Simon R. Green
Author of Something from the Nightside
About the Author
Science fiction and fantasy author Simon R. Green was born in 1955 in Bradford-on-Avon, England. He received an M.A. in Modern English and American Literature from Leicester University. He is the author of the Deathstalker series, a member of the British Fantasy Society, and occasionally does some show more Shakespearean acting. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Simon R. Green
The Dark Side of the Road [Dramatized Adaptation]: Ishmael Jones Mystery, Book 1 (2020) 5 copies, 1 review
Appetite for Murder 3 copies
He Said, Laughing 3 copies
Deathstalker Legacy - Episode 2, Winning Friends and Influencing People [graphic audio] (2007) 3 copies
Street Wizard 2 copies
Deathstalker War & Deathstalker Legacy & Deathstalker Return & Deathstalker Coda & Deathstalker Honor & Deathstalker Destiny ( set of 6 books ) (1997) 2 copies
Till Sudden Death Do Us Part [Dramatized Adaptation]: An Ishmael Jones Mystery, Book 7 (2020) 2 copies
Awake Awake Ye Northern Winds 2 copies
The Difference a Day Makes 1 copy
Cascade (short story) 1 copy
The Man Who Would be Dracula 1 copy
Garbės kaina (Antroji knyga) 1 copy
Soulhunter (short story) 1 copy
The Spirit of the Thing 1 copy
Once In A Blue Moon (2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation]: The Forest Kingdom Saga, Book 5, Part 2 (2020) 1 copy
Manslayer (short story) 1 copy
Associated Works
Oz Reimagined: New Tales from the Emerald City and Beyond (2013) — Contributor — 166 copies, 12 reviews
What the #@&% Is That?: The Saga Anthology of the Monstrous and the Macabre (2016) — Contributor — 93 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Green, Simon Richard
- Other names
- Green, Simon
- Birthdate
- 1955-08-25
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Leicester (Modern English and American Literature)
- Occupations
- actor
science fiction writer - Agent
- JABberwocky Literary Agency
[UK & Commonwealth] John Berlyne (Zeno Agency) - Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England, UK
- Map Location
- England, UK
Members
Discussions
Found: Older Fantasy Story - or a fever dream... in Name that Book (August 2023)
Reviews
I'd read and enjoyed Ishmael Jones book five, Into the Thinnest of Air, so I thought I'd check out the earlier books. When I got home, I realized that Dead Man Walking was book two. I read it anyway. That I didn't enjoy it quite as much as book five is mostly because the killer was neon sign overhead or placard around the neck obvious.
Ishmael Jones displays not a trace of false modesty in his introduction before we get to chapter one. (Personally, I can think of greater secrets...) This show more field agent from the ultra-secret The Organization meets his new go-between, called only 'The Colonel' (his predecessor was murdered). The Colonel wastes no time in letting Ishmael and the readers know that he is a haughty, first-class jerk. Ishmael's new assignment involves a rogue field agent who wants to come home and claims he has some really good information to offer.
Ishmael and his love, the very enjoyable Penny Belcourt, go to remote Ringstone Lodge (...'about as far north as you can go before you bang your head on Hadrian's Wall'), where Frank Parker is being held. The lodge belongs to the Ministry of Defense, but is on loan to The Organization. Only two members of its usual staff remain: Head of Security Donald MacKay, a former Regimental Sergeant Major (equivalent to a U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major), and young Philip Martin, the technical surveillance wizard.
The other four persons present are all from The Organization: security guards Alan Baxter and Karl Redd, and the interrogators, Doctors Alice Hayley and Robert Doyle. Baxter seems to go out of his way to be disagreeable to Ishmael. So does Dr. Haley, the only person of color in our limited cast. (She's an in-charge black woman -- will she suffer the usual fate of black characters in horror movies?)
Ringside Lodge looks as if it should be haunted. There's even the grave of a woman hanged as a witch in its little cemetery. Unusual sounds have been heard both before and after Frank Parker's arrival. Penny is hoping for ghosts. Ishmael firmly disbelieves in spooks.
