Caroline's TV Character Challenge 2014

I decided to go with a theme this year. I have tried to match each character with a genre of book.

Another part of this challenge will be to read every book I list under each category. This will be a big challenge for me. It means no backlog of books. Can I do it? Hopefully I won't have an attack of nerves and go out and buy more books.

Since I am determined to read each book I have listed I am posting a ticker:

Castiel (Supernatural) – Castiel is an Angel of the Lord. My favorite description of Castiel is “Vulcan insurance salesman.” He is sweet and childlike and a bit clueless. He looks up to Dean Winchester and follows him around like a puppy. The books in this category are all Supernatural or Spiritual.



1. Strange Angel by George Pendle (Finished 02-07-2014)
2. The Reincarnation of Peter Proud by Max Ehlich (Finished 03/15/2014)

The Doctor (Doctor Who) – I started watching Doctor Who on PBS when I was a teenager. The first Doctor I saw was Tom Baker. The next Doctor was Peter Davison and I saw all of his episodes and had a bit of a crush on him or maybe I just have a crush on the Doctor. This category is for British Science Fiction authors.



1. Doctor Who: The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter (Finished 01/15/14)
2. The Long War by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter (Finished 09/21/2014)
3. Space 1999 Born for Adversity by David A. McIntee (Finished 12/13/2014)

Starbuck (Original Battlestar Galactica) – Starbuck is a rouge in the same vein as Han Solo. He smokes cigars, plays cards, and loves the ladies. I will be reading American Science Fiction authors for this category.



1. Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi (Finished 12-28-2013)

Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock) – I have just become a fan of the BBC series, but I have been a fan of Sherlock Holmes since I saw Basil Rathbone play him in the 1940s black and white Universal Studies productions. Until Bennedict Cumberbatch came along I would have said Jeremy Brett was the best Sherlock. This category is for Mysteries and Detective Novels of course.



1. Alive! (Valentino Mystery) by Loren D. Estleman (Finished 03-29-2014)
2. Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovich (Finished 06-12-2014)

Methos (Highlander: The Series) – How can you not love a 5,000 year old man! He is a sarcastic smart aleck, but he cares for others especially his friends Duncan and Joe. Methos has survived for years by his wits, but don’t think that because he won’t fight that he can’t fight. This will be my Fantasy category this year.



1. The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett (Finished 02/23/2014)
2. Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett (Finished 11/27/2014)

Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer / Angel) – Spike is a punk rock, love lorn Vampire. He started on the show as a bad guy, but then he fell in love with Buffy Summers. A actually went through grueling trials to get back his soul so he could be the man she wanted. But he wasn’t the man she wanted, Angel is that man. Poor Spike! I have been reading a series of comics about Spike that are an off shoot of the Buffy comic series. This is where you will find my Graphic Novel reads.



1. Ghost Omnibus 4 by Chris Warner (Finished 12-23-2013)
2. X-Men Days of Future Past by Chris Claremont (Finished 03-29-2014)
3. Spike Into the Light by James Marsters (Finished 11-29-2014)
4. Civil War by Mark Millar (Finished 11-29-2014)
5. Wonder Woman Amazon Hero Icon by Bob Greenberger (Finished 12-23-2014)

Rupert Giles (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) – The sexy British librarian. Enough said. This is my ARC category.



1. The Devil's Workshop (Scotland Yard's Murder Squad) by Alex Grecian (Finished 05-10-2014)
2. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett (Finished 07-06-2014)
3. Vixens Vamps & Vipers by Mike Madrid (Finished 08-06-2014)
4. The Quick by Lauren Owen (Finished 08-16-2014)

Ah Methos is one of my most favorite characters ever! Spike is also definitely up there, lol.

Hi craso, great theme ! Love Spike and Giles, he is bad ass when he wants too !

Hi Caroline!!

Welcome to the challenge!!

I thought you had a great theme, and then I got to Spike and it moved to one of the best themes! ;)

I didn't find Buffy until it had gone off the air and unfortunately I seemed to get spoiled on everything, but it is still my favorite of all time!

Can't wait to follow along!

Ah Methos... Love him!

Thank you everyone....but wait there's more to come!

Fox Mulder (The X-Files) – No one every believes FBI Agent Mulder. Not even his partner Scully totally believes him. All he wants to do is find out what happened to his little sister. Was she abducted by aliens or was it a vast government conspiracy? And what about all those creepy mutants and weirdoes! Beware! You will find Horror novels here!



1. Behind the Mask of the Horror Actor by Doug Bradley (Finished 04-26-2014)
2. The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker (Finished 10-11-2014)
3. Vampires The Myths, Legends, and Lore by Aubrey Sherman (Finished 10-15-2014)
4. Monstrous Beauty by Marie Brennan (Finished 11-29-2014)
5. Angelique's Descent by Lara Palmer (Finished 12-28-2014)

Walt Longmire (Longmire) – My parents turned me on to this series. Sheriff Longmire is an old time town sheriff trying to survive in the modern world. Sometimes the old ways are the best. I am trying Westerns this year.



1. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (Finished 05-27-2014)

Lieutenant Comander Data (Star Trek: TNG) Data is the Tin Man looking for a heart. He wants so much to be human, yet he is already more compassionate and understanding than some humans. This category is Non-Fiction.



1. Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton (Finished 09-28-2014)

Yay Data! And yay Wil Wheaton!!

It's funny, I wanted to use Data for non-fiction and the only non-fiction book I have to read is by Wil Wheaton!

I admit I watch too much TV so it's no surprise that I am familiar with every one of your characters. Have you seen this video yet? Merry Christmas! Have a great reading year.

BRILLIANT!!! Thank you mamzel! I know there is a fan base for Wholock and Superwholock. I've seen memes on Pinterest.

You've made my Christmas brighter!

I strongly approve of your inclusion of CumberSherlock :D And Data is very cool too. Great setup!

We have a number of categories in common this year, Caroline. The 2014 Challenge looks like it's going to be a fun one!

#21 Thanks. I've always loved Sherlock and Cumberbatch has done a fine job with the character. Data is very cool!

#22 I think this is my favorite talk group of all the ones I've been in. I'm sure 2014 will be great!

Love your categories and the guys -

have to say that Walt Longmire is one person I would want at my door if I was in a world of trouble.

I love Methos, and Doctor Who and Spike! And Fox Molder & Giles! And I am sorry, but Starbuck should be a guy!! I mean really StarBUCK. So yeah, Starbuck from the original series! No Angel or Booth?

I wish I could be so creative with my categories!

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

#24 He's a good old fashioned cowboy and you can depend on him.

#25 I prefer Spike to Angel. Guess I like bad boys.

This is the first year I've been creative with my categories. I had to really think about what books would go with what character. I wanted to put Rory Williams on the thread, but I couldn't match him to a genre. Unless I have a category for faithful Roman Centurians who die a lot. Poor Rory.

Rory, OMG Rory, can a man be any more romantic & faithful? I think if you look up steadfast in the dictionary there is a picture of Rory. Who knew Moffatt had it in him? How about timeless love stories? The last of their kind? Miracles? Quiet Heroes?

"Will she be safer if I stay? Look me in the eye and tell me she wouldn't be safer. "

"So the Universe ended. You missed that. 102 A.D. I suppose this means you and I never get born at all. Twice in my case. You would have laughed at that. Please laugh. The Doctor said the Universe was huge and ridiculous and sometimes there were miracles. I could do with a ridiculous miracle about now. "

"Right. Putting Hitler in the cupboard. Cupboard, Hitler. Hitler, cupboard, c'mon."

"This is the right thing to do. This will work. If I die now, it's a paradox, right? The paradox will kill the Angels. Tell me I'm wrong. Go on, please, because I'm really scared"

And of course what Amy says about him:

There's someone coming. I don't know where he is, or what he's doing, but trust me, he's on his way. … There's a man who will never let us down. And not even an army can get in the way. … He's the last of his kind. He looks young but he's lived for hundreds and hundreds for years. And wherever they take you, Melody, however scared you are, I promise you, you'll never be alone. … Because this man is your father. … He has a name but the people of our world know him better ... as the Last Centurion.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

You are right. If I read romance novels Rory is the man!

Wonderful to see your thread up and running, Caroline!

Thanks Lori!

>28 craso: romance is too sappy for Rory. More like Terry Goodkind's series The Sword of Truth.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

You are right Bruce's evil twin! None of my friends really understood how important it was that Rory protected Amy for 1000 years! I can't imagine anyone more loyal!

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Title Ghost Omnibus Volume 4 by Mike Kennedy
Format IPad
Rating 4 1/2 Stars
Category Spike (Graphic Novels)



In this volume Ghost gets some answers about her life as Elisa Cameron and she finds out she technically isn’t a ghost. A lot of the people who live in Arcadia have psy-powers. Her power is to pass into a world inside herself and then pass from that world into another place which works like teleportation. She was recruited into a secret project run by Doctor Trouvaile. The experiment takes the spirit or astral body from a person and then deposits the spirit of someone from another dimension into the empty shell. When the procedure is done on her not only her spirit left, but her body did as well. She went into the in-between world she had created and when she came out she thought she was a ghost with no memory of her life.

