AuntMarge64's Club Read for 2014

I'm back with my nieces and nephews for 2014. They love the challenge among themselves and check in regularly to see standings and to send me titles and ratings for books read. We range in age from 13 to 65, and have been doing Club Read together for several years.

Our 2013 Club Read thread
Our 2012 Club Read thread
Our 2011 Club Read thread
Our 2010 Club Read thread

Margaret (age 66, read 84 in 2013)
1. Luther: The Calling by Neil Cross **** ½
2. Monster: A Novel of Frankenstein by Dave Zeltserman ****
3. Island by Jane Rogers ****½
4. Faithful Place by Tana French ****½
5. Broken Harbor by Tana French *****
6. Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction by Thom van Dooren ****½
7. Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman ***½
8. The Kept by James Scott ****
9. Orfeo by Richard Powers ****
10. The Vintage Years: Finding Your Inner Artist by Francine Toder ***½
11. Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott ****
12. Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson ****
13. The Martian by Andy Weir ****
14. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt ***
15. The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon ****
16. Intervention: The Pandora Virus by W. R. R. Munro ****
17. The Wreckage by Michael Robotham ****
18. The Book of Kellowen by Erin Hart ****
19. The Stolen Ones by Richard Montanari ****
20. Watching You by Michael Robotham *****
21. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson *****
22. The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells ****
23. An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist by Richard Dawkins ****
24. The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir ***½
25. The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon ****½
26. Sand: Omnibus Edition *****
27. Rules of Prey by John Sandford *****
28. World of Trouble by Ben Winters ****½
29. Shadow Prey by John Snadford ****
30. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly ****½
31. Annihilation (The Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff Vandermeer *****
32. Eyes of Prey by John Sandford ****
33. Silent Prey by John Sandford ***½
33. Winter Prey by John Sandford *****
34. The Night Ferry by Michael Robotham ****
35. Field of Prey by John Sandford ****½
36. Imagine There's No Heaven: How Atheism Helped Create the Modern World by Mitchell Stevens *****
37. Authority (The Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff Vandermeer ***½
38. Night Prey by John Sandford ****
39. The Second Deadly Sin by Asa Larsson ****
40. Frontera by Lewis Shiner ***½
41. Sun Storm by Asa Larsson ****
42. The Black Path by Asa Larsson ****½
43. City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett ****
44. The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin ****
45. Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart ****
46. Mind Prey by John Sandford *****
47. This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash ****
48. Letters on an Elk Hunt by a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart ***½
49. The Ploughmen by Kim Zupan ****½
50. Sudden Prey by John Sandford ****
51. Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness: Julian Jaynes's Bicameral Mind Theory Revisited by Marcel Kuijsten *****
52. Secret Prey by John Sandford ****
53. Certain Prey by John Sandford ***½
54. The Stone Boy by Sophie Loubière ****½
55. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston ****
56. Easy Prey by John Sandford ****½
57. The Professor's House by Willa Cather *****
58. Chosen Prey by John Sandford ****½
59. Mortal Prey by John Sandford *****
60. Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham ****
61. Naked Prey by John Sandford *****
62. Night of the Triffids by Simon Clark ****
63. The Explorers by Michael Dugard ****½
64. Hidden Prey by John Sandford ****
65. Broken Prey by John Sandford ***½
66. Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeer ****
67. Personal by Lee Child ****
68. The Son by Jo Nesbo ****
69. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel *****
70. One Kick by Chelsea Cain ***
71. Ark Liberty by Will Bradley ****
72. The Secret Place by Tana French ****½
73. Man Plus by Frederik Pohl ***½
74. Invisible Prey by John Sandford ****
75. Phantom Prey by John Sandford ****
76. How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee by Bart D. Ehrman ****½
77. Wicked Prey by John Sandford ****
78. As You Wish by Cary Elwes ****
79. Never Coming Back by Tim Weaver *****
80. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan ****
81. Deadline by John Sandford ****
82. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill ***½
83. Pure in Heart by Susan Hill ****
84. The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill ****
85. The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill ****
86. The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill ****
87. Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill ***½
88. Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill ***½
89. Question of Identity by Susan Hill ****
90. City of the Edge of Forever (Foto Novel) by Harlan Ellison ***
91. Storm Prey by John Sandford ****½

Caitlin (age 14, read 32 in 2013, goal for 2014=20)
1. Looking for Alaska by John Green *****
2. Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot ****
3. Insurgent by Veronica Roth *****
4. The Wave by Todd Strasser ****
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak ****
6. Allegiant by Veronica Roth *****
7. Happy Face by Stephen Emond ***
8. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen *****
9. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks *****
10. Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata **
11. Crank by Ellen Hopkins *****
12. Cloaked by Alex Finn *****
13. Glass by Ellen Hopkins **
14. Maybe by Brent Runyon *****
15. Flowers for Algernon *
16. The Dead by Charlie Higson ****
17. The Pigman by Paul Zindel ***
18. Say You're Sorry by Michael Robotham *****
19. The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler ****
20. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens *****
21. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowel ****
22. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry *****
23. Every Day by David Levithan ****
24. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston ***
25. The Maze Runner by James Dashner *****
26. The Stone Boy by Sophie Loubière ***
27. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner ****
28. The Death Cure by James Dashner *****
29. Taking the Lead by Derek Hough *****
30. Summer in the City by Elizabeth Chandler *****
31. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler ***
32. A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin **
33. If I Stay by Gayle Forman ****
34. Lord of the Flies by William Golding *
35. The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan *****

Kristen (age 23, read 20 in 2013, goal for 2014=15)
1. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepherd ****
2. Flawless by Sara Shepard ****
3. Divergent by Veronica Roth ****
4. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
5. Allegeant by Veronica Roth ****
6. Watching You by Michael Robotham ****
7. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin ****
8. Looking for Alaska by John Green ***
9. The Red Circle by Brandon Webb *****
10. The Maze Runner by James Dashner **** 1/2
11. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner ***½

