Jean (Majkia) Babbles About Books and Beaches

Great Blue Heron on beach at St George Island

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/St-George-Island - we're camping there from 25 Feb to 10 March.

 

Currently Reading

 

Next Up

City of Blades - Robert Jackson Bennett
Gods of Risk - James SA Corey
Ice Forged - Gail Z Martin
William Shakespeare's Star Wars- Verily a New Hope - Ian Doescher
All Clear - Connie Willis
Stop Press - Michael Innes
Tilt-a-Whirl - Chris Grabenstein

Books I've enjoyed most - Not necessarily great books, but ones that really made a mark.

State of the Science: (i.e. My 2015 Category Challenge)

CCI - Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle - Random - 0/2015 pages
CCII - Schrodinger's Cat - Mystery - 0/2015 pages
CCIII - Chaos Theory - Thrillers - 0/2015 pages
CCIV - The Big Bang Theory - SFFF CAT - 1279/2015 pages
CCV - God Eschews Dice - Bingo Dog - 4/25 books
CCVI - The Multiverse - BAC - 2/12
CCVII - Quantum Entanglement - Group Reads - 0/2015 pages
CCVIII - Special Relativity - Early Reviewer Books - 275/2015 pages
CCIX - String Theory - Reading Thru Time, History CAT - 752/2015 pages
CCX - Wave/Particle Duality - Genre Benders - 0/2015 pages
CCXI - Quintessence - Horror - 1/15
CCXII - Cosmology - All Things Shiny and New - 352/2015 pages
CCXIII - Hydrogen - TBR Challenge - 0/2015 pages - or at least 12 books
CCIVX - Imagination - Books That Make Me Think - 0/2015 pages
CCVX - Ro..Ro..Romance - Heyer in Order - 0/2015 pages

Books Read
January
1. Black Ships - Jo Graham
2. Emperor: The Gates of Rome - Conn Iggulden
3. To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis
4. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
5. Thieftaker - D. B. Jackson
6. A Dark-Adapted Eye - Barbara Vine

February
1. Still Life With Crows - Preston/Child
2. Willful Child - Steven Erikson
3. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
4. Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh
5. Beauvallet - Georgette Heyer
6. Foxglove Summer - Ben Aaronovitch
7. The Dreaming Void - Peter F. Hamilton
8. The Iron Jackal - Chris Wooding

March
1. The Last Kingdom - Bernard Cornwell
2. The City & The City - China Mieville
3. Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson
4. Lament for a Maker - Michael Innes
5. Imperium - Robert Harris
6. A Red Herring Without Mustard - Alan Bradley
7. The House on the Strand - Daphne Du Maurier

April
1. City of Bones - Martha Wells
2. Charming - Elliot James
3. Pandora's Star - Peter F. Hamilton
4. The Alehouse Murders - Maureen Ash
5. Labyrinth - Kate Mosse
6. The Flinck Connection - Estelle Ryan
7. Thomas the Rhymer - Ellen Kushner
8. The Dragon's Path - Daniel Abraham
9. the Devil's Eye - Jack McDevitt

May
1. The Egyptologist - Arthur Phillips
2. Judas Unchained - Peter F. Hamilton
3. The Princess Bride - William Goldman
4. The Serpent Sea - Martha Wells
5. The Butcher of Anderson Station - James S.A. Corey
6. Reaper's Gale - Steven Erikson
7. Ghost Country - Patrick Lee
8. The Siren Depths - Martha Wells
9. The Iron King - Maurice Druon

June
1. Libriomancer - Jim C. Hines
2. The Lions of Al-Rassan - Guy Gavriel Kay
3. Dark Jenny - Alex Bledsoe
4. The Red Wolf Conspiracy - Robert V.S.Redick
5. Deep Sky - Patrick Lee
6. Dark Eden - Chris Beckett
7. Just One Damned Thing After Another - Jodi Taylor
8. Dauntless - Jack Campbell
9. The Palace Tiger - Barbara Cleverly
10. The Churn - James S.A. Corey

July
1. The King's Gambit - John Maddox Roberts
2. Brimstone - Preston/Child
3. Restoration - Rose Tremain
4. Under the Empyrean Sky - Chuck Wendig
5. A Madness of Angels - Kate Griffin
6. Conflict of Honors - Sharon Lee
7. Why Mermaids Sing - C.S. Harris
8. The Confessor - Daniel Silva
9. Cold Magic - Kate Elliot
10. Off To Be the Wizard - Scott Meyer

August
1. Ha'penny - Jo Walton
2. The Way of Shadows - Brent Weeks
3. The Last Oracle - James Rollins
4. The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell
5. Moriarty - Anthony Horowitz
6. The Warded Man - Peter V. Brett

September
1. A Fine Summer's Day - Charles Todd
2. Replay - Ken Grimwood
3. A Conspiracy of Paper - David Liss
4. A Perfect Evil - Alex Kava
5. Cranford - Elizabeth Gaskell
6. Annihilation - Jeff Vandermeer
7. Osiris - E.J. Swift
8. Angelmaker - Nick Harkaway
9. The Adamantine Palace - Stephen Deas

October
1. Bury Your Dead - Louise Penny
2. The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson
3. The Dance of Death - Preston/Child
4. The Summoner - Gail Z. Martin
5. Under the Eagle - Simon Scarrow
6. The Prestige - Christopher Priest
7. Book of the Dead - Preston/Child
8. The Technologists - Matthew Pearl

November
1. The Water Room- Chrisopher Fowler
2. Bellman and Black- Diane Sutterfield
3. Bloodsucking Fiends- Christopher Moore
4. Blackout - Connie Willis
5, Skinwalker - Faith Hunter
6. Blindsight - Peter Watts

