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Post by wildfire2099 on Apr 27, 2018 23:35:07 GMT -5
Real Tigers Mick Herron
While I can see a certainly level of 'same-ness' to the other two books, Slough House continues to be a great place to visit. The political machinations get ramped up another level with the introduction of some Parlimentary politics.. I suspect Peter Judd is meant to parody someone in particular, but I've no idea who (being American and all). The layer it adds to the story does do a good job in raising the stakes, but it feels off. If the slow horses were all so terrible, why do they keep getting all the cool missions? I think more time passing between books would have made this a bit more believable (months instead of weeks).. that's a minor quibble, though. I'd really love to see someone try to bring Jackson Lamb to life on screen.. that'd be something!
I really enjoyed Marcus and Shirley...especially the irony of Shirley being the real bad mother, and Marcus ending up on his back alot.
I really hope the overriding plot can work to allow more stories with these wonderfully quirkly characters.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Apr 29, 2018 15:10:49 GMT -5
Frankenstein Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Adapted and transformed so many times, this book is surprising in that it is quite different from even the most allegedly faithful presentations in other forms (I’m thinking especially of the Classics Illustrated version I read in the 70s). Despite its uncommon and even daring theme (for its time),, it remains very much a product of its era... While a modern writer would have put more emphasis on the monster’s creation, on the technical aspects of bringing an artificial being into life, here the subject is barely broached. The matter of creating the monster is worth one or two paragraphs, no more. Meanwhile, the reader must endure chapter upon chapter of Viktor Frankenstein undergoing successive nervous breakdowns. The same goes for all those pages devoted to the story of the De Lacey family... “(Who?” might you ask). They’re people living in a small dilapidated house with a shed that the monster will squat for a while. They’re a French family that met ill fortune when siding with a Turkish merchant unfairly prosecuted by the authorities, and that had to undergo exile. That subject is apparently worth three chapters, although the De Laceys play no role in the rest of the story.
I do not regret reading this classic, but must admit I found it a little tedious. It is not a horror story, nor is it an adventure tale; it is an allegory on man being tempted to follow into Satan’s footpaths (and not Prometheus, as the book’s complete title might suggest) and create his own Hell by trying to go beyond his ordained place in the nature of things.
Viktor Frankenstein is a whiny milksop for the whole book, quite undeserving of all the love and support he’s given, until utter despair finally forces him into attempting something useful... but far too late, and without success. The monster is an unsympathetic and brutal crybaby, whose supposed intelligence does not make him realize that since his ugly face is the cause of all his problems, he could simply put a bag on his head before attempting contact with anyone (after all, conversing with a blind man allowed him to quicky make a friend). There is really no one to root for, here, except perhaps for Henry Clerval, whose friendship for Frankenstein remains steadfast throughout his existence, although it is clear from the start that Clerval wears a red shirt.
As far as classic monster books go, I much preferred Stoker’s Dracula.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 2, 2018 10:43:12 GMT -5
Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore. Some time in the late 2000s I went on a tear and read most of the books Christopher Moore had written to that point. I'm a big fan finding him to be one of the best humor authors working. This was by far my least favorite of his books. I've re-read most of his early work and am either re-reading or reading for the first time his later work and decided to start here and see what I thought. I liked it a lot better this time. The story is set in San Francisco (most of Moore's books are in northern California). Tommy has come to San Francisco from small-town Indiana to be a writer. Jody has just been turned into a vampire with no explanation why and no owner's manual. They come together, two fish out of water, and try to make the most of a bad situation. Unfortunately the vampire who turned Jody is playing games. Games that tend to lead the police to Jody and Tommy. Moore is a funny guy and I really did like this one a lot better the second time around. And, if you've read enough of his novels he tends to leave easter eggs in them and re-use minor characters to larger purpose later. It's still not a patch on Lamb or The Stupidest Angel. But I probably like it as well as Coyote Blue or Fluke.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 3, 2018 19:38:16 GMT -5
Savage Season by Joe R. Lansdale. I read this not super long after it was published (it may have been shortly after Mucho Mojo was published). I know I got it from the Salt Lake library and I know that I read the first two or three books of this series. And it's been a long time. So since I've been reading a lot of Lansdale and since I finished up the Ed and Am Hunter books I decided to give these a read-through. I honestly remembered very little of the book from almost 25 years ago. But it was a great read. I love that Hap and Leonard are fairly realized characters. I love that they get in and out of this predicament in a pretty realistic fashion. I love that this isn't really a mystery but hearkens more to the Gold Medal paperback originals. Looking forward to more...and recommend this one to anyone who likes hard-boiled writing.