A spiritual medium named Concordia comes to Ghost with the complaints of the spirits that are neither dead nor alive and cannot go “into the light” to their final reward. Trouvaile’s project was a way for invaders from another dimension to come into ours. Ghost finds out that the same experiment was done on her sister. She also discovers that the reason she could not remember her life as Elisa Cameron was because of memory blocks put in by Focus, the person who was supposed to be helping her find out about her past. This is quite a blow to Ghost since she thought she could trust this woman.

This looks like the end of the Ghost Omnibus Series. There are two cross-over comics; Ghost/Hellboy and Ghost/Batgirl. Dark Horse has brought back the heroine in a tamer series set in Chicago where she is fighting extra-dimensional demons.

I liked how the writer brought in all of the wild stories from the different comics and organized them into a plausible explanation. The author took characters from as far back as the beginning of the series and kept the continuity while establishing a new plotline. Too bad we won’t find out if Ghost can get her sister Margo back into her body or what happens to Silhouette, the immigrant spirit from a world that exists along side ours.

Title Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi
Format IPad
Rating 4 Stars
Category Starbuck (American Science Fiction)



Ensign Andrew Dahl is excited to be stationed on the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid. He becomes friends with a group of new crew members and they start to swap stories. Seems every time science office Q’eeng goes to their sections looking for personnel for away missions the section heads go for coffee. After almost dying on a mission Dahl looks into how many new crew members have been killed on away missions and discovers the percentage is higher on the Intrepid than any other ship in the Universal Union fleet.

John Scalzi takes the Star Trek redshirt myth and creates a whole book around it. He even throws in something I have always questioned “Why was Chekov always getting beaten up of infected?” At one point I was upset because I thought he was intimating that Star Trek was a badly written show. Then I realized he meant the fictional show The Chronicles of The Intrepid. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few episodes of Star Trek that I never watch because they are pretty bad, just don’t say that the whole show was poorly written.

The three codas at the end were interesting. I liked how the author took three characters out of the novel and told their stories in first, second, and third person perspective.

I have been recommending this book to all of my friends who like Star Trek. It’s a quick read and a clever idea for a Science Fiction novel.

Here is a picture of the two bookcases our friend Bruce made for me and my husband. He is truly and outstanding woodworker.

Oooooooo I see a Tardis! :D Nice bookshelves too.

Also, yay, glad you liked Redshirts!

It's a TARDIS with a Darlek attacking! It makes whoop whoop sounds when you move it around.

Redshirts was a fun quick read. I saw so many people reading last year and liking it that I bought a copy.

I have a TARDIS and Dalek on my bookshelves, too! Love your categories. :)

Thank you! Okay I will confess, the TARDIS and Dalek are my husbands. We both are fans of Doctor Who. By-the-way the Dalek moves and says "EXTERMINATE!!!"

Wonderful bookcases! Of course, I had to glance again to locate the Tardis.... ;-)

Fab categories, you're going to have a lot of fun this year!

#39 Hi Lori! Virginiahomeschooler has a keen eye for locating the TARDIS. Bruce built a smaller bookcase for me two years ago. These bookcases are the nicest furniture we own.

#40 Thanks soffitta1!

Nice shelves! Methinks I spy some Jasper Fforde hardcovers on there...

Thank you! Yes, I have all his books except his young adult series. I wish he would come out with a sequel to Shades of Grey. Heck, another Thursday Next is always welcome!

Agreed! Shades of Grey wasn't my favorite of his, but I'd still love to see what happens now that he's done setting up his world. I have The Last Dragonslayer but haven't gotten around to it yet…also still haven't read The Woman Who Died a Lot! Darn it, I'll just *have* to read some more of his stuff this year!

I would be interested in your opinion of The Last Dragonslayer. If this is the only series he is writing for a while I guess I'll need to start reading it. Poor thing! You must be way behind not to have read The Woman Who Died a Lot! You are right, you *have* to read some of his books this year!

It's especially funny because I bought The Woman Who Died a Lot shortly after it came out (fall 2012)...yet I still haven't read it yet! I will certainly post a review of The Last Dragonslayer when I get to it.

Hi Caroline, that's a great review of Red Shirts which I am hoping to read later on this year. I always enjoyed the original Star Trek TV show so I am hoping that Red Shirts hits the mark with me.

Thanks Judy, I still watch the original Star Trek on Netflix. Since reading RedshirtsI've been looking out for the plot points mentioned in the book; redshirts on away missions, Chekov getting injured or infected, etc. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Oh my gosh, I LOVE your categories, Caroline! Can't wait to see what you read this year!

Hi Laura! Thanks for dropping by!

What a great set-up. I too had a bit of a crush on Davison's Doctor.

Thanks Eva! What's really funny is I now have a crush on his son in law David Tennant!

Who doesn't have a crush on David Tennant??? That lovely accent! The amazing acting! The hair and coat as the 10th Doctor! Even as the geeky guy in Learners he was kind of sexy.

DS
(Bruce's evil twin :-))

>53 bruce_krafft: Have to agree with that. Love David Tennant.

Ditto what 53 said. Helloooooo, David!

Okay, we are all in agreement! David Tennant is hot!

Speaking of The Doctor.....

Title The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter
Format IPad
Rating 4 Stars
Category The Doctor (British Science Fiction)



The TARDIS becomes trapped in a Relative Continuum Displacement Zone in the rings of Saturn. The Doctor, Zoe and Jamie are saved by the inhabitants on The Mnemosyne Cincture otherwise known as The Wheel of Ice, a mining colony that surrounds one of Saturn’s moons. The TARDIS cannot move until the hole in time is fixed. When The Doctor and his companions try to solve the mystery they become embroiled in the social problems of The Wheel. Young people have started to rebel against the strict working conditions. There are also the sightings of “Blue Dolls” who are sabotaging the mining equipment.

I have only seen a few episodes of Doctor Who during the second doctor’s tenure. He is characterized as a clownish grandfatherly figure who tries to teach his companions as they look for an explanation to the mystery of the hole in time. He asks questions like “how is Jamie doing?” or “tell me Zoe what you see.” The Doctor is the voice of reason and uses his years of knowledge to save the day without resorting to violence. He stands up to authority and pays little attention to his own well-being even sacrificing himself to save others.

The companions take center stage in the story. We hear their inner thoughts not The Doctors. Jamie is sweet and heroic. He gets along well with the rebellious teenagers and takes them under his wing. Zoe is very logical and egotistical. She comes from a time and place where knowledge is more important than human interaction. As the story goes she becomes more open to the people she meets even successfully babysitting a three year old.

The novel was like watching a Doctor Who episode. I never thought about how the series scripts were structured until I read this book. The Doctor and his companions are stuck somewhere where the population is being oppressed by authority. Aliens appear and are shot at because they are misunderstood. The Doctor fixes the social problems, saves the aliens, punishes the authority figure, and everyone learns a lesson. I recommend this book to all those Doctor Who fans out there whether they are fans of the Second Doctor or the Eleventh Doctor.

What excellent themes and titles! I also keep seeing pleased reviews of Redshirts -- it keeps making its way up my list.... Hope to enjoy some more of what you have to share!

I love Dr Who but have never read any of the books, I'm tempted by this one :)

Great categories and theme. I was excited to see Castiel. He's a favorite of mine on the show. I don't know any one in real life who watches Supernatural except the former co-worker who got me hooked on it. I also enjoyed your review of Redshirts. I've had that one on the tbr list for awhile and am hoping to get to it one of these days.

#58 Thank you pamab. Redshirts is very popular. I think it won a Hugo award.

#59 Hi lilywren! I've only read this one and a Fifth Doctor one called Shada. I had never read a Doctor Who book before either. There are a plethora of them out there right now because last year was the 50th Anniversary of the show.

#60 Thank you staci426. My stepson got me to watch Supernatural. I watch it on Netflix so I am always a season behind. In fact I am now 2 seasons behind! I enjoyed Redshirts because I've seen every episode of the original Start Trek series a dozen times. It is also a fun well written sci fi book.

I just finished reading a book for my ROOT thread and I loved it so much I decided to post the review here as well.

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Title The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux
Format Hardback
Rating 5 Stars



Thirteen year old Charlie Fox and his family live on a farm in New England where Charlie’s father, Allie Fox, works keeping the machinery going and doing odd jobs. Allie, called Father by everyone, hates America and believes there is a war coming that will destroy it. Father is a cantankerous inventor who constantly talks about drug addicts, unethical businessmen, junk food, the poor education system, foreign products sold in American stores, having to lock your doors, etc. America is a moral cesspool and he wants to get out. He creates an ice box that doesn’t need electricity. Father decides he will save himself and his family by finding the most uncivilized village in South America and bring ice to savages.