The British Author Challenge

1. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
2. The City & The City - China Mieville

The Bingo Dog from 2015 Cat Challenge




24. Black Ships - Jo Graham
7. Emperor: The Gates of Rome - Conn Iggulden
5. To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis
25. Thieftaker - D.B. Jackson
22. Willful Child - Steven Erikson
16. Foxglove Summer - Ben Aaronovitch
19. Way Station - Clifford D Simak
2. The Midwich Cuckoos - John Wyndham
1. The City & The City - China Mieville
9. Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson
3. A Red Herring Without Mustard - Alan Bradley
21. The Flinck Connection - Estelle Ryan
6. The Egpytologist - Arthur Phillips
11. Reaper's Gale - Steven Erikson
18. Libriomancer - Jim C. Hines
25. The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell

Trips in our RV (Recreational Vehicle, aka motor home, aka The Bounder)

1. Williamston, North Carolina - visiting family. 12/19/14 - - too far (an hour and a half) from Cape Hatteras, alas.
2. Heading home - Hamer SC/ St Marys GA/ Lake City FL/ home!
3. Topsail Hill State Park, Santa Rosa Beach, FL - loafing - 1/22/15-1/29/15
4. St George Island State Park, St George Island FL - 2/25/15 - 3/11/15
5. Suwannee River State Park, Live Oak, FL - 3/11/15 - 3/24/15
6. Topsail Hill State park, Stanta Rosa Beach, FL - 3/28/15 - 4/27/15

RATINGS: I have been sitting still in front of the screen frozen, because I'm unsure how to rate a book. So, altho I will use the star rating system when I'm writing a review for LT, when I talk about my books instead I will rate books firstly, by type, since an Excellent Historical Fiction novel is a whole lot different (in my mind at least) from an Excellent Thriller. So:

By Genre or Type:

Then by:
Excellent: Love the book or the series and will recommend and fangirl it to death.
Very Good Just short of fantastical, miraculous and compelling.
Good: Solid entry to a series or for a stand alone by an author I'm enjoying. Recommend for most folks.
Fair: I had some issues with this book, be it authorial, style-wise or plot bunnyish. I'll hopefully expound as I write about the book.
Poor: Definitely disappointed and do not recommend to anyone, without serious reservations.
Abandoned: I'll explain, I hope.
Crappity Crap: Books that really piss me off, for one reason or another.

Hi jean!

Welcome back!

Nice to see you back in the group again for 2015, Jean.

Hi Jean, found you and

We are currently visiting Mr Makia’s family in NC, about an hour and a half inland from the Cape.

History Note:

On 26 August, 1978 Mr Majkia and I got married at the Cape. Hatteras Light was on the beach near the point then, before they moved it to save it from beach erosion.

We wore shorts and tee shirts, and had to transport the lady reverend and the folks who’d come to see us tie the knot, in 4 wheel drives to reach the point. We got married at Sundown.

I wouldn’t let Jim hold a surf rod during the ceremony though. I know mean of me….

Our wedding supper was at KFC because it was the only restaurant open nearby. We were camping in Buxton on the island, and had to carry in the booze, because Dare County was dry. Back in those days we tent-camped.

Oh very cool! I love the pic.

Wonderful photograph. Makes me want to "hit the road" but I'll not be doing that until the budget is more under control. I had so much fun spending this year (2014) so I think 2015 will have to be a saving year.

I dropped off a star and look forward to vicariously enjoying the books you crack open this new year!

Jean, I love your history note above, and the picture!

Hi, just dropping a star. I like your rating system. I use a simple rating system, but I do take the genre into account. A cozy mystery needs to have very different things to get 5 stars from me than a thriller. A historical romance novel just needs to entertain me to get 3 or 4 stars (depending on originality), while my standards for a non-fiction book are quite high and they need to hold my attention, be objective, and have a good bibliography before I'd even consider giving them 3 or 4 stars.

Love your rating scale. :)

Stopping by to star your thread!

starred

Hi Jim: When we lived in northern Virginia, Cape Hatteras was our beach of choice. Now we live nearer to one.

Karen: I completely understand the money challenges. Travel is a lot of fun but it is costly. Darn it.

Susan: Thanks!

Samantha: Yeah, rating books is such a challenge. Expectations for different genres especially.

Rachel: glad you stopped by! Thanks for the comment on the rating system. We'll see how well it works!

Lori: Hi! See you around 'campus'!

Karen: thanks for dropping that star!

>11 majkia: What a great memory and photo.

Thanks all :)

We are currently at the notorious South of the Border, camping in Camp Pedro.

 

We'll be heading out for Georgia in about an hour. We'll spend New Years Eve at Country Oaks Campground just inches away from our home state of Florida. :)

Say "hi" to Pedro for me! Back in the early 70s, we used to go by there every summer on the way from Maryland to Louisiana to visit family.

I've been by SOTB many times, but never stopped in. After watching the billboards for miles, I'm tired of it before I get there. Have fun camping there and happy New Year!

May all your wishes come true.

Hi everyone! We are spending New Year's Eve here:

We’re spending the night here, in Kingsland, GA.  Nice campground, friendly folks.

 

Happy New Year Everyone!

Jean,



Happy New Year from your friend in Kuala Lumpur

Currently overnighting in Casey Jones RV Park, in Lake City Florida. It's more or less at the junction of I75 and I10. We're about 4 hours from home. Tomorrow we hope to get home by about noon, since we gain an hour, going from Eastern Time Zone to Central Time Zone. I'm ready to get home for awhile.

Our next trip is scheduled for the end of February to St George Island here in Florida.

