Steve's Bookshelf 2014

[Devi]

I was told Halloween started as a European thing, then the U.S. came along and made it a big event that it is today.

 

I don't know if its true, I was intending to do some research but I have been unwell lately.

[Karsa Orlong]

Strength and Honor (Tour of the Merrimack Book 4) by R. M. Meluch

 

 

 

2007 - DAW paperback - 363 pages

 

 

From Amazon:

 

Captain John Farragut and the crew of the U.S.S. Merrimack face their greatest challenge as Caesar Romulus declares war on the United States of America with a direct attack on Earth. The Merrimack retaliates with an assault on the Roman capital world of Palatine, and in the midst of the chaos, the Hive descends on Earth. With the battle raging, Farragut finds himself in the middle of a final deadly showdown.
 

 

Thoughts:

 

This is the fourth book in the series and the final one in this particular story arc, wrapping up pretty much all of the plot lines from the previous books and doing it with some style.  The Hive threat largely takes a back seat here as - unsurprisingly - humans prove far more adept at killing each other than any alien threat could.

 

This series shouldn't work.  There is so much about it that is problematic.  And yet.  I think Rebecca Meluch's biggest and most important decision was to focus on the characters.  They are cliched military types but she's taken them, rounded them, and made me care about them, whether it's Farragut himself, or Augustus, or T R Steele, or Kerry Blue, or Calli Carmel - she's somehow made them come alive through their dialogue, their actions, their humour, their relationships.  I enjoyed spending time with them.  

 

Even here, when I started the book, I thought I wasn't in the mood for it, that I wasn't going to enjoy it but, through the characters and some nifty plot developments, it dragged me in again, kicking and screaming.  I've found each of the books so entertaining, and it left me wanting more.  There is a fifth book (The Ninth Circle), which I own and begins a new story, and I was very tempted to dive straight into it, but I'll save it for a while.  It was published in 2011, and Rebecca had started work on a sixth but, sadly, she lost her husband and has quite understandably taken time away from writing.  I believe she's back at it now, so the next book will appear sooner or later.

 

Perhaps it never regained the heights achieved in the latter stages of the first book, but Strength and Honor was a rousing close to the sequence, taking much of the set-up work done by the third book and running with it, snowballing to a well-worked finale.  It's quirky, snarky, often both laugh-out-loud funny and exciting.  The series has been a real guilty pleasure and, compared to the other military sf I've read (admittedly, not a lot), just a huge amount of fun.  When I think about how seriously a lot of science fiction takes itself, the pure entertainment value was worth the price of admission on its own.

 

 

9/10

 

 

ETA:  Rats!  I forgot to end the review with the immortal words "Shut up Dak!" 

Edited November 4, 2014 by Karsa Orlong

[Karsa Orlong]

The Borders of Infinity (Vorkosigan Saga #9) by Lois McMaster Bujold 

 

 

 

1987 - Baen ebook - 78 pages

 

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Miles goes undercover and allows himself to be captured by the Cetagandans, who have invaded and occupied Marilac, in order to infiltrate a maximum-security POW camp on Dagoola IV. His mission is to get a single man out of the camp, but he has to improvise when his target proves to be on the verge of death.

 

 

Thoughts:

 

Quite a dark story, this one.  It's another novella which, along with Labyrinth, squeezes in between the novels Ethan of Athos and Brothers in Arms in the series' internal chronological order.  And, again, the publication order is bonkers, as it was written a couple of years before Labyrinth.  These two novellas, plus the brilliant The Mountains of Mourning, were published together in one volume in 1989 (called, confusingly, Borders of Infinity), with a framing story (which I haven't read) to tie the three together.

 

The start of this story was a little confusing, too, as there is no set up.  It begins as Miles is thrown into the Cetagandan prison, so there is no explanation of how he got there, why he's there, and I don't think it was until later in the story that I realised he was there under cover as his mercenary alter-ego, Admiral Naismith.  This all served to cause me some disorientation, which I think was the intent.  Bujold wanted the reader to be as off-balance as Miles quickly becomes once the conditions of the prison become apparent.

 

The darkness in the story comes from the Cetagandan intent to push the convention for the treatment of POWs to the very limits by adhering to them in principle but not in spirit.  It's quite disturbing because of the psychological impact it has on the prisoners, and it also shows a darker side to Miles's character.  He has to make some tough decisions in this story, and there's one particular happening later in the tale that really was a shock.  Also, Bujold drops the c-bomb several times during a conversation with one particular hard case, which was another shock as I don't think there has been any swearing of that nature at all in the series up until now.

 

Anyhoo, it's another solid, gripping entry into the series.  What impresses me is how Bujold is able to change tone and cover a whole range of emotions within each story, or from book to book.  Sometimes it might just be a light-hearted romp, other times it's like a dagger to the heart, and she seems to be able to cram so much into each story, whether it be short or a full-length novel.  I continue to be impressed.