Ian (age 26, read 61 in 2013)
1. Star Wars: From the Ruins of Alderaan by Brian Wood ****
2. Star Wars Legacy: Outcasts of the Broken Ring by Corinna Bechko ***
3. Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi: Force Storm by John Ostrander ***½
4. Superior Spider-Man: Darkest Hours by Dan Slott ****
5. All New X-Men: All Different by Brian Michael Bendis ***
6. Captain America: Loose Nuke by Rick Remender **½
7. Thor God of Thunder: The Accursed by Jason Aaron ***½
8. All New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey by Brian Michael Bendis ***
9. Wolverine and the X-Men Vol. 8 by Jason Aaron ****
10. Batman: Dark City by Scott Snyder ****
11. Superior Spider-Man: Goblin Nation by Dan Slott ****1/2
12. Ultimate Spider-Man: Warriors by Brian Michael Bendis ***
13. Green Arrow: Year One by Andy Diggle ****
14. A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami ***
15. Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi - Prisoner of Bogan by John Ostrander ***
16. Green Arrow: The Kill Machine by Jeff Lemire ***1/2
17. Star Wars: Dark Times - Fire Carrier by Randy Stradley ***1/2
18. Star Wars: Dark Times - A Spark Remains by Randy Stradley ****
19. Morning Glories: Honors by Nick Spencer ***1/2
20. Star Wars: Rebel Girl by Brian Wood ****
21. Ultimate Spider-Man: Silver Sable by Brian Michael Bendis ***1/2
22. Ultimate Spider-Man: Deadpool by Brian Michael Bendis ****
23. Star Wars Legacy: Wanted by Corinna Bechko ****
24. Green Arrow: The Outsiders War by Jeff Lemire ****
25. Skin Game by Jim Butcher *****
26. How to Train Your Dragon: How to Betray a Dragon's Hero by Cressida Cowell ****
27. Thor God of Thunder: The Last Days of Midgard by Jason Aaron ****
28. Batman: Zero Year by Zach Snyder ****1/2
29. Star Wars: Crucible by Troy Denning ****
30. Ultimate Spider-Man: Clone Saga by Brian Michael Bendis ***1/2
31. Star Wars: A Shattered Hope by Brian Wood ****
32. All New X-Men: One Down by Brian Michael Bendis ****
33. Uncanny X-Men: Vs. Shield by Brian Michael Bendis ***1/2
34. Amazing Spider-Man: The Parker Luck by Dan Slott ****1/2
35. Green Arrow: Broken by Jeff Lemire ***1/2
36. Ultimate Spider-Man: Ultimate Knights by Brian Michael Bendis
37. Star Wars Legacy: Empire of One by Corinna Bechko ****
38. Avatar the Last Airbender: The Promise by Gene Luen Yang ****1/2
39. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J.K. Rowling *****
40. Avatar the Last Airbender: The Search by Gene Luen Yang *****
41. Amazing Spider-Man: Spider Verse Prelude by Dan Slott ****
42. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith *****
43. Shattered by Kevin Hearne ****
44. Superman Unchained by Scott Snyder **1/2
45. Avatar the Last Airbender: The Rift by Gene Luen Yang *****
46. Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud ***
47. I am Number Four: Hidden Enemy by Pittacus Lore ****
48. Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi: Force War by John Ostrander ***
49. Saga: Volume 3 by Brian K Vaughan ****

Luther: The Calling, by Neil Cross ****½ 1/2/14

For anyone who hasn't seen the British police drama "Luther" I highly recommend it. It's available on Netflicks and possibly other venues. This is a prequel. The series stars Idris Elba, the wonderful actor who portrays Nelson Mandela in the new movie.

Luther is a London cop, an early Davenport-type, so he doesn't have much regard for rules when it comes to finding the bad guy. In this book, written by the creator/screenwriter of the series, Luther leads the investigation into the brutal and graphic murder of a "perfect couple" and the theft of their 8-month old fetus, and his actions lead to the 7-month suspension from which he's returning at the beginning of the series. Luther is brilliant and unorthodox, but extremely violent when he is frustrated in getting information. His beloved wife is about to leave him, which he hasn't quite caught on to, but she continues to be his rock when he is at his darkest.

Now I think I'll go watch the series again.

My SO and I have been watching Luther and really enjoying it. It certainly is dark, but Elbis is compelling.

If your Caitlin is looking for any adventure/detective books starring a girl, I highly recommend the Lloyd Alexander's Vesper Holly series. They won't be challenging in terms of vocabulary or themes for her now, but they're really fun (think a girl who's a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones). I just started re-reading them and found them even better than in my memory. They're sadly out of print, but very easy to find used and should still be in some libraries (most recent printing in 2001 or so).

The Luther show is amazing. I think they just renewed it for a fourth series? The first and second are the only ones available in the US, last time I checked.

>5 mabith: Thanks for the recommendation. I'll pass it along to Caitlin (she's my niece). Her reading tastes change so fast I can't keep up, except when she buys something on our Kindle account (currently shared by me, two nieces and one of their boyfriends, my SIL, and a nephew). The niece with the BF loves the same dark suspense I do, especially Chelsea Cain and Michael Robotham. Last year Caitlin turned us all on to The Outsiders which most of us read via the Kindle (and loved).

>4 RidgewayGirl:, 6 I read they're making a movie to follow season 3, but that was a few months ago and may have changed. Keeping an eye on Netflix for season 3, although I have to admit I read the synopses for its episodes after I finished season 2. It's alright - I've already forgotten what it said and I'll love watching it.

Monster: A Novel of Frankenstein by Dave Zeltserman **** 1/3/14

If you've ever felt pity for the monster and disgust towards Frankenstein, this book is for you. Here Frankenstein has built his creature using the brain of an educated man embedded in his cobbled-together miscreation, but against expectations, the brain has retained its memories and personality. The murdered man was a young scientist, falsely accused of murdering his fiancee and killed on the rack for it. He awakens in the laboratory, unable to understand what has been done to him. Basically a decent person before his death, he struggles to maintain those values even as he wonders if he has imagined his previous life and is, indeed, one of Satan's minions. Eventually he is able to track Frankenstein and work his vengeance. How I cheered for him the whole way! I'd recommend reading the original "Frankenstein" first, but do treat yourself to this vicarious retribution afterwards.