The character of Allie Fox is one I will always remember. Father is a narcissist with a messianic complex, a genius with an inflated ego. He charms people while insulting them. People love him and fear him all at the same time. He is always right until he finally, like all human beings, makes a mistake and it drives him insane.

Charlie is the narrator of the novel. He loves his father and looks to him for safety and security. He believes in his father and all of his crazy schemes. Father bullies Charlie and torments him telling him it will make him a better man. It takes a long time for the Charlie to realize that Father is out of his mind and to try to save himself and his family.

I enjoyed the use of foreshadowing in this novel. The most memorable is when Charlie wakes up in the middle of the night and realizes Father isn’t in their house. He goes out to find him and sees the field workers putting up a scarecrow. He thinks they have killed father and roped him to a cross. Later in one of Father’s delirious rants he yells “Jesus is a scarecrow!”

The main idea in this novel is you shouldn’t play God. Father believes God is a like a small boy who is playing with a top and then leaves the room. Father is the one who can keep that top spinning. Everything goes well at the beginning of the novel. The whole family works hard day in and day out to build Father’s dream of a home, farm and an ice house. Once they start producing ice they go to a small impoverished village to show them the miracle only to discover that missionaries have already showed them ice. In fact missionaries are everywhere. This makes Father very angry because he wants to bring ice to true savages that have never seen a civilized man. Allie wants to be the savior of the savages.

I can never understood people who go to another country and force their way of life on the natives. The natives have been living there for years, they know the best way to live. When Father is away and Mother takes over the Fox children start playing with the native children who teach them how to survive. They build their own village, learn what plants are edible and enjoy their time away from Father. Mother learns how the cook meals like the ladies who live near them. This is the way you survive, through adapting,

I haven’t read such a literate novel in a long time. The characters are fully formed and engaging. The story is full of deep meaning. The ending is a bit savage, but appropriate. I highly recommend this book.

Did you have Harrison Ford in mind for the dad as you read it?

A similar theme was in The Poisonwood Bible which featured another father who dragged his family into the the jungle to impose civilization on the natives. Have you read that one yet? I remember the scene where the natives sneaked eggs into their hens' nests because they felt sorry for the family.

Have you seen Peter Capaldi's costume? It was unveiled yesterday. Exciting! :)

#63 Hi mamzel. Yes, I thought of Harrison Ford the whole time I was reading the book. I'll have to try The Poisonwood Bible. I know it's a popular book. One of the natives tries to help the family in The Mosquito Coast, but Father shuns him because he sells the expensive watch Father gives him to buy a boat. It's like Father thought keeping the watch was more important than using it to buy something that will help the man make a living. Mr. Haddy leaves a drum of gas and spark plugs for their outboard motor. Father thinks someone just threw it away like trash when he finds it, but Charlie knows what really happened.

#64 Yes! rabbitprincess! Yes! It looks classy steampunk. Reminded me of the dapper Doctor Jon Pertwee. Long dark blue coat with a red silk lining. Shinny black shoes. Outstanding! I hope he is more like some of the old doctors. Although I do love the new ones as well. :-)

I found Poisonwood one of those books that you had to push through the first 100 pages before really getting into the story but then it was worth it. I wonder which of these books was written first and what other similarities there are.

I had one of those 'ah ha' moments when mamzel asked about Harrison Ford. The book is that movie. Your review was driving me crazy.... I kept thinking, "Why does this sound oddly familiar when I have never read any Theroux?". I can now face the world without that thought driving me crazy. That's a relief. ;-)

Even though I haven't seen the movie I can see Harrison Ford as Father. Harrison can be very cantankerous. It's interesting how many people have seen the movie. It was actually the lowest grossing movie of Harrison Ford's career.

Lori, So glad I was able to clear that up for you! ;-)

Title Strange Angel by George Pendle
Format iBook
Rating 4 Stars



During the Great Depression people were searching for a way out of the crushing poverty. Some young people looked to science or science fiction for answers. Jack Parsons and his best friend Ed Forman decided they were going to the moon. They experimented in rocketry which was thought as fanciful science fiction stories at the time. A newspaper article about scientist Robert Goddard claimed that it was impossible to ignite a rocket in the vacuum of space. Goddard was humiliated and retreated to New Mexico. The two young men and many other rocketeers continued to work on their dream.

Jack Parsons and Ed Forman were part of a team of Rocketeers at California Technical Institute called the Suicide Squad. Parsons was a master of explosives and propellants. He worked with Ed Forman who engineered the rockets and mathematician Frank Malina. Neither Parsons nor Forman ever attained a formal college education yet they were welcomed to Caltech by Theodore von Karman a professor at the Institute. They were eventually successful during World War II and were the first to create solid fuel rockets, but that isn’t the end of the story.

Parson’s was killed in an accidental explosion at his home in 1952. After his death the newspapers discovered he had a strange personal life. Parsons was a follower of Aleister Crowley and the leader of a sect of OTO or Ordo Templi Orientis. Followers paid Crowley an annual subscription and fees each time they progressed along the ten degrees of attainment. Crowley was a huckster who used the naïve and charismatic Parsons to propound his religion of Thelma in Southern California. Parson’s friends thought he was eccentric and enjoyed the parties at his OTO compound in Pasadena. They didn’t realize that Parsons was mentally ill and dabbling in black magic, something Crowley even warned against.

The author does a good job relating the times that Parson lived and how they affected his life. He was influenced by the Great Depression, the strong science fiction community in Los Angeles, and the many cults that sprang up in California. Parsons met authors Jack Williamson, Robert Heinlein and L. Ron Hubbard. He also became hunted by the House on Un-American Activities as many scientists did in the red scare of the 1950s.
I was attracted to this book by the strange life Jack Parsons lead. What I learned from it was the history of the beginning of rocket science in America. If you are fascinated in aerospace, NASA, or how cults manipulate people then you will find a lot of interest in this book.

Sounds like Parson was quite a character. I do like how the cover is reminiscent of old illusionists' posters.

Hi Eva, you are right it does look like a magician's poster. He was supposedly handsome and charismatic with his pencil thin mustache. He actually thought he was a magician and could conjure up elemental demons...mmm yeah. :-)

Haha - so QUITE a character, then... :)

Title The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett
Format Paperback
Rating 4 Stars
Category Methos (Fantasy)



George Carole desperately wants to join the vaudeville troupe run by the great Heironomo Silenus the man he believes to be his father. George questions people who have seen Silenus’s troupe perform, but they only vaguely remember the performance. They recall a puppet act, a strong woman or maybe another puppet show, a beautiful dancing girl and then nothing. The last act is mysterious and mesmerizing and is the reason why the troupe is being pursued by dark forces that are trying to envelop the world.

This novel is part creation myth, part coming-of –age story, part fairy tale, and part horror story. The world was created with a song that helps to prevent darkness from taking over. The troupe performs the song at the end of the show to strengthen the world. They are also constantly on the lookout for more parts to the tune. Throughout the novel different characters try to play God or creator with horrible consequences. This is the main theme of the novel, though it has a lot of other fantasy elements.

The first three acts are only there to keep the crowds coming in. The first act is a puppeteer with freaky scary puppets that reminded me of the movie Puppet Master. The second act, and my favorite character in the novel, is a strong woman named Franny who is wrapped from head to toe in bandages like the Bride of Frankenstein and acts like a somnambulant. Franny and the mute cellist Stanley are the most sympathetic characters in the story. The third act is a beautiful dancer who claims to be a Persian princess.

George is sixteen at the beginning of the book. The story is a journey of discovery for him. He learns who he is, where he came from and how he is different from others. He has an unrequited love and in the end a long lasting true love.

Yes, with all this going on the author has time to through in some fairies. These are strange intriguing characters who wear masks to hide their years. They are sadistic, cruel, self-absorbed and cunning like most interpretations of fairies. Oh, and did I mention the Greek gods of the north, south, east and west winds? They make an appearance as well.

With all these elements going on in the story it was still a coherent narrative. How George fixes everything in the end is a little far-fetched, but I enjoyed the ride. The story moves fast and I looked forward to picking the book up and continuing reading to see what was coming up next.

>74 craso: Great review, it's weird and intriguing, of course it's going on the BB list !

Hello electrice! Thank you. Weird and intriguing is a good description of the books I read. I gather it is for you as well!