There's a murder, of course -- a locked room mystery. Ishmael knows that he and Penny couldn't have committed it, but they have six suspects who suspect them. The body disappears. Ishmael and Penny hear the mysterious sounds they were told about. Has the Ringstone Witch come back from the grave?
Jones' Belcourt Manor case in book one, the Dark Side of the Road, didn't have the best outcome. As Ishmael did then, he warns everyone not to split up. Penny points out her parents would still be alive if they'd taken Ishmael's advice. Remember when Fred used to say, Let's split up, gang, in 'Scooby-Doo'? The survivors seem to be channeling their inner Fred instead of listening to our hero. It doesn't help that the computer surveillance equipment is apparently not as reliable as it should be.
Can Ishmael and Penny catch the killer before they're once again the only two left standing?
Notes:
Chapter 1:
a. Ishmael meets the new Colonel.
b. We learn about Frank Parker.
c. Penny Belcourt is described.
Mentions: Oxford Street, London; and the 'Time Warp' [song and dance from 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' film],
Chapter 2:
a. We learn where Ringstone Lodge is located.
b. Ishmael mentions a case where he had to escape while wearing next to nothing.
c. Ishmael explains his attitude toward clever spy devices. (He also makes a joke based on the name of one of the Bond women.)
d. Ringstone Halt train station is described.
e. Donald MacKay is described. He gives a run-down of the situation and current personnel.
f. The lodge is named for an ancient standing circle of stones on Ringside Knoll.
g. The gates and then the lodge are described.
h. Ishmael mentions a recurring nightmare of his.
i. The Ringstone Witch's headstone reminds me of 'God Grante That She Lye Still,' the title of an old 'Boris Karloff's Thriller' 1961 episode adapted from the story by Cynthia Asquith. (I definitely recommend reading that story. It's available at Tales if Mystery blogspot.com)
j. We're introduced to the others.
k. Ishmael interviews Parker.
l. Two of the past two Colonels were Oliver Cranleigh and James Belcourt.
Mentions: King's Cross Station, 'The Big Issue' newspaper, James Bond, 'Fortean Times', the Spanish Inquisition, the Medusa, orcs, and trolls
Chapter 3:
a. Dr. Haley mentions three cases that Ishmael has heard about, the titles of which make Penny suspect they were made up.
b. The possibility of a haunting is discussed.
c. The security centre's [British for 'center's] location is given and it is described. A conversation between Baxter and Redd is overheard. Ditto the doctors and there conversation with Parker.
d. Martin shows Ishmael and Penny some of his spooky footage.
e. Baxter makes the mistake of stabbing his finger at Ishmael.
f. Penny tells Ishmael something about the security men that he hadn't noticed.
g. Something spooky happens.
Mentions: 'Country Life' magazine and Doctor Freud.
Chapter 4:
a. Ishmael dreams about what happened to him in 1963.
b. It was the great Chinese Daoist/Taoist philosopher Zhuang Zhou (also called Zhuangzi, old Romanization Chuang-Tze), who had the butterfly dream.
c. The murder is discovered.
d. The lodge is on full lockdown, which is described.
e. Ishmael and Penny are reminded of the Belcourt Manor massacre.
f. Redd is a vegetarian, as MacKay remembers.
g. Penny ends an argument among Baxter, Redd, and Ishmael.
Chapter 5:
a. We find out why Baxter is so nasty to Ishmael.
b. Redd finds out that Penny learned some interesting things at St. Theresa's School for Exemplary Youngsters.
c. Ishmael comes up with a good save when Dr. Doyle asks him why he looks so young.
d. Spooky things are happening.
e. Another body is discovered.
Mention: Agatha Christie TV adaptations.
Chapter 6:
a. Martin wants MacKay to get the guns from the locked armoury. MacKay and Ishmael don't think that's a good idea.
b. Ishmael explains how witnessing the Belcourt Manor massacre has changed Penny.
c. The survivors have a discussion in the lounge.
d. Ishmael figures out the nature of Martin and MacKay's relation ship.
e. Penny used to work in publishing.
f. Penny notices something about the lounge's bay window.
g. There's an official family history of Ringstone Lodge in the library.
h. Penny learns the name of the Ringstone Lodge witch from the book. The reported ghostly phenomena is also in it.
