Wolfy's Wanderings with the Written Word

Comments, discussion and general rambling is welcome. I might as well start this off with what I've read so far this year:

All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses An Eye by Christopher Brookmyre

This is probably the least of Brookmyre's laugh-out-loud novels but doesn't suffer at all for that. 46 year-old mother of two and also a grandmother, Jane Fleming, is recruited by a team of highly skilled professionals to help them find and rescue her son. He's in the process of inventing a device which will stop any projectile weapon. Unfortunately, his secret has got out into the wide world and it's upset some quite unpleasant people. Escaping from the first attempt to grab him he still manages to fall into nefarious hands thanks to the best endeavours of his dad. So it falls to mum to help in the rescue.

It's quite Bond-ian in nature with plenty of tech gadgets on parade and sufficiently over the top locations. The characters are built steadily and the development of the main character from frumpy grandmother to action hero is well handled. A good book from a favourite author to start the year. 4★'s

The Devil's Graveyard by Anonymous

The third book in the series which begins with The Book With No Name and I think by this time the joke is wearing a little thin. The body count has probably been ratcheted up a notch (well with The Bourbon Kid, Elvis & Invincible Angus around I guess that should be expected) but it's done at the expense of the storyline.

Santa Mondega's resident cowardly barman, Sanchez Garcia, has won a trip to the Hotel Pasadena where they're holding the Back from the Dead singing competition. Entrants must perform in the style of a dead musician so new characters this time around include Judy Garland, Freddie Mercury, James Brown & Jacko. What most of the performers don't know is that the contest is rigged and of the 5 pre-selected finalists it seems one of them wants to whittle down the competition a little more. Hence the arrival of hitman, Invincible Angus, but as he's a little late to the party the job is given to The Bourbon Kid so you know the blood's gonna fly.

It also seems that a few of the cast of characters know the real story behind the contest. The winner gets to sign a nice big contract with a Million-dollar first prize thrown in for good measure. The only problem is that the contract is of the sell your soul to the Devil type of deal. Oh! And there's zombies! Lots and lots of zombies!

It's probably not as bad as I've made it out to be and there are a few laughs to be had (Janis Joplin is a scream) and it can be read stand-alone if you feel inclined. 3★'s

*Edit to fix touchstone

The Magdalen Martyrs by Ken Bruen

Another third instalment only this time this one is as good if not better than the preceding two books in the series. Jack Taylor is a disgraced ex-cop from Galway in Ireland. He managed to let the drink get the better of him and he's also developed quite a drug habit too. At the conclusion of the last book Jack had found himself owing a couple of debts to local gangster Bill Cassell and now it's time to pay them off. The slate will be wiped clean if Jack manages to find the whereabouts of a woman who used to work at the Magdalen laundry. In the fifties, unwed mothers were placed there by their families or the Church. It was an abusive place to be. Not only were the girls forced to do laundry in conditions that a Japanese WWII prisoner of war camp frowned upon but they were subjected to all kinds of physical and mental tortures. Many of the girls committed suicide rather than endure more of the punishments.

Bill tells Jack that the woman he wants found is the one who helped his mother escape from the place and he wants to thank her personally for her kindness. Jack has just come off a bender and so is in no fit state to ask the right questions of Bill and also has no choice but to accept the job. Jack is also asked to look into the death of a young man's father. He thinks his stepmother might have killed him but the police have it down as a heart attack and with no post-mortem before the body was cremated it's not going to be an easy one to prove.

Both cases have twists and turns though it's not really the mystery that galvanizes this series. That belongs to the character of Jack Taylor. A man of many flaws but one you can't help but want to survive at least another day so you can continue reading of his ongoing trevails. 4½★'s

Okay, I'm now caught up with the backlog everything from this point on will be fresh off the presses.

Currently reading:
The Absolute Sandman Volume One by Neil Gaiman
Night Soldiers by Alan Furst

I mainly only have one book on the go at a time but due to the size of the Sandman volume, ie. not easily lugged around, I'm reading a second.

Welcome! Interesting books in here, I'm so glad you decided to have a thread. :)

Dave, welcome to the fun-house! I am a great fan of Alan Furst and hope you enjoy his work. I'll be watching to see what other interesting finds you have.

Thanks MrsLee and Maggie. I've now finished Night Soldiers:

Set just prior to and during WWII this novel follows Khristo Stoianev from his home town in Bulgaria where he is recruited by the Soviet spy instution, the NKVD, when a member of his family is killed after speaking out against the rising tide of fascism. Sent to a training camp full of people gathered from similar situations to his own, Khristo forms an alliance with his team and despite the tone of distrust and watchfulness that his new masters instil it is this comradeship which threads throughout the narrative of the book.

After completing his training he finds himself sent to Spain where the Civil War is in full swing. Learning of his imminent arrest during the Stalin purges he manages to flee to France and tries to keep a low profile to avoid the notice of those who will be sent after him. Unfortunately, things don't work out for him here either and after being caught up in political manoeuvrings he ends up in jail until being freed with the German occupation ensues. From there he becomes involved in the rising of the French resistance and the book also relates the formation of the OSS (the spy team for the USA).

This book gives a great insight into the political situation in Europe and shifting tides during the run up and time of WWII and is very evocative of how life was during that period. A great read and I'll look forward to my next encounter with this author's work. 4★'s

I have put it on my wishlist on Amazon. Now I need to tell relatives and friends how to access this wishlist so I can get more books by gifting! Holding my thumbs.

As my author dedicated category for this year I've picked Elmore Leonard. I've been interested in reading more of his work ever since I found out that he wrote the original stories for some fantastic films. So far I've read Rum Punch (movie: Jackie Brown) and Out of Sight so for my next encounter I think I'll give The Big Bounce a try. I've not seen either of the movies that have been based on this one so it'll be the first one I've tackled without pre-conceived notions of the plot.

The Big Bounce by Elmore Leonard

This book is located more towards the noir end of the crime genre than the previous two books I've read from the author and whether it was because I was expecting something different I didn't enjoy this as much as the others. The characters were very straightforward and there was none of the wise-cracking and uber-cool dialogue that I've come to associate with Mr. Leonard's work. The plot has small-time crook Jack Ryan being employed as handyman to some beach-side cabanas. It's there that he gets involved with the local head honcho's main squeeze and she tries to embroil him in a plot to steal $50,000. The ending is a bit of a surprise as there isn't really a true one to the story. 3★'s

The Absolute Sandman Volume One by Neil Gaiman

As a recent convert to the Graphic Novel format I've picked an author whom I know writes stories I enjoy for my 2nd big project at venturing forth into this almost untapped resource. The book itself is beautifully made with a faux-leather cover within a hard slipcase and with the pages in an oversized format. The artwork has been retouched and recoloured to bring it in line with the rest of the production values of this release. This edition collects the first three books of the series and totals out at 20 stories in all. You also get some extra features thrown in for good measure: A new introduction by Paul Levitz (head DC Comics guy at the time), the original Sandman proposal including character sketches, a story so far synopsis written for the foreword to book 2 with illustrations, a step-by-step through story #19 A Midsummer Night's Dream (full script and original pencil drawings), the afterwords and biographies.

This collection certainly belongs in the horror section of the library with some very gruesome acts being depicted, 24 Hours in particular. The quality of the tales range from the merely good to "Wow! That was just... Wow!". Absolute stand-out is our first encounter with Death in The Sound of Her Wings. If I was more familiar with the DC universe then I would've definitely got more out of this than I actually did as it features many guest appearances from other characters ranging from the familiar John Constantine to the slightly less so in Element Girl. Nevertheless, it's a great collection and I'm glad I treated myself to this edition. 4½★'s

That sounds lovely! My daughter has all of the single volumes of The Sandman. She reads them first and then gives me the ones she knows I will like. Funny, I used to read things before I gave them to her, now it's come full circle. My boys also censor the movies I watch. :) You're right, there are many layers in those tales. A healthy dose of Greek mythology helps with enlightenment as well. Oh, and G.K. Chesterton.

I love the Sandman books, and wondered whether The Absolute Sandman editions were worth the expense. Sounds like they are. Thanks for your thoughts on this one.

Joe, you might want to think again about picking them up, especially when you see how much Vol.1 now costs. The main reason I've gone for the Absolute editions is that I don't own any of the books and while it's still dearer than picking each of the books up individually I didn't mind the extra expense for a quality release. I would doubt that I'd add them to my collection if I already owned them separately unless they were all falling to pieces through over-reading that is.

Next up is Howl's Moving Castle. I've seen the movie when it was released so it'll be easy to follow as I'll also be watching the football today & tomorrow.

Yikes! You're right, Dave. I just took a look on Amazon. Isn't the price on (at least some) used books supposed to be less over time? Not this one!

I liked the Howl's Moving Castle movie - I'm a Miyazaki fan. Be interesting to hear how you like the book.

I love the movie Howl's Moving Castle. It's also on my TBR Soon list.

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

After managing to insult the Witch of the Waste while selling her a hat, Sophie is prematurely aged to the state of an old crone with all the failings that entails. Not wishing to burden her family with her current affliction she leaves her surroundings without a word to anyone. Tiring easily she decides to take refuge from the coming night but the only place within reach is the forbidding Moving Castle which belongs to the evil wizard Howl. As the wizard is out when she arrives, Sophie feels safe enough in the company of his apprentice, Michael, so settle in for a rest. SHe also meets Calcifer, the Fire Demon, and enters into an agreement with him to break his contract with Howl in exchange for the removal of the witch's enchantment on her. Making herself useful as a cleaning lady, Howl decides to let Sophie stick around.

This is a fun fantasy story with a good blend of characters that will definitely appeal to those who came to it, like I did, from the Hayao Miyazaki anime film. There are enough differences between the two to make them both worthwhile and if you like the movie then I'd certainly recommend reading the book. Yes, it is aimed at a primarily young audience but that shouldn't deter you from picking this one up as there is enough within the pages to keep the older generation entertained. 3½★'s

The Successor by Ismail Kadare

This is a fictionalised account of the events surrounding the death of Mahmet Shehu (the titular character) and how it affected those involved. His place as designated heir to the Albanian leadership under question and with an enquiry paused overnight where final pronouncement is due, the successor is found dead in his home with a gunshot wound to the head. A verdict of suicide is quickly announced and despite this, or perhaps because of the speed and lack of a thorough investigation, rumours appear of it being a murder instead. Potential suspects abound, regardless that the house was all locked up, and even the Guide (Albania's leader) is thought to be involved. Is there any truth to the existence of a secret passage between their adjacent properties? Perhaps a member of the family is guilty with the daughter having to break off her engagement due to political influence.

Are there any answers to be had at all? This is the question that drives you on to the end as we hear the thoughts of the protagonists and see how subsequent events affect their own lives. Less about the geographical aspect of Albanian life we do learn of the political adherence to the Communist rule of the time as well as the fear of denunciation of the people, especially those closest to the seat of power. Note: This book was translated into English from the French which itself was translated from the original.

The Stormwatcher by Graham Joyce

This book is really hard to classify. It has tinges of horror as well as the supernatural and magical realism feel about it but doesn't really fit comfortably in any of those genres. What it is, is a beautiful building of tension in the relationships of a family and friends holidaying together in the Dordogne. Each of whom have their secrets that they either share with or want to protect from the others in the group. This group consists of James, a successful advertising executive, and his French wife, Sabine, and two daughters, Jessie and Beth, Matt, James' best friend and former employee, with wife Chrissie and rounding out the group is Rachel, another former employee of James and also one whom he had an affair with. One un-named member of this party is giving the already slightly disturbed Jessie instruction which seems to be making her personality even more strange than it already is.

Storm clouds are gathering both in the meteorological sense and the emotional. When it strikes will it clear the air or is it a sign of great upheaval within the household?

Fortysomething by Nigel Williams

This book details the final six months of the fortysomething life of radio soap actor Paul Slippery. For at the end of those six months comes the big 5-0 and he's quite dreading it especially as the BBC are planning to kill off his long running character at around that time as well. Written in the form of diary entries by Paul, we learn of his fears and insecurities as well as his hopes and dreams, not just for himself but his wife and three sons. He fears not only losing his job but also that he's losing his wife. Has the love gone from his marriage? Is she having an affair with a dwarf called Hamish? Is the place she now has a successful career at just a hotbed of lesbianism? Why can't he remember the last time they had sex?

This book is hilarious in places and quite touching in others as Paul's midlife crisis is examined through the relationships with his family, friends and colleagues. It is, perhaps, slightly overlong and continued use of the love potion gets a little tiresome at times but it was still a worthy read and there are lots of places to laugh out loud. 3½★'s

Made a start on The Count of Monte Cristo. I've never actually read the book but I've read and seen quite a few adaptations. I class this as one of my favourite stories ever so I hope it lives up to the expectation.

#21 - For all its faults, I love it so! I thought it was a very fun read.

#21 I, too, thought it a great read. Yeah, long, but I don't remember finding any part of it boring.

#21 - yep echo the others. Worth perservering with. These days it would probably have been released as a trilogy or something, and the length is much more bearable when viewed like that.

Thanks for the re-assurances everyone. It's my first chunkster of the year so it might be a while before I post anything (almost) meaningful in here, though I might give a few updates along the way just to keep things ticking over.

It's one of my favorite classics. Definitely worth the length.

Time for a quick update. Have just passed the halfway mark. It's taking me a while to get through but I am enjoying it.

As I didn't want to take The Count of Monte Cristo into the bath with me (too heavy) I've also started on a short story collection of Philip K. Dick called Minority Report. Read the titular story and was surprised how much was crammed into so few pages (about 40 iirc). It's quite different from the movie with just the idea of Precrime and the three precogs being pretty much the same. I'll be reading the rest of the stories on and off for a while and really looking forward to them as it also includes We can remember it for you wholesale which was made into the movie Total Recall. My main focus will still be on The Count of Monte Cristo though.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I used to style this as the greatest story I'd never read but will now have to arrive at a new appellation having just completed it. I have read and seen a few adaptations but never tried the original until now. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive in picking this one up as surely it could only disappoint?

I think the majority of people will be familiar with the tale of Edmond Dantes; his betrayal and subsequent imprisonment, his re-education and escape followed by his quest for vengeance on those responsible and so I will not detail that here. When I started this book it was with the thought that as it was so long I'd have to intersperse maybe a couple of other, lighter novels in between but after making a start I realised there was absolutely no need for me to even think of picking up another book in the meantime. Yes, there are slow moments in the story as we are introduced to the large cast of characters and how they all fit together but the last 400 pages just fly by as the well laid plans start to come to fruition. There really is something for just about everyone here with a tale of love, adventure, morality but at its heart is the tale of cold-blooded revenge.

If, like me (prior to the last couple of weeks), your only encounter with this story is through other versions then I would certainly recommend reading an unabridged copy of the original as, for instance, the 2002 film changes and misses out large chunks (as it must do) of the narrative and you do not get the full effect through that medium. A superb book that now leaves me with just one problem. How do I follow that?

Perhaps from now I will just refer to this book as The greatest story. 5★'s

So glad you loved it as much as I did.

Ditto - great to see your enthusiasm for it, Dave! I love that book. No movie that I've seen has done it true justice.

Thanks Morphy 'n Joe. I doubt there's any visual media that can encompass the whole story but I do feel like watching the anime adaptation called Gankutsuou again though.

Perhaps I need to read that one. It's not part of the Swedish edition Must Read To Manage Polite Conversation list so it's not something I've looked at.