Island by Jane Rogers ****½ 1/5/14

At age 28, bitter but very funny Nikki Black decides to find her birth mother and kill her for the difficult childhood she left her to bear. Nikki does succeed in tracking down her mother, as well-as a slow-witted half-brother, Calum, on an island in Scotland. Renting a room in their home, she watches her mother's patterns, befriending Calum and pumping him for information. At first derisive of Calum's innocence and interests, she begins to appreciate him, all the while trying to decide if she should murder their mother or kill her more slowly by luring Calum off the island. Both her and Calum's emotions bring about a a crisis that is a complete shock but a wonderful ending for the reader. Gorgeous characterization, especially of the siblings, and an evocative exploration of many feelings, particularly those produced by abandonment and anxiety attacks. Just wonderful.



Faithful Place by Tana French ****½ 1/12/14

There is a novel about Luther? How did I manage to miss it? Thanks for posting about it!

Faithful Place is my favorite of the four Tana French novels.

>11 NanaCC: - Mine so far, too, although I'm just starting the fourth. The fifth is due out this year and, so I hear, will star Stephen, the young cop from Faithful Place.

I was hoping it would be the rookie from Broken Harbor. Oh, well, maybe next one! I find my favorite book is always her latest, but The Likeness will always be a close second. Looking forward to a new one -- thanks for letting me know.

Oh, I liked that character too, and I would have been happy with the rookie from Broken Harbor. Both good choices.

Broken Harbor by Tana French ***** 1/19/14

OK, I have to admit this was the better book, although it left me kind of depressed.

I love how she took a character who was depicted as unlikeable in Faithful Place and kept his personality and yet made him understandable and almost sympathetic. I wouldn't like him if I knew him, but I was rooting for him through the whole book. And I loved the rookie.

>16 RidgewayGirl: It'll be interestingto see what she could make of the rookie's future, given what happens to him.

I groaned when I saw it was Scorch as the main character, but she sure does know how to rope you in and make you want to read about him.

I meant to also mention that Broken Harbor has two instances of the phrase "Bob's Your Uncle", a Briticism which translates roughly as "and there you have it" or "so there you are". My sister and I have been collecting sitings. Found one in an Elizabeth George novel some time ago. If anyone spots any others let me know and I'll add them to the still-short-but-growing list.

Huh, I never would have thought of Bob's Your Uncle as something particularly British, I certainly grew up hearing it and saying it. I'm sure it's in some Agatha Christie novels.

When the Northwest Territories was splitting into two, with one to be called Nunuvit, there was a great deal of discussion on what to name the other part (Northwest Territories eventually was chosen) and "Bob" was suggested, since Bob's your Uncle. My personal favorite was Restuvit.

Hah, Restuvit. That's good. My sister and I like the phrase because she's married to a Bob, has one as a son, and we have an uncle Bob, etc., etc. Who doesn't, really? Anyway, it just tickles us.

I had a math teacher in high school who used to end every math example with the correct answer, and then "Bob's your Uncle." He was an odd man, but a great teacher. I had never heard the expression until I met him.

>21 Cait86: I'll have to pass that along to my sister.

I was just looking at a mug that asked, "Is Bob Your Uncle?"
http://www.cafepress.com/mf/31782082/is-bob-your-uncle_mugs?productId=337713865

Flight Ways: Life and Loss at the Edge of Extinction by Thom van Dooren ****½ 1/26/14

Normally I would provide my own description of a book, but after rereading the publisher’s description, I doubt I could phrase it better:

A leading figure in the emerging field of extinction studies, Thom van Dooren puts philosophy into conversation with the natural sciences and his own ethnographic encounters to vivify the cultural and ethical significance of modern-day extinctions. Unlike other meditations on the subject, "Flight Ways" incorporates the particularities of real animals and their worlds, drawing philosophers, natural scientists, and general readers into the experience of living among and losing biodiversity. Each chapter of Flight Ways focuses on a different species or group of birds: North Pacific albatrosses, Indian vultures, an endangered colony of penguins in Australia, Hawaiian crows, and the iconic whooping cranes of North America. Written in eloquent and moving prose, the book takes stock of what is lost when a life form disappears from the world -- the wide-ranging ramifications that ripple out to implicate a number of human and more-than-human others. Van Dooren intimately explores what life is like for those who must live on the edge of extinction, balanced between life and oblivion, taking care of their young and grieving their dead. He bolsters his studies with real-life accounts from scientists and local communities at the forefront of these developments. No longer abstract entities with Latin names, these species become fully realized characters enmeshed in complex and precarious ways of life, sparking our sense of curiosity, concern, and accountability toward others in a rapidly changing world.

Van Dooren writes lyrically and lovingly about each of these species, although as a whole this is a scholarly presentation, heavily footnoted and with a lengthy bibliography. However, for a layperson interested in the subject, it’s easy to ignore the footnotes and just read the narrative, which is moving and thoughtful and leads the reader though various ethical questions surrounding human “exceptionalism”, as well as some of the attempts being made to undo human damage to local environments and their native species. I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned with the 6th (and only human-caused) extinction, now taking place, whether the reader is interested in its effect on humans, other animals, or the environment.

Read courtesy of a NetGalley download. To be published in June, 2014.



Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman ***½ 1/26/14

Very fast read, super suspense, but the main character doesn't really ring true, so I was arguing with the whole premise of the book the entire time I was reading it. Still, it was fun.



The Kept by James Scott **** 1/29/14

This is, bar none, the bleakest novel I've ever read. Once begun, it is also one of the most irresistible.

In 1897, a woman in upstate New York walks the 6 hours to her home from the nearest train station. She's a midwife and has been gone several months. She finds the bodies of her husband and four of her five children, and when she opens the pantry door, her surviving son, thinking she's a returning murderer, shoots her. He manages to nurse her to enough health that they set out to find the killers, even as her past "sins" are slowly revealed to have set the murders in motion.

The characters are held at arm's length, and although told in alternating sections from the mother's and son's points of view, the story is in third person, increasing the sense of distance and suspense. The reader has few expectations as to what the characters will do, and rightly so. Attitudes and actions are rarely explained, and often I found myself wondering if this is really how people lived, but I'm willing to confess I know too little of the time and place to make a judgment. My only complaint is that the story ends very abruptly, without entirely resolving what happens, and this didn't make sense after almost 400 pages of immersion in the main characters' plans for revenge.