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 3, 2018 22:23:59 GMT -5
Savage Season by Joe R. Lansdale. I read this not super long after it was published (it may have been shortly after Mucho Mojo was published). I know I got it from the Salt Lake library and I know that I read the first two or three books of this series. And it's been a long time. So since I've been reading a lot of Lansdale and since I finished up the Ed and Am Hunter books I decided to give these a read-through. I honestly remembered very little of the book from almost 25 years ago. But it was a great read. I love that Hap and Leonard are fairly realized characters. I love that they get in and out of this predicament in a pretty realistic fashion. I love that this isn't really a mystery but hearkens more to the Gold Medal paperback originals. Looking forward to more...and recommend this one to anyone who likes hard-boiled writing. I just read the comic version of this one... it works quite well too. Hap and Leonard are awesome.... I'm glad you turned me on to them
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Post by brutalis on May 4, 2018 8:21:55 GMT -5
Read this week Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel. B Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris this is about a alternative history of a Victorian/Edwardian English duo who investigate secrets and conspiracies for her majesty Queen Victoria. All you need to do is imagine John Steed and Emma Peel and Sherlock Holmes combined. He is the stuffy upper class and logical archivist of all things for the Ministry most comfortable being alone within the tombs under the Thames river experimenting and documenting all the artifacts being discovered. She is the New Zealand colonial bombshell (literally) agent who prefers to do her talking with fists, feet, knives, guns and dynamite. With trouble always finding the volatile Agent Eliza Braun who has been "demoted" to assisting Agent Wellington Books in his librarian duties (or so it seems but is in actuality a very sneaky attempt in the behalf of both Agents by their boss to bring them together) and they unearth things which connect to a prior case and partner of Braun's.
Full of Brit wit and fun, steampunk machinery and robots, an evil brotherhood bent on trying to enslave Britain and an intelligently sexy and snarky attraction slowly growing between the 2 agents and you have an interesting mix. Quick moving story, creative characters (both good and evil) this is the 1st in a series of currently 6 books. It is an easy read, light and smooth and you can jump in quickly. The Steampunk is not over done or obnoxious to the story and series and fits into the historical aspects quite nicely. Very much looking forward to reading more (I already have the next 3 books purchased) of this thrilling duo.
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Post by Calamas on May 4, 2018 9:04:23 GMT -5
Savage Season by Joe R. Lansdale. . . . I love that this isn't really a mystery but hearkens more to the Gold Medal paperback originals. That’s because that’s exactly what it is. Hap & Leonard was never meant to be a series. This and Cold in July were Lansdale’s (then) modern take on those Gold Medal crime stories.
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Post by brutalis on May 7, 2018 8:21:41 GMT -5
Continuing historical readings this weekend. Blew through Sharpe's Prey book 5 in the series by Bernard Cronwell. This one finds our boy ol' Sharpie asked in 1807 to be a secret agent in Denmark in hopes of preventing the French gaining use of the Danish fleet. As usual there is a woman, danger, a nasty villain, riches and Dick Sharpe (what a name) in the thick of things doing what he does best: being a soldier's soldier and killing those who need it.
Finished A Time to Stand: The Epic of the Alamo by Walter Lord which is a short 271 pages providing the facts (as can be found) and stories around the famous Texas mission house. It is from 1978 and this book reads smoothly and freshly even for today. Provides lots of information and characters beyond just the big names involved. Reads somewhat like a mini biography of the different participants but easy to read and provides some notes of interest and history of the time and people.