If you want to read a fun and well-done sci-fi version of the Count of Monte Cristo story, try Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination. It's a fast read, and Gully Foyle is unforgettable.

Joe, read that one last year and it was one of my favourites. I also enjoyed Stephen Fry's modern(ish) adaptation called The Stars' Tennis Balls.

Hah! I hadn't heard of the Stephen Fry book. (I always think of Jeeves with him). Glad you read and liked the Gully Foyle one.

I just checked out Gankutsuou - it does look intriguing. It's on my tbs (to be seen) list now.

Oh, my, another book to add to my ever growing, now gargantuan, wish list. Thanks a lot!

As I look at the choices on Amazon I see there are many labeled The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas and...... (several different names, Eco being one). Are these translators? Or are they editors to assure modern usages, or what? Do you have any suggestions. I see there are several choices, even for my sweet little Kindle. What do I do? I'd hate to chose the wrong version and end up with a more difficult than necessary read.

I've actually read The Stars My Destination, sometime back in the early 80's but had no idea it was a Monte Cristo rip-off. As I said, knowledge of the story of Edmond Dantes is not part of the curriculum of "growing up in Sweden".
We have many indigenous literary works filling that spot ;-)

Love the enthusiasm. :) I'm not much for that kind of revenge, but I loved the story anyway.

Joe, the artwork of Gankutsuou takes a bit of getting used to. I'm an anime fan and it took me a couple of episodes before I really got used to it. Hope you enjoy it when you watch it.

Maggie, sorry ;) I think the other names mentioned will probably be those who write an introduction to the work. So far as translations go I think mine was the most common in circulation by Chapman and Hall, my edition didn't say but as it was published prior to the 1996 Robin Buss version then that's what I'll assume. The Collins blue hardback that I have read very well but I think the newer translation has been updated to use more modern English. So I guess it's whatever you'll prefer in your own reading as to which one to go with. Stay away from the abridged versions though as I hear that most are so cut up that they're almost unrecognisable.

Nope, not looking at the abridged. I can get the whole enchilada for my Kindle for next to no money so I am happy to do that. Thanks for the info.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Greek gods are alive and well and still producing offspring with mortal beings. Percy Jackson was quite ignorant of that fact until his Maths teacher turned into one of the three Furies and tried to kill him that is. After narrowly escaping another attack (not without cost), Percy finds himself at Camp Half-Blood (summer camp for demigods) where he learns something of his nature and abilities. He also learns that there's something not quite right in the land of the gods and finds himself caught up in the middle of a potential war between Zeus and Poseidon. Trying to avert this disaster he and two friends set out on a quest to see if he can save the world.

I don't think I quite fit in with the intended audience for this book (I just miss out by about 30 years) but despite that it was a pleasant diversion from more serious fare. As mentioned above, this is a fast paced story with almost non-stop action without too much character building thrown in. If you know your Greek mythology then I guess it would help with some of the by-plays and traits of the people involved but it doesn't hinder the story if you don't (like me). I will probably carry on with the series at some point (whenever I get around to picking them up that is). 3½★'s

I too enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo. I enjoyed the movie adaptation from 2002, starring Jim Caviezal and Guy Pearce.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245844/

#41 - I bought the first three books in that series because I enjoyed the movie. Was going to give it away, but I decided to read them first, I just don't know when I'll get to it.

Last night, reading about the Rosetta Stone, I was thinking it would be great to have a laptop so I could Google Egyptian gods as I read. Reference books are nice, but Google has everything in one place and it's easy to do without searching all over the house. Sigh.

deniro, my favourite adaptation so far has been the anime version called Gankutsuou. I've just started watching it again and watched the first 4 episodes contained on the 1st disc of the dvd's.

MrsLee, I was going to look up some of the gods as I read but thought it might give too many clues as to what happened next in the story so didn't bother in the end. Not knowing who was who didn't spoil my enjoyment of the plot though of course there was some familiarity with the major gods. I've yet to see the movie but now I've read the book I just might get around to it.

I liked your comment on The Lightning Thief that, "I don't think I quite fit in with the intended audience for this book (I just miss out by about 30 years)."

That sums it up for me. There are a lot of YA titles I enjoy, but this series just isn't one, as far as I can tell, that's a good fit with adults as well as youngsters.

I agreed with your opinions on The Lightning Thief until I read the second one at the insistence of my nephew. They do get better as you go along.

Thanks Joe, I just don't think there's enough meat on the story to keep us adults as enthralled with what's going on. But I will say that it was a good way to bridge the gap between CoMC and whatever I pick up next.

Morphy, thanks for the positivity. I wasn't quite ready to abandon the series yet anyway but it's always good to hear the outlook is better.

I've also read a few more of the short stories contained in Minority Report. Imposter is a quirky tale where an alien species has sent a machine that doesn't realise it's a machine to replace a human. Or is it the machine that was destroyed when its spacecraft was destroyed on landing? Second Variety is a Terminator style tale where war and machines have all but wiped out the human race on Earth with only small pockets of soldiers left. What's left of the Russian and Americans decide to call a truce and see if they can get together before the infiltrating machines get to them. Both of these tales have been made into movies and I'd not even heard of Impostor though I had of Screamers but didn't realise the original story was by PKD.

War Game has a testing facility checking on imported games from Ganymede. With a threat of military action in the air trust is in short supply especially as the main toy in question is a war game where the consequences are not completely known. What the Dead Men Say is the longest of the stories in this collection (a meaty 60 pages) but has been my least favourite so far. Tycoon dies but has left instructions for his body to be preserved in a half-life state which allows his descendants to communicate with him at specified times in the future. Something goes wrong with the process however and he can't be revived. Then a voice comes over the airwaves from out beyond the solar system. Could this somehow be a communication from beyond? Oh to be a Blobel features an inter-species relationship where both partners spend time in each others natural form. One is a human and the other an amoeba-like alien. Can this possibly work out for all concerned and what about the kids?

I still have 3 more stories to read and may just finish them off before starting on something new.

Finished off those last 3 stories:

The Electric Ant once again returns to the question of identity when after an accident a man finds out he's not a human but a machine designed for the purpose of running a large company. Can he continue on with this existence knowing what he does or can he find a way to be free?

Faith of Our Fathers sees a Chinese communist way of life with a Party member rising through the ranks. He's given an anti-hallucinogenic drug and sees The Leader for what he is. Is it an alien or is it God?

We Can Remember it for You Wholesale was adapted into the movie and subsequent TV series Total Recall. Those familiar with the movie version will be surprised that while the start of the story remains the same there is no actual trip to Mars or mutant revolution in the short story. After discovering the memory he wants implanted is actually true, Quail escapes from the government agents sent to kill him but realises there is no real escape for him. He makes a deal and gives himself up in return for having his greatest wish fulfilled by memory implant. Once more something goes wrong with the procedure and what have the technicians discovered this time around?

Overall this is a decent set of stories which explore the notions of identity and reality. Favourites of the nine were Second Variety and The Electric Ant. 3★'s

I was given his Selected Stories and really liked them, with Minority Report and We Can Remember it for You Wholesale being two of my favorites.

I keep meaning to read the novel that the movie Blade Runner was based on, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I understand Dick's novel is quite different from the movie, and quite good. What an imagination he had.

I've read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep some time ago but my recollection of it has been obliterated by the movie (which I love). I've also read The Man in the High Castle last year and really enjoyed it and can recommend that one heartily.

Yes - The Man in the High Castle is a classic. I also liked A Scanner Darkly. Not too long ago it was made into a movie I didn't see.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is about as different from the film as could be. Even the main idea seems different...
I do love the remade version of Bladerunner, though, which I think much more interesting than either the novel or the original film. Much more ambiguous...

The Skin Palace by Jack O'Connell

Third book in the Quinsigamond series and another new set of desperate characters to enjoy. Again we follow two threads of life in the decaying industrial city. Sylvia is a frustrated photographer, technically she knows it all but there always seems to be something missing in her shots. She takes good pictures but nothing that she would call art and that is something she badly wants to do. She manages to acquire an old Aquinas camera and finds it holds some undeveloped film inside. Developing them herself she finds a series of pictures that can only be described that way and is instantly fascinated. Can she find out who took them?

Jakob is the son of Hermann, one of the up & coming crime bosses located in the Bangkok Park area of the city, isn't too interested in following in his father's footsteps. He'd much rather work on his screenplay and try and get into the film business. Any chance he gets to talk film with anyone with a scrap of knowledge he takes much to the annoyance of his father. His cousin is also none too pleased with Jakob either as he feels he should be the natural heir but the father always defers to his only son on that score despite the obvious disinterest. So it comes as a bit of a surprise to all when a prospective deal to provide funding for the latest project of Hugo Schick, owner of the country's most lavish porn theatre, Herzog's Erotic Palace aka The Skin Palace. Jakob's going to get hired as part of the deal.

Can the two would-be artists find what they're looking for and why do so many of the answers surround this den of iniquity? This is the more overtly noir tinged of the three books in this series so far and often pays homage to some of the great movies and directors of the genre. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend these books to fans of James Ellroy and the like. I should add a warning that if you read this book then your view of The Wizard of Oz may suffer as a consequence. 4★'s

Perdido Street Station by China Miéville

This book is huge and no review of mine is going to do it justice. That being said I have to write something so here goes.

This is my first exposure to Mr. Miéville's work but it certainly won't be my last. Exceptional world-building and a motley group of characters of differing race (Humans, Garuda (Bird-like men), Khepri (humanoid body with scarab head and wings) and others with backgrounds just as diverse (scientist, artist, warrior etc.) all converge to form an imaginative fantasy with more than a few elements of steampunk thrown in for good measure.

I'm not going to say anything about the plot to avoid spoilers of any kind but this is a truly epic piece of work by a master craftsmen and is my 2nd five star book of the year. I look forward to reading the rest of this series and immersing myself further into the world created by Mr. Miéville. 5★'s

Glad to hear you enjoyed Perdido Street Station! Good short review. I found myself quite caught up in the world he created.

Thank you. Miéville certainly has some imagination to create such a well filled world. I don't think I can jump straight back in though and may give some time before returning there. Think I'll choose something quick and easy for my next read.

The something quick and easy turned out to be the 3rd in Colin Bateman's Dan Starkey series, Turbulent Priests. Thought I'd share the first line for those not familiar with the author so that you might get a feel for his type of humour:

It started with Cliff Richard, as things often do.

Turbulent Priests by Colin Bateman

Journalist Dan Starkey has been asked by the Primate of all Ireland to investigate reports of the Second Coming which has supposedly happened on the small island of Wrathlin. Why Dan? Well apparantly an old acquaintance of his started things off by say he'd had visions from God telling him to expect the new Messiah. Father Frank Flynn had returned home to Wrathlin after being disowned by his parrish in Crossmaheart and after the reported visions and their seeming accuracy over the birth of the child had distanced himself from the Church and the Cardinal wants to know what's going on. He'd sent a priest but he hadn't returned and was presumed converted. Dan is sent in under cover of using the island as a retreat to write the novel he'd always wanted to. Can he find out what's really happening and will things turn out like he expects? Not a chance, this is Dan Starkey after all.

The black comedy, satire and caustic wit all make a return in this 3rd adventure for anti-hero Dan Starkey and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is probably slightly better than the other two in the series that I've read so far but not quite good enough to give it that extra half. 3½★'s

Piercing by Ryū Murakami

When a book opens with a man standing over his own child's cot with an ice pick in his hand wondering if he's going to use it or not you know you're not in for a pleasant or cheery read. This is a study in psychopathic behaviour and a look into what drives someone to this state in the first place.

Kawashima Masayuki looks to have it all. A loving wife and new baby daughter and a successful career as a graphic artist. His only problem is that he occasionally suffers from pavor nocturnus (night terrors) and they've just returned and he's afraid that he might actually go though with the act one of these times. He decides that the only way he can avoid stabbing his own daughter is to actually stab someone else instead so he starts to make plans. Unfortunately his chosen victim has problems of her own. What will happen when he puts his plan into action?

This is a short novel and despite the subject matter is fairly easy to read. Nowhere near as good as In the Miso Soup but a little better than Audition which are the only other books I've read by the author. 3★'s

Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd

Despite the unrealistic premise of scientist type going on the run even though he's committed no crime (okay, I'll admit that it looks bad for him) this is a decent enough mystery/thriller. Adam Kindred finds himself stood over the dead body of a chief researcher for a drug company and he's just put his prints on the knife used to do the job. The killer has not exactly left the premises either so Adam decides to do a runner before he's next. Managing to disappear as one of London's many homeless he successfully evades his potential killer and chooses not to give himself up to police as he thinks the case against him is too strong so prefers the freedom of life on the streets while pursuing his own investigations of the murder.

The characters are good and the narrative often switches viewpoints in order to progress the story along the lines it has to go. It's a great view of London, from the affluent area of Chelsea to the poorer tenements full of the riff-raff elements of society. I will warn any potential readers that not all plot points are concluded so don't expect a neatly packaged ending. 3½★'s

Tank Girl: Armadillo! and a Bushel of Other Stories by Alan C. Martin

Sometimes you just find yourself in the mood for something raw, rude and crude and you can't get much more raw, rude and crude than Tank Girl. I have a vague recollection of the movie but not had exposure of the graphic novels. The main part of this book is the Armadillo! story which features Tank Girl, her boyfriend Booga (the half-kangaroo), Jet Girl and a few other assorted friends as they decide to take issue with the town of Chankers. Each of the team has an issue with at least one person from that place and Booga certainly didn't enjoy his time there with a bad work experience and gang time mostly memorable in his past dealings there. So they all decide the town could do with a good levelling but events don't exactly go to plan.

Told in very short chapters (often of less than a page in length) interspersed with occasions of verse this makes for a very fast paced read. It is humorous and violent in equal parts so if you don't like the two mixed then this won't be for you.

The second part of the book is taken up with some short stories, comic-book scripts and more of the verse as featured in the novel. There's also a brief interview with Tank Girl herself.

All in all I enjoyed this book but it's not one I could recommend if you have an aversion to swear words. 3½★'s

The Wandering Fire by Guy Gavriel Kay

Second part in the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy and we find Arthurian legend and Celtic mythology (in the shape of The Wild Hunt) added to the Lord-of-the-Rings-esque story. Usually with middle books of this sort you will just find the main characters being moved around in anticipation of the climactic third volume. With this book it didn't really feel that way as the emotional content is ramped up considerably.

When the five companions return to Fionavar they find the world gripped in an unnatural winter. Can they discern the cause before the Unraveller wins by default as the winter lays waste? What will the price be if they are to succeed and will it be too heavy to pay?

As straight up High Fantasy this is a pretty good read and blends many other myths and legends into the story quite well. As this is an ensemble piece you do need to be able to follow different paths to be able to appreciate the whole. Obviously when so much is incorporated then the work cannot be deemed original but it is well crafted. 4★'s

You've inspired me with your Tank Girl review, Dave, and I will look for that one.

Hope you enjoy it if you find it. The book gave me a hankering to check out the film again, which I did. I may file it under the guilty pleasure label as after reading the book I'd say that the movie just doesn't really do the characters justice. If I decide to go back to Tank Girl it would probably be to the original comic books that I head for.