Title The Reincarnation of Peter Proud by Max Ehrlich
Format Paperback
Rating 3 1/2 Stars
Category Castiel (Spiritual / Supernatural)



Peter Proud has been having strange dreams. To relieve himself of these dreams, sometimes nightmares, he goes to a sleep study center. The researchers performing the study tell him that he isn’t dreaming. Instead they are hallucinations or maybe memoirs. He is told that the human mind must dream every night or the person will go mad. Frightened by that thought, Peter starts searching for answers. He goes to a spiritual counselor who tells him about his past lives, all but the last life. When Peter asks about his present life the spiritualist says he has been chosen as a prophet. He then goes to a parapsychologist who hypnotizes him to regress him back to his last life and is fascinated and excited by the discovery. If Peter can explore his last life and prove that he was another person before this life then he would be the founder or a whole new spiritual movement. Unfortunately, every new religion needs a martyr.

This is an intelligent and well researched novel. The author explores ideas such as “Oninnonk” an Iroquois belief that dreams are important and must be acted upon. Of course the other important topic of the novel and the reason I read the book is reincarnation. Ehrlich covers all the bases; children describing places they have never been, meeting a stranger and having an immediate rapport, having an experience of going somewhere for the first time and feeling like you belong there, child prodigies who master things that take most people years of practice. Even Bridey Murphy, a housewife in the 1950s who was regressed to a past life in 19th Century Ireland, is brought up from time to time. All of these concepts are what made this an interesting read for me.

The disappointing part of the book is that it is a thriller. As a thriller the author cannot take the logical path to a sensible conclusion. Instead he has to end the novel with a bang, literally. That is why I am not giving the book more stars. My ending would be more spiritual, that Peter learned of his past to work through his karma and heal those he hurt in his past life. Why else would you be born again?

Just spent the morning indulging in a comic book reading frenzy.

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Title X-Men Days of Future Past
Format Paperback
Rating4 Stars
Spike (Graphic Novel)

I am not doing a formal review, just putting down a few thoughts. I bought X-Men Days of Future Past last week, because I wanted to bone up on the X-Men before the new movie. There is a large hardcover also titled Days of Future Past that probably had more to do with the movie, but I didn't want to put out the time or money.

This graphic novel collects Uncanny X-Men #138-143 and features the newest X-men Kitty Pryde. The first comic is a overview of the history of the X-Men through The Dark Phoenix story arch. Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix has just been killed and Cyclops decides to leave the team for awhile. Storm is the new leader with Wolverine, Night Crawler, Colossus, and Arch Angel rounding out the team. Kitty Pryde arrives at the school to start training. The next story arch is features Dr. Strange. The team travels into Dante's Inferno to rescue Night Crawler. Wolverine and Night Crawler then travel to Canada so Wolverine can formally resign from the secret service. They team up with Alpha Flight to battle The Wendigo.

We finally come to the title story Days of Future Past. In the future the Sentinels have killed on imprisoned most of the mutant population and destroyed North America. Kate Pryde with the help of a mental mutant named Rachel, sends her mind into the past body of young Kitty Pryde to protect presidential candidate Robert Kelly from being assassinated by the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. This triggers the hatred and fear of mutants and the building if the Sentinels.

The last story is a home alone story with Kitty alone in the X-Men mansion at Christmas with a demon monster attacking her.

I enjoyed most of the stories, got some good back round material for the new movie, and decided this is my favorite X-Men team up.

---------------------

Dark Horse digital is having a $.99 sale on Angel and Faith comics so I bought the last 5 for the season ending story arch. Giles was killed by Angel at the and of Buffy Season 8 and Angel has been trying to find enough magic to resurrect him. Angel, Faith, a wizard, and two of Giles aunts finally bring him back ....
as a 12 year old boy!

---------------------

I also bought the last 2 comics of a Battlestar Galactic story arch featuring the origin of Starbuck from Dynamite comics. Good storyline, but not well written and the art work wasn't that hot. I did however hear Lorne Green, Richard Hatch, and Dirk Benedict speaking the lines as I read the story. Good ideas about how Starbuck was orphaned, where he got the cigars, gambling and love of the ladies, and how Baltar became a member of the council of twelve. So far the only really good Dynamite comics I have read are the Dark Shadows ones. The Shadow and Battlestar Galactica have both been disappointing.

–-----------------------

That's my geek out for the day! Hope you enjoyed it .... I know I did!

I just finished my first read in my Sherlock category Alive! A Valentino Mystery by Loren D. Estleman. Will post a review tomorrow.

Hurray for comic book binges and the first book completed in a category! :)

Hi rabbitprincess! Yup, this is my first read in the Sherlock category!

------------------------------------------

Title Alive! A Valentino Mystery by Loren D. Estleman
Format Hardback
Rating 4 Stars
Category Sherlock (Mysteries)



A friend of Valentino’s, washed up action film star Craig Hunter, is found beaten to death in a known mobster’s bar. The last person he phoned was Valentino. Val goes to comfort Hunter’s grieving ex-wife and finds a case full of books about Universal monster movies. The amateur detective and film preservationist discovers that Hunter was trying to broker a deal for a long lost screen test for Frankenstein. Universal had wanted the iconic monster to be played by there then reigning horror film star Bela Lugosi. The screen test was so awful that the studio ordered it burned. Was the film saved from destruction and if so is it valuable enough that someone would kill for it?

This is the third book in the Valentino series. I like reading this series because of the film history. Estleman did a lot of research for this novel and included a bibliography of resources at the end.

One of the characters in this installment is a young man who is part of the Steampunk movement. The author writes about the clothes, music, and basic esthetics of Steampunk. It fits in well with the Frankenstein theme of the book.

Like all of the books in this series, it is an enjoyable read that I recommend to anyone interested in classic movies and likes a good mystery.

-------------------------------------------

My husband gave me this book last November for my birthday. When I unwrapped it and showed my friends the cover everyone thought it was a horror novel. I had to explain that it was a mystery involving the movie Frankenstein. Great cover! Took me awhile to realize that the girl is dressed Steampunk.

Comic binges are great! Love the X-Men - Storm is one of my favs along with Wolverine - as well as some of the other comic book heroes like the Green Lantern.

I've always liked Storm. I wasn't interested in Wolverine until Hugh Jackman played him in the movies. It's funny, Wolverine is supposed to be like 5'4" in the comics and Hugh is over 6". I also like Night Crawler and Gambit.

I've read more DC comics than Marvel and the ladies are my favorites. In fact, I am wearing a Wonder Woman t-shirt as I write this. I don't read DC anymore. I don't like the changes that happened with the New 52.

I’m trying to find a better way to do quarterly reports. Hopefully this will make sense.
----------------------------------------------------
QUARTERLY REPORT

Castiel
Strange Angel by GeorgePendle 4 Stars
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud by Max Ehrlich 3 1/2 Stars

The Doctor
Doctor Who: The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter 4 Stars

Starbuck
Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi 4 Stars

Sherlock
Alive! (Valentino Mystery) by Loren D. Estleman 4 Stars

Methos
The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett 4 Stars

Spike
*Ghost Omnibus 5 by Chris Warner 5 1/2 Stars
X-Men Days of Future Past by Chris Claremont 4 Stars

Rupert Giles
**No books read this quarter.

Fox Mulder
No books read this quarter.

Walt Longmire
No books read this quarter.

Lieutenant Comander Data
No Books read this quarter.

Total Books Read: 8
Total Pledged For This Year: 25
Favorite Reads This Quarter

Strange Angel by GeorgePendle
Doctor Who: The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter
The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett

*I Saw Ghost Omnibus 5 offered on Amazon. Didn’t know there was another omnibus. I will have to wait until the digital copy is offered on Dark Horse.
**I am getting The Devil’s Workshop by Alex Grecian from Early Reviewers. That should take care of this category for next quarter.

------------------------------------------------------
Reading a ROOT book right now The Wind Through the Keyhole: A Dark Tower Novel by Stephen King. I haven't picked out my next category read. It might be The Devil's Workshop if it get here soon. :-)

My husband and I have been watching all the Universal Studios classic horror movies this week so I decided my next read should be Behind the Mask of the Horror Actor. I was going to wait and read it for Halloween but what the heck.

Title Behind the Mask of the Horror Actor by Doug Bradley
Format Paperback
Rating 3 1/2 Stars
Category Fox Mulder (Horror)



Masks have been used in religious rites, theatrical productions, and movies. In this book Doug Bradley, better known as Pinhead from Hellraiser, delves into the world of makeup and masks. The book is structured chronologically beginning with a historical view of masks that moves on to the classic horror movie actors; Lon Chaney, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Christopher Lee to name a few. He also interviewed several newer horror film actors including Robert England and the many stuntmen who have played Jason and Michael Myers. He sprinkles here and there memories from his own career and then ends the book with chapters devoted to his work on Hellraiser.

It was interesting to find out how the movie make up was applied and the hardships that the actors went through. It truly seemed to transform them into different people. Boris Karloff endured a lot to create his beloved monster, so much so that he helped to establish the Screen Actors Guild so that actors have a voice when it comes to harsh treatment on film sets.