So, a beautifully written and unbearably tense literary debut that somehow falls short at the very last page.

Flight Ways sounds so sad. I'm going to request it through NetGalley as well.

The Kept sounds intriguing. I'm going to keep an eye out for it.

Orfeo by Richard Powers **** 2/5/14

Peter Els, a 70-something avant-garde composer whose music has been written for few and heard by even fewer, still strives to produce the transcendent music he is sure is out there if he can only listen hard enough: music that will last forever, even if no one can hear it. An aspiring chemist in college, he has bought lab equipment and a designer strand of DNA, coded to a composition he's written, and has been attempting to splice it into a harmless bacteria purchased online. Enter Homeland Security, who confiscates all his work but just misses arresting him. He flees cross-country, reminiscing about his life and loves, his music, and the composers and compositions which have guided and moved him. A great deal of the book consists of back stories and analysis of mid-20th century music. Particularly intriguing are the history of Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time", written in a German concentration camp (1941); John Cage's"Musicircus" (1967), and Shostakovich's Symphony #5 (1937). There is also analysis of Els's own (fictitious) work.

For the reader with no knowledge of music theory and history, this book might be of little interest and, quite possibly, incomprehensible. Some reviewers have reported finding it rewarding to listen to the works mentioned while reading the book, but I prefer to concentrate on one entertainment at a time. Also, I admit to disliking much modern classical music (although the Shostakovitch is a favorite), and perhaps because of that I found little sympathy for the difficulties Els has throughout his life because of the choices he makes for his music, which brings him little in the way of income, renown, or contentment. But the book is an interesting look into how someone might get caught up in the avant-garde philosophy, although Powers's view of what such a life might look like has a distanced and uncomfortable feel to it, as though it were a composition in Els's own style.



The Vintage Years: Finding Your Inner Artist by Francine Toder ***½ 2/5/14

Interesting. I would like to read Powers some time, but probably would have trouble with this book. Still nice to read your comments on it.

>27 dchaikin:. Yeah, it's pretty tough, and the focus on avant-guard music is intimidating as well. But I'd like to read more by him sometime - just not now.

Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott **** 2/8/14

Catching up and seeing "Bob’s your uncle" for the first time. Now I’ll be on the lookout.

I have Flatland in my "soon" queue, a big annotated edition that keeps putting me off by seeming more like a project than a read. Still, I'm looking forward to it.

>30 detailmuse: I think reading it without the annotations is perfectly satisfying, so just ignore them. It's a quick read and a pointed take on how each of us sees our own reality as the pinnacle of existence.

Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson **** 2/13/14

A brief but satisfying introduction to the life and music of Mozart, perfect for someone (like me) who knows little about Mozart's life except that he died young (and what could be gleaned from the movie "Amadeus"). Johnson is obviously lovingly familiar with the music, and he has intertwined a basic biography with discussions of Mozart's use of existing and newly introduced instruments, his encyclopedic knowledge of their possibilities, and his staggering contributions to various musical forms, such as the concerto, symphony, and opera. His relationships with his father, wife, and fellow composer Salieri, so colorfully presented in the film, are also examined, with Johnson disagreeing with those negative characterizations. The book ends with an essay on Mozart's visit to London when he was a child (covered more briefly in the book proper), with the author given as Daniel Johnson, with no information on who this is. This essay has an oddly snarky tone to it, and there are several grammatical errors which change the meaning of their sentences. An odd way to end the book.

The Martian by Andy Weir **** 2/18/14

A very entertaining story of the first man to be marooned on Mars.

Mark Watney, thought to have died during a storm as the rest of his team scrubs the third manned mission and heads back to Earth, has survived his injuries and managed to make his way back to the Hab (habitation module). He begins a log, which comprises most of the book. Communications are shot, but he's got plenty of water, food, and oxygen - at least for a year or so. But the next mission is scheduled to arrive long after the year mark, so Mark, a mechanical engineer and botanist, starts planning how to prolong his life and, possibly, reestablish communications. Mark is known for his easy-going nature and ability to make people laugh, and he certainly is tested here. The log is very funny (even with the threat of instant death pretty much overhanging all he does), and there is no "why me?" and little introspection. This is a guy who has trained to survive, and all his thought goes to that - except for the hours of enforced inactivity, when he explores the music, book and videos left on travel drives by his teammates. Even this is hilarious, because they largely consist of disco, old TV shows, and Agatha Christie mysteries, and we discover how Mark feels about each of them. Still, they're company. Many of the logs concern the work he does on various systems, and he starts a farm indoors to enrich some Martian soil and grow potatoes from a few real spuds thoughtfully packed by NASA so the team could have a bit of Thanksgiving dinner. There's quite a bit of science mixed in, stuff I can't give an opinion on as to accuracy, but it sure reads well.

Mark is a delightful character, sure to stay in the reader's mind for a long time. This should be a real hit with Martian fiction aficionados.

The Martian sounds great, just the type of science fiction I like. Thanks for the helpful review!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt ***½ 2/23/14

The first half of this almost-800 page novel is brilliant and absorbing. 13-year old Theo and his mother are visiting the Metropolitan Museum when a bomb explodes, killing Theo's mother, among others. After an elderly dying man at the scene gives Theo a small, priceless 17th century painting for safekeeping, Theo, who can't find his mother, extricates himself from the rubble and goes home to fruitlessly await her return. His living arrangements over the next few years vary, first with a rich but interested family of a schoolmate's, then with his father in Las Vegas, and then back in NYC with an antique restorer whose business partner was the man who gave Theo the painting. In this half we meet the most interesting characters in the book: the antique restorer and a Russian boy Theo meets in Las Vegas who becomes a lifelong friend.