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 7, 2018 19:17:03 GMT -5
At the Sign of Triumph (Safehold book #9) David Weber
Weber tried to write this book like the others.... adding new characters and trying to put a human face on the epic military conflict, but with it being the conclusion of a truly epic (we're talking close to 9000 pages) series, I found myself often just wanting him to hurry up and tell me what happens.
I would have MUCH preferred a good map or two than another 10 chapters of valiant soldiers who are gonna die anyway. (apparently, there's maps online, but I read to get away from the screens, no lok at them more)
Of course, it's been clear exactly HOW things were going to end for 3 books now, so there was no surprise, but certainly some satisfaction in seeing a series actually reach a logical conclusion. (I'm looking at you, Patrick Rothfuss and George RR Martin).
On the plus side, things were wrapped up pretty neatly, and the only plot threads left dangling were on purpose, for a potential follow up series.
I have mixed feelings about that... on the one hand, if they series only moves forward in time slightly, and other conflict will feel small and insignifigant in comparison. And while visiting old friends is always nice, it really would be more nostalgia than anything.
A big time gap to the time when the remnants of humanity fight the Gbaba could be all too similar to the Honor Harrington series (heck, I could even see a 'bridge' type series that turns this into a PREQUEL to the Honorverse), and would, of course, mean leaving all our Charisian friends behind.
Overall, I'd say the general consenus I see of 'good series gone on too long' is pretty accurate. I think a good 3 books worth of editing probably could have done wonders, but I'm happy to have read it, and will most certainly visit again if and when another series begins.
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 11, 2018 6:48:38 GMT -5
Space Platform Murray Leinster c. 1953 My copy is a reprint by Belmont Press in 1965. It's always entertaining to read speculative sci-fi about things that have already happened... in this case, we have the building and setting into orbit a space station (which we still haven't managed all that well 65 years later). Leinster focuses on his idea of the technical details, and most of the story consists of a motley band of characters (the main character, as generic an everyman as you can get named Joe, a Mohawk engineer, and a midget that just wants everyone to agree that midgets would make the best space men, then a generic tough guy named Haney) somehow manage to foil a multitude of sabotage attempts. The book ends with the platform getting off the ground and the main characters picked to man the supply ferry. Oh, and Joe gets the girl, too, as one always does in 50s sci-fi. Noticibly absent is the massive (and much more interesting) political ramifications of the United States getting what was essentially an oribiting military base (they discuss how it was stocked with atomic weapons) into orbit at the height of the cold war.. which is too bad, because that would have been far more interesting than a layman's view of how to get a station up into space with 1953 tech.
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Post by brutalis on May 14, 2018 8:10:31 GMT -5
Dark Queen (Jane Yellowrock) Mass Market Paperback – May 1, 2018 by Faith Hunter. Book 12 in series.
The big finale (more or less) of many of the interweaving plot threads of the last several books. As the big blood challenge/duel between the European vampire lord Titus Vispianus (yes, that Titus of ancient Rome) and the American Vampire Lord Leo Pellisier for power and possession of the "world" comes to a head. Our heroine Jane Yellowrock is "promoted" from simply being an "Enforcer" for the Mithran Lord Leo as she is granted Title and Role and Power as the Dark Queen and made "master" of her own clan of mix-matched humans, witches, vampires and werewolves. Jane also finds she has a skin-walker brother she never knew or remembered who does little in this book other than to start new threads for the next story-line to tie up the entire series. This was to be the truly final book of the series but so much was going on and so many characters that the author got a reprieve to follow up with 2 more books for a more cohesive character driven ending.
Faith Hunter manages to write multiple interesting characters and juggle them all in these stories and also carries lots of great action. While the series is sold as a para-normal/fantasy/urban series the real draw for us readers are the characters and their inter actions. It becomes quite addictive waiting each year to find out what is going on within these fictional characters lives. This has been one of my favorite series to read each year as every new book comes out. It has a "sister" series with 3 books out already (Soulwood) with a PsyLED team who investigate and police paranormal activity. The main character is a "wood witch" who can communicate and has bonds with nature and the tree's/soil/land and is another really interesting and creative adventure into the mystical and monsters world. If you haven't ever read any of these you are missing out!
