We spent this morning watching John McCain's memorial service in Washington, D.C., very touching and so many excellent eulogies on his behalf. Of course, the F***wit at the White House spent the same time complaining about Canada and the investigations into his crooked campaign. Then he went off for a round of golf after his strenuous week..
I finished off two books before the end of the August so I'll update my Just Finished and Currently Reading and then head off to continue my Goodreads Authors A - Z listing.
Just Finished
"Laidlaw is the first of three books by William McIlvanney featuring Glasgow DI Jack Laidlaw. Laidlaw is sort of Glasgow's version of Edinburgh's Rebus, without all of the self-destructive drinking. Jack Laidlaw is a tough loner. While other cops, such as his 'arch - enemy' DI Milligan are professionals in the way that they are paid to be police officers. Laidlaw is a professional in the way that he feels the crime, feels the killer, feels the victim.
It's a rambling sort of story. A young woman is raped and murdered and Laidlaw is called to the case to work with Milligan. He is assigned a new assistant, DC Harkness, who is caught in the middle, somewhat, of the friction between Laidlaw and Milligan.
The story is told from many perspectives, that of Laidlaw and of Harkness, as well as of those of the killer, his friend Harry Rayburn and a couple of the cities criminal factions. Many people are trying to get the murderer, reasons for which are not all that well explained.
I think that is part of the problem I had with the story, that being the lack of explanation for many people's actions. Why are they so concerned with 'getting' the killer? There is quite a lot of discussion of how Laidlaw works and his concerns and feelings about crime, but it kind of left me feeling a bit blah. In some ways it's an interesting story, especially the feeling of imminent violence from the criminal underworld and the tension between Laidlaw and Milligan. But the resolution of the mystery didn't really satisfy me. Once again, Why!!! I may try the next Laidlaw story to see if we find out more about him but I don't feel any urgency to do so. I think I prefer cuddly Rebus a bit more. (3 stars)"
"I acquired this book, The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings by Edgar Allan Poe, to satisfy a Reading Challenge and ended up enjoying it for the most part. I readily admit that I didn't read all of the Essays and Reviews that make up the third and final portion of the book. However I think I read enough to consider the book complete from my perspective.
The book is made up of three sections; Part 1 - Collected Poems by Poe, Part 2 - A collection of Poe's Short Stories and as previously mentioned, Part 3 - Essays and Reviews.
I'm not one who appreciates the nuances of poetry but there were some in Part 1 that I enjoyed quite a bit; To Helen, The City in the Sea, Elenore, the classic The Raven, For Annie and The Bells. I was pleasantly surprised.
As mentioned Part 2 consisted of his short stories, a mixture of mysteries like The Murders in the Rue Morgue, which I remember watching at the movies, and The Purloined Letter (which wasn't as good). Both feature sedentary detective, Monsieur Dupin. The rest of the stories were a mixture of fiction and horror. I enjoyed many, especially the last three; The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, The Cask of Amontillado an Hop-Frog. There were many other interesting stories, a treasure hunt - The Gold Bug, more horror - The Black Cat, etc. The classics.
As mentioned I didn't read all of the essays, but did find his Philosophy of Furniture interesting as well as his review of James Fenimore Cooper's Wyandotte. Surprising.
All in all I'm glad I read. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
I've only started one new book as the Poe book was an extra I was trying.
"In Camp 7 are four thousand of the elite of Nazi Germany. Here they await their release as civilians or their trial as war criminals. It is the task of their American jailers to decide upon their fate. Sometimes this is easy. All too often it is heart-breakingly difficult."
Bill's Authors A - Z
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| Dorothy Salisbury Davis |
"I'm not sure where I heard of Dorothy Salisbury Davis, but I think The Pale Betrayer was listed in the back of another similar type story I read. The plot looked interesting so I ordered it and have finally got around to reading it. Sort of a simple plot. A scientist, a physicist who works in nuclear physics, returning from a conference in Greece is murdered on his way to his university labs to show a movie he had received from a Russian physicist.
This is during the Cold War period, which adds one possible motive. As well, his friend, who may also love his wife, seems to have some involvement, as he might be being blackmailed. The story is a slow-burn, but from the beginning I liked some of the main characters; the police investigating the crime, the young female physicist student, Anne Russo, who the lead cop, Lt Marks, is taken with.
