by James Luceno

James Luceno’s Cloak of Deception is the first novel in the Star Wars canon that takes place during Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum’s reign. As the title implies, the story is filled with intrigue, mainly political, and the author includes descriptions of the characters’ cloaks whether or not they are the deceptive type, which is a nice touch. Indeed, unless the reader is familiar with the characters in The Phantom Menace (novel or movie), s/he may have a difficult time keeping track of everyone involved in the story, as there are many central characters, some more so than others.

Although it has its share of Jedi wisdom; blaster and lightsaber fights; and other staples of Star Wars lore, Cloak of Deception is mainly a political novel, and in that, will appeal to those who aren’t necessarily Star Wars fans through and through, so long as they are able to follow who’s who: there are, after all, 1,024 senatorial delegates representing at least that number of planets in the Old Republic rather than a mere 100 senators representing 50 states.

by Christopher Priest

Although The Prestige is categorized as science fiction, there are no spaceships, alternate galaxies, or aliens. I believe it falls into that category because science, albeit early 20th-century science, is a major part of the plot. It did receive the World Fantasy Award in 1996, but there are no dragons or elves here, either.

The only other information I had before reading the book was of a rivalry between two magicians, so I assumed the title word, “prestige,” connoted the fame and fortune associated with performers. Rather, it refers to “the effect (emphasis added), or…the product of magic” (73), which is important to keep in mind as you read.

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by Don Wolfe

Published in 2005, The Black Dahlia Files: The Mob, the Mogul, and the Murder That Transfixed Los Angeles is the most recent account of the infamous Black Dahlia case. The author, Donald H. Wolfe, was 15 when the murder occurred. He grew up in Beverly Hills, behind Bugsy Siegel’s house, who the author suggests was involved in Elizabeth Short’s murder. Wolfe’s assertions are based on Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles District Attorney files regarding the case, that have only been released in approximately 2003. Some of the relevant files still remain sealed, possibly because of the 1940s L.A. “bigwigs” involved, and the cover-ups in the case. Wolfe also makes connections between Short’s murder and other, similar unsolved cases involving other young women at the time.

The Black Dahlia Files is intelligently written and not sensationalistic as other true crime books can be. Iif you’re interested in the factual details of the Black Dahlia case, this is the book to read.

by James Ellroy

Before reading The Black Dahlia, I knew nothing about the case except that it’s a true story of the unsolved, brutal murder of a young woman named Elizabeth Short that took place in California a long time ago — in 1947, I found out later. Thus, I didn’t know which of the characters were real or made up, though it’s clear that Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Officer Dwight “Bucky” Bleichert, the protagonist and narrator, belongs to James Ellroy.

Ellroy’s fictionalization isn’t about the Elizabeth Short, aka The Black Dahlia, case. It’s the story of a young man’s rapid descent into a personal hell of his own making. Bucky, as well as most of the characters, are completely disturbed and seem to have no redeemable qualities. The one exception is Kay Lake, the woman who stands between Bucky and his partner, Leland (Lee) Blanchard. If you have a weak stomach, don’t bother reading this book. The description of Elizabeth Short’s beaten and hideously mutilated body is nowhere near as sick as these characters. The writing is excellent — vivid and dramatic — and as such, Ellroy doesn’t hold back in describing the characters’, especially Bucky’s, flaws.

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by Martha Manning

Since I’m going through ECT myself I thought it would be good to read books written by people who have also had ECT. Wrong. Martha Manning is a psychologist herself, so I thought she’d have some really good insight into her experience. Nope. The book is in diary form, but the thing about it is the whole thing is written in present tense! Very annoying.