The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais

Ellen Lang's husband has gone missing and it seems like he's taken their 8 year old son with him and she wants Elvis Cole to find them. Elvis is a retired Vietnam vet turned PI who runs a detective agency with his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike. The case soon takes some nasty turns and he has to change his opinion of this being a simple domestic squabble into something much more serious.

There's not much new in this book which uses a lot of old staples of the genre but it does so with style and I found it to be a real page-turner. If I had the next in he series then I'd be very tempted to pick that as my next read. Unfortunately I don't own it (yet!) so it'll have to wait until I do. 4★'s

*waves to Wolfy* Hello there! :O)

I was interested to read your thoughts in Message 62 on The Wandering Fire by Guy Gavriel Kay. I picked up The Summer Tree, being the first installment of
The Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, quite sometime ago at the insistence of friends... but I have yet to actually start it. Partly due to the mountainous overflow of Books That Must Be Reviewed, and partly due to my teetering (and also just as mountainous) TBR stack. LOL. :)

You got me wondering about it though, and I am now deeply curious as to how the first book compares with the second. Is The Summer Tree as good or better than the sequel? Or vice versa? Should I move it up on my TBR list? Just wondering, as your review of The Wandering Fire makes the series sound enchanting! :O)

Much Bliss,
~Pandora~

*waves back*

I thought The Wandering Fire was slightly better than The Summer Tree. This trilogy is quite different to most of his other work I believe as this is more straight up high fantasy compared to what is more historical fantasy. It is a proper trilogy though so will need to be read in order if you decide to go for it. The Summer Tree sets the scene while The Wandering Fire allows for greater story depth.

None of them are standalone books, in my opinion.

I know people love them but while I found the Fionavar books readable they were a bit too scholastic/academic endeavour to fit my tastes - like "I'll now set out n a quest to show it is possible to use established fantasy genre themes and tropes while doing something creative with it".

But that's just me.

Definitely the Fionavar Tapestry is not standalone - he builds in all the archtypes, but the full scope and power of the trilogy is not apparent until one is finished The Darkest Road - if the series is your cup of tea.

Personally, I loved it.

The archtypes Kay draws upon are far, far older than modern fantasy, and are source material for many works, including Tolkein's.

I hope you enjoy the last installment, it's well worth reading, and doesn't drag on one page more than its ending.

I definitely agree that it doesn't come together until the end. And I didn't dislike it. It's just that I'm much more of an SF person, I think - you know "supernatural is good as long as it's disguised as technology" ;-)

@68-69, I will definitely finish off the series and am looking forward to the conclusion. I also have a couple of GGK's other books on the tbr shelves waiting for me to find the time to get to them.

Killshot by Elmore Leonard

Needed this book to restore some of the faith I had in Mr. Leonard after the slightly disappointing last read (see Msg10). Did it succeed?

This is the story of a bungled heist (seems a recurring theme for the author) and the consequences for those involved. Armand Degas, professional hitman and half Ojibway Indian, meets Richie Nix, small-time crook with delusions of granduer, when the latter tries to steal his car and takes him along for the ride. Richie has an idea to extort some money from a realtor and Armand thinks it might work so agrees to a partnership. Unfortunately, things don't go to plan and they end up fleeing the scene with nothing except some bruises and dented pride. There's also witnesses and that's one thing Armand can't abide so decides they need to clean up after themselves. That means getting rid of the Colsons.

The story is told from the view of both parties alternating regularly between the two. We get to see the interplay between a happily married couple whose relationship is severly tested by these events and also that between the two bad guys involved. Great main characters keep you wanting to find out how this turns out though the supporting cast are quite stereotypical. Not quite up there with Out of Sight or Rum Punch but certainly worth the read. 3½★'s

#71 - I actually do love most of his books. Just not Fionavar, Last Light of the Sun and Ysabel.
The last one is connected with Fionavar, btw.

Message 73: Busifer
" I actually do love most of his books. Just not Fionavar, Last Light of the Sun and Ysabel.
The last one is connected with Fionavar, btw."

Really, Busifer? I recall quite enjoying Ysabel... Of course, it was about 4 years past since I last read it, and there -were- some elements of the slightly ridiculous about it (namely the teenage female protagonist who seemed to be more of a sidekick to the teenage male protagonist than anything else; those types of "Jane for your Tarzan" characters tend to fall flat for me. More of a filler character than anything else, IMHO.); but I -do- remember being bewitched by the historical fiction elements of it at the time.

What was it you didn't like about Ysabel, Busifer? Also, am now extremely curious as to how it ties in with Fionavar! :O)

*apologizes heartily to Wolfy for yet another unintentional thread hijacking!* :O)

*apologizes heartily to Wolfy for yet another unintentional thread hijacking!* :O)

Aren't these threads meant to be hi-jacked?

#74 - A lot of the back story and characters are straight out of Fionavar.

What I didn't like - I'm no great fan of fantasy, in general (see my msg #70), and urban fantasy in particular I find way beyond my willingness to suspend disbelief. Add a load of Arthurian or Celtic elements and the coffin is nailed shut. This, in may ways, describe Ysabel. Which was readable, and well conceived and all, but just not my cup of tea.

When I analyse what kind of fantasy I enjoy it is possible to discern a least common denominator - they're thin in the supernatural department. The odd "gift", a magical system... but a definite lack of supernatural entities. Perhaps a dragon, or a dwarf, or something like that. But not in abundance.

I mean, if we stay with GGK, in Lions of Al-Rassan the only supernatural/fantasyish element is a boy - a minor character - who is slightly clairvoyant, and in Tigana it's the magical system. In The Sarantine Mosaic it's slightly more than that, and it follows that while I did like it that was DESPITE the supernatural elements (stags in the woods et all, which, btw, seems a fave story of his - appears in different guises in most of his books...).

Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

The city of London is on the move and has returned to the Great Hunting Ground but has intentions of a greater sort than just fighting it out in a game of Municipal Darwinism where city eats city and only the mighty survive. Thanks to the resurrection of some old-tech, the Lord Mayor along with his engineers have their sights firmly set on a new untouched hunting ground in Shan Guo but first they must get past the Shield Wall.

A young assassin attempts to take the life of the discoverer of the old-tech but is foiled by an apprentice who soon discovers this may not have been his wisest move. He finds himself pushed down the same waste chute that the girl assassin threw herself down to avoid capture and they end up together in Out-Country. Part of the story revolves around this pair as they strive to get back to London to find out what's going on while another strand of the narrative follows the daughter of the intended victim of assassination as she attempts to uncover the reason behind the attempt and why that girl wanted her father dead.

It all comes together in a thrilling climax when London reaches the Shield-Wall and we find out who will prevail in this adventure which combines post-apocalyptic young-adult fiction with elements of steampunk to produce a fast-paced enjoyable read. 3½★'s

In Search of a Distant Voice by Taichi Yamada

Tsuneo, a Japanese salaryman with a guilty secret haunting his past, thinks he might be going off the rails when he hears a woman's voice speaking to him from out of nowhere after an incident during a raid. Having nothing in his life but work as an immigration officer with the exception of an arranged marriage in his near future he's not sure if he's suffering a mental breakdown. Communication continues with the voice of the young woman, Tsuneo requests that they meet to confirm he's still sane. The woman reluctantly agrees.

If you need resolution to your stories then stay away from this book. It's a very quick read but there isn't much to this story to find that interesting. 2½★'s

Pandaemonium by Christopher Brookmyre

A group of Scottish catholic school students are sent to an outbound retreat at Ben Trochart in the Highlands to come to terms with the murder of one of their classmates by another who then committed suicide. An eventful trip is somewhat overshadowed by what happens at the party that's laid on for Saturday night. There's a very secret military base residing on the doorstep specialising in R&D and it just seems to have opened a portal to hell. The current guise of the Inquisition (did you expect that?) has taken control of the project and is just about to shut it down much to the disappointment of the scientists on board but things don't go as planned. Real life game of Doom anyone?

As with a lot of Brookmyre's work, the stereotypical characters that you start out with don't end up the way you expect and it's these characters that really make his work as enjoyable as it is. You also get the customary bad language and high blood spatter and body count you'd expect in a horror tinged spectacle such as this. Though that is where this work differs from his previous as they were all set in the crime/thriller genre whereas this one is most certainly not. The set-up is quite long in this book but it all adds up to setting the scene with a few reveals left until after the action starts. The humour is of the laugh in the face of death type which usually manifests in the excellent dialogue and with this one you don't need the glossary of local vernacular that was included in a previous novel.

Another solid effort from Mr. Brookmyre that will entertain his regular readers and may add a few new ones with the supernatural/horror story setting. 4★'s

You've made me want to read more Philip Reeve! I read Fever Crumb, which was pretty decent. For some reason I like assassin stories, though. Hm.

@80, It was the only one of his that I've read so far so I can't say how it compares to his other work. I will say that it's probably a typical YA novel in that can be enjoyed by a wider audience and I do at some point want to continue with the series though I've heard the 2nd is not as good.

The Scar by China Miéville

Bellis Coldwine is scared. Scared enough to want to leave New Crobuzon. All of Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin's old acquaintances are disappearing or being disppeared and as an old lover of his, Bellis fears her time is near. Using her skills as a linguist she manages to get a job as a translator on a ship heading out to the colonies where she intends to hide out for a year or two. Her plans are disrupted though when the ship is waylaid by pirates led by the redoubtable figure of Uther Doul. Captured and taken to the floating city of Armada along with the rest of the crew and prisoners of the ship. Can she learn to live with her new life or will her endeavours to leave and return home land her in deeper waters.?

There is so much more to the story than just Bellis' tale of course and once again the scope of this book is huge. More fabulous characters and new races are added to the mix as we get to see more of the world of Bas-Lag. Although this book didn't quite have the unputdownable feel of Perdido Street Station, probably due to the main character being harder to connect with, but this is still a fantastic read. 4½★'s

Changes by Jim Butcher

Changes indeed. And then some. Everything you know about Harry Dresden, Chicago's finest (and only) Wizard PI, from his family and friends right through to his job and his home are affected to varying degrees. He has to make some tough choices over which lines he's going to cross as well.

Spoilery plot bit follows:

Susan Rodriguez, former lover and half-vampire, needs Harry's help. She tells him that the Red Court has taken their daughter and she needs help in finding her and getting her back. When he discovers the full enormity of the powers involved Harry realises that he's seriously out-gunned on this one and will have to call in some extra fire-power from somewhere if he's to have any chance of rescuing the daughter he never knew he had. The White Council refuse his plea for help so who does he turn to next?

End of spoilery plot bit.

The action continues to explode at breakneck speed with barely a moment to take stock for either the reader or cast of usual suspects. Karrin Murphy, cop who may be about to lose her shield, places herself firmly at Harry's side as does his apprentice Molly and his half-brother Thomas and of course it wouldn't be the same without Mouse padding along as well. Nine companions set off on the quest and the homage to LOTR is fitting (and no, Harry doesn't get to be Gandalf). Some major plot-lines are resolved in this book so it certainly isn't a good starting point for those new to the series and it's also a kick in the pants for those that are continuing with each book that comes along. Talk about a cliff-hanger of an ending.

If you liked the rest of the series then you will no doubt like this one though it is darker in tone. If you don't like the series then what are you doing reading a review for book 12? 4½★'s

I've also just read Aftermath, the final story in the collection from Side Jobs, hoping to find some kind of clue to what happens next but it does nothing to alleviate that ending.

Think I'll star this thread to read later, if I stick with Butcher. I don't want to spoil the series yet. ;)

Absolute Zero - Brother Nature by Robert Llewellyn

Nina Nash is on the verge of a very big breakthrough with her cybernetic research when she is told that she can no longer pursue that particular line of enquiry due to ethical concerns. Even though there are plenty of legitimate applications for the technology, the primary one most people think of would be military and that is the reason her boss gives for not continuing despite the institute having current funding issues. Around the same time Nina's brother Jason arrives with a proposition for her to take up a new position where there are no such constraints and the funding seems limitless as well as a top notch salary and benefits package. Is this all too good to be true?

It sems it could be as when the first chip they develop gets inserted into the first test subject he ends up paralysed after a violent incident. Instead of halting progress this actually spurs on the research team and a new chip is unknowingly inserted into Jason just as Nina is having serious doubts about the people she's working for. Can things turn out alright in the end or will there be more disastrous consequences?

Robert Llewellyn is probably still best remembered for his role as Kryten on the TV show Red Dwarf but this was just one of a number of novels he's written and he's been lumbered with the new Ben Elton tag. While some comparisons are obvious there seems little similarity in their writing from the book I've now read from each. The comedic element is there in both but I felt more empathetic towards Elton's characters than those in this book. It's not that this is a bad book, it just doesn't quite live up to the potential of a good techno/company espionage thriller.

If I ever see another of the authors books then I won't be averse to picking it up but I'm certainly not waiting in line to pick up a new one. 3★'s

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde

DI Jack Spratt, head of the Nursery Crime Division of the Reading police force, is given the Humpty Dumpty case and after the first theory of suicide is shattered (much like Humpty himself was after falling off his wall) has an unenviable task of piecing it all together to find out who's responsible. The suspects and motives whisk by as Jack and his team try to beat the clock as time ticks away for his department as it looks likely they'll be disbanded after the recent three pigs fiasco. As the body count rises can Jack get to the bottom of it all and why is his former partner, the celebrated Detective Chymes, looking to poach the case so much?

Sorry for all the puns in the above but it kind of sets the scene for how this book goes. It's a noirish (or should that be hard-boiled?) tale where nursery rhyme characters inhabit a version of our world which pokes fun at the crime genre and keeps its tongue firmly inside its cheek as the story unfolds. It took me a while to get into this one but the pages turned much quicker towards the end. This was my first encounter with the authors work and my expectations were probably too high after all the praise he's lavished with so I was a little disappointed I didn't enjoy this book as much as I was hoping to. I still have a couple more from the author on my tbr shelves, including the next in this series, so I will be giving Mr Fforde another try. 3★'s

I didn't enjoy The Big Over Easy nearly as much as the Thursday Next series. They do take a bit of time to get your mind settled into location, I've found.

Having never read Jane Eyre I thought that this one would be a better introduction to the author rather than The Eyre Affair.

I haven't read Jane Eyre either but thought The Eyre Affair quite fun anyway.

Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov

A fairly standard epic fantasy that's supposed to be quite big in Russia. This is a starter book of a trilogy which is being translated by Andrew Bromfield who did an admirable job of the The Night Watch series by Sergei Lukyanenko. The Nameless One is raising an army of the bad guys (giants, ogres and other fell creatures) and intends wreaking havoc on the divisive lands of the good guys, picking them off one by one until world domination is complete. The king of the first of those realms recruits master thief Shadow Harold to save the world, after he's passed a quick test to prove his worth that is. Harold accepts the commission, as the alternative is to rot inside of a prison that no-one has ever managed to escape from and gets busy making his preparations for the journey. It's obviously not quite as simple as that and by this time you're two thirds of the way through the book and the real quest hasn't even begun.

After various adventures within the city, Harold and the chosen companions which include a princess of the Dark Elves along with two other elves (one Dark, one Light), a company of warriors from the Wild Hearts and the captain of the King's personal guard. They are soon caught up by the king's goblin jester who provides the light relief on the trip.