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 15, 2018 0:15:52 GMT -5
The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury
I don't generally read books that so blatantly scream at me that they are marketed for teen age girls (which this one clearly is), but the cover reminded me so much of Full Metal Alchemist (from afar, it seems to me to show Ed as the Man in the Flask), I had to give it a shot.
The first 2 thirds of the book were exactly what I expected... the main character is trapped and feeling sorry for herself (If a person really had as many consecutive sleepless nights as the book describes Twylla as having, all the books action could have been writted out as psychotic ravings from a sleep deprived girl), but of course has a variety of options to escape, and the reader is pulled back and forth between them as the book progresses.
The last third, I have to say, broke pattern and left me to wonder if there was, in fact, any fantasy elements coming, or if it would go in an entirely different direction. While the world building wasn't particularly unique (Democracy = good, Monarchy = bad is a pretty old trope), but I did like the religion bits.. they were pretty unique could go in alot of different directions (if they're not cast aside).
While the jacket of the 2nd book leads me to think those elements that intrigued me don't really go in the way I would like, I'll probably still check it out (depending on how my daughter likes this one, anyway)
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Post by wildfire2099 on May 15, 2018 23:23:00 GMT -5
The Gun Fuminori Nakamura
This book is definitely not what I expected... I was expecting a noir book with a Japanese tint, but really it's a character sketch.
The book is written in the first person, and follows a bored, frustrated college student as he finds a gun on the ground and what possessing the weapon does to his mental state.
I can see that Nakamura could write a more traditional noir book.... the detective that makes a brief appearance is a fun, Columbo-like character that was FAR more likeable that the main character.
I think that was the issue with the book in the end, while it was an interesting look into the psyche, Nishikawa in the end is a really a bad person, and it makes it somewhat difficult to relate to him or feel for him.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 17, 2018 14:28:13 GMT -5
The Guns of Vedauwoo by Wayne Dundee. U. S. Marshall Cash Laramie is back...this time brought to us by Wayne Dundee. Cash is sent to Vedauwoo to head off an escaped prisoner who is going to recover a cache of rifles and sell them to the growing membership of the Ghost Dance movement. Of course it can't be that easy and Cash has to deal with a gang of train robbers and a small party of sporting enthusiasts rock-climbing in Vedauwoo. More successful than Nik Morton's turn at Laramie and Miles but not quite as good as Dundee's previous try in "Manhunter's Mountain." I still think they're at their best when handled by series creator Edward Grainger (David Cranmer).
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Post by brutalis on May 18, 2018 8:23:36 GMT -5
David Crockett: The Lion of the West by Michael Wallis. Devoured this one over the last 3 nights reading after work and before bed. Very easy reading style which skips the mythology of the man who never referred to himself as Davy and focuses on known facts and truths. Crockett could be considered the 2nd American folk-hero (after Daniel Boone) that has become so iconic and mythical that nobody remembers much of the truth. A very detailed book from childhood to his death at the Alamo.
Everyone recognizes the man in the coon skin hat and buckskins but that isn't really Crockett. He was a man of the frontier during a harsh growth time of the USA. He preferred hunting and wandering through the wilderness but his easy going ways brought him instant fame and likability and led him into politics. A true pioneer in the sense he grew up uneducated learning from life and work while battling politicians in Congress. He was considered itchy footed as he never stayed anywhere too long and always on the move in search of and hoping for what was over the next hill. Very interesting book that doesn't hesitate to show his faults (had slaves, poor money management, drinker, poor husband,etc) while exploring his fame. He was usually considered a dumb frontiersman without any true schooling yet his hunting skills, natural charm, humor and wit was what carried him through tough times and invariably made him so well liked and famous. A very enjoyable biography of his life and times that reads more as a fictional novel than factoids.
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