I love riding along with you on your road trips and I completely know what you mean about "ready to get home for a while". I came to wish you a very happy new year, and was said in days of old: Happy Trails To You!

I'm here, can't stay away!

Do drop me a line when you're local, and it's convenient, so we can meet for a cuppa and chat. :)

Jean, I wish you a fabulous weekend full of reading.

1. Black Ships - Jo Graham


Genre: Historical Fiction/Magical Realism
Rating: Very Very Good

A retelling of the Aeneid, told through the eyes of a young girl enslaved when Troy falls. She is hurt, and no longer able to work, is then given to the temple of the Lady of the Dead as an acolyte, who when grown, becomes the chosen of the Lady and the Sybil to Aeneas.

Written beautifully, plainly and clearly told with no fake embellishments, moving and engrossing.

What a great book to start the year with.

Hi Jean, and Happy New Year! Enjoy your time at home until your next adventure! :)

#29 by @maggie1944> I'll try to talk more about our adventures, Karen.

#30 by @fuzzi> Will do, Fuzzi. Over Xmas things are always hectic but the next trip up should be a bit less fraught.

Thanks Barbara and with a fuzzy creature to boot!

Thanks Larua. We're not planning on travelling again until the end of February. But who knows? :) And I'm getting lots of reading done this weekend. :)

I'm really enjoying To Say Nothing of the Dog. I got hold of an audio version and it is very funny and quite well done.

I'm e-reading Emperor: The Gates of Rome as well. I'd forgotten how accessible Conn Iggulden's writing is. Historical, yes, but also not pretentious and painting the world of the time in practical, rather than dramatic ways, so that the horrors are there to see, but not made a big fuss of, if you know what I mean.

:)

Jean, I wish you a fabulous weekend.

>39 Ameise1: I love the pictures you post. Thank you for sharing them. :)

2. Emperor: The Gates of Rome - Conn Iggulden.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: Very Good

I was surprised to read that this was Conn Iggulden's first novel. He did a bang up job as a new novelist.

He begins the story of Julius Caesar when Julius (Gaius as he was known as a child) was still a young boy living on his father's minor estate. From there we follow him, and his childhood companion Marcus into the city of Rome and their immersion into the politics and the pitfalls of the city. Young Marcus, with no money of his own, and no family to help him rise, is the fist to join the legions and head out to make his name in the military.

Julius remains in the city and is taken under the wing of his mother's brother, a consul of Rome and a great General.

But Julius's life is thrown into doubt when Marius and his rival General Sulla, fight over Rome itself.

Colorful and nicely written, the time, the city and the boys come to life.

3. To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis

Genre: Speculative Fiction/Time Travel
Rating: Very very good!

The second book of the Oxford Time Travel Series. The first book, The Doomsday Book, dealt with the Black Death. This one is a comedy of manners, and takes place during WWII, involving the search for some missing artifacts from Coventry Cathedral which was bombed during the war.

Tongue in cheek from the very beginning, poor Ned is sent through time to jumble sales all over England in search of ‘The Bishop’s Bird Stump’ an admitted atrocity of Victorian proportions but still wanted to go into a reconstruction of the cathedral.

But time goes awry nearly from the beginning when a young woman save a cat from drowning, and Ned adopts Cyril the bulldog. So suddenly the problem is finding what has messed up the future, to say nothing of retrieving the cat who is accidentally transported into the future.

Highly recommended!

The 15th was my 8th Thingaversary. And yes, I bought books:

1.Black Wind - F. Paul Wilson
2.Why Mermaids Sing - C.S. Harris
3.Dead Medium - Peter John
4.Sick - Brett Battles
5.Andromeda's Fall - William C. Dietz
6.The Barrow- Mark Smylie
7.Nefertiti's Heart - A.W. Exley
8.Malice - John Gwynne

and one to grow on:
9.A Fine Summer's Day - Charles Todd

Congratulations on your Thingaversary. I really enjoy the C.S. Harris series and should get back to it.

>43 majkia: congratulations!

Happy Thingadingy - nice book haul!

Jean, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

4. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro



Genre: historical fiction

Rating: Good

The story of one man’s life as a butler during the run-up to World War II.

I’m unsure what to say about this book. Beautifully written, but depressing and rather hopeless. Talk about living your life through others and letting them be your conscience and your guide. But he certainly maintains his dignity throughout.

5. Thieftaker - D. B. Jackson



Genre: Alternate History

Rating: Interesting!

We’re in 1765 Boston, where Sam Adams and his buddies are beginning to stir up Boston against the Crown and its taxes. During a night where the rabble attack and break into three houses of prominent Bostonians, a girl is found dead, with no apparent wound on her.

It turns out the girl is from another prominent Boston family and so Ethan Kaille, a thieftaker, a conjuror, and a convicted felon, is called in to search for a valuable brooch she was wearing, and if he can, to find out who killed her.

I thought the setting was drawn very well, the miseries of the poor in Boston and the relatively easy life of the wealthy made all too clear. The magical system was intriguing.  Ethan, who’d nearly been hung as a witch, but had been instead sent to Barbados to work in the sugar cane fields, is hiding in plain sight. People ‘know’ he’s a conjuror/witch, but mostly because he’s been no threat, they leave him alone. But when he’s employed by a wealthy merchant to find out about the merchant’s daughter, that draws way too much attention to Ethan and he finds himself up against not only the only other thieftaker in Boston, but also up against a conjuror far stronger than he.

I’ll definitely be continuing this series.

Oh, that one sounds good - thanks for the review!

