It's a lot cooler today but also hazier. I had talked with my Dad earlier in the week and he asked if we'd been experiencing any of the smoke from fires on the mainland or from the Western States. Well as of late yesterday, it's a bit more noticeable here. Nothing at all like they are getting down South but there is a steady haze and you can smell it somewhat. We're supposed to get rain early next week and I hope we do and that the Western States do as well.
Bonnie's foot is so much better. She is even going for short walks with Clyde and I which is very encouraging. After they had their lunch today, Jo gave me my 2nd haircut of 2020. I was starting to look like a scruffy old man but now I feel so much better. Even shaved off my moustache. As I write this Jo is cooking lunch for us; fried potatoes, fried eggs and beans. Yummy! Oh yes. The Premiership started today so I watched the first game televised on NBC; Liverpool 4 Leeds 3. Excellent game.
On Friday I got a book order from Russell Books in Victoria. Since we've been housebound due to the pandemic, I've submitted a few book orders this year with Russell Books, doing my bit to support BC industries. I'll provide synopses of the books I received. I'll also provide the review of the book I finished this morning, my 2nd book of September & I'll provide the synopsis of the book that is next on my list. I'll also continue with my look at my favorite authors. So let's get going.
Just Finished
1. Fear is the Key by Alistair MacLean (1961). MacLean is my Focus Author for September. I hope to read at least one more book by him before the end of the month.
"Alistair MacLean is my focus author for September. Fear is the Key was originally published in 1961 and is my first book of the month. I read many of MacLean's books back in the late '60s as he was a favorite of mine. But when I came to the Valley in 2001, I found his books again and over time have begun exploring his work again. So with that boring preamble, these are my thoughts on Fear is the Key.
Like every MacLean book, you have a sort of 'every-man' anti-hero caught up in a dangerous, thrilling situation. Of course this man is more than he seems and this will come out as the story progresses. In the prologue to this story, a small cargo aircraft carrying cargo (of some value it seems) from Colombia to Florida is shot down by a fighter jet. This is witnessed (via radio communication) by the partner (and pilot's brother) of the cargo business. Also on board is the wife and child of the man witnessing the event.
The story jumps to a trial in Florida many years later. The defendant escapes, taking along a woman as a hostage. People are killed during this escape. And so begins an action-filled, far-fetched but totally entertaining thriller. The adventure will take John Talbot to the 'home' of multi-millionaire oil baron, General Ruthven and then to his oil well off the coast of Florida during a hurricane. He will battle hardened criminals, search the ocean floor for a mystery cargo and ultimately risk his life for vengeance.
As I say, it's often far-fetched, as most of MacLean's books are. His stories are often hit or miss. Fear is the Key is a hit, exciting, non-stop & filled tension. If you like to escape to this kind of story, try Fear is the Key. Most enjoyable. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
"Under the polar ice-cap...
The
orders for atomic submarine 'Dolphin' are as clear as they are
impossible: sail beneath the ice-floes of the Arctic ocean to locate and
rescue the men of weather-station Zebra, gutted by fire and drifting
with the ice-pack somewhere north of the Arctic circle.
But the
orders do not say what the 'Dolphin' will find if she succeeds - that
the fire at Ice Station Zebra was sabotage; and that one of the
survivors is a killer..."
New Books
"The first book in a new series starring an acting teacher with a surprising talent. Decker
Roberts has the dangerous gift of detecting the truth. Only his closest
friends know, and he keeps his identity secret from the companies that
pay him to tell them if the people they are planning to hire are
truthful. But Decker’s carefully compartmentalized life starts to fall
apart. His house burns down, his credit cards are cancelled, his bank
loan is called, and his studio is condemned. He realized that he must
have heard something in one of his “truth telling” sessions that someone
didn’t want him to know. Decker has to go on the run and figure out why
he’s been targeted. There’s also a government agent hunting him who
seems to know absolutely everything about Decker Roberts’
identities—real and false—and other people of “his kind.”
How
will Decker find out which truth was endangering his life? Who betrayed
him and revealed all his secrets? Decker needs to find answers quickly,
before knowing the truth turns from a gift into a deadly curse."