All are interesting and I liked them very much. As well, Louise Steinberg, best friend of the wife of the victim is down-to-earth and adds nice colour. The story moves along at a nice pace and ultimately, gets you hooked and as the plot becomes clearer, even more enjoyable. I did like this and it was worth getting through the vagueness of the first few chapters to get into the story. Well worth reading. I think I will look up more of her books now. (4 stars)"
"Father McMahon is struggling to write a sermon when a boy runs into his office. A man in his tenement is dying, the boy says, and it is too late for a doctor or the police. In the basement of the apartment house, Father McMahon kneels beside the blood-soaked man, who has been stabbed with a knife. The man asks for no absolution. He wants to talk of life, not death, and takes to his grave the identity of his killer—and his own.
No one in the neighborhood—not his lover or his friends—knows the man’s real name, where he came from, or why someone would want to kill him. But in his final minutes, he reveals one clue that sends Father McMahon, a cop, and a wealthy young woman down New York’s dark streets, where a killer is waiting to strike again."
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| L. Sprague de Camp |
"Heroic fantasy's mightiest adventurer storms his way through four thrilling tales:
* The Treasure of Tranicos
* Wolves Beyond the Border
* The Phoenix on the Sword
* The Scarlet Citadel
Conan, the mighty barbarian from the time before the world began, battles deadly magic, murderous demons and incredible monsters as he cuts his bloody swath through the Hyborian age."
"Conan, now in his late thirties and captain of the Wastrel, becomes embroiled in the politics of the kingdom of Zingara when he seeks the rumored treasure on the Nameless Isle. The fugitive Princess Chabela, the privateer Zarono, and the Stygian sorcerer Thoth-Amon are among those mixed up in the treasure quest.
Chronologically, Conan the Buccaneer falls between "The Pool of the Black One'" in Conan the Adventurer and "Red Nails" in Conan the Warrior."
"Hunting the swift-running stag and the tusked boar in the gloomy forests of the Gunderland Marches, Conan loses his son Conn to Thoth-Ammon and the supremely evil wizards of the Black Ring.
His giant heart cries "VENGEANCE!" as the barbarian king hones the sword that has touched so many with the bitter kiss of death. Soon he is ready. Ready for a deadly pursuit to the very ends of the earth, for the final titanic battle with his greatest and most fiendish enemy!"
"As the Red Terror, a bizarre, magical dark force whose victims disappear without a trace, descends upon Aquilonia, King Conan sets out to destroy its source, evil, conquest-hungry sorcerer-priests from across the sea."
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| Michael de Larrabeiti |
"What is a Borrible? Borribles are runaways who dwell in the shadows of London. Apart from their pointed ears, they look just like ordinary children. They live by their wits and a few Borrible laws-the chief one being, Don't Get Caught! The Borribles are outcasts-but they wouldn't have it any other way....
One night, the Borribles of Battersea discover a Rumble - one of the giant, rat-shaped creatures who are their ancient enemy - in their territory. Fearing an invasion, an elite group of Borrible fighters set out on what will become known in legend as The Great Rumble Hunt. So begins the first of the three epic adventures in Michael de Larrabeiti's classic trilogy, where excitement, violence, low cunning, greed, generosity, treachery, and bravery exist side by side."
"On the Great Rumble Hunt, Chalotte, a Borrible from Whitechapel, very nearly lost her life—and good friends had been left for dead—all because of the Rumble Treasure Chest. To Chalotte the treasure was evil and she had sworn never to go on another adventure. But when Chalotte and the other survivors discover that Sam the horse is in danger they know they have no choice—Borribles always help their friends. Their attempts to rescue Sam lead them into the second Great Borrible Adventure!"
"Battersea was no longer safe for a Borrible. The Special Borrible Group—a secret section of the London police dedicated to finding Borribles and clipping their ears—was closing in. Driven on by the fanatical Inspector Sussworth, the SBG was determined to wipe them out once and for all. It was time to break out, escort Sam the horse to safety in Neasden, then return to the old Borrible life of independence and freedom. So began a perilous trek across the dark metropolis—a journey that would test the courage and cunning of the Adventurers to the limits
Well, there you go. Some fantasy and sword and sorcery plus some good old mysteries for you to check out this weekend.. :0) Enjoy!
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