I am not a fan of Pinhead. I read this book because I am a fan of the classic horror films from Universal and Hammer Studios. Except for a very interesting chapter at the beginning on the history of mask use in the theater and the chapters on older monster film legends, this book was disappointing. Bradley is a good writer and he kept my attention throughout the book, but it is geared toward the fans of Bradley’s work and I am not a fan. If you like both the older and newer horror films especially the films of Doug Bradley then you will enjoy this book much more than I did.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So here's a question for those who have just read this review. Does anyone have a recommendation for a well written book about the history of the theater from Greek tragedies through the 18th Century? The small chapter in this book on the history of masks in the theater has wetted my appetite. I am looking for something entertaining and informative not a college text book. I will be most grateful for any suggestions.

The only thing I can offer is a book we have called The Theatre: A Concise History by Phyllis Harnoll. The record says it's geared for a YA audience but I would say it's more advanced than that. It abounds with paintings and drawings (alas, in B&W).

The Hellraiser movies make my skin crawl but I've always been intrigued by the Pinhead character. If you are interested, there is a reality competition series called Face Off where contestants compete in creating makeup for characters. It's fun to watch. They've had some very creative people participate. You get a good idea how some effects are done.

Hi mamzel! Thank you for the book suggestion. Something beginner level might be good for me. I can't believe I never took a drama or theater class in college. Sometimes I am amazed by the gaps in my education.

I've seen commercials for Face Off and it looks like they do some amazing things.

No book suggestions but very fascinated by your review of the Bradley book. I am always amazed when I read stories that actors have to be in makeup for two, three or even four hours just to get them read for filming.... and they have to do it all over again the next day. Talk about dedication to the trade!

Hi Lori! Just think about the amount of time the makeup artists have to work. It can take up to 4 hours to put the makeup on. The glue doesn't last all day because of the actors movements so it has to be constantly touched up. At the end of the day the latex and glue has to be dissolved to get it off the actor so the makeup artist have to recreate the pieces everyday.

Title The Devil’s Workshop (Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad by Alex Grecian
Format Paperback
Rating 4 Stars
Category Rupert Giles (ARCs)



Prisoners have broken out of Bridewell prison. They were helped by a well-meaning but deluded group who believe that the punishment should fit the crime. All of the police at Scotland Yard including the Murder Squad are brought in to hunt the four escaped criminals. What they don’t know is that another criminal has been freed, a vicious murderer they haven’t seen in years. Saucy Jack is on the loose!

The characterization of Jack was a pleasure to read. He is both wise and insane. Jack is the kind of character you love and hate and want to read more about. I enjoy the way this author structures his novels. You have the main storyline and then different chapters focusing on the subplots. Eventually all the threads of each story come together for an explosive conclusion.

It’s interesting, this is the third book in the Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad series, but it reads like the second. It takes up a few months after the first novel and totally ignores the second book. The second book in the series was much different than the first and may have disappointed the author’s audience. This could be why he went back to the formula of the first novel.

The only complaint I have about the novel is that you know from the beginning that the main character’s mentor is part of the group that broke the prisoners out of Bridewell. This is not a spoiler because the author is so blatant about it. Another annoyance that I hope the editor catches before publication is a scene where Jack pushes the bangs off the face of a man who has been described as being bald throughout the whole novel.

Hm that does sound interesting! Good to know about the different feel of the second book in the series.

I've finished reading The Sister Brothers, but haven't written a review yet. Between having the stomach flu and trying to get back into the routine of work I haven't felt like writing one. Enjoyed the books very much and will write a review over the weekend.

I still need to get around to starting Gecian's historical mystery series. Happy to see book three is still a good read, even if it does come across as being book two in the series! I will be very curious to see your review of The Sister Brothers. That one seems to affect some readers in different ways.

Hi Lori, I though most people enjoyed The Sister Brothers. I know I liked it. I will have to read other reviews and see what other people have to say.

>94 lkernagh: I have read some of the other reviews for this book and all I can say is that readers read books differently depending on what they bring to it. I can understand someone who has not watched or read a western or does not have a dark or sarcastic sense of humor not understanding The Sister Brothers. Everyone is different and I know I like books that many others don't. That kind of diversity is what makes the world wonderful.

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Title The Sister Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Format Paperback
Rating 5 Stars
Category Walt Longmire (Westerns)



Charlie and Eli Sisters are hired guns working for the Commodore. They travel from Oregon City to Sacramento to kill a man named Warm. On the way they meet a variety of old west characters all desperate and searching for a better life.

Eli is a thoughtful and compassionate narrator who isn’t happy with the life of a killer. He is bound to his brother Charlie by a childhood tragedy. Charlie cares more for drink, money, and whores than Eli does. It becomes evident that those things don’t matter to Eli who is constantly giving away his money to the hopeless people he meets as they travel. He even keeps riding a poor old dying horse as they journey into California because he just can’t give up on him.

I knew the tone of the book I was going to be reading from this line near the beginning referring to Eli’s horse Tub:
“I was often forced to whip him, which some men do not mind doing and which in fact some enjoy doing, but which I did not like to do; and afterward he, Tub, believed me cruel and thought to himself, Sad life, sad life.”
The line is full of pathos; it is a tragically funny statement. In fact that is how I would describe this whole book; tragically funny.

The novel is about Eli’s journey to self-discovery. In the end he discovers who he is and where he belongs. It follows the path of “The Hero’s Journey”; call to adventure, supernatural aid, challenges, transformation, atonement, and return.

I enjoyed reading this novel. It is very well written and a surprisingly quick read. The nature of the book reminded me of Thomas Berger’s “Little Big Man.” It is peppered with very strange old west characters. Right after I finished reading it my husband and I re-watched “The Outlaw Josie Wales” and I was struck by some of the same types of characters.

If you enjoy westerns from the 1960s and 1970s when movies and books were moving toward gritty reality and away from the mythology of plucky pioneers, and cowboys fighting off nasty Indians then you will like this book. If you are fond of reading books where the main character goes through a transformation and becomes a better person in the end then you will appreciate this book. Finally, if you read dark humor you will find this book entertaining.

I loved The Sisters Brothers! It was one of those books where as soon as I finished it I wanted to start rereading it immediately. Will have to add Little Big Man to the reading list.

Wow rabbitprincess! You are really quick on the draw! I just finish posting my review and boom you are there! :-)

>96 craso:
I have to get around to that one soon!

The Sisters Brothers is already on my tbr shelves. The dark and sarcastic bit sounds like I should move it closer to the pick me soon options.

>99 -Eva-: It is definitely worth reading.

>100 AHS-Wolfy: If dark humor is your thing then you should move it closer to the top of the TBR pile.

Title Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch
Format Paperback
Rating 3 Stars
Category Sherlock Holmes (Mysteries)



Constable Peter Grant wants to be part of the Murder Team. Instead he is assigned to desk work for the Case Progression Unit. His luck changes when he learns he can see ghosts. This brings him to the attention of DCI Nightingale, who is the only member of a police unit that investigates magic and paranormal related crimes.

I really wanted to like this book. It came highly recommended by many LibraryThingers. It has all the attributes of a book I would like; author who wrote for Doctor Who, London setting, fantasy and paranormal elements, a mystery to solve. Yet the book never grabbed me. I didn’t care about the main character who was also the narrator. The story was slow to get started and had many starts and stops. The one character I was really interested in, DCI Nightingale, ends up in the hospital and completely out of the story for the last half of the book. The river gods and goddesses were fun and I liked the Punch and Judy theme. Otherwise, this book was a big disappointment.

I just read this book, too, and enjoyed it a bit more than you. I look forward to enjoying more of the series.

>103 mamzel: I'm glad you enjoyed it more than I did. I made the decision not to continue with the series. That's okay because I am already reading plenty of series book.

Nightingale is my favourite character in the series! I love him to bits. Sorry the book didn't work out for you, but as you say there is no shortage of series to enjoy!

I have just finished reading City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett. I will post a review sometime next week. This was an Early Reviewer book. I'm a fan of this author and enjoyed the book very much.

I will post a quarterly report next week as well.

I haven't had much time to read lately or keep up with reading other peoples threads. Hopefully I will catch up soon.

Here is my quarterly report. It is a few weeks late and frankly it looks pretty pathetic. I’m still working long hours at the bookstore and I am too tired at the end of the day to do much reading. Most of my reading is done on the weekends in between cleaning house and visiting with family and friends.
------------------------------------
SECOND QUARTER REPORT

Sherlock
Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovich

Rupert Giles
The Devil’s Workshop Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad by Alex Grecian

Fox Mulder
Behind the Mask of the Horror Actor by Doug Bradley

Walt Longmire
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt

Lieutenant Comander Data
No Books read so far.

Total Books Read First Quarter: 8
Total Books Read Second Quarter: 4
Total Pledged For This Year: 25

Favorite Reads This Quarter

The Devil’s Workshop Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad by Alex Grecian
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
-----------------------------
I’m still working on a review of City of Stairs and hope to post it this weekend. It was a very intelligent book and I don’t feel very intelligent right now. Once I can get my mind to focus on my writing I will be able to review the book.