2. The Boggart by Susan Cooper (The Boggart #1). I've started and enjoyed Cooper's other YA Fantasy series, The Dark is Rising. This is one of her other series.
"'Centuries old and
thousands of miles from home'. When Emily and Jess Volnik's family
inherits a remote, crumbling Scottish castle, they also inherit the
Boggart - an invisible, mischievous spirit who's been playing tricks on
residents of Castle Keep for generations. Then the Boggart is trapped in
a rolltop desk and inadvertently shipped to the Volnik's home in
Toronto, where nothing will ever be the same - for the Volniks or the
Boggart.
In a world that doesn't believe in magic, the Boggart's
pranks wreak havoc. And even the newfound joys of peanut butter and
pizza and fudge sauce eventually wear thin for the Boggart. He wants to
go home - but his only hope lies in a risky and daring blend of modern
technology and ancient magic."
"'What I intend to say to you will come as a shock...'
With
these words, Lady Athelinda Playford -- one of the world's most beloved
children's authors -- springs a surprise on the lawyer entrusted with
her will. As guests arrive for a party at her Irish mansion, Lady
Playford has decided to cut off her two children without a penny . . .
and leave her vast fortune to someone else: an invalid who has only
weeks to live.
Among Lady Playford's visitors are two strangers:
the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, and Inspector Edward
Catchpool of Scotland Yard. Neither knows why he has been invited --
until Poirot begins to wonder if Lady Playford expects a murder. But why
does she seem so determined to provoke a killer? And why -- when the
crime is committed despite Poirot's best efforts to stop it -- does the
identity of the victim make no sense at all?"
"It is a time of wars and
revolutions, conflict and intrigue. New Crobuzon is being ripped apart
from without and within. War with the shadowy city-state of Tesh and
rioting on the streets at home are pushing the teeming city to the
brink. A mysterious masked figure spurs strange rebellion, while
treachery and violence incubate in unexpected places.
In desperation,
a small group of renegades escapes from the city and crosses strange
and alien continents in the search for a lost hope.
In the blood and violence of New Crobuzon’s most dangerous hour, there are whispers. It is the time of the iron council. . . ."
5. Present Darkness by Malla Nunn (Detective Emmanuel Cooper #4).
"Five days before
Christmas, Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper sits at his desk at the
Johannesburg major crimes squad, ready for his holiday in Mozambique. A
call comes in: a respectable, white couple has been assaulted and left
for dead in their bedroom. The couple’s teenage daughter identifies the
attacker as Aaron Shabalala—the youngest son of Zulu Detective Constable
Samuel Shabalala—Cooper’s best friend and a man to whom he owes his
life.
The Detective Branch isn’t interested in evidence that
might contradict their star witness’s story, especially so close to the
holidays. Determined to ensure justice for Aaron, Cooper, Shabalala, and
their trusted friend, Dr. Daniel Zweigman hunt down the truth. Their
investigation uncovers a violent world of Sophiatown gangs, thieves, and
corrupt government officials who will do anything to keep their dark
world intact."
"The Seeds Of Evil. . .
In
a secluded farm house in the Pacific Northwest, a family has been
slaughtered--and a teenage son has disappeared. Single mother and cop,
Emily Kenyon spearheads a dark hunt for a killer. But Emily's teenage
daughter Jenna is one step ahead of her. . .
Are Planted In. . .
Jenna
knows the boy suspected of murdering his family and wants to help
him--perhaps too much. Then within days of the first murder, another
family is butchered, this time in Iowa. And on the heels of this brutal
slaying, another follows in Salt Lake City. Eerie similarities link the
crime scenes. But an even darker connection threatens to claim even more
victims. . .
A Cold Dark Place
As Emily fits the
puzzle pieces together, she realizes the danger surrounding her daughter
is worse than she'd imagined. Now in a desperate race to save Jenna,
Emily must match wits with the most cunning, diabolical killer she's
faced yet in her career--a killer who's just placed her and her daughter
at the top of his list. . ."
"In a remote northern
Vermont town, college student Rachel Rath is being watched. She can feel
the stranger’s eyes on her, relentless and possessive. And she’s sure
the man watching her is the same man who killed her mother and father
years ago: Ned Preacher, a serial rapist and murderer who gamed the
system to get a light sentence. Now, he’s free.