 

 

8/10

[Kylie]

Just caught up on your thread, Steve. Great reviews, especially of Bradbury and Baxter. I thought I had The Martian Chronicles on my TBR pile but alas I don't. My partner periodically tells me how much he loves The Time Ships and that I really must read it, so it's on my wish list.

[Karsa Orlong]

Thanks Kylie    Bradbury's definitely climbing up my list of favourite authors.  I've got a couple more of his waiting to be read.  I don't suppose your partner's read Baxter's Xeelee books?  I've read a few Baxters but not those, and I'm torn between reading them or Proxima/Ultima next

[Karsa Orlong]

Brothers in Arms (Vorkosigan Saga #10) by Lois McMaster Bujold

 

 

1989 - Baen paperback - 338 pages

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Miles is having enough trouble keeping his two identities separate -- the charismatic Admiral Naismith of the Dendarii Mercenary Fleet and a Vor lord of the Barrayan aristocracy -- when assassination attempts begin. But are his enemies after Miles Naismith or Lord Miles Vorkosigan?

 

Thoughts:

 

This story picks up some three months after the events of the preceding novella, The Borders of Infinity.  It's probably the first book in the series where I'd say that, to get the most out of it, one would need to have read Barrayar, The Warrior's Apprentice, The Borders of Infinity, and maybe even Cetaganda.  It adds so much depth to the plot, the characters and their relationships/predicaments to know what has happened in those previous stories.  

 

This book takes place on Earth (in a futuristic London, in fact!) as Miles and the Dendarii fleet stop over for repairs in the wake of their escape from previous adventures.  Strapped for cash and pinned down by orders from Barrayar, Miles is trying to evade Cetagandan assassins whilst carrying out his duties for the both the mercenaries and the Imperial military.

 

I found there was a lot to like in this novel, as usual.  It's filled with Bujold's usual wit and intelligence, sharp observation and wonderful characterisation.  In fact, I got the feeling that the whole series is starting to move through the gears.  One of the major plot developments I had been expecting finally happens herein, and it was handled in almost exactly the way I had hoped.  One particular chapter was riveting for its tension, not knowing which way the story would take it.  

 

If I had one niggle with it, it's that it seemed to slightly lose its impetus in the wake of that scene, as if the real climax of the novel had passed, and the latter stages became something of an extended chase sequence, rolling from one cliffhanger to another as Miles continually outwits his enemies.

 

That said, the set up for the next book, Mirror Dance, almost had me diving straight into that one.  It's the book I've most been looking forward to reading in this series.  Can't wait!

 

 

8/10

 

 

 

[Athena]

Great review . You're doing pretty well with this series!

[Karsa Orlong]

The Mangle Street Murders (Gower Street Detective Series Bk 1) by M.R.C. Kasasian

 

 

2013 - Head of Zeus ebook - 336 pages

 

From Amazon:

 

Funny, fresh and sharply plotted Victorian crime starring a detective duo to rival Holmes and Watson. 

Gower Street, London, 1882: Sidney Grice, London's most famous personal detective, is expecting a visitor. He drains his fifth pot of morning tea, and glances outside, where a young, plain woman picks her way between the piles of horse-dung towards his front door. Sidney Grice shudders. For heaven's sake - she is wearing brown shoes. 

Set between the refined buildings of Victorian Bloomsbury and the stinking streets of London's East End, THE MANGLE STREET MURDERS is for those who like their crime original, atmospheric, and very, very funny.

 

Thoughts:

 

This story begins with a brief introduction, written (supposedly!) in 1941, by the narrator, M.M., who tells us of how they first met Sidney Grice - London's premier personal detective (he gets very annoyed when called a 'private detective' ) - some 60 years beforehand.  The narrator then proceeds to tell how Grice's reputation may have been somewhat enhanced over the years.  "He never, for example, climbed Niagara Falls in pursuit of a werewolf," we are told.

 

From there the story whips back those 60 years to tell us of M.M.'s and Grice's first meeting.  Because it's told in first person, it took me a few minutes to cotton onto the fact that M.M. (March Middleton) is actually a young woman.  I say this because I've mentioned in the past how women writing science fiction often conceal the fact by using their initials, as has M.R.C. Kasasian - but he's a bloke

 

Anyway, March's father has recently died.  Grice is her godfather and is to become her guardian.  When a woman arrives at his house, seeking his help to prove her son-in-law's innocence in the murder of her daughter, Grice and March are quickly swept into the heart of the case, along with the dependable Inspector Pound.