Mentions: flying monkeys, Dickens, Trollope, Dick Francis
Chapter 7:
a. More murders have been done since chapter 6.
b. Two attempts to stop Ishmael don't go the way those survivors planned.
c. We find out if Belcourt Manor had any sliding panels or secret passageways.
d. Ishmael has figured something out.
Mentions: the three bears (but not Goldilocks) and Henry VIII
Chapter 8: The killer says something that's mistaken.
Epilogue: Ishmael glimpses something in the cemetery.
This short novel is good for in-jokes. The opening line of the prologue comes from Moby-Dick. The opening line of the first chapter has a sly reference to a 1963 John Le Carré novel, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. There are fun descriptions. I particularly liked the one for Ringstone Halt station. On the other hand, thanks to the title of chapter 5, I heard Olive Oyl singing from the 1935 Popeye cartoon, 'Beware of Barnacle Bill', in my head. I didn't need that. (Go ahead and look up the cartoon. Misery is supposed to love company.)
Again, aside from the killer being much too obvious, this is a fun little mystery. I particularly like Penny and her interactions with Ishmael. I recommend it to mystery lovers. When I read the fifth book, I was reminded of William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki the Ghost-Finder. Some of Carnacki's cases involved genuine hauntings, some had been faked, and some were mostly fake with a touch of the supernatural. This novel definitely falls into one of those categories. show less
Ishmael Jones displays not a trace of false modesty in his introduction before we get to chapter one. (Personally, I can think of greater secrets...) This show more field agent from the ultra-secret The Organization meets his new go-between, called only 'The Colonel' (his predecessor was murdered). The Colonel wastes no time in letting Ishmael and the readers know that he is a haughty, first-class jerk. Ishmael's new assignment involves a rogue field agent who wants to come home and claims he has some really good information to offer.
Ishmael and his love, the very enjoyable Penny Belcourt, go to remote Ringstone Lodge (...'about as far north as you can go before you bang your head on Hadrian's Wall'), where Frank Parker is being held. The lodge belongs to the Ministry of Defense, but is on loan to The Organization. Only two members of its usual staff remain: Head of Security Donald MacKay, a former Regimental Sergeant Major (equivalent to a U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major), and young Philip Martin, the technical surveillance wizard.
The other four persons present are all from The Organization: security guards Alan Baxter and Karl Redd, and the interrogators, Doctors Alice Hayley and Robert Doyle. Baxter seems to go out of his way to be disagreeable to Ishmael. So does Dr. Haley, the only person of color in our limited cast. (She's an in-charge black woman -- will she suffer the usual fate of black characters in horror movies?)
Ringside Lodge looks as if it should be haunted. There's even the grave of a woman hanged as a witch in its little cemetery. Unusual sounds have been heard both before and after Frank Parker's arrival. Penny is hoping for ghosts. Ishmael firmly disbelieves in spooks.
There's a murder, of course -- a locked room mystery. Ishmael knows that he and Penny couldn't have committed it, but they have six suspects who suspect them. The body disappears. Ishmael and Penny hear the mysterious sounds they were told about. Has the Ringstone Witch come back from the grave?
Jones' Belcourt Manor case in book one, the Dark Side of the Road, didn't have the best outcome. As Ishmael did then, he warns everyone not to split up. Penny points out her parents would still be alive if they'd taken Ishmael's advice. Remember when Fred used to say, Let's split up, gang, in 'Scooby-Doo'? The survivors seem to be channeling their inner Fred instead of listening to our hero. It doesn't help that the computer surveillance equipment is apparently not as reliable as it should be.
Can Ishmael and Penny catch the killer before they're once again the only two left standing?
Notes:
Chapter 1:
a. Ishmael meets the new Colonel.
b. We learn about Frank Parker.
c. Penny Belcourt is described.