Detective Frank
Rath adopted Rachel, his niece, after the shocking murder of her parents
when she was a baby. Ever since, Rath’s tried to protect her from the
true story of her parents’ deaths. But now Preacher is calling Rath to
torment him. He’s threatening Rachel and plotting cruelties for her, of
the flesh and of the mind. When other girls are found brutally
murdered, and a woman goes missing, Rath and Detective Sonja Test must
untangle the threads that tie these new crimes and some long-ago
nightmares together. Soon they will learn that the truth is more
perverse than anyone could guess, rife with secrets, cruel desires, and
warped, deadly loyalty."
My Favorite Authors - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
English author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, lived from 1859 - 1930. He wrote mysteries, Sci-Fi, non-fiction, poetry, etc. I've enjoyed a variety of his works since 2000.
"A good solid adventure from the pen of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Professor Challenger and a team of associates head to South America to prove that his original discovery of a plateau where creatures from the deep past still live. A well-written and interesting story. I've seen the movie adaptation and also enjoyed. Doyle writes with a nice flow and creates interesting heroic characters. I enjoyed the story very much. Supposedly there are others in the Professor Challenger series. I will definitely look them up. (4 stars)"
"This is a prequel to Doyle's 1891 work, The White Company, which I had enjoyed previously. Sir Nigel tells of his life before he lead the White Company in battle, when he was a stripling squire trying to obtain honours for his lady love. Set in the 1300's, Doyle has portrayed a grim era, but one that also demonstrated honour among knights. Unfortunately, if you weren't of that class, life seems to have been grim and depressing indeed. War criss - crossed France and peasants starved, land was destroyed. Not a good time to live. But at the same time, we have Nigel and many of his knightly comrades, Sir John Chandos and other famous historical figures, who fight with honour and with deadly intent. I enjoyed this story more than the first, maybe over time, Doyle found a more comfortable writing style. I'd say read this one first as it obviously introduces Nigel for the earlier work. (4 stars)"
3. The White Company (White Company #1 / 1891).
"'Now order the ranks,
and fling wide the banners, for our souls are God's and our bodies the
king's, and our swords for Saint George and for England!' With that
rousing proclamation, twelve hundred knights ride into battle,
accompanied by the stalwart archers known as the White Company.
Fueled
by their appetite for glory, this motley crew of freebooters stands
united in their unswerving devotion to the company commander, Sir Nigel
Loring. Short, bald, and extremely nearsighted, Sir Nigel's
unprepossessing appearance belies his warrior's heart and his chivalrous
nature. The rollicking adventures of his company during the Hundred
Years War center around Sir Nigel's loyal squire, Alleyne Edricson.
Raised in the sheltered confines of a monastery, young Alleyne comes of
age amid the rough-and-tumble of armed conflict and the bewildering ways
of courtly love." (3 stars)
"The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle is a collection of 11 mysteries/ adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It contains the final case of Sherlock, the one Doyle penned when he wanted to finish the Holmes' adventures. I enjoyed this collection very much. They featured Holmes' unique skill at solving his mysteries. They introduced his brother Mycroft, who Sherlock claims is smarter than he is, except that he doesn't like to make the effort to follow through on his deductions. We are also introduced to Moriarty, in the Final Chapter, which surprisingly to me, is quite a short, simple, but touching story. Watson clearly loves his dealings with Holmes. Even after he marries and moves to his medical practice, he readily drops everything to head off on an adventure with Holmes. Doyle created an excellent detective and displayed a skill at the short story, quickly getting into the mystery and providing an excellent solution. I've enjoyed getting back into the Holmes' mysteries and will continue this journey. Excellent stories! (4 stars)"
"In 1886, Arthur Conan
Doyle, M.D., created a character who would come to be known as the
greatest sleuth of all time, a character of such cold, rational
perfection, such steely nerve, such unprecedented brilliance and
unfailing popularity that he would ultimately resist death at the hands
of his own creator. This character, of course, was Sherlock Holmes, the
world's first unofficial consulting detective.
Today, over 100
years after the master sleuth's first appearance, Holmes aficionados and
novices alike will delight in this special Quality Paperback Book Club
presentation of his remarkable adventures.