After having said all that, Shadow Prowler is not a bad read but neither is it a very good one. There is nothing here to make it stand out from the crowd of dark fantasy novels currently available. The characters are well drawn and Harold is likeable enough and this is probably the book's most redeemable aspect along with the interplay of the group once assembled and set on their way can be quite fun. It does show promise and I'll read the second in the series and see how it goes from there. 3★'s

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Nobody 'Bod' Owens managed to avoid being killed when he was a baby by making his way from his crib to an old graveyard. He was protected from the nasty man with a knife that had murdered the rest of his family by the inhabitants who agreed to raise Bod and protect him until he was old enough to look after himself. And because the denizens of the graveyard are unable to leave, Bod is also assigned a guardian in the shape of Silas. Neither alive or dead Silas acquiesces to his new role and together with the ghostly Owens' he agrees to raise and teach Bod until he reaches adulthood and can make his own decisions.

We follow the tale of Bod and his adventures in growing up and get to meet a cast of interesting characters as they interact with him in various ways. There is always the threat hanging over him of the man who killed his family and still wants to finish the job with Bod but being given the Freedom of the graveyard allows Bod to learn some of the secrets that are to be had there.

A wonderfully enthralling tale that had me welling up at the bitter-sweet ending and is second favourite to Neverwhere of the books I've read so far from the very talented Mr. Gaiman. 4½★'s

I'm glad you liked this one, Dave. I also think it's one of his best, with Neverwhere the tops.

After I listened to The Graveyard Book being read by Neil Gaiman online, I immediately bought a hardcover copy, knowing it would live on the shelf with my other classic tales for children. Right alongside The Junglebook and The Secret Garden amongst others.

Oh, Dave, you will appreciate this. I work in a hotel, and the other night James Butcher stayed with us! When he came to check out I admired his Stetson, his long grey hair and handlebar mustache, but told him he was not the Jim Butcher I was hoping for. He laughed and knew who I meant because his son had bought Storm Front for him. He keeps it on his kitchen table and enjoyed it. :) We had a good laugh.

Joe, I really wish you had one of these threads so I could repay the visitations. You do seem to read a lot of books that I'm interested in including Zoo City, which I think is a current read of yours, as it's on my tbr shelves. Just got to get my Y title on my alphabet challenge out of the way before I get to that one.

MrsLee, Always fun to meet a famous name (even if it's not the real one) and that's a good story to go along with it. My own name is quite a common one so I get to see it in print quite a bit. THe latest was being linked with the vacant manager's position at West Ham United (English football team).

Thanks, Dave. Yes, others have bugged me about creating my own thread. I don't know how you all make the time for it! I'm barely able to pop in and comment without tripping over myself.

It does seem fortuitous that you're getting to Z in your alphabet challenge. I thought Zoo City was inventive and a fun read.

Joe, It's called not having a life ;)

Heh, I'd hardly call it fortuitous. I've been on Y for the whole of this year. I finally got round to reading my Y author in April but as the only Y title I've got (the ironically titled You're Next) doesn't fit in my 11 in 11 Category challenge (which is my main reading priority when selecting the next book) then the alphabet has taken a bit of a back seat.

The best "Y"'s I can recommend are You Only Live Twice (fun), and Young Men and Fire (really interesting and good, by the author of A River Runs Through It). Not sure how that fits in your challenge crossovers.

I'm looking forward to "not having a life" (aka retirement, for me) at some point, but unfortunately it's a fair ways away. I'm envisioning the cafe life, with reading, writing and LT, not to mention good coffee. Now you've got me daydreaming!

I know most of the retired friends I've talked with, and myself, too, we all wonder how we ever had time to work. Retirement does not equal sitting around. But it is true I have found time for good coffee, as well as some reading.

Yes, my retired sister just called and laughed at the idea of sitting around. She's busier than ever. My daydream probably is just that.

I'm not yet retired. I do however work shifts which give more days off than a normal 9-5 job (whatever one of those is). I'm also sat in front of a computer for most of the day (or night) when I'm in work and I've got to fill the time somehow.

>91 AHS-Wolfy: The Graveyard Book is interesting, but I don't know if it's interesting enough to read anymore of his books. If I remember right, it's really weird.

DragonFreak, of the books I've read so far then I'd say Stardust is probably the most accessible of Neil Gaiman's work. It's more of a fairy tale story than supernatural in nature.

Maybe I'll read it. I'll keep the book in mind.

> 100 . . . I've got to fill the time somehow. LOL

>103 DragonFreak: A lot of readers who aren't Gaiman fans also like American Gods, in addition to Stardust. It's not one of my favorites, but with your apparent interest in mythology, you might get a kick out of it.

I've always thought American Gods would be a good read too. Maybe sometime I'll put it on my Wishlist.

Dead Famous by Ben Elton

A satirical look at reality TV and the celebrity fame game in general via a murder mystery plot. One of the contestants in a Big Brother style game has been murdered but nobody can work out whodunnit. Seems impossible when the house is under constant monitoring by the 30 cameras and nowhere can you go unobserved. Somehow the killer has managed it and it's up to Chief Inspector Coleridge and his team to find out who and how they did it.

The book starts off by introducing the cast of wannabe's from the vacuous to those that think they can outwit the production team and general public who do the voting off. You don't actually find out who the victim is until past the halfway point of the book. The story unfolds via two different viewpoints. We get to see the contestants inside the house by use of the tons of video footage collated for the investigative team to trawl through and we also get the commentary from the detectives as they search for clues and motives to the killing. The story never flags and even though I'm not a fan of Big Brother or its ilk I was thoroughly entertained by the cynical underpinning of Mr. Elton's work. 4★'s

Layer Cake by J.J. Connolly

A mid-level drug dealer in London wants to quit the scene before he's thirty and enjoy the fruits of his labour while he's young enough to enjoy it. Hopefully one more big score should set him up nicely. Unfortunately, the higher-ups want him to do a favour and his early retirement plans are dependant on the outcome. Local crime boss Jimmy Price has a friend who's daughter has gone missing with a crack-head and it's up to our narrator to find her and then he'll be allowed to leave without a fuss. A complicated deal is also happening while the search is on and hopefully this will earn enough to put his plans into action. Obviously things don't go down well and there are several plot twists involved with this story of drugs and the people that provide them.

This is a clever book that has you caring for some seriously nasty people that you wouldn't want to meet in broad daylight, never mind a dark alley. Set mostly in London, with lots of local vernacular to add colour, this is a fast-moving tautly plotted story. Plenty of violence though none described in all of its gory detail. It does perhaps push the same sort of buttons that once too often but it was still a very gripping read. 4★'s

Sandstorm by James Rollins

A novel which combines science and technology with an archaeological mystery and overlays that with a spy thriller which ends up as a pretty decent action-adventure yarn.

When what appears to be an accident at the British Museum destroys most of the Arabian collection owned by Lady Kara Kensington, her childhood friend and curator of the exhibition, Safia al-Maaz, makes a discovery that will send them on an expedition to Oman looking for the ancient city of Ubar. Putting together a team that will unite Safia with her former fiancé, Omaha Dunn, Kara is forced to accept Painter Crowe and his partner as members of the group. Crowe is an agent of Sigma Force, a secret US Government agency that combines special ops training with scientific knowledge to form an elite cadre of personnel that can handle any situation. They set off to discover where the discovered clue will lead them. Unfortunately for them there are also other interested parties that want to reach the same destination and they'll stop at nothing to get there. Mother Nature also wants to make her presence felt as well with the combination of a giant sandstorm and high pressure system to create a megastorm. Who's going to live through to the end and what will they find when they get there?

This book at times reads like an Indiana Jones film with bits of a Dan Brown plot thrown in for good measure but the end result is not bad. The action is plentiful but not really gripping in a kind of will they/won't they survive type of thing. The main characters are well written and you do care when they are up against it but the secondary characters just seem to be along for the ride or used to provide info-dumps on the science involved. I will at least read the next in the series at some point. 3★'s

A Kiss Before the Apocalypse by Thomas E. Sniegoski

After the war that had cast the Morningstar down, Heaven had lost its allure to Remiel and so he walks the Earth as one with mankind. We pick up his story when he's in the guise of Remy Chandler, a PI in Boston with a wife and dog to look after. Unfortunately his aged wife is all but dead and seeing out her final moments in a rest home that cares for the terminally ill. Remy and Marlow, the dog, miss her a lot and Marlowe never ceases to ask after her. The ability to talk with any living creature is one part of Remy's angelic powers that he's not suppressed. Remy is on a standard surveillance gig for a suspicious wife who thinks her husband is cheating on her when he hears a gunshot from the motel room the man and his secretary are in. Bursting in he finds the man standing with a smoking pistol over the body of his, now former, secretary. He recognises Remy for what he is and tells him that the Apocalypse is coming then shoots himself. Remy realises that something major is brewing when these two fail to pass over and he discovers that others are failing to cross as well. He finds out why when some of his former brethren tell him that the Angel of Death has gone missing and they want Remy to find him and get him back on the job. Israfil, the Angel of Death, also holds the scrolls that if opened will release the Four Horsemen and bring about the end of the world.

This book is the first of an urban fantasy series written by an author who primarily worked in the YA and comic industries before trying his hand here and in some ways that shows. Only the main character is fully fleshed out and those that either aid or hinder his efforts given only minimal airbrushing to satisfy the story requirements. Hopefully some of these will become more integrated into this world as the series develops. Despite the drawbacks this is not a bad opener and is quite a quick read with the opening noirish feel (what'd you expect when the names of Chandler and Marlowe are given to the featured characters) giving way to headlong action prior to a slightly overlong denouement. I'll be picking up the next in the series hoping for some improvement. 3★'s

Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

Now that Kite's dead most of his mob don't seem to want to stick around when the teen-aged Pinkie picks up the reins. When Pinkie decides an example needs to be made of one of the deserters, so as to keep the others in line, events head inexorably on a downward spiral with tragic consequences for those involved. Pinkie's descent into paranoia as the relentless Ida tries to bring him to justice and rescue the innocent Rose from his evil clutches is extremely well written. The two sides to the story fascinate the reader until the end. With the gangster not trusting anyone around him will there be a monumental bloodbath? Or will the other theme of Good vs. Evil (Pinkie and Rose are both Catholic) and Right and Wrong (Ida's take on things) prevail?

This is a powerfully rendered book that really sets the atmosphere of a pre WWII Brighton and while the reader doesn't invest too much emotionally with the characters you will still find yourself reading avidly until the gripping conclusion. 4★'s

Stalking the Angel by Robert Crais

This is the second in the Elvis Cole series and continues in the same vein as the first. If you liked that one then you'll like this. I did and I do. This time around his investigation has him stepping on toes belonging to the local Yakuza branch. Luckily, Joe Pike is again on hand to offer support as things get decidedly hairy. You see what can happen when a book goes missing? 4★'s

Graham Greene!!! I really need to read more of him.

I've only read 2 of Graham Greene's books so far and enjoyed both. (The Quiet American was the other and was a 5★ read for me last year). So I definitely will be heading back to him sometime in the future. I have another 3 currently sat on the tbr shelves.

I've read The Captain and the Enemy 4★s and A Burnt-out Case 5★s.

Apparently I have 6 others of his, but the one I'm most interested in at this point is The End of the Affair.

Tho I do not read mysteries Donna Leon's "Suffer Little Children" was here from library and I found on page 104 "He made it a rule never to leave a bookstore without buying a book." Rather than just throwing away the slip of paper onto which I had copied that I hereby post it for whatever it's worth.

The Cardinal's Blades by Pierre Pevel

Set in an alternate 17th century France where the lesser cousins of dragons fly the skies and Musketeers prowl the streets. Plots within plots abound as can be expected when Cardinal Richelieu is involved. He has been asked by an emissary from Spain to reform his Blade's (think The Three Musketeer's but only better) to locate a missing Marquis and needing to stay in Spain's good graces, he agrees. La Fargue, the captain of the Blades, re-assembles the team that was disbanded in disgrace 5 years previously and we are introduced to each of its members in turn. Once reformed, they are given the sketchy details of their mission and they realise that there is undoubtedly more that has been left unsaid and they will have to fill in the blanks on their own.

As this is the first book of a series there is quite a bit of scene setting to be done but this does not detract from the amount of action that this book contains. There is also plenty of intrigue as the plot unfolds and you're never quite sure of the allegiances of some of the characters involved. The wyverns and dragonets are underused but I get the feeling they will be more utilised as the series develops past this opening book. My only gripe with this story is that due to the ensemble cast it is quite easy to forget just who everyone is, especially nearer the beginning. The short chapters, often just a couple of pages, don't really help in this respect.

Overall though this is a pretty decent tale and the translation reads quite well. 3½★'s

sounds like I should move The Cardinal's Blades up in my wishlist

Hope you enjoy it when you get to it. The second book in the series is out soon so I'll be picking that up and seeing how it goes from there.

Word Made Flesh by Jack O'Connell

This book is definitely not for the squeamish. The prologue revolves around the skinning of a man and part of the narrative details a genocide back in the old country. The city of Quinsigamond is again the star of the show with only small plot elements tying this one to the previous in the series (see msg78). This time around we follow independent cab driver and former police officer Gilrein as he tries to uncover the reason why he's just been beaten up by a couple of hoodlums thinking that he had a package that belonged to their boss. As with all the books in this series there is so much more going on than just the basic plot and whatever I write here couldn't do justice to the underlying elements of this story.

Not many authors could pull off a book like this and still leave you wanting more from this cess-pit of all the evils of mankind that is Quinsigamond. 4★'s

Looking for Jake and Other Stories by China Miéville

As the title suggests, this is a collection of short stories that includes some very dark tales of varying quality. I bought this mainly for the New Crobuzon story called Jack who was a character that appeared briefly in Perdido Street Station and I wanted to find out more about him. This was the first tale I turned to and it didn't disappoint. I read the remaining 12 (which include 1 in a comic book style) and the final novella over the next month in-between reading the other books I've detailed above. There is no continuing thread that bind these stories together so I was able to pick the book up as and when I had the inclination and feel this was the best way for me to proceed rather than just bulldoze through them all.

Other than Jack, my favourites would be Reports of Certain Events in London, Looking for Jake and An End to Hunger. The ones I least enjoyed were On the Way to the Front (the comic book one), Entry Taken from a Medical Encyclopaedia and Go Between. The Tain (the novella that concludes the book), is a fabulous piece of writing and is a story adapted from an entry in The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges. 3½★'s

Watchmen by Alan Moore

An alternate reality graphic novel set in mid-1980's America with the Cold War still in full swing and the threat of WWIII looming large on the horizon. Superheroes exist but have been banned by the state from dispensing their own brand of vigilante justice. These people are still trying to come to terms with enforced retirement and it seems that someone wants to make sure they retire on a more permanent basis as the story starts with the death of The Comedian. Rorschach is the one who never quit and starts investigating the murder.

There's plenty going on in the 12 chapters of this book, with the back story of the near imminent end of the world in a nuclear holocaust and the investigation of who's getting rid of the superheroes interspersed with the ongoing lives of the retiree's and their predecessors. There's also a pirate story that is related while all this is going on (this is a pretty good story all on its own). In between each chapter you get some kind of info-dump which fill in parts of the story, some excerpts from an autobiography, psych reports, newspaper reports and the like. All these things come together to bring us a complete look at this alternate vision. The illustrations by Dave Gibbons are excellent and add much to the storyline of Alan Moore. A great piece of storytelling in a form that I'm not yet entirely used to. 4★'s

Glad you liked that one, wolfy. Have you tried the Sandman series yet? The illustrations are just as intriguing as the words and story in them.

