new age, mythological, JudeoChristian legends in her novel, The Mephisto Club - which were only used a plot device, and not as an actuality - Lindsay uses the Moloch myth as an actuality. He also turns Dexter's Dark Passenger from psychological entity - the reasoning behind Dexter's need to slice and dice - into a "bastard child" of Moloch's. 

There were times when the story was great, but other times it left me wanting to toss the book aside and never bothering with the novels ever again. I mean, what's the point? If the writer is going to throw something like this out of the blue, why should the readers take it seriously? It's a rule, isn't it? You can't introduce something fantasy in a world that was created in actuality? I don't know. 

Also, what's with the return of Doakes? I understand - unlike season two - he didn't die in the second book, but his presence really necessary? Returning half the man he used to be serves no actual purpose. I understand the intent was to compare Dexter's old nemesis with his new one - the cult did want to end Dexter - but it failed to do that. 

If only there were some realistic explanation of the events in the novel, I may have liked it better - like a guy who thought he was Moloch and drug poisoning to explain the concert in Dexter's head. Still, the book might be something to take a gander at. If you're bored. And if there's a sale. Or you buy it cheap. Or check it out in the library. Or borrow it from a  friend. Or, you know, not at all.

Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Currently Reading

I don't know why I set goals for myself. Last year, I decided to partake in the 100+ Reading Challenge; I only managed 50 books. So you know what I did this year? I decided to not partake in the 100+ challenge, but set a goal on Goodreads to read 50 books. Watching my list grow slowly only convinces me that when I set goals, I do everything in my power to not achieve them - which explains my lack of book enthusiasm. Currently (as of this posting), I'm at 15 books, and that's because one is an essay and five are short stories.

My 16th book of the year is Jeff Lindsay's Dexter in the Dark, the third book in the Dexter Morgan series. I attempted reading it after finishing Dearly Devoted Dexter, but my mind needed a rest from America's favorite serial killer. So far the read's going good. 

In other book hunter news - shouldn't I call it Observant Reader news, considering that's my "handle" on the blog? - I was offered a chance to review Grundish and Askew by Lance Carbuncle, which is now available as an e-book. Let's see if this one pans out better than that offer from Quirk Publishing - remember how I was offered the chance to review that new Pride and Prejudice and Zombies novel, Dreadfully Ever After? That never panned out, so I'm not going to overexcite myself with this opportunity. 

Finally, Saturday was an adventure in book hunting. The downside was, I couldn't find the book that was supposed to be my gift to my mother - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. My mother loved the film, so I decided it would be a great idea if I purchased the novel for her. No luck. It's all good, along with the red velvet cake, I made her lasagna and bought her a Sara Lee strawberry cheesecake.

Because I didn't find anything for my mother, didn't mean I didn't find anything that could be added to my library. Every good book hunter knows that it's not just book stores that act as our hunting ground. Because Dollar Tree's motto is "Everything is a dollar," one should scope them out. I found Richard Belzer's - better know as John Munch on Law & Order: SVU - I Am Not A Psychic and Fiber by Rick Bass. There were more books to look at, but an annoying group of idiots scared this hunter away. Oh well, there's always next time. And until then, keep on huntin'.

Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Unlike its predecessor, Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dearly Devoted Dexter wasn't adapted for the small screen. The Showtime series, instead, creates something original for our dark defender. However, aspects of the book were borrowed for the series, such as - spoiler alert - the removal of Doakes from Dexter's life and the engagement to Rita. 

After the death of LaGuerta in Darkly Dreaming Dexter, Dexter finds himself in a different role - the hunted rather than the hunter. Dead on his trails is Sergeant Doakes, whose suspicion of our Dark Defender is now ten-fold. Having to give up his dark duties, Dexter assumes the role of doting boyfriend as he puts on a show for Doakes' amusement. All the while, he bides his time for the moment Doakes is out of his life so he can resume his work on the second half of a murderous pedophile duo.