So sad when real life interferes with one's reading schedule. :) Hope you get more time soon!

Thanks Eva! It's nice to know someone understands. :-)

Putting a call in to the Doctor to see if he can bend space and time for you and get you some more reading time ;)

Thanks rabbitprincess! If anyone has a direct line to The Doctor it's you! I would like to be pulled out of time for a while. Maybe I can travel with him in the TARDIS. He does have a library and I can swim in the pool between chapters.

Title City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
Format ARC
Rating 4 Stars
Category Rupert Giles (ARCs)



Shara Thivani has traveled from Saypur to Bulikov, the capital city of the Continent, to investigate the death of a historian researching the history and religion of the people living on the Continent. Saypur had been enslaved by the Continentals until they rebelled and conquered them. Now the oppressors have become the oppressed. The Saypuri do not allow Continentals to practice their religion or learn about their history. Many people are angry that the historian was delving into a past that they are kept from learning. Some of the people of Bulikov want to restore the city to its past glory. To do that they are willing to release a Divinity, a god of judgment that they hope will bring magic back to Bulikov and make it a powerful city again.

This was an intelligently written novel with a great deal of world building. Two of the main themes were religion and nation building. The Divinities were an important part of the Continentals lives. They built most of their cities and took care of the devout. There was a symbiotic relationship between the people and the gods. The Divinities provided what the Continentals needed and the people worshiped the gods. The question is was it right for the Saypuri to suppress the Continental’s religion? When the Saypuri conquered the Continentals they killed most of the Divinities. To keep the few gods left from returning they kept the people from worshipping the Divinities and even kept them from knowing the history of their culture. The Saypuri rebuilt some of Bulikov and established a military government. This kept the Continentals oppressed, but what the Saypuri were doing to the conquered people is what had been done to them years ago when the Continentals subjugated the Saypuri.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in science fiction novels that delve into social themes and political intrigue.

---------------------------------------------

Reading The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafron for my ROOT read challenge.

My next read for this challenge is another Early Reviewer book, The Quick by Lauren Owen. At the rate I'm going I'll have it read by the middle of August. :-)

Ooohhh.... I just finished reading The Quick, and that is all I am going to say here!

Ha Ha! I just posted a comment about The Quick on your thread at the exact same time you posted on mine!

Here is how my reading schedule is shaping up:

Currently Reading
The Quick by Lauren Owen
Vixens Vamps & Vipers by Mike Madrid

Reread
The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers

ROOT
Hide Me Among the Graves by Tim Powers

I don't know how long it will take for me to read these books. Except for the Mike Madrid book, these books could all be considered horror novels so if it takes me until October to finish them that would be fine.

Here are possible Halloween reads:

Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker
Lord of Misrule The Autobiography of Christopher Lee by Christopher Lee

Spent the evening watching Longmire on Netflix. I need to start reading the book series. :-)

Hi Caroline, I both read the Longmire series and enjoy the TV program. It's great that they have kept the story lines fairly separate so you can read and watch at the same time without stumbling onto spoilers.

Hi Judy! I'm glad to hear that! I've put the first of the Longmire series on my wish list.

I finished reading Vixens Vamps & Vipers by Mike Madrid. I've read all of his books on women in golden age comic books. I always discover great old heroines and villains that are new to me. Going to wait until the weekend to write a review.

Still working on The Quick.

>119 craso: Looking forward it :)

Hello electrice! Sorry to be so late with my review!

------------------------------------------------------------

Title Vixens Vamps & Vipers: Lost Villainesses of Golden Age Comics by Mike Madrid
Format ARC
Rating 4 Stars
Category Rupert Giles (ARCs)



This is Mike Madrid’s third book devoted to the females of Golden Age comics. In this volume we are treated to vicious viragos, beauties and beasts, evil foreign ladies, and true crime queens. My favorites are the later. Madrid spotlights five dastardly dames featured in “Crimes by Women” a pre-code era comic. I will be on a look out for this comic.

All of Madrid’s books have brought different comic books and characters to my attention. I recommend this book and his two others, Divas, Dames & Daredevils and The Supergirls, to anyone interested in learning about women in comics from the 1940’s and 1950’s.

I just finished reading The Quick and all I can says is I was warned, but I didn't listen.

I was warned, but I didn't listen.

Looking forward to your thoughts on that one!

Oooh! Now that is an intriguing comment. Great teaser! ;)

>123 lkernagh: >124 rabbitprincess: Here is the review!

----------------------------------------------------

Title The Quick by Lauren Owen
Format ARC
Rating 3 Stars
Category Rupert Giles (ARCs)



A young man moves to London to become a writer. He rooms with another young man and his life changes for the better but then tragedy strikes. There is a little known world of vampires in London and they are in the midst of a power struggle.

Part one of this book is a wonderful gothic novel. If the author had stuck to the story of James, the young author, and Christopher, his roommate, this would have been a better book. At this point in the novel James is a well-defined three dimensional character. After part one the author adds so many more characters, and of course we have to learn the back ground story for each character, that the narrative gets bogged down until near the end where it picks up speed and then ends with a thud.

I enjoy vampire novels and this is the reason why I requested the book from Early Reviewer. The vampire story is not the problem with this book. The problem is too many characters and plot threads. A character and plotline will be introduced and then forgotten for a while and then brought back to try to tie up loose ends before the end. Guess what, not all the loose ends are tied up which leads me to believe there will be a sequel or maybe the author wanted to leave the reader guessing.

Parts of this novel are very well written with great character development, good imagery, and a quick pace. The rest of the book is a slog to get through and needed some serious editing. This is the first book from this author and I wish her all the best on her next try. I can only recommend this book to those who don’t mind a long read with uneven pacing.

>115 craso: Slight change in reading plans. I don't think I need to reread Stress of Her Regard to understand Hide Me Among the Graves. So I just started my ROOT read Hide Me Among the Graves which should be a better vampire novel than The Quick. We will see which book I will choose after that.

Good review of The Quick and I think you have hit the nail on the head. I came away with the same impression that a sequel may be lurking in the wings, too.

>121 craso: I'm, of course, adding this one to the BB list. I think that I was already hit by a BB last year with Divas, Dames and Daredevils :)

Title The Long War by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
Format iBook
Rating 3 Stars
Category The Doctor (British Science Fiction)



All is not well on the Long Earth. The trolls, gentle Bigfoot like creatures, are not happy. The trolls are being abused by humans who don’t understand that they are more than just animals; they are sentient beings that are part of the natural balance of the Earths. The human colonists are unhappy as well. The President of Datum Earth America has decided that the steppers, colonists of the Long Earth, need to pay taxes. To prove that the colonist’s still need Datum Earth a twain, a stepping dirigible, named the Benjamin Franklin steps out into the alternate worlds with a contingent of marines on a “peace keeping” mission. In response the colonists write their own declaration of independents.

With all this contention you would think that there is a war brewing. No, not really, in fact there is no war in this story. Instead you have chapter after chapter about the nature and structure of the Long Earth. I already know about the Long Earth, I read the first novel titled The Long Earth, but the authors are afraid you forgot about the alternate Earths so they explain it to you over and over again.

The characters in this novel are all two dimensional and a few drop-out and then reappear at the end. The main focus of the book is that a multi-verse with many alternate Earths is such a neat idea. It is a neat idea, but a novel is also about storyline and character development. I was very disappointed with this book and will not be continuing the series.

Well, I had a week off so I read a book! Yay for me!

I also watched the second season of "Longmire" on Netflix. Great show! To bad A&E has decided to cancel it after the third season which just finished airing.

I have also been watching Peter Capaldi as The Doctor. My husband and I buy each episode on iTunes as it comes out. I like him a lot. His take on The Doctor is refreshing. He is so much like the first iterations of the character. I enjoyed the episodes "Deep Breath", "Into the Dalek" and "Listen".

I am watching "Supernatural" from the fourth season on. I'm almost done with season six, a notorious season because the production was trying to get back on it's feet after the series creator left to write the show "Revolution". Not looking forward to season seven, but I am determined to watch every episode up through season nine. I didn't like the Leviathan storyline in season seven.

Not much to say about Sherlock although I am intrigued by internet rumors of another brother being cast. I read that Baring-Gould added another brother that was older the Mycroft and Sherlock in his book Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street: A Life of the World's First Consulting Detective. I had never heard of this character. It will be a long wait until the next season.

On the reading front, I am starting Just a Geek. Since I go back to work tomorrow, don't expect a review for a long while.

Peter makes me so happy! I love how gloriously prickly and unapologetic his Doctor is. Refreshing is a good way to describe it.

Didn't know that about Supernatural! My mum watches the show but I have never been able to get into it; too scary.

Glad you had a good vacation and I wish you an uneventful re-entry to work tomorrow!