We're taking our next beach trip on Thursday. To Topsail Hill State Park, about 15 miles from the house, but directly on the Gulf of Mexico. Mr Majkia said he just needed to get away! So we'll spend a week loafing there. Of course he's taking his fishing poles.

Have a fun trip!

Have a great time. It looks gorgeous.

That sounds absolutely gorgeous. Have a nice trip, Jean! (can I carry your bags, please!!)

We arrived at Topsail Hill Preserve Park an hour ago. Rain forcast for tonight and tomorrow but who cares!



ETA: this is not our current campsite, but one we used last year. I will post a new one when I get a chance to get a photo.

>55 majkia: I love Topsail Hill. It is a very nice state park.

our campsite at Topsail:

Looks like you've found a great spot to camp and relax for a few days!

What a fantastic camp site!

6. The Dark-Adapted Eye - Barbara Vine (Category I - Random and Cat 5 - BingoDog (reminds me of my childhood)


Genre: Historical Mystery
Rating: Very Good

I had no idea when I began reading this that this book would dredge up so many childhood memories. I’m sure the pain of revisiting some of that colors my thoughts regarding it, but I will say that the book was riveting, emotional, and very much a story that could only happen during the timeframe it is set. Times have changed, attitudes are different, circumstances would be very different at other times.

It is the story of a murder, dredged up from the narrator’s past, when a writer contacts the family and wants to write a book about the murder and the circumstances of the murderer’s life.

The narrator, Faith, revisits what she knows, what she didn’t learn until too late, what she thinks is true, and how it is that the truth is never clear or logical.

Very much a psychological tale, examining all the characters in an extended family and how secrets and lies lead up to misery and hatred.

My personal experience is that lies and family secrets most certainly do that.

We love Topsail State Park. It is surprisingly empty right now but will be full when we come back in April. We've had some rough weather so haven't had a chance to spend too much time outdoors or at the beach, but still, we're having a lovely time.

I am jealous. Your camp site looks lovely.

Jean, I wish you a gorgeous weekend.

We got home on Thursday afternoon. Next camping trip will begin the 25th of February and will be to lovely St. George Island here in Florida.

Hopefully I'll have more pictures from there.

Karen, yeah, Topsail is lovely.

And thanks for the wishes, Ameise! I hope yours is wonderful.

January Summary

A slow January for me with only a total of 6 books read. Well finished. Books unfinished and set aside: The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt. I was enjoying it, but was just not in a good place to listen to it and pay attention.

Books Read: 6
Authors: 3 Female/ 3 Male
Genres: 2 Historical, 1 Magical Realism, 1 period mystery, 1 Alt Reality, 1 Sci Fi/Time Travel
Total Pages Read:2689
Oldest Book Read (original Pub date) - A Dark-Adapted Eye - Barbara Vine - 1986

1. Black Ships - Jo Graham
2. Emperor: The Gates of Rome - Conn Iggulden
3. To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis
4. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
5. Thieftaker - D.B. Jackson
6. A Dark-Adapted Eye - Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell)

Best Book of the month: I enjoyed all of them, so hard to choose, but I think I'll have to choose: To Say Nothing of the Dog.

7. Still Life with Crows - Preston/Child



Genre: Horror/Thriller

Rating: Best of the Series I’ve Read so Far

Agent Pendergast, just as mysterious as ever, turns up in a tiny Kansas town after a bizarre murder is found with the scene set as a ritualistic tableau.

But the next murder makes no sense, at least none that anyone can figure out, since it breaks all the rules regarding serial killers.

Pendergast, unloved by the local cops, finds a young girl, an ousider like him, to assist and he and she set out to catch the killer.

Very good descriptions of the country, the scenes, the local flora and fauna, complex mystery, and lots of crazy chases.

8. Willful Child - Steven Erikson (Cat X!! - Shiny and New)



Genre: Sci Fi Parody
Rating: Good

This is an all out over-the-top parody of Star Trek. Take all the silliness of the original series, stir, and and a biting wit, and you get The Willful Child.

If you adore Star Trek, don’t read it. Unless, of course, you can admit that the series was fun rather than an example of serious Sci Fi.

This couldn't get any more different from his Malazan series!

9. Pride and Prejudice – Jan Austen


Not much to say. My umpteenth reread of it. Great fun.


10. The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag - Alan Bradley


Genre: Historical Mystery

Rating: Very Good!

Second in the Flavia DeLuce series. I know a lot of people find Flavia annoying, but I think she’s utterly hilarious and I envy her dreadfully for being so interesting and complex.

Terrific characters, and intriguing world.

Wonderful series I’ll happily continue.

>68 majkia: I can understand your rating of the Flavia DeLuce series. I really like Flavia as well and can relate to her being so out of step with society. It brings me back to how I felt growing up, I just wish I could have carried it off with the same aplomb as Flavia!

I, too, was completely out of step with my family and my world. Probably why we love her. And yes, I love how she can pretty much let the mean stuff just roll off her back. How I wish I could have done that.

The newness of the Flavia series quickly faded with me. I read the first 3 or 4, but I haven't really wanted to pick up the later installments. I realize that I'm in the minority.

11. Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh - British Author Challenge



Genre: Satire
Rating: Fair

Evelyn Waugh’s first novel, written in 1928, a satire of the British public school system, with our hero having been sent down, landing a job at a public school of questionable value. Not as good as some of his later books, but quite funny nonetheless.

12. Beauvallet - Georgette Heyer



Genre: Historical Romance (Elizabethan)
Rating: Good

Written in 1929, Heyer’s 5th novel, follows the adventures and romances of a pirate, Nick Beauvallet, and the Spanish lady he captures when he attacks a Spanish ship on the high seas. He decides he must have her, even if he has to risk his neck by going to Spain to get her.