Yeah, read the first of the Absolute Sandman books (see Msg11 above. I have the second book as well but still need to pick up the rest of the series though.

Already Dead by Charlie Huston

Vampires and zombies. In the same book? It'll never work. But somehow it does. This is because in Mr. Huston's world both afflictions are diseases. They are transmitted in the classical sense by an infected victim biting someone else. This is what happened to Joe Pitt, he was bitten but not drained by someone carrying the vampyre Vyrus and retained enough of the spark of life to survive. Unusually for a vampyre, Joe is not affiliated to any of the clans that operate in New York and manages to survive by carrying out odd jobs for the two main players in the area he lives in. Oh! He doesn't much care for zombies either so when he sees 3 of them in his local pizza joint he gets upset. He'll have to take care of them before they bring too much attention on the undead and things start to turn ugly for his kind. Joe also realises that he'll have to find the carrier that turned this group and deal with that too. When the zombies follow their prospective meal out of the pizza parlour, Joe tags along behind hoping for a quiet spot to take care of the first part of his problem. Unfortunately things turn out a bit of a mess and Joe has to rely on the Coalition (one of the stronger clans) to tidy things up which means he now owes them a favour. This favour promptly falls due when he is asked to look for a 14-year-old girl who has run away from her wealthy prominent parents.

Written in a first-person noirish style, this is a very fast-paced read that offers something slightly different to the supernatural mystery genre. I'd read a couple of books from Charlie Huston's other series so the writing style was quite familiar and anybody who has read any of the Hank Thompson books will recognise the similarities between the two anti-hero protagonists. If you enjoyed one series then you will more than likely enjoy the other. If you are even just a little bit squeamish then you probably won't like the blood that flies around which doesn't always end up down a vampyre's throat. Despite this, this was a very easy book to read and I will look forward to reading more from the Joe Pitt series. 4★'s

Good review, A-W. I enjoyed this one, too. I haven't read any of the others, so I'll look forward to hearing what you think about them.

Thanks Joe. I likened Charlie Huston's style as similar to that of Ken Bruen who I also enjoyed immensely. So far I've read a couple of books from Mr. Huston's other series and liked them enough to want to continue the series at some point (both given 4★'s). I just haven't got round to picking up the 3rd book yet so thought I might as well start on the Joe Pitt stories. I've picked up the 2nd, No Dominion, for my current read hoping to finish it off before I head off on a brief trip on Monday.

Interesting. I hadn't thought about the Ken Bruen connection, but I can see what you mean. Pop in some zombies and vampires with Jack Taylor and there you go.

No Dominion by Charlie Huston

Jumped straight into the follow up to Already Dead and there ain't no sophomore slump in this series. Excellent 2nd entry in the Joe Pitt story where the rogue vampyre is finding things a little tough. After his previous exploits Joe is finding work a little harder to come by these days. He's almost fresh out of blood and also a little behind on the rent. He can't very well go ask the Coalition for a job so he goes to see what's up with the Society. His luck's in when Terry Bird asks him to look into some new drug that's hit the scene specifically aimed at vampyres. A drug that affects his kind of people is unusual in and of itself as the Vyrus just won't cohabit with anything else. Initial investigations lead to The Hood but to get there he'll have to travel through Coalition territory and that's not going to be a piece of cake either. And if he manages that he's going to stick out like a sore thumb so trying to find out what's happening there isn't going to be easy either.

A very good follow up book and probably even better than the first but not quite enough to earn that extra ½. 4★'s

Last post here from me for a few days. Going to London for a concert (X Japan) on Tuesday so thought I'd make a few days of it and see some sights while I was there. Will be back sometime on Friday.

Good to hear that No Dominion measured up, Dave. Have a great time at the concert and enjoying London.

Thankies! I did but now back home again, tired and footsore. Did the hop-on/hop-off bus tour (shouldn't have scheduled this the same day as the concert as I was always conscious of time constraints so probably didn't hop-off as much as I'd have liked to). Concert was pretty good but didn't have a great spot but still enjoyable. Hearing mostly English audience singing along with Japanese songs was fun. Spent most of a day at Natural History Museum and went to British Museum the day after (disappointing that half the exhibits were closed at the latter). Did some shopping and came home with 12 new books (some of which were even on the wishlist).

Iron Council by China Miéville

A rail link to span the continent. Make New Crobuzon the hub of Bas-Lag. That was the idea when it started but with conditions worsening and money running out it didn't quite make it. When the pay starts drying up then the workers start getting disgruntled and a revolution occurs. The train that's leading the way with supplies and equipment gets taken. Off into the wilds it goes and becomes the legend that is the Iron Council. A place where even the Remade are treated as equals.

Back in New Crobuzon there's a war with Tesh to deal with and rebellion is also in the air. Not content with Runagate Rampant meetings where all they seem to do is talk, Ori manages to insinuate himself into a rebel group led by Toro. Could Toro be the natural successor to Jack Half-a-Prayer? There's certainly plans afoot to change the order of how things are run in the city and Ori becomes a part of that.

With insurrection brewing, Judah Low sets off to find the Iron Council and having learned that's where he's gone Cutter and a small band of others follow after to catch him up and continue on their journey. Can they make it through to where the Iron Council is purported to be and does it still even exist or has it passed into nothing more than legends and rumours after all that time?

Although this was the shortest of the 3 novels in the series it was, at times, feeling like the longest. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy it (how can you not enjoy Mr Miéville's work?) but I didn't pick it up as often as I could have done. Still, a good story that was told with all the imagination that the author brings to his work and worth the effort of reading. 4★'s

Fool by Christopher Moore

A bawdy retelling of the story of King Lear (and a few bits of the Bard's other work thrown in for good measure) as told from the fool's point of view. There is a warning included at the start of the book so you know what to expect and it certainly needs that as the story includes a lot of sex and profanity. If that doesn't put you off though this is a fun romp concerning the politics of Mediaeval Britain. The King has decided to give away his power to his daughters and this mean's that Pocket, the fool, is no longer under his protection. Seeing that Pocket has insulted pretty much every one of the people that will now have more power then he start's to fear for his life. Can he manage to plot to save it?

I've never read any of Shakespeare's works but that didn't hinder my reading of this book. I'm sure that if you do know the source then it will add deeper meaning but it's not necessary if you haven't. It's probably just slightly overlong and gets a little repetetive towards the end but it's still a decent enough read with a few laugh out loud moments. 3½★'s

The Good Angel of Death by Andrey Kurkov

I'd seen and almost picked up a previous book by this author as the back cover blurb had me intrigued. Unfortunately, as it was a sequel, I decided to give it a miss so I was delighted to find another of his titles going cheap. Hugely talented, truly very funny was the accompanying quote on the front so I was expecting more laugh out loud humour but was surprised by the understated satire on post-Soviet nationalism that this book provided. The story follows Kolya as he discovers the baby-milk powder he has been guarding for his job as night-watchman has some unexpected properties when he uses some in coffee to calm his nerves (He'd had a call from his boss warning him that someone might try and break in). After another warning phone call, Kolya decides it might be safer if he disappeared for a while so decides to follow up on a possible treasure hunt for something buried by the Ukranian literary hero Taras Shevchenko. We follow along as Kolya travels from Kiev across the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan in search of the buried treasure.

At times the story meanders along passively but is still fascinating for the clash of cultures and thought processes of the differing people that Kolya interacts with on his journey. Half the time though you're not quite sure if what is transpiring in the narrative is not part of a baby-milk induced trip. The novel was written and set in the late 1990's but has only just been translated by Andrew Bromfield who seems to have done a pretty good job of it as far as I can tell. While the book didn't blow me away and was somewhat different to my expectations I still want to read more from the author which is always a good sign. 3½★'s

Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block

A light-hearted mystery where the sleuth is also a burglar. That's the scenario for this book (and rest of the series I believe). Bernie Rhodenbarr is a thief and doesn't try to justify his actions. It's not that he goes around advertising his profession but he's not looking for a new one. He makes a good living and enjoys what he does and doesn't have to work too often either so why should he? When he's offered $5000 for what sounds like an easy job he overcomes some initial misgivings and accepts. He breaks into the apartment but can't find the item he's been asked to collect where he was told it would be and before he can look around for it he's interrupted by the arrival of two cops on the scene. Negotiations for the cops to look the other way have been pretty much concluded when one of the boys in blue discovers a dead body which complicates matters somewhat.

Managing to flee the scene and find a bolt-hole to hide up in Bernie tries to find out if he was set up on the job or if his luck was particularly bad that night. He's helped out by a young lady who discovered his hiding place when she came in to water the plants. Can they discover the real murderer before Bernie gets caught?

This is a really quick read. Fast-paced without much superfluous action. It's a fun escapade but the characters aren't hugely developed but enjoyable nonetheless. 3½★'s

135 - Sounds like it would make a fun movie. :) Or maybe already has?

I just looked on IMDB and there seems to be an adaptation of this book but the lead character has changed from Bernard to Bernice. Developed as a project for Whoopi Goldberg. Think I'll give it a miss as it's not very well rated.

The book is the first of 10 in the series and I do have a few more of them but not the 2nd. Not sure if I could read a couple or so back to back though as plots seem quite similar.

I've never read the book, but I saw the movie when it came out and enjoyed it as campy fluff.

*hearty waves to Wolfy*

I must say, you have some excellent taste in your reading material! *chuckle* I now remember why I starred your thread in the first place: Everytime I visit your page I end up adding everything you've read on my Wishlist or TBR pile! :*)

I DO have some suggestions for you though!

Given your reading topics of interest, I CANNOT RECOMMEND ENOUGH these:

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett; this is Essential Reading for anyone who is a fan of Gaiman's (or Terry Pratchett's for that matter; also a good introductory read to his fabulous sense of sardonic wit & humor if you have yet to experience any of his Discworld series), as I see you are becoming! Gaiman is a favorite of mine, and Good Omens is one of the only books I reread every year. :*)

Also, mayhaps I already spoke with you about this one here, but Johannes Cabal the Necromancer by Jonathan L. Howard is another I'm certain you would enjoy... It is actually the Best Book I've Read This Year; and given the competition that's saying a lot!!! Right up your alley I do believe, as the saying goes.

Oh BTW, chiming in with MrsLee about Stardust by Neil Gaiman as well. Given your interest in Graphic Novels, I wanted to add there is an Illustrated Edition as well (illustrated by the immensely talented Charles Vess incidentally), which you may or may not prefer to the book. IMHO, the GN version is beautiful due to the gorgeous drawings, but upon first read, the book version is a better start... However, THE MOVIE (starring Michelle Pfeifer, Claire Danes and Robert DeNiro) is FABULOUS and not to be missed either! :)

Ok, that's all for now I think! Off to go back to adding more titles you've reviewed here to my Lists, LOL.

Much Bliss & Purrs,
~Pandora~

@Morphy, Campy fluff is how I read the write up on the movie and seems typical of the Whoopi Goldberg films of that period. Not for me, I'm afraid.

@Pandora, Thank you! My reading gets a little varied at times but that's why I joined the Category Challenge group. I wanted to read more outside of my Fantasy and SF staples.

I kinda got bored by the Discworld books and stopped somewhere in the mid-20's, iirc. I did read Good Omens also and enjoyed it. Johannes Cabal the Necromancer has already made my wishlist and I think you and a couple of other people are the reason it found its way there. I just haven't gotten around to picking it up yet. Stardust: Read the book, seen the movie but now I guess I'll have to look out for the GN too.

The Black Ice by Michael Connelly

Harry Bosch has his nose put out of joint for being on-call and not being contacted when the body of a fellow police officer is found in an apparent case of suicide so decides to check the scene out anyway. Contrary to everyone else's opinion, Harry feels that there's something not quite right about this being a suicide especially when paths cross with other cases he's currently looking into. Unfortunately, those handling the dead body don't agree with him and want to close the investigation with a minimum amount of fuss as rumours abound that the cop in question may have crossed over to the other team and was working for the bad guys. Can Harry find out what was really going on before he gets in really deep trouble with his superiors and why does everything seem to point to a Mexican drug lord called Zorrillo?

This is the 2nd in the series featuring the LA detective Harry Bosch but this time most of the action takes place between the US and Mexican border towns of Calexico and Mexicali. Harry is his usual confrontational self with just about everyone he meets and more details are fleshed out about his character and his way of living. I think the author was becoming more comfortable as a novelist with this book as the interactions between people flowed better than the previous. As the investigation deepens the atmosphere of the story becomes more tense and fraught with danger. A good 2nd book in the series and I'll definitely be picking up the next at some point. 4★'s

Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard

Chili Palmer is on a run of bad luck. He's just found out that one of his clients that owe him money isn't as dead as he was led to believe. He's also just got a new boss that has a grudge or two against him. Chili's new boss tells him to find the runner or make the payment himself so off he sets to Los Angeles via Las Vegas following the leads left behind. While he's in LA he gets mixed up in the movie business and hooks up with Harry Zimm, an independent film-maker, who seems to think he has a dynamite script that's just waiting to get made. He's trying to get A-List actor Michael Weir interested and then he can go to a major studio and get it into production as he doesn't have anywhere near the finances to do it himself. Chili agrees to help Harry out with his previous financiers, local gangsters that use Harry's films to launder their drug money, in exchange that Harry will show Chili his way around the movie business.

As with all of Elmore Leonard's books, the plot is not quite as straightforward as it seems, each character's involvement complicates things just that bit more. The dialogue is snappy and the leading man is cooler than ice. From what I can remember of the movie adaptation I'd say the book has a harder edge to it but a re-watch will be in order probably after I've read the sequel, Be Cool. 4★'s

Be Cool by Elmore Leonard

Chili Palmer is once again on the lookout for an idea to turn into a film project. Having one success and a failure for the follow-up he needs another hit. Unfortunately, the hit is of a different kind as his lunch date gets gunned down right in front of his eyes. The meeting was to discuss a film being made of the indie record producer's life story. Chili knew Tommy Athens from back in the day and Tommy thought Chili would have a greater understanding of where he was coming from so set up the lunch date to discuss the idea.

After the shooting Chili decides the music business might provide him with inspiration for his film after all and so talks his way into being manager of a band and sets about getting them their big break. Once again it's the characters and dialogue that drive the story along with the plot just along for the ride. With pretty much a whole new cast list for this sequel you don't really need to have read Get Shorty to appreciate this one though you do understand Chili more if you do.

This is a fun, fast-paced, lightweight read and while nothing special still provides entertainment enough. 3½★'s

The Castle Omnibus by Steph Swainston

A collection of three books in the Castle series for which I'll include separate comments for each. There will probably be spoilers along the way.

Book 1: The Year of Our War

This was the debut novel of an author aiming to fit in the New Weird movement that is hitting the Fantasy world at the moment and my second exposure since reading China Mieville's Bas-Lag books. I think I'm going to enjoy exploring more of this sub-genre.

The Year of Our War sets the action amidst a war of the human population against the invading insects of which there seems to be a never ending stream. 50 of these humans have been made immortal by the Emperor and to qualify as one of these you must be the best at what you do. Jant Shira is one of these immortals and is the Emperor's Messenger, being half Rhydanne makes him extremely quick and he's the only member of the winged races in the Fourlands that can actually fly which is an added benefit. We follow the story from Jant's viewpoint as the insects threaten to overwhelm the empire's forces and threaten them with imminent destruction. Can Jant and the rest of the immortals find out a way to stop them or will their own internal bickering and conflicts overtax an already dangerous situation?