The second half of the book takes place in Theo's late 20s. He still has the painting, which has been at the top of the art world's most-wanted among the pictures stolen during the explosion. All these years Theo has vacillated between being unwilling to give it up and, when considering relinquishing it, not knowing how to return it without ending up in prison. (This fact I found unbelievable: a kid, OK, I can see an anxiety and confusion as to how to explain the situation to the authorities, but as an adult he must surely have been able to figure this out.) With much belly button gazing, Theo spends 100s of pages contemplating guilt, fear, art, and relationships. I was so irritated that near the end I just skimmed, hoping to find an end to justify the hours and hours reading. Alas....

Tartt can write beautifully, but in The Goldfinch her powers of description run away with the story.

The varying reactions to this book are so interesting. I have it on Kindle, as Amazon was selling it for so cheap I couldn't resist, but I don't feel in the mood for such a huge book.

>36 fannyprice: I think that's why I bought it too -the low price. I never read books that big other than on my tablet any more. The first half is worth the read. Just stop when he jumps 8 years into future.

>37 auntmarge64:, Hah, great advice!

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon **** 2/28/2014

An absorbing horror story in which several timelines intertwine to tell the story of a town in Vermont where an unusual number of disappearances and apparitions have occurred. A 1908 journal, written by a local woman shortly before her gruesome murder and reproduced in the novel, talks of "sleepers', dead people brought back to life by grieving loved ones. Well-written, suspenseful, and just the thing to keep you up reading late into the night.

>39 auntmarge64: Hmm, ghost stories scare me much more than any other bump in the night story. Still, I can't resist adding this to my TBR.

I've got The Winter People on my library list. It sounds great.

My library had it in one of its ebook lending services, in case that helps anyone.

Intervention: The Pandora Virus by W. R. R. Munro **** 3/5/14

This is pretty much a rave review for a new thriller, with one caveat (but don’t let that deter you!).

In 2033, field researcher Ayden Walker is trying to determine the reason some bees (world wide) are not pollinating the orchards in which they live. Enter a young woman who believes she has found a correlation between these bees and a new pattern of sterility in human males. With the help of several other scientists, including Ayden’s parents, Ayden expands his search, largely through the online network of the day, which is a joy for the reader to anticipate. Unknown to Ayden, his own conception was part of an experiment, and the impact this has on his work, and his ability to do his work, is a central part of the story.

I dare not say too much more about the plot, but it unfolds very nicely. This isn’t just a “young man finds and conquers a conspiracy”. It’s quite complex, and it isn’t necessarily who you think who’s set things in motion. My main complaint is that the young woman mentioned above, who becomes somewhat of a love interest for Ayden, is constantly whining and questioning why “the people” can’t be told what’s going on, several times causing serious problems. Luckily, she’s out of the way for much of the plot, but why Ayden would be drawn to her is completely unbelievable. Otherwise, this is a fascinating read, especially for the author’s view of science 20 years in the future.

(Courtesy of NetGalley)



The Wreckage by Michael Robotham **** 3/6/14



The Book of Killowen by Erin Hart **** 3/12/14



The Stolen Ones by Richard Montanari **** 3/17/14

Watching You by Michael Robotham ***** 3/21/14

This newest of the Joe O'Loughlin/Vincent Ruiz (psychologist/detective, respectively) series is the best yet and a superb combination of psychological suspense and murder mystery. The series does have a plot thread which follows the characters' personal lives, but the suspense is the main focus in each book, so they don't necessarily need to be read in order. Very highly recommended, so jump right in.



Gilead by Marilynne Robinson ***** 3/23/14

I have to admit I put off reading this for a long time, having had enough of religion and preaching-to to last a life-time. But a recent review got me thinking of it and I gave it a shot. It's just magnificent! An elderly Congregational minister, knowing his death is approaching, writes what can only be described as a father's love letter to his 7-year old son, who will grow up without his council and companionship. Intertwined with the lessons he hopes to pass along are the stories of his life as well as descriptions of his thoughts and feelings for present happenings. This is so beautiful I hated to see it end, and I've recommended to everyone I can.



The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells **** 3/25/14



An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of Scientist by Richard Dawkins **** 3/30/14



The Corruptible by Mark Mynheir ***½ 4/2/14

The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon ****½ 4/8/14

Near-future apocalyptic fiction which will give users of electronic devices the willies.

A few years from now, tablets have morphed into Memes, devices which use neural pathways to provide information before the user even realizes it's needed. One consequence has been a growing dependence on the Word Exchange, a pay-as-you go dictionary which is replacing memories of word meanings. As the Meme manufacturer buys up rights to dictionaries and announces a major new hardware version of the wildly popular device, a handful of lexicographers begin to warn the public about the dangers of the Memes, which they fear is responsible for the new "word flu", which replaces random words with gibberish in its victims language and can lead to muteness or death. Multiple vectors seem to be at work: neurolinks, electronic transfer between devices, and even human speech. The story is told from the viewpoint of several people, especially the daughter of the editor of the last print dictionary expected to ever be published. The editor has vanished, and as his daughter searches for him, critics of the Meme come under violent attack.

This is a fascinating exploration of what we're willing to risk in our quest for instant information and communication, and how our memories and brains might change as we increasingly rely on devices to remember for us. There is an interesting analysis of what the loss of our language might mean for ourselves and for society - that is, if society could even survive without a means of reflecting on the past or remembering into the future. Because the main characters work in the stratosphere of language, the book is cleverly peppered with terms I needed to check on my Kindle, and each time I did so, I wondered whether I used to know these words. Certainly, technology is heading in the direction of Memes (iMemes anyone?), and I found it interesting and instructive to contemplate the long-term consequences of our growing reliance on devices other than our own brains.

A successful debut and a book to ponder later.



Sand: Omnibus Edition by Hugh Howey ***** 4/15/14

Superb post-apocalyptic fiction. Wonderful characterization and world-building. I hope the author finds a way to continue the story, because I can't get the characters out of my mind. Be sure to get the Omnibus edition, which collects all the parts of the book, originally published in sections.



Rules of Prey by John Sandford ***** 4/17/14

I've been collecting the Prey books with a mind to reread the series, which I've been following since its inception in the late 80s. This is #1, and I didn't remember it at all. It's like have a whole new Davenport book! I feel the need for #2 already.

>45 auntmarge64:, I think we're on the same wavelength. I'm starting The Word Exchange and have been thinking about reading Sand - I really loved his Wool Saga. I find it so fascinating that Howey actively encourages fan fiction and expanding of his universes.

>46 fannyprice: I see we share quite a few books. Are you a post-apocalyptic fan? And you have a few Antarctic exploration books, too. My favorite explorer is Douglas Mawson, who was alone on the ice with almost no supplies for several weeks, in the area with the worst winds. Those guys were unbelievably tough.

>47 auntmarge64:, Oh certainly! I don't know what's wrong with me that I like reading about the end of the world so much. I just recently finished an anthology of pre-apocalyptic stories that Howey contributed to and edited called The End is Nigh. It's the first installment in what will be three anthologies, each covering a different phase of the end of the world (pre, during, and post-apocalyptic). Most of the contributors are writing for all the volumes, which means the reader will get to follow the same universes for a while.

>48 fannyprice: Well, here's another one, although it's actually apocalyptic, not post-.



World of Trouble by Ben H. Winters ****½ 4/20/14

This final entry in a trilogy of apocalyptic novels brings to a close the story of a young policeman trying to solve a horrific crime and find his missing sister in the few months before Earth is hit by a huge asteroid which is guaranteed to kill all life. The sister is involved with an underground group which believes they have a lead on destroying the asteroid, so even though the collision is pretty much a done deal, the reader is never completely sure how the book will end. I've read the whole series, and this is a wonderful conclusion, with characters who have all sorts of ways to face the end and a main character who is believable, likeable, and interesting. If you like apocalyptic-type fiction or even just mysteries, give the series a try. Very nicely worked, indeed!



Shadow Prey by John Sandford **** 4/23/14



The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly ****½ 5/1/14

Annihilation: A Novel by Jeff Vandermeer ***** 5/4/14

Four women, known only by their titles (biologist, psychologist, anthropologist, surveyor), have been sent through some kind of “border” from a world like ours to a place where there are many familiar things (plants, animals, structures, geography) but no people, and where nothing makes sense. The team has been told they are the 12th expedition to Area X, a part of their own world which has suffered a catastrophe and is no longer inhabitable or understandable. Most of the previous team members have been killed or become murderers themselves, or died after returning, or disappeared. The biologist, who is the narrator, quickly discovers that the psychologist has been regularly hypnotizing the other three to keep them focused, calm, and under certain illusions as to what they are experiencing. Where the team has been sent is unclear: possibly where they’ve been told, possibly another world or reality. At one point I wondered if they’d been miniaturized and injected into a living being. And, of course, there’s the possibility that the whole experience is taking place in the biologist’s mind, or that her memories of the past are products of hypnotic suggestion or madness.

This was one of the most inventive and tense books I’ve ever run across. Each page brings surprises and new clues, so many, in fact, that less and less makes sense. Will any of the team retain their sanity, or even survive? Does death mean something different here? And what is the “border”, anyway, and how can it be found in order to return home?

Other reviewers commented negatively on the use of job titles rather than personal names, but I thought it added to an understanding of the distance the characters felt towards each other and their environment. There were also comments that the book ends abruptly, but here, too, I disagreed. I knew before reading this that it was the first part of a trilogy, but it also stands alone: the end made sense to me, even if Area X didn’t. I’m looking forward to the next installments (one is being published today and one in September, 2014), but I can really use the break to relax before submerging myself in this story again. In fact, after finishing this book last evening, the only thing I could think to do to clear my head was to watch a couple of bridal reality shows. That’s how far this story took me in the other direction.



Eyes of Prey by John Sandford **** 5/6/14



Silent Prey by John Sandford ***½ 5/10/14



Winter Prey by John Sandford ***** 5/14/14



Field of Prey by John Sandford ****½ 5/21/14

Imagine There's No Heaven: How Atheism Helped Create the Modern World by Mitchell Stevens ***** 5/51/14

A history of skepticism and disbelief of the supernatural (as represented by religion), as well as a thoughtful examination of the relative fortunes of science (progress) and religion (oppression of thought and action). Stevens makes the point repeatedly that although not always the case, the basic pattern of history has been one of cultural stagnation during times of strong religious authority, with the Dark Ages and Inquisition being prime exhibits. There is also an interesting discussion of Soviet communism as atheism gone awry, with much the same results for the populace as, say, Christianity gone awry with Hitler’s quest to stamp out Judaism. And, finally, there is a look at what might replace gods, or “shadow gods” (substitute beliefs in causes, for instance) to ensure freedom and non-oppression without superstition to guide our actions.

Thoughtful, detailed, and comprehensive. And dense. The kind of book it can take months to read, with every few pages containing enough fodder for a few days of contemplation before continuing on. All-in-all a wonderful overview and resource, and a keeper for my library.



Authority: A Novel (The Southern Reach Trilogy) by Jeff Vandermeer *** 5/25/14

While the first book in this post-apocalyptic/SF/horror trilogy can be satisfactorily read as a stand-alone, this one most definitely cannot. Be sure to read "Annihilation" first, or what happens here will not make much sense.

"Authority" continues the story soon after "Annihilation" ends and follows the new director of Southern Reach, the government agency charged with making sense of Area X. This decades-old anomaly has isolated a large geographic area in North American and allowed only a few explorers to enter and even fewer to return, none without mental and physical damage. The director makes little progress for most of the book, as he is thwarted and mislead by both employees and his superiors. As the book comes to a close, abrupt changes in the relationship between Southern Reach and Area X force the director to make some unorthodox decisions in order to continue to makes sense of what is happening to Earth.

This entry in the trilogy was fairly frustrating because of the roadblocks the director faces, but the end makes it worthwhile and will leave readers wishing the publication of the third volume (Sept 2014) would be moved up.



Night Prey by John Sandford**** 5/26/14



The Second Deadly Sin by Asa Larsson **** 5/28/14>/b>



The Blood Spilt by Åsa Larsson ***½ 6/3/14



Frontera by Lewis Shiner ***½ 6/5/14


Sun Storm by Asa Larsson **** 6/7/14



The Black Path by Asa Larsson ****½ 6/10/14

I love your review of Annihilation - it cinched it for me to buy it. I was not disappointed - it was so tense and bizarre. I immediately had to buy Authority but was pretty disappointed by it, compared to the first volume.