Lots of intrigue and adventures even if Nick has all the fun and poor Dominica has to just wait to be rescued from the evil clutches of her aunt. Not my favorite Heyer, but it does have its virtues.

13. Foxglove Summer - Ben Aaronovitch



Genre: Urban Fantasy/Police Procedural
Rating: Excellent

5th in the Peter Grant/Rives of London series.

Apprentice wizard and policeman Peter Grant, city boy down to his tiny toes, has to trek off to the wilds of the British countryside, when two little girls vanish. Just due diligence, just to make sure there wasn't any supernatural critter involved in the abduction.

'The Starling' as he finds himself called, learns a whole lot on this jaunt:  about bees, about himself, about his boss, and about the aspects of magic in the countryside. Not to mention the unicorn and castle.

Excellent addition to the series.

>72 majkia: I have Beauvallet on my shelves (probably more than one copy) but I have resisted reading it for some reason preferring her Regencies set in England. Your review makes it sound intriguing, I must go and hunt it out.

I've got Foxglove Summer on hold at the library, but it'll be a while before my turn...

Too many good books here, and too many BBs to list. Glad that you had a nice weekend away in January, and you got an excellent Thingaversary haul!

Happy Valentine's weekend to you and Mr. Majkia!

14. The Dreaming Void - Peter F. Hamilton


Genre: Space Opera
Rating: Very Good!

It is the far future and humankind have spread across the stars, and met a host of alien species. Wars are over, and things are going pretty well. Except for this massive thing sitting in the middle of the Galaxy. At first it is thought to be a black hole devouring the Galaxy, but then it becomes clear it is something else entirely.

Then one man, an astrophysicist who is studying it, begins to dream. Through the existing tech that connects the worlds, his dream is broadcast across the stars and people begin to believe that within the Void humans live and are happy and prosper. This spawns a religion around the Dreamer, Inigo.

But after several centuries, the Dreamer disappears. Has he died? Or has he simply pulled out of society and hidden himself somewhere.

Then, suddenly, there is a second Dreamer. This sparks the Living Dream, the religion spawned around the first Dreamer, to suddenly awaken from its slumber and call for a pilgrimage into the Void. ; But many scientists, and all the alien species, rise up in alarm, afraid such a thing will cause the Void to speed up and begin, once again, to destroy worlds and civilizations as it chews its way through the Galaxy. The pilgrimage must be stopped!

Hamilton does a great job at creating a Galactic civilization, Religion, and people who are complex and intriguing. The societies are various, with different worlds having quite different problems and opportunities, not to mention goals. Some people, the wealthy of course, live for centuries, and have augmented bodies and minds, and a mental connection to the mass of humanity through the vast gaianet that lets thoughts and dreams spread across worlds and peoples.

I’m excited to read the next outing. Oh, and Fifty Shades doesn’t hold a candle to the future folks and their versions of sex and erotica.

Hmmm. Got me with that one.

#76 by @LauraBrook> Laura, we had a great weekend. Glad to hand out the bullets!

#78 by @drneutron> Must have been the comment about Fifty Shades, lol.

15. The Iron Jackal - Chris Wooding



Genre: Steampunk, SFF

Rating: Very Good

Third episode in the Tales of the Ketty Jay series, our ‘heroes’ are feeling pretty smug. For a change, things are going fairly well. That is, until Frey decides to do a train job. From there, things definitely get buggered.

Pirates, thieves, outcasts, former slaves, and a demonologist on the run make up the crew of the Ketty Jay. Lots of shades of Firefly in many parts, particularly The Train Job!

I love the characters. Everyone is a mess, and doing their best to make do with what they are, and somehow remain part of a crew.

Frey, leader of the crew, is shallow, narcissistic, and knows it. But for the first time in his life, he’s beginning to actually feel responsible for his crew and aware of his limitations. And is trying to do better. We’ll see if he can manage it!

Oooooh, so you got me with two more BBs for The Dreaming Void and whatever the first one in the Ketty Jay series is (I'll look it up in a mo').

Could you stop writing such good reviews and reading such good books? Thanks. ;)

Happy to see that the Ketty Jay series continues to amuse and entertain! I keep meaning to get back to that one....

16, Way Station - Clifford D. Simak


Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: Quite Good
Originally published in 1963.  Hugo Award winner and deservedly so.

Enoch is a quiet man. He keeps to himself and gives his neighbors no reason to be upset with him. He has little to do with anyone other than getting his mail and buying supplies now and again.

The neighbors do notice, however, that he has lived far longer than is normal, but well, he’s no trouble and nice enough so no one wants to make waves about weird goings on.

No one guesses that this quiet man is keeper of an intergalactic way station where aliens arrive most days, say awhile to rest, then continue on their light year journeys. Until, that is, a deaf mute girl local girl seeks his help from her abusive family.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Told in a very quiet, simple way, with an intriguing premise and interesting characters.

>84 majkia: I loved loved *loved* this one when I read it last year - I'm glad to see that you did, too!

17. The Midwich Cuckoos - John Wyndham


Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: Very Good
Made into the movie Village of the Damned.

A small town of no known importance is suddenly blocked off from the rest of the world, and all its inhabitants are cut down. At first the authorities assume they are all dead. Instead they discover the people and animals and every living thing in Midwich is asleep. After 24 hours, everyone awakes and all appear to be fine.

But then it is discovered that every woman of child bearing age who has been hit by the DayOut is with child.

Very intriguing take on alien invasions. Quite different from the movie, of course.

>86 majkia: Cool, added this and Way Station to my list, thx!