Mentions: Oxford Street, London; and the 'Time Warp' [song and dance from 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' film],
Chapter 2:
a. We learn where Ringstone Lodge is located.
b. Ishmael mentions a case where he had to escape while wearing next to nothing.
c. Ishmael explains his attitude toward clever spy devices. (He also makes a joke based on the name of one of the Bond women.)
d. Ringstone Halt train station is described.
e. Donald MacKay is described. He gives a run-down of the situation and current personnel.
f. The lodge is named for an ancient standing circle of stones on Ringside Knoll.
g. The gates and then the lodge are described.
h. Ishmael mentions a recurring nightmare of his.
i. The Ringstone Witch's headstone reminds me of 'God Grante That She Lye Still,' the title of an old 'Boris Karloff's Thriller' 1961 episode adapted from the story by Cynthia Asquith. (I definitely recommend reading that story. It's available at Tales if Mystery blogspot.com)
j. We're introduced to the others.
k. Ishmael interviews Parker.
l. Two of the past two Colonels were Oliver Cranleigh and James Belcourt.
Mentions: King's Cross Station, 'The Big Issue' newspaper, James Bond, 'Fortean Times', the Spanish Inquisition, the Medusa, orcs, and trolls
Chapter 3:
a. Dr. Haley mentions three cases that Ishmael has heard about, the titles of which make Penny suspect they were made up.
b. The possibility of a haunting is discussed.
c. The security centre's [British for 'center's] location is given and it is described. A conversation between Baxter and Redd is overheard. Ditto the doctors and there conversation with Parker.
d. Martin shows Ishmael and Penny some of his spooky footage.
e. Baxter makes the mistake of stabbing his finger at Ishmael.
f. Penny tells Ishmael something about the security men that he hadn't noticed.
g. Something spooky happens.
Mentions: 'Country Life' magazine and Doctor Freud.
Chapter 4:
a. Ishmael dreams about what happened to him in 1963.
b. It was the great Chinese Daoist/Taoist philosopher Zhuang Zhou (also called Zhuangzi, old Romanization Chuang-Tze), who had the butterfly dream.
c. The murder is discovered.
d. The lodge is on full lockdown, which is described.
e. Ishmael and Penny are reminded of the Belcourt Manor massacre.
f. Redd is a vegetarian, as MacKay remembers.
g. Penny ends an argument among Baxter, Redd, and Ishmael.
Chapter 5:
a. We find out why Baxter is so nasty to Ishmael.
b. Redd finds out that Penny learned some interesting things at St. Theresa's School for Exemplary Youngsters.
c. Ishmael comes up with a good save when Dr. Doyle asks him why he looks so young.
d. Spooky things are happening.
e. Another body is discovered.
Mention: Agatha Christie TV adaptations.
Chapter 6:
a. Martin wants MacKay to get the guns from the locked armoury. MacKay and Ishmael don't think that's a good idea.
b. Ishmael explains how witnessing the Belcourt Manor massacre has changed Penny.
c. The survivors have a discussion in the lounge.
d. Ishmael figures out the nature of Martin and MacKay's relation ship.
e. Penny used to work in publishing.
f. Penny notices something about the lounge's bay window.
g. There's an official family history of Ringstone Lodge in the library.
h. Penny learns the name of the Ringstone Lodge witch from the book. The reported ghostly phenomena is also in it.
Mentions: flying monkeys, Dickens, Trollope, Dick Francis
Chapter 7:
a. More murders have been done since chapter 6.
b. Two attempts to stop Ishmael don't go the way those survivors planned.
c. We find out if Belcourt Manor had any sliding panels or secret passageways.
d. Ishmael has figured something out.
Mentions: the three bears (but not Goldilocks) and Henry VIII
Chapter 8: The killer says something that's mistaken.
Epilogue: Ishmael glimpses something in the cemetery.
This short novel is good for in-jokes. The opening line of the prologue comes from Moby-Dick. The opening line of the first chapter has a sly reference to a 1963 John Le Carré novel, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. There are fun descriptions. I particularly liked the one for Ringstone Halt station. On the other hand, thanks to the title of chapter 5, I heard Olive Oyl singing from the 1935 Popeye cartoon, 'Beware of Barnacle Bill', in my head. I didn't need that. (Go ahead and look up the cartoon. Misery is supposed to love company.)