A Study in Scarlet,
the first of the Sherlock Holmes stories, appeared in Beeton's
Christmas Annual in November 1887; the issue sold out in two weeks. With
its account of Watson's experiences in India, its explanation of how
Watson and Holmes come to share rooms at 221B Baker Street, and its
introduction of Scotland Yard detectives Gregson and Lestrade--"the pick
of a bad lot"-- A Study in Scarlet sets the stage for many great Holmes novels and stories to come." (4 stars)
"The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle was originally published in 1905. Doyle had tired of his famous sleuth before this and killed him off in 1893 in The Adventure of the Final Problem. Due to outcry, he released The Hound of the Baskervilles and a number of short stories featuring Holmes. This book contains 13 excellent short stories with the first, The Empty House bringing Holmes back to Watson and includes his explanation of how he survived the battle of Reichenbach Falls, all very interesting.
I enjoyed the collection, every story was well-crafted, tightly woven and entertaining to read. I always like Holmes' crime solutions and these stories had this excellent quality. I don't think I had a favourite, each was a tidy, entertaining story and had an interesting cast of characters. You can see why Sherlock Holmes is such a world-wide favourite sleuth. Great stuff. (4 stars)"
7. The Hound of the Baskervilles (Holmes #5 / 1902).
"The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle is one of those classic mysteries that should be on everybody's 'must-read' list. It's been made into many TV and movies, all of which have kept the story alive and fresh.
I don't know that I've read it previously; it's one of those books that I think I probably have, but maybe it's just that I've seen one or two of the adaptations. However, with all of that preamble, I'm pleased to say that I have now read and enjoyed immensely.
The story is familiar to so many people that I won't go into it in detail. Suffice it to say a family legend draws Holmes and Watson to the Dartmoor moors to try and help the heir to a family estate, one that might have been cursed by a supernatural hound. They work diligently to keep the heir alive as they try to solve the murder of the previous heir.
The nice thing about this particular Holmes' mystery is that the focus is Watson for a nice change. Holmes sends Watson ahead with Henry Baskerville, both to keep him safe and to investigate the neighbours and to try and find out more about the death / murder of Sir Charles Baskerville, Henry's uncle. Holmes stays behind to work on other cases.
It's a different way of telling a Holmes mystery, relying on Watson's correspondence to Holmes and also Watson's diary entries. But don't let that mean that there isn't lots of action because for a Holmes' mystery, there is a fair bit and the story moves along nicely and tensely. It's an interesting mystery with nice twists and turns and the ending is exciting and satisfying. One of the best Holmes' mysteries I've read so far. (5 stars)"
"The Maracot Deep by Arthur Conan Doyle published in 1923, brings to mind his adventure books such as his Professor Challenge books; The Lost World and others of that type. It also reminds me of Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, of John Wyndham's early The Secret People. If you're of an age like me, you might remember those serials that you would watch at the movie theater where the heroes ended each episode in a perilous situation....
In The Maracot Deep, which starts off at a fast pace and just moves steadily along after that, Professor Maracot hires a ship and brings along scientific acquaintance Cyrus Headley to explore the depths of the Atlantic. These two and the designer of their diving bell, Scanlan, are lowered into the depths of the Maracot Deep (a deep sea channel discovered by Maracot) to see what is down there. Disaster strikes as a large sea denizen cuts the diving bell off from its umbilical chord to the ship and they are lost, sinking to the bottom. This information is discovered by some objects which float to the surface at a much later date.
I won't ruin the story by going into any more detail. But suffice it to say that the intrepid trio discover amazing life under the sea and have other adventures. The story is short but filled with action, not a lot of deep thought. It's entertaining in the way of so many books of the time; did you ever enjoy Edgar Rice Burrough's Tarzan or other series? Well, there you go. I will say for all this stories fantastical materiel, it even goes a bit further at the end but even that doesn't ruin this neat little adventure. It would have excited the imaginations of all young boys and, heck, even a crusty old fella like me. Good read and a nice change from the creator of Sherlock Holmes. (3 stars)"
I still have another 4 Doyle books on my shelves to enjoy. The complete listing of A.C. Doyle books can be found at this link. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment