None really captured the chilling madness and horror of HPL, but Neil Gaiman turned in a beautifully fuInteresting book of Lovecraftian based stories.
None really captured the chilling madness and horror of HPL, but Neil Gaiman turned in a beautifully funny story that delighted me no end. That and Kim Newman's offering are what raise this book from 3 stars to 4.
There are worse ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than reading this....more
Queen Victoria has been persuaded out of widowhood by Dracula who is now the Prince Consort and Lord Protector of England.
Someone is carving up young Queen Victoria has been persuaded out of widowhood by Dracula who is now the Prince Consort and Lord Protector of England.
Someone is carving up young new-born vampire whores in Whitechapel. They call him Silver Knife. The Diogenes Club instructs Charles Beauregard to investigate. He is assisted by a French vampire elder named Genevieve who works at a mission in Whitechapel.
It becomes obvious that these are no simple killings. We, the reader, learn early who the killer is, but Charles and Genevieve do not until the end.
A word about this book. Brilliant.
Kim Newman writes an enchanting and engaging story, and cheekily name checks as many real and fictional people as he can. I had a merry old time name spotting as I went. I don't want to spoil it for you, but if you are familiar with Victorian/Edwardian writers and their creations you will love this book so much.
I can't wait to get my hands on the other three Anno Dracula novels....more
This is the second book I have read by Sarah Rayne and I am starting to get a feel for her style, which is one that I quite like as she switches from This is the second book I have read by Sarah Rayne and I am starting to get a feel for her style, which is one that I quite like as she switches from present to past to journal entries etc.
In "What Lies Beneath" a village was evacuated in 1956 to be used for testing a chemical weapon not unlike mustard gas. On the last day in the village, 3 children having one last look around their home, accidentally kill a man. Fifty years later the village is to be decontaminated and opened again. One of the children, now an adult, is very afraid of the past catching up with them.
Murder and madness abound in this delicious story, which is an excellent psychological thriller.
A book of quotes from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels from "The Colour of Magic" up to "Making Money".
Books of quotes are always an interesting reaA book of quotes from Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels from "The Colour of Magic" up to "Making Money".
Books of quotes are always an interesting read, in the the person selecting them may not have selected your personal favourites, and you are sometimes left wondering why a particular quote was chosen.
Still, I garnered a number of delightful entries for my personal Common Place book, which is a good thing.
Most Terry Pratchett fans will be familiar with the quotes, but I'm recommending it, not to them, but to people who enjoy seeing the English language stretched, folded, and turned into something truly memorable....more
Quite enjoyed this entry in the Elemental Masters series, mostly because Nan and Sarah had major roles. This one seemed to be based on a combination oQuite enjoyed this entry in the Elemental Masters series, mostly because Nan and Sarah had major roles. This one seemed to be based on a combination of the stories of "The Seal Wife" and "The Judgement of Paris".
I am finding though, that reading them backwards that some of the earlier ones aren't as good as the later ones. Apart from Nan and Sarah (and Puck), I didn't much care for the characters. The constable just seemed like a badly drawn plot device who served no discernible role in the story.
Still, worth 4 stars on the basis of the interactions of the characters I do like....more
When a landslide reveals a woman's body in the wreckage, Jimmy Perez thinks she's a victim of mother nature...until the autopsy reveals she's a victimWhen a landslide reveals a woman's body in the wreckage, Jimmy Perez thinks she's a victim of mother nature...until the autopsy reveals she's a victim of a different ilk.
Jimmy, Willow, and Sandy are once again racing against the clock to find a murderer, as the body tally begins to rise.
"Cold Earth" is brilliant, with more twists than a corkscrew, and with a denouement that will blow you away.
The memoirs of veteran newsreader Mal Walden were always going to be an interesting read. I just wasn't expecting it to be so interesting that I sat uThe memoirs of veteran newsreader Mal Walden were always going to be an interesting read. I just wasn't expecting it to be so interesting that I sat up late on Saturday night until I'd finished it, because I couldn't bear to put it down.
A deeply absorbing look at the early years of news in Melbourne, Australia, and at the life of Mal Walden.
Big stories that I remember from my childhood, like the Balibo Five, and Cyclone Tracy, hit me just as hard as the more recent ones I've lived through, like Black Saturday.
I freely admit that I stopped watching television news when Mal retired. He had a joyful presence on air that made you feel that, even though the world was going to hell in a handbasket, it would eventually all turn out okay.
"The Newsman" is a must read for every student of current affairs, and anyone interested in the history of television.
Excellent little book of travel writing by noted British travel writer and food critic, A. A. Gill.
Interesting, and thought provoking, though Gill's sExcellent little book of travel writing by noted British travel writer and food critic, A. A. Gill.
Interesting, and thought provoking, though Gill's style may not be for everybody. He comes across at times as a little bit pompous, but his sense of humour is almost stereotypically British.
The perfect book for the armchair traveler....more
This is possibly the weirdest book I have ever read.
A telling of the life of Akhenaten in verse by Australian poet Dorothy Porter.
Her arrangement of AThis is possibly the weirdest book I have ever read.
A telling of the life of Akhenaten in verse by Australian poet Dorothy Porter.
Her arrangement of Ahkenaten's Hymn to the Aten is beautiful. But in her other poems I found the use of somewhat, and very obscene language, lessened my enjoyment of the poems....more
This Elemental Masters book is an interesting take on the tale of Rapunzel.
Giselle is an Air Elemental Master was magical growing hair... she's also This Elemental Masters book is an interesting take on the tale of Rapunzel.
Giselle is an Air Elemental Master was magical growing hair... she's also a sharp shooter, and after her adoptive mother dies, she joins a Wild West show traveling around Germany. This is the key for a number of interesting adventures, especially when Rosa from "Blood Red" enters the story line.
Wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this one as much as the others I've read, but it turned out to be just as entertaining and fun.
If you like light fantasy, you could do a lot worse than read the Elemental Masters series. There's a smidgen of romance in most books, but not enough to qualify as fantasy romance. The women in this series tend to be extremely strong. Men complement them; they don't complete them.
"From a High Tower" is extremely readable and enjoyable. Highly recommended....more
In "Blood Red" Mercedes Lackey, in the Elemental Masters series, let's loose on the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood.
Rosa's adopted grandmother isIn "Blood Red" Mercedes Lackey, in the Elemental Masters series, let's loose on the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood.
Rosa's adopted grandmother is murdered by werewolves, and she herself nearly killed, until her magical call for help brings, not only an enraged elk, but a band of Hunt Masters, who kill the werewolves and rescue Rosa, taking her with them to be trained as an Earth Elemental Master and to eventually become a Hunter Master herself.
Imagine a version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( who can talk to elementals) living in the 19th century Black Forest of Germany, and slaughtering vampires and werewolves with skill and passion.
Then along comes a Hungarian, Markos Nagy and his cousin Dominik, who need help killing werewolves in there homeland. There's just one problem. Markos is a born werewolf and one of the good guys. Rosa's not too sure she believes it, but at insistence of the Count, who heads the White Lodge she's been staying at, she sets off with Markos and Dominik for an adventure that is going to be bloody and deadly.
Fantastic story. I am so glad I decided to start reading this series again. "Blood Red" is well written, exciting, and a bloody good read.
Two Amur tigers are stolen from a zoo. Virgil Flowers is tasked with tracking them down and returning them before the are reduced to component parts fTwo Amur tigers are stolen from a zoo. Virgil Flowers is tasked with tracking them down and returning them before the are reduced to component parts for Chinese medicine. To add to the confusion, Virgil's girlfriend Frankie's sister has turned up and getting herself into all sorts of trouble interviewing illegal immigrant workers at a canning factory. Then when Frankie is beaten up by thugs, all hell breaks loose for Virgil and the BCA.
Barring one or two little niggles, I loved this book. The plot was just this side of believable to make suspension of belief fun not ridiculous.
There was lots of Jenkins and Shrake. Two characters I adore.
I found the skinny dipping scene a trifle creepy and the character of Sparkle's boyfriend, Bill, pretty much unlikeable. Mostly he tripped my ethics and morality buttons, seeing as he's supposedly an ordained priest!
But apart from those quibbles, "Escape Clause" was a fantastic read. Lots of drama, plenty of Sandford's trade mark humour, and the scene where the main bad guy gets his comeuppance has to be read to be believed.
I always love it when I discover a new author that I really enjoy reading.
"The Bell Tower" is the first book by Sarah Rayne that I have read, but it wI always love it when I discover a new author that I really enjoy reading.
"The Bell Tower" is the first book by Sarah Rayne that I have read, but it won't be the last.
Nell West and Michael Flint are attending a recreation of a medieval revel at a small Dorset town that is dominated by a crumbing bell tower on the cliff by the sea. The organisers of the revel are trying to track down a mysterious ancient song known to have been sung, whilst a supposedly dotty old lady is insisting that they stop.
"The Bell Tower" is pretty much a 21st century gothic novel. All the elements are there. Ancient curses, a doomed family, star crossed lovers, burials alive...all tied together in a taut, sharp package that zips along dragging the reader helpless in its wake.
Sarah Rayne is a brilliant writer. The atmosphere of the book flows from eerie and chilly, to the warmth and bounce of everyday life. I thought I'd made a mistake beginning this in the evening, I honestly thought there would be nightmares, as in places the book is so genuinely creepy that the hair on the back of my neck was standing up! But Sarah tied everything up in a wonderful ending that relieved the tension of the book, without being cheesy.
In this one a gentleman who made the hearts of the ladies of Athena flutter, has returned home. And he has nAnother wonderful book from Miranda James.
In this one a gentleman who made the hearts of the ladies of Athena flutter, has returned home. And he has not been forgotten by the ladies...and one of them will stop at nothing to become his wife, even after 40 years!
Well written, well plotted, and thoroughly entertaining.
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