Again, aside from the killer being much too obvious, this is a fun little mystery. I particularly like Penny and her interactions with Ishmael. I recommend it to mystery lovers. When I read the fifth book, I was reminded of William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki the Ghost-Finder. Some of Carnacki's cases involved genuine hauntings, some had been faked, and some were mostly fake with a touch of the supernatural. This novel definitely falls into one of those categories. show less
{First of 5 Forest Kingdom series; fantasy} (1992)
Prince Rupert is the second son of the king of the Forest Land and has been sent into the Tanglewood on a quest to slay a dragon. He knows that the hidden purpose of the quest is to get rid of him so he won’t become a rival to his brother, Prince Harald, but he has an unquenchable sense of duty. So not only does he survive but he finds the dragon and rescues it from a princess ... and then the story really gets going.
The Tanglewood has always buffered the Forest Land from the Darkwood where demons and other evils live. Now, with the Blue Moon on the rise, the power of the Demon Prince is increasing, the Darkwood is spreading and the long night is threatening to cover the land. Only magic can hold it back, but magic has been disappearing as humans and human logic proliferate. Rupert returns to a castle under desperate siege and a court full of treachery. It seems that the only hope to save the kingdom - and the world - is the High Warlock, who was banished to the Dark Tower years ago. Which means that Rupert will have to brave the Darkwood again to bring him back.
This was a re-read and, more than likely, a re-re-read for me. I’ve found that this year I’ve been struggling with re-reads probably because there’s less sense of anticipation than the first time through. But I do remember being on tenterhooks the previous time(s) I read this because I didn’t know which characters to trust.
This sword-and-sorcery story was one of my favourites when I first read it (fairly close to its publication date); I like my heroes to show a little bit of vulnerability. It’s full of doom and (no, not gloom) dark humour, which appealed to me. I did find it a bit portentous this time - but I may add back half a star for nostalgia. A side note: I had read some of the Hawk and Fisher books before I read this the first time and Rob Hawke makes an appearance here; the two series are set in the same world (possibly reverse engineered, I felt) and were later amalgamated.
March 2021
4.5-5 stars show less
Prince Rupert is the second son of the king of the Forest Land and has been sent into the Tanglewood on a quest to slay a dragon. He knows that the hidden purpose of the quest is to get rid of him so he won’t become a rival to his brother, Prince Harald, but he has an unquenchable sense of duty. So not only does he survive but he finds the dragon and rescues it from a princess ... and then the story really gets going.
'Rupert, you wereshow more
supposed to bring back the valuable parts of a dead dragon and at least some of his hoard. Haven't you brought back any gold?'
'No,' said Rupert. 'There wasn't any.'
'What about the dragon's hoard?'
'He collected butterflies.'
They all stared at the sleeping dragon. 'Only you, Rupert,' said the Champion quietly. 'Only you ...'
'Haven't you brought back anything of value?' asked the King.
'Just this,' said Rupert, drawing his sword. Everybody studied the gleaming blade warily.
'It has a strong magical aura,' said the Astrologer dubiously. 'What does it do?'
'It summons rainbows,' said Rupert, just a little lamely.
There was a long pause.
'Let's talk about the Darkwood,' said King John.
The Tanglewood has always buffered the Forest Land from the Darkwood where demons and other evils live. Now, with the Blue Moon on the rise, the power of the Demon Prince is increasing, the Darkwood is spreading and the long night is threatening to cover the land. Only magic can hold it back, but magic has been disappearing as humans and human logic proliferate. Rupert returns to a castle under desperate siege and a court full of treachery. It seems that the only hope to save the kingdom - and the world - is the High Warlock, who was banished to the Dark Tower years ago. Which means that Rupert will have to brave the Darkwood again to bring him back.
This was a re-read and, more than likely, a re-re-read for me. I’ve found that this year I’ve been struggling with re-reads probably because there’s less sense of anticipation than the first time through. But I do remember being on tenterhooks the previous time(s) I read this because I didn’t know which characters to trust.