Oh no, I didn't know about Longmire being cancelled! That makes me very unhappy.

I'm sorry to break the news! At least you have the book series to read.

I finished another book Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton. I have now read 1 book in each of my categories. This is also the book that completes my ROOT challenge. It was a good read and I will review it in a few days.

Title Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton

Format iBook

Rating 4 Stars

Wil Wheaton uses blog entries and personal commentary to reflect on his decision to leave Star Trek: TNG. He relates his struggles with his own ego over being thought of as that guy who "used to be a child star." He feels the pressures of being a provider for his family when no one will hire him. These stresses cause him to turn to blogging on the Internet. His blog journal entries start as a way to deny his troubles and paint a rosy picture, but the internet doesn't except him until he truthfully shows his frustrations with casting directors and how it effects his family. Once he decides that his family is more important than his career he starts to be successful as a writer and an in demand convention speaker.

This book was a great read. I found the passages on the Hollywood casting proceeds very interesting. It reminded me of when I was a musician trying out for an orchestra.

If you are a fan of Wheaton for his writing or appearances on The Big Bang Theory or a fan of Star Trek: TNG you will enjoy this book.

I used the new writing app I received with the latest IOS update not write my review of Just a Geek. Very easy to use.

I know I haven't done a quarterly update. I will eventually get to it...hopefully before my end of the year update.

I'm reading The Lair of the White Worm. Interesting idea for a story, but not very well executed. This is one of my Halloween reads along with Vampires The Myths, Legends, and Lore.

Watched the movie version of The Lair of the White Worm. It's a Ken Russell movie so very strange and campy. I was stunned to see it stared a 20 something Peter Capaldi. He was really cute with his long curly brown hair. I showed a couple of scenes to my husband and he couldn't believe it was Capaldi!

>136 craso: :D Peter Capaldi was such a cutie! I still think he is handsome, just not "cute" without the curls ;) I didn't realize Lair was a book!

>137 rabbitprincess: The book and movie vary greatly. The general elements from the book are in the movie, but the characters are different and it's been modernized. The book is gothic to the extreme with more thought and talk than action. Just finished the book and will be giving it 3 stars.

That movie is such cheesy fun!!!

I remember seeing the movie a looooong time ago. Didn't have any idea who Peter Capaldi was. I can remember it really creeped me out then.

>139 -Eva-: >140 mamzel: I think it was supposed to be a black comedy. I was surprised by the dream sequences, even though I new it was a Ken Russell movie. Those weird psychedelic visions would creep anyone out! He was one strange director. Amanda Donahoe is terrifically sexy and cheesy as the villain.

"He was one strange director"

Odd cookie, indeed!

Title The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker
Format Paperback
Rating 3 Stars
Category Fox Mulder (Horror)

Adam Salton travels from Australia to England to live with his uncle and eventually inherit the family estate. He becomes involved in the neighborhood intrigues when he meets Lady Arabella March and Edgar Caswell. Caswell has recently returned from abroad and has become obsessed with mesmerism. Lady Arabella is a strange tall white figure who wants to marry Caswell and will do anything to get him.

This novel suffers from being gothic. It's an alright story, but there is so much talking about the local legends and folklore and talking about what the hero will do next and just plain sitting around and talking.

Another problem with the writing is the author switches from one character's story to another with no real segue. I started the book thinking this was Adam's story then about a few chapters in it became Caswell's story and then it abruptly switched to Lady Arabella and then back to Adam.

I feel I should warn anyone who may be sensitive to racial prejudice. Caswell has an African servant who dabbles in voodoo and falls in love with Lady Arabella. He is treated rather poorly for daring to want to marry a rich white women and it referred to by the author and the characters by the n word. The use of the n word is disturbing to modern ears. You are forewarned.

If you like gothic literature there are better novels out there. I recommend this book to anyone who is a Bram Stoker fan and wants to read all of his novels.

Title Vampires: The Myths, Legends, and Lore by Aubrey Sherman
Format Hardback
Rating 3 Stars
Category Fox Mulder (Horror)

The author covers all aspects of vampire lore including folk traditions and modern literature and film. I read the book for the chapters on vampires in the folklore of different cultures. In these chapters the author includes revenants or the undead whether blood drinkers or not. There are a lot of stories about trying to keep the dead buried. In the past people feared the dead would come back to terrorize them.

There was one chapter that I skipped because it disturbed me. It was on people who killed for blood. Reality is much more frightening than fiction.

This is a good overview of vampires and I recommend it to people just starting to become interested in vampirism. If you have already read books about vampire lore and fiction you might want to skip it. I already new much of what was in the book.

Hello everybody! I'm still around! I finally finished reading a book, Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett. This is the latest Discworld novel and was a fun read. I'll be posting a review shortly.

Hi Caroline, good to see you here. I hope you've been off having fun and not experiencing the stressful part of RL!

Ach, I need to get back to Discworld - such an entertaining place to be!

>146 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy! Yep, real life is again making it hard to get any reading done. If I didn't have to work, clean house, do the laundry, and be somewhat social I could read a lot more books. 😀

>147 -Eva-: Hi Eva! The population of Discworld is what kept me reading this book. I would read for 2 hours on Saturdays and feel very safe and welcome on Discworld. Most books don't hold up to that slow of a read. It's usually much easier for me to stay in a story if I finish it in 4 or 5 sittings back to back over a week. In Discworld the story isn't as engaging as the characters which I feel I've gotten to know.

I need to get started on Discworld.... and I am looking forward to it!

>149 lkernagh: When I read my first Discworld book I didn't get all the fuss. After the second one you get to know the characters and then you don't want to stop reading them.

Title Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett
Format Hardback
Rating 4 Stars
Category Methos (Fantasy)

A new age is dawning for Discworld, the steam age. A young man named Dick Simnel has built the first steam engine, Iron Girder. Lord Vetinari can see how this new machine will change his world so he enlists Moist Von Lipwig to run the first railway system on Discworld.

It's amazing how much goes into a railway system. You need stations, comfortable cars, food concessions, travel brochures. Moist has to negotiate with landowners to lay tracks on their property. It's a very interesting process made fun by Terry Pratchett's sense of humor.

Besides the creation of the railroad, the story has an internal struggle with the dwarfs. The are setting clacks towers, Discworld versions of our telegraph towers, on fire and are threading to derail trains.

This is a fun Discworld novel with all the characters a fan of the series loves plus a look at how to start a railroad. This is only the beginning for Discworld. Think of what might come next.

Title Monstrous Beauty by Marie Brennan
Format iBook
Rating 5 Stars
Category Fox Mulder (Horror)

This group of short horror stories are inspired by fairytales and use the concept of the "monstrous feminine" Each story is a twist on a familiar fairytale; Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast. My favorite story is the latter. It is not scary as much as sad, because you feel for the lovelorn Beast. This is a short compilation and a very quick read. I highly recommend it to Marie Brennan fans and horror fans. Be warned these are horror stories and not the usual fantasy fare the author writes.

>148 craso:
I haven't read a lot of Discworld, but I was immediately taken with the characters - no matter how improbable they seem to be, they somehow seem possible. :)

I'm embarrassingly behind in my reviews. I read two graphic novels over the Thanksgiving holiday and instead of writing reviews for them I am enjoying reading a book I got for my birthday back in November Space 1999 Born for Adversity. Space 1999 was one of my favorite tv shows when I was a kid and I've been watching it on Hulu. I discovered that Powys Media and ITV started publish a "third season" of Space 1999 back in 2012. So far this is a great book and I look forward to reading more in the series. I hope to finish it soon and catch up on my reviews next weekend...maybe.

Title Spike Into the Light by James Marsters
Format ebook
Rating 3 Stars
Category Spike (Graphic Novels)

This story takes place just after Spike gets his soul back. He tries to be the hero and save the day, but being the hero is tougher than he imagined. Spike breaks his only pair of boots while saving a cute girl. He doesn't have the money to buy another pair, then he realizes he is in a town where he stashed some loot from a robbery back when he was a bad soulless vampire. He can't get to the money because the building is now a shop and the owners don't appreciate him prying up the floor boards. While trying to start a relationship with the cute girl he sees a demon steeling a baby and then discovers the demon has been stealing young children and hiding them away.

I am very disappointed with this graphic novel. The artwork is great, but the writing is terrible. Some of Spike's actions seem out of character. The dialog is the worst part. James Marsters should stick to acting.

Title Civil War by Mark Millar
Format paperback
Rating 5 Stars
Category Spike (Graphic Novels)

A group of reality tv show superheroes go up against a group of serious villains with tragic results. A school full of children is destroyed killing hundreds of people. The U.S. government is urged by an activist mother of one of the victims, Tony Stark, and S.H.I.E.L.D., to create a new law that would insure all superheroes register with the government and become employees of the government. S.H.I.E.L.D. would over see training and deployment of the super humans. Captain America sees this as a violation of the freedoms of the superheroes as well as a creation of a super human military body. Cap, along with his close allies, refuse to register and become outlaws. Tony Stark, a.k.a Ironman, leads the law abiding superheroes to try and capture the law breakers. A lot of unexpected alliances are made and some close relationships are torn apart.