We arrived at St George Island on Wednesday. It has been cold and rainy since we got here. Did I say cold?

Here we are at a friend's house on Carrabelle, about an hour drive from the campground:

The Beach is behind the house, but it was so cold we were huddled in the front of the house.

Hopefully the weather turns to the bright side soon.

We've been having an excellent time on St George's Island. Here Mr Majkia is playing with fire. The photo up at the top of the thread he took this afternoon when the Great Blue let him get very near. He was giving the bird his shrimp he was using for fishing. No, alas, he didn't catch any fish.

18. The Last Kingdom - Bernard Cornwell



Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: Good

I confess to knowing nothing whatsoever about this period in Britain’s history so I have no idea how accurate the historical details are, although Cornwell does say something with regard to that in the afterward.

The action takes place when the Danes were overrunning England and had captured essentially most of it with the exception of West Sussex where Alfred, to be called Alfred the Great, is keeping them at bay.

The tale is told by a young man whose family is killed in a Danish attack. The boy attempts to kill one of the Danish leaders, Ragnar, and is subsequently adopted by the same fellow. He finds the young boy’s spirit that of a Dane and a Viking, and so the boy grows up as a Dane, learning how they fight, how they believe and how they think. He still dreams of his home though, and secretly wants the Danes out and the English to regain their homeland.

The story follows the boy’s life up until he is grown and finds himself torn between the two worlds.

Intriguing character development and interesting to me as I knew nothing about the Vikings nearly conquering England.

>91 majkia: Oooh, I've been curious about that book. I've never read any of Cornwell's books myself but bought one for my mum for Mother's Day last year and she liked it. I'm really interested in this particular part of British history but it's difficult when you don't how you'll like someone's writing.

#92 by @PawsforThought> I really enjoy his writing style. Not overly flowery, but he does create the time period and makes you feel like you're there.

>92 PawsforThought: Sounds good. I don't like when it's flowery. I prefer more sparse descriptions.

I have heard so many good comments about Cornwell, I must get to his work soon! Really. Early history is tricky as there is not much in the way of documentation. Sounds as if this one was pretty good.

I am feeling a bit of green eye jealousy for your RV life style. The birds, the campsites, and having a real fire and messing about in nature all looks very attractive to me.

Storm coming in but folks are still on the beach

#95 by @maggie1944> Hi Karen. I'm envious of your annual Hawaii jaunts!

We do like hanging out at our parks. These are fairly primitive, so you are definitely close to nature here! As they advertise: "See the Real Florida."

Jean, I wish you a lovely weekend.

#98 by @Ameise1> lovely. hope you have a great weekend as well!

19. The City & The City - China Mieville (BAC Challenge)


Genre: Urban Fantasy Noir
Rating: Amazing

Mieville has an ability to imagine world and city-scapes that are so alien and fascinating.

Two cities/two worlds superimposed over each other, where citizens of one must ‘unsee’ those of the other. Areas of shared scape or totally separate cities, intermixed who knows how or why. The citizens just have to live there.

A detective of one city finds a dead body. But he begins to suspect that this isn’t only about his city, and that means the mysterious Breach might be invoked, the mystery that citizens of both cities fear.

Again, Mieville creates a world that is as much a character in the story as the humans living in it. Wonderfully imaginative, nicely noir and convincingly complex.

>100 majkia: Glad you liked The City & The City, it's my favourite of Miéville's so far.

St. George Island. We're here until Wednesday when we leave for Suwannee River State Park.

Gorgeous heron pic. I've never read any China Mievelle but >100 majkia: makes me want the check this one out. Thanks!

>103 charl08: oh, you should!

>102 majkia: excellent picture!

 

Our site at Suwannee River State Park.

Notice the trees are pretty bare and all the leaves on the ground?

For those of you not familiar with Florida, these trees are called live and scrub oak. They keep their leaves all winter and only lose them in spring, when they produce seed pods. In a month they'll be offering heavy shade.

20. Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson


Genre: Alt History/Historical Fiction/SFF
Rating: Wow

I’ve been putting off saying anything about this book, because I wasn’t sure how to put it. It is an ambitious book, a retelling of the history of science, taking on the change from alchemy to science, and the massive social changes coming from the Reformation and the Plague.

If you don’t like science, you probably won’t like it. We meet many of the fathers of science, and they aren’t always figures to look up to, at least not personally, even if they are brilliant and driven.

I found it fascinating.

I am not quite a quarter of the way into the audio of The City & the City and it's holding my interest so far. Not your usual police procedural, for sure.

We have trees that retain their brown leaves until spring around here too. I never have known what kind of trees they are, but I suppose they could be the same kind of oak that you have in Florida.

#108 by @cbl_tn> These trees stay green all winter, so I doubt their the same tree. The leaves look nothing whatsoever like an oak leaf, BTW.

They look like this:

21. Lament for a Maker - Michael Innes


Genre: Golden Age Mystery

Rating: Convoluted and Intriguing.

Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Third in the John Appleby mystery series.

As with all the Appleby books, extremely literary and quite convoluted. Quite a few twists and turns I did not see coming.

I do enjoy the series, even if it shows up my poor literary education. ;)

When we were here two years ago, the river was just a trickle, after a couple of years of drought. Now, it is close to spilling over its banks, and has indeed flooded one campground up the road, but not at this one.

Oh, lovely! I'm glad your camp site isn't flooded!

It is that time of year again: My infamous white wisteria. Not the beach but at the house:

Beautiful!

Hi Jean, I love your photos. They are so beautiful. I wish you a lovely weekend with a spring note from over the pond.