This sword-and-sorcery story was one of my favourites when I first read it (fairly close to its publication date); I like my heroes to show a little bit of vulnerability. It’s full of doom and (no, not gloom) dark humour, which appealed to me. I did find it a bit portentous this time - but I may add back half a star for nostalgia. A side note: I had read some of the Hawk and Fisher books before I read this the first time and Rob Hawke makes an appearance here; the two series are set in the same world (possibly reverse engineered, I felt) and were later amalgamated.
March 2021
4.5-5 stars show less
We all have that one book that got away from us on NetGalley or rather the books. The ones that you really wanted to read, but got turned down for. For me is The Dark Side of the Road one of them, the first book in this series. However, I did not know that this was the sequel to that book when I requested this book. I only saw that when I checked up this book on Goodreads. So, I was pleased that I got this one, and also slightly miffed that I did not buy The Dark Side of the Road when the show more price was down on the ebook. Especially miffed when I realized how wonderful this book was, which occurred at the beginning of the book. Of course!
So, what makes this book so wonderful? First, the characters. Ishmael and Penny, I instantly liked them, they were just so adorable. I was curious about Ishmael, especially since he only has been human since the 1963s? That was very odd, and I hoped that it would be addressed in the book. And, around 50% into the story, it was revealed what was so special about Ishmael and I, to be honest, did not see that coming, but I loved it. Such a very special twist (made me want to read the first book even more).
Secondly, the story was captivating and fascinating and I could hardly put the book down. I love old "haunted" houses, and to have a couple of people on lockdown while someone is killing them off was great "fun". The only drawback was that it was pretty easy to figure out the "killer" was. And, my first thought was to just give the book 4.5 stars because I found the end "twist" not that surprising, but I've been looking forward all day at work writing this review because I liked the book so damn much, so 5-stars it is!
Dead Man Walking is a very, very good book; atmospheric, funny, intense and a bit gory! Just the way I like it when it comes to books.
I want to thank Severn House for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review. show less
So, what makes this book so wonderful? First, the characters. Ishmael and Penny, I instantly liked them, they were just so adorable. I was curious about Ishmael, especially since he only has been human since the 1963s? That was very odd, and I hoped that it would be addressed in the book. And, around 50% into the story, it was revealed what was so special about Ishmael and I, to be honest, did not see that coming, but I loved it. Such a very special twist (made me want to read the first book even more).
Secondly, the story was captivating and fascinating and I could hardly put the book down. I love old "haunted" houses, and to have a couple of people on lockdown while someone is killing them off was great "fun". The only drawback was that it was pretty easy to figure out the "killer" was. And, my first thought was to just give the book 4.5 stars because I found the end "twist" not that surprising, but I've been looking forward all day at work writing this review because I liked the book so damn much, so 5-stars it is!
Dead Man Walking is a very, very good book; atmospheric, funny, intense and a bit gory! Just the way I like it when it comes to books.
I want to thank Severn House for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review. show less
Murder in the Dark is the sixth book in the Ishmael Jones mystery series. I'd checked out book seven, Till Sudden Death Do Us Part, as soon as I spotted it on my library's new books shelves. Chapter two of that book made reference to a couple of incidents I didn't remember, so I checked the series list. This means I was spoiled for those incidents when I checked out and read this one, but they didn't give away the killer or the main plot.
Poor Ishmael has been a mystery to himself since his show more spaceship crashed in England in 1963. He and series readers know that the ship made him look as if he were human. He thinks that the loss of his previous memories meant something went wrong in the transformation process. What we learn about his past in this book makes me suspect the memory wipe was intentional.
Ishmael has been called to a real-life site named Brassknocker Hill, near that city of Bath so familiar to readers of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. This series appears to be a homage to the late William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki the Ghost Finder, though, so we can't expect an examination of society or a Regency Romance. Mr. Green does emulate the late Ms. Heyer in providing some wickedly diverting dialogue, which is sorely lacking in Carnacki stories. He also provides an intelligent and intrepid heroine in Ishmael's lover, Penny Belcourt. I can think of only one Carnacki story with a female character who was more than a damsel in or potentially in distress, and she was Carnacki's mother.