There's a lot going on in this book. Not only do you have the war within and without of the immortal's circle but there's also Jant's battle with drug addiction which also allows him to Shift to another world, usually a one way crossing. Jant (and subsequently the reader) is not sure if this other world is real or just a construct of his drug-addled imagination. No-one that he talks to about it knows of its existence and nobody else has ever returned to confirm or deny its validity. Does it really exist and if so does it interact with Jant's real world or not?

Book 2: No Present Like Time

Picking up 5 years after the events of the previous book we get to see the workings of The Circle and how it affects the goings on of the Empire as a whole. The story opens with a challenge to the Swordsman and he's not too pleased to lose his immortality when he is defeated. He vows to regain his place and will stop at nothing to do so. Meanwhile, the emperor has sent Jant and Wrenn, the new Swordsman, along with the Sailor to the newly discovered island of Tris to try and bring them back into the empire. Tris turns out to be an idyllic island paradise that was founded by the remnants of what was the fifth land of the empire who sailed across the sea escaping from a governmental system that they didn't believe in. Things don't go well for the emissary's attempts to induce the islanders into joining the empire as a captive insect brought along to sow fear into the peaceful community escapes and with the Trisians already predisposed into wanting nothing to do with the empire will this prove the final straw?

How will the two conflicts resolve and will they cross over into one another? Can Jant see a way to overcome or will he be too distracted by marital problems and his (all to brief) trips into The Shift?

Book 3: The Modern World

Like the preceding two volumes, this story is once again related in the main by Jant but we do get to see others of the immortals come to the fore. The Architect thinks she has a way to inflict considerable damage to the insect population and has constructed a dam that will enable the flooding of the front lines and drown a great many of the hated enemy. A great war host is assembled by the emperor and he orders all of the immortals to be present for the campaign. When the bad things start happening, Jant is away from the scene looking for Lightning's daughter who has gone missing at an inopportune moment and the Messenger is the best equipped to find her. Can he locate the errant child and return to where he should be in time to be of use?

The third book shows more of the characters and their back-stories with Lightning, the Doctor and the Architect along with Jant being heavily featured. There is only one brief, harrowing trip into the Shift in this story and it seems a shame that this multiverse is not explored more in this trilogy. Though there is now a prequel available it might not be unreasonable to expect other volumes to appear in the future.

Conclusion

A thoroughly enjoyable read that takes epic fantasy and plays with it a little to bring it into New Weird territory. Very descriptive and seemingly well researched (I believe that the author took up hand-gliding to gain a greater understanding of her main character). I look forward to returning to the Fourlands with the aforementioned prequel at some point. 4★'s

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

According to tradition, the first time someone visits the Cemetery of Forgotten Books they get to choose one to take away with them. Daniel selects The Shadow of the Wind and on reading it he is enthralled by the story and wants to find more by the author, Julian Carax. Daniel's father, a rare and second-hand bookseller, doesn't recognise the author either but together they ask a local expert if he can help. Gustavo Barcelo offers to buy the book outright but when Daniel refuses to sell he tells the story of how all of Carax's books are being collected and burned and that the copy Daniel has may be the only one left in existence. This tale sets Daniel off on a voyage of discovery where he meets terrible figures connected to the mystery one of which resembles the character of the Devil from the very book that Daniel found.

Not only do you get the historical mystery (post-war Spain) tied around the coming-of-age story of Daniel but you also get to learn of the city of Barcelona around that time as Daniel's story becomes increasingly linked to that of Carax. My copy of the book includes a walking guide for the locations used in the story which I'm sure would be a wonderful way to explore the city.

This was a book that I didn't really want to see the end of. It's beautifully written with what seems to be a well done translation. For those that still haven't read this book and are still pondering whether to or not, read the first half-dozen pages and that should make up your mind about it. 4½★'s

That does sound like a fun book! It has certain resonances to Inkheart?

I've never read Inkheart so can't compare, sorry! It does however, make it onto the member recommendation's section.

#119, Jack O'Connell Quinsigamond series sounds good. I think I'll give it a try.

I think the resonance for me was the forgotten author whose works are systematically being destroyed because of a power they contain. Other than that they are probably very different.

Rapture by David Sosnowski

What's it like to be different? That's the question that Zander Wiles finds an answer for when the disease he thinks he's caught from his recently ex-girlfriend turns him into what looks like an angel. Well, the wings he's sprouted certainly fit the bill. Never a model citizen before the change, Zander knows he's no angel and not wanting to become exhibit #1 in a laboratory he shuts himself off from the outside world but realises he can't stay cooped up forever. He calls an old friend from his drug dealing past and after the initial shock they devise a plan to make some money out of Zander's new found oddity by fleecing some gullible believers into parting with some of their cash. When one of their victims turns out to have a husband that has the same condition as Zander but didn't survive the change, Zander realises that it's time to put a stop to what they're doing and that he might not be as alone as he thought he was. Around the same time another body is discovered and the knowledge becomes public and so Zander decides to do the same. It's time to head to New York and get himself an agent.

The story then switches to describe Cassie's life. Cassie is a psychotherapist. One of only a few specialising in dysfunctional angels. She's written a book and even appeared on Oprah and met Zander in what looked like a failed suicide attempt. We learn her back-story and why she feels such a fraud at her job. Can Zander provide the means to prove to herself that she's not?

Part fantasy, part satirical social commentary and part love story, this book is a very clever debut offering. Very imaginative and easy to read. 4★'s

Sounds interesting. I've added to Mount TBR.

That castle omnibus sounds fun.

@Morphidae, hope you enjoy it if/when you get to it.

@reading_fox, it is and it's cheaper than buying the books individually. Steph Swainston has said recently though that she's taking a break from writing which is a shame. More on that subject can be read here.

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

This is a collection of short stories, poems and suchlike. The quality is as diverse as the subject with the only thing that each have in common being the darkness of tone that Neil Gaiman often brings to his work. This collection is not meant for the younger end of the age spectrum with many of the entries containing scenes of a sexual or horrific nature. There are almost 40 pieces of work in this book so I will not go through them all but just highlight a couple of favourites.

Chivalry is a tale about an old lady finding the Grail in a charity shop.

Troll Bridge has a troll under a bridge and there's a boy who doesn't want to be it's next meal.

The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch has the circus coming to town.

Murder Mysteries is a tale of angels and set around the time of Creation.

Snow, Glass, Apples is an alternate take on the story of Snow White. The original will never be looked at in the same light again if you read this.

I've read this collection, like I usually do with short stories, over the period of a few weeks. Never reading more than two or three at a time so I don't get bored of the style and feel this worked well in this instance. There is an introduction, which also contains a story, where the author describes how and why he wrote each of the entries. Also provided is a link to the author's website where you can download The Price, one of the stories, that's read by the author and there's a short interview also included at the back of the book. Overall an enjoyable collection. 3½★'s

I've read a lot of Gaiman, and wondered about this collection. This is very helpful, Dave, thanks.

Orpheus Rising by Colin Bateman

It starts with a surfer getting his feet bitten off by a shark and the tragic romance that starts between the two people that save his life. Michael is a writer and he intends to write his first novel but hasn't got around to it yet. Arriving in Brevard he meets Claire over the bloody feet of the aforementioned surfer. Instantly smitten, Michael decides to stick around and start on his book. There's a couple of people that don't want Michael to stick around for the same reason that, they too, are in love with Claire. One of these is a most unpleasant fellow and thinks Claire is his girl and won't take no for an answer. He's also the one who ends up killing her (don't worry, that's not a spoiler).

The way this book works is by being told in alternate chapters giving Michael's story from when he first met Claire in one and the other when he's returning to the scene 10 years later for a commemoration ceremony for those that died in a bank raid. Michael didn't want to attend but was pursuaded by drinking compatriot Ambrose that it would be a cathartic exercise and so reluctantly agreed. Ambrose, of course, tags along.

This is quite different to the other Bateman books I've read with the humour being more understated and with some quite bittersweet moments as well. I did like it though. 4★'s

The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa

From the age of 15 when Ricardo first meets the titular bad girl he falls utterly and hopelessly in love. Just when he's sure that she will acquiesce to his advances events transpire that she disappears from his life. Leaving Peruvian life behind, Ricardo pursues his other dream of living in Paris and working as a translator allows him to do this. He becomes friends with a fellow Peruvian who is helping potential revolutionaries on their way to train in Cuba. Ricardo occasionally assists in finding places to stay for those en route. He's surprised when one of these turns out to be the bad girl. Once again he starts to enjoy his romance but she soon disappears from his life without a backward glance.

Over the next few decades Ricardo manages to encounter his bad girl and each time he does he is powerless to stop her from treating him like a doormat. She takes advantage of his feelings and takes what she wants from him before deserting him to look for her newest sugar daddy. Some of their meetings stretch coincidence to breaking point but however contrived the outcome is always the same.

You never really feel for the characters but the story remains interesting throughout. There are some disturbing events detailed in this book so it's not one for the faint of heart. Quite difficult to put my finger on whether I liked this one or not. 3½★'s

Garnethill by Denise Mina

Maureen O'Donnell has spent time in psychiatric care due to having a breakdown caused by the surfacing of suppressed memories of sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her own father. She's also having an affair with a therapist which she manages to justify because she's not his patient. Nobody else can seem to recognise the fine distinction though so when she confirms suspicions that he's also a married man she decides to end it. When waking up after a particularly heavy night of drinking, when all she did after getting home was to fall into bed, Maureen discovers him tied to a chair with his throat cut she didn't think this was the kind of end that she meant. With no signs of forced entry and Maureen's mental illness history she and her drug dealer brother, Liam, quickly become the main suspects in the police investigation. Maureen manages to pick up on some clues that have eluded the police so sets about trying to find the real killer and the motive behind this brutal act.

This was such an accomplished story that I was surprised that it was the author's début novel. The characters are first rate and the pacing was spot on. It was very easy to read in large chunks so was quickly devoured. I'll look forward to picking up more of another tartan noir author. 4★'s

Common Murder by Val McDermid

Second book in the Lindsay Gordon investigative journalist series and once again she has a friend to help out of a spot of bother. It seems that the head of teh opposition to the peace camp at Brownlow (read Greenham) Common has gone and got himself murdered and one of the women at the camp is chief suspect having broken his nose a few days earlier. The suspect also happens to be one of Lindsay's former lovers whom she is now back in contact with since her move to London to live with Cordelia (love interest from the 1st book). Lindsay has been trying to get positive articles printed about the peace camp and has also been trying to help out occasionally as well and so reluctantly agrees to act as a kind of intermediary between the camp and the police investigating the murder. A deal is struck with the local Inspector and Lindsay sets about trying to find the real killer.

The book was written and set in the late 80's and has quickly become quite dated. It's quite easy to accustom yourself to the technology (or more specifically the lack thereof) of the time but the social mores not quite so much when the author rams the lesbian angle down the reader's throat every other chapter or so it seemed to me. The mystery element of the story was okay but seemed to be uncovered a little too easily by the protagonist with almost all suspects being too chatty for their own good. Not a bad book but not that great either but it is a quick and easy read. 3★'s

Snow is Silent by Benjamin Prado

One of three men narrates this noirish thriller and tells you that one of them is about to set out to kill a woman called Laura Salinas. You will not know which of the three is the narrator or if that man is also the killer-to-be until the final reveal at the end of the book. To avoid giving clues of the identity(ies) of either the narrator tells his tale in the third person. He then takes us back to the beginning and how events conspired to drive a man to murder.

The three men are Alcaen Sanchez, an unassuming insurance clerk, Iker Orbaiz, would-be novelist and obituary writer, and Angel Biedma, doctor and would-be patron to the writer. This trio meet regularly in a bar and when Angel advises Iker to use their other friend as a model for a character in his novel it seems to fit perfectly. So they try to dissect his life without Alcaen realising what they're trying to accomplish. This is where they here of Laura Salinas, an estate agent that showed Alcaen around a house that he couldn't afford. He admits that this is something he will do at times to amuse himself, dress and act as a rich man and view properties that are well beyond his means. Meeting Laura, Alcaen immediately falls in love and is overjoyed when she agrees to lunch on the pretext of discussing the house he's just visited. He's even more ecstatic when she agrees to a proper date but when he admits to the truth he is equally devastated when she walks away from him. He'd almost robbed the insurance firm where he works just to get the money to please her but in the end couldn't go through with his plan. Laura re-appears in his life once again and tells him that things might be different but that she is afraid of her abusive husband and if only he was out of the way then who knows what might happen between them. How far will Alcaen go for his obsession? Will Iker write his story now that his muse is treading a darker path and what have the promptings of Angel got to do with it all?

Although this is a short novel it starts out quite uninteresting and slow while the scene is set. Only from the middle onwards does this change and events head towards the ending and you rush through the rest of the story at break-neck speed. There are quite a few twists before the final word is written but I'll let you discover these for yourself should you decide to give this book a read. 3½★'s

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick

A dark and disturbing tale of drug abuse made more so by the author's note featured at the end of this book. In the note he provides a list of people (including himself) that the novel is dedicated to and what became of each. It's not a pleasant reminder of the consequences involved.

Bob Arctor is an undercover narcotics agent reporting on his group of friends and trying to get a lead on Substance D, or Death as it's commonly referred to. Unfortunately for Bob, he's gotten in too deep and as his grip on reality starts to blur he turns increasingly paranoid and the line between his role as a nark and his undercover alter-ego becomes increasingly less distinct until finally believing they are separate identities completely.

This is a near-future dystopian tale which doesn't have a huge amount of science fiction attached to it (only the scramble suits which protect the identity of the agent really springs to mind) so can be easily read by non-SF readers as well if so inclined. It probably took a couple of chapters for me to get into the style of writing in this book but it was so worth sticking with until the end. It's not all darkness though as there are some entertaining conversations between the drug-addled friends that provide lighter relief. You can get much more insight to the characters by reading the book than you can from the movie but the film is not too bad either. 4★'s

Hope by Glen Duncan

Gabriel Jones is a man nearing 30 years of age and existing on life's lowest rung of the ladder. He once had it all. The love of a beautiful girl whom he loved wholly in return, a bright future looming before the two of them. But then he threw it all away for moments of lust. This book is written as a kind of confession with Gabriel telling of his life past and present. It's not a straight forward journey from A to B as we get the current interspersed with the major events in Gabriel's life that have led him to his current state of passing the time until he can afford another visit to Hope, a £150 an hour prostitute. These events are brought slowly to light while our narrator works up the courage to provide the gory details. A lot of this book deals with some quite unpleasant moments and the blows, when they come, hit home unerringly and hard.

If you want a linear plot or a light and fluffy read then this is not a book for you. If you don't mind a dark and broody look at the male psyche with graphically depicted acts of sex and pornography that is beautifully written then this book might just fit the bill. 4★'s

Britten and Brülightly by Hannah Berry

Charlotte Maughton, daughter of the head of a successful publishing house, has just lost her fiancé to an apparent suicide. She doesn't believe it was but the police do, so she hires private investigator (or researcher as he prefers to be called) Fernandez Brtitten to look into things for her. Fern has a good reputation to go along with a nickname of the Heartbreaker from when he used to look into cases of cheating spouse's as no matter which way the case went there would always be someone that wouldn't be happy with the outcome. Nowadays, Fern only gets out of bed for a murder and Charlotte's case looks like it might have possibilities and so he begins his investigation along with his unconventional partner, a tea-bag called Stuart Brülightly. A couple of potential leads spring out readily enough so off the pair set to try and uncover the truth of the matter.