23. A Red Herring Without Mustard - Alan Bradley

 

Genre: Period Mystery
Rating: Pure Flavia

The third entry in the Flavia DeLuce series, has Flavia mixed up with Gypsies and old fears and murder!

Flavia is at her most stubbornly determined when she finds an old gypsy woman beaten near to death. She just can’t let it drop, of course, and keeps digging to find out whodunit, even in the face of yet another murder.

Flavia is, I realize an acquired taste, one some folks never quite get used to, but I do adore her. And some of the things she says and does brings back my own childhood so doubly a reason I adore her.

25. City of Bones - Martha Wells



Genre:& SFF, Post-Apocalyptic

Rating: Very Good

Quite an interesting take on post-apocalyptic fiction. With well drawn and complex characters, and an interesting world. the magic is intriguing also. Too bad it’s a stand alone. I’d like to read more of this world.

Topsail Hill State Park. We're here until the end of April.

Here we are.

You are making me want to go camping. I miss going RVing with my parents. They sold the motor home a couple of years before Mom died. Now Dad is gone too. The only "camping" I've done since has been in "camping cabins." I still enjoy it, but I miss the RV.

Hi Jean, I wish you Happy Easter.

there are quite a few folks here with rental RVs, Lori. Maybe you can look into that. I certainly can understand missing it.

Thanks Ameise!

Happy Easter, Jean!

26. Charming - Elliot James


Genre: urban/country fantasy
Rating: I’m liking it!

First in the Pax Arcana series.

A blonde walks into a bar.  And the bartender avoids her. He knows she’s not human. He’s not quite human. But when the vampire walks in they end up having to work together whether he likes it or not. And just how did she know his name was John?

So much for hiding out in a small NC town.

Fun and quite well developed world a bit reminiscent of the Dresden Files, in that John is a reluctant hero, but not a mage. Told in the first person, we learn not only about John’s problems but he gives an ongoing commentary about fighting vampires.

I'll definitely be reading more of the series.

Thanks Paul! Hope you and yours are having a wonderful week.

28. The Alehouse Murders - Maureen Ash

Genre: Historical Mystery
Rating: Pretty Good for the Start of a Series

Bascot de Marins is a Knight Templar, returned from the Crusades, having been held captive and then served as a slave until he’d escaped. His faith has flagged and he’s taken leave of the Templars. He’s unsure what his future path is.

The Templars arrange for him to recover his health at the Castle of Lincoln. While there, three people are found murdered at the local Alehouse. The chatelaine of the castle asks de Marin to look into the deaths and discover what he can of them.

Quite interesting setting and seems quite well researched. But there are a few places where I felt modern ideas intruded into the atmosphere that bothered me a bit.

The mystery was pretty complex and I was unsure of the identity of the murderer until quite near the end, which is a surprise for me.

That one sounds pretty interesting... I may have to add it to The List... Thanks for the review!

Still at Topsail Preserve State park

29. Labyrinth - Kate Mosse


Genre: Thriller/ Historical
Rating: Right up my street

A volunteer on an archeological dig uncovers a cave that holds two bodies.  She discovers a ring, and sees a labyrinth carved into the wall of the cave.

This begins a deadly earnest race between two organizations who want to control the ring and use it to discover the secrets of the Grail.

I can see why some folks might not like this sort of book, but I adored it. Puzzles, ancient secrets, theories and commonly accepted beliefs turned upside down.

It is a complete book, and although it is part of a trilogy, could certainly be read on its own. I’ll undoubtedly read the rest of the Languedoc series.

30. The Flinck Connection - Estelle Ryan

Genre: Art Heist Thriller

Rating:  Did I say I loved art thieves?

Fourth entry in the Dr Genevieve Lenard series.  Jenny is a high functioning autistic woman who has somehow acquired quite the band of former thieves.  Due to past incidents they work toward recovering stolen art, but pose as crooks and cons.

This time out, they are invited to a house to see a Flinck painting, and when Colin, the art thief, checks the place out, he finds a body.

I really enjoy this series. Interesting characters, lots of fascinating interplay among them, and the art heists are cool.

There at the end of our RVing trip to Topsail I became lax about posting about my reading. Here's what I've read since my last post:

31. Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner. Meh. Not nearly as good as her Riverside books. Well written, but constrained by the fact it is a retelling of fairy stories.

32. The Dragon's Path - Daniel Abraham
I really enjoyed the world and the diversity of the inhabitants of that world. The plot was a bit hard to follow, what with quite a few threads woven through it, but then I like that sort of thing!

33. The Devil's Eye - Jack McDevitt
I really enjoy this series. Lots of action, archaeology in space, complex worlds and interesting and fun characters. The first of the series was told from the more staid character's viewpoint, but the rest are told from his female partner's POV and she's a lot of fun.

Unfinished: Maze - J.M. McDermott - I found it repetitive even if well-written. Just wasn't in the right mood for it, maybe. I wanted more fun and it wasn't providing that, alas.

May reading so far:

34. The Egyptologist - Arthur Phillips.
Genre: historical mystery of sorts, epistological
Rating: Uneven but interesting.

An interesting mystery, not only with regard to things archaeological, but also with regard to two missing men, seemingly unconnected, from different parts of the world.

35. Judas Unchained - Peter F. Hamilton.
Second in the Commonwealth Saga.
Genre: Sci Fi, definitely of the hard variety
Rating: I really love the sprawling sort of tale that builds galaxies rather than just worlds

Definitely have to read this after the first of the series. The action picks up directly after Pandora's Star and involves alien plots, and alien planets and lots of neat theories with regard to tech and how people themselves might evolve.

36. The Princess Bride -William Goldman
Genre: fantasy
Rating: Meh.

I liked the movie better.

