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 was a close contest. Chuck Palahniuk, whose inspiration is to write only on subjects that scare his own shit out, lead the race right through late December. Haunted is extraordinary writing, a book that really pushes out the boundaries on what it's possible to do with words. But, I just can't recommend it. It's like one of those experiments where scientists see how many heads they can grow on a fruit fly. Impressive! Scary! But- why?
Another top contender in was Declan Burke's The Big O. Critical Mick had had his beady lil' crime-loving eye on the 2003 novel Eightball Boogie for a while, and 2007 became the year that Mick bowed it to its author. Declan Burke's follow-up The Big O was funny, sharp, surprising, and most especially innovative. No rules! No recycling! Altogether: fresh and fun. Burke's attitude, humor, and insight on all matters of Irish crime can be sampled on his blog, Crime Always Pays. How that Westlife-befriending Sligo-born gurrier finds time for daily updates I can only curse and conjecture. For its inteviews, reviews, opinions, and commentary, Burke's is the only site that Critical Mick visits daily. Discover it for yourself in 2008.
Early in 2007, the opportunity came to bail it up the M1 past the point where that motorway ends. After a brief interlude of heavy construction at the border, this main route resumed under the exotically alien designation A1. Yes! Critical Mick crossed into Northern Ireland and spent an evening interviewing Portadown-based author and filmmaker Darryl Sloan for The Writing Show. Sharing tips and horror stories on topics ranging from guerrilla filmmaking to successful PODing, Darryl proved himself to be knowledgeable, personable, a true original- and talented to boot. Darryl Sloan is an up-and-comer to watch even when he is not dressed like a zombie.
Mick not only enjoyed Darryl's YA-and-beyond novel Chion, he enjoyed Darryl's recommendation toward fellow NI author Philip Henry and Henry's 2006 novel Mind's Eye.
Other buddies recommended The Wilt Alternative by Tom Sharpe, Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year by Anne Lamott, and Greatest Uncommon Denominator (a new magazine of fiction, poetry, art and attitude). Recommendations are the best way to find words worthy of carving into the nearest endangered tree. Blurbs on the backs of bookjackets piss me off. They usually give away half the characters and twists, when they're not getting details wrong. (Declan Hughes' blurb for The Colour of Blood put the missing chick's age at sixteen, not nineteen as Hughes wrote.) (yes, Critical Mick's hyper-critical nitpickery knows no bounds.)
2007 offered the opportunity to see if reknown was deserved of big names like Khaled Hosseini, Alexander McCall Smith and John Banville. This past year I also had the good fortune to be introduced to hopeful new writers like David James Trapp, Monte Davis, and R. Scott Taylor. Authors like these, writing from inspiration and not for a fat wad of banknotes, hold the promise of words with real heart. I hope that when they make it big they remember small narky guys who gave 'em an early plug... and name a villain after me. (It's my eighth fondest wish.)
So, in summary, here how 2007 stacked up:
Irate Letters from Artists Pissed off by Critical Mick Reviews: 2
My goal for 2008 is to push up those numbers. With one exception.
Peace
Yer Friend Mick Halpin
...click to see who's in the running for 
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Winners