I know what you mean. I have really high hopes for the 3rd volume, though. I can't imagine how it will end, and I hope the author can bring back the magic of V.1 and end it with a bang.

Finally catching up on your thread. Re: Bob's your uncle . . . for years I only knew that phrase from the Alistar Sim version of The Christmas Carol. It is one of my favourite lines, and if I'm not mistaken, it's one that is in the film but not in the Dickens book.

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett **** 6/24/14

Science fiction (or fantasy, for some readers) with wonderful world-building and an interesting premise and characters.

On a planet much like Earth of the late 19th century, 80 years have past since the Saypuri, a long-enslaved people, defeated the gods who supported their oppressors. With the gods dead, the miraculous advantages they bestowed on the chosen "Continentals" have also disappeared, along with superior technology and immunity from illness. Huge parts of the population died when most of the massive infrastructure disappeared in one "blink", followed by a plague which decimated it further. The hated Saypuri now run the Continent, keeping its inhabitants in poverty and banned from talking or reading about the gods, or displaying symbols relating to them. Even mentioning their names or alluding to their prior existence brings serious punishment. In this hotbed of hate and near rebellion a Saypuri who had been researching the history of the gods has been murdered, and the main character, Shara, arrives under diplomatic cover to investigate his death. What she uncovers will bring about a sea change in racial identity and, possibly, alter the future of both peoples.

This book kept me enthralled from the first few pages, although I have to admit that the wonder of it dulled a bit towards the end when it became more of a thriller. But well worth the read and highly recommended, even for those who don't normally read sci-fi or fantasy.



The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin **** 6/28/14



Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart **** 7/2/14



Mind Prey by John Sandford ***** 7/5/14



This Dark Road to Mercy by Wiley Cash **** 7/7/14



Letters on an Elk Hunt by a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart ***½ 7/10/14

The Ploughmen by Kim Zupan ****½ 7/11/14

In a story centered around long nights in a Montana county jail, the lives of a young deputy and his charge, an elderly but vicious serial killer, unfold and intertwine as each struggles with sleep deprivation and the ghosts of his past. The story is told mostly from the deputy's point of view, and we see the destruction of his marriage and his frequent daytime assignments tracking missing (usually dead) people in the huge wilderness surrounding the town .

My only complaint is the unnecessarily-convoluted sentences which pop up now and then and wrench the reader out of the story. For instance, near the beginning of chapter 9:
The great grey trees and the wind in them moving the leaves seemed to evoke memories in the old man and he sat with his cuffed wrists upon his knees and he would occasionally lift his head and draw in a great breath and expel it, savoring the air of freedom as though from a mine shaft he had risen to safety from the corrosive dark.

So: quite bleak, but beautifully, even poetically, rendered.



Sudden Prey by John Sandford **** 7/12/14



Reflections on the Dawn of Consciousness: Julian Jaynes's Bicameral Mind Theory Revisited by Marcel Kuijsten ***** 7/12/14



Secret Prey by John Sandford **** 7/17/14



Certain Prey by John Sandford ***½

The Stone Boy by Sophie Loubière ****½ 7/22/14

A gentle story about a dotty retired headmistress who is not taken seriously when she reports an abused boy in a neighboring home. Gentle, that is, until about 2/3 of the way though when the whole plot line is turned on its head, filling in many details and bringing the book to a most satisfying conclusion.

Madame Préau has been odd her whole life, especially since she was 8 and her mother abandoned the family. Divorced from her cousin, at odds with her doctor son, and kept apart from her beloved grandson, she has now returned home after 10 years in a "rest facility" following an unidentified traumatic event. There are new neighbors, and looking out one day into a section of their garden visible only from the angle of her window, she spies a young boy no one acknowledges and who appears to be abused. Madame Préau's pleas to school and civil authorities go no further than parental interviews and records searches, and her concerns lead her to a shocking act which changes the lives of everyone involved.

Beautifully written (and translated), with just enough suspense to keep one wondering: is there an abused child or is she imagining him?, and why is her grandson absent? Most of the book is told from Madame's own viewpoint, and only towards the end are additional facts given which make sense of her actions and answer the reader's, and the other characters', questions. Very highly recommended.

>57 auntmarge64: Oh sure, why not! +1 for my TBR. :)

Just catching your thread for the first time. You have read some fascinating books. I have made a note of a couple for future reference — Orfeo by Richard Powers, The Martian by Andy Weir and Mozart a Life by Paul Johnson. I enjoyed reading your reviews.

>58 lesmel: I agree!

>59 Poquette: Well, those are three that are about as different as you can get, that's for sure. Hope you enjoy them. Orfeo was not particularly enjoyable but certainly interesting. I'll be interested to hear what you think.

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston **** 7/27/14

My 14-year old niece was assigned this book for summer reading and didn't want to read it, so I told her I would read along. Good timing, considering the current Ebola outbreak. It's a fast read and quite gruesome in places; the biggest impression it made on me was not the effects on humans but the use humans made of lab primates to gauge transmission routes and effectiveness of drugs. Inexcusable. So yes, I'd say this book had a huge impact on me, although not necessarily the one the author intended.



Easy Prey by John Sandford ****½ 7/27/14



The Professor's House by Willa Cather ***** 7/31/14



Chosen Prey by John Sandford ****½ 8/1/14



Mortal Prey by John Sandford ***** 8/10/14



Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham **** 8/13/14

This is the second or third time I've read this. Each time it's different than I remember it. How odd.



Naked Prey by John Sandford ***** 8/18/14



Night of the Triffids by Simon Clark **** 8/19/14

The Explorers: A Story of Fearless Outcasts, Blundering Geniuses, and Impossible Success by Martin Dugard ****½ 8/28/14

This was an unexpected pleasure. Nominally about the Speke/Burton battle over who found the source of the Nile, it uses their story as a framework for discussing the seven attributes Dugard considers essential to successful explorers: curiosity, hope, passion, courage, independence, self-discipline, and perseverance. Each is illustrated by numerous examples of explorers from the earliest age (out of Africa) through Saint Brendan, Cook, Shackleton, Scott and Oates, Ledyard, Stanley and Livingstone, Humboldt, and many others of more or less renown. Dugard is an unapologetic champion of Speke's character and efforts in the battle of personalities, and, of course, history knows who was right in the end (I'll not mention that in case a future reader is unaware, as I was). The result is a dramatic and thoughtful book, sure to be of interest to anyone who is intrigued with exploration, even if not of Africa in particular. My only regret is the lack of pictures and maps. Highly recommended.