 

If it sounds very Holmesian that's because it is!  I don't think Kasasian makes any attempt to hide his fondness for Sherlock Holmes, or the period, or the kind of story he wants to tell.  Much like John Watson tells us of Holmes's cases, here it's March relating the tale, placing the reader at a distance from Grice until he decides he wants to reveal his deductive thought processes to his young charge.  He's a prickly, unsympathetic character who simultaneously annoys and amuses for his rudeness and his arrogant, patronising attitude.  He even has an addiction - to tea, rather than drugs.  To top it off, a certain real-life person makes a cameo appearance which is a complete indulgence but somehow manages to be affectionate rather than irritating.

 

The case itself is well thought out, and all the loose ends are nicely dealt with.  I guessed who the murderer was well before they were revealed, but the reasons behind it were, I thought, cleverly and clearly presented.  What's more, it's well written, full of quirky characters and sparky, often very funny dialogue, and it moves fast and doesn't overstay its welcome.  Perhaps - just perhaps - the ending might seem a little anticlimactic to some but I actually thought it was quite nicely done, and I can see how the characters might learn and develop from it.  It's a little gruesome at times, be warned, and it maybe lacks a little in the atmosphere of Victorian London, which I think is down to Kasasian's close focus on the characters.  It's more an observation than a complaint.

 

So, basically, I loved it.  I got it on a whim during the Kindle Christmas sale last year.  I think it cost 99p, which was 99p well spent, and it holds the honour of being the first book I read on my Kindle Voyage.  What an honour for it!    I've already bought the sequel, The Curse of the House of Foskett, which is currently 59p on Kindle 

 

 

9/10

 

[Athena]

Another great Steve-review! It's great you enjoyed this.

 

P.S. I'm a little jaleous of the UK Kindle prices, you seem to get great deals sometimes.

 

I hope you enjoy the sequel too .

[Karsa Orlong]

The sequel's gone up to £1 overnight . . . 

[Athena]

The sequel's gone up to £1 overnight . . .

Argh, it's always annoying when a price suddenly goes up without warning .

[frankie]

The sequel's gone up to £1 overnight . . . 

 

Oh man, I'm really happy you bought a copy before this insane increase in the price!!  

[Karsa Orlong]

Oh man, I'm really happy you bought a copy before this insane increase in the price!!

 

 I've just compensated for it by spending £7.49 on the Kindle edition of Shogun      

[frankie]

 I've just compensated for it by spending £7.49 on the Kindle edition of Shogun      

 

 

Bankruptcy  

 

It'll be a lean Christmas for you 

 

  

[Karsa Orlong]

Death of Kings (The Warrior Chronicles Bk 6) by Bernard Cornwell

 

 

 

2011 - HarperCollins ebook - 330 pages

 

From Amazon:

 

The master of historical fiction presents the iconic story of King Alfred and the making of a nation.

 

Alfred, the great king, is said to be dying. Rivals for his succession are poised to tear the kingdom apart. The country Alfred has worked thirty years to build is about to disintegrate.

 

Uhtred, the King’s warrior, Viking born but Saxon bred, wants more than anything else to go and fight to reclaim his stolen Northumbrian inheritance. But he knows that if he deserts the King’s cause, Alfred’s dream – and indeed the very future of the English nation – will very likely vanish.

 

Death of Kings is an outstanding novel by a master storyteller of how England was made – and very nearly lost.

 

 

Thoughts:

 

There's not a lot else left to say after that blurb, is there?    I'm somewhat shocked to see, looking at the list of books I've read this year, that I read the previous book in this series, The Burning Land, all the way back in April.  I was a tad - just a tad - disappointed with that one because of the way Uhtred, with his divided loyalties - kept changing sides between the Danes and the Saxons, largely so Cornwell could tell the story from both sides.  Happily, whether by design or coincidence, this doesn't happen at all in Death of Kings, and it's a better book for it, in my opinion.

 

What I really love about Cornwell's brand of historical fiction is that it doesn't become a case of him showing off his research.  The story always seems to have an organic flow to it, with vivid characters and terrifying battles - not just between men but also for Uhtred's soul.  Alfred is forever trying to convert him to Christianity but Uhtred, brought up by Vikings, wears Thor's hammer about his neck (not really Thor's hammer, else he'd never be able to stand up ) and makes sacrifices to the Norse gods.  It makes the quieter moments in the story just as interesting - if not more interesting - than the thick of battle.  The story is just as comfortable in dealing with religion and politics as it is in war - the books, after all, are dealing with the birth of a nation.

 

Naturally, being told in first person these books are testosterone-fuelled and often brutal.  The dialogue is muscular and in your face.  Uhtred is a combination of intelligence and ferocity, bluntness and arrogance, and he's fearless and fearsome.  He dominates the story but the characters around him are also wonderfully brought to life, from Alfred himself to his daughter, Æthelflæd, to Finan and Osferth - they're all brilliant.

 

Whilst it doesn't quite recapture the brilliance of the earlier books, Death of Kings is a return to form, I think. 

 

 

8/10

[Little Pixie]

The Mangle Street Murders sounds excellent- have wish-listed it. Thanks for the heads-up. 

[poppyshake]

I love the sound of The Mangle Street Murders Steve .. great review  Lovely cover as well. I think I may well be tempted into this one .. STOP SPENDING MY MONEY!!  

[Karsa Orlong]

STOP SPENDING MY MONEY!!  

 

So I probably shouldn't tell you that the Kindle edition of The Mangle Street Murders is down to 99p again at the moment . . .  

[Little Pixie]

So I probably shouldn't tell you that the Kindle edition of The Mangle Street Murders is down to 99p again at the moment . . .  

 

I might have bought it... 

 

Thanks for the reminder. 

Edited November 24, 2014 by Little Pixie

[Karsa Orlong]

Shogun by James Clavell

 

 

 

 

1975 - Hodder & Stoughton ebook - 1,136 pages

 

 

 

From Amazon:

 

This is James Clavell's tour-de-force; an epic saga of one Pilot-Major John Blackthorne, and his integration into the struggles and strife of feudal Japan. Both entertaining and incisive, SHOGUN is a stunningly dramatic re-creation of a very different world.

 

 

Thoughts:

 

And, finally, it's done.  Phew!    Took me the best part of two weeks to read but I can't say I ever reached a stage where I didn't want to read it, which I find sometimes happens with doorstoppers:  is it done yet?  Look at all those shiny books I've yet to read - can I read one of them instead?  Nope, that didn't happen, so I obviously enjoyed it very much.

 

Shogun is set around 1600 and is the story of John Blackthorne, English pilot of a Dutch trader/warship, the sole survivor of a fleet which navigated around South America and across the Pacific and then, in the teeth of a storm, finds itself seeking shelter in a bay along the shore of Japan.  Blackthorne was based on William Adams, who was supposedly the first Briton to reach Japan when his ship was wrecked there.

 

The opening of the book (and when I say opening, in a book this length that means the first three or four hundred pages . . . ) is quite harrowing but, I found, also riveting, as Blackthorne and his shipmates are taken captive by the Japanese, who are quickly shown to be vicious, ruthless, merciless, and no doubt a whole load of other 'lesses' that I can't think of at the moment.  Add to this the fact that Portuguese traders had long since made it to Japan, and that Jesuit priests have been converting many Japanese to their religion, and it becomes a story not just about a clash of cultures but also Catholics vs Protestants.

 

Gradually the true heart of the book begins to unfold, as Blackthorne starts to learn the Japanese ways, the language, the rituals, and Bushido - the Way of the Warrior or, rather, the Samurai's code.  The cast of characters expands rapidly and Clavell tells the story from every side, from Toranaga the Daimyo to Alvito, the Jesuit priest and enemy of Blackthorne, and Mariko, the young woman who sets about learning of Blackthorne's 'barbarian' ways, translating for him (Portuguese being the common language) and teaching him Japanese, plus a whole host of other characters too numerous to mention.  There's a story of forbidden love which, I must admit, I didn't find wholly convincing, and a whole hell of a lot of political manoeuvring, alliances made, plots hatched, and backs stabbed.  There's plenty of excitement, including one extended escape scene and another involving ninjas, and lots of introspection, too.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It felt like there was always something happening to keep my attention.  But I did have a few issues with it.  Like practically all books this length (even my favourites) it's too long for its own good.  The omniscient narration style flits from character to character without a section break - you'll be deep inside one character's thoughts and motivations only to find your suddenly reading about someone completely different, not sure where the change occurred.  And it can be repetitive, with characters re-stating opinions and motivations multiple times - although I suppose Clavell might have though the reader could forget what the character had said 700 pages ago    And I must admit, at times, I did forget who was on whose side and why they were doing that to this person etc etc.  It's kind of incongruous: it's a very easy read that's not half as complex as it thinks it is, and yet it confuses simply because the world it creates is so different to any I've read about before.

 

Ultimately, I think its real achievement is in the way it coaxes the reader to understand and appreciate a different culture at the same pace as its main protagonist.  Its an absorbing book that encourages you to dive into its world of honour and sacrifice and samurai and geishas.  Recommended.

 

 

8/10

[Brian.]

Great review. I picked this up in the book store the other day and the sheer size of it made me put it back so kudos on not being intimidated by it.

[Chrissy]

Great review Steve. I have read lots of James Clavell's books and do enjoy them, but Shogun is mighty long! 

[Athena]

Great review, Steve ! I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I have to admit, I hadn't heard of it until you mentioned it, but it sounds like an intruiging book.

[Timstar]

This has been on my wishlist for a while now, I nearly bought it a couple of weeks ago but decided against it, I'm sure I will at some point. Glad you enjoyed it, I do love a good doorstopper

[bobblybear]

Great review. I have never read a James Clavell book (also found them quite daunting because of their size), but I may give this one a go.