37. The Serpent Sea - Martha Wells
Genre: SFF
Rating: Excellent sequel to The Cloud Roads.

Imaginative, entertaining and excellent world building.

38. The Butcher of Anderson Station - James S.A. Corey
Genre: Sci Fi
Rating: Meh

I'd hoped to get a better feel for the guy, but this didn't really seem to add a lot to what we know of Fred and his decision to join OPA.

Judas Unchained was 1024 pages and I'm deep into another thousand pager, Reaper's Gale.

39. Reaper's Gale - Steven Erikson
Genre: High Fantasy
Rating: Amazing series (this is the 7th book) 1280 pages would you believe.

Who can't love a series with characters whose names are: Ublala Pung, or Karsa Orlong, or an elder god who runs around disguised as a servant named Bugg? And dragons! Did I mention dragons? And Moranth explosives! Sappers Unite!

40. Ghost Country - Patrick Lee
Genre: Sci Fi Thriller
Rating: Intriguing

Second in the Travis Chase series, the Breach, which seems to be a doorway into another universe/time/planet/? keeps sending odd and mostly entirely alien 'things' through it. This time though, it sends two things through that see to show the Earth's future. And it is very, very bleak. Can our heroes stop the all too soon destruction of human kind? And what exactly did happen and who did it?

>131 majkia: Always interested in new crime suggestions, this sounds good! thanks.

I've been in a posting slump for quite some time. I'm going to try to be better and update my threads, beyond the number of books read and such.

I"ve read quite a few good books, but haven't felt like commenting on them. Sigh. Better than a reading slump I guess. ;)

Definitely better than a reading slump!

My reading for the past couple of months included these books that I especially enjoyed:

June:
Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines. Imaginative urban fantasy with lots of humor.

Lions of Al Rassan - G.G. Kay. His usual highly emotional, beautifully written sort of fantasy. I'm always swearing I won't read him again because his stories are all so bloody heart wrenching.

The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V.S. Redick. This one surprised me. Very interesting world-building and well-drawn characters.

Just One Damned Thing after Another - Jody Taylor . Rollicking good fun with one sarcastic heroine you have to fall in love with.

July:
A Madness of Angels - Kate Griffin. Very intriguing urban fantasy. One of those books that doesn't explain a lot of what is going on but drags you onward until all finally becomes clear - ish.

Why Mermaids Sing - C. S. Harris. One of those period mysteries that just entertains so well.

Cold Magic . Kate Elliot. Very surprising book. Great world-building and great characterization. I couldn't put it down.

Honorable mention:
Off to be the Wizard - Chris Meyer Just fun.

Finished Ha'penny by Jo Walton, a disturbing alt history about the ending of WWII, and The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks, about a depressingly dark world and the creation of an assassin.

139> Yes, the Jo Walton is a very dark series. It does end...not happily, but with hope, though. It took me more than three years from reading Farthing to venture on to Ha'penny, and then almost another year to convince myself to read Half a Crown. I'm glad I did, though - it rounds things off nicely (without diluting the message - it doesn't go sweet). And now I don't have to read any of them ever again (I read Farthing twice or three times, each time in preparation for moving on to the next of the series)!

Finished The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I believe I read this eons ago and no doubt I hated it then too. It was a struggle to finish it. Meaningless cruelty in the name of religion, in my opinion. Your mileage will no doubt vary greatly.

Sadly, I've given up on Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Too much romance for my tender tastes. I wanted to like this series, but the whole lifemate thing, constantly at front an center annoyed me, and the action was minimal. Sitting around on a primitive farm not to my taste.

So beginning A Conspiracy of Paper by David Liss instead.

Here's hoping your next read or two or three fits your fancies perfectly. It is discouraging to have one bummer after another.

>142 majkia: Aww. Yeah, they do have a romance focus - though it gets diluted in the next couple books by a war. Only diluted, not removed, though - and the big deal at the end of Plan B and the beginning of I Dare is lifemates again. I'm sorry it doesn't work for you - the Liaden Universe is one of my favorite series.

>145 majkia: How beautiful! Here it looks like this. Happy Sunday, Jean.

Month of September reading:

1. A Fine Summer's Day - Charles Todd TIOLI 20, AlphaKIT, RandomCAT
2. Replay - Ken Grimwood TIOLI 17
3. A Conspiracy of Paper - David Liss, TBR
4. A Perfect Evil - Alex Kava TIOLI 15, AlphaKIT
5. Cranford - Elizabeth Gaskell TIOLI 1, TBR
6. Annihilation- Jeff Vandermeer SFFCAT TIOLI 6, AlphaKIT
7. Osiris - E. J. Swift TIOLI 20, SFFCAT, AlphaKIT
8. Angelmaker- Nick Harkaway SFFCAT, AlphaKIT
9. The Adamantine Palace - Stephen Deas TIOLI 7, AlphaKIT

I think I enjoyed Angelmaker and The Adamantine Palace the best.

Month of October Reading:

1. Louise Penny - Bury Your Dead
2. The Haunting of Hill House - Shirley Jackson - SFF TIOLI 6
3. Dance of Death - Preston/Child - audio from Library, TIOLI 15
4. The Summoner - Gail Z. Martin TBR, SFF TIOLI 1
5. Under the Eagle - Simon Scarrow - TBR TIOLI 13
6. The Prestige - Christopher Priest - RTT, History CAT, TIOLI 5
7. The Book of the Dead - Preston/Child TIOLI 1 Alpha
8. The Technologists - Matthew Pearl - RTT, HistoryCAT, TIOLI 12

I LOVED The Technologists and couldn't put The Book of the Dead down

Have a lovely holiday, Jean