Opportunity knocks when Dr. Danco comes to town - a madman seeking revenge for a betrayal that happened years ago in El Salvador. Along with a love interest for Deborah by the name of Kyle Chutsky - who served on Special Forces with Doakes and Dr. Danco - Dexter is pushed into working with the very man who'd rather see him dead or behind bars. How can Dexter play Doakes into becoming Dr. Danco's  next victim?

It's obvious the show's writers created Frank Lundy to play the Chutsky role in Debra's life for the series, but the two are different. Lundy is focused and determined - not to say Chutsky isn't - but he was more likable and agreeable with Debra's personality (where Deborah's personality clashed with Chutsky's). But we're not going to talk about the show anymore.

While the pace from the first novel seemed quick, with little time to enjoy what was going on, the second book seemed better paced, despite being of similar length. It seemed Jeff Lindsay learned how to create more developed secondary characters rather than the two-dimensional ones featured in the first book. Not to mention the dialogue improved, as well. Though, if the third book starts off with Dexter hunting a child-murderer, I'm going to assume that his creativity on the first kills is limited.

The only disagreeable aspect featured in both novels so far is Dexter's inability to kill the main bad guy. In Darkly Dreaming Dexter, he let's his murderous brother get away; in Dearly Devoted Dexter, Dr. Danco - spoiler alert! - is gun down by Deborah. Once again, I think the series has spoiled my ability to allow Dexter to do these things. But isn't that, essentially, who he is? The guy who takes out the bad guys?

Will you be seeing me posting a review for the third novel in the series, Dexter in the Dark, soon? You bet your sweet ass you will. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Jeff Lindsay's Dexter

I joined the Dexter bandwagon a little late in the game. I managed to watch the first four seasons during winter break in 2009. I dragged my mother along for the ride, as well. Isn't that what Dexter is about? Family values? 

And while I knew that the show was based off characters created by Jeff Lindsay, I strayed from reading the novels due to bad reviews I read on Amazon. Of course, reviews are always misleading - especially those on Amazon where several people base their reviews on the covers, titles and miscellaneous details without actually opening the novel. Still, I managed to bide my time just knowing that the first novel alone was adapted into a season, while the following seasons were independent from Lindsay's prose. 

While I'm still technically reading God Is Not One, I decided to hold off on the nonfiction piece by Stephen Prothero for a bit and read the first novel, which introduced America's favorite serial killer to the world. And while I'm quite sure I liked the first season - which is based off the first novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter - much more than the book, I do have an appreciation for it.

Much like the series, the novel opens up as Dexter hunts for a kill - in this case, Father Donovan. (I remember the series starting similarly, but I cannot remember the priest/child murder's name. The dialogue, which was the source of the bad reviews, seemed a little pointless - "'No,' he said. 'Yes,' I said. 'Oh, no,' he said. 'Oh, yes,' I said. He screamed, NOOOO!'" It felt like something one would find in a first year Creative Writing course. Something a professor might have pointed out to the class in a heartbeat.

And while our beloved characters are present, they take on other roles. Angel, rather than being a detective, is a lab geek like Dexter and Vince Masuka and rarely has any spoken words. Vince Masuka, while still seemingly creepy as hell, wasn't conceived with the same humor; there is even a case where Dexter describes him as a fake. LaGuerta is a petty detective, crushing on Dexter and rather venomous. It's her, not Doakes - who was the only character to carried his personality into the TV world - that uncovers that Dexter is hiding something, though her friend is very much in the know. 

It felt as if Lindsay was plot-motivated rather than character motivated. While Dexter can't know it all - the novel is written in first person - it seemed that several of the supporting characters were a little too hollow. The writing was also fast paced, never reallying leaving you at the edge of your seat, though I might be biased because I watched the first season before I ever picked up the book. 

The novel, however, isn't without its value. It's still worth reading, especially if you're a fan of the show. All in all, the novel gets a three star rating. 

I'm still uncertain if I'm going to pick up the next book in the series, Dearly Devoted Dexter. For the moment, however, I'm returning to Stephen Prothero's God Is Not One, which is a part of my religious texts reading list.