The Beast of Brassknocker Hill is a real legend (see chapter one), but the mysterious hole is not. Protecting the investigators of that hole is Ishmael and Penny's assignment. The archaeologists who first found the suddenly-appearing hole were yanked off the case and replaced by scientists after one of the archaeologists disappeared into said hole. The more we learn about the hole, the more frightening it becomes. Ishmael and Penny have worked on cases where they were the only two to survive. Will this turn out to be one of those?
Chapter 1:
a. Penny thinks the hole reminds her of something from her childhood.
b. Ishmael talks about the one time he was sent to investigate a legendary beast and it wasn't just a legend.
Chapter 2:
a. The group discusses how isolated they are, legends, monsters, and Black Heir. Mr. Carroll of Black Heir calls once a day at 8 a.m.
b. Penny asks Ishmael if he'll still love her when she's 64. The Beatles had a song about that called 'When I'm Sixty-Four'.
:
Mentions: the Mary Celeste, the Bermuda Triangle, Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster. Cambridge University, Oxford University, Old Black Shuck
Chapter 3 Mentions: the Medusa, Nobel Prizes
Chapter 4: Something's wrong with Penny's vintage navy-blue Rover 25.
Mention: Occam's Razor
Chapter 5:
a. Ishmael has always been able to feel the world beneath his feet and know his place on it.
b. Ishmael and Paul have a very interesting conversation.
I particularly enjoyed Ishmael finding out more about who he was before 1963, though they are still only tantalizing hints. The book is quite spooky, what with the no insects or wildlife on the hill where the hole is, and what happens to those foolish enough to get to close to that hole. As usual, there were lines that made me chuckle. I do hope this series will have an eighth book and more. show less
Poor Ishmael has been a mystery to himself since his show more spaceship crashed in England in 1963. He and series readers know that the ship made him look as if he were human. He thinks that the loss of his previous memories meant something went wrong in the transformation process. What we learn about his past in this book makes me suspect the memory wipe was intentional.
Ishmael has been called to a real-life site named Brassknocker Hill, near that city of Bath so familiar to readers of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. This series appears to be a homage to the late William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki the Ghost Finder, though, so we can't expect an examination of society or a Regency Romance. Mr. Green does emulate the late Ms. Heyer in providing some wickedly diverting dialogue, which is sorely lacking in Carnacki stories. He also provides an intelligent and intrepid heroine in Ishmael's lover, Penny Belcourt. I can think of only one Carnacki story with a female character who was more than a damsel in or potentially in distress, and she was Carnacki's mother.
The Beast of Brassknocker Hill is a real legend (see chapter one), but the mysterious hole is not. Protecting the investigators of that hole is Ishmael and Penny's assignment. The archaeologists who first found the suddenly-appearing hole were yanked off the case and replaced by scientists after one of the archaeologists disappeared into said hole. The more we learn about the hole, the more frightening it becomes. Ishmael and Penny have worked on cases where they were the only two to survive. Will this turn out to be one of those?
Chapter 1:
a. Penny thinks the hole reminds her of something from her childhood.
b. Ishmael talks about the one time he was sent to investigate a legendary beast and it wasn't just a legend.
Chapter 2:
a. The group discusses how isolated they are, legends, monsters, and Black Heir. Mr. Carroll of Black Heir calls once a day at 8 a.m.
b. Penny asks Ishmael if he'll still love her when she's 64. The Beatles had a song about that called 'When I'm Sixty-Four'.
:
Mentions: the Mary Celeste, the Bermuda Triangle, Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster. Cambridge University, Oxford University, Old Black Shuck
Chapter 3 Mentions: the Medusa, Nobel Prizes
Chapter 4: Something's wrong with Penny's vintage navy-blue Rover 25.
Mention: Occam's Razor
Chapter 5:
a. Ishmael has always been able to feel the world beneath his feet and know his place on it.
b. Ishmael and Paul have a very interesting conversation.
I particularly enjoyed Ishmael finding out more about who he was before 1963, though they are still only tantalizing hints. The book is quite spooky, what with the no insects or wildlife on the hill where the hole is, and what happens to those foolish enough to get to close to that hole. As usual, there were lines that made me chuckle. I do hope this series will have an eighth book and more. show less
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