Finished A Fate Worse Than Dragons by John Moore.

This is a fairy tale spoof about Terry, a knight who jumps through hoop after hoop so he can be with his true love, Princess Gloria. The book opens with Terry killing a dragon, a feat that will win him Gloria’s hand … except the border was recently redrawn. That means that Terry wins the hand of the princess in the next kingdom, instead of his beloved Gloria. So, the two of them go back to the drawing board and devise a kidnapping scheme sure to work … except it doesn’t. I think you can see where this is going.

This book was a lot of fun. Moore knows his fantasy and fairy tales, and he pokes loving fun at the lot of them. For instance, people are suspicious of toasted bread and nasty creatures always eat virgins. Mostly, I enjoyed the absurdity, although some of the jokes fell flat at times, and the toasted bread thing did get a little stale after a while. (Sorry, couldn’t resist). But if you’re looking for a light fantasy read, this one shouldn’t disappoint.

So, thumbs up.

Up next: Hit Man by Lawrence Block.

I’ve been slacking off about reviewing the books I’ve read. So, expect to get a lot of quick reviews this week, like this one.

Finished Rain Fall by Barry Eisler. It’s about John Rain, a half-American, half-Japanese assassin living in Tokyo. Rain specializes in “death by natural causes.” The book opens with Rain killing a businessman by messing with his pacemaker and making it look like the man had a heart attack. But the job’s not done. The businessman had a computer disc full of information that several people are eager to get their hands on. Rain is brought in to kill the man’s daughter, which he balks at, and soon, the two of them are on the run from several shady characters.

The book reminds me of a noir movie, the way that Eisler describes the Tokyo landscape. He really gives you a feel for the city — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Rain is a likeable character, despite his profession, and the plot moves along at a swift clip.

The only real quibble I had with the book is a guy from Rain’s past who shows up and a revelation about him that I saw coming the second he was introduced. It was a little too convenient. But overall, this is a solid thriller.

So, thumbs up.

Up next: A Fate Worse Than Dragons by John Moore.