This graphic novel is written and drawn in classic noir style. Full of sepia tones and internal ruminations. The only fault I have with this is the cursive font used for Britten's thoughts, they're a bit hard to read at times and you have to go over them a couple of times to discern what's being said. Overall this is a very dark and atmospheric story with light-hearted interjections being provided by the teabag which I enjoyed immensely. Definitely recommended to fans of either noir or the darker shade of comic books. 4★'s

Glad you liked this one (Britten and Brulightly), Dave. It's one of my favorites. Hard to believe it's her first.

First and only so far. Have you seen any news for a follow up?

I haven't. No signs so far, darn it.

Captain Alatriste by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

This is a starter book for a swashbuckling adventure series that features as the main protagonist Captain Diego Alatriste. A Spanish soldier currently forced to make ends meet as a sell-sword, hiring himself out for jobs where bared steel and the knowledge of how to use it is seen as a useful commodity to his employers. His current contract, to way-lay a couple of English travellers and retrieve whatever documents they are carrying, becomes more complicated when given the additional task of ending the lives of the English pair by none other than Fray Emilio Bocanegra, president of the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition. When, during the act of ambush and assassination, Diego changes his mind due to the chivalry and nobleness of spirit of the man he is fighting and prevents his partner in crime, an Italian bravo named Gualterio Malatesta, from completing their assignment and saves the lives of the two Englishmen instead. The plot thickens when Alatriste discovers the true identities of the men whom he has just saved and realises the full extent of the trouble he has just found himself in.

The tale is narrated by a young page attached to the Captain, Inigo Balboa, the son of a former comrade killed on the field of battle whom Diego had said he would look after when his childhood ended. Because it is told after the event the narrative will wander to other escapades involving the hero of this tale and the narrator himself that occur much later than the current story being told. This can sometimes prove annoying and take the reader out of the moment. What I think I did enjoy most from this book though was the scene setting of early 17th century Madrid life where the arts were flourishing and the purses of officials were bulging though the lot of the common man was not to be envied. It is this rather than the action itself which raises my rating of the book as without it there really isn't that much meat on the bones of the story that will entice me to return to the adventures of Captain Alatriste at some point in the future. 3½★'s

Whiskey Sour by J.A. Konrath

When Jacqueline Streng married Alan Daniels she became Jack Daniels. The name may have stuck but the marriage is long gone. Now a Lieutenant working in the Violent Crimes Unit of the Chicago Police Dept., she and her partner Herb pick up a new case when the body of a twenty-something woman is found with multiple stab-wounds with a note attached from the killer calling himself the Gingerbread Man. It's not long before a second body turns up and so they realise they may be dealing with a serial killer. Can they find him before he kills again?

This is no fluffy police procedural, the murder scenes are grisly as is the gallows-like humour of the banter between the investigating teams. Light relief comes in the shape of the two FBI agents who specialise in behavioural science. The profiles of the killer that they come up with are quite laughable and it's no wonder the police treat them with contempt. Every now and then the story will flip from Jack's investigation to the killer's perspective so it's not exactly a mystery as to who he is and what he's doing. The only thing that remains clouded are his motivations for selecting his victims. Jack's character is not of the fluffy variety either. She's not the flash her pretty green eyes and get a confession type of cop but one that's worked her ass off to get where she is and though it has cost her her marriage and pretty much any kind of social life as well as providing the cause of insomnia she suffers from she's far from discontent with her life and how it's turned out. But will she still be the same when the Gingerbread Man turns his attentions on her?

This is a fast paced thriller of a book that while quite gruesome in parts is also quite likeable in others and kept me turning the pages until the end. I'll certainly be on the lookout for the next book in the series. 3½★'s

167 - Wolfy, have you read other Pérez-Reverte books? I have Captain Alatriste on my shelves, but I've been putting it off. I read The Fencing Master a couple of years ago and wasn't that enthused. Was wondering if you had and how you would compare them. Otherwise, your description of Captain sounds like something I'd like.

Captain Alatriste was the first of his works that I've read. I do have a couple of others on the tbr shelves but not The Fencing Master. Just looked at the reviews for that one and it's quite a mixed bag. While I will read the next in the Alatriste series it has gone on the at some point list rather than find it now list.

Don’t Point That Thing at Me by Kyril Bonfiglioli

Imagine if you will a book similar to The Thirty-Nine Steps being written by P.G. Wodehouse and you'll be somewhere in the region of how this one reads. Charlie Mortdecai is an art dealer who isn't too unfamiliar with the shady side of his profession. In fact, he's just come into possession of a hot little number that he needs to ship across the Atlantic to a wealthy American collector. Opportunity presents itself in the way of a blackmail case being handled by the secretest of secret police and a classic Rolls Royce that also needs to be shipped to said collector. Armed with a brand new diplomatic passport off he sets to deliver the painting, the Rolls and a nasty case of death to a client who's tried to blackmail the wrong kind of person.

You could probably drive several of those Rollers abreast of one another through the holes in the plot but that's not really what this book is about. The plot is just there for convenience sake and to allow a vehicle for Charlie to tell his story of these and subsequent events. The humour is of the unsubtle kind, if I tell you that the thuggish manservant's name is Jock Strapp then maybe you'll get what I mean, and often comes at you in acidic form. I did chuckle at the odd turn of phrase but there were no moments that caused me to laugh out loud. 3★'s

#168 As always you give me ideas on new reads... Thanks

@Joybee, I've added a comment about the level of violence contained in the book to my review since I posted it here:

I should add a warning for graphic violence. There are details of torture and animal killings involved and though it doesn't linger on these scenes they do exist. So if any of these things might put you off then it's probably best to avoid this one.

Sounds interesting, I'll give it a try... Let you Go know what I think when I get to it (if my library has it)

A Good Man in Africa by William Boyd

At the start of this novel the main protagonist, Morgan Leafy, is a loathsome creature. A British diplomat serving as First Secretary to the Commission in the fictional West African country of Kinjanja, he is pretty much a caricature of all the worst elements of the role. Racist, selfish, jealous and quite over-bearing. It's a wonder his local mistress can stand to stay with him or he with her after she gives him a nasty dose of gonorrhoea and just at the wrong time too as he's just started going out with Priscilla, the daughter of his boss.

Leafy is also involved with a local politician, Sam Adekunle, and his wife and with elections coming up his boss has charged him with overseeing the British interest for the most favoured party. So when he's found in a compromising position by Adekunle, he ends up getting it from both sides. Adekunle wants Leafy to bribe the head of the university as he needs a land deal to go through to help with funds for his election campaign and now he has a hold over Leafy he uses him as a go-between.

The first part of the book sets the scene before then travelling backwards in time to describe how these events came to pass with the whole kit and caboodle ending up in the hands of one Morgan Leafy and by the end of the book you're actually feeling quite sorry for the man. That's quite an achievement in itself by the author and when you throw in some highly amusing scenes as well as some cringe-worthy moments and it all adds up to a fairly decent read. 3½★'s

Last Tango in Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce

The 2nd in the series of humorous noir mysteries set in the Welsh town of Aberystwyth. A dean from the Faculty of Undertaking at Lampeter University paid a visit to Aberystwyth and hasn't been seen since. One of his students has hired Louie Knight, Aber's only PI, to find out what's happened to him. It seems there has been a case of mistaken identity as the Dean was given a bag containing details of the next contract meant for a Druid hitman. Not only does Louie and his partner Calamity have to put up with dead-end after dead-end in their investigation but there are also rumours of a Bigfoot type monster roaming the hills that might have connections to Louie's past for them to worry about as well. Perhaps a visit to Dai the Custard Pie can shed some light on the matter.

If you like your noir to be straight up and hard edged then you might want to consider looking elsewhere for your fix. If, however, you don't mind a little fun being poked into a few unusual places then this series might be worth your while. Those that have already tasted life in Aberystwyth with Aberystwyth Mon Amour will know what to expect from this second outing and it will definitely help to read that one first to help with character interactions that progress in Last Tango. 3½★'s

The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas

Someone is drawing blue circles in chalk around discarded items on the streets of Paris and only the recently arrived Commissaire, Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg, sees any significance in their appearance. Everyone else, including the officers he enlists to keep track of them, think that whoever is doing this is just a crackpot and it's not until a body is subsequently found inside a circle that they come around to Adamsberg's unconventional methods.

While the mystery isn't the all important factor of this book it was still good enough to keep my interest throughout. What really makes this story though are the characters involved. They are fresh, imaginative and extremely well written. The city of Paris is also well represented in this book with a real sense of place being generated as you read. A word for the translation as well, Sian Reynolds did a fantastic job. 4½★'s

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Just coming to the end of his time as a Probationary Constable and hoping not to be posted to the Case Progression Unit (paperwork), Peter Grant talks to his first ghost who describes the murder at the scene he's guarding. Not something you can tell your superiors so the next night he goes back hoping for another meeting but this time Peter runs into Inspector Nightingale and finds himself explaining about the ghost. When the Inspector seems to take his story at face value this is when Peter's career prospects take a turn for the unexpected and he finds himself apprenticed to the last wizard in England.

Can Peter learn enough magic to help solve what appears to be some kind of killer by possession case? Will his scientific mind be a help or hindrance? What kind of influence can he exert in a turf war between Father and Mother Thames and will he keep his hands off one of Mama's daughters or does he really want to? All of this is mixed into a very good police procedural and guide to London that is extremely readable. Peter Grant makes a good narrator for the investigation and the surrounding cast of characters fill out the scenery imaginatively. I certainly want to read the sequel sooner rather than later. 4½★'s

I really enjoyed Rivers of London and the sequel is waiting impatiently for me! Or perhaps I'm wanting to get to it impatiently!

They had the sequel at 1/3rd off in Waterstones so I've picked it up and jumped straight in.

I'll be interested to hear what you think of the sequel. I enjoyed Rivers of London/Midnight Riot.

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

This book picks up almost directly after the conclusion to the last (see Msg178) and as such will be impossible to exclude at least minor spoilers for the first in the series. Jump to the end if you don't want to see.

Peter Grant, apprentice wizard and full-on police constable, is currently acting as the go to guy for weird cases while his boss, Chief Inspector Nightingale, recuperates from the ending of the last book. Dr Walid gets him to check the body of a Jazz musician who apparently died of natural causes straight after a gig. When traces of vestigia (a kind of magical resonance) is found, in the shape of a Jazz classic tune, Peter realises that enquiries will need to be made. When initial investigations find a number of similar cases his thoughts turn to possibilities of a jazz vampire being on the loose. Such is case #1.

Case #2 goes back to a scene that seemed quite jarring from Rivers of London. That was the bit at the end with the rugby player and his missing, distinctly male, appendage. It's up to Peter to track down whoever is biting off said appendages with her distinctly female parts.

The two cases seem to have some crossover. Are they linked in some way? Apart from characters mentioned there are others returning from the previous book and we get to learn more of Peter's past when he asks his dad about the jazz case. We also get to learn more of Nightingale and Molly and of course the City of London features just as much as it did in the first instalment. The police procedural element is still a strong part of the story as is the black humour that those who have to deal with crime scenes often use in such situations. While case #1 is fully solved by the end of this book, case #2 provides what appears to be the main series arc and will run into at least one more book, Whispers Under Ground, which is due out in March 2012 by the looks of things.

If you enjoyed Rivers of London/Midnight Riot then there is little doubt that you will enjoy this one and while you don't necessarily have to have read that one before Moon Over Soho it would certainly help with character development and understanding if you did. 4★'s

> 178, 182--This sounds like a fun series...I've added the Ben Aaronovitch books to my ever growing "To Read" list. Your reviews make me think of the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher, which I'm also working my way through and enjoying (I'm just starting Death Masks). I think I will like Aaronovitch a lot, and I look forward to reading his books in the near future.

Good to hear, Dave. I did enjoy the first, and jumped to the end of your review. I'll look forward to reading the second one.

@183, I think that any book released these days that features a wizard operating in the real world will always bring comparisons between the Dresden or Harry Potter books but I think Ben Aaronovitch's books certainly have their own voice. These are much more police procedural than the Dresden series and the lead has to behave like a real copper albeit in exceptional circumstances.

@Joe, the, very minor, spoilers only relate to the first book which you've already read I believe so you'd be okay reading the full post.

Thanks, Dave. I read the full post and the second book sounds even better, with the good news that there'll be a third.

@Joe, I marked the 2nd book ½★ less than the 1st but it's still a pretty good read. Lost that little bit due to being not as fresh and having more gratuitous sex in the second one. Also less of Leslie for obvious reasons.

The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

What's it like to be different from the norm? That's the question that David, a young boy growing up in a post-apocalyptic community along with a few others like him, must answer and they must keep their difference secret from the rest of their families, friends and neighbours or risk banishment to the Fringes, a wild area where day-to-day living is more than hard and survival almost an impossibility. This community believes that they must stay pure and any deviance from that purity is harshly dealt with. Crops and animals are burnt while mutant humans are banished with the females firstly being sterilised to avoid spreading contamination. Outwardly, David and those like him appear no different to everyone else. They don't have six toes or an extra arm or other obvious signs of deviation and so are accepted within the community. Unlike the rest they can communicate non-verbally and as they grow up learning off each other they begin to question the rightness of the community's belief. How long can they keep the secret and what will they do if discovered?

Events come to a head when David's younger sister develops the same ability only much stronger than any of them. She even manages to communicate with others of their kind who live in a far away land which is not only free from persecution but their abilities are valued and seen as a progression on the evolutionary scale. Do they try to stay hidden within the community that they've grown up in or should they try somehow to reach this other place which will allow them to be who they really are?

An excellent post-apocalyptic story which highlights man's willingness to revert to intolerance of differences and to act brutally and with cruelty to those that threaten the status quo. 4★'s

Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book Three by Bill Willingham

Waiting for these editions is hard work but made worthwhile when a new one turns up in the mail. Book 3 in the series contains the story arc of the March of the Wooden Soldiers but actually starts with an outing for Cinderella as she jets off to Paris for a secret rendezvous. As with everything connected to Cindy, is it really what it seems?

What then follows are the eight chapters which make up the main arc of this volume. Red Riding Hood has managed to escape The Adversary and made her way to our world where, not without some troubles, she makes her way to Fabletown and requests sanctuary, the first Fable to do so in more than a century. Unfortunately for her, Bigby smells a rat and goes off to investigate. Meanwhile, Prince Charming is setting his plans to become Mayor into motion and is trying to drum up support for his campaign with anyone who'll listen. Then there's three strange characters knocking about and Jack Horner comes a cropper when he runs into them but no-one believes him when he explains what's happened to him. They just write it up as just another one of his tall tales. But they all take notice when those three return Little Boy Blue in a lot less of a salubrious state than which they took him along with a message from The Adversary. The Fables are being given just a day to hand over all the magical items which they took from The Homelands or else...