This is an extremely intelligent storyline. It gives you a lot to think about. After so many school slayings and public shootings I can see people becoming scared and pushing the government into hasty actions. I am the type of person who believes rules are there for a reason so I lean towards Tony Starks side. Why not regulate superheroes? Make sure they are stable personalities and properly trained. The problem is I believe in Captain America and what he stands for and I know he is correct. Freedoms will be lost and that is wrong. Once freedoms are surrendered they are hard to get back.

The art work is beautiful and the writing is excellent. It you are a fan of Marvel comics and movies especially the Avengers this is a must read.

Another tardy review
----------------------------

Title Space 1999 Born For Adversity by David A. McIntee
Format paperback
Rating 4 Stars
Category Doctor Who (British Science Fiction)

It has been many years since the Moon was thrown out of the Earth's orbit. The inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha have become a generational station with the hope that future generations can keep the station running. They are starting to realize that their ships, called Eagles, which were created for short hops between the Earth and the Moon, are starting to malfunction. They were not made for the stresses of deep space flight. Computer is also starting to malfunction with strange read outs. A ship of refugees from the planet Psychon land on the Moon. Maya, Alpha's head of Science, is astonished to see her brother commanding the ship. She thought she was the last Psychon after her home world destroyed. This puts more tension in her relationship with Tony Verdeschi, head of security. They have been unsuccessfully trying to have a child, but human and Psychon DNA are not comparable. Commander Koenig is hopeful that the Pyschon's will exchange their advanced technology for supplies and help in repairing their vessel. Unfortunately the Psychon's have something else in mind.

This is a hard science fiction novel with a lot of detailed explanations of how everything works on Moonbase Alpha yet it moves at a rapid pace. The dialog is intelligent and written the way the characters would speak on the television show.

The book was written as if it was the first episode of the third season. It answers some questions regarding the changes between seasons one and two and rectifies some of the problems with the second season.

There are a few plot holes, but I enjoyed the book non-the-less. I recommend it to Science Fiction fans and especially to Space 1999 fans.

I have this week off for Christmas and plan to finish up this challenge before the end of the year. Right now I am reading Wonder Woman Amazon Hero Icon and Dark Shadows Angeliques's Descent. When I am done reading these books, or one of these books, I will have read 25 books and my 2014 Category Challenge will be complete.

I don't plan on doing a Category Challenge next year. I am not sure of my work hours next year, because I don't know if my boss will be undergoing another round of chemo therapy. If he is disease free he may be in the store more often and I will have shorter hours. Hopefully he will be recuperating and getting back to normal in 2015.

Instead of the category challenge I will be participating in the ROOT group. I am sure I can read 12 books this next year without a problem. I will continue to participate in Early Reviewers and writing reviews of these new books, but I won't be posting the reviews on a group thread.

I will post my last review here and a list of my favorite books from this year shortly. Thank you to everyone who has dropped by and good luck to the 2015 category challenge group.

Oh, a bummer that you won't be with us next year, but I'm so glad that you'll be somewhere on LT! Do you have a thread set up yet for ROOTs? I don't want to miss one of your reviews. :)

And I hope for both your sake and your boss's, that he doesn't need more chemo next year.

Thank you very much! I hope so as well. My husband and I have become closer to him and his family through this ordeal. All I want is for him to be stronger and cancer free.

My thread is up and running on the ROOT group. I will see you there!

That's a shame we won't have you with us in 2015, but real life has to take precedence. Hope your boss/friend gets back to 100%. And, of course, that you'll be back with us at some time in the future - we'll be here for when you want to/can come back.

Thank you Eva! Everyone here is great and I will be back when I feel I have enough time to read books for a category challenge.

Sorry to hear you won't be doing the 2015 Category Challenge, I will try and drop into the ROOT Challenge and check in with you. Hope all goes well with your boss.

Sorry to see that you won't be participating in next year's category challenge but I totally understand limitations on time and choice to be made. I will make a note to follow you over on the ROOT group. I tend to not follow the threads over there - too many threads, too little time - but I will make a point of finding and starring yours.

Stopping by to wish you a Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2015!

Merry Christmas, Caroline! Looking forward to following your reading on the ROOTS challenge. All the best in 2015.

>164 lkernagh: Merry Christmas Lori! Thank you for the card graphic it's lovely. I will star your thread on ROOT as well.

>165 rabbitprincess: Merry Christmas! See you on the ROOT Challenge!

glitter-graphics.com

A belated Merry Christmas, and a wish for a peaceful 2015, Caroline!

Thank you Laura!

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I have finished two books; Wonder Woman Amazon Hero Icon and Angelique's Descent. This ends my challenge for the year. I will write and post reviews later this week. I will also post a recap for the year. I read 26 books this year, one more than I needed to finish the challenge.

Here are my favorite books for this year in no particular order.

FAVORITE BOOKS 2014

The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter
Strange Angel by George Pendleton
The Troupe Robert Jackson Bennett
The Sister Brothers by Patrick deWitt
City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
Monstrous Beauty by Marie Brennan

Congratulations on finishing your challenge! I read The Sisters Brothers last year and remember really liking it.

Congrats on completing your challenge!

Congratulations!

Hurray, congrats! I enjoyed The Sisters Brothers as well. And The Wheel of Ice. :)

Thank you everyone! I will rap things up soon. Two reviews to write and a recap. Hoping to post everything on Thursday when I have a day off.

Congratulations on finishing! Hope you get some reading time in 2015 - which would mean your boss is on the mend. We'll miss you but will be here when you're ready.

>175 paruline: That is very sweet of you! Thank you! I will be sure and come back when life lets me.

Title Wonder Woman Amazon Hero Icon by Robert Greenberger
Format hardcover
Rating 4 Stars
Category Spike (Graphic Novels)

This is a quick overview of the life of the Amazon princess with illustrations and comic pages by her main writers and artists. It starts with her origin as William Moulton Marston's way of conveying his controversial ideas on the psychology of the female. Marston believed women could rule over men with love and compassion. He also had some bizarre ideas about submission and bondage. The book also covers Wonder Woman's roots in Greek mythology, the reason I started reading her comics as a kid. She has been an ambassador, a mod crime fighter, an Amazon warrior, and the goddess of truth. Her storyline changes with every new writer, but they keep her as a strong, honest and compassionate woman. This book does not cover DC comics new 52.

My only problem with the book is the abrupt ending. There was no concluding chapter, it just stopped. Kind of a jarring conclusion.

Title Dark Shadows Angelique's Descent by Lara Parker
Format paperback
Rating 4 Stars
Category Fox Mulder (Horror)

Barnabas Collins and the rest of the Collins family have been plagued by the witch Angelique for centuries. Just as Barnabas starts a new life free from her vampire curse he is again drawn to the old house on the Collinwood estate. There he finds Angelique's diary. His curiosity overwhelms him and he starts to read her bizarre life story.

On the tv show Dark Shadows, Angelique is the cause of all of the Collins families woes. Barnabas spurned her for Josette, so she cursed him and his family. This novel gives Angelique a back ground story. It explains how she became a witch and what motivated her actions. It also retells the 1795 storyline from the show from her point of view.

The author, Lara Parker, is the actress that played Angelique. I was worried about reading a book written by an actress and not a professional author. Turns out she is a pretty good writer. She has a degree is creative writing from Antioch University in Los Angeles.

This is a must read for die hard Dark Shadows fans. The only problem I had with it were the romance elements. I have never been a fan of "bodice rippers." Fortunately those moments were few. I enjoyed it enough that I will read the next book in the series.

2014 RECAP

1. Castiel (Supernatural or Spiritual Fiction or Non-Fiction) 2
2. The Doctor (British Science Fiction) 3
3. Starbucks (America Science Fiction) 1
4. Sherlock Holmes (Mystery) 2
5. Methos (Fantasy) 2
6. Spike (Graphic Novels) 5
7. Rupert Giles (ARCs) 4
8. Fox Mulder (Horror) 5
9. Walt Longmire (Western) 1
10. Data (Non-Fiction) 1

I have already posted my favorite books for the year, but what the heck! Here it is again.

FAVORITE BOOKS 2014

The Wheel of Ice by Stephen Baxter
Strange Angel by George Pendleton
The Troupe Robert Jackson Bennett
The Sister Brothers by Patrick deWitt
City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
Monstrous Beauty by Marie Brennan

Thank to everyone who stopped by this year. Hopefully this next year will be better for me and my boss and I will surprise myself and read more books than anticipated. This is a great group. I hope to see many of you in the ROOT group.


glitter-graphics.com

Happy New Year, Caroline!

Congrats on finishing and happy new year!