Hidden Prey by John Sandford **** 8/30/14



Broken Prey by John Sandford ***½ 9/2/14

You always find such interesting books! The Explorers: A Story of Fearless Outcasts is going on the wishlist.

Acceptance by Jeff Vandermeer **** 9/8/14

This is the end to the Southern Reach trilogy, a mixture of horror, science fiction, and apocalyptic fiction. The first book was terrific, the second somewhat disappointing, and this one fell in between. It answers some questions, raises many more, and left me feeling rather claustrophobic rather than completed. The concept is stunning, and I recommend the first book highly. It's essential to read the series in order, and I hope eventually they'll be published as a single volume, which would give the reader the ability to refer back to previous books. But do look into volume one, Annihilation, which stands on its own, and then decide whether to continue. Professional reviewers liked the second book, Authority, so maybe I'll be in the minority. Does this sound confused? Yes, I'm feeling that way. Maybe I need more time to assimilate.



Personal by Lee Child **** 9/9/14



The Son by Jo Nesbo **** 9/14/14



Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel ***** 9/18/14

In short: if you like well-written, intelligent, post-apocalyptic fiction, READ THIS! Very highly recommended.



One Kick by Chelsea Cain *** 9/23/14



Ark Liberty by Will Bradley **** 9/28/14



The Secret Place by Tana French ****½ 10/3/14



Man Plus by Frederik Pohl ***½ 10/5/14



Invisible Prey by John Sandford **** 10/9/14



Phantom Prey by John Sandford **** 10/11/14



How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee by Bart D. Ehrman ****½ 10/20/14



Wicked Prey by John Sandford **** 10/21/14

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes **** 10/24/14

If you loved "The Princess Bride", this is a MUST READ. Cary Elwes (Westley, or, The Man in Black, in the film) shares many stories of the production, mixed in with quotes from other major players (director Rob Reiner, author William Goldman, Mandy Patinkin, Wally Shawn, Billy Crystal and many others), and provides a real treat. Whatever the favorite quote with which you pepper your own conversation, be it "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!", "Inconceivable!", "Have fun storming the castle!", "He's only mostly dead", or one of the many others which have become mainstream, you will be smiling with delight as you read about Andre the Giant's various adventures, dueling lessons for Cary and Mandy, the final kiss no one wanted to end, and, of course the Greatest Duel of Modern Times. A fart of historic proportions, Andre passed out in a hotel lobby with no one having any idea how to move him, Chris Guest knocking Cary out by hitting him on the head too hard with a sword....well, I could go on and on, but instead, read this. Yes, it's a bit overblown in the constant raves for each person in the production, but you know ... who cares?

Now if you've never seen the film, what on earth are you waiting for? As Leonard Bernstein wrote, "You're depraved on account of you're deprived". And, you've missed a marvelous experience.

Yes, that one has been on my must-read-soon list ever since I heard about it. Glad it lives up to my unreasonable expectations.

>65 auntmarge64: well, if I must read this... I wasn't aware of the book, glad to find out about it.

Glad to hear that As You Wish was good! I was sent an excerpt of it and I'm excited to read it.

>65 auntmarge64: Ah, thank you for mentioning that one! I heard a recommendation for it a while back, but by the time I got to my computer and LT, I couldn't remember what book it was I wanted to add to my wishlist. That was it!

Never Coming Back by Tim Weaver ***** 11/1/14

This is the fourth in the series but the first I've read, and the only one owned by my local libraries. The first three didn't get particularly good reviews on LT, but the author has certainly found his stride. This is an involved thriller starring an ex-journalist who specializes in finding lost people. A corpse is found along the coast at the southern Devon town where David Raker has moved to recover from a near-fatal attack during a previous investigation. Shortly thereafter, a high school sweetheart shows up and asks him to find her sister's family. A year ago they simply vanished, with no signs of stress, dinner still cooking, wallets and phones left in the house. Just....gone. David is reluctant but agrees to look around, and it isn't long before he is deep into a mystery spanning several decades and two continents. Well-written, smartly-paced, and a few surprises right up till the end.



Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan **** 11/5/14



Deadline by John Sandford **** 11/11/14

*

The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill 11/18/14 ***½

A haunting mystery and beautifully written, but the book's marketing leads to expectations which mar the actual experience. While considered to be the first of the Simon Serrailler series, Serrailler himself is a minor character here, and I wonder if the book was originally intended as a stand alone. Although the drama of this entry does contribute to later character development, don't expect to see or learn much about the series' main character. But do read it for the interesting mystery that it is.



The Pure in Heart by Susan Hill **** 11/22/14



The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill **** 11/24/14

I'm not one for horror, but this sounded interesting and I gave it a try. Well, it's terrific: psychological horror with a bit of the supernatural in it. Chilling.



The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill **** 11/26/14

As you can see, I've continued with the Serrailler series, and now I'm hooked. The series is, indeed, a mystery series, but even more so it's the story of Simon and his family. Compelling as a whole.



The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill **** 12/2/14



Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill ***½ 12/4/14



Betrayal of Trust by Susan Hill ***½ 12/7/14



Question of Identity by Susan Hill **** 12/13/14



City on the Edge of Forever (Fotonovel) by Harlan Ellison *** 12/23/14

Somewhat different from the final script loved by fans, but interesting to see the original, especially as a graphic novel with touched-up photos of the original actors added to the drawn figures. The biggest plot difference is that McCoy is not the catalyst for the changes in time or the climax, and it was a much more emotionally-satisfying touch than having an unknown crew member cause all the trouble. No emotional end with McCoy confronting Kirk with "Do you know what you've done?" and Spock responding....well, if you're a Trekkie, you know how that went.



Storm Prey by John Sandford ****½