Another beautifully packaged book in the deluxe series with artwork that really matches this type of story. Once again we have some extras at the back of the book which feature original pencil drawings of a statue released by DC Direct and also a two page spread that features in one of the chapters. Loving this series and I'm glad the release schedule seems to have upped a gear with the next book being due around February. 4½★'s

Zoo City by Lauren Beukes

A dark urban fantasy set in Johannesburg provides the setting for a missing persons case. For those that have got past that first sentence which only gives the tiniest of brief outlines that this book contains I'll add a bit more detail. Zinzi December has to carry around a Sloth everywhere she goes. Her companion gives her two things: A gift, in Zinzi's case this is the ability to find lost things, and also protection from the Undertow, a blackness that would literally swallow her up in a very unpleasant way. The downside to being animalled is that to get one you must have committed a murderous act. Zinzi also has to pay off huge debts that she ran up from her junkie days and to pay them off she is working for a 419 scammer sending out those e-mails that look so enticing but which first require you to pay a small fee in order to get your hands on a fortune. In the meantime, Zinzi also uses her gift to find those small things that everyone is always losing but when her latest client is murdered just prior to pay-day then she must take on a job that she never likes doing, find a missing person. In this case it's the female half of twins who are the latest music sensation who's disappeared just prior to finishing off their latest album and their producer hires Zinzi to locate her.

The story gives a fresh spin on an old tale with finely rendered locales and fully fleshed out characters which make reading this book an absolute pleasure even though the themes are on the seedier side of life. Throughout the story there are also articles detailing some of the themes of the book as well as faux reviews and extracts from books which add to the detail for the reader and don't interfere with the flow of the narrative at all. It's all very well done. Lauren Beukes will definitely be an author I look out for in future. 4½★'s

What a good review, Dave! That explains the book really well. I liked it a lot, too, and look forward to reading more of her work.

Thanks Joe. Have you read her other book, Moxyland, yet? I know I'll be on the look out for it now along with any future releases too.

I haven't, but it sure looks interesting and good. I'll be on the look out, too.

The Dramatist by Ken Bruen

The fourth book in the Jack Taylor series finds our favourite sometime Galway PI off the drink and drugs and even contemplating giving up the cigarettes too. His drug dealer, Stewart, has been banged up and Jack doesn't want the rigmarole of finding a new one so gave them up and thought he might as well do the same with the booze to get all the hurt out in one go. Six months go by and still clean and sober when Cathy saks him to go see Stewart and when he does he's asked to look into the death of Stewart's sister. She was found at the bottom of her stairs with a broken neck. The verdict pronounced accidental death but Stewart thinks not due to the book that was found under her body. His sister hated the author, J.M. Synge. It's only when a second body is found in similar circumstances that Jack actually believes there may be something to what Stewart has to say after all.

While this is going on, Jack also has to deal with his mother's worsening health along with a vigilante group called The Pikemen and the fact that former lover Ann Henderson's new husband doesn't seem to like him. This series is really brutal on Jack and it's a wonder he's survived until now. How much more can teh guy take before he returns to his old ways to numb the pain again?

Once again my wishlist has grown due to the quotes that are included as chapter markers and marked off some music to check out as well. Thank you Mr. Bruen but I'm seriously wondering if you have a heart with the punishment you dole out to your characters. 4½★'s

I'm just glad Jack stays off the sauce for a while. That part's been hard to deal with in this series for me. You're right, Bruen is tough on the poor guy.

Not sure how far you've got in the series but this was by far the most emotionally brutal ending yet. I was planning to jump straight into the next one, Priest, but couldn't face it after that.

Now my TBR list is growing. I love noir/hardboiled type crime novels, especially British and Irish. Jack Taylor is gonna be a new series for me... Thanks

@Joybee, sorry to add to your tbr list. I know just how hard it is to keep that in check. The Jack Taylor books are definitely worth it though.

Found Wanting by Robert Goddard

Richard Eusden is a bored civil servant working at the Foreign Office in London and desperately wants some excitement in his life. Along comes Gemma, his ex-wife, to provide him with some. She has been tasked by her other ex-husband and Richard's life-long friend, Marty Hewitson, to deliver an attaché case to him in Brussels. Seeing as he hasn't seen Marty since he skipped the country while on bail, which Richard put the money up for, and add in the fact that Marty now has an inoperable tumour, Richard agrees and sets off on the errand that will forever change his life.

Richard finds out that the case holds documents that may bring to light the fate of the last of the Romanovs and that they could be worth a fortune. Betrayals and double-crosses abound in this country hopping twist of a story, passing though Belgium and onto Germany, Denmark and Finland. The scenery is excellent and it's a shame the story and characters don't match it. Still fairly readable though and the last hundred pages do fly by. 3★'s

The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan

After the death of The Berliner, Jacob Marlowe finds himself the last of his kind. The Hunt will now turn its full attention to his extermination and after 200 years of life Jake believes he is ready for an end of things. Fate, however, has other ideas. WOCOP (World Organisation for the Control of Occult Phenomenon) want the last hunt to be memorable and set out to rile him up and make a fight of it. Then there are the Vampires that seem to have taken an unhealthy interest in Jake as well. What plans do they have for him?

This is a literary horror story that brings the werewolf trope bang up to date. It examines what it's like to have to kill a human being each time the full moon rises and how justification sits just as uneasily as the flesh he's devoured. It is written in the form of Jacob's journal so the reader gets up close and personal with the man and his thought processes. We learn of his making and of the woman he loved. He certainly doesn't shy away from the gory details of the bedroom or the kill scenes. The language is choice and colourful as well as often beautiful but those of delicate sensibilities need not apply to become a Glen Duncan devotee. Having now read three of his novels I'm happy to be known as such.

While the first half of the book is almost melancholic in its reverie the second shifts pace into top gear and doesn't let up until the final climax. I'm happy to report a sequel is due out next year and a third book apparently to follow the year after. 4½★'s

Death of an Ordinary Man by Glen Duncan

Nathan Clark is dead. We know this because we're with him as he watches his family at his funeral. His father, his wife and two surviving kids, his best friend as well as a couple of other people he doesn't recognise and who inspire in him a feeling of utter dread if he gets too close. Nathan doesn't remember how he died and wonders if these two people had anything to do with it. Not, as his gravestone suggests, at rest will Nathan be able to find the cause of his own death and that of his youngest daughter which also seems to be eluding him from the thoughts and feelings of those he's left behind and finally find peace?

We follow Nathan as he picks out the thoughts and sensations that provide triggers to his memories that help him fill in the blanks. The relationships Nathan had with his family and friends are examined intimately and how when tragedy strikes it causes such upheaval in everything they do and makes the reader think how they would cope in such circumstances. As I've come to expect from the author the writing is superb and the pacing of the book exquisite. From the early confused tones to the almost unbearable heart-wrenching scenes of discovery that Nathan goes through this is another excellent entry in the body of work I'm discovering from Mr. Duncan. I've just ordered another couple as I do want to read more and probably eventually all of them. 4★'s

I liked The Last Werewolf a lot. Glad to hear he has other good ones.

@Joe, I've now read 4 of his books and am partway through a fifth. I've not rated any of them with less than 4★'s though each is quite different from the others. As well as the two most recent ones you can see my comments on his debut novel in Msg162 above.

Just wanted to let you know that I finally got around to reading Already dead. I really liked it, I saw Joe Pitt as the Philip Marlowe of vampires.

There was quite a stir on LT about 2 years ago for Charlie Huston's books but things seem to have settled down recently and you hardly see him mentioned any more. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for letting me know (even if I didn't know I was the inspiration for you picking that one up). I've read a couple of books in another series of his as well and can recommend them just as much. It was the Hank Thompson ones starting with Caught Stealing. Still very much in the Noir vein but without the paranormal twist.

>202 jnwelch: Excellent, thanks, Dave.

A Day and a Night and a Day by Glen Duncan

Augustus Rose, mixed race American and member of an anti-terrorist terrorist cell, has been captured and is being tortured (mostly left undescribed, thankfully) to reveal all he knows about his accomplices and his targets. He was recruited by an organisation called Sentinel after he lost someone dear to him in a terrorist attack while he was in Barcelona. He was being used to infiltrate the group responsible to get the information that will lead to some kind of justice in a vigilante kind of way when he was taken. During the period of his torture the only thing he can hold on to to blot out the pain are the memories of the loves of his life. The greatest of these being Selina whom he was first captivated by when their love was still considered taboo. A black man could not get together with a white woman at the time no matter his own Italian blood. As well as the memories we also get to see the relationship that forms between Augustus and Harper, his interrogator, and the burgeoning respect of these two men.

The narrative is quite fragmented as you get the memories interspersed with the interrogation and also a look ahead to what happens afterwards but this doesn't make the story any less riveting. You can't help but ponder the moral implications involved in the events of this story and Mr. Duncan again shows what a talent he is and who doesn't shy away from the unpleasant questions that life throws up. 4★'s

#205 your thread has inspired me to add a bunch of books to my tbr list. I tend to prefer to read books that are not in the height of their popularity (I borrow from the library and I have better luck getting my hands on them if they are a bit old...and if its part of a series I don't like to wait for the next book to be written). I'mstarting another series that you've mentioned Box Nine by Jack O'Connell

@Joybee, hope you enjoy Box Nine at least as much as I did. Will be watching to see what you think.

Priest by Ken Bruen

This book is number five in the Jack Taylor series and the brutal ending of the previous instalment means the start of this one finds him in a mental asylum. Some words from a fellow inmate manage to penetrate the fog that his life has become and a shred of sanity manages to make an appearance in Jack's life once again. Returning to Galway he finds that almost everything has changed, not just locally but on a national scale. Not back long, Jack is surprised when he is asked for a favour by Father Malachy, one time companion to Jack's mother and certainly no friend to him. Another priest was recently killed, beheaded in his own confessional, and Father Malachy wants Jack to look into things. Rumours abound that the dead priest was involved in the sexual abuse of young boys and this provides Jack with the starting point of his investigation.

As usual with this series there are a number of side issues that go along with the main quest and this time around Jack is also helping out Ridge, his lesbian Garda acquaintance, as she seems to have picked up a stalker. There's also young Cody who manages to insinuate himself as a new apprentice despite Jack's initial misgivings. Then there are also the previous events in Jack's life that have to be dealt with and the fallout that entails as well as the day-to-day struggle that is the everyday life of Jack Taylor.

Another wonderful entry into a magnificent series and though the ending is predictable there really could have been no other. 4½★'s

Juliet Naked by Nick Hornby

Annie is concerned that the long-term relationship she has with Duncan is just an existence and not really sure she hasn't wasted the last 15 years of her life. Broody and still childless she is getting to a stage where she is asking herself some big questions. So when a disagreement over the merits of a release of a studio sessions and demos album by their favourite reclusive musician culminates in obsessive fan Duncan seeing someone else Annie thinks it's time for change, especially when Tucker Crowe, the artist, e-mails her and agrees with the review she wrote. Tucker himself is coming to the end of another in a long string of failed relationships, 5 kids by 4 different women (and 2 of those were twins) tells it's own story, and is also at a turning point in his life. No new music for twenty years and now living off the generosity of another soon to be ex-partner he doesn't know what to do with himself or his 6 year old son, Jackson. More or less pushed into it, he finds himself packed off to London to see one of his estranged daughters who has just lost a child of her own. As soon as he arrives though he has a mild heart attack and said daughter thinks the thing to do would be to get all his family together to help him recuperate. This is the last thing Tucker wants and so prevails on Annie for an escape route to her hometown of Gooleness, a faded Northern seaside resort that has certainly seen better days.

This book is a wry look at obsessive behaviour of fandom and the myths they create to idolise the artists they adore and how the internet has enabled their passion as much as it is about the relationships of the people involved. There are some very funny moments which caused more than just a smile though I think the audience for this novel is somewhere around the middle-aged rather than a younger crowd as we can resonate more with the characters involved. 4★'s

3 books in 3 days enabled me to catch up with Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor series. They really are so good and easy to read (unless you hit an ending like the one in The Dramatist). Also working nights with not much to do certainly helped. Thought I might as well wait to review them all as a job lot.

Cross

A young man is crucified and the Guards have no leads whatsoever. Ridge thinks that Jack's nose for finding might be able to sniff something out and she badly wants the promotion that seems to be on offer to anyone who can crack the case. Jack agrees to help and soon finds himself in a whole heap of trouble (when is he not?). He's also agreed to investigate the disappearance of several dogs from the same neighbourhood but passes this on to someone else while he deals with the other case (and everything else that's going on in his life) but this end of things does not go well. We also find out how the ending of the previous book, Priest, transpires and also have Jack contemplating packing up and heading off to America as with the modernisation the old haunts of Galway are disappearing faster than his friends and acquaintances.

As hard hitting as a hurley to the kneecap. 4★'s

Sanctuary

His bags are packed and he's ready to go when Jack receives a phone call from Ridge asking for his help. She's just had the results back from some tests and her worst fears are confirmed a lump she found in her breast is malignant. Jack agrees to stick around to help her through the treatment. He's also been sent a list and at first Jack ignores the contents even when item 1, a priest, ends up dead after a hit and run accident Jack brushes this off as coincidence and no real concern of his. Only when item 2, a judge, also ends up dead does he raise his concerns with Superintendent Clancy who also dismisses the list outright so Jack decides to take matters into his own hands once again and attempts to discover who's responsible and why they involved him in their actions. Case #2 involves a threat to the daughter of one of Galway's high fliers and as Ridge needs something to do to prevent a descent into despondency, Jack passes this one on to her with unexpected consequences.

Probably the weakest book in the series but still a pretty good read. 3½★'s

The Devil

Refused entry to the US, Jack is back in Galway and is asked to look into the disappearance of a student. Initial investigations point to an occultist and when the student turns up dead with an inverted cross gouged into his skin this seems to confirm that belief. So who is this mysterious Mr. K and why does everyone who has a friendly conversation with Jack seem to be ending up dead all of a sudden? Is it all coincidence or has Jack finally met the worst adversary there is? 4★'s

This is a terrific series that has maintained a high consistency through the 8 books so far (a 9th has just been released) and I urge fans of the darker side of crime writing to check this one out if you have not already done so. Start with book #1, The Guards though as it really does need to be read in order.

Vurt by Jeff Noon

What would happen if Philip K. Dick was around to discover the New Weird movement? It might end up something like this.

Scribble is a member of the Stash Riders who use the Vurt feathers to explore different levels of virtual reality. On one of their trips his sister, Desdemona, was left behind and was exchanged with a vurt alien and all Scrib wants is to get her back again. To do so, he'll have to find that rarest of feathers, the Curious Yellow. The yellow feathers are not for the weak though so there's going to be some casualties along the way that's presuming they make it out again if they get there, not everyone does.

Set around the Manchester area of the UK in some near/alternate future there is a lot of very strange things happening in this book and it took me a while before I decided if I was going to enjoy the ride or not but in the end I did. There are some fantastic characters in this book and my hometown setting helped a bit as well. This is a pretty good effort for a first novel and I'll certainly be on the lookout for more by the author. 4★'s

Year End Stats

Total books read: 84

Primary Tag
Classics 1
Graphic Novels 4
Fantasy 11
Sci-Fi 9
Crime 20
Mystery 1
Adventure 1
Historical Fiction 2
Noir 8
Mystery 4
Fiction / Contemporary Fiction 8
Spy / Thriller 3
Horror / Supernatural 4
Humour 1
Urban Fantasy 7

Original Language
English 72
French 3
Spanish 3
Albanian 1
Japanese 2
Russian 2
Peruvian 1

Author
Male 76
Female 7
Unknown 1

Thanks to all who have followed and contributed to my thread this year. You've helped to make it a good reading year and I hope you all enjoyed the same. Happy New Year to you all and may 2012 